Website Login

Identify yourself with this website. All requests to log into this website are logged. Repeated failed login attempts will result in lock out.

You are attempting to access a resource on this site which is restricted. Please login below. After re-logging in, you will be automatically directed to the page you were attempting to access.


Dawood Ibrahim has been charged as the kingpin of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts which left over 200 people dead (Picture Source: ANI)

Fugitive Gangster Dawood Ibrahim has offered to return to India, provided he is kept locked in the Arthur Road jail and nowhere else during the trail period. It was said by Dawood's brother Iqbal Kaskar's lawyer, Shyam Keswani in Thane court premises on Tuesday, where had come for a hearing in an extortion case.

As per reports, Keswani said, Dawood has expressed his intent very clearly to senior counsel Ram Jethmalani. However, the Indian Government has not entertained any of his preconditions to return back then.

Suprisingly, Keswani's statement comes six months after MNS President Raj Thackeray made a similar revelation. Thackeray had pointed out in his speech that, Dawood was reportedly, negotiating a 'settlement' with the Modi government.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 07, 2018 10:46 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Mar 7, 2018, 11:25am ET

Enraged pedestrian assaults autonomous Chevy Bolt

California accident reports suggest self-driving cars will not be immune from road rage.

General Motors' fleet of autonomous Chevrolet Bolt EVs has apparently sparked rage among a few motorists and pedestrians, according to mandatory incident filings with the California DMV.

An accident report spotted by the Los Angeles Times details damage caused by a pedestrian who lashed out as a Bolt was waiting for crosswalks to clear before making a right-hand turn from northbound Valencia St onto 16th St in San Francisco.

"A different pedestrian from the southwest corner of Valencia and 16th ran across Valencia Street, against the 'do not walk' symbol, shouting, and struck the left side of the Cruise AV's rear bumper and hatch with his entire body," the document notes.

Another encounter involved Bolt under manual control that stopped behind a taxi and the taxi driver "exited his vehicle, approached the Cruise AV, and slapped the front passenger window, causing a scratch."

It is unclear if the taxi driver's actions involved an unstated incident with the Bolt.

Developers of autonomous drive systems have encountered difficulty making the vehicles mesh with human-piloted traffic. Early problems included a tendency to be too cautious at stop signs, requiring developers to tweak the code so an autonomous car begins to pull forward slightly to assert its intention to proceed.
Dont knock the Project Ireland 2040 plans for Portlaoise before they even start, said chair of the Portlaoise Municipal District, Mary Sweeney, after her fellow councillors expressed reservations over the proposed renovation of the county town.

At the recent meeting of the Portlaoise Municipal District in County Hall, Cllr John Joe Fennelly said that he was very disappointed as Portlaoise hospital wasnt mentioned in the new plans.

Said Cllr Willie Aird: There wasnt a whole lot for us, I thought thered be a huge windfall.

He agreed that the lack of mention of the hospital was thoroughly demoralising.

We dont know what type of money is coming, he said.

Cllr Aird also claimed Minister Damien English had said he was horrified at how Portlaoise was laid out.

Director of services, Mr Kieran Kehoe disputed this, saying the Minister should not be misquoted. However, Cllr Aird insisted that he had spoken to Minister English and the Minister said he couldnt understand the planning in Portlaoise.

I hope whoevers in power, we will be able to get funding to solve some of the problems, he said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley said that one positive, if it happens, is the relocation of the courthouse. She agreed it was very disappointing that the hospital was not mentioned.

Were still in limbo over that, she said.

Cllr Mary Sweeney said it was welcome that Portlaoise was at least mentioned in the national plan.

We cant knock it before it starts, she said.

Mr Kehoe said that the plan was a huge windfall for Portlaoise and the money will follow. He said that 27 towns were getting absolutely nothing and Portlaoise is one of only three towns in this region to get something.

Cllr Noel Tuohy agreed with the director of services.
Mobile phones and drugs were among the items that were smuggled into Portlaoise Prison, in separate cases heard at last weeks sitting of Portlaoise District Court.

First before the court was Kim Guerin (27), The Square, Larch Hill, Santry, Dublin.

Inspector Maria Conway gave evidence that on December 11, 2017, the accused entered Portlaoise Prison and activated the metal detector.

She was searched and found to have a mobile phone and a quantity of pink tablets concealed on her person.

She admitted bringing the items into the jail when arrested.

The accused had two previous convictions.

Defence for the accused said that Guerin, a single mother, had been trying to bring the items into her partner and felt under threat to do so.

She had a difficult time with her mental health, but is now sorting herself out, said defence.

Saying that bringing a mobile phone and drugs into prison was very serious, Judge Catherine Staines imposed a three-month sentence, suspended for one year.

In a separate case, Stephen Wilson (29), Aisling Guest House, Ashbourne, County Meath, was charged with bringing drugs into prison.

Inspector Maria Conway gave evidence that on December 21, 2017, the accused was visiting a prisoner in Portlaoise Prison and attempted to pass a small quantity of drugs.

The accused made full admissions when arrested and had no previous convictions.

Defence, Ms Louise Troy said the accused had a housing difficulty and was living in a B+B.

Ms Troy said the accused had been bringing in 50 of cannabis to his cousin.

Judge Staines asked why did he bring the drugs in, to which the accused himself replied that it was a stupid mistake.

The accused was convicted and fined 200.
A Portarlington man has been charged with trying to rob the local Polish shop with a knife.

At last weeks Portlaoise District Court, Kamil Cruk (25), Ballymorris Manor, Portarlington, was charged with theft from Tesco; theft from Centra, Main Street, Portarlington, on February 19 last; theft from Dealz, Portarlington, on February 20; and robbery from the Polish shop on the Link Road, Portarlington, on February 20.

Garda Adrian Corcoran gave evidence that the accused made no reply when charged.

He gave evidence that on February 20, it was alleged the accused entered the Polish shop on the Link Road, Portarlington, produced a knife at the female shop assistant and demanded money.

The assistant fled to the back of the shop and the robber fled the scene.

After hearing the outline of the alleged facts, Judge Catherine Staines said the matter was far too serious to be dealt with in the district court and refused jurisdiction.

There was no State objection to bail, but bail conditions are that the accused observe a curfew from 9pm to 8am; he provide the gardai with a mobile phone number; he stay out of the Polish shop and the Centra store in Portarlington; and he stay away from drugs and alcohol.

The matter was adjourned to May 3.
There were disappointed teenagers but relieved parents in Mountmellick last weekend, when Mountmellick Community School's Paris tour was cancelled over Storm Emma.

The five day trip was due to depart Mountmellick for Dublin Airport on Friday night into Saturday morning, when the country was under the freezing grip of snow. There were 62 second year students and seven school staff packed and ready to go.

It was to be an action packed trip, visiting all the sights and taking in Disneyland Paris. Up to Friday afternoon, the trip was still on.

It was touch and go on Friday, Principal Larry Curtin told the Leinster Express.

"We had a hectic afternoon on Friday, on the phone to the all usual sources to try and get snow ploughs and salt gritters out so we could get to the airport. The flight was still running then and the accommodation was available, so we had to have our plans in place to get the kids to the airport safely," he said.

Later on Friday the flight was finally cancelled by airport authorities.

"There was a large number of disappointed students, but a significant number of relieved parents," he said.

Design a St Patrick's Day masthead for the Leinster Express website!

Mr Curtin said that the annual trip will be rescheduled.

"They are all thrilled that it will be rescheduled. It will be something to look forward to. We are awaiting an update from the tour company," he said.

The school on the main street in Mountmellick, was one of the few in Laois to open last Wednesday morning, with many of its students and staff making it in.

"We closed at lunchtime as the weather worsened. We stayed closed on Thursday and Friday and we are all back to normal now," the principal said.

This crafty Mountmellick group needs your vote!
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.

If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.
A 35-year-old man has been refused bail at Naas District Court today following a Garda search of a house in Newbridge.

Robert Strzelczyk was arrested by Gardai on Monday, March 5, after they searched a house at 32 Moorefield Park, Newbridge, at 1.52pm.

Garda Seamus Doyle said in evidence that the house was rented by Mr Strzelczyks partner, under the social welfare HAP scheme.

The defendant insisted he lived at 73 Aughrim Street, Dublin 7, from where, he said, he ran a tattoo business. Garda Doyle said they believed that he lived with his girlfriend who is currently holidaying in Gran Canaria. The defendant admitted that he had a key to a room and there were some of his possessions at the house.

Objecting to bail, Garda Doyle said that following a search of a bedroom they found a laboratory and a machine used to produce ecstasy tablets. Following tests, Gardai are alleging that the defendant had an estimated 30,000 of ecstasy tablets and 40,000 ketamine or horse tranquiliser. They also found an estimated 12,000 of PVP or synthetic cocaine. Other powders are yet to be analysed.

Garda Doyle said there were three motorbikes at the house, including a Harley Davidson, with an estimated value of 25,000, registered to Mr Strzelczyks 71-year-old mother in Poland.

He said that the defendant denied having the drugs for sale and supply.

Objecting to bail, Garda Doyle said while the man had lived in Ireland since 2004, he is a potential flight risk due to the seriousness of the charge.

He said the house looked affluent, with expensive whiskeys, and there was a 15,000 BMW on the premises. The motorcycles have been seized by the Gardai.

Solicitor, Tim Kennelly, sought bail for the defendant but not only was bail objected to but Gardai also objected to free legal aid being granted on account of the goods found at the house.

Judge Desmond Zaidan refused bail and remanded the man in custody until March 14 on a charge of illegally having the drugs for sale and supply.
A Newbridge schoolgirl chopped off her flowing locks on Tuesday to make life a little easier for needy children.

Young Sinead Mahony, 11, a sixth-class pupil at Scoil na Naomh Uilig, donated her long ponytail to the Rapunzel Foundation, an Irish charity which makes wigs for youngsters who need them for medical reasons such as alopecia.

Furthermore, Sinead has also raised 500 in sponsorship for the good cause.

Staff at the Neeba salon on Cutlery Road in Newbridge carried out the haircut yesterday, and will make sure that the ponytail makes its way safely to the New Ross-based organisation.

Sineads proud dad Jim said that Sinead was chatting with her friends about the work of the Rapunzel Foundation, and decided to donate her own hair as she had the requisite 14-inch long ponytail. The hair has to be at least that length in order for it to be made into a wig.

Sinead before and after Tuesday's big chop

She really appreciated the thought of a child getting a wig made out of her hair, she thought it would be fantastic. It was such a thoughtful thing for her to do, he said.

Sineads mum Roisin contacted the Foundation, who also sent out a sponsorship card and the donations have been rolling in from family and friends all this week.

Jim said that there were no last-minute nerves from the youngster, who has also ended up with a lovely new hairstyle just in time for her Confirmation Day next Tuesday. Before we left the house, she was saying I hope I have enough hair to give the 14 inches', but she looked it up and measured it to be sure.

The family hails from Roseberry Hill, and Sineads two brothers James, 13 and Daragh 7, are also very proud of their sisters good deed. We even bought her a donut as a treat afterwards, joked her dad!

READ ALSO: Exciting competition for young Kildare artists to design St Patricks Day masthead for leinsterleader.ie!

Sinead poses proudly with her ponytail at the Neeba salon in Newbridge, which will make sure the hair gets safely to the Rapunzel Foundation
Irish Water working in partnership with Leitrim County Council is advising customers supplied by the South Leitrim Water Supply that a decision on whether the scheme will be restricted again tonight will be made this afternoon and will be dependent on consumer usage today and how well the reservoirs recover.

The number of customers in the South Leitrim area without water today is dropping dramatically from the 2,800 yesterday and the full picture will be known later in the afternoon.

However, it might take a few hours for water to reach customers in outlying areas and on higher ground while the system recharges. Irish Water is appealing to those customers who do have a supply to conserve water in every way possible.

"The South Leitrim Scheme saw good recovery in its water supply last night due to the restrictions which has led to supply being returned to most areas in the scheme today. There will be no day-time restrictions today however, it is most likely that the scheme will be restricted again tonight from 11pm to 7am to further aid the replenishment of water in the reservoirs. This decision will be made in the afternoon," a spokesperson said.
Minister for Health, Simon Harris is urging people to give blood and help restore blood supplies for patients, after clinics nationwide were cancelled due to the impact of Storm Emma.

The Minister said, "1 in 4 people will require a blood transfusion at some time in their lives. For many people that time is now, and our blood supply has been severely depleted over the last week.

"The Irish Blood Transfusion Service has kept up its supply to hospitals during the severe weather, but hasn't been able to hold clinics. Now they have just three days supply on average across all groups and just two days of O negative.

"I'm now asking blood donors, and those who would like to be blood donors, to visit a clinic in the coming weeks.

"Every week, hundreds of patients in hospitals all around the country are helped in their recovery by the ready availability of blood. I want to acknowledge the generosity of donors and the work of the IBTS in maintaining this vital supply.

"The IBTS is aiming to collect 7,000 donations between now and St Patricks weekend, and I'm appealing to those who able to do so to give blood and make a vital difference to those in need."

For further information on blood donation please click here.

You may also like: Further locations released for water tanker supplies in South Leitrim
An open verdict was returned at Carrick-on-Shannon Coroners Court today (Wednesday) in death of a Polish man who drowned while he was attending a stag party in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Deputy Coroner for Sligo Leitrim, Fergal Kelly, recorded an Open Verdict in the case of 30-year-old Janusz Jasicki of The Paddock Cottage, Woodbrook, Shankill, Co Dublin with Mr Kelly ruling that the cause of death was freshwater drowning at the Quayside, Carrick-on-Shannon.

Mr Jasickis remains were retrieved from the River Shannon at approximately 8.45pm on Wednesday October 11, having gone missing on the night of Saturday, September 30.

Mr Jasicki remains were recovered from the Shannon by five member of the Lough Ree Sub Aqua Club.

Mr Jasicki was attending a stag in Carrick-on-Shannon with seven friends. Three friends who attended the stag told how they arrived in Carrick at 12.30 pm on the Saturday, went Go-Karting and then met up again for a cruise on Moon River at 6.45 pm.

The cruise ended at 8.30 pm and the group made their way up the town up to Murtaghs when they noticed that Mr Jasicki was no longer with them. The group rang Mr Jasicki who reported he was lost and one of the witnesses commented that he was not making sense.

Mr Jasickis phone went dead at 9.40 pm. The friends also gave evidence of searching around the town for Mr Jasicki.

Cat Sawkins, Mr Jasickis partner of six years, told the Inquest that Janusz was very responsible and capable and she would expect him to come back in one piece from the stag. He had never gone missing before, did not drink much and had been approved for a mortgage just before he went on the stag.

Ms Sawkins said that Mr Jasicki had a habit of losing his phone so they installed Find My Phone software on his phone and computer. When she was informed that Janusz was missing, she was able to trace his phone up until 9.40 pm when the battery went dead, Mr Jasicki having forgot to bring his charger with him on the trip.

Sgt. Carla Curry gave evidence of the recovery of Mr Jasickis remains from the Shannon on Wednesday October 11. She also told that Mr Jasicki was last seen walking in the direction of Breffni Crescent and the searches were concentrated on that area.

Paul Newman told the court that he was on a cruiser boat on the Shannon, going from Leitrim Village to Carrick, on Wednesday, October 11. A member of Lough Ree Sub Aqua Club, Mr Newman was aware that a person was missing in Carrick-on-Shannon and was keeping watch for any signs on the journey.

Near the junction of the Boyle River and the Shannon, Mr Newman spotted something in the reeds around 6.30 pm and after manoeuvring the boat in closer, he spotted a hand. He then contacted his colleagues in Lough Ree Sub Aqua club to bring up the inflatable boat so that they could retrieve the remains from the rushes.

Mr Jasickis remains were recovered at 8.45 pm and brought into Carrick-on-Shannon.

Sgt. Tony Byrne gave evidence of being contacted by Lough Ree Sub Aqua Club and the arrival of the remains at the Quay in Carrick at 9.20 pm. The deceaseds remains were identified by his clothing and watch and Last Rites were administered at the scene.

Robert Jasicki gave evidence of identifying the remains of his older brother.

In a deposition read to the inquest by Sgt Ronan Mooney, Sgt Josephine Kirrane outlined how she had been appointed Family Liaison Officer for the case. She said that Mr Jasickis remains were identified by the brown belt he was wearing and a watch.

Sgt Kirranes evidence also revealed that a small plastic bag with a white powdery substance was found in the pocket of the deceased.

Presiding Officer Fergal Kelly read extracts from Mr Jasickis autopsy conducted by Dr Paul Hartill at Sligo University Hospital which said that the cause of death was consistent with fresh water drowning.

He also said that the toxicology report showed an ethanol reading of 206 micrograms and traces of cocaine, benzoylegonime and cocaethylene.

Delivering his verdict, Deputy Coroner Fergal Kelly said that the witnesses gave evidence of what was supposed to be a very happy weekend but unfortunately, it didnt turn out that way. He said it was very clear to see that Mr Jasicki, who was only 30 years old, was a very fit, very active and very sporting man.

Mr Kelly offered his sympathy to Mr Jasickis brother Robert, his partner Cat and his family and friends. Mr Kelly also said that he hoped the conclusion of the Inquest could help with their bereavement process.

Mr Kelly also thanked everyone who had helped with the search for Mr Jasicki. Sgt. Ronan Mooney also offered his sympathy to the Jasicki family and thanked all those who has assisted in the search for Mr Jasicki.
GARDAI have released without charge eleven adults who were being questioned as part of an investigation into the alleged abuse and sexual exploitation of a number of young children in West Limerick.

One man was released on Tuesday evening while the remaining four men and six women have since been released.

A file is to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the matter.

All eleven adults, who range in age from their early 20s to their mid 70s, were arrested during series of co-ordinated raids across Munster on Monday evening.

While investigations are ongoing, Mary Flaherty, CEO of CARI, which provides support for children who are the victims of abuse said what has emerged into the public domain about the alleged offences was "disturbing".

The number of female offenders involved, the reports that all are members of an extended family, the ages of the children from new born to pre-pubescent make this the most horrific and extensive criminal operation against children in CARIs knowledge, she said.

An Garda Siochana have an important job to both the children involved and to children everywhere to dismantle this alleged ring and to face those responsible with the full weight of the judicial system, added Eve Farrelly, manager of CARIs Accompaniment and Helpline service.

It is understood those arrested on Monday are all members of the same extended family and gardai believe the alleged victims are known to them.

The alleged victims, some of whom have been interviewed by specialist gardai as part of the investigation, are said to include children ranging in age from several months old to 12.

The arrests are part of an investigation into alleged sexual exploitation of children who were resident in the Newcastle West garda district, confirmed a garda spokesperson.

The Newcastle West garda district is one of the biggest in the country and details of the precise location, which is known to the Leader, cannot be disclosed for legal reasons and in order to protect the identity of the alleged victims.
May 3, 2021, 8 PM

The March 8-10 Kagin's auction at the National Money Show includes a broad selection of encased postage stamps, including this 5 Civil War-era rarity for Arthur M. Claflin.

By Michael Baadke

Kagins Auctions of Tiburon, Calif., is offering a major collection of encased postage stamps during the American Numismatic Associations National Money Show in Irving, Texas, near Dallas.

The auction is taking place May 8-10, with the encased postage stamps all offered during the auctions second session on Friday, March 9.

The Michigan Collection of encased postage stamps is believed to be one of the most comprehensive sets ever and perhaps currently the finest and most complete including 145 different varieties, according to the auction firm.

The Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers, which lists and values encased postage stamps, explains that the government authorized the monetizing of postage stamps in 1862 as a result of the hoarding of coins during the Civil War.

Although an estimated 750,000 encased postage stamps were sold, only 3,500 to 7,000 are believed to have survived for collectors, Scott notes. The eight stamps of the 1861 issue were used to create encased postage.

The encased postage stamps are protected in mica and clad in brass with commercial advertising on the reverse, which helps identify and determine the scarcity of the available pieces.

Connect with Linns Stamp News:

Sign up for our newsletter

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Some are extremely rare, but even some of the rarest examples are being offered in the Kagins auction.

One such item is the 5 Thomas Jefferson-Arthur M. Claflin, Hopkinton, Mass., encased postage (Scott EP61).

The example in the Kagins auction is described as choice extremely fine.

Kagins reports it has confirmed only two known examples of the 5 Claflin. It describes this one as having an attractive golden brown color of the case and frame, with strong definition of the wording.

The mica is largely free from distractions while just some light wrinkling of the otherwise bold stamp.

Kagins reports this piece sold in 2012 for $15,275. The Scott catalog shows a value of $15,000 for the 5 Claflin, with the amount listed in italics to identify an item that can be difficult to value accurately.

The Kagins website opens bidding at $4,700.

The 1862 patent for a Design for Encasing Government Stamps was issued to John Gault, who also used his own innovative design to create encased postage that solicited advertising partners.

One variety of this is the Kirkpatrick and Gault encased postage (Scott EP113-EP120). The Kagins sale includes several varieties of this issue, with a 90 example described by Kagins as likely the finest known. The piece sold for $9,200 in 2012, and is listed in the Scott U.S. Specialized catalog at $10,000. The opening bid in the auction is $2,900.

The Michigan collection represents many of the finest single specimens that could be obtained for each denomination and from every merchant, Kagins notes.

The auction can be viewed on the Kagin's website, with online bidding options available.
When it comes to storm prediction, "the devil's in the details."

A powerful storm is on track to strike the U.S. East Coast tomorrow, the second nor'easter to visit the area in two weeks. The storm will arrive tonight (March 6) at 10 p.m. EST and will last until 4 a.m. on Thursday (March 8), according to a winter storm warning issued today (March 6) by the National Weather Service (NWS).

But will this storm soak the region with rain or bury it in snow?

"Substantial snow accumulations" could blanket New York City and parts of Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut and the Hudson Valley, the NWS reported. However, exact amounts of snowfall are a little harder to pin down, and estimates for some areas range from nearly 18 inches (46 centimeters) to as little as 5 inches (13 cm), according to the NWS.

Why is tomorrow's snowfall proving so tough to predict? [Weirdo Weather: 7 Rare Weather Events]

For this storm's forecast, agreement among weather models is actually above average, but "the devil is in the details," Stephen DiRienzo, a meteorologist with the NWS, told Live Science in an email.

"The greatest uncertainty in the forecast is along the rain/snow transition line, which for this storm extends from Philadelphia to New York to Boston," DiRienzo explained.

"Oftentimes, there is literally a straight edge to the boundary between rain and snow, and so on the snowy side there may be large accumulations of snow, with none on the rainy side of the boundary. So, where that line between rain and snow sets up, that will determine tomorrow's weather for millions of people," he said in the email.

In this case, the storm shifting to the southeast would mean that major northeastern cities would experience substantial snowfall, while a shift to the northwest would douse those cities with heavy rainfall, DiRienzo said.

That explains the variability in NWS maps showing potential snowfall: The high-end map estimates 10 inches (25 cm) of snowfall for New York City, while the low-end map predicts 0 inches (0 cm). The prediction is similar for Boston, with a snowfall range from a high of 7 inches down to 0 inches (18 to 0 cm).

"At this point, we're just slightly unsure of the exact axis of the heaviest snowfall," Michael Musher, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), told Live Science.

"There's always variability in each system  it just depends on its development and orientation," Musher said.

Various computer models have forecast similar movements for the storm  what remains to be seen is how well they can forecast temperature from the ground up into the upper atmosphere, which could affect the position of the rain/snow transition line, DiRienzo said.

To track these temperatures, weather balloons are deployed by the NWS twice daily  at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. local time  from about half of the agency's offices, ascending to heights of over 100,000 feet (30 kilometers). The data gathered closer to the storm's arrival, such as data from the weather balloons slated to go up tonight and early tomorrow morning, will help provide more-accurate estimates of where the storm's heaviest snow will fall, DiRienzo said in the email.

"The computer models will give a forecast of expected temperatures in the atmosphere during tomorrow's storm, but those 7 a.m. balloon launches will be critical to determining where the rain-snow line sets up, and therefore, what weather millions of people can expect," he said.

Original article on Live Science.
The 131-year-old bottle and message - currently the oldest of their kind on record.

Update: March 10 @ 8:11 a.m. EST

Several news sources in Australia have cast doubt on the authenticity of the 131-year-old message in a bottle. WAtoday reported that Kym Illman, the husband of Tonya Illman, who found the bottle, is a known ambush marketer, and that the bottle might be an elaborate scheme to draw attention to Wedge Island, where the bottle was discovered. In addition, Perth Now noted that Kym Illman "accepts most people would expect such old objects to be in worse condition."

When Live Science reached out to Kym Illman, he defended the finding.

"When you look at the evidence the museum and two German national agencies were able to piece together, its clear the find is genuine," he told Live Science in an email. "Certainly, Guinness World Records thought so; on Thursday night they announced my wife's find was officially 'Guinness World Records Oldest Message in a Bottle.'"

The oldest message in a bottle on record wasn't discovered by a historian, but by a woman picking up trash strewn across the coastal dunes of Western Australia.

Perth resident Tonya Illman scooped up the brownish bottle just north of Wedge Island on Jan. 21. At that point, the bottle had been out of human hands for 131 years and 223 days: According to Illman's husband's website, which describes the finding, it was thrown overboard from a German vessel on June 12, 1886.

"This has been the most remarkable event in my life," Illman said in a statement on the site. "To think that this bottle has not been touched for nearly 132 years and is in perfect condition, despite the elements, beggars belief. Im still shaking." [Mayday! 17 Mysterious Shipwrecks You Can See on Google Earth]

Illman noted that, despite her resolve to pick up (and throw out) beach trash, "I came across this bottle, and thought, 'Oh, well, at least I don't even have to throw that away because that's quite lovely  I can put that in my bookshelf," she said in a video about the discovery, which plays (of course) "Message in a Bottle" by the English rock band, The Police.

It wasn't until later that day, however, that Illman's son's girlfriend, Bree Del Borrello, discovered the furled, string-tied note inside the bottle. The note was damp, so the group took it home and dried it out for a few minutes in a warm oven.

But unrolling the note only deepened the mystery: the 8-inch by 6-inch (20 by 15.3 centimeters) slip of paper sported dark-colored type in German and barely discernable handwritten letters and numbers, Illman said.

After a lot of sleuthing, along with help from the Western Australia Maritime Museum, the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency and the German Weather and Climate agency, Illman's family learned about the note's storied history.

Back in 1886, a person aboard a German sailing ship called the Paula threw the bottle overboard with the message inside. It's possible this person was the ship's captain, O. Diekmann, since the type of ink and the handwriting found on the note matched a log that Diekmann made in the ship's meteorological logbook, noting that a note and a bottle had been thrown overboard on June 12 of that year.

The note stated that the Paula was sailing from Cardiff, Wales, to the Dutch East Indies, which is present-day Indonesia. Moreover, the latitude coordinate on the note matched the note in the Paula's logbook, according to the website. The bottle was likely thrown overboard as part of a project investigating global ocean currents, according to the German Maritime and Hydrographic Agency.

German mariners threw thousands of messages in bottles overboard over a 69-year period, but only 662 messages (but no bottles) have been recovered, according to the BBC.

Previously, the oldest message in a bottle was a 108-year-old postcard discovered in a bottle that washed ashore in Germany in April 2015, Live Science reported. The new discovery smashes the record by 23 years.

Editor's Note: This article was first published the morning of March 7 and was updated on March 10 with comments from the bottle's discoverers about reports suggesting the "message in a bottle" could be a fake.

Original article on Live Science.
Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury, near the above shopping center. Specialist units decontaminated the area by hosing it down.

Update at 1:00 p.m. EST:

U.K. investigators have announced that Ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal were likely poisoned by a nerve agent, according to The Guardian. Nerve agents are highly poisonous chemicals that can interfere with signaling from the nervous system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both of the Skripals are still in intensive care.

It's not yet clear which kind of nerve agent was used or the long-term effects the poison will have on the Skripals if they survive this attack. But nerve agents, including sarin, soman, tabun and VX, can have long-lasting effects. For instance, when the Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo attacked a man with VX nerve agent in 1995, the man survived but continued to feel numbness in part of his body and was reliant on an oxygen tube more than 20 years after the attack, Live Science previously reported.

Live Science published this article (below), at 7:11 a.m. EST today:

It's still a mystery as to what sickened former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter on Sunday (March 4) at a shopping mall outside London, but several clues point toward poison, toxicology experts told Live Science.

It's unlikely that radiation, harmful bacteria or a virus caused the Skripals to become unconscious, based on details reported in the media, said Dr. Lewis Nelson, chairman of emergency medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, who is not involved with the Skripals' treatment.

But while a fast-acting poison is the likely culprit, it's anyone's guess as to which one sickened the father and daughter, Nelson said. "There's hundreds, if not more, potential poisons that can kill your brain quickly," Nelson told Live Science. [5 Lethal Chemical Warfare Agents]

Unconscious on a park bench

The Skripal case has stumped U.K. authorities. Skripal is a former military intelligence officer for Russia who, in 2006, was sentenced to 13 years in prison after being convicted of spying on Russia for the U.K., according to NBC. However, Skripal was freed in 2010 as part of a U.S.-Russian spy swap, NBC reported.

On Sunday afternoon, Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia Skripal were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury, England, about 85 miles (136 kilometers) southwest of London. According to an eyewitness in an NBC video, the Skripals looked pale and stiff Yulia's eyes were wide open, she was frothing at the mouth and vomit was pouring out of Sergei Skripal's mouth. Both were rushed to the intensive care unit of Salisbury District Hospital, Wiltshire Police said, according to U.S. News and World Report.

These details suggest that the Skripals weren't exposed to radiation. Radiation exposure would have led to inflammation or reddening of the skin, Robert Rice, a professor of environmental toxicology at the University of California, Davis, who is not involved with the Skripals' care, told Live Science. Moreover, symptoms from radiation poisoning take days to weeks to occur, and it appears that the symptoms developed quickly in the Skripals' case, Nelson said.

That said, former Russian spies have died from radiation exposure in the past. In 2006, former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned with radioactive polonium-210, U.S. News and World Report reported.

What's more, it's unlikely that the Skripals were exposed to a biological agent, such as harmful bacteria or a virus, Nelson said.

"There are no infectious organisms that work that quickly," Nelson said, noting that even the deadliest pathogens take hours to days to gravely sicken people.

Potential poison

Some poisons, in contrast, can strike within minutes, Nelson said.

For instance, Kim Jong-nam, the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was assassinated in the airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in February 2017 after two women rubbed a poisoned cloth on his face. The poison  VX nerve agent  has deadly effects, including seizures and uncontrollable muscle spasms that stop the heart within minutes, Live Science previously reported.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov was killed with the poison ricin when he was walking by London's Waterloo Bridge in September 1978, Reuters reported. An assailant stabbed Markov in the leg with an umbrella that had a ricin injector in its tip, Rice said. The former Soviet spy agency, the KGB, was accused of Markov's murder, according to Reuters. [Pick Your Poison: Some Venom Can Be Healing]

However, ricin-related symptoms typically take several hours to a day to occur, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Skripals' symptoms seem to have developed more quickly, Nelson said.

Another fast-acting poison is cyanide, which Bosnian Croat war criminal Slobodan Praljak used to commit suicide at the Hague court in November 2017, according to the BBC.

It will take analytical toxicologists to determine the substance that sickened the Skripals. These toxicologists may use tools, such as mass spectrometry, that help them identify what kinds of molecules are in biopsies taken from the patients.

Meanwhile, U.K. authorities hosed down the area where the Skripals were found. This was a good idea because "dilution is pretty much the solution," when harmful chemicals might be in the area, Nelson said.

Original article on Live Science.
The enormous white blankets draped over the Rhone Glacier in the Swiss Alps are not a cozy courtesy but rather a means to keep the ice cold.

Summer's coming, which means that soon enough, it'll be time to tuck the glaciers in.

This year, like every year, a group of Swiss will traipse up through the mountains to the Rhone Glacier, hauling huge white blankets. As E&E News reported in a recent article on geoengineering, the annual hike is part of a doomed effort to protect the massive blocks of ice from the rising summer heat.

The Earth is getting warmer, and glaciers around the world are retreating and shrinking. As Live Science has previously reported, humans appear to have caused 69 percent of glacial melting between 1991 and 2010  and warming has only accelerated in the nearly eight years since.

In the Rhone region, that shrinking represents an economic emergency as well as an environmental one. The ice mass, which 11,500 years ago covered a large chunk of Switzerland, is a significant tourist attraction; Agence France-Presse reported in 2015 that an "ice grotto" has been carved into the ice every year since 1870 for visitors to walk through, and is threatened by the shrinking ice. The glacier has retreated 4,600 feet (1,400 meters) since 1856.

The blankets, their white color chosen to reflect light before it strikes the ice, may slow the glacier's decline. But they won't stop it. Glaciologist David Volken told Agence France-Presse that the glacier still loses 3 to 5 inches (10 to 12 centimeters) on a hot day.

Nonetheless, this idea and others like it are becoming increasingly popular, as it grows clearer that the world will blow through the 2-degree-Celsius temperature rise target policymakers have set for limiting the worst effects of climate change. If the world's glaciers do collapse entirely, the potential for raising global sea levels is enormous, according to research published in 2013 in the journal Science.

As Oceans Deeply reported, scientists at the December 2017 meeting of the American Geophysical Union seriously considered proposals like spreading giant sheets of reflective material on top of landlocked polar ice, building huge mounds on the seafloor to keep warm water away from melting glaciers, or pumping huge amounts of ocean water on top of sea ice in the summer in order to add to its mass.

All these ideas and more appear in an ongoing E&E series on geoengineering, which Live Science recommends reading in full.

Originally published on Live Science.
CPS Energy will generate about half of its power from renewable energy sources such as solar or wind by 2040 under a new flexible path strategy presented to the board by CEO Paula Gold-Williams on Tuesday.

Designed to reduce the utilitys reliance on fossil fuels, environmental groups say the plan doesnt go far enough and will reduce air quality by continuing the use of coal and natural gas power plants for decades.

Roughly 22 percent of CPS power currently comes from renewable energy sources, with its natural gas plants generating 45 percent, coal accounting for 18 percent, and nuclear making up the rest, according to the utility. Owned by the city of San Antonio, CPS has been trying to ween itself off fossil fuels in recent years.

We will not be building a large base-load power plant again. I think we can say that pretty confidently, Chief Operating Officer Cris Eugster said before the board meeting. I think how we add capacity in the future to meet our load, our preferences is to do it with renewables, with solar, but we need to do it in a way thats affordable for our community and in a way that we get reliable power.

The utility plans to add 4,100 megawatts of renewable energy sources and 550 megawatts of battery storage over the next few decades, Gold-Williams said at the CPS Energy monthly board meeting. One megawatt can power between 200 and 300 homes in the winter, and 200 homes on a hot summer day.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg said he would oppose building more natural gas and coal power plants.

There are alternatives to us for large-scale generation, Nirenberg said in an interview last week. Short of the population doubling overnight  which its not going to, were growing into it  the rise of conservation to the renewables to all these other changes are in support of less large-scale generation needed for a city our size.

CPS added nearly 500 megawatts of utility-scale solar power through contracts with San Antonio-based OCI Solar Power between 2010 and 2017. An additional 88 megawatts of residential and commercial solar power has been added through rebate programs in CPS territory. The utility ramped up its wind-power generation between 2002 and 2012 when it added 1,059 megawatts of wind power. It hasnt expanded its wind program since.

Executives said CPS wont be able to fully ween itself off coal until at least 2042 under the plan.

The plan presented to the board of trustees today shows that CPS Energy isn't leading on climate action, despite its involvement in the SA Climate Ready process, Kaiba White, an Austin-based energy policy specialist for Public Citizen, said in a statement. Instead, the utility plans to burn coal until at least 2042 and wants to invest in a significant amount of new natural gas generating capacity.

Greg Harmon of the Sierra Club said the utility is overlooking a golden opportunity to launch a serious clean-energy economy.

CPS Energy is putting off the acquisition of additional utility-scale renewable energy for far too long and is intent on relying on dirty coal through 2042 despite its public-health risks, said Harmon, who is the clean energy organizer for the Sierra Clubs Lone Star chapter.

Eugster said the utility is still figuring out what the future looks like as it examines whether it will retire its three oldest plants  the V.H. Braunig units with more than 800 megawatts of capacity  near the end of the 2020s.

Our belief is our traditional fleet is really our bridge into our future, he said, referring to CPS existing fossil fuel plants.

He added that the current timetable means CPS will have until 2022 to decide what a new flex gen power generation would look like. The plan shows that generation would be needed starting in 2025.

If energy storage comes through in a big way, that could be all solar plus storage, Eugster said. Paula has also talked about that might be small box (natural gas).
WASHINGTON - The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will see a long-overdue debut Friday when the composer Philip Glass, 81, will perform there for the first time, playing his piano etudes with four other pianists. On March 16, the Kennedy Center will present another Glass work: the score to Godfrey Reggio's 1982 film "Koyaanisqatsi," with the Philip Glass Ensemble and the Washington Chorus.

Glass' music, of course, has been at the Kennedy Center plenty of times before. The Washington National Opera premiered his revised "Appomattox" in 2015; Leonard Slatkin performed his 7th Symphony with the National Symphony Orchestra. But "I've had to wait a little while to get on stage myself," he said earlier this week in a telephone conversation about his etudes, "Koyaanisqatsi" and the creative process.

Glass' 20 etudes represent an autobiography on the keyboard, written over the course of 20 years. On Friday, he'll play the first two, and then numbers 16 and 17.

"I haven't learned them all yet," he confesses, speaking of the whole set. "I got up to 12 and I got busy doing other things. Practicing takes time."

Number 17, he says, was originally a piece he wrote to a poem by Allen Ginsberg called "Magic Psalm." When he sat down to write the 17th etude, he had a sense of deja vu, picked up the "Magic Psalm" score, and saw that he'd written "17" in the upper corner of the music - earmarking it for the etude set. "That one was free," he quips.

"The first set were written in a very pedagogical spirit," he says. "I wanted music to practice that I liked. So I decided, I'll just write it myself. ... And what happened is my playing got better. It really did work. Then I took a break, maybe three or four years."

The next 10, he says, were "testing my ideas about harmony, harmonic relations"; they tend to be longer and more challenging.

He adds: "Writing number 20 was interesting because I knew I had to do something that both completed the cycle of music but you hadn't heard it - new, and final. I thought about it and didn't know what to do until the day came to write it, and I sat down and wrote it in a couple of days. ... Brains are working even when you don't know they're working."

Although, he observed, sometimes you think you know exactly what you're going to write, and it comes out completely different. "And what happened to the piece you never wrote down?" he muses.

As for "Koyaanisqatsi," he treasures his memories of working on it, not least for the rare process of working side by side with the filmmaker, creating music as the film was being made.

"That almost never occurs," he says. "I managed to do it one other time, when we were doing 'Kundun'" - Martin Scorsese's 1997 film about the Dalai Lama. "I convinced him I should do the music first and he should play it for the actors before he shot the film."

Indeed, Scorsese got so reliant on this process that Glass once had to fly back from Europe to quickly write some more music when the filming got ahead of the score.

"Koyaanisqatsi," unlike "Kundun," remains a modern classic - although Glass says that Reggio remains little-known, and very modest about its creation. (The director was less modest when, four days before the premiere, he went back and changed the order of the film's last five scenes.)

"You would believe from him that (his movies) made themselves," Glass said.

"I'm sometimes like that too," he adds. "There's a reason for that. When you're writing, you're so focused on what you're doing that you don't pay attention to what you're doing. You don't see yourself writing. All of a sudden it's dinnertime and you have 30 pages. The activity requires all of our attention. ... We're not reliable guides as to how we work. The we that can comment on it is not there during the act of creating. ... But when you're done, you don't really know how you did it."
Agatha Christie: A Mysterious Life

By Laura Thompson

Pegasus. 544 pp. $35

---

Agatha Christie's work has never gone out of style, nor out of print, in the four decades since her death - to the tune of more than 2 billion copies sold. But Christie's flame burns extra bright in the present, thanks to new film adaptations ("Murder on the Orient Express"), authorized sequels ("The Monogram Murders" and "Closed Casket,"by Sophie Hannah) and homages ("Magpie Murders," by Anthony Horowitz).

But derivative works and adaptations can't fully explain why Christie's work endures. A splendid biography by Laura Thompson, however, does. "Agatha Christie: A Mysterious Life" was published in Britain over a decade ago and took an inexplicable amount of time to cross the pond. Yet the timing is perfect because Thompson's thorough yet readable treatment of Christie's life, in combination with artful critical context on her work, arrives at the reason for her endurance:

"As she would often do, Agatha has used the familiarity of the stereotype to subvert our expectations. It was one of the cleverest tricks she would play. It was, in fact, more than a trick: by such means she revealed her insight, her lightly worn understanding of human nature."

Christie, as Thompson details, came by such understanding through the traditional means of early hardship. Born Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller in 1890, her middle-class upbringing in Torquay was idyllic, with a fierce, close relationship with her mother, a woman determined to shield Agatha from a repeat of her own childhood hurts. Young Agatha was imaginative but practical, a skillful nurse during World War I who wished for a domestic life as a wife and mother - and got it, after marrying Archie Christie and giving birth to their only child, Rosalind.

But her imagination needed an outlet. Healthy competition with her older sister, who also published stories, spurred Christie to write the book eventually published as "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" (1920), the first of many outings for her iconic Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot.

He seemed to have emerged from the ether, as Christie liked to tell it, though her careful reading of earlier detective fiction greats - especially Emile Gaboriau's Monsieur Lecoq novels - was no doubt a contributing factor. The singular alchemy of careful plotting, ruthless character study and her "absolute belief that each person had an immutable essence, usually unknown even to themselves" was already in evidence.

Christie's life and work collided in 1926. She had already published "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd," the Poirot novel that still provokes vociferous reader debate, to modest success and critical acclaim. By December she was infamous, the subject of constant media scrutiny, after an 11-day disappearance that ended when she was discovered at a Harrogate spa.

She never discussed the underlying reasons for the vanishing. Thompson lays out a plausible theory of a fugue state, brought on by the crushing discovery that Archie was in love with someone else, exacerbated by terror and shame that essentially paralyzed Christie. The spell broke, she and Christie divorced, she married the archaeologist Max Mallowan and lived a merry life of travel and riches and hard work. But the key enigma, this mystery story, is, as Thompson notes, "her finest, because it cannot be solved."

Afterward, there was the public Agatha, whose Poirots, Miss Marples and other detective fictions reached readers at a near-annual clip. But the more private one had a creative outlet, too, under the pseudonym of Mary Westmacott. Thompson artfully demonstrates how Christie revealed in the Westmacott novels her pain about her collapsed first marriage, her difficult relationship with Rosalind and her overwhelming love for her mother.

Christie, in essence, was the Elena Ferrante of her day. She did not take public ownership of the pseudonym until the 1960s. While "Agatha Christie" could present herself as "the clever, controlled, sensible woman who knew all about human emotion but who dealt with it, every time, and kept chaos at bay," Mary Westmacott was, by contrast, the "sensitive, secret creature who had been born of the drifting ghost of Harrogate ... who could never have existed without the strange freedom that came from using another woman's name."

While Thompson makes a good case for reading the Westmacott romances, any Christie biography must ultimately be about the mystery novels that brought her such extraordinary commercial success. Thompson does not cheerlead when it isn't warranted - at least one of Christie's novels ("The Burden") is deemed "diffuse and barely structured" - and she argues that Christie's zenith, in plot and in prose, was during and after World War II.

That this era of tremendous carnage, societal upheaval and polarization would be Christie's triumph is obvious in hindsight. Her novels are the epitome of order restored out of chaos. She, too, needed that catharsis, and she determined to provide it to her readers.

But this isn't the full explanation, else why would we still be reading her work now? Surely, her brand of order cannot overcome all possible chaos caused by contemporary ills?

An insightful quotation by P.G. Wodehouse, in a 1969 letter to Christie, offers a further clue. "I don't find it spoils an Agatha Christie a bit 'knowing the end,'" he wrote, "because the characters are so interesting." As much as Christie's fame rests on her fiendish plotting, what girds their iron-cast base are the people who populate her stories. Poirot's little gray cells. Miss Marple's near-omniscient observations. The wants, needs, desires and grievances of incidental players and possible suspects.

When one wants, one is capable of murder. That's what Agatha Christie knew. That's what she wrote about so well. That's why we still read her - and always will.

---

Weinman is the editor, most recently, of "Women Crime Writers: Eight Suspense Novels of the 1940s & 50s" and the author of "The Real Lolita: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the World," to be published this fall.
Chicago

By David Mamet

Custom House. 352 pp. $26.99

---

Although the characters in David Mamet's new novel, "Chicago," never sound like real people, they always sound like David Mamet people, which is a strange indication of his success. We would recognize these guys in a dark alley, not from any actual experience in dark alleys but from "Speed-the-Plow," "American Buffalo" and "Glengarry Glen Ross," plays that have explored 86-proof masculinity for decades.

In "Chicago," Mamet returns once again to the city where he was raised and where he started to work in theater. The novel also marks a return to the Prohibition era of "The Untouchables" (1987), Brian De Palma's gangster film for which Mamet wrote the screenplay. But what's striking is how little difference the time makes. Past or present, Mamet's men must always contend with the rapidly changing currents of the day. The moment you hear Mamet working in 1920s Chicago, it's obvious that this bullet-ridden era fits him as comfortably as a newsboy cap. Yet he's often felt like an on-the-money writer, catching the zeitgeist even before the cigarette smoke clears the room. Remember that "Oleanna," his deeply unsettling play about sexual harassment, opened just months after Clarence Thomas joined the Supreme Court. And now, while releasing this novel set 90 years ago, he's working on a script about recently disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

"Chicago" is not overly inconvenienced by the actual history of the 1920s. "Received chronology," Mamet notes at the opening, "has been jostled into a better understanding of its dramatic responsibilities." (Leave it to Mamet to be more responsible than God.) But if this isn't the exact history of Chicago, it's still the city you think you know. Italian and Irish gangsters rule competing halves of the town. Al Capone makes a cameo. With alcohol illegal and ubiquitous, the city government is an institution of organized influence peddling. Every crime scene is picked over by sticky-fingered policemen shopping for their wives and girlfriends.

The professional narrators of this roiling city are the intrepid reporters of the Chicago Tribune, men - all men - wholly devoted to the truth of a good story. These are writers and editors who sip romanticism at home but chug tankards of cynicism in public. "Idiosyncratic expressions of self-loathing" are reflexive for these guys.

If you know a male journalist - present, former or aspiring - give him this novel. It's full of wry advice like, "(BEGIN ITAL)If(END ITAL) one can afford it, (BEGIN ITAL)but(END ITAL) one has nothing to say, one should(BEGIN ITAL)not(END ITAL) write. That is not writer's block but common courtesy."

"A (BEGIN ITAL)newspaper(END ITAL) is a joke," the city editor declares. "Existing at the pleasure of the advertisers, to mulct the public, gratifying their stupidity, and render some small advance on investment to the owners, offering putative employment to their etiolated, wastrel sons."

If nothing else, this dialogue makes good prep for the SATs.

"Chicago" focuses on two daily scribes "debauched by journalism": Parlow and his best friend, Mike, a flier during the Great War still haunted by the carnage he witnessed. They're both men of deep sentiment but "jaded unto death," constantly ready to mock any wisps of sentimentality. "It was the reporters' daily job to be brash and unfeeling," Mamet writes, "to steal the photo portrait of the slaughtered infant from the mother's bureau; to taunt the spouse murderer into an interesting outburst; to withhold pity for the youth sentenced to death. It was their job to be not only brave but foolhardy. Covering the shootout, the school fire, the flood, the train wreck."

When the novel opens, Mike and Parlow, along with Chicago's bloodthirsty readers, are fixated on a pair of assassinations involving the owners of the Chez Montmartre, along with a mistress and her maid. But even while Mike pursues that story, he's seriously distracted. Like a fool, Mike has gone and fallen in love with a young Irish Catholic lass named Annie, a woman of "shocking virginal beauty." That he's not Catholic is a barrier he's willing to surmount, though he suspects Annie's parents will be less accommodating. For sure, he knows that if they find out they've been sleeping together, he's a dead man. But before that theory can be tested, someone bursts into his apartment after an afternoon tryst and shoots Annie.

Who this killer is and why Mike has been spared are the abiding mysteries of "Chicago." But anyone hoping for a hard-hitting thriller will Always Be Closing this book disappointed. Attitude, though, rolls in thicker than fog off Lake Michigan. The whole story is lousy with attitude: grieving Mike trying to drink away his sorrow; confounded Mike trying to understand his survival; vengeful Mike trying to find Annie's killer.

He's assisted in these various moods by Peekaboo, the African-American madam at a whorehouse called the Ace of Spades. ("Chicago" is an encyclopedia of early-20th-century slurs.) Hard and philosophical, Peekaboo spins off the kind of aphorisms you'd expect from the African-American madam of a whorehouse conceived by a white man with a subscription to HBO. "There's only one known cure for a broken heart," she tells Mike. "It's time; and (BEGIN ITAL)that(END ITAL) don't work."

"What gets you killed, more than the next thing, is the inability to let things (BEGIN ITAL)be(END ITAL)."

Other sections glide along like the winning entry in a Hemingway contest. (Mamet even misspells "alright" like Hemingway.) At its best, this can make for irresistible passages of slick, noir prose: "He had loved his job, and its proximity to violence, which, he knew, was a drug, and he had loved the Irish girl; and now he was sick and grieving in that impossible grief of betrayal at having your heart broken by life."

But when Mike and Parlow fall into their self-mocking dialogues, the stage suddenly thrusts through the pages, and they sound as gratingly artificial as characters in a Mamet parody:

"What makes you sad about the rich?" Mike said.

"That which makes everyone sad who is not of their number," Parlow said. "That they are better off than we; and (BEGIN ITAL)we(END ITAL) brave our unmerited poverty stoically, whilst they sail yachts, and indulge in God knows what depravities in boathouses."

"But do you not also hate the poor?" said Mike. "For they possess no money. Therefore what can they do for me, save impotently rage, because I, occasionally, sport a clean collar? Further, saving always the criminals, they have misunderstood the situation. For, how do they propose to raise their state? By appeal, finally, to government."

There's (BEGIN ITAL)a lot(END ITAL) of that winking playacting. If only Mamet had taken the city editor's advice: "We require bold, clear words and gruesome pictures."

---

Video Embed Code

Video: Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet's new novel "Chicago" is nothing like the musical. It's about a cynical journalist who talks like, well, a cynical journalist. (Ron Charles/The Washington Post)(Ron Charles/The Washington Post)

Embed code:
Remember the name Cory Finley.

Until a year or two ago, the unknown 29-year-old playwright was working for a New York tutoring agency and workshopping his scripts in playwriting incubators, including Youngblood, Uncharted and Clubbed Thumb. One unproduced play, "Thoroughbred," caught the eye of film producer Kevin J. Walsh when Finley's agent sent it to him. Finley, for the first time, started to think of it in terms of a movie.

Retitled "Thoroughbreds," Finley's feature debut as a writer and director - a story of two wealthy suburban teens (Anya Taylor-Joy of "The Witch" and Olivia Cooke of "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl") who hatch a criminal plot - was one of the best-reviewed films at Sundance last year. The movie, which is now hitting theaters, has also stumped critics, who have engaged in a kind of weird parlor game of comparisons in a struggle to explain the twisty, darkly satiric and disturbingly violent tale.

That's no surprise, coming from an artist whose 2015 play "The Feast" was compared by the New York Times to "a soap opera with H.P. Lovecraft as script supervisor." We spoke to Finley by phone last month.

Q: "Thoroughbreds" is hard to pigeonhole, though a lot of people have certainly tried. No Film School called it " 'Heathers' meets 'Cruel Intentions' meets 'The Shining,' by way of 'Equus.' " Indiewire described it as "'American Psycho' meets 'Heathers,' as directed by a young Park Chan-wook." How would you blurb it?

A: I usually talk about it as a neo-noir - a psychological thriller mixed with some dark comic elements. I avoid comparisons in general. The joking one I would give people is: It's "Mean Girls" meets Hitchcock's "Rope," just because it sounds funny. "Mean Girls" is not really an accurate comparison.

Q: It's not entirely inaccurate, either. What do you make of the subgenre of movies about conniving, conspiratorial teenage girls, if such a thing exists? Are we, as a culture, afraid of adolescent girls?

A: I think that certainly the subgenre exists, but I wasn't setting out to consciously make an entry into it. When I was writing this - as a play, not a movie - I originally wrote a version of the script where the predecessor of Olivia's Amanda character was a boy. There is this whole genre of movies about young women scheming together. But I really want to steer clear of what the cultural implications of that may be. In talking to my girlfriend, my sister, my female friends about their experience with their female friends in high school, it just seemed like those friendships were more complex and interesting than my own male friendships.

Q: Amanda has this great line: "You cannot hesitate. The only thing worse than being incompetent, or being unkind, or being evil, is being indecisive." In terms of storytelling and style, I would call "Thoroughbreds" extraordinarily decisive. Where does that decisiveness come from?

A: I'm really glad that you highlighted that line. I felt this special sort of rush writing it, thinking of it. There's a lot of what Amanda says that was, in the writing process, like me saying things to myself. One of the qualities that I hate most in myself is my own indecisiveness. And the chance to do this, as a movie - to just jump in and tell people that I want to direct it, never having directed anything before - the whole thing definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone and was really freeing. I didn't know how much I didn't know, in a certain way. I do tend to love bold movies, ones that force you to either love them or hate them.

Q: Such as?

A: I've always liked movies that seem to have their own internal rhythm and logic. Movies that you enjoy more the second or third time, because you have to catch the movie's pace to see where it's going. The one recent movie that springs to mind that I'm always evangelizing for, because I think more people should see it, is "Raw," by Julia Ducournau.

Q: The one about a young woman in veterinary school who becomes a cannibal?

A: It's the most wonderful setup. There's this girl, a vegetarian. She takes part in a hazing ritual where she has to try raw meat, and then that leads her down this dark road to cannibalism. The word "uncompromising" gets tossed around a lot, but it's a very uncompromising movie. It's very unconcerned with trying to convince you to like it.

Q: What sort of commentary is your film making about class, money and privilege?

A: I'm hesitant to give an authorial note on intention, beyond what's in the movie. But I wanted to force the audience to identify with two extremely privileged characters and to see how their privilege pushes them toward certain decisions, but also causes them pain. I was interested in seeing how the wealth that surrounds them seeps into the ways they know how to relate to one another. In a capitalist system, there develops a hierarchy to everything, even social interaction.

Q: There's a lot of talk about empathy these days, especially as it relates to the current occupant of the White House. Amanda tells Lily, "Empathy isn't your strong suit." At the same time, Amanda's not exactly the most empathetic human being either. Are you suggesting that wealth is toxic to empathy?

A: Absolutely. When I was growing up, my mom would always say that one of my greatest qualities was that I was very empathetic. That's part of what made me want to tell stories - to put myself in other people's shoes. I was interested in whether empathy is necessary in determining whether you're a good or bad person. The character in my movie who appears to be the most empathetic one - without spoilering too heavily - ends up being the one who is more capable of bad moral decisions. Her self-sacrifice is a radically anti-capitalist act, I guess. She's given away her future, which is what I think these characters are so obsessed about. I was just interested in starting with this person that you think is broken and one that you think is whole and then questioning, in the context of our culture, what "broken" and "whole" actually mean.

Q: I love the fact that Amanda calls Steve Jobs her hero, a man that some have described as a brilliant monster. What are you suggesting by making him the role model for a young woman with obvious psychological issues?

A: I have a lot of high-achiever-type friends who really idolize people like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. They're complicated people to idolize because, well (laughing), I'm hesitant to say.

Q: Oh, go ahead. Steve Jobs is no longer with us. You can talk about him, right?

A: I think of him as so profoundly influential, in the way that we all live, through these little devices that I'm talking to you on now. Multinational corporations are sort of these pure avatars of capitalism, and so powerful, in ways that governments aren't. I think Jobs is an interestingly complicated role model for Amanda to idolize, but I think there's maybe a bit of Jobs in both of them. My feelings about Jobs are exactly the sort of complicated, contradictory ones that I was trying to explore in the movie. Steve Jobs is a person whose gifts to the world I am personally reliant upon - he has had an incredible, almost infinite effect on my life - but I also fear so much of his effect on the global economy.

Q: What's next?

A: I love all the new storytelling tools I've gotten access to as a director, rather than just a writer. I'm interested in continuing to work in genre-based - and genre-bending - stories like "Thoroughbreds." A lot of the filmmakers that I aspire to be like gradually built their careers, starting small, with ever-more-ambitious movies: the Coen brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson, Sofia Coppola, Denis Villeneuve. It's clear that these filmmakers are responsive to an audience - they're not working in monastic isolation - but they're still following what is interesting to them.
A man died Tuesday after he was shot in the face during a social gathering in the Tiara De San Isidro Subdivision in north Laredo, first responders said.

Laredo police said David Romeo Garza Jr., 21, shot and killed Jose Eduardo Salinas Jr., 22. Both knew each other, authorities said.
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

The Russian philosophical humanist Andrei Tarkovsky was Ingmar Bergmans favorite filmmaker. In 1985, Tarkovsky made  at Bergmans invitation  essentially a Bergman film: The Sacrifice was shot in Sweden, with Bergman regulars Erland Josephson starring and Sven Nykvist behind the camera.

Restored and screening at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, it has Josephson as an intellectual whose birthday celebration is interrupted by bombers flying overhead as a nuclear war begins. He is compelled to commit an act of faith to save humanity as hes the knight playing chess with Death on behalf of us all.
Incumbent Ken Clark, who has served as Galveston County Precinct 4 Commissioner for the past 19 years, is headed for a runoff with newcomer and realtor Michelle Hatmaker following Tuesday night's primary election final results.

Clark had three challengers and garnered 47.58 percent of the vote.

The challengers, Hatmaker, Jim Bulgier and Billy Enochs, earned 21.80 percent, 15.04 percent and 15.58 percent of the total vote respectively.

Because a majority 50 percent vote was not met, Clark and Hatmaker will face each other in the May 22 runoff election.

"I'd like to thank the Lord Jesus Christ for the stellar numbers I received tonight," Clark said. "I'm excited the numbers were as high as they are  it shows the constituents and voters in Pct. 4 are happy with the work I put forth on their behalf in having fiscal and financial responsibility along with the infrastructure and other projects I've focused on, and I look forward to continuing to serve the community in the years to come."

Hatmaker said she's already focusing on the May 22 runoff.

"Of course I'm extremely pleased and excited about the end result of tonight's election," she said. "I'm looking forward to the future and I'm getting started right away on the upcoming runoff."

Over the past two decades, Clark has worked to get a number of bonds passed that aimed to improve infrastructure such as drainage, road work and transportation issues within the precinct.

"One project I'm particularly glad we got accomplished was a detention facility that was implemented after the 2008 bond," he said "That detention facility was absolutely instrumental in keeping a number of homes from flooding during Harvey. If it was not in place, we would have had a significant number of homes that were safe during the storm flood."

Hatmaker said that issues she would like to tackle that deal specifically with Pct. 4 are flooding and mobility.

"We have a flooding issue here and that needs to be made top priority," she said. "We need to look at the problems we're having with Dickinson Bayou and Clear Creek and develop ways to ensure clear passage for any water that needs to drain."

She said it's also important to keep drainage issues at the forefront of planning as the county expands and new developments are built.

Moving forward, Clark said the issues he remains focused on are drainage improvement, particularly in the area encompassing Dickinson Bayou, transportation and Hurricane Harvey relief.

"Dickinson Bayou is of particular immediate concern," he said. "Moving forward, one of the projects we need to look at to affect the most change is a regional detention center in the Dickinson Bayou watershed. I also think we need to look at addressing the issue of the silting in of Dickinson Bayou."

Because of the amount of silt in the bayou, Clark said, the watershed doesn't have the room to store water to its full potential and directing some of the silt out would allow for more water storing capacity.

"I think there is a great need in the community for that," he said.

Hatmaker said part of her time in office would be devoted to ensuring the financial stability and economic development of the area.

"It's important for the county to work closely with cities to ensure that we're developing the economy properly and putting good businesses in the area," she said. "We need to have businesses here that people want so they don't leave the community to spend money in other places. The silver lining of a tragedy like Harvey is now you have a blank slate  you can do almost anything you want and we need to turn that negative into a positive."

Another issue Clark wants to immediately turn his attention to is Hurricane Harvey Relief, specifically, making sure the money available to highly-impacted areas like Dickinson and League City provided by HUD, nearly $5 billion, according to Clark, funnels to the affected communities fairly.

"According to a document HUD released to the federal registry (months ago), of the billions of dollars coming to Texas, 80 percent of that is supposed to go to communities like Dickinson and League City and Friendswood, which is great, but there's language in there that provides that 70 percent of that 80 percent has to go to low-and-moderate income families, and that doesn't take care of the community in a whollistic way."

Clark said that the language needs to be overturned in order to actually help people that need it.

"This wasn't a low-and-moderate-income storm," he said. "It affected everybody. People flooded who weren't low-to-moderate income. If we don't offer them help when we can, they'll soon be low-to-moderate income, and we can do better than that."
WASHINGTON - Special counsel Robert Mueller has gathered evidence that a secret meeting in the Seychelles just before the inauguration of Donald Trump was an effort to establish a back channel between the incoming administration and the Kremlin - apparently contradicting statements made to lawmakers by one of its participants, according to people familiar with the matter.

In January 2017, Erik Prince, the founder of the private security company Blackwater, met with a Russian official close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and later described the meeting to congressional investigators as a chance encounter that was not a planned discussion of U.S.-Russia relations.

A witness cooperating with Mueller has told investigators the meeting was set up in advance so that a representative of the Trump transition could meet with an emissary from Moscow to discuss future relations between the countries, according to the people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

George Nader, a Lebanese American businessman who helped organize and attended the Seychelles meeting, has testified on the matter before a grand jury gathering evidence about discussions between the Trump transition team and emissaries of the Kremlin, as part of Mueller's investigation into Russian efforts to interfere with the 2016 election.

Nader began cooperating with Mueller after he arrived at Dulles Airport in mid-January and was stopped, served with a subpoena and questioned by the FBI, these people said. He has met numerous times with investigators.

Last year, Prince told lawmakers - and the news media - that his Seychelles meeting with Kirill Dmitriev, the head of a Russian government-controlled wealth fund, was an unplanned, unimportant encounter that came about by chance because he happened to be at a luxury hotel in the Indian Ocean island nation with officials from the United Arab Emirates.

In his statements, Prince has specifically denied reporting by The Washington Post that said the Seychelles meeting, which took place about a week before Trump's inauguration, was described by U.S., European and Arab officials as part of an effort to establish a back-channel line of communication between Moscow and the incoming administration.

Prince told lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee that he did not plan to meet Dmitriev in the Seychelles but that once he was there discussing possible business deals with UAE officials, they unexpectedly suggested that he visit the hotel bar and meet Dmitriev.

"At the end, one of the entourage says, 'Hey, by the way, there's this Russian guy that we've dealt with in the past. He's here also to see someone from the Emirati delegation. And you should meet him, he'd be an interesting guy for you to know, since you're doing a lot in the oil and gas and mineral space,' " Prince told lawmakers.

The two men, he said, spoke for no more than 30 minutes, or about the time it took him to drink a beer.

"We chatted on topics ranging from oil and commodity prices to how much his country wished for resumption of normal trade relations with the USA," Prince told lawmakers. "I remember telling him that if Franklin Roosevelt could work with Josef Stalin to defeat Nazi fascism, then certainly Donald Trump could work with Vladimir Putin to defeat Islamic fascism."

Prince said he went to the Seychelles as a private businessman, not as an official or unofficial emissary of the Trump transition team. During the congressional interview, which became testy at times as Democratic lawmakers pressed him to be more specific in his answers, Prince repeatedly complained that he had reason to believe U.S. intelligence agencies were leaking information about his activities.

Asked to comment on assertions that new evidence appears to contradict Prince's description of the Seychelles meeting, a spokesman for Prince referred to his previous statements to the committee and declined further comment.

A spokesman for the special counsel declined to comment.

Prince has known Nader for years and once hired him to try to generate business from the Iraqi government in the years after the U.S. invasion of that country. That effort was not successful, according to Prince's statements in a subsequent deposition.

Nader, according to current and former officials, was known to Trump transition and administration officials as someone with political connections in the Middle East who could help navigate the tricky diplomacy of the region.

Nader had also attended a December 2016 meeting in New York between senior Trump advisers and the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, according to a person familiar with the matter.

While Mueller is probing the circumstances of the Seychelles meeting, he is also more broadly examining apparent efforts by the Trump transition team to create a back channel for secret talks between the new administration and the Kremlin. Mueller was appointed special counsel to investigate possible Russian interference in the 2016 election, whether any Americans assisted in such efforts, and any other matters that arise in the course of his probe.

Investigators now suspect that the Seychelles meeting may have been one of the first efforts to establish such a line of communications between the two governments, these people said. Nader's account is considered key evidence - but not the only evidence - about what transpired in the Seychelles, according to people familiar with the matter.

Nader has long served as an adviser to the UAE leadership, and in that role he met more than once with Trump officials, including Steve Bannon and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, according to people familiar with the matter. After the Seychelles meeting, Nader visited the White House several times, and met at least once there with Bannon and Kushner, these people said.

Nader could not be reached for comment, and his lawyer declined to comment.

Nader - and the Seychelles meeting - are also of interest to Mueller's team as it examines whether any foreign money or assistance fueled the Trump campaign, and how Trump officials during the transition and early days of the administration communicated with foreign officials, particularly Russians.

Nader's cooperation with the special counsel was first reported by the New York Times.

The UAE agreed to broker the meeting in part to explore whether Russia could be persuaded to curtail its relationship with Iran, including in Syria, a Trump administration objective, according to U.S. European and Arab officials. Such a concession by Moscow would have been likely to require the easing of U.S. sanctions on Russia, which were imposed for Russia's intervention in Ukraine in 2014, those officials said.

Prince had no formal role with the Trump campaign or transition. However, according to people familiar with the Seychelles meeting, he presented himself as an unofficial envoy for Trump to high-ranking Emiratis involved in setting up his discussion with the Russian official.

---

The Washington Post's Carol D. Leonnig, Josh Dawsey, and Spencer S. Hsu contributed to this report.
The U.S. Department of Education's inspector general is cautioning Congress against provisions in the House Republican higher education bill that would repeal regulations holding colleges and universities accountable for the use of federal student aid.

"Eliminating various accountability provisions without a proven substitute would increase the risks to students and taxpayers," the inspector general said, in a report released Monday. It "could result in higher costs to offer credit through loans due to excessive borrowing, could increase defaults, and increase the use of [income-driven repayment plans] and loan discharges that could negatively impact the long-term viability of the programs."

The inspector general's critique centers on several measures in the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success and Prosperity through Education Reform Act, the legislation House Republicans introduced in December to overhaul the federal law governing almost every aspect of higher education. The 590-page bill, sponsored by Reps. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., and Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., proposes to end the 90/10 rule, which bars for-profit colleges from getting more than 90 percent of their operating revenue from federal student aid.

It would also get rid of the gainful employment regulation that threatens to withhold student aid from vocational programs that have graduates who consistently end up with more debt than they can repay. The bill would also eliminate a host of standards for the private organizations that accredit universities, including those involving curriculum, faculty and program length. Doing that, the inspector general argues, would stymie meaningful oversight of the quality of education.

"We weren't surprised to learn of OIG's concerns since they have historically resisted innovation, but this is why the legislative process is an open and public one, and their concerns have been heard," said Michael Woeste, a House Education Committee spokesman.

Many of the accountability measures at issue target for-profit colleges, which have complained of being singled out in rules promulgated by Democrats. The House Republican bill addresses those concerns by not only doing away with many of those regulations, but eliminating separate definitions of nonprofit and for-profit colleges. But the inspector general argues that for-profit colleges present too much of a risk for the Education Department to treat the sector the same as all other types of schools.

Seventy-nine percent of the inspector general's cases that involved a school or its employees committing fraud have been tied to for-profit colleges since fiscal year 2016, according to the report. The inspector general noted that such schools have also reported a larger share than their counterparts of people not making payments on federal student loans within three years of leaving college.

"The sector continues to present itself as a high-risk area for the department," the report says. "This sector, unlike public and nonprofit schools, must produce profit for owners and stockholders, which can create an incentive to evade compliance with obligations to students and taxpayers."

Rather than getting rid of accountability measures, many of which the inspector general says have significant shortcomings, the Education Department's watchdog is imploring Congress to strengthen them.

"Independent analysis continues to confirm what we have said about [the bill] from the beginning: It makes college more expensive for students and is a wish list for for-profit schools," said Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., ranking member of the House Education Committee. "I again urge the majority to abandon this legislation and work with House Democrats on meaningful higher education reform in a way that makes sense for students, taxpayers and employers."

The legislation cleared the House Committee on Education and the Workforce in December, without hearings and despite calls from the higher education community for more input and time to analyze the bill. It has received mixed reviews, with some policy analysts applauding provisions that use grants to provide incentives for students to graduate in four years, eliminate student loan origination fees and expand work-study opportunities for low-income students.
A Congolese mother detained by immigration officials thousands of miles apart from her 7-year-old daughter was released Tuesday, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

The woman, an asylum seeker who fled violence in Congo, has spent the past four months in a detention center near San Diego while her daughter has remained alone in a facility in Chicago. Last week, the ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of the mother and daughter, saying there was never any legitimate reason to separate them. The lawsuit accused the Trump administration of violating the pair's constitutional rights and demanded that they be reunited immediately.

On Tuesday, immigration officials appeared to bend halfway in favor of the family's lawyers, abruptly releasing the mother from custody at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego. The girl, however, remains in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement in Chicago, and the pair are still awaiting reunification, the ACLU said. It is unclear when the mother and daughter might be reunited.

"We are thrilled that the mother has been released and look forward to the government immediately reuniting her with her daughter," Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, said in a statement. "But there remain many other families who have been separated, and we will continue to attack this horrific family separation practice."

The woman's release came under orders "from up top" in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Gelernt told the Associated Press. A spokesman from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.

"This case hit a nerve for a lot of people because it's so unconscionable what this government has done . . . to separate a mother from her daughter for no reason at all," Judy Rabinovitz, deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, told The Washington Post in an interview Wednesday morning. "Obviously DHS was feeling some pressure."

Last week's lawsuit drew national headlines and intense scrutiny from immigration advocates. The case underscored Trump's crackdown on immigration and marked a shift from previous administrations, which detained families but did not forcibly separate parents from their young children, the ACLU said in its lawsuit.

The Obama administration implemented a policy of holding women and children together at family detention centers for no more than 21 days before releasing them. But the Trump administration has floated a proposal to begin separating asylum-seeking parents from their children, officials told The Washington Post in December.

Officials have not yet formally announced a policy of separating women and children, but Rabinovitz said, "We know that they're in fact doing it, and that they need to stop."

"We hope that this sends a strong message to the Trump administration," Rabinovitz said.

In a statement tweeted Sunday, DHS spokesman Tyler Q. Houlton said immigration officials retain the authority to separate women and children in certain circumstances, "particularly to protect a child from potential smuggling and trafficking activities."

If authorities are unable to confirm a parent-child relationship, they may be obligated to place the child in the custody of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to the DHS statement.

"If we were to fail in this regard we could be responsible for allowing a child to be released to a trafficker, which is clearly unacceptable," the DHS statement read. "We ask that members of the public and media view advocacy group claims that we are separating women and children for reasons other than to protect the child with the level of skepticism they deserve."

The mother and daughter, identified only as Ms. L. and S.S., respectively, escaped from Congo fearing "near certain death," according to the ACLU lawsuit. The family is Catholic and sought refuge in a Catholic church before fleeing their country.

On Nov. 1, they arrived at a U.S. port of entry near San Diego and told border guards they sought asylum. Their native language is Lingala, a language spoken throughout Congo and other parts of central Africa. They managed to communicate with immigration officials using the minimal Spanish they knew.

In an initial screening, an asylum officer determined the mother had a "significant possibility of ultimately receiving asylum," according to the lawsuit. This made her eligible for release on parole while her asylum case proceeded, her lawyers argued. But the San Diego ICE field office has a policy of refusing to grant parole to detained asylum seekers, the lawsuit stated.

During their first four days in the country, the mother and daughter were detained together in "some sort of motel," according to the lawsuit. But they were then separated halfway across the country. The mother has not been accused of any abuse or neglect, the lawsuit said.

When officers separated them, the woman "could hear her daughter in the next room frantically screaming that she wanted to remain with her mother," according to the lawsuit. "No one explained to Ms. L. why they were taking her daughter away from her or where her daughter was going or even when she would next see her daughter."

The pair have only occasionally spoken by phone in the months since. During these calls, the young girl "cries and is fearful of what will happen to her and her mother," the lawsuit states. Her mother is "distraught and depressed. . . . She is not eating, has lost weight, and is not sleeping due to worry and nightmares."

The Congolese woman's lawyer was surprised by her release. Her immigration attorney received a call Tuesday saying the mother would be let out in two hours, even though the lawyer was far from the San Diego facility at the moment, Gelernt, of the ACLU, told the Chicago Tribune. The attorney was told the mother was a "mandatory release regardless of whether she has anywhere to go."

The woman's lawyer managed to reach the mother and planned to arrange a hotel for her, Gelernt told the Tribune.

"I think they won't reunite her with her daughter until she has a stable place," Gelernt told the Tribune. The ACLU plans to immediately find her a more permanent place to live, he said.

Rabinovitz criticized the abrupt way in which officials released the mother, "without any kind of advance planning for where she was supposed to go."

"For people who don't have those kind of resources," she said, "I don't know what would have happened."
John H. Buchanan Jr., a third-generation Baptist minister from Alabama who served eight terms in the U.S. House of Representatives as a moderate Republican until being swept out of office by the religious right, then became an activist for the liberal lobbying group People for the American Way, died March 5 at an assisted-living center in Rockville, Maryland. He was 89.

The cause was complications from dementia, said a daughter, Liz Buchanan.

Buchanan was voted into office in 1964 along with four other Republicans as Alabama voters turned against the Democratic Party after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He unseated 10-year Democratic incumbent George Huddleston Jr. - who was one of Buchanan's parishioners - to represent Alabama's 6th District, which included Birmingham, a city notorious for its civil rights clashes.

At first, Buchanan had a conventional conservative record and voted against the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but his experience at the biracial Riverside Baptist Church in Southwest Washington led to a shift in his views.

"When you're deeply involved in a biracial entity, you think of people as brothers and sisters," he told The Washington Post in 1976. "Then the denial of rights of my brothers and sisters becomes an infringement of my rights as well."

Buchanan eventually broke with Republicans on civil rights issues but stayed in line when it came to foreign policy, taking a hard-line position in support of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Over time, as other Southern Republicans drifted further to the right, Buchanan began to adopt more moderate positions, including supporting Title IX of the 1972 Education Act, the landmark anti-discrimination law that required equality for women in college and university programs, including sports.

He also called for full voting rights for residents of the District of Columbia, including representation in the House and Senate. On the Foreign Affairs Committee, he advocated for Jewish and Christian dissidents behind the Iron Curtain.

"John straddled issues," Wayne Flynt, a historian at Alabama's Auburn University, said in an interview. "He was a centrist in an age where centrism was beginning to be challenged and would finally result in the polarization of American politics into left and right. "

Although Buchanan once supported a constitutional amendment allowing school prayer, he was targeted for defeat in 1980 by Moral Majority, a powerful conservative movement led by televangelist Jerry Falwell.

"John Buchanan may have voted for it somewhere," the New York Times quoted an Alabama Moral Majority official as saying, "but basically he was against it."

After losing in the primary to Albert Lee Smith, a former member of the John Birch Society, Buchanan later devoted his career to countering Moral Majority. In the early 1980s, he became the founding chairman of the liberal lobbying group People for the American Way, founded by television producer Norman Lear.

"It couldn't have been more exciting to have a Republican officeholder, a former officeholder from Alabama," Lear said in an interview with The Post. "He was extremely helpful in making it nonpartisan."

John Hall Buchanan Jr. was born in Paris, Tennessee, on March 19, 1928, and grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. Both his grandfather and father were Baptist ministers, and his mother was a homemaker.

Buchanan served in the Navy in 1945 and 1946 as a hospital corpsman, graduated from Samford University in Birmingham in 1949 and received a master of divinity degree from the Southern Theological Seminary in Louisville in 1957.

He was a pastor in Tennessee, Virginia and Alabama before making an unsuccessful run for Congress in 1962. After settling in Washington, he was twice the interim pastor of Riverside Baptist Church in the District.

Buchanan spent about three decades on the board of People for the American Way and appeared on television as the group's spokesman.

His wife of 50 years, the former Elizabeth "Betty" Moore, died in 2011. Survivors include two daughters, Liz Buchanan, of Arlington, Massachusetts, and Lynn Buchanan of Rockville, Maryland.; and three granddaughters.

"I've become more emancipated as I've gone along," Buchanan said in 1976, describing the evolution of his political views.

"I'm at the point in my political career where I'd rather lose . . . than fail to do what I think is right. I won't compromise on civil rights any more. I can't do it, I will not do it."
A day after the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against the state of California over its refusal to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, nearly a couple hundred protesters congregated Wednesday morning by a Sacramento hotel to protest a speech by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Invited to speak at a meeting for the California Peace Officers Association, which represents law enforcement agencies across the state, Sessions spoke about the lawsuit  and singled out Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf  at the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel.

By about 7:30 a.m., a crowd of protesters had grown to about 100 people, many of whom were holding signs and waiting for the Attorney General to arrive. The protest doubled in size as the morning wore on and people marched around the hotel at Sixth and J streets.

For protesters like Cameron Richtik, 25, of Sacramento, the goal was to send a clear message to Sessions and the Trump administration: immigrants are welcome in California.

What frustrates me the most is that the narrative is focusing on criminals and it paints all immigrants that way and its very damaging and very hurtful, Richtik said. The vast majority of immigrants are helpful toward our economy and are good people and deserve to be here, more than most. It scares me that Jeff Sessions and the Trump administration uses their platform to focus on the very small minority of criminals. It completely ignores their values and that makes me sad.

Richtik said he would normally be driving his girlfriend to work, but after seeing a Facebook post that protesters would gather outside the hotel he told his girlfriend to take a Lyft.

Motorists drove by honking in support as Richtik waved and shook his sign, which read: Deport Racist Elves.

Sessions has often been compared to one of the Keebler Elves.

Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, Sr. (D-Los Angeles) joined protesters in support of immigrants. Here in California, were at the center point of the resistance movement and the center point of justice, he said. Were not protecting criminals, were protecting immigrants who have come to this country to start a new life.

The crowd of protestors marched through the streets surrounding the hotel banging their drumsticks on empty white bins and chanting Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here.

The march was led by state Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) and other state assembly members, including David Chiu, of San Francisco.

They stopped just outside the back of the hotel where Sessions delivered his speech.

It doesnt make a difference the hue of your skin, what god you pray to, who you love or your legal status  we are all human beings, we are all Californians, we are all Americans and we deserve dignity and respect, de Leon said.

Assemblyman Chiu echoed de Leons sentiments and called on the Trump administration to adhere to the Fourth Amendment, which rejects unconstitutional searches and seizures.

Our bully in chief, Donald Trump, has forgotten that our country, our state, our cities were built on the backs of immigrants, Chiu said. He has declared war on our immigrant communities with unconstitutional executive orders, by proposing 10,000 new ICE agents to go into our workplace, to deport our family members.

The protest remained peaceful with police officers standing by and escorting people through the city streets. One group of women stood in silence, dressed in the red robes of the dystopian TV show The Handmaids Tale. They held signs that read This is how it starts and Keep fiction from becoming fact!

Many who came to the protest called the decision to speak out a no-brainer.

Dronme Davis, 18, of Sacramento, said hatred is infecting everything and youve got to show up.

The general increase in this idea that to be American you have to be white  its really infuriating, she said. This idea is not new, but weve seen it incredibly inflamed since Obama left office.

Emilio Perez, a 25-year-old from Sacramento, came out to the protest wearing an American flag pin on the collar of his jacket. He said it has been painful seeing some of his friends who are Dreamers  a term for undocumented immigrants who were brought to this country as children  living in fear and uncertainty since Trump rescinded protections granted under an executive order by his predecessor, Obama.

I just love my country, Perez said. I believe California should be a sanctuary for all. I believe deeply Cali is the forefront of what the American dream is, and I want everyone to be a part of it.
Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin on Wednesday announced an overhaul of the senior leadership overseeing almost two dozen troubled hospitals across the country following the release of a searing investigation into what the agency watchdog said were management failures that put patients at VA's flagship medical center in the District of Columbia at risk.

Shulkin said one senior regional official has been reassigned and two others retired as the agency cleans up management of large hospitals and clinics in the Washington area, New England, Phoenix and parts of California. He also said he has appointed 24 new facility directors in the last year, including in Maryland and Virginia, after outside teams identified low-performing hospitals.

"It is time for this organization to do business differently," Shulkin said at a news conference at the Washington Medical Center. "These are urgent issues, and many of these issues are unacceptable."

The personnel moves came as Shulkin tries to reassert control over the second-largest federal agency in the aftermath of a separate, critical report by Inspector General Michael Missal on a trip Shulkin took to Europe last summer. That report exposed deep factions in the agency's senior leadership ranks, with Shulkin claiming that political appointees on his staff are trying to oust him.

Missal's investigation of VA's Washington Medical Center brought new attention to Shulkin's leadership even as he announced he is cleaning house.

As a top VA official in the Obama administration in charge of the agency's massive health-care system, the systemic management failures the inspector general cited occurred on Shulkin's watch.

The 142-page report found that at least three VA program offices that reported directly to him were aware of "serious, persistent deficiencies" when he ran the Veterans Health Administration in 2015 and 2016.

Shulkin said Wednesday that while the report said managers at the local and regional levels were long aware of the problems, "I was not aware of those issues. I was not aware until Mr. Missal picked up the phone, and I am very much appreciative of that. We took action on the very same day with leadership."

Shulkin said in the report that he expected any threats to patient safety or operational problems to be raised through the "usual" communication process, meaning they would start at the local level and filter up to the regional office and VA headquarters in Washington. He said that chain of communication failed.

The report did not address whether Shulkin was directly told of the problems. But it found that despite repeated warnings of systemic failures going back to 2013, leders at the medical center and its oversight divisions up to senior managers at the veterans health administration largely ignored the problems.

"The dysfunctions . . . were prevalent and deeply intertwined," the report says. "The [inspector general] encountered a culture of complacency among VA and Veterans Health Administration leaders at multiple levels who failed to address previously identified serious issues with a sense of urgency or purpose."

"At the core," Missal wrote, investigators found "an unwillingness or inability of leaders to take responsibility for the effectiveness of their programs and operations."

He called the "repeated exposure of patients to risk of an adverse clinical outcome," wasted money and management failures at the medical center "unacceptable."

Shulkin called the findings in Washington "a failure of every level. It's unacceptable to me. Fortunately this has not led to any known patient harm."

"We will have an entire new leadership here in D.C., to make sure this is an environment that is safe for the 93,000 veterans we serve," Shulkin said.

He described the moves as "the start of a restructuring of VA affairs" and said he believes "the issues here in Washington are happening at VAs across the country."

Last April, after the inspector general's office issued a rare alert as investigators began uncovering safety problems at the facility, Shulkin removed the medical center's director, Brian Hawkins.

Lawrence Connell, installed last year as acting director of the D.C. medical center, said Wednesday he has hired more than 50 nurses and other staff. "It's a different hospital than it was," he said.

The hospital and three clinics that make up the Washington Medical Center are among the largest and most complex in VA's sprawling health-care system. The center provides care to about 100,000 veterans in the region, among them many members of Congress.

Despite the risks to patients of years of dysfunction, no one died, Missal wrote, a lucky outcome he attributed to actions by some dedicated medical staff, who conducted their own inventories, raced to nearby hospitals to borrow supplies - including during surgeries - and other efforts. The stopgap measures "are not in accordance with an effectively managed health care facility," he wrote.

Wednesday's report is the result of a year-long review after a confidential complaint led investigators to conduct an initial inspection in March 2017 and issue their alert three weeks later.

The report describes "widespread and formidable inadequacies" in many of the essential functions that are needed to operate a hospital. VA leaders who failed to correct the conditions told investigators they were not aware of the staffing challenges or the scope of the problems, claims the inspector general said did not ring true.

Some senior leaders also told investigators that since the problems did not lead to patient deaths or injuries, they did not feel an urgency to act.

Among them were a nonfunctioning system of inventory practices that led to a breakdown in tracking medical supplies, equipment and instruments so they could be delivered to operating rooms and other patient care areas. As a result, "veterans were put at risk because important supplies and instruments were not consistently available in patient care areas," according to the report.

Data was not entered into the inventory system, and orders were not placed when supplies were low, resulting in shortages. Clinical staff routinely had trouble locating them in storage areas.

Patients were hospitalized needlessly - at great medical risk - when procedures had to be canceled following their admission, sometimes for overnight stays, because equipment could not be accessed for scheduled surgeries.

Some patients received unnecessary anesthesia. Surgeons had to rely on outdated medical instruments. Discolored and broken instruments reached clinical areas because the hospital's sterile processing operation was broken down.

Investigators also found dirty storage areas for medical supplies and equipment.

In at least one instance, the medical center ran out of bloodlines for dialysis patients and was only able to provide dialysis service because the medical staff borrowed bloodlines from a private hospital nearby.

According to the report, the medical center failed to properly track instances when patient safety was at risk and ended up minimizing patient safety events.

More than 1,300 boxes of documents, including patient files with confidential information, were stored in unsecured areas, including the hospital's off-site warehouse, its basement and a dumpster.

Investigators found more than 10,000 open and pending consults for prosthetics and hearing aids, leaving veterans to wait months for these items.

The medical center wasted money, the report alleges. About $92 million in supplies and equipment were charged to government purchase cards over a two-year period without proper controls to make sure the supplies were needed and were cost-effective.

The purchases represented almost 90 percent of the supplies the hospital bought, instead of using approved federal contracts that offer far cheaper prices.

The same items were also ordered multiple times because the medical staff was nervous that supplies might not be available when they needed them for patient procedures.

Missal noted some improvements under the facility's new leadership. The wait for prosthetics has decreased, and storage rooms are now clean. But the report said problems persist.
UPDATE: Authorities said at 8 p.m. Wednesday that the standoff has ended with an injured suspect in custody. More information will be released before 10 p.m.

A suspect is in custody more than 24 hours after a man barricaded himself and his elderly mother inside his Bexar County home, shooting at deputies during the ordeal, according to authorities.

The suspect, described as a man in his 60s, fired on Bexar County deputies at least three times since 7 p.m. Tuesday, striking two members of the SWAT team. According to Sheriff Javier Salazar, the suspect arranged propane tanks around his home and shot at them in an attempt to create an explosion.

"It's a pretty dangerous situation," Salazar said at a 3 p.m. press briefing 20 hours into the standoff. "We do have it contained for now. We've got plenty of assets on scene, and we're prepared to settle in for the long haul."

RELATED: Man in critical condition after Southwest Side meet-up ended in gunfire

Officials would release little information as the standoff went on. Electricity to the home, which at one point was severed, was restored which means the man inside had access to television and the internet. Authorities said they were hesitant to release too many details as he may have been monitoring the news.

"We're asking them if he's watching the news," Salazar said at the time. "We're asking him, 'please sir, give yourself up. You will be treated fairly.'"

His mother, who is in her 80s and in declining health, was still in the home and deputies were pleading with the man to release her first "as a show of good faith."

As the standoff continued, SWAT teams from different agencies rotated in and out, sometimes traveling in armored vehicles that provided them cover in case the man decided to fire at them, Salazar said.

"I'm proud as can be by the way my agency and brother agencies (reacted) to this situation," he said.

Residents in the area were ordered to shelter in place, and deputies were positioned around nearby homes to ensure their safety.

The man shot at deputies about 3 a.m.

In addition to shooting at the deputies, the suspect also shot and disabled a robot sent into his home, Salazar said.

The standoff started at the suspect's home in the 9200 block of Saddle Trail when deputies with the sheriff's office's mental health unit attempted to serve the suspect a mental health warrant and do a welfare check on a woman who lives with him.

"The relatives were worried," Salazar said. "They had not seen this elderly lady in quite some time. There was some concern for her health and well being."

The suspect is the woman's caretaker, said Deputy Chief Roy Fletcher. She had a stroke about 10 months ago and relies on the suspect's assistance.

"She's our main concern right now," Fletcher said.

Mental health deputies entered the home through the front door and were met with gunfire, though they were protected by a ballistic shield and were not wounded. They immediately retreated, called for a SWAT team and set up a perimeter around the house.

Hours passed as negotiators tried to make contact with the suspect. They were met with silence.

But the suspect did eventually emerge from the home during the standoff, only to once again open fire on the deputies. The deputies took shelter and no one was hit.

RELATED: Medical examiner IDs 2 people found dead downtown on Sunday

A SWAT team then decided to enter the home to try to find the elderly woman and get her out of the situation, which "was quickly deteriorating," Salazar said.

Once inside, the SWAT team was again met with gunfire. A gun battle ensued, during which the SWAT deputies noticed the suspect had staged propane tanks around the home, and he was deliberately targeting them, apparently in an attempt to make them explode.

Salazar said Wednesday afternoon they determined the propane tanks were hit.

"Thankfully, they did not detonate," Salazar said.

The SWAT team retreated to safety. Two deputies were injured in the gun battle. One of the injured deputies was taken to University Hospital, while the other remained on scene.

The San Antonio Police Department's bomb squad and SWAT team responded to the scene to assist the Bexar County Sheriff's Office with the ongoing situation.

Authorities have responded to the suspect's home 27 times in the last year, and paramedics have visited the home 12 times since April 2017.

"At this point, negotiations with him have failed," Salazar said in an afternoon press briefing. "We've made hundreds of attempts to make contact with him, and there's just no avail."

Fletcher had said deputies would wait as long as they had to, and that use of force will be a last resort.

"We do have a plan. We will wait."

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns
Eric Gay/STF

AUSTIN -- Coming off a primary election where Texas Democrats set a nearly quarter-century record for turnout, Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Wednesday that a predicted Blue Wave against the GOP "never made landfall."

"We have been hearing for weeks in Texas and across the country that a great "blue wave" was coming to Texas. We were assaulted with predictions that our great state is trending Democrat," Patrick said in a statement on Tuesday's primary election.
The primary election Tuesday was ostensibly to determine party nominees in Texas  from local judges, district attorneys and legislative and congressional seats, to statewide offices such as U.S. senator, governor and lieutenant governor.

But the importance of this primary is substantially as a scene-setter for a general election that could be unlike any other in Texas recent history. The outcomes in matchups determined Tuesday  or in the party runoffs in May  will likely signal not just Texas direction, but how the nation tilts politically in November.

The eyes of the nation will be on Texas. The interest will be in whether a blue wave can occur even in a state as traditionally red as Texas, where Democrats have not won a statewide office since 1994.

RELATED: LaHood out as Bexar County district attorney

But if Democrats just do better than they have, this, too, will be viewed as a bellwether.

The Democratic turnout in early primary voting in Texas  52 percent to 48 percent for GOP voters  indicates an energized party. This, no doubt, has roots in the 2016 presidential election, with partisan tensions growing in President Donald Trumps first year in office.

Trumps name appeared nowhere on Tuesdays ballots, but candidates in GOP campaigns generally embraced him as much as possible. But perhaps indicating there is little Republican dissatisfaction with Trump, Jenifer Sarver, among the most prominent in this never-Trump camp, didnt appear to be making the runoff in Congressional District 21 to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith in the Republican primary.

Even candidates in Democratic primaries kept busy tarring likely GOP opponents or incumbents as Trumpian  when they werent walloping each other.

This occurred in the Bexar County district attorney Democratic race as well. Even before incumbent Nico LaHood unleashed a barrage of scurrilous ads against challenger Joe Gonzales over the weekend, Gonzales was correctly citing similarities between Trumps intemperance and how LaHood has run his office and conducted his campaign.

LaHood conceded early in the evening on Tuesday. Gonzales victory is a welcome repudiation of LaHood and his ham-handed tactics.

Whether a Trump embrace in Republican campaigns continues into the general election will be particularly interesting in the U.S. Senate race. After Tuesdays results, one-term incumbent and former presidential candidate Ted Cruz will be challenged by Democratic nominee Beto ORourke, a U.S. representative from El Paso.

RELATED: Stage is set for November: Ted Cruz vs.Beto O'Rourke for U.S. Senate

Politically, the two candidates couldnt be more different, and other key races will feature similar matchups.

In these races, will a Trump endorsement be welcome or diplomatically avoided? Stay tuned.

Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick each made a bathroom bill, sanctuary cities and border security their legislative calling cards in their first terms. Abbott will face a Democrat who is either an outright winner Tuesday or emerges from a runoff in May. But all the Democratic candidates repudiate those initiatives, just as Patricks likely opponent  accountant Mike Collier  has.

It appeared by midevening Tuesday that there also will be a GOP runoff in the 21st Congressional District. And, similarly, either of the candidates will offer stark policy contrasts with whoever emerges from the Democratic primary in that race.

In Congressional District 23, incumbent Will Hurd easily fended off a Republican challenger and will face the Democratic nominee emerging from what looked likely to be a runoff race in May. With control of the U.S. House at stake, both national parties are likely to pour resources into this district that can swing either Republican or Democrat.

In all these races, the nominees will offer policy differences that will make for clear choices for voters in either party and will be an indicator for Texas ultimate political direction.

Of some concern: Though record-breaking turnout occurred in early voting, election day voting remained modest. That means many of Bexar Countys 1 million voters still didnt participate despite the high stakes.

This is disappointing.

Blue wave, red wave? Wed rather just see a voter wave, chips falling where they may.

But hold on to your seats. This will be interesting  perhaps even history making.
A man who breached a protection order by threatening the partner of his children with a knife has been handed a nine month suspended prison term by Judge Conal Gibbons.

Guylaim Beya, 42 Dundarragh, Longford had pleaded not guilty to breaching Section 17 (1) of the Domestic Violence Act 1996 at the aforementioned address on December 12 2017.



Mr Beya, a courier, was charged with threatening violence and putting fear in Jessica Mudima, ordering her to leave the property before threatening to use a knife against her.



Ms Mudimba, in her direct evidence to the court, said she contacted gardai following a confrontation with Mr Beya over claims she had a fling with someone else.



Guylaim got aggressive with me because someone told him I was pregnant from another man, she said.

Thats why he lost control. After that I called the Gardai because I was scared for my life.



Ms Mudimba said she was given two options by the accused-to leave the house she shared with her children or run the risk of being threatened with a knife.



My three kids live in the house, she continued, adding their ages ranged from 20 months to eight years of age.



It was at that point Judge Gibbons was told Ms Mudimba had been at a family law court sitting 24 hours previously.



I was scared because I didnt know why he (Mr Beya) was aggressive like this, she said.



In his cross examination of Ms Mudimba, defence solicitor John Quinn tried to suggest Mr Mudimbas stepson would support his clients claim that a knife was never produced.



However, Judge Gibbons was quick to rebuke Mr Quinns line of questioning.



What went on in family law proceedings is in camera (behind closed doors), he said, as he disallowed the question from being directed at Ms Mudimba.



Mr Quinn proceeded to probe Mr Mudimba nonetheless, accusing the Longford based mother of galavanting in Dublin and Paris with other men while her partner was at home minding their children.



You abandoned your children and left everything to this man, he contended, accusing Ms Mudimba of returning home penniless from a trip to Dublin.



Again, Judge Gibbons was quick to step in and warn Mr Quinn about the tone of his cross examination of Mr Mudimba.



Are you going to introduce evidence of this witness galavanting in Dublin and France? Judge Gibbons asked Mr Quinn.



Cross examination is a very specific skill. When you put allegations to a witness you have to stack them up. This is not open season.

Taking on board those comments, Mr Quinn said the relationship between the pair was now at an end.



He said his client had become increasingly perturbed at Ms Mudimbas decision to leave the house for a number of months while Mr Beya endeavoured to provide for their children.



Ms Mudimba, who was still sitting in the witness box, confirmed she had been away in Paris during July and August but had taken three of the couples children with her.



She added her presence at home had been constant since 2017 and in part had been mitigated by the modest means she had to rely upon.

Yes, I have no choice, she told Mr Quinn.



I live in a RAS (Rental Accommodation Scheme house). I dont have a choice.

In revealing she was awaiting a local authority decision to seek alternative accommodation, Mr Quinn put it to Ms Mudimba her part in fuelling Mr Beyas frustration was well founded.



I suggest that when you came back from Paris, you were gone again to Dublin, he said, claiming she held a gripe about having no money on her return.



He (Mr Beya) is the father of my kids, she bluntly responded.

If I dont have money to buy milk for the kids, then he has to buy the milk.



Investigating officer, Garda Gary Larkin said he called to the Dun Darrach estate at around 4:30pm on foot of a complaint.



He said Ms Mudimba had appeared very scared and told him that unless she vacated the property Mr Beya would put a knife in my face.

Mr Beya, he added, admitted asking Ms Mudimba to leave the house before arresting the defendant shortly after 5pm.



She was very upset, said Garda Larkin.

She was shaking, she looked as is if she had been crying and was very upset for her three children.



In his direct evidence, Mr Beya said he was effectively bringing up the pairs children on his own.

Every day I collect the children and see what they need for the next day, he contended, suggesting Ms Mudimba had spent 600 during a weekend visit to Dublin.



Mr Beya said his irritation was compounded by Ms Mudimbas request to return home with milk.



I say; If you stay here dont stress me. I say: One day I will put a mark to remember me. Leave me alone.



Mr Beya, when asked about whether he had put fear in Ms Mudimba on the day of the alleged incident, insisted; I am afraid of her now.

He said his former partner was unemployed and accused her of telling lies, claiming her close family no longer talk to her.



I am happy for her to go, said Mr Beya.

I am starting a new life, but I am scared for my children because she wont give them an education.



Mr Beya also claimed he never received notification that a protection order had been served against him, despite court files showing it was dispatched from the District Court offices seven days before the alleged incident was reported.



However, Judge Gibbons rejected that assertion and attempts by Mr Beya to besmirch the good name of the victim.



Its obvious listening to her (Ms Mudimba) in the witness box that he (Mr Beya) said what he said, remarked Judge Gibbons.

Did he put her in fear? Yes he did, absolutely.



Judge Gibbons said he simply did not believe Mr Beyas claim of not being served with a protection order.



If courts allow people to break orders without redress and impunity then courts should not be making these orders, he told Mr Beya.



Judge Gibbons said breaches of such orders were one of the most serious offences to come before the District Court, adding the offence did warrant a potential custodial sanction.



In commending the actions of Longford Gardai and most notably Garda Larkin, Judge Gibbons said his ruling had to be both proportionate and accommodating to the concerns of the victim.



I have to make sure the injured party is protected, he told Mr Beya.

If I send you to prison, she will be protected for a very short period, but I want to structure it in a way that she is protected for much longer.



In that instance and after learning Mr Beya was gainfully employed and the main breadwinner for his children, he sentenced him to nine months in prison.



He suspended that sentence, however, for a period of two years.
by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, March 6, 2018

Its much too easy to publish false stories in the age of the internet, and unfortunately too many people still say I saw it on the internet, so it must be true, so on Monday two entrepreneurs announced a plan to fix the broken internet.

Its a good idea. And media entrepreneurs Steven Brill and Gordon Crovitz have great intentions. But not even the $6 million they raised with help from investor Publicis Groupe to launch NewsGuard can aid this crusade without the buy-in of Google, Bing, Facebook, Twitter and other big sites.

It's like so many other projects that take a chain of companies to pull together rather than go it alone.

NewsGuard aims to address fake news by hiring dozens of journalists to review 7,500 U.S. news and information web sites that are most commonly accessed. The fledgling enterprise wants to solve the problem of ridding the Internet of fake news.

advertisement advertisement

The details are sketchy. Reports tout the efforts, but I believe much of the information that will make this work is missing.

Even with The Wall Street Journal detailing NewsGuards business model to charge the digital platforms so users can access the ratings and nutrition labels and to charge advertisers to keep their ads off fake news and propaganda sites, the plan still needs the buy-in of Google, Bing and others for it to become successful. NewsGuard said it wont charge publishers for their rating and will make a free version available to individuals and news-literacy groups.

Publishers will be rated with green, yellow or red tags to identify the news source. But what good will this be unless those ratings appear in search results or next to the headline in a Facebook feed?

What publisher will agree to put a less-than-stellar rating on its web site? If not on the web site, the search engines will need to agree to add the rating in search results next to the listing.

Search Insider reached out to Google for comment and did not get a response.

And what will NewsGuard rely on for accuracy? Journalistic reviewers, according to the company. No details have been shared on the type of checklist they will follow. Perhaps well see a web site with a list of sites and colored tags, which would work well, but it would work even better if the company could convince Google and crew to join their crusade rather than each of them going it alone.

NewsGuard not only needs the support of the engines to make this work, but CNN reports that the startup needs to get the tech giants to purchase their data. Then they must match that data against searches.

To me, the missing key is having the rating appear within the search results on Bing and Google. Otherwise, the efforts are only half complete.
by Wayne Friedman , March 6, 2018

The Fox broadcast network wants to follow the move by NBCUniversal in cutting back key advertising time.

By 2020, the Fox network has a goal to cut prime-time advertising time to two minutes an hour from around 13 minutes currently, according to media executives.

Fox also wants to increase some branded content pods doing prime-time programming.

Starting this fall, Fox intends to focus on Sunday prime-time programming -- reducing advertising in its animated shows to just two spots per pod from around four spots per pod.

The plan is called "Jazz," according to Bruce Lefkowitz, executive vp of advertising at Fox Networks Group, who spoke with Television News Daily. Lefkowitz says this refers to "Just 'a' and 'z' " (first and last) placements of commercials in a pod, which typically get higher viewership.

advertisement advertisement

Lefkowitz says attention should increase for these commercials due to the elimination of advertising clutter. Pricing is expected to rise for those spots. In addition, he said, Fox is starting up Fox Blocks, where marketers can create custom content.

Part of this could have Fox advertisers contributing to a production fund for branded content using its own original intellectual property or Foxs intellectual property.

Some of this was revealed during an private advertising event hosted in Los Angeles by Fox last Wednesday.

It was there that Joe Marchese, president of advertising revenue for Fox Networks Group, told media agency, marketing and some competing TV network executives -- including Linda Yaccarino of NBCUniversal and Charlie Collier of AMC Networks -- that Fox intends to whittle down its prime-time advertising to two minutes per hour in two years.

A Fox representative would not comment about any changes in Fox prime-time advertising.

Also last week, just before the start of the Fox meeting with media executives, NBCUniversal announced plans to lower prime-time ad time by 10% across its networks -- affecting some 50 shows -- and to decrease the overall number of ads on its networks by 20%.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 7, 2018

Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said Wednesday that he has introduced a bill that would restore some of the Obama-era net neutrality requirements.

But the Open Internet Preservation Act, a companion to the measure introduced in the House last year by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), would fall short of fully reinstating the rules. The bill would prohibit Internet service providers from blocking or throttling traffic, but would allow providers to charge higher fees for faster delivery of content.

Kennedy stated Wednesday that the bill was a "compromise that benefits the consumer."

advertisement advertisement

"Does this bill resolve every issue in the net neutrality debate? No, it doesnt," he stated. "It's not a silver bullet. But it's a good start."

Net neutrality advocates quickly denounced the measure as a "fake net neutrality" bill that will give too much power to broadband providers.

While Senator Kennedy claims his bill was written in defense of an open internet, its true goal is to let a few unregulated monopolies stifle competition and control the future of communications," Free Press Action Fund President and CEO Craig Aaron stated Wednesday.

Last December, the Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 to revoke Obama-era net neutrality rules that prohibited broadband providers from blocking or throttling traffic and from charging higher fees for prioritized delivery of content. Chairman Ajit Pai, who backed the repeal, said the former regulations depressed investment. But consumer advocates and other net neutrality advocates argue that the rules are necessary to prevent broadband providers from censoring sites or discriminating against competitors like Netflix.

In the three months since the FCC's vote, open internet advocates have attempted to restore the rules through a variety of mechanisms. Among others, advocates have urged lawmakers to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn the repeal. That law allows federal lawmakers to vacate recent agency decisions by passing a resolution of disapproval. Fifty senators -- including one Republican -- have signed on to the resolution, leaving the measure just one vote short in that body.

Kennedy said last month that he was "undecided" about whether to support that resolution.

The advocacy organization Fight for the Future said Wednesday that Kennedy "betrayed the entire Internet."

"The fact that he thinks his constituents would be fooled by this trojan horse legislation is insulting," Fight for the Future deputy director Evan Greer stated.
A new study confirms that e-cigarettes are harmful to teenagers and urges adolescents to stop putting their health at risk.

Share on Pinterest Many teenagers are attracted to vaping, but at what cost to their own health?

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered devices regularly used as a more healthful alternative to regular cigarettes.

E-cigarettes sometimes contain nicotine, and sometimes they use nicotine-free solutions.

They offer users a similar sensation to smoking, but they do not produce smoke. Instead, they heat up the e-liquid they contain and create vapor, which is why using these devices is sometimes referred to as vaping.

However, while many adult users opt for e-cigarettes to ease themselves out of their smoking habit, some researchers have raised concerns that teenagers may be using them as a gateway into this very habit.

E-cigarette usage seems to be popular among many teenagers, despite the fact that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have banned the sale of such devices to people under 18.

But recent research from the University of California, San Francisco now reveals that we may have more to worry about when it comes to teenage use of e-cigarettes  beyond addiction and the possibility of transitioning to traditional cigarettes.

Lead study author Dr. Mark L. Rubinstein and his team have found that teenagers who vape may be exposing themselves to dangerous chemicals that have been linked to cancer. Their findings were published in the journal Pediatrics.

Such toxic substances, the researchers add, are found both in e-cigarettes and in traditional ones, and teenagers need to be aware that even by opting for nicotine-free devices, they may still put themselves in harms way.
Anxiety, a common mood disorder, has many risk factors  such as genetic makeup and stress. Recently, researchers have been revealing the relevance of some more surprising risk factors. A new study from Latin America suggests that waist size may be one of them.

Share on Pinterest New research investigates the link between waist measurements and the risk of anxiety.

Anxiety disorders are now the most common mental condition among adults in the United States, confirm the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety as men, and they are also more likely to overeat due to stress.

Moreover, anxiety has also been associated with the advent of cardiometabolic diseases , such as coronary heart disease and diabetes.

A new study from Latin America that focused on postmenopausal women now suggests that the risk of developing a form of anxiety later in life may have something to do with the size of a womans waistline.

The researchers, who hail from many institutions across Latin American countries  including Peru, Chile, and Ecuador  found correlations between womens waist-to-height ratio and her chance of being diagnosed with anxiety.

The paper  whose first author is Dr. Karen Arroyo, from the School of Medicine at Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas in Lima, Peru  that reports the researchers findings has been published in the journal Menopause.
Aphorism is from a Greek word and means to define. It is generally a one-liner used tersely to convey a perspective in a way that once bitten by it you are seldom likely to forget it in a hurry.Some examples of Aphorism are as follows:* People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones at others - Anon* "Death with dignity is better than life with humiliation." -Husayn ibn Ali* Love your mistakes but don't marry one. - Leonid Sukhorukov,book 'All About Everything'* Marry in haste: Repent at leisure. -- Scottish proverb* Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. -- Chinese Proverb.* One man's meat is another man's poison.Hippocrates was the first to use them to improve a way to remember symptoms to cure diseases. Later others started using them in their work. Usage of Aphorism comes from experience.The first aphorism used by him runs as follows: --"Life is short, art is long, opportunity fugitive, experimenting dangerous, reasoning difficult: it is necessary not only to do oneself what is right, but also to be seconded by the patient, by those who attend him, by external circumstances."
(AMENDED UP TO DECEMBER 2010)

These Regulations may be called the Indian Medical Council (Professional conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002.

They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

CHAPTER I







CODE OF MEDICAL ETHICS

Duties and responsibilities of the Physician in general:





Character of Physician

Maintaining good medical practice

1.3 Maintenance of medical records

Display of registration numbers

Use of Generic names of drugs

Highest Quality Assurance in patient care

Exposure of Unethical Conduct

Payment of Professional Services

Evasion of Legal Restrictions

CHAPTER 2

Patience, Delicacy and Secrecy

Prognosis

The Patient must not be neglected

Engagement for an Obstetric case

CHAPTER 3





3.. DUTIES OF PHYSICIAN IN CONSULTATION





3.1 Unnecessary consultations should be avoided

Consultation for Patients Benefit

Punctuality in Consultation

Statement to Patient after Consultation

Treatment after Consultation

Patients Referred to Specialists

Fees and other charges

CHAPTER 4







RESPONSIBILITIES OF PHYSICIANS TO EACH OTHER

Conduct in consultation :

Consultant not to take charge of the case:

Appointment of Substitute

Visiting another Physicians Case:

CHAPTER 5

DUTIES OF PHYSICIAN TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE PARAMEDICAL PROFESSION

Physicians as Citizens:

Public and Community Health

Pharmacists / Nurses

CHAPTER 6







UNETHICAL ACTS

Advertising

On starting practice. On change of type of practice. On changing address. On temporary absence from duty. On resumption of another practice. On succeeding to another practice. Public declaration of charges.

(Published in Part III, Section 4 of the Gazette of India, dated 6th April,2002)New Delhi, dated 11th March, 2002No. MCI-211(2)/2001/Registration. In exercise of the powers conferred under section 20A read with section 33(m) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102 of 1956), the Medical Council of India, with the previous approval of the Central Government, hereby makes the following regulations relating to the Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics for registered medical practitioners, namely:-Each applicant, at the time of making an application for registration under the provisions of the Act, shall be provided a copy of the declaration and shall submit a duly signed Declaration as provided inThe applicant shall also certify that he/she had read and agreed to abide by the same.(Doctors with qualification of MBBS or MBBS with post graduate degree/ diploma or with equivalent qualification in any medical discipline):1.1.1 A physician shall uphold the dignity and honour of his profession.1.1.2 The prime object of the medical profession is to render service to humanity; reward or financial gain is a subordinate consideration. Who- so-ever chooses his profession, assumes the obligation to conduct himself in accordance with its ideals. A physician should be an upright man, instructed in the art of healings. He shall keep himself pure in character and be diligent in caring for the sick; he should be modest, sober, patient, prompt in discharging his duty without anxiety; conducting himself with propriety in his profession and in all the actions of his life.1.1.3 No person other than a doctor having qualification recognised by Medical Council of India and registered with Medical Council of India/State Medical Council (s) is allowed to practice Modern system of Medicine or Surgery. A person obtaining qualification in any other system of Medicine is not allowed to practice Modern system of Medicine in any form.1.2.1 The Principal objective of the medical profession is to render service to humanity with full respect for the dignity of profession and man. Physicians should merit the confidence of patients entrusted to their care, rendering to each a full measure of service and devotion. Physicians should try continuously to improve medical knowledge and skills and should make available to their patients and colleagues the benefits of their professional attainments. The physician should practice methods of healing founded on scientific basis and should not associate professionally with anyone who violates this principle. The honoured ideals of the medical profession imply that the responsibilities of the physician extend not only to individuals but also to society.1.2.2For the advancement of his profession, a physician should affiliate with associations and societies of allopathic medical professions and involve actively in the functioning of such bodies.1.2.3 A Physician should participate in professional meetings as part of Continuing Medical Education programmes, for at least 30 hours every five years, organized by reputed professional academic bodies or any other authorized organisations. The compliance of this requirement shall be informed regularly to Medical Council of India or the State Medical Councils as the case may be.1.3.1 Every physician shall maintain the medical records pertaining to his / her indoor patients for a period of 3 years from the date of commencement of the treatment in a standard proforma laid down by the Medical Council of India and attached as1.3.2. If any request is made for medical records either by the patients / authorised attendant or legal authorities involved, the same may be duly acknowledged and documents shall be issued within the period of 72 hours.1.3.3 A Registered medical practitioner shall maintain a Register of Medical Certificates giving full details of certificates issued. When issuing a medical certificate he / she shall always enter the identification marks of the patient and keep a copy of the certificate. He / She shall not omit to record the signature and/or thumb mark, address and at least one identification mark of the patient on the medical certificates or report. The medical certificate shall be prepared as in Appendix 2.1.3.4 Efforts shall be made to computerize medical records for quick retrieval.1.4.1 Every physician shall display the registration number accorded to him by the State Medical Council / Medical Council of India in his clinic and in all his prescriptions, certificates, money receipts given to his patients.1.4.2 Physicians shall display as suffix to their names only recognized medical degrees or such certificates/diplomas and memberships/honours which confer professional knowledge or recognizes any exemplary qualification/achievements.Every physician should, as far as possible, prescribe drugs with generic names and he / she shall ensure that there is a rational prescription and use of drugs.Every physician should aid in safeguarding the profession against admission to it of those who are deficient in moral character or education. Physician shall not employ in connection with his professional practice any attendant who is neither registered nor enlisted under the Medical Acts in force and shall not permit such persons to attend, treat or perform operations upon patients wherever professional discretion or skill is required.A Physician should expose, without fear or favour, incompetent or corrupt, dishonest or unethical conduct on the part of members of the profession.The physician, engaged in the practice of medicine shall give priority to the interests of patients. The personal financial interests of a physician should not conflict with the medical interests of patients. A physician should announce his fees before rendering service and not after the operation or treatment is under way. Remuneration received for such services should be in the form and amount specifically announced to the patient at the time the service is rendered. It is unethical to enter into a contract of "no cure no payment". Physician rendering service on behalf of the state shall refrain from anticipating or accepting any consideration.The physician shall observe the laws of the country in regulating the practice of medicine and shall also not assist others to evade such laws. He should be cooperative in observance and enforcement of sanitary laws and regulations in the interest of public health. A physician should observe the provisions of the State Acts like Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; Pharmacy Act, 1948; Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances Act, 1985; Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971; Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994; Mental Health Act, 1987; Environmental Protection Act, 1986; Prenatal Sex Determination Test Act, 1994; Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954; Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities and Full Participation) Act, 1995 and Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 and such other Acts, Rules, Regulations made by the Central/State Governments or local Administrative Bodies or any other relevant Act relating to the protection and promotion of public health.2.1.1 Though a physician is not bound to treat each and every person asking his services, he should not only be ever ready to respond to the calls of the sick and the injured, but should be mindful of the high character of his mission and the responsibility he discharges in the course of his professional duties. In his treatment, he should never forget that the health and the lives of those entrusted to his care depend on his skill and attention. A physician should endeavour to add to the comfort of the sick by making his visits at the hour indicated to the patients. A physician advising a patient to seek service of another physician is acceptable, however, in case of emergency a physician must treat the patient. No physician shall arbitrarily refuse treatment to a patient. However for good reason, when a patient is suffering from an ailment which is not within the range of experience of the treating physician, the physician may refuse treatment and refer the patient to another physician.2.1.2 Medical practitioner having any incapacity detrimental to the patient or which can affect his performance vis-a-vis the patient is not permitted to practice his profession: Patience and delicacy should characterize the physician. Confidences concerning individual or domestic life entrusted by patients to a physician and defects in the disposition or character of patients observed during medical attendance should never be revealed unless their revelation is required by the laws of the State. Sometimes, however, a physician must determine whether his duty to society requires him to employ knowledge, obtained through confidence as a physician, to protect a healthy person against a communicable disease to which he is about to be exposed. In such instance, the physician should act as he would wish another to act toward one of his own family in like circumstances.: The physician should neither exaggerate nor minimize the gravity of a patients condition. He should ensure himself that the patient, his relatives or his responsible friends have such knowledge of the patients condition as will serve the best interests of the patient and the family.A physician is free to choose whom he will serve. He should, however, respond to any request for his assistance in an emergency. Once having undertaken a case, the physician should not neglect the patient, nor should he withdraw from the case without giving adequate notice to the patient and his family. Provisionally or fully registered medical practitioner shall not willfully commit an act of negligence that may deprive his patient or patients from necessary medical care.: When a physician who has been engaged to attend an obstetric case is absent and another is sent for and delivery accomplished, the acting physician is entitled to his professional fees, but should secure the patients consent to resign on the arrival of the physician engaged.3.1.1 However in case of serious illness and in doubtful or difficult conditions, the physician should request consultation, but under any circumstances such consultation should be justifiable and in the interest of the patient only and not for any other consideration.3.1.2 Consulting pathologists /radiologists or asking for any other diagnostic Lab investigation should be done judiciously and not in a routine manner.In every consultation, the benefit to the patient is of foremost importance. All physicians engaged in the case should be frank with the patient and his attendants.Utmost punctuality should be observed by a physician in making themselves available for consultations3.4.1All statements to the patient or his representatives should take place in the presence of the consulting physicians, except as otherwise agreed. The disclosure of the opinion to the patient or his relatives or friends shall rest with the medical attendant.3.4.2 Differences of opinion should not be divulged unnecessarily but when there is irreconcilable difference of opinion the circumstances should be frankly and impartially explained to the patient or his relatives or friends. It would be opened to them to seek further advice as they so desire.No decision should restrain the attending physician from making such subsequent variations in the treatment if any unexpected change occurs, but at the next consultation, reasons for the variations should be discussed/explained. The same privilege, with its obligations, belongs to the consultant when sent for in an emergency during the absence of attending physician. The attending physician may prescribe medicine at any time for the patient, whereas the consultant may prescribe only in case of emergency or as an expert when called for.When a patient is referred to a specialist by the attending physician, a case summary of the patient should be given to the specialist, who should communicate his opinion in writing to the attending physician.3.7.1 A physician shall clearly display his fees and other charges on the board of his chamber and/or the hospitals he is visiting.Prescription should also make clear if the Physician himself dispensed any medicine.3.7.2 A physician shall write his name and designation in full along with registration particulars in his prescription letter head.Note: In Government hospital where the patientload is heavy, the name of the prescribing doctor must be written below his/her signature.A physician should consider it as a pleasure and privilege to render gratuitous service to all physicians and their immediate family dependants.In consultations, no insincerity, rivalry or envy should be indulged in. All due respect should be observed towards the physician in-charge of the case and no statement or remark be made, which would impair the confidence reposed in him. For this purpose no discussion should be carried on in the presence of the patient or his representatives.When a physician has been called for consultation, the Consultant should normally not take charge of the case, especially on the solicitation of the patient or friends. The Consultant shall not criticize the referring physician. He / she shall discuss the diagnosis treatment plan with the referring physician.Whenever a physician requests another physician to attend his patients during his temporary absence from his practice, professional courtesy requires the acceptance of such appointment only when he has the capacity to discharge the additional responsibility along with his / her other duties. The physician acting under such an appointment should give the utmost consideration to the interests and reputation of the absent physician and all such patients should be restored to the care of the latter upon his/her return.When it becomes the duty of a physician occupying an official position to see and report upon an illness or injury, he should communicate to the physician in attendance so as to give him an option of being present. The medical officer / physician occupying an official position should avoid remarks upon the diagnosis or the treatment that has been adopted.Physicians, as good citizens, possessed of special training should disseminate advice on public health issues. They should play their part in enforcing the laws of the community and in sustaining the institutions that advance the interests of humanity. They should particularly co-operate with the authorities in the administration of sanitary/public health laws and regulations.Physicians, especially those engaged in public health work, should enlighten the public concerning quarantine regulations and measures for the prevention of epidemic and communicable diseases. At all times the physician should notify the constituted public health authorities of every case of communicable disease under his care, in accordance with the laws, rules and regulations of the health authorities. When an epidemic occurs a physician should not abandon his duty for fear of contracting the disease himself.Physicians should recognize and promote the practice of different paramedical services such as, pharmacy and nursing as professions and should seek their cooperation wherever required.A physician shall not aid or abet or commit any of the following acts which shall be construed as unethical -6.1.1 Soliciting of patients directly or indirectly, by a physician, by a group of physicians or by institutions or organisations is unethical. A physician shall not make use of him / her (or his / her name) as subject of any form or manner of advertising or publicity through any mode either alone or in conjunction with others which is of such a character as to invite attention to him or to his professional position, skill, qualification, achievements, attainments, specialities, appointments, associations, affiliations or honours and/or of such character as would ordinarily result in his self aggrandizement. A physician shall not give to any person, whether for compensation or otherwise, any approval, recommendation, endorsement, certificate, report or statement with respect of any drug, medicine, nostrum remedy, surgical, or therapeutic article, apparatus or appliance or any commercial product or article with respect of any property, quality or use thereof or any test, demonstration or trial thereof, for use in connection with his name, signature, or photograph in any form or manner of advertising through any mode nor shall he boast of cases, operations, cures or remedies or permit the publication of report thereof through any mode. A medical practitioner is however permitted to make a formal announcement in press regarding the following:

6.1.2 Printing of self photograph, or any such material of publicity in the letter head or on sign board of the consulting room or any such clinical establishment shall be regarded as acts of self advertisement and unethical conduct on the part of the physician. However, printing of sketches, diagrams, picture of human system shall not be treated as unethical.



6.2 Patent and Copy rights : A physician may patent surgical instruments, appliances and medicine or Copyright applications, methods and procedures. However, it shall be unethical if the benefits of such patents or copyrights are not made available in situations where the interest of large population is involved.



6.3 Running an open shop (Dispensing of Drugs and Appliances by Physicians) : - A physician should not run an open shop for sale of medicine for dispensing prescriptions prescribed by doctors other than himself or for sale of medical or surgical appliances. It is not unethical for a physician to prescribe or supply drugs, remedies or appliances as long as there is no exploitation of the patient. Drugs prescribed by a physician or brought from the market for a patient should explicitly state the proprietary formulae as well as generic name of the drug.



6.4 Rebates and Commission :



6.4.1 A physician shall not give, solicit, or receive nor shall he offer to give solicit or receive, any gift, gratuity, commission or bonus in consideration of or return for the referring, recommending or procuring of any patient for medical, surgical or other treatment. A physician shall not directly or indirectly, participate in or be a party to act of division, transference, assignment, subordination, rebating, splitting or refunding of any fee for medical, surgical or other treatment.



6.4.2 Provisions of para 6.4.1 shall apply with equal force to the referring, recommending or procuring by a physician or any person, specimen or material for diagnostic purposes or other study / work. Nothing in this section, however, shall prohibit payment of salaries by a qualified physician to other duly qualified person rendering medical care under his supervision.



6.5 Secret Remedies : The prescribing or dispensing by a physician of secret remedial agents of which he does not know the composition, or the manufacture or promotion of their use is unethical and as such prohibited. All the drugs prescribed by a physician should always carry a proprietary formula and clear name.



6.6 Human Rights : The physician shall not aid or abet torture nor shall he be a party to either infliction of mental or physical trauma or concealment of torture inflicted by some other person or agency in clear violation of human rights.



6.7 Euthanasia : Practicing euthanasia shall constitute unethical conduct. However on specific occasion, the question of withdrawing supporting devices to sustain cardio-pulmonary function even after brain death, shall be decided only by a team of doctors and not merely by the treating physician alone. A team of doctors shall declare withdrawal of support system. Such team shall consist of the doctor in charge of the patient, Chief Medical Officer / Medical Officer in charge of the hospital and a doctor nominated by the in-charge of the hospital from the hospital staff or in accordance with the provisions of the Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994.



CHAPTER 7



7. MISCONDUCT :

The following acts of commission or omission on the part of a physician shall constitute professional misconduct rendering him/her liable for disciplinary action



7.1 Violation of the Regulations: If he/she commits any violation of these Regulations.



7.2 If he/she does not maintain the medical records of his/her indoor patients for a period of three years as per regulation 1.3 and refuses to provide the same within 72 hours when the patient or his/her authorised representative makes a request for it as per the regulation 1.3.2.



7.3 If he/she does not display the registration number accorded to him/her by the State Medical Council or the Medical Council of India in his clinic, prescriptions and certificates etc. issued by him or violates the provisions of regulation 1.4.2.



7.4 Adultery or Improper Conduct: Abuse of professional position by committing adultery or improper conduct with a patient or by maintaining an improper association with a patient will render a Physician liable for disciplinary action as provided under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 or the concerned State Medical Council Act.



7.5 Conviction by Court of Law: Conviction by a Court of Law for offences involving moral turpitude / Criminal acts.



7.6 Sex Determination Tests: On no account sex determination test shall be undertaken with the intent to terminate the life of a female foetus developing in her mothers womb, unless there are other absolute indications for termination of pregnancy as specified in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. Any act of termination of pregnancy of normal female foetus amounting to female foeticide shall be regarded as professional misconduct on the part of the physician leading to penal erasure besides rendering him liable to criminal proceedings as per the provisions of this Act.



7.7 Signing Professional Certificates, Reports and other Documents: Registered medical practitioners are in certain cases bound by law to give, or may from time to time be called upon or requested to give certificates, notification, reports and other documents of similar character signed by them in their professional capacity for subsequent use in the courts or for administrative purposes etc. Such documents, among others, include the ones given at Appendix 4. Any registered practitioner who is shown to have signed or given under his name and authority any such certificate, notification, report or document of a similar character which is untrue, misleading or improper, is liable to have his name deleted from the Register.



7.8 A registered medical practitioner shall not contravene the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and regulations made there under. Accordingly,

Prescribing steroids/ psychotropic drugs when there is no absolute medical indication; selling Schedule H & L drugs and poisons to the public except to his patient;

in contravention of the above provisions shall constitute gross professional misconduct on the part of the physician.

7.9 Performing or enabling unqualified person to perform an abortion or any illegal operation for which there is no medical, surgical or psychological indication.



7.10 A registered medical practitioner shall not issue certificates of efficiency in modern medicine to unqualified or non-medical person.

(Note: The foregoing does not restrict the proper training and instruction of bonafide students, midwives, dispensers, surgical attendants, or skilled mechanical and technical assistants and therapy assistants under the personal supervision of physicians.)

7.11 A physician should not contribute to the lay press articles and give interviews regarding diseases and treatments which may have the effect of advertising himself or soliciting practices; but is open to write to the lay press under his own name on matters of public health, hygienic living or to deliver public lectures, give talks on the radio/TV/internet chat for the same purpose and send announcement of the same to lay press.



7.12 An institution run by a physician for a particular purpose such as a maternity home, nursing home, private hospital, rehabilitation centre or any type of training institution etc. may be advertised in the lay press, but such advertisements should not contain anything more than the name of the institution, type of patients admitted, type of training and other facilities offered and the fees.



7.13 It is improper for a physician to use an unusually large sign board and write on it anything other than his name, qualifications obtained from a University or a statutory body, titles and name of his speciality, registration number including the name of the State Medical Council under which registered. The same should be the contents of his prescription papers. It is improper to affix a sign-board on a chemists shop or in places where he does not reside or work.



7.14 The registered medical practitioner shall not disclose the secrets of a patient that have been learnt in the exercise of his / her profession except 

in a court of law under orders of the Presiding Judge; in circumstances where there is a serious and identified risk to a specific person and / or community; and notifiable diseases.

In case of communicable / notifiable diseases, concerned public health authorities should be informed immediately.



7.15 The registered medical practitioner shall not refuse on religious grounds alone to give assistance in or conduct of sterility, birth control, circumcision and medical termination of Pregnancy when there is medical indication, unless the medical practitioner feels himself/herself incompetent to do so.



7.16 Before performing an operation the physician should obtain in writing the consent from the husband or wife, parent or guardian in the case of minor, or the patient himself as the case may be. In an operation which may result in sterility the consent of both husband and wife is needed.



7.17 A registered medical practitioner shall not publish photographs or case reports of his / her patients without their permission, in any medical or other journal in a manner by which their identity could be made out. If the identity is not to be disclosed, the consent is not needed.



7.18 In the case of running of a nursing home by a physician and employing assistants to help him / her, the ultimate responsibility rests on the physician.



7.19 A Physician shall not use touts or agents for procuring patients.



7.20 A Physician shall not claim to be specialist unless he has a special qualification in that branch.



7.21 No act of invitro fertilization or artificial insemination shall be undertaken without the informed consent of the female patient and her spouse as well as the donor. Such consent shall be obtained in writing only after the patient is provided, at her own level of comprehension, with sufficient information about the purpose, methods, risks, inconveniences, disappointments of the procedure and possible risks and hazards.



7.22 Research: Clinical drug trials or other research involving patients or volunteers as per the guidelines of ICMR can be undertaken, provided ethical considerations are borne in mind. Violation of existing ICMR guidelines in this regard shall constitute misconduct. Consent taken from the patient for trial of drug or therapy which is not as per the guidelines shall also be construed as misconduct.





7.23 If a physician posted in rural area is found absent on more than two occasions during inspection by the Head of the District Health Authority or the Chairman, Zila Parishad, the same shall be construed as a misconduct if it is recommended to the Medical Council of India/State Medical Council by the State Government for action under these Regulations.



7.24 If a physician posted in a medical college/institution both as teaching faculty or otherwise shall remain in hospital/college during the assigned duty hours. If they are found absent on more than two occasions during this period, the same shall be construed as a misconduct if it is certified by the Principal/Medical Superintendent and forwarded through the State Government to Medical Council of India/State Medical Council for action under these Regulations.



CHAPTER 8



8. PUNISHMENT AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION



8.1 It must be clearly understood that the instances of offences and of Professional misconduct which are given above do not constitute and are not intended to constitute a complete list of the infamous acts which calls for disciplinary action, and that by issuing this notice the Medical Council of India and or State Medical Councils are in no way precluded from considering and dealing with any other form of professional misconduct on the part of a registered practitioner. Circumstances may and do arise from time to time in relation to which there may occur questions of professional misconduct which do not come within any of these categories. Every care should be taken that the code is not violated in letter or spirit. In such instances as in all others, the Medical Council of India and/or State Medical Councils have to consider and decide upon the facts brought before the Medical Council of India and/or State Medical Councils.



8.2 It is made clear that any complaint with regard to professional misconduct can be brought before the appropriate Medical Council for Disciplinary action. Upon receipt of any complaint of professional misconduct, the appropriate Medical Council would hold an enquiry and give opportunity to the registered medical practitioner to be heard in person or by pleader. If the medical practitioner is found to be guilty of committing professional misconduct, the appropriate Medical Council may award such punishment as deemed necessary or may direct the removal altogether or for a specified period, from the register of the name of the delinquent registered practitioner. Deletion from the Register shall be widely publicized in local press as well as in the publications of different Medical Associations/ Societies/Bodies.



8.3 In case the punishment of removal from the register is for a limited period, the appropriate Council may also direct that the name so removed shall be restored in the register after the expiry of the period for which the name was ordered to be removed.



8.4 Decision on complaint against delinquent physician shall be taken within a time limit of 6 months.



8.5 During the pendency of the complaint the appropriate Council may restrain the physician from performing the procedure or practice which is under scrutiny.



8.6 Professional incompetence shall be judged by peer group as per guidelines prescribed by Medical Council of India.





APPENDIX - 1

DECLARATION

I solemnly pledge myself to consecrate my life to service of humanity. Even under threat, I will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of Humanity. I will maintain the utmost respect for human life from the time of conception. I will not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race, party politics or social standing to intervene between my duty and my patient. I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity. The health of my patient will be my first consideration. I will respect the secrets which are confined in me. I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude which is their due. I will maintain by all means in my power, the honour and noble traditions of medical profession. I will treat my colleagues with all respect and dignity. I shall abide by the code of medical ethics as enunciated in the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations 2002.

At the time of registration, each applicant shall be given a copy of the following declaration by the Registrar concerned and the applicant shall read and agree to abide by the same:

I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honour.





Signature 





Name 





Place 





Address







 



 





Date 





APPENDIX  2

FORM OF CERTIFICATE RECOMMENDED

FOR LEAVE OR EXTENSION OR COMMUNICATION

OF LEAVE AND FOR FITNESS

__________________________ __________________________

Signature of patientor thumb impression ___________________________________________To be filled in by the applicant in the presence of the Government Medical Attendant, or Medical Practitioner.Identification marks:-

I, Dr. _____________________________________ after careful examination of the case certify hereby that _______________ whose signature is given above is suffering from __________________ and I consider that a period of absence from duty of ____________________ with effect from __________________ is absolutely necessary for the restoration of his health.





I, Dr. ________________________ after careful examination of the case certify hereby that ______________________ on restoration of health is now fit to join service.



Place ___________________ Signature of Medical attendant. Date ________________ Registration No. ___________________







(Medical Council of India / State Medical Council of ...... State)





Note:- The nature and probable duration of the illness should also be specified . This certificate must be accompanied by a brief resume of the case giving the nature of the illness, its symptoms, causes and duration.

APPENDIX-3

FORMAT FOR MEDICAL RECORD



Follow up

APPENDIX 4

LIST OF CERTIFICATES, REPORTS, NOTIFICATIONS ETC. ISSUED BY DOCTORS FOR THE PURPOSES OF VARIOUS ACTS / ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

Under the acts relating to birth, death or disposal of the dead. Under the Acts relating to Lunacy and Mental Deficiency and under the Mental illness Act and the rules made thereunder. Under the Vaccination Acts and the regulations made thereunder. Under the Factory Acts and the regulations made thereunder. Under the Education Acts. Under the Public Health Acts and the orders made thereunder. Under the Workmens Compensation Act and Persons with Disability Act. Under the Acts and orders relating to the notification of infectious diseases. Under the Employees State Insurance Act. In connection with sick benefit insurance and friendly societies. Under the Merchant Shipping Act. For procuring / issuing of passports. For excusing attendance in courts of Justice, in public services, in public offices or in ordinary employment. In connection with Civil and Military matters. In connection with matters under the control of Department of Pensions. In connection with quarantine rules. For procuring driving licence.

(see regulation 3.1)Name of the patient :Age :Sex :Address :Occupation :Date of 1st visit :Clinical note (summary) of the case:Prov. : Diagnosis :Investigations advised with reports:Diagnosis after investigation:Advice :Date:Observations:Signature in full .Name of Treating Physician



(DR. M. SACHDEVA)

SECRETARY

MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA





(Published in Part III, Section 4 of the Gazette of India, dated 22nd February, 2003)





MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA

NOTIFICATION

MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA

NOTIFICATION

New Delhi, dated 11th March, 2002

MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA

NOTIFICATION

New Delhi, the 10th December 2009





(Lt. Col. (Retd.) Dr. A.R.N. Setalvad)

Secretary

Medical Council of India

In exercise of the powers conferred under section 20A read with section 33(m) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102 of 1956), the Medical Council of India, with the previous approval of the Central Government, hereby makes the following amendments to the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, namely:-Short Title and Commencement: (i) These Regulations may be called the Indian Medical Council (Professional conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) (Amendment) Regulations, 2003.(ii) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.(2) In the Indian Medical Council (Professional conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, the regulations, 7.23 and 7.24 appearing under Chapter 7, shall be omitted.(Published in Part III, Section 4 of the Gazette of India, Extraordinary dated 27th May, 2004)In exercise of the powers conferred under section 20A read with section 33(m) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102 of 1956), the Medical Council of India, with the previous approval of the Central Government, hereby makes the following amendments to the Indian Medical Council (Professional conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, namely:-(1) Short Title and Commencement: (i) These Regulations may be called the Indian Medical Council (Professional conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) (Amendment) Regulations, 2004.(2) In the Indian Medical Council (Professional conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, after the regulation 8.6 appearing under Chapter 8, the following regulations, shall be added:8.7 Where either on a request or otherwise the Medical Council of India is informed that any complaint against a delinquent physician has not been decided by a State Medical Council within a period of six months from the date of receipt of complaint by it and further the MCI has reason to believe that there is no justified reason for not deciding the complaint within the said prescribed period, the Medical Council of India may-(i) Impress upon the concerned State Medical council to conclude and decide the complaint within a time bound schedule;(ii) May decide to withdraw the said complaint pending with the concerned State Medical Council straightaway or after the expiry of the period which had been stipulated by the MCI in accordance with para(i) above, to itself and refer the same to the Ethical Committee of the Council for its expeditious disposal in a period of not more than six months from the receipt of the complaint in the office of the Medical Council of India.8.8 Any person aggrieved by the decision of the State Medical Council on any complaint against a delinquent physician, shall have the right to file an appeal to the MCI within a period of 60 days from the date of receipt of the order passed by the said Medical Council:Provided that the MCI may, if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from presenting the appeal within the aforesaid period of 60 days, allow it to be presented within a further period of 60 days..-In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 33 of the Indian Medical Countil Act, 1956 (102 of 1956), the Medical Council of India with the previous sanction of the Central Government, hereby makes the following Regulations to amend the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002:-1. (i) These Regulations may be called the Indian Medical council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) (Amendment) Regulations, 2009 Part I.(ii) They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.2. In the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, the following additions/medications/decisions/substitutions, shall be, as indicated therein:-3. The following clause shall be added after clause 6.7:-6.8.1 In dealing with pharmaceutical and allied health sector industry, a medical practitioner shall follow and adhere to the stipulations given below:-(a): A medical practitioner shall not receive any gift from any pharmaceutical or allied healthcare industry and their sales people or representatives.(b): A medical practitioner shall not accept any travel facility inside the country or outside, including rail, air, ship, cruise tickets, paid vacations, etc., from any pharmaceutical or allied healthcare industry or their representatives for self and family members for vacation or for attending conference, seminars, workshops, CME programme etc. as a delegate.(c): A medical practitioner shall not accept individually any hospitality like hotel accommodation for self and family members under any pretext.(d) Cash or monetary grants: A medical practitioner hall not receive any cash or monetary grants from any pharmaceutical and allied healthcare industry for individual purpose in individual capacity under any pretext. Funding for medical research, study etc., can only be received through approved institutions by modalities laid down by law/rules/guidelines adopted by such approved institutions, in a transparent manner. It shall always be fully disclosed.(e): A medical practitioner may carry out, participate in, work in research projects funded by pharmaceutical and allied healthcare industries. A medical practitioner is obliged to know that the fulfillment of the following items (1) to (vii) will be an imperative for undertaking any research assignment/project funded by industry-for being proper and ethical. Thus, in accepting such a position a medical practitioner shall:-(i) Ensure that the particular research proposal(s) has the due permission from the competent concerned authorities;(ii) Ensure that such a research project(s) has the clearance of national/state/institutional ethics committee/bodies;(iii) Ensure that it fulfills all the legal requirements prescribed for medical research;(iv) Ensure that the source and amount of funding is publicly disclosed at the beginning itself;(v) Ensure that proper care and facilities are provided to human volunteers, if they are necessary for the research projects);(vi) Ensure that undue animal experimentations are not done and when these are necessary they are done in a scientific and a humane way;(vii) Ensure that while accepting such an assignment a medical practitioner shall have the freedom to publish the results of the research in the greater interest of the society by inserting such a clause in the MoU or any other document/agreement for any such assignment.(f): In dealing with pharmaceutical and allied healthcare industry a medical practitioner shall always ensure that there shall never be any compromise either with his/her own professional autonomy and/or with the autonomy and freedom of the medical institution.(g): A medical practitioner may work for pharmaceutical and allied healthcare industries in advisory capacities, as consultants, as researchers, as treating doctors or in any other professional capacity. In doing so, a medical practitioner shall always:(i) Ensure that his professional integrity and freedom are maintained:(ii) Ensure that patients interest are not compromised in any way;(iii) Ensure that such affiliation are within the law;(iv) Ensure that such affiliations/employments are fully transparent and disclosed.(h): A medical practitioner shall not endorse any drug or product of the industry publicly. Any study conducted on the efficacy or otherwise of such products shall be presented to and/or through appropriate scientific bodies or published in appropriate scientific journals in a proper way.: The Principal Regulations namely, Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquete and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 were published in Part III, Section (4) of the Gazette of India on the 6th April, 2002, and amende vide MCI notification, dated 22-2-2003 and 26-5-2004.
Last Updated - September 19, 2021 - Designed & Managed by Medindia4u.com Pvt. Ltd.

Disclaimer - All information and content on this site are for information and educational purposes only. The information should not be used for either diagnosis or treatment or both for any health related problem or disease. Always seek the advice of a qualified physician for medical diagnosis and treatment.

Full Disclaimer

Advertise with us | Medindia Copyright | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use  All Rights Reserved 1997 - 2021
Most Popular Health News

Popular health news section offers you top ranking Health news from the world of medical science, pharmacy, lifestyle and wellness along with special reports on important medical breakthroughs.
(Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it would discuss the safety and effectiveness of Bayer AG's controversial contraceptive device, Essure, in a public panel meeting after receiving more than 5000 complaints, including those of deaths and pregnancies.

Source: Reuters: Health News
Advertisement

Odisha government introduces campaigns on Sanitary hygiene for school girls and rural women. Odisha is the only state in India where 63.5 % women own immovable assets: land and homes, against the national average of 35%. Record 1 million tribal girls have been provided scholarships for education. Half a million tribal girls are in government-run hostels. Additionally, girls get Rs.8000/- as monthly allowance to stay in school. 3.5mn women have been benefitted by MAMATA Yojana: India's largest cash-transfer maternity benefit scheme. It compensates pregnant and nursing mothers for loss of wages, better nutrition and vaccinations.The success of Mamata Yojana is evident from the fact that Odisha boasts India's lowest Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). 50,000 more babies are saved every year in Odisha due to lower IMR. 5 million women stand empowered by Mission Shakti, a women self-help-group movement. Women are granted loans at 1%. 25000 women entrepreneurs and SHG members were also, very recently, digitally trained by Facebook.Women athletes are nurtured, and the state sent 6 athletes to the Rio Olympics. In a bid to ensure skill development of women the state bears the cost of education, hostel and monthly allowance for all girls enrolling into Odisha's Industrial Training Institutes.The Government of Odisha believes, and has proven that the empowerment of women is a precondition for development. It offers an unprecedented opportunity for societies to ensure that women have equal access to lead public institutions on the path to transformative change.Source: Medindia
Geriatric pregnancy is a term that was used in the 1970s to refer to pregnancy observed in women over the age of 35 years. However, doctors have stopped using the term since it is not respectful to women. The current trend in Western countries e.g., Sweden, Finland, and the United States, indicates a rise in the percentage, number and rate of women over the age of 35 who give birth for the first time. Pregnant women over the age of 35 are now referred to as women of advanced maternal age (AMA).

Several women nowadays are choosing to have children after the age of 35 years. Education, financial independence, relationship stability are some of the causes for this trend.

The choice for a woman to bear a child is influenced by personal, professional, social, and other situations in life. Today, many women are choosing to have children at a later age for various reasons. Some of them are enumerated below:

Education

Financial stability

Career goals

Relationship stability

Confidence in partners suitability as a parent

There are risks involved in bearing children after the age of 35. Women of AMA are associated with health complications and pregnancy risks. The risks affect both the child and the mother.

Some of the complications associated with women of AMA are:

Increased risk of cesarean section or extended labor

Type II diabetes

Gestational diabetes

Leiomyomas (fibroids)

Placenta abruption (Placenta separates from the inner wall of the uterus before labor)

Hypertension

Placenta praevia (Cervix is blocked by the low lying placenta)

Multiple pregnancies - This risk is increased with age and with the use of fertility treatment procedures. The chances of twins, triplets are increased.

Difficulty in conceiving

Low birth-weight babies

Premature birth (preterm birth)

Miscarriages and stillbirths

Chromosomal abnormalities

Increased chances of preeclampsia

There is no clear evidence that advanced age in mothers, leads to congenital heart defects in babies.

Some risks associated with fetuses or babies born to women with AMA are:

Macrosomia - the head of the fetus is enlarged due to diabetes

Birth defects in children - 1 in 65 babies of women over 40 years and 1 in 200 babies of women over 35 years

Women at any age should take precautions to ensure a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. This becomes all the more important in women over the age of 35 years. Prior to getting pregnant and during pregnancy, women should take adequate measures as listed below:

Follow a healthy diet

Try to attain a healthy weight before pregnancy after consultation with doctors

Regular exercise

Adequate sleep

A daily dose of 0.4 mg folic acid one month before and during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects in the baby

Regular antenatal check-ups, ultrasound screening to monitor fetal well-being

Monitoring of blood pressure, blood glucose levels and urine examination for protein and glucose regularly throughout pregnancy

Childbirth education and counseling as appropriate

Avoid alcohol, smoking, other harmful substances, and drugs

Consult your family physician before trying to become pregnant

Once a woman of AMA becomes pregnant, she should make regular visits to her physician to monitor her health and that of the fetus. This will ensure timely intervention in the event of any complication.
CASEVILLE  It was addition by subtraction in Caseville Township this week.

At its meeting Monday, the board voted to begin the process of removing Section 154.004 from the townships ordinance, which references homeowners associations (HOAs).

Supervisor Ben Willenberg said it is being done to remove the township from being pulled into enforcing private HOA rules. Willenberg said the current wording in that section does just that, making the township responsible for enforcing deed restrictions that have been put in place.

At the meeting, the board made a motion to direct the planning commission to start the deletion process.

We will strictly be concerned with our zoning laws, said Willenberg. We will not get into private deed restrictions that a homeowners association comes up with.

Willenberg said although it's rare, the issue has come up in the past. He said in talks with township lawyer, Walt Salens, as well as representatives of the Michigan Township Association, the township has been advised to rewrite or delete the HOA section in the ordinance.

It takes the township out of ever being drawn into legal battles by rules and deed restrictions at private homeowners associations, Willenberg said. They can do that  theyre private  the township cannot be involved with enforcing them though. Thats the whole problem.

Added Willenberg: Its a good move. Its something that is necessary.

In other business, the board:

 Accepted with regret the resignation of longtime Police Commission member Hank Clabuesch.

 Approved a resolution to do a cost of living increase to the townships water rates. The usage rate increased from $9 per 1,000 gallons to $9.25 per 1,000.

 Discussed the townships annual meeting, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. March 31.
BAD AXE -- The Bad Axe United Methodist Women will host their famous soup, bread and dessert supper at the end of the month.

The event will run from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 29 at First Methodist Church, located at 216 E. Woodworth St. in Bad Axe. There will be a large variety of homemade soups, homemade bread and homemade desserts.
BAD AXE -- The Bad Axe Free Methodist Church will be hosting its annual Easter egg hunt later this month.

There will be three hunts -- 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. -- on Saturday, March 24 at the church, which is located at 165 Pigeon Road in Bad Axe.
PORT HURON -- Kick off summer travel plans with a visit to the Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds Camper and RV Show in Port Huron this weekend.

The event will run March 8-11 at the Blue Water Convention Center, located at 800 Harker St.

"From the enthusiastic response the show received last year from attendees, we are expecting exhibitors to really bring in some fantastic vehicles for show attendees to enjoy," said Darren Ing, MARVAC show director. "The Port Huron Camper and RV Show is a great show for RVers of all levels of experience."

The event will feature 40 units including folding campers, travel trailers, toy haulers and motorhomes. There will also be exhibitors featuring parts and accessories, campground information and more, making this a complete RV show experience.

"The Port Huron show is great," said Tim O'Brien, owner of Circle K RVs. "The convention center is one of the best venues and the folks from the Port Huron area are fun and very knowledgeable about RVing and camping."

"We were very excited that the show came back last year and we heard the same from the people who attended," he added.

Attendees can sign up to win a marvelous MARVAC Michigan giveaway. Prizes include free camping stays and more from participating MARVAC members. Winners and prizes will be chosen at random after the show ends March 11.

RV buyers will have an excellent opportunity to take advantage of substantial new tax savings, dubbed "sales tax on the difference."

"People trading-in a used RV to purchase a new RV will now only be taxed on the difference between the value of the trade-in and the new RV purchase," said Darren Ing, MARVAC show director.

Adult admission is $6, senior admission (55 and over) is $5 and children 16 and under are free. Parking is free. Coupons for $1 off admission are at area Big Boy restaurants, VF Sports, Mortimer Lumber, the Blue Water Convention Center, the Port Huron Times Herald and online at www.marvac.org.

For more information, call 517-349-8881.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for Artist for Peace and Justice

Theo Wargo/Getty Images for New York Fashion Week: The Shows

Model Kate Upton is back to dropping jaws as the new face of a sexy lingerie spring collection.

The wife of Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander showed off her smoldering beauty on Instagram with a couple of images from her photo shoot with the Italian brand, Yamanay.

TURN UP THE HEAT: Kate Upton posts super naked 'flash back Friday' post to Instagram

Upton is the face of the brand's 2018 spring collection, which based on the images on their website features an array of floral, lace and pastel undergarments.

@yamamayofficial #ConfidentBeauty #yamamaycollection #ad A post shared by Kate Upton (@kateupton) on Mar 5, 2018 at 4:13pm PST

Fans on Upton's Instagram are loving the photos from her new gig.

"Mind-blowing Beautiful look. Stunning Beautiful," said one person.

Another person commented that Upton is "not only beautiful but talented and kind."

Several other people said she looked "stunning," radiant" and "gorgeous."

Apart from being a natural beauty, Upton has been in the news lately for joining the #MeToo movement and speaking out about her experience with sexual misconduct.

Bold and beautiful - we can't ask for much more from the honorary Texan. Keep doing you, Upton.

Take a look through the gallery above to see more reasons to love Kate Upton.

Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli is a digital producer at Chron.com. You can read more of her stories here and follow her on twitter at @Dani_DiNapoli.
Connecticut is closely watching the Trump administration lawsuit filed this week that seeks to force California to turn over illegal immigrants  and are confident the state could withstand a similar challenge.

"What we do in Connecticut is totally legal," said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Wednesday, referring to state immigration policies.

"We are protective of individuals in our state and make sure due process is followed," Malloy said. "We have struck the right balance."

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions late Tuesday evening asked a federal judge to overturn Californias so-called "sanctuary state" laws that limit police cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Connecticut has similar laws on the books. The states Trust Act directs local law enforcement to only detain undocumented immigrants if they are convicted felons, were issued a deportation order, are gang members or on a terrorist watch list.

While Connecticut has not been sued by the federal justice department, the state is feeling the sting of Trump administration retaliation against states not complying with its immigration policies.

Connecticut has lost an estimated $2.6 million in federal community policing grants. But, so far at least, the state and its self-declared "sanctuary cities"  Hartford, New Haven and Willimantic  have not been sued by Trump.

Simply in terms of logistics, it's unrealistic and impractical for local governments to enforce federal immigration law, just as it is unrealistic and impractical for them to enforce federal labor law, federal environmental law, or federal tax law, said New Haven Mayor Toni Harp. Municipal governments just aren't equipped to do so."

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, a Democrat running for governor, said Trump is "bullying" states that do not comply with his polices.

"Once again, instead of focusing on how we can actually make our communities safer and stronger, the Trump administration is bullying the state and local governments because they dont support its anti-immigrant agenda," Bronin said.

"Weve seen time and again in Connecticut that the federal government is targeting law-abiding, hard-working families for deportation and not focusing on dangerous criminals," Bronin said. I commend Governor [Jerry] Brown in California for standing his ground.

We have a problem

The Trump lawsuit, while generally regarded as just the latest tactic to compel states to comply with the administrations policies, raises debate over states rights and responsibilities.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, a Democrat running for governor, said the federal government should leave states out of federal immigration enforcement.

The federal government should be working on a more compassionate immigration policy instead of compelling states to do the job of the federal government, Ganim said. Its not the states role or responsibility, nor do we have the authority.

Bridgeport, the states largest city, has stopped short of declaring itself a sanctuary city and instead says its a "welcoming city" for immigrants.

Ganim has issued municipal IDs to documented and undocumented residents and  perhaps because of avoiding the term sanctuary city  recently received a $1.8 million federal grant to hire police officers.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn, weighed in on the suit, saying that Forcing local police offices to serve as ICE agents does nothing to make us safer. In fact, it does the exact opposite, fostering distrust between local law enforcement and the community they serve."

Sessions on Wednesday blasted California for not cooperating with federal immigration policies.

"California, we have a problem," Sessions said. "A series of actions and events have occurred here that adversely impacts the work of our immigration officers. You flout the law and boldly endorse illegality. This is an embarrassment to the proud State of California."

In addition to not reporting illegal immigrants to federal authorities, California law prohibits private employers from voluntarily cooperating with immigration authorities, requires them to alert employees about work site inspections and allows the state to look at federal Department of Homeland Security documents.

National police

State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said Trumps immigration policies have only succeeded in "ripping apart" Connecticut families that have a right to live in the state.

"What Ive seen in Connecticut is Trumps policies ripping families apart, people who have not committed any crime and pay taxes," Duff said. "They are married and have kids and are getting booted out. Its focused on people who have not done anything wrong."

Duff said there is no national police force and Trump should not be using the states to create one.

Its basically deputizing ICE and that should be concerning for all Americans, Duff said. There is no law that says we have to cooperate with ICE. The state is complying with all federal laws."

But not everyone in Connecticut agrees that Trumps immigration policies are too aggressive.

Connecticut Republican Party Chairman J.R. Romano said the 2015 murder of Casey Chadwick  a 25 year-old stabbed to death by an illegal immigrant who had just been released from prison and was facing deportation  as an example of why states should cooperate with federal officials and crack down.

The first role of government is to protect its citizens, Romano said. There is blood on Dan Malloys hands.

Romano said he understands that many immigrants are hard working and come to Connecticut to make a better life.

"But there is a right way to do it," Romano said.

Michael Pollard, chief of staff for Stamford Mayor David Martin, said the city does not agree with the Trump administrations immigration policies and does not fear federal retaliation.

"I think the city has been very proud of its approach in regards to immigration and doesnt feel a need to push it any further than that," Pollard said. "Our policies, the way in which immigration is being handled, is very consistent with what the citizens would expect from a sanctuary city."
NEW HAVEN  Saifullah Khan, who had been on trial on sexual assault charges, was found not guilty on all counts Wednesday.

The jurys decision in the emotional and controversial case, announced shortly after 12:30 p.m., prompted Khan, now 25, to bow his head in relief. After court adjourned, he hugged his supporters and his attorney, Daniel Erwin. Co-counsel Norm Pattis was away on another case.

Khan had testified Tuesday that his accuser actually was the sexual aggressor who invited him into her Yale dormitory room and then into her bed. His account was diametrically opposed to that of the complainant, who last week tearfully testified that Khan took advantage of her inebriated state and raped me.

The defense attorneys and Supervisory Assistant States Attorney Michael Pepper called multiple witnesses to give their varied accounts of what happened three years ago during a rowdy Halloween night of campus partying and a Yale Symphony Orchestra concert at Woolsey Hall. The complainant vomited during that performance and quickly left, escorted by Khan.

Khan was charged with sexual assault in the first, second, third and fourth degrees. He and the complainant were seniors at Yale when they had their sexual encounter. Yale officials suspended him after she made her accusation and he has not returned.

In a written statement issued immediately after court adjourned, Pattis and Erwin called upon Yale University officials to readmit him.

Yale rushed to judgment in this case and somehow managed to bring the New Haven States Attorneys Office along for the ride, the attorneys said.

Were grateful to six courageous jurors who were able to understand that campus life isnt the real world. Kids experiment with identity and sexuality. When an experiment goes awry, its not a crime.

They added, Now that Mr. Khan has been acquitted, were calling for Yale to readmit him. He was suspended in 2015 without a hearing. Its time to right that wrong.

The New Haven Register emailed questions to Yale spokesman Thomas Conroy Wednesday about the verdict, the defense attorneys comments and the issue of readmitting Khan.

Conroy simply replied in an email: Yale has no comment on the verdict.

Erwin said after court adjourned that Khan will ask Yale to readmit him in the near future. Erwin noted Khan faces a hearing with the universitys Committee on Sexual Misconduct. Erwin also noted Khan was suspended on an emergency basis.

Khan, dressed in a dark suit and tie, as he did throughout the trial, said he wanted Erwin to speak on his behalf.

Mr. Khan is overcome by his emotions, Erwin said. This has been a 21/2 -year ordeal. He has to rearrange his life from the wreckage.

When Khan, a native of Afghanistan, was sworn in to testify Tuesday, he gave his home address as his attorneys office in New Haven. He explained under Pattis questioning that he has no real home. Last week he told a New Haven Register reporter: I am alone in America. But he said he was grateful to his supporters for helping him.

Khans family lives abroad.

At Yale he was majoring in cognitive science and expected to graduate the following spring. The complainant did graduate on that schedule.

The jury of three women and three men began deliberations late Tuesday afternoon but did so for only 15 minutes before Superior Court Judge Brian T. Fischer sent them home at 5 p.m. They resumed Wednesday at about 9:30 a.m., taking a mid-morning break.

Shortly after the forewoman said not guilty four times, beginning with the first-degree sexual assault charge, Fischer said, Good luck, Mr. Khan and adjourned the proceedings.

Pepper had no comment as he left the courtroom.

During his testimony Wednesday, Khan gave a detailed and sometimes graphic account of what he said happened in the complainants bedroom in the early morning hours of Nov. 1, 2015. He said he brought the woman back to her suite and said good night to her but that she quickly called out his name and invited him into her room.

Khan said she initiated the oral sex and, hours later, the sexual intercourse.

But the complainant had testified she collapsed onto her bed, fell asleep and in the middle of the night felt Khan on top of her, pinning down her arms. She said she tried to call out to him to stop but wasnt sure if she had been able to speak.

However, in his closing argument Pattis reminded the jurors that within a few of hours after the alleged assault, the complainant texted Khan: LOL (laugh out loud.)

Pattis also played up the complainants admitted memory lapses of that night and early morning. Pattis asked the jurors: Then how are you supposed to know?
NASA scientists are scouring astronomical data for a large planet at the edges of our solar system -- and they want your help.

The effort, called Backyard Worlds: Planet Nine, is a citizen science project that asks space enthusiasts to help the agency spot objects in the area around our solar system.

Backyard Worlds was launched in February 2016, but its origin began years earlier, according to NASA's tumblr.

In 2009, the agency launched the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission, which scanned the skies for infrared light in search of galaxies, asteroids and stars. But the search turned up too much data for researchers to plow through on their own.

RELATED STORY: Good news: Civilization less likely to end from an asteroid collision.

So, they asked for help.

Since the project began, citizens have spotted 432 candidates for brown dwarfs, which are balls of gas too small to be stars but too big to be planets. Of the 20 NASA researchers have followed up on, 17 proved to be real, the agency's tumblr stated.

These discoveries are exciting, but NASA is looking for something even greater: the mysterious Planet 9 that some scientists believe is circling past Pluto.

California Institute of Technology researchers in 2015 found mathematical evidence suggesting the planet might exist. They believe this as yet undiscovered planet is about the size of Neptune and takes between 10,000 and 20,000 Earth years to make one full orbit around the sun, according to NASA.

RELATED STORY: NASA discovers eighth planet in faraway system.

But no one has spotted the hypothetical planet yet, the tumblr post stated.

"So come join the search, and you might find a rogue world that's nearer to the Sun than Proxima Centauri -- or even the elusive Planet Nine," the Backyard Worlds' website stated.

In the two years the project has been operational, more than 45,000 citizen volunteers have participated. To take a crack at spotting the planet, visit the project's website here.

Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.
What Is ISIS-K? Two Experts on the Group Behind the Kabul Airport Attack and its Rivalry with the Taliban

By 2018, the group had become one of the top four deadliest terrorist organizations in the world.
Nearly all Russian-NATO aircraft intercepts over or near the Baltic nations remain non-hostile, and most can be attributed to human error, a top NATO general said Wednesday.

Gen. Petr Pavel, chairman of the NATO Military Committee, told reporters he and his NATO counterparts have not seen obvious offensive acts from Russian aircraft or troops.

He even cautioned against using the term "Russian aggression" in reference to the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia because leaders have not seen open hostilities against forces there.

While there is increased political tension, "There [has been] no violation of Baltic countries' territory -- not even the airspace," Pavel said during a briefing in Washington, D.C.

Related content:

"All we have [seen] in the region is increased military presence, more exercises, more flights of long-range aviation, more use of intelligence. But I wouldn't call it 'aggression,' " he said.

"Sometimes, we don't distinguish between airspace violation or a need to call what is known as 'alpha scramble,' " Pavel said, referring to times when pilots sit alert, ready to jump into fighters and escort unidentified or bellicose jets out of sovereign airspace.

He continued, "Most of these so-called violations are because of a loss of communication or human or technical mistake ... I would say 90 percent of these so-called violations are technical mistake[s]," such as omitting transponder signals, flight plans or properly communicating with air traffic control.

"Very few are deliberate or provocative," Pavel said. "Up until now, we don't see any real signs of aggressive behavior against the Baltic countries or within the Black Sea region."

His comments come just months after the U.S. finished its F-15C Eagle rotation to protect Baltic airspace.

The F-15s, from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, acted as a quick reactionary force to surveil the airspace until the mission concluded in January, reporting at least 30 intercepts of Russian aircraft, according to U.S. Air Forces Europe-Africa officials.

USAFE in January published videos showing two specific intercepts of Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea, one on Nov. 23 and the other Dec. 13. In each case, neither of the Russian Su-30 Flanker jets broadcast flight codes required by air traffic control, nor did they file a flight plan.

USAFE classified the scrambles as routine.

Before the arrival of the F-15s last year, the U.S. last took part in the Baltic Air Policing mission in 2014, the same year Russia annexed Crimea. The NATO policing mission has since been taken over by Italy and Denmark.

In 2016, then-Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James said the German air force, honing the BAP mission at the time, also counted roughly 30 scrambles. James said those incidents should act as reminders for NATO countries, especially the "newer partners," to continue joint training.

There have also been multiple passes from Russian jets over U.S. surveillance planes on the Black Sea. In January, a Russian Su-27 intercepted a U.S. Navy EP-3 Aries -- crossing within 5 feet of the Navy aircraft.

However, Pavel did not say the Russian military's buildup and modernization effort aren't cause for concern. He said that effort is the reason why, as a result of the 2016 Warsaw summit, NATO created the Enhanced Forward Presence force to act as a deterrent in the East.

"We're doing our best to keep the level of this military presence below being a threatening [force] to Russia," he said. "We didn't want to create any competition [that] will bring more forces to the region."

Nevertheless, Pavel said, NATO allies will uphold their commitment to Article 5 of the treaty, which aims to discourage any adversarial attack on member states. But, he noted, Russia has acted mostly within the parameters of policy.

"It fair to say mostly Russia has [acted] within the agreed parameters. From time to time, we can see some measures as provocative, especially in the areas that we exercise ... both to the ships and in the air. But it's up to the captain [or pilot] to judge if it's dangerous or not. So we should avoid these with responsible behavior," he said.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
KABUL, Afghanistan -- Data the Pentagon issued last year to spotlight the success of operations against militant groups in Afghanistan were inaccurate, raising questions about the real progress of the secretive counterterrorism campaign being conducted by the U.S. and Afghan military.

Key figures in the by-the-numbers look at U.S. and Afghan counterterrorism missions in the second half of 2017, which have been published by prominent news outlets, were wrong, defense officials confirmed after Stars and Stripes pointed out discrepancies. The incorrect data -- including a breakdown of independent and joint raids and a body count of enemy fighters -- were released in an unclassified December report to Congress titled "Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan."

A corrected report was quietly issued in late January, though it also appeared to include errors, such as missing or conflicting data.

Weeks later, the cause of the mistakes remains unclear -- at least some could be the result of editing mistakes -- but the episode highlights increasing difficulties in obtaining data about U.S. and Afghan operations, even from records meant to hold the military accountable to the 16-year war's congressional overseers.

"There are no precise numbers in Afghanistan," said Jonathan Schroden, a researcher at Arlington, Va.-based CNA and director of the nonprofit research organization's special operations program. "It's the nature of what you're dealing with over there."

Schroden has crunched Afghanistan numbers for years. In this case, he said, the information may be off because the Pentagon relied on "notoriously inaccurate, delayed, miscategorized, mislabeled" Afghan military reports. "Trying to make sense of all that is a very challenging prospect."

Lt. Col. Kone Faulkner, a military spokesman in Kabul, acknowledged that something was "lost in translation" when raw figures were formulated into a two-paragraph snapshot of the battle against terrorists.

However, weeks after Stars and Stripes raised questions about the supposed fixes, officials in Washington have been slow to make further changes.

The report's two versions were on the Pentagon's website Tuesday, and there appear to be no markings identifying the revised one. Only by delving into the data do the differences become apparent.

'Significant growth'

The original data showed, for example, that despite years of close U.S. mentoring, Afghanistan's most-elite units conducted missions on their own only about 17 percent of the time. The later version upped that share to 53 percent, suggesting a more capable force, but it, too, included contradictory numbers.

The mix-up comes as the military withheld details in January's quarterly Special Inspector General report on U.S. efforts in Afghanistan, such as security forces casualty and attrition data. Measures of insurgent-held territory were also redacted, though officials later said that was done in error.

The U.S. commander in the country, U.S. Central Command's top general and other defense officials signed off on the December report, which Congress has required twice a year since 2015. It provides detail on U.S. strategy, outlines threats and assesses the Kabul government's security forces.

A detailed summary of counterterrorism operations was added this time to highlight the recent operational success of Afghan special security forces -- elite U.S.-trained army, police and air units -- said Air Force Lt. Col. Mike Andrews, a Pentagon spokesman.

They "demonstrated significant growth and increased capability (and) defeated the enemy during every one of their combat engagements," he said. That was the "impetus" for expanding U.S. training and advising efforts, part of the Trump administration's more aggressive regional strategy announced in August.

But the original data understated the presumed success story of those special units, which the report said made up "a small fraction" of the country's security forces but conducted the bulk of the offensive operations last year.

Initially, data showed they operated on their own on just 1 in 6 missions between June and December. Some 1,200 operations seemed to have been omitted, though, casting doubt on that ratio's accuracy.

The corrected report nearly tripled the number of independent Afghan operations. Despite that better ratio, the numbers mean that U.S. special operations troops were still assisting their most capable local partners on the battlefield nearly half the time.

Most of the 14,000 Americans deployed here support NATO's Resolute Support train, advise and assist mission, largely away from the battlefield. Under a separate counterterrorism mission, a special operations task force of about 2,000 troops trains the elite government forces and accompanies tactical-level units on "certain missions," the report said.

Officials believe it cements security gains and builds better partnerships, the report said. They believe similar methods soon to be adopted within the broader Resolute Support mission will "replicate our past success with the Afghan special forces."

Some observers doubt the long-term success of that approach, which will put advisers closer to fighting than most have been in recent years.

"All it's doing is pushing American enablers forward," said Jason Dempsey, an adjunct senior fellow at the nonpartisan Center for a New American Security in Washington. The former Army officer was doubtful it would do more than give a false picture of Afghan competence, while leaving them dependent on U.S. capabilities.

Faulkner, the military spokesman in Kabul, said operational data such as those in the December report had not been collected during earlier periods, making it difficult to measure progress in weaning Afghans off U.S. assistance.

'Not particularly illuminating'

The Pentagon's later tweaks to the data, meanwhile, seem to have introduced new errors and confusing gaps, making it hard to draw firm conclusions.

It says U.S. special operations troops "advised or enabled" 2,450 Afghan ground operations, contradicting another line that says the Afghans conducted 1,301 of those 2,450 operations without help. That line also lists a lower number of ground operations, without explaining the reason for conflicting tallies.

In another case, counts appear to be off by some 400 operations in a line breaking down how many of the total ground raids and supporting U.S. strikes targeted each of four groups: an Islamic State affiliate, the Taliban, the Haqqani network -- an especially brutal arm of the Taliban -- and "other insurgent networks." More than 20 such groups operate in the region.

"The difference in the numbers is the fact that there are other enemy in Afghanistan besides (ISIS, the Taliban and the Haqqani network)," Andrews said of about 135 missing U.S. strikes. The list of ground operations seemed off by almost 280 from the total. "Within the operational reporting there are some missions that do not designate the (targeted) organization."

The report did have a category for "other" enemies but not one for unspecified targets.

After several inquiries for more than a month, Andrews confirmed or clarified a few key figures in late February, including that the Afghans conducted 2,450 ground operations, fewer than half with the U.S. task force's support. The task force also conducted about 560 precision strikes to support them.

Pentagon officials have not said whether the report will be corrected again for clarity.

Beyond being erroneous, the numbers don't seem to say much about progress in defeating the militant groups, analysts said.

The data are not "particularly illuminating," Schroden said. Both versions list 450 enemies killed and more than 300 captured but lack context, such as the size of the enemy force or its ability to regenerate after such losses.

"I don't think the numbers that they cite are any more useful than body counts were in Vietnam, for example," he said. They're "indicators of activity," not measures of progress.

Kill counts give the "illusion of success," Dempsey said, but he wouldn't discourage disclosure of those and the other numbers in the report.

"The public deserves to know what's being done in their name," Dempsey said.
Keep it small, keep it simple, make it work. It's what Marine Corps leaders want industry leaders and research and development agencies to keep in mind when making the latest and greatest tech for grunts on the battlefield, a top general said Tuesday.

Gen. Glenn Walters, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, said the service was interested in high-end electronics and robotics, but said he didn't want to increase the load of ground combat Marines by adding on advanced gear.

"Technology is great, until you have to carry it, and you have to carry the power that drives it," said Gen. Glenn Walters, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.

Walters said members of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, the service's experimental infantry battalion, has been the first to test and field small tech and weapons. The service is interested in the new technology, but continues to keep the size and weight of new systems in mind, he said.

Related content:

"Reorganizing for the future is what's happening right now and robotics is clearly someplace where we're investing," Walters told audiences during the annual "Defense Programs" conference hosted by defense consulting firm McAleese & Associates.

In a few months, 3/5 will debut its latest report on findings and lessons learned from using the newer tech, such as handheld drones and quadcopters, he said.

"But we're not waiting," Walters said at the event in Washington, D.C.

New, powerful equipment needs to be leveraged even more so than it is now, Walters said, adding, "they need to be more consumable."

"We have 69 3D printers out and about throughout a mix of battalions," Walters said. This added gear, he said, has made Marines more agile when they need to replace a broken part or create an entirely new solution for an old design.

"We have to have the speed of trust in our young people to seize and hold the technological high ground," Walters said.

Amid the push for new tech, officials have been working to lessen the load for Marines who have been inundated with more equipment in recent years even as the service grows more advanced with streamlined resources.

For example, program managers have said they're looking for a lighter, more practical alternative to the Corps' iconic ammunition can.

Scott Rideout, program manager for ammunition at Marine Corps Systems Command, told industry leaders in 2016 that the rectangular can may be due for an upgrade.

Rideout at the time made the case during the Equipping the Infantry Challenge at Quantico that emerging technologies -- such as the logistics drones that Walters mentioned Tuesday -- may also put limits on how much a future delivery of ammunition can weigh.

The calculus is simple, Rideout said: "Ounces equal pounds, and pounds equal pain."

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @oriana0214.
After years of rebuilding a war-weary force, U.S. Army leaders now say they know the budget year the service can shift the funding priority from readiness to future modernization.

Over the next four years, the Army will follow a path that involves upgrading equipment, refurbishing stockpiles of key munitions and adding more soldiers to the ranks.

While readiness remains a priority, leaders maintain that the service is in a lot better shape than it was five years ago, according to Lt. Gen. John Murray, deputy chief of staff for Army G8.

"We have prioritized readiness in particular for the last five or six years, so I fundamentally believe we are in good shape in terms of readiness," he told an audience at the 9th Annual "Dense Programs" Conference, sponsored by McAleese and Associates.

"We should start to reach readiness recovery in about the 2022 time frame; that is what we are projecting," Murray said.

In the Army's proposed fiscal 2019 budget, the service said it plans to buy 148,287 155mm artillery projectiles, compared to last year's purchase of 16,573. It also intends to buy 9,450 Guided Multi Launch Rocket Systems, compared to last year's purchase of 6,084.

"We have made significant investments in preferred munitions," Murray said. "That is to make up for areas we have taken risk in the past because we significantly under-invested in preferred munitions even though they were being expended in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We have pretty much maxed out every line in the country in production of munitions," he said.

The fiscal 2019 budget adds 4,000 soldiers to the active force, a "modest-growth" trend the Army intends to follow over the next few years, Murray said, to increase capabilities in the areas of fires, air defense, cyber, electronic warfare and the service's new Security Force Assistance Brigades.

But aside from readiness, future modernization is quickly becoming a priority that can no longer be ignored, he said.

"The Army has to have the ability to do both; we cannot afford to just fund readiness and not modernization and, specific to modernization, we can't just incrementally upgrade current systems," Murray said.

"We also have to invest in new capabilities for the next battlefield because what we have today is good equipment, but it has just about reached the limits of its ability to be upgraded," he said.

Last October, Under Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy launched a massive acquisition reform effort designed to streamline how the service develops new requirements and fields equipment.

The Army will stand up a new Futures Command this summer that will oversee special cross-functional teams (CFTs) made up of members of requirements, technology development, acquisitions and operational communities.

The CFTs will work to find new ways to rapidly develop and field new platforms in the Army's six modernization priorities -- long-range precision fires; next-generation combat vehicle; future vertical lift; a mobile and expeditionary network; air and missile defense capabilities; and soldier lethality, Army officials say.

"The CFTs are meeting with the vice chief of staff and the under secretary, on most weeks, two to three times a week for direct oversight," Murray said.

At the end of April, Army Secretary Mark Esper is scheduled to present the service's "comprehensive modernization strategy" to Congress, Murray said.

The Army conducted "science and technology reviews last fall and moved $2.3 billion across two different reviews to align now 80 percent of our S&T portfolio against these six unique capability" areas, McCarthy said.

As the Army nears its readiness goals, leaders plan to shift more money from readiness to modernization as officials prepare future budget program objective memorandums, or POMs, Murray said.

"I have commitment from the secretary and the under secretary that, if we achieve that readiness rate, we will work the readiness accounts as we invest more into the modernization accounts," he said. "I won't give you a dollar figure, but it is pretty significant dollars we are working into the 2020 POM submission in support of the CFTs."

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
Sammy Davis took some ribbing in the Army because he shared a name with the famous entertainer. Much later, long after his military days were over, he would again gain acclaim among his old comrades, this time as the "real" Forrest Gump.

Davis enlisted in the Army directly out of high school in 1965. Volunteering for the artillery because his father had been an artilleryman in World War II, he was assigned to the 4th Artillery. Soon after completing training, he asked to be sent to Vietnam.

Early on November 18, 1967, his unit of 11 guns and 42 men was helicoptered into an area west of Cai Lay to set up a forward fire-support base -- Firebase Cudgel -- for American infantrymen operating in the area.

Shortly after midnight the next morning, Private First Class Davis's Battery C came under heavy mortar attack. Almost simultaneously, an estimated fifteen hundred Vietcong soldiers launched an intense ground assault, failing to overrun the Americans only because a river separated the two forces.

Davis's squad was operating a 105 mm howitzer that fired eighteen thousand beehive darts in each shell. When he saw how close the enemy had come, Davis took over a machine gun and provided covering fire for his gun crew. But an enemy recoilless rifle round scored a direct hit on the howitzer, knocking the crew from the weapon and blowing Davis sideways into a foxhole.

Convinced that the heavily outnumbered Americans couldn't survive the attack, he decided to fire off at least one round from the damaged artillery piece before being overrun. He struggled to his feet, rammed a shell into the gun, and fired point-blank at the Vietcong who were advancing five deep directly in front of the weapon; the beehive round cut them down.

An enemy mortar round exploded nearby, knocking Davis to the ground, but he got up and kept firing the howitzer. When there were no more rounds left, he fired a white phosphorus shell, and then the last round he had -- a "propaganda shell" filled with leaflets.

Sammy L. Davis, Private First Class, U.S. Army Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 4th Artillery, 9th Infantry Division (image  2003 by N

At this point, he heard yelling from the other side of the river and realized that GIs had been cut off there. Despite the fact that he didn't know how to swim, he got in the water and paddled across on an air mattress from the American camp; other GIs followed him.

Scrambling up the bank, he found three wounded soldiers, one of them suffering from a head wound that looked fatal. He gave them all morphine and provided covering fire as another GI helped the most gravely wounded soldier across the river, then pulled the other two through the water on the air mattress to the fire base.

He eventually made his way to an American howitzer crew and resumed the fight. Sometime before dawn, he was seriously wounded in the back and buttocks by friendly fire.

Sammy L. Davis receives his Medal of Honor (top), an image that would be repurposed for a similar moment in the movie Forrest Gu

While he was in the hospital, Davis heard that he was to be sent home. He petitioned General William Westmoreland to be allowed to stay with his unit. Permission was granted, although Davis was still so hobbled by his wounds that he was taken off the line and made a cook.

On November 19, 1968, exactly one year and one day after the nightlong firefight at Cai Lay, Davis received the Medal of Honor from President Lyndon Johnson.

Years later, footage of LBJ putting the medal around Davis's neck appeared in the movie Forrest Gump (with Tom Hanks's head substituted for Davis's), and Gump's fictional Medal of Honor citation was loosely based on Davis's real one.

More information: Sammy L. Davis website

Stay on Top of Your Veteran Benefits

Military benefits are always changing. Keep up with everything from pay to health care by subscribing to Military.com, and get access to up-to-date pay charts and more with all latest benefits delivered straight to your inbox.
Telecom operator Aircel, which filed for bankruptcy last week, is exploring the possibility of a bid by the management.

Aircel is also weighing the possibility of an interim financing deal approved by a proposed resolution professional to take care of the operational expenses till the bids come, according to a report in Business Standard.

The operator also has another choice of convincing its key promoter Anand Krishnamurty of Maxis, which has already invested more than USD 7 billion in the India venture, to pay the interest overdue of Rs 3 billion so that it becomes eligible to bid.

The top management was expected to go to Malaysia in a few days to discuss the plan of action as further investment in the company was unlikely, sources told the paper.

Also read  More than one lakh Aircel customers registered to join BSNL

On January 25, the consortium of banks had cleared a restructuring plan asking the promoters to bring in fresh equity capital of Rs 26 billion while the banks would convert a portion of their loans into equity so that they had a 45 percent stake in Aircel while restructuring the rest.

The Reserve Bank of India, however, abolished such debt restructuring schemes, forcing Aircel to take a new path.

The company may offer value to big boys like Airtel or Jio as a low-end mobile services brand, a top Aircel executive told the paper.

The operator has substantial presence in Tamil Nadu, followed by the North East, Assam and Kolkata.

Aircel has a total debt of Rs 150 billion, of which 70 percent is with Indian banks. It also has to pay its vendors, many of whom have also filed recovery suits in courts.

Considering the operational cost, the company is trying to hasten the resolution process. If we have to wait for 270 days, there will be no choice but to liquidate as customers would have left us and we of course wont have the money to pay for rental of towers or electricity and employees,'' a source told the paper.

(Disclosure: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd)
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today strongly supported Indian energy giant Adani's controversial 16.5 billion dollar coal mine in Queensland, saying the project has gone through extensive environmental permitting and should go ahead.

Adani's Carmichael mine and rail project in the untapped Galilee Basin has been held up by lack of financing and a barrage of legal challenges by green groups concerned about climate change.

Speaking at a business forum in Sydney, Turnbull said "This is a project that has gone through extensive environmental permitting both at the state level and federal level, mostly state."

"All of those permitting has been done and it has taken a very long time...They (Adani) are entitled to develop it in accordance with those permits," Turnbull said.

He accused Opposition leader Bill Shorten of being two faced and lacking conviction over the Adani coal mine, warning that his approach posed an "enormous threat" to jobs.

Turnbull said Shorten had shown he was prepared to overthrow the project for the sake of winning a by-election in inner city Melbourne, despite declaring support for the project in Queensland.

"And so when Bill Shorten goes up to Queensland and says 'Oh, I am in favour of the mines' and then goes down to Melbourne and says 'I am against it', you can see what a risk that is to jobs, to investment to the economic future and security of Australia, ...it is completely two-faced," Turnbull said.

Turnbull said Australia had high environmental standards and and if a project has cleared those then it should go ahead.

When asked if the project was financially viable, Turnbull said it was a matter for the company to decide.

He further said that Shorten's opposition to the Adani project will have a "chilling effect" on jobs and investment in Australia.

"What Bill Shorten is doing is not just threatening that project, he's threatening every other project and he's threatening future projects," Turnbull said.

"It will have a shocking, chilling effect on jobs and investment in Australia," he said.
BSNL Office In Mumbai

BSNL Ltd has introduced a set of new plans for its prepaid and postpaid segments in Assam, a senior company official said.

Data mini packs for instant users, new unlimited voice STV (special tariff vouchers), enhanced free data limit/month, up to 60 per cent discount on postpaid rents are among some of the new plans, BSNL Assam Telecom Circle Circle Chief General Manager Sandeep Govil said.

The new products are for both mobile and landline customers, he said.

The company has also launched international Wi-Fi hot-spots for customers travelling abroad, through the 'My BSNL' app, at Rs 501 for 30 days, Govil said.
IMA Ponzi scheme case: A multi-crore scheme run by Karnataka-based I-Monetary Advisory (IMA) and its group entities allegedly duped lakhs of people by promising higher returns using Islamic ways of investment. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently investigating the case and has filed at least three FIRs. (File image of the CBI headquarters)

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

The CBI questioned Managing Director of Simbhaoli Sugars Limited Gursimran Kaur Mann in connection with the alleged bank fraud of Rs 97.85 crore, officials said.

The agency had called Mann, who was the Executive Director during the period when the alleged fraud was committed, to its headquarters here today where she was grilled on various aspects of the bank loan and alleged default causing a loss of Rs 110 crore to Oriental Bank of Commerce, they said.

The CBI had registered a case against the sugar mill, its chairman Gurmit Singh Mann, the then (in 2015) Deputy Managing Director Gurpal Singh (now director) and others in connection with the alleged bank loan fraud case.

Simbhaoli Sugars Limited is one of the largest sugar mills in the country. The then CFO Sanjay Tapriya, Gursimran Kaur Mann and five non-executive directors were also booked by the agency.

The CBI had carried out searches at eight premises including residences of the directors, factory, corporate office and registered office of the company in Delhi, Hapur and Noida.

The probe focuses on two loans  Rs 97.85 crore which was declared fraud in 2015 and another corporate loan of Rs 110 crore which was used to repay the previous loan.

The second loan was declared Non Performing Asset (NPA) on November 29, 2016, nearly 20 days after scrapping of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes was announced, according to the CBI FIR.

The bank was allegedly cheated to the tune of Rs 97.85 crore, but the loss incurred by the bank was Rs 109.08 crore, the FIR read.

The lender, Oriental Bank of Commerce, complained to the CBI on November 17, 2017, but the agency registered a case of criminal conspiracy and cheating under the Prevention of Corruption Act on February 22. According to the FIR, OBC sanctioned a loan of Rs 148.60 crore to the company in 2011.

The loan was sanctioned for financing 5,762 sugarcane farmers based on a tie-up agreement under an RBI scheme for supplying sugar produce to the company from January 25, 2012 to March 13, 2012.

The loan money was dishonestly and fraudulently diverted by the company for its own needs, the CBI alleged. The account turned NPA on March 31, 2015 and was declared alleged fraud by the bank to RBI on May 13, 2015 for an amount of Rs 97.85 crore.

OBC alleged that in addition to the existing NPA, the bank, under multiple banking arrangements, sanctioned another corporate loan of Rs 110 crore to the company on January 28, 2015 to pay its outstanding loan of Rs 97.85 crore.
business PMO officials to meet exporters: Sources According to sources, top officials from Prime Ministers Office (PMO) are set to meet exporters on Friday to discuss Goods and Services Tax (GST) refunds delay.
business Telugu Desam Party decides to leave NDA alliance Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has decided to leave National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as it is disappointed with Andhra Pradesh not being granted special status.
The United Forum of Bank Employees Unions (UFBU) has decided to hold dharna in front of the Parliament on March 21 and has demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Punjab National Bank scam worth Rs 12,700 crore.

People's money for people's welfare, not for private corporate loot, said the notice by the umbrella union UFBU which has the support of total nine unions under it.

The dharna will go on from 10.30 am to 3 pm. Venkatachalam said the unions will be meeting FM Arun Jaitley after the dharna to submit their memorandum stating its demands and suggestions on the ongoing fraud.

It has listed out demands to take tough action against those involved, connected and responsible for the fraud, not singling out lower level bank staff and harassment of bank employees, not exclude RBI's role from investigation and a thorough probe by Joint Parliamentary Committee.

We have written to the Finance Minister, too, to ensure junior employees are not being made the scapegoat as if they alone are responsible for the fraud. They must bring back Nirav Modi and Mehul Chokshi to India and take criminal action against them," said CH Venkatchalam, general secretary of the All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA).

He added that this incident is also being used unfairly to paint all Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in a bad light and has suggested a meeting of all stakeholders to reinstate the trust and confidence of the common public in general and banking clientele in particular.

Also Read: PNB scam: Bank's business hit as clients await investigation reports

On Monday, the Union withdrew the nationwide bank strike call on March 15, citing the present situation in the banking system following the massive fraud at PNB and the overall vitiated atmosphere in the sector.

The fraud came to light in January and the Delhi-based public sector bank informed the stock exchanges on February 14 about the Rs 11,400 crore (later increased to Rs 12,700 crore) worth of scam involving diamond and jewellery merchants Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Chokshi, owner of Gitanjali Group.

PNB has alleged that Modi and Chokshi connived with two bank officials to fraudulently receive Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) against which they sought loans at foreign branches of various other Indian banks since 2011. All of this went undetected as the online SWIFT messaging system, through which the LoUs were issued, were not linked to the bank's core banking solutions.

The Bank Union forum has questioned the efficacy of the banks monitoring system saying, no one can hide the fact that there is gross negligence of control, supervision and monitoring as well as possibilities of complicity at various higher levels of management including the top PNB officials.

They also demanded the ascertain the role of the RBI's monitoring and audit system saying one cannot absolve RBI for its failure to play its role and responsibilities which would have otherwise unearthed these irregularities much earlier, statement by the Union had said.
Stepping up attack against the BJP government, the Congress alleged that bank frauds to the tune of Rs 54,317 crore had taken place under its watch and asked when Prime Minister Narendra Modi would speak up on the issue.

"Fleece, flee and fly is the new mantra of fraudster under the Modi-led government's watch. Fraud, malfeasance, bank loot, cheating, swindling of banks and common people are getting unraveled every day," party communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged.

He said India demanded that the "prime minister switch from Neerav (silent) Modi i.e. 'Silent Modi' to 'Bol Modi', when that will happen".

He claimed that information available through RTI on February 9, reflected that under the BJP government's watch, frauds and scams of Rs 19,317 crore were reported in India's economic capital-- Mumbai -- alone in last 3 years.

The RTI reply stated that in 2015, scams worth Rs 5,560.66 crore were reported, in 2016, scams worth Rs 4,273.87 crore and in 2017, scams worth Rs 9,838.66 crore, he said.

"What is even more astonishing is that 184 accused in these scams and frauds have escaped. Modi/Fadnavis governments appear to have given a one-way ticket to 'cheat and scoot'," he alleged.

"Time to tell the people as to how many fraudsters have already left for foreign shores and tax heavens. Even more inexcusable is the fact that out of Rs 19,317 crore, a pittance of Rs 2.50 crore could be recovered," he claimed.

The BJP, however, rejected the charge saying the frauds were committed during the Congress' regime and it could not absolve itself of "direct culpability, collusion and connivance in perpetrating these frauds".

BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said, "This is a classic case of a thief making noise in the hope that no one notices the real thief."

Seeking to turn the tables on the Congress, he alleged that some senior Congress leaders were either in jail or on bail and they could not mislead people with its lies.

"The eight bank fraud cases totalling Rs 54,318 crore which the party referred to at a press conference were perpetrated by the Congress government," Rao alleged.

"The manner in which procedures were flouted and the bank frauds were perpetrated clearly show the Congress' hand in these scandals," he claimed.

Earlier, Surjewala had alleged, "Accused abscond, banks and people are 'abandoned' and complicit BJP government 'looks on'!"

"'Fraud, malfeasance, bank loot, cheating and swindling of banks and common people are getting unravelled every day, as PM and FM are on an indefinite 'Maun Vrat' (vow of silence)," he alleged.
Government is "committed" to bringing down fiscal deficit in the medium term, a finance ministry official told Reuters on Wednesday.

The government in its budget last month announced a fiscal deficit target of 3.3 percent of the gross domestic product for 2018/19 fiscal year starting April, higher than its previous target of 3.0 percent.

Besides, the government also expects Asia's third largest economy to grow at 8 percent in the next couple of years, the official said.
India Economy

India seeks status as a global power, the Pentagon's top intelligence chief told US lawmakers today, adding that as such New Delhi perceives its strategic forces as necessary elements to achieve that goal.

India has put its first domestically built nuclear submarine, the INS Arihant, into service, and is set to take delivery of its second nuclear sub, the INS Arighat, in 2018, Lt Gen Robert Ashley, Director, Defense Intelligence Agency told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"New Delhi seeks status as a global power and perceives its strategic forces as necessary elements to achieve that goal," Ashley said.

He said India continues to modernise its military to better posture itself to defend its interests at home and in the broader Indian Ocean region while reinforcing its diplomatic and economic outreach across Asia.

"Continued exchange of heavy fire between Indian and Pakistani forces along the Line of Control poses a risk of inadvertent or gradual escalation of hostilities," he said.

In 2017, the lengthy Dokalam standoff between Indian and Chinese forces along the Bhutan-China border heightened tension between India and China and prompted both sides to increase their forces near the Line of Actual Control, he added.

We expect that both sides will maintain this elevated force posture along disputed border areas through the remainder of 2018, Ashley said.

On Pakistan, he said Islamabad is likely to proceed with its counterinsurgency operations and border management efforts along its western border while sustaining counterterrorism and paramilitary operations throughout the country.

These efforts have had some success in reducing violence from militant, sectarian, terrorist, and separatist groups, but Pakistan will look to the US and the Afghan government for support against anti-Pakistan fighters in Afghanistan, he added.

"Pakistan is increasing its nuclear stockpile and developing tactical nuclear weapons and new ballistic missile systems. In January 2017, Pakistan conducted the first test launch of its nuclear-capable Ababeel ballistic missile, demonstrating South Asias first MIRV payload, and in early July, Pakistan demonstrated an expanded-range Nasr CRBM," Ashley said.

He said Chinese military forces continue to develop capabilities to dissuade, deter, or defeat potential third party intervention during a large-scale theatre campaign, such as a Taiwan contingency.

Chinas military modernisation plan includes the development of capabilities to conduct long-range attacks against adversary forces that might deploy or operate in the western Pacific Ocean.

These capabilities, spanning the air, maritime, space, electromagnetic, and information domains, are most robust within the first island chain, but China is rapidly extending capabilities farther into the Pacific Ocean.

According to Ashley, China's expanding global footprint and international interests are reflected in its Belt and Road Initiative of economic, commercial, and infrastructure projects in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.

"Beijing's military modernisation programme is expanding in concert with this initiative to include investments and infrastructure to support a range of missions beyond China's periphery, including power projection, sea lane security, counterpiracy, peacekeeping, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," he said.

China's most recent white papers and doctrinal writings emphasise the requirement for an army to be able to secure expanding Chinese national interests overseas, including a growing emphasis on the importance of the maritime domain, offensive air operations, long-distance mobility operations, space operations, and cyber-operations.

"In August, following more than a year of construction, China officially opened a military base in Djibouti and deployed a company of marines and equipment to the facility. China probably will seek to establish additional military logistics facilities in countries with which it has longstanding, friendly relationships and similar strategic interests," he said.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

India's 20-year deal on import of natural gas from the US would be a "milestone" in bilateral ties and go a long way in strengthening and reinforcing trade relations between the two countries, Consul General of India Anupam Ray has said here.

State-owned gas utility GAIL India has contracted 3.5 million tonnes per annum of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass liquefaction facility in Louisiana.

GAIL had signed a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with the US LNG exporter Cheniere Energy in December 2011. The SPA went into effect March 1. Under terms of the agreement, Cheniere will sell and make available for delivery to GAIL about 3.5 million tonnes a year of LNG.

Amidst celebratory spirits, GAIL (India)'s first LNG consignment on ship 'Meridian Spirit' was flagged off by Ray yesterday at Ceniere Sabine Pass LNG terminal.

"It is a milestone in India-US relations as American LNG for GAIL India is flagged off from US Gulf coast. The US has recently started exporting LNG and India is a major buyer. Win-win for both nations - a market for a major US industry and a reliable energy source for India," Ray said.

"This long term agreement would go a long way in strengthening the relationship between GAIL and Cheniere and reinforcing India-US trade ties," he said.

The ceremony was also attended by Cheniere CEO Jack Fusco and GAIL Chairman and Managing Director B C Tripathi.

Various Texas Congressman appreciated the initiative and got on to their tweets. Congressman Ted Poe representing the second district of the of Texas tweeted that, " it is a great news for TX! India has contracted to buy $2 billion of US LNG annually for 10 yrs. Excellent for job creation in TX, & is a milestone in US-India economic relations".

Congressman Pete Olson representing TX-22 in Congress tweeted, "Excited for liquid freedom  more US LNG heading from Houston to India! Economic win for Texas and our ally India".
Government think-tank Niti Aayog will hold consultations with the states on March 9 to discuss a mechanism for fixing minimum support price 50 per cent more than the cost of production, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said.

The government in the Budget for 2018-19 last month announced that it will fix the MSP of Kharif 2019 crops at least 1.5 times than the cost of production.

The agriculture minister last month had said that the Centre and Niti Aayog would hold deliberations with states to come out with a new mechanism to ensure that farmers get 1.5 times of the production cost of their crops. "Niti Aayog will hold a meeting with state governments on March 9 to discuss a mechanism to fix the MSP," Singh said on the sidelines of the Mahindra Samriddhi India Agri Awards 2018 today.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said the government would take into account the actual input cost plus unpaid value of family labour while fixing the support price of crops at 50 per cent higher than the cost of production.

On genetically modified (GM) crops, the minister said, "We are neither in favour nor against it. Without adopting GM crops, we have increased production of pulses and become almost self sufficient in it."

Similar efforts would be made in oilseeds, he said, while responding to Delhi University's former Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental's comments on use of new technology. Pental was given the lifetime achievement award at the event.

The minister said that the government is committed to the development of agriculture and therefore higher budget allocation has been made to the sector. The budget allocation has been Rs 2.11 lakh crore in the current NDA government as against Rs 1.21 lakh crore in the previous five years, he added.
The public sector banks are at the crossroads. While the entire banking sector was stressed by the economic downturn till 2015 and court orders on coal and spectrum, NPAs of private banks are at 4.5 percent of their total loans while that of PSU banks are at 14 percent. The worst private bank NPA ratio is 7.8 percent; the worst PSU bank NPA ratio is 25 percent.

The latest Nirav Modi fraud has also hit PSU banks much more than private banks. So is it a time to reimagine the ownership and management of PSU banks?

In an special series, PSB 2.0 on CNBC-TV18, Bimal Jalan, Former Governor of RBI, and Sanjeev Sanyal, Principal Economic Advisor spoke on whether we need to redesign public sector banks and if yes, how.

Below is the verbatim transcript of the discussion.

Q: Where is the problem, is it poor regulation by auditors and the regulator, is it indifference and lack of motivation in the management of public sector banks, what has gone wrong?

Jalan: Public sector banks are part of government. So, there may be many problems in terms of execution, in the sense that the whole administrative structure in our country is multi-layered and so if you want to do something it requires a lot of permission and lots of movement of the files from one ministry to another ministry to somewhere else.

So, the main issue is in terms of public sector banks being as part of government. Just as in terms of education or in terms of health or in terms of insurance, you want these services to be delivered. Not that public sector banks are not necessary, they are in my view an important instrument to outreach the people. You have private banks, they are very good and we are very proud of them but if you look at the outreach of the private sector banks, they would be much more limited than the outreach of the public sector banks. When we are talking about public sector, take it in a larger context that we are talking about delivery of banking services to the people.

To come back to your main question that what is it that we can do to improve the functioning of the public sector banks, the main issue that we have to grapple with is that public sector banks which are spread all over - decentralisation. I am in favour of decentralisation of the process. Government should decide on policy. Priority sector lending or what the interest rate should be and so on and so forth, that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decides, the two combination - the RBI and the government - they would decide what should be the policy, what should be the interest rate, what should be the outreach and so on and so forth. However the governance part, that is how a public sector bank should be run, that must be delegated and decentralised to an autonomous agency.

We have Bank Board Bureau and so on and so forth but I would say that what we need to do is you think of public institutions like UPSC. If you look at UPSC, if you look at the election commission, they are public institutions and they deliver. The largest free and fair elections in human history is delivered by election commission. If you look at all our IAS, administrative system, it is through the UPSC. You ask yourself the question that why is it that we have institutions of this type, we have institutions of CAG type and they function very well because they don't have to report to the ministry. However what they do, they are accountable to the parliament.

So, supposing if you took a look at the public sector banks and you have a banking bureau, you don't need the department of banking per se.

Q: Do we need 70 percent of the banking sector to be dominated by these kind of banks, that is majority government owned banks? Should we look for a legislative change where by the government owns a smaller number of banks and some of them the government allows its stake to fall below 50 percent, so that administrative controls are reduced?

Jalan: I think you have to first concentrate on the functioning of different public sector banks. I am supposing we have setup public sector banks in an area where the amount of business is very small, where the organisation is very difficult to have with top class bankers and so on and so forth, then the best thing to do is to close that bank for example. If something is not functioning, if something is not delivering what you have set it up to do, then close it and give the job to some other bank.

Q: So, you would go to the extent of closing down some of the public sector banks will not be a bad idea?

Jalan: If they are non-functional, if they are making large losses, if the fiscal cost that you are incurring is much larger than the benefit that you are getting from having that particular bank, then you can close it.

Q: I spoke to Montek Singh Ahluwalia on the same topic and he was suggesting that government can have a big voice in the strategy of a bank even if it held for instance 30 percent, is that something that you would recommend?

Jalan: I don't recommend but when you are talking about Montek Ahluwalia, he is a very thoughtful person and there can be different views. What I am trying to emphasize is that the main part that we have to try and tackle is relationship between what you might call ministries of the government and banks of the government.

Q: You don't want the department of banking services, you would rather have something like the UPSC?

Jalan: If you have the department of banking services, the department of banking services would be monitoring the progress of how the government money is being spent. The example of UPSC etc that I gave was that it is not the public sector part of the problem, it is what we are doing with a particular institution and making it function much better than what we are at the moment able to achieve.

Q: What according to you is ailing the current system especially that big fraud of USD 2 billion that is dominating headlines, would you say that this is just a localised failure of checks and audits or would you say that it has been a more larger failure, that the RBI failed in its regulation, that auditors failed, is it a larger systemic problem?

Jalan: This issue has been discussed and it is very distressing what has happened. We have to see exactly why it happened, how do you allow this kind of functioning of a bank over a period of 3-4 years. If there was some abrupt thing then you can say this happened and this was abrupt and we have handled it. However if this particular problem has been prevailing in a public sector bank for a long time then that should be tackled. If the officials and so on have been doing something then the board is responsible or the scrutiny audit etc there should be something which would reveal what is happening. It has nothing to do with public and non-public, it is the governance part as to why did this happen.

Q: Whether it is the UPA or the NDA combinations, political parties have not encouraged, have not even entertained the idea of bringing governments stake below 51 percent in any of the banks. Do you think that this is going to be politically unsaleable?

Jalan: I don't think it is politically unsaleable as long as these are government banks. If you decide supposing to lower the amount of holding, you can do it because it saves the shareholding of government and it has the money but it doesn't resolve the kind of issues that we have been discussing.

Q: If we have to reduce the stake below 49 percent, first of all it cannot be governed by the Banking Companies Act. As Dr PJ Nayak had said we should probably move it to the Companies Act. If one does that then boards can be more independently appointed, they will reflect shareholding, there can be independent board members. Right now under Banking Companies Act, they are government officials who are board members. So, bringing down below 49 percent accompanied by banks moving to the Companies Act can mean complete reconstitution of the board, can mean competitive recruitment, can't it be more than just cosmetic change?

Jalan: These are not inter-related. Supposing you have reduced it to 49 percent but it is upto the government to decide exactly what the governance system would be, it is still the majority holder.

Q: You would still say that a legislative change is needed or would you not?

Jalan: That can also be done, that is not a problem. You introduced Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act for example, that could have been done two years ago or three years ago or today. Today we have the great advantage of having a government in power with a majority. It is not like 1989 to 2014 when we had 9 separate governments with very short tenure and 20 parties getting together and forming a government. Today you have the opportunity to make fundamental reforms and I hope that will happen.

Q: Let me start with the record of PSU banks appears to be getting worse. The NPAs of private banks as of Q3 ended December 31 was 4.5 percent of their total loans while that of PSU banks are at 14 percent. The worst private bank NPA ratio is 7.8, the worst PSU bank NPA ratio is 24 percent. To what would you attribute this rather difficult performance?

Sanyal: This information you provided is well-known and well understood by both the policymakers and the regulator. This is a legacy in many ways of the previous government. We need to separate two issues that are now getting confused. One is the issue of outright fraud, which has been in the newspapers recently and nobody has covered themselves in glory on this. We need to look at the internal controls of the private sector banks. We need to look at the auditing mechanism and finally we also need to relook at the regulation process. All of that needs to be tightened.

Q: I am not trying to make this an non-performing assets (NPA) discussion at all. The reason why I brought up those numbers was only to say that the banking system was the victim of the same economic slowdown, is subject to the same regulation by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and whether it is the coal scam or the spectrum decisions, it affected the entire sector but the public sector banks have come out looking worst even in the fraud issue, the public sector banks are coming out looking worse. Now is there something we have to tackle in terms of ownership governance management of public sector banks per se?

Sanyal: I think the issue you are raising is that there is a moral hazard problem at multiple levels. Since you are hinting at it, is there a plan to privatise them in any immediate sense. So let me take that head on. So there is no immediate plan to privatise these banks.

Having said that, it is understood this moral hazard issue that you have raised is a serious one and we need to tackle with it. There needs perhaps to be a wider public debate about this issue and not just about ownership, it is also about how the regulation of these things work and so on.

So I think there needs to be an issue but as things stand, the issue is being handled  whatever we do with these public sector banks, consolidation, differential growth strategies, narrow banking and so on perhaps even in some cases privatising, whatever it is, their current immediate effort is the following, one is to tighten up the regulation supervision of these entities in order to control for all these fraud that you have mentioned. The second issue and I keep emphasizing this is that we have this legacy NPA issue for a long time and we have finally recognised the problem and we are  thanks to this Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) process, which you mentioned has been a successful at least so far - we now need to make sure that the last leg of that gets carried through, which mean that we have to pay attention to the auctioning and the resolution process which as I said, is now boiling up. So we are in the last leg of it, we need to nail it down and make it work.

So this is a critical thing afterwards we can get into all these other things. This is an issue that is live and we need to make it work.

Q: I am not at all denying that that problem is being tackled and tackled very well but should we not start a discussion whether a governments stake needs to be brought down  not privatised  below 50 percent, which will enable these banks to recruit competitively, reduce administrative layers and therefore quick decision-making?

Sanyal: So as I said  if you are asking me should there be a debate about it, absolutely. There should always be a debate about these things, that is how you keep public policy accountable. If there is anybody who is an advocate of feedback based governance then I am it but let me also add here that let me also give you the other side of it, the public sector banks do play many other roles which cannot be measured in purely profitability terms, there are social, inclusion issues, there are issues for example when you did that demonetisation  this is not about whether demonetisation worked or not that is a separate debate but when you want to do something like demonetisation  public sector banks are the key way you carry it out. You want to have Jan-Dhan Yojna and these kind of things, social inclusion things, again public sector comes on board when you want to go into areas where there is no banking and spread banking. So there are some roles that public sector banks do play, which private sector isnt burdened with.

Q: A small finance banks and microfinance are doing a reasonable jobs in pockets I agree on rural lending. The rule currently also is that for every three branches in a bank sector, every bank, not just public sector even private sector banks have to open a branch in an unbanked area. There are many ways in which the government has proceeded in inclusive therefore, will you advice the government to seriously consider bringing down ownership?

Sanyal: First of all, there are various ways of achieving even if we decide that 70 percent is way too much for the government to own, there are several ways of achieving this, one of them is of course this can happen organically that is the more efficient private sector banks or foreign banks or whoever they are or even non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) for that matter grow faster than these public sector banks, some of them which are under now being the RBI is directly managing them as you may know currently they essentially be restricted to something of narrow banking. So their growth will be restricted and so on. So there can be one way of going about it is organically let one side grows just by virtue of being a profitable efficient etc and this balancing or rebalancing happens. So that is one way of achieving it.

For example, our corporate bond market needs to grow. It has grown but it is still quite very lightweight and here the point is we could seriously begin to think about the frameworks required for it. One obvious one where incidentally the government should begin to pay some attention is to create a much more liquid risk-free yield curve then there will be issue of nationalised and not nationalised. They have for example the old nationalised bank but then you have IDBI which is a government owned but not considered a nationalised bank because it functions under a different act. So there is a variety of many options. So all of these options should be debated and the government should consider them and act on them as things go.

Q: Will IDBI be an experiment for the government?

Sanyal: I am not in a position to comment. My point is a very simply this that there are many options and combinations permutations of things that need to be done and can be done. It is not like only one or the other. There are many shades of grey in this and it is a combination of these that could be looked at.

Q: I brought up IDBI because the government itself  both Arun Jaitley and earlier Jayant Sinha have spoken about IDBI being an experimentation.

Sanyal: I am not in a position to make any announcement of this issue but I am just pointing out to you that there are large options and some combination will be carried out.

Q: Is it at all possible that the government will consider bringing down the stake in any of the public sector banks?

Sanyal: This is, as I said, not something we are looking to do immediately. I think the finance minister had also made a comment to that effect but as I said, a public debate on the matter is always welcome and we are a feedback based government. If and when the public debate throws up various interesting options, they will be considered.

Q: But why the resistance you think that it is the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) formation or the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) formation, there is tremendous resistance to reducing government stake?

Two things  one is this the right time to do it when there are much more pressing and immediate issue. Two  even if you want to do it, you have to first clean up the mess and get this train back on the rails before having the wider debate and yes, there needs to be a wider debate perhaps but that debate need not wait while we are cleaning up and getting this system going again.
Flipkart

After losing high-spending urban online shoppers to its main rival Amazon in the recent past, Flipkart is introducing a series of new initiatives to woo back customers is the Indian metro cities, to reclaim lost ground.

Flipkart is widening its selection of brands & goods and ensuring faster deliveries to customers, in order to attract customer base in tier 2 cities. It plans to achieve this using the war chest of USD 4 billion it had raised from chief investors such as Japans SoftBank and Chinas Tencent last year, reported Economic Times.

In an interview with ET, Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO of Flipkart, said, Two-thirds of the incremental GMV (gross merchandise value) in the next 6-7 years is going to be driven by the tier-2 markets. But that doesnt mean the other one-third doesnt matter. It matters.

He added the company has added 30-40 points of growth in the metro cities, in the past 8 months. We were not the strongest there, we were going very slowly. But in the past 8 months, we really have ramped up.

According to its estimates, Flipkarts business grew at 85 percent year-on-year in terms of gross merchandise volume during April-September 2017, including the festive sales. This is almost 13 percent more than Amazons registered growth in the September 2017 quarter in terms of gross merchandise volume.

Being an Indian player, many experts studying the e-commerce markets suggest Flipkart may have a slight edge over Amazon. Till 2015, Flipkart had a lead over Amazon in business.

Redseer data quoted in the report says 2017 added 10 million shoppers in India and 19 million are expected to be added in 2018.
2. General Electric | Market Cap: USD 348.5 billion | Industry: Oil

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Multinational conglomerate General Electric (GE) may reduce the number of its suppliers in India to about 150 from the existing 300 within three years as part of an ongoing exercise, reported Mint.

Having begun a supplier consolidation last year, we will aggressively continue it over the next three years to scale up with our strategic (supplier) partners and drive more volumes to get the best outcomes, Amit Kumar, vice-president, global supply chain, GE South Asia and Asean told the paper.

Kumar explained that the company has acquired many industrial businesses in India over the past five years as a result of which new suppliers came in. Now, however, the company wants to ensure that there is not more than 10 suppliers for the same product as none of them is operating at a large scale and gaining significant volume growth from GE.

Suppliers who do not meet the industrial manufacturing giants expectations of cost-quality integrity and fulfilment excellence will also be dropped.

"We are a project-based business; so, we dont always need the same kind of components. A significant portion of the solutions we provide is driven by customer designs, which are redesigned often. Therefore, we need suppliers who can quickly adapt at the lowest cost," Kumar added.

GE has a supply chain footprint in India that is worth close to USD 4.2 billion in raw materials and finished products, Kumar said.

Nearly 60 percent of the output goes to the 20 Indian factories for industrial projects in the sectors of transportation, oil and gas, power, aviation and healthcare, while the rest goes to its American and European facilities.

Kumar told the paper that supplier consolidation will help the company reach a target of USD 4 billion in terms of raw materials over the next three years. The overall supply chain footprint in the country is expected to reach close to USD 7 billion during the same time frame, he added.

GE is planning to invest over USD 500 million in the next two years to a build a greenfield facility in Hyderabad to manufacture CFM International LEAP engine components in a collaboration with Tata Advanced Systems.

In the span of past three years, GE has invested neary USD 400 million to enhance supply chain capabilities, with close to USD 250 million invested in the companys lean and digital multi-modal facility at Chakan near Pune, which serves all of GEs India business.

A diesel locomotive manufacturing facility was also set up in Marhowra district, Bihar, as well as maintenance sheds were built at Bathinda in Punjab and Gandhidham in Gujarat to cater to a USD 2.6 billion Indian Railways order won at the end of 2015.

Kumar added that the company is also making significant investments to participate in the governments USD 6-10 billion programme to source military aircraft and engines locally and increase overall localisation.
The other IPO which also received huge responses were Happiest Minds Technologies and Chemcon Speciality Chemicals, which was subscribed 150.98 times and 149.3 times respectively. Interestingly, both these stocks have seen bumper listing gained over 100 percent. Let's see how the IPO subscription and listing happened in 2020 so far, considered only IPOs issue size over Rs 100 crore.

Defence public sector company Bharat Dynamics today said it has fixed the price band between Rs 413 and Rs 428 per equity share for its initial public offer (IPO) to raise around Rs 960 crore.

The issue will open on March 13 and close on March 15.

The government will sell a total of 22,451,953 shares of Bharat Dynamics, diluting its stake by about 12 per cent.

SBI Capital Markets, IDBI Capital Markets and Securities and Yes Securities will manage the public issue.

Bharat Dynamics is engaged in the manufacture of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), underwater weapon launchers, counter measures and test equipment for the defence sector.

"We primarily cater to the requirements of the Indian armed forces. Our objective is to enhance our market position by expanding our capabilities, capitalising on opportunities both in domestic and international markets.

We believe our continuous investment in infrastructure in terms of our upcoming manufacturing facilities at Ibrahimapatnam in Telangana and Amravati will enable us to cater to the growing demand of our customers," BDL chairman and managing director V Udaya Bhaskar told reporters here.

The company's proposed Ibrahimapatnam and Amravati manufacturing facilities will be utilised to manufacture new generation of SAMs and ATGMs, respectively. It also intend to automate production systems at its manufacturing facility in Hyderabad to increase the production of SAMs, according to Bhaskar.

"We are also in the process of establishing a test fire range in Rachakonda, Telangana which will result in operational advantages and cost efficiencies. The company will also focus on R&D," he said.

The company has established the missile development group with the objective to design and develop missiles. It has also established various technological labs such as RF labs, laser labs, aerodynamic labs and seeker labs to develop seeker technologies.

The Cabinet in April last year had cleared the disinvestment of four public sector units, including Bharat Dynamics and Mishra Dhatu Nigam, under the defence ministry.
Tata Steel

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Two of the high profile auctions under National Company Law Tribunal took a definite step towards culmination on Wednesday. While Tata Steels bid was formally identified as the highest evaluated compliant resolution for Bhushan Steel, Liberty House was chosen as the preferred H1 bidder for Amtek Auto.

In an announcement to BSE, Tata Steel said it has received a formal communication from the resolution professional of Bhushan Steel that it has been identified as the highest evaluated compliant resolution applicant to acquire stake of BSL under the corporate insolvency resolution process, or CIRP, of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

This followed a meeting of Bhushan Steels Committee of Creditors (CoC) who took the decision in favour of the Tata group company, on March 6.

The company is now in talks with the resolution professional and the CoC on the final resolution plan for Bhushan Steel, which owes banks Rs 45,000 crore.

Tata Steel had emerged as the highest bidder for Bhushan Steel, with a bid of Rs 35,000 crore, with JSW Steel finishing second with a bid of Rs 29,700 crore.

Bhushan Steel has an annual production capacity of 5.6 million tons, and will add significantly to Tata Steels 13 million tons. This will make Tata Steel the largest steel maker in India, overtaking JSW Steel, at least for the time being.

The Sajjan Jindal-led company has a capacity of 18 million tons a year. It has emerged as the highest bidder for Monnet Ispat, which has a capacity of 1.5 million tons.

Both Tata Steel and JSW Steel are also in the race for Bhushan Power & Steel, which has a capacity of 3 million tons a year. Although Tata Steels bid has emerged as the highest, it faces competition from Liberty House, which has appealed to the NCLT that its bid, which was rejected, should be considered.

Liberty Houses maiden presence

With todays development, Liberty House is poised to make its maiden manufacturing presence in India. The company is part of the USD 10 billion GFG Alliance and is owned by Sanjeev Gupta, a British industrialist of Indian origin.

Liberty House, part of Sanjeev Gupta's global industrial group GFG Alliance, is set to make a dramatic entry into India after being chosen as preferred H1 bidder for Amtek Auto Pvt Ltd assets which include 35 automotive component plants across India, Japan, Thailand and Spain, employing some 6,000 people, the company said in a statement.

The announcement of Liberty as the successful preferred bidder was made in the committee of creditors meeting held on March 6 and was confirmed by the resolution professional on March 7.

This is a very proud moment for GFG and for my family. We are very excited about this opportunity to restore a great Indian business to its rightful position and add a major new asset portfolio to our international network, said Gupta, Executive Chairman of GFG.

This business will be the cornerstone of our strategy to bring GREENMETAL to India and expand our footprint in the automotive sector worldwide. We look forward to working closely with the high calibre customer base Amtek Auto enjoys. We are very pleased to be able to secure the jobs of 6000 workers and welcome them to the global GFG family, he added.

Amtek Auto had accumulated loans of Rs 12,500 crore. Apart from Liberty House, American hedge fund Deccan Value had also bid for the company.

"Liberty team will now aim to meet with all the key customers and employees to thank them for their support to the business in these difficult times and ask them to partner in Libertys vision of achieving transformational turnaround," said Dr Douglas Dawson, Chief Executive of Liberty Industries Group.
JLR

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) today reported 2.6 per cent decline in global sales at 39,911 units in February.

Sales of Jaguar brand of vehicles in February were at 11,565 units, a fall of 5.2 per cent, the company said in a statement.

Land Rover range posted sales of 28,346 units in the month, down 1.5 per cent, it added.

The company said retail sales of 39,911 Jaguars and Land Rovers in February were 2.6 per cent down on "the previous years all-time high".

"Solid demand in China (up 3.3 per cent) and other overseas markets (up 1.5 per cent ) was offset by lower sales in the UK (down 15.2 per cent for the month) and Europe (down 6.9 per cent) , where trading conditions remained challenging.

Jaguar Land Rover Group Sales Operations Director Andy Goss said the company is "continuing to see weaker market conditions in Europe and the UK in particular largely reflecting diesel uncertainty".
The big story this morning remains the global landscape. White House Chief Economic Advisor Gary Cohn has resigned from President Trump's Administration over the issue of import tariffs. As well in news overnight, North Korea had said it was open to talks with the US on denuclearisation. In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Arvind Sanger, Managing Partner at Geosphere Capital Management shared his views and outlook on the same.

India has its own challenges. The global situation has gotten a lot less favourable and that too is causing a little bit of a pause in the liquidity flow that has been coming in domestic market, he said.

Indian earnings recovery and the economic recovery seems to be finally starting to move in the right direction with all of the challenges in the last 12-15 months now in the rear view mirror but global liquidity is the problem and India backing situation keeps dragging out and now we are fundamentally more optimistic about India including the bad loan situation, he added.

Road and infrastructure sector is where we would continue to see more action, said Sanger.

We own some of the non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) that have continued to do well. We owned one of the private sector banks that is in trouble. My sense is that this whole Punjab National Bank (PNB) situation will not drag the banking sector down. I am not rushing in and buying public sector undertaking (PSU) banks, he further mentioned.

Below is the verbatim transcript of the interview.

Latha: There may be good and bad news globally but India continues to fall, do you think that there is more reason for the markets to fall or they fall enough?

A: I think India has its own challenges and obviously you were talking a few minutes ago about the bank situation and that seems to have become the anchor that is driving the market lower but the global situation has gotten a lot less favourable and that too is causing a little bit of a pause in the liquidity flow that has been coming to the domestic market.

So global investors are nervous about global cues. If global trade war is going to break out and investment in global markets becomes less desirable or more dangerous and therefore, investors are pulling back a little bit from that and then India itself is seeing some challenges.

Although, it is ironic that the Indian earnings recovery and the economic recovery seems to be finally starting to move in the right direction with all of the challenges in the last 12-15 months now in the rear view mirror but global liquidity is the problem and India banking situation keeps dragging out and I think we are fundamentally more optimistic about India including the bad loan situation, but the political situation in India also notwithstanding the north-east results is going to be challenging this year because of the concerns about what the tea-leaves are reading for the 2019 Lok Sabha election. So I think those are some of the reasons why the markets are probably even in India are not likely to see any kind of a V-shaped recovery and likely to remain somewhat rangebound.

Anuj: From the index point of view, the problem is that some of the urban consumption stocks and some of the financials have the highest weight in the index and they have led the market rally. So this year do you think the portfolio focus should be completely different, more towards rural stocks, more towards agricultural stocks?

A: I think rural and agricultural is an easy macro call to make but I think there are other areas. Clearly, the road and infrastructure sector is an area where we could continue to see more action  the Bharatmala scheme and you have a lot of stuff going on in terms of urban infrastructure, metros and what have you as well as potentially a lot going on in the affordable housing. So there are areas.

So I think even some of the NBFCs are focusing on the affordable housing as well as other infrastructure could benefit. I think the cyclical recovery as it broadens out, there are many opportunities that are going to come to the front from a fundamental standpoint.

I think the macro risks both on the India political front and on the global macro front are going to be a headwind but on the other hand, I think the earnings fundamentals are likely to be more broad based in the recovery sense and even the IT sector, which has been under a cloud, looks like might start to see some signs of stabilisation and recovery. That could be another area that could continue to rebound from here.

Sonia: You mentioned that you dont expect a V-shaped recovery for the Indian markets anytime soon but do you believe that this is still a bull market correction or have we entered into a bear market phase now?

A: I think it is a bull market correction but the problem with bull market correction is they can be very short in duration or they can be somewhat dragged out - the previous highs might take a couple of quarters. My view would be it is more the latter than the former. But in the end, we are looking for individual stocks that we should buy and we are looking for big sell-offs coming out in some of the stocks that we have our eye on and they can be in a variety of sectors. Some of the market leaders are going to have challenges and that could provide a bit of a headwind for the index to go back very quickly.

Latha: At the moment what is your sense? Having fallen 1,000 points from the all-time highs, is it attractive? Are you a buyer right now?

A: I am a buyer of individual stocks and I am finding one-two stocks that have gone to our levels. There are others that are still a little further away. So the market in our opinion has not done chopping around in terms of a trading range and our goal is not to be  we are not worried that the market is going to run away from us. We are being somewhat patient in putting money into it but we are starting to put money into it.

Anuj: Are you a buyer in PNB or any other public sector undertaking (PSU) bank?

A: We did buy one PSU bank but it was luckily a small size. On the other hand, we own some of the NBFCs that continue to do well although we have pulled back a little bit. We have owned one of the private sector bank that is in trouble but I think Axis Bank, ICICI Bank concerns with the two CEOs getting called in terms of the PNB enquiry is a bit of an overreaction. My sense is that this whole PNB situation will not drag the banking sector down and the way that the whole non-performing assets (NPA) situation has, this is a one of clearly a failure for PSU bank but I am not rushing in and buying PSU banks but I am looking at some of the private sector banks that have lagged and looking at opportunities.

Latha: I wanted to also get your view on this Gary Cohn issue. Can the entire protectionism lead into any unravelling in global markets at all? Both Europe despite what happened in Italy and the US market, Wall Street, have not reacted all that negatively. It was a one day reaction.

A: I am really nervous about global markets because I think what President Trump is doing is playing with fire and he thinks that by threatening other countries, others will back down. However, there is a political dynamic to this; threatening countries and asking them to back down is that the other countries get their backs up. What that can end up resulting in is a global unravelling of what has been a multi decade growth in global trade. If you do get a tit-for-tat tariffs and that escalates and Europeans put tariff on some US products and then US retaliates by putting tariffs on European car imports as President Trump has threatened, I think the risks here are really high.

Gary Cohn was one of the most prominent voices speaking in favour of global engagement, global trade, and not doing anything to hurt that, and his departure in my opinion raises the risks of miscalculation on both sides and most probably on the US governments side, leads to a trade war and I think that would be hugely negative for global markets because we have had a three or four decade growth in global trade and fall in interest rates if you look at a long cycle. So, both might be turning on a long term basis from historic lows in interest rates and historic kind of high levels of global trade could be turning negative and if that turns out to be the case, then the market is going to face greater headwinds than frankly what is so far a modest correction.

Anuj: As they say, there are no winners in trade wars; in that case, if this escalates, could this be case where everything is down, commodities are down, exporters are down, even commodity consuming companies are down, could it be that kind of year if this escalates?

A: Yes, all sectors could bear a hurt but the biggest high flyers have been technology stocks. Now technology stocks in many cases are also global companies and I would not expect in any global stocks to be left unscathed in a global trade war. I think unfortunately one of the realities and yes so I think commodity sector would not be immune to that. However, commodity sector is not what have led this market higher and so far we have not seen China retaliate yet.

China has been playing somewhat the adult in the room as compared to the US in trade and unfortunately President Trump seems to have this long held belief, going back 30 years if you look at this own interviews, that somehow trade deficit means somebody else is taking advantage of you. Therefore, the risk is with that deep held belief that he is going to continue to escalate this. Therefore if China joins in terms of retaliation, and Europe joins in term of retaliation, the risks are that certainly commodity sector, but other sector could get dragged down.

Latha: We always imagine this kind of an unravelling, even when Brexit happened, that all of Europe will unravel. Politicians are not so stupid, will they wait for that, will they not take damage control steps, is there a case to buy this dip?

A: Remember Brexit was a bunch of voters who were upset about things and made the decision, but the leadership of that time and subsequent leadership of the UK government and all the other governments who have been trying to minimize the effect of dislocation on trade, the problem you have in the US is that the leader of the US believes that free trade is bad. That is the first major leader. Brexit was a bottom up kind of a protest but the leaders were more sane and adult if I may call it that. Here you have a US President who is behaving like the chief bomb thrower and that I think is highly destabilising and that is the problem. It is not just the voters saying it, but it is the President saying it and that is what makes it so dangerous.

Sonia: I just had one question on how to approach the Indian markets now in terms of largecaps and midcaps because the correction in the midcap space has been really brutal so far. Do you think for the rest of the year or at least for major chunk of this year, it is better to stick to largecap or would you still delve into some of the non-index largecaps for the midcap variety?

A: I think at the end of the day good companies are good companies but I think you make an excellent point. Some of the midcap valuations have gotten so extreme that I think one of the risks remains that in the selloff, the midcap correction could be much larger and although there might be a long term story in many of the midcaps, if you are going to play the rural plays, you are going to play some of the other plays that you are talking about. There are not too many largecaps that give you exposure there, but I think if the risk is that the broader market is going to remain challenge and could go down, then some of the safer bets could be some of the largecaps which will get sold off less because either the valuations are less stretched or there is less hot money to come out in those names.

So, I think in that sense, largecaps would be better defensive stocks to own until we get a better sense that the market liquidity and I think one of the thing we have to watch is how to see Indian liquidity which has been one way street, how does that deal with this volatility and we have already seen some flow slowdown dramatically. So it will be interesting to watch that but that is one of the risk factors we are keeping an eye on.
We recommend sticking to private banks i.e. if one wants to invest in the banking space. We remain positive on the agri/ rural plays, consumption themes, housing theme as well as the infrastructure space, Nitasha Shankar, Sr. Vice President and Head of Research at YES Securities (I) Ltd., said in an interview to Moneycontrol's Kshitij Anand.

Q) The Nifty50 index slipped below its crucial support levels this week fuelling concerns of a bear phase in the market which was hitting record highs just a month back. What is your call on markets?

A) The selloff by foreign investors (FIIs) that we have witnessed in the recent past is expected to be offset by the liquidity flows into equities from the domestic household savings. We believe that as long as this remains strong, volatility should remain curbed to a large extent.

However, given the high expectations from the earnings  as gauged by the higher multiples that the markets are garnering  as well as the many state elections lined up this year; we expect 2018 to be fairly volatile.

The year will not be anything like 2017, where we saw a run up across the board. A stock specific approach is the way to go.

Q) The US Fed is scheduled to hold its 2-day policy meet later in the month. Do you see that uncertainty weighing on the markets?

A) Yes, in the short term, global cues and their impact on liquidity will make Indian market volatile. However, given the strong long-term fundamentals of India, markets should bounce back quickly.

Q) What should be the right strategy for investors right now  sit on cash and wait for a dip or deploy cash incrementally throughout the year?

A) Deploying cash incrementally should be the way to go, especially considering this year the market will remain fairly volatile.

Q) What should be the ideal strategy for investors in terms of sectors? Do you think PSU banks are a good buy at current levels? What are the sector which you think are likely to show momentum in the year 2018?

A) A good way to have sector-wise allocation would be to mimic the benchmark indices  such as the Nifty 50 or the BSE  100 or 200 indices.

As attractive as PSU banks may seem, we would recommend sticking to private banks i.e. if one wants to invest in the banking space.

We remain positive on the agri/ rural plays, consumption themes, housing theme as well as the infrastructure space.

Q) What is your advise to investors who want to put Rs10 Lakh into markets? He is in the age bracket of 35-40 years. He/she is looking at forming a portfolio with direct equities, MFs, a part of fixed income as well?

A) A lot more information would be required (such as already existing investment and savings profile, the lifestyle of the investor, the risk appetite, his knowledge on equity investing) to answer such a question.

Let us go with the assumption that the candidate mentioned above has no savings, we would recommend a staggered approach towards investing in equities rather than investing all the amount in one go.

By the end of one year, the investor should have at least 30-40% of his money in fixed income and the balance split between MFs and equities (direct).

Q) What will happen in the banking space given the fact that the cost of borrowing is inching higher. The RBI might keep rates on hold in its next policy but may raise rates in 2018?

A) While banks will look to pass on the prices, keeping a gauge on the asset quality will be critical.
Sensex_Nifty

The Nifty, which started on a muted note, failed to recoup losses and extended its decline, falling to below-10,200 levels and making a strong bearish candle on the daily charts on Wednesday.

The index closed near its intraday low, which is not a good sign for the bulls, but experts feel that the index could form a short-term button soon as it emerges near its 200-days exponential moving average (DEMA) placed around 10,128.

The Nifty formed a bearish candle for the sixth consecutive day in a row and analysts feel that it will be hard for the index to breach the 200-DEMA in a hurry.

The index, which opened at 10,232, rose marginally to hit an intraday high of 10,243. But, bears took control of the index and pulled the index lower towards 10,150 to hit its intraday low of 10,141. It closed 95 points lower at 10,154.

The Nifty extended its downswing as it registered one more bearish candle for 6th session in a row. In this process, it also almost tested its 200 Day Simple Moving Average. As directional move emerged in Tuesdays trading session with the breakdown of trading range below 10,300 levels this correction should ideally get extended towards 10,000 kind of levels to meet pattern targets, Mazhar Mohammad, Chief Strategist  Technical Research & Trading Advisory, Chartviewindia.in told Moneycontrol.

However, in between around 10,100 levels confluence of supports are emerging accompanied with oversold levels for the market. Hence, somewhere between 10,100  10,000 levels market should post short-term bottom in next couple of trading sessions, he said.

Mohammad further said that the real strength in the index on upsides will emerge only on a close above 10,450 levels but there is good technical reasons for markets to post a short-term bottom in the zone of 10,100  9,983 levels.

India VIX fell down by 3.26 percent to 15.71 and a decline in volatility, even after new lows in the index, suggests that 200 DEMA and psychological 10,000 zones could arrest the immediate fall in the market.

We have collated the top 15 data points to help you spot profitable trade:

Key support and resistance level for Nifty:

The Nifty closed at 10,154.2. According to Pivot charts, the key support level is placed at 10,116.03, followed by 10,077.87. If the index starts to move higher, key resistance levels to watch out are 10,217.83 and 10,281.47.

Nifty Bank:

The Nifty Bank closed at 24,134.1. Important Pivot level, which will act as crucial support for the index, is placed at 24,029.47, followed by 23,924.84. On the upside, key resistance levels are placed at 24,306.07, followed by 24,478.04.

Call Options Data:

In open interest, 10,600 has seen most call writing at 51.37 lakh contracts. This could act as a crucial resistance level for the index in the March series. The second-highest build-up has taken place at strike price 10,500, which has seen 49.37 lakh contracts and 10,400 strike price has accumulated 38.38 lakh contracts in open interest.

Call writing was seen at a strike price of 10,200, which saw the addition of 15.24 lakh contracts, followed by 10,600, which added 12.94 lakh contracts and 10,300, which added 5.34 lakh contracts.

Call unwinding was seen at the strike price 10,700, which shed 7.75 lakh contracts.

Put Options Data:

Maximum put open interest of 40.83 lakh contracts was seen at strike price 10,000, which will act as a crucial base for the index in March series; followed by 10,200, which now holds 33.12 lakh contracts and 10,400 which has now accumulated 26.92 lakh contracts in open interest.

Put Writing was seen at the strike price of 10,100, which saw addition of 3.82 lakh contracts, along with 10,000, which added 3.70 lakh contracts and 10,200, which added 3.23 lakh contracts.

Put unwinding was seen at the strike price of 10,400, which shed 7.5 lakh contracts, followed by 10,300, which shed 4.1 lakh contracts and 10,500, which shed 3.81 lakh contracts.

FII & DII Data:

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 719.78 crore, while domestic institutional investors bought shares worth Rs 409.34 crore in the Indian equity market, as per provisional data available on the NSE.

Fund Flow Picture:

Stocks with high delivery percentage:

High delivery percentage suggests that investors are accepting the delivery of the stock, which means that investors are bullish on it.

12 stocks saw long build-up:

32 stocks saw short covering:

A decrease in open interest along with an increase in price mostly indicates short covering.

75 stocks saw short build-up:

An increase in open interest along with a decrease in price mostly indicates short positions being built up.

37 stocks saw long unwinding:

Long unwinding happens when there is a decrease in OI as well as in price.

Bulk Deals:

Teamlease Services Ltd.: HDFC Trustee Co. Ltd. - HDFC Prudence Fund sold 6,00,168 shares at Rs 2150.02 per share

GSS Infotech Limited: Bipin Chinubhai Shah sold 3,00,000 shares at Rs 56.25 per share

CKP Leisure Limited : Brisk Capital Market Services Limited bought 4,76,000 shares at Rs 29.61 per share

(For more bulk deals click here)

Analyst or Board Meet/Briefings:

Yes Bank: Multiple investors, including big names such as Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC, Franklin Templeton, DSP Blackrock, among others, met the management on March 6, 2018.

Voltas: SBI CAP, Investec, Enam, Dalal & Broacha, ASK Investment Managers, Stewart Investors, Taiyo Pacific Partners will meet the management on March 8 and March 21, 2018.

Stocks in news:

Strides Shasun to launch Ranitidine 75mg OTC Tablets. The drug is used to treat peptic ulcers of stomach and intestine.

Sun Pharma's Paonta Sahib unit gets good manufacturing certificate from Dutch regulator

JSW Steel says it has not signed any MoU W.r.t. acquisition Of Italy's Aferpi

SBI Worried About Its Loan To Given To Adani, Tata Power Projs, power minister said.

CCI Penalises 3 Airlines, Jet Airways, IndiGo and SpiceJet for concerted action in fixing fuel surcharge on cargo transport.

TeamLease Services increase in limit of investment by FPI from 24%-75%

Hero Motocorp launch of new super splendor, it will further consolidate company's 55% market share in 125cc segment

Pidilite Industries entered into collaboration with worldwide leading supplier of Industrial Adhesives Jowat SE, German based family owned enterprise for exclusive handling of sales in IndiaTechnical Collaboration In Hot Melt Adhesive Products

NITCO board approved to issue Non convertible preference share and debenturesIssued equity to JMFARC

Tata Steel identified as the highest evaluated compliant resolution applicant for acquisition of Bhushan Steel

Torrent Power announced as winner by Maharashtra state board for wind power project under Reverse E-Auction

Marico sold investment made in Bellezimo Professionale Products Private Limited

Bharti Airtel board meeting on March 12, 2018 to decide on raising fund through NCD, Bonds or similar debt instrument

MRSS board meeting on March 16, 2018 to consider migration from BSE SME to BSE mainboard

Alembic board meeting to consider buyback of shares to be held on March 12, 2018

SBI - RBI imposed penalty Rs 40 lakh on account of non compliance

L&T Finance - Issue of QIP for Rs 1000cr. Issuance of shares to promoter entity amounting to Rs. 2000cr

Shree Pushkar - HC gave dismissal order for the suit filed in the case of Huntsman lnternational Pvt ltd Vs. Abiss Textile Solutions ltd (Promoter company)

Gayatri Projects board meeting on March 12, 2018 for issue of shares through QIP

Sanghi Industries approved issue of NCD amounting to Rs. 256cr

Coal India board meeting to be on March 10, 2018 for consideration of interim dividend

4 stocks under ban period on NSE

Security in ban period for the next trade date under the F&O segment includes companies in which the security has crossed 95 percent of the market-wide position limit.

Securities which are banned for trading include names such as DHFL, HDIL, IDBI and Oriental Bank of Commerce.
By Satish Gupta of astrostocktips.in

Todays planetary position: Moon will be transiting in Libra. Jupiter in Libra. Mars in Scorpio. Lord Saturn in Sagittarius. Ketu in Capricorn. Sun in Aquarius. Mercury & Venus in Pisces. Lord Rahu in Cancer. Pluto in Sagittarius. Neptune in Aquarius & Uranus in Pisces.

RAHUKAL TIME: - 12.00  13.30

Following sectors will be receiving astrological support:

Information & Technology: Mindtree, Tech Mahindra, TCS, Infosys, NIIT, etc.

To identify and buy such stocks at right time and exit at right time. Timing is most crucial element in investing or trading. This timing can be known through Financial Astrology. Astrology is only science which can predict future correctly & guide us about sectors which have to outperform.

Every year with commencement of new Samvat (Hindu New Year), astrologically, based on planetary position, certain new sectors start getting strong astrological support & start outperforming, while some others sectors which were performing earlier start underperforming. Some sectors/stocks remain laggards. Stocks of astrological supported sectors outperform resulting in exorbitant gains irrespective of market behaviour, either bull market or bear market.

Predicting bullish sectors of next Samvat 2074

Every year we release sectors of new Samvat in the month of March/April when new Samvat starts. But this year, we shall prepone release of next Samvat sectors, which are going to get strong astrological support & stocks from those sector outperform markets. Purpose of releasing sectors of next Samvat earlier is that investors & traders should get maximum advantage of down trend of markets by good timing.

We firmly believe that these special astrological positions present very unique opportunities to investors and traders both. This opportunity, if utilized properly, can safeguard your existing portfolio and simultaneously optimize your future investments and trading also. So we request you not to wait till March 2017 but contact us early and subscribe or renew the Sectors of Samvat 2074. After all successful investing and trading is all about good timing only.

Needless to mention our innumerable past predictions, where most stocks from the Sectors of Samvat gave exorbitant returns & certain stocks appreciated by over 500 percent.

During current Samavat 2073 among other sectors  dyes/chemical/sugar sector received strong astrological support & outperformed and gave exorbitant return. Many stocks from dyes/ chemical sector appreciated by over 500 percent.

Sectors which get strong astrological support also start getting favourable news along with all kind of positive support by regulatory authorities in that industry, resulting in strong growth & super positive results. Most of problems also start resolving.

Sectors which get very strong astrological support are not normally affected by downfall in the market.

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
The road sector has been in the thick of action. But who will fund such ambitious programme is often under question. In this regard, recent action of NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) bolsters our confidence that in all probability the targets will translate into reality.

NHAI has begun monetising assets, recently auctioning 648 km of national highways where Macquarie Group won the rights to manage the bidding worth Rs 9,681.5 crore.

Easing funding issue

If private players have little appetite for BOT (build operate transfer) projects, the onus now shifts to NHAI to bring capital to award projects on EPC (engineering procurement & construction)and Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM).

Now the questions is how would NHAI accomplish this task of additional fund requirements that comes along with multi-fold jump in governments intention to spend on road sector. For FY19, the NHAI has a budget to spend about Rs 1.2 lakh crore. Of this, close to Rs 62,000 crore is expected to come from internal resources. While NHAI will also rely on bonds, a part of the money would come through the monetisation of existing assets. The government had earlier authorised the NHAI to monetise 75 existing projects totalling a length of 4500 km fetching around Rs 1 lakh crore.

There is great appetite for such projects particularly from the foreign investors who are ready to bid at very low yield but stable flow. To put in perspective, in case of the first bidding (Macquarie Group) NHAI

was expecting Rs 6300 crore whereas the highest bid came at Rs 9681.5 crore reflecting that foreign investor is ready to work at lower yield because lower cost of funds.

Nevertheless, this money can be redeployed to fund new projects and bridge the funding gap, which emerged as a result of private sectors reluctance to take on BOT projects. This would address the funding issue and thus kick start the construction cycle.

The government had earlier stated that it would spend close to Rs 7 lakh crore over the next five years to develop 83677 km of roads including Rs 5.4 lakh crore to be spent on Bharatmala Pariyojana comprising development of 34800 km of roads.

Projects would therefore not be delayed or postponed for want of funds and that would mean increasingly there would be more work for the construction companies largely in the EPC and HAM model. Currently about 98% of the projects which are awarded have come in the EPC and HAM category.

More the merrier

This brings more cheers for the sector as going ahead the pace of awarding will only increase and companies would have higher revenue visibility. Most of the companies are currently sitting on order book of close to 2.5 times to 3 times their sales. Moreover, as the execution capability improves, companies will not require much more of the capital (because of the nature of the project EPC and HAM) since whatever is generated from the business can be redeployed in meeting working capital requirements. Hence companies can execute more and more projects. With the increasing amount of work and easing funding issues, companies, which have strong balance sheet and good execution capabilities like Dilip Buildcon, KNR Constructions, IRB Infrastructure, Sadbhav Engineering and Ashoka Buildcon would be the key beneficiaries.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

State Bank of India (SBI) has been hit with a monetary penalty of Rs 40 lakh for violating RBI rules on Detection and Impounding of Counterfeit Notes.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed, on March 01, 2018, a monetary penalty of Rs 4 million (Rs 40 lakh) on State Bank of India (the bank)This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers, RBI said in a statement on its website.

Giving the background for the penalty, the banking regulator said that the currency chest inspection of two branches of SBI revealed, inter alia, violation of the instructions issued by RBI on Detection and Impounding of Counterfeit Notes.

Based on the inspection report and other relevant documents, a Notice, dated January 05, 2018, was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for non-compliance with directions issued by RBI. After considering the banks reply and oral submissions made in the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the aforesaid charges of non-compliance with RBI directions/ guidelines were substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty, RBI added.

This comes two days after the central bank penalised Indian Overseas Bank (Rs 2 crore) and Axis Bank (Rs 3 crore) for breaching KYC (know your customer) norms and asset classification (NPA) guidelines, respectively.
Reliance Communications | In the last four months, the stock price has risen 487 percent to Rs 3.93 per share from Rs 0.67 per share on March 27, 2020.

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Debt-ridden telecom operator RCom today said it has filed an appeal before the Bombay High Court to protect the interests of secured lenders after an arbitration tribunal restrained the company from sale, transfer or mortgaging of assets.

"We wish to inform you that the company has filed an appeal before the Bombay High Court to protect the interests of secured lenders," Reliance Communications (RCom) said in a BSE filing.

An arbitration tribunal in an interim order has restrained the debt-ridden company from sale, transfer or mortgaging of assets.

"...we direct that the Claimant (RCom) and its affiliates are restrained from transferring, alienating encumbrances or disposing of any of its assets without specific permission/leave of the Arbitral tribunal," the tribunal comprising Justices Swatanter Kumar, SB Sinha and VS Sirpurkar said in an order on an appeal by telecom gear maker Ericsson India.

Ericsson has sought relief from the tribunal over payments that the Anil Ambani-led RCom owes to it.

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio has signed a pact to acquire mobile business assets including spectrum, mobile towers and optical fibre network of RCom- owned by his younger brother Anil Ambani.

The deal was expected to complete by March 2018 and bring relief to RCom which is reeling under a debt of over Rs 38,000 crore.

The tribunal said the respondent (Ericsson) has made out an arguable case and it is of the opinion that in the event the firm will suffer "irretrievable injury" if it is denied any relief.

"Irreparable injury in the opinion of tribunal would mean substantial injury. The applicant cannot be denied a legal remedy that is available under the law," the tribunal order said.

Ericsson has submitted various claims before tribunal including Rs 1,200 crore admitted by RCom in their correspondence and Rs 1,012 crore dues which RCom allegedly failed to pay despite repeated promises, assurance and undertakings.

Lenders of RCom have invoked "strategic debt restructuring" programme to recover dues from the company.
Country's largest lender SBI has put up for sale 15 NPA accounts worth over Rs 988 crore, including UP-based Simbhaoli Sugars which owes Rs 158.57 crore to the lender.

"SBI invites expression of interest from banks/asset reconstruction companies/NBFCs/FIs for the proposed sale of 15 non-performing assets (NPAs) with principal outstanding of Rs 988.95 crore," reads the SBI bid document published today.

Other prominent NPA accounts that feature in the list include Aksha Gold Ornaments, KBJ Jewels Industry India and KBJ Hotel Varanasi with a combined outstanding of Rs 164.30 crore.

Shri Jalaram Rice Industries has turned into an NPA account with principal of Rs 127.05 crore while MCL Global Steel has an outstanding loan of Rs 100.18 crore.

Eight companies based in Gujarat availed loans in the range of Rs 5.90-63.39 crore from the bank which have now become NPA accounts, showed the bid document.

SBI has asked the bidders to submit expression of interest by March 9, 2018 and further to complete the due diligence by March 22.

The process of e-bidding will take place on March 23.

To sell these dud assets, SBI said it will complete all the formalities in the shortest possible time once the deal is finalised.

The bid document also showed that Simbhaoli Sugars and MCL Global Steel of Madhya Pradesh put nothing as collateral to avail the loans.

Simbhaoli Sugars, which owes Rs 97.85 crore to Oriental Bank of Commerce, turned into an NPA account in 2015. The bank also filed a case with CBI against the company in September 2015 and later amended the same in November 2017.

CBI is examining the case against Simbhaoli Sugars, its chairman Gurmit Singh Mann, deputy MD Gurpal Singh and others. Simbhaoli Sugars is one of the largest sugar mills in the country.
Ashwani Gujral of ashwanigujral.com told CNBC-TV18, "Canara Bank is a sell with a stop loss of Rs 262 and target of Rs 248. Punjab National Bank is a sell with a stop loss of Rs 97 and target of Rs 90. Ashok Leyland is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 138 and target of Rs 150."

"When you start losing 30-40 percent there is no fun in being a long term investor. I would probably enter into a midcap IT stock that would do much better than Lupin in this decline. Lupin stays in a bear market and chances are that bear market is going to continue because the situation isnt improving on the pharma space other than the odd Biocon."

"PSU banks is a terrible idea. Last two years were financials and this year the way financials have started, I dont think is going to belong to financials. Move on to midcap IT if not it will take you higher it will at least protect you much better than State Bank of India would," he added.

"Buy Kotak Mahindra Bank with a stop loss of Rs 1,070 and target of Rs 1,120. Eicher Motors is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 27,400 and target of Rs 27,750. Motherson Sumi is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 305 and target of Rs 321."
It is six in the evening. As I make my way into Paytm's five-storeyed grey building adorned with blue glass walls in a busy street of Noida, the company's employees pass me by, towards the gate, having wrapped up their day's work.

I am frisked once at the entry. However, before I could enter the reception area, another armed security guard stops me.

It is unusual for a mobile wallet firm to have a second layer of security, I think.

However, it doesn't take me too long to realise the reason behind the additional security check.

The office of the countrys largest mobile payments firm One97 Communications Pvt Ltd now also houses Paytm Payments Bank, which was launched in November.

Soon, I get to meet Renu Satti - the Chief Executive Officer of Paytm Payments bank. Bespectacled and sporting short hair, Satti is clad in a printed shirt and a black cardigan. An executive, who spent a considerable time holding senior positions in the human resources departments of many firms in her previous assignments, Satti was appointed to the top post in May 2016, about six months before the actual launch of the bank.

Before this role, Satti was working as the Vice President, Business, at Paytm while heading its ticket booking segment. Under her helm, Paytm gave a tough fight to its bigger rival BookMyShow, which leads the ticket booking business in India.

Satti's escalation to this role was preceded by an interesting turn of events.

Two years ago, Paytm had announced Shinjini Kumar, a former banker, as CEO designate of their payments bank.

However, fast forward to May 2016, and Satti was named the CEO, even as Kumar suddenly exited the company citing personal reasons.

There wasn't a broader clarity on Kumar's exit from the company. So how did she Satti feel when she was given the chance to lead?

"There was this opportunity that came in front of me. We had a discussion and that's it," Satti said, shrugging her shoulders and giving a convincing look.

Many see Satti as one of the closest aides of Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of Paytm, and it probably explain her selection for the post following a possible misalignment with Kumar.

On her Linkedin page, Sharma testifies Satti as someone who has never let him down. "It takes a lot to be Renu. I am yet to meet someone who is equally sincere and committed," reads the note.

A commerce graduate from Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College situated in Punjabi Bagh area of West Delhi, Satti has been a part of Paytm since its inception.

She joined the company in 2006 to head the human resource department of One97 Communications, which barely had 70 employees at that time. The company was operating in the mobile valued added services space.

Satti had been hired on the back of her years of experience with companies such as Manpower Services and Mother Dairy as a human resource executive.

"The good part of working in a small set up is that even if you are in an HR role, you will get to know everything," she says, adding that she would inadvertently be involved even in things like taking care of employees who face issues with the company's servers.

However, after six years of working as an HR executive, Satti wanted to explore a new role.

"I didnt want to limit myself to just being an HR. Broadly, there was a typical cycle - hire people, do their training, do performance appraisal for them... deal with the issues of salary grievances and so on and so forth," she said.

While she was evaluating a few offers, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the founder of Paytm, was sure that he didn't want to lose a diligent employee. Sharma suggested that she experimented within the company instead of moving out.

Soon, Satti was given a business role.

It was 2012. Paytm, which would go on to become the country's largest mobile wallet firm, saw its employee strength increase to around 4,000 people - all of them individually hired by Satti. This personal connect with every employee also helped Satti learn the nuances of her new role.

By this time, One97 Communications had raised at least USD 35 million from Sapphire Ventures, among others.

"Vijay said that you pick up any role and start with it - on the operations side ... sales side," she says.

However, according to Satti, it was easier said than done.

"I was apprehensive. How could I just start doing anything? I didnt know anything about it," she said.

Satti picked up the regional structure and was given a team of around 400 people to head. From heading a team of barely a couple of dozen people in the HR department, handling a new vertical that consisted of 400 people was a big task.

Despite the challenge, it didn't take her long to fit into the shoes of a corporate executive. Perhaps, her commerce degree came in handy.

Even as all this was happening, Paytm was mulling something bigger.

It was 2014 and Paytm was planning to launch its marketplace business. The aim was not to compete directly with e-commerce firms like Flipkart but build a marketplace for unstructured categories as the rest were then focusing more on branded and structured segments such as electronics and books.

It was around that time that Sharma asked Satti to gear up for a new stint.

Paytm was looking for somebody to lead the marketplace business across every market it planned to expand in.

"There were lots of discussions going on and then one day Vijay said why dont you only take it up," she says.

Satti, who was by now a pro at switching roles, took up the challenge and headed the marketplace business development segment for one year.

She was given the target of achieving 100,000 merchants.

"The moment my target was achieved, I was like, I needed to get into some other role," she said with a childlike excitement.

The marketplace was launched in November 2014 and it was soon followed by a strategic investment by Ant Financial Services Group - an affiliate of China's biggest e-commerce firm Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

Ant Financial agreed to buy 25 percent stake in One97 Communications for about USD 600 million. This was seen as Alibaba's foray into newer growth avenues as the Chinese market had started to slow down.

Paytm, by now a mobile wallet and a marketplace firm, was planning to build more use cases by now. The idea was to ensure that the customers kept coming back on the platform. It decided to launch travel and movie ticket booking segments.

Satti was again given the mandate to head the new vertical. "When we offered recharge a customer used to come to us once or twice a month. The idea was to build multiple use cases to ensure that the customers kept coming back to the platform. We added utility bills, bus tickets, movie tickets... So the philosophy of the organisation was that we really wanted to cover every use case," she says.

Born and brought up in Delhi, Satti has three married sisters who stay with their families. Satti lives with her parents in Delhi.

How is Payments Bank different from the other roles? I asked.

According to Satti, a lot of compliance issues have come into play now.

Earlier when CEO Sharma used to ask about a deliverable, she would say yes that will be done.

Now she candidly tells me that she has been asked to say - 'yes I will check with the compliance'.

The year 2017 was spent by Paytm Payments Bank on building the core structure and putting control and systems in place.

The year 2018 will focus on expansion.

"We have a target to have 100,000 banking outlets deployed across the country," she says referring to 'Paytm ka ATM' offline kiosks.

These ATMs are basically partner outlets where customers can open bank accounts, deposit cash and withdraw money.

The company has plans to invest Rs 3,000 crore over the next three years to expand this offline distribution network.

Talking about improving digital banking in the rural areas, Satti said, "We really want to bring every banking service closer to people. Whatever they want to do in terms of depositing money, withdrawing money, buying financial products, that is where our 2018 focus is going to be."

She declined to share the amount of deposits made at the bank so far, citing compliance issues. However, she added that it is 'an impressive' figure which is reporting growth every month.

"For us, that is not the metric we are choosing right now. Most of our customers are currently wallet customers so we really want to first move them to a savings account," she said.

Interestingly, all Paytm employees, about 4,500 of them now, have an account in the Paytm Payments Bank where they get their salaries.

Currently, Paytm Payments Bank offers wallet, current and savings account.

Paytm Payments Bank deposits that money in government securities to earn interests as it cannot lend money to customers.

The interest earned from these securities and bonds are to the tune of 5-6 percent while Paytm offers four percent interest on its savings account offering.

It is also in the process of enhancing offerings such as fixed deposits.

"Whenever a customer will have more than Rs 1,00,000 in his savings account, the excess money will automatically get converted into fixed deposit wherein he will earn over 6 percent interest," she says.

The company did not disclose the target it had in terms of deposit for the coming financial year.

Our first target was to set up the foundation, second is to increase the number of accounts and then there will be other things. As of now we really want to reach out to all those 500 million customers, she said.

Speaking more about the planned Rs 3,000 crore investment, Satti said that the money will primarily be used to creating a robust network to reach customers. It will be a CAPEX investment from our side, plus the cost of KYC is big, she says, adding that earlier it used to come up to about Rs 120 per person which has now reduced to about Rs 60-80.

As of now the company has received about Rs 400-500 crore as investment.

This is the fund that has been infused in the entity as of now, she says.

As far as more investment is concerned, whenever we will need it we will get it, she added.

Talking about profitability Satti says that it is a futuristic vision. We will have to become profitable but whether it will be a matter of two years or three years we will see. We will be working towards it, right now this is a growth phase, she said.

But Satti is coy when talking about Paytm's expansion plans.

We believe that we should build up things rather than buy. That is our core philosophy, however we can always explore an option and can see whenever there is a synergy, she says.

Amidst cold relations between India and China and a gradual rise in the feeling of nationalism in the country, Paytms rival, Mobikwik had tried to pitch itself as the countrys wallet with its campaign Desh ka wallet against Paytm which is funded by Alibaba. Additionally, last year Japanese conglomerate Softbank also invested USD 1.4 billion in One97 Communications.

Satti, however, refuses to believe that the firm suffered due to the cold relations between the two countries.

I hear you but I dont believe it. Besides, this is absolutely wrong. In fact I can also say that Paytm is a Japanese company because of the recent investment by Softbank. Whenever I go to the market, especially to the village level and the kind of feedback we get from the people is amazing. They love Paytm as a brand because we have solved some of their basic problems, she said, adding that rural areas and tier 3-4 cities saw great demand for physical debit cards that it launched in January.

Conventionally we presume that a technology is first adopted by India's urban population and that the villages are happy just with feature phones. But if you ask me, they are the ones who are really more curious and have rising aspirations.

The fact that you really have to go to 650 districts and create that kind of a network to build things up. These are the challenges, but I see them more as opportunities, she said.

Are you scared of a foreign firm entering the Indian market after you have invested so much of time and capital prepping the ground? I ask referring to the entry of WhatsApp into Indias digital payments market.

Are we scared of it? Not at all. Rather it is good to have competition as it helps you keep challenging yourself, Satti signs off.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Shares of Dabur India rose 1 percent intraday Wednesday as the company acquired two companies in South Africa.

The company's step down wholly owned subsidy Dabur South Africa (Pty) had entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire D and A Cosmetics Proprietary and Atlanta Body & Health Products Proprietary, both incorporated in South Africa.

The company has now informed that the said acquisition in now being done through its another step down wholly subsidiary Dermoviva Skin Essentials Inc instead of Dabur South Africa (Pty).

It will acquire D and A Cosmetics for South African Rand 4,02,69,600 and Atlanta Body for South African Rand 17,30,400.

The indicative period for completion of the registration will be up to March 31, 2018 or such other date as may be mutually agreed.

At 10:08 hrs Dabur India was quoting at Rs 324.95, up Rs 2.60, or 0.81 percent on the BSE.

In the last one year share price increased by 17 percent.

Posted by Rakesh Patil
Angel Commodities' report on Gold

On Tuesday , spot gold prices surged more than 1 percent to close at $ 1334.1 per ounce as risk aversion in the global markets of fears of a possible trade war citing recently announced tariffs on Steel and Aluminium by the US, boos ted the safe haven metal. This optimism in gold came from U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement last week that the country would levy hefty tariffs on aluminum and steel imports. This was followed by threats of retaliation from the European Union and Canada. On the MCX, gold prices rose by 0. 7 percent to close at Rs. 30679 per 10 gms.

We expect gold prices to trade higher today as trade war concerns between US and other countries will limit risk appetite and boost safe haven. Also, resignation of Gary Cohn will boost gold. On the MCX, gold prices are expected to trade higher today, international markets are trading higher by 0.1 percent at $ 1334.9 per ounce.

For all commodities report, click here

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

Read More
People scatter rose petals in front of a portrait of Dr. Ambedkar, the author of the Indian constitution, in Allahabad

In yet another incident of statue vandalism, a figurine dedicated to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was desecrated by unidentified people in Mawana, Meerut in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday night.

Media reports suggest that a case has been filed against unidentified men in UP incident.

Police in the northern state rushed a team to the spot to avoid any untoward incident. The local Dalit community held protests and blocked traffic on Wednesday morning. The protests ended after the administration assured that a new statue of Dr Ambedkar would be installed, reports said.

This is the fourth major case of statue vandalism report in the country in the past few days.

A finger of the Dr Ambedkar's statue was found broken in Aligarh, following which local residents started protests.

On Sunday, two statues dedicated to Vladimir Lenin were pulled down by a mob in Tripura, days after the Bharatiya Janata Party ended the 25-year reign of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the recent state assembly election.

A day later, a statue of Tamil icon EV Ramasamy or Periyar was vandalised in the state of Tamil Nadu.

On Wednesday morning, reports emerged that a bust of Syama Prasad Mukherjee, had been desecrated with a hammer in Kolkata by six Jadavpur University students.

Syama Prasad Mukherjee was the founder of the BJP's predecessor Jana Sangh.

Last year too, there were reports of an Ambedkar statue being vandalised in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar.
A BSF jawan, who was punished to suffer a 7-day pay cut for showing "disrespect" towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a routine drill, has been relieved after the PM today directed the force to immediately withdraw the order.

Constable Sanjeev Kumar, posted in the 15th battalion of the Border Security Force deployed in West Bengal's Nadia district, was found "guilty" by his commanding officer (CO) for using words like "Modi programme" while attending a morning roll call task on February 21.

The CO of the unit, Commandant Anup Lal Bhagat, issued an order handing down a "pay fine of 7 days", which means salary cut for a week, to the jawan for "showing disrespect towards the PM".

"The Prime Minister has expressed his displeasure and directed the force to immediately withdraw the punishment. The order has been rescinded and the concerned Commandant has been cautioned for not dealing with the matter judiciously," a BSF spokesperson said.

Officials said the jawan referred to an event that he attended as "Modi programme" during the 'zero parade' or reporting assembly of briefing the seniors about their official activities. They said the CO found this reference by the jawan to the PM as improper and ordered an inquiry against him.

The inquiry, the officials said, was completed in a day and constable Kumar was held guilty and charged under section 40 of the BSF Act (an act prejudicial to good order and discipline of the force).

"Senior officers of the force have been instructed time and again to display qualities of a good leader, both in letter and spirit, for the personnel under their command.

"These men and women work in some of the most arduous conditions across the country. Their commanders should ensure discipline in the force but the punishment has to be commensurate to the offence," a senior officer of the force said, underling that handing down a pay cut to the jawan was not a judicious decision.

The 15th battalion of the BSF is deployed to guard the India-Bangladesh international border in West Bengal.
N Chandrababu Naidu | Andhra Pradesh | Total cases: 3 | Serious IPC: Nil

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu may break ties with the ruling BJP as the Centre has made it clear that granting a special status to Andhra Pradesh may not be possible.

On Wednesday morning, Naidu held a teleconference with party MPs where he insisted that the Centre must fulfill "assurances made in Rajya Sabha, including Special Category Status, provisions quick implementation of the of AP Reorganisation Act."

At the TDP Legislature Party meeting in Vijayawada on Tuesday, all 125 MLAs and 34 MLCs had strongly advocated for ending the alliance with BJP, a Times of India report said.

"CM Naidu is now all set to take steps to end the alliance. It will begin with the two central ministers stepping down, most likely on March 10. Withdrawing support to the NDA government at the Centre is likely to happen in the next few days after the two ministers resign," a source told the paper.

The separation process may begin with the exit of two TDP ministers  Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Y S Chowdhary  from the Cabinet, the report added.

The ministers has been demanding for a special package for the state, which was promised to them earlier. When the state of Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated, it was also thought about economic disadvantage that the state is going to face, a special package was promised to the people of the state in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday had assured the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) that announcements would be made soon on a special package for the State and four of the other 19 demands of the party.

Background

In February, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had assured the agitating members from Andhra Pradesh that the Centre is looking at all issues concerning the state sympathetically and some decision on a special package and revenue deficit will be worked out in the next couple of days.

"We will try and do it extremely early. We are extremely sympathetic to the people of Andhra Pradesh and therefore would look into each one of these issues extremely sympathetically," Jaitley said.

As far as creation of capital is concerned, Jaitley said the Centre has made some payments for backward districts development and for ambitious Polavaram project through National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development (Nabard) and Rs 4,500 crore has already been paid.

The current situation has soured relations between the TDP and the BJP, putting the alliance on shaky grounds. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said last month that he will withdraw from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fold if the BJP does not want the partnership.
INDIA - OCTOBER 02: Dawood Ibrahim, the mafia leader in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates ( mafia don ) (Photo by Bhawan Singh/The India Today Group/Getty Images)

Well-known criminal lawyer Shyam Keswani on Tuesday said fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is reportedly "keen to return to India" but with certain preconditions which are not acceptable to the Indian government.

Speaking to the media outside the Thane Court, where he represented Iqbal Ibrahim Kaskar (the absconder don's brother) in an extortion case, the lawyer said among the conditions Dawood has stipulated are that he should be lodged only in the high-secure precincts of Arthur Road Central Jail (ARCJ) in Mumbai.

"He had also conveyed his intentions through (former union minister and eminent lawyer) Ram Jethmalani a few years ago but the Indian government has not entertained any of his preconditions to return," Keswani said.

The ARCJ is the same prison where the Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was lodged for nearly four years till his hanging for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
Emmanuel Macron, head of the political movement En Marche ! (Onwards !) and a candidate for the 2017 presidential election, leaves the Paris book fair after a visit, March 24, 2017. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer - RTX32KN1

Ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's maiden India trip, French sources said on Wednesday that it would not be a business as usual visit" and asserted that apart from conventional areas of cooperation such as nuclear energy and defence, the thrust would be on boosting ties in maritime and space fields.

While the French sources did not say whether the two countries would ink a pact in the nuclear energy sector, India officials told PTI that an agreement to expedite the Jaitapur nuclear plant was expected to be signed during the presidential visit. France has also been strongly supporting India's bid for membership of the export-control regime Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Special emphasis would be (laid on) cooperation in the Indian Ocean during the talks (between Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi), a French source said, noting that France has strong economic and military interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The remarks by the French side assume significance in the backdrop of India, the US, Japan and Australia coming together and holding discussions on the sidelines of the India-ASEAN Summit in Manila last year on ways to boost cooperation in the IOR.

France has military and naval bases in the IOR, which also has a sizeable French population. The IOR has also been witnessing increasing naval presence of China.

Macrons trip would not be a business as usual visit and the thrust will be on intensifying partnership in other areas, including space and trade, the sources said, and noted that the two leaders (Modi and Macron) will be spending a lot of time together and the visit has been planned that way".

Defence has been one of the key pillars of strategic partnership and the visit will also focus on this aspect, the French source added. India has signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafale jets.

Asked if international issues, including non-proliferation will be discussed, the French source said all issues of mutual interest will be deliberated upon.

The source also noted that there was convergence of views between France and India, a "global power", on several issues such as rule of law and democratic values.

Cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism will also be discussed during the bilateral meeting between Modi and Macron on March 10.

The French President will be accompanied by a business delegation of CEOs of 40 French companies, including those from the defence sector.

The bilateral trade between India and France for the period from April 2016 to March 2017 reached USD 10.95 billion. France is the 9th largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative investment of USD 6.09 billion from April 2000 to October 2017.

Macron arrives here on March 9, his first trip to India. The next day he will hold delegation-level talks with Modi. He will also take part in a Town Hall and have an interactive session, in which nearly 300 students from different levels and institutions are expected to participate on March 10.

On the same day, he will also attend a Knowledge Summit which will be attended by more than 200 academicians from both sides.

On March 11, Macron will attend the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Summit, an initiative mooted by France and India.

The ISA Summit, expected to be attended by several heads of the states and governments, is likely to focus on concrete projects.
Ravi Shankar Prasad

To curb misuse of social media during elections, the Indian government has asked micro-blogging site, Twitter, to keep a strict check on abusive content by foreign elements ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Electronics and IT Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, told the Economic Times, "Twitter should not be abused by sinister forces including foreign elements to derail fairness of democracy.

Twitters Global Head of Policy, Colin Crowell, met the minister on Tuesday, where they discussed measures to dissuade miscreants from misuse of the platform to spread communal hatred and terrorism.

We are very proud of expansion of Twitter in India. But I have flagged one concern  I have cautioned them. The government doesnt believe in control at all, and I have suggested that they should have a forum of an internal regulatory mechanism (to cut down on abuse), Prasad told ET.

Twitter is focusing on dealing with malicious automation, or cyber threat from automated tools. The social media platform is intent on weeding out bots, and has been challenging 6.4 million accounts a week to check if they are cyber bots or real humans, Crowell said. He stated the company is thwarting 530,000 suspicious logins every day on Twitter.

Crowell also said, We are also doubling down on the commitment that we make in markets like India, which are significant, have elections underway during the course of the year. We want to make sure that the elections are open, they are fair and that is reflected on Twitter.

The number of accounts taken down by Twitter in 2017 is 10 times the number they took down the previous year. Crowell has stressed that Twitter is determined to fight abuse and harassment on the website and in the last 12 months, the company has brought about 25 product and rule changes to assist in that.
Integra Engineering India | The company's RoE for FY18: 33.00%, FY19: 63.33%, and FY20: 22.22%. On September 7, the share price closed at Rs 25.50 which is -45 percent below its 52-week high of Rs 46.70.

India seeks to further strengthen its bilateral cooperation with Egypt in the textiles sector through trade and investment, India's ambassador here said today.

Ambassador Sanjay Bhattacharyya said textile products had played an important role in the growth of Indo-Egyptian bilateral trade.

"India and Egypt have had a long tradition of exchanges in the textiles sector. Textile products particularly yarn as well as fabric are popular in Egypt and constitute one of the dominant products in our bilateral trade basket.

"India looks forward to working with Egypt to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation in textiles sector through trade and investment, Bhattacharyya said.

His remarks came as delegation from the Cotton Textile Promotion Council, also known as Texprocil, comprising of 22 Indian textile companies are set to participate in the 'Cairo Fashion and Tex Exhibition' to be held here from tomorrow.

The Indian companies will showcase their best range of products and use the three-day exhibition as a platform to meet textiles entrepreneurs to understand the recent development in the Egyptian textile sector, a statement said.

The entrepreneurs will benefit from a first-hand knowledge of the evolving market conditions and domestic textile industry enabling them to identity areas of mutual cooperation, it said.

Texprocil had participated in the exhibition in March 2017 and has increased its delegation this time to 22 Indian companies, including an information booth of the council.

The products on display will include a cross section of Indian yarn and fabric products including denim.

Being the world's second largest producer of synthetic fibre and yarn, cotton, cellulosic fibre and silk, India exported around USD 342 million worth of textile and clothing products to Egypt in 2017.

The cotton yarn was the dominant product in the export basket, valued at USD 163 million followed by man-made yarn fabrics valued at USD 121 million and cotton fabrics at USD 25 million, the statement said.

The Indian textile industry is modern, vibrant and many manufacturers have set up a state-of-the-art processing houses to roll out large volume of high quality products to meet the international market demands and expectations, it said.

Egypt is a significant and important market in North Africa for Indian exports of yarn and fabrics.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi will visit Singapore and Malaysia later this week in a bid to reach out to the Indian diaspora in the two southeast Asian countries, party sources here said.

Gandhi will visit the two countries from March 8 to 10 as part of his political outreach programme, they said.

He will address the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, on March 8, and meet other representatives of the Indian community there.

He will address the Indian diaspora in Malaysia on March 10 before returning to India.

The programme is being organised by the AICC Overseas cell headed by technocrat Sam Pitroda, who helped former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi lead the IT revolution in India.

Pitroda had earlier successfully organised Rahul Gandhi's visits to the US and west Asia.

The Congress president is later also expected to travel to Dubai and Canada.

The visit to Malaysia and Singapore comes ahead of the AICC plenary session scheduled to be held in the national capital from March 16 to 18.
The Maharashtra government today told the Legislative Council that sale of gutka, banned in the state, would be made a non-bailable offence.

Punishment for the offence would be enhanced to three years in prison, the government said.

Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde alleged through a calling attention motion that though anti-gutka laws are in place, gutka -- a scented tobacco mix -- is smuggled from neighbouring states.

Smuggling happens with connivance of corrupt officials in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the NCP leader alleged, demanding an inquiry by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

In response, Minister of State for FDA Madan Yerawar said gutka is manufactured in other states where it is not banned, and the Maharashtra FDA, since 2012-13, has seized gutka worth Rs 114.2 crore.

Munde said Maharashtra has the highest number of youth falling prey to cancer due to chewing of gutka. He demanded inquiry into continuing sale of gutka despite the ban.

FDA minister Girish Bapat said that currently the sale of gutka is a bailable offence with a punishment of a maximum of six months in prison.

The government has held discussions with the Director General of Police and the Law and Judiciary Department, and will make the offence non-bailable, he said.

"The Centre has given us the permission to do so. Once the technicalities are sorted out (and the amendment made), those found guilty will have to face a rigorous imprisonment for three years," the senior minister said.

An inquiry by the vigilance squad of the FDA is underway into illegal sale of gutka, and the government will order a CID probe if the Leader of Opposition is still not satisfied with its report when it comes out, Bapat assured.
Indian Railways

Three railway stations under the South Central Railway (SCR) zone will be fully-managed by women from tomorrow, which is celebrated as 'International Women's Day'.

An SCR official said today that the move is aimed at boosting the morale of the women employees.

"The SCR has taken the initiative to make Chandragiri railway station in Guntakal division, Begumpet station in Secunderabad division and Phirangipuram station in Guntur division all-women stations with a view to empower the women work force in Railways and to boost their morale and self confidence," the official said.

SCR chief public relations officer M Umashankar Kumar said that as part of the exercise, the women staff will be deployed to handle all day-to-day activities, including train operations, ticketing, security and other duties. "Along with Chandragiri railway station, Begumpet, which is one of the busiest suburban stations in Hyderabad city and Phirangipuram station in Guntur division are also set to become all-women stations from March 8, which is the 'International Women's Day'," Kumar said.

At Chandragiri station, the women staff consists of four assistant station masters and three points-women, he said. According to Kumar, at Begumpet railway station, SCR is planning to deploy eight women commercial clerks, four enquiry-cum-reservation clerks, six constables and one sub-inspector of Railway Protection Force (RPF) to handle the day-to-day operations and to provide smooth and hassle-free service to passengers.

"At Phirangipuram railway station, there is a plan to deploy total 11 women staff members, including three assistant station masters, six points-women and two RPF constables, Kumar said.
derek o brien

There is a "strong federal force" emerging from Parliament, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said on Wednesday, after opposition parties and some constituents of the ruling coalition mounted united protest in both Houses over issues such as vandalisation of statues and banking fraud.

Proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were washed out for the third straight day today as opposition parties as well as NDA allies Shiv Sena, TDP and AIADMK stalled business.

"Our understanding is that there is a strong federal force emerging from Parliament. It's a pro-people, pro-states and anti-BJP formation which will evolve both in a structured and unstructured form," O'Brien told PTI.

According to some opposition leaders, with the "resentment against government riding high" amongst them, it would be extremely difficult for it to run the House for the full week.

"It is not only the opposition parties, even the BJP's ally TDP is protesting. TDP's members have informally told us that they would continue their protest beyond the first week of the session if their demands (for special grants from Andhra Pradesh) are not met," O'Brien said.

The TMC is going to chalk out its Parliament strategy for the next week at its core committee meet on March 9 in Kolkata.

The stand of the YSR Congress members, who have reportedly threatened to resign from their parliament membership on April 6 if the government does not fulfil the promise of granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh, has created tremendous pressure for the state's ruling TDP, a constituent of the NDA.

Though the TDP has yet not taken a call on quitting NDA, the opposition parties feel that the southern party is unlikely to break bread with the BJP any more and would soon quit the alliance.
Actor Rajinikanth (file image)

Arch-rivals AIADMK and DMK came on the same page, pooh-poohing superstar Rajinikanth's claim of a political vacuum in Tamil Nadu that he would fill.

While the AIADMK compared itself with a high-flying kite that need not fear a 'sparrow', DMK exuded confidence it would form the next government in the state as they sought to dismiss any threat to them from the actor.

By their assertions, the two parties sought to indicate Rajinikanth had no role to play in the political spectrum. The social and electronic media in the state was abuzz with analysis of the superstar's first major political speech, with several hailing it as a promising one.

Rajinikanth had yesterday said there was a "vacuum for a good leader" in the state politics currently and he would provide a good administration. The actor made the remarks in his address at a college function here after unveiling a statue of late chief minister and AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran.

It was his first political speech since December 31 last when he had announced he will enter politics and contest all 234 assembly seats whenever elections are held. Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said many who actors who wanted to make a mark in politics had remained non-starters.

"A sparrow is a sparrow. A kite is a kite. AIADMK is a high-flying kite, and there is no need for it to fear sparrows," he said responding to Rajinikanth's remarks. Opposition DMK asserted there was no political vacuum in Tamil Nadu as remarked by the actor and claimed it will form the next government in the state.

"I don't agree with his remarks that a political vacuum exists in Tamil Nadu. The people of the state will not accept it too," DMK Working President MK Stalin told reporters here. "The next government will be that of the DMK. People are ready for that," he added.

Rajinikanth had cited the demise of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa in 2016 and the ill-health of 93-year old DMK President M Karunanidhi who has become inactive politically of late to drive home his point that there was vacuum for a good leader and a leadership.

Meanwhile, the BJP too pitched itself as a viable alternative and described the actor's comments as his 'hope.' "We are delivering good governance in many states. We are confident of being the alternative force in Tamil Nadu," BJP state unit President Tamilisai Soundararajan said.

On Rajinikanth's remarks of a political vacuum existing in the state and that he can fill that space, she said "hope is life.
rajya sabha PTI1_4_2018_000050B rajya sabha

Opposition parties as well as members of TDP and AIADMK today stalled Rajya Sabha proceedings over the PNB banking fraud, special package for Andhra Pradesh and Cauvery Board issue, forcing adjournment of the morning session.

It was the third day in a row when the proceedings of the House were disrupted due to protests by these parties. Budget session of Parliament had reconvened after a month long recess on March 5.

As soon as the listed papers were laid on the table during the Zero Hour and Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu expressed concern over damage to statues in different parts of the country, MPs from the Congress, TMC, Left parties, NDA ally TDP and AIADMK among others rushed into the Well shouting slogans.

Amid sloganeering, Naidu adjourned the House till 1400 hrs saying the government has agreed and he has given permission to debate all issues, including bank fraud, Cauvery river water issue and matters concerning Andhra Pradesh.

Disapproving of members protesting in the Well and raising slogans, the chairman said such acts were "bad" and "against democracy".

While TMC members of raised slogans relating to banking fraud, the AIADMK and DMK carried placards demanding constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Board for division of Cauvery water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The TDP and a Congress member demanded implementation of a special package for Andhra Pradesh to make up for the loss after a separate Telangana state was carved out.

Naidu also expressed concern over damage to statues in Tamil Naidu, West Bengal and Tripura.

"Statues were vandalised. It's mad, whoever does it," Naidu said, as Congress and Left party members were on their feet protesting the incidents.

The House also paid tributes to former Rajya Sabha member Jinendra Kumar Jain (73), who passed away earlier this month.
K Chandrashekhar Rao In Delhi

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao plans to launch a "federal front" - a non-Congress, non-BJP alternative at the national level - on the Telangana Rashtra Samiti's foundation day on April 27.

Rao over the weekend said he was keen to pro-actively engage himself in national politics to bring a "qualitative change", and was in talks with others to form a platform of like-minded parties.

"KCR (as the chief minister is popularly known in Telangana) is trying to launch the federal front on April 27, the party's foundation day. He is trying to bring national leaders on that day," a senior TRS leader told PTI.

The launch event would "most likely" take place here, he said.

Sources in the TRS declined to comment, when asked if the party would reach out to the TDP, headed by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the SP and the BSP to get them on board.

When contacted, TRS floor leader in the Lok Sabha, A P Jithender Reddy, rejected suggestions from some quarters that Chandrasekhar Rao's move is aimed at countering the Congress-anchored efforts to forge a broad anti-BJP front.

"How can that be? Every body (all parties) can do. People are vexed up with the Congress as well as the BJP," Reddy said.

The TRS has claimed that several leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, have extended support to Rao's proposal.
Innovate UKs deputy CEO Kevin Baughan, who heads the initiative that funds and connects businesses and helps them commercialise new technologies, was in India last week. He spoke about the need to understand the research and technology landscape and further their association with India through this initiative that looks at helping businesses commercialise new, promising technology. A government funded, business focused initiative of the UK, the programme looks at research an innovation in new areas.

Edited excerpts:

The mission of Innovate UK is to accelerate UK economic growth through funding and connecting business led innovation. One of the keys things we do is look at businesses and global markets of the future. We've built a lot of collaboration within UK, led by business and research community. And they're discussing who has to come together to pioneer these new industries. That's not limited to the UK, value chains and supply chains cover the world and so we are very, very interested in building and extending that to other opportunities like here in India.

We've done six R&D programmes in India- agritech, waste, clean energy, affordable healthcare, smart technologies.

Technology is a big component of it. I always like to think that changes come from people, society as well as from technologies. In fact, societal changes are some of the most interesting for us because they really tell you where markets are going in the In industrial strategy four big areas being identified to work on are an ageing society to healthy ageing, clean technologies, future transportation and big technology changes like AI, and data.The areas that we're most interested in are where we can collaborate together to go after global markets. There are very good opportunities for the UK to invest in India and for India to invest in UK and we see that happening. Like scaling affordable healthcare, or finding better solutions to feed the world's population.The way we work bilaterally is to have a partner. That works better because then both sides- both government agencies and investors deal with their own companies but in a collaboration scheme.Brexit is a big part of the UK discussion at the moment. It is a big change for us, and one that we're working through at the moment. If we look at the ecosystem of the modern economy- whether its research, innovation or business- those are all global activities. You don't do science on your own in isolation, you work with your colleagues around the world, and you dont innovate in isolation. Bits of the value chain and the capabilities that come together are across the world and business is a very much a global activity.

The governments made it very clear that they want an ongoing strong relationship with Europe on science and technology. We've seen the EU high level group on research and innovation reach the conclusion that's actually a win-win for the UK to carry on participating in future programmes.

There is a real willingness on both sides to make collaborations to happen. At the same time it has made us more ambitious about other relationships around the world. That does mean that we are very keen to continue to build more momentum in India, China Canada and other countries around the world where we have good established relationships and we can build on those.

I think AI is going to be a dramatic change. Diagnosis in healthcare, reading medical papers and coming out with possible treatments, that kind of data and AI will have that kind of massive impact. It will take a couple of decades to penetrate. Quantum technology, synthetic biology are also there but AI and data have been highlighted by UK government to work with.If you broaden that out to the distributed ledger technology and the fact that you're finding ways for people to do contracting, without centralised bodies, that creates some exciting new possibilities and some risks that have got people have got to learn to manage.

One of the things with Innovate UK is that we invest public money. We don't invest if there is enough investment going in already. So some of the areas of blockchain and fintech. Huge investments in the UK happening in the private sector already. They don't need Innovate UK to pioneer that. The areas we explored very successfully are applying that kind of technology- blockchain and distributed ledgers to provenance and the source of goods.

It doesnt come up in my conversations but people are going to have to look at the bigger business environment as they progress and develop those. However, I would encourage this conversation to ensure business environment is robust.
Ducati and Indian have joined the bandwagon of cutting prices of their imported bike line-up after the Indian government announced a massive reduction in customs duty a few weeks ago.

While prices of US-based luxury cruiser brand Indian have been reduced by up to Rs 3 lakh, the fall in even steeper in the case of Ducati. The Italian super bike brand has cut prices by as much as Rs 8.5 lakh.

Last month, BMW Motorrad, the bike making division of the German luxury auto giant, had slashed prices by up to 10 percent with a maximum cut of Rs 1.6 lakh and a minimum cut of Rs 40,000.

The Indian government, last month, had cut customs duty on all fully-imported bikes by up to 25 percentage points and brought it down to 50 percent. A day later US President Donald Trump had severely criticised Indias high tax structure on imported bikes from the US.

While Ducati does not have any assembly plant in India unlike Harley-Davidson and Triumph, the company imports all products in fully built format to India. Yet the Volkswagen group-controlled company chose to cut prices only on four models out of the eight models it imports and sells in India.

There has been a price reduction on models like the Monster 1200, Monster 1200 S Red, Monster 1200 S Charcoal Grey and the Panigale R Final Edition which are all imported from the Ducati factory in Bologna. The pricing of rest of the models in the current Ducati line up remains unaffected," Ducati said in a statement.

Ducatis India range starts at Rs 7.23 lakh for the Scrambler Icon Ducati Red going up to Rs 51.82 lakh for the 1299 Panigale R Final Edition.

Polaris controlled Indian Motorcycle, Americas first motorcycle company, has reduced prices of its range of cruiser bikes. With this the Indian Scout Sixty model now starts at Rs 10.99 lakh while the Indian Roadmaster model now comes priced at Rs 39 lakh.

Pankaj Dubey, Managing Director & Country Head, Polaris India, said, We are glad that the government has rationalised the import duty structure to 50 per cent across the range for imported bikes. The new attractive price of our products available in India will definitely lead to more sales.
business Smart City report card: How 'smart' is Pune city? How has Pune shaped up compared to the rest of the cities slated for "smart city" status? CNBC-TV18's Ashwini Priolker and Kevin Lee travel to Pune to find out.
business Magnetic Maharashtra Convergence 2018: Global Investor Summit Magnetic Maharashtra Convergence 2018, a three day Global Investor Summit was held at Mumbai. It was a well-attended event. Global investors, industry leaders, policymakers made their presence felt. The summit was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
For an upcoming music concert to be held in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabian government has banned dancing or swaying. The instruction is apart from the usual modest dress code and separate male and female enclosures.

NY Post, via AFP, reported that the Islamic state has strictly prohibited the attendees of the concert from dancing or swaying. They have also been asked to wear modest clothes. Children below the age of 12 are also not allowed inside the venue.

Egyptian entertainer Tamer Hosny is expected to perform live on March 30.

As the news got out, people took to social media to mock the move. A user wondered if the concert was a funeral!



Live Music Concert in Saudi Arabia... But dancing is strictly prohibited! pic.twitter.com/8VtbAtNxI7  (@AHudhayfah) March 5, 2018





THIS IS NOT A JOKE

The General Entertainment Authority In #SaudiArabia is organizing a (men/women) Egyptian artist concert in which the tickets literally state that Dancing is strictly prohibited during the concert . pic.twitter.com/EbLfulBWKS

 Ellen (@ExtraEllenx) March 3, 2018

Though the restrictions have not deterred the Saudi citizens and the concert is already sold out.
US President Donald Trump today said possible progress is being made in talks with North Korea even as South Korea said the North is willing to stop testing nuclear missiles.

"The world is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the US is ready to go hard in either direction!" said the president in his first reaction to the report that North Korea has told South Korean officials that it is ready to have heart-to-heart discussions with the US and stop nuclear missile tests in lieu of that.

"Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned," Trump said in a tweet.

According to media reports, South Korean officials claimed that North Korea is prepared to give up its nuclear weapons if threats of military action stop, and if its security is guaranteed.

"We will see what happens!" Trump tweeted.

In a statement later, Vice President Mike Pence said that whichever direction talks with North Korea go, the Trump administration will be firm in its resolve.

"The United States and our allies remain committed to applying maximum pressure on the Kim regime to end their nuclear programme," he said.

"All options are on the table and our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible, verifiable, and concrete steps toward denuclearisation," Pence said.
Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier?

Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop.

Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News

Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time.

Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up!

Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page.
US home prices increased in January, rising more than 6% year-over-year for the sixth straight month.

Prices were also up 0.5% from December as competition increased in ever-tightening markets and the data from CoreLogic suggests there is little chance of much moderation over the next year.

The firms forecast through January 2019 is for a 4.8% rise year-over-year with the hottest markets continuing to outpace the average. California, Florida, Nevada and Oregon are forecast to see a 7% rise.
It's been a year since Petroleos Mexicanos, Mexico's national oil company better known as Pemex, and Australian-based BHP announced a deep-water drilling venture in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil and gas isn't flowing yet but executives from both sides pronounced it a success during a press briefing during CERAWeek by IHS Markit, the week-long energy conference in Houston.

The project to develop the Trion field in the Perdido region in the Western Gulf of Mexico was the first time Pemex awarded a foreign company the right to own and operate drilling operations in Mexico since it re-opened its energy markets to foreign investment. In 2013 Mexico amended its constitution to reverse the long-standing monopoly of Pemex after the company's production of oil had declined for more than a decade.
A Midland woman was charged with driving without a license after colliding with a Midland Fire Department engine Tuesday morning, according to a press release from the citys spokeswoman.

Engine 10 was southbound on the Loop 250 service road with its lights and sirens activated. The engine attempted to proceed through the Loop 250 and State Highway 191 intersection and was struck on the passenger side by a small Lexus SUV that was eastbound on the south service road of SH 191, according to the press release.
Christi Craddick took another step in her quest for a second term on the Railroad Commission.

The Midland native defeated challenger Weston Martinez by a 3-to-1 margin in Tuesdays primary. She will face Democrat Roman McAllen in the November general election.

Craddick also handily won Midland County with nearly 80 percent of the vote.

I appreciate the votes for hopefully a next term, certainly through the primary, Craddick said in a phone interview from Austin.

She said theres a lot going on in the states oil and gas industry that her agency oversees.

The industry is changing and were trying to keep up with those changes to be able to regulate fairly and consistently, she said.

Asked about charges the Railroad Commission is too close to the industry, she said the agency serves the industry but also regulates the industry and she feels it has done a good job of striking a balance between the two.

Theyve developed new technology, and we want our rules and regulations to adapt to that new technology, and we want boots on the ground to inspect their facilities. Those are the two top priorities, she said.

She said she is taking her Democratic opponent seriously and isnt taking re-election for granted.

We plan to continue doing what weve been doing into the fall: educate the public about the agency and about the industry. Its important they understand what you do. Were No. 9 on the ballot, and we want to make sure they work their way down the ballot, Craddick said. The Railroad Commission is the most important agency in the state, overseeing an industry thats 30 percent of the state economy.

Martinez said he was disappointed more voters didnt understand his platform, and that he plans to continue his efforts to improve transparency in the agency.

Now, Ill watch it unfold, he said in a phone interview. The future is bright for people like me who want to focus on the people, who want to drain the swamp and have more transparency.

Ill keep a close watch on all that the Railroad Commission does and continue fighting for transparency and to ensure owners of oil and gas businesses are treated fairly and uniformly, Martinez said. Ill work to change the name of the agency and to look at rules that are killing jobs in Texas. Well work hard. Being involved politically, I can have influence without being in office. Ill be staying involved, no doubt.
VIRGINIA  The partial collapse of a section of brick exterior on a building has kept a portion of Springfield Street cordoned off as city officials look for solutions.

It is hoped repairs will be coming soon for the aging building in the 100 block of Front Street that once housed a movie theater.

A large portion of the building collapsed this weekend, prompting the closure of the section of Springfield Street between Second Street and Front Street.

Mayor Reg Brunk said the closure was necessary to protect any passers-by in case the building crumbled any more.

Weve got the street blocked off because theres this big crack on the north wall, Brunk said. I was afraid someone would be driving down the street and the wall would go and someone would get hurt. The last thing wed want is for someone to get hurt.

The state of the building is no secret to Virginia residents, as its condition has been an issue for several years. However, with the collapse of one of the buildings walls, Brunk said the neighbors who live adjacent to their properties are unable to let children play in the yard because of obvious safety concerns.

Brunk said he has reached out to Jacksonville Community Development Director Kelly Hall to take a look at the building because Virginia does not have its own city inspection department. After that, the building issue is most likely to go before the City Council.

The building is owned by Gladys Rust, the mother of Alderman Steve Anderson, and was originally an old movie theater owned by the Hudbreder family, according to parcel reports.

Brunk said he had spoken with Anderson, who was in the process of getting a structural engineer to the property to determine the scope of the repairs needed.

Brunk said he believed the building was still occupied by a couple of residents, although he was unsure if they have since moved.

Its not a good situation for anyone involved, he said. The city wants it taken care of, whatever the outcome is.

Nick Draper can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1223, or on Twitter @nick_draper.
Almost 20 years ago, British doctor Andrew Wakefield caused a sensation with a now notorious article in a respectable medical journal. The article claimed a link between childhood autism and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

The article was eventually retracted, Wakefields license revoked and the content widely discredited, but the damage was done. Two decades later, many parents still believe that vaccines can put their children at risk of autism. So they avoid getting their children vaccinated, leading to a resurgence in illnesses once thought abolished, like measles.

Furthermore, some parents who have had their children vaccinated are frightened into seeking alternative treatments based on Wakefields disproven theory. Believing that autism is caused by mercury included in vaccines, they turn to chelation therapy to remove it, according to a recent story in Time magazine. But the American Academy of Pediatrics has stated there is no evidence that chelation therapy is an effective treatment for autism or its symptoms.

Chelation therapy is a treatment for heavy-metal poisoning and is approved by the American Medical Association and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for that purpose alone.

In chelation therapy, the chemical abbreviated as EDTA is injected into the bloodstream to remove heavy metals or minerals from a person suffering from heavy-metal poisoning. Chelating drugs are usually administered intravenously. Once the drug has bound itself to the metals in a persons bloodstream, the drugs and metals are removed from the body through urination.

Chelation therapy is safe when done properly and for the right reason  heavy-metal poisoning  but it also has become a popular treatment for other conditions. Unlike some alternative treatments, which are useless but harmless, inappropriate use of EDTA can be dangerous. Any health care provider using chelation therapy to treat anything other than heavy-metal poisoning is in violation of AMA rules and risks having his or her license revoked and worse.

And, in fact, some deaths have been attributed to chelation therapy, including among children being treated for autism, according to one NBC News story.

Chelation drugs have also been used to treat Alzheimers disease and heart disease. Again, no evidence has shown this to be effective.

Here is one other thing to consider if your health care provider suggests chelation therapy for an inappropriate condition. Because the treatment is not approved by the AMA, it will most likely not be covered by your insurance plan.

If a physician sends a claim to an insurance company for chelation therapy with a diagnosis of autism, not only will it not be paid but said physician will probably be reported to the AMA or other regulatory agency. Some get around this by billing the patient directly. Others, however, bill the insurance company claiming a diagnosis of heavy metal poisoning.

If caught, the physician can be charged with insurance fraud. If you willingly participate in this, you, too, may be guilty of fraud.

Gordon Hopkins is an award-winning columnist and feature writer for The Fairbury Journal-News. Prior to that, he worked for several years in the health insurance industry. His latest book is Nebraska at War: Dispatches from the Home Front and the Front Lines. You can contact him at gordon.fjn@gmail.com.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions In Sacramento View Photos

Sacramento, CA  New California immigration related laws creating a sanctuary state have drawn the ire of US Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

He has filed a federal lawsuit challenging three specific laws aimed at thwarting a federal crackdown on immigrants in the country illegally. Sessions spoke to the California Peace Officers Association in Sacramento today shortly after he filed the lawsuit. He stated, We are going to fight these irrational, unfair, un-Constitutional polices that have been imposed on you (law enforcement), and your officers, and our federal officers. We are fighting to make your job safe and help you reduce crime.

He also took a jab at Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who alerted the public last month that immigration officials were planning to make arrests in the Bay Area the following day. Sessions said, Heres my message to Mayor Schaff. How dare you. How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of our law enforcement officers to promote a radical open borders agenda.

Shortly after todays speech, Governor Jerry Brown held a joint press conference with state attorney general Xavier Becerra criticizing the federal lawsuit. He took issue with the claim that the new rules make the jobs of law enforcement officials more dangerous. Brown argued, This is a political stunt. It is not about the truth or protecting our state. It is about dividing America.

While unlikely, Brown went on to indicate that hes willing to work with Sessions to look at the issues and find possible solutions that are agreeable on both sides. He stated, Despite what hes done (lawsuit), I still put my hand out and say, Ill cooperate Jeff if you can get off this current maneuver youre on, because it is unbecoming of you and youre basing things on non-truth.

It was noted at the press conference that it is expected to be a lengthy legal battle that could eventually go to the US Supreme Court.
A state agency is investigating where an underage woman might have obtained alcohol before she allegedly killed a mother and her 9-month-old baby in a drunken driving accident last week.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, which licenses retailers and restaurants to sell alcohol, is working with local officials on the case. A Harris County prosecutor said there was evidence that the accused driver was coming from an establishment that serves alcohol, not a home.

Veronica Rivas, 20, was charged with intoxication manslaughter in the deaths of Shayla Joseph and her 9-month-old daughter in a car wreck in the Clear Lake area on Feb. 28.

The victims were in a dark compact car that was hit from behind by an SUV, allegedly driven by Rivas at a high rate of speed, on the southbound service road of Gulf Freeway at El Dorado, police said. Authorities arrived just before 4 a.m. and saw that Joseph and her baby were killed in the wreck.

Rivas was released two days later on $60,000 bond. The conditions of her release included a ban on driving and home confinement unless she has to go to court. She will also have to wear a GPS monitor to ensure she does not leave her home without permission.

The commission is investigating where Rivas got the alcohol she allegedly drank that night, spokesman Chris Porter said. At this point, no locations have been identified, he said.

Early tests showed that Rivas had a blood alcohol level of .21, almost three times the legal limit of .08 for an adult, according to a county prosecutor. There is no legal limit for a person under the age of 21.

If an establishment is found to have sold Rivas alcohol, it could be made to pay a civil fine or it could have its license to sell alcohol temporarily suspended, Porter said. An establishment that has faced similar problems multiple times before could have its license canceled outright.

The employee who sold alcohol to Rivas could also be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, Porter said.
Texas Tribune Reports 

Beto O'Rourke to challenge Sen. Ted Cruz in November after primary win

It's official: Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke will face off in the general election for U.S. Senate in Texas.

Cruz, the Republican incumbent, and O'Rourke, a Democratic congressman from El Paso, were on track to easily capture their parties' nominations Tuesday night, according to early returns.

Cruz, who is seeking a second term, was besting four little-known challengers with 85 percent of the vote, while O'Rourke was at 61 percent in a three-way nominating contest. O'Rourke's share of the vote was surprisingly low, and in some border counties, he was losing to primary rival Sema Hernandez or only narrowly leading her.

The results cement a general election battle that has raised the hopes of Democrats, who have a well-funded, hard-working candidate in O'Rourke. Still, O'Rourke has an uphill battle in a state where Democrats have not won statewide office in over two decades.

Until recently, Cruz had not done much to engage O'Rourke, ignoring him on the campaign trail. That changed in the final hours before polls closed Tuesday evening, when Cruz issued his most scathing critique of O'Rourke yet, telling Texas reporters that his challenger was a "left-wing liberal Democrat" in the mold of Bernie Sanders.

George P. Bush wins Republican primary race for Texas land commissioner

Land Commissioner George P. Bush won the GOP primary and avoided a runoff against his predecessor.

With most of the votes tallied statewide, Bush won nearly 58 percent of the vote. Former Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson was in second place with 30 percent of the vote in the four-person race that included land surveyor Davey Edwards and retired firefighter and teacher Rick Range.

Bush thanked his supporters on Twitter: "Texas voters  THANK YOU! Your steadfast support through this primary is what has made tonight's victory possible!"

Bush, a first-term incumbent, raised more than $1.5 million in the year before the election, while Patterson raised $107,588, including a $20,000 loan to himself.

The grandson of former President George H. W. Bush and son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush maintained a relatively low profile during the campaign, emphasizing his conservative values while his opponents criticized him for being a moderate.

His opponents focused mainly on one issue: Bushs management of the Alamo. Patterson, Edwards and Range have claimed Bushs $450 million Alamo Master Plan, which includes renovating the site, would distract visitors from remembering the 1836 battle for Texas independence.

Valdez, White headed to runoff in Democratic gubernatorial primary

Lupe Valdez and Andrew White will advance to a runoff in the Democratic primary for governor.

Valdez, the former Dallas County sheriff, led White, the son of late Gov. Mark White, by 13 percentage points  42 percent to 29 percent, with 40 percent of precincts reporting. They were far ahead of the seven other Democrats vying to challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who easily bested two little-known challengers with 90 percent of the vote.

"I am really humbled that so many Texans who are ready for a change are giving me the opportunity to lead that change," Valdez said at her election night rally in Dallas. "Competition makes us stronger and I am grateful to all the other candidates for helping us all get stronger."

White rallied his supporters in his hometown of Houston, predicting a "blue wave" in November while pressing his long-held argument that he is the best candidate to take on Abbott.

"We beat the expectations tonight, and were going to do it again in May, and were going to do it again in November," White said. "This is going to be a David-vs-Goliath fight  and remember, David won that fight. And were going to win this one too."

The runoff is set for May 22. Whoever becomes the Democratic nominee will face a daunting challenge in trying to topple Abbott, who is seeking a second term. He remains the most popular statewide elected official and has a whopping $41 million in his campaign coffers.

Sid Miller prevails in three-way GOP race for Texas agriculture commissioner

Sid Millers first term as agriculture commissioner has been marked by numerous high-profile controversies that cost him the support of some key conservative groups. But the Republican from Stephenville  a former state representative known for his social media bluster and omnipresent cowboy hat  prevailed in a big way in Tuesdays primary election.

As returns rolled in throughout the night, Miller maintained about 56 percent of the vote in a three-way race to lead a department whose wide-ranging responsibilities include inspecting lottery balls and running the federal school lunch program.

The remaining 44 percent was split fairly evenly between Miller's two challengers, Trey Blocker and Jim Hogan  a striking result since Blocker was considered a more serious candidate.

"Thank God," Miller said when asked how he felt about avoiding a runoff.

In Texas House primaries, two of the three incumbents challenged by Gov. Greg Abbott lead early

After Gov. Greg Abbott spent more than a quarter of a million dollars in a campaign to unseat three Republican incumbents in the Texas House, two of those incumbents were nonetheless ahead of their primary challengers.

And state Rep. Sarah Davis, Abbotts most explicit target, led challenger Susanna Dokupil by more than 10 percentage points with almost all precincts reporting Tuesday.

In a victory celebration on her Facebook page, she thanked voters for re-electing her, telling them this primary race had significance far beyond her Harris County district.

It was about whether the Republican party would be big enough to support diverse voices, and the right of a representative to vote her conscience and her district, she said before, framed by celebratory balloons.

Texas poised to send its first two Latinas to Congress

The state of Texas is all but certain to break a major glass ceiling and send at least one, and likely two, Hispanic women to Congress next year.

In El Paso, former El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar declared victory in her race to replace Democratic U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, who is running for the U.S. Senate.

Across the state, state Sen. Sylvia Garcia won her bid for the Democratic nomination for the seat to replace U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston.

Each woman won the Democratic primary in districts that are heavily in favor of their party in the fall.






Days after the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit to reunite an asylum-seeker who was separated from her 7-year-old daughter, President Donald Trump's administration abruptly released the mother.

The woman has been held in a San Diego immigrant detention center since November when she asked federal officials at the border for asylum. She is still waiting to be reunified with her daughter, who was placed in a foster care shelter in Chicago.

"We are thrilled," Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, said in a statement. "But there remain many other families who have been separated, and we will continue to attack this horrific family separation practice."

The case was the latest instance of migrant families being detained and separated at the border.

SEE MORE: Trump moves to end 'catch and release', prosecuting parents and removing children who cross border

The Trump administration threatened to do so early last year, but backed off amid outrage.

As the number of families arriving at the border kept rising, however, the administration last summer began criminally prosecuting parents and placing their children in federal foster care.

The practice enables the government to sidestep a 20-year-old federal settlement that holds children should not be incarcerated and must be kept with their parents if possible. Trump has urged the tightening of such "loopholes" and vowed to end a practice of so-called "catch and release" in which families are freed to wait out their immigration cases in civil courts.

It's not clear how many migrant parents have been charged and separated from their children, as the government has not released statistics on the matter and the process plays out among three large and opaque federal agencies.

The Houston Chronicle in November identified 22 such cases, and migrant advocacy groups report hundreds more.

Among them is the case of Blanca Vasquez and four other Central American parents who were detained in El Paso last fall. Their children were placed in foster care and the parents prosecuted for illegally crossing the border.

READ: Her husband murdered, her son taken away, a mother seeking asylum tells a judge, 'I have lost everything'

The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Texas argued their cases are a violation of their rights to due process. The lawyers contend that parents plead guilty to the criminal charge of illegal entry only so that they can more quickly reunite with their children.

A magistrate judge in El Paso dismissed the complaint, and it is now on appeal.

In a stunning turn-around, Vasquez now will be released this week and allowed to join her children in New Orleans. The mother was on the verge of deportation when an immigration nonprofit in Pennsylvania read about her case in the Houston Chronicle and intervened. They asked asylum officers to re-interview Vazquez -- this time, with their representation.

In an unusual outcome, officials overruled their previous denial, even though transcripts show the mother's story remained the same. An immigration judge in El Paso, one of the hardest places in the country to receive asylum, according to denial rates, agreed that she had a potentially valid claim and ordered her released on a $7,500 bond.

RELATED: Salvadoran mother detained and separated from her child at border to be freed

Transcripts show the mother did nearly everything those seeking asylum are supposed to do.

She told Border Patrol agents she was afraid of returning to El Salvador, where gang members killed her husband, a sergeant in the military, and targeted her sons. She asked for an attorney.

But federal officials prosecuted her instead and took away her 13-year-old son.

Last month, 75 congressional Democrats sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, saying they were disturbed by the increase in family separations and asked officials to clarify their policies.

Such a practice is "so fundamentally unconscionable it defies countless international and domestic laws on child welfare, human rights and refugees," according to a complaint advocacy groups, including the Women's Refugee Commission, filed with the Department of Homeland Security in December.

The department hasn't responded to questions about its policy on family separations.

Tom Homan, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told the Associated Press in January that there "have been some separations done," particularly in cases where parents are thought to have used smugglers to bring their children across the border.

He said he believed many families that seek asylum don't have strong claims to the protection.

"I'd be a fool to say that none of them have a case of credible fear. They're really escaping danger," Homan said. "But I can tell you ... many of them are taking advantage of a low threshold."
Federal prosecutors have opposed a court motion by a Lubbock businessman to be tried separately from recently convicted state Sen. Carlo Uresti in their upcoming bribery and money laundering trial.

Vernon C. Farthing III wants separate trials, in part, because of concern that Urestis conviction two weeks ago will spill over into into their May court proceeding and deprive Farthing of his right to a fair trial.

Farthings primary complaint seems to be that one of the people he chose to enter into a criminal conspiracy with is a criminal, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Blackwell said in a Tuesday court filing opposing Farthings motion to sever.

In his Feb. 23 motion, Farthing cited Urestis conviction by a federal jury on 11 felony counts, including wire fraud, money laundering and securities fraud, in connection with the lawmakers involvement in a now-defunct oilfield company that defrauded investors. The San Antonio Democrat has vowed to appeal the verdict.

Blackwell declined to comment. Cynthia Orr, a lawyer for Farthing, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The case against Uresti and Farthing stems from a contract to provide medical services to a correctional facility in West Texas. Each has been indicted on a single count of conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The indictment says Farthing paid Uresti $10,000 a month as a marketing consultant and then gave half of the money to Jimmy Galindo, county judge from January 1995 to June 2006, in return for a favorable vote for Farthings company contract.

Galindo pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to commit bribery and failure to file a 2013 tax return. He admitted to splitting about $850,000 in bribes with Uresti and struck a deal with prosecutors that includes assisting in the case.

The trial is set for May 7 in San Antonio federal court.

For the complete story, see Thursdays Business section or click here to visit ExpressNews.com.
San Antonio International Airport saw a spike in international travelers in January as passenger traffic set a record, airport officials said Wednesday.

More than 702,000 passengers landed at or flew out of the San Antonio airport in January, according to the airports monthly statistics report released Wednesday. Thats a nearly 8 percent increase from the 652,000 travelers the airport saw in January 2017  its 19th consecutive month of record growth, according to new data from the airport.

Increases in domestic airline capacity along with new routes from low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines contributed to a 7 percent uptick in domestic travel to and from San Antonio International, aviation officials said in the report. More than 671,000 domestic passengers traveled through the airport in January, compared with about 626,000 the year before.

International traffic to the San Antonio airport grew by almost 23 percent to more than 31,000 passengers in January from about 26,000 during the same month last year. Aviation officials attributed the jump primarily to Mexican airline Volaris nonstop route from Mexico City to San Antonio, launched in September, and Air Canadas route to Toronto that began in May.

But the ongoing decline in the Mexican peso and current macro-level economic and political uncertainties continue to suppress demand from Mexico to the San Antonio airport, the airports air service administrator, Brian Pratte, wrote to Aviation Director Russ Handy in the airports monthly report on passenger traffic.

Tourism officials have warned that President Donald Trumps stance on immigration  particularly his support for building a U.S.-Mexico border wall, banning travel from Muslim-majority countries and deporting millions of people believed to be in the country illegally  would discourage travel from foreign countries.

The U.S. saw fewer international tourists last year. The U.S. Department of Commerce in February reported a 3.6 percent decrease in foreign travel to the U.S. during the first eight months of 2017.

International travel to the San Antonio airport plunged by nearly 8 percent to about 386,000 international passengers in 2017 from more than 400,000 in 2016. Handy previously told the Express-News that the political climate and Mexican pesos devaluation were contributing factors in the downturn.

But Handy said the decrease could also be due to Southwest Airlines ending its San Antonio-Mexico City route in March 2016, and Mexican airliners Aeromexico and Interjet cutting the frequency of their daily flights to Monterrey and Toluca.

However, the San Antonio airport began seeing positive trends in international travel toward the end of the year that officials expect to continue as the peso regains value.
Federal prosecutors have asked a federal judge to prohibit recently convicted state Sen. Carlos Uresti from squandering his assets.

The U.S. Attorneys Office here filed the motion under seal this week  days after his wife filed for divorce Friday. They are seeking a restraining order to prevent the dissipation of assets. Blacks Law Dictionary says the term is used in referring to a person with debt who will squander his money and not pay his creditors.

RELATED: Elderly mom in home is main concern as standoff extends 18 hours

The court docket shows Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra signed an order related to the request on Tuesday, but it also was filed under seal.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Callahan on Wednesday asked the judge to unseal her earlier motion and his order because she said the parties have been notified of the governments request. She declined to comment on her motion, so its not immediately clear if a restraining order would apply to anyone besides Uresti.

RELATED: SAPD: 23 arrested in February prostitution busts

The filing comes two weeks after a jury found Uresti guilty of 11 felony charges over his involvement in FourWinds Logistics, a now-defunct San Antonio company that defrauded investors. The company bought and sold sand used for fracking in oil production.

Turn to Thursdays Business section or click here to read the full article on ExpressNews.com.

pdanner@express-news.net
From the outset, Gary Cohn was an unconventional choice to be President Donald Trumps top economic adviser.

A former Goldman Sachs president and proponent of free trade, Cohn had a pedigree and economic views that clashed with Trumps populist rhetoric and protectionist policies. His methodical approach also contrasted with the presidents freewheeling style.

But Cohn, who said on Tuesday that he would resign as director of the National Economic Council, brought to the Trump administration something that the president himself lacked: the widespread respect of top corporate executives.

Now, those business leaders are lamenting the loss of one of their own from what is among the countrys most important economic positions.

Gary brought a strong growth orientation for the economy and a very balanced perspective, particularly on critical topics like trade, said Rich Lesser, chief executive of the Boston Consulting Group, who served on one of Trumps business advisory panels last year and attended policy meetings with Cohn. Hell be missed.

Cohn was instrumental in putting together the sweeping tax law that was enacted last year, legislation that delivered a windfall to corporations and was the main policy achievement of Trumps first year in office.

He is leaving the White House just as the president is proposing to impose stiff tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, which Cohn and many of his business allies strongly oppose.

Its a pity were losing Gary this moment, said Andrew Liveris, the executive chairman of DowDuPont who was also on a White House advisory panel. His would have been a critical voice on this issue.

Markets have been sensitive to Cohns White House arc. In August, amid rumors that he might resign in the wake of Trumps equivocal response to white nationalist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, stock prices fell before an administration spokesman said that Cohn planned to stay.

On Tuesday, news of his resignation helped send stock futures down. In early trading on Wednesday, the Standard & Poors 500 index slid about 0.5 percent.

He was extremely reassuring to everyone on Wall Street, and also in the business community, said Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld, a professor at theYale School of Management. They are losing an oasis of clear thought.

A former silver trader who sweet-talked his way into his first job at the New York Commodity Exchange and was later the second-highest-ranking executive at Goldman Sachs, Cohn understood the nuances of free markets and complex organizations but was not locked into a specific worldview.

As a trader, Cohn was aggressive in predicting commodity price swings and betting money on his views. As a manager at Goldman, he was tough-minded and could be critical and impatient. His frustration over not being named chief executive was well-telegraphed, not least by his surprise decision to take a job in the Trump administration.

Given his background, he was regarded as the voice of Wall Street in the administration, a mantle that invited admiration and antipathy.

He is a globalist and he understands economics and trade, said Bill George, a Goldman board member. I think he was very stabilizing influence within the Trump administration.

Kathryn Wylde, the chief executive of the Partnership for New York City, a business group, said that she viewed Cohn as a real resource in Washington.

He was somebody that the New York business community and financial industry in particular relied on as someone in the White House who understood business and the financial industry and would push for doing what was right, not what was politically correct, she said.

On Tuesday evening, Lloyd C. Blankfein, Goldmans chief executive, praised Cohn in a message on Twitter, writing, Gary Cohn deserves credit for serving his country in a first class way.

Cohns role in the administration was not universally celebrated. Some lawmakers, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., were sharply critical of his appointment, saying it was troubling to see such a critical job go to someone whose firm was deeply connected to the 2008 financial crisis and ensuing recession.

Some of Trumps core supporters were also skeptical of Cohn because of his background. They viewed him as a foe of the populist agenda that helped propel Trump to the presidency. Some White House aides disparagingly called him Globalist Gary. On Tuesday, Breitbart News published an article with the headline 6 Times Globalist Gary Cohn Tried to Derail Trumps America First Agenda.

Cohns critics said that the timing of his departure made it appear as if he considered the tariff proposals unacceptable, even as he stood by the president after the Charlottesville episode.

Every White House staffer has their breaking point, said Ron Klain, a chief of staff to Vice Presidents Joe Biden and Al Gore. If his breaking point was aluminum tariffs, and not the presidents remarks after Charlottesville, he had the wrong breaking point.

George, the Goldman Sachs director, said he did not think Cohn had to answer for all of the presidents remarks.

I dont think hes tainted at all, George said. Hell probably take a few months to relax and reflect, and I expect hell come back to New York and do something significant in the financial world.

On Tuesday night, Trump said he would decide soon on a successor to Cohn. Many people wanting the job, Trump wrote on Twitter. Will choose wisely!
The family of a woman who was killed while house sitting in October in Contra Costa County is offering a $10,000 reward for information about the murder.

Emily Courchesne, 37, of Danville, was reportedly shot and killed while she was looking after property on a farm in unincorporated Contra Costa County near Byron.
Meat products often sold at Whole Foods stores are being recalled in both Canada and the United States.

Over 3,900 pounds of ready-to-eat salami, pepperoni, chorizo and sopressata made by Olli Salumeria Americana in Oceanside, Calif. were pulled from circulation after a routine inspection found them to be tainted with Listeria, the United States Department of Agriculture said in a press release.
Summer may be coming to a close, but some people just can't stop flaunting their posh, extravagant lives.

The Rich Kids of Dubai spent some time causally taking photos in lavish pools, expensive cars, yachts and boats. There are lots and lots of bikinis.

EXTREME NUPTIALS: Russian oligarch, model fiancee tie the knot in multimillion-dollar wedding

An article on CNN called Dubai and the United Arab Emirates one of the most 'socially-engaged countries in the world," so it's no surprise that these young people are sharing their ridiculously luxurious lives on social media.

In fact, one of the country's biggest Instagram stars is a 15-year-old kid named Rashed Belhasa, who has a custom Ferrari he can't even drive yet.

He is the son of billionaire businessman Saif Ahmed Belhasa, and is chaperoned by rapper Fat Joe when he visits New York. He has even posted photos with celebrities like Rihanna.

Belhasa was able to launch a sneaker and urbanwear via his Instagram and YouTube, and now has a collection of rare, exclusive shoes most people won't even get to see in their lifetime.

While we may not be able to afford even thinking about the kind of over-the-top lives these young people have, there is no harm in living vicariously through their Instagram posts.

Take a look through the gallery above to see the luxurious and seemingly-perpetual vacation lives of the Rich Kids of Dubai.
On this date in ...

1918: The work of Dr. John F. Miller, chief inspector for the Board of Health in Albany, made Albanians feel safe about the quality and safety of the milk they consumed, despite the increasing price nationwide. He held the position since it was created in 1913. In 1917, 50 peddlers took out permits to sell milk, as did 325 dealers and shopkeepers.

1968: The Troy City Council paved the way for the granting of a permit for closed antenna television rights to Northeastern Telecable Inc., a corporation whose principal stockholders included several political figures. But because a unanimous vote was needed on the first reading, a 6-1 vote in favor of the grant of permit was not sufficient for passage. The fate of closed antenna cable television in Troy and across the nation was unclear at this time because the Federal Communications Commission had carried a case involving the legality of CCCA to the U.S. Supreme Court.

1993: The end of the Cold War reached rural Rensselaer County not with a bang, but a moo. A dozen businessmen from the Rostov region in Russia visited the AuClair-Brock dairy farm in Pittstown to uncover the secrets of American bovine agribusiness. Students from nearby Tamarac High School helped out as translators, but there was more than a language that separated the local farmers from the Russian businessmen. The Russians asked questions about production in terms of liters of milk, kilograms of cattle and hectares of land and the farmers answered in gallons, pounds and acres. At times, the math proved more difficult than the translation.

Want to read more about the Capital Region's past? Have any memories or thoughts about how our history relates to today's events? See http://blog.timesunion.com/history/
BRIDGEPORT  Mayor Joe Ganim has plenty of challenges ahead as he seeks to become Connecticuts next governor.

But a severely divided Democratic Town Committee back home will not be one of them.

Tuesdays committee primaries had far more statewide significance than usual given Ganims political ambitions and the hefty number of delegates  90  that Bridgeport will send to Mays gubernatorial nominating convention. And neighborhood slates of candidates favored by Ganim and his close friend and ally, veteran Democratic Town Chairman Mario Testa, seemed to have prevailed based on unofficial vote counts.

There was a strong, overwhelming city endorsement of this town committee, the people here, the work being done by this party in general, and Chairman Mario Testa, Ganim said in a victory speech to about 40 people gathered in the ballroom of Testas Italian restaurant.

Referencing his run for governor and the possibility that he will have to mount a primary against his partys convention nominee, Ganim added: I need some clarification for the rest of Connecticut. Does Bridgeport know how to win a primary?

The group cheered.

Ganim was first elected mayor in 1991 and had, with Testas support, wanted to eventually move on to the governors mansion in Hartford. But then the young political star was convicted of corruption in 2003 and spent seven years in federal prison.

Ganim, with Testas backing, waged an historic comeback in 2015, ousting incumbent Mayor Bill Finch in that summers primary and easily winning the general election. Not long after the returned mayor, once again, set his sights on being Connecticuts chief executive.

But it is a tough fight. The state Supreme Court last year ruled that Ganims criminal history prevents him from participating in Connecticuts public campaign financing program, which means he will have to spend more time fundraising. And that criminal record is also considered by some a liability as Ganim courts voters around the state, even if Bridgeport voters granted him his second chance.

But his gubernatorial campaign could have been done in Tuesday had more so-called reform candidates won seats on Bridgeports town committee. That would have threatened Testas chances for re-election and also Ganims local delegate count. The town chairman and committee members choose the delegates to send to the statewide nominating convention. Bridgeport has the second highest number behind New Haven, making the city, Ganim and Testa influential power brokers.

Thankfully he (Ganim) won so he wont come up short on delegates, said Johanna Dorgan, a town committee member, of Tuesdays results.

Or lose Testa. As Hearst Connecticut Newspapers previously reported Sunday, the long-time town chairman  Testa was running the party back when Ganim was first mayor  is considered an invaluable partner to Ganim because of his political experience and contacts. The two are very close. Testa admitted to Hearst last week that Ganim is almost like the son he never had.

Ganim told his supporters Tuesday night that opponents within the Democratic Party had been overheard saying the best way to take out Joe Ganim was take out Mario Testa.

Last week Testa declined to commit to seeking another term ahead of Tuesdays primaires, simply saying he would retire a winner, not go out as a loser. Asked about his plans Tuesday, Testa smiled: I told you I dont go out as a loser. Remember that.

Still, even supposed allies have doubts Testa can get Ganim elected governor. Bonnie Roach, wife of Ganim aide and his former mayoral campaign manager, Danny Roach, during a verbal altercation Tuesday suggested it would not happen.

Roach was caught on video by Councilman Peter Spain and his wife, who were on opposite sides of the town committee primary in the waterfront Black Rock neighborhood. In the video the Spains posted on Facebook, Bonnie Roach told them: Listen, Joes not gonna be governor. ... Noones looking at this and saying, Joe is gonna be governor. But strategically, if he becomes important (to the governors race) theres always a deal that they can make. And whose it gonna be for? Bridgeport.
1 Teachers strike: West Virginias striking teachers cheered, sang and wept joyfully Tuesday as lawmakers acted to end a nine-day classroom walkout, ceding them 5 percent pay hikes that are also being extended to all state workers. A huge crowd of teachers packing the Capitol jumped up and down, chanted We love our kids! The settlement came on the ninth day of a crippling strike that had idled hundreds of thousands of students, forced parents to scramble for child care and cast a spotlight on government dysfunction in one of the poorest states in the nation.

2 Porn star suit: A porn star who has said she had sex with President Trump filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement that she signed days before the 2016 presidential election, which prevented her from discussing the alleged sexual encounters. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges that the agreement is null and void and of no consequence because Trump didnt personally sign it. Adult film actress Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, said she wanted to go public with the details of her alleged sexual relationship with Trump in the weeks leading up to the election, according to the lawsuit. Clifford said the relationship included encounters at Lake Tahoe and Beverly Hills.
Delia Sellers said she was so nervous she couldn't even join her fellow Republican candidates hanging out looking for election returns at the Generations Coffee House in Liberty on Tuesday night.

Instead, she watched returns from another restaurant on the courthouse square. She didn't have anything to worry about. The former Liberty County Clerk unofficially won the District Clerk's office race by 330-plus votes, ousting current officeholder Donna Brown from the office she has held for the last eight years.

Sellers, who won the early vote by a count of 2,387 to Donna Brown's 2,119, held on to that lead and extended it with election day votes to win the race, 3,983-3,644.

Brown said she wasn't bitter with the loss.

"I appreciate the support. It's been a God thing. I've done what I feel like I needed to do. I am okay. It's good," she said late Tuesday night.

At around 9 p.m., with 15 of the 30 precinct boxes in, she was asked if she thought she could make up the difference between herself and Sellers. She said she didn't expect for things to change significantly.

"As early voting goes is pretty much how the election goes," she said.

While the two candidates split the boxes on election day, the Brown wins were smaller than those of Sellers, providing the final tally.

"I said from the beginning this is all God. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I heard from God and did what I had to do," said an unapologetic Brown regarding her social media posts criticizing the district judges.

She hasn't made plans for the future but said she is certain of one thing - it's in God's hands.

Sellers was optimistic about her win.

"I'm thankful for what happened tonight, and I want to thank the voters of Liberty County who trusted me as their Liberty County Clerk and now trust me to be their District Clerk," she said.

She eventually made it over to the Generations party where she was greeted by well-wishers.

Sellers said it didn't take much encouragement for her to run when she began hearing of the things that needed to be done in the District Clerk's office.

"I knew I was that person to take care of it," she said.

Sellers, who said the courthouse is like her second home, said she didn't have any plans to 'clean house' but would focus on fixing what is broken.

"It's stressful to run an election, but you meet so many good people out there," she said.

"I didn't win this by myself," she said, grateful to her team who helped get her elected. "My heart if full. I am blessed to live in Liberty County."

Sellers began to get tearful as she talked about her constituents.

"Their vote of confidence means so much to me," she said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

She pledged to do the job.

"I will never win a speech award, but as far as work is concerned, I'll get it done," she smiled.

The county judge's race was probably one of the most unique with three county judges vying for the same spot - one current judge and two former.

The race was expected to draw record numbers, but not in the direction some thought it might go.

Sitting Judge Jay Knight claimed an outright victory, disposing of his competitors Craig McNair and Phil Fitzgerald.

Knight believed his formal education, experience and record for getting things done the previous four years spelled out the difference between him and his opponents.

"I had two formidable opponents, both diverse in their experience, and I think the voters have been paying attention to what their commissioners court has been doing to bring in industry and growth that will help provide the services they seek at a pace that is good for our future," he said.

Knight drew a huge lead of 1,519 votes in the early voting and never relinquished the lead. The deficit was enough to stave off a runoff when he garnered 54 percent of the vote.

Of the 30 election day boxes, Knight won 20 of those while McNair and Fitzgerald split the remaining 10 boxes.

McNair's support came from the Cleveland area with narrow wins and a tie with Knight in Plum Grove.

Fitzgerald, who finished third, found followers in the smaller towns of Rye, Moss Hill, Romayor, Hull and Ames. None of them were enough to close the gap.

"I'm going back to work for the people," Knight said. "From the bottom of my heart I want to thank you for your trust in me and the job that I'm doing and the job the court is doing to make Liberty County great."

Fitzgerald, who was not at the Republican Party gathering following the election at Generations, called Knight to concede.

"He was very gracious, and I thanked him for being a gentleman through the campaign process. He didn't sling mud not one time," Knight said.

McNair walked over to the table where Knight was sitting and shook hands with Knight and congratulated him.

Earlier in the evening, McNair was disappointed in the early voting returns, but instead was upbeat on the experiences he has had in the process.

"I was in Plum Grove today and an 18-year-old wanted to know how to vote. Her mom had dropped her off and it was her first experience," McNair said.

At another location, McNair also met an immigrant couple who had recently become citizens months back and was also looking for the right poll. He checked it out and they were supposed to be in Plum Grove so he sent them there.

"I gave them my card and they said they would vote for me," he said.

He was happy to have helped three new voters in the American election process vote in the Republican Primary.

Knight thanked his supporters and even those who didn't vote for him, saying he hoped to earn their trust and promised to work for them as well.

Doyelle Turner lost her first election bid to attorney Lee Haidusek Chambers in the County Clerk race.

Chambers garnered 4,048 votes to Turner's 3,090. Chambers began election day with a 600-plus vote lead that was insurmountable for Turner.

"This is my home county. I was born and raised here, my parents and grandparents were too," Chambers said, beaming after the results were posted.

Both Chambers and her husband, Judge Tommy Chambers, are fifth generation residents of the county and are vested in making the county the best.

"It's why we serve - to give back," she said.

Turner was gracious in defeat.

"First of all, I want to thank God for all the blessings I have received. I have said from the beginning that He has a plan for me, and I still believe that. I appreciate all the support I received during this election," she said.

Turner said she was blessed to be a part of the process in her first foray into politics.

"I would like to say congratulations to my opponent and wish her the very best!" she said to Chambers.

Chambers said she wasn't looking for a job, but the timing was great.

"Having a legal background and being computer savvy, that's what we need in that office," she said.

She will have a Democratic opponent in November, but Chambers said that even though he's a political novice, she's not taking him for granted.

In other elections, Ernest Bailes won the Republican seat as State Representative in the 18th District with wins over Emily Kebodeaux Cook in San Jacinto County, 3,160 to 1,136; Walker County, 3,930 to 2,651; and in Liberty County, 4,010 to 3,821.

Judge Chap Cain trounced his Republican opponent Mark Beausoleil in Chambers County with a 3,589 to 1,377 win and another runaway win in Liberty County, 4,677 to 3,106.

In the only contested Liberty County commissioner's race, Greg Arthur dispatched challenger Kenny Brand, 1,697 to 825.

In the two Justice of the Peace elections, Pct. 4 JP Larry Wilburn outlasted opponent David Ripkowski, 1,364 to 1,054.

Pct. 5 Justice of the Peace Wade Brown defeated opponent Tim Magee, 791 to 486.

No runoff elections follow in this primary. Only five Democrats will meet Republican opponents in the November election and all of them were for five different races, so they were each elected to run in the fall.

NOTE: Vanesa Brashier contributed to this story.
The San Jacinto County primary elections ended with a few cheers for candidates and some tense reactions from the crowd of voters and candidates.

One of the biggest races on March 6 was the Republican primary election for county judge. The race was between former county judge Fritz Faulkner, Steve Roberts and Robert Reynolds.

Faulkner won the race with 2,397 votes, roughly 53.04 percent. Roberts came in at second with 1,024 votes and Reynolds had 843 votes. The crowd cheered upon hearing Faulkner's name announced as the winner.

The victory marks Faulkner's return to being San Jacinto County Judge after having lost the last election to current judge John Lovett, who did not seek reelection to that seat.

"It's been a long, hard race and I'm glad it's over," he said. "I look forward to serving the community again."

Roberts congratulated Faulkner for his victory and says he intends to keep a promise.

"As per my pre-election promise, I will work hard to ensure that Fritz's general election for our party is a success," he said.

The Eastex Advocate contacted Reynolds for comment, but those efforts were unsuccessful.

Faulkner is expected to run against Democrat Party candidate Earl Brown in November.

Another close race was held for the Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 candidates. Six candidates entered the race.

Early voting and absentee voting results favored Tracy Shipley with 154 votes. Second came Christina McGee with 134 votes followed by John Lovett with 131 votes and Jodie Jones with 130. Dianne Griffith had 97 votes and Cliff Love had 31 votes.

However, the election day results changed the race with McGee coming out on top with 257 votes and Lovett following with 226 votes, pointing to a runoff election between the two candidates. Shipley was in third with 213 votes.

McGee expressed her excitement over the future of the election, though she notes that she still has one more obstacle before her.

"It's a runoff so there's still work to do," she said. "I feel confident with the results."

According to McGee, this election saw the highest turnout of voters for San Jacinto County in a non-presidential election season.

Lovett admits he expected the primary election to end in a runoff and says his focus was upon securing his spot should that be the case.

"That was the goal," he said.

Lovett says he hopes to bring fair justice to everyone should he become the next JP for Pct. 1.

Shipley admits she isn't surprised she did not win the primary election due to being a more recent resident of the county.

"I just didn't know enough people," she said.

Despite not making it into the runoff election, Shipley is surprised she did as well as she did with her margin of votes making her one of the top contenders among six candidates.

The Justice of the Peace Pct. 4 election was held between Wade Runnels and incumbent Greg Magee. Magee won with a total of 895 votes over 623 from Runnels.

Dee Dee Adams won the county treasurer election against opponent Janice Chamblee. Adams had 2,305 votes while Chamblee came out with 1,712 votes.

Adams says she felt a lot of adrenaline on election night and was not expecting the results to tip in her favor.

"I always felt like I was losing," she said. "I guess it hasn't sunk in yet."

Adams says she is excited that her hard work paid off and her plan is to just keep moving forward.

Mark Nettuno won reelection for Pct. 4 Commissioner against Will Copeland and Lee Ashby, Jr. Nettuno received 1,004 votes over 423 for Copeland and 75 for Ashby, Jr.

The District Clerk race ended with Tammy Currie winning 2,690 votes. Bill Cooke received 1,194 votes.

Dawn Wright won reelection for the County Clerk position. She received 3,108 votes against Silvia Haro, who received 783 votes.

Haro commends Wright on winning her reelection.

"The people voted and I congratulate her," said Haro.

Haro says she chose to run against Wright due to concerns she says she has with the San Jacinto County Clerk's office and wished to resolve those concerns.

"I felt that I was the right person," she said.

With the race now over, Haro extended her thanks to those who supported her in the primary election.

"They went through a lot of hard work for me," she said.

Wright says she not only won the election but also received more votes than any local candidate in contested races.

"I feel blessed and honored and excited to serve the public for another four years," Wright said. "Thank you for voting for me and putting your trust into allowing me to serve."

The County Tax Assessor-Collector race ended with Betty Davis winning with 2,756 votes. Her opponent, Ray McCoppin, received 1,277 votes.

Ernest Bailes ran for reelection for the Texas House District 18 election against Emily Cook. Bailes received 3,160 votes in San Jacinto County while Cook received 1,136 votes. Bailes also claimed victories in Liberty and Walker counties, the other parts of his three-county district.

Bailes won with a total of 11,105 votes. Cook received 7,608 votes.
Children are naturally inquisitive learners. Now they have a place to go when they want to learn just a little bit more.

Parents go above and beyond for their children's safety, growth, education. Manuela Cabral Fly said she likes exposing her son Brock Michael Fly, 7, to extra-curricular activities because he can get an idea on what his professional calling would be and because the activities motivate him to do well in school.

"I believe it can be well rounded and to let the children explore all the different activities that are available to them is key to them finding out what they really love to do, whether it is as a hobby or as a task," Cabral Fly said.

Idea Lab Kids offers summer, spring break, holidays breaks and school days-off camps. Additionally, on-site or mobile birthday parties are offered.

Ghazal Qureshi, founder of Idea Lab Kids, said the force that drove her to make Idea Lab Kids a reality was when she felt her 7-year-old child, Ayman, was being left behind in the traditional classroom. After Qureshi's last corporate position, she decided to be a stay-at-home mom.

"I realized there was such a lack in the market for the type of programs that I wanted my kids to be participating in that I started putting it together on volunteer basis and from that it kind of turned into a business," Qureshi said.

Idea Labs has held more than 120 camps. The ratio of a class is from 10 to 12 students per teacher.

"We believed that science, technology, engineering and mathematics couldn't be standing alone. They required the arts in some sort of fashion. We just didn't know how to articulate that," Querish said. "Later we realized the importance of it. In the market place, or in the scientific world that wasn't the norm, but we always thought it was so important we couldn't eliminate that (and) we kept introducing arts into our STEM programs so we feel like, oh wow, we are the pioneers."

Classes can range from graphic and video design, robotics, 3D printing, engineering, physics in motion, coding, chemistry lab, movie studio, puzzles, logic and engineering to Spanish immersion, cursive and cooking classes. Programs are available for children from 4 to 14 years old.

"We've always stayed true to the programs that we think the kids needed, which were engaging, thought-provoking, which asked them questions rather than give them instructions only," Qureshi said.

Idea Lab has several campuses throughout the Greater Houston area, including Bellaire, central Houston, Energy Corridor, the Medical Center, the Heights, Downtown, Katy, Spring Branch, Sugar Land, the Woodlands, Spring and Humble.

Other locations are in Austin, San Antonio and Howard County, Md. Outside of the U.S., IDEA Lab Kids is in Canada, and will have additional locations in India, China and Russia.

Staff go through a video training, an in-class training, which can go from how to do video-printing slicing, work with drones Qureshi said.

"We hire fresh graduates, [college] juniors and seniors, because they are the ones who are at the cutting edge of all the new educational frontiers," Qureshi said. "They are the ones working with the newest technology, they are the ones taking classes in the field that they are passionate about and their energy directly translates to making the kids excited about what they are teaching."

Kristopher Ellis, the director of research and development at Idea Lab Kids and instructor, said they do everything from simple imagination projects that students get to work with to programming robots, among other things.

"There is a lot of science activities out there, but there is not a lot of teaching that goes into those sciences activities, so we are trying to combine both so that we can bring the science to all the science experiments that are out there," Ellis said.

Ellis said that as an instructor he enjoys finding students who become engaged and passionate about the activities they do and who take the lesson one step beyond.

"We try to bring all the science together, and they will not always get everything, but once you are exposed to something you will remember one piece and the next time you will remember another piece and that is how children learn, just being exposed," Ellis said.

Students can choose the subject matter that they are interested in, what type of program they want to participate.

Idea Lab Kids also offers on-site or mobile birthday parties, with different themes available to choose from.

"Our parties are different because they are taking the same type of principles that we teach in our classrooms," Qureshi said. "The trick behind us is that kids do not realize they are learning. They like they are making something cool, something exciting, but we are teaching them a lot of educational concepts and we do the parties the same way."

Idea Lab has a team of 10 people who work on research, development and curriculum rewrites. Qureshi said they are always enhancing the curriculum.

"We understand that (developing curriculums) costs a lot of money, but we understand that in today's age these kids are so savvy, we have to step 10 steps ahead of them and our curriculum needs to step 10 steps ahead in order to make sure that we are doing justice to them, otherwise it is very stagnant" Qureshi said.

Brock Michael participates in Idea Lab activities every month.

"We had one instance where one of the teachers there was thinking that something was too old for Brock, but they let him experiment and they were surprised that he figured out to go digging for a remote and that way he would make a particular robot work," Cabral Fly said. "They give the children the room to experiment and they make it fun so that the children can really flourish in that environment."

For more information about Idea Lab Kids, visit www.idealabkids.com.
Tomball will move forward with obtaining public comment on a proposal from Harris County to annex a 375-acre property into its extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Harris County Precinct 4 is currently constructing a $19.9 million service center complex south of Humble Road, along proposed Holderrieth Road, which is currently a dirt road.

The center would serve as an administrative facility and warehouse for Precinct 4 tractors and trucks.

In November, the commissioners court decided to go forward to request that Tomball would consider annexing the property so that it would provide utilities.

Currently, the property is in the city of Houston's extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Melissa Hamous with the Harris County Engineering Department, told the council that the complex would be seeking natural gas and water utilities from the city of Tomball, but that the county would take care of the waste water.

"It is a full annexation of all of the property that Harris County currently owns," she said.

The service center might also be the future home of the Justice of the Peace Pct. 4, Place 1 courthouse, which is currently located on Cypresswood Drive. The building flooded during Harvey and is currently undergoing repairs.

Last month, Pct. 4 Constable Mark Herman returned to the building it shares with the building after his side of repairs was completed.

At the city council meeting on Monday, members voted unanimously to go forward with two public hearings regarding the proposed annexation.

"The first recommendation for the public hearing is at the regular council meeting on April 2 and the next one would be on the regular council meeting on April 16," said city secretary Doris Speer.

Both meetings are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

Once the public comment sessions are complete, city council will then decide whether or not to annex the property as early as May 7.

"I think it'll be a great addition to Tomball," Tomball mayor Gretchen Fagan said. "I'm excited."

While the primary elections wrapped up on Tuesday, the city council also announced it would cancel the city upcoming elections for positions 2 and 4, which are currently held by Mark Stoll and Derek Townsend Sr., respectively.

The upcoming election on May 5, did not have any challengers for both incumbents.

At the meeting, Tomball Police Chief Billy Tidwell introduced the handicap parking enforcement program that will be starting in two weeks.

So far, 14 participating volunteers have undergone training to help the police department crack down on motorists parking illegally in handicap parking spaces.

Volunteers will now be able to write citations on vehicles that are illegally parked in a handicap spot, with fines that can start at $500, according to state statutes.

"Handicap volunteers can cite vehicles that don't have the proper placards or license plate in a handicap parking spot. Our volunteers are not allowed to approach a vehicle if someone is in the vehicle. They can take a photograph and turn it over to one of the officers," said Tidwell.
To date, there is perhaps no greater symbol that the Republican Party now belongs to President Donald Trump than what just happened in Texas Tuesday night.

George P. Bush, the last of the Bush political dynasty serving in public office, won his primary for land commissioner of Texas on Tuesday. And he won it only after he embraced his family's political enemy.

"I endorsed President Trump in 2016," Bush says in an recent ad, as his main opponent started to close in.

Bush has supported the president but begrudgingly at first. After his father, Jeb Bush, lost the nomination to Trump, Bush stood in a room of Texas Republican leaders and urged them to join the GOP presidential nominee: "From Team Bush, it's a bitter pill to swallow, but you know what, you get back up, and you help the man who won."

Trump payed back the favor nearly two years later.

Bush's come-around to Trump is remarkable, considering he probably didn't need the president. If there's one candidate that could have successfully run without embracing Trump, it probably would have been Bush. He obviously had the name recognition to stand alone, as well as the money. His uncle, former president George W. Bush, is credited with launching Republicans' current dominance in Texas when he ousted a Democratic governor in 1994, said Robert Lowry, a political science professor at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Voters might have understood why he would have been wary of embracing the president, after Trump called his father "weak" and "an embarrassment to the family." And Bush is running a statewide campaign in a state that Gallup says gives Trump the lowest approval rating of any Republican state, at 39 percent.

But this is Trump's world, even in what was once Bush country. Analysts say among Texas Republicans, Trump's approval rating stands at 86 percent. By Bush's own calculations, his political future rested on a politician who hijacked the party his family once led.

"Everyone is embracing Trump," said Brendan Steinhauser, a Republican who runs a political consulting company in Texas, said of the primaries.

The most extreme example came in a congressional primary outside San Antonio and Austin, where 17 of the 18 GOP candidates were tripping over themselves to run ads wearing "Make America Great Again" hats or going fishing in the "swamp of Washington," The Post's Mike DeBonis reported.

Bush's primary struggles came from his predecessor, Jerry Patterson, who decided to run for land commissioner again after Bush came under fire for how his agency has managed the redevelopment of the symbol of Texas, the Alamo.

Under pressure, Bush's strategy morphed into the same as every other GOP primary candidate in Texas in a competitive race: Embrace the president as much as you credibly can.

In the first ad of Bush's campaign, he credited himself with ending a land dispute between local ranchers and the federal government.

In another version of the ad that went up a month ago, Bush is primarily giving credit to Trump for his signature resume bullet-point: "I worked with President Trump to stop the illegal Obama land grab," Bush says.

"I saw that, and I literally thought to myself: 'Does your grandmother know you're running this ad?'" Lowry said. Bush's win, Lowry added, says "something about where the party is. The Republican Party, at least the primary voters, they're really Trump's party more than the Bushes."

Bush is probably well aware of what has happened to other Republicans who have bucked Trump. One of the most dramatic examples is in Arizona, where Trump critic and GOP Sen. Jeff Flake decided to retire rather than slug it out in a primary against a pro-Trump opponent.

If Bush hadn't embraced Trump and also lost his primary, pundits would certainly be asking if the Trump era signals the end of the Bush era - a father and son, politically vanquished in the span of two years. But Bush found a way to win in the Trump era, and now the only question is: Just how much more will he embrace the party's new leader?
NEW CANAAN  The lack of adequate cell service in town has been a constant issue and a Soundview Lane resident has confirmed plans for a potential cell tower to be built on his property.

Keith Richey, of 183 Soundview Lane and chairman of the Parking Commission, has confirmed he has signed a lease option agreement with Homeland Towers that could lead to the construction of a cell tower on his property if a cell service carrier signs up to sponsor, something that has yet to happen.

Nothing happens until a carrier signs on and the town will have the opportunity to provide their input to the application, Richey said. That process hasnt even begun yet because there is no carrier and no set timeline. The carriers are independent businesses and they will evaluate the terms that are available and see if they want to participate.

The application Richey refers to is one that will be made to the Connecticut Siting Council, a state agency that has jurisdiction over telecommunication facilities.

An application is filed once the town builder secures an interested carrier to provide service followed by a 90-day consultation period between the applicant and the highest elected official, in this case First Selectman Kevin Moynihan, to explore alternative sites that may be available according to Executive Director of the Connecticut Siting Council Melanie Bachman.

Once the 90-day consultation period expires, the interested parties bring an application for certification to us and we receive it and provide notice to the town, Bachman said. After an analyst reviews it and makes sure its complete, we put the matter on a regular meeting agenda and a three-part public hearing is scheduled in the host municipality.

More Information To view Keith Richey's full press release, visit: http://soundview-sensible-cell-tower-policy.com See More Collapse

The three-part public hearing is composed of a public site review, an evidentiary hearing for the council to cross-examine the applicant and a time for public comment. Bachman added that any approved applications usually come with substantial modifications from the council.

Neighbors have responded to Richeys plans swiftly with many disapproving of the way in which they found out. A Facebook page titled STOP the Richey Cell Tower with over 50 followers has been created and op-eds have appeared in other town newspapers in opposition to the potential tower.

Reached Tuesday morning, Hugh Wiley, the neighbor who initially found out about Richeys plans, said he was astonished when he heard about them. This is a very great concern, it sets a precedent for future cell towers on private property and there are many issues with the tower that could be harmful to ones health.

Along Soundview Lane, the majority of neighbors have propped up signs denouncing the plans for a cell tower. Steve Sosnick, another resident of Soundview Lane, is an active member of the Facebook group.

We had no idea of this contract Richey signed with the cell tower company, we found out by accident and realized this had been in the works since August of last year, Sosnick said.

Sosnick referenced Richeys position as chairman of the Parking Commission and that he had discussed the idea with various town officials. This has a bad scent to it  a town official secretly negotiation at the behest of other town officials and cutting out neighbors out of it, this bothers us, Sosnick said.

According to Richey, only he was involved in direct negotiations with Homeland Towers regarding the cell tower on his property.

The proposed cell tower, which would resemble a tree, would be 85 feet high, with five feet of concealment material, totaling to a maximum height of 90 feet, according to Richeys press release.

Sosnick said he sympathizes with residents concerns regarding inadequate cell service in the area but the process through which Richey negotiated irked him. The idea of doing this through secret negotiations that benefits one well-connected homeowner and utilizing the technology that may become obsolete in the near future seems like a foolish way.

Some residents have voiced their approval of the tower.

Chris Schipper, who lives in the northeast part of town, said that the health and safety of residents is important. Schipper alluded to the noreaster that occurred last weekend as an example of when cell service would be crucial and helpful.

In meetings with local media, First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said he could not comment on private residents dealings with Homeland Towers. In December last year, Moynihan had said that private and public land could be potential sites for cell towers.

Richey said that he got involved in negotiations with Homeland Towers because he had become aware that St. Lukes School had engaged in discussion with town officials and Homeland Towers.

When reached for comment, Head of School Mark Davis said that St. Lukes is not and never was in negotiations with the Town of New Canaan or any cell tower provider with the plans of placing a cell tower on their campus.

In April 2017, the town requested and was granted a meeting. They presented facts about the need for cell coverage and cited safety concerns. St. Lukes expressed strong reservations about the use of our campus and the conversation ended. The town brought Homeland to the meeting we had with them, but this was not at our request and there was no further discussion after that meeting, Davis said.

Richey said that St. Lukes meeting with the town and Homeland Towers caused him to take action.

When St. Lukes didnt have further negotiations after their meeting in April, thats because I deliberately thwarted their further negotiations by getting involved and presenting our property as an alternative, Richey said.

According to Richeys press release, he began exploring a bid to have the cell tower on his property in May of last year. Richey discussed the idea with then Town Council member Moynihan, then First Selectman Rob Mallozzi, former Utilities Commission Chairman Tom Tesluk, Homeland Towers and CityScape, an engineering firm hired by the town.

People should take into consideration that the town Fire Department and Police Department have identified this as a safety issue for this area, Richey said.
A Broward County, Florida, grand jury on Wednesday indicted Nikolas Cruz, the 19-year-old charged with the school shooting rampage last month, on 34 counts of premeditated murder and attempted murder.

The volley of charges against Cruz came three weeks after the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 students and faculty. The indictment also pushes forward a case that would be one of the state's highest-profile prosecutions in recent memory. Cruz, whose attorneys have admitted his guilt, could ultimately face the death penalty.

The grand jury charged Cruz with 17 counts of premeditated murder in the first degree, according to the office of Michael Satz, the state attorney for Broward County. Cruz was also charged with 17 counts of attempted murder in the first degree, with these counts listing people who were wounded at Stoneman Douglas but escaped the massacre that day.

Howard Finkelstein, the Broward County public defender representing Cruz, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday about the indictment. In an interview with The Washington Post two days after the massacre, Finkelstein said the only question in the case is what punishment Cruz will ultimately face.

"Did he do it or not? He did it," Finkelstein said. "It's one of the most horrific crimes in the history of America. There's only one question: Does he live or does he die?"

Finkelstein argued that because of all the missed red flags littering Cruz's life - including repeated warnings to the FBI and local police that he could be capable of violence at a school - it would not be right for him to be executed, and he has offered to have Cruz plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence.

Satz, who will prosecute the case against Cruz, has said he will not announce whether his office will seek a death sentence until later in the process. In a statement after Finkelstein's offer was made public, he called the rampage "the type of case the death penalty was designed for." No decision has been made as of Wednesday, according to a spokeswoman for the prosecutor.

Satz's office has otherwise remained silent about Finkelstein's office and the case, which was the subject of testimony this week before the Broward County grand jury. A spokeswoman for Satz's office declined to comment on the testimony earlier Wednesday, noting that any proceedings involving grand juries "are secret and confidential," but an attorney for some witnesses confirmed that they testified Wednesday morning.
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department dramatically escalated its war on "sanctuary" jurisdictions Tuesday, alleging in a lawsuit that the state of California has violated the Constitution with laws that are friendly to undocumented immigrants.

In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento just after 9 p.m. Eastern time, the Justice Department alleged that three recently enacted California laws obstruct enforcement of federal immigration law and harm public safety.

The Justice Department asked a federal judge to block the California laws, which restrict how state businesses and law enforcement agencies can cooperate with immigration authorities. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is to address the lawsuit in a speech Wednesday at the California Peace Officers Association's 26th Annual Law Enforcement Day, saying, in part: "We are fighting to make your jobs safer and to help you reduce crime in America. And I believe we are going to win," according to an excerpt of his prepared remarks.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, D, said Tuesday night that while he had yet to examine what the Justice Department filed, he felt the state was abiding by the Constitution and cooperating with its federal partners to foster public safety.

"States and local jurisdictions have the right to determine which policies are best for their communities," he said.

California Gov. Jerry Brown, D, wrote on Twitter, "At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they don't work here. SAD!!!"

The Trump administration and the Justice Department have been waging an increasingly acrimonious battle with sanctuary jurisdictions, although the latest lawsuit is perhaps the most consequential step yet. It sets up a clash not just on what is the best immigration policy to promote public safety, but also on what power the federal government should exert over the states.

Although the court is being asked to consider only California, which this year became a "sanctuary state" to some fanfare, the court's decision could have far-reaching consequences for other jurisdictions with similar policies. There is no formal definition of a "sanctuary" jurisdiction, but the Justice Department has put dozens of other locales in its crosshairs, this year threatening to subpoena 23 jurisdictions, including Chicago and New York City, that it suspects of unlawfully interfering with federal immigration enforcement.

A senior Justice Department official said department lawyers are still evaluating other places' laws and could bring other lawsuits - although the measures California passed stood out as being especially high-profile and transgressive of what Sessions thought was constitutional.

Becerra has proved to be a thorn in the Trump administration's side. He noted in a recent interview with The Washington Post that the state had 28 lawsuits against the Trump administration and - at that time - had not lost a case. Later that day, a judge ruled against the state in a suit over the Trump administration's move to try to expedite border-wall construction.

"Our track record so far when it comes to any dispute with the federal government has been pretty good on this count," Becerra said Tuesday night.

The new lawsuittakes aimat three California laws: Assembly Bill 450, which prohibits private employers from giving immigration officials access to workplaces or documents for enforcement without a court order; Assembly Bill 103, which created a state inspection system for immigration detention facilities; and Senate Bill 54, which limits what state and local law enforcement authorities can communicate about some suspects and which people they can transfer to federal custody.

The suit argues that the measures are preempted by federal law and thus violate the Constitution's Supremacy Clause. A senior Justice Department official said the department hopes a judge will be able to take action in the case in a matter of weeks, after setting a briefing schedule for California to respond.

"The provisions of state law at issue have the purpose and effect of making it more difficult for federal immigration officers to carry out their responsibilities in California," Justice Department lawyers wrote. "The Supremacy Clause does not allow California to obstruct the United States' ability to enforce laws that Congress has enacted or to take actions entrusted to it by the Constitution."

The Justice Department's suing states over their laws is uncommon but not unheard of. Toward the end of President Barack Obama's tenure, his administration sued North Carolina over what came to be known as the "bathroom bill," which barred transgender people from using restrooms that did not correspond with the sex on their birth certificates. The state ultimately repealed and replaced the measure, and the Trump Justice Department said that meant the case should be dropped.

The Justice Department during the Obama administration also sued North Carolina and Texas over their voter ID laws, and it sued Arizona over a law designed to crack down on illegal immigration. That case ultimately made it to the Supreme Court, which struck down portions of the law but let stand the provision requiring police officers to check the immigration status of people they detained and suspected were in the country without legal documentation.

Former Attorney General Eric Holder Jr., who was tapped to represent the California State Senate in private practice, opined in a letter that Senate Bill 54 "fully complies with the Constitution and federal law."

President Donald Trump effectively declared war on sanctuary jurisdictions within a week of taking office, signing an executive order stating that such places "have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic" and threatening to withhold federal funds from them. That order, though, triggered legal challenges, and in April, the administration suffered a setback when a federal judge in San Francisco blocked the order's implementation.

Later, a judge in Chicago similarly ruled that the attorney general had exceeded his authority in tying federal grant money to jurisdictions' cooperation with immigration officials, and a judge in Philadelphia ruled that the city was in compliance with immigration law and blocked the Justice Department from withholding money there.

This time, the Justice Department will enter court as the plaintiff in a suit, forcing California to appear as the defendant and make the case that its actions are legal.

California is not the only jurisdiction to draw the ire of the Justice Department, but tensions between Justice and the state have been particularly acute. As Brown was contemplating signing a law late last year that would limit how state and local police could cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, Sessions said publicly that the measure would endanger law enforcement officers and neighborhoods. Brown ultimately signed it.

Last month, Oakland's Democratic mayor warned residents that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was planning a raid, just before authorities took into custody more than 150 people in Northern California suspected of violating immigration laws.

ICE Deputy Director Thomas Homan said that hundreds were able to dodge the operation, "thanks to the mayor's irresponsible decision."

In a statement released about the new lawsuit, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said: "California has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and responsibility of the Congress to protect our homeland. I appreciate the efforts of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Department of Justice to uphold the rule of law and protect American communities."
Looks like the right to use marijuana outside of a private home legally is not going to become a reality anytime soon in Massachusetts.

However, legal sale of adult-use marijuana remains on schedule to start July 1, although rules governing the industry are still being drafted.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission voted in late February to delay action on licensing social consumption establishments for recreational marijuana. The idea of creating cannabis cafes where people can go in, buy marijuana and use it right there -- like a person entering a bar and ordering a beer -- proved too controversial for many of the states leaders.

Any action on establishing cannabis cafes was put off until the fall of 2018, with a new proposal drafted by February 2019 at the earliest. The commission also delayed allowing home delivery of recreational cannabis, another controversial issue.

Related: Cannabis Industry Likely to Employ More Than 400,000 By 2021, Study Projects

The Cafe Plan

The idea was to license a limited number of establishments with the right to both sell and allow the use of marijuana on their property. It would give consumers a place to enjoy marijuana outside of a private residence. Like every other state where cannabis is legal, public consumption of cannabis is currently prohibited.

The move also would have opened another avenue for entrepreneurs looking to get into the legal marijuana business.

A similar pilot project is underway in Denver. However, the Massachusetts plan went further. Massage therapists and yoga instructors also could have applied for a license to allow marijuana use in their establishments in the form of cannabidiol oils and other such non-psychoactive products.

The proposal would have limited how much cannabis a person could buy and use in one place at one time and give budtenders the right to cut off customers.

Related: Cannabis Industry Heads to Washington to Tell Congress What It Needs to Thrive

Hard Sell

Despite the precautions in the proposal, it proved a hard sell for state law enforcement, prosecutors, the attorney general and Gov. Charlie Baker. The pressure campaign conducted by the governor, attorney general and others proved difficult to overcome," Jim Borghesani, a spokesman for marijuana legalization advocates, said in an email to MassLive.

Baker opposed the legalization of adult-use marijuana, which Massachusetts voters approved in November 2016. In urging a slowdown on cannabis cafes, Baker said in February that people should crawl before they walk and walk before they run."

Cannabis Control Commission member Shaleen Title advocated for the delay rather than rushing it though with so much opposition. She also won approval for the idea of offering an exclusive period in which licenses for home delivery and social consumption are only awarded to microbusinesses, co-ops and applicants from communities impacted by the war on drugs.

She wanted a five-year exclusive period, but the commission did not reach agreement on the length.

Follow dispensaries.com on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest cannabis news.

Related:

Massachusetts Won't Allow Cannabis Cafes or Marijuana Home Delivery After All

Investment In Marijuana Industry Has Grown 600 Percent so Far in 2018

California Studies Viability of a Public Bank for Marijuana Businesses



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Mohammed bin Salman, the divisive crown prince of Saudi Arabia, arrived in London on Wednesday for a three-day state visit. The 32-year-old was greeted at the airport by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and had lunch with Queen Elizabeth II, a rare honor for a man not yet head of state.

Later, he will dine with Prince Charles and Prince William - two British royals who are, like him, next in line to the throne, although they hold a fraction of his political power.

But the pomp and the red carpet notwithstanding, Mohammed's visit already has turned into a bitter PR battle between those who support the moves he is making for Saudi Arabia and those who call him a "war criminal."

In some cases, the battle veered into absurd territory, such as when pro-Saudi advertisements were placed next to online articles criticizing the crown prince.

Although Mohammed has pushed through some liberal policies at home - including his dramatic decision to allow women to drive - and he is viewed as a key economic ally for a post-Brexit Britain, his foreign policy is controversial in London.

Notably, the crown prince is the architect of a Saudi-led intervention against Iran-allied rebels in Yemen. Critics say Saudi Arabia's indiscriminate use of force in that conflict has had disastrous consequences for Yemeni civilians, exacerbating what may be the worst humanitarian disaster on Earth.

According to U.N. estimates from last year, more than 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen since 2015. More than 3 million people have been displaced, the United Nations estimated, and 80 percent of the population is in need of humanitarian aid.

Awkwardly for Johnson and Prime Minister Theresa May, Britain is a key military supplier of Saudi Arabia. According to one estimate, sales of British weapons to Saudi Arabia increased almost 500 percent, to 4.6 billion pounds ($6.4 billion), after 2015, when the Saudi intervention in Yemen began. Saudi Arabia is now the top destination for British-manufactured weapons.

A poll commissioned by the Campaign Against Arms Trade and carried out by Populus found that only 6 percent of the British public supported arms sales to Saudi Arabia; 37 percent opposed Mohammed's visit to Britain.

Amid this public mistrust, advertisements praising Mohammed's reforms have been blanketing London - in an apparent bid to woo Britons. The advertisements have appeared on billboards, on taxis, on trucks and in newspapers.

AEI Saudi, the firm behind the advertisements, is a consulting business that was registered in Riyadh in 2002. In a blog post, the firm's founder highlighted the significant changes he has seen in recent years in Saudi Arabia, such as a new inclusion of Saudi women in public life.

"If there is one individual who has been the driving force behind these changes it is 'MbS', as he is often known," wrote Adam Hosier, the British-born founder of the firm. "He has faced resistance of course, both internally and from powers outside the Kingdom, yet he has not faltered."

But these were not the only advertisements greeting the crown prince. In central London, buses were emblazoned with messages accusing Mohammed of being a "war criminal," while social media users used hashtags to let the Saudi royal know that he was "not welcome."

Activists from Avaaz, a global activism group, parked a van outside Parliament and had two figures dressed as Mohammed and May drop off child-size body bags. A sign on the van said May should tell the crown prince: "Stop the slaughter, start peace talks!"

Save the Children, a London-based charity, also highlighted the plight of children in Yemen by placing outside Parliament a small statue of a child standing in rubble and staring at the sky.

Meanwhile, the Arab Organization for Human Rights in UK has scheduled a protest outside Downing Street, due to start at 5 p.m. local time.

It is unclear who is winning the PR battle - other than advertising agencies, of course. The pro-Saudi messages were certainly mocked: Some noted that the advertisements looked better suited to a "sleazy gentlemen's club" and pointed out that online ads praising Mohammed had appeared next to articles about Saudi corruption.

Many of the billboards welcoming the crown prince appeared along the motorways that connect Heathrow Airport to central London - suggesting that Mohammed may have been the intended audience.

However, the protests outside Parliament seem to have resonated inside Westminster. During the weekly Prime Minister's Question Time on Wednesday afternoon, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn criticized Saudi Arabia's record on human rights and accused May of "colluding" in suspected war crimes in Yemen.

"The link that we have with Saudi Arabia is historic, it is an important one, and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country," May responded, as opposition lawmakers shouted "shame."

May later said that she would raise the issue of human rights with the crown prince when she met him and that she had spoken with him about humanitarian concerns in Yemen during a visit to Riyadh in December.

The controversy over Saudi Arabia puts May in a tight spot politically. Britain is looking for bigger trading partners as it leaves the European Union, and broadening its economic relationship with Saudi Arabia would help it do that. The two nations are planning to create a joint Strategic Partnership Council that could lead to Saudi investment of up to 100 billion pounds ($139 billion) in the next 10 years, according to the BBC.

However, the visit is also important for the Saudi crown prince, who is seeking foreign investment as part of Vision 2030, his ambitious plan to reform his country. There are also hopes that the long-awaited public listing of the state oil firm Saudi Aramco might take place on the London Stock Exchange.

Mohammed also is planning to visit the United States, home to the New York Stock Exchange, for an investment-focused visit set to start March 19.
Six months following the destruction left by Hurricane Harvey, the city of Port Aransas, Texas, is still cleaning debris and repairing damage to return to normalcy.

This week, Illinois College students affiliated with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and BASIC, or Brothers and Sisters in Christ, are helping to heal those wounds.

Fourteen Illinois College students and four chaperones from Jacksonville landed in Texas on Saturday to begin their mission of assisting in ongoing repairs of hurricane damage.

Jacob Nunez, president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Illinois College, said the group had taken part in a mission trip to South Carolina in the past and wanted to help another community this year.

When the group heard about Port Aransas need from Pastor John Hume and Paige Hume from Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church, it seemed like a good opportunity for the next mission.

Theres been a lot of destruction, Nunez said. About 50 percent of people havent been able to return to their homes because they still need work. After we get [First Baptist Church] completed, were going to start working with community members to see what we can do.

The citys First Baptist Church has an adjacent outreach center and community building. Nunez said the front of the building was in rough shape so the group got to work putting new flashing and fascia up. Since then, the students have been taking care of tile, caulking, painting and scraping.

Hurricane Harvey ripped through Texas and other states in late August, causing $125 billion damage.

Illinois College BASIC President Jonathan Miller said that when the group came in for Sunday service, it had to move out immediately afterward to make room for another service from a church that had been destroyed.

Its surprising to see how much left there is to be done, Miller said. You see a bunch of buildings and stores that were either in the process of being repaired or were totally destroyed and not being used. Its been half a year and theres still so much to be done.

Illinois College director of community engagement Lori Oldenettel, who is a chaperone along with IC professor Abby Musgrove, John Hume and Paige Hume, said that not only is the trip giving the students a chance to engage with another community, but it is also teaching them valuable life skills for when they own their own homes.

Theyre learning new skills that maybe theyve never done before, Oldenettel said. Weve had students that have never tiled before learning how to cut and lay tile. These are life experiences that theyll be able to utilize when theyre out of college and in their own homes.

The trip is also providing students a chance to grow spiritually and connect with their faith, Nunez said.

Were coming down here not really knowing what the culture is like, were in the United States but in a different region, Nunez said. Its awesome to be able to share your the love and hope of Jesus, to get to meet new people and be a ray of sunshine to them. This world may throw a bunch of curve balls at us but, in the end, we have each other and Christ.

Work will continue on until the end of the week, after which students from Quincy University will assist for a week, followed by students from MacMurray College. Oldenettel said Todd Sweatman, chaplain at MacMurray College and director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Jacksonville, was instrumental in putting the mission trips together.

Miller said he knows that only so much can be accomplished in a week, but he hopes the connections and the impact the group makes will provide the community with encouragement.

This trip has been very cool so far to see not only the physical work were doing, but the spiritual work and the impact were leaving behind, Miller said. While were here this week, we have the special opportunity to give those believers in this community encouragement and hope.  Its a powerful message to take home with us to our homes, churches and our school.

Nick Draper can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1223, or on Twitter @nick_draper.
Late voting returns showed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Democrat Beto ORourke easily beating their respective primary opponents on Tuesday, putting them on the verge of their highly anticipated general election battle in November.

Cruz, in his first election since losing the Republican nomination for president, defeated Christian TV executive Bruce Jacobson Jr., Houston energy attorney Stefano de Stefano, Austin accountant Mary Ann Miller, and former La Marque Mayor Geraldine Sam.

Meanwhile, ORourke, an El Paso Democrat, making his first statewide run for office had no trouble beating out retired Houston postal worker Edward Kimbrough and Pasadena insurance agent Sema Hernandez.

Cruz, talking to Texas reporters Tuesday night, wasted no time in defining ORourke.

Tonights election marks the beginning of the general election in November, and the voters of Texas will have a clear and stark choice for the United States Senate, he said. Congressman ORourke is a left wing, liberal Democrat. He is running like Bernie Sanders across the state.

Cruz emphasized their clear differences on gun control and immigration, portraying ORourke as out of touch with Texas values.

Cruz acknowledged that ORourke has benefited from a surge of Democratic energy under President Donald Trump.

We will see, as a result, very large turnout from the far left in November, just as we have seen very high Democratic turnout in the early vote, he said. But the good news is there are more conservatives than there are liberals in Texas, and if conservatives show up and voteTexas will remain reliably red.

ORourke, in an interview before the polls closed, declined to characterize the race in ideological terms.

This campaign is not ideological, he said. Its definitely not partisan. Its solely focused on the interests and aspirations of the people I want to represent in Texas.

ORourke also rejected the idea that his race is being fueled by anti-Trump rage.

Come to any town hall meeting were having, he said. Theres very little rage. Theres almost no mention of Trump, or Cruz, for that matter. Its about the things we want to do.

ORourkes sharpest attacks center on his contention that Cruz, a 2016 candidate for president, has not focused on Texas.

The biggest laugh line I get is any town hall is asking when the last time Ted Cruz showed up for a town hall, he said.

No Democrat has won a seat in the U.S. Senate since 1992, but ORourke has drawn national attention by out fundraising Cruz for most of the last year and sparking a loyal following of supporters as he crisscrosses the state, often livestreaming the events on social media platforms.

O'Rourke has heavily outraised Cruz since the start of 2018, according to the latest campaign reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Cruz raised just $711,000 since the start of the year. O'Rourke has raised $2.2 million during the same period. Overall, Cruz still has more money in his campaign account than O'Rourke. O'Rourke had about $5 million in his main campaign account, while Cruz has about $6 million.

But that doesn't tell the full story of the financial battle in the race. Cruz is also expected to benefit from Super PACs that have been created by his allies. A new PAC called Texans Are has piled up $1.7 million.

Cruz, 47, has rarely addressed his opponent by name, but acknowledge during a stop in El Paso late last month that ORourke was raising a ton of money. Hes hinted that he will aggressively tag his opponent as a liberal. In El Paso he warned that liberals in Washington want a big government, pro-amnesty liberal representing Texas.

Meanwhile ORourke, 45, has made clear hell use Cruzs presidential ambitions against him. On the campaign trail, ORourke has made it a staple of his speeches to remind audiences that that Cruz spent months in places like Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina in 2015 and 2016 running for president and advancing his own political ambition, instead of looking out for Texas.

Despite O'Rourke's surprising fundraising numbers, he remains very much an underdog in the race. Many Congressional analysts, like D.C.-based Inside Elections has Cruz in a "solid Republican" re-election position. Others like the Cook Political Report still favor Cruz but consider the race slightly more competitive.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com twitter.com/jeremyswallace
The Trump administration cannot short circuit a federal climate change lawsuit brought by a group of 21 children and teenagers, an appellate court ruled on Wednesday, likely sending the ambitious case back to a lower court in Oregon for trial.

The federal government's request to halt the lawsuit "is entirely premature," wrote Judge Sidney Thomas, the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

"We're looking forward to putting the federal government on trial on climate science and its dangerous fossil fuel policies," said Julia Olson, the lead attorney for the young plaintiffs and chief counsel of Our Children's Trust.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the court's ruling.

In a suit originally brought against the Obama administration in 2015, the young plaintiffs assert that the government's actions to promote fossil fuel emissions violate the basic constitutional rights of future generations. They were helped in the litigation by former NASA climate scientist James Hansen, whose granddaughter Sophie Kivlehan is one of the student plaintiffs.

RELATED VIDEO: Kids Try to Sue Trump Over Climate Change

The federal government had argued that the trial would entail burdensome requests for discovery and that the remedy requested by the young plaintiffs would violate the separation of powers since it effectively asks a court to direct the executive and legislative branches to do something about climate change. But in 2016 the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon declined to dismiss the case and set it on a path toward a trial.

The Justice Department then sought a "writ of mandamus," calling on the appellate court to stop the case before it could proceed further. This is generally considered an extraordinary remedy, and the Ninth Circuit panel decided 3-0 that a halt was not justified in this case, and hard to justify in general.

"If appellate review could be invoked whenever a district court denied a motion to dismiss, we would be quickly overwhelmed with such requests, and the resolution of cases would be unnecessarily delayed," the court said.

The case will likely proceed before the Oregon federal court, where the case was originally filed. Olson said she wants depositions from multiple representatives of top federal agencies, as well as from leading climate scientists. She expects discovery to take six months and a trial to begin after that. (It was originally set to begin last month.)

More for you Young people's climate-change lawsuit takes on Trump

Olson said the case will attempt to show that the globe is warming due to human activities and that the U.S. government isn't taking action, meaning that Americans who are children today will see their most basic rights violated, such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The case would put climate science on trial, but Olson said that so far the Trump administration has not called the fundamentals of global warming into question. "Thus far, they have not been disputing climate science, or that it's human-caused, but they haven't yet taken a position on certain aspects of climate change and what's projected," she said.

The ruling is very good news for climate change advocates, but it certainly doesn't mean that they won't be disappointed later in the extraordinary and unprecedented case.

"We are mindful that some of the plaintiffs' claims as currently pleaded are quite broad, and some of the remedies the plaintiffs seek may not be available as redress," wrote the appeals court. "However, the district court needs to consider those issues further in the first instance."
WASHINGTON - The Trump administration will allow Americans to bring tusks and other elephant body parts back to this country as trophies, in a pivot away from the support President Donald Trump voiced for an Obama-era trophy ban after outcry last year.

The decision, announced quietly last week in a March 1 memorandum from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, withdrew previous rulings on trophy hunting and said it would allow sport hunters to receive permits for the trophy items on a "case-by-case basis."

The move contrasts sharply with the position taken by President Trump in November.

After U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a repeal of the ban on the importation of elephant-hunt trophies from Zimbabwe and Zambia, wide public outcry prompted Trump and Ryan Zinke, the secretary of the Department of the Interior which houses the wildlife agency, to put the repeal on hold until further review.

Trump later called elephant hunting a "horror show," and said that it would be very difficult for anyone to change his mind.

African elephants have been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since 1979.

Proponents of big-game hunting and the current Department of the Interior leadership believe that money from permits to hunt elephants would help aid in their conservation by putting more revenue in the system. The agency's memo cites a long-running lawsuit against the ban filed by Safari Club International and the National Rifle Association's lobbying arm.

"The Trump administration is trying to keep these crucial trophy import decisions behind closed doors, and that's totally unacceptable," Tanya Sanerib, international legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity, told the Associated Press. "Elephants aren't meant to be trophies, they're meant to roam free."

The president's sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are both avid game hunters. A photograph of Trump Jr. holding a knife and a dead elephant tail after a hunt in Zimbabwe in 2011 has drawn wide attention in the past.

Under Zinke, who is also a hunter, the Interior Department's policies have become noticeably more pro-hunting. According to the AP, the Department took a step in June to potentially allow grizzly bears near Yellowstone National Park to be hunted. And the Fish and Wildlife Service has begun allowing African lions killed in Zimbabwe and Zambia to be imported, the AP reported.

The population of African elephants has shrunk from about 5 million 100 years ago to about 400,000, a drop precipitated in part by illegal poaching and the demand for elephant ivory and the loss of natural habitat, the AP reported.

Elephant hunting is not a sport that is widely accessible to American citizens. The safaris in Africa can run up costs of more than $50,000 per person, the AP reported.
It might be a tagline from one of those hokey GEICO ads: Breitbart News praising Rep. Elizabeth Esty? Surprising!

Well, pigs evidently were flying somewhere on the alt-right news website when they saw Esty on CNN after last weeks gun sit-down at the White House with President Trump.

Before he moved on to other things, like steel and aluminum tariffs that tanked the stock market, Trump said at White House meeting attended by Esty and Sen. Chris Murphy that he liked the idea of seizing guns from dangerous people.

Take the guns first, go through due process second, Trump said, a true no-no in the NRAs Second Amendment lexicon.

Esty, Murphy and the other Dems in the delegation have long championed Connecticuts 1999 risk-warrant law that outlines a judicial process for temporarily taking guns away from potentially dangerous individuals.

But the key words here are due process, as written in the Constitutions 4th Amendment  meaning a government entity cannot willy-nilly take something from somebody without a fair hearing.

So when CNN interviewed Esty after the meeting and played video of the Trump remark, Esty said shes all for restraining orders and is co-author of legislation that would extend their reach nationwide.

But, she said, youve got to have due process.

And, frankly, not to have due process would be wrong, she continued. And youre certainly going to run into a buzz saw of all kinds of people if you dont do that.

Kind of no-duh for Yale law graduate Esty, but I guess her words mustve been music to Breitbarts ears.

The headline was Dem Rep Esty: Gun Violence Restraining Orders Really Important  But Its Wrong Not to Have Due Process.

Its going to take people of every political stripe  yes, including some Breitbart readers  to make real progress on reducing gun violence in America, Esty said. As Ive said before and Ill say again, Im not taking anyones firearms without due process. No one law will save all lives  but good laws will save some lives.

Subpoenamania

It turns out Linda McMahon isnt the only one to ride the WWE Wrestlemania wave into the Trump inner circle.

Sam Nunberg, who enjoyed a news cycle of fame earlier this week for saying he would defy special counsel Robert Muellers subpoena request, got hooked on Trump at age 5 in 1989.

In a video clip circulating online, pre-subpoenaed Nunberg tells how he and his dad sat behind Trump at Wrestlemania V at the pre-bankruptcy Trump Plaza in Atlantic City.

Trump moved little Sam up to ringside, where he can be seen on a video clip doing the Bushwhacker  the up-and-down arm motions greeting the New Zealand tag-team wrestlers of the same name.

Trump himself has long been an ardent WWE fan, even winning a place in the its celebrity Hall of Fame in 2013 for his role in Battle of the Billionaires, among other achievements.

So it wasnt just the McMahons seven-figure campaign contributions that got Linda the appointment as head of the Small Business Administration.

Nunberg actually was fired from the Trump campaign for what were termed racially charged tweets against former President Barack Obama and the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Earlier this week, he conducted a nonstop string of interviews proclaiming defiance of Mueller. Let him arrest me, he told one such interviewer.

Nunbergs pugnacity evidently was straight out of the WWE playbook. Erin Burnett on CNN even asked him if he was under the influence, after saying she smelled alcohol on his breath.

But, ultimately, it didnt take long for Nunberg to say hed cooperate with Mueller, even hinting to yet another interviewer that Mueller does indeed have dirt on Trump regarding Russia connections.

Sounds like yet another page torn from a WWE script.
After years of appeals, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday that the University of the Incarnate Word cannot claim immunity from liability in a lawsuit filed by the family of a student killed by a campus police officer in 2013.

In looking at the nature and purposes of sovereign immunity, we agree with UIW that its police department is engaging in the governmental function of law enforcement, said the opinion, issued by a three-judge panel of the Fourth Court of Appeals. However, we disagree with UIW that finding its police department to be a governmental unit is consistent with the purposes of sovereign immunity.

RELATED: San Antonio cop's tearful testimony of helping shot officer had some leaving courtroom

The family of Cameron Redus, a UIW senior who was fatally shot by a university police officer during a traffic stop, initially filed the wrongful death lawsuit against the university in 2014. In the years since, the private university has tried to claim governmental immunity in the case based on the fact that it employs a state-licensed police department. The procedural question had delayed the suit.

In late 2016, the Texas Supreme Court heard arguments in the case and ruled the following year that UIW could be considered a government unit in regards to its police department for the purposes of its appeal, reversing the lower courts ruling. But the justices left it to the appeals court to answer the question of whether the university could use that status to claim immunity from liability and get the case dismissed.

According to this weeks ruling, UIW cannot do so because no public dollars are at stake. A UIW attorney had argued to the panel last month that opening up the universitys police force to costly litigation could lead to the dissolution of the department, shifting the burden of policing the campus back to public authorities. That argument requires many assumptions that are conceptual, rather than certain, the judges ruled.

Even if UIW decided to dissolve its police department as a result of not being granted immunity for the actions of its police department, and even if local law enforcement required additional officers to perform its law enforcement duties, such an expense is something for which local law enforcement could plan and allocate resources, the ruling said. There is no risk of disrupting previously allocated taxpayer funds and disrupting government services in this case.

The lawsuit stems from a December 2013 encounter between Redus and former UIW Cpl. Christopher Carter, an officer who followed the honors student to his off-campus department because he suspected Redus was driving drunk, a fact that was later confirmed. A prolonged physical struggle ensued and ended with Carter shooting Redus five times, including once in the back.

A grand jury declined to indict Carter in 2015.
Arrested after an altercation with the pastor of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs on church grounds Monday, conspiracy theorists Robert Ussery, 54, and Jodi Mann, 56, were charged with trespassing and resisting arrest, officials said Tuesday.

Ussery, whose Side Thorn website is dedicated to the belief that the Nov. 5 mass shooting at the church was a government-inspired hoax, was also charged with possessing under 2 ounces of marijuana and making a terroristic threat, a class B misdemeanor.

On Wednesday, the Wilson County Sheriffs office confirmed that the two had been released from jail Tuesday morning. Usserys bail amount totalled $9,000, while Manns totalled $5,500.

Ussery was charged with terroristic threat because he told the pastor, Frank Pomeroy, that he would hang him and fellow congregant Rod Green, who was also present, according to a charging affidavit.

Both victims were in fear of their personal safety by (Usserys) verbal threats and demeanor, the document states.

In an email to the Express-News, Ussery said he had video evidence to prove his denial of all charges except for the marijuana charge, which he admitted possessing because we are advocates (for its)medicinal properties. He said he lives just outside Austin and one of his family members is serving as their lawyer.

Pomeroys 14-year-old daughter, Annabelle, was killed in the massacre at Sutherland Springs along with 24 other congregants attending Sunday services and an unborn child. Ussery has become known to the community for harassing victims families and approaching residents with a camera on his chest, attempting to interview them.

His website offers a $100,000 reward for proof of death of victims from a host of high-profile U.S. mass shootings and frequently posts videos supposedly proving that the tragedy in Sutherland Springs was a drill using crisis actors.

Ussery and Mann screamed at Pomeroy and Green and at one point Ussery asked Pomeroy to show his daughters birth certificate, Pomeroy said Monday. The noise brought neighbors onto their porches and one called deputies.

He kept hollering about his constitutional rights and that were all traitors, that were all in this together with the Department of Homeland Security, Pomeroy said. And then they cuffed him.
Officials with Bill Miller Bar-B-Q issued an apology to the public Wednesday after locations across San Antonio ran out of chicken earlier this month.

"We are sorry," reads a post on the restaurant's Facebook page.

Over the weekend, customers learned they could receive two pieces of dark meat fried chicken, fries and a roll for $1.65 as part of a promotion for the 65th anniversary of Bill Miller's. Whether it was because the deal was too good or the chicken too tasty, customers flocked to restaurants all over the Alamo City, causing a chicken shortage.

Some customers reported long waits for chicken, while others were told the restaurant could not honor the promotion because no chicken was available.

RELATED: Bill Miller Bar-B-Q faces chicken shortage after anniversary promotion

"They're having a bit of a chicken shortage," a spokeswoman for Bill Miller's social media team said Friday when the promotion began.

Officials said they received comments from customers on social media and by phone, and are working to "make it right."

"The overwhelming support for our special last week caused major issues at all of our locations," reads the post.

They were not clear on how the issue would be resolved, as the promotion only lasted through Sunday.

Kelsey Bradshaw is a digital reporter for mySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| kbradshaw@express-news.net | Twitter: @kbrad5
JOURDANTON  Early on a frigid Dec. 8, 2013, San Antonio Police Officer Robert Deckard began to chase two suspected armed robbers who fled in a Mitsubishi Lancer from near downtown, south on Interstate 37 at speeds up to 115 mph.

Deckard watched the Lancers back window explode, and he radioed with an unnatural calm to an officer trailing him, Theyre shooting at me. That was at 2:07 a.m. By then, the chase had reached Atascosa County.

Five minutes later, Deckard was mortally wounded, shot in the forehead, and on Tuesday the capital murder trial of Shaun Ruiz Puente, 36, one of two people accused in the case, began.

In the dashcam video played at the start of the trial, the screaming engine and siren of Deckards SAPD Chevy Tahoe come to a sickening halt as it crashes into a tree in a dark ravine off the interstate.

RELATED: 8 hacked-up bodies found in pickup truck in Mexico

The father of two spent 13 days in the intensive care unit of Brooke Army Medical Center before being pronounced dead.

Puente, then 32, and his girlfriend, Jenevieve Ramos, 28, both were charged with capital murder, which in Texas is punishable only by death by injection or life in prison without parole. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, the first such trial held in Atascosa County since 1996.

Puentes lawyers had made various unsuccessful attempts to move the trial, due to emails prosecutor Audrey Louis sent to local police and Sheriffs Department officers asking them to help identify potential jurors who wont be afraid to kill this guy.

One of Puentes two public defenders, Anna Jimenez, conceded to jurors in her opening remarks that indeed Puente was the shooter that fateful morning  a one in a million shot, fired from a speeding vehicle, she said. But it was a very, very complex case that deserved their full attention to minute details, Jimenez said.

She portrayed Puente as a homeless, desperate, methamphetamine-addicted man who had gone on a drug binge of several months, mixed with steroids, participating in what police say were a number of armed robberies in San Antonio in the days before Deckards shooting.

Steroids and meth made him feel invincible, like nothing he had ever felt before in his life, Jimenez said.

RELATED: Witness details Bandidos hit on Hells Angels in Austin

Prosecutors opened their case with an assortment of San Antonio Police Department detectives and computer specialists, including an officer, Tammie Ayala, who had a child with Deckard. The childs name, Cheyenne, was tattooed on one of Deckards forearms.

The owner of a convenience store on San Pedro Avenue testified he was robbed at gunpoint by persons police say were Puente and Ramos shortly before midnight on Dec. 7, 2013. He said he thought it was a customer pulling a prank, but was told, Dont laugh or Ill shoot you.

The pair took about $285, lottery tickets and some cigarettes, then were suspected of robbing a Jack in the Box on Cox Street before police spotted them on the near South Side and chased them.

SAPD Detective Brent Lively told the court he fell in behind Deckard as they reached speeds up to 80 mph on city streets, then more than 100 on the highway. Officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Wilson County and Atascosa County joined the chase.

Lively, trying to control his emotions, said he heard gunfire hitting his own vehicle, then said, I saw Bobbys Tahoe go over a hill and into some thick brush. He had hit a tree  and when we got to him, we hollered out, Deckard, Deckard, you OK?

Then it all just got surreal. We cut away a side curtain air bag and tried to comfort him as best we could until EMS got there. But he had a gunshot wound to the middle of his forehead.

Deckard family members in the courtroom put their arms around each other and wiped their eyes.

The trial is expected to last at least six weeks.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the location of the shooting.
Austin police shot and killed a 46-year-old man who charged at them with a pickax, Police Chief Brian Manley said.

Around 4:18 a.m. Wednesday the man called police and told them he killed his father and his brother at their home in the 4800 block of Tanney Street. He told officers that they would find their bodies and the weapon used to kill them in the home, Manley said.

When officers arrived to the home, they encountered the man, who was outside on his driveway and armed with a pickax, Manley said.

RELATED: Police: S.A. man threatened to post nude photos of ex in 'hundreds' of calls, texts

Manley said officers kept their distance at first and, through speakers, asked him to drop his weapon.

"Officers put together a plan to approach the subject after about 10 minutes," Manley said.

They moved closer toward the man and kept asking him to drop the weapon, but the man refused, Manley said.

When officers were close enough, they tried using less lethal munitions to subdue the man but Manley said the man used a chair to block the shots. A stun gun was also unsuccessfully used by an officer.

Then, the man raised his pickax and charged at officers, who shot and killed him, Manley said.

Police quickly moved into the home and determined no one inside was harmed. However, Manley said officers found a piece of paper taped to one of the doors that "appears to be a suicide note."

Eight officers, five who shot the man and three who used less lethal rounds, will be placed on administrative desk duty while police investigate the incident, Manley said.

Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com
After allegedly sending "hundreds of annoying texts and phone calls" and threatening to share nude photos of his ex-wife, a San Antonio man was arrested Tuesday by Selma police.

On Feb. 4, a woman filed a harassment report with the Selma Police Department, according to an arrest affidavit. She told them she left her common-law husband in January.

After moving, she said 24-year-old Fernando Cantu, began harassing her, according to the affidavit.

RELATED: SAPD: Man sent explicit photos of ex-girlfriend to her new boyfriend

Cantu would use an app that masked his caller ID and in his messages threatened to kill the woman, her family and her new boyfriend, police said.

The texts allegedly sent by Cantu were included in the affidavit and many of them were violent.

"I'm gonna get you (I don't care) if I go to prison. If anything I'll go (in) a shootout," one message listed in the affidavit read.

When police interviewed the woman again, on Feb. 28, Cantu called and texted her so often that she had to put her phone in airplane mode so detectives can inspect the messages without interruption, officials said.

Cantu continued the threats that day, according to the affidavit, by sending the woman nude photos of herself and promising to post them online.

Selma police arrested him Tuesday on suspicion of stalking and threatening to publish intimate material. A judge set his bail at $25,000, according to jail records.

Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com
Land Commissioner George P. Bush is declaring victory in the Republican primary. He appears to have fended off a challenge by his predecessor, Jerry Patterson, who alleged Bush was mismanaging the Alamo. Bush had more than 57 percent of the vote with 32 percent of precincts reporting.

While Gina Ortiz Jones seems sure to go to a runoff in the Democratic Primary for Congressional District 21, there's a tight race for second place with 11 percent of precincts reporting statewide. Ortiz Jones, a former Air Force intelligence officer, has 38.31 percent of the vote. Judy Canales has 19.05 percent of the vote, San Antonio school teacher Rick Trevino has 17.47 percent, and former federal prosecutor Jay Hulings has 16.56 percent.

With 5 percent of returns reporting statewide, Chip Roy seems headed to a runoff in the Republican primary for Congressional District 21, but it's not clear who he'll face. William Negley has 17.88 percent of the vote in the district that stretches from San Antonio to Austin. Matt McCall has 17.43 percent. They're competing to replace U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, who's retiring.

RELATED: LaHood concedes defeat in District Attorney's race

Former State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer was in position to retake his old Texas House seat with 52 percent of the vote after early voting returns. Martinez Fischer is trying to unseat House District 116 Rep. Diana Arevalo.

Democratic State Rep. Tomas Uresti, whose brother was recently convicted in a high-profile federal trial, is losing to unknown challenger Leo Pacheco, after early voting results came in. Pacheco was leading in the South Side Texas House district with 57 percent of the vote.

Matt Beebe and Steve Allison were leading the crowded field of six people in the Republican Primary vying to replace Speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus after early voting results were released Tuesday. Bebee had 29 percent of the vote and Allison had 27 percent.

Straus, a moderate who represents a district that stretches from Alamo Heights to the North Side, announced in October he'll retire at the end of this term.

Both races for the safely Republican seats are expected to go to runoffs.

State Rep. Lyle Larson led the Republican primary for his district in northern Bexar County with almost 59 percent of the vote. That contest drew attention because Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed Larson's opponent, Chris Fails.

In the Democratic primary, Precinct 2 County Commissioner Paul Elizondo led with 46 percent at the end of early voting, but had not secured enough of the vote to avoid a runoff.

Former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez led Andrew White in the race to win the Democratic nomination for governor. With 42 percent of the vote, however, Valdez could still face a runoff.

County officials are still tallying the results of today's voting.
Not to be outdone by American Girl's release of an aspiring female astronaut doll, Mattel is releasing a Barbie inspired by "hidden figure" Katherine Johnson.

Johnson was an African-American mathematician for NASA in the mid-1950s, whose flawless calculation of the trajectory of the space agency's first American-manned flight into space was depicted by Taraji P. Henson in the 2016 movie "Hidden Figures."
This year marks 60 years since the United States started sending satellites into space, including one on March 5, 1958, when the U.S. attempted to launch its second satellite into space. During that span, we have led extraordinary scientific discovery across our solar system. But our space exploration has taken a toll on one particular thing: the orbital environment.

Simply put, there is a lot of debris orbiting Earth. And if we dont do anything about it, we will see an increase in collisions to the detriment of space operations, space commerce and space exploration.

The U.S. Strategic Command, or USSTRATCOM, currently tracks and maintains knowledge of approximately 23,000 things in orbit, so called resident space objects. These objects range from the size of a softball to the size of a school bus and are everything from bolts and pieces of exploded satellites to large rockets. Unfortunately, these are only the ones we can track. The number of objects that are thought to exist is closer to 500,000, with sizes that go down to a millimeter. Think of a speck of paint. However, even something this small can produce significant damage if it collides with something else at a very high speed.

Space shares a few similarities with the Wild West. Its like what the transcontinental railroad did for opening up massive business between our East and West coasts. The Federal Aviation Administration regulates things that go up and come down, but not what stays in orbit. So, in other words, there are few (if any) rules in space.

This means countries can behave in almost any way desired in space without any consequences, which is not a recipe for a long-term sustainable and safe space environment.

Couple that with a space renaissance that is going on, given the large amount of wealth to be made from space services, capabilities and activities. Great entrepreneurs such as Jeff Bezos (Blue Origin and Amazon) and Elon Musk (SpaceX and Tesla) are only a few who are leading the way in making access to space much cheaper than before. And in February, India broke the record for launching the largest number of satellites at once: 104.

All of this will only continue.

Without something like environmental protection in space and some global governance for developing norms of good stewardship of space activities, we risk seeing whole regions of space becoming hard, if not impossible, to use freely and cheaply. We should take a page from our early mining days and how that activity, unregulated, was to the detriment of the environment including the loss of human lives.

Add to that the fact that the space community does not openly share information on where all objects are located for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that the organization providing everyone with a free service of collision warnings is USSTRATCOM. Gen. John Hyten, the agencys commander, has underscored the desire to see the Department of Defense leave the business of space traffic cop to some other entity (the FAA, for example).

To deal with this space trash issue, we should create a public-private partnership composed of government, industry, academia and international partners to focus on space traffic management. Moreover, lawmakers would be wise to create a NASA Space Situational Awareness Institute  administered by NASA and composed of academic and research institutions such as UT-Austin  to be the scientific and technical frontier to support decision-making processes for current and future civil and commercial space activities.

Business leaders should be allowed to invest in and participate in this institute, having first access to results so that they may incorporate these sciences and technologies into their own business models.

A lot has happened since that late evening when the U.S. launched its first satellite, Explorer 1, into orbit 60 years ago. We must preserve our freedom and ability to use space for the next 60 years and beyond.
TAIPEIPresident Xi Jinpings vision of a resurgent Chinese nation raises a huge red flag for democratic rival Taiwan, with the pressure set to rise now that Xi has a lifetime to realize his ambitions. China sees Taiwan as a renegade province and has long stated its desire for reunification, an ambition strongly opposed by the self-ruling island, which has an elected government, freedom of speech and a deep-seated sense of its own identity. But with the plans to abolish Chinas presidential term limits, paving the way for a decades-long rule by Xi and making him the most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, analysts predict Taiwan will face a squeeze on multiple fronts, from the economy to defense and diplomatic ties. Taiwan is Xi Jinpings major ambition. He is obsessed by reunification because it will be his place in history, his claim to immortality, said Hong Kong-based political analyst Willy Lam. Bringing Taiwan back into the fold is key to Xis vision of China as a global superpower and by doing so he would achieve something even Mao had not, Lam added, describing the island as a symbol of colonial humiliation for China. Taiwan was ruled for 50 years by the Japanese until the end of World War II and is protected by the United States, its major ally. Chinas rubber-stamp parliament is expected to approve a constitutional amendment to scrap the two-term limit for the presidency on Sunday. In a report to the opening session of the annual National Peoples Congress in Beijing on Monday, Premier Li Keqiang warned China would not tolerate any separatist schemes in Taiwan and would advance Chinas peaceful reunification. Solving what he calls the Taiwan issue is every Chinese leaders wish, said Beijing-based political commentator Hua Po, although he believes Xi will turn his attentions to domestic issues first. After he has achieved internal stability, he will take more tough and efficient measures against Taiwan, said Hua, who said those could include armed force. However, most observers believe China will stop short of military intervention, which would prompt a reaction from the US and damage its international image. Instead, they predict Beijing will continue its aggressive military posturingin the past year it has increased the drills around the island and Taiwan has pledged to boost its defense force against the rising threat. There will also be renewed diplomatic and economic pressure. China has wooed more of Taiwans dwindling number of global allies in the past two years. Jonathan Sullivan, director of the China Policy Institute at Nottingham University, says Beijing will combine tough measures with a charm offensive, nurturing relationships with Taiwanese politicians and businesses, as well as launching an information campaign to show Taiwanese people their vulnerabilities. China has more leverage than it has thus far chosen to usealthough Taiwan is by no means helpless and simply waiting to be annexed, Sullivan said.It will continue to be carrot and stick. Xis rhetoric against challenges to Chinese sovereignty has also targeted semi-autonomous Hong Kong, where the emergence of activists calling for independence from the mainland has incensed Beijing. Mondays NPC report skipped key phrases on the extent to which Hong Kong governs itself, terms which have traditionally been included. Political freedoms are increasingly under threat in the city with candidates linked to calls for independence or self-determination barred from standing for office. Taiwan has never formally declared independence from the mainland despite being self-ruling since 1949 and China has said it would respond with force to any attempted split. Relations have soured in the past two years under President Tsai Ing-wen, who has refused to acknowledge the island is part of one China and whose party traditionally supports independence. Beijing unilaterally cut off official communications with Taiwan shortly after she took office in 2016. Taiwan will continue to look to its traditional partner the US for backing, but analysts characterize President Donald Trumps policymaking as unpredictable. Some on the island are concerned it will be used as a pawn as he negotiates with Beijing on issues from trade to North Korea. But there are signs of moves towards further supportthe US Senate last week passed a bill to encourage visits between Washington and Taipei at all levels, angering Beijing. Washington cut formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1979 in favor of Beijing, but maintains trade relations with the island and sells it weapons. Analysts see no end to the cross-strait impasse, with little prospect Taiwan will come round to Beijings way of thinking. Xi needs something concrete to justify the extension of his term, says Chang Ya-chung, political analyst at National Taiwan University. Taiwan will feel the increasing pressure.
The same institutional failings that allowed a staffer at Centro San Antonio to allegedly embezzle $291,000 through an elaborate fraud also allowed for all sorts of questionable spending at the downtown-focused nonprofit.

These failings include an organizational structure that is inherently conflicted, a board that was way too removed from daily operations, a lack of focus in terms of organizational mission; and flaccid management from Pat DiGiovanni, the organizations former CEO, who was prone to big ideas but appears to have been asleep at the wheel.

The latest story on the Centro saga from Express-News reporter Richard Webner isnt pretty. It highlights the nonprofits creative and arguably inappropriate use of public funds.

RELATED: Accountant tied to embezzlement from Centro has history of bank fraud, bankruptcy

As part of its duties, Centro manages the downtown public improvement district. Property tax revenue from the district funds maintenance, landscaping, grackle control and street washing. Think of the workers in yellow shirts who keep downtown streets clean or provide directions to tourists.

Thats the PID in action. Its money well spent, but only if its spent appropriately.

As Webner pointed out, some funds for the PID seem to have been used for other purposes that align more closely with Centros other function: Lobbying for downtown developers and business owners with the city.

This is known as Centro Alliance.

Consider the following PID expenses, which Webner uncovered through a public records request:

Last March, the Alliance held a fundraiser at La Margarita Restaurant & Oyster Bar. Of the $3,117 bill, more than $2,300 was charged to the PID.

The PID was incorrectly charged a $1,314.75 bill from the restaurant Acenar and a $918.90 bill from Alonti Catering Kitchen. Centro will reimburse these expenses.

A $3,274 trip to Chicago in April when the citys river barge contract was under discussion.

RELATED: Centro San Antonio CEO quits amid allegations of embezzlement by staffer

More than $8,000 charged for sponsorships of music festivals outside of downtown boundaries.

Tens of thousands of dollars in consulting fees to advocate that city bond dollars be spent on projects largely outside of the PID.

Two instances of using PID funds on DiGiovannis family members: $586 on flights to Chicago for DiGiovanni and his wife for a convention, and $281 for social media work by DiGiovannis son.

Centro is seeking reimbursement for DiGiovannis wifes flight, but DiGiovanni has said the cost was already recouped. He also said he was removed from his sons hiring by another staffer, but, of course, he was the boss.

Membership and meals at the Plaza Club totaling $2,350.

Perhaps these expenses served a purpose for downtown advocacy, but we fail to see how they fit the mission of maintaining downtown as a clean, friendly and safe space.

At its best, Centro is a vital voice for downtown and can offer vision for revitalization and opportunity. But recent scandal and questionable spending undercut the organizations authority and stain its credibility.

Whatever comes next for Centro, or however the organization evolves, the board must take a more active role in daily operations. Not micromanagement, but effective oversight, as is the boards function.

The next CEO must monitor finances like a hawk. And the vision should be narrow. Improving Houston Street is the right place to start.

Restructuring also needs to be on the table.

The inherent conflict in Centro is that it lobbies the city of San Antonio while also managing city funds for the PID. Both functions are necessary, but in light of such questionable spending, its probably best to keep them separate. Which is to say, perhaps separate organizations altogether.
I cannot believe that Jane Fonda was at the Academy Awards ceremony.

My husband, a career Army soldier, was fighting in South Vietnam when Hanoi Jane was being a traitor in North Vietnam.

How can this happen? Lest we forget?

Patricia J. Wood

Not so biased

Like many of your readers, I believed that the Express-News has a far left liberal bias.

I decided to do a little research. I read and counted every letter to the editor published in the paper from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28. There were 143 letters published. Fifty-seven mentioned Trump or the president. Thirty three (58 percent) were anti-Trump and twenty four (42 percent) were pro-Trump.

I dont know if 58 percent vs. 42 percent is statistically significant, but from my perspective, there may be only a mild bias. I will not be as critical as I have been in the past.

Doug McKenzie

White privilege

Just when you think Sen. Nancy Pelosi can get no more offensive and biased toward white people, she tells us her young grandsons wish on his birthday was to be dark-eyed and dark-skinned like his Latino play pal. Can you imagine an African-American politician saying their grandson wished he could have blue eyes and blond hair like his white friend?

Pelosi thinks his poor self-image is something to encourage. I mean, hes a white male, so hes already not exactly the apple of Nanas eye. Now if only he wished he were an illegal Latina, hed be Nanas favorite.

Its pathetic, this condescension toward Latinos. You guys are so fabulous that my grandson will give up his white male privilege to be you! Anybody want my white privilege?

Shannon Deason

Two virtuous men

Re: Sizable egos, Your Turn, February 27:

It was my pleasure to meet our former mayor, Julian Castro, years ago at the opening of the John Igo Branch Library in San Antonio. I found the Jefferson High School, Stanford University, and Harvard Law School graduate to be a friendly, respectful young man. And I remember with pride watching him give the Keynote Speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

I am also aware of the millions of dollars that LeBron James has donated to charitable causes.

Andy Parsons

Preserve the charm

Re: An open letter to the mayor on property taxes, Robert Trevino, Another View, Feb. 6:

We have lived in the historic King William District since 1996. We have also owned and operated a bed-and-breakfast on our property for the same time. Around 1999, the neighborhood and city worked together to write a very good ordinance regarding short term rentals/bed-and-breakfasts.

Why is the city wasting time and money trying to write another law when this one has served all of us very well? I have yet to hear a cogent answer from any city representative. The law currently in place covers any entity that rents short term whether they are called inns, bed-and-breakfasts, short-term rentals or Airbnb.

There is absolutely no need for another law to cover the Airbnb properties. They fall under the current ordinance definitions and should obey the law the rest of us have for the past many years.

Deborah Field

Heartfelt thanks

On Feb. 9, residents and team members of Normandy Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center were alerted to a small fire in a lighting ballast. Firefighters and emergency officials promptly responded and extinguished the fire, which was contained to one area of the building. Once the fire was out, our patients and residents were cleared to remain inside the center.

I want to thank the San Antonio Fire Department, Station No. 18 and all the area emergency response teams that came to our aid. Each of you went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure our center was safe for us to occupy.

Your commitment and dedication to serving others is evident and admirable. I now realize that our community is in great hands with its first responders.

A heartfelt thank you from me, our team members, our patients and residents, and their families. I am grateful for your dedication to serving others.

Elizabeth Howard, administrator, Normandy Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center

Exploiting the kids

I find it interesting how the media and liberal groups are suddenly praising the kids as being so smart, mature and having all the answers to gun control. Yet these same liberals claim those younger than 21 are not mature or smart enough to even own a gun.

The liberals are excited about this new bloc of 18-year-olds becoming new voters only because they support the liberal view on gun control.

Its sad to see liberals and the media taking advantage of this recent tragedy using the kids. The solution to controlling school and mass shootings is much more complicated than just taking guns away from all citizens.

Carthel W. Williams, Spring Branch

Ditch your guns

I see where our eccentric president suggests we convert teachers into pistol-packing mamas. The more we talk about gun control, the more we move in the opposite direction.

Lay that pistol down, babe.

George Carrera
FORMER President Mr Robert Mugabe and Brigadier-General Ambrose Mutinhiri (Retired)  understood to be his proxy in the former First Familys political project, New Patriotic Front (NPF)  are trying to launch their dynastic political enterprise through leveraging on their maternal relationship, ex-Zipra cadres have said.

The Zipra cadres said they actually spurned overtures from Brig-Gen Mutinhiri (Rtd) to join the party.

In an interview with ZBC News on Monday, Zipra combatant Cde Freddy Chillis Mutanda said despite their relationship, Brig-Gen Mutinhiri (Rtd) also felt indebted to Mr Mugabe.

He said Mr Mugabe reinvented Brig-Gen Mutinhiri (Rtd)s political career when he had taken a sabbatical ostensibly because he had been overlooked by Zipra when they appointed Cde Lookout Masuku as commander.

Cde Masuku had replaced the former commander, Cde Alfred Nikita Mangena, who died in June 1978.

It is his decision (to form NPF), said Cde Mutanda. We will say it his decision bearing in mind that him and the former President (Mr Mugabe) are close.

They are actually related.

Their mothers were cousins. I know that for certain because for me, Mutinhiri is like a brother. He has taken a decision to work with his brother (Mr Mugabe).

An unnamed government source also told state-owned newspaper the Herald that essentially, what it means is its the former president who is trying to stage a second coming behind the person of the dutiful and beholden Ambrose Mutinhiri.

The disgruntled Brig-Gen Mutinhiri (Rtd), Cde Mutanda said, was only salvaged by Mr Mugabe from his sabbatical at his rural home in Mahusekwa after independence.

So, when we came back after the liberation struggle, he was no longer in the structures of Zipra; his position as chief of staff and deputy commander were not filled after he took a sabbatical, he said.

According to Cde Mutanda, Brig-Gen Mutinhiri (Rtd), in agreeing to front the NPF, had mistakenly thought that he could easily recruit disgruntled Zipra cadres who had tried to reach out to him after ex-Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko was appointed to the post, which they vehemently opposed.

We were supposed to meet last Friday, said Cde Mutanda. He (Brig-Gen Mutinhiri) took advantage of a situation. As you know, as Zipra we had decided sometime last year to approach the former president (Mr Mugabe) to have Mphoko recalled as Vice President.

It is not a secret. We then approached our leadership in the party to say what Cde Mphoko is doing is not proper; it is not in line with the Unity Accord. I was personally dealing with the matter.

I approached Cde Mutinhiri to say lets recall Cde Mphoko; Cde Mutinhiri refused. So, last week on the 24th of February, I then heard from some people he had sent. He actually sent some people to contact me for us to have a meeting to discuss the post November issue.

He took advantage of a situation where we were not happy about certain things. But we refused to meet him because he had refused to have Mphoko recalled. So we said we can only meet as the former High Command if Dumiso (Dabengwa) is going to be there, because Dumiso was our man after the November issue.

So we said how do we meet you, how can you chair our meeting when you were saying let us protect Mphoko and we were against Mphoko?

Another Zipra cadre, Cde Headman Moyo, described Brig-Gen Mutinhiri (Rtd) as an extension of the G40 cabal.

We feel that he is part of G40 extension, he said.

That is the G40 that we have been talking about. That is the G40 we have been saying it is active on the ground. It is sprouting with Ambrose. It is unfortunate that Ambrose is being used to propel the G40 agenda.

Separately, in an interview yesterday, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWA) secretary-general Cde Victor Matemadanda called on war veterans and ex-detainees not to be fooled by ambitious people like Brig-Gen Mutinhiri (Rtd), who was trying to soil the vision of Operation Restore Legacy.

Cde Matemadanda said it was time war veterans and ex-detainees rallied behind President Emmerson Mnangagwa who has indicated his willingness to address their plight.

We should not be fooled by people like Retired Brigadier-General Mutinhiri to follow them because they want to spoil the vision of Operation Restore Legacy that has seen a lot of changes in the country, he said. Interestingly, he goes to former President Mugabe, who for the past 37 years, failed the country.

 Chronicle

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
FORMER Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Deputy Minister Dr Godfrey Gandawa raised a red flag over the awarding of a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) to former First Lady Grace Mugabe two months after she was awarded, but was threatened into silence, it has emerged.

Mrs Mugabe was awarded the PhD in 2014 by the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and her husband Mr Mugabe  in his capacity as the university chancellor  presided over her graduation ceremony.

Documents in The Heralds possession show that Dr Gandawa wrote to then Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Dr Olivia Muchena seeking clarity over the awarding of the degree.

In the letter dated September 29, 2014, Dr Gandawa notes that obtaining a PhD follows is an established process with a clear paper trail.

It must therefore be noted that an audit trail is created by and during the process I have outlined herein. In that case, if the First Lady was properly assisted to observe the above procedure, therefore, the audit trail of evidence and documentation relevant to her research work should be available, more so for public consumption with a view to quelling down unfounded scathing attacks on her integrity, that of the chancellor as well as that of the UZ itself.

Clearly something went awry as regards the process followed by the University of Zimbabwe as evidenced by the drowning noise being raised all over and the apparent failure by the UZ to provide the First Family with protection at a time its needed most, reads Dr Gandawas letter to Dr Muchena.

Hon Minister, pretending that all went well with the last UZ graduation ceremony is not only being naive on our part as ministers of this ministry, but it is also a dangerous and futile wishful thinking exercise, seeking to provide us with a false and misleading lull to our otherwise usually sharp academic conscience.

Dr Gandawa said key questions were being raised in the public domain and within circles of academia in connection with Mrs Mugabes PhD.

He said the questions included whether the UZ followed due process leading to the awarding of the degree to Mrs Mugabe.

Did Amai Mugabe go through all the stages of the process resulting in her attaining the PhD degree? Did she take the required study time or not? Who were her internal and external supervisors? Who were her advisors as she prepared to register and during the whole process of registering for her PhD studies? If there was a flaw in the process, was it just a mere failure of procedure and system or was it a well calculated outcome aimed at dealing a fatal blow to the very image and person of the First Lady and that of her husband, His Excellency and the UZ Chancellor? further asked Dr Gandawa.

He suspects that Mrs Mugabe could have been a beneficiary of Zanu-PF factionalism at the time with some politicians in the party pretending to do her a favour by manipulating the system of awarding the degree.

To what an extent could this be linked to political manoeuvring with factionalism and power struggles at play? Can a political hand be seen behind the scenes manipulating procedure with a hidden agenda to smear the image of the First Family? Could some people behind the scenes have pretended to assist her elevate her profile with the aim of eventually tarnishing the First Ladys image and integrity for political reasons? How can such a conspiracy theory be ruled out since the process involved no novices in the area of conferment of higher degrees at the mother of all universities in the country  people of high repute and supposedly of high academic integrity and statuses?

Dr Gandawa said the process of awarding degrees to high political figures was supposed to be handled with high sensitivity and by a team of highly experienced and mature university officials and in consultation with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development.

Was any such team set up and were any such consultations carried out? Dr Gandawa asked.

Surely, this could not have escaped the analysis of any simple academic and intellectual mind, let alone the collective brain power of top academics, including the self-proclaimed highly educated, top engineer and wise chairman of the UZ council, who also doubles as the Secretary for the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Dr Washington Mbizvo.

Dr Gandawa demanded to know the involvement of the ministry in the whole saga.

All things being equal, the ministry should have, by now, submitted a detailed report to the UZ Chancellor and Head of State, on what really transpired rather than to leave everything to speculation, whilst the battering and bashing continues in the media unabated. By now the ministry should have furnished the First Lady with full information from its own viewpoint regarding what transpired and how she could be protected, if nothing amiss happened.

Under normal circumstances, as soon as our ministry plunged into this crisis, we should have consulted each other, putting our heads together, sharing collective wisdom with a view to finding a lasting solution and minimise damage on the First Family, the university and the ministry. However, I am baffled by the apparent maintenance of silence and aloofness, even on the part of the very engineers and protagonists of the crisis, said Dr Gandawa. He threw the story back at Dr Muchena. I dont know on your part, Hon Minister, but on my part, I intend to set the record straight that I was left out of the picture from the beginning to the end of the whole process. However, I am aware that the secretary (Dr Mbizvo) and the Vice Chancellor (Professor Levi Nyagura) were active players in this process, which makes them qualified to furnish us with answers to all the questions raised in respect of this matter, said Dr Gandawa.

He insinuated that the awarding of the degree to Mrs Mugabe could have been a plot to destroy her.

In the absence of convincing answers, I am left with no option but to suspect that it was, indeed, a deliberate and carefully calculated strategy to destroy Amai Mugabe and the First Family in a bigger political game than meets the ordinary eye. How else can it be explained when all of a sudden, everyone who had their hands on the deck, suddenly disappear into deafening silence at a time when they should be speaking out loudly in defence of the First Family, if everything was done above board, wrote Dr Gandawa.

He demanded to know the role Dr Muchena played.

If due process was followed and nothing was and is amiss about awarding of this much talked about PhD degree, then the onus is upon those who were directly and actively superintending over the process to come out and proffer solid evidence that vindicates the First Lady, the ministry, and the UZ, rather than to remain silent on the matter as if nothing has happened.

If such evidence is available, then attempts should be made to contain the rumour mill which is in overdrive with the media attacking the First Family whilst the protagonists in the university and ministry maintain their peace. Why cant someone explain to the ministry and the nation what happened in order to douse the flames fuelled by speculation as a way of controlling and minimising the damage already inflicted on the person of the Chancellor (then Mr Mugabe), the First Lady, the minister and indeed the reputation of the UZ?

Dr Gandawa said it was surprising that after Mrs Mugabes PhD saga became public, both the secretary Dr Mbizvo and the UZ Vice Chancellor Prof L. Nyagura, have neither submitted any report to us as ministers, nor have they made any public statements in order to do damage control. They have also not briefed me on the matter as a stakeholder.

He urged Dr Muchena to urgently institute an urgent high-profile investigation into the matter with a view to getting the correct facts and eventually providing answers to many questions being raised about this matter . . .

Dr Gandawa suggested that the ministry should have compiled a report to Mr Mugabe, Mrs Mugabe and the Office of the President and Cabinet over what transpired.

When The Herald sought Dr Gandawas comment over the matter yesterday, he confirmed authoring the letter to Dr Muchena and that he got no response but threats from certain offices to leave the matter.

He did not reveal who threatened him and why.

She (Dr Muchena) did not respond. I also did not withdraw the letter. I wrote it and gave it to her and other senior officials. Ndakavhundutsirwa. They said ndakudakuonesa, siyana nayo. Even the next minister (Professor Jonathan Moyo) never looked at it yet I was fighting to address the issue, he said.

Efforts to get a comment from Dr Muchena were fruitless yesterday.

Prof Nyagura and Dr Mbizvo were also not available to comment on the matter.

Dr Muchena was dropped from Cabinet by then president Mugabe in December 2014.

 Herald

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
- No fewer than 21 migrants have gone missing and had probably drowned after two boats set off from Libya for Italy

- The 21 people missing were among the 51 on one of the boats, a wooden one

- 132 other people on the second boat, a rubber dinghy, had been rescued

The International Organisation for Migration said on Tuesday, March 6, that 21 migrants were missing, and had probably drowned, after two boats, a rubber dinghy and a wooden boat, set off from Libya for Italy and had to be rescued.

IOM spokesman Joel Millman told a news conference in Geneva that 132 other people on the rubber dinghy had been rescued.

Late on Monday, March 5, SOS Mediterranee said there was one pregnant woman and 14 children with no family among the survivors. The organisation said they come mostly from West Africa.

READ ALSO: PDP governors meet in Gombe, talks surround Wike, 2019

The migrants were first rescued on March 3 by a Cypriot merchant ship, and handed over to SOS Mediterranee late on Saturday. Thirty were on a sinking wooden boat, and according to survivors, 21 people died in that shipwreck.

There were five women on board, four drowned, including a pregnant one. One lost my brother, a Gambian man was quoted as saying by SOS Mediterranee.

Most migrants are desperate not to be returned to Libya, where they face widespread abuse and torture.

According to SOS Mediterranee, the Libyan coastguard picked up about 90 people from the dinghy.

The Mediterranean is the worlds most dangerous sea migration route.

According to an earlier report by Legit.ng, Libyas navy reported on Tuesday, February 20, that its coast guard recently rescued 441 migrants in two separate operations as their boats drifted off the western coast.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

In the report by the navy, 35 women and 16 children were among the 324 illegal migrants rescued in one of the operations on Monday, February 19, with assistance from a fishing boat.

The report said that the migrants were from Chad, Nigeria, Mali and Libya. The coastguard also saved 117 migrants, including five women and two babies, off the coast of Zawiya, west of the capital Tripoli, The Libya Observer reports.

Nigerians speak on slavery in Libya - on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit
- Motorists and other road users of Arochukwu-Ohafia road can finally heave a sigh of relief

- This is as the road is set to be reconstructed after years of neglect

- The initiative is the brain-child of Senator Mao Ohuabunwa

The senator representing Abia North senatorial district in the Nigerian Senate, Mao Ohuabunwa, on Sunday, March 4, flagged off the reconstruction of the Arochukwu-Ohafia road after years of neglect.

The initiative attracted the commendation of Abia state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, who was represented at the flag-off ceremony by his deputy, Ude Oko.

The governor lauded the senator for taking the pain to ensure that the road becomes motorable, lamenting that previous administrations had abandoned the road.

Senator Ohuabunwa is very popular among his people. Photo credit: puoreports.com

READ ALSO: President Buhari will sign Peace Corps Bill - Senator Ohuabunwa

Residents of Arochukwu-Ohafia, including commercial drivers have suffered a lot due to the dilapidated state of the road. I think the reconstruction of the road attracted by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa will help to alleviate the sufferings of the people plying the road.

This project attracted by the senator has complimented the efforts of the state government in ensuring total infrastructural development of the state. The distinguished senator has made us proud, the governor said.

On his part, Senator Ohuabunwa thanked the people of the zone, assuring them of quality representation and attracting more people-oriented projects to the zone.

His words: During my campaign, one thing that kept coming up each time we visit communities within Arochukwu and Ohafia is the state of the Arochukwu-Ohafia federal road and the need to do something about it.

As a legislator, I know for sure that the only way to get it done is through appropriation and as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I am well positioned to use my legislative privileges to get it done for my people.

The senator thanked the governor and other government officials in the state for their support, while pledging his resolve to monitor the execution of the project. He described media reports insinuating that he empowered women in his constituency with frying pan and camp gas as mischievous and deliberate spread of falsehood.

Senator Ohuabunwa, who spoke through his special assistant, Uche Okoli, described the report as a distortion of fact and misrepresentation of what actually happened.

According to Okoli, his boss conducted a skill acquisition training programme in 2017 which was handled by the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency, adding that after the training, each person was equipped with the necessary tools needed in the area of training with a financial support of up to N50,000.

PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Kogi West Senatorial District to recall senator Dino Melaye from the Nigerian Senate on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- Ghana celebrated its 61st independence and President Buhari was in attendance

- Giving a speech at the event, the president said Nigeria and Ghana have become destination for foreign investment

- He applauded President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his projects in the country

President Muhammadu Buhari has noted that Ghana and Nigeria have become good destinations for foreign investment based on the decisions taken by the governments.

President Buhari made this remark during Ghanas 61st independence anniversary celebration on Tuesday, March 6.

President Buhari commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana for the warm reception and congratulated his strides in office

President Muhammadu Buhari at Ghana's 61st independence Anniversary celebration. Credit: Facebook Femi Adesina

READ ALSO: Police quizzes PDP state chairman for allegation against Edo state government

Read his speech below:

On behalf of the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I am honoured by the special invitation extended to me by His Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on this auspicious occasion of the celebration of the 61st Independence Anniversary of the Republic of Ghana. I am delighted at the warm reception accorded me and my entourage since our arrival in this beautiful city of Accra.

President Muhammadu Buhari noted the strides made by Ghana. Credit: Facebook Femi Adesina

Your Excellency,

I would like to pay special tribute to all leaders of the Republic right from the era of the late first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to date. We must acknowledge their various contributions.

In the words of Kwame Nkrumah those who would judge us merely by the heights we have achieved would do well to remember the depths from which we started. No words can sum it up better as we are all familiar with our colonial era journey and its ups and downs. My tribute also goes to all those who have paid the supreme sacrifices in the cause of nation-building.

President Muhammadu Buhari applauded President Nana Akufo of Ghana for the successes recorded in his administration so far. Credit: Facebook Femi Adesina

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

May I extend my personal congratulations to President Akufo-Addo on your successful one year in office with special note on the strides recorded by your administration within a space of just 365 days.

From Nigeria, I have watched closely your achievements, ranging from your ingenious approach to creating jobs for the teeming youths through various initiatives, including the repositioning of agriculture for modern farming, Farming for Jobs and Food, Senior High School (SHS) free education, One-District-One-Factory, and One-Village-One-Dam as well as the improvement being recorded in the Republics macroeconomic indicators.

All these efforts, I am aware, have made Ghana to become a good destination for foreign direct investment just like Nigeria. Accept my congratulations!

Your Excellency,

My tributes to you and the people of Ghana will not be complete without acknowledging your efforts at tackling corruption, which has eaten into the fabrics of our societies.

I congratulate both the government and the Parliament for the quick passage of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act and its signing into law. Your Excellency can be assured that you have a good partner in me as I look forward to any form of collaboration between Nigeria and Ghana in tackling the menace of endemic corruption. Given all these public policies, it becomes reassuring that with the right leadership, Africas drives to eradicate poverty and to entrench democracy is on course.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

Nigeria and Ghana share close cultural and historic ties, which have continued to shape our bilateral relations. Once again, I note with pride that our common colonial experience, as well as parallel socio-economic and political development and the patriotic vision of our leaders have helped greatly in shaping this unique relationship not only in West Africa sub-region but in our collaborative actions internationally.

It is therefore my strong desire that we owe it as a duty to ensure that our good peoples continue to live in each others countries unhindered. Our newly rejuvenated Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation has already provided us with good platform in resolving any differences while focusing on our main developmental objectives.

Your Excellency,

Permit me to put on record, Ghanas untiring efforts in brokering peace in Togo, by bringing all the warring parties to the negotiation table. I am appealing to the opposing parties in Togo to please come together and resolve their differences so that Togo will move forward.

In the same vein, I wish Nigeria and Ghana to continue to provide the impetus in realising the objectives and ideals of the founding fathers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to ensure security, peace and development of our region.

Your Excellency, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the government and people of Nigeria, I join other well-wishers to congratulate the Government and the good people of Ghana on this momentous occasion of your celebration of freedom.

Meanwhile, Senator Dino Melaye, Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West at the National Assembly has lamented that Nigeria no longer marks important days. He made this known on Tuesday in a post on Instagram.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

The lawmaker was reacting to the ongoing Ghana Independence celebration. In attendance were President Buhari, Senate president Bukola Saraki, among others.

Dino Melaye posted a picture of the colourful event and wrote, ''I feel sad and ashamed this morning as I physically see the cultural and national demonstration of love, unity and purpose exhibited by Ghanaians here at the Black Star Square in Accra- Ghana as Ghana celebrate their 61st independence and 25 years of uninterrupted democracy."

Kogi West senatorial district to recall senator Dino Melaye from the Nigerian Senate on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit
- A former governor of Nasarawa state, Aliyu Akwe-Doma, has died after a brief illness

- His nephew, Ahmed Bako, said that Akwe-Doma died in a foreign hospital in Israel

- Akwe-Doma was Nasarawa state governor between 2007 and 2011

The immediate ex-governor of Nasarawa state, Aliyu Akwe-Doma, is dead.

According to his nephew, Ahmed Bako, Akwe-Doma died on the evening of Tuesday, March 6, in a foreign hospital in Israel after a brief illness, Premium Times reports.

Legit.ng gathered that sympathisers have already gathered at Akwe-Domas house in Orozo, Karshi district of Abuja.

READ ALSO: Nigerian man elected as Italy's first black senator

He was governor of Nasarawa state between 2007 and 2011, after which he was defeated by the incumbent governor, Umaru Al-makura.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that there was a money laundering charge of N15 billion against the former governor Akwe-Doma.

Another case involved N2 billion, which he reportedly laundered in the name of Green Forest Investment Limited, a firm he owned.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Nigerias agricultural revolution kick-starts in Nasarawa state - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
PINOY PRIDE. Members of the Kahayag Dance Company pose along Taizi Boulevard after their performance at the Taiwan Lantern Festival in Chaiyi, Taiwan. Photo by Michael Miranda

Chaiyi, Taiwan-, a community-based dance group from Dumaguete City, performed at the annual Taiwan Lantern Festival to the tune of ABS-CBN 2012 summer station ID sang by. The station ID entitled Pinoy Summer Da Best Forever, which also featured, complemented Kahayags vibrant costumes and lively dance routines that highlighted the Philippines rich history of street dance. The 40-member dance ensemble that has been competing and winning in numerous cultural dance competitions overseas was invited by Taiwan Tourism Bureau to take part in the annual lantern festival that promotes Taiwanese culture, history, craftsmanship, technology, and tourism. A member of the group toldthat they felt proud for being selected by the Tourism Bureau to perform at the grand launch of the annual festival held on March 2.The festivity was attended by Taiwanese dignitaries led by Taiwans president,Kahayag Dance Company, which is also flying to Greece in July to compete in the 14th World Festival of Traditional Dances, performed on the same stage where other dance troops from Japan, Indonesia and Taiwan also showcased dynamic cultural dances. The well-applauded performance of Kahayag Dance Company showcased festive Philippine cultural dance mixed with hip hop. Its act featuredstreet dance and ballet. The Taiwan Lantern Festival marks the final day of the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. This year, the annual festival that centers on the theme of Earth Dog is hosted by Chiayi County and lanterns will be on display until March 11. During the festival period, visitors can use an app specifically designed for the event. The app provide useful information such as overall lantern zone intro, site map, special lantern zone reports, food recommendations, live streams, LED push notifications, AR experiences, 360-degree previews, traffic updates, parking tips and online shop tours. Called the Chiayi iTour, the app is available in English, Japanese and Mandarin.
- The Plateau government is gearing up for President Buhari's visit to the state

- Thursday, March 8, has been declared a public holiday by the government

- The president is billed to arrive the state on a one-day working visit on that day

The government of Plateau state has declared Thursday, March 8, a public holiday to enable residents welcome President Muhammadu Buhari on a one-day working visit to the state.

Izam Azi, head of service, announced this on Tuesday, March 6, in Jos, after an emergency State Executive Council meeting. The holiday will afford civil servants and other citizens the opportunity to give the president a rousing welcome, Azi said.

Meanwhile, Yakubu Dati, commissioner for information and communication, has said that there would be restriction of movement during the visit, especially around areas the president would inaugurate projects.

The Plateau state governor has enjoyed cordial relationship with the president so far. Photo credit: State House

READ ALSO: Ijaw leader urges President Buhari to declare state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe

Dati said that government had created alternative routes in affected areas, adding that security agencies would guide movements during the day.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the federal government said it is investing N771 million into building 80 houses in Plateau state. The buildings under the Federal Housing Programme (FHP) is located at Laminga village in Jos, Plateau state.

An official of the federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing also commended the Plateau state government for donating the 5.04 hectares of land for the project.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

President Buhari commissions first Nigerian drone - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- Boko Haram terrorist group is no longer a serious fighting force, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

- According to him, the group is feeding off the oxygen of media attention

- He said the abduction of 110 Dapchi girls and the Rann attack are reminders of the absolute ruthlessness of the insurgents

The vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, has described the Boko Haram terrorist group as a non-serious fighting force. He said the group is only doing what it takes to feed off "the oxygen of media attention" in their recent attacks.

Speaking at the opening of the 8th edition of the 2018 national security seminar organised by Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AABDEC) on Tuesday, March 6, the vice president said the group will alter their goals and objectives at random.

He added that the efforts of the federal government and the military should not be interpreted as an unwinnable war.

READ ALSO: Breaking: After brief illness, ex-governor Aliyu Akwe-Doma of Nasarawa dies

Osinbajo said: "They (Boko Haram) will alter their goals and objectives at random, and are capable of doing anything and everything to continue feeding off the oxygen of media attention. Yet this should not be interpreted as meaning that we fighting an unwinnable war. We can boldly say that today Boko Haram is no longer a serious fighting force.

We have to be strategic in our approach, responding not out of panic or fear, but out of a determination to secure our nation and keep our people safe not only from terrorism but from every other threat they face. We must fight them on multiple fronts, starve them of funding and resources, of sympathisers, and of the oxygen of publicity, especially on the Internet," the vice president said.

Reacting to the abduction of 110 schoolgirls from a government secondary school in Dapchi, Yobe state and the attack by the group in Rann, Borno state, Osinbajo said both incident are reminders of the absolute ruthlessness of the enemy (Boko Haram).

He also added that the occasional setback recorded in the counter-insurgency is not unique to Nigeria. Two weeks ago one such incident took place, in the town of Dapchi, in Yobe state. Suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked a girls secondary school, abducting 110 girls. And then last week, the attacks on a humanitarian camp in Rann in Borno state.

READ ALSO: PDP governors meet in Gombe, complain of Wike's overbearing attitude

Both incidents have received widespread condemnation from around the world. They are reminders of the absolute ruthlessness of the enemy  and the fact that it will resort to increasingly desperate and callous moves on our most vulnerable people and places, even as its losses mount.Very often, the campaign of violence is foiled, thankfully.

Towards the end of 2017, the Global Terrorism Index reported that terrorism deaths in Nigeria fell by 80 percent between 2015 and 2016. That figure of 80 percent represents countless Boko Haram attacks prevented from happening by the efforts of the Nigerian military. We must never forget that.

Frustratingly, however, all that a terrorist group requires to be deemed extraordinary is for it to record a high-profile success every now and then," he added.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Legit.ng earlier reported that Osinbajo had given reasons why the president could not visit some of the states ravaged by attacks and killings. Osinbajo said while the federal government sympathies with the victims of the attacks, condolence alone would not solve the problem.

He said there is no level of condolence that can compensate the loss of any live and that the Benue killing was one set of killing taken too far.

Nigerians react as Boko Haram terrorists kidnap over 100 girls in Dapchi, Yobe - on Street Gist

Source: Legit Newspaper
- A civil society organisation has said it will mobilise other groups to visit the once dreaded Boko Haram terrorists' hideout, Sambisa forest

- The group said it plans to assess the effort of the Nigerian military in the counter-insurgency

- According to the organisation, the tour is expected to dampen the distraction currently placed in the path of the military

A tour to Boko Haram terrorists' most deadly hideout, Sambisa forest, has been organised by the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET). The group said that the war being waged against Boko Haram terrorists is still on course.

The group said it will therefore mobilise 20 other local and international NGOs to embark on a tour of Sambisa forest, the northeast and other parts of Nigeria to ascertain the level of success in the counter-insurgency war.

CESJET said the tour will also help assess troops' responsiveness to emergency and the current state of affairs of the various operations being carried out by the military.

READ ALSO: Plateau state government declares work-free day over Buhari's visit

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, March 6, the executive director of the organisation, Joyce Ogwu, said CESJET expects that the tour will offer an insight into the roles of the military in fighting insurgency. She said the organisation also expects the tour to dampen the distraction currently placed in the path of the military.

An aerial view of Sambisa forest. Photo source: Nigerian Air Force

She said this is imperative because of the need to allow the military focus on totally ridding Nigeria of terrorism under whatever guise.

READ ALSO: Sing National Anthem in Yoruba daily, Governor Ambode tells Lagos schools

"The devious purveyors of falsehood that are milking this tragedy are creating the impression that the counter-insurgency war has halted or has failed in the aftermath of the attack on Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC) Dapchi.

"We have found such claims to not only be untrue but also mischief at its height. Our concern is that such manipulation of reality is calculated to boost the morale of Boko Haram terrorists to regroup from their defeat.

"They had earlier scattered into the desert and neighboring countries after the Nigerian army dealt them crippling blows but are now being given confidence by those that are exploiting the Dapchi girls to instigate the terrorists to come back together. We are seeing a repeat of strategies earlier deployed by Boko Haram come into play all over again," Ogwu said.

While condemning the Dapchi schoolgirls attack, Ogwu said it is important to point out that it is still an isolated incident.

"Unlike the series of attacks in the past that showed the display of helplessness by the military, the Nigerian military has continued to maintain recovered grounds.

It is apparent that those peddling negative stories about the war on insurgency do so because they believe they can instigate Nigerians to force the military to divulge full details of its strategy in the counter-insurgency war because there has been reported changes in the approach adopted against the terrorists," she added.

Ogwu also appealed to Nigerians not to relent in supporting the military as many at times, Boko Haram attacks soft targets which can be averted through prompt and reliable information sharing.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Legit.ng earlier reported that the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, had described the terrorist group as a non-serious fighting force.

The vice president said the terrorist group is only doing what it takes to feed off the oxygen of media attention in their recent attacks. Osinbajo also called on Nigerians not to relent in supporting the federal government in the fight against terrorism as the war against the group is not an unwinnable war.

Nigerians react as Boko Haram terrorists kidnap over 100 girls in Dapchi, Yobe - on Street Gist

Source: Legit Nigeria
- The EFCC has received 375,000 US dollars intercepted by the Nigeria Customs service

- The Customs handed over the cash to the anti-graft agency in Kaduna

- The suspect, a business man from Kano was intercepted at the international wing of the Kaduna international airport

The Nigeria Customs service on Tuesday, March 6, handed over the sum of 375,000 USD (Three hundred and seventy five thousand United States dollar) and one Adamu Rabiu Muhammad with passport number A50280997 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Kaduna zonal office.

Legit.ng gathered that the suspect, a business man from Kano was intercepted at the international wing of the Kaduna international airport, traveling on board ET941 Ethiopian Airline to Dubai on a business trip.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Ex-governor Aliyu Akwe-Doma of Nasarawa is dead

A team of Custom officers on patrol, led by CSC Medugu Y.D. apprehended the suspect on Saturday, March 3, at about 12:22hrs.

A Customs official handing over 375,000 US dollars intercepted in Kaduna to EFCC. Photo credit: EFCC

While commending the Nigerian Customs service for its vigilance, EFCC Kaduna zonal head of operations, Ibrahim Bappa, enjoined other law enforcement agencies to work with the EFCC for a corrupt free Nigeria.

The suspect, Adamu Rabiu Muhammad. Photo credit: EFCC

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported the Nigeria Customs Service arrested a suspect in Sokoto who allegedly smuggled 460 bags of imported rice concealed in a petrol tank.

The 375,000 US dollars intercepted by Customs service in Kaduna. Photo credit: EFCC

The Comptroller for Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara Command of NCS, Mr Nasir Ahmad, made the disclosure to newsmen on Friday in Sokoto.

The suspect, Adamu Rabiu Muhammad's international passport. Photo credit: EFCC

It was reported that Ahmad said the smuggled items, which were intercepted along Sokoto-Illela road, had N7.8 million duty paid value.

EFCC stages a walk against corruption - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- The Funtua Inland Dry Port under construction will be completed in May 2018

- The concessionaires to the dry port, Equatorial Marine Oil and Gas Limited, announced the date for the completion

- The facility has the capacity to handle 10,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of containers at the first instance

The chairman of Equatorial Marine Oil and Gas Ltd, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, has stated that the Funtua Inland Dry Port (Inland Container Depot) under construction should be completed in May 2018, Daily Trust reports.

This was disclosed by Alhaji Mutallab at an inspection tour of the project by the executive secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Hassan Bello.

Legit.ng noted that Equatorial Marine Oil and Gas Limited is the concessionaires to the Funtua Inland Dry Port.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Ex-governor Aliyu Akwe-Doma of Nasarawa is dead

Alhaji Mutallab said that the facility and capacity to handle 10,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of containers at the first instance but can be upgraded to higher capacity later.

He added: "The Funtua Inland Dry Port, which is conceived to be the largest in the country, will be a port of origin and of final destination for goods, and so, it would provide the opportunity for the exportation of processed agricultural produce from neigbouring Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states as well as landlocked countries like Niger and Chad to other countries of the world."

It was learnt that the Funtua Inland Dry Port Project was concessioned to Equatorial Marine Oil and Gas (EMOG) and is based on a tripartite arrangement that involves the federal government (represented by the Nigerian Shippers Council), the Katsina state government and EMOG.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned Nigeria's first inland dry port located in Kakuri, Kaduna state on Thursday, January 4.

Speaking at the event, the president reiterated his government's intent to diversify the economy and spread the country's wealth to all parts of the nation.

A dry port is an inland intermodal terminal directly connected by road, rail and air to a seaport and operates as a center for trans-shipment of sea cargoes to inland destinations.

A ride on the Abuja-Kaduna railway - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- Thailands ambassador to Nigeria Kunwongse reacted to minister Audu Ogbeh's reported claim that Thailand accused Nigeria of being responsible for the collapse of its seven rice mills

- Kunwongse said report is not only misleading but a distortion of the actual conversation between him and Ogbeh

- He noted that Thailand stands ready to work closely with the Nigerian government in the field of technological transfer and agricultural machineries

Thailands ambassador to Nigeria Wattana Kunwongse has condemned a claim reportedly made by the minister of agriculture and rural development Audu Ogbeh that Thailand accused Nigeria of being responsible for the collapse of its seven rice mills following the drastic fall in rice importation from the country.

Premium Times reports that Kunwongse described the ministers claim as misleading and a distortion of the actual discussion that transpired between them.

Legit.ng gathered that Ogbeh made the claim, at a meeting of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) and the leadership of the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers of Nigeria (FEPSAN) held at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

READ ALSO: Ex-governor Aliyu Akwe-Doma of Nasarawa is dead

According to the report, ''Just like two weeks ago, the Ambassador of Thailand came to my office and said to me that we have really dealt with them.

But I asked what did we do wrong and he said unemployment in Thailand was one of the lowest in the world, 1.2 per cent, it has gone up to four per cent because seven giant rice mills have shut down because Nigerias import has fallen by 95 per cent on rice alone.

However, the diplomat said Ogbeh may have lied.

According to him, ''The report is not only misleading but a distortion of the actual conversation between myself and the honourable minister of agriculture at the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development on 30th January 2018, which was nothing short of positivity and optimism on both sides.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

''During which I praised President Buharis Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), the essence of which is the endeavour to move the country to a self-sufficiency and export-oriented economy, and to that worthy cause, Thailand stands ready to work closely with the Nigerian Government in the field of technological transfer and agricultural machineries.

''At the same meeting, the honourable minister and I had reached the conclusion that I as Ambassador 0f Thailand to Nigeria will be working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and rural development to establish a platform to discuss our mutual benefits in the form of MOU on Agricultural Cooperation and by forming a bilateral Working Committee toward that end.''

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Ogbeh said Thailand accused President Buharis government of being responsible for the collapse of its seven rice mills as rice importation from the Nigeria fell drastically.

The minister made this known at a meeting of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) and leadership of the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers of Nigeria (FEPSAN) held at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, February 2.

Ebonyi state, Nigeria and West Africa's food capital on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng
- The Nigerian Ambassador to Chad, Mohammed Dauda, has gone underground

- The diplomat says his life is in danger following the testimony he gave at the House of Representatives last month

- There is a massive manhunt for him by those believed to be agents of government

A report by Premium Times indicates that the Nigerian Ambassador to Chad, Mohammed Dauda, has gone underground, triggering a massive manhunt for him.

According to the report, the diplomat went into hiding after claiming his life was in danger following the testimony he gave a House of Representatives committee last month.

The federal government had sometime last year recalled Dauda from his post in Ndjamena to take temporary charge of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) after the organisations director general, Ayodele Oke, was suspended.

The infighting in President Buhari's government continues. Photo credit: State House

READ ALSO: FCO warns British citizens of likely armed robbery in Abuja

Dauda acted as head of the NIA from November 2017 to January 2018 when he was replaced by an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar. Sources quoted in the report said after he was replaced as head of the NIA, Dauda was asked to return to his post in Ndjamena to continue with his tour of duty.

He, however, refused, saying his life would be in danger in Chad, his cover as a security operative having been blown with his appointment as acting head of the NIA. He is said to have also argued that having now been exposed as a spy, he could no longer function as an ambassador anywhere in the world.

Dauda was said to have also failed to report to the headquarters of the NIA for a possible fresh posting.

He is saying those he accused of corruption are after him as well, one source said.

The NIA has now commissioned an intensive search for Dauda following his refusal to appear before a disciplinary panel raised to try him for allegedly bringing the NIA into disrepute. As part of moves to arrest him, armed security men suspected to be from the NIA have continued a siege on the residence Dauda.

Two grey-coloured security vans are said to have been parked on either sides of the houses gate, while a dark-googled operative in mufti was also stationed at the turn to the close.

Dauda and his family were said to be out of the house as at the time the operatives arrived.

PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, the former governor of Benue state, Gabriel Suswam, has said President Muhammadu Buharis government does not have the capacity to protect Nigerian lives and property.

Suswam made the comments while speaking to a group of journalists in Makurdi, the Benue state capital at the weekend.

According to him, when economic issues are not handled properly they lead to security issues such as the nation is experiencing at the moment.

Nigerians react as Boko Haram terrorists kidnap over 100 girls in Dapchi, Yobe on Street Gist

Source: Legit.ng
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, March 5, departed for Accra, Ghana to attend the countrys 61st independence anniversary held on Tuesday, March 6.

President Buhari was reportedly the only foreign leader invited to the event held at the Independence Square as Special Guest of Honour.

He commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana for the warm reception and congratulated his strides in office and promised to collaborate with Ghana to end corruption in both countries.

He said: I congratulate both the government and the Parliament for the quick passage of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act and its signing into law. Your Excellency can be assured that you have a good partner in me as I look forward to any form of collaboration between Nigeria and Ghana in tackling the menace of endemic corruption. Given all these public policies, it becomes reassuring that with the right leadership, Africas drives to eradicate poverty and to entrench democracy is on course.

Following President Buharis offer to collaborate with Ghana to fight corruption, many Ghanaians have taken to express their opinions about the planned collaboration.

Legit.ng collects some of the divergent reactions here:

"Hmmmmm two corrupt countries agreed to fight corruption let see what will happened" - Emmanuelkopranteng

"Prez Buhari: I'll help Ghana fight corruption.

Me: Help Nigeria first" - Raymondalsina

READ ALSO: To assess military effort, group organises tour to Sambisa Forest

"Buhari said he'll help Ghana fight corruption. That's enough joke for the day " - Abu

"We all heard the speech that was not what Buhari said. He said you have a partner in me" - Captain

"Nigeria is rated higher in the latest corruption perception index since the begining of Buhari's regime ahead of Ghana, the irony now is that Nigeria according to Buhari will assist Ghana fight corruption." - Khaleesi

"Buhari is here in Ghana promising he will help Nana fight corruption, whiles in NIGERIA animals are swallowing monies.

Buhari we hear, you can go back to Nigeria safely." - Postman GH

"Nigeria go help Ghana fight corruption like how

How are they doing with their snake and monkeys Saga

Ghana why why why " - Happy

"Nigeria to help Ghana fight corruption???Our naked friend is offering us a shirt to wear. What an irony" - Noah Akellasoore

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

"Corruption in Ghana is blowing faster than @PatapaaGh one corner .." - Mari-Am

"Ah is it April fool? Why the jokes already ?" - Merchant of Venice

"We can fight alone s3 kwatrikwa s3 ob3ma wo ntama ah 3y3a tie ni din" - Nana 3ns3mfon

An earlier report by Legit.ng provides President Buhari's full speech at Ghanas 61st independence anniversary celebration on Tuesday, March 6.

In his speech at the independence anniversary, President Buhari noted that Ghana and Nigeria have become good destinations for foreign investment based on the decisions taken by the governments.

List President Buhari's achievements in two years - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- Rex Tillerson has departed for his first official visit to Africa, as the U.S. Secretary of State

- Tillerson is on a weeklong four-country official visit to Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti

- He expressed optimism that there was ample opportunity in Africa

U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, has departed for Africa on a weeklong four-country official visit to Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. The visit will end March 13.

Tillerson, during the visit, would engage with President Muhammadu Buhari and other top government functionaries, and the leaders of the three other countries.

READ ALSO: Nigerian man elected as Italy's first black senator

The trip, his first official visit to Africa, as Secretary of State, would take him first to Ethiopia and then to Djibouti from where he would go to Kenya, and then to Chad, before coming to Nigeria.

Tillerson announced the $533 million aid for the African countries while speaking at George Mason University in Virginia shortly before departing the US for Africa.

He expressed optimism that there was ample opportunity in Africa  for economic growth, for greater prosperity, and for responding to global challenges through mutually respectful partnerships.

According to him, he looks forward to returning and building on a strong foundation of U.S.-Africa relations, including visiting Chad, a country that has never before welcomed a visit by the Secretary of State.

Speaking on U.S.-Africa Relations: A New Framework, he said over the past century, as African nations emerged from their colonial past, there had been a dramatic increase in Americas engagement with Africa.

Forty years ago this month, President Jimmy Carter visited Liberia and Nigeria, where he announced that our nation has now turned in an unprecedented way toward Africa. Today that turning continues. Our countrys security and economic prosperity are linked with Africas like never before, he said, adding the Africa-U.S. engagement will only intensify in the coming decades for several reasons.

He noted that by the year 2030, Africa would represent about one quarter of the worlds workforce and by the year 2050, the population of the continent is expected to double to more than 2.5 billion people  with 70 per cent of them under the age of 30.

Legit.ng previously reported the United Sate of America (USA) disclosed that Nigerias 2019 general elections and a peaceful transition, remained its major priority in view of the countrys strategic position in the region.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

The US department of state said during a background briefing on the first trip of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Africa, monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria in New York.

Tillerson would meet with Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari and other top government functionaries, and also leaders of Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya during his travels from Tuesday, March 6 to 13.

Nigerians want PDP back in 2019 - Goodluck Jonathan declares at PDP Caucus Meeting on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng
- The clashes between herdsmen and farmers is having a negative effect on education, according to the National Commission for Nomadic Education

- Its executive secretary said the clashes in Benue state alone had led to the closure of 12 out of the 24 nomadic schools in the state

The National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE) on Tuesday, March 6, complained over the adverse effects of clashes between herdsmen and farmers on nomadic education across the country, The Punch reports.

Prof. Bashir Usman, the executive secretary, disclosed this at a workshop for nomadic teachers in the South-South region held in Benin, Edo state.

He said: The conflict is definitely affecting child enrolment in nomadic schools, particularly in Benue State. We have 24 nomadic schools there; 12 of them have been shut down completely due to the conflict and they have all moved to Nasarawa State.

READ ALSO: Court grants Maryam Sanda bail

The other 12 schools that are not affected are fishers and migrant primary schools. But the 12 nomadic schools have been completely shut down now.

The executive secretary explained that the workshop was organised to train teachers in the region on the use of curriculum guides, record keeping, multi-grade teaching techniques as well as guidance and counselling.

Until we train and retrain teachers, the quality of output will definitely not be qualitative. Guidance and counselling is particularly important to us because it will help the teachers to counsel some of the pupils, who have been traumatised in the conflict, so that they can fit into the society," he added.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that twenty four people, mostly women and children, were, on Monday, March 5, killed in a fresh crisis at Omusu Edimoga in Okpokwu local government area of Benue state.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

The council chairman, Olofu Ogwuche, stated this while conducting state governor, Samuel Ortom, round the affected community on Tuesday, March 6.

The governor and members of state security council had visited Omusu Edimoga for an on-the-spot assessment, Punch reports.

Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
Dingdong Dantes serenades his Thai fans in a show in Bangkok's Centralworld.

Benjamin Alves joins two other Kapuso hunks in a tour in Bangkok to promote GMA Network shows.

Mikael Daez from 'My Faithful Husband' renders a heartwarming song dedicated to their supporters.

GMA Network will soon charm the hearts of Thai viewers as top-rating Kapuso drama series are set to launch in Thailand. Thai company JKN Global Media acquired over 1,000 hours of GMA dramas through GMA Worldwide including Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real (The Other Mrs. Real), My Faithful Husband, and Beautiful Strangers, which will air via Bright TV. Kapuso leading men bannered by primetime king Dingdong Dantes, Mikael Daez, and Benjamin Alves graced JKN and Bright TVs event dubbed, Have a Bright Day held in Centralworld, Bangkok on Feb. 20. The actors serenaded their Thai fans, who welcomed them with loud cheers, as their way of thanking them for their support.Dingdong thanked JKN CEO Anne Jakrajutatip in an Instagram post for the warm welcome and for bringing Thailand and the Philippines closer via GMA dramas. It was such a pleasure to be part of GMA Networks delegation and to personally witness how much our Thai neighbors appreciate the work that weve done. He also extended his gratitude to the cast and crew behind the success of his drama,The Other Mrs. Real. It was indeed heartwarming to meet our supporters in Thailand. Im very much thankful to the Thai viewers for supporting our programs, said Mikael who starred in My Faithful Husband.In an Instagram post, Benjamin also sent his gratitude to Ms. Jakrajutatip for inviting them to the grand event of Bright TV. I am excited for the Thai fans who will be able to watch and enjoy Beautiful Strangers which is set to premiere in March, Benjamin said. Meanwhile, Jakrajutatip, who visited Manila prior to the promotional tour, said that they are grateful for the strong partnership they have with GMA Worldwide. We love GMA because of the great collaboration that we have with them, their programs are well-produced with good casting and compelling stories that are relatable to the Thai audience. Most importantly, they have a good content sales team and they also have excellent after sales service, Jakrajutatip said.Other acquired GMA dramas set to air in Thailand are My Husbands Lover, Carmela, Rhodora X, My Destiny, Pahiram ng Alaala (Memories of Love), Because of You, Juan Happy Love Story, Meant To Be, I Heart Davao (My Sweet Heart), My Love From The Star, Destined To Be Yours, and Ika-6 na Utos (A Woman Scorned).
- Two Nigerians have been arraigned before a Lagos magistrate court for drinking alcohol in front of police station

- The accused, Wole Broad and Wale Oludare, are facing a two-count charge of felony and breach of peace

- They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges

The Nigeria police on Wednesday, March 7, brought two men, Wole Broad, 49, and Wale Oludare, 40, before an Ikeja magistrates court in Lagos for allegedly drinking alcohol in front of a police station.

Legit.ng gathered that the two men were also accused of conducting themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by drinking alcohol in front of the Akinpelu police station in Oshodi, Lagos.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Court grants Maryam Sanda bail

They are facing a two-count charge of felony and breach of peace.

Broad, residing at No.17, Olakunle Ajibade street, Ojota, is self-employed, while Oludare, a labourer, resides at No. 8, Akinpelu street in Oshodi.

The duo conspired to commit felony by conducting themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace, the prosecution alleged.

The prosecutor, Rachael Williams, told court that the accused committed the offences on March 1 at about 11.55pm at No. 5, Akinpelu street, opposite the Akinpelu police station.

The accused drank alcohol in front of Akinpelu Police Station after the commissioner of police had warned that on no account should anyone operate a beer parlour around any police station, Williams stated.

According to her, the offences contravene Sections 57 and 412 of the criminal law of Lagos state, 2015.

The section 57 prescribes six months imprisonment for offenders.

The two men, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The magistrate, L. Y. Balogun, granted them bail in the sum of N5, 000 each with one surety each in like sum.

She adjourned the case until March 16. (NAN)

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that a Lagos high court sitting in Ikeja dismissed a no case submission filed by senior lawyer advocate of Nigeria, Rickey Tarfa.

The court on Monday, March 5, said it was satisfied that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had established a strong case against the lawyer. Tarfa is facing a three-count charges of obstruction of justice.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

The senior lawyer through his counsel, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), had informed the court that his client had filed a motion for it to consider arguments on his no case submission.

See the faces of newly arrested criminals in Lagos state - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- The Niger Delta Youths Forum has endorsed deputy governor of Imo state, Prince Eze Madumere, to contest for governorship

- According to the group, they are backing Madumere, because he is a visionary leader that has the political will to take Imo state to the next level

The deputy governor of Imo state, Prince Eze Madumere, on Wednesday, March 7, got another endorsement from youths of the oil communities in the state, to contest for the governorship position of the state, Vanguard reports.

The latest in the series of endorsement for the deputy, came from the Niger Delta Youths Forum, led by one Chukwuemeka Nwaopara, which took place at his country home, Achi Mbieri in Mbaitoli local government area.

This is coming at a time when the deputy governor, was reportedly asked to step down his gubernatorial ambition for Governor Rochas Okorochas son-in-law, Uche Nwosu.

READ ALSO: Senate urges President Buhari to rescind decision on Peace Corps Bill

This time, the youths were said to have come from 11 wards of the Oguta local government area in the state. According to the Nwaoparas group, their conclusions for backing Madumere, was that he is an astute administrator, competent, passionate and a visionary leader that has the political will to take Imo state, to the next level of inclusive governance.

He argued that, Madumere is the only politician in Okorochas cabinet that understands better the workings in the rescue mission government of Okorocha.

According to an earlier report by Legit.ng, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state stated that God and 24 out of the 27 local government areas in the state support the ambition of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, to succeed him in office, Vanguard reports.

The governor said that because the opposition had seen his son-in-law as the aspirant to beat in the 2019 gubernatorial election in the state, it now resorts to use the church against the project.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

He said: We say this for posterity sake. Imo people, including youths, students, men and women have 'thrown their unalloyed support behind' the youthful chief of staff, Uche Nwosu, for the 2019 governorship in the state."

What is cooking in Imo state? - on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit.ng
By Andres Cardenas OFarrill, a Cuban economist and associate researcher with the Academic-Industry Research Network (theAIRnet) based in Boston. Contact: ofarrillcu@yahoo.com. Originally published at the Inatitute for New Economic Thinking website

We hear little about the Cuban biopharmaceutical industry, but it merits attention. The sophisticated system, which the small island nation developed despite limited resources and access to international markets, holds about 1,200 international patents and sells medicine and equipment to more than 50 countries. The industry is entirely publicly funded and managed, and is a key component of one of the most efficient public health care systems in the world. Its goal is to develop drugs of strategic importance to the health care of all people.

igh-tech industrial development isnt the first thing that comes to mind for many when thinking of Cuba. The island nation more commonly invokes visions of a stunning place frozen in time: Crumbling colonial buildings sit alongside beautiful beaches, while 1950s American cars line city streets awash in the suns afternoon glow. Here, life is embedded in a state-controlled and mostly inefficient economy thats virtually detached from global technology networks.

But theres something missing in this outsiders view of the country, as it cant account for the enormous successes of Cubas biopharmaceutical[1] industry and health care systems. In light of ongoing debates in the U.S. and other nations about the role of government in ensuring people have the health care coverage they need, Cubas experience could prove instructive.

There is growing evidence of the Cuban biopharma industrys success. Local production covers more than 60% of finished pharmaceutical products used in the country, and the industrys trade balance has remained consistently positive for most of the period 1995-2015. Cubas biopharma sector has been able to finance many programs carried out within the nations public health system, and it is the main reason behind the affordability of the medical products supplied by the system. In terms of the biotechnology sector specifically, while Cubas government does not publish extensive statistics on the matter, industry officials report that the Cuban biotech sector managed to maintain positive, if modest, cash flows at a time when overall cash flows of the industry worldwide had been mostly negative for decades.[2]

While not popularly understood outside the country, Cubas biopharma achievements have been recognized by the international scientific community. In 2005, the Laboratory of Synthetic Antigens, a small lab that belongs to the faculty of chemistry of the University of Havana, won the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Gold Medal Award for developing the worlds first synthetic vaccine (Quimi-Hib) against haemophilus influenza type b (or Hib). More recently, the CIMAvax-EGF vaccine for lung cancer became the first Cuban biopharmaceutical product to earn the U.S. drug regulators permission to carry out clinical trials on American soil. The product was developed by the Center for Molecular Immunology, which specializes in antibodies, cancer medicines, and other areas.

Had Cuba been forced to acquire most of its needed medical products at current international pricesrather than develop them on its ownit would not have been able to achieve its remarkable health advances at a relatively low cost. No matter how well intentioned the government might have been with respect to public health, it would not have been able to subsidize an entire countrys essential medicines. Cuba has, of course, followed a different model, prioritizing domestic innovation and production.

Its true that high levels of innovation make the Cuban biopharma industry an exception within the countrys overall industrial sector, which lags behind in many areas. However, it has not been an exception in terms of the environment in which it has grown. The architecture of Cubas health care system, and the nations public investment in free education, research, and innovation, have all been critical factors in the biopharmaceutical industrys success story, making it a testament to the complexities of economic development, as well as of the role of history and institutions in shaping structural change.

Meeting the Needs of Universal Public Healthcare

Essential to the success of Cubas biopharmaceutical industry is the countrys public health care system, which was designed to meet the medical needs of the entire population. The organizing principle of the biopharma industryas a result both of economic necessity and of Cubas publicly stated valueshas been producing affordable medicines. It is supported by Cubas medical philosophy, which prioritizes preventionthe only viable path for a poor country to provide universal healthcare affordably. The public health care system demands that the industry produce low-cost, high-quality products, and supports it in doing so. As a result, Cuba has become a successful exporter of medical products, particularly biopharmaceuticals.

It all began with an emergency. Before the 1959 revolution, the Caribbean island had been home to a number of highly-trained, well-respected physicians. But nearly half of them left for the United States following a disagreement with the revolutionary authorities over institutional changes they were implementing. The governments new measures included a unified regulatory framework for all levels of the systemwhich prior to the revolution had been painfully fragmentedalong with a 15% price reduction for home-grown medical products and a 20% cut for imports. The changes provoked foreign companies that dominated the Cuban market, which until that moment had been free to set prices for their products without government regulation, as well as the laboratories, retailers and medical personnel linked to them. The clash led to many closures and other actions, creating a supply crisis that resulted in the nationalization of the industry in 1960.

Those events happened within the context of an already widespread public rejection of profit-seeking medical practices, which encouraged the government to intervene in private clinics and hospitals and to change the countrys philosophy of medical education. At that time, medical guilds were among the most powerful associations in the country, and also were among the most wary of the transformations that were taking place, for both political and financial reasons. From 1959 to 1967, a country with six million inhabitants lost 3,000 of its 6,300 physicians (not including new graduates in those years) and found itself with just 22 professors of medicine and a single medical school. They were sorely needed just as the new government-initiated reformsdesigned to increase the availability of health services to underserved areaswere taking effect.

Their exodus prompted state investment in medical educationincluding the creation of a comprehensive primary care systemwhile priorities in training doctors shifted to focus on preventative medicine. The guilds disbanded in 1966 as a government-based nationwide union was created, and those in favour of deepening the changes were now free to carry out the project. Medical graduates had already been encouraged to serve in rural medical facilities and not engage in private practice. However, even when the government strongly discouraged, and eventually prohibited, opening new private clinics, a number of practices that already existed and complied with the new measures were allowed to continue. Until the public health system absorbed the last non-public clinics in 1970, the Cuban healthcare system, as it did before the revolution, consisted of three types of healthcare services: public provision, mutual clinics and private provision.

During the first half of 20th century, large public hospitals emerged in the country and provided free services, but they were limited to major cities and were chronically underfunded prior to 1959. Mutual clinics were created by mutual societies of Spanish origin and functioned within cooperative framework. In return for a monthly fee, members of these societies received high-quality medical services of high quality. At the same time in the first half of the 20###sup/sup### century, a significant network of private clinics flourished. They also provided high-quality services, but mostly worked on the profit principle, excluding the millions of people who could not afford to pay. The creation of rural services and other reforms were part of the governments efforts to provide truly universal access to health services, and to encourage a new ethos of cooperation and solidarity within the medical profession.

Some testimonies of those involved as students at that time show that, even if the government deployed a good deal of ideological exhortation and public relations to attract new graduates for rural medical services, these graduates could choose where they wanted to work. Some decided to go to private clinics or to better-remunerated posts, but most decided to serve in remote rural places out of ideological or civic concerns.

These developments need to be seen within the context of the time and the atmosphere of ideological confrontation that served as inspiration for many young people. Many of them decided to put aside better pay and more comfortable working conditions in favour of serving higher ideals. Government efforts could also be interpreted as a huge behavioural intervention aimed at replacing external motivations for practicing medicine related to prestige and salary for more internal motivations related to personal fulfilment from serving a higher purpose.

The system these graduates were joining, and that Cuba was building, involved an open atmosphere of knowledge-sharing and cooperation. In the context of a centralized, nationwide system, the Cuban health care sector is able to save both time and money. To be sure, centralized means that methods and services are standardized and centrally designed. However, medical care and education, even if public, was conceived as a decentralized network of community clinics and hospitals equipped to tailor services to the local populations needs.

In addition, the focus on primary care ensures the system can collect and synthesize community-based information about the populations health and disease patterns. This data collection is part of a bigger project: Cubas comprehensive, integrated national medical record system determines where greatest health risks to society lie, allowing the government to more efficiently allocate resources. This structure can also substantially reduce drug development because it speeds up informed-consent enrollment in clinical trialsthe backbone of drug and treatment development. The government intentionally designed the system in this way to further organizational learning and social efficiency.

The Role of Free Education and Early Investment in Science

Another important part of the Cuban biopharma success story is the broader crusade the government has carried out in favour of more education and scientific research. The resulting investments allowed the country to absorb and translate knowledge into innovative, world-class products.

While the Cuban biotech industry started developing in earnest in the early 1980s, its foundation dates back far earlier. Most Cuban biotechnology research centres emerged from already-existing research groups and labs. But with the exception of maintaining key personnel, most new institutions had to be built from scratch after the revolution, with the support of the Cuban states intense investment in scientific research since the 1960s.

One of the most important transformations experienced by Cuban academic medicine during the 1960s was the integration of scientific research into the governments public healthcare strategy. The period prior to the revolution saw the development important medical scientific institutions. But they had developed because of the individual perseverance of their founders rather than consubstantial elements of public healthcare strategy. Some key examples include the Institute of Cancer, created in 1929, and the Institute for Tropical Medicine, created in 1937. Most research institutions, however, disintegrated in 1959 because their founders had political differences with the government; most of them left the country. A very small, select, group of experts stayed. They, together with younger, inexperienced professors sympathetic to the new government, as well as a significant number of foreign experts invited to teach, helped rebuild the scientific landscape in Cuba. They sophisticated it to an extent unknown in countrys history.

The main organization, born in 1965, is the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas (CNIC). Many industry leaders in Cuba received their first scientific training at CNIC, originally a non-profit staffed by a small group of recently-minted physicians. These doctors had answered the governments call to dedicate themselves to biomedical research. CNIC also employed chemists and engineers of different specialties. As remuneration was far from attractive and the training very demanding, only those really interested in science, and with the talent to afford the task, applied to be graduate students or researchers at CNIC. That first year only 13 students were selected to take the training. There is a testimony of one scientist who, prior to entering the training, turned down a salary of 600 Cuban pesos as assistant professor in favour of a residency in microbiology, where the salary was only 200 pesos. For him, it was about devotion to science.

The main goal of CNIC in its first years was to increase young medical graduates knowledge of the sciences and mathematics, and to initiate them into research tasks. It was a postgraduate school designed to produce high-level scientists. To that end, CNIC organized a series of courses and practices taught by Cuban and foreign professors. After taking these courses, several young researchers won graduate scholarships to study in Western and Eastern European countries, which exposed them to the leading research in their fields. Institutions such as the Pasteur Institute, Harvard University, Heidelberg University and Zurich University, to name just a few, hosted Cuban researchers during or after their formative years in CNIC. The fact that the beginnings of the Cuban biotech industry were developing at the same time as the beginnings of genetic engineering worldwide helped put Cuban institutions at the leading edge of the technological frontier.

As it developed, this multi-disciplinary institution became a hub for chemical and biological experimental research and an incubator for Cubas other scientific institutions. For example, as early as 1978, researchers at CNICs Microorganism Genetic Department knew about the possibility of recombination and were already working on the genetics of microorganisms and molecular biology. In simple terms, recombination involves constructing brand new genetic material (DNA molecules) by mixing (or combining) genetic material from different organisms. In 1986, U.S.-based biotechnology company Chiron developed the technology to obtain a genetically engineered (or DNA recombinant) hepatitis B vaccine; that same year, the Cuban recombinant vaccine was developed using a cheaper method.

A small but impactful neurophysiology unit created within CNIC in 1966 became Cubas Neurosciences Centre in 1990. Its worth noting that the pioneer of the field in Cubaand founder and current director general of the Cuban Neuroscience Centreco-authored of a foundational paper with a renowned American neuroscientist. The Centre made Cuba the worlds first public health system to systematically use the quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG)a test that analyses the brains electrical activity to identify defects or problems.

Since the 1990s, CNIC adopted the form and function of a typical company by focusing on developing products and integrating a trading arm into its structure. But its origin as a focal point of the industry reflected the culture of cooperation that distinguishes the Cuban biopharma industry. Even if the core biotech firms within the industry function under what Cuban officials call a closed cycle system (a fluid form of vertical integration), formal or informal co-development are the signature of the industry. The complete realization of CNICs most innovative products has often been the result of some sort collaboration between at least two companies. This risk-sharing model has also become a very effective way of providing access to international markets, often in the form of carefully conceived partnerships, technology transfers, licensing and co-marketing agreements.

Cubas Enduring Scientific Success

Given this early investment, Cubas biopharma industry has evolved rapidly over the past four decades. Tracing its development over that period reveals the resourcefulness and commitment of the Cuban government and the islands scientists. It also reveals the industrys breakthrough scientific success.

The Scientific Pole, also known as West Havana Biocluster, was officially created in 1992. Its origins date from 1980 when oncologist Richard Lee Clark, who had served as president of the first cancer hospital in the U.S., travelled with a North American delegation to the island. There he met several Cuban government officials, with whom he discussed his groundbreaking research on interferon, considered a wonder drug in the battle to cure cancer. Shortly thereafter, Clark hosted two Cuban scientists at his hospital in Houston, Texas, sharing his research and expertise.

At the direction of Clark, Cuban researchers travelled the following year to the Helsinki-based laboratories of Dr. Kari Cantell, who first isolated interferon from human cells in the 1970s. Six Cuban scientists spent a week working with Cantell and his colleagues learning how to reproduce interferon in large quantities. Upon their return home, they set up a special laboratory in a small house in Havana to try to reproduce the Finnish results and produce interferon in Cuba. By the end of that year, 1981, they had succeeded. Eventually, the product proved not to be a wonder drug against cancer, but instead beneficial against dengue feveran outbreak of which severely affected Cuba in the 1980s.

In the years that followed, the government policies helped implement a number of additional small pilot projects run by new interdisciplinary working groups, such as the Biologic Front in 1981 and the Center for Biological Research in 1982. When the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) decided to create an institution of excellence for the transfer of biotechnology to developing countries, Cuba applied for the vacancy but lost out to India. Determined to move forward, the Cuban Government then decided to create its own organization with its own resources.

By 1986, Cuba inaugurated CIGB (Centro de Ingenieria Genetica y Biotecnologia), now one of the countrys most outstanding biotechnology companies. Other important institutions followed. Among the most representative is the Immunoassay Center, created in 1987 to producing and commercializing diagnostic systems. The Finlay Institute opened officially in 1991, and the Center for Molecular Immunology in 1994. Many of these institutions have helped Cuba sell millions of dollars worth of biopharmaceutical products.

Greater integration with the rest of the worlds markets could increase the countrys already positive pharmaceutical trade balance from $86 million in 2015 to $119 million by 2020, according to estimates from Business Monitor International (BMI) Research. These are, of course, modest results compared with the performances of leading nations. However, they become impressive when you consider the point of departure and the fact that the biotechnology industry worldwide has historically found it very hard to achieve positive cash flow.

Looking at specific drug succeses, Cuba has produced a number of innovative drugs and vaccines as a result of advances in its biotech sector. Alongside the lung cancer and Hib vaccines mentioned earlier in this article, it has also produced policosanol (PPG), a pharmaceutical derived from sugarcane that reduces morbidity and mortality from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. CNIC developed the product, which won a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) gold medal in 1996. Another gold medal winner was Heberprot-P, a novel biomedicine developed by the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) for treating foot problems in diabetics. It won the WIPO Award for Best Young Inventor and a WIPO gold medal at the International Inventions Fair in 2011.

Often, these drug innovations from Cuba fail to get the recognition they deserve. Cubas VA-MENGOC-BC, for example, was the first worlds commercially available vaccine against serogroup B meningococcus. The product, developed by the vaccine-focused Finlay Institute, was awarded WIPOs gold medal in 1989. At the time, it attracted attention from the pharmaceutical giant SmithKline Beecham (now part of GalaxoSmithKline)but not from the media. Many years later, Swiss drug maker Novartis was mistakenly credited with developing the first vaccine of its kind to fight Meningitis B. Cuba had the drug 24 years earlier[3].

The Upsides and Downsides of Government Involvement

Theres no doubt that Cuban biopharma is an exception within the country; Cubas overall economy lags behind in both regional and world rankings. Chronic underperformance and lack of dynamism have been recognisable features for decades. Most sectors in Cuba have a long way to go in terms of international competitiveness, particularly after the economic crisis sparked by the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cubas main trade partner during the Cold War. After 1991, and more visibly since 2008, the government introduced several reforms aimed at boosting the economy. But deep inadequacies remain unresolved.

Studies of these structural problems dominate the literature on contemporary Cuba and permeate the current conversation on the subject. Most of them, regardless of ideological persuasion, largely look at on the macroeconomic consequences of, and possible solutions for, these shortcomings. And yet, whether coming from a sympathetic or a downright hostile perspective, most commentators admit that Cuba has created an impressive medical workforce that has produced results.

But if international audiences are more or less familiar with the fact that Cuba has managed to achieve successful health outcomes in many basic indicatorsrelative to averages for similar populationsit is far less understood that a major factor producing these achievements is a sophisticated industry that sells medicine and equipment to countries around the world.

An exception was a 2009 editorial published by the magazine Nature, which said Cuba had develop[ed] the worlds most established biotechnology industry, which has grown rapidly even though it eschewed the venture-capital funding model that rich countries consider a prerequisite.

Its true: Cuban biotech is a 100% government investment. Its a sector whose development has avoided the financialized model that has shaped the industry worldwide. And yet, well beyond Cuba, a government as acting as investor in high-tech industries is no new thing. Particularly in the biopharmaceutical industry, government investment has played a critical role in most every country. Consider the U.S. governments National Institutes of Health (NIH) support of the creation of American biotech, or the programs of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, among many other examples. There is actually nothing unusual about the Cuban governments investment and its strong involvement in biotechnology.

The singularity may come with the fact that Cuba is not only a developing country hindered by a robust economic embargo, but also a communist-socialist country with (until very recently) a fully state-controlled economy, of which the 100% state-owned Cuban biotech sector is part. The business of producing medical products was largely underdeveloped in Cuba before the revolutionary government got involved: foreign subsidiaries controlled 50% of the market, importers accounted for a further 20%, and local generic production was accountable for the remaining 30%. In the 1960s, the government acquired private local producers, and foreign producers reduced imports and closed their plants. In the 1970s, in order to minimize the impact of the U.S. embargo, the government began its first investments in pharmaceutical production plants. Initially, drug purchases from both Western and Eastern Europe complemented these efforts. Then came the biotech.

One does not need to admire the Cuban political system to recognize the success of what observers deemed Cubas billion dollar biotech gamble: a reference to the seemingly unrealistic decision to invest $1 billion in the 1980s and the 1990s to develop the sector. Its a gamble that has turned out to be the most successful Cuban R&D programs, and one that can serve as a model for other nations.

The lions share of todays Cuban biotech industry is concentrated in BioCubaFarma, a state holding created in 2012 with the governments economic reforms[4]. It is a vast holding that comprises 33 companies that host more than 21,600 workershundreds of them highly-skilled professionals deeply integrated within several research-production activities. One of its explicit goals is to double the exports of the Cuban biopharmaceutical industry to reach more than $1 billion per year within five years. That would have totalled $5.076 billiona huge difference compared to the previous five years, which saw total exports of $2.779 billion. Whether the industry has achieved this goal is hard to say given the lack of data, so a reasonable assessment of BioCubaFarmas performance will need to wait.

There are factors that would have helped Cuba achieve this goal, and others that could have hindered it. One aspect that would have helped is the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with the U.S., which relieved many potential buyers and investors from some of the pressures associated with the economic sanctions. On the other hand, the industry needs to do more to incentivize its workers. While in the past, even in the middle of the crisis of the 1990s, qualified personnel were willing to work hard despite lesser financial gains, that doesnt seem to be so much the case now.

An excessive focus on financial rewards has not helped incentivize workers; in fact, it has proven one of the downsides of the new economic measures introduced since 2008. Important wage increases have taken place since 2014 especially in the health sector, benefiting more than 440,000 healthcare workers, who in most cases saw their salaries grow by more than 100%.

These wage increases do not appear to be having their intended effect of retaining a motivated workforce and boosting productivity; in fact, they appear to be negatively impacting the motivational balance of the biotech workforce. They may have over-stimulated the financial awareness of some employees to the point of irritation, and to the detriment of internal motivation. The industry has seen 40% of its workforce quit over the last two years. Not all of those leaving are scientists, but it is still an alarming number.

Even with all the challenges, in 2014 and 2016 $1.293 billion and $1.940 billion has been saved, respectively, by import substitution. Still, the government needs to better understand behaviour in innovative organizations, and which measures will encourage or discourage employee motivationa key element in the good functioning of those organizations. If the success of the Cuban biotech actually depended on the high remuneration of their employees, this industry would simply not exist as it does today.

Defying Simplistic Analysis

There is no way one can digest Cubas biotech story while relying on conventional narratives on economics and economic development. Adhering to traditional frameworks, and failing to engage in an accurate institutional analysis, would make it impossible to understand how a cash-driven, high-tech industry successfully developed in a poor, developing country.

Because the island is in many ways a singular place, observers inevitably find themselves referring to its many particularities as explanations for the sectors success. Almost all traditional studies contain important reflections related to institutional questions and other issues specific to Cuba. However, most of these discussions tend to underplay the complex relationship among institutions, innovation and economic development. They tend to end on a static, pessimistic note of conclusion. The analysis of, for example, property rights, ownership, competition, regulation, corporate governance, and related issues is coloured by the simplistic and linear, one-size-fits-all tendencies of neoclassical economics.

As cross-country historical evidence suggests, structural change is a highly idiosyncratic process, which usually works in far more complex ways than assumed. Technological conditions in an economy are the result of non-linear interactions among cultural, geographical, historical and socio-political elements, rather than pre-determined assumptions about behaviour. Innovation is, by most accounts, a messy, uncertain process, which often has little to do with the straightforward causalities conventional narratives offer. Too often, liberalization and privatization are presented as inalienable and natural preconditions, and it becomes impossible to engage in analysis outside that framework. If we want to truly understand the formation and evolution of innovative firms and industries, we need to analyse them in their contexts and be open to what may emerge.

And so it happens that what emerges from a nuanced analysis often has a very unfamiliar face for contemporary audiences. When properly examining Cuban industry, for example, we discover powerful stories that challenge the homogenizing nature of most traditional studies of innovation, with their emphasis on property rights and returns to inventors. The Cuban biotech industry undoubtedly represents the most successful case of science and technology policy in that countrys economic history.

It is also a case that illustrates how having a competent and motivated scientific workforce is a determining factor in a countrys ability to upgrade its economic structure. Cuban scientists learned about biotech when few in the world believed in its potential. They grew along with the research, and therefore were in a better position to take the lead in developing unique innovations. It was, and still is, a risky move, but thats the history of economic development. This finding opens up scope for other sorts of reflections on the Cuban context in particular, and could ultimately help reshape policymakers choices regarding future industrial projects.

Of course, the whole issue inscribes itself within the of-the-moment discussion on the legitimacy of the governments role as science and technology sponsor. The Cuban example in many ways shows us the good sides of public health and the virtues of a well-calibrated government policy. Of course, Cubas path does not need to be mandatory for everybody, but it may be valid for many. And learning about it may help us overcome our own biasesas economists and as human beings.

________

[1] In the Cuban context, the term biotech is interchangeable with biopharma, and this article uses the terms in this way unless otherwise noted. Biopharmaceuticals are the products you obtain through the biotechnology process; in other words, biotechnology creates biopharmaceutical products.

More specifically, from a definitional standpoint we understand the biopharmaceutical industry in the way most academics and practitioners (including in the U.S.) usually do, i.e., as a subset of a huge industrial sector devoted to the production of medical products, be they chemically (in the case of pharmaceuticals) or biotechnologically (in the case of biopharmaceuticals) produced. In Cuba this industry is mostly identified with the biotechnology because it is this subset the one that has become commercially relevant, which in turn has contributed to push forward the pharmaceutical side of the industry (mostly in form of generics for the domestic market). Again, this piece uses the terms biotech and biopharma interchangeably to refer to the Cuban biotech; it makes particular sense for the Cuban case and doing so is compatible with mainstream definitions.

[2] This reference to negative cash flow points to the aggregate results of the biotechnology firms, whose historical performance has been on the whole disappointing in terms of profitability and cash flow. This assertion does not include the traditional pharmaceutical companies, but it has implications for the future of many pharmaceutical firms that are more and more dependent on their biotech subsidiaries, or on their alliances with biotech firmsto the point that they can no longer be definitionally separated.

[3] In 2013 Novartis, received approval from the European Union to market its Bexsero against Meningitis B. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval in January 2015. The international press has erroneously presented this vaccine as the first of its kind that has successfully fought the condition. Even if the new vaccine is said to be designed for different strains, it is not the first commercially available versionnor, as often repeated by the press, was it the first to be successfully employed in a nationwide meningitis B programme for children. Cubas VA-MENGOC-BC, which also has the potential to fight several strains, has been used in Cuba and other countries for more than two decades with impressive results.

[4] The entity derived from the merger of all institutions of the Scientific Pole in western Havana, the biotechnological side of the industry, and all companies within the Quimefa Group, which represented the traditional Cuban pharmaceutical industry. Quimefa was a state holding created in 2001 devoted to producing small molecules (chemically-based drugs), mostly generics, to substitute for imports.

[1] In the Cuban context, the term biotech is interchangeable with biopharma, and this article uses the terms in this way unless otherwise noted. Biopharmaceuticals are the products you obtain through the biotechnology process; in other words, biotechnology creates biopharmaceutical products.

More specifically, from a definitional standpoint we understand the biopharmaceutical industry in the way most academics and practitioners (including in the U.S.) usually do, i.e., as a subset of a huge industrial sector devoted to the production of medical products, be they chemically (in the case of pharmaceuticals) or biotechnologically (in the case of biopharmaceuticals) produced. In Cuba this industry is mostly identified with the biotechnology because it is this subset the one that has become commercially relevant, which in turn has contributed to push forward the pharmaceutical side of the industry (mostly in form of generics for the domestic market). Again, this piece uses the terms biotech and biopharma interchangeably to refer to the Cuban biotech; it makes particular sense for the Cuban case and doing so is compatible with mainstream definitions.

[2] This reference to negative cash flow points to the aggregate results of the biotechnology firms, whose historical performance has been on the whole disappointing in terms of profitability and cash flow. This assertion does not include the traditional pharmaceutical companies, but it has implications for the future of many pharmaceutical firms that are more and more dependent on their biotech subsidiaries, or on their alliances with biotech firmsto the point that they can no longer be definitionally separated.

[3] In 2013 Novartis, received approval from the European Union to market its Bexsero against Meningitis B. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval in January 2015. The international press has erroneously presented this vaccine as the first of its kind that has successfully fought the condition. Even if the new vaccine is said to be designed for different strains, it is not the first commercially available versionnor, as often repeated by the press, was it the first to be successfully employed in a nationwide meningitis B programme for children. Cubas VA-MENGOC-BC, which also has the potential to fight several strains, has been used in Cuba and other countries for more than two decades with impressive results.

[4] The entity derived from the merger of all institutions of the Scientific Pole in western Havana, the biotechnological side of the industry, and all companies within the Quimefa Group, which represented the traditional Cuban pharmaceutical industry. Quimefa was a state holding created in 2001 devoted to producing small molecules (chemically-based drugs), mostly generics, to substitute for imports.
Yves here. Readers who read the post below by progressive activist and Naked Capitalism reader Jeff Epstein may wonder why Democratic party members of Congress submit to having the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee not only tell them how to spend substantial amounts of their time when in Washington but also aggressively monitor how much money they raise.

The answer is not only does the DCCC provide resources (subscriptions, access to research, policy recommendations) to Congressmen who have hardly any staffers, but even more important, the DCCC controls committee assignments and leadership slots. Professor Tom Ferguson published an important paper on this topic; we recapped some key points from an article he wrote about it in a 2011 post:

A new article by Ferguson in the Washington Spectator sheds more light on this corrupt and defective system. Partisanship and deadlocks are a direct result of the increased power of a centralized funding apparatus. Its easy to raise money for grandstanding on issues that appeal to well-heeled special interests, so dysfunctional behavior is reinforced. Lets first look at how crassly explicit the pricing is. Ferguson cites the work of Marian Currander on how it works for the Democrats in the House of Representatives: Under the new rules for the 2008 election cycle, the DCCC [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] asked rank-and-file members to contribute $125,000 in dues and to raise an additional $75,000 for the party. Subcommittee chairpersons must contribute $150,000 in dues and raise an additional $100,000. Members who sit on the most powerful committees  must contribute $200,000 and raise an additional $250,000. Subcommittee chairs on power committees and committee chairs of non-power committees must contribute $250,000 and raise $250,000. The five chairs of the power committees must contribute $500,000 and raise an additional $1 million. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Whip James Clyburn, and Democratic Caucus Chair Rahm Emanuel must contribute $800,000 and raise $2.5 million. The four Democrats who serve as part of the extended leadership must contribute $450,000 and raise $500,000, and the nine Chief Deputy Whips must contribute $300,000 and raise $500,000. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi must contribute a staggering $800,000 and raise an additional $25 million. Ferguson teases out the implications: Uniquely among legislatures in the developed world, our Congressional parties now post prices for key slots on committees. You want it  you buy it, runs the challenge. They even sell on the installment plan: You want to chair an important committee? Thatll be $200,000 down and the same amount later, through fundraising.. The whole adds up to something far more sinister than the parts. Big interest groups (think finance or oil or utilities or health care) can control the membership of the committees that write the legislation that regulates them. Outside investors and interest groups also become decisive in resolving leadership struggles within the parties in Congress. You want your man or woman in the leadership? Just send money. Lots of it. The Congressional party leadership controls the swelling coffers of the national campaign committees, and the huge fixed investments in polling, research, and media capabilities that these committees maintain  resources the leaders use to bribe, cajole, or threaten candidates to toe the party line Candidates rely on the national campaign committees not only for money, but for message, consultants, and polling they need to be competitive but can rarely afford on their own.. This concentration of power also allows party leaders to shift tactics to serve their own ends.They push hot-button legislative issues that have no chance of passage, just to win plaudits and money from donor blocs and special-interest supporters. When they are in the minority, they obstruct legislation, playing to the gallery and hoping to make an impression in the media The system ensures that national party campaigns rest heavily on slogan-filled, fabulously expensive lowest-common-denominator appeals to collections of affluent special interests. The Congress of our New Gilded Age is far from the best Congress money can buy; it may well be the worst. It is a coin-operated stalemate machine that is now so dysfunctional that it threatens the good name of representative democracy itself. If that isnt sobering enough, a discussion after the Ferguson article describes the mind-numbing amount of money raised by the members of the deficit-cutting super committee. In addition, immediately after being named to the committee, several members launched fundraising efforts that were unabashed bribe-seeking. But since the elites in this country keep themselves considerable removed from ordinary people, and what used to be considered corruption in their cohort is now business as usual, nary an ugly word is said about these destructive practices.

By Naked Capitalism reader aliteralmind, aka Jeff Epstein, is an independent and progressive journalist with Citizens Media TV. Jeff was a finalist with Brand New Congress, was one of around forty candidates in the country to be personally endorsed by Bernie Sanders during the 2016 primary, and was a pledged delegate for Sanders at the DNC. Copy edited by Ben Szioli. Originally published on Citizens Media TV

Get the Memo

Less than two days after the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) wrote a strong opposition research article about Laura Mosers Congressional candidacy, the Texas progressive had raised $60,000.

The DCCCs unprecedented attack against one of its own comes only months after the organization, which calls itself the official campaign arm of the Democrats in the House of Representatives, sent all potential 2018 U.S. House candidates a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The memorandum requires candidates to refrain from attacking other Democrats during the primary election, calling it necessary in order to avoid tactics that do harm to our chances of winning a General Election.

Although candidates are forbidden from criticizing one another, there are no such requirements for super PACs (or, at least in the case of Moser, the DCCC itself). So, while the candidates themselves talk about rainbows, unicorns, and lollipops, the super PACs, which are supposed to have no connection to the candidates, take care of the mud-slinging dirty work. Unsurprisingly, the DCCC, the Democratic Party, and the unlimited, dark-money super PACs most often back the same candidate. This requirement is therefore a clear disadvantage to most candidates without party backing, such as progressives and upstarts.

Screenshot from DCCC MoU regarding not attacking other Democrats. Here is the full MoU. (More info on the MoU).

Dialing for Dollars

The terms of the MoU, which candidates must sign in order to receive DCCC support, prioritize fundraising above all. In practice, this inevitably disconnects candidates from their voters. From the Intercept:

Prioritizing fundraising, as Democratic Party officials do, has a feedback effect that creates lawmakers who are further and further removed from the people they are elected to represent. In 2013, the DCCC offered a startling presentation for incoming lawmakers, telling them they would be expected to immediately begin four hours of call time every day they were in Washington. Thats time spent dialing for dollars from high-end donors.

This dialing for dollars separates candidates from their potential (and less-wealthy) constituents. This is true even when off the phone, because that is when the promises made on the phone must be fulfilled. As impossible fundraising goals are missed, the candidate is under more and more pressure to depend on wealthier and wealthier donors, many of whom may not even be constituents. Meanwhile, most constituents, who cannot afford substantial donations, are left further and further behind. Not only are the needs of these powerless constituents no longer met, the candidate likely loses touch with what those needs even are.

Trojan horse

candidates must also agree to keep the DCCC abreast daily of their progress towards fundraising goals. Every day. The goals are suggested by the DCCC itself and are often unrealistic for campaigns who choose to forsake large donations.

Screenshot from DCCC MoU regarding fundraising

According to Paul Perry, a former Pennsylvania congressional candidate, when the goals are not met, the DCCC ratchets up the pressure:

As the campaign dragged on and their sense of the weakness of the field and my campaign gathering strength, my finance director started getting more calls from their finance people. They wanted weekly numbers, down to the number of hours I had spent on the phone with donors each week, how much money I had raised on a weekly and daily basis, and even average contribution estimates.

Perry suspended his campaign.

This pressure is further emphasized by the story of Lee Carter, a 30-year-old democratic socialist and now-state legislator from Virginia. Carter stopped giving the DCCC updates, resulting in his candidacy being abandoned by the party. Carter believes that these daily updates were a Trojan horse for the party to take day-to-day control over his campaign, especially as it relates to fundraising. (Carter also claims that the party leaked confidential campaign information, although he did not elaborate.)

According to the Richmond Times Dispatch:

Lee Carter, the Democratic candidate against [Republican incumbent and then-State House Majority Whip] Miller, opted out [of providing daily updates]. So his party essentially cut him off, saying that without him providing information they had no choice but to put financial resources into candidates they know are doing what the party believes is required to win.

In the same article, the Virginia Democratic Party justified the decision:

Unlike the Virginia House Republican Caucus, we do not have unlimited resources and must make informed and judicious decisions about where to invest the hard-earned dollars of our donors. We ask candidates to regularly report the number of doors they have knocked and dollars they have raised, so that we know we are investing the generous contributions of our donors in candidates who are willing to do the work necessary to win elections.

After Carters unexpected win, the reporter of the above article stated that the Democratic Party was upset that he reported on Carters candidacy at all. This was especially due to Carters positions against fossil fuel interests, which stand in direct conflict with the large donations received by the Virginia state party.

(In addition, the MoU states that candidates should run their campaigns focused on highlighting our shared values as Democrats, which could easily be interpreted to mean that views to the left of the Democratic Party are just as undesirable as those to the right.)

Enriching Consultants

Finally, the DCCCs MoU also serves to enrich its own consultants. It requires candidates to reserve 75% of their campaign coffers for paid communications, which includes television and radio. For candidates who choose to focus their money on reaching voters through grassroots efforts such as door-knocking and last minute get-out-the-vote outreach, this restriction is suffocating.

Candidates are also required to hire a research consultant and other professional consultants, which, not coincidentally, can be chosen from among a comprehensive list provided by the DCCC.



Screenshots from DCCC MoU regarding consultants

Crushing Dissent

The DCCCs actions are further examples of a party that makes it extremely difficult for truly progressive candidates  or newcomers or outsiders of any kind  to get a foot in the door. The Democratic and Republican parties may be different when it comes to social and environmental issues, but they are no different when it comes to who they stand for and against: they fight for the interests of their big-money donors and most often against the needs of their powerless constituents.



Our government no longer represents the bottom 90% of Americans (link to video)

Two examples of this:

Current polling shows that seven in ten Americans want stricter gun lawsand 97%, want stronger background checks. Yet, in the wake of the largest mass shooting in modern history, the DCCC instructed its candidates, in all caps, DO NOT POLITICIZE THIS TODAY. Instead of discussing gun policy, candidates were told to offer their thoughts and prayers.

There is broad and bipartisan support (see page 88) for single-payer healthcare, but in April of 2017, the DCCC instructed its candidates only to discuss how the Republican plan is harmful. They were to talk about their own proposals only if asked! Most importantly, two full pages of the letter was dedicated to listing misleading Republican criticisms of [Bernie] Sanders plan for single-payer healthcare, with no counter arguments. An example criticism is that single-payer healthcare will cause millions of Americans to lose their current health insurance plan. Although narrowly and technically true, it ignores the fact that the very definition of single-payer healthcare means that every single American is fully covered  just no longer by the private insurance industry.

This is all summed up by the executive director of Justice Democrats, an organization supporting progressive candidates who refuse big-money donations: [the] DCCC is scared stiff that after 2018 there will be a huge wave of progressive Democrats taking over the party that wont be accountable to their corporate interests.

The Democratic Party prioritizes fundraising above all else and chooses candidates who cater to the needs of their big donors. (A cynical interpretation could be that the most important quality the Democratic Party looks for in a candidate is a willingness to be bribed.) The ostensible goal of the Democratic Party may be to defeat Republicans, but it seems that just as much energy, if not more, is spent fighting against progressive policies and the candidates who truly stand for them. At least in some cases, such as with Laura Moser and Lee Carter, the strategy is beginning to backfire.

Appendix: Further Evidence

An extremely un-comprehensive list of further examples demonstrating how the Democratic Party shuts out progressives:
Delightful video shows elephants rolling around in mud in Thailand Thai Visa (furzy)

Earths Flip-Flopping Magnetic Field is Screwing With Satellites Over Africa Inverse (David L)

What Ancient African Huts Reveal About Earths Magnetic Flips National Geographic (Kevin W)

Scientists engineer crops to conserve water, resist drought PhysOrg (Robert M)

You can deny environmental calamity  until you check the facts George Monbiot Guardian (PlutoniumKun)

Biography is a thoroughly reprehensible genre Spectator (Chuck L). IMHO this is silly, or at most says maybe bios of writers are a bad idea. The movie Patton was great and apparently very accurate (save due to Vietnam War, it depicted him as reckless with his mens lives when he wasnt; US soldiers wanted to serve in the Third Army because their odds of survival were higher).

China?

By rewriting history, Hindu nationalists aim to assert their dominance over India Reuters

Estonian district votes to get cannabis leaf flag BBC (furzy)

Germany hesitates at Weidmanns nomination for ECB presidency Financial Times

Italys howl of nihilism Politico

Brexit

EU rejects UKs plans for post-Brexit trade relationship Financial Times EU Plans Vague Trade-Deal Offer in Blow to U.K. Hopes Bloomberg. Silly headline dignifying UK fantasy. Article 50 only requires that the exit agreement be written in light of the future relationship. Anyone who knows anything re trade deals knows they take years to negotiate, meaning more than 2, unless you are taking terms from the US. Sir Ivan Rogers has said the UK would not get a trade pact with the EU before the early-mid 2020s.

Topambtenaar Brussel moet opstappen, vinden Europarlementariers NOS. Translation of sorts: Dutch MPs want new head of the European Commission, Martin Selmayr, out.

Ausweichen, zogern, zugeben Der Spiegel. Also out for Selmayrs head.

New Cold War

Putin Is Not Rattling Nuclear Sabers  Its Real Near Eastern Outlook (Wat)

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

Tariff Tempest

Trump Transition

The New Yorker Attempts But Fails To Boost The Steele Dossier Moon of Alabama (UserFriendly) Trump administration sues California over laws protecting immigrants Los Angeles Times (furzy). The article suggests that because CA passed new laws specifically to thwart Federal law, they may not fare so well in court. IMHO, CA could have achieved similar and had the added fun of driving the ICE nuts by emulating the Italians in World War II. The Italians, despite being allies of Germany, didnt turn over any Jews to be shipped off to the death camps. And they didnt do it like Bulgaria did, by defying them. They acted like Italians. They feigned all sorts of bureaucratic incompetence: You wanted them on the train on Tuesday at 8:00 AM? We thought you meant last Tuesday. We wondered what happened. Now we have to go round them up again. Cant be done by this Tuesday. Trump slumps on Forbes billionaires list BBC (furzy) Stormy Daniels Sues Trump Over Nondisclosure Agreement Wall Street Journal

Social Media and the Rise of the Consistent Liberal FAIR (UserFriendly). Important. But no consideration that stagnant wages, rising inequality, student debt, shredded social safety nets might have something to do with this picture

Flood of legislative candidates points to enthusiasm in both parties The Hill

Kellyanne Conway Violated The Hatch Act Twice, Special Counsel Report Says Huffington Post

Sanders says new health-care plan shows Dems moving toward Medicare for all The Hill (furzy)

Gunz

The Cult of Authority Counterpunch

A Phrase For Our Time: Merriam-Webster Adds Dumpster Fire To Dictionary Chuck L Mansplain also added to the dictionary.

Lego admits it made too many bricks BBC (David L)

Home Prices Sink, Sales Plunge in Toronto Wolf Street. EM: As Wold notes, the YoY decline doesnt even erase last years blowoff-top gains. Prices still have a looooooooong way to fall to get back into reasonably-affordable range.

Stock Bulls in Trump Country Are Freaking Out Their Brokers Bloomberg

Here is why I am opposing the bill being voted on in the Senate now to deregulate some of the largest banks in America. pic.twitter.com/bF85IPDPrN  Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) March 6, 2018

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour. Margarita: We could at least put the russiarussiarusiagate to good use by showcasing some bears

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Fethard Public Water Supply customers are being reminded today (Wednesday) that a Do Not Drink notice issued on Monday remains in place for the entire supply.

Tankers are now supplying water to people from 34 locations (see list below).

The Do Not Drink notice was issued to safeguard public health following an incident of kerosene contamination of the river Anner which supplies the water treatment plant.

Water production has ceased at the treatment plant and as a result, some customers in the area have lost supply.

Irish Water is working with Tipperary County Council, the HSE and other relevant agencies to restore a water supply for washing and sanitary purposes.

Specialist contractors are on site doing a deep clean of the plant in order to bring it back into production.

In the meantime, Irish Water are working to restore a supply to as many areas as possible by rerouting water from outlying areas and establishing new borehole sources.

There may be some areas where it will not be possible to restore water for several days and in these areas, we will work with the community to maintain adequate alternative supplies.

However, it is important to note that the Do Not Drink Notice will remain in place until further notice even if the supply is restored.

It is expected that this notice will remain in effect for a number of weeks as the issues caused by this incident are addressed.

In the meantime, alternative water supplies are being made available throughout the affected area. In some locations, tankers have also been used to replenish water tanks in schools and other key locations for sanitary use. Irish Water has also been in contact with vulnerable customers in the area and provided them with supplies of bottled water.

The HSE has advised that kerosene is generally detected by smell and/or taste before it reaches a level which might affect health. Customers who have any health concerns should contact their GP in the first instance.

Farmers who are concerned that livestock may have consumed contaminated water are advised to contact their local vet for advice, or their local Department of Agriculture contact.

Tipperary County Councils environment section is investigating the source of the contamination incident and Irish Water will provide any assistance we can in this investigation.

Irish Water and Tipperary County Council fully acknowledge the inconvenience caused as a result of this incident and wish to assure customers that we are making every effort to restore supply as quickly as possible.

Should customers have any concerns or queries, they should contact Irish Waters 24/7 customer care line at 1850 278 278.

Please Note:

This water should NOT be used for

 drinking,

 drinks made with water,

 food preparation, washing or cooking of food,

 brushing of teeth, or

 making of ice.

In particular, pregnant women should not drink this water.

This water should not be used for making up infant formula for bottled fed infants. An alternative source of water should be used. Bottled water can also be used to make up infant formula. All bottled water, with the exception of natural mineral water, is regulated to the same standard as drinking water. It is best not to use bottled water labelled as Natural Mineral Water as it can have high levels of sodium (salt) and other minerals, although it rarely does. Natural Mineral Water can be used if no other water is available, for as short a time as possible, as it is important to keep babies hydrated. If bottled water is used to make up infant formula it should be boiled once (rolling boil for 1 minute), and cooled in the normal way.

The water can be used for personal hygiene, bathing, flushing toilets, laundry and washing of utensils, however, if you are experiencing skin irritation you may wish to avoid using water for showering or bathing or washing clothes.

Domestic water filters will not render water safe to drink.

Caution should be taken when bathing children to ensure that they do not swallow the bathing water.

Discard ice cubes in fridges and freezers and filtered water in fridges.

Please note that boiling the water will not be sufficient to make it suitable to drink.

Areas affected include Fethard, Killenaule, Gortnahoe, Ballysloe, Ballynonty, Moyglass, Mullinahone, Drangan, Glengoole, Cloneen, Ballinure, Killusty and surrounding areas.

Tanker locations March 7th

1 IBC Fill Station Gortnahoe National School

2 IBC Fill Station Gortnahoe St Patricks Gate

3 Parked Tanker Gortnahoe Hall

4 IBC Fill Station Ballysloe National School

5 IBC Fill Station Ballysloe Bottle Bank

6 IBC Fill Station Glengoole Church

7 IBC Fill Station Glengoole Housing Est

8 IBC Fill Station Ballynonty Perries

9 IBC Fill Station Ballynonty Mill Rd Estate

10 IBC Fill Station Ballynonty Bord na Mona Road

11 IBC Fill Station Killenaule National School

12 IBC Fill Station Killenaule Castle Quarter Est

13 IBC Fill Station Killenaule Cashel Road Est

14 IBC Fill Station Moyglass National School

15 IBC Fill Station Moyglass Church Estate

16 IBC Fill Station Ballinure Graveyard

17 IBC Fill Station Drangan National School

18 IBC Fill Station Drangan hair Salon

19 IBC Fill Station Drangan Housing Estate

20 IBC Fill Station Cloneen Hall

21 IBC Fill Station Cloneen Drangan Rd Estate

22 IBC Fill Station Poulacapple National School

23 IBC Fill Station Mullinahone , Cois na An

24 IBC Fill Station Mullinahone, Blackthorn Walk

25 IBC Fill Station Kilvenham National School

26 IBC Fill Station Kilusty Nation School

27 IBC Fill Station Kilusty Village

28 IBC Fill Station Ballinure National School

29 Mobile Trailer Mullinahone School

30 IBC Fill Station Mullinahone , Asses Cross

31 IBC Fill Station Poulacapple Cross

32 Parked Tanker Drangan Village

33 Parked Tanker Fethard - Ribworld

34 Parked Tanker Fethard - Old Dance Hall
Theres a new test for breast cancer risk, and it comes from a Silicon Valley tech company.

Mountain View-based 23andMe says it now has FDA approval for tests that can help you learn your risk for certain types of breast cancer.

The company says the test, focusing on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, can report if you are at increased risk for ovarian and breast cancer. Its a test that normally requires a doctors visit, but this would be the first version of the test that can be sent directly to a consumer. Were trying to reach out to doctors now to see what they say about such a test.

This is a fairly big step for 23andMe. Back in 2013, the FDA said the company was not allowed to send health-related data to customers. It has since relented somewhat, and along with todays news, 23andMe can also tell customers if they have increased risk for Alzheimers disease as well.

Typically, doctors will tell you that in addition to these genetic tests, you should consult your physician as well.

Scott is on Twitter: @scottbudman
The mayor of Oakland, California, responded to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions by repeating the How dare you? phrase he used after she warned of a recent federal immigration raid.

Sessions criticized Mayor Libby Schaaf in a speech Wednesday to law enforcement officials after he sued California over laws that restrict cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities.[[476158553, C]]

Afterward, she said of Sessions: How dare you vilify members of the community, distract people from a broken immigration system that breaks up families and distort the reality of declining violent crime in a sanctuary city like Oakland.

Schaaf issued an unusual public warning last month about an immigration operation in Northern California.

Sessions said, How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open borders agenda?

California Gov. Jerry Brown denounced Sessions for coming to the state to speak about a lawsuit targeting policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, saying Wednesday it was unprecedented for him to act more like Fox News than a law enforcement officer."[[476153053, C]]

Shortly after Sessions speech to law enforcement officials, the Democratic governor accused the attorney general of lying and trying to appease President Donald Trump.

What Jeff Sessions said is simply not true and I call upon him to apologize to the people of California for bringing the mendacity of Washington to California, Brown told reporters.

Sessions said several California state laws prevent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from making deportation arrests and singled out elected officials for their actions. He had particularly strong words for Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who issued an unusual public warning last month about an immigration operation. [[476153053, C]]

How dare you? he said of Schaaf at a California Peace Officers Association meeting in Sacramento. How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open borders agenda?

The Justice Department, in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Sacramento, is challenging three California laws that bar police from asking people about their citizenship status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities.[[476081733, C]]

It wasnt something I chose to do, but I cant sit by idly while the lawful authority of federal officers are being blocked by legislative acts and politicians, Sessions said, straying from his prepared remarks.

More than a dozen attendees in a room of about 200 people gave the attorney general a standing ovation.

The lawsuit is the latest salvo in an escalating feud between the Trump administration and California, which has resisted the president on issues from taxes to marijuana policy and defiantly refuses to help federal agents detain and deport immigrants. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said it will increase its presence in California, and Sessions wants to cut off funding to jurisdictions that wont cooperate.

I say: Bring it on, said California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, a Los Angeles Democrat who wrote the so-called sanctuary state bill. Democratic Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon was among those suggesting that Sessions shouldnt come at all.

The lawsuit was filed as the Justice Department also reviews Schaafs decision to warn of an immigration sweep in advance, which ICE said allowed hundreds of immigrants to elude detention. Schaaf said Tuesday that the city would continue to inform all residents about their constitutional rights.

The California laws were passed in response to Trumps promises to sharply ramp up the deportation of people living in the U.S. illegally.

One prohibits employers from letting immigration agents enter worksites or view employee files without a subpoena or warrant, an effort to prevent workplace raids. Another stops local governments from contracting with for-profit companies and ICE to hold immigrants. Justice Department officials said that violates the Constitutions supremacy clause, which renders invalid state laws that conflict with federal ones.

The Supreme Court reinforced the federal governments primacy in enforcing immigration law when it blocked much of Arizonas tough 2010 immigration law on similar grounds. The high court found several key provisions undermined federal immigration law, though it upheld a provision requiring officers, while enforcing other laws, to question the immigration status of people suspected of being in the country illegally.

In this case, California has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and responsibility of Congress to protect our homeland, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement. [[238427591, C]]

Sessions, who has blamed sanctuary city policies for crime and gang violence, spoke Wednesday to groups representing police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys, narcotics investigators and the California Highway Patrol. Only the California State Sheriffs Association actively opposed the so-called sanctuary law.

Dozens of demonstrators chanted stand up, fight back and no justice, no peace outside the hotel where the meeting was held and some blocked traffic on a major thoroughfare. A heavy police presence was on hand.

Demonstrator Henry Gordon of Sacramento said he hopes Sessions gets the message that Californians will resist efforts to separate families and deport immigrants.

Becerra, who is up for election in November, said sanctuary policies increase public safety by promoting trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, while allowing police resources to be used to fight other crimes.

Were in the business of public safety, not deportation, he said.
The question "Uber or Lyft?" might finally be answered as some would forever side with Lyft over its latest announcement. It will be offering free rides to people attending the March for Our Lives rally this month.

Organized by students in the aftermath of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida where 17 people were killed, the prominent gun control rally is set to take place in 24 cities around the country on March 24.



Attendees hope to shine light on gun control and stop the epidemic of mass school shootings.

Lyft co-founders, John Zimmer and Logan Green made the announcement in an open letter to Stoneman Douglas students expressing their condolences and solidarity.

"We believe there is something seriously wrong when the threat of gun violence is so frequent and real throughout our country," they wrote. "And like many, we are inspired by your leadership  Thank you for speaking up and showing the world that young people can drive meaningful change."

Gun control advocates and Parkland shooting survivors quickly responded, praising Lyft for its latest act of kindness.

"This is amazing," tweeted Cameron Kasky, a student who survived the Parkland shooting, SF Gate reports. "Thank you, @lyft. #NEVERAGAIN
Thousands of teens in need of a dress this prom season will receive help thanks to the Princess Project.

The non-profit, which has chapters and giveaways in both Silicon Valley and San Francisco, aims to provide free prom dresses and accessories to high school teens.

At the San Francisco chapter, over 5,000 dresses were donated this year.

Our goal is to give away over 2,000 dresses this year during our giveaways, said Lisa Fettner, co-president of Princess Project San Francisco. We will also give away approximately 500 additional dresses/accessories to other organizations who need prom dresses - such as Oakland Childrens Hospital and the Tim Thibault Proms.

With prom season approaching, it can be an extremely stressful time for high school girls searching for a dress. The Princess Project aims to take some of these pressures off of students.

We really strive to make it all about the teens and create a very positive environment that makes them feel very beautiful and confident in their own skin, said Starr Rey, president of Princess Project Silicon Valley.

Princess Project partners with Peninsula, South Bay, and East Bay schools each year to identify students who could benefit financially from a free gown.

Each girl receives her own personal shopper  a volunteer  who helps her search among an abundance of dresses. Teens can leave not only with a dress, but also shoes, jewelry and other accessories.

The Silicon Valley giveaway will start at 6 p.m. Thursday at 1939 W. El Camino Real in Mountain View and will continue into the weekend.

The San Francisco giveaway will take place every weekend until March 24 at 4 Embarcadero Center.

For more information, visit PrincessProject.org.
Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2018 2:00 am

Another good day at Black Oak, with services beginning with O, How I Love Jesus being sung as Lola Fern accompanied. The lesson was New Leadership, taken from 1 Samuel 16:1-23. Jeremy led the responsive reading. Prayers were by Kourtney and Vula, with Jerry teaching the class.

As the worship hour began, Happy Birthday was sung to Jeremy. Congratulations to Larry and Judy Letterman, who were honored for their 50th anniversary.

Brother Bill welcomed everyone and read the prayer list. Some new names were added, including Donnie Crawford, Bob Mathis, the Charles Henderson family, David Overbeck, Herb Cook, the unsaved, unspoken, those that have lost loved ones, Calvary Freewill Baptist of Conway, Tina Massie, Sarah Bicknells mom, Sondra Dill, Larry Wilkerson, the James Letterman family, Dwayne Baker, Pam Coles son, Sharon Carrey, the Lonnie Cantrell family and all the others on our list. Prayer was by Norma.

The choir and congregation sang several favorite hymns, followed by a handshake of fellowship. Rex and Clint, who blessed it, took up the offering as Martha played a medley of beautiful music.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 Choir practice at 5 p.m. the first and third Sunday each month.

 Bible study and youth at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

 Breakfast at Grillos at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 10.

 Spring Revival, 7 p.m. March 25-28, with Brother David Douglas as evangelist.

 Daylight saving time begins March 11.

The quarterly meeting was held in Lebanon March 3 and we were pleased to witness the ordination service for Brother Bill, with our prayer for a very successful future.

For specials, Jerry and Lola sang Thank You Lord, Martha sang One More Valley, Herald Lee had several readings, Jeremy and Martha sang Hold To My Hand and a group sang Where Could I Go? Brother Bill led in prayer and proceeded with a very good message of Elijah and Elisha from 2 Kings 2:1-20. Prepare To Meet Thy God was sung and John LeCompte dismissed the services with prayer.

We had a wonderful evening service with special singing, testimonies and a short message. God bless you all.
A suspect believed to be connected to an armed robbery died following an officer-involved shooting in San Francisco's Mission District Tuesday night, according to police.

The suspect, who was spotted in the trunk of a car before the shooting, was pronounced dead at the scene located along Capp Street, police said. Two other suspects inside the car were detained.

Uniformed officers were flagged down in the area of 20th and Capp streets around 10:35 p.m. by two victims of a reported armed robbery, according to police.

After receiving a description of the suspect vehicle, officers saw it on Capp Street between 21st and 22nd streets, police said.

Officers ordered the suspects to get out the car, according to police. The driver complied with the demands and was detained.

Officers then noticed that the vehicle's trunk was slightly open and that a second suspect was inside, police said. As officers tried to detain the suspect, a police shooting occurred.

Cellphone video of the moments before, during and after the shooting captured several shots being fired.

"It sounded like there was one noise that went off first and there was 10 seconds of just plain, nothing happened," witness Albert Balcazar said. "Then the cops asked him to come out with his hands up. I don't think he did. He was yelling and screaming at the cops. After that, I just heard like 40 or 50 bullets going off, and I just took cover."

Officers pulled the suspect from the trunk and provided medical aid, but the suspect was later pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Police said they found a handgun in the trunk. It is unclear if that weapon was used during the incident.

A third suspect in the vehicle was also detained, according to police.

An investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the police department's tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and start the message with SFPD.
A flock of wild turkeys has been ruffling feathers at John Muir Health Center in Concord, and officials say because the birds' aggressiveness poses a health and safety risk, they plan to trap and euthanize them.

Residents, however, say the turkeys are part of their community.

Patients at the hospital and some neighbors often are faced with groups of the wild gobblers.

"They have chased my kids, and theyre not afraid of cars," resident Vanessa Davidson said. "Theyre not super ferocious, but they can get intimidating because theyre big."

John Muir officials say theyve tried to get the big birds to leave by using motion-sensor sprinklers, repellent and other measures, but nothing has worked. Now, they plan to trap the turkeys and likely euthanize them because they say the birds have become aggressive toward patients and have even damaged property.

Some in the neighborhood are outraged, saying the turkeys are an important part of the community. Theyve been watching the feathered families for the past decade.

"When I learned they might be trapping them and euthanizing them, that makes me sad," neighbor Cassie Zola said. "We go on our morning walks, and we see them. Our son Jaxon loves to wave at them. He actually knows how to do a turkey call."

Charles Dimacali says the birds have lived in the community longer than he has, and everyone knows it's turkey territory.

"They literally are like family," he said. "There are people who care about them and want them to be part of the small community we have here."

John Muir officials said theyve already tried to trap the turkeys once, but someone released them before USDA picked them up.
Several gun bills passed the Illinois House last week, but one high-profile bill didn't even make it to the floor.

It's the bill named for slain Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer, banning the sale of body armor and high capacity gun magazines.

It looks as if the March 20 Primary is playing a role in getting the Bauer act passed. Several lawmakers did not make it to Springfield Monday and while some bills cleared the General Assembly this one had a few amendments added to it.

Litesa Wallace, Daniel Biss's running mate took part in hearings in Springfield Monday. But don't look for any progress on pushing through the gun bill named Bauer. That proposal calls for the ban of the sale of body armor by anyone who is not a police officer--or retired officer--as well as the sale of high capacity gun magazines. But with several key democrats not travelling to Springfield--they are in contested primary races, there are not enough votes in the capitol today to push the Bauer act through. The bills that were passed last week await Rauner's signature.

And in a new proposal, Illinois candidate for governor Chris Kennedy is calling on the state to also divest from gun companies.

Kennedy says the state's investments are approximately $10 million a year that are related to gun companies.

Also from Springfield -- House Speaker Mike Madigan warns lawmakers that he personally will handle any sex harassment complaints. This is the latest from the speaker as he responds to a crisis that has not yet quieted down.

One of his former staffers, Alaina Hampton, sent a letter directly to the speaker about her sex harassment complaints and nothing was done until a day before the Chicago Tribune profiled her supervisor.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson may often play a hero on the big screen, but the action star took to social media to thank a handful of real life heroes who assisted in an undisclosed medical crisis Saturday involving his 2-year-old daughter Jasmine.

"Something happened to my family that I would never want to happen to any of you guys out there," Johnson revealed on Instagram. "We were up all night in the emergency room. We had something scary happen with our baby girl Jasmine. She's OK now, thank God. But I just want to say thank you so much to everyone who was so caring and concerned and responsive."

Johnson took time to thank the 911 operator, the Los Angeles Fire Department first responders as well as members of the UCLA Medical team who asisted during the emergency.

"To all you mommies and daddies out there, when emergencies like these happen I highly recommend you stay as calm and as focused as possible because our little babies they pick up on what we're putting out especially in times of stress," he said.
Authorities are searching for answers after finding 91 birds shot and illegally dumped in northwest Indiana.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources District 10 conservation officers said they located the birds, all snow geese, on the side of a road near Hebron in Porter County. Officers determined the birds were dumped earlier this week, the DNR said in a Facebook post.

The DNR does not believe a hunter dumped the birds, saying an action like this is disturbing and detrimental to the positive image that the hunting community is known for.

Officers are following several leads and urge anyone with information to call (812) 837-9536 or the DNR tip line, 1-800-TIP-IDNR.
Simona Mangiante just married George Papadopoulos last week in Chicagos City Hall--since he cant travel to her native Italy while under investigation.

Its a very difficult moment because your life is on hold. You cannot do much. she said in an interview with NBC 5 Tuesday. I dont think he ever lied to protect Trump.

Shes defending her husband since he cant talk to the media while cooperating with investigators after pleading guilty to lying to the FBI. Papadopoulos lied about when he met with a Russian professor in 2016 who said Russia had embarrassing emails about Hilary Clinton. That professor is now missing.

To me it confirms the suspicions about him (the professor), he could definitely be a Russian asset, he could be a Russian spy, Mangiante said.

The White House denies any wrongdoing by the Trump campaign.

"What Papodopoulos did was lie and thats on him not on the campaign," a White House spokeswoman said in October. "And we cant speak to that."

President Trump recently tweeted "WITCH HUNT."

I think his presidency is weakened a lot already, Mangiante said. Im sure that the prosecutor and the FBI have not invested so much time and money for hunting witches.

She said she thinks people will look favorably on her husband once the investigation is over.

I think they will say he was very young and was caught in something bigger than him, she said.
The Trump administration is challenging three California laws that, among other things, bar police from asking people about their citizenship status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions came to Sacramento Wednesday, one day after the suit was filed there, to speak to law enforcement officials. He accused the mayor of Oakland of endangering law enforcement agents' lives after warning the public last month of an upcoming immigration operation, and was subsequently rebuked by Gov. Jerry Brown, who accused him of lying.

The lawsuit is the latest volley in an escalating feud between the Trump administration and California. The state has defiantly refused to help federal agents detain and deport undocumented immigrants. Sessions said that makes cities more dangerous.

"It wasn't something I chose to do, but I can't sit by idly while the lawful authority of federal officers are being blocked by legislative acts and politicians," Sessions said, straying from his prepared remarks.

[NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More

More than a dozen attendees in a room of about 200 people gave the attorney general a standing ovation.

Of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Sessions said, "How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open borders agenda?"

Brown contended that it was unprecedented for Sessions to "act more like Fox News than a law enforcement officer." The Democratic governor also accused the attorney general of lying and trying to appease President Donald Trump.

"What Jeff Sessions said is simply not true and I call upon him to apologize to the people of California for bringing the mendacity of Washington to California," Brown told reporters.

Earlier, Brown had responded to the lawsuit on Twitter in a parody of President Donald Trump's own Twitter style:

"At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they dont work here. SAD!!!"

BREAKING NEWS: Attorney General Sessions to make major sanctuary jurisdiction announcement at 26th annual Law Enforcement Legislative Day! Join us as we go live on Facebook Wednesday, March 7 at 8:00 a.m. PST. https://t.co/kdhS04czIP #lawenforcement #legislation #California pic.twitter.com/npkjq5w4vE  CPOA (@CalPeaceOfficer) March 6, 2018

Brown is named in the lawsuit along with Democratic Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who said the state is on firm legal footing.

"Our track record so far when it comes to any dispute with the federal government has been pretty good," Becerra said.

Dozens of undocumented immigrants were arrested across Northern California last month, according to federal officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations.

The arrests sparked fear in immigrant neighborhoods and kept people at home for fear of being arrested, according to local business leaders. The arrests came amid a nationwide debate over whether local jurisdictions that call themselves sanctuary cities, like Oakland, must cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

About half of the individuals arrested had criminal convictions in addition to immigration violations, including convictions for assault/battery, crimes against children, weapons charges and DUI, according to ICE.

The California laws were passed in response to Trump's promises to sharply ramp up the deportation of people living in the U.S. illegally.

One prohibits employers from letting immigration agents enter worksites or view employee files without a subpoena or warrant, an effort to prevent workplace raids. Another stops local governments from contracting with for-profit companies and ICE to hold immigrants. Justice Department officials said that violates the Constitution's supremacy clause, which renders invalid state laws that conflict with federal ones.

The Supreme Court reinforced the federal government's primacy in enforcing immigration law when it blocked much of Arizona's tough 2010 immigration law on similar grounds. The high court found several key provisions undermined federal immigration law, though it upheld a provision requiring officers, while enforcing other laws, to question the immigration status of people suspected of being in the country illegally.

In this case, California "has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and responsibility of Congress to protect our homeland," Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement.

The Justice Department is also reviewing Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf's decision to warn of the immigration sweep in advance, which ICE said allowed hundreds of immigrants to elude detention.

Both Schaaf and San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell responded Tuesday to the news of Sessions's planned appearance in Sacramento.

This is not the first time that the federal administration has rattled its saber. We have seen repeated attacks on our city and its values - from insulting tweets to hateful policy decisions - but San Francisco will not be intimidated," Farrell said. "Our priority is the safety and wellbeing of our residents and no attack will undermine the values of our City. San Francisco is and will remain a home for hardworking immigrants and I am committed to defending and supporting our longstanding sanctuary policies.

Schaaf called Oakland a "city of immigrants."

"We will continue to exercise our legal right to exist as a sanctuary city," Schaaf said. "We will continue to inform all residents about their constitutional rights, and we will continue to support Californias sanctuary status."

We will also distinguish between law abiding residents who work hard and contribute to our community from dangerous criminals," Schaaf added. This administration has tried to portray all immigrants as villains. We know that is a racist lie, and we will shed light on that myth every day."

San Francisco Mayor Sam Liccardo also chimed in:

As a former federal prosecutor, I know how to follow the law," he said. "I also know that this Administrations radical shift toward indiscriminate enforcement of immigration law is making urban communities less safe. Police chiefs of major cities throughout the nation agree that we critically need to ensure that every resident  regardless of status  will not hesitate to call 911 in an emergency, to report a crime or share information with the police.[[476066463, C]]


Prescription drug prices have some state officials fed up and looking for answers. Increased prices years after year on some life-improving drugs have led to a push to force pharmaceutical companies to provide the reasoning for the cost increases.

I think the people of Connecticut would want to know why their drug prices are increasing every time they go to the pharmacy, said Rep. Sean Scanlon, who rolled out the legislation along with State Comptroller Kevin Lembo, also a Democrat.

Scanlon and Lembos legislation would mandate that drug makers provide information to the state as to why the cost of a particular drug increased by 25 percent or more in a given year. In addition, the measure would require pharmacy benefit managers, those who act in between pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies, to disclose the rebates they receive and what gets passed on to consumers.

The journey between drug manufacturer and consumer is a long one  dotted with many deals, payments and wealth exchange along the way, Lembo said. He described the pharmaceutical chain of events as a shadowy market.

The bill was only heard by the Insurance and Real Estate Committee Tuesday. A vote isnt expected until later in the legislative session.
A bill prohibiting domestic abusers and people under restraining orders from owning firearms became America's first new gun control law since the Feb. 14 Florida high school massacre.

"Well done Oregon," Democratic Gov. Kate Brown exclaimed Monday after signing the law on the steps of the state Capitol as some 200 people, including victims of domestic abuse and high school students, applauded and cheered.

State Sen. Floyd Prozanski, whose sister was fatally shot by her boyfriend, and Rep. Janeen Sollman, who fled her home as a child when her father was in a violent rage, hugged as they stood behind the governor.

The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people has created a wave of young anti-gun activists that has now reached cross-country into Oregon. Students from a high school in the Portland suburb of Lake Oswego traveled 40 miles (65 kilometers) to stage a gun-control rally in the state capital, Salem, Monday morning.

"We are empowered youth," they chanted, while holding signs that read "End gun violence, our lives matter," and "Together we can end gun violence."

"We want to promote change. We're tired of the massive number of school shootings and the massive lack of action," said 15-year-old student Eli Counce.

Scarlett Scott-Buck, another student, said she came to protest "because I'm scared to attend my own school. And I'm here to be an activist for my rights  to live, my friends' rights to live, and my mother's fear."

Brown came down from her office to speak to the more than 100 students from Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, who sat on a broad stairway underneath the Capitol rotunda. She urged those who are 18 to register to vote.

"You want what?" she asked them.

"Change," they shouted in unison.

"How do you make change?" Brown asked.

"Vote!" the students shouted.

A couple of hours later, Brown met in her office with a dozen students from different schools. They agreed more needs to be done, including expanded access to mental health counseling to prevent unstable students from reaching the breaking point and committing violence.

But some students said gun control is also needed.

"Nationally, I think there needs to be things like assault rifle bans but also closing the gun-show loophole ... and making it so background checks aren't time limited," said student Eamon Walsh as he left the governor's office.

Such a time limit allowed Dylann Roof to buy the gun he's accused of using to kill nine churchgoers in Charleston, S.C. in 2015, Walsh noted.

The bill that Brown signed Monday closes a loophole in a 2015 law that excluded some abusers from the ban on buying or owning guns and ammunition, such as people who they don't live with the partner they're abusing or threatening, and those under restraining orders.

The measure was introduced before the Feb. 14, Florida shooting, but Brown emphasized the bloodshed as she lobbied the Oregon Legislature for passage and signed the bill.
Residents in the Northeast dug out from as much as 2 feet of wet, heavy snow Thursday, while utilities dealt with downed trees and power lines that snarled traffic and left hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in the dark after two strong nor'easters  all with the possibility of another storm headed to the area.

With many schools closed for a second day, forecasters tracked the possibility of another late-season snowstorm to run up the coast early next week.

The vicious storm was also to blame for at least two fatalities. An 88-year-old New York woman was crushed by a tree and an unidentified New Jersey driver was killed when his vehicle caught fire by a live wire on the road, NBC New York reported.

Across the region, 2,787 flights were canceled Wednesday and scores more delayed, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware. Flight cancellations and delays continued to pile up Thursday with more than 490 grounded as of 2 p.m. ET. Passengers were urged to check with their airline before heading to the airport.

Travel was not much better on the ground.

A commuter train carrying more than 100 passengers derailed in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Thursday morning after a fallen tree branch got wedged in a rail switch, according to NBC Boston. Nobody was hurt. Tory Mazzola, a spokesman for Keolis Commuter Services, which runs the system for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, said the low-speed derailment remains under investigation.



New Jersey police said they had responded to more than 350 car crashes since midnight Wednesday, NBC Philadelphia reported.

Amtrak restored modified service between New York City and Boston on Thursday after suspending it because of the storm. New York City's Metro-North commuter railroad, which had suspended service on lines connecting the city to its northern suburbs and Connecticut because of downed trees, restored partial service Thursday.

Members of the Northeastern University women's basketball team had to push their bus back on course after it got stuck in the snow outside a practice facility in Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon. The Huskies are in the city to compete in the 2018 CAA Women's Basketball Tournament. The team posted a video of the feat on its Twitter account.

The storm also produced "thundersnow," with flashes of lightning and booming thunder from the Philadelphia area to New York City. A New Jersey middle school teacher was struck by lightning while on bus duty Wednesday afternoon, NBC Philadelphia reported. She was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and was recovering at home Thursday.

Some places saw more than 2 feet of snow by Thursday morning. Montville, New Jersey, got more than 26 inches from the nor'easter. North Adams, Massachusetts, registered 24 inches and Sloatsburg, New York, got 26 inches.

Major cities along the Interstate 95 corridor saw much less. Philadelphia International Airport recorded about 6 inches, while New York City's Central Park saw less than 3 inches.

Snow still was falling Thursday in places including Vermont, where storm warnings were in effect until the evening.

The wind knocked gobs of slush and snow off buildings and trees in Philadelphia and New York, forcing pedestrians to watch out. Across the region, power lines and tree branches sagged precariously under the weight of the wet snow. Suburban streets were littered with downed trees and branches.

In Connecticut, a large tree branch crashed on top of a fire truck responding to a house fire in East Harford. The branch brought down live wires, making the truck an electrical hazard. Firefighters were left stranded while waiting for assistance. No on was injured.

The storm was not as severe as the nor'easter that toppled trees, flooded coastal communities and caused more than 2 million power outages from Virginia to Maine last Friday.



It still proved to be a headache for the tens of thousands of customers still in the dark from the earlier storm  and for the crews trying to restore power to them. Eversource, an electric utility serving Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire, said it could take several days to restore power for everyone due partly to the challenge of clearing storm debris and repairing damage.

Massachusetts was hardest hit by outages, with more than 345,000 without service Thursday and Republican Gov. Charlie Baker closing all non-essential state offices. Republican Maine Gov. Paul LePage also closed state offices and encouraged residents to stay off roads "unless it is an absolute emergency."

In New Jersey, the state's major utilities reported more than 247,000 customers without power a day after the storm.

In North White Plains, New York, 10 people were taken to hospitals with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning after running a generator inside a home, police said. All were expected to survive.

A woman was hospitalized with critical injuries after she was hit by a snow plow in Boston, NBC Boston reported.


Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2018 2:00 am

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.  1 John 1:5-7

What is darkness? According to the dictionary, darkness is the absence of light. When I read this verse in 1 John, it makes so much more sense keeping that in mind. God is light  in him there is no darkness and we know that all good things come from God. God doesnt make the bad things that we have to deal with happen; sin does. Sin is darkness.

We tried an experiment in youth group the other night. We turned off all the lights, and as we sat there in total darkness, we realized that we couldnt see anything, including the way out if we needed to. My husband turned on a little flashlight  one of those you get at Walmart for $1 and then, while we couldnt see great, we could make out shapes and find our way to the door if the need arose.

There is a lot of darkness in the world today, and many people cannot see the way out. They feel hopeless, helpless and need a light. We talk about asking Jesus to come into our hearts. If Jesus, being God, is light, then as Christians, we have light and we need to be ready to shine it so that others can find their way out of the darkness. Pretty simplified, but serving God doesnt have to be hard. While it is not always easy either, it is worthwhile.

We must let our little light shine,  this little light of mine, Im going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. We can do this by listening and trying to help. We can do this by being encouraging, by showing love to someone and by telling them the ABCs of salvation. God is light; there is hope. A little light is sometimes all it takes for a person to be rescued from the darkness.

Everyone have a good week, and as always, God bless.
What to Know Collin County Medical Examiner's Office to determine person's identity, cause of death

Plano police confirmed they were at the scene as part of the investigation into the disappearance of 23-year-old Christina Morris

Field is less than a mile from a cell tower that pinged Arochi's phone the day after Morris disappeared

Investigators will return to a field in Anna Thursday morning where partial skeletal remains were found Wednesday afternoon.

Multiple police departments were at the scene overnight.



A crew clearing brush and doing excavation work at the site of future housing developments in Anna uncovered a partial human skeleton Wednesday, according to the Collin County Sheriff's Department.

Plano police confirmed to NBC 5 they were at the scene as part of the investigation into the disappearance of 23-year-old Christina Morris, a woman who disappeared at about 4 a.m. Aug. 30, 2014 after last being seen leaving The Shops at Legacy with friend Enrique Arochi.

Until a positive identification is made by the Collin County Medical Examiner, we will have no more public comments on the human remains found yesterday in Anna, TX.  Collin Co. Sheriff (@CollinCoSO) March 8, 2018

Officials said the skeleton was found in a field in a residential area along the 1800 block of Taylor Boulevard, about a mile east of U.S. Highway 75.

The field is less than a mile from a cell tower that pinged Arochi's phone the day after Morris disappeared, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Authorities continue to investigate the discovery of human remains Wednesday in a Collin County field, as neighbors plan to hold a vigil for the person who died.

In a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Lt. Nick Bristow was unable to confirm any further information about the remains, including the age or gender of the person or what personal property may have been found at the site.

A source confirmed to NBC 5 that clothing was found at the site and that it may help in the identification process.

The remains are being removed and will be transferred to the Collin County Medical Examiner for identification. Overnight Wednesday, the scene will be under guard until the entire area has been processed, Bristow said.

Lt. Nick Bristow, with the Collin County Sheriff's Department gives an update after human remains were uncovered by an excavation crew Wednesday, March 7, 2018.

Bristow said the sheriff's department notified the Plano police of the remains due to an ongoing high-profile missing persons investigation in that city.

Plano police added that anytime human remains are found in the area they visit the site and notify the Morris family so that they are aware of the potential for a break in the case.

At this time, police have revealed nothing specific that links the remains found Wednesday to the ongoing Morris investigation. Bristow also confirmed that the area had been previously searched in relation to the Morris case.

The Collin County Sheriff's Department gives a brief update on the investigation into the discovery of human remains in a field near Anna.

Following Morris's disappearance, Arochi maintained that after he walked into the parking garage with the woman the two separated and he never saw her again. Investigators later found Morris's DNA in Arochi's trunk; he was eventually sentenced to life in prison for her kidnapping.

Neighbors in the Anna neighborhood near where the remains were found are planning a prayer vigil for Thursday night.

"I hope to see the street filled, obviously, and just neighbors coming together and expressing love and concern and compassion for a person we don't know. But we're all brothers and sisters in Christ, and I just need to feel that with my neighbors," said Lekeita McMillan.



Morris, meanwhile, has been presumed dead, but her body has never been located. Anyone with information in Christina Morris's disappearance is asked to call the Plano Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 877-373-TIPS.

NBC 5's Diana Zoga and Allie Spillyards contributed to this report. Check back and refresh this page for the latest update. As this story is developing, elements may change.
Southwest Airlines debuted its latest state-themed aircraft, honoring the State of Louisiana and the City of New Orleans. Southwest's first served New Orleans in 1979, marking the first destination outside of Texas for the airline.

The aircraft decorated in a rendition of the state's flag was dedicated Wednesday at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport complete with a traditional second line band and local dignitaries to dedicate the aircraft.

Southwest has been dedicated to the New Orleans community for 39 years, said Gary Kelly, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer for Southwest Airlines. I cant think of a better way to show our commitment to the state of Louisiana than with the dedication of Louisiana One, honoring our loyal Customers and Employees.

Southwest Airlines

The Boeing 737-700 is painted in Southwest's trademark colors but also features an artist's rendition of the Louisiana State flag, with a large pelican adorning the side of the fuselage. A group of three birds are also depicted in a nest on the plane's engine.

This tribute to the Pelican State is a demonstration of our valued partnership with Southwest Airlines, said State of Louisiana Governor, John Bel Edwards. We are honored that Louisiana One will be an ambassador for our great state flying throughout the country.

Southwest started with one nonstop flight in January 1979 from Houston to New Orleans and today operates more than fifty daily nonstop departures to 21 destinations from the New Orleans airport.

Southwest's state-themed jets started in the 1990's with the debut of Lone Star One. Since then the airline has had custom designs for Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico and Tennessee.
Two sheriff's deputies have been wounded in a shooting at a San Antonio-area home where authorities say a gunman has shot at propane tanks in an effort to cause explosions.

Bexar (bayr) County sheriff's officials say the incident began Tuesday evening when deputies trained in interacting with the mentally ill attempted to serve a warrant on a 60-year-old man at the home.

Gunfire erupted that forced the deputies to retreat, resulting in a standoff that continues.

Deputies concerned about the welfare of a woman in her 80s who apparently is with the man re-entered the home early Wednesday and again were met by gunfire.

Two deputies were wounded, in one case by shrapnel. The injuries don't appear to be life-threatening.

It's not clear whether any of the tanks exploded from the gunfire.
See Returns For All Races Here



Women running for Congress surged to big wins and Democrats smashed recent turnout levels in Texas' first-in-the-nation 2018 primary elections, giving Republicans a potential glimpse of what's ahead in the first midterms under President Donald Trump.

Energized and angry Democrats in Texas, where the GOP has dominated for decades, came out in force to surpass 1 million voters Tuesday -- the first time the party has eclipsed that benchmark in a midterm primary since 2002, just months after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Equally striking was the showing by women on the ballot: Of the nearly 50 women running for Congress in Texas, more than half won their primaries outright or advanced to runoffs. What's more, at least three of those runoffs in May will feature women going head-to-head, including a key race for Democrats in their bid to take control of the U.S. House this fall.

"It's Trump. It's Trump," said Veronica Escobar, who won her Democratic primary and is now poised to become one of the first Hispanic women to represent Texas in Congress.

"I've spoken to innumerable senior citizens, retirees, parents of disabled children, people who understand what this administration means to their families. And they're afraid."

Not all women fared so well. Kathaleen Wall, a Republican megadonor in Houston who pumped $6 million of her own money into her race for Congress, failed to survive a crowded nine-person field despite outspending all other candidates and having the backing of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

Wall's failure was also a potential warning sign of the limits of Republicans going all-in on Trump this election year. She partly staked her candidacy on TV ads that told voters there was little daylight between her and the president, who remains popular among GOP voters despite his rough edges and low approval ratings nationwide.

For all the talk of renewed Democratic energy heading into the 2018 midterms, Texas Republicans also set a new benchmark for turnout in a midterm election.

[[375690231,C]]

More than 1.5 million people voted Tuesday in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, won by incumbent Ted Cruz. That beats the previous record of 1.48 million in 2010, during former President Barack Obama's first term.

Democrats showed up despite the long odds this November of ousting Republicans such as Cruz -- who released a radio ad after clinching the GOP nomination Tuesday night, telling voters that Democratic opponent Beto O'Rourke "wants to take our guns."

O'Rourke, a congressman from El Paso, has called for banning AR-15-style assault rifles in wake of last month's mass shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 people.

Neither that tragedy nor a mass shooting at a Texas church last fall played as dominant campaign issues in Texas, but with the GOP's majority in Congress on the line this fall, Democrats showed up.

Democrats have their sights on flipping three GOP-controlled congressional seats in Texas that backed Hillary Clinton over Trump in 2016, including a Houston district where liberal favorite Laura Moser forced a runoff with Lizzie Pannill Fletcher. Another is a sprawling district that runs along the Texas-Mexico border, where Gina Ortiz-Jones advanced to a May runoff and another woman, Judy Canales, was battling to join her.

"I think that a Congress that is only 20 percent women is not where we need to be," Ortiz Jones said. "This is not a spectator sport. We've got to participate, all of us and that's what's important."

[[375690231,C]]

College students waited more than an hour to vote in liberal Austin and rural counties offered Democratic candidates for the first time in years. Many women ran in a record eight open congressional races this year in Texas -- two of which are up for grabs after longtime GOP incumbents abandoned plans for re-election amid scandal.

While 2002 was a high water mark for Democratic turnout in Texas it also showed the limits of the exuberance for turning the state blue. In November that year, the Democrats running for statewide office were all beaten, just as they have been since 1994.

For Republicans, the primary was a vivid exhibition of the Trump effect in GOP politics. George P. Bush, the Texas land commissioner, won a contested primary after he cozied-up to a president who once called his dad, Jeb, a pathetic person.

Trump won Texas by 9 points in 2016. It was the smallest margin of victory by a Republican presidential candidate in Texas in 20 years, but Cruz dismissed talk of a Democratic takeover this fall.

"Left-wing rage may raise a bunch of money from people online, but I don't believe it reflects the views of a majority of Texans," he told reporters after winning the nomination.

Democrats will have a tough time winning statewide races in November despite the "Trump effect" because they have fielded little-known candidates against top Republicans, such as Republican Gov. Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Even Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been indicted on felony securities fraud charges, clinched his party's nomination unopposed.

Abbott will face either Lupe Valdez, who was Texas' first Hispanic, lesbian sheriff, or Andrew White, who opposes abortion and whose father, Mark, was governor in the 1980s.

[[475915163,C]]
When White House counselor Kellyanne Conway expressed support for Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore and against his opponent, she broke a law called the Hatch Act, a government watchdog announced Tuesday.

NBC News reported that the Office of Special Counsel submitted its report on Conway to President Donald Trump "for appropriate disciplinary action."

Conway advocated for Moore and against Doug Jones on TV in November and December, the office found. That violates the Hatch Act, which "restricts employees from using their official government positions for partisan political purposes, including by trying to influence partisan elections."

The White House said Conway had simply "expressed the president's obvious position" to prefer people in Congress "who support his agenda."
What to Know The California laws were passed in response to Trump's promises to sharply ramp up the deportation of people living in the U.S. illegally

One law prohibits employers from letting immigration agents enter worksites or view employee files without a subpoena or warrant

Another CA law stops local governments from contracting with for-profit companies and ICE to hold immigrants

Gov. Jerry Brown accused Attorney General Jeff Sessions of lying in an attempt to appease President Donald Trump when he visited California Wednesday to announce that the Justice Department is suing over the state's immigration policies.

Brown fired back at Sessions less than an hour after the attorney general finished speaking to a group of law enforcement officers about the lawsuit -- the latest salvo in a feud between the Trump administration and California leaders.

Dozens of demonstrators gathered in Sacramento to protest Sessions' appearance. The protest Wednesday came a day after Sessions announced the Trump administration is suing the state over several laws that restrict government authorities and private businesses from cooperating with federal immigration agents.

Demonstrators blocked traffic outside a hotel where Sessions delivered his speech and chanted "stand up, fight back" and "no justice no peace."

Brown and state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, speaking at their joint news conference, denounced Sessions' speech and the lawsuit.

"Here in California, we respect the law and the Constitution," said Becerra. "We expect the federal government to do the same."

Brown began the news conference by saying that Sessions is acting "more like Fox News than a law enforcement officer."

"This is pure red meat for the base," Brown said. "It's not about law enforcement. It's not about justice, and it really demeans the high office.

"This is basically going to war against California, the engine of the American economy. It's not wise, and it's not right."

The lawsuit is the most aggressive move yet in the Trump administration's push to force so-called sanctuary cities and states to cooperate with immigration authorities. Brown is named in the lawsuit along with Becerra, who said the state is on firm legal footing.

"Our track record so far when it comes to any dispute with the federal government has been pretty good," Becerra said.

The U.S. Justice Department is challenging three California laws that, among other things, bar police from asking people about their citizenship status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities. The suit filed in federal court in Sacramento says the laws are unconstitutional and have kept federal agents from doing their jobs.

"The Department of Justice and the Trump administration are going to fight these unjust, unfair and unconstitutional policies that have been imposed on you," Sessions said in prepared remarks. "I believe that we are going to win."

Earlier Wednesday, Brown mimicked President Trump on Twitter as he criticized Sessions for coming to Sacramento "to further divide and polarize America. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they don't work here. SAD!!!"

During Wednesday's speech, Sessions also had particularly strong words for Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who issued an unusual public warning last month that she was tipped off that an immigration operation was imminent, perhaps within 24 hours.

"How dare you?" he said of Schaaf at a California Peace Officers Association meeting in Sacramento. "How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open borders agenda?"

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights issued a statement Wednesday, characterizing the Trump administration's approach to the immigration issue as "fear mongering."

"Attorney General Sessions and the Trump Administration are utilizing the tools of deception and fear mongering to advance a draconian, inhumane and broad anti-immigrant agenda," said Angelica Salas, CHIRLA's executive director.

The lawsuit is the latest salvo in an escalating feud between the Trump administration and California, which has resisted the president on issues from taxes to marijuana policy and defiantly refuses to help federal agents detain and deport immigrants. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said it will increase its presence in California, and Sessions wants to cut off funding to jurisdictions that won't cooperate.

"I say: Bring it on," said California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, a Los Angeles Democrat who wrote the so-called sanctuary state bill. Democratic Assembly Speaker Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon was among those suggesting that Sessions shouldn't come at all.

The lawsuit was filed as the Justice Department also reviews Oakland Mayor Schaaf's decision to warn of an immigration sweep in advance, which ICE said allowed hundreds of immigrants to elude detention. Schaaf said Tuesday the city would "continue to inform all residents about their constitutional rights."

The California laws were passed in response to Trump's promises to sharply ramp up the deportation of people living in the U.S. illegally.

One prohibits employers from letting immigration agents enter worksites or view employee files without a subpoena or warrant, an effort to prevent workplace raids. Another stops local governments from contracting with for-profit companies and ICE to hold immigrants. Justice Department officials said that violates the Constitution's supremacy clause, which renders invalid state laws that conflict with federal ones.

The Supreme Court reinforced the federal government's primacy in enforcing immigration law when it blocked much of Arizona's tough 2010 immigration law on similar grounds. The high court found several key provisions undermined federal immigration law, though it upheld a provision requiring officers, while enforcing other laws, to question the immigration status of people suspected of being in the country illegally.

In this case, California "has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and responsibility of Congress to protect our homeland," Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement.

Sessions has blamed sanctuary city policies for crime and gang violence.

Only the California State Sheriffs' Association actively opposed the so-called sanctuary law.

Becerra, who is up for election in November, said sanctuary policies increase public safety by promoting trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, while allowing police resources to be used to fight other crimes.

"We're in the business of public safety, not deportation," he said.
The family of a 25-year-old woman who went missing in Hollywood offered a $25,000 reward Monday for information leading to the aspiring model and actress from Macedonia.

Adea Shabani last was seen about 11 a.m. Feb. 23, near the 1700 block of Wilcox Avenue, between Hollywood Boulevard and Franklin Avenue, near her home, police said.

Shabani has been in Los Angeles less than two years, according to her worried friends.

Her family has hired private investigator Jayden Brant to help find her. He told City News Service his investigators are actively searching.

Shabani is described as white, 5 feet 5 inches tall, about 130 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts was urged to call the LAPD's Missing Persons Unit at 213-996-1800.

During non-business hours, calls should be directed to 877-LAPD-24-7. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-TIPS.

Information can also be submitted by calling Brant's company, Beverly Hills-based Origin Investigations Inc., at 800-358-3830.
Schools across West Virginia reopened Wednesday as families got back into their daily routines following a nine-day teacher strike.

The statewide strike was declared over Tuesday after the Legislature passed and the governor signed a 5 percent pay raise to end what's believed to be the longest strike in state history. The last major strike, in 1990, lasted eight days. The paralyzing walkout shut 277,000 students out of classrooms, forced their parents to scramble for child care and cast a national spotlight on government dysfunction in West Virginia.

These 35,000 public school employees, some of the lowest-paid in the nation, had gone four years without a salary increase.

Now they're back at work, and students are back to their books. Many were a bit slow afoot to get inside despite snow flurries in the air, as the day felt a bit like the end of summer vacation.

Despite losing nine school days, the teachers had solid backing from parents and students, even as they extended their walkout until a third attempt from lawmakers met their demands.

"I feel really good today that school has re-started and I think the teachers had every right to do the strike because they deserve more money," said Stonewall Jackson Middle School student Braycen Foster.

Some parents had a more difficult time with the restart because the 13-day layoff helped them bond more with their kids.

"I want her in school. But when she's off, it's fine with me. I want to keep her as young as I can for as long as I can," Brandie Barber said as her sixth-grader climbed out of their car and grabbed a backpack filled with softball bats.

Nannette Higginbotham had mixed feelings as she said goodbye to her daughter.

"I love having her home, but I'm glad they're getting back to school and getting it over with," she said.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has asked county superintendents to be flexible as they decide how to meet the requirement of having 180 days of school, saying students "have suffered enough." He wants families to have time for summer vacation and doesn't want summer feeding programs placed in jeopardy if classes go too far into June.

Some superintendents are mulling whether to cut short spring break, typically in late March, although families often have vacations already slotted during that time.

"I think these two weeks they had off should be their spring break," Higginbotham said. "Some people have plans. We don't."

The relief and exhilaration teachers expressed in the Capitol Tuesday as legislators approved the pay raise and Justice swiftly signed it transferred to their classrooms on Wednesday.

In a Stonewall Jackson hallway, students filed past a sign that read "Welcome back, let's roll."

Teacher Hannah Silverman said she was "pumped."

"I was like a kid on the first day of school last night, I literally couldn't sleep," Silverman said. "So, I was really excited, this is my passion. I want to be here and I've been excited since we found out yesterday."

Teachers walked out on Feb. 22, balking at an initial bill Justice signed that would have bumped up pay by just 2 percent in the first year, not enough to cover their rising health insurance costs.

Justice responded last week by offering 5 percent and the House approved it, but the Senate balked, countering Saturday with 4 percent. The unions held firm and the lawmakers finally gave in, voting unanimously in both houses for 5 percent raises for teachers, school service personnel and state troopers.

Senate Finance Chairman Craig Blair said lawmakers will seek to cut state spending by $20 million to pay for the raises, taking funds from general government services and Medicaid. Other state workers also promised 5 percent raises will have to wait for a budget bill to pass.

After the long layoff, Stonewall Jackson student Angel Davis said she tried to persuade her sister that it's good to be back in school.

"I was happy," she said. "I said I want my education."

Associated Press writers Robert Ray and Michael Virtanen contributed to this report.
Gary Cohn, President Donald Trump's top economic adviser, resigned Tuesday after a dispute with the president over tariffs, NBC News reported.

The departure  following reports that Cohn, the National Economic Council director, had opposed Trump's plan for large tariffs on imported steel and aluminum  was the latest in a string of exits by top officials in the administration.

Cohn, a wealthy former Goldman Sachs banker, played a key role on the president's tax cut bill. Trump praised Cohn in a statement Tuesday as a "rare talent" who had done a "superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms, and unleashing the American economy once again."

Later Tuesday, he tweeted that he would be "making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely!"
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the first female elected to House speaker, helped celebrate Womens History Month by donating her suit and gavel to the Smithsonian on Wednesday.

The California Democrat handed over her historic items to the National Museum of American History during a ceremony with fellow congresspeople and other officials. Pelosi commemorated her momentous 2007 election by donating the lacquered-maple gavel given to her, as well as the Burgundy suit she wore and the original speech she gave during her swearing-in on Jan. 4, 2007.

The gavel and suit  a single-breasted jacket, skirt and shell  will not immediately go on display, a museum spokeswoman said.[[476159413, C]]

As a young girl, I was drawn to the Smithsonian as a source of creativity, discovery and innovation. Little did I know that I would be returning here to share moments from my time as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Pelosi tweeted after the ceremony.



"The firsts we celebrate are often chosen because they, in some way, change the trajectory of American history," the museum said in a statement. "They create diversity, add new experiences and viewpoints, and create new possibilities. ... A womens first, an American first, and a part of a position that can trace its roots to the earliest days of our country."

An ivory gavel used by suffragette Susan B. Anthony also joined the museum's Political History collection, as well as the judicial robe worn by Sandra Day O'Conner when she was sworn in as the first woman associate justice of the Supreme Court in 1981 and an in-flight suit worn by Sally Ride, the first women in space.

Fifty-one men had held the role of House speaker since the office was created in 1789. Upon her election, Pelosi recognized what she called a historic moment for not only the countrys Congress but for its women as well.

It is a moment for which we have waited over 200 years, Pelosi told the House in 2007. Never losing faith, we waited through the many years of struggle to achieve our rights. But women weren't just waiting; women were working. Never losing faith, we worked to redeem the promise of America, that all men and women are created equal. For our daughters and granddaughters, today we have broken the marble ceiling. For our daughters and our granddaughters, the sky is the limit, anything is possible for them.

Pelosi served as speaker until 2011, when John Boehner took over. Now as House minority leader, she recently broke the record for the longest House speech when she addressed her colleagues for eight straight hours in February and recounted stories of so-called Dreamers to argue for the protection of young immigrants and DACA recipients.

During the donation ceremony, the museum also announced the launch of the Smithsonian American Womens History Initiative.
Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2018 2:00 am

The Third Sunday of Lent

Family Reflection: Exodus 20:1-17  Israel is given the commandments. Psalm 19  Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. 1 Corinthians 1:22-25  Christ surpasses human understanding. John 2:13-25  Jesus cleanses the temple in Jerusalem.

Jesus was something new to the Jews. From extensive laws guiding all of life to their temple worship, their profound understanding of God had been established over time. But then Jesus challenged all that they knew. Lent calls us to encounter God in new and deeper ways and to reflect on how we respond to new insights or information that may challenge our comfortable beliefs, understanding or religious practices.

Birthdays: Amelia Smith, Sarah Wilson, Ian Admire, Ryliegh Spangenberg, Catherine Twaddle, Cristina Kandlbinder, Karmen Mezzacapa, Gary Gray, Michael Peters, Ladona Roe and Catherine Brown.

Stewardship Reflection: You shall not covet is a difficult commandment to keep. As Christian stewards, we are the recipients and caretakers of Gods many gifts. May the understanding that all is a gift help us be less resentful of the gifts of others.

IMPORTANT DATES

 March 16 - Knights of Columbus fish fry, 5-7 p.m., Holy Trinity Hall

 March 25 - Passion/Palm Sunday

 March 29 - Holy Thursday, Mass and Adoration

 March 30 - Good Friday, Stations of the Cross

 April 1 - Easter

 April 12-14 - PCCW Rummage Sale

 April 19 - Senior Resource Fair, Holy Trinity Hall

To pray for one another is first of all to acknowledge the presence of God, that we belong to each other as children of the same God.  Henri Noumen

Let us pray for one another.
President Donald Trump plans to travel to California next week, according to White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Wednesday's announcement comes a day after the Trump administration filed a lawsuit challenging three California laws that, among other things, bar police from asking people about their citizenship status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions came to Sacramento Wednesday to speak to law enforcement officials. He accused Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf of endangering law enforcement agents' lives after warning the public last month of an upcoming immigration operation, and was subsequently rebuked by Gov. Jerry Brown, who accused him of lying.

Schaaf during a press conference Wednesday afternoon, responded to Sessions.

"How dare you vilify members of our community by trying to frighten the American public into thinking that all undocumented residents are dangerous criminals," Schaaf said.

Schaaf also said "Oakland's agenda is a thriving community, Trump's agenda is bigotry."

No other information was immediately available. Updates to come.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
What to Know A victim of the shooting rampage that took place at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital in June 2017 filed a lawsuit against the hospital and a gun shop

Justin Timperio alleges the gun dealer did not conduct an adequate background check and the hospital lacked security, among other claims

Timperio was a first year medical resident when Henry Bello, a doctor and former employee of the hospital went on a shooting rampage in 2017

One of the victims of the shooting rampage that took place at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital in June 2017 filed a lawsuit against the hospital and a gun dealer for negligence that allegedly contributed to the fatal shooting.

Justin Timperio, who was a first-year medical resident when he was shot by Henry Bello, alleges in his lawsuit that the gun dealer did not conduct an adequate background check and that Bronx-Lebanon Hospital lacked sufficient security.

Timperio was seriously wounded when Bello, a doctor and former Bronx-Lebanon Hospital employee, entered the hospital on June 30, 2017, and started shooting a AR-15 rifle. Bello killed a doctor and wounded five members of the medical staff and a patient before taking his own life.

According to the lawsuit, Timperio suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen, which exited his right thigh and required surgical procedures and treatment at Bronx-Lebanon and Mt. Sinai Hospital from June 30 to July 21, 2017.

The lawsuit, filed Feb. 28, alleges that there was a lack of security at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital despite red flags that were raised over previous years, which included a 2011 incident when an alleged gang member fired several gun shots that wounded both a nurse and a security guard.

The lawsuit also alleges that the hospital was negligent in not conducting a proper background check on Bello, which would have allegedly revealed issues with "Bello's medical credentials, past employment, and anti-social and criminal history," according to the lawsuit.

"I'm not angry at Bello, he was mentally ill," Timperio said in a statement. "If anything, this just makes me want to be a better doctor. But why would the hospital hire someone with Bello's well-known issues and record? Nobody should get shot in what should be the safe environment of a hospital."

While an employee of Bronx-Lebanon, Bello was accused of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct by a female employee, the lawsuit says. Despite the accusations, Bello was allowed to continue to work at the hospital until he was terminated, but the lawsuit alleges that Bronx-Lebanon never reported the accusations against Bello to law enforcement.

The lawsuit also says that the hospital never retrieved Bello's hospital identification card and property, which allowed him access to the premises.

"Bello was a murderer on a deranged mission, and because of the hospital's ineffective security system and the negligence on their part, he was allowed to go on a shooting spree that cost one person their life and five others to be wounded, wounds that they endure almost a year later," Arnold Kriss, Timperios attorney, said in a statement.

Bronx-Lebanon Hospital did not respond to NBC 4's request for comment by deadline.

The lawsuit also alleges that Upstate Guns and Ammo LLC in Schenectady, New York, a gun shop that sold Bello the AR-15 used in the shooting failed to conduct, as required by law, a background check, which included contacting the NYPD to determine if Bello was issued a rifle permit. As a New York City resident, Bello was required to have a NYPD rifle permit to own an AR-15 rifle, according to the lawsuit.

NBC 4 reached out to Upstate Guns and Ammo. In an email, Michael Murphy, attorney for the gun shop, declined to comment.

In addition, the lawsuit also claims that Timpario spent 10 days after the shooting at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital in a coma, but no one notified his family. Upon learning his family had not been contacted, Dr. Timperio suffered further additional stress and emotional strain, the lawsuit says.

Timperio alleges his medical career was also impacted by his inability to continue his first year of residency. In addition to his physical injuries, the lawsuit alleges Timperio suffered post traumatic emotional distress.
The Philadelphia district attorney's office has released a list of current and former police officers whom prosecutors have tried to keep off the witness stand because of a wide range of wrongdoing, including lying, racial bias and brutality.

The names of 29 officers were included among a roster of 66 provided to the Philadelphia Defender Association, and obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.

The list was in two groups: 29 officers whose serious misconduct rendered them problematic as witnesses and 37 others whose offenses were less serious. Those 37 could still testify, but their legal issues had to be shared with defense attorneys.

A judge last week ordered that the names, badge numbers, and background information of the officers to be turned over to the public defenders' office. The defenders demanded the list from District Attorney Larry Krasner after the Inquirer and Daily News revealed its existence last month.

In a detailed fact summary about each officer on the "Do Not Call" list , prosecutors said that the 29 former and current officers had engaged in a wide range of wrongdoing and had faced criminal charges or been found guilty by the department's internal board. The offenses included cases of lying to police investigators, filing false police reports, use of excessive force, drunken driving and burglary, among other issues.

About half of those on the list appear to be still on the force, including a lieutenant, four sergeants, one corporal and one detective.

The list was drawn up by prosecutors in 2017 at the order of former District Attorney Seth Williams. Before Williams pleaded guilty to corruption and resigned in June, he created a special police misconduct committee to identify officers whose testimony might be problematic in criminal cases.

A spokesman for Krasner's office told NBC10 the current administration does "not endorse the legal or factual validity of the information contained in the document."

Williams and his prosecutors did not reveal the existence of the list, treating it as an internal guide to determine when a potentially tainted officer's testimony could be used. Under the office's policy, front-line prosecutors were instructed to get top-level permission before calling such an officer as a witness in a criminal case.

The police union didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
As the health of the world's last male northern white rhino declines in Kenya, a global team of scientists and conservationists is pushing ahead with an ambitious effort to save the subspecies from extinction with the help of the two surviving females.

Participants in the project to create northern white rhino embryos through in vitro fertilization say its success depends not on the sick, elderly male named Sudan, but on his daughter Najin and granddaughter Fatu, whose eggs would likely have to be extracted because the rhinos can't reproduce naturally. Even so, Sudan, who could be euthanized because of a leg infection, is something of a celebrity, attracting thousands of visitors to his home at Ol Pejeta Conservancy and being listed as "The Most Eligible Bachelor in the World" on the Tinder dating app last year in a fundraising effort.

"Sudan has been technically infertile for many years, so him dying is not going to affect the possibilities of recovery for the northern white rhino as a species," Richard Vigne, the conservancy's CEO, said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Semen from dead northern white rhinos is stored in various locations around the world, and it is critical to keep the two females alive "until such time when the protocol or technique for in vitro fertilization has been perfected so that we can begin that process," Vigne said.

In vitro fertilization is used in the cattle industry to breed more robust herds, and a Cape buffalo was conceived through IVF for the first time in 2016. However, scientists trying to effectively resurrect the northern white rhino have limited genetic material at their disposal and plan to use another subspecies, the southern white rhino, as a surrogate mother.

Contributing institutions include San Diego Zoo Global in the United States, the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin and Embryo Plus, a South African company that worked on the IVF-born buffalo. Experts met in Vienna in December 2015 to discuss stem cell and other technologies with the goal of establishing viable populations of northern white rhinos decades in the future.

Supporters think the work could be used to help other endangered species, while some conservationists believe the focus should be on other critically endangered species, including the Javan and Sumatran rhinos, that have suffered because of poaching and human encroachment on habitats. Northern white rhinos were particularly vulnerable because of conflicts that swept their central African range; the last ones in the wild were observed more than a decade ago in Congo's Garamba National Park, a frequent target of well-armed poachers.

The "much-hyped" plan for rhino in vitro fertilization is probably too late to save the northern white subspecies, said Save the Rhino, a London-based group.

"With small chance of healthy new calves, and limited place in their historic range to go, Save the Rhino believes that the best outcome will be to put our efforts and funding  including research into IVF  into saving the species which do still have a chance," it said on its website.

"The real fight for the survival of northern white rhinos in their natural habitat was lost over a decade ago," said Jo Shaw, African rhino expert with the WWF conservation group. "Large mammals, like rhinos, should be seen as symbols of large functioning ecosystems and we must focus our efforts and energy on their protection and ongoing survival within these vital landscapes around the globe."

The rhino Sudan, 45, is the father of 27-year-old Najin, who has weak back legs and can't support the weight of a pregnancy, and grandfather of 17-year-old Fatu, who can't carry an embryo because of a uterus problem.

A non-surgical method that would remove rhino eggs with a needle inserted through the rectal wall into the ovary is being developed, said Morne de la Rey, director of Embryo Plus.

So far, "two cell and four cell" embryos of southern white rhinos, using eggs taken from animals killed by poachers, were created in the lab but did not mature enough for transfer to the womb, de la Rey said. The technique will only be tried with the northern white rhino subspecies if it is successful with southern white rhinos, whose population recovered from the edge of extinction around the end of the 19th century but still faces an intense poaching threat.

"It is literally a race against time," de la Rey said.

The last male northern white rhino was born in Sudan, taken to a Czech zoo and then transferred to Kenya in 2009 along with Najin, Fatu and another male who died in 2014. Rangers caring for Sudan describe him as gentle and say they are sad about his possibly imminent death.

"He is the reason for me waking up, knowing that I am going to do something," ranger James Mwenda said.

Associated Press journalist Desmond Tiro contributed.
Get the latest updates on the storm's aftermath, including power outages and overnight freezing here.



The second nor'easter in less than a week inundated the Philadelphia region with heavy snow and even lightning and claps of thunder in some spots Wednesday.

Road conditions quickly deteriorated around midday as the storm intensified as forecasted sending a wall of snow sweeping west to east. Some drivers spent three hours on I-76 in Conshohocken after a tractor-trailer jackknifed in the storm.

New Jersey State Police say they responded to 356 car crashes and 462 motorist aids since midnight.

The nor'easter began to spin out of the region just before 5 p.m. leaving behind nearly a foot of snow piled up in some neighborhoods. But in other towns, snowfall was minimal. The wide disparity was expected as the storm moved north along the coast, throwing the most intense snowfall into the Philadelphia suburbs.



This type of storm is always changing so here's the newest information from the NBC10 First Alert Weather Center:

The storm is almost completely gone. Parts of South Jersey are the only areas still seeing snow.



Road conditions remain a mess as the heavy snow has proven difficult for crews to keep up.

Power outages have skyrocketed as the heavy snow has weighed down power lines and trees weakened by Friday's storm.



Lightning strikes brought rare thundersnow to parts of South Jersey.

Temperatures will remain below freezing so there will not be a lot of melting. Sidewalks, bridges, and roads can remain slick overnight.



The height of the storm began to hit in the early afternoon with heavy, wet snow blanketing roads and sidewalks and making for dangerous travel. Visibility in Philadelphia quickly dropped to a half mile.



It only gets heavier from this point on, NBC10 First Alert Weather meteorologist Steve Sosna said.

A First Alert remains in effect through 7 a.m. Thursday as the region deals with slippery roads and the possibility of downed tree limbs and power lines.

Temperatures will be near freezing. The wet snow will be a true chore to remove. Those with heart conditions or bad backs should avoid shoveling the so-called "heart attack snow." You should also check on your neighbors.

NBC10

[NATL] The Worst Northeast Snowstorms of the Last 25 Years

Public Transit Changes

SEPTA changed its Regional Rail schedules for Wednesday and Amtrak modified its Northeast Corridor service.

Closures & States of Emergency

Hundreds of businesses closed, telling people to stay home. People appeared to heed warnings as traffic was significantly less than a normal Wednesday.

In Quakertown, despite the accumulating snow, locals still visit their favorite hot spot, Sines 5 & 10.

Plenty of area attractions and museums closed due to the inclement weather.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf declared a State of Emergency for many eastern counties, including Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh and Philadelphia. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a State of Emergency for all of New Jersey.

"If you really don't have to travel, don't," Wolf said.



The focus of the emergency is northern New Jersey but Murphy wants all residents to be prepared with tips from the Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) and asked drivers to stay off roads. The declaration allows NJOEM to employ resources and police to needed areas (NJOEM has more on what it means to you). NJOEM closed all state offices for Wednesday.

Many municipalities declared snow emergencies. In Philadelphia, that meant no trash pickup Wednesday and cars had to be moved from snow emergency routes. Check with your specific town for what it may mean for you.



Speed Restrictions

Speed limits on many area highways were lowered. Restrictions were later lifted however on I-76 and 276, the mainline East-West turnpike between Harrisburg East and the Mid-County Interchange, Interstate 476, and the entire Northeast Extension, Interstate 476. For real time information on Pennsylvania's roads, check out 511Pa.com.

Got a Flight?

If you are planning to fly out of Philadelphia Wednesday or Thursday, check with your airline because some airlines have canceled flights. Other flights were taking off after de-icing. Airlines issued travel waivers allowing travelers to re-book without penalty.



No School

Concerned about the well-being of students and staff, the Philadelphia School District and Archdiocese of Philadelphia canceled school Wednesday but will open on a two-hour delay Thursday. Check here for school closings across the area.

Power Problems

Power outages are a big concern due to a combination of the heavy, wet snow as well as 25 to 35 mph winds and gusts up to 40 mph that could bring down tree branches and power lines, creating more power outages.

PECO had the majority of area outages. As of 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, more than 179,000 power outages were reported throughout the region.



Some of those outages are left over from Friday's nor'easter. PECO says their priority is to get people who have been in the dark longest online first.



Don't get left in the dark. Rely on the FREE NBC10 app for instant updates and breaking news. Download here.

Still Reeling

This new storm came less than a week after a storm packing winds of 60-plus mph knocked out power to more than half a million customers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. That powerful winter storm stunned commuters during the Friday afternoon rush hour, as colder-than-expected temperatures caused unexpectedly sloppy road conditions. The slippery surfaces combined with many falling trees to create gridlock seemingly everywhere for hours.

A Look Inside: Philly Is in Bloom at 2018 Philadelphia Flower Show
About 92,000 customers are without power and an overnight refreeze left icy roads after the region's second nor'easter in less than a week dumped more than a foot of snow in parts of our area, caused hundreds of accidents that left drivers stranded for hours, and hospitalized a New Jersey teacher after she was struck by lightning during thundersnow.

Power outages hit Bucks and Burlington counties especially hard. The heavy, wet snow combined with 25 to 35 mph winds and gusts up to 40 mph to bring down branches and power lines throughout the region. Some of those outages were also left over from Fridays storm.

In hard-hit Bucks County, the American Red Cross set up a shelter for people left in the dark at the Middletown Municipal Building in Langhorne.

The second noreaster snowstorm in less than a week has left thousands in the Philadelphia region without power.

Don't get left in the dark. Rely on the FREE NBC10 app for instant updates and breaking news. Download here.

The snow began moving out around 5 p.m. Wednesday and was gone completely by 8 p.m. Temperatures remained at or below freezing overnight. Use caution if youre heading out Thursday morning due to possible slippery conditions on roads and sidewalks. Thursday will be windy and chilly with a brief snow shower possible. Highs will only be in the upper 30s.

Hundreds of schools were closed Wednesday and many will remain closed or open two hours late Thursday as the region recovers. All Philadelphia public and archdiocesan schools will open on a two-hour delay Thursday.



Check here for a full list of school closings and delays.



If you are planning to fly out of Philadelphia Thursday, check to make sure your flight is taking off as scheduled.

The storm moved in Tuesday night and continued overnight into Wednesday morning. It reached its peak midday with heavy periods of snow, low visibility, thundersnow and lightning that injured at least one woman.

The storm also caused hundreds of crashes and disabled vehicles throughout the area as vehicles were stranded on both major roads and back roads. Drivers heading west on the Schuylkill Expressway were stuck in traffic for more than three hours after two trucks jackknifed.

The highest snow totals were seen in Richboro, Bucks County with 16 inches of snow and Princeton Township, New Jersey with 17.8 inches. Broomall, Delaware County had a foot of snow, Lower Makefield Township in Bucks County had 10.5 inches while Greenville in New Castle County had 10.4 inches.



PHOTOS: 2nd March Nor'easter Strikes With Heavy, Wet Snow

Stay with the NBC10 First Alert Weather team for the latest weather updates.


The U.S. Justice Department is taking its fight over sanctuary city status to court, filing a lawsuit challenging laws recently passed in California that are considered some of the most generous protections in the nation for immigrants facing deportation.

Here's a look at what's led up to Wednesday's action:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said it will increase its presence in California, and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants to cut off funding to jurisdictions that won't cooperate.

At issue are three California laws that, among other things, bar police from asking people about their citizenship status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities. One prohibits employers from letting immigration agents enter worksites or view employee files without a subpoena or warrant, an effort to prevent workplace raids.

California became a "sanctuary state" on Jan. 1 when a law went into effect barring police from asking people about their immigration status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities. California is home to an estimated 2.3 million immigrants without legal authorization.

Under the legislation, police and sheriff's officials, including jail officers, can still work with federal immigration authorities if a person has been convicted of one of about 800 crimes, mostly felonies and misdemeanors that can be charged as felonies. But they are barred from transferring immigrants to federal authorities if their rap sheet includes only minor offenses.

Local law enforcement agencies say that's not true. NBC 7's Alex Presha has more.
More than 500 doctors and medical residents from Quebec, Canada, are speaking out against their own pay raises, which they find offensive given the struggles of nurses and patients, CNBC reports.

"We, Quebec doctors who believe in a strong public system, oppose the recent salary increases negotiated by our medical federations," they said in a letter, also signed by 150 medical students.

Canada has a public health system that provides "universal coverage for medically necessary health care services provided on the basis of need, rather than the ability to pay," according to a government website.

While the average Canadian physician is paid $260,924 U.S. ($339,000 Canadian) per year, according to a recent Canadian Institute for Health Information report, that doesn't take into account what doctors must pay in overhead.
A group seeking gun law reforms wants to line up 7,000 empty pairs of children's shoes near the U.S. Capitol this month -- each pair representing a child killed with a gun since the Sandy Hook massacre.

The silent protest is intended to put pressure on lawmakers, Oscar Soria, spokesman for the online activist network Avaaz, told News4. The group is coordinating the display.

"Before so many of us march in our capitol and across the nation, we want to call attention to all those who cant and remind Congress that part of why we march is because [gun violence victims] cant, he said.

"The response from politicians the day of the Parkland shooting was inexcusable," a promotion for the D.C. event says. "...Now we need to shine the spotlight on all our lawmakers."



The display is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, March 13. The group is seeking permits, Soria said. The National Park Service did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the permits.

The event would precede the March for Our Lives, which survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, are organizing for March 24.

Nearly 1,300 children die every year after being shot, according to data published in June 2017 in the medical journal Pediatrics. Another 5,790 children are hurt, the researchers said.

Avaaz multiplied the fatality rate by the 5 years and three months that have passed since the Sandy Hook massacre and reached the approximate death toll figure of nearly 7,000 children's lives lost.

Avaaz orchestrated a similar display of 11,000 shoes in Paris, in November 2015, to represent activists' opposition to climate change. Authorities cancelled planned marches after the terror attacks in the city that month. Pope Francis and United Nations Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon were among those who donated shoes.

Two days after the Parkland shooting, Avaaz parked three vehicles with billboards outside of Florida Sen. Marco Rubios office in Doral, Florida. The senator opposed a ban on the rifle used in the shooting that left 17 people dead.

The billboards read "Slaughtered in school," "And still no gun control" and "How come, Marco Rubio?"

Shoes can be donated at these locations through Sunday, March 11.
Police have arrested a boy accused of using a North Carolina man's photo and name on social media to threaten a Maryland school with a shooting spree.

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with making a threat of mass violence, Pringe George's County police said.

Police say the boy had no means to carry out the threat, which spread fear and sent Crossland High School into lockdown on Tuesday.

"I'm going on a shooting spree soon at Crossland High School in Temple Hills," the threatening tweet read. The Prince Georges County police and official school twitter handles were tagged in the post. Another tweet showed two photos of several guns.

The school was placed in a modified lockdown: No one was allowed to enter the school, but parents could come pick up their children. Several did.

"I just want to make sure that theyre safe," one parent said. "Its hard for me to focus at work, it will be just as hard for them to focus at school."

"Considering what just happened in Florida, you still believe it can happen at home," Garry Herrod said before picking his son up from school early.

"I was a little scared. I was uncomfortable," Herrods son said.

County Police Chief Henry Stawinski posted a response on Twitter, saying the search for a suspect is narrowing, and urged the person who posted the threat to turn themself in.

"We have narrowed our search for this individual down to a specific place, and I have detectives at that place right now," he said.

The school promised to expel the person who posted the threat if they are a student.

It's unclear if the boy attended Crossland High School or if he surrendered to police.

The boy created a Twitter account using the name and photo of a 23-year-old North Carolina man. The mans mother told News4 that her son was not involved in the threat.

This threat is one of many that schools in the D.C. area have confronted since the Feb. 14 shooting at a Parkland, Florida high school where a former student killed 17 people.

An 18-year-old man turned himself in Monday after police accused him of posting a threat against Fairfax High School in Virginia.

Two teenage boys turned themselves in and were charged in connection with a threat toward Walt Whitman Middle School in Alexandria, Virginia. Investigators say the boys were trying to impress a girl.

A University of Maryland student, Ryan Matthew Sulkowski, was arrested and banned from campus for allegedly threatening to shoot campus police.

Alwin Chen, a student at Clarksburg High School in Maryland, was arrested on accusations that he brought a loaded gun to school.

Schools and police departments across the country have dealt with hundreds of threats since the Parkland shooting. Educator's School Safety Network, which tracks reports of school threats and violent incidents across the country, counted 797 incidents since the Parkland shooting.

Nearly half of those threats were made over social media.
Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2018 4:00 am

Join Lacey Stokes and Jack Graves from United Healthcare for bingo and birthdays Wednesday, March 7. We will celebrate our March birthdays with cake provided by United Healthcare and then they will call bingo for us afterward.

Susan from Oxford will be here the first Wednesday of each month to give us a brief Health Talk at 9:30 a.m. Stop in for a cup of coffee and hear what she has to say about improving our health.

Our next community information meeting on Alzheimers is from 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 8. These meetings are free and open to the public.

We are starting a Plant it, Take it session on the Fridays of March. Come by the center at 10 a.m. Friday, March 9. We will be planting vegetables this week. We provide the seed and soil, you provide the pot and the hands  and it is yours to take with you. The following week, we will plant vegetables. We will also have extra seed packets that you can take home for a donation.

Jenna from Phoenix Home Health and Hospice will call bingo Monday, March 12.

We appreciate members of WareHouse Church, who delivered our in-home meals for us last week. This week, members of Brentwood Church of Christ are delivering. Next week, Faith Southern Baptist Church members will take a turn. Thank you to all who take time from their busy schedules to help deliver meals to our in-home clients. If you would like to join us in this endeavor, we could always use new drivers. Call the center and discover what a joy it is to volunteer.

The menu for March 7-14:

March 7 - Texas barbecue chicken

March 8 - Ham and beans

March 9 - Tilapia or breaded pollock

March 12 - Beef enchilada casserole

March 13 - Moms meatloaf

March 14 - Garlic and herb chicken

All meals include dessert, bread and milk. Substitutions are available for the main dish on most days. We also have a salad bar for an additional contribution. All meals are subject to change without notice.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook at MarshfieldSeniorCenterSeniorAgeMO/ and visit our website: marshfieldseniorcenter.weebly.com.
A local mother is fighting to close a loophole that allowed her daughter's killer to buy an antique gun online despite being a registered sex offender.

Marie Shade Adebayo died June, 1, 2015 after her ex-boyfriend shot her in the parking lot of a Target store in Germantown, Maryland. She was 24.

On Tuesday, her mother, Cassandra Atkens, urged state lawmakers to bar felons and sex offenders from owning and buying antique guns, just like they are barred from buying other guns.

"I'm trying to help another soul to survive today, and I hope that representatives will hear me today," Atkens said, her voice breaking with emotion.

House Bill 402, also known as Shades Law, might have prevented the man who killed Atkens' daughter from getting a gun.

Prosecutors say Donald Bricker Jr. bought an antique black powder revolver online and used it the same day to kill Adebayo.

"It may have loaded like an 1851 weapon, but it fired like a 2017-manufactured modern handgun," the Montgomery County State's Attorney previously told News4.

As a registered sex offender, Bricker could not buy a traditional gun in Maryland. But his purchase of the antique gun was legal.

"It's not right. There must be something done to prevent that from happening," Atkens said.

Adebayo and Bricker had broken up, but Bricker asked Adebayo to meet him outside Target to talk.

Witnesses outside the store heard the two arguing in a car. Bricker shot Adebayo when she got out of his truck. Then, he stood over her and shot her again at close range.

He was sentenced in October 2016 to life in prison without parole.
A senior at Roosevelt High School in D.C. thought she was going to a session on Wednesday on college readiness.

But she was in for the surprise of a lifetime.

Clau Diah Buenconsejo is one of 10 D.C. students to be awarded a full scholarship to George Washington University

In 2008, Buenconsejos mother immigrated to the United States from the Philippines. Seven years later, Buenconsejo and her other family members joined her mom to be reunited and start a life here together.

Being here for like seven years without them, it was so hard, Buenconsejos mom said, choking back tears. Now I feel like all my hard works have been awarded.

The high schooler is no stranger to hard work either.

My first year was really really tough, Buenconsejo said. I had to get out of my comfort zone and start reaching out to clubs and organizations to get the hang of it."

Now, the hardworking student is super excited to attend GW in the fall. Her dream is to become a clinical psychologist.

The interim chancellor of DC Public Schools, the president of GW and the school's mascot George were at her school on Wednesday to deliver the good news.



Im just looking forward to Clau Diah going on and being a wonderful person, having a great career, having a huge impact, Thomas J. LeBlanc, the GW president, said.

For more than 25 years, GW has chosen 10 students out of hundreds of applicants to receive the Stephen Joel Trachtenberg Scholarship. The scholarship covers tuition, books, and room and board.

A full ride to college is a very big deal, LeBlanc said. What we hope to do is transform a young persons life.
President Donald Trump greeted North Korea's reported willingness to negotiate away its atomic weapons with both hope and skepticism Tuesday, insisting a potential diplomatic breakthrough be tested against the North's long history of deception and threats to target U.S. cities with nuclear missiles.

"I really believe they are sincere," Trump said at a White House news conference, sounding more optimistic than his intelligence chief, Dan Coats, who told a Senate hearing he has "very, very low confidence" that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un intends to give up his nuclear arms.

"Maybe this is a breakthrough. I seriously doubt it," Coats said.

A senior South Korean presidential adviser said Tuesday that Kim expressed a willingness to discuss nuclear disarmament and halt nuclear and missile tests during future talks with the United States. The North didn't confirm those concessions, which would amount to a dramatic about-face for a nation that has frequently vowed to preserve its nuclear arsenal at any cost.

Chung Eui-yong, the South Korean official who spoke after participating in talks with Kim in Pyongyang, also said the North Korean dictator had agreed to meet with South Korea's president at a border village in late April.

Trump, who last fall told Secretary of State Rex Tillerson he was "wasting his time" trying to talk with the North, tweeted Tuesday that "possible progress" had been made in North Korea's capital and that all sides were making serious efforts. He added: "May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!"

Later, in an Oval Office photo session with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Trump said the North Koreans "seem to be acting positively," but that the prospects will be clearer when diplomacy moves to the next stage.

"We have come certainly a long way, at least rhetorically, with North Korea," Trump said. Of the possibility for peacefully resolving the nations' deep differences, he said: "It'd be a great thing for the world, would be a great for North Korea, it would be a great thing for the peninsula. But we'll see what happens."

In Chung's account, Kim indicated he would not need to keep nuclear weapons if military threats against North Korea were removed and his nation received a credible security guarantee. That suggests the possibility Kim will insist in any deal that the U.S. withdraw its nearly 28,000 troops from South Korea. The North sees those forces and their periodic exercises with South Korean troops as a threat to invade the North.

The White House issued a brief statement from Vice President Mike Pence suggesting nothing has changed in that area. A U.S. official said there were no plans to scrap the war games envisioned for next month.

"All options are on the table, and our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible, verifiable and concrete steps toward denuclearization," Pence said.

Separately, highlighting a less-discussed dimension of the standoff with North Korea, the Pentagon's military intelligence chief told a Senate hearing that Kim has taken a "far different" approach to military preparedness than his father, Kim Jong Il, by imposing greater rigor and discipline in army training. Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, called it a "big change" and implied the improvements should be taken into account in considering the prospect of war on the Korean peninsula.

North Korea's willingness to hold a "candid dialogue" with the United States to discuss denuclearization and establish diplomatic relations follows a year of increased fears of war, with Kim and Trump exchanging fiery rhetoric and crude insults over Kim's barrage of weapons tests. The Trump administration also pushed through some of the harshest economic sanctions any country has ever faced.

Trump said Kim's apparent willingness to negotiate is likely due to the sanctions, and China's role in applying them.

Still, there is wide skepticism that Tuesday's developments will bring genuine peace between the Koreas, which have a long history of failing to follow through with major rapprochement agreements. The United States has made it clear it doesn't want empty talks with North Korea and that all options, including military measures, are in play until the North actually surrenders its nuclear weapons, believed to number around 30.

"We have seen nothing to indicate ... that he would be willing to give up those weapons," Coats said.

Chung said the two Koreas would hold a summit at a South Korea-controlled facility. He said Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will establish a "hotline" communication channel to lower military tensions, and would speak together before the get-together.

It would be the third such summit since the Koreas' 1945 division. Kim Jong Il met liberal South Korean presidents in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007. They resulted in a series of cooperative projects that were scuttled during subsequent conservative administrations in South Korea.
A Hartford woman has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of her disabled 17-year-old son, who weighed just 84 pounds when he died last year.

Katiria Tirado pleaded guilty Tuesday under the Alford doctrine, meaning while she doesn't agree with state's case she acknowledges there is enough evidence for a conviction.

The 34-year-old Hartford woman faces 11 years in prison at sentencing scheduled for June 5.

Tirado called 911 in February 2017 because her son, Matthew, who was autistic and non-verbal, had been vomiting and had abdominal pain. He was taken to the hospital where he died hours later.

Authorities said he was 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weighed 84 pounds and was suffering from severe malnourishment and dehydration. He also had several injuries.

According to court records, Katiria Tirado screwed kitchen cabinets shot and locked the refrigerator to keep the teen from "overeating."

Pre-sentencing is scheduled for June 5.
The Maine Attorney General's Office says a Portland police officer was justified in fatally shooting a man who was brandishing a pellet gun because it appeared to be a real rifle.

Sgt. Nicholas Goodman shot 22-year-old Chance David Baker in the parking lot of a strip mall in February 2017. In a report released Tuesday, investigators said Baker was holding an air rifle and seemed ready to pull the trigger.

The report says Baker was drinking malt liquor in the parking lot and his blood alcohol level was later found to be several times the legal limit.

Baker's grandmother, Terry Baker, tells the Portland Press Herald that the family disagrees with the finding. She says they have hired a lawyer but have not decided whether to sue police.
A former Massachusetts elementary school custodian has been charged with having a loaded gun in his car on school grounds.

James Healy, 21, appeared in Ayer District Court on various charges including possession of a large capacity firearm without a license and carrying a firearm on school grounds.

His bail was set at $2,000.

At his arraignment, Healy's lawyer told the court that his client has no criminal record. He also said that Healy suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and has struggled since his father's death.

Westford police said the loaded gun was found inside Healey's trunk Tuesday while his car was park at Crisafulli Elementary School. The firearm had its serial number defaced.

Authorities also said Healey isn't licensed to carry a gun and was fired after the discovery.

Police said it was an anonymous tipster who showed a resource officer a picture of Healy with a handgun while on duty.

"It was a social media post that one of our school resource officers had brought to her attention to a detective  it had something to do with a firearm," said Westford Police Lt. James Peloquin.

Westford Superintendent Everett Olsen issued a statement saying school safety is extremely important and that the incident was a breach of public trust.

"For many years, we have devoted considerable time and effort to school security and the safety of our students and staff," Olsen said. "This is an egregious breach of public trust, school safety, and the work that our school system and public safety officials have done to keep our students safe."

Parents at the school were notified of the incident on Tuesday. Police said there was never a threat to the school but as a security measure, students and staff would see a heavier police presence starting Wednesday.
A popular outdoor sporting store in Maine has come under fire for selling "assault-style" weapons.

An online petition with more than 4,600 signatures asks the Kittery Trading Post to stop selling these kinds of weapons and high capacity magazines, and urges consumers to boycott the store until they make a change.

"I have a child who goes to school and I felt this was something I could no longer stay silent about," said Annette Spencer, one of seven women behind the petition. She said a group of her friends saw the violence in Parkland, Florida, and were motivated to make a change.

"We felt there was a real movement among consumers, who maybe felt frustrated by a lack of progress in Washington," said Kristen Swann.

Seeing retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods and L.L. Bean make gun sale changes encouraged the women. They hoped the Kittery Trading Post would consider similar moves.

Swann said she did hear back from a company spokesperson, who said they would keep selling those kinds of weapons.

"It was a very frustrating and disappointing conversation," she said.

Now, they're calling for a boycott.

"I can't shop there anymore, and I'm going to let people know," said Kim Vachon.

A spokesperson for the Kittery Trading Post did not respond to multiple requests for comment Tuesday.

Customers at the store were split on the issue. One man, who did not want to use his name, said the boycott was misdirected. He felt the most important issue to address was mental health.

Supporters have launched their own online petition, asking the Kittery Trading Post to "uphold the traditions of rugged independence and outdoor enthusiasm" and continue selling semi-automatic weapons. It has more than 1,000 signatures.
There is quite a rush on to build out edge computing networks, that vital link between the massive amount of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and data centers. One of the companies involved is newcomer EdgeMicro, which announced plans to deploy micro-data centers in 30 cities around the U.S. for an unnamed cellular partner.

EdgeMicro said a leading North American mobile network operator has begun verification tests of its technology. It did not name the operator, but if its a national operator covering 30 major cities, there are only four obvious candidates  Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, or T-Mobile.

Edge computing is an important step in making IoT work. The sheer volume of data generated by millions of IoT devices would overwhelm local cell towers and networks, not to mention data centers. The solution is to build out these edge networks to do the bulk of the processing work locally rather than sending it to a remote data center.

There are several reasons for the process, not the least of which is latency. Even as fast as networks are these days, they aren't fast enough to handle all the network data coming from a smart car in, say, Dallas to a data center in Iowa and back. It's better to process the data in Dallas and send the results back to the car in town.

Zero-latency networks

EdgeMicro says it can deliver zero latency at scale, something not thought possible.

This has enormous implications for a range of use cases that benefit from zero latency networks. These applications with continuous feedback loops, include virtual reality, robotics, futuristic industrial automation, telemedicine, next-gen hosted and streaming gaming, driverless cars, and so much more, said Anton Kapela, CTO of EdgeMicro, in a statement.

The 30 cities where EdgeMicro would like to deploy its micro data centers are Portland, Oregon; Sacramento, California; San Diego; Las Vegas; Salt Lake City; Phoenix; Denver; Albuquerque, New Mexico; El Paso, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Kansas City, Missouri; Oklahoma City; Austin, Texas; Houston; San Antonio; MinneapolisSaint Paul, Minnesota; Des Moines, Iowa; St. Louis; Memphis, Tennessee; Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans; Detroit; Cleveland; Rochester, New York; Pittsburgh; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; and Tampa, Florida.

The microcontainers were jointly developed with the European power giant Schneider Electric and use EdgeMicros protocol called Tower Traffic Xchange (TTX), which will determine whether content is available locally or needs to be retrieved from the internet.

Edge networks are not unlike content delivery networks (CDNs) such as Akamai and Cloudflare, which act as a cache by placing content in dozens of data centers spread out geographically. Its necessary because hyperscale data centers cannot meet this demand of IoT volume. But for edge networks, a new breed of vendors has emerged.

One company written about here before is Vapor IO, a startup that puts mini data centers called Vapor Edge Computing containers at cell towers. Schneider Electric has a line of micro data center modules, and Vertiv (formerly Emerson Network Power) has its own line of outdoor enclosures.

The market has major potential. Market research firm Markets and Markets says the micro data center sector could be worth an incredible $32 billion over the next two years.
Legal wrangle has 'cost a fortune' says Iraq war veteran

A NEWBURY businessmans battle with a multi-billion-dollar company for his own brands right to exist is still raging, despite him winning the first skirmish.

Daniel Smith created Thirsty Beasts to provide a range of low-sugar and caffeine-free drinks for adults and children.

However, he was forced to abandon his launch in 2016 when Monster Energy opposed the trademark application, claiming that customers would confuse the two brands.

Monster opposed the application owing to the inclusion of the words Monster or Beast, considering it too close to its Unleash the Beast or Rehab the Beast slogans found on the reverse of some cans.

Thirsty Beasts was first to draw blood in the David versus Goliath fight when the Trademark Office ruled in the Newbury companys favour in November last year.

But the fight isnt over for Iraq War veteran Mr Smith as Monster, which made a gross profit of $1,634,080 in the first nine months of last year, has appealed the decision.

Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News, Mr Smith said: Its a bit of a faff and difficult at this stage to say what the outcome will be.

Its a waste of money.

Its a fledgling business. We should be out marketing and campaigning, but weve had to ditch all the product and were back to square one.

Its disappointing. When we got the ruling we assumed that would be it.

The Trademark Office ruled there was no similarity whatsoever and they owe me money for a waste of time.

Its cost a fortune and its debilitated us.

I get the feeling this is the action they use to grind you down, then you cant afford to continue.

The point is, if I was going to pull out I would have done it a long time ago.

We have every right to exist.

It might not be going anywhere at the moment but theres the principle behind it; an American company that just happens to dislike a brand in the UK.

Its a monopoly they have in that area of the business . . . they shouldnt be allowed to do this.

How do they know what Im capable of as a business?

The appeal is set to be heard in May.

Monster Energy was contacted for comment, but did not respond by the time this paper went to press.
Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2018 3:00 am

A project to replace the bridge deck  the driving surface  of the James River bridge on Webster County Route B south of Marshfield starts this week, the Missouri Department of Transportation said.

This week, drivers can expect one-lane traffic across the bridge with temporary signals regulating traffic while contractor crews do prep work ahead of the main project. From March 5-9, all lanes will be open during nighttime hours.

Route B is scheduled to close at the bridge at 7 a.m. Monday, March 12, to allow crews to remove the bridge deck and begin major repairs to the bridge.

The contractors schedule calls for the work on Route B to be completed by the end of April/early May.

During the closing of Route B, drivers can use a signed detour using Webster County Route OO, Route 38, Webster County Route A and Route PP.

Once Route B is completed, crews will move to the James River bridge on Webster County Route KK and complete an identical project. However, the project on Route KK will not start until late May, when local schools are out for summer vacation.

The entire project is set for completion by early December 2018. However, contractor crews expect the project to be complete by early August. The prime contractor doing the work is Widel, Inc. of Blackwater. The estimated total project cost is $1.4 million.
David Stemerman, a hedge fund billionaire from Greenwich, officially announced hes running for governor earlier this week, but the map on his campaign sign was a little off.

Either Stemerman has plans to take over a small nub of Massachusetts that nudges into the Northwest corner of the Nutmeg state, or his graphics team just got the map wrong and left out Connecticuts notch.

Bronin asks state to remove NRA from statute

Hartford mayor and gubernatorial candidate Luke Bronin is asking state legislative leaders and Governor Dannel P. Malloy to end the National Rifle Associations role in Connecticuts firearms permitting process.

The NRA may once have focused on promoting responsible gun ownership, but today they serve as lobbyists for the gun industry and as intransigent opponents of common-sense reforms to Americas gun laws, Bronin wrote in a letter to the governor and state legislators. I am concerned that Connecticut is inadvertently supporting this organization by providing it recognition in state statute.

In order to obtain firearms permits, Connecticut residents must go through basic safety training certified by the NRA and similar groups, per state statute. The State Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection explicitly refers people interested in obtaining a pistol permit to a handgun safety course, which must consist of no less than the NRA's Basic Pistol Course.

Hartford knows the tragedy of gun violence all too well, and its unacceptable that Connecticut law legitimizes the NRA  and effectively requires residents to support the NRA  even as the NRA blocks common-sense gun safety laws at the national level, Bronin said in a statement. Without common-sense gun laws at the national level, residents of the City of Hartford and of our state as a whole will continue to see guns from states with weaker gun laws used in crimes.

Fourth GOP gubernatorial debate postponed

The fourth district gubernatorial debate hosted by the Connecticut Republican Party has been postponed because of predicted inclement weather.

The debate, which was set to take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Saxe Middle School in New Canaan, has been rescheduled for April 18 at the same time and place. Tickets purchased for the original date are transferable.

Party chairman J.R. Romano said around 500 tickets have been sold for the event.

The fifth district debate will still take place April 4 at New Britain High School as scheduled.
HARTFORD  Back in 1991, he recruited a young lawyer out of the University of Connecticut School of Law to join the high-powered law firm of Pullman & Comley.

Now, John Stafstrom, Bridgeports former Democratic Town Committee chairman and a partner at Pullman & Comley, has registered a lobbying group in attempt to confirm Supreme Court Justice Andrew J. McDonald of Stamford as the next chief justice.

True Justice, LLC, has underwritten a robocall campaign aimed at Republican state lawmakers who appear lined up against McDonald. The GOP leader of the Senate on Tuesday charged that the effort is an intimidation campaign.

Last week, the General Assemblys Judiciary Committee voted 20-20 on the nomination of McDonald, who has been an associate member of the high court for five years, after serving as Gov. Dannel P. Malloys Capitol attorney.

True Justice was formed by friends of Andrews, with the purpose of getting the message out there, Stafstrom said in an interview. We all have had professional relationships with him. I hired him for the firm out of law school. Ive watched his progress from day one, and now I dont know anyone whos better prepared.

The group was registered as an LLC on Feb. 26, the day that McDonald sat for 13 hours of questions from the legislative Judiciary Committee. True Justices address is listed at Stafstroms Bridgeport home, as well as the Bridgeport office of Pullman and Comley, which is headquartered in Hartford, but also has offices in Stamford, Waterbury and White Plains.

On lobbyist disclosure forms for True Justice, Stafstrom is listed with Ernest Teitell, a partner in the Stamford law firm of Silver Golub & Teitell.

Stafstrom, like several state law school deans and members of major law firms that have made their feelings known to state lawmakers, is concerned about the politicization of McDonalds nomination. Votes are scheduled in the House of Representatives on March 12.

We have never had partisanship like this in Connecticut, Stafstrom said. Folks are hiding behind the claim of judicial activism.

Stafstrom recalled the October 2008 Supreme Court decision that ruled the states civil-union law unconstitutional, setting the scene for the states gay-marriage law, adopted by the General Assembly in 2009. Written by Justice Richard Palmer, the decision was the target of a scathing dissent by then-Justice Peter Zarella, who wrote that marriage is primarily for heterosexual procreation.

An appointee of former Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, Zarellas reappointment a few months later was proposed on the state Senate floor by McDonald  then co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee  who if confirmed could become the first openly gay state chief justice in the nation.

Stafstrom said that supporters of the Stamford jurist are very concerned about the issue of homophobia.

If this nomination fails, it will be a message to young gay people who are doing the right thing, Stafstrom said. People who put together a stellar legal career and get turned down for something they are eminently qualified. We are encouraging concerned citizens to call state senators in a variety of ways.

Hundreds of phone calls have arrived in Capitol offices, prompting Republican Senate Leader Len Fasano to say on Tuesday that members of his caucus are targets of pressure tactics, but they will base their decisions on McDonalds record on the bench and what they believe to be the best interests of the state.

My caucus will not be intimidated into voting a certain way on Justice McDonald or swayed by expensive campaign tactics paid for by powerful politically-connected attorneys, said Fasano, of North Haven. Legislators will be making our decisions based upon Justice McDonalds record, not based upon negative attacks by politically-connected attorneys who have reaped millions of dollars from the state of Connecticut.

According to the states Transparency.CT.gov website, Pullman and Comley, LLC has received more than $5.2 million in state contracts since 2011, including $1.2 million in 2014.

Silver Golub & Teitell has been paid more than $10 million from the state comptrollers office since 2015, according to the site.
State Representative Bill Buckbee recently testified before the Transportation Committee at the Legislative Office Building.

Buckbee, a New Milford Republican, advocated for the expansion of commuter rail service to New Milford while speaking in favor of H.B. 5315, An Act Concerning Rails.

Rail service will be a big positive for the town of New Milford and surrounding areas, he said. This will allow those working in neighboring towns an alternative means to commute to and from their jobs, alleviating some traffic on our congested highways.

The addition of rail will also boost our local economy and increase tourism to our historic town, he added.

Several local businesses and their employees have contacted him regarding their commute times, the state representative said. Often these commutes are upwards of two hours each way.

State Senator Toni Boucher (R-26th) , co-chairman of the Transportation Committee, explained specifically how the extension of the Danbury-Norwalk line would benefit those living in the southwestern part of the state.

Commuters will go from one town to the next, not New York City, to work, she said. It is one of the longest north-south branch lines and has great potential economically and otherwise, so thank you for adding your voice to the discussion, she said.

This expansion isnt just an extension of the New York Metro, Buckbee responded.

Representing a municipality that is lacking in public transportation, it simply makes sense to expand the commuter rail service to reduce the stresses around the limited local transportation options available to my community, Buckbee said. Many people interested in this rail service work just one or two towns over, it will be helpful to provide some options to these workers.

While Buckbee is aware that funding will be a major barrier in terms of passing this initiative at the state level, he continues to work with key stakeholders and federal leadership to augment his advocacy efforts in Hartford.

I can personally attest to your sincere commitment around the rail line issue, so I commend you for that, said State Representative Fred Wilms (R-142nd). I think your proposal deserves worthy consideration.

I know you are a strong advocate for the extension of that line, and I join you in the hope we can do that one day, said State Representative Gail Lavielle (R-143rd). I thank you for bringing it upperhaps some of the discussion we have had about private-public partnerships will ultimately be helpful in that regard.
In the years since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Danbury-area school districts joined a national push for increased security, investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in safety upgrades for school buildings.

But in the wake of the Parkland, Fla., shooting  the deadliest school shooting since Sandy Hook  communities have again focused on whether schools are doing enough to protect students and staff.

Nearly all Danbury-area districts have, or made plans to, review security during school board meetings since 17 people died during a Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Just this week, security was on the agenda for Danbury, New Milford and Region 9 school board meetings. Brookfield and Bethel addressed it last week and New Fairfield and Ridgefield will do so in upcoming meetings.

The Region 9 meeting, which drew a crowd of more than 200, was specifically scheduled to discuss safety after a dozen people raised security questions during a school board meeting last week.

At the forum, as in many school safety discussions, the conversation focused on how both physical security measures and a supportive environment can prevent a crisis.

We are mindful of the simple question of, What are you doing to make the building safe?  Superintendent Thomas McMorran said. But as educators, we know the things were trying to do to to build a community in which no child comes to feel completely isolated and victimized by everyone else.

McMorran outlined the safety measures the district has put in place since Sandy Hook, such as additional cameras, protective window lining, motion detectors and buzz-in devices at school entrances.

He also reviewed how staff works to make the district socially safe, using student-intervention teams, crisis-response teams and efforts by guidance staff to help troubled students before they consider resorting to violence.

Other school districts have invited police to take part in school security discussions since the Florida massacre.

In an open letter to the community last week, Danbury Superintendent Sal Pascarella said he invited police commanders to meet with principals to discuss the Parkland shooting, review safety procedures and determine whether any adjustments or added training is necessary.

Members of the New Milford Police Department joined administrators and the Board of Education on Tuesday to discuss safety protocols in executive session. The school board then distributed a security overview to the public during its regular meeting immediately afterward.

The review comes after two students were arrested at New Milford High School this week, one for a small fire set in a bathroom and another for threatening a teacher.

School officials and the police department plan to hold a forum on the districts safety, administrators said, but a date has not yet been set.

Were entering a whole new realm of school security, Board of Education Chairman David Lawson said.

In Ridgefield, Superintendent Karen Baldwin sent a letter reviewing safety protocols and said the Board of Education will invite Police Chief John Roche and Robert Miller, who oversees security in the district, to its March 27 meeting to discuss procedures.

New Fairfields community outreach subcommittee will discuss school security at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Most of the two dozen who spoke at the Region 9 meeting called for security improvements, such as installing metal detectors or locking school entrances throughout the day. But the most popular request was for an armed school resource officer at Joel Barlow High School.

The high school has three security guards, adminstrators said, but does not have an officer licensed to carry a firearm, as the middle and elementary schools do.

I dont see why every school in our system has an SRO officer and my school doesnt, one high school senior said at the forum. So I guess my question is, Are the high schoolers lives less valuable than the middle school and elementary schools?

Several speakers expressed concern about introducing an armed officer into the school. But when one speaker asked those who favor the idea to raise their hands, nearly everyone in the crowd did.

School board members and town officials at the forum briefly discussed how they could add the position.

I think most board members would strongly consider adding an SRO, but the stumbling block becomes whos going to fund it, Region 9 Chairman Mike DAgostino said.
The Region 12 School District Board of Education will present Your Voice Matters - Selecting the Region 12 School District Superintendent of Schools, several opportunities for community members to share their insight on the hiring of the next Region 12 superintendent of schools.

Dr. Joseph Erardi, a search consultant working with the Board of Education, will facilitate a one-hour meeting March 14 at 7 p.m. at Washington Primary School on School Street in Washington, March 21 at 7 p.m. at Burnham School on Route 133 in Bridgewater and March 22 at 7 p.m. at Booth Free School on South Street in Roxbury.
British Prime Minister Theresa May will bring up UKs concerns over the political and humanitarian situation in Yemen, during the visit Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman is starting this Wednesday in London.

The Prime Minister is to lobby Riyadh to end the three-year old conflict, which has killed nearly 10,000 people, her office said Tuesday.

Prime Minister May, her office said, would make clear that we urgently need to see progress on the political track to end the conflict and humanitarian suffering in Yemen.

She will also reiterate how seriously we take allegations of violation against international humanitarian law and emphasize the need to ensure these are investigated swiftly and thoroughly.

May will welcome Wednesday afternoon Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman on his way from Egypt as he embarks on first international tour since becoming heir of the Saudi throne in June.

The visit comes amid hot debate over Londons role in bringing an end to the Yemen conflict where Saudi Arabia has been leading a Pan-Arab coalition with the support of British military hardware and equipment.

Around 10,000 people have lost their lives in the three-year old war which left the poorest Arab country in shambles.

The visit, to seal a new era of bilateral cooperation between the two countries as London tries to woo Riyadh for closer trade and partnership deals in post Brexit, has raised eyes brows in the UK with several protests awaiting the young powerful royal.

A coalition of UK human rights groups are planning to protest against bin Salmans visit outside Downing Street and near the Parliament to denounce what the coalition said is Saudi Arabias brutal and illegal bombing in Yemen and Londons support for the Gulf state, Middle East Eye (MEE) reports.

Campaigners will also protest the use of counterterrorism laws to prosecute human rights activists and dissidents in Saudi Arabia, claiming that the Crown Princes modernizing agenda, as a cover to crack down on opponents.

During his three-day visit in London, the Crown Prince will attend a joint UK-Saudi Arabia summit to launch a strategic partnership council.

Next leg of his international tour will take him to France and then to Washington.
ington

Supply Company in Washington is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. The historic business in town will be the topic of discussion at the Washington History Club meeting March 19 at 10 a.m. at the senior center in Bryan Hall Plaza. Management and staff will be on hand to share stories and answer questions. The business is shown at right in a 1915 photograph by Joseph West. If you have a Way Back When

photograph youd like to share,

contact Deborah Rose at drose@newstimes.com or

860-355-7324.
The surgery went fine. Her doctors left for the day. Four hours later, Paulina Tam started gasping for air.

Internal bleeding was cutting off her windpipe, a well-known complication of the spine surgery she had undergone.

But a Medicare inspection report describing the event says that nobody who remained on duty that evening at the Northern California surgery center knew what to do.

How a push to cut costs and boost profits at surgery centers led to a trail of death. A team of journalists based in California, Indiana, New Jersey, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Virginia worked to tell this story in a partnership between Kaiser Health News and USA TODAY Network. Christina Jewett is a senior correspondent for Kaiser Health News. Mark Alesia is an investigative reporter for the Indianapolis Star. Reporters pored through thousands of pages of court records and crisscrossed the U.S. to talk to injured patients or families of the deceased. For more than a year, using federal and state open-records laws, reporters gathered more than 12,000 inspection records and 1,500 complaint reports, as well as autopsies and EMS documents and medical records, together forming the foundation for this report.

In desperation, a nurse did something that would not happen in a hospital.

She dialed 911.

By the time an ambulance delivered Tam to the emergency room, the 58-year-old mother of three was lifeless, according to the report.

If Tam had been operated on at a hospital, a few simple steps could have saved her life.

But like hundreds of thousands of other patients each year, Tam went to one of the nation's 5,600-plus surgery centers.

Such centers started nearly 50 years ago as low-cost alternatives for minor surgeries. They now outnumber hospitals as federal regulators have signed off on an ever-widening array of outpatient procedures in an effort to cut federal health care costs.

Thousands of times each year, these centers call 911 as patients experience complications ranging from minor to fatal. Yet no one knows how many people die as a result, because no national authority tracks the tragic outcomes. An investigation by Kaiser Health News and the USA TODAY Network has discovered that more than 260 patients have died since 2013 after in-and-out procedures at surgery centers across the country. Dozens  some as young as 2  have perished after routine operations, such as colonoscopies and tonsillectomies.

Reporters examined autopsy records, legal filings and more than 12,000 state and Medicare inspection records, and interviewed dozens of doctors, health policy experts and patients throughout the industry, in the most extensive examination of these records to date.

The investigation revealed:

Surgery centers have steadily expanded their business by taking on increasingly risky surgeries. At least 14 patients have died after complex spinal surgeries like those that federal regulators at Medicare recently approved for surgery centers. Even as the risks of doing such surgeries off a hospital campus can be great, so is the reward. Doctors who own a share of the center can earn their own fee and a cut of the facility's fee, a meaningful sum for operations that can cost $100,000 or more.

To protect patients, Medicare requires surgery centers to line up a local hospital to take their patients when emergencies arise. In rural areas, centers can be 15 or more miles away. Even when the hospital is close, 20 to 30 minutes can pass between a 911 call and arrival at an ER.

Some surgery centers are accused of overlooking high-risk health problems and treat patients who experts say should be operated on only in hospitals, if at all. At least 25 people with underlying medical conditions have left surgery centers and died within minutes or days. They include an Ohio woman with out-of-control blood pressure, a 49-year-old West Virginia man awaiting a heart transplant and several children with sleep apnea.

Some surgery centers risk patient lives by skimping on training or lifesaving equipment. Others have sent patients home before they were fully recovered. On their drives home, shocked family members in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Georgia discovered their loved ones were not asleep but on the verge of death. Surgery centers have been criticized in cases where staff didn't have the tools to open a difficult airway or skills to save a patient from bleeding to death.

Most operations done in surgery centers go off without a hitch. And surgery carries risk, no matter where it's done. Some centers have state-of-the-art equipment and highly trained staff that are better prepared to handle emergencies.

But Kaiser Health News and the USA TODAY Network found more than a dozen cases where the absence of trained staff or emergency equipment appears to have put patients in peril.

And in cases similar to Tam's, upper-spine surgery patients have been sent home too soon, with the risk of suffocation looming.

In 2008, a 35-year-old Oregon father of three struggled for air, pounding the car roof in frustration while his wife sped him to a hospital. A Dallas man collapsed in his father's arms waiting for an ambulance in 2011. Another Oregon man began to suffocate in his living room the night of his upper-spine surgery in 2014. A San Diego man gasped "like a fish," his wife recalled, as they waited for an ambulance on April 28, 2016.

None of them survived.

Spinal surgery patient McArthur Roberson, 60, lost more than a quart of blood during the operation and struggled to breathe after surgery, his family claimed in a lawsuit. He died on the way home.

If he "had been observed in a hospital overnight," said Dr. Daniel Silcox, an Atlanta spine surgeon and expert for the family in their lawsuit, "his death would not have occurred."

The surgery center denied wrongdoing in the case, which reached a confidential settlement in 2017.

Many in the health care field  from doctors to private insurance companies to Medicare  have dismissed the mounting deaths as medical anomalies beyond the control of physicians.

USA TODAY Network and KHN reporters contacted 24 doctors and surgery center administrators about patient deaths and none would answer questions about what went wrong, citing patient privacy laws, or referring reporters to attorneys. Responding to lawsuits around the nation, surgery centers have argued that fatal complications were among the known outcomes of such surgeries. Two centers blamed patients for negligence in their own demise.

Bill Prentice, chief executive of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, declined to speak about individual cases but said he has seen no data proving surgery centers are less safe than hospitals.

"There is nothing distinct or different about the surgery center model that makes the provision of health care any more dangerous than anywhere else," Prentice said. "The human body is a mysterious thing, and a patient that has met every possible protocol can walk in that day and still have something unimaginable happen to them that has nothing to do with the care that's being provided."

However, Dr. Kenneth Rothfield, board member of the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety, said many surgery centers and physicians push the envelope on how much can be done in outpatient centers.

"It's important to realize that surgery centers are not hospitals," he said. "They have different resources, different equipment."

At a hospital, doctors and nurses  know how they are going to respond. These guys at the surgery centers are walking on a tightrope with no safety net. Attorney Glenn Ellis

The explosive growth of surgery centers  which receive $4.1 billion a year from Medicare  has taken place under circumstances some medical experts consider unseemly.

Federal law allows surgery center doctors  unlike others  to steer patients to facilities they own, rather than the full-service hospital down the street. In some cases, doing so could increase the risk to a patient, but double a physician's profits.

Prentice said physician ownership of surgery centers is a good thing.

"The physicians who practice there are responsible for everything that happens in that surgery center from the moment the patient walks out of their car in the parking lot to the moment they leave," he said.

But several studies have shown that surgery center doctors who are owners perform operations more frequently. And in lawsuits across the country, surgery center doctors have been accused of taking risks with patients.

Even some who've made their living in the surgery center industry have expressed concerns. Dr. Larry Teuber, a South Dakota neurosurgeon who worked as an executive in the surgery center industry for 22 years, said he has watched surgery center owners take on increasingly complex  and lucrative  orthopedic and spinal surgeries, undercutting a nearby hospital's profits for their own gain.

"When you're making money doing [complex surgeries] you get on a slippery ethical slope," Teuber said. "The money overshadows everything."

The History

The first surgery center in the U.S. opened in Phoenix in 1970, a place "squeezed between neighborhood shops and a Baptist church," where, for $90, a child could receive an incision to relieve pressure on the inner ear, The Arizona Republic reported at the time.

The pioneering doctors, John Ford and Wallace Reed, didn't see why patients needed to be hospitalized for such minor surgeries.

Taking the procedures out of hospitals reduced the cost for patients and insurers because surgery centers don't require the same level of staffing or lifesaving equipment.

Medicare helped drive the expansion of surgery centers when it began paying for procedures in 1982.

Then in 1993, Congress encouraged doctors to open surgery centers by exempting them from the second Stark Law, which prevents doctors from steering patients to other businesses they own.

Doctors-turned-entrepreneurs drove early growth, urging their patients to give the centers a chance. Seeing lucrative elective surgeries moving away, hospitals increasingly bought centers of their own. Last year, insurance giant UnitedHealth Group spent $2.3 billion buying a national surgery center chain.

The centers have been popular with patients, who enjoy the convenience and personalized care. Doctors say they like the ease of planning operations without unexpected trauma surgeries upending the schedule. And surgery centers have thrived even as hospitals have battled to contain the spread of infections.

Today, there are 5,616 Medicare-certified centers. The expansion has come despite lingering safety concerns. In 2007, Medicare noted that surgery centers "have neither patient safety standards consistent with those in place for hospitals, nor are they required to have the trained staff and equipment needed to provide the breadth of intensity of care. " Some procedures are "unsafe" to be handled at surgery centers, the report concluded.

Medicare advised the centers to transfer patients to hospitals when emergencies arise. Only a third of surgery centers participate in a voluntary effort to report how often that happens. They sent at least 7,000 patients to the hospital in the year that ended in September 2017, a KHN analysis of surgery center industry data shows. Not all survive the trip.

In the 21st century in the USA, a doctor doing a surgery on a patient has to call 911? Give me a break.  It's just absolutely ignorant. Robin Long

They include James Long, 56, who had no pulse when an ambulance came to the Colorado surgery center where he'd undergone more than five hours of lower-spine surgery in 2014, according to the center's medical records provided to the family's attorney.

The state reviewed the case and cited no deficiencies. Jen Kenitzer, the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute administrator, said the center has "extensive procedures in place to respond quickly and appropriately" in emergencies.

Yet Long's loved ones remain troubled by the case.

"In the 21st century in the USA, a doctor doing a surgery on a patient has to call 911?" said Robin Long, his ex-wife, who did not sue the center. "Give me a break.  It's just absolutely ignorant."

Preparation Under Par

Patients enter hospitals with heart attacks, gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries. There, doctors and nurses become skilled at saving lives in emergencies.

Doctors in surgery centers may excel at the procedures they perform most often. But the centers aren't always prepared and sometimes struggle in a crisis, according to a review of Medicare records and more than 70 lawsuits.

Health inspectors working on behalf of Medicare have discovered 230 lapses in rescue equipment or training regulations at surgery centers since 2015.

A center in California had empty oxygen tanks. One operating on children in Arkansas didn't have a pediatric tracheotomy set to restore breathing; another lacked pediatric defibrillator pads to shock hearts back into rhythm.

In an ongoing lawsuit against her and the center, anesthesiologist Dr. Yoori Yim testified that she came up empty-handed on Dec. 23, 2015, when grappling to find the right-sized airway tube to save a patient who had stopped breathing.

Rekhaben Shah, 67, had come to Oak Tree Surgery Center in Edison, N.J., for a simple colonoscopy.

Yim tried a variety of methods to help Shah breathe, with limited success. From the moment Shah stopped breathing on the operating table, 33 minutes passed before a paramedic effectively inserted a breathing tube, according to medical and EMS records.

Paramedics responding to the center's 911 call had to use a video GlideScope to see inside the patient's throat, equipment the surgery center didn't have, court testimony says.

By then it was too late. Shah was removed from life support at a nearby hospital on Christmas Day.

Neither Yim nor the center returned calls for comment. In court records, an expert for the surgery center said Shah's airway was obstructed and it was cleared around the time the paramedics arrived. He said the GlideScope is not required in New Jersey, nor would it likely have made a difference. An expert for Yim, however, said her actions were appropriate and if a GlideScope had been at the center, "we would probably not be discussing this case at all."

When emergency crews arrive, surgery centers are not always prepared to receive them.

In Yim's case, paramedics testified that she refused to move away from Shah and allow them to attempt lifesaving measures.

In Florida, paramedics who rushed to a surgery center after its usual operating hours hit a locked door while a patient inside gasped for breath. The 55-year-old remains in a vegetative state.

In 2016, paramedics arrived at West Lakes Surgery Center in Iowa as staff tried to revive 12-year-old Reuben Van Veldhuizen after he experienced complications during a tonsillectomy, according to a Medicare inspection report.

One paramedic told state inspectors she had to ask who was in charge of the resuscitation efforts. No one replied, the inspection report says.

The boy made it to the hospital 37 minutes after the surgery center staff called 911. There, he was pronounced dead.

The family filed suit, alleging that the center and anesthesiologist erred in giving the boy an anesthetic that carries a warning about cardiac arrest risk in young boys.

In court records responding to the lawsuit, the surgery center and anesthesiologist said Reuben's death was a result of "pre-existing conditions, acts of others, or conditions over which (Defendants) had no control or responsibility."

Yet lawyers who sue the centers and scrutinize their internal records say they often see deadly delays in care.

Pedro Maldonado, 59, went to Ambulatory Care Center in New Jersey to have his upper digestive tract scoped. He was discovered unresponsive 10 minutes after the seven-minute procedure, according to his widow's lawsuit.

It took surgery center staff 25 more minutes to start CPR, according to a lawsuit that Philadelphia attorney Glenn Ellis filed on behalf of Maldonado's widow. Twenty-seven more minutes passed before Maldonado was wheeled into an ER, the widows ongoing suit alleges. Maldonado never regained consciousness.

Reached by phone, a center administrator declined to comment. In a legal filing, the center denied claims of wrongdoing.

"At a hospital, doctors and nurses  know how they are going to respond," Ellis said. "These guys at the surgery centers are walking on a tightrope with no safety net."

Conveyor Belt Of Care

While the thrum of a hospital continues through the night, some surgery center doctors keep banker's hours. That means patients whose surgeries end later in the day are sometimes left in the care of one or two nurses for up to 23-hour stays. Some patients have been sent home to grapple with complications on their own.

Sondra Wallace went to the Surgery Center of Oklahoma in early 2017 for a sinus procedure.

After the procedure, doctors saw her blood-oxygen level sinking. They realized she had had a reaction to the anesthesia and at 2 p.m. gave her a drug to reverse the effects, an ongoing lawsuit filed by her husband says.

Then, an hour later, they sent her home with her husband, Larry, the lawsuit says.

It was 3 p.m. on the Friday before Presidents Day weekend.

"I just think they wanted to start their three-day weekend," said daughter Casey Podoll.

Larry Wallace alleges in the suit that the center gave him no hint that Sondra had a reaction to the anesthesia.

So, Wallace thought nothing of her napping in the back seat as he drove for more than two hours through Oklahoma pastures on his way home. When he arrived, he discovered his wife cold in the back seat. She was pronounced dead at Jackson County Memorial Hospital at 6:30 p.m. that day.

"They didn't give any indication  that there were any red flags whatsoever," Podoll said.

Craig Buchan, attorney for the Surgery Center of Oklahoma, said Wallace met discharge criteria and her cause of death has not been determined. He said the center did not close any earlier "than often occurs after the last patient is discharged."

Cecilia Aldridge said she also felt as if the staff at a surgery center was rushing her out the door, after her 2-year-old daughter's tonsil surgery in Arkansas in 2015.

A lawsuit filed by the parents said the surgery center "discharged Abbygail too early because a snow storm was moving into the area."

Abbygail turned blue in the car on the way home. Her mother said she raced into an emergency room, shouting for help, her toddler in her arms.

"She never woke up," Aldridge said tearfully in an interview.

Abbygail's parents now question whether the surgery center ever should have been willing to treat their daughter.

Risky Patients

Because surgery centers have less safety equipment and staffing than hospitals, industry leaders stress the importance of selecting patients healthy enough to fare well. Their predictions, though, are not always correct.

Abbygail, who loved her hand-me-down blanket and the film "Frozen," had sleep apnea, an irregular heartbeat and was very heavy for her age, according to the lawsuit.

Sleep apnea increases the risk of serious complications in surgery and the night after, medical research shows. Given her condition, Abbygail "should have been admitted [to a hospital] and monitored post-procedure," said Dr. Charles Cote, a retired Harvard pediatric anesthesiology professor who was not involved in the family's lawsuit.

The lawsuit says Abbygail's risk factors "were documented and known by the Defendants," including the doctor. It said the toddler should have been operated on "in an inpatient setting under hospital care and monitored overnight."

Dr. Michael Marsh performed Abbygail's tonsillectomy at Executive Park Surgery Center in Fort Smith, Ark.

The surgery center's lawyer declined to comment. The doctor's lawyer did not return email and voice messages. In court documents responding to the lawsuit, Marsh and the center denied wrongdoing.

In the court filing, Marsh said the toddler's injuries were "the natural progression" of her illness. Executive Park Surgery Center said in a court filing that no action on their part  was a proximate cause of any damages or injury. The case was settled.

In at least 25 cases, surgery centers opened their doors to ailing and fragile patients who died after simple procedures, such as tonsillectomies, retinal repairs or colonoscopies, KHN and USA TODAY Network found.

Medicare asks surgery centers to assess each patient's risk, but inspectors flagged 122 surgery centers in 2015 and 2016 alone for lapses in risk assessments. Some centers failed to gauge risk at all. Others overlooked their own policies.

Doctors can use an anesthesia risk assessment to screen out fragile patients  healthy patients get a score of 1, and a score of 5 means a person is nearly dead.

A few states, including Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, bar certain surgery centers from operating on patients with an anesthesia risk score of 4. But most states don't go that far. They leave such decisions up to doctors.

And some of those decisions have been cited in tragic outcomes. Sabino Sifuentes, 74, had survived triple-bypass surgery. But on March 23, 2015, nine minutes after the start of anesthesia for an eye procedure, he became unresponsive, never to be revived, according to a Medicare inspection report. A nurse anesthetist who reviewed the case at Eye-Q Vision Care's surgery center in Fresno, Calif., told state health inspectors that Sifuentes should have been given a risk score of 4 and his care was "completely mismanaged," the inspection report says.

In response to the family's lawsuit, the surgery center said Sifuentes' injury was caused by his own negligence and others'.

Five other patients with the same risk score died after routine procedures at surgery centers across the U.S.

A Widening Niche

Such tragedies rarely find their way into the discussion when Medicare decides whether to approve new procedures at surgery centers.

Take spinal surgery.

Until 2015, Medicare wouldn't pay for it at surgery centers. Then, the industry's trade association urged the agency to make the change, and encouraged a letter-writing campaign from surgery centers across the nation.

Letter writers included Dr. Alan Villavicencio, a Colorado surgeon who said he'd been doing such surgeries for 12 years and found that his patients "appreciate the convenience and cost savings." He did not mention that James Long, 56, had died three weeks earlier at a Lafayette, Colo., surgery center where he is an owner, a review of Colorado health department and medical board records shows.

United Surgical Partners International, a surgery center chain, also weighed in urging even more procedures to be approved, not mentioning a patient death hours after a spine surgery at one of its affiliate centers several months before, according to court records and securities filings. The chain said in a statement that it stands behind its comments in support of the proposal.

Such letters carry weight with Medicare, which approves procedures to be done in surgery centers based on the invasiveness and complexity of the surgery and on input from stakeholders.

Robert Beatty-Walters, a Portland, Ore., attorney who has represented the families of three people who died after surgery center spine procedures, said Medicare's decision-making process is not even-handed.

"The stakeholders  they call them  during these regulatory proceedings are the profit-makers, not the people who are being provided the service," he said. "The spine centers just want to have more people come. They make more money. I hate to be that cynical about it, but that's just what I've seen."

Medicare approved 10 spine-surgery codes to be billed at surgery centers starting in 2015 and added more spinal procedures for 2017. A Medicare spokesman denied a request for a telephone interview. In an email, a spokeswoman said Medicare opened the spine proposal to the public and received no comments suggesting the procedures would pose a threat to Medicare patients. She said the final decision about where a patient will have surgery is up to a doctor and patient.

By 2017, at least 14 patients had died soon after spine operations at surgery centers, according to the KHN/USA TODAY Network investigation.

The 14 spine-surgery deaths have gleaned little recognition in the industry or beyond. Only one made headlines in local newspapers. The rest are documented in places like the Macon, Ga., courthouse or in obscure regulatory reports. And there may be far more because some states, including New York, Illinois and Florida, disclose no details about surgery center deaths.

Paulina Tam's death at Fremont Surgery Center was a tragic example. At 58, the mother of three had finished careers as a nurse and an educator. Next, she planned to travel the world with her husband of 32 years.

"She was the driving force of the family, the spirit I guess," said her son, Eric Tam, a doctor in New York City, said. "We didn't expect the worst to happen."

The care she received at the center is documented in court records, EMS reports and a Medicare inspection report that concluded that the center "failed to provide a safe environment for surgery."

Tam's doctor scheduled her for a procedure to replace two discs in her upper spine on April 7, 2014. Pain from a car crash had bothered her for years. Any such surgery  entering the front of the neck to address pain in the spine  comes with a risk of suffocation, according to the Medicare inspection report.

Yet, with her surgeon and anesthesiologist already gone, the only doctor on-site was a digestive health specialist, the inspection report shows. About four hours after her procedure, Tam told a nurse that her surgical collar felt too tight. Then, that she couldn't breathe.

The nurse called a "code blue" just after 6:30 p.m., records say.

Medical experts say the first step in helping such patients is removing the surgical staples so the pooled blood can disperse, allowing the patient to breathe.

In Tam's case, staff repeatedly tried and failed to insert a breathing tube through her mouth and into her airway, the inspection report shows. A last-ditch remedy would have been to punch a hole through the front of her throat to restore breathing, but the gastroenterologist later told an inspector that he was "not prepared" to do so.

The inability to perform the suffocation-rescue maneuver, the inspection report says, amounted to the center's "failure to ensure patient safety."

From the time a nurse called 911, it took 24 minutes to get Tam to the nearest hospital, EMS records show. She arrived without a pulse and remained on life support overnight, as her children raced to her bedside to say goodbye.

The center did not return calls and denied wrongdoing in the court case. Tam's surgeon declined to discuss the case but filed pleadings in court saying Tam's "carelessness and negligence" caused her death. It's unclear what the defense meant by negligence. The case reached a confidential settlement.

After Tam's death, the center told Medicare inspectors that a qualified doctor would stay on-site after all upper-spine cases.

Dr. Nancy Epstein, chief of neurosurgical and spine care at New York University Winthrop Hospital, said surgery centers doing delicate work near the spinal cord, windpipe and esophagus in a same-day procedure is "pretty revolting." But she said the centers are making so much money  "reeling it in hand over fist" that the potential dangers are being ignored.

"Medically, it should not be tolerated," she said, "but it is."

Lindy Washburn of The (Bergen County, N.J.) Record and NorthJersey.com contributed to this report.

KHN's coverage related to aging and improving care of older adults is supported in part by The John A. Hartford Foundation.
Researchers have found strong evidence that environmental exposures, including air pollution, affect gene expressions associated with respiratory diseases much more than genetic ancestry. The study, published today in Nature Communications, analyzed more than 1.6 million data points from biological specimens, health questionnaires and environmental datasets, making this study one of the largest ever to examine the relationship between gene expression and environmental stimuli. These findings represent a groundbreaking use of big data to uncover the environmental factors that are behind diseases and inform strategies for prevention, an approach that would apply to a number of diseases, including cancer.

Genetic, health and disease data of participants from Montreal, Quebec City and Saguenay were linked with environmental information such as air pollution, walkability and access to food to see how these factors impact gene expression. Participants were enrolled in the Quebec arm (CARTaGENE) of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project (CPTP), which supports research into environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors related to the development and progression of cancer and chronic diseases. More than 300,000 Canadians, 1 per cent of the population, have enrolled in CPTP since its launch in 2008.

The study used deep characterization of gene expression signatures from participants and linked that data with environmental information. "We were surprised to find that we were able to stratify genetic ancestry within Quebec, identifying individuals whose descendants were from Montreal versus Saguenay for example," explains Dr. Philip Awadalla, the study's senior author. "This helped us to show how most gene expression is not derived by ancestry, and that environmental exposures associated with living in a particular city or region are more impactful on gene expression associated with disease traits than heritable variation."

One of the main findings of the study was that exposure to higher levels of particulate matter and nitrous dioxide in the Saguenay area affected the expression of genes associated with oxygen pathways and respiratory function. This resulted in higher rates of respiratory ailments such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study also revealed that there are genetic variants that control how a person's gene expression responds when exposed to environmental stimuli.

"This study demonstrates Ontario's leadership in research and in particular, the importance of big data," said Reza Moridi, Minister of Research, Innovation and Science. "Today, with quantities of data never before available, we are able to make important discoveries that will help us fight and overcome disease."

"Our study shows how one can use the large scope and scale of data in Canada's largest health cohort to better understand how our genes interact with environmental exposures and shape individual health," says Awadalla. "I encourage all those engaged in this type of research, both in Canada and around the world, to take advantage of this resource."

Awadalla is Director and Sr. Principal Investigator, Computational Biology, OICR, the Executive Scientific Director of the Ontario Health Study (Ontario's CPTP cohort), Director of the Genome Canada, Canadian Data Integration Centre and Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Controlled access to cohort data and biological samples is available to researchers through the CPTP Data Portal and CARTaGENE.
Or is your waistline making you anxious? A new study has found that middle-aged women face a high risk of developing anxiety, one of the most prevalent mental health disorders.

Credit: A.Basler/Shutterstock.com

Emotional eating (eating to alleviate emotional pressure as opposed to satisfying hunger) has long been associated with piling on the pounds. Researchers from the The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) recently conducted a study involving over 5,580 middle-aged women with an average of 49 years.

Reversing the cause-and-effect model allowed them to analyse the likeliness of women developing anxiety based on increased abdominal fat (described as waist-to-height ratio inthis context).

Although this relationship has been studied previously, using waist-to-height ratio as the main connection to anxiety marks a novel approach to research.

Waist-to-height ratio has proven effective as a marker of cardiometabolic risk, and women whose waists measure over half their height are typically regarded as obese.

61.3% of participants experienced anxiety, and 58% of participants were postmenopausal. Those in the middle and upper thirds of waist-to-height ratios were considerably more likely to have an anxiety disorder, while there was a greater likeliness of the upper third participants expressing symptoms of anxiety in comparison to participants in the lower categories.

Anxiety is associated with diabetes, drug abuse, thyroid issues, respiratory disorders and heart disease, as well as additional established medical issues.

Researchers suspect that a drop in estrogen levels, which acts in a neuroprotective capacity, is linked to the rising prevalence of anxiety disorders in middle-aged women.

Hormone changes may be involved in the development of both anxiety and abdominal obesity because of their roles in the brain as well as in fat distribution. This study provides valuable insights for healthcare providers treating middle-aged women, because it implies that waist-to-height ratio could be a good marker for evaluating patients for anxiety," Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, Executive Director of NAMS
Vulnerability in the brain: Individual damaged neuron types cause neurodegenerative diseases

If the sense of smell disappears, this can indicate a disease such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. However, unlike previously assumed, general degenerations in the nervous system do not play a leading role in the loss of the sense of smell with increasing age, but individual nerve cells or classes of nerves are decisive.

Drosophila melanogaster was investigated for the current study by Prof. Grunwald Kadows' research group on how the odor of animals ages. (Photo: Ariane Bohm / TUM)

Some nerve cells (neurons) or neuron classes in the brain seem to age faster than others. For example, the loss of the sense of smell is one of the first clinical signs of natural aging. This can be accompanied by a neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimers.

"Age is the major risk factor as to why people suffer from Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease," says Prof. Ilona Grunwald Kadow from the School of Life Sciences at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) - "only a small proportion of these diseases are due to known genetic reasons". The question is why do some neurons age faster than others? Why are some more sensitive? And is the damage to certain types of neurons the reason why whole nerve networks no longer function properly?

A new study conducted under the direction of Prof. Grunwald Kadow (TUM) in collaboration with the groups of Prof. Julien Gagneur (TUM), Prof. Stephan Sigrist (Free University of Berlin) and Prof. Nicolas Gompel (LMU) using the genetic model organism of the fruit fly now shows how the olfactory capacity of these animals ages and how much this resembles the aging process in the human olfactory system. Like humans, the fruit fly loses its powers of smell as it ages. Several key genes and mechanisms were identified that contribute to this aging - associated degeneration.

Which neurons are affected?

In the next step, the scientists examined whether all or only specific neurons of the olfactory circuit are affected. The team found that some neurons are more sensitive than others and decline faster during aging.

They determined that oxidative stress alters primarily specific neuron types, causing the functioning of the entire neural network to gradually collapse. Oxidative stress results in too many reactive oxygen compounds in the cell or tissue, which can cause temporary or permanent damage and accelerated aging.

Interestingly, if the formation of these reactive oxygen compounds in only this type of neurons is prevented, this completely stopped the loss of sense of smell: Old flies sense odors just like their young conspecifics again. This suggests that age-related degeneration could be significantly delayed by preventing oxidative damage in only one or a few neuron types.

But what can reduce oxidative stress in its effect?

A trial with an antioxidant in the form of several weeks of resveratrol administration in younger flies showed that it can counteract oxidative stress, which develops during aging. This treatment appeared to protect the particularly sensitive neurons and thereby contributed to maintaining the function of the neurons connected to them within the neural network. In the elderly, such treatments might help to delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases associated with aging.

Another possible factor that could play a role in the aging process is the intestinal microbiome. It could be involved in the progression of Parkinson's disease. Grunwald Kadow and her team have therefore also tested the effect of specific microbiota on olfactory aging in fruit flies with the result that certain bacteria have a positive effect and slow down olfactory neurodegeneration.

According to Prof. Grunwald Kadow, these findings and further ongoing experiments in the fruit fly model can help to pave the way for more targeted and new treatments and therapy routes, in which, among other things, drug or microbiota administration would be combined with each other.

Source: https://www.tum.de/en/about-tum/news/press-releases/detail/article/34509/
University of Glasgow are leading new tests into the viability of using an innovative, new microwave system to treat human papillomavirus (HPV).

The compact, portable device, which was designed by Scottish company Emblation, emits a low dose of energy, promoting an immune response. It is hoped the system will be able to treat cervical precancerous cells as well as genital warts.

The device has already proved successful in the treatment of verrucas, which are also caused by the HPV virus, and has been used in more than 10,000 treatments UK-wide during 2017.

The project, co-funded by the UKs innovation agency Innovate UK, brings together Emblation with the HPV experts at the University of Glasgows MRC-Centre for Virus Research. Scientists are now carrying out laboratory tests with the device to find out whether it can successfully clear pre-cancerous problems caused by HPV, and will study the effect of microwaves on HPV-infected, living tissue.

HPV cases are highly prevalent worldwide, with greater than 1 million cases per annum. Current treatment for HPV-caused cervical precancerous cells can be painful and invasive. It is hoped that, if found to be successful, the Emblation-designed device would offer a less invasive method of treatment.

There is also potential impact in the veterinary sphere where a related virus, bovine papillomavirus (BPV) causes bovine papillomas and equine sarcoids, the leading dermatological cause of equine euthanasia, affecting 7% of horses in Europe, particularly thoroughbreds.

Professor Sheila Graham from the University of Glasgows MRC-Centre for Virus Research, said:

We are delighted to be working with Emblation to test their microwave device. We plan to assess if the device can disrupt HPV and whether there is an effect on HPV-infected pre-cancerous and cancerous tissues The project will validate the microwave devices clinical potential but will also shed new light on how HPV-associated diseases arise.

Dr Matt Kidd, Director of R&D at Emblation, commented:

This project is an exciting opportunity to further our knowledge and understanding of microwave interactions with diseased tissue. Our device has the potential to address the challenges associated with the treatment of precancerous conditions of the cervix, and the funding from Innovate UK has been crucial in allowing us to work with the experts at the University of Glasgow. This research is a decisive next step in the evolution of our microwave technology platform.

Treatment of genital warts cost around 300 per case with around 200,000 patients per annum treated in the UK, with a total cost of around 60m.

Current treatment for cervical precancerous cells involves laser surgical removal of the diseased tissue. This is painful and can cause sustained bleeding and there is also a risk that diseased tissue can be missed. In contrast, microwaving produces mild heat (less than 50 degrees Celsius) and is non-invasive.

In Scotland alone, in 27 colposcopy clinics in 2016, 13,536 new patients were seen, most of whom required treatment. This translates to around 150,000 cervical precancerous cells patients in the UK whose treatment could be improved by this new device.
TVS Motor Company has rolled out the new generation of the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V. Termed as the Race Edition 2.0, the new Apache RTR 200 4V gets an Anti-Reverse Torque (A-RT) Slipper Clutch technology. The Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0 will also sport new racing-inspired graphics, lending the motorcycle a dynamic and aggressive stance. The series now boasts of a fly-screen for enhanced aerodynamics.

The TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0, is the first motorcycle in its class to be equipped with the advanced A-RT Slipper Clutch, a race-derived technology which is a testimony to the racing DNA of the RTR 200 4V engine. The A-RT Slipper Clutch technology, accentuates the motorcycles performance, with 22% reduction in clutch force for quicker upshifts, enabling the rider to achieve better lap times. The technology also aims at ensuring rider safety in high-speed downshifts, avoids wheel-hopping while cornering, and improves vehicle stability with the back-balance torque limiter effect. With exciting racing performance on offer, the introduction of the Slipper Clutch in TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0, also promises sharp and precise gear shifts with minimal effort.

Commenting on the introduction of the new TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0, Arun Siddharth, Vice President (Marketing)  Premium Two Wheelers, International Business & TVS Racing said, We build race machines for performance enthusiasts - the TVS Apache series is a testimony to our 35 years of racing heritage. Over the years, we have been at the forefront of setting benchmarks in bringing racing technology to performance motorcycles. The new TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0, takes the racing experience up by a significant notch as it is enabled with the A-RT Slipper Clutch  a first in this segment. The entire TVS Apache RTR 200 4V range will don the dynamic racing-inspired decals along with a stylish and exclusively designed fly screen which is sure to accentuate the racing stance of the motorcycle thus making it a racing machine like no other.

The motorcycle continues to be powered by a 197.75cc single-cylinder motor which is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The engine develops 20.5 PS (Carb) / 21.0 PS (EFI) of power at 8500 RPM and 18.1 Nm of torque at 7000 RPM. The new range of TVS Apache RTR 200 Series will be enabled with the Anti-Reverse Torque (A-RT) Slipper Clutch technology and sport the new graphics along with the fly-screen. The TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0 will be available in Carburetor, EFI as well as Carburetor with ABS variant.

Priced at Rs 95,185 (Carburetor), Rs 1,07,885 (EFI) and Rs 1,08,985 (Carburetor with ABS), (ex-showroom, Delhi), the series will be available across the country.

Also Watch
A BBC report based on obtained leaked e-mails revealed that United Arab Emirates (UAE) army Chief, Mohammed bin Zayed, who is also Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, attempted to secure the sacking of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for failing to back the UAE in the diplomatic showdown with Qatar in the eight-month old Gulf crisis.

The leaked e-mails are from Elliott Broidy; a fundraiser of the US President and owner of Circinus, a private company, which has a millions of dollar contract in the UAE.

The obtained e-mails are an account discussions between Broidy and President Donald Trump during a meeting in October; five months into the Gulf crisis, which has been opposing Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt to Qatar on the other.

Broidy reportedly requested President Trump to sack his Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, at political convenient time.

Saudi Arabia and its allies in June severed ties and imposed a blockade on Qatar, another US Gulf ally, over alleged support for terrorism charges.

The diplomatic crisis tilted the White House and State Department on opposite sides with President Trump openly backing the blockade while Tillerson observed more caution in his attempt to mediate the quarrel.

The US top diplomat however chided the blockade arguing that it was hindering international business in the region.

Broidy assaulted, in one of the e-mails, Doha-based news network, al Jazeera, that he claimed did nothing positive.

The Saudi-led quartet lobbied for the closure of the network over what the four called bias reporting of the Yemen conflict where anti-Qatar countries have been involved.

The leaked e-mails also revealed the involvement of George Nader, a Lebanese-American businessman who operates as an adviser to Mohammed bin Zayed.

Both Broidy and Nader have been named in US investigations into whether Trump illegally collaborated with foreign countries during the presidential campaign. The UAE are suspected for donating millions of dollar to Trump campaign.

Broidy and his company have rejected the BBC report noting that Qatar hacked his e-mails and altered the content.

We have reason to believe this hack was sponsored and carried out by registered and unregistered agents of Qatar seeking to punish Mr Broidy for his strong opposition to state-sponsored terrorism, the companys spokesperson said in a statement.

Mohammed bin Zayed was recently named in an exclusive Al Jazeera documentary on a failed 1996 military coup against former Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

The UAE ruler masterminded the failed coup with several other key figures from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in conjunction with several Qatari citizens, al Jazeera noted basing its affirmations on testimonies by participants in the coup.
Motorcycle makers who have been importing Completely Built Units (CBU) of their motorcycles for sale in India have recently been given some respite as the government has announced a reduction in the tax that is levied on such units. Thats not it, there was a revision on the amount of tax that is applicable of Completely Knocked Down (CKD) units as well, but this time around, they are set to get expensive.

While the impact of this announcement varies from an automaker to automaker depending, Ducati India almost got away unaffected. The Italian automaker imports most of its offerings from Thailand  with which, India has a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This means that the tax levied on the Ducati motorcycles are significantly less. However, Ducati does import the Monster 1200 variants along with the Panigale R Final Edition as a CBU from Italy. Hence, there has been a price revision of the same. The price differences after the cut go on as high as Rs 7.36 lakh, which is for the Panigale R Final Edition.

Heres the updated price list of the entire range of Ducati motorcycles available in India.

Model Ex-Showroom Price (Rs) Multistrada 950  Ducati Red 12,80,000 Multistrada 950  Star White Silk 12,90,000 Multistrada 1200  Ducati Red 15,32,000 Multistrada 1200 S  Ducati Red 17,44,000 Multistrada 1200 Pikes Peak 20,69,000 Multistrada 1200 Enduro  Ducati Red 17,99,000 Multistrada 1200 Enduro - Phantom Grey 18,09,000 Hypermotard 939  Ducati Red 11,12,000 Hyperstrada 939  Ducati Red 12,15,000 SuperSport  Ducati Red 12,04,000 SuperSport S  Ducati Red 13,34,000 SuperSport S  Star White Silk 13,55,000 Monster 797  Ducati Red 8,03,000 Monster 797  Star White Silk/Dark Stealth 8,12,000 Monster 1200  Ducati Red 20,10,000 Monster 1200 S  Ducati Red 24,63,000 Monster 1200 S  Liquid Concrete Grey 24,73,000 Scrambler Icon  Ducati Red 7,23,000 Scrambler Icon  Yellow/Silver 7,33,000 Scrambler Classic  Orange/White 8,49,000 Scrambler Full Throttle  Black 8,49,000 Scrambler Mach 2.0  Roland Sands 8,56,000 Scrambler Cafe Racer  Black Coffee 9,32,000 Scrambler Desert Sled  Ducati Red 9,32,000 Scrambler Desert Sled  White Mirage 9,45,000 959 Panigale  Ducati Red 14,53,000 1299 Panigale R Final Edition 51,82,000 Panigale V4 20,53,000 Panigale V4 S 25,29,000 Diavel  Dark Stealth 16,10,000 Diavel Carbon 19,73,000 Diavel Diesel 21,72,000 XDiavel  Dark Stealth 16,48,000 XDiavel S  Thrilling Black 19,16,000

Also Watch
Washington: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to slap a 25 per cent tax on import of cars from Europe if the EU retaliated on its decision to impose a 25 per cent import tariff on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium.

The European Union has been particularly tough on the US, Trump told reporters at a joint White House news conference with the visiting Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven.

The Swedish leader during his meeting with Trump had convened the message of the European Union Commission president that if the US put tariffs on steel and aluminum, they will slap back with punitive tariffs on bourbon, and jeans and the motorcycles, that he talks about from Wisconsin.

The EU, Trump rued, makes it almost impossible for the US to do business with them. And yet they send their cars and everything else back into the US, he said.

"And they can do whatever they'd like, but if they do that, then we put a big tax of 25 per cent on their cars, and believe me, they won't be doing it very long. The EU has not treated us well, and it's been a very, very unfair trade situation," Trump said.

"I'm here to protect, and one of the reasons I was elected is I'm protecting our workers, I'm protecting our companies, and I'm not going to let that happen," Trump asserted.

As such Trump asserted that he is going ahead with his plans to sign the executive order to impose import tariffs on steel and aluminium.

"We're doing tariffs on steel. We cannot lose our steel industry. It's a fraction of what it once was. We can't lose our aluminium industry; also a fraction of what it once was. And our country is doing well. The massive tax cuts, and all of the deregulation has really kicked us into gear," he said.

"But I have to work on trade deals. We're working on NAFTA right now, and if we're able to make a deal with Canada and Mexico in NAFTA, then there will be no reason to do the tariffs with Canada and Mexico. But again, other countries, we won't have that choice, unless they can do something for us," Trump said.

"As an example, if the EU takes off some of the horrible barriers that make it impossible for our product to go into there, then we can start talking. Otherwise, we're going to leave it the way it is," Trump said.

The fact is, the US has been mistreated as a country for many years, and it's just not going to happen any longer, he said.

"The US has been taken advantage of by other countries, both friendly and not so friendly for many, many decades. We have a trade deficit of USD 800 billion a year. That's not going to happen with me," he said.

"We have been mistreated by many, sometimes fairly but there are really very few instances where that's taken place. And I don't blame the countries. I blame our leadership for allowing it to happen," he said.

Lofven said it is important for them try to find a way to cooperate between the EU and the US.

"I fully understand and respect the president's view that we have to look after his own country, the country that you're leading. I understand that fully. That's my primary task as well," he said.

When it comes to steel, Lofven said there is an overcapacity in the world.

"That's obvious. But at the same time, it is China that is producing about 50 per cent of the steel in the world, so -- and European Union, perhaps 10 per cent, and less than that," he said.

"So to summarise, it's a European Union mandate, but it was a pity also that the TTIP negotiations ended, because perhaps with negotiations and talks we can come into a situation where the European Union and the United States can cooperate. I think that would be a very good solution, the Swedish Prime Minister said.
Beijing: The India-China bilateral trade has reached USD 84.44 billion last year, a historic high notwithstanding bilateral tensions over a host of issues including the Doklam standoff. A rare novelty of the bilateral trade otherwise dominated by the Chinese exports was about 40 percent increase of Indian exports to China in 2017 totalling to USD 16.34 billion, data of the Chinese General Administration of Customs accessed by PTI here showed.

The bilateral trade in 2017 rose by 18.63 percent year-on-year to reach USD 84.44 billion. It is regarded as a landmark as the volume of bilateral trade for the first time touched USD 80 billion, well above the USD 71.18 billion registered last year. The trade touched historic high despite bilateral tensions over a number of issues including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, China blocking India's efforts to bring about a UN ban on Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar, Beijing blocking India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as well as the longest military standoff at Doklam lasting 73 days.

The bilateral trade stagnated around USD 70 billion for several years despite the leaders of both the countries setting USD 100 billion as the target for 2015. Though it is still about USD 20 billion short, officials on both sides expect trade and Chinese investments in India to pick up further this year as both the governments are trying to scale down tensions and step-up the normalisation process.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit China in June this year to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Qingdao. Reciprocal visits by Chinese leaders too were expected to take place this year. There were also expectations that the new Commerce Minister of China to be named later this week in government reshuffle was expected to visit India in the coming weeks for talks to improve bilateral trade.

While the bilateral trade reached a new landmark, the trade deficit too continues to remain high at USD 51.75 billion - registering a growth of 8.55 percent year-on-year in 2017. According to India's trade figures, the deficit had crossed USD 52 billion last year. India has been pressing China to open the IT and Pharmaceutical sectors for Indian firms to reduce the massive trade deficit. As per the Chinese trade data, India's exports to China increased by 39.11 percent year-on-year to USD 16.34 billion last year. India's imports from China increased by 14.59 percent to USD 68.10 billion. India has emerged as the seventh largest export destination for Chinese products, and the 24th largest exporter to China.

Significantly, diamonds along with copper, iron ore, organic chemicals and cotton yarn contributed to the increase in Indian exports to China. India's exports of diamonds grew 4.93 percent totalling to USD 2.59 billion. India was the second largest exporter of diamonds to China with a market share of 33.06 percent after South Africa.

Also, Indian exports of copper registered a significant increase of 115.78 percent to reach USD 2.15 billion. India's cotton including yarn and woven fabric exports to China showed an increase of 1.86 percent to reach USD 1.30 billion. India was the second largest exporter of cotton to China with 15.04 percent market share last year. India's exports of Zinc to China showed a sharp increase, taking it to USD 240 million.

China's exports, on the other hand, were dominated by electrical machinery and equipment registering an increase of 28.23 percent to USD 21.77 billion. India was the largest destination for China's Fertilisers exports registering 16.98 percent of its total Fertilizers worth USD 1.03 billion to India. India was also the largest export destination for Chinese Antibiotics- with exports worth USD 783 million taking place in 2017. Chinse exports were also led by organic chemicals, worth USD 6.56 billion in 2017.
New Delhi: The government has reiterated its pitch for a sovereign rating upgrade to Fitch, citing strong economic fundamentals, a finance ministry official said after a meeting with the global rating agency on Wednesday.

Fitch rates India as BBB, the lowest investment grade sovereign rating, with a stable outlook.

The government has assured Fitch that it will bring down the fiscal deficit to 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2020-21, the official told reporters, adding it is "conscious" of the impact of a high fiscal deficit on inflation.

The government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi diverted from a fiscal consolidation roadmap when it announced last month a fiscal deficit target of 3.3 percent for the year 2018/19 starting in April, higher than the 3.0 percent projected earlier.

"India's sovereign ratings deserves to be upgraded considering strong macro economic fundamentals and a number of reforms," said the official, who attended the meeting but declined to be identified as it was not public.

Fitch kept its sovereign rating on India unchanged last month following the 2018/19 budget announcement, citing high combined federal and state government debt as a key constraint on the rating.

While rival global rating agency Moody's Investors Service upgraded India's sovereign rating in November, for the first time in 14 years, Standard & Poor's has also kept its rating unchanged.

The official also downplayed concerns over slow revenue collection due to the new goods and services tax, saying that the system will stabilise in the next seven to eight months.

The government also assured Fitch that the country's debt to GDP ratio will come down to 40 percent in the next few years, the finance ministry official said, a median level for BBB rated sovereigns cited by Fitch.
A Woman Who Banks on Toys To Bring Smiles to Every Child's Face

While most of us are busy planning our next vacation, Vidyun Goel is busy thinking of ways to expand her venture - The Toy Bank - that takes care of kids who are less fortunate.

Vidyun, a young MBA graduate, didn't think twice about quitting her corporate job to create some serious good in the world and change lives for the better, and is thereby setting an example for many. Her mantra in life is to donate toys, help kids get an unforgettable childhood and bring the change in her own little way.

Kat Katha: Women Turning Brothels Into Classrooms

In the red light district of Delhi, a group of women are slowly turning brothels into classrooms.

Theyre not just transforming the lives of sex workers (didis, as they like to address them) kids, but are offering them a safe haven in an area full of dark secrets.

Gitanjali Babbar and Ritumoni Das, along with a dedicated group of volunteers, are providing the kids with education and skills-learning classes; dancing, art and craft, theatre and also helping the sex worker attain a life of quality.

Living with Down Syndrome

Aditi Verma is 23 years old. She lives with Down syndrome but that has not affected her from chasing her dream. Aditi has managed to beat the odds and owns a restaurant in Mumbais Navi Mumbai area, called Aditis Corner. She handles the orders, phone calls, inventory and accounts and is spearheading her restaurant with ease. Aditis parents believe she has made them proud being a special child, the way any other child would have done.

Meet Seema, She May Just Deliver Your Next Order

Seema has been going from door-to-door to deliver packages ordered from Amazon for the last 18 months. The 27-year-old is one of the first women who was trained by Even Cargo, a startup that offers delivery services for e-commerce companies. All of its half a dozen delivery personnel are women. While her relatives often complain to her father about her 'mard' (male) behaviour, she has become an inspiration to many young women in her neighbourhood.

The Adventure Biker Whos Conquering Heights

Pallavi Fauzdar is the first person in the world to conquer all the three highest passes in India  Umlingla pass, Sathatola and Mana pass. Recently, she took a Triumph Bonneville T100 to her latest Ladakh adventures and named a newly discovered pass after the bike  Bonnie La. For her accomplishments, she has been awarded by President and other top-ranking officials from government.

India's First Bike Taxi For Women By Women

'Pink', a color generally associated with women, has now been given a new dimension with India's first women bike taxi service, 'Bikxie Pink'. This app-based service is not only cheap for commuting but also has the benefit of safety for women. Launched by Divya Kalia in Gurugram, 'Bikxie Pink' allows mobility and employment to women and also serves as the one-stop bike taxi service in the city.

Fixing Punctures, Changing Tyres

Nidhi Tiwari, founder of Women Beyond Boundaries, has been empowering women through her academy that prepares adventurers to undertake overland travels.

An Army-wife and a mother of two, Nidhi undertakes overland expeditions to far-flung corners of the globe to connect with people, cultures, environment and landscape. She says, "The travels not only provide insights to society (outside) and also reflect help us reflect within." She strongly advocates that mobility is the key for women to integrate with the socio-economic fabric of the country.

Nidhi's motive is to build skill sets of women drivers to not just be mobile, but also own public roads & highways, tough terrain tracks and more.

#BeingAWoman is a special series to celebrate womanhood in todays India on the occasion of International Womens Day 2018.
404

We're sorry! The page you were looking for couldn't be found.
New Delhi: After Lenin and Periyar statues, a statue of B R Ambedkar was vandalised in Meerut districts Mawana Khurd on Wednesday morning.

Uttar Pradesh police swung into action and rushed a team to the spot to avoid any untoward incident. However, sources said that it is not a fall-out of any political vendetta, but related to local caste tension. No clashes have been reported in the area and the statue has been re-installed, they said.

Two days ago a finger of a BR Ambedkar statue was found broken in Aligarh, following which local residents had protested. Last year also there were reports of Ambedkar statue vandalism in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar.

Calling B R Ambedkar a "holy symbol", Dalit activist John Dayal condemned the incident. He further said BJP should expel H Raja for his casteist Periyar post, which was put up hours before the Periyar statue was vandalised in Tamil Nadu.

From statues to human beings, we are just a step away. And this is scary. This has to be condemned. H Raja should be arrested immediately for creating hatred among communities. Its a criminal act, and I am surprised that BJP did not throw him out. Its going to affect the party severly in South. Tripura governor Tathagatha Roys statement has only added fuel to the fire and he should not have tweeted that, Dayal said.
Thiruvananthapuram: In an unprecedented development, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday ordered a probe against a Cardinal in connection with the controversial land deal in Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese.

The court ordered the police to lodge an FIR and conduct a detail investigation against Cardinal Mar George Alencherry who is also the head of the Syro-Malabar Church and three others, including two senior priests.

The three other accused are Joshy Puthuva, the Procurator (finance officer) of the archdiocese, Sebastian Vadakkumpadan, a Pro Vicar General and Saju Varghese, a middleman for the land sale.

The court came down heavily upon the Cardinal during the proceedings which began on Tuesday morning.

The court observed that the 'Cardinal is not a king' and nobody is above the law. This came as a reply to the argument of the Cardinal's counsel that the Cardinal is 'the supreme authority and a King cannot do wrong'.

However, the court observed that Cardinal is only a representative for conducting the transactions on behalf of the Diocese. The assets do not belong to the Cardinal or the priests as it belongs to the Diocese. The contention that the Major Archbishop (the Cardinal) is the supreme authority head of the Church cannot be accepted. Even the canon law does not consider the Cardinal as the supreme authority, said the court.

The counsel for the Cardinal had argued that there is no need for an investigation on the deal as a magisterial-level probe is being conducted in the matter.

However, the court said that conducting a police investigation is not an obstacle to a magisterial probe.

The Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese, in 2016, had sold a three-acre property in Kochi to repay a bank loan worth Rs 60 crore it had taken to purchase another property in the district for a medical college. Though the agent appointed for the deal estimated the land's value at Rs 27.30 crore, a section of the priests and the laity claimed that its real value would be more than Rs 80 crore.
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation has sought the permission of a special court to conduct a narco analysis on Karti Chidambaram, who is an accused in the INX Media money laundering case.

The agency has moved two more applications in the court of Justice Sunil Rana. It has sought a production warrant for Indrani Mukerjea, who was the director in INX Media, and Karti's Chartered Accountant S Bhaskaraman, so that the accused can be "confronted with both of them."

The third application been filed to seek permission of the court to record the statement of Indrani, so the agency could have her statement on record. Till now, it has been relying on the statement she gave to the Enforcement Directorate in a parallel investigation.

During the last hearing, CBI had submitted the confession of Indrani under Section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code, in which Mukherjee had stated that she and her husband, Peter Mukerjea had met Karti to discuss FIPB approval to INX media and paid a bribe of 7 lakh USD to Karti.

According to sources, the decision to seek a narco-analysis test was taken because Karti has remained "evasive" in his answers to the CBI.

CBI counsel and additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, had on Tuesday, told the court that Kartis interrogation has not yielded much result till now and he only answers the case is politically motivated.

As per law, a narco analysis can only be conducted after seeking permission from the court. Narco analysis technique involves intravenous administration of sodium pentothal, a drug which lowers inhibitions on part of the subject and induces the person to talk freely.

The agency is likely to move the applications on March 9, when the court would hear the case again.

Special CBI Judge Sunil Rana had on March 6 extended CBIs custody of Karti for three days after the agency claimed to have come across a new piece of concrete evidence against the son of former finance minister P Chidambaram.

The court on Wednesday also deferred its order on the bail plea filed by S Bhaskararaman, who has also been arrested in the case. Special CBI judge Sunil Rana said the order will be pronounced on March 12.

Bhaskararaman sought bail on the ground that he was not required for custodial interrogation and no purpose would be served by keeping him in custody.

The CA was sent to jail on February 26 on expiry of his custodial interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had arrested him on February 16 from a five-star hotel in the heart of the national capital.

Karti's name had cropped up in the case relating to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2007 for receipt of funds by INX Media when his father and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram was the union finance minister during the previous UPA regime.

The ED had earlier claimed that during the course of investigation, it was revealed that Bhaskararaman had been assisting Karti to manage his "ill-gotten wealth" in India and abroad.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday questioned the law and order situation in the capital while hearing the bail plea of one of the two AAP MLAs, arrested for allegedly assaulting Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash.

The court said it was concerned that if "a person" can be assaulted in the presence of the Delhi chief minister and the deputy chief minister, what will happen at other places.

"At a place where the chief minister is sitting, a person is assaulted. What is the law and order situation. This is happening in front of the chief minister. I am not going on the personality of the person who was assaulted. You need to answer this," Justice Mukta Gupta said.

The court's remark came while hearing the bail plea of Deoli MLA Prakash Jarwal, who was arrested on February 20 in connection with the chief secretary's assault case.

The judge said, "I am concerned that if a person is assaulted in the presence of the chief minister and deputy chief minister, what will happen at other places? How should I be satisfied that no such incident would take place in future?"

The court, which has called for a file relating to Jarwal's previous criminal case, would resume the hearing on his bail plea after some time.

The court is also scheduled to hear the bail application of another AAP's Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan, who was also arrested in the case on February 21.

During the hearing, senior advocates Rebecca John and Dayan Krishnan, appearing for Jarwal, sought bail for him saying that he was ready to abide by any condition and will give it on an affidavit that if he violates any condition, his bail shall be cancelled.

The counsel further claimed that only heated arguments took place between the MLAs and the chief secretary (CS) and no assault took place.

The police, in its status report filed through advocate Sanjay Lau, said that as per the medical report of the senior bureaucrat, his injuries were of simple nature but two of the provisions invoked on Jarwal were non-bailable.

While opposing the bail plea, he termed the incident as "very unfortunate" and said the police has collected the video recording from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, where the incident took place.

He told the court that Jarwal's name was not mentioned in the FIR because the CS was initially not aware of the name of those who assaulted him.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the CS, filed an intervention application and opposed Jarwal's bail plea saying the bureaucrat was called in the room consciously because no camera were there and he was made to sit between two persons.

The high court had on March 1 issued notice to Delhi Police on Jarwal's bail plea and sought a status report in the matter.

Amanatullah Khan had on Tuesday moved his bail plea before the high court.

Jarwal and Khan are undergoing 14-day judicial custody, which expires on Thursday, in connection with the alleged assault on the bureaucrat during a meeting at Arvind Kejriwal's residence on the night of February 19.

A magisterial court had earlier denied bail to both of them, saying the matter cannot be treated in "a casual and routine manner" while dubbing them as "history-sheeters".

Jarwal had then moved a sessions court and was again denied the relief with the court saying the situation could not be more alarming when lawmakers do not respect the rule of law.
Morocco reiterated to UN Secretary Generals Personal Envoy, Horst Kohler, its unwavering position regarding its territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Sahara and the pertinence of the autonomy proposal as a lasting solution to the artificial dispute.

Moroccos stand was reaffirmed at a bilateral meeting held in Lisbon Tuesday between Horst Kohler and a Moroccan delegation led by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.

Speaking to the press, Bourita described the talks as  rich and fruitful.

Overall, the talks took place in an atmosphere of serenity and discussions were rich and fruitful in an atmosphere of mutual respect Bourita told reporters.

He said the meeting cannot be described as negotiations but rather an event to discuss the latest development on the Sahara issue.

Bourita added that the talks were an opportunity to recall the genesis of the Sahara dispute as well as the geopolitical factors that caused the artificial dispute over Moroccos sovereignty over the Sahara.

The bilateral talks with the UN official also tackled the Maghreb integration deadlock and the cost of the lack of a regional union in the Maghreb, he said.

Morocco made it clear that no solution for the Sahara conflict can be found outside the Kingdoms sovereignty and its territorial integrity in line with Royal instructions and vision, said Bourita, adding that talks should include real stakeholders in this dispute, in an allusion to Algeria.

Bourita also stressed that the UN processes in the Sahara should continue without any intervention of other regional or international organizations while avoiding the marginal issues that threaten to derail the whole process from its political character.

The Moroccan delegation attending the talks also included Moroccos permanent representative to the UN Omar Hilale, President of the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra region, Sidi Hamdi Ould Errachid, and President of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region Ynja Khattat.

Kohler, who invited the parties to the Sahara conflict to separate talks, held meetings in Berlin with delegations from Algeria and Mauritania, and with delegates of the Polisario.

The United Nations opened negotiations between Morocco and the stakeholders to the Sahara issue in 2007, after Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the Sahara that the UN Security Council deemed as serious and credible. Several negotiation rounds were held since then, with the latest taking place outside of New York in 2012, but no progress was made.
Thane: Well-known criminal lawyer Shyam Keswani on Tuesday said fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is reportedly "keen to return to India" but with certain preconditions which are not acceptable to the Indian government.

Speaking to the media outside the Thane Court, where he represented Iqbal Ibrahim Kaskar (the absconder don's brother) in an extortion case, the lawyer said among the conditions Dawood has stipulated are that he should be lodged only in the high-secure precincts of Arthur Road Central Jail (ARCJ) in Mumbai.

"He had also conveyed his intentions through (former union minister and eminent lawyer) Ram Jethmalani a few years ago but the Indian government has not entertained any of his preconditions to return," Keswani said.

The ARCJ is the same prison where the Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was lodged for nearly four years till his hanging for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

Keswani's statement on Dawood's desire to return came more than six months after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray made a similar revelation in Mumbai.

In his explosive remarks, Thackeray had claimed that not only was Dawood keen to come back but he was reportedly negotiating a 'settlement' with the Modi government.

The MNS chief further said Dawood was very sick and wanted to breathe his last in India.

In a related development, Iqbal was sent to police custody till Friday by a Special Court here on Tuesday in a land-grab and extortion case filed against him by the Thane Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC).

At least two others wanted in this case  Bhavar Kothar and Bharat Jain  are absconding, said AEC chief Pradeep Sharma.

Opposing the police custody of Iqbal, currently in judicial custody for other cases, Keswani said it was puzzling when the crime was committed since his client (Iqbal) has been in police and judicial custody in Thane since his arrest on September 19 from Mumbai.

This is the same case in which, for the first time, the police have shown the three Kaskar siblings - Dawood, Anees (both absconding) and Iqbal - as accused.

The case pertains to alleged extortion of Rs 3 crore from a builder in a deal involving a 38-acre plot of land worth crores of rupees in Gorai, a coastal village in south-west Thane.
New Delhi: Ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's maiden India trip, French sources said on Wednesday that it would not be a business as usual visit" and asserted that apart from conventional areas of cooperation such as nuclear energy and defence, the thrust would be on boosting ties in maritime and space fields.

While the French sources did not say whether the two countries would ink a pact in the nuclear energy sector, India officials told PTI that an agreement to expedite the Jaitapur nuclear plant was expected to be signed during the presidential visit. France has also been strongly supporting India's bid for membership of the export-control regime Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Special emphasis would be (laid on) cooperation in the Indian Ocean during the talks (between Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi), a French source said, noting that France has strong economic and military interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The remarks by the French side assume significance in the backdrop of India, the US, Japan and Australia coming together and holding discussions on the sidelines of the India-ASEAN Summit in Manila last year on ways to boost cooperation in the IOR.

France has military and naval bases in the IOR, which also has a sizeable French population. The IOR has also been witnessing increasing naval presence of China.

Macrons trip would not be a business as usual visit and the thrust will be on intensifying partnership in other areas, including space and trade, the sources said, and noted that the two leaders (Modi and Macron) will be spending a lot of time together and the visit has been planned that way".

Defence has been one of the key pillars of strategic partnership and the visit will also focus on this aspect, the French source added. India has signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafale jets.

Asked if international issues, including non-proliferation, will be discussed, the French source said all issues of mutual interest will be deliberated upon. The source also noted that there was a convergence of views between France and India, a "global power", on several issues such as rule of law and democratic values.

Cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism will also be discussed during the bilateral meeting between Modi and Macron on March 10. The French President will be accompanied by a business delegation of CEOs of 40 French companies, including those from the defence sector.

The bilateral trade between India and France for the period from April 2016 to March 2017 reached USD 10.95 billion. France is the 9th largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative investment of USD 6.09 billion from April 2000 to October 2017.

Macron arrives here on March 9, his first trip to India. The next day he will hold delegation-level talks with Modi. He will also take part in a Town Hall and have an interactive session, in which nearly 300 students from different levels and institutions are expected to participate on March 10.

On the same day, he will also attend a Knowledge Summit which will be attended by more than 200 academicians from both sides. On March 11, Macron will attend the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Summit, an initiative mooted by France and India. The ISA Summit, expected to be attended by several heads of the states and governments, is likely to focus on concrete projects.

Macron will also visit Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Modi, on March 11. He, along with Modi, will inaugurate a solar plant in Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh.
Bengaluru: Four days after 37-year-old KT Naveen Kumar was taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with journalist Gauri Lankeshs murder, two larger questions still loom  What was he doing with 15 cartridges and how did he get access to it?

Kumar, who was picked up for illegal possession of bullets of the same kind that were used to kill Lankesh, is an ammunition supplier. However, he did not even possess a weapon when he was caught in the bustling Majestic bus station here in Bengaluru. While the SIT has taken him into custody for eight days, it is yet not known whether the team is ready to directly charge him with any offence later this week or will they seek extension of custody to question him for more days.

The reason to seek extension of custody is to find out answers to larger questions. Sources said that the SIT is intrigued by two things. First, why did Kumar need these bullets? And secondly, was he ferrying it to someone for something? If so, what?

It is the pre-supposition that he could have possibly been aiding or abetting another hit-job that has put the SIT on his trail now  why else would anyone need bullets, unless he was either using them or supplying them to someone?

We know that country-made guns are easily available as there is a network of tribals who manufacture these in Madhya Pradesh, and they supply these weapons to people in north Karnataka. But the bullets dont come easy. You have to procure bullets only from licensed dealers and those who take their supply from Ordnance factories. So, where did Naveen get his supply from, and for what, is the question, said a Crime Branch official, who was part of the first team that arrested him on February 19.

While someone can possibly access gunpowder and cartridges, it is next to impossible to manufacture the small metal pin known as the percussion cap, which are the trigger points for these bullets  these are only made in Ordnance factories, and then supplied to licenced arms dealers/ shops under regulated methods.

For someone to access 15 of the 0.32 revolver bullets could not have been easy. This supply chain is another element of the investigation  just as they have cracked down on the gun-dealers of north Karnataka over the last four months.

Even as it was being said that Kumar is affiliated with right-wing Hindu organizations, Hindu Rakshana Vedike in Karnataka distanced itself from Kumar even as it was being that he is affiliated with right-wing Hindu organizations.

Sources said that Kumar had floated his own Hindu outfit called the Hindu Yuva Sene a few years ago. He has been under surveillance ever since he reportedly boasted to a friend about the bullets he possessed and how he was planning another job, they said.



Kumar has been linked to members who are close to radical Hindutva groups like the Sanatan Sanstha  which has been under the scanner of investigating authorities elsewhere, for suspected roles in the killings of rationalists Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar in Maharashtra.

The SIT is now trying to ascertain the identity of other suppliers to apprehend all involved in the killing. Call data records of course are being scanned as in any investigation  and the last number of calls that Kumar has been receiving from public call booths has led to greater suspicions on who he was dealing with.

The only persons who still use public call phones are those who want to maintain anonymity. So this is something we are working on, but it is taking its time as he has received calls from ten different places, some of them far from each other, while he himself resided with his wife in Birur in Chikkamagalur, said the crime branch officer.

Who could be possible targets?

In the last four months, there have been at least three persons who have either directly faced threats or against whom there has been a threat perception. Two of them  a current MLC and a retired IAS officer are persons prominently working for a separate religion status for the Lingayat community and have talked about how they received blank calls.

A third is an academic who lives in Mysore  Prof K S Bhagwan, who was directly threatened on social media within two days of the murder of Prof M M Kalburgi in Dharwad in August 2015. Known as a rationalist and researcher who has questioned Hindu beliefs and published books on the same, he has often got on the wrong side of Hindutva proponents and he was even accorded security by the police for the open threats he received at the time.

What the SIT is now probing is if indeed Prof Bhagwan was next on the target list  since those who plotted the Lankesh killing may have been emboldened by the fact that the trail has run cold  or if there are others too who could be on their radar.
Jaipur: Broad-chested men, about whom women once dreamt of, are no longer visible, Rajasthan Women's Commission chairperson Suman Sharma said on Wednesday as she wondered how boys in low waist jeans could protect their sisters when they cannot even handle their trousers.

Sharma, who expressed her sartorial grouse at an event organised on the eve of the International Women's Day, also advised women that they should not feel so "unbound" in the name of freedom that an imbalance is created in the society.

"There was a time when every girl used to desire a man, who has a broad chest and thick chest hair. But today, no broad-chested man can be seen and they wear sagging jeans. "How can one, who can't even handle his jeans, protect sisters?" Sharma, a former chief of the state BJP's women's wing, asked.

The concept of 'zero' figure was in vogue among girls, she said and asked what had happened to the boys. They are wearing earrings and looking like girls, the state women's panel chief lamented.

"I am not criticising...but we need to change this. We need to prepare boys with broad chests and it is our responsibility and the responsibility of mothers to inculcate values among the children," Sharma said.

Continuing in the same vein, she added that even women, "in the name of freedom", should not feel so "unbound" that any "imbalance" in family or society is created. "Women, too, cannot go a long way if they leave the men behind," she said, adding that both are "parallel" to each other and this system should not be disturbed.

"Therefore, balance should be there in the society, and women should take a pledge that we will inculcate values in our children and play a positive and constructive role in building a good society," the state women's panel chief said.
Indian Army Recruitment Rally 2018 for various categories viz Soldier General Duty, Soldier Clerk/SKT, Soldier Technical and Soldier Nursing Assistant is scheduled to be organized from 1st April 2018 to 10th April 2018 at the Dholewal Military Complex, Ludhiana for candidates of Ludhiana, Moga, Roopnagar and SAS Nagar (Mohali) District.

Candidates that cherish the aim to serve the nation can apply online on or before 16th March 2018, by following the instructions given below:

How to Apply:

Step 1: Visit the official website of the Indian Army - http://joinindianarmy.nic.in

Step 2: Click on the notification that reads, Army Recruitment Rally Notification ARO Ludhiana: April 2018 and go through the official advertisement

Step 3: Click on 'Apply Online' tab given on the Right Hand Side of the screen to complete the application process

Step 4: Download the confirmation page and take a printout for further reference

Step 5: Download the self declaration affidavit from the official notification and carry it along with your Admit Card on the day allotted to you (as mentioned on your Admit Card)

Selection Process:

The candidates will be screened during the Recruitment Rally and the date and location of Common Entrance Exam (CEE) to candidates will be shared during the rally itself.

Official Advertisement for Indian Army Recruitment Rally 2018 Ludhiana, Punjab

The eligibility criteria, educational qualification, age and physical requirement differ for different posts, candidates must read the same at the official advertisement:

http://joinindianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/Portal/BRAVO_NotificationPDF/Fresh_Rally_Notification_Ludhiana.pdf

The official advertisement also reads a caution against touts for the candidates as well as ex-servicemen, "Do not Waste your money on touts, Recruiting Process has been computerized, and touts cannot be of any help. Have faith in your hard work."

"The pension/service of any ex-serviceman/serving personnel, if found involved in touting, will be terminated," it further read.
New Delhi: On a day when Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu warned of severing ties with the NDA, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley reached out to him saying the Centre will stand by all its commitments regarding the funds that were promised to the state after its bifurcation.

However, he added a rider, saying, Sentiments do not define the quantum of funds as the Centre has to look at a number of things. We have paid Rs 4,000 crore towards revenue deficit to Andhra Pradesh, only Rs 138 crore remains. We are committed to giving monetary equivalent to special status to Andhra Pradesh.

Jaitleys statement comes close on the heels of TDP hinting at quitting its alliance with the BJP-led NDA. TDP is an alliance partner of BJP in both Centre and Andhra Pradesh.

Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday virtually put the BJP on notice and demanded that the Centre honour the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and come out with a clear stand on the state's demands in the next two-three days.

Or else, he said, TDP leaders would take the "right decision at the right time", amid speculation that the party may pull out of the Narendra Modi government. Noting that Andhra Pradesh is "a special case", he said that the Centre should provide industrial incentives to it as is done for northeastern states.

"For four years, I did not raise any demand, hoping that being an ally, the BJP will honour the promises made in its manifesto as well and implement the Reorganisation Act in letter and spirit," said Naidu, reminding that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has promised to offer special status to the state if the Congress comes to power.

Jaitley, however, sent out a message to Naidu, saying, "Political issues cannot increase quantum of money because Centre does not have free floating funds. Every state in India has a right to same central funds in the same manner. I have been sympathetic to AP because I know it suffered due to bifurcation."

The finance minister took several minutes to explain the terms "special category" and "special package".

He said, "We are willing to satisfy every condition. Only variation is that after Finance Commission report instead of formally calling it a special category state, we are calling it a special package, which gives same monetary benefits that a special category state gives you."

Jaitley added that after the 14th Finance Commission report, the term "special category status" doesn't exist any longer. However, to make up for that, the Centre would give Andhra Pradesh funds equivalent to what a special category status state gets, he said.

For special category status category states, the Centre meets 90 per cent of the funds required in a centrally sponsored scheme as against 60 per cent in case of normal category states. The remaining funds are provided by the state governments.

He said the Centre had committed 90 per cent of the funds for centrally sponsored schemes in Andhra Pradesh, equivalent to special category states, through other means like external agencies like World Bank, but the state government wanted funds to be routed through agri-lending bank NABARD. The Centre is agreeable to even that provided a mechanism is worked out, he told reporters at his office here.

Earlier in the day, TD MP TG Venkatesh criticised the Centre and even threatened to quit the alliance with BJP. He said, Jaitley was blunt in saying no special status and didn't show any flexibility. We are left with no option but to leave the alliance. A decision will be announced by CM Naidu. It will start with the resignations of ministers and will be taken forward. The Congress is also a culprit in this issue, so there is no question of joining them as it doesn't solve our problem.

Asked about Congress President Rahul Gandhis promise to get Andhra the special category status, Jaitley said, I have to follow constitutional award.
Imphal: One army personnel was martyred and 3 others were injured in an IED blast in Manipurs Chandel district on Tuesday. The blast took place at around 4 pm between the Armys company operating base at Khengjoi and L Bongjoi village near the Indo-Myanmar border.

The martyred army jawan has been identified as Sepoy Abhijit Mandal of 28 Rajput under IGAR South. The injured personnel of 28 Rajput have been identified as Naik Rajkumar, Sepoy Daya Ram and Sepoy Rinku.

United National Liberation Front of Manipur (UNLF) has claimed the responsibility for the ambush in Chandel.

They have been admitted to the military hospital at Leimakhong. Army sources say they are now in stable condition. A second blast took place on the same day at Kamzong, Ukhrul district at a civilians house. No one was injured in the incident.

In another incident, unidentified miscreants lobbed two hand grenades at Sanjeevani ground in Imphal West causing no injuries or casualties. Search operations are on. The army, in a statement on Wednesday, said they have intensified operations against insurgents.
New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician Jaya Bachchan will be the Samajwadi Partys candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from the state of Uttar Pradesh, sources said. The seats of 6 Samajwadi Party MPs and one MP each from BSP, Congress and BJP will fall vacant in April 2018. In addition to this, the seat vacated by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati in July 2017 has also been lying vacant ever since. In all, 10 seats will be up for grabs from UP this year.

Samajwadi Party sources said that party chose Bachchan over senior party leader Naresh Aggarwal, who is one of the MPs whose term is about to end this April. According to reports, this was done to placate the faction led by SP Chief Akhilesh Yadavs uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav, who is said to be upset with Aggarwal for allegedly colluding with the BJP.

Bachchan is a three-time MP, who was first elected to the Rajya Sabha by the Samajwadi Party in 2004. She remained a member till March 2006, before being elected to the Upper House again in June of 2006. She was re-elected for a third term in 2012.

10 seats from Uttar Pradesh will be vacant in 2018 and the BJP will be in a comfortable position. A candidate from UP will require the support of 37 MLAs. With 325 MLAs in 403-member assembly, BJP is assured of at least 8 seats. The Samajwadi Party (SP), with its 47 MLAs will be able to send a single member to the Upper House.

However, SP faces the risk of losing that position, if the factionalism within the party threatens to divide votes. It may then require the help of its alliance partner Congress (7 MLAs). The Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (19 MLAs) will not be in a position to elect even a single MLA, even if they were to join forces. In that eventuality, the BJP will walk away with 9 of the 10 vacant seats. However, if the Congress, BSP and both factions of the SP were to come together, they will be able to elect one more combined member to the Rajya Sabha, reducing the BJP to 8 MPs.

The BSP has already declared that a former MLA of the party, Bhimrao Ambedkar, as their nominee for the Rajya Sabha. Hailing from Etawah, Ambedkar, who shares his name with the Dalit idol, represented Lakhna Assembly constituency.
Washington: A US Navy veteran charged with killing of Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla and injuring two others at a suburban Kansas City bar last year, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to premeditated first-degree murder.

Adam Purinton, 52, pleaded guilty before a Kansas court.

He was charged with first-degree murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of his friend, Alok Madasani, and a bystander, who chased Purinton after he fled the Austin's Bar and Grill in Olathe city on February 22, last year.

Puriton had pleaded not guilty on all these charges and waived his preliminary hearing in late November 2017.

Kuchibhotla's widow welcomed the guilty plea.

"Today's guilty verdict will not bring back my Srinu, but it will send a strong message that hate is never acceptable," she said in a statement.

According to court documents, Purinton's plea hearing was originally scheduled for May 8 but later it was moved to March 6.

Witnesses said Purinton yelled at the two Indian men to "get out of my country" before pulling the trigger.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Purinton committed offences after substantial planning and premeditation, attempted to kill more than one person in a single criminal episode, and knowingly created a grave risk of death to others on the scene.

Purinton faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanatha Shetty was stabbed thrice by a youth inside his office in Bengaluru on Wednesday. He is being treated at the Mallya Hospital and sources confirmed that he is out of danger.

According to sources, Justice Shettys life was saved because he was wearing a three-piece suit, which stopped the knife from going in too deep. The accused, one Tejraj Sharma from Tumkur district, was apprehended from the scene.

Home Minister R Ramalinga Reddy told News18 that Justice Shetty is being provided the best possible treatment. We dont know if the accused had taken an appointment with the Lokayukta or just barged into his chambers. The police are interrogating him, Reddy said.

A shaken Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has also rushed to the hospital to see the Lokayukta. He (the accused) was allowed inside the chamber. Lokayukta has a gunman. But he was sitting outside. Lot of people come to see me also. Not all are frisked. We will also look into security lapse angle, he said.

Police sources told News18 that Tejraj, who runs a furniture business, had gone to Justice Shetty's chamber around 1.30pm in connection with a corruption case and stabbed him. He had even given his name and address in the visitors log book at the premises.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Suneel Kumar said that preliminary investigations have revealed that Tejraj had filed a complaint with the Lokayukta against 10 government officers who deal with supply of furniture.

He was unhappy that his complaint was not being heard. This is the fourth time he had complained to the Lokayukta that he wasn't getting tenders and that could be the motive. It is being treated as an attempt to murder, he said.

When asked how the man was able to walk into the chamber with a knife, the Bengaluru top cop said the metal detector placed outside wasn't working. We are looking into the security lapses... Not sure how the Lokayukta keeps the gunman placed... Still to get the clarification on that, he said.

The political blame game has already begun over the issue. The opposition BJP and JDS have attacked the ruling Congress in the poll-bound state for total collapse of law and order.

Former PM and JDS chief HD Deve Gowda has condemned the incident describing it as failure of Siddaramaiah government. The BJP also launched an attack on the state government after the horrific incident. State BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa has said that law and order in Karnataka had completely collapsed under Siddaramaiah.

I am shell shocked at the incident. Judge Vishwanath Shetty stabbed by a person at his chamber. This happens to an honourable Judge in Karnataka. Lawlessness prevails in Karnataka #Ask4SafeKarnataka. Let's pray for Sri Vishwanath Shetty, union minister Sadananda Gowda tweeted.
The United States will give more than $533 million in humanitarian aid for victims of conflicts and drought in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and the West and Central African countries bordering Lake Chad, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

Tillerson made the announcement at a speech in Virginia before departing for a week-long trip to several African countries.

The tour begins in Ethiopia where Tillerson is expected to meet government and African Union Commission officials in Addis Ababa. He will later visit Kenya, Nigeria, Chad and Djibouti.

In a statement, the US State Department says Tillerson will discuss, among other things, counterterrorism, trade and investment.

The top US diplomats first trip to Africa is seen as a good opportunity for the US to reaffirm ties with African nations after President Donald Trump referred to the continent and Haiti in a derogatory manner earlier this year.

Tillersons visit also comes after the recent mass kidnapping of schoolgirls in Nigeria. State Department officials say finding ways to combat such incidents and promoting counterterrorism and security cooperation are high priorities for the top US diplomat.

The United States recently put several affiliates of the Islamic State (IS) terror group in Africa on the terrorism blacklist in an effort to cut off their financial support from within the United States.
New Delhi: The arguments for and against CBIs demand for Karti Chidambarams custody were now over. The special CBI Judge was writing the order in his chamber. In the courtroom a milieu of lawyers, journalists, Congress men from Tamil Nadu and CBI sleuths were all waiting and chitchatting. Also present there was Karti Chidambaram sitting about 10 feet away from his parents.

This was a welcome break, after five days of sustained custodial interrogation. Karti, like any other accused in police custody, was completely cut off from rest of the world. Mobile phones seized, no newspaper or television allowed. Only people he could talk to were the CBI sleuths. If the world had changed in those five days, he would have no means to know.

For any undertrial, either in police custody or in jail, court appearances are always special. It gives them those moments of freedom. Using this privilege, Karti requested a local journalist to read out the days headlines. He appeared cool as he engaged in a little banter with the journalists and the investigators.

The attempt at keeping a brave front was clear but the fear in the Chidambaram camp was visible and palpable. How long will he be able to remain strong, how many days before he breaks down?

Amidst the chatter inside the courtroom, some of those close to P Chidambaram were heard talking about the judge. They also said Karti was still being strong, still holding on but the CBI was trying to weaken him. Trying to make him say things that he doesnt want. The CBI wants him to spill it out, so that they can reach PC.

The palpable question in the entire Chidambaram camp is how long can Karti remain strong? That he has not provided an iota of input to the Bureau is clear in the arguments put forth by the CBI in the court. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, arguing for the CBI told the court that for every question that has been asked Kartis reply has been I am a victim of political vendetta.

But the sustained interrogation is not over for Karti yet. As he spends two more days in CBI custody, sources say Enforcement Directorate(ED) is getting ready. If he fails get relief from the Supreme Court in the ED case, there is a high possibility of being arrested again by ED. The remand home will change from CBI Headquarters to ED office, but the line of questioning will remain the same.

And if he breaks down, the agencies will have the prized catch. The great game now is just to wait and watch, would junior Chidambaram be able to hold on for the senior? As for the government and its investigative agency, Karti is after all is just a means to reach that desired end.
CBSE has released special instructions for Open School and Private candidates who are applying for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - NEET UG 2018. Earlier on 1st March 2018, CBSE had released a notification stating that NIOS/State Open School and Private candidates can apply for NEET UG 2018 as per the orders of Honble High Court of Delhi.

However, their candidature to apply for NEET 2018 is subject to the outcome of Writ Petitions. As per the special instructions notice, NIOS, State Open School and Private candidates may submit details as suggested below under the information of Class XI of their NEET UG 2018 Application Form:

1. Name of School/College - Same as of Class XII

2. Year of Passing - One Year before the Passing of Class XII

3. Place of Study - As Applicable

4. State where Class XI School/College is located - As of Class XII

5. District where Class XI School/College is located - As of Class XII

The special instructions have been issued as many NIOS students had confusion regarding information required for Class XI details while filling the NEET 2018 online application form. NIOS and private candidates can now refer to the above guidelines issued by CBSE to fill their forms on or before 9th March 2018.
New Delhi: Condemning the vandalism of Periyar statue in Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Wednesday said that it was being done to divert attention from the Cauvery water issue.

This is diversionary tactic. I believe this is done to divert attention from the fact that the government has not constituted Cauvery water management board. My request to people and media is not to fall for all this and get diverted. We need to focus on our issues. I keep reiterating that all this is being done to divert attention from Cauvery water issue, he said during a press conference.

While granting an additional 14.75 TMC of Cauvery water to Karnataka, the Supreme Court had said in February that a Cauvery Water Management board will be set up and Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal will have control over water allocation, and not the states. Haasan said that the vandalism incident could surely be an orchestrated event to divert attention from allocation of water. He further said that if they (government) are serious, they should take action against all involved.

Meanwhile, CPM-M staged a road roko protest near the BJP office in Chennai to demand strict action against H Raja. DMK leader Kanimozhi also asked government to take action against the BJP leader.

According to police, the glasses and the nose of the Periyar statue inside Tirupathur Corporation Office in Vellore were damaged by the vandals around 9pm on Tuesday. The men were caught by locals before they could inflict further damage and handed over to the police.
New Delhi: The BJP office in Tamil Nadus Coimbatore was attacked with petrol bombs on Tuesday night. This incident could be a retaliation to the vandalisation of a Periyar statue in Vellore.

Police said no one has been injured in the Coimbatore incident. CCTV footage shows some men hurling petrol bombs at the BJP office.

On Tuesday evening, a statue of anti-untouchability activist and Dravidian movement leader EV Ramasamy, commonly known as Periyar, was vandalised by two men in Tamil Nadus Vellore district.

Earlier in the day, two statues of Lenin were razed in Tripura.

According to police, the glasses and the nose of the statue inside Tirupathur Corporation Office were damaged by the vandals around 9pm.

The men were caught by locals before they could inflict further damage and handed over to the police.

#BREAKING -- BJP office attacked by miscreants in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu; Petrol bombs hurled early morning | @RevathiRajeevan with more details pic.twitter.com/SAT4NPKgAn News18 (@CNNnews18) March 7, 2018

Police identified the arrested as Muthuraman and Francis. While Muthuraman is suspected to be a BJP worker, Francis is believed to be a CPI activist, police said.

The vandalism attempt came hours after senior BJP leader H Raja said Periyar was "casteist" and called for the reformist's statue to be "destroyed" in a Facebook post. He deleted the post after facing the backlash.

Who is Lenin? What is the relevance he holds in India? What is the link between communalism and India? Lenins statues were destroyed in Tripura, tomorrow, in Tamil Nadu, casteist Periyars statues will be destroyed, wrote Raja.

The Facebook post was in reference to the incident in south Tripura, where alleged BJP supporters used a JCB to bring down a statue of communist revolutionary Lenin on Monday, two days after the party won the assembly elections in the state. On Tuesday, another Lenin statue was razed to the ground.

The Periyar reference in Rajas post was heavily criticised online, following which, the leader took it down. He has reportedly said that someone else had inadvertently posted it on his page.

Defending Raja, BJP spokesperson Narayanan Tirupathi said, More than 99.9% of the people in Tamil Nadu are spiritual. EVRs statue carries the message that whoever worships God are barbarians, whoever preaches God are rascals and whosoever keep faith in God are fools. Hindu outfits have for long demanded the removal of these statues but this has not been done till date. Hence, H Rajas outburst. The words may have been harsh but the intention is keeping in mind the majority of the population.

Rival parties demanded Rajas arrest. No one dare touch EVRs (Periyar) statue. H Raja made those comments to incite violence. He has been repeatedly doing this. He should be arrested and the Goondas Act slapped on him, said DMK Working President, MK Stalin. MDMK leader Vaiko also said, Whoever touches Periyars statues, will have their hands chopped off.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly disapproved the incidents of vandalism reported from across the country and asked the Home Ministry to take strong action.

PM Modi spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the issue following which the Home Ministry issued an advisory to the states asking them to prevent such incidents. The MHA has said that persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law.

BJP chief Amit Shah terms as extremely unfortunate vandalisation of statues in some states. "The recent issue on destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybodys statue," Shah tweeted.

In another incident of vandalisation, a statue of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was damaged at Jadavpur University in West Bengal on Wednesday.

PM Shri @narendramodi spoke to HM Shri @rajnathsingh in this regard and has expressed strong disapproval of such incidents. HMO India (@HMOIndia) March 7, 2018

Police said a group of students blackened the face of the statue and tried to bring it down. Six students have been detained.

This incident comes after a statue of Dravidian movement leader Periyar was razed in Vellore and two Lenin statues were damaged in Tripura.

The Lenin statues were razed in Tripura and the statue of Periyar was vandalised by two men in Tamil Nadu.

According to police, the glasses and the nose of the Periyar statue inside Tirupathur Corporation Office in Vellore were damaged by the vandals around 9pm on Tuesday. The men were caught by locals before they could inflict further damage and handed over to the police.

The vandalism attempt came hours after senior BJP leader H Raja said Periyar was "casteist" and called for the reformist's statue to be "destroyed" in a Facebook post. He deleted the post after facing a backlash.

Who is Lenin? What is the relevance he holds in India? What is the link between communalism and India? Lenins statues were destroyed in Tripura, tomorrow, in Tamil Nadu, casteist Periyars statues will be destroyed, wrote Raja.

The Facebook post was in reference to the incident in south Tripura, where alleged BJP supporters used a JCB to bring down a statue of communist revolutionary Lenin on Monday, two days after the party won the assembly elections in the state. On Tuesday, another Lenin statue was razed to the ground.

The Periyar reference in Rajas post was heavily criticised online, following which, the leader took it down. He has reportedly said that someone else had inadvertently posted it on his page.
Ahmedabad: Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Parvin Togadia had a close shave on Wednesday as his car was hit by a truck on a highway near Surat. Togadia escaped unhurt and alleged that it was a conspiracy to kill him.

He also claimed that despite being under Z-category security cover, no escort car was provided to him. It is the responsibility of the state government to provide an escort car apart from another car that has security personnel. I had informed the state government a day in advance that I would be travelling from Vadodara to Surat, he said.

This means that apart from one vehicle for security, another escort vehicle should have been provided in Vadodara, Bharuch and Surat districts. When the accident took place, only one vehicle was there. The escort vehicle was not present, the VHP leader added.

The driver of the truck, who made no attempt to escape after the accident, has been taken into custody. He told the police that he tried to stop the truck, but the brakes failed and he hit Togadias car. The truck then hit the divider and came to a halt.

But Togadia alleged that the driver did not apply the brakes intentionally. He said the call details of the truck driver for the past three months should be checked. But he did not name anyone that he believed could harm him and maintained that he had full faith in the Gujarat police.

When he was specifically asked whom he thought was against him or wanted to get him killed, the firebrand Hindutva champion shot back, Hindus of Gujarat and India will decide for themselves who wants to get rid of me. But I will continue to fight for the cause of Hindus like I have been doing for 25 years now. Nobody can stop me from doing so.

Earlier, in January, Togadia had gone missing for a day and was allegedly found in an unconscious state from near the airport after the Rajasthan police had visited Ahmedabad with an arrest warrant against him. Togadia had alleged then that the state machinery was being used against him.
New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday began a five-day trip to Singapore and Malaysia during which he will reach out to the Indian diaspora and is also expected to meet the prime ministers of the two countries, party sources said.

Gandhi, who reached Singapore on Wednesday was welcomed by a young admirer carrying a poster of his at the airport, is likely to meet Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on March 9 and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on March 10, the sources said.

He will begin the Singapore leg of his visit on Thursday with an address to Indian entrepreneurs in the city state. Next up will be an interaction at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, where he will make a formal address. He will also meet Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Thursday.

On Friday, March 9, Gandhi will meet members of Young Professionals International and later meet the Singaporean prime minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He will also address members of the Overseas Congress and meet representatives of the Indian community. The Congress chief will be interacting with alumni of the Indian Institutes of Management at the Suntec Convention Centre.

On March 10, the Congress chief will travel to Malaysia where he will address a meeting of Indian entrepreneurs and other business delegates. He will meet the Malaysian prime minister the same day and then address a meeting of Overseas Congress, sources said.

The five day trip to the Southeast Asian countries -- ahead of the AICC plenary session here from March 16 to 18 -- is being organised by the AICC Overseas cell headed by technocrat Sam Pitroda, who helped former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi lead the IT revolution in India.

Pitroda had earlier successfully organised Rahul Gandhi's visits to the US and West Asia. Later in the year, the Congress president is also expected to travel to Dubai and Canada.
Few tasks are more like the torture of Sisyphus than housework, with its endless repetition: the clean becomes soiled, the soiled is made clean, over and over, day after day... The battle against dust and dirt is never won.~ Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex.

After a week of pushing files around and toying around with excel sheets, I clean my tiny apartment in the weekend and inevitably end up with a back pain; wishing I never have to do it again. Even when I live aided with a variety of cleaning machines, I struggle to keep to my schedule of dusting, cleaning, vacuuming, washing and folding. I remember the women who brought me upall keeping their jobs and maintaining way bigger homes, keeping up the eternal struggle against dust.

Women around me have all had jobsmy mother worked in an airline company, my aunts were principals of their schools, and another aunt was a Central Government employee. As my mother left home at 4 am, their homes have all been formative spaces as I ended up spending a considerable amount of time growing up in them. They were all neat spaces with huge bookshelves, littered with curios collected from travels and walls adorned with frames that never collected dust. I remember the women who would take over these homes when my aunts and mother were away and kept them clean and orderedleaving behind their own homes, taking early morning trains into the city. I remember the army of working women who would come into these homes and enable my mother and aunts to be working women, promptly taking over the forever battle against dust.

When my mother joined work after her maternity leave, Arati Didi looked after me. The day she eloped with her boyfriend, she took me along and left me at my aunts place. She didnt have to, she couldve just left me home after feeding me, but she didnt. Id like to believe that her boyfriend filled her life with the love she showered on me so selflessly. Through the years, my mother climbed her way up the ladders at work, often hitting her head in the glass ceilings and finding ways around it. One day when I saw her pinning a black ribbon to her uniform sari, I was stunned. She told me the workers union at the Kolkata Airport was on strike! Of course, she was my mother and she was the woman who made the best momos in the world, but that day she also became a working woman for me; a unionised working woman striking for her rights. That day was a formative day of our relationship.

My mother did all these things with a smile while a line of women brought me up and kept her home clean. Year after year as my mother came home, there would be hot food on the table, washed clothes folded up on her bed and clean rooms for her to walk through. For years, almost like magic, Biji Biji, Namita Didi, Sandhya Mashi, Meena Mashi, Geeta Di, Bharati Mashi, Malati Mashi and Jamuna Di arrived on time, took over the house and made it into a home, all the while making it seem effortless and natural. Before the debate over skilled and unskilled work emerges here, let me just lay it blank that raising a child needs skills; from knowing how hot the food must be, to folding the dough into fantastic mughlai parathas, to making me sit still and braiding my hair, in the face of my tantrums, not just required skills but also a tremendous amount of patience that I, as an employee, rarely bring to my workplace.

When I moved out of my parents house and became a working woman myself, I was joined by Mamta Didi who would ring the bell at 7:15 am, smile and wish me Good Morning before going on to make our first cups of tea for the day. I, too, ended up joining the ranks of my aunts and mother, as I sat complaining on days Mamta Didi missed work or on the days a bit of dal still stuck to the plate she had washed. The day she came to work with fever, I gave her a Crocin, some toast and asked her to leave. While I had the luxury of sick leaves, personal leaves, and paid days-off, she had none. While I had HR policies dictating how much I should get paid, Mamta Didis salary was arrived at only after I haggled with her for a good twenty minutes. While the debate on menstrual leave gains more voices, these women come to work in each of our households and continue to bend over and sweep our floors while they are cramping and menstruating.

In 1857, in New York City, female garment workers are believed to have gathered together to demand workers rights. This is believed to be the first act of resistance carried on by women demanding fair wages and better working conditions. In 2018, domestic workers in India are far from being unionised, in spite of continued and sustained efforts for decades now. This International Working Womens Day, we should obviously congratulate ourselves for having made it this far as we plan for the long road of struggle ahead. But let us also take a step back, and realise that our victories are not our ownlike our mothers, like us, there are women leaving their homes and children every day, just so we can step out and immerse ourselves in our privileges. There are women who are constantly taking things off our plates just so we can go on to take on some more. Let us not forget that this too is a skill, a skill we could do well to learn.

Its 2018, as our clean hands navigate books, spreadsheets, and slides, its time we paid our dues to the warriors of dust.

#BeingAWoman is a special series to celebrate womanhood in todays India on the occasion of International Womens Day 2018

(Author, a resident of New York, writes on films, food, gender and most other things. Views are personal)
New Delhi: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his strong disapproval for the spree of vandalism of statues in different states, the Centre issued an advisory on Wednesday to all states asking them to promptly investigate the incidents of vandalism and hold SPs and DMs accountable for any law and order situation.

The advisory, besides calling for continuous monitoring of the situation, has also asked the states to take all possible measures to ensure that no such incident is allowed to happen again.

In a span of three days, two statues of Russian revolutionary, Vladimir Lenin were destroyed in Tripura, a statue of Dravidian movement leader Periyar was razed in Vellore and in the latest incident on Wednesday, another statue of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was damaged in Kolkata.

The advisory issued on Wednesday after the fresh attack on SP Mookerjees statue further asks the states to make the District Magistrates (DM) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP), personally responsible in ensuring that law and order remains under control.

The order has also advised an intensification of patrolling in sensitive locations, community policing for peace and harmony, check on anti-social elements and preventive measures wherever required.

PM Modi spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the issue following which the Home Ministry issued an advisory to the states asking them to prevent such incidents. The MHA has said that persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law.
New Delhi: In another incident of vandalisation, a bust of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was damaged in Kolkatas Chittaranjan Das Park inside Kalighat Crematorium on Wednesday morning.

The incident took place around 7am when a group of six students, claiming to be from the Jadavpur Universitys Radical students organisation, gathered in front of the park with placards condemning the vandalisation of Lenin statues in Tripura. Police said the six students have been detained.

After raising slogans, the group allegedly went inside the park and partially damaged Syama Prasad Mookerjees bust with a hammer. They put up a poster which read: We want explanation from BJP on why Lenins statue was brought down in Tripura.

A group of local Trinamool Congress workers  who were having tea in a nearby stall  rushed to the spot and caught all six people. They were later taken to Tollygunge Police station. We were having tea and suddenly we saw these students damaging the statue. There is a strict instruction from our party president Mamata di to prevent people from damaging statues of great leaders, Tapas Maity, a TMC worker said.

State BJP leaders condemned the incident. State BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu condemned the incident and demanded stern action against those involved in damaging the statue.

The bust is damaged. This is the handiwork of TMC workers who are desperate to wipe out BJP from Bengal. The more they will suppress us, the more we will emerge as a strong party, he said.

6 male and one female ( age 22-29) who tried to deface the bust of dr shyama prasad mukherjee have been arrested from the spot by Kolkata Police and strong legal action initiated. No vandalism would be tolerated. CP Kolkata (@CPKolkata) March 7, 2018

On Tuesday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned bringing down the statue of Lenin. My ideology may differ with the CPI (M) but I will not tolerate if someone will try to destroy statues of leader like Lenin. It is unfortunate that BJP leaders instead of thinking towards development in Tripura, they are indulged in violence. They only believe in divisive politics, Mamata said.

Hitting out at the BJP in Tripura, she had said, What kind of politics is this? Today they are pulling down Lenins statue, tomorrow they will do the same with Gandhi ji, Subhash Chandra Bose, Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Birsa Mundas statue.Till I am alive, I will not tolerate this and will raise our voice.

This incident comes after a statue of Dravidian movement leader Periyar was razed in Vellore and two Lenin statues were damaged in Tripura.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly disapproved the incidents of vandalism and spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the issue.

The Home Ministry has issued an advisory to the states and told them to take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. The MHA has said that persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law.

The vandalism of the Periyar statue came hours after senior BJP leader H Raja said Periyar was "casteist" and called for the reformist's statue to be "destroyed" in a Facebook post. He deleted the post after facing backlash.

Who is Lenin? What is the relevance he holds in India? What is the link between communalism and India? Lenins statues were destroyed in Tripura, tomorrow, in Tamil Nadu, casteist Periyars statues will be destroyed, wrote Raja.

The Facebook post was in reference to the incident in south Tripura, where alleged BJP supporters used a JCB to bring down a statue of communist revolutionary Lenin on Monday, two days after the party won the assembly elections in the state. On Tuesday, another Lenin statue was razed to the ground.

The Periyar reference in Rajas post was heavily criticised online, following which, the leader took it down. He has reportedly said that someone else had inadvertently posted it on his page.
The United Nations refugee agency warned Tuesday that ongoing instability in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) poses a grave risk to civilian safety, including for several hundred refugees recently returned there from Angola.

Congolese Government forces have regained control of large areas of the Kasai, but there is sporadic fighting between the armed forces and militia groups, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Tensions remain high between different ethnic groups, threatening to plunge the region into new violence, UNHCR spokesperson Aikaterini Kitidi told reporters in Geneva.

Last month alone, more than 11,000 people fled the conflict. This is in addition to the roughly 900,000 Congolese who have already been internally displaced since the Kasai crisis erupted in 2016. Some 35,000 Congolese have sought refuge in Angola, according to UN estimates.

UNHCR believes that returns are not yet safe or sustainable, since peace and security are lacking.

However, some 530 Congolese were forced to return from Angola between 25 and 27 February.

The returns were carried out despite UNHCRs requests to the Angolan authorities to undertake joint screening of the unregistered group, the spokesperson said.

UNHCR urges the Angolan authorities to refrain from further forcible returns of Congolese to their country. Should conditions change, UNHCR stands ready to assist the authorities in DRC and Angola in voluntary repatriation discussions.

Support for the returnees to rebuild their houses is often absent, as humanitarian funding does not at present allow for a major rebuilding program, the UNHCR says.

For 2018, UNHCR has requested $368.7 million to help those affected by the crisis in the country. So far, just one per cent of the requested amount has been received.
New Delhi: The Tibetan government-in-exile shifted a high-profile event commemorating Dalai Lamas 60 years of exile as an effort to bringing peace to relations between India and China. The event was to be held in New Delhi till a media report said that foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale wrote to the cabinet secretary saying that participation of senior leaders and dignitaries at the event, Thank You India, is not desirable and should be discouraged, considering the sensitive time.

Many Tibetan activists are said to have communicated to relevant authorities as the development humiliated Dalai Lama. Experts have, however, raised doubts over the development from both sides. China has been silent on the series of development from the Indian and Tibetan side so far. Speaking to News18, former Ambassador P Stobdan said that there was absolutely no question of humiliation or worry as the government was just doing as it promised.

Dalai Lama is a refugee and Tibetans have been given the freedom to follow their spiritual allegiance. The statement from the Ministry of External Affairs saying that they stood by their stand on Dalai Lama being given all the freedom to carry out his religious activities in India is absolutely correct. There has been no commitment from our side to allow them to conduct their political/cultural events, he said.

Soon after the media report on Gokhales diktat, the MEA had said that Dalai Lama was a revered leader and was deeply respected by people in India and that there was no change in that position.

Stobdan said that the current development was in itself a big step in foreign policy changes. Tibet is a core issue for China. We need to understand that. Now it looks like someone finally has a grip on that, he said.

Gokhale was Indias ambassador to China when the two Asian giants were engaged in the Doklam standoff. It is largely believed that Gokhales hands-on experience with the neighbour has ensured that he reaffirms Indias clear stand on Tibet.

His opinion was echoed by Alka Acharya, professor of Chinese Studies at Jawahar Lal Nehru University. This is course-correction of sorts. Gokhale is reverting to the official and formal position taken by the government of India in its understanding with China. During his time as joint secretary in 2009, he had ensured that the government stayed away from similar celebrations, she said.

CHINESE WHISPERS

Experts have attributed Gokhales use of sensitive time as a hint to Prime Minister Narendra Modis upcoming visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Further, the note is said to have been given out before the foreign secretary himself went to Beijing in February.

Modi governments use of the Tibet card has long been debated upon. In 2014, during Modis inauguration, head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Lobsang Sangay, was invited. In 2016, Dalai Lama was seen with the President during a function to honour Nobel laureates. A year later, in 2017, Dalai Lama was allowed to visit Tawang for the first time since 2009, a move which did not go well with the Chinese.

Stobdan further said that people in India often considered Tibet as our cause. But its not. Tibet is a core issue for China just like Kashmir is a core issue for us. The government is well within its rights to advice its officials on those who have been refugee status, he said.

India has, time and again, insisted that Dalai Lama was offered refuge in India on humanitarian grounds. He had fled to India during the 1959 Tibetan violence and has been living in India ever since.

The exiled Tibetan government said that it had shifted the event from Delhi to Dharamshala so that it was not a thorn in India-China relations. Weve lived in India for 60 years and would like to express our gratitude. But we also understand Indias position. We took relevant note of reports and decided that it would be best if we just rescheduled to event, said Sonam Dagpo, spokesperson with the Central Tibetan Administration or the exiled government as it is called.

The move by Gokhale has, however, not gone down too well with a few others. A former deputy national security advisor said that the move only showed that India was being weak and adhering to Chinese pressure. Tibetans are our refugees. We are clear about it but this move by the government is worrisome. Why do we need to make a statement showcasing our stand on China, if thats what this meant? We need to be more stringent and stronger in our approach, the former NSA said.
Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on Tuesday said she is happy to continue making a small contribution in bringing about a larger and effective change for children born with clefts.

Aishwarya is the global goodwill ambassador of Smile Train, an international cleft charity. It celebrated the completion of 500,000 free cleft lip and palate reconstructive surgeries for children born with clefts within 18 years of starting its India programme.

"I am proud to be associated with Smile Train for all these years and extend my heartfelt congratulations to them for changing the lives of half a million cleft patients in India.

"Supporting this work of Smile Train through The Aishwarya Rai Foundation has been my small personal contribution to the larger picture of honourable, effective change in the lives of cleft patients. I look forward to continuing this journey of giving new reasons to smile to children born with clefts," the former beauty queen said in a statement.

Looking elegant in a pristine white ensemble, Aishwarya joined 100 doctors, former patients and their families, including Pinki Sonkar of Oscar-winning documentary "Smile Pinki" at the event.

Smile Train also launched the Train in India initiative under which medical professionals from other countries in South Asia will be trained in cleft care at its partner hospitals.
Mumbai: Over the course of his 25 years in Hindi cinema, superstar Aamir Khan, who is currently busy prepping for his upcoming movie Thugs of Hindostan, has become synonymous with perfection and discipline, but the actor reveals that in real life he is the most disorganised person, a side about which only the people close to him get to see.

When asked how he has continued to be a disciplined actor, the 53-year-old Dangal star said it is only his work that motivates him to be efficient.

"I am totally undisciplined. The only thing that gets me into the discipline is my work. So, had I not been an actor, I would have been the most undisciplined person. That is the fact.

"I know people here are looking at me, thinking, 'What is he even saying?' but that's the truth. People who are close to me know how undisciplined I am. What puts me on track is my work,"

Aamir told reporters here at the launch of the book, "How To Be Human, penned by filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani's wife, Manjeet. The actor was also asked what subject he would choose to pen a book on, if that ever happens.

Aamir said the obvious choice would be to write about his experience in Bollywood. He, however, added he has not given any serious thought to it as films keep him occupied.

"I have never thought about it. But my natural inclination would be to write about my experiences in my career and life. I, however, am always busy with films so, I never get time to look back at my life and think. Many people have told me to write something.

"Sometimes, even I have thought of recording my feelings so that I can use the material later. But I haven't given this a serious consideration."

At the launch, Hirani was asked if, after the Sanjay Dutt biopic, he would like to bring Aamir's life on the big screen, the director said, "Right now, I am fine with making only one biopic. But who wouldn't like to make a biopic on Aamir Khan? I would love to do that in future," he said.

To which Aamir quipped, "My life is very boring!" The actor-director duo has previously worked in 3 Idiots and PK.
The deal to buy assets of Harvey Weinstein's former production company collapsed on Tuesday as a former official in president Barack Obama's administration said her investor group was abandoning the venture -- for now. "All of us have worked in earnest on the transaction to purchase the assets of The Weinstein Company," Maria Contreras-Sweet said, adding, "However, after signing and entering into the confirmatory diligence phase, we have received disappointing information about the viability of completing this transaction. As a result, we have decided to terminate this transaction."

The studio's "disappointed" board of directors responded by saying they would now pursue "an orderly bankruptcy process" while working "tirelessly" to see if there are any other viable options. A source familiar with the deal told AFP on condition of anonymity that the buyers discovered for the first time Tuesday $64 million in undisclosed liabilities. The Contreras-Sweet group's bid for the company had been reported at $500 million.

The breakdown was the latest dramatic twist in a long-running saga over the future of the New York-headquartered film studio, which has teetered on the brink of bankruptcy since Weinstein was hit by sexual assault allegations, torpedoing his career last October. "The investors' excuse that they learned new information about the company's financial condition is just that -- an excuse," said The Weinstein Company board in a tersely-worded statement, adding, "The company has been transparent about its dire financial condition to the point of announcing its own LIKELY bankruptcy last week. We regret being correct that this buyer simply had no intention of following through on its promises."

Contreras-Sweet's bid to buy the production house hit a first snag last month when New York state attorney general Eric Schneiderman sued The WeinsteinCompany, fearing that imminent sale could leave victims of the mogul's alleged sexual misconduct without adequate redress. Schneiderman has stipulated that any deal provide adequate compensation for victims, protect employees and remove executives who had been complicit in Weinstein's misconduct.

The fate of several finished movies, which have languished on the shelf since Weinstein's career imploded, with no release dates announced, is now more unclear than ever. They include historical drama The Current War, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison; Mary Magdalene, a religious drama starring Rooney Mara; and The War With Grandpa, a comedy starring Robert De Niro.

Weinstein was sacked as chairman in October after bombshell exposes accused him of years of sexual harassment, assault and even rape. More than 100 women have since accused him of impropriety going back 40 years, triggering a US reckoning over harassment and abuse that has toppled a litany of powerful men in various sectors. Weinstein, a twice-married father of five, is being investigated by British and US police, but has not been charged with any crime. He denies having non-consensual sex and is reportedly in treatment for sex addiction
Actor Jeetendra has been booked by the Shimla Police, according to a report by The Indian Express. A cousin of the actor had filed a complaint with the DGP of Himachal Pradesh in February, alleging that she had been assaulted by Jeetendra 47 years ago, while accompanying him on a trip to the city. The complainant said she was 18 at the time.

According to latest reports, she will be recording her statement before a magistrate, and has been asked to provide any evidence she may have to help prove her testimony; thus far, police officials say the woman has neither provided them with the name of the hotel nor offered any proof of her stay there.

Jeetendras lawyer Rizwan Siddiquee had previously denied the allegations and said the baseless, ridiculous and fabricated claims have been made to defame the actor with a personal agenda. He also said the charges cannot be entertained by any court of law or law enforcement agencies after a span of almost 50 years.

In her earlier statement, the woman said that the alleged abuse took place in January 1971, when the actor was 28 and had just stepped into showbiz. She said that she had just turned 18 and Jeetendra, without informing her, took her father's permission to take her to visit his film's set, where he sexually assaulted her. She claimed that before this, Jeetendra had never spoken to her about her films and the two were not friendly. Her letter described the incident in detail.
A fan of superstar Sanjay Dutt left all her money and belongings in the actors name after she passed away on January 15, according to a report in Mumbai Mirror. The 62-year-old woman, named Nidhi Tripathi, was a Malabar Hill resident. She nominated Dutt as the inheritor of the money in her bank locker and account in her will.

Dutt, who was then shooting his upcoming movie Saheb Biwi and Gangster 3 in Kolkata, expressed shock when he came to know about Tripathi's "overwhelming" gesture.

However, Dutts attorney, Subhash Jadhav, has made it clear that the actor would not be accepting any money or property from Tripathi.

In a statement to Mirror, Dutt said, "As actors, we are used to fans naming their children after us, chasing us down the street and even giving us gifts. But this has shocked me. I will not be claiming anything. I did not know Nishi and I am very overwhelmed by the entire incident to speak about it."
In the summer of 2001, I met Anne Frank for the first time at a books exhibition in my school. There she was, looking straight at me, and smiling from the cover of her book. As I picked up 'The Diary of a Young Girl' and browsed through its pages, I knew I had to buy that book and get to know Anne personally. So, I happily parted with my entire month's pocket money and took Anne's diary home.

I read the whole book in one sitting. Anne felt like the best friend I never had. She was fun and funny. I loved how she judged her classmates, spoke about her frenemies (although that wasn't a term back then), discussed boys and swooned over Hollywood stars.

However, what stayed with me most was how she gave words to my every feeling and thought, which is perhaps one of the reasons why Anne's story has such a universal appeal, because, at its core, it is a coming-of-age story. Anne Frank's diary also happens to be a personal account of the Second World War, which not only makes it a seminal text but also gives it a heartbreaking first-person perspective into the lives of Jews under Hitler regime.

When I finished reading the book for the first time, I felt a gnawing pain in my chest. Her death felt like a personal loss, as though a beloved friend was gone forever. For the next couple of days, I dreamt of Anne in a concentration camp and would often wake up in the middle of the night, trying to catch my breath. In my head, I reimagined many scenarios in which Anne manages to escape and lives a long happy life.

I touched her words over and over again as if doing that, in some bizarre way, will make me feel closer to her. I underlined the lines I especially liked with a blue glitter pen. The book left me so shattered that all my self-preservation instincts kicked in and I decided never to reread it. Although I remembered Anne as a fun, vivacious friend I once had. Inspired by her, like most teenage girls across the world, I also picked up diary writing.

Over the years, thanks to Anne Frank, I discovered how cathartic writing down one's thoughts in a diary can be. My journal keeping, which began as a hobby, has now become a habit of 18 years. In all these years, I have realised that Anne was right, written words can truly be 'a great source of comfort and support'. Whenever I found that people had less patience for me or my words, I turned to paper, like Anne had recommended. I have rarely known any words to be truer than Anne's when she said:

"I can shake off everything when I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn."

Anne also taught me how to deal with isolation and confinement. She told me, "deep down the young are lonelier than the old." As a teenager, growing up in a nondescript corner of West Bengal, in the pre-internet era, often made me feel isolated from the rest of the world. I felt confined in my small town that didn't have one proper bookstore or a movie theatre where girls from 'decent families' could go.

However, Anne's account of her days in the secret annex and how she dealt with her life when confined by space, relationships and the lack of opportunities gave me courage and hope. It told me, no matter what constraints you face in life, you have to learn to be optimistic about the future. She also taught me to appreciate nature. As she sat at her attic window and pined for the outdoors, it made me realise how indifferent I was to the beauty of nature until that point.

In her diary, Anne wrote, "The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet alone with the heavens, nature and god. Because only then does one feel all is as it should be. "

The second time I picked up her diary was three days after my father's death. By then I had forgotten how depressed I was after reading it for the first time and hoped that flipping through enough pages of her diary will finally make me exhausted enough to sleep. However, that did not happen.

I ended up rereading many passages of The Diary of a Young Girl and thank god I did. This time around I understood that her story wasn't a sad one, although the circumstances under which she wrote it, was. In fact, her life was an eternal spring of hope and positivity. I still remember these lines from her diary:

In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply cant build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again."

Despite her teenage angst and naivety, she had profound wisdom and like a true friend, Anne knew what to say to me that night. She told me that "misfortunes never come singly", but, no matter how horrible the circumstances "Where there is hope there is life." She told me to not wallow in self-pity and go to sleep. "Sleep makes the silence and the terrible fears go by so quickly," she said, it "helps pass the time since it is impossible to kill." Anne Frank was a true inspiration in those darkest times and I am forever grateful to have a friend like her.

#BeingAWoman is a special series to celebrate womanhood in todays India on the occasion of International Womens Day 2018.
Toppled from two pedestals in Tripura, Vladimir Lenin must be chuckling in anticipation of the future. What one democratically elected government can do, another democratically elected government can undo gloated Tripuras governor, Tathagatha Roy, justifying the vandalism. Elections are a continuing process as the great god of Communism (if Communists have a god) understood better than any saffron brigade apparatchik.

The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them. Today its Lenin, warned Mamata Banerjee, tomorrow it will be Gandhi, Subhas Bose or Rabindranath Tagore!

This was not a victory of ideology but of pragmatism over politics. The Bharatiya Janata Party which swept 43 out of 59 assembly seats contested 50 seats in 2013 when its candidates forfeited their deposits in 49 seats and with only 1.87 per cent of votes, failed to win any seat at all. But despite the governor and his flock, the 40 lakh people of Tripura are not exactly pining for the Hindutva Elysium. The Lotus triumphed over the Hammer and Sickle because what people crave for are the neglected necessities of life -- roti, kapda aur makaan.

With more than seven lakhs unemployed, Tripura desperately needs jobs. That means infrastructure and private investment in industry. The tribals complain of the lack of basic facilities like potable water.

Hindu Sarkar tried Bengalis who have moved from Bangladeshs adjoining Comilla district complain of illegal Muslim Bangladeshi migrants benefiting from bogus papers. The two Left Front chief ministers, Nripen Chakraborty who held office from 1978 to 1988, and Manik Sarkar who became chief minister in 1998, were both revered by friends and foes alike.

But they signally failed to reconcile ideology with pragmatism. When to come to terms with economic expectations, he was thwarted by hard-line ideologues like Prakash Karat.

Now, as Tripura waits for the economic miracle the BJP promised, it should find the threat of violence more worrying than the demolition of statues. The ousted Communist Party of India (Marxist) naturally blames the BJP. Appealing  ironically  to Narendra Modi for help, a Marxist memorandum complained, "After the election results were out, goons of the BJP have unleashed a reign of terror and all-round attacks on members and supporters of the CPI(M), their houses, party offices and mass organisation offices throughout the state."

It gave a list of the alleged violent incidents, claiming that 514 people were injured and 196 houses set on fire. We request your immediate intervention to stop these attacks and violence and to maintain peace and normalcy in the state", the memorandum stated, before the situation "worsened".

The plea stirred uneasy memories of the 1980 massacre at Mandwi as Hindutvas exultant cries of Jai Siyaram and Bharat Mata ki Jai filled the air. Mandwi is an obscure village some 30 km north-east of the capital, Agartala, inhabited both by Tripuri tribespeople and Hindu Bengalis. Armed militants of the Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti and the National Volunteer Force, a Tripuri rebel group fighting to secede from India, launched a carefully planned attack against the Bengalis.

According to official figures 255 Hindus were massacred but the foreign press cited independent sources and eyewitnesses to put the figure between 350 and 400. Many victims had their heads crushed and limbs severed. Children were spiked through. The stomachs of pregnant women were slashed open. Seeing the savagery and the butchery, the mutilation of hundreds of men, women and children, the Indian armys Major R. Rajamani, who reached Mandwi a day later, commented that the My Lai massacre in Vietnam was not half as gruesome.

The reason for anxiety about another recrudescence of ethnic violence is that the tribals are now with the BJP on the winning side. The TNV, which surrendered in 1988 and formed a political party, merged in 2000 with the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura to form the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra led by Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl. The IPFT is Tripuras main tribal organisation. It is at loggerheads with the CPI(M)s tribal branch, the Tripura Rajya Upajati Ganamukti Parishad, and minor physical clashes between the two groups are frequently reported.

The IPFT and the Twipraland State Party have also been agitating since 2009 to upgrade the existing Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) into a separate tribal state to be called Twipraland. The TTAADC now has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq. kms., where nearly 13 lakh people, mostly tribals, live.

Amit Shah, the BJP president, who sees Tripura as a stepping stone to the conquest of Karnataka and West Bengal, sidestepped that core conflict on the eve of the election when he urged all his brothers and sisters of Tripura to come out and vote in large numbers, saying their vote will lay the foundation of a prosperous and developed Tripura". The BJPs state unit president, Biplab Kumar Deb, and now chief minister designate, was closer to the truth. The election results would be historic he declared, gloating that both Mr Modi and Mr Shah had called him with their good wishes". Much will depend now on how forcefully the IPFT presses the Twipraland demand as the price of its electoral cooperation, and how the BJPs central leadership responds.

Tripuras per capita income is below the national average but the state is the principal employer. The wage bill is a heavy burden on an impoverished exchequer, and Tripura still pays only the rates prescribed by the Fourth Pay Commission. The BJPs promise to implement the Seventh Pay Commissions recommendations means that the salary of a government servant who now draws Rs 20,000 a month will at once jump to at least Rs 35,000. Lenin might have understood the economic rationale for paying allegiance to the Lotus, at least as a stopgap measure.

(Mr Datta-Ray is a journalist and author of several books. He has been editor of The Statesman. Views are personal)
New Delhi: After Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah reportedly refused to give technocrat Sam Pitroda a nomination from Karnataka, Congress is most likely to nominate him from Gujarat.

Earlier on Tuesday, during a meeting with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, Siddaramaiah had reportedly told him that it would be unwise to send outsiders to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka ahead of the crucial Assembly elections.

The Congress, that has won a significant number of seats in the recent Gujarat Assembly elections, is entitled to send 2 MPs from Gujarat. While chances of Pitroda, a close friend of the Gandhi family, is likely to get one of these two berths, the other might go to Gujarat Congress chief, Bharat Sinh Solanki.

Karnataka will go vote on March 23 to elect four members to the Rajya Sabha. With the current strength in the Assembly, the ruling Congress can easily elect two MPs, the opposition can elect BJP one and there will be a fight for the fourth seat between the Congress and the JDS.
New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday released a list of nine candidates for the upcoming elections to the Rajya Sabha to be held in six different states. Five of the six states, for which candidates have been announced, have BJP governments while the sixth has a BJP alliance in power.

Among the big names that feature on the list is that of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Jaitley is currently a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, where he was elected to the Upper House in April 2012. His term ends next month and instead of seeking re-election from Gujarat, he will be nominated from Uttar Pradesh.

Another big name who will be shifted from his current state is union minister Dharmendra Pradhan. A Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar since 2012, he will now contest from Madhya Pradesh.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is set to get another term as Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar. Senior BJP leader Bhupendra Yadav will also be repeated as a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan. Thawar Chand Gehlot (Madhya Pradesh), Mansukh Mandaviya (Gujarat), Parshottam Rupala (Gujarat) and Jagat Prakash Nadda (Himachal Pradesh) will all get another term as the Rajya Sabha MPs from their current respective states. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, who is currently a Rajya Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh, will now contest Rajya Sabha elections from the state of Maharashtra.

Of all the states, the highest number of seats will be up for grabs in Uttar Pradesh. Ten seats from Uttar Pradesh will be vacant in 2018 and the BJP will be in a comfortable position. A candidate from UP will require the support of 37 MLAs. With 325 MLAs in 403-member assembly, BJP is assured of at least 8 seats.

The Samajwadi Party, with its 47 MLAs will be able to send a single member to the Upper House. However, if the factionalism within the SP threatens to divide votes, the SP faces the risk of losing that position. It may then require the help of its alliance partner Congress, which has seven MLAs.

The Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party, which has 19 MLAs, will not be in a position to elect even a single MLA, even if they were to join forces. In that eventuality, the BJP will walk away with 9 of the 10 vacant seats. However, if the Congress, BSP and both factions of the SP were to come together, they will be able to elect one more combined member to the Rajya Sabha, reducing the BJP to 8 MPs.

Actor-turned-politician Jaya Bachchans name has cropped up as the SP nominee for the Rajya Sabha. The BSP has already declared that a former MLA of the party, Bhimrao Ambedkar, as their nominee for the Rajya Sabha. Hailing from Etawah, Ambedkar, who shares his name with the Dalit idol, represented Lakhna Assembly constituency.
Govt Tries to Legalize Georgians Illegal Labour Migration

By Gvantsa Gabekhadze

(TBILISI)--The Government of Georgia and the Ministry of Labour are negotiating with international organizations and countries to help Georgian illegal labour migrants legalize their jobs, the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs has stated.The ministry has signed an agreement with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to regulate and manage labour migration of Georgians.The ministry claims that they are holding talks with three European countries, they refused to name, to let Georgians work abroad legally and after some time help the people return back to the homeland with higher prospects of employment.Through the partnership between Georgia and European nations illegal labor migration from Georgia will be legalized, which will reduce risks related to illegal employment abroad, the ministry reported.The deals will protect Georgians labor rights abroad and enhance economic and social ties between Georgia and the countries employing Georgian migrants, the ministry says.The agreements will decrease demographic and socio-psychological problems caused by long migration. When returned back the people will have higher chances to use their knowledge and experience to have good incomes and benefit the local economy, the ministry stated.The ministry claims that legalizing illegal labour migration of Georgians will reduce risks for the Georgia-EU visa free deal signed in March 2017, enabling Georgians stay in the Schengen zone for 90 days within any 180-day period.
Lucknow: With by-elections in Uttar Pradesh's Phulpur and Gorakhpur inching closer, all the political parties and their leaders are continuously camping in the two constituencies and are leaving no stone unturned in order to garner support for their candidates. Samajwadi Party's National President Akhilesh Yadav reached Gorakhpur on Wednesday and addressed a public gathering to extend his support for SP candidate Praveen Kumar Nishad.

While addressing the public, Akhilesh Yadav said that all of a sudden we have become 'Saanp' (snake) and 'Chachundar' (shrew) after the pre-poll alignment. "Those who are rattled by this pre-poll support to SP candidate are calling us 'Saanp' and 'Chachundar'. I have seen such people sitting mum in the assembly and also crying in the assembly," said Akhilesh Yadav.

"We have to be alert and careful as this is more of a psychological war. The present government has not even produced one unit of electricity; it was all done by our government. The corruption today is at its peak, while big businessmen are fleeing away with the money which was deposited in banks by the poor people. There were allegations against our government that our relatives used to run the police stations. I would like to ask now who is running them. Instead of giving anything to the people, this government took away the Samajwadi pension that we had started," added Akhilesh.

Declaring the party's intent to "eliminate the BJP", BSP's Allahabad coordinator Ashok Gautam and Gorakhpur zonal coordinator of the party, Ghanshyam Chandra Kharwar, had said that the BSP would back SP's Nagendra Singh Patel in Phulpur and Praveen Kumar Nishad in Gorakhpur.

BSP chief Mayawati had said that the understanding between the two parties would ensure victory for the strongest non-BJP candidate, and hence, the BSP has not floated any candidate for bypolls in Phulpur and Gorakhpur. "We have spoken to SP and have decided that we will support their Lok Sabha candidate during voting and SP will support our Rajya Sabha candidate," she had said.
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday night decided to pull out Telugu Desam Party's two ministers from the Union Cabinet, but said that the party would remain in alliance with the BJP, for now.

The decision was taken at a meeting called by Naidu late in the evening, hours after finance minister Arun Jaitley said that the Centre can't offer special status, but would offer a special package with equivalent funding to the state.

Holding an emergency press briefing, Naidu said that Arun Jaitleys statement was the last straw. I laid out all the demands concerning special status for the state to the Centre, but the finance minister made it clear that he cannot give it. What is the purpose of joining the Cabinet when the Centre cannot resolve the states problems? he asked.

We have waited enough. We have believed in false promises enough. Our ministers are resigning from the Union Cabinet. We will do whatever it takes to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh, he said.

Referring to Jaitleys statement that the Centre had already given Rs 4,000 crore to the state, he said that the government is more interested in showing calculations than helping out. You were part of bifurcation. Now comparing with other states is not right. Its not right to say that sentiments will not get funds. It is like degrading our state, he said.

But he clarified that only the resignations of two TDP MPs  civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and minister of state for science and technology YS Chowdary - will happen on Thursday and the decision on quitting the BJP alliance will be taken at a later date. We have to see and plan what happens next from here. Telugu public is ready to fight and come out of this problem, Naidu said.

He said that the decision to pull out the ministers was taken after consulting all the MPs and MLAs of the party. The BJP has not fulfilled its promises. We have incurred big losses as a state. We never asked for bifurcation, he said.

He further said that as a courtesy, he had called the PMs office to inform him about the decision, but PM Modi did not come on line.

Sources in the BJP, however, said they were confident that this was a temporary setback and a compromise would be reached. On Jaitleys failed outreach effort, they said that the finance minister only said what was constitutionally possible.

The development comes after months of uncertainty and strained ties between the two alliance partners. Earlier in the day, Naidu had hinted that he could sever ties and also used Congress president Rahul Gandhis offer of special status to the state if his party comes to power to hit out at the BJP.

I have followed the federal spirit and worked on mutual co-operation principle with the Centre. People of the state now feel insulted and if I don't raise my voice now, they will not pardon me," he said.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said he had only gone into an alliance with the BJP for the sake of doing justice to AP. He had earlier said that he had made 29 trips to Delhi and met the Prime Minister and other central ministers but they did not pay heed. Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated in an unscientific manner and is facing lot of hurdles, he said.

The protests had intensified after the Union Budget 2018 did not have any special funds for the state. Since then, the ties between the two allies have been strained and the partys MPs have been protesting outside the Parliament every day during the Budget Session.
Jaipur: Congress on Wednesday won four of the six zila parishad seats, 12 of the 20 panchayat samiti seats and four of the six municipal seats for which bypolls were held in Rajasthan, officials said.

The strong performance by the opposition party comes days after it scored emphatic victories in the bypolls to two parliamentary and an assembly constituency. The ruling BJP could win just one zila parishad seat, eight panchayat samiti seats and two municipal body seats for which byelections were held, they said.

Independent candidates won one zila parishad and one panchayat samiti seats. An upbeat Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said the result indicated a certain ouster of the BJP from the state.

"It is a yet another victory for party workers. In the last four years, the BJP has exploited people of the state due to its anti-people policies," Pilot said in a statement. He said the Congresss voting percentage has increased in all the elections held in last four years whereas the BJP had to face debacles.

He claimed that in the Assembly elections due by the end of this year, a similar result would follow. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has accepted the defeat in bypolls on parliamentary and assembly constituencies saying that it was a wake-up call and the result of panchayati raj institutions and local bodies declared today has indicated farewell of BJP from the state, he said.
Bhopal: The Chinese army building helipads and trenches in Doklam is a major strategic failure of the Modi government, which has risked the integrity and security of the nation, said Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.

Surjewala was commenting on Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharamans acknowledgement of Chinas latest activities in the Doklam region.

Surjewala, who was in Bhopal to select the partys spokespersons and hold training sessions for them, said that the defence minister had accepted the fact that the Chinese Armys temporary deployment has shifted to a permanent one.

The PM should come forward and clear the air on not only Doklam, but also on the security measure of the chicken neck (region that links the northeast states to the rest of India), he said.

On Monday, Sitharaman had said in the Lok Sabha, "Post disengagement from the face-off in 2017, troops of both sides have redeployed themselves away from their respective positions at the face-off site. The strength of both sides have been reduced."

Surjewala later commented on social activist Periyars statue being vandalised in Vellore and said that BJP national secretary H Raja had called for the desecration of Periyars statues and his party workers had only followed suit, but this was not the first time something of this sort has happened.

When Sakshi Maharaj called Nathuram Godse a patriot, he was elevated as a party national executive while Gen VK Singh was appointed as a minister after he compared Dalit boys to puppies, Surjewala said.

The Congress media-in-charge also came down heavily on the Shivraj Singh government in Madhya Pradesh. He said that MP, once a centre of art and culture, has now been reduced to a hub of criminals and most of the social endeavours have fallen prey to massive corruption.

The Congress leader cited the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) report to say that MP has constantly topped the chart in term of rape cases since 2004. The state saw 2,875 rape cases in 2004, which surged to 4,909 annually in 2017.

From 2004 to 2016, MP recorded 46,308 rape cases, maximum in the country, he said.

Abduction cases went up from 584 in a year to 4,904 in a year at present, claimed Surjewala.

Quoting Modi governments SRS report, he said, 43% children are malnourished in Madhya Pradesh while infant mortality rate is 32%, maximum in the country. Almost 61,000 children die in the first month of birth while 90,000 dont get to see their first birthday.

Referring to an MHRD report, he said, MPs 1,50,762 schools do not have electricity while only 14.58% have computers.

Commenting on the Mandsaur killing of farmers, Surjewala said that CM Shivraj first says the farmers are his God and then gets them killed with bullets. As many as 15,283 farmers have ended their lives in the BJP rule.
Lucknow: In the run-up to Gorakhpur and Phulpur by-elections, the BJP seems to be playing its Hindutva card again with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath saying that he is a Hindu and hence, has no reason to celebrate Eid.

The statement comes days after the CM made a similar remark during a public meeting in his home turf, Gorakhpur. People are saying that Holi and Juma will be on the same day this year. I have suggested them to celebrate Holi with pomp and grandeur as the festival of colours comes once and year, while Juma is observed 52 times in a year, he said.

Adding to the earlier statement, Yogi said on Tuesday, I am not like them (SP) because I am a Hindu and I am proud of it. I have no reason to celebrate Eid. But my government would continue to work for a peaceful celebration of Eid. He was replying to the address of the governor in UP Aseembly.

Cautioning the Samajwadi Party, Yogi said that the disruptive brand of politics that the party practises wont be tolerated and would be dealt with an iron hand. Discarding SPs and BSPs decision to join hands for UP bypolls, the CM said that the two parties had now become Bahujan Samajwadi Party.

After getting the support of BSP, the Samajwadi Party candidate in Phulpur and Gorakhpur by-elections has managed to garner the support of Nishad Party, Peace Party, Kumri Mahasabha, Rashtriya Lok Dal, CPM and other local political outfits which are mostly dominated by the Nishads, Binds, Sainthwars and Gonds. Interestingly, members of these communities are present in good numbers in the bypoll-bound constituencies.

The other cause of concern for the BJP in bypolls is its minister Om Prakash Rajbhar, who also heads Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party and the faction of Apna Dal supporting BJP. The faction is also not happy with the party. In the recent local body elections, both of these parties were dumped by the BJP, which may also be the reason for the dissent. Om Prakash Rajbhar has on several occasions expressed his discontent with the saffron party and threatened to break the alliance.
Bhopal: Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday backed a pre-poll alliance with Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.

"In my view, political parties with similar ideology and thinking should come together," he said on possible alliance with BSP.

Scindia, a key contender for the Chief Ministers post, said that the bypoll results have indicated that the BJP governments ouster is imminent.

On ticket distribution, the former union minister said that no criteria should be considered other than winnability.

Alleging that CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan makes 200-300 announcements during every election, the Scindia scion, quoting a media report, said that overall 22,221 announcements made by the CM are yet to be fulfilled. The CM talked about 4.5 lakh crore MoUs but nothing happened on the ground.

Jyotiraditya said the Congress does not believe in such eyewash and would prepare vision document for MP soon laying out roadmap for the state for next five years. "We may promise less but would do much more," he said.

Referring to the Congress win in the Mungaoli and Kolaras by-elections, Scindia claimed the MP's public was ready for a change. If we wish to strengthen the party, we need to work at booth level, he said.

On the debate over the CM face in MP, Scindia reiterated his stand that his views reflect national perspective which requires projection of a face as and when required. "I am a small level worker of the Congress who has embraced whatever responsibility was entrusted on me in last 16 years."

On the bulldozing of Lenin statue in Tripura and other incidents in some of the states, the Guna MP claimed that intolerance was on the rise since the BJP came to power. It was a well-planned conspiracy to dent liberal mindset and secular structure of the country, he alleged.

On the growing expansion of BJP rule in India, Jyotiraditya claimed that BJP flag might be waiving in a large area but there is an atmosphere of change in the country that would be visible in MP and other Assembly polls.
Chennai: Just hours after BJP leader H Raja threatened to vandalise a state of the father of Dravidian politics, Periyar, two men have razed Periyar's statue outside a municipal corporation office in Tamil Nadu's Vellore.

Raja had posted the message on social networking site Facebook after alleged BJP supporters used a earth-mover to bring down a statue of communist revolutionary Lenin in Tripura, two days after the party won the assembly elections in the state. Who is Lenin? What is the relevance he holds in India? What is the link between communism and India? Lenins statues were destroyed in Tripura, tomorrow, in Tamil Nadu, casteist Periyars statues will be destroyed, he wrote.

While Rajas post was heavily criticised online, it's not the first time that he has made headlines for his polarising statements.

The senior BJP had earlier "outed" the full Christian name of actor Vijay - C Vijay Joseph - to "explain" why his latest film Mersal contains dialogues against the national tax GST. "Vijay is a practicing Christian. He should have said build hospitals before churches, instead he says build hospitals before temples. It is like provoking Hindus," he tweeted, along with a copy of Vijay's voter id card.

If he thought this would leave Tamil Nadu mersal (zapped), it didn't. Most of the people from the state who responded on social media merely shook with mirth as it was no breaking news to them.

Raja had also mocked Kamal Haasan on Twitter for the actor's decision to enter politics, saying: "The person who should rule this state needs to be brave and fearless. Kamal Haasan is a spineless coward who has, in the past, said that he will run out of the country." Haasan took it as a joke and referred to him as a "bone specialist".

Another of his polarising statement came in connection with an incident in Ambur district where seven police officers were beaten up during a riot, allegedly incited by a Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) MLA. Raja alleged that no action was taken because police were siding with the Muslim community.

On another occasion, he reportedly threatened that MDMK leader will never reach home safe if he continued to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

But the most confounding of all his verbal attacks was on Periyar EV Ramasamy - reverentially called Thanthai Periyar - the social activist who started the self-respect movement in 1925. He said at an RSS event he would have beaten Periyar with slippers and later added that the man who led some of the famous fights against untouchability was "anti-Dalit". An FIR was filed against him.

Raja, a native of Thanjavur, was a lawyer and a practising chartered accountant before he entered politics. Schooled in RSS ideologies since childhoood, he joined the BJP in the 1980's and went on to assume several roles - district convenor in 1991, followed by state secretary, state general secretary and then three years ago, national secretary.

In a state dominated by Dravidian parties, he has not had any notable electoral success. He became an MLA from Karaikudi in 2001, when the BJP piggybacked on an alliance with the DMK. He lost every election since then, including in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

Raja's friends in the BJP vouch for his political sobriety. "He is very simple, down to earth person. When he was an MLA, he took care of the constituency very well. He is an intellect especially in economic matters and religion. He is not corrupt and there have been no charges against him" says BJP spokesperson Narayanan Tirupathi who has been his friend for more than 30 years.

Whether there were any political calculations behind the former chartered accountant verbal attacks on the state's icons is not clear, but analysts are unanimous it is not giving the BJP any gains in Tamil Nadu. "The BJP is losing ground in Tamil Nadu because of the utterances of its ranking leaders, including H Raja. They are picking on the wrong issues or non issues, and are not seen as raising people's issues," says RK Radhakrishnan, Associate Editor, Frontline.

Political analyst Gnani Sankaran says, "H Raja is an immature politician. His statements won't have an impact on electoral politics."

Many believe he is also making it difficult for the state BJP leadership by trying to pull in a different direction. At a time when the BJP is looking for inroads in southern states, Raja's social media activism may fetch the party more clicks than votes.
Lucknow: A police complaint has been made in Allahabads Ghumanganj police station against UP Minister Nand Kumar Gupta Nandi for objectionable language against BSP supremo Mayawati.

The complaint was given by BSP regional coordinator Ashok Gautam, who sought the BJP leaders arrest. Gautam alleged that Nandi has hurt religious sentiments and used derogatory language against Mayawati.

On Sunday, while addressing a public gathering in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Nand Kumar Gupta Nandi compared Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav to Ravana and BSP supremo Mayawati to Surpanakha. The comparisons to the villains of Ramayana came during a public gathering in Allahabad, where UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath was present.

Addressing a gathering in Allahabad, Nand Kumar said, Lord Ram has said to Ravana that you would be named Mulayam during Kalyug and will become the states chief minister.

The minister further went on to rant that when Kumbhakarna and Meghnad asked Lord Ram about their future selves, they were told that they would become Shivpal and Akhilesh, respectively. Meghnad, you will fool the people of the state and become chief minister by cheating people, said Nand Kumar.

The ramblings did not just stop at SP leadership. When Surpanakha came running stating that Lord Ram had destroyed her family, he told her that she will rule Ayodhya during Kalyug as Mayawati. But she would not get married, said the BJP minister, adding to the story that modern-day Maricha was the 'dramebaaz, dhokebaaz' Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

To top it off, Nand Kumar called PM Narendra Modi an avatar of Lord Ram and likened Yogi Adityanath to Hanuman. The UP CM was looking into his mobile and smiling while his cabinet minister went on speaking.

Reacting to the statements made by Nand Kumar, BSP spokesperson Ummed Singh had called for the BJP legislator to be thrown out of the party and the cabinet. The comments are condemned in the highest order. He should apologise for what he has said. I demand that the BJP throw him out. The BJP will face problems in the upcoming bypolls for these comments against Behen Ji Mayawati, said Singh.
Bengaluru: It seems Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has put Kannada before his party. The CM has reportedly refused to send the Gandhi family's close friend Sam Pitroda and AICC general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka.

During a meeting with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday, Siddaramaiah told him that it would be unwise to send outsiders to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka ahead of the crucial Assembly elections.

Karnataka will vote on March 23 to elect four members to Rajya Sabha. With the current strength in the Assembly, the ruling Congress can easily elect two MPs, the opposition can elect BJP one and there will be a fight for the fourth seat between the Congress and the JDS.

Siddaramaiah has turned down JDS's demand for the fourth seat saying that the Congress will field its own candidate. In 2016, the Congress had won three seats with the help of JDS rebel MLAs.

Besides technocrat Sam Pitroda, senior Congress leaders Janardhana Dwivedi and Meira Kumar are also trying to enter the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka.

But the Chief Minister, who is acutely aware of the strong Kannada sentiments in the state, has bluntly told the high command that it was not possible for him to nominate non-Kannadigas to the Rajya Sabha.

Rahul Gandhi has reportedly asked Siddaramaiah to give him some time to think about it. The CM wants to send one minority, one Dalit, and one Lingayat to the Upper House of the Parliament keeping the Assembly elections in mind.

Former Union minister K Rahman Khan, who has already completed four terms, is once again lobbying for the fifth term. But the party is not keen on renominating him and is favouring state cabinet minister R Roshan Baig.

Businessman Rajeev Chandrashekhar who has won twice as an "independent" with the help of all three political parties in 2006 and 2012 is now trying for a BJP ticket. To shed his outsider tag, he has even started tweeting in Kannada and posting his Kannada videos on Facebook.

The state BJP has recommended the names Chandrashekhar and businessman Vijaya Sankeshwar's names for the lone Rajya Sabha seat it can win. The JDS has decided to field a Mangalore-based industrialist B M Farooq.

All Kannada organisations have demanded that only a Kannadiga should be sent to Rajya Sabha and it has made the job of selecting candidates difficult for the Congress and the BJP.
One of Amazon.com Inc's longtime executives is leaving the company to join Airbnb Inc, filling a key position as the home-renting business focuses on growth in Latin America and Asia.

Greg Greeley, who was vice president of Amazon Prime and is credited with building the delivery service into one of the e-commerce industry's most successful programs, with an estimated 90 million members in the United States, is joining Airbnb, it said on Tuesday. In his new role, as president of homes, Greeley will oversee the daily operations and strategy of Airbnb's core home-renting business.

Airbnb has four business units, and the homes unit was the only one without a permanent boss. Chief Executive Brian Chesky had been filling in temporarily. The home-renting business, which is profitable, includes more than 4.5 million listings in 81,000 cities.

Greeley starts this month at Airbnb's San Francisco headquarters.

Most recently, Greeley was tasked with making Prime the loyalty program of Whole Foods Market, the upscale grocer that Amazon acquired last year. It was not clear how his departure from Amazon might affect the Whole Foods integration, if at all.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9 Plus First Impressions Review: Best Android Phones of 2018?

"We thank Greg for his contributions to Amazon and wish him the best in his new role," an Amazon spokesperson said.

In his more than 18 years at Amazon, Greeley helped lead the company's international expansion, running European operations and opening offices in India and Brazil.

That experience may bode well for Airbnb's ambitions in emerging markets. Faced with regulatory restrictions in the United States and Europe that have limited home-renting, Airbnb has increasingly turned to Latin America and Asia, markets Chesky has said will more than make-up for revenue losses in more regulated cities.

About 81 percent of Airbnb's business is outside of North America, according to the company. While Greeley was living in Europe and working for Amazon, travel aggregator site Booking.com tried to hire him to be CEO, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. He declined.

Greeley helped create and grow Amazon's Prime business, which launched in 2005. While Airbnb does not have a loyalty program near the scale of Prime, it has similar aspirations. Last month the company announced new perks and rewards for home renters and hosts in a bid to encourage more loyalty and spending among its top users.

Airbnb is still recruiting for two top executive positions -- chief marketing officer and chief financial officer.

Watch: Nokia 7 Plus First Look at MWC 2018
Indonesia's government on Tuesday blocked online blogging service Tumblr over "inappropriate content" in more than 360 of its accounts, authorities said. "Tumblr had no mechanisms or tools to report inappropriate content", said the Indonesian Ministry of Technology and Information in a statement.

The web content monitoring team sent a letter to the Tumblr platform on February 28, giving the American company 48 hours to remove the pornographic content, Efe news reported. According to the Ministry, Tumblr which hosts more than 400 million blogs through its service globally did not respond to the letter within the stipulated deadline.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9 Plus First Impressions Review: Best Android Phones of 2018?

Late Monday, Tumblr users criticised on other media the failure to access the service, a second time for the same reason, after a ban of less than a day in February 2016. Indonesia has temporarily blocked access to messaging applications and social media platforms on several occasions to pressure companies to remove radical and pornographic content.

In January, Google pulled Blued -- one of the most popular gay dating apps -- from the Indonesian version of its online store after the government denounced its inappropriate content. Also at the beginning of the year, the government announced the National Cyberspace and Encryption Agency would begin searching for online cybercrime, hoaxes and defamations.

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, with nearly 88 percent of its population of 261 million following Islam.

Watch: Nokia 7 Plus First Look at MWC 2018
Beirut: Syrian government forces pounded eastern Ghouta with air strikes on Wednesday in an effort to slice the rebel enclave in two as they intensified a campaign to deal the opposition its biggest defeat since 2016.

The Syrian government assault of the densely populated area on the outskirts of Damascus, which began more than two weeks ago, has become one of the fiercest campaigns of the war now entering its eighth year, with bombardment killing hundreds.

Live footage broadcast by Syrian state TV from the outskirts of the town of Mesraba showed enormous clouds of smoke rising into the sky. The sounds of explosions and jets could be heard.

A state TV correspondent said militant defences in the town were being struck by "preparatory fire" in advance of a planned infantry assault. "Mesraba is under heavy attack today," said Khalil Aybour, a member of an opposition council in Ghouta.

Capturing Mesraba would be a major step towards severing the northern half of the Ghouta, including its biggest town, Douma, from the southern part. Government forces have seized more than 40 percent of the territory so far. Civilians have been fleeing frontline areas into Douma and hiding in cellars.

"It's bad in the basement, but it's better than the bombing," Adnan, 30, a Douma resident who has been sheltering below ground with his wife and two-year-old daughter together with 10 other families, told Reuters by telephone.

The United Nations says 400,000 people are trapped in the towns and villages of the eastern Ghouta, under government siege for years and already running out of food and medicine before the assault. An aid convoy reached the area this week but government officials had stripped out most medical supplies.

Russia, President Bashar al-Assad's most powerful ally, has offered rebel fighters safe passage out with their families and personal weapons. The proposal echoes previous agreements under which insurgents, in the face of military defeat, were permitted to withdraw to opposition-held areas at the Turkish border.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group says 800 civilians have been killed by government bombing and shelling. The Observatory said an extra 700 pro-government militia fighters had arrived at the front as reinforcements to join the operation.

The UN Security Council has called for a 30-day countrywide ceasefire, but Moscow and Damascus have not halted the campaign, arguing that the fighters they are striking are members of banned terrorist groups unprotected by the truce.

Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday some rebels wanted to accept the proposal to evacuate. So far rebels have dismissed it in public. The military spokesman for one of the main eastern Ghouta rebel groups said rebels would defend the territory and there were no negotiations over a withdrawal.

"The factions of Ghouta and their fighters and its people are holding onto their land and will defend it," Hamza Birqdar of Jaish al-Islam told Reuters in a text message sent overnight. The opposition says such evacuation agreements amount to a policy of demographic change by which Assad has forcibly displaced those who oppose him.

In an interview on state TV, a Syrian army colonel expressed confidence Ghouta would fall quickly, saying the people there would return to the "state's embrace" "very, very, very soon". A commander in the military alliance fighting in support of Assad said he anticipated that rebels would end up besieged in Douma and then accept a withdrawal deal.

Assad said this week that the majority of people in eastern Ghouta want a return of state rule. But rebels and opposition activists say people fear government persecution.

COMPLICITY

Russian warplanes have taken part in the eastern Ghouta operation, and the White House has accused Russia of complicity in the killing of civilians there. Defeat in eastern Ghouta would mark the biggest setback for the anti-Assad rebellion since the opposition was driven from eastern Aleppo in late 2016 after a similar campaign of siege, bombing, ground assaults and the promise of safe passage out.

Moscow and Damascus say the Ghouta campaign is necessary to halt rebel shelling of the capital. The Observatory says such shelling has killed at least 27 people since Feb. 18, and Syrian state media have given a higher death toll.

Assad has steadily recovered rebel-held areas in western Syria since Russia intervened directly on his side in 2015. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday voiced concern about attacks in eastern Ghouta which "reportedly claimed the lives of more than 100 people" on Monday alone, as well as reports of shelling of Damascus.

Western states have been demanding Russia press Assad to abide by the 30-day ceasefire. The Security Council, where Russia holds a veto, will meet on Wednesday to discuss the failed ceasefire.

The UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said the government offensive could not be justified by its targetting of a few hundred fighters. "Recent attempts to justify indiscriminate, brutal attacks on hundreds of thousands of civilians by the need to combat a few hundred fighters  as in Eastern Ghouta  are legally, and morally, unsustainable," he told the UN Human Rights Council.

"Also, when you are prepared to kill your own people so easily, lying is easy too. Claims by the Government of Syria that it is taking every measure to protect its civilian population are frankly ridiculous."
Medan, North Sumatra: Villagers in a remote Indonesian community disemboweled a critically endangered Sumatran tiger and then hung the big cat from a ceiling after it attacked a pair of locals, a conservation official said in Monday.

Human-animal conflicts are rampant in the vast Southeast Asian archipelago, especially in areas where the clearing of rainforest to make way for palm oil plantations is destroying animals' habitats and bringing them into closer contact with people.

Locals from Hatupangan village in North Sumatra had initially suspected the tiger was a supernatural creature so they followed it to its jungle lair, the official said.

The tiger -- which was seen around the village since last month -- attacked the curious group on Sunday, leaving two villagers seriously injured.

They later announced plans to kill the animal, despite warnings by conservation officials not to hurt the endangered cat.

"Unfortunately they would not listen. They insisted on killing the tiger," local conservation agency head Hotmauli Sianturi told AFP, adding that a conservation officer was blocked from preventing the death.

"After killing the animal, the locals hung up its body for display. It's very regrettable."

Some internal organs were missing from the tiger's body, said authorities, who are investigating the killing.

Sumatran tigers are considered critically endangered by protection group the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with 400 to 500 remaining in the wild.
Washington: A professor of Harvard University has resigned after being accused of sexual harassment for past three decades.

Jorge Dominguez, a professor in the government department at Harvard, had been placed "on administrative leave" as 18 women came forward to accuse him of sexual harassment, The Newyork Times reported.

Earlier, Dominguez was placed "on administrative leave, pending a full and fair review of the facts and circumstances regarding allegations that have come to light," Michael Smith, the dean of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said in an email to the Chronicle of Higher Education newspaper, Xinhua reported.

The first sexual harassment allegation began in 1979 and the latest from 2015, according to the investigation by the newspaper.

"It wasn't just the kisses on the cheeks and the hugs. It was also the requests to get drinks after work, the flirtatious emails, his asking one of them to sit next to him during a meeting," said the Chronicle report.

In the wake of a Chronicle investigation revealed last week that found 10 women who say Dominguez made them uncomfortable, more have come forward. The number is now 18, including women from all areas of university life: graduate students, undergraduates, fellow professors, and staff members, said the newspaper.

A statement on the website of the Harvard Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, where Dominguez is a faculty associate, said that the centre "is unambiguously committed to the policy and practice of zero tolerance of sexual harassment or gendered disparity of treatment."

The professor was found guilty of "serious misconduct" by Harvard in 1983 after Terry Karl, a junior professor in the department, reported that he had repeatedly groped, kissed, and propositioned her.

(With inputs from IANS)
London: A UK court has banned an Indian-origin family from flying their baby daughter to India because she is at risk of being subjected to an "utterly unacceptable" genital mutilation procedure.

A judge at Manchester County and Family Court ruled on Tuesday that the child, who will turn two this year, is at risk because religious and cultural pressure had overridden her mothers "maternal instinct".

Social workers in the UK believe three other girls from the family, which cannot be named for legal reasons, had been subjected to a similar procedure.

Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision, involves ritual intimate cutting, sometimes without anaesthetic, and has been banned in the UK.

Judge Robert Jordan made an "FGM protection order" in Manchester after a private family court hearing, Manchester Evening News reported.

The judge was told that the baby's three older sisters had previously been taken to India so that FGM could be carried out on them. He made the protection order after concluding that the little girl was also at risk and needed protecting.

"The effect of the cultural pressure overrode the mother's maternal instinct. As a consequence of religious and cultural pressure the mother facilitated the mutilation of her children," he noted.

"That cultural pressure still exists in their country of origin? and undoubtedly in this country," he added.

FGM protection orders came into force in Britain three years ago and give police and local authorities power to intervene to prevent such procedures. Parents can be barred from taking children abroad and passports can be seized and face prosecution if they breach it.

According to UK research, FGM is less common in India and is more prevalent in around 28 African countries and in parts of the Middle and the Far East.

In Britain, communities that have been identified as at risk of FGM include Somali, Kenyan, Ethiopian, Sierra Leonean, Sudanese, Egyptian, Nigerian, Eritrean, Yemeni, Kurdish and Indonesian women and girls.

It is believed to be a way of ensuring virginity and chastity and is used to safeguard girls from sex outside marriage and from having sexual feelings.

Although FGM is practised by secular communities, it is most often claimed to be carried out in accordance with religious beliefs.
Beirut: Iran has increased its missile production three-fold, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander said on Wednesday, according to the Fars news service.

The commander did not explain during what time period the production increase had taken place.

In the past we had to do a lot of explaining to various bodies for our actions but its not like that anymore, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guards aerospace division said, according to Fars.

"Our production has increased three-fold compared to the past," he said, referring to missiles.

The government, parliament and other Iranian officials had, in particular, agreed on the need for ground-to-ground missiles, Hajizadeh said.

Fars gave no further details.

Frances foreign minister visited Iran on Monday on a delicate mission to reaffirm Europes support for a nuclear deal that opened Irans economy, while echoing U.S. concern about its missile programme and role in regional conflicts.

Jean-Yves Le Drian's visit reflected French efforts to safeguard Iran's 2015 accord with major powers.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to pull out of the deal unless three European signatories help fix it by forcing Iran to limit its sway in the Middle East and rein in its missile programme.

Senior Iranian officials told Le Drian on Monday that Irans ballistic missile programme was not up for negotiation.
Rome: An Italian man of Nigerian origin, who is the chief immigration spokesman for the far-right League party, has been elected as the country's first black senator.

Tony Iwobi, whose party has been accused of stirring up xenophobia in Italy, was elected in the industrial city of Brescia in northern Italy  a major immigration hub.

"It is with great excitement that I can tell you I have been elected senator... A new adventure is about to begin," Iwobi said on Facebook on Tuesday following Sunday's elections.

Born in Gusau in northern Nigeria but living in Italy since the 1970s, Iwobi has been a supporter of the League for more than two decades and used the campaign slogan #StopInvasion  a reference to the more than 690,000 migrants who have landed on Italian shores from North Africa since 2013.

Along with party leader Matteo Salvini, Iwobi has argued that illegal immigration into Italy has led to an increase in racism.

"Discrimination begins when there are no rules and the state... lets anyone in. Illegality leads directly to violence and a racist response," he said in January.

"The League supports healthy and controlled immigration which can act as a bulwark against racism," he said.

Italy's general election left the country with a hung parliament in which no single party or coalition commands an overall majority. Political horse-trading is underway as parties bid to form a working coalition government.

The League, led by Matteo Salvini, was the winning party in the right-wing alliance that took the most votes on Sunday but fell short of an overall majority.
Los Angeles: A porn star who has said she had sex with President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement that she signed days before the 2016 presidential election, which prevented her from discussing the alleged sexual encounters.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges that the agreement is "null and void and of no consequence" because Trump didn't personally sign it.

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, said she wanted to go public with the details of her alleged sexual relationship with Trump in the weeks leading up to the election, according to the lawsuit. Clifford and Trump's attorney Michael Cohen signed the nondisclosure agreement on Oct. 28, 2016.

Clifford alleges that she began an "intimate relationship" with Trump in 2006 and that it continued "well into the year 2007," according to the lawsuit. She said the relationship included encounters in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and Beverly Hills, California.

Trump married his current wife, Melania Trump, in 2005.

Clifford has claimed she had sex with Trump once and then carried on a subsequent yearslong platonic relationship. She has also, through a lawyer, denied the two had an affair. Cohen has denied there was ever an affair.

Cohen has said he paid the porn actress $130,000 out of his own pocket as part of the agreement. He has also said that "neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly."

The lawsuit charges that the "hush agreement" is legally invalid because it was only signed by Clifford and Cohen. The agreement refers to Trump as David Dennison and Clifford as Peggy Peterson, but an attached exhibit details their true identities.

Clifford's lawsuit also alleges that Trump and Cohen "aggressively sought to silence Ms. Clifford as part of an effort to avoid her telling the truth, thus helping to ensure he won the Presidential Election."

"To be clear, the attempts to intimidate Ms. Clifford into silence and 'shut her up' in order to 'protect Mr. Trump' continue unabated," the lawsuit said. Clifford alleges that as recently as last week, Trump's attorney tried to initiate an arbitration proceeding against her.

Neither Cohen nor the White House immediately responded to requests for comment Tuesday evening.
London: Britain's grand welcome for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman begins on Wednesday with a lunch with Queen Elizabeth, as the two countries seek to widen longstanding defence ties into a far-reaching partnership.

Both sense an opportunity to broaden their existing relationship: Britain is looking for trading partners as it exits the European Union, and Saudi Arabia needs to convince sceptical investors about its domestic reforms.

But as Prince Mohammed and Prime Minister Theresa May meet, demonstrators will protest against both countries' roles in Yemen where war has killed an estimated 10,000 people and where 8.3 million people depend on food aid and 400,000 children have life-threatening levels of malnutrition.

Foreign minister Boris Johnson led the welcoming party for Prince Mohammed on his arrival late on Tuesday. Wednesday's first official engagement is a trip to Buckingham Palace for talks and a meal with the British monarch - a rare honour usually reserved for heads of state.

After lunch, the Saudi delegation will meet May and her cabinet inside May's Downing Street offices to launch a UK-Saudi "Strategic Partnership Council" - an initiative to encourage Saudi Arabia's economic reforms and foster cooperation on issues such as education and culture, as well as defence and security.

"It will usher in a new era of bilateral relations, focused on a partnership that delivers wide-ranging benefits for both of us," May's spokesman told reporters.

Britain is vying to land the stock market listing of state oil firm Saudi Aramco, but no decision is expected this week.

Later this month Prince Mohammed visits the United States, which also wants the lucrative listing, although sources said both countries may miss out.

British officials were privately delighted at the decision by Prince Mohammed, 32, to choose Britain as the major western destination on his first foreign trip since becoming heir to the Saudi throne last year.

The British government is keen to transform its historic defence relationship into two-way trade and investment, eyeing both an expanded market in Saudi Arabia for service sector exports, and attracting Saudi cash to finance domestic projects.

Business deals are possible with British defence group BAE Systems and European weapons maker MBDA, and initial agreements could be concluded on gas exploration, petrochemicals and other industries, according to British and Saudi sources.

"This modernisation will not be easy, nor will it be something we can do alone," Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Britain, Mohammed bin Nawaf, wrote in the Financial Times.

"We will need to tap the expertise of others. So, as we transition away from our historic reliance on oil, enormous commercial avenues will open up for overseas companies to work with, and invest in, Saudi Arabia."

ROYAL TREATMENT

The three-day visit will include two audiences with the British Royal family, a briefing with national security officials, and a prestigious visit to the prime minister's country residence.

May intends to use the private dinner at Chequers on Thursday, a 16th-century manor house 40 miles (60 km) northwest of London, to bring up concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, her spokesman said.

A Saudi-led military coalition is fighting the Houthi movement in Yemen, generating what the United Nation said in January was the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

"You can expect them to discuss Yemen, and the prime minister to raise deep concerns at the humanitarian situation," May's spokesman said. "She will also reiterate how seriously we take allegations of violations against international humanitarian law."

Speaking to reporters in London on Monday, Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said his country had failed to effectively communicate the reasons behind its involvement in Yemen, but that they had not chosen to start the war.

Protesters are planning to target the Saudi officials over Yemen and other human rights issues, and Britain for licensing 4.6 billion pounds of weapons sales to Saudi Arabia since 2015.

"As so often, it is about nothing but filthy lucre, and this government's desperation to plug the hole that will be left in Britain's trade and growth prospects by May's refusal to stay in a customs union with the EU after Brexit," Emily Thornberry, foreign policy chief for Britain's opposition Labour Party, wrote in the Guardian newspaper.

Buses have spent two days touring London with banners accusing Prince Mohammed of war crimes, with more planned for Wednesday before the main rally.

"Theresa May might believe the Crown Prince's ridiculous claims that he is a reformist and a force for liberalism, but people in the UK are not so easily convinced. This visit is being done to legitimise a brutal dictatorship and to sell arms," said Andrew Smith of the Campaign Against Arms Trade.
London: A truck driver was on Tuesday found guilty of causing the deaths of eight Indians in one of Britain's worst road accidents last year.

Ryszard Masierak, a 31-year-old Polish national, was convicted at the end of a trial at Reading Crown Court. The jury heard that he was two times over the legal drink-drive limit and had stopped in the inside lane of the highway when he was involved in the crash with a minibus and another truck near Newport Pagnell in southern England on August 26.

He had denied the charges of causing the deaths of Nottingham-based Keralite minibus driver Cyriac Joseph and seven of his passengers all Indians.

The 52-year-old had been hired to drive his passengers from Nottingham to London to join a European holiday tour group when they met with the fatal accident.

The jury is yet to pronounce its verdict on David Wagstaff, a 53-year-old British citizen who was driving the second truck involved in the collision, and will continue deliberations tomorrow.

However, it reached a unanimous verdict on the guilt of Masierak, who was also convicted of four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, in relation to injuring four other passengers including a four-year-old girl orphaned by the crash.

The trial was told that a drunk Masierak had stopped for 12 minutes in the slow lane of the highway just before the crash. His truck caused an obstruction on the motorway forcing others to slow down before moving around him.

As Joseph waited with his hazard lights on for a chance to go around the heavy goods vehicle (HGV), a second truck driven by Wagstaff smashed into the back of the van, forcing it to crash into and then go under Masierak's truck, the court was told.

"In Mr Wagstaff's case, on a hands-free call, his lorry on cruise control and he on auto-pilot, completely failing to notice what was ahead of him in full view for some time, inattention on a gross scale," said Prosecutor Oliver Saxby.

The victims from Nottingham's Malayali community and their relatives named as Panneerselvam Annamalai, Rishi Ranjeev Kumar, Vivek Baskaran, Lavanyalakshmi Seetharaman, Karthikeyan Pugalur Ramasubramanian, Subramaniyan Arachelvan and Tamilmani Arachelvan were on their way to London to catch a bus to Disneyland in Paris. Among them were IT professionals employed by software major Wipro.

The sentencing in the case will take place after the jury has decided on both accused later this week.
The News in Brief

38 NGOs Launch Campaign - I Want to Trust Court



The coalition  for Independent and Transparent Judiciary, uniting 38 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) based in Georgia, have launched a campaign - I want to trust Court.



The position was expressed by the executive director of Transparency International Georgia, Eka Gigauri, the Head of the Young Lawyers Association of Georgia, Sulkhan Saladze and NGO EMC Programs Director Sopho Verdzeuli.



"It is very problematic to appoint some judges for a lifetime and we think that the appointment process should be transparent. We will hold many events in order to provide the society with information about what is happening in the court system. We also want to change the legislation, said Eka Gigauri.



The campaign requires the political authorities to take responsibility for the crisis in the judiciary system, the judiciary system to be released from the clan management, the Prosecutor's Office to become interested and investigate all the alleged crimes related to the justice system and the Parliament to carry out real reforms, on the basis of which the influential group in the court will not be able to use legislation for unhealthy purposes.



Sulkhan Saladze discussed the case of Batumi City Court Judge, Irakli Shavadze who has a confrontation with the chairperson of the court.



When we talk about clan governance, the latest example is the statement of the Batumi City Court Judge, Irakli Shavadze that clearly shows there is a clan ruling, a particular group, which influences the entire court system," Saladze said.







Families with many Children to Receive Status and State Assistance



The Health Care and Social Issues Committee of Parliament of Georgia discussed the issue of initiating the draft law on the status of a large family parent.



The authors of the project are ruling party Georgian Dream MPs Dimitri Khundadze and Akaki Zoidze.



The purpose of the draft law is to determine the status of a large family parent and to support them.



The electricity subsidy will be financed from the state budget for the large families. Moreover, a family with 4 children will receive 20 GEL per month and families with five or more children will receive extra 10 GEL for each following child.



The benefits will be received by those families whose social-economic status is equal to the rating score of 300,000.



The rule of granting the status and issuing social assistance will be determined by the Government of Georgia until 1 June 2018.

(Prepared by Mariam Chanishvili)




Justice League vs. The Legion of Super-Heroes is coming to DC in 2022

Plus Wonder Woman returns to the Justice League while OMAC returns to the DCU
France to set legal age of sexual consent as 15

Paris : France plans to fix the legal age of sexual consent as 15, meaning sex with someone younger than that would be considered rape. Equality Minister Marlene Schiappa welcomed the move, which follows advice from doctors and legal experts, BBC reported.

Currently, prosecutors must prove sex with someone under 15 was forced in order to bring rape charges. The change comes amid uproar over two recent cases of men accused of having sex with 11-year-old girls.

Under the existing legislation, if there is no violence or coercion proved, offenders may only be charged with sexual abuse of a minor and not rape. This has a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $87,000.

The government is to approve the new age limit as part of a package of other laws against sexual violence and harassment in the coming weeks. It had been discussing whether to set the age as 13 or 15, which is what groups fighting violence against children had campaigned for.

Last November, a 30-year-old man was acquitted of rape after a court determined his 11-year-old victim had not been subjected to "constraint, threat, violence or surprise".
HARTFORD  Kevin Lu told a legislative committee he wants to be known as an American first, before Asian-American, or Chinese-American, or even Mandarin-American.

Being forced to check a box that somehow sets him apart from other Americans based on his ancestry is not something this freshman at Amity High School in Woodbridge ever wants to do, he said.

It undermines American values, Lu said Thursday, adding that he worries that people who view that checked box will think they know who he is and be wrong.

So, he like hundreds of others, crowded three hearing rooms at the state Capitol in support of a bill to prevent what they consider an Asian Registry.

Measures requiring data to be collected on ethnic subgroups of the population have passed in California, Minnesota and most recently Rhode Island. They have not been passed  and have not been suggested  in Connecticut.

State Rep, Andrew Fleischmann, D-West Hartford, co-chair of the education committee, made it clear the state has no intention of collecting any more data than is required by law.

But in response to what some fear is a national trend to label Asians, a bill drafted by Republican Senators in Connecticut, including Tony Hwang of Fairfield and George Logan of Ansonia, would prohibit the collection of separate student data on any specific ethnic subgroups unless required by federal law.

Still, Hwang and others say they remain concerned, given what is occurring in other states.

I see a lot of anxiety among members of the Asian community, Gaeton Stella, a retired Woodbridge schools superintendent who lives in Trumbull, told lawmakers. Data is good if it is used for the right reasons but we are drowning in data.

Throngs of support

Many who came to testify this week carried American flags or wore American flag scarves. Some came with children in tow on what for most was a snow day.

Ye Pogue, director of research of Asian Americans for Equal Rights, told the committee that collecting ethnic subgroup data damages the trust and collaborative relationship between parents, teachers and school authorities.

Salman Hamid, a teacher in Hamden, called the collection of subgroup data bad if for no other reason than he knows what it is like to feel like the other. He was born in Pakistan and immigrated to America at age 3.

Commissioner of Education Diana Wentzell told the committee some demographic data collection is important and not just because the state would lose millions in federal grants if it didnt.

We use the data to make sure all the kids in Connecticut are getting what we promised them, Wentzell said. Maybe when we get to the point when our African-American students and our Hispanic students seem to have the same chance to succeed as other students, maybe then it would be OK to say we are not going to look at race and ethnicity data any more.

Brandon L. McGee Jr., D-Hartford, assistant majority leader, also argued for some data collection.

Without data we wont know specifics of problems, he said, particularly in a state with so many racial ethnic inequalities.

Although data collection is useful in attempts to identify and fight achievement gaps between students, Hwang said the fear is that it can also be used to single out Asian-Americans who may be perceived as overachievers.

For Asian-Pacific-Americans particularly, there is a heightened distrust of a registry because this country has not always been favorable to (us), Hwang said. It is the only ethnic group to have been subjected to an exclusionary act. The only ethnic group to have been interned during the course of war.

The main concern, critics of subgroup data collection said, is fairness.

There is a history of discrimination that frames this debate, State Rep. William Tong, D-Stamford, said. Just last week or two weeks ago, the FBI director said that Chinese-American scientists are by their very nature suspect or somehow not to be trusted.

Not entirely

But the committee also heard from some who see the benefit to identifying problems specific to particular ethnic Asian groups.

Theanvy Kouch, executive director of the Khmer Health Advocates, called identifying subgroups necessary, particularly as it relates to health and education of refugees from Hmong, Cambodia and Laos.

It took data, she said, to prove that trauma to Southeast Asian communities has lead to diabetes, heart disease and depression.

We have been invisible for too long, Kouch said. Knowledge is power.

Angela Rola, education chair of the Asian Pacific American Coalition of Connecticut also opposed the bill, saying details are essential to reduce disparities in areas of education, health and employment.

In Connecticut 20 ethnic groups make up approximately 160,000 Asian Americans, Rola said. They have distinct experiences and needs that cant be seen when they are lumped into one category.
DANBURY  The city of Danbury has hired the Ventura Law firm to prepare lawsuits this year against pharmaceutical companies for their role in the opioid epidemic.

The City Council voted this week to retain the Main Street firm to review potential claims the city could file against the industry for the misleading, damaging and corrosive effect of opioid distribution, according to the councils resolution.

Targets for the lawsuits could include any of the companies that manufacture or distribute the powerful painkillers, including Stamford-based Purdue Pharma, which produces OxyContin.

The decision sets into motion a months-long effort to quantify the financial effects opioid abuse and overdoses in Danbury have had on public health, emergency services and police.

The city can then use that data to buttress claims against these companies and hold them accountable for misrepresenting the addictive effects of opioids to protect profits, said Ventura Law CEO Augie Ribeiro and law partner Kelly Fitzpatrick, who will handle the case for the city.

Theyve essentially fueled the epidemic because these pills have been pushed into the community for many years, despite some medical literature out there, Fitzpatrick told the council on Tuesday night.

Danbury joins the ranks of hundreds of cities, counties and states across the U.S. taking the pharmaceutical industry to state and federal court, after opioid overdoses spiked 30 percent last year, according to a new report this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mayor Mark Boughton hopes the investigation and lawsuit will put the city in a position to collect as part of any universal settlement the pharmaceutical companies might agree to, or to pursue more punitive damages, he said.

In either case, the mayor said, funding has been scarce for opioid addiction treatment and its associated police and public health costs, so the city must win something to better to treat the problem. The cost of Narcan, the emergency drug used to treat opioid overdoses, has skyrocketed from $15 per treatment to $1,500 for some costs, he added.

Were in a reactive posture, Boughton said. Its difficult for us to get ahead of this. This isnt going to result in money tomorrow, just to be clear, but if theres money in the future, we want there to be funding for some of the programs we just cant afford to do now.

The decision to hire Ventura Law is a break from almost 20 other cities and towns in Connecticut that have signed with a New York-based firm, Simmons Hanly Conroy, in a larger national lawsuit involving another 120 municipalities across the country.

Boughton and the citys corporation counsel interviewed Simmons Hanly Conroy and several other major firms, but they opted for the local firm to keep Danbury front and center, they said.

Ventura Law also has partnered with Nashville-based firm Branstetter Stranch & Jennings, which is representing counties across Tennessee in similar lawsuits.

That firm is already leading the charge, is already representing 47 counties in the state of Tennessee, so is already ahead of this game, Ribeiro said. Theyre teamed up with us so that we have a local presence ... but we also have the back-end support of that other firm. Youre getting actually both.

The firms will not charge the city a fee unless they win a judgment, in which case the firms would take 25 percent of the total settlement or recovery, according to the agreement approved Tuesday night.

Other Connecticut towns, including Ridgefield, are negotiating directly with Purdue for money to combat the epidemic.

Councilmen Duane Perkins and Tom Saadi said Ventura should not target only Purdue, but also other companies that distributed opioids and misled doctors about their effects. Saadi cited cases he led as a state prosecutor against medical companies over their misrepresentations, and recalled the veterans struggling with opioid addiction he has met as head of the state Department of Veterans Affairs.

Fitzpatrick plans to meet with city departments in the coming months to compile data on costs related to opioid abuse. She and Ribeiro plan to present a report and recommendation to the council before the end of the year. Any lawsuit would require council approval before it is filed.

What the mayor and Danbury have done here is really take a leadership position on this issue, Ribeiro said. They should be commended and we hope other cities and towns will follow.
Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton expects the biggest snowfall after 1 p.m., he told meteorologist Jim Cantore in an interview on The Weather Channel.

He said Eversource and public works crews have been busy since last weekend's storm, but are still ready for this one.

"Nobody's allowed to go home," Boughton said. "We keep everybody here 'til the last flake falls."

In addition to having public works crews at the ready, he city also has snowmobiles that can be used to help motorists and residents stuck in the snow, he said.

While Boughton's appearance on The Weather Channel comes in time to help residents prepare for one of the year's largest storms, it is not the first time the Danbury mayor has turned up on national television.

In October 2017, the declared gubernatorial candidate made an appearance on Fox Business Network to promote Danbury as a possible site for Amazon's second headquarters. Despite the push, that bid failed when Amazon whittled their over 200 proposals down to 20, with Danbury and several other Connecticut cities getting the axe.

Boughton has also made media appearances not in connection to the city, most recently appearing in a Super Bowl LII commercial for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

This story has been corrected to show that Boughton appeared on Fox Business Network.
"We are proud and fortunate to work with strong and inspirational women everyday at the Canadian Hearing Society," said Julia Dumanian, President and CEO. "Gail and Veronica embody dedication, compassion, and strength in the face of adversity. They inspire and motivate us all on International Women's Day."

Gail's Story  Mom, Youth Worker, Entrepreneur

For the past fourteen years, Gail Brunsdon has served as a Community Support Worker with the Canadian Hearing Society. Gail is a certified child and youth worker and, as a member of the CONNECT Counselling Services team in the Waterloo region, she provides professional counselling services to Deaf and hard of hearing individuals of all ages, and their families.

Gail is also a Deaf parent and raised four children who are also Deaf while working, pursuing her own education, and managing a crocheting and knitting business on the side. She faced many challenges early in her career, including access to quality education, employment opportunities, and facing employer stigmas around hiring Deaf employees.

"Job interviews are often challenging and can be a barrier for deaf women who are looking for meaningful employment opportunities," said Gail. "Employers lacking knowledge or training related to deaf culture is a huge issue."

Veronica's Story  Counsellor, Student, Advocate

Veronica Bickle has worked at the Canadian Hearing Society for the past thirteen years. First, as a General Support Counsellor and currently as a CONNECT Counsellor serving Durham, Peterborough, City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton and Northumberland Counties.

Outside of her work Veronica volunteers her time to support Deaf community leaders and advocate for improved accessibility for the Deaf and hard of hearing community on a range of issues.

Veronica holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Windsor which she earned while working full-time and maintaining her commitment to community service. When accessibility issues presented additional challenges  such as poor captioning for video material and language barriers in the classroom  Veronica worked with her professors and found ways to overcome them.

Advice on International Women's Day

Gail's advice for women who are Deaf on International Women's Day?

"Don't give up. Dream and get what you want. Set goals and believe in yourself, be an advocate for yourself and for what is right. Being Deaf doesn't mean you can't do anything  we can all do it!"

Veronica agrees. "I'm forever grateful that I didn't quit or give up on graduate school. Looking back, I think to myself, 'did I actually do that?' I ended up having a great experience with my fellow students. In some cases, they were better than the instructors in making sure I had access in class."

She adds, "If we don't do anything proactive, very little will change. We have to push and advocate to see the change that we need. This is particularly true of women dealing with minority issues everyday  such as marginalization, ignorance, and the culture of low expectations."

The Canadian Hearing Society is proud to work alongside role modes like Gail and Veronica who are breaking down barriers and proving that women who are Deaf are fully capable of achieving their goals and realizing their ambition.

If you or someone you know is Deaf or hard of hearing, the Canadian Hearing Society offers a variety of support  such as counselling, accessibility, and employment services  to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to pursue their dreams. Visit www.chs.ca today to learn more about our services and support.

About the Canadian Hearing Society

Trusted since 1940, the Canadian Hearing Society provides industry-leading services and products that enable Deaf and hard of hearing Canadians to overcome barriers to participation. It is an independent, registered non-profit organization that reinvests proceeds from product and program sales back into community services, the focus of the organization. For more information about the Canadian Hearing Society's services visit www.chs.ca.

SOURCE The Canadian Hearing Society

For further information: For media inquiries, please contact: Maria Gregory, Director, Marketing & Communications,416-577-7993, [email protected]
CONFEDEM becomes the fifth national mining association outside of Canada to adopt TSM

TORONTO, March 6, 2018 /CNW/ - The national mining association of Spain, CONFEDEM, has announced that it will adopt the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) initiative, a mining sustainability standard developed by the Mining Association of Canada (MAC).

Through this partnership, CONFEDEM will integrate TSM with its Gestion Minero Metalurgica Sostenible (GMMS) standard. This will add TSM elements, including external verification of site-level performance and the establishment of an independent community of interest advisory panel to oversee the program. While CONFEDEM will tailor its performance areas so that they reflect the unique aspects of its domestic mining sector, they will strongly align with those of Canada.

The signing ceremony involving representatives of MAC and CONFEDEM (Confederacion nacional de empresarios de la mineria y de la metalurgia) was held today during the PDAC International Convention in Toronto.

CONFEDEM has become the fifth national mining association outside of Canada to adopt TSM, underscoring the program's growing global presence. The national mining associations of Finland (FinnMin), Argentina (Camara Argentina de Empresarios Mineros), Botswana (Botswana Chamber of Mines), and the Philippines (Chamber of Mines of the Philippines) are currently implementing TSM.

MAC and its members launched TSM in 2004. Implementation of the program is mandatory for all MAC members' Canadian operations, but many voluntarily apply it to their international sites. MAC freely shares TSM with other countries seeking tools to improve the environmental and social performance of their mining industries, including engagement with civil society and enhanced transparency and accountability.

TSM requires mining companies to annually assess their facilities' performance in key areas, including tailings management, community outreach, safety and health, biodiversity conservation, crisis management, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions management, and the prevention of child and forced labour. The results are freely available to the public and are externally-verified every three years to ensure what has been reported is accurate.

To ensure TSM reflects the expectations of civil society and industry stakeholders, it was designed and continues to be shaped by an independent, multi-interest advisory panel. As part of its implementation, CONFEDEM will implement a similar advisory body to provide this valuable oversight function.

QUOTES

"Adopting TSM and incorporating it into our GMMS standard will generate two parallel benefits. It will allow us to draw from Canada's deep and broad experience in sustainable mining practices while enabling us to engage effectively with civil society, build trust and work collaboratively to continue building a sustainable mining industry," stated Vicente G. Peinador, General Director, CONFEDEM.

"CONFEDEM's adoption of TSM builds on its already significant work in driving sustainability performance within Spain's mining sector through its GMMS standard. Through this partnership, CONFEDEM will integrate world-leading TSM elements into its current system, including external verification of results and community oversight. We're proud to share our expertise in sustainable mining practices with countries that share the same vision," stated Pierre Gratton, President and CEO, MAC.

ABOUT CONFEDEM

Representing the Spanish mining and metallurgy sector in Spain, the Confederacion nacional de empresarios de la mineria y de la metalurgia (CONFEDEM) is a non-profit, independent institution representing the sector's interests with both the Spanish government and European Commission. CONFEDEM also coordinates the sector's socio-economic activities in Spain. CONFEDEM's membership includes all metallic and non-metallic mining and metallurgy companies and the majority of industrial minerals companies in Spain. Its members include both national and international companies such as MAXAM, ICL, First Quantum, Trafigura & Mubadala, Rio Tinto Atalaya Mining, Orvana Minerals, Freeport McMoran, Berkeley Minera Spain and others. Please visit www.confedem.com.

ABOUT MAC

The Mining Association of Canada is the national organization for the Canadian mining industry. Its members account for most of Canada's production of base and precious metals, uranium, diamonds, metallurgical coal and mined oil sands, and are actively engaged in mineral exploration, mining, smelting, refining and semi-fabrication. Please visit www.mining.ca.

ABOUT TSM

The Towards Sustainable Mining initiative is a sustainability standard developed by the Mining Association of Canada. Mining companies are expected to report annually on the implementation of each protocol. In addition, their performance results are evaluated by an external auditor every three years. Please visit www.mining.ca/tsm.

SOURCE Mining Association of Canada (MAC)

For further information: Jessica Draker, Director of Communications, MAC, (613) 233-9392 x225 or [email protected]; Jose Maria Scandella Giron, Secretario General, CONFEDEM, +34 914319402 or [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.mining.ca


Chinas internal security budget has grown along with its external military defense spending. The internal security budget is 20% more than the defense spending.

Chinas defense spending, announced on 5 March at a National Peoples Congress (NPC) session where the Ministry of Finance unveiled its national budget, amounts to RMB1.107 trillion (USD175 billion).

This would put the internal security budget at about USD210 billion.

In 2016, US DOD estimates put Chinas real spending at least 23% higher than announced. If the same ratio is used for 2018s figure, Chinas defense spending could be around the USD215 billion mark. Compared to the Pentagon, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is less cautious in its estimate. Indeed, SIPRI calculated that Chinas actual spending in 2016 was some 55% more than what was officially stated. The same kind of adjustment would put Chinas 2018 defense spending at USD265 billion. Chinas SIPRI adjusted 2020 defense spending should be USD300 billion and about USD450 billion in 2025.

The USA has an FY2019 budget request for the DoD for USD686 billion, with extra billions requested for operational requirements.

China military budget is going to aircraft carriers (nuclear-powered carriers are a near certainty), nuclear-powered submarines, stealth fighters, ballistic missiles, missile defense systems, space-based capabilities, quantum communications and artificial intelligence (AI).

Here is a Nextbigfuture infographic with a projection of military spending in 2030.

This is mainly based upon IMF forecasted GDP projections to 2022 and then extrapolated to 2030. The 2016 military spending as a percent of GDP is assumed to still be used out to 2030. A country spending 2% of its GDP on its military or 5% of GDP is assumed to still be spending the same percentage in 2030.

Nextbigfuture believes the IMF GDP forecasts out to 2022 for Russia and Saudi Arabia could be high.

Also, Chinas currency improved in 2017 and 2018 and has had strong GDP performance. Nextbigfuture used these adjustments for an increased forecast for Chinas GDP in 2030.

Most of the countries are growing at near the same pace. China and India have more growth and so have bigger economies and more military spending in 2030.

The United States still dominates world military spending.

Nextbigfuture is working with Easel.ly to create infographics.

Nextbigfuture had combined several sources to determine how much Russia, China and the United States spend on military hardware (tanks, planes, ships and research.)

Nextbigfuture is working with Easel.ly to create infographics.

* Russia announced their ten-year military hardware spending plan which was flat spending through 2027.

* Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is an international institute based in Sweden, dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. They provide annual estimates of military spending and have projected military spending

* The International Institute for Strategic Studies, IISS, is a global think tank researching political and military conflict.

China is expected to grow its military hardware spending by about 5% per year and the USA at about 1-2% per year.

By 2025, China will grow from double Russias military hardware spending to triple and from less than half the US level to 60%.

Techno-police state

Since the start of the 2018 Spring Security Campaign, Zhengzhou Railway Police has taken the lead in using the portraits of police glasses on national railways. The police sunglasses can effectively screen out illegal travelers who are fleeing and fraudulent use of identity documents on the Internet. It is understood that the Zhengzhou Railway Police were stationed in Zhengzhou, the four stations were used in this police glasses.

At present, the police have already seized 7 online fledgling officers suspected of trafficking in persons, traffic accidents and escapes and other 26 fake identification personnel, and effectively purged the public security environment for passenger take-off and landing.

The sunglass device was able to identify individuals from a 10,000-person database within one-tenth of a second during tests. A basic, video-only version of the glasses retails for around $630, and has been sold to countries including the US and Japan.

China is install 400 million new CCTV cameras nationwide by 2020. China is building a facial-recognition database that can identify any Chinese citizen within three seconds. One IHS Markit estimate puts the number of cameras in China at 176 million today, with a plan to have 450 million installed by 2020.

Beyond the CCTV cameras there will be smartphones and the google glass like sunglasses. There will be billions of cameras.

China Technology empowered Police State will identify any face within 3 seconds by 2020 using billions of cameras.

China will also be applying drones and satellites and high resolution cameras.
US and Canadian diplomats in Cuba have mysterious ailments that were blamed on a high-frequency sonic weapon. However, ultrasonic frequenciesfrom 20 to 200 kilohertzdont propagate well in air and dont cause the ear pain, headache, dizziness, and other symptoms reported in Cuba. IEEE Spectrum reported on work described on Youtube.

Kevin Fu, a computer scientist at the University of Michigan and his colleague Wenyuan Xu, a professor at Zhejiang University, in Hangzhou, China, and her Ph.D. student Chen Yan have determined that it was intermodulation distortion occurs when two signals having different frequencies combine to produce synthetic signals at the difference, sum, or multiples of the original frequencies.

Two ultrasonic signals (ultrasonic jammer and an ultrasonic transmitter) accidentally interfered with each other, creating an audible side effect.
Former Russian agent Mr Skripals wife, son and older brother have all died in the past two years. The woman found slumped on a shopping center bench alongside a former Russian agent convicted of spying for Britain is his daughter.

Yulia Skripal, in her 30s, and father Sergei, 66, are critically ill in hospital after being found unconscious in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Sergei Skripal was convicted of passing the identities of Russian intelligence agents working undercover in Europe to the UKs Secret Intelligence Service, MI6.

In July 2010, he was one of four prisoners released by Moscow in exchange for 10 Russian spies arrested by the FBI as part of a swap. He was later flown to the UK.
KILLINGWORTH  On Route 81 approaching the Killingworth Cafe, you can almost imagine a smile on the facade of the white, red-awning windows.

And if Jan Violissi, owner and chef isnt too busy, shell drop everything to greet you before you can sit down. Most of the time, though, she spends it in the kitchen sometimes creating dishes no ones ever heard of, but mostly putting together a menu for any palate.

I cant sing or dance, but I sure can cook, said Violissi almost singing.

Violissi bought the property in 1993 from the Winkles, Flossie and Fred, local legends about whom people still spin yarns. Flossie was probably best known for her spot at the bar, sipping a CC and soda, but never accepting a drink from patrons  but she was plenty generous herself.

Fred was a character in his own right. History has it that he was the first person to receive a liquor permit from the State of Connecticut. He slept on the steps of the Capitol Building to be the first in line in the morning, as the story goes.

Going back in time: The present building evolved from the original manse constructed by a Congregational minister in the late 1800s. When the minister retired, he kept the house. Later, after the minister left, the building housed a general store. Believe it or not, after the store, a brothel appeared and then during Prohibition, it served as a hangout like a speakeasy with Canadian whiskey smuggled in, some of which was dumped on Duck Island when it had the house on it. It was a post office too. All this lore is according to Violissi.

Now, it is one of the finest restaurants in the area. During the interview, Violissi asked, Can you smell the duck roasting? The writer sure could. Then she showed off the special beef shank that looked as if it were hacked from a dinosaur. I make it braised, then stewed with vegetables, osso buco style  excellent.

Both the menu and the special sheet are as entertaining as they are mouthwatering: Escargot Broiled with copious amount of Garlic

Served w/Rustic Garlic Bread.

Or: Dont drink to excess. It makes us both look bad.

Or: You might consider allowing us to Stuff one of

These Oversized Baked Beauties (potatoes) with Crumbled Bacon, Shredded Cheddar, and a Hefty Dose of Sour Cream.

Its quite a sight for $2 extra.

Or: 2 lb Porterhouse (the Jolly Roger); 22 oz. Porterhouse (Beatrice 1st)

Or: Bourbon Marinated Sirloin Tips. Few can resist 1 lbs of the Yummiest Bourbon-soaked Sirloin Tips around.

The headline on the weekly special flyer and the main menu reads, Celebrating 25 years andMillions of Calories Served!!! The flyer continues: Located on the Circle in Beautiful Downtown Killingworth Ct.

In the same mode, some of the specials read: Take Home A Quart of your favorite soup because Baby, Its SNOW Outside. And Butternut Squash Ravioli w/Maple Walnut Glaze.

And, of course, the remarkable, Bottle of Dom Perignon with a Toasted Cheese Sandwich **$249.75** (Add Tomato or Crispy Bacon for $3 more)

Carol, Violissis sister, Does all the prep work and is responsible for the inventory. I am the chef, owner and fool on the hill. We rarely take a break, we open at three every day, and we love the military  especially the SeaBees, because Ron Dziema was a SeaBee and he can make or fix anything. (Dziema is a loyal friend, apparently).

Was the bar itself mentioned? Kathi Kaster presided during the interview. Shes been behind the stick for six years and she is a Cosmo specialist, among other things. And the bar itself is a compact wonder. Its the only one this writer knows of that has Piehole Liqueurs prominently displayed. Surrounded by the usual Absolut and Stolie and Titos, and CC, the stand Pecan Pie, Cherry Pie, and of course, Apple Pie.

Also, at the bar, if you get too mesmerized by Howard Kelsey (a regular), you can always switch to a game of Keno, installed a couple of years ago. We do Power ball  all the number games except the scratch-offs, mused Violissi. They approached us two years ago and we said yes.

Actually a few things have changed that were tradition. One was that during a cold winter evening, regulars would on their way in bring in a log from the pile outside and toss it into the fire. Now they bring their smiles  which is just as good.

So if youre looking for a grilled cheese sandwich with a burger inside, or a hunk of salmon with a dash of Old Bay seasoning, or the like-nothing-youve-had-before haddock sandwich, or one of my favorites  the Cuban black bean soup with sausage and the spoon stands straight up in it, head for the Killingworth Cafe where Every days a holiday, and every meals a feast.
The first feature from writer-director Cory Finley, "Thoroughbreds" is a darkly comic tale - shot through with the hard-boiled fatalism of film noir - about two teenage girls in an affluent Connecticut suburb of New York.

The troubled Amanda (Olivia Cooke of "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl") has been struggling to rejoin society after her mutilation of a prized horse, an act that has turned her into a social outcast. Her childhood friend Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy of "The Witch") lives with her mother (Francie Smith) and her coldly arrogant stepfather, Mark (Paul Sparks), in a huge mansion where she seems to have it all: a refined lifestyle, a prestigious internship and good college prospects.

As the film opens, a tenuous reunion has been engineered by Amanda's mother, who is paying Lily to tutor (and befriend) her disturbed daughter. Despite the financial arrangement, an uneasy alliance develops between the two girls. Amanda - who speaks in deadpan because she has lost the ability to feel emotion - impresses Lily with her jaded outlook, and Amanda soon plants the seed of a solution to Lily's problematic relationship with Mark. This proposal leads them to a small-time drug dealer (the late Anton Yelchin, in one of his final roles) with whom they enter into negotiations about taking on their dirty work.

Cooke - so terrific as a naive teen in "Bates Motel" - succeeds here in a completely different mode, her wide, sensitive eyes revealing a chilling emptiness that suggests Cristina Ricci's Wednesday Addams from the "Addams Family" films. But she's also got great comic timing, as when Amanda feigns a smile or uses what she calls "the technique" to produce crocodile tears. As Lily, Taylor-Joy makes for an apt foil, dropping her veneer of propriety, with Amanda's encouragement, to become a formidable and manipulative presence of her own. Yelchin's performance - grizzled, neurotic - is sadly on-the-nose, making us feel as if we're watching the last act of a troubled young man.

A psychological thriller set in a young-adult milieu, "Thoroughbreds" was inspired by such classic examples of film noir as "Double Indemnity" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice," both of which Finley says he went to for inspiration while writing his script. Yet the movie's plot machinations and brooding tone are, at times, a little too clever. And Erik Friedlander's anxious, percussive score reinforces what we already know: These are troubled people.

Still, the music suits sound design that turns the film's luxurious setting - an estate bathed in sterile, almost institutional light by cinematographer Lyle Vincent - into a kind of creepy funhouse, one in which the thudding, cardiovascular pulse of Mark's unseen rowing machine creates a tension that we fully expect to turn violent. A vicious satire of the upper class and its discontents, "Thoroughbreds" paints a dark picture of a generation that, because it has been denied nothing, has come to value nothing.

---

Three stars. Rated R. Contains disturbing behavior, bloody images, coarse language, sexual references and some drug use. 90 minutes.

Ratings Guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars OK, one star poor, no stars waste of time.
There are a number of very good Indian restaurants in Connecticut. The problem I have found with most of them is they are uneven. One time the meal will be stellar, the next time lackluster. My guess is it depends on who is cooking in the kitchen. The menu may stay the same, but the food is uneven.

The constant level of good cooking is one reason to applaud Baingan.

I did not know about Baingan until some friends told me about it. What they focused on was the buffet, served daily. To my friends delight, the buffet was one of the great bargains around. Although in this column I try to guide my readers to affordable places, I am at heart somewhat skeptical when the main reason to eat somewhere is its cheap and you get a lot.

The Baingan buffet is worth the trip to Shelton. Neatly laid out on a steam table are many dishes, often the same food that is on the extensive menu. There are meat dishes, vegetarian dishes, light foods and rib stickers. There are Indian breads, rice, raita and exotic desserts. The cost for the buffet is an amazingly low. Even more amazing is that it is truly all you can eat. If you need 12 plates of chicken curry to feel satiated, Baingan has no problem.

I hesitate to name actual dishes served at the buffet because they are different each day. The dishes I will mention are on the large menu, available for takeout or eat in, and you might find them on the steam table as well.

I adore Indian breads. Naan made in a tandoor oven: plain, or garlicky, or filled with lamb or roasted chicken. The Kulcha breads come stuffed with onions and fresh coriander. Paratha is a hearty bread that contains peas and potatoes, dried mint and cheese, and my all time favorite Poori, the whole wheat bread that arrives puffed up like a blowfish and slowly deflates like a sigh. I can make a perfect meal out of any of these breads, along with raita (a spiced yogurt and cucumber dip) and a mango lassi (a yogurt and fruit milkshake). If you have simple tastes like I (occasionally) have, you can feast for very little money.

There is nothing on the menu that I would call expensive. You get a lot of bang for the buck eating here. There are two expansive dining rooms, both with comfortable booths and tables. The service is also a plus. The waiters and floor manager keep an eagle eye out for anything you may need.

More Information Baingan 94 River Road, Shelton; www.bainganindia.com, 203 924 2626 See More Collapse

So here are some of the best things I ate at Baingan. Some are familiar and some rarely seen on any Connecticut menus.

To start off saying get the lentil soup sounds so boring and old-lady like, but get it. It is perfectly seasoned and not so heavy that you will have trouble with the following courses. I found it perked my appetite rather then destroyed it.

The kitchen at Baingan makes a terrific Biryani. The base of a good Biryani is aromatic basmati rice, cooked with an amalgam of spices and nuts, and combined with lamb, chicken, shrimp, all of the mentioned proteins or just plain vegetables. The portions are huge, and the perfume coming off the dish is transcendental.

I love anything cooked in a tandoor oven if only for the fact that I dont own one. A real tandoor oven is not something you can pick up at Williams-Sonoma. At Baingan the tandoori is used to quickly blast cook meat and seafood kebabs that have been marinating overnight. A tandoor oven is an art to use correctly, the food you pull off the skewer has to be moist and juicy not dried and desiccated. Boti Kabab is a classic cubed lamb flavored with ginger and garlic. There is a light and delicious Salmon kebab, the fish having marinated overnight in yogurt. In the how do they do it? category is the vegetarian Paneer Saslik, a soft cheese cooked with spicy tomato, onions and red peppers. Have you ever put soft cheese in an intensely hot oven? I have and it was a mess, not a neat and pretty kebab.

If you are a classicist, do not hesitate to order the Vindaloos or curries. I loved the Methi Chicken, a curry spiked with the intense herb fenugreek. Lamb Vindaloo is fiery cubes of lamb cooked with mild potatoes and a splash of vinegar.

I cannot leave this review without mention of some very unusual dishes you will not find elsewhere. Zaffrani Gosht is an exotic stew of lamb, saffron, cashew nuts, raisins, royal cumin and tomato. There is Chicken Patia: spiced chicken cooked in an onion gravy with mangos, tomatoes, spices and cream. Chicken Momo is marinated in Nepali spices, then wrapped in dough and steamed, sided by a spicy sauce and what sounds like the worlds most perfect comfort food, Cheese Butter Masala, described on the menu as cheese and butter cooked in a mild creamy tomato sauce.

Damn the cholesterol; full speed ahead.

Jane Stern, a Ridgefield resident, coauthored the popular Roadfood guidebook series with Michael Stern. Join her each week as she travels Fairfield County finding a great meal in unexpected places for $20 or less.
HARTFORD  What pushed Thomas Burke to the edge that night on the river bank in Afghanistan with his gun in his mouth, was the blood and broken, scattered childrens corpses.

A group of kids, determined to help Burkes Marine Corps unit rid their central-Afghanistan home of the Taliban, would regularly present the soldiers with unexploded bombs  mostly improvised explosive devices  for disposal. A week before he almost committed suicide, the youngsters had found the live warhead of a rocket-propelled grenade.

They were bringing it to me and it exploded on them, Burke, 26, told state lawmakers of the 2009 incident. I had to go and personally pick up their body parts and put them in the back of a trailer. A week after that I sat on the bank of the Helmand River and I put my gun in my mouth.

His voice broke as he continued.

I, fortunately, had a friend follow me out into the middle of Afghanistan without his own personal protection equipment... follow me being an idiot, and he saved my life. Had I pulled that trigger that night I would have had an honorable discharge.

Instead, with four months left in his second Middle East deployment Burke started smoking marijuana given to him and other members of his unit by friendly Afghan police. It helped him sleep. Five months after the near-suicide, he was out of the Marines, with a less-than-honorable discharge, often called bad paper.

Burke, other veterans and some state military officials on Tuesday testified during a public hearing at the Capitol. They asked the Veterans Affairs Committee to approve legislation that would allow vets given other than honorable discharges for mental-health reasons, to become eligible for health services and educational support from which they are currently prohibited.

I returned home here to Connecticut with nothing, said Burke. I had no benefits. After a lengthy process of appeals, he was able to receive federal support for $400,000 in undergraduate tuition at Sacred Heart University, plus $150,000 for his current studies at Yale Universitys Divinity School. Until I got into a classroom, I had no hope. I thought I was a piece of crap who was less than honorably discharged.

More than 800 veterans could be eligible for state benefits if the General Assembly approves the legislation, according to the Connecticut Chapter of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of American, which is pursuing the bill with assistance from the Yale Law School.

Rep. John Hennessy, D-Bridgeport, himself a U.S. Army veteran who is co-chairman of the committee, said he expects the bill will be approved and noted that there was no testimony submitted in opposition to the bill.

This is something that the legislature has to figure out, Hennessy said Wednesday. While they may be prevented from benefits on the federal side that doesnt mean we cant help people with bad paper to transition to civilian life.

Similar legislation proposed last year failed in the legislature.

Burke, appeared before the committee with Rep. Brian Ohler, R-Canaan, who with third Purple Hearts is the first post-September 11th combat veteran to serve in the General Assembly.

When called, we put our lives here at home on hold, knowing that there was an ever-increasing chance of never returning back home to our families, Ohler told the committee. Because of these experiences and the countless other harrowing circumstances that a service member can endure during their enlistment, many now struggle to cope with this reality.
NEW HAVEN  Defendant Saifullah Khan, on trial for sexual assault, testified Tuesday that his accuser actually was the sexual aggressor who invited him into her Yale dormitory room and then into her bed.

For three full hours Khan gave a detailed and sometimes graphic account of what he asserted happened three years ago during a rowdy Halloween night of campus partying, a Yale Symphony Orchestra concert at Woolsey Hall  during which the female complainant in this case vomited  and the couples sexual encounter in her bedroom early the next morning.

Khans testimony differed almost completely from that of the complainant, who last week said he took over her cellphone, took advantage of her drunken state and raped me.

The courtroom was filled all day Tuesday with Yale students, reporters and other interested observers. Those in attendance also heard spirited closing arguments from the prosecutor and two defense attorneys.

The six jurors finally began deliberations at 4:45 p.m. Fifteen minutes later, Superior Court Judge Brian T. Fischer sent the jury home and instructed them to resume Wednesday, unless the snow is too intense for them to come to court.

Khan, 25, is charged with sexual assault in the first, second, third and fourth degrees. He and the complainant were seniors at Yale when they had their sexual encounter. Yale officials suspended him after she made her accusation and he has not returned.

The defendant, attired in a dark suit and tie, politely answered, Yes, sir and No, sir to the multitude of questions posed by Supervisory Assistant States Attorney Michael Pepper and defense attorney Norm Pattis.

Those in the courtroom listened most intently when Khan talked about what happened after he walked the woman back to her room at Yales Trumbull College. Security card swipe records show they arrived there at 12:43 a.m.

He recalled she was giggling and laughing in response to his random, dumb jokes as they made the short walk from Woolsey Hall to her residence hall, where he also lived.

Khan said he helped her to her doorway and she walked into her suite. I said Good night and started walking toward my entryway. She walked back toward me and called out my name.

Pattis asked, How did you interpret her tone? Khan replied: As if there was some expectation.

Khan added, I said, Yeah and she said, Do you want to come back to my room? I said, Yes and started walking back toward her entryway. She opened the door.

He continued: She started taking off her clothes. I took off my tie.

Noting the woman was dressed in a cat costume for Halloween, Pattis asked: What part of her costume did she take off?

The top, Khan replied.

Pattis: What was going through your mind as she was taking her clothes off?

Khan: I was excited and I was aroused.

But then, he said, she asked him to go out and try to find a friend of hers, who also lived at Trumbull College. Her friend had had many drinks at the Shabtai Jewish society party they had attended and they became separated. (It turned out she was taken to the Yale Health center for treatment.)

Khan said he returned to the complainants bedroom to tell her he couldnt find her friend. When I knocked on her door, she was fully undressed. Shortly after that, he said, We were on her couch. She was sitting on top of me.

She told me she didnt have any condoms and said that if I had any, to go get some, he testified. So I went back to my room and got them.

Khan then described their oral sex. He said it occurred near her couch.

Pattis: Did she ever indicate she was not willing, ready and able? Khan replied, There was nothing that indicated that, sir.

He testified she vomited during the oral sex and then took a shower. At that point he called his long-term girlfriend, who testified Monday about their open relationship.

Khan said he spoke to her for about two hours on his cellphone, at one point putting the complainant on to briefly say hello to her, as they had taken a Yale summer physics course together.

After he completed the long phone call, Khan testified, She said, Come to bed.

She said they started cuddling and spooning and then she asked him if he had another condom. He said he got one off the couch and they had intercourse.

Afterward, he said, he fell asleep on the couch. But he said when she woke him up at about 6 a.m., She was saying she was angry at me, asking why we had sex and she didnt want anyone to know.

He testified he tried to reassure her he would keep it a secret. He said when he texted her from his room a little bit later, she responded with a text reading: LOL. He testified this stands for Laugh out loud.

During his cross-examination of Khan and in his closing argument, Pepper reminded the jurors that the states witnesses, many of them the complainants friends, had testified she was so intoxicated that she was having trouble walking and talking. Khan testified he never observed any such behavior.

Pepper, following up on testimony from the complainants friend that she saw Khan take the complainants cellphone from her as they prepared to enter Woolsey Hall, asked Khan if he did take her phone. Khan replied, No, sir.

Citing Khans testimony about what happened when the complainant angrily awakened him, Pepper asked: All of a sudden shes a completely different person? Khan said, Yeah. She said she felt disgusted and asked, Why did we have sex? I was confused.

In his closing argument, Pepper charged Khan took the womans phone and thus isolated her from her friends. Pepper said Khan sent text messages to the womans concerned friends from her phone, posing as her and telling them she was OK.

Pepper told the jury: What transformed that night from happy into a nightmare was she miscalculated her own tolerance for alcohol. She ate too little and drank too much. But thats not criminal. And it doesnt absolve the defendant.

Pepper asked the jurors why the complainant would make up a story and put herself through 2 1/2 days of emotionally wrenching testimony.

In his closing argument, Pattis noted the complainants short skirt and tube top she wore that night. Shes dressed to party.

Noting the complainants memory gaps about what happened in her room, Pattis asked the jurors: Then how are you supposed to know?

Pattis charged Yale police and administrators quickly concluded Khan was the aggressor before the investigation was over. What the hell is wrong with Yale University? Shame on Yale!

In an apparent reference to the me too movement of women calling out sexual offenders, Pattis said this is a terrifying time to try a sex case.

Pattis asserted of the complainant: She made up this story because she cant face the fact that the one night when she took a walk on the wild side, shes got to face her friends the next day. I think she let her friends convince her shed been raped.

Khan said he has not had any contact with her since that day.

Did you rape her? Pattis asked.

No, sir, Khan replied.
CHESHIRE U.S. Rep Elizabeth Esty, D-5, will be honored later this month by the Connecticut Federation of Democratic Women, which will present her the organizations Women of Distinction Award.

Esty, who is a Cheshire resident, will receive the award on March 23 at Tastebuds Banquet facility in East Hartford. She is one of five women who will be receiving the award, which recognizes women who are tireless workers for the Federation of Democratic Women and who are dedicated to the election of Democratic candidates.

Pat McKenney, president of the Cheshire Democratic Womens Club, said the group nominated Esty for the statewide award.

We believe she inspires others to serve in a political office, McKenney said of Esty.

McKenney said while Esty was serving on the Cheshire Town Council from 2005 to 2008, she was a champion of senior citizens, especially in providing tax relief to seniors and also was a strong advocate for the towns schools.

When Esty served in the states General Assembly as from 2009 to 2011, McKenney said she fought for rights and benefits for gay couples. And when Pratt & Whitney closed its Cheshire plant, Esty focused on securing retirement packages and searching for job replacements for the 1,000 workers laid off, McKenney said.

Esty has consistently advocated for small business while serving in Congress, McKenney said, and is a strong proponent of gun control measures as well as improving education.

Cheshire Democratic Town Committee chairwoman Judy Villa said, Esty works tirelessly for social justice and government that truly serves others.

Esty said she is honored to be receiving the award.

In 2018, were seeing women coming off the sidelines and getting involved like never before, she said. I firmly believe that women will lead the way in creating change in our country. I am committed to recruiting, training, and electing talented, effective women to office at every level in Connecticut and throughout our nation.

Tickets for the awards dinner are $46. Contact Liz Duarte at eduarte432@gmail.com for more information.
North Augusta, SC (29841)

Today

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 73F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 73F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
by @jenstaletovich

Florida environmental regulators have signed off on a billion-dollar reservoir that some Everglades activists say still does too little to fix the ailing watershed.

In an order issued Monday evening, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection concluded the 23-foot deep, 10,500-acre reservoir and 6,500-acre stormwater treatment area will succeed at slowing polluted discharges to the coasts and clean water before sending it south to Everglades marshes. The governing board for the South Florida Water Management District, which is overseeing the project, will vote on a final plan to forward to the Assistant Secretary of the Army on Thursday.

State regulators also sent a clear message about water quality standards. Over the last year, some district board members have suggested standards should be eased. But regulators say they expect the district to continue upholding the rules and tweak the project if needed.

"Our team has been pretty clear on the water quality side and to the department's credit, and secretary's credit, this speaks to the issues we've raised," said Everglades Foundation CEO Eric Eikenberg, who helped broker legislation last year to kick-start the reservoir.

Since planning began over the summer, environmentalists have repeatedly raised concerns that the project falls short of what was originally planned. It's about a third of the size of the original reservoir planned in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, requiring it to be much deeper, which could make water harder to clean. The Everglades Foundation has estimated that at least 13,000 acres of treatment marshes are needed and pushed district planners to be more aggressive in buying additional land. But Florida legislators, pressured by farmers, refused to allow the district to take land through eminent domain, essentially tying their hands.

"The bill got beaten up by lobbyists and lawmakers. Now we have a project implementation that is crippled by not having enough land to let it do what it is supposed to and be cost-effective," the Sierra Club said in a statement. "We have no real guarantees that the agencies building the reservoir will use it to significantly cut the discharges it was funded to eliminate. We're being asked to blindly trust this $2 billion project to [the] same Governor-appointed officials who've openly opposed it from the start."

Bullsugar, a Treasure Coast advocacy group created to fight pollution in the St. Lucie estuary, said the plan offers "zero guarantees" that lake discharges will stop.

"The DEP's vague pledge to enforce water quality standards leaves the door open to simply reduce the reservoirs benefits," the group said. "If communities and businesses that depend on clean water can't get the same guarantees of drainage and water that lawmakers give the sugarcane industry, the EAA reservoir plan is a $2 billion trust fall."

The state's two biggest environmental brokers, the Everglades Foundation and Audubon Florida, however, have backed the plan, in part because it speeds up work that otherwise would have taken another 15 years, Eikenberg said.

"The last thing we want is less than nothing. And the folks who live along the coast expect something," he said. "Everglades restoration has been notorious for incremental progress....and the biggest fear was getting less than nothing."

The sugar industry and farmers have bitterly fought the project, complaining that it was a land grab that would drive away jobs.
March 6, 2018

On Saturday, March 24, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, educators, naturalists, scout leaders, and other youth leaders are invited to try their hands at a wide variety of activities they can use to teach about the environment during a Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) Workshop at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshores Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Pavilion.



Along with the traditional content for Project WET certification, this session will incorporate activities and resources around Asian carp and aquatic invasive species that threaten regional waterways. Project WETs mission is to reach children, parents, teachers and community members of the world with water education that promotes awareness of water and empowers community action to solve complex water issues. The workshop is designed for educators working with students in grades K through 12.



During the event, educators will try out a variety of hands-on, interdisciplinary activities they can use to teach concepts in watersheds, wetlands, water quality, water chemistry, and aquatic wildlife. Each participant who completes the full six-hour workshop will receive an activity guide packed with 64 broad-based, hands-on, easy to use, and fun activities developed by a team of educators and resource experts and tested in classrooms across the country. Activities are interdisciplinary, utilizing social studies, language arts, math, science, reading, art, music, and civics.



There is a $40 fee for the workshop and lunch is provided. Indiana teachers can receive Professional Growth Points and Illinois Teachers can receive CPDUs for attending the workshop. Graduate credit is also available for an additional fee. Pre-registration is required by Thursday, March 15, and registration is limited. To register or obtain additional information, visit their website or call Dunes Learning Center at 219-395-9555. The workshop is co-sponsored by Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Dunes Learning Center, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and the Division of Fish and Wildlife.



The Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Pavilion is located at 1000 Riverwalk Drive in Portage. For more information on this or other programs at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, call 219-395-1882 or visit our website and our Facebook page.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Managing Editor

Having lived and worked in Indy on and off since 1977, and currently living in Carmel, I've seen the city change a great deal. I love covering the arts in all its forms, and the places where the arts and broader cultural issues intersect.


Viewed of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
NORRISTOWN, Pa.  The #MeToo movement is making it tougher for Bill Cosby to get a fair trial, his lawyers asserted Tuesday, as they fought in a pretrial hearing here to prevent 19 additional accusers from testifying at his retrial on sexual assault charges.

Prosecutors say the 19 accounts would establish a pattern of predatory conduct by Mr. Cosby, 80, and help fend off defense attacks on the credibility of Andrea Constand, whose accusation that Mr. Cosby drugged and assaulted her in 2004 is the only one to lead to criminal charges. Mr. Cosby has said that the episode, which occurred at his home near here, was consensual.

This is a 40-year, continuous pattern, said Adrienne Jappe, an assistant district attorney in Montgomery County, where the retrial will take place.

But defense lawyers said allowing more accusers onto the stand would distract the jurors from the case at the heart of the trial. Becky S. James, one of Mr. Cosbys lawyers, said in the pretrial hearing, Letting in multiple mini-trials, which this would be, would end up dominating.
The Fyre music festival, planned for last spring, was to be an experience of unparalleled opulence. Held on a private island in the Bahamas, the festival would feature luxury suites, gourmet meals and a series of musical performances headlined by Blink-182.

But instead of the extravagant odyssey they had been promised, hundreds of concertgoers were greeted by a disorganized mess. Soggy tents. Cheese sandwiches in foam containers.

And not only did Blink-182 never perform; the bands equipment ended up stuck in customs.

On Tuesday afternoon the festivals main organizer, William McFarland, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud related to the festival and to his media company that prosecutors said had cost investors $26 million in losses.

He told the judge, Naomi Reice Buchwald, of Federal District Court in Manhattan, that he had begun organizing the festival with good intentions but had greatly underestimated the resources it would take.
The fight over technology is redefining the rules of engagement in an era when national security and economic power are closely intertwined.

China, under President Xi Jinping, has launched an ambitious plan to dominate mobile technology, supercomputers, artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge industries, putting huge resources behind an effort that it considers crucial to the countrys government, military and economy. Beijing wants to build its own technology champions and is encouraging companies to acquire the engineering, expertise and intellectual property from big rivals in the United States and elsewhere.

The aggressive push has set off alarms in Washington, with policymakers and lawmakers fearful that American giants could lose their edge. President Trump is now building up the countrys defenses, as the government investigates potential violations of American intellectual property rights and intensifies scrutiny of overseas deals.

The secretive panel that is reviewing the Qualcomm deal, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or Cfius, has taken on a central role in the resistance to Chinese investment. The panel, which is led by the Treasury Department and made up of representatives from multiple agencies, has the authority to block foreign acquisitions of American companies for national security reasons; it has effectively killed several acquisitions linked to Chinese buyers over the past year. Lawmakers are also calling to expand the powers of Cfius to reflect the broader scope of Chinas interests.

[ What is Cfius? It is the ultimate regulatory bazooka, according to an executive who works on mergers and acquisitions. Read more about the panel here  ]

The Trump administration turbocharged it, Tony Balloon, the head of the corporate China practice at the law firm Alston & Bird, said, referring to Cfius. There is now a recognition in government that foreign investors, particularly from China, are getting more and more sophisticated on how they get access to technology in the U.S.

With Qualcomm, the government has articulated its evolving vision for global economic leadership.

The company, which is a major supplier to the United States government, is a leading player in the race to build the next generation wireless technology, known as 5G. These high-speed mobile networks will form the infrastructure backbone that ultimately connects home appliances, streetlights and driverless cars to the internet. And Qualcomms chips will be in the multitude of devices and machines that will run on those networks.
The tensions that have divided the nation over gun control have also split the Florida Legislature's Democrats as a bitterly divided House Democratic caucus voted 21-9 Wednesday to oppose the school safety bill because what many consider a "poison pill" that will introduce armed school personnel into Florida schools.

Democrats took the vote just before the House was set to vote on SB 7026, which is expected to pass narrowly and be sent to the governor.

As Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky stood in the back of the room, Rep. Robert Asencio of Miami moved that the House Democrats vote in a block against the bill, arguing that the optional proposal to put armed personnel in Florida schools was too risky to pass the bill. Black lawmakers warned that the policy will disproportionately threaten blacks students or even black armed school personnel whom law enforcement may misidentify as the gunman in a active shooter situation.

But several Democrats urged their colleagues to reject that approach because they believe the bill before lawmakers is better than no bill at all.

"From a strategic standpoint, I don't think a caucus position adds anything other than the appearance that unfortunately, some of us that feel it is necessary to vote for the bill, will be outside of the caucus,'' said Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Coral Springs Democrat who represents Parkland.

He noted that noting that Democrats have already inflicted pain on Republicans by forcing them to take recorded votes on dozens of Democratic amendments that were rejected on Tuesday.

"We put them on the board on issues that we've never been able to put them on the board in the six years I've been here,'' he said.. "We created a record that will haunt them for a generation of elections."

Rep. Kristin Jacobs, D-Coconut Creek, who also represents Parkland urged them to reject a caucus position because it they look fractured.

"We don't look unified and I don't think it serves us well to not be able to pull a caucus position together," she said. "We have never taken controversial issues up where we know this room doesn't all feel the same." She said she will vote against the caucus as others will and added, "I don't think it's smart for this group to show that kind of mess."

Rep. Joe Geller, D-Aventura, opposed being told what to do but he said he couldn't recall "having to cast a vote that made me as sick as this has made me. Because I think I'm going to vote for someone to die and the question is who and how many - and that would be sick,'' he said. "I don't care who is where or what the NRA wants. For me, I have to look myself in the mirror and live with the vote that I cast today."

But several black legislators urged resistance, arguing they could force House Republican leaders to amend the bill and take out the provision opposed by the governor to arm school personnel.

Rep. Barbara Watson of Miami urged her colleagues to "try and stay in a party line because we have them on the ropes. They are short four votes."

She offered a note of optimistic that others said they had: "If we can carry this today, it will force them to give us something better."

Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, the Orlando Democrat who was elected after the Pulse shooting, said he understood the position of Parkland-area representatives like Jacobs and Moskowitz. But he noted he had been in the same position.

"They have extended session because they can't agree on a handful of line items," calling the original scheduled end of session on Friday a "fake deadline." "Why not ask them to extend session because we can't agree on a meaningful gun safety package that was slapped together in three weeks that is half baked, that makes no one happy?...We can get better from this Legislature, and I think we do it by standing together."

But Rep. Larry Lee of Port St. Lucie told his colleagues their hope was misplaced. He has decided not to run for re-election and has concluded "change is not going to come from this legislature. It's not going to come within this system that we have. Change is going to come from the outside and I'm going on the outside. I'm going to work with those kids, because we would not be having this discussion if it weren't for those kids."

The caucus then voted on the motion. Rep. Lorann Ausley, Lori Berman, Ben Diamond, Nick Duran, Katie Edwards-Walpole, Joe Geller, Kristin Jacobs, Jared Moskowitz, and Matt Willhite voted no.

Before ending the caucus meeting, Democratic Leader Janet Cruz of Tampa urged members to respect any decision to break the caucus position.

"No one should be bullied for their decision or their vote,'' she said. "We made the vote that we think best serves our communities."

Miami Herald reporter Elizabeth Koh contributed to this report.

Photo by Mary Ellen Klas: Rep. Lori Berman, D-West Palm Beach, asks for debate as members of the House Democratic caucus discuss whether to take a caucus position on the school safety bill, SB 7026.
Our conversation has been edited and condensed.

Why cant someone like Ms. Williams, who seemed clearly to have a delusional illness, be involuntarily committed?

Involuntary commitment laws balance the rights of people with mental illness and protection of the public, and the standard for commitment is that the person presents an immediate danger to self or others. She didnt meet the immediacy criteria.

Theres debate over this provision. In New York, we have a law  Kendras Law  that allows for broader inclusionary criteria so that, for example, commitment can be based on a persons history of noncompliance in treatment. A doctor or a family member would have to petition the mental health court in the hospital.

But even if someone had brought her to the right psychiatrist, the question is: What happens after that? In my experience, we would bring people like her to Bellevue, and 30 days later theyd be discharged and back on same heating grate as before.

What if she just did not understand she was mentally disabled?

If you look at her from a strengths rather than deficits perspective, she was extremely resourceful. She knew exactly where it was safe to stay; she was lucid in interviews; she knew her dilemma regarding shelter  that she felt safer away from people than in a crowded place.
New York State has an assault-weapon ban that prevents unmodified versions of the AR-15 from being sold. But gun dealers and manufacturers can modify the weapon to get around the ban. Upstate Guns and Ammo had legally sold the modified weapon to Dr. Bello, a spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said last July.

New York Citys assault-rifle ban is stricter than elsewhere in the state. As a result, Dr. Timperios lawsuit charges that the gun dealer should have called the New York Police Department to check whether Dr. Bello, as a New York City resident, held a special permit that would be required of owners of rifles in the city.

There does not appear to be a specific legal statute requiring such a call be placed. However, Arnold Kriss, Dr. Timperios lawyer, said he believes the gun store had an obligation to do so under general gun laws that require weapons be sold safely, according to local ordinances.

Mr. Kriss said that to his knowledge this issue has not been litigated, and he is hoping to set precedent with the case.

It will be up to a judge and hopefully, a jury, to make the final determination about whether the firearms dealer had a duty to make that phone call, he said.

Michael Murphy, a lawyer in Albany representing Upstate Guns and Ammo, said he had no comment.

The lawsuit also questions whether the appropriate background check was done before hiring Dr. Bello, and it alleges the hospital was negligent in permitting Dr. Bello to retain his hospital badge after he resigned in 2015, despite concerns about his aggressive behavior with the staff.

On the day of the shooting, Dr. Bello was wearing his badge prominently on his white lab coat, Dr. Timperio recalled. Dr. Bello entered the hospital at around 2:45 p.m., wearing a hooded sweatshirt under his lab coat despite the summer heat. He was carrying a box large enough to hide a rifle in, as well as a juice container filled with gasoline, the police said.
As Mayor Bill de Blasio stepped from his S.U.V. on Tuesday for his morning workout, he was immediately met by protesters outside the Prospect Park Y.M.C.A. in Brooklyn.

Less than a block away and less than 24 hours before, a 4-year-old girl and a 1-year-old boy were killed as they crossed Ninth Street in Park Slope with their mothers  in the crosswalk and with the light  by a driver who began rolling through a red light and then accelerated. The 4-year-olds pregnant mother, the Tony-award winning actress Ruthie Ann Miles, was also struck and remained in critical condition.

In the hours after the crash, Mr. de Blasio expressed empathy as a pedestrian and a parent. This is an intersection, again, we know very, very well, he said on Monday. We have crossed it many times with Dante and Chiara when they were kids, so this is personal.

Even so, angry residents and pedestrian advocates seized upon the mayors morning routine of driving to the Prospect Park Y on 9th Street  a reliable locus for impromptu protest  to demonstrate on Tuesday for changes to the street to calm traffic. Organizers did not know if the mayor would come. But he did so around 9 a.m., and stopped to speak with the crowd for nearly 10 minutes.
Childrens coats on a rack by the door. A childs drawing on the wall. A stroller and a pink knapsack in the living room. A scarf with droplets of blood. Blood stains on the walls along the narrow hallway. A knife wrapped in a towel on top of a toy refrigerator.

The images, in photographs taken by a crime scene detective and presented on Tuesday in State Supreme Court in Manhattan in the trial of Yoselyn Ortega, provided a first public look inside the Upper West Side apartment where prosecutors say she killed two young children in her care five and a half years ago. Ms. Ortega, the childrens nanny, is accused of fatally stabbing the siblings, nearly decapitating them and leaving them to bleed to death in a bathtub.

The crime scene detective, Carlos Pantoja, said he took the photos inside the three-bedroom apartment shortly after midnight, nearly seven hours after the childrens mother, Marina Krim, found them mortally wounded and saw Ms. Ortega stabbing herself in the neck.

Testimony in the trial began last week, with Ms. Krim telling the jury of her harrowing discovery that day in 2012. This week, jurors have seen some of what Ms. Krim saw, as prosecutors have presented photos from the crime scene, along with testimony from some of the emergency medical workers and police officers who responded to the apartment.
While Mr. Heastie indicated support for the idea of more school security, he offered little for any for the 15 bills that passed Monday in the Senate, including a proposal to create a program for school resource officers  either a retired or active-duty police officer, sheriff deputy or state trooper, who would be authorized to carry a firearm in schools across New York. Another bill would require a police officer to be present at any school in New York City, public or private, during instructional hours and at least one hour prior and one hour after such instructional hours.

The passage of the city schools bill, by a wide margin, also had political significance: Its sponsor is Senator Simcha Felder, the renegade Democrat from Brooklyn who conferences with Republicans to help them rule the Senate. Mr. Felder has been pressured to rejoin the Democrats, but has said that his decision to do so could come down to which party supports his efforts to get armed police officers in schools. And on Monday, Republicans did just that, by putting the bill up for a vote.

The Republican package also included a bill that would create a distinctive $25 license plate, emblazoned with the words of Guardians for Schools over an image of a police officer with two children or a law enforcement badge. The money raised from the plate would used to beef up security in public schools.

The bill, sponsored by Senator James Tedisco, a Republican, caused a ruckus on the Senate floor on Monday after a Democratic opponent, Senator Brad Hoylman of Manhattan, derided the idea as so harebrained and voted against it.

Mr. Tedisco rose immediately, calling Mr. Hoylman and other Democrats hypocrites for benefiting from security at the Capitol but not wanting the same for their constituents. You have metal detectors, Mr. Tedisco said, raising his voice and staring at Mr. Hoylman. Why shouldnt we raise money for them to have metal detectors so weapons cant get in the school?
In the catalog of horrors afflicting the worlds most hellish places, South Sudan can check about every bloodied box. More than four years of civil warfare has left tens of thousands dead, two million displaced, half the population at threat of starvation without aid and a trail of atrocities  genocide, child warriors, rape, castration, burned villages. And now, warns the United Nations, famine stalks the tortured land.

A recent report by the United Nations and the South Sudan government said 150,000 people could slip into famine this year. A formal famine declaration means people have already started to starve to death. But even with food aid, humanitarian workers warn, much of South Sudan could face severe hunger by May. And the U.N. response plan has received less than 4 percent of its 2018 funding.

A year ago, South Sudan declared famine in two regions, but international responses checked it. Even if that were repeated this year, famine will be a threat in the future unless the lands predatory soldiers are driven out. This is caused by the struggle for power and loot, not by nature.

With so many conflicts around the globe, it is not surprising that those like South Sudans attract attention only when they rise to horrific levels. But South Sudan has the dubious distinction of being the worlds youngest state and the one most likely to fail. The latter status is bestowed by the Fund for Peace, a nongovernmental organization that compiles an annual Fragile States Index listing countries most vulnerable to collapse.
Although much of its current popularity can be traced to the influential 1991 book Generations by Neil Howe and William Strauss, generational thinking dates back to the second half of the 19th century. Sarah Laskow of The Atlantic explained in 2014 that philosophers at this time were, in the words of the sociologist Karl Mannheim, anxious to find a general law to express the rhythm of historical development, based on the biological law of the limited lifetimes of man. /But understanding societal phenomena through the lens of groups of people born around the same time has always had its limits.

For example, its true that for young men coming-of-age during the Vietnam War, being born in a particular year (and, thanks to the draft lottery, on a particular day) could be life-shaping. But even here, an individuals class was a factor in whether he actually went to war  men from privileged backgrounds had many options to avoid the draft, the burden of which fell mainly on the working class.

Like war service, entering the labor market at a time of recession, as most millennials did, can be difficult. But race and class are more important in affecting how this experience plays out for individuals.

Take white millennial college graduates: Yes, theyre part of an age cohort that has experienced worse economic conditions than graduates of the preceding generation  but that doesnt give us a particularly meaningful understanding of their plight, given that they are still better off when it comes to income than the average non-college-educated worker of any age.

Some may argue that the generation game, if intellectually vacuous, is basically harmless. But dividing society by generation obscures the real and enduring lines of race, class and gender. When, for example, baby boomers are blamed for ruining America, the argument lumps together Donald Trump and a 60-year-old black woman who works for minimum wage cleaning one of his hotels.

The pattern of inherited privilege points to yet another reality that the generation game ignores: the decline of social mobility between generations and the rise of what the French economist Thomas Piketty has called a patrimonial society. When it comes to wealth and its accompanying privileges, the wealth of the previous generation of ones own family matter more than whether your birth year falls on one or other side of some arbitrary boundary.

Todays young people may choose political action aimed at reversing these trends or to let them continue and accelerate. But their choices will be determined by their political judgments and personal commitments, not by a number on a birth certificate.
Imagine if prisons looked like the grounds of universities. Instead of languishing in cells, incarcerated people sat in classrooms and learned about climate science or poetry  just like college students. Or even with them.

This would be a boon to prisoners across the country, a vast majority of whom do not have a high school diploma. And it could help shrink our prison population. While racial disparities in arrests and convictions are alarming, education level is a far stronger predictor of future incarceration than race.

The idea is rooted in history. In the 1920s, Howard Belding Gill, a criminologist and a Harvard alumnus, developed a college-like community at the Norfolk State Prison Colony in Massachusetts, where he was the superintendent. Prisoners wore normal clothing, participated in cooperative self-government with staff, and took academic courses with instructors from Emerson, Boston University and Harvard. They ran a newspaper, radio show and jazz orchestra, and they had access to an extensive library.

Norfolk had such a good reputation, Malcolm X asked to be transferred there from Charlestown State Prison in Boston so, as he wrote in his petition, he could use the educational facilities that arent in these other institutions. At Norfolk, there are many things that I would like to learn that would be of use to me when I regain my freedom. After Malcolm Xs request was granted, he joined the famous Norfolk Debate Society, through which inmates connected to students at Harvard and other universities.
SAN FRANCISCO  Being at the forefront of a new technology often provides a strategic advantage. That helps explain why there is so much scrapping now by companies and countries over a next wave of wireless technology known as 5G.

5G is shorthand for fifth-generation wireless technology, and it essentially brings ultrafast wireless speeds to people. By sending billions of bits of data per second, up from peaks of hundreds of millions today, 5G could cut the time to download a movie to seconds. Other 5G features would allow autonomous cars and industrial equipment to reliably exchange short bursts of data at blinding speed.

Technology companies including Qualcomm, Intel and Chinas Huawei have been working on developing 5G technology and standards. But even with 5G still in its infancy, the United States government underscored its importance with an unprecedented move this week to intervene in Broadcoms $117 billion bid for Qualcomm.

In a letter on Monday, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States said it would investigate the proposed deal, partly because it was concerned that if Broadcom bought Qualcomm, it would weaken Qualcomm and leave an opening for China to expand its influence on the 5G standard-setting process.
WASHINGTON  A senior administrator at the Department of Housing and Urban Development accused department officials on Tuesday of conducting a witch hunt against whistle-blowers and demanded that Ben Carson, the HUD secretary, acknowledge that his wife had pressured officials to approve an expensive renovation of his office.

In a letter to Mr. Carson, Marcus Smallwood, the director of records and information, also said he was forced to speed up the release of emails that would portray Lynne Patton, a former top aide to Mr. Carson and Trump family friend who was transferred last year to the departments New York office, in a favorable light.

The letter comes a week after HUDs former chief administrative officer, Helen G. Foster, said that Mr. Carsons wife, Candy Carson, had instructed a subordinate to circumvent federal laws prohibiting expenditures of more than $5,000 to replace worn-out furniture in the secretarys sprawling 10th-floor office suite.

Last week, Mr. Carson ordered the cancellation of a $31,000 contract for a custom-ordered mahogany dining room set  a table, sideboard, hutch, chairs and two $1,050 side chairs after the contract, which violated the $5,000 rule, was reported in the news media.
Michael-in-Norfolk disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, reliability, operability, or availability of information or material displayed on this site and does not claim credit for any images or articles featured on this site, unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to it's respectful owners. Information on this site may contain errors or inaccuracies, and Michael-in-Norfolk does not make warranty as to the correctness or reliability of the site's content. If you own rights to any of the images or articles, and do not wish them to appear on this site, please contact Michael-in-Norfolk via e-mail and they will be promptly removed. Michael-in-Norfolk contains links to other Internet sites. These links are provided solely as a convenience and are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information or content in such site has been endorsed or approved by this blog.
While it seems that the tariff issue is reopening a fundamental schism between Trump and old-line Republicans, the average-guy voter Trump seems to aim at and do rather well with seems as happy as a clam with the tariffs, said Clyde Prestowitz, the author of The Betrayal of American Prosperity. I guess my question is: Does Trump have a problem, or do the old-line Republicans who seem to be retiring at a rapid rate have a problem?

While Mr. Trumps views on many issues have been flexible or evolved over the years, his belief that the United States was being shafted has been a core conviction going back decades, long before he first ran for president. It is an article of faith that has informed his opinion of trade pacts, tariffs and manufacturing and that helped him tap into populist discontent during the presidential campaign in 2016, particularly in traditionally Democratic states in the Midwest like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

I was elected, at least partially on this issue, Mr. Trump said on Tuesday. And Ive been saying it for 25 years: Our countrys been taken advantage of by everybody, by everybody  almost everybody. And we cannot let that happen any longer  not for our companies and not, most importantly, for our workers. So were not going to let it happen.

The disagreement on trade was obscured through much of Mr. Trumps tenure because he talked more about the issue than took action on it, meaning Republican free-traders could turn aside for a time.

He pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade deal negotiated by President Barack Obama, but the agreement had never been ratified by Congress and seemed unlikely to be. Mr. Trump threatened to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada, but backed off in favor of negotiations that so far have not yielded consensus. He has likewise suggested he would withdraw from a trade deal with South Korea but has not followed through.
The Obama administration imposed sanctions on the fund as part of a raft of economic penalties after the Russian government sent military forces into Ukraine in 2014.

The United Arab Emirates, which Washington considers one of its closest Arab allies, co-invested together with Mr. Dmitrievs fund as part of an effort to build close relations to Russia as well. After Crown Prince Mohammed met with Mr. Putin in 2013 in Moscow on a state visit, two investment arms of the government in Abu Dhabi committed to invest $6 billion in the funds Russian projects, eventually paying to build projects like roads, an airport and cancer treatment centers in Russia.

Mr. Dmitriev became a frequent visitor to Abu Dhabi, and Emirati officials came to see him as a key conduit to the Russian government. In a 2015 email, the Emirati ambassador to Moscow at the time described Mr. Dmitriev as a messenger to get information directly to Mr. Putin. The email was among a large number hacked from the account of the ambassador to Washington and published online. The now former ambassador to Moscow, Omar Saif Ghobash, did not respond to an email about the leak.

Mr. Nader was first served with search warrants and a grand jury subpoena on Jan. 17, shortly after landing at Washington Dulles International Airport, according to two people familiar with the episode. He had intended to travel on to Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trumps Florida estate, to celebrate the presidents first year in office, but the F.B.I. had other plans, questioning him for more than two hours and seizing his electronics.

Since then, Mr. Nader has been questioned numerous times about meetings in New York during the transition, the Seychelles meeting and meetings in the White House with two of Mr. Trumps senior advisers, Jared Kushner and Stephen K. Bannon, who has since left the administration.

The meeting in the Seychelles also took place against the backdrop of a larger pattern of secretive contacts between the Trump team and both the Russians and the Emiratis. In the weeks after the 2016 presidential election, Crown Prince Mohammed aroused the suspicions of American national security officials when they learned that he had breached protocol by visiting Trump Tower in Manhattan without notifying the Obama administration of his visit to the United States.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration escalated what had been a war of words over Californias immigration agenda, filing a lawsuit late Tuesday that amounted to a pre-emptive strike against the liberal states so-called sanctuary laws.

The Justice Department sued California; Gov. Jerry Brown; and the states attorney general, Xavier Becerra, over three state laws passed in recent months, saying they made it impossible for federal immigration officials to do their jobs and deport criminals who were born outside the United States. The Justice Department called the laws unconstitutional and asked a judge to block them.

The lawsuit was the departments boldest attack yet against California, one of the strongest opponents of the Trump administrations efforts to curb immigration. It also served as a warning to Democratic lawmakers and elected officials nationwide who have enacted sanctuary policies that provide protections for undocumented immigrants.

The Department of Justice and the Trump administration are going to fight these unjust, unfair and unconstitutional policies that have been imposed on you, Attorney General Jeff Sessions planned to say on Wednesday at a law enforcement event in Sacramento, according to prepared remarks. I believe that we are going to win.
WASHINGTON  The Senate took a key step on Tuesday toward loosening rules imposed after the 2008 financial crisis as some Democrats joined with Republicans to vote to begin debate on legislation that would roll back restrictions on large parts of the banking industry.

In a rare demonstration of bipartisanship, the Senate voted 67 to 32 to allow the bill to proceed, setting the stage for a vote this week that rewrites parts of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act.

While the bill is intended to provide relief to thousands of small and midsize banks, the prospect of deregulating the financial industry has laid bare a fissure in the Democratic Party, pitting moderate Democrats who support easing bank rules against progressives who view the bill as a gift to Wall Street.

This deregulatory bill puts the entire economy at risk, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, said on Tuesday. Were not here to do the bidding of Wall Street banks. Were here to do the bidding of the American people.
I told President  President Trump that in our meeting, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he is committed to denuclearization. ... and he expressed his eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible. It may feel like weve been here before. Well, thats because we have. North Korea has agreed to freeze its nuclear and missile programs many times already. But these negotiations with the United States eventually all fall apart. There will be no rewards for provocations. Those days are over. Heres a look back at three key moments. Monday, North Korea announced it would freeze its nuclear program and allow the resumption of international inspection of its facilities. It was called the agreed framework. This is a good deal for the United States. North Korea will freeze and then dismantle its nuclear program. South Korea and our other allies will be better protected. North Korea had been threatening to turn its nuclear fuel into bombs, and bar nuclear inspectors from the country. But after negotiations launched by then-President Bill Clinton, and spearheaded by former President Jimmy Carter, an agreement was reached. I personally believe that the crisis is over. Among other pledges, the U.S. said it would give the North annual oil deliveries and nuclear power technology. But fast forward to 2002. Thats when North Korea told U.S. officials that it had been running a secret nuclear weapons development program, and that it was nullifying the agreed framework. George W. Bush had harsh words for North Korea early on in his presidency. ... axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. But by 2005, a new round of negotiations brought hope for peace. The North tentatively agreed to end its nuclear weapons program and welcome back inspectors. Washington pledged economic benefits and security guarantees for the North. But just over a year later, North Korea announced its first nuclear test, inviting a new round of economic sanctions. In 2012, a new North Korean leader in charge meant a new round of talks. The so-called Leap Day Agreement called for the U.S. and other nations to send food aid to the North. And in return, Pyongyang said it would suspend missile tests and uranium enrichment. But 16 days later, North Korea launched this rocket. It exploded soon after liftoff. There have been several missile launches and nuclear tests since then. Which brings us to this current possibility of peace, a possibility that remains clouded by precedent.
WASHINGTON  In an administration rife with intramural fights, the battle over the Department of Veterans Affairs has stood out, not only for its vitriol but also for its consequences. At stake is the future of the nations veterans health care system.

For now at least, it appears moderation has prevailed, with the Veterans Affairs secretary, David J. Shulkin, thwarting a pitched conservative push to drive him out.

Its my job as secretary to get the organization singly focused on making the V.A. work better for vets, the secretary, a physician and holdover from the Obama administration, said in an interview on Monday, after the latest in a string of meetings with the White House chief of staff. Ive been making it clear to the organization that we will not be distracted as we have in the last couple weeks.

People need to get on board with that or need to leave, he added.

For weeks now, Dr. Shulkin, a political moderate who was confirmed by the Senate 100 to 0, has been locked in a bitter and unusually public battle with a band of Trump administration officials who he said were out to overthrow him. The plotters included White House officials and the two men charged with safeguarding the secretarys public image  who instead worked to undercut it, according to loyalists of the secretary.
LOS ANGELES  Donald J. Trump never signed the nondisclosure agreement lawyers had presented in 2016 to a pornographic-film actress, rendering it null and void, according to a lawsuit filed on Tuesday by a lawyer for the actress.

The filing, in Los Angeles Superior Court, represents the latest development in a legal battle involving Mr. Trump, his longtime personal lawyer and the actress, Stephanie Clifford, whose stage name is Stormy Daniels.

The lawsuit came days after Michael D. Cohen, Mr. Trumps personal lawyer, had legally pressured Ms. Clifford, initiating arbitration proceedings against her in Los Angeles in efforts to prevent her from speaking out about an affair she said she had with Mr. Trump, according to the complaint.

The suit, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times, alleges that Mr. Trump purposely did not sign the agreement so he could later, if need be, publicly disavow any knowledge of the Hush Agreement and Ms. Clifford.
North Korea ordered the assassination last year of its leaders estranged half brother with a banned nerve agent, an act that has caused the United States to impose new sanctions on the country, the State Department said on Tuesday.

The announcement by the State Department came on the same day that South Korean officials said the North was willing to talk with the United States about ending the crisis over its missiles and nuclear arsenal.

Kim Jong-nam, the half brother of Kim Jong-un, North Koreas leader, was killed Feb. 13, 2017, with VX, a deadly nerve agent used in prohibited chemical weapons of mass destruction that North Korea is known to have stockpiled.

Kim Jong-nam, who had criticized the dynastic succession in North Korea but had professed no interest in politics, was ambushed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia by two women who smeared his face with VX. The women were arrested.
BERLIN  When Shermin Langhoff took over the Maxim Gorki Theater, in 2013, she became not only the first female artistic director of a state theater here since the 1970s but the first of Turkish origin in German history. Midway into her fifth season, she has secured a leading role for the Gorki both locally and nationally by redefining identity politics in 21stcentury Germany.

Through a 19-person ensemble that includes a majority of actors with non-German heritage and story lines that give voice to a range of ethnic communities, the 48-year-old has set out to reflect what she calls the reality of society today. But she has also challenged the notion of integration as it is propagated by German politics.

In 2016, the theater created the Exil-Ensemble as a platform for professional actors forced to live in exile, as opposed to refugees, from Afghanistan, Syria and Palestine. Under the motto De-Integrate Yourselves!, Ms. Langhoff last November curated her third Berlin Autumn Salon, featuring 100 visual and performance artists at historic locations around the Gorki, which sits off the Boulevard Unter den Linden in former East Berlin.
On a recent Tuesday in Charlotte, a man with a bald head and a mischievous expression slipped off his sneakers to lead two dozen dancers through a rehearsal. This was Mr. de Frutos, 54, who was revising his choreography for the American production. He was working on a scene involving Josh Hall as the clockmaker and Chelsea Dumas as the princess who wins his heart, guiding them through a dance in which they are reunited and the princess proposes marriage.

Caught up in the emotion, Ms. Dumas waited too long to pivot her body and missed a cue. She apologized to Mr. de Frutos, who reassured her: Its absolutely fine. Its about getting the right feeling. He grinned. Now feel it faster.

Acting is action, Mr. de Frutos likes to tell the dancers. He has taught them that when their movements tell the story, they dont have to do anything with their faces.
VIENNA  The centenary of the Russian Revolution has inspired dozens of exhibitions of the art and history of the abbreviated Soviet century, from Revolution: Russian Art 19171932, at Londons Royal Academy, to the Art Institute of Chicagos Revoliutsiia! Demonstratsiia!, not to mention significant shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Curators and historians have been grappling once again with the meaning of the 10 days that shook the world: Was it a brilliant dream? A doomed illusion?

Now comes another question: Was it good for the Jews?

Step into the Jewish Museum Vienna, just off the main shopping drag of this imperial city, and you will be greeted by a bust of Karl Marx, the descendant of rabbis who would call religion the opiate of the masses. Dour, wild-haired Karl presides over the first gallery of an ambitious, searching show on religion and revolution, uniting paintings, posters, propaganda, film clips, and a fair amount of Soviet kitsch. Its romantic title  Comrade. Jew. We Only Wanted Paradise on Earth  sets the tone for an extensive overview of the dreams and nightmares of communism and international socialism, as seen through the lives and work of Jewish politicians, philosophers and artists: not just Marx, but also Leon Trotsky, Rosa Luxemburg, El Lissitzky, and many others.
Laurence des Cars is an anomaly in the male-dominated world of French museums. Since March 2017, she has been running the Musee dOrsay in Paris, with its envied collection of French 19th-century masterpieces, and the Musee de lOrangerie across the river, for which Claude Monet produced a celebrated series of water lilies.

Ms. des Cars was a strong contender for the job. To begin with, she was already partly doing it  leading the Orangerie as of 2014.

Before that, she had spent seven years in the Persian Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabi, helping set up the Louvres first international outpost there and exercising her skill at cultural diplomacy.

Finally, the Musee dOrsay was emerging from a period of commotion. As Philippe Dagen, the art critic of Le Monde, wrote when her appointment was announced, Her job will be to bring about more serenity after years marked by the very personal  and sometimes internally disputed  management style of her predecessor, Guy Cogeval.
The couple said they had yet to dine out.

You havent been to a restaurant together? Kimmel said. Oh, you should definitely get married right away.

And Now for Something Completely Different (and Terrifying) 

Over at The Daily Show, the correspondent Desi Lydic explored the world of robots. More specifically, the spicy world of sex robots.

Punchiest Punchlines (Peace on Earth Edition)

It is good to be alive and to stay that way because we just found out that North Korea is willing to talk to the U.S. about giving up their nuclear weapons. And not the usual way they talk about giving up their nuclear weapons: by dropping them on Seattle.  STEPHEN COLBERT
Most of my career has been with living artists, but she taught me a sense of reverence for the past, Ms. Golden said.

Like many successful people, Ms. Haskell was in the right place at the right time early on in her career. A native of San Diego, she attended U.C.L.A. and then started working as a registrar at the Pasadena Art Museum; she stayed at the institution for five years.

At one point a curator was fired, and there were few others to fill in. It was a tiny staff, and I just started doing shows, said Ms. Haskell, who was an assistant curator by then. Her first show was Claes Oldenburg, Object Into Monument, in 1971.

Mr. Oldenburg, who has been the subject of many exhibitions since, said in an email that the collaboration with Ms. Haskell remained close to his heart. I still keep the book available in my studio and look it at frequently, he added. Its one of my favorites.
8. When Nadia and Saeed learn that the magical doors do exist, and can in fact take them away from the violence of their city, they are excited and immediately pursue an agent to help them leave. Saeeds father, on the other hand, only says of the doors: Let us see. Does this feel resonant to you of the experience of different generations of migrants?

Week Three

9. Chapter Five ends with Nadia making Saeeds father a promise to take care of his son, and the line: That is the way of things, for when we migrate, we murder from our lives those we leave behind. Is Hamid referring to Saeeds father and the people we leave behind, or something more?

10. As migrants move through the magical doors to other places, trying to escape war and chaos, the passage they take is described as: both like dying and like being born. Does this description feel representative of the experience of people who migrate today?

11. We never hear, though, about what actually happens as people migrate through these doors. Why do you think the migration itself is absent from the narrative?

12. As Nadia and Saeed escape through the doors, we learn that not just their city, but much of the wider world, is in turmoil. Refugees are on the move to Mykonos in Greece and Marin County, near San Francisco. Riots are starting over migrants in Vienna and in London. What do you think Hamid wants us to understand about this global instability?

13. As these cities become more unstable, they also come under greater surveillance, at the hands of unseen authorities. These authorities also control the electricity network and internet connectivity. How do these changes impact the people in the book? How does it feel relevant to todays world?

Week Four

14. In the cities to which migrants flee, Hamid writes that people began to reassemble with others of their own kind, like superficially with like. At one point, even Saeed wants him and Nadia to relocate to live with others like them, though Nadia resists. What do you think is behind this human impulse?
The current president may be completely uninterested in cultivating a number of traditional political skills  among them a sense of discretion and at least the semblance of self-control  but he has an uncanny feel for political symbolism, especially when it comes to the role of manufacturing in the United States. Factory work provides a diminishing share of working-class jobs: There were 43,000 iron and steelworkers last year, compared with almost 2 million hospital and home health aides. But to hear President Trump tell it, the factory workers are the ones who matter most. Just last week, he declared steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, tweeting that trade wars are good, and easy to win.

Joshua B. Freemans rich and ambitious Behemoth: A History of the Factory and the Making of the Modern World depicts a world in retreat that still looms large in the national imagination. Behemoth is more than an economic history, or a chronicle of architectural feats and labor movements. Freeman, a professor at Queens College and the Graduate Center of CUNY, traces the rise of the factory and how it became entwined with Enlightenment ideas of progress  the notion that through human effort and rationality the world could be transformed toward greater abundance, well-being and moral order.

Factories werent always imbued with such lofty ideals. They were initially devised to take advantage of mundane commercial opportunities, Freeman writes. He dates the first factory to 1721: a silk mill, built in Derby, England. In the decade after it opened, Daniel Defoe paid it a visit, declaring it a Curiosity of a very extraordinary Nature.

The proliferation of these curiosities, culminating in the Industrial Revolution, took some time. Obtaining machinery and technical know-how often entailed some trade espionage, before the British government took an active hand in promoting industrial development.
1. There was furious lobbying in Washington to sway President Trump from his plan to impose new tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Hes expected to sign off on the tariffs on Thursday. Foreign governments, businesses and key Republicans all argued against them. But they were left without an important ally after the resignation of Gary Cohn, above, formerly Mr. Trumps economic adviser.
From the outset, Gary D. Cohn was an unconventional choice to be President Trumps top economic adviser.

A former Goldman Sachs president and proponent of free trade, Mr. Cohn had a pedigree and economic views that clashed with Mr. Trumps populist rhetoric and protectionist policies. His methodical approach also contrasted with the presidents freewheeling style.

But Mr. Cohn, who said on Tuesday that he would resign as director of the National Economic Council, brought to the Trump administration something that the president himself lacked: the widespread respect of top corporate executives.

Now, those business leaders are lamenting the loss of one of their own from what is among the countrys most important economic positions.
But it reflects concern in Europe over the possible impact of new American tariffs, notably on steel. The United States is the worlds largest importer of steel, and while many of Mr. Trumps arguments have focused on cheap steel from countries like China, the European Union as a whole is the single biggest exporter of steel to the United States. At the same time, the region is concerned that cheap steel that had been destined for the United States could now flood the Continent, putting significant pressure on European producers.

President Trumps push for tariffs is driven by his fixation on trade deficits. But most economists do not worry about trade deficits, and disagree with the presidents characterization of them. Read more here 

While retaliation from Brussels appears limited for now, it could have an impact on American domestic politics. Bourbon, one of the products that European officials have targeted, is made in Kentucky, the home state of Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader. Other items that could face tariffs are motorcycles, and the corporate headquarters of Harley-Davidson are in Wisconsin, Mr. Ryans state.

The Europeans have rights, too, to retaliate, said Peter Chase, a former American diplomat who is now a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund in Brussels focusing on trade. The E.U. is concerned that behind it all, there are people in the U.S. administration that dont care that there might be damage to the international system of rule of law that we have created.

The list, which was leaked on Monday and has been referred to by the European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, is subject to the agreement of the blocs 28 member states.

It highlights how sharply the outlook on trade between the United States and Europe has shifted. Since 2013, Washington and Brussels have been negotiating a vast trade deal, known as the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

By late 2016, however, those talks appeared to have reached a stalemate, and Mr. Trumps withdrawal from a similar pact with Pacific Rim countries early in his presidency signaled the death of the European agreement, as well.

The steel and aluminum tariffs have triggered a strong reaction, with business executives and political leaders voicing opposition. Read more here 

The strong negative reaction to Mr. Trumps planned tariffs appears to have had little impact on the president, who insisted this week that he would not back down.

On Tuesday, Mr. Trump singled out the European Union, which he said had not treated us very well, and its been a very, very unfair trade situation. The president warned that the United States would also consider raising its tariffs on cars made within the bloc if the European Union were to retaliate.

While he left the door open for compromise with allies, tensions are rising in Europe.

Weve loaded the guns, said Charles de Lusignan, a spokesman for the European Steel Association, a lobbying group, and were ready to use them in case the aggression comes.
Trees are a critical part of the carbon cycle, in which carbon moves between the atmosphere, ocean and land. They remove atmospheric carbon dioxide, incorporating the carbon into their tissues as they grow. Worldwide, forests are a net storehouse, or sink, of carbon, removing one billion to two billion tons from the atmosphere each year. Thats a substantial portion of the roughly 10 billion tons of carbon pumped into the air by fossil-fuel burning and other human activities.

When a forest is damaged, the dead vegetation eventually decomposes, returning the carbon to the atmosphere. The amount can be enormous: a study of damage after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 found that the storm killed or severely damaged 320 million trees across the Gulf Coast, containing about 100 million tons of carbon.

As forests start to recover, the mix of species is often different  in a rain forest like El Yunque, for example, species that thrive in full light tend to take over until the canopy regrows. The trees are also younger and smaller, so the recovering forest stores less carbon.

Forests take a while to recover, said Louis Verchot, a researcher with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture in Palmira, Colombia. And what initially recovers is not always what was there before.

If this cycle of damage and regrowth  what ecologists call a disturbance regime  occurs more often as extreme storms become more frequent, some forests may never recover completely. Over decades, the reduction in stored carbon would likely become permanen t. More carbon from human activity would remain in the atmosphere to contribute to climate change, or would have to be removed in other ways.

If the climate warms, do we expect an increase in disturbance regimes? said Jeffrey Q. Chambers, a geographer at the University of California, Berkeley, who led the Katrina study. That could work on the ability of those systems to remove CO from the atmosphere.

Determining how the biomass in damaged forests changes over time is thus crucial to understanding the global carbon balance. But the work is not straightforward, as counting damaged trees in even a modest forest is a practical impossibility. Instead, researchers rely on remote sensing: satellite images to determine the presence or absence of trees, for example, or laser-based airborne measurements of a forest canopy.
Today that initiative, the Green Climate Fund, is an empty shell, Mr. Ban said in a recent phone interview. The lifelong diplomat  who recently assumed the presidency of the Global Green Growth Institute, an international organization based in Seoul, South Korea, that focuses on clean energy development  said he hoped to use the next chapter of his career to help poor countries meet their goals under the Paris agreement on climate change.

Its quite clear that the international community must redouble our efforts to implement the Paris climate change agreement, Mr. Ban said. Specifically, he asserted, the United States under President Trump needs to change its attitude about the global accord.

As part of the Paris agreement nearly 200 countries, rich and poor, pledged to cut or curb the greenhouse gas emissions they produce through the burning of fossil fuels or the cutting of forests. Countries also pledged to create the Green Climate Fund, mobilizing $100 billion by 2020 from both public funds and private industry to help the poorest nations.

Mr. Trump has said the Paris agreement is a bad deal for the United States and that the country will no longer work toward its pledge of cutting emissions at least 26 percent below 2005 levels by 2025 or contribute money to the climate fund. Former President Barack Obama promised $3 billion over four years and delivered $1 billion before leaving office.

The U.S. is the richest, most powerful, the number one leader country. There is a normal expectation that the United States takes one-third of the $100 billion, Mr. Ban said. Politically, morally, there should be leadership by the United States.

The White House did not respond to a request to comment on Mr. Bans remarks. But Mr. Trumps position on the Paris agreement was made clear at the Conservative Political Action Committee conference last month when he said the accord would be a disaster for the United States. They basically want to take our wealth away, Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Ban, who led the United Nations from 2007 to 2016, said he worried that Mr. Trump had badly damaged the Paris agreement and said that the United States was treading in dangerously isolationist waters.
Latest Project Her next media venture, Joojoo Journal, which she describes as a multilingual, multimedia publication where diasporic, marginalized and subaltern voices are uplifted, goes live in April. I want to be able to work directly with people in places like Iraq, Afghanistan and Greece who otherwise dont have access to outlets, she said.

Next Thing She is starting a co-op sewing project in Chicago to help immigrant seamstresses team up with small-scale fashion houses. The projects first client will be herself: a unisex clothing brand that she is designing. We always think of androgyny as masculine, so I want to create androgynous clothing that uses a womans body as a template, she said.

American Woman Ms. Katebi has publicly taken issue with the artist Shepard Faireys poster of a woman wearing an American flag as a head scarf. The only time you see a Muslim womans face everywhere is when it is created by a white American man, she said. We as Muslims are constantly trying to prove that we are American enough and that we have to wrap this countrys flag around us to be accepted.
Dr. Reynolds announced her plan to become a doctor when she was 8, inspired in part by her pediatrician. We moved a lot in my childhood  I went to 10 schools before I graduated high school  and there was a good bit of chaos, but somehow my mother managed to take me to see him over many years, she said. Almost no one in my family had gone to college, and his was a powerful example of an important, concrete job that I could understand.

She went to Columbia University as a pre-med student on a full scholarship, and trained as an emergency medical technician on an ambulance in Chinatown because it seemed more like the real world. But she got hooked on the schools mandatory Great Books program. Literature, history, philosophy  books Id never been exposed to growing up, she said. I was just blown away by what I was learning, and when I got the chance to stay for graduate school on a fellowship, I did. She earned a doctorate in literature, but the desire to become a physician never left.

She attended the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, where she was drawn to emergency medicine. What I loved best was having one foot in the world and one in the hospital  the process of moving from a patients account to a diagnosis, having to build a relationship quickly.

In 2010, she described that experience in the London-based New Left Review. I spent my early childhood in a trailer in Texas, she wrote, so, until I became an emergency physician in Oakland, I thought I knew something about barriers to health care access, and maybe even something about poverty. Residency training at a public county hospital taught her, she said recently, about how social context affects illness, about how to work creatively with whatever is at hand, and about the enormous range of human experience, even in a wealthy country like the United States.

I first met Teri early in her medical career, when she was starting her emergency medicine residency in California in a gritty, inner-city hospital, said Michael Callaham, professor emeritus of emergency medicine at the San Francisco medical school, who was her supervisor during that time and when she was a resident fellow with the Annals of Emergency Medicine, and gave her her first faculty job. Its not often you get a medical trainee with a Ph.D. in English literature, said Dr. Callaham, who remains the scientific journals editor in chief.

Dr. Reynolds said that women were still outnumbered in emergency medical care globally, but that that was slowly changing. I still sit in many meetings around the world where there are few women at the table and none at the head, she said. But the W.H.O. has put many women in the top positions, and for the first time recently, the majority of its assistant directors general are women. The gender distribution will impact the tone around the world, she said. There are many young women emerging into leadership in the field, and I cant wait to see what they do.
As they watch, listen or read, have them take notes on this handout, which asks: What do these students want? What are they doing to achieve it? What impact are these actions having? Why?

Invite them to share ideas in small groups, then, as a class, compile their lists on the board.

Finally, follow up by asking students to discuss:

 What actions seem to be most effective? Why?

 Do you think these students be able to make a lasting impact on this issue? If yes, why? If no, why not?

 What barriers might they run into? Why?

 What suggestions do you have for these student activists?

 What reactions or questions do these students activism raise for you? Why?

If you like, you can then invite your students to add their responses to the forum we have posted in our Student Opinion section: Can High School Students Make a Real Impact on the Problem of Gun Violence in the United States?

For example, here is one comment we received from Jordyn I. of Westfield, N.J. Do your students agree?

I believe that my generation has the power to change the world more than any group before us. Unlike the generations in decades past, we have more information available to us than ever before. Social media, arguably the most powerful tool of communication in the history of the world, is at our fingertips. With the click of a button, our words can be shared with millions. All it takes is one tweet, one post on Instagram or Facebook. And a second later, your opinion is broadcasted everywhere. The internet has empowered us to have the ability to change the world, even at the young ages that we are.

Another option? Invite students to watch this video of students responding to the Parkland movement via the PBS Student Reporting Labs.

_________

Discuss Student Rights in the Context of Planned School Walkouts
Last summer, Shawnna Graham fired up Netflix in her Williamsburg, Va., home and looked for her grandfathers name in the closing credits of Marvels Luke Cage. It was nowhere to be found.



It was a surprise. After all, the Harlem-based comic book artist Billy Graham had worked on the first 17 issues of Luke Cage, Hero for Hire, and even had a hand in writing a few of them. Hed been the only African-American person working on what was the first African-American superhero comic book series.

In fact, he was the only African-American person working for Marvel, period.

I thought, maybe this was missed only because he had passed, and no one was thinking of his contribution, Ms. Graham said. When she began seeing ads for the film adaptation of Black Panther, the character her grandfather drew after finishing work on Luke Cage, she prevailed upon her father, Mardine, to pull out what they called the Treasure Chest. It consisted of a steamer trunk, a portfolio, a briefcase and boxes of artwork that they had retrieved from her grandfathers 143rd Street apartment after he died in 1997. She started taking pictures, and opening social media accounts to bring Billys name and legacy from the shadows.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has said that he supports congestion pricing, but has yet to present a plan. Instead, the state task force that he assembled, Fix NYC, released recommendations in January that included the $2 to $5 per-ride surcharge as well as the creation of a Manhattan congestion zone in which passenger cars could be charged a fee of $11.52 per day.

The task force estimated the per-ride fees alone could generate up to $605 million a year at a time when other states and cities have increasingly imposed similar per-ride fees to generate new revenue.

Mr. Schaller said that his hourly fees would raise more, about $670 million. He added that his report was not intended to criticize the Fix NYC plan, but to build upon the work of the task force and help come up with the most effective way to address growing congestion from cars. I think the city is at a critical decision point, he said.

Jon Orcutt, a spokesman for TransitCenter, a research and policy foundation, said that he supported Mr. Schallers approach of using an hourly fee rather than a per-ride fee to manage congestion because I think were going to need tough measures to keep the streets moving. He expressed doubt, though, that a $50 hourly fee would win approval from state officials, given that congestion pricing already faced significant hurdles in New York

Mitchell L. Moss, a member of the task force and the director of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at New York University, called a $50 fee the equivalent of a Donald Trump tariff. He said that it would have unforeseen side effects such as hurting working-class or middle-class people who rely on taxis or Ubers because they may have no other choice  mothers toting baby strollers, older people too frail or sick to take public transportation, and anyone trying to get anywhere in a hurry.

What hes charging for one hour in a cab or Uber is going to cost much more than a main course at the Union Square Cafe, a four-star restaurant, Mr. Moss said. People who can afford $50 already have a Mercedes and a driver all day.

Alex Matthiessen, the director of Move NY, a grass-roots campaign leading the push for congestion pricing, said that Mr. Schallers $20 and $50 fees were not only unlikely to get any political support, but could take the focus away from the Fix NYC proposal, including the $2 to $5 surcharges. If youre looking for a way to tackle our transit and traffic crises now, the Fix NYC plan is where to start, he said.
A day after news broke that the actress Cynthia Nixon was in talks with two Democratic strategists about entering the 2018 governors race in New York, the two-term incumbent, Andrew M. Cuomo, wasted little time in denigrating her as a second-tier celebrity who had been egged on by his longtime Democratic rival, Mayor Bill de Blasio.

His accusation set off a familiar war of words between Mr. Cuomo and Mr. de Blasio that took on added weight in light of Mr. Cuomos possible primary contest.

In a conference call with reporters on Wednesday about a looming snowstorm, Mr. Cuomo laughed aloud at his answer to a question about whether the mayor, a longtime friend of Ms. Nixon, is behind her possible candidacy.

I think it was probably either the mayor of New York or Vladimir Putin, Mr. Cuomo said with a chuckle. I am going to leave it to you, great investigative reporters to follow the facts and ferret out the truth.
In his St. Patricks Day sermon in 1852, John J. Hughes, the newly minted first Roman Catholic archbishop of New York, raised a discomfiting cautionary flag.

There is reason to fear, Hughes admonished the congregants at Old St. Patricks Cathedral on Mulberry Street, that when God permits men or nations to prosper to the extent of their desires, it is a mark of his disfavor.

His warning that the worldly lure of Americas Manifest Destiny was already threatening his parishioners spiritual bonds suggested just how far Irish-Americans had progressed in the more than three decades since Hughes himself had immigrated from County Tyrone.

Last year, in their Sons of Saint Patrick: A History of the Archbishops of New York From Dagger John to Timmytown (Ignatius Press), George J. Marlin and Brad Miner traced the evolution of the archdiocese. Now, just in time for St. Patricks Day, in Dagger John: Archbishop John Hughes and the Making of Irish America (Three Hills, Cornell University Press), John Loughery prodigiously profiles the most transformative archbishop of them all.
In her first interview since accepting the post, Ms. Palitz suggested that her stint as the Nightlife Mayor would be slightly more sober and focus less on carousing than on conflict mediation. In todays New York, gentrification has pitted partygoers against the settled residents of neighborhoods like the Lower East Side of Manhattan and Williamsburg in Brooklyn. In her first official act, Ms. Palitz promised to hold a series of listening tours and entertain the gripes of those who are bothered by the vomit on their streets or the noise at 3 a.m.

Both sides feel unheard, she said. Both sides feel that things are unfair. I think the grievances are almost the same but there havent been any practical real-world solutions to address them.

As a fifth-generation New Yorker, Ms. Palitz, 47, claims to be of a broad enough mind to discern those solutions and to ably serve as advocate for the after-hours set while remaining responsive to community concerns. Though she was raised on 86th Street on the Upper East Side, she moved to the East Village in 1996 and has lived there ever since  on three of the four different corners at First Street and First Avenue. In her early 20s, she took her first night life job, managing the guest list at the old Club Mars. Soon she was producing the Soulution Spontaneous Groove Open Jam  a night of hip-hop, spoken word, gospel, rock and drag  at clubs like Nation, SOBs and the Tunnel.

In the early 2000s, a friend from grade school asked Ms. Palitz to invest in a bar near her apartment called The Flat. (It was briefly famous as a rendezvous that the actors Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher used for their romance.) But in 2004, The Flat went under and Ms. Palitz took it over. She turned it into Sutra, which for the next 10 years, until it closed, was known for Toca Tuesdays, an old-school hip-hop party overseen by the D.J. Tony Touch.

It was during that period that Ms. Palitz joined Community Board 3, a fractious body that includes the East Village, Chinatown and the Lower East Side. There, she was introduced to the brass-knuckle politics of night life  chiefly through her dealings with what she has called the no-more bar contingency.
A Yale student who had been suspended by the university was found not guilty on Wednesday of sexually assaulting a fellow student, in a rare college rape accusation to be tried in the courts. The verdict laid bare seemingly gaping divides in the national reckoning around sexual consent and assault.

Over several grueling days on the witness stand in a New Haven courtroom, the woman described what she said was her rape by the accused student, Saifullah Khan, 25, on Halloween night 2015. The testimony, in open court, offered a glimpse into the kinds of encounters that are more often described behind closed doors, to university panels or among friends.

Mr. Khans lawyers worked relentlessly to discredit the account of the woman, who was not identified by name in the arrest warrant application. They asked repeatedly how much she had to drink, and how she could claim not to remember certain details, such as how she arrived back at her dorm room, but remembered others, such as the alleged assault itself. They parsed her text messages with Mr. Khan, asking if she had not been flirting with him in the days before the incident. They showed off her Halloween costume, a black cat outfit, and asked her why she had not chosen a more modest one, such as Cinderella in a long flowing gown.

Laura Palumbo, a spokeswoman for the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, called the defenses line of questioning all victims worst fears in coming forward.
Kalman Aron began drawing pencil and crayon portraits of his family in Latvia when he was 3. A child prodigy, he mounted his first one-boy gallery show when he was 7. He was commissioned to paint the official portrait of the Latvian prime minister when he was 13. He enrolled at an academy of fine arts in Riga, the capital, at 15.

Then, in 1941, when he was 16, the Germans invaded, and his parents, who were Jewish, were murdered. But Kalmans artistic talent would spare his life. Over the next four years, he would survive seven Nazi concentration camps by swapping sketches of his captors and their families for scraps of food.

And he lived to become a prominent American portraitist. He died at 93 on Feb. 24 in Santa Monica, Calif., the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust said.
Like a lot of guys, Ive watched The Shawshank Redemption more times than I can count. Which is why, when I heard the news that Gary Cohn had resigned as Donald Trumps top economic adviser, I thought of Reds (Morgan Freemans) somber line: Every man has his breaking point.

In the film, the remark is followed by the tale of how Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) busts out of Shawshank Prison. Dufresne, a former banker with a gift for numbers and a taste for risky trades, tunnels through a concrete wall and then crawls through a 500-yard sewer pipe to freedom, riches and a beach in Mexico.

Then he tells the press everything he knows about Samuel Norton, the evil prison warden, and his corrupt minions. Justice is richly served.

That could yet be Cohns story, too.

O.K., Im getting carried away. Dufresne is a Christ-like figure, innocent of crime but wise to the world, who suffers grievously and gives greatly. Cohn is a Goldman Democrat who went into the White House with his eyes wide open, seemed to enjoy treating Steve Mnuchin as a finger puppet, and chose not to resign over Donald Trumps shameful Charlottesville equivocation. Whether he quit out of horror of the presidents protectionist turn, or merely out of the pique of losing a policy argument, is an open question.
For the rest of Gary Cohns career, whenever his name comes up, people will think of Donald Trump. The relationship worked out much better for Trump than for Cohn.

In The Times, the editorial board comments on Cohns departure. Elsewhere: Slates Jordan Weissmann notes that Cohn did have one big accomplishment in the job  the corporate tax cut he helped design. Gary Cohn: The man who swallowed the presidents racism and personal humiliation in order to guide tax cuts for his old employer at Goldman Sachs, and then quit over some steel tariffs, Weissmann writes.

Generosity. Voxs German Lopez donated his kidney to a stranger yesterday, having been inspired to do so by his colleague Dylan Matthews, who wrote about the experience last year. This morning, in recovery, Lopez wrote that its immensely gratifying that a 23-year-old woman just got a lifesaving kidney, and a chain of two or more people will too over the next week as a result of all of this. He added, I want to communicate that this is something that really is possible to do.

West Virginia update. After a gutsy strike, the states teachers won a raise yesterday. Its a limited victory, of course. Theyre still paid relatively little and face many unnecessary obstacles, like a large number of unfilled jobs. But there is sense among West Virginians that this strike is about something bigger than teacher pay, Erin McHenry-Sorber of West Virginia University writes for CNN. This is a movement for the viability of West Virginia and rural America. In The Times, Sarah Jaffe writes of labors rising ghosts, now visible in the strike.

Texas election. The Democratic turnout in the Texas primaries last night wasnt what the party had hoped for. David Byler of The Weekly Standard previously explained why demographic change hasnt brought political change to the state.
Other independent candidates will also appear on the ballot but have no real chance of victory. All of them, however, beyond their political differences and except for Mr. Lopez Obrador, share a respect for democracy.

Mr. Lopez Obrador has promised a change of regime. Mexican voters should carefully consider what he means, given the precedents.

To begin with, he has said that he does not believe in the existence of Mexican democracy, though it has been in the context of its rules, institutions and freedoms that he has gained the likelihood of power. Nor does he trust in the National Electoral Institute. After losing the 2006 election by a wafer-thin margin (0.58 percent), he declared the election fraudulent and led his followers in occupying the Paseo de la Reforma, the central artery of Mexico City, an action rejected by the public. Defeated by a larger margin (6.63 percent) in 2012, he again claimed fraud. He has continued to show disdain for the institutions of liberal democracy. To hell with their institutions, he famously said in 2006 and has not disavowed his assertion. And he recently accused the Supreme Court of being an instrument of the oligarchy used to dominate the people.

There is a genuine linkage of religious fervor (which it seems just to call messianic) between Mr. Lopez Obrador and his followers. Confident in that connection, he has shown an unbending intolerance toward criticism from the media and intellectuals. He has a disqualifying adjective for every group that doubts or opposes him: fakes, conservatives, sellouts. He has called the press fifi (bourgeois). He has proved to be incapable of self-criticism and shows a significant tendency to divide the country between the people who support him and all the others, who support the mafia in power.

Mr. Lopez Obrador trusts so much in the sheer force of his charisma that he has promised to bring Trump to his senses. He wants to bring peace to Mexico by exploring the possibility of granting amnesty to drug traffickers and producers. Only I can fix corruption, he has stated, and he recently announced that he will call for the drafting of a moral Constitution that can inaugurate a loving republic.

Mr. Lopez Obrador has surrounded himself with politicians and union leaders formerly of the P.R.I. who were directly involved in gross acts of corruption. He shows a real concern for alleviating poverty though is as yet insufficiently specific in his proposals. Many liberal Mexicans fear that he will reverse the opening to private and foreign investment in Mexican oil production and will choose to protect the domestic economy from international competition.

My own major concern, however, is his attitude toward our still fragile democracy. In his defense, his supporters point to his record as mayor of Mexico City (2000-05), but that position did not remotely involve the power that would accrue to him as president. Were Mr. Lopez Obrador to choose to incite popular mobilizations and plebiscites, his government could call for a Constituent Assembly, and move toward annulling the division of powers and subordinating the Supreme Court and other autonomous institutions after restricting the freedom of the media and silencing any dissenting voices. In such circumstances, Mexico could once again become a monarchy, though messianic and in the style of a caudillo without republican costuming: the country of a single man.

It is to be hoped that the legitimate discontent of Mexicans and the urgent need for change does not lead to the demise of our fledgling but genuine democracy.
To the Editor:

Re Some Hope From North Korea (editorial, March 7):

President Moon Jae-in of South Korea deserves great credit for bringing North Korea to the table. But the talks hold peril as well as promise.

North Korea appears to see its nuclear arsenal as essential to regime survival, keeping it from becoming another Libya, and in return would likely demand full United States withdrawal from the Korean Peninsula. At that point, talks could break down, giving President Trump an excuse to unleash fire and fury in a war that could kill hundreds of thousands  or millions if it went nuclear.

To have a greater chance of success, talks should start with modest aims, such as a freeze in North Korean testing in return for a freeze in United States-South Korean military exercises.

Meanwhile, we must urge Congress to pass legislation, sponsored by Senator Chris Murphy and Representative Ro Khanna, barring the president from attacking North Korea without congressional authorization. The ball is not only in President Trumps court, but in ours as well, to prevent a disastrous war.
To the Editor:

Re Portrait of a Turkish Novelist as Prisoner by Ahmet Altan (Opinion, Feb. 28). This is no doubt a correct and overwhelming account of the trials he and his co-defendants have been going through and the life sentence they now face in prison. Yet Mr. Altan has omitted the precursor to these trials.

A few years ago, many people spent years in prison in Turkey, and a few died while going through similar trials referred to as ergenekon and sledgehammer. Although the absurdity of the trials had been exposed, several life sentences were decreed. Later, all of the defendants were found not guilty. As with Mr. Altans trial, evidence has been called false or fabricated. Once the trials became a farce and were no longer useful to the government, they were dropped and forgotten.

The newspaper where Mr. Altan was editor provided so-called evidences for these earlier trials, placing him at the forefront of accusers. It could be said that Mr. Altan had no concern for the injustices so many people suffered. So when he received a life sentence without parole, some called it eternal justice. Others called it karma. I call it and the previous trials a sad moment for humanity.

AHMET OZGIUNES

ISTANBUL
Yes, these future lawyers believe that free speech is acceptable only when it doesnt offend them. Which is to say, they dont believe in it at all.

For the lecture itself, a student wearing a jacket emblazoned with the command Stay Woke led protesters in shouting Microaggressions are real and No platform for fascists. Ms. Sommers handled matters as gracefully as possible, but had delivered only half her lecture before Janet Steverson, a law professor and the schools dean of diversity and inclusion, asked her to cut her remarks short and take questions from the hardy souls who somehow survived the violence of her words.

At this point, such incidents have become so routine that its tempting to wave them off.

We shouldnt. What happened to Ms. Sommers on Monday is a telling example of a wider phenomenon that reaches well beyond the confines of campus. Call it the moral flattening of the earth.

We live in a world in which politically fascistic behavior, if not the actual philosophy, is unquestionably on the rise. Italy just gave the plurality of its vote to a party that is highly sympathetic to Vladimir Putin. The Philippines is in the grip of a homicidal maniac who is allying himself with Xi Jinping. Mr. Xi just anointed himself president for life and has banned the words Animal Farm and disagree from Chinese internet searches. Bashar al-Assad is winning in Syria, where half a million people have so far been slaughtered. Dictatorship and starvation have descended on Venezuela. At its annual conference in Washington last month, the Conservative Political Action Committee gave its stage, and its enthusiastic applause, to a member of Frances National Front. Thats just a short list.

Yet these are generally not the extremists that leftists focus on. Instead, they seem to believe that the real cause for concern are the secret authoritarians passing as liberals and conservatives in our midst.
MEYRIN, Switzerland  Fabiola Gianotti is one of the most important physicists in the world, and when she gazes at the heavens after dark, she sees more than the moon, the stars and the Milky Way.

For her, the night sky is a daily reminder of humanitys ignorance of the origins of the universe.

When you look at the sky at night, you see only 5 percent of whats out there, she said in an interview. The rest we dont know, so we call it dark energy and dark matter. Its a bit embarrassing for us physicists to understand only 5 percent of the universe. Come on! We have to solve this problem, O.K.?

Dr. Gianotti, 57, is neither arrogant nor naive. She is the first female director of the European Organization for Nuclear Research  or CERN  where the worlds largest and most powerful particle accelerator is deep underground outside Geneva.

She led one of the two giant CERN experiments teams that in 2012 resulted in the discovery of the Higgs boson, the particle that explains why some other elementary particles have mass. It is so awe-inspiring that its been nicknamed the God particle. She and the leader of the other team announced the discovery to the world.
Dr. Krauss, a professor in the universitys School of Earth and Space Exploration, is director of Arizona States Origins Project, a multidisciplinary research effort to tackle questions about life, the universe and complex social problems. He gained prominence for his book, The Physics of Star Trek in 1995. He later became one of the leaders of the so-called skeptics movement that espouses science over religion. He has also written essays and Op-Ed articles that were published in The Times.

Michael Crow, president of Arizona State, told The State Press, an independent student news organization, that the university had received no complaints of harassment against Dr. Krauss. The university started the investigation after being contacted by BuzzFeed.

Dr. Krauss moved to Arizona State from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio in 2008.

On Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Krauss posted a lengthy rebuttal to the BuzzFeed article. He said many of the incidents reported by BuzzFeed were based on unsubstantiated rumors and others were distorted and misleading.

Has my language or demeanor sometimes made others feel uncomfortable? Dr. Krauss wrote. Clearly yes, and for that I sincerely apologize. Nevertheless, the BuzzFeed article effectively paints a false picture of me and my relationships with others through a mosaic constructed largely out of anonymous hearsay and a web of often vague innuendo.

The university is not the only one to take action against Dr. Krauss. The American Physical Society and other organizations have withdrawn invitations to Dr. Krauss for upcoming talks. The Center for Inquiry, an organization that promotes secularism, suspended its association with Dr. Krauss on Monday.
Its these two brainiacs having sex, she says. But what you feel is the disconnect between them, the power dynamics. Its remarkable how vulnerable it is.

In the same vein of Ackers writing, the art that appears in dialogue with the video are works of self-exposure: close-ups of male and female genitalia rendered in rainbow pastels by the painter Celia Hempton; a letter to Acker by the artist and poet Diamond Stingily, acknowledging the fact that they would not have been friends; a sculpture made of the mattress that artist Ser Brandon-Castro Serpas and an ex first had sex on. Its an all-women show without labeling itself as such, with two obvious exceptions: Sondheim, Ackers Blue Tape co-star, and Melgaard himself.

To most, Bjarne is as male as male can be, says Schlenzka. They think about this almost hyperaggressive gay sensibility  which he definitely has, but hes well versed in the history of feminist politics. Describing Acker as a major influence, Melgaard recalls seeing a BBC interview of hers on TV when he was a teenager in Oslo and immediately buying her 1979 book, Blood and Guts in High School.

I thought that she was fascinating for her opinions and extreme sensibilities: the strength to be both soft and hard, and to be able to articulate complex problematics in a language that doesnt make anyone feel inadequate, says Melgaard. I think that she radicalized language.

His piece in the show is a performance that stars the Acker of the 80s, by then both a fashion and countercultural icon, as a puppet. A leather-clad figure with shorn pink hair, puppet Acker goes through a series of absurdist conversations and events with puppet renditions of Melgaards mother, father and sister  plus lit incense, strobe lights, and a plastic shark  reflecting her literary persona of erotic and existential contemplation.
SAN FRANCISCO  Broadcoms $117 billion bid for the rival computer chip maker Qualcomm is being investigated by a federal government committee concerned about giving foreign countries power over American technology vital to national security.

But some people in the technology industry believe Broadcoms chief executive, Hock Tan, already wields too much power of a different kind, as illustrated by a harshly worded two-page document in a San Francisco court file.

The document comes from Western Digital, the largest supplier of computer disk drives. Last year, Western Digital wrote to a technology partner, Toshiba, to complain about Broadcom. The document said Broadcom had stopped shipping essential chips called preamplifiers to Western Digital. The reason? Broadcom, the document said, was retaliating because Western Digital had considered another suppliers products.

Western Digital believes that Broadcoms business tactics have destroyed a once positive business relationship and raise serious antitrust concerns, the drive maker wrote. At the time, Western Digital was trying to persuade Toshiba to reject Broadcom as a potential buyer of Toshibas stake in a memory chip joint venture with Western Digitals SanDisk unit.
HONG KONG  When top tech minds sat down to set the global standards underpinning todays cellphone networks, China was left largely on the sidelines. Companies in the West owned much of the crucial technology, and they prospered.

Now, as the world prepares for a new generation of mobile internet that could let you download a feature-length movie in mere seconds, a Chinese company is determined to lead, putting it at the center of an international fight over the technologys future.

Huawei, the giant maker of telecommunications equipment, has been pouring money into research on 5G, or fifth-generation, wireless networks and patenting key technologies. It has hired experts from foreign rivals and pushed them to guide international groups that are deciding the technical standards for tomorrows wireless gear.

But the company has also been a top concern of Washington officials. It was effectively shut out of the United States after a 2012 congressional report said Beijing could use Huaweis equipment to spy on Americans. And this week, a United States Treasury official flagged Huaweis 5G push as the American government investigates the proposed takeover of Qualcomm, a San Diego-based chip maker, by Broadcom, a rival based in Singapore.
Last summer, there was a flap when a memo by a fellow board member, Reed Hastings, the chief executive of Netflix, appeared in The New York Times. In the memo, Mr. Hastings wrote to Mr. Thiel that he displayed catastrophically bad judgment in supporting Mr. Trump.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive, did not ask him to step down from the board, and reports that he wants to leave the board are incorrect, Mr. Thiel said, noting that among other things he brings ideological diversity. He declined to say exactly how much or what kind of advice the Facebook board was offering Mr. Zuckerberg, but defended the company from criticism that it was slow to wake up to what the Russians did.

Remember when Trump said the election was going to be rigged? People said that was crazy  How dare you question the integrity of the electoral process? That was the view of most of the people working at Facebook, too, he said. They did not think things were so hackable. It was a mistake, but an understandable mistake. Facebook declined to comment.

The anger now being turned on Facebook, Mr. Thiel argued, is less about Russia specifically and more about tech arrogance  its failure to do so much for so many. It is a sentiment that helped put Mr. Trump in the White House.

The Trump campaign slogan, Make America Great Again, was perhaps the single most offensive thing you could say to Silicon Valley, he said. Silicon Valley says the future is going to be better than the past. That is the propaganda, if you will.

A friend of his in Silicon Valley had the idea of running for governor of California this year. Mr. Thiels advice was that he had better have a good answer to this question: Why is tech good for the average person in California? The answer, he cautioned, couldnt be a banality, such as its making us more connected, and it couldnt be utopian, such as its going to cure all diseases.
The Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic died during his trial for war crimes at The Hague in 2006. So his reincarnation in a glossy tracksuit for an experimental Serbian musical this week in Kosovo has provoked complicated feelings in the majority Albanian country.

The Lift: The Slobodan Show tracks the autocrats rise, focusing on his family relationships, particularly with his wife, Mirjana, and ends with his trial in The Hague. It is interspersed with accounts from the Serbian actors of their own memories of life under Milosevic in the 1990s. It premiered on Tuesday to applause, tears, and a few walkouts.

A lot of people cried yesterday, said the shows director, Nenad Todorovic, in a telephone interview on Wednesday. A few of them left the show very angry. Half of them were delighted.

Its a weird kind of musical, he added, not like your Broadway musicals.

Most people living in Kosovo are ethnic Albanians, but the musical is being staged by Serbs in the Serbian-majority town of Gracanica. Milosevics shadow still looms large throughout the region, and tensions remain high. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia and Serbian minority groups within Kosovo refuse to recognize it.
Think you need to travel to the African savanna or South American rain forest to see fantastic wildlife? Think again. According to Martha Kauffman, a managing director and scientist at the World Wildlife Fund, the United States has an abundance of opportunities for memorable wildlife encounters. The U.S. is home to thousands of species of wildlife, and its possible to see lots of these animals up close in their natural habitats, she said.

Wildlife tours are springing up around the country. Here are four options for this winter and spring.

Sandhill Cranes in Nebraska

Ms. Kauffman said that one of the most spectacular wildlife viewing experiences shes ever had was in March in Nebraskas Platte River valley, when more than 80 percent of the worlds sandhill cranes, more than 550,000 in all, congregate in the area. They roost in the river by night and forage in the surrounding fields by day, and its a sight to behold. The birds are on their way to Canada and Alaska, and come from Mexico, Texas and New Mexico.

One way to see the cranes is on the overnight photography tour from the Crane Trust. Visitors spend the night in a photo-video blind: a 20 foot by 8 foot plywood structure that can accommodate two people. The blind is stationed near the roosting birds on the river, and its possible to photograph them in both the morning and evening. Prices start at $250 a blind, and tours run from March 4 to 31. Reserve by emailing the Trust directly, at info@cranetrust.org.
Good morning.

(Want to get California Today by email? Heres the sign-up.)

Despite the fierce winter storm that brought an avalanche of snow to the Sierra Nevada last week, water officials say the states snowpack is far behind its desired level. Before the storm, comparisons were being made to record-breaking dry years.

So why isnt there more panic about a potential drought?

The states reservoir levels and drinking water supply are in good shape, largely because last year was exceptionally wet, said Dave Rizzardo, of the California Department of Water Resources. Last weeks storm nearly doubled the snowpack  and although that brought it up to only 34 percent of whats typically desired by April 1, it has eased comparisons to the record lows in 1977 and 2015. (The state gets about 30 percent of its fresh water from the snowpack each year.)

It still is what it is, but its a nice boost. It doesnt get us necessarily out of a horrible snowpack condition but there are more storms that could chip away at that deficit, Mr. Rizzardo said. This could be a worse conversation if last year wasnt so wet.

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at U.C.L.A., warned that the current water levels dont tell the full story about the year. Despite last weeks snowstorm, which he said effectively doubled the amount of available water stored in the snowpack, the low yearly precipitation could have secondary ecological impacts and wildfire risks.
An opponent of the bill, State Senator Jim Dabakis, has said he would fight it by adding the name of an adult film star who is reported to have had an affair with the president. If it gets to the Senate, Mr. Dabakis threatened on Twitter this week, I will present an amendment that the frontage road be designated as the Stormy Daniels rampway.

But Mr. Dabakis, a Democrat, could be on the losing side in a state where the Legislature is dominated by Republicans who have supported Mr. Trump for scaling back the monuments. I think its going to happen, he conceded in a telephone interview from the Senate floor. If a vote is forced, there is not a lot of Utah politicians that are going to stand up and say they are against anything Trump.

First, though, the bill needs to pass the House and to be introduced in the Senate. In a meeting with reporters on Tuesday, Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, declined to take a stance on the highway  or the Stormy Daniels on-ramp idea  but said it might be a little premature to name the route for a man who has barely entered his second year in office.

I recognize the zeal and enthusiasm that some have for Donald J. Trump, and I share the enthusiasm, Mr. Herbert said. But there is probably a reason why we wait five years for people to vote to be put in the Hall of Fame.

While many presidents have had highways named in their honor  there is the President George Bush Turnpike in the Dallas area, the John F. Kennedy Expressway in the Chicago area and about a dozen highways named for Ronald Reagan  such a proposal is unusual this early in a presidents tenure.
A middle school teacher in Florida who has admitted hosting a white nationalist podcast has been removed from her classroom as officials investigate whether she is really a racist.

Officials at the Citrus County School District, about 80 miles north of Tampa, Fla., said they were made aware of the podcast, called Unapologetic, last week after being contacted by HuffPost. The news website reported on Saturday that the teacher, Dayanna Volitich, was connected to the podcast.

Although the podcast and a Twitter account  which Ms. Volitich operated under the pseudonym Tiana Dalichov  appear to have been taken off the internet, the HuffPost report included a recording of the podcast and screenshots of tweets she sent.

On the podcast, she argues that science has proved that certain races are smarter than others and brags about preaching white nationalism in her classroom  and hiding it from administrators. In tweets, she makes reference to the horrors of #Islam, attacks the concept of white privilege, and says that it isnt hateful or supremacist to prefer your own people over others.
Children are dying. I will fight every single day. I just want to speak. We call B.S. These students survived a shooting at their school. Now theyre leading a national movement for stricter gun control. Just days after the shooting, they called for school walkouts around the country, traveled to the Florida State Capitol  You failed us  and planned a nationwide march. Some of them cant even vote yet. Its clear these students are doing things differently. Heres how. #NeverAgain is leveraging social networks to mobilize faster than most movements before it, according to experts who study the rise of social and political movements. One week after the shooting, the #NeverAgain Twitter handle is verified and has more than 81,000 followers. In just a few days, student leaders have crowdsourced more than $3 million through online campaigns and celebrity donations. Theyre also handling their own crisis control by directly responding to critics. I lost a best friend who was practically a brother, and Im here to use my voice because I know he cant. These survivors are presenting their personal stories of loss as part of their fight, converting grief into power by getting in the face of adults. So, Senator Rubio, can you tell me right now that you will not accept a single donation from the N.R.A. in the future? The #NeverAgain movement wasnt formed in a vacuum. Its riding on the most recent wave of youth activism, which picked up speed around 2010. Student protests ebbed after the antiwar movement of the 60s and 70s. We are fed up. Young people today are getting involved to change systemic inequalities they were raised to believe had already been taken care of. The Dreamers, students against sexual assault, Occupy Wall Street, and the Black Lives Matter movement all had strong involvement by college-educated millennials. These groups have had modest success. President Barack Obama made sure campuses did more to investigate cases of sexual assault. And he later protected Dreamers from deportation. You can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. Its too early to tell if the #NeverAgain movement will sustain the momentum it needs to bring tangible change. But its an election year, so politicians might find their demands difficult to ignore.
The advisers who remain could struggle to push Mr. Trump in a more free-market direction: Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, has shown little appetite for bucking the president on big issues. Kevin A. Hassett, the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, joined the administration several months in and does not appear to enjoy the profile within the White House that Mr. Cohn did.

Like Mr. Cohn, Mr. Mnuchin is a Goldman Sachs alum with roots in progressive enclaves such as New York City and Los Angeles who believes in free trade and a pro-business economic agenda. The two men worked closely together to shepherd the tax bill and Mr. Mnuchin often tries to be a moderating force, attempting to calm markets and smooth Mr. Trumps provocative policy instincts.

But unlike Mr. Cohn, Mr. Mnuchin has not shown a willingness to publicly break with Mr. Trump and instead defends him. That tendency was on display this week when Mr. Mnuchin testified before Congress and insisted that he did not want to see a trade war. But when pressed about Mr. Trumps controversial tariffs on steel and aluminum, Mr. Mnuchin said he was fully behind them. In an interview with Fox Business on Wednesday morning, he said he was confident the tariffs would not hurt economic growth, as many economists have warned.

Were comfortable that were going to manage through this so that it is not detrimental to our growth projections, Mr. Mnuchin said.

Mr. Cohns departure comes amid the ascendence of advisers who have urged the president to take tougher action on trade. Peter Navarro, a trade skeptic who had been sidelined by Mr. Cohn, has been promised a promotion and made the rounds on Sunday talk shows to promote Mr. Trumps trade policy. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who oversaw an investigation that led to the tariffs, succeeded in moving up the announcement even as Mr. Cohn sought to delay it. Robert Lighthizer, the United States trade representative, has become a trusted adviser to the president.

Those advisers have a much more binary view of trade, seeing it as a zero-sum game in which the United States is losing. They have pushed the president to withdraw from deals like Nafta unless trading partners agree to sharp concessions and to implement the type of stiff tariffs that he seems prepared to impose on steel and aluminum imports. Mr. Cohn has argued against some of the tougher positions that economists and businesses say could disrupt global supply chains, drive up costs for American businesses and hurt consumers.
WASHINGTON  Over the past week, congressional Republicans have gotten a glimpse of the President Trump they hoped to never see.

On gun safety and, more significantly to many of them, trade, the president has loudly broken with longstanding party orthodoxy and reminded Republican leaders on Capitol Hill that they can never be 100 percent certain of what they are going to get with the onetime New York Democrat.

Despite such worries, Mr. Trumps first-year actions on policy and personnel  particularly judicial nominees  provided substantial reassurance to congressional Republicans. They concluded that Mr. Trump was really one of them when it came to bedrock issues and that the anti-Washington, drain-the-swamp cries from the raucous campaign rallies were only so many applause lines.

In the chaos of the early weeks of his administration, Mr. Trump provoked a sigh of relief from Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, that the president seemed to actually be conservative. If you look at the steps that have been taken so far, looks good to me, Mr. McConnell said.
DAYTON, Ohio  At Slyders Tavern, Matt Kazee, a machinist, drank a couple of beers as he waited for burgers to take home for dinner. His tab was about equal to the increase in his take-home pay after President Trumps tax cut found its way into the nations paychecks.

I have seen a little uptick in my paycheck, about what I expected, about 30 bucks, said Mr. Kazee, who voted for President Barack Obama in 2008 before backing Mr. Trump in the 2016 election. It felt to me about like where things were 15 years ago.

His underwhelmed reaction was not what Republicans had in mind. The white working-class voters in the industrial Midwest who helped put Mr. Trump in the White House are now seeing the extra cash from the tax cut, the presidents signature domestic policy achievement and the foundation for Republican election hopes in November.

But the result has hardly been a windfall, economically or politically. Other workers described their increase as enough for a weeks worth of gas or a couple of gallons of milk, with an additional $40 in a paycheck every two weeks on the high side to $2 a week on the low. Few are complaining, but the working class here is not feeling flush with newfound wealth.
HOUSTON  Texas Democrats surged to the polls on Tuesday in the first primary of 2018, demonstrating a wave of Trump-inspired energy, but also showcasing party divisions that have emerged at the outset of an otherwise promising midterm campaign.

Nearly 886,000 Texans cast ballots early in the states 15 most populous counties, the highest early-vote turnout in a nonpresidential election year in state history. And more Democrats statewide voted early this year than even in 2016, the year that Donald J. Trump, a Republican, was elected to the White House.

Yet even as Democrats in the states biggest cities came out in large numbers, Republicans still cast more ballots over all thanks to their rural strength.
Mr. Trump appears to be taking advantage of the vacuum created by the resignation of Mr. Cohn, who was the plans loudest opponent, to push the tariffs through. Mr. Cohn, who argued that tariffs would create a global trade war, found himself overshadowed by a group of more protectionist-minded advisers who have urged the president to follow through with the get-tough pledges he made during his campaign.

Those advisers have been in ascendence, including Mr. Navarro, a trade skeptic who had been sidelined by Mr. Cohn. Mr. Navarro was recently promised a promotion and made the rounds on Sunday talk shows to promote Mr. Trumps trade policy. Mr. Ross succeeded in moving up last weeks announcement, over the objections of Mr. Cohn. Robert Lighthizer, the United States trade representative who has pushed trading partners to accede to the countrys demands, has become a trusted adviser to the president.

That group has a much more binary view of trade, seeing it as a zero-sum game in which the United States is losing. The advisers have pushed the president to withdraw from trade deals like Nafta and to carry out the type of stiff tariffs that Mr. Trump seems poised to impose on steel and aluminum imports. They see the United States ballooning trade deficit, which hit a nine-year high on Wednesday, as evidence that more needs to be done to put the country on the winning end of global trade.

The rise of the populist faction is already fanning fears on Wall Street and among foreign officials that Mr. Trump could start and escalate a global trade war or take a more combative stance toward trading partners and international groups like the World Trade Organization. Foreign officials viewed Mr. Cohn as a reliable ally on global economic issues and as someone who could express their views to the president.

The prospect of approaching tariffs has set off furious lobbying from governments around the world, who have tried to sway the administration with offers of friendship and threats of retaliation. On Wednesday, the European Union released a list of American-made goods it would penalize if the tariffs went through.

China cautioned that it was prepared to make an appropriate and necessary response should the United States impose the tariffs.

Choosing a trade war is a mistaken prescription, Chinas foreign minister, Wang Yi, said during a news conference on Thursday in Beijing. In the end, you will only hurt others and yourself.
The report said the program should be expanded beyond terminal illness cases and used more frequently as a low-risk way to reduce overcrowding and health care spending. The Bureau of Prisons widened the criteria to explicitly include inmates over 65 and those who are the sole possible caregiver for a family member. Then Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. promoted the changes as part of his Smart on Crime initiative to use our limited resources to house those who pose the greatest threat.

But the bureau, which is part of the Justice Department, has yet to fully embrace those changes. Of those inmates who have applied for nonmedical reasons, 2 percent (50 cases) have been approved since 2013, according to an analysis of federal prison data. And although overall approval numbers increased slightly between 2013 and 2015, they have since fallen.

At a 2016 sentencing commission hearing, Bureau of Prisons officials said they believed the program should not be used to reduce overcrowding. And even the principal deputy assistant to Mr. Holder, Jonathan Wroblewski, said the program was not an appropriate vehicle for a broad reduction in the prison population. Every administration has taken the position that part of our responsibility is to ensure that public safety is not undermined, he said.

After the hearing, the commission released new guidelines encouraging prison officials to determine only whether inmates fit the criteria for release  that is, if they are old enough, sick or disabled enough, or if they are the sole possible caregiver for someone on the outside. Whether the prisoner poses a risk to the public should be left to a judge to decide, the commission said.

Mark Inch, who was appointed director of the Bureau of Prisons by Attorney General Jeff Sessions last August, has made no public statements about the program. The bureau declined to make Mr. Inch available for an interview and did not respond to emailed questions.
For the latest on the winter storm, read Wednesdays live updates.

John Schwartz, a New York Times reporter who covers climate change and the environment, is answering reader questions about the winter storm in the Northeast United States, the second to hit the region in less than a week. Ask your questions about the causes of dangerous winter storms by emailing storms@nytimes.com.

If its cold, how can there be climate change?

Thats a common question  one asked, in various ways, by the president of the United States. But its based on a fallacy.

Weather is not climate. Weather refers to day-to-day conditions; climate is about long-term trends. And the long-term trends show a planet that is warming, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. Even with occasional Arctic blasts of bitter cold, which weve seen in much of the United States in recent years, 2017 had the second-highest surface temperatures ever recorded, surpassed only by 2016  which was the third hottest year in a row. The trends are clear, even if you can make a snowball in March in Central Park.

Really, though  is there some connection between climate change and this cold weather?

Scientists have been looking at phenomena like cold spells, which occur when air from the Arctic dips south. After all, the Arctic is warming as a result of climate change, and that appears to be weakening the jet stream, which tends to hold that cold air up toward the top of the world. As Marlene Kretschmer, a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, told The Times in January, the connection is not yet fully established. Theres a lot of agreement that the Arctic plays a role, its just not known exactly how much, she said. Its a very complex system.
San Francisco will take down a controversial statue depicting a submissive Native American man after an outcry sparked by a deadly rally last summer in Charlottesville, Va., led the citys arts commission to vote unanimously this week to remove it.

The statue, known as Early Days, shows a Native American man at the feet of a Catholic missionary, who towers over him and gestures toward the ground, and a Spanish cowboy gazing off in the distance. It was built in the late 19th century as part of the Pioneer Monument, a memorial recounting Californias early history that currently sits across a park from San Franciscos City Hall.

Critics have called the statue racist and disrespectful, saying it promotes genocide, portrays Native Americans as inferior and relies on inaccurate stereotypes. (Among the specific critiques: that the person depicted in the statue is styled like a Plains Indian rather than a member of any California tribe.)

Its more than just racist, said Mariposa Villaluna, who helped organize a grass-roots campaign to remove the statue. It celebrates human subjugation.
SACRAMENTO  California and the Trump administration have locked horns from the very first hours of Donald J. Trumps presidency. But a visit by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to the California capital, Sacramento, on Wednesday produced an unfiltered shouting match that was remarkable even for the long-embattled antagonists, and seemed to be a culmination of fraying relations between the conservative administration and the countrys deepest blue state.

Mr. Sessions told a crowd of more than 200 law enforcement officials in a hotel ballroom that he would not stand for the insubordination of California lawmakers and what he called the dangerous obstruction of federal immigration laws.

A 10-minute walk away, in a briefing room of the State Capitol, Gov. Jerry Brown unleashed a tirade against Mr. Sessions and the Trump administration. He said that the administration was full of liars and that Mr. Sessions was basically going to war against the state of California.

It was highly unusual for an attorney general to come out here and engage in a political stunt, make wild accusations, many of which are based on outright lies, Mr. Brown added, particularly a fellow coming from Alabama talking to us about secession and protecting human and civil rights.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has revoked a prestigious human rights award it had given to the Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, now Myanmars civilian leader, faulting her for failing to halt or even acknowledge the ethnic cleansing of her countrys Rohingya Muslim minority.

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, who endured 15 years of house arrest for taking on the military dictatorship in Myanmar, was only the second person to receive the award, in 2012. It was named after Elie Wiesel, a fellow recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and a Holocaust survivor who was one of the museums founders. Mr. Wiesel was the first recipient.

The award, according to the museum, is given annually to an internationally prominent individual whose actions have advanced the Museums vision of a world where people confront hatred, prevent genocide and promote human dignity.
Ms. Suzuki has chosen not to breast-feed and that, too, has drawn criticism. Its easiest to not say anything when I get these types of comments, and many people dont realize these are just their own beliefs, she said. I try very hard to let them know my child is fine and were doing very well.

Unless I reassure them, new mothers following my footsteps will also have to endure this criticism.

Despite its status as the worlds third-largest economy, Japan lags far behind other countries when it comes to the participation of women in politics. According to data from the nonprofit Inter-Parliamentary Union, China, the United States and South Korea are all ahead of Japan. It ranks 158 out of 193 countries, with women representing just 10.1 percent of its lower house, the House of Representatives. (In the upper house, the House of Councillors, women make up 20 percent.)

Its no surprise, then, that the number of women who have become mothers while holding political office is minuscule.

They are a novelty in Japan, said Hiroko Nagano, the founder of a Facebook group called Network for Politicians Giving Birth (While in Office). Ms. Nagano is an assemblywoman from Tokyos City of Toshima district.
One of the important reasons behind the improvement of the relationship between China and South Korea is that the two countries have reached a consensus that no war should be allowed to occur on the Korean Peninsula, said Feng Zhang, a fellow in international relations at Australian National University. Here, China and South Korea have a perfect common interest, even though China was not directly involved in the inter-Korean talks.

One of Chinas senior experts on North Korea said it was not clear whether Mr. Kim was really offering anything new, and that it could turn out that the North was taking advantage of Mr. Moons eagerness for dialogue.

North Korea believes South Korea is the weakest link in the U.S. alliance, said the expert, Zhang Liangui, a professor of international studies at the Central Party School of the Communist Party in Beijing. The United States and the outside world will continue to doubt the true purpose of North Korea, because they do not know whether this is just a diplomatic strategy or a fundamental policy shift.

China has supported United Nations sanctions against the North over its nuclear program  like sending its workers home, curbing shipments of oil and cutting off coal exports  though it has stopped short of imposing unilateral financial sanctions, as proposed by Washington. Mr. Trump said on Tuesday that China had been very, very strong and very biting in its support for sanctions.

Beijings cooperation with Mr. Trump on the issue has made relations between North Korea and China so poisonous that the North has refused to allow a visit by Kong Xuanyou, a senior diplomat appointed by Beijing to deal with Pyongyang.

A close look at the language used on Tuesday by Chung Eui-yong, one of the top South Korean envoys who met with Mr. Kim, indicates that the North Koreans are offering a formula similar to what has been rejected in the past, said Evans J. R. Revere, a former State Department official who participated in past talks on the North.
HYDERABAD, India  She was awarded one of Indias highest civilian honors, brushed aside a fatwa issued against her and has traveled extensively despite threats to her safety, but on a recent Monday, Sunitha Krishnan looked a bit unnerved.

A few days earlier, several women posing as sex trafficking victims engineered an attack at a shelter Ms. Krishnan oversees about 35 miles from her office outside Hyderabad, in southern India. The women stormed a nursery filled with babies, smashed windows and stabbed staff with shards of glass, injuring a few of them seriously.

At her desk, Ms. Krishnan recalled a sobering moment after learning of the attack.

As I was sitting here, she said in an interview, it suddenly sank in my brain: What if one of the children   She broke off. What if one of them is hurt? I crashed completely. I was crying and crying and crying.

By Gods grace, she said, none of the babies were injured.

For over two decades, Ms. Krishnan has led Prajwala, an organization that rescues women and children from sex traffickers in Hyderabad and across India. The stories are horrifying. During a TED Talk, Ms. Krishnan spoke of Shaheen, a toddler who was found near railway tracks and had been raped by so many men that her intestines were outside her body.
A message in a bottle was tossed off the side of a German ship on June 12, 1886, as it sailed through the Indian Ocean, the date and location penned carefully in script on the scroll inside.

In January, more than 131 years after the bottle was set adrift, an Australian woman walking on the beach noticed the thick, discolored glass of an old bottle poking through the sand.

The bottle  and the message  had been found.

It is believed to be the oldest known message in a bottle ever recovered. The woman, Tonya Illman, discovered the tokens from another era while walking on a beach near Wedge Island, in Western Australia.
KIMBA, Australia  A giant gray and rosy pink bird towers over travelers as they enter this dry, isolated rural town on the edge of a vast grain-growing belt in South Australia.

The aging 8-meter statue, of a local species of cockatoo called the galah, marks a roughly midway point between the eastern and western coasts of Australia. Standing in front of the Halfway Across Australia Gem Shop, the Big Galah is all Kimba was ever really known for  until about a year ago.

Thats when two local farming families offered their properties to the federal government as potential storage sites for Australias nuclear waste.

Now, as the federal government considers whether to build the site on one of these two farms in Kimba, this community of about 650 people finds itself divided and angry. The prospect of jobs and subsidies that the site would bring has split locals between those who want to preserve rural Australias way of life and those who say the glory days of farming are over.
Who Will Be Affected?

Steel and aluminum workers could be hit by tariffs. For now, the broader economy probably will not.

Australia exported about 500 million Australian dollars ($400 million) of aluminum and steel to the United States last year. That totals only about 5 percent of Australias American-bound exports. By contrast, Australian meat exports to the United States are roughly five times that size, according to IHS Global Trade Atlas, a data provider.

In fact, Australias largest steel maker was initially seen as a potential winner. Shares of Bluescope Steel jumped last week after Mr. Trump vowed to impose tariffs because it has operations in the United States. Investors saw the possibility that the companys American arm could charge more for what it makes.

The bigger hazard for the Australian steel industry is that American tariffs will force steel makers in other countries to send more of what they make to Australia. That could result in leaner profits, price wars and local layoffs.

If the exports get the tariffs whacked on them, were going to have surplus of steel and aluminum in the marketplace  and at the same time as the rest of the world is, said Daniel Walton, national secretary for the Australian Works Union, one of the countrys largest blue-collar unions.

Could It Get Worse?

It could, if steel and aluminum tariffs lead to something more drastic.

Canadian and European officials have already publicly discussed ways they could retaliate. United States trading partners could specifically target products made in parts of the country that support Mr. Trump, such as soybeans from the Midwest and bourbon from Kentucky.
In the age of the #MeToo movement, the use of the term mansplaining  to point out patronizing explanations made by men to female counterparts  has become increasingly mainstream.

So mainstream that its now been used by Britains prime minister in the House of Commons.

Prime Minister Theresa May denounced comments by Jeremy Corbyn  the opposition leader who criticized her for meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia ahead of International Womens Day  as mansplaining during a session on Wednesday.

Can I thank the right honorable gentleman for telling me that its International Womens Day tomorrow? I think thats whats called mansplaining, Mrs. May said, shooting a cold stare at Mr. Corbyn, before defending her meeting with Prince Mohammed during his visit to Britain. She said she planned to raise human rights concerns during the meeting.
ROME  Pope Francis has paved the way for the canonization of Pope Paul VI, who led the Roman Catholic Church through turmoil in the 1960s and 70s, and the slain Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, the Vatican announced on Wednesday.

Francis approved the decrees on Tuesday confirming miracles attributed to the intercession of the former pontiff and the Salvadoran archbishop, the Holy See said in a statement.

The miracle attributed to Paul VI involves the healing of a seriously ill fetus, according to the Diocese of Brescia, where the pope was born. In the case of Archbishop Romero, the nature of the miracle has not been made public, but Vatican journalists have speculated that it concerned a woman whose pregnancy presented serious risks for her and her baby, and who healed inexplicably.

It is fortuitous that their miracles were approved the same day, said Andrea Tornielli, who covers the Vatican for the Italian daily La Stampa and its website, Vatican Insider. Its not a coincidence that the Vatican announced them together. They both cared for the poor and social justice, and Pope Paul VI encouraged Romero all his life long.
Time and again, foes of Mr. Putins have died suddenly in Britain, under suspicious circumstances. In the most notorious case, Alexander V. Litvinenko, a former Russian agent who was harshly critical of Mr. Putin, was fatally poisoned in 2006 with a rare radioactive metal, and an inquiry later concluded that he was assassinated by Russian operatives, probably with Mr. Putins approval.

Im sure that in some of these cases, there is a relatively natural explanation, but it is beyond the bounds of probability that they all are, said James Nixey, manager of the Russia and Eurasia program at Chatham House, a British foreign affairs think tank.

The British government has been accused of being less than eager to get to the bottom of those deaths, or to hold anyone responsible, but political and security analysts say this time is likely to be different. Given the governments sensitivity to that criticism, and the intense worldwide attention on the Skripal case, a thorough investigation is probably unavoidable, they say, and if Russian involvement is found, an aggressive response may be inevitable, too.

The resources and expertise involved in producing and using a nerve agent suggest the involvement of a military or intelligence agency, as in two highly publicized episodes last year: Syrian government forces used sarin gas, a nerve agent, against a rebel-held village, and the North Korean government is believed to have been behind the assassination of the half brother of the countrys leader using another nerve agent, VX.

We cant say for sure right now, but the more sophisticated and the rarer the poison, the more likely it is to come from the Russian state or elements within it, said Ben Judah, a biographer of Mr. Putin who has also researched the lives of Russian expatriates in Britain.
The State Department has avoided taking a clear position on the matter but relies on the fact that Israel and Jordan had informally divided the contested enclave.

The provisional embassy site, in the Arnona neighborhood, has been in continuous Israeli use since 1949, the department said in a statement last week. It is today a mixed residential-commercial neighborhood.

The Palestinians are less equivocal.

No Mans Land is occupied territory, said Ashraf Khatib of the Palestine Liberation Organizations Negotiations Affairs Department. Any permanent status for that territory should be part of a final status negotiation.

The dispute could turn the American ambassador, David M. Friedman, an avid supporter of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, into a new kind of diplomatic settler himself.

The plan is for the embassy to be housed in what is now the consular services section of the United States Consulate General in Jerusalem while the search is on for a permanent site. The fortresslike compound sits partly in predominantly Jewish West Jerusalem and partly in a section of No Mans Land between West Jerusalem and predominantly Arab East Jerusalem.
BEIRUT, Lebanon  The Turkish government took the extraordinary step on Wednesday of asking the United States to stop Kurdish commanders from diverting their forces from areas of eastern Syria to the fight in Afrin in the west.

The request followed an announcement from the Kurdish forces, which are allied with the United States in the fight against the Islamic State militant group, that they intended to send 1,700 fighters from Deir al-Zour, a strategically important eastern province, to the fight against Turkey in Afrin, a Kurdish enclave.

Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, said his country had taken the necessary steps through official channels and expected from the U.S. that it should absolutely step in to prevent the movement of the Kurdish forces from Manbij to Afrin. This is our most natural right, Mr. Kalin added.

It was not clear why Mr. Kalin had referred to Manbij, a city at the westernmost point of the Syrian territory held by the Kurds, though it might have been cited as a way station for the troops as they moved toward Afrin.
The ground around San Francisco Bay is sinking to meet the rising sea, another reason for Bay Area residents to worry about the impact of climate change on their region.

A new report suggests that sinking land, known as land subsidence, will increase the potential reach and damage of flooding in the Bay Area, submerging a larger portion of the region by the year 2100 than previously estimated.

Treasure Island Lake Merritt San Francisco Oakland Calif. San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport Areas in red would be submerged by sea level rise and land sinking Hayward San Francisco International Airport Union City Foster City San Mateo Includes areas of marshland Pacific Ocean Palo Alto Areas in orange would be submerged by sea level rise alone Santa Clara Treasure Island Oakland San Francisco Oakland International Airport San Francisco International Airport Hayward Union City Foster City San Mateo Palo Alto Santa Clara Would be submerged by sea level rise and land sinking Would be submerged by sea level rise alone Treasure Island Lake Merritt San Francisco Oakland Calif. Oakland International Airport San Francisco Bay Pacific Ocean Hayward Areas in red would be submerged by sea level rise and land sinking San Francisco International Airport Union City Foster City San Mateo Includes areas of marshland Palo Alto Areas in orange would be submerged by sea level rise alone Santa Clara By The New York Times | Source: Manoochehr Shirzaei

Subsidence can be caused by groundwater pumping, which can act to deflate the ground above it or the gradual compacting of landfill  when lands are filled in an effort to create solid ground to build upon.

The authors of the report  Manoochehr Shirzaei, a professor at Arizona State University and Roland Burgmann, a professor at University of California, Berkeley  have combined land elevation data with rising sea level projections. And they are now challenging the current flood threat projections as too conservative.

The authors hope that their new findings will help cities and agencies produce more accurate hazard maps, updating the extent of affected areas.

Under the new projections, San Francisco International Airport could see half of its runways submerged by the year 2100. Original estimates that did not include land subsidence were much lower. Other areas around the Bay that have been built on engineered landfill, like parts of Foster City and Treasure Island, are particularly vulnerable to the dual impact of subsidence and sea level rise.

Extent of effects of sea level rise Extent when combined with sinking land San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay San Bruno San Bruno San Francisco International Airport Millbrae Millbrae Burlingame Burlingame Extent of effects of sea level rise Extent when combined with sinking land San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay San Bruno San Bruno San Francisco International Airport Millbrae Millbrae Burlingame Burlingame Extent of effects of sea level rise San Francisco Bay San Bruno San Francisco International Airport Millbrae Burlingame Extent when combined with sinking land San Francisco Bay San Bruno San Francisco International Airport Millbrae Burlingame By The New York Times | Source: Manoochehr Shirzaei

The combination of rising sea levels and sinking ground increases estimates of the total amount of endangered areas to a range of 48 to 166 square miles. The rate of sink plays a role in the severity of the estimate: While most areas around the Bay are sinking at less than two millimeters per year, some have been found to be sinking at a rate as high as 10 millimeters per year.

Dr. Shirzaei said that the new estimates take into account a range of outcomes, from a best case scenario of sea level rise  assuming countries follow the 2015 Paris agreement for emissions reduction  to more extreme cases, where the sea level rises faster because of an accelerated melting of Antarctic ice. At the more severe end of the spectrum, the level of flooding would far exceed the effects of sinking land.

Scientists have long tracked the effects of global warming on the planets water levels. A recent study of 25 years of satellite data pointed to climate change as a cause for the acceleration of rising sea levels, making previous estimates unreliable.
Aadhaar linking: March 31 deadline likely to be extended

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that it is open to the idea of extending the March 31 deadline to link Aadhaar with bank accounts and other services.

Attorney General of India, K K Venugopal told a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra that the centre has done it in the past and it could do it again if required.

He further said that the Centre could extend the deadline again after the petitioner in the case said that the hearing in the case may not be completed by March 31. The Supreme Court is hearing a batch of petitions that challenged the mandatory linking of Aadhaar with various services on the ground that it violated privacy.

The petitioners made the request several times on the ground that the hearing may not be completed by March 31. Venugopal, however, said that the extension may not be done immediately, but at the last minute so that the petitioners conclude their arguments quickly.

Only three advocates for the petitioners have completed their arguments so far. Five more senior counsels are yet to open their arguments.

OneIndia News
Adani Group replies to Swamy's 'inevitable' PIL warning against the company

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Adani Group on Wednesday replied to senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's allegation against increasing NPA in Public Sector Banks. Swamy warned that a PIL is 'inevitable' against Adani group.

Swamy on Tuesday tweeted, "The biggest NPA trapeze artiste in PSUs is Gautam Adani. It is time he is made accountable or a PIL is inevitable."

Adani Group stated that the company "created world-class assets and aggregate Net Asset Block of Indian operations stands at over Rs.1,10,000 crores. Aggregate Net Worth of the listed entities stands at over Rs.40,000 crores and aggregate Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBIDTA) stands at Rs.24,000 crores."

[ Read more: PIL against Gautam Adani is 'inevitable', says Subramanian Swamy]

"Given our rating track record, different sources of debt are available to the Group, ranging from international bonds, ECB loans, domestic bonds, loans from the private sector as well as public sector banks in India," Adani Group stated in its press release

As far as dependence on PSUs concerned, the group stated that its dependence on PSUs is is less than 50 per cent at about Rs.34,000 crore.

"Singular critical test for debt is its regular servicing-something which Adani Group has implemented diligently. One must also look at financial metrics of Group. Group's dependence on PSU bank for long-term borrowings is less than 50% at about Rs.34,000 cr and is regularly serviced."

OneIndia News
Signs of discontent in Maharashtra: Congress wishes it got more portfolios

Ayodhya dispute: Thackeray slams Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, says 'he should stop interfering'

India

oi-Madhuri

Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday slammed Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar over his remark on Ayodhya dispute, that India will turn into Syria if the Ram temple issue is not resolved soon.

Through a stinging column in its magazine Saamana, Thackeray had said that the spiritual leader should stop interfering in the Mandir matter.

"Saying that peaceful and tolerant India can become Syria is a sign of lack of control. It is important to find out which agency this guru is associated with," the article said.

Earlier, Ravi Shankar speaking to in an exclusive interview with India Today said that India will become Syria if Ram Mandir is not built on disputed land.

Taking exception to the statement, Shiv Sena questioned 'the art of living' preached by the guru.

"The guru from Art of Living is using the issue of Ram Mandir to stay in news. Killing humans or threatening to do so - what kind of 'art of living' is this?

"India can never be Syria, he should know that. This guru should take his private jet to Iraq and Syria to spread the message of peace through his Art of Living," Shiv Sena said in the article.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, March 7, 2018, 10:28 [IST]
BJP dubs TDP's move to pull out of NDA as "political opportunism"

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Soon after Chandrababu Naidu decided to pull out of the NDA and asked TDP ministers to resign from the Union Cabinet, BJP launched a scathing attack on TDP. BJP's Krishna Saagar Rao said that Naidu's claim that Centre was not supporting Andhra Pradesh is a "blatant lie".

"BJP believes what has happened tonight is a classic case of political opportunism and a case of compulsive politics. Chandrababu Naidu ji's statement that Central govt is not standing up to support Andhra Pradesh is a blatant lie," Rao told news agency ANI.

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu earlier directed TDP ministers Ashok Gajapathi Raju and YS Chowdary to resign as Union Ministers after Arun Jaitley said that special category status cannot be given to Andhra Pradesh. Jaitley had, however, said that Centre would help the state under a special package.

[Willing to give 'special package' to Andhra, but 'no special category status': Jaitley]

"We are willing to satisfy every condition. The only variation is that after Finance Commission report instead of formally calling it a special category state, we are calling it a special package, which gives same monetary benefits that a special category state gives you," Jaitley had said.

Naidu had earlier said that the promise of special category status was the only reason for BJP-TDP alliance. TDP leaders have been vociferous over the special category status issue since Jaitley presented the Budget on February 1.

OneIndia News
Who was Siddharth Shukla? The Bigg Boss 13 winner who died at the age of 40

Case filed against actor Raveena Tandon for shooting in No Camera Zone inside Lingagarj temple

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

A case has been registered gainst Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon for allegedly shooting an advertisement in the 'No Camera Zone' inside the premises of the 11th century Lingagarj temple in Bhubaneswar. The temple's administration has lodged a police complaint.

The incident come to the fore after a video surfaced in social media. In the video Raveena Tandon is seen offering beauty tips inside the temple premises and it is recorded by a person with a mobile phone. She had visited the temple on Sunday.

"Temple administration did not have information about the visit of the film actress. She had reportedly shot a commercial on cosmetic items. We are investigating how she was able to shoot the video without anybody objecting. We have also filed a police complaint," said Rajiv Lochan Parida of the Lingaraj Temple Administration.

Reacting to the incident, Raveena Tandon on Tuesday said she neither knew the persons, who filmed her inside the shrine, nor had an inkling of the restriction on use of cell phones and cameras on the shrine premises.

In a telephone conversation with TOI, Raveena, who was here on Sunday to attend a private function, said she did not ask anyone to shoot her in the temple.

"I had absolutely no idea about the people, who were filming me. Since everyone around me was carrying cell phones, they clicked selfies with me. One of them asked me about my fitness regime and sought some beauty tips. He filmed me when I was replying to questions," Raveen told TOI.

OneIndia News
Chandrababu Naidu may snap ties with BJP this week, ask two ministers to quit Modi cabinet

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is likely to set the separation process in motion beginning with the resignation of two TDP ministers Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Y S Chowdhary from the Narendra Modi cabinet. The two ministers could resign by Saturday, sources said.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Naidu reiterated that the Centre must fulfil "assurances made in Rajya Sabha, including Special Category Status, provisions quick implementation of the of AP Reorganisation Act.".

A majority of TDP MLAs in their interaction with Naidu on Tuesday favoured severing ties with the BJP in the wake of the persisting rift.

At the TDP Legislature Party meeting, all 125 MLAs and 34 MLCs, barring six absentees, strongly advocated ending the alliance with BJP, sources said.

Cracks in TDP-BJP alliance deepened after Budget 2018. TDP lawmakers disrupted Parliament by shouting slogans demanding that Andhra Pradesh is given central funding under a special status, promised to the state when it was bifurcated to carve out a new state Telangana.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday Rahul Gandhi waded into the tussle and said his party would grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh if voted to power in 2019.

"We will give special category status to Andhra Pradesh. It's the first thing we will do after coming to power in 2019," he told a group of party workers protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to demand special status for the state.

OneIndia News
Chennai: DMK workers protest against BJP leader H Raja's comments on Periyar

India

oi-Madhuri

The DMK workers on Wednesday protested in Chennai's Saidapet area against BJP leader H Raja's comments on social reformer E.V. Ramasamy warning that the statue of social reformer, popularly known as Periyar, will be brought down, just like Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin's statue was razed in Tripura.

"Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection has India with Communists? Lenin's statue has been removed in Tripura. Today it is Lenin's statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic EVR Ramasamy," he wrote in Tamil on his Facebook page, along with a video of Lenin's statue being brought down by a bulldozer in Belonia town in south Tripura.

Later on Tuesday evening, a statue of Dravidar Kazhagam founder and social reformer Periyar E.V. Ramasamy near a taluk office in Tiruppattur was vandalised.

The BJP leader, however, deleted the Facebook post after facing a huge backlash in Tamil Nadu and also apologised. He said 'The post in my FB was done by one of the admins of my page without my permission. As soon as I came to know about it, I deleted the post. We have to respond through statements & opinions, not through violence.''

''No intention of hurting anyone. It's not correct to deface the statue of Periyar. I request all of you to maintain peace & carry forward our views on Hinduism in a constructive manner so as to protect values of nationalism on the path shown by Muthuramalinga Thevar,'' H Raja further said.

Meanwhile, DMK RS MP Tiruchi Siva in Rajya Sabha said,''A person's irresponsible words is causing all this harm. We have given notice in Rajya Sabha to discuss this issue.''

OneIndia News
Raviji, the same thing just happened to me: Shashi Tharoor to seek explanation from Twitter

What is itat e-dwar the new e-filing portal of the IT appellate tribunal

Social media companies free to do business, but should be accountable to Indian laws: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Big step towards transparency: Prasad on first compliance report by Google, FB under new IT rules

Ashwini Vaishnaw gets thumbs-up from Ravi Shankar Prasad on IT rules

If over 45 countries use Pegasus, why target just India?, asks Ravi Shankar Prasad

Chidambaram's 80:20 gold scheme aided Mehul Choksi: Ravi Shankar Prasad

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party and former finance minister P Chidambaram for allegedly opening all doors for the favourable companies in Gold Scheme.

"The UPA government, during P Chidambaram's tenure, opened all doors for favourable companies. The ones who were prohibited from participating in the 80:20 gold scheme were also brought into the fold," Prasad said while addressing the media.

"These trading houses were allowed to import gold up to 2,000 kg from any port of India. There was no control or verification. This is a downright racket," the Union Law Minister alleged.

"It is a textbook case of massive irregularity," the Union minister said.

"On 15 May 2014, P Chidambaram announced a new policy in which Star Trade Operators were attached to premium trading houses which included Gitanjali jewellers," Prasad added.

Prasad said that the model code of conduct clearly states that any favour, relief for anyone with respect to taxation cannot be done without the permission of the Election Commission.

"Did the then UPA govt ask the Election Commission about violation of any model code of conduct?: the Union Minister asked.

"Why was such a big step taken by the then UPA govt just one day before the general elections results?: he added.

In August 2013, the UPA government had introduced the 80:20 rule, which provisioned traders to import gold, but only after they had exported 20 percent of gold from their previous import.

The rule was scrapped in November 2014 after the NDA came to power.

OneIndia News
From Swiggy to go to hell, the tantrums Karti Chidambaram is throwing in jail

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

For the Central Bureau of Investigation, the past few days have been tough. Probing Karti Chidambaram is not an easy job and while he uses legal acumen to dodge questions, his tantrums too are unbearable.

He refuses to answer simple questions and always gets into an argument or gives out rude answers. Officials probing him say that they will eventually get out the truth, however, add that it is plain irritating to see an accused throw tantrums especially when he is confronted with the truth.

Tantrum One:

For instance last Saturday, CBI officials wished him on behalf of Holi. He seemed alright then and even wished them back. It about an hour later he was told that he would be taken to Mumbai for a confrontation with Indrani Mukerjea who has accused Karti of taking a bribe for FIPB clearance in connection with the INX Media case.

More trouble for Karti-Chidambaram: ED gives report on more FIPB clearances

He was agitated and repeatedly questioned why he was being taken to Mumbai. "I do not want to go to Mumbai. Why don't you get her down here instead," he argued. The CBI officials smiled back and said he does not get to have a say in this. Off he was to Mumbai the next day where Indrani admitted before him that she had paid a bribe.

Tantrum Two:

Karti's phones are with the CBI and they wanted an easy way to open it. They asked him for the password, but he refused to divulge it. When asked again, he replied, "Go to hell."

Tantrum Three:

Karti since day one of the questioning has been very evasive. He never responds straight to a question. There are times when he pretends to be disinterested in the questioning and does not respond at all. Most of the time he dodges the questions. CBI officials say he uses legal acumen to dodge questions.

In INX Media case, next up for questioning is P Chidambaram

Tantrum Four:

This was when he was produced before the court. When for the first time the court ordered his remand in CBI custody, Karti filed an application seeking home cooked food. When his application was rejected, he turned to the investigating officer and said, "Hope you have either Swiggy or Zomato. I will be ordering a lot." When the officer said he did not have those applications, Karti told him to download them.

Tantrum Five:

This was yet another incident reported in court. Karti was speaking with a friend in Tamil. When the investigating officer told him to speak in English, Karti shot back and said you too should speak in English in my presence. To this, the IO managed to shut him by saying, "You are in our custody, not the other way around."

OneIndia News
Goa CM Manohar Parrikar leaves for US for medical treatment

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

Mumbai, March 7: Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar left for the United States (US) for his medical treatment in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. Before leaving for America, Parrikar was undergoing treatment at Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai since Monday.

He flew to the US from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. The decision to go abroad for medical treatment was taken after doctors at the Mumbai hospital advised him to do so.

"Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. As advised by doctors at Lilavati Hospital, Parrikar is leaving for USA for further treatment," tweeted ANI.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. As advised by doctors at Lilavati Hospital, Parrikar is leaving for USA for further treatment. pic.twitter.com/964j0HMkyW  ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018

Personal Secretary (PS) to Parrikar, Rupesh Kamat, told ANI, "As advised by the doctors at Lilavati hospital in Mumbai, the CM is leaving tonight to the US for further treatment."

Earlier, the CM had thanked the people of his state for their prayers in a video message. In the video message, Parrikar had informed that he might have to go abroad for treatment.

"I thank all Goans. For the last 15 days you prayed for me and because of your blessings I recovered and I am heading to Mumbai. If doctors advise then I may go abroad for a few days. I hope your blessings will continue and you allow me a few holidays," Parrikar said.

#WATCH: Goa CM speaks on his health, says, 'I thank all Goans. For last 15 days, you prayed for me & because of your blessings, I recovered & I'm heading to Mumbai, if doctors advise, then I may go abroad for few days. I hope your blessings continue & you allow me a few holidays' pic.twitter.com/jDInduDH4M  ANI (@ANI) March 5, 2018

On Tuesday, he wrote a letter to state governor Mridula Sinha informing her that he would be going abroad for further treatment. Parrikar, 62, was flown to Mumbai and admitted to the Lilavati Hospital on Monday evening for a check-up.

In the letter, Parrikar also informed the governor about the interim arrangement of a Cabinet advisory committee to guide the state administration. The letter says that he would be chairing the meeting of the council of ministers, whenever it is held, through video conferencing from abroad.

"I have been also advised by the expert team of doctors in Goa as well as in Mumbai and subsequent consultation with doctors abroad to travel overseas for a specialised treatment of my medical condition," reads the letter.

Since February, the Goa CM has been unwell. Parrikar was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on February 15 and discharged on February 22. On the same day he returned to Goa and presented the state budget in the Assembly, but the session was truncated to only four days owing to his illness.

He was later admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital after he suffered from dehydration.

OneIndia News
Haryana Congress MLAs sell pakodas to attack Modi over lack of jobs, CM Khattar buys them

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

Chandigarh, March 7: It is not every day that we get to see elected representatives of a state selling pakodas (fritters) on the streets. On Tuesday, opposition Congress legislators from Haryana decided to put up a pakoda-selling stall outside the state Assembly building in Chandigarh. The Congress MLAs were protesting against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for failing to create jobs for the unemployed across the country.

The Congress legislators sold pakodas to take a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who in an interview in January stated that selling fritters is also a job. In the interview, Modi stated, "If a person selling pakodas earns Rs 200 at the end of the day, will it be considered employment or not?" The statement angered several people, as experts and the Opposition continue to attack the Centre over the employment scenario in the country.

In the recent past, several pakoda-selling protests were hosted by youngsters in the country to oppose the ruling BJP. The Haryana Congress MLAs' protest backfired as they were taken aback by a surprise visitor.

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar made it a point to stop his car before entering the Assembly building to visit the stall. He not only checked what the opposition legislators were up to but also bought pakodas from them. After tasting the fritters, Khattar like a good patron paid the Congress legislators.

Khattar said he bought pakodas to give employment to the Congress leaders as most of them are jobless post-Assembly election debacle in 2014. In the 90-member Assembly, the Congress won just 15 seats and the BJP form the government in 2014 with 47 seats.

"If anyone is getting employment by selling pakodas, it's a good thing. They had become unemployed, but now they have got the pakoda-selling job ... a good thing," Khattar said in a lighter vein. It is not just Khattar who took a swipe at the Congress. Health minister Anil Vij joked that if the Congress leaders were going to do this for longer, his department would get the quality of pakodas examined.

Along with selling pakodas, the Congress leaders protested by shouting slogans against the Khattar government. They were also holding placards which had pictures of BJP leaders and beside them, rates of pakodas were displayed. A Congress legislator alleged that she was manhandled by police personnel while selling pakodas to passers-by.

"Both the Centre and Haryana governments had promised to create a large number of jobs for the unemployed. But now they are assuring pakoda jobs to millions of people looking for work. For BJP leaders, even people earning Rs 200 a day by selling pakodas can be considered employed, which is a cruel joke," said Congress MLA Karan Singh Dalal.

The Haryana BJP legislators have called the "pakoda-selling gimmick" of the Congress as elitist and an insult to the poor. "First they made joke of tea seller, now they are doing the same thing with the poor people selling pakodas for a living. They have elitist mentality and cannot tolerate chaiwalas and pakodawalas," said state agriculture minister OP Dhankar.

OneIndia News
Heavy security outside AMU ahead of Kovind's visit for convocation day

India

oi-Madhuri

Heavy security outside Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) ahead of President Ram Nath Kovind's visit for the convocation ceremony later today.

A controversy had erupted with the announcement of Kovind attending the convocation ceremony of the AMU. The students of the university seem to be divided over his presence on the campus - primarily because of the controversial comments made by Kovind in 2010 where he reportedly said: "Islam and Christianity are alien to the nation."

Having taken objection to this statement, some students, spearheaded by AMU Students' Union (AMUSU) vice-president Sajad Subhan Rather, have opposed the president's visit.

In 2010, Kovind had given the statement when he was the BJP spokesperson and was in reference to the Ranganath Misra Commission report that had reportedly suggested that Muslim and Christian converts be included in the Scheduled Castes category, with 10 percent reservation for Muslims and 5 percent for Christians who were socially and economically backwards.

President Ram Nath Kovind is the chief-guest at AMU's 65th annual convocation. He had accepted the invitation extended to him by AMU Vice Chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor.

No Indian President has attended the AMU convocation ceremony in the past 32 years. Former President Giani Zail Singh had attended the AMU convocation in 1986.

OneIndia News
How this accused by-passed security and stabbed Karnataka Lokayukta, Justice Shetty

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

It was a complete security lapse at the office of the Lokayukta in Bengaluru where Justice P Vishwanath Shetty was stabbed. Despite the presence of a metal detector at the entrance, the accused managed to beat security and enter the Lokayukta's office situated at the MS Building in Bengaluru with a dagger.

The accused person has been identified as Tejraj Sharma, a resident of Tumkur. The police based on preliminary investigations said that Sharma had come to meet with Justice Shetty. He was given a slip and asked to wait outside.

He was later called inside to meet the Lokayukta. As per the rules when there is an inquiry or someone is giving a complaint, none are allowed inside the room including the Lokayukta's gunman.

In a matter of minutes after Sharma entered the room, he is said to have pulled out the dagger and stabbed Justice Shetty thrice. He was hit on the abdomen area.

Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Shetty stabbed in his office at Bengaluru

Hearing the commotion, the gunman rushed inside the room and saw the judge lying on the floor. The accused was immediately pinned down. On hearing the commotion the others waiting outside too ran inside the room to see what had happened.

Justice Shetty was then rushed to the hospital. He is said to be out of danger.

The police say that the incident was pre-planned. The accused entered the premises with an intention to murder the Lokayukta. The police are now probing the security lapse at the Lokayukta's office.

OneIndia News
Chidambaram on India giving 2.5 crore Covid jabs: 'Why did we have to wait until the PMs birthday?'

In INX Media case, next up for questioning is P Chidambaram

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Next up is P Chidambaram. After his son, Karti Chidambaram was arrested and questioned by the CBI in connection with the INX Media case, the CBI has indicated that it would soon question Chidambaram, the former union minister.

When the officer was asked when he would be questioned, he informed that it could be in the next 15 days. The CBI is currently questioning Karti in connection with the case. On Tuesday the court extended Karti's CBI custody by three days.

The CBI is yet to involve Chidambaram in the case. In the wake of fresh allegations and facts, it has decided that it would soon question Chidambaram.

ED details Chidambaram's role in grant of FIPB to Aircel-Maxis

The CBI is also relying on a statement by INX promoter, Indrani Mukerjea who had said that she had met with Chidambaram. She had alleged that during the meeting the then minister had asked her to help his son's business. Her statement has been corroborated with other material fats such as payments allegedly received by Karti's company.

OneIndia News
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Shetty stabbed in his office at Bengaluru

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

The Lokayukta of Karnataka, P Vishwanath Shetty was stabbed at his office in Bengaluru. He has been admitted at the Mallya hospital. He is however out of danger said Karnataka Home Minister, Ramalinga Reddy.

The incident took place at the Lokayukta office at around 2 pm. The accused person has been identified as Tejraj Sharma and has been taken into custody.

The police say that the accused person hails from Tumkur.

It is however unclear if there was any altercation that led to the incident. The police is also trying to find out how the accused person managed to enter into the premises with a knife. Further the police say that the impact of the stabbing was such that the knife had broken.

An eye-witness in the case, Jay Anna said that one person tried to murder the judge. He hit him thrice with the knife after which the judge fell on the floor. You can see for yourself what security Siddaramaiah government has provided all of us with. The situation is very bad, he also said.

Justice Shetty was appointed Lokayukta of Karnataka in January 2017. Originally hailing from Udupi, he had served as the chairman of the Karnataka State Bar Council. He was appointed as judge of the Karnataka High Court on December 18 1995. He was also the first president of the Karnataka Judicial Academy.

He was appointed as the one man commission to look into the cause of death of 13 persons that took place in the Anjana Hills mines in Chattisgarh. Prior to his appointment as judge of the High Court he served as a senior counsel in the Supreme Court for nearly 10 years.

OneIndia News
Lenin, Periyar, Syama Prasad, Ambedkar: How many statues are to be destroyed to break India?

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

New Delhi, March 7: Our political wars have taken a big toll on our historical figures, to be precise their statues. As several idols of iconic personalities from the pages of history were vandalised and defaced in the last two days, the Talibanisation of the country seems to have been completed. All these days, debates were hosted to understand if India has become "intolerant" as a nation. Now, we perhaps need to discuss whether we have become almost "savages" to defeat our political opponents.

The razing down, vandalisation and defacing of statues of Vladimir Lenin, Periyar EV Ramasamy, Syama Prasad Mukherjee and BR Ambedkar showcase that like the Taliban in Afghanistan, we too don't allow any idea to live and thrive that is remotely against the current political notion of "hyper-nationalism".

On Monday, when the massive statue of the Russian revolutionary leader was pulled down by a group of men with the help of a bulldozer in Tripura's Belonia town, it was immediately compared with the destruction of the famous fourth-century Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan by Taliban in 2001. Back in 2001, India strongly condemned the crime committed by the fanatics.

In less than two decades, India gives birth to its own "Talibans" as men clad in saffron attire celebrated the demolition of Lenin's statue in the northeastern state by chanting "Bharat Mata Ki Jai (Hail, mother India)". The opponents of the Left termed the razing down of the statue of a communist icon in Tripura as symbolic after the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front government lost power to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state elections recently.

The 2018 Tripura election was an ideological battle between the left and the right. The right emerged triumphant over the left. With the defeat, the curtains came down on the 25-year-old Left regime in Tripura. The Tripura loss was a big blow to the communists across the nation as the state was one of the last two citadels of the Left. An almost diminished Left now holds power only in Kerala.

Those who cheered the toppling of Lenin's statue stated that he was a "foreign" despot responsible for the death of so many innocents. The fact that several of Lenin's statues were earlier razed down across the world (even in Russia) came handy to justify the vandalism in Tripura.

Controversial senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy called Lenin a terrorist and asked the Left to install his statue inside party headquarters. On Tuesday evening, reports stated that one more statue of Lenin in Tripura, this time in Sabroom, was brought down.

Tripura's statue politics soon reverberated in Tamil Nadu. After BJP national secretary H Raja on his Facebook post instigated his supporters to pull down the statues of Periyar, the revered social activist, a politician who started the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam, late on Tuesday night one of his figurines in Vellore was vandalised by two men.

The statue of Periyar, housed inside the Tirupattur corporation office, was targeted around 9 pm. The glasses and nose of the statue were damaged. While Rao apologised and said that he did not write the Facebook post, the damage had already been done.

After Lenin and Periyar, it was time for Mukherjee's statue to be targeted in West Bengal. A bust of Mukherjee, the politician who founded the right-wing nationalist party, Bharatiya Jana Sangh, a predecessor to the BJP, was defaced in Kolkata's Chittaranjan Das Park inside Kalighat Crematorium by six men on Wednesday morning.

After blackening and partially damaging the bust with a hammer, the six men, belonging to the Jadavpur University's "Radical" students' organisation, left a note in Bengali seeking an explanation from the BJP over the demolition of Lenin's statues. "We want explanation from BJP on why Lenin's statue was brought down in Tripura," read the poster-sized note.

The attack on Mukherjee's bust was termed as a "tit-for-tat" vandalism. Similarly, a petrol bomb was thrown at the BJP office in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu by three bikers in the early hours of Wednesday. Fortunately, no one was hurt. On Wednesday afternoon, reports stated that a statue of BR Ambedkar, the Dalit icon and father of our Constitution, was vandalised in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut.

While the Left leaders on Tuesday held protest marches in Kolkata, Bengaluru and other places over the razing down of Lenin's statues, on Wednesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the violent acts. The PM in an official statement said that stern action will be taken against those found guilty of violence and vandalism. Moreover, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said PM Modi has spoken to him and "expressed strong disapproval of such incidents".

The latest cases of attacks against statues of deceased leaders who held various ideologies indicate the rise and rise of divisive politics in the country that has often caught us in its grip. From mob lynching of Muslims and Dalits, "ban" on beef eating to asking people to go to Pakistan and Bangladesh for opposing Hindutva politics, democracy is clearly in danger.

As we mourn and protest over destroyed statues, India's age-old pluralistic society, where we had the freedom to idolise Periyar, Mukherjee, Ambedkar and Lenin (depending on our own personal likings) at the same time, is facing the challenge of a narrow idea of nationalism.

Those whose are asking for revenge over the desecration of statues should read the tweet below to understand that "ideas" can't be broken like statues.

Similarly, the idea of India is too strong to be shattered by a few goons. Nonetheless, the repeated attempts to break the country's unity are a matter of concern because it is easy to fix a broken statue, not a fallen nation.

OneIndia News
Mehul Choksi gets bail by Dominica HC, can travel to Antigua for medical treatment

Mehul Choksi fled India for Dubai in January: CBI

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Mehul Choksi an accused in the Rs 12,000 crore PNB scam had first left for Dubai, investigations by the CBI have shown. On Tuesday, the CBI arrested Vipul Chitalia, the vice president (banking operations) of the Choksi led Gitanjali Group of Companies.

Chitalia was arrested on arrival at the Mumbai airport and questioned for several hours. He told the CBI that he along with Choksi had left for Dubai in the first week of January before the matter came to light.

PNB scam: SFIO summons ICICI chief Chanda Kochhar for questioning

CBI officials say that Chitalia was responsible for handling unauthorised Letters of Understanding and Foreign Letters of Credit.

PNB scam: Woman cannot be arrested after sunset states plea in Bombay HC

A Special Court in Mumbai had last week issued non-bailable warrants against Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi. The CBI is set to get a red corner notice issued against both Modi and Choksi.

OneIndia News
Pakistan has responded positively to India's suggestion on prisoners' exchange: MEA

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said that Pakistan responded positively to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's suggestion to work towards the release and repatriation of prisoners.

Pakistan said on Wednesday it has approved India's humanitarian proposals about the exchange of prisoners, issuance of medical visas and revival of a judicial commission, a move apparently aimed at de-escalating tensions between the two neighbours.

"Visit of a team of medical experts would be organised to meet mentally unsound prisoners so as to facilitate their repatriation. It has also been agreed to resume visits of the Joint Judicial Committee which looks into issues of fishermen&prisoners in each other's custody," an MEA statement said.

"The last visit of such a Committee had taken place in October 2013 to India. The officials on both sides would be working on the modalities to implement the understanding reached on these humanitarian issues," it added.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif after consulting with all the stakeholders, earlier in the day approved the humanitarian proposals, which had been received from the Indian side, regarding the civilian prisoners incarcerated in both the countries.

The first proposal is about "exchange of three categories of prisoners, women, mentally challenged or with special needs and those above 70 years of age" and the second is about "revival of the Judicial Committee mechanism."

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, March 7, 2018, 21:20 [IST]
Political blame game over Karnataka Lokayukta's stabbing begins, BJP trains gun at Congress

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Barely hours have passed since Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty was stabbed at his office in Bengaluru, the politicisation of the incident has begun. No doubt that the incident points towards glaring security lapse at the office of the Lokayukta, but with Karnataka elections round the corner, the BJP will leave no stone unturned to corner the Siddaramaiah-led government over it.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar launched a blistering attack on Siddaramaiah government and said, "Siddaramaiah and Congress is fully responsible for this. It is time for them to go from Karnataka."

"It is unfortunate that in broad daylight, there has been a murderous attack on the Lokayukta. He is battling for his life in the hospital. This incident shows the deteriorating law and order situation in Karnataka. Siddaramaiah and Congress is fully responsible for this," he added.

BJP MP from Karnataka Shobha Karandlaje said that the law and order has totally collapsed under the Congress government in the state.

"Congress govt weakened Lokayukta. Now, under this govt, the law and order situation has totally collapsed.This is all because of Siddaramaiah. Karnataka is facing serious law and order situation. They are not taking any action against the culprits," she said.

The attack on Justice Shetty took place at MS Building in Bengaluru this afternoon. The accused person has been identified as Tejraj Sharma, a resident of Tumkur. The police based on preliminary investigations said that Sharma had come to meet with Justice Shetty. He was given a slip and asked to wait outside.

[Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Shetty stabbed in his office at Bengaluru]

He was later called inside to meet the Lokayukta. As per the rules when there is an inquiry or someone is giving a complaint, none are allowed inside the room including the Lokayukta's gunman. In a matter of minutes after Sharma entered the room, he is said to have pulled out the dagger and stabbed Justice Shetty thrice. He was hit on the abdomen area.

[How this accused by-passed security and stabbed Karnataka Lokayukta, Justice Shetty]

Hearing the commotion, the gunman rushed inside the room and saw the judge lying on the floor. The accused was immediately pinned down. On hearing the commotion the others waiting outside too ran inside the room to see what had happened. Justice Shetty was then rushed to the hospital. He is said to be out of danger.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, March 7, 2018, 18:02 [IST]
Projecting CM face: Jyotiraditya Scindia says it is high command's call

India

pti-PTI

Bhopal, March 7: Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who has favoured projecting chief ministerial faces of the party in poll-bound states, said it is up to the high command to decide.

"On the issue of projecting a face, not just Congress but other parties also have varying strategies depending upon the situation. I have clarified that my view about it should be seen nationally (and not for Madhya Pradesh in particular).

"Ultimately, the party high command will take the final decision," Scindia told reporters here before heading for Mungaoli and Kolaras to thank voters for the party's victory in the recent bye-elections.

Assembly elections are due in Madhya Pradesh this year. "I am a loyal worker of the party, and whatever responsibilities the leadership bestowed upon me, whether as a union minister, the Congress chief whip in the Lok Sabha or as an MP, I have always tried to fulfil my duties," Scindia said.

A section of Congress leaders in the state is demanding that the party should declare its face for the election to take on chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. But another view in the party is that the Congress traditionally doesn't project chief ministerial candidates.

On the reduced victory margins in Kolaras and Mungaoli assembly by-elections, Scindia attributed it to Chouhan and his entire cabinet camping in the two constituencies and the ruling BJP using all tactics to lure voters.

"We have exposed large-scale irregularities in voter lists in the two constituencies and I thanked the Election Commission for taking unbiased decisions in the matter, including the transfer of Ashoknagar Collector," he said. Scindia also thanked senior party leaders for their support.

The party demonstrated unity during the by-polls which resulted in the victory, he said, adding that people have given a clear message that the days of the BJP government are numbered.

"It was a victory of people over money and muscle power and misuse of ministerial positions," he said.

"It was for the first time that Election Commission censured ministers and also warned the chief minister for misusing their official positions. I thank the poll body for it," Scindia said.

PTI
Protesting SSC students claim manhandling by police

India

oi-Shreya

Delhi Police manhandled us during protest, SSC students claim; Watch Video | Oneindia News

Students who appeared for Staff Selection Commission - Combined Graduate Level Examination had been protesting outside the CGO Complex in New Delhi for an alleged paper leak in the examination and demanded CBI enquiry. However, even after the Government has agreed to initiate a CBI inquiry into the matter the students refuse to call off their protest.

On March 7, the protesting students shaved off their head to assert their demands and claimed that the police intervened and manhandled the students.

BJP Chief Manoj Tiwari blamed the Kejriwal-led AAP Government for instigating the students and preventing them from withdrawing the protest even after the Government agreed to conduct a CBI investigation into the matter.

The students now demand a time-bound, Supreme Court-monitored probe into the matter and claim that the Government is not will to listen to their demands, and they will not withdraw the protest until their demands are accepted.

OneIndia News
Ready to quit cinema if it becomes hurdle to political career: Kamal Haasan

Statue War: Kamal Haasan says, 'This issue is just to divert attention from Cauvery issue'

India

oi-Madhuri

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Wednesday said that there is no need to deploy police for protection of Periyar Statue. He further said that this is being done to divert attention from the fact that govt has not constituted Water Management Board (Cauvery).

Speaking to media, Haasan said,''There is no need to deploy police for protection of Periyar Statue. We Tamilians will protect it. I feel that this issue is just to divert attention from Cauvery issue (formation of Cauvery management board).''

Earlier in the day, a statue of Sangh ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee was damaged in Kolkata. The incident came after two Lenin statues were toppled in Tripura and a Periyar bust was vandalised in Tamil Nadu.

The vandalism followed BJP national secretary H. Raja's post on Facebook, advocating the removal of Periyar's statues.

Earlier on Tuesday, Haasan called upon political leaders not to waste their energy on the issue. "We could allow the removal of Periyar statues if Raja promised to remove all statues. Worshipping is different from following," he tweeted.

OneIndia News
Swaraj Abhiyan launches All India MSP Satyagraha for Farmers

India

oi-Shreya

Swaraj India's Yogendra Yadav, along with Avik Saha, National Convenor, Jai Kisan Andolan and Madhuresh, National Convenor, National Alliance of Peoples Movements (NAPM) on March 7 launched All India Minimum Support Price (MSP) Satyagraha.

Minimum Support Price (MSP) is at the heart of the existing system to ensure fair and remunerative returns to farmers. Thus MSP is a solemn guarantee to the farmers to the effect that the Central Government shall ensure a floor price, should the farmers fail to get even that level.

The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's budget speech of 2018 laid special emphasis on the Central Government's commitment to ensuring MSP to the farmers. Jaitley announced and assured that his Government had already implemented (for the majority of Rabi crops) and was going to further implement (for unannounced Rabi and Kharif crops) its electoral promise of ensuring prices that yield at least 50% returns over the cost of production.

Swaraj Abhiyan claimed that Farmers' Movements have already exposed this claim to be a case of sleight-of-hand. Mr Jaitley has already admitted that the cost he was speaking about was not comprehensive C2 cost but partial cost known as A2 + FL.

They further said that the Finance Minister and subsequently the Prime Minister Narendra Modi also admitted that increasing MSP is not adequate and it is more important that farmers should get full benefit of the announced MSP and for achieving this, the Government was going to take special steps this year to ensure that all farmers actually get the MSP announced by the Government. Jaitley further promised that if prices at agriculture produce markets is less than MSP, then the Government shall purchase either at MSP or provide MSP to the farmers through some other mechanism; Niti Ayog, in consultation with Central and State Governments, shall put in place a fool-proof mechanism so that farmers will get adequate price for their produce.

Briefing the media the activists said, "It is time to test this promise as the marketing season for Rabi crop 2018-19 has begun. An analysis of the marketing season of Kharif crop 2017-18 had demonstrated that the farmers were forced to sell much below MSP and had incurred a total loss of at least Rs.32, 702 crores. It may be kept in mind that traditionally farmers losses are lower in Rabi marketing season than during Kharif marketing season."

"However, so far the signals are not very good. In the first few weeks of this marketing season the prices of Bengal Gram (Channa) have fallen substantially below the MSP of Rs.4400 (MSP of Rs.4250+ Rs.150 bonus). The official Agmarknet data for the first week of March shows that the average modal price of Channa is anywhere between Rs. 800 to 1000 below the MSP , also substantially below the prices last year . Sadly much of this loss was avoidable as the Government knew about greater sowing acreage and expected a bumper crop of Bengal Gram. Despite this, the Government allowed substantial quantity of Bengal Gram to be imported. In fact the import during April-November 2017 was 7.47 lakh tonne compared to 2.49 lakh tonne during the same months in 2016. So far, the state response has not been up to the mark. Maharashtra has announced procurement of just 4 lakh tonnes against an estimated arrival of 19 Lakh Tonne chana. MP's Bhavantar Yojna has run into difficulties. So far we know little about special measures that the Niti Ayog was to evolve to support the farmers," they said.

Rapeseed oil has also started arriving and is selling around 3,500 against the MSP of Rs. 4000 (MSP 3,900 plus a bonus of Rs. 100). Lentil (Masur) is selling between Rs. 3,200 to 3,800 against the MSP of 4,250.

"Would this trend continue for the rest of the marketing season? Will Wheat fetch MSP outside the handful of states where substantial procurement takes place? The answer lies in making field inquiry at the ground level in the agricultural markets (mandis) during the marketing season," they questioned.

Jai Kisan Andolan of Swaraj Abhiyan has taken up this challenge in collaboration with many other organisations from within All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) like National Alliance of Peoples Movements (NAPM), Ryathu Joint Action Committee (Telangana) and Kisan Sangharsh Samiti (Madhya Pradesh). An MSP Satyagraha is being launched from 14th March 2018 at Yadgir in Karnataka. In this Satyagraha, the plan is to travel from mandi to mandi and hold Kisan Darbar with twofold objectives:

1. To make farmers aware of the multiple ways in which they are looted and to raise demand for legal entitlement of fair MSP

2. Check out whether farmers are able to get MSP that they have been assured of

*The schedule of Phase I of MSP Satyagraha is* :

14th March - Yadgir (Karnataka)

15th March - Kurnool (Andhra)

16th March - Tandur (Telangana)

17th-18th March - Sri Ganganagar (Rajasthan)

19th March - Rewari (Haryana)

25th March - Rudrapur (Uttarakhand)

OneIndia News
Businessman in Kolkata shot at after his car was stopped by 18 men

Syama Prasad Mukherjee's statue vandalised in Kolkata, 6 students detained

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

A day after Lenin's statue was dismantled in Tripura, the statue of Jansangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee was vandalised at Kalighat by alleged members of a Leftist Student Union (radicals) of Jadavpur University in Kolkata on Wednesday.

The statue has been broken partially with black colour painted on the face. Police have detained six people, reported News18.

BJP West Bengal condemned barbaric act of vandalising statue of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh Bharat Keshri's founder Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee at Keoratola Mohasoshan, Kolkata.

[ Read more: Not only in India; know how, where and why Lenin statue was taken down in history?]

Sayantan Basu, General Secretary, said, "We demand very strong action against culprits."

Six people have been detained in connection with the desecration of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee's bust in Kolkata's Kalighat pic.twitter.com/erzPm44MvZ  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, West Bengal Minister, said, "One incident of vandalism cannot be replied with another similar incident, we condemn both. We have arrested six people and we will repair it (Syama Prasad Mukherjee's bust in Kalighat) as well."

The incidents of defacing and dismantling of political icons are on the rise. A statue of Lenin was destroyed at South Tripura's Belonia town with the help of a bulldozer. The violence followed the BJP's victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections in Tripura, where a 25-year Communist government was ousted.

On the same day, Dravidian movement founder Periyar's statue was vandalized in Vellore. According to reports, two men, who were allegedly drunk, damaged the glasses and the nose of the statue. Both men have been arrested.

More details are awaited.

OneIndia News
Tamil Nadu: BJP member expelled for vandalising Periyar statue

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

BJP Tamil Nadu President Tamilisai Soundararajan expelled, R Muthuraman, a party functionary who was arrested for damaging Periyar statue in Thirupathur in Vellore district.

Muthuraman was expelled from the party following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong disapproval incidents of vandalism reported from certain parts of the country.

A statue of social activist and politician EV Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, was on Tuesday evening vandalised in Vellore, Tamil Nadu. According to reports, two men, who were allegedly drunk, damaged the glasses and the nose of the statue. Both men were arrested.

DMK working president MK Stalin had demanded the arrest of H Raja following his controversial post. BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan had distanced the party from Raja's controversial remarks. Raja had reportedly said someone else had inadvertently posted it on his page.

Erode Venkata Ramasamy, commonly known as Periyar, was a social activist, and politician who started the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam. He propagated the principles of rationalism, self-respect, women's rights and eradication of caste. He opposed the exploitation and marginalisation of the non-Brahmin Dravidian people.

OneIndia News
This is the mastermind of the Rs 12,000 crore PNB scam

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

On Tuesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation made a crucial arrest in connection with the PNB scam. Vipul Chitalia the vice-president banking operations, Gitanjali Group of Companies was arrested from the Mumbai airport upon arrival from Bangkok. After being picked up by the immigration authorities he was handed over to the CBI.

Chitalia is a prized catch for the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate which is probing the RS 12,000 crore scam along with several other agencies. The reason Chitalia is a prized catch is that he is the brain behind the scam, CBI officials say.

Chitalia who is the 19th accused to be arrested in connection with the case was instrumental in preparing applications which were put through for the fraudulent transactions of the Letters of Undertaking, the CBI has alleged. He was directly in touch with the deputy manager of the Punjab National Bank, Gokulnath Shetty who was recently arrested by the CBI.

Mehul Choksi fled India for Dubai in January: CBI

Further, he directly coordinated with Nitin Sahi, the assistant finance manager of the Gitanjali Group who was working under him, the CBI also said. Chitalia apart from being privy to the modalities of putting through transactions with Mehul Choksi, the prime accused along with Nirav Modi was also instrumental in concealing incriminating documents pertaining to the scam.

Further, the CBI alleged that Chitalia directly reported to Choksi. He was also an authorised signatory of the company, the CBI probe also found. During the questioning, Chitalia also detailed how Choksi left the country. Before the scam broke out, Choksi had in the first week of January left India for Dubai, Chitalia also said.

OneIndia News
Human Rights cant be an excuse for defying law of the land: MHA on Amnesty

If Bengal fails to reply on complaints, will handover matter to MHA: NCW chief

Toppling of statues: MHA asks states to be vigilant; PM 'strongly' disapproves such incidents

India

oi-Madhuri

The centre on Wednesday said that there have been many incidents of toppling of statues reported from certain parts of the country. MHA has taken serious notes of such incidents of vandalism.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Home Minister in this regard & has expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents.

MHA has also asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. ''Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law,'' the MHA said.

''Incidents of toppling of statues have been reported from certain parts of the country. MHA has taken serious notes of such incidents of vandalism. PM also spoke to HM in this regard & has expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents,'' a home ministry spokesperson said in New Delhi.

Earlier on Tuesday, a statue of Lenin was destroyed at South Tripura's Belonia town with the help of a bulldozer. The violence followed the BJP's victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections in Tripura, where a 25-year Communist government was ousted.

Sporadic violence and clashes between rival political groups were also reported in different parts of Tripura after the election results were declared on Saturday.

Also, in Tamil Nadu's Vellore, a statue of social activist and rationalist leader EVR Periyar was vandalised on Tuesday night.

OneIndia News
HC judge recuses himself from hearing plea on Naresh Goyals LOC

Jet's revival looks bleak as Anil Agarwal pulls out of race for acquiring cash-strapped airline

Tug hits Jet Airways aircraft in parking bay at Mumbai airport, suffers damage

India

oi-Madhuri

A tug hit a Jet Airways aircraft which was supposed to fly from Mumbai to Ahmedabad at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai on Wednesday morning.

The incident happened when the Jet Airways plane was stationed in the parking bay at Mumbai Airport.

Airport authorities have been ascertaining further details regarding the accident. No major damages have been reported so far.

''Jet Airways Mumbai- Ahmedabad flight operated with a delayed departure as engineering team carried out an inspection & servicing of its exterior, due to slight scrape by a ground handling equipment, An alternate aircraft was operated with 165 guests on board,'' Jet Airways said in a statement.

OneIndia News
Andhra-based IT employee raped by Nigerian nationals in Bengaluru, two arrested

Vidwath assault case: No relief for Nalapad, judicial custody extended till March 21st

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Sessions Court on Wednesday extended judicial custody of Mohammed Nalapad Haris till 21st March in Bengaluru Pub assault case.

The 63rd City Civil and Sessions Court on March 2, denied bail for Mohammed Nalapad Haris and six others in Vidwath assault case on Friday. Mohammed Nalapad Haris, son of Shantinagar MLA NA Haris, has been booked for attempt to murder for allegedly assaulting one Vidwath at the pub-cum-restaurant here on February 17 night.

A red-faced Congress had expelled Nalapad from the party for six years after the incident triggered a political backlash with the BJP and JD(S) accusing the state government of trying to protect him.

General Secretary of the District Youth Congress, Mohammed Nalapad Haris, the son of Shantinagar MLA NA Haris, on February 17, 2018, brutally assaulted Vidwath, leaving him with skull, nasal and rib-cage fractures. Police had booked a case against Nalapad under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Police had earlier booked Nalapad under the IPC Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 506 (criminal intimidation), 143 and 144 (unlawful assembly), 146 and 147 (rioting), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), he said.

OneIndia News
Prakash Raj campaigns in Bengaluru, says 'I'm fighting for the people, not against any party or lead

'It's a solid slap on my face', says Prakash Raj after electoral drubbing

'What are you teaching our children, please stop this statue politics,' tweets Prakash Raj

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Actor Prakash Raj has condemned the incidents of vandalism of statues in Tripura and Tamil Nadu and urged the states to stop statue politics which is bleeding violence in some parts of the country.

Taking to twitter Prakash Raj wrote "Lenin statue Periyar statue spmukherjee statue vandalized...Whats your agenda..what are you teaching our children please stop this statue politics.. violence breeds violence ..What was your election manifesto .. development or settling scores and goondaism."

#leninstatue #periyarstatue #spmukherjeestatue vandalised...Whats your agenda..what are you teaching our children please stop this statue politics.. violence breeds violence ..What was your election manifesto ..development or settling scores and goondaism .??....#justasking  Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) March 7, 2018

Meanwhile, many leaders have expressed their concern and urged the government to take strict action against the people who commit such acts.

A row has erupted after two statutes of Lenin were brought down in Tripura following the BJP's emphatic win in the state over the Left, which was in power for more than 25 years.

The Left blamed the BJP for the incidents and some BJP leaders shared the post with comments that appeared to be justifying it. BJP national secretary H Raja later in a Facebook post said the statues Dravidian movement icon E V R Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, will be the next target.

He later deleted the post and offered his regret but not before it had ignited a major controversy in Tamil Nadu.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, March 7, 2018, 15:03 [IST]
Which journalist brokered the INX Media deal in which Karti Chidambaram is an accused

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Was the INX Media deal brokered by a journalist? Based on the questioning of Indrani Mukerjea, the CBI had learnt that it was a top journalist in Delhi who had introduced Karti Chidambaram to Peter Mukerjea.

Indrani in her confession statement said that she had paid a bribe of 7 lakh US dollars to Karti to get FIPB clearance for INX Media which was promoted by her and her husband Peter Mukerjea.

CBI officials probing the case say that this is one link they are studying. Karti has not admitted to it during the questioning as yet. However, it was during the probe against Indrani did this link come up. Whether the role of the journalist was only limited to introducing Indrani and Peter to Karti or was it about the entire deal is something that is under investigation, the official also said.

From 'Swiggy to go to hell,' the tantrums Karti Chidambaram is throwing in jail

The Delhi based journalist was for some time associated with INX media. He, however, was asked to leave by Peter. Currently, he is working with a top newspaper in New Delhi.

Recently P Chidambaram, former union minister had denied all allegations and said that it was he who had ordered a probe into this case. In fact, it was Vir Sanghvi and other senior journalists who had complained about the same to then Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi. The matter was then referred to P Chidambaram who ordered a probe into the case.

OneIndia News
Low pressure area over Arabian Sea likely to turn into cyclone Tauktae on Sunday

Maersk ship catches fire in the Arabian Sea, 4 missing

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

A Maersk container ship, with 27 crew members on board including 13 Indians, caught fire in the Arabian Sea near Lakshadweep Islands last night, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said on Wednesday. Four of the ship's crew members are missing while the others have been rescued, it said.

The 27 crew members included 13 from India, nine from the Philippines, two Thai nationals and one each from Romania, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. The vessel reported an explosion and fire on board and requested immediate assistance.

Maersk Container Ship with 27 crew members on-board caught fire following an explosion at sea at 340 nautical miles from Agatti in Lakshwadeep Islands; 23 rescued, search operation for 4 missing members underway by Indian Coast Guard & Maritime Rescue Coordination Center #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/1SaqhV52nT  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

The ship was at a distance of 570 kms (340 nautical miles) from Agatti in the Lakshwadeep Islands. The Coast Guard has pressed into action its assets for the rescue operation, it said.

"The ship had 27 crew members on board, of whom four are missing. Out of the 27 crew members, 13 are Indians including the captain of the ship," the ICG said.

Merchant Ship MV Als Cicero reached Maersk Honam at about 11.25 pm and rescued 23 crew members. The remaining four are missing, the ICG said.

The crew has abandoned the ship as the fire spread beyond control, it said. After getting information about the mishap, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai immediately alerted all the merchant ships near the location through the satellite-based communication network, the International Safety Net (ISN), ICG said.

"The search operations are on and the Coast Guard assets have been pressed into action," said Inspector General K R Nautiyal, the commander of the Coast Guard West region.

"It is our priority to save and rescue the four missing crew and also continue our efforts to salvage the vessel with the assistance of specialised vessels, which are being arranged," he added.

OneIndia News
Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

See original here

This year's midterm elections officially began on Tuesday as Democratic and Republican primaries were held in Texas. Democrats are hoping Texas could become a key state in the party's effort to retake control of the Senate and the House. A record 50 women were on the ballot in what many are calling the "year of the women." On Tuesday, Congressmember Beto O'Rourke won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. He will take on incumbent Ted Cruz, who easily won the Republican primary. On the House side, Democrats are putting up candidates in every Texas district for the first time in over 25 years.

In one of the most watched Democratic races, progressive Democrat Laura Moser placed second, forcing a runoff against Democrat Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, an attorney who has been criticized for working at a law firm that has targeted unions in Texas. The race is seen as part of a war within the Democratic Party. Moser was endorsed by Our Revolution -- the political organization that grew out of Bernie Sanders's run for the White House. Fletcher was backed by the Democratic Party. In February, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee took the unusual step of directly attacking Moser even though she is a Democrat. Moser and Fletcher will now face each other in a runoff to decide who will face Republican Congress Member John Culberson in November. We speak to Mike Barajas, staff writer for The Texas Observer.

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: This year's midterm elections officially began Tuesday as Democratic and Republican primaries were held throughout Texas. Democrats are hoping Texas could become a key state in the party's effort to retake control of the Senate and the House. A record 50 women were on the ballot in what many are calling "the year of the women." On Tuesday, Congressman Beto O'Rourke won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. He'll take on incumbent Ted Cruz, who easily won the Republican primary, though the El Paso congressman, O'Rourke, outraised Cruz in the last months. On the House side, Democrats are putting up candidates in every Texas district for the first time in over a quarter of a century.

In one of the most watched Democratic races, progressive Democrat Laura Moser placed second, forcing a runoff against Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, an attorney who's been criticized for working at a law firm that's targeted unions in Texas. The race is seen as a war within the Democratic Party. Moser was endorsed by Our Revolution -- the political organization that grew out of Bernie Sanders' run for the White House. Fletcher was backed by the Democratic Party. In February, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee took the unusual step of directly attacking Moser even though she's a Democrat. Moser and Fletcher will now face off in a runoff to decide who will face Republican Congressman John Culberson in November.

In other primary news, Texas appears poised to send its first Latina women to Congress this year -- next year. The election would be later this year. Former El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar and state Senator Sylvia Garcia won their respective Democratic primaries in heavily Democratic districts.

To talk more about the results in Texas, we go to Austin, where we're joined by Mike Barajas, a staff writer for The Texas Observer.

Mike, you've been following this all very closely. Give us the highlights.

MICHAEL BARAJAS: Yeah, so, as you mentioned, the Democrats do have reason to be enthusiastic after yesterday's primary. Early vote totals showed a pretty big surge in Democrats that were coming out to vote in that party's primary, in the Election Day totals.

AMY GOODMAN: Something like a million Democrats and a million and a half Republicans?

MICHAEL BARAJAS: Right, yeah. So, Election Day totals were a little bit below what I think Democrats had ultimately hoped for, but still we're seeing record turnout, over 2014, in particular. I think it's something like double, at least, the amount of primary voters in the Democratic Party that we're saying. So, naturally, this is still a red state. This is still Texas, after all. So, we're seeing that growth. By a pure numbers standpoint, you know, there wasn't as much growth on the Republican side, but there are still something like a million and a half Republican primary voters in Texas. So, that tells you what Democrats might need to overcome in the general, but that also sort of is kind of an indicator of, you know, how much enthusiasm Democrats have, going into the general election.

Now, that could be for a number of different reasons. That could be because, you know, Texas is changing. Texas, in the last presidential race, you know, it went, I think, nine points to Trump, but that's a smaller margin, I think, than -- I think they said it's the smallest margin of any Republican presidential candidate in Texas in something like 20 years. So, you mentioned the congressional seats. You know, there are a handful here in Texas that were seen as, not that long ago, deeply entrenched Republican seats, until, you know, last presidential election, they voted, you know, some in a small margin, but for Hillary. So, that includes the seat out in Houston that Moser is running in, now in the runoff, that we clearly know what the DCCC thinks about that race. But --

AMY GOODMAN: Well, let's talk about that, the progressive group Our Revolution endorsing the Democratic congressional hopeful Laura Moser, a week after her own party, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, released an opposition memo on her. I want to turn to a part of one of Moser's campaign ads.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Quicklink Not Found

Sometimes, authors delete their quicklinks after publishing them.



To see if the quicklink was renamed or re-published, please click here.
Progressive Content Not Found

Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing.



To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here.
Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

From Common Dreams

Their collective imprisonment is not only as a result of the perpetual military occupation of their land by Israel, but also by the fact that their leadership has operated for many years in a self-centered fashion.



'The Israeli soldier who shot Mohammed did not receive even a reprimand for shooting-to-kill an unarmed boy.'

(Image by (Photo: Joe Catron/flickr/cc)) Details DMCA



As global voices continue to demand the freedom of 17-year-old teenage Palestinian girl, Ahed Tamimi, Israeli authorities have arrested nine additional members of her family.

Those who were detained on February 26 include Ahed's 15-year-old cousin, Mohammed Tamimi.

Israeli troops had shot Mohammed in the head last December, shattering his skull. The teenager, who is awaiting reconstruction surgery, is unlikely to receive proper medical care in Israeli prisons.

Ahed's crime was that she slapped an Israeli soldier in a video that, since then, went viral, shortly after her cousin was shot. He was then placed in a medically-induced coma.

The Israeli soldier who shot Mohammed did not receive even a reprimand for shooting-to-kill an unarmed boy.

The Israeli military provided an outrageous explanation of why the Tamimi family members, all hailing from the small village of Nabi Saleh, were detained in a pre-dawn army raid.

"The detainees are suspected of involvement in terrorist activities, popular terror and violent disturbances against civilians and security forces," the Israeli military spokesperson said.

By "popular terror," the statement was referring to the recurring protests led by the 500 residents of Nabi Saleh against the illegal settlements and Apartheid Wall. These protests have been a staple in the everyday life of the village for nearly 12 years.

Anywhere between 600,000 and 750,000 illegal Jewish settlers live in settlements placed strategically throughout the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. They are a glaring violation of international law.

Aside from the massive Israeli army build-up in the Occupied Territories, the armed settlers have been a major source of violence against Palestinians.

Ahed and Mohammed Tamimi, along with hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children and teenagers, were born into this violent reality, and feel trapped.

Their collective imprisonment is not only as a result of the perpetual military occupation of their land by Israel, but also by the fact that their leadership has operated for many years in a self-centered fashion, orbiting far away from Nabi Saleh and its tiny, struggling but brave population.

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.



Lady Liberty

(Image by frankieleon) Details DMCA



If you keep moving towards a particular destination, then eventually, despite delays, distractions and denials, you will arrive there. With this in mind, we need to consider where current trends are taking our nation. To me, the outcome might be called "Confederacy 2.0".

The practical authority of the federal government is being challenged to a degree not seen since the Civil War. Overcoming the marijuana prohibition by states is nullification in real terms. Then there are efforts to secure hemp production (Rhode Island) or decriminalize all illegal drugs (Oregon) or ignore federal food-safety regulations (Maine) or undermine climate-change inaction by reaching out to other nations (California) or restoring net neutrality (Washington state). Recent examples of "interposition" have emerged in which state officials shield illegal immigrants from capture by federal authority -- the sort of thing that preceded secession in our past.

Would some states "nullify" if abortion was blocked by Congress (NYS Constitution)? Or would others refuse future federal orders about gun control (Missouri legislature)? How about surveillance issues or aspects of the NDAA that suggest future martial law (Idaho House)? The trends by states are already there, for better or worse.

The end of the American Dream and projected trillion-dollar deficits coupled with deep political polarization suggest that our central government will lose much of its "soft power" to control the nation. Additionally, both political parties are damaging the very legitimacy of federal elections -- blaming outcomes they don't like on supposed non-citizens voting or sketchy foreign meddling (although Saudis and Israelis are given a 'free pass'). Ironically, our political system seems to be thereby achieving the very mass distrust allegedly engineered by Russia!

Bad marriages don't always end in divorce. Sometimes, partners stick together in name only, enduring the misery (and discreetly "seeing other people"). This may be a model for the future USA even if outright secession never happens -- and it does no good to argue points of law about what the Constitution allows when the Bill of Rights is so casually disrespected -- by colleges, courts and both parties, each in their own way. This is about what states or even parts of states can get away with, regardless of what the Supreme Court says (as has happened with marijuana). It is also about the centrifugal forces that can tear a nation apart when seeking greedy partisan advantage overwhelms all else. There was a time when our nation achieved Voting Rights, Civil Rights and Medicare as a nation -- things that appear impossible today.

If de facto "Confederacy 2.0" seems implausible to you as a future of broken federal authority, then what will overcome the challenges that will cause it? Will we deeply unite as citizens, live within our means and stop flirting with collapse as an unsustainable global empire? Will we stop the erosion of a common national culture, secure our borders with compassion and maintain the historical standards of citizenship? (Do you believe in miracles?)

It might be the least bad outcome that we can realistically hope for. Find a nice state and move there.

Good Luck to us all.
Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

This piece was reprinted by OpEdNews with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.



East Ghouta

(Image by EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid) Details DMCA



Criminal Propaganda of Omission seeks to conceal the fact that the West and its terrorist proxies do not seek peace in Syria, nor do they seek to safeguard civilians.

Agencies such as Amnesty International[1], and all of Western mainstream media (MSM), have devolved to the status of being vectors for war propaganda.

A significant strategy employed is to fabricate stories that omit core facts that would otherwise negate the intended messaging, whose sole purpose is to advance terrorism and wars of aggression -- the Supreme International Crime.

The situation in Eastern Ghouta, Syria provides an exemplary template to demonstrate this strategy of criminal war propaganda.

MSM obliterates from their White Helmets and SOHR -- fed narratives the reason for the campaign against the terrorists in Ghouta[2]. Just as the media erased the victims of the majority of citizens in Aleppo who were being daily bombarded by terrorists in East Aleppo, so too has the messaging erased the causal factors which have provoked situation in East Ghouta: terrorists violated UN SC Resolution 2401 by attacking those who sought to leave via pre-arranged "Humanitarian Corridors"[3]. They shot people attempting to leave, and they bombed the humanitarian corridors -- just like they did in Aleppo.

Reportedly,yesterday -- on or about March 1, 2018 -- terrorists slaughtered a family of six who were attempting to flee from terrorist-occupied East Ghouta. Obliterated also from the messaging is that these terrorists -- all of them al Qaeda or al Qaeda-affiliated -- have murdered about 7,000[4] people in Damascus. These crucial facts have been erased by MSM stories. Similarly, MSM, in its propaganda -fueled messaging, failed to note that terrorists from Aleppo had murdered almost 11,000[5] people

When core elements such as those above are omitted from MSM narratives, the narratives devolve into fabricated war propaganda, totally devoid of any other purpose.

In the following twitter post, Amal Saad demonstrates the lie. In the first AP article, terrorist Mohammad Alloush of the Army of Islam publicly states that only occupiers and "Assad's regime" will leave (and hence civilians will stay) during a "Humanitarian pause" while the subsequent extract suggests that civilians independently chose not to leave.

The AP messaging perpetuates the deception that citizens choose not to leave Ghouta (and therefore must be happy living in terrorist-controlled areas) just as it conveyed the same lies when Aleppo was besieged by terrorists.

Obliterated from the messaging is that all of Damascus is being held captive by the terrorists' bombs, that civilians in Ghouta are being used as human shields[7], and that the terrorists themselves are agents of the West whose presence in Syria is and always has been illegal according to Nuremburg standards.

Legitimate reporting looks quite different from the propaganda feeds that remain ascendant. Tom Duggan reports, directly from Syria, free from the corrupt tentacles of Western media agencies:

Notes

[1] Tim Anderson, "Syria: the human rights industry in 'humanitarian war' ." Centre for Counter Hegemonic Studies Research Paper. January 2018. (click here) Accessed 2 March, 2018.

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.





The stability of the large world house which is ours will involve a revolution of values to accompany the scientific and freedom revolution engulfing the earth. We must rapidly begin the shift from a 'thing-oriented' society to a 'person-oriented' society.

Dr. Martin L. King, Jr., "Where Do We Go From Here?"





I'm not Tom Brokaw. I have the kind of cancer he has--but I'm not him. After I was diagnosed in 2016, my GP at the time, suggested I read Brokaw's book. Read his book, she said, and then chuckled. Maybe, she added, you could respond to the book, in print. You know, he's the privileged between the two of you, with the best of medical care this country has to offer.



Free illustration: Heart Care, Medical, Care, Heart - Free Image ...960 -- 678 - 79k - jpg

(Image by pixabay.com) Details DMCA



For as long as I can remember, it's been suggested to me that I just quit. You know, just give up, already! There are times when quitting is the best course of action for survival. But there are other times when it's akin to drinking the Kool Aid, as we used to say. Today, it's finding yourself fraying, trying to escape the "sunkin place."

My mother thought it best I should quit before anything even begins. After I spent more time in the hospital rather than the classroom my first go around in First Grade, she let it be known to the nuns and priests that the child, "born with a heart condition," could no longer engage in extracurricular activities. Period! I wouldn't expect cardiologists, in the 1950s, recommending much else to my mother in terms of care for me, a Black girl--except maybe drugs, beta blockers.

At the end my first semester away at college, my mother had a plan and she found a cardiology with a plan. He had a beta blocker that would decrease the frequency of a rapid, out-of-control, heart rate! And I could test this new drug out by quitting school, my mother suggested. What's a Catholic girl, the oldest girl, doing away from home anyway?

Recovering. Recovering.

Returning back home to attend college would be grudgingly acceptable.

But I didn't return home and, in the subsequent years on this drug, I complained. And complained. I had a plan, too. But unlike my mother, I didn't have an ally in the medical profession.

What can I do, I'm asking this cardiologist a few years later, about energy? I'm struggling to climb the stairs to catch the el train in order to get from one college campus to another to teach, to earn a living. I can't stand too long. The label on my beta blocker warns: fatigue and insomnia! I'm also trying to work on a master's degree. I'm trying to support residents in a public housing facility by teaching literacy"

Take speed!

He lives in a suburb of Chicago known for its residents' wealth. He's an office at a major hospital and a private practice downtown. All these years, (I'm now in my mid-thirties), he doesn't even notice that I always come into the examining room carry a book as well as a satchel of student papers and textbooks.

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

From Smirking Chimp

Israel is beating the drums of war again, this time over Syria. On February 10 the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out the most aggressive Israeli use of force in Syria thus far. After having bombed a drone base in retaliation for an alleged incursion by an Iranian drone, Israel retaliated for the shooting down of one of its fighter plane s by hitting the main Syrian command-and-control bunker and five Iranian communications facilities.

Israel has been laying the political groundwork for a military escalation in Syria since mid-2017. That's when Israeli officials began to repeat two interlinked political themes: that Iran must be prevented from establishing permanent bases and implanting its proxy forces in the Syrian Golan Heights, and that Iran is secretly building factories in Syria and Lebanon to provide Hezbollah with missiles capable of precise targeting.

But the evidence suggests that the reasons publicly avowed by Israeli officials are not the real motive behind the escalation of Israel's air attacks and ground combat presence in Syria.

Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer has vowed that Israel would not permit Iran or Hezbollah to establish permanent bases anywhere in Syria, but no convincing evidence of any such permanent base has come to light -- only an aerial photo of a site that was admitted to be a Syrian army facility with several vehicle storage sheds. However, the Syrian army is definitely planning such bases in Golan. In January, Syrian army forces backed by Hezbollah troops captured a key military post at Beit Jinn near both the Lebanese and Syrian borders in the Northern Golan.

A portion of Golan is currently occupied by Israel, which took it from Syria in 1967. It was annexed by Israel in 1981 and populated with Israeli settlers roughly equal in numbers to its original Syrian population. Israel has expressed the fear that Syria's recent moves could threaten Israel's occupation in Golan. IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot declared in January that Israel "can't ignore the fact that Hezbollah, the Shiite militias and Iran perceive themselves on the winning side in Syria, together with Bashar Assad, and share his desire to return to the Golan Heights."

Israeli officials have expressed a determination to establish de facto Israeli control in what they have called a "buffer zone" or "safe zone" covering much of the Syrian Golan. Israel had already begun laying the groundwork two years ago by arming anti-Assad opposition groups only to see much of their progress reversed by more recent Syrian military advances. The buffer zone objective will certainly require a growing number of Israeli military operations to push back against Syrian and Shiite militias in that area.

Israeli ambitions are not limited to the Syrian Golan. The IDF is determined to penetrate more deeply into Syria in order to limit Iranian and Hezbollah freedom of action there. The long-term military aim, as IDF Chief Eizenkot declared in his January speech, is to "push the Iranians back to Iran." More concretely, Israeli officials are committed to preventing Iran from establishing a land corridor connecting Tehran to Lebanon and the Mediterranean through Iraq and Syria.

That aim has already led to at least 100 Israeli air strikes against hundreds of targets in Syria since January 2013, including convoys carrying arms to Lebanon, weapons storage sites and Hezbollah targets. Netanyahu told NATO ambassadors in January that Israel would continue to use military action to prevent "the transfer of game-changing weapons to Hezbollah from Syrian territory."

Israeli insists that the IDF must halt the flow of more precise weapons into Hezbollah hands. Israel's chief of military intelligence, Maj. Gen. Herzl Halevi, charged last year that Iran has built secret workshops in Lebanon to construct advanced missiles for Hezbollah. Israel nowclaims, however that Iran has shifted its strategy from building such workshops in Lebanon to building them in Syria, and that the IDF struck two such workshops in Syria in 2018.

But there is no evidence to support the Israeli claim of Iranian weapons factories in Lebanon or Syria. The first report of such factories in Lebanon -- allegedly buried 160 feet underground -- was supposedly based on an acknowledgement by an unidentified deputy to Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari. But it was published in a Kuwaiti newspaper, Al-Jarida, which is known to have frequently carried stories leaked by the Israeli government. An Israeli Defense official claimed to the International Crisis Group last November that Iran was still pursuing such factories in Syria but offered no specifics to substantiate this allegation.

In fact, there was no need for Iran to set up new underground facilities for the manufacture of advanced weapons in Lebanon or Syria, because the Syrian government had been making such weapons for Hezbollah for many years. As Brig. Gen. Yossi Baidatz, former head of Israel Military Intelligence's research division, told the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in mid-2010, Hezbollah had already received several hundred Syrian-made M600 missiles at that time. These are clones of the Iranian Fateh-110 missiles with a range of 250 km, a 500-kg warhead and highly accurate guidance system.

In 2014 the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force, Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, said Hezbollah's missile capabilities had already improved so much that it could "attack any target in any part of the occupied territories with a high precision and with a very low margin of error."

Israel is thus planning a long-term war in Syria several years too late to prevent those "game-changing" weapons from falling into the hands of Hezbollah. It is as if Israel were organizing a big, expensive -- and lethal -- operation to shut the barn door years after the cows are known to have left the barn.

Furthermore, Israeli officials are refusing to acknowledge that Iran's objective in building up and improving Hezbollah's missile force has always been the deterrence of Israeli or US military attack on Iran or an Israeli attack on Hezbollah. Iranian officials began providing thousands of rockets to Hezbollah to bolster its own deterrent capacity when its own missile deterrent force was still in its infancy. At that time, Israel's anti-missile system might well have intercepted any missiles it might fire at Israel, as Ephraim Kam, a specialist on Iran at Israel's Jaffe Centre for Strategic Studies, observed in December 2004.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.



Kim Jong Un and South Korean envoys meet in Pyongyang North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had an .openhearted talk.in Pyongyang with envoys for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the North said.

(Image by YouTube, Channel: The Times of India) Details DMCA



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un meeting with South Korean envoys in Pyongyang, North Korea

Yesterday concluded bi-lateral talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean envoys in Pyongyang, North Korea.

The envoys said, "The North Korean side clearly stated its willingness to denuclearize. It made clear that it would have no reason to keep nuclear weapons if the military threat to the North was eliminated and its security guaranteed."

Kim also told the envoys he "would suspend all nuclear and missile tests while engaged in talks." [1]

Could this be the diplomacy that finally breaks the impasse between Kim and Trump and gets the "Donald" to bring the US to the negotiating table and end his juvenile standoff with Kim?

Understandably, the sticking point has been the North's insistence there be no pre-conditions to talks. But the US has insisted before talks can begin the North must first commit to denuclearize.

What's clear the North is never going to give up its nuclear weapons unless the US agrees to guarantee it will not attack the North and its regime remains in place. The North's nuclear arsenal is THE deterrent that's prevented the US from attacking the regime.

Let's face it the North developed nuclear weapons only after seeing the US invade Saddam Hussein's non- nuclear Iraq in 2003.

Meanwhile US intransigence has been at the heart of the standoff with North Korea since that war between 1950-53.

Remember, the 1953 armistice only ended the fighting in Korea. A final peace agreement was never signed so technically the war never officially ended. It's been the North that's wanted a final peace agreement yet it's the US that's dragged its feet refusing to sit down with the North.

How many people in the US realize this? I'd guess very few.

The bugaboo early on was in the "Red scare" 1950's with Communism the "enemy" that had to be resisted everywhere else it would destroy America. And North Korea being Communist it too must be resisted else it would swallow up the entire Korean Peninsula.

Truth be told North Korea never posed any threat to the US or its interests.

Even today, the idea of North Korea posing a threat, imminent or otherwise to the US or its interests, because of its nuclear weapons, is a fantasy.

North Korea isn't going to initiate an attack on the South, Japan, Guam or anywhere else knowing if it did the US would bring its total annihilation.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

From Our Future



Black Life 50 Years After the Kerner Report

(Image by YouTube, Channel: Newsy) Details DMCA



Every four years, we add an extra day to our calendars to make up for the fact that they don't accurately reflect the movement of the planet. The Kerner Commission report was released on just such a day, 50 years ago.

Unfortunately, too little has changed since February 29, 1968. We're still out of alignment with the reality all around us.

This report, officially called the "Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders," was commissioned by President Johnson to investigate the causes of the riots that rocked Detroit and other U.S. cities in the summer of 1967. The report identified the forces behind these riots with uncanny precision.

Racism, economic inequality, police violence, and media bias: these were the instrumentalities of oppression the commissioners found 50 years ago. They are still with us today.

The fact that the Kerner report still rings so true is its greatest accomplishment -- and our greatest failure.

President Lyndon Johnson was under pressure to do something after rioting broke out in inner cities across the United States. So, he did what politicians often do when they're under pressure: He appointed a "bipartisan commission." That usually creates the illusion that something is being done, while ensuring that whatever the commission eventually recommends will be bland enough to provide cover for whatever the politician wanted to do in the first place.

This time, the commissioners took their work seriously. Former senator Fred Harris is the only surviving member of the original commission, which included Republicans and Democrats, a labor leader and a business executives... and only two black members.

Activists and radicals were not welcomed. As historian Stephen M. Gillon noted, "Johnson assumed that his mainstream commission would produce a mainstream report that would endorse the broad outlines of his existing domestic agenda and insulate him from attacks both from the right and from the left."

The Kerner report instead drew bold conclusions and proposed equally bold solutions. One sentence from the report became famous:

"This is our basic conclusion: Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white -- separate and unequal."

The report then said: "To pursue our present course will involve the continuing polarization of the American community and, ultimately, the destruction of basic democratic values."

To create "common opportunities for all within a single society," the report called for...

"...a commitment to national action -- compassionate, massive and sustained, backed by the resources of the most powerful and the richest nation on this earth. From every American it will require new attitudes, new understanding, and, above all, new will." (Emphasis ours.)

The report called for an end to "violence and destruction" -- not only "in the streets of the ghetto," but "in the lives of the people." The term "structural violence" had not yet entered the American lexicon, but the report offered a litany of the harms it causes. It also emphasized the different realities experienced by white and black America, calling the ghetto "a destructive environment totally unknown to most white Americans."

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

From Our Future

In preservation attempts, conservation groups pull at heartstrings and purse strings with photos of threatened animals -- adorable baby elephants, majestic Amur leopards, sentient Sumatran orangutans. A less photogenic endangered species, the American aluminum and steel worker, received vital aid toward survival this week from the White House.

President Trump announced he would place tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on imported aluminum. This followed investigations by the U.S. Commerce Department that determined unfairly traded imports of both metals have killed off American mills and jobs, threatening national security.

American aluminum and steel manufacturers and their workers have railed for decades against the trade regulation scofflaws that bankrupted U.S. mills and destroyed U.S. jobs. American manufacturers and workers are willing and able to compete on a level playing field. But countries like China deliberately distort that surface to their favor by defying trade rules.

China has conducted a trade war against the United States since the day in 2001 that the World Trade Organization granted the Asian giant membership. That's how the U.S. trade deficit with China has exploded , reaching a record $375.2 billion last year, a figure that represents more than half the total U.S. deficit.

The terrible result is economic war zones -- shuttered U.S. factories, furloughed manufacturing workers and devastated towns. University of Maryland economists Katharine Abraham and Melissa Kearney showed in recently published research that cheap Chinese imports rendered more Americans unemployed since 2001 than any other factor. The cost to U.S. workers was 2.65 million jobs. Automation also killed jobs , but by less than half of what Chinese trade cheating did.

The Commerce Department investigations into the effects of steel and aluminum imports on national security demonstrated that China flooded the international market with artificially cheap metals, depressing prices and annihilating American mills -- mills that are among the most efficient and least polluting in the world.

Steel employment in the United States has declined 35 percent since 2000. Aluminum jobs plummeted even further -- crashing down 58 percent in just three years, between 2013 and 2016. That amounts to tens of thousands of high-skill, family-supporting jobs lost.

In 2000, 105 companies produced raw steel at 144 U.S. locations. Now, 38 companies forge at 93 locations. In 2000, 13 companies operated integrated mills with an average of 35 blast furnaces running continuously. Now, three companies operate 13 blast furnaces.

The declines in U.S. steel and aluminum production occurred despite increased domestic demand for both.

American aluminum production sank even more sharply than steel. Over the past six years, six smelters permanently closed. Just five remain, with only two operating at full capacity. One of the five smelts the high-purity aluminum required for critical infrastructure and defense aerospace needs. If that mill closes too, the United States would have no domestic supplier of the metal crucial to national security. The only two other high-volume producers of this aluminum are located in the United Arab Emirates and China.

In 2016, the United States imported five times as much primary aluminum as it made. That year, it produced about half of what it did the year before. Production dropped even further in 2017.

Most of the aluminum imported into the United States comes from Canada, a country that respects trade regulations and operates a market economy, just like the United States. As a result, Canada should be exempted from the steel or aluminum tariffs.

By contrast, China flouts trade rules and operates a communist economy. The Chinese government owns some aluminum and steel mills, which means they need not operate economically. The Chinese government provides financial support for select industries, including loans that don't have to be repaid and underpriced or free raw materials.

China continues to produce steel and aluminum even when that means massive excesses. It dumps that glut on the international market, often at prices lower than production cost. All that government-subsidized, underpriced steel and aluminum forces producers outside of China to cut their prices. Too often that means they suffer losses, or go bankrupt.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Matchfinder.in Offering the Best Matrimony Website for Phool Mali Samaj

https://www.matchfinder.in/

Matchfinder.in, one of the best of matrimonial websites in India, offers many suitable profiles of prospective brides and grooms for marriage seekers in various communities. These communities include Arya Vyas, Balija, Dhangar, Ezhava, Iyengar, Kamma and Kapu. The matrimony services are also available for many other communities like Kongu Vellalar Gounder, Kuruba, Kayastha, Lingayat, Madiga, Maratha and Mudaliyar at Matchfinder.in. The matrimonial website offers high-quality matrimonial services at affordable prices to marriage seekers.At a recent matrimonial event, the owner of Matchfinder.in asserted, We run a free website where many add-on services can be availed by the registered users who have their matrimonial profiles with us. Matchfinder.in is the fastest growing Indian matrimonial website that allows registered users buy only the features they need. Our website provides beneficial add-ons like horoscope generation, professional services, profile highlighting, and phone top-ups. Matchfinder.in has thousands of profiles of Indian grooms and brides who belong to varied communities.Matchfinder.in has been rated as the top in Hindi matrimonial sites by its registered users. Registering a matrimony profile is not a boring task with Matchfinder.in, as the users do not need to fill a multi-page questionnaire on it. The matrimonial website captures the basic details quickly through a single page, one-minute registration. Within a few minutes, the users may start their partner search and enjoy the experience of the smoothest online search. Matchfinder.in is easy to navigate and it offers effective personal assistance by representatives.The owner of further added, We have thousands of Indian bride and groom profiles from Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain religions. The profiles on our website are also categorized based on mother tongue, caste, widow and divorcees. This helps the users in finding the right match through relevant filtered search. They can immediately express their interest once they like a certain profile. At Matchfinder.in, we never share any user details with external organizations or individuals, and thus, assure privacy to our registered users.Matchfinder.in is one of the most trusted Palkar Sourashtra matrimony sites. Boys and girls or their parents can simply submit their bio-data to contact Palkar Sourashtra community brides or grooms instantly. These registered users can view profile details, search profiles by name or ID, and avail many other solutions designed to ease off their partner search. Palkar Sourashtra community individuals can even conduct an advanced search on Matchfinder.in and check horoscope compatibility to arrive at the perfect match for their sons and daughters.About Matchfinder.in:Matchfinder.in is a leading Indian matrimonial website providing the best matches for boys and girls from various religions. The matrimonial website displays a wide range of bride and groom profiles for various communities. Matchfinder.in also has specialized search options for individuals who are trying to find a reliable Phool Mali Samaj matrimony website. While marriage seekers can register for free to start their partner search, they can contact their right matches by availing cost-effective membership plans on Matchfinder.in.Matchfinder.in, the leading matrimonial website, is now providing the most suitable matches for brides and grooms from several communities, including the Phool Mali Samaj.Matchfinder Online Services Pvt. Ltd3rd Floor, MIG 2 - 53, 9th Phase,KPHB Colony, Kukatpally,Hyderabad, Telangana, India - 500072Phone: 040-30911272 / 09394950001Email: info@matchfinder.inWebsite:
Busch presents new series of Dolphin liquid ring vacuum pumps

Busch has launched two new series of liquid ring vacuum pumps in a total of 13 sizes

www.buschvacuum.com

Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems has now launched an entirely new series of liquid ring vacuum pumps. The new Dolphin LM/LT vacuum pumps have been completely redesigned but are based on proven liquid ring vacuum technology. With these new vacuum pumps, Busch has been able to optimize an existing product that has become an established part of many industrial processes, resulting in the development of extremely powerful, yet energy-efficient vacuum generators.Dolphin LM models are single-stage vacuum pumps for the rough vacuum range from atmospheric pressure to 130 hPa (mbar) ultimate pressure. Dolphin LT models are available in two-stage versions and cover the vacuum range from atmospheric pressure to 33 hPa (mbar). A total of 13 sizes are available so that a precisely coordinated solution can be found for any process. Dolphin LM/LT vacuum pumps have a modular design and integrated flow channels. This makes them extremely compact and eliminates the need for base frames. The IE3 energy-saving motor is directly flange-mounted. The new seal concept with mechanical shaft seals, made of Viton or PFC rubber depending on the pumping medium, ensures a long life cycle. The standard material for the impeller is stainless steel. A stainless steel version of the housing is available as an option.Water or a fluid suitable for the process medium is normally used as the operating fluid. Ethylene glycol, mineral oils or organic solutions can also be used, as well as the fluids already used in the process. Dolphin LM/LT liquid ring vacuum pumps can be operated in simple circulatory systems, in open or closed liquid cycles. Their high vapour and particle tolerance makes the extremely robust vacuum generators exceptionally well-suited for removal/extraction of wet gases or vapours. They are thus predestined for use in processing technology, chemical and pharmaceutical processes, food technology applications, oil production and processing, plastic processing, wood impregnation and drying processes, and many other industrial applications. Dolphin LM/LT vacuum pumps are available in sizes with pumping speeds of 80 to 900 cubic metres per hour. Versions for operation in potentially explosive environments are available in different ATEX-compliant versions and temperature classes.Busch will present the new Dolphin LM/LT liquid ring vacuum pumps at ACHEMA in hall 8.0, stand no. B27.About Busch:Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems is one of the worlds largest producers of vacuum pumps, vacuum systems, blowers and compressors.Its extensive product portfolio comprises solutions for vacuum and overpressure applications in all industries, including the chemical, semiconductor, medical technology, plastics, and food sectors. It also covers the design and construction of customized vacuum systems, as well as a global service network.The Busch group is a family-owned company and is still managed by the Busch family. Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems has 3,000 employees in more than 60 companies in over 40 countries worldwide. Busch is headquartered in Maulburg, in southwest Germany. This is the location of Busch SE headquarters, as well as the German production facility and German sales company. In addition to Maulburg, Busch also has its own production plants in Switzerland, the UK, Czech Republic, Korea and the USA.History:Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems was founded by Dr.-Ing. Karl Busch and his wife Ayhan Busch in 1963. Dr.-Ing. Karl Busch developed the Huckepack, which was the first vacuum pump that could be used for vacuum packaging of foodstuffs. The follow-up product, the compact R 5 rotary vane vacuum pump, revolutionized food packaging. A further milestone represented the development of the COBRA screw vacuum pump. In 1971 the international expansion of the Busch group started with the founding of a sales company in the UK. The first production plant outside Germany was established in the USA in 1979.Contact:Busch Vacuum Pumps and SystemsSchauinslandstrae 179689 MaulburgTelephone: +49 (0) 7622 681 3376jasmin.markanic@busch.de
Demand for New Anesthesia Machines Sees a Huge Growth In Health Care Facilities

anesthesia machine

https://www.progressivemarkets.com/industry-research/anesthesia-machines-market

https://www.progressivemarkets.com/request-sample/anesthesia-machines-market

www.progressivemarkets.com

The global anesthesia machines market was valued at $1,315 million in 2016, and is expected to reach $2,168 million by 2025, registering a CAGR of 5.9% during 2017-2025.Access Full Summary at:Anesthesia machines is an apparatus used for administering anesthesia to patients undergoing medical procedures by trained personnel. These machines dispense varying proportions of a mixture of gases and vapors to control a patient's consciousness level, analgesia, or both during surgeries. These machines perform four essential functions, namely providing oxygen, accurately mixing anesthetic gases and vapors, facilitating patient ventilation, and minimizing anesthesia-related risks to patients and staff. Anesthesia monitors, anesthesia machines, anesthesia masks, and anesthesia accessories are some of the commonly used anesthesia equipment in the medical sector, especially ambulatory surgical centers, clinics, hospitals, and other nursing facilities.The report offers a comprehensive analysis of the global anesthesia machines market, including the market size, share, segmentation, forecast, drivers, restraints & opportunities; and key market players along with their profiles. The report aims at catering to various stakeholders, including market players, investors, industry leaders, and others, who wish to understand the latest trends, current market scenario, and latest technologies used in the industry. In addition, the study would assist them understand the top 10 players along with the growth strategies adopted by them for better industry benchmarking.The report provides information about the factors that drive or hamper the adoption of anesthesia machines market. The market is driven by shift in preference of consumers from hospital care devices to home healthcare devices. Moreover, increase in the number of surgeries across the globe has fueled the demand for anesthesia devices in the recent years. Furthermore, increase in geriatric population is expected to supplement the growth of the market in the near future. However, dearth of skilled, trained anesthesiologists is expected to a key restrain for the growth of the market.The report analyzes the global anesthesia machines market based on type, end user, and geography. Based on type, the market is classified into standalone anesthesia machines and portable anesthesia machines. It is projected that about 1,731 hundred units of standalone anesthesia machines are expected to be sold by 2025. Based on end user, the market is classified into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, clinics, and nursing facilities. The hospitals segment is expected to account for $1,341 million by 2025. Based on geography, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.Do Inquiry for Sample report:The report includes the profiles of leading players of the anesthesia machines market, including Philips Healthcare, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, CareFusion Corporation, Getinge Group, DRE Medical, Inc., GE Healthcare, Teleflex Incorporated, Covidien plc, Smiths Medical, and Masimo Corporation among others. The report includes detailed information about the impact of factors, including driver, restraints, and opportunities on the growth of the market.About Progressive:The company makes use of primary corporate research and secondary inputs from trusted sources to build its own reference base. It maintains consistency in quality as it keeps itself updated with changes in market dynamics and gauging its net effect on global business trends.Reach UsMr. Shriram Dighe4th Floor, Unit 12, Marisoft III,West Wing, Marigold IT Park,Kalyani Nagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411014,India: +91 20 66346040Toll Free: + 1-888-906-9222help@progressivemarkets.com
Alpha Omega Wireless Now on DIR Contract

Alpha Omega Wireless, Inc. ("AO Wireless") has recently been added to the Texas State DIR contract. AO Wireless is now listed under the DIR Contract (DIR-TS0-4021) providing a complete range of wireless networking products and solutions. Agencies that utilize the DIR Contract system for the procurement can now partner with Alpha Omega Wireless, Inc. for all their wireless networking needs and solutions.Under DIR-TSO-4021 AO Wireless can provide products from Siklu, Radwin, Siemens, Cambium, Xirrus (Riverbed), ICT Power, Alcoma, and more. AO Wireless' DIR contract also include services related to engineering, design, and installation services related to wireless networks.President Joe Wargo says, "We are excited to have our wireless solutions and offering on the DIR Contract. Alpha Omega Wireless works a lot with government (City, County, and State), along with Education and Utility organizations. Having a qualified procurement vehicle makes it more efficient for our clients to get the products and services they need. Now we'll be able to provide more value to our clients while saving them time and money.About DIRThe Department of Information Resources (DIR) provides statewide leadership and oversight for management of government information and communications technology.DIR has served in a leadership role to facilitate the state's economic competitiveness through its ability to deliver quality information resources commodities and services at the lowest prices and best value for state and local government as well as the K-12 public and higher education systems.About Alpha Omega Wireless, Inc.Alpha Omega Wireless is an experienced integrator of broadband wireless network technology and complete end-to-end wireless backhaul solutions. We provide a full range of point to point wireless backhaul, point to multipoint wireless bridges, WiMax backhaul, LTE Networks, wireless mobility, wireless repeaters, Smart Grid wireless backhaul, indoor, outdoor, and municipal Wi-Fi, DAS - Distributed Antenna Systems, DC Power Distribution, and wireless mesh products and services.Alpha Omega Wireless is an experienced integrator of broadband wireless network technology and complete end-to-end wireless backhaul solutions. We provide a full range of point to point wireless backhaul, point to multipoint wireless bridges, WiMax backhaul, LTE Networks, wireless mobility, wireless repeaters, Smart Grid wireless backhaul, indoor, outdoor, and municipal Wi-Fi, DAS - Distributed Antenna Systems, DC Power Distribution, and wireless mesh products and services.8708 S. Congress AveSuite B260Austin, TX 78745
Christine Laikind to Speak About Accessibility on the Web at Wordcamp Atlanta, April 13-15, 2018 at Loudermilk Center.

www.2018.atlanta.wordcamp.org

www.scs-digitalmarketing.com

http://www.scs-digitalmarketing.com

Canton, GA (March 6, 2018)  Christine Laikind, founder of Canton-based SCS Digital Marketing will share her knowledge about accessibility and web compliance on the Internet to attendees of Wordcamp Atlanta 2018. It is expected that there will be over 600 attendees who will attend this event this year. A Wordpress member for few years, this is Christines first speaking engagement at Wordcamp.Consider the demographics  there are roughly 650 million people that live with a disability. Out of 650 million  in the United States alone, 56.7 million of those who have disability that occurred during birth or some point of their life. Only 15.7 million are due to age (being 65 and older). By not making a website accessible  this is a large population that a company is potentially ignoring and not being able to provide service.Christine Laikind is no stranger to accessibility  for she was born deaf. Today her journey leads her to share the message for accessibility for all, through the world of Internet, the most widely used resource for everyone.Accessibility is about everyone. Not just disabled. There are standards for accessibility when considering website design and they are easy to understand, not difficult to implement nor will it force designers to make a product that is ugly, boring or cluttered.About Wordcamp Atlanta:WordCamp is a conference that focuses on everything WordPress. They are informal, community-organized events that are put together by WordPress users. VisitAbout Christine LaikindChristine Laikind, MBA, is on a mission to educate and inspire greater accessibility on the Internet. The digital world has endless potential to connect people, gather information or run a business. Therefore, every website should not hinder people from using it regardless of his or her impairment or background. A marketing strategist, designer and educator, her goal is inclusivity for everyone. Christine Laikind founded SCS Digital Marketing in 2016 providing services including website design, social media and outbound email communication. She is also an adjunct professor, artist and blogger. For additional information or to schedule an interview, visitor send an email to christine@scs-digitalmarketing.com129 Hidden Lake Circle, Canton, GA 30114
March 7, 2018: Lip Care Products Market Analysis 2018-2025 LOreal, Avon Products, Beiersdorf AG

Lip Care Products Market Forecast 2018

https://goo.gl/5Ri68z

http://qyresearchstore.com/global-lip-care-products-market-manufacturers-2018-review-size-and-forecast-2023/

A market study "Global Lip Care Products Market" examines the performance of the Lip Care Products market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Lip Care Products market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Lip Care Products market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Lip Care Products Market 2018 report includes Lip Care Products market Revenue, market Share, Lip Care Products industry volume, market Trends, Lip Care Products Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Lip Care Products Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Lip Care Products Market 2018 :1. LOreal2. Avon Products3. Beiersdorf AG4. Unilever5. Revlon6. Kao Corporation7. Bayer Corporation8. Blistex Inc.9. Burts Bees10. Carma Laboratories11. Chanel12. Chattem13. CLOROX14. EOS15. Markwins Beauty Products16. Stargazer17. Yves RocherLip Care Products Market : By ApplicationHypermarket and SupermarketHarmacies and DrugstoreSpecialty RetailersOnline StoresLip Care Products Market : By TypeNon-medicatedSun ProtectionMedicated & TherapeuticFirstly, the report covers the top Lip Care Products manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Lip Care Products report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Lip Care Products industry, Lip Care Products industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Lip Care Products Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Lip Care Products research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Lip Care Products market revenue worldwide.Finally, Lip Care Products market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Usqyresearchstore.com is a leading market intelligence team which making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@qyresearchstore.com
March 7, 2018: Coated Stent Graft Market Research 2018-2025 Abbott Laboratories, Cordis, Boston Scientific

Coated Stent Graft Market Forecast 2018

https://goo.gl/PJHxRZ

http://qyresearchstore.com/global-coated-stent-graft-market-manufacturers-2018-review-size-and-forecast-2023/

A market study "Global Coated Stent Graft Market" examines the performance of the Coated Stent Graft Market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Coated Stent Graft Market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Coated Stent Graft Market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Coated Stent Graft Market 2018 report includes Coated Stent Graft Market Revenue, market Share, Coated Stent Graft industry volume, market Trends, Coated Stent Graft Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Coated Stent Graft Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Coated Stent Graft Market 2018 : Abbott Laboratories Cordis Corporation Boston Scientific C.R. Bard Medtronic Biosensors Lifetech Scientific BIOTRONIK Gore MedicalCoated Stent Graft Market : By ApplicationCardiovascular DiseasesCardiac AneurysmKidney FailureCoated Stent Graft Market : By TypeHemodialysis Access GraftEndovascular Stent GraftPeripheral vascularFirstly, the report covers the top Coated Stent Graft manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Coated Stent Graft report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Coated Stent Graft industry, Coated Stent Graft industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Coated Stent Graft Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Coated Stent Graft research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Coated Stent Graft Market revenue worldwide.Finally, Coated Stent Graft Market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Usqyresearchstore.com is a leading market intelligence team which making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@qyresearchstore.com
March 7, 2018: IVIg Powder Market Demand 2018-2025 Baxter, Grifols, CSL, Octapharma

IVIg Powder Market Growth 2018

https://goo.gl/Nj4BtM

http://qyresearchstore.com/global-ivig-powder-market-manufacturers-2018-review-size-and-forecast-2023/

A market study "Global IVIg Powder Market" examines the performance of the IVIg Powder market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the IVIg Powder market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of IVIg Powder market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global IVIg Powder Market 2018 report includes IVIg Powder market Revenue, market Share, IVIg Powder industry volume, market Trends, IVIg Powder Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, IVIg Powder Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global IVIg Powder Market 2018 :1. Baxter2. Grifols3. CSL4. Octapharma5. Biotest6. Kedrion7. Hualan Bio8. CNBG9. Shanghai RAAS10. CBPO11. LFB Group12. BPL13. Sichuan Yuanda ShuyangIVIg Powder Market : By ApplicationImmunodeficiencyAutoimmune DiseaseAcute InfectionIVIg Powder Market : By Type2.5g1.25gFirstly, the report covers the top IVIg Powder manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the IVIg Powder report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of IVIg Powder industry, IVIg Powder industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. IVIg Powder Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The IVIg Powder research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the IVIg Powder market revenue worldwide.Finally, IVIg Powder market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Usqyresearchstore.com is a leading market intelligence team which making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@qyresearchstore.com
March 7, 2018: Alimta Market Demand 2018-2025 Eli Lilly, Abbott Healthcare, Cadila Healthcare

Alimta Market Growth 2018

https://goo.gl/DD9sMC

http://qyresearchstore.com/global-alimta-market-manufacturers-2018-review-size-and-forecast-2023/

A market study "Global Alimta Market" examines the performance of the Alimta market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Alimta market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Alimta market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Alimta Market 2018 report includes Alimta market Revenue, market Share, Alimta industry volume, market Trends, Alimta Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Alimta Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Alimta Market 2018 :Eli LillyAbbott HealthcareCadila HealthcareAlimta Market : By ApplicationPleural MesotheliomaNon-small Cell Lung CancerAlimta Market : By Type100mg500mgFirstly, the report covers the top Alimta manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Alimta report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Alimta industry, Alimta industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Alimta Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Alimta research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Alimta market revenue worldwide.Finally, Alimta market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Usqyresearchstore.com is a leading market intelligence team which making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@qyresearchstore.com
Mar 07, 2018: Appearance Boards Market Manufacturers Mendocino, Welldonewood, Claymark, Builders Choice

Appearance Boards Market

http://bit.ly/2FXRZpX

http://bit.ly/2oVjdoX

http://qyresearchstore.com/

QY Research Store Recently added detailed market study on the "Global Appearance Boards Market Research Report 2018-2025" which provides an outlook of current market value of Appearance Boards Market as well as the expected forecast of Rate on Investment (ROI) with growing CAGR of XX% in Appearance Boards Market by the end of 2025. The report on the global Appearance Boards market uses the top-down and bottom-up approaches to define, analyze, and describe the Appearance Boards market 2018 trends for the next five years up to 2025.Get sample here :Top Companies Analysis Mentioned1. Builders Choice2. Alexandria Moulding3. Mendocino4. Welldonewood5. Claymark6. Toms Quality MillworkAppearance Boards Market Growth Analysis By Type Block Board Plywood Medium Density Fiberboard Particle Board OthersAppearance Boards Market Growth Analysis By Application Commercial ResidentialThe Global Appearance Boards Market Provides comprehensive understanding of the market with the help of Appearance Boards market outlook, opportunities, challenges, trends, Appearance Boards Market size, share and growth, competitive analysis, major competitors and Porter analysis. Appearance Boards market report further provides production, capacity, Appearance Boards market price per region, gross margin for all major regions and countries listed in Appearance Boards report.Browse full report :The Appearance Boards Market report provides upstream and downstream analysis of Appearance Boards market that covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Appearance Boards along with detailed manufacturing sources. Appearance Boards report Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with Appearance Boards manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report.About Us:QY Research Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAContact: +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@qyresearchstore.comWeb:
Mar 07, 2018: Stand-on Floor Scrubber Market Manufacturers Nilfisk, Tennant, Fimap, Pacific Floor Care

Stand-on Floor Scrubber Market

http://bit.ly/2H9u9a4

http://bit.ly/2Ha8gax

http://qyresearchstore.com/

QY Research Store Recently added detailed market study on the "Global Stand-on Floor Scrubber Market Research Report 2018-2025" which provides an outlook of current market value of Stand-on Floor Scrubber Market as well as the expected forecast of Rate on Investment (ROI) with growing CAGR of XX% in Stand-on Floor Scrubber Market by the end of 2025. The report on the global Stand-on Floor Scrubber market uses the top-down and bottom-up approaches to define, analyze, and describe the Stand-on Floor Scrubber market 2018 trends for the next five years up to 2025.Get sample here :Top Companies Analysis Mentioned Nilfisk Karcher Hako Tennant Comac IPC Eagle NSS Fimap Tornado Industries Gaomei RPS corporation Pacific Floor Care Chaobao OTHERSStand-on Floor Scrubber Market Growth Analysis By Type Micro/small Medium LargeStand-on Floor Scrubber Market Growth Analysis By Application Commercial Industrial Institution Transportation OthersThe Global Stand-on Floor Scrubber Market Provides comprehensive understanding of the market with the help of Stand-on Floor Scrubber market outlook, opportunities, challenges, trends, Stand-on Floor Scrubber Market size, share and growth, competitive analysis, major competitors and Porter analysis. Stand-on Floor Scrubber market report further provides production, capacity, Stand-on Floor Scrubber market price per region, gross margin for all major regions and countries listed in Stand-on Floor Scrubber report.Browse full report :The Stand-on Floor Scrubber Market report provides upstream and downstream analysis of Stand-on Floor Scrubber market that covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Stand-on Floor Scrubber along with detailed manufacturing sources. Stand-on Floor Scrubber report Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with Stand-on Floor Scrubber manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report.About Us:QY Research Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAContact: +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@qyresearchstore.comWeb:
Infectious Disease Point of Care Diagnostics Market: Global Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2012-2016 and Forecast 2017-2023

Infectious Disease Point of Care Diagnostics Market

https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/global-infectious-disease-point-of-care-diagnostics-market/#ulp-4H8Z4LpNMLEuOnnx

https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/global-infectious-disease-point-of-care-diagnostics-market/#ulp-c654SbFYO64MsOhu

https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/global-infectious-disease-point-of-care-diagnostics-market/#ulp-14mlyhjMGhVjZqa3

https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/global-infectious-disease-point-of-care-diagnostics-market/

https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com

Point of care diagnostics refers to the tests carried at site of the patient care to provide the immediate results. These diagnostics improve the disease management and detection. Infectious diseases are caused by various microorganisms such as virus, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Infectious disease point of care diagnostics reduces the time between disease testing and diagnosis of an infection. Nowadays most of the infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, influenza, tropical diseases, and sexually transmitted infections are diagnosed by the point of care testing. The major advantages with the point of care testing are reduced in diagnosis time, postoperative care time, improvement in disease outcomes, accuracy in results, and simple methods for diagnosis of the infectious diseases.Increase in the incidence and prevalence of infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue, HIV, rise in healthcare expenditure, growing investments from public and private sectors for the development of new products, rising government support towards the adoption of point of care devices are expected to drive global infectious disease point of care diagnostics market over the forecast period. Moreover, the technological advancements in point of care diagnostic devices and introduction of home-based point of care devices are also anticipated to boost the infectious disease point of care diagnostics market. However, reluctance among the patients to change in existing diagnostic practices, stringent regulatory policies, and reimbursement issues might restrain the growth of global infectious disease point of care diagnostics market over the forecast timeframe.A sample of this report is available upon request @The infectious disease point of care diagnostics market segmented based on product type, disease condition, prescription mode, and end users.Based on product type, the infectious disease point of care diagnostics market segmented into the following: Infectious disease testing kits & Reagentso Hepatitiso HIV infectiono Respiratory infectionso Influenzao Sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) infectiono Others Haematology testing kits Urinalysis Testing Kits OthersBased on disease condition, the infectious disease point of care diagnostics market segmented into the following: Bacterial Infection Fungal infection Viral Infection Cardiovascular infection GI infections Sexually transmitted disease CNS infections OtherBased on prescription mode, the infectious disease point of care diagnostics market segmented into the following: Over-the-counter (OTC) Testing Kits Prescription-based Testing KitsBased on end-user, the infectious disease point of care diagnostics market segmented into the following: Professional diagnostic centreso Hospitalso Outpatient healthcare Setting Homecare OthersTo view TOC of this report is available upon request @The global infectious disease point of care diagnostics market is in the flourishing stage as several local and international players are actively involved in the development of infectious disease point of care diagnostic devices. Increase in the prevalence of the deadly infectious disease will drive the growth of the global infectious disease point of care diagnostics market. For instance, according to World Health Organisation, global health observatory (GHO) data, in 2013, approximately 34-38 million people suffered from HIV infection worldwide. Launching of new products, approvals from various regulatory bodies, acquisitions and mergers, partnerships, collaborations, and joint ventures are expected to fuel the growth of global infectious disease point of care diagnostics market over the forecast period. For instance, in January 2015, FDA has approved Alere for its first CLIA waiver for the nucleic acid-based test, Influenza A&B. Further Roches CLIA waiver for Cobas Liat System and Strep A. By 2016, many systems received CLIA waivers from FDA including the Xpert Flu/RSV Xc by Cepheids.Need more information about this report @Geographically, global infectious disease point of care diagnostics market has been segmented into following regions Viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East & Africa and Asia-Pacific. North-America holds a key share in global infectious disease point of care diagnostics market is due to increase in the prevalence of infectious diseases especially in U.S. (according to UNAIDS, in 2012, about 1.3Mn patients were diagnosed with HIV within the U.S.). These statistics are likely to increase over the coming years if suitable treatment options are not provided in time. The European region is also a major region for the growth of global infectious disease point of care diagnostics market due to improved healthcare infrastructure, and increase in prevalence of bacterial and viral diseases (according to WHO European Region, at the end of 2015, about 13.3 Mn people live with chronic hepatitis B, an estimated 15 Mn people with hepatitis C, and more than 2 Mn people with HIV). Moreover, Asia-Pacific region holds a significant growth in infectious disease point of care diagnostics market owing to the high prevalence of infectious diseases, unhygienic environment, and huge investment opportunities due to increase in healthcare expenditure. Moreover, due to high prevalence and incidence of infectious diseases especially sexually transmitted disease and bacterial infections, and high population  the growth of global infectious disease point of care diagnostics market expected to fuel in the Asia-Pacific region.Some of the players in the global infectious disease point of care diagnostics market are Cepheid Inc. (Danaher Corporation) (U.S.), Abbott Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.), F. Hoffmann La Roche Limited (Switzerland), Beckman Coulter, Inc. (U.S.), Siemens AG (Germany), Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. (U.S.), Instrumentation Laboratory (U.S.), Becton, Dickinson and Company (U.S.), Alere Inc. (U.S.), Nova Biomedical (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.), and Quidel Corporation (U.S.) to name a few.Get access to full summary @About Precision Business InsightsPrecision Business Insights is one of the leading market research and business consulting firm, which follow a holistic approach to solve needs of the clients. We adopt and implement proven research methodologies to achieve better results. We help our clients by providing actionable insights and strategies to make better decisions. We provide consulting, syndicated and customised market research services based on our client needs.Contact to Precision Business Insights,Kemp House,152  160 City Road,London EC1V 2NXEmail: sales@precisionbusinessinsights.comToll Free (US): +1-866-598-1553Website @
Global Chickpeas Market Overview 2018: Growth, Price Trends, Demand and Forecast Research Report to 2023

https://www.imarcgroup.com/request?type=report&id=661&flag=B

https://www.imarcgroup.com/prefeasibility-report-chickpea-processing-plant

https://www.imarcgroup.com/kaspa-peas-market

https://www.imarcgroup.com/prefeasibility-report-pigeon-pea-processing-plant

www.imarcgroup.com

The global chickpeas market is growing at a healthy rate. Some of the factors that have influenced the demand include rising population, improving standards of living, health benefits, increasing applications in food industry, etc.Request a sample report:Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are pulses which belong to the Leguminosae family, consumed mainly within the Asian and Middle Eastern nations. Chickpeas are endowed with the goodness of nutrients, vitamins and fibre, and help in increasing folate as well as manganese intake. They are beneficial for boosting digestion, keeping blood sugar levels stable and catering satiety as well as weight-loss. Chickpeas are generally distinguished into two types, namely Desi and Kabuli. While Desi chickpeas are grown in India, Kabuli chickpeas are cultivated only in West Asia and the Mediterranean regions. A new research report by IMARC Group, titled Chickpeas Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2018-2023, estimates that the global chickpeas market reached a volume of more than 12 Million Tons in 2017. The report further anticipates the market to reach approximately 13 Million Tons by 2023, at a projected CAGR exceeding 1% over the forecast period.Read full report with TOC:Market Drivers/Constraints:One of the primary factors that has proliferated the demand for chickpeas are the health benefits that are associated with chickpeas. Some of these health benefits include weight management, strengthening bones, reduction of inflammation, improving digestion, and preventing diabetes and heart-attacks.In addition, the growing population in emerging nations has affected the demand for food supply. As a result, the demand for chickpeas has witnessed a surge over the past few years. Further, improving standards of living have shifted consumer preferences to healthier food options like chickpeas.Moreover, chickpeas are known for their potency to enhance the aroma and taste of numerous food products like spreads, dips, soups, sauces, etc. This has led to the rising applications of chickpeas in the food industry, thereby influencing its overall demand in the global market.However, there are several factors that hamper the market growth. Though chickpeas act as a great source of gluten-free protein for the vegans, eating chickpeas in excess may disturb the digestion pattern or give a stomach-ache.Regional Insights:On a geographical front, India represents the biggest producer of chickpeas accounting for the majority of the global production. It is followed by Australia, Pakistan, Myanmar and Ethiopia. The report has also covered the import and export trends, where Australia enjoys a leading position as an exporter in the market, followed by Russia, India, Mexico, Canada, the United States, Ethiopia, Argentina, Tanzania and Iran. On the other hand, India is the largest importer of chickpeas, followed by Bangladesh, Egypt, the United States, Algeria, Pakistan, Spain, United Kingdom and Turkey.Browse related reports:Kaspa Peas Market Research Report:Pigeon Pea Market Research Report:About UsIMARC Group is a leading market research company that offers management strategy and market research worldwide. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses.IMARCs information products include major market, scientific, economic and technological developments for business leaders in pharmaceutical, industrial, and high technology organizations. Market forecasts and industry analysis for biotechnology, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, travel and tourism, nanotechnology and novel processing methods are at the top of the companys expertise.Contact usIMARC Group309 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USAWebsite:Email: sales@imarcgroup.comUSA: +1-631-791-1145Follow us on twitter: @imarcglobal
Indian Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment Market, 2015-2022

https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/indian-diabetes-market/

Indian Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment Market, Size, Share, Intelligence, Company Profiles, Market Trends, Strategy, Analysis, Forecast 2015-2022MARKET INSIGHTS:The Indian Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment Market is estimated to grow with the CAGR of 20.5% during the period 2017-2022. The major factors that are augmenting the growth of the market are increase in the geriatric population of the India, urbanization and increasing prevalence of diabetes in the country. Additionally, rising obesity levels, innovation and development of new product for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and growing trend of the wearable devices and POC solution are also some of the major factors that are fuelling the growth of the Indian diabetes market.India has huge potential for the growth of the Indian diabetes market. Diabetes is an expensive and rapidly growing health problem all over the world. In 2015, it is estimated that the approximately 370 million across the globe have diabetes, out of which more than 90% of the population have Type-II diabetes. India has the second largest number of diabetics population in the world. In 2015, about 60 million people India is suffering from diabetes. Moreover, 75 million people are in the risk to develop diabetes. These are the major factors that are attracting multinational companies to invest in India. Therefore increasing investment by the key players in the India are driving the growth of the diabetes market.For More Info:Increasing geriatric population is also one of the major factors driving the growth of the diabetes market in India. In the year 2015, population aging 65 year or older is estimated to account for about 6% of the total population of the India i.e. 78 million, it is further estimated to reach 8.8% by the year 2030. Population aging 65 or older are more prone to diabetes. Therefore increasing geriatric population in India is estimated to motivate the growth of the Indian Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment Market.However, there are certain factors that are affecting the growth of the diabetes market in India. Lack of awareness among people, high cost and recurring cost of treatment, lack of availability of insulin pumps and CGMS devices are some of the major constraints that are hindering the growth of the diabetes market in the region.COMPETITIVE INSIGHTSKey players of the Indian diabetes market are AstraZeneca Pharma India ltd, Eli Lily and company India ltd, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals ltd, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Lupin pharmaceuticals ltd, Merck & co, Micro labs Ltd, MSD pharmaceuticals, Novartis India, Novo Nordisk India, Pfizer India, Sanofi Aventis, Sun Pharmaceuticals, USV India.OMR Report covers: Comprehensive research methodology of Global Indian Diabetes Market This report also includes detailed and extensive market overview with Analyst insights & key market trends. Exhaustive analysis of macro and micro factors influencing the market guided by key recommendations. Analysis of regional regulations and other government policies impacting the Global Indian Diabetes Market Insights about market determinants which are stimulating the Global Indian Diabetes Market Detailed and extensive market segments with regional distribution of forecasted revenues. Extensive profiles and recent developments of market players.Orion Market Research (OMR) is an Indian research company known for its crisp and concise reports.The company is equipped with an experienced team and young brigade of analysts. The company provides quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiling, consulting and other research-based services. OMR provide global and regional market reports of various domains such as healthcare, energy, IT, chemicals, and automobiles. The company provides a 360-degree view of the market with parametric analysis, key market insights, key findings, statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, extensive segmentation, key trends, strategic recommendations and detailed company profiles.CORPORATE OFFICE:Orion Market Research Pvt Ltd116, Shagun ArcadeVijay Nagar SquareIndore, Madhya Pradesh  India- 452010Email: info@omrglobal.com, support@omrglobal.comIndia: +91-780-304-0404Global: +1-646-755-7667
Artificial Neural Network Market Size & Analysis  Forecasts To 2025

GLOBAL MARKET ESTIMATES

https://www.globalmarketestimates.com/artificial-neural-network-market/

https://www.globalmarketestimates.com/annual-research-partnership-services/

Artificial Neural Network: Market InsightsThe artificial neural network market is projected to experience a double digit growth over the coming years on account of rapid develop in artificial intelligence and deep learning. Growing rate of technological adoption in the aerospace & defence industry is expected to foster market growth.The artificial neural network has a wide range of applications from machine vision, robotics, smart motion, medical & satellite imaging, speech & voice recognition, drug discovery, and data mining among others.Artificial Neural Network Market: Type InsightsOn the basis of type, the artificial neural network market is segmented into FeedForward and Feedback. FeedForward is used to feed information to various units; however no inputs are received back. FeedBack ANN allows feedback loops to gain the best possible analysis.Artificial Neural Network Market: Application InsightsOn the basis of application, the artificial neural network is segmented into aerospace & defense, automotive & transportation, electronics & telecommunication, financials, industrial, medical, and others. In the aerospace and defense sector ANN is used to detect aircraft faults, weapon orientation, target tracking, facial recognition, image identification, and to autopilot aircrafts among others.Large investments in the healthcare sector are expected to induce demand for ANN. ANN is used in cancer cell analysis, ECG & EEG analysis, transplant time optimization and prosthetic design among others. Large demand for faster and smarter electronics is also expected to propel demand for ANN.Request for a sample copy of the artificial neural network market report at:Artificial Neural Network Market: Regional InsightsThe demand for artificial neural network market is expected to gain the highest traction in the North American market. The U.S. is expected to invest heavily in the artificial intelligence sector. Rapid adoption of technologies in the aerospace & defense sector is also projected to augment market demand over the coming years.The Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at a high CAGR over the coming years on account of technological developments and research activities undertaken in the military, BFSI, automotive & transportation, and electronics & telecommunication industry. The region is one of the largest producers and developers of electronics, automotives, and telecommunications equipment.Artificial Neural Network Market: Vendor LandscapeThe report contains a chapter dedicated to vendors operating in the market, covering raw material manufactures, equipment developers, manufacturers, and distributors. The report provides these insights on a regional level. This section of the report entails contact details, experience, products manufactured/supplied, and geographical presence of companies.Artificial Neural Network Market: End-Use LandscapeThe report provides a detailed list of end-users operating across the world. The end-user landscape includes consumer contact details, geographical presence, revenue, product portfolio, organic and inorganic growth strategies among others. Some of the companies who are likely to use artificial neural network include Boeing, General Atomics, and Northrop Grumman among others.Artificial Neural Network: Market Share & Competitor AnalysisSome of the prominent companies engaged in artificial neural network market include Google Inc., Intel Corporation, Hu:toma Artificial Intelligence, Atomwise, Artificial Intelligence Techniques, Ltd., Neurala, Inc., DeePhi Tech, and TheWhollySee Company Ltd. among others. The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in various applications is projected to positively influence demand over the coming years.Check our annual research partnership service at:Were constantly identifying and analysing high growth markets and revenue pockets. In consultation with various industry experts, our team of highly-skilled industry analysts study these markets through sophisticated tools and fail-safe, industry-approved methodologies.Name: Global Market Estimates Research & Business ConsultantsAddress: A-9, Silver Croft CHSL, Mumbai:400064, IndiaContact No,: +91 9146632316Email Address: sales@globalmarketestimates.com
SGS Kapihan: An ISO 37001 Expert Discussion (Makati)

Meet our industry experts and discover the importance of ISO 37001:2016 or the Anti-Bribery Management Systems (ABMS) in our Kapihan Session on March 23 at the SGS Academy Makati.The SGS Kapihan Session is a unique avenue to bring leading companies and industry experts together to share their knowledge and expertise, engage in discussions and build networks among various organizations and professionals.WHO SHOULD ATTEND THE Kapihan SESSION?Companies responsible to establish and maintain an ABMSCompanies who would like to obtain knowledge about ABMS processesCompanies concerned about ABMSGovernment AgenciesEVENT DETAILSDate: March 23, 2018 (Friday)Time: 1PM to 3PM (Registration starts at 12PM)Venue: SGS Academy Makati, 3rd Floor, 2229 Alegria Building, Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City 1231The event is for FREE, with a maximum of 2 slots per organization. For reservations,Email: furtherexcellenceph@sgs.comCall: (632) 784-9400 loc 623To help organizations enhance their anti-bribery controls, SGS Philippines will hold its first (ISO 37001) Anti-bribery management systems expert discussion forum on March 23, 2018 at Alegria Bldg., Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City.ISO 37001 is designed to be integrated into every organization's existing management systems, processes and controls. It follows the common ISO structure for management system standards, for easy integration with other standards, such as ISO 9001.SGS Philippines, Inc.3rd Floor Alegria Building2229 Chino Roces AvenueMakati City, Philippines
Market Research on Calcium Propionate Market Analysis to 2023

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2078

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/calcium-propionate-market.htm

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Global Calcium Propionate Market: SnapshotThe primary driver for the global calcium propionate market is the growing demand for convenience foods and ready-to-eat foods across the world, a factor attributed to the increasingly work-oriented and busy lifestyles of consumers. Additionally, consumers from a lot of diverse economic regions are becoming aware of the various food-borne diseases and what they can do to avoid them.The use of anti-microbial additives is one of the foremost methods to provide germ-free food that lasts longer on the shelf. In fact, the anti-microbial properties of calcium propionate have created a high demand for it in bakery products. A large number of bakeries use calcium propionate to prevent their bread-based products from growing molds. Calcium propionate is also more cost-effective than other preservatives such as sulfites or sorbates, which will further enhance its position and demand, especially in emerging economies.Download PDF Brochure @There is, however, a parallel growth in the demand for fresh foods and organic foods in the world, owing to the concerns of consuming chemicals and additives in food. More and more people are concerned over the consumption of chemicals that are linked to several long-term illnesses and are therefore demanding foods that are devoid of any additives.All in all, the global market for calcium propionate is expected to reach US$343.6 mn by the end of 2016 and US$480.3 mn by 2023, after this revenue being projected at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2015 to 2023.Europe Leads Consumption of Calcium PropionateBy the end of 2023, Europe is expected to generate a revenue of US$175.9 mn in calcium propionate manufacture and distributions. Europe has consistently been the leading consumer of calcium propionate in the world and is expected to continue being in the lead till 2023. A large demand for calcium propionate comes from the nations of Italy, France, and the U.K., owing to their great consumption rate of convenience foods on a daily basis by the working class. Manufacturers of bakery products, dairy products, and animal feed products are all using calcium propionate in large quantities due to its preservative and anti-microbial nature. The demand for calcium propionate in Europe is also high due to the ban on antibiotics in multiple applications where calcium propionate can fill in.North America holds a large demand for calcium propionate, but is expected to show a very slow growth in demand over the coming years, due to market saturation and a growing demand for fresh foods and organic foods. Meanwhile, Asia Pacific is showing a massive surge in its demand for calcium propionate due to its cost-effective nature.Obtain Report Details @Bakery Applications of Calcium Propionate SurgeCalcium propionate is currently one of the leading additives used to improve the shelf-life of foods. It finds key applications in the production of bakery foods, animal feed, meat processing, packaged foods, and specific beverages. The bakery industry leads the consumption of calcium propionate among all its applications. By the end of 2023, bakery applications of calcium propionate are expected to generate a revenue of US$270.0 mn for it. It is largely used to store grains and preparation foods such as pastas, noodles, and ready-to-eat foods such as breakfast cereals.The list of top players in the global calcium propionate market currently includes Niacet Corporation, Kemira, Macco Organiques Inc., Perstorp Holding AB, AB Mauri, Addcon GmbH, A.M. Food Chemical Co. Ltd., Cargill Incorporated, Chr. Hansen A/S, and BASF SE.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Bone Biopsy Market 2018 Professional Analysis |Top Players are C R Bard (U.S.), Becton, Dickinson and Company (U.S.), B. Braun Melsungen AG, etc.

Market Research Future

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5341

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/5341

Worldwide Bone Biopsy Market Region Wise surveying Report is added on Marketresearchfuture.com with 110 pages. It is also contains Market information by Types, Indication and End-user. Worldwide Forecast to 2023Bone biopsy is a procedure in which a sample of bone tissue is taken and observed under the microscope to diagnose various bone disorders such as osteopenia. It is of two types namely, needle biopsy and open biopsy. In needle biopsy, a biopsy needle is used to take the tissue sample. In open biopsy, an incision is made through the skin and the sample is taken. Bone cancer, bone infection or inflammation, chronic kidney disease and osteoporosis are major indications for bone biopsy. Bone Biopsy Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period.Rising prevalence of cancer and increasing demand for new diagnostic procedures are the major factors driving the growth of the market across the globe. Furthermore, increasing healthcare expenditure and overall growth of healthcare industry also influence the market growth. Splendid research in the field of oncology also boost the market. However, low patient awareness about chronic kidney disease and importance of early diagnosis among the people may restrain the market growth.Major Players are:Some of the key players in this market are C R Bard (U.S.), Becton, Dickinson and Company (U.S.), B. Braun Melsungen AG, Hologic, Inc. (U.S.), and Cook Medical (U.S.), Devicor Medical Products Inc. (U.S.), Argon Medical Inc. (U.S.) and others.Request Sample copy of Bone Biopsy Market Report@Segments:The global bone biopsy market is segmented on the basis of type, indication and end user. On the basis of the component, market is segmented into needle biopsy and open biopsy. On the basis of the application, the market is segmented into bone cancer, bone infection, chronic kidney disease, osteoporosis, and others. On the basis of the end user, the market is segmented into hospital & clinics, surgical centers, diagnostic centers, and others.Regional Analysis of the Global Bone Biopsy Market:America holds the first position in the bone biopsy market owing to the rising prevalence of cancer in the U.S. and increasing demand for new cancer diagnostic and treatment services. In Americas, North America is the largest market owing to the presence of key players in healthcare diagnostic industry. The prevalence of osteoporosis is found to be higher in the population over 35 years for age. Changing lifestyle, emphasis on fitness and exercise, and overall development of medical device industry also accelerate the growth of the market.Europe is the second largest market for bone biopsy. In Europe, there is an increasing demand for advanced bone biopsy devices, and extensive research and development activities by clinical research and academic institutes for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Germany is the largest market followed by France. The market in Germany is driven by increasing demand for specialty care services.LIST OF TABLESTable 1 Bone Biopsy Industry Synopsis, 2017  2023Table 2 Global Bone Biopsy Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017  2023, (USD Million)Table 3 Global Bone Biopsy Market by Region, 2017  2023, (USD Million)Table 4 Global Bone Biopsy Market by Type, 2017  2023, (USD Million)Table 5 Global Bone Biopsy Market by Indication, 2017  2023, (USD Million)ContinuedLIST OF FIGURESFigure 1 Research ProcessFigure 2 Segmentation for Global Bone Biopsy MarketFigure 3 Segmentation Market Dynamics for Global Bone Biopsy MarketFigure 4 Global Bone Biopsy Market Share, By Type 2016Figure 5 Global Bone Biopsy Market Share, By Indication 2016ContinuedFor more Inquiry on Bone Biopsy Market Report @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune  411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
The 'Internet of Things' Will Be The World's Most Massive Device Market And Save Companies Billions Of Dollars

https://www.xpodenceresearch.com/Request-Sample/105812

https://www.xpodenceresearch.com/Reports/Internet-of-Things-Market

https://www.xpodenceresearch.com/Reports/Cloud-Radio-Access-Network-Market

https://www.xpodenceresearch.com/Reports/India-Hyperloop-Market

Market Scenario:The Internet of Things (IoT) is referred as the networking of major physical objects through embedded actuators, sensors, and other devices which can transmit the information about the objects. The data received from these devices can be analyzed to optimize service, products, and operations. Hence, the frenzied pace of adoption, deployment, and diffusion of internet based process and various technology is expected to drive the IoT market.The rapid plunging costs of IoT sensors and the rise of cloud computing as strong base for IoT is also anticipated to enhance the industry over the forecast period. Furthermore, few other factors contributing to the growth includes technological advancement in broadband and internet; growth in wireless small range communication; omnipresence of various tablets and smartphones generating the gateways for monitoring & controlling IoT devices; and block-chain application along with the transforming influence on IoT security.Leading Players of Internet of Things (IoT) Market:The leading competitive large scale vendors in the market include Qualcomm, Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco Systems, and AT&T. The other prominent vendors in the IoT market are Freescale Semiconductor, Accenture, CTS, ARM Holdings, Atmel, Telefonica, Atos, Bosch Software Innovations, Broadcom, NEC, , Dell, TCS, Digi International, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Echelon, Zebra Technologies, Ericsson, GE, Hitachi, , Apple, HP, Huawei Technologies, IBM, Samsung Electronics, Infosys, , Texas Instruments, Intel, Siemens, Juniper Networks, Microsoft, National Instruments, Oracle, Rockwell Automation, , Google, SAP, Schneider Electric, Symantec, Tech Mahindra, Tieto, Verizon Communications and PTC.Download Sample Copy of Report @Market Highlights:Additionally, the development of telecom and internet infrastructure, digitalizing lifestyles of major population, and simultaneous growth of digital consumers are also projected to influence the industry. Also, low cost of devices has increased the application in manufacturing; industrial sector will further influence the market positively over the forecast period.Increasing focus of suppliers towards IoT technology along with rising standards has influenced the industry growth. However, rising integrity standards have led to the complexity in connectivity may hinder the market growth over the forecast period.M2M (machine to machine) & telecom providers, device & sensors providers, third-party integration providers, regulatory agencies, governments, consultancy & advisory firms, application developers & aggregators, and Application Program Interface (API) integrators are few clients of the IoT market.Increasing demand for Big Data Analytics is further expected to fuel the technology implementation since several industries such as energy; transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare are utilizing analytics for tracking the information and maintaining the records for stored data. This integration of IoT and analytics allows continuous transfer of real time data between networks and machine resulting in efficient management of high volume data.Browse Report @Market Growth:Manufacturers are opting for the technology majorly to enhance business productivity and more optimized and maintained factory floor performance. Increased application for location-based sensors in various sectors to manage and track inventories will accelerate the growth of the market in the forecast period.APAC is expected to contribute majorly to the IoT industry and is anticipated to witness enormous growth in the forecast period. Increased investments in infrastructure and technological development in various APAC countries and the increasing application of Nano-scale devices and sensors are projected to spur the growth in the regionThe IoT market is highly fragmented owing to the presence of large and small players. Major industry players, network & service providers and core machine to machine vendors are focused on merger & acquisition for expanding the industry presence and enhance the customer range. The entry of new vendors with new technology is expected to further enhance the competition in the industry.Related Reports:Cloud Radio Access Network Market:India Hyperloop Market:About us:Xpodence Research have the most extensive collection of Industry research reports of many categories. Xpodence Research provides the best Industry research solution for every industry by publishing the best possible results of great Industry research firms worldwide. For every particular problem, theres a particular solution, so according to the customer needs, we provide the best possible results to them from different Industry research organization, whether its a Custom Research or Syndicated Research reports because the product that wins is the one that bridges customers to the future, not the one that requires a giant leap.Every organization, whether it is related to Pharmaceuticals, Technology, Eatables, Consumable Goods and many more demands a Industry research results so that they can take important decisions for more productivity and better output in this swift world. Xpodence Research gives the best possible outcome, perfect forecast, analysis and insights of Industry research in the form of report which is beneficial for various organisations and also to the manufacturing companies in taking the best decisions for quality production.Contact us:Xpodence Research244 , Madison AvenueNew York City, NY - 10016United StatesToll Free +1- 844-445-2861Email: sales@xpodenceresearch.com
Polyamide Market 2017 Receives a Rapid Boost in Economy Due to High Emerging Demands by Forecast to 2025

https://www.xpodenceresearch.com/Request-Sample/105664

https://www.xpodenceresearch.com/Reports/Polyamide-Market

Industry HighlightsDeveloping car industry in created and creating nations is relied upon to drive the polyamide advertise. Polyamides are favored via car fabricates because of their superior requiring little to no effort. Attributable to current ascent in crude materials costs in car industry, makers are moving towards polyamides for different end-users, for example, coatings and movies. The development in car industry is because of the rising extra cash of purchasers and increment in transportation exercises over the world.Expanding request from end-users in hardware and coatings industry is required to drive the market. Increment in the development exercises and rising populace are real driving elements for hardware and coatings industry. Ease of creation and elite factors, for example, substance and wear protection and protection settles on polyamide perfect decision to be utilized as a part of electrical and electronic end-users.Get Sample Report @Top Industry PlayersSome of the major companies in the global polyamide market are BASF SE, Formosa Group, Honeywell International Inc. Li Peng Enterprise Co., Invista, Du Pont de Nemours and Company, Radici Group, Solvay, Royal DSM N.V., Ascend Performance Materials Inc.Market OverviewPolyamide is a polymer with adaptable properties and popularity in different end client portions, for example, automotive, material, gadgets, hardware, bundling and coatings among others. Polyamides happen normally in type of fleece, silk among others and can be incorporated falsely. Nylon, polyamide 6 and aramid are among misleadingly made polyamides. Simulated polyamides show properties, for example, protection from wear, great mechanical properties, low penetrability to gasses and concoction protection. Bio-based polyamides are picking up request in advertise inferable from its eco-accommodating nature. Polyamide 6 is overwhelming sort among polyamides as far as income and utilization attributable to its cost to execution factor.Innovative work in the field of bio-based and claim to fame polyamide for various end-users is relied upon to give huge chances to players sooner rather than later. The makers, affiliations and finished result produces are putting resources into R&D exercises. Polyamide end-users in nourishment contact and household items and forte polyamides in car to supplant metals are relied upon to give chances to players in this market. Innovation alterations, for example, bio-based polyamide are required to drive the market in not so distant future attributable to eco-accommodating properties.For More Information @Government directions and rising wellbeing mindfulness in creating nations are relied upon to fuel the bio-based polyamide advertise soon. Complex assembling procedure of polyamide and accessibility of the antecedents are required to hamper polyamide showcase development. Debasing properties because of dampness retention is another factor which may hamper showcase development. Organizations are creating bio-based and claim to fame polyamides for various end-users including medicinal. For example, Akrema propelled forte polyamide, Pebax, Rilsan and Rilasmid, which are of medicinal review. These claim to fame polyamides offer preferred standpoint over different polyamides with one of a kind particulars, for example, gel rating, dampness substance and thickness.Market SegmentsThe global polyamide market is segmented on the basis of types, end-user and geography. The global market is segmented on the basis of types as Polyamide 6,6, Polyamide 6, Polyamide 6/10, Polyamide 6/12, Polyamide 11, Polyamide 12, Polyamide 46, Polyphthalamide, and others. Based on end-users the global market is classified as automotive, textile, electrical & electronics, aerospace & defense, packaging & storage, extrusion and others. The global polyamide market is segmented based on regions as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa.About UsXpodence Research has the most extensive collection of market research reports of many categories. Xpodence Research provides the best market research solution for every industry by publishing the best possible results of great market research firms worldwide. For every particular problem, theres a particular solution, so according to the customer needs, we provide the best possible results to them from different market research organization, whether its a Custom Research or Syndicated Research reports because the product that wins is the one that bridges customers to the future, not the one that requires a giant leap.Every organization, whether it is related to Pharmaceuticals, Technology, Eatables, Consumable Goods and many more demands a market research results so that they can take important decisions for more productivity and better output in this swift world. Xpodence Research gives the best possible outcome, perfect forecast, analysis and insights of market research in the form of report which is beneficial for various organizations and also to the manufacturing companies in taking the best decisions for quality production.Contact UsXpodence ResearchUSA Office244, Madison AvenueNew York City, NY - 10016United StatesToll Free +1- 844-445-2861Email: sales@xpodenceresearch.com
Thin Film Metrology Systems Market - Regional Outlook and Forecast 2017 - 2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=341

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=341

https://www.tmrresearch.com/thin-film-metrology-systems-market

Global Thin Film Metrology Systems Market: OverviewWith a rising application scope in the measurement of thin film parameters, such as resistivity, thickness, and stress, the market for thin film metrology systems has been experiencing a noticeable rise across the world. The augmenting demand for miniaturization of semiconductors is likely to add remarkably to the growth of this market in the years to come.Thin film metrology technology finds significant usage in the measurement of film thickness due to its accuracy. Opaque films, thick films, and transparent films are the main thin film metrology systems utilized across the world. Opaque films metrology system make use of sound waves to measure film thickness. The time duration between sound induction and echo detection is directly proportional to the thickness of films. In the transparent films metrology system, x-rays at multiple wavelengths and angles are utilized to measure the thickness of films. This metrology system is more popular among consumers due to its low cost and high accuracy.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Spectroscopic reflectometry, profilometry, ellipsometry, and x-ray analysis are the prime technologies utilized in thin film metrology systems, globally. These technologies play an important role in the manufacturing of motherboards, advanced memory chip devices, transistors, and various other complex semiconductor devices. These systems are extensively utilized in these devices to maintain the uniformity of the process during the production.Global Thin Film Metrology Systems Market: SnapshotThin film metrology system is the measurement of film thickness, accurately and precisely. The thickness of the materials measured range from fractions of nanometer to micrometers. Thin film metrology system also finds application in optical coating, semiconductor devices, and metal composition. This system is also utilized to measure the thin film coated over portable devices such as tablets and phones. Thin film is deposited over a material in two ways, namely chemical deposition and physical deposition. Profilometry, spectroscopic, ellipsometry, reflectrometry, and X-ray analysis are some of the technologies used to measure the film thickness. According to the report, the global market for thin film metrology systems is projected for a healthy growth rate during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.Request TOC of the Report @This report is a comprehensive analysis of the global thin film metrology systems market in its current scenario and based on several factors that are expected to influence the demand, the report presents figurative estimations of the revenue available in the market until 2025. One of the key feature of the report is its section on company profiles wherein several prominent companies currently active in the market are analyzed for their market share, product and services offered, and latest developments. The market for thin film metrology system can be segmented on the basis of type, end user, and geography. By type, the market can be divided into single layer thin film metrology and multilayer thin film metrology while by end-user, the market can be divided into semiconductor industry, data storage industries, silicon industries, and others,Global Thin Film Metrology Systems Market: Trends and ProspectsThe growing demand for miniaturization and integration of semiconductors is the primary factor driving the global market for thin film metrology systems. Miniaturization of IC has been a result of high level integration to add functionalities on a single device, which is anticipated to escalate the demand for thin film metrology systems until 2025. Thin film metrology systems also help in improving the efficiency of semiconductor manufacturing processes, and as the demand for semiconductor devices escalates due to the thriving electronics industry, the market for thin film metrology systems will be benefitted. These systems are also applicable in manufacturing complex semiconductor ICs, which has led to architectures such as 3D and FinFET. This factor will further propell the thin films metrology systems demand. Conversely, demand fluctuation in semiconductor industries is the factor expected to hinder the growth rate during the forecast period.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Thin Film Metrology Systems Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the market can be segmented into the regions of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world. Currently, North America serves the maximum demand, owing to factors such as surging demand for electronic goods and high purchasing ability of the consumers. However, Asia Pacific, which resides nearly the half of worlds population, is also projected for a healthy growth rate.KLA-Tencor, Nanometrics, Nova Measuring Instruments, Rudolph Technologies are some of the key players identified by the report in the global thin film metrology systems market. Other prominent vendors are Hitachi High-Technologies, SCREEN Holdings, and Semilab.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Global Professional Haircare Products Market to grow at a CAGR of 4.37% during 2017-2021 | Henkel, Kao Corporation, L'Oral, Procter and Gamble, Unilever

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1378086

https://www.researchmoz.us/global-professional-haircare-products-market-2017-2021-report.html/toc

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

Haircare products (including shampoos, conditioners, hair colorants, and hair styling products) that are offered and targeted for usage in beauty salons, spas, and by beauty professionals are considered professional haircare products. Sometimes, individuals purchase professional haircare products for their individual usage at home. Globally, haircare manufacturers segregate their professional lines from consumer lines based on their target audience.The global professional haircare products market to grow at a CAGR of 4.37% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global professional haircare products market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the retail volume and value sales of the market.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- EMEAClick to get Sample PDF:Technavio's report, Global Professional Haircare Products Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- Henkel- Kao Corporation- L'Oral- Procter and Gamble- UnileverOther prominent vendors- Avon- Cadiveu Professional USA- Chatters Canada- Combe- COTY- Este Lauder- REVLON- ShiseidoMarket driver- Product innovation and product-line extensions leading to product premiumization- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Similar product benefits from economically priced haircare products- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend- Evolving consumer expectations- For a full, detailed list, view our reportView Complete TOC with Tables and Figures at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Global Exterior Building Cleaning Market Size, Status and Forecast 2025

https://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1464442

https://www.researchtrades.com/discount/1464442

https://www.researchtrades.com/report/global-exterior-building-cleaning-market-size-status-and-forecast-2025/1464442

https://www.researchtrades.com

This report studies The Global Exterior Building Cleaning Market, analyzes and researches the Exterior Building Cleaning development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeGet free sample atG.L. CapassoPressure Washing HoustonKEVCO Building ServicesN-TrustedMen In KiltsCleantechApt-iccRestif Cleaning ServicesChemwashATL Maintenance Pte. Ltd.Seattle WAMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaRequest for discount atMarket segment by Application, Exterior Building Cleaning can be split intoCommercial BuildingResidential BuildingIndustrial BuildingGovernment and OrganizationTable of ContentsGlobal Exterior Building Cleaning Market Size, Status and Forecast 20251 Industry Overview of Exterior Building Cleaning1.1 Exterior Building Cleaning Market Overview1.1.1 Exterior Building Cleaning Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Exterior Building Cleaning Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2013-2018)1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Exterior Building Cleaning Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Commercial Building1.3.2 Residential Building1.3.3 Industrial Building1.3.4 Government and Organization2 Global Exterior Building Cleaning Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Exterior Building Cleaning Market Size (Value) by Players (2013-2018)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in FutureBrowse complete report at3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 G.L. Capasso3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Exterior Building Cleaning Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Pressure Washing Houston3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Exterior Building Cleaning Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 KEVCO?Building?Services3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Exterior Building Cleaning Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 N-Trusted3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Exterior Building Cleaning Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Men In Kilts3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Exterior Building Cleaning Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Cleantech3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Exterior Building Cleaning Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Apt-icc3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Exterior Building Cleaning Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Restif Cleaning Services3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Exterior Building Cleaning Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Chemwash3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Exterior Building Cleaning Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 ATL Maintenance Pte. Ltd.3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Exterior Building Cleaning Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Seattle WAWho we areResearch Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. This comprehensive analysis is obtained by a thorough research and study of the ongoing trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes. We distribute customized reports that focus on meeting the clients specific requirement. Our database consists of a large collection of high-quality reports obtained using a customer-centric approach, thus providing valuable research insights.Contact us:Email: sales@researchtrades.comCall us: +1 6269994607 (USA), +91 7507349866 (IND)Web:Skype ID: researchtradescon
Hydraulic Fluid Connectors Market is Projected to Reach more than USD 4.50 Billion By 2020

Hydraulic Fluid Connectors Market

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/hydraulic-fluid-connectors-industry

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/hydraulic-fluid-connectors-industry

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/

New York, March 07, 2018: Hydraulic fluid connectors technologies are used in different hydraulic applications for power transmission from one place to another place. Varity of techniques are used for power transmission such as fluid power, electrical power and mechanical power. Couplings, hoses, manifolds are some fluid connectors equipments used in the industry. Hydraulic fluid is transfer through the device to different hydraulic cylinders and hydraulic motors, then develops forced according to the resistance exists. Mobile hydraulic and industrial hydraulic are two types of hydraulic fluid connectors. The non-stationary applications are uses mobile hydraulic fluid connectors includes agriculture equipment, trucks and aerospace. Industrial hydraulic fluid connectors are used in stationary a application, which contains gas, oil and petroleum.Browse Full Report:The Hydraulic fluid connectors market is expected to exceed more than USD$4.70 billion by 2020.The hydraulic fluid connectors market is segmented on the lines of its product segment and application. Under product segmentation the hydraulic fluid connectors market covers mobile hydraulic and industrial hydraulic. The hydraulic fluid connectors market is segmented on the lines of its application like aerospace, agriculture, construction equipment, material handling, marine, heavy truck and mining. The hydraulic fluid connectors market is geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geography market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.The major driving factors of Hydraulic fluid connectors market are as follows: Growing demand for hydraulic fluid connectors from the aerospace business Increase of the North American manufacture equipment industryThe restraints factors of Hydraulic fluid connectors market are as follows: Increasing competition from pneumatic fluid power technologyThis report provides:1) An overview of the global market for Hydraulic fluid connectors and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2020.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for Hydraulic fluid connectors4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market.Key players profiled in the report include:Cameron International Corporation, Eaton Corporation plc, Gates Corporation, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Manuli Hydraulics, Kurt Hydraulics, RYCO Hydraulics Pty. Ltd., ITT Corporation and SPX Corporation. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.Request Sample Report:Table of Contents1 INTRODUCTION2 Executive Summary3 Hydraulic Fluid Connectors Market  North America Industry Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Value chain analysis3.3 Market drivers3.3.1 Increasing demand for hydraulic fluid connectors from the aerospace industry3.3.1.1 U.S. aerospace industry sales (USD Billion)3.3.1.2 U.S. aerospace industry revenue share, by product, 2003 and 20133.3.2 Growth of the North American construction equipment industry3.3.2.1 North America construction industry for fluid power products, 2013 - 2020 (USD Billion)3.4 Market restraints3.4.1 Growing competition from pneumatic fluid power technology3.5 Market opportunity3.5.1 Increasing implementation of bio-based fluids and fluid connectors3.6 Porters five forces analysis3.6.1 Bargaining power of suppliers3.6.2 Bargaining power of buyers3.6.3 Threat of new entrants3.6.4 Threat of substitutes3.6.5 Degree of competition3.7 Hydraulic fluid connectors: Market attractiveness analysis3.8 Hydraulic fluid connectors: Company market share analysis, 20133.9 U.S. hydraulic fluid connectors shipment scenario3.9.1 U.S. hydraulic fluid connectors shipment revenue, by product (USD Million)3.9.2 U.S. shipment revenue share for hydraulic fluid connectors product, by sub-product4 Hydraulic Fluid Connectors Market - North America Product Segment Analysis5 Hydraulic Fluid Connectors Market  North America Application Analysis6 Company Profiles6.1 Cameron International Corporation6.2 Eaton Corporation plc6.3 Gates Corporation6.4 Parker Hannifin Corporation6.5 Manuli Hydraulics6.6 Kurt Hydraulics6.7 RYCO Hydraulics Pty. Ltd.6.8 ITT Corporation6.9 SPX CorporationReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all active and planned coating industry globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of coating industry and unit capacity data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.About UsMarket Research Engine (MRE) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. MREs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each Market Research Engines research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Business Process as A Service (BPaaS) Market - Detailed Analysis and Forecast 2017-2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=350

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=350

https://www.tmrresearch.com/business-process-as-a-service-market

Global Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) Market and Cloud BPM Market: SnapshotThe different segments that constitute the public cloud services market are software as a service (SaaS), business process as a service (BPaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS). Among these, the global Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) and cloud business process management (BPM) market spells a lot of opportunity for IT companies. In the years ahead, the market is predicted to generate massive revenues and rise at a stellar CAGR on the back of deployment of automated business software and different business processes over cloud.Their take-up amongst companies has been swift enough so far as it is cost effective and results in more effective use of available resources. This in turn, proves profitable to the company in the long run. However, concerns about data security in a public platform like cloud has posed a challenge to the market. Nevertheless, powered primarily by the banking, financial services and insurnace (BFSI) and communication technology segments, the market is slated to grow at a healthy clip in the years ahead.Request Sample Copy of the Report @North America, being an early adopter of technologies, has been a major driving force of the the global Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) and cloud business process management (BPM) market. Going forward, Asia Pacific is predicted to clock maximum growth. The competitive landscape is fragmented on account of the presence of a copious number of small and large business process outsourcing companies. To up their ante, most players are focused on building cutting-edge products and services leveraging process automation software, business analytics, and social media platforms.Global Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) Market and Cloud BPM Market: OverviewThe global Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) and cloud business process management (BPM) market is a multibillion dollar opportunity for IT companies. The market is expected to be one of the top grossing segments for the IT industry in the next few years, expanding at a remarkable CAGR over the reports forecast period.BPaaS and cloud BPM refer to a business process layer on the top of cloud-based services such as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS). These solutions offer enterprises with numerous advantages such as virtualized workplaces, transparency in business processes, informed decisions, flexibility, accelerated performance, simplified operations, and informed decisions. BPaaS and cloud BPM encompass business process service for vertical as well as horizontal business processes through a high featured platform to deliver automated business outcomes.Request TOC of the Report @To avoid vendor locking and increase the cost effectiveness of the process execution, BPaaS and cloud BPM solutions are widely adopted to develop network among partners, employees, suppliers, distributors and other participants in a business module so as to deliver high value process outcome. The vast demand for these solutions across the globe is compelling an increasing number of IT companies to foray into the market and gain competitive advantage in the growing market. Companies are doing so by developing multi-purpose platforms capable of providing a complete range of solutions for all business processes.Global Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) Market and Cloud BPM Market: SegmentationThe global market for BPaaS and cloud BPM is segmented on the basis of criteria such as solutions, deployment model, service consumers, applications, and geography.On the basis of solutions, the market is segmented into platform and services. On the basis of deployment model, the market is segmented into on-premise and hosted model. On the basis of service consumers, the market is segmented into enterprise and small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). On the basis of applications, the market is segmented into: retail, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), communication and technology, healthcare, government, supply chain and manufacturing, and consumer goods. Furthermore, the market is segmented on the basis of geography into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW).Global Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) Market and Cloud BPM Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe vast rise in the need for agility of a number of business processes, with a view of containing the overall costs of operating diverse business operations is one of the key factors driving the demand for BPaaS and cloud BPM solutions in the business world. Moreover, the development of software and automated outsourcing, trend of employing cloud computing technology, and the high need of cost-effective business processes to survive amid intense competition in the global market are also driving the market.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @However, data security and compliance concerns, especially with organizations wanting to retain conventional IT infrastructure, cautious approach of higher management, and outages and third party dependence are some of the key factors challenging the growth prospects of the market. Nevertheless, BPaaS and cloud BPM solutions are expected to witness high growth in the near future owing to the vast rise in demand for virtualization and automation across workplaces, especially of organizations with geographically spread offices. BPaaS and cloud BPM solutions provide verifiable cost and efficiency-related results for such globally spread businesses, irrespective of different needs of business process and organizational structures.Some of the key vendors operating in the market are Capgemini, Cognizant, ADP, CSC, Ebuilder, Accenture, IBM, Fujitsu Limited, Oracle, Wipro, SAP, WNS, Northgatearinso, Genpact, Nuevora, Verecloud, Adaptive Planning, and Xerox ACS.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Global WiFi Modules Market Overview, Competitive Status Trend and Recent Developments

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1594066

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1594066/global-wet-blasting-machines-by-market-research-reports

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1594066/global-wet-blasting-machines-by-market-research-reports/toc

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

MarketResearchReports.Biz adds Global Wet Blasting Machines Market Share, Size, Trends and Forecast Market Research Report reports to its database. This report provides a strategic analysis of the Wet Blasting Machines and the growth estimates for the forecasted period.This report studies the Wet Blasting Machines market, Wet Blasting Machines or wetblasting machines are designed to simultaneously blast and degrease components, in a quick and easy dust-free process, which achieves outstanding finishing results on a variety of components.Request Sample Copy of the Report@Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Wet Blasting Machines in global market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, types and applications.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversR?slerWheelabrator(Norican)GuysonVapormattICMMacohoClemcoVixenNicchuPaul AuerRaptor BlasterGraf TechnikAirblastHodge ClemcoKKS UltraschallAB SHOTBeijing ChangfengComplete Report Details @Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversManual Wet Blasting MachinesAutomatic Wet Blasting MachinesMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoAutomotiveAerospaceShipbuildingOthersRequest For TOC Report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Wet Blasting Machines market.Chapter 1, to describe Wet Blasting Machines Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Wet Blasting Machines, with sales, revenue, and price of Wet Blasting Machines, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Wet Blasting Machines, for each region, from 2013 to 2018;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2013 to 2018;Chapter 12, Wet Blasting Machines market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2018 to 2023;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Wet Blasting Machines sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Contact UsState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Aerizo appointed as Authorized Distributor for IDEAL Networks in the UAE

IDEAL Networks has appointed Aerizo to distribute its range of easy to use data cable and network testers to cable installers and IT technicians in the UAE.Through Aerizo, installers and technicians will have access to a wide selection of troubleshooting and diagnostic testers so that they can choose and use the best products and solutions to meet their customers needs.We are dedicated to providing connected products and services which simplify, demystify and improve the productivity of those installing, testing and maintaining network cabling and devices, says Mr Alejandro Hume, Regional Sales Manager for IDEAL Networks. However, to keep customers satisfied, expert and responsive support services are needed locally to complement our quality products.With Aerizo as our trusted distribution partner, installers and technicians in the UAE can benefit from timely delivery and technical support, as well as local service and calibration, Hume continues, explaining that Aerizo will be responsible for selling, marketing and stocking IDEAL Networks products in the United Arab Emirates.The range of IDEAL Networks testers available will include data cable testers, network, CCTV and telecom/enterprise testers.IDEAL Networks data cable testers cater for testing and verifying both copper and fibre cable. Testers which offer Ethernet transmission testing and cable certification to provide proof of performance are also available.To enable network issues to be identified and resolved quickly, IDEAL Networks provides a selection of network testers that support network connectivity troubleshooting. By effectively solving issues around incorrect IP configuration, rogue network services, network bandwidth issues and PoE supply, downtime for customers can be minimised.IDEAL Networks CCTV security testers offer installers a versatile tool for completing all key tests for both setup and troubleshooting. Similarly, the various telecom testers from IDEAL Networks offer comprehensive features for testing, monitoring and troubleshooting fixed line, mobile and wireless network interfaces efficiently.Aerizo is known for its quality products and solutions which our loyal customers have recognised for many years, says Mr. Glen Dsena, Director of Aerizo. As a Value Added Distributor in the region with a strong customer base, we are confident that this new venture will be a great success.By each bringing our key capabilities, our combined strength will allow us to leverage the market in the UAE and provide greater support and solutions for installers and technicians, he continues.We believe that this agreement between Aerizo and IDEAL Networks will prove to be a win-win and we are very happy to have entered into this new collaboration, concludes Alejandro Hume.About IDEAL NetworksIDEAL Networks offers easy to use data cable testers for cable installers and network testers to assist IT technicians with troubleshooting. The data cable tester range includes copper and fibre testers for cable verification, Ethernet transmission testing and cable certification that provide proof of performance. The unique network tester range helps to pinpoint and solve networking issues quickly. They decrease downtime by allowing field technicians to discover the root cause of network connectivity issues such as incorrect IP configuration, rogue network services, network bandwidth issues and PoE supply problems.Aerizo  is at the forefront of system integration solution in UAE which caters clients all over the Middle East. We deliver the best solution with a combination of technical knowledge, genuine passion and creative problem solving skills. This enables us in providing the best innovative IT solution to our clients.Aerizo being the leading system integrator in Dubai, UAE has built up a strong relation with SMB as well as large enterprise in and around the region. From delivering the best products to consulting and quality control, we see to it that each and every aspect of the project is taken care in the desired manner. Our relationship with our clients is a true partnership. The sooner you involve us; the more value we can add.2504, HDS Tower, Cluster F, JLTDubai | United Arab Emirates .T: +971 4 5546230info@aerizome.com
Experience Omnichannel in the Digital Concept Store by Mobizcorp in Berlin

www.mobizcorp.de

Berlin, 07.03.2018  Mobizcorp has officially launched its concept store in Berlin. Here, interested parties can experience and test the possibilities of the digital store of the future. With the help of the relevant application scenarios, the store demonstrates innovative retail technologies and a cross-channel customer interaction.Based on the Salesforce Commerce Cloud, the store showcases in-use applications for personalized shopping experiences and customer engagement. With the Mobizcorp Concept Store App, shop associates can identify customers, provide better and more competent advice, view online & offline purchasing history, preferences and wishlist as well as check the stock of all branches and the online shop via Endless Aisle technology. True to the motto "Buy anywhere, fulfil anywhere", the customer can be served directly in the store (ship-to-store), from the store (ship-from-store) or at home.Cross-channel promotions, vouchers and loyalty cards can be redeemed anywhere and on any device. Shop associates can scan barcodes in addition to using iBeacon technology to address customers individually and test various retail marketing strategies.Through the connection to online shops and the POS cash register systems, customers have access to various payment methods including cash, credit card, Paypal, invoice and mobile payment methods, such as Apple Pay  everything seamlessly integrated across all touchpoints and with the best possible convenience.The starting point for our use cases is always the question of the added value: where is the advantage for both the customer and the merchant? Depending on the objective and the customer group, convenience or experience can be prioritised.We showcase the practical omnichannel scenarios, which are often not so easy to comprehend, and make them user-friendly under real conditions,"  explains Friedhelm Scharhag, CEO and Founder of Mobizcorp.Interested parties and brands are welcome to arrange a personal demo appointment via go@mobizcorp.de.Mobizcorp provides digital commerce solutions for world-renowned retail brands. Mobizcorp has great expertise and many years of experience planning and implementing omnichannel and eCommerce projects from Berlin, Potsdam, Dusseldorf, Viernheim and New York since 2003. Being a certified Salesforce Commerce Cloud Partner, Mobizcorp has successfully implemented projects for Tory Burch, Columbia Sportswear, Reitmans, Jack Wolfskin, DEPOT, Engelhorn, Takko, Marc O 'Polo, Tamaris and more.Christoph HeidersMobizcorp Europe Ltd.Reinhardtstrasse 5810117 BerlinGermanyPhone: +49 30 288 745 -120Mail: c.heiders@mobizcorp.de
Quail Eggs Market Expected to Expand at a Steady CAGR through 2025

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=25001

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=25001<ype=S

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Quail eggs are the eggs which are laid by various species of quail. Quail are medium sized birds which are found through regions such as North Africa, Europe and parts of Asia. Quail eggs are smaller than chicken and duck eggs that are widely consumed and are also sold at novelty food stores globally. Quail eggs have essential properties such as boosts energy level, improves metabolism, balances cholesterol, reduces blood pressure and helps in preventing chronic disease. Quail eggs contains high amount of protein as compared with chicken eggs. Quail eggs helps in strengthening the immune system, increasing brain activity, promotes memory health, etc. Consumption of quail eggs is higher in the Asian market as it is commonly sold as inexpensive street food which is rich in protein source and has flavorful yolk present in the eggs. This is increasing the demand for quail eggs in many culinary areas worldwide. Thus naturally laid quail eggs are rich source of protein and healthy option which is projected to drive the market growth over the forecast period.Download PDF Brochure @Global Quail eggs: Market SegmentationThe global quail eggs market is segmented on the basis of type, distribution channel, application and region. The quail eggs market is segmented on the basis of type such as coturnix quail egg, button quail egg, and others. In the type, coturnix quail eggs are widely used on a large scale and is dominating the global quail eggs market as it is cheaper than others. The global quail eggs market is segmented on the basis of distribution channel in which quail eggs are available on online stores, supermarket/hypermarket, and convenience food stores. The global quail eggs market is segmented on the basis of application such as cosmetics, food industry, processed products and others. Hence, the global quail eggs market is expected to significantly increase the revenue contribution over the forecast period.Global Quail eggs Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the global quail eggs industry can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and Middle East and Africa. Globally, among all regions, Asia Pacific has developed as the dominant region in global quail eggs market followed by North America. Increasing demand for spices as a flavoring agent in various food products, has strengthened the growth of global quail eggs market and hence is projected to significantly expand the revenue contribution of the market over the forecast period.Buy this Report at:Global Quail eggs Market: Growth DriversThe global quail eggs market driving factors are increasing demand for quail eggs in various food products and cosmetics. Increasing demand for natural laid quail eggs by health conscious consumers is also another factor in driving the global quail eggs market. Manufacturers are focusing on providing healthier pickled quail eggs product offerings to various restaurants and food stores. Quail eggs helps consumers in managing their blood pressure and helps in preventing chronic diseases, which is another major factor for driving the global quail eggs market worldwide. Hence, the global Quail eggs market is expected to observe robust growth over the forecast period.Global Quail Eggs Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified across the value chain of the global quail eggs market include Norfolk Quail Ltd., Clarence Court, Rabbit River Farms, Caillor, The Original Egg Company, Fayre Game Limited, GRANJA AGAS SA, OJSC "Uglich poultry.", Seng Choon Farm Pte Ltd. are among others. The companies are expected to expand their business by enhancing their product portfolio in global quail eggs market. The companies are projected to frame certain strategies in future in order to gain the competitive advantage in global quail eggs market till 2025.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Strategic Analysis of Zinc Pyrithione Market 2024

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/zinc-pyrithione-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=22430

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Pyrithione is also known as 1-Hydroxy-2-pyridinethione, 2-pyridinethiol-1-oxide, 2-mercaptopyridine-N-oxide, pyridine-2-thione-N-oxide, pyridinethione-N-oxide, 2-pyridinethione, pyridinethione, or basically, PT. It has been distinguished for its fungicidal and bactericidal activities. Pyrithione is an organic chemical that is used in various forms as an industrial biocide. It has been predominantly employed as an antifouling agent in marine ships for several decades.Read Report Overview @Zinc pyrithione is a well-known antimicrobial material with prevalent use in antidandruff shampoos, followed by antifouling paints. Mechanism of its antimicrobial action is unstated, despite decades of commercial use. Research and development activities are being carried out in order to illustrate the activity of zinc pyrithione against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Research models, which depict that pyrithione acts as a copper ionophore, have been presented. Pyrithione enables copper to enter cells and dispense across intracellular membranes.Zinc pyrithione is primarily used in anti-dandruff shampoos and cosmetic products. Therefore, increase in personal hygiene and consumer expenditure is expected to drive the global zinc pyrithione market. Moreover, the ban on tri-butyl-tin is anticipated to provide lucrative growth opportunities for the market for other booster biocides, primarily zinc pyrithione. Zinc pyrithione is projected to replace tri-butyl-tin, which is widely used in antifouling paints, primarily for pleasure crafts/boats in some of the Nordic countries.Zinc pyrithione, in its powder form, is largely used in hair care products. It acts as an anti-dandruff additive in shampoos and conditioners. It has antibacterial properties and hence, it is effective against several pathogens such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. Zinc pyrithione is also employed in the treatment of ringworm, psoriasis, eczema, athletes foot, dry skin, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, and tinea.Furthermore, it is used as an anti-fungal agent in water-based paints and coatings. Zinc pyrithione is added along with pigments and fillers during the initial stages of a paint manufacturing process. It is also an effective algaecide.Based on geography, the global zinc pyrithione market can be categorized into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America holds the maximum market share, especially the U.S. Asia Pacific is expected to witness high growth due to growing personal care industry in the region. China is a leading market for cosmetic products. Even though the personal care industry in China has developed in the last few years, it has immense potential to expand in the next few years. The beauty & personal care industry in South Korea is anticipated to expand at more than 6% CAGR in the next few years.Facial care and color cosmetics segments dominate the industry, followed by shampoos & conditioners and soap, bath & shower products. The overall cosmetics industry is expected to expand at a moderate rate; however, the soap & shower products segment is estimated to witness high growth. Additionally, the per capita annual consumption of cosmetics in Japan was higher than France, the U.S., and South Korea in 2015.Request to view Sample Report:Some of the key players in the zinc pyrithione market are:Parchem Fine & Specialty Chemicals,Kumar Organic Products Ltd.,UPICHEMLonza,ClariantAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Cachaca Market Poised for Steady Growth in the Future

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=24995

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=24995<ype=S

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Cachaca is a national product of Brazil obtained from fresh sugarcane juice. Cachaca is an alcoholic beverage distilled from fermented juice of molasses a by-product of sugarcane. Cachaca is obtained in two types such as aged and un-aged. Cachaca can be used as an ingredient in caipirinha and other beverage preparations. Cachaca is aged for different time spans such as three years and 15 years which gives good blend to cachaca and it is considered as a premium cachaca. Taste of aged cachaca depends on the type barrel in which it is aged. Cachaca have spicy, sweet and fruity taste which makes it popular in global market for consumption. Cachaca is a highly mixable spirit which can be used in various cocktails globally.Download PDF Brochure @Market Segmentation: CachacaThe cachaca market is segmented on the basis of its application in food and beverage industry, medical industry, pharmaceutical industry etc. In food and beverage industry, cachaca is used in preparation of cocktails and various food recipes in Brazilian cuisine. In food industry cachaca is used to enhance the flavor and taste of the food. In pharmaceutical industry, cachaca is employed in the treatment of venomous snake bites in Brazil. In medical industry, cachaca is used as a component of healing plasters, disinfecting cuts and scratches etc.The cachaca market is segmented on the basis of its type as aged cachaca and un-aged cachaca. Aging of cachaca is done in wooden barrels, aging can be done from three years till fifteen years to improve its blend. Premium quality cachaca is aged in these barrels for global export. Un-aged cachaca is also bottled and sold to domestic as well as international consumers directly after the production.The Cachaca market is segmented on the basis of regions as North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and ME.Buy this Report at:Global Cachaca Market: Regional OutlookDepending on geographic regions global Cachaca market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and ME. Germany and Brazil are leaders in the cachaca global market followed by Portugal. The U.S., France, Spain are growing faster in cachaca market to cater to increasing demand of cachaca in global market. Asia Pacific region is also showing interest and significant growth in cachaca market in forecast period.Global Cachaca Market: Drivers and TrendsTrend of consumption of alcoholic beverages is increasing globally which is responsible for the increasing demand for cachaca in market. Cocktails such as caipirinha de uva, pearl button, sangria blanco, amazonia, bloody carioca are in demand in youth globally which are made from cachaca is one of the driver for increasing demand for cachaca in global market. Medicinal use of cachaca globally is increasing as it is a good disinfectant for cuts and scratches which is driving cachaca market in medical industry. Premium quality cachaca is in demand as it is used in corporate parties. Cheaper cost of cachaca is also one of the driver for growing its global market.Global Cachaca: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified across the value chain of the global cachaca market include Da Quinta, Leblon Cachaca, Cuca Fresca Spirit, BORCO company, Novo Fogo, Pituetc, IRB Tatuzinho 3 Fazendas Ltda. etc. are amongst.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Rubber-bonded Abrasives Market to Undertake Strapping Growth During 2024

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/rubber-bonded-abrasives-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=19490

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Bonded abrasives are natural abrasives which are fused to form a solid in the shape of a wheel. They are usually a combination of abrasive grains, bonding material, and fillers. Examples of Bonded abrasives are flat reinforced cutting-off wheel, depressed center reinforced cutting off wheel, depressed center reinforced grinding wheel, coolie hat for grinding, flat reinforced for grinding wheel, flat unreinforced grinding wheel, rubber bond mounted points, vitrified bond mounted points, resinoid grinding cups, and resinoid bond mounted points. The bonding material could be resin, rubber, shellac, epoxy, or magnesite. An important raw material used in the production of rubber-bonded abrasives is an abrasive grain such as aluminum oxide, zirconia, and silicon carbide. Rubber-bonded abrasives are available in two types: natural and synthetic. They can be used via two different technologies: grinding and polishing wheels.Read Report Overview @Aluminum oxide is a major abrasive used in the manufacture of grinding wheels, obtained by refining bauxite ores in an electric furnace. First, the bauxite is heated to remove moisture and then mix it with coke and iron borings to form the furnace charge. Next, the mixture is cooled and fused which results in a rock-like mass crushed into different sizes. Iron oxide, titanium oxide, and silica are the impurities which determine the color and toughness of the abrasives. Zirconia aluminum oxide or specialized alumina is a fused mixture of zirconium oxide and aluminum oxide used for high production snagging or foul hooking. For high stock removal snagging, sintered alumina is used, which is extremely tough. Silicon carbide is produced by fusing a mixture of white sand and petroleum coke in an electric furnace. The crystalline mass formed is crushed and graded. Silicon carbide is also a major abrasive employed in the manufacture of grinding wheels. Silicon carbide abrasives are harder than aluminum oxide abrasives and can be easily crumbled.Rubber-bonded abrasives can be segmented on the basis of application into the following categories: heavy industries, transportation components, electrical & electronic equipment, medical equipment, aerospace, household, and printing. These abrasives can also be employed for cutting and grinding tools such as plumbing tools and screwdrivers. They exhibit various advantages over other abrasives as they are softer and can be extensively used in grinding, off-hand tool grinding, fabrication, and floor polishing applications. Rubber-bonded abrasives do not destroy the quality of the metal. Due to the increasing demand from the metal, steel, and heavy industries, this market is expected to develop during the forecast period. Rising demand from various industries and the flexible properties of rubber-bonded abrasives are the propellants of this market. A major restraining factor is that rubber-bonded abrasives are heavier than other bonded abrasives which leads to machine constraints, causing environmental pollution.On the basis of region, Asia Pacific is leading the market due to the high demand for rubber-bonded abrasives in countries such as China, Japan, India, and South Korea. China is the dominant country, followed by India, Japan, and South Korea. North America and Europe are also displaying steady growth. The rest of the world is also anticipated to witness positive growth due to the products application in various industries.Request to view Sample Report:Key players operating in the rubber-bonded abrasive market are Tyrolit Group, PFERD INC, Saint Gobain, 3M Company, and Buffalo Abrasives Inc..About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Organic Salt Market Expected to Expand at a Steady CAGR through 2025

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=24989

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=24989<ype=S

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Global Organic Salt Market Introduction:Organic salt is a certified table salt, chemically called as sodium chloride without additives such as anti-caking agents and iodine. The global organic salt market is expected to register significant growth rate, attributed to increasing demand for organic food and growing food industry. North America is expected to dominate the global organic salt market over the forecast period, owing to the high health awareness among consumers across the region.Download PDF Brochure @Global Organic Salt Market Segmentation:The global organic salt market is segmented on the basis of price, distribution channel, packaging, and region. Based on price, the global organic salt market is fragmented as premium and economic, wherein premium segment contributes for relatively high-value share, whereas, the economic segment is expected to have a substantial growth rate in the organic salt market, owing to increasing demand for organic salt in the low-end market among consumers across the globe. Based on distribution channel, the global organic salt market segmented as convenient stores, hypermarkets/supermarket, e-Commerce, and individual stores. Among which, hypermarkets/supermarket segment is expected to contribute for major revenue share whereas, e-Commerce segment is expected to expand at a significant CAGR in the global organic salt market, attributed to increasing adoption of e-Commerce among consumers across the globe. Convenient stores segment is followed by hypermarkets/supermarket in terms of revenue share in the global organic salt market over the forecast period. Based on packaging, the global organic salt market is fragmented as bulk packaging and consumer packaging, wherein bulk packaging segment contributes for relatively high-value share, whereas, consumer packaging segment is expected to have a significant growth rate in the organic salt market.Global Organic Salt Market Regional Outlook:Geographically, the global organic salt market can be divided into major regions which include North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. Among the regions, North America accounts for the significant revenue share in the global organic salt market, owing to relatively high health consciousness among consumers across the region. Europe is followed by North America in the global organic salt market with significant value share, owing to high demand for organic food over the forecast period. Asia-Pacific is expected to expand at a relatively high growth rate in the organic salt market, attributed growing population and economy. The Middle East and Africa is expected contribute for relatively low revenue share in the global organic salt market whereas, the region is expected to register significant CAGR over the forecast period. Overall, the outlook for the global organic salt market will have a positive growth over the forecast period.Buy this Report at:Global Organic Salt Market Dynamics:The global organic salt market growth is driven by increasing demand for organic products and predominance of lifestyle disease. Macroeconomic factors such as increasing per capita income, changing lifestyle, increasing health continuousness among consumers, growing economy, and rapid rate of urbanization driving the global organic salt market. However, high prices of organic salt, owing high cost of production leads to restraining the global organic salt market. Some of the factors trending the global organic salt market include collaboration between global and domestic organic salt market players and high investment in the beverages industry. The company operates in the organic salt market have a significantly high opportunity in Asia-Pacific attributed to the significantly growing economy and population across the regions. The organic salt market players can enhance their market share by offering organic salt competitive prices.Global Organic Salt Market Player:Few players in the global organic salt market include Efsina, Celtic Sea Salt, Qinghai Salt Industry Co. Ltd., Salt of the Earth Ltd., SaltWorks, Inc., Dominion Salt, and Suhail International.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Milk Tea Powder Market Expected to Expand at a Steady CAGR through 2025

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=24725

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/milk-tea-powder-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Global Milk Tea Powder Market Introduction:Milk tea is a beverage with a combination of tea and milk. Milk tea powder is a dehydrated form of milk and tea. The global milk tea powder market is expected to register significant CAGR, attributed to increasing demand for tea, and growing beverage industry. Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the global milk tea powder market over the forecast period, owing to the high popularity of milk tea among consumers particularly in the countries such as India and China.Download PDF Brochure @Global Milk Tea Powder Market Segmentation:The global milk tea powder market is segmented on the basis of product type, distribution channel, and region. Based on product type, the global milk tea powder market is fragmented as dry mixed milk tea and wet mixed milk tea, wherein wet mixed milk tea segment contribute for relatively high-value share, whereas, dry mixed milk tea segment is expected to have a substantial growth rate in the milk tea powder market, owing to increasing demand for tea among consumers across the globe. Based on distribution channel, the global milk tea powder market segmented as wholesale and retail. Among which, the wholesale segment is expected to contribute for major revenue share whereas retail segment is expected to expand at a significant CAGR in the global milk tea powder market over the forecast period. Moreover, retail segment is sub-segmented into in-store and online. Among which, the online segment is expected to register relatively high CAGR, attributed to increasing adoption of e-Commerce among consumers and increasing investments by milk tea powder market players in e-Commerce to enhance their distribution channel across the globe.Global Milk Tea Powder Market Regional Outlook:Geographically, the global milk tea powder market can be divided into major regions which include North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. Among the regions, Asia-Pacific accounts for the significant revenue share in the global milk tea powder market, owing to the high popularity of milk tea among consumers across the region. Europe is followed by Asia-Pacific in the global milk tea powder market with significant value share. North America is expected to expand at a relatively high growth rate in the milk tea powder market, attributed increasing demand for tea by consumers across the region. The Middle East and Africa is expected contribute for relatively low revenue share in global milk tea powder market whereas, the region is expected to register substantial CAGR over the forecast period. Overall, the outlook for the global milk tea powder market will have a positive growth over the forecast period.Buy this Report at:Global Milk Tea Powder Market Dynamics:The global milk tea powder market growth is driven by increasing demand for various types of tea, and growing beverages industry. Macroeconomic factors such as increasing per capita income, changing lifestyle, growing economy, and rapid rate of urbanization driving the global milk tea powder market. Moreover, growing tea market also fueling the global milk tea powder market growth. However, drinking milk with tea reduce the antioxidant property of tea as well as reduce chances of heart diseases and diabetes is restraining the global milk tea powder market. Some of the factors trending the global milk tea powder market include milk tea powder with different types of packaging, and collaboration between global milk tea powder market players, and high investment in the beverages industry. The company operates in the milk tea powder market have a significantly high opportunity in Asia-Pacific attributed to the significantly growing economy and population across the regions.Global Milk Tea Powder Market Player:Few players in the global milk tea powder market include Thomas J. Lipton Company, Nestle S.A., Oldtown Bhd (OLDT.KL), Mitsui & Co., Ltd., Traditional Medicinals, Inc., Hong Kong Oriental Tea Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Bossen Ingredients Co., Ltd., Fanale Drinks Hayward CA, Gino's Brewing Company, Shih Chen Foods Co., Ltd., and Uni-President Enterprises Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Strategic Analysis of Textile Auxiliaries Market Industrial Thermal Insulation Market 2024

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/industrial-thermal-insulation-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=22841

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Insulation is defined as the process of using a material or a compound made up of different materials that are capable of restricting the flow of thermal or heat energy. Insulation materials carry out the functions such as noise reduction, process control, condensation control, energy conservation, freeze protection, and importantly, reduction of environmental pollution. While selecting an appropriate insulation material, factors such as operating temperature, fire protection, physical stress, service & maintenance, vibration, and water ingress have to be kept in mind.Read Report Overview @Thermal insulation has become essential in industries for safety and to reduce heat loss during the manufacturing process. Industrial thermal insulation helps in increasing the sustainability of the manufacturing processes. The process of thermal insulation of industrial equipment and processes protects the personnel at the operating end, reduces environmental impacts, and enhances process security in the long run.The need for thermal insulation in industries is increasing with every passing day as a result of the increase in awareness regarding the benefits associated with its usage. The materials used for insulation are easily available in various forms and can be effortlessly installed. These forms include flexible blankets, pre-formed shapes & flexible sheets, foams & rigid blocks, sheets, and boards.Ideally, cellular, fibrous, and granular types of materials are employed for industrial thermal insulation, and these are further classified into various sub-types. The fibrous materials are made up of small-diameter fibers of slag wool, rock wool, silica, and alumina silica. Mineral wool and glass fiber products are extensively used in their formulation. Cellular insulation materials are composed of small individual cells separated from each other. The material used may be glass or foamed plastic such as poly-isocyanurate, elastomeric, and polystyrene. Granular insulation materials consists of small nodules which may have hollow spaces or voids. Some of materials being used for granular isolation are as follows cellulose, calcium silicate, perlite, and expanded vermiculite. Lately, demand for fibrous and cellular thermal insulation material has increased in comparison to that for the granulation variety, since gas can be transferred across granular isolation material, which can reduce of the efficiency of the material.There has been a considerable rise in the number of industries in recent days. With growing industrialization, the awareness about the benefits of insulating materials has increased substantially. Hence, the market for industrial thermal insulation is likely to expand at an exponential rate in the future.This market is highly dependent on the rate of industrialization observed on a regional as well as global level. The market in North America is dominant due to the presence of major manufacturing companies in leading economies such as the U.S. Asia Pacific exhibits excellent potential for the development of the market due to the presence of various industries in China, India, and Japan.In Europe, awareness about pollution control and increasing environmental concerns have been responsible for the rapid progression of the market for industrial thermal insulation. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa have displayed moderate growth in the previous years, however the market here is likely to advance further in the near future as a result of rising awareness about the use of thermal insulation.Request to view Sample Report:Key players operating in the market of industrial thermal insulation include Industrial Insulation Group LLC, Cellofoam North America, Inc., Insulcon Group, URSA Insulation S.A., and Isolatek International, Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Denim market Market Outlook : Top Companies, Growth Factors, Technology & Innovation Trends by 2023

https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/denim-jeans-market

https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/denim-jeans-market/report-sample

https://www.psmarketresearch.com

Denim market is expected to reach market size of $87.6 billion by 2023 The high growth is expected due to the penetration of western fashion and western life style in the form of casualization of clothing, across the globe. The factor has boosted the consumption of casual fashion apparels like denims, dresses, shirts, tees and casual shirts in working as well as non-working segments of the society, over the years. Currently, The changing perception of executive wear in corporate and growing popularity of western wear among youth are some of the factors driving the sales globally. Among all the distribution channels, specialty stores held the largest share in the global revenues of the denim market, accounting over $13 billion sales in 2016, which is expected to reach above $20 billion by 2023. Specialty stores focus on specific products pertaining to a single product line. And when it comes to denim, these stores offer a wide variety of apparels to customers. The price and quality of denims in these stores are more competitive than other distribution channels.Explore Report Description At:The denim market is categorized into product, segment, consumer type, and distribution channel. Jeans is the leading product in the global market, which generated more than $40 billion in 2016. The popularity of denim pants among teenagers and adults is the prime reason for its larger market, as compared to other apparels. Among the segments, mass market is expected to continue accounting for major market revenues till 2023. To lower the cost of mass market, various manufacturers have started replacing cotton with nylon, polyester, aramid, and other spun thermoplastics.Download Report Sample At:Geographically, North America has been the largest denim market, accounting for more than 30% of global revenue in 2016, whereas the sales is expected to witness the fastest growth in Asia-Pacific, during the forecast period. The growth in Asia-Pacific will be led by factors such as surge in digitization within the apparel industry, advancement in new denim knitting technologies, growth in investment in clothing space, and the increasing adoption of luxurious and casual garments from all segments of the society. Further, the increasing technology developments in brand marketing and customer management, changing demographics and rise in foreign direct investments (FDIs) are some of the factors for the expanding of denim industry in the region.Some of the major players operating in this industry are Levi Strauss & Co., Gap Inc., VF Corporation, H&M, PVH Corporation, and Kering.About P&S Market ResearchP&S Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide market research reports: industry reports, business intelligence and research based consulting services across a range of industries.With the help of our professional corporate relations with various companies, our market research offers the most accurate market forecasting. Our analysts and consultants interact with leading companies of the concerned domain to substantiate every single data presented in our publication. Our research assists our client in identifying new and different windows of opportunity and frame informed and customized strategies for expansion in different regions.Contact:P&S Market Research347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016Toll-free: +1-888-778-7886 (USA/Canada)Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb:
Hospital Administration Software Market - Rising Inclination towards Patient Care 2017 - 2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=260

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=260

https://www.tmrresearch.com/hospital-administration-software-market

Hospital Administration Software Market: SnapshotThe rapid development in information technology has revolutionized the healthcare industrys delivery model today. With the power of internet, the healthcare service delivery model has become advanced. The hospital administration software market is expected to witness a high demand in the forecast period from 2017 to 2025 on account of rising government support and increased patient awareness. Better healthcare infrastructure can be seen across the globe on account of increased medical spending. Hospital administration software has eliminated the need to manually calculate patient bills or managing employee payroll, among others. Advanced healthcare IT services such as computerized physician order entry are also helping the market to grow. Hospital administration software offers benefits such as improved operations management, better control and administration, enhanced patient care, effective cost control, and increased profitability.Request Sample Copy of the Report @As patients in most hospital or clinics especially in developing economies suffer due to poor hospital management, the introduction of hospital administration software will serve as a boon in the long run and improve patient care and management to a large extent. Over the coming years, a large number of hospitals and clinics are expected to make use of hospital administration software, thus driving the market worldwide. The report analyzes all the fey factors impacting the growth of the market and also takes into account the challenges faced by the global hospital administration software market. One of the key challenges faced by developing nations is the lack of skills to operate this software and take the fullest advantage of the various facilities offered by the software.Global Hospital Administration Software Market: OverviewThe introduction of advanced healthcare IT services such as computerized physician order entry (CPOE) has revolutionized the global hospital administration software market. Before the advent of administration software, patient billing and employee payroll were managed manually. The software helps in reducing medication errors to a remarkable extent and therefore, it is being increasingly deployed across healthcare infrastructures worldwide. The market is likely to gain tremendous momentum in the near future owing to the rising inclination towards patient-centric care approach and advancements in cloud-hosted models.Request TOC of the Report @This research report on the global hospital administration software market is a professional study collated by extensively covering all the critical aspects of the market. These aspects include market dynamics, geographical segmentation, technological developments, and competitive landscape. The report profiles key players in the market along with their market shares, business strategies, and contact information.Global Hospital Administration Software Market: Drivers and RestraintsGlobally, the healthcare industry is facing substantial pressure regarding cost cutting from end users. The growing pressure is prompting healthcare providers to adopt cost effective solutions, thereby driving the demand for hospital administration software. The increasing incentives by governments for implementing IT in healthcare facilities, in order to improve the facilities, are fuelling the market.On the other hand, the high cost and time required for the integration of hospital administration software coupled with interoperability issues are hindering their widespread adoption. The dearth of skilled on-site IT professionals is another factor adversely affecting the growth of the market. Furthermore, the threat to data privacy and security with the existing software solutions is hampering the growth of the market.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Hospital Administration Software Market: Geographical SegmentationOn the basis of geography, the global hospital administration software market can be fragmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World. North America will be a lucrative market throughout the forecast period. The emergence of cloud computing and web-based support systems is promoting the adoption of software solutions across hospitals for administration purposes. The growth of the Europe region can be attributed to the high acceptance of technologically advanced systems along with favorable government policies that are encouraging the deployment of innovative software solutions across healthcare setups.Asia Pacific is poised to progress at a brisk pace during the same period, with India, China, Australia, and Singapore being some of the major contributors to the growth of the region. Factors such as the improving healthcare IT infrastructure, increasing consumer spending, and rising medical tourism are augmenting the growth of the region.Global Hospital Administration Software Market: Competitive LandscapeThe global hospital administration software market is a highly fragmented arena, wherein the majority of players are focusing on service innovation and technological advancements. Some of the prominent players in the market are Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc., Accumedic Computer Systems, Accurate Info Soft Pvt. Ltd., Athenahealth Inc., Agfa Healthcare, eClinicalWorks, Cerner Corporation, GE Healthcare, e-MDs Inc., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Carestream Health, Medical Information Systems Inc., McKesson Corporation, and Siemens Healthcare.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Global Small Launch Vehicle Market 2018 - IHI, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., Lockheed Martin Corporation, Orbital ATK, Inc.

Global Small Launch Vehicle Market

https://goo.gl/8ftRzb

https://goo.gl/gVewj6

www.apexmarketreports.com

Global Small Launch Vehicle Market 2018 Analysis Report audits a Market Regions, Product Categories, with Sales, Business Revenue, Goods cost, Small Launch Vehicle piece of the overall industry and Growth patterns, concentrating on driving Small Launch Vehicle industry players, showcase size, request and supply examination, utilization volume, Forecast 2017 to 2025.The major regions present in the continents like United States, Germany, Japan and China and their contribution to global Small Launch Vehicle market is elaborated in this research document. In next section, the report discusses industry policies and plans, cost structures, the outline of Small Launch Vehicle market globally, manufacturing processes. The growth rate exhibited by Small Launch Vehicle market based on consumption ratio, consumer volume, market gains is included in this report.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:The Global Small Launch Vehicle report gives a thorough situation of the present and gauge Small Launch Vehicle showcase procedures, improvement methodologies and development openings. Starting a discussion on the contemporary condition of Small Launch Vehicle showcase, the report extra dissects the market powerful moving each area begun in it.Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportCubeCabCatena Space Ltd.EUROCKOT Launch Services GmbHIHIIsrael Aerospace Industries Ltd.Lockheed Martin CorporationOrbital ATK, Inc.Rocket Lab USA, Inc.Space Exploration Technologies Corp.Spacefleet Ltd.The Boeing CompanyXCOR Aerospace, Inc.The report additionally concentrates the Small Launch Vehicle bits of knowledge of the organizations and suggestions that will help the perusers to have progressive learning of the Small Launch Vehicle showcase.Enquire Before Buying @A principal diagram of the Small Launch Vehicle market is introduced to the perusers with the assistance of market definition, order, different applications, and production network examination. The Small Launch Vehicle report covers the investigation of conventional and the developing markets. The report more expresses the Small Launch Vehicle showcase rivals, their business profiles, freshest news, their piece of the overall industry, developing arrangements and methodologies, client volume and creating strategies.All in all, it is an exhaustive research report which will help perusers to break down the possibility of interest in Small Launch Vehicle advertise.About UsApex Market Reports offers elevating market research globally. We have collection of various syndicated reports of different categories. Apex Market Reports provides you to best services, weather youre searching for new trends in market or competitive scenario in emerging market.Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezCorporate Sales Specialist155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4250Chicago, IL 60606Phone: +17739042683Email id - sales@apexmarketreports.comWebsite -
Automated Parcel Delivery Terminals Market: New Entrants to up the Ante against Established Ones

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=11093

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automated-parcel-delivery-terminals-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/11093

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Cleveron Ltd., KEBA AG, Neopost group, Winnsen Industry Co., Ltd., Smartbox Ecommerce Solutions Pvt. Ltd., InPost, TZ Ltd., Bell and Howell, LLC, ByBox Holdings Ltd., and ENGY Company are to name a few prominent companies operating in the global automated parcel delivery terminals market. The market at present is a fairly consolidated one, with large companies mostly domiciled in Europe, having a stronghold over it. However, aspiring players and new entrants from emerging economies, mostly in the Asia Pacific region, are expected to up the ante against them in the near future.As per a report by Transparency Market Research, the global market for automated parcel delivery terminals is likely to expand at a healthy 12.3% CAGR during the period between 2017 and 2025. Rising at this pace, the market is expected to be worth US$1.039 bn by 2025 from US$335.0 bn in 2015.Request Sample:The TMR report also forecasts the global market for automated parcel delivery terminals to expand at a robust 11.6% CAGR from 2017 to 2025, in terms of volume. At this rate, the volume in the market is slated to reach 51,792 units by 2025 from 17,719 units in 2015.Early Adoption Makes Europe Market LeaderDepending upon the deployment type, the global market for automated parcel delivery terminals is split broadly into indoor terminals and outdoor terminals. Of the two, the indoor terminals outshines the outdoor terminals in terms of market share on account of its low operating and set-up costs. It also has another unique perceived benefit resulting in its increased uptake  hassle-free retrieval of parcels even in difficult weather.Based on geography again, the key segments of the global market for automated parcel delivery terminals are Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, South America, and the Middle East and Africa. At present, Europe leads the market with maximum share and is trailed by Asia Pacific. Europe markets prominent position has been facilitated by the early and swift uptake of automated parcel terminals by logistics companies, retailers, and various government organizations. In 2016, Europe held a share of about 68.1% in 2016.Browse Our Report:Massive Untapped Markets Provide Room for GrowthAutomated parcel delivery terminals are state-of-the-art delivery solutions intended to simplify modern-day logistic operations. These are the standalone units, which are deployed in populous areas such as walkways, shopping malls, grocery outlets and railway stations. These terminals allow recipient to receive and return parcel as per their convenience throughout the day, explains the lead analyst of the TMR report. The global market for automated parcel delivery terminals, which has existed for a while now in the parcel delivery business, has massive room for growth on account of untapped markets in most parts of the world. Besides, the rise and proliferation of ecommerce and growing cross-border delivery worldwide is also expected to provide a significant impetus to its growth in the foreseeable future.Cost-effectiveness Works in Favor of the MarketAutomated parcel delivery terminals serve to bring down costs by reducing delivery re-attempts and facilitate easy parcel delivery to recipients  two advantage helping their market to gain traction. They aid in lowering carbon footprints and facilitate round-the-clock parcel delivery and same-day return. This also is fuelling growth in their market.Get TOC of This Report:Proving counter-productive to the global market for automated parcel delivery terminals is their vulnerability to burglary. Apart from that, they require a substantial amount of space for installation and this is another factor restraining their swift uptake.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Oil Water Separator Market : Rapidly gaining importance in the global industry 2017 - 2025

Oil Water Separator Market

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/oil-water-separator-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28391

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Waste water effluents from refineries, chemical/petrochemical plants, and gas processing plants have high amount of oils and suspended solids. The oil water separator is a device which is designed to separate these effluents from the wastewater. The American Petroleum Institute (API) maintains the standards and designs of these separators. The first API separator was installed in 1933 at the Atlantic Refining Company (ARCO) refinery in Philadelphia, U.S. almost all the refineries worldwide install API separators that act as a key stage of the oily wastewater treatment plants. Oil and water separators are also used in electrical substations. The transformers found in substations employ a large amount of oil for cooling purposes. Channels are constructed adjacent to the enclosed substations to catch any leaked oil and also rainwater is trapped. Therefore, oil and water separators provide a faster and easier cleaning of an oil leak.The oil water separator also treats wastewater to a certain standard, wherein its discharge is considered safe into an approved discharge point (sewer). Oil water separators are typically the first stage of any wastewater treatment system. However, in some cases, an oil water separator can be used as effective completion of pipeline treatment equipment. Oils, grease, and other hydrocarbons are removed and non-hazardous water is left, which can be disposed off safely in the drainage. The ability of oil water separators make it possible for sensitive downstream equipment to perform as designed. The separators reduce overall operating cost and improve system maintenance.Browse Research Report With Complete TOC @Oil Water Separator Market: Dynamics and TrendsThe oil water separator becomes a necessity to be utilized in cases where water is produced as a part of operation, discharge of this produced water is to be done into public, and where water authority compliance is to be achieved for the discharge. The type of wastewater being produced decides the exact type of oil water separator that has to be utilized.The trends utilized in the oil water separator market is the removal of oil, grease, and other hydrocarbons by coalescing methods, which force oil droplets to be impinged on the surface area. Gravity-based separators operate by putting fluid velocity and its corresponding pressure in control. The latest technique of hydro cyclone applies extreme centrifugal forces, which separate the water and oil droplets. The technology related to building of pressure-rated separators can be configured for complex operations. These operations are separation of gas from a myriad of immiscible liquids and suspended solids with same or different specific gravities.Oil Water Separator Market SegmentationIn terms of type, the oil water separator market can be segmented into API series-based separators, enhanced gravity-based separators, and pressure-rated separators. In terms of application, the oil water separator market can be segmented into oil and gas, chemical processing plants, wastewater treatment, electrical substations, transportation, and others. In terms of region, the global oil water separator market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.Request a PDF Brochure with Research Report Analysis @Oil Water Separator Market: Key PlayersKey players operating in the global oil water separator market include Schlumberger Ltd., Al Kaafah LLC, HydroFlo Tech LLC, and Andritz AG.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Medication Compliance Management Market Analysis, Trends and Future Outlook, Size, Strategies and Forecasts to 2025

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/13189

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/13189

www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Healthcare experts estimate that one in every two patients do not take their prescribed medication as required and a quarter of prescriptions are not even filled. This is a very serious situation indeed as one of the most effective ways of treating a person is not through latest technology or expensive medicines, but simply ensuring that they take their existing medicines as and when required in the appropriate dosage. According to the World Health Organization, Increasing the effectiveness of adherence interventions may have a far greater impact on the health of the population than any improvement in specific medical treatments. The WHO estimates that poor medication compliance management leads to greater morbidity and death along with incurring avoidable costs of approximately $100 billion every year.The medication compliance management market plays a critical role in ensuring that patients adhere to their recommended therapy. The benefits of these are an improved medical outcome and higher patient value over the lifetime. The use of next-generation technology with financial incentives like electronic loyalty cards, (refill reminders, text messages, emails), behavioural sciences and other methods will help to retain patients in the long-term.Request to Sample of Report @Medical compliance management programs with an ongoing patient relationship are far more successful than one-time or even periodic exchanges. The medication compliance management market is slowly moving towards the realisation that there is no single solution for every patients needs and multiple, unique compliance programs under one roof will need to be developed.The two key Medication Compliance Management Market Drivers are the rising demand for mobile health monitoring (mHealth) and a rising trend towards personalised healthcare. Almost the entire world population already owns a mobile phone and mHealth already plays a critical role in medical compliance management. This will only increase in the years ahead. Patients also show a marked preference for care suited to their medical history, biology, specific needs or requirements.The main medication compliance management market is North America, while Asia is expected to grow at the fastest rate in the coming decade.Request Report For TOC @Some of the companies operating in the medication compliance management market include Koninklijke Philips N.V., AdhereTech Inc., Qualcomm Incorporated, Omnicell, Inc., Adherence Solutions LLC, SMRxT, DrFirst, Proteus Digital Health Inc. and McKesson Corporation.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, types and applications.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Human Microbiome Market: Pipeline Overview

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/human-microbiome-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3999

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=3999

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

The global human microbiome market has been studied by Transparency Market Research (TMR) to attract a substantial count of companies foraying into it. This could take place in a time where the market is still growing out of its nascent stage. TMR has also predicted the market to witness an intense competition, as a result, in the near future. The market has been occupied by leading contestants such as uBiome Inc., Synthetic Biologics Inc., Seres Therapeutics, Vedanta Biosciences, and Enterome Biosciences SA. If you are a player looking to expand your business in the market, you could follow some of the go-to strategies adopted by key companies such as mergers and acquisitions.Read Report Overview:The global human microbiome market could be divided into two chief classifications: therapeutics and diagnostics. Analysts at TMR have envisaged the global human microbiome therapeutics market to expand its growth at a 9.2% CAGR during the forecast tenure 2020-2024. By 2024, the market could earn an around US$1.7 bn after touching a valuation of US$1.2 bn in 2020. On the basis of technology, the analysts have foreseen the global human microbiome diagnostics market to testify of the marginal lead expected to be secured by 16s rRNA sequencing at a 2024 valuation of US$0.7 bn. Regionally, North America could be at a commanding position in the global human microbiome therapeutics market while growing at a CAGR of 9.1% between 2020 and 2024.Rising Partnerships between Industry and Institutes Fuel Growth in MarketEarlier in 2017, there were clinical translational medicine collaborations between Vedanta Biosciences and two institutes, i.e. Leiden University Medical Center and Stanford University School of Medicine. With a view to improve their market strategies, companies are looking to team up with eminent physicians, researchers, and scientists in the field. If you are a small startup or your company needs angel investors and venture capitalists, it could be encouraging to know that the world human microbiome market has witnessed a rise in venture capital investments in the recent years. Microbiome-based diagnosis and treatment methods have been showing quite some promise, thus winning the confidence of investors in the market.Request Sample of Report:The completion of the NIH Human Microbiome Project has propelled growth in the market as it has provided advanced knowledge about the relation between human health and the microbiome. This knowledge is extensively used in drug discovery and development.Clinical Trial Setbacks and Regulatory Hurdles Cause Problems in GrowthUndesirable results obtained out of clinical trials and regulatory hurdles have been projected to upset the growth of the international human microbiome market when it is still in the nascent phase. However, advances and expertise in the field could dilute the effect of such minor setbacks companies may have been facing today. Concerns over anonymity and privacy of the genetic data of subjects similar to those related to 23andMes genetic tests could be another factor restraining market growth.Download Brochure of Report:Since microbiome composition changes over time and holds a dynamic nature and the microbiome of every individual is different, standardization of diagnostic tests is extremely crucial. If the standardization is not actuated well, there could be a possibility of market growth being hampered. However, improved success rates of the treatment of major health problems and life-threatening diseases using microbiome-based techniques have been prophesied to set the tone for a valuable growth in the international human microbiome market. Furthermore, novel drug delivery systems and drug formulations could create robust growth opportunities in the market.About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Mugshots.com Writing Staff. Oklahoma City, OK  Convicted rapist Bobby Dean Anderson, 59, is wanted for robbery in the first degree and attempted kidnapping. The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office is requesting the publics assistance in finding him.

According to reports, Anderson is wanted in Oklahoma County on several other complaints including making a false declaration of ownership. On September 18, he allegedly pawned a gun stolen out of Eufaula at "Extra Cash Pawn", 1309 N. MacArthur in Oklahoma City. He was charged with this crime in December.

On October 2, Anderson allegedly disguised himself as an employee at a Belle Isle Wal-Mart and hung out in the parking lot pushing carts in order to cast females at the store with the intent to rape. He eventually targeted a shopper and is accused of stealing the woman's vehicle before attempting to kidnap her. The woman was able to escape.

The Department of Corrections records reflect that Anderson was released from prison on Feb. 22. Now authorities are once again trying to locate him.

Anderson is 60 and weighs 230 pounds. He is a white male with brown eyes and brown hair. His whereabouts are currently unknown.

Anderson has an extensive criminal history, with convictions that include assault and battery on a police officer, placing body fluids on a government employee, rape, robbery, and first degree robbery, all committed in Pittsburgh County alone. He also has assorted convictions in Atoka and LeFlore counties. Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office at 405-713-1968.
Pet Insurance Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Industry Demand, Trends, Forecast To 2022

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1577061-2017-global-pet-insurance-industry-research-report

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1577061-2017-global-pet-insurance-industry-research-report

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Pet Insurance industry market by types, applications, players and regions. This report also displays the production, Consumption, revenue, Gross margin, Cost, Gross, market share, CAGR, and Market influencing factors of the Pet Insurance industry in USA, EU, China,India, Japan and other regions, and forecast to 2022, from 2017.Market Analysis by PlayersAllianz GroupAnicom HoldingsPethealth Inc.Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI)Request a Sample Report @Market Analysis by Regions:North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanOthersMarket Anaysis by Types:Type 1Type 2Type 3Market Analysis by Applications:Application 1Application 2Application 3Table of Content1 Pet Insurance Market Overview1.1 Product Overview of Pet Insurance1.2 Classification of Pet Insurance by Product Category1.2.1 Global Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Growth (%) Comparison by Types (2012-2017)1.2.2 Global Pet Insurance Sales Market Share (%) by Types in 20161.2.3 Type 11.2.4 Type 21.2.5 Type 31.2.6 Type 41.2.7 Type 51.3 Global Pet Insurance Market by Applications/End Users1.3.1 Global Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) Comparison by Applications (2012-2017)1.3.2 Application 11.3.3 Application 21.3.4 Application 31.3.5 Application 41.3.6 Application 51.4 Pet Insurance Industry Development Factors Analysis1.4.1 Pet Insurance Industry Development Opportunities Analysis1.4.2 Pet Insurance Industry Development Challenges Analysis1.5 Pet Insurance Industry Development Prospects1.5.1 Pet Insurance Industry Development Status (2012-2017)1.5.2 Pet Insurance Industry Development Forecast (2017-2022)2 Global Pet Insurance Competition by Players2.1 Global Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Players2.2 Global Pet Insurance Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Players (2012-2017)2.3 Global Pet Insurance Price (USD/Volume) by Players (2012-2017)2.4 Global Pet Insurance Gross Margin by Players (2012-2017)3 Global Pet Insurance Competition by Types3.1 Global Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Types3.2 Global Pet Insurance Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Type (2012-2017)3.3 Global Pet Insurance Price (USD/Volume) by Type (2012-2017)3.4 Global Pet Insurance Gross Margin by Type (2012-2017)3.5 USA Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Type3.6 China Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Type3.7 Europe Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Type3.8 Japan Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Type3.9 India Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Type4 Global Pet Insurance Competition by Application4.1 Global Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Application4.2 Global Pet Insurance Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Global Pet Insurance Price (USD/Volume) by Application (2012-2017)4.4 Global Pet Insurance Gross Margin by Application (2012-2017)4.5 USA Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Application4.6 China Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Application4.7 Europe Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Application4.8 Japan Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Application4.9 India Pet Insurance Sales (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Application5 Global Pet Insurance Production Market Analysis by Region5.1 Global Pet Insurance Production (Volume) and Market Share (%) by Region5.1.1 USA Pet Insurance Production and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Pet Insurance Production and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.3 China Pet Insurance Production and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.4 Japan Pet Insurance Production and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.5 India Pet Insurance Production and Growth (2012-2017)5.2 Global Pet Insurance Production Value (Million USD) and Share by Region (2012-2017)5.2.1 USA Pet Insurance Revenue and Growth (2012-2017)5.2.2 Europe Pet Insurance Revenue and Growth (2012-2017)5.2.3 China Pet Insurance Revenue and Growth (2012-2017)5.2.4 Japan Pet Insurance Revenue and Growth (2012-2017)5.2.5 India Pet Insurance Revenue and Growth (2012-2017)5.3 Global Pet Insurance Price (USD/Volume) by Region (2012-2017)5.4 Global Pet Insurance Gross Margin by Region (2012-2017)6 Global Pet Insurance Sales Market Analysis by Region6.1 USA Pet Insurance Consumption (2012-2017)6.2 Europe Pet Insurance Consumption (2012-2017)6.3 China Pet Insurance Consumption (2012-2017)6.4 Japan Pet Insurance Consumption (2012-2017)6.5 India Pet Insurance Consumption (2012-2017)7 Imports and Exports Market Analysis7.1 USA Pet Insurance Imports and Exports Analysis (2012-2017)7.2 Europe Pet Insurance Imports and Exports Analysis (2012-2017)7. 3 China Pet Insurance Imports and Exports Analysis (2012-2017)7. 4 Japan Pet Insurance Imports and Exports Analysis (2012-2017)7. 5 India Pet Insurance Imports and Exports Analysis (2012-2017)ContinuedAccess Complete Report @ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Transdermal Scopolamine Market Evolution / Developments

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/transdermal-scopolamine-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=22322

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=22322

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

A new study by Transparency Market Research (TMR) indicates that Novartis AG, alone, contributed nearly 41.0% of the overall revenue of the global transdermal scopolamine market in 2016. Other two torch bearers in the market, namely, GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Baxter International Inc., commanded a cumulative share of 49.0% in the same year. Even though, the number of small players in the market is less, the degree of competition within the arena will remain low over the forthcoming years. The leading participants are focusing towards acquiring small companies in order to consolidate their position in the market, says the author of the report.The opportunity in the global transdermal scopolamine market was pegged at US$330.0 mn in 2015 and is poised to reach a valuation of US$585.3 mn by the end of 2024, progressing at a healthy CAGR of 6.70% between 2016 and 2024.Read Report Overview:North America to Stay Ahead through 2024, thanks to Robust Healthcare FacilitiesGeographically, North America will continue to be at the forefront of the growth of the global market for transdermal scopolamine until 2024. The presence of an advanced healthcare infrastructure along with the increasing consumer healthcare spending is acting as the primary factor driving the regional market. The market in North America is witnessing increased usage of transdermal scopolamine in surgeries and post-operative treatments. However, the growth of the region is impeded by the limited availability of generics. Owing to these factors, the region will exhibit a CAGR of 6.40% during the forecast period.Europe and Asia Pacific are expected to register strong growth during the same period. The growth of Europe can be attributed to the widening pool of travelers and the presence of a state-of-art healthcare industry.Request Sample of Report:Increasing Number of Surgeries Performed Worldwide to Stir up Uptake of Transdermal ScopolamineThe global market for transdermal scopolamine is gaining significant momentum, thanks to the increasing awareness among consumers regarding its high effectiveness in treating motion sickness. The growing number of travelers worldwide are, therefore, shot in the arm for the global market. Transdermal scopolamine is also being increasingly used in surgeries as it aids in controlling hyper salivation and helps in recovering from anesthesia-induced and postoperative vomiting and nausea, says a TMR analyst. Hence, the dramatic rise in the number of people undergoing surgeries every year is reflecting positively on the global sales of transdermal scopolamine patches. Researchers anticipate that the market will continue to post phenomenal growth in the coming years as well.Side-effects of Transdermal Scopolamine to Limit their Widespread AdoptionOn the flip side, the upward growth of the market is marred by the side-effects caused by the consumption of these patches, such as retarded motion, drowsiness, and diluted pupils. Besides this, the rising reporting of cases of adverse withdrawal symptoms for these patches and the presence of stringent rules and regulations pertaining to the manufacturing and marketing of these products are limiting the global transdermal scopolamine market from realizing its utmost potential.Download Brochure of Report:Nevertheless, emerging countries are expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities. The proliferation of small- and medium- scale players in developing regions is boosting the scope of market expansion. The improving healthcare sector and booming medical tourism are providing the immense potential to these countries, which in turn is likely attract the attention of key global players.About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Display Device Market is Projected to Grow US$ 360,275.6 million revenue by the end of 2026

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/20434

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/display-device-market/toc

According to the report compiled by Persistence Market Research (PMR), the global display device market is expected to witness robust growth during the forecast period 2017-2026. The market is anticipated to register CAGR of 8.3% between 2017 and 2026. It is also estimated to reach US$ 360,275.6 million revenue by the end of 2026.There has been an increase in demand for electronic products such as PCs, laptops, smartphones, etc. This is expected to play an important role in the growth of the global display device market. Display device manufacturers are also focusing on improving their reach in the global market with the help of strategic partnerships. The development of smart and application specific devices is also driving the demand for display device across the globe. Consumers are also demanding devices with high-resolution technology, hence the manufacturers are focusing on increasing the resolution of the display.Request to sample report @Increasing Focus towards Advanced Display TechnologyCompanies are focusing advanced display technology in various devices including smartphones, tablets, TVs, smart watches, etc. manufacturers are also shifting their focus towards providing flat panel displays. Along with the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technology, other flat panel display technology gaining momentum in the market are Plasma Display Panels (PDP), Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED), Field Emission Display (FED), and electronic papers. Moreover, the trend towards high-resolution display is evident in every segment of the display device market.Virtual Reality (VR) also involves display technology offering better visual in real time. Manufacturers are looking forward to including OLED display in virtual reality. Curved and paper-thin OLED display is said to offer a completely new experience while playing games or watching movies. These technologies are also being combined with 3D to enhance the experience. Manufacturers are looking forward to offering the whole new experience with the glass-free 3D display that will eliminate the need for 3D eyeglasses.Global Display Device Market: Segmental InsightsThe global display device market consists of various segments such as applications, display type, and end-user. Based on the display type, the market segment consists of LED, LCD, AMOLED, OLED, and others such as electronic paper, laser TV, etc. Among these, the LED display is expected to witness robust growth. By the end of 2026, LED display is estimated to surpass US$ 148,200 million revenue.Based on applications, the market segment includes mobile phones, TV, tablet, monitors, automotive, mobile PC, and others. TV is expected to be the largest segment in terms of the revenue in the global display device market. It is estimated to account for over two-fifth of the revenue share by 2017 end.By end-user, the market segmentation includes large enterprises, small medium enterprises, and residential. Among these, residential is expected to be the biggest end-user of the display device. By the end of 2026, residential as end-user is likely to create an incremental opportunity surpassing US$ 89,100 million between 2017 and 2026.Geographically, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ) is expected to be the largest region in the global display device market during the forecast period 2017-2026. It is estimated to account for robust CAGR between 2017 and 2026.Request Report for TOC @Global Display Device Market: Competitive LandscapeThe report offers in-depth analysis on some of the leading market players in the global display device market such as Samsung, LG, Apple, Panasonic, Toshiba, Sony, Hiesense, TCL Corporation, Skyworth, and Sharp. Most of the leading players are planning to develop large-scale production facility with the introduction of new technologies.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated re-search, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Con-sumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Wheel Hub Market: Key Trends and Forecast Research Report

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/15118

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/15118

www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Wheel Hub is the automotive part which is used in almost all four and above wheeler vehicles including car, trucks, passenger vehicles, and others. The wheel hub is located in between the disc and the axle. Wheels hubs are very essential for the smooth running and smooth steering. This is because the wheel hub is mainly responsible for connecting the wheels to the chassis and hence the smooth steering becomes possible. If the wheel hubs are worn out then the wheel parts cannot be held together properly and hence accidents can occur. Also when the wheel hubs are worn out its very necessary to get them replaced to avoid disasters. Wheel hubs are most used parts in the vehicle and its inevitable for it to get spoilt often.Request to Sample of Report @The global wheel hub market is posing to strike a very good growth because of the increase in demand for automobiles across the globe. The wheel hub has greased bearings and is responsible for smooth and quite rotating of tire and wheel. Wheel hub carries the whole weight of vehicle and the ability of the vehicle is mainly determined by the quality of wheel hubs. If diagnosis of the noise occurs in the wheel then the wheel hubs should be changed. This can be due to multiple reasons such as road surface conditions such as newly paved roads or the uneven surface characteristics of the roads which can cause the uneven and intensified noises. Proper maintenance and handling procedures are very important and critical. The bearing in the wheel hub should not be spun with compressed air.The Global Wheel Hub Market is mainly driven by the increase in demand for automobiles across the globe. Wheel hub helps avoiding wear and tear of the vehicle and hence this is one of the important part of the automobile. Rapid growing demand for the transportation across the countries is also the main reason for driving wheel hub market. The attributes like efficiency and effectiveness of the modern technology offered by wheel hubs are mainly driving the Global wheel hub Market. However the growing prices of the automotive parts is mainly restraining the global wheel hub market. Moreover the growing opportunity could be the efficiency results of these parts can bring in opportunities for this market.Request Report For TOC @The Global Wheel Hub Market is divided into seven regions including North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North America is expected to lead the Global Wheel hub market market because of the number of growing companies in automobiles are increasing in this region. Europe is also showing a decent and steady market growth for this market because of growing automobile industry in this region which is followed by Asia Pacific. Middle East and Africa have a lowest market share because of less demand for automobiles.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
North America Refining Industry by Market Trends, Size, Manufacturers, Sales, Revenue Analysis and Forecast to 2022

North America Refining Industry

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3031246-refining-industry-outlook-in-north-america-to-2022

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3031246-refining-industry-outlook-in-north-america-to-2022

North America Refining IndustryOverview"Refining Industry Outlook in North America to 2022 - Capacity and Capital Expenditure Forecasts with Details of All Operating and Planned Refineries", is a comprehensive report on crude oil refining industry in North America. The report provides refinery details such as the refinery name, country, and refinery operator name, with in-depth coverage on crude distillation unit or, CDU capacity and other major unit capacities for all active and new build (planned and announced) refineries in the region.The report also provides refinery capital expenditure outlook by key countries, year on year, till 2022 in the region. The report also provides key country comparisons within the region based on contribution to regional refining capacity. Further the report also offers recent developments and latest contracts awarded in the refining industry across different countries in the region.Click here for sample report @Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of Contents 11.1. List of Tables 41.2. List of Figures 7Introduction 82.1. What is this Report About? 82.2. Market Definition 8North America Refining Industry 93.1. North America Refining Industry, Overview of Active Refineries Data 93.2. North America Refining Industry, Total Refining Capacity 93.2.1. North America Refining Industry, Refining Capacity by United States PADD Regions, Canada and Mexico, 20122022 93.2.2. North America Refining Industry, Refining Capacity Market Share Vis-a-vis Growth by United States PADD Regions, Canada and Mexico, 20122017 113.2.3. North America Refining Industry, Crude Distillation Unit Capacity by United States PADD Regions, Canada and Mexico, 20122022 123.2.4. North America Refining Industry, Crude Distillation Unit Capacity Market Share Vis-a-vis Growth by United States PADD Regions, Canada and Mexico, 20122017 133.2.5. North America Refining Industry, Condensate Splitter Unit Capacity by United States PADD Regions, Canada and Mexico, 20122022 143.2.6. North America Refining Industry, Condensate Splitter Unit Capacity Market Share Vis-a-vis Growth by United States PADD Regions, Canada and Mexico, 20122017 153.2.7. North America Refining Industry, Coking Unit Capacity by Country, 20122022 163.2.8. North America Refining Industry, Coking Unit Capacity Market Share Vis-a-vis Growth by United States PADD Regions, Canada and Mexico, 20122017 173.2.9. North America Refining Industry, Catalytic Cracker Unit Capacity by United States PADD Regions, Canada and Mexico, 20122022 183.2.10. North America Refining Industry, Catalytic Cracker Unit Capacity Market Share Vis-a-vis Growth by United States PADD Regions, Canada and Mexico, 20122017 193.2.11. North America Refining Industry, Hydrocracking Unit Capacity by United States PADD Regions, Canada and Mexico, 20122022 203.2.12. North America Refining Industry, Hydrocracking Unit Capacity Market Share Vis-a-vis Growth by United States PADD Regions, Canada and Mexico, 20122017 213.3. North America Refining Industry, Overview of Planned Refineries Data 223.4. North America Refining Industry, Planned and Announced Refineries 223.4.1. North America Refining Industry, Annual Capital Expenditure Outlook for Planned and Announced Refineries 243.4.2. North America Refining Industry, Annual Capital Expenditure Outlook for Planned and Announced Refineries by Country 25Refining Industry in United States, Gulf Coast (PADD 3) 264.1. Refining Industry in Gulf Coast, Crude Distillation Unit Capacity, 20122022 264.2. Refining Industry in Gulf Coast, Condensate Splitter Unit Capacity, 20122022 294.3. Refining Industry in Gulf Coast, Coking Unit Capacity, 20122022 304.4. Refining Industry in Gulf Coast, Catalytic Cracker Unit Capacity, 20122022 324.5. Refining Industry in Gulf Coast, Hydrocracking Unit Capacity, 20122022 34Refining Industry in United States, Midwest (PADD 2) 365.1. Refining Industry in Midwest, Crude Distillation Unit Capacity, 20122022 3611.2. Recent Contracts 77Refining Industry in Mexico 8412.1. Refining Industry in Mexico, Crude Distillation Unit Capacity, 20122022 8412.2. Refining Industry in Mexico, Coking Unit Capacity, 20122022 8512.3. Refining Industry in Mexico, Catalytic Cracker Unit Capacity, 20122022 8612.4. Refining Industry in Mexico, Hydrocracking Unit Capacity, 20122022 86Refining Industry in Mexico, Recent Developments and Contracts 87.North America Refining Industry Major Outlook- Updated information relating to all active and planned refineries- Provides historical data from 2012 to 2017, forecast to 2022- Information on refining, coking, catalytic cracker and hydrocracking capacities by refinery and country- Provides operator information for all active and planned refineries- Latest developments and contracts related to refineries across different countriesNorth America Refining Industry - Competitive AnalysisKey players are making innovative developments in North America Refining Industry. The same will help in improving the market performance. Heavy investments are made by major players in the R&D sector.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Wireless Mesh Network Market - Poised for Steady Growth in the Future

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1968

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/wireless-mesh-network-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/1968

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

The global wireless mesh networks market is extremely competitive in terms of the services and products offered by leading companies. Transparency Market Research observes that this current scenario of the vendor landscape has compelled market players to focus on the addition of innovative products and services to their portfolio to differentiate their offerings from their rivals.Keeping this in mind, two of the most common and successful strategies that companies have been resorting to are partnerships and acquisitions. Strategic collaborations with other leading players, niche vendors, and other strong contenders in the wireless mesh network market are commonplace in this highly competitive environment, the author of the study states. This has a favorable impact not just in terms of the development of newer products and services but also in terms of improved sales channels.Request Sample:For instance, ABBs acquisition of Tropos Networks has enabled the Zurich-based company to develop new products based on the existing prototypes by combining their own technology with that of Tropos. This has resulted in ABB establishing itself as a major brand and leveraging its present market position to further sales.Developing Regions Hold Lucrative OpportunitiesTMR predicts that the government sector is likely to present a large demand for wireless mesh from the public safety and communication networks owing to the cost-effectiveness of mesh networks. Given that the implementation of these networks will be part of large-scale projects, players in the market can make the most of the high-profit opportunities presented by the government projects despite the low pricing scenario, a TMR analyst states.Moreover, wireless mesh network providers can benefit from low competition in developing regions such as Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. These regions provide major opportunities for new entrants, wherein they can make the most of the availability of distributors, resellers, and service providers and develop a healthy position for themselves in the wireless mesh network market, the analyst suggests.Browse Our Report:The Opportunity in NumbersThe demand for wireless mesh networks is anticipated to surge from 13.3 mn units in 2015 to 37.2 mn units by 2024. The market worth, on the other hand, is projected to rise from US$3.9 bn in 2015 to US$8.9 bn by the end of the forecast period, registering a 9.7% CAGR. The flexibility that mesh networks offer and their fast and easy deployment drives the adoption of wireless mesh networks, the author finds.Among the major radio frequency bands used, 2.4GHz is the largest segment considering it is the most commonly used frequency band for Wi-Fi applications in most parts of the world. Although this segment will continue leading the market throughout the forecast period, it is predicted to lose market share by 2024. On the other hand, the segment of sub 1GHz is expected to register the highest growth, registering an 11.7% CAGR from 2016 to 2024.Get TOC of This Report:This review is based on the findings of a TMR report titled Wireless Mesh Network Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2015-2023.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Small Drones Market are Driven By the Need of an Enhanced Military Program for the National Defence Strategy

https://www.xpodenceresearch.com/Request-Sample/105788

https://www.xpodenceresearch.com/Reports/Small-Drones-Market

Small drones can be remotely operated to gather information with least human intervention and eliminating the need of human on board. Small drones are also employed in news bulletins, film production, and music videos for producing aerial videos. They are also used to inspect and investigate lands that are remotely located owing to their extended operational capacity. Small drones have gained increased acceptance from various manufacturers for the commercial application in the market over the past few years. Private agencies and government organizations have invested huge amounts in the production and development of innovative and efficient small drones for commercial and defense application, having advanced payloads and better endurance capabilities at a low cost. The market is fueled by factors such as rapid increase in commercial applications and improved operational efficiency. One of the restraining factors for the small drones market is the lack of skilled pilots and stringent airspace regulations for commercial use.Request For Free Sample Of The Report @The global small drones are driven by the need of an enhanced military program for the national defence strategy. An excellent option to achieve this is by the use of unmanned systems for reconnaissance, information gathering, observation, and communication. This has boosted the growth of small drones market for military purposes. Other factors augmenting the growth of small drones market are reduced cost owing to the small size and technical advancements in the current products at a relatively lower price. Need for increased surveillance activities due to rising tension in the international borders is also expected to increase the demand for Small drones over the forecast period.The small drones market is classified on the basis of size, applications, payload, product type, and regions. By size, the small drones market is segmented into mini, micro and nano. By application, the small drones market is segmented into commercial and defense. By payload, the small drones market is segmented into Telemetry System, Sensor, Camera, NBC Detection, Videoscreen, and SAR. By product type, the small drones market is segmented into fixed wing and rotary wings. The nano drones market accounts for the major share in the small drones market. The use of small drones in a defence dominated the small drones market in the application.The market for small drones is evaluated based on five regions namely North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East. Asia Pacific is responsible for a major share in the small drones market due to increased use of small drones in activities such as logistics, crop monitoring, reconnaissance, wildlife conservation and surveillance in developing countries such as India and China.Obtain Report Details @Some key players in the military laser systems market are Lockheed Martin Corporation, Aerovironment Inc., Parrot SA, Elbit Systems, Ltd., 3D Robotics Inc., The Boeing Company, BAE Systems, Inc., Thales Group, SAAB AB, Textron Inc. The top players in the global small drones market have implemented the strategy of mergers and expansions to maintain their position in the market. Continuous research and development to provide new and better products in the market have helped to gain a major share in the small drones market.About Us-Xpodence Research is a U.S. based Market Research Company and offers the most extensive collection of progressive surveying syndicated and customized research reports of various categories for private and public industries across the globe.We offer the comprehensive market research solution for all the industries by performing the in-depth study of industry trends, verticals globally. We believe in building an eternal bond with our customers through providing them inclusive research study both customized and syndicated based on their specific requirements.The organizations in every industry such as Technology, Pharmaceuticals, Consumable Goods, Food & Beverage and others demands a market-based solutions for various significant decisions based on productivity and output globally. Our services are tailored specifically to our clients by proposing them the potential outcome, based on our in-depth analysis and insights for exploring the growth strategies through providing the best possible decision for quality production.Contact Us-Xpodence ResearchUSA Office244 , Madison AvenueNew York City, NY - 10016United StatesUK Office109 ,Straford Street,LeedsWest Yorkshrie LS11 6JGUnited KingdomToll Free +1- 844-445-2861Email-sales@xpodenceresearch.com
Former Soviet Union Refining Industry SWOT Analysis and Forecast to 2022 Research Report

Former Soviet Union Refining Industry

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3031248-refining-industry-outlook-in-former-soviet-union-to

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3031248-refining-industry-outlook-in-former-soviet-union-to

Former Soviet Union Refining IndustryOverview"Refining Industry Outlook in Former Soviet Union to 2022 - Capacity and Capital Expenditure Forecasts with Details of All Operating and Planned Refineries", is a comprehensive report on crude oil refining industry in Former Soviet Union. The report provides refinery details such as the refinery name, country, and refinery operator name, with in-depth coverage on crude distillation unit or, CDU capacity and other major unit capacities for all active and new build (planned and announced) refineries in the region.The report also provides refinery capital expenditure outlook by key countries, year on year, till 2022 in the region. The report also provides key country comparisons within the region based on contribution to regional refining capacity. Further the report also offers recent developments and latest contracts awarded in the refining industry across different countries in the region.Click here for sample report @Table of ContentsTable of Contents 11.1. List of Tables 41.2. List of Figures 6Introduction 72.1. What is this Report About? 72.2. Market Definition 7Former Soviet Union Refining Industry 83.1. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Overview of Refineries Data 83.2. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Total Refining Capacity 83.2.1. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Refining Capacity by Key Countries, 20122022 83.2.2. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Refining Capacity Market Share Vis-a-vis Growth by Key Countries, 20122017 103.2.3. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Crude Distillation Unit Capacity by Key Countries, 20122022 113.2.4. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Crude Distillation Unit Capacity Market Share Vis-a-vis Growth by Key Countries, 20122017 123.2.5. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Condensate Splitter Unit Capacity by Country, 20122022 133.2.6. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Condensate Splitter Unit Capacity Market Share Vis-a-vis Growth by Country, 20122017 143.2.7. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Coking Unit Capacity by Key Countries, 20122022 153.2.8. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Coking Unit Capacity Market Share Vis-a-vis Growth by Key Countries, 20122017 163.2.9. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Catalytic Cracker Unit Capacity by Key Countries, 20122022 173.2.10. Former Soviet Union Refining Industry, Catalytic Cracker Unit Capacity Market Share Vis-a-vis Growth by Key Countries, 20122017 18.Former Soviet Union Refining Industry Major Outlook- Updated information relating to all active and planned refineries- Provides historical data from 2012 to 2017, forecast to 2022- Information on refining, coking, catalytic cracker and hydrocracking capacities by refinery and country- Provides operator information for all active and planned refineries- Latest developments and contracts related to refineries across different countriesFormer Soviet Union Refining Industry - Competitive AnalysisKey players are making innovative developments in Former Soviet Union Refining Industry. The same will help in improving the market performance. Heavy investments are made by major players in the R&D sector.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Global Trade Finance: Market Demand, Growth Analysis & Opportunity and Forecast to 2022

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2357469-2017-global-trade-finance-industry-research-report

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2357469-2017-global-trade-finance-industry-research-report

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Trade Finance industry market by types, applications, players and regions. This report also displays the production, Consumption, revenue, Gross margin, Cost, Gross, market share, CAGR, and Market influencing factors of the Trade Finance industry in USA, EU, China,India, Japan and other regions, and forecast to 2022, from 2017.Market Analysis by PlayersBNP ParibasCitigroupHSBCJPMorgan ChaseMitsubishi UFJ FinancialANZCommerzbankMorgan StanleyParagon FinancialSantanderSunTrust BankUniCreditWells FargoRequest a Sample Report @Market Analysis by Regions:North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanOthersMarket Anaysis by Types:Letter of CreditBank GuaranteeExportImportMarket Analysis by Applications:Small BusinessMedium-sized BusinessLarge BusinessTable of Content1 Trade Finance Market Overview1.1 Product Overview of Trade Finance1.2 Classification and Application of Trade Finance1.3 Global Trade Finance Market Regional Analysis1.3.1 USA Market Present Situation Analysis1.3.2 Europe Market Present Situation Analysis1.3.3 Japan Market Present Situation Analysis1.3.4 China Market Present Situation Analysis1.3.5 India Market Present Situation Analysis1.3.6 Southeast Asia Market Present Situation Analysis1.3.7 South America Market Present Situation Analysis1.3.8 South Africa Market Present Situation Analysis1.3.9 Brazil Market Present Situation Analysis1.4 Trade Finance Industry Development Factors Analysis1.4.1 Trade Finance Industry Development Opportunities Analysis1.4.2 Trade Finance Industry Development Challenges Analysis1.5 Trade Finance Consumer Behavior Analysis2 Global Trade Finance Competition by Players2.1 Global Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Players2.2 Global Trade Finance Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Players (2016-2017)2.3 Global Trade Finance Price (USD/Unit) by Players (2016-2017)2.4 Global Trade Finance Gross Margin by Players (2016-2017)3 Global Trade Finance Competition by Types3.1 Global Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Types3.2 Global Trade Finance Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Type (2012-2017)3.3 Global Trade Finance Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)3.4 Global Trade Finance Gross Margin by Type (2012-2017)3.5 USA Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.6 China Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.7 Europe Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.8 Japan Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.9 India Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.10 Southeast Asia Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.11 South America Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.12 South Africa Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.12 Brazil Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type4 Global Trade Finance Competition by Application4.1 Global Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Application4.2 Global Trade Finance Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Global Trade Finance Price (USD/Unit) by Application (2012-2017)4.4 Global Trade Finance Gross Margin by Application (2012-2017)4.5 USA Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Application4.6 China Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Application4.7 Europe Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Application4.8 Japan Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Application4.9 India Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Application4.10 Southeast Asia Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Application4.11 South America Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Application4.12 South Africa Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Application4.13 Brazil Trade Finance Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Application5 Global Trade Finance Production Market Analysis by Region5.1 Global Trade Finance Production (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Region5.1.1 USA Trade Finance Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.2 Europe Trade Finance Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.3 China Trade Finance Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.4 Japan Trade Finance Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.5 India Trade Finance Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.6 Southeast Asia Trade Finance Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.7 South America Trade Finance Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.8 South Africa Trade Finance Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.9 Brazil Trade Finance Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.2 Global Trade Finance Production Value (Million USD) and Share by Region (2012-2017)5.3 Global Trade Finance Price (USD/Unit) by Region (2012-2017)5.4 Global Trade Finance Gross Margin by Region (2012-2017)ContinuedAccess Complete Report @ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Jordan Telecommunications Market 2018 Industry Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast To 2022

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3031255-jordan-country-intelligence-report

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3031255-jordan-country-intelligence-report

www.linkedin.com/company/4828928

https://twitter.com/WiseGuyReports

https://www.facebook.com/Wiseguyreports-1009007869213183/?fref=ts

Summary"Jordan: Country Intelligence Report", provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Jordan today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2022. Published annually, the report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony, broadband and mobile segments, as well as a review of key regulatory trends.Jordans telecom service market will grow from an estimated $1.2bn in 2017 to $1.5bn by 2022 at a CAGR of 5.5% over 2017-2022 primarily driven by growth in the mobile data and fixed broadband segments. Mobile voice was the largest revenue-contributing segment in 2017. However, mobile data will be the fastest-growing revenue segment expanding at a CAGR of 13.6% over 2017-2022 driven by steady rise in smartphone subscriptions and growing adoption of 3G/4G services.GET SAMPLE REPORT @The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following -- Demographic and macroeconomic context in Jordan.- The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, tariff regulation and more.- Telecom services market outlook: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice, and mobile data markets.- The competitive landscape: an examination of the positioning of leading players in the telecom services market as well as subscription market shares across segments.- Company snapshots: analysis of the financial position of leading service providers in the telecommunications markets.- Underlying assumptions behind our published base-case forecasts, as well as potential market developments that would alter, either positively or negatively, our base-case outlook.Scope- The overall telecom service revenue in Jordan will grow at a CAGR of 5.5% during 2017-2022.- Mobile revenue will account for 75.0% of the total service revenue in 2022, led by growing 3G/4G subscriptions.- Fixed broadband revenue will grow from $117.2m in 2017 to $207.5m by 2022 driven by steady rise in DSL subscriptions and ongoing expansion of FTTH services by operators such as Orange and Umniah.- Zain Jordan leads Jordans mobile market in terms of mobile subscriptions for 2017, followed by Orange Jordan.- Zain will maintain its leadership in the mobile services market through the forecast period thanks to its 4G services and bundled plans offering unlimited calling and data limits ranging from 6GB to 21GB.Reasons to buy- This Country Intelligence Report offers a thorough, forward-looking analysis of Jordans telecommunications markets, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format to help executives build proactive and profitable growth strategies.- Accompanying Forecast products, the report examines the assumptions and drivers behind ongoing and upcoming trends in Jordans mobile communications, fixed telephony, broadband markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares.- With more than 20 charts and tables, the report is designed for an executive-level audience, boasting presentation quality.- The report provides an easily digestible market assessment for decision-makers built around in-depth information gathered from local market players, which enables executives to quickly get up to speed with the current and emerging trends in Jordans telecommunications markets.- The broad perspective of the report coupled with comprehensive, actionable detail will help operators, equipment vendors and other telecom industry players succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in Jordan.Table of Content: Key PointsTable of contents 3Market highlights 4Regulatory context 8Telecom market outlook 9Total telecom service revenue 10Mobile services market 12Fixed services market 18Competitive landscape and company snapshots 22Competitive landscape 24Orange Jordan 25Zain Jordan 26Umniah 27Additional resources 28Baseline forecast assumptions 29Data tables 30Glossary 32Research methodology 34Country Intelligence Report coverage 36ContinuedACCESS REPORT @Get in touch:LinkedIn:Twitter:Facebook:Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
The Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Industry Will Be Fiercely Competitive in 2018

QYResearchReports

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1529685&type=S

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-diamond-semiconductor-substrates-sales-market-report-2018.htm/toc

http://www.qyresearchreports.com

Qyresearchreports include new market research report Diamond Semiconductor Substrates to its huge collection of research reports.The report on the global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates market is extremely comprehensive and comprises of tables, charts, statistics, maps, and graphics so as to give the readers a clear understanding in an easy manner regarding the growth prospects of the market. It offers an unbiased View regarding the markets future and gives both the promising opportunities that lie ahead within the market as well as the various factors which are expected to obstruct or challenge the growth of this Market.The market is segmented on the basis of key criteria. The report there for studies each of the segments as well as a sub segments. Information including leading segment, declining segment, fastest growing segment has been given in the report. The report studies the global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates market from a Global Perspective as well as Regional perspective. Regionally this Market has been segmented for the purpose of study into Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. The reported then goes on to declare which regional market will emerge is the most lucrative one during the forecast period, as well as which regional market will witness a sluggish growth and therefore advice potential investors against investing in that particular region so as to avoid loss.For more info, get sample report for FREE here:The aim of the research report is to assist business investors, well-established players as well as new entrance to make profitable decisions regarding Investments within the global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates market. It determines the budding Trends which are currently impacting the market and might have a future scope as well within the market. In addition to this, growth opportunities that lie in the market are also revealed. For the purpose of predicting the market size, the research report takes into account historical figures and present Market size. In this fashion, an effective and accurate prediction can be made regarding the future of the global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates market.Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Diamond Semiconductor Substrates sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingApplied Diamond IncScio Diamond Technology CorporationElement SixPure Grown DiamondsILJIN Diamond Co., LtdWashington Diamonds Corporation...Table of ContentsGlobal Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Sales Market Report 20181 Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Diamond Semiconductor Substrates1.2 Classification of Diamond Semiconductor Substrates by Product Category1.2.1 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Natural1.2.4 Synthetic1.3 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Consumer Electronics1.3.3 Construction & Mining1.3.4 Healthcare1.3.5 Electronics1.3.6 OthersRead Complete Table of Content of the Report at:2 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Sales and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.2.2 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Sales and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)2.3.2 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Revenue and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)2.4 Global Diamond Semiconductor Substrates (Volume) by Application3 United States Diamond Semiconductor Substrates (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Sales and Value (2013-2018)3.1.1 United States Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2018)3.1.2 United States Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Revenue and Growth Rate (2013-2018)3.1.3 United States Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Sales Price Trend (2013-2018)3.2 United States Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Sales Volume and Market Share by Players (2013-2018)3.3 United States Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Sales Volume and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)3.4 United States Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Sales Volume and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)...About QYResearchReports.comQyresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from Qyresearchreports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact US:Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Market Expand Their Businesses with New Investments

QYResearchReports

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1529706&type=S

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-driver-night-vision-goggles-sales-market-report-2018.htm/toc

http://www.qyresearchreports.com

Qyresearchreports include new market research report Driver Night Vision Goggles to its huge collection of research reports.The report on the global Driver Night Vision Goggles market is extremely comprehensive and comprises of tables, charts, statistics, maps, and graphics so as to give the readers a clear understanding in an easy manner regarding the growth prospects of the market. It offers an unbiased View regarding the markets future and gives both the promising opportunities that lie ahead within the market as well as the various factors which are expected to obstruct or challenge the growth of this Market.The market is segmented on the basis of key criteria. The report there for studies each of the segments as well as a sub segments. Information including leading segment, declining segment, fastest growing segment has been given in the report. The report studies the global Driver Night Vision Goggles market from a Global Perspective as well as Regional perspective. Regionally this Market has been segmented for the purpose of study into Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. The reported then goes on to declare which regional market will emerge is the most lucrative one during the forecast period, as well as which regional market will witness a sluggish growth and therefore advice potential investors against investing in that particular region so as to avoid loss.For more info, get sample report for FREE here:The aim of the research report is to assist business investors, well-established players as well as new entrance to make profitable decisions regarding Investments within the global Driver Night Vision Goggles market. It determines the budding Trends which are currently impacting the market and might have a future scope as well within the market. In addition to this, growth opportunities that lie in the market are also revealed. For the purpose of predicting the market size, the research report takes into account historical figures and present Market size. In this fashion, an effective and accurate prediction can be made regarding the future of the global Driver Night Vision Goggles market.Global Driver Night Vision Goggles market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Driver Night Vision Goggles sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingBUSHNELLCenturion SystemsArmasightNivisysMorovisionNIGHT OPTICSMeoptaPulsarNight Vision GearTable of ContentsGlobal Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales Market Report 20181 Driver Night Vision Goggles Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Driver Night Vision Goggles1.2 Classification of Driver Night Vision Goggles by Product Category1.2.1 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 LLL Night Vision Goggles1.2.4 Infrared Night Vision Goggles1.3 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Truck Driver1.3.3 Bus DriverRead Complete Table of Content of the Report at:2 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.2.2 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)2.3.2 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles Revenue and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)2.4 Global Driver Night Vision Goggles (Volume) by Application3 United States Driver Night Vision Goggles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales and Value (2013-2018)3.1.1 United States Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2018)3.1.2 United States Driver Night Vision Goggles Revenue and Growth Rate (2013-2018)3.1.3 United States Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales Price Trend (2013-2018)3.2 United States Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales Volume and Market Share by Players (2013-2018)3.3 United States Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales Volume and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)3.4 United States Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales Volume and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)4 China Driver Night Vision Goggles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales and Value (2013-2018)4.1.1 China Driver Night Vision Goggles Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2018)...About QYResearchReports.comQyresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from Qyresearchreports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact US:Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Automotive Sideshaft Market Revenue Predicted To Go Up by 2025

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/automotive-sideshaft-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/20965

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/

The primary function of an automotive sideshaft is to provide an active connection between the driving wheels and the engine, it also allows to generate different steering angles while accommodating the suspension movements. The isolation of vibration is also one of the prime function of the automotive sideshaft in a vehicle. The merit of a constant velocity joint is that it can transfer rotation through various angles without any variations in drive shaft speeds. An automotive sideshaft comprises of two constant velocity joints; a plunging joint situated at the gearbox end and a fixed joint situated near the wheel end which are connected by an interconnecting shaft.Automotive Sideshaft market has grown rapidly over a period of time making the transfer of energy and movement from the vehicle engine to the wheels very comfortable and easy without the loss of power. Regular cleaning and servicing of the automotive sideshaft is imperative for every automobile and machine to ensure safe operation as well as proper functioning of the vehicles. Mostly used materials in the construction of automotive sideshaft are stainless steel, cast iron or aluminum, etc. Consumer has become very much focused about the safe, efficient, better and smooth transmission of power from the engine system and this is estimated to accelerate the global automotive sideshaft market. Increasing fuel prices has resulted in the growth of autonomous, fuel efficient, hybrid and electric vehicles which is estimated to propel the growth of automotive sideshaft market. Most of the advanced and modern vehicles contain well organized network of safety system and drive shafts.For more information about this Report visit @Automotive Sideshaft Market dynamics:Automotive sideshaft market is expected to grow over estimated period due to the increase in demand of automation coupled with the transmission without loss of power. Rise in demand of automotive axles has resulted in the growing requirement for automotive drive shafts in the global market. Manufacturers main preference is deployment of lightweight and compact connecting system which can be used for effective interconnection and smooth transmission. Safety and security is estimated to be one of the most prominent to driver for the automotive global sideshaft market.Automotive sideshaft are used in advanced safety systems which include effective transmission and steering of wheels at higher speeds. Due to the growth in number of heavy duty application automotive sideshaft global market is estimated to grow over estimated period. Introduction of heat resistant, light weight and high end materials is expected to drive the automotive sideshaft market over the forecast period. Shifting focus of manufacturers towards more advanced and technical version of automobile is further more estimated to boost the automotive sideshaft market. Durability and reliability affects the productivity and efficiency and this may act as a restraint for global automotive sideshaft market.By type, Automotive Sideshaft market can be segmented as:,, Rigid, Hollow,,By application, Automotive Sideshaft market can be segmented as:,, Rear, Front,,By vehicle type in automobiles, Automotive Sideshaft market can be segmented as:,, Passenger Car, Economic PC, Mid-Sized PC, Luxury PC, Commercial Vehicles, LCV, HCVAsia Pacific is estimated to account for the prominent share of automotive sideshaft market due to the increase in production and demand of automobile in countries like China, Japan, ASEAN Countries and India. North America and Europe automotive sideshaft market is estimated to grow due to the strict automotive pollution control and safety norms in these regions. Infrastructural growth in Middle East and Africa is estimated to boost the automotive sideshaft market. Never ending demand for productive, reliable, cost effective, efficient automotive transmission system is estimated to propel the automotive sideshaft market.Request to Sample of Report-Automotive Sideshaft: Key PlayersIfa Rotorion - Holding GmbHTrelleborg ABNeapco Holdings LLCNKN, Ltd.Hyundai Wia CorporationYamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd.GKN plcNTN CorporationDana IncorporatedNexteer Automotive GroupAmerican Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Pharmaceuticals Sector to Observe Major Demand for Partnerships, Licensing, Investments and M&A, 2017-2022

Pharmaceuticals - Partnerships, Licensing, Investments and M&A

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3031248-refining-industry-outlook-in-former-soviet-union-to

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3031248-refining-industry-outlook-in-former-soviet-union-to

Pharmaceuticals - Partnerships, Licensing, Investments and M&AOverview"Partnerships, Licensing, Investments and M&A Deals and Trends for December 2017 in Pharmaceuticals", report is an essential source of data and trend analysis on partnerships, licensing, mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and financings in the pharmaceuticals industry. The report provides detailed information on partnership and licensing transactions, M&As, equity/debt offerings, private equity, and venture financing registered in the pharmaceuticals industry in December 2017.The report portrays detailed comparative data on the number of deals and their value in the last six months, subdivided by deal types, various therapy areas, and geographies. Additionally, the report provides information on the top financial advisory firms in the pharmaceuticals industry.Click here for sample report @Major Highlight of the ReportThe pharmaceutical and healthcare industry reported a decrease in the number of deals and deal values in December 2017. The industry reported 375 deals worth USD21 billion in December 2017, compared to 403 deals worth USD27.5 billion in November 2017. The oncology therapeutics market remained at the top in deal activity in December 2017 with 124 deals.Pharmaceuticals Sector Investments and M&A Major OutlookAnalysis of the market trends for the pharmaceutical industry in the global arena.Review of deal trends in the cardiovascular, central nervous system, dermatology, ear nose throat disorders, gastrointestinal, genito urinary system and sex hormones, hematological disorders, hormonal disorders, immunology, infectious disease, male health, metabolic disorders, mouth and dental disorders, musculoskeletal, oncology, ophthalmology, respiratory, toxicology, and women's health segments.Analysis of partnerships, licensing, M&As, equity/debt offerings, private equity, and venture financing deals in the pharmaceutical industry.Analysis of therapy areas which are very active in terms of venture capital financing, partnerships, licensing agreements, equity/debt offerings, and M&As.Analysis of deals based on different payment modes, including upfront and milestone payments, primarily in partnerships and licensing agreements in the pharmaceutical industry.Analysis of partnership and licensing deals based on clinical stage of development of products.Summary of the pharmaceutical deals globally in the six months.Information on the top deals happened in the pharmaceutical industry.Geographies covered include  North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South & Central America, and the Middle East & Africa.League tables of financial advisors in M&As and equity/debt offerings. This includes key advisors such as Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and Goldman Sachs.Pharmaceuticals Sector Investments and M&A - Competitive AnalysisKey players are making innovative developments in Pharmaceuticals Sector Investments and M&A. The same will help in improving the market performance. Heavy investments are made by major players in the R&D sector.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Scope Of Plastics Compounding Market For North American

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1613473

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1613473/the-north-american-for-plastics-market-research-reports/toc

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1613473/the-north-american-for-plastics-market-research-reports.pdf

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

"The Latest Research Report The North American Market for Plastics Compounding provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"The compounding of plastic resins is the addition of other materials to neat resins in order to add desirable properties or to make them more processable. This type of operation is conducted by three types of companies: (1) resin producers, (2) plastics processors (such as injection and blow molders, thermoformers, extruders and film/sheet producers) and (3) independent compounderscompanies whose business is making plastic compounds and masterbatches, not resins or molded plastics products.The role of each group varies by product segment, with large-volume processors such as extruders of sheet, film and pipe, and profiles assuming a more important compounding role than batch-focused processors like injection molders. Over the years, the compounding growth rate for resin producers has generally been slower than that of processors and compounders, as these latter companies take a bigger role in markets where significant proprietary technology is involved. Compounding trends are also highly dependent on different economic scenarios; for example, when polyethylene prices are high, PE bag makers and other large processors often compensate by increasing the addition of (that is, compounding with) cheaper calcium carbonate filler.Get Sample Copy of this report @The production of compounded plastics is a large business and a highly competitive one. Competition is based on many factors, including speed, delivery, service, performance, product innovation, product recognition, quality and price.Based on our research, BCC Research sees trends of growth in thermoplastic compounding, such as:- Compounding by processors should grow faster than that by producers or independent compounders.- Calcium carbonate will remain the dominant thermoplastics filler with almost 80% of the filler market by volume.- Carbon fiber reinforcement demand will continue to grow at double-digit rates, led by industrial (including automotive/energy) applications.- Global sales of carbon nanotube-reinforced polymers will continue to grow at double-digit rates from 2017 to 2022, but probably more slowly than in the recent past.- Natural fiber-plastic composites should continue to increase at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of REDACTED% from 2017 through 2022, led by construction-molded applications.- Use of masterbatches (primarily color concentrates) should grow near our projected U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) rate, at REDACTED% from 2017 to 2022.Table of ContentsChapter 1 IntroductionStudy Goals and ObjectivesReasons for Doing This StudyScope of ReportMethodology and Information SourceAnalyst's CredentialsRelated BCC Research ReportsBrowse Complete Report with TOC @Chapter 2 Summary and TrendsDevelopmentsPlastics UsersBioplastic ResinsPlastic AdditivesFillers and ReinforcementMasterbatchChapter 3 OverviewIntroduction and DefinitionsBackgroundAdditivesTypes of CompoundersChapter 4 ResinsOverviewPolyethyleneLow-Density PolyethyleneHigh-Density PolyethyleneLinear Low-Density PolyethylenePolyethylene CompoundingPolyethylene ProducersMarketPolypropylenePolypropylene CopolymersTypical ApplicationsPolypropylene PropertiesPolypropylene CompoundingPolypropylene ProducersMarketPolyvinyl ChlorideForms and Grades of PVCChlorinated PVCApplications for PVCPVC ProcessingPVC ProducersView Sample PDF @PVC CompoundingMarketPVC's Environmental IssuesPolystyreneGeneral Purpose PolystyrenePolystyrene ProducersPolystyrene ProcessingMarketPolystyrene Environmental IssueThermoplastic PolyestersMajor PET ApplicationsPET Competition PricingModified PET ResinsPET ProducersMarketEngineering ThermoplasticsPolybutylene TerephthalatePolyamides (Nylons)PolycarbonatesAcrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS)Other Engineering ResinsMarketThermoplastic ElastomersThermoplastic OlefinsCopolyester TypesThermoplastic PolyurethanesStyrene Block CopolymersChapter 5 BiocompoundsStarch-based PlasticsProducersApplicationsAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Ammonium Carbamate Market Would Register a Healthy Growth Rate During Forecast 2015 - 2021

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/ammonium-carbamate-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4388

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/

Ammonium carbamate is a salt of carbamic acid and ammonia. The compound is white, crystalline and soluble in water. Ammonium carbamate is manufactured by reaction of ammonia with dry ice (liquid carbon dioxide). It is used as a substitute for ammonia in certain applications. Ammonium carbamate is used as an elementary material for manufacturing ammonium carbonate. Ammonium carbamate is used as decomposition controller along with metal phosphides. In addition, it is also used for detoxification of off-gases.For more information about this Report visit @The market ammonium carbamate was mainly driven by increased demand for urea from agriculture sector. Ammonium carbamate is used in the production of carbamoyl phosphate, an important ingredient in urea cycle, where it is used as intermediate. It is also used in the manufacturing of pyrimidines. In addition, ammonium carbamate is also used in pesticides and fumigants to control rodents and insects. Increasing use of pesticides can be major opportunity for the growth of the market. However, health hazards and environmental issues can be major restraint for the ammonium carbamate market.In terms of demand, Asia Pacific was the leading region in ammonium carbamate market. Increasing demand for urea products in agricultural sector is expected to drive the ammonium carbamate market in this region. Asia Pacific was followed by North America. Rise in demand for decomposition controller and other agricultural activities is expected to fuel the ammonium carbamate market in North America. Europe had the third-largest market share in ammonium carbamate market. The market for ammonium carbamate is anticipated to grow due to rising demand from agricultural activities. The Rest of the World market is likely to exhibit steady demand for ammonium carbamate in upcoming years.Request to Sample of Report-Some of the key manufacturers in the ammonium carbamate market are Advanced Technology & Industrial Co. Ltd, Alfa Aesar GmbH & Co. KG, BASF SE, China XiangDing Chemical International Company, Merck KGaA, Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd and VWR International LLC among others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Flame Detectors Market: Comprehensive Evaluation Of The Market Via In-Depth Qualitative Insights

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/flame-detectors-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27068

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=27068

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

A flame detector is a type of sensor, which is primarily designed to identify, detect, and respond to the presence of a fire or flame. Installation of the flame detectors plays an important role in the whole process of detecting a flame of fire. After detecting the fire or flame, the detector primarily sounds an alarm, deactivates the fuel line, and also activates the fire suppression system.Flame detectors are much faster and detect a fire or flame more accuratelythan a heat or smoke detector duet the mechanisms it applies to detect the fire. In terms of product type, the global flame detectors market can be segmented into single IR, single UV, dual UV / IR, triple IR, and multi IR.Browse the Report to Know Granular View of The Market from Various End-Use Segments @In terms of service type, the market for flame detectors can be segmented into design and installation service, engineering service, maintenance service, and inspection service. In terms of end-use industry, the flame detectors market can be segmented into power and energy, consumer goods, healthcare, logistics and transportation, oil and gas, defense and aerospace, mining, and automotive. In terms of geography, the market for flame detectors can be segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Middle East &Africa.Single UV flame detectors are widely used in the manufacturing and oil &gas industries. This particular type of fire or flame detector primarily identifies and detects the intensity of the radiation emitted at the time of ignition.Scanners for monitoring the condition of a flame in a burner along with the detectors in fire alarm systems, which detect fire; both are different categories of flame detectors.Request Sample to Know An Insight On the Important Factors and Trends Influencing the Market @Growing popularity and adoption rate of flame detectors in different industries, which includes mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, transportation, and retail, are considered as key drivers for the market. Domestic heating system, industrial drying and heating system, and gas fueled cookers are major application areas of flame detectors. Government policies, and regulations and norms for workplace safety are major factors boosting the expansion of the flame detectors market. Increasing installation of flame detectors across factories, companies, and enterprises is another key driver for the market.High installation and maintenance cost along with shorter lifecycle of flame detectors are some restraints on the market, which are anticipated to hinder the expansion of the market during the forecast period. However, applications in the paper and printing industry are one of the opportunities for the market.Get TOC of This Report @In terms of revenue, Asia Pacific led the flame detectors market in 2016. North America and Europe followed Asia Pacific in terms of revenue share in the global market. China is the leading contributor to the Asia Pacific market due to its technological advancement in the field of flame detectors. India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan follow China in terms of market share in Asia Pacific. The U.S. is dominated the market or flame detectors, followed by Canada and Mexico in 2016.Geographical expansions and establishing partnership agreements with other companies are key strategies adopted by companies in order to strengthen their presence worldwide. Prominent players operating in the global flame detectors market include Honeywell International Inc. (The U.S.), Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Siemens AG (Germany), Tyco International PLC (Ireland), Emerson Electric Co. (The U.S.), Johnson Controls (The U.S.), and MSA Advanced Detection, LLC (The U.S).About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Top mounted industrial agitators Market: Worldwide Industry Analysis and New Market Opportunities Explored

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/top-mounted-industrial-agitators-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=26204

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=26204

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Top mounted industrial agitators are being used for the purpose of mixing and agitating process liquid in various industries, which includes wastewater and different types of industrial applications. They do ensure homogenous mixing result, higher process reliability, higher efficiency, low operating cost and very low environmental stress.SALOMIX L top mounted vertical agitators are being used for the purpose of mixing and agitating process liquid in demanding industrial application. Continuously growing need of versatile and high-efficiency mixing top mounted agitators is the main factor anticipated to drive the market for top mounted industrial agitators during the forecasted period.Browse the Report to Know Influential Factors Determining the Trajectory of the Market @For purpose of in depth analysis, the top mounted industrial agitators market is been segregated on the basis of applications andgeography. Based on the application, the Top mounted industrial agitators market has been segmented into five types they are like application in mixing in basins and the tanks, viscose liquids, large solids which contains liquids, suspensions and dispersions.Top mounted vertical agitators are mainly used for the purpose of agitating and mixing the process liquids in different industries which includes wastewater and the industrial applications.Long and very trusted experience in different industrial segment and very quick and easy installation of the top mounted industrial agitator are the key drivers of the market. Very unique product portfolio and superior designing features of top mounted industrial agitators which minimizes the overall life cycle cost of the product are also one of the major drivers of the Top mounted industrial agitators market.Therefore, the continuously growing need of reliable, versatile and high-efficiency mixing hydraulic agitators is the main factor anticipated to catalyze the growing demand of different top mounted agitators during the forecasted period from 2017 to 2025.Request Sample to Know Industry Outlook, Growth Prospects and Key Opportunities @In addition to that modular design structures and reliable operation along with reduced cost is also anticipated to increase the demand of top mounted industrial agitators in the upcoming years. In turn this is also projected to affect the top mounted industrial agitators market in a positive manner during the forecasted period.Inspite of many driving factors, the top mounted industrial agitators market is expected to show a fluctuation in its growth rate because of the high maintenance and installation cost of the top mounted industrial agitators. Mixer which is having centrally disposed anchor or the helical agitator are also acting as a restraining factor for the Top mounted industrial agitators market during the forecasted period from 2017-2025.Top mounted industrial agitators held the largest market share because ofease of industrial operation, option of customization and very high level of efficiency. Top mounted industrial agitators are expected to achieve highest growth during the forecast period because of its major industrial applications which includes digester mixing, agriculture, biogas among others.Get TOC of This Report @Geographically, the global Top mounted industrial agitators market is mainly driven by North America region. Presence of large number of manufacturing companies in food & beverage, chemical and in pharma industry of among the others is driving the market of North Americaregion. Rapidly growing demand oftop mounted industrial agitators in the chemical industry because of availability of the natural gas produced from the shale gas is expected to drive the top mounted industrial agitators market rapidly. This region is expected to maintain its dominance in the market during the forecasted period from 2017-2025.Some of the leading players operating in top mounted industrial agitators market include SPX Flow (The U.S.), Ekato Holding GmbH (Germany), Sulzer Ltd. (U.K), Dynamix Agitators Incorporate. (Canada), Tacmina Corp.(Japan), Statiflo International Limited(The U.S.), Mixer Direct Inc. (The U.S.), Silverson Machines Incorporate (The U.S.) among others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
UV Curing Systems Market: Industry Outlook, Growth Prospects and Key Opportunities

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/uv-curing-systems-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=24797

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=24797

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

UV curing systems is a process in which visible light and ultraviolet light is used to initiate a photochemical reaction that is used to instantly dry or cure inks, adhesives or coatings. UV curing is a low temperature and a high speed process that helps in curing by polymerization rather than evaporation.It is adaptable to coating, printing, decorating and assembling of a variety of products and materials. The global UV curing systems market is anticipated to witness a robust growth rate during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025 owing to the increasing demand for improved quality of the finished products and for greater consistency.Browse the Report to Know Insights into the Competitive Scenario of the Market @The global UV curing systems market is expected to witness a progressive growth in the coming years due to the requirement of less equipment space and energy since there is no need to wait for the product to get dry. This helps in creating an efficiency that exists through the entire manufacturing process.In addition, it is a one part system that requires no need to measure or mix and does not have any pot life concern. It also allows testing of parts soon after assembly that helps in eliminating possible quantities of work in process scrap. In addition due to the UV curing systems UV-LED printers enjoy a higher degree of traction compared to conventional printers due to their versatility and energy efficiency.Request Sample to Know An Insight On the Important Factors and Trends Influencing the Market @However, when curing in the air the oxygen in the atmosphere can cause the oxygen to inhibit the cure on the surface layer. This causes the top layer to become uncured sticky and wet while the bottom layer have hardened into dry finish. This affects the long term reliability of the coated layer. This is one of the reason which can hamper the growth of UV curing systems market.For the purpose of providing detailed research report, the global UV curing systems market is segmented on the basis of product type and application.On the basis of product type the market is segmented into free radical systems and cationic systems. Among the different product types of UV curing systems available in the market, free radical system is expected to grow at a higher rate owing to its facilities that majority of the commercial light cure products are of free radical types and use acrylic components that helps the polymerization to stop as soon as the light gets eliminated.Get TOC of This Report @UV curing systems also finds its application across various end user segments including automotive, electronics, telecommunication, graphic arts and others.Geographically, the global UV curing systems market has been further divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.North America is expected to hold the largest share of the UV curing systems market among the different regions in 2016. The UV curing systems market of North America is majorly driven by the U.S owing to increasing demand for electric vehicle. Tesla, one of the major car electric manufacturer sells nearly 6,500 electric car every month in U.S. Government is also encouraging sale of electric car by giving discounts and providing incentives due to the decreasing oil resources and increasing demand for petrol.Some of the key vendors operating in the global UV curing systems market includes BASF SE (Germany), DSM AGI Corporation (Taipei), Nippon Gohsei ( Japan), Wanhua Chemical Group Co. Ltd.( China), Toagosei Co. Ltd (Japan), Jiangsu Sanmu Group Corporation (China) and many moreAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Future Innovations by Schuschke at the AIX 2018

Aircraft Interiors Expo, Lavatory, Galley, washbasin

www.schueschke.de

Kirchentellinsfurt, 05 March 2018  From 10th to 12th of April 2018, Schuschke will be exhibiting in Hall B7 at stand 7A29 at the Aircraft Inte-riors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg. The processor of the solid surface material Varicor, used in the aircraft industry, gives an insight into its latest prod-uct developments. Schuschke will be reflecting the trade fair motto "Future Innovations" with promising new developments: Visitors can look forward to numerous innovations.Schuschke presents solutions from the Economy-, Business- and First Class categories. We want to surprise our customers and the airlines and offer added value with products you would not have expected from Schuschke, explains Thomas Mauthe, Managing Director of Schuschke GmbH & Co. KG.How well this works is demonstrated by Schuschke in Hamburg with the further development of the solid surface material Varicor, which now meets the requirements of the heat release rate for cabins. The company is no longer only active in the lavatories sector, but also expanding its product portfolio to the galley and cabin.The close interaction with our customers and the need to drive innovation fosters the inventiveness of our research and development department," says Mauthe. Among other things, Schuschke is presenting a washbasin with a tiled rear wall from First Class.The washbasin solution offers the optimum balance of functional premium comfort and customized airline design. The tile structure has been specifically developed further.Individualization plays an increasingly important role in the aviation industry: Each customer is unique and defined by its own personal corporate design. Schuschke would like to meet this desire for uniqueness by developing individual solutions around the topic of "flexible and intelligent cabin concepts" with the help of creative developments.We look forward to demonstrating at AIX 2018 which innovative solutions of the future we are working to further improve the performance of the Economy, Business and First Class. We are looking forward to the feed-back from our visitors, says Judith Kaltarar, responsible for marketing at Schuschke.Future Innovations by Schuschke presents a variety of ideas that offer aircraft manufacturers and airlines numerous advantages and create a significant added value for passengers. In future, the company will be positioning itself in the market under the banner of "more than washbasins".About SchuschkeThe Schuschke Group, Kirchentellinsfurt, Germany, is a processing company for products made of the solid surface material Varicor. The group has produced customized products for the aerospace industry, commercial public sanitation sector and housings for medical technology for the past 31 years.The group is a First-Level-Supplier and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). The products and business procedures are certified in conformity with EASA 21G, EASA 145and DIN ISO EN 9100-2009. In all fields of business the highest quality aviation standards are adapted and applied. Schuschke offers turnkey solutions for all requirements:For fitting out lavatories in First Class, Business Class or Economy Class, the highestlevels of craftsmanship and technical expertise are combined.Schuschke GmbH & Co. KGMahdenstrae 1172138 KirchentellinsfurtPress contactSchuschke GmbH & Co. KGJudith KaltararMahdenstrae 1172138 KirchentellinsfurtGermanyTel.: +49 (0)7121 / 90 928-270Fax: +49 (0)7121 / 90 928-50e-Mail: j.kaltarar@schueschke.de
Increased Demand Trends for Clean Coal Technology is Lucrative for Global Market Growth!

https://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1464159

https://www.researchtrades.com/checkout/1464159

Global Clean Coal Technology Industry Report" is an expert and in-depth analysis of key business and future development prospects, key determinants and restrictions, profiles of major market players, segmentation and forecasting. The study offers a comprehensive qualitative analysis of the industry's growth parameters, the current state of the market in terms of analysis of key economic situations and macroeconomic analysis. The analysis highlights the growth opportunities of key market segments along with the tactical moves made by key vendors to grow in the market.Get FREE and detailed sample copy of updated Analysis & Status @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Clean Coal Technology in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.This report studies the Clean Coal Technology market. Clean coal technology is a collection of technologies being developed to attempt to help lessen the environmental impact of coal energy generation and to mitigate worldwide climate change. When coal is used as a fuel source, the gaseous emissions generated by the thermal decomposition of the coal include sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), mercury, and other chemical byproducts that vary depending on the type of the coal being used. These emissions have been established to have a negative impact on the environment and human health, contributing to acid rain, lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. As a result, clean coal technologies are being developed to remove or reduce pollutant emissions to the atmosphere.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversAlstom PowerSiemens AGGeneral ElectricKBRShellICCTMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversCombustion TechnologyGasification TechnologyEnabling TechnologyOtherMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCoal PreparationCoal BurningPost-burningYou can purchase a single user copy at USD 4880 and can get discount too @Table of Content:There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Clean Coal Technology market.Chapter 1, to describe Clean Coal Technology Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Clean Coal Technology, with sales, revenue, and price of Clean Coal Technology, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Clean Coal Technology, for each region, from 2013 to 2018;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2013 to 2018;Chapter 12, Clean Coal Technology market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2018 to 2023;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Clean Coal Technology sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceWho we areResearch Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. This comprehensive analysis is obtained by a thorough research and study of the ongoing trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes.We distribute customized reports that focus on meeting the clients specific requirement. Our database consists of a large collection of high-quality reports obtained using a customer-centric approaches, thus providing valuable research insights.
Multi-mode Receiver Market: Evolving Technology, Trends and Industry Analysis

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/multimode-receiver-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=34751

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=34751

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Multi-mode receiver is a navigation unit with multiple functionalities that embeds all the onboard reception operations that are required for a pilot to position, navigate, and land the airplane. It offers an economical and effective solution of state of the art facilities with better avionics and new set up.Multi-mode receiver is the aircraft industrys only completely digital navigation receiver that embeds numerous stand-alone receivers such as instrument landing system (ILS) receiver, microwave landing system (MLS) receiver, and GPS landing system receiver into one single system.Browse the Report to Know Insights into the Competitive Scenario of the Market @The global market for multi-mode receiver could be segmented in terms of the different types of fits, platform and by type of application. The global market could also be segmented in terms of sub-system and geography as well.Such in depth and precise segmentation of the global multi-mode receiver market offered by the report helps in grasping the all-round growth prospects and the future outlook of the different segments of the market and thus, helping the potential buyers to make informed decisions while investing in the market.Request Sample to Know Emergence of Advanced Technologies and Global Industry Analysis @Multi-mode Receiver Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThere are several factors that are driving the uptake of multi-mode receiver in the aircraft industry. Presently, people are inclined to travel by air because of the growth in the number of air routes and drop in the prices of air tickets. High traffic of air travelers is augmenting the demand for aircrafts across the world. The multi-mode receiver has cut down the complexity of monitoring multiple receivers at a time. This is also expected drive the overall development of the global market multi-mode receiver.Multi-mode Receiver Market: Geographical SegmentationFrom a geographical point of view, the global market for multi-mode receiver can be segmented into key regions such as Latin America, North America, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. Of these North America market is expected to account for largest share for multi-mode receiver over the course of the given forecast period of 2017 to 2025 owing to the presence of big name aircraft manufacturers such as the Boeing Company and Bombardier Inc.Get TOC of This Report @Multi-mode Receiver Market: Key PlayersThe prominent players in the global market for multi-mode receiver include names such as Indra Sistemas SA (Spain), Intelcan Technosystems Inc., (Ontario), Systems Interface Ltd. (The U.K), Val Avonics Ltd., (The U.S.), Thales Group (France), Leonardo SPA (Italy), Rockwell Collins Inc. (the U.S.), Honeywell International Inc. (the U.S.), and BAE Systems PLC. (the U.K.) among others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Functional Printing Market Trends 2016 - 2024 PMR Blog

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/functional-printing-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/10927

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/

The functional printing market is a research study which covers printing technologies in addition with functional inks employed for printing electronics. Multiple technologies used in the market include screen, inkjet, gravure, flexo and others. Various applications of functional printing include sensors, displays, lighting, batteries, photovoltaic, medical and RFID.For more information about this Report visit @Demand for new low cost electronic products lead to the demand of functional printing globally. This is made possible with the introduction and development of new printing technologies and materials. Traditional printing techniques such as flexography, inkjet, gravure and screen have been developed and modified which made them capable of printing on a wide range of substrates with the use of functional inks. At present, the screen printing technique has highest share in functional printing market owing to its higher reliability. Screen printing is primarily used in the making of sensors and RFID antennas. In addition, functional printing market enjoys huge opportunity and is being used to manufacture RFID chips, sensors and OLED displays and so on.Multiple substrates such as graphene are being developed for printed products. These materials are responsible for production of reliable and robust electronics. New ink such as graphene and other substrates are enabling the companies to adopt printed electronics technology with the use of functional printing. In addition, rising demand for displays, biosensors and RFID tags is driving the functional printing market. The current printing technologies are not specially planned for the purpose of functional printing. Although, now companies are bringing up new printing technologies especially designed for printing electronics.Request to Sample of Report-The major players in functional printing market include Avery Dennison Corporation, Blue Spark Technologies, E Ink Holdings Inc., Kovio Inc., Nano Solar Inc., Novaled AG, Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, Toyo Ink SC Holdings Co Ltd, Vorbeck Materials, Xaar PLC., Xennia, BASF SE, DuraTech Industries Inc., Eastman Kodak Company, ISORG, Mark Andy Inc., Optomec Inc., Toppan Forms Co. Ltd and Trident Industrial Inkjet among others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Dairy Testing Market: Technological Advancements, Evolving Industry Trends and Insights

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/dairy-testing-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=35642

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=35642

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Natural dairy food and beverages are made utilizing natural milk as the crude material, which is acquired from animals utilizing natural cultivating techniques. It incorporates perishable products, for instance, milk, yogurt, cheddar, margarine, and dessert, which are utilized every day by buyers.The special supplement bundle and advantages offered by dairy food and beverages make them a critical piece of human eating regimen. Consistent presentation of new and improved natural dairy products drives the business sectors of power based milk drinks and seasoned natural milk drinks.Browse the Report to Know Influential Factors Determining the Trajectory of the Market @Global Dairy Testing Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe demand for regular dairy food and drinks has reliably extended in the present years. Creating prosperity care among purchasers is one of the key driving parts of dairy testing market. Furthermore, support prosperity, environmental protection, animal welfare, and addition being utilized of regular and common things drive the market advancement. Likewise, rise in purchasing power of purchasers, change in lifestyles, and proactive exercises taken by government relationship.Be that as it may, absence of coordination among market financial specialists and disgraceful implementation of representing laws and supporting foundation are required to limiting the general dairy testing market sooner rather than later. Besides, rising innovative change and Complement innovation with appropriate procedures in testing and investigation division are foreseen to introduce a chance to reinforce the dairy testing market amid the conjecture time frame.Request Sample to Know Advanced Technologies & Growth Opportunities in Global Industry @Global Dairy Testing Market: Regional AnalysisAs far as region, the dairy testing market is isolated into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America. Moreover, the region is driven by expanding health cognizance and rising consumer awareness among the people. Likewise, Asia Pacific is the significant dairy production avnues all around the globe. Asia Pacific region is anticipated to be the quickest developing region as contrast with remaining localities of this region.Get TOC of This Report @Global Dairy Testing Market: Vendor LandscapeThe players working in the market are fundamentally presenting products and furthermore increasing their proficiencies so as to reinforce their quality testing in the worldwide dairy testing market. The market is relied upon to witness an ascent in the pattern of testing for better health condition and amazing dairy products. This, thus, is expected to drive the growth rate of the market.The global dairy testing market comprises of a number of players such as Bureau Veritas, IDEXX Laboratories, Bioo Scientific Corporation, Dairy Testing Equipment Manufacturing Companies, VWR International and Ametek Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Aerospace Auxiliary Power Unit Market Share, Trends, Analysis, Industry Forecast To 2024

https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/2371

https://www.gminsights.com/securecheckout/paymenta/2371?gmpaycod=sugmp

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/aerospace-auxiliary-power-unit-market

Aerospace Auxiliary Power Unit Market in APAC will witness robust growth owing to increasing demand from commercial and military aircrafts. Growing population along with high profitability achieved in aviation industry are the key factors for industry growth. Moreover, favorable government policies encouraging investment in military and civil aviation sector will further enhance the aerospace auxiliary power unit market share from 2017 to 2024. For instance, defense aviation sector in India is expected to invest over USD 30 billion by 2035. The R&D investments can be attributed to intensive technical and safety requirement of aircraft.Latin America led by Mexico, Brazil and Argentina is expected to witness significant growth during the study timeframe. Growing defense spending in the region along with favorable trade policies will stimulate the business growth in the region. The U.S. based aircraft and defense industries are increasing investment particularly in Mexico and Brazil owing to higher manufacturing and engineering capabilities.Request For TOC Of This Report @North America aerospace auxiliary power unit market size is estimated to lead owing to presence of key manufacturers in the region. Proliferating demand from military aircraft offering stealth operations is the major factor for industry growth. Europe led by Germany, France, UK and Russia is estimated to witness significant growth in aerospace auxiliary power unit market during the forecast timeframe. Stringent noise standards at airports are the key driving factor for business growth.Aerospace Auxiliary Power Unit Market size will witness exponential growth owing to increasing technological advancement for low maintenance, less emissions, high performance material usage and adoption of fuel efficient APUs. Development in aircraft industry is offering opportunity for manufacturers in the developed regions.Aerospace auxiliary power unit market share can be segmented based on the aircraft as military aircraft, commercial aircraft and rotary copter. Rising flight affordability has fueled passenger density supporting the product demand. Moreover, rising passenger traffic owing to increasing travel and tourism will positively influence the product penetration from commercial aircraft.Increasing defense budget across the globe with higher demand from aircrafts will further enhance the product demand. Installation of the APU systems offering lower operation cost, reduced inventory requirement and decreased mechanic training. Demand from system used in wide range of applications from 50 to 1700 equivalent shaft horsepower (SHP).Pre-Book This Research Report @Aerospace auxiliary power unit offers superior output required during start of main engine. Positive product outlook owing to integrated system architecture and leading-edge technology offering superior performance and reliability will drive the industry demand. Industry players are implementing bio-fuels in the systems to decrease emissions and supporting eco-friendly initiatives in aviation industry. Moreover, customers are focusing higher electric capabilities on board the aircraft offering enhanced passenger comfort requiring higher output.Commercial aircrafts will witness strong demand owing to growth in air passengers during the past few years. Increasing demand for commercial aircrafts owing to proliferating flight density and consumer affordability will fuel the aerospace auxiliary power unit market size. Positive product outlook owing to additional back up requirement will further enhance the business growth.Some of the industry participants include Honeywell, Jenoptik, Kinetics, Dewey Electronics Corporation and Honeywell. Other notable players include Hamilton Sundstrand, Microturbo, The Marvin Group and Falck Schmidt. Increasing product portfolio along with widening regional presence are the key strategies implemented by the manufacturers. In addition, manufacturers are focusing on increasing manufacturing facilities in emerging countries.Industry players are developing products sufficing the low fuel consumption needs, powering multiple number of electric systems on aircraft and achieving ecofriendly standards. For instance, Honeywell developed HGT1700 APU offering variable speed capability with output of 150 kVA and lowering fuel consumption by 10%.Aerospace Auxiliary Power Unit Market Size, Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, Italy, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Poland, China, India, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE), Application Development Potential, Price Trend, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017  2024Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.4 North Main StreetSelbyville, Delaware
Global Marine Big Data Market Projected to touch US$3,240.5 MN by 2025

MRRSE

https://www.mrrse.com/sample/4107

https://www.mrrse.com/marine-big-data-market

https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/4107

https://www.mrrse.com/

https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/

This report aims to provide a comprehensive strategic analysis of the Global Marine Big Data Market along with revenue and growth forecasts for the period from 2017 to 2025. With fast changing technology, use in various applications and rising adoption of this technology in marine sector, the marine big data market is expected to experience high growth in the coming years. Some of the factors supporting the growth of the market worldwide include the potential for new insights, increased technological investments in developing regions such as Asia Pacific, high demand for marine big data solutions from oil & gas industry and advent of customized solutions in developed regions such as North America and Europe. The impact of these and other macro-micro economic factors has been analyzed while developing the market growth models.Request to View Free Sample Report @Global Marine Big Data Market: Scope of the StudyThis report on the global marine big data market provides a detailed analysis of big data solutions used for different applications by end-users depending upon their needs. The report offers an in-depth analysis of the market drivers, restraints, and growth opportunities. Using these factors, the study identifies various trends prominent in the industry which are expected to influence the market growth during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025. It includes a comprehensive coverage of the underlying economic and technological factors influencing the marine big data market growth. It provides the competitive landscape of key players in the marine big data market in order to highlight the competition scenario. The report also provides a detailed competitive analysis of the key players in the market and identifies various business strategies adopted by them. The study explains the penetration within each market segment across various geographies, and how these segments have accelerated the growth of the market as a whole.Global Marine Big Data Market: Key SegmentsThe global marine big data market is analyzed by segmenting it on the basis of component, application, data source and geography. Based on component, the market is classified into software and service. The software segment is further segmented into data analytics, data collection, data discovery & visualization and data management. Services segment is further classified into consulting, system integration and operation & maintenance. Based on data source, the market is categorized into environmental, oceanographic, geological data, economic and others. On the basis of application, the marine big data market can be segmented into renewable energy, oil & gas, fishery, whale watching, marine protected area, marine traffic, dredging, harbor, offshore construction and others. Geographically, the global market for marine big data has been segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America. The market size and forecast for each region has been provided for the period from 2015 to 2025 along with the CAGR (%) for the forecast period from 2017 to 2025. The study also includes market estimates for major countries/regions such as the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Japan, and India. The analysis by component, end-user and regions helps in evaluating the present scenario and growth prospects of the marine big data market over the forecast period from 2017 to 2025. Thus, the report provides in-depth cross-segment analysis of the market and classifies it into various industries, thereby providing valuable insights at the macro as well as micro levels.Companies Mentioned in ReportThe report concludes company profiles of major players in the marine big data market on the basis of various attributes, such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, SWOT analysis and segment presence. Some of the major players in the global marine big data market with the significant developments are Teradata, Splunk, Inc., AIMS-Sinay, Oceanwise, Intertrust Technologies Corporation, MarineFIND, BigOceanData, Avenca Limited, BMT Group Ltd., Datameer Inc. Databricks Inc., Nautical Control Solutions, LP, Ocean Networks Canada, Smart Ocean and Open Ocean among others.Outlook Complete Report with Table of Content @Market Segmentation:Marine Big Data Market Analysis, by ComponentSoftwareData AnalyticsData CollectionData Discovery and VisualizationData ManagementServicesConsultingSystem IntegrationOperation and MaintenanceMarine Big Data Market Analysis, by ApplicationRenewable EnergyOil and GasFisheryWhale WatchingMarine Protected AreaMarine TrafficDredgingHarborOffshore ConstructionOthersMarine Big Data Market Analysis, by Data SourceEnvironmentalOceanographicGeological DataEconomicOthersMarine Big Data Market Analysis, by RegionNorth AmericaThe U.S.CanadaRest of North AmericaEuropeGermanyFranceThe U.K.Rest of EuropeAsia-PacificJapanChinaIndiaAustraliaRest of Asia PacificMiddle-East & AfricaGCC CountriesSouth AfricaRest of MEASouth AmericaBrazilRest of South AmericaRelated any Inquiry about This Report Visit @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Flavored Cigar Market: An Insight On the Important Factors and Trends Influencing the Market

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/flavored-cigar-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28682

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=28682

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

The pattern of personalization is prominent nowadays. Subsequently, purchasers frequently select customized presents for different events. Customized flavored cigars are regular among buyers. Cigars imbued with various flavors, for instance, cherry, grapes, chocolate, and strawberry, are getting to be noticeably mainstream among the adolescent purchaser section and youthful grown-ups. This is on the grounds that cigars are a standout amongst the most intensely flavored of all tobacco items.Global Flavored Cigar Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe interest for restricted release flavored cigars is one of the essential elements for market development. The market players are acquainting constrained release flavored cigars with keep the clients intrigued and pull in more clients to their brands. Constrained release flavored cigars help players to embrace new offerings and improve their current items.Browse the Report to Know Repository of Analysis and Information for Every Facet of the Market @Additionally, these cigars are purchased by buyers for gifting purposes because of their bundling and intriguing flavors that separate them from different cigars. Therefore, numerous players are presenting constrained versions in the flavored cigar class.Be that as it may, strict directions upon a few fixings in flavored cigar by governments over the globe and burden of duties are limiting the worldwide flavored cigar market. Such directions are conspicuous in Australia and the U.S. where the offer of organic product flavored and candy parlor flavored cigars are restricted so as to keep up social welfare.Request Sample to Know Industry Outlook, Growth Prospects and Key Opportunities @Global Flavored Cigar Market: Market PotentialPlayers are right now presenting a blend of flavors in flavored cigars to pull in purchasers. For instance, Tatiana Classic Fusion Frenzy is a fragrance injected cigar prepared with Madagascar vanilla, rich characters of cognac, enthusiasm organic product, and sweet characteristic natural product flavors. The Gotham Cigars' Dutch by Dutch Masters' is a flavor combination cigarillo, which highlights season combination blends of berry, mint, and Java.Global Flavored Cigar Market: Regional AnalysisNorth America is evaluated to overwhelm the worldwide flavored cigar market because of rising interest for flavored cigars among youthful purchasers. Already, in Canada, there was an ascent sought after for rum or sweet wine flavored cigars. Recent trends recorded an ascent sought after for vanilla, mint, and chocolate simmered nectar. It has likewise been recorded that two noteworthy producers of cigars in Canada presented methanol-based cigars, which has seen a noteworthy ascent sought after as of late.Get TOC of This Report @Asia Pacific, which incorporates China, India, Japan, and Australia, is foreseen to extend quickly amid the conjecture time frame because of the presentation of various flavored cigars and changing way of life among the populace. In addition, as of late, ladies have taken up smoking, and this is anticipated to fuel the worldwide cigar market amid the figure time frame.Global Flavored Cigar Market: Vendor LandscapeKey players operating in the global flavored cigar market include Gurkha cigars, General Cigar, Imperial tobacco, Avanti cigar, Drew Estate, Arnold Andre, and Miami cigar.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Cochlear Implants Market has the Potential to Reach $ 3 Billion by 2025

Cochlear Implants Market

https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/cochlear-implants-market

https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report-sample/HC052

https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/checkout/HC052

http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com

A research study titled, Cochlear Implants Market by Type and End User  Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 published by Crystal Market Research, states that the Cochlear Implants Market is projected to be around $3 billion by 2025.For more information, click on the below link @Report Overview:A Cochlear Implant is a device which delivers electrical stimulation to the auditory nerve present in the inner ear. Children and adults affected by profound hearing loss who cannot use hearing aids can be helped with cochlear implants. Hearing loss can arise from hereditary as well as non-hereditary factors or due to certain complications during childbirth or pregnancy. Acquired causes of hearing loss may include infectious diseases such as meningitis, measles or other chronic ear infections. The major impact of hearing loss is on an individuals ability to communicate with others which in turn, may have social and emotional impact such as feeling of isolation, frustration and loneliness. As per the data revealed by WHO, in February 2017, around 360 million people worldwide are suffering from hearing loss, of which 32 million are children. Nearly one third of people over 65 years of age are suffering from disabling hearing loss.In 2016, unilateral implants segment held a major share of the overall cochlear implants market, as the surgery for unilateral implants in done at a lower cost as opposed to bilateral implants. Bilateral implants market will exhibit fastest growth rate over the forecast period, due to the exceptional results of these implants for children. Children who have undergone bilateral implantation benefit from the implants to localize sources of sound and recognize speech in noisy environment at home or school. On an average, children with bilateral implants perform better than unilateral implants on tests of movement tracking and localization.Get Sample Copy of the Report here @Regional Outlook:In 2016, Europe accounted for the major share of the global cochlear implants market, owing to the presence of large patient base, rapidly growing elderly population, and increased adoption of implants due to improved healthcare infrastructure in the region. North America held the second largest share of the overall market and is expected to witness an impressive growth over the forecast period, due to rising prevalence of hearing loss, high adoption of advanced products, and well-established healthcare infrastructure. According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other communication Disorders, out of every 1,000 children in U.S., around 2 to 3 children are born with a detectable hearing loss in either one or both ears.Top Major Market Players:Some of the key players operating in this market are William Demant Holding A/S, Cochlear Ltd., MED-EL, Gaes Group, Sonova Holding AG, SeboTek Hearing Systems, LLC, Nurotron Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Audina Hearing Instruments, Inc. and GN Store Nord A/S.Purchase the report @About Crystal Market Research:Crystal offers one stop solution for market research, business intelligence, and consulting services to help clients make more informed decisions. It provides both syndicated as well as customized research studies for its customers spread across the globe. The company offers market intelligence reports across a broad range of industries including healthcare, chemicals & materials, technology, automotive, and energy.Contact Us:Judy304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107, United States.Toll Free: +1-888-213-4282Website:For More Discounts Offers Email at sales @ sales@crystalmarketresearch.com
Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Industry Share Trends Report 2018

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1518005

https://www.researchmoz.us/asia-pacific-3d-mobile-devices-market-report-2018-report.html/toc

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

https://marketsizeinfo.blogspot.in/

Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Market Report 2018" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split Asia-Pacific into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of 3D Mobile Devices for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), includingChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanIndiaSoutheast AsiaAustraliaAsia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices market competition by top manufacturers/players, with 3D Mobile Devices sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingLGHTCTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @SharpZOPOMAXONSamsungAmazonEstarNOAINTylooAsusGADMEIWOWFLYAigoLenovoBenqToshibaOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volum, revenue, product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoGlasses 3D Mobile DevicesGlasses-Free 3D Mobile DevicesOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, includingSmartphonesNotebooksLED advertising MachineTable of ContentsAsia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Market Report 20171 3D Mobile Devices Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of 3D Mobile Devices1.2 Classification of 3D Mobile Devices by Product Category1.2.1 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Types (2012-2022)1.2.2 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Glasses 3D Mobile Devices1.2.4 Glasses-Free 3D Mobile Devices1.3 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications (2012-2022)1.3.2 Smartphones1.3.3 Notebooks1.3.4 LED advertising Machine1.4 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Market by Region1.4.1 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 South Korea Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Taiwan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.8 Australia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Asia-Pacific Market Size (Value and Volume) of 3D Mobile Devices (2012-2022)1.5.1 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices (Volume) by Application2.4 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices (Volume and Value) by Region2.4.1 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.2 Asia-Pacific 3D Mobile Devices Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @3 China 3D Mobile Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 China 3D Mobile Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 China 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 China 3D Mobile Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 China 3D Mobile Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 China 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type3.3 China 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Application4 Japan 3D Mobile Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 Japan 3D Mobile Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 Japan 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 Japan 3D Mobile Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 Japan 3D Mobile Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 Japan 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.3 Japan 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Application5 South Korea 3D Mobile Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 South Korea 3D Mobile Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 South Korea 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 South Korea 3D Mobile Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.3 South Korea 3D Mobile Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)5.2 South Korea 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type5.3 South Korea 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Application6 Taiwan 3D Mobile Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6.1 Taiwan 3D Mobile Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)6.1.1 Taiwan 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.2 Taiwan 3D Mobile Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.3 Taiwan 3D Mobile Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)6.2 Taiwan 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type6.3 Taiwan 3D Mobile Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by ApplicationContinue...About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on @
Machine Stretch Film Market Most Dependable Research by Integrated Packaging Group, Thong Guan Industries, Mima Film, Berry Plastics Corporation

Machine Stretch Film Market, Machine Stretch Film Market Study, Machine Stretch Film Market Size, Machine Stretch Film Market Segm

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/433298//?utm_source=OPEN-DC

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-north-america-europe-and-asia-pacific-south-america-middle-east-and-africa-machine-stretch-film-market-2017-forecast-to-2022/?utm_source=OPEN-DC

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/china-appalachian-dulcimer-market-research-report-2018/?utm_source=SS-DC

https://thefinancialconsulting.com/author/ashwin/

The research report of global Machine Stretch Film market is a comprehensive study of the latest trends and opportunities afloat this business space. Broadly segmented in terms of key products, respective applications, pivotal regions, and the fundamental companies, this report forecasts Machine Stretch Film market to traverse alongside a highly profitable growth path by 2022.A laudable mention in the report is that of a separate wing being devoted to the supply chain analysis of Machine Stretch Film market, elucidating the raw material and overall industry supply chain in terms of the prices, production, distribution channels, and demand and supply. Replete with extensive diagrams, charts, tables, and other visual representations, global Machine Stretch Film market research report successfully provides key insights regarding pivotal industry deliverables.The major players in global and United States market, includingSigma Plastics Group, Scientex, AEP Industries, Inteplast Group, Bemis Company, Integrated Packaging Group, Thong Guan Industries, Mima Film, Berry Plastics Corporation, Bonset, Bollore, Paragon Films, Efekt Plus, M.J. Maillis, I.M. Group, Eurofilms Extrusion, DUO PLASTWood pellet is a solid fuel that is produced by crushing and densifying waste timber like sawdust, forestry residues, industrial byproducts like old paper and forestry wastes. The length is 1-2 cm and the diameter is generally 6, 8, 10, or 12mm. It is possible to produce 25mm wood pellet at maximum. In Sweden, 6mm wood pellet is encouraged to use in house as it can realize the best condition of combustion. Wood pellet production doesn't need to add binder as lignin, an element of wood, plays a role of binder and helps to pelletize when it is melted by heat.Get Sample Copy of this Report:Qualitative Analysis covers:Industry Status and TrendsManufacturer/Company profiles, manufacturing base distribution, sales areas, product introduction, main business, market position and their competitors.Product Development, Technology, Price, Cost, Manufacturing Process and TrendsMarket segment by regions, types, applications and forecastMarket opportunities, potential, government policies and influence factors.Quantitative Analysis covers:Market size (value, sales/output, historical data and forecasts)Sales/output/capacity, revenue, price, gross margin, market share, for top players. Through interviewing each manufacturers, distributors, traders, dealers and buyers etc.Cost structure, proportion, price trend, gross margin and trend, status and trend, for 10 yearsMarket size by types, regions, applications for 10 yearsMarket forecast based on the potential demand from downstream clients/buyers, government, influence factors and the total economic indication, maybe occur in following years.Scope of Report:Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Global Machine Stretch Film market report classifies this industry extensively in terms of the regional landscape. Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers:Market Segment by Type, coversPre-Stretched Machine Stretch FilmBlown Machine Stretch WrapCast Machine Stretch FilmOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoAgricultureFood & BeveragesStorage & DistributionHealthcareOthersWe presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The analysts have presented the various facets of the market with a particular focus on identifying the key industry influencers. The data thus presented is comprehensive, reliable, and the result of extensive research, both primary and secondary.There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Machine Stretch Film market.Chapter 1, to describe Machine Stretch Film Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Machine Stretch Film, with sales, revenue, and price of Machine Stretch Film, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Machine Stretch Film, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Machine Stretch Film market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Machine Stretch Film sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceFor More Tactical Information:Related ReportChina Appalachian Dulcimer Market Research Report 2018The global Appalachian Dulcimer market is valued at XX million USD in 2017 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2025. China plays an important role in global market, with market sizeMore Reports:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.com
Color Cosmetics Products Market 2018 Global Analysis By key Players : Loreal, P&G, Unilever, Estee Lauder, L'Occitane, Shiseido, Avon, LV, Channel, Amore Pacific

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1255404-global-color-cosmetics-products-market-research-report-2017

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1255404-global-color-cosmetics-products-market-research-report-2017

In this report, the global Color Cosmetics Products market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Color Cosmetics Products in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Color Cosmetics Products market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer;Request a Sample Report @The top players including :LorealP&GUnileverEstee LauderL'OccitaneShiseidoAvonLVChannelAmore PacificJahwaBeiersdorfJohnson & JohnsonJialaINOHERBSisleyRevlonJane iredaleHenkelCotyOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoNail productsLip productsEye Make-upFacial Make-upHair Color ProductsSpecial Effects ProductsOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Color Cosmetics Products for each application, includingBeautySkin CareIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of ContentsGlobal Color Cosmetics Products Market Research Report 20171 Color Cosmetics Products Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Color Cosmetics Products1.2 Color Cosmetics Products Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Color Cosmetics Products Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Color Cosmetics Products Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Nail products1.2.4 Lip products1.2.5 Eye Make-up1.2.6 Facial Make-up1.2.7 Hair Color Products1.2.8 Special Effects Products1.2.9 Others1.3 Global Color Cosmetics Products Segment by Application1.3.1 Color Cosmetics Products Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Beauty1.3.3 Skin Care1.4 Global Color Cosmetics Products Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Color Cosmetics Products Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Color Cosmetics Products (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Color Cosmetics Products Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Color Cosmetics Products Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Color Cosmetics Products Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Color Cosmetics Products Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Color Cosmetics Products Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Color Cosmetics Products Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Color Cosmetics Products Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Color Cosmetics Products Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Color Cosmetics Products Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Color Cosmetics Products Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion........7 Global Color Cosmetics Products Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Loreal7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Color Cosmetics Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Loreal Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 P&G7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Color Cosmetics Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 P&G Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Unilever7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Color Cosmetics Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Unilever Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Estee Lauder7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Color Cosmetics Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Estee Lauder Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 L'Occitane7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Color Cosmetics Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 L'Occitane Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 Shiseido7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Color Cosmetics Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 Shiseido Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Avon7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Color Cosmetics Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Avon Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 LV7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.8.2 Color Cosmetics Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 LV Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.9 Channel7.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.9.2 Color Cosmetics Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.9.2.1 Product A7.9.2.2 Product B7.9.3 Channel Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.10 Amore Pacific7.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.10.2 Color Cosmetics Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.10.2.1 Product A7.10.2.2 Product B7.10.3 Amore Pacific Color Cosmetics Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.11 Jahwa7.12 Beiersdorf7.13 Johnson & Johnson7.14 Jiala7.15 INOHERB7.16 Sisley7.17 Revlon7.18 Jane iredale7.19 Henkel7.20 CotyContinuedAccess Complete Report @ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Automotive Wires Market to Witness Impressive Expansion, Reflecting a 6.0% CAGR over 2017-2027 Period

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5334

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-5334

www.futuremarketinsights.com

The global automotive wires market is estimated to be valued at US$ 9,781.6 Mn in terms of value and 1,700,440 MT in terms of volume by 2017 end. According to the newly published report titled Automotive Wires Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012  2016) and Opportunity Assessment (2017  2027) by Future Market Insights, the global automotive wires market is expected to expand at a healthy CAGR of 6.0% over the forecast period (20172027) to reach a value of US$ 17,481.7 Mn by 2027 end. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% (by volume) over the forecast period and reach a volume of 2,826,309 MT by 2027 end. The market players are targeting APEJ as their key sales region. China is expected to remain a highly opportunistic market over the forecast period in terms of the overall demand of automotive wires. The growth in the automobile production will boost the automotive wires market in the near coming years.Global Automotive Wires Market- DriversIncrease in technological advancements and components of vehicle infrastructure in automotive fleetIncrease in demand for commercial vehicles, increase in capacity utilizationGrowth in the European automotive industry to fuel the demand of automotive wiresIncreased tariffs on aging cards leads to change in consumer behavior to opt for a new vehicleRequest For Report Sample@Emergence of innovative, high- quality and cost effective products and increase in R & D activitiesPresence of key automotive wire & cable manufacturers along with OEM playersGrowing investments in vehicle & component manufacturingGlobal Automotive Wires Market- Forecast by Material TypeOn the basis of material type, the global automotive market is segmented into copper, aluminium and others such as nickel. The copper segment is further sub-segmented intoOxygenic Copper, Pure Copper, (Oxygen Free), Copper Silver (CuAg), Copper Magnesium (CuMg) and Copper Tin (CuSn). Aluminium & Copper both will gain significant BPS over the forecast period. Increasing demand for pure copper and copper magnesium are expected to witness significant growth across key the automotive wire material type. In terms of volume, Copper and Aluminum are expected to grow and become 1.66x and 2.14x, respectively, between 2017 and 2027. Incremental opportunity registered by the Copper material segment will contribute a lions share to the overall incremental $ opportunity registered by the material segment.Global Automotive Wires Market- Forecast by Vehicle TypeVehicle type segment consists of conventional fuel vehicles, electric vehicles, and hybrid vehicles. Conventional fuel vehicles are further sub-segmented into passengers vehicle and commercial vehicles. In terms of value and volume, conventional fuel vehicles are expected to hold the majority share in the global automotive wires market. Passenger cars in conventional fuel vehicles are expected to remain dominant and hold maximum market share during the forecast period.Global Automotive Wires Market- Forecast by ApplicationApplication segment includes chassis and safety, body and heating ventilation & air conditioning (HVAC). Chassis and safety segment is sub-segmented into conventional chassis, semi-forward chassis and full-forward chassis. Body segment includes sub-segments such as facia, roof, door and window, seat and interior. By application, chassis & safety is projected to hold major share in terms of value share in the global market over the forecast period. Chassis & safety segment is estimated to be valued at US $ 4084.7Mn by 2017 end and is expected to increase to US$ 6970.1 Mn by end of the forecast period while growing at a CAGR of 5.5% over the forecast period.Global Automotive Wires Market- Forecast by RegionSeven regions have been covered in this report, such as North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, APEJ, Japan and MEA. APEJ is expected to dominate the global automotive wires market in 2027, accounting for 57.5% followed by North America and Western Europe. In terms of innovation, China is estimated to remain the center for the production and consumption of automotive wires. The market is largely influenced by investments in the Asia Pacific region. New establishments in APEJ will impact the growth of automotive wires. Western Europe and North America are cumulatively expected to account for around 21.3% value share in the total global Automotive Wires market by 2027 end.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Global Automotive Wires Market- Key PlayersLEONI AG, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Fujikura Ltd., Delphi Automotive Plc., PKC Group, Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Yazaki Corporation, General Cable, Lear Corporation, Draka (Subsidiary of Prysmian Group), Samvardhana Motherson Group, Allied Wire & Cable, Inc., Coroplast Fritz Muller GmbH & Co. KG., Kromberg & Schubert, Acome, Yura Corporation, and Kyungshin Corporation are some of the companies that are operating in the global automation wires market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Intelligent PDU Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1598323

https://www.researchmoz.us/intelligent-pdu-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2025-report.html#table-of-content

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

https://marketsizeinfo.blogspot.in/

Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Intelligent PDU Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.Intelligent PDUs help to produce intelligent architecture that can determine some of most insistent data centre control tasks. Elements that are driving the evolution of this market are by growing demand for high-power capabilities in high-power density surroundings, increasing demand for intelligent products in datacentres, and rising environmental & safety anxieties in established countries. High-density surroundings necessitate more input power from the PDU. Extending three-phase networks to the rack enhancements of power that can deliver by each PDU, thereby increasing rack density. It also simplifies load balancing across the three input phases coming into the datacentre leading to better-quality efficiencies. Major factors limiting the growth of the intelligent PDU market consist of higher operation price of an intelligent PDU than a simple PDU and rising density of larger datacentres. Growing demand for cloud computing globally and rise in the application of portable datacentres can increased for intelligent PDU market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global intelligent PDU market is segmented by type, power phase, application and end use industry. By type, the market can be segmented into metered, monitored, and automatic transfer switch. Metered PDUs responsible for local visual monitoring ability through a fixed LED meter that shows real-time power data. PDUs can be used for outlet metering and inlet metering of power load. Both outlet and inlet metered PDUs help to determine power usage. However, inlet-metered PDUs define the available capacity of the racks, and the outlet-metered PDU define the existing capacity to simplify provisioning. Outlet-metered PDUs are also used to determine the actual ingesting of power at the device & server levels and inlet-metered PDUs are used to activate user-defined alarms, thereby warn about the potential circuit overload to protect any information technology disasters. By power phase, the market can be segmented into single phase and three phase. By application, the market can be segmented into datacentres, industrial power solutions, and void phone systems. Intelligent PDUs are extensively used in the telecom & IT industry for applications at datacentres. The growing use of smartphone is generating growing opportunities for the telecom sectors with network equipment companies, wireless broadband carriers, and device producers. With the rising use of telecommunication devices, data produced by each device and apparatus is also growing. Datacentres stores the information that is being made by the apparatus and simplify the flow of this information. By end use industry, the market can be segmented into BFSI, healthcare, telecom & IT, industrial manufacturing, transportation, government and energy.In addition to that, the intelligent PDU market can also be considered according to regional divisions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America. North America is anticipated to hold the major share of the intelligent PDU market during forecast period as this region is a main hub for colocation centers and the IT business. The colocation centers in North America have huge amenities and have huge number of data businesses and websites. It is one of the leading locations for datacenters and is home to companies of all amounts, from garage start-ups to universal colocation players. Major companies from the transportation, BFSI, telecom & IT, and power industries have a presence in this area and these companies are the protuberant end users of intelligent PDUs market. The Canada and U.S. are the main suppliers to the development of the intelligent PDU market in North America.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Some of the leading players operating in the intelligent PDU market includes Key market players such as Raritan (US), Cyber Power Systems (US), Vertiv (US), Schneider Electric (France), Eaton (Ireland), ABB, , BMC Manufacturing, Anord Critical Power, Black Box Corporation, Chatsworth Products, Cyber Power Systems, Cisco Systems, Eaton Corporation, Vertiv, Enlogic, Elcom International, Geist, Hewlett Packward Enterprise, Leviton Manufacturing, Raritan, Rittal, PDU Expert UK, The Siemon Company, Tripp Lite, among others.About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on @
Oxy-fuel Welding Equipment Market to Actively Foray into Emerging Consumer Marketplaces During 2017-2027

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5120

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-5120

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Oxy-fuel welding process is a welding techniques utilizing a compressed mixture of high energy density fuel and oxygen to generate a flame capable of elevating the temperature of the material to be welded. The three welding processes that falls under oxy-fuel welding are Oxyacetylene welding, Oxyhydrogen welding, Pressure gas welding and air acetylene welding. Among these four welding techniques, oxyacetylene welding is the most prominent technique adopted for the purpose of welding taking up more than 80% of the market share. The equipment that is used to propagate the welding technique can be broken down into simple components comprising of gas cylinders, flow regulators, mixing chamber, conveyance tubes and nozzle. Manufacturers of such equipment in the current scenario are more focused on producing individual parts than the standalone systems owing to less cost and ease in assembling. Oxy-fuel welding process is widely preferred in application areas where the availability of electrical power is a constraint while the welding process can be done with or without the use of filler material.Oxy-fuel Welding Equipment Market DynamicsThough oxy-fuel welding technique has limited application in industrial scale operation, its utilization in repair and fabrication industry is the most prominent. Small scale repair shops run by a single or few welders typically adopt oxy-fuel welding technique due to lower investment costs and ability to weld large variety of materials has increased its popularity hence biding well for the growth of the oxy-fuel welding equipment market. Oxy-fuel welding technique is the least complex among all the welding techniques requiring minimum set up operation. This technique requires the assembly of simple devices such as fuel tank, torch, mixing chambers among others hence, in-depth know how of such techniques is not necessary making it practically useful for people who are new to welding. The non-requirement of electricity in order to initiate the welding process is another factor helping in driving the oxy-fuel welding equipment market even further.Request For Report Sample@The growth of oxy-fuel welding equipment market is likely to be restrained by the erratic availability of fuels adopted in this technique. Oxygen and acetylene are the two most popular fuels along with hydrogen used as the power source to generate the welding flame in this welding technique. Inadequate supply of such fuels can lead to increase in its prices which can further lead to decrease in demand for oxy-fuel welding equipment thereby retraining the market to improve in the upcoming years. Another restraint associated with the market is the fragility of entire assembly and the dangers associated with pressurized gases that are used with it. Last but not the least, the weld quality produced from this technique is on the lower scale among all the welding processes hence requiring skilled personnel to achieve a weld of desirable quality, thereby retraining the growth of the market.Oxy-fuel Welding EquipmentMarket: SegmentationOxy-fuel Welding EquipmentMarket can be segmented as follows;By Process type, the market can be segmented as:Oxyacetylene WeldingOxyhydrogen WeldingPressure Gas WeldingOthersBy End Use Industry, the market can be segmented as:Energy & UtilitiesAerospaceTransportationMetal FabricationMaintenance and RepairAutomotiveOthersOxy-fuel Welding EquipmentMarket: Regional OutlookThe oxy-fuel welding equipment market can be related to the performance of the end use industry in each of the seven geographical locations across the globe. The North American market is anticipated to hold a healthy potential for the growth of the market owing to increase in fabrication and repair activities across the region especially in the U.S. The presence of large number of retailers and specialist sellers of oxy-fuel welding equipment is expected to aid in the growth of the market even further. The market in the Asia Pacific region also holds high potential to improve further in the future owing to large presence of small scale welding workshops that rely on cheaper welding options, particularly in China, ASEAN and IndiaRequest For Report Table of Content (TOC):Oxy-fuel Welding Equipment Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the major players in the Global Oxy-fuel Welding Equipment market, identified across the value chain include:Illinois Tool Works Inc.Koike Aronson, Inc.Colfax CorporationThe Eastwood CompanyAmerican Torch Tip CompanyQuality Components Co. Inc.Rexarc International, Inc.Detroit Torch & Mfg. Co.Flame Technologies, Inc.Rotarex S.A.Uniweld Products, Inc.Tewelding EngineersABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Advanced Driver Assistance System Market Projected to touch US$43.27 bn by 2025

MRRSE

https://www.mrrse.com/sample/4093

https://www.mrrse.com/advanced-driver-assistance-systems-market

https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/4093

https://www.mrrse.com/

https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/

Advanced driver assistance system market report provides analysis for the period 2015  2025, wherein the period from 2017 to 2025 is the forecast and 2016 is the base year. Data for 2015 has been included as historical information. The Advance Driver Assistance System report covers all the major types and technologies playing significant role in the advanced driver assistance system markets growth over the forecast period. It also included various drivers, restraints, and opportunities expected which would affect markets growth during the mentioned period. The study provides an entire perspective on the markets growth in terms of revenue in US$ Bn, across different geographical regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Middle East & Africa, Europe, and Latin America.Request to View Free Sample Report @The market overview section of the report demonstrates the market dynamics such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities that influence the current nature and future status of this market, key indicators and trends. An attractiveness analysis has also been provided for every segment in the report, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the overall scenario in the ADAS market. Moreover, the report provides an overview of various strategies adopted by the key players present in the market. Key market indicators included in the report provide significance of the factors which are capable of changing the market scenario. These indicators are expected to define the market position during the forecast period.Global Advanced Driver Assistance System Market: SegmentationThe report segments the market on the basis of type, technology and geography. By type, advanced driver assistance system is categorized by adaptive cruise control, adaptive head lamp, automatic/intelligent emergency braking, blind spot detection system, cross traffic alert, drowsiness monitor system, lane departure warning system, night vision, park assist, surround view camera system, time pressure monitoring system and others. Based on technology, advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) is divided into ultrasonic sensors, image sensors, radar sensors, laser sensors and infrared sensors. Geographically, the report classifies the global advanced driver assistance system market into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Latin America. Furthermore, region wise prominent countries covered in the report include the following - U.S, Canada, U.K., Germany, France, China, India, Japan, GCC countries, South Africa and Brazil.The report also includes key industrial developments in the advanced driver assistance system market. Porters Five Forces analysis which identifies bargaining power of supplier, bargaining power of buyer, threat from new entrant, threat from substitute and threat from competition in ADAS market is also included in the report. Value Chain analysis which identifies key stake holders in the ADAS market is also covered in the report. Furthermore, key market indicators that are indirectly driving the advanced driver assistance system market are also included in the report.Outlook Complete Report with Table of Content @Segment trends and regional trends have also been added in ADAS market report. The report also covers segment wise comparison matrix, market attractiveness analysis and market share analysis of key players for all regions covered in the scope of study.Global Advanced Driver Assistance System Market: Competitive LandscapeAISIN SEIKI Co.,Ltd, Autoliv Inc, Audi AG, BMW AG, Continental AG, Delphi Automotive PLC, Denso Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Company, Honda Motor Company, Hyundai Motor Company, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, MOBILEYE, Panasonic Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH, TATA ELXSI are some of the major players operating within the advanced driver assistance market profiled in this study. Details such as financials, SWOT analysis, business strategies, recent developments, and other such strategic information pertaining to these players have been duly provided as part of company profiling.Market SegmentationAdvanced driver assistance system Market, by TypeAdaptive Cruise ControlAdaptive Head LampAutomatic/Intelligent Emergency brakingBlind Spot Detection SystemCross Traffic AlertDrowsiness Monitor SystemLane Departure Warning SystemNight VisionPark AssistSurround View Camera SystemTire Pressure Monitoring SystemOthersAdvanced driver assistance system Market, by TechnologyUltrasonic SensorsImage SensorsRadar SensorsLaser SensorsInfrared SensorsAdvanced driver assistance system Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaThe U.S.CanadaRest of North AmericaEuropeU.K.GermanyFranceRest of EuropeAsia Pacific (APAC)IndiaChinaJapanRest of APACMiddle East and Africa (MEA)GCCSouth AfricaRest of MEALatin AmericaBrazilRest of Latin AmericaSend an Inquiry @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Car And Light Truck Commercial Market Will Rise To $3.6 Trillion By 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Cars and Light Trucks Market

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1313849

https://www.researchmoz.us/artificial-intelligence-ai-cars-and-light-trucks-market-shares-strategies-and-forecasts-worldwide-2017-to-2023-report.html/toc

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1313849

https://www.researchmoz.us/

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Cars and Light Trucks Market Size, Shares - Industry Trends, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2017 to 2023" to its huge collection of research reports.As of now, every automobile company is looking to incorporate artificial intelligence in their cars for achieving heightened levels of automation. Automobile companies are striving to achieve driverless cars by making use of artificial intelligence, boosting the market for AI in cars and light trucks. The installation of AI-based systems in new cars and light trucks is increasing steadily from the past few years. All big companies are investing extensively in the research and development for achieving different levels of automation for autonomous driving by making use of artificial intelligence and sensor technologies. The use of AI and sensors help in detecting and avoiding obstacles. The demand for artificial intelligence in cars and light trucks is increasing as it helps to avoid collision, prevent accidents, lane assistance, and parking assistance. The growing disposable income of the people and thus, their increased spending or budget on luxury items is an important factor driving auto makers to develop cars that have enhanced automated features.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The 2017 study has 826 pages, 290 tables and figures. Worldwide markets are poised to achieve significant growth as Artificial Intelligence (AI) cars and light trucks permit users to implement automated driving. Fleet vehicles from Uber, Google and similar users are likely to be the early adopter groups, creating vehicles that do package delivery and ride sharing. Tesla, Mercedes, and Audi are among the vendors with a leadership position in the personal luxury vehicle artificial intelligence (AI) car markets. These cars provide performance and cater to individual preference in feature function packages and styling.Every car maker seeks to participate in this Artificial Intelligence (AI) personal vehicle market. The ability to do so depends on implementing next generation technology that is very expensive to get working. Vendors ae seeking to work together to set standards and develop shared modules that provide basic functionality. Cameras, sensors, artificial intelligence software, and LiDAR are among the modules being developed.Autonomous vehicle technology has the potential to institute major change in personal mobility. Autonomous cars are the next generation of manual cars, poised to provide thrust for a large replacement market. Autonomous vehicles are the base for building personal car services, particularly in large cities. Carmakers and Silicon Valley companies bring different skills to the task of building a Artificial Intelligence (AI) car. Together they are finding common ground to transform the personal vehicle industry. One thing they are unlikely to transform is performance.Every person who owns a vehicle has a preference on performance. The Tesla has gained recognition for offering a Artificial Intelligence (AI) vehicle, but it is first and foremost a performance vehicle. This characteristic will not change as Artificial Intelligence (AI) vehicles come on the market. People like the customization of features and functions in their car.This customization aspect of Artificial Intelligence (AI) vehicles does not get talked about much, but it is a very important part of the industry. It will not go away just because cars are run by software. From auto racing to personal preference, ever car has its own personality and its own comfort. Performance is part of the package. Every car maker seeks to participate in this Artificial Intelligence (AI) personal vehicle market with a distinctive offering. The ability to have unique appear to customers depends on implementing next generation technology in a manner that works effectively and is relatively inexpensive to implement.Apple, IBM, and Google are sure to be among the significant software vendors for all the Artificial Intelligence (AI) car and light truck market participants. IBM has a huge head start with its excellent middleware branded integrated solutions that are hardened and reliable. Google has mindshare and early market success with its early market trials.As automated process hits the auto industry as a disruptive force, it parallels the automated piloting of the airline industry that saw significant labor savings implementation. Automated vehicle driving can be done anywhere just by connecting the car to integrated adaptive cruise control, adaptive steering and braking, and lane assist systems all working off one central processor.Artificial Intelligence (AI) cars and light trucks incrementally add automated process to driving. As software is added to cars and light trucks it is done in concert with modification to the steering, breaking, and other automotive systems. Autonomous functions for vehicles are increasingly adopted.Change is incremental, we do not have fully functioning Artificial Intelligence (AI) cars immediately, rather, steering, collision avoidance, parking, test driving, series of camera and radar based monitoring systems, lane assist, and adaptive cruise control are being implemented, presaging rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) cars and light trucks as the various functions mature and work in the real world.According to Susan Eustis, team leader for the preparation of the study, The market for Artificial Intelligence (AI) car and light truck vehicles is anticipated to expand in parallel with the deployment of appropriate roadway controls funded by government programs. The large public investments for Artificial Intelligence (AI) vehicles so far has been for development of technology that works for military purposes. The extension of this type of automated system to commercial fleet vehicles will be rapid after 2019The Artificial Intelligence (AI) car designs amalgamate a group of features to represent an automated process solution. These include the hardware, the software middleware, the steering system, adaptive cruise control, numerous software applications, an integrated systems approach, and related services. Significant investments in research and development are necessary as the emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) cars and light trucks industry builds on incremental technology roll outs.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Artificial Intelligence (AI) car and light truck commercial market shipments forecasts indicate that markets beginning to develop in 2016 will rise to $3.6 trillion by 2023. Spectacular growth is a result of various moves toward autonomous vehicles that can go across the US by themselves, provide automated navigation,, integrated braking and steering. Most auto vendors have gone beyond the testing stage to offer vehicles that have strong navigation capability.Safety modules are complimented by mapping vehicles that provide navigation. The Tesla and other vehicles provide driver alerts but fall sort of complete Artificial Intelligence (AI).Market driving forces relate primarily to the need for increased safety and personalization for autos. Car manufacturers are positioning with Artificial Intelligence (AI) car models to meet demand at the high end, and in every category of car and light truck. Many Artificial Intelligence (AI) vehicle car vendors are making automation for personal vehicles and light trucks a reality.Companies ProfiledMarket Leaders- AMD- Apple- BMW- Bosch- Daimler AG / Mercedes-Benz- Ford- Fuji- GM- Google- Hyundai- IBM- Intel / Mobileye- Kairos- Nissan- NVIDIA- NXP- Qualcomm- Samsung- Softbank- Tesla Group- Texas Instruments (TI)- Toyota- Uber- Volkswagen / AudiMarket Participants- Audi- BAE Systems- Boston Dynamics- Bosch Group- BMW- Buick Group- Chrysler / Dodge- Daimler AG/Mercedes-Benz- ECA Robotics- Elbit Systems- Evatran Group- Ford / Lincoln- Fuji Heavy Industries / Subaru- General Dynamics- Google Artificial Intelligence (AI) Car- GM / Cadillac- Kongsberg- Jaguar Land Rover- Lockheed Martin- Mesa Robotics- Mitsubishi- Nissan- Qualcomm- Toyota / Lexus- Vecna Technologies- Volkswagen / Porsche- Volvo- Visteon- WiTricityMake an Enquiry of this report @Key Topics- Auto Artificial Intelligence- Automotive- Automated driving- Automated vehicles- Autonomous vehicles- in-vehicle compute, Infiniti, Internet of things- AI machine learning- Mobileye- Robot Cars and Trucks- Robot steering- Robot braking- Robot automotive systems- Autonomous functions for vehicles- Collision avoidance- Automated parking- Robot Parking- Robot test driving- Car cameras- Car LiDAR- Car radar- Truck follow me systems- Radar based monitoring systems- Lane assist- Adaptive cruise controlAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Biodegradable Packaging Market : Opportunities 2014-2020

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-323

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-323

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Biodegradable packaging provides natural and easily degradable protection when used mainly for the presentation and packaging of the products from the moment the production process begins until the product is administered or consumed. Biodegradable packaging significantly differs from the conventional non-biodegradable packaging. Biodegradable packaging degrades easily and quickly and thus, usually does not require the help of an external catalyst for degradation. Biodegradable products are usually land filled than that compared to that of the non-biodegradable conventional products. Depending on the choice of the materials used in the manufacturing of biodegradable packaging the properties, consumer attributes and appearance of the product packaging varies. Biodegradable packaging sector is a small segment which represents a merger percentage of the packaging industry. The global biodegradable packaging has now moved on towards more advanced and efficient packaging. A decade ago, biodegradable packaging was not known to have any real significance. However, recently biodegradable packaging has become an integral part of the global packaging market. The rising consumer awareness towards biodegradable packaging has led to the tremendous growth of the overall market.Increased consumer preference towards biodegradable materials coupled with the growing environmental concern is expected to boost the overall growth of the biodegradable packaging market. Most of the major packaging companies are now shifting their focus towards biodegradable packaging in order to achieve greater consumer satisfaction. In addition, to differentiate their products from that of the competitors many manufacturers are now shifting towards biodegradable packaging. The biodegradable packaging market is expected to witness the fastest growth than that compared to the plastics packaging market. The biodegradable packaging market is a relatively new market however; it is expected to capture the existing market share of the non-biodegradable plastic packaging market. The food packaging and beverage packaging market is expected to play a crucial role in driving the overall global biodegradable packaging market. However, lack of government support especially in the developed countries is expected to curb the growth of the market. The presence of hugeprice difference between the biodegradable packaging and other conventional packaging is further expected to hamper the growth of the market.Request to Sample Report -Europe and North America are expected to dominate the overall market of biodegradable packaging. North America is expected to be the largest consumer of the biodegradable packaging market.The developed regions are expected to dominate the overall biodegradable packaging market owing to the presence of mature markets that consist of highly environmental conscious consumers. In addition, the presence of high-spending population is also expected to increase the overall demand for biodegradable packaging in the developed regions. The presence of large populations in Asia Pacific is expected to boost the biodegradable packaging market. Owing to the increase in the contract manufacturing process coupled with increased governmental interest to promote biodegradable products by providing incentives in some countries such as China and India is further expected to contribute to the growth of the market.The biodegradable packaging market is highly fragmented in nature. Some of the key participants of the biodegradable packagin market include International Paper, Natureworks LLC, Biopac, BASF SE, Stora Enso, Smurfit Kappa Group, Rocktenn, Clearwater Paper Corporation, Georgia-Pacific LLC and Novamont S.P.A among others. The companies mainly strive towards developing newtechnologies to manufacture biodegradable packaging material from various easily available natural resources. There are also huge investments in the research and development in order to develop innovative product which in turn would help the companies to gain competitive advantage in the market.Request Report TOC @This research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data and statistically-supported and industry-validated market data and projections with a suitable set of assumptions and methodology. It provides analysis and information by categories such as market segments, regions, product types and distribution channels.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite :
Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Market 2018 | Fibretronic Limited, Heapsylon LLC, Intelligent Clothing Ltd., Interactive Wear AG and Others

Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Market

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1517422

https://www.researchmoz.us/asia-pacific-smart-texitiles-market-report-2018-report.html/toc

https://www.researchmoz.us/

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Market Report 2018" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split Asia-Pacific into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Smart Texitiles for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), includingChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanIndiaSoutheast AsiaAustraliaTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Smart Texitiles sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingFibretronic LimitedHeapsylon LLCIntelligent Clothing Ltd.Interactive Wear AGKoninklijke Ten Cate NvMilliken & CompanyPerformance Fibers, Inc.Schoeller Textil AGTextronics, Inc.Toray Industries Inc.Eeonyx CorporationFuture-ShapeinteractivewearOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volum, revenue, product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoPassive Smart Fabrics and TextilesActive Smart Fabrics and TextilesUltra-Smart Fabrics and TextilesOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, includingMilitary UsesCivil UsesHealthcare UsesOtherTable of ContentsAsia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Market Report 20171 Smart Texitiles Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Smart Texitiles1.2 Classification of Smart Texitiles by Product Category1.2.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Types (2012-2022)1.2.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Passive Smart Fabrics and Textiles1.2.4 Active Smart Fabrics and Textiles1.2.5 Ultra-Smart Fabrics and Textiles1.3 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications (2012-2022)1.3.2 Military Uses1.3.3 Civil Uses1.3.4 Healthcare Uses1.3.5 Other1.4 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Market by Region1.4.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 South Korea Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Taiwan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.8 Australia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Asia-Pacific Market Size (Value and Volume) of Smart Texitiles (2012-2022)1.5.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles (Volume) by Application2.4 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles (Volume and Value) by Region2.4.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Texitiles Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @3 China Smart Texitiles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 China Smart Texitiles Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 China Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 China Smart Texitiles Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 China Smart Texitiles Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 China Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Type3.3 China Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Application4 Japan Smart Texitiles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 Japan Smart Texitiles Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 Japan Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 Japan Smart Texitiles Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 Japan Smart Texitiles Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 Japan Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.3 Japan Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Application5 South Korea Smart Texitiles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 South Korea Smart Texitiles Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 South Korea Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 South Korea Smart Texitiles Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.3 South Korea Smart Texitiles Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)5.2 South Korea Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Type5.3 South Korea Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Application6 Taiwan Smart Texitiles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6.1 Taiwan Smart Texitiles Sales and Value (2012-2017)6.1.1 Taiwan Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.2 Taiwan Smart Texitiles Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.3 Taiwan Smart Texitiles Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)6.2 Taiwan Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Type6.3 Taiwan Smart Texitiles Sales Volume and Market Share by ApplicationContinue...About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Automotive Lighting Market Is Expected To Grow At A CAGR Of 4.1% And 5.7% By Volume And Revenue Respectively From 2017 To 2025

Automotive Lighting Market

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1478981

https://www.researchmoz.us/automotive-lighting-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2025-report.html/toc

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1478981

https://www.researchmoz.us/

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Automotive Lighting Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.Global automotive lighting market report provides analysis for the period 2015  2025, wherein the period from 2017 to 2025 is the forecast and 2016 is the base year. The automotive lighting report covers all the major types and application playing significant role in the global automotive lighting markets growth over the forecast period. The report also include various drivers, restraints, and opportunities expected which affect markets growth during the above mention period. The study provides an entire perspective on the markets growth in terms of revenue in US$ Mn and volume in Mn units, across different geographical regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Middle East & Africa, Europe, and South America.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The market overview section of the report demonstrates the market dynamics such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities that influence the current nature and future status of this market, key indicators and trends. An attractiveness analysis has also been provided for every segment in the report, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the overall scenario in the automotive lighting market. Moreover, the report provides an overview of various strategies adopted by the key players present in the market. Key market indicators included in the report provide significance of the factors which are capable of changing the market scenario. These indicators are expected to define the market position during the forecast period.Global Automotive Lighting Market: Key SegmentsGlobal automotive lighting market is segmented based on vehicle type, by application, by technology, by product scale and by region. By vehicle type, the market is further segmented into passenger type and commercial type. By application, automotive lighting can segmented into front lighting, rear lighting, interior lighting, and side lighting. By technology, automotive lighting market is bifurcated as Halogen, Xenon, and LED. By product scale it can be segmented as OEMs and aftermarket product.The report also highlights the competitive landscape of the global automotive lighting market, thereby positioning all the major players according to their presence in different regions of the world and recent key developments initiated by them in the market. The comprehensive global automotive lighting market estimates are the result of our in-depth secondary research, primary interviews, and in-house expert panel reviews. These market estimates have been analyzed by taking into account the impact of different political, social, economic, technological, and legal factors along with the current market dynamics affect global automotive lighting market growth. This report provides all the essential information required to understand the key developments in the automotive lighting market, growth trend of each segment and companies strategies to efficiently compete into the market. Also, the report provides insights related to trends and its impact on the market.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Companies Mentioned in ReportThe prominent players such General Electric Co., Hella KGaA Hueck & Co, Hyundai Mobis, ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES LTD, Magneti Marelli S.p.A, OSRAM Licht Group, Royal Phillips Electronics, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS Co., Ltd, Stanley Electric Co. Ltd, VALEO, Zizala Lichtsysteme GmbH, Koito Manufacturing Co.,LTD, among others in global automotive lighting market. Details such as financials, SWOT analysis, business strategies, recent developments, and other such strategic information pertaining to these players have been duly provided as part of company profiling.Market SegmentationGlobal Automotive Lighting Market, by Vehicle Type- Passenger- CommercialGlobal Automotive Lighting Market, by Application- Front lighting- Rear lighting- Interior lighting- Side lightingGlobal Automotive Lighting Market, by Technology- Halogen- Xenon- LEDGlobal Automotive Lighting Market, by Product Scale- OEMs- Aftermarket ProductGlobal Automotive Lighting Market, by RegionNorth America- The U.S.- Canada- Rest of North AmericaEurope- Germany- Italy- France- U.K.- Rest of EuropeMake an Enquiry of this report @Asia Pacific (APAC)- Japan- China- India- Rest of APACMiddle East and Africa (MEA)- GCC- Turkey- South Africa- Rest of MEASouth America- Brazil- Rest of South AmericaAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global LNG Liquefaction Equipment Market to Witness Soaring Growth During 2017-2027

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5641

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-5641

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Global LNG Liquefaction Equipment Market: IntroductionLiquefied natural gas (LNG) is the liquid form of natural gas at cryogenic temperature of 161C (157C). Liquefaction of natural gas shrinks its volume by a factor of approximately 600 hence, allowing easy and economical transport over long distances. The set of equipment aligned in series, designed to treat and liquefy natural gas are known as LNG train. With the increasing demand of LNG as the source of fuel, the global LNG liquefaction equipment market has grown steadily in the past few years. The LNG liquefaction equipment accounts up to total 30% total project cost of a liquefaction plant. Hence, LNG liquefaction equipment has been a key area in constant need of innovation and development to save cost, increase LNG plant capacity and improving pant efficiency. Natural gas is one of the worlds most needed feedstock and with the ever growing demand of clean energy source LNG demand is rising, hence driving the LNG liquefaction equipment market. The LNG liquefaction equipment market possesses pronounced growth opportunities for the growth of new as well as established players.Global LNG Liquefaction Equipment Market: Market DynamicsLiquefied natural gas is widely recognized as a clean, safe and convenient form of energy. Owing to easy of transportation and increased storage capacity liquefaction processes has become increasingly diverse in recent years. Global consumption of LNG is expected to increase significantly during the forecast period driven by environmental requirement on emissions reductions and increasing energy demands. Hence, the demand of LNG liquefaction equipment is expected to rise significantly augmenting the LNG liquefaction equipment market. However, the LNG liquefaction equipment account for high installation cost as well as high operating cost, hence restraining the growth of LNG liquefaction equipment market. Moreover, depressed crude oil prices have caused many of Exploration and Production (E&P) companies to constraint their budgets hence, constraining the growth of global LNG liquefaction equipment market. Key players are focusing on developing new concepts and innovative methods to increase the capacity, efficiency and cost reduction. Companies are focusing on developing smaller and floating liquefaction trains. Moreover, increasing exploration & production activities from unconventional oil and liquids-rich basins such as shale, tight gas, and coalbed methane (CBM) and construction of large-scale onshore liquefaction and regasification terminals are some of the primary factor pertaining towards the growth of global LNG liquefaction equipment market.Request For Report Sample@Global LNG Liquefaction Equipment Market: SegmentationOn the basis of systems, the global LNG liquefaction equipment market is segmented as:Refrigerant compressor systemPumping and storage systemPower systemOther auxiliary systemOn the basis of equipment manufacturer, the global LNG liquefaction equipment market is segmented as:Plant manufacturerAssembly manufacturerOn the basis of plant size, the global LNG liquefaction equipment market is segmented as:Small LNG Plants (0.25 to 2.0 MTPA)FLNG Plants (offshore floating plants)Global LNG Liquefaction Equipment Market: Regional OutlookAsia Pacific dominates the global LNG liquefaction equipment market and is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period owing to increasing demand in the countries such as, China, India, Pakistan, etc. Moreover, increasing demand of clean and green source energy for power generation in most of the Asian countries are driving the LNG demand hence expected to augment the LNG liquefaction equipment market in the region. With the increasing construction offshore and onshore construction activities in U.S. the LNG liquefaction equipment market is expected to grow with a steady rate in North American region. European LNG liquefaction equipment market is expected to grow with at a steady during the forecast period, the growth is driven by increasing exploration activity in the region. For instance the construction of LNG liquefaction facility, Yamal LNG Russia is expected to increase the market share of the region.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Global LNG Liquefaction Equipment Market: Key ParticipantsGeneral ElectricAtlas Copco LtdWartsila CorporationAir Products and Chemicals, Inc.Chart Energy & Chemicals, Inc.FIVES, Societe AnonymeSrisen Energy Technology Co.,LtdMITSUI & CO., LTD.Mitsubishi CorporationIHI CorporationThe Linde GroupLiquefied Natural Gas LimitedConocoPhillips CompanyABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global High Performance Ceramic Coatings Market Is Expected To Be Worth US$12,980.4 Mn By The End Of 2025 To Surge At A CAGR Of 7.0%

High Performance Ceramic Coatings Market

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1497689

https://www.researchmoz.us/high-performance-ceramic-coatings-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecasts-2017-2025-report.html/toc

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1497689

https://www.researchmoz.us/

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "High Performance Ceramic Coatings Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends and Forecasts 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.High performance ceramic coatings are thin layers of ceramics which are coated either on metals or ceramic substrates in order to provide better resistance against wear, corrosion and temperature. Surface modification using high performance ceramic coatings has achieved substantial improvement in the industrial environment for the past few years. Advancements made in the field of material science and technology and widening list of potential end users are anticipated to expand the high performance ceramic coatings market. Commonly employed materials for the high performance ceramic coatings include alumina, alumina-magnesia, chromia, silicon carbide, titania and zirconia. These coatings are generally applied on to exhaust headers, intake manifolds, carburetor components etc. High performance ceramic coatings are mainly applied in the automotive industry. They are applied on automotive engine components and improve the fuel efficiency. The key feature of high performance ceramic coating is that it can withstand high temperatures, upto 1500O C and thereby protecting the components from oxidation.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global High Performance Ceramic Coatings Market: SegmentationThe commonly employed technologies for the application of high performance ceramic coatings include thermal spray technology, physical vapor deposition and chemical vapor deposition. In thermal spray coating technology, the coating material is propelled using a stream of gas or compressed air to deposit the material onto the substrate. In order to get attractive surface characteristics, physical vapor deposition technology is followed. Chemical vapor technology requires high operational temperatures compared to physical vapor deposition technology. The key end user areas of high performance ceramic coatings include automotive, aviation, chemical equipment and medical industries. In automotive, high performance ceramic coatings significantly influence horsepower ratings and thus, enhance the overall performance of the automobile. Rise in demand for high performance ceramic coatings for engine components in the automotive industry and Increase in demand for superior thermal protection for aircraft engine are the key market drivers of high performance ceramic coatings market.The report estimates and forecasts the high performance ceramic coatings market on the global, regional and country levels. The study provides forecast between 2017 and 2025 based on volume (Kilo Tons) and revenue (US$ Mn) with 2016 as the base year. The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis for each of the segments. It provides a comprehensive view of the market. Value chain analysis also offers detailed information about value addition at each stage. The study includes drivers and restraints for the high performance ceramic coatings market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The study also provides key market indicators affecting the growth of the market. The report analyzes opportunities in the high performance ceramic coatings market on the global, regional and country level. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities mentioned in the report are justified through quantitative and qualitative data. These have been verified through primary and secondary resources. Furthermore, the report analyzes substitute analysis of high performance ceramic coatingsGlobal High Performance Ceramic Coatings Market: Research MethodologiesSecondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to, United States Advanced Ceramics Association (USACA), The American Ceramic Society (ACS), American Coatings Association(ACA), The European Ceramic Industry Association (ECIA) , Asia-Oceania Ceramic Federation (AOCF),company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @In-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and strengthening secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.The report includes Porters Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the high performance ceramic coatings market. The report comprises a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users and regions have been analyzed based on attractiveness for each region. Growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market.Global High Performance Ceramic Coatings Market: Competitive LandscapeThe study provides a comprehensive view of the high performance ceramic coatings market by dividing it into end user, technology, and geography segments. End user segment has been categorized into automotive, aviation, chemical equipment, medical and others. The technology segmentation covers thermal spray, physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition and others. The regional analysis of global high performance ceramic coatings market includes the current and forecast consumption of high performance ceramic coatings in North America (U.S, Canada), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Rest of Latin America), Europe (Germany, France, Italy, U.K, Spain, and Rest of Europe), Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan & ASEAN), and Middle East & Africa (GCC, South Africa and Rest of Middle East & Africa). Market segmentation includes demand or consumption in all the regions and countries individually.The report covers detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the global high performance ceramic coatings and include Aremco Products Inc, Bodycote Plc, Saint-Gobain S.A , Ceramic Polymers GmbH , Zircotec Ltd and Praxair Surface Technology, Inc. Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview (wherever applicable).The global high performance ceramic coatings market has been segmented as follows:High Performance Ceramic Coatings Market  Technology Analysis- Thermal spray- Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)- Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)- OthersHigh Performance Ceramic Coatings Market  End User Analysis- Automotive- Aviation- Chemical Equipment- Medical- OthersHigh Performance Ceramic Coatings Market  Regional AnalysisNorth America- U.S.- CanadaLatin America- Brazil- Mexico- Rest of Latin AmericaMake an Enquiry of this report @Europe- Germany- France- U.K.- Spain- Italy- Rest of EuropeAsia Pacific- China- Japan- India- ASEAN- Rest of Asia PacificMiddle East & Africa- GCC- South Africa- Rest of Middle East & AfricaAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
High Pressure Laminate (HPL) Market - The Biggest Trends to Watch out for in Near Future

High Pressure Laminate (HPL) Market

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/high-pressure-laminate-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=32420

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

High pressure laminate (HPL) is a type of decorative laminate which is manufactured by impregnating kraft paper with the help of melamine resin, with the help of high pressure. These sheets are bonded on substrates such as particle board or medium density fiberboard. The most common pressure range used for manufacturing (HPL) is between 1,200 to 2,000 lbs per square inch. The resulting laminate is later covered with a layer of decorative paper. High pressure laminates can be employed in both horizontal as well as vertical applications.High pressure laminates have various benefits such as durability, versatility, scratch resistant, and easy to maintain. Due to the durability and supreme qualities possessed by high pressure laminates, high pressure laminates are utilized in a wide range of applications such as residential, commercial, and industrial due to their superior qualities and durability.Browse Research Report With Complete TOC @High Pressure Laminate (HPL) Market: TrendsDemand for high pressure laminates is expected to rise at a steady pace during the forecast period. Demand is estimated to increase primarily due to rise in the utilization of cabinets and ready-to-assemble furniture and floorings.In the interior design industry, HPL is highly preferred due to its pattern, color, finish, and texture. The designer can optimize high pressure laminates as per the requirement, which helps to add aesthetic sense to the interiors. Upcoming social, economic and design trends across the globe are major factors that are driving the demand for HPL in the last few years.Manufacturers of high pressure laminates can develop new products by innovation or by carrying required research and development activities. Manufacturing eco-friendly products is anticipated to present opportunities for manufacturers, which in turn is likely to provide growth opportunities for manufacturers to increase their consumer base in the market.High Pressure Laminate (HPL) Market: Region-wise OutlookAsia Pacific was a prominent market for high pressure laminates in 2016. Among the countries in Asia Pacific, the demand was substantially high in developing countries such as China and India. These countries have been witnessing rapid increase in its population along with expansion of their overall economies, which has led to increase in disposable income. Increased spending on home interiors is fuelling the high pressure laminate market in Asia Pacific.There are several manufacturers of high pressure laminates in Europe and North America. In North America, the demand for high pressure laminates is primarily driven by the residential sector. Improved standards of living and rising usage of high pressure laminates for flooring purpose are anticipated to drive the market in North America.Request a PDF Brochure with Research Report Analysis @In Europe, the demand for high pressure laminate is anticipated to be primarily from the commercial sector. High pressure laminates are being employed widely for flooring in commercial complexes, which is estimated be a major factor that is likely to propelling the consistent expansion of the high pressure laminate market in the region.Demand for high pressure laminates in Middle East & Africa is projected be primarily due to the utilization of high pressure laminates in the construction industry. In recent years, there has been exceptional growth in the construction industry of UAE and Egypt which has driven the market of high pressure laminates in the region of Middle East & Africa.High Pressure Laminate (HPL) Market: Key PlayersKey players operating in the high pressure laminate market include Formica Group, Wilsonart Engineered Surfaces, Sonae Industria, Polyrey, and Panel Processing.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Childhood Vaccines Market Size, Share, Trends, Market Growth, Global Analysis And Industry Forecast 2018 - 2026 - Research Corridor

http://www.researchcorridor.com/childhood-vaccines-market/

http://www.researchcorridor.com/childhood-vaccines-market/

http://www.researchcorridor.com/thermopile-infrared-detector-market/

http://www.researchcorridor.com/semi-tubular-rivets-market/

http://www.researchcorridor.com/polycarbonate-pc-resin-sheet-market/

http://www.researchcorridor.com/

Childhood Vaccines Market will experience a noticeable growth during the forecast period 2018  2026Childhood Vaccines Market: Global Industry Trends, Market Size, Competitive Analysis and Forecast - 2018  2026, this study is recently published by Research Corridor covering global market size for Childhood Vaccines market for the key segments and further cross-regional segmentation of these segments for the period 2016 to 2026.Browse the complete report atAccording to Research Corridor this study will provide in-depth analysis of segments on the basis of current trends, market dynamics and country level analysis of Childhood Vaccines industry. This report provides market estimates and forecast for the period 2016-2026, along with respective CAGRs for each segment and regional distribution for the period 2018-2026. In depth analysis of competitive landscape, porters five forces model, value chain analysis, and pricing strategies are also covered in the report scope.Report Synopsis: Childhood Vaccines MarketThis report provides an exhaustive market analysis of the Childhood Vaccines industry presented through sections such as1. Childhood Vaccines: Market Summary2. Key Developments in the Childhood Vaccines Industry3. Market Trends and Dynamics of Childhood Vaccines Industry4. Attractive Investment Proposition for Childhood Vaccines Market5. Competitive Landscape of Key Market Players in Childhood Vaccines Industry6. Current Market Scenario and Future Prospects of the Childhood Vaccines Market7. Mergers and Acquisitions in Childhood Vaccines Market8. Childhood Vaccines Market Revenue and Forecast, by Segment A Type, 2016 to 20269. Childhood Vaccines Market Revenue and Forecast, by Segment B Type, 2016 to 202610. Childhood Vaccines Market Revenue and Forecast, by Segment C Type, 2016 to 202611. Childhood Vaccines Market Revenue and Forecast, by Segment D, 2016 to 202612. Childhood Vaccines Market Revenue and Forecast, by Geography, 2016 to 2026For more details with charts and figures:Key Takeaways:1. Market size and forecast of the Childhood Vaccines market for the period from 2016 to 20262. Compounded annual growth rate (CAGR%) for each segment in several regional markets by year 20263. Market share analysis combined with competitive landscape of key players4. Profiles of key market players covering overall business operations, geographic presence, product portfolio, financial status and news coverage.Latest Reports:About Research CorridorResearch Corridor provides End to End Solution for Market Research Consulting and Custom Research Reports. Database of Over 47000 Global Market Reports Research Corridor is world leading company in syndicated market Research Reports.Media ContactCompany Name: Research CorridorContact Person: Vikram ChauhanEmail: sales@researchcorridor.comWebsite:
UV Absorber Market : Rising Need for Business Agility 2017 - 2025

UV Absorber Market

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/uv-absorber-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=32477

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Ultraviolet (UV) absorber is a material that is used to absorb ultraviolet light and release the energy in the form of heat. They are typically used to protect materials by preventing the harmful ultraviolet light from degrading them, thus enhancing the performance, durability, service life, and stability of the materials. Different kinds of UV absorbers are used depending on the substrate, intended functional life, and sensitivity to UV degradation of the materials. UV absorbers also act as UV stabilizer in neutral or transparent applications in order to provide effective UV resistance for short-term exposures.The UV absorber market is primarily driven by the rise in demand from applications such as automotive plastics, packaging, agricultural films, coatings, adhesives, and personal care. Upsurge in usage of plastics for various purposes drives the UV absorber market. It also acts as an opportunity for research and development of innovative UV absorbers. Rise in awareness about UV absorbers is expected to propel the market. However, high cost of raw materials required to manufacture UV absorbers is a hindrance to the growth of the market. Furthermore, availability of inorganic UV absorbers, which are an effective alternative to organic UV absorbers, is a key restraint to the UV absorber market.Browse Research Report With Complete TOC @Based on chemical class, the UV absorber market can be segmented into benzophenone, benzotriazole and triazine. Among these, benzotriazole is projected to be the dominant segment in the market during the forecast period, owing to its wide application in plastics, coatings, adhesives, and personal care products, and also its broad protection coverage in UV-A and UV-B regions which are estimated to be very harmful. Benzotriazole offers better protection against UV radiations as compared to benzophenone, thus, benzotriazole is commonly used for outdoor weathering applications.Based on end-use, the UV absorber market can be segmented into plastics, coatings, adhesives, and cosmetic & personal care. The plastics segment accounts for the dominant share of the market and is anticipated to expand at a significantly rapid pace. Expansion of the plastics application segment is primarily due to the rise in demand for plastics from the packaging and agricultural films. Plastics such as poly vinyl chloride and poly carbonate tend to degrade when exposed to UV radiations. UV radiations initiate chemical reactions in plastics that result in the breakdown and loss of chemical and physical properties of plastics, thereby prompting the need of UV absorbers. Furthermore, rapid development of the automotive industry is expected to boost the demand for UV absorbers for coatings and adhesives applications. The cosmetic & personal care segment is also anticipated to grow in the near future due to rise in addition of UV absorbers in cosmetic formulations for safeguard from the adverse effects of UV radiations.Request a PDF Brochure with Research Report Analysis @In terms of geography, the UV absorber market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. In terms of value as well as volume, North America is anticipated to constitute the dominant share of the UV absorber market owing to technological maturity and high investment in R&D in the region. Asia Pacific is estimated to be the fastest growing market for UV absorber, due to rapid industrialization and demand from end-use industries such as plastics and coatings in the region. Expansion of the automotive industry in Europe and in countries such as China, India, and Japan in Asia Pacific promotes the usage of UV absorbers in automotive plastic and coating applications.Key players operating in the global UV absorber market include, BASF SE, Songwon Industrial, Clariant, Solvay S.A., Adeka Corporation and Addivant.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Automated CPR Devices Market Poised for Robust CAGR of Over 11.3% Through 2027

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5343

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-5343

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Future Market Insights (FMI) announces the release of its latest outlook titled,Automated CPR Devices Market: Global Industry Analysis (20122016) and Opportunity Assessment (20172027). According to the report, the global automated CPR devices market was valued at US$ 60.0 Mn in 2016 and is anticipated to reach US$ 191.2 Mn by 2027, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.3% throughout the 10 year forecast period.Market Drivers and RestraintsThe global automated CPR devices market is largely driven by a growing demand from emergency medical services and a rising need for technologically advanced EMS. An increasing public awareness of cardiac arrest and increasing training programmes is also positively influencing revenue growth of the automated CPR devices market. Also, increasing government funding and grants encouraging the use of automated CPR devices in order to improve survival rates of cardiac arrest victims coupled with a rapidly increasing geriatric population across the globe owing to the impact of reducing mortality rates and declining fertility rates has also widened the scope for automated CPR device manufacturers.Conversely, high cost of automated CPR devices, the substantial weight of the device and high training requirements are some minor restraints in the global automated CPR devices market. Additionally, conflicting results from observational studies regarding the use of automated CPR devices is also hampering the growth of the automated CPR devices market. While some observational studies have confirmed that the application of automated CPR devices can immediately improve hemodynamic effect and perfusion, some studies show less or no impact from the use of such devices.Request to Sample Report -Unmet clinical needs are expected to offer favourable growth opportunities in the near future. Increasing demand for innovative products so as to ensure cardiac arrest survival rates through cardiopulmonary resuscitation are providing favourable prospects for growth of the global automated CPR devices market. There is a strong need for the improvement of existing CPR devices with some desired features such as inbuilt pulse rate check function and automated injectable function.Global Automated CPR Devices Market: Forecast by End UserAmong the various end users of automated CPR devices, the hospitals segment is likely to dominate throughout the forecast period with a CAGR of 11.6% in terms of value.The emergency medical services segment remains the third largest market and represents a Market Share Index of 0.6 over the forecast period.Global Automated CPR Devices Market: Forecast by RegionRegion-wise, Europe dominated the global automated CPR devices market in 2016 in terms of revenue, accounting for 36.5% revenue share. However, Asia Pacific is foreseen to witness a relatively high CAGR of 11.1%. The market in Europe is expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period.Adoption rates for automated CPR devices vary according to region, which is resulting in disparity in market trends across regions. Factors such as differentiation in EMS and its functioning and lack of awareness amongst the populace are responsible for the varying adoption rates across different geographies. The U.S. is witnessing major investments in automated CPR devices due to the increasing number of market players with new technologies in the region.Request Report TOC @Global Automated CPR Devices Market: Competitive LandscapeKey players considered in the global automated CPR devices market include ZOLL Medical Corporation, Physio-Control Inc., Brunswick Biomedical Technologies, Michigan Instruments, and SunLife Science Inc. The global automated CPR devices market is consolidated with the top two players bagging over 50% of the total market share. Most players are engaged in various activities such as new product development, increasing investments in clinical research, expansion of geographical presence and brand building via strong marketing strategies in order to sustain in the competitive global market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite :
Security Ink Market: Sales, Revenue, Growth Rate, Price by Region 2022

Security Ink Market

https://www.marketexpertz.com/discount-enquiry-form/1312

https://www.marketexpertz.com/report-detail/global-security-ink-market-professional-survey-report-2018

https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/1312

https://www.linkedin.com/company/market-expertz1/

https://twitter.com/Marketexpertz

https://plus.google.com/u/0/116346269222154419019

https://www.facebook.com/Market-Expertz-1803704129648931/

Global Security Ink Market 2018 Research refine essential aspects of the Security Ink market and presents them within the form of a united and all-inclusive document. Worldwide Security Ink market report focuses on the top leading manufacturers of Security Ink industry.The latest report on the Security Ink market closely surveys, examines and offers vital statistics on the Security Ink market for the forecast period 2018 - 2022. This market intelligence assessment report weighs up on the potential region that reserves greater opportunities for this industry. Importantly, subject matter experts have taken into account every critical aspect right from the market size, share, and growth to the dramatic shift in the consumer behaviour and their growing spending capacity. The industry assessment study depicts a perfectly clear picture of both the past and the future trends to offer the stakeholders, business owners, and marketing executives an opportunity to zero in on an effective marketing strategy and boost sales.Get 15% Discount on this Report@Scope of the Report:Significant driving forces shaping the future of the Security Ink market for the forecast period 2018 - 2022 find a special mention in the study and are backed by a real-time statistics. Thorough segmentation of the industry by type, application, classification, and geography works as an impetus towards increasing the sale figures and boosting business prospects alongside the hindrances that often restrict the industrys growth. In addition, bifurcation of the market on the basis of consumption volume, customer preference, end-user, and production capacity is explained through important resources including but not limited to charts, graphic images, and tables.The research provides answers to the following key questions: What is the expected market size of the Security Ink market for the forecast period 2018 - 2022? What will be the growth rate of the industry during the estimated period? What are the major driving forces shaping the future of the Security Ink industry worldwide? Who are the major vendors in the industry and what are their strategies to reap more profits and reduce costs? What are the trends from the past and future that are likely to favor the progress of the Security Ink industry worldwide?Read Full Report with TOC @In market segmentation by manufacturers, the report covers the following companies- SICPA Sun Chemical Microtrace CTI Gleitsmann Security Inks Collins Cronite Villiger Gans Kodak Godo Shojudo ANY Mingbo Pingwei Letong Ink Jinpin WanchengGeographical Regions:United States, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, IndiaBy Types: Intaglio Inks Silkscreen Inks Letterpress Inks Offset Inks OthersBy Application: Banknotes Official Identity Documents Tax Banderoles Security LabelsPre-Book Full Report @The study further features an aggressive scenario in the Security Ink market with its focus on recent product launches, mergers and acquisitions, new entrants and growing investment pockets. The inclusion of pre-imperative information such as the import and export status, supply chain management, consumption power, investment feasibility and demand and supply aims at enabling the business owners to increase their understanding about the important procedures for development for the forecast period 2018 - 2022. Comprehensively, the market intelligence report weighs up on the recent happenings in the Security Ink market including technology innovation, opportunities and threats to help prominent vendors invest wisely and explore new geography.Follow us on LinkedIn:Follow us on Twitter:Follow us on Google Plus:Follow us on Facebook:About UsPlanning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges.Contact Us40 Wall St. 28th floor New York City,NY 10005 United States+1-800-819-3052
FPSO Market To Witness Enhanced Usage In Sales And Marketing Industries Till 2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1355

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1355

https://www.tmrresearch.com/fpso-market

Global FPSO Market : SnapshotA floating production, storage, and offloading unit is considered as a vessel that is being used widely by a large number of gas and offshore oil industries. These vessels are used for the purpose of manufacturing and processing of hydrocarbons and further for the storage of oil. The use of FPSO vessels helps in storing oil and transporting it through a pipeline, which saves time as well as resources of the oil and gas companies. As a result, the global FPSO market is anticipated to witness a robust growth in the next few years.A significant rise in the number of exploration activities across the globe is one of the vital factors projected to fuel the growth of the global FPSO market in the next few years. The rising focus of key players on research and development activities and new product development are predicted to generate promising opportunities in the coming years. In addition, the rising number of oil and gas exploration sites in order to cater the rising demand from consumers are projected to accelerate the growth of the global FPSO market in the near future.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Among the key regions, the developed economies, including Europe and North America are expected to experience a steady growth in the next few years. At present, the global FPSO market is growing at a rapid pace and is likely to witness a high level of competition in the coming years. The increasing number of mergers and acquisition is expected to enhance the competitive scenario of the FPSO market in the near future, encouraging the expansion of product portfolio. As a result, the overall market is likely to supplement the development of the market in the near future.Global FPSO Market: OverviewA floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) unit could be a newly constructed vessel or converted oil tanker which is equipped with oil and gas processing and production facilities. An FPSO is able to carry out all the activities for which the term stands for. It is a commodious vessel which resembles the shape of a ship and finds extensive usage in extracting raw hydrocarbons from sea beds. With processing facilities provided onboard, it can also transport processed oil and gas to desired onshore locations using a shuttle tanker.Request TOC of the Report @With more number of countries producing their own FPSOs and higher sales achieved by manufacturers, the world FPSO market is anticipated to rack up a staggering amount of revenue until the end of the forecast period.Global FPSO Market: Key TrendsThe substantial degree of growth witnessed in the FPSO market is predicted to be augmented by the soaring demand for enhanced productivity and controlled capital spending. With a view to achieve this, companies are looking to convert tank vessels into FPSOs. The very nature of FPSO to be able to operate at any depth, relocate to any location, and offer high return on investment is deemed to be a strong reason for its incrementing demand.The redeployed FPSO market is prognosticated to rise above freshly converted or newly built vessels with the capability to minimize project execution timeline. Suitable for operation in medium and small offshore fields, converted FPSO poses a lesser capital cost compared to new built products.The rising exploration activities in ultra-deep offshore fields led by maturing onshore oil and gas reserves are expected to provide an aggressive boost to the global FPSO market. More opportunities are envisaged to take birth as the need to counter difficult conditions in ultra-deep and deep sea reserves surges the demand for integrated compact systems.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Global FPSO Market: Market PotentialIran is all set to install its first ever FPSO named FPSO Cyrus near South Pars in the Persian Gulf. The vessel is expected to employ pipelines to draw hydrocarbons from subsea wells. On an average, the Iranian FPSO holds the capacity to extract 30,000 barrels per day in the first production phase, which could be increased to a whopping 55,000 to 60,000 barrels per day in the second production phase.On similar lines, Keppel Offshore & Marine will be delivering its first FPSO unit named John Agyekum Kufuor to Yinson Production (West Africa) Pte. Ltd. in 2017. The vessel will be engaged by ENI Ghana Exploration & Production Limited for oil and gas processing at the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) positioned in Offshore Ghana. The unit is studied to boast a 58,000 barrels per day processing capacity and 1.7 million barrel storage capacity. With an approximate 15,000 ton topside weight, it has the potential to be moored in a standard 1,000 meter water depth.Global FPSO Market: Regional OutlookWith ample of support furnished by the government of Brazil, the country is predicted to stand out as a chief FPSO market in the South America region. The prominence of the Brazilian market could also be accredited to the elevating number of oil and gas activities. The oil field discoveries in deep water and latest offshore exploration and production developments of East Africa and South America are envisaged to help the regions register growth at a significant rate.However, regions such as Europe and North America of the FPSO market are foretold to grow at a stagnant rate but secure a valuable share on account of their mature oil and gas reserves.In order to curb its dependence on imports of energy resources, China is forecasted to offer profit-making opportunities for vendors in the FPSO market. Besides this, the development of offloading technologies, production advancement, surging area of ultra-deep and deep sea reserves, and maturing shallow water and inland oil and gas fields are envisioned to help China take precedence in the global market.Global FPSO Market: Competitive LandscapeWith mergers and acquisitions and fast building of product portfolio, key players in the international FPSO market are foreseen to take charge of a leading share. Some of the tough competitors in the global market are Sembcorp Marine Ltd., COSCO Shipyard Group Co. Ltd., PetroleoBrasileiro S.A., MODEC, Inc., TOTAL S.A., SBM Offshore N.V., and Samsung Heavy Industries Ltd.About UsTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Kaolin Market : Opportunities sales, revenue, Gross Margin, Outlook and Forecast To 2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1358

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1358

https://www.tmrresearch.com/kaolin-market

Kaolin Market: SnapshotKaolin is a clay material used in several industries due to the aesthetic and structural benefits it provides to the finished product. Key industries making use of kaolin in their manufacturing processes include the fiberglass industry, which has been driven by the rapid growth and diversification of the telecommunication industry in recent years, the paper industry, which has exhibited steady demand despite a drop in demand coming about due to the rise of the online publishing industry, and the ceramics industry, which has benefited from the construction industry boom in developing Asia Pacific and Latin American countries.The construction industry boom has been a vital driver for the kaolin market, as the increasing disposable income of consumers in developing regions has led to rising demand for premium housing utilities such as ceramics floors. The growing ultra high net worth demographic in Asia Pacific, in particular, has driven the demand for premium construction options. The sustained growth of economies such as India, China, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore is thus likely to drive the construction industry at a steady rate in the region. This is likely to be a key driver for the kaolin market in Asia Pacific in the coming years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the other hand, the kaolin industry has had to adapt in recent years to cope with the decline in demand for paper publishing. The rise of online publishing avenues has opened the doors to a new era of publishing, where paper has become secondary to digital options, which present several benefits in terms of clarity, relevance, and quality of outreach. The rising ebooks industry and the growing support environment developing around it is thus likely to hinder the global kaolin markets growth to some extent. On the other hand, the growing demand for decorative paper could go some way in relieving the economic burden of the publishing industry.Global Kaolin Market: OverviewAlso known as China clay, kaolin is used at a sweeping rate in a variety of industrial applications, including paper, fiberglass, rubber, and ceramic. Much of the demand for kaolin can be accredited to its value added features which have attracted end-users from a host of different sectors. The surging business growth of the global kaolin market is prophesied to be complemented by the amplifying demand for tire manufacturing in the automotive parts sector along with construction materials.Request TOC of the Report @Global Kaolin Market: Key TrendsThe recent trend in the polymer and plastic industry favoring light weight instead of steel and metal products is prognosticated to set the tone for the world kaolin market. The quality of plastic can be fairly improved on the parameters of strength, durability, and electrical performance with the application of kaolin. Other industries such as adhesives, paints, and ceramics are at the mercy of kaolin in a gamut of applications, owing to its non-abrasive texture, chemical inertness, and grander opacity.With almost half of the total kaolin consumption accounted by the paper industry, the declining usage of paper as a result of digitalization is expected to affect the global kaolin market. However, kaolin industry vendors can find bankable opportunities in other sectors such as construction which augments the usage of ceramics in the residential domain besides mortar and concrete.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Global Kaolin Market: Market PotentialIn an article published after the victory of Chief Rotimi Akeredolu as the governor of the Ondo State in Nigeria, it was reminded of kaolin as a lucrative mineral resource that the state is blessed with. Nigeria is not one of the richest economies in the world while Ondo is under a dire need to address its urgent and complex issues. However, with precious minerals such as kaolin along with upmarket forest products and dominant oil and crop production, the Africa region is expected to find new hopes. Players in the global kaolin market can cash in on this opportunity to penetrate the untapped African markets and spread their prominence across the continent.Opportunities in the world kaolin market is not limited to only penetration. With companies such as Altech Chemicals looking to take charge as a ruling provider of 99.99% high purity alumina (HPA), industry players can give weightage to their presence in the kaolin market. In a recent press release, Altech is preparing to engage its proposed HPA plant for processing raw kaolin which is mined and shipped from its totally owned kaolin deposit in Western Australia.Global Kaolin Market: Regional OutlookWith the construction industry in emerging nations such as Japan, China, and India on the rise, the kaolin market in Asia Pacific is projected to scale up its focus toward a commanding growth between 2017 and 2025. The swelling industry size of the Asia Pacific region could also be attributed to maturing end-user sectors such as automotive and consumer lifestyle dynamics bettering at a telling rate.Announcing its supremacy in the international metakaolin market in 2015, North America is predicted to gain an upper hand in the midst of an optimistic growth environment post the economic turbulence in 2008. In respect of their superlative characteristics, graceful elegance, and easy installation, ceramic tiles are foreseen to strike a considerable growth for the kaolin market as the consumer focus loses sight of wood floors.Global Kaolin Market: Competitive LandscapeTop companies in the worldwide kaolin market could take to strategic positioning of their processing divisions and vital acquisitions and mergers to see themselves strong in the run. Such strategic moves are envisioned to also help vendors gain a competent share in the global market. Some of the key contributors in the market are I-Minerals Inc., Daleco Resources Corporation, Imerys SA, BASF SE, and Kaolin AD.About UsTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market : Size, Growth and Forecast Research Report 2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1361

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1361

https://www.tmrresearch.com/medical-nonwoven-disposables-market

Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: SnapshotMedical nonwoven disposables have become essential products in the healthcare industry. Globally, they are becoming increasingly important in preventing hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and incontinence problems in adult populations. The rising number of patients infected with HAI and the increasing incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) have propelled the demand for nonwoven disposables. The use of sterile disposable non-woven drapes and sterile surgical gowns in hospital settings has gained traction in reducing the rate of SSI. A number of preoperative and postoperative infection prevention guidelines by the World Health Organization (WHO) have mandated the efficacy of medical nonwoven disposables in reducing the rate of cross-contamination and preventing patients picking up infections on the operating table. This has bolstered the adoption of medical non-woven disposables across hospitals in various developing and developed nations. In addition, constant advances in nonwovens production technologies and improving healthcare infrastructure in several developing countries is expected to boost the demand for nonwoven disposables in the healthcare sector. Several prominent manufacturers are engineering fabrics that are sterile, excellent liquid-repellent, and have significant anti-bacterial and flame retardant functionalities. This is anticipated to accentuate the medical nonwoven disposables in the coming years. The rising number of surgical procedures and the rapidly rising geriatric population in developing regions are the key factors catalyzing the market growth. Furthermore, the rise in uptake of disposable adult incontinence products in developed nations such as the U.S has boosted the market.Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: OverviewThe global market for medical nonwoven disposables is expected to exhibit a healthy growth rate in the coming years. The growing awareness among patients regarding the advantages and preventive measures from different type of infections is likely to boost the demand for medical nonwoven disposables across the globe. Moreover, the increasing healthcare expenditure is predicted to contribute significantly towards the development of the market in the coming years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: Key TrendsThe increasing prevalence of hospital acquired infections and the tremendous rise in geriatric populations are the major factors anticipated to encourage the growth of the global medical nonwoven disposables market. In addition, the rising prevalence of incontinence and the rising focus on technological advancements in this field are estimated to accelerate the growth of the overall market in the coming years.On the flip side, the easy availability of alternatives is expected to restrict the growth of the global medical nonwoven disposables market in the next few years. Nonetheless, the rising awareness concerning incontinence products have resulted in the acceptance of such products is predicted to supplement the growth of the market in the near future.Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: Market PotentialAccording to World Health Organization (WHO), the average prevalence rate of hospital acquired infections in the U.S. and Europe is growing at a significant rate. As a result, the medical nonwoven disposable products are being used extensively for their ability in order to prevent bacterial contamination among patients.Request TOC of the Report @The leading players in the global medical nonwoven disposables market are focusing on innovating and introducing safe, new, and value added products. Moreover, the introduction of premium quality, non-woven medical apparels and hospital clothing with latest fabric technology is predicted to provide safety and a high level comfort to the patients. This is estimated to generate promising and lucrative growth opportunities for players in the near future.Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: Regional OutlookFrom a geographical perspective, North America is anticipated to account for a key share of the global medical nonwoven disposables market in the next few years. A large number of population make use of disposable adult incontinence products in the U.S. is one of the major factors is anticipated to contribute significantly towards the growth of the North America in the next few years.Furthermore, Asia Pacific is projected to witness a healthy growth in the next few years. The increasing geriatric population, especially in China and Japan is a key factor estimated to accelerate the growth of the market in the near future. In addition, the growing awareness among consumers and the rising number of hospital acquired infections are projected to accelerate the growth of the medical nonwoven disposables market in Asia Pacific throughout the forecast period.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: Competitive AnalysisThe global market for medical nonwoven disposables is extremely competitive and fragmented in nature, owing to the presence of a large number of players operating in it. In order to create a brand name and expand their market presence, the prominent players are focusing on innovations and new product development. Moreover, the increasing number of collaborations is expected to encourage the growth of the overall market in the near future.Some of the prominent players operating in the medical nonwoven disposables across the globe are Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget, Polymer Group, Inc., First Quality Enterprises, Inc., Domtar Corporation, Covidien, and Mediline Industries, Inc. As per the research study, several new players are anticipated to enter the market, which will strengthen the competitive scenario in the next few years.About UsTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Research of E-Commerce Automotive Aftermarket 2017 Global Market Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast 2025

Market Research Report

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1261049

https://www.researchmoz.us/ecommerce-automotive-aftermarket-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2025-report.html/toc

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

https://marketreserch1.blogspot.com

Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "E-Commerce Automotive Aftermarket - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.Global E-commerce Automotive Aftermarket Market: OverviewThe automotive industry is flourishing in the emerging economies of China and India on the back of increasing income per capita of the urban populations. Since these two countries are vastly populated, the automotive industry is expected to continue gaining new demand for a foreseeable future. At the same time, the concept of ecommerce has finally penetrated these two Asia Pacific countries too, opening up a prospering market for e-commerce automotive aftermarket market, which relates to providing the products and services once the vehicles are sold. Since the maintenance of an automotive product is tiresome job owing to various components it constitutes with, a number of consumers are resorting to alternates that meet their requirements. The vendors of automotive aftermarket cater to localized demand and offer moderate products and services at lower costs. Consequently, this report projects the demand in the global e-commerce automotive aftermarket market to experience incrementing demand at a highly impressive CAGR of 24.2% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The analysts of the report have evaluated that the global ecommerce automotive aftermarket market provided for opportunities worth US$32.723 bn in 2016 and have estimated it to translate into a revenue of US$227.165 bn by 2025. Along with data on how the demand has evolved in the recent past and what progressions can be expected over the course of the forecast period, the report also provides in-depth analysis of market dynamics such as trends, barriers, and drivers as well as gauges the potential of demand that can be expected from various important regions and countries. To complete a thorough study that acts a decision-making tool for targeted audiences such as automotive aftermarket original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and third party vendors and ecommerce service providers, the report has included a featured chapter on the existing competitive landscape of the global ecommerce automotive aftermarket market.Global E-commerce Automotive Aftermarket Market: Trends and OpportunitiesGrowing ubiquity of smartphones and increasing dependency on the Internet has opened rich new avenues in this market, as consumers can now research their products, read reviews and make the transactions from the comfort of their home rather than visiting shops to shop. In addition to that, growing in vehicle population and reduced cost of automotive components have also helped the market in gaining news demand. On the other hand, intangibility of the business, growing number of online frauds, increasing share of counterfeiting of automotive parts, lack of price transparency, need to continuously improve the products and technology, and increased parts complexity are a few challenges that the vendors of ecommerce automotive aftermarket market are facing. Nevertheless, the vendors of this market stand to gain new opportunities if they concentrate on openings such as large presence of Smbs along with increased spending on ecommerce platform and growing vehicle-age in circulation.Make an Enquiry about TOC @Global E-commerce Automotive Aftermarket Market: SegmentationsBased on offering, the market has been segmented into product and services, whereas on the basis of consumer, the market has been bifurcated into business to business (B2B) and business to client (B2C). Product-wise, the market has been classified into exterior accessories, interior accessories, wheels and tires, performance parts, auto body parts, tools and garage, coolants and fluids, and oil. Region-wise, the report categorizes and evaluates the potential of the regions of Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East and Africa.Global E-commerce Automotive Aftermarket Market: Competitive LandscapeAmazon.com, Inc., Alibaba Group, American Tire Distributors Holdings, Inc., EBay Inc., Auto Zone, Inc, Advance Auto Parts, U.S. Auto Parts Network, Inc., Denso Corporation, Pep Boys, Tire Rack, and National Automotive Parts Association are some of the key companies currently operating in the global ecommerce automotive aftermarket market.Table of Content1. Preface1.1. Market Definition and Scope1.2. Market Segmentation1.3. Research Highlights2. Assumptions and Research Methodology3. Executive Summary : Global E-Commerce Automotive Aftermarket Market4. Market Overview4.1. Introduction4.1.1. Definition4.1.2. Industry Evolution / Developments4.2. Key Trend Analysis4.3. Key Market Indicators4.4. Market DynamicsAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact :ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @
Fire Rated Cables Market Global Industry Size, Growth, Trends and Outlook Report 2017  2025

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/fire-rated-cables-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16648

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Global Fire Rated Cables Market: IntroductionFire rated cables, also referred to as circuit integrity cables or fire resistive cable are cables capable of functioning in the presence of fire for a specified time under defined conditions. These cables are specially designed to maintain circuit integrity and for interconnections of various compartments within large buildings or complexes during a fire outbreak. They are good flame retardants known for their favorable characteristics, such as excellent electrical and mechanical properties.Report Overview @Fire resistant cables are typically constructed in the following format:Standard Annealed Copper ConductorGlass Mica Tape Fire Resisting BarrierCross-linked Polyethylene/Ethylene Propylene Rubber Insulated/Silicon Rubber/Ethylene Vinyl Acetate /Polyethylene/Poly Vinyl Chloride Primary insulationLow Smoke Halogen free (LSOH) or Flame Retardant PVC SheathingFire rated cables are easy to install cables that play an important role in assuring the orderly shutdown of systems and evacuation of building occupants. They are capable of maintaining continuity as well as circuit integrity of electrical circuits, such as electric heaters, furnaces, ovens, heating & air conditioning equipment, kilns, cooking equipment, appliances, lighting fixtures, fire safety equipment and alarm systems for a longer duration in the event of a fire.The global fire rated cables market is estimated to be driven by safety standards in various commercial and residential buildings as well as standards that ensure the safety of roadway tunnels, refineries and transit systems. A fire rated cable consists of insulation and a fire proof layer that can survive high temperature ranging from 750C to 950C.Global Fire Rated Cables Market: DynamicsDriversSafety & security regulations, especially in countries, such as the U.S., Europe and Japan are forecasted to support growth of the global fire rated cables market. Additionally, favorable characteristics, such as the ability to withstand high temperatures (750C-950C), low toxicity, non-corrosiveness and low smoke emission during a fire are estimated to drive the market. Difficult to install MI cables, expensive fire rated structures and blankets or wraps can be replaced by fire rated cables. NICEIC has already highlighted through national shows and seminars the importance of using fire rated cables in electrical installations.RestraintsThe high cost of fire rated cables, as compared to other fire protection cables may hamper growth of the market, especially in cost sensitive regions, such as Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa.Global Fire Rated Cables Market: SegmentationThe global fire rated cables market can be segmented on the basis of construction as: single core fire rated cables and multicore fire rated cables.The global fire rated cables market can be segmented on the basis of type as: unarmored, armored, and braided and others.The global fire rated cables market can be segmented on the basis of application as: residential application, commercial application and industrial application.Global Fire Rated Cables Market: Regional OutlookOn the basis of region, the Latin America fire rated cables market is estimated to be driven by countries, such as Mexico and Brazil, due to positive economic growth predictions. It is expected that government policies in the U.K. will promote growth of the global fire rated cables market. For example, the national standard for electrical installations in the U.K. is IEE Regulations  BS 7671, which promotes the use of fire resistant fastenings and fixings.The Asia-Pacific fire rated cables market is estimated to witness rapid growth, owing to an increase in stringent safety standards and growth in building & industrialization. Europe and North America are estimated to dominate the global market over the forecast period, owing to high safety & security measures mandated by governments in these regions. The Japan fire rated cables market is estimated to grow at a significant rate, owing to consumer behavior of adopting safety measures. On the other hand, Middle East & Africa are estimated to register stable growth over the same time frame.Global Fire Rated Cables Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the global fire rated cables market identified across the value chain include:Prysmian GroupNexans S.A.Elsewedy ElectricTPC Wire & Cable Corp.Relemac Technologies Pvt. LtdRR KabelRSCC Wire and CableCleveland Cable CompanyUniversal Cable (M) BerhadCavicel S.p.AHelkama BicaGet Sample Copy of this Report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Market Regional Analysis, Key Players, Segments, Development and Opportunities by Forecast to 2022

Market Research Report

https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1517427

https://www.researchmoz.us/asia-pacific-smart-augmented-reality-glasses-market-report-2018-report.html/toc

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

https://marketreserch1.blogspot.com

Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Market Report 2018" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split Asia-Pacific into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Smart Augmented Reality Glasses for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), includingChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanIndiaSoutheast AsiaAustraliaTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Smart Augmented Reality Glasses sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingCastAREpsonGooglexSonyMicrosoftAltoTechLasterLumusODGPenny ABReconSix15 TechnologiesTheiaVuzixOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volum, revenue, product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoSpeech RecognitionGesture RecognitionEye TrackingMake an Enquiry about TOC @On the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, includingBusinessIndustriesHealthcareRecreationOtherTable of ContentsAsia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Market Report 20171 Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Smart Augmented Reality Glasses1.2 Classification of Smart Augmented Reality Glasses by Product Category1.2.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Types (2012-2022)1.2.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Speech Recognition1.2.4 Gesture Recognition2 Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Sales Volume and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Asia-Pacific Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)3 China Smart Augmented Reality Glasses (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 China Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 China Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 China Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 China Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4 Japan Smart Augmented Reality Glasses (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 Japan Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 Japan Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 Japan Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 Japan Smart Augmented Reality Glasses Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact :ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @
Zonal Isolation Market : Top Industry Key Players Analysis and Forecast 2017 - 2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1370

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1370

https://www.tmrresearch.com/zonal-isolation-market

Global Zonal Isolation Market: SnapshotZonal isolation is an indispensable method of primary cementing by enabling production or stimulation operations to be conducted efficiently in wells. The method has gained prominence in mature field developments and is vital to the success of drilling operations. Effective zonal isolation is found to be helpful in improving the wells producing potential by bring down the construction cost and minimizing the risk, thereby improving wellbore integrity. The process essentially prevents the cross-flow of gas, oil, and fluids across diverse geographical layers. With the growing complexity of oil wells, zonal isolation has become more than splitting the reservoir into compartments.The process of primary cementing encapsulates the use of cement sheath to provide primary zonal isolation in the annulus with a marked bonding and strength. This leads to restricting the fluid movement across the formations and support the casing. Cementing also helps in protecting the casing from any type of corrosion and from shock loads in case of a deeper drilling. Various applications of zonal isolation are gas shutoff, openhole testing, selective stimulation, acidizing, and plugging. The surge in interest in offshore basins among oil and gas exploration and production companies is accentuating the zonal isolation market. The rising shale gas exploration, especially in developed regions, and a constant rise in the number of drilling rigs are key factors boosting the demand for zonal isolation methods and the associated well construction technologies.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Zonal Isolation Market: OverviewZonal isolation is a method being used extensively across the globe in order to prevent the cross flow of gas and oil across diverse geographical layers. The increasing demand for drilling activities in oil and gas plants is considered as one of the major aspects fuelling the growth of the global zonal isolation market in the next few years.Furthermore, the rising investments by governments and private organizations for drilling activities and exploration of new oil and gas reserves are predicted to supplement the growth of the overall market and generate lucrative opportunities for key players.Global Zonal Isolation Market: Key TrendsThe preferential shift of production and exploration activities from onshore to offshore is one of the major factors boosting the demand for zonal isolation method across the globe. In addition, a tremendous rise in the drilling activities and the growing awareness among consumers regarding the benefits of implementing these methods are likely to accelerate the growth of the global zonal isolation market throughout the forecast period.On the other hand, stringent government rules and regulations for the use of zonal isolation methods are anticipated to restrict the growth of the global market in the next few years. Nonetheless, the development of innovative and advanced zonal isolation methods is expected to create promising growth opportunities for the key players operating in the global market.Request TOC of the Report @Global Zonal Isolation Market: Market PotentialThe rising production and exploration of oil and gas wells, especially in offshore fields across the globe is anticipated to boost the demand for zonal isolation in the near future. The increasing shale gas exploration and a substantial rise in the number of drilling rigs in order to meet the growing demand for crude oil are anticipated to fuel the growth of the market.Some of the key countries that are projected to contribute extensively towards the robust growth of the global zonal isolation market are Saudi Arabia, Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Russia, the UAE, Brazil, China, and Iran.Global Zonal Isolation Market: Regional OutlookAmong the key regional segments, Europe is expected to witness a strong growth throughout the forecast period. The U.K. and Norway are considered to contribute extensively towards the growth of the Europe zonal isolations market in the next few years. In addition, the increasing production and rising investments in exploration activities are projected to encourage the growth of the market in the forecast period.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Furthermore, the Middle East and Africa and North America are expected to witness a healthy growth in the next few years. A substantial rise in the number of drilling activities and the increasing expenditure for the search of new oil and gas reserves are projected to fuel the growth of the zonal isolation market in North America and the Middle East and Africa throughout the forecast period.Global Zonal Isolation Market: Competitive AnalysisThe global market for zonal isolation is competitive in nature and is anticipated to witness a participation of several new players in the next few years. The growing focus of key players on research and development activities in order to provide innovative methods to consumers is anticipated to encourage the growth of the overall market in the next few years. Additionally, the rising number of strategic collaborations is predicted to augment the growth of the market in the near future.Some of the leading players operating in the zonal isolation market across the globe are Schlumberger Limited, Superior Energy Services, Expro International Group Holdings, Oilsery, Archer, Baker Hughes, TAM International, Inc., C&J Energy Services, Inc., FMC Technologies, Weatherford International, Halliburton Company, and Tendeka.About UsTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
FPGA in Telecom Market Emerging Trend, Demand and Technology Acquisitions 2018-2025

FPGA in Telecom Market

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/991031-asia-pacific-fpga-in-telecom-market-2

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/991031-asia-pacific-fpga-in-telecom-market-2

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=991031

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/991031-asia-pacific-fpga-in-telecom-market-2

https://www.linkedin.com/company/13388569/

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+Htfmarketreportinsights

https://www.facebook.com/htfmarketintelligence/

https://twitter.com/htfmarketreport

HTF MI presents an in-depth assessment of current FPGA in Telecom key market drivers, market size and trends and Asia-Pacific FPGA in Telecom opportunities, challenges, and restraints as well as key market segments, technological updates, impact of any regulatory policies as well as key market segments. The research study provides forecasts for FPGA in Telecom investments till 2022.If you are involved in the FPGA in Telecom industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. Its vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Application, Type and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement.Get free access to sample pages @The Study is segmented by following Product Type: SRAM Programmed FPGA, Antifuse Programmed FPGA & EEPROM Programmed FPGAMajor applications/end-users industry are as follows: Commercial, Defense/Aerospace & OthersGeographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions such as China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Southeast Asia & Australia, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Asia-Pacific FPGA in Telecom in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @Major companies covered in the report are Altera, Xilinx, Lattice, Microsemi, QuickLogic, Atmel & AchronixThis study also contains company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of various international, regional, and local vendors of Asia-Pacific FPGA in Telecom Market. The market competition is constantly growing higher with the rise in technological innovation and M&A activities in the industry. Moreover, many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new vendor entrants in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.Key questions answered in this report - Asia-Pacific FPGA in Telecom Market Report 2018What will be the market size and the growth rate in 2022?What are the key factors driving the Asia-Pacific FPGA in Telecom market?Who are the key market players and what are their strategies in the Asia-Pacific FPGA in Telecom market?What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the Asia-Pacific FPGA in Telecom market?What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Asia-Pacific FPGA in Telecom market?What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the FPGA in Telecom market?New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis?Buy this research report @There are 15 Chapters to display the Asia-Pacific FPGA in Telecom market.Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of FPGA in Telecom, Applications of FPGA in Telecom, Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of FPGA in Telecom, Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Southeast Asia & Australia, FPGA in Telecom Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the FPGA in Telecom Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of FPGA in Telecom;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [SRAM Programmed FPGA, Antifuse Programmed FPGA & EEPROM Programmed FPGA], Market Trend by Application [Commercial, Defense/Aerospace & Others];Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of FPGA in Telecom;Chapter 12, to describe FPGA in Telecom Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe FPGA in Telecom sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Enquire for customization in Report @Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.Connect with us atHTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.com
Chelating Agents Market : Preventive methods and Market Trends 2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1391

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1391

https://www.tmrresearch.com/chelating-agents-market

Global Chelating Agents Market: SnapshotThe global market for chelating agents is highly dynamic and versatile in nature. Chelating agents find significant application in the paper and pulp, water treatment, agrochemicals, cleaners, chemical processing, personal care products, food and beverage, metalworking, textiles, oilfields, and the pharmaceuticals sectors. These agents offer desirable surface treatment to stop scaling and also curb metal poisoning by binding specific toxic metal ions. Consequently, these agents aid in the production of chelated micronutrients used for trouble-free absorption by plants.With the augmenting concerns over environmental pollution across the world, the demand for bio-based products is increasing as a substitute of petrochemical-based products due to their naturally decomposable feature. As a result, the demand for sodium gluconate is rising significantly, owing to its better chelating properties and effective biodegradability. Analysts expect the trend to remain so over the forthcoming years.The global market for chelating agents demonstrates a fragmented competitive landscape with the presence of a number of large, medium, and small organizations. The easy availability of raw materials and the extensive research activities for the development of innovative, eco-friendly products is predicted to boost this market in the coming years and the market participants are expected to focus on enhancing their production capacity through strategic collaborations and expanding their product portfolios in a bid to strengthen their positions.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Chelating Agents Market: OverviewChelating agents improve the stability of the ion complex by making more than one bond to a metal ion, and are frequently used for several industrial and technical purposes such as chemical processing, pulp and paper, and consumer products. Some specific chelating agents, for example organophosphonates, sodium gluconates, and APCAs are useful in various household and water treatment applications. With growing population across the world, the industries such as cleaning and detergent and pulp and paper are thriving. As a result, the demand in the global chelating agents market is projected to expand at a significant CAGR during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.This report on global chelating agents market is a comprehensive overview of all the micro and macro factors that are expected to influence the demand in the near future, and estimates the future scenario until 2025. This report has been prepared to serve as an information guide to audiences such as chelating agents manufacturers, dealers and suppliers of chelating agents, research organizations, government bodies who deal with these agents, end-use companies, and the consulting companies in the chemical and material sectors. The report also contains a dedicated chapter on company profiles, wherein a number of key vendors have been explored for their market share, financial might, product portfolio, and strategic outlook.Request TOC of the Report @The global market for chelating agents can be segmented on the basis of product into aminopolycarboxylic acid (APCA), sodium gluconate, and organophosphates. On the basis of application, the market can be bifurcated into pulp and paper, agrochemicals, household and industrial cleaning, water treatment, consumer products, and chemical processing. By region, the report studies the potential of the market in regions such as North America with emphasis on countries such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe with lucrative countries such as Germany, the U.K., France, and Spain, and Asia Pacific including country-wide markets of China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia.Global Chelating Agents Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe demand in this market is primarily driven by technological advancements of these agents, which has increased its application in several industries, especially in the pulp and paper as well as cleaning and detergent sectors. Additionally, the demand for safe to drink water is escalating across the world with rising population, which is expected to positively reflect on the global chelating agents as they are used for water treatment. Similarly, the industries such as agrochemicals, personal care, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage are touching new peaks, and thereby extending the demand for chelating agents.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Among the product segments, aminopolycarboxylic acid has the maximum demand, as it is used for the cleaning of hard water scale, salts from products, and metal oxides in household and industries. Based on application, the pulp and paper industry serves the maximum demand, wherein chelating agents are used for pulp processing and paper production. Chelating agents offer benefits such as enhanced effectiveness of hydrosulfite and hydrogen peroxide bleaches, control and removal of scales, lower bleaching costs, and reduction in costly downtime.Global Chelating Agents Market: Regional OutlookCurrently, Asia Pacific accounts for the maximum share of demand for chelating agents, and is expected to remain most lucrative through-out the forecast period. This region is a manufacturing hub for several industries, and rapid urbanization in countries such as India and China is leading to increased disposable income among the middle class as well as escalating the demand for processed food and water.Companies mentioned in the research reportDow Chemical Company, Archer Daniel Midland, AkzoNobel N.V., BASF SE, Cargill Inc., Kemira Oyj, Lanxess AG, and Tate & Lyle are some of the leading companies in the global chelating agents market.About UsTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Global Neural Networks Software Market to reach a market size of $29.2 bn by 2022

http://kbvresearch.com/global-neural-networks-software-market/

According to a new report Global Neural Network Softwares Market (2016-2022), published by KBV Research, the global Neural Networks Software Market is expected to attain a market size of $29.2 billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 32.3% during the forecast period.The Analytical Software market dominated the Global Neural Network Software Market by Type in 2015, and would continue to be a dominant market till 2022; growing at a CAGR of 30.6 % during the forecast period. The Optimization Software market is expected to witness a CAGR of 34.8% during (2016  2022). Additionally, The Data Mining & Archiving market is expected to witness highest CAGR of 31.2% during (2016  2022).The BFSI market dominated the Global Neural Network Software Market by Vertical in 2015, and would continue to be a dominant market till 2022; growing at a CAGR of 29.6 % during the forecast period. The Energy & Utilities market is expected to witness a CAGR of 31.8% during (2016  2022). Additionally, The Healthcare & Life Sciences market is expected to witness highest CAGR of 29.1% during (2016  2022).The North America market dominated the Global Neural Network Software Market by Region in 2015, and would continue to be a dominant market till 2022; growing at a CAGR of 30.7 % during the forecast period. The Europe market is expected to witness a CAGR of 31.3% during (2016  2022). Additionally, The Asia-Pacific market is expected to witness a CAGR of 34.7% during (2016  2022).The report has exhaustive quantitative insights providing a clear picture of the market potential in various segments across the globe with country wise analysis in each discussed region. The key influencing factors of the global Neural Networkhave been discussed in the report along with the elaborated company profiles of IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, HP Enterprise Company, Google Inc., Oracle Corporation, SAP SE, Qualcomm Incorporated and Intel CorporationFull report :Research ScopeGlobal Neural Networks Software Market By TypeAnalytical SoftwareOptimization SoftwareGenetic AlgorithmSimulated AnnealingData Mining & ArchivingVisualization SoftwareGlobal Neural Networks Software Market By VerticalBFSIGovernment & DefenseIndustrial ManufacturingMediaRetail & EcommerceTelecom & ITTransportation & LogisticsOthersGlobal Neural Networks Software Market By GeographyNorth America Neural Networks Software MarketU.S Neural Networks Software MarketCanada Neural Networks Software MarketMexico Neural Networks Software MarketRest of North America Neural Networks Software MarketEurope Neural Networks Software MarketGermany Neural Networks Software MarketU.K Neural Networks Software MarketFrance Neural Networks Software MarketRussia Neural Networks Software MarketSpain Neural Networks Software MarketItaly Neural Networks Software MarketRest of Europe Neural Networks Software MarketAsia-Pacific Neural Networks Software MarketChina Neural Networks Software MarketJapan Neural Networks Software MarketIndia Neural Networks Software MarketSouth Korea Neural Networks Software MarketSingapore Neural Networks Software MarketMalaysia Neural Networks Software MarketRest of Asia-Pacific Neural Networks Software MarketLAMEA Neural Networks Software MarketBrazil Neural Networks Software MarketArgentina Neural Networks Software MarketUAE Neural Networks Software MarketSaudi Arabia Neural Networks Software MarketSouth Africa Neural Networks Software MarketNigeria Neural Networks Software MarketRest of LAMEA Neural Networks Software MarketCompanies ProfiledIBM CorporationMicrosoft CorporationHP Enterprise CompanyGoogle Inc.Oracle CorporationSAP SEQualcomm IncorporatedIntel CorporationUnique Offerings from KBV ResearchExhaustive coverage of Global Neural Network MarketHighest number of market tables and figuresUnique Market Research & Analytics Tool to provide instant comparative analysis within the reportSubscription based model availableFree of cost quarterly updatesGuaranteed best priceAssured post sales research support with 10% customization freeRelated Reports:North America Neural Networks Software Market (2016-2022)Europe Neural Networks Software Market (2016-2022)Asia Pacific Neural Networks Software Market (2016-2022)LAMEA Neural Networks Software Market (2016-2022)Knowledge Based Value Research is a global brand and consulting firm serving all kinds of business verticals, government and non-governmental organizations, and not-for-profit organizations.4F  CS  27, Ansal PlazaSector  1, Vaishali  201010Delhi NCR, Ghaziabad, IndiaTel: 0120-4968631 / +91-9990696033Email: info@kbvresearch.com
New Report Offers Automotive Wires Market, Trends, Future Prospects during 2017-2027

MRRSE

https://www.mrrse.com/sample/4023

https://www.mrrse.com/automotive-wires-market

https://www.mrrse.com/

https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/

New research report offers a comprehensive analysis of the Automotive Wires Market: Conventional Fuel Vehicle Type to Hold Highest Market Value Share throughout the Forecast Period: Global Industry Analysis (2012 - 2016) and Opportunity Assessment (2017 - 2027)The main objective of this report is to deliver insightful information and clear-cut facts pertaining to the growth trajectories of the market.Request to view Sample Report @The global automotive wires market is consolidated with Asia Pacific & accounting for dominant share both in terms of production and consumption of Automotive Wires. Automotive Wires in bulk quantities are exported to other regions mainly Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. There are a few large players with global presence such as Sumitomo electric, Yazaki Corporation, Delphi Automotive PLC, Leoni automotive Plc are having manufacturing facilities and sales offices across various parts of the globe. Japan based players like Fujikura, Furukawa and many others have sizeable share in production capacity. Individual players operating in automotive wire market operating in automotive wire market are considering their production capacities and/or quantities produced and the weighted average prices.Automotive Wires Market: Relevance and ImpactIncreasing demand for vehicles is expected to affect the automotive wire market with high impact. Increase in global economy will provide better growth opportunities for automotive wire manufacturers. Growing demand for conventional fuel vehicles will highly impact the automotive wire market. Apart from these impacts, government regulatory mandates for safety and vehicle design will also affect the automotive market with medium impact. Changing consumer preference is expected to have medium impact over the automotive wire market. In order to reduce the vehicle weight for fuel efficiency, the ICE downsizing method is expected to have medium impact on the marketThe conventional fuel vehicle segment generated US$ 9,168.7 Mn in sales in 2016In vehicle type segment, the sales of automotive wires through Conventional fuel vehicle segment is expected to reach US$ 9,364.4 Mn and hold 98.5% value share. A majority of the sales is generated through passenger vehicle segment, which is almost 76% of the overall conventional fuel vehicle segment's sale. The electric & hybrid vehicle segment accounted for a low rate of automotive wires sales in 2016. The electric vehicle and hybrid vehicle segments are expected to show immense growth during the forecast period and are expected to grow with 21.8% and 19.3 % CAGRs respectively.Browse Full Report with TOC @Asia Pacific Excluding Japan is a key growth region in the global automotive wires marketIncreasing investments in Asia Pacific region are anticipated to gain traction over the forecast period. Reduction in tax rates will attract new establishments and industries, which in turn, will fuel the growth of the APEJ Automotive wire market. More than 50% of the global automotive wire capacity is based in the APEJ region (China, India and ASEAN). Growing demand for wiring solutions for automotive applications, such as chassis & safety and body is expected to propel the demand for automotive wires in the APEJ region during the forecast period. Moreover, manufacturing expansion by major players will also fuel automotive wire growth within the region.Focus on novel product offerings is trending the global automotive wires marketMost of the wire & cable manufacturers are focusing on new product development for wire & cable solution in the automotive segment. Copper still remains the major conductor material and still dominant as a material of choice with improved conductivity and mechanical strength. Manufacturers major focus is increasing the usage of Copper magnesium and pure copper (Oxygen Free) as a conductor material in the wiring solutions due to their improved characteristics and attributes. Major OEMs are reducing the vehicle weight in order to reduce carbon emission and to increase fuel efficiency. Similarly, major wire manufactures have increased the adoption of aluminium as a conductor material in the automotive wiring solutions.About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Locomotive Market Size, Share, Trends, Key Players Outlook Research Report 2018: Global Industry Analysis To 2022

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1889

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/locomotive-market-1889

Locomotive Market Size, Share, Trends Analysis Research Report 2018 of 110 pages expands comprehensive information on Global Locomotive Market by Technology (conventional locomotive, turbocharged and MAGLEVS), Application (Passenger and Freight) and by Region with Forecast to 2022.Significant investment by authorities across the globe in development of railway infrastructure for freight and high speed trains has also resulted in the growth of global locomotive market.Locomotive Market Companies Analyzed in report are:Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Berliner Maschinenbau, Lokomo, China Northern Rail Corporation Limited, Bombardier Transportation, Brookville Equipment Corporation, GE Transportation, Alstom Ferroviaria S.p.A.Get Sample Report of Locomotive Market 2018 to 2023 @Locomotive Market Highlights:Increasing rate of urbanization is contributing towards the growth of locomotive industry among the general public. Expansion of rail networks in majority of developed as well as developing nations as well as increasing concern amongst the individuals regarding environmental sustainability has led to a positive impact on the global locomotives market.Diesel locomotive market is also growing significantly. Majority of the revenue is generated from the after-sales market which encompasses repair and maintenance of the approximately 120,000 diesel locomotives operated worldwide.Increasing transport demand, as well as fleet refurbishments and new product platforms will spur the global locomotive market. A substantial proportion of locomotives are either operated solely for freight or used universally. The proportion of units used specifically for passenger transport has declined rapidly in the last few years.The major trend in the market is the increase in the use of autonomous locomotive engines for long distance transport. Increasing preference for non-polluting and energy-efficient transport is majorly driving the growth of the market. Also, the growth of the market is driven by the increasing government expenditure on developing rail systems for public transport.Market Segmentation:Locomotive Market report 2018 provides Market Segmentation by Technology, (conventional locomotive, turbocharged and MAGLEVS), Application (Passenger and Freight) and by Region.Geographic Analysis:The Asia-Pacific region is estimated to dominate the locomotive market and is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the improving socio-economic conditions in developing countries such as China, India, Indonesia, and Thailand. The increased populations in countries such as China and India has resulted in increase in need for public transport, which in turn results in an increase in the number of government rail projects.The largest national fleets of electric locomotives are found today in China, Russia and India followed by Germany, Italy and France.In Western Europe, demand will always exist for new electric locomotives due to the overall size of the region's fleet, while Europe's high prices ensures it remains important for total market volume.Browse Full Report on Locomotive Market @Target Audience of Report:This report mainly focuses on Locomotive manufacturers, Distributer & Supplier companies, and end Users. Investment bankers and consultants with end user for Locomotive market also analyzed. And finally Government and Independent Regulatory Authorities involved with Global Locomotive market are studied in this report.Global Locomotive market Research Insights:The report for Global Locomotive Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Treatment Market- Opportunity Analysis, 2017-2025

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1206

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-treatment-market-1206

http://www.coherentchronicle.com

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease and motor neuron disease (MND), is a neurodegenerative disease, affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that controls voluntary muscles. The disease is progressive in nature, meaning it gets worse over time.According to a study published in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2016, around 14,713 people were diagnosed with ALS in the U.S. and prevalence rate of ALS was 4.7 cases per 100,000 people in 2012. The prevalence rate increased to 5.0 cases per 100,000 people and around 15,908 people were diagnosed with ALS in 2013, according to the same study. The increasing prevalence of ALS is in turn, expected to support growth of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment market in the near future.Approval of novel innovative drugs is expected to boost growth in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis treatment marketIn May 2017, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Radicava (edaravone), an innovative drug used in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This was the first drug to be approved after over 20 years since the last FDA-approved drug for ALS. The approval of this drug would provide an additional option for patients suffering from this deadly disease. Increasing incidence of ALS is expected to increase the adoption rate of this drug, in turn, boosting market growth. The drug has already been approved in Japan and South Korea in 2015.Initiatives taken by some associations to increase awareness about diagnosis and treatment of ALS among population is also expected to drive market growth during forecast period (2017-2025). For instance in 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a social mediacentered campaign, received extensive public visibility and created increased awareness of ALS. In 2015, a group of ALS organizations in the U.S., including the ALS Association, Les Turner ALS Foundation, and ALS Therapy Development Institute, re-introduced the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise further funds and spread awareness about ALS among population.Request For Sample Copy@Global Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Treatment Market TaxonomyThe global amyotrophic lateral sclerosis treatment market is segmented on the basis of drug type and distribution channel.On the basis of drug type, the global amyotrophic lateral sclerosis treatment market is segmented into:RiluzoleEdaravone (Radicava)On the basis of distribution channel, the global amyotrophic lateral sclerosis treatment market is segmented into:Hospital PharmaciesRetail & Online PharmaciesNorth America is expected to hold a dominant position in the market, increasing focus of manufacturers on novel drug development for ALSNorth America is expected to hold a dominant position in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis treatment market, as major companies present in the region are focusing on collaborations for product development. For instance, in January 2018 Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. and Pfizer Inc. collaborated for the development of a potential gene therapy using zinc finger protein transcription factors (ZFP-TFs) for the treatment of ALS. Companies based in emerging economies of Asia Pacific are focusing on developing novel drugs for treatment of ALS. For instant major companies such as Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd are developing drugs for treatment of ALS.Major players are collaborating with various research institutes and companies for the development of drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis treatmentIn December 2017, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Order made Medical Research Corporation and Trans Chromosomics Inc. have completed strategic collaboration for the development of antibody drug to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS. Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. collaborated with Montreal Neurological Institute for the discovery of new drugs for ALS in the same month. In 2016, Evotec and Celgene Corporation have entered into a strategic drug discovery for the development of new drugs for neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS. In 2013 Janssen Research & Development, Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, and Johnson & Johnson collaborated, with three prominent Belgian academic institutions and research centers for the discovery of new treatment drugs for neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS.Major players operating in the global amyotrophic lateral sclerosis treatment market include Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., Sanofi S.A., and Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.Catch us at 3rd International Conference on Separation + Drying Technologies for Milk & Whey at Cologne, March 19 and 20, 2018Get More Details On this Report:About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
Vitamins Market Analysis 2018 | Industry Updates, Global Leading Players, Consumer Needs, Pricing Strategy, Forthcoming Developments and Future Investments by Forecast to 2027

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1331

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/vitamins-market-1331

Market Overview:Trends toward healthy lifestyles and disease prevention among consumers aiming to avoid expensive healthcare costs and extend healthy life spans are generating growth opportunities and challenges for Vitamins Market, while regulatory frames are simultaneously becoming stricter. By creating healthier, more diverse portfolios to drive growth; Vitamins manufacturing Companies are fine-tuning in the new scenario wherein a consumer is well informed and demands for a self-explanatory label.The growth of Vitamins Market is propelled by the factors such as growing geriatric population and increasing prevalence of various lifestyle diseases such as night blindness, osteomalacia, digestive disorders, and other vitamin deficiency diseases, along with hectic lifestyles of people. With growing age, it becomes challenging for the body to optimally absorb the required nutrients from food. Furthermore, loss of appetite is also a common problem among the elderly population. Elderly people tend to suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Therefore, there is growing a dependence on vitamin D supplements among the elderly population. Additionally the trends towards healthy lifestyles and disease prevention contribute to the growth of Vitamins Market, states the MRFR Research Analyst while commenting upon this deep diving study report, presented through more than 100 market data tables and figures, widely spread over 150 pages.Receive a Sample Report @Market along with a few regional players operating in the vitamin supplements market. A number of retailers and manufacturers are being challenged by the new players in the market and online market growth. Though many leading retailers and producers continue to expand through Merger & acquisition and collaborations to gain market share in a fragmented vitamins marketplace; the speedy proliferation of new players launching a wide range of products, especially via online platforms is challenging the industry further.Key Players:Identified and profiled in MRFR analysis; some of the key players operating in the Global vitamin Market include- DSM, Amway, Vitamin Shoppe, Bayer AG, Pharmavite LLC, NBTY, Inc, Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, ADM, Pfizer and BASF SEBayer AG, a prominent players acquisition of Merck & Co in 2014 added important brands such as Claritin to Bayers portfolio, and further solidified Bayers strength in developed markets such as Western Europe and the US.Access Report Details @Market Segments:The Vitamins Market is segmented in to 4 key dynamics for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding;Segmentation On the basis of Product Type: Comprises water-soluble and fat-soluble. Further water-soluble is sub-segmented as vitamin b and vitamin c and fat soluble is sub-segmented as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin KSegmentation On the basis of Form: Comprises capsules, tablets, granule and liquid.Segmentation On the basis of Application: Comprises food and beverages, animal feed, personal care and health care.Segmentation On the basis of Regions: Comprises Geographical regions - North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World.Synopsis & Scenario:As consumers and public health agencies aim to reduce and prevent chronic diseases and increase healthy life spans, demand for supplements as a tool to prevent medical conditions and stay healthy has increased.Customization and Technology bring new opportunities as the combination of direct-to-consumer genetic testing and use of self-monitoring devices, web and mobile apps, and easy remote access to medical consultations is transforming prevention. This is a great opportunity for the Vitamins industry to connect with and monitor consumers more closely to better match their needs, while creating more partnerships with health facilities around prevention.Regional Analysis:North-America and Europe dominates the Global Vitamins Market with the largest market share followed by Asia and RoW, accounting for an exponential value in terms of revenue generation and is expected to grow over its previous growth records by 2027 with a significant rate of a CAGR during 2016 to 2027.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.ContactAkash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
New Study on Application Management Services Top Key Players, Trends, Size, Share, Analysis, Estimations and Forecasts to 2023

https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/reports/sample_request/855

https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/reports/enquiry/855

https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/ict_semiconductor/global_application_management_services_market

https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com

The report on global application management services market is an in depth analysis of the segments and sub-segments in the application management services market. The report provides analysis for the global as well as regional markets over the period of 2015 to 2023. According to report the global application management services market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% over the forecast period of 2017  2023.The report on global application management services market covers segments such as service, deployment and application. The service segments include system integration, modernization, consulting, database management, support & maintenance. On the basis of deployment the global application management services market is categorized into cloud and on-premise. Furthermore, on the basis of application the application management services market is segmented as public sector, retail, IT & telecom, healthcare, and BFSI.Get Sample Copy of this Report:The report provides regional analysis covering geographies such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World. In this section the key trends and market size for each geography is provided over the period of 2015  2023.The countries covered in the North America region include the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; while Asia-Pacific includes China, Japan, India, South Korea, Malaysia and among others. Moreover, European region covers countries such as Germany, UK, France, Spain, and rest of Europe. The U.S. drives the growth in the North America region as it is the largest market in the region. The Asia-pacific region offers a substantial potential for the market growth owing to rapid growth in markets such as India and China.The report provides profiles of the companies in the global application management services market such as, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., Accenture plc, Atos S.E., Capgemini Group S.A., Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., Computer Science Corp., Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd., IBM Corp., Infosys Ltd., and NTT Data Corp.The report provides deep insights on demand forecasts, market trends and micro and macro indicators. In addition, this report provides insights on the factors that are driving and restraining the global application management services market. Moreover, IGR-Growth Matrix analysis given in the report brings an insight on the investment areas that existing or new market players can consider.For More Enquiry on This Report:The report provides insights into the market using analytical tools such as Porters five forces analysis and DRO analysis of application management services market. Moreover, the study highlights current market trends and provides forecast from 2017 to 2023. We also have highlighted future trends in the application management services market that will impact the demand during the forecast period. Moreover, the competitive analysis given in each regional market brings an insight on the market share of the leading players. Additionally, the analysis highlights rise and fall in the market shares of the key players in the market.This report will help manufacturers, suppliers and distributors of the application management services market to understand the present and future trends in this market and formulate their strategies accordingly.Table of Content1. Preface1.1 Report Description1.2 Research Methods1.3 Research Approaches2. Executive Summary3. Global Application Management Services Market Overview3.1 Introduction3.2 Market Dynamics3.2.1 Drivers3.2.2 Restraints3.2.3 Opportunitie3.3 Porters Five Forces Analysis3.4 IGR  Growth Matrix Analysis3.5 Competitive Landscape in the Global Application Management Services Market4. Global Application Management Services Market by Service 2017 - 20234.1 System Integration4.2 Modernization4.3 Consulting4.4 Database Management4.5 Support & Maintenance5. Global Application Management Services Market by Deployment 2017 - 20235.1 Cloud5.2 On-Premise6. Global Application Management Services Market by Application 2017 - 20236.1 Public sector6.2 Retail6.3 IT & telecom6.4 Healthcare6.5 BFSIComplete report at:About UsInfinium Global Research and Consulting Solutions is started with a single motto of being business partner of first choice. We at Infinium work on the strengths of our clients to ensure we help them consolidate their market position. We firmly believe in the fact that if you are able to develop newer opportunities then you find there is no dearth of opportunities for you. With our strategic research approaches and deep dive in the market segments, we try to find out new opportunities that our clients can encash with their existing resources. Our experts with over 100 years of cumulative experience in research offer the best in the industry services to our clients to ensure that they achieve their business goals.Contact UsInfinium Global Research,Toll Free:U.S. + Canada: 1-800-638-0796,Website :Email: sales@infiniumglobalresearch.com
Phototherapy Equipment Market-Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1177

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/phototherapy-equipment-market-1177

http://www.coherentchronicle.com

Phototherapy, also known as light therapy, involves exposing the skin to ultraviolet light under medical supervision. Narrow-band UVB (NBUVB), Ultraviolet A (UVA)/NBUVB (in combination), and PUVA (psoralen + UVA) are the common types of phototherapy used. The choice of the type of phototherapy is dependent on the type of skin condition. However, narrow-band UVB is most widely opted due to its versatility and effectiveness for treating psoriasis, eczema, and mycosis fungoides patients across the world. Furthermore, narrow-band UVB removes redundant and harmful UV rays by emitting wavelengths of 311-312 nm. Phototherapy equipment includes LED phototherapy equipment, fiber-optic phototherapy equipment, and conventional phototherapy equipment.Rising prevalence of psoriasis is expected to accelerate growth of the phototherapy equipment marketRising number of psoriasis cases are expected to boost growth of the phototherapy equipment market in the near future. For instance, according to the International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA), around 150,000 new cases are reported in the U.S every year and 3% of people are affected with some form of psoriasis around the world. Furthermore, increasing number of other skin diseases is increasing the demand for LED-based phototherapy equipment such as high intensity gallium nitric blue light emitting diode, which is very effective in lowering bilirubin by providing much higher irradiance for intensive phototherapy in the treatment of neonatal jaundice. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), around 13 million babies are afflicted with jaundice globally, each year. This in turn is expected to boost growth of the phototherapy equipment market. However, high cost of the equipment is hindering growth of the market.Request For Sample Copy@Market Taxonomy:The global phototherapy equipment market is segmented into devices, application, end user, and geographyOn the basis of devices, the global phototherapy equipment market is segmented into:LED Phototherapy EquipmentConventional Phototherapy EquipmentFluorescent LampsCompact Fluorescent LampsFiberoptic Phototherapy EquipmentOn the basis of application, the global phototherapy equipment market is segmented into:PsoriasisEczema / Atopic DermatitisVitiligoOthersOn the basis of end user, the global phototherapy equipment market is segmented into:HospitalsClinicsOn the basis of region, the global phototherapy equipment market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. North America is expected to hold a dominant position in the global market, owing to the rising demand for blue light therapy technology for the treatment of acne. For instance, according to the American Academy of Dermatology acne is the most common skin condition in the U.S., affecting around 50 million people in the country each year. Furthermore, Asia Pacific is expected to be the key region in the global phototherapy equipment market, owing to the launch of an innovative phototherapy device known as Brilliance, which is a blue light used in the treatment of severely jaundiced babies.Innovative product launches are expected to propel growth of the phototherapy equipment marketMajor players in the global phototherapy equipment market include Atom Medical Corporation, Natus Medical Incorporated, Daavlin, Phoenix Medical Systems Pvt. Ltd, Philips Lighting Holding B.V., Solarc Systems, Inc., and GE Healthcare, Inc. The key players are focusing on strategic mergers and acquisitions and development of innovative products. For instance, Philips received FDA clearance for a new phototherapy device known as BlueControl 2.0 in July 2017, to treat psoriasis. Bluecontrol 2.0 is an innovative wearable medical device that involves UV-free blue LED light to control symptoms of psoriasis, and had exhibited 84% improvement in plaque symptoms during its clinical trials conducted in 2015.Get More Details On this Report:Catch us at 3rd International Conference on Separation + Drying Technologies for Milk & Whey at Cologne, March 19 and 20, 2018About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
Automotive Adaptive Front Light Market 2018 Global Major Key Players: Saicheng Autoparts, Hella, Koito Manufacturing, Magneti Marelli, Stanley Electric Analysis and Forecast to 2023

Automotive Adaptive Front Light Market 2018

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5327

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/automotive-adaptive-front-light-market-5327

Automotive Adaptive Front Light Market 2018Automotive Adaptive Front Light Market Share, Size, Trends, And Business Opportunity Analysis Report 2018 include historic data, with forecast data to 2023. Automotive Adaptive Front Light Market report is helpful for future strategy development, and to know about Market Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, And Global market size, share, Growth, Trends, key players forecast to 2023Global Automotive Adaptive Front Light Market Information Report by Type (Halogen and LED), Vehicle Type (Passenger Vehicle and Commercial Vehicle), and by Regions - Global Forecast To 2023Get Sample Report of Automotive Adaptive Front Light Market @Market Scenario:The Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS) is a part of the active safety system of a middle-high end passenger car that provides an optimized vision to the driver during night time other poor-sight conditions of the road. This is done by adapting the headlight angle or intensity, and judging the speed of the car, the steering wheel angle, the weather condition. Adaptive Front-lighting System in vehicles optimize distribution of light from the headlights, according to driving circumstances. Depending on vehicle speed and steering input, the system points the low-beams headlights in the direction the driver intends to travel. The market for adaptive front light has registered high growth rate, mainly due to the booming automotive industry and growing awareness among individuals. Favorable government policies combined with increasing demand for safety features in vehicles has also push the sales in the automotive adaptive front light system market.High initial cost associated with automotive adaptive front light, may act as a major restraining factor in the automotive adaptive front light market.The global automotive adaptive front light market has been segmented on the basis of type as Halogen and LED. On the basis of vehicle type the market has been segmented as passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle. On the basis of region the market for adaptive front light has been segmented as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America.Key Players:The key players of global Automotive Adaptive Front Light market are Saicheng Autoparts (China), Hella (Germany), Koito Manufacturing (Japan), Magneti Marelli (Italy), Stanley Electric (Japan), North American Lighting (U.S.), Varroc (U.S.), OSRAM (Germany), Valeo (France), Neolite (China).Regional Analysis:Automotive Adaptive Front Light market is currently booming in the Asia Pacific region. Rapidly rising vehicle production in this region, is one of the primary driving factors. Improving infrastructure in this region, combined with improving living standards have, positively, impacted the automotive industry as a whole. Increasing incidences of vehicle electrification in the Asia Pacific region is also expected to, positively, impact the automotive adaptive front light market. Availability of cheap labor in this region, has also been a key factor in the automotive adaptive front light market.North America and Europe are the other two leading regions, mainly due to the established automotive industry. Existence of major manufacturers in this region, is also a key driver for the Automotive Adaptive Front Light industry. Heavy investment in research and development enable manufacturers in this region to develop new techniques and products to tap into the future market trends.The automotive industry is at a nascent stage in the Middle East and the South America. The market for Automotive Adaptive Front Light is expected to register a steady growth during the forecast period. These regions are expected to have opportunities in the future, with many automotive manufacturers pumping investments to capitalize on the abundant demand in these regions.The report for Global Automotive Adaptive Front Light Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Get Details Information of Automotive Adaptive Front Light Market @Continued.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.CONTACT US:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Parental Control Software Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth and Trends by Forecast to 2023

Market Research Future

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4551

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/parental-control-software-market-4551

Parental Control Software Market Size, Share, Trends Analysis Research Report 2018 of 100 pages expands comprehensive information on Global Parental Control Software Market by Global Parental Control Software Market, By Device Type (Digital Television Services, Computer and Video Games and Mobile), By Platform (Android, IOS, Windows and Others), By Applications (Residential, Educational Institutes and Others) - Forecast 2023Market Scenario:Regionally, North America accounted for the largest market share from countries such U.S., Canada and Mexico among others. The reason is attributed to growing demand for high-end technology solutions and uses of smart gadgets. However, Asia Pacific is expected to grow over the forecast period, 2017-2023.The Global Parental Control Software Market can be bifurcated as device type, platform, application and region. On the basis of device type, the market can be segmented as s digital television services, computer and video games and mobile. Based on platform, the market is segmented into android, IOS, windows and others. Residential, Educational Institutes and Others are the applications covered under the study of parental control software market.Geographically, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World. The regional segment is further bifurcated into U.S., Canada, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, China, Japan and India.Request a Sample Report @The factors contributing to the growth of the parental control software market are growing adoption of technology coupled with uncontrolled use of internet for negative purpose. Furthermore, factors such as increasing use of smartphones, incidences of cybercrime are expected to boost the growth of the parental control software market over the forecast period, 2017-2023. However, lack of awareness about parental control software is a factor hampering the growth of the overall market.The global parental control software market is highly competitive. Various established international brands, domestic brands and as well as new entrants form a competitive landscape. The key players are nonstop increasingly seeking market expansion through various strategic mergers and acquisitions, innovation, increasing investments in research and development and cost-effective product portfolio. The parental control software market is highly competitive due to the presence of several large vendors.The global parental control software market is expected to reach approximately USD 9.50 billion by the end of 2023 with 9.50% CAGR during forecast period 2017-2023.Major Key Players:McAfee (U.S.),Avanquest (France),Bit defender (Balkans),Verizon (U.S.),CyberPatrol (England),IwantSoft (UK),SaferKid (California),Net Nanny (U.S.), Norton (U.S.),Webroot (U.S.)Mobicip (U.S.) among others.Access Report Details @Segments:For the purpose of this study, Market Research Future has segmented the market of Parental Control Software into device type, platform, applications and region.By Device Type:Digital Television ServicesComputer and Video GamesMobileBy Platform:AndroidIOSWindowsOthersBy ApplicationsResidentialEducational InstitutesOthersBy Regio:North AmericaU S.CanadaMexicoEuropeUKFranceGermanyRest of EuropeAsia-PacificChinaJapanIndiaRest Of Asia PacificIntended AudienceOperating system providersTraining centerSchoolsManufacturersOperating system providersSoftware DevelopersSensor providersAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +91 841 198 5042Mail: Sale@marketresearchfuture.com
Low Fat Cheese Market Analysis 2018 | Worldwide Leading Players DSM, Lactalis Group, Kraft Foods Group and Arla Foods | Industry Updates by Forecast to 2027

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1319

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/low-fat-cheese-market-1319

Market Overview:An increasing awareness about health food among consumers worldwide has led to a change in their food choices and eating habits. Consumers are increasingly opting for healthy food and are looking for low/free-from food products. This has propelled the growth of low cheese market as it contains low sodium and low calories. Furthermore, the prevalence of obesity and overweight, worldwide has increased manifold over the years. According to World Health Organization, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and above, were overweight of which 650 million were obese in the year 2016. Also, more than 41 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2016. The growing concern about ill-effect of obesity and overweight has further fuelled the demand for low fat products including low fat cheese.Owing to unmet consumer demand, there is a high demand for great tasting, low fat cheese which provides huge growth opportunity to dairy processing industries. Also, the increased demand from the fast food industry with the emphasized focus on health is an additional factor contributing to the growth of the low-fat cheese market. Moreover innovations in varieties are also providing impetus to the market growth of low fat cheese. Cheese is a part of the customs in many countries, where it is consumed on a daily basis. Such natural demand is fostering to the cheese consumption. Also, processed and natural low-fat cheese are great value added ingredients for healthier meals and snacks, which has further accelerated the demand for the product. However, the color and texture of the product plays an important role and the manufacturers have to ensure that they appeal to consumers.Receive a Sample Report @Latest Industry Updates:Jul 2016 DSM has extended its portfolio of continental cheese solutions to meet the consumer demand for healthier options. Delvo Cheese CT-Light enhances the texture and taste of low-fat cheese, which gives the impression of a full-fat cheese but with low calories.Apr 2016 Lactalis Group entered into an agreement to acquire the dairy business of Anik Industries to increase in market penetration in Indian market.Feb 2016 Crystal Farms expanded its cheese product portfolio by launching new flavors.Competitive Analysis:The key players are capitalizing on the growing health and wellness trend by launching novel products. They are also investing significantly on research and development to introduce novel technologies to cater consumers demand for healthier food. The companies are also focusing on expanding its geographical reach to increase market penetration. In addition, key manufacturers are focusing to enhance its brand name by arranging various promotional activities. The companies are participating in various social media promotions and events and interaction with the consumers.The key players profiled in Low Fat Cheese are DSM, Lactalis Group, Kraft Foods Group Inc., S.A., Arla Foods, Crystal Farms, Sargento Fromageries Bel S.A., Bongrain, Friesland Campina, and Britannia Industries (Wadia Group) among many others.Market Segments:The global Low Fat Cheese market has been divided into type, distribution channel, and region.On The Basis Of Type: Feta, Ricotta, Mozzarella sticks, and hard cheeseOn The Basis Of Distribution Channel: Food retail, and Food serviceOn The Basis Of Region: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and ROW.Access Report Details @Regional Analysis:The global Low Fat Cheese market is segmented into North America, Europe, APAC, and Rest of the World (RoW). North-America has dominated the market for Global Low Fat Cheese Market with the largest market share. Asia-Pacific, Europe and RoW are the growing market for Global Low Fat Cheese. Increasing demand for healthier food is driving the demand for low fat cheese market.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
BEMERs international success in direct marketing gets awarded by Network-Career

www.B20years.com

www.bemergroup.com

As part of the management meeting that took place in Berlin at the end of February BEMERs remarkable achievements in Europe and in the USA have been esteemed with two awards.In total over 130 BEMER Managers from all over Europe and the USA came together on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the company. Besides recapitulating the past two decades and forging out shared plans and visions for the future everyone present could witness a very great and special honor brought to them by Bernd Seitz, who 15 years ago founded todays biggest economic newspaper in Europe on the topic of Network Marketing. He esteemed the constant and sustainable growth of BEMER in Europe and the intensive increase of revenue as well as the number of new business partners in the USA with one award each.As a definite expert and recognized figure in the field of direct marketing in Germany he said in his speech: I have known the family business of BEMER for over 15 years now. And in this branch, I know about every company regardless whether it is national or even international. And there are only very few that work on such a high standard of quality and sustainability.Especially in the three years that BEMER has actively been spreading its product and philosophy in the American market, an incredible increase has been accomplished. This is something outstanding as Seitz explains further:From time to time there are European direct marketing companies which attempt to enter the American market. During my time as the publisher in charge of Network-Career newspaper, I have never witnessed a company that established itself so fast in the American market whilst generating such a sensational growth of revenue. I talk to a lot of chief executives so I know how difficult it is for a European Network Marketing company to break into the American market and gain sustainable traction. From what I know BEMER might be the first European entity that proceeds in America at such a pace and with such a growing number of new business partners, leading to a constant positive development every month. Not only with regard to America but seeing the general progression of BEMER as a thriving business makes me feel very happy for you. Congratulations!Deeply moved by his words and the actual award, BEMER founder Peter Gleim took the floor: Thank you so much for this honor, I am very touched. An award of this type is something extremely rare. But my special thanks also go to every single BEMER partner in this room and out there without whom this development would not have been possible.Thereupon, CEO Pit Gleim added: I am more than happy to have so many inspiring people around me. Together with you I can really grow and accomplish things. The Award from Network Career is a very special praise to every BEMER partner, and especially to the management. This is your merit, your achievement. Thank you all!Both awards will now go on long journeys. Whereas the American award will make its way back to the States, the European one, representing all the respective countries, is going to follow the upcoming B20 Tour as a challenge cup. In the context of the 20th anniversary of BEMER 12 XXL events are going to take place in 12 cities around the world.For more details, please check out:Who is BEMER?The BEMER International AG, based in the city of Triesen in Liechtenstein, is a global corporation with over a hundred employees and over twenty thousand independent representatives worldwide, with 20 years of experience in the development and distribution of cutting-edge technology stimulating blood circulation. Over a million clients, including active sportsmen and legends like Marc Giradelli and Charly Steeb as well as several equestrian experts, like Paul Schockemohle and Ullrich Kasselmann, are the hallmark and proof of BEMERs deserved position at the apex of its market segment. The BEMER Physical Vascular Therapy has been patented several times and is used in different products for human and veterinary medicine.Press ContactBEMER Int. AG, Austrasse 15, FL - 9495 TriesenTel. +423 / 399 39 99, E-Mail: presse@bemergroup.com
AdBlue Market Size, Share, Key Players Analysis Research 2018: Global Industry Outlook To 2027

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/790

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/ad-blue-market-790

AdBlue Market Size, Share, Key Players, and Industry Analysis Research Report 2018 of 110 pages expands comprehensive information on Global AdBlue Market by Type (Packaging, Equipment, Can, Tank, Drums, Pistol, Container, Pump), by Application (Railway, Commercial Vehicle), by Method (SCR, EGR, Post combustion) with Forecast to 2027.AdBlue is a non-hazardous solution, consisting 32.5% urea and 67.5% de-ionized water.AdBlue market is driven by various factors such increase in the use of selective catalytic reduction technology, stringent government regulations for the use of diesel exhaust fluid, and increase in production of vehicles. The AdBlue has various constraints that hinder the market such as increase in sale of electric vehicles has restrained the use of diesel exhaust fluid.AdBlue Market Companies Analyzed in report are:Shell, BASF, Bosch, Daimler AG, Fiat group automobiles, Nissan chemical, Komatsu, Kruse Automotive, Alchem AG, Mitsui Chemical, and Yara.Get Sample Report of AdBlue Market 2018 to 2027 @AdBlue Market Highlights:Growing consumer demand for better fuel efficiency is encouraging automobile buyers to do more investment in diesel engine vehicles. Unlike petrol engines where normal catalyst reduces CO, NOx and Hydrocarbon can be reduced by a SCR catalyst which involves usage of AdBlue.AdBlue is a kind of Urea having high quality solution and thus is easy to use and manufactured according to ISO 22241. It is used with Selective Catalytic Reduction system (SCR) to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide from the exhaust of vehicles. It is a colorless clear liquid which has no harmful effect on environment as well as on health. AdBlue is the composition of more than 30% of Urea and rest 60 % of deionized water. It is available in various forms such as drums, pumps, Cans and other forms.The average usage of AdBlue is depends on the type of vehicle a consumer is using. The time duration of the journey through vehicle also drives how much quantity of AdBlue is required by the Vehicle. Some characteristics of AdBlue include suspensions, corrosiveness, crystallization and Not ADR classified.Global AdBlue Market Report: ApplicationIt is widely used for applications such as Commercial vehicle, cars, and passenger vehicles. For instance, if a commercial vehicle is equipped with SCR technology, AdBlue is needed. In SCR technology AdBlue is injected into the exhaust system which releases ammonia and the SCR catalytic converter reduces harmful nitrous oxides into harmless nitrogen and water. It is also used in heavy vehicles such as trucks, busses and Railways.AdBlue Market Segmentation:AdBlue Market report 2018 provides Market Segmentation by Type, Application, and Method.AdBlue Geographic Analysis:North America has witnessed the most significant increase in capacity of Nitrogen in the coming years. North America is the third largest region in nitrogen consumption, following India and China. This increase in the consumption of nitrogen have led to the growth of urea demand, which will drive the diesel exhaust fluid market. In 2015, CF Industries had started a new urea plant in Donaldsonville in order to cater North America region. North America is mainly dependent on import of nitrogen, due to which the market is expected to growth in the forecast period. This dependency on nitrogen will lead to the growing consumption of urea, which will drive the AdBlue market.Asia Pacific is one of the largest consumer of fertilizers in the world due to increase in the consumption of nitrogen and urea. The major dependency of urea in India is due to the imports of nitrogen and phosphate. This dependency will lead to the growth of the urea market, which will indirectly drive the growth of diesel exhaust fluid market. The consumption of fertilizers in South Asia is more as compared to other region due to which Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest market in the forecast period..Browse Full Report on AdBlue Market @Target Audience of Report:This report mainly focuses on AdBlue manufacturers, Distributer & Supplier companies, and end Users. Investment bankers and consultants with end user for AdBlue market also analyzed. And finally Government and Independent Regulatory Authorities involved with Global AdBlue market are studied in this report.Global AdBlue market Research Insights:The report for Global AdBlue Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Clutch Disc Market  Strategic Assessment and Forecast Till 2023

Clutch Disc Market

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/994400-global-clutch-disc-market-3

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/994400-global-clutch-disc-market-3

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=994400

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/994400-global-clutch-disc-market-3

HTF MI recently broadcasted a new study in its database that highlights the in-depth market analysis with future prospects of Clutch Disc market. The study covers significant data which makes the research document a handy resource for managers, industry executives and other key people get ready-to-access and self analyzed study along with graphs and tables to help understand market trends, drivers and market challenges. Some of the key players mentioned in this research are Schaeffler (Luk), ZF (Sachs), Valeo, Exedy, F.C.C., Borgwarner, Aisin, Eaton, Zhejiang Tieliu, Ningbo Hongxie, Chuangcun Yidong, Rongcheng Huanghai, China and Caton, Wuhu Hefeng & Hubei Tri-Ring.Enquire for customization in Report @The research covers the current market size of the Global Clutch Disc market and its growth rates based on 5 year history data. It also covers various types of segmentation such as by geography [North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia & India], by product /end user type [Below 9 Inches, 9 Inches To 11 Inches & Above 11 Inches], by applications [Friction Clutch & Electromagnetic Clutch] in overall market. The in-depth information by segments of Clutch Disc market helps monitor performance & make critical decisions for growth and profitability. It provides information on trends and developments, focuses on markets and materials, capacities, technologies, CAPEX cycle and the changing structure of the Global Clutch Disc Market.This study also contains company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of various international, regional, and local vendors of Global Clutch Disc Market, some of them are Schaeffler (Luk), ZF (Sachs), Valeo, Exedy, F.C.C., Borgwarner, Aisin, Eaton, Zhejiang Tieliu, Ningbo Hongxie, Chuangcun Yidong, Rongcheng Huanghai, China and Caton, Wuhu Hefeng & Hubei Tri-Ring. The market competition is constantly growing higher with the rise in technological innovation and M&A activities in the industry. Moreover, many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new vendor entrants in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.The research study is also segmented by Application such as Friction Clutch & Electromagnetic Clutch with historical and projected market share and compounded annual growth rate.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Clutch Disc in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast). To get a deeper view of Market Size, competitive landscape is provided i.e. Revenue (Million USD) by Players (2012-2017), Revenue Market Share (%) by Players (2012-2017) and further a qualitative analysis is made towards market concentration rate, product/service differences, new entrants and the technological trends in future.Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @Key questions answered in this report - Global Clutch Disc Market Research Report 2018What will the market size be in 2022 and what will the growth rate beWhat are the key market trendsWhat is driving Global Clutch Disc marketWhat are the challenges to market growthWho are the key vendors in Global Clutch Disc market space?What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the Global Clutch Disc market?What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the Global Clutch Disc market?Buy PDF version of this research report @There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Clutch Disc market.Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Clutch Disc, Applications of Clutch Disc, Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Clutch Disc, Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia & India, Clutch Disc Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Clutch Disc Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of Clutch Disc;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [Below 9 Inches, 9 Inches To 11 Inches & Above 11 Inches], Market Trend by Application [Friction Clutch & Electromagnetic Clutch];Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Clutch Disc;Chapter 12, to describe Clutch Disc Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Clutch Disc sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Get Access to sample pages @Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
Future of the Global Ultrasound Devices Market Attractiveness, Competitive Landscape and Forecasts to 2024

Global Ultrasound Devices Market

http://bit.ly/2I5MMx3

http://bit.ly/2D6boSw

http://bit.ly/2oQqp6J

Global Market Definition of Ultrasound Devices MarketAn ultrasound scan is a device that uses high frequency sound waves to create an image of some part of the inside of the body.The ultrasound devices market accounted to USD 6.0 billion in 2016 growing at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Get exclusive sample of this report, Download Free Sample Report@Global Ultrasound Devices Market By Product (Cart/Trolley based Ultrasound Devices and Compact Ultrasound Devices), By Technology (Diagnostic, Therapeutic, 2D, 3D/4D, HIFU, Doppler Ultrasound Imaging, Lithotripsy Ultrasound Imaging), Application (Radiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cardiovascular, Gastroenterology), End User (Hospitals, Academia, Ambulatory, Diagnostic Center), By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024This Report Consists of No of pages: 350No of Figures: 60No of Tables: 220Competitive AnalysisUltrasound devices market is highly fragmented and is based on new product launches and clinical results of products. Hence the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, clinical trials, market initiatives, high expense on research and development, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of flow cytometry market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.Frequently Asked Questions?What will the market size be in 2024?What are the key factors driving the global market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key players in the market?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players?What will be the growth rate in 2024?Which strategies are used by top players in the Global Ultrasound Devices Market?To Avail 10% Discount on This Report Mail us on @ sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.comMarket Drivers and Restraints: Global Ultrasound Devices Market Medical reimbursements Technological advancements Government and private funding for R&D in ultrasound imaging Aging populationGet Detailed TOC @Market SegmentationOn the basis of product type the ultrasound devices market is segmented into cart/trolley based ultrasound devices and compact ultrasound devices.By technology the market is segmented into diagnostic, therapeutic, 2d, 3d/4d, hifu, doppler ultrasound imaging and lithotripsy ultrasound imaging.By application the market is segmented into (radiology, obstetrics and gynecology, cardiovascular and gastroenterology.By end user the market is segmented into hospitals, academia, ambulatory and diagnostic center.On the basis of geography, ultrasound devices market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as North America & South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others. In 2017, North America is expected to dominate the market.call Our Analyst @Top Competitors of Market Shimadzu Corporation, Analogic Corporation, TOSHIBA CORPORATION, Siemens Corporation, Hitachi, Ltd., Koninklijke Philips N.V., GENERAL ELECTRIC, SAMSUNG , FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Esaote SpA, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com
Waterborne Coatings Market: Global Industry Analysis, Market Key Trends, Growth, Shares, Current and Future Players

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3460

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3460

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Waterborne coatings are green substrates using water as solvent to dissolve a resin, making them environment friendly and easy to apply. These coatings usually contain approximately 80% of water with minimum quantities of other solvents such as glycol ethers. As per the U.S. and European regulations of waterborne coatings to have a VOC content less than 3.5 gallons of water, these are considered eco-friendly in nature. Various types of coatings such as water-soluble paints, water-dispersible paints, latex paints and water-based alkyds are used for a variety of applications including automotive, industrial, architectural, wood, and packaging.Report overview @Significant investments from certain large scale companies such as BASF SE, AkzoNobel, and Valspar among others to expand in quite a few countries of Asia Pacific and Latin America have been witnessed. Demand for green coatings in these regions have still been in the development and are anticipated to have a huge potential in the near future. Moreover, focus on R&D activities in the green coatings industry coupled with product innovation has also contributed to the growth of the market.Growing demand for non-hazardous, eco-friendly, low VOC green coatings from the end-user industry are expected to boost the demand for waterborne coating over the next few years. In addition, growth of the automotive and construction industry has also been the current growth factors for waterborne coatings. However, increasing use of other better performing green substrates such as powder coatings is expected to hamper the growth of the waterborne coatings market.North America was the largest consumer for waterborne coatings. However, future market growth is expected to be from Asia Pacific. Green coatings are expected todominate the market over the next few years due to the expansions by the major manufacturers in emerging economies such as China and India in the region.Request to View TOC and Sample of Research Report @AkzoNobel, Asian Paints Limited, BASF SE, Hempel A/S, Jotun A/S, Masco Corporation, PPG Industries Inc., Rpm International Inc., The Valspar Corporation, and Tikkurila OYJ among others are some of the key players involved in the waterborne coatings industry.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Release Liner Market Key Trend Analysis by 2021

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/release-liner-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3531

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Release liner is a carrier web material made up of paper or plastic. Release liners are coated on one or both the sides with release agent (chemical used to prevent one material from bonding to surfaces of another material). These releasing agents provide a releasing effect when kept in contact with any kind of stick materials. Adhesive (substance when applied to the surfaces of any materials binds them together and resists separation) and mastic (kind of gum) are of the stick material used for releasing agents. Release liners are available in different colors in the market; it can be a printed or non-printed release liner. Commercial coating companies are engaged in the manufacturing of release agent, providing unique solutions to their clients, based on a wide variety of substrates used to manufacture releasing agents. Commonly used releasing agents for release liner are cross linkable silicone and other coating materials that have low surface energy.Report overview @On the bases of materials used to manufacture release liner, global release liner market can be fragmented into paper release liner (super calandered kraft paper, clay coated kraft paper, machine finished kraft paper and machine glazed paper), plastic film release liner and others (poly coated kraft papers and poly coated BO-PET film). Release liner can be used as pressure-sensitive labels and pressure-sensitive tape. Release liners have major application in label stocks industry and packaging industry. Other major application of release liners are in the field of graphic arts, envelopes, medical, tapes and hygiene.North America has the largest market share for release liner products, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The U.S. and China are the largest markets for release liner in the global market owing to increased food and pharmaceutical business in these countries. North America is expected to maintain its dominance in the forecasted period with Europe showing marginal growth. However, Asia Pacific region is expected to witness highest growth in the coming future owing to increasing domestic demand by the food and pharmaceutical industry in the developing countries such as India and China.Increasing demand from the end-user industry for better labeling is driving the global release liner market. Additionally, with increasing investment in the food and pharmaceutical industry, demand for better quality packaging is expected to increase, in turn demand for release liner is expected to increase. Also, with increasing population paired with rising international trade, demand for quality packaging and labeling is expected to increase, further increasing the demand for release liner products in the global market.Request to View TOC and Sample of Research Report @Owing to increasing demand from the food and pharmaceutical companies paired with increasing demand from the other end-user industry for better packaging and labeling. The multinational players operating in the market are influenced to invest in the emerging markets of Asia-Pacific. Also, the regional players have increased their production to some extent to compete in the market. Global release liner market is dominated by multinational companies. However, there are some companies operating in the market, but at niche level. Some of the major companies operating in the global release liner market are Gascogne Laminates, 3M Company, Rayven Inc and Sil TechAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Plasma Protein Therapeutics Market is Poised to Reach US$ 31.8 Bn by 2024

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=10424

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=10424

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=10424

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/plasma-protein-therapeutics-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

The use of plasma protein therapeutics has significantly increased in medical applications. This, coupled with the rising aging population, its medicinal use in novel indications, and the advent of new plasma-derived therapies, has been propelling the market for plasma protein therapeutics. Transparency Market Research (TMR) projects the market to continue exhibiting robust growth worldwide between 2016 and 2024.Recent advancements introduced in plasma protein therapeutics aimed at improving the quality of patient care have been pivotal in fuelling their demand. These advancements have also proven crucial in guaranteeing donors safety. The increasing demand for immunoglobulin (IG) and the increasing use of protein therapeutics will thus augment demand for plasma protein therapeutics. TMR expects, the global market for the same to rise at a CAGR of 7.0% between 2016 and 2024. The market stood at US$18.5 bn in 2015 and is expected to reach US$31.84 bn by the end of 2024. Despite exhibiting growth at a positive rate, stringent regulations and lack of proper reimbursement policies could hamper the markets trajectory.Get Sample of Report @North America, trailed by Europe, Exhibits Most Lucrative Prospects for MarketRegionally, North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Rest of the World constitute the most lucrative markets for plasma protein therapeutics. Among these regions, North America held the dominant share in the global market in 2015, trailed by Europe. New indications, the increasing geriatric population, and investments in novel researches are boosting prospects for the market in North America. As per TMR, the North America plasma protein therapeutics market is expected to reach US$13.8 bn by the end of 2024 from a valuation of US$7.5 bn in 2015. If the figures hold true, the regional market will exhibit a CAGR of 7.9% during the forecast period.In Europe, demand for protein therapeutics is increasing consequent to the rise in the number of clinical indications for immunoglobulin. Since immunoglobulin finds application across hematology, neurology, dermatology, nephrology, immunology, ophthalmology, rheumatology, and others, demand for protein therapeutics in Europe is expected to remain high.Get Brochure of Report @During the forecast period, TMR projects Asia Pacific to emerge as the most lucrative market for plasma protein therapeutics. The rising demand for albumin and immunoglobulin in Asia Pacific is bolstering prospects for expansion of the market in the region. Furthermore, the region is also known to import albumin and immunoglobulin from North America and Europe. China as per TMR, imports nearly half of its albumin supply in order to bridge the demand and supply gap. The albumin segment is thus expected to register the fastest growth in Asia Pacific. In Latin America, however, the plasma protein therapeutics market is restrained by low rate of diagnosis and treatment and high pricing.Growth to be Facilitated by Rising Incidence of Immunodeficiency DisordersPlasma protein therapeutics is increasingly used in the treatment of primary immunodeficiency disorder (PID). The PID segment is likely to exhibit a CAGR of 7.6% between 2015 and 2024. The PID treatment segment is poised to gain considerably from the increasing investment immunoglobulin. Furthermore, with the increasing incidence of secondary immunodeficiency disorders, applications of plasma protein therapeutics is likely to increase across the treatment of prolonged illnesses. The most common secondary immunodeficiency disorders include diabetes, myeloma, HIV infection, and under-nutrition. Despite being a rare disorder, treatment of hereditary angioedema (HAE) has become possible due to the growing awareness regarding the disease worldwide. This is expected to boost the demand for plasma protein therapeutics significantly.Enquiry for discount on this report Some of the leading players operating in the global plasma protein therapeutics market includeBaxter International, Biotest, CSL Behring, Grifols, S.A., Kedrion, Octapharma USA, Inc., Shire plc, and China Biologics.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global IoT in Retail Market Trends, Competitive Analysis, Research Report 2024

https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1591

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/iot-internet-of-things-retail-market

https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1591

https://www.gminsights.com/toc/detail/iot-internet-of-things-retail-market

https://www.gminsights.com

http://algosonline.com/news

An insight into some of the most innovative developments witnessed by IoT in retail industry in 2017:In the middle of September 2017, an LA-based IoT technology provider, Mojix, announced a merger with CXignited, a European IoT firm, with an intent to create a global connected solution providing platform that would help retailers and brand owners boost their consumer experiences and automate their inventory management procedures. The joint entity is slated to be operating under the individual brand names, and is certain to have a considerable impact on IoT in retail market share.Merely a few days post the Mojix-CXignited JV was announced, the renowned France-based fashion retail giant, Kiabi, declared the onset of a technology alliance with one of the worlds most trusted and reliable IoT device management solution providers, Soti. Kiabis intent behind the supposed runway ready collaboration was to exploit Sotis integrated mobility platform for its stock transfers, delivery processing, and inventory control. The retailers alliance with Soti is remnant of how robustly IoT in retail industry has been making rapid inroads onto the path of success.Request for a sample of this research report @The onset of October witnessed IBMs cognitive AI platform, Watson, helping Indian retailers to decode consumer behavior and reach out to the most appropriate target audience. IBM thus, directs Watson to analyze data collected via IoT sensors, and collect insights for forecasting and upgrading the performance of machines and components to deliver tailor-made solutions to clients. IBMs move to exploit IoT for the Indian retail space is one of the most dynamic instances depicting the vast expanse of IoT in retail market.The deployment of IoT in retail market has indeed given rise to a more convenient, smart, and tremendously efficient experience for retailers and consumers. With connected solutions transforming the retail sphere, companies offering IoT and retail solutions have been partnering to provide an all-round, reliable, connected experience to global retail consumers. Demonstrating an instance of this fact, Fujitsu has scarcely collaborated with Arkessa to deploy connected retail and IoT solutions to customers.Through this partnership, Arkessa, a global M2M managed services provider specializing in easing IoT connectivity, plans to enable its ICT solutions for retail, thereby helping Fujitsus retailers deliver a first-class consumer experience. The partnership is one of the many alliances that underlines the extensive developments prevalent in IoT in retail market, which, as per analysts, generated a valuation of close to USD 9 billion in 2016.Browse Full Research Report On IoT in Retail Market @As per a recent research study, the Internet of Things is one of the most paramount trends emerging in the retail space. The scope of IoT in retail industry travels beyond the frontiers of modest customer satisfaction and retailer convenience, as it provides consumers with high-grade browsing service, digitized real-time coupons & offers, and an overall, sophisticated, connected shopping experience. Additionally, retailers are rewarded with smart store operations, smart pricing strategies, and smart inventory management, which enables further deployment of smart solutions in store, thereby fueling IoT in retail market share.Accurately defined as one of the top retail technology trends to look out for, the Internet of Things has been drastically disrupting the traditional retail business model, which has had a commendable impact on IoT in retail industry. Traditional retailers, in a bid to attract consumers and consolidate their stance, would have to live up to numerous challenges, in response to which they would need to keep abreast of the latest technologies influencing the retail sphere.This would subsequently have a massive impact on IoT in retail market outlook, given that retailers would desperately sign up to exploit connected solutions for their brick-and-mortar stores. In effect, retailers have been looking forward to outwitting their rivals when it comes to offering the choicest, most unique, comfortable, and tech-savvy retail experience for customers, which would single them out in IoT in retail market. Analyzing the depth to which IoT is being leveraged by retailers, it can be aptly presumed that IoT in retail industry would traverse a rather successful path over the forthcoming seven years.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Report ContentChapter 1. Methodology & Scope1.1. Methodology1.1.1. Initial data exploration1.1.2. Statistical model and forecast1.1.3. Industry insights and validation1.1.4. Scope, definition and research parameters1.2. Data Sources1.2.1. Primary1.2.2. SecondaryChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. IoT in retail industry 360 synopsis, 2013 - 20242.1.1. Business trends2.1.2. Regional trends2.1.3. Platform trends2.1.4. Technology trends2.1.5. Service trends2.1.6. Component trends2.1.7. Application trendsChapter 3. Industry Insights3.1. Industry segmentation3.2. Industry landscape, 2013 - 20243.3. Industry ecosystem analysis3.3.1. Component suppliers3.3.2. Software providers3.3.3. Technology providers3.3.4. Service providers3.3.5. System integrators3.3.6. Vendor matrix3.3.7. Distribution channel analysis3.4. Technology & innovation landscape3.5. Regulatory landscape3.5.1. U.S.3.5.2. EU3.5.3. China3.6. Industry impact forces3.6.1. Growth drivers3.6.1.1. Increasing demand to enhance the customer experience in the U.S.3.6.1.2. Advanced infrastructure in the U.S. and Europe3.6.1.3. Technological advancements in the U.S.3.6.1.4. Declining cost of hardware components in China and India3.6.1.5. Emerging organized retail industry in India3.6.1.6. Increasing adoption of cloud platform in EU3.6.2. Industry pitfalls & challenges3.6.2.1. Data security & privacy concerns3.6.2.2. Lack of knowledge3.6.2.3. High implementation cost3.7. Growth potential analysis3.8. Porter's analysis3.9. Company market share analysis, 20163.9.1. Strategy dashboard3.10. PESTEL analysisBrowse Full TOC of This Report @About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:
Automotive Coatings Market: Report Scope and Market Segmentation 2021

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/automotive-coatings-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3790

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

The global automotive coatings market is being driven by the increasing vehicle population, which in turn is resultant of the rising per capita income. The per capita passenger car ownership has been increasing globally and they are becoming one of the common modes of personal conveyance. Increasing industrialization, on the other hand, is boosting the commercial vehicles market. Vehicle manufacturers are now focusing more on improving the appearance of vehicles to maintain their competitive edge in the market. This, on the whole, has been benefitting the automotive coatings market.Report overview @Over 80% of the materials used in passenger cars are metallic. Most of these metals are coated to protect them from rust and degradation. The emergence of ultraviolet curing coating is presenting growth opportunities to the global automotive coatings market. Based on application, the automotive coatings market can be segmented into two broad categories: Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) and aftermarket or refinish. The major end-users of the automotive refinish market are collision repair centers and automotive body shops. Based on product segments, the global automotive coatings market can be divided into four categories: electro-coats, primer coats, basecoats, and clear-coats. Based on formulation, this market can be classified into four categories: water-based, solvent-based, powder-based, and UV-based coatings.Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC countries) are expected to be the major countries contributing to the growth of the automotive industry. Improving economies, advancements in the road infrastructure, and increasing inclination of individuals towards personal conveyance are the key factors augmenting the growth of the automotive industry. According to the Organization Internationale des Constructeurs dAutomobiles (OICA), the global motor vehicle production increased from 77.6 million in 2010 to 87.3 million in 2013. The increasing raw material prices are emerging as a major challenge for the automotive coatings market as the profit margins of the coatings manufacturers are reducing. Leading producers of titanium dioxide (one of the common pigments used in the manufacturing of coatings), such as Kronos, Inc., Tronox Limited, and E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, announced a price increase of USD 300/tons, USD 400/tons, and USD 500/tons respectively in 2011 in Asia Pacific. Their American and European counterparts also announced the increase in prices from the same year.North America was the third-largest vehicle producer globally in 2013, after Asia Pacific and Europe, and it is in the process of bypassing Europe to become the second-largest vehicle producer in the world by 2020. The automotive coatings market in Europe has suffered due to the Euro zone crisis which impacted the automotive industry heavily. The market for eco-friendly coatings, such as waterborne and powder coating, are growing at a high rate owing to the growing government and public concern regarding the environmental hazards posed by solvent-borne coatings. Several environmental agencies and governmental institutions have formulated regulations and issued guidelines to minimize the use of high Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) automotive coatings. The Asia Pacific automotive coatings market is dominated by China and India due to the large fleet of vehicles in the countries.Request to View TOC and Sample of Research Report @The key automotive coatings players include BASF, AkzoNobel, PPG Industries, Axalta Coating Systems, Bayer, Sherwin-Williams, Beckers, Royal DSM, and Eastman Chemical. Most of the key players in the automotive coatings industry are U.S.- and Germany-based.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Sample Preparation Market to Represent a Value of US$ 8.3 Bn by 2024

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3855

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=3855

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=3855

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample-preparation-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Ubiquity of Sample Preparation Becomes High-impact DriverAmong all analytical procedures, sample preparation has often been shown to consume over 70% of the analyst or researchers time. Moreover, the effectiveness of analysis is dependent on the accuracy of the sample prepared. Thus, products that incorporate advanced technology to deliver a high degree of accuracy and time and cost reduction for preparing the sample are witnessing a steady growth in the market.Get Sample of Report @However, companies in the sample preparation market have to often contend with a dearth of expertise in designing technologically advanced products. Consumers not being well-informed about the benefits of different techniques and products also acts as restraints on the market. TMR says that the global sample preparation market is expected to witness strong growth in the next few years due to an increase in R&D spending in life science and rising concerns regarding environmental degradation and food safety along with stringent regulations for the same. Moreover, a growing emphasis on forensic testing and biodefense research in both traditional and emerging market is likely to fuel the demand for sample preparation.North America Asserts Lead in Sample Preparation AdvancesIn 2015, North America held the largest share of the global sample preparation market due to the high adoption of superior technologies across all end-user segments. Additionally, investments in cutting-edge genomics, proteomics, and epigenetics research, a growing stress on remedies for environmental hazards, and the concentration of some of the worlds major pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations and academic institutes are driving the North America market.Get Brochure of Report @The sample preparation market in Europe is witnessing rapid growth, attributed to the increasing innovative product offerings such as ISOLUTE SLE+ Supported Liquid Extraction plates and columns by Biotage AB, a company which operates in niche segments. These plates are designed to provide hassle free extraction of analytes from biological fluids, with high analyte recoveries, and clean, protein and phospholipid free extracts.Developing countries in Asia Pacific such as China, Japan, and India are poised to be the most promising markets for sample preparation in the near future. Factors attributed to positive outlook of these countries are the rapidly expanding pharmaceutical industry, extensive growth of research and development into biotechnology, and upsurge of molecular diagnostics.Instruments Tower Over Sample Preparation Products LandscapeNearly every bio-analytical procedure calls for the use of sample preparation products across fields such as research, drug discovery and development, environmental assessment, food analysis, and diagnostics. Sample preparation products for solid phase extraction (SPE) have become indispensable tools in laboratories across the globe. As a result, the demand for various types of sample preparation products is expanding at a much faster rate than ever.Enquiry for discount on this report TMRs findings show that in 2015, the sample preparation instruments segment accounted for the lions share in the overall market in terms of revenue. The key reason for this is the due high cost of various sample preparation instruments when compared against accessories, kits, and consumables.Key companies profiled in the report include Agilent Technologies, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Biotage AB, Danaher Corporation, F. Hoffman La Roche, Illumina, Inc., Merck KGaA, PerkinElmer, Inc., QIAGEN N.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., and Waters Corporation.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Physician Dispensed Cosmeceuticals Market to Reflect a Significant CAGR of 10.9% through 2024

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=565

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=565

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=565

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/physician-dispensed-cosmeceuticals-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

The market for physician dispensed cosmeceuticals has been undergoing a sea change with skincare specialist, dermatologists, and trichologists venturing into the market as entrepreneurs. Consequently, the vendor landscape in the market is becoming highly fragmented due to the mushrooming skin and hair treatment centers and clinics. The market therefore exhibits an abundance of products. It is important for products to conform to consumer expectations to gain a stronghold in this market.The ground level knowledge about the dynamic consumer preferences, adverse effects of a stressful lifestyle, damages caused to skin, eyes, and hair by UV rays, and the impact of pollution, are the primary factors fuelling the demand for quality physician dispensed cosmeceuticals. As per Transparency Market Research (TMR), these favorable factors will lead the global physician dispensed cosmeceuticals market to report a CAGR of 10.6% between 2016 and 2024. The market is expected to reach US$27.6 bn by the end of 2024, from a valuation of US$11.2 bn in 2015.Get Sample of Report @Skincare Products Segment leads the Market, but Demand for Injectable Botox to Grow RapidlyBy product type, the skincare products segment held the lions share in 2015. The prominence of skincare products can be attributed to the increasing demand for effective cosmeceuticals to treat dermatological conditions. Hence, the increasing consciousness among the aging population about their looks and the changing attitude of the middle-aged and geriatric population in developing countries bode well for the demand for physician dispensed cosmeceuticals.The anti-aging products segment is therefore expected to continue its dominance in the market through the forecast period. However, according to TMR, the demand for injectable Botox is expected to increase at a higher pace in the near future.North America Emerges as Key Region in Global Physician Dispensed Cosmeceuticals MarketNorth America, being a mature market, makes a sizeable contribution to physician dispensed cosmeceuticals revenues worldwide. In 2015, the region also emerged dominant in the global market because it is technologically ahead of other geographical segments. As per TMR, the North America physician dispensed cosmeceuticals market stood at US$4.7 bn in 2015. Rising at a CAGR of 9.6%, the market is expected to reach US$10.52 bn by the end of 2024.However, TMR forecasts that the market in Asia Pacific will grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. The increasing willingness among the aging and middle-income group population to pay for beauty and skincare products transcends into high demand for quality cosmeceuticals from this region. Furthermore, Asia Pacific boasts a high consumer base for skin whitening, acne treatment, and hyperpigmentation products due to its tropical climate and the higher ratio of teenage population. Bolstered by these factors, the market Asia Pacific is projected to rise at a CAGR of 12.3% between 2016 and 2024.Get Brochure of Report @Emerging Economies to Exhibit Impressive Opportunities for Increased SalesLikewise, the demand for physician dispensed cosmeceuticals across other emerging markets such as South Africa, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE is expected to rise at a robust pace during the forecast period. On the flip side, high revenue generating cosmeceuticals products such as dermal fillers and Botox have a miniscule consumer base in developing and underdeveloped regions. This is mainly because of their high cost, apprehensions associated with using such products, and lack of sufficient knowledge regarding the use of these products. These factors have an adverse impact on the overall prospects of the market.Enquiry for discount on this report Some of the key players operating in the market include Johnson & Johnson, Jan Marini Skin Research, Inc., Allergan plc, Procter & Gamble Co., L'Oreal S.A., Unilever plc, Valeant Pharmaceuticals Inc., and ZO Skin Health Inc. Among these enterprises L'Oreal S.A has emerged as the dominant player in the market.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Biomedical Refrigerators and Freezers Market Poised to Rake in US$4.28 Bn by the end of 2024

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=4666

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=4666

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=4666

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/biomedical-refrigerators-freezers-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

The rising prevalence of a number of chronic and infectious diseases, increasing global demand for personalized drugs, and the promising pace of technological developments across healthcare infrastructures in emerging economies are cumulatively driving the increased adoption of biomedical refrigerators and freezers globally. The steady rise in the number of blood banks in developing and developed regions combined with government initiatives aimed at raising awareness about blood donation have also favored the sustainable growth of the market in the past few years.In the years to come, stringent emission regulation norms and rising awareness about the harms of greenhouse gases emitted from conventional refrigeration systems to the environment will compel product manufacturers to design greener products. Companies are surely coming to terms with the several changes aimed at fortifying this switchover, such as worldwide bans on refrigerants such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). As a result, more green refrigerators and freezers will enter the biomedical industry in the next few years.Transparency Market Research forecasts that the global biomedical refrigerators and freezers market will expand at a healthy CAGR of 4.2% over the period between 2016 and 2024. The market, which held an opportunity of US$2.91 bn in 2015, is expected to rise to US$4.28 bn by 2024.Get Sample of Report @Plasma Freezers to Retain Dominant Stance in Global MarketOf the key varieties of refrigerators and freezers used in the biomedical industry, including plasma freezers, shock freezers, ultra-low temperature freezers, blood bank refrigerators, and laboratory/pharmacy refrigerators and freezers, the segment of plasma freezers presently dominates the market. The segment accounted for a share of nearly 29% in the market in 2015. The vast rise in demand for fresh frozen plasma and rising number of apheresis procedures across the globe will likely aid the segment continue dominating the market across the forecasting horizon as well.The rising global demand for blood transfusion and a vast rise in the number of technologically advanced blood banks across the globe has also resulted in the heightened demand for plasma freezers globally. In terms of rate of expansion, however, the segment of laboratory/pharmacy/medical freezers will outpace the segment of plasma freezers through 2024. The segment of laboratory/pharmacy/medical freezers will exhibit a 5.49% CAGR from 2016 to 2024.Get Brochure of Report @Asia Pacific to Present Most Promising Growth Opportunities; North America to Remain Key ContributorRising geriatric population, rising investments towards technological advancements in healthcare infrastructure, and the flourishing medical tourism industry will collectively lead to vast growth opportunities for the global biomedical refrigerators and freezers market in in Asia Pacific in the next few years. The market will expand at the fastest CAGR of 5.84% among other key regional markets through 2024. The region is expected to hold an 18% share in the global market by 2024.However, North America will continue to hold the largest share in the market and witness only a slight drop in its share in the global market by 2024. North America presently leads the market, accounting for a 52% share in markets overall valuation in 2015.The region holds a dominant position in the global market on account of the highly developed healthcare infrastructures, the presence of a large number of worlds leading biomedical companies, and the vast life sciences research activities undertaken every year. The introduction and high rate of adoption of technologically advanced products such as RFID-enabled equipment, multiple compressor equipment also favor the overall growth of the biomedical refrigerators and freezers market in North America.Enquiry for discount on this report Vendors Need to Focus on Development of Economic ProductsThe market features intense competition, which has further soared owing to the introduction of technologically advanced and innovative products at a sustained pace in the market. High R&D investments have compelled international companies to increase costs of products, somewhat limiting their appeal to only to the developed regions. This factor has worked well in favor of regional players, especially the ones operating in developing cost-sensitive economies such as Latin America and Asia Pacific.Some of the leading vendors in the market are Haier Biomedical, Eppendorf AG, Aegis Scientific, Inc., Leibherr Group, Terumo Corporation, Philipp Kirsch GmbH, Panasonic Healthcare Co., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., and Helmer Scientific.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software Market 2018-2023: ChangePoint, ConnectWise, Deltek, Microsoft, Oracle

Global Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software Market 2018

http://bit.ly/2ASgkdK

http://bit.ly/2z7D9Nm

The latest research report entitled Global Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software Market 2018 provides the comprehensive and top to bottom analysis of the key regional industry existing of the Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software market on a global level. This research report mainly focuses on the core regions such as North & South America, Europe, Africa, South & Middle East Asia and Australia and additionally the global top countries like (the United States, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Russia, India, China, Korea and Japan).Access Sample Copy of Report Here:The worldwide Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software market report state and future possibilities of the segment have together been inspected. Furthermore, key strategies inside the Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software market that highlights associations, product advancements, link-ups, and acquisitions, etc., specified. In addition, Upstream raw materials, equipment, and downstream buyer's investigation are equally completed. This comprehensive research encompasses of market benefit, deals, Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software market sales, possibilities, and difficulties also venture the growth rate. Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of the Global Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software Market 2018:AppirioAutotask CorporationChangePointClarizenCompuware CorporationConnectWiseDeltekFinancialForceKimble AppsMicrosoftNetSuite OpenAirOraclePlanviewProjector PSAPromysInquiry for Purchasing, Visit Here: Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software Market (Type Analysis):- On-Premise, Cloud Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software Market (Application Analysis):- Consulting Firm, Technology Companies, Marketing and Communication Firms, OthersIn the primary segment, the Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software report renders the marketing research and forecast of Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software Market on a regional as well as the world level. The Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software report is basically isolated into six parts and every half aims at the synopsis of the Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software past, present and future states of the market, the possibility of the venture on many strategies and arrangements. Other than the definition and classification, the Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software market report also examines the essential factors and export and describe a comparison of the Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software market that focus on the patterns and improvement.In the next segment, This Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software report offers the exact data on the promoting channels and novel project ventures. So, the modern-day professionals and the prevailing industry rival get the path of these business sectors as well as regional analysis. This report additionally backing the new contestants, readers, financier and the settled players to set up their plans and choose which section or sub-section to make investments on to harvest most extreme benefits. Key Elements of the Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software Market:1. Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software Market advancement for the regional as well as country level segments.2. Entire analysis of worldwide market forecast and the outlook for 2022, and predicting of CAGR by an estimated period.3. In-depth investigation of Types/product and Applications.4. Resourceful mapping the current key trends.5. Crucial commendation in main business segments on the basis of Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software market assessment.6. Scrutinize the deciding market trends and new modified technology in the Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software Market.In conclusion, Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software report analyzes key information, strategies, and factors. Furthermore, this report blended entire beneficial information together for the learning and understanding the important facts related to the global Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software market. The Professional Service Automation (PSA) Software market share and manufacturing cost with the SWOT analysis everything is incorporated into this report.About Us:Business Worldwide is a trusted brand in the research industry with a capability of commissioning complex projects within a short span of time with high level of accuracy. At Business Worldwide, we believe in building long-term relations with our clients. Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries including Energy, Chemicals and Materials, Automotive, Software and Aerospace.Contact Us:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803
Uterine Tamponade System Market to Reflect Impressive Growth Rate During 2017 to 2025

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=37805

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=37805

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=37805

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/uterine-tamponade-system-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), also known as obstetric hemorrhage, is one of the leading cause of maternal death during delivery across the globe. It is characterized as excessive vaginal bleeding of over 500 ml after childbirth. Obstetric hemorrhage is estimated to cause 25% of all maternal deaths. It is caused by prolonged labor, uterine agony, or a history of Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in the previous pregnancy. Uterine balloon tamponade (UBT) or uterine tamponade is considered to be a promising option to prevent Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Uterine tamponade is a minimally invasive intervention which involves inserting a balloon device called tamponade into the uterus. The balloon is filled with liquid, which slowly exerts pressure on the uterine wall until the bleeding stops. Uterine tamponade devices are inflated with fluid in amounts that are determined by the healthcare provider on the basis of how fast the bleeding stops. The tamponade balloon is inflated until the bleeding is completely controlled, which is referred to as tamponade test.Rising incidence of postpartum hemorrhage, rising government initiatives to reduce maternal deaths during childbirth, and low healthcare associated risks, associated with the use of uterine tamponade are some of the major factors expected to augment the growth of the uterine tamponade system market during the forecast period. However, the high cost of the device, and lack of well-trained healthcare professionals in emerging countries are estimated to restrain the growth of the uterine tamponade system market during 2017-2025.Get Brochure of Report @The global uterine tamponade system market is categorized based on product type, material, and end user. On the basis of product type, the market is divided into single-balloon uterine tamponade and dual-balloon uterine tamponade. Single-balloon uterine tamponades accounted for the highest market share in 2016, owing to the rising adoption of condom catheters as a safe and cost-effective single-balloon uterine tamponade system globally. Dual-balloon uterine tamponades are expected to witness significant growth in the global uterine tamponade system market by 2025, owing to their malleable material allowing the vaginal balloon to conform to the maternal uterus better than the single-balloon tamponade of silicone. Some of the non-uterine specific catheters are Rusch hydrostatic catheters, SengstakenBlakemore catheters, and Foley catheters, which are prominently used in the management of Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).Request TOC of the Report @Based on material, the global uterine tamponade system market is categorized into rubber and silicon. Rubber held the dominant market share in 2016, which is attributed to its cost-effectiveness, and widespread distribution of condom-catheters made of rubber. However silicon is expected to witness significant CAGR during the forecast period, due to the green signal by regulatory authorities for their approval in the U.S. and Europe markets.Geographically, the global uterine tamponade system market is categorized into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for the highest revenue in 2016, owing to the rising incidence and awareness about Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in the U.S., and introduction of innovative tamponade systems with novel catheters by key players. Approvals by US-FDA for the single-balloon uterine tamponade system of Utah Medical Products, Inc., is expected to fuel the market in North America during 2017-2025. However, the market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at the maximum CAGR during the forecast period, owing to the improved distribution of uterine tamponade systems in Asian countries for potential treatment of vaginal bleeding, and ease of insertion and removal of uterine tamponade balloons.Enquiry for discount on this report The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Adiponitrile Market - New Business Strategy & Forecast by 2021

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/adiponitrile-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4242

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Adiponitrile or hexanedinitrile is a colorless organic liquid compound. It finds its major application as a precursor for polymer nylon 6-6 which is known for its high mechanical strength and hence finds an array of applications including conveyor belts, carpet fibers, and electro-insulating elements amongst others. Adiponitrile also finds its application, though to a much smaller extent as an intermediate for synthesis of corrosion inhibitors and rubber accelerators. The major market for adiponitrile is governed by its application in Nylon6-6 whose demand continues to sore across North America and Europe primarily due to automotive applications. Also the market for adiponitrile finds upward trend in Asia pacific countries like China, Malaysia and other south-east Asian countries chiefly due to availability of cheaper production facilities.Report overview @Adiponitrile is largely prepared by most common industrial route which was revealed by Dupont involving nickel-catalyzed hydrocyanation of butadiene. This process involves series of sub-products to finally produce adiponitrile as the outcome. Adiponitrile is then hydrogenated to produce hexamethylenediamine which is a vital component of Nylon6-6. Nylon 6-6 is prime substitute for Nylon 6 which finds applications requiring fittings in automotive applications, strings for musical instruments, ropes and tire cords. However Nylon 6-6 has better properties in high temperature applications and hence makes in suitable over nylon 6 in various applications.The major applications which necessitate high temperature and strength include that of carpet manufacturing, hosiery and knitted garments (textile sector), tire ropes, gear wheels, plug parts, hydraulic brake lines and radiator housings for automotive industry. As Nylon 6-6 is light in weight and waterproof in nature it makes it appropriate for swim-wear. Adiponitrile is also used in production of adipic acid which is used in polyurethane applications like auto seating, footwear, thermal insulation amongst others. However adipic acid can be cheaply manufactured by other ways making adiponitrile a weaker option for this segment.Almost all the adiponitrile goes into production of Nylon 6-6 fiber and hence requirement of Nylon 6-6 drives the market. As Nylon 6-6 finds wide array of applications in manufacturing and automotive sector, growth of these sectors would fuel the need of adiponitrile. The requirement in this sector is largely dominated by the U.S., followed by developing countries like China and Malaysia. The requirement of Nylon 6-6 resin grows wider across Europe and the U.S. as a major engineering resin; this would enhance market for adiponitrile.The tyre-cord requirement would continue to grow as the automotive segment seems to grow at steady pace across Asia-pacific countries and developed countries. This makes the market for adiponitrile even more lucrative. Application for carpets, rugs and clothing fibers which belong to textile sector are likely to continue the growth owing to strengthening in textile industry. This will certainly act as a major driver in the requirement for adiponitrile in near future. However this market faces a stiff price competition due to cut-throat price rivalry and hence the major players in this segment are shifting their production sites to Asia-pacific countries. This has propelled to a large extent demand in China which would even advance further with tyre-cord requirement.Request to View TOC and Sample of Research Report @Some of the key participants in the adiponitrile market include Dupont, Solvay, Rhodia group, Invista,BASF, Lyondellbasell Industries, LG Chem, Ineos, China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Braskem, Evonik Industries, The dow chemical company, JSR Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation amongst others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
SWISS-BELHOTEL INTERNATIONAL EXPANDS IN GCC SIGNS SWISS-BELINN MUSCAT IN OMAN

From left: Mr. Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India for Sw

http://www.swiss-belhotel.com

www.swiss-behotel.com

OMAN  Continuing its expansion in the GCC, Swiss-Belhotel International (SBI) has entered into a management agreement with Al Salaam International Hotel LLC to operate Swiss-Belinn Muscat in Oman. Expected to open in 2019, the superb 3-star hotel enjoys an outstanding location in Seeb in close proximity to Muscat International Airport.Mr. Nadhim Said Hamdan Al Rawahi, Partner of Al Salaam International Hotel LLC, stated, We believe with its strong global network and experience, the Swiss-Belhotel International will add tremendous value to this project. The Swiss-Belinn Muscat is being equipped with the very best facilities in the upper 3-star category and will contribute greatly to development of tourism in Oman. The project location is across the airport and hence our main concept is blending business, transits and pleasure. We are looking forward to extending our attractive Omani hospitality portfolio with Swiss-Belhotel. Furthermore, we are looking to contribute to the social-economic development of Oman and enable to provide direct and indirect jobs to Omanis in hospitality sector.Mr. Gavin M. Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss-Belhotel International, said, We are thrilled to debut in Oman with a reputed partner like Al Salaam International Hotel LLC. It is an exciting time for us as we continue to strengthen our presence in the GCC. The scale and diversity of our brands allows us to serve any market segment or need. Swiss-Belinn Muscat will be ideal for travellers looking for a comfortable and affordable accommodation.Swiss-Belinn Muscat, equipped with 120 standard rooms and 10 varieties of suites, is being developed to offer its guests a comprehensive range of facilities including an all-day-dining restaurant, flexible meeting and conference venues, gym, Wi-Fi access and 24-hours room service. Given its fantastic location near the airport, the hotel will serve as the perfect abode for transit passengers looking for stop-overs and airline crews as well as corporate travellers on a short visit to Oman or those facing unexpected flight halts.With a strategy focused on expanding in high-growth markets,Swiss-Belhotel International is rapidly growing its footprint across the Middle East. Mr. Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India for Swiss-Belhotel International, said, We are proud to add the Swiss-Belinn Muscat to our superb portfolio of hotels in the Middle East. Omans tourism industry has experienced strong growth over the past few years, and this is expected to continue. However, the countrys hospitality sector is currently dominated by luxury 5-star or 4-star hotels leaving an enormous gap and opportunity in the midscale sector. Hence it is the perfect time for us to enter the market and position the hugely successful 3-starSwiss-Belinn brand capitalizing on the rising demand for high quality affordable accommodation.###For further information visitFor media contact:marketing@evops-pr.comAbout Swiss-Belhotel InternationalSwiss-Belhotel International currently manages a portfolio of more than 145* hotels, resorts and projects located in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Georgia and Tanzania. Awarded Indonesia's Leading Global Hotel Chain for six consecutive years, Swiss-Belhotel International is one of the world's fastest-growing international hotel and hospitality management groups. The Group provides comprehensive and highly professional development and management services in all aspects of hotel, resort and serviced residences. Offices are located in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, China, Europe, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.*Numbers may fluctuateWe all know technology is driving media. 60% of media consumption today is being done through digital portals and communication is all about engagement and building relationships. People connect with brands that have interesting stories to tell and provide curated experiences with compelling content. EVOPS Marketing & PR is equipped with the latest technology and digital capability to provide businesses with the most comprehensive and innovative marketing solutions and strategies. With an integrated 360 marketing approach, we offer our clients bespoke, seamless and personalized service in an era of fast-paced, real-time smart marketing. We care about your business as much as you do.Cluster1 Silver Tower, JLTDubai
Alnico Market Predicted to Witness Surge in The Near Future

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/alnico-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4261

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Alnico belongs to the group of permanent (hard) magnets primarily composed of aluminum, nickel and cobalt. They are hard ferromagnetic substances which are widely used in temperature sensitive applications such as hall-effect and MR-based electronic and automotive sensors.They are also known as composite magnets which are usually manufactured from sintering or casting offering superior mechanical characteristics. Alnico magnets are made from the combination of aluminum, nickel and cobalt with small amounts of iron and other small elements that improve the property of the magnet. After rare earth magnets, Alnico is considered as the strongest permanent magnet. It is also used in various household appliances as well as for the production of horse shoe magnets.Report overview @The global market for alnico has been witnessing significant growth owing to rapid expansion of the automotive industry. Alnico magnets are majorly used in several components of an automobile including exhaust systems and sensors among others. Asia Pacific accounted as the largest market for alnico magnets, which was majorly supported by China, followed by several regions in Rest of the World (RoW) such as Latin America and Middle East. After the global economic slowdown in 2008-09, the manufacturing industry in North America has been slowly gaining pace. Alnico magnets are being increasingly implemented in electric motors and various sound reproductive systems such as microphones and loudspeakers. However, over the years, the industry for alnico magnets in this region has been noticeably saturated due to increasing consumption of NdFeB magnets.These magnets have been increasingly superseded by rare earth magnets such as NdFeB as well as ferrite in different automotive and electronic equipments, resulting in low demand from retail and manufacturing companies. However, alnico magnets cannot be replaced completely by rare earth elements due to their wide temperature range and stability. Thus, besides the automotive industry, growing demand for electric motors and sound systemshas been strongly contributing towards the growth of the alnico market.Moreover, rapid growth of industrial activities in emerging regions such as Asia Pacific has resulted in growth of various application sectors such as healthcare, electronics and power generation among others, which in turn is expected to contribute towards the demand for alnico magnets in Asia Pacific over the forecast period.Increasing demand for alnico magnets on account of growth of the automotive industry is expected to be one of the vital factors driving the demand for alnico magnets over the forecast period. Rise in disposable income, improved infrastructure and increasing population are some of the factors driving the demand for automobiles.Moreover, increasing use of alnico magnets in temperature sensitive applications owing to growing industrialization and electronics industry is also expected to contribute towards the growth of the market. However, increasing substitution of alnico magnets by rare earth magnets such as NdFeB on account of larger energy products and stronger magnetic fields, allowing smaller size magnets to be used for a given application is expected to hamper the growth of the market. Increasing application scope of alnico magnets in HEVs coupled with growing demand for these vehicles is expected to open opportunities for the growth of the market over the next few years.Request to View TOC and Sample of Research Report @Adams Magnetic Products Co., Arnold Magnetic Technologies, Dexter Magnetic Technologies Inc., and Tengam Engineering Inc. are some of the leading manufacturers of alnico dominating the industry.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Energy Recovery Ventilation System Market 2018- Trane, Nortek, Lennox International Inc., Mitsubishi Electric, Greenheck, FUJITSU, Zehnder

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1608310&type=S

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/energy-recovery-ventilation-system-market-report-by-companyregionstypes-and-applicationsglobal-status-and-forecast-to-2025.htm/toc

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1608310&type=D

http://www.qyresearchreports.com

Qyresearchreports include new market research report Energy Recovery Ventilation System Market Report by Company,Regions,Types and Applications,Global Status and Forecast to 2025 to its huge collection of research reports.The global Energy Recovery Ventilation System market was XX million US$ in 2017 and is expected to XX million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2025.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Energy Recovery Ventilation System in these regions, from 2013 to 2025 (forecast), coveringNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam))South America (Brazil etc.)Middle East and Africa (North Africa and GCC Countries)Request for Sample Copy of this Study @The insights offered in the study mirror the views and perspectives of opinion leaders, market analysts, strategists, and public policy makers chosen from across a wide spectrum. The findings on the global Energy Recovery Ventilation System market highlight key regional pockets characterized by untapped opportunities and the current efforts being taken by various players to tap into these. Stakeholders looking for simplified but reliable and perspectives into the global Energy Recovery Ventilation System market will find the report useful. These insights may prove indispensable for business players operating in the global Energy Recovery Ventilation System market identify new revenue streams and tap into promising avenues in various regions. The study tracks key regional trends likely to gain strength and cause exciting developments from industry players, while keeping a note on those trends that will subside in the near future.Table Of Contents  Major Key Points1 Energy Recovery Ventilation System Market Overview1.1 Energy Recovery Ventilation System Product Overview1.2 Energy Recovery Ventilation System Market Segment by Type1.2.1 Wall-Mount1.2.2 Ceiling-Mount1.2.3 Cabinet-Mount1.3 Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Market Size by Type1.3.1 Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Sales and Growth by Type1.3.2 Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Sales and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)1.3.3 Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)1.3.4 Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Price by Type (2013-2018)Get more information from Table of Content:2 Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Market Competition by Company2.1 Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Sales and Market Share by Company (2013-2018)2.2 Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Revenue and Share by Company (2013-2018)2.3 Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Price by Company (2013-2018)2.4 Global Top Players Energy Recovery Ventilation System Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types2.5 Energy Recovery Ventilation System Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Energy Recovery Ventilation System Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Market Share of Top 5 and Top 10 Players2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Energy Recovery Ventilation System Company Profiles and Sales Data3.1 Carrier (United Technologies)3.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.1.2 Energy Recovery Ventilation System Product Category, Application and Specification3.1.3 Carrier (United Technologies) Energy Recovery Ventilation System Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2013-2018)3.1.4 Main Business Overview3.2 Johnson Controls3.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.2.2 Energy Recovery Ventilation System Product Category, Application and Specification3.2.3 Johnson Controls Energy Recovery Ventilation System Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2013-2018)3.2.4 Main Business Overview3.3 Daikin Industries3.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.3.2 Energy Recovery Ventilation System Product Category, Application and Specification3.3.3 Daikin Industries Energy Recovery Ventilation System Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2013-2018)3.3.4 Main Business Overview3.4 Trane3.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.4.2 Energy Recovery Ventilation System Product Category, Application and Specification3.4.3 Trane Energy Recovery Ventilation System Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2013-2018)3.4.4 Main Business OverviewList of Tables and FiguresFigure Energy Recovery Ventilation System Product PictureFigure Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2013-2025)Figure Global Energy Recovery Ventilation System Sales (K Units) Status and Outlook (2013-2025)Figure Product Picture of Wall-MountTable Major Players of Wall-MountFigure Global Wall-Mount Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%)(2013-2018)Figure Product Picture of Ceiling-MountTable Major Players of Ceiling-MountFigure Global Ceiling-Mount Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%)(2013-2018)Get discount copy @QYResearchReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
World Best Printed Solar Tiles Market 2018- Futurism, Crest, infinityPV, Elon Musk, Earth Day Network, Vocativ, Solarix

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1598525&type=S

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-printed-solar-tiles-market-research-report-2018.htm/toc

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1598525&type=D

http://www.qyresearchreports.com

Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Printed Solar Tiles Market Research Report 2018 to its huge collection of research reports.The growth trajectory of the global Printed Solar Tiles market over the assessment period is shaped by several prevalent and emerging regional and global trends, a granular assessment of which is offered in the report. The study on analyzing the global Printed Solar Tiles market dynamics takes a critical look at the business regulatory framework, technological advances in associated industries, and the strategic avenues. The study strives to offer incisive insights into the developmental framework on which the growth of the global Printed Solar Tiles market hinges on. In doing so, the research tries to lay bare key strategic and operational risks underpinning new business models that might cause disruption in the competitive landscape. The report takes into account major research and development activities undertaken by stakeholders and tries to identify avenues where lucrative prospects lie. To this end, the study also sheds light on regional investment trends Printed Solar Tiles market and evaluates their impact on emerging opportunities in the coming years.Request for Sample Copy of this Study @Strategists, business owners, CEO and other CxOs, and budding entrepreneurs looking for clear signals for the trajectory of the markets growth will find the study helpful. The study on the global Printed Solar Tiles market is prepared with the help of extensive volumes of reliable secondary research that is in no way exhaustive. The findings are further backed by intensive rounds of primary research, including interviews and events. The research on the global Printed Solar Tiles market employs a variety of statistical tools to arrive at reliable market projections on major segments into which the entire market can be broken into. Combining rigorous models of research with Porters five force analysis and SWOT analysis, the study tries to offer evidence-based insights on the global Printed Solar Tiles market, which can be indispensable for effective strategy formulations. The study also zeroes in on prominent trends in expected to expand the horizon of the market and the influence on new policy formulations in the global Printed Solar Tiles market in various nations.Table Of Contents  Major Key PointsGlobal Printed Solar Tiles Market Research Report 20181 Printed Solar Tiles Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Printed Solar Tiles1.2 Printed Solar Tiles Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Printed Solar Tiles Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Printed Solar Tiles Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Monocrystalline1.2.4 Polycrystalline1.3 Global Printed Solar Tiles Segment by Application1.3.1 Printed Solar Tiles Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Residential Buildings1.3.3 Commercial Buildings1.4 Global Printed Solar Tiles Market by Region (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Printed Solar Tiles (2013-2025)Get more information from Table of Content:2 Global Printed Solar Tiles Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Printed Solar Tiles Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Printed Solar Tiles Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Printed Solar Tiles Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Printed Solar Tiles Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global Printed Solar Tiles Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers Printed Solar Tiles Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Printed Solar Tiles Market Competitive Situation and Trends3 Global Printed Solar Tiles Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)4 Global Printed Solar Tiles Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018)5 Global Printed Solar Tiles Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type6 Global Printed Solar Tiles Market Analysis by Application7 Global Printed Solar Tiles Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Futurism7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Printed Solar Tiles Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.3 Futurism Printed Solar Tiles Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Crest7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Printed Solar Tiles Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.3 Crest Printed Solar Tiles Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.2.4 Main Business/Business OverviewEnquiry For Discount Visit @QYResearchReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Animal Wound Care Industry Research Forecasting Good Growth and Deep Analysis for B Braun Melsungen AG, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, 3M Company, ECO Animal Health, Norbrook, Medtronic

Animal Wound Care Market

http://databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-animal-wound-care-market

http://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-animal-wound-care-market&utm_source=O-Pi

http://databridgemarketresearch.com/speak-to-analyst/?dbmr=global-animal-wound-care-market&utm_source=O-Pi

http://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-animal-wound-care-market&utm_source=O-Pi

http://databridgemarketresearch.com

The Animal Wound Care Market accounted to USD 500.09 million in 2016 growing at a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Visit:Also the Global Animal Wound Care Market, By Product Type (Surgical (Suture, Sealant, Glue) Advanced (Film, Foam, Hydrogel, Hydrocolloid dressing) Traditional (Dressing, Bandage, Absorbent, Tape) & NPWT Device]), By Animal (Companion, Livestock), By End-Users (Hospitals and Clinics, Home Care), By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa)- Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024.Animal wound care are used in veterinary practice and traumatic or in surgical procedure. The introduction of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in animal wound dressing has proven to be beneficial. PRP is a natural treatment for osteoarthritis in dogs.Get Free Sample Research Report:Major Market Drivers and Restraints: Animal Wound Care Market Increase in pet ownership Increasing investments Increasing number of veterinary practitioners Rise in income levels in developed economies Rising awareness about animal health.Market Segmentation: Animal Wound Care MarketBy product type the animal wound care market is segmented into Surgical, traditional, and NPWT Device. The surgical segment is further segmented into Suture, Sealant, Glue. The traditional segment is further segmented into Dressing, Bandage, Absorbent, Tape. The advanced segment is further segmented into Foam Dressings, Hydrocolloid Dressings, Film Dressings, Hydrogel Dressings, Other Advanced Wound Dressings.On the basis of animal type the market is segmented into Companion, Livestock segments. The companion segment is further segmented into Dogs, Cats, Horses.On the basis of end-users the animal wound care market is segmented into Hospitals and Clinics, Home Care.On the basis of geography, animal wound care market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as North America & South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others. In 2017, North America is expected to dominate the market.Speak to Research Analyst for Further Query:Competitive Analysis: Animal Wound Care MarketThe animal wound care market is highly fragmented and is based on new product launches and clinical results of products. Hence the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, clinical trials, market initiatives, high expense on research and development, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of animal wound care market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.Major Market Competitors: Animal Wound Care MarketSome of the major players operating in animal wound care market are B Braun Melsungen AG, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, 3M Company, ECO Animal Health, Norbrook, Medtronic plc, Phibro Animal Health, Ethicon Inc., Virbac, Jorgen Kruuse A/S, Neogen Corporation, Bayer AG, Acelity L.P. Inc., Advancis Veterinary Ltd., and Robinson Healthcare Ltd. among othersWant Full Report? Enquire Here:About UsData Bridge set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with an unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Data Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. Get 10% Discount on Report by emailing sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com . We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfying rate.Contact UsData Bridge Market ResearchToll Free: +1-888-387-2818Mail: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com
A Deep Diving Study Report on Cold Chain Monitoring Market 2018 to 2022 by Global Key Players: ORBCOMM, Sensitech, Inc, Infratab, Monnit Corporation, Zest Labs, Sensitech

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1883

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/cold-chain-monitoring-market

Overview  Report Global Cold Chain Monitoring MarketCold Chain Monitoring is a system which is used to monitor and ensure the shelf life of frozen foods. As the market of frozen foods is increasing, cold chain monitoring is becoming an important aspect. Improper temperature control results in heavy loss of frozen foods during the supply chain process and Cold Chain Monitoring helps to monitor the overall process and improve the safety of food and pharmaceutical products.As a business function of distribution services, cold chain services are force multipliers that create a world of opportunities for related trade and exports of goods. A cold chain can most readily be defined as a series of warehousing and distribution activities that is designed to ensure ideal storage and transportation conditions for temperature-sensitive products. Cold chain services also have the added benefit of improving quality of life for billions of people around the world and are in high demand, especially in less developed economies that suffer from malnutrition, high rates of food spoilage and chronic disease.Market Research Future offers an extensive Market Research Report on Global Cold Chain Monitoring Market empowering you to browse through the full Market Analysis, Opportunities, Price, Growth, Trends and the market forecast up to the year 2022.The report Global Cold Chain Monitoring Market comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. It gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides detailed information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. It also gives a broad study of the different markets segments and regions.Request a Sample Report @Key Players - Global Cold Chain Monitoring Market:The prominent players in the market of Cold Chain Monitoring are- ORBCOMM (U.S.), NXP Semiconductors N.V. (Netherlands), Berlinger & Co. AG (Switzerland), Sensitech, Inc. (U.S.), NEC Corp. (Japan), Controlant EHF (Iceland), Infratab Inc. (U.S.), Monnit Corporation (U.S.), Zest Labs, Inc. (U.S.), Sensitech Inc. (U.S.) among others.Market Synopsis & Scenario - Global Cold Chain Monitoring Market:Cold chain systems are crucial to the growth of global trade in perishable products and to the worldwide availability of food and health supplies. Each year, billions of tons of fresh food products and millions of dollars worth of export products are lost due to poor cold chain systems in developing markets. The World Economic Forum lists food crises as fourth on its top global risks of highest concern for the next 10 years. Globally, billions of dollars are spent on improving agricultural processes to create higher food yields, but the fact that nearly half of all food never makes it to a consumers plate is largely ignored. Global losses in the food industry total more than $750 billion annually. These losses primarily result from lack of proper facilities, improper food safety handling procedures and insufficient training for those personnel working in the cold chain. Additionally, over $260 billion of annual biopharma sales are dependent on cold chain logistics to ensure the efficacy of their products.The major factor which is driving the market of Cold Chain Monitoring is growing frozen food industry and pharmaceutical industry. As the demand for frozen products are increasing, companies are deploying cold chain Monitoring system in their process in order to make the supply chain more efficient. Global Cold Chain Monitoring Market is expected to grow at US ~7 billion by the end of forecast period with CAGR of ~10% during 2016 to 2022.Regional Analysis - Global Cold Chain Monitoring Market:North America is dominating the market of Cold Chain Monitoring due to the growth of frozen food industry and high expenditure and these foods. High standard of living and high consumption of meat products is driving the market in North America.Asia-Pacific has emerged as fastest growing market and also stands as second biggest market for the Cold Chain Monitoring market due to the growing chemical industry. China stands as one of the biggest market of chemicals and pharmaceutical which is giving Asia-Pacific a competitive advantage.Get a Complete Report @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market 2018: Segmentation, Application, Technology and Analysis Report Forecast to 2027

Market Research Future

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1147

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/intelligent-virtual-assistant-market-1147

Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market Size, Share, Trends Analysis Research Report 2018 of 100 pages expands comprehensive information on Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market By Global Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market Information, by Technology (Text-to-speech, Speech recognition), by Application Vertical (BFSI, Healthcare, Automotive, E-Commerce, Aerospace, IT), by End User (Individual, Small & Medium Enterprises, Large Enterprises) - Forecast 2016-2027Market Scenario:Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market is a next generation technology or 3D animated persona which delivers the voice based or text based information via mobile phones, tablets, PCs or kiosk. Intelligent virtual assistant can respond to emails, schedule meetings, and remind you about upcoming tasks and so on. With the development in the technology, intelligent virtual assistant market is seeing a tremendous opportunities in the upcoming years. Currently, intelligent virtual assistant market has been valued at US high billion which is expected to reach market size of US high billion by the end of forecasted period with the CAGR of high.Key players:Nuance Communications (U.S.),Anboto (Spain),Google (U.S.),eGain (U.S.),CX Company (Netherlands),ViClone (Spain),Inbenta (U.S.),GetAbby (U.S.),Creative Virtual (U.K.),Next IT (U.S.)Request a Sample Report @Market Segmentation:Segmentation by Technology: Text-to-speech and Speech recognition.Segmentation by Application: Vertical: BFSI, Healthcare, Automotive, E-Commerce, Aerospace, IT among others.Segmentation by End User: Individual, small & medium enterprises and large enterprises.Segmentation by Region: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific & RoW.Regional Analysis:North America is dominating the market of intelligent virtual assistant with the market share of high. Technological advancement in North American countries is some key drivers for this market. Europe stands as second biggest market for IPA with the market share of high. The market size of IPA in Europe region has been valued at US high billion in the year 2015. Asia-Pacific has emerged as fastest growing market where APAC has witnessed CAGR of high which is very high. It is expected that APAC will dominate the market of intelligent virtual assistant by the end of forecasted period.Industry News:In May 2016, Google unveils its Google Assistant, a new intelligent virtual assistant that can help in daily routine.In April 2016, Nuance Communications announced that Nina virtual assistant helping Swedbank customers like a human.The reports also covers brief analysis of Geographical Region includes:Americas:North AmericaUSCanadaEurope:Western EuropeGermanyFranceItalySpainU.KRest of Western EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific:AsiaChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaRest of AsiaPacificAccess Report Details @The Middle East & Africa:The report for Global Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune  411028 Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +91 841 198 5042Mail: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Automotive Instrument Cluster Market 2018: Continental AG, Mentor Graphics, Visteon, Delphi, Qualcomm, Bosch, Denso

Automotive Instrument Cluster Market 2018

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5241

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/automotive-instrument-cluster-market-5241

Automotive Instrument Cluster Market 2018Automotive Instrument Cluster Market Share, Size, Trends, And Business Opportunity Analysis Report 2018 include historic data, with forecast data to 2023. Automotive Instrument Cluster Market report is helpful for future strategy development, and to know about Market Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, And Global market size, share, Growth, Trends, key players forecast to 2023Automotive Instrument Cluster Market Information Report by Technology Type (Analog, Digital, and Hybrid), Vehicle Type (passenger car and commercial vehicle), and region.Get Sample Report of Automotive Instrument Cluster Market @Market ScenarioAutomotive instrument cluster is a set of instruments that consists of a speedometer and infotainment display. The display can be both, digital and analog. The instrument panel also displays the speed of the vehicle, the amount of fuel available, and traffic condition with the help of navigation system. It ensures that driving is equally safe and comfortable because it presents the information in a clear way at a given point of time. In the current automotive industry, various technologies have evolved to provide better display information for the driver such as HMI concept. The instrument panel consists of software powered display panel for conveying information. There are three types of instrument panel and they are analog, digital, and hybrid. In an analog type of instrument cluster, there are two large dials for the speedometer, and a gauge for the fuel level indicator. The hybrid instrument cluster is the combination of analog and digital display system for showcasing the information in both forms. Digital instrument panels are the ones, which display all the information in digital form mostly on LCD or TFT display. In the technology driven era, the hybrid form is most likely to boost the market.Key PlayersThe key players in automotive Instrument cluster market are Continental AG (Germany), Mentor Graphics (U.S), Visteon (U.S), Delphi (U.S), Qualcomm (U.S), Bosch (Germany), Denso (Japan), Alpine Electronics (Japan), Japan Display Inc. (Japan) and Innolux (Taiwan).The factors that are responsible for the growth of automotive instrument cluster are development in the technology, rising demand for electronic driven instrument panels, growing demand for advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) in high end cars, increase demand for electric vehicles, and others. Nowadays, there has been rising demand for the OEM manufacturers to develop products that are different than that of their competitors. The demand from the customers for high quality instrument panels have increased the demand for innovative display system to be installed in the vehicle. This increase in demand for the innovative display systems, will lead to the growth of instrument cluster market in future. The rising demand for electronic instrument cluster with 2D and 3D graphics system have increased the demand for the instrument clusters. In the technology driven world, there is increase in the demand for instrument clusters that can be integrated with the smartphones. OEMs are trying to integrate the instrument cluster with the smartphone devices so as to make a personalize instrument cluster for the customers. This growing demand for the personalize instrument cluster will result in the growth of the market during the forecast period.Automotive Instrument Cluster market is segmented based on technology type, vehicle type, and region. On the basis of technology type, the market has been segmented as analog, digital, and hybrid. The hybrid instrument cluster segment is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period, due to the ability to integrate the system with both, digital and analog form. This type of instrument cluster displays the information in analog and digital form, due to which there has been an increase in demand for this type of technology. The segment is expected to grow in the near future due to the presence of analog and digital system, low cost for the system, higher use of electronic devices in the vehicle. In the past years, it has been seen that the share of analog system, has been more than the digital form. But the changing technology, and higher demand for the luxury vehicles will increase the demand for hybrid clusters in vehicle. This increase in demand will lead to the growth of the market in the future.On the basis of region, the market has been segmented based on North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World. Asia Pacific region is expected to dominate the automotive instrument cluster market during the forecast period due to the growing demand of vehicle in emerging countries such as India, China, and Japan. The increase in the production of the vehicle in Asia Pacific, is directly linked with the instrument cluster. The rising production of vehicle will result in the increase in use of instrument clusters. This will drive the market in future. Asia Pacific is witnessing an increase in the share of global vehicle sales, and is expected to see continued growth in the coming years. The developing countries are making efforts to develop innovative policies and trade liberalization programs to step up with innovative technologies. The increase in government efforts in the automotive industry, will drive the growth of the instrument cluster market in the future. North America is expected to be the second largest market in the automotive instrument cluster market. In North America, U.S. is expected to hold the largest share in the future. Europe is the third largest market in automotive cluster market due to stagnant growth in the automotive industry,Get Details Information of Automotive Instrument Cluster Market @Continued.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.CONTACT US:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Sodium Sulfate Market segmented on the basis of Growth, Application, and Geography

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=16742

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sodium-sulfate-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

A business intelligence study by Transparency Market Research (TMR) observes the global market for sodium sulfate features a fragmented vendor landscape due to a large number of global and local players.Request Sample Report @Alkim Alkali Kimya A.S., Cordenka GmbH & Co. KG, Elementis plc, Minera De Santa Marta, Si Chuan Hongya QingYiJiang Sodium Sulphate Co. Ltd., Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals Inc., Sodium Sanayii Anonim Sirketi, Birla Cellulose, Cooper Natural Resources, Lenzing Group, S.A. Sulquisa, Searles Valley Minerals, Grupo Industrial Crimidesa S.L., and XinLi Chemical are to name key players in the global sodium sulfate market.The TMR report estimates that the sodium sulfate market will display a lackluster 3.8% CAGR for the forecast period between 2017 and 2025, for the market to be valued at US42.62 mn by 2025 from US$1.89 mn in 2016. In terms of type of source, the segments into which the sodium sulfate market is bifurcated are synthetic and natural. Of the two, natural segment of the market holds the leading share at present. The natural segment is anticipated to continue to remain dominant in the upcoming years. The various segments into which the sodium sulfate market is divided based on application are soaps & detergents, textiles, carpet cleaners, kraft pulping, glass, and others.On the basis of geography, the key segments into which the global sodium sulfate market is divided are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Among them, Asia Pacific currently holds the leading market share. The region also displays the leading growth rate amongst all. In the years ahead too, the region is likely to hold on to its dominant position on the back of expansion of chemical industries and rising demand for sodium sulfate from a host of end-use industries in the emerging economies of China and India.Read Report Overview @Flourishing Automobile and Construction Industry a Boon for MarketMajorly fuelling the global market for sodium sulfate is the growth of soap and detergent industry. This is mainly because sodium sulfate is used as a diluting agent and as fillers in detergents and soaps. Also, fuelling demand for sodium sulfate in the flourishing construction and automotive industry. Sodium sulfate is used as a fluxing agent in glass making to serve the demand for high quality glass for automobiles and buildings. This is because sodium sulfate helps to eliminate small air bubbles and defects during casting and blowing processes, says the lead analyst of the study.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Award Winning Author Of Children's Books, Dr Nicole, Announces Latest Book In Felix And Booboo Series, 'Charles Hurt Himself Playing: Broken Arm'

Cover

http://www.drnicolebook.com

Multi-award-winning children's book author Dr. Nicole has announced the release of a new book in the Felix and Booboo Series, 'Charles Hurt Himself Playing: Broken Arm'. The new book is one of a series of eight books that address medical issues and make them understandable for young children. The goal is to increase the child's understanding of her body and to help eliminate fear of diseases and medical procedures. This series is also available in French (Felix et Boubou) in paperback, Kindle and PDF versions.A broken bone is a traumatic medical event for many children. In this book, Charles breaks his arm after falling from a swing. With his magical doctors bag in hand, Felix takes Charles to the hospital. Booboo and his team apply a cast on his arm. Readers will learn the secret of broken bones healing."My true intentions regarding writing this series are to inspire children to read, to set their imaginations free and to encourage good decision making regarding health, safety and critical thinking," Dr. Nicole stated. "Writing childrens books is a way for me to give back and be a positive resource to the community. It is a way that I can positively express myself while having some fun and at the same time be a positive role model for both children and caregivers. Children who break an arm or a leg have many questions. This inspired me to write a book on this medical topic in my Felix and Booboo series."In addition to broken bones, other subjects covered in the series include gastroenteritis, vaccinations, head lice, allergies, the human body, otitis and chickenpox. All of the books in the series can be used by educators and medical professionals to help kids understand that these types of conditions are normal and are not to be feared or avoided.In the traditions of Walt Disney and Dr. Seuss, Dr. Nicole breathes life into inanimate objects and wildly entertaining characters that engage children in powerful ways. Through the parent/child interaction, her works develop a love for reading while helping children develop the most important skill of all - critical thinking. If a child can master the art of critical thinking, nearly everything else falls into place.Dr. Nicoles books have won numerous international awards. A full listing of the awards can be found on her website.'Charles Hurt Himself Playing: Broken Arm' has received Readers Favorite 5 stars. Mamta Madhavan, a reviewer for Readers' Favorite stated, "I like the way the author has handled the entire process of taking care of Charles from the time he has fallen till he returns to the park with Felix. She explains the procedures clearly and in a very methodical way to young readers. The quiz at the end of the book is fun. The illustrations are charming and they bring the characters, scenes, and concept alive to readers. The authors experience as a doctor has been put to good use through this book. It is a lovely book to have in ones personal collection at home as it can be read out to children many times to make them understand what needs to be done in situations like this, when there is a fall and an arm is broken. Educators and tutors can use it in classrooms and school libraries to help children understand the concept."Dr. Nicole also received recognition as one of Quebec's Top 10 Women by the Maman Dion Foundation. The Maman Dion foundation was founded by Therese Tanguay-Dion, known as Maman Dion, a television personality and the Celine Dions mother. The Maman Dion Foundation is an educational foundation that provides support to underprivileged children in the form of clothing, eyewear and school supplies.Dr. Nicole has sold over 150,000 books in her career. She is highly regarded for her work with childrens books and a health guide for families. Her goals are to create in children a love for reading and to create interaction and engagement.No-charge copies of any of her books are available for University teachers, journalists and members of the media who provide email, website, mail address and phone number.Dr. Nicole is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below. Journalists who wish to receive a copy of the books for review or might wish to schedule an interview can email info@drnicolebook.com. All of her English and bilingual works are available on Amazon, AuthorHouse, and other quality book retailers. Free coloring pages are available upon request by sending an email to the author. More information is available at her website.Dr. Nicole Audet holds a Master degree in medical education. She is a professional writer and an engaging speaker. She has worked in Clinical Practice (emergency, family doctor office, University of Montreal affiliated teacher and Lecturer in the Department of Pediatrics of McGill University). She has been the Editor in Chief of the French medical magazine 'Le Medecin du Quebec'. She has presented at many international, national and provincial medical congresses and has managed medical teaching clinics, medical magazines and medical research in computer science. Her books have received many international and national awards.PO Box 1613Shallotte, NC 28459
Good Growth Opportunities in Global Textile Printing Market Till 2020

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/textile-printing-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3457

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Application of coloring pattern and design to decorate the finished fabric is referred as printing. At the time of printing the color is applied to the fabric so that the color or design is not affected at the time of washing. Textile printing is a process of applying color to fabric in definite pattern and design. Textile printing is sometime confused with dyeing. In dyeing whole fabric is uniformly colored with one color only, where as in case of textile printing more than one color is applied on the fabric to some part in defined pattern. In textile printing, wooden blocks, stencils, engraved plates or rollers are used to apply color on the fabric. Thick dyes are used at the time printing to prevent the spreading of color beyond the limit of design.Main objective of textile printing is to produce fabric with attractive design and defined pattern. On the bases of technology the global market for textile printing can be bifurcated into direct printing, discharge printing (white and color discharge) and resist painting (white and color resist). Other methods of printing include block printing, roller printing, duplex printing, screen printing, stencil printing, transfer printing, blotch printing, jet spray printing, electrostatic printing and digital printing. Digital printing is expected to witness highest growth in the forecasted period.Read Report Overview @Asia Pacific has the largest market share for textile printing, followed by Europe and North America. China and India alone holds the largest market share for textile printing globally. Europe is expected to witness marginal growth in coming future. Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness highest growth and maintain its dominance in the forecasted period. Domestic demand in India and China are the major region for increasing demand for textile printing technology in the Asia-Pacific region.Advancement in technology paired with increasing method of printing is driving the global textile printing market. Additionally, with increasing disposable income customers are able to afford designer ware with attractive design on the fabric; this is again driving the global textile printing market. Also, increased demand for digital printing on saris and dress materials is further expected to increase the textile printing technology to some extent.Request Sample Report @Some of the major companies operating in the global textile printing markets are AM Printex, JV Digital Printing, Digitex India Inc., AGS Transact Technologies, Dazian LLC, Fisher Textiles, Inc., Glen Raven, Inc., Dickson Coatings, Mehler Texnologies and China Dyeing Holdings, LtdABOUT US:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
U.S. Influenza Vaccines Market worth US$ 8.0 Billion by 2025 with CAGR of 15.9%

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1127

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/us-influenza-vaccines-market-1127

http://www.coherentchronicle.com

The U.S. influenza vaccines market, by Vaccine Type (Trivalent Vaccines and Quadrivalent Vaccines), by Virus Type (Influenza Virus Type A and Influenza Virus Type B) and by Age Group (Pediatrics and Adults) was valued at US$ 1.6 billion in 2016 and is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 15.9% over the forecast period (20172025), as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights. The U.S. influenza vaccines market is expected to gain significant traction owing to easy availability of different vaccines, which include adjuvanted inactivated vaccines, live-attenuated vaccines, seasonal influenza vaccines, and pandemic influenza vaccines. The transition from trivalent to quadrivalent vaccine formulations due to extensive research and development, to offer better protection against flu strains is a major factor to augment growth of the U.S. influenza vaccine market over the forecast period.Innovative technologies to augment the influenza vaccine production and reduce shortage is expected to propel the market growthTo understand Research Methodology @Manufacturers are focusing on product development by using innovative technologies such as adopting novel recombinant and cell-based vaccine production technologies to increase their supply capacity by. For instance, Protein Science Corporation received FDA approval for Flubok Trivalent Vaccine for use in the U.S. market in 2013. Flubok is the only influenza vaccine produced using recombinant technology, which offers advantages such as timely and fast vaccine production as the technology is not dependent on egg supply for vaccine production and is safe for individuals with egg-related allergies. Also, in 2016, Seqirus received FDA approval for Flucelvax quadrivalent, indicated for people aged 4 years and above. Flucevax is a four strain, inactivated seasonal influenza vaccine, which is produced using cell culture technology at the Holly Springs Facility in the U.S. The vaccine was recommended by the World Health Organization and the Food and Drug Administration for the 2016 influenza season, in order to help protect against two influenza virus strains, which include A strains and B strains.Increasing production capacity helps to address major problems such as vaccine shortage and inequitable access, thus minimizing the cost of vaccines. For instance, in 2015, bioCSL Limited and Novartis AG developed Seqirus Company, focused on robust vaccine production for pandemic preparedness and to contribute to the prevention and control of influenza, globally. Investments in R&D is increasing significantly in order to develop new innovative technologies for launching efficacious products to increase product diversification. For instance, GlaxoSmithKline Plc is focused on research and development for the production of innovative influenza vaccines. The company has two pipeline products for the treatment of influenza virus infections via intravenous administrationRelenza, which is currently in Phase III, and Danirixin, which is in Phase II. Moreover, constant improvements on formulation and production levels, by the key players for the development of influenza vaccines is expected to boost growth of the influenza vaccines market. According to the Health Industry Distribution Association, 2016, vaccine manufacturers produced around 174.5 million doses for the 201516 influenza season, representing 11.1% increase from the total number of vaccines manufactured for the 201415 flu season in the U.S.Key Takeaways of the U.S. Influenza Vaccines Market:The U.S. influenza vaccines market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 15.9% over the forecast period, owing to rise in awareness about vaccination to reduce the substantial health burden of the diseaseAmong vaccine types, quadrivalent vaccine segment held the dominant position in the U.S. influenza vaccines market in 2016, owing to the higher disease coverage by the vaccine and rising production capacity owing to its efficacy by major manufacturersAmong age group, adults is expected to be the dominant segment in the U.S. influenza vaccines market, owing to rising number of adult population in the country, higher availability, and easy approval of the influenza vaccines for indication in adultsBrowse 20 Market Data Tables and 15 Figures spread through 120 Pages and in-depth TOC on U.S. Influenza Vaccines Market- Forecast to 2025Some of the major players operating in the U.S. influenza vaccines market are Sanofi Pasteur, Seqirus Vaccines Ltd., GlaxoSmithKline Plc., and MedimmuneComplete Report Details @Catch us at 3rd International Conference on Separation + Drying Technologies for Milk & Whey at Cologne, March 19 and 20, 2018About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
Pharmacogenomics Market worth US$ 14.6 Billion by 2025 with CAGR of 7.6%

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1053

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/pharmacogenomics-market-1053

http://www.coherentchronicle.com

The Global Pharmacogenomics Market by Technology Type (Polymerase Chain Reaction, Sequencing, Microarray, and Other Technologies), and by Application (Drug Discovery and Therapeutic Application) was valued at US$ 7,623.9 million in 2016 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period (20172025), as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights. Advancements in technology, increasing developments by key players, rising prevalence of lifestyle related diseases are expected to contribute to meteoric growth of the pharmacogenomics market over the forecast period.Increasing engagement of pharmaceutical companies in pharmacogenomics is increasing potential opportunities for various phases of drug discovery and development processes. In parallel with rapid advancements in the identification and mapping of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) across the human genome, technological discoveries and enhancements to high-throughput genotyping have also made significant strides. Leading biotech firms have driven genotyping throughput to scales and significantly driving down costs. Pharmacogenomics initiatives have led to new discoveries and development of several treatments that are tailored for specific characteristics such as genetic makeup or genetic profile of an individual tumor, that helps transform the treatment methods. Increasing government funding to help companies develop bioinformatics technology for precision medicine research applications. For instance, in 2017, Armonica Technologies, Inc., an Albuquerque-based company received US$1.5 million from the governments US $40 million catalyst fund. This fund is intended for seed early-stage companies in New Mexico that are involved in developing novel technologies.To understand Research Methodology @In therapeutic application, oncology portfolio is of strategic importance for researchers to develop more targeted approaches for the treatment of cancer. For an instance, AstraZeneca oncology portfolio will increasingly rely on the use of genetics and genomics for patient identification and stratification, which in turn, provides a source of novel biomarkers and diagnostics. This allows them to streamline the R&D process and help to better understand the biological basis of the diseases that are aiming to be treated. Thus, integration of pharmacogenomics analysis results in increased designing of tailored drugs, which is expected to increase profits for drug manufacturers.Asia Pacific is expected to witness highest growth in the global pharmacogenomics market, owing to rising biotechnology and life sciences sector in this region as well as the increasing focus on research and development by the top market players in these regions. For instance, Thermo Fisher Scientific, in 2017, announced an Asia Precision Medicine research array for regional screening initiatives, which has reduced costs and complexity of analysis associated with whole genome sequencing to help the research of diseases among people living in Asia, which in turn, is expected to favor growth of the market in Asia Pacific.The healthcare facilities and services in the Middle Eastern countries are underdeveloped, however, have high potential to grow in the near future. To accomplish the goal, the Middle Eastern countries are forming alliances with global leading companies as well as government organizations to foster the development of healthcare in these countries. For instance, in 2016, Middle East Medical Assembly at American University of Beirut (AUB) explored precision medicine sector, which is expected to revolutionize the healthcare and disease treatment in the Middle East, as MEMA brings physicians and experts together to discuss the latest challenges and novelties in precision medicine and genomics.Vendors are continuously investing in the development of the pharmacogenomics for various applications in clinical and translational research to find a solution to the problems of under-served patients, misdiagnoses, adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and ineffective therapeutics, which is projected to provide lucrative growth over the forecast period. In May 2015, Rosetta Genomics Ltd. launched OncoGxOne, Admera Healths next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel that detects a vast number of genetic alterations implicated in cancer, to provide clear, concise, and actionable clinical recommendations from a single, comprehensive test.Browse 29 Market Data Tables and 33 Figures spread through 210 Pages and in-depth TOC on  Pharmacogenomics Market, by Technology Type (Polymerase Chain Reaction, Sequencing, Microarray, and Other Technologies), and by Application (Drug Discovery and Therapeutic Application), and by Region  Global Forecast to 2025Key Takeaways of the Pharmacogenomics Market:The global pharmacogenomics market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6% during the forecast period (20172025), due to foster collaborations among the pharmaceutical industry, academic researchers, regulators and government organizations across various regionsIncreasing demand for sequencing, owing to its wide application in cancer pharmacogenetic and ability to sequence large number of genes up to the complete genome in a single reaction.Polymerase Chain Reaction is also expected to show a meteoric growth over the forecast period, as this system provides flexibility in content, high sample throughput, quick sample-to-results turnaround time, and low costAmong applications, drug discovery is the major segment that drives growth, as this is an emerging field and there are currently a large number of pharmacogenomics tests to detect mutations in the genes responsible for various infectious and non-infectious diseasesSome of the major players involved in global pharmacogenomics market are Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Bayer AG, AstraZeneca plc, Assurex Health, GE Healthcare, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Qiagen, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Transgenomic, Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Inc., and GlaxoSmithKlineComplete Report Details @Catch us at 3rd International Conference on Separation + Drying Technologies for Milk & Whey at Cologne, March 19 and 20, 2018About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
Ballast Water Management Market to Grow at a CAGR of 31.43% during the period 2017-2021

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1249613

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1249613/global-ballast-water-management-market-research-reports/toc

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1249613/global-ballast-water-management-market-research-reports

Marine vessels take seawater onboard for stability; this water has a distinct marine environment signature with indigenous aquatic microbes and marine life. This ballast water, if released untreated at the vessel's new destination, may disrupt the local ecosystem. Ballast water management aims at reducing the harmful effects of ballast water disposal. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a convention for the control, management, and sedimentation of ballast water on February 2004.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global ballast water management market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers new installations and retrofit market.Get the sample copy of report :The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Ballast Water Management Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsALFA LAVALGEA GroupHitachiVeolia Water TechnologiesWrtsilOther prominent vendorsatg UV TechnologyAzienda Chimica GenoveseCalgon Carbon CorporationEcochlorEvoqua Water TechnologiesHeadway Technology and ServicesHyde MarineJFE ENGINEERINGKadalneer TechnologiesKalf EngineeringNKOptimarinPanasonic Environmental Systems & EngineeringSamsung Heavy IndustriesTECHCROSSTrojan TechnologiesXylemTOC of this report :Market driverGrowing popularity of leisure cruisingFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeHigh cost of implementationFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendBusiness collaborations to streamline operationsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?View full report :MRRbiz supports your business intelligence needs with over 700,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Organic Powdered Milk Market 2018: Key Players  Verla, Ingredia, Aurora Foods Dairy, Hochdorf Swiss Nutrition, Triballat Ingredients

Organic Powdered Milk Market

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2928049-2015-2023-world-organic-powdered-milk-market-research-report-by

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/2928049-2015-2023-world-organic-powdered-milk-market-research-report-by

SummaryWiseGuyReports.com adds Organic Powdered Milk Market 2018 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2023 reports to its database.This report provides in depth study of Organic Powdered Milk Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Organic Powdered Milk Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market which is based on the various objectives of an organization such as profiling, the product outline, the quantity of production, required raw material, and the financial health of the organization.An organic product is made from organic raw materials. Processed organic food usually contains only organic ingredients. If non-organic ingredients are present, at least a certain percentage of the foods total plant and animal ingredients must be organic (95% in the United States, Canada, China and Australia).It also requires Organic certification. Organic certification is a certification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products. Requirements vary from country to country, and generally involve a set of production standards for growing, storage, processing, packaging and shipping.This report includes market status and forecast of global and major regions, with introduction of vendors, regions, product types and end industries; and this report counts product types and end industries in global and major regions.Global Organic Powdered Milk market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingHiPP GmbH & Co. Vertrieb KGVerla (Hyproca)OMSCoProlactal GmbH (ICL)Ingredia SAAurora Foods Dairy Corp.OGNI (GMP Dairy)Hochdorf Swiss NutritionTriballat IngredientsOrganic West MilkRoyal FarmRUMI (Hoogwegt)SunOpta.NowFoodMarket Segment as follows:By Region / CountriesNorth America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain etc)South America (Brazil, Argentina etc)Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, South Africa etc)By TypeOrganic Whole Powdered MilkOrganic Skim Powdered MilkBy End-User / ApplicationInfant FormulasConfectionsBakery ProductsOthersRequest a Sample Report @Table of Contents1 Market Definition1.1 Market Segment Overview1.2 by Type1.3 by End-Use / Application2 Global Market by Vendors2.1 Market Share2.2 Vendor Profile2.3 Dynamic of Vendors3 Global Market by Type3.1 Market Share3.2 Introduction of End-Use by Different Products4 Global Market by End-Use / Application4.1 Market Share4.2 Overview of Consumption Characteristics4.2.1 Preference Driven4.2.2 Substitutability4.2.3 Influence by Strategy4.2.4 Professional Needs5 Global Market by Regions5.1 Market Share5.2 Regional Market Growth5.2.1 North America5.2.2 Europe5.2.3 Asia-Pacific5.2.4 South America5.2.5 Middle East & Africa..12 Key Manufacturers12.1 HiPP GmbH & Co. Vertrieb KG12.1.2 Company Overview12.1.2 Product and End-User / Application12.1.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.2 Verla (Hyproca)12.2.1 Company Overview12.2.2 Product and End-User / Application12.2.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.3 OMSCo12.3.1 Company Overview12.3.2 Product and End-User / Application12.3.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.4 Prolactal GmbH (ICL)12.4.1 Company Overview12.4.2 Product and End-User / Application12.4.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.5 Ingredia SA12.5.1 Company Overview12.5.2 Product and End-User / Application12.5.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.6 Aurora Foods Dairy Corp.12.12.1 Company Overview12.12.2 Product and End-User / Application12.12.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.7 OGNI (GMP Dairy)12.7.1 Company Overview12.7.2 Product and End-User / Application12.7.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.8 Hochdorf Swiss Nutrition12.8.1 Company Overview12.8.2 Product and End-User / Application12.8.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.9 Triballat Ingredients12.9.1 Company Overview12.9.2 Product and End-User / Application12.9.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.10 Organic West Milk12.10.1 Company Overview12.10.2 Product and End-User / Application12.10.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.11 Royal Farm12.12 RUMI (Hoogwegt)12.13 SunOpta.12.14 NowFoodAt any Query @Continued....Contact Us: sales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US) ; Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRESS:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Smart Fleet Management Market 2018 Global Major Key Players: Harman International Industries, Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH., Siemens AG, Denso Corporation, IBM Corporation Analysis and Forecast to 2023

Smart Fleet Management Market 2018

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5226

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/smart-fleet-management-market-5226

Smart Fleet Management Market 2018Smart Fleet Management Market Share, Size, Trends, And Business Opportunity Analysis Report 2018 include historic data, with forecast data to 2023. Smart Fleet Management Market report is helpful for future strategy development, and to know about Market Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, And Global market size, share, Growth, Trends, key players forecast to 2023Global Smart Fleet Management Market Information Report by Transportation (Automotive, Rolling Stock, Marine), by Hardware (Tracking, Optimization, ADAS, and Diagnostic), by Solution (Tracking and Optimization), and by Regions - Global Forecast To 2023Get Sample Report of Smart Fleet Management Market @Market ScenarioSmart fleet management, essentially, a system through which operators keep track of variable factors such as fuel consumption, maintenance and route management. Smart fleet management systems provide a dedicated server for fleet data and security in a single system, which enables operators to analyze and make informed and cost effective decisions or enhance safety. Such availability of integrated data through smart fleet management systems attract customers, toward these solutions, across the globe. With the entire automotive industry pushing for higher fuel efficiency in vehicles combined with high speed networks, the market for smart fleet management is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. Rising demand for connectivity and government regulations are expected to augment the smart fleet management market. Reduction of both, transportation cost and operating cost has come forth as a major trend in the automotive industry, which encourages the players in the smart fleet management market.High costs associated with the smart fleet management systems is expected act as a major hindrance for the market. Additionally, continuous increase in fleet sizes and travel routes, successively, result in higher complexity of the system, which is expected to act as another major restraint for the smart fleet management market.Key PlayersThe key players of global smart fleet management market are Harman International Industries, Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH., Siemens AG, Denso Corporation, IBM Corporation, Continental AG, Cisco Systems, Inc., Sierra Wireless, Inc., Calamp Corp., OTTO Marine Ltd., Precious Shipping Co. Ltd., and Globecomm Systems, Inc. In 2016, these companies accounted for a share of XX% of the global market.Regional AnalysisThe Asia Pacific region is expected to provide lucrative opportunities to layers in the smart fleet management market. Stringent government regulations, combined with improving transportation facilities and infrastructure are expected to aid the growth of the smart fleet management market in this region. Government authorities in countries such as India and China encourage original equipment manufacturers to implement such systems in vehicles, mainly to enhance driver safety. The market for smart fleet management is expected to thrive in this region. Additionally, improving socio-economic conditions in countries such as India, Thailand, and Indonesia have resulted in the growth of demand for premium segment fleets, which positively impacts the market growth during the forecast period.Other regions such as North America and Europe are also poised for rapid growth. Existence of sophisticated technology and major manufacturers, provides solid groundwork for the smart fleet management firms in this region. Established automotive industry also aids the growth of the market in these regions. Rising number of commercial fleets in Europe and United States, widen the customer base to accommodate major smart fleet management system manufacturers. Significant technological development and research and development activities in the North America and Europe are expected to provide high opportunities for the smart fleet management market to rapidly growth during the forecast period.The report for Global Smart Fleet Management Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Get Details Information of Smart Fleet Management Market @Continued.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.CONTACT US:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Invisible Tapes Market Set to Witness Steady Growth through 2017  2027

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5582

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-5582

www.futuremarketinsights.com

The invisible tapes are the most important adhesive solution for the variety of applications such as adhering papers together when faxing or photocopying, wrapping gifts, packaging, etc. The invisible tape disappears and blends into the applied surface. This invisible feature helps to maintain the visibility and proper presentation of the items which are fixed together using the invisible tape. The tape is ideal for workspace or home use for general purpose bonding and sealing tasks. However, the tap also comes for industrial applications with added strength. Some invisible tapes also have a writable surface to add any notes as well. Some other features of the invisible tapes include easy tear, no-noise unwinding, UV resistance, etc. The invisible tapes are commonly made up of the permanent acrylic water-based adhesive and a clear polyurethane film. This combination is ideal for providing the long-term protection against any damage. The invisible tapes are typically used for domestic applications including stationary and office works. The tapes come in the variety of shape and sizes to cater to the demands of different end-use industries.Invisible Tapes: Market DynamicsThe main driving factor for the invisible tapes market is the use of cheap and efficient adhesive solution for the general purpose applications in the domestic and industrial applications. The demand for invisible tapes is increasing but at a slow rate due to well-established market base in the developed countries. The companies are focusing on to add some attractive features in their products to increase the demand and interest for their products. The consumer perception is also changing as they want high quality product with attractive features at lower costs. This factor is driving the competition in the market and compel manufacturers to continuously invest in research and development activities and sell their products at competitive prices. The main restraint for the invisible tapes market is the preference of another type of products for adhesion applications by some customers. There are lot of opportunities for the new entrants in the developing market. However, in the developed regions such as Europe and North America, few vendors are dictating as they have gained consumers attention since a couple of years.Request Report Sample@Invisible Tapes: Market SegmentationInvisible tapes market is segmented as follows-Invisible tapes market segmentation by film material used BOPPPPPEOthersInvisible tapes market segmentation by finish type Clear FinishMatte FinishInvisible tapes market segmentation by tape lengthLess than 20 meters20-30 meters30-40 metersMore than 40 metersInvisible tapes market segmentation by application typeStationaryIndustrial PackagingOthersVisit For TOC@Invisible Tapes Market: Regional outlookGeographically, the global invisible tapes market is segmented into seven regions, namely Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and the Middle-East and Africa (MEA). The European region and the Asia Pacific region dominates the invisible tapes market. The majority of the manufacturers are based in China due to easy availability of the raw materials used for the production of invisible tapes. There are lot of opportunities for the new entrants in the Indian and Brazilian market as these types of tapes are imported in large number to meet the demand of the local market. The North America region followed by Latin America also offer untapped growth potential in the Invisible tapes market. The invisible tapes market in the MEA region is also increasing due to the large number of imports from European and Chinese manufacturers to cater the growing demand of domestic market.Invisible Tapes Market: Key playersSome of the key players in the global invisible tapes market are 3M Company, Sicad Group, ADH Tape, S-Chem International (S) Pte Ltd., UHU GmbH & Co KG, New Zealand Tape Specialists Ltd., ShurTech Brands, LLC, Tesa SE, Lyreco, Inc., Bolex(Shenzhen) Adhesive Products Co. Ltd., Mexim Adhesive Tapes Pvt. Ltd., Zhejiang Hengyang Adhesive Products Co., Ltd., Staples, Inc., Guangzhou Wang Cheong Adhesive Product Factory, Dongguan Thripak Co., Ltd., Bostik Limited.About Us Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Shea Butter Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players  IOI Loders, Ghana Nuts Ltd, Shebu Industries, Timiniya Tuma, The Pure Company

Shea Butter Industry

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3042693-global-shea-butter-market-by-manufacturers-countries-type

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3042693-global-shea-butter-market-by-manufacturers-countries-type

WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On  Shea Butter Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players  IOI Loders, Ghana Nuts Ltd, Shebu Industries, Timiniya Tuma, The Pure Company.Description:Shea butter is an edible vegetable oil or fat, extracted from sun-dried kernels of the African shea tree. Shea butter is extensively used in cosmetics, health products and in the confectionery and chocolate industry (as an ingredient in cocoa butter alternatives). Shea butter and its fractions can also replace other edible vegetable oils or fats in other food applications. Shea butter is used for body, hand and facial products because of its unsaponifiables content. Shea butter contains ester resins recommended for damaged skin repair, cleansing and the sun's protection.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comScope of the Report:This report focuses on the Shea Butter in global market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, types and applications.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversIOI Loders CroklaanWilmar Africa Ltd/ Ghana Specialty FatsGhana Nuts LtdShebu IndustriesTiminiya Tuma Company LtdThe Pure CompanyThe Savannah Fruits CompanyVINK CHEMICALS GMBH & CO. KGAkoma CooperativeStarSheaInternational Oils & Fats LimitedMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversRaw and Unrefined Shea ButterRefined Shea ButterMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCosmetics IndustryMedicine IndustryFood IndustryReport Details @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Shea Butter market.Chapter 1, to describe Shea Butter Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Shea Butter, with sales, revenue, and price of Shea Butter, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Shea Butter, for each region, from 2013 to 2018;Continue..Table Of Contents  Major Key Points1 Market Overview1.1 Shea Butter Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Raw and Unrefined Shea Butter1.2.2 Refined Shea Butter1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Cosmetics Industry1.3.2 Medicine Industry1.3.3 Food Industry1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 United States Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.1.2 Canada Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.2 France Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.3 UK Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.4 Russia Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.5 Italy Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.2 Japan Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.3 Korea Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.4 India Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 IOI Loders Croklaan2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Shea Butter Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 IOI Loders Croklaan Shea Butter Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 Wilmar Africa Ltd/ Ghana Specialty Fats2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Shea Butter Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 Wilmar Africa Ltd/ Ghana Specialty Fats Shea Butter Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Ghana Nuts Ltd2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Shea Butter Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Ghana Nuts Ltd Shea Butter Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Shebu Industries2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Shea Butter Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Shebu Industries Shea Butter Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Timiniya Tuma Company Ltd2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Shea Butter Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Timiniya Tuma Company Ltd Shea Butter Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 The Pure Company2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Shea Butter Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 The Pure Company Shea Butter Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 The Savannah Fruits Company2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Shea Butter Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 The Savannah Fruits Company Shea Butter Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 VINK CHEMICALS GMBH & CO. KG2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Shea Butter Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 VINK CHEMICALS GMBH & CO. KG Shea Butter Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)ContinueFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.
Radiation Dose Management Market to Expand at an Impressive CAGR of over 9% from 2017 to 2025

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=25394

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=25394

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/radiation-dose-management-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Amid the rising intensity of competition in established regions and a vast set of untapped opportunities in emerging markets as government bodies put more emphasis on the improvement of healthcare infrastructure, emerging markets such as Asia Pacific and Latin America could prove to be the most promising investments for companies in the global radiation dose management market. Companies in the market will benefit from an increased focus on the improvement of efficiency of value chains, from marketing to export in new regional markets and logistics to distribution, observes Transparency Market Research in a recent report.Request for Sample Copy of Report @Some of the leading companies in the market are INFINITT Healthcare Co. Ltd., Afga-Gevaert N.V., Sectra AB, PACSHealth, LLC, GE Healthcare, Bayer Healthcare AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, and QAELUM NV.According to the report, the global radiation dose management market was estimated at US$1,432.0 mn in 2016 and is expected to expand at an impressive CAGR of 9.1% from 2017 to 2025, rising to an estimated value of US$3,066.1 mn in 2025.Of the key applications of the global radiation dose management market, the oncology segment held the dominant share in 2016. The segment is also expected to continue to expand at a promising pace over the forecast period as well, holding a substantial share of the overall market over the reports forecast period, owing chiefly to the increasing number of cancer cases globally.Enquiry for discount on this report @Geographically, the market in North America accounted for a dominant share in the global market in 2016 and continues to remain a regional market with highly promising growth opportunities. The promising expansion of the regional market is attributed to the well-established healthcare sector, presence of some of the worlds leading medical device companies, and strong reimbursement policies.Radiation therapy is one of the important modes of remedy employed for a diverse varieties of disease such as cancer. However, radiation treatment is often associated with several side effects caused due to the ionization of healthy cells in the process of targeting diseased cells. To mitigate these side effects, monitoring of the radiation dose, which refers to the quantity of radiation absorbed by the patient, is of high importance. An increasing awareness regarding the patient safety is compelling healthcare practitioners to employ effective measures for radiation dose management.The vast rise in the number of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, a variety of cancers, rising safety concerns, improving quality of patient care, and growing number of diagnostics screening test are expected to emerge as the key factors driving the global market for radiation dose management. The market is also expected to be positively influenced owing to the massive rise in government initiatives aimed at the improvement of healthcare infrastructure and the increased inclusion of advanced digital technologies in healthcare systems.Report Overview @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Research report covers the Portable Gensets Market share and Growth, 2017-2025

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/portable-gensets-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/15199

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Global Portable Gensets Market: IntroductionGenerators are designed to provide backup power supply for residential and industrial needs. Generators convert mechanical power into electrical power, which intakes diesel or gas as an input. The need for uninterrupted power supply in homes or industries is a major driver for the gensets market. Gensets are of two types, namely static gensets and portable gensets. Static gensets are used in large scale industries and require installation. They are stationary and are commonly used in high rise buildings, huge power sectors, manufacturing industries, and pharmaceutical industries.When it comes to power outages, immediate and uninterrupted backup power supply is essential nowadays  whether it is in residential or commercial buildings. Portable gensets fulfil this requirement with low fuel consumption, and hence are ideal for home needs, small scale industries and medium scale manufacturing divisions. Their major advantage being their portability, wherein they can be carried around on the basis of requirement. Portable gensets generate AC power and are available in various power ratings. Portable gensets are chosen on the basis of usage and output requirement. For instance, to run all electrical appliances in an average home, an 1800 watt power rating is necessary.Portable gensets are mainly used in residential buildings and since they can be carried anywhere, they are commonly used in off-grid areas. Diesel and gas are used as fuel in portable gensets. Gensets with a power range of 1800 watts  10,000 watts are commonly available in the market. Certain advantages, such as low cost, no installation cost, and portability are primary factors expected to drive the portable gensets market.Basic guidelines that determine the selection of portable gensets are:Fuel efficient (to deliver maximum output),Quick start (may have an electrical or a manual starter),Quiet (minimum noise is preferred),Easy to set up and maintain (must be oiled properly)Simple use and operation (must be easy to operate, preferably with an LCD display)Among all regions, the APAC region holds a relatively high share in the global portable gensets market, due to increased commercial usage and frequent power outages in developing countries, such as India and China. After the APAC region, Europe holds a significantly high market share, owing to the increased usage of portable gensets in small scale industries which require emergency power backup. North America and the Middle East collectively hold the third spot in terms of market share in the portable gensets market.Read Report Overview @Global Portable Gensets Market: SegmentationThe global portable gensets market can be segmented on the basis of application, type, and fuel type.By application, the global portable gensets market can be segmented as:Non Industrial, Industrial; By type, the global portable gensets market can be segmented as: Portable Gensets, Stationary Gensets; By fuel type, the global portable gensets market can be segmented as: Gas, DieselGlobal Portable Gensets Market: Key Trends and DriversHigh number of power outages for short spans of time, lack of power efficiency in rural areas, and the need for continuous power supply in commercial buildings are factors that drive growth for the portable gensets market. In order to achieve uninterrupted power supply without any drop or surge in voltage, portable gensets are used for immediate backup in residences and small scale industries.They are also used in remote locations where there is no grid, wherein they can be carried anywhere and used as regular power supply for the required load; this is another factor that drives growth for the portable gensets market. Another major driver for this market is the use of diesel gensets as low-fuel low-maintenance backups in residential or commercial buildings for short time power outages.Request Sample Report @Global Portable Gensets Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants identified across the value chain include, Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd., Eaton Corp., Cummins Inc., Generac Holdings Inc., Champion Power Equipment., Kohler Co., Powerdyne International., and Caterpillar.ABOUT US:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Vous etes confrontes a une infestation par la puce, la punaise de lit ? Voici plusieurs actions qui sont a mettre en uvre pour faire []
Commercial Inkjet Papers Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players  Nippon Paper, APP, Nine Dragons Paper, Fujifilm, Chenming Paper, Stora Enso, Sun Paper

Commercial Inkjet Papers Market

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3042690-global-commercial-inkjet-papers-market-by-manufacturers-countries

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3042690-global-commercial-inkjet-papers-market-by-manufacturers-countries

WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On  Commercial Inkjet Papers Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players  Nippon Paper, APP, Nine Dragons Paper, Fujifilm, Chenming Paper, Stora Enso, Sun Paper.Description:This report studies the Commercial Inkjet Papers market, Inkjet paper is a special fine paper designed for inkjet printers, typically classified by its weight, brightness and smoothness, and sometimes by its opacity. The commercial inkjet papers is used in commercial purpose.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comScope of the Report:This report focuses on the Commercial Inkjet Papers in global market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, types and applications.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversNippon PaperAPPOJINine Dragons PaperFujifilmChenming PaperStora EnsoSun PaperSmurfit KappaHokuetsu Kishu PaperInternational PaperDomtarSappiMondiMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversMatte PaperGlossy PaperSemi-gloss PaperOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoUniversal Files CopyAdvertisement MakingGraphic DesignOtherReport Details @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Commercial Inkjet Papers market.Chapter 1, to describe Commercial Inkjet Papers Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Commercial Inkjet Papers, with sales, revenue, and price of Commercial Inkjet Papers, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Commercial Inkjet Papers, for each region, from 2013 to 2018;Continue..Table Of Contents  Major Key Points1 Market Overview1.1 Commercial Inkjet Papers Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Matte Paper1.2.2 Glossy Paper1.2.3 Semi-gloss Paper1.2.4 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Universal Files Copy1.3.2 Advertisement Making1.3.3 Graphic Design1.3.4 Other1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 United States Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.1.2 Canada Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.2 France Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.3 UK Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.4 Russia Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.5 Italy Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.2 Japan Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.3 Korea Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.4 India Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market Status and Outlook (2013-2023)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Nippon Paper2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Commercial Inkjet Papers Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Nippon Paper Commercial Inkjet Papers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 APP2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Commercial Inkjet Papers Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 APP Commercial Inkjet Papers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 OJI2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Commercial Inkjet Papers Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 OJI Commercial Inkjet Papers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Nine Dragons Paper2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Commercial Inkjet Papers Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Nine Dragons Paper Commercial Inkjet Papers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Fujifilm2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Commercial Inkjet Papers Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Fujifilm Commercial Inkjet Papers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 Chenming Paper2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Commercial Inkjet Papers Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Chenming Paper Commercial Inkjet Papers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 Stora Enso2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Commercial Inkjet Papers Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 Stora Enso Commercial Inkjet Papers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 Sun Paper2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Commercial Inkjet Papers Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 Sun Paper Commercial Inkjet Papers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)ContinueFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.
Bubble Tea Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players  Kung Fu Tea, Gong Cha, Boba Guys, Chatime, ShareTea, 8tea5, Quickly, CoCo Fresh

Bubble Tea Industry

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3042688-global-bubble-tea-market-by-manufacturers-countries-type

WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On  Bubble Tea Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players  Kung Fu Tea, Gong Cha, Boba Guys, Chatime, ShareTea, 8tea5, Quickly, CoCo Fresh.Description:Bubble tea (also known as pearl milk tea, bubble milk tea, boba juice, boba tea, or simply boba) is a Taiwanese tea-based drink invented in Tainan and Taichung in the 1980s. Most bubble tea recipes contain a tea base mixed with fruit or milk, to which chewy tapioca balls (known as bubbles, pearls, or boba) and fruit jelly are often added. Ice-blended versions are usually mixed with fruit or syrup, resulting in a slushy consistency. There are many varieties of the drink with a wide range of ingredients. The two most popular varieties are bubble milk tea with tapioca and bubble milk green tea with tapioca.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comScope of the Report:This report focuses on the Bubble Tea in global market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, types and applications.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversKung Fu TeaGong ChaBoba GuysChatimeShareTea8tea5QuicklyCoCo FreshVIVI BUBBLE TEAMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversOriginal Flavored Bubble TeaFruit Flavored Bubble TeaOther FlavorsMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoKids (ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.
Non-woven Adhesives Market Size Projected to Rise Lucratively during 2025

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/non-woven-adhesives-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=29903

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

Non-woven Adhesives Market: OverviewNon-woven adhesives are widely used in disposable hygiene products. They are thermoplastic adhesives comprising base polymer, plasticizers, antioxidants, diluents, additives, and tackifiers. Demand for these products is high due to their beneficial properties such as optimum performance, easy usage, high elasticity, and safety in various applications. Non-woven adhesives are commonly employed in applications such as feminine hygiene, baby care, and adult care.View Report Preview:Non-woven adhesives are available in various types such as amorphous poly-alpha olefins, ethylene vinyl acetate, and styrenic block copolymers. Other types comprise polyester, polyamide, and polyurethane. They are also used in industrial applications due to their properties such as lack of odor, high elasticity, excellent processibility, high cohesion strength, and softness.Non-woven Adhesives Market: TrendsAmong the types of non-woven adhesive, the demand for poly-alpha olefins is expected to be comparatively high during the forecast period, as it is more resistant to solvents and acids. It is also cost effective compared to other adhesives. The usage of non-woven adhesives is expected to increase substantially in medical products, owing to the rapid advancements in the healthcare sector, which is largely dependent on product developments and innovations.Demand for high performance non-woven adhesives has been rising of late due to the increase in usage of disposable hygiene products such as baby diapers, training pants, and feminine sanitary products. Non-woven adhesives form a major part of the products available in the hygiene market. The hygiene industry is primarily driven by the various innovations in products. Products with characteristics such as improved absorption, less waste, thinner cores, and proper and comfortable fit are being preferred. Non-woven adhesives meet these criteria.Advancement in medical procedures and health care related practices is expected to drive the market for non-woven adhesives in the next few years. Rise in aging population is also anticipated to be a major factor driving the inclusion of non-woven adhesives in various adult care products such as adult diapers. With increasing awareness related to the use of safe and hygienic products, the market for non-woven adhesives is estimated to expand further during the forecast period.Intense competition in the market may prove to be hamper new entrants in the non-woven adhesives market. The risk associated with the volatility in the prices of raw materials is also projected to adversely affect the market.Non-woven Adhesives Market: Region-wise OutlookOf late, the demand for non-woven adhesives has been rising in Asia Pacific. This increase in demand can be ascribed to the rise in awareness related to the benefits associated with its usage in products such as feminine care and baby care products such as diapers in countries such as Japan, China, and India. Following Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America are anticipated to register substantial growth in the non-woven adhesives market in the near future. Countries such as the UAE, Turkey, Brazil, and Mexico are adopting better and hygienic health care practices. This is likely to be a key factor driving the development of the market in these regions.The non-woven adhesives market in North America and Europe is anticipated to witness significant growth over the next few years. Rise in demand for non-woven adhesives in North America can be ascribed to the increase in demand in countries such as the U.S. due to the awareness related to implementation of better hygienic practices. Increase in demand for hygiene products such as baby diapers and feminine sanitary products in countries in Europe such as Germany and France is anticipated to augment the non-woven adhesives market in the region in the near future.Non-woven Adhesives Market: Key PlayersPlayers operating in the non-woven adhesives market include HB Fuller, Henkel Corporation, Palmetto Adhesives, Kraton Corporation, Beardow Adams, and The Dow Chemical Company.Request to view Sample Report:The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Ultrasound Gel Market Size will Observe Substantial Growth by 2025

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ultrasound-gel-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28367

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

Medical ultrasound is transfer of sound waves into body for diagnostic purpose. This is carried out to obtain internal body images. The ultrasound technology when used alone is not effective, as the sound waves are impeded by air and gases. These air and gases cause intense reflections between the skin and ultrasound transducer. Therefore, a conductive medium is required, where the ultrasound waves can be transferred through skin without any reflections. This ultrasound gels serve as a conductive medium between the transducer and surface of skin and help transfer sound waves through skin by preventing the formation of of air bubbles. Alcohol and water are also suitable media, but inappropriate to use due to their low viscosity and volatility. Ultrasound gel is composed of propylene glycol and water. These gels are completely transparent, non-allergic, and have gliding characteristics. These gels are little sticky, and when applied to skin, do not dip or run off. Ultrasound gel can be easily wiped off after the medical procedure. Ideally, ultrasound gel should be non-irritating and should not stain clothes or damage equipment. It should be completely aqueous.View Report Preview:Based on type, the ultrasound gel market can be segmented into sterile and non-sterile. Sterile ultrasound gels are available in sachets with overwrapped. They are acoustically correct for all medical ultrasound frequencies. Sterile ultrasound gels are recommended for sterile body site procedures. They are also recommended for procedures with mucosal contact where biopsy is not planned and also on all procedures for pediatric patients. Non-sterile ultrasound gels are usually available in doppler tubes, bottles, and containers. The use of non-sterile ultrasound gel is recommended for low risk procedures on intact skin. For non-sterile ultrasound gels, single use containers are recommended rather than refillable or reusable bottles. If reusable bottles are used, they should follow proper guidelines for refilling. Non-sterile ultrasound gels lead in terms of market share due to their low cost and bulk availability. However, sterile ultrasound gels are gaining popularity owing to their recommended usage in pediatric procedures and other therapies.Based on end-use application, the ultrasound gel market can be categorized into therapy, hospital, and diagnostics. Under the therapy segment, ultrasound gel is used along with the ultrasound machine for therapies such as hyperthermia, unfocused beam, high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), intracorporeal lithotripsy, extracorporeal lithotripsy, focused ultrasound, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, intravascular ultrasound, and low intensity pulsed ultrasound. Under the hospital segment, ultrasound gels are used along with ultrasound machines for anesthesiology, gynecology, neonatology, ophthalmology, and urology. Ultrasound gel is applied for diagnostic procedures such as echocardiography, endoscopy, electrocardiography, and carotid ultrasonography. The therapy segment dominates the market for ultrasound gel due to its extensive range of applications. It is followed by the diagnostic segment.Based on region, the ultrasound gel market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The health care industry is in the mature stage in developed nations of North America and Europe. Therefore, North America leads the market for ultrasound gel. It is followed by Europe. The ultrasound gel market in Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa is in the growth stage.Key players operating in the ultrasound gel market are Parker Laboratories Inc., Optimum Medical Limited, Tele-Paper Malaysia, Livondo, NEXT Medical Products, Sonotech, Sonogel Vertriebs Gmbh, Changchun Chengshi, National Therapy Products Inc, Phyto Performance, Ultragel Kft, Eco-Med, Besmed, Medguard Healthcare, and Ceracarta.Request to view Sample Report:The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
RTI Announces Continued Growth and Building IIoT Market Leadership

Dr. Stan Schneider, CEO of RTI

www.rti.com

www.lorenzoni.de

SUNNYVALE (USA)/London  March 2018  Real-Time Innovations (RTI), the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) connectivity company, today announced another year of consistent growth by logging a 23% increase in recurring bookings. RTI has now accumulated 27% CAGR sales growth over the last three years. Perhaps most impressively, RTIs recurring revenues now account for more than 70% of revenues with a dollar-value retention of 116% (-16% churn). Negative churn indicates that RTIs customers are loyal and growing.2017 brought a record number of new customer engagements, with 173% growth in net new customers over RTIs strong 2016. To support the growth, RTI increased its employee headcount by 32%. Europe had particularly strong growth, with rapid expansion of its Spain Development Center (SDC) and 30% growth in the territory. RTIs performance sets the stage for continued momentum in 2018; the company expects to expand field sales and business development this year.The RTI Connext Databus is the strongest implementation of the Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard. In 2017, RTI introduced RTI Connext DDS 5.3, the first connectivity software for scalable system-of-systems databus architectures. RTI Connext DDS 5.3 is the newest addition to RTIs comprehensive Connext DDS product portfolio, designed to architect IIoT systems in RTIs key verticals: Healthcare, transportation, Oil & Gas, power and defense. RTI also introduced RTI Labs, a free program that provides early access to new IIoT technology. RTIs advanced products now command more than 75% of the DDS market share.Real-Time Innovations (RTI) is the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) connectivity company. The RTI Connext databus is a software framework that shares information in real time, making applications work together as one, integrated system. It connects across field, fog and cloud. Its reliability, security, performance and scalability are proven in the most demanding industrial systems. Deployed systems include medical devices and imaging; wind, hydro and solar power; autonomous planes, trains and cars; traffic control; Oil and Gas; robotics, ships and defense.RTI lives at the intersection of functional artificial intelligence and pervasive networking.RTI is the largest vendor of products based on the Object Management Group (OMG) Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard. RTI is privately held and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.Real-Time Innovations (RTI)London Barbican88 Wood StreetLondon, EC2V 7RSUnited KingdomPress contact:Agentur Lorenzoni GmbH for RTIrti@lorenzoni.de
Cyclic Olefin Copolymers Market Growth to be Driven by Technological Advancements 2025

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cyclic-olefin-copolymers-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28334

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

Cyclic olefin copolymers (COCs) are formed by chain copolymerization of cyclic monomers with ethene. COCs exhibit remarkable optical properties, which are similar to that of glass. These materials can resist high temperature and offer excellent transparency with low bi- refractivity. The monomer content in the COC affects its properties such as stiffness, viscosity, and glass transition temperature.Monomers in a COC chain can be of two types, based on which COCs are classified into two groups: cyclic olefin copolymer (having different types of monomers) and cyclic olefin polymer (having a single type of monomer). However, they are termed together, due to their similar amorphous thermoplastic polymer properties.View Report Preview:Standard polymer processing techniques that are suitable for COCs include extrusion coating, compression molding, thermoforming, injection molding, single-screw and twin-screw extrusion, injection and stretch blow molding (ISBM), and biaxial orientation.In order to achieve cost-effectiveness, the COC is used as a modifier for the base resin in either single-layer films or multilayer films. This provides the added properties of COCs to packaging films in addition to that of base resin (for example, polyethylene). Films made from different COC grades, which are based on ethylene and polyethylene, are employed in consumer applications such as pharmaceutical and food packaging applications.Advanced compositions of COCs with higher purity are light in weight, break resistant, and with excellent barrier properties, lower particle level than glass, and glass-like transparency. These factors enable their usage in short-term as well as long-term pharmaceutical containers.Popular applications of COCs include labels, shrink films, twist films, forming films, and bubble (or protective) packaging. Pharmaceutical blister packaging is one of the applications, wherein demand for COCs in the end-product is high.Along with the major use of COCs in pharmaceutical containers, it is also applied in blister packs, syringes, and forming webs. Second only to PAN in terms of chemical resistance, adsorption rate, and low permeation and migration of medical-grade chemical contents; COCs offer good results in aforementioned applications. For instance, adsorption of nicotine by COCs is less than that of glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) and Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH). Also, resistance of COC against methyl salicylate is higher than that of PETG, and is in the same levels as that of PAN. Yet another feature of the COC that enables its effective use in pharmaceutical applications is alcohol resistance. For instance, COCs are used in multilayered blends with polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), or glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) in order to provide moisture barriers to blister packs.For COCs to be employed in pharmaceutical packaging, an approval is required from the U.S. and the EU Pharmacopoeia. The major characteristics of COC that are considered while utilizing it include heat resistance, processing parameters, and cost. In terms of strength for containers, COCs generally offer exceptional breakage resistance as compared to glass. Furthermore, they weigh much less and they have greater design flexibility.Based on form, the cyclic olefin copolymers market for pharmaceutical packaging can be divided into pellets, resins, and others. Based on application, the market can be segmented into wraps, labels, films, protective packaging, syringes, vials, wearables, and others.In terms of geography, the market can be segregated into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is one of the key producers of COCs in the world, due to presence of several COC manufacturers in the region. Countries such as Germany, Russia, and the U.K. are among the major producers of COCs in Europe. Based on consumption, North America and Europe are the key markets. In terms of consumption, the market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand during the forecast period, although at a sluggish pace compared to North America and Europe.Key players operating in the cyclic olefin copolymers market for pharmaceutical packaging include Entec Polymers, Topas Advanced Polymers Inc., SCHOTT North America Inc., IDEX Corporation, Zeon Corporation, Celanese Corporation, JSR Corporation, and Mitsui Chemicals Inc.Request to view Sample Report:The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Busbar Trunking Systems Market size in terms of volume and value -2025

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/busbar-trunking-systems-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28202

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

Global Busbar Trunking Systems Market: SnapshotThe growing demand for cost efficiency, enhanced safety, and reliability in power distribution systems has propelled the demand for busbar trunking systems in the utility sector. The electric distribution system is prefabricated and consists of a set of copper or aluminum bus bars suitably enclosed with superb protection against any foreign materials. Busbar trunking systems have emerged as highly efficient, safe, and ideal electric supply and distribution system suitable for a variety of industrial installations and in high-rise buildings. Enabled by compact design and standard plug-in boxes, these systems can deliver current in the range 125A to 2000A suitable for a wide variety of industrial purposes. They are gaining prominence over normal cabling systems due to a variety of factors. Being cost-effective for on-site installation, busbar trunking systems offer substantial cost-savings attributed to flexible design and less production downtime in case of rewiring to meet future needs.View Report Preview:These are fast gaining popularity in applications where the precise location in unknown and various changes in physical distribution of loads are possibly required. In addition, the installations and projects where immediate power supply are required has made busbar trunking systems increasingly popular. In addition, the ease of mounting of the systems lends flexibility in electrical distribution. Designed to offer low impedance and no polarity error, these systems enable utility companies the benefit of low voltage drop and a safe distribution system through plug-in points.Busbar trunking system is an electric distribution system, which is pre-fabricated. It consists of busbar, fittings, straight lengths, and other accessories in a protective enclosure. It performs the function of transforming current from one point to another. Conventionally, regular cabling system is used for this function. The busbar trunking system replaces these cables and distribution boards. Advantages of busbar trunking system over cabling system are higher energy efficiency, higher safety, longer service life, lower installation cost, lower maintenance cost, more compact size, higher mechanical strength, and more flexibility on load adjustments. The power is distributed by placing tap-off points at regular intervals along the length. Since the system is self-contained, it only needs to be electrically connected and mechanically mounted to become operational. In the busbar trunking system, overheating of the system and unbalanced distribution of current for high ratings of power distribution are completely avoided. Busbars in the enclosure are held tight and they can be placed vertically or horizontally, flat wise or edge wise, in any direction with all kinds of tees and bends.The busbar trunking systems market can be segmented on the basis of conductor material, insulation type, end-user, and region. Based on conductor material, the busbar trunking systems market has been divided into copper conductors and aluminum conductors. A good conducting material possesses features such as high coefficient of expansion, good thermal conductivity, good electric conductivity, high tensile strength, and good connectivity. Traditionally, copper has been used as a high-current conductor. The copper conductors segment holds a major share of the busbar trunking systems market. Aluminum conductors are gaining acceptance in recent times. The price of an aluminum conductor is 33% of that of a copper conductor. This is anticipated to drive the aluminum conductors segment of the busbar trunking systems market during the forecast period.Based on insulation type, the busbar trunking systems market has been segregated into sandwich type and air-insulated type. The sandwich type is an epoxy or cast resin insulted, which provides waterproofing and high mechanical strength. This type of system withstands spikes and glitches in electric systems so that the system runs reliably and stably. Air-insulated or fabricated air-insulated type of busbar trunking system is highly flexible and it saves lot of space. It is widely used in commercial and residential buildings. The sandwich type of busbar trunking system has benefits over the air-insulated type such as compactness, energy efficiency, safety and security, fire-retardance, and low cost. These benefits make the sandwich type segment hold a major share of the busbar trunking market during the forecast period.Based on end-user, the busbar trunking systems market has been segmented into industrial, commercial, and residential. For any industry, a convenient and reliable power connection method is required. Busbar trunking systems resolve the problem of overhanging cables in industries and creates a safe working environment. The commercial segment comprises shopping complexes, IT centers, retail outlets, and office spaces. Residential buildings require vertically designed busbar trunking systems in order to avoid cables. Due to wide usage of these systems in manufacturing industries, the industrial segment leads the busbar trunking systems market among end-user segments.Based on region, the busbar trunking systems market has been divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. In recent times, aluminum conductors are being widely used in North America. This region holds a major share of the global busbar trunking systems market, followed by Europe. Due to growth of manufacturing industries and commercial buildings in Asia Pacific, the market in the region is anticipated to expand at a significant rate during the forecast period.Key players operating in the global busbar trunking systems market are Schneider Electric (France), General Electric (the U.S.), ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), Larsen & Toubro (India), Siemens AG (Germany), Legrand S.A. (France), Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd. (India), Eaton Corporation plc (Ireland), C&S Electric Limited (India), and EAE Elektrik (Istanbul).Request to view Sample Report:The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Food Leavening Agent Market 2018: Key Players  Lallemand, ANGEL, FORISE YEAST, SUNKEEN, Vitality King, Kraft

Food Leavening Agent Market

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2698998-2015-2023-world-food-leavening-agent-market-research-report-by

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/2698998-2015-2023-world-food-leavening-agent-market-research-report-by

SummaryWiseGuyReports.com adds Food Leavening Agent Market 2018 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2023 reports to its database.This report provides in depth study of Food Leavening Agent Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Food Leavening Agent Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market which is based on the various objectives of an organization such as profiling, the product outline, the quantity of production, required raw material, and the financial health of the organization.Food leavening agent is a substance used in doughs and batters that causes a foaming action that lightens and softens. Such agents include yeast, baking powder, and baking soda, etc.This report includes market status and forecast of global and major regions, with introduction of vendors, regions, product types and end industries; and this report counts product types and end industries in global and major regions.Global Food Leavening Agent market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingLesaffreAB MauriLallemandANGELFORISE YEASTSUNKEENVitality KingKraftChurch & DwightSolvayNatural SodaBerunYuhua ChemicalHaohua HongheHailian SanyiMarket Segment as follows:By Region / CountriesNorth America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain etc)South America (Brazil, Argentina etc)Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, South Africa etc)By TypeYeastBaking PowderBaking SodaOthersBy End-User / ApplicationBreadCakeBiscuitSteamed breadOthersRequest a Sample Report @Table of Contents1 Market Definition1.1 Market Segment Overview1.2 by Type1.3 by End-Use / Application2 Global Market by Vendors2.1 Market Share2.2 Vendor Profile2.3 Dynamic of Vendors3 Global Market by Type3.1 Market Share3.2 Introduction of End-Use by Different Products4 Global Market by End-Use / Application4.1 Market Share4.2 Overview of Consumption Characteristics4.2.1 Preference Driven4.2.2 Substitutability4.2.3 Influence by Strategy4.2.4 Professional Needs5 Global Market by Regions5.1 Market Share5.2 Regional Market Growth5.2.1 North America5.2.2 Europe5.2.3 Asia-Pacific5.2.4 South America5.2.5 Middle East & Africa..12 Key Manufacturers12.1 Lesaffre12.1.2 Company Overview12.1.2 Product and End-User / Application12.1.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.2 AB Mauri12.2.1 Company Overview12.2.2 Product and End-User / Application12.2.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.3 Lallemand12.3.1 Company Overview12.3.2 Product and End-User / Application12.3.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.4 ANGEL12.4.1 Company Overview12.4.2 Product and End-User / Application12.4.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.5 FORISE YEAST12.5.1 Company Overview12.5.2 Product and End-User / Application12.5.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.6 SUNKEEN12.12.1 Company Overview12.12.2 Product and End-User / Application12.12.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.7 Vitality King12.7.1 Company Overview12.7.2 Product and End-User / Application12.7.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.8 Kraft12.8.1 Company Overview12.8.2 Product and End-User / Application12.8.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.9 Church & Dwight12.9.1 Company Overview12.9.2 Product and End-User / Application12.9.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.10 Solvay12.10.1 Company Overview12.10.2 Product and End-User / Application12.10.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)12.11 Natural Soda12.12 Berun12.13 Yuhua Chemical12.14 Haohua Honghe12.15 Hailian SanyiAt any Query @Continued....Contact Us: sales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US) ; Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRESS:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Vibrio Diagnostics Market to Record Sturdy Growth by 2019

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2271

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=2271

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/vibrio-diagnostics-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Vibrio is a genus of anaerobic, non-spore forming, gram-negative bacteria that are curved rod shape. All the species of the vibrio genus are motile pathogens and have flagella with sheaths. Several species of these bacteria are capable of causing various conditionssuch as cholera, gastroenteritis, primary septicemia, cell necrosis and otitis. Some of the diagnostic techniques used for the detection of various diseases associated with vibrio are Enzyme Immunoassays (EIA), PCRFlow Cytometry, Monoclonal Antibodies, Diagnostic Imaging, Immuno-PCR, Fluorescent Immunoassays and Immunoprecipitation.Some of the end-users of vibrio diagnostics techniques are Public Health Laboratories, Hospitals, Private and commercial diagnostic labs.Request to View Brochure of Report -Geographically, Asia-Pacific is expected to lead the Vibrio Diagnostics Market due to factors such as poor sanitation, unsafe drinking water and unhygienic living conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) disease such as Cholera, caused by Vibrio cholera, is rare in the U.S. and other developed nations. However, the disease is predominantly present in tropical regions including Southeast Asia, Africa and Middle East countries. According to an another report by the CDC, in 2011, globally almost 58 countries registered 589,854 cases of cholera and approximately 7,816 deaths from cholera to WHO in the same year.Request to View ToC of Report -The market for vibrio diagnostics market is primarily driven by the initiation of rapid diagnostics tests, rising awareness and increased healthcare expenditure. The market is also expected to witness growth due to other factors such as quick outcome, affordability of the diagnostics kits and devices. Furthermore, development of advance diagnostics techniques such as Polymearse Chain Reaction (PCR) and Enzyme Immunoassays (EIA) are also expected to the drive the market.Some of the major players in this industry segment include Abbott Laboratories, Becton, Dickinson and Company, DiamedixImpex S.A., Eiken Chemical Co. Ltd., Fujirebio Diagnostics Inc., Hologic Inc., Kreatech Holding BV, Lonza Group, Novartis Diagnostics and F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.View Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
E-Liquids Market by Manufacturers,Types,Regions and Applications Research Report Forecast to 2023

E-Liquids Market 2018

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3042701-global-north-america-europe-and-asia-pacific-south

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3042701-global-north-america-europe-and-asia-pacific-south

WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On  E-Liquids Market by Manufacturers,Types,Regions and Applications Research Report Forecast to 2023.Description:"The PG (Propylene glycol) and VG (Vegetable Glycerin) are the two primary base ingredients of E-Liquid. They are all FDA approved and are equally safe.The PG is a clear, colorless liquid which usually been used as a flavoring carrier in food products. The main applications of Propylene glycol are cosmetics products, food production, and e-juice."Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comScope of the Report:This report focuses on the E-Liquids in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversVMR Products LLCHaloBlack NoteLiquid StateRipe VapesKings CrestMotley BrewHalycon VaporsSpace JamDinner LadyNasty JuiceMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversPG baseVG baseOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoReport Details @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global E-Liquids market.Chapter 1, to describe E-Liquids Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of E-Liquids, with sales, revenue, and price of E-Liquids, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of E-Liquids, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Continue..Table Of Contents  Major Key Points1 Market Overview1.1 E-Liquids Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 PG base1.2.2 VG base1.2.3 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 VMR Products LLC2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.1.1 VMR Products LLC E-Liquids Description2.1.1.2 VMR Products LLC E-Liquids Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.1.2 VMR Products LLC E-Liquids Product Introduction2.1.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.1.2.2 VMR Products LLC E-Liquids Product Introduction2.1.3 VMR Products LLC E-Liquids Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.1.3.1 VMR Products LLC E-Liquids Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.1.3.2 VMR Products LLC E-Liquids Market Share in Global in 20162.2 Halo2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.1.1 Halo E-Liquids Description2.2.1.2 Halo E-Liquids Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.2.2 VMR Products LLC E-Liquids Product Introduction2.2.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.2.2.2 Halo E-Liquids Product Introduction2.2.3 Halo E-Liquids Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.2.3.1 Halo E-Liquids Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2.3.2 Halo E-Liquids Market Share in Global in 20162.3 Black Note2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.1.1 Black Note E-Liquids Description2.3.1.2 Black Note E-Liquids Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.3.2 Black Note E-Liquids Product Introduction2.3.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.3.2.2 Black Note E-Liquids Product Introduction2.3.3 Black Note E-Liquids Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.3.3.1 Black Note E-Liquids Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3.3.2 Black Note E-Liquids Market Share in Global in 20162.4 Liquid State2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.1.1 Liquid State E-Liquids Description2.4.1.2 Liquid State E-Liquids Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.4.2 Liquid State E-Liquids Product Introduction2.4.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.4.2.2 Liquid State E-Liquids Product Introduction2.4.3 Liquid State E-Liquids Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.4.3.1 Liquid State E-Liquids Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4.3.2 Liquid State E-Liquids Market Share in Global in 20162.5 Ripe Vapes2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.1.1 Ripe Vapes E-Liquids Description2.5.1.2 Ripe Vapes E-Liquids Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.5.2 Ripe Vapes E-Liquids Product Introduction2.5.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.5.2.2 Ripe Vapes E-Liquids Product Introduction2.5.3 Ripe Vapes E-Liquids Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.5.3.1 Ripe Vapes E-Liquids Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5.3.2 Ripe Vapes E-Liquids Market Share in Global in 20162.6 Kings Crest2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.1.1 Kings Crest E-Liquids Description2.6.1.2 Kings Crest E-Liquids Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.6.2 Kings Crest E-Liquids Product Introduction2.6.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.6.2.2 Kings Crest E-Liquids Product Introduction2.6.3 Kings Crest E-Liquids Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.6.3.1 Kings Crest E-Liquids Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6.3.2 Kings Crest E-Liquids Market Share in Global in 20162.7 Motley Brew2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.1.1 Motley Brew E-Liquids Description2.7.1.2 Motley Brew E-Liquids Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.7.2 Motley Brew E-Liquids Product Introduction2.7.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.7.2.2 Motley Brew E-Liquids Product Introduction2.7.3 Motley Brew E-Liquids Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.7.3.1 Motley Brew E-Liquids Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7.3.2 Motley Brew E-Liquids Market Share in Global in 2016ContinueFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.
Vitreoretinal Surgery Devices Market to Observe Strong Development by 2024

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2281

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=2281

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/vitreoretinal-surgery-devices-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Vitreoretinal surgeries are undertaken to treat eye disorders related to the retina, macula, and vitreous fluid. These include macular degeneration, retinal detachment, uveitis and vitreous hemorrhage, macular hole, epiretinal membrane, retinal detachment, and complications related to diabetic retinopathy. The variety of instruments, tools, and surgical equipment designed to help surgeons execute the surgery fall under the umbrella of medical devices called vitreoretinal surgery devices.Over the past few years, the global Vitreoretinal Surgery Devices Market has witnessed significant advancements in terms of the easy availability of specialized solutions, techniques, and instruments, which allow for less invasive procedures, reduce the amount of suffering to the eye, and lead to reduced healing time and improved patient outcomes. Developments in the market continue to happen at a rapid pace and an increasing number of companies are manufacturing highly sophisticated vitreoretinal surgery devices capable of supporting the surgery technique and the overall efficiency of the procedure.Request to View Brochure of Report -This report on the global vitreoretinal surgery devices market presents a thorough account of the present growth dynamics of the market and its key segments, along with verifiable projections pertaining to the growth prospects over the period between 2016 and 2024. Potential impact of the regulatory framework at regional and global levels on a variety of decisions related to the vitreoretinal surgery devices market is also analyzed in the report.The vast and rapid rise in the global population of geriatrics, a demographic considered most vulnerable to vitreoretinal disorders such as macular degeneration, is one of the key factors to have led a significant rise in the number of vitreoretinal surgeries taking place globally. Furthermore, the rising global prevalence of eye disorders is also expected to lead to an increase in the number of vitreoretinal surgeries in the next few years. Along with these factors, the global demand for vitreoretinal surgery devices is expected to rise due to technological developments observed in the field and the increased availability of automated and easy-to-use devices.Request to View ToC of Report -The market can be segmented on the basis of criteria such as product type, end-use sector, and surgery type. On the basis of product variety, the market can be segmented into vitreo retinal per fluoro carbon liquids (PFCL), vitreo retinal surgical packs, and vitreo retinal prefilled silicone oil syringes. On the basis of type of surgery, the market can be segmented into anterior vitreoretinal surgery and posterior vitreoretinal surgery. Both types require specific varieties of equipment and devices. However, not a large range of devices are present in the market capable of being used across both types of surgeries. This could be a lucrative growth opportunity for companies operating in the market.On the basis of geography, the market has been segmented into regions such as North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East and Africa. Of these, North America is presently the leading contributor to the revenue of the global vitreoretinal surgery market, chiefly owing to the vast population base of geriatrics, highly developed healthcare infrastructure, and an encouraging medical reimbursement structure. Over the reports forecast period, however, Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as the most lucrative regional market for vitreoretinal surgery devices owing to the rising geriatric population, rising population of affluent patients, and improvements in healthcare infrastructure of countries such as South Korea, India, and China.Some of the key companies operating in the global vitreoretinal surgery market are Dutch Ophthalmic Research Center International BV, Bausch & Lomb, Inc., OCULUS Optikgerate GmbH, Designs For Vision Pty Ltd, MedOne Surgical, Inc., and Alcon, Inc.View Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Cardiovascular Information System Market to Perceive Substantial Growth During 2024

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2297

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=2297

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cardiovascular-information-system-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Cardiovascular information system (CVIS) is digitized collection of research material software architecture and clinical information. It facilitates decision support, scientific advancement, information exchange, and decision support in the field of cardiovascular study. In cardiac rehabilitation, CVIS is aimed at endorsing the advanced level of evidence-based professional standards. The demand for cardiovascular information systems has gained pace due to the dynamic reporting such as measurements, images, and informatics they provide. Such information is structured in a template-type manner to ensure reliability and effectiveness in the delivery of patient reports.To gauge the effectiveness of the technology and factors driving its demand, the report segments the global Cardiovascular Information System Market based on application, provider entity, and geography. It presents an in-depth analysis of the factors influencing the markets trajectory across the various segments. It also studies the impact of Porters five forces on the global cardiovascular information system market.Request to View Brochure of Report -The increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases such as cardiac failure, arrhythmias, and ischemic heart disease is the chief driver of the global cardiovascular information system market. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart diseases emerged as the leading cause of death among men in the U.S. in 2013. The findings also stated that heart diseases was the second leading cause of death worldwide in the same year.As there is likelihood for the incidence of heart ailments reduce any time soon, the cardiovascular information system market is expected to witness persistently increasing demand. Furthermore, with technological advancements, there is every possibility for the market to rake higher profit in the coming years. However, the high cost and technical complexities often associated with these systems, are expected to create bottlenecks for the global cardiovascular information system market. Additionally, enterprises operating in the market also have to deal with stringent regulatory compliance, which could hamper the markets trajectory to an extent.Request to View ToC of Report -Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World, constitute the key regional segments in the global cardiovascular information system market. Among these regions, North America has been leading due to the extensive technological advancements witnessed by the market in the region. Furthermore, North America also gains due to the presence of several leading players in the region.Europe in the recent years has emerged as the second-leading market for cardiovascular information system, trailed by Asia Pacific, which is a considered a strong emerging market. The rapid expansion of the healthcare infrastructure is aiding growth witnessed by the market. In addition the cardiovascular information system market will also witness highly lucrative opportunities in India, China, Malaysia, and Japan.Aimed at providing an executive-level blueprint of the global cardiovascular information system market, the report also profiles some of the leading players operating therein. It thus studies the strategies adopted by companies such as Mckesson Corporation, Philips Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare, AGFA Healthcare, Fujifilm Medical Systems, Merge Healthcare, Digisonics, Cerner Corporation, and Lumedx.Besides analyzing the strategies they have adopted, which also had influence on the market over the years, the report also studies the outcome of SWOT analysis conducted on them. This provides insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the companies profiled and helps identify the threats and opportunities for the market in the forthcoming years.View Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Atomic Spectroscopy Market to Record an Exponential CAGR by 2024

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2311

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=2311

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/atomic-spectroscopy-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Atomic spectroscopy involves the interaction of gaseous atoms with light, whereby conversion of a gaseous atom takes place. The determination of elemental composition while using electromagnetic spectrum or mass is central to spectroscopy. Atomic emission, atomic absorption, and atomic florescence are the three techniques of the atomic spectroscopy determination process. Atomic spectroscopy is widely used in several industries across the globe, thereby accelerating the expansion of the global Atomic Spectroscopy Market.The report provides an accurate analysis of the competitive landscape, the trends and opportunities, and drivers and restraints. A technological growth map, a multiple-year forecast, together with Porters five force analysis is included in the report. A review of macro and micro factors in the market, recommendations, and recent technological advancements are also covered. The report categorizes the major segments according to application as pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food and beverage testing, environmental testing, industrial chemistry, and others. On the basis of technology, x-ray diffraction spectroscopy, x-ray florescence spectroscopy, elemental analyzers, inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), atomic absorption spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy, and others are the key segments.Request to View Brochure of Report -Rising demand for futuristic, highly advanced analytical tools, the spread of technology among numerous R&D sectors, and increased significance of the discovery of new molecules among chemical and pharmaceutical organizations have been the key factors fuelling the demand for atomic spectroscopy. Furthermore, government encouragement of research activities, constant rise in the international standards for drug safety and food, together with its growing number of applications, have been some of the prominent drivers of this market. The most important driver is believed to be the extensive R&D initiatives. On the contrary, high maintenance costs, inadequate funds for initial set-up and instrumentation, lack of awareness, and shortage of skilled personnel are the chief restraints in the global atomic spectroscopy market.Today, atomic spectroscopy has found application in pharmaceutical industries, food industries, in research laboratories, and for diagnostic purposes. In agriculture, it can be used for analyzing minerals in soil and plants, in order to foster their health and growth. In environmental sciences, atomic spectroscopy helps determine the presence of heavy and toxic metals in air, water, and soil. Monitoring potentially harmful elements in water and waste output in nuclear energy, analyzing fine as well as raw chemicals in the chemical industry, and testing and quality assurance in food industry are some of the uses of atomic spectroscopy.Request to View ToC of Report -North America stood first among regional markets for atomic spectroscopy, while Europe took charge of the second position. The ever-extending demand for atomic spectroscopy in regards to application and significant technological achievements in the region have been the major reasons for North Americas success. Although Asia Pacific ranks third among the regional segments, it will spring up to a great extent in near future, claiming a significant share in the global market for atomic spectroscopy. This is due to the tremendous opportunities held by the India and China markets. Moreover, the inclination of manufacturers towards investment in R&D activities in order to tap higher profits from these promising markets will be responsible for the advancement of the Asia Pacific atomic spectroscopy market.Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Aurora Biomed, GBC Scientific Equipment Pty Ltd., Agilent Technologies, Bruker Corporation, Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Rigaku Corporation, Analytik Jena Ag, Shimadzu Corporation, and PerkinElmer, Inc. are some of the major competitors mentioned in the report.View Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Fire Pump Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players  Pentair, Grundfos, Flowserve, Sulzer, Rosenbauer, IDEX, Ebara

Fire Pump Industry 2018

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3042708-global-north-america-europe-and-asia-pacific-south

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3042708-global-north-america-europe-and-asia-pacific-south

WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On  Fire Pump Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players  Pentair, Grundfos, Flowserve, Sulzer, Rosenbauer, IDEX, Ebara.Description:A fire pump is a part of a fire sprinkler system's water supply and can be powered by electric, diesel or steam. The pump intake is either connected to the public underground water supply piping, or a static water source (e.g., tank, reservoir, lake). The pump provides water flow at a higher pressure to the sprinkler system risers and hose standpipes.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comScope of the Report:This report focuses on the Fire Pump in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversPentairGrundfosFlowserveSulzerRosenbauerIDEXEbaraWaterousITTKSBWILODarleySHIBAURAShanghai KaiquanPanda GroupLIANCHENG GroupCNPPACIFIC PUMPShaanxi Aerospace PowerEAST PUMPZHONGQUAN PumpGeXin PumpMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversDiesel Engine PowerGasoline Engine PowerElectric Motor PowerOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoIndustry ApplicationCommercial ApplicationField EmergencyOthersReport Details @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Fire Pump market.Chapter 1, to describe Fire Pump Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Fire Pump, with sales, revenue, and price of Fire Pump, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Fire Pump, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Continue..Table Of Contents  Major Key Points1 Market Overview1.1 Fire Pump Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Diesel Engine Power1.2.2 Gasoline Engine Power1.2.3 Electric Motor Power1.2.4 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Industry Application1.3.2 Commercial Application1.3.3 Field Emergency1.3.4 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Pentair2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.1.1 Pentair Fire Pump Description2.1.1.2 Pentair Fire Pump Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.1.2 Pentair Fire Pump Product Introduction2.1.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.1.2.2 Pentair Fire Pump Product Introduction2.1.3 Pentair Fire Pump Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.1.3.1 Pentair Fire Pump Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.1.3.2 Pentair Fire Pump Market Share in Global in 20162.2 Grundfos2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.1.1 Grundfos Fire Pump Description2.2.1.2 Grundfos Fire Pump Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.2.2 Pentair Fire Pump Product Introduction2.2.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.2.2.2 Grundfos Fire Pump Product Introduction2.2.3 Grundfos Fire Pump Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.2.3.1 Grundfos Fire Pump Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2.3.2 Grundfos Fire Pump Market Share in Global in 20162.3 Flowserve2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.1.1 Flowserve Fire Pump Description2.3.1.2 Flowserve Fire Pump Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.3.2 Flowserve Fire Pump Product Introduction2.3.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.3.2.2 Flowserve Fire Pump Product Introduction2.3.3 Flowserve Fire Pump Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.3.3.1 Flowserve Fire Pump Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3.3.2 Flowserve Fire Pump Market Share in Global in 20162.4 Sulzer2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.1.1 Sulzer Fire Pump Description2.4.1.2 Sulzer Fire Pump Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.4.2 Sulzer Fire Pump Product Introduction2.4.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.4.2.2 Sulzer Fire Pump Product Introduction2.4.3 Sulzer Fire Pump Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.4.3.1 Sulzer Fire Pump Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4.3.2 Sulzer Fire Pump Market Share in Global in 20162.5 Rosenbauer2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.1.1 Rosenbauer Fire Pump Description2.5.1.2 Rosenbauer Fire Pump Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.5.2 Rosenbauer Fire Pump Product Introduction2.5.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.5.2.2 Rosenbauer Fire Pump Product Introduction2.5.3 Rosenbauer Fire Pump Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.5.3.1 Rosenbauer Fire Pump Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5.3.2 Rosenbauer Fire Pump Market Share in Global in 20162.6 IDEX2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.1.1 IDEX Fire Pump Description2.6.1.2 IDEX Fire Pump Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.6.2 IDEX Fire Pump Product Introduction2.6.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.6.2.2 IDEX Fire Pump Product Introduction2.6.3 IDEX Fire Pump Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.6.3.1 IDEX Fire Pump Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6.3.2 IDEX Fire Pump Market Share in Global in 20162.7 Ebara2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.1.1 Ebara Fire Pump Description2.7.1.2 Ebara Fire Pump Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.7.2 Ebara Fire Pump Product Introduction2.7.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.7.2.2 Ebara Fire Pump Product IntroductionContinueFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.
Managed Security Services Market to Exceed more than US$ 45 Billion By 2022

Managed Security Services Market

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/Managed-Security-Services-Market

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/Managed-Security-Services-Market

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/

New York, March 07, 2018: The Global Managed Security Services Market is expected to exceed more than US$ 45 billion by 2022 and will grow at a CAGR of more than 14.5% in the given forecast period.The Global Managed Security Services Market is segmented on the lines of its verticals, service, deployment and regional. Based on vertical segmentation it covers BFSI, telecom & IT, government, retail, energy, and power, healthcare, industrial manufacturing and others. Under service segmentation it covers threat management, incident management, vulnerability management, compliance management and others. Deployment segment is classified into on premises and on demand. The Global managed security services Market on geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geography market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.Browse Full Report:Managed Security services are the systematic approach to manage the safety desires of the corporation. By means of outsourcing its security offerings to third party carriers referred to as managed protection provider companies. These services are value powerful, offer professional resources, community infrastructure, superior safety solutions and equipment with adherence to compliance and regulatory requirements and 24 x 7 support and tracking. Managed security services may be introduced both by means of putting in place important safety infrastructure or via whole manipulate by using the service issuer from remote location.The major driving factors of Global Managed Security Services Market are as follows: Increasing cyber crimes to aim an enterprise network Growing regulatory obedience and data security laws Security recruitment and budgeting constraint Rising acceptance of cloud based servicesThe restraining factors of Global Managed Security Services Market are as follows: Deployment of in house SIEM by associations Threat of rising DDOS attack on cloud service approvalThis report provides:1) An overview of the global market for Managed Security Services and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2022.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for Global Managed Security Services Market.4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include AT&T, Inc., Dell SecureWorks, Inc., IBM Corporation , Symantec Corporation , Verizon Communications Inc., Computer Sciences Corporations (CSC) , CenturyLink, Inc., Hewlett-Packard (HP) Company, Solutionary, Inc. , and Trustwave Holdings, Inc. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.Request Sample Report:Table of Contents1 INTRODUCTION2 Research Methodology3 Executive Summary4 Premium Insights5 Market Overview6 Industry Trends7 Compliance in Cyber-Security Service7.1 Financial Data Compliance Regulations:7.1.1 Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) 3.0 Compliance:7.1.2 Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) Compliance:7.1.3 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) Compliance7.1.4 Basel Compliance7.2 Healthcare Data Compliance Regulations:7.2.1 Hipaa/Hitech Compliance7.3 Government Data Security Regulations:7.3.1 Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Compliance:7.3.2 Electronic Identification and Trust Services for Electronic Transactions (EIDAS)7.3.3 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)7.3.4 State Breach Notification Laws7.4 Retail:7.4.1 PA-DSS Compliance:8 Managed Security Services Market, By Service9 Managed Security Services Market, By Deployment Type10 Managed Security Services Market, By Organization Size11 Managed Security Services Market Analysis, By Vertical12 Geographic Analysis13 Competitive Landscape14 Company Profiles14.1 Introduction14.2 International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation14.3 Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)14.4 Verizon Communications, Inc.14.5 AT&T, Inc.14.6 Symantec Corporation14.7 Fortinet, Inc.14.8 Solutionary, Inc.14.9 Secureworks, Inc.14.10 Computer Sciences Corporations14.11 Centurylink, Inc.14.12 Trustwave Holdings, Inc.14.13 Rapid7, Inc.14.14 Key Innovators14.14.1 Masergy Communications, Inc.14.14.2 Clone Systems, Inc.14.14.3 Optiv, Inc.About UsMarket Research Engine (MRE) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. MREs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each Market Research Engines research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market Size, Share, Trend & Growth Forecast to 2023

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/854777//?utm_source=OPR-SP

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-north-america-europe-and-asia-pacific-south-america-middle-east-and-africa-active-pharmaceutical-ingredients-market-2018-forecast-to-2023/?utm_source=OPR-SP

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/north-america-and-europe-active-pharmaceutical-ingredients-market-by-manufacturers-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2023/?utm_source=RR-SP

https://thefinancialconsulting.com/author/chetan/

https://www.marketstudyreport.com

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/category/news-releases/

http://reports.algosonline.com/

Latest industry research report on: Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market | Industry Size, Share, Research, Reviews, Analysis, Strategies, Demand, Growth, Segmentation, Parameters and Forecasts.An active ingredient (AI) is the ingredient in a pharmaceutical drug that is biologically active. The similar terms active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and bulk active are also used in medicine, and the term active substance may be used for natural products. Some medication products may contain more than one active ingredient. The traditional word for the API is pharmacon or pharmakon which originally denoted a magical substance or drug.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, types and applications.Request for a Sample Copy of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market Report @Market Segment by Top Manufacturers, this Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market report covers  Teva, Mylan, DSM, Aurobindo Pharma, Aspen, Novartis, BASF, Pfizer, Huahai Pharmaceutical, Hisun Pharmaceutical, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Zhejiang Medicine, Dr. Reddy?s Laboratories, Zhejiang NHU, Bayer, NCPC, AbbVie, Shandong Xinhua Pharmaceutical, Northeast Pharm, Harbin Pharmaceutical and LKPC.An inherent sub-vertical of the Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Industry space, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients market stands to gain remarkable proceeds over 2018-2023, as per a recently compiled report Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers:North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Table of Contents:Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market OverviewGlobal Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market Manufacturers ProfilesGlobal Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market Competition, by ManufacturerGlobal Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market Analysis by RegionsGlobal Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients by CountriesGlobal Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market Segment by TypeGlobal Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market Segment by ApplicationActive Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market Forecast (2018-2023)Sales Channel, Distributors, Traders and DealersResearch Findings and ConclusionMarket Segment by Type, coversSynthetic APIs and Biotech APIsMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into:CNS, Cardiovascular, Genitourinary/Hormonal Drugs, Respiratory, Rheumatology, Diabetes, Oncology and OthersThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients market.Chapter 1, to describe Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, with sales, revenue, and price of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, for each region, from 2013 to 2018;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2013 to 2018;Chapter 12, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2018 to 2023;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceFor more information on this report, Please visit at:Qualitative Analysis covers:Industry Status and TrendsManufacturer/Company profiles, manufacturing base distribution, sales areas, product introduction, main business, market position and their competitors.Product Development, Technology, Price, Cost, Manufacturing Process and TrendsMarket segment by regions, types, applications and forecastMarket opportunities, potential, government policies and influence factors.Quantitative Analysis covers:Market size (value, sales/output, historical data and forecasts)Sales/output/capacity, revenue, price, gross margin, market share, for top players. Through interviewing each manufacturers, distributors, traders, dealers and buyers etc.Cost structure, proportion, price trend, gross margin and trend, status and trend, for 10 yearsMarket size by types, regions, applications for 10 yearsMarket forecast based on the potential demand from downstream clients/buyers, government, influence factors and the total economic indication, maybe occur in following years.Related Reports: -North America and Europe Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023This report focuses on the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in North America and Europe market, especially in United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, countries/Regions, type and application.More Report @Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:More Report at:
UV Adhesives Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends, Size, Share, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2017-25

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/486

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/uv-adhesives-market-486

Ultra Violet (UV) adhesives are adhesives which cure (i.e. toughen or harden by crosslinking) on exposure to UV light. It is a photochemical reaction that eliminates the need for heat or solvents for curing. This method offers various advantages over conventional curing methods such as rapid cure speed and easy application. Enhanced physical properties such as high bond strength, abrasion resistance, and chemical resistance offer better product performance than alternatives. In addition, reduction in cure-in labor and waste further decreases costs.The major drivers for UV curing are the demand for cost effective, adaptable and easy application of adhesives. Moreover, the absence of solvent in curing will eliminate any VOC related concerns. The challenges are technical, with oxygen inhibition causing incomplete curing of the adhesive resulting in the formation of a sticky layer on top of the surface.To get holistic sample and table of content (ToC) of the report@UV Adhesives Market TaxonomyOn basis of resin type,AcrylicEpoxyCyanoacrylateSiliconePolyurethaneOthersOn basis of Application,MedicalElectronicsPackagingGlass BondingIndustrialPower GenerationChemical ProcessingOil and GasOthersTransportationOthersAcrylic UV adhesives have improved mechanical properties such as impact resistance, surface insensitivity and protection from moisture. They hold the largest market share in the UV Adhesive market. Epoxy UV adhesives can be customized according to product needs. On mixing with carbon, silver and gold in varied amounts, they exhibit various properties such as increased or decreased thermal and electrical insulation, chemical resistance and moisture resistance.The largest end user industries are medical and electronics. Manufacture of various components of medical equipment is done by using UV-cured adhesives. Moreover, many electronics devices are assembled by using UV-cured adhesives. Glass bonding is an emerging application segment, which is expected to gain major traction in the near future. Adhesive application on special purpose products across all end user industries can be done by UV-curing due to its versatility.UV Adhesives Market OutlookAsia Pacific is the fastest growing market due to brisk growth in the medical and electronics industries. This is driven by emergence of this region as a manufacturing hub due to cheap raw material and low labor costs. Increased consumption within the region has also added to the already impressive growth figures.North America and Europe are the major markets for UV adhesives, given the stringent regulations in place related to VOC content. This has resulted in shift from solvent and heat cure to UV-cured process. Moreover, high industrial efficiency standards have resulted in companies utilizing highly efficient products.Various countries in Latin America also largely restrict use of VOC adhesives and hence, dependency on UV adhesives is projected to increase. Booming construction and electronics manufacturing is expected to drive UV Adhesive market.A mixed combination of highly developed and turmoil affected countries are present in this region. Demand for medical equipment and aid due to lifestyle diseases in rich countries such as UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia has increased. Moreover, supply of medical aid to war torn nations of Iraq, Syria and Yemen has boosted medical industry in other regions which act as source.To know the latest trends and insights prevalent in this market, click the link below:Development of underwater UV Curing will eliminate need for dry docking of vessels in marine industry and work-over operation in subsea equipment in the oil and gas industry. UV-Curing will provide a cost effective alternative to current methods resulting in cost saving of gargantuan proportions. Major players in the UV Adhesives market include Henkel, Permabond, Dymax Corporation, ITW Devcon, MasterBond, and 3M.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.com
SMS For Small Business Announces New Smartphone App To Facilitate Bulk SMS Marketing For Local Businesses.

SMS For Small Business Announces New Smartphone App To Facilitate Bulk SMS Marketing For Local Businesses.

http://smsforsmallbusiness.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASELibby, Montana, March 7th 2018SMS For Small Business today announced the release of its new smartphone app that will greatly ease access to its wholesale SMS services from mobile devices. The app, named Bulk SMS Marketing, is available as a free download for Apple iPhone users from the App Store, and Android phone users from the Google Play Store.Short Messaging Service (SMS, or text) marketing is a reliable and proven technique to drive engagement between retail businesses and cellphone users. Texts have a higher open rate and are more impactful than emails, and can be used to quickly deliver special offers, coupons, product and stock notifications, surveys, competitions  the possibilities are almost endless. However, to be successful, businesses need a skilled and reliable SMS marketing partner  which is where SMS For Small Business comes in.Owner and operator Sean Brookshire explained: As a small business owner myself, I understand the challenges and opportunities that small businesses face and so I am confident of offering the best service and prices in the industry, guaranteed. I set up my own SMS gateway, hooked up directly to the provider with no middlemen and true wholesale pricing. My new app will help make SMS marketing even easier, and I am looking forward to helping my fellow small business owners attain their goals using cellphone technology.In making available its website on a smartphone app, SMS For Small Business expects to widen its geographical reach and provide an alternative channel for its services which up until now have only been available via its website. With its focus on small business and its solid portfolio of services, Sean Brookshires company is anticipating a surge in take-up of SMS marketing that will ensure his customers thrive into the future.ABOUT SMS FOR SMALL BUSINESSSMS FOR SMALL BUSINESS is a wholesale provider of bulk SMS messaging to small businesses across the United States. Established in 2017 and operating from Libby, Montana, SMS For Small Business provides its suite of services across the entire United States. Not only can SMS For Small Business deliver SMS in bulk at wholesale prices but it also provides a complete service wrapper, ranging from Autoresponders to Website Widget Integration and everything in between. More details about our unrivalled range of services can be found on our website or by contacting our team by email or text.CONTACT DETAILS:Website:Email: support@smsforsmallbusiness.comPhone/Text: (406) 334-5287Address: 786 Quartz Rd, Libby, MT 59923, USA
Mining Lubricant Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends, Size, Share, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 20172025

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/482

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/mining-lubricant-market-482

Mining can be carried out at the surface as well as underground. Rock drills, scoops, loader, hydraulic shovels, and draglines are used constantly in the operations of mining which causes wear and tear. This causes decrease in downtime and life of the equipment. Hence, mining lubricants play an important role in mining activities. In mining, the anti-wear performance and the need of good corrosion protection are mainly required to protect the metal surface. The mining lubricants are used to reduce costs by extending drain intervals, improving energy efficiency, and increasing equipment life. Due to the heavy duty nature of operations in mining sector, safe lifting of heavy loads is vital. Lubricants help keep the machinery in optimal shape. Improper lubrication leads to energy losses, seal issues, excess friction, and wear and tear on moving parts.To get holistic sample and table of content (ToC) of the report@Mining Lubricant Market TaxonomyThe mining lubricant market are classified,On basis of equipment function,EngineHydraulicTransmissionGearOn basis of mining techniques,Surface MiningUnderground MiningOn basis of product,Bio-based mining lubricantSynthetic LubricantMineral OilOn basis of end-use industry,Iron ore miningCoal miningBauxite miningRare-earth mineral miningPrecious metal miningOthersMining lubricants are available in various viscosities for different equipment function. Different lubricant are used in different equipment. The load on the equipment are different for surface mining and underground mining. Surface mining is preferred when the ores are located close to the surface of the earth. In underground mining, a hole is drilled to get the ore onto the surface, so more machinery are used for which more lubricants are required.Depending on specific machine, application, operating condition and environment the mining lubricants are used. The mineral oil is better soluble with additives and it has high compatibility with seal and has lower cost. The synthetic lubricant are used at extreme environmental conditions and has higher cost than mineral oil. Furthermore, due to stringent environmental regulations and degradable property of bio lubricants, they are gaining preference over other lubricants.Increased demand from construction industry for steel has resulted in increased iron mining. Countries such as India and China do not have oil and gas industry on scale as large as Middle East. Hence they are dependent on coal for domestic energy needs.Mining Lubricant Market Outlook - Surging demand in Asia-Pacific Augmenting Market GrowthAsia Pacific is a major hub for the coal and iron ore mining industries. The major developing infrastructure and growing construction activities has enabled the significant need of these minerals, which in turn is leading to the need of mining lubricants. Australia and China are one of the largest producers of iron ore and bauxite. The mining lubricant market is totally dependent on the mining industry of these countries. Asia Pacific was the largest market for the mining lubricants in 2016. This in turn markets it an attractive market for mining lubricants. Increased mining to achieve energy and mineral resource for enhancing self-sufficiency ability are the major drivers behind this trend.The downturn in mining related investments in South Africa due to the stringent government regulations adversely affected the mining lubricant industry in the country. Rising costs, labor unrest, and a decrease in commodity prices, has resulted in reduced profit margins from mining projects discouraging new announcements.To know the latest trends and insights prevalent in this market, click the link below:Furthermore, the companies are adopting various organic and inorganic growth strategies for sustaining their market position in the mining lubricants market. For instance, in 2017, the Carmichael Coal Mining project in Australia by Adani Group is the largest orders placed, valued at US$ 2.6 billion with Downer Mining for the construction and operation of Carmichael mine. Some of the major companies operating in the mining lubricant market are Royal Dutch Shell Plc, ExxonMobil Corporation, BP Plc., Chevron Corporation, Total S.A., LUKOIL, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Fuchs Petrolub SE, PetroChina Company Limited, Quaker Chemical Corporation, Sinopec Limited, Bel-Ray Company, LLC, Whitmore Manufacturing, Schaeffer Manufacturing Co Ltd., and Kluber Lubrication.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.com
Telecom API Platform Market is Determined to Cross US$ 5.0 Billion By 2022

Telecom API Platform Market

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/global-telecom-api-platform-market

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/global-telecom-api-platform-market

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/

New York, March 07, 2018: The Telecom API Platform market is expected to exceed more than US$ 5200.0 million by 2022.The telecom API platform market is segmented on the lines of its telecom operator and module. Under telecom operator segmentation it covers T1 players, T2 players and T3 players. The telecom API platform market is segmented on the lines of its module like set-up, monetization and pricing model, operator share and vendor share. The telecom API platform market is geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geography market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.You Can Browse Full Report here:API that is application programming interface is a key element in a many business foundation which presents revenue creation services through association with outdoor partners. API acts as middleware software which forms interface among resources and applications in the device. It presents expertise with services and tools for the reason of API design, management and reporting for the best functioning of API programs to increase business revenue. It plays fundamental role for service provider which fit their telecom infrastructure and data in commercial business. Telecom API platforms allows its operator to set up its own API represent its service to all large external developers. Fast expansion in the mobile application market will produced requirement for telecom APIs.The major driving factors of telecom API platform market are as follows: Competition among MNOs which drive the adoption of new revenue streams. Growing digitization in MNOs push them to accept API platforms.The restraining factors of telecom API platform market are as follows Minimum adoption of telecom API platform between medium and small operators.This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for telecom API platform and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2020.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for telecom API platform.4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of coatings with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include S.A., Aepona Ltd., Apigee Corp., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Oracle Corp., Hewlett-Packard Development Co., LM Ericsson, Tropo, Inc., Axway Software S.A., and ZTE Soft Technology Co., Ltd.. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.Request Sample Report:Table of ContentsChapter 1 INTRODUCTIONChapter 2 Executive SummaryChapter 3 Global Telecom API Platform Market OverviewChapter 4 North America Telecom API Platform Market Analysis4.1 Overview4.1.1 North America Telecom API Platform Market Revenue and Y-o-Y Growth, 2013  2022 (US$ Mn)4.2 Key Trends Analysis4.3 North America Telecom API Platform Market Analysis, By Telecom Operator, 2013  20224.3.1 Overview4.3.1.1 North America Telecom API Platform Market Revenue and Forecast, by Telecom Operator, 2013  2022 (US$ Mn)4.4 North America Telecom API Platform Market Analysis, By Module, 2013  20224.4.1 Overview4.4.1.1 North America Telecom API Platform Market Revenue and Forecast, by Module, 2013  2022 (US$ Mn)4.4.1.1.1 North America Telecom API Platform Market Revenue, Monetization by Revenue Sharing, 2013 - 2022 (US$ Mn)4.5 North America Telecom API Platform Market Analysis, by Geography, 2013  2022 (%)4.5.1 Overview4.5.1.1 North America Telecom API Platform Market Revenue and Forecast, by Geography, 2013  2022 (US$ Mn)Chapter 5 Europe Telecom API Platform Market AnalysisChapter 6 Asia Pacific Telecom API Platform Market AnalysisChapter 7 MEA Telecom API Platform Market AnalysisChapter 8 Latin America Telecom API Platform Market AnalysisChapter 9 Company Profiles9.1 Apigee Corporation9.2 Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.9.3 Aepona Ltd.9.4 Alcatel Lucent9.5 Tropo, Inc.9.6 Oracle Corporation9.7 ZTE Corporation9.8 Axway Software S.A.9.9 Ericsson9.10 Hewlett Packard Company"About UsMarket Research Engine (MRE) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. MREs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each Market Research Engines research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Personal Protective Equipment Market, By Product Type, End-use Industry, and Geography - Global Trends, and Forecast to 2025

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1355

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/personal-protective-equipment-market-1355

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/

http://www.coherentnews.com/

Global Personal Protective Equipment - InsightsPersonal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective helmets, clothing, footwear, goggles, or other equipment that are designed to protect the wearers body from infection or injury. These aid in protecting the body against high volt electric current, certain chemicals, excessive heat, biohazards, and others. Personal protective equipment can be used for various purposes such as occupational safety, sports, and for recreational activities.Increasing awareness regarding the importance of occupational safety and stringent regulatory framework related to it are major drivers for growth of the personal protective equipment market. For instance, the European Union developed directives to improve safety and health at work and to ensure the quality of PPE is maintained. The directive covers marketing and manufacturing of personal protective equipment and must comply with basic safety and health requirements. However, low awareness about the use of personal protective equipment is anticipated to restrain growth of this market. For instance, according to National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 2014, Nigeria and South Africa reported poor usage of PPE, where only 35.9% of welders in Nigeria use PPE.To get holistic sample and table of content (ToC) of the report@Professional footwear is the most widely used product and the segment accounted for a market share of 32.50% in 2016 and is expected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. For instance, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, out of 12 million work related injuries that occur on an average per year, 10% of the injuries are related to ankles and feet. Moreover, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), reported 250,000 foot injuries per year, that is an average of one injury every 30 seconds.Manufacturing industry is the major end user of personal protective equipment and the segment is expected to account for the largest share in 2016 and is expected to retain market dominance throughout the forecast period. This includes industries such as metal, paper, and wood & wood products. Therefore, the type of PPE depends on the type of manufacturing industry. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, trust established by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, the manufacturing sector in India witnessed a CAGR of 7.32% in FY12 to FY17. The FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in India has immensely contributed to the manufacturing sector with US$ 72.32 billion in 2000 to 2017. Moreover, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017, there are around 15.4 million people working in the manufacturing industry in the U.S. Therefore, this is expected to aid in growth of the segment over the forecast period.North America was the dominant region in the global personal protective equipment market in 2016, with a revenue of US$ 14.83 billion, and is expected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. This is owing to the adoption of personal protective equipment across various growing industries such as construction industry. For instance, according to the United States census bureau, value of construction increased by 4.5% in 2016 from 2015 in U.S.Asia Pacific was the fastest growing region in the global personal protective equipment market in 2016 with a CAGR of 6.63%. Growth is attributed to rapid growth of various industries such as construction, oil and gas, food & beverage, and others in the region. According to International Trade Association, the construction industry in China was US$ 717.71 US$ in 2016 and is expected to increase to US$ 1042.17 billion in 2021. Moreover, major players in this region are focusing on enhancing their market share, through mergers and acquisitions strategy. For instance, in 2015, Ansell Limited a manufacturer of protective solutionsacquired Microgard Ltd., a UK manufacturer of protective clothing, for US$ 88 million, to enhance the companys body protection business.Key players in the market are focusing on various strategies such as extensive research and development activities, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and partnerships, and geographical expansions in order to enhance their market share. For instance, in 2017, 3M Company entered into an agreement to acquire Scott Safety Companya manufacturer of respiratory and personal protective equipmentfor US$ 2 billion, to further enhance the companys personal safety product portfolio.Major players in the global personal protection equipment market are 3M Company, Mine Safety Appliances Company, Ansell Limited, National Safety Apparel Inc., UVEX, Kimberly-Clark Corp., Honeywell International Inc., Avon Rubber Plc. (Subsidiary of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company), Rock Fall Ltd and Top Glove Corporation.To know the latest trends and insights prevalent in this market, click the link below:About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:News:
Pneumococcal Vaccines Market Revenue Trends and Opportunities till 2026

Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)

https://www.mrrse.com/sample/4196

https://www.mrrse.com/pneumococcal-vaccines-market

https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/4196

https://www.mrrse.com/

https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/

A latest research report titled as Pneumococcal Vaccines Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2026 has been recently added to the vast portfolio of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) online research offerings. This report is a professional and in-depth analysis on the present state and future prospect for the global market. It provides valuable information to the industry insiders, potential entrants or investors. It includes an exhaustive enquiry with the reliability of logic and the comprehensiveness of contents.Click here For Free Sample Report @With the increasing prevalence of pneumococcal diseases, government organizations across various countries are introducing programs to promote the use of pneumococcal vaccines. For instance, UNICEF along with the WHO has launched the Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhea (GAPPD) to control incidence and mortality rate in children suffering from severe diarrhea and pneumonia by 2025. The investment in developing countries has also increased to help in the development and delivery of vaccines. For example, GAVI is a vaccine alliance that brings together public and private sector to offer immunization to the children in worlds poorest countries.The high cost of advanced vaccines is one of the factors hampering the growth of the market. However, manufacturers are competing for development of cost-effective and high quality of vaccines by focusing on research and development activities.According to the report by Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE), the global market for pneumococcal vaccines is likely to witness robust growth, registering 8.3% CAGR between 2017 and 2026. The global market for pneumococcal vaccines is also projected to bring in US$ 20,515.5 million revenue by 2026 end.13- Valent PCV to be the Top-Selling Product in the Global Market for Pneumococcal VaccinesCompared to the various products, 13- valent PCV is likely to emerge as one of the top-selling product in the global market for pneumococcal vaccines. By 2026 end, 13- valent PCV is projected to bring in close to US$ 9,500 million revenue. PVC13 has offered a significant benefit in reducing carriage of Antibiotic-Nonsusceptible Streptococcus Pneumoniae (ANSP). Moreover, 13- Valent PCV includes thirteen serotypes of pneumococcus, also, serotypes 19A and 6A are present only in PCV13. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also recommended PCV13 for adults above the 65 years of age.Hospitals to Emerge as the Largest Distribution ChannelPneumococcal vaccines are likely to be distributed by Hospitals on a large scale between 2017 and 2026. Hospitals are projected to surpass US$ 12,400 million revenue towards the end of 2026. Increasing number of patients are being hospitalized for various infections and diseases, hence hospitals are emerging as the biggest distribution channel for pneumococcal vaccines, thereby reducing mortality associated with the pneumococcal infection.Browse Full Report with TOC @North America to be the Largest Region in the Global Market for Pneumococcal VaccinesNorth America is likely to emerge as one of the biggest regions in the global market for pneumococcal vaccines during 2017-2026. Pneumococcal Conjugated Vaccine (PCV) is the part of routine vaccine immunization in Canada and the U.S., since 2000. The countries have also witnessed highly-effective results since the vaccine was introduced. Investments by the government organization and private companies have also increased for promoting vaccination and towards the research and development of new vaccines. North America has also emerged as a main center for many vaccine producing companies.Meanwhile, PCV is also the part of the vaccination program in countries like the Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia, Albania, Greece and Serbia. Increasing incidence of pneumococcal disease in various countries in APEJ also presents an opportunity for companies producing pneumococcal vaccines. Brazil is also witnessing a significant increase in pneumococcal diseases. Hence, various programs are being introduced in Brazil to increase the vaccine coverage.Competition TrackingThe report provides a detailed analysis of the leading companies operating in the global market for pneumococcal vaccines such as Merck & Co. Inc., Pfizer, Inc., Sanofi, and GlaxoSmithKline PLC. The companies are focusing on the research and development of new pneumococcal vaccines. There has also been an increase in partnership between the leading companies and distributors in order to expand in the global market.Enquire about this Report @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Enterprise Server, Power and Cooling Solutions and Services Market: Industry Outlook, Growth Prospects and Key Opportunities 2026

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/enterprise-server-power-and-cooling-solutions-and-services-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/12844

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Global enterprise server, power and cooling solutions and services market is in its maturity stage. Globally, number of enterprise server or data centres are increasing to growing demand of data processing power and increasing information storage capability. Hence, there is a need of an efficient enterprise server, power & cooling technology as with the increased data storage capabilities, the energy consumption is also increases and server generates excessive heat.Read Report Overview @Enterprise Server, Power and Cooling Solutions and Services Market: Drivers and RestraintGlobal enterprise server, power and cooling solution and services market is matured. Now the market growth rate has recovered as compared to the poor performances in 2012 and 2013. Factors which are driving the growth of global enterprise server, power and cooling solution and services market are growing demand of data storage capability, faster speed and security, along with excessive growth in colocation and cloud services. Furthermore growing data center investment encourages the growth of power and cooling solution and services market.On the other hand factors which are restraining the growth of enterprise server, power and cooling solution and services market are high initial setup cost and high energy consumption. However, increasing demand of data storage capabilities and super computers is expected to create significant growth opportunity for the global enterprise server, power and cooling solution and services market over the forecast period.Enterprise Server, Power and Cooling Solutions and Services Market: SegmentationGlobal enterprise server, power and cooling solution and services market is segmented on the basis of solution, services, organization size, user type and verticals. On the basis of solution, global enterprise server, power and cooling solutions and service market can be segmented into power solution and cooling solution. Power solution segment can be further sub segmented into power management solution, uninterruptible power systems (UPS) solution and others. Cooling solution segment can be further sub segmented into precision air conditioning (PAC), Precision Air Handling Unit (PAHU) and others.On the basis of services, the global enterprise server, power and cooling solutions and services market can be segmented into integration & installation services, monitoring services and professional services.On the basis of organization size, the global enterprise server, power and cooling solutions and services market can be segmented into large enterprises, medium enterprises and small enterprises.On the basis of vertical, the global enterprise server, power and cooling solutions and services market can be segmented into banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), IT & telecommunication, energy, healthcare and othersEnterprise Server, Power and Cooling Solutions and Services Market: Region wise outlookOn the basis of region, the global enterprise server, power and cooling solutions and services market can be segmented into seven regions which includes, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan), Eastern Europe, Japan and Middle East & Africa region. Further the market is sub-segmented as per the major countries of each region in order to provide better regional analysis of the enterprise server, power and cooling solutions and services market.Request to View TOC and Sample of Research Report @North America region is expected to generate highest revenue for the market during the forecast period. However, developing economies such as Asia-Pacific and Japan are expected to grow rapidly over the forecast period. In Asia-Pacific region, Countries such as India, China and South Korea are expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period.Enterprise Server, Power and Cooling Solutions and Services Market: Key PlayersKey players in global enterprise server, power and cooling solutions and services market are Schneider Electric, Eaton, Delta Power Solutions, IBM Corporation, Rahi Systems Inc., CDW Corporation, R.I.S.K. Company, INSIGHT and Power Solutions among others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Failure Analysis Market: Evolving Technology, Trends and Industry Analysis 2025

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/failure-analysis-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/14527

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Failure is coined as loss of functional integrity of a system, or program which leads to loss of economy, resources or even life. When there is a failure of product, process or system, it is important to know the cause of the problem and the process how to implement the solution. Failure analysis refers to the method of collection of data and analyzing it to detect the cause of failure. It is a technical approach to decide why and where the fault lies that is not letting the system to function appropriately.Read Report Overview @Failure analysis is critical to industries, while manufacturing products or the process used to develop or design a product. Failure analysis is application to various industries including manufacturing, energy and utility, healthcare and others. It is important to determine the root cause of the manufacturing issue for which there is a complication in production.Global Failure Analysis Market: Market Drivers and ChallengesIncreased awareness among the people regarding the quality of product or solutions being offered to them is enabling organizations to implement failure analysis to their manufacturing facilities. Technological and industrial advancements is allowing organizations to cut cost in the production by monitoring the nature of the products to be produced well in advance even before the product is manufactured. These factors enables adoption of failure analysis equipment among various vendors encouraging the growth in revenue of global failure analysis marketHowever, complexity in implementation of the equipment of failure analysis is one of the prime factors impacting negatively to the growth in revenue of global failure analysis market. Few other restraint hindering the growth of the global failure analysis market are high cost of implementation, and the maintenance cost is also remarkably high.Global Failure Analysis Market: SegmentationGlobal failure analysis market is segmented into equipment type, technology, application industry, customer and region.On the basis of equipment type, the global failure analysis market can be segmented into scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), focused icon beam systems (FIB), dual beam system and others.On the basis of technology, the global failure analysis market can be segmented into transmission electron technology, scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy technology, X-ray microscopy technology, nanoprobing technology, laser voltage, imaging technology, focused ion beam technology, broad ion milling technology, secondary ion mass spectroscopy technology, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy technology, reactive ion etching technology, chemical mechanical polishing/planarization (CMP) technologyOn the basis of application industry, the global failure analysis market can be segmented into energy and utility, manufacturing, defence and aerospace, semiconductors and othersOn the basis of customers, the global failure analysis market can be segmented into fab FA labs customers, fabless FA labs customers, specialty labs customers, and other customersGlobal Failure Analysis Market: Regional OutlookOn the basis of regions, the global failure analysis market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East and Africa.Request to View TOC and Sample of Research Report @North America failure analysis market is expected to have the largest revenue share in 2015 followed by other regions. Asia Pacific excluding Japan is the regions expected to have the maximum potential owing to the urbanization and industrialization in countries such as India and others. Latin America and Middle East and Africa regions are expected to experience positive growth during the forecast period.Global Failure Analysis Market: Competition LandscapeKey player in the global failure analysis market include FEI Company, JEOL Ltd., Hitachi High-Technologies, DCG Systems, Carl Zeiss SMT AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Intertek Group PLC, Exova Group PLC Raytheon Company and EAG Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Combat Management System Market: Global Industry Trend Analysis 2012 to 2017 and Forecast 2017 - 2025

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/combat-management-system-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/18829

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

The main objectives of a combat management system are planning for combat mission, coordination of units while performing combat missions, placing intelligence statistics on the map and investigation of errors by retrieving the history module. The combat management system delivers an accessible, services-based framework.Moreover, this system also directs accurate and fast-reacting fusion, analysis and transmission of great amounts of sensor data to guarantee the efficient deployment of ships and other resources within the framework of combined operations, particularly in the complex threat scenario of littoral warfare. Adapters included in these combat management systems boundary components are vital to the tractability of the architecture to maintain a wide range of communication, sensors and weapon interfaces.Read Report Overview @A rise in the need for safety in defence and naval services and improving control operation and efficiency to navigate vehicles necessitate combat management systems. Technological advancement in combat management systems ameliorates the efficiency and essence of defence combating ability. C9LV in naval combat management systems has lately been engineered to encounter the demands of minor platforms and is used to provide prevailing capability with a small footprint. These systems provide full awareness with weaponry governance. The combat management system market is projected to improve in the upcoming years with improving naval defence systems in all regions.Combat Management System Market: DynamicsDrivers:In the recent market scenario, combat management systems have emerged as the best technology for naval combat operations. The level of innovation and encroachment deployed in combat management systems has steadily increased over the years, owing to the demand for improvement by countries in their own armed forces. Increasing frequency of anti-ship missile threat and the possibility of navy combat maneuvers in the near-shore sea side provinces necessitate significant improvement in the self-defence capabilities of ships. Attributing to such conditions, navy ships need automated combat management systems. One of the key factors expected to drive the combat management system market is situational awareness in the naval defence system.Restraints:The advent of wireless, sonar and radar combat management systems has escalated situational awareness, but also the number of threats to mariners. Add in airborne and stand-off weapons, the coercions begin to appear too often to manage. These factors hinder the combat management system market growth.Trends:SIGMA-E, the combat management system, is intended to ensure combat governance of naval defence ships and their task force on the basis of computer based procedures of decision creating about combat employment of forces and their mobilization. BMS-Lince is the most progressive command and control system currently in combat management system operations.Request to View TOC and Sample of Research Report @The growing automotive market in countries, such as India and China, makes Asia Pacific one of the faster growing markets for combat management systems. Chinese and Indian markets are prominently credited to escalate ship building activities and conveyances of combat vessels in the region. North America, followed by Europe, is expected to show stagnant growth during the forecast period. Latin America and Middle East and Africa are anticipated to witness healthy growth in the combat management system market over the forecast period. The Middle East growing ship building industry will be a reason for the hike in the combat management system market in the region.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Blackout Curtains Market Trends, Strategies, Emerging Growth and Forecast By 2025

Blackout Curtains

https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/1770

https://www.marketexpertz.com/make-enquiry-form/1770

https://www.marketexpertz.com/report-detail/2018-2025-blackout-curtains-report-on-global-and-united-states-market-status-and-forecast-by-players-types-and-applications

https://twitter.com/Marketexpertz

https://www.linkedin.com/company/market-expertz1/

https://plus.google.com/u/0/116346269222154419019

https://www.facebook.com/Market-Expertz-1803704129648931/

Blackout curtains are made of tightly woven, dense or layered fabric such as felt, velvet or suede. Likewise, a blackout liner, which often is a component of blackout curtains, can be added to a regular curtain to create the same effect. The primary purpose of blackout curtains is to keep light from streaming into the home where it is not wanted, but they also can serve to help insulate the home by blocking direct sunlight.A new market assessment report on Blackout Curtains market brings to light a detailed statistics on the dramatic shift in the competitive landscape and business environment of the Blackout Curtains market for the forecast period 2017 - 2025. The comprehensive study offers an overview of the current state of development of the business as well as predicts the course of progress across different regions. A large number of factors including the major driving forces, threats and opportunities are taken into account to present an analytical picture of the industry portrayed in the report.Get the free Sample Copy of Report@The study is a professional probe into the revenue generated and capacity estimates for the Blackout Curtains market for the forecast period 2017 - 2025 empower the business owners to maintain a competitive edge over their rivals. The research further examines and provides data on the market by type, application and geography interspersed with illustrations and other graphical representations. The market analysis not only determines the attractiveness of the industry but also the evolving challenges and opportunities and their association with the weaknesses and strengths of prominent market leaders. Other factors taken into consideration when studying the industry include profitability, manufacturing capability, distribution channels and industry cost structure and major success factors.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers JINCHAN Major HunterDouglas MOLIK Ellery Homestyles Elite Collochome Wonder Gorgeous Homes Best Home FashionIn market segmentation by geographical regions, the report has analysed the following regions- United States North America Europe Asia-Pacific South America Middle East and AfricaOn the basis of product, the market is primarily split into- Horizontal Pull Type Lift Type OtherInquiry about the Report@The study segments the complete Blackout Curtains market on the basis of different application, end-use, end-user, and production capability. From a business standpoint, the industry has been thoroughly examined across various countries located in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and others. The size of the industry for the forecast period 2017 - 2025 is evaluated on the basis of current sales figures and past financial report can be used to forecast the future sales.There are 11 Chapters to deeply display the global Blackout Curtains market.Chapter 1 covers the Blackout Curtains Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2 talks about the top manufacturers and analyses their sales, revenue and pricing decisions for the duration 2017 and 2025;Chapter 3 displays the competitive nature of the market by discussing the competition among the top manufacturers. It dissects the market using sales, revenue and market share data for 2017 and 2025;Chapter 4, shows the global market by regions and the proportionate size of each market region based on sales, revenue and market share of Blackout Curtains, for the period 2017- 2025;ContinuesBrowse the full Report@Follow Link Twitter:Follow Link LinkedIn:Follow Link Google Plus:Follow Link Facebook:Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges.40 Wall St. 28th floor New York CityNY 10005 United Statessales@marketexpertz.com+1-800-819-3052
Global Password Management Software Market 2022:TeamPassword, SplashData, Web Active Directory, Siber Systems, SysOp Tools

https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/request_sample.php?id=191

https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=191

https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=191

A password manager is a software application that helps users to organize and manage their passwords. Password management is not just beneficial for individuals but also for enterprises. Often companies require that the passwords are reset after regular intervals which may be tedious for some employees.This report gives an in-depth research about the overall state of Password Management Software market and projects an overview of its growth market. It also gives the crucial elements of the market and across major global regions in detail. Number on primary and secondary research has been carried out in order to collect required data for completing this particular report. Sever industry based analytical techniques has been narrowed down for a better understanding of this market.Get Sample copy of this Report @:The report covers all the major trends and technologies playing a major role in the market growth over the forecast period. The competition in the global market for Password Management Software will likely heat up in the next couple of years on the back of entry of a substantial number of solution providers. This statistical surveying report presents an all-inclusive assessment of the worldwide market for Password Management Software, taking several market verticals, such as the production capacity, product pricing, the dynamics of demand and supply, sales volume, revenue, and the growth rate of this market into consideration.Companies Profiled in this report includes, TeamPassword, SplashData, Web Active Directory, Siber Systems, SysOp Tools, Passpack, Zoho, Kaspersky Lab, ManageEngine, SaferPass, Trend Micro, BluinkGet 20% Discount on this Report @:The report provides competitive landscape of the Password Management Software market, thereby listing out all the major players according to their geographic presence, market attractiveness and recent key developments. The competitive landscape section of the report gives an overview about the market share of several key players for the forecast year. Moreover, key takeaways section provided at the end of competitive landscape section would help the operating companies to make the best move in the market.These market estimates have been analyzed by taking into account the impact of different political, social, economic, technological, and legal factors along with the current market dynamics affecting the market growth. Factors including market position, offerings and R&D focus are attributed to companys capabilities. This section also identifies and includes various recent developments carried out by the leading players.For More Inquiry @:Furthermore, the report profiles some of the most prominent enterprises in the global Password Management Software market to provide valuable recommendations. The product portfolio of the companies profiled are studied in detail. Besides this, information is obtained from their financial reports and strategies they adopted over the last couple of years.The stages of development of Password Management Software market with respect to many geographic regions have also been presented thoroughly. This information which is provided helps the emerging players gain up-to-date information which can help them take perfect business decisions. In similar way, many other segments and sub segments are mentioned in this market helping in conveying impeccable data to the users.Table of ContentsGlobal Password Management Software Market Research ReportChapter 1 Password Management Software Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Password Management Software Market ForecastAbout IT Intelligence Markets:We at IT Intelligence Markets conduct intensive market research and generate detailed reports about the products and services offered in the IT domain. Our team is devoted to providing custom reports that are taylor-made to suit the customers requirements. We make sure to keep our customers updated with the latest market dynamics as IT industry is undergoing sea change intrinsically & extrinsically by forces such as regulatory fluctuations, rapidly evolving consumer preferences, and newer technologies. Not only do our market research analysts scrutinize market requirements but also track competitors relentlesslyfor obtaining the most updated scenario of the market.Contact:Vijay TannaIt Intelligence MarketsSurvey No-9/4, Flat# 6, Panchshil Park, Ganpati Marg, Nigidi, Pune 411044sales@itintelligencemarkets.comContact No: +91 705-760-0700
Digital Asset Management Market  Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, Forecast 2022

https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/request_sample.php?id=209

https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=209

https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=209

Digital Asset Management (DAM) is a system which is used to organize, categorize, search, retrieve and archive digital files effectively. The digitally created files are considered as assets, as significant amount to time, money and efforts go into the creation of content.This report gives an in-depth research about the overall state of Digital Asset Management market and projects an overview of its growth market. It also gives the crucial elements of the market and across major global regions in detail. Number on primary and secondary research has been carried out in order to collect required data for completing this particular report. Sever industry based analytical techniques has been narrowed down for a better understanding of this market.Get Sample copy of this Report @:The report covers all the major trends and technologies playing a major role in the market growth over the forecast period. The competition in the global market for Digital Asset Management will likely heat up in the next couple of years on the back of entry of a substantial number of solution providers. This statistical surveying report presents an all-inclusive assessment of the worldwide market for Digital Asset Management, taking several market verticals, such as the production capacity, product pricing, the dynamics of demand and supply, sales volume, revenue, and the growth rate of this market into consideration.Companies Profiled in this report includes, ADAM Software NV, Adobe Systems Incorporated, Bynder, Canto, Inc., Celum, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., EMC Corporation, HP, IBM Corporation, North Plains Systems, OpenText Corporation, Oracle Corporation, WebDAM, Widen EnterprisesGet 20% Discount on this Report @:The report provides competitive landscape of the Digital Asset Management market, thereby listing out all the major players according to their geographic presence, market attractiveness and recent key developments. The competitive landscape section of the report gives an overview about the market share of several key players for the forecast year. Moreover, key takeaways section provided at the end of competitive landscape section would help the operating companies to make the best move in the market.The stages of development of Digital Asset Management market with respect to many geographic regions have also been presented thoroughly. This information which is provided helps the emerging players gain up-to-date information which can help them take perfect business decisions. In similar way, many other segments and sub segments are mentioned in Digital Asset Management market helping in conveying impeccable data to the users.For More Inquiry @:Furthermore, the report profiles some of the most prominent enterprises in the global Digital Asset Management market to provide valuable recommendations. The product portfolio of the companies profiled are studied in detail. Besides this, information is obtained from their financial reports and strategies they adopted over the last couple of years.The stages of development of Digital Asset Management market with respect to many geographic regions have also been presented thoroughly. This information which is provided helps the emerging players gain up-to-date information which can help them take perfect business decisions. In similar way, many other segments and sub segments are mentioned in this market helping in conveying impeccable data to the users.Table of ContentsGlobal Digital Asset Management Market Research ReportChapter 1 Digital Asset Management Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Digital Asset Management Market ForecastAbout IT Intelligence Markets:We at IT Intelligence Markets conduct intensive market research and generate detailed reports about the products and services offered in the IT domain. Our team is devoted to providing custom reports that are taylor-made to suit the customers requirements. We make sure to keep our customers updated with the latest market dynamics as IT industry is undergoing sea change intrinsically & extrinsically by forces such as regulatory fluctuations, rapidly evolving consumer preferences, and newer technologies. Not only do our market research analysts scrutinize market requirements but also track competitors relentlesslyfor obtaining the most updated scenario of the market.Contact:Vijay TannaIt Intelligence MarketsSurvey No-9/4, Flat# 6, Panchshil Park, Ganpati Marg, Nigidi, Pune 411044sales@itintelligencemarkets.comContact No: +91 705-760-0700
Science Applications International Corporation in Hanahan is expanding its existing operations in Berkeley County and will create 200 new jobs during the next five years.
Rep. John Moolenaar invites all high school students from Michigan's Fourth Congressional District to enter their art in the 2018 Congressional Art Competition.

The winning student from the Fourth District will have his or her art displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year and receive two round-trip tickets to travel to Washington, D.C for an annual event with Congressional Art Competition winners from around the country.
Trisha is a Midland High and Northwood University grad. She earned a bachelors in business...

Jennifer Palmer is a graduate of Beaverton High School and attended Great Lakes College.

It took more than good Sunday morning coffee to help the Freeland United Methodist Church to...
Fyre Festival organizer Billy McFarland has pleaded guilty to misleading investors and could face up to 40 years in jail after an FBI investigation into the festival, per the AP.

McFarland appeared in federal court in Manhattan yesterday, after his arrest last July, for his arraignment after he was charged with two counts of wire fraud. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Last years inaugural and now-infamous Fyre Festival was billed as a luxury music festival experience in the Bahamas for elite millennials, though concert-goers soon found it was nothing like what they were promised in the festivals flashy, supermodel-filled promotional video.

Billed artists like Migos, Skepta and Blink-182 began to pull out, luxury tents turned out to be disaster relief tents, the gourmet food turned out to be cheese sandwiches in styrofoam boxes and people were stranded in the Bahamas for hours with little food or water.

McFarland said he accepted total responsibility for the disastrous festival and he acknowledged that he took part in fraudulent behavior. U.S. attorney Geoffrey Berman said, As he admitted today, William McFarland tendered fake documents to induce investors and a ticket vendor to put more than $26 million into his company and the disastrous Fyre Festival. He now awaits sentencing for his admitted swindle.

McFarland presented fake documents that claimed millions in income earned from talent bookings, though the company only earned $57,443. McFarland also claimed the festival booked 2,500 acts in one month, when they only booked 60 for the whole year. The U.S. attorneys office said these documents resulted in losses totaling more than $24 million.

McFarland also provided false income statements to a ticket vendor in order to get $2 million for advance tickets to future festivals. Then, the vendor entered into an agreement with McFarland and Fyre, which guaranteed $2.4 million from the sales of those pre-purchased tickets.

Last summer, it was also reported that McFarland, alongside organizer Ja Rule, are currently being sued for $100 million as part of a suit filed by celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos. The suit seeks $5 million in damages for alleged fraud, breach of contract, breach of covenant of good faith, and negligent misrepresentation. It also claims that the festivals lack of adequate food, water, shelter, and medical care created a dangerous and panicked situation among attendees.

MacFarlands previous shady history as an entrepreneur has been well documented. McFarland founded a company in 2013 called Magnises which also made lavish promises and targeted status-seeking millennials. According to Business Insider, it turns out that many of Magnises promised benefits never materialized or were far from what was advertised.

McFarlands sentencing is scheduled for June 21.
Boyne volleyball drops to Sault in three, Rambler soccer edged by Elks
2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Beto ORourke was on MSNBCs All In With Chris Hayes where he delivered the perfect message that already has Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) worried and on the defensive.

Video:

ORourke was asked why Trumps approval rating is so low in Texas, and he answered, I dont know, but what Im hearing from folks in Texas as I travel the state is we want no more of the fear or the pettiness or the divisiveness. We want to lead the way from going from the state with the lowest levels of health insurance. 4 million plus Texans cannot see a doctor to the one that leads the way to make sure everyone can see a doctor. We want to be the state that leads the way on immigration, and we want to return our democracy back to the roots back to people. This is a campaign that takes no pact money, no special interest contributions from the NRA or anyone else and it is not just the right way to do things, it is a winning strategy. Those are the things that people in Texas are excited about right now, less against anyone whether its Ted Cruz or Donald Trump, more for what we want to achieve.

The Democratic Senate candidate was asked if those who take NRA money are tainted. He said, I do. It makes people wonder who it is that that office holder is working for. Are they working for the NRA? If youre Ted Cruz and they receive $300,000 from the NRA in 2016, someone in Texas can be forgiven for wondering if you work in the NRA or people of Texas. When we take not a dime from the NRA or any political action committee or special interest, folks in Texas know Im only working for the people in Texas.

Beto ORourke should terrify Ted Cruz

Republicans and Ted Cruz are worried about Beto ORouke because he has the perfect message for an election year that is defined by voters who are sick of the chaos, pettiness, and incompetence of Republicans and Trump. ORourkes message of returning the government back to the people is exactly what voters want to hear. It is how voters feel, and it is the opposite of what defines the selfish, petty, and personally ambitious Ted Cruz.

If anyone can beat Ted Cruz, it is Beto ORourke. Sen. Cruz knows it, which is why he is already sweating the general election campaign.

PoliticsUSA has positions open for writers. Click here to apply.

To discuss this story and more join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
293 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

By Jon Herskovitz

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters)  After record-high early voter turnout, Democrats hope Texas primary election on Tuesday will show that anger over U.S. President Donald Trumps policies could help them flip congressional seats from Republican control in November.

Democrats need to gain 24 seats nationwide to retake the U.S. House of Representatives, a feat that would allow the party to block the Republican presidents legislative agenda.

In the first U.S. primary of the 2018 midterm election season, Texas Democrats were fielding their largest contingent of congressional and legislative candidates in a primary in several decades, and were encouraged the strong early turnout was a sign of electoral success to come in the most populous Republican-held state.

Texas Democrats, however, have not won a statewide race for posts such as governor or U.S. senator in more than two decades. Analysts expect Republican turnout to top that of Democrats on Election Day in November in a state where Republicans outnumbered Democrats in 2014 primary votes by a more than two-to-one margin.

Every two years the Democrats find some sort of factoid to fixate on and convince themselves that this is the year where they make Texas competitive  and every two years it falls flat, said Chris Wilson, a pollster for U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and Governor Greg Abbott, both Texas Republicans.

Democratic primary turnout in the states largest 15 counties hit 465,245 in early voting, according to the Texas secretary of state.

That was double the partys early voting totals for the 2014 midterm election and surpassed the 420,329 people who voted early in this years Republican nominating contest.

Early on Tuesday, voter traffic was light at several polling places in San Antonio.

A woman who identified herself as a Democrat but would not give her name said Trump was the reason many in her party were voting.

 He certainly gives us fodder every single week, she said.

Christopher Sanchez, a Republican, said he thought voters were more concerned about local issues this year.

Trump has been divisive in Texas, where he receives about 83 percent approval among Republican respondents and 85 percent disapproval among Democrat respondents, according to polling from the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas.

Some of the issues that helped Trump nationally, such as reworking trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), can be vulnerabilities in Texas, where the states economy is heavily dependent on trade with neighbor Mexico. His plans to crack down on immigrants have spurred political activism among Latinos, who make up about 40 percent of the states population and tend to support Democrats.

Donald Trumps presence in the White House is motivating a subset of Democratic voters and independents to turn out to vote to express their opposition to his administration, said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University in Texas.

For the first time in more than 25 years, Democrats will be contesting each of Texas 36 U.S. congressional districts, the party said.

Texas Democrats see the partys best opportunities in the six Republican-held districts where incumbents are not seeking re-election. They also are targeting at least two Republican incumbents whose support bases have weakened, in part due to shifting demographics.

Cruz and Abbott, the top Republicans facing primaries on Tuesday, have used the Democratic surge in early voting in appeals to party faithful to go out to the polls.

The two incumbents are expected to easily win and then drive the party ticket in November. Abbott already has a war chest of about $43 million, more than the combined funds at this point of every Democratic candidate running in the state for governor, lieutenant governor and the U.S. Congress.

The best-funded Democratic candidate is Beto ORourke, a U.S. House member running for the U.S. Senate. Fluent in Spanish, ORourke has been drawing big crowds across the state as he calls for universal healthcare, new restrictions on gun ownership and immigration reform.

Cal Jillson, a political analyst at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, said that although ORourke is a long shot to beat Cruz, Democrats are poised to narrow the electoral gap in Texas.

If Democrats are able to pick up one or two U.S. House seats previously held by Republicans and cut into Republican margins in the state legislature  that would show that the partys blue wave is no mirage, he said.

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; additional reporting by Jim Forysth in San Antonio; editing by Colleen Jenkins and Jonathan Oatis)
By Yeganeh Torbati and Mica Rosenberg

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters)  In the first weeks after President Donald Trumps latest travel ban was implemented on Dec. 8, around 100 waivers were granted to thousands of applicants for U.S. visas from the eight countries subject to its restrictions, according to State Department data provided to Reuters.

Between Dec, 8 and Jan. 8, more than 8,400 people applied for U.S. visas from Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Somalia, Yemen and Venezuela, the countries listed in the ban.

Of those, 128 applicants qualified for visas because they fell into categories exempted from the ban, according to a letter from the State Department sent last month to U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat. Exemptions to the ban are made for lawful permanent residents of the United States and certain other categories of applicants.

The ban contains a provision that those who do not qualify for exceptions can be considered for waivers in special circumstances, such as a need for urgent medical care or to accommodate adoptions. Waivers can also be granted to those previously granted visas who want to return to employment or studies in the United States. Significant business obligations or close U.S. family ties can also be taken into consideration for a waiver.

As of Feb. 15 only two of the initial months applicants had been approved for the waivers, according to the letter, which was seen by Reuters. Since then, more than 100 additional waivers have been granted, the State Department told Reuters on Tuesday. It was not clear how many of those additional waivers went to applicants from the initial month.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the issue. A State Department official said the policy is being implemented as called for in the presidents proclamation.

(For the text of the State Department letter to Van Hollen, see: http://tmsnrt.rs/2Ficpgs)

Van Hollen, along with Republican Senator Jeff Flake requested information about visas from the State Department in late January, saying in a letter to the agency and the Department of Homeland Security that they had received reports of the near uniform denial of waivers for visas.

The Trump administration claims that the waiver system can be used by people who pose no threat to our country. But these facts show that system is a farce designed to hide President Trumps true purpose, Van Hollen said in a statement to Reuters on Tuesday. Appellate courts have found that this is a de facto Muslim ban in violation of our Constitution and our immigration laws, and this high refusal rate bears that out.

Six of the eight countries included in the ban are majority Muslim. The Trump administration has said the travel ban is needed to protect U.S. residents from terrorism.

Courts struck down the first two versions of the Republican presidents travel ban, and the current one is narrower in scope than its predecessors. The Supreme Court will consider its legality this spring, and a decision is expected in June.

Many visa applications from the eight countries were denied even before the travel ban. And since it took effect, more than 1,700 of the 8,400 visa applications were denied for reasons other than the travel ban, according to the State Departments data.

Exact comparisons with previous years are not possible, because data is not available for all types of visa applications. But for the 2016 federal fiscal year, State Department data shows that applicants from the eight countries were refused tourist and business visas, called B visas, at rates of between 15 percent and 64 percent, depending on the country. North Koreans had the lowest rate of denials, while Somalis had the highest. In the first month after the travel ban took effect, more than 95 percent of U.S. visa applications from the countries were denied.

Attorneys representing applicants abroad who were turned down for visas say consular officials have not clearly explained why their clients did not qualify for waivers.

There is a feeling of extreme frustration. People are operating basically in the blind, said Diala Shamas, an attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, a New York-based nonprofit group that assists Yemeni applicants waiting for visas at the U.S. embassy in Djibouti. An outsider might think that the impact of the proclamation would be mitigated by the waivers, but in reality that is not at all the case.

Trumps proclamation of a travel ban outlined three broad requirements for a visa waiver. Applicants must face undue hardship if denied a visa, the travel must be in the U.S. interest and the applicant must not pose a security risk.

For an applicant to be cleared of being a security threat, consular officers are told to consider the information-sharing and identity-management protocols of the applicants country of nationality as they relate to the applicant, according to the letter.

That last consideration could prove complicated for most applicants, given that the reason a country winds up on the banned list is that it does not meet U.S. standards for information sharing and identity management.

(Refiling to make it data instead of letter in headline)

(Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati in Washington and Mica Rosenberg in New York; additional reporting by Grant Smith; editing by Sue Horton, Lisa Shumaker and Jonathan Oatis)
466 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

LONDON (Reuters)  Britain has warned of a robust response if it finds evidence of Russian involvement in the collapse of a former Russian agent convicted of betraying dozens of spies to British intelligence.

Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, are critically ill after being exposed to what police called an unknown substance. Russias embassy in London has expressed concern about British media reporting of the incident, which has included suggestions that Skripal and his daughter were poisoned.

Below is a list of some previous incidents in which critics or enemies of Moscow have been victims of poisoning or suspected poisoning, or have cried foul after suddenly falling ill.

UNIDENTIFIED SUBSTANCE

Skripal, 66, was once a colonel in Russias GRU military intelligence service. He and his 33-year-old daughter were found unconscious on a bench outside a shopping center in the English city of Salisbury on Sunday. Police are investigating what made them ill.

The Kremlin says it is ready to cooperate if Britain asks it for help investigating the incident, and that it has no information about it. Asked about British media speculation that Russia had poisoned Skripal, a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin said: It didnt take them long.

POISON-TIPPED UMBRELLA

During the Cold War, Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian dissident, was killed with a poison-tipped umbrella. Markov, a writer, journalist and opponent of Bulgarias then communist leadership, died on Sept. 11, 1978 after someone fired a ricin-laced pellet into his leg on Londons Waterloo Bridge.

According to accounts of the incident, Markov, who defected to the West in 1969, was waiting for a bus when he felt a sharp sting in his thigh. A stranger fumbled behind him with an umbrella he had dropped and mumbled sorry before walking away.

Markov later died of what is believed to be ricin poisoning, for which there is no antidote. Dissidents accused the Soviet KGB of being behind the killing.

POLONIUM-210

Ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko, 43, died after drinking green tea laced with polonium-210, a rare and potent radioactive isotope, at Londons Millennium Hotel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin probably approved the killing, a British inquiry concluded in 2016. The Kremlin has denied involvement.

An inquiry led by a senior British judge found that former KGB bodyguard Andrei Lugovoy and another Russian, Dmitry Kovtun, carried out the killing as part of an operation that he said was probably directed by Russias Federal Security Service (FSB), the main heir to the Soviet-era KGB.

An outspoken critic of Putin, Litvinenko fled Russia for Britain six years to the day before he was poisoned.

GELSEMIUM PLANT

Alexander Perepilichny, a 44-year-old Russian, was found dead near his luxury home on an exclusive gated estate outside London after he had been out jogging in November 2012.

Perepilichny had sought refuge in Britain in 2009 after helping a Swiss investigation into a Russian money-laundering scheme. His sudden death raised suggestions that he might have been murdered.

British police ruled out foul play despite suspicions he might have been murdered with a rare poison. An inquest into his death has yet to give a definitive conclusion as to how he died.

A pre-inquest hearing heard that traces of a rare and deadly poison from the gelsemium plant had been found in his stomach.

Perepilichny had enjoyed a large bowl of soup containing sorrel, a popular Russian dish. Russia denied involvement.

DIOXIN

Viktor Yushchenko, then a Ukrainian opposition leader, was poisoned during the campaign for the 2004 presidential election in which he stood on a pro-western ticket against the current Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich.

He was poisoned with 1,000 times more dioxin than is normally present in the human body in 2004. His face and body were disfigured by the poisoning and he had dozens of operations following the poisoning.

Yushchenko subsequently won the presidency in a re-run poll after Ukraines Supreme Court, amid street protests dubbed the Orange Revolution, struck down the results of a first vote that gave victory to a pro-Moscow candidate.

He said he was poisoned while having dinner outside Kiev with officials from the Ukrainian security services. Russia denied any involvement.

HEAVY METALS

Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition activist, says he believes attempts were made to poison him in 2015 and 2017. A German laboratory later found elevated levels of mercury, copper, manganese and zinc in him, according to medical reports seen by Reuters. Moscow denied involvement.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge. Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Stormy Daniels is suing Trump because he never signed their hush money agreement which means that it is invalid and Daniels is free to talk about their affair.

NBC News reported:



Stephanie Clifford, known professionally as Stormy Daniels, signed both the agreement and a side letter agreement using her professional name on October 28, 2016, just days before the 2016 presidential election. Cohen signed the document the same day. Both agreements are appended to the lawsuit as Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 2.

The hush agreement, as its called in the suit, refers to Trump throughout as David Dennison, and Clifford as Peggy Peterson. In the side letter agreement, the true identity of DD is blacked out, but Cliffords attorney, Michael Avenatti, says the individual is Trump.

Each document includes a blank where DD is supposed to sign, but neither blank is signed.

Read the lawsuit:

In any other administration, a presidential sex scandal would be dominating the news 24/7, but in the case of Donald Trump, the Stormy Daniels scandal might be the fourth most important scandal in the Trump administration behind Russia, Jared Kushner corruption, and Trump administration using the White House for personal profit. Stormy Daniels is the kind of scandal that can resonate with voters because it is simple, but with presidential treason on the table, Stormy may have to sue to get her moment in the news cycle sun.

PoliticsUSA has positions open for writers. Click here to apply.

To discuss this story and more join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
405 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

By Kevin Murphy

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Reuters)  A trial over a Kansas law that requires proof of U.S citizenship from people registering to vote opened on Tuesday, with critics calling it illegal and backers saying it was a necessary tool to fight fraud.

The lawsuit, filed in February 2016 in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kansas by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), argues that the state law violates the National Voter Registration Act by requiring voters who do not have a drivers license to show documents such as a birth certificate or U.S. passport for voter registration.

It is one of numerous voter ID laws passed by Republican-led state legislatures in recent years.

Democrats argue that ID laws target voters who typically support the Democratic Party, such as the young and minorities. Proponents such as Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach say they prevent voter fraud.

Kobach, chief defendant in the case, said in opening statements that 129 non-U.S. citizens had voted or registered to vote in Kansas since 2000.

That is the tip of the iceberg, he said in court.

Evidence will show up to 18,000 other non-citizens have voted in Kansas, Kobach said.

ACLUs lead attorney, Dale Ho, disputed Kobachs numbers and said the law targets a small number of people who might seek to vote illegally.

Enforcing this law is like taking a bazooka to a fly, and the collateral damage has been thousands of voters, Ho said, referring to that groups estimate that more than 35,000 citizens were blocked from registering to vote between 2013 and 2016.

Witness testimony in the case, being heard by U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson, is expected to last five or more days.

In May 2016, Robinson temporarily blocked enforcement of the law pending the trials outcome. It first went into effect on Jan. 1, 2013.

Kobach, a Republican candidate for Kansas governor, is serving as lead attorney for the state.

He served on a commission appointed by U.S. President Donald Trump to investigate voter fraud. Trump contended millions of people voted illegally in the 2016 presidential election he won. The commission was shut down in January.

Lawmakers in 23 states have imposed new voting restrictions since 2010, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law.

This year, six states have introduced bills imposing photo identification requirements for voting, and bills have been put forward in Kentucky and New Hampshire to make existing voter identification laws more restrictive, the Center said.

(Reporting by Kevin Murphy in Kansas City, additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Ben Klayman, Rosalba OBrien and Susan Thomas)
460 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

By Pete Schroeder

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren promised to fight a U.S. Senate bill easing bank rules introduced following the 2007-2009 global financial crisis as the chamber moved on Tuesday to begin debating the draft bipartisan legislation.

Warren, long a consumer advocate, warned customer protections would be eroded as the Senate moved closer to passing the first rewrite of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law.

The Senate voted on Tuesday morning 67-32 in favor of debating the bill, paving the way for the chamber to potentially pass the proposed legislation by the end of the week.

Moderate Democrats who support the legislation rejected Warrens claims, saying on Tuesday it offered critical relief for small and mid-sized lenders and that they expected it to quickly pass the senate.

Despite her sway among liberal Democrats, Warrens efforts are unlikely to derail the bill, according to analysts, who put the chances of it becoming law at around 90 percent on Monday.

People in this building may forget the devastating impact of the financial crisis 10 years ago, but the American people have not forgotten, Warren told reporters on Tuesday.

The bill, authored by Senate Banking Committee chairman Mike Crapo, has the support of 13 moderate Democrats, which, given broad Republican backing, should be enough to assure passage in the 100-seat chamber.

Several senior Democratic senators, including Warren and Sherrod Brown, have come out against it.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Senate Democrats who helped write the bill dismissed criticism that it helps large banks, saying it would free up small community banks and credit unions to lend more to small businesses.

If were going to continue to have access to capital in rural areas of our country, this bill needs to pass, said Senator Jon Tester, adding the increased risk to consumers and the financial system was very, very, very minimal.

Republican critics say Dodd-Frank went too far and curbs banks ability to lend, while many Democrats say it provides critical protections for consumers and taxpayers.

Republicans have tried for years to revise the law but only recently have some Democrats begun to support tweaks.

Crapos bill would ease the capital and operational burden on smaller lenders, but also includes a number of provisions beneficial to all but the largest U.S. banks.

Most notably, the bill would raise the threshold at which banks are considered systemically risky and subject to stricter oversight to $250 billion from $50 billion.

It also exempts banks with less than $10 billion in assets from rules banning proprietary trading.

Democrats said they are considering a number of modest changes to include provisions sought by House of Representative lawmakers who still need to pass the bill for it become law.

Tester, however, said Senate Democrats would abandon the bill if House lawmakers add more radical de-regulatory language.

Crapo is expected to release an amended version of the Senate bill this week.

Senator Heidi Heitkamp, another key backer of the bill, said she expects leaders in the House, as well as the White House, will safeguard the bill so it can make its way to President Donald Trumps desk for signing into law in coming months.

(Reporting by Pete Schroeder; Additional reporting by Rick Cowan; Writing by Michelle Price; Editing by Frances Kerry and James Dalgleish)
320 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

By Julia Harte and Jason Lange

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  A majority of Republican lawmakers in the tightest congressional races are changing their message on guns, expressing new support for restrictions after last months high school shooting in Florida, according to a Reuters review of the candidates public statements.

Eleven Republican incumbents face elections in 2018 widely seen as toss-ups or leaning against the current office holder. So far, six of them have publicly embraced new gun control measures in the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting in Parkland, Reuters found. (Graphic: http://tmsnrt.rs/2I8qevA)

In advocating for some restrictions, they are breaking ranks with a party that has often balked at taking significant steps that could restrict Americans constitutional right to own guns and has typically limited its responses to mass shootings to expressions of sympathy.

However limited the shift, it shows that lawmakers who will depend on the votes of moderates and independents to win tough swing-district races are deviating from decades of party orthodoxy on gun ownership.

They are doing it amid a public outcry over repeated mass shootings that has been driven in part by student activists who have confronted lawmakers over legislative inaction on the issue.

In less competitive races, most Republican candidates are still holding to the party position on guns. Most Republican lawmakers were largely silent last week when President Donald Trump surprised his party with his call for new limits on gun ownership.

Don Bacon, a first-term congressman for Omaha, Nebraska, is one of those lawmakers facing what is shaping up to be a hard-fought race in Novembers congressional elections. After a former student shot dead 17 people at the Florida high school, he expressed support for tighter restrictions on Americans ability to buy and own guns.

In social media posts and interviews, he departed from the message of the National Rifle Association, which is a major donor to the Republican Party and has given Bacon one of its highest ratings.

Bacon said he was working on legislation to raise penalties for illegal gun buyers. He also wanted to improve background checks and allow law enforcement officers to temporarily seize firearms from people believed to be dangerous, after those people are allowed to contest the claims against them.

After a gunman shot dead 58 people at an outdoor concert in Las Vegas in October, Bacon was more cautious: He joined 78 lawmakers from both parties in signing a letter urging the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to reevaluate so-called bump stocks that make semi-automatic rifles fire more quickly. The NRA also supported the move.

Its not about winning re-election. Its about doing whats right, the congressman told Reuters of his post-Parkland support for new measures. At the same time, he emphasized that he views himself as a defender of the gun rights enshrined in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

AMERICANS FAVOR RESTRICTIONS

Three out of four Americans say they favor banning military-style assault weapons, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The poll of 1,488 people between Feb. 25 and March 1 also found that nearly 9 in 10 people supported expanding background checks for gun buyers.

Republican incumbents in competitive districts need to respond to voters who are often more open to gun restrictions than those in districts that are easy wins, said Ryan Williams, a Republican strategist at FP1 Strategies.

In swing districts, voters have different opinions and they want to see a more comprehensive approach, Williams said.

Because concern in the United States over mass shootings is high, adopting more restrictive views on gun policy could help candidates in tight races, said Doug Heye, another Republican strategist. But Republican lawmakers also want to avoid alienating gun rights supporters, said Williams.

Underscoring that, in another 13 races, where Republican incumbents face competitive but not toss-up races, only three of the Republicans have moved toward gun control, according to the Reuters review.

NOTICEABLE SHIFTS

Dana Rohrabacher is another congressman and gun rights stalwart facing a tough fight to keep his seat. The Southern California Republican has also noticeably shifted his positions. He now says it should be illegal to sell weapons to felons and people taking psychiatric prescription drugs.

By contrast, after the Las Vegas shooting, Rohrabachers spokesman Ken Grubbs said it was demagoguery to discuss specific legislative changes, according to a report in a local Californian newspaper. Grubbs did not return a request for comment from Reuters.

Congressman John Faso of upstate New York said in interviews after the Florida shootings that he favors expanding background checks and not allowing people to buy semi-automatic guns until they turn 21.

Faso, who took office in 2017, confined his response to the Las Vegas shootings to a Twitter post in which he described them as heart breaking.

Bacon, Rohrabacher and Faso and eight other Republican incumbents face the toughest re-election fights, according to three political analysis groups  Cook Political Report, Larry Sabatos Crystal Ball and Inside Elections.

Republican lawmakers in seven safe districts adjoining those districts have largely stuck to the same positions they had before the shooting: mostly opposed to new forms of gun control.

Some defended their decision to not endorse new restrictions when contacted for comment by Reuters. Congressman Ken Buck of Colorado said he has seen no evidence to justify new laws restricting the purchase or ownership of guns. None of the other lawmakers contacted by Reuters besides Bacon and Buck offered an explanation for their shift or steadfastness on gun policy following Parkland.

Reuters examined the public statements of 31 lawmakers in the competitive and safe districts, including speeches and social media postings, and asked them about any other pronouncements they have made on the issue.

NRA DECISIONS TO COME

The stark difference in responses can be seen in Florida. Republican congressman Carlos Curbelo is in a tight race in his South Florida district. He said he now favors raising the age of purchase for long guns and even advocates banning civilian purchases of military-style weapons and regulating high-capacity magazines.

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, who is in an adjacent safe Republican district, issued a press release praising Trumps NRA-endorsed call to ban bump stocks as a welcome announcement. He advocated no other specific measures to reduce gun violence.

The 18 Republican lawmakers in both competitive and safe seats whose statements Reuters analyzed have received more than $1.5 million from the NRA in donations or expenditures on their behalf throughout their political careers. The 11 lawmakers who did not shift their stance on gun control after the Florida shootings received 85 percent of that, Reuters found.

Asked whether the NRA was considering limiting support for any of the lawmakers who have expressed support for new gun control measures, NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said the association had yet to complete its evaluations of candidates. This would be done after election registration deadlines, which have not yet passed in most states.

(Reporting by Julia Harte and Jason Lange; Editing by Damon Darlin and Ross Colvin)
Synthpop, which became prominent in the late 70s and into the 80s, is a subgenre with roots in the United Kingdom  thanks to pioneers like Gary Numan, OMD and the Human League  as well as Germany (Kraftwerk) and Japan (Yellow Magic Orchestra). The United States even got in on the act with bands like Devo planting their flag in the synthetic, keyboard-drenched landscape. But what about Spain?

Yes, Spain. Ibizas dance club culture notwithstanding, the Iberian peninsula doesnt necessarily conjure up images of retro synthesizers and pulsating drum machines, but plenty of bands in Spain were formed during those heady days of synthpop and new wave. You could blame the general apathy of local record companies and radio stations for the lack of traction these bands were ultimately able to gain, particularly outside their hometowns. Some of Spains more daring DJs and radio shows gave these young upstarts a shot, but by the time major record companies expressed interest, it was too little and too late  most of the bands were only able to last so long without much-needed exposure (not to mention the fact that many of the bands members were eventually forced into Spains then-compulsory military service).

Fortunately, the music of these long-forgotten bands lives on, thanks to Madrid-based Munster Records. With Interferencias, Vol. 1, 20 tracks from Spains 1980-89 synth wave underground are polished off and deservedly unleashed into the world (in a package that includes in-depth liner notes from Spanish musician Sergio Sanchez, who records under the moniker Jazznoize). While all tracks succeed in evoking the same bygone era, theres enough variety to keep the collection consistently interesting.

Take the opening track, for instance. Respuesta Alternativa, by TodoTodo, is more of a funk workout than anything resembling the British synthpop pioneers of the era. Recorded in 1985, the instrumental is loaded with synthetic horns, slap bass, and a driving beat that would live comfortably alongside Harold Faltermeyers Beverly Hills Cop theme, Axel F. But the song is followed by the moody, gloomy (but perfectly danceable) Hablamos de Nosotros by Oviformia SCI, sounding like a Spanish version of Ultravox.

Its impossible to listen to Interferencias without picking apart the obvious influences of these fine, talented bands. Amor Acuatico, a 1986 track from Justine, incorporates a raw, sinister atmosphere reminiscent of early Cure singles. Burdel by Septimo Sello features a searing keyboard riff straight out of Gary Numans playbook. Kalashnikovs Digital is obviously influenced by the raw, primitive electronic beats of early Ministry and Cabaret Voltaire. In fact, if it werent for the Spanish language singing on the non-instrumental tracks, many of the songs here almost sound like outtakes from those influential artists.

Fortunately, the music in this collection is varied enough to allow for plenty of welcome experimentation. Sucursal by El Humano Mecano, the alter ego of musician Curro Rodriguez, implements some of the stranger, more jarring aspects of the techno format with plenty of distorted synth patches and twitchy effects, allowing for an unsettling vibe. Likewise, the industrial blast of Golpe de Amistad by Diseno Corbusier mixes emotionless, robotic beats and keyboard stabs with the orgasmic shouts of vocalist Maria Jose Gonzalez, showing off the bands obvious influences: Throbbing Gristle, Diamanda Galas, Laurie Anderson.

Closing out the collection, La Banda Electronica by the duo Bola/Banda Electronica achieves what much of the 20 tracks here do successfully: marry tuneful compositions with a then-contemporary aesthetic. The lush keyboards and driving beat combine with complex guitar lines and manage to give the song a timeless quality while still firmly ensconced in its decade. Its a tough trick to pull off.

The title Interferencias, Vol. 1 implies that a sequel is forthcoming. That is welcome news for anyone looking to continue this deep dive into the obscure vaults of a bygone era. The folks at Munster Records have managed to unearth a wonderful stash of long-forgotten music. Bless their new wave hearts.
Restrained but full of feeling, always in service to the images and emotions of each song, Joan Baez delivers the ten tracks that comprise Whistle Down the Wind with beautiful economy and elegant assurance. Given that Baez has announced that this new record will accompany whats likely be her last world tour, its no surprise that theres a vaguely valedictory air to the album, which touches some of the concerns that have been constants throughout her storied near-60-year career, one in which art and activism have always been closely intertwined. Whats absent, though, is any sense of grandstanding or any big, forced statements. Rather, Whistle Down the Wind is a beguilingly modest, humble work that wears with disarming lightness Baezs legendary status, instead placing the focus squarely on the songs.

Indeed, with a title track that once again comes from the pens of Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan (this time derived from Waitss 1992 album Bone Machine), Whistle Down the Wind immediately establishes itself as a companion piece, sonically and spiritually, to Baezs last album, the Steve Earle-produced Day After Tomorrow (2008). Dispensing with the roots-rock inclinations of 1997s Gone From Danger and 2003s Dark Chords on a Big Guitar, the album similarly sustains a mellow, intimate and almost exclusively acoustic ambiance, with arrangements based around guitar, bass, organ, and piano.

That being said, the new record arrives into a very different cultural and political landscape than Day After Tomorrow, which was released on the cusp of the Democrats win ten years ago. Whatever the compromises and shortcomings of Barack Obamas tenure thereafter  and Baez, with her intelligent skepticism about party politics, has not shied away from expressing a number of gripes about it  that moment of optimism and possibility already seems very far away.

However, with the exception of one song choice  Zoe Mulfords The President Sang Amazing Grace, about the 2015 Charleston church shooting  Whistle Down the Wind avoids overt contemporary references, preferring to address current calamities obliquely. Notably, Baez doesnt include Nasty Man, the Trump-baiting exercise that she penned after the 2016 election, and which generated much attention online. Its a wise decision overall, allowing the album to avoid the pitfalls of obvious sermonizing. Baez draws here on the words of songwriters whose work shes turned to before in recent years  along with Waits and Brennan, songs by Josh Ritter, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Eliza Gilkyson, and Joe Henry (who takes on producing duties this time around) are included  while also adding in a couple of voices new to her repertoire (Mulford, Anohni). Its a pretty diverse list, but, as usual, Baez succeeds in elegantly making each song her own, and the album into a cohesive artistic statement.

The title track makes for a warmly enticing opener, Baez fully inhabiting the conflicts and regrets of a narrator confronting their own timidity, missed chances, and, ultimately, mortality. Baez has called Tom Waits as exquisitely gloomy as I am yet the song sounds soothing and accepting here, and it establishes the albums conciliatory tone. Thats not to say that social consciousness is absent, of course. Anohnis Another World is drained of any hint of preciousness in this account, Baezs spare reading  just her guitar, and percussion provided by son Gabriel Harris  makes the song both taut and tender. Gilkysons The Great Correction balances despair and optimism, anticipating a reckoning as it recognizes both the shadows across this land and that the light burns brightest in the darkest times. The reading of Mulfords song, with Tyler Chesters piano work dominating, takes on a hymnal quality thats touchingly understated, avoiding sententiousness.

The more personal side of the record is also compelling. While the Oh my darling, oh my love chorus to Mary Chapin Carpenters The Things That We Are Made Of gets repetitious by the end, the lovely, delicately chiming arrangement does justice to the impressionism of the verses, and, full of quiet reverence, Baezs delivery of the title is exquisite. The second Waits and Brennan inclusion, Last Leaf, gives this ode to endurance a light, wry quality. Set to twangy gut-string guitar, piano, and brushed drums, Henrys Civil War (culled from his 2007 album Civilians) is similarly image-rich, Baez relishing sharp, Dylanesque lyrics such as every truth carries blame and we call our little mob a town.

The two songs from Ritter are also strong: the first, Be of Good Heart, is a wise and kind benediction on the occasion of a lovers leave-taking; the second, Silver Blade, tips its hat to one of Baezs signature songs yet deftly skirts pastiche in its brisk account of an exploited maids revenge on a loathsome lordling. The albums closing track, Tim Ericksons I Wish the Wars Were All Over, also mobilizes folk tropes  a grieving heroine ready to cross-dress and cross the ocean to be reunited with her soldier lover  in its adaptation of an 18th-century text. But Baez, sounding at once weary and hopeful, makes the title an indelible refrain echoing through the ages and resonating now.

Throughout, Baezs mature voice is a thing of beauty, her achingly pure soprano now deepened from its early stark power to a weathered, womanly and perhaps more expressive instrument. Again, the weight of this voices history  one thats sung all across the world, in multiple languages, and been present at pivotal 20th-century events  can be felt, but lightly. Humane and restorative, Whistle Down the Wind is an album that brings the listener to a calm place, reminding us, clearly and simply, of the power of what Peggy Seeger has recently identified as the enduring heart of the ever-evolving folk tradition: melody and quiet, reflective words.
Get the SC business stories that matter.

Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 76F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 76F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez was in the middle of the forest when taking a phone call from The Post and Courier.

"Sorry, the reception's pretty bad out here," he said while experimental music played in the background in a vibrant hum. The nature retreat was a stop in between shows during his current tour with world music collective Nahko and Medicine for the People.

Martinez, whose dad is an Aztec Indian and whose mom is an environmental and social activist, started his own journey of activism at the young age of 6. Now, just over a decade later at age 17, the indigenous activist and rapper who goes by his first name has been featured in Time, Rolling Stone, CNN, Vice, National Geographic, Vogue and more.

Sign up for the Charleston Hot Sheet Get a weekly list of tips on pop-ups, last minute tickets and little-known experiences hand-selected by our newsroom in your inbox each Thursday. Email

Sign Up!

The act that made him famous took place under the Obama administration in 2016 when Martinez, along with 20 other plaintiffs under the age of 20, sued the United States government over climate change for violating the youngest generation's constitutional rights to life, liberty and property. Under the Trump administration, an initial attempt by the government to dismiss the lawsuit was rejected by the federal court. The case is set to go to trial later this year.

"I grew up falling in love with life and people and food and music and places and memories  all the beautiful things about the world  and that's what is pushing me to fight," said Martinez, who also is the youth director of Earth Guardians, a tribe of young activists across the globe stepping up to defend the planet.

Martinez spends a lot of his free time meditating, writing and reflecting in nature. He's a surfer and a hiker, an explorer, and a millennial who appreciates the lost art of ditching his phone and getting lost in the forest and his thoughts for several hours.

His love of nature and protecting the planet's natural resources inspired a strong opposition to fracking among other processes disrupting the environment. Martinez discusses his stance at length during interviews, on television talk shows and in his book, "We Rise: The Earth Guardians Guide to Building a Movement that Restores the Planet."

He also has interwoven music into his activism, providing another platform for his voice to be heard. Though he's been performing at rallies and protests since elementary school and has collaborated with Jaden Smith, Bassnectar and more over the years, he's now professionally pursuing it as a way to tell his story and reach more people. The young rapper is releasing his debut hip-hop album "Break Free" this summer, and he's playing it live now in support of Nahko and Medicine for the People.

"Our art is on the same wavelength," said Martinez of Nahko. "We're using music for a purpose. Its important to tell the stories and negativity thats going on in the world and then show we can come out on the other side of those challenges and provide an opportunity for a change."

Martinez recently released a single from the upcoming album. "Blu Ink" explores the ways in which he has lost a part of his youth by being a dedicated activist from such an early age.

"People sometimes may forget that I'm still going through a lot of the same things my other peers are going through," said Martinez. "'Blu Ink' is about how, through this movement, Ive lost myself a lot but how music is helping me find my way. I wrote it after falling in love and the summer I had with this girl  it's about self-discovery through loving someone and falling in love with music, too."

As a whole, Martinez describes the album as a blend between exploring how the world is broken and simultaneously letting go of that.

"It's a lot of stories that have held a really important place in my life," said Martinez. "There's this high-energy balance with emotional acoustic vibes. There's storytelling, but I'm also using art as a celebration. You dont necessarily have to be talking about a movement."

He cites Kendrick Lamar as an inspirational influence in the way he utilizes art and emotion to create a lasting impact. Martinez's ultimate goal is much the same.

"Fight for the cause; die for the dream," he said. "It's been such a wild ride. Its given me a lot to do and it's given me direction and purpose for sure. It's helped me recognize what part I have to play in the world."
Lauren Sausser is the Health & Science Editor at The Post and Courier. She also writes about health care issues in South Carolina.
The violent attack came without warning in a quiet, lakeside neighborhood on Johns Island.

A man, armed with a knife, approached the woman from behind as she returned home after dropping off two of her five children at school.

Court documents on Wednesday revealed new details in the Feb. 13 kidnapping of a 4-year-old and the assault that left her mother hospitalized for two weeks. They were released after Thomas Lawton Evans, 37, made his first court appearance on seven state charges.

The arrest affidavits stated that Evans drove his girlfriend's car to the Todd family's home. As the mother walked inside, Evans pushed her into the house and began the brutal attack in front of her three children.

Evans forced the mother onto the kitchen floor, where he rammed her head into the hardwood several times and punched her face, according to the affidavits. The woman suffered facial fractures, bleeding on her brain and neck injuries, the documents said.

"(He) then kept the victim captive while restrained inside the residence for approximately an hour," affidavits said.

Evans appeared briefly in a courtroom Wednesday and waived his right to a bond hearing. He faces two kidnapping charges and one count of attempted murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, armed robbery, first-degree burglary and weapon possession. He had already been jailed on a federal kidnapping charge.

Investigators found evidence that the mother had been sexually assaulted during the home invasion, according to the affidavits.

Authorities said Evans took the mother's purse  containing a debit card  and abducted the 4-year-old, leaving the younger children behind.

A frantic search for the girl ensued, with residents of the Whitney Lake subdivision joining authorities in combing through wooded areas, lakes and trash cans.

She was rescued Feb. 14 in Alabama after railroad workers saw a man asleep in a parked car with a young girl inside.

Evans was captured after a police pursuit that ended in Mississippi. He was driving a stolen car.

While hospitalized, the mother picked two possible suspects out of a six-person photographic lineup, saying the two people were similar to her attacker, the affidavits said. One of them was Evans.

Evans had been freed from state prison Feb. 1 to serve the remainder of a 10-year sentence on community supervision in the Upstate.

But two days before the abduction, he showed up in Berkeley County with a woman's car, a Honda. Deputies encountered him but said they had no reason to arrest him at the time. Authorities tried to check on the car owner, 39-year-old Sharon Hayden, at her Spartanburg County home, but she wasn't around.

Affidavits identified the car owner as Evans' girlfriend, and Evans told investigators that he drove the car before and after the assault.

Hayden's car was later found abandoned in Georgia, where authorities said Evans stole another vehicle. Meanwhile, Hayden's whereabouts have remained unknown. The documents released Wednesday gave no indication about her fate.
Gregory Yee covers the city of Charleston. He's a native Angeleno and previously covered crime and courts for the Press-Telegram in Long Beach, CA. He studied journalism and Spanish literature at the University of California, Irvine.
Deputies were called to this home on Pine Tree Drive near St. Stephen earlier this month for a domestic violence episode before getting involved in a shootout with a man involved in the incident. File/Andrew Knapp/Staff
Paul Bowers is an education reporter and father of three living in North Charleston. He previously worked at the Charleston City Paper, where he was twice named South Carolina Journalist of the Year in the weekly category.
Chloe Johnson covers the coastal environment and climate change for the Post and Courier. She's always looking for a good excuse to hop on a boat.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
South Korean National Security Director Chung Eui-yong, center, and National Intelligence Service Chief Suh Hoon, center right, with other delegates arrive at a military airport in Seongnam, south of Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 6, 2018. The delegation led by Chung returned to the South after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held an "openhearted talk" with the envoys. (Song Kyung-seok/Pool Photo via AP)
Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor

Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach.
Jamie Lovegrove is a political reporter covering the South Carolina Statehouse, congressional delegation and campaigns. He previously covered Texas politics in Washington for The Dallas Morning News and in Austin for the Texas Tribune.
Assistant Columbia bureau chief

Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill.
Our top stories in your inbox every morning

Sign up for the Editor's Pick newsletter

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

By filling out this form, you are giving us permission to send emails to your address and store your address for future emails.
PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-07 17:33:01

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - March 7, 2018 - Bavarian Nordic A/S (OMX: BAVA, OTC: BVNRY) will announce its 2017 annual report on Monday, March 12, 2018.

The management of Bavarian Nordic will host a conference call at 2:00 pm CET (9:00 am EDT) on the same day to present the full-year results followed by a Q&A session. A live and replay version of the call and relevant slides will be available at http://bit.ly/2I95nIC.

To join the Q&A session dial one of the following numbers and state the participant code 8332812: Denmark: +45 35 15 81 21, UK: +44 (0) 330 336 9411, USA: +1 323-794-2551.

Contacts

Europe: Rolf Sass Srensen, Vice President Investor Relations & Communications. Phone +45 61 77 47 43

U.S.: Seth Lewis, Vice President, Investor Relations & Communications. Phone: +1 978 341 5271

About Bavarian Nordic

Bavarian Nordic is a fully integrated biotechnology company focused on the development of innovative and safe therapies against cancer and infectious diseases. Using our live virus vaccine platform technology, MVA-BN, we have created a diverse portfolio of proprietary and partnered product candidates intended to improve the health and quality of life for children and adults. We supply our IMVAMUNE non-replicating smallpox vaccine to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile and other government stockpiles. The vaccine is approved in the European Union (under the trade name IMVANEX) and in Canada. Registration studies are currently underway in the U.S. In addition to our long-standing collaboration with the U.S. government on the development of IMVAMUNE and other medical countermeasures, our infectious disease pipeline comprises a proprietary RSV program as well as vaccine candidates for Ebola, HPV, HBV and HIV, which are developed through a strategic partnership with Janssen. Additionally, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, we have developed a portfolio of active cancer immunotherapies, designed to alter the disease course by eliciting a robust and broad anti-cancer immune response while maintaining a favorable risk-benefit profile. Through multiple industry collaborations, we seek to explore the potential synergies of combining our immunotherapies with other immune-modulating agents, e.g. checkpoint inhibitors. For more information visit www.bavarian-nordic.com or follow us on Twitter @bavariannordic.

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Bavarian Nordic A/S via Globenewswire


Generic drugs refers to medication that have the same active ingredient as that of a branded drugs.

Generic Drugs Market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-07 14:14:33

Press Information

Coherent Market Insights

1001 4th Ave,





#3200





Seattle, WA 98154



Mr.Shah

CEO

2067016702

email

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com





# 689 Words

1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154CEO2067016702

Generic drugs refers to medication that have the same active ingredient as that of a branded drugs. These drugs also yield the same therapeutic effect and are prescribed in the same dosing, with the same quality, and same the way of consumption and usage. However, the inactive ingredients of generic drugs can differ as compared to their branded counter parts. These drugs are mainly marketed after a patent expiry of a branded drug and are significantly lower in costs as compared to the patented branded drugs. Generic drugs are of equivalent quality as compared to the branded drugs and are manufactured under the same safety and manufacturing procedures. Various manufacturers submit an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) to the FDA after the completion of period of patent exclusivity.To understand Research Methodology @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1132 Patent expiry of branded drugs is a factor expected to boost growth of the global generic drugs marketManufacturers of generic drugs are focusing on development and introduction of various innovative medication and formulation such as biosimilars. According to IMS Health data, generic drugs accounted for over 80% of the prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. in 2013. The number of patents expiring in the near future serves to be a major driver for growth of generic drugs market. For instance, Cetuximab (Erbitux) is an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor that is indicated in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and head and neck cancer. It is manufactured under the patent by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Eli Lily Company in Europe. The drugs patent expires in 2018 and thus, is expected to provide opportunity for a large number of market players to manufacture its generic version. Furthermore, supportive initiative by FDA to promote development of biosimilars is encouraging manufacturers to focus towards its development. For instance, the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act in the U.S. gr ants 12 months patent exclusivity with higher profit margins to the first manufacturer than the conventional generic manufacturers bringing the drugs in market later.Asia Pacific to gain significant traction in the global generic drugs market owing to increasing number of local playersOn the basis of region, the global generic drugs market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. North America held a dominant position in the global generic drugs market in 2016. This is attributed to favorable regulatory policies that are revised and amended to encourage generic drugs business in the region. For instance, Generic Drug User Fee Amendment (GDFUA) was reauthorized in 2017 after its initiation in 2012 by FDA for increasing consumer access to high quality, safe, and affordable drugs. On the other hand, Asia Pacific is expected to show a significant traction in the market over the forecast period. This is attributed to lower manufacturing costs and high skilled workforce in the Asian countries. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, India has the second largest number of U.S. FDA manufacturing plants outside the U.S. that are involved in generic drugs manufacturing. Additionally, the cost of manufacturing is 33% lower in India than that in the U.S., increasing accessibility to generics in these countries.New drug launches and market approvals from the U.S. FDA to generic manufacturers are bolstering growth of the generic drugs market. For instance, in December 2017, Zydus Phamaceuticals  a subsidiary of Cadila Healthcare  received U.S. FDA approval to market Pramipexole Dihydrochloride extended-release tablets for the treatment of Parkinson s disease in the U.S. market. Key players operating in the global generic drugs market are Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Mylan N.V., Novartis International AG, Pfizer, Inc., Allergan Plc, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Fresenius Kabi, Sanofi, Endo International, Lupin Ltd., Abbott Healthcare, AstraZeneca Plc, and Novo Nordisk.Complete Report Details @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/generic-drugs-market-1132 Catch us at 3rd International Conference on Separation + Drying Technologies for Milk & Whey at Cologne, March 19 and 20, 2018About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.
Fact.MR

PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-07 15:35:04

Press Information

Fact.MR

Suite 9884



27 Upper Pembroke Street,



Dublin 2, Ireland



Abhishek Budholiya

Marketing Manager

+353-1-6111-593

email

https://www.factmr.com/





# 699 Words

Suite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandMarketing Manager+353-1-6111-593

According to a recent Fact.MRs report, a volume CAGR of 4.1% will be recorded by the global polyurethane in automotive filter market during the forecast period, 2017-2026. Revenues from global sales of polyurethane for fabrication of automotive filters are estimated to reach approximately US$ 950 Mn by 2026-end.Request for Sample Report@ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=511 Preference for Polyurethane Considerably High among OEMsAutomotive filters must consistently deliver clean fluid and air even under difficult operating conditions. Filters play an important role in ensuring that the engine is running under best conditions. Therefore, it becomes imperative to use premium quality raw materials for manufacturing automotive filters. Polyurethane foams and other PU based combination materials have been serving the purpose for many years. Filters with polyurethane nettings are used in automotive oil, fuel and cabin air filter for dust control purposes. Polyurethane continues to be a prominent raw material in manufacturing automotive filters.Manufacturers can easily embed new structural characteristics in polyurethane, or modify them without facing much complications. Many of the modern vehicles use oil-wetted polyurethane foam for tackling high level dust particulates. Preference for polyurethane is considerably high among Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). This is primarily owing to the viability of the product as a raw material. In addition, polyurethane combines flexibility and lightweight with great strength and durability, hence can be used in extremely complex application such as filtration.Polyurethane materials also offer longevity as they have a high corrosion resistance. Throughout the lifecycle, polyurethane products ensure stability even under harsh conditions. They comprise an array of reprocessing and performance characteristics and hence can be tailor-made into application-specific designs. This not only contributes to lower vehicle costs but also reduces the generation of scrap material.Browse Full Report with TOC@ https://www.factmr.com/report/511/polyurethane-in-automotive-filter-market 3 Key Future Prospects of Polyurethane in Automotive Filter Market for Forecast Period 2017-20261- In terms of value and volume, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) will continue to be the most lucrative region for expansion of the polyurethane in automotive filter market, trailed by Europe and North America. Polyurethane in automotive filter market in APEJ and North America are expected to register the fastest expansion through 2026. Over the forecast period, Europe and North America are likely to witness a significant decline in demand for polyurethane for automotive filter fabrication.2- On the basis of filter type, engine filters are likely to latch onto a market share nearly double than that of cabin air filters during the forecast period. However, sales of polyurethane for fabrication of cabin air filters are poised to exhibit a significantly higher CAGR than that for engine filters through 2026.3- Based on vehicle type, value sales of polyurethane-based automotive filter are expected to register the fastest expansion for use in heavy commercial vehicles. However, passenger cars are expected to lead the market, in terms of revenues.4- Manufacturers of automotive filter are focusing on reducing overall filter density and volume, in order to overcome component spacing challenges in modern vehicles. Automotive filters are employed in all types of automobile that include construction vehicles, commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles. Requirements of vehicle owners vary based on the type of vehicle and their use. For example, construction vehicles require heavy-duty filters that can withstand most intense operating conditions.Filter manufacturers are therefore focusing on improving the product efficiency by utilizing novel filtration materials such as polyurethane, as filters must prevent particulate efficiently to keep the engine performance optimum. Key market players identified by Fact.MRs report include Mann+Hummel GmbH, Hengst SE & Co. KG, ALCO Filters Ltd, K&N Engineering, Inc., Freudenberg Filtration Technologies SE & Co. KG, UFI FILTERS spa, Valeo SA, Denso Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH, MAHLE GmbH, and Donaldson Company, Inc.Check Discount on this Report@ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=D&rep_id=511 About Fact.MR Fact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.
PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-07 14:34:43

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Petrodorado Energy Ltd.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Calgary, Alberta (FSCWire) - Petrodorado Energy Ltd. (TSX Venture:PDQ). has issued a press release with the following headline:Petrodorado Energy Announces Termination of Amalgamation Agreement with Western Atlas Resources Inc.To view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Petrodorado Energy Ltd., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Petrodorado Energy Ltd.Source: Petrodorado Energy Ltd. (TSX Venture: PDQ)Date: March 07, 2018Time: 8:30 AM EST--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Petrodorado Energy Ltd. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-07 14:00:45

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Rockcliff Metals Corporation--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Toronto, Ontario (FSCWire) - Rockcliff Metals Corporation (TSX Venture:RCLF). has issued a press release with the following headline:Rockcliff Terminates Previous Financing, Share Consolidation, Change of Name and Appointment of New DirectorsTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Rockcliff Metals Corporation, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Rockcliff Metals CorporationSource: Rockcliff Metals Corporation (TSX Venture: RCLF, OTC Pink: SVVZF, FWB: RO0, WKN: A142TR, ISIN: CA77288Q1057)Date: March 07, 2018Time: 8:00 AM EST--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Rockcliff Metals Corporation and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
Syringes Market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-07 11:18:57

Press Information

Coherent Market Insights

1001 4th Ave,



#3200



Mr Shah

CEO

2067016702

email

http://www.coherentmarketinsights.com





# 970 Words

1001 4th Ave,#3200CEO2067016702

Syringes are simple reciprocating pumps that are used for incorporation or injection of a solution into the body. Syringes are also used for isolation of various bodily fluids such as blood from various parts of the body. Syringes usually consist of a plunger that fits exactly within a cylindrical barrel. The linear push mosh movement of the plunger facilitates expulsion of liquid from the open end of the tube, which is usually attached to a sterile needle. Syringes are normally made out of plastic or glass materials. Disposable syringes that are heavily incorporated in the healthcare practices are usually made up of plastics, whereas high-end syringes such as microliter syringes are made out of glass material.Exposure to various medical tests involving isolation or administration of solutions into and out of the body everyday are responsible for fueling growth of the global syringes marketNational Health Council reveals that 75% of the total healthcare costs are a result of chronic diseases reflecting an increasing demand for proper healthcare requirements in terms of quality, safety, and sterility of medical devices. The National Health Council recorded around 133 million people affected with chronic diseases in the U.S., in 2014. This accounted for around 40% of the total population of the country. . Moreover, millions of people are daily exposed to some kind of test that requires intravenous modes of injection in which the use of syringes is a prerequisite. This reflects the high demand for syringes, which is expected to rise due to the increasing population and improvement of the healthcare infrastructure worldwide.Ask For Request Sample@The plastic and disposable syringes segment accounts for highest shares in the global syringes marketOn the basis of type, the global syringes market is segmented asGeneral SyringesSpecialized SyringesThe general syringes segment holds a larger share of the market as compared to that of the specialized ones due to its ease of accessibility and cost effectiveness. However, the specialized syringes segment is expected to fuel the market growth owing to the accurate delivery of the products and better performance.On the basis of usability, the global syringes market is segmented into:Sterilizable / Reusable SyringesDisposable SyringesThe disposable syringes segment holds the largest share of market as it ensures higher safety and more effective means of infection prevention as compared to reusable syringes. These syringes are also very budget-friendly that has resulted in massive transformation of the conventional era of using reusable syringes to the use of disposable ones. These syringes moreover are easily accessible in the pharmacies as well as hospitals.Based on the material, the global syringes market is segmented into:Glass SyringesPlastic SyringesGlass syringes have lower risk of reaction with the solution filled inside the syringe, however, the use of plastic syringes reduces the risk of blood borne infections as this material is categorized under disposable syringes. The plastic syringes are also easier to use as compared to the glass ones, which facilitates self-administration to patients that are regularly advised to inject a biological or chemical solution. Thus, the significant use of plastic syringes is expected to propel growth of the global syringes market in the near future.North America is expected to dominate the global syringes market owing to well established production facility and government initiativesOn the basis of geography, the global syringes market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. North America dominates the market, followed by Europe. The U.S. has a large number of medical facilities, high-end hospitals, and healthcare centers, which contribute to growth of the market in North America. The government is also actively involved in improving the quality of healthcare in the country. For instance, the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act in the U.S., provides regulatory guidelines to help manufacturers improve safety of syringes. However, Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest rate over the forecast period, owing to technological implementation for producing better and cheaper syringes.Rising incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases is expected to be the major cause fueling growth of the global syringes marketThe primary reason to bolster the global syringes market is the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases in the world. These diseases primarily include diabetes, cancers and other diseases that requires the use of syringes. For instance, diabetes affected 422 million people in 2014, according to the World Health Organization. Many of these patients were advised regular intravenous administration of insulin, which in turn helped fuel the demand for syringes, ultimately leading to growth of the global syringes market. Several other factors such as growing health hazards, epidemic of various infectious diseases, and rise in the global population which leads to increasing incidence of diseases every day are all creating a conducive environment for growth of the syringes market. However, the advancement in technologies such as diffusion pumps and needle- free IV connectors are expected to hamper the market growth.The key players operating in the global syringes market are Treumo Corporation, Medtronic Plc, Becton, Dickinson and Company, B. Braun Medical Inc., Smiths Medical, Hindustan Syringes and Medical Devices Limited, NIPRO Corporation, Hamilton, SCHOTT AG, Gerresheimer AG, and Codan Medizinische Gerate GmbH & Co KG.Get More Details On this Report:Catch us at 3rd International Conference on Separation + Drying Technologies for Milk & Whey at Cologne, March 19 and 20, 2018About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Coherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@ coherentmarketinsights.com Visit our news Website: http://www.coherentchronicle.com
PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-07 14:42:08

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Xebec Adsorption Inc--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Montreal, Quebec (FSCWire) - Xebec Adsorption Inc (TSX Venture:XBC). has issued a press release with the following headline:Xebec Applauds Italy for Strongly Supporting Biomethane ProjectsTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Xebec Adsorption Inc, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Xebec Adsorption IncSource: Xebec Adsorption Inc (TSX Venture: XBC, WKN: A0RPQ3, ISIN: CA9838911027, OTC Bulletin Board: XEBEF)Date: March 07, 2018Time: 8:30 AM EST--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Xebec Adsorption Inc and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
The U.S. has sought for the cooperation of the African region in pressuring North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, to give up his nuclear weapons.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is currently on a week-long visit to Africa, said a nuclear-weapons capable North Korea threatened the entire global community.

Mr. Tillerson said: As many African countries assume greater responsibility to address their needs at home, the United States needs our partners in Africa to take an active role on the global stage as well.

One area where we seek greater cooperation is our peaceful pressure campaign to bring the DPRK  Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea  to the negotiating table.

North Korea threatens the entire global community through its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs and proliferation activities, including its arms exports to Africa.

It doesnt just involve our allies in Europe or Asia. It doesnt just include countries with longstanding ties to the DPRK, like China and Russia. This is and must be a global effort.

He noted his recent trip to South America, where he spoke candidly with his counterparts about ways they were actively working to contribute to this pressure campaign adding nations in Africa need to do more.

According to him, Angola and Senegal have taken steps to exert some diplomatic and economic pressure while the Ethiopian Government has made public commitments of support as well.

Many African nations are holding back. We hope they will add their voices to that of the international community and end these diplomatic, economic, or weapons programs with the regime in North Korea.

On terrorism, he said the future of stability in Africa was dependent on security adding without it, none of the other pieces could be put into place.

The Secretary of State said security was the condition that was necessary for economic prosperity and strong institutions on the continent.

He regretted that the long reach of terrorism threatened to steal the future of countless individuals, with thousands of people who died at the hands of terrorists in Africa.

He said since the bombing of U.S. embassy in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in 1998, terrorist attacks rose from less than 300 in 2009, to more than 1,500 in each of the years 2015, 2016, and 2017.

And more recently, we witnessed again the heartbreak of the abduction of more than 100 Nigerian schoolgirls  ripped from their families, forever changing their future, he regretted.

He noted that last week, in response to the growing threat, he designated and the U.S. sanctioned seven ISIS-affiliated groups, including ISIS-West Africa and its leaders in an effort to cut off the resources that these groups use to carry out attacks.

To prevail against such evil forces, Tillerson said the U.S. had committed to working with African partners to rid the continent and the world of terrorism.

He said this is by addressing the drivers of conflict that lead to radicalisation and recruitment in the first place, and building the institutional law enforcement capacity of African nations.

We want to help Africa states provide security for their citizens in a lawful manner. Today African nations are stepping up to take action, including the sacrifices that go with such commitment.

ADVERTISEMENT

Terrorism knows no borders. In the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, al-Qaida in the Maghreb and other groups are adaptable, theyre resilient, and capable of launching attacks throughout the area.

According to him, regional cooperation is crucial to disrupting those attacks and denying them the capability to plan and carry them out in the future.

He said the Multinational Joint Task Force  created by Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Benin, and Cameroon  along with the Group of Five Sahel nations  Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger  were pooling expertise and resources.

Their work is instrumental in achieving African-led solutions to terrorism and instability, Tillerson emphasised.

The U.S., while also stressing the strategic importance of Africa, said 53 per cent of all UN operations are in Africa, 87 per cent of the worlds UN troops are in Africa, and almost 70 per cent of all the troops are African.

(NAN)
The British authorities know more about a substance which Russian ex-spy, Sergei Skripal, was exposed to before he became critically ill, interior minister Amber Rudd said on Wednesday.

Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, are both in hospital in critical condition after being found unconscious on Sunday on a bench near a shopping centre in the southern English city of Salisbury.

We do know more about the substance and the police will be making a further statement this afternoon in order to share some of that, Rudd told reporters after chairing a meeting of top ministers to discuss the Skripal incident.

Skripal, once a colonel in Russias GRU military intelligence service, and his daughter, were found slumped unconscious on a bench outside a shopping centre in the southern English city of Salisbury on Sunday afternoon.

Both remain critically ill in intensive care.

The focus at this time is to establish what has caused these people to become critically ill, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, Britains top counter-terrorism officer, said.

This investigation is at the early stages and any speculation is unhelpful at this time, said Rowley.

Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation and Britains military research laboratory at Porton Down is trying to identify the substance which caused Skripal, 66, and his daughter to collapse.

Related Coverage

The suspected poisoning prompted Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to say on Tuesday that if Russia were behind the incident then Britain could look again at sanctions and take other measures to punish what he cast as a malign and disruptive state.

Russia denied any involvement, scolded Johnson for wild comments and said anti-Russian hysteria was being whipped up intentionally to damage relations with London.

A source close to the investigation said that Russian involvement in the Skripal poisoning was just one of the versions being looked at by counter-terrorism investigators with assistance from the MI5 domestic intelligence agency.

Police said new cordons had been added near Solstice Park, a business park, in the nearby town of Amesbury.

They have sealed off the area of Salisbury where Skripal was found as well as the Zizzi pizza restaurant where they dined and the Bishops Mill pub where they had a drink.

Some emergency workers were treated after the incident and one remains in hospital.

The British capital has been dubbed Londongrad due to the large amounts of Russian wealth which have flowed westwards since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union.

It is the Western city of choice for many oligarchs from the former Soviet Union.

Britain has specifically drawn parallels with the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko who was killed with radioactive polonium-210 in London.

A previous British inquiry said Russian President Vladimir Putin probably approved the murder of Litvinenko, who died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at Londons Millennium Hotel.

ADVERTISEMENT

It took three weeks for British doctors to ascertain that Litvinenko had been poisoned by polonium-210 by which time he was at deaths door.

Russia denied any involvement in the death of Litvinenko, which the British inquiry said had been hatched by the Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB.

Former British defence minister Michael Fallon called for a stronger response if Russia was involved in the Skripal affair.

Weve got to respond more effectively than we did last time over Litvinenko. Our response then clearly wasnt strong enough, Fallon told Reuters.

We need to deter Russia from believing they can get away with attacks like this on our streets if its proved.

Litvinenkos murder sent Britains ties with Russia to what was then a post-Cold War low. Relations suffered further from Russias annexation of Crimea and its military backing for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russias foreign ministry, said attempts to link Russia to the Skripal incident looked designed to worsen relations between London and Moscow.

Moscow says anti-Russian hysteria is being whipped up without any evidence to show its involvement in the Skripal case.

Russia holds a presidential election on March 18, which polls show Putin should comfortably win.

Skripal, who passed the identity of dozens of spies to the MI6 foreign intelligence agency, was given refuge in Britain after being exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport.

Russias FSB arrested Skripal in 2004 on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence.

He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial.

(Reuters/NAN)
Despite the prohibition of the sale of cigarettes in single sticks by the World Health Organisation, a new report by the African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) has accused tobacco companies of flouting the regulation.

The report, released in Cape Town on Tuesday, identified the British American Tobacco (BAT), Philip Morris International (PMI), and Imperial Brands as the main perpetrators of the practice in 10 African countries surveyed.

The affected countries include Nigeria, Togo, Uganda, Niger, Kenya, Ghana, Cote dIvoire, Chad, Cameroun, and Burkina Faso.

Single stick cigarettes sales are problematic for a variety of reasons, the report stated.

Single sticks are cheaper than a full pack of cigarettes and, consequently, make tobacco more affordable to youth and other individuals with limited resources.

The sale of cigarettes in single sticks makes it easy for young people to experiment the product and eventually become regular users.

Deowan Mohee, the Executive Secretary of ATCA, said although many African countries have legislation banning the sale of cigarettes in single sticks, tobacco companies have continued to openly flout the laws.

Its not an African problem, its a global problem and we need to tackle it, especially from the civil society, we have to de-normalise the sale of single sticks of cigarette.

Article 16 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control enjoined parties to ensure that the sale of single sticks or small packs of tobacco products is prohibited by passing and enforcing appropriate legislation.

The British American Tobacco Nigeria, the local subsidiary of BAT, did not immediately respond to PREMIUM TIMES requests for comments.

Last year, the Nigerian government introduced nine regulations, including a ban on the sale of cigarettes in single sticks, as part of moves to implement the National Tobacco Control.

The regulations, however, have continued to await the approval of the parliament.

The report came five months after a survey by the Nigerian Tobacco Control Research Group accused tobacco firms of evolving a new strategy of deliberating targeting the younger generation by situating their products near primary and secondary schools.

The tobacco industry denies the claims.

One man, one stick

According to the ATCA, the data for the new report was collected around locations where young people meet, such as malls, shopping centres, movie theatres, and game shops in the capital cities of the countries under study.

Three questionnaires were used for three different target groups to provide different perspectives on single stick availability in the respective countries.

The report stated that in all the capital cities where the research was carried out, single stick cigarettes could easily be purchased.

Single sticks are made available for purchase when retailers intentionally open a full pack of cigarettes to sell individual sticks, the report said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Single sticks are available from cigarette brands owned by British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International, and Imperial Brands.

Among the multinational cigarette brands available for sale as single sticks, the most common are Benson & Hedges produced by BAT, Marlboro produced by PMI, and Davidoff produced by Imperial Brands.

Of the tobacco retailers observed, Uganda had the most open cigarette packs followed by Togo and Nigeria. The sale of single sticks is prohibited in all these countries.

The pervasiveness in the sale of the cigarettes in single sticks, according to the report, could be attributed to lack of awareness among retailers about the tobacco control law; lack of enforcement by authorities; or lack of prioritisation on enforcement.

The report identified one type of promotional material specifically linked to single sticks as the use of posters that advertise the price of single sticks of cigarettes.

Promotion of single stick sale by BAT included a buy one, get one free campaign and printing and distribution of posters to retailers advertising the price of a single cigarette in Cote dIvoire and Cameroun.

In both of these countries, it was reported that the tobacco industry funded an advertising campaign that promoted the sale of single sticks at a special price, three sticks for 100 CFA francs ($0.17).

The report was conducted in partnership with civil society organisations in the 10 African countries and with support from the Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK).

Bintou Camara, CTFKs Director of Africa Programmes, urged an increased collaboration between the civil society, government, and the media to safeguard the health of citizens.

The truth of the matter is when there is good, strong collaboration between the civil society, government, media, there can only be a good advancement of a true good cause and thats where the media comes in, Ms. Camara told PREMIUM TIMES.

They can seek the information or they can be given the information but they are there to forward the voice of the public, of the children, of interest groups to higher grounds to tell the government what is going on.
The Nigerian Ambassador to Chad, Mohammed Dauda, has gone underground, triggering a massive manhunt for him.

Sources familiar with the matter said the diplomat slipped into hiding after claiming his life was in danger following the testimony he gave a House of Representatives committee last month.

The government had sometime last year recalled Mr. Dauda from his post in Ndjamena to take temporary charge of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) after the organisations Director General, Ayodele Oke, was suspended.

Mr. Oke was asked to step aside as authorities investigate a huge cash haul belonging to the NIA uncovered at an apartment in Lagos.

Mr. Dauda acted as head of the security agency from November 2017 to January 2018 when he was replaced by an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

Sources told PREMIUM TIMES that after he was replaced as head of the NIA, Mr. Dauda was asked to return to his post in Ndjamena to continue with his tour of duty.

The official however did not comply, saying his life would be in danger in Chad, his cover as a security operative having been blown with his appointment as acting head of the NIA.

Mr. Dauda is said to have also argued that having now been exposed as a spy, he could no longer function as an ambassador anywhere in the world.

While contending that he could be eliminated if he returned to Chad, the official also failed to report to the headquarters of the NIA for a possible fresh posting, our sources said.

He is saying those he accused of corruption are after him as well, one source said.

Mr. Dauda had appeared before a House of Representatives committee and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at separate times during which he made damaging allegations of corruption against members of a panel raised by President Buhari to recommend ways of repositioning the NIA.

Members of the panel, led by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babagana Kingibe, have denied wrongdoings, saying Mr. Dauda was only trying to get back at them because he felt they were responsible for his removal.

Our sources said the NIA has now commissioned an intensive search for Mr. Dauda following his refusal to appear before a disciplinary panel raised to try him for allegedly bringing the NIA into disrepute.

As part of moves to arrest him, armed security men suspected to be from the NIA have continued a siege on the residence Mr. Dauda lived while in office.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how operatives stormed the house located in the upscale Maitama district of Abuja.

A PREMIUM TIMES reporter who visited the area Tuesday afternoon sighted two grey-coloured security vans parked on either sides of the houses gate.

A dark-googled operative in mufti was also stationed at the turn to the close.

Mr. Mohammed and his family are said to be out of the house as at the time the operatives arrived.

ADVERTISEMENT

It remained unclear Wednesday morning whether Mr. Dauda had fled abroad or remained in the country.

The NIA could not be reached to comment for this story Wednesday morning as the agency has no known spokesperson.
Voters in Sierra Leone are trooping out today for presidential, parliamentary and local council polls.

Sierra Leones 3.17 million registered voters out of an estimated population of seven million are expected to cast their ballots in 11,122 polling states across the country.

On the eve of the election, the heads of six International Election Observation Missions (IEOMs) called on all stakeholders in the country to ensure peaceful and credible elections.

The observers made the appeal, according a statement issued by Paul Ejime, the spokesman of ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commission (ECONEC) including ECOWAS, African Union (AU), and the Commonwealth.

Other missions are the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), European Union (EU), and The Carter Center (TCC).

The missions urged the political leaders, parties and their supporters to respect the rule of law during balloting and through the results tallying process. They further urged them to uphold their commitments under the Freetown Declaration, which was signed by presidential candidates on February 28.

The IEOMs encouraged the candidates to accept the outcome of the elections in line with Article 9 of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance (2001) .

In the event of complaints or disputes, we encourage candidates to seek redress through legal channels whilst at all times refraining from acts of violence and intimidation.

The missions called on the National Electoral Commission (NEC) and party polling agents to conduct their duties in a professional manner to ensure that the elections are transparent, credible and conducted in accordance with prescribed laws and regulations.

It added that the missions looked up to the government of Sierra Leone to uphold its constitutional obligations to provide a secure environment that guarantees the safety of candidates, voters, NEC officials and electoral materials.

We urged the security personnel to demonstrate professionalism and enforce the law in a neutral and proportional manner.

The meeting was attended by Nigerias former president, Goodluck Jonathan; Head of EISA Mission, Amos Sawyer; Liberias former Interim President and Head of ECOWAS Mission; South African former President, Kgalema Motlanthe; and Head of the AU Mission.

Others were Ghanas former President, John Mahama; Head of the Commonwealth Mission; Jean Lambert, Head of EU Mission; and Larry Garber, for The Carter Center.

Also present was the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Francis Behanzin, who is leading the ECOWAS Commissions Technical Support Team for the Mr. Sawyer-led 65-member ECOWAS Observation Mission.

The IEOMs, have deployed more than 250 observers across Sierra Leones 16 Administrative Districts.

Sierra Leones 3.17 million registered voters out of an estimated population of seven million will cast their ballots in 11,122 polling states across the country on Wednesday.

The civil society under the umbrella of the National Election Watch (NEW) is deploying one citizen observer to each of the 11.122 polling stations in 3,300 Polling Centres nationwide.

The civil society under the umbrella of the National Election Watch (NEW) is deploying one citizen observer to each of the 11.122 polling stations in 3,300 Polling Centres nationwide.

ADVERTISEMENT

(NAN)
ADVERTISEMENT

Sierra Leoneans have begun casting their ballots in presidential, parliamentary and local elections which would usher in a new set of leaders for the West African country for the next five years.

Voters across the country are using social media to report development from queues amidst rush to cast ballots.

Polls opened at 7:00 a.m. and is scheduled to close at 5:00 p.m. local time. Voters are required to be in the same place they registered and must present their voting credentials to the electoral officials at polling units before being allowed to cast ballots.

Over 3.1 million people are registered to vote, a figure analysts said is a record in the countrys elections.

Sixteen candidates are aiming to replace President Ernest Bai Koroma who is stepping down after completing his constitutionally-allowed two terms.

The country of 6.5 million is caught in a tight race that political analysts say is too close to call well into the election day. The candidates are promising to revive the economy in a country still reeling from the Ebola virus disaster four years ago.

The election is the fifth uninterrupted exercise since the country returned to multiparty democracy in 1996. It is, however, the third since its Civil War ended in 2002.

A former Foreign Affairs Minister, Samura Kamara, is favoured by Mr. Koroma as the ruling All Peoples Congress candidate. He is up against Julius Maada Bio of the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party. The National Grand Coalition, a newly-formed political movement, is expected to shave off significant amount of votes from the major candidates, raising fears that a runoff might be necessary if none of the candidates scores 55 per cent of the votes in the first round.

Sierra Leone runs a bi-cameral legislature of 124 lawmakers. However, only 112 are elected through ballots. The other dozen lawmakers (paramount chiefs) are chosen indirectly.

Election officials say the exercise would be peaceful and sue for calm amongst candidates.

Voting is nonviolent and yet it is a very powerful act. You do not have to be the biggest, the fastest or the strongest to determine the future of your country, said National Electoral Commission (NEC) chairman, Mohamed Conteh.

Its still dark in Freetown, #SierraLeone but already long queues at polling stations. From Christ Church to areas in Aberdeen. A young man at the Regent Municipal polling centre says hes been here since midnight. Hes top of his queue.  Umaru Fofana (@UmaruFofana) March 7, 2018

Election observers have also joined in calling for a peaceful outcome of the exercise.

The Human Rights advancement, development and advocacy centre (HURIDAC) which seeks the mainstreaming of human rights protection into electoral processes, said the candidates must show respect for human rights and respect the will of the electorate.

Candidates and their supporters should refrain from undemocratic activities to win the elections at all cost. Those who result to undemocratic means to win elections as well as those who are responsible for violation of the law must be made accountable in a timely and fair manner, HURIDAC said in a statement signed by its executive director, Ayodele Ameen.

Mr. Ameen said Sierra Leonean authorities should ensure that the prevailing atmosphere at this election is peaceful and restriction of movements by the police could amount to a violation of freedom of movement and disenfranchisement of some voters.

The security forces must ensure the protection of voters observers, journalists and human rights defenders throughout the election, he added.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Senate committee on public accounts has revealed that 85 government parastatals have failed to submit their audited accounts to the Auditor-General of the Federation since the time of their establishment.

The parastatals include the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture and the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

The Chairman of the committee, Matthew Uroghide (Edo-PDP) said the 85 parastatals have never submitted reports of their audit to the Auditor General of the Federation since they were created.

For other parastatals, he said 235 have about one to two years arrears, 103 have three to five years arrears, 17 have six to 10 years arrears while four have arrears of 11 years and above.

He said the practice contravened the provisions of section 85 (3) of the constitution which vested the powers to audit the public accounts, offices and courts of the federation with the Auditor-General of the Federation.

He added that the Auditor-General has been facing the challenge of making the parastatals comply with the provisions of the constitution.

Many parastatals are unwilling to submit their audited report without being compelled while others do not take conformity of public expenditure seriously.

There are no prescribed penalties for non-timely submission of audited accounts, status of privatised parastatals are not clear.

AGF is handicapped due to budgetary constraints and absence of Board of Directors to approve appointments of external auditors has been used as excuse for unaudited reports, he said.

Adopting the report of the committee, the Senate resolved to withhold the 2018 budgetary approvals for parastatals who have not submitted their reports since inception and those who have six to 10 years arrears.

The senators gave a deadline of May 2018 to others who have over 2 years arrears.

The senate mandated the Auditor-General to constantly update and reconcile with parastatals with the compliance with a pledge to strengthen the office through budgetary allocation.

The lawmakers also mandated the Auditor-General to liaise with Bureau of Public Enterprise and Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to clarify the status of privatised, merged or scrapped parastatals.
Charles Okah, a former militant leader, will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being found guilty of plotting the 2010 Independence Day bombing that left at least 12 people dead in Abuja, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday.

Gabriel Kolawole of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court also sentenced Mr. Okahs co-conspirator, Obi Nwabueze, to life following a trial that lasted nearly seven and a half years over the Independence Day bombing and another bomb attacks that occurred in Warri, Delta State, on March 15, 2010.

One person died in the Warri attack after three explosives were separately detonated at the venue of a peace dialogue aimed at getting more militants who were terrorising the Niger-Delta at the time to embrace the federal governments amnesty programme.

The defendants are guilty as charged and hereby convicted, Mr. Kolawole said, noting that the four-and-a-half hour judgment was the longest he had ever written.

More than 36 persons were severely injured when crowds gathered to celebrate Nigerias 50th Independence Anniversary which had then-President Goodluck Jonathan in attendance at Eagle Square.

As early as October 2, federal authorities began making arrests in connections with the bombing, which Mr. Jonathan said was targeted at assassinating him.

Four persons were initially charged for their roles in the bombings by the Nigerian government when the trial began on December 7, 2010, but only Messrs. Okah and Nwabueze had their trial drag for this long.

Edmund Ebiware received a life sentence after being found guilty of three counts of accessory to murder on January 25, 2013. The last man, Tiemkemfa Francis-Osvwo, who played active roles in Niger-Delta militancy, died during trial in Kuje Prisons between March 3-4, 2012.

Mr. Ebiware and his wife, Ify, maintained that he is innocent of the terrorism charges and said in 2015 that they were planning to appeal his conviction.

Charles Okahs brother, Henry, was arrested in South Africa, where he has lived since 2003, also in October 2010 and was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment in March 2013 for his role in the bombing. On February 23, 2018, the Constitutional Court in South Africa affirmed Mr. Okahs sentence, ending a series of appeals that dragged for four years.

They all belonged to the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND), a foremost militant group that claimed credits for a series of attacks on oil installations and public facilities across the oil-rich region between 2005 and 2014.

The group, which said it was fighting for the social and economic advancement of the ethnic groups in the region, was also linked to several kidnappings of oil workers, especially the expatriates working for major international oil firms.

Moments before Mr. Kolawole sentenced Messrs. Okah and Nwabueze yesterday, their lawyers pleaded for mercy, citing their remorse for the offences and the plight of their respective family members.

It wont benefit the state if the convict is in prison for life as he poses no further danger to the state, said Emeka Okoroafor, a counsel to Mr. Okah, adding that his client has children and elderly mother.

Mr. Nwabuezes lawyer, Oghenevo Otemo, urged the court to be lenient towards his client because he had no criminal record.

We also adopt submission made by the first defense counsel, the second defendant has never been arrested, charged or convicted in court, Mr. Otemo said. He has shown remorse, he will not pose any danger to society if a lesser sentence is accorded.

But the prosecutor, Alex Izinyon, a senior lawyer, kicked against any clemency for the defendants, arguing that they caused untold hardship on families of the victims and the nation as a whole.

Mr. Izinyon argued that the convicts offences contravened Section 14 (1) and (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act and said they both deserved life behind bars for terrorism and financing of terrorism.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mr. Kolawole said oral and documentary evidence provided by the prosecution satisfied the demand life imprisonment for Mr. Okah and his accomplice.

He said they provided funds to purchase the vehicles that were used in the bombings in Warri and later in Abuja in 2010.

The accused achieved their terrorism purpose and must face the consequences of their action, Mr. Kolawole said, before handing down life sentences for the duo.

Liborous Oshoma, a civil rights attorney, hailed the ruling as an act of judicial prudence.

It is good to see the law being activated against those who took laws into their own hands, Mr. Oshoma said. The judiciary has sent another strong message to those who have criminal intentions.

Mr. Oshoma said Nigerians should now look forward to the day when those behind Boko Haram would be unmasked, arrested and be made to stand trial for their heinous crimes against Nigerian citizens.

Mr. Okahs mother and two sons were at the court during the sentence. It was not immediately clear whether relatives of the later victims or those who survived the attacks were present.

The defense lawyers did not immediately clarify whether their clients planned to appeal the ruling.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Federal Government of Nigeria has ordered a complete audit of the operations of Dana Airline.

The order follows recent accidents involving the airline.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how in one of the incidents, one of the exit doors of the airlines plane fell off upon landing at Abuja airport, while another flight overshot the runway at Port Harcourt, Rivers State. In both cases, the airline said it did nothing wrong.

The decision for the audit was taken, Wednesday, at the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which held inside the council chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said while investigations were immediately ordered after the incidents, two personnel of the airline were suspended.

Mr. Shehu said the meeting, which was chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, spent quality time discussing air safety in the country.

He said the government is very much concerned about safety and the life of Nigerians.

This is following the recent air incidents, minor as they were because they are no fatalities.

The government did feel concern and the minister did the report to the council on steps that were taken following the last incident in Port Harcourt, he said.

Mr. Shehu said as soon as the Dana aircraft overshot the runway in Port Harcourt, a rescue team arrived and every passenger on board was evacuated.

There was no harm to all persons and this is something that should be celebrated.

Within 24 hours an official investigation had commenced, because investigators arrived in Port Harcourt and began work.

One week after that a preliminary report was prepared and it was about this that the council was briefed.

Consequently, as announced by the aviation authorities, the engineer and pilot of that particular aircraft got their licences both suspended and beyond that the government has ordered a complete audit of Dana airlines in terms of personnel, operations and technical capacity, Mr. Shehu said.
The senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has revealed that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million monthly as running cost.

In an interview with TheNews, Mr. Sani said that the running cost does not include a N700,000 monthly consolidated salary and allowances which they also receive.

Details of the interview were published by SaharaReporters on Wednesday.

I think what we can say is that the running cost of a senator is N13.5 million every month, the senator said.

He explained that though there is no specification on what the funds was meant for, each lawmaker is mandated to provide receipts to back up their expenses.

Mr. Sani explains, But what I am saying is that that money (N13.5 million per month) must be receipted for what you do with it. But what you are given to go and spend without any accountability is N750,000.

The lawmaker also spoke on the controversial constituency projects for federal lawmakers.

The constituency project itself is given on a zonal basis and almost every senator will go with a constituency fund of about N200 million, but it is not the cash that is given to you.

You will be told that you have N200 million with an agency of government for which you will now submit projects equivalent to that amount. And it is that agency of government that will go and do those projects for you.

Mr. Sani said the process of executing the projects was fraught with fraud.

Now, the corruption comes when the projects are not done and the money is taken. But right now, it is difficult to do that because NGOs and transparency groups have come into it. They track every allocation made to you and where they are being used.

So, its becoming difficult for what used to happen in the past to happen now.

But I can tell you that I would love a situation where we do away with running costs, constituency projects and leaves senators and members of House of Reps with salaries.

The senator stated that members of the National Assembly ideally shouldnt be involved in constituency projects. He had earlier favoured this position while speaking at the launch of fact-checking and constituency projects tracking websites organised by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ).

There are issues that we need to understand. First, I dont believe that members of the National or even state assemblies should be involved in carrying out what is called constituency projects, he said in the interview.

Shehu Sani [Photo credit: Instagram]

When people are elected into the National Assembly, they should just be involved in law making, raising motions, bills and also performing oversight functions. But we live in a society where people cannot differentiate between the legislators and the executive.

When the people come to you, they want you to build roads, dig boreholes, build hospitals, schools, give money, pay school fees for them. Now, if we have a society in which people will stop asking legislators to do those things, then there is no need (for the allowances) But funny enough, if you are very active in the National Assembly in making laws and you dont embark on projects in your constituency, you cannot in any way be appreciated by the people you are there to serve because the electorates in United States are different from the electorates in the United States and Africa.

Mr. Sanis revelation is the first by a lawmaker from the Senate since the clamour by Nigerians for transparency of lawmakers earnings. His revelation also puts a doubt to the National Assembly budget for 2017 released last year after public pressure. That budget had no subhead for office running cost, indicating the funds are hidden under a separate subhead.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the leader of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) Observer Mission to the March 7 general elections in Sierra Leone, set our early Wednesday morning to observe voting in some polling centres in Freetown.

The pictures below show Mr. Jonathan and members of his team visiting polling centres at Sierra Leone Grammar School on Macauley Street and S.O. S Primary School Beach Road, both in Freetown, early this morning.

The former Nigerian president had on Tuesday urged the people of the West African nation to conduct peaceful and credible polls.

A statement by Mr. Jonathans media adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, said the former president met with Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma, chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Mohammed Conteh, chairman of the Political Party Registration Council (PPRC) Justice Patrick Hamilton, some presidential candidates as well as leaders of the international community, youth associations, media unions, security outfits and civil society organisations.

While advising the stakeholders to ensure non-violent processes during elections, Mr. Jonathan also stressed the need to sustain the peace that the good people of Sierra Leone have been enjoying since the end of the civil war.

See Pictures Below:

Former President Goodluck Jonathan who is the leader of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) Observer Mission to the March 7 general elections in Sierra Leone set our early Wednesday morning to observe voting in some polling centres in Freetown. Pictures show Dr. Jonathan and members of his team visiting polling centres at Sierra Leone Grammar School Macauley Street and S. O. S Primary School Beach Road, both in Freetown, early this morning. Former President Goodluck Jonathan who is the leader of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) Observer Mission to the March 7 general elections in Sierra Leone set our early Wednesday morning to observe voting in some polling centres in Freetown. Pictures show Dr. Jonathan and members of his team visiting polling centres at Sierra Leone Grammar School Macauley Street and S. O. S Primary School Beach Road, both in Freetown, early this morning. Former President Goodluck Jonathan who is the leader of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) Observer Mission to the March 7 general elections in Sierra Leone set our early Wednesday morning to observe voting in some polling centres in Freetown. Pictures show Dr. Jonathan and members of his team visiting polling centres at Sierra Leone Grammar School Macauley Street and S. O. S Primary School Beach Road, both in Freetown, early this morning. File photo of Former President Goodluck Jonathan who is the leader of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) Observer Mission to the March 7 general elections in Sierra Leone set our early Wednesday morning to observe voting in some polling centres in Freetown. Pictures show Dr. Jonathan and members of his team visiting polling centres at Sierra Leone Grammar School Macauley Street and S. O. S Primary School Beach Road, both in Freetown, early this morning. Former President Goodluck Jonathan who is the leader of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) Observer Mission to the March 7 general elections in Sierra Leone set our early Wednesday morning to observe voting in some polling centres in Freetown. Pictures show Dr. Jonathan and members of his team visiting polling centres at Sierra Leone Grammar School Macauley Street and S. O. S Primary School Beach Road, both in Freetown, early this morning.
Health financing, funding and the rising cost of healthcare in Nigeria were on the front burner at Tuesdays summit on provision of quality healthcare for Nigerians.

The event on improved healthcare financing model for a sustained investment in the health sector was put together by THISDAY newspaper in conjunction with the World Bank Group.

Health experts, journalists, members of NGOs, government officials and individuals converged at the Atiku Abubakar auditorium inside the Musa YarAdua Centre, the venue of the event, to interface with a panel headlined by World Bank Officials; Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole; Lanre Tejuosho, the Chairman of Senate Committee on Health among other policy makers.

PREMIUM TIMES brings you four takeaways from the discussions:

On Basic Health Care Provision Fund:

John Enoh who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance was the first to speak on the move by the Senate to include the Basic Health Care Provision Fund in the 2018 budget.

Mr. Enoh said there is no provision yet for it in the 2018 budget. We are quite hopeful that will be done before the budget is appropriated.

He further said inclusion of the Basic health Care Fund is not the main issue but its implementation.

Mr. Tejuosho said if Nigeria does not achieve this, there is no point in introducing any other law to Nigerians. We will make sure the provision is included in the 2018 budget.

Olusoji Adeyi, Director Health Nutrition Population of World Bank Group said Basic Health Care Provision Fund should be prioritised.

He reiterated his earlier comment that Nigeria should not rely on aid from other countries to fund its health care system.

Minister of Health, Mr. Adewole said if the Basic Health Care Provision Fund is implemented, the National Assembly has done the country proud.

In 2017, the Senate passed a resolution mandating the Appropriation Committee of the Senate to make provision for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund in the 2018 budget. This is seen a crucial step towards achieving the objective of the National Health Act, signed into law in 2014, which provides for not less than one per cent Consolidated Revenue Fund as basic health care provision fund.

Reviewing the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS

The health minister said the coverage of the NHIS is significantly low because the scheme was pre-designed for the formal sector.

He said more than 75 per cent of the population of the country spend out of pocket for health services.

Mr. Tejuoso said the National Assembly is proposing to amend the NHIS Act, adding that old people will be included in the new arrangement of the NHIS.

Kolawole Owoka, the Chairman of the Health and Management Care Association of Nigeria, the umbrella body of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) pushed the bulk of blame of poor coverage of Nigerians under the scheme on the regulators.

ADVERTISEMENT

He said the structure of NHIS was not followed the way it was constructed since inception in 2005 because the regulators did not do a good job in monitoring the scheme.

99 per cent of federal civil servants are covered under the scheme currently.

What would have followed is that all states and local governments should have covered its own civil servants under the scheme. When you add the three together we should be talking of 20 to 30 percent coverage.

Then we now focus on the informal and private sector which is hugely under covered.

If we had followed it this way, it would have worked but we didnt. The current structure is wrong. It is not the question of HMOs not delivering but the fact that the regulators that are supposed to regulate now wants to be the operators, he added.

He further urged the national assembly to hasten steps in reviewing the act establishing the NHIS.

There is an ongoing amendment of the National Health Insurance Scheme. Central to this bill, which seeks to repeal the National Health Insurance Scheme Act and enact the National Health Insurance Commission Bill, is the need to ensure a more effective implementation of a health insurance policy that enhances greater access to health care services for all Nigerians.

This means that the bill would lay down the framework for a universal health care system where everyone pays into the insurance scheme and everyone gets quality health care delivery, regardless of their employment status or personal wealth. The bill is also geared towards effectively regulating private health insurance providers in Nigeria to ensure that they deliver, not just for the well-to-do, but also the poor and people in rural areas.

On poor funding for health in the annual budget:

Mr. Tejuoso spoke on the Abuja declaration. He decried that Nigeria is yet to provide up to five per cent of its budget on health.

I and the health minister should be held accountable if enough fund is not allotted to health in the 2018 budget appropriation, Mr. Tejuoso said.

The health minister bemoaned the poor funding of the health sector and the health budget saying the federal and state government should increase spending on health.

Nigeria hosted the Heads of State of member countries of the African Union (AU) in 2001. There the Abuja Declaration was made with the leaders pledging to commit at least 15 per cent of their annual budgets to improving their health sector.

Since the declaration, Nigeria has not attained the pledged funding benchmark as the federal government has never voted more than six per cent of its annual budget to the health sector.

The 2018 health budget is, in percentage terms, the lowest so far.

On implementation of the National Health Act:

Eniola Bello, Managing Director, THISDAY newspaper, said implementing the National Health Act is the way forward to achieving universal health coverage.

The health minister said the National Health Act was passed in 2016 with a policy on improved Primary Health Services.

He said if the National Assembly includes the Basic Health Care Provision Fund in the 2018 budget, the implementation of the act will substantially move towards completion.

Mr. Adewole had in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES said all parts of the act have been implemented except the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, a position the Nigerian Medical Association refuted.
ADVERTISEMENT

Two men, Wole Broad, 49, and Wale Oludare, 40, were on Wednesday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates Court in Lagos for allegedly drinking alcohol in front of a police station.

The two men were also accused of conducting themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by drinking alcohol in front of the Akinpelu Police Station at Oshodi, Lagos.

They are facing a two-count charge of felony and breach of peace.

Mr. Broad, residing at No.17, Olakunle Ajibade St., Ojota, is self-employed, while Mr. Oludare, a labourer, resides at No. 8, Akinpelu St. in Oshodi.

The duo conspired to commit felony by conducting themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace, the prosecution alleged.

The prosecutor, Rachael Williams, told court that the accused committed the offences on March 1 at about 11.55 p.m. at No. 5, Akinpelu St., opposite the Akinpelu Police Station.

The accused drank alcohol in front of Akinpelu Police Station after the commissioner of police had warned that on no account should anyone operate a beer parlour around any police station, Ms. Williams stated.

According to her, the offences contravene Sections 57 and 412 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 57 prescribes six months imprisonment for offenders.

The two men, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The magistrate, L. Y. Balogun, granted them bail in the sum of N5, 000 each with one surety each in like sum.

She adjourned the case until March 16.

(NAN)
ADVERTISEMENT

A senator, Dino Melaye (Kogi-APC), says the National Assembly should invoke its power to override President Muhammadu Buharis veto on the Peace Corps Bill.

The president in letters to the two legislative chambers cited security concerns and financial burden of funding the organisation by the government as his reasons for withholding assent.

The rejection has been greeted with criticisms from some Nigerians who disagreed with the presidents position.

Raising a point of order on Wednesday, Mr. Melaye said the bill once it becomes an Act will help the country solve its problem of unemployment.

He cited the example of the establishment of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as a case-study of why the bill should be allowed to stay.

The same thing happened when the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC) was to be established, there was also the same complaint that there was no money and all of that but today we can see the advantages of the civil defence and how they have helped in safeguarding the government infrastructure.

The senator accused the APC-led administration of borrowing hugely without making provisions for the youth.

$5.5 billion was borrowed from Euro bond; what part of it will the youths of this country benefit from? $1 billion is to be spent on security and how does this affect the youths of this country? he questioned.

Without fear or favour, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 16 years borrowed N6 trillion and this government in three years have borrowed N11 trillion but there is no specific programme that will empower the youth.

Also N500 billion was earmarked for the social investment programme of the Federal Government but we have not seen any impact.

If the Peace Corps is given an opportunity to exist, thousands will be employed and this will help to fight unemployment in this country.

Mr. Melaye added that the Presidents veto will be overriden by the National Assembly if an attempt to get his assent failed to work out.

We may need to write Mr. president to review his position if not we have the power on behalf of the Nigerian youths who voted us to veto him so that people will become the ultimate beneficiaries of this bill, he said.

The Senate did not take a position on Mr. Melayes point of order.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the intervention of the international community over alleged harassment and detention of its members by agents and officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  controlled federal government.

According to the opposition partys spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the APC government has failed and should not be allowed to vent its frustration on innocent Nigerians.

The lives of our members and supporters are increasingly at risk as the government is becoming more intolerant of opposition, particularly, having realized that its chances of getting re-elected in 2019 has dimmed as the people have rejected it due to its abysmal performance in the nearly three years of misrule.

PDP is therefore alerting the entire world of the increasing aggression and cruelty against opposition members and perceived opponents of government by the APC-led Federal Government, which is now using the apparatus of state power in their desperation to cow and subjugate opposition, suppress constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech and association in our country.

Today, there is thoughtless abuse of human rights in our country and the people now live in fear. Opposition members are now being arrested, manhandled and detained, with some of them having their family houses demolished for holding and expressing opinion even under a democracy.

Currently, our members and supporters in many states including Edo, Rivers, Kaduna, Kogi, Borno, Adamawa and others are being hounded for expressing opinion, particularity on the exposed corruption, abuses, constitutional violations and incompetence of the APC administration.

As we speak our Edo State Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, was summoned, questioned and his personal freedom curtailed by the police in Edo State for daring to speak against corruption in the state, an action which the unscrupulous officers at the command boasted will teach him and PDP members in the state a lesson. We commend Chief Dan Orbih for his forthrightness even in the face of harassment and intimidation by the APC.

In Kogi state, there are reports of APC agents attacking and destroying property belonging to opposition members and supporters, Mr. Ologbondiyan continued.

Nigerians have not forgotten how the APC government in Kaduna state demolished property belonging to opposition members and perceived political opponents; how the PDP secretariat in Borno was destroyed and how our property and those of our supporters were destroyed by agents of government in Adamawa state.

We decry this raging intimidation of our party officials, members and supporters and call on all good-spirited Nigerians and the international community to stand up and condemn this drift towards a stone age despotism.

Nigeria is a democratic state and we reject any attempt by anybody to suppress the constitutionally-guaranteed rights of the people, particularly regarding the choice of how they can be governed.
ADVERTISEMENT

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated Nigerias Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, on the occasion of his 61st birthday coming up on Thursday, March 8.

In a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ruling party described the vice president as an erudite lawyer.

The party said the sweeping justice reforms Mr Osinbajo undertook as Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State remain one of the celebrated legacies he bequeathed to the state and have been replicated in many states in the country.

Mr. Osinbajo was from 1999 to 2007 the Lagos State Commissioner for Justice, and also Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the state from 2007 to 2013.

The party recalled the strategic and important role Mr. Osinbajo played after the formation of the APC in 2013 when he was tasked alongside other notable members to design and produce its manifesto, culminating in the presentation of the partys Roadmap to a new Nigeria.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) celebrates our dear Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, GCON, SAN, on the special occasion of his 61st birthday.

The highly-cerebral Osinbajo has endeared himself to the generality of Nigerians as a team player in the current administration and a very dependable ally of the President. Osinbajo has been a key support base in the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administrations ongoing efforts to deliver on election promises made to Nigerians.

We wish him the very best in the years ahead in service to the Party and Nation.
ADVERTISEMENT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) will begin a pilot export of Nigerian dried beans to the European Union in April.

UNIDOs Chief Technical Adviser, National Quality Infrastructure Project, Shaukak Malik, disclosed this on Monday at the opening of a 3-Day capacity building for sustainability of the project, the Guardian Newspapers reported.

UNIDO also said it will officially write to the EU to inform it of the improved quality of dried Nigerian beans and that it is safe for consumption, if the pilot is successful.

The EU had banned importation of Nigerias dried beans in June 2015 on the ground that it contained a high level of pesticide considered dangerous to human health.

In June 2016, the ban was extended by three years by the EU because the presence of dichlorvos (pesticide) in dried beans imported from Nigeria and maximum residue levels of pesticides showed that compliance with food law requirement as regards pesticide residual could not be achieved in the short term.

Mr. Malik confirmed that the level of chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers used by Nigerian farmers have been brought down drastically as UNIDO had trained Nigerian farmers on good agricultural practices.

He added that UNIDO is developing 10 training centres in Nigeria; four in Abuja and six in Lagos State.

He also disclosed that the UN organisation is in collaboration with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to develop a curriculum on quality management.

He said that an Integrated Export Control Plan, which has been validated by both the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment and stressed the need for its enforcement, has been developed by a working group under zero reject of Nigerian goods.

Stephen Cross, an international accreditation expert, who also spoke at the event said the strongest challenge against trading of Nigerian goods and services are non-tariff trade barriers.

UNIDO asked the Nigerian government to approve the Nigerian National Quality Policy (NNQP) urgently as the policy is still awaiting approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

According to the Chief Technical Adviser, product rejection or ban at EU countries and other parts of the world can be reduced with recognised NNQP, accreditation and certification bodies as meteorology institute.
A senator, Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central), says a grenade may have been planted in the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the rejection of the extension of the tenure of its National Working Committee of the party by its Lagos State chapter.

The senator made this disclosure on Wednesday via his official twitter account, where he described the rejection as a grenade inside the flower pot in the dance hall.

The Lagos APC on Tuesday, kicked against the extension of the partys national and state executives tenure.

The state chapter said the decision is against the Nigerian and APC constitutions.

The APC had in February extended the tenure of the National Working Committee (NWC) and other lower leadership structures of the party.

The extension, approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party at its meeting in Abuja, saw the tenure of the NWC, headed by the partys National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, and his executives, elongated by a year.

The tenure of the NWC was to end in June having been elected in 2014.

In his reaction, Mr. Odigie-Oyegun had attributed the extension to the partys resolve to maintain peace in the party.

But rising from a Consultative Forum held at the State House Marina, Lagos, on Tuesday, leaders of the party in the state said the extension was against the spirit of the constitution.

The partys decision to extend the NWCs tenure came against the backdrop of the disagreement between a national leader of the party and its strong financier in Lagos, Bola Tinubu, and the national chairman, Mr. Odigie-Oyegun.

Mr. Tinubu had in a letter accused the partys national chairman of sabotaging his efforts at reconciling warring factions within the party, an assignment handed to him by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In his tweet, Mr. Sani said, Lagos APC rejection of tenure extension literary reveals that there is a grenade inside the flower pot, in the dance hall.

Nigerians have since been reacting to the senators comparison. Read some of the reactions below.

When Tinubu is hand picking who will b his political footstool that will do his bidding, why won't there b discordant tune.He is trying so hard to cover his corruption.  Shem Ovrere (@Shemovrere) March 7, 2018

https://twitter.com/Adehabeeb1/status/971321449872023552

Looming crisis in the APC. Looks like Tinubu is not happy  JOHN SHIKLAM (@SHIKLAM) March 7, 2018

I knew the Lagosians will not take it. And come to think of it, what stops the APC from convening a national convention for purpose of electing and giving legitimacy to its leaders?  Ekemini Udim (@Ekeminiudim) March 7, 2018

Lagos people are fighting for there boss I mean *ASIWAJU*  ABUBAKAR GARBA (@GarbaGarba69) March 7, 2018

ADVERTISEMENT

The cohesion or disintegration of these parties has never been about Nigerians but selfish interest why should we be bothered really? The fire is inevitable but it won't stop just in lagos  @persquaremeter (@PerSquareMeter) March 7, 2018

#Oyegunmustgo he isnt competent to hold APC National Chairman ABSENTEES CHAIRMAN  Lekan (@tirimisiyu2013) March 7, 2018

Do you reject too? What's in your own armoury?  Bambam (@Prideoflife2018) March 7, 2018

https://twitter.com/francis_osita/status/971304944228855810

When are u going to drop a verbal grenade on d floor of d Senate? D 2018 budget is in limbo & u are tweeting a parable in d pot of mischief  Bello Dan Austin (@danaustin15) March 7, 2018
ADVERTISEMENT

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has closed its case in the trial of Clement Onubuogo, a former Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment at an Ikeja High Court, Lagos.

The EFCC closed its case during Wednesdays proceedings following the conclusion of the testimony of a fourth prosecution witness.

Mr. Onubuogo is facing a three-count charge of stealing by conversion of property derived directly from illegal act with the aim of disguising the origin of the property.

According to the EFCC, the stolen funds which was N14.1 million is the property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

The anti-graft agency said Mr. Onubuogo, during his tenure, was responsible for supervising numerous programmes such as the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

He was alleged to have awarded fictitious contracts to himself via bank accounts belonging to his company and friends.

Theresa Braimah, the fourth prosecution witness and a retired Director of the Productivity, Measurement and Labour Standard Organisation, a department in the ministry, told the court in her brief testimony that due process was not followed in the dispatch of the alleged embezzled funds.

I and the defendant are colleagues in the Ministry. There was National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) meetings in 2013 and 2014 between the defendant and my department but none in the years 2015 as claimed by the defendant.

My department did not receive funds that were allegedly paid into a project account for a 2015 meeting.

To my knowledge, if funds are given with due process, I will know by virtue of my position because there ought to be signatories, she said.

While being cross-examined by Bolaji Ayorinde, Mr. Onubuogos lawyer, the retired director reiterated the fact that she did not receive money from the defendant during her employment at the Ministry.

In an attempt to counter her testimony that she never received money from Mr. Onubuogo, the lawyer confronted her with Exhibit DF3 which is a statement she made to the EFCC on May 4, 2016.

Responding, she said:If NIMASA was to fund a meeting, a proposal for the funding will come from my department.

I did not collect funds to conduct any meeting.

After Ms. Braimahs testimony, Mr. Ayorinde told the court of his intention to file a no-case submission instead of opening a defence.

The judge, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, adjourned the case until April 25 for the adoption of written addresses and the hearing of the no-case submission.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has arrested two suspects for allegedly smuggling 446 jerry cans of vegetable oil in Sokoto.

The NCS Comptroller for Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara Command, Nasir Ahmad, told journalists on Wednesday in Sokoto that the items were concealed in a petrol tanker.

Mr. Ahmad said the intercepted goods had a N5.7 million duty paid value.

He added that another petrol tanker carrying 465 bags of foreign rice was also intercepted on March 2.

The smuggled items, he said, were intercepted on the Sokoto-Gusau road.

Mr. Ahmad urged Nigerians to continue to support the NCS with useful information on the activities of smugglers.

The comptroller, who decried the increasing use of trucks for smuggling activities, advised smugglers to find alternative legal means of livelihood and stop undermining the nations economy.

He also called on people to embrace the federal governments initiatives on agriculture and other economic empowerment windows.

He further solicited for relevant information from the public to assist the command track down smugglers.

(NAN)
U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, has departed for Africa on a weeklong four-country official visit to Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti.

The visit will end March 13.

Mr. Tillerson, during the visit, would engage with President Muhammadu Buhari and other top government functionaries, and the leaders of the three other countries.

The trip, his first official visit to Africa, as Secretary of State, would take him first to Ethiopia and then to Djibouti from where he would go to Kenya, and then to Chad, before coming to Nigeria.

Speaking at George Mason University, Virginia before his departure, he expressed optimism that there was ample opportunity in Africa  for economic growth, for greater prosperity, and for responding to global challenges through mutually respectful partnerships.

According to him, he looks forward to returning and building on a strong foundation of U.S.-Africa relations, including visiting Chad, a country that has never before welcomed a visit by the Secretary of State.

Speaking on U.S.-Africa Relations: A New Framework, he said over the past century, as African nations emerged from their colonial past, there had been a dramatic increase in Americas engagement with Africa.

Forty years ago this month, President Jimmy Carter visited Liberia and Nigeria, where he announced that our nation has now turned in an unprecedented way toward Africa.

Today that turning continues. Our countrys security and economic prosperity are linked with Africas like never before, he said, adding the Africa-U.S. engagement will only intensify in the coming decades for several reasons.

He noted that by the year 2030, Africa would represent about one quarter of the worlds workforce and by the year 2050, the population of the continent is expected to double to more than 2.5 billion people  with 70 per cent of them under the age of 30.

He added that Africa was experiencing significant economic growth, noting the World Bank estimates that six of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world this year will be African.

For context, by the year 2050, Nigeria will have a population larger than the United States and an economy larger than Australias.

To understand where the world is going, one must understand that Africa is a significant part of the future.

African countries will factor more and more into numerous global security and development challenges, as well as expansive opportunities for economic growth and influence, he said.

According to him, while Africa contains a wealth of diversity  among its peoples, its cultures, and its governments  there are common challenges and opportunities.

Africas vitality is reflected in its youth, but a growing population of young people means a requirement for more jobs.

As more Africans move out of poverty, nations will require more infrastructure and development.

The growing population of young people, if left without jobs and a hope for the future, will create new ways for terrorists to exploit the next generation, subverting stability and derailing democratic governments.

ADVERTISEMENT

Leaders will be challenged to innovate and to manage the limited financial resources they have.

As we look ahead, this administration seeks to deepen our partnership with Africa, with an aim of making African countries more resilient and more self-sufficient.

That serves our partners, and it serves the United States as well by creating a stable future for all of our children and our grandchildren, Mr. Tillerson stressed.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has explained how he escaped from the premises of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja last week Thursday following a siege by some police officers.

Mr. Melaye at the senate plenary on Wednesday said some angels took him out of the premises to avoid police Special Anti-Robbery Squad who were deployed to the location to arrest him.

In a tweet update from his hideout inside the court building, Mr. Melaye claimed that Governor Yahaya Bello, his state governor and political rival, was responsible for his latest ordeal. The governor has since denied the allegation.

While contributing to a motion on a recent fracas involving Mr. Bello and senator representing Kogi Central, Ahmed Ogembe, the lawmaker narrated what transpired while he was allegedly being hunted.

On the 1st of March, I was arraigned by the party I worked for. I was arraigned by the government I helped to install. I appeared before the court and I was granted bail. Having been granted bail, I was quickly alerted that there were over a hundred policemen from SARS outside the court waiting to arrest me. When they took pictures of them to come and show me, even if you were going for the head of Shekau, you wouldnt have prepared any better.

I was in that court for hours and they laid siege for hours. Every car coming in and out of the court were being checked. Somehow because I serve a living God, the angels of the Lord took me out of that court unnoticed and unhurt. They laid siege for more than five hours after I was resting on my bed.

Mr. Melaye said the security operatives ought to follow a convention already in practice in pushing for his arrest.

We have a convention in this country, that when security agencies are interested in interrogating, investigating and inviting any senator, they write the Senate President to provide such senator. Why would they demean the integrity of the Senate of the Federal Republic? And lay siege for the senator of the Federal Republic as if you want to arrest a common criminal!

The lawmaker wants the federal government to declare a state of emergency in Kogi State.

We can call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to declare a state of emergency in Kogi to serve as deterrence to other governors who thinks power starts and ends with them.

The possibility of meeting the senators desire of a state of emergency is, however, very slim as Kogi is not suffering from any major violence or crisis beyond the ability of the state government and current federal security agencies.

Since the failed arrest, the police are yet to provide any official reasons for trying to arrest Mr. Melaye.
A Federal High Court Lagos on Wednesday in Lagos was forced to adjourn until March 27 the trial of a former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu, and others charged with laundering N3.6 billion following a clash in the timing of the case.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the trial had been scheduled for 1.00 p.m. which coincided with another case listed for trial at the court.

Mr. Amosu is charged alongside two other officers of the Air Force  Jacob Adigun and Gbadebo Olugbenga.

Also arraigned are some companies, namely: Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, Mcallan Oil and Gas Ltd, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd, Trapezites BDC, and Fonds and Pricey Ltd.

They are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

They were arraigned before the judge, Mohammed Idris, on June 26, 2016, and had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mr. Idris had granted them bail in the sum of N500 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

When the case was called on Wednesday, Mr. Idris informed counsel to both parties that there was a mix up in the cases slated for the day.

He said four cases were listed for hearing at 1.00 p.m, while the court had other pending trials for the day slated for the same time.

On his part, the EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court that the last adjournment was made for a settlement agreement to be reached by parties in the case.

He said no concrete agreement had been reached and that the prosecution was ready to go on with its case, adding that the second prosecution witness was in court for re-examination.

The court, however, apologised that the mix up of the time was from the courts registry and that hearing could not proceed as scheduled.

The court consequently adjourned the case until March 27 for continuation of trial.

The charges against the accused border on conspiracy, stealing and money laundering.

The accused were said to have indirectly converted N3.6 billion belonging to the Nigerian Air force to their own use.

The EFCC also alleged that Mr. Amosu and others stole over N323 million from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force between March 21, 2014 and March 12, 2015.

It said the alleged theft was for the purpose of purchasing for themselves a property situated at No.1, River Street, Wuse II, Abuja.

The offences contravened the provisions of Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment).

ADVERTISEMENT

The accused have pleaded not guilty.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Nigerian Senate President, Bukola Saraki has praised the Kwara State House of Assembly for passing a bill to suspend pension and other emoluments to ex-governors and deputies. He also urged other ex-governors who still hold public office, especially those in the Senate, to work towards stopping pensions they may be receiving as former governors.

Mr. Saraki, a former governor, in a statement, also hailed the Speaker of the Assembly, Ali Ahmad, for working to ensure the expeditious passage of the bill, as he urged other state houses of assembly to emulate Kwara.

The bill stopping the payment of pension to former governors and their deputies in Kwara State was passed by the House of Assembly last Tuesday, putting an end to controversies that the Senate President was one of those earning salaries from two sources.

The payment of salaries for life to some former governors, years after leaving office has, overtime, stirred controversies from a cross-section of Nigerians.

The governor of the state, Abdulfatah Ahmed, is expected to sign the bill into law.

The bill, when signed into law, will ensure that former governors and former deputies would no longer earn salaries from the state government whenever they are holding political and public offices.

Part of Mr. Sarakis statement read, I am pleased that following my conversation with Kwara Speaker, Ali Ahmad, two months ago, the bill to suspend the payment of pension to former governors and their deputies when they hold a political or public office was passed by the Kwara House of Assembly.

It is expected that other former governors who now hold public offices, especially those in the National Assembly, would take steps to have their salaries put on the hold by their respective states.

Some serving senators once served as governors and deputy governors of their respective states.

The onetime governors are: Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano); Kabiru Gaya (Kano); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Theodore Orji (Abia); Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa); Sam Egwu (Ebonyi); Shaaba Lafiagi (Kwara); Joshua Dariye (Plateau) and Jonah Jang (Plateau).

Others are: Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Sani Yarima (Zamfara); Danjuma Goje (Gombe); Bukar Ibrahim (Yobe); Adamu Aliero (Kebbi) and George Akume (Benue).

The former deputy governors who are now senators are: Abiodun Olujimi (Ekiti), Enyinaya Abaribe (Abia) and Danladi Sani, who once served as the acting governor of Taraba.

Others who serve as ministers are: Labour & Productivity Minister Chris Ngige (Anambra); Minister of Mines & Steel Development Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Power, Works & Housing, Babatunde Fashola (Lagos).

The pension law in Akwa Ibom State for instance provides monthly pensions for former governor governors and former deputies salaries equivalent to that of the incumbent.

In some states, former governors are entitled to official accommodation in the state capitals, official cars, free overseas medical treatments for them and members of their families as well as security details and personal staff amongst other luxuries.
A group, the Ebira Youth Congress (EYC), has warned that Ebiraland in Kogi State could relapse into deep political violence if nothing sincere and concerted was done to arrest the current crisis in the land.

The group gave the warning in a statement by its President-General, Baba Abdulrazak, on Monday.

The warning followed recent stoppage of some events in Ebiraland.

It listed the events to include a planned reception for the retirement of a judge, Moses Bello, disruption of an empowerment programme organised by Ahmed Ogembe, the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, the attacks on opposition party members, the alleged desecration of Ebiraland and torture and death of a masquerade custodian.

Stating that the Ebiraland was yet to fully recover from the politically-induced orgies of blood baths and the wars of immolation between 2007 and 2009, EYC called on well-meaning Anebiras to rise to preserve the relative peace we have been enjoying in recent times.

Below is the text of the statement:

*RESURGENCE OF POLITICAL INTOLERANCE IN EBIRALAND: WHY OUR LEADERS MUST AVOID THE PITFALLS OF THE RECENT PAST*

The Ebira Youth Congress (EYC) has observed with utter dismay and grave concern, the gradual but imminent relapse of Ebiraland into the horrible state of yesterday, if nothing sincere and concerted is made at arresting the situation.

The inordinate desires of some Ebira politicians snowballed Ebiraland into theaters of war some years ago. Our land and its people are yet to fully recover from the politically induced orgies of blood baths and the wars of immolation between 2007 and 2009.

EYC cant forget the massive loss of lives, destruction of properties and sacking of communities that resulted from that dark era.

We are distressed by the sudden, repulsive and highly questionable stoppage of a planned reception for the retirement of a highly revered elder statesman, Justice Moses Bello, from active service; the disruption of Senator Ogembes empowerment programme and its concomitant damaging effects on the properties and business of Afims Hotels; the reportedly unprovoked attacks on elements of opposition parties across Okehi L. G. A.; the desecration of Ebira tradition and the resultant death of the tortured night masquerade custodian, Mr, Akobe- all in a couple of days back. These unfortunate events are too grave to be dismissed!

Patriotic minds are worried and wondering why some progrmames identified with certain persons or groups have been cancelled abruptly on security ground, many others are allowed in the same space and time. WHY THE SELECTIVE TREATMENTS BY OUR GOVERNMENT AND MEN OF THE NIGERIAN ARMY? For example, while the well-planned reception for Justice Moses Bello was stopped by the soldiers who stormed his residence a few hours to the event, a high profile marriage ceremony, and a religious programme organised by an appointee of the State government took place the same day in the land. Are the men of the Nigerian Army using different rules of operation for different persons in Ebiraland? Or are the soldiers meddling in partisan matters in Ebiraland?

It is interesting to note that after similar cancellation of the highly and painstakingly planned fiftieth anniversary ceremony of Ebira Peoples Association (EPA), the apex and umbrella sociocultural body of the Ebira Tao nation; several gatherings/political rallies and cozy ceremonies by certain persons have been held in Ebiraland without the men of Nigerian Army or any security operatives stopping them. We make bold to say that it is a constitutional responsibility of the Kogi State government and the Local Government Councils to provide security for all in Ebiraland to carry out their lawful activities without intimidation, harassment and attacks as being witnessed in the land today.

As a matter of fact, it amounts to an outright indictment on the state government that patriotic citizens are forced to put off their legitimate events on grounds of security.

This, to a very large extent, brings to question claims by government of being on top of security in Ebiraland. We are disturbed that over five serving and retired high court judges, retired military Generals, business moguls and other senior citizens of Nigeria who had arrived Ebiraland for the Justice Mosess reception were unfortunately forced back with a very negative impression that our land is not a safe place for visits and by extension, business. Every sincere mind can imagine the socioeconomic implications of this negative picture being inadvertently created of our land before the whole world!

We call on the security agencies to sincerely investigate these security breaches and infringements on freedom of association. We urge the security agencies to be proactive and protect ALL LAW ABIDING CITIZENS before they cave in to the temptation of resorting to the unlawful act of self-help.

We call on well-meaning Anebiras to rise to preserve the relative peace we have been enjoying in recent times. This is not the time for silence- we all owe it a duty to save Ebira from this fast regression to the miseries of yesterday!

His Excellency, Alh. Yahaya Bello, the Governor of Kogi State, must not allow some of his overzealous aides and hangers-on to squander the goodwill of his pride divine mandate. A government that is favoured by God and loved by the people does not need coercion to succeed.

ADVERTISEMENT

A stich in time saves nine!

Signed:

Baba Abdulrazak,

President-General.
ADVERTISEMENT

The CRCC Construction Company Limited has completed 80 per cent work on the 100 kilometres Phase 1 Birnin Yauri to Kontagora road.

The federal government in 2013 awarded a N19.8 billion contract for the construction of 100 kilometres Birnin Yauri to Kontagora road and 85 kilometres Kontagora to Makera road.

Qi Yong, Project Manager of the company, said that only 18 kilometres of the route remained for completion.

Also, Giovanni Bottista, Project Manager, GR Construction Company Nigeria Limited, said that the contract for the construction of 52.3 kilometres Agaie to Katcha and Katcha to Baro roads started in 2014.

He said that the present administration paid a backlog of about N2 billion for mobilisation of contractors to site, adding that about N750 million has been expended so far.

Similarly, Paolo Campanella, Project Manager of Salini Nigeria Limited, said that the present administration has paid N7 billion out of the N10 billion for the construction phase 1 Minna to Suleja road.

He explained that the dualisation of Minna to Suleja road was divided into two phases, adding that the phase 1 contract was awarded for N10 billion while the phase 2 was N23 billion.

Mr. Campanella said that the federal government had paid 70 per cent of the money for the construction of the phase 1 and made advanced payment of N3.5 billion for the phase 2.

He said that the company would speed up work to 6 kilometres full carriage per month and commended the present administration for the release of the Sukuk bond fund for the project.

Meanwhile, Iheanacho Umeh, Federal Controller of Works in Niger, said that the government awarded contract for the construction of Kontagora to Makera and Birnin Yauri to Kontagora roads in November 2012 at the cost of N19.8 billion.

Similarly, Dayyabu Mamman, Zonal Director, Highways North Central, said that the federal government used the budgetary provision for 2017 to mobilise contractors to sites.

He added that government would pay all outstanding obligations as soon as the 2018 budget was passed.

Mr. Mamman said that all contractors handling federal government projects in the North-central were back on sites.

Abdullahi Gikada, an artisan who sells cement in Agaie, told NAN that the projects had boosted his business due to increase in business activities.

I am very happy because my cement business has improved. The mobilisation of contractors to site has help in boosting my business because the contractors buy cement from me.

I now have customers from other neighbouring communities because the road is now accessible and easy to transport goods, he said.

(NAN)
ADVERTISEMENT

Labaran Maku, a former Minister of Information, on Wednesday expressed shock over the death of former Nasarawa governor, Aliyu Akwe-Doma, describing his exit as a a great loss to the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mr. Akwe-Doma died in an Israeli hospital on Tuesday. He was aged 75.

Mr. Maku, in a statement in Lafia, described the ex-governor as a very peaceful man whose tenure as governor will always be remembered for its tranquility.

Doma (Akwe) was a very peaceful man who did everything to promote peace. He was a seasoned civil servant, a kind administrator, a fair politician and peaceful man, he said.

He said that throughout Mr. Akwe-Domas four-year tenure as governor, Nasarawa did not witness any major crisis between herdsmen and farmers.

Of all the governors we have had in the state, Aliyu Domas tenure was the most peaceful because he treated everyone equally and promoted mutual respect among all, he said.

Mr. Maku commended his commitment to rural development, especially the construction of roads to open up the hinterlands, saying that posterity would remember him kindly.

He also showcased the indigenous culture of the people at the global level and won laurels at national and international cultural festivals, he recalled.

Mr. Maku condoled the Alago community in Nasarawa State and the entire people of old Benue-Plateau State over the loss, and prayed God to grant Nigerians the fortitude to bear the loss.

Also, Innocent Lagi, former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in the state, said that the deceased lived a fulfilled life and contributed his quota to societal development.

The former governor paid special attention to agriculture and changed the lives of many farmers, especially those in the rural areas, he said.

Mr. Lagi said Mr. Akwe-Doma would be remembered for the loans, credit facilities, farm inputs and various interventions he secured for farmers which boosted their income.

People will miss him greatly; he died a great man and has left a good legacy for us to emulate, Mr. Lagi added.

(NAN)
The Lagos State Government on Wednesday said it had extended the period for tax-payers to enjoy discount of 15 per cent on Land Use Charge (LUC) to April 14.

The State Commissioner for Finance, Akinyemi Ashade, said at a news conference in Lagos that this was applicable to payments made within 15 days of receipt of demand notice.

The Law, which was reviewed by the Lagos State House of Assembly and signed into Law by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on February 8 was a merger of all Property and Land-Based Rates and Charges in the state.

Mr. Ashade said that various reliefs had been made available to payers, including a general 40 per cent relief for all property liable to LUC payment.

According to him, 10 per cent relief for owners and occupiers with persons with disabilities, as well as for owners and occupiers of 70 years and above.

He said that there was 10 per cent relief for properties above 25 years, five per cent relief for property occupied by their owners for over 12 years.

The commissioner said that there was also 20 per cent relief for non-revenue generating Federal and State Government property, and 20 per cent partial relief for non-profit making organisations.

Mr. Ashade said that for applicants to enjoy any of these reliefs, they must make claims with evidence for approval to the ministry.

The ministry has engaged professional services of over 100 registered estate surveyors and valuers, who in the next six months, will visit various property to get accurate data for valuation.

This will be used as the basis for billing for another five years.

The owners and occupiers are expected to provide the officials with valid documents to help with the valuation.

The LUC 2018 has been reviewed to enable self-assessment, which means property owners can now make their own calculation and know their rate with the help of professional valuers, he said.

Mr. Ashade said that the new law also established an Assessment Appeal Tribunal which was authorised to adopt the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution in resolving disputes concerning LUC demand notice, provided the appeal was lodged within 30 days after the receipt of the notice.

Should any property owner be unsure of his or her LUC bill or assessment, we implore such persons to visit any of our help desks in all the local government areas or the ministry.

We are ready to talk, attend to you and clarify issues on individual basis as tax is a personal affair, he said.

Mr. Ashade, however, said that the amount payable was expected to be made from January 1 of every year and could be calculated by multiplying the Market Value of that property by the applicable relief rate and annual charge rate.

Upon receiving a notice or not, the new law has made it possible for owners to calculate their charge and enable prompt payment.

For people saying the use of Market Value should not be the basis for deriving the LUC rate, we ask, what better application should be used?

ADVERTISEMENT

The cost of building houses varies according to area, so each property needs to be valued according to its location, in order to achieve a standardised rate for everyone that is progressive and rational.

It is instructive to note that, according to the law, the incidence of payment is on the landlord and not the tenant, the commissioner said.
By: Marilyn Szabo

"Concorde", "Arizona State Capital", "Roden Crater" by Marilyn Szabo

Contact

Marilyn Szabo, Szabo Photography

***@earthlink.com Marilyn Szabo, Szabo Photography

End

-- The Arizona Senate Chambers and offices are currently showcasing 40 vivid and iconic photographs displayed in a horseshoe shaped hallway by renowned artist Marilyn Szabo. This exhibition centers on the economic history of Arizona from the "At Work in Arizona: The First 100 Years" collection.The "At Work in Arizona: The First 100 Years" is an impressive photographic project which was a 15 year endeavor created by photographer, curator and historian, Marilyn Szabo funded by Alliance Bank of Arizona. "" book was published in 2014, including 168 pages including 80 of Szabo's own photographs. This exhibition showcases 40 pieces (from a collection of 350 iconic images) that cover Arizona's history past and present and include a brief history of each image.This spectacular selection of work includes truly iconic imagery ranging from the "State Capitol" from 1912 or the "Concorde, Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix" showing the plane on the airport tarmac from 1986, Camelback Mountain in the distance. Plus powerful images of the "Roden Crater, Flagstaff", large-scale earthworks project in Flagstaff by world famous artist James Turrell, as well as candid images such as "Joe Davis, Mesa Barber" depicting the 90 year old barber cutting hair at Mesa shop for over 60 years. This unique and powerful exhibition is located at the Arizona State Capital and although not open to the public, an appointment can be made to see the work by contacting the Senate Information Desk at (602) 926-3559. For more about Marilyn Szabo visit her online at http://szabofoto.com The Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Museum is currently featuring a large solo exhibition of her "At Work in Arizona" collection. The exhibition presents a selection of images from the "At Work in Arizona: The First 100 Years" project providing a glimpse into the past including images of everything from transportation, mining, and manufacturing to agriculture, retail and the arts.The "At Work in Arizona" exhibition will be on display through June 2018 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport's Museum in Terminal 4, on Level 3.For over 25 years, Photographer Marilyn Szabo has been a talented creative force in the arts, here in Arizona. Throughout her career Szabo has continued to captivate audiences with original imagery and create compelling photography that is timely and relevant. Her strong voice and innate ability to capture the essence of her photographic subjects vary from people to architecture to landscape, and the work has been praised for its depth, craftsmanship and versatility.She received a BA/History from Virginia Commonwealth University with a minor in Photography. Her work can be found in many public and private collections throughout the U.S. as well as receiving the Alligator Juniper's 2010 National Photography Award and cover. She as extensively exhibited her artwork nationally and internationally while garnering prestigious awards and grants. For more information about these exhibitions or Marilyn Szabo visit: http://szabofoto.com
Launches his campaign despite having never visited the state

By: Tyler For Kansas

Contact

Tyler Lee

***@gmail.com Tyler Lee

End

-- Tyler Lee, a Sophomore at Northeastern University, has announced his candidacy for Governor of Kansas in the 2018 election, despite having never even visited the state. The election, having been dubbed "the race with no rules," has gotten constant attention thanks to the lack of qualifications necessary to be Governor in the state, including no requirements of age, residency, or experience.Lee's platform consists of 5 principles:1. The fostering of an economic environment that encourages entrepreneurship and small business development. Lee plans to achieve this through expanding the beginning farmer loan program and increasing funding to the nonprofit NetworkKansas.2. The creation of an online education curriculum for K-12 teachers to be certified in the basics of mental health counseling. By the end of his term, Lee seeks to have every public teacher in the state certified.3. The dedication of resources towards a more comprehensive and leading STEM curriculum (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)in public high schools, and the expansion of STEM related scholarships to the six public state Universities.4. The creation of a prisoner literacy program and vocational training program, with the goal of cutting Kansas recidivism rate in half, from 33% to 15%.5. A top to bottom overview of the state's budget looking for inefficiencies that will help pay for these initiatives.Originally from Los Angeles, Lee is a business major and philosophy minor. Along with attending school, Lee runs two businesses. The first, collaredworkshirts.com, sells dress clothes to college students searching for jobs and internships. The second is Anioval.com, currently in development with plans for a fall launch, and is designed to help parents order clothes online for their children without having to worry if the clothes fit. Lee will be campaigning as a write-in candidate, along with his running mate Ben Rubin, a 20 year old English major at Northeastern.The website of the campaign is http://www.tylerforkansas.com
This is Aitouganov's first time entering the festival's poster contest.

Natasha Aitouganov: 2018 Calif. Strawberry Festival Poster Contest Winner

Contact

Diane Rumbaugh

***@rumbaughpr.com Diane Rumbaugh

End

-- Using a combination of line graphics and watercolors, artist Natasha Aitouganov of Sherman Oaks won the California Strawberry Festival's 35th Annual Official Poster Contest. Aitouganov's winning entry was revealed today to dignitaries and festival sponsors gathered at Yolanda's Mexican Cafe in Oxnard. The luncheon kicked off activities for the 2018 celebration taking place May 19 and 20. Aitouganov's design was one of 58 entries.Aitouganov took home $2,000 as the poster contest winner. "Winning the contest is an incredible feeling," says Aitouganov, 50. "I've never won an art contest before. This is a first."Each year, the festival's volunteer board selects the poster design winner. "Our board is a cross section of people coming from all different background and experiences,"says Mike Thompson, the festival's board chair. "In the past, we've had traditional poster designs as well as abstract designs. Natasha's work, a single strawberry filled with bold, vibrant, fresh colors, perfectly depicts the festival."This is Aitouganov's first time entering the festival's poster contest. A professional artist, Aitouganov began drawing at age seven. Her parents, realizing her talent, immediately enrolled her in art school. Born in Belarus, she eventually immigrated to the United States in 1993 and studied production design at the American Film Institute. She mostly works in pen and ink and in watercolors."When I began thinking about the poster design, I asked, 'what's the best thing about strawberries?'" says Aitouganov. "Naturally, it's their taste. The entry's splashes of color are an interpretation of the wonderful flavors experienced when biting into a strawberry."Although Aitouganov came up with other designs, she kept coming back to the simplicity of a single berry. "A strawberry bursting with exciting taste and colors represents, to me, the whole idea of the festival."The 35th Annual California Strawberry Festival ( http://www.castrawberryfestival.org ), May 19 and 20 at Strawberry Meadows of College Park (3250 S. Rose Avenue, Oxnard), features more than 50 food booths with all things berry, live concerts, gooey contests, Strawberryland for Kids with rides and attractions, hundreds of fine arts and craft booths and cooking demonstrations.General admission is $12, seniors 62 and over are $8 and children ages 5-12 are $5. Kids 4 and under are free. Active military and dependents with ID are $8. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. both days Free Park and Ride "Strawberry Express" shuttles with pickup locations off the 101 Freeway save patrons time and money. Parking onsite is $10. Tickets are available for purchase in advance online via the website. Toll free information is available at 888-288-9242.
MAYWOOD, N.J., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pet owners no longer need to go back and forth with a cup (or a scoop) to spread ice melt. The new, innovative Pet Friendly Ice Melter Pro 10 LB bag makes it easy for anyone to spread ice melt. The bag has a built-in spout, so ice melt can be accurately and evenly spread without coming into contact with the contents. The bag is easily carried by gripping the handle, keeping it low, closer to the ground, and effortlessly letting the ice melt flow out through the spout, without the need to shake (like shaker jugs)! The spout has a zipper, so the bag can be easily opened/closed in one easy step.

Spread your ice melt through the built-in spout Easy carrying, bag handling and pouring

Visit https://www.icemelterpro.com to see more.

Ice Melter Pro was created by PourBag (https://www.pourbag.com), the company (from New Jersey) who invented the bag with the built-in spout. PourBag sells its pre-filled bags to major distributors and retailers. In addition, customers can always find the bags with the built-in spout as a reusable option to refill from heavy bags, under the brand pourrific https://www.pourrific.com.

Any granular, dry or powdery products can be poured with ease through the built-in spout. PourBag plans to launch bird seed bags, fertilizers, grass seed, cat litter and rice shortly. The company is also in discussions to supply pre-filled bags (with bird seed, diatomaceous earth and other products) to a few brands; these pre-filled bags will be manufactured with each brand's graphic design.

To receive more information about wholesale opportunities, please contact PourBag.

Media Contact:

Leo Bar

[email protected]

888-670-3381

SOURCE PourBag

Related Links

https://www.pourbag.com


Upstream Investment Opportunities also unveiled at CERA Week

New oil and gas blocks to be made available to commercially competitive bids to unlock untapped resources in one of the world's largest hydrocarbon super-basins

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced, today, its intention to move further downstream, as the company pivots to take full advantage of the rising demand for higher value refined and petrochemical products, particularly in the growth economies of China and Asia.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650975/ADNOC_Logo.jpg )

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650974/ADNOC_CERAWeek.jpg )



Speaking at CERAWeek, a leading gathering of the energy industry, H.E. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and ADNOC Group CEO, set out ADNOC's strategic ambitions to become a major global downstream player, with the operational flexibility to respond quickly to shifting and emerging market needs. At the center of its new downstream strategy, ADNOC intends to create the world's largest integrated refining and chemical site in the world, in Ruwais, UAE, where it will triple petrochemicals' production to 14.4 million tonnes, annually, by 2025.

H.E. Dr. Al Jaber announced plans to host a Downstream Investment Forum, in Abu Dhabi, on May 13 and 14, where ADNOC will unveil significant co-investment opportunities to strengthen and grow its downstream portfolio.

"We will unveil significant co-investment opportunities for all partners, ready to work alongside us at a special event this coming May, as we transform our Downstream portfolio domestically and internationally," H.E. Dr. Al Jaber said.

"I would like to extend an invitation, to those who are keen to join us on this journey, to attend the ADNOC Downstream Investment Forum, where we will unveil our roadmap, signature projects and detailed investment plans. As we begin this next phase of our development, we welcome existing and prospective partners to join us in creating smarter growth for our long-term mutual benefit."

H.E. Dr. Al Jaber explained ADNOC's downstream strategy will build on the progress ADNOC had made in 2017, as it accelerated its transformation and sharpened its focus on its strategic pillars of people, performance, profitability and efficiency to both unlock and create maximum value from its resources and assets.

In addition to aligning its group of companies under a single, unifying brand, he said ADNOC opened up opportunities across its upstream and downstream businesses to new categories of partners and investors, including public and private financial institutions. ADNOC also took steps to enhance and optimize its capital structure by leveraging, for the first time, the global capital markets, including issuing a US $3 billion bond against one of its large crude oil pipelines - the biggest non-sovereign bond sale in the Middle East - and successfully listing ADNOC Distribution on the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX), in what was the largest IPO in Abu Dhabi in a decade.

"The steps we have taken so far have laid a solid foundation for powering the next phase of our growth," said H.E. Dr. Al Jaber. "And the biggest opportunity for that growth is downstream, particularly in petrochemicals, where demand is expected to climb 150 percent by 2040, driven by the growth economies of Asia."

While developing downstream has become a key strategic priority for delivering on the goals of ADNOC's 2030 smart growth strategy, H.E. Dr Al Jaber said the company is also building on its strong legacy as a leading, global upstream player.

He cited the reconfiguration of the former ADMA offshore concession into multiple concession areas as an example of how an expanded approach to partnerships has allowed ADNOC to attract additional upstream partners who bring strategic value add to the table - in terms of market access, capital, technology and expertise.

In support of ADNOC's upstream expansion strategy, H.E. Dr. Al Jaber noted that a series of new blocks are to be made available for commercially competitive bidding, in an unprecedented opportunity, for both existing and new partners with best-in-class exploration technology, to unlock untapped resources in one of the world's largest hydrocarbon super-basins.

Organized by IHS Markit, CERAWeek takes place annually in Houston, Texas. It brings together 3,000 global industry leaders and policymakers, from more than 60 countries, across the entire energy value chain, to exchange knowledge and insights on energy markets, industry trends, technology and strategy.

Visit ADNOC's Downstream Investment Forum site for more information.

About ADNOC

ADNOC is a major diversified group of energy and petrochemical companies, that produces about 3 million barrels of oil and 9.8 billion cubic feet of raw gas a day. Its integrated upstream, midstream and downstream activities are carried out by 14 specialist subsidiary and joint venture companies. To find out more, visit http://www.adnoc.ae.

For further information: [email protected].

SOURCE ADNOC
"AEssenseGrows is all about removing the guesswork and surprises from indoor farming, from the cost of investment through the quality and size of yields," said Phil Gibson, vice president of Marketing at AEssenseGrows. "Our new cost calculator will help our customers get a solid estimate on one of their key upfront and recurring expenseslightingso they can be better informed to optimize their business."

With the cost calculator, customers can enter such variables as the number of grow lights, cost of electricity, number of daylight hours, cost of maintenance and labor, and cooling efficiency. The projected cost trade-offs based on different lighting technologiesinvestment and annual operating expense--will appear immediately.

The calculator analyzes the costs of owning and operating traditional HPS lights and the company's premium LED lights. The calculator finds, for instance, that at 12 cents per kilowatt hour, a 1,000-light grow using the LEDs would save growers $1.19 million over 5 years compared to using HPS lights, with the breakeven point at 21 months. For growers paying 20 cents per kilowatt hour, that same 1,000-light grow with LEDs would save $2.26 million over five years compared to HPS lights, with the breakeven point at just 13 months.

The cost calculator works in concert with lighting products for the company's AEtrium Systems, which is a platform to produce high-quality crops while reducing the requisite amount of water, nutrients and labor of traditional farming. These modular aeroponic grow systems help customers achieve up to 40 percent higher year-round yields and faster profitability (benchmark case study available here).

The AEtrium System lets users easily monitor grow conditions through a blanket of precision sensors controlled by the Guardian Grow Manager software. Optimal delivery of nutrients to indoor plants is guaranteed with confidence from recipe creation through irrigation execution, with the constant attention to detail that automation provides. Every sensor reading is processed and mirrored to the AWS cloud, providing a perfect data record for any grow cycle and any plant variety.

AEssenseGrows will demonstrate its advanced aeroponics systems at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit March 20-21 in San Francisco, Calif. AEssenseGrows offers free webinars on key issues concerning indoor farming. The next webinar, "Vegetative Plant Production: Bulking Up Your Plants," will be 10 a.m. Pacific March 14, and reservations can be made here.

The Sunnyvale, Calif.-startup was recently selected by Ackrell Capital as one of the firm's Top 100 Private Cannabis Companies for 2018.

AEssense, Inc. (pronounced "essence"), founded in 2015, is a precision ag-tech company based in Sunnyvale, CA. AEssenseGrows provides plant growth SmartFarm platforms and software automation to support year-round, enriched growth to fresh produce and medicinal plant producers globally. With AEssenseGrows, you can precisely control your production operations at your fingertips from anywhere in the world.

For more information for AEssense, please contact Phil Gibson, or visit AEssenseGrows.com.

Phil Gibson

AEssenseGrows, Inc.

669.261.3086

[email protected]

SOURCE AEssenseGrows, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.aessensegrows.com


NEW YORK, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TransPerfect, the world's largest provider of language services and technologies for global business, today announced that it has been chosen by Air Corsica, the Mediterranean island of Corsica's premier air carrier, to support the launch and ongoing maintenance of a new English version of its French-language site.

With a strong existing presence and brand reputation among French-speaking customers, Air Corsica sought to enhance their outreach to English-speaking markets and to support the growth of their profile in a new international destination in the United Kingdom. To streamline their content management process, Air Corsica deployed TransPerfect's GlobalLink  Connect for Drupal, a solution that automates many of the manual tasks associated with the translation and management of global content.

Using customized workflow technology that integrated with Air Corsica's existing instance of Drupal, GlobalLink Connect simplified the launch and ongoing maintenance of the company's English-language site by automatically routing new content to TransPerfect's production teams for translation, review, and final placement. All localized text was returned to Drupalready to launch.

"Right now we have a tremendous opportunity to ramp up international activity and target new global markets," stated Jean-Paul Filippini, Digital & E-Commerce Manager at Air Corsica. "While we have operated flights to the United Kingdom in the past, we have never been able to effectively communicate with our customers living there. TransPerfect's GlobalLink technology will allow our English-speaking customers to book flights online directly in their native language."

Dan O'Sullivan, Vice President of TransPerfect and head of the company's specialized travel group, remarked, "With a proven track record of success operating in Corsica and throughout France, Air Corsica is now taking the logical next step as they aim to expand their success abroad. We are proud to have been chosen to help in this very exciting stage of their journey as they build new relationships with English-speaking flyers."

About Air Corsica

Air Corsica is Corsica's principal airline and among the largest companies on the island. Founded 28 years ago, the regional airline rapidly took a leading position as the island's air transport specialist, carrying 1.7 million passengers a year. Air Corsica operates over 20,000 flights a year across 33 routes with a fleet of six Airbus A320s and six ATR72s serving four Corsican airports along with mainland destinations in France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.

www.aircorsica.com

About TransPerfect

TransPerfect is the world's largest provider of language services and technology solutions for global business. From offices in over 90 cities on six continents, TransPerfect offers a full range of services in 170+ languages to clients worldwide. More than 4,000 global organizations employ TransPerfect's GlobalLink Product Suite to simplify management of multilingual content. With an unparalleled commitment to quality and client service, TransPerfect is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 certified. TransPerfect has global headquarters in New York, with regional headquarters in London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit our website at www.transperfect.com.

SOURCE TransPerfect

Related Links

http://www.transperfect.com


CHICAGO, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Smoking is an addiction, and some groups have higher smoking rates including the African American community, where over 20 percent of adults report that they currently use tobacco. Today, the American Lung Association and the National Urban League announced a unique partnership to address health disparities in the African-American community by offering free quit smoking services. Funded through a $1 million grant from the CVS Health Foundation, this partnership will serve those who face a disproportionate burden of tobacco use and tobacco-related illness by giving access to the American Lung Association's Freedom From Smoking program, a proven-effective smoking cessation program.

"We have made tremendous progress against tobacco addiction and the smoking rate is half of what it was in 1964, but not everyone has benefited equally," said American Lung Association National President and CEO Harold P. Wimmer. "Some groups have been historically underserved with tobacco control efforts and today have higher tobacco use rates as a result. It's important that we address this disparity with partners like the National Urban League and CVS Health so that we can prevent and reduce tobacco-related illnesses in all parts of our society."

Every year in the U.S., more than 480,000 people die from tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke, making it the leading cause of preventable death in the country. Smoking can cause or worsen numerous diseases and conditions, including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease and more. In fact, tobacco use is a major contributor to the three leading causes of death among African-Americansheart disease, cancer and strokeand causes 45,000 African-American deaths every year.

"The death rate from smoking-related illnesses is far higher among African-Americans than among the population in general, including lung cancer," said National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial. "Some African-Americans have an especially hard time quitting because menthol cigarettes  marketed specifically to black communities  are more addictive, and they do not have access to the best resources to stop smoking. Thanks to this partnership with the American Lung Association and support from the CVS Health Foundation, we can address those barriers and offer support that will help more people become smokefree."

The American Lung Association will work with the National Urban League to promote and provide their proven-effective smoking cessation program, Freedom From Smoking, to African-American communities in Chicago, Atlanta, Indianapolis and Washington, D.C. Freedom From Smoking has helped more than one million smokers quit and is offered in person, online and by phone. Participants will learn about building a quit plan, medications that can aid quitting smoking, lifestyle changes that support quitting smoking, how to manage stress and how to overcome relapse and become smokefree for good. Individuals in those communities that are interested in receiving support can visit Lung.org/nul or call 1-800-LUNGUSA for more information.

Support for the partnership between the American Lung Association and National Urban League is being provided through Be The First, CVS Health's five-year $50 million initiative to help deliver the nation's first tobacco-free generation and extend the company's larger commitment to helping people lead tobacco-free lives. The American Lung Association and the National Urban League are among a roster of national organizations who are supporting CVS Health's campaign to accelerate declines in rates of smoking and other tobacco use among teens and young adults.

"We recognize that the use and effects of tobacco use in multicultural communities are significant, and we want to play a leading role in reducing smoking in these communities," said CVS Health Foundation President Eileen Howard Boone. "We are proud to help bring together the tobacco control expertise of the American Lung Association with the multicultural reach of the National Urban League to advance smoking cessation efforts in the African-American community and help people on their path to better health by living tobacco-free lives."

For media interested in speaking with an expert about lung health, tobacco use and tobacco policies, or individuals that have been able to end their addiction to tobacco, contact the American Lung Association at [email protected] or 312-801-7628.

About the American Lung Association

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, through research, education and advocacy.The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to improve the air we breathe; to reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families; and to eliminate tobacco use and tobacco-related diseases. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Guide Seal,or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.

About the National Urban League

The National Urban League (www.nul.org) is a historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization dedicated to economic empowerment in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League has improved the lives of more than two million people nationwide through direct service programs that are implemented locally by 90 Urban League affiliates in 300 communities across 36 states and the District of Columbia. The organization also conducts public policy research and advocacy activities from its Washington, DC bureau. The National Urban League, a BBB-accredited organization, has an A-rating from Charity Watch and a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, placing it in the top 10 percent of all U.S. charities for adhering to good governance, fiscal responsibility and other best practices. Follow on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook on @NatUrbanLeague.

About the CVS Health Foundation

The CVS Health Foundation is a private charitable organization created by CVS Health that works to build healthier communities, enabling people of all ages to lead healthy, productive lives. The Foundation provides strategic investments to nonprofit partners throughout the U.S. who help increase community-based access to health care for underserved populations, create innovative approaches to chronic disease management and provide tobacco cessation and youth prevention programming. We also invest in scholarship programs that open the pathways to careers in pharmacy to support the academic aspirations of the best and brightest talent in the industry. Our philanthropy also extends to supporting our colleagues' spirit of volunteerism through Volunteer Challenge grants to nonprofits where they donate their time and fundraising efforts. To learn more about the CVS Health Foundation and its giving, visit CVSHealth.com/social-responsibility.

American LungAssociation  55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150  Chicago, IL 60601

1-800-LUNGUSA(1-800-586-4872) Lung.org

SOURCE American Lung Association

Related Links

http://www.lung.org


ROHNERT PARK, Calif., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- While the heyday of big for-profit colleges in the United States may seem to be over  Corinthian Colleges is shut down, DeVry University was essentially given away  a new fight over for-profits is playing out in government. The latest news concerns 20 state attorneys general who have banded together to rebuke the Department of Education in what they call a "major step backward" in rules regarding borrower defense against repayment. Amid the headlines about for-profits are the lives of real students, including those who had both good and bad experiences at for-profit schools. Ameritech Financial, a private document preparation company which specializes in assisting federal student loan borrowers in applying for and maintaining enrollment in repayment plans and forgiveness programs, recognizes the complexity of the for-profit school phenomenon.

"Former students of for-profit colleges may have a range of experiences regarding their education, but student loan debt is a common story among many of those individuals," said Tom Knickerbocker, executive vice president of Ameritech Financial. "We provide a service to student loan borrowers who may be approaching us from all different places regarding their education."

Borrower defense is a Department of Education process that discharges student loans for former students of for-profit institutions who received a sham education. These student loan borrowers may be waiting for debt forgiveness with their loans in a forbearance status. However, attendees of for-profit institutions who don't need borrower defense may still have federal loans and, whether they are happy with their education or not, need to address them.

Ameritech Financial helps borrowers select, apply for and recertify enrollment in repayment plans that can potentially lower their monthly payments to manageable amounts. Specifically, Ameritech Financial specializes in applications and recertifications for income-driven repayment plans (IDRs), which are designed to help give borrowers an affordable payment by basing it on income and family size. Help with required forms and supplementary paperwork for applications and recertification are a mainstay of Ameritech's services.

While for-profit schools are often painted in broad strokes as uniformly bad  which, given some of the colleges' practices is understandable  the reasons for students attending these schools are varied, as are their experiences. However, no matter the quality of education, attending a for-profit can come at a steep cost for borrowers, as they are often more expensive than other types of schools.

"We recognize that the for-profit higher education landscape is a complicated one, but student loan borrowers need help regardless," said Knickerbocker. "For those who are interested in assistance with applications and recertifications regarding repayment and certain forgiveness programs, Ameritech Financial provides exceptional service."

About Ameritech Financial

Ameritech Financial is a private company located in Rohnert Park, California. Ameritech Financial has already helped thousands of consumers with financial analysis and student loan document preparation to apply for federal student loan repayment programs offered through the Department of Education.

Ameritech Financial is a member of the Association for Student Loan Relief (AFSLR) and each representative on the phone has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA).

Ameritech Financial prides itself on its exceptional customer service.

Contact

To learn more about Ameritech Financial, please contact:

Ameritech Financial

5789 State Farm Drive #265

Rohnert Park, CA 94928

1-800-792-8621

[email protected]

Related Links

Ameritech Financial home page

SOURCE Ameritech Financial
BOSTON and NEW YORK, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Seven of the biggest financial companies in the world have announced proactive steps to wipe out gender pay inequity in response to shareholder proposals from Arjuna Capital for detailed wage data reports. American Express (AMEX) today became the 7th company since January 15th to agree to the terms of the proposal and commit to disclose and close any gender pay gap, pledging to report its data to shareholders by the end of 2018. Peer company Mastercard made its announcement on February 12, following negotiations with Arjuna. In response to the Amex announcement, Arjuna withdrew its shareholder proposal this morning on behalf of its clients and the co-filer, Walden Asset Management.

The majority of financial companies targeted by Arjuna Capital on gender pay equity (seven of nine in 2018) have now responded proactively to shareholder engagements, measuring and ameliorating pay practices on key measures to the vicinity of 99 percent.

On January 15th, Citigroup was the first US bank to disclose its gender and racial pay gap through an internal announcement and salary adjustments. Bank of America joined Citi on January 25th, becoming the second big bank to address shareholder concerns on gender and racial pay equity. Wells Fargo made a similar announcement on Thursday, February 1st, trailed by Bank of New York Mellon on February 6th. Mastercard published an announcement online on February 12th, and the last of the big banks engaged by shareholders, JPMorgan, agreed to terms on Feb. 23rd.

In 2016, six of the originally targeted institutions (Bank of America, Mastercard, American Express, JP Morgan, Wells Fargo and Citi) rejected shareholder proposals asking for detailed reports on the percentage pay gap between male and female employees across race and ethnicity, including base, bonus and equity compensation, policies to address that gap, the methodology used, and quantitative reduction targets. This year, Arjuna Capital filed gender pay equity shareholder proposals at nine leading financial institutions, also asking Bank of New York Mellon, Reinsurance Group, and Progressive Insurance to publish their gender pay gaps.

Natasha Lamb, managing partner, Arjuna Capital said: "American Express has reaffirmed its commitment to diversity and status as one of the best places to work in America. Our engagement with AMEX has paid off, not only for investors, but for women working at one of the most vaunted credit issuers in the world, who will now rest assured that they are paid equitably. AMEX and Mastercard are setting the bar on gender pay equity in the credit card industry. Change is happening, and fast. Since Citigroup first broke the silence on gender pay on January 15th, seven of the biggest financial companies in the world have ushered in a new era for women on Wall Street. All seven banks and credit card companies we've engaged have now committed to a transparent accounting of gender pay. Only two insurance companies remain as holdouts from our 2018 finance industry campaign."

American Express has pledged to disclose its gender pay data by the end of 2018. Today, American Express stated: "We are committed to ensuring that our pay and reward structure is equitable and free of any bias. This is a key component of our overall commitment to creating a diverse and an inclusive workplace, which has been a consistent and critical focus for us for nearly three decades. To help meet these commitments, we regularly review our compensation practices to ensure they support pay equality and transparency, and we are proud of our record.

Based on the most recent comprehensive pay analysis we conducted with a third-party consulting firm, we are confident that our colleagues are compensated equitably, regardless of gender. The review found no evidence of bias in our compensation processes and indicated we were effectively at parity. Going forward, we will continue our reviews in partnership with an independent external consultant. If and when we discover gaps, we will take appropriate actions to correct them, and we will continue to disclose our overall results."

Lamb continued: "Despite positive developments for gender pay on Wall Street, women are still 20 percent more likely to leave a career in finance than any other industrythat's bad for business and it's bad for investors. Equal pay is therefore a critical first step to retain and attract top talent. And despite recent attention to equal pay in the finance world, we know other problems remain entrenched, such as few women on boards and sexual harassment in the workplace."

The AMEX gender pay resolution is available online at:

http://arjuna-capital.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/AXP-Shareholder-Proposal_Gender-Pay-Equity-2018.pdf

Arjuna Capital's letter withdrawing the AMEX proposal is available at: (http://arjuna-capital.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Arjuna-Capital-American-Express-Withdrawal-Letter_03.07.18.pdf).

The financial services sector has been under scrutiny for a lack of female representation in senior roles despite the fact women comprise a majority of its employees. In the UK, where employers are required to publish their gender pay gaps by April, banks have reported median pay gaps averaging approximately 32 percent.

ABOUT ARJUNA CAPITAL

Arjuna Capital is an investment firm focused on sustainable and impact investing. Lamb and Arjuna Capital have been recognized for using shareholder resolutions to promote gender pay equity in the tech, banking, and retail sectors. Natasha Lamb was named to the "Bloomberg 50" list of influencers who defined global business in 2017. For more information, visit www.Arjuna-Capital.com.

SOURCE Arjuna Capital

Related Links

http://www.Arjuna-Capital.com


New state-of-the-art micro-ultrasound system allows Arkansas Urology's patients

to benefit from the latest imaging technologies

TORONTO, Canada and LITTLE ROCK, AR, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Arkansas Urology, the largest full-service urological practice in Arkansas, is excited to announce that it is the first customer in the state of Arkansas for Exact Imaging's ExactVu high resolution micro-ultrasound system for targeted prostate biopsies. The ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy is the standard-of-care procedure that allows urologists to sample a man's prostate and gather biopsy tissue that can be analyzed pathologically to determine the presence of prostate cancer. With a 300 percent improvement of resolution over conventional ultrasound, the ExactVu micro-ultrasound platform provides the urologist with a new level of resolution by which to examine the prostate. With the ExactVu system, the urologists at Arkansas Urology will now be able to actually visualize areas of interest in the prostate and specifically target biopsies at those suspicious areas in addition to performing systematic ultrasound biopsy protocols.

"Our strategy of investing in and providing the latest technologies is essential to enable Arkansas Urology and our urologists to provide the highest standards of care for our patients," E. Scot Davis, CEO of Arkansas Urology, said. "The prostate biopsy is the key technique by which prostate cancer is diagnosed and we believe this new high resolution micro-ultrasound imaging platform is a significant breakthrough."

"Arkansas Urology invested in the ExactVu technology to allow us to better serve Arkansans. We wanted to give men with the diagnosis of an elevated PSA another option to the traditional transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsy," Edwin Diaz, M.D. said. "The ExactVu micro-ultrasound imaging platform gives us the unprecedented ability to visually detect prostate tissue abnormalities and, thus, perform lesion directed tissue sampling in addition to template directed biopsies. By utilizing high-resolution imaging, we aim to detect more aggressive cancers and offer appropriate treatments to these men."

"We are thrilled to be working with and supporting the progressive team at Arkansas Urology in their introduction of the ExactVu micro-ultrasound into their practice so that their patients can benefit from the near microscopic resolution of this imaging system," Randy AuCoin, Exact Imaging's President and CEO, said. "This is the first acquisition of this technology in the state and shows Arkansas Urology's strong commitment to investing in the latest state-of-the-art technologies so as to provide the best patient-centered standard of care."

With the ExactVu high resolution micro-ultrasound system, Arkansas Urology's patients can now benefit from this breakthrough micro-ultrasound-based imaging modality for the:

Near-microscopic visualization of the prostate,

Characterizing of suspicious regions in the prostate, and

Guiding and performing both systematic and real-time targeted prostatic biopsies.

The ExactVu high resolution micro-ultrasound system is in operation at the Arkansas Urology's main campus at 1300 Centerview Drive in Little Rock, AR. For patients interested in having their prostate biopsy performed using this high resolution micro-ultrasound system, please call 1-877-321-8452 to schedule an appointment.

About Exact Imaging:

Exact Imaging (www.exactimaging.com) is the world's leader in high-resolution micro-ultrasound systems enabling real-time imaging and guided biopsies in the urological market for prostate cancer. Exact Imaging's ExactVu micro-ultrasound platform operates at 29 MHz and enables a whole new level of resolution with the benefits of ease of use, affordability, and being an extension of the current urological workflow. Using the Exact Imaging platform, urologists are able to visualize areas of interest in the prostate and specifically target biopsies at those areas, aided by the PRI-MUS (prostate risk identification using micro-ultrasound) evidence-based micro-ultrasound protocol. For the minority of cases where MRI might assist (i.e., prior negative biopsies), FusionVu is the forthcoming micro-US/MRI fusion application operating on the ExactVu micro-ultrasound platform. The ExactVu micro-ultrasound system has received regulatory approval in the European Union (CE Mark), the United States (FDA 510(k)) and Canada (Health Canada medical device license).

About Arkansas Urology:

Arkansas Urology is the largest urology practice in Arkansas and offers the latest innovations in medical technology and surgical techniques to patients with a variety of urological conditions. Our physicians and professional staff comprise one of the most experienced and respected urological practices in the region. Our 38,000-square-foot clinic in Little Rock offers the most advanced urological technology, improved utilization of diagnostic and ancillary equipment, and the most efficient use of our skilled personnel. This state-of-the-art facility allows us to offer the full range of care, from diagnosis to management to treatment of urological conditions. Approximately 60,000 patients visit our facility each year to receive the best in compassionate, quality care. The practice has eight locations around the state of Arkansas and 25 providers who serve in these locations. Adjacent to the Little Rock location is the brand new Centerview Surgery Center where outpatient procedures are performed. This facility provides patients with world-class care and the newest technology for urologic procedures.

SOURCE Exact Imaging

Related Links

www.exactimaging.com


IRVING, Texas, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Atos, a global leader in digital transformation, continues to strengthen its North America digital healthcare portfolio with services that help enable the shift to value-based healthcare.

The recent acquisition of three U.S. healthcare consulting companies, coupled with more than 25 years' experience in healthcare IT, has deepened Atos' expertise and capabilities. The company focuses on all aspects of population health and corresponding areas such as patient engagement, electronic health records, cybersecurity, full revenue cycle and consulting services.

"Atos can provide a 360-degree view of the healthcare eco-system," said Chad Harris, President, North America Operations, Atos. "We deliver data-driven services, solutions and platforms to healthcare organizations, providing them the information and tools to collaborate across multiple functions and the ability to make clinical and financial care decisions that put the patient's well-being first."

Leveraging Clickfox and Atos Codex, with its data and analytics capabilities, Atos can map the entire patient journey from healthy living and prevention, up to diagnosis, treatment, recovery, rehabilitation and home care. By identifying and analyzing key data across multiple sources along the journey, Atos offers providers and payers the detailed information to achieve the ultimate goal of personalized, precision medicine.

"Our digital capabilities are helping to enable the industry towards a value-based model, where quality of service, outcomes and patient experience are the driving force behind health decisions," Harris added.

Atos can also help healthcare organizations adopt new technology faster and more effectively, allowing clinicians more time to focus on patient care. Atos Breakaway adoption services cut the time it takes to educate clinicians on new systems by 50% while guaranteeing 90% proficiency in new clinical or business IT solution applications.

Atos healthcare solutions will be showcased at the HIMSS18 Conference in Las Vegas, NV March 5-9, 2018.

Atos works with almost 300 healthcare companies across the U.S. to modernize their technology foundations and secure valuable patient data. For more information on Atos' digital healthcare portfolio visit https://atos.net/en-na/north-america/healthcare.

About Atos

Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with approximately 100,000 employees in 72 countries and annual revenue of around  12 billion. European number one in Big Data, Cybersecurity, High Performance Computing and Digital Workplace, the Group provides Cloud services, Infrastructure & Data Management, Business & Platform solutions, as well as transactional services through Worldline, the European leader in the payment industry. With its cutting-edge technologies, digital expertise and industry knowledge, Atos supports the digital transformation of its clients across various business sectors: Defense, Financial Services, Health, Manufacturing, Media, Energy & Utilities, Public sector, Retail, Telecommunications and Transportation. The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games and operates under the brands Atos, Atos Consulting, Atos Worldgrid, Bull, Canopy, Unify and Worldline. Atos SE (Societas Europaea) is listed on the CAC40 Paris stock index.

SOURCE Atos

Related Links

http://na.atos.net


LONDON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BABB (Bank Account Based Blockchain) has successfully raised its target $20 million in a sold-out token sale and is poised to open its first regulated blockchain-based bank accounts before the end the year.

BABB is an FCA Authorised Payment Institution headquartered in the Level39 fintech accelerator in Canary Wharf. It is developing a decentralised banking platform to provide anyone in the world with a bank account, payment card, and access to its global peer-to-peer network, designed for people who are excluded from or dissatisfied with existing banks.

The funds raised will be used to jumpstart development of BABB's blockchain-based banking platform, mobile banking app and decentralised payment card, the Black Card. BABB will launch its mobile app in Q4 2018, following a prototype in 2017.

The mobile app will initially offer the ability to open a bank account using face and voice recognition and make domestic and international transactions, with more advanced functionality to follow in 2019. BABB has patents pending for these key technologies, including face and voice biometrics and the decentralised payment card.

By Q4 BABB will also aim to have obtained a banking license in the UK, an achievement which will make it the first regulated blockchain bank in the world.

"We've got good feedback from the Bank of England and we've now got a second stage meeting with them to go through our business plan and explain how BABB is going to comply with regulations and meet our own objectives" said Paul Johnson, BABB CIO and veteran of Lloyds Bank and Aldermore Bank.

BABB begins its product development with a strong support base. More than 10,000 people took part in the token sale to fund BABB, and the project already has a following of almost 50 000 people from 176 different countries around the world. Given BABB's ambitions to provide banking services to financially excluded individuals and businesses across the world, this engaged global community is one of its strongest assets.

"We are a global company with an international outlook, and the warmth and support we've received from people across the world has been hugely encouraging," said Rushd Averroes, founder and CEO of BABB. "We're lucky to have a thriving community of people who are excited to open an account with us and who can guide us as we grow."

About BABB

BABB is the World Bank for the microeconomy; a decentralised banking platform leveraging blockchain, AI, and biometrics to provide anyone in the world with access to a bank account for peer-to-peer financial services. With a mobile app and payment card independent of Visa and MasterCard, BABB will offer globally connected banking to those who are excluded from or underserved by traditional banks.

There are more than two billion people in the world without a bank account, and it's not viable for the traditional banking system to serve them. BABB takes a new approach, using new technology, to give its customers the opportunity to crowdsource financial services and completely remove the need for banks as we know them, all via self-executing smart contracts. BABB is an FCA Authorised Payment Institution and aims obtain a UK banking license by Q4 2018.

SOURCE BABB

Related Links

https://getbabb.com/


WELLESLEY, Mass., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Financial Times (FT) ranks Babson's Blended Learning MBA program No. 3 in the United States and No. 6 worldwide in its 2018 Online MBA ranking.

The program also earned No. 3 in the U.S. for career progress, considering the progression of Babson alumni's level of seniority and the size of the company at which they now work. Babson alumni average a 26 percent increase three years after graduation, and the average alumnus salary is $167,386.

The Blended Learning MBA program was recognized in several of the Financial Times' ranking categories, including:

6 overall and No. 5 in U.S. for career services--the extent to which alumni rate the efficiency of the school's career services in finding them a job after graduation

4 overall and No. 3 in U.S. for online interaction concerning the online delivery of the program--the extent to which alumni rate the interaction between students, teamwork, and the availability of faculty

6 overall for international students--percentage of current online students whose citizenship differs from the country in which the school is located

Financial Times also ranks the top online programs by subject, in which Babson is top 10 for Corporate Strategy, Economics, General Management, Marketing, and Organizational Behavior.

Babson's Blended Learning MBA program combines online classes and face-to-face sessions at Babson's Wellesley, MA, San Francisco, CA, and Miami, FL, campuses, as well as virtual collaboration so students can make the most of their time, learning, network, and investment.

This unique approach to a part-time MBA allows students to balance their professional and personal lives while earning a degree in 21 months.

"We are proud of our Blended Learning MBA students and alumni who represent a new generation of successful entrepreneurial leaders making a positive impact in society. The Financial Times 2018 Online MBA ranking confirms the value of their education and exceptional quality of our faculty and staff delivering this program," said Babson's Blended Learning MBA Faculty Director Phillip Kim.

"This is a testament to all the hard work and dedication of the faculty and the staff who truly enjoy working with our students. The programs are specifically designed to promote cohesive networking among students and the faculty, and our online and blended programs result in students who are most connected to each other and to Babson. We couldn't be more pleased," said Graduate School Dean Mark Potter.

About Babson College

Babson College is the educator, convener, and thought leader for Entrepreneurship of All Kinds. The top-ranked college for entrepreneurship education, Babson is a dynamic living and learning laboratory where students, faculty, and staff work together to address the real-world problems of business and society. We prepare the entrepreneurial leaders our world needs most: those with strong functional knowledge and the skills and vision to navigate change, accommodate ambiguity, surmount complexity, and motivate teams in a common purpose to make a difference in the world, and have an impact on organizations of all sizes and types. As we have for nearly a half-century, Babson continues to advance Entrepreneurial Thought and Action as the most positive force on the planet for generating sustainable economic and social value.

Media Contacts: Michael Chmura

Public Relations Director

[email protected]

Phone: 781-239-4549

This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise(TM). For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com.

SOURCE Babson College

Related Links

http://www.babson.edu


SAN FRANCISCO, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine H2OTM, the leading accelerator for water innovation, has launched a partnership with the wincubatorTM to support the international programming and outreach of their organizations. Based in Berlin, Germany, the wincubator invests in and co-creates with digital startups and young enterprises in the Smart Building, Water and Cleantech sectors.

The wincubator has a strategic commitment to supporting start-ups as well as young companies developing new digital solutions and technologies for a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future. Established by the leading manufacturer Wilo, the organization is promoting innovative ideas and entrepreneurial commitment in Berlin's thriving start-up scene.

"Imagine H2O is a proven path to market for entrepreneurs in the water sector," explains Alexander Hain, Head of the wincubator. "We're proud to be part of this solution and believe that working together can improve our mutual ability to develop entrepreneurs, improve companies, and promote the adoption of innovation in the water sector."

The two organizations announced the partnership ahead of Imagine H2O's San Francisco Week, gathering the 2018 Accelerator companies from March 11th to March 15th. The week includes Imagine H2O's annual Gala, and the IH2O/WEF Innovation Forum, focusing this year on "Deployment for Impact".

"Partnering with the wincubator supports our ability to provide current and alumni companies deployment opportunities in international markets," said Scott Bryan, President of Imagine H2O, "wincubator's expertise and network is deeply complementary to ours, and they have best-in-class expertise in entrepreneurship in this sector."

The wincubator joins Imagine H2O's industry sponsors and partners, which include Wells Fargo, Suez, American Water Tetra Tech, the American Water Works Association, and the Water Environment Federation.

About Imagine H2O

Imagine H2O provides water entrepreneurs with the resources, insight and visibility to launch and scale successful businesses. The Imagine H2O Accelerator has helped over 80 innovative water companies win customers and receive more than $1 in every $10 of early stage investment in the water sector. To learn more please visit www.imagineh2o.org.

About wincubator

Wilo is a leading German manufacturer of high-tech pumps and pump systems around the world. The wincubator is how Wilo connects to the startup world. The wincubator focuses on supporting startups that are developing innovative digital solutions, technologies and business models focused on 'Smart Urban Areas'. Located in Berlin, Germany, the wincubator supports enterprises globally.

Contact:

Thomas Ferguson

415-621-9856

[email protected]

SOURCE Imagine H2O

Related Links

http://www.imagineh2o.org


RESTON, Va., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- New bipartisan legislation would help the nation's brick, clay and tile producers avoid premature and devastating investments to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) national emission regulations.

Recently introduced by U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), the "Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns (BRICK) Act" would allow two years for the judicial review of final rules on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) increasingly strict emissions regulations before compliance is required.

Brick Industry Association (BIA)

The bill would address serious time concerns associated with the burdensome Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) rule reissued in 2015 for brick and structural clay manufacturers.

"It's critical to complete the full legal review before manufacturers must spend millions for controls that may not be needed and could force some of them out of business," said Ray Leonhard, president and CEO, Brick Industry Association (BIA).

Past burdens incurred show that compliance deadlines for disputed regulations are often too short for the legal process to run its course. Manufacturers must make investments to comply with rules that may be thrown out by the courts.

"After investing $100 million since 2003 to comply with EPA regulations that were overturned just four years later, the nation's brick manufacturers need certainty," said BIA Chairman Davis Henry, president, Henry Brick, Selma, Alabama, a 70-year manufacturer who testified last September. "On behalf of the entire brick industry, I'd like to thank Senators Wicker and Donnelly for their bipartisan leadership on this critical issue."

The bill would limit the compliance date extension to December 26, 2020 and if a court decision vacates EPA's rule, the legislation would require EPA to finalize a follow up rule within one year. The compromise would ensure that businesses have the time and certainty they need to comply while ensuring that those investments in clean air technology are made in a timely manner.

In 2003, EPA finalized the original MACT rule for the brick and structural clay ceramics manufacturing industry requiring brick companies to comply by installing new equipment to help control emissions. In 2007, after companies spent more than $100 million on these controls, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit vacated the rule.

In 2015, EPA finalized a new revised rule that uses the emission reductions achieved by the control devices installed under the vacated 2003 rule as the baseline for further emission reduction requirements. This rule is now under review by the courts.

"We greatly appreciate the bipartisan recognition of the need for a rule that both protects the environment and allows industry to continue to recover and thrive," said BIA's Vice President for Environment, Health and Safety, Susan Miller. "One round of compliance with a non-moving, defensible target will ensure both goals are attained."

CONTACT:

Stephen Sears, 703-674-1536

Email: [email protected]

Founded in 1934, BIA is the nationally recognized authority on clay brick construction representing the nation's distributors and manufacturers of clay brick and suppliers of related products. http://www.gobrick.com/, 703-620-0010.

SOURCE Brick Industry Association (BIA)

Related Links

http://www.gobrick.com/


TORONTO and BOSTON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bionik Laboratories Corp. (OTCQB: BNKL) ("Bionik" or the "Company"), a robotics company focused on providing rehabilitation and assistive technology solutions from hospital to home for individuals with neurological and mobility challenges, today announced it has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement for the sale of its InMotion Robotic Systems in South Korea with Curexo. As part of the agreement, Bionik also becomes the exclusive distributor of Curexo's Morning Walk lower body rehabilitation technology within the United States.

The agreement between the two companies will provide Curexo with the exclusive right to market and sell Bionik's innovative robotic products in South Korea, including its InMotion ARM, InMotion HAND, and InMotion WRIST, which are all interactive robotic products that assist the patients' movement as they progress through their rehabilitation. Extensive clinical data on more than 1,000 patients has demonstrated that the InMotion robots provide more effective patient outcomes than traditional manual therapy alone. Initial orders for each company's technology will ship in the coming weeks.

Curexo is a manufacturer and importer of surgical and medical robots in South Korea, whose largest shareholders are Korea Yakult Corp. and Hyundai Heavy Industries. The agreement provides Bionik with the exclusive right to market and sell Curexo's Morning Walk lower body rehabilitation technology within the United States.

The Morning Walk is a gait training robot designed for the rehabilitation of people with walking impairments due to injury or illness. The unique body weight support system unloads the patient using an adjustable saddle seat design, which avoids the need for an uncomfortable and time consuming harness body weight support system. The end-effector design of the Morning Walk also enables more effective gait training by providing varied and progressively challenging walking experiences such as floor, ramp, and stair walking. This product can easily accommodate and effectively treat a large and diverse population of patients; from children to older adults and those with neurological to orthopedic impairments. Using interactive virtual reality software, therapy activities are designed to be motivating, engaging, and meaningful for patients undergoing rehabilitation.

"We are excited to enter into this agreement with Curexo, and to expand our global footprint throughout Asia and into South Korea," said Dr. Eric Dusseux, Chief Executive Officer of Bionik Laboratories. "Stroke is a tremendous detriment to the Asian community, and there is a great need for innovative therapeutic rehabilitation technologies to treat patients and help them regain their mobility. We believe Curexo is the right partner to penetrate the market, and work with to become the standard of care for stroke rehabilitation in South Korea. We also believe that the coming together of Curexo's innovative product for lower body rehabilitation empowers us to provide an even wider array of technology solutions within the United States. We are optimistic about the Morning Walk's prospects and committed to creating a long-term partnership with Curexo."

"We are pleased to partner with Bionik for distribution of our robotics systems in the U.S., as they are a recognized industry leader in the rehabilitation market and have a history of successful business relationships within the country," said Jung SH, Chief Technology Officer, Curexo. "We believe the exclusive opportunity to sell the InMotion Systems in South Korea will also increase our sales pipeline, as we showcase how innovative the technology is and the care it can provide to the South Korean people."

Bionik's robotic solutions are currently providing effective and affordable patient care with respect to treatment of neurological disorders in 20 countries and in over 200 hospitals. Bionik has seven robotic products, of which three are FDA-cleared and in the market globally, and four products that are in various stages of development. Its InMotion ARM, InMotion HAND, and InMotion WRIST interactive robotic therapy systems sense a patient's movement and respond to a patient's continually-changing ability, all in real time.

This agreement furthers the Company's footprint in Asia; last year it entered into an exclusive licensing agreement for the sale of its InMotion technology in China.

About Bionik Laboratories

Bionik Laboratories (OTCQB:BNKL) is a robotics company focused on providing rehabilitation and mobility solutions to individuals with neurological and mobility challenges from hospital to home. The Company has a portfolio of products focused on upper and lower extremity rehabilitation for stroke and other mobility-impaired patients, including three products on the market and four products in varying stages of development.

For more information, please visit www.bioniklabs.com and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

About Curexo

Curexo is a medical robotics company that develops and sells orthopedic surgical robots, interventional robots, and rehabilitation robots. The company also imports the world's first artificial joint surgery robot from US affiliates and commercializes it in Korea. Curexo is a leading medical robot company in Korea and the company has the philosophy of providing differentiated products and medical solutions to patients with advanced technologies.

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, which involve assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies, and expectations, are generally identifiable by use of the words "may," "should," "would," "will," "could," "scheduled," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," "seek," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding (i) the plans and objectives of management for future operations, including plans or objectives relating to the design, development and commercialization of human exoskeletons and other robotic rehabilitation products, (ii) a projection of income (including income/loss), earnings (including earnings/loss) per share, capital expenditures, dividends, capital structure or other financial items, (iii) the Company's future financial performance and success in raising capital, (iv) the market and projected market for our existing and planned products, and success in penetrating those markets and (v) the assumptions underlying or relating to any statement described in points (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above. Such forward-looking statements are not meant to predict or guarantee actual results, performance, events or circumstances, and may not be realized because they are based upon the Company's current projections, plans, objectives, beliefs, expectations, estimates and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties and other influences, many of which the Company has no control. Actual results and the timing of certain events and circumstances may differ materially from those described by the forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties. Factors that may influence or contribute to the inaccuracy of the forward-looking statements or cause actual results to differ materially from expected or desired results may include, without limitation, the Company's inability to obtain additional financing, the significant length of time and resources associated with the development of our products and related insufficient cash flows and resulting illiquidity, the Company's inability to expand the Company's business, significant government regulation of medical devices and the healthcare industry, lack of product diversification, volatility in the price of the Company's raw materials, and the Company's failure to implement the Company's business plans or strategies. These and other factors are identified and described in more detail in the Company's filings with the SEC. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Bionik Laboratories Corp.

Related Links

http://www.bioniklabs.com


NEW YORK, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BizBash, the premier outlet for fresh ideas, trends, and vendors for the event and meeting industry, released its 12th annual BizBash Best venue and supplier guide, the go-to resource for industry professionals throughout the United States and Canada.

BizBash Best features 622 venues and 57 event style ideas for catering, rentals, activities, technology, and more. Included in the issue is a feature on awards season publicity pro Amy Grey, founder of Dish Communications, who shares her favorite places for events; and advice from event planners on what to remember when booking a nontraditional venue.

The 2018 edition also shines a spotlight on Downtown Los Angeles with a standalone publication focusing on the best venues in the neighborhood. Following 2017's Downtown New York edition, the issue highlights the hottest venues in Los Angeles' central business district, home to nearly 60,000 people. The downtown issue introduces 62 new hotels, restaurants, cultural spaces, nightlife venues, museums, and other event spaces. It also spotlights 10 buzzworthy venues under construction in the "In the Works" section.

BizBash Best also features the winners and finalists of the 2017 Event Style Awards. In 2017, nearly 700 submissions in 30 categories were received from across the world, and the winners represent the industry's most celebrated events and freshest event ideas. Honorees include experiences for Sephora, Oracle, Tinder, and Hilton, as well as events by leading nonprofits from across North America.

From Los Angeles to New York, Toronto, Austin, Washington, and beyond, BizBash Best shares important market information for both local event professionals and out-of-town planners. The BizBash Best is available in print or at www.bizbash.com/bizbashbest, and Downtown Los Angeles can be seen at www.bizbash.com/dtla.

ABOUT BIZBASH

BizBash empowers event professionals with ideas, intelligence, and resources to create smarter events. Each month, more than 200,000 unique users across North America and beyond look to BizBash for venue discovery, event style, technology, and tools for their next event. Visit us at www.bizbash.com. Follow us at @BizBash on Twitter and Instagram or www.facebook.com/bizbash

Brittany Bucceroni

646.839.6846

[email protected]

SOURCE BizBash

Related Links

http://www.bizbash.com


WASHINGTON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Buckley Sandler LLP today formally announced the launch of APPROVED, a new approach to licensing for financial services companies.

Buckley Sandler is building upon years of financial services experience and licensing know-how to offer APPROVED, a technology-enabled, fixed-fee service that will help regulated businessesmortgage companies, payments companies, consumer and small business lenders, money transmitters, loan servicers, auto finance companies, debt collectors, and fintech companies, among othersbetter navigate the costly, burdensome, and time-consuming process of securing state licenses. The firm is also developing proprietary software that will make licensing acquisition and maintenance processes more efficient, particularly for businesses pursuing licenses in more than one jurisdiction.

APPROVED is headed by Director of Licensing Tim Lange, who joined Buckley Sandler in December after nine years as the senior director of policy for the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, where he worked extensively with the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System. Lange brings first-hand experience with the NMLS, as well as with the licensing procedures and regulators in virtually every state. His knowledge of state requirements, regulators, and industry participants makes him uniquely qualified to lead APPROVED in developing new and better approaches to state licensing.

"We've combined the knowledge, experience, and legal skills of a preeminent financial-services law firm with the efficiencies of a technology company and the bottom-line focus of a licensing company in a regtech business that is the new standard in licensing," said Lange. "The APPROVED team has decades of legal and licensing experience, and has successfully represented the full spectrum of the nation's financial services companies."

APPROVED is backed by Buckley Sandler and its multidisciplinary financial services practices, including its leading licensing and chartering practice.

"Licensing can be a puzzling and costly process for companies, their management, and their investors," said Buckley Sandler Co-Managing Partner John P. Kromer. "By combining the top-flight talent of Buckley Sandler lawyers and licensing professionals with process enhancements and technology solutions, we intend to reduce the pain points in the licensing process and achieve better outcomes for our clients, all at a lower cost."

The new service offers a fixed-fee pricing model that will aid businesses in putting together strategic plans for their new initiatives by removing the uncertainty that comes from hourly billing.

"A major challenge for any financial services firm starting up or offering a new product is obtaining the legal authority, usually in the form of a state license or agency approval, to be able to do business," said Katy Ryan, a partner at Buckley Sandler and a leader of the APPROVED team. "We designed this service to make sure that businesses could secure these necessary approvals with less paperwork and reduced time from company management, while providing greater cost certainty."

For more information, please contact Mark Lutin by email at [email protected] or by phone at (202) 349-7929.

With more than 150 lawyers in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago and London, Buckley Sandler LLP offers premier enforcement, litigation, compliance, regulatory and transactional services to financial services institutions, as well as leading and early stage companies, joint ventures, private equity funds and individual clients throughout the world. "The best at what they do in the country." (Chambers USA)

SOURCE Buckley Sandler LLP
MIAMI, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Burmese Tobacco Trading Company announces that Myanmar Farms located in Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar (Burma) has now almost doubled their farmlands after their initial success and increased demand for their uniquely grown tobacco. Burmese Tobacco Trading Company looks forward to increasing their production of raw tobacco to be used for handmade premium cigars for the global market.

Burmese Tobacco Trading Company

Burmese Tobacco Trading Company introduced itself and Myanmar Farms in December 2017 with the promise of Cuban-esque like tobacco and plans to create the Don Alejo Robaina Cigar brand as "an ode to the Godfather of Cuban Tobacco," Alejandro Robaina.

President of Burmese Tobacco Trading Company, Jimmy Huang stated: "The quality of tobacco that has been produced at Myanmar Farms, has surpassed our expectations. Burma is a beautiful country in culture, and natural resources. It only made sense to expand our farm lands as we look forward to opening the doors to the sale of raw Burmese Tobacco to other manufactures, as well as producing our own brands. We feel that Burmese tobacco will be a much sought-after tobacco due to its quality and flavor."

The Burmese Tobacco Trading Company is the brainchild of the Huang family, a prominent Chinese-American group of business owners. Together with experienced Cuban tobacco growers, they discovered promising land in Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar (Burma) that is very similar to the tobacco farmlands of Pinar del Rio, Cuba. The now established farm: "Myanmar Farms" boasts close to 125 acres.

Click link for photos of Myanmar Farms: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5k5dqwliq8ar63v/AAAMlXmKcwwMTQ2sFxCYoxqya?dl=0

The Robaina family is globally known for growing some of the highest quality tobacco worldwide,

Follow Burmese Tobacco Trading Company on Social Media:

Facebook: Burmese Tobacco Trading Co.

Or visit via the web: http://www.burmesetobaccotrading.com/

For media inquiries and interviews, please contact Creativas Group at [email protected].

Contact:

Liza M Santana/Gabriel Pineres

305.968.2384 /786.541.7411

[email protected]

SOURCE Burmese Tobacco Trading Company
MONTEREY, Calif., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Insurance Group (CIG), the leading regional property and casualty insurer serving the Western United States, is proud to announce their 2017 Agency of the Year: George Petersen Insurance Agency. The award recognizes excellence in overall company support, stewardship and commitment to their local community.

"As a regional insurance carrier, our agent partners are critical to our mission, and we look forward to giving this recognition every year," said Arne Chatterton, President and CEO of Capital Insurance Group. "In 2017, the California wildfires made for a very difficult time for those of us in the industry, and for our policyholders who suffered tragic losses. During that period we were proud to be represented by George Petersen, an agency that demonstrated unwavering support to their community during such a devastating time. From setting up a temporary claims office for us in Santa Rosa, to housing one of our own displaced employees, George Petersen went above and beyond their call of duty. If that doesn't warrant Agency of the Year, I don't know what does."

As one of the largest independently owned agencies in Northern California, George Petersen Insurance Agency has delivered exceptional service to clients for over 80 years. In October of 2017, the Santa Rosa-based agency took on the brunt of the wildfires. In the days following the fires, agents were back to work for their policyholders, working non-stop to assist those affected by the fires. From hosting daily lunches for fire victims, to housing displaced community members, their service went above and beyond insurance claims.

"We are humbled to be named CIG's Agency of the Year," said George Petersen Partner Bob Teshima. "As a regional agency, we do business with several companies, but we never forget our friends at CIG. Our agency would not be where we are today without CIG."

Headquartered in Monterey, Calif., CIG employs nearly 500 people across five states (Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, and Arizona) with six satellite offices throughout their footprint. The company is known for providing trusted insurance products for the personal, commercial, and agricultural business segments, with an emphasis on property related exposures.

For more information on CIG, please visit www.CIGInsurance.com.

SOURCE Capital Insurance Group

Related Links

www.ciginsurance.com


A Kenyan couple was Monday morning killed in an apparent murder-suicide at their home in Jersey City, New Jersey.

NJ.com reports that Lydiah Okongo, 40, was found dead on the first floor of their house, located at 2 Mina Drive in Jersey City at about 8:45 a.m. Authorities say she was shot multiple times in the head and torso.

Her husband, Henry Okongo, 51, was found in the basement of the home with a gunshot wound to his head, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced.

Police suspect Henry killed his wife before committing suicide as they recovered a gun near his body.

Reports further indicate that two of their three children, a 3-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl, were inside the home at the time of the incident. They were found unharmed.

Henry moved to the United States nearly 20 years ago and operated a laundromat in the city while Lydiah worked as a nurse.

Residents rallied in support of him when his laundromat on Martin Luther King Drive faced closure. His lease had expired and he was overdue on rent.

Neighbours described the two as lovely people and said they had a third child, a girl about 10 years old.

Authorities are awaiting results from the Regional Medical Examiner to determine the official cause and manner of death of the Okongos.
"This is a critical milestone for Cenveo in these Chapter 11 cases and a step forward in achieving the plan we outlined when we filed in early February. Today's decision assures that it remains business as usual at Cenveo," said Robert G. Burton, Sr. "We look forward to filing our plan of reorganization by the end of March. Pursuant to the Restructuring Support Agreement, which was entered into before filing for Chapter 11, this plan already has the critical support of over 61% of the required 66.7% of our first lien noteholders prior to the commencement of the solicitation of the plan of reorganization. The transaction embodied in the Restructuring Support Agreement will, once approved, reduce our leverage by approximately $700 million, and allow us to quickly emerge from this process with a stronger balance sheet to support the Company's long-term success, benefiting our valued customers, business partners, and employees in the years ahead."

Additional information on the Company's restructuring can be found at www.cenveo.com/restructuring or by calling the Company's toll-free Restructuring Information Line at (844) 219-2678 (or, if you are calling from outside the U.S. or Canada, at +1 (646) 813-2946). Information about the claims process will also be available at https://cases.primeclerk.com/cenveo.

About Cenveo

Cenveo (OTCPK: CVOVQ), world headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, is a leading global provider of print and related resources, offering world-class solutions in the areas of custom labels, envelopes, commercial print, content management and publisher solutions. The company provides a one-stop offering through services ranging from design and content management to fulfillment and distribution. With a worldwide distribution platform, we pride ourselves on delivering quality solutions and services every day for our more than 100,000 customers. For more information, please visit us at www.cenveo.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding the Chapter 11 Cases

The Company's stockholders are cautioned that the it is likely that the Company's stockholders will receive nothing in exchange for its common stock upon the Company's emergence from bankruptcy and the common stock will have no value and that trading in securities of the Company during the pendency of the Chapter 11 cases will be highly speculative and will pose substantial risks. It is possible the Company's outstanding securities may be cancelled and extinguished upon confirmation of a restructuring plan by the Bankruptcy Court. In such an event, the Company's stockholders and other security holders would not be entitled to receive or retain any cash, securities or other property on account of their cancelled securities. Trading prices for the Company's common stock and other securities may bear little or no relation to actual recovery, if any, by holders thereof in the Company's Chapter 11 cases. Accordingly, the Company urges extreme caution with respect to existing and future investments in its securities.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains certain forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "our vision," "plan," "potential," "preliminary," "predict," "should," "will," or "would" or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or other comparable terminology and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's expected motions to be filed in the Chapter 11 proceeding and the dispositions of such motions, continued operations and customer and supplier programs while in a Chapter 11 proceeding, cash needed to support our operations while in a Chapter 11 proceeding, ability to lower debt and interest payments, ability to operate while in a Chapter 11 proceeding, ability to pay our creditors, credit rating and ability to manage its pension obligations. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, including, but not limited to: the actions and decisions of our creditors and other third parties with interests in the Chapter 11 cases; our ability to maintain liquidity to fund our operations during the Chapter 11 cases; our ability to obtain Bankruptcy Court approvals in connection with the Chapter 11 cases; our ability to consummate any transactions once approved by the Bankruptcy Court and the time to consummation of such transactions; adjustments in the calculation of financial results for the quarter or year end, or the application of accounting principles; discovery of new information that alters expectations about financial results or impacts valuation methodologies underlying financial results; accounting changes required by United States generally accepted accounting principles; and other factors affecting the Company detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov. These and other important factors may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to Cenveo's filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov and in particular, our 2016 Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 23, 2017. We caution you that the list of important factors included in our SEC filings may not contain all of the material factors that are important to you. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in the forward-looking statements contained in this document may not in fact occur. Cenveo disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

For Media Inquiries

Kekst

Peter Hill / Elizabeth Van Every

+1 (212) 521-4800

SOURCE Cenveo, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cenveo.com


LONDON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Checkout.com, a leading international online payment solutions provider, has been included in Tech City's renowned Future Fifty programme for 2018.

Future Fifty is a government-backed initiative, introduced in 2014 to support the UK's pioneering tech businesses. Previous Future Fifty alumni include peer to peer lending platform, RateSetter, and online fast food delivery service, Just Eat. Since the programme's launch, previous years' cohorts have gone on to make significant contributions to the UK's thriving tech scene: employing 27,000 people in total, and successfully completing five IPOs and 23 mergers and acquisitions.

Guillaume Pousaz, Founder and CEO of Checkout.com says, "Being included in this year's Future Fifty is testament to our commitment to meeting the payment needs of high-tech businesses with our solution-oriented approach. The Future Fifty companies represent some of the most exciting businesses in the UK tech ecosystem and we are delighted to join their ranks. We're very much looking forward to working with the fantastic network of peers to continue to change and improve the payments sector and the wider UK tech industry."

Parveen Dhanda, Programme Lead for Future Fifty at Tech City UK, says, "We're delighted to welcome 26 new exceptional high-growth companies onto the Future Fifty programme for 2018. The Future Fifty class of 2018 includes companies from right across the UK. All these companies face common challenges in scaling their teams and operations, and share an ambition to build world-beating global digital businesses."

Checkout.com works directly with businesses to handle payments in any country, via a single integration. Checkout.com solutions connect e-commerce businesses seamlessly with all credit and debit cards, and major alternative payment methods, via entirely proprietary technology. Removing all third-party intermediaries eliminates the need for multiple service providers and consolidates the entire payment process. We currently process over 150 currencies for companies including Samsung, Simba Sleep, Virgin, and Adidas.

About Checkout.com

Launched in 2012, Checkout.com is a leading provider of international online payment solutions. Checkout.com is built on 100% proprietary technology and handles every part of the payment process, providing complete transparency across the entire payment value chain.

We currently process 150+ currencies. In addition, we give you the ability to accept all international cards, plus popular alternative and local payments through one integration.

With customers like Samsung, Simba Sleep, Virgin, and Adidas, we're proud of the company we keep. Our mission is to partner with smart businesses of all sizes to optimize their payments, increase revenues, and meet the dynamic needs of their customers.

For more information, comment or interview opportunities, please contact:

TopLine Comms

[email protected]

+44(0)207-580-6502

SOURCE Checkout.com
PALM BEACH, Florida, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

MarketNewsUpdates.com News Commentary

Cobalt has increasingly come under the spotlight over the last year as vehicle makers lay out plans for massive investments in electric vehicles (EVs), where demand is accelerating due to governments around the world moving to cut noxious emissions from carbon-based fuels. In addition, recent reports that Apple was in talks to procure cobalt, the essential component in smartphone batteries, direct from mining companies reveal concerns over an impending supply shortage. Demand for, and the price of, cobalt has skyrocketed since early 2016 on projections of fast-growing demand for electric vehicles, whose lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are dependent on the metal. ResearchandMarket.com predicted the global lithium-ion battery market to experience significant growth through 2024, swelling to north of $40 billion. Cobalt/Lithium miners with developments include: LiCo Energy Metals Inc. (OTC: WCTXF) (TSX-V: LIC), eCobalt Solutions Inc. (OTC:E CSIF) (TSX: ECS), US Cobalt Inc. (OTC: USCFF) (TSX-V: USCO), Cruz Cobalt Corp. (OTC: BKTPF) (TSX-V: CUZ), Sherritt International Corporation (OTC: SHERF) (TSX:S).

LiCo Energy Metals Inc. (OTCQB: WCTXF) (TSX-V: LIC.V) BREAKING NEWS: LiCo Energy Metals is pleased to report assay results for drill holes TE17-06 through to TE17-11 completed on the Teledyne Cobalt Property, located 6 km northeast of Cobalt, Ontario. The current drill program was designed to confirm and extend the existing known mineralization along strike and up and down dip.

"LiCo is pleased to report the final assay results for the Phase 1 diamond drill program completed at the Teledyne Cobalt Property. Drill hole TE17-08 intersected multiple zones of cobalt mineralization over a core interval of just over 19 m," says Tim Fernback, President & CEO of LiCo. Read this and more news for LiCo Energy at:http://www.marketnewsupdates.com/news/wctxf.html



A summary of the most significant results of the recent drill core assays are:

- TE17-07 0.50% Co over 2.10 m from 127.60 to 129.70 m, including 1.50% over 0.40 cm from 128.20 to 128.60 m.

- TE17-08 0.77% Co over 3.40 m from 169.50 to 172.90 m, including 1.17% Co over 2.00 m from 169.50 to 171.50 m.

- TE17-08 0.59% Co over 1.20 m from 174.00 to 175.20 m.

- TE17-08 0.62% Co over 0.60 m from 178.60 to 179.20 m.

- TE17-11 0.54% Co over 2.00 m from 130.00 to 132.00 m, including 1.07% Co over 0.50 m from 130.00 to 130.50 m.

On the Teledyne Cobalt Property, the Company completed a total of 11 diamond drill holes totaling 2,200 m in the fall of 2017. The results and drill hole collar information for diamond drill holes TE17-06 to TE17-11 are summarized in Tables 1 & 2 that can be seen at: http://www.marketnewsupdates.com/news/wctxf.html



In other mining industry news and developments:



eCobalt Solutions Inc. (TSX: ESC.TO) (OTCQX: ECSIF) recently announced the successful closing of the bought deal financing announced on February 13, 2018, including the exercise in full of the underwriters' over-allotment option. The Company issued a total of 23,000,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $1.30 per Unit for gross proceeds of $29,900,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share at an exercise price of C$1.95 for a period of eighteen (18) months following the closing of the Offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for advancing the development of the Company's Idaho Cobalt Project, supporting pre-construction activities at the mine and mill site in preparation for production, support of engineering for new mine and Cobalt Processing Facility design, and for general working capital purposes.

US Cobalt Inc. (OTCQB: USCFF) (TSX-V: USCO.V) recently announced analytical results from a further five surface core holes drilled during 2017 at the Iron Creek project (the "Property") in Idaho, USA. All five core holes encountered sulfide mineralization with significant cobalt values. All widths or thicknesses reported here are true thickness based on 3-D modeling. One hole reported here (IC17-29) further confirms significant mineralization within the main target identified by the historical estimate (see Company news release - September 7, 2016), and another six holes have been completed in this area with results pending (see Company news release dated October 4, 2017 for previous drill results from this target). Three holes reported here (IC17-24, 27, and 30) are located west of the historical estimates, and results for one additional hole are pending. One hole reported here (IC17-25) is located between the two historical estimates, with results for one additional hole pending in the area.

Cruz Cobalt Corp. (OTC: BKTPF) (TSX-V: CUZ.V) recently announced it has started the process to apply for the drill permit on its Idaho Star Cobalt Prospect. Cruz has retained Powell PLLC to assist in the Plan of Operation for the drilling permit. On February 14, 2018 Cruz increased its acreage in the Cobalt District of Ontario. The new acreage is contiguous to the "Lorraine Cobalt Prospect" and now consists of 10,556 contiguous acres bordering First Cobalt Corp. in the direct vicinity of the town of Cobalt, Ontario now making Cruz one of the single largest landholders in the cobalt region of Ontario. Cruz President, James Nelson, stated, "We are pleased to accelerate the drilling process in Idaho. Cruz has amassed a stable of North American cobalt prospects over the past few years and we look forward to advancing these prospects in 2018.

The Globe and Mail reports that Eight Capital analyst Jacques Wortman believes Sherritt International Corporation (OTC: SHERF) (TSX: S.TO) offers "strong" leverage to both nickel and cobalt. The Globe's David Leeder writes that Mr. Wortman began coverage on Sherritt with a "buy" rating. He targets the shares at $2.20. Analysts on average target the shares at $1.97. Mr. Wortman says in a note: "Despite the diversity of the company's overall operations, Sherritt International is fundamentally a nickel and cobalt investment vehicle via its 50-per-cent interest in the Moa JV. Sherritt's Moa JV interest makes it one of the largest producers of cobalt among investment vehicles domiciled in North America. In addition, Sherritt also holds a 12-per-cent interest in Ambatovy, although no dividends from this interest are expected until 2027 due to significant precedent debt (about $4 billion) at the JV level. Given the recent announcements by automakers and growing awareness of electric vehicle (EV) technology, Sherritt shares have seen increased demand in the last six months. Despite the recent correction, we believe that coming demand for cobalt and nickel associated with EVs will potentially eclipse market forecasts."

DISCLAIMER: MarketNewsUpdates.com (MNU) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. MNU is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. MNU and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. MNU's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. MNU is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed MNU has been compensated forty-four hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press release issued by LiCo Energy Metals Inc. by a non-affiliated third party. MNU HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and MNU undertakes no obligation to update such statements.



Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

+1(561)325-8757



SOURCE MarketNewsUpdates.com
NEW YORK, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Conde Nast Traveler, the ultimate travel authority, today unveiled a redesigned cntraveler.com that showcases the magazine's award-winning editorial point of view, layered with utility at every step of a traveler's journey  from inspiration, to custom booking, to being an on-the-ground guide.

The revamped website aligns with a holistic Conde Nast Traveler editorial strategy that hits all emotional and tactical touch points its readers are seeking from travel content today. Having recently evolved its print magazine to a collection of volumes designed to convey timeless inspiration, the new digital experience provides readers real-time news, planning and booking capabilities. The refreshed desktop and mobile site introduces a new brand personality and offers a modern, easy-to-navigate format that cannot be found elsewhere on the web.

"The new digital experience aims to enable world travelers and act as a guide at each step of their journey," said Pilar Guzman, Editor-in-Chief of Conde Nast Traveler. "By marrying inspiration with utility, our new site provides readers with up-to-the-minute content powered by our unrivaled network of writers, experts, and photographers."

The redesign prioritizes three main pillars highlighting what travelers are looking for most  The Bests, The Places, and The Intel. New editorial features on the site include 20 fully immersive destination guides that outline everything a traveler needs to know about a city and a dedicated vertical called The Intel for seasoned travelers to stay in-the-know on everything from the latest travel news to flight deals and points hacks. The carefully curated lists of the top places to stay and must-do activities now live under The Bests.

The updated website lays the groundwork to be a true utility for savvy travelers. Users can explore, engage with, and, eventually, book travel and populate an entire itinerary directly on the site. The restructured site also brings brings new monetization opportunities for partners through affiliate booking, custom ad products, and native integration.

"The new Conde Nast Traveler embraces what consumers want from a travel brand today," said Craig Kostelic, Chief Business Officer of The Lifestyle Collection at Conde Nast. "From exclusive editorial content to expanded integration opportunities for our advertising partners, we see this as an incredible business driver for the brand and the travel industry."

Throughout the year, Conde Nast Traveler will continue to build out the digital user experience to allow consumers to create custom travel profiles and personalized itineraries for any destination they choose. For more information and updates, visit www.cntraveler.com.

About Conde Nast Traveler

As the most discerning, up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel, Conde Nast Traveler is the global citizen's bible and muse, offering both inspiration and vital intel. Conde Nast Traveler is the most trusted and celebrated name in travel with 6 National Magazine Award wins and 26 nominations in its 30-year history. Advertising Age named Pilar Guzman Editor of the Year in 2014 and CNTraveler.com attained 3 Webby Awards in 2015. www.cntraveler.com

SOURCE Conde Nast Traveler

Related Links

http://www.cntraveler.com


VANCOUVER, Canada, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to meet the growing global demand for plant-based foods, Daiya, leading maker of plant-based foods that are dairy, gluten and soy free, today announced the company will move to a larger corporate headquarters and production facility in Burnaby, BC, Canada, just east of Vancouver. The move will allow Daiya to greatly expand strategic operations and accelerate innovation of its signature, plant-based foods, while also significantly increasing the number of new full and part-time positions.

The new facility features a vast 400,000 square foot space that will provide Daiya with enough capacity to generate $1 billion in revenue, and also affords increased space for distribution, warehousing and administrative offices. The company signed a long term lease with Blackwood Partners Management Corporation for the space. The building is BOMA BEST - Level Bronze by the Building Owners and Managers Association of BC, and previously served as a distribution center for The Brick.

"Today's consumers are now embracing plant-based foods as a great-tasting option that promotes a healthier lifestyle," says Terry Tierney, Daiya CEO. "We are expanding to enable our teams to continue to do the work that will further surprise and delight consumers around the world and accommodate our aggressive hiring growth plans over the next 2-5 years. Our new headquarters represents a long-term investment in the futurenot only for the Daiya brand but also for plant-based foods overall. Most importantly, it enables us to continue pioneering our delicious plant-based products for every part of the day and bringing the incredible benefits of a plant-forward lifestyle to more people around the globe."

Daiya anticipates beginning product production in the new facility in Q2 of 2019 and estimates completion of the relocation of its employees by midyear 2020.

"Daiya is a forward thinking company that is having a very positive impact on our health and the global environment. We look forward to our partnership with Daiya and to witnessing their future growth and success," commented Bill Rempel, Blackwood Partners VP and general manager.

For more information about Daiya, please visit www.daiyafoods.com.

About Daiya

Daiya Foods was founded in 2008 out of a love for food and a commitment to healthy living. Today, as an industry leader and one of the founding members of The Plant Based Food Association, Daiya remains passionate about celebrating delicious food that is dairy, gluten and soy free. Its line of premium plant-based foods, like Burritos, Non-Dairy Frozen Desserts, Greek Yogurt Alternatives, Pizzas, Cheezecakes, Cream Cheeze Style Spreads and wonderful cheese alternatives, including Blocks, Shreds, and Slices are available in the dairy case and freezer aisle. Daiya also recently expanded its offerings to include shelf-stable products like its Cheezy Macs, Cheeze Sauces and Dairy-Free Dressings. Daiya's selection of deliciously plant-based foods can be found in more than 25,000 grocery stores in the U.S., including Whole Foods, Kroger, Safeway and Publix, as well as most natural food retailers. Daiya's products are also available internationally in Australia, Sweden, Mexico, Hong Kong, and more. For more information about Daiya, please visit www.daiyafoods.com, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

SOURCE Daiya Foods

Related Links

https://daiyafoods.com


Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has addressed increasing claims by Nairobians that he is a Public Relations Governor.

The County Boss is one of the most active Governors on social media, with his handlers updating netizens on an almost hourly basis each day.

This appears to be the main area of contention between the Governor and Nairobians who continue to dismiss his constant social media activity as Public Relations stunts. As a result, he has been nicknamed PR Governorand Facebook Governor.

And on Tuesday, Sonko finally addressed those claims noting that he is obligated by the constitution to notify the public on a daily basis the development plans within the county.

The County boss also outlined how he spends a routine workday that begins at 5 am.

As a routine, my office work starts at 5:00 am to 9:00 am, then I proceed to the ground to inspect ongoing development projects and also meet the people to get their priorities in terms of development needs until 3 pm. Then I go back to office work, said Sonko.

Some claim Im a PR Governor, however, it is my responsibility as the County CEO to notify the public on a daily basis the development plans within the county pursuant to article 35 of the Constitution (Access to information), added Sonko.

Sonko spoke after holding a meeting with Central Organisation for Trade Unions (COTU) secretary general Francis Atwoli at his City Hall office where they held talks on a wide range of issues including corruption and officials who had been dismissed over graft.

Earlier, Sonko had held talks with Equity Bank Group Chairman Peter Kihara Munga on how well to streamline revenue collection for the county, youth empowerment projects, and education among many other issues.
RESTON, Va., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore today announced data science firm Civis Analytics will extend its licensing of comScore viewership data. Civis uses this data to create custom audiences, which go beyond traditional age and gender demographics, to offer its commercial, political and non-profit clients greater targeting capabilities for their TV advertising campaigns. comScore viewership data also grants Civis' Media Optimizer clients the ability to analyze TV engagement of these custom audiences on a more granular level and then optimize their total advertising spend.

"comScore data has powered Civis' ability to deliver advanced TV buy recommendations to our clients across the public and private sectors," said Steven Baumgartner, vice president of sales at Civis Analytics. "By providing us with unique reach and frequency results by audience and ad buys, comScore not only helps us validate the efficacy of our analytics approach, but also enables our clients to deliver more personalized and targeted TV ad campaigns for both national and local markets."

"Civis has been a long-time user of comScore," said Pamela Baratta, vice president of political sales at comScore. "We look forward to continuing our work with the firm  providing it with our local television data to inform and enhance its clients' advertising efforts."

About comScore

comScore is a leading cross-platform measurement company that measures audiences, brands and consumer behavior everywhere. comScore completed its merger with Rentrak Corporation in January 2016, to create the new model for a dynamic, cross-platform world. Built on precision and innovation, comScore's data footprint combines proprietary digital, TV and movie intelligence with vast demographic details to quantify consumers' multiscreen behavior at massive scale. This approach helps media companies monetize their complete audiences and allows marketers to reach these audiences more effectively. With more than 3,200 clients and a global footprint in more than 70 countries, comScore is delivering the future of measurement. Shares of comScore stock are currently traded on the OTC Market (OTC:SCOR). For more information on comScore, please visit comscore.com.

About Civis

Civis Analytics helps businesses use data to gain a competitive advantage in how they identify, attract, and engage loyal customers and employees. With a powerful combination of best-in-class proprietary data, cutting-edge software solutions, and an interdisciplinary team of data scientists, developers, and survey science experts, Civis works with Fortune 500 companies and the country's largest nonprofits to make data-driven decision-making essential to how the world's best companies do business.

Learn more about Civis at www.civisanalytics.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, comScore's expectations as to the impact of Plan Metrix Multi-Platform and the broader Media Metrix Multi-Platform family of products on the success of comScore's business. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from expectations, including, but not limited to, comScore's ability to achieve its expected financial and operational results. For additional discussion of risk factors, please refer to comScore's respective Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings that comScore makes from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are available on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov).

Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. comScore does not intend or undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

SOURCE comScore

Related Links

www.comscore.com


ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SVM, LP, a leading provider of gift and prepaid cards for the incentive industry, announced today it has appointed David Rollinson to the position of Managing Director for its global office based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK. He will report to Dan Grotto, SVM's Executive Vice President.

Rollinson is SVM's third high-profile hire in recent months signalling company growth and his hiring comes at an opportune time as the global gift and prepaid card sector is accelerating. Recently, SVM hired Tan Truong as its CTO and Chris Larson as its VP of Finance, Prepaid Products.

As Managing Director, Rollinson will direct all facets of a robust pipeline that will drive the next stage of SVM Global's growth.

Grotto said, "In working with some of the world's largest brands in the retail, consumer packaged goods and healthcare sectors, David brings a unique perspective to the loyalty, award and promotions channel and his demonstrated leadership capabilities will be instrumental to him achieving the ambitious goals we have set for SVM Global."

Marshall Reavis, SVM's founder and Chief Executive Officer added, "I'm excited to welcome David to the SVM Global team. We have a dedicated and experienced team in Rotherham, across all disciplines, many loyal customers and I look forward to the immediate impact David will have leading our valued global employees and getting to know and service our partners."

When discussing his new position Rollinson said, "I am honored and excited to lead the SVM Global team. The commitment of everyone in this company to integrity, client service and unique technology solutions is what makes this organization special. I also look forward to working with my colleagues in the U.S. to leverage our team's mutual knowledge of the incentive space and to service our international brands and customers."

Prior to joining SVM, David worked at Coca-Cola, Mars, Sara Lee Bakeries and Handleman. His most recent role was as Managing Director for NBTY with responsibilities for the UK, South Africa and New Zealand markets.

Contact:

Media and Public Relations: Steve Owen, 847-553-9169, [email protected]

About SVM

Founded in 1997, SVM is a global leader in providing innovative gift card solutions for businesses. SVM is the only company that offers gasoline gift cards from every major oil company in America, as well as over 250 of the most popular retail stores, restaurants, service companies and hotels, and now prepaid promotional and reward cards. SVM's products are used by leading incentive, rewards, loyalty and other companies to incent and reward their customers, employees, and prospects. For more information on SVM, please visit www.svmcards.com.

SOURCE SVM, LP

Related Links

http://www.svmcards.com


LEHI, Utah, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DigiCert, Inc., the leading global provider of scalable identity and encryption solutions for the enterprise, today announced at the World ATM Congress in Madrid that it has been selected to host the Root CA for Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System (AeroMACS), the only wireless technology that has been validated by major international regulatory bodies to support the safety and regularity of flight.

"AeroMACS provides a standardized, unified, and scalable security model for the aviation industry," said Deepika Chauhan, Executive Vice President of Emerging Markets at DigiCert. "DigiCert PKI services will allow AeroMACS members, including aircraft, airports, ground services, and other authenticated members to securely communicate with each other."

An initiative championed by the WiMAX Forum, AeroMACS enables ground-to-aircraft communications to support both current applications and new ones that require more bandwidth. AeroMACS supports increased transmission of Air Traffic Control and Airline Operations Communications to relieve traffic congestion and delays. An internationally recognized standard, AeroMACS is the only wireless technology that has been validated by EUROCONTROL, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

DigiCert is already well-engaged with other key AeroMACS stakeholders:

"We've worked with DigiCert since about 2009, when we selected them as the Primary CA for WiMAX," said Declan Byrne, President of WiMAX Forum. "We began with VeriSign, which became Symantec, and is now DigiCert, and in all that time, with those organizational changes, their PKI services were always available and we have experienced no security events to date. It was an easy decision to appoint them to host the Root CA for AeroMACS, and to make them the first CA for WiMAX Forum members to secure their AeroMACS networks. In addition to being the main sponsor for WiMAX Forum at the ATM World Congress, DigiCert funded and participated in development of the main PKI documents that are now approved for AeroMACS  they are intimately familiar with what is needed for AeroMACS."

"I first worked with VeriSign in 2003, when CableLabs was architecting its PKI to support cable service devices globally (such as cable modems, set top boxes, etc.)," said Oscar Marcia, President and CEO of Eonti, Inc. "The two-tiered PKI architecture anchored by a highly trusted Root CA has proven itself over the years, and that model is now considered the role model for other ecosystems that need large-scale PKI support. Working with VeriSign/Symantec/DigiCert, over 500 million device certificates have been issued to the CableLabs ecosystem, without having to revoke a single certificate. Eonti looks forward to working with DigiCert on the AeroMACS PKI."

"Powertech is the WiMAX Forum Designated Certification Lab for AeroMACS," said Eugene Crozier, Certification Lead for AeroMACS at Powertech Labs. "We are engaging with DigiCert to support clients requiring the AeroMACS Protocol Conformance Tests. We expect to see a deeper relationship develop in the very near future. The use of PKI applies to all of the protocol tests we will be conducting, such as with base stations, mobile stations, and subscriber stations."

DigiCert will be providing a no-charge environment for AeroMACS early adopters starting in late March. For information about this program, please email [email protected].

About AeroMACS

Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System (AeroMACS) is a wireless broadband technology that supports the increasing need for data communications and information sharing on the airport surface for both fixed and mobile applications. Based on the WiMAX standard (IEEE 802.16e), AeroMACS operates in the protected and licensed aviation spectrum band from 5091 MHz to 5150 MHz, which has been designated on a worldwide basis by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) at the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2007. AeroMACS enables ground-to-aircraft communications to support both current applications and new ones that require more bandwidth. Its benefits extend beyond a higher throughput in ground communications. AeroMACS is a key technology to the aviation industry to improve communications on the airport surface by providing increased transmission of Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Airline Operations Communications (AOC) to relieve traffic, congestions, and delays, and to support the safety and regularity of flight. For more information, visit http://wimaxforum.org/Page/AeroMACS.

About DigiCert, Inc.

DigiCert is a leading provider of scalable security solutions for a connected world. The most innovative companies, including the Global 2000, choose DigiCert for its expertise in identity and encryption for web servers and Internet of Things devices. DigiCert supports SSL/TLS and other digital certificates for PKI deployments at any scale through its certificate lifecycle management platform, CertCentral. The company has been recognized with dozens of awards for its enterprise-grade management platform, fast and knowledgeable customer support, and market-leading growth. For the latest DigiCert news and updates, visit digicert.com or follow @digicert.

SOURCE DigiCert, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.digicert.com


SAN FRANCISCO, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DoorDash, the technology company connecting customers with the best local restaurants through door-to-door delivery, today announced its launch in the Richmond area, delivering from more than 600 local restaurants. DoorDash currently operates in more than 600 cities across the country, and Richmond marks its 57th major metropolitan market, and the 2nd major city in Virginia.

Starting today, DoorDash will be available across Church Hill, Shockoe Bottom, VCU, Fan District, Cary Town, Scott's Addition, East Highland Park, Near West End, Tuckahoe, University of Richmond, Three Chopt, Dumbarton, Barrington, Kingsley, Innsbrook, and Henrico.

Customers in these areas can order DoorDash between the hours of 11 am and 10 pm from a selection of local favorites, including:

DoorDash's national partnerships with PF Chang's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, California Pizza Kitchen, KFC, and Panda Express will also extend to the area.

"I would like to thank DoorDash for the opportunity to partner. Also, as the newest Thai restaurant in Richmond - we don't want to sell just, 'Thai food,' but also sell the total Thai experience. We plan to use DoorDash to share the Thai experience with the Richmond community." - Berdi, Owner - Sea by Thai Restaurant in Short Pump.

To celebrate the launch, DoorDash will be delighting Richmond by delivering 75 free Boba teas on the 8th and 9th from GiGi Tea Time and delivering 100 free Pita and hummus cases on the 21st from Natalie's Taste of Lebanon. Plus, new DoorDash customers can enjoy $5 off an order of $15 or more with promo code RVA5OFF, valid through the end of March. Delivery fees at launch will range from $1.99 to $3.99.

"Launching in Richmond is extra special since it's the first market launch since our recent round of funding," said Tony Xu, CEO, and co-founder of DoorDash. "We are thrilled to continue the momentum and give Richmond customers door-to-door delivery from their favorite local restaurants."

For more information on DoorDash launch in Richmond, visit the blog here. To search DoorDash for local favorites or to discover your next go-to, visit doordash.com or download DoorDash for Android or iOS.

About DoorDash

DoorDash is a technology company that connects customers with their favorite local and national businesses in more than 600 cities across the United States and Canada. Founded in the summer of 2013, DoorDash empowers merchants to grow their businesses by offering on-demand delivery, data-driven insights, and better in-store efficiency, providing delightful experiences from door to door. By building the last mile delivery infrastructure for local cities, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time. Read more on the DoorDash blog or at www.doordash.com.

SOURCE DoorDash

Related Links

http://www.doordash.com


"We're humbled to celebrate our second anniversary on the famed Las Vegas Strip," said Armen Yemenidjian, Chief Executive Officer of Essence Vegas . "It's been a historical two years for Essence Vegas and Nevada and we're looking forward to many more."

In honor of the anniversary, Essence Vegas is offering customers the chance to meet with local cultivators, specials and complimentary food with purchase on Friday, March 9.

Armen Yemenidjian, CEO of Essence Vegas and member of Clark County's Green Ribbon Advisory Panel, will be available to do one-on-one sessions or small group sessions (for media usage or solely informational) with interested media members to bring the media community up-to-date on the cannabis industry in Las Vegas. Being actively involved as a leader in the cannabis industry in Las Vegas, Armen is fully updated on the rapidly-changing landscape for cannabis and all the complexities going recreational will bring. He will be available to answer any and all questions regarding the industry.

ABOUT ESSENCE VEGAS

Essence Vegas provides the purest and widest selection of quality cannabis products in Las Vegas, including more than 50 strains (flower and pre-rolls), vape pens, concentrates, a variety of topicals and a wide variety of edibles, including capsules, cookies, brownies, honey, chocolate and more. With three locations across the Las Vegas valley and Henderson, including the first and only marijuana dispensary on the famed Las Vegas Strip, Essence Vegas services are 100% legal, entirely safe and totally confidential to protect privacy. All services are performed by highly-trained consultants. All professional team members are also available to discuss best practices with patients and customers.

For more information, please visit www.EssenceVegas.com or (702) 901-4581. Follow Essence Vegas on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.

For media information, please contact:

Jeff Klein/ Alissa Kelly

PR Plus

(702) 696-1999

[email protected]/ [email protected]

SOURCE Essence Vegas

Related Links

http://essencevegas.com


ST. LOUIS, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FleishmanHillard (FH) today announced the hire of Matt Groch as senior vice president and global lead of data analytics and innovation. Reporting to Natasha Kennedy, global managing director, research and analytics, Groch's hire represents the agency's commitment to the expansion and growth of its research and analytics practice.

"Matt brings a unique set of skills to our organization that further strengthen and distinguish the expertise of our practice," Kennedy said. "With a background in software development, mathematics, business and finance, he'll help us create custom, insights-oriented solutions using computational analytics, big data and predictive analytics."

This is not the first time Groch and Kennedy have teamed up. In 2005, they pioneered the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in communications to discover topical trends, messaging, influencers and sentiment in online conversations and traditional media.

"Matt and I explored applications of AI and machine learning when print media first began making the transition to online, and blogging had just begun to proliferate as a newly recognized media channel," Kennedy said. "I'm very excited that he's joined FleishmanHillard to partner once again in developing new AI-powered solutions for our clients."

Groch brings experience in the strategic application of research, data and technology across a variety of industries, including nine years with the research and analytics division at Edelman. More recently, he served as chief technology officer for Clayco, a U.S.-based commercial construction company, and was the founding chief technology officer for a Chicago-based healthcare startup, Mondopoint. Before launching Mondopoint, Groch served as head of product innovation for Mission Metrics, the data products subsidiary of Mission Measurement responsible for development of the Impact Genome Project.

Groch's work has been recognized by various academic and professional organizations. He has been published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, and served as a keynote speaker at the Nonprofit Technology Network's Leading Change Summit. In addition, he is a recipient of the Chookaszian Prize in Risk Management from Northwestern University. Groch earned his MBA with a concentration in analytical finance from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and holds a Bachelor of Science in computer engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

FH's global research and analytics practice creates data-driven strategy and intelligence solutions. With a focus on improving business outcomes through continuous intelligence gathering, the practice delivers sustained, analytics-driven value for its clients.

About FleishmanHillard

FleishmanHillard specializes in public relations, reputation management, public affairs, brand marketing, digital strategy, social engagement and content strategy. FleishmanHillard was named Agency of the Year at the 2017 North American Excellence Awards; 2017 ICCO Network of the Year for the Americas and EMEA; PRWeek's Best Places to Work 2017; PR News' Best Places to Work in PR 2016-2017; Human Rights Campaign Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality for 2018; PR Awards Asia 2017 Greater China Agency of the Year; and NAFE's "Top 50 Companies for Executive Women" for 2010-2018. The firm's award-winning work is widely heralded, including at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity. FleishmanHillard is part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, and has more than 80 offices in 30 countries, plus affiliates in 43 countries.

About Omnicom Public Relations Group

Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, fashion, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,000 public relations professionals in more than 330 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research.

SOURCE FleishmanHillard

Related Links

http://www.fleishmanhillard.com


CLEVELAND, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to updated estimates released by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) last week, monthly US crude oil production broke a 1970 record in November of last year. In that month, US crude oil production reached 10.057 million barrels per day, just surpassing the previous record of 10.044 million barrels per day set in November 1970.

This record is expected to be broken again this year. The EIA, as part of its short-term energy outlook, estimated that US production of crude oil averaged 10.3 million barrels per day in February. Moreover, it forecasts that the US will average 10.7 million barrels per day for all of 2018. This would exceed the previous annual average record of 9.6 million barrels per day set in 1970.

The increase in production follows a tumultuous period in the US oil and gas industry, which began with the oil price collapse in 2014. Some in the industry are questioning how much longer output can continue to grow. The increase in production per well is due to a variety of innovations in drilling and completion techniques.

According to Freedonia Group Analyst Dan Debelius, "The oil price collapse pushed operators to refine their unconventional drilling and completion processes and improve cost efficiencies. As a result, unconventional wells are now completed with longer laterals and higher volumes of proppant, producing more complicated fractures. Moreover, wells are being completed with multiple laterals and pads are being drilled with multiple wells, further shifting the bottom line. Added to more efficient and accurate drilling in profitable plays in Texas and Oklahoma, these techniques have increased production rates and lowered breakeven costs."

See the Energy & Petroleum industry page for more details.

Another Freedonia Group Analyst, Minor Cline, adds, "Improvements in drilling fluids and chemicals have also bolstered profitability. Advanced additive packages that are tailored to meet the challenges of a particular play can reduce rig time dramatically and lower drilling costs. Increased well complexity is also placing greater demands on drilling fluids, making advanced additive packages particularly attractive to drillers."

See the Drilling Fluids & Chemicals study page for more information: https://www.freedoniagroup.com/industry-study/drilling-fluids-chemicals-market-in-the-us-by-product-and-location-3515.htm

About The Freedonia Group  The Freedonia Group, a division of MarketResearch.com, is a leading international industrial research company publishing more than 100 studies annually. Since 1985, we have provided research to customers ranging in size from global conglomerates to one-person consulting firms. More than 90% of the industrial companies in the Fortune 500 use Freedonia Group research to help with their strategic planning. Each study includes product and market analyses and forecasts, in-depth discussions of important industry trends, and market share information. Studies can be purchased at www.freedoniagroup.com and are also available on www.marketresearch.com and www.profound.com.

Press Contact:

Corinne Gangloff

+1 440.684.9600

[email protected]

SOURCE The Freedonia Group

Related Links

http://www.freedoniagroup.com/


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Future Farm Technologies Inc. (the "Company" or "Future Farm") (CSE: FFT) (CSE: FFT.CN) (OTCQX: FFRMF), which has built a portfolio of projects across the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is pleased to announce that its Puerto Rico subsidiary has signed the first of five planned leases for its Clinica Verde branded Puerto Rico dispensaries. The Company expects to sign two more leases in the next thirty days with the additional two leases to follow soon after.

The Future Farm Clinica Verde branded dispensary is located in the Condado neighborhood of San Juan, one of the island's most highly trafficked areas.

"Now that we have identified a prime dispensary location and signed a lease we are excited to work on the build out," comments William Gildea, Chairman and CEO of Future Farm. "We look forward to providing clean cannabis to the island's patients and generating sales."

Future Farm continues to execute on its strategy of building a portfolio of valuable, revenue-generating assets in the fastest growing cannabis and hemp markets in North America. Mr. Gildea continues, "I look forward to building out and adding to our existing portfolio, which has grown quickly over the past year with assets in Rhode Island, Maine, California and Florida."

On behalf of the Board,

Future Farm Technologies Inc.

William Gildea, Chairman & CEO

About Future Farm

Future Farm Technologies Inc. is a Canadian company with projects throughout North America including California, Florida and Maryland. The Company's business model includes developing and acquiring technologies that will position it as a leader in the evolution of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) for the global production of various types of plants, with a focus on cannabis. Future Farm provides scalable, indoor CEA systems that utilize minimal land, water and energy regardless of climate, location or time of year and are customized to grow an abundance of crops close to consumers, therefore minimizing food miles and its impact to the environment. The Company holds an exclusive, worldwide license to use a patented vertical farming technology that, when compared to traditional plant production methods, generates yields up to 10 times greater per square foot of land. The contained system provides many other benefits including 90% less water, fertilizer and land used, less travel costs, seed to sale security, scalability, consistency due to year-round production, cost control, product safety and purity by eliminating environmental variability. The Company also utilizes a leading cannabis oil extraction technology, which enables the Company to process 20lbs/hour of cannabis plant to yield approximately 908 grams/hour of oil.

The Company is also in the business of designing and distributing LED lighting solutions utilizing the COB and MCOB technology. The Company is focused on delivering cost efficient lighting to North America via advanced e-commerce sites the Company owns and operates. LEDCanada.com, which caters to B2B customers, is a supplier of the newest and highest demand LED solutions. The Company also owns and operates COBGrowlights.com, which caters to both large and small agriculture green houses and controlled cultivation centers.

The Company recently acquired the exclusive right to use a patented, augmented reality (AR) technology in the cannabis industry. As described in more detail above, the Company has decided to spin this asset off to its shareholders.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not in any way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.

For further information, contact

William Gildea

Director

+1-617-834-9467



SOURCE Future Farm Technologies Inc.
iStock/Thinkstock(SAN ANTONIO) -- Texas is home to the first primary races of the 2018 election and both parties will watch the results for indications of how the battle to control Congress may play out in November.



Republicans and Democrats alike are heavily invested in the outcome for both House and Senate races.



In the Senate contest, incumbent GOP Sen. Ted Cruz will face Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke.



Cruz was out with an attack against his opponent shortly after the Associated Press called the contest for each man.



In the most-watched House contest of the night, Democrats interfered in their own primary in the 7th Congressional District, which Hillary Clinton won in 2016 and Democrats hope to take from GOP Rep. John Culberson in November. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee  which usually attacks Republicans  criticized Democratic candidate Laura Moser for an essay she wrote that allegedly criticized living in Texas.



Observers will be watching how Moser does when results come in tonight.



She is one of 50 women running for a seat in Congress in bids to represent the Lone Star state.



Meanwhile, President Trump has tweeted his support for Republicans running in the Lone Star state and encouraged get-out-the-vote efforts.

Polls closed at 8 p.m. ET. Please keep checking back for updates.



11:52 p.m. ET - Race to replace retiring Rep. Barton goes to a runoff



The Associated Press has projected that Ronald Wright, an ex-aide to Rep. Joe Barton, and former Navy combat pilot Jake Ellzey will proceed to a runoff election in May in Texas' 6th Congressional District to determine the Republican nominee in the race.



Barton announced his retirement last year following almost 30 years in Congress after admitting to sending inappropriate text messages to a woman.



11:48 p.m. ET - Trump has perfect win record in Texas primaries



President Trump has a perfect win record in tonights Texas primaries.



All the GOP candidates he tweeted about will win their Republican primaries with enough of a vote to avoid a runoff on May 22, according to Texas election returns.



The president last week tweeted his endorsement of Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. Ted Cruz, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton, Land Commissioner George P. Bush, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, Comptroller Glenn Hegar, and Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick.

11:22 p.m. ET - Texas 7th Congressional District in waiting mode



"Let the nail biting begin, Texas 7th Congressional District candidate Laura Moser tweeted out shortly after the polls closed at 8 p.m. ET.



And then the waiting began. And went on. And on...



At her watch party in Houston, a young volunteer said goodbye in an attempt to get some sleep before his college exam tomorrow and another volunteer complained she cant see the election results because shes too old.



Just shy of midnight, with 40 percent of the precincts reporting, neither Moser nor Lizzie Pannill Fletcher had the 50 percent of votes needed to avoid a runoff.



Fletcher, who's been endorsed by EMILY's List and the Houston Chronicle, started her election day voting with her husband. After the polls closed, she tweeted her thanks to her supporters.

Meanwhile, Moser joked with supporters at her party that her team crafted a victory email response and one for if she's defeated. We are going to make it to the runoff, she said. We are going to win the runoff because we have the best grassroots campaigns, organizers and message."



The National Republican Campaign Committee put out a statement criticizing Democrats for their interference in the primary and referenced the party's push for Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders in 2016.



"I guess the DCCC can't rig a primary as well as their counterparts at the DNC," NRCC communications director Matt Gorman said.



Moser has been confronted with a series of challenges during her campaign. Shes not only running as a Democrat in a district that has been held by Republicans for the last 50 years, she also has had to compete against several other Democratic candidates in the states primary. To top it off, she has had to respond to opposition from her own party after the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released negative research about her two weeks ago.



11:16 p.m. ET - Texas likely to elect first Latinas to Congress



The Associated Press has projected that former county judge Veronica Escobar has won the Democratic primary in Texas' 16th Congressional District to succeed Rep. Beto O'Rourke, who is running for U.S. Senate.



If she wins the general election in November, Escobar would be the first Hispanic woman from Texas ever elected to Congress.



State Sen. Sylvia Garcia is also poised to capture the Democratic nomination in Texas' 29th Congressional District to succeed retiring Rep. Gene Green, meaning Texas may end up sending two Hispanic women to Congress in 2018.



10:53 p.m. ET  George P. Bush wins Texas Land Commissioner nomination



Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush declared himself the winner of his GOP primary and the Associated Press had called the contest for him.



"Texas voters - THANK YOU! Your steadfast support through this primary is what has made tonights victory possible!," he wrote.

Bush, son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, faced a tough GOP primary where there were questions as to whether he would garner the more than 50 percent necessary to avoid a May runoff. He managed to do that and is favored to win in November.



In the closing days of the campaign, he heavily touted President Trump's endorsement of him.



10:39 p.m. ET - Cruz attacks O'Rourke's name in new radio ad



Sen. Ted Cruz released a radio ad against his Democratic opponent, Rep. Beto ORourke, that attacks the candidate for his name.



O'Rourke, whose birth name is Robert Francis, goes by Beto, which has Latino roots.



The ad, set to the tune of Alabamas If Youre Gonna Play in Texas, includes the lyrics:



Liberal Robert wanted to fit in. So he changed his name to Beto. And hid it with a grin.



The early attacks were seen by political observers that Cruz is worried about his opponent, even though a Democrat hasn't won statewide in Texas since 1994.



ORourke outraised Cruz in fundraising by more than $1.5 million since January, according to FEC data. Since the beginning of the year, O'Rourke has raised nearly $2.6 million to Cruzs $895,276.



10:11 p.m. ET - Van Taylor to be GOP nominee in retiring Rep. Johnson's seat



State Sen. Van Taylor has won the GOP nomination for retiring Rep. Sam Johnson's seat, according to an AP project.



Taylor was endorsed by the conservative group Club for Growth and, given the 3rd Congressional District's Republican bent, is widely expected to win in the general election.



9:14 p.m. ET - Gov. Abbott wins GOP gubernatorial nomination



Incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott won the Republican nomination for governor, according to an Associated Press projection.



The Democratic primary has not yet been called. There are nine total candidates running.



Abbott is the heavy favorite to win in November.



9:09 p.m. ET  Texas Senate race set: Cruz vs. O'Rouke



Incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz will face off against Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke in Texas' U.S. Senate race this November, the Associated Press projects.



O'Rourke has out-fundraised Cruz since the beginning of 2018, and Democrats are banking on the 45 year-old as the man who can take down one of the conservative movement's most prominent figures.



Cruz put out a statement blasting O'Rourke as a "left-wing, liberal Democrat" who "is running as a vocal proponent of amnesty and open borders."



In addition to hitting O'Rourke on immigration, which is huge issue in Texas, Cruz also criticized O'Rourke for not supporting second amendment rights, another important issue in the gun-friendly state.



"Congressman O'Rourke is a vocal proponent of gun control and restricting the Second Amendment rights of law abiding citizens. That is a policy position embraced by Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren, but its not a position that reflects the values of Texans. Texans want to see violent criminals prosecuted and incarcerated, but at the same time, Texans want to see our fundamental rights, including our individual right to keep and bear arms, protected," he said in the statement.



Cruz is hosting an election night event in Texas and O'Rourke will be hosting a Facebook Live event at 9:15pm EST to talk about tonight's results.



7:50 PM ET - Polls close in 10 minutes



With polls in Texas closing at 8 p.m. ET, the candidates are tweeting reminders to voters to vote.



Democrat Laura Moser, who is running for Congress in Texas' 7th Congressional District, reminded voters that as long as they are in line by closing time, they can vote.



And Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lupe Valdez had a similar reminder:



5:30 PM ET - Races we're watching



Here are some of the primary contests in Texas ABC News is watching closely:



Texas Senate: While neither primary in the Senate race is expected to be competitive, Democrats are hyping up Rep. Beto ORourke as the man that may be able to take out conservative stalwart Sen. Ted Cruz in November.

7th Congressional District: One of ABC News' "18 for 18" races, nine-term GOP incumbent Rep. John Culberson represents this district that Hillary Clinton won in 2016. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released negative research about one of their own primary candidates, Laura Moser, two weeks ago. The Democratic primary is competitive and if no candidates gets over 50 percent, that contest goes to a May 22 runoff.

23rd Congressional District: GOP Rep. Will Hurd, who won reelection in 2016 by only 1.3 points, has five Democrats competing to unseat him.

32nd Congressional District: A crowded field of Democrats are running against Rep. Pete Sessions, encouraged by the fact the district voted for Clinton in 2016.

21st Congressional District: Six Republican representatives are retiring this year, including Rep. Lamar Smith. If Democratic turnout is high in the election, this may be one red district to watch for a flip to blue in November.

Texas Land Commissioner: There is a big name in this race with a famous last name  George P. Bush. And he's touting President Trump's endorsement of his campaign in his tough primary contest. If he doesn't break 50% there will be a runoff in May.



4:15 PM ET - A pink wave?



2018 is proving to be a record year in the number of women running for political office.



More than 50 women are running for Congress in Texas alone. Of the state's 36 congressional representatives, only three are women and that could change come November.



3:52 PM ET - Democrats hopeful early voting tallies continue on Election Day



The first primaries of the 2018 election take place today in Texas.



Throughout the 11 days of early voting, Democrats cast at least 44,000 more ballots than Republicans in the biggest 15 counties, a trend the party hopes continues through Election Day.



High voting numbers would indicate Democrats are strongly motivated to get to the polls this year, which is a good sign for the party's hopes to retake control of at least one chamber of Congress.



Polls close at 8 p.m. ET. Check back through the day and night for more updates.



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu has disclosed that Supreme Court judges received threats after they invalidated President Kenyattas August 8th, 2017 victory.

Speaking to members of the National Assembly during a post-election seminar in Mombasa, Mwilu, however, stated that she was personally not cowered by the threats.

We were threatened, that is for sure. I must confess because I dont know how to clothe a lie, she said.

Mwilu was forced to respond to the question after she was cornered by Kapenguria MP Samuel Muoroto who wanted to know whether the threats affected other judges in subsequent rulings.

You did well to nullify the presidential election, Muoroto stated, to an uproarious applause from Nasa MPs.

You were threatened and now all the gains the Judiciary made are being taken away. The new Constitution gave you lots of powers and the Judiciary has been done a good job. But the attacks by the politicians seem to have shaken you. Can you be frank and tell us the truth? Moroto asked.

The DCJ responded: I am not sure whether the threats cowed the judges as to affect our subsequent decisions. But the threats never entered my soul and I thank God it never did.

The morality of some judges and their researchers was questioned by Belgut MP Nelson Koech who noted that some of the decisions in the petitions were known long before they were delivered.

Who does research for the judges. This must be reviewed because such researchers are giving the judiciary a bad name, he said.

Mwilu said the judiciary is as independent as it can ever be but refused to be drawn into discussions over the judgment on election petitions saying her opinion could jeopardise the cases as some of them have been appealed.

She told the lawmakers that as the elected representatives, they ought to represent the will of the people.

No institution ought to have more respect and solemn consideration for the all aspects of the sovereignty of the people of Kenya than Parliament. When the Sovereignty of the people is challenged through disregard for orders and decisions of the court, no institution ought to be more enraged than the institution that most directly represents the exercise of such sovereignty, she said.

She added: As the Legislature. You are the people, and you must act with steadfast commitment and single-mindedness to protect the public interest. You must, where legally enabled, summon, criticise, investigate, and censure all those who purport to impair and diminish the rule of law.
LONDON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5319082







Market size estimations provided in the report reveal key presumptive scenarios on how the overall market for RTD/high strength premixes will expand during the forecast period, 2017-2026. Values have been interpreted through a range of metrics such as absolute dollar opportunities, compounded annual growth rates, and Year-over-Year growth rates.



The report has infused qualitative information with its market size estimations to boost the accuracy of the forecast. Companies partaking in the global RTD/high strength premixes market expansion can avail this report and use the inferences for planning their future developments.



Report Features

An extensive analysis on the dynamic growth of the global RTD/high strength premixes market has been provided in the report. The analysis includes a supply chain breakdown, categorizing of raw material procurement strategies, pricing itemization, and a cost structure rundown.



The report has provided an overview of the global food & beverage industry. Additional information in the report reveals the association of macro trends with the changing landscapes of local RTD/high strength premixes markets.



A detailed competition assessment of the global RTD/high strength premixes market has been provided, wherein companies have profiled on the basis of their current market standings. Unbiased profiling of market participants is the highlight of the report, as emerging players and industry leaders have been gauged through a common analytical standpoint. The report also provides segmental analysis and forecast on the expansion of the global RTD/high strength premixes market.



Research Methodology

Persistence Market Research employs tested and robust research methodologies in the development of its reports. Both, primary and secondary research approaches are incorporated to collect data on market dynamics.



Analysis on the global RTD/high strength premixes market has been conducted by considering the revenues acquired by market participants for a demarcated historic period. These revenues have been validated through extensive primary research which was aimed at understanding the consumption patterns, the production techniques, supply-side challenges, and regulatory reforms. Information procured from these methods have been employed in market size forecasting.



The report has become a credible business document that can enable market participants in planning their next steps towards future market direction. From product development to capturing untapped opportunities for sales of RTD/high strength premixes, inferences from the study can be assessed to develop new strategies in terms of business development.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5319082



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +1 (718) 213 4904

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

http://www.reportbuyer.com


LONDON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Luxury brands dominate inaugural ranking, accounting for 34% of total Brand Value at $28.9 billion

Gucci leads the first BrandZTM Top 30 Most Valuable Italian 2018 Brands ranking released today by WPP and Kantar Millward Brown. It is one of the seven luxury brands to feature in this ground-breaking study, which tracks and addresses the changing environment for brands in Italy and charts the fortunes of the country's most successful brands.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/513554/Kantar_Millward_Brown_Logo.jpg )



Gucci tops the ranking with a brand value of $16.3 billion, followed by telecom provider brand TIM at $9.3 billion and energy company Enel in third place at $7.4 billion. Coming in at number four is food and dairy brand Kinder at $6.9 billion, with Prada taking the final spot in the Top 5 at $4.0 billion.

"Italian engineering, design and creativity are powering world-class Italian brands, both young and old," says David Roth, CEO EMEA and Asia, The Store WPP. "The BrandZTM Italian Top 30 reflects Italy's tradition of businesses built by craftspeople and experts with great vision and determination; whether it's applied to everyday items such as Barilla pasta, the finest clothes and accessories, or the quality engineering needed to create the latest Ferrari or a new yacht."

There are seven leading luxury brands in the Italian Top 30. Together, Gucci, Prada, Armani, Bottega Veneta, Bulgari, Fendi and Ferragamo contribute $28.9 billion to the total brand value of the ranking. Within the automotive industry, Ferrari revs ahead with its brand representation of performance driving. The concentration of premium brands is in contrast with Spain's focus on affordable fashion and Germany's concentration on technology and engineering.

"Italy's skill at developing premium luxury brands lends the ranking a distinctive feel, but the country has many more strong names in sectors that are less celebrated, from Oil & Gas to Financial Services to Cruise operators," says Massimo Costa, WPP Italy Country Manager.

Food and dairy brands are the next dominant category, making up 15% of total brand value at $13.1 billion. Amongst the six brands ranked, three were from the Ferrero Group, namely Kinder, Nutella and Ferrero Rocher. The total value of the brands in the BrandZ Top 30 is $85.3 billion.

Italian brands are typically rated very Healthy, meaning they score highly across the five brand indicators of Health, which comprises Purpose, Innovation, Communications, Experience and Love. Brands in the BrandZ Italy Top 30 scored particularly well for Purpose and Communications. However, as with other European markets, innovation is a challenge that brands need to act upon. Only 17% of the BrandZTM Italy Top 30 are perceived as Innovative by consumers. Innovation, when value is created in new and different ways, is one of the hardest measures to build but the one that creates the most value. On average, Italian brands that are perceived as Innovative are nearly twice as valuable versus others, with an average brand value of $3.4 billion versus $1.8 billion.

The BrandZ Top 10 Most Valuable Italian Brands 2018

Rank 2018 Brand Category Brand Value 2018 (USD mil) 1 Gucci Luxury 16,273 2 TIM Telecom Providers 9,259 3 Enel Energy 7,355 4 Kinder Food & Dairy 6,904 5 Prada Luxury 4,082 6 Ferrari Cars 3,488 7 Eni Oil & Gas 3,131 8 Nutella Food & Dairy 2,840 9 Generali Insurance 2,526 10 Armani Luxury 2,460 11 Ferrero Rocher Food & Dairy 2,372 12 Intesa Sanpaolo Banks 2,210 13 Bottega Veneta Luxury 1,948 14 Costa Cruises Cruises 1,877 15 UniCredit Banks 1,869

"While Italian brands are some of the best in the world at communicating their message to consumers, there is an area in which they may improve: they are still not perceived as Innovative and Creative. To build stronger brands and generate value and growth, Innovation is an important driver. Game changers are shaking things up and always coming up with new ways to promote their brands' experiences" says Federico Capeci, Chief Digital Officer & CEO Italy, Kantar, Insights Division.

Key trends highlighted in the BrandZ Italian Top 30 study include:

Brands with purpose . Buyers of everything from coffee to couture now expect goods that are produced in an ethical, socially and environmentally responsible way and brands have responded. Italian brands are amongst the most Purposeful in Europe and even globally, significantly outperforming brands in Spain and the UK. For Purpose, Italy is ranked 4 th - outpaced only by the BrandZ Top 30 Global, USA and Germany rankings.

Buyers of everything from coffee to couture now expect goods that are produced in an ethical, socially and environmentally responsible way and brands have responded. Italian brands are amongst the most Purposeful in and even globally, significantly outperforming brands in and the UK. For Purpose, is ranked 4 - outpaced only by the BrandZ Top 30 Global, and rankings. The power of ' Brand Italy ' . Italian products are highly regarded around the world, particularly when linked to food, wine and fashion. Italian brands that want to leverage this reputation will need to think not just about how to promote their Italian heritage, but also how to establish their authenticity.

Italian products are highly regarded around the world, particularly when linked to food, wine and fashion. Italian brands that want to leverage this reputation will need to think not just about how to promote their Italian heritage, but also how to establish their authenticity. Adapting to new markets. Some Italian brands have mastered the art of staying true to their beliefs while also adapting for export. Bakery brand Corsini, founded in Tuscany in 1921, for example, makes oversized cantuccini biscuits for Starbucks to go with coffee chain's extra-large coffee servings.

The BrandZ Italian Top 30 report also includes new research from Y&R's BAV Group in partnership with U.S. News & World Report and the Wharton School, which examines what it takes to build powerful nation brands. According to BAV Group's 2018 Best Countries report, Italy ranks 15th out of 80 major markets around the world across all measures. Italy stands out for being culturally influential, rich in heritage, friendly and scenic, it also ranks highly on being connected to the rest of the world, having an educated population, being safe, and promoting gender equality. These attributes contribute to "soft power" - an increasingly important source of international influence that helps build positive consumer attitudes towards Italian brands.

The BrandZ Top 30 Most Valuable Italian Brands report and ranking and extensive analysis are available online here. The reports, rankings, charts, articles and more can also be accessed through the BrandZ app, which is free to download for Apple IOS and all Android devices from http://www.brandz.com/mobile or by searching for BrandZ in the iTunes or Google Play app stores.

About the BrandZ Top 30 Most Valuable Italian Brands Ranking

The valuation behind the BrandZ Top 30 Most Valuable Italian Brands was conducted by Kantar Millward Brown, which specializes in brand equity research and brand valuation. The methodology mirrors that used to calculate the annual BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking, which is now in its 12th year.

Commissioned by Kantar, the ranking combines rigorously analysed financial data from Bloomberg with the opinions of over 55,000 Italian consumers since 2006, gathered for nearly 800 brands in over 50 categories. The BrandZ Top 30 Most Valuable Italian Brands is the most definitive and robust ranking of the country's brands available, and the brands ranked all meet these eligibility criteria:

the brand was originally created by an Italian enterprise;

the brand is owned by a publicly traded enterprise, or its financials are published in the public domain

This approach produced a carefully conceived ranking of brands in 14 categories.

The suite of BrandZ brand valuation rankings and reports are also available for China, India, Indonesia, Latin America, Brazil, Spain, France, Germany the UK, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.

About Kantar Millward Brown

Kantar Millward Brown is a leading global research agency specialising in advertising effectiveness, strategic communication, media and digital, and brand equity research. The company helps clients grow great brands through comprehensive research-based qualitative and quantitative solutions. Kantar Millward Brown operates in more than 55 countries and is part of WPP's Kantar group, one of the world's leading data, insight and consultancy companies. Learn more at www.millwardbrown.com.

About WPP

WPP is the world's largest communications services group with billings of US$74 billion and revenues of over US$19 billion. Through its operating companies, the Group provides a comprehensive range of advertising and marketing services including advertising & media investment management; data investment management; public relations & public affairs; branding & identity; healthcare communications; digital, eCommerce and shopper marketing and specialist communications. The company employs over 200,000 people (including associates and investments) in over 3,000 offices across 112 countries. For more information, visit www.wpp.com.



WPP was named Holding Company of the Year at the 2017 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for the seventh year running. WPP was also named, for the sixth consecutive year, the World's Most Effective Holding Company in the 2017 Effie Effectiveness Index, which recognizes the effectiveness of marketing communications. In 2017 WPP was recognised by Warc 100 as the World's Top Holding Company (third year running).



Media Contacts:

Local contacts

Gabriella Bergaglio

Kantar, Insights Division

[email protected]

+39-334-6091720



Valeria Lama

Hill & Knowlton

[email protected]

+39-335-6621018



Global contacts

Lisa Parente

Kantar Millward Brown

[email protected]

+1-203-219-6976



Alastair Ray

Eureka Communications

[email protected]

+44-(0)-1600-713987





SOURCE Kantar Millward Brown
BOSTON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With the 200th St. Patrick's Day that Guinness will celebrate in the U.S. just a few weeks away, the Irish brewer announced today that it's making an effort to help adults in Boston celebrate the holiday safely. Beginning today, beer lovers at more than 1,200 bars and restaurants in Boston can use the Freebird Rides app to receive a $5 credit towards an Uber ride home.

"We've been looking forward to celebrating our 200th St. Patrick's Day in the U.S. for a while now," said Emma Giles, Guinness Brand Director. "With Freebird's technology and its ability to sync so seamlessly with your smartphone and Uber account, beer lovers out celebrating in Boston will find it just a little bit easier to get home safely. Planning ahead is always the best way, and this partnership makes our milestone holiday even more special for us."

Although Guinness has been brewing at St. James's Gate in Ireland for 259 years and makes several beers that are perfect for St. Patrick's Day, a purchase of a Guinness beer is not required to take advantage of the $5 towards an Uber ride home.

"Freebird Rides makes going out more rewarding by offering cash back and reward points to consumers whenever they book an Uber to any destination. With St. Patrick's Day approaching, we are excited to offer this first ever cash credit to Uber home thanks to Guinness," said Kurt Brendlinger, Founder and CEO of Freebird Rides. "With bars and restaurants supporting rides out and Guinness supporting rides home, Freebird riders win."

In the true spirit of the holiday and coming together over a pint with friends, Guinness is also providing a chance to give back. From now through March 31, 2018, when adult beer lovers share photos of their foamy Guinness 'Staches  or self-grown and groomed or drawn-on  on social media (tagging @GuinnessUS and using #StacheForCharity), Guinness will donate $1 (up to $100,000) to the Guinness Gives Back Fund*, which supports nonprofits that contribute to the common good in our communities, including Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster response organization.

While a safe ride home is a great start, please remember to drink responsibly while celebrating St. Patrick's Day. More information on the Freebird Rides app, including how it works and where to download it, can be found here.

*The Guinness Gives Back Fund is a corporate donor advised fund administered by Fairfield County's Community Foundation. The Fund's mission is to support local charitable organizations which are classified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that are aligned with the corporate focus areas of Diageo North America, Inc.

About Diageo Beer Company, USA

Diageo Beer Company, USA (formerly Diageo-Guinness USA) is the U.S. beer and flavored malt beverage business of Diageo. Brands within Diageo Beer Company include the iconic Guinness, Harp, Smithwick's and Smirnoff ICE. Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries worldwide. For more information about Diageo Beer Company, visit www.diageo.com.

About Freebird Rides

Freebird Rides operates a national platform that provides consumers rewards and cash back whenever booking an Uber ride. Businesses (in particular bars and restaurants) use Freebird Rides to acquire customers by reimbursing an Uber ride up to a cap the business sets only for customers who dine and drink at the establishment. The consumer feels like a VIP, becomes a more loyal customer and can have worry free fun with no drinking and driving. Freebird Rides is currently available in Los Angeles & Orange County, California and Boston, MA with additional national markets being added in the months ahead.

SOURCE Guinness

Related Links

http://www.diageo.com


BATTLE CREEK, Mich., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Liquid nitrogen Froot Loops cheesecake bites. Cocoa Krispies cocktails. Special K falafel sliders. Unicorn Cereal cotton candy bowls. Those were just a few of the Insta-worthy creations on the menu last night at the first-ever cereal bash to ring in National Cereal Day.

In honor of today's "national food holiday," Kellogg's hosted Academy Award-nominated actress, multi-platinum selling recording artist and cereal lover Hailee Steinfeld at Kellogg's NYC Cafe to celebrate with some of cereal's biggest fans.

Hailee Steinfeld celebrates #NationalCerealDay with cereal's biggest fans at Kellogg's NYC Cafe. Credit: Sara Jaye Weiss Hailee Steinfeld enjoys unique cereal creations created by Kelloggs. Credit: Sara Jaye Weiss Kelloggs NYC Cafe  the largest cereal cafe in the country  was transformed overnight into #NationalCerealDay headquarters. Credit: Sara Jaye Weiss Kelloggs shares over 5 recipes with cereal lovers to celebrate #NationalCerealDay. Credit: Sara Jaye Weiss Hailee Steinfeld and partygoers enjoyed unique cereal creations created by Kelloggs. Credit: Sara Jaye Weiss Kelloggs shares over 5 recipes with cereal lovers to celebrate #NationalCerealDay. Credit: Sara Jaye Weiss

During the event, partygoers were able to feast on exciting cereal-themed creations  including cereal bites, cocktails and a liquid nitrogen cereal bar  for more than three hours before dancing the night away to a performance by Hailee Steinfeld and a cereal-themed New Year's-style countdown at midnight.

To celebrate the occasion, Kellogg's NYC Cafe  the largest cereal cafe in the country  was transformed overnight into National Cereal Day headquarters. The party included mixes by DJ Flipside, larger-than-life cereal boxes suspended from the ceiling, a photo booth with cereal-themed party favors, colorful confetti and a giant disco "bowl" which lit up at the stroke of midnight.

"It's about time cereal had its own holiday!" said Hailee Steinfeld. "I had no idea there were so many ways to play with and imagine cereal differently, these special Kellogg's DIY recipes are delicious! I love a good classic bowl with milk, but now I have some fun ideas to spice up my cereal routine!"

The event kicked off a two-day celebration that continues today.

"Kellogg's NYC Cafe continues to spark creativity by encouraging people to reimagine what a bowl of cereal can be -- and even the bowl is optional," said Aleta Chase, Kellogg's Marketing Director. "It made sense to celebrate this modern, inventive approach to how we think of food on National Cereal Day."

Those who can't make it to Kellogg's NYC Cafe to celebrate National Cereal Day can jump in on the fun at home by re-creating some of the featured recipes (available at www.kelloggsnyc.com) or by sharing some of their own combinations on social media using #NationalCerealDay! Menu items include:

Ham and Kellogg's Apple Jacks Croquettes

Kellogg's Apple Jacks, Milk, Parmesan Cheese, Ham, Eggs, Shallots

Kellogg's Rice Krispies Shrimp

Kellogg's Rice Krispies, Shrimp, Sweet Chili Sauce for dipping

Falafel Sliders

Kellogg's Special K, Chickpeas, Fava Beans , English Peas, Mushrooms, Mint, Parsley, Onion, Greek Yogurt, English Cucumber, Slider Buns

Kellogg's Corn Pops Corn Dog

Classic Hot Dog, Corn Pops Coating, Deli Mustard

Kellogg's Raisin Bran Bread Pudding

Kellogg's Raisin Bran, Heavy Cream, Eggs, Sugar

Kellogg's Froot Loops Mini Cupcakes

Kellogg's Froot Loops, Mini Cupcakes, Butter, Powdered Sugar, Milk, Vanilla Extract

Confetti Bowl

Kellogg's Rice Krispies, Treat House 'confetti' Krispie Treat, Yellow Cake Mix  inspired by Hailee Steinfeld

Strawberries & Champagne Bowl

Kellogg's Special K Original, Strawberry Powder, Pink Champagne Gummies, Pink Chocolate Curls, Strawberry Milk

The Black Tie Bowl

Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies, Silver Meringue Drops, Gold Confetti and Whipped Cream

Unicorn Bowl

Kellogg's Unicorn Cereal, Cotton Candy, Cotton Candy-flavored pop candy

Loopy Kellogg's Froot Loops Cocktail (or Mocktail!)

Kellogg's Froot Loops- infused soda, Rum (optional)

Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies Cocktail (or Mocktail!)

Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies, Chocolate Milk, Vanilla Syrup, Vodka (optional)

Kellogg's also partnered with Chef Santiago Gomez to craft several Latin American-inspired recipes. Dishes include:

Horchata Kellogg's Rice Krispies

Kellogg's Rice Krispies, Horchata Milk, Frozen Pomegranate

Special K Mexican Chocolate Milk

Kellogg's Special K Original, Mexican Chocolate, Milk, Honey, Pumpkin Seeds, Amaranth, Shaved Coconut, Agave Honey

To try some of the new recipes and for some DIY fun, cereal lovers can head to Kellogg's NYC Cafe today, Wednesday, March 7, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The first 1,000 attendees who purchase a bowl will receive a free box of cereal.

Kellogg's NYC Cafe is located at 31 E 17th St. in Union Square. For more information on how Kellogg's and Hailee Steinfeld are celebrating National Cereal Day, check out Kellogg's NYC Cafe's Instagram and Facebook, or Hailee Steinfeld's Instagram. All recipes can be found on Kellogg's NYC Cafe website at KelloggsNYC.com/NCD.

About Kellogg Company

At Kellogg Company (NYSE: K), we strive to make foods people love. This includes our beloved brands  Kellogg's, Keebler, Special K, Pringles, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Pop-Tarts, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Cheez-It, Eggo, Mini-Wheats and more  that nourish families so they can flourish and thrive. With 2016 sales of $13 billion and more than 1,600 foods, Kellogg is the world's leading cereal company; second largest producer of crackers and savory snacks; and a leading North American frozen foods company. And we're a company with a heart and soul, committing to help create 3 billion Better Days by 2025 through our Breakfasts for Better Days global purpose platform. To learn more, visit www.KelloggCompany.com or www.OpenforBreakfast.com and follow us on Twitter @KelloggCompany, YouTube and on our Social K corporate blog.

About Hailee Steinfeld

Republic Records recording artist Hailee Steinfeld quickly cemented herself as a force to be reckoned with in pop music with a series of hits such as the 2015 platinum-certified debut single "Love Myself," the triple platinum-selling smash "Starving" with Grey [feat. Zedd], the platinum-selling summer anthem "Most Girls," and platinum-certified single, "Let Me Go." To date, the multiplatinum-selling artist has amassed a total of nearly 2 billion streams globally.

Steinfeld recently released a new song, "Capital Letters," which is featured on the Fifty Shades Freed Original Soundtrack. Up next, she joins Kelly Clarkson as a guest advisor on NBC's The Voice and will hit the road with Charlie Puth on The Voicenotes Tour this Summer.

In addition to her thriving music career, Steinfeld is an Academy Award-nominated and critically acclaimed leading actress.

SOURCE Kellogg Company

Related Links

http://kelloggsnyc.com/


HONG KONG, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hovione announces that it has concluded the sale of all of the share capital of iMAX Diagnostic Imaging Holding Limited. For Hovione this sale marks the end of a 24 years history of reliable and uninterrupted supply of iopamidol and iohexol API to the generic industry globally.

Hovione entered the generic contrast media business in 1993 and in 2007 moved most of its manufacture to the iMAX factory in China because its capacity in Europe was no longer able to meet clients' demand. This business continued to show a steady profitable growth and for most of that period represented the largest tonnage of Hovione's product portfolio. Over the course of these 20 years formulations containing Hovione's contrast media have been supplied to the growing markets of Asia and have included Japan's best selling generic medicine.

Faced with considerable opportunities in both the contrast agents business and all its other segments, Hovione decided to focus on its CDMO business, on its off-patent business supplying highly specialized APIs and to exit the large volume business of contrast media. The very significant expansion plans that Hovione has embarked upon since 2016 require all of our attention.

"Getting into iopamidol and iohexol was a decision we took in 1993. Today Hovione's strategy focuses on difficult to make and difficult to formulate products, supplied to demanding markets, serving innovative clients. Our contrast media business is growing and has many loyal clients that demand high quality, but it increasingly does not seem a good fit with the rest of our activities. The opportunity to sell iMAX with its manufacturing business of APIs and formulated product to a market leader makes sure this business can continue to develop even better. We are convinced that the buyer will be good owner and employer, and will continue supplying reliably the great clients that have supported iMAX's growth," said Guy Villax, CEO.

About Hovione

Hovione has over 57 years of experience as a CDMO and is currently a fully integrated supplier offering from drug substance to drug product intermediate to drug product. With four FDA inspected sites in the US, China, Ireland, and Portugal, and development laboratories in Lisbon and New Jersey, the company provides branded pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs and is able to support highly potent compounds. For generic pharmaceutical customers the company offers niche off-patent API products.

In the inhalation area Hovione is the only independent company offering a complete range of services.

Please visit www.hovione.com.

Contact

Isabel Pina, Director of Corporate Communications

Tel.: +351-21-982-9362

[email protected]

SOURCE Hovione

Related Links

http://www.hovione.com


CHICAGO, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hub International Limited (Hub), a leading global insurance brokerage, announced today that it has acquired the shares of Desilets Insurance Brokers Ltd. (Desilets). Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Based in Elie, Manitoba, Desilets offers personal and commercial insurance lines and specializes in providing insurance solutions for the farming industry. Desilets' industry-focused approach supports HUB's recent launch of its Specialties practices. The Desilets operations will become part of HUB Manitoba.

About Hub's M&A Activities

Hub International Limited is committed to growing organically and through acquisitions to expand its geographic footprint and strengthen industry and product expertise. For more information on the Hub M&A experience, visit WeAreHub.com.

About Hub International

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Hub International Limited (HUB) is a leading full-service global insurance broker providing property and casualty, life and health, employee benefits, investment and risk management products and services. From offices located throughout North America, HUB's vast network of specialists provides peace of mind on what matters most by protecting clients through unrelenting advocacy and tailored insurance solutions. For more information, please visit hubinternational.com.

CONTACT:

Media: Marni Gordon

Phone: 312-279-4601

[email protected]

M&A: Clark Wormer

Phone: 312.279.4848

[email protected]

SOURCE Hub International Limited

Related Links

http://www.hubinternational.com


BOSTON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IFM Therapeutics, LLC (IFM), a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies that modulate novel targets in the innate immune system to treat inflammatory disorders and cancer, has been awarded Clarivate Analytics' 2017 "Deal of the Year" for the Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) acquisition of IFM's preclinical STING and NLRP3 agonist programs. In August 2017, Bristol-Myers Squibb agreed to pay IFM $300 million upon closing of the transaction to strengthen the Company's oncology pipeline focus on innate immunity. The deal also contained contingent payments of up to $2.02 billion for the first products from the two programs upon the achievement of certain development, regulatory and sales milestones.

The IFM-BMS deal was selected from more than 4,000 life-science transactions. A total of five "Deal of the Year" nominees were announced in January based on their use of novel technology, innovation in creative deal structures, and addressing unmet medical needs. Other finalists included the Johnson & Johnson acquisition of Actelion, which was valued at $30 billion USD, Merck's purchase of Rigontec, and Gilead's acquisition of Kite Pharmaceuticals.

"A comprehensive body of preclinical data suggest that IFM's NLRP3 and STING agonists may provide a significant benefit to patients, particularly those not served by currently available immunotherapeutics," said Gary Glick, CEO and co-founder of IFM. "Based on Bristol-Myers Squibb's deep expertise and leadership positions in immunology, oncology, and immuno-oncology, they are uniquely positioned to accelerate these programs and maximize their potential."

"We are proud that the IFM Therapeutics-Bristol-Myers Squibb agreement has been awarded Clarivate's 'Deal of the Year'," added Martin Seidel, executive vice president of R&D at IFM. "Being mentioned alongside other blockbuster deals is a testament to our team's strong preclinical R&D programs built on our research leadership in innate immunity. We look forward to watching BMS as it moves the STING and NLRP3 agonist programs forward into the clinic, while at IFM we explore modulating these pathways to treat chronic inflammation and autoimmune disorders."

The analysis was drawn from the Cortellis suite of solutions from Clarivate Analytics. Clarivate examined licensing partnerships and merger & acquisition deals in 2017 to determine the nominations. The nominations were put to a public vote by industry professionals to identify the most influential deal of 2017.

About IFM Therapeutics, LLC

IFM Therapeutics, LLC is a privately held biopharmaceutical company based in Boston, Massachusetts. The company was founded by an international group of preeminent scientists and physicians who have spent decades understanding innate immunity and the role it plays in regulating the immune system. IFM's team has discovered and developed small molecules that modulate novel targets in the innate immune system as next-generation therapies for cancer, autoimmunity, and inflammatory disorders. For more information, please visit www.ifmthera.com.

SOURCE IFM Therapeutics

Related Links

http://www.ifmthera.com


According to the new market research report "Infrared Imaging Market by Technology (Cooled Infrared Imaging and Uncooled Infrared Imaging), Wavelength (Near Infrared, Shortwave Infrared, Mid-wave Infrared, and Long-wave Infrared), Application, Vertical, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023" , published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to grow from USD 5.16 Billion in 2018 to USD 7.30 Billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 7.18% between 2018 and 2023. The growth of this market can be attributed to the high demand for infrared imaging products from the military and defense sector, primarily for security and surveillance application.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )

Browse 64 Tables and 38 Figures spread through 153 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Infrared Imaging Market - Global Forecast to 2023"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/infrared-IR-sensing-imaging-market-593.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report



Uncooled infrared imaging segment held larger share of infrared imaging market in 2017

On the basis of technologies, the uncooled infrared imaging segment leads the infrared imaging market. The cost of uncooled infrared imaging cameras is generally lower than that of cooled infrared imaging cameras. This is one of the major reasons for the high demand for uncooled infrared imaging cameras.

Security and surveillance application to dominate infrared imaging market during forecast period

On the basis of applications, security and surveillance is currently leading the market. It will continue to dominate the market during the forecast period. The ability of infrared imaging products to enhance visibility even in restricted visibility conditions, such as complete darkness and bad weather conditions, has led to their wide adoption for the security and surveillance application.

Download PDF Brochure : https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=593

Market for nonindustrial vertical to grow at higher CAGR during forecast period

On the basis of verticals, the market for nonindustrial vertical is expected to witness higher growth during the forecast period. Military and defense, and civil infrastructure are the 2 major segments within the nonindustrial vertical that generate the highest demand for infrared imaging products and are driving the growth of this segment.

North America held largest share of infrared imaging market in 2017

North America held the largest share of the infrared imaging market in 2017. The US accounted for the largest share of the infrared imaging market in North America, followed by Canada and Mexico. The US Army is one of the major users of infrared imaging products, contributing to the leading position of North America in the infrared imaging market.

Some of the players operating in the infrared imaging market include FLIR Systems (US), Fluke (US), Sensors Unlimited (US), Leonardo DRS (US), Princeton Infrared Technologies (US), L3 Technologies (US), Axis Communications (Sweden), Xenics (Belgium), Opgal Optronic Industries (Israel), New Imaging Technologies (France), Sofradir (France), C-Thermal (Austria), Tonbo Imaging (India), Raptor Photonics (UK), and Episensors (US).

Know more about the Infrared Imaging Market : https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/infrared-IR-sensing-imaging-market-593.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Salgarkar

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: [email protected]



Visit Our [email protected] http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/electronics-and-semiconductors

Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
The high-flying Kenyan rapper King Kaka has crossed over to neighbouring Tanzania for his latest single. He has teamed up with Barnaba Classic to release Radhi.

Radhi is a slow love ballad produced by Barnaba himself and Mixed & Mastered By BBSound. King Kakas was recorded by Jack Jack On The Beat at Kaka Empire Studios.

The video is directed by Joowzey.

Watch the music video for Radhi below.
DUBLIN, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The global automotive and technology industries will assemble in Killarney, Ireland, this May for Electronomous, the annual forum for topics including electric vehicles, connected car technology, autonomous vehicles, and more.

The international event  with an Irish flavor  will discuss how technology is changing all aspects of the automotive world including the rapid development of mobility solutions, as well as other key industry processes such as insurance, finance and sales.

Delegates from around the world including the U.S. are expected to attend, thanks mainly to a panel of globally-renowned speakers, including Marcus Rothoff, Head of Volvo's Autonomous Driving programme; Dr Pim van der Jagt, Managing Director of the Ford Research Center (Aachen); Uwe Puetzschler, Head of Car2X at Nokia; Barry Napier, CEO of Cubic Telecom; and Gareth Dunsmore, Electric Vehicle Director with Nissan Europe.

The event, which is organized by vehicle history and data experts Cartell.ie, will be hosted by Quentin Wilson, the award-winning UK motoring journalist and former BBC 'Top Gear' presenter.

According to Jeff Aherne, Director of Cartell.ie: "Technology is disrupting all aspects of the motor industry. Electric is replacing combustion and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are paving the way to Autonomy. This is an opportunity for all those with an interest in the space to understand what is coming."

Commenting on the event, Quentin Wilson said: "Electronomous is a major future transport event with industry-leading speakers, experts and fascinating debates. If you're interested in the new era of personal mobility  it's unmissable."

Some of the confirmed attendees for Electronomous 2018 include Volkswagen, IBM, Toyota, BMW, Honda, Applegreen, Valeo, TomTom, Audatex, the European Council for Automotive R&D (EUCAR) and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The event will begin with a high-profile 'Electric Drive' from Dublin to Killarney on the afternoon of May 2, with Irish TV and motoring journalist Kirsteen O'Sullivan leading a fleet of electric vehicles on a 300km road trip.

Electronomous 2018 takes place at the INEC, Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland on May 2-3, 2018.

Tickets are available from www.electronomous.com

SOURCE Electronomous

Related Links

http://www.electronomous.com


NEW YORK, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Intersolar and ees North America 2018, the premier solar and energy storage events in North America, today announced the full conference program schedule for the sister conference, Intersolar and ees Summit USA East, taking place April 4 in New York City. The one-day event, now in its sixth year, will feature a speaker line-up of the industry's best and brightest, including David Sandbank of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Jigar Shah of Generate Capital. With its strong regional focus, the must-attend conference features two educational tracks and will discuss upcoming trends within the solar, energy storage and smart energy industries.

"The Intersolar and ees Summit USA East has become a must-attend event for regional and international solar stakeholders looking to capitalize on the growing market opportunity on the United States' East Coast," said Jigar Shah, president and co-founder of Generate Capital. "It gives attendees an unparalleled opportunity to learn from in-depth, insightful presentations on market policy, business climate, financing tools, and other topics integral to the industry."

Intersolar and ees Summit USA East connects solar and energy storage innovators from across the East Coast and provides a unique platform that nurtures industry growth in the heart of one of the country's leading clean energy markets. More than 400 solar and energy storage professionals will gather at this year's event at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan in New York. Featuring premier networking sessions and social events that foster long-lasting business relationships, the event provides a key platform for executives to connect in-person.

The state of New York has been a beacon for the clean energy economy, contributing 146,000 workers into the sector. Governor Cuomo recently announced that the state's solar industry has increased by over 1000 percent over a six-year period. Under his leadership, the state has launched the Clean Energy Standard, targeting 50 percent of all electricity to be generated by renewables by 2030. It also released the Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy as a framework to build a clean, resilient and affordable energy system.

This year's plenary session is titled "What's Next for Solar & Energy Storage in the U.S.? Synergizing Perspectives of Policy Makers, Opinion Leaders & Key Industry Players." During the panel, renewable energy leaders including David Sandbank, NY-Sun director, NYSERDA; Michael Eckhart, managing director, global head of environmental finance, corporate and investment banking, Citigroup, Inc.; and David Pringle, environmental advocate, will discuss the impact of the political climate on the clean energy sector and discuss ways in which the industry can continue to flourish.

Following the plenary discussion, Intersolar and ees Summit USA East will break into separate solar and energy storage conference tracks, providing attendees with access to comprehensive, detailed discussions with experts that are tailored to each respective industry.

"We are incredibly proud to host Intersolar and ees Summit USA East this year. Every year, our event reflects the changing market landscape and the industry's progress," said Florian Wessendorf, managing director of Solar Promotion International GmbH. "Full of industry leaders and influencers, the summit features unparalleled educational opportunities for our attendees who are looking to maintain momentum in 2018."

Registration is open now for all interested parties. Loyal attendees of Intersolar and ees North America Conference and the Intersolar and ees USA Summit East can contact organizers for a 10 percent discount code for a limited time.

About Intersolar and ees Summit USA East (April 4, 2018, New York, NY)

Organizers: The Solar Promotion International GmbH and the Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbH are the organizers of the event.

Sponsors & Supporters: The Intersolar and ees Summit USA East 2018 is officially supported by the New York State and the New York State Senate. Diamond Sponsor is the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Board (NYERDA). Strategic partner is EuPD Research. The Summit is also supported by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA), the California German American Business Association (GABA), GreenCity Freiburg, IBESA International Alliance, Joint Forces for Solar, Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Industries Association (MSEIA), NAATBatt International, North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), New Jersey PACE (NJPACE), New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA), SolarConnecticut, SolarPower Europe, Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association (TenneSEIA) and Texas Renewable Energy Industry Alliance (TREIA).

About Intersolar North America (July 10  12, 2018, San Francisco)

Since 2008, Intersolar North America has served as the industry's go-to source for invaluable information and premier networking opportunities that move the North American market forward. Co-located with ees North America, Intersolar North America's exhibition and conference sit at the cross-section of solar technology, energy storage, and smart transportation. The event takes place annually in San Francisco, California, the heart of energy innovation, and is co-located with SEMICON West.

More than 530 exhibitors and 15,000 visitors from over 80 countries participated in Intersolar North America 2017. The conference and exhibition program featured 40 sessions and educational workshops with more than 200 speakers.

Intersolar North America is organized by Solar Promotion International GmbH, Pforzheim and Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbH (FMMI). For more information on Intersolar North America, please visit: http://www.intersolar.us

Intersolar Global is the world's leading exhibition series dedicated to the future of clean energy. With more than 25 years of experience, Intersolar has the unique ability to bring together members of the energy industry from across the world's most influential markets and supply chains. Intersolar exhibitions and conferences are held annually in Munich, San Francisco, Mumbai, Sao Paulo, and Dubai. These global events are complemented by the Intersolar Summits, which take place in emerging and growing markets worldwide.

For more information on Intersolar Global, please visit: http://www.intersolarglobal.com

Intersolar and ees USA Summit East Contact

Barbara Pilz | Tel: +49 7231 58598-214 | [email protected]

Press Contact

ANTENNA GROUP | 540 Howard Street | San Francisco, CA 94105-8110

Katy Poniatowski | Tel: +1 415-977-1922 | [email protected]

SOURCE Intersolar North America

Related Links

http://www.intersolar.us


Japan Week is a free event that is open to the public. The event features eighteen exhibits showcasing Japanese travel, food, culture and more. This year's featured attraction includes seven works of 3D Trick Art. An artistic trend in Japan, Trick art is a large-scale interactive work of art that seemingly adds a third dimension, creating the illusion that the depicted objects really exist. Visitors to Japan Week will be encouraged to "step into" each work of 3D Trick Art and take the ultimate selfie. Ultimate selfie opportunities can be found at this year's event's entrance where a huge 3D Trick Art of Hiroshima's Itsukushima Shrine is placed. A further 6 3D Trick Art panels of various Japanese summer festivals and Sumo wrestlers can also be found within the event hall.

Visitors to Japan Week can receive free Japanese tourism materials and expert travel tips while experiencing the arts, merchandise and culture of Japan.

Japan Week 2018 Photo Contest

This year for Japan Week 2018, we will be conducting a photo contest in which visitors can participate by posting their 3D Trick Art photos on their Instagram with the hashtag #JapanWeekNYC2018. Participants can enter for a chance to win exciting Japanese merchandise provided by our exhibitors and sponsors.

JAPAN WEEK SCHEDULE

Wednesday, March 14th, 2018 to Saturday, March 17th, 2018

Sneak Preview Event for Media & Opening Ceremony on March 14th from 2pm to 3pm

March 14th: 3pm  8pm

March 15th: 9am  7pm

March 16th: 9am  7pm

March 17th: 9am  5pm

Website: www.japanweek.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JapanWeekNY

Twitter: www.twitter.com/JapanWeekNY

Instagram: @japanweek

Official Hashtag: #JapanWeekNYC

Photo Contest Hashtag: #JapanWeekNYC2018

About Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)

As the official tourism board of Japan, JNTO is involved in a wide range of promotional activities to encourage international travelers to visit Japan.

For more information, visit us on our Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Media Contact:

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) New York Office

[email protected]

SOURCE Japan National Tourism Organization

Related Links

http://www.us.jnto.go.jp/top/index.php


CINCINNATI, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced that Mike Schlotman, Kroger's executive vice president and CFO, will address investors at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2018 Consumer & Retail Technology Conference at 10:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday, March 13, 2018.

The presentation will broadcast online at ir.kroger.com. Click on "Events, Presentations & Webcasts" to access the event. The presentation will be available in an archived format for one week following the conference.

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit. We are nearly half a million associates who serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.

Related Links

http://www.kroger.com


NEW YORK, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05343295







Such kind of labels provide general information regarding the product. Labels contribute to the packaging of food and consumer goods by their functional characteristics that include identification of the product, providing information regarding the ingredients, warning notices and cautionary notifications, etc. In addition, due to the aesthetic nature of labels, they are also major contributors in brand promotion.



Due to the tremendous growth of the retail sector especially in the emerging markets, several retail industry formats have emerged that sell a large number of products in bulk quantities. There is a need for differentiation of products that are available in retail stores and this has compelled manufacturers of labels to provide labels of high quality that cater to the packaging specifications of clients who are in the food and retail sectors.



Such kind of labels can be applied on various substrates such as paper, glass, plastics, etc. that are used for packaging purposes. Also, the high quality visual properties of labels enhance the brand value of the particular product.



Future Market Insights has put together a comprehensive report on the global labels market that covers each and every aspect of this market in detail. This report on global labels market delves into various aspects such as drivers, restraints, trends, opportunities that influence the growth of this market.



Growth of the labels market is assessed across the six regions of North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). The important aspects of the market including historical analysis from the period 2012 to 2016 and the projected values of the global labels market for the period starting from 2017 till the year 2026 have been covered.



As per the assessment of Future Market Insights, the global labels market is projected to register a moderate CAGR. In the year 2017, the global labels market is estimated to be valued at nearly US$ 40,800 Mn and is projected to reach a value of nearly US$ 59,500 Mn by the end of the year 2026.



Food segment to assert its dominance in the end use category of the global labels market

The food segment in the end-use category is anticipated to witness a moderate growth rate and register a CAGR of 4.3% through the period of assessment. This is a highly attractive segment in the end-use category. At the end of the period of assessment in the year 2026, the food segment is likely to exhibit a higher market share and is estimated to reach a value of nearly US$ 24,300 Mn, and thereby assert its dominance in the end-use sector of the global labels market.



Beverage segment to trail the food segment in the end use category of the global labels market

The beverage segment is trailing the food segment in the end use category, and is projected to register a CAGR of 4.0% during the period of assessment. The beverage segment is anticipated to be valued at nearly US$ 10,200 Mn in the year 2017 and is projected to reach a valuation of nearly US$ 14,500 Mn at the end of the period of assessment in the year 2026.



Competitive Landscape

The report on the global labels market includes the profiles of leading players operating in this market such as Avery Dennison Corporation, Lintec Corporation, Bemis Company, Inc., UPM Raflatac, 3M Company, CCL Industries, Inc., WS Packaging Group, Inc., Herma Gmbh, Fuji Seal International, Inc. and Brady Worldwide, Inc.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05343295



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com


SAN DANIELE DEL FRIULI, Italy, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

LimaCorporate is proud to announce that the SMR Shoulder System has recently been awarded by the Orthopaedic Data Evaluation Panel (ODEP) in the UK, with the following two ratings (ODEP ratings can be found on odep.org.uk):

10A ODEP Rating - SMR Reverse with Uncemented Fixation (Metal Glenosphere / Polyethylene Liner Combination);

5A ODEP Rating - SMR Reverse HP with Uncemented Fixation (Polyethylene Glenosphere / Metal Liner Combination).

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/637371/Lima_Corporate_Logo.jpg )



The Orthopaedic Data Evaluation Panel (ODEP) was set up in the United Kingdom in 2002 and provides ongoing assessment of arthroplasty implants to benchmark Hip, Knee and Shoulder implants, providing a standard rating for their survivorship and data submission quality.

Shoulder ratings are provided at benchmarks of 3, 5, 7 and 10 years of follow-up alongside a 'A' or 'B' rating dependent upon the strength of evidence and the quality of the data provided. The main criteria are the survivorship of the implants, the number of patients and the length of follow-up. Many countries outside the United Kingdom now use these ratings to assist in their approval of products into the market place. ODEP ratings provide a simple, independently verified assessment of the performance of an implant, assessed against Clinical best practice guidelines.

LimaCorporate is proud to remark that the SMR Reverse (Uncemented with Metal Glenosphere) was awarded an ODEP 10A rating in 2017 and it is currently the only Shoulder replacement system to be awarded with a 10A benchmark. This achievement, together with the celebration of its 15th Anniversary last year, is a further evidence of the outstanding Clinical heritage of the SMR System. The SMR System was the first Shoulder modular platform to be launched on the market in 2002, and it has since then encountered the appreciation of a wide number of surgeons world-wide.

"I am very happy for the high ODEP rating for the SMR Reverse and HP implants, it matches perfectly with my surgical experience and the satisfaction of my patients," said Dr. Alessandro Castagna.

To reinforce the strong position held by the SMR System, during the second half of 2018, the SMR TT Hybrid Glenoid will be launched in the US. The SMR TT Hybrid Glenoid features LimaCorporate's core 3D printed technology, Trabecular Titanium, offering to surgeons an innovative solution for Glenoid replacement. Thanks to its modularity, the SMR TT Hybrid Glenoid is the first convertible Hybrid Glenoid implant on the market that allows to convert from anatomic to reverse implant design without the need to remove the TT centralpeg. The SMR TT Hybrid Glenoid offers an optimized range of sizes, mismatch and thicknesses options to allow an appropriate soft tissues management.

"The achievement of the ODEP 10A rating for the SMR Reverse is yet another recognition for our remarkable technology. On behalf of all of LimaCorporate, I would like to thank the surgeon community that believed in the SMR System from the beginning", said Luigi Ferrari, Chief Executive Officer of LimaCorporate.

About LimaCorporate

LimaCorporate is a global medical device company providing reconstructive and custom-made Orthopaedic solutions to slurgeons who face the challenges of improving the quality of life of their patients. Based in Italy, LimaCorporate is committed to the development of innovative products and procedures to enable surgeons to select ideal solution for every individual patient. LimaCorporate's product range includes large joint revision and primary implants and complete extremities solutions including fixation.

For additional information on the Company, please visit: limacorporate.com

Limacorporate S.p.A.

Via Nazionale, 52

33038 Villanova di San Daniele del Friuli

Udine - Italy

T: +39-0432-945511

E: [email protected]

SOURCE Limacorporate S.p.A
In a blending of cultures East and West, symbolism for resurrection and good will, and recognition of disaster and a contribution for recovery, a new rose wine released this month virtually wraps its wings around all that with a pledge of proceeds to be donated to fire relief efforts.

It is called Hi no Tori rose, which translates in Japanese to bird of fire, with a label and a product inside that tell its story.

The new owners of The Pink Mansion on Foothill Boulevard who moved into Meadowbrook Farm in Oak Knoll last year, had no intention of going into the wine business when they fell in love with the Oak Knoll property. It had an English cottage-style home that they adore. Their intent was not to enter the wine industry as producers, but continue to sell grapes to premium Napa Valley producers, but when the October wildfires hit, things changed.

It was a beautiful property that just happened to have 17 acres of cabernet sauvignon. It was just supposed to be our home for the Napa Valley and the original intention was just to enjoy the property, perhaps make small batches of wine for family or friends and continue selling our cabernet sauvignon grapes to prominent wineries in Napa Valley, said Peter Chiang, whose family purchased The Pink Mansion bed and breakfast last year and moved into their Meadowbrook Farm home in late June, 2017.
DENVER, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The assembly, test and launch operations (ATLO) team at Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) has started production of a new commercial satellite, JCSAT-17, that will deliver flexible, high-bandwidth communications to users in Japan and the surrounding region. The JCSAT-17 satellite, manufactured for the SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (SJC), has entered the assembly and test cycle after completing a rigorous design and engineering phase.

Lockheed Martin technicians begin assembly on the JCSAT-17 commercial communications satellite in a clean room near Denver.

Atsushi Mamiya, JCSAT-17 project manager at SJC said, "Lockheed Martin has done a great job so far. SJC maintains good cooperation with Lockheed Martin and the whole team as they work toward the successful and scheduled launch of this excellent satellite."

Built on Lockheed Martin's new advanced LM2100 bus, the satellite's payload incorporates S-band transponders with a flexible processor along with 18m mesh reflector, enabling assured communications continuity during disaster relief efforts and other high-volume events. It will also carry C- band and Ku-band.

"JCSAT-17's cutting-edge flexible payload processor means that SJC can move bandwidth where it's needed, when it's needed, ensuring that this satellite stays agile, ready and relevant for years to come," said Sam Basuthakur, Lockheed Martin JCSAT-17 program manager. "This is the third modernized and first Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) built on the new LM2100 platform, scheduled for launch in 2019 on Ariane-5. Both Lockheed Martin and SJC are excited to start assembly and integration of this innovative spacecraft employing LM2100 best practices and streamlined ATLO process, which will provide critical MSS communications to SJC and to the people of Japan."

A critical stage in the program, ATLO begins with the satellite's assembly, then moves through the environmental testing and concludes with its launch. Over the next nine months, the ATLO team will integrate subsystem equipment onto the satellite structure, including power, attitude control, propulsion, thermal control, telemetry tracking and control, mechanisms, RF payload and antennas,

JCSAT-17 is the eighth satellite built by Lockheed Martin for SJC, beginning with NSAT-110, JCSAT-9 through JCSAT-13 and JCSAT-110R.

For additional information, visit: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/commercialspace and http://www.jsat.net/en/

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin

Related Links

http://www.lockheedmartin.com


OTTAWA, Ontario, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) Canada has signed a formal contract with the New Zealand government for ship installation and trials to complete the upgrade and modernization of the ANZAC class frigates. The first of two frigates, Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship (HMNZS) TE KAHA arrived in Victoria yesterday.

Lockheed Martin Canada is responsible for designing and supplying the upgraded combat system for each ANZAC Class Frigate, including a new combat management system  based on Lockheed Martin Canada's Combat Management System 330  along with the supply and integration of various sensors, a missile system and a Combat Systems Trainer. Lockheed Martin Canada has entered into a subcontractual agreement with Seaspan Victoria Shipyards Co. Ltd in Victoria, BC, to install the new systems on the ship platforms.

"We are very happy to continue our relationship with the Royal New Zealand Navy," said Acting Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Canada RMS, Gary Fudge. "The New Zealand ANZAC Frigate Systems Upgrade marked our official entrance onto the international market as a combat systems integrator in 2014. Our continued partnership with the Navy is something we are very proud of," added Fudge.

"Our partnership with Canadian shipyards on the Halifax Class Modernization program and the confidence that Canada placed in those shipyards on the National Shipbuilding Strategy program led directly to our ability to contract the ANZAC refit work to Seaspan," stated Fudge.

Today, Lockheed Martin Canada is the Combat Systems Integrator (CSI) for four major active programs across three countries, including New Zealand's frigate upgrade project, the Chilean Navy's Type 23 modernization, Canada's Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship, and the lead program which saw the initial development of the CMS 330, the Halifax Class Modernization program.

"The modernization and upgrades of ANZAC class frigates are critically important to the Royal New Zealand Navy," said Vice President of International Naval Systems Programs Kevin Arthurs. "These upgrades will provide the ships with a greater degree of survivability through a faster decision-making process and a more appropriate response to a variety of threats," added Arthurs.

Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship (HMNZS) TE KAHA arrived in Canada yesterday and HMNZS TE MANA is scheduled to arrive in 2019. Under Lockheed Martin Canada supervision and direction, Seaspan Shipyards will refit and install the new systems with an expected completion date of 2020 for the entire contract. The second frigate, HMNZS TE MANA, is scheduled to arrive in 2019.

For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.ca.

About Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin Canada, headquartered in Ottawa, is the Canadian-based arm of Lockheed Martin Corporation, a global security and aerospace company employing 100,000 people worldwide. Lockheed Martin Canada has been Canada's trusted defence partner for nearly 80 years specializing in the development, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The company employs approximately 980 employees at major facilities in Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Calgary, and Victoria, working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence and commercial sectors.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin

Related Links

http://www.lockheedmartin.com


SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Manufacturing Leadership Council's Board of Governors announces the election of two new senior-level roles. The goal is to strengthen the Council's expansion strategy and support the development of its innovative portfolio of member programs and services dedicated to driving transformational growth for the world's manufacturing companies.

The newly elected Board roles are:

ML Board Chair: John Fleming , Former Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Labor affairs at Ford Motor Company.

Former Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Labor affairs at Ford Motor Company. ML Board Vice-Chair: Michael D. Packer , Director of Manufacturing, Advanced Production Programs at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.

"I am honored to be able to serve in this new role with a Board of Manufacturing experts with deep knowledge and experience. I look forward to seeing the Manufacturing Leadership Council continue to grow as we search for new opportunities to increase the value for all of our current and future members," said Manufacturing Leadership Board Chair, John Fleming.

Manufacturing Leadership Board Vice-Chair, Mike Packer also noted what a privilege it will be to serve in this newly established role. "I look forward to working with John, the Board of Governors, the Manufacturing Leadership staff, and the Manufacturing Leadership Council members as we position the organization for sustainable growth and value," said Packer.

As part of their new roles, the ML Chair and Vice-Chair will work with other ML Board members and the ML executive team to help direct the Council's 5-year Strategic Plan, refine and improve ML member programs, officiate at Board and Council member meetings, and act as the public face of the ML Council in announcements and press releases.

"The establishment of these positions underscores the Council's dedication and commitment to being truly member-driven," said David R. Brousell, co-founder of the Manufacturing Leadership Council. "The wealth of experience and knowledge of manufacturing and all that affects it that both John and Mike bring to their new roles will enable the Council to identify the value drivers that will make the Council even more successful in the years ahead."

Celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year, Frost & Sullivan's Manufacturing Leadership Council is the world's foremost executive leadership organization with around 1,000 senior executive members representing multiple sectors of the global manufacturing industry.

John Fleming is former Executive Vice President for Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs at Ford Motor Company. Previous assignments also included Chairman and CEO of Ford of Europe and Chairman of Volvo Cars. He joined Ford as an apprentice in 1967 in the UK and retired after 48 years of service in 2015. Since then he has worked as a senior-level industry consultant around the world. Current roles include Senior Advisor to Changan Automobile Group in China and Beet Analytics Technology in Michigan. He is also a Board member of Republic Airways in the U.S. Fleming joined the Manufacturing Leadership Council in January 2012 and was appointed to the Manufacturing Leadership Board of Governors in November that year. He holds an Honorary Fellowship from the John Moores University in Liverpool, U.K., and production engineering qualifications from North East London Polytechnic.

Michael (Mike) D. Packer is Director of Manufacturing, Advanced Production Programs, at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. Previous roles include Vice President, Manufacturing Strategy and Technical Integration for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. He has been a member of the Manufacturing Leadership Council since its inception and was appointed as a founding member of the Manufacturing Leadership Board of Governors in 2010. Packer also serves as Board member and Treasurer of SME, Board Chair of the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), and Board member and Treasurer of the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC). He is a Fellow of SME and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Packer holds a Bachelor's degree in industrial technology from Eastern Michigan University, an M.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, and completed the University of Michigan's Manufacturing Executive Program.

(Photos available on request)

About the Manufacturing Leadership Council

Established in 2008, the Manufacturing Leadership Council's mission is to inspire and support manufacturing executives to achieve transformational growth for themselves, their companies, and the industry at large through enlightened leadership. With around 1,000 senior-level members from many of the world's leading manufacturing companies, the Council focuses on the intersection of advanced technologies and the business, identifying growth and improvement opportunities in the operation, organization and leadership of manufacturing enterprises as they pursue their journeys to Manufacturing 4.0. In support of its mission, the Council produces an extensive portfolio of thought-leading content, networking events, research, industry awards, and professional development products, programs, and services for its members.

The Manufacturing Leadership Board of Governors

The Manufacturing Leadership Council's Board of Governors comprises 19 senior executives and industry experts from leading manufacturing companies, academic institutions, and research organizations around the world, including Lockheed Martin, Procter & Gamble, Ford Motor Company, Dow Chemical, Merck, Cisco Systems, Germany's SmartFactory Technology Initiative, Lexmark International, Proto Labs, Premio Foods, Virtex Enterprises, S&S Hinge, Graphicast, MIT, UCLA, the University of Cincinnati, the University of New Hampshire, the University of Cambridge's Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) in the UK, and Frost & Sullivan.

For more information and MLC membership details, please visit www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Contact:

Jaylon Brinkley

Corporate Communications  North America

P: (210) 247.2481

F: (210) 348.1003

E: [email protected]

www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

Related Links

https://www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com


DARMSTADT, Germany, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Primary endpoint met for evobrutinib (Bruton ' s Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor - BTK) in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS)

First proof of concept for BTK inhibitor in MS

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, today announced positive results from its Phase IIb study of evobrutinib (Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor - BTK) in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). The study has met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that evobrutinib resulted in a clinically meaningful reduction of gadolinium enhancing T1 lesions measured at weeks 12, 16, 20 and 24 in comparison to patients receiving placebo.

"We are encouraged by these early positive results of evobrutinib in relapsing MS," said Luciano Rossetti, Head of Global Research & Development at the Biopharma business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. "The trial will continue so as to further inform our clinical development strategy for evobrutinib in MS."

Details of this clinical study can be found on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Evobrutinib, discovered by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is also in Phase IIb studies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

About evobrutinib

Evobrutinib (M2951) is in clinical development to investigate its potential as a treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It is an oral, highly selective inhibitor of Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) which is important in the development and functioning of various immune cells including B lymphocytes and macrophages. Evobrutinib is designed to inhibit primary B cell responses such as proliferation and antibody and cytokine release, without directly affecting T cells. BTK inhibition is thought to suppress autoantibody-producing cells, which preclinical research suggests may be therapeutically useful in certain autoimmune diseases. Evobrutinib is currently under clinical investigation and not approved for any use anywhere in the world.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, in Immunology

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has a long-standing legacy in immunology, with significant R&D and commercial experience in multiple sclerosis. Our robust immunology pipeline focuses on discovering new therapies that have the potential to modulate key pathogenic mechanisms in chronic diseases such as MS, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and forms of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA).

All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the EMD Group Website. In case you are a resident of the USA or Canada please go to http://www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.

About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life - from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2016, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of  15.0 billion in 66 countries.

Founded in 1668, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, holds the global rights to the "Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany" name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.

Your Contacts

Friederike Segeberg +49-6151-72-6328

Investor Relations +49-6151-72-3321

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/384917/merck_kgaa_Logo.jpg )

SOURCE Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
READING, Pa., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Metropolitan Edison Company (Met-Ed) crews repaired two high-voltage power lines overnight, restoring power to more than 7,000 customers in the Bushkill and Shawnee areas of its eastern Pennsylvania service territory.

About 238,000 customers lost power following last week's storm. Approximately 19,400 customers remain out of service, primarily in the Stroudsburg, Dingmans Ferry and Easton areas of Monroe, Pike and Northampton counties. Crews continue to work towards completing restoration in the hardest-hit areas by late Wednesday night, though additional heavy, wet snow may slow those efforts.

"We are working in the snow today as long as it is safe to do so, and customers who have been without power the longest remain our top priority," said Ed Shuttleworth, regional president of Met-Ed. "Once the storm has passed, we are committed to keeping all personnel in place and will work around the clock until every customer has been restored."

The Governor of Pennsylvania has declared a State of Emergency for several counties in the eastern portion of the state. Additional crews arrived in the area yesterday, bringing the total personnel responding to both storms to nearly 900. This robust response team will address any new outages based on a priority system that deals with the largest outages first, but remains focused on restoring customers who have been without power since last week.

As part of its storm restoration process, Met-Ed has taken the following steps:

Ramped up storm updates on social media and on the company website. Follow Met-Ed on Twitter @Met Ed and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MetEdElectric

Aired radio ads telling customers how to prepare for storms

Initiated update calls with officials

Communicated with emergency management officials, state officials, regulators, and local officials about storm restoration efforts

Staffed additional dispatchers and analysts at regional dispatch offices

Met-Ed also is offering free water and ice to customers remaining out of service. Customers can pick up water and ice at the following locations:

Giant Food Store, 3560 Route 611, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Giant Food Store, 837 Male Road, Windgap, Pa.

Giant Food Store, 859 Nazareth Pike, Nazareth, Pa.

Dingmans Volunteer Fire Department, 680 Log Tavern Road, Milford, Pa.

Bushkill Volunteer Fire Department, 123 Evergreen Drive, Bushkill, Pa.

Met-Ed reminds customers to immediately report downed wires to their utility at 888-LIGHTSS (888-544-4877), or to their local police or fire department. Customers should never go near a downed wire even if they think it is no longer carrying electricity. Extra caution should be used in areas where downed lines are tangled in trees or other debris.

Met-Ed, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), serves approximately 560,000 customers in 15 Pennsylvania counties. Follow Met-Ed on Twitter @Met Ed and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MetEdElectric.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Visit FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and follow on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

Editor's Note: Photos of crews repairing storm damage are available for download on Flickr.





SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

Related Links

http://www.firstenergycorp.com


SAN DIEGO, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Metacrine, Inc., an innovative biotechnology company focused on drug development, today announced that Ken Song, MD, President and CEO, will participate in two upcoming investor conferences.

Dr. Song will give a corporate presentation and participate in a NASH panel discussion at the 30th Annual ROTH Conference taking place at the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point, CA. The corporate presentation will take place Monday, March 12, 2018 at 3:30 p.m. Pacific in Green Salon-3. The panel presentation "Not All Fruits are the Same, But What About FXR Agonists?" will take place earlier that same day at 10 a.m. Pacific in Green Salon-3. The presentation is part of a two-day panel program on the latest topics and developments in NASH/PBC drug development.

Dr. Song will also give a corporate presentation at the H.C. Wainwright & Co. Second Annual NASH Investor Conference taking place at the St. Regis Hotel in New York. The presentation will take place Monday, March 19, 2018 at 4:40 p.m. Eastern.

About Metacrine

Metacrine is a privately held biotechnology company headquartered in San Diego, CA. The company is focused on efficiently developing innovative drugs that materially benefit patients with metabolic disease. For more information, visit www.metacrine.com.

Contact:

Julie Rathbun

[email protected]

206.769.9219

SOURCE Metacrine, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.metacrine.com


ALBANY, New York, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The global monocyte activation tests market was valued at approximately US$ 5.0 Mn in 2016 is projected to register cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 14.0% from 2017 to 2025, according to a new report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled "Monocyte Activation Tests Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2017-2025". The report suggests that proposed ban on animal tests is to boost the demand of monocyte activation tests in the coming years (2017 to 2025). The North America and Europe are projected to dominate the global monocyte activation tests market in the coming years owing to increase in manufacturer focus for business expansion in these regions. Key players domiciled in the region, increase in research and development activities, and new drug approvals are the major factors attributed to the dominance of these region. The Asia Pacific monocyte activation tests market is expected to witness CAGR of over 16.0% from 2017 to 2025.

Get PDF Brochure for Research Insights at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=36041

Reagents Dominates the Monocyte Activation Tests Market

The report offers detailed segmentation of global monocyte activation tests market based on product type, source, application and end user. Among the product segment, reagents segment is poised to account for leading share of the global market during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025. Factors attributed to the higher share of the reagent segment in the global market include frequent replacements leading to increasing usage of reagents when compared to test kits. Monocyte activation tests kits segment is likely to register comparatively higher growth rate in terms of value in the global monocyte activation tests (MAT) market during the forecast period owing to continuous innovations in the product technologies by major market players.

Cell line based source likely to gain market share

In terms of source, the monocyte activation tests market has been segmented into blood based, peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) based and cell line based. Blood based segment accounted for the largest market share in 2016. Blood-based MAT exhibits a natural human reaction to pyrogens and provides a better estimate of pyrogenic activity of preparations than the limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) or rabbit pyrogen test (RPT). The MAT kit with a cell line is able to detect all human pyrogens and has an advantage of stability of the assay based on a cell line. Also, it does not depend on the blood donor.

Request a Custom Report at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=CR&rep_id=36041

Medical Devices & Lipid Parenteral: Top Two Application Areas of Monocyte Activation Tests

By application, the monocyte activation tests market has been further classified into lipid parenteral, dialysis liquids, toxic/immune-modulatory drugs, blood products and medical devices. Medical devices segment accounted the largest market share in 2016 due to the increasing number of medical devices in market demands for the pyrogen test before approval in the market. Additionally, lipid parenteral products include vitamins, steroids, and hormones, many of which are applied intramuscularly using a lipidic carrier. These products are required to be tested for pyrogen before launch in the market. This is a key factor driving the segment. Toxic/immune-modulatory drugs is likely to expand at CAGR more than 15.0% from 2017 to 2025.

Pharmaceuticals Industry is Promising End User for the Monocyte Activation Tests Market

In terms of end-user, the monocyte activation tests market is segmented into pharmaceuticals industry, biotechnology industry, medical devices industry and others. Pharmaceutical industry segment accounted for the major share in 2016 accounting for a share of more than 30.0% in terms of revenue, while biotechnology industry is anticipated to grow at higher CAGR during the forecast period due to the increasing demand of pyrogen testing by biotechnology companies to determine the presence of bacterial toxins in the process. Moreover, pyrogen testing has been introduced into medical devices, implants, purification of water, and food & beverage industries. These increased application areas are increasing demand for MAT products.

Request For Discount On This Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=36041

Asia Pacific Region is Expected to Grow with the Highest Rate During the Forecast Period.

North America region is expected to witness the highest share in 2016 and is anticipated to grow by a significant growth rate during the forecast period. Key players domiciled in the region, increase in research and development activities, and new drug approvals are the major factors attributed to the dominance of the region. In North America market U.S. is projected to dominate the market. Europe region is anticipated to grow by an impressive rate during the forecast period. Owing to the growth of animal-free endotoxin detection trend in the region, MAT is expected to gain significant market share in Europe during the forecast period. In Europe market Germany is dominant and Spain is likely to expand at highest CAGR due various research being conducted in the country. Asia Pacific region is expected to grow with the highest rate during the forecast period. Increase in focus of key players to expand presence in the region, large untapped population, and rise in healthcare awareness fuel the growth of the monocyte activation tests market in Asia Pacific. Countries such as India, China, and Japan in Asia Pacific are poised to be the most promising markets for monocyte activation tests in the near future, expand at high CAGRs during forecast period.

Limited supply of MAT test kits & reagents to Restrain Global Market Expansion

According to WHO (World Health Organization), only 12.5 million blood donations are collected globally, and approximately half of these are collected in high-income countries, which is home to 19% of the world's population. Limited number of healthy blood donors hinders the production of MAT kits & reagents which ultimately effects the growth of the market. Moreover, introduction of pyrogen test in different applications. Pyrogen test was introduced for pharmaceutical products such as drugs and immunological products. Presently, it is being used on medical devices, implants, purification of water, and food & beverages industries.

Request Sample of Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=36041

Key Players such as Merck & Co., Inc., Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company are Likely to Continue to Lead the Global Monocyte Activation Tests Market

The report also provide profiles of leading players operating in global monocyte activation tests market include Merck KGaA, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., Sanquin, Microcoat Biotechnologie GmbH, Becton, Dickinson and Company, SOLVIAS AG, and Lonza Group. Innovation is a key strategic for the leading players, for instance, in March 2016, the Scientist magazine listed Merck's CRISPR epigenetic activator among its 'Top 10 Innovations of 2015'. This innovation was devised from the understanding that the life sciences research segment lacked an effective method for the activation of endogenous gene expression. Additionally expansion through merger and acquisition is followed by many players operating in this market. For example, in July 2015, Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. acquired Celsis International, Ltd., a leading provider of rapid testing systems for bacterial contamination. This addition to its product portfolio has expanded the company's existing portfolio of microbial solutions.

The global monocyte activation tests market is segmented as given below:

Global Monocyte Activation Tests Market Revenue, by Product, 2015-2025

Monocyte Activation Test Kits

Reagents

Global Monocyte Activation Tests Market Revenue, by Source, 2015-2025

Blood Based

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Bell (PBMC) Based

Cell line Based

Global Monocyte Activation Tests Market Revenue, by Application, 2015-2025

Lipid Parenteral

Dialysis Liquids

Toxic/immune-modulatory Drugs

Blood Products

Medical Devices

Global Monocyte Activation Tests Market, by End-user

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Biotechnology Industry

Medical Devices Industry

Others

Global Monocyte Activation Tests Market Revenue, By Geography, 2015-2025

North America U.S. Canada

Europe Germany U.K. Italy France Spain Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific (Except Japan) India China Japan Australia & New Zealand Rest of Asia Pacific

(Except Japan) Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa GCC countries South Africa Israel Rest of Middle East & Africa

&

Popular Research Reports by TMR:

Drugs of Abuse Testing Market:

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/drugs-abuse-testing-market.html

Hemostasis Diagnostics Market:

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/hemostasis-diagnostics-market.html

About Us

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.

TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

Contact



Transparency Market Research

State Tower,

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

Tel: +1-518-618-1030

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: [email protected]



Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Research Blog: https://theglobalhealthnews.com/

SOURCE Transparency Market Research
NORTH BILLERICA, Mass., March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MRSI Systems, a leading provider of fully automated, ultra-precision, high speed die bonding and epoxy dispensing systems is pleased to announce that our new MRSI-HVM3 system has entered a volume production phase, using advanced Demand Flow Technology (DFT) to satisfy worldwide customer demand. Our ability to deliver the new product with short lead times is crucial to our customer's success.

Launched at the China International Optoelectronics Exposition (CIOE) Sept. 6-9, 2017, the new system has clearly met a need in the market. The first wave of configured machines have been focused on Chip-on-Submount (CoS), Chip-on-Carrier (CoC), and Chip-on-Baseplate (CoB) and have been successfully installed in North America, Europe and Asia.

As Dr. Yi Qian, Vice President of Product Management, states, "Our new 3m high speed die bonder MRSI-HVM3 is exactly the solution the photonics market was looking for to address one of the most critical manufacturing bottlenecks. We listened to our customers and prospects and geared the roadmap towards the direction of high speed without sacrificing high accuracy, or high flexibility, to handle multi-chip multi-process production in one machine. As a result, the system is able to generate a great return on investment for our customers."

Our value proposition helps photonic device companies execute their strategy to have a fast response high volume manufacturing capability alongside the ability to maintain low manufacturing costs for the high demand driven by data center applications. We also predicted the new system would need to allow the production of multiple products passing through the same production line without sacrificing throughput. Our assumptions have been validated by this first wave of customers with their test results on their facility floors.

"MRSI is pleased to meet these specific requirements to scale efficiently in today's fast-paced market with the MRSI-HVM3, high speed die bonder for high volume manufacturing. MRSI Systems has been serving optoelectronic and microelectronic customers for the past 34 years and continues to be a leader in die bonding and epoxy dispensing systems," said Mr. Michael Chalsen, President.

Visit MRSI Systems at Booth #4444, OFC March 13-15, 2018.

About MRSI Systems

MRSI Systems is a leading manufacturer of fully automated, high-precision, high-speed die bonding and epoxy dispensing systems. We enable customers to optimize the performance of their process including yield, throughput, and uptime by building systems that use our unique expertise. In summary, this includes our proprietary software, proven hardware, deep process knowledge, state-of-the-art manufacturing, and a world-class customer service team. MRSI's systems are built on common platforms that can be configured to meet specific customer requirements. These platforms are designed to be scalable for R&D prototyping, pilot production and high-volume manufacturing. Our solutions deliver the best financial returns in the industry while integrating seamlessly into our customer's production. Markets include Telecom/Datacom (Data Center), Aerospace & Defense, Medical Devices, Computers and Peripherals, and Industrial. Since 1984, we have been recognized as the standard of the industry, delivering our solutions to leading optoelectronic and microelectronic customers worldwide. We are headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts in the greater Boston area. Our sales are supported by a global network of direct service and support professionals, located in China, Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Israel, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United States. For more information visit: www.mrsisystems.com.

MRSI Systems Media Contact

+1 (978) 667-9449

[email protected]

SOURCE MRSI Systems

Related Links

http://www.mrsisystems.com


Iago, passed over for a promotion by the naval hero and commander Othello, plots a course of revenge, but often one wonders: why did he concoct so evil a plot that results, not just in the downfall of Othello, but the death of three other innocents, including his own wife, the noble Cassio, and the loyal Desdemona, Othellos wife?

The navy is happy enough to accept the service of the charismatic, confident Othello, (Chris Butler) the Moor, an immigrant, who has risen by his own brilliance from enslavement to hero. But when he marries Desdemona, daughter of a Senator, this is another matter.

One stroke of genius in this production is that Iago, who often is portrayed as a snakey, spidery obviously creepy person, here is played by a tall, clean-cut superb specimen of a white male (Danforth Comins)  he could be Barbies Ken, come to life and in the U.S. Navy  and he cannot say Moor without snarling. He lacked only a tiki torch, really.

Desdemona, (Alejandra Escalante) is bright, modern, independent, courageous, and doomed from the minute she runs away with the Moor.

The centuries-old play becomes enthralling again as Iago lays his traps  beginning in a conversation in a gym where Desdemona, Othello, and the others all work out.
LOS ALTOS, Calif., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Netskope, the leader in cloud security, today announced the expansion of the company's office of the chief strategy officer with the appointment of Lamont Orange as chief information security officer (CISO) and Neil Thacker as CISO, EMEA. Orange, a respected industry veteran CISO, and Thacker, with 20 years of experience in the information security industry, join the new team led by chief strategy officer Jason Clark. Building on the company's forward momentum, the CISOs will work with the broader CSO team, as well as Netskope sales, product, and marketing functions to help transform customer security strategies to adapt to an increasingly cloud-first world. The CISOs will also drive Netskope's own security strategy, integrating best-of-breed security strategies from the company's customer base across its own product, marketing, and sales verticals.

"Security is now a core part of every business, and it is important for organizations to have a complete understanding across the company -- whether in the board room or in the development team or in the field," said Sanjay Beri, founder and CEO, Netskope. "Lamont brings an impeccable pedigree to Netskope and exemplifies the Netskope culture of being collaborative, innovative and transparent. I look forward to working alongside him to maintain and drive our top-notch security posture and evangelize the best-of-breed approach we've employed with the security community."

Orange has more than 20 years of experience in the information security industry, having previously served as vice president of enterprise security for Charter Communications (now Spectrum) and as senior manager for the security and technology services practice at Ernst & Young. Prior to joining Netskope, Orange was CISO for Vista Equity Partners/Vista Consulting Group. He was responsible for managing the cybersecurity programs and development of cybersecurity talent within the Vista portfolio, which included more than 50 companies. Prior to Vista, Lamont was Information Security Officer for Websense. In that role, he was responsible for developing, maintaining and socializing the company's internal security program. He was also responsible for working with current and potential customers demonstrating security of the solutions and the connection to the overall security ecosystem. Orange is also an Adjunct Professor at Washington University Saint Louis, Masters of Cybersecurity Program and a member of University of Missouri Science and Technology Board of Trustee.

"Netskope is a company at the cutting edge of today's security innovations and already trusted by a quarter of the Fortune 100," said Orange. "I look forward to learning from customers and partners and working closely with the team to develop and implement long-term, scalable security strategies."

As CISO, EMEA, Thacker is a veteran information security professional and a data protection and privacy expert. Thacker holds more than 20 years' experience in the information security industry with 15 years' experience as a leading security practitioner for organizations Deutsche Bank, Swiss Re and Camelot Group before spending the past 5 years as Deputy CISO for Forcepoint. Thacker is a member of the ENISA Threat Landscape stakeholder group where he contributes to the EU agency program alongside CERTs to position the threat landscape, offer mitigation advice and threat analysis innovation. Thacker is co-founder and board member of the Security Advisor Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation formed to help security leaders in their role, to give back and mentor new information and cybersecurity professionals from all backgrounds and to offer support to organisations in their move towards improved risk, data-centric and cloud-first strategies. Thacker is CISSP, CIPP/E, CEH & OPST certified.

"On the eve of the EU GDPR, it's now more critical than ever that organizations need effective data protection and privacy strategies," said Thacker. "I am thrilled to be a part of the Netskope team and am excited to help advocate the company's approach to cloud security while also helping support our customers on the need for improved data and privacy protection."

For more information about Netskope, visit https://www.netskope.com

About Netskope

Netskope is the leader in cloud security. Using patented technology, Netskope's cloud-scale security platform provides context-aware governance of all cloud usage in the enterprise in real time, whether accessed from the corporate network, remote, or from a mobile device. This means that security professionals can understand risky activities, protect sensitive data, stop online threats, and respond to incidents in a way that fits how people work today. With granular security policies, the most advanced cloud DLP, and unmatched breadth of workflows, Netskope is trusted by the largest companies in the world. Netskope  security evolved. To learn more, visit our website.

Media Contact

Scott Westover

Bateman Group for Netskope

[email protected]

SOURCE Netskope

Related Links

http://www.netskope.com


VALENCIA, Calif., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bioness, Inc., the leading provider of cutting edge, clinically supported rehabilitation therapies, is pleased to announce that its FDA-cleared StimRouter Neuromodulation System has received coverage from insurer Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), effective February 26, 2018. With this updated policy decision, Highmark BCBS members with chronic intractable neurogenic pain now have an expanded list of treatment choices, with Electrical Nerve Stimulators, like the StimRouter, available as an effective and evidence-based solution at the frontline of care.

Patients with intractable neurogenic pain often complain of severe and constant pain that is ineffectually treated by traditional medical measures and opioid-based routines. Designed to reduce pain by targeting the affected peripheral nerve, StimRouter is a cost-effective and long-term pain management alternative to immobilization, injections, and prescription opioids. With more than five million members, Highmark is the fourth largest BCBS plan in the United States.

With this policy update, StimRouter is no longer considered experimental and investigational, allowing individual claims that meet the medical necessity criteria to be processed without delay.

"In light of the current opioid crisis, patients suffering from intractable neurogenic pain continue to face challenges searching for appropriate solutions and often having to pay out of pocket for alternative treatment options that are still considered experimental," said Todd Cushman, President and CEO of Bioness. "Following Aetna's updated coverage policy in 2017, and Medicare's coverage policy, we are extremely happy that Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield has now also recognized the clinical value and improved quality of life that the StimRouter brings to their members. As payers continue to update their coverage policies, more patients who suffer from chronic pain will be able to receive an effective, non-medicated treatment option that fits their specific needs."

StimRouter was the first FDA-cleared, minimally invasive, long-term, neuromodulation medical device indicated to treat chronic pain of a peripheral nerve origin. StimRouter received the CE mark required for commercial sales in Europe in February of 2014. The patient-controlled medical device is an adjunct to other modes of therapy and is being well received by patients and clinicians alike.

Under Highmark's updated policy, implanted peripheral nerve stimulators, such as the StimRouter, are considered medically necessary when members meet specific criteria. To learn more visit Highmark's website.

For more information on the StimRouter, please visit www.stimrouter.com.

About the StimRouter Neuromodulation System

The StimRouter Neuromodulation System is indicated for pain management in adults who have severe intractable chronic pain of peripheral nerve origin, as an adjunct to other modes of therapy (e.g., medications). The StimRouter is not intended to treat pain in the craniofacial region. StimRouter is a minimally-invasive neuromodulation medical device consisting of a thin, implanted lead with conductive electrode, external pulse transmitter (EPT), and hand-held wireless patient programmer. Electrical signals are transmitted transdermally from the EPT through the electrode, down the lead to the target nerve. StimRouter is programmed at the direction of the physician to meet patient requirements but is controlled by the patient to address the patients specific, changing pain management needs. Individual results may vary. Precautions, Warnings and Contraindications can be found at www.StimRouter.com.

About Bioness, Inc.

Bioness is the leading provider of innovative technologies helping people regain mobility and independence. Bioness solutions include implantable and external neuromodulation systems, robotic systems and software based therapy programs providing functional and therapeutic benefits for individuals affected by pain, central nervous system disorders and orthopedic injuries. Currently, Bioness offers six medical devices within its commercial portfolio which are distributed and sold on five continents and in over 25 countries worldwide. Our technologies have been implemented in the most prestigious and well-respected institutions around the globe with approximately 90% of the top rehabilitation hospitals in the United States currently using one or more Bioness solution. Bioness has a singular focus on aiding large, underserved customer groups with innovative, evidence-based solutions and we will continue to develop and make commercially available new products that address the growing and changing needs of our customers. Individual results vary. Consult with a qualified physician to determine if this product is right for you. Contraindications, adverse reactions and precautions are available online at www.bioness.com.

Media Relations Contact Information

Next Step Communications

[email protected]

781.326.1741

StimRouter and Bioness are trademarks of Bioness, Inc. | www.bioness.com | Rx Only | Additional information about StimRouter can be found at www.stimrouter.com

SOURCE Bioness, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.bioness.com


NEW YORK, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Citi Foundation has awarded NPower with a $1.5 million grant to fund the Advancing Young Women in Tech Careers Initiative (also known as "40 by 22"), which seeks to expand NPower's enrollment of young women of color into their programming, equipping them with the technology skills needed to prosper in the digital economy. The program will benefit young women in New York City, New York, Jersey City, New Jersey, Baltimore, and St. Louis, Missouri.

"40 by 22" is part of Citi and the Citi Foundation's global Pathways to Progress initiative, a global commitment to prepare 500,000 youth for today's competitive job market by connecting them to jobs, internships, business training and leadership development opportunities.

The two-year funding will support NPower's strategic plans to increase enrollment of young women through their pipeline from the current level of 28 percent of the total general population of NPower participants to 40 percent by the end of year 2022. This includes placing 2,400 young women of color in tech jobs by 2022 and to that end, a commitment to train 550 young women in the next two years. This collaboration fuels the cultural change movement of Information Technology (IT) by addressing the barriers faced by young women of color in tech-based jobs.

Today's announcement is aligned with the celebration of International Women's Day. To recognize the day, NPower current and alumni students will participate in a speed networking/mentoring opportunity with Citi volunteers from the Citi Women in Finance initiative, a global program for emerging female leaders at Citi. The Citi Foundation is also releasing a new report that highlights how Pathways to Progress is helping provide economic opportunities for young women around the world.

"When women are given the opportunities and support to realize their full potential, our economies, communities and families benefit," says Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation. "We are thrilled to work with NPower on this bold initiative to connect more young women of color with the skills, confidence, and professional experience they need to help change the face of the technology field."

The 40 by 22 initiative is propelled by NPower's five-year strategic plan to grow female enrollment across their foundational IT workforce development trainings. NPower offers free upskilling courses in Cybersecurity, Coding and Enterprise Service Management to alumni through accelerated programs designed to further enhance their graduate's capabilities and career progression.

"Citi is a long-time supporter and partner of NPower," says Richard Greenbaum, Managing Director, Global Head Technology Infrastructure, Citi. "We have hosted and hired dozens of NPower graduates over the years, engaged our employees in skills-based volunteering, and helped steward the growth of the organization through participation in the national board and advisory council. We are committed to improving the lives of students pursuing careers in technology."

"Our mission is to change the life trajectories for individuals from vulnerable communities and strengthen the overall competitiveness of U.S. businesses hamstrung by today's limited pool of IT talent," says Bertina Ceccarelli, CEO of NPower. "Citi and the Citi Foundation are key partners needed to lead this transformative national dialogue and their investment is integral to increasing the number of young women of color who see a future for themselves in the technology sector."

About NPower

The national nonprofit, NPower, offers technology skills training programs to military veterans and active members, women, minorities and young adults from underserved communities. NPower envisions a future where our domestic technology workforce is diverse, and clear pathways exist for all people regardless of ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic background to succeed in our digital economy. The specific coursework focuses on basic tech competencies needed for entry-level IT employment, providing students with tech training, mentoring business leaders, paid internships, career development workshops at leading corporations, industry-recognized certifications, job placement services and access to a robust alumni network. More than 80 percent of NPower alumni are employed or pursuing higher education within one year of graduation. To learn more about NPower, visit www.npower.org.

About Citi Foundation

The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.

About Citi

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com.

Press Contact: Mark Macias

Phone: 646-770-0541

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE NPower

Related Links

http://www.npower.org


BEIJING, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- From February 9-10, Nuctech Company Limited was invited to participate in the 1st Global Cross-Border E-Commerce Conference co-hosted by China Customs and the World Customs Organization (WCO). Customs representatives from over 25 countries and regions and close to 2,000 representatives from e-commerce enterprises, international organizations, and academic community attended the conference and discussed topics dealing with the conveniences and problems brought by cross-border e-commerce.

On the afternoon of February 9, Nuctech's Chief Engineer Li Zhang conducted an extensive discussion with representatives at the sub-forum on the regulatory challenges brought by cross-border e-commerce. During the session, Zhang introduced Nuctech's advanced CT inspection systems as well as its strong inspection ability, and comprehensively expounded the "big-data ecosystem of intelligent image interpreting" solution based on CT technology. The solution combines image comparison, automatic sorting and a risk control function into one system, bringing risk-based, intelligent-driven cross-border statistics surveillance to life.

On the morning of February 10, Nuctech's Senior Vice President Yuanjing Li delivered a guest keynote speech entitled "Establish a Safe, Convenient, and Efficient Solution on Cross-Border E-Commerce" during the main forum. The speech included a discussion on global customs' new regulatory challenges accompanied by the rapid development of cross-border e-commerce as well as a detailed introduction on Nuctech's new cross-border e-commerce solution newly launched by Nuctech and its industrial partners . With an aim to comprehensively collect and efficiently process the mass information that will be encountered in cross-border e-commerce, the solution incorporates big-data, internet-of-things, clouds, AI, and other technologies, and synthesizes single window, clearance, statistics, big-data analysis platforms to give substantial support to the intelligent regulation of the customs.

During the conference, Nuctech introduced its custom-lock, CT parcel inspection system, and other inspection systems to the attendees and promoted the company's solution to cross-border e-commerce. Dr. Fang Liu, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), visited Nuctech's booth during the event to learn about the company's business in the security industry. She encouraged Nuctech to continue its way of innovation, so as to showcase Chinese high-tech to the world. In addition, customs leaders, international organizations and industrial representatives from Russia, Portugal, Indonesia and other countries also went to Nuctech's booth for more details on the company's cross-border e-commerce solution.

About Nuctech

Nuctech is an advanced security & inspection solution and service supplier in the world, providing advanced technology, superb products and integrated solutions for its customers from more than 150 countries and regions around the world. Following the latest international technical development frontier, Nuctech integrates cloud computing and big data into its security products and solutions that are backed by information technology and the internet.

SOURCE Nuctech Company Limited
TULSA, Okla., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Oklahoma Energy Producers Alliance (OEPA) elected Dewey F. Bartlett Jr. as chairman at its January board meeting. Bartlett, owner of Keener Oil Company, is a small independent producer with operations mostly in eastern Oklahoma.

Bartlett, the former mayor of Tulsa, is a veteran oil industry leader and spokesperson. He has served as chair of the National Stripper Well Association (NSWA) and the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association (OIPA) among other oil industry leadership positions.

"I am honored to lead a committed group of principled oil and gas industry leaders who represent the interests of my company as well as thousands of small independent producers across our state," said Dewey F. Bartlett, Jr.

OEPA is looking forward to Bartlett bringing almost 4 decades of experience in the oil and gas industry to the organization and leading like-minded individuals towards OEPA's mission of protecting Oklahoma producers.

"This group is comprised of small businessmen and women, many who, like me, operate family companies that have been in business for decades," Bartlett said.

OEPA is fighting for the survival of the small oil producer in Oklahoma, the entrepreneurs scattered across almost every county in our state.

About OEPA: The Oklahoma Energy Producers Alliance is a group of Oklahoma oil and gas companies concerned with protecting our rights as conventional vertical producers and royalty owners at the State Capitol and the Corporation Commission.

SOURCE Oklahoma Energy Producers Alliance

Related Links

http://www.okenergyproducers.org


NEW YORK, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage

The Canadian cannabis industry is pliable, changing shape amid mounting public support, favorable legislative action, an influx in capital, and the integration of alcohol and tobacco. For years, this massive industry was entirely illegal; its potential unavailable to legitimate investors. As Canada heads toward legalizing recreational cannabis later this year, however, the continuous sculpting of the industry provides investors a wealth of consumer-driven investment opportunities. Choom Holdings, Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTC: CHOOF) (CHOOF Profile) is targeting the recreational user via its own brand of high-grade handcrafted cannabis. Cannabis lifestyle brand Hiku Brands Co. Ltd. (CSE: HIKU) (OTC: DJACF) (DJACF Profile) recently received a $10 million equity investment from Aphria, Inc. (TSX: APH) (OTC: APHQF), denoting high expectations for recreational cannabis. Canopy Growth Corp.'s (TSX: WEED) (OTC: TWMJF) recent investment from a big alcohol brand reveals a glimpse of how separate sectors of recreational consumables are interwoven. This strategic blending means big business for cultivators such as ABcann Global (TSX-V: ABCN) (OTC: ABCCF) (ABCCF Profile), a recognizable licensed producer and seller of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products.

Canada Heads for New Highs

An estimated 5 million Canadians already smoke cannabis once a month, with another 900,000 expected to join them after legalization. In 2015, the country was already spending nearly as much money on cannabis as on wine, indicating the huge business potential of this sector. The question is, how will companies tap into that wealth?

One of the big changes expected over the next few years is the integration of recreational cannabis with the alcohol and tobacco industries. With their experience of producing, distributing, and marketing recreational consumables, these businesses have the most relevant experience to shape the marketplace. Their investment and expertise will help cannabis companies find creative ways to cater to consumer demand, not just medical users.

Brand Identity

Among the companies preparing to make the most of this opportunity is Choom(CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF). Based in the Okanagan region of British Columbia, the company is well-placed to make the most of the production, sales and marketing opportunities offered by the impending retail market, which has a forecast value of $4.9 billion - nearly $9 billion (http://cnw.fm/xch0D).

With its relaxed, youthful brand, Choom is positioning itself to reach the ideal growth market of cannabis users. Consumers in their 20s tend to be more socially liberal than their elders. They have substantial disposable incomes and are used to spending a large part of them on consumables such as food, drink and tobacco, and are therefore likely to make up a large part of the recreational cannabis market.

To connect with these consumers, Choom has created a hip and modern brand inspired by Hawaii's culture and relaxed atmosphere. The brand's story taps into the history of the 1970s "Choom Gang," a group of buddies in Honolulu (including former President Barack Obama) who knew how to relax with "choom," the local's term for marijuana. Choom's trademark slogans pivot off another unconventional phrase, "Say Hello to", bringing a heady dose of good times and good friends together as the company invites investors to "Say Hello to Choom" as it lights up the adult recreational cannabis market in Canada.

Reaching Out to Customers

This aesthetic extends to the design for Choom's "Aloha"-style dispensaries. It's a clean, modern, stylish look, crafted by the designers behind some of the world's most recognizable retail environments. Couches, pale wood and carefully chosen banner fonts create a relaxed atmosphere. Clean white shelving and neat presentation make a space reminiscent of Apple stores - another well-recognized brand with a strong hold on the disposable income of millennials.

One of the most important factors in marketing recreational cannabis is going to be establishing such an aesthetic. Brand specialists will want to leave the cold formality of medical use and the seedy criminal associations behind, while retaining hip association with cannabis. Choom's branding is ideally designed to make this shift, while establishing prestige brands for the discerning consumer.

The stores are designed to appeal to the widest possible market. Choom is aware that its core business will rely on existing users looking to obtain their cannabis legally, and their stores will make a comfortable shopping environment for these consumers. But there are also the "curious customers" - those without a medical need for cannabis and who did not want to consume it illegally. They're expected to fuel a 19 percent increase in the number of cannabis users in Canada. By creating a familiar shopping space, Choom will make it easier for them to enter the market.

Experience and Integration

Choom's business proposition extends beyond the retail face of the cannabis industry. It is also looking to place itself within the ancillary markets that will support the consumer business. Testing labs, security, infused products, consumption paraphernalia and crop cultivation will all be part of an expanding industry. Choom is looking to establish a vertically integrated enterprise, from cultivation through to sales, all under a single hip consumer brand.

Choom's application with ACMPR (Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations) has received security clearance and is now in the detailed review stage. The company has also submitted a second late-stage ACMPR application, which is in its confirmation of readiness stage. Aggressively preparing to reap the benefits of this license, Choom has retained Cannabis Compliance Inc. to help expedite Choom's initial license applications and ready the company for legalization of recreational marijuana.

One of Choom's greatest strengths is its experience. The managers and directors have decades of experience covering investment, entrepreneurship, business development and pharmaceuticals. Their knowledge of the existing Canadian medical cannabis market ensures that strategic decisions are backed up by real expertise and analytical insight. The company has over five years of experience in the cannabis sector. It knows how to produce naturally grown premium cannabis. Existing license and production assets mean that Choom is well positioned to scale-up rapidly once legalization takes effect, to meet the anticipated Canadian market. This will put it ahead of companies set up in response to the legal change and provide an accelerated path for rapid market growth.

This is exemplified by the company's existing cultivation facilities at Vernon and Chemainus. Both are receiving a state-of-the-art retrofit, with expectations that Vernon will be completed by July, the same month Canada legalizes recreational cannabis use.

The Vernon property will boast 6,800 square feet of growing space, capable of producing 660 kg/year of cannabis for an estimated revenue of $6.6 million, excluding oils. A potential phase 2 of this facility would double the size and enable additional growing capacity of 1,500 kg/year, also doubling the facility's revenue.

While the second facility, on Vancouver Island, is smaller - 4,500 square feet - its retrofit is also slated to be completed by July 2018. Plans include doubling this space, which would add about $9 million in annual revenue, excluding cannabis oils.

It's this sort of established enterprise that will allow Choom to build brand loyalty and position cannabis as another popular consumable, enjoyed in the same way as alcohol and tobacco.

A Growth Sector

A similar approach is being taken by Hiku (CSE: HIKU) (OTC: DJACF), premium cannabis lifestyle brand growing high-quality handcrafted cannabis flower. Hiku's wholly owned subsidiary is a licensed producer of cannabis under the ACMPR that has requested its Pre-Sales License Inspection, the last step prior to receiving a license to sell cannabis under the ACMPR. Hiku's Dominion Facility is a state-of-the-art ACMPR licensed production facility capable of producing approximately 660 kg year of dried cannabis flower. Phase one of its "FUTURE LAB" production complex is slated for completion in the second quarter of 2018, in time for legalization. Utilizing an industry-leading multi-tier system powered by LED lighting provided by Fluence BioEngineering, Hiku's annual production capacity is expected to be in excess of 5,000 kgs, letting it cater to a large part of the cannabis consumer market. The company's merger with Tokyo Smoke is expected to create the first brand and retail-focused craft cannabis producer.

This development is backed up by a $10 million investment from Aphria (TSX: APH) (OTCQB: APHQF), a leading Canadian medical cannabis company. With an expansion strategy based on targeted investment and collaboration with other companies, Aphria has been working to advance growth in the U.S. medical cannabis market. This provides the company with the production and distribution facilities needed to enter the market for recreational cannabis.

While the involvement of medical marijuana companies will be important in the growth of Canada's cannabis sector, the real test for commercial cannabis will be the involvement of consumer brand-based businesses. Their entry into the market will signal faith in the future of recreational cannabis, as well as bringing consumer branding expertise to the sector. One of the first examples of this is the investment in Canopy Growth (TSX: WEED) (OTC: TWMJF) by Constellation Brands. The $42 billion company behind Corona, Modelo and Svedka Constellation Brands has taken a stake in Canopy Growth worth about $191 million, with the option of purchasing additional stakes. It will use this investment to create cannabis-infused drinks, using Canada as a market in which to innovate in anticipation of markets emerging elsewhere.

The growing Canadian cannabis market bodes well for ABcann (TSX-V: ABCN) (OTCQB: ABCCF), a globally licensed, cost-efficient producer of premium quality organic standardized medicinal cannabis. One of the earliest licensed Canadian medical marijuana producers under Canada's federally controlled ACMPR, ABcann has five years of operating experience in the burgeoning medical marijuana space. The company currently owns and operates a fully functioning 14,500-square-foot facility in Ontario, as well as 65 acres of real estate with proper zoning and existing infrastructure in place to support the construction of another production facility of up to 1 million square feet. Along with this growth capacity, ABcann has a healthy cash balance, steady sales growth, an established operations team and global expansion plans, making it well positioned to compete in the rapidly expanding Canadian cannabis industry.

Though it's still several months away from fulfillment, Canada's recreational cannabis market is already providing a diverse range of businesses and investment opportunities. Building on the techniques of medical marijuana companies, the market appears set to diversify into drinks, retail outlets and premium products. This will establish cannabis as part of the existing market for recreational consumables.

For more information on Choom, please visit Choom (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF).

About CannabisNewsWire

CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) CannabisNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, CNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. CNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today's market, CNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. CNW is where news, content and information converge.

Receive Text Alerts from CannabisNewsWire: Text "Cannabis" to 21000

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com and or https://CannabisNewsWire.News

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with CNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by CNW are solely those of CNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable CNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. CNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, CNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

CNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and CNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

CannabisNewsWire (CNW) & NetworkNewsWire (NNW) are proud to be affiliated partners of the Investor Brand Network (IBN)

About IBN

Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.

Please feel free to visit the Investor Brand Network (IBN) http://www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com

Corporate Communications Contact:

CannabisNewsWire (CNW)

Denver, Colorado

www.CannabisNewsWire.com

+1-303-498-7722 Office

[email protected]



Media Contact:

FN Media Group, LLC

[email protected]

+1-(954)-345-0611



SOURCE CannabisNewsWire
CARNEGIE, Pa., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania-based marketing and consulting firm R & J Acquisitions, Inc. recently edged out the competition to win the Campaign Cup trophy for their outstanding work on behalf of a leading client during the final quarter of 2017, as well as the year overall.

Led by President Ryan Skipper, the firm won the coveted Campaign Cup award by excelling in both sales and quality metrics measured against other eligible companies vying for the honor. This award, which is given quarterly as well as for the year overall, goes to the top-performing office among those focused on the same campaign nationwide.

R&J Acquisitions' selection for this award reflects the firm's ability to achieve outstanding results on a consistent basis for the client, and the team is hard at work to keep the trophy for the next quarter.

"I am thrilled to be recognized with this prestigious award," said Skipper. "Our team is talented and dedicated to achieving dynamic results with exceptional quality. Winning this award will undoubtedly drive us to accomplish great things for the client."

A premier marketing and consulting firm that partners with the most competitive companies in their industries, R&J Acquisitions specializes in delivering outstanding quality through personalized attention at a level that exceeds the competition. Building relationships takes top priority, and the company has worked with premier global brands as it moves into the future.

R&J Acquisitions offers ample opportunity for self-improvement, with an array of training and educational opportunities in business and marketing available to staff. The firm actively gives back to the community through its involvement in local charities.

Like R&J Acquisitions on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

About R&J Acquisitions

Headquartered in Pennsylvania, R&J Acquisitions is a premier sales and consulting company that offers personalized marketing solutions to leading firms seeking to acquire customers and grow their market share. The company represents client with professionalism and integrity. For more information, call 412-504-0818 or go to https://www.rjacquisitionsinc.com/.

Contact: Ryan Skipper

412-504-0818

SOURCE R&J Acquisitions

Related Links

http://www.rjacquisitionsinc.com


Nor is that a new county position. A 2007 agenda for a Stanly Lane deli initiative gave supervisors the same choice of adopting or placing on the ballot.

Attorney Paul Carey of Dickenson Peatman & Fogarty said the Board of Supervisors was depriving citizens of the right to vote under Measures J and P.

This is an issue that will eventually be decided by the courts, he said.

Supervisors wrestled with another question. They accepted they had the right to adopt the Blakeley-supported initiative, then asked whether they should set a precedent by doing so.

Warren Winiarski, who founded Stags Leap Wine Cellars and supported the formation of the agricultural preserve in 1968, asked supervisors to place the measure on the ballot. He called citizens the guardians of agricultural land use changes.

The benefits sought by the Blakeley initiative should be gained not by three votes on any Tuesday, but by the citizens of the county who will be affected by this initiative, Winiarski said.

That remark referred to one of the rationales for Measures J and P. Supporters have long said the measures exist to stop the Board of Supervisors from changing agricultural designations on any given Tuesday.
"This year's RESO Tech Summit is packed with Case Studies presented by companies who have demonstrated that RESO data standards are helping improve our industry and the bottom line for real estate brokerages and software developers in precise, measurable dollars," said Jeremy Crawford, CEO of RESO. RESO is an independent non-profit with more than 750 active members, including NAR, multiple-listing services, real estate associations, brokerages and industry technology providers.

Case Studies will cover:

The implementation of RESO's Organizational Unique ID (OUID) with representatives discussing the benefits to Homes.com, ShowingTime, and T3.

How TRIBUS migrated to the RESO Data Dictionary, which reinvigorated its IDX platform and underlying product.

A look at the real-world implementation of RESO's Universal Property Identification (UPI) by Austin Brokerage Jovio.

A discussion on the real-world implementation of RESO Data Dictionary standards through different paths, including leaders of California Regional MLS (CRMLS) and New England Real Estate Network (NEREN).

Highlights also will include presentations by the winners of RESO's Innovation Competition. These innovators will showcase their breakthrough ideas they built on top of a standardized RESO data set that was provided to them by Austin Board of REALTORS, CoreLogic, and RESO.

Among the hot topics that will be covered include "The Dark Side of AI, Machine Learning, and Neural Networks" by industry consultant Eric Byrn, and, "From to Meandered to Standard  Adventures in Gradual RETS Adoption," by L.D. Salmanson, CEO, Cherre, Inc., reviewing how many in the industry who are still entrenched in legacy schemas and frameworks, can get where they need to be. Targeted to software developers, a session also will reveal both the RESO Web API Open Source PHP Reference Client and W&R Studios Web API Ruby Gem Reference Client.

For those seeking more in-depth technical experience, on Thursday, April 26, the Tech Summit concludes with a special event, which is also offered as a stand-alone, separate ticketed event. Intel Corporation's Sergey Ermolin will host a four-part workshop "Diving Into Deep Learning," from 10 am to 2 pm. Included as part of the RESO Tech Summit, a one-day pass also is available for $99 with details available at https://www.reso.org/diving-into-deep-learning.

RESO Spring Tech Summit is nearing a sellout, as the conference is limited to just over 250 people. Registration before April 11 is just $350 for RESO members and $450 for non-members and includes three breakfasts and two lunches, making it the industry's most affordable, and intimate, real estate conference attended by technology leaders. Registrants also have access to a number of hosted receptions as well, including a Colorado Rockies MLB game. Major RESO Tech Summit Sponsors include Realtor.com, Auth0, CoreLogic, Zillow Group, ShowingTime, REColorado, RPR, dynaConnections, Flexmls created by FBS, CRS Data and Homes.com. Registration and more information about the Tech Summit is at https://www.reso.org/spring-mtg.

ABOUT RESO

The mission of the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) is to create and promote the adoption and utilization of standards that drive efficiency throughout the real estate industry. RESO was incorporated in November 2011 as an independent, not-for-profit trade organization that was previously a section of the National Association of REALTORS. RESO has more than 750 active members, including NAR, multiple-listing services, real estate associations, brokerages and industry technology providers. For more information, visit www.reso.org. Contact RESO via email at [email protected].

Media contacts:

Kevin Hawkins |WAV Group for RESO

[email protected] | 206-866-1220

SOURCE RESO

Related Links

http://www.reso.org


AUSTIN, Texas, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Rianna Alberty, Founder and CEO of Austin-based RIMIX Cosmetics, was selected as a makeup artist for London Fashion Week FA18 for Fashion Scout. This is her second time to work for the exclusive fashion show with London Makeup School.

Queen Elizabeth II attended, seated beside Anna Wintour, representing the beautiful mix of historical tradition with modern cosmopolitanism, which is why Alberty's appearance among the world's top tier makeup designers is all the more notable.

"Being invited to work at London Fashion Week enables me to expand the wealth of knowledge at my fingertips by bringing me in collaboration with leaders in the fashion world," Alberty shares. "The knowledge and skills I hone during that week are so incredibly rich, and I'm able to infuse them into our RIMIX signature looks and products."

The Austin-born entrepreneur was first inspired to create RIMIX Cosmetics based on her experience and immersion in the fashion and beauty industries while living in Edinburgh, Scotland, and training at the London Makeup School, the most prestigious makeup artist school in the UK. While Alberty's roots will always be grounded in Texas, she specifically chose to develop products that were global in both appeal and quality.

The inspiration for this makeup design this season was both raw beauty, with an emphasis on fresh skin and haunting eyes, where the makeup proved fresh and polished, radiating confidence; as well as dazzling glamour, with glistening glitter on matte skin and eyes, underscored by shiny, metallic touches.

After two fantastic seasons of unparalleled success, including a feature in Founding Austin Magazine, Rianna Alberty now plans to expand her line of luxury performance cosmetics globally, as well as debut a new product launch this quarter.

RIMIX Cosmetics is an Austin-based luxury beauty line of high performance cosmetics & skincare, made to stand up to heat, humidity and sweat, supporting your active lifestyle. Formulated using skin perfecting ingredients, RIMIX features a full collection of premium quality paraben-free, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic cosmetics and skincare. For more information, please visit www.rimixcosmetics.com.

SOURCE RIMIX Cosmetics

Related Links

http://www.rimixcosmetics.com


KITCHENER, Ontario, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- RootSecure, a leader in continuous cyber risk management, announces the launch of "Scout," a revolutionary new agent-based monitoring product. Scout provides new context around workstation, server or device-level activities, providing unique insights and auditing capabilities. Scout also rolls up information into the RootSecure SaaS platform to aggregate and identify risk indicators with observations from the agent.

RootSecure

"This level of monitoring is required to establish your cyber posture," says Ian Hassard, RootSecure VP of product and marketing. "Common risk solutions look at external IP addresses and limited internal context to identify risk. Scout goes much deeper to identify new kinds of risk indicators previously unknown to most users."

Scout deploys on Windows, Mac, Linux or BSD assets and monitors software, hardware, user-access, common threat indicators and network connectivity. All this information is sent to the RootSecure Dashboard for real-time monitoring and historical analysis. The RootSecure platform will also roll-up the risk indicators present on the asset and incorporate the results towards the RootSecure Risk Score.

"Scout brings new power to an organization - being able to aggregate and analyze all the relevant points of a system that could be exploited," says Matt Koivisto, RootSecure VP of engineering. "Scout represents the future of system monitoring for risk indicators. Most network-level scanners don't incorporate the larger context when identifying risk indicators: use of USB devices, hardware and software inventory, active processes, system resources, nearby wireless networks and Bluetooth devices. These can all contribute to identifying active threats or exploitable risks."

Scout will be available April 2018 as a standalone Window, Mac or Linux application. Scout can also be used with IoT solutions to provide unprecedented security monitoring for startups or mature IoT device makers. OEM licensing and white labeling is available for these cases.

About RootSecure

RootSecure was created as a fractional offering for RootCellar Technologies, a managed service provider based in Ontario, Canada. RootSecure demand from the incumbent customer base led to separating into its own company in 2017, enabling it to focus on building best-of-breed security solutions. More information at www.rootsecure.com.

Media contact:

RootSecure

Ian Hassard, VP Product and Marketing

519-573-1672

[email protected]

www.rootsecure.com

SOURCE RootSecure

Related Links

http://www.rootsecure.com


ATLANTA, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sakrete, the first ready-mix bagged concrete company, announces its partnership with Trevelino/Keller, a full-service, digital public relations and marketing firm. Trevelino/Keller is tasked with increasing Sakrete's brand awareness and supporting its marketing and sales efforts via media relations, content development, social media, and owned media management.

Founded in 1936, Sakrete was the first pre-mixed, just-add-water concrete product, revolutionizing the on-site need for strong, durable small-batch concrete. In doing so, Sakrete became the professional's choice and decision industry experts could depend on.

"As the trusted choice for concrete, Sakrete is committed to excellence in providing dependable products for professional contractors," says Kari Bush, Brand Manager of Sakrete. "By partnering with Trevelino/Keller, we are eager to take Sakrete to new heights with an agency that has extensive experience in the home and renovation industries."

Trevelino/Keller brings 15 years of experience in brand reputation, as well as digital and social marketing, to the partnership. After seeing the results of Trevelino/Keller's first year of partnership with Sakrete's sister company, Belgard, the concrete brand feels the agency's expertise and drive aligns with its own.

"As Sakrete continues to solidify its status as a leader in the concrete industry, we look to position them as not only the first but the default choice among professionals," says Dean Trevelino, principal of Trevelino/Keller. "The home renovation industry is expected to continue its steady incline, and so we have an opportunity and responsibility to ensure that Sakrete is positioned to take advantage of that growth through creative and thoughtful ideation and execution."

About Sakrete

Sakrete was founded in 1936 as North America's original dry cement mix brand and is a leader in concrete and concrete-related products and other top-quality building products. The Sakrete brand is owned and managed by Oldcastle Architectural. Sakrete of North America is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. For additional information about Sakrete, call 1-866-SAKRETE or visit Sakrete.com.

About Trevelino/Keller

Trevelino/Keller is a digital public relations and marketing firm serving disruptive and scaling companies across seven practices  Technology, Healthcare, Financial Services, Food & Beverage, Franchising, Lifestyle and Environment. Its services include public relations, digital marketing, demand generation and creative services. Groovy Studios, its creative brand, delivers brand identity, graphic design, web services and dynamic content. Headquartered in Atlanta, the firm ranks as this year's 10th fastest growing firm, second in the Southeast. It also ranks in 9 of 12 industry segments. For more info on Trevelino/Keller, visit trevelinokeller.com.

SOURCE Trevelino/Keller

Related Links

http://trevelinokeller.com


TSX.V: SCZ

FSE: 1SZ

VANCOUVER, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. (TSX.V:SCZ) ("Santacruz") reports that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Impulsora Minera Santacruz, S.A de C.V. (together with Santacruz the "Company"), has arranged a loan (the "Loan") from a private Bolivian mining company, for US$2.3 million. The Loan bears interest at 9% per annum, is repayable July 1st, 2018, and is unsecured. In connection with the Loan the Company has agreed to issue the lender 2,000,000 warrants exercisable until the end of business on March 6, 2019, at $0.16 per share. The issuance of the warrants is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.

Arturo Prestamo, President and CEO of Santacruz commented "The Loan proceeds will be used to reduce our current trade payables balance which together with the recent Carrizal services agreement will assist to improve our mining operations at both Veta Grande and Rosario. Management views this as another important step in the development of the Company."

About Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd.

Santacruz is a Mexican focused silver company with two producing silver projects (Rosario, including the Cinco Estrellas property and Membrillo Prospect, and Veta Grande) and two exploration properties, the Minillas property and Zacatecas properties. The Company is managed by a technical team of professionals with proven track records in developing, operating and discovering silver mines in Mexico. Our corporate objective is to become a mid-tier silver producer.

'signed'

Arturo Prestamo Elizondo,

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward looking information

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions. In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, third party mineralized material to be milled by the Company will have properties consistent with management's expectations, the Company will receive all required regulatory approvals, and that future metal prices and the demand and market outlook for metals will remain stable or improve. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in lower revenue, higher cost, or lower production levels; delays and/or cessation in planned work; changes in the Company's financial condition and development plans; delays in regulatory approval; risks associated with the interpretation of data (including in respect of the third party mineralized material) regarding the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information or statements, other than as required by applicable law.

Rosario Project

The decisions to commence production at the Rosario Mine, Cinco Estrellas Property and Membrillo Prospect were not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability, but rather on a more preliminary estimate of inferred mineral resources. Accordingly, there is increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks of failure associated with this production decision. Production and economic variables may vary considerably, due to the absence of a complete and detailed site analysis according to and in accordance with NI 43-101.



Veta Grande Project

The decision to commence production at Veta Grande Project was not based on a feasibility study on mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. Accordingly, there is increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks of failure associated with this production decision. Production and economic variables may vary considerably due to the absence of a complete and detailed site analysis according to and in accordance with NI 43-101.

SOURCE SantaCruz Silver Mining Ltd.

Related Links

www.santacruzsilver.com


There are 440,000 preventable adverse events that contribute to patient deaths in U.S. hospitals every year 1 . Most patients are not identified until 15 minutes before they suffer cardiac arrest that often lead to an adverse event or admittance to the ICU 2 . In general care units, it is often difficult for caregivers to determine which patients are at the greatest risk of having an unexpected serious adverse event such as cardiac arrest or even death.

Before implementing an automated scoring solution, such as the IntelliVue Guardian Solution, for supporting detection of potential clinical deteriorations, caregivers at Saratoga Hospital would take patients' vital signs every four hours, and this information would be manually logged into the electronic medical record (EMR) to be further assessed by nurses. Using Saratoga Hospital's modified early warning score (MEWS) algorithm, the IntelliVue Guardian Solution, as implemented, streamlines the manual process by automating the scoring that aids clinicians in identifying deviations in a patient's vital signs. It also incorporates an automated respiration rate into its EWS calculations to further enhance quality and accuracy. Respiration rate, which is not always captured correctly, is an important factor in accurately predicting both sepsis and cardiac arrest3. In most cases, this early identification occurs hours before a potential adverse event, giving Saratoga's clinicians time to intervene prior to patient deterioration.

"Improving patient safety and reducing codes in the general ward is a top priority for our team," said Diane Bartos, Administrative Director of the Intensive Care Unit, Saratoga Hospital. "In order to provide the best care possible, we must equip our caregivers with the technological resources they need to be successful. Our caregivers use the Philips IntelliVue Guardian Solution every day, helping them to make more confident care decisions and intervene earlier."

"The general floor is busy with increased patient acuity due to chronic illness, so it's critical to provide clinicians with technology that allows for more efficient workflows," said Felix Baader, Business Leader, Monitoring and Analytics at Philips. "With our solution implemented, providers like Saratoga Hospital can have clinical insights they need to help improve patient care while enhancing their workflow. The results they've seen include reduction in patient codes and transfers to critical care. This shows the true impact and value of this type of collaboration, as well as how technology can help hospitals address the quadruple aim, by improving patient outcomes and staff satisfaction, enhancing patient experience, and lowering costs."

Philips' full suite of integrated patient monitoring solutions will be showcased at booth #3812 at the 2018 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition taking place March 5-9 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, NV. For more information on Philips' presence at the event, please visit www.usa.philips.com/himss and follow @PhilipsLiveFrom for #HIMSS18 updates.

1 James, JT. A New, Evidence-based Estimate of Patient Harms Associated with Hospital Care. Journal of Patient Safety: September 2013 - Volume 9 - Issue 3 - p 122128.

2 Hillman K, Chen J, Cretikos M, et al. MERIT study investigators Introduction of the medical emergency team (MET) system: a cluster-randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2005;365 (9477):20912097.

3 Field D (2006) 'Respiratory care'. In: Sheppard M, Wright M eds. Principles and practice of high dependency nursing 2nd edn. Bailliere Tindall, Edinburgh)

For more information, please contact:

Kathy O'Reilly

Philips Group Press Office

Mobile: +1 978-221-8919

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @kathyoreilly

Silvie Casanova

Philips North America

Tel: + 1-781-879-0692

Email: [email protected]

Peter Hopper

Director, Marketing and Communications, Saratoga Hospital

Tel: 518-583-8679

Email: [email protected]

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2017 sales of EUR 17.8 billion and employs approximately 74,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

About Saratoga Hospital

Saratoga Hospital is the Saratoga region's leading healthcare provider and the only acute-care facility in Saratoga County. With a medical staff of more than 450 providers, the hospital offers care in a broad range of medical specialties at more than 20 locations including its Wilton campus and the Saratoga Medical Park at Malta. The Saratoga Hospital Medical Group ensures easy access to services that can have the greatest impact on both individual and community health. In keeping with its emphasis on quality, Saratoga Hospital was the first in the Capital Region to earn Magnet designation for nursing excellence. On Jan. 1, 2017, Saratoga Hospital finalized its affiliation with Albany Medical Center, joining Columbia Memorial Health in creating a regionally integrated, locally governed healthcare system. For more information: www.saratogahospital.org or www.facebook.com/SaratogaHospital.

SOURCE Royal Philips

Related Links

http://www.philips.com


REHOVOT, Israel, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SatixFy, a company specializing in developing and selling SDR baseband chips and modems, is introducing its first Wideband 500 MHz DVB-S2X Software Defined Radio (SDR) modem. SatixFy is demonstrating operation of its modem based on its SX-3000 chip at Satellite 2018, in SatixFy's booth (#649) in Washington, D.C. The product sets a record in terms of throughput, demonstrating 2.4 Gbps in 64 APSK with no time slicing or 256 APSK with 30% time slicing. The new Wideband SDR modem is the only one in the market today supporting Beam Hopping and VLSNR.

SatixFy 500MHz IDU - Consumer Version

The new modem's single carrier and Beam Hopping architecture enables substantially higher throughput from wideband (500 MHz) satellite transponders to enable superior connectivity. With SatixFy's modem, through single 500 MHz carrier and Beam Hopping capability, satellite operators and service providers will be able to get significantly higher throughput for applications requiring it, such as trunking, enterprise, and backhauling. A 1U rack mount Enterprise model is available today and a Consumer Unit will be available in Q4 2018.

"SatixFy is pleased to introduce our first Wideband modem and demonstrate the unbeatable performance of our SX-3000 chip in terms of QEF performance with a fraction of dB from DVB-S2X guidelines with over 2 Gbps throughput per 500 MHz transponder. Our team is first in reaching industry leading benchmarks that until now were out of the industry's grasps. This modem demonstrates our advantages over our competition. It is the only one in the market that supports Beam Hopping and VLSNR, and is the only SoC that supports the demodulator, modulator, dual core host CPU and 3 DSPs, with periphery of three 1 GB Ethernet ports, UART and many peripheral interfaces," said Yoel Gat, SatixFy CEO.

The Wideband SDR modem demonstration using the R&SSMW200A vector signal generator from Rohde & Schwarz shows no errors at -2 dB SNR with DVB-S2 QPSK rate . The R&SSMW200A single-instrument solution simplifies the testing of components, modem devices and satellite payloads. The vector signal generator supports DVB-S2/DVB-S2X and the latest satellite standard of a mega constellation. It is the first fully calibrated wideband solution with an RF modulation bandwidth of 2 GHz on the market and generates signals across all frequencies and satellite bands up to 40 GHz in the Ka-band.

Another demonstration is based on TeamCast TYGER, a wideband, DVB-S2/S2X compliant modulator offering high rates (up to 480 Mbaud, i.e. up to 2 Gbps), Time Slicing (Annex M), CID management and GSE IP encapsulation for maximizing, payload, operational flexibility, and return on investment. For IP transport, the use of the GSE adaptation algorithm insures lower overhead and maximized capacity and spectrum efficiency. By meeting the requirements of the DVB "Annex M", TYGER enables the mixing of services (broadcast and broadband) over the same satellite carrier. Specifically, it supports Time-Slicing, a process to split a wideband signal - up to 2 Gbps - into a number of independent low rates services, to keep the receiver IC complexity and price low, which is a mandatory requirement for a mass market adoption.

"We are pleased to be able to show how simple and powerful an end-to-end wideband transmission can be using stateof-the-art DVB-S2X features of the satellite technology, including Time-Slicing (Annex M)," said Christophe Trolet, Head of the Satellite Business Unit at TeamCast.

At Satellite 2018, SatixFy will also be demonstrating its Beam Hopping Emulator. The company, alongside its partners, is leading the industry in developing and setting standardization efforts for super-frame structure and beam hopping waveforms in DVB, and Resource Management, as well as Beam Hopping Illumination Plan algorithms and configurations in ETSI.

ABOUT SATIXFY GROUP:

The SatixFy Group designs next-generation satellite communication systems based on in-house developed chipsets. With locations in Israel and the UK, SatixFy develops a line of satellite communication modems with SDR and Electronically Steered antennas to support the most advanced standards, such as DVB-S2X. SatixFy's ASICs radically increase system performance and reduce the weight and power requirements of terminals, payloads and gateway equipment. With satellite communication expertise and full development capabilities, the company delivers the industry's smallest VSATs and multi-beam electronically steered antenna arrays for a variety of mobile applications and services such as Connected Car, IoT, consumer broadband, airline broadband communications, communication payloads and more.

For more information, please go to www.satixfy.com

ABOUT ROHDE & SCHWARZ:

The Rohde & Schwarz technology group develops, produces and markets innovative test and measurement, information and communications technology products for professional users. Rohde & Schwarz focuses on test and measurement, broadcast and media, cybersecurity, secure communications and monitoring and network testing, areas that address many different industry and government-sector market segments. Founded more than 80 years ago, the independent company has an extensive sales and service network in more than 70 countries. On June 30, 2017, Rohde & Schwarz had approximately 10,500 employees. The group achieved a net revenue of approximately EUR 1.9 billion in the 2016/2017 fiscal year (July to June). The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and also has regional hubs in Asia and the USA.

ABOUT TEAMCAST:

TeamCast is a renowned and highly active member of the Digital TV ecosystem worldwide, with innovative technology offerings based on a solid expertise in Satellite and Terrestrial Digital TV transmission.

Created in 2003, and based at Rennes in France, TeamCast is deeply involved in the development, definition and verification of numerous broadcasting standards.

Today, major clients in the Broadcasting Industry from 50 different countries invest their confidence in TeamCast and its products. TeamCast has offices in Elmira (New York) and in Singapore to support the development of its business in North America and Asia, and to provide local sales and technical support services to its customers.

For more information: www.teamcast.com

Press contacts:

SatixFy Group

Helena Itzhak, Marketing Commiunications, SatixFy, [email protected]

Josh Shuman, S&A Communications, [email protected]

Rohde & Schwarz

Europe (headquarters): Patrizia Muehlbauer, [email protected]

TeamCast

Alain Untersee, [email protected]

SOURCE SatixFy

Related Links

http://www.satixfy.com


BOCA RATON, Fla., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc., a leading distributor of insurance and financial services, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Tri-Star of Sikeston, Inc. DBA Self Insurance, headquartered in Sikeston, MO.

Serving the insurance needs of Missouri for more than 90 years, Brian Self and team have been offering the right combination of programs and key personnel to bring customers the coverage they need at affordable prices. Their proven success is expected to strengthen Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty's foothold across the nation and to the Midwest.

Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. continues to target high-quality independent agencies for geographic expansion and continued growth throughout the United States. With the addition of Self Insurance, Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. will continue to reach new and current clients by helping them protect their most important valuables with not only the right insurance, but with the right service for each client. SHP&C offers:

Homeowner's Policy

Automobile Insurance

Renter's Policy

Private Client

Umbrella Coverage

Commercial and Employee Coverage

Personal Liability Coverage

Employee Benefits

Human Resources

Marshal Seeman, President of Seeman Holtz Property and Casualty stated, "Eric and I are happy to be back in the state of Missouri where we went to college and can't wait to have Brian on our side." Brett Williams, Vice President added, "We are delighted to have Brian Self join the Seaman Holtz family of companies and look forward to have him and his team help us build our Missouri office."

About Our Company: The Seeman Holtz family of companies provides comprehensive financial and insurance advice to clients across the country.

Contact: Eric Holtz

Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty

844.255.6639

[email protected]

SOURCE Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc.
Dameron said that some people may not even know theyre on the most-wanted list. If they missed a court date, they probably realize a bench warrant has been issued. But if a case was just filed with the Napa County District Attorneys Office, they might not know yet.

There are individuals who, when they see theyre on the list, come down and take care of the warrant. They dont want their mugshot to be on social media, he said.

So, how does someone make it on the most-wanted list, which was created in 2010? Dameron said that they must be wanted on a felony warrant and cannot have been posted on the list in the current or previous year.

For example, he said, a person who has active felony warrants about 15 times every year can only be posted one time in a two-year period. So, if he was posted last in 2016, he would be eligible for 2018.

In the last few years, Napa Valley Crime Stoppers has started to change what they post, said Michael Honig, current president of the board of directors. Since Proposition 47 passed in 2014 reducing many felonies to misdemeanors, he said, there have been fewer postings by Napa Valley Crime Stoppers because they dont post mugshots for people wanted on misdemeanor charges.
"Southwest has been dedicated to the New Orleans community for 39 years," said Gary Kelly, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer for Southwest Airlines. "I can't think of a better way to show our commitment to the state of Louisiana than with the dedication of Louisiana One, honoring our loyal Customers and Employees."

Southwest began service to New Orleans in 1979, marking the airline's first destination served beyond its home state of Texas. Southwest today honored Employees and Customers in true New Orleans fashion with a Mardi Gras-inspired celebration kicked off by local musicians. Kelly unveiled the state-dedicated aircraft during an event held at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, following a traditional second line band which led community members, partners, Employees and state and local government officials to where Louisiana One was secretly positioned.

"This tribute to the Pelican State is a demonstration of our valued partnership with Southwest Airlines," said State of Louisiana Governor, John Bel Edwards. "We are honored that Louisiana One will be an ambassador for our great state flying throughout the country."

"We value our long-standing partnership with Southwest Airlines," said the City of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. "Together we fly millions of people each year domestically and internationally to one of the most vibrant cities in the United States. We're honored that our visitors' experience in New Orleans begins and ends with the great people of Southwest."

"Thank you to Southwest Airlines for this grand gesture of your appreciation to New Orleans and the state of Louisiana," said Cheryl Teamer, Chairperson of the New Orleans Aviation Board. "For nearly 40 years, Southwest has demonstrated time and time again their commitment to not only expanding air service in New Orleans, but also to strengthening our community through philanthropic efforts."

"We are truly honored to have Southwest Airlines dedicate the Louisiana One aircraft as a symbol of their commitment to our great state," said Kevin Dolliole, Aviation Director for Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. "As our airport's largest carrier, we are proud of Southwest Airlines' significant growth in our region since beginning service in 1979. This spring, they are adding 3 new flights from New Orleans to Sacramento, San Jose and Cancun. We know this beautiful aircraft is yet another step toward an even stronger partnership between MSY and Southwest in the future."

Southwest began service in New Orleans on Jan. 25, 1979, with one daily nonstop departure to Houston (Hobby). The airline currently operates more than 50 daily nonstop departures to 21 destinations from New Orleans.

Louisiana One joins 11 other 737s in the Southwest fleet that carry unique, state-themed paint schemes: Arizona One, California One, Colorado One, Florida One, Illinois One, Lone Star One (Texas), Maryland One, Missouri One, Nevada One, New Mexico One and Tennessee One.

For access to Louisiana One footage and imagery, visit swamedia.com.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 47th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 56,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 120 million passengers annually, in recent years. Southwest became the nation's largest domestic air carrier in 2003 and maintains that ranking based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded. During peak travel seasons, Southwest operates more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 100 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. Southwest has announced its intention to sell tickets in 2018 for service to Hawaii, subject to requisite governmental approvals.

Southwest coined Transfarency to describe its purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply.

As launch customer of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 in North America, the Company operates the largest fleet in the world of Boeing aircraft, all of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi. Customers who connect to the WiFi network may use their personal devices to view on-demand movies and television shows, as well as nearly 20 channels of free, live TV.

With a bold new look first unveiled in 2014, Southwest is progressing through a multi-year refresh of its fleet to showcase the carrier's Heart: a new logo, aircraft livery, interior design featuring new seats, Employee-designed uniforms, and an updated airport experience, all of which showcase a dedication of Southwest Employees to connect Customers with what's important in their lives.

From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic wherever the carrier serves. With 45 consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet.

Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest Airlines or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.

Related Links

http://www.southwest.com


VALLEY COTTAGE, New York, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Future Market Insights presents detailed insights and a revised forecast of the global surface plasmon resonance market in a new report titled 'Surface Plasmon Resonance Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012-2016) and Opportunity Assessment (2017-2027).' According to the report, the global surface plasmon resonance market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period 2017-2027 and reach US$ 1273.8 Mn in revenues in 2027.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430874LOGO )



Increasing demand for high end, surface plasmon resonance from end users, such as hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgical centres, nursing centers and reference laboratories for better throughput and performance will generate opportunities for using surface plasmon resonance technique over the long run and drive the growth of the global surface plasmon resonance market. Imaging system helps in increasing the throughput at a remarkable speed and with precise motion and consistency in report generation. The increasing adoption of label-free detection techniques over labelled detection techniques due to cost-effectiveness, availability of versatile products in the SPR market and coupling of complementary techniques with SPR to enhance specificity of the test are some factors which can upsurge the demand for surface plasmon resonance market.

Request a Sample Report with Table of Contents and Figures: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-962

Global Surface Plasmon Resonance Market: Segmentation and Forecast

Imaging system segment will remain the largest segment by the product type, accounted for over 55.7% revenue share of the market in 2016. The other segment sensor system is also anticipated to register a significant growth over the forecast period followed by biosensors segment.

Drug discovery segment will remain the largest segment by the application, accounted for over 65.3% revenue share of the market in 2016 with 6.5% CAGR over the forecast period. The second largest market is biosensors, which is accounted for over 24.8% revenue share in 2016, followed by material science, which is also anticipated to register a significant growth.

Biopharmaceutical companies segment will contribute the largest segment by the end user, accounted for over 53.2% revenue share of the market in 2016. The increasing demand for surface plasmon resonance technique at end users such as h academic & research institutes, food & beverage industry, CROs and others are also anticipated to register a significant growth over the forecast period.

Preview Analysis on Global Surface Plasmon Resonance Market Segmentation By Product Type - Imaging System, Sensor System, Reagents; By Application Type - Drug Discovery, Material Science, Biosensors; By End User Type - Academic and Research, Institutes, Food and Beverage, Industry, Biopharmaceutical, Companies, CROs, Other: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/surface-plasmon-resonance-spr-systems-market

Global Surface Plasmon Resonance Market: Regional Overview

The developing medical industry in respect to advanced infrastructure and increasing medical tourism in the developing countries from the APEJ such as China, India will continue to have a positive impact on surface plasmon resonance market in APEJ. The increasing adoption of imaging system and biosensors in life science R&D will helps to boost the market growth. An ease-of-use and economic convenience in the North America and Western Europe is anticipated to boost the growth of the surface plasmon resonance market over a forecast period. The rise in discretionary funding for the research and development activities for the advanced and cost effective medical devices and integration services will also drive the market in the North America and Western Europe. The MEA is at a nascent stage to the global surface plasmon resonance market and expected to show a moderate growth over a forecast period.

Our advisory services are aimed at helping you with specific, customised insights that are relevant to your specific challenges. Let us know about your challenges and our trusted advisors will connect with you: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-962

Global Surface Plasmon Resonance Market: Competitive Landscape

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., General Electric Co., AMETEK, Inc., Horiba, Ltd., Biosensing Instrument Inc., Nicoya Lifesciences Inc., BiOptix Inc., XanTec bioanalytics GmbH, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. and Kinetic Evaluation Instruments BV are some of the key players in the global surface plasmon resonance market.

Companies in the global surface plasmon resonance market are focusing on strategic alliances such as strategic agreements, collaborations, rising research and development activities, new product launches, joint ventures, partnerships, and mergers & acquisitions to sustain in the overall competition in the surface plasmon resonance market.

More from FMI's Cutting-edge Intelligence:

Ophthalmic Lasers Market Ophthalmic Lasers Market Segmentation By Product Type - Photo-coagulation Lasers, Photo-disruption Lasers, Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty; By Disease Type - Diabetic Retinopathy, Glaucoma Surgery, Cataract Surgery; By End User - Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centres, Ophthalmic Clinics: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/ophthalmic-lasers-therapeutic-market

North America Vision Care Market North America Vision Care Market Segmentation By Product Type - Rx-Lenses, Frames, Contact Lenses, Non Rx Sunglasses, Reading Glasses, Contact Lens Solutions; By Distribution Channel - Retail Stores, E-Commerce, Clinics, Hospitals: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/north-america-vision-care-market

Prosthetic Heart Valve Market Prosthetic Heart Valve Market Segmentation By Product Type - Mechanical Heart Valves, Biological/Tissue Heart Valves, Transcatheter Heart Valves; By End User - Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgery Centres: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/prosthetic-heart-valve-market

About Us

Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights and an aerial view of the competitive framework and future market trends.

Browse More Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals and Medical devices Market Insights

Contact Us

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,

Valley Cottage, NY 10989,

United States

T: +1-347-918-3531

F: +1-845-579-5705

T (UK): + 44 (0) 20 7692 8790

Sales: [email protected]

Press Office: [email protected]

FMI Blog: http://www.fmiblog.com/



Website: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com

SOURCE Future Market Insights
NEW YORK, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TBWA\Chiat\Day New York today announced several senior agency hires and promotions across four key departments: account services, data, content and creative. The appointments come as the agency continues to expand to support growth across its existing clients and several new businesses, including Hilton and Belvedere Vodka.

Lawson Waring joins TBWA\Chiat\Day New York as Global Brand Leader on its Accenture account. In this role he will provide leadership, vision and world-class management of operations and output across all key markets. He will also be a major driver of new technology products and digital efforts across the agency. Waring joins TBWA from Huge in Brooklyn, where he was Group Vice President and VP, Client Services.

Alberto Botero has joined the TBWA\Chiat\Day New York as Head of Data, acting as the data steward in the New York office, helping to lead, build and push the practice across brands. Tara Hagan, who came to TBWA in 2015 as a Content Director, has been elevated to Director of Digital Strategy and Content Planning. On the creative side, Shannon Murphy has joined the agency as Associate Creative Director.

Commenting on the appointments, TBWA\Chiat\Day New York CEO Rob Schwartz said:

"Lawson is a natural leader, and really understands the intricacies of what our clients want and need as a global brand and business. His deep digital expertise as part of our leadership will be invaluable. In the same vein, Alberto has a real vision for data, building our own data products and finding different and creative uses for it. It's a pleasure and privilege to welcome these leaders into the fold in New York."

"It's also a pleasure and privilege to work alongside Tara Hagan," he added. "In her two years with TBWA, she has impressed and influenced clients, prospects and fellow employees at every turn. As Director of Digital Strategy and Content Planning, she'll have the opportunity to spread and grow that influence in two essential areas of our business."

At Huge, Lawson Waring previously served as the most senior account lead and chief liaison for several top agency clients, including Comcast, EA, ExxonMobil, Pizza Hut, and QVC. Prior to Huge, he also had stints at Tribal DDB, where he led ExxonMobil and (RED) as Group Account Director, and R\GA, where he honed his digital chops overseeing all digital marketing efforts for the SC Johnson family of brands, including Scrubbing Bubbles, Glade, Windex, OFF, Drano, Pledge, and Ziploc. Waring spent the bulk of his early career with The Martin Agency, where he gained valuable experience working across an array of accounts over a 10-year period, such as Walmart, Hanes, Olympus, and Castrol.

Alberto Botero comes to TBWA from FCB Global, where he was Vice President of Analytics. A former developer and engineer by trade, Botero brings with him more than 15 years of experience in data analytics and technology. Prior to FCB, he served as Director of Analytics at Geometry Global and as Associate Director of Analytics and Accountability at R/GA, working primarily with Nike Digital Sport. He also spent time at Digitas as Associate Director, developing and implementing new tracking and reporting methods for client American Express.

Tara Hagan started her career as a CPA at Deloitte. After completing her MBA at Harvard Business School, she transitioned into advertising, becoming an MBA fellow at Omnicom in 2014. She came to TBWA in 2015 as Director of Business Analytics before shifting into a Content director role. Her keen understanding of B2B and business strategy has been recognized across the TBWA global network, and has been instrumental working on several pieces of business, including Intel, African telecom brand MTN, Intuit Quickbooks, and TD Bank.

Shannon Murphy joins the agency as Associate Creative Director/Copywriter, working primarily on Accenture. Before TBWA, Murphy was an Associate Creative Director at Ogilvy & Mather New York, writing for IBM, Nationwide, Coca-Cola and Southwest Airlines. She has also held copywriter positions at Strawberry Frog, Y&R Chicago and BBH India, and attended Miami Ad School  San Francisco.

TBWA\Chiat\Day New York Chief Creative Officer Chris Beresford-Hill added:

"I'm thrilled to welcome Shannon, who is bringing her creativity and talent to our growing creative department, helping us to turn more and more opportunities into breakthrough, disruptive work."

About TBWA\Worldwide

TBWA Worldwide (http://www.tbwa.com) is a top-ten ranked global advertising agency collective that uses Disruption methodologies to develop business-changing ideas for brands. TBWA has 11,300 employees across 305 offices in 98 countries and also includes brands such as Auditoire, Digital Arts Network (DAN), eg+ worldwide, The Integer Group, TBWA\Media Arts Lab and TBWA\WorldHealth. TBWA's global clients include adidas, Apple, Gatorade, Henkel, Hilton Hotels, McDonald's, Michelin, Nissan, Pernod Ricard, Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore Airlines, and Sotheby's. Follow TBWA on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and like us on Facebook.

About Omnicom Group Inc.

Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

For more news from the TBWA network please visit: tbwa.com/news

SOURCE TBWA Worldwide

Related Links

http://www.tbwa.com


The Hino XL Series adds capability and new advantages to Hino Trucks product portfolio while holding true to the brand's core advantages of industry-leading standard features, durability, reliability, and ownership experience. "Considering our remarkable success in Class 4-7 in North America, and our growing global presence in the Class 8 market, entering the North American heavy duty segment makes for the next logical step. Not to mention our customers and our dealer network have been asking for this for some time," said Yoshinori Noguchi, President and CEO of Hino Trucks North America.

The Hino XL Series will be offered in a host of straight truck and tractor configurations ranging from a GVWR of 33,000 to 60,000 lbs. and GCWR up to 66,000 lbs. with max performance of 360 horsepower and 1,150 lb.-ft. torque. Available wheel base selections of up to 304 inches, and tandem axle and fifth wheel configurations make this a versatile truck for many vocational applications.

The lineup features new active safety solutions with electronic stability control (standard on tractor) and collision mitigation systems, innovative payload management suspension options, and a body builder friendly optimized design that was also engineered for maximum ease of serviceability.

Hino Trucks set out to create a vehicle with best-in-class styling, ergonomics, and valued amenities. "Both drivers and owners are going to love this truck!" remarked Glenn Ellis, VP of Customer Experience. "The first thing you notice is the styling -- the aerodynamic yet bold design could proudly represent any business. Then you open the door to a wide, easy-access entry and an automotive grade finished interior ready to provide the best service possible to drivers and teams." Air-ride cab and driver's seat, hands-free Bluetooth audio/calling, steering wheel controls, LED headlights, cruise control, and air conditioning are a few of the distinguished features that will be standard equipment on every 2020 model year Hino XL7 and XL8.

As with everything Hino Trucks does, the Hino XL Series is more than a product, it is about providing Hino customers an ultimate ownership experience. The benefits current Hino customers receive -- from HinoWatch 24/7 roadside assistance and HinoCare maintenance programs to the industry's leading fully integrated connected vehicle solution, Hino Insight  will be benefits for Hino XL Series customers. Hino Insight Telematics carries a one-year complimentary subscription, while Insight Remote Diagnostics and Insight Case Management are complimentary for five-years.

Production of the new Hino XL7 and XL8 will start in early 2019. The new lineup will be assembled in Mineral Wells, West Virginia at the fully renovated one million square foot state-of-the-art production facility that Hino acquired in 2017.

ABOUT HINO TRUCKS:

Hino Trucks, a Toyota Group Company, assembles, sells, and services a lineup of Class 4-8 diesel commercial trucks in the United States. Hino Trucks is the premier heavy & medium duty nameplate in the United States with a product lineup that offers fully connected vehicles with low total cost of ownership, superior fuel economy, unmatched reliability and maneuverability and the most comprehensive bundle of standard features in the market. Headquartered in Novi, Michigan, Hino has a network of over 230 dealers nationwide committed to achieving excellence in the ultimate ownership experience. Learn more about Hino Trucks at http://www.hino.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

SOURCE Hino Trucks

Related Links

http://www.hino.com


SHANGHAI, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The fashion trend of Spring 2018 was led by the famous female shoe brand 73hours, reflected by well-known celebrities and female stars.

A Beloved Brand by Celebrities

73hours

The popularity of 73hours among celebrities has existed ever since the brand was first launched. They have chosen 73hours shoes to attend the Fashion Week, magazine shootings and other activities. In early 2018, 73hours announced that the famous star Elephantdee become the first brand spokesperson.

Formerly employed by world's leading brands such as Jimmy Choo and Vivienne Westwood, the designers of 73hours are well experienced to create shoes with elegant cut riding on current trends. Above all, the boot trees of the shoes were re-designed to better suit Asian Women's feet. Therefore, 73hours is marked favorite by many fashion experts and celebrities, with a growing number of Chinese figures that wore 73hours for their important moments.

73.3 Hours of Craftsmanship

Why 73hours? Because every pair of 73hours' shoes will only be presented to customers after 103 procedures and 73.3 hours of craftsmanship, and this is what 73.3 hours persists in. Made of imported leather, boot trees being refined especially for Asian women, the shoes are a stunner without burden, a charm maker, and a comfy walking companion.

Beauty is what 73hours wish to deliver to all women, which demonstrates the brand philosophy: live what you like, let destiny decide.

The 73hours Stores: Romantic & Girly

Since the first store was opened in Feb 2015 in Shanghai, 73hours now has 14 branches located in the core business areas of Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, and Chengdu.

The style of decoration is unique to each other store and is always eye-catching. You will feel the romance from within when you see all the pink, gray, and gold elements the stores are decorated with -- floating clouds, swimming fish, and cute animals bustling around.

Related Links

73hours official website

SOURCE 73hours

Related Links

http://www.73hours.com.cn


WORCESTER, Mass., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG) today announced the expansion of its marine online system, TAP Sales Marine, to allow the company's independent agent partners to quickly and easily quote and issue contractor's equipment policies.

Building on the success of its builders risk online tool, The Hanover added contractor's equipment to its marine online product suite, enabling its agents to issue contractor's equipment policies for a broad range of equipment, including general construction, specialized equipment, and equipment used in warehousing, manufacturing, and municipalities.

Backed by a comprehensive new contractor's equipment form, agents can select coverage options and deductibles to meet the needs of their clients. This enhanced coverage form, coupled with the online quoting platform, will enable the company's agents to provide a broad, competitive and timely insurance solution for their contractor's equipment customers.

"The rollout of our contractor's equipment tool means our agents can issue quotes for contractor's equipment clients within minutes," said Paul J. Butler, president of Hanover marine. "This helps agents provide the high quality service demanded by the construction industry. With the competitive rates and broad coverage options offered through this online system, we're able to help our agent partners better serve their clients."

This new platform is an addition to The Hanover's existing marine products, serviced through a nationwide network of marine specialists, and supported by dedicated marine claim and loss control experts.

Agent partners of The Hanover can access TAP Sales Marine here: hanover.com/agentsolutions.

ABOUT THE HANOVER

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. is the holding company for several property and casualty insurance companies, which together constitute one of the largest insurance businesses in the United States. The company provides exceptional insurance solutions in a dynamic world. The Hanover distributes its products through a select group of independent agents and brokers. Together with its agents, The Hanover offers standard and specialized insurance protection for small and mid-sized businesses, as well as for homes, automobiles, and other personal items. Through its international member company, Chaucer, The Hanover also underwrites business at Lloyd's of London in several major insurance and reinsurance classes, including marine, property and energy. For more information, please visit hanover.com .

All products are underwritten by The Hanover Insurance Company or one of its insurance company subsidiaries or affiliates ("The Hanover"). Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions and is subject to the company underwriting guidelines and the issued policy. This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage. For more information about The Hanover visit our website at www.hanover.com.

2018 The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hanover.com


- Existing shelters currently house 200+ children and have created over 120 jobs

- 11,050 unaccompanied minors have been officially registered in Greece since the beginning of 2016

The HOME Project, the international humanitarian non-profit organization (www.homeproject.org) which houses and employs refugee children and youth stranded in Greece during the current crisis, has received a generous donation from The Shapiro Foundation (www.theshapirofoundation.org). This valuable contribution to the HOME Project's work will fund a new shelter in Athens for 20 more children and create a further 11 jobs.

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/651147/Shapiro_HOME_Project.jpg )



The Shapiro Foundation, launched in 2001, has a mission to serve the world's most vulnerable population of over 66,000,000 refugees, internally displaced people, and asylum-seekers. Through meaningful partnerships across five continents, it is trying to ameliorate suffering in extreme situations and actively pilot creative resettlement opportunities. Based in Boston, it is the philanthropic foundation of the Shapiro family, headed by Ed and Barbara Shapiro.

"We are deeply grateful to the Shapiro family for their generosity through this Foundation donation," said Sofia Kouvelaki, Executive Director of the HOME Project. "Funding a new shelter makes a huge difference to the lives of children stranded in Greece, ensuring their safety and wellbeing. We welcome them as a partner in our mission to prevent further suffering and to provide stability through this humanitarian crisis."

Ed Shapiro, Trustee for The Shapiro Foundation, added: "It is our honor to support the critical work the HOME Project is doing for refugee children, which are among the most vulnerable populations in the world. This past summer, I saw first-hand the HOME Project's work and appreciate the opportunity to help them continue their mission of providing shelter to the growing number of refugee children in Greece."

The new shelter will be the HOME Project's eleventh building. Last year it received a 1 million donation from the IKEA Foundation to fund and open new shelters, building on the initial support from its founding sponsor, the Libra Group. The ten dedicated shelters already in existence establish a structure of care and support where none existed before and bring lone refugee children to safety. The HOME Project provides on-the-ground intervention for refugees enduring harsh conditions in camps and at processing points throughout Greece, meeting real human need with specialist support, funding, and private-sector partnerships.

Already caring for over 200 children in secure environments, and now creating over 130 jobs, the HOME Project ethos of support, protection, education, and social integration services has never been more vital.

More than 2,300 unaccompanied minors are currently homeless in Greece, in real danger, at risk of violence, sexual abuse, exploitation, and organ trafficking.

The HOME Project is actively seeking donations and support to help combat this refugee crisis which is the largest humanitarian disaster since the Second World War. More than 1 million refugees have arrived in Greece since the start of 2015 who are in desperate need of aid and shelter, the majority coming from three countries: Syria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Targeted intervention in camps covers a number of basic needs, from milk for babies through to medical, educational, legal and language support.

All donations to the HOME Project go directly to refugees, helping them to be safe, fed, clothed, sheltered, and integrated into society. The HOME Project continues to seek and enlist all forms of donation, assistance, and giving-in-kind to benefit the cause and have a direct impact on the lives of refugees.

About The HOME Project

Standing for 'Help, Overcome, Motivate, and Empower', the HOME Project's mission is threefold. First, to bring unaccompanied minors to safety in dedicated shelters where they will be clothed, fed, and supported. Second, to source, refurbish, and convert unused buildings throughout Greece into shelters, bringing them back to life and into good use. Third, through the conversion, refurbishment, and ongoing operation of these shelters it is creating employment, including for refugees - 130 new jobs were created in its first year of operation. At the moment, the HOME Project is housing 200 children in ten homes and creating more than 130 jobs. The founding sponsor of the HOME Project is the Libra Group, a privately owned international business.

www.homeproject.org

About The Shapiro Foundation

The Shapiro Foundation, founded by Barbara and Ed Shapiro in 2001, is focused on improving the lives of the world's most vulnerable populations. The foundation's primary focus is on children, refugees, and immigrants, as well as education, global health, and humanitarian aid. Support is provided for organizations in Boston and throughout the US, as well as Israel, Greece, Rwanda, Bangladesh and Liberia.

www.theshapirofoundation.org

SOURCE The HOME Project
State of The Industry During his introduction at CEVISAMA, Vicente Nomdedeu, the newly appointed president of The Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers' Association (ASCER), outlined the 2017 production, sales and exports figures that reflect the strength of Spain's industrial sector.

The Spanish tile industry continues to be vibrant with both sales (+7%) and production (+8%) on the rise yet again. With 75% of all sales made abroad, Spain currently exports to 187 countries worldwide. Strong growth in the USA is particularly noteworthy with a total sales increase of 25.5% in 2017, maintaining the USA's position as the 2nd largest market for Spanish tile.

New Trends Products Featured

The following provides a brief overview of some of the new trends and innovations showcased by Tile of Spain USA's featured companies at CEVISAMA 2018:

Aparici: Natural wood and color combine in the Chalkwood Collection. Available in both traditional planks as well as mosaic pieces, this vintage inspired design adds depth to spaces and is ideal for both floors and walls.

Argenta: Playing on the trend of natural stone imitations, the Hardy Series has been designed as a series of porcelain floor and wall tiles that flaunt the richness, elegance and strength of stone with the benefits of ceramic tile.

Ceracasa: With 8 different decorative tiles in one grey color, the Retro Collection lives up to its name. The geometric inspired flat patterned porcelain tiles feature a matte finish and are available in a 15x15cm size format. The collection is both stain and moisture resistant and is easy to clean, making it an ideal choice for any room.

Cevica: The Jazz Collection re-creates traditional Moroccan-inspired fish scale tiles with softer tones and delicate designs. The new wall tiles allow for creative design opportunities with 7 plain colors and 13 different designs which can be ordered in a single color/pattern or as a mix.

Dune: Various patterns and colors come to life with the mix and match style of the Minimal Chic Collection. The elementary geometry of the shapes and the neutral colors are the basis for variety of decorations. The collection is composed of 2 series: Emporio, a marbling finish, and Factory, a cement finish.

Equipe Ceramicas: Triangular shapes add decorative style to interior walls with the Magical3 Collection. The waterproof geometric tiles are available in 11 different colors and feature a slightly raised relief detail on 2 sides for a unique texture.

Estudio Ceramico : Available in 12 colors and a non-rectified format, the Bohemia Collection plays on traditional subway tiles and creates a more lived-in look for kitchen and bathroom walls. The 5"x10" size format allows for creative installation beyond the traditional horizontal pattern.

Fanal Ceramicas : Deep shade variations with a metal effect finish, the Planet Collection provides an industrial look in its 5 earth-toned colors and 2 size options that are ideal for both walls and floors. The semi-polished surface catches the eye by alternating between glazed and matte spots.

Grespania : A twist on the natural wood look, the Wabi Sabi collection features a timeless design that provides a feeling of warmth, emotion and closeness. Featuring a palette of natural colors and three notably different finishes, the series responds to the environmental, physical and psychological need to live in harmony with our surroundings.

Ibero Porcelanico: Featuring remarkable personality, the Gravity Collection replicates pure industrial looks with digitally printed metal oxidation patterns. The matte-finish collection with satin gloss highlights is available in a wide range of formats, colors and finishes for both floors and walls. The collection is ideal for high traffic areas such as hotels, restaurants and malls as well as traditional residential living spaces.

Keraben: Modern and sophisticated, the Chic collection is a combination of Victorian aesthetics and functional design. Using Victorian wallpaper as their source of inspiration, the wall tile collection features a skillful palette of color and texture, with a pattern reminiscent of the weave of a fabric that imitates the motion of small delicate leaves.

Natucer: 3D wall tiles from the Dynamic Collection feature innovative shapes such as blocks, cubes and arches to create a play on light and shadow. The collection is available in a variety of colors that can be mixed and matched for a personalized look.

Peronda: FS BRIATI, designed by furniture and interior designer Francisco Segarra, combines cement and vintage patterns in a square format. The plain-colored cement-effect field tile stands out for its strong shade variation. Meanwhile, the decor emulates four smaller tiles that combine cement with a worn pattern in random compositions.

Roca Ceramica: Rectified with a high gloss finish, the Marble Pulpis collection imitates the delicate lines and indisputable elegance of marble. Available in two natural colors, Gris and Vision, and a 12"x36" size format that makes a sophisticated impact in any room.

Rocersa: Clean and discreet, the Chrono Collection conveys the sobriety and character of natural stone. The collection is based on two cold shades (white and grey) and is suitable for both interior and exterior floors and walls. A variety of thicknesses and high technical specifications allow the collection to meet virtually any architectural requirement.

Saloni: The Textural Collection fuses both cement and textile looks with a handmade appearance. A matte finish and a variety of graphic textures create this minimalist-inspired collection that is alluring to the touch.

Tau Ceramica: Combining design and advanced cooking technology, ASCALE by TAU slabs with TPB tech technology enables induction cooking directly on the porcelain surface. The partnership with TPB Tech eliminates the need for a tradition glass-ceramic induction cooktop, making it possible to prep, cook and eat in a single space.

Vives: Terrazzo looks are back and revitalized with the Dolce Vita collection. The dynamic and elegant rectified tiles are available in a variety of sizes, colors and special pieces for versatile use.

More trends and images from Tile of Spain USA's CEVISAMA 2018 featured companies are available here: http://bit.ly/TOSCEVISAMA18

Tile of Spain Awards

2017 marked the 16th edition of the Tile of Spain Awards. The panel of judges was comprised of world-renowned architects Inaki Abalos (Chair), Angela Garcia Paredes, Ricardo Bak Gordon, Victor Navarro, Moises Puente, Martin Azua and Ramon Monfort. The judges met on November 24th, 2017 in Castellon to decide the winners who were then presented with their prizes at Cevisama 2018.

A winery in Mont-Ras (Baix Emporda, Girona), was named the winner in the Architecture category. The remodeling of three stations on the L9 metro line in Barcelona received first prize in the Interior Design category. For the Final Degree Project, the award went to a residents' center and tourist information office in Granada's El Albaicin district. Due to the high standard of the entries, the judges awarded several special mentions in all three categories. Winning projects, images, plans and descriptions are available here: www.tileofspainawards.com.

Trans-Hitos Exhibit

Trans-Hitos 2018 was presented under the theme "Cycles." Cycles refers to a fresh way of understanding architecture by suggesting that what has been learned in past years will have a great significance in driving a modern view of architecture that thinks about people and seeks to solve their problems by prioritizing user needs.

These exhibitions included the "Celosia," or Lattice, masterpiece by Elena Oleaza and Louis Sicard, winners of the Trans-Hito competition. A collaboration with the Design School at Harvard University was also featured, as well as a project by Wesam Asali, winner of the 2017 ASCER Awards in the PFC Category. An additional space was dedicated to the exposition of projects from the School of Ceramics and winning projects of the XVI Premios Ceramica (Ceramic Awards). More information on the 2018 Trans-Hitos exhibit is available here: http://bit.ly/TransHitos2018

About Tile of Spain

In Spain, tile makers labor as they have for centuries  pushing their passion for design and innovation to new levels of artisanship. With one of the purest and strongest domestic clays available, Spanish manufacturers have an unparalleled ability to make the end product more diverse. From rustic handmade forms; to technical facades that cool buildings and clean the air; to the impossibly slim, sustainable recycled and ink jet masterpieces that fire the imagination. The Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers' Association (ASCER) is the private organization whose primary objective is to support Spain's ceramic tile manufacturers and the industry as a whole by stewarding and promoting the Tile of Spain brand worldwide. A strong global leader, the ceramic tile industry of Spain comprises of over 125 manufacturers concentrated primarily in the province of Castellon. For more about tile produced in Spain, contact Tile of Spain Center at the Trade Commission of Spain, 2655 Le Jeune Road, Suite 1114, Coral Gables, FL 33134. Call 305-446-4387 or visit http://www.tileofspainusa.com.

SOURCE Tile of Spain
BOSTON, and SALT LAKE CITY, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- UPMC and Health Catalyst today announced that they have been named joint recipients of Microsoft Corp.'s 2018 Health Innovation Awards.

The awards, which were announced at the 2018 HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition in Las Vegas recognize health organizations and their technology solution partners for using Microsoft's intelligent health technologies in innovative ways that help engage patients, empower care teams, optimize clinical and operational effectiveness, and transform health.

UPMC and Health Catalyst won for their use of the Health Catalyst CORUS Suite, a cost-management system co-developed by these two partners and based on Microsoft technology that has saved the health system millions of dollars. CORUS enables CFOs, physicians, service line leaders, and clinical and financial analysts to deeply understand the true cost of providing care across the continuum, and to relate those costs to patient outcomes.

"UPMC is honored to accept the Microsoft Health Innovation Award, which recognizes our effort to identify and address operational inefficiencies and to lower the total cost of care while still improving quality and clinical outcomes for our patients," said Robert DeMichiei, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of UPMC, which is an investor in Health Catalyst. "In this era of value-based care, healthcare organizations must get a better handle on how much it costs to deliver care so we can manage that cost and eliminate waste. At UPMC, we knew we would need an analytic solution that could turn cost data into actionable information such as by revealing the relationship between cost and clinical variation, identifying best practices, and suggesting opportunities for improvement. Our partnership with Health Catalyst has been the answer."

CORUS's Activity-Based Costing (ABC) platform identifies activities and calculates the cost of each activity based on its actual consumption of resources and materials. CORUS also analyzes and delivers early and actionable insights to increase the cost efficiency of UPMC's processes. Powered by embedded logic and access to the most granular activity and cost data, CORUS offers insights into profitability and variation and identifies cost reduction opportunities. To do that, CORUS aggregates data from a wide variety of information systems, which makes it possible to assign direct costs, such as medications, supplies and labor costs, to patients based on their actual utilization.

"We are honored to receive the Microsoft Health Innovation Award in partnership with UPMC," said Dan Burton, CEO of Health Catalyst. "UPMC is a recognized leader in activity-based cost management, and we are delighted that our work together to refine and deploy the CORUS suite has resulted in early cost management successes across the UPMC network, while also creating a model for other healthcare organizations across the country to reduce waste and costs while improving quality."

Millions in Cost Savings

UPMC has used CORUS's activity-based costing and analytics to effectively drive cost savings and improve clinical outcomes in many of its service lines, including Surgical Services, Women's Health, Orthopedics, and Cardiovascular. Overall, the CORUS Suite generated $5 million in supply savings and gave management insights into $42 million in cost reduction opportunities, including decreases in unnecessary clinical variation and more efficient deployment of OR labor. The time required to access cost information was reduced by up to 97 percent.

In Surgical Services, the ABC method helped produce $3 million in cost savings or cost avoidance over two years. This result represents the cost difference between baseline cases and the cases in the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program, in which UPMC surgeons follow protocols designed to reduce complication rates and facilitate faster recovery from surgeries.

Nominations for the Microsoft Health Innovation Awards were submitted by health providers, payers, pharmaceutical and life science organizations, and public and private health institutions across the world for applying Microsoft technology to create transformative and highly-effective innovations. An esteemed panel of industry experts selected this year's winners based on how their innovation represents a forward-thinking development or implementation of a solution that is delivering groundbreaking results and producing better health outcomes for more people. Recipients will be highlighted on the Microsoft Health blog at www.Microsoft.com/Health.

"The health industry is undergoing a digital transformation in which intelligent health technologies are helping organizations, communities and individuals improve care by helping them better understand and share information," said Chris Sakalosky, vice president, U.S. Health & Life Sciences, Microsoft. "This year's Microsoft Health Innovation Award recipients are advancing the goals of improved patient engagement and care coordination through their pioneering use of Microsoft devices, platforms and cloud and AI services."

About UPMC

A $16 billion world-renowned health care provider and insurer, Pittsburgh-based UPMC is inventing new models of patient-centered, cost-effective, accountable care. UPMC provides more than $900 million a year in benefits to its communities, including more care to the region's most vulnerable citizens than any other health care institution. The largest nongovernmental employer in Pennsylvania, UPMC integrates 80,000 employees, more than 30 hospitals, 600 doctors' offices and outpatient sites, and a 3.4 million-member Insurance Services Division, the largest medical insurer in western Pennsylvania. As UPMC works in close collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside on its annual Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals. UPMC Enterprises functions as the innovation and commercialization arm of UPMC, and UPMC International provides hands-on health care and management services with partners on four continents. For more information, go to UPMC.com.

About Health Catalyst

Health Catalyst is a next-generation data, analytics, and decision-support company, committed to being a catalyst for massive, sustained improvements in healthcare outcomes. We are the leaders in a new era of advanced predictive analytics for population health and value-based care with a suite of machine learning-driven solutions, decades of outcomes-improvement expertise, and an unparalleled ability to integrate data from across the healthcare ecosystem. Our proven data warehousing and analytics platform helps improve quality, add efficiency and lower costs in support of more than 85 million patients for organizations ranging from the largest US health system to forward-thinking physician practices. Our technology and professional services can help you keep patients engaged and healthy in their homes and workplaces, and we can help you optimize care delivery to those patients when it becomes necessary. We are grateful to be recognized by Fortune, Gallup, Glassdoor, Modern Healthcare and a host of others as a Best Place to Work in technology and healthcare. Visit www.healthcatalyst.com, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Media Contact:

Todd Stein

Amendola Communications

916-346-4213

[email protected]

SOURCE Health Catalyst

Related Links

http://www.healthcatalyst.com


Police said Rivers tried to set the house on fire but the blaze was confined to the garage area and was quickly controlled.

Police said Diambu was found shot to death in front of the house and Wright and Reed were found dead inside. Wright and Reed had both been stabbed and shot, according to police.

Officers found ammunition and knives in Rivers' pockets when they searched her, Oakland police Officer Hector Jimenez wrote in a probable cause statement.

As officers were detaining Rivers, she "began making spontaneous statements about her involvement in the murders," Jimenez wrote.

Wright and Reed were married, according to their Facebook pages.

A motive for the three homicides wasn't disclosed during Rivers' preliminary hearing but prosecutors said it will be revealed at her trial, which may not take place for several years since she could face the death penalty and the attorneys in the case need time to prepare.

Diambu graduated in spring 2016 from the Berkeley High School Academy of Medicine and Public Service.
RESTON, Va., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a FORTUNE 500 science, information technology, and engineering leader, was awarded a $200 million hybrid contract (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) to support geospatial requirements, standards and systems across the U.S. Army. The multiple-award, follow-on contract has a potential five-year period of performance and work will be performed in Alexandria, Va.

Under the contract, Leidos will continue to provide technologies and expertise to support the U.S. Army's ongoing geospatial research, integration, development, and operational requirements at the U.S. Army Geospatial Center (AGC) at Fort Belvoir. Leidos will also develop geospatial enterprise-enabled systems for the Army and other Department of Defense (DOD) and non-DOD entities.

"We are proud of the twenty five years of support we've provided to the Army's geospatial work, helping deliver innovative intelligence capabilities into the hands of the Army warfighter," said Mike Chagnon, Leidos Advanced Solutions Group President. "Across the geospatial community, Leidos continues to innovate on behalf of our customers, delivering technologies and expertise focused on their unique missions."

About Leidos

Leidos is a Fortune 500 information technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and health markets. The company's 32,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $10.17 billion for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2017. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 29, 2017, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

SOURCE Leidos

Related Links

http://www.leidos.com


BOISE, Idaho, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- VisitPay, the leader in patient financial engagement, has entered into an exclusive agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in connection with the bank's plan to extend recourse financing to VisitPay's new Balance Transfer program, which will provide wholesale funding to healthcare providers.

Watch a video about Balance Transfer.

With the launch of the Balance Transfer program, VisitPay now offers providers a fully automated and economically sustainable approach to financing patient receivables. The program minimizes days in accounts receivable and improves liquidity metrics, while seamlessly maintaining VisitPay's provider-branded online experience for patients.

"Managing long-term patient debt is not a core competence for most providers," said Kent Ivanoff, VisitPay CEO and Co-Founder. "It distracts them from fulfilling their core mission of delivering outstanding patient outcomes. The proposed financing will allow providers to augment the unmatched billing experience created by VisitPay with a fully automated, low-cost financing solution."

VisitPay's platform already offers patients unprecedented transparency, choice and control in managing their health bills, thereby dramatically improving the patient experience, driving yield and reducing bad debt expenses. The new Balance Transfer program will extend credit to healthcare systems as they manage the growth of patient debt associated with high deductible health plans.

The exclusive agreement with JPMorgan Chase comes as the cost of care is increasingly shifted to patients. Nearly 40% of healthcare consumers privately purchased a high-deductible health plan in 2016, up from 26% in 2011, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Yet millions of healthcare consumers continue to struggle to understand the true scope of their financial obligations, causing them to put off necessary care, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

"Healthcare consumerism is a significant challenge to health systems because it directly impacts the clinical and business aspects of these institutions," Ivanoff said. "Patients who put off care because they lack control, choice and options for paying what they owe prevents providers from delivering positive clinical outcomes."

St Luke's Health System in Boise, a long standing VisitPay client, is among the innovation partners shaping the program.

"VisitPay has empowered us to deliver a patient financial experience as exceptional as our clinical experiences," said Jeff Taylor, St. Luke's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "The agreement between JPMorgan Chase and VisitPay is a significant next step in terms of giving both patients and health systems control over their financial security."

Learn more about VisitPay Balance Transfer.

About VisitPay

VisitPay is the first and only platform for Patient Financial Health. The culmination of seven years learning and development, this proprietary cloud-based platform enables health systems to dramatically increase the amount paid on patient balances because patients can finally exercise control over their financial health. VisitPay is proudly headquartered in Boise, Idaho, one of the most livable cities in the country, where it has assembled a powerful team focused on predictive analytics, user-driven software design and consumer finance. More information about the company and its solutions can be found at www.visitpay.com.

Media Contacts

Linda Healan

Amendola Communications for VisitPay

[email protected]

404-725-7117

Jessica Francisco

J.P. Morgan

[email protected]

212-270-1719

SOURCE VisitPay

Related Links

http://www.visitpay.com


DENVER, March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vista Gold Corp. (TSX & NYSE American: VGZ) ("Vista" or the "Company") today announced its audited financial results and highlights for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. Management's quarterly conference call to discuss these results is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. MST on March 9, 2018. The Company's full audited financial statements, Management's Discussion and Analysis together with other important disclosures can be found in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian securities regulatory authorities.

Summary of 2017 Financial Results

We reported a net loss of $12.0 million or $0.12 per share for the year ended December 31, 2017. This includes $10.8 million of operating and other expenses, and a $1.2 million mark-to-market loss on our investment in Midas Gold Corp.

Our working capital at December 31, 2017 totaled approximately $19.0 million, including cash and short-term investments (comprised of government securities) of approximately $16.6 million. The Company currently has no debt.

Frederick H. Earnest, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "2017 was a productive year for Vista. Ongoing environmental permitting work and extensive testing to improve the process flowsheet culminated in two important milestones for the Mt Todd gold project early this year. On January 22nd we were notified that our request for authorization of a controlled activity, as required under the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, had been approved. This means that Vista now has all the major environmental approvals necessary for the development of the Mt Todd gold project. On January 24th we announced the results of an updated Mt Todd preliminary feasibility study (PFS) which demonstrates a large-scale, economically robust gold project at the current gold price. Given its location, advanced permitting status, low-cost profile, and cash-generating capacity, we believe Mt Todd is an attractive undeveloped gold project."

Management Conference Call

A conference call with management to review our financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and to discuss corporate and project activities is scheduled for Friday, March 9, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. MST.

Participant Toll Free: 833-297-9917

International: 647-689-4524

Conference ID: 8795093

This call will also be web-cast and can be accessed at the following web location:

http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=1623291&s=1&k=6A857F127BC64BF4803EE0942D4DC217

This call will be archived and available at www.vistagold.com after March 9, 2018. Audio replay will be available for 21 days by calling toll-free in North America: 855-859-2056, passcode 8795093.

If you are unable to access the audio or phone-in on the day of the conference call, please email questions to Connie Martinez, Manager  Investor Relations (email: [email protected]), and we will try to address these questions prior to or during the conference call.

All dollar amounts in this press release are in U.S. dollars.

About Vista Gold Corp.

The Company is a well-funded gold project developer. Our principal asset is our flagship Mt Todd gold project in Northern Territory, Australia. Mt Todd is the largest known undeveloped gold project in Australia.

For further information, please contact Connie Martinez at (720) 981-1185.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future, including such things as our belief that Vista now has all the major environmental approvals necessary for the development of the Mt Todd gold project; our belief that the Mt Todd gold project is a large-scale, economically robust gold project at the current gold price and that it is an attractive undeveloped gold project, our belief in the accuracy of the PFS and that its results will prove true are forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The material factors and assumptions used to develop the forward-looking statements and forward-looking information contained in this press release include the following: no change to laws or regulations impacting mine development or mining activities, our approved business plans, mineral resource and reserve estimates and results of preliminary economic assessments, prefeasibility studies and feasibility studies on our projects, if any, our experience with regulators, and positive changes to current economic conditions and the price of gold. When used in this press release, the words "optimistic," "potential," "indicate," "expect," "intend," "hopes," "believe," "may," "will," "if," "anticipate," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, uncertainty of resource and reserve estimates, uncertainty as to the Company's future operating costs and ability to raise capital; risks relating to cost increases for capital and operating costs; risks of shortages and fluctuating costs of equipment or supplies; risks relating to fluctuations in the price of gold; the inherently hazardous nature of mining-related activities; potential effects on our operations of environmental regulations in the countries in which it operates; risks due to legal proceedings; risks relating to political and economic instability in certain countries in which it operates; uncertainty as to the results of bulk metallurgical test work; and uncertainty as to completion of critical milestones for Mt Todd; as well as those factors discussed under the headings "Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed on February 22, 2017 and other documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information; whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Vista Gold Corp.

Related Links

http://www.vistagold.com


RESTON, Va., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- VMD Systems Integrators, Inc., a federal government contractor with significant IT and aviation contracts, today announced that it is among the Alliant 2 Small Business awardees, paving the way for the company to continue the steady growth trajectory it has experienced over the last 12 months.

"We're obviously thrilled to be on Alliant 2 and to be able to bring our capabilities to more customers," VMD Chief Operating Officer Anthony Salvi said. "The provisions on emerging technologies and ancillary support mean we can quickly and meaningfully deliver for our customers and their missions in entirely new ways."

The Alliant 2 Small Business Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) is a pre-competed, multiple-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract that agencies can use to buy total IT solutions.

Similar to Alliant Small Business, this next-generation GWAC brings together a highly-qualified pool of industry partners with a robust scope aligned with the Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA) and Department of Defense Enterprise Architecture (DoDEA). It also provides agencies with access to a full range of comprehensive IT services and IT services-based solutions plus flexibility as emerging technologies evolve. It allows for ancillary support (non-IT) when it is integral to, and necessary for, the IT services-based outcome. It includes the full spectrum of contract types, including cost reimbursement; worldwide coverage; and complimentary scope-compatibility reviews.

The Government Services Agency (GSA), which administers Alliant 2, has said that its goal is to build on the success of the Alliant Small Business program, and create a contract vehicle that provides a total solution to agencies' requirements while maximizing opportunities for small businesses.

GSA, made the announcement on February 14, 2018, at which point VMD became one of 81 awardees on the vehicle. In September of 2017, the Office of Management & Budget recognized Alliant 2 Small Business GWAC as a best-in-class solution for information technology services.

For more information about the Alliant 2 Small Business GWAC, please visit www.gsa.gov.

Contact: Caryn Alagno

202-236-9073

SOURCE VMD Systems Integrators, Inc.
WALDORF, Md., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Recovery Centers of America (RCA) is seeking a highly motivated and experienced professional to serve as Chief Executive Officer of its brand-new, innovative addiction treatment facility in Waldorf, Maryland. RCA at Waldorf is scheduled to open at 11100 Billingsley Road, Waldorf, MD 20602 in March of 2018 with plans to expand to 72,335 square feet of facility space, 140 beds and employing nearly 200 people. Ideally located to serve residents of Washington D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, the facility plans to treat over 4,000 patients in its first year of operations.

The CEO of RCA at Waldorf will be responsible for leading a premier addiction treatment center in Waldorf, MD offering evidence-based, customized treatment solutions to the issues of drug and alcohol abuse and co-occurring disorders. The CEO will lead a dedicated team of professionals who provide an individualized approach to addiction treatment and a comprehensive continuum of care.

RCA at Waldorf will offer a full-continuum of care including medically monitored detoxification, inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, comprehensive aftercare support, robust family services and recovery support groups  open to all members of the local, public community.

"We're looking for a high-performing healthcare executive with a track record of success in the Washington D.C. and Southern Maryland areas who wants to make a positive impact on the lives of people battling addiction," says JP Christen, Chief Operating Officer at Recovery Centers of America. "This leadership role will provide our substance use disorder patients and their families the highest quality treatment and an opportunity for long-term recovery."

Headquartered in King of Prussia, RCA provides community-based treatment centers in locations heavily impacted by the national drug epidemic including Devon, Pennsylvania; Danvers and Westminster, Massachusetts; Earleville, Maryland and Mays Landing, New Jersey.

About Recovery Centers of America

Recovery Centers of America provides a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to addiction treatment. We are in-network with most major insurance providers, resulting in improved access to affordable care and reduced out of pocket expenses for individuals and families seeking addiction treatment. We provide our patients with individualized, evidence-based treatment plans including our 30 & 90 Day Path to Success. Our comprehensive Family Program is included in each patient's treatment plan and is designed to help families and patients heal and recover, together.

Our centers for addiction medicine are located in your neighborhood so it's easy for families to participate in the treatment process and to access care 24/7. Being in your neighborhood allows us to provide our patients with continuity across all levels of care, from detox and residential to outpatient and recovery support meetings  right in the neighborhoods where you live and work.

For more information, visit www.RecoveryCentersofAmerica.com or call 1-800-RECOVERY.

RCA Company Contact:

Bill Koroncai, Director of Communications

[email protected]

RCA Media Contacts:

Tony DeFazio, DeFazio Communications, LLC.

Ph: 484-410-1354

[email protected]

Kerri Del Collo

Ph: 610-529-9753

[email protected]

SOURCE Recovery Centers of America

Related Links

http://www.RecoveryCentersofAmerica.com


The partnership, announced today at the HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition being held this week in Las Vegas, includes hosting WuXi NextCODE's core suite of capabilities on Google Cloud and its availability on the Google Cloud Launcher marketplace. These include GORdb, WuXi NextCODE secondary analysis, the Sequence Miner case-control research application, and the Clinical Sequence Analyzer clinical interpretation system. At the same time, key Google genomics and research tools will be integrated and deployable in tandem with the WuXi NextCODE platform, beginning with the DeepVariant secondary analysis pipeline, alongside other open-source analysis pipelines and tools available through Google Cloud Platform. The companies plan to launch the first phase of the offering  at the BioIT World Conference & Expo in Boston in May.

"WuXi NextCODE has been a pioneer of large-scale genomics, and we are thrilled to welcome them as a Google Cloud Partner," said Jonathan Sheffi, Product Manager, Genomics & Life Sciences at Google. "Our collaboration aims to create a powerful interoperable suite of capabilities to derive insight from sequence data."

"This partnership is an important step towards realizing our vision to provide people and organizations with the best tools for using genomic data, anywhere and at any scale," said Hannes Smarason, CEO of WuXi NextCODE. "We are excited to see our platform launch on Google Cloud this spring, and to explore collaborative projects that require the combined horsepower of our own and Google's tools and teams. Together, I expect we will find innovative ways to make more data more useful to more people, advancing the genomics field as well as serving our customers."

About WuXi NextCODE

WuXi NextCODE is a fully integrated contract genomics organization (CGO) building the global standard platform for genomic data. With offices in Shanghai; Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Reykjavik, Iceland, we serve the leading population genomics, precision medicine, diagnostics and wellness initiatives and enterprises using the genome to improve health around the world. Our capabilities span study design, sequencing, secondary analysis, storage, interpretation, scalable analytics, and AI and deep learning  all backed by the most proven and widely used technology for organizing, mining and sharing genome sequence data. We are also applying the same capabilities to advance a growing range of sequence-based tests and scans in China. Visit us on the web at wuxinextcode.com.

Contacts:

Edward Farmer, PhD JiaWei Wang [email protected] [email protected] +1 781-775-6206 +86 21 5046 5558

SOURCE WuXi NextCODE

Related Links

http://wuxinextcode.com


San Francisco firefighters put out a debris fire that broke out underneath the lower deck of the western span of the Bay Bridge Tuesday afternoon, according to fire officials.

CHP officials announced the fire at 2:44 p.m. It broke out under the bridge, about a quarter-mile west of the Yerba Buena Island exit and all eastbound traffic was temporarily blocked.

A fireboat responded and extinguished the blaze by 3 p.m. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation, fire officials said.

An unrelated vehicle collision occurred nearby shortly after 2 p.m. The collision and a medical emergency occurred on the eastbound Treasure Island exit and temporarily blocked eastbound traffic, CHP officials said.

Further details about the collision were not immediately available.
A well-established retail complex in the Nerang town centre at the Gold Coast has sold to a local private investor for $3.5 million.

The property was sold by Jon Tyson and Michael Harcourt of Savills, following an expressions of interest campaign that generated strong enquiry.

The Lavelle Street property comprises two adjoining buildings on separate lots and incorporates a complementary mix of 15 local retail and service-based tenancies with a combined floor area of 988 sqm.

The complex occupies a prime 2,024sqm corner site on Price Street, the primary business destination in Nerang and the local section of the arterial Beaudesert-Nerang Road, with an average daily passing traffic count of 25,000 vehicles.

Jon Tyson said the Nerang property presented a significant repositioning opportunity for the astute investor with the added attraction of future redevelopment potential to a maximum building height of 39 metres.

We received strong interest from over 150 parties due to the propertys central Gold Coast location as well as its immediate and long term value add potential.
GUEST OBSERVER

The recent announcement by the Federal, NSW and eight local governments of a City Deal for Western Sydney is good news for driving the planning of future growth around Badgerys Creek airport.

A key component of the Western Sydney City Deal is the formation of a Planning Partnership between the NSW Government and the councils in the area.

We have long advocated for a more regional approach to planning for large scale projects and the Western Sydney Planning Partnership with its accelerated planning systems and uniform standards should lead to this model occurring across all of the Sydney Planning Districts.

The new planning regime proposes to cut development costs and to boost housing supply. The Urban Taskforce is keen to work with the NSW Government in the detail development of the planning regime particularly in relation to the proposed lifting of contribution caps that the government has proposed which are likely to increase development costs.

The announcement of the North South rail line from the airport to St Marys will be a great stimulus to new development along this corridor as will the specific Greater Penrith to St Marys Growth Area.

While the North South rail line is welcomed there will still need to be a fast rail link from the new airport and its aerotropolis back to the centre of Sydney.

The focus on jobs in the aerotropolis is very positive particularly the formation of the Aerotropolis Development Authority and the Investment Attraction Office.

The Urban Taskforce will be interested to see what types of housing evolve in the new plans to be developed within two years. With Sydney housing costs being very high it will be important that more affordable housing is provided as part of the 148,500 new homes planned over the next 20 years. It is likely that apartments and townhouses will need to be an important part of the mix.

The announcement of the Western Sydney City Deal is a very positive move forward in Sydney's evolution into a city of 8 million people as proposed by the Greater Sydney Commission. The development industry is keen to be involved in the exciting process of building the city's future.

CHRIS JOHNSON is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted here.
GUEST OBSERVER

"Ooh, a storm is threatening my very life today / If I dont get some shelter / Oh yeah, Im gonna fade away"

Mick Jagger wont ever need to be concerned about having somewhere to live, but older people have worried about where they will spend their final years since long before the Rolling Stones sang to a generations insecurities in 1969. Many wish to stay in their homes, but current policy doesnt support age-friendly housing. It also makes it difficult for ageing people to manage their finances.

The population of people aged 65 and over in Australia is projected to grow from 3.7 million to 8.7 million by 2056. Cities, towns and housing need to be designed to help people stay at home as they age. Financial policy should be updated to enable them to better manage their assets.

Gwens story

Five years before her death, Gwen (not her real name) and her family faced a dilemma. Like many Australians, Gwen had juggled a succession of jobs, eventually owning her modest home. Following a fall, hospitalisation and rehab, her prognosis was not good.

Gwen wanted to die at home, or with her family. Should members of the family move into her house? Should she move into one of her adult childrens houses? What about their children?

Should they rent out the family properties, so Gwen and volunteering family members could cohabit in a more suitable rented property? Could they afford a house with the flexibility to handle two adults, one elderly person, possibly kids and pets?

For families like Gwens, there are few viable, let alone affordable, housing options. Gwens housing shuffle proved stressful for everyone. She was ultimately placed, against her wishes, in a nursing home. Aged 82, deprived of any sovereignty in her decision-making, Gwen passed away, but the family arguments and blame continued.

What is stopping people ageing in place?

Gwens deck of dominoes could not be reconfigured because of the housing, tax and financial barriers imposed by the same governments that are trying to implement ageing in place.

Ageing in place isnt just about ageing at home. Its about keeping older people connected to their neighbourhood and community as part of a broader framework of active ageing, with the aim of improving their quality of life and giving them more control over their circumstances.

Since the World Health Organization (WHO) released its Active Ageing policy framework in 2002, federal governments have endorsed this approach. The 2013 Living Longer Living Better reforms and last years Legislated Review of Aged Care promote emotional and mental preparation for old age, which is important for active ageing.

However, many aspects of policy in Australia undermine successful ageing in place.

A lack of suitable housing

First, ageing Australians have a limited choice of suitable housing, as the Productivity Commission has highlighted.

Livable Housing Australias guidelines recommend installing nonslip floors and grab rails and retrofitting rooms to help keep them at a comfortable temperature. This improves home liveability and reduces risks of harm for occupants. Incremental measures like these also have beneficial ripple effects by making housing suitable for all ages. However, such guidelines are not yet widely implemented.

The ability to influence what is built, and where, can greatly enhance or inhibit well-being. Denmark and Canada are already running with the 8 80 Cities concept, which aims to transform cities so they meet the needs of people of all ages. Its a good example for Australian planners.

Local governments need to embrace redevelopment models that provide better ageing-in-place options for communities. The Greater Sydney Commission recently took a step in the right direction with its plans to increase housing supply and affordability. Its investigation into improving transport options and amenities could also enhance liveability.

The City of Melbournes Places for People strategy and the Age-Friendly Victoria initiative commit to housing that meets the WHOs essential age-friendly city features. These programs recognise that placemaking is strongly linked with successful ageing in place.

Financial penalties for moving

Most Australians lack the financial means to customise their homes as they age. Safety concerns will eventually collide with their desire for independent living, forcing a devils choice. The decision to enter aged care can be very difficult for people and their families. Taxation and pension rules that prevent them managing their assets without losses worsen the situation.

If governments want to promote active ageing, then older people must be given more flexibility in managing their assets. This means allowing them to sell the family home, take the tax-free asset value, downsize to a suitable smaller property, and put the leftover money into their super without penalties in the form of stamp duty, tax or loss of benefits.

Many people dont want to give up home ownership, especially as a family home doubles as a tax shelter. Ideally, a compact property would be preferable, designed to accommodate any generation, and with better access to the amenities and services needed later in life. Then, should they eventually need high-level care, the home could be rented out, providing an income stream to help cover medical and care expenses.

Future-proofed properties like this mostly do not exist in Australia. They dont exist because, thanks to current policy, the elderly are reluctant to monetise their tax-free asset (the family home) to buy such properties and thus generate a demand to be met by developers.

Where do you want to die?

Baby boomers are living longer and are more mindful of their health and lifestyle. However, a recent survey found that only a small percentage were planning their financial future so they could live independently for as long as possible. And a growing number of seniors lack the income to cover the unforeseen costs that arise later in life.

Governments need to step up public information campaigns to encourage people to prepare for their old age. Without it, the confronting question Where do you want to die? cannot be feasibly answered.

Governments and the private sector can also take action to:

acknowledge the tax shelter status of private homes alongside the tax shelter status of superannuation

reduce transaction costs such as stamp duty that discourage moving before it becomes essential, as it often does for the over-80s

remove disincentives to releasing equity in the family home (for example, the pension means tests on proceeds in interaction with the pension and superannuation systems)

with the growth of the tiny house movement, ensure a wider variety of housing stock, styles and locations to support ageing in place

encourage emerging home ownership models, such as home equity release, reverse mortgages, fractional property investment and co-operative housing  to name a few.

These initiatives would allow people to find and create homes that offer shelter from the ageing perfect storm already under way in Australia.

Juliette Brodsky, Researcher, College of Business, RMIT University



Francis Grey, Economist and Sessional Academic, RMIT University

Sarah Sinclair, Lecturer in Economics, RMIT University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
New data prepared for Knight Frank The Wealth Report shows that the number of ultra-wealthy people - with net assets of US$50 million or more - rose by 10% in 2017  taking the global population to 129,730, with a combined worth of US$26.4 trillion.

The data provided by Wealth-X highlights that the ultra-wealthy population grew at a notably more rapid rate in 2017 than in the previous five years, when there was a cumulative 18% increase.

According to Knight Franks Michelle Ciesielski, head of residential research, Australia in Australia, the number of ultra-wealthy people rose by 9% in 2017  taking the population to 1,260, with a combined worth of US$269 billion.

"This is equivalent to 5.2 ultra-wealthy individuals per 100,000 of the Australian population," she said.

Over the next five years, the number of ultra-wealthy people in Australia is projected to increase by 37% to 1,720.

This growth in Australias ultra-wealthy population can be attributed to several factors.

"Firstly, weve seen significant growth in prime property prices.

"Secondly, despite recent instability, the equities market has also seen gains over the past year.

In addition, Australia is the third most-preferred global destination for the worlds ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) to emigrate, behind the UK and the US, according to Knight Franks annual Attitudes Survey, produced for The Wealth Report.

Australia ranked in the top five destinations of where UHNWIs plan to buy prime property in 2018. Malaysia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong and the Philippines scored high on the Attitudes Survey for those planning to buy Australian prime property in 2018, said Ms Ciesielski.

Globally, 34% of UHNWIs already hold a second passport and 29% are planning to purchase one, while 21% are considering emigrating permanently.

Ultra-wealthy individuals (US$50m+) per 100,000 population across Asia Pacific

Ranking Country Ultra-wealthy individuals (2017) Country population (2016) Ultra-wealthy individuals per 100,000 2 Hong Kong, China 5,140 7,346,700 69.96 4 Singapore 1,400 5,607,283 24.97 11 Taiwan 2,010 23,626,456 8.51 12 New Zealand 390 4,692,700 8.31 13 Japan 9,960 126,994,511 7.84 18 Australia 1,260 24,127,159 5.22 20 South Korea 2,610 51,245,707 5.09 31 Thailand 770 68,863,514 1.12 32 Malaysia 310 31,187,265 0.99 38 China, Mainland 8,800 1,378,665,000 0.64

Source: Wealth-X, World Bank, Worldometers, Knight Frank Research
The New York Review Childrens Collection, launched in 2003 to bring classic childrens books back into print, adds another timeless tale to its list on March 20 with the reissue of I Wish I Was Sick, Too! by Franz Brandenberg, illustrated by Aliki. First published in 1976 by Greenwillow Books, this is one of 22 childrens books created by these husband-and-wife collaborators. The picture book stars Elizabeth, a young cat who resents the fact that she must go to school and do chores while her parents and grandmother pamper her flu-ish brother Edwarduntil her wish that she were sick in bed comes true.

Aliki loved to draw as a child growing up in Philadelphia, and her artistic talent emerged at an early age. My kindergarten teachers told my parents that I would be an artist some day, and that always stuck in my mind! she recalled. After graduating from the Philadelphia Museum School of Art in 1951, Aliki worked in advertising, created murals, and taught art classes before she married Brandenberg, whom she met while traveling in Europe.

The couple lived for a time in Brandenbergs native Switzerland, where Aliki was first inspired to write and illustrate a childrens book. I came across a wonderful book about how St. Francis tamed a wolf, she said. It was fresh and fun, and I thought, I can do that! And since we were living in William Tell country, I wrote a childrens book about him.

After The Story of William Tell was published in 1960, Aliki realized she had found her niche. I remember thinking, Why would I ever want to be doing anything else? When I made the decision to do books it felt right. I am kind of a lonerthough I also love people. I am happy being my own boss and making my own books.

A Creative Partnership Is Born

Brandenberg and Aliki became book collaborators soon after the births of their children, Jason and Alexa, in the mid-1960s. Aliki illustrated her husbands debut book, I Once Knew a Man (1970); No School Today!, their first tale starring Elizabeth and Edward, appeared in 1975, followed by I Wish I Was Sick, Too! a year later.

Somehow, our kids seemed to loosen up Franzs ability to express himself emotionally, the artist remarked. You cant help but put your life in your books, and Franz wrote about his own past and about our children. When he wrote I Wish I Was Sick, Too!, the fact that the characters were cats rather than humans seemed to liberate him. All of our books are special, but this one is particularly special. As I read the story again with this new edition, I couldnt believe that the characters of Edward and Elizabeth are so Jason and so Alexa! The story is very much in character with both of our children at the time.

Brandenberg explained that the couples young offspring did spark his storiesoften by bringing him back to his own youth. I would say that our children were my touchstone, he said. Whenever I saw something happen to them, I would remember parts of my own childhood.

His inspiration for I Wish I Was Sick, Too! was an all-too-real chapter from his past. As a child, I was sick all the time, beginning at around the age of five, he recalled. I caught a very terrible cold and was hospitalized, and my parents thought I might die. After that, if I coughed, they wouldnt let me go to school, and my younger brothers really resented that they had to go to school. But I do remember that I actually missed going to school, because it was boring staying at home.

For Susan Barba, senior editor at New York Review Books, bringing this book back into print is personally as well as professionally rewarding. As a child, this was one of my very favorite books, she said. I couldnt believe it had ever gone out of print. And it was so stunning to realize that, on the last page of the book, the cat father is in bed reading The New York Review of Books. This book was calling out to be reissued!

I Wish I Was Sick, Too! fits perfectly on the NYR Childrens Collections list, Barba observed. The story has a smart humor that is characteristic of our list, even though it is one of the simplest and most straightforward of our picture books. Kids can relate to the characters sibling rivalry, and the story of this cultured cat family is entertaining for adults as well. I think the characters really come alive in Alikis illustrations, which deepen rather than overpower the story.

Brandenberg and Aliki expressed their excitement to see the book back in print under the NYR Childrens Collection imprint. I think Aliki and I were among the first people who subscribed to the New York Review of Books! said Brandenberg. We are very grateful to the publisher for bringing out this new edition. Alikis artwork is a legacyand this is a wonderful example of what beautiful books she makes.

It has been so lovely to work with Susan and all of the thoughtful and caring people at New York Review Booksit was like joining a family, Aliki added. We have been very lucky to have spent so much of our lives making childrens books. And we are so lucky to see this book back again now. As long as any book is in a childs hands, I am very happy.

I Wish I Was Sick, Too! by Franz Brandenberg, illus. by Aliki. New York Review Childrens Collection, $16.95 Mar. ISBN 978-1-68137-228-0
A group of childrens book authors and illustrators is marking Womens History Month this month by spotlighting on social media under the hashtag #kidlitwomen the social and gender inequities in the childrens literature community. Throughout the month of March, all members of the childrens book community are encouraged to not just celebrate authors and illustrators whose achievements have been previously overlooked, but also to consider solutions for eradicating social and gender inequality in the industry.

According to the initiatives organizers, author-illustrator Grace Lin and author Karen Blumenthal, who set up the Kidlitwomen Facebook page, and the Twitter hashtag, #kidlitwomen, the goal is to call attention to the gender inequalities of the childrens literature community, uplifting those who have not received their due, and finding solutions to reach equality for all.

In an open letter posted on Facebook, Lin writes that she and Blumenthal conceived of #Kidlitwomen more than a month ago, while conversing with a group of male and female industry colleagues. Our childrens literature community, a community that preaches to children about kindness and fairness, is egregiously not fair, she wrote, pointing out that many people inside the industry treat male authors like rock stars, or they pass on suggesting a girls book for a boy reader, or they minimize the concerns of people of color in the industry.

What have you done or encouraged or defended that you feel uncomfortable about? Lin wrote. We cannot cast blame only on organizations or demand that publishers shoulder all of the responsibility. By being a part of this community, we are all also part of the problem. But with that, we are all also part of the solution.

In an email, Blumenthal recalled that Lin really pushed [their colleagues] to think about solutions and not just complain. Coincidentally, author Anne Ursu published in February a survey about sexual harassment in the childrens book industry, which made this more timely.

We want to take the discussions out from quiet kitchen tables and private rooms, Lin wrote in an email to PW. Weve talked enough in secret. If anything is going to change we have to start bringing everything out in the open. Luckily, the internet gives us the tools to do that. But more importantly, we need to go beyond the talk.

Blumenthal added, One of the reasons these issues have festered for a long time is that authors and illustrators work independently. Many of us are in communities where there are few published childrens authors or illustrators. Its difficult to even start this kind of conversation outside of a small group. Social media can be pretty crazy, but as we have seen lately, it can provide a platform for a group of passionate people to be heard.

It was author Meg Medina, Lin told PW, who suggested that they use Womens History Month as an opportunity to promote the changes they want to see in the industry. This idea to fill the month with posts, tweets, and essays with the gender concerns was born, Lin said. Many people were involved in its origin; this is definitely not one womans initiative.

Kidlitwomen already has more than 2,500 Facebook followers, and there has been a steady stream of comments posted on Twitter with the hashtag, ranging from author Tom Angleberger urging other men to practice less reply and more RT, dudes, to a lively discussion of the racial/ethnic breakdown of Caldecott winners that was prompted by illustrator Christine Taylor-Butlers blog in which she revealed that no woman of color has ever won the Caldecott. A number of prominent authors and illustrators are writing blogs that they are linking to #Kidlitwomen, with one by a different author or illustrator being published each day this month.

The first blog, posted on March 1, was written by author Shannon Hale, who narrated her experiences going into schools to talk about her books, which have such titles as The Princess Academy, and being confronted with the internalized misogyny of teachers, which inevitably percolates down to students. March 5s blog was written by Medina on the subject of dealing with money as a female author and as a woman of color who grew up working class.

Lin and Blumenthal didnt say if #Kidlitwomen will continue after March 31, although, they both insist, the conversations about disparities and challenges will continueaided, no doubt by illustrator Mishka Jaegers collecting the daily #Kidlitwomen blogs and posting them on her website.
The signal to federal bureaucrats was clear: This is a subject the president doesnt want to hear about.

Here are five things Trump could do to help ensure that the 2018 congressional election is free from foreign interference  without having to acknowledge that Putin meddled in 2016, if thats a line hes unwilling to cross:

He could convene an on-camera National Security Council meeting to warn Russia and other foreign powers that interference in future elections will be seen as a hostile act and will draw a response. (Trump is good at showing that kind of symbolic resolve when he chooses.)

He could ask Rogers to suggest retaliatory measures the U.S. Cyber Command could undertake, if only as a warning. Rogers told the Senate hes not sure direct retaliation is a good idea, but hes never been asked for a recommendation.

He could impose sanctions on Russia and Russian individuals for interfering in our politics. The law Congress passed last July made those sanctions mandatory, but the administration hasnt complied. The law is very clear: There will be consequences for meddling in our elections, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), one of the authors of the bill, told me last week. So far, there havent been.
Philippines telecoms and digital services provider PLDT is to tap Qwilt's open caching solution to optimise content delivery and further improve Quality of Experience (QoE) for its more than 62 million subscribers.





"PLDT continues to offer innovative services that are cost-effective yet deliver the high quality of experience our customers expect and deserve," said PLDT SVP and head of consumer business for market development, Oscar Enrico Reyes Jr. "By deploying Qwilt open caching, we are bolstering our network for the future demand for live and on-demand streaming services."Qwilt's open cache solution is engineered specifically for high performance and scalable video delivery in the demanding environment of high capacity service provider networks. Qwilt's solution is delivered as a fully managed service, and offers comprehensive media analytics, which offer insights into growth trends, content sources and consumer preferences."In the Philippines, streaming video consumption is at an all-time high and continues to grow rapidly," said Alon Maor, CEO and co-founder of Qwilt . "As we've seen elsewhere, with increased demand for online video, there is an urgent need for a new network architecture to help service providers manage this dramatic growth. We're pleased to deploy Qwilt's solution for PLDT in the Philippines. Moreover, we are thrilled to partner with PLDT to further provide them with a higher quality content delivery infrastructure across their network."
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has set late April as the date for the third inter-Korean summit, to be held in Panmunjom. Kim said he would be willing to hold talks with the United States geared toward normalization of relations and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and is willing to suspend nuclear and ballistic missile tests while engaged in dialogue. Kim said denuclearization was his father's dying wish, and something for which he also strived.

This is not the first time North Korea has used a near brink-of-war moment to try and break out of the constraints of its contentious relationship with the United States. The North used the 1993-94 nuclear crisis to obtain the Agreed Framework, and there were plans for the first inter-Korean summit before Kim Il Sung died that summer. After the North's 1998 attempted satellite launch, which overflew Japan, the North ultimately pressed for a diplomatic breakout, hosting then South Korean President Kim Dae Jung in the first inter-Korean summit and significantly expanding diplomatic relations around the world. The North's first nuclear test in 2006 led to a brief breakout and the second inter-Korean summit in 2007. In each case, the North used the crises to find a way to expand its operational space, to ease sanctions and to change the dynamic around the Peninsula, even if only briefly.

It is important to understand just what North Korea is and is not saying. Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is not merely about the removal of North Korea's nuclear potential. It is also about the U.S. force structure in the Peninsula, and potentially even the U.S. nuclear umbrella over South Korea. Kim said the removal of the North's nuclear weapons would be contingent on the guaranteed safety of his government and the removal of threats against the North  but the North frequently refers to the U.S. military forces in the South as being a threat against the North. The suspension of missile and nuclear tests may not include shorter range systems (the North debuted what appeared to be variants of the Iskander missile system at its most recent military parade, but hasn't yet tested these systems), and it also may not include satellite launches, something North Korea claims it has the international right to carry out.

Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is not merely about the removal of North Korea's nuclear potential. It is also about the U.S. force structure in the Peninsula.

What the North has done is place the United States in a situation where it must make the next move. The South has already agreed to the summit, and there are unconfirmed reports that the South also told the North that the April joint military exercises with the United States would still happen. But Washington will have to see if it is ready to re-enter dialogue with the North. So far, the official U.S. conditions were that talks must be about denuclearization of the North, and that the North would need to show its sincerity through the suspension of nuclear and missile tests. Pyongyang has offered each of these conditions. But Washington was waiting to engage in dialogue until North Korea was in much worse shape from sanctions and isolation. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration does not want another round of dialogue that leads simply to another delay, that leaves the North's weapons program largely intact, and pushes any resolution  or conflict  farther down the road rather than resolving the problem now.

North Korea has set the stage for a U.S. response. The South will strongly push for the dialogue to carry on, and for the inter-Korean tensions to ease so Seoul can focus on its domestic economic troubles. China and Russia will come out and demand the United States respond in the affirmative. Washington has been adamant that it wants to pursue a maximum pressure campaign, and has rolled in its key allies, including Japan, which will be wary of any sudden shift in the U.S. position. If the United States re-engages now, it risks a repeat of past efforts. If it fails to engage, it risks undermining the relationship with South Korea and a shift in international cooperation for the continued containment strategy. Like his father and his grandfather before him, Kim Jong Un has proven  at least for the moment  to be adept at reading the international situation, and is making the effort to exploit these differences to gain time and space. The next move will be from Washington.

This article appeared originally at Stratfor.
Earlier today, al Qaedas propagandists released the latest message from their leader, Ayman al Zawahiri. The message, titled France Has Returned Oh Descendants of the Lions, is addressed to Muslims in the Maghreb. Zawahiri praises the historic, local resistance to foreign invaders, while also calling for continued jihad against all those who oppose the implementation of sharia.

The opening of the production includes footage of various jihadists throughout North and West Africa, especially al Qaedas Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM), which was established in early 2017. JNIM brought together several existing al Qaeda factions under a common banner. The group is openly loyal to Zawahiri.

I would like to direct these words of mine to our Muslim Ummah in the Islamic Maghreb, and I say to it: You have been  throughout the history of Islam  an impervious shield for your Ummah against invaders and aggressors, Zawahiri says at the opening of his remarks.

The al Qaeda leader lauds those who have resisted the French, Italians, Spanish and English in the region, saying the Muslim community continues to resist and fight, even forcing the disbelieving invader to leave, and leaving behind its supporters, who are of our skin and speak with our tongue.

Zawahiri builds on the anti-Western experience of the 20th Century, claiming that the people hoped their rulers, after the departure of the foreign invader, would govern by the Islamic Sharia, and impart justice upon you, and simplify the Shura, and grant victory to the oppressed, and stamp down the corrupt.

In Zawahiris telling, governance according to Sharia was not realized because the supporters of the disbelieving invader pursued believers in the worst manner, spreading deviant creeds and behaviors, while also stripping Muslims of their wealth.

The al Qaeda master criticizes the regimes that ruled in the latter part of the 20th Century and into the early 21st Century, saying they surrendered to a regime of the greatest international criminals, and were subjected to its economic laws, and recognized the existence of Israel.

At this point, Zawahiri returns to one of his regular laments, arguing that the 2011 uprisings have failed to deliver true Islamic governance. He says that the revolutions of the mighty Arab people were like an earthquake that shook the world mightily. The Ummah was given glad tidings toward the approaching demise of tyranny and the tyrants, and the tyrants of Tunisia fled, and Libya rose up against its tyrants, and the tyrants of the Maghreb hurriedly sought to contain the wave of anger, and the criminals of Algeria shuddered and stole it.

However, a conspiracy led to the return of the old corruption, which was more ferocious and even more corrupt than before. Zawahiri repeats his charge against Islamic movements, meaning the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups, claiming that they shared in the conspiracy by spreading a culture of compromise.

Still, Zawahiri says there is hope for the jihadist cause, as the peoples revolutions were preceded and coincided with a courageous jihadist uprising, which prevailed in the Islamic Maghreb from the peaks of the Atlas and the coasts of Tunisia and even to the plains of the Sahel and the desert and the Muslim country of Sudan. In all of these areas, the jihadists supposedly allied together against the international and local apostasy. This is, of course, an exaggeration. The jihadists have suffered multiple setbacks, including internal disputes, especially after the rise of the Islamic State in 2014.

The al Qaeda master calls on potential new recruits to fight for the cause, saying they are the descendants of the lions who fought previous foreign interventions. Modern day foreigners are the same as those who fought your fathers and killed them and expelled them. Zawahiri warns: They have returned to kill your Muslim brothers and expel them, and to remind you that you are still under their occupation and their oppression.

The French and their allies continue to battle JNIM in Mali. And Western nations back anti-jihadist forces elsewhere as well.

Since 2015, Zawahiri has produced a steady stream of commentary on events around the world. Many of his messages are contained in short videos, usually less than ten minutes long. Whereas Zawahiri was once known for his long-winded commentary (and he still occasionally produces longer talks), it seems an editor at As Sahab (al Qaedas propaganda arm) has convinced the veteran jihadist to trim his speeches. For instance, the video released today is just over seven minutes in length.

The new video was also quickly transcribed in English by Al-Tamkin Media, which has acted as a translation arm for al Qaeda in recent months. Most of Zawahiris talks, as well as those given by Hamza bin Laden, are translated by the online outfit. The quotes above are from Al-Tamkins translation.

Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal.

This article appeared originally at FDD's Long War Journal.
In her one-woman show Notes from the Field, Anna Deavere Smith exposes the consequences of Americas abandonment of our most vulnerable and troubled children. She reveals that what is now known as the school-to-prison pipeline is, in fact, the sum of our failures to meet the needs of our children  in particular, children of color.
It is hard to overstate the significance of a hugely symbolic move by the reformist crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman (MbS). American media mostly are clueless about religion and lack any understanding of the momentous changes underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the full support of the Trump administration. The fact that MbS is reputed to be close to Jared Kushner seals the deal: the mainstream media have little interest in extolling the world-historical transition underway in the nation that is pre-eminent in Sunni Islam, the Guardian of the Holy Cities of Mecca and Medina, and which has been the moneybags for radical jihadists for three generations.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has set late April as the date for the third inter-Korean summit, to be held in Panmunjom. Kim said he would be willing to hold talks with the United States geared toward normalization of relations and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and is willing to suspend nuclear and ballistic missile tests while engaged in dialogue. Kim said denuclearization was his father's dying wish, and something for which he also strived.

This is not the first time North Korea has used a near brink-of-war moment to try and break out of the constraints of its contentious relationship with the United States. The North used the 1993-94 nuclear crisis to obtain the Agreed Framework, and there were plans for the first inter-Korean summit before Kim Il Sung died that summer. After the North's 1998 attempted satellite launch, which overflew Japan, the North ultimately pressed for a diplomatic breakout, hosting then South Korean President Kim Dae Jung in the first inter-Korean summit and significantly expanding diplomatic relations around the world. The North's first nuclear test in 2006 led to a brief breakout and the second inter-Korean summit in 2007. In each case, the North used the crises to find a way to expand its operational space, to ease sanctions and to change the dynamic around the Peninsula, even if only briefly.

It is important to understand just what North Korea is and is not saying. Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is not merely about the removal of North Korea's nuclear potential. It is also about the U.S. force structure in the Peninsula, and potentially even the U.S. nuclear umbrella over South Korea. Kim said the removal of the North's nuclear weapons would be contingent on the guaranteed safety of his government and the removal of threats against the North  but the North frequently refers to the U.S. military forces in the South as being a threat against the North. The suspension of missile and nuclear tests may not include shorter range systems (the North debuted what appeared to be variants of the Iskander missile system at its most recent military parade, but hasn't yet tested these systems), and it also may not include satellite launches, something North Korea claims it has the international right to carry out.

What the North has done is place the United States in a situation where it must make the next move. The South has already agreed to the summit, and there are unconfirmed reports that the South also told the North that the April joint military exercises with the United States would still happen. But Washington will have to see if it is ready to re-enter dialogue with the North. So far, the official U.S. conditions were that talks must be about denuclearization of the North, and that the North would need to show its sincerity through the suspension of nuclear and missile tests. Pyongyang has offered each of these conditions. But Washington was waiting to engage in dialogue until North Korea was in much worse shape from sanctions and isolation. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration does not want another round of dialogue that leads simply to another delay, that leaves the North's weapons program largely intact, and pushes any resolution  or conflict  farther down the road rather than resolving the problem now.

North Korea has set the stage for a U.S. response. The South will strongly push for the dialogue to carry on, and for the inter-Korean tensions to ease so Seoul can focus on its domestic economic troubles. China and Russia will come out and demand the United States respond in the affirmative. Washington has been adamant that it wants to pursue a maximum pressure campaign, and has rolled in its key allies, including Japan, which will be wary of any sudden shift in the U.S. position. If the United States re-engages now, it risks a repeat of past efforts. If it fails to engage, it risks undermining the relationship with South Korea and a shift in international cooperation for the continued containment strategy. Like his father and his grandfather before him, Kim Jong Un has proven  at least for the moment  to be adept at reading the international situation, and is making the effort to exploit these differences to gain time and space. The next move will be from Washington.
Washington officials routinely call Turkey a vital ally, yet Turkish president Recep Tayyip ErdoA?an and his government have threatened U.S. forces cooperating with Kurdish militias in northern Syria. After American military spokesmen warned that U.S. troops would defend themselves, ErdoA?an promised the famed Ottoman slap. Alas, doing so probably would increase his popularity with Turkeys highly anti-American public.

While no one quite believes the two governments will come to blows, U.S. policymakers are deluded or lying when they assert Americas and Turkeys unity of purpose. After visiting Ankara, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared: Were going to act together from this point forward. Were going to lock arms. Were going to work through the issues that are causing difficulties for us and were going to resolve them.

However, the threat of open conflict between the two governments is real, and demonstrates the extent to which they have diverged. The differences continue to grow with every new day and military operation. Rather than sacrificing American values and interests, Washington should drop its fantasy expectations and establish a more realistic relationship with ErdoA?an.

Successive administrations have been denied Turkeys evident estrangement. Ankara remains in NATO and the U.S. Air Force remains at Incirlik Air Base, but little else binds the two governments together. The relationship is but a ghost from the past.

The Cold War is over, and Russia isnt going to attack Turkeyor any other NATO member for that matter. Indeed, after tumultuous relations with Moscow over the shootdown of a Russian aircraft, ErdoA?an has steadily improved ties to Vladimir Putin. Ankara even is purchasing S-400 antiaircraft missiles from Moscow, undermining alliance efforts to improve interoperability among members. It would be foolish to assume that Turkey would live up to its alliance commitments if Russia ended up at war with America or Europe.

Moreover, Ankara has actively thwarted U.S. objectives in Syria. Focused on ousting the Assad regime, for years ErdoA?ans government allowed Islamic State personnel and materiel to cross the Turkish border. There even were credible accusations that ErdoA?ans son was involved in the illicit oil trade with ISIS. Only after the group staged terrorist attacks in Turkey did Ankara take a more actively adversarial role, and even then it prioritized countering growing Kurdish influence over opposing the caliphate.

In launching the ironically named Operation Olive Branch against Kurdish military forces that were allied with Washington against the Islamic State, Turkey wrecked Trump administration plans to create a Kurdish border security force to police Syrias north. A cavalcade of Turkish officials lamented their lack of trust in Washington, and threatened to attack American personnel stationed alongside Kurdish forces. U.S. officials whined that Ankaras policy was not helpful, as if that were the ErdoA?an governments objective.

Turkish foreign policy has also turned hostile elsewhere. Under ErdoA?an, Turkeys relations with Israel turned sharply negative. And the Turkish leader once promoted rapprochement with Greece, and some observers hoped for a similar approach to Cyprus, which Ankara invaded in 1974, occupying more than a third of the island to create an ethnic Turkish state. But the ErdoA?an government has increased tensions with Athens over nearby Greek islands that it covets, and declined to make concessions to end the Cypriot standoff.

ErdoA?ans interest in joining the European Union, assuming it ever was real, has ebbed; with Syrias collapse, he turned refugees into a weapon of extortion against Europe. He shifted from protecting the liberty of Islamic faithful in public to pushing Islamism on the public in a region where Islamist extremism is a threat. After seeking to end the Kurdish conflict at home, he helped reignite the fighting, which continues to ravage Kurdish areas in Turkey. He blockaded Iraqi Kurds after their independence referendum last fall and, most recently, launched military multiple operations against Syrian Kurds.

Finally, slowly at first but rapidly after the failed coup in July 2016, ErdoA?an constructed an electoral dictatorship. He began his premiership as an ally of liberals seeking to eliminate Ataturks authoritarian trappings dating back to creation of the Turkish republic. Kemalism enshrined nationalism and secularism, and was ruthlessly backed by the military.

However, ErdoA?an long ago tossed aside concern for anyones rights but his own. Freedom House judges Turkey to be unfree. Ankara leads the world in imprisonment of journalists, with more than seventy in jail. The State Department published a seventy-five-page report on the governments human-rights abuses, including unlawful killings, torture, lack of due process, mass imprisonment, infringement of free expression, inadequate protection of civilians in military operations, prison overcrowding and more.

Of the state of emergency, which remains nearly two years after the attempted putsch, observed Amnesty International, Dissent was ruthlessly suppressed, with journalists, political activists and human-rights defenders among those targeted. Most recently, the government jailed critics of military operations against the Kurds; at least thirty activists were arrested for their comments on social media, which were termed propaganda for armed terrorist organizations. Academics, opposition politicians and schoolchildren also have been targeted for the mildest of criticism of the man who would be sultan.

Torture continued as security forces enjoyed impunity. More than fifty thousand people were detained, many on the most ludicrous grounds, such as possession of a U.S. dollar bill, supposedly a sign of membership in the alleged conspiracy operated by Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen. Others were arrested for having an account at a public bank owned by the Gulen organization. Among those detained were Taner K?l?c and ?dil Eser, the chair and director, respectively, of Amnesty International Turkey. ErdoA?an essentially admitted that American pastor Andrew Brunson had been arrested in an effort to force a trade for Gulen, who resides in Pennsylvania. Europeans have been detained for similar purposes.

Observed Hugh Williamson of Human Rights Watch, Everywhere you look, checks and balances that protect human rights and rule of law in Turkey are being eroded. Some 140,000 people have lost their jobs, private as well as public, and many have been made unemployable. Numerous critics have had their passports seized, turning Turkey into an open-air prison. Abuses continue to worsen.

ErdoA?an took his brutal tactics to America, personally unleashing his security detail on peaceful protesters near the Turkish embassy in Washington. Protected by diplomatic immunity, his thugs injured several demonstrators, some seriously. Far from being apologetic, ErdoA?an blamed the Trump administration for allowing people to criticize him.

Tillerson acknowledged that bilateral relations were in a bit of crisis. Actually, more than a bit. Despite conciliatory language between Tillerson and Turkish foreign minister Mevlut CavuA?oA?lu, and an agreement for a dialogue over policy differences long evident, neither values nor interests continue to hold the countries together.

The electoral calendar makes conciliation even less likely. ErdoA?ans ruling Justice and Development Party has lost public support of late, and therefore entered into an alliance with the Nationalist Movement Party for next years parliamentary contest. The latter is secular, but even more committed to a brutally aggressive foreign policy. ErdoA?an can ill afford to make concessions to America, which already is hated at home.

Amanda Sloat of the Brookings Institution advocated fixing the bilateral relationship before its too late. But it is already too late. Better for the nations to separate, with Ankara leaving NATO. Then the two governments could forge a more practical and transactional relationship, focused on areas of cooperation. There would be no lectures on human rights, fantasies about shared objectives and complaints about the failure to agree. Just an effort by the two governments to work together when possible, despite their many differences.

Turkey no longer is an ally. The bilateral relationship never was vital. It barely survives today. Theres no need for Ankara and Washington to be adversaries. But everyone concerned would benefit if the two governments dropped the pretense of friendship that now camouflages their vast differences.

Reprinted with permission from The National Interest. Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. A former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is author of Foreign Follies: Americas New Global Empire.
A lot goes on around Athens and UGA campus, and sometimes it can be hard to keep up. From viral Waffle House jingles to Athens named one of th
This juxtaposition between the portrayed social experience and the reality of loneliness may cause UGA students to feel embarrassed by their feelings, but it is not something to be ashamed of.
Restricting those who can adopt is not a viable option for the state of Georgia. It discriminates against qualified potential parents and keeps children in the foster care system longer, just to benefit certain religious groups.
The phenomenon isn't new, but in the weeks since the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a lot of gun-skeptical liberals are getting a taste of it for the first time: While debating the merits of various gun control proposals, Second Amendment enthusiasts often diminish, or outright dismiss their views if they use imprecise firearms terminology.

Perhaps someone tweets about "assault-style" weapons, only to be told that there's no such thing. Maybe they're reprimanded that an AR-15 is neither an assault rifle nor "high-powered." Or they say something about "machine guns" when they really mean semiautomatic rifles. Or they get sucked into an hourslong Facebook exchange over the difference between the terms clip and magazine.

Has this happened to you? If so, you've been gunsplained: harangued with the pedantry of the more-credible-than-thou firearms owner, admonished that your inferior knowledge of guns and their nomenclature puts an asterisk next to your opinion on gun control.

It can feel infuriating, being forced to sweat the finest taxonomic distinctions between our nation's unlimited variety of lethal weapons. I know this feeling acutely, having covered gun violence critically for the better part of a decade, and having just buried an old mentor, killed in the Parkland massacre.
Got some scoop for our reporters or editors? Click on the link below to send us your information.

Send your news
TORRINGTON  The school districts former human resources director has filed a complaint with the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities alleging wrongful termination and discrimination, according to court records.

Michelle Dumas Keuler, a human rights attorney with the CHRO, confirmed Tuesday that a complaint bearing Joseph Campolietas name had been filed but declined to release the complaint or provide further information about the case, saying it remains under investigation.

As a generality, the investigatory process in such complaints typically takes between a year and a year-and-a-half, Dumas Keuler said.

Complaints are reviewed by a member of the commissions legal department to determine whether it falls within its jurisdiction, she said. If it is retained, a mandatory mediation is scheduled within 60 days, which can be followed by an investigation.

Campolieta declined to comment Tuesday, citing the advice of his legal representation.

Attorney Maria K. Tougas, who is representing Campolieta, declined to comment Wednesday, saying she does not comment on cases to the press as a matter of practice.

Superintendent Denise Clemons and Board of Education Chairman Fiona Cappabianca did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Campolieta, the former Director of Human Resources for the Torrington Public Schools, was fired Aug. 21, 2017, according to documentation provided to the Board of Education in September, after having his contract renewed in July.

He was hired in July 2013 to take on the role, shifting into administration after serving as a music teacher in the district for 13 years.

In response to another pending case, Tougas asked that Campolieta receive a protective order to prevent him from being deposed in the case of Derek Bonnett vs. Torrington Board of Education and Eric Baim, because it could affect his CHRO filing, she said.

Mr. Campolieta no longer works for the Torrington Board of Education and currently has a pending discrimination and wrongful termination case pending with the CHRO against the (board), said Tougas in the March 2 motion. It is anticipated that the testimony that he would be asked to provide in the above-referenced case will try to be used against him by the Torrington Board of Education in the CHRO complaint, thereby raising issues against self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment.

Bonnett filed suit against the Board of Education and Baim in March 2017 after receiving a release of jurisdiction from the CHRO regarding his complaint, according to court records.

In the ongoing suit, Bonnett claims that Baim harrased him on the basis of Baims perception that Bonnett was homosexual and/or that Bonnett did not conform to Baims stereotypes of how males should behave over the course of nearly three years, and that the board failed to property supervise Baim or respond to the harassment, according to documentation.

Former Torrington Middle School Prinicipal Valerie Bruneau is also alleging that she was wrongfully-terminated by the district, in a civil case filed in January.

The last activity in that case took place in February, according to U.S. District Court records.
The city will hold a formal scoping meeting for the Hunter projects environmental impact report (EIR) at 6 p.m. Monday, March 12, at the firehouse.

The meeting will allow the public to speak directly to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) consultants regarding the scope of the new EIR.

Comments may also be submitted by April 9 to Planning Director Noah Housh at City Hall or emailed to nhoush@cityofsthelena.org.

The project proposes at least 87 housing units beyond the eastern end of Adams Street and behind the levee.

After the initial analysis is completed, a draft EIR will be published for a 45-day public review and comment period, during which the public will have an additional opportunity to comment on the environmental analysis and resulting document. This is tentatively scheduled to occur in late spring or early summer.

These comments will then be used to finalize the document, making modifications or expanding the analysis as appropriate. A response to each comment will be provided in the final EIR for the project, which will then be taken before the Planning Commission for review and action at a public hearing tentatively scheduled for late summer or early fall.
SACRAMENTO  Chastising California officials for irrational, unfair and unconstitutional policies that protect undocumented immigrants, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions promised Wednesday to do everything in his power to ensure federal immigration laws are enforced in the state.

Sessions came to the state capital to deliver his message one day after the U.S. Justice Department sued to overturn three recently enacted California laws restricting state and local agencies cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Democratic state leaders were derisive in their dismissal of Sessions and his agencys lawsuit, and even his audience Wednesday  a state association of law enforcement officers  gave him a lukewarm reception.

They listened without applauding when he offered up such conservative crowd-pleasers as, We are simply asking California and other sanctuary jurisdictions to stop actively obstructing federal law enforcement. Stop treating immigration agents differently from everybody else for the purpose of eviscerating border and immigration laws and advancing an open borders philosophy shared by only a few of the most radical extremists.

Sessions assertion that California is putting the public and federal immigration agents at risk through sanctuary policies drew a rebuke from Gov. Jerry Brown, who called it simply not true.

We know the Trump administration is full of liars, the governor said at a news conference.

He said Sessions should apologize for bringing the mendacity of Washington to California and trying to insert this kind of division and, I might add, dysfunctionality, in a state that is really working.

Brown labeled the Justice Departments lawsuit as pure red meat for the (Republican) base and a declaration of war against the state of California.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Sacramento, seeks to overturn three state laws that the Justice Department says unconstitutionally obstruct the federal government from enforcing immigration laws.

The state laws, each passed during President Trumps first year in office in 2017, reflect a deliberate effort by California to hinder law enforcement, the Justice Department said.

One of the laws, SB54 by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, prohibits local law enforcement from notifying federal agents that an undocumented immigrant is about to be released from custody unless that person was being held on serious criminal charges. The law prohibits jails from holding undocumented immigrants for federal agents, bars police from asking detainees about their immigration status and denies immigration officers access to jails.

When undocumented immigrants are released into the community, Sessions said, that means federal agents have to go looking for them.

Think about it  the fate of an officer knocking on a door to execute a warrant, Session said Wednesday. They dont know whats on the other side of the door. ... I fundamentally reject, at my core, that we should further endanger the lives of those who risk everything for us just because some officials in California want to violate the law in promoting an agenda that the American people reject.

The lawsuit also targets a law authored by Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, that prohibits private employers, in most cases, from allowing workplace immigration raids unless federal agents have a judicial warrant. It also challenges a law by Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens (Los Angeles County), barring cities and counties from signing contracts with the federal government to house immigration detainees in local jails.

De Leon, Chiu and Lara held a news conference Wednesday to argue that their bills afford protections to immigrants in the U.S. without documentation.

We are not interfering with immigration law, de Leon said. We arent getting in the way, but we arent helping facilitate tearing mothers from children and children from fathers.

Sessions made his remarks at the annual meeting of the California Peace Officers Association, which represents thousands of law enforcement officers around the state. The group, and most police agencies in the state, remained neutral on the three laws being challenged in the federal lawsuit.

The crowd listened in silence to Sessions speech and gave him polite applause when he finished. A handful of those in attendance rose to clap.

Outside Sessions speech at a downtown hotel, a couple hundred protesters sympathetic to undocumented immigrants lined the streets in a peaceful march.

Hatred is infecting everything, said 18-year-old Dronme Davis of Sacramento, and youve got to show up.
A historic St. Helena schoolhouse built in 1870 was torn down in February, but local history buffs still have hope that it could rise again.

The staff at Hall Wines worked with the St. Helena Historical Society to salvage parts of the old Vineland schoolhouse, which was removed to make way for a development project.

We saved everything that was savable, said Skip Lane, vice president of the St. Helena Historical Society.

At 148 years old, the schoolhouse was one of the oldest  if not the oldest  poured concrete building in Napa County. It turned out to be impractical to save the concrete walls, and the roof, like much of the rest of the building, was not original and therefore had little historical value, Lane said.

However, at the historical societys request Hall saved tin ceiling plates, decorative curved molding that ran along the ceiling, and the original window frames. Beyond that, the building had been altered to the point that nothing was as it was in the beginning, Lane said.

It had been a house most recently, and there was very little of the schoolhouse left, Lane said. At some point, if we find a spot for it, wed like to reconstruct the schoolhouse pretty much like it was and use it as a classroom, to bring local students in and go back to school the old way.

The historical society doesnt have any immediate plans to reconstruct the schoolhouse. Lane said that for now the historical society is focusing on its tentative proposal to move into the city-owned Carnegie Building, one of about a dozen public facilities being evaluated by the SHAPE Committee.

Lane praised Hall for salvaging the historically significant items and agreeing to store them on the Hall property.

We went over there several times to make a list of what we were interested in, Lane said. We got everything we wanted, and Hall was very cooperative and very concerned.

Hall has an approved use permit allowing for 18 units  15 mobile homes and three recreational vehicle units  on the site, said Napa County Planning Director David Morrison. There has been talk of possibly changing the project, but no formal proposals have been submitted, he said.

Hall conducted numerous studies before concluding that the schoolhouse building, which had been abandoned for more than a decade, was dangerous, according to Lisa Covey, a spokesperson for the winery.

She said Hall contacted the historical society and offered to save whatever the society deemed worthy of preservation.

We are thrilled to be working on this effort together, and to see how they utilize the materials, Covey said.

The schoolhouse had been on Napa County Landmarks list of Ten Threatened Treasures as recently as 2011. According to a Napa County Landmarks press release at the time, the one-room school was part of the Vineland School District and was noted as being located in Vineland, California. At one time it was one of eight one-room school houses within a four-mile radius of St. Helena.

Mariam Hansen, research director for the St. Helena Historical Society, provided some historical background on the Vineland School. Its first trustees were John Lewelling, who donated the land for the school, John M. McPike and Matthew Vann.

School was held outside at first, according to the historical society. One day a sudden rainstorm chased the students to neighboring barns. Soon after a concrete building was erected and furnished, one of the first concrete buildings in Napa County.

With two teachers, Vineland School was relatively large for its time. James Dowdell was its first graduate.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
United Nations human rights envoy Rhona Smith speaks to the press at her office in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh, Oct. 19, 2016.

The United Nations human rights envoy to Cambodia asked the government to respect the rule of law and not rule by law during a meeting on Wednesday with the head of the Southeast Asian nation's human rights committee, amid recent moves to suppress the political opposition and freedom of expression.

We discussed a range of different human rights issues and the work of the [U.N.] commission on human rights, obviously, and the committee in Cambodia, said Rhona Smith, the U.N.s special rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, following a meeting in Phnom Penh with Keo Remy, a Cambodian politician who is head of the governments human right committee.

I did discuss the need to have full rights of political participation in Cambodia and for the views of the people who want the results of the elections to be respected and recognized, she told reporters, referring to a general election in July.

When asked whether she broached the subject of NGOs, Smith said: I discussed the need to make sure that the laws in Cambodia are applied compatibly with international human rights standards particularly looking at the laws that are used to restrict or limit freedom of expression in the country.

The government agreed that there was a need to ensure respect for human rights in the country, she said.

The U.N. and Cambodias donor nations have expressed alarm over Prime Minister Hun Sen's targeting of the political opposition, NGOs, and independent media in a months-long crackdown to silence critics ahead of a general election on July 29.

In September, Kem Sokha, leader of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) was arrested for treason for allegedly conspiring with the United States to overthrow the Cambodian government, and now faces up to 30 years in jail if found guilty.

Two months later, the Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP at the governments request for what it said was the partys involvement in plotting a coup against the administration. The decision, which banned 118 CNRP lawmakers and senior officials from politics for five years, effectively wiped out the opposition party as a serious challenger in the election.

And in February, Cambodia's parliament approved controversial changes to several articles in the constitution and passed a strict lese-majeste law as part of the governments efforts to clamp down on dissent.

The amendments included provisions that oppose interference in the country's internal affairs and legalize the removal of voting rights and the right to run as a candidate for political office for those deemed to have violated the interest of the state.

Lawmakers also passed changes to the Constitutional Council Law to ensure compliance with the constitution, the interpretation of the charter and related statutes, and decisions by legislators in election-related disputes.



Pretext to social chaos

Keo Remy, head of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee, said he and Smith did not see eye to eye on all the matters they discussed.

She said Cambodia applies rule by law rather than the rule of law, he said. Of course, I told her that every country will use laws as the basis for ruling [and that] every country will have to respect the law. That is the only way to make people abide by law and order.

Keo Remy went on to say that human rights issues should not be used as pretext to cause societal chaos.

I support her remarks that changes happen in every country, including her country, he said. However, I only support the changes through a democratic election.

I would not support any change through undemocratic means, including acts of toppling the government though outlawed activities, he said, referring to accusations by the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party government that CNRP members are trying to overthrow the current administration.

We had a lot of discussion; however, we didnt agree on many issues, Keo Remy said.

CNRP lawmakers in exile, including former party chief Sam Rainsy, have launched the Cambodia National Rescue Movement to put pressure on the government to end its persecution of the opposition and ensure free and fair elections.

On Monday, Hun Sen rejected a request from Sam Rainsy for negotiations to end the current political crisis, branding him a traitor and a convict, the Associated Press reported.

United Nations human rights commissioner Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein looks on during a press conference at the UN offices in Geneva, Switzerland, Aug. 30, 2017. Credit AFP Shrinking civic space

In a related development the same day, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, U.N. high commissioner for human rights, told the Human Rights Council that he is growing increasingly concerned about the governments efforts to quash dissent.

In Cambodia, I am seriously concerned at increasing moves to repress dissent and close political and civil society space, he said. Broadly-worded legal provisions have been used to silence civil society organizations, journalists and members and supporters of political parties.

[T]he Supreme Court has dissolved the principal opposition party, disenfranchising opposition voters, he said. Recently adopted amendments to the Constitution and Criminal Code are likely to further erode political rights and fundamental freedoms.

Zeid called on the government to guarantee the political rights of the people, to respect the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and to release human rights defenders and opposition party politicians.

A new report issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) highlights Cambodias shrinking political and civic space during the second half of 2017 ahead of a U.N. Human Rights Council discussion on the country later this month.

The period was marked by continuing political tension and the further reduction of the political and civic space, including the closure and suspension of human rights and environmental non-governmental and media organizations, the arrest of the leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party and the dissolution of the party, which was the main party of opposition, the report said.

Zeids comments and the OHCHR report came as Cambodian authorities are increasing restrictions on public meetings by harassing villagers who gather for social purposes.

Police in Samraong district in southwestern Cambodias Takeo province summoned two farmers and a member of a civil society group for questioning regarding a meeting they held with 25 farmers to help them register for social security benefits and savings, sources told RFAs Khmer Service.

The three were later released after they signed a document about their activities, though police filed a report on them with higher authorities.

Authorities have restricted freedom of assembly and association following the dissolution of the CNRP and a call issued by Sam Rainsy for Cambodians and the countrys armed forces to stand up to Hun Sen for abusing human rights and democracy.



Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui have detained a former state prosecutor on public order charges after he criticized plans to allow President Xi Jinping to rule indefinitely, his friends and relatives said.



Shen Liangqing, who has been a vocal critic of the government in recent years, was taken away by around 10 police officers from his home in Anhui's provincial capital Hefei on evening, his son Shen Li said.



"They came here at about 8.30 p.m. and left at 9.25 p.m., but they wouldn't give us any details during the hour or more than they were here," Shen Li said.



He added: "They had a warrant with them, calling him for questioning, and the reason given was suspicion of 'picking quarrels and stirring up trouble.'"



Police had also produced a search warrant, before proceeding to make copies of all the content on Shen's computer and cell phone, he said.



"When they were done copying them, they took them away," he said. "They told him on the way there that he had been causing trouble for them by 'saying stuff online'," Shen Li said. "So I think it's something to do with something he said."



Academic Yi Chun, a close friend of Shen's, said his detention could be linked to criticisms he made of plans by the ruling Chinese Communist Party to amend the country's constitution to abolish a two-term limit on the presidency, paving the way for indefinite rule by Xi Jinping.



"I'm not surprised at all, because I think it might have something to do with [the constitutional amendments] because they are pretty sensitive," Yi told RFA. "He definitely did make comments [on that topic], and I think it's definitely linked to that."



Parliament session brings heightened security

He said the detention also comes at a time of increased security as China's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC) holds its annual session in Beijing.



"The authorities are really clamping down now on what dissidents can say, and [Shen] was particularly outspoken; he didn't censor himself at all," Yi said.



"He said exactly what he was thinking. That's the kind of person he is," he said. "Controls are much tighter now, and they will crack down on any opposing views."



Yi said Shen's detention also comes at a time of huge political persecution of China's human rights lawyers, possibly affecting his access to legal representation.



"It may not be very easy to get in contact with one," he said.



An officer who answered the phone at the Wuhu Road police station where Shen was initially taken declined to comment on the case.



"Yes, that's right," the officer said when asked if it was the Wuhu Road police station. But after he found out who was calling, he said: "You have the wrong number. This is the number of a company."



Shen, 56, is a former prosecutor with the People's Procuratorate in Anhui, who took part in the country's pro-democracy movement starting in 1984, when he edited a publication titled "Students and Society" that promoted democratic politics and human rights.



He was later sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment by a Hefei court, which found him guilty of "incitement to subvert state power" after he took part in the 1989 student-led pro-democracy movement.



He continued to be a vocal critic of the regime after his release, openly supporting the 2014 pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.



Reported by Wong Lok-to for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Gao Feng for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
A Tibetan man self-immolated on Wednesday in Sichuans Ngaba county in an apparent protest against Chinese rule and policies in the far-western region of China, a Tibetan source living abroad said.

Tsekho Tukchak, set himself ablaze in Ngabas Meruma township at about 5 p.m. local time and died at the scene, said Meuruma Kungyam, a Tibetan political prisoner living in Australia who is from the same town as Tukchak.

At the time of his self-immolation, Tsekho called out, Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama and freedom for Tibet, Kungyam said. The self-immolation was a protest against Chinas repressive policy in Tibet.

Tukchak, also known as Tsekho Topchag, was in his early 40s and is survived by his mother, wife and two daughters, he said.

Local residents told Kungyam that Tukchak had lately expressed concern about Chinas occupation of Tibet and repression of the Tibetan people and their culture.

He paid great attention to Tibetan issues and was very capable of speaking out about the cause, Kungyam said. Whether it was at a tea shop or in the market, he often discussed Tibetan issues and convincingly explained Tibets situation to others.

In recent days, Chinese authorities have deployed an increased number of security forces in Meruma, ready to crack down on large gatherings and blocking internet service, he said.

Tukchak likely self-immolated on Wednesday because he assumed the heavy security presence would have made it difficult to carry out his plan on March 10, Kungyam said, referring to the 59th anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese occupation of the formerly self-governing region.

Security forces are spreading throughout the region in the run-up to the anniversary of the incident, which saw thousands of Tibetans killed amid a crackdown by Chinese authorities and led to the Dalai Lamas flight into exile in 1959.

The day will also mark the 10th anniversary of the beginning of several days of peaceful protest that were brutally suppressed by police and culminated in an anti-China riot in Tibets capital Lhasa on March 14, 2008.

During the riot, Tibetan demonstrators torched ethnic Han Chinese shops in the city and carried out deadly attacks on Han residents.

Protests then spread across Tibet and into Tibetan-populated provinces of western China, causing official embarrassment ahead of the August 2008 Beijing Olympics. Hundreds of Tibetans were detained, beaten, or shot as Chinese security forces quelled the protests.

Chinese officials later said that 22 people, mostly Han Chinese and Hui Muslim civilians, had died in the Lhasa rioting, but denied that police had fired on protesters.

Prayers for his martyrdom

Meanwhile, news of Tukchaks death has spread throughout Meruma township and beyond.

Tibetans in Tibet are sad to hear the news and are mourning the death of the self-immolator Tsekho, a source inside Tibet, who declined to be named, told RFA.

Many Tibetans are saying prayers for his martyrdom, the source said. The situation in the area is very tense.

Tukchaks self-immolation was also noted by Lobsang Sangay, president of the India-based Central Tibetan Authority (CTA), who expressed deep concern over the incident and reiterated an appeal by the CTA to Tibetans to refrain from such protests in a statement on Wednesday.

Sangay said that self-immolations by Tibetans in Tibet, however, evidences that repression in Tibet under the Chinese rule is making lives unlivable and urged Chinas government to heed to the calls of those who long for freedom in Tibet and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama back to Tibet.

Tukchaks protest brings to 153 the number of self-immolations by Tibetans living in China since the wave of fiery protests began in 2009.

Most protesters who have set themselves on fire have called for Tibetan freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from India, where he has lived since escaping Tibet in 1959.

Reported by Kalden Lodoe, Sonam Lhamo, and Kunsang Tenzin for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Residents of Vietnams coastal city of Da Nang have welcomed the first port call to their country by a U.S. aircraft carrier since the end of the Vietnam War, saying an increased U.S. presence in the region will help check increasingly aggressive claims by China over disputed territories in the South China Sea.



The USS Carl Vinson arrived in Da Nang on March 5 for a four-day visit that included a visit on Wednesday by U.S. sailors to a shelter for victims of Agent Orange, a toxic chemical the U.S. used as a defoliant throughout Vietnam during the war.



Ahead of its arrival, Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang noted that the carrierwhich was joined by guided missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain and destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyerwas visiting following an agreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and his counterpart, Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, during the formers official trip to Hanoi in November last year.



The port call was arranged as part of a pledge to continue promoting our relationship in the framework of comprehensive partnership, and to contribute to the maintaining of stability, peace, security, cooperation and development of the region, Hang said at the time.



On March 5, following the arrival of the three American ships manned by around 6,500 sailors and Marines, U.S. Defense Department spokesman Robert Manning told reporters in Washington that the visit marks a significant milestone in our bilateral relations and demonstrates the U.S. support for a strong, prosperous and independent Vietnam.



Manning stressed that the port call, and other U.S. operations in the South China Sea, are routine and demonstrate our commitment to regional prosperity and stability.



Some U.S. $5 trillion in cargo is transported along the South China Sea annually, and a number of nations hold competing territorial claims that have led to disputes in the region, including Vietnam, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Thailand and Singapore.



China has been aggressively asserting its claims throughout the South China Sea, building islands on reefs and setting up military installations on them, while countries including Vietnam claim that illegal fishing by Chinese vessels in their territorial waters is on the rise, prompting anti-China protests.



Beijing brushed off concerns about the visit on Tuesday, with an unsigned editorial in the state-run English-language Global Times saying it would do little to change Hanois strategic vision of simultaneously developing ties with Beijing and Washington.



However much U.S.-Vietnam military cooperation is upgraded, it will not embolden Hanoi to act as a U.S. outpost to confront Beijing, the editorial said, adding that Hanoi may consider using its collaboration with Washington as leverage to put pressure on China's South China Sea policy, but it is cautious about doing so.



The U.S. is free to send warships to the South China Sea, which will only waste money. China is much less interested in the USS Carl Vinson's Vietnam visit than American and Vietnamese nationalists.



Residents weigh in



When asked about the presence of the aircraft carrier in his citys port this week, Da Nang resident Ho Quang Huy told RFAs Vietnamese Service that he was excited about the prospects of the visit opening up a diplomatic future with the U.S. and reducing Chinese influence in the region.



The Chinese are everywhere these days, he said.



With this visit, I hope to see more of an American presence here and less of a Chinese one.



Another resident named Nguyen Van Hai told RFA that the visit is very significant to us.



We live by the sea and off the sea, and we are directly affected by the [South China Sea] invaders, he said, referring to Chinese incursions into Vietnamese territorial waters.



Now this carrier comes and we feel more comfortable. We know that there are good people backing us and protecting us, since we cant protect ourselves.



But while Da Nang resident Hoang Thi Hong Thai welcomed the aircraft carriers visit, she cautioned that Vietnam should not rely solely on the U.S. to protect its interests.



Vietnam has welcomed many foreign leadersboth U.S. President [Barack] Obama and current President Donald Trump have visited Vietnam, she said.



But our future cant be dependent on the visit of a U.S. carrier. It depends on the will of our people.



Deepening defense ties



Observers went further to say that the visit symbolized a significant step in the improvement of defense ties between the U.S. and Vietnam.



Le Hong Hiep, a fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian StudiesYusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said in a commentary on Monday that the visit signifies a greater level of trust between the two countries.



More importantly, the visit shows that the two countries are now much more comfortable  in conducting high-profile defense cooperation activities, he said.



Hiep noted that following the end of a long-standing U.S. lethal arms sale ban on Vietnam, the two countries are now discussing possible arms deals, as well as the joint production of military equipment.



The two sides should seize upon the positive momentum generated by USS Carl Vinsons visit to turn bilateral high-profile defence cooperation into a new normal, he said.



The normalization and institutionalization of such defense cooperation activities will help deepen the comprehensive partnership between the two countries and enable them to better meet the new security challenges arising from ominous shifts in the regions geo-strategic landscape.



Prior to the visit, regional expert Carlyle Thayer, a professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia, wrote in an assessment that Vietnam welcomes the U.S. naval presence in the South China Sea, as long as it contributes to regional peace and security.



The USS Carl Vinson and its escort ships bring more power to the South China Sea than the potential of all seven of Chinas artificial islands, he said.



What we are witnessing with the port visit by the USS Carl Vinson is a modest but significant step up in bilateral defense engagement.



Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
A suicide bomber has killed two people in eastern Afghanistan, including the local head of the Ministry of Haj and Religious Affairs.

The extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the March 7 bombing in Nangarhar Provinces capital, Jalalabad, through its Amaq news agency.

Attahullah Khogyani, a spokesman for Nangarhar Provinces governor, said 10 people were also wounded in the blast.

Khogyani said the attacker was on foot and apparently targeted the slain local religious affairs official, Abdul Zahir Haqqani.

"He was coming off a bridge when the attacker approached him and blew himself up close to his car," he added.

Both the Taliban and rival militants from a branch of the so-called Islamic State are active in Nangarhar Province, which borders Pakistan, and regularly attack local officials and security forces.

On March 6, at least two people were killed and two others were injured when a bomb attached to a fuel truck exploded in the province, officials said.

No group claimed responsibility for that attack.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and tolonews.com


The winter of 2017-18 was the warmest on record for the Arctic, U.S. and Russian scientists have reported in separate studies.

The U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center reported on March 6 that the Arctic winter during December, January, and February averaged 4.9 degrees Celsius warmer than normal.

As a result of the extraordinary warmth, ice on the Arctic Ocean and other seas that cover the top of the globe hit a record low for this time of year, the U.S. scientists said.

In February, Arctic sea ice covered 13.9 million square kilometers, about 160,000 square kilometers smaller than last year's record low, the data center said.

Russia's weather service, the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology, also reported on its website on March 5 that temperatures in the Arctic region were four to eight degrees higher than normal, according to the Russian state-run news agency TASS.

Because of the unusually warm Arctic temperatures, the winter season was one of the three warmest ever experienced by Russia, TASS reported, citing the Russian service.

The U.S. scientists said it's been so unusually warm that the land weather station closest to the North Pole -- at the tip of Greenland -- spent more than 60 hours above freezing in February.

Before this year, scientists had seen the temperature there rise above freezing in February only twice, and fleetingly.

While weather systems played a role in reducing sea ice and stoking warmth, "climate change is the overriding thing," Walt Meier, a scientist at the data center, told the Associated Press.

"When you have warmer temperatures, you are going to melt more ice and it's going to grow more slowly," he said.

Based on reporting by AP and TASS
A senior member of Armenia's ruling party has challenged other political groups to name their own candidates to be prime minister, which will be the country's top post after constitutional reform is completed next month.

Vahram Baghdasarian, who heads the parliamentary faction of the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), said on March 6 that his party is ready to discuss opposition candidates, although no candidates have been put forward by other parties.

Baghdasarian said he personally believed that the HHKs current leader, outgoing President Serzh Sarkisian, is the politician who more than anyone else deserves to become the countrys next prime minster.

Because Armenia is a country locked in a long conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan over its breakaway region Nagorno-Karabakh, Baghdasarian said Sarkisian is the person most "capable of carrying this heavy burden."

Nagorno-Karabakh, populated mainly by ethnic Armenians, declared independence from Azerbaijan amid a 1988-94 war that claimed an estimated 30,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

Several members of the HHK have already spoken in favor of Sarkisians candidacy for prime minister. The outgoing president himself has not ruled out such a possibility despite his 2014 promise not to "aspire" to the top post if Armenia becomes a parliamentary republic under the constitutional changes he initiated.

Together with its junior coalition partner, Dashnaktsutyun, the HHK enjoys a comfortable majority in parliament to install its candidate as Armenia's next premier.

Opposition Warning

Talk of Sarkisian taking the prime minister post has prompted at least one Armenian opposition group to warn him against attempting to stay in power.

"If Serzh Sarkisian decides after all to nominate his prime-ministerial candidacy contrary to his promise, that could drastically escalate the political situation in Armenia," Nikol Pashinian, an outspoken government critic who heads the opposition Yelk faction in parliament, said on February 9.

The Yelk alliance has considered staging street protests next month against Sarkisian becoming prime minister.

But Baghdasarian said he doubted such street protests would be popular. He suggested that the opposition alliance use the parliamentary platform instead.

"Taking politics into the street has never produced a result, and has not been efficient either in terms of the country's development or in terms of the development of a given political group," Baghdasarian said.

Under Armenia's new Constitution, the government will resign on April 9, the day when Sarkisian's presidential powers will expire. The political parties represented in parliament will then have a week to nominate candidates for prime minister.


A Minsk-based human rights group says that more than four months ago Belarusian authorities executed a man who had been convicted of killing his own children.



The Vyasna (Spring) human rights center quoted the mother of the convicted man, Kiryl Kazachok, as saying that she was only informed in recent days that he was executed in October.



Amnesty International in January had mentioned Kazachok's case in a statement urging Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to abolish capital punishment.

Kazachok was sentenced to death in December 2016 after a court in the southeastern city of Homel found him guilty of killing his 17-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter in order to punish his wife for wanting a divorce.

The court found that Kazachok was drunk when he carried out the killings.



Kazachok refused to appeal the sentence.



Belarus is the only country in Europe that carries out the death penalty.

The European Union and rights groups have for years been urging Belarus to declare a moratorium on the death penalty.



Activists say there are currently five convicted murderers on death row in Belarus.

In January, two men who initially were handed life sentences on murder charges were sentenced to death after a retrial in Minsk.



The EU sharply criticized Belarus at the time and repeated its call for Lukashenka's government to the abolish the death penalty.



According to rights organizations, more than 400 people have been sentenced to death in Belarus since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
British police say a nerve agent was used to try to kill former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the southwestern city of Salisbury.

"This is being treated as a major incident involving attempted murder, by administration of a nerve agent," Mark Rowley, head of Counterterrorism Policing, said on March 7.

"I can also confirm that we believe that the two people who became unwell were targeted specifically," he added, without giving details of the substance used.

Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found unconscious on a bench outside a shopping mall in Salisbury after stopping at a nearby restaurant and pub, and remain critically ill, Rowley said.

A police officer who also became ill after attending the scene is in a serious condition in hospital," he added.

Nerve agents such as sarin are highly toxic chemicals that disrupt the nervous system and shut down bodily functions.

Skripal was arrested in Moscow in December 2004 and convicted by a Moscow military court in August 2006 of "high treason in the form of espionage."

He was found guilty of passing the identities of Russian intelligence agents working undercover in Europe to Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6, in return for $100,000.

Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) alleged he had begun working for MI6 while serving in the army in the 1990s.

Earlier on March 7, Britains Home Secretary Amber Rudd called for cool heads as the investigation into the Salisbury incident moves forward.

She said authorities would respond to evidence, not to rumor in the incident, which has drawn comparisons with the 2006 death of former Russian security agent Aleksandr Litvinenko in London.

A British inquiry concluded that the Russian government was behind Litvinenko's death and that President Vladimir Putin "probably approved" the killing. Russia has denied any involvement.

On March 6, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson warned that any involvement of a foreign government in the incident would not go "unpunished."

Speaking to parliament, Johnson said Britain might step up sanctions against Russia if it finds that Moscow was involved in the incident.

"We don't know exactly what has taken place in Salisbury, but if it's as bad as it looks, it is another crime in the litany of crimes that we can lay at Russia's door," he said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on March 7 accused British politicians and journalists of using the case to drive "anti-Russian" sentiment and disrupt relations between London and Moscow.

"What happened to Skripal has been immediately used to further incite an anti-Russian campaign in Western media," spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

She had earlier characterized Johnson's comments as "wild" and "words of savagery."

Scotland Yard has announced that its counterterrorism unit would take charge of the investigation due to the case's "unusual circumstances."

Britain's stepped-up response to the Skripal incident came as the BBC quoted Skripal's relatives as saying that some Skripal family members died in recent years under mysterious circumstances.

Skripal's relatives told the BBC Russian Service that the ex-spy believed that "Russian special services might come after him at any time." The BBC did not elaborate.

Skripal's son Sergei, 44, died on a visit to Russia last year of an unknown illness, The Times reported, while The Guardian reported that Skripal's wife died from cancer shortly after her arrival in Britain in 2012.

The Times reported that Yulia Skripal lived in Britain in 2010 after her father was released in a spy swap with Russia, but she later moved back to Moscow and was working for PepsiCo Russia. She arrived back in Britain to visit her father last week, according to The Times.

"Should evidence emerge that implies state responsibility, then Her Majesty's government will respond appropriately and robustly," Johnson told parliament.

"I am not now pointing fingers," he said. "I say to governments around the world that no attempt to take innocent life on U.K. soil will go either unsanctioned or unpunished."

Punitive Meassures?

He indicated that strong evidence of Russian government involvement could lead to new punitive measures against Moscow, which is under European Union and U.S. sanctions over its aggression in Ukraine and other actions.

"If the suspicions...prove to be well-founded, then it may very well be that we are forced to look again at our sanctions regime and other measures that we may seek to put in place," Johnson said.

"It is clear that Russia, I'm afraid, is now in many respects a malign and disruptive force, and the U.K. is in the lead across the world in trying to counteract that activity," he said.

Putin's spokesman said that Russia has "no information" on what could have led to the hospitalization of Skripal and his daughter, which he called a "tragic situation."

Asked to respond to British media speculation that Russia had poisoned Skripal, Dmitry Peskov said: "It didn't take them long."

With reporting by BBC, The Times, The Guardian, Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa, and Press Association


The Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District is reaching out to make its parks and open space areas connect with the Hispanic community. It is receiving help through a $25,000 contract with Soluna Outreach Solutions of Rohnert Park. District officials decided they cant do the job by themselves.

A 2016 American Community Survey found 33.5 percent of the countys population is Hispanic or Latino. That compares to 23.7 percent in Census 2000. But district officials have no statistics on how many Hispanics use such places as Moore Creek Park near Lake Hennessey or Bothe-Napa Valley State Park near St. Helena. Still, from observation, they think the Hispanic share of attendance at park events is below that 33.5-percent proportional mark.

The Open Space District isnt the only parks group facing an outreach challenge. The National Parks Service found in a 2009 survey that its parks disproportionately served non-Hispanics whites.

A 2011 report done for the National Park Service called this lack of diversity among visitors a critical issue, given that the nation is becoming more diverse. It explored ways to sustain broad public support for parks amid shifting demographics.

The district intends to pull some ideas together from the local Hispanic outreach for park events by late summer or early fall.
The German government on March 7 approved plans to extend the country's overseas military missions, including in Afghanistan.

The defense bill, which must still be approved by parliament, would raise the maximum number of German troops deployed in Afghanistan as part of NATOs Resolute Support mission by one-third to 1,300.

The decision comes as the Western-backed government in Kabul is struggling to fend off the Taliban and other militant groups since the withdrawal of most NATO troops in 2014.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen told broadcaster ARD that the move should be matched with accelerated reforms by the Afghan government.

She also warned that the militarys mission in Afghanistan would likely extend for some time, saying, "We need patience and a long breath, without question."

Germany has contributed to NATO missions in Afghanistan for the past 17 years.

The German military has its headquarters in Afghanistan in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif and a large base near Kunduz.

Von der Leyen described the German military's contribution to NATO's missions in Afghanistan as a "story of progress on the one side, but of course also setbacks," arguing that the educational opportunities for children, the status of women, health care, and infrastructure in the war-torn country had improved over the years.

But she also said that the Afghan Army was still struggling to keep the country safe.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's government also agreed on April 7 to extend the German military's missions in Iraq, Mali, South Sudan, and the NATO-led Sea Guardian operation in the Mediterranean Sea.

The cabinet meeting was the last before the new coalition government takes over.

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and DW
Iranian authorities have detained an Iranian cleric who recently accused the Iranian establishment of being repressive and unjust.

The detained cleric, Hossein Shirazi, is the son of the 75-year-old Ayatollah Sadegh Shirazi -- a senior cleric who is said to have followers in Iran and Iraq.

Both have been critical of the Iranian clerical establishment.

A London-based representative of Ayatollah Sadegh Shirazi told the BBC's Persian Service that Hossein Shirazi was detained in the holy Shiite city of Qom on March 6 after attending a class on Islamic theology.

During a lecture in February, the 47-year-old Hossein Shirazi reportedly likened the Islamic republics principle of Velayat Faghih -- or the rule of a single jurist -- to the regimes of "Pharaohs" in Egypt. He also reportedly accused Iranian leaders of tyranny.

According to some reports, the younger Shirazi was summoned to appear before the Special Clergy Court in February after that lecture.

Hard-liners have accused Ayatollah Sadegh Shirazi, a Shiite source of emulation, of promoting "British Shi'a" and receiving funds from Britain and Saudi Arabia.

His followers say he has come under pressure because of his independent stance on issues and for his criticism of the Iranian establishment.

Based on reporting by the BBC and Mehr
An Iranian woman who removed her Islamic head scarf on a Tehran street has been sentenced to two years in prison, local media report.

The semiofficial Tasnim news agency on March 7 quoted prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi as saying that the woman was attempting to "encourage corruption through the removal of the hijab in public."

The Iranian judiciarys Mizan Online news agency did not identify the woman, but said she had indicated she would appeal the verdict.

Some reports said the woman was Nargess Husseini, 32, who had been arrested during a recent wave of peaceful protests against compulsory veiling in Iran.

In the past, women arrested for appearing in public without what is considered proper covering have been quickly released or sentenced to short jail terms and fined about $25.

Earlier this year, Iranian authorities announced they had detained 29 women who removed their head scarves as part of a campaign against the country's mandatory Islamic dress code.

Police claimed the women had been tricked into removing their veil by a propaganda campaign being conducted by Iranians living abroad.

The U.S. State Department has condemned the arrests, saying the women were exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms by standing up against the compulsory hijab.

Amnesty International reiterated its calls on the authorities to end the persecution of women who speak out against compulsory veiling, and abolish this discriminatory and humiliating practice.

Women's dress has been heavily scrutinized in the Islamic republic since the 1979 revolution, when adherence to an Islamic dress code became compulsory.

The dress code dictates that women's hair and body must be covered in public.

Morality police launch regular crackdowns on those who are not fully respecting rules relating to the hijab.

With reporting by AFP, dpa, and AP


Twelve years after he died during his trial for war crimes, Slobodan Milosevic, the one-time Serbian strongman, was back, this time as a character in a musical that made its debut in Kosovo on March 6.

Nationalist Milosevic rose to power in Belgrade in 1989 as communism was collapsing across Eastern Europe. He led Serbia through a decade of wars in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Kosovo.



"The Lift -- The Slobodan Show," written by Belgrade-based writer Jelena Bogavac, focuses more on Milosevic's personal relationship with his powerful wife Mirjana, his daughter Marija, and his son Marko than on the politics that made him infamous.

Around 200 people attended the show at a theater in Gracanica, an ethnic Serb enclave just outside Kosovo's capital Pristina.

Milosevic lost power after a NATO bombing campaign in 1999 and popular unrest in October 2000.

The play ends with his war crimes trial in The Hague, where he died of a heart attack in 2006.

The play has raised hackles among ethnic Albanians who form the majority in Kosovo, which declared independence from Belgrade in 2008.

Kosovo's independence is not recognized by Serbia and Kosovo Serbs.

An estimated 800,000 ethnic Albanians were displaced and about 10,000 killed by Milosevic's forces in the brutal 1998-99 war in Kosovo.

Based on reporting by AFP and dpa


Three more members of Macedonia's state anticorruption commission have resigned amid a scandal over their alleged lavish spending.

The latest resignations came on March 7 after two other members, including the head of the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, stepped down earlier this week.

The resignations, which still have to be formally accepted by parliament, leave only two members left in the seven-member body.

The scandal emerged after local media published a Public Revenue Office report suggesting that some of the commission's members submitted unrealistically high spending claims.

The Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into the allegations.

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who came to power last year, called for an efficient anticorruption body that would keep a watchful eye on the executive branch and everything that comes in contact with public money."

With reporting by AP
Russian leader Vladimir Putin praised U.S. President Donald Trump as a balanced man he can negotiate with, but he also assailed the West for illegitimate and unfair Ukraine-related sanctions imposed on Moscow.

"I have no disappointment at all," Putin said about Trump during a wide-ranging interview released on social media on March 7, some two weeks before Russias presidential election.

"Moreover, on a personal level, he made a very good impression on me," he added, saying the U.S. president easily understands the specifics of issues and is a good listener.

It was not immediately clear when Putin made the remarks. The interview was part of a documentary titled World Order 2018.

Putin, 65, has been president or prime minister since 1999. His popularity, his control over the levers of power, and what critics say have been years of steps to suppress dissent and marginalize opponents virtually ensure his victory in the presidential election set for March 18.

Still, analysts believe the Kremlin fears that low turnout will undermine the appearance of the election's legitimacy, and the government appears to be taking numerous measures to boost participation.

Despite his praise for Trump, Putin lamented the state of the U.S. political system, saying that it has demonstrated its inefficiency and has been eating itself up."

"It's quite difficult to interact with such a system, because it's unpredictable," Putin said.

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump said he would press for better ties with Russia as a way to solve many of the worlds deep-standing conflicts.

He has also downplayed conclusions by U.S. intelligence services that Moscow interfered in the U.S. presidential election in 2016 and warnings that it will likely continue to do so. Russia denies the allegations.

Putin blamed the West for raising tensions, citing what he called efforts to contain and weaken Russia.

"We are a great power, and no one likes competition," he said.

He also blamed the United States for what he alleged was its role ousting Ukraine's Russia-friendly president in February 2014 amid massive street protests.

Putin claimed the United States had asked Moscow to prevent then-President Viktor Yanukovych from using force against protesters, then "rudely and blatantly" sponsored what he labeled a "coup."

After a pro-West government was installed in Kyiv, Moscow responded by seizing control of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and fomenting separatism across much of the country -- one of the causes of a war that has killed more than 10,300 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014 and displaced more than 1.6 million Ukrainians.

"Few expected us to act so quickly and so resolutely, not to say daringly," Putin said.

He said Western sanctions for the annexation and for Moscows support of separatists in eastern Ukraine were "illegitimate and unfair" and said that "we will win in the long run."

"Those who serve us with poison will eventually swallow it and poison themselves," he added.

The remarks werent in the context of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, who remains in critical condition, along with his daughter, after being found unconscious in Britain.

British police on March 7 said the two were deliberately targeted by a nerve agent and that the case was being treated as attempted murder.

On March 6, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson warned that any involvement of a foreign government in the incident would not go "unpunished."

Speaking to parliament, Johnson said Britain might step up sanctions against Russia if it finds that Moscow was involved in the incident.

Moscow accused British politicians and journalists of using the case to drive "anti-Russian" sentiment and disrupt relations between London and Moscow.

In the interview released on March 7, Putin also appeared to follow up remarks made in his annual address on March 1, when he boasted of a new generation of invincible nuclear-capable Russian weapons.

The remarks came under criticism from NATO as well as the United States, Germany, France, and other Western countries.

"The decision to use nuclear weapons can only be made if our early warning system not only detects a missile launch but clearly forecasts its flight path and the time when warheads reach the Russian territory," Putin said in the interview.

"If someone makes a decision to destroy Russia, then we have a legitimate right to respond."

"Yes, it will mean a global catastrophe for mankind, for the entire world. But as a citizen of Russia and the head of the Russian state, I would ask: What is such a world for, if there were no Russia?"

With reporting by AP, Reuters, TASS, and Interfax
The speaker of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, has told female journalists who report from the legislature to change their jobs if they face sexual harassment from lawmakers.

Volodin made the remarks to a group of female journalists on March 7, the eve of International Women's Day, which is a Russian state holiday.

Volodin said recent sexual harassment accusations made by female journalists against senior lawmaker Leonid Slutsky were "attempts to discredit" Slutsky.

"Is it dangerous for you to work in the Duma? If so, then change your jobs," Volodin said.

Volodin is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and previously served as the deputy chief of Putin's presidential office.

Volodin's remarks came a day after a BBC journalist accused Slutsky of sexual harassment.

Farida Rustamova, from the BBC's Russian Service, is the third journalist to publicly accuse Slutsky of improper behavior.

Rustamova recorded audio of the incident, which took place a year ago. The BBC says it is in possession of the recording, but has decided not to publish it.

Slutsky, who chairs the Duma's International Relations Committee, denied all accusations and has threatened to take the accusers to court for defamation.

Slutsky is a member of nationalist firebrand politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky's Liberal Democratic Party of Russia.

Rustamova visited Slutsky at his Duma office on March 24, 2017, to get a comment about a visit to Russia by then-French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen.

I would like to say that these girl journalists should look more decent, put clothes on themselves when entering a state building, instead of having their tummy buttons naked."

She said Slutsky unexpectedly changed the subject during the discussion and asked Rustamova if she would like to leave the BBC to work for him, the British broadcaster said on its website on March 7.

When she refused, she says he complained by saying: "You're trying to get away from me, you don't want to kiss me, you've hurt my feelings."

The BBC says that, in the recording, Rustamova is heard telling Slutsky she has a boyfriend that she hopes to marry.

"Great, you'll be his wife, and my mistress," Mr Slutsky says, according to the BBC report.

According to Rustamova's account, Slutsky then approached her and, in her words, began "running his hand, the flat of his palm, up against my nether region," the BBC reports.

Farida Rustamova was one of the anonymous sources who initially made accusations against Slutsky, before deciding to speak openly.

Last month, Darya Zhuk, a producer at the Dozhd (Rain) independent Internet TV channel, and Yekaterina Kotrikadze, deputy chief editor of Russia's RTVI television company, both openly accused Slutsky of sexual harassment.

On March 7, the chairwoman of the Duma's Family, Women, and Children Affairs Committee, Tamara Pletnyova, expressed support to Slutsky, calling him an "educated professional... who would never offend a woman."

"I would like to say that these girl journalists should look more decent, put clothes on themselves when entering a state building, instead of having their tummy buttons naked," Pletnyova said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy radio. "Volodin is right and I fully support him. If they are scared and are offended, they should not come here."

With reporting by bbc.co.uk, Ekho Moskvy, and Vedomosti
A Russian civil rights activist who was put on trial for posting online videos deemed by authorities as "extremist" has received a suspended two-year prison sentence.

Moscow's Nagatino District Court on March 7 also barred activist Mark Galperin from running public or nongovernmental organizations for the next two years.

Galperin's lawyer, Aleksei Liptser, said the court's decision will be appealed.

Galperin was placed under house arrest in June after he was charged with making public calls for extremist actions.

The charge was linked to online videos in which Galperin criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin's government.

In 2016, Galperin narrowly avoided prosecution for violating a controversial 2014 law criminalizing participation in more than one unsanctioned protest within 180 consecutive days.

Dadin's plight attracted additional attention in 2016 when he alleged that he and other inmates were tortured and abused at a prison in Russia's northwestern region of Karelia.

Based on reporting by TASS and Rapsinews
Olga Litvinenko spent the summer of 1997 as a teenager at her father's dacha outside St. Petersburg. But it wasn't your usual summer of mushroom hunting and firing up the samovar.

She says she spent the summer helping her father, Vladimir Litvinenko, the newly installed rector of the National Mineral Resources University, write a candidate's dissertation for a political up-and-comer, Vladimir Putin.

"All of it was written by my father alone," Olga Litvinenko tells RFE/RL. "It went like this: He went through various books; some particular paragraph made an impression so he put that page on the copying machine; then he cut out the bit that he liked and glued it onto a separate sheet of paper; he added his commentaries and then moved on to some other paragraph."

"I saw all of this," she adds. "It happened right before my eyes."

Accusations that there was something fishy about Putin's dissertation are not new. A 2006 investigation by the Brookings Institution found strong evidence that most of the dissertation had been plagiarized from just two sources. The report alleged that "Putin never actually attended the institute...and the topic of the dissertation he submitted and defended was one in which he had no previous background."

On March 6, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov deflected requests for comment on Olga Litvinenko's claims. "There is nothing to comment on here," he said. "It isn't so."

In response, Litvinenko told RFE/RL: "Peskov wasn't there and I was.... Let Putin himself say that he wrote the dissertation and that it was not plagiarized."

Despite her background, Olga Litvinenko has been a harsh critic of Putin and of her father for several years. She lives in Poland and has charged that her father is keeping her 8-year-old daughter, Ester-Maria Litvinenko, unlawfully. For his part, Vladimir Litvinenko has filed a police report that Olga was kidnapped.

In January, a St. Petersburg court annulled Olga's passport, a move she says her father arranged to prevent her from returning to Russia. On January 24 she addressed Lithuania's parliament about the so-called Magnitsky List of targeted sanctions against alleged human rights abusers in Russia; and on March 7, she was set to give a similar speech to lawmakers in Estonia.

'Criminal' Degrees

Vladimir Litvinenko, who has been dubbed "the richest rector in Russia," became rector of the National Mineral Resources University (also called the St. Petersburg Mining University) in 1994. He owns nearly 15 percent of the PhosAgro phosphate-mining company, which was once partly owned by dispossessed former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and is worth at least $850 million.

"My father met Putin in 1991 though Gennady Belik, who was the head of the association of foreign-intelligence veterans," Olga Litvinenko says. "Belik was illegally exporting rare-earth metals to the West and my father was drawn into this business as a minerals expert. In 1994, Putin and Belik made him rector."

In 1994, Putin was first deputy chairman of the government of St. Petersburg, under Mayor Anatoly Sobchak.

"After he became rector, he used his official position and organized an illegal business preparing dissertations," Olga Litvinenko says of her father. "There was a great demand at the time -- everyone wanted a candidate's or doctoral degree. They produced dissertations for highly placed people on the basis of plagiarism."

Putin insider and CEO of state-owned Rosneft Igor Sechin got his degree from the National Mining University in 1998. Former Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov, a longtime Putin associate who is now chairman of Gazprom's board, got his degree from the university in 2000.

Olga Litvinenko says an entire "criminal group" was formed that included professors, lecturers, and scientists tasked with producing the dissertations and pushing them through the defense process.

"Everything was included -- the predefense, the defense -- and then my father arranged things through the Higher Attestation Commission to make sure that there could be no future questions for the degree recipients," she says.

Litvinenko adds that dissertations for a candidate's degree -- which is roughly equivalent to a U.S. doctorate -- cost the equivalent of tens of thousands of dollars. A doctoral dissertation, which in Russia is a more advanced academic degree without an equivalence in the United States, could go for two or three times that, "depending on how rich the businessman was."

The money, she says, came in cash. "I worked as the rector's assistant," Olga Litvinenko says. "I saw everything."

'Putin's Man'

"He wrote Putin's dissertation personally," she says of her father. "In 1997, they brought a copying machine to our dacha and my father took a vacation. Putin never came to the dacha. He never consulted with my father about his dissertation.... Everything was written exclusively by my father."

At the time, Putin had already moved to Moscow and was working as deputy presidential chief of staff.

"Maybe my father wrote it for him for free," Litvinenko says when asked if she knew how much Putin might have paid. "For one thing, he was [Putin's] man at the rector's post. They did business together and not just once. So I don't think you can talk about a particular payment. It is possible that it was a favor from my father for the help in getting the rector's post."

In addition to his academic work and business interests, Vladimir Litvinenko was the St. Petersburg head of Putin's presidential campaign in 2000, 2004, and 2012. This year, he is one of four local co-chairmen.

In a 2006 interview with the magazine Vlast, the elder Litvinenko insisted Putin wrote his own dissertation.

"I monitored this work myself," he said. "As a nonacademic, Vladimir Putin's first draft provoked some comment and was rejected. We recommended that he work on it more. After a few months, he brought a completely reworked version that took into account the comments and he was allowed to defend it. So I have no doubts that he worked independently."

Written by Robert Coalson on the basis of reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service correspondent Dmitry Volchek
The Jewish community in Russia's Tatarstan region has expressed outrage about the name and packaging design of a new ice cream called Poor Jew.

The Slavitsa company in Tatarstan's second-largest city, Naberezhnye Chelny, announced the new ice-cream product on February 28.

The ice cream's wrapper features an image of Israel's flag.

Leonid Shteinberg, a leader of the Jewish community in Naberezhnye Chelny, has demanded that production and sale of the ice cream be halted on grounds that it is "racist."

The city prosecutor's office says it has launched a preliminary investigation into the complaints.

The Slavitsa company was at the center of a scandal in 2016 after it started producing a chocolate ice cream called "Obamka," apparently aimed at demeaning then-U.S. President Barrack Obama by using the "-ka" suffix.

That ice cream's wrapper depicted an African boy.

The company stopped making the product after foreign media accused the firm of racism and anti-Americanism.

The same company also made headlines in June after its branch in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk started producing an ice cream called "Khokhol" -- a word commonly used in Russia as an ethnic slur for Ukrainians.

That ice cream's wrapper featured the blue-and-yellow colors of Ukraine's national flag.

With reporting by Interfax and NTV
Second, the popular Wild St. Helena series continues with mycologist George Riner talking about mushrooms at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 15, at the library. The denizens of the mushroom kingdom range from large to small, from colorful to gray, and from poisonous to delicious. Is it true, as suggested by a movie I watched the other day, that the poisonous ones tend to have gills on the bottom? Ill have to ask George 

Seen around town last week: an advance copy of James Conaways Napa at Last Light, the third in a series of nonfiction books that started with the excellent Napa: The Story of an American Eden. Word is that a good chunk of the book, which went on sale Tuesday and is available at Main Street Books, is devoted to St. Helena native, City Councilmember, and all-around interesting guy Geoff Ellsworth. By the time you read this, Ill probably be engrossed in the tome  that is, after Ive thumbed through the index looking for familiar names. Conaway is holding a book signing at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 15, at Copperfields in Calistoga.
While British counterterrorism police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the sudden severe illness of a Russian defector and his daughter, at least one person warned weeks ago of the possibility of a Kremlin foe abroad falling prey to a poisoning.

Marina Litvinenko, the wife of murdered former Russian security agent Aleksandr Litvinenko, whose death in 2006 by radioactive poisoning in London was likely to have been ordered by the Kremlin, according to U.K. investigators, told Current Time TV on January 26 that with the current political climate in Russia, such incidents were "quite possible."

"I do not want to make terrible forecasts, but given what is happening in Russia and how justice is done there, how people in Russia find themselves in prison on far-fetched charges -- this is quite possible," she said when asked if she could imagine reprisals against political opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is a shoo-in to claim a fourth term in an election later this month.

U.K. authorities have sought to rein in speculation that Russia is behind the "unknown substance" that has left Sergei Skripal, 66, a colonel in Russia's GRU military intelligence service before his jailing for spilling Russian secrets, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, in critical condition at a hospital in southern England.

But British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson warned that any involvement of a foreign government in the incident would not go "unpunished."

The incident comes against a backdrop of mistrust between Western governments and Moscow over alleged election meddling in the United States and Europe, a four-year war between Russia-backed separatists and the Ukrainian government that sparked sanctions and countersanctions, and a seemingly sustained push by President Vladimir Putin to reassert Russian influence in major international crises from Syria to the Korean Peninsula.

Russian Poison?

Skripal and his daughter were found unconscious on a bench outside a shopping mall in Salisbury. Investigators have said they believe the two were exposed to an undetermined substance that caused their illness.

The circumstances swiftly drew comparisons with the death of Litvinenko, a former Russian security agent who fell ill and died in London in November 2006 after ingesting radioactive polonium-210.

A British inquiry concluded that the Russian government was behind Litvinenko's death and that Putin "probably approved" the killing. Russia, which denied any involvement in the death of Litvinenko, has also dismissed claims that it may have had a hand in any poisoning of Skripal, a former Russian double agent who was living in England following a prisoner swap.

Litvinenko said in her January interview that the Russian authorities were "only concerned with money" and that if they felt threatened, even from abroad, they would act.

She also warned that with security authorities in Russia appearing to be following in the footsteps of their Soviet-era predecessors, the situation might worsen after the presidential election on March 18.

"How can we be sure that the successors of these organizations will not begin to engage in the same in our time?" she said. "With this in mind, Putin's new term may prove to be a very severe test for all."

Reports from the United Kingdom -- and indeed Marina Litvinenko herself -- have suggested Skripal kept a "low profile" after the 2010 prisoner swap that was a marked contrast to Litvinenko's public opposition to Putin.

Skripal's son, Alexander, reportedly died of sudden liver failure at the age of 43 during a mid-2017 visit to St. Petersburg.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Lahore-based Justice Project Pakistan say the criminal justice system of Saudi Arabia is violating the right to due process and fair trials for Pakistani defendants.

"The glaring defects in the criminal justice system are especially acute for Pakistanis, who face substantial difficulties finding legal assistance, navigating Saudi court procedures, and getting consular services from Pakistani Embassy officials," the groups said in a 29-page report released on March 7.

The report -- called Caught In A Web: Treatment Of Pakistanis In The Saudi Criminal Justice System -- cites "rampant due process violations" in cases which involve Pakistani citizens.

It says such violations include long detention periods without legal charges or trial, lack of access to legal assistance, faulty translation services, and pressure on detainees to sign confessions.

Saudi Arabia hosts an estimated 12 million foreign citizens, more than one-third of the country's total population. HRW says there are about 1.6 million Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia and most of them are migrant workers.

HRW says Saudi Arabia has executed 73 Pakistanis during the past four years, more than any other foreign nationality.

It says nearly all were executed on charges of heroin smuggling.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has said it was "too early to be optimistic" about the North's offer to discuss denuclearization with the United States.

"We are only at the starting line," Moon told political party leaders on March 7 after his envoys revealed Kim Jong Un's offer following their return from a historic trip to Pyongyang.

Moon rejected allegations of a behind-the-scenes agreement with Pyongyang in return for it coming to the negotiating table.

"There will be no such a thing as a gift to the North," Moon added.

The South's leader reaffirmed the importance of maintaining close co-operation with the United States, its security guarantor, adding: "I think denuclearization talks will become feasible only when South Korea and the United States take common positions" on the issue.

Monn also said there would be no let-up in sanctions or pressure purely as a result of inter-Korean dialogue.

"Inter-Korean talks won't be enough to achieve peace," he said.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he believed North Korea's offer to hold denuclearization talks is "sincere."

"I think they're sincere also because of the sanctions and what we're doing with respect to North Korea," he told reporters on March 6.

The U.S. president had previously said that "the statements coming out of South Korea and North Korea have been very positive", but also said it might be a "false hope."

Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence said Washington would not alter its stance toward Pyongyang without "credible, verifiable, and concrete steps" toward denuclearization.

North Korea has yet to confirm details of the announcements from Seoul that appeared to open the door to dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang after months of insults and threats of war between Trump and Pyongyang.

Seoul also said that North Korea has agreed to hold a summit with the South in late April.

The rival Koreas have been taking steps to repair ties strained by North Korean nuclear weapons and missile tests after Pyongyang reached out to Seoul over the recently concluded Pyeongchang Olympics.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, Reuters, and dpa


An Islamist group in Syria has claimed responsibility for a military plane crash that killed dozens of Russian military personnel this week, according to a statement published in a Lebanese newspaper.

The Arabic-language daily Ad-Diyar on March 7 published a statement from the group Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), which has been fighting against President Bashar al-Assads forces in the six-year civil war in Syria, saying its fighters had shot the plane down.

Jaish al-Islam is one of the main rebel groups fighting in the enclave of eastern Ghouta, near Damascus, where an offensive by Syrian government forces and their allies has killed hundreds of people since February 18.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on March 6 that 39 of its personnel, including 33 passengers and six crew members, died when an An-26 transport plane crashed while landing at Russia's air base near the coastal city of Latakia.

The ministry said a major general was among the dead.

Officials said the crash was "most likely caused by a technical fault," adding that there were no indications the plane came under fire.

Russia's Investigative Committee announced it had opened a criminal case into the crash, saying investigators would look into suggestions that flight safety rules had been flouted.

Russia has given Assad's government crucial support throughout the Syrian conflict, which began with a government crackdown on peaceful protests.

Moscow helped turn the tide of the conflict in Assad's favor by launching a campaign of air strikes in 2015 and by stepping up its military presence on the ground.

Russian officials previously said that more than 40 Russian military personnel had died in Syria since Moscow launched its air campaign, in many cases using Hmemim as a base.

Russia was also said to have lost nine military aircraft in Syria since it entered that country's civil war.

Russia's air base and its naval facility in western Syria have recently been under attack.

With reporting by Dozhd and Ad-Diyar
A prominent Tajik businessman and his family have been found dead in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports that the dead include businessman Bahtiyor Dodokhonov, his wife, and two sons -- aged 8 and 12.

Dodokhonov's parents told RFE/RL on March 7 that Dodokhonov and his family traveled to Saudi Arabia in late February and were due to return on March 6.

They said they contacted the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Dushanbe, because the family failed to return on time, and were told they had been "found dead in Medina."

They said the embassy did not provide them with any further details.

Dodokhonov's parents said they suspect foul play, but neither Tajik nor Saudi officials have provided further any information.

They said they last spoke to Dodokhonov by telephone on March 5.
KYIV -- Dmytro Shymkiv fidgeted in a chair as his boss, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, testified via video linkup from a few doors down in the Kyiv trial of his exiled predecessor, Viktor Yanukovych.

A big part of Shymkiv's job as deputy head of the presidential administration is focused on the cybersecurity of the president's office and the country. At this particular moment on February 21, his most important task was to keep the signal up and clear so Poroshenko could speak uninterrupted during the televised treason trial.

"I'm very worried about cyberattacks," Shymkiv confessed to RFE/RL as the president delivered his testimony.

With one eye glued to a screen showing Poroshenko and the other on his constantly vibrating mobile phone, which flashed updates from his IT team, Shymkiv said he feared a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack by Russian hackers that could take the video feed offline.

"It's happened before," said Shymkiv, who before joining the government in 2014 was general manager of Microsoft Ukraine, referring to past DDoS attacks timed to disrupt presidential appearances.

Testing Ground

Before Russian hackers allegedly targeted the United States and its 2016 presidential election, they were accused of taking aim at Ukraine and even its own presidential vote in May 2014 -- and with a lot more than just DDoS attacks.

For its part, Russia has denied cyberattacks against Ukraine or the United States.

But authorities here and in Washington attribute the attacks to Russia. They say they haven't stopped and are expected to continue.

In fact, they say Russia is using Ukraine as a cyberwar testing ground, or as Wired described it in a lengthy and detailed report on the matter last year, "a laboratory for perfecting new forms of global online combat."

Yet, for a country that is such a persistent target, Ukraine remains largely "unprepared" for cyberattacks from the likes of Russian and other skilled hackers, Shymkiv conceded.

In separate interviews, Ukraine's chief of Cyberpolice and members of a prominent pro-government hacker team agreed; while acknowledging that the country has made some progress on the cybersecurity front, they suggested or said outright that its defenses are nowhere near where they should be as a regular target of cyberattacks. They cited poor communication between state institutions, a resistance to change, a confused policy approach to cyberdefense, and a lack of funds to recruit skilled personnel and buy much-needed equipment.

Ukraine Hit 'Every Day'

Ukraine has been locked in an undeclared war with Russia since 2014, when the Kremlin annexed the Crimean Peninsula and fomented a shooting war in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 10,300 people and is grinding into a fifth year. The war is being fought not only in the literal trenches but in cyberspace, through disinformation, fake news, and of course, cyberattacks.

Since 2014, suspected Russian hackers have taken aim at critical targets in Ukraine with ever-growing sophistication. Ukraine's chief of Cyberpolice, Serhiy Demedyuk, said in an interview with RFE/RL that it was difficult to track Russian cyberattacks here because they occur "every day."

"What we see is that Ukraine really is a [Russian] test site for malicious software," Demedyuk said in his office on the outskirts of Kyiv on February 21.

In December 2016, Poroshenko claimed Ukraine had been struck by 6,500 cyberattacks on 36 targets in the previous two months, most of which Kyiv attributed to Russian aggression. His government has not provided more up-to-date statistics.

While attribution can be difficult, Demedyuk and Shymkiv said Ukraine has managed to directly link Russia to most cyberattacks, citing the characteristics of the attacks and their timing; many occur on historically significant dates in Ukraine, or just before or during holidays, thus maximizing the effect.

Two such cyberattacks targeted Ukrainian power plants ahead of holidays in December 2015 and December 2016, and left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without electricity for hours.

Last year, Ukraine's Boryspil and Odesa international airports were hit by cyberattacks at the height of tourism season, along with the Kyiv subway's ticketing system, supermarket checkouts, bank ATMs, and the radiation-monitoring system at the defunct Chornobyl nuclear power plant. Luckily, those attacks caused more confusion than damage and potential crises were averted.

But ransomware attacks dubbed Petya, NotPetya, and Bad Rabbit also ripped through the country, crippling businesses for days or weeks. NotPetya, in particular, spread to 64 countries, including Poland, Germany, Italy, and Russia, and caused billions of dollars in damage.

The U.S. and U.K. governments both released extraordinary statements attributing NotPetya to the Russian military's cyberarm. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders went further, calling it "part of the Kremlin's ongoing effort to destabilize Ukraine," which "demonstrates ever more clearly Russia's involvement in the ongoing conflict."

Indeed, experts say evidence in many of these cyberattacks points back to the same Kremlin-linked hackers believed to have targeted the 2016 U.S. election.

And they fear these may be only the beginning, as Russia continues to test new cyberwar methods -- where else -- in Ukraine.

More To Come

The U.S. intelligence community "expect[s] that Russia will conduct bolder and more disruptive cyberoperations during the next year, most likely using new capabilities against Ukraine," read a worldwide threat assessment authored by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and published on February 13. "The Russian government is likely to build on the wide range of operations it is already conducting, including disruption of Ukrainian energy distribution networks, hack-and-leak influence operations, distributed denial-of-service attacks, and false-flag operations."

And Coats, a former senator appointed by President Donald Trump to be the United States' top intelligence official, said it was expected that once Moscow perfects new tactics in Ukraine, it will turn them on Western countries.

"In the next year, Russian intelligence and security services will continue to probe U.S. and allied critical infrastructures, as well as target the United States, NATO, and allies for insights into U.S. policy," he said.

Coats reportedly told a congressional committee the same day the report was released that he had already seen evidence Russia was targeting U.S. midterm elections in November.

"Frankly, the United States is under attack," Coats added, according to Reuters.

Many experts believe the United States and its European allies are woefully unprepared for future cyberattacks and have called for defenses to be strengthened.

Ukraine's 'Vulnerabilities' Exposed

In boosting their own defenses, U.S. and European officials might look elsewhere for inspiration than Ukraine, which has struggled to batten down its proverbial hatches in the face of Russian cyberoperations.

In direct response to the Russian cyberthreat in recent years, Ukrainian institutions have developed special cybersecurity units: the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has an in-house team; the Interior Ministry and National Police created the Cyberpolice force led by Demedyuk; there is a Center for Cyberprotection within the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection; and the Defense Ministry has been slower to react but is currently discussing the creation of cyberunits for military purposes and cyberdefense, according to Shymkiv. A ministry spokesperson told RFE/RL they could not offer more specific information.

Coordinating all of Ukraine's cybersecurity initiatives is the National Security and Defense Council (RNBO), which opened a new cyber-focused center for doing so last month.

Some state companies have also taken the initiative. For instance, Ukrainian power distributor Ukrenergo, one of the main targets of cyberattacks in the past two years, said last month that it was investing up to $20 million in a new cyberdefense system.

But many Ukrainian institutions and companies -- including those who help lead cybersecurity efforts or guard highly sensitive information -- fail to communicate or coordinate with one another, and remain vulnerable to cyberattacks and information leaks, according to self-described "pro-Ukrainian" hackers who spoke to RFE/RL.

One of them, "Sean Townsend," the pseudonymous spokesman and one of the founding members of the hacktivist group Ukrainian Cyber Alliance, said that a recent flash mob organized by him and a dozen or so Ukrainian hacktivist colleagues that they promoted on social media proved cyberdefenses here remain weak.

Townsend and the Cyber Alliance usually focus on Russian targets. But worried about Ukraine's cybersecurity, they turned their sights toward their own country in an effort to help find where it might be vulnerable and plug whatever holes exist.

Townsend was startled by what they found. "There were many cases where highly classified information was stored simply unprotected," he said.

For instance, when Townsend probed Energoatom, the state nuclear-power-plant operator, he "found vulnerabilities that would easily allow hackers to enter the [energy] system" of one of its facilities.

Energoatom responded days after the Cyber Alliance published some of its findings online, which caused public concern about a "new Chornobyl." The company essentially dubbed Townsend's findings fake news and said it would be "impossible" to hack the critical energy infrastructure at its power plants.

Townsend said he was certain that what he found "could be perfectly used to penetrate power-station equipment." As if that wasn't enough of a concern, he added, among the power plant's unsecured computer networks he was able to obtain countless gigabytes-worth of sensitive documents, including the building plans for the reactor and information pertaining to Westinghouse Electric Company, the U.S.-based provider of nuclear fuel to Ukraine.

The story was similar with Ukraine's Defense Ministry. "We found several computers with classified files about Ukrainian forces" that could provide their Russian counterparts with valuable intelligence, Townsend said.

Unlike Energoatom, the ministry reacted quickly. "When we notified our military that they have computers leaking data to the Internet, they found them and shut them down," Townsend added.

In all, Townsend said more than 200 cases of vulnerabilities were found among Ukraine's state institutions and companies. But not all of them have been addressed. In fact, responses from companies and institutions where vulnerabilities were discovered were mixed; some thanked the Cyber Alliance and addressed the issues, while others shrugged or denied their existence.

The Kherson regional administration, annoyed by the alliance's discovery of vulnerabilities that would easily allow ill-intentioned hackers to penetrate its system, even filed a criminal complaint against the Cyber Alliance with the Cyberpolice.

Townsend, who said he cooperates closely with Demedyuk and the Cyberpolice, also claimed to have found vulnerabilities in the systems of the presidential administration and the RNBO, both of which he said reacted swiftly and fixed the issues.

Townsend placed much of the blame for the inconsistent responses to cyberthreats on poor communication between the various cybersecurity units in government institutions plus a "policies for the sake of policies" approach by the government. "Many of our leaders think we need to simply write down new rules, enforce them, and control how people are executing them, and then all will be well," he said.

Western Help

Shymkiv said the U.S. and Western European governments have helped Ukraine strengthen its cybersecurity through training and financial support, but he would like to see much more cooperation.

His "dream," he said, was to build a U.S.-led, nongovernmental cybersecurity center in Kyiv that would act as a computer emergency-response team for the public while also focusing on training.

Shymkiv said he had discussed the idea with Washington officials who found the idea "interesting" but have indicated there are still some hang-ups preventing them from acting on the idea. "Everybody's concerned [with] how many Russian spies we have in the government," Shymkiv said. "That's why I'm saying, 'Let's build this from scratch...on the principles and approaches defined by the U.S.'"

Plus, he added, with Ukraine a regular target of Russian hackers, there is a lot the United States could learn from its experience and apply at home.

The U.S. Embassy declined to discuss Shymkiv's idea on the record, and intelligence officials in Washington could not be reached for comment.

There is some movement within the U.S. Congress to further help Ukraine in the cybersecurity sphere. On February 7, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Ukraine Cybersecurity Cooperation Act. The Senate introduced a mirror version of the bill on February 27.

The bills call for the State Department to increase cooperation with Kyiv over shared Russian cybersecurity threats by doing several things, including: providing Ukraine necessary support to increase protection on government computers, particularly systems that defend critical infrastructure; reducing Kyiv's reliance on Russian technology; and helping Ukraine to build capacity, expand cybersecurity information sharing, and cooperate on international response efforts.

That is all music to the ears of Shymkiv, Demedyuk, and Townsend, who say replacing outdated equipment will go a long way toward protecting Ukraine from cyberattacks.

Stealthier, Evolving Methods

But until those bills become law or similar help from elsewhere is provided, Ukraine must muddle through and remain vigilant, which Shymkiv said meant continually educating staff.

In recent months, Shymkiv said, he had noticed stealthier and more sophisticated phishing attempts aimed at the presidential administration by hackers he believes are working in Russia. These efforts to extract sensitive information are disguised as messages from internal systems administrators and appear carefully crafted to appeal to specific employees, himself included.

"They are extremely well done," Shymkiv said. "[The hackers] are hacking our brains. They target people's trust."

But if the Russians were trying to hack the video link through which President Poroshenko was delivering his testimony while Shymkiv spoke, they failed.

As Poroshenko finished, Shymkiv breathed a sigh of relief. But he said he never lets his guard down. "Every day [Russian hackers] are trying to collect information of our people," he said. "They are trying to get inside our systems...and to disrupt us."
An Uzbek court has agreed to look into allegations of torture by journalist Bobomurod Abdullaev, as his trial got under way in Tashkent on March 7.

The first day of Abdullaevs trial was adjourned after he was asked to remove his shirt to display traces of torture he claims to have suffered while in detention.

Judge Zafar Nurmatov approved the defense teams request to have the defendant undergo a medical examination, after no objections were raised by prosecutors.

The hearing is set resume at an undisclosed time following the examination.

The trial of Abdullaev and three co-defendants -- blogger Hayot Hon Nasriddinov, businessmen Ravshan Salaev, and Shavkat Olloyorov -- is being closely watched by human rights advocates, opposition activists, and journalists as a test of the governments vows to reform Uzbek society.

It was originally scheduled to begin on March 5.

A freelance journalist who has contributed to the news agency Fergana and other media outlets, Abdullaev is charged with "conspiracy to overthrow the constitutional regime," which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

His lawyer, Sergei Mayorov, says his client was tortured into making self-incriminating statements.

Mayorov, who met with his client in jail on March 3, said Abdullaev was tortured for several days after he was detained on a street in the capital by the National Security Service (MXX) on September 27.

They beat him on his back, his legs, and along his left arm with a 1-meter-long plastic pipe. The worst torture was that they forced him to go six days without sleeping. For the entire duration of the six days, they didnt allow him to sit or lie down, Mayorov said. The third form of torture was beating him on his back and head with a computer cable."

According to Mayorov, Abdullayev was kept naked in his cell for several days and subjected to psychological torture, including threats that his daughter who lives in Russia would be raped, his other children living in Uzbekistan would be killed, and his wife would be jailed.

The charges against Abdullaev and his co-defendants stem from a series of articles under the byline Usman Haqnazarov, which has been used by more than one person. The articles touched on issues related to circles close to the late former President Islam Karimov, who ruled the Central Asian country with an iron fist for more than a quarter century before his death in 2016.

The trial is seen as a test of President Shavkat Mirziyoev, who has promised reforms, and of his government's commitment to overhauling the justice system and addressing widespread allegations of abuse by the MXX, which enforced Karimov's autocratic rule in the former Soviet republic.

In February, 12 human rights groups called for Abdullaev's immediate release and an independent investigation of allegations that he was tortured.

Last month, Abdullaev's case was transferred from the MXX to the Prosecutor-General's Office. Around the same time, Abdullaev was granted the right to a lawyer after being denied access to one for months.

Mirziyoev, a longtime prime minister who came to power after Karimov's death was announced in September 2016, has been shaking up the government structures, in particular the powerful MXX and Interior Ministry.

In October, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that Uzbek authorities had taken "some positive steps" during Mirziyoevs first year but still need to make "sustainable" improvements on human rights.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service, Fergana.ru, Eurasianet, and Reuters
Canadian man tells of Playa del Carmen taxi nightmare

Playa del Carmen, Q.R.  The mother of a Canadian man has taken to social media to recount an experience she says her son encountered while visiting Playa del Carmen.

Jason Enwere says that while on vacation in Riviera Maya he was assaulted in a taxi and almost lost his life trying to defend himself.

Through her Facebook account his mother, Dorothy Ijeoma Eze, recounts the story her son tells of what happened and alerts others about how dangerous taxi drivers can be in Playa del Carmen.

On February 19, 2018 my children and I traveled as a family for the first time to Mexico. This trip was for my 50th birthday, she explains. She adds that on the 22nd, her son Jason almost lost his life inside a taxi that he took in Playa del Carmen.

According to Jasons story, at 1:00 a.m. he got into the front seat of a taxi that had the driver and another man inside. The service was from Playa to the Bahia Principe resort at an agreed rate of 200 peso.

Jason noticed that the taxi driver took another route and almost immediately, the passenger in the back seat of the car began choking him and he ended up losing consciousness. He says he recovered and attempted to defend himself when he was hit in the head with a rock and fell unconscious again.

He says he was dumped on the side of the highway, but managed to walk several kilometers where he ran into police and asked for help.

He and his mother have since started a social media movement with the hashtag, #MexicoNeverAgain.

Jason has also appeared on Canadian City TV network to retell his story to a journalist after his mother wrote in to the agency. During the interview, thanks Jason saying he often covers stories about Canadians being killed in Mexico, and this is the fist time weve talked to one thats survived.

The social media post has sparked hundreds of varying comments.
City of Cancun official confirmed arrested as financial operator of drug cartel

Cancun, Q.R.  The Ministry of the Interior (Segob) has confirmed the arrest of Jose Francisco Pool Cupul for the crime of money laundering as the financial operator of a drug cartel. Pool Cupul is a long-time serving member of Benito Juarez City Hall.

Through a report, Alfonso Navarrete Prida of Segob, said that the arrest was carried out by federal forces in Cancun February 24. The federal official explained that Pool Cupul has since been identified as the financial operator of the Jalisco Nueva Generacion Cartel (CJNG) in Quintana Roo and is being charged with laundering money through shell companies.

Along with Jose Francisco Pool Cupul, Higinio Ruiz Pablo, 27, who worked as his escort, was also apprehended. The arrests are part of the nation-wide Titan-Shield operation through which, in the last week, federal forces have captured several suspected drug traffickers in Quintana Roo and Mexico City.

After the arrest of Jose Francisco Pool Cupul, Cancun mayor Remberto Estrada Barba said that neither private initiative nor the public sector are exempt from the intrusion of organized crime and that Pool Cupul worked for the city since 2005, adding that the municipal government does not have the ability to investigate the relationship of its staff with criminal groups.

Estrada Barba added, No one is exempt from the involvement of organized crime in the public-private sector. It is an issue that we must all reinforce as civil society working hand-in-hand.

Jose Francisco Pool Cupul operated with a low profile as an official of the Benito Juarez City Council where he was head of the evening shift for the Department of Inspectors of Public Roads.
Local businessmen warn about dangers of following fake news

Cozumel, Q.R.  Businesses on the island of Cozumel have began a campaign against false news that continues to circulate about the Playa del Carmen, Cozumel ferries.

The island businesses have purchased advertising spots warning people about the unverified fake news that travels through social media platforms, affecting the image of the entire state. Island entrepreneurs are stressing the importance of getting news and updates from official sources.

A false story is created with the sole purpose of promoting fear, of provoking deception, of creating doubt and generating confusion, says one of the ads.

Due to the false information on Facebook and Twitter about the situation with the boats, nobody wants to leave their house and the problem is that its scaring away tourists. We need to live on this beautiful island. Its not worth it. Cozumel is your island and we are all Cozumel. Take care not to pay attention to bad information.

On March 1, the US embassy in Mexico reported that undetonated items were found on a tourist ferry in the Mexican Caribbean and issued a security alert for their employees to avoid the use of the Playa del Carmen ferry services. Canada also released a similar security alert.

However, Mexican federal officials along with American FBI agents from Merida continue to investigate the February 21 Barcos Caribe explosion along with the white tubes found tied to the bottom of an unused ferry.

A verdict or verification of either incident has yet to be concluded.
Dont let those Parkland kids die in vain

First things first: I just ordered $100 worth of items online from Dicks Sporting Goods. (Even got a 25 percent discount and free shipping.) They have a store in Coddingtown, too.

Second: I wrote a note of thanks to their Chairman and CEO Ed Stack to commend him and his whole team for deciding to discontinue the sale of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines  and also deciding to have a customer minimum age requirement of 21 to buy firearms at Dicks. You can reach him at www.bitly?2HV9hok. Their leadership stance is even more important when you learn that Dicks is one of the nations largest outdoor gear retailers.

Third: I reached out to those courageous Parkland high school students who have spoken out so forcefully as #never again. More information at wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Again_MSD.

We must join them quickly to create a national movement that can reverse the political power of the leadership of the National Rifle Association (NRA). Im sure that most NRA members are disappointed in their leaderships unholy stranglehold on politicians that is killing Americans every day.
Dicks Sporting Goods reacted after the Parkland, Fla., school massacre and released a statement that outlined specific measures that gun legislation should cover, with a bulleted list that outlined several commonly cited measures for gun-control reform. The memo called for banning assault-style firearms, raising the minimum age for gun purchases, banning high-capacity magazines and bump stocks, requiring universal background checks that include relevant mental-health data and previous interactions with the law requiring a database of prohibited buyers, and closing the private-sale and gun show loophole. The Walmart also announced they will defend their decision in court.

The lawsuit comes as the debate about gun control heats up on Capitol Hill and the March for Our Lives movement gains momentum nationwide. To impose restrictions , however, it will not be an easy task. At least not without a massive mobilization of the lawmakers and officials all around. As an example, on Monday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed gun control bill HB4143 into law, closing the intimate Partner Loophole, barring all convicted stalkers and domestic abusers from owning or buying guns and ammunition.
Imperiale 400 in silver is priced at Rs 1.79 lakh, while the red and black coloured bike now carries a price tag of Rs 1.89 lakh.

When Benelli introduced to Imperiale 400 last year, it was aggressively priced at Rs.1.69 lakhs. This was an introductory price and now the company has hiked prices by Rs.10,000. This new pricing varies according to the colour of the motorcycle. The silver coloured Benelli Imperiale 400 priced at Rs.1.79 lakhs while its red and black colour scheme is priced at Rs.1.89 lakhs. All prices are ex-sh.

Benelli Imperiale 400 which competes with the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and the Jawas is set to be BS6 compliant ahead of the 1st April 2020 deadline. The retro cruiser will continue to be powered by a fuel injected, single cylinder, SOHC, four stroke, air cooled engine offering 20 bhp power at 5,500 rpm and 29 Nm torque at 4,500 rpm. In its BS6 format it will receive a new catalytic converter and may see some changes in power figures while torque will remain unchanged.

Apart from the BS6 upgraded engine, the Benelli Imperiale 400 will see no change in features or design. It will continue with its vintage styling with a rounded front headlamp and teardrop shaped fuel tank of 12 liter capacity. It will sport dual channel ABS and spoked rims with 19 front and 18 rear wheels fitted with 100/90 and 130/80 section tubed tyres.

Braking is via 300mm disc front with a two piston floating caliper and 240mm rear disc with a single piston caliper. The Benelli Imperiale 400 measures 2,170mm in length, 820mm in width and 1,120mm in height with a 1,440 mm long wheelbase. Kerb weight is at 205 kgs while seat height is at 780 mm and ground clearance at 165mm.

Benelli has plans to launch the Leoncino 800 in India. This bike was also unveiled at the 2019 EICMA Show last year. It is powered by a 754cc, parallel twin engine offering 81.6 PS power and 67 Nm torque. It could get a price tag from Rs.7-7.50 lakhs, ex-sh. Benelli will also introduce the TRK 251, which will be powered by the same engine that powers the Leoncino 250. It gets a 249cc, single cylinder engine. The TRK 251 could be priced around Rs.2.80 lakhs and could launch in India sometime by mid 2020.
Disclaimer  As the manufacturer (TVS Motor Company) has blacklisted Rushlane from its events/rides as a consequence of decisions based on restrictive practices, this post is reliant on a company issued press release.

TVS Motor Company, leading moped manufacturer, announced the launch of updated Apache 200 variants today. TVS Apache 200 Race Edition not only gets new graphics, it also gets a new feature  Anti-Reverse Torque (A-RT) Slipper Clutch technology.

Termed as Race Edition 2.0, the new Apache 200 is the first motorcycle in the country to get A-RT Slipper Clutch. As per TVS, the technology is featured in the Apache 200 so that riders can achieve better lap times. The A-RT Slipper Clutch is a race-derived technology. Apart from this, there is also a fly-screen on board the Apache 200 series for enhanced aerodynamics.

Thanks to this new tech, Apache 200 riders will not only get smoother gear-shifts, but will also get 22% reduction in clutch force. TVS says  The technology also aims at ensuring rider safety in highspeed downshifts, avoids wheel-hopping while cornering, and improves vehicle stability with the back-balance torque limiter effect.

Available in three trims  Carburetor, EFI, and Carburetor with ABS. Price is respectively Rs 95,185, Rs 1,07,885 and Rs 1,08,985, ex-showroom, Delhi. Only the Carb variant is available at all dealerships, while the EFI, ABS variant is only on sale at select dealerships.

Powering the Apache 200 is a 197 cc single cylinder engine which delivers 20.5 PS (Carb) / 21.0 PS (EFI) of power at 8500 RPM and 18.1 Nm of torque at 7000 RPM.
Lithium-metal batteries are among the most promising candidates for high-density energy storage technology in an expanding range of digital "smart" devices and electrical vehicles, but uncontrolled lithium dendrite growth, which results in poor recharging capability and safety hazards, currently tempers their potential.

Dendrites are needle-like growths that appear on the surface of lithium metal, which is used as the anode, or negative electrode, of a battery. They induce unwanted side reactions that reduce energy density, and at worst, cause shorting of the electrodes that can lead to fires or explosions.

New research from Arizona State University that involves using a 3-dimensional layer of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), or silicone, as the substrate of lithium metal anode has been found to mitigate dendrite formation and stands to both dramatically extend battery life and diminish safety risks.

According to Hanqing Jiang, a professor in Arizona State University's School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy and a lead researcher on a paper published in Nature Energy, the findings have relevance for both lithium-ion and lithium-air batteries, as well as implications for other metal-anode-based batteries.

"Almost all metals used as battery anodes tend to develop dendrites," explained Jiang. "For example, these findings have implications for zinc, sodium and aluminum batteries as well."

Jiang said he and the research team, rather than approaching the problem from a materials or electrochemical perspective, looked for solutions as mechanical engineers. "We already know that tiny tin needles or whiskers can protrude out of tin surfaces under stress, so by analogy we looked at the possibility of stress as a factor in lithium dendrite growth."

The first round of research involved adding a layer of PDMS to the bottom of battery anode. "There were remarkable reductions in dendrite growth," said Jiang. The researchers discovered that this is directly related to the fact that stress accumulated inside the lithium metal is relieved by the deformation of the PDMS substrate in the form of "wrinkles."

"This is the first time convincing evidence shows that residual stress plays a key role in the initiation of lithium dendrites," said Jiang.

In addition to obtaining a fundamental understanding of the lithium dendrite growth mechanism, Jiang's group also came up with a smart way to utilize the phenomenon to extend the life of lithium-metal batteries while maintaining their high energy density. The solution is to give PDMS substrate a three-dimensional form with a lot of surface. "Envision sugar cubes that contain a lot of small internal pores," explained Jiang. "Inside these cubes, the PDMS forms a continuous network as the substrate, covered by a thin copper layer to conduct electrons. Finally, lithium fills the pores. The PDMS, which serves as a porous, sponge-like layer, relieves the stress and effectively inhibits dendrite growth."

"By synergistically combing with other lithium dendrite suppression methods such as new electrolyte additives, the finding has broad implications for making lithium-metal batteries a safe, high-density, long-term energy storage solution," said Professor Ming Tang, a research team member at Rice University. "Potential applications range from personal electronic devices to powering electric cars for exceptionally longer periods to being the back-up electric supply for solar power grids."

Partners in the research include members of Jiang's group at ASU: Xu Wang, Wenwen Xu and Haokai Yang; Wei Zeng, a visiting ASU Scholar co-advised by Jiang and Professor Huias Dai at Hunan University, China, and researchers from Rice University including Dr. Liang Hong, Fan Wang and their advisor Ming Tang.
Jane Bowyer's recent letter is outrageous. She ascribes her inability to follow my argumentative threads to her naive, and prescriptive, idea that decisions should be based on facts. She implies that I assert a normative ethical claim, e.g. Decisions should be based on facts, not emotion. In fact, I never claim this. I offer descriptive conceptual analysis to illuminate the ways in which emotions do, in fact, drive people's decisions. Besides, she also makes two false claims, regarding my decision to resign from St. Helena's school board.

Bowyer erroneously says that, my resignation caused "an uncertain amount of complexity and possible additional costs." In fact, the options provided school boards, per California Ed Code, are simple: boards can either appoint someone to fill a vacancy or opt for a special election. Given the fact that the board decided to fill via appointment, taxpayers didn't have to pay between $25,000 and $40,000 for a special election. Bowyer fails to frame the issue in a manner consistent the facts.
The same satellites that identify severe weather can help save you from it.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) constellation monitors Earth's environment, helping meteorologists observe and predict the weather. GOES observations have tracked thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and flash floods. They've even proven useful in monitoring dust storms, forest fires and volcanic activity.

The recently launched GOES-S (planned to replace the current GOES-West later this year) and other GOES series satellites carry a payload supported by NASA's Search and Rescue (SAR) office, which researches and develops technologies to help first responders locate people in distress worldwide, whether from a plane crash, a boating accident or other emergencies.

Over its history, the SAR office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, has developed emergency beacons for personal, nautical and aeronautical use, along with ground station receivers that detect beacon activation. Space segment SAR instruments fly on many spacecraft in various orbits around the Earth. The GOES SAR transponders are geostationary, meaning that they appear "fixed" relative to a user on the surface due to their location over the equator and orbital period of 24 hours.

"The SAR space segment isn't just one instrument in one orbit," said Tony Foster, SAR's deputy mission manager. "Rather it's a series of instruments aboard diverse satellites in various orbits, each working together to provide first responders with highly accurate locations."

The GOES search and rescue transponders, unlike SAR instruments in other orbits, are only able to detect the beacon signals, not help to determine location. This detection rapidly alerts the global SAR network, Cospas-Sarsat, of a distress beacon's activation. This gives the system valuable time to prepare before the signal's origin can be determined by SAR instruments on low-Earth-orbiting satellites.

Additionally, beacons with integrated GPS technology can send their location data through GOES to the SAR network. The network can then alert local first responders to the location of the emergency without the aid of the low-Earth-orbiting constellation of search and rescue instruments.

NASA's SAR team provides on-orbit testing, support and maintenance of the search and rescue instrument on GOES. The GOES satellites and SAR instruments are funded by NOAA.

"We are proud to support the Cospas-Sarsat program by hosting a search and rescue transponder aboard our satellites," said Tim Walsh, GOES-R series program acting system program director. "SAR is one of the many NOAA-NASA collaborations that translate into life-saving technology."

In the future, first responders will rely on a new constellation of instruments on GPS and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems currently in medium-Earth orbit, an orbit that views larger swathes of the Earth than low-Earth orbit due to higher altitudes. These new instruments will enable the SAR network to locate a distress signal more quickly than the current system and calculate their position with accuracy an order of magnitude better, from one kilometer (0.6 miles) to approximately 100 meters (328 feet).

In the meantime, the SAR transponders aboard GOES cover the time between the activation of a distress signal and detection by SAR instruments in low-Earth orbit.

"NASA's SAR office dedicates itself to speed and accuracy," said Lisa Mazzuca, SAR mission manager. "The instruments and technologies we develop endeavor to alert first responders to a beacon's activation as soon as possible. The GOES search and rescue transponders are crucial to this goal, providing near-instantaneous detection in the fields of view of the Earth."
One in five teachers who were the victims of physical or verbal violence at their schools didn't report the incidents to school administrators, according to a nationwide study.

The results showed that significant minorities of teachers who experienced violence also didn't tell their colleagues (14 percent) or family (24 percent).

Only 12 percent went to a counselor.

"You would think that the first thing a teacher would do after a violent encounter or threat would be to tell the school's administrators, but 20 percent aren't even doing that. That's disturbing," said Eric Anderman, lead author of the study and professor of educational psychology at The Ohio State University.

"Too many teachers aren't talking to anyone about what happened."

The study was published online this week in the journal Social Psychology of Education.

advertisement

In collaboration with the American Psychological Association, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, Anderman and his colleagues surveyed 3,403 kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers from across the country. This study included the 2,505 teachers in the survey who said they were the victims of some form of violence.

Teachers were asked to describe in writing "the most upsetting incident" at school in which they were the target of students' verbal or physical aggression or intimidation.

One-quarter of the teachers reported actual physical abuse or assault, 20 percent reported threats of physical violence and 37 percent described verbal insults, disrespectful language or inappropriate sexual advances.

Another 8 percent didn't write about the details of the violent incident itself, but about a lack of support from school leaders and colleagues who were told about the abuse.

"That finding was very surprising to us. It was not something any of us thought we would find," Anderman said.

advertisement

The study examined how teachers reacted to the violence against them, particularly concerning how much they blamed themselves for what happened.

On a scale of 1 to 5, teachers rated how much they blamed themselves for the violent incident through statements like "They do this to me because I won't fight back" and "I should have been more careful."

Teachers also rated the extent to which they experienced three reactions to the incident: feeling upset, becoming angry, and feeling physical symptoms like nausea or a fast heartbeat.

Results showed that the more teachers blamed themselves for the incident, the more likely they were to report feeling anger and having unpleasant physiological responses, which in turn was related to a greater likelihood of talking to others about the incident.

"Experiencing negative emotions like anger can potentially be helpful, if it leads teachers to reach out to colleagues or family. They often need help processing what they went through," Anderman said.

But those feelings of anger triggered by self-blame also were linked to a lower likelihood that teachers contacted the parents of the student perpetrator about the incident. Some research suggests teachers are more likely to talk to parents when they feel effective at work and are more committed to their job.

"It is possible that teachers who experience violence may sometimes become less committed to teaching and feel less effective," he said.

Anderman said he was concerned that only 12 percent of teachers spoke to a counselor about the violent incident they experienced. The study showed that teachers who rated feeling more upset and reported higher levels of physical symptoms were the most likely to see a counselor.

It may be that many teachers avoid seeing a counselor because they don't want to appear weak or ineffective, he said.

Anderman also noted that teachers were more likely to talk to their colleagues about violent incidents than with their administrators. That finding, coupled with the fact that 8 percent of participants wrote about the lack of support they felt, suggests schools need to be more effective at dealing with violence against teachers.

"Some schools may need to re-evaluate how they can support and help teachers who are victims of violence," he said.
As we get older, it's not uncommon to experience "senior moments," in which we forget where we parked our car or call our children by the wrong names. And we may wonder: Are these memory lapses a normal part of aging, or do they signal the early stages of a severe disorder such as Alzheimer's disease? Currently, there's no good way to tell.

University of California, Irvine-led researchers, however, have found that high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain can be used to show some of the underlying causes of differences in memory proficiency between older and younger adults.

The study, which appears today in the journal Neuron, involved 20 young adults (ages 18 to 31) and 20 cognitively healthy older adults (ages 64 to 89). The participants were asked to perform two kinds of tasks while undergoing fMRI scanning -- an object memory task and a location memory task. Because fMRI looks at the dynamics of blood flow in the brain, investigators were able to determine which parts of the brain the subjects were using for each activity.

In the first task, participants viewed pictures of everyday objects and were then asked to distinguish them from new pictures. "Some of the images were identical to ones they'd seen before, some were brand-new and others were similar to ones they'd seen earlier -- we may have changed the color or the size," said Michael Yassa, director of UCI's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory and the study's senior author. "We call these tricky items the 'lures.' And we found that older adults struggle with them. They're much more likely than younger adults to think they've seen those lures before."

The second task was nearly the same but required subjects to determine whether the location of objects had been altered. Here, older adults fared quite a bit better than in the prior task.

"This suggests that not all memory changes equally with aging," said lead author Zachariah Reagh, who participated in the study as a graduate student at UCI and is now a postdoctoral fellow at UC Davis. "Object memory is far more vulnerable than spatial, or location, memory -- at least in the early stages." Other research has shown that problems with spatial memory and navigation do manifest as individuals progress toward Alzheimer's disease.

advertisement

Importantly, by scanning the subjects' brains while they underwent these tests, the scientists were able to establish a cerebral mechanism for that deficit in object memory.

They found that it was linked to a loss of signaling in a part of the brain called the anterolateral entorhinal cortex. This area is already known to mediate communication between the hippocampus, where information is first encoded, and the rest of the neocortex, which plays a role in long-term storage. It's also an area severely affected in people with Alzheimer's disease.

"The loss of fMRI signal means there is less blood flow to the region, but we believe the underlying basis for this loss has to do with the fact that the structural integrity of that part of the brain is changing," Yassa said. "One of the things we know about Alzheimer's disease is that this region of the brain is one of the very first to exhibit a key hallmark of the disease, deposition of neurofibrillary tangles."

In contrast, the researchers did not find age-related differences in another area of the brain connected to memory, the posteromedial entorhinal cortex. They demonstrated that this region plays a role in spatial memory, which was not significantly impaired in the older subjects.

"This suggests that the brain aging process is selective," Yassa said. "Our findings are not a reflection of general brain aging but rather of specific neural changes that are linked to specific problems in object but not spatial memory."

To determine whether this type of fMRI scan could eventually be used as a tool for early diagnosis, the researchers plan to expand their work to a sample of 150 older adults who will be followed over time. They will also be conducting positron emission tomography, or PET, scans to look for amyloid and tau pathology in their brains as they age.

"We hope this comprehensive imaging and cognitive testing will enable us to figure out whether the deficits we saw in the current study are indicative of what is later to come in some of these individuals," Yassa said.

"Our results, as well as similar results from other labs, point to a need for carefully designed tasks and paradigms that can reveal different functions in key areas of the brain and different vulnerabilities to the aging process," Reagh added.
One of the liveliest debates in neuroscience over the past half century surrounds whether the human brain renews itself by producing new neurons throughout life, and whether it may be possible to rejuvenate the brain by boosting its innate regenerative capacity.

Now UC San Francisco scientists have shown that in the human hippocampus -- a region essential for learning and memory and one of the key places where researchers have been seeking evidence that new neurons continue to be born throughout the lifespan -- neurogenesis declines throughout childhood and is undetectable in adults.

"We find that if neurogenesis occurs in the adult hippocampus in humans, it is an extremely rare phenomenon, raising questions about its contribution to brain repair or normal brain function," said Arturo Alvarez-Buylla, PhD, the Heather and Melanie Muss Professor of Neurological Surgery at UCSF, whose lab published the new study March 7, 2018 in Nature.

Alvarez-Buylla -- a member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCSF, the UCSF Weill Institute for Neuroscience, and the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center -- is a leading expert in brain development who over the past 30 years has played a key role in convincing the scientific establishment that new neurons are born throughout life in animals such as songbirds and rodents. In recent years, however, the Alvarez-Buylla lab and others had already cast doubt on whether neurogenesis persists into adulthood in the human olfactory bulb, as it does in rodents, and have shown that while new neurons integrate into the human frontal lobe after birth, this process also ends during early infancy.

The lab's new research, based on careful analysis of 59 samples of human hippocampus from UCSF and collaborators around the world, suggests new neurons may not be born in the adult human brain at all. The findings present a challenge to a large body of research which has proposed that boosting the birth of new neurons could help to treat brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and depression. But the authors said it also opens the door to exciting new questions about how the human brain learns and adapts without a supply of new neurons, as in seen in mice and other animals.

Rodents and Songbirds Produce New Neurons Throughout Life, but Do Humans?

It was once neuroscientific dogma that the brain stops producing new neurons before birth. In the 1960s, experiments in rodents by Joseph Altman, PhD, at MIT first suggested that new neurons could be born in the adult mammalian brain, but these results remained highly controversial until the 1980s, when Fernando Nottebohm, PhD, at Rockefeller University, conclusively showed that new neurons are born and put to use throughout life in several parts of the songbird brain. As a graduate student in the Nottebohm lab at the time, Alvarez-Buylla contributed to understanding the mechanism of adult neurogenesis in songbirds.

advertisement

These findings launched a whole field of research aimed at understanding how new neurons contribute to brain function in other animals and exploring the potential therapeutic effects of boosting brain regeneration in humans. Much work has focused on a region of the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus (DG), where rodents produce newborn neurons throughout life that are thought to help them form distinct new memories, among other cognitive functions.

Rodent studies have shown that DG neurogenesis declines with age, but is otherwise quite malleable -- increasing with exercise, but decreasing with stress, for example -- leading to popular claims that we can boost brain regeneration by living a healthy lifestyle. Animal experiments have also suggested that neurogenesis-boosting therapies could treat brain disorders of aging such as Alzheimer's disease, and leading researchers have proposed that antidepressant medications like fluoxetine (Prozac) may work by increasing DG neurogenesis.

Beginning in the late '90s, a handful of studies reported evidence of adult neurogenesis in the human brain, either by estimating the birth dates of cells present in postmortem brain specimens or by labeling telltale molecular markers of newborn neurons or dividing neural stem cells. However, these findings, some of which were based on small numbers of brain samples, have remained controversial.

In particular, researchers have questioned whether the limited number of markers used in each study were truly specific to newborn neurons, and have suggested alternative explanations, such as the inadvertent labeling of dividing non-neuronal cells called glia (which are well known to continue regenerating through life).

Comprehensive Search Reveals Early Loss of Neural Stem Cell Niche in Human Brain

In the new study, Shawn Sorrells, PhD, a senior researcher in the Alvarez-Buylla lab, and Mercedes Paredes, PhD, a UCSF assistant professor of neurology, led a team that collected and analyzed samples of the human hippocampus obtained by clinical collaborators on three continents: Zhengang Yang, PhD, in China; Jose Manuel Garcia Verdugo, PhD, in Spain; Gary Mathern, MD, at UCLA; and Edward Chang, MD, and Kurtis Auguste, MD, at UCSF. The brain specimens included 37 postmortem tissue samples and 22 surgically excised samples from patients who had been treated for epilepsy.

advertisement

Sorrells and Paredes analyzed changes in the number of newborn neurons and neural stem cells present in these samples, from before birth to adulthood, using a variety of antibodies to identify cells of different types and states of maturity, including neural stem cells and progenitors, newborn and mature neurons, and non-neuronal glial cells. The researchers also examined the cells they labeled based on their shape and structure -- including imaging with high-resolution electron microscopy for a subset of tissue samples -- in order to confirm their identity as neurons, neuronal stem cells, or glial cells.

The researchers found plentiful evidence of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus during prenatal brain development and in newborns, observing an average of 1,618 young neurons per square millimeter of brain tissue at the time of birth. But the number of newborn cells sharply declined in samples obtained during early infancy: dentate gyrus samples from year-old infants contained fivefold fewer new neurons than was seen in samples from newborn infants. The decline continued into childhood, with the number of new neurons declining by 23-fold between one and seven years of age, followed by a further fivefold decrease by 13 years, at which point neurons also appeared more mature than those seen in samples from younger brains. The authors observed only about 2.4 new cells per square millimeter of DG tissue in early adolescence, and found no evidence of newborn neurons in any of the 17 adult post-mortem DG samples or in surgically extracted tissue samples from 12 adult patients with epilepsy.

"In young children, we were able to see that substantial numbers of new neurons continue to be made and integrated into the dentate gyrus, but neurogenesis fades away completely by early adolescence," Paredes said. "The fact that we could compare newborn brains, where new neurons were clearly present, to the adult, where we saw no evidence for young neurons, gave us added confidence that what we were seeing was correct."

The researchers then turned to studying the stem cells that give birth to new neurons. They found that neural progenitors are plentiful during early prenatal brain development, but become extremely rare by early childhood. They noted that these cells fail to cluster early on into a concentrated "niche" in a region of the human DG known as the subgranular zone (SGZ). The researchers suspect that this configuration, which is seen in mice, could be necessary for prolonged neurogenesis, suggesting a potential explanation for why neurogenesis falters by adulthood in humans.

Research Raises New Fundamental Questions for Neuroscientists

The authors acknowledge that however comprehensively and carefully they searched, it would be impossible to definitively show that there are never any new neurons in the adult hippocampus. "But I think that we need to step back and ask what that means," Sorrells said. "If neurogenesis is so rare that we can't detect it, can it really be playing a major role in plasticity or learning and memory in the hippocampus?"

The absence of neurogenesis in the human brain may not be a bad thing, the researchers point out, but instead point the way to understanding what makes the human brain distinct from other animals and set researchers on a better path to developing treatments for human brain diseases.

After coming full circle in the study of neurogenesis, from playing a role in proving its existence in other animals, to demonstrating that it appears not to play a major role in humans, Alvarez-Buylla is philosophical. "I always try to work against my assumptions in lab," he said. "We've been working on adult neurogenesis so long, it is hard to see that it may not happen in humans, but we follow where the data leads us."
Hazard maps use estimated sea level rise due to climate change to determine flooding risk for today's shoreline, but don't take into account that some land is sinking. A precise study of subsidence around San Francisco Bay shows that for conservative estimates of sea level rise, twice the area is in danger of flooding by 2100 than previously thought. Some landfill is sinking 10 mm per year, threatening the airport and parts of Silicon Valley.

Rising sea levels are predicted to submerge many coastal areas around San Francisco Bay by 2100, but a new study warns that sinking land -- primarily the compaction of landfill in places such as Treasure Island and Foster City -- will make flooding even worse.

Using precise measurements of subsidence around the Bay Area between 2007 and 2011 from state-of-the-art satellite-based synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, and Arizona State University mapped out the waterfront areas that will be impacted by various estimates of sea level rise by the end of the century.

They found that, depending on how fast seas rise, the areas at risk of inundation could be twice what had been estimated from sea level rise only.

Previous studies, which did not take subsidence into account, estimated that between 20 and 160 square miles (51 to 413 square kilometers) of San Francisco Bay shoreline face a risk of flooding by the year 2100, depending on how quickly sea levels rise.

Adding the effects of sinking ground along the shoreline, the scientists found that the area threatened by rising seawater rose to between 48 and 166 square miles (125 to 429 square kilometers).

advertisement

"We are only looking at a scenario where we raise the bathtub water a little bit higher and look where the water level would stand," said senior author Roland Burgmann, a UC Berkeley professor of earth and planetary science. "But what if we have a 100-year storm, or king tides or other scenarios of peak water-level change? We are providing an average; the actual area that would be flooded by peak rainfall and runoff and storm surges is much larger."

The data will help state and local agencies plan for the future and provide improved hazard maps for cities and emergency response agencies.

"Accurately measuring vertical land motion is an essential component for developing robust projections of flooding exposure for coastal communities worldwide," said Patrick Barnard, a research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park. "This work is an important step forward in providing coastal managers with increasingly more detailed information on the impacts of climate change, and therefore directly supports informed decision-making that can mitigate future impacts."

The low-end estimates of flooding reflect conservative predictions of sea level rise by 2100: about one and a half feet. Those are now being questioned, however, since ice sheets in Greenland and West Antarctica are melting faster than many scientists expected. Today, some extreme estimates are as high as five and a half feet.

That said, the subsidence -- which the geologists found to be as high as 10 millimeters per year in some areas -- makes less of a difference in extreme cases, Burgmann noted. Most of the Bay Area is subsiding at less than 2 millimeters per year.

advertisement

"The ground goes down, sea level comes up and flood waters go much farther inland than either change would produce by itself," said first author Manoochehr Shirzaei, a former UC Berkeley postdoctoral fellow who is now an assistant professor in ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration and a member of NASA's Sea Level Change planning team.

Shirzaei and Burgmann will publish their findings March 7 in the online journal Science Advances.

Combining InSAR and GPS

InSAR, which stands for interferometric synthetic aperture radar, has literally changed our view of Earth's landscape with its ability to measure elevations to within one millimeter, or four-hundredths of an inch, from Earth orbit. While it has been used to map landscapes worldwide -- Burgmann has used InSAR data to map landslides in Berkeley and land subsidence in Santa Clara County -- this may be the first time someone has combined such data with future sea level estimates, he said. The team used continuous GPS monitoring of the Bay Area to link the InSAR data to sea level estimates.

"Flooding from sea level rise is clearly an issue in many coastal urban areas," Burgmann said. "This kind of analysis is probably going to be relevant around the world, and could be expanded to a much, much larger scale."

In the Bay Area, one threatened area is Treasure Island, which is located in the Bay midway between San Francisco and Oakland and was created by landfill for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition. It is sinking at a rate of one-half to three-quarters of an inch (12 to 20 millimeters) per year.

Projections for San Francisco International Airport show that when land subsidence is combined with projected rising sea levels, water will cover approximately half the airport's runways and taxiways by the year 2100. Parts of Foster City were built in the 1960s on engineered landfill that is now subsiding, presenting a risk of flooding by 2100.

Not all endangered areas are landfill, however. Areas where streams and rivers have deposited mud as they flow into the Bay are also subsiding, partly because of compaction and partly because they are drying out. Other areas are subsiding because of groundwater pumping, which depletes the aquifer and allows the land to sink. In the early 20th century, the Santa Clara Valley at the south end of San Francisco Bay subsided as much as nine feet (three meters) due to groundwater depletion, though that has stabilized with restrictions on pumping.

Shirzaei noted that flooding is not the only problem with rising seas and sinking land. When formerly dry land becomes flooded, it causes saltwater contamination of surface and underground water and accelerates coastal erosion and wetland losses.

The work was supported by the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Point Reyes Bird Observatory Conservation Science.
If you wish to demonstrate solidarity with the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on March 24 in their efforts to have Congress create meaningful gun control legislation, I and many adults will not only applaud you, we will join you!
This item is available in full to subscribers.

Attention subscribers

We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.

If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.

If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.

Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Operators of a Santa Rosa assisted-living facility that was destroyed in last falls deadly Tubbs Fire blamed elderly residents for being unprepared to evacuate, according to a recent court filing.

Four former residents of Villa Capri, a high-end retirement community, claimed in November that operators of Oakmont Senior Living and Oakmont Management Group had no evacuation plan in place when the Oct. 9 fire raged through suburban Santa Rosa and killed 24 people.

No residents of Villa Capri died in the fire, but the lawsuit accused staff of abandoning 24 of its 70 residents, including 14 in the dementia care unit. A 92-year-old woman who suffers from blindness, dementia and hearing impairments reportedly suffered a broken hip while being rescued by an unknown person.

The claim, which was filed Jan. 18 in Sonoma County Superior Court and has grown to represent 13 former residents, accused Villa Capris staff of elder abuse, negligence, false imprisonment, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Now Playing: Residents of a Santa Rosa neighborhood return to find their homes in ruin after the devastating Tubbs fire ripped through their streets. Video: San Francisco Chronicle

On Feb. 20, Oakmonts lawyers filed a response that included a general denial while pointing a finger back at the plaintiffs failure to mitigate damages. The response went on to say that the Villa Capri residents, whose ages ranged from 82 to 95, failed to take adequate precautions that would have avoided and/or diminished (their) injuries and damages, if any.

The filing also said that residents did not act in a reasonable manner or as a reasonable person likely would have in like or similar circumstances.

Kathryn Stebner, an attorney for former Villa Capri residents, said she was disheartened by the filing and equated the response to victim-blaming.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

This case is not an usual case, but Ive been doing elder abuse cases for over 30 years and this surprised me, she said.

Stebner added that some of her clients were shocked by the language. The daughter of one resident, she added, said, My mom cried as she read it.

With many of Villa Capris residents suffering from disabilities and dementia, Stebner said, she intends to use the depositions of Oakmont officials to ask what it is that my clients should have done differently, point blank.

Attorneys for Giovanniello Law Group, which is representing the operators, did not respond to requests for comment.
BARTs intimidating Civic Center Station, where passengers are forced to walk past drug users, dealers and grime, may soon shrink, losing a long hallway and a couple of entrances.

Within months, a temporary closure of a station entrance in front of Burger King on Grove, Hyde and Market streets probably will become permanent, and another entrance outside the front doors of the Hotel Whitcomb probably will be closed, too.

BART officials expect to barricade the western entries and the corridor that connects them to the stations main concourse to clear the way for a new power substation needed to ensure theres enough electricity when the transit agency fulfills its plan to run 25 percent more trains through the Transbay Tube and beneath downtown by 2025.

Closing down a hallway and entrances frequented by malingerers would seem to benefit BART riders not only by providing a new power station but by eliminating a dirty and sometimes scary hallway.

But administrators of nearby arts organizations fret that the closures will make it tougher and more frightening for their patrons to take BART to the Symphony, Ballet, Opera and theater.

Civic Center is home to not only a BART station, government edifices and abundant drug activity, but to San Franciscos best known performing-arts venues. They include Davies Symphony Hall, where the San Francisco Symphony plays, the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, where the San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Ballet perform, and Herbst Theatre, where many lectures and smaller concerts take place. The Orpheum Theatre sits right outside Civic Center Station, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is just up Grove Street, and the ACTs Strand Theater is nearby on Mid-Market.

The station traditionally has one of BARTs highest crime rates. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, it had the second-most calls to police, with 2,285, behind only Powell Street Station with 2,934. Calls for police at Civic Center surged by 63 percent from 2016 to 2017 as the area became notorious for drug dealers and users, many of whom inject heroin in and around the station.

Closing the western entrances to Civic Center BART will force cultural arts attendees to take unfamiliar and less direct routes through those problem areas.

Were sending the message to people Please come, and please use public transportation, but its a little scary, said Jennifer Norris, who runs the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center.

BART board Director Bevan Dufty, whose district includes Civic Center Station, said BART has little choice.

What I regret is we are in a situation with no viable alternative than to close these two entrances, he said. He said he opposed the closures until he realized the need to use that location for a substation.

BART was eyeing the area for a potential substation when the agency had to close the so-called Burger King entrance, at the northwest corner of Hyde, Market and Grove streets, in August after first one escalator, then a second, stopped working and a water pipe exploded. With a decision on the substation site expected before the end of 2018, agency officials decided to keep it closed.

Maintenance crews removed the walls on each side for the entryway and placed steel plates over the wide opening and the broken escalators near the entry.

It doesnt make sense to do millions of dollars in repairs if were going to close the entrance, said Tim Chan, BARTs acting station planning manager.

But thats when the arts community began registering concerns.

Amy Osborne/Special To The Chronicle

The Burger King entrance, with two escalators, provided the most direct route to arts venues along Van Ness Avenue, and it was the easiest way for people with mobility issues to get to the street. The nearest entrance, across Hyde Street in front of the Orpheum Theatre, has only stairs, and the closest escalator is across Market Street at Eighth Street.

Melanie Smith, president of San Francisco Performances, said the arts institutions have talked with BART for years about the need to improve Civic Center Station. She knows the problem extends well beyond the stations walls but said the conditions inside are far from welcoming.

Theyre disgusting, she said. Its tragic, its part of a bigger problem in the city, I understand that. But that said, the stations are filthy, it feels dangerous.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Many patrons of the arts come from the suburbs and are older and less comfortable with the grit, grime and crime of the Civic Center area, Smith said.

We hear from them that they dont want to drive because parking and traffic are a nightmare, she said. So the fact that BART is so unpleasant means they just dont come.

Tracy Everwine, executive director of the Civic Center and Central Market community benefit districts, raised another issue.

The area between Eighth and Van Ness is really going places now, she said, citing the opening of Dolby Laboratories, the popularity of the Market on Market and plans for the Hub housing plan for Market and Van Ness. Closing the two entrances also seems like the wrong thing to do when the area west of the station is growing, she said.

Management of the Hotel Whitcomb did not return calls, but Everwine and Dufty said theyve been outspoken about their preference to keep open the entrance that deposits guests at their doorstep.

The Hotel Whitcomb is certainly not looking forward to their customers having to lug their luggage farther, Everwine said, and they dont want them to have to climb across drug users, either.

BART officials said they plan to meet with the arts organizations, merchants and neighbors, explain why theyre closing those entrances, and try to figure out how they can ease the critics concerns.

If we need to close it permanently, Chan said, what can BART do to make pedestrian street experiences better?
Following the increasing activity of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN or Chinese Navy) in the disputed waters of the East China Sea, the Japanese government intends to deploy Type 12 coastal defense batteries on one of the islands of Okinawa.

Following the increasing activity of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN or Chinese Navy) in the disputed waters of the East China Sea, the Japanese government intends to deploy Type 12 coastal defense batteries on one of the islands of Okinawa.

Type 12 coastal defense system. Picture by twitter user  @phantom2navy

Japan already plans to send missiles to Okinawa Prefecture's Miyako Island. Now, lawmakers believe the main island should also have a missile battery. Miyako Island is located about 290 km southwest of the main island of Okinawa.

The Type 12 surface-to-ship missile (12) is a truck-mounted anti-ship missile developed by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 2012. It is an upgrade of the Type 88 Surface-to-Ship missile. The Type 12 features INS with mid-course GPS guidance and better precision due to enhanced Terrain Countour Matching and target discrimination capabilities. The weapon is networked, where initial and mid-course targeting can be provided by other platforms, and also boasts shorter reload times, reduced lifecycle costs, and a range of 108 nautical miles (200 km).

Type 12 coastal defense system. Picture by twitter user  @phantom2navy


Its Monday morning, and Omar Dejesus is scrubbing the windows of the Shiekh shoe store on Market Street, gingerly avoiding a brackish stain on the sidewalk.

This street gets pretty bad, said Dejesus, who manages the store on San Franciscos main downtown artery, a shopping corridor littered with cigarette butts, used needles and the occasional pile of excrement.

Supervisor Jane Kim, whose district includes Mid-Market, is now pressing legislation that she says will help fix the problem: a request for $2.5 million outside the normal budget process to fund citywide street cleaning. It goes before the boards Budget and Finance Subcommittee on Thursday.

Kim, who in the past has drawn criticism for allowing homeless encampments to linger and garbage to pile up in her district, is now a leading progressive contender in the mayors race. And shes made street cleaning a centerpiece of her platform.

To that end, Kims campaign is running sponsored ads on Facebook and Twitter, asking voters to sign a petition supporting the San Francisco Loves Clean Streets plan. If elected mayor, Kim has pledged to double the number of street cleaners throughout the city, double the number of public restrooms in certain problem areas, and partner with nonprofits and Community Benefit Districts to hire homeless people as street sweepers.

This is an issue that animates people  and it should, Kim said. Its visible. People are frustrated.

Stephen Lam/Special to The Chronicle

Her plan is getting a mixed reaction among merchants and residents of District Six, the patchwork of condominium buildings, office towers and sprawling tent cities in the SoMa, Transbay District, Mid-Market and Tenderloin neighborhoods that Kim has represented since 2011.

Some merchants and residents welcome the effort, saying its long overdue. Others call it grandstanding by a politician who needs to reach beyond her progressive base if she wants to win a citywide race. Still others have no comment on Kims political motivations, but wonder why it took so long for her to address execrable street conditions.

Ive been here for 29 years and I havent seen any change, said Alex Hanna, manager of Oxford Street, a designer menswear shop on mid-Market Street. He said he hoses off the sidewalk every morning when he arrives for work.

Reports from the City Controllers Office show that from the time Kim took office in 2011, her district has consistently ranked among the filthiest in the city. In 2014 the citys Public Works Department labeled Market Street between Seventh Street and 11th Street its dirtiest commercial roadway, citing an abundance of food wrappings, feces and plastic bags.

In 2015, District Six generated more complaints about human waste, needles and broken glass than any other district in the city, a problem that only worsened the following year. The amount of human waste reports was particularly notable. Public Works received 5,811 calls to clean up feces from District Six sidewalks in 2015, a number that spiked to 7,509 in 2016. District Nine  the Mission  trailed far behind in second place, with 1,909 complaints in 2015 and 2,621 in 2016.

The sidewalks here are terrible, said August Lopez, a security guard at a pediatric clinic on Ellis Street in the Tenderloin. He applauded Kim for tackling what seems like an insurmountable problem.

Im all for Jane Kim, Lopez said.

Kim acknowledged that excrement and trash are a scourge in her district and said the data validates her budget request.

She said she began pushing last fall, following reports of a hepatitis A outbreak among homeless people in San Diego, which made national news headlines and became a cautionary tale for San Francisco.

We realized this isnt just unsightly, its a public health issue, she said.

The supervisor also defended her record, noting that in 2014 she installed Pit Stops, portable toilets with receptacles for used needles and bins for dog waste, in the Tenderloin.

Yet, clean streets were never Kims priority. When she ran for state Senate in 2016, she attacked her opponent, Scott Wiener, for supporting Mayor Ed Lees sweep of a sprawling and squalid homeless camp on Division Street.

Wiener won the race, and he and Kim have remained rivals. He was stunned by her San Francisco Loves Clean Streets slogan. He particularly takes offense to her social media ads in the mayors race, some of which feature pictures of the Castro  a neighborhood he represented as supervisor  instead of Kims District Six.

For the entire six years that we served together on the Board of Supervisors, I fought every year to get more cleaning crews in the budget, Wiener said. She never supported my efforts. At times she was oppositional.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

He added: You know what? If shes found religion and now believes in clean streets, the more the merrier. But it just doesnt jibe with her past actions.

Mayor Mark Farrell agrees that the citys street cleaning budget should be increased. But he and the citys budget director, Melissa Whitehouse, have asked that it be incorporated into the budget that Farrell will roll out in May.

Some city officials also pointed out that the $2.5 million supplement would have little impact on Public Works, which already has a $355 million annual budget. It expands every year.

Street cleaning remains a top priority of mine and will be addressed in the upcoming budget I submit to the Board of Supervisors, Farrell said Tuesday. The budget process is the appropriate forum for discussions on what we should be spending on street cleaning  not a budget supplemental.

Kim recoiled at that idea, saying the need for street cleaners is so urgent that it should be addressed both ways  by Farrell, and via a request for supplemental funds from a supervisor. Such requests are called supplemental appropriations because they target funding that hasnt been approved in the city budget.

I want to do both, Kim said, indicating that she would call for additional street cleaning money during budget negotiations.

Hanna, the menswear store manager who washes the sidewalk daily, was wary. If the city wants to beef up its public works funding, then I should get a check, he said.

Kim was sympathetic. Well, she said, thats an idea.
Declaring How dare you? in a speech Wednesday in Sacramento, Attorney General Jeff Sessions ripped into Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who is under Justice Department scrutiny for sounding the alarm ahead of a major immigration crackdown, but did not say whether he is pursuing criminal charges against her.

Schaaf in turn accused Sessions of fearmongering and spreading misinformation and said former U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag has offered to represent her pro bono if Sessions and his department press charges.

The heated remarks on both sides came two weeks after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents swept across Northern California, arresting 232 people. Federal immigration officials have said  and Sessions reiterated Wednesday  that Schaafs warning helped 800 undocumented immigrants dodge arrests.

The question of criminal charges against the mayor remains open. The White House said last week that the Justice Department is reviewing Schaafs Feb. 24 warning to the community that ICE was planning mass arrests. But in a speech during the annual meeting of the California Peace Officers Association, a network of law enforcement agencies across the state, Sessions said nothing about his departments review of Schaafs actions.

Instead, he lashed out at the mayor, accusing her of promoting a radical open borders agenda and putting ICE agents in danger by alerting criminals in advance.

So heres my message to Mayor Schaaf: How dare you? Sessions said. How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote a radical open borders agenda.

Schaaf retorted with her own how dare you riff hours later at Oakland City Hall.

How dare you vilify members of our community by trying to frighten the American public into thinking all undocumented residents are dangerous criminals. ... How dare you distort the reality about declining violent crime in a diverse sanctuary city like Oakland, California, to advance your racist agenda.

Oaklands agenda is a thriving community. Trumps agenda is bigotry and vindictiveness.

Schaaf denied Sessions assertions that she endangered law enforcement officers.

I did not intend to put the safety of law enforcement officers at risk, the mayor said. I was very careful in not sharing any specific information about these ICE raids that might have endangered law enforcement.

In her warning, Schaaf said she had received confidential tips from credible sources about the ICE operation. Schaaf said she had conferred with legal counsel to make sure she wasnt opening herself up to federal prosecution.

Now Playing: Gov. Jerry Brown calls federal lawsuit announced by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions Video: SFChronicle

Schaaf said her warning was intended not to panic our residents but to protect them.

In defending her actions against a potential fight with the Justice Department, Schaaf now has not just the legal backing of City Attorney Barbara Parker  herself a former federal prosecutor  but that of Haag as well.

Former President Barack Obama appointed Haag to the U.S. attorney post for the 15-county Northern District of California in 2010. During her five years in the job, she oversaw high-profile prosecutions including the corruption case against San Francisco state Sen. Leland Yee. Prior to the role, in between stints in the private sector, Haag worked as a supervisor in the U.S. attorneys office under its then-leader Robert Mueller, now special counsel in the Russia investigation.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

In his speech Wednesday, Sessions said Schaaf allowed wanted criminals to escape arrest when she said that immigration agents were expected to be making arrests in the Bay Area as early as the next day.

He quoted Tom Homan, acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, as saying that being a law enforcement officer is already dangerous enough, but to give the criminals a heads up that were coming in the next 24 hours increases that risk.

Sessions repeated Homans statement that ICE failed to make 800 arrests that they would have made if the mayor had not acted as she did.

Those are 800 wanted criminals that are now at large in that community  800 wanted criminals that ICE will now have to pursue with more difficulty in more dangerous situations, all because of one mayors irresponsible action, Sessions said.

Schaaf said Sessions is trying to distract the American people from a failed immigration system by painting a racist broad-brush of our immigrant community as dangerous criminals.

She called Sessions comments consistent with this racist distraction and fearmongering that others  newcomers, outsiders  are making our country less safe.

She added, It was not my intention to get caught up in a national debate, but I do believe that I am speaking for the residents of my city. ... The agenda of this administration is petty political vindictiveness. Clearly they are picking a fight with California, they are picking a fight with diverse sanctuary cities like Oakland and the people who lead them.
Police fatally shot an armed robbery suspect, who appeared to fire at officers from inside the trunk of a car, during a brief but tense standoff Tuesday night in San Franciscos Mission District.

The deadly exchange of gunfire came shortly after police said two armed robbery victims flagged down uniformed officers around 10:35 p.m. at 20th and Capp streets.

Officers said they quickly found the suspect vehicle, a black Honda Civic, one block down Capp Street near 21st and ordered everyone out.

The driver got out of the car and was detained at the scene, police said, but the officers soon noticed that the cars trunk was ajar and someone was inside. More police arrived and surrounded the vehicle.

Now Playing: San Francisco police fatally shoot man hiding in trunk of car after armed robbery report Video: KTVU

Witnesses described hearing officers command the suspect in Spanish to surrender while speaking over a megaphone.

Several residents in apartments along the block captured cell phone videos of the encounter. In the videos, a police officer is heard ordering the suspect out of the trunk before a single shot rings out. Seconds later, a barrage of gunfire begins and bullets are seen ripping into the rear of vehicle.

One witness caught the incident on video in close-up detail. The suspect is seen pushing the trunk open and firing at least two shots at police before officers return fire.

The witness declined to give his name to The Chronicle at the scene Wednesday morning but said he sold the video to KPIX-TV for $200.

After the shooting stopped, police found a third suspect, a woman, alive inside the vehicle. The man in the trunk, who was not immediately identified, was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were injured in the shooting.

Police said they found a handgun in the trunk of the vehicle and investigators were interviewing the surviving suspects and other witnesses.

Capp Street was closed off at 21st through Wednesday morning while investigators processed the scene.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Dozens of police evidence markers covered the street, many marking shell casings. Some residents reported broken windows near where the shooting happened.

The barrage of police gunfire startled many of the residents taking cover inside their apartments.

My first reaction was making sure my friends and neighbors were OK, said a 24-year-old man who lives on Capp near 21st but declined to give his name. I just heard it escalating and then all the shots.

The shooting is being investigated by multiple agencies, including the SFPDs Homicide Detail, the San Francisco district attorneys Independent Investigations Bureau, the San Francisco Department of Police Accountability, the SFPD Internal Affairs Division and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The incident marks the first fatal officer-involved shooting in San Francisco this year, though police were involved in a February shooting where the suspect was uninjured.

That man, Joel Armstrong, a 31-year-old transient and murder suspect, was holed up inside an RV on a residential street in Mission Bay when the shootout occured.
When it rains, it pours  and that has San Francisco water officials looking into charging property owners a new storm-water fee to help with the upkeep of the citys aging sewer system.

The first target will be the owners of vacant lots.

Its a tax on rain, fumed Jason Sanders, who was just notified that effective July 1, he will be assessed $31.46 a month for runoff on his vacant lot on Ashbury Street.

According to the Public Utilities Commission, every inch of rainfall that falls on the 47-square-mile city puts about 430 million gallons into the storm-water runoff system.

And it all needs to be treated before it flows into the bay.

Right now, owners of vacant lots are exempt from having to pay the wastewater fees that are assessed to other properties. Utilities commission officials say they want to make all property owners pay to keep up the citys wastewater and sewage treatment system.

So the PUC has notified 500 lot owners who dont have either sewer service or an active water account that the agency is considering levying a flat rate of $31.46 a month, or $377 annually, per vacant parcel to pay for treating runoff.

The rain fee would increase by $3.70 a month, or $44.40 a year, by 2022.

The bill represents the average amount an existing customer pays for storm-water treatment costs, according to the notice from PUC General Manager Harlan Kelly Jr.

But for Sanders, who says all the rain that falls on his property soaks into the ground, its just another way of ripping off customers.

The $188,760 the city expects to get from the empty-lot owners would be just a drop in the bucket compared with the $732 million that the utilities agency collected in 2017 from city sewage and water bills.

And though vacant lots are first in line, officials said the new storm-water fee could eventually spill over to all households and commercial properties citywide.

Im not saying we are going to do that, but that discussion is happening now, said PUC spokesman Tyler Gamble.

Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle

As for how that affects the commissions fairness argument, Gamble would say only that this is the beginning of a process for overhauling the billing system  with rates adjusted up or down to reflect a customers separate sewer and storm-water costs.

A state bill signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in October opened the gate for other cities across California to start adding storm-water costs to tax bills without going to the voters.

Seattle, Portland and Washington, D.C., already charge their customers a storm-water drainage fee. In Seattle, the fee generated nearly $121 million in 2016, a city report shows.

San Franciscos water and wastewater bills went up an average of nearly 39 percent in the past five years. Storm-water fee or not, the PUC is already in the midst of planning for another round of similar increases over the next five years.

Unhappy property owners will have a chance to sound off when the PUC meets April 10 to formally adopt the new storm-water charges.

Mental challenge: The citys new lockdown mental health facility at St. Marys Medical Center was opened to a mix of public praise for the idea and private prayers that Sacramento lawmakers will change conservatorship laws to make it easier to commit homeless people with psychiatric problems to long-term treatment.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Barbara Garcia, director of the city Department of Public Health, said whats needed for the $5 million-a-year San Francisco Healing Center to be effective is for judges to be given more latitude to commit people with a long history of mental health issues and nuisance-law violations. At present, judges make such decisions only on the basis of how homeless people appear after a three-day hold, when they are often sobered up and no longer a danger to themselves.

Were talking about the citys 40 to 50 most chronic cases, said Mayor Mark Farrell as he toured the floor. We call them frequent fliers  those who are repeatedly going through our hospital system and our emergency rooms, using our ambulances, using our Fire Department and Police Department.

Frustration over the revolving door at the mental wards like those at St. Marys and San Francisco General prompted state Sen. Scott Wiener to introduce SB1045.

The bill will allow judges to take into account how many times the person had a 72-hour psychiatric hold in the past year or that they had been taken to the emergency ward 30 times, Wiener said.

Still, Wiener knows hes up against 50 years of liberal policies toward the mentally ill and concerns about depriving them of their civil rights.

We overly depend on locking people up already, said Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness. We should be building up our community mental health system so that people dont get to that point of needing to be locked up.

We need both, said Farrell, who added, We need to have a bottom line of decency and decorum on our streets, and this is part of that solution.
A San Francisco charity being investigated by the state attorney generals office is rapidly selling off a trove of high-end costume jewelry and designer apparel that lay unsold for years, a purge intended to raise funds to help it return to its purpose of running group homes for developmentally disabled adults.

More than 100 pieces of vintage jewelry collected by Helpers Community Inc. and bearing labels such as Chanel, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent will go under the gavel at Michaans Auction Gallery in Alameda on March 10. Another assortment of the jewelry was auctioned off Tuesday.

The jewelry and apparel, which is being sold separately online, are among what is left of thousands of high-end fashion items that were donated to Helpers over the years. A Chronicle investigation found the nonprofit had long deceived donors by funding its longtime directors posh lifestyle while spending relatively little on the people with developmental disabilities it purported to serve, prompting the state investigation.

Since then, the once-lauded, $6 million charity discharged its longtime director, Joy Venturini Bianchi, installed a nonprofit consultant, Jan Cohen, as interim executive director, and donated $1 million in grants to four local nonprofits that assist adults with developmental disabilities.

The items at auction were culled from an estimated 1,000 pieces that had been stuffed into display cases, drawers and boxes at Helpers House of Couture, a now-shuttered resale shop in a stately home on Fulton Street along Golden Gate Park. The pieces were priced, catalogued and grouped by the auction house into 55 lots ranging in price from $100 to $800.

Carolyne Zinko/San Francisco Chronicle

It blows my mind what was there, said Helpers board member Cati Gallardo, a former Bloomingdales public relations woman who spent two months sifting through the items for the auction house. There are still some really wonderful things left. They just didnt meet the higher-end criteria for this auction.

Meanwhile, other designer apparel, donated by wealthy, well-heeled socialites the world over, are being sold through the tony online consignment store, www.therealreal.com.

More than 100 gowns in Helpers collection were donated last fall to the Princess Project, which provides free prom gowns for teens. An estate sale is planned for the remainder of the clothing before years end, and a sale of furniture, paintings and unique household items is slated for next month.

Helpers Community Inc., formerly known as Helpers of the Mentally Retarded, housed people with developmental disabilities for decades in four homes it owns on Fulton Street. But once Helpers ended its residential services in 2002, it did little charitable work while amassing millions of dollars in assets and donations. It paid Bianchi roughly $200,000 in annual compensation as she traveled to celebrity functions and became a high-fashion fixture on San Franciscos society scene and Instagram feeds.

Helpers gave nothing to residential programs for 13 years, The Chronicle reported in late 2016. From 2003 to 2008, the group spent nothing on any charitable cause, financial records showed. Bianchi has insisted that she served the charity well and that it was difficult to find nonprofits worthy of receiving Helpers funds.

In a reorganization, Helpers closed the couture house, and with Cohens help, the nonprofit created job training programs with the Pomeroy Recreation & Rehabilitation Center and the ARC San Francisco. Under the programs, Helpers Bazaar, another resale shop run by Helpers at Ghirardelli Square, is staffed by adults with developmental disabilities and offers for sale art created by the developmentally disabled.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

In consultation with the state Department of Developmental Services, Cohen said, Helpers has determined that its property at 2626 Fulton St. is the property most ready to reopen as a group home, and renovations are under way. It is the first of two homes Helpers is working to reopen this year, Cohen said.

Helpers is also in discussions that would enlist the Pomeroy Center to manage and operate the home, Cohen said. Pomeroy, which already operates licensed overnight respite programs elsewhere with staff on duty seven days a week, has begun the process of applying for new licensing at 2626 Fulton, Cohen said.

Helpers, which last year was ordered by the city assessor-recorders office to repay $31,000 in back taxes owed for misrepresenting the use of its properties, will apply anew for tax exemptions available to nonprofits, Cohen said.
Sonoma County burned before, and it can burn again. In fact, its almost sure to.

Tens of thousands of wildland acres went up in flames in the October wildfires that swept into Santa Rosa, killing 25 people and destroying more than 5,000 homes. But throughout Sonoma County are cities and towns bordered by unscathed hillsides. In those places, theres exactly the same type of fuel that fed the Tubbs Fire and other big blazes: Dead trees. Vegetation that hasnt been thinned in years. Homes where there used to be open space.

And in Santa Rosa, the county seat, are officials who see a need to rethink fire management strategies that have fallen behind the times.

Absolutely, without a doubt, we will see another fire here again, said Supervisor Lynda Hopkins. You look at history ... and all of the documents that predicted last falls fire in the east county. There are risks in the west county, too. We need to be prepared.

Hopkins and others point to what happened the year after the Hanly Fire of September 1964, which torched 53,000 acres and leveled 108 dwellings east of Santa Rosa.

The following September, another rash of fires broke out in the North Bay. One blackened 7,000 acres east of Jenner, and another burned near Bodega Bay. A blaze burned 16,000 acres west of Napa. Part of Petaluma was evacuated one night, and 15 buildings were destroyed. Flames from another blaze burned just east of Rohnert Park.

Altogether, 275 blazes burned across 225,000 acres in 15 counties that September in 1965. Officials called it the worst autumn holocaust in California for 40 years.

People should be very concerned, said Marshall Turbeville, a battalion chief for the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, who works the western part of Sonoma County. We always talk about the Hanly Fire. But there was another fire after that, and it was worse. We need to figure out how to work with private landowners to reduce losses and not replicate history.

Cities like Windsor and Healdsburg, a few miles up Highway 101 from Santa Rosa, and coastal enclaves such as Timber Cove and Bodega Bay are at risk, according to Cal Fire officials. Near those communities, dead oak trees and highly flammable eucalyptus dot the ridges, and vegetation chokes the ground.

Before the October firestorm, the county had few ordinances requiring landowners to thin flammable vegetation near their homes. That has not changed.

Realistically, the county didnt do any vegetation management pre-fires, said Board of Supervisors President James Gore. Its very rare that a county moves heavy-handed on those kinds of policies throughout the state. Its a tragedy of the commons. Until there is reason to, no one forces people to clean up their lands.

County rules dictate how homes in fire zones should be built, requiring structures to have fire-retardant roofing and decking, among other things. However, the county does not outline rules for defensible space or vegetation management in many rural areas.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

Gore and Hopkins are proposing an ordinance that would compel landowners in rural areas to clear vegetation within 30 feet of structures, similar to a requirement Oakland put in place after the 1991 firestorm in the citys hills that killed 25 people and destroyed more than 3,000 residences. Pilot programs for such defensible spaces are already in place in identified fire threat zones like Fitch Mountain, a tiny community near Healdsburg, and in the Mayacamas Mountains above Glen Ellen.

Currently, Sonoma County does controlled burns on its public lands  but those account for only about 5 percent of the county. The rest is privately owned, with little vegetation management from local government.

If I had a conversation about vegetation management before the fire, people wouldve said, Do not bring the government into my backyard, Gore said. Now what I hear from people is that they think its important, too. Theyre taking it seriously now.

Its a conversation that is also happening at the state level, with fire officials calling blazes like the Tubbs Fire the new normal.

If you look at the last several years, the size and scope of fire events are only getting worse, said Democratic state Sen. Mike McGuire of Healdsburg. We have 21st century challenges that are trying to be solved with 20th century solutions. We need preventative strategy, not reactive strategy.

In Januarys State of the State address, Gov. Jerry Brown committed to creating a task force of scientists and environmentalists to study managing wildfire threats.

We have to be ready with the necessary firefighting capability and communication systems to warn residents of impending danger, Brown said. We also have to manage our forests and soils much more intelligently.

Browns proposed budget for this year includes $200 million for forest health and restoration, plus fire-prevention grants that would go to places like Sonoma County for weed abatement, controlled burns and fire-fuel ordinances.

There are a lot of folks who thought wildfires would never be a threat to them, said Mark Heine, fire chief of the Rincon Valley and Windsor Fire Protection District. If theres anyone in Sonoma County today that doesnt believe that they live in a wildland threat zone, then they are sorely mistaken. Theres history of fire here all around us.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

But landowners need more incentives to reduce fire risks, McGuire said. Funneling money into fire-threatened communities works only if they are open to using it in ways that may impose on private-property owners, he said.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

We need to be more aggressive, he said. Counties need to update their weed-abatement and fuel-abatement ordinances to meet the demands of this new reality. The risks exist in almost every corner of the state.

That reality is no more clear than in Fitch Mountain near Healdsburg, a community of 339 houses tucked amid thick strands of California bay laurel and Douglas fir trees.

Many of the people up here have a hermit mentality, said David Henderson, president of the Fitch Mountain Association residents group. Theyve come here for generations, and they love the trees. But theyre a hazard. Somehow, people think we are in a magical zone that will never have fire. We are still known as the firebox of the county and the doorway to Healdsburg.

The community created its own wildfire protection plan last year, similar to what Gore is proposing for the county. Under it, each lot is inspected for fire fuels, which residents are then required to clear. But the county has not budgeted any money for the program, so technically there is no way to enforce the rules.

If this place ever goes up ... Henderson said, trailing off. Well, then it would get down the mountain, and Healdsburg would be gone.

As small as it is, such a program is a start, Gore said. Driving on some county roads still gives him the willies. The overgrown weeds, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. lines through the trees, the narrow roads  if a fire were to come, it would all go up quickly.

The only way to prepare for another fire is to change our way of doing business, Gore said. We cant take five fire seasons to do it.
Theres a new robot taxi service in San Francisco  but its only for people working on Ubers self-driving car project.

The 300 local employees of Ubers Advanced Technologies Group can use a modified Uber ride-hailing app to request one of its self-driving Volvo XC90 sport utility vehicles to take them to and from their new offices at Pier 70 on the citys eastern waterfront. The free rides, which start Wednesday, will operate only in San Francisco.

The purpose is twofold: to give engineers a visceral sense of the technology theyre developing and gain real-life feedback on operating a robot-taxi service  which is Ubers eventual goal.

Its a really nice connection for engineers to have to what theyre working on, said Brian Torcellini, Uber senior manager of testing operations. You can look at metrics on paper, get emails and feedback about a vehicles performance, but to actually, physically experience the nuances of the self-driving software is powerful. Having that connection keeps them focused on the overall context rather than one engineering challenge at a time.

As is true for all self-driving vehicles on California public roads, the cars will have backup drivers. The Department of Motor Vehicles recently created a system for companies to test self-driving cars without backup drivers but has not yet issued permits for it.

General Motors Cruise division also operates a robot-taxi service with backup drivers for some of its South of Market workers. It has licenses to test 110 autonomous Chevrolet Bolts, according to DMV records.

Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle

For her job as an Uber test operator, Michelle Ortega already rides in the self-driving cars all day long, either as a backup driver or in the navigators seat. But shes looking forward to getting a different perspective on them.

You work on something every day, so its exciting to experience the progress and change yourself, she said. This will give me a better understanding of what it will be like as a (ride-hailing) service.

Ubers ATG group, which was scattered around San Francisco, last week moved into a newly renovated expansive 130,000-square-foot space at Pier 70 featuring exposed brick walls and huge windows. Its fleet of about 20 self-driving Volvo XC90s is housed in a warehouse on the pier. The metallic-gray SUVs feature spinning rooftop lidar sensors (a laser form of radar) and white map decals on the rear passenger doors.

ATG, whose mission is to develop self-driving cars, has about 1,600 employees total, dispersed among San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Arizona and Toronto.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Uber operates paid robot-taxi rides with backup drivers in Arizona and Pittsburgh. Its Pittsburgh ATG workers can also request free rides to and from work.

The 28-acre Pier 70, once a mothballed industrial area, is undergoing a massive renovation, and there are construction workers and vehicles busily rehabbing dilapidated buildings. The waterfront area is a few blocks from the Warriors forthcoming stadium  and from Mission Bay, where Uber is building a corporate headquarters campus, expected to come online in 2020.

Other Pier 70 tenants and prospective tenants, according to the San Francisco Business Times, include a Restoration Hardware showroom; Tea Collection, a childrens clothing maker; Obscura Digital, a visual and film studio; and Gusto, which handles employees benefits for small businesses.
Over the phone, there is a slight echo in the New Orleans food stall where Tunde Wey is stowing away seasonings and restaurant equipment. As Wey cleans, his lilting Nigerian accent seems to cascade across bare counter tops and barrel into the newly empty shelves, elevating his voice few decibels above normal.

Each of his statements end in a tangible exclamation point thanks to the setting, but the auditory aesthetic could also attributed to the chefs almost kinetic earnestness to address the countrys growing wage disparity between whites and African Americans.

Wey opened a food-stall in New Orleanss Roux Carre venue in early February as a more practical way of conveying the socio-economic topic to the dining public. His menu of Nigerian food had a standard price of $12 available to all customers, and a suggested price of $30 only available to white people. Wey said it accurately reflected the income disparity between between the two groups in New Orleans.

San Francisco is next, Wey said.

According to the Census Bureau, San Franciscos population was roughly 871,000 as of 2016. African Americans accounted for about 5 percent of the total, a deep decline from the 1970s when one in seven San Francisco residents was African American.

James Tensuan/Special to The Chronicle

In 2016, the median income for white households across the city was $106,919. Meanwhile, black households averaged $46,571. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released data last year that showed $105,350 for a family of four is considered low income in San Francisco.

San Francisco is the hyper, heightened reality of disparity, said Wey. The goal is just to provide facts. We can all have different ideas but the facts should form our decisions.

This isnt a new realm of conversation for Wey, whose star has grown in the food world over the last few years through his writing, which has appeared in publications like The Chronicle and Civil Eats, and his nuanced activist cooking. He has hosted several dinners in San Francisco as part of his Blackness in America dinner series where, over Nigerian food, he leads in-depth, sometimes searing conversations about race in America.

His temporary New Orleans food stall, named Saartj, opened quietly last month and came to an end last weekend. Named after Saartjie Baartman, a black woman who was fetishized and paraded around by Europeans in the early 1800s because of her skin color and large buttocks, Wey said the project posed a question to white customers: With facts laid bare, do you find a way to address societal inequity or do you ignore it?

Similar to San Francisco, New Orleans suffers from immense income disparity between African Americans and whites. The citys population was 59 percent African American in 2016, yet the median income of their households was $25,806. The average income for white residents in the same period was $64,377 while they accounted for only 31 percent of the citys population that year.

In New Orleans, there was this realization with customers showing them they had become the embodiment of the problem and the possible solution at the same time. It was a short moment of realization or discomfort or action, he said.

As word spread regarding what Wey was doing in New Orleans, media outlets came calling. It was profiled everywhere from the Washington Post and NPR to what Wey said were smaller, more conservative online news outlets, the latter of which the chef said distorted an otherwise straight-forward narrative.

Nobody was actually forced to pay $30, or even $12. Hell, nobody was forced to even to shop here, Wey said.

While browsing stories about the pop-up, and ultimately scrolling through corresponding comment sections, Wey said he noticed people were accusing him of being racist and discriminating against white people.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

What does that even mean, like in actual practice? How does discrimination against a white person work? Wey said with a laugh as he cleaned the last of the pop-up space. The chef described how discrimination and racism are systemic issues whose effects last generations.

If youre a white person and you dont get what you want in a specific moment, thats not discrimination  thats an inconvenience, Wey said.

With Saatjr in the books, and the experience well-documented, Wey said he ideas for the San Francisco edition of the pop-up. First, he needs to find a space.

You cant have cities that are just starkly inequitable like San Francisco, Wey said. I wouldnt do Saartj there exactly  but the conversation needs to happen in the city.

More from Tunde Wey:

Black women are the future of the food industry

Look to the food world to understand Americas white supremacy problem

Locol is a righteous answer to the wrong question
Now Playing: The San Francisco Chronicle presents "On Politics: Policy, partisanship and culture wars in the city, the state and the nation." Editor in Chief Audrey Cooper, former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and Chronicle columnist Phil Matier discuss the most pressing political topics keeping us up at night.

The San Francisco Chronicle presents "Chronicle Chats"  an ongoing series of events, featuring thought-leaders, influencers, newsmakers and trend-setters.

The first discussion will be "On Politics: Policy, partisanship and culture wars in the city, the state and the nation," hosted on March 6, 2018 at the Herbst Theatre.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Daylight Saving Time may soon be observed throughout the year in the Sunshine State after the Florida Senate passed legislation to put an end to the practice of setting clocks back and forward every six months.



Unlike northern states in the continental U.S. that only experience around 9 hours of daylight during the shortest days of Winter, Florida has over 10 hours of daylight during the shortest day of the year - the Winter Solstice.





Florida Senate Bill 858 passed by an overwhelming majority of 103-11. Its companion Florida House Bill 1013 also overwhelmingly passed in the Florida House of Representatives in February. The proposed law now heads to Governor Rick Scott's desk to be signed into law.



If Governor Rick Scott signs 'The Sunshine Protection Act' into law, Florida would then ask the U.S. Congress for an exemption to stay on Daylight Savings Time throughout the year.

History of Daylight Saving Time





Daylight Savings Time started in Europe during World War I as a way to economize fuel usage. The United States started Daylight Savings Time a year after WWI ended in 1918.





Benjamin Franklin did not propose Daylight Saving Time. This misconception grew out of the proverb "Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" that was published in Franklin's Poor Richards' Almanac.





How to Correctly Spell and Say Daylight Saving Time





Is it "Daylight Savings Time" or "Daylight Saving Time"? The correct term is without the "s" but the added "s" has become widely used in the United States.





Daylight Saving Time Bad For Your Health





Losing an hour of sleep is bad for your health, studies find. The overall rate for stroke was 8% higher and heart attacks 10% higher in the days following the daylight saving time change.





Image credit: Wikicommons
Californias compensation standards for wrongfully imprisoned people are so strict that few are found eligible even if a court overturns their convictions. A new bill would lower the incredibly high standards so that more people who wrongfully spent years of their lives behind bars stand to benefit.

This is our states way of making sure people have a fair stake again, said Missy OConnell, a staff attorney with the Northern California Innocence Project. They deserve the opportunity to re-enter society and be successful.

The Northern California Innocence Project is one of the sponsors of SB1094, authored by state Sens. Joel Anderson, R-Alpine (San Diego County), and Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley.

SB1094 would extend Californias compensation system, which offers wrongfully imprisoned prisoners $140 for each day they spent behind bars, in two ways.

It would now cover two classes of prisoners whose convictions are overturned based on new evidence  those whose charges are dropped by prosecutors, and those who endure a second trial and are found not guilty. Including both groups is important because district attorneys still have the ability to retry prisoners who win a conviction reversal based on new evidence. (SB1094 does not affect the direct appeal system.)

The number of people expected to be affected by SB1094 is very small  and very important.

OConnell said the state Victim Compensation Board has received 93 ex-convict applications since 2001, and it has approved 30 of those. Under SB1094, the board wouldve approved an additional 23 applications.

One of them would have been Glenn Payne, a San Jose man who spent 13 years in prison on a molestation conviction. His conviction was overturned in January after the forensic analyst who had provided expert testimony in his case recanted it.

California can and must do better by those weve wronged. The state Legislature should pass SB1094 with all deliberate speed.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
Hooded, or Being Black for Dummies opens with two black high school students sharing a jail cell. One of them, Tru, has been there more than a few times before. For the other, Marquis, this is a first. Tru talks in black slang, while Marquis speaks in prep-school sentences.

You talk like a white person, yo, Tru says.

Not long after, Marquis adoptive mom (a white woman) shows up and immediately gets him out. Then she tries to do the same for Tru. When the officer protests, she shoots back: His mother is clearly doing the best that she can. Shes a single woman, uneducated, living in poverty, working two jobs at minimum wage to make ends meet because she doesnt have a college education. (Of course, shes never met Tru, let alone his mother.)

In a couple of quick exchanges, Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm quickly introduces his audience to some of the central themes in his play Hooded, or Being Black for Dummies, which has its West Coast premiere at Custom Made Theatre on Thursday, March 8. Chisholm takes a darkly comedic and deeply astute look at the many ways of being black in America, and how, no matter ones proximity to whiteness, racism is always present, as Tru tries to teach Marquis about how to be black.

Brian Katz/Courtesy ofCustom Made Theatre

In a phone call from London, Chisholm says the idea to write the play came after he had just finished reading Spring Awakening. Chisholm had wanted to translate the sexual awakening of that work to one of a more racial nature.

My awakening came really late, he says. Sorting out and processing his blackness meant realizing that his black identity  and black identity in general  wasnt one note. I think I was both of them, he says of Tru and Marquis.

As if to underscore the point, Jesse Vaughn (who plays Marquis) and Trevonne Bell (who plays Tru), tried out for both parts. Bell calls the characters two sides of the same coin, and both said they felt a connection to Tru and Marquis. Vaughn said the role of Marquis initially scared him, but that eventually, I found so much truth in it. Truth about my family and about my friends.

While the play works to explore black identity, it also takes steps toward addressing racism  both the smaller, sometimes harder to catch, comments from well-meaning white people, and the larger systemic racism that finds black men in jail cells at a much higher rate than their white counterparts.

Throughout the play, a Laugh sign flashes to let the audience know when something is funny, pushing them to be complicit in some of the more awkward, racially tinged material.

The audience is constantly having to look at themselves, struggle with why they think something is funny, says director Lisa Marie Rollins, who also helped with dramaturgy on the play as Chisholm was writing.

The discomfort seems necessary, Rollins says, especially at a time when the Black Lives Matter movement has seemed to slip some from public view, as other national conversations, such as #MeToo, come into greater focus.

My hope is that the play is a reminder of the way that black men and women are still seen in the United States, even with all of the amazing, joyful things that are happening right now in the media, Rollins says. These things are still happening.

Ryan Kost is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rkost@sfchronicle.com

Hooded, or Being Black for Dummies: 8 p.m. Thursday, March 8. Through March 31. $25-$45. Custom Made Theatre, 533 Sutter St., S.F. (415) 798-2682. www.custommade.org
It may be years before the courts decide the Trump administrations lawsuit that seeks to overturn Californias sanctuary laws, but the political impact will be felt in just months. And it likely wont help Republicans.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions ramped up the political tension Wednesday when he told a law enforcement gathering in Sacramento that California is using every power it has  and powers it doesnt  to frustrate federal law enforcement. So you can be sure Im going to use every power I have to stop them.

His underlying message will frighten immigrant communities and should energize Latino voters, who already overwhelmingly vote for Democrats. That could be a welcome boon for Democrats in the June primary election, because fewer Latinos vote in midterm elections than during presidential years.

And Republican candidates will feel pain as they embrace Trumps law-and-order stance to try to attract conservative primary voters, an embrace that will move them further from Californias political mainstream should they advance to the general election in November.

Politically, what it does is help Democrats by mobilizing Latino voters, said Luis Alvarado, a GOP strategist and president of the Latino Legislative Roundtable. As I listened to Jeff Sessions speak, I imagined TV commercials on behalf of Democrats in the state.

While some analysts predict that the increasing threat of immigration raids has energized Latino voters in recent elections in Texas and Virginia, GOP strategist and Latino vote expert Mike Madrid said thats not really excitement. Being energized usually means youre happy. These people are voting out of anger and fear. And California is the mother lode of that. This will absolutely affect the outcome of races in California in June.

Now Playing: Gov. Jerry Brown calls federal lawsuit announced by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions Video: SFChronicle

Overall, 58 percent of likely California voters, including 53 percent of independent voters, 54 percent of whites and 80 percent of Latinos, support sanctuary city policies, according to a January survey by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.

Increased Latino turnout could affect Californias gubernatorial campaign in multiple ways. During his speech Wednesday, Sessions blasted Democrat Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who leads in most polls, for praising Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf when she warned last month of impending federal immigration sweeps.

Bragging about and encouraging the obstruction of our law enforcement and the law is an embarrassment to this proud and important state, Sessions said about Newsom without using his name.

Alvarado said being name-checked  even anonymously  by Trumps attorney general would be worn as a badge of honor by Newsom.

Theyre popping Champagne at Newsoms headquarters because Jeff Sessions cemented him as the head of the progressives, Alvarado said.

But Madrid, who also is a senior adviser to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa, said that while Newsom may have scored the name-check, increased Latino turnout may ultimately help Villaraigosa more.

I dont think anybody is going to remember who was name-checked in June, Madrid said.

The bigger story is that this is a part of a tectonic shift in politics. Its not about one speech or one event or one day, Madrid said. Its about a series of events and policies that are happening  and that Latinos and female candidates will be the beneficiaries. Thats because Latinos and women tend to vote for Latino candidates and female candidates.

A January survey of 900 registered Latino voters found that 68 percent said they were 100 percent certain that they would vote. That turnout would be off the charts for the states 4.5 million Latino voters, especially considering that only 25 percent of all registered California voters cast ballots in Californias last midterm election in 2014.

The survey by Latino Decisions, which conducted the poll on behalf of the Latino Community Foundation, found that a bump in Latino turnout could help Villaraigosa, a former Los Angeles mayor. He was the preferred candidate of Latino voters, with 39 percent saying theyd vote for him in the primary, followed by Newsom with 15 percent of the vote.

The two top Republicans in the governors race came out strongly in support of Sessions lawsuit.

Coinciding with Sessions visit, Rancho Santa Fe GOP business executive John Cox released a radio ad that attempted to tie the 2015 killing of Kate Steinle on Pier 14 in San Francisco by undocumented immigrant Jose Ines Garcia Zarate to Newsom.

The senseless, random killing of 32-year-old Kate Steinle by an illegal alien convict, is chilling testimony to how Gavin Newsoms sanctuary city values differ from the rest of us, Cox says in the ad. As governor, I promise you that on my first day in office I will act to repeal Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsoms sanctuary state and restore the rule of law.

Coxs prime GOP opponent, Assemblyman Travis Allen, R-Huntington Beach (Orange County), welcomed Sessions move, something he called for in January  along with Attorney General Xavier Becerra to be arrested for flouting federal immigration law. On Wednesday, Allen blasted the Bay Area liberal elites that control Californias government.

But Alvarado said that while that may play well in the gubernatorial primary  where Cox and Allen are fighting over the 41 percent of the ballots expected to be cast for Republican candidates  It becomes very difficult to defend that in the general election.

This latest battle in the ongoing war, as Brown put it Wednesday, between the Trump administration and California is likely to have mixed impact on congressional races  particularly on the 10 GOP-held seats that Democrats are trying to flip.

A boost in the Latino turnout could have a bigger impact in Central Valley districts, like the one represented by Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock (Stanislaus County), where 40 percent of the residents and 28 percent of the registered voters are Latino, according to the nonpartisan California Target Book, a compendium of statistics on the states political districts. It could also impact Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford (Kings County), where 71 percent of the population and 57 percent of the registered voters are Latino.

Some progressives are trying to capture this political energy  particularly among young voters who are sympathetic to the Democrat position on immigration. On Wednesday, NextGen America, the organization founded and funded by San Francisco activist Tom Steyer, announced it would be spending $3.5 million to register young voters in seven GOP-held congressional districts.

But that outreach might have less of an impact in some of the targeted GOP-held seats in Orange County, like the one represented by Rep. Mimi Walters, R-Irvine, where only 19 percent of the population, and 12 percent of the registered voters are Latino.

However, embracing Sessions rhetoric may backfire, too.

You can hold on to your base if you go that route, but the average suburban white Republican is going to think its mean-spirited and not go along with it, said Matt Baretto, a co-founder of Latino Decisions.
Mindy Kaling has not left the building. In fact, shes barely had time for a short walk in the fresh air between the end of The Mindy Project and the launch of Champions, a pretty irresistible comedy she created with Charlie Grandy, premiering on NBC on Thursday, March 8.

Kaling isnt the central character in the show, but plays a pivotal role as Priya Patel, a former girlfriend of Vince (Anders Holm) who now owns a Brooklyn gym with his dim-bulb jock brother, Matthew (Andy Favreau). One day, Priya shows up at the gym with a 15-year-old kid named Michael who needs a place to live in New York so he can attend a high school for would-be performers.

Michael: Meet your dad, Vince, who is secretly planning to sell the gym and relocate to Florida and is overheard by Michael ranting about how inconvenient it is that his son just showed up.

Pay no attention to the well-worn setup. Kaling and co-creator Grandy use plot as a display case for consistently funny writing, sweet and credible performances by the ensemble cast and most of all, the exceptional skills of J.J. Totah, who plays Priya and Vinces proudly out son, Michael. The writers give this kid dialogue that Bruce Vilanch could have written for Bette Midler, and Totah tosses it off with hilarious and lovable ease.

Yes, the show has a nice share of oh, snap! dialogue for Michael, such as taking one look at his style-challenged dad and announcing he looks like the abusive boyfriend in a Lifetime movie. But the genius of the script is that while Michael is outspoken and dramatic at times, it isnt unrelenting. Hes also a nice kid, nervous about his new life and about having to audition to get into Manhattan Academy. In other words, hes just a normal kid who has a tendency to reference scenes from Les Miz to explain his moods or situations as any particular time. He cant resist telling Vinces current girlfriend, Brittany (Mouzam Makkar), how fabulous she is when she stages an overdramatic hissy fit because Vince didnt tell her he has a son.

Kaling and Grandy have also worked hard to make this an ensemble show, with a democratic distribution of laugh lines through the entire cast, which includes comic Fortune Feimster as Ruby and veteran character actor Robert Costanzo. They have also worked hard to avoid preaching, in spite of the fact that a gay teen is about to have two dads. But heres a twist: Both of them are straight, and theyre brothers. What is this world coming to?

Champions is a winner.

David Wiegand is an assistant managing editor and the TV critic of The San Francisco Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook. Email: dwiegand@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @WaitWhat_TV

Champions: Sitcom. Premieres 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 8, on NBC.
A shelter-in-place warning lasted overnight in San Francisco, as police negotiated with a man who allegedly fired shots on the 200 block of Miramar Avenue.

At 9:59 p.m. Tuesday, San Francisco police issued a shelter-in-place warning. A man had reportedly fired shots outside of a home before going inside the building.
Warning: Mild "Black Panther" spoilers below.

A San Francisco teen has, of all people, her orthodontist to thank for inadvertently introducing her to "Black Panther" star Michael B. Jordan, whose shirtless scene caused her to break her own permanent retainer.

Sophia Robb, 18, was watching "Black Panther" in theaters recently with her best friend when a tense fight scene began.

In it, the film's villain, Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger, prepares to face off in one-on-one combat with the eponymous T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman). Killmonger takes off his shirt, revealing a chest and back covered with patterned scars.

It was too much for Robb.







RELATED: Sandra Bullock cried while meeting 'Black Panther' cast, talks about impact on African-American son

"I was holding my best friend's hand and I was really trying not to scream," she tells SFGATE. Robb says she "pushed my tongue against (the retainer) and clenched my jaw in an effort not to shriek"  until she felt a pop in her mouth.

Her friend asked her if she needed to leave, but Robb wasn't about let dislodged metal ruin her day.

"I said, 'I'm not missing a second of this movie.'"

It wasn't until the next day that Robb realized how badly her retainer was broken, so she went to her orthodontist's office to get it fixed.

"He put me on the spot, said he needed to know what happened (to know how to fix it)" Robb says. She unsuccessfully tried to dodge the question. "It was very typical kid getting caught: 'I clenched my jaw too hard when Michael B. Jordan took off his shirt.'"

Her orthodontist was apparently amused enough about the incident that he posted a few words about it on Tumblr (that didn't identify her). The post eventually made it to Twitter, too.

Robb happened upon a retweet of the screenshot and was in disbelief.

RELATED: 'Black Panther' crosses $500 million domestic with $65 million 3rd weekend

"It threw me off because it said 17-year-old and I'm not 17," she says. "(But) I thought there's no way that someone else did this and if they did, I have to find her. I have to become best friends with this girl."

After talking to her orthodontist and confirming it was about her, she decided to identify herself on Twitter, even though, as she says, she had "no Twitter followers" other than her close friends and her dad.

"When I retweeted it, like 'I am Retainer Girl, this is literally me' it went viral immediately because the original had a lot of retweets already," she says. "One thing led to another, and now Michael B. Jordan follows me on Twitter."

Jordan had caught wind of the tweet, and he publicly offered to pay to replace her retainer:

She says Jordan also followed her and then direct messaged her  "I started crying"  to let her know he was serious about the offer.

"I said I already got it fixed but I love you," she says. "I'm one of the 500 people he follows and I'm just living. I'm better now."

She did make an alternative request though: "I replied that I sure would love it if next time you came to the Bay, if you would take a picture with me and my orthodontist. Just for my records."

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.


The cartoonist who created Pepe the Frog has sued conspiracy-promoting website Infowars for selling a poster copying the character, which became hijacked by racist internet trolls and far-right extremists.

The copyright infringement lawsuit, filed Monday in Los Angeles, is the second that California-based cartoonist Matt Furie has brought as part of a legal campaign to reclaim his creation.

Infowars website is the online platform for right-wing radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Furies lawsuit says he didnt authorize the site to sell a poster that depicts the anthropomorphic frog alongside images of Jones, President Donald Trump, far-right agitator Milo Yiannopoulos and other right-wing figures.

Jones described the lawsuit as a publicity stunt. Although he stressed that Infowars didnt produce the poster, Jones said he views it as an expression of political speech protected by the First Amendment.

My listeners understand this is all frivolous, Jones told The Associated Press. We dont have any choice but to fight back, and the law is on our side.

Infowars is selling the Pepe-adorned MAGA poster for $29.95 and says it was created by renowned artist and patriot Jon Allen. Jones said Infowars has sold about 1,000 of the posters but added that its hardly one of the sites most popular items.

I think the frog is stupid looking. I think its a dumb meme, Jones said.

Last June, Furie launched a Save Pepe crowdfunding campaign to raise money for a new comic book. He also enlisted help from attorneys to pursue legal action against people who appeared to be profiting off Pepes image without his permission.

I think there has been progress, said Louis Tompros, one of Furies lawyers. It is a little bit like whack-a-mole, candidly.

In October, Furie sued a woman in Kansas City, Mo., for allegedly selling oil paintings featuring Pepe, including one in which a masked Pepe is holding a rifle in front of what appears to be the White House. That suit is still pending.

Tompros said white nationalist Richard Spencer and other far-right fringe figures have complied with written requests to stop using Pepes likeness without permission. However, Tompros said Furies attorneys didnt email and mail requests for Infowars to remove the poster from its online store until after they filed the lawsuit.

Furies chill frog-dude debuted in a 2006 comic book called Boys Club and became a popular canvas for benevolent internet memes. But the user-generated mutations grew increasingly hateful and ubiquitous more than a year before the 2016 presidential election.

Furie has said he was horrified to see his creation become an online mascot for white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other right-wing extremists. The Anti-Defamation League branded Pepe as a hate symbol in September 2016 and promoted Furies efforts to reclaim the character.

Jones said he views the MAGA poster as a symbol of the 2016 campaign.

Everybody knows Im not a white supremacist. Im not into that crap, Jones said. This is just purely harassment.

Austin, Texas-based parent companies Infowars LLC and Free Speech Systems LLC are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
Every Wednesday morning, SFGATE finds the biggest headlines in local (and sometimes national) beer. Check back here weekly for news, events, and information about special releases from your favorite local breweries.

SFGATE has launched a beer newsletter! Called the Taploid, it will contain some key stories from this column, as well as other, more nationally-spanning industry news. To sign up, head here, enter your email at the top, and check the box marked "Taploid."

Craft brewers seem none too pleased to get word of President Donald Trump's "looming" 10 percent tariff on aluminum, according to CNN. One brewer, Chad Melis of Oskar Blues, told the publication that the tariff would "cost the business $400,000 more per year" because Oskar Blues cans the majority of its 200k barrels it produces every year. And he's not alone. Read the whole report here.

Thursday is International Women's Day, and one-upping what they did last year, the Monk's Kettle in San Francisco's Mission district will comp the first draft beer or glass of wine for each woman who visits.

Speaking of IWD, Half Moon Bay Brewing Company will also be pouring a special release NE-style IPA made by the Pink Boots Society on Thursday, called A League of Their Own. Sales will benefit the organization's scholarship fund.

The Bacon and Beer Fest comes to Jack London Square in Oakland on Saturday, March 10. Besides the gratuitous amount of bacon, there will also be plenty of beer for the event poured by local breweries like East Brother, Drake's, Ale Industries, Alameda Island and more.

HenHouse, Santa Rosa's Confluence Taproom and Fort Point are back at it, and have released a second collaboration, a few months after their popular Selektor beer was so well-received. This one is a DIPA called Prime, made with Citra, Wakatu, Azacca and Loral hops.

Almanac's Vegan Night, held during San Francisco Beer Week, was so popular that they're bringing it back on Wednesday, March 7 in their SF taproom. Beginning at 3 p.m., the chef will serve vegan fare "highlighting the shoulder season between winter and early spring we're in right now."

You know that glitter beer you've seen all over Facebook? Apparently it was made by Erica DeAnda, an alum from Oakland's Diving Dog Brewhouse.

Sonoma Springs was featured on the latest episode of Dine Out Along the Road. Check out the episode here on YouTube.

Fieldwork's Alex Tweet got a cool shout out in San Francisco Business Times' 40 Under 40 Class of 2018. Read the writeup here.

Federation is celebrating its third year in business with the launch of its monthly Pints2Pledge donations program. Every Wednesday this month, they'll give $1 per pint bought to the Social Justice Collaborative, which provides legal aid services to local immigrants facing deportation.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.


Two former California state employees are going to jail for using state computers to mine digital currency.

The Sacramento County District Attorneys Office said that a judge sentenced Jeffrey Rikala and Jonathan Turrentine to 30 days in jail. They pleaded no contest to illegally accessing a computer network to wrongfully obtain money.

They worked for the California Department of Technology in 2016 when they used state computer servers to mine Monero, a form of cryptocurrency.

The Sacramento Bee reported that the men, who were software systems specialists, are no longer employed in the department.

Banking

Wells to report

on ethics lapses

Wells Fargo has agreed to publicly report on the root causes that led to a rash of ethical lapses, a group of investors said.

The group, led by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility and including about 20 religious organizations and state officials from Rhode Island and Connecticut, said Tuesday they would withdraw a shareholder proposal on the issue following the San Francisco banks decision. They had sought to put it to a vote at the lenders annual meeting in April.

They were in a culture where they believed their vision and values have carried them for the past 30 years and were continuing to carry them, said Sister Nora Nash, who oversees retirement funds for Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, which led the proposal. Obviously, there was tremendous risk in their culture, and we need to take a serious look at the code of ethics (and) accountability.

The investors asked Wells Fargo to produce evidence that its incentive programs are aligned with clients interests. They also asked the lender to report on how it is strengthening risk management and controls to prevent such lapses.

Wells Fargo has agreed to prepare and publish a business standards report on our website, bank spokesman Ancel Martinez said in an email.

Rhode Island Treasurer Seth Magaziner, who oversees the states public pension fund, called the banks decision a first step toward changing the culture at Wells Fargo that harmed a lot of customers and shareholders.

Acquisitions

Weinstein Co.

deal collapses

A group of investors says it has pulled out of a deal to buy the beleaguered Weinstein Co., citing disappointing information about the viability of the sale.

Businesswoman Maria Contreras-Sweet made the announcement in a statement Tuesday. She did not offer more details about why the deal fell apart, but said the group may still be interested in acquiring assets of the movie and TV studio out of bankruptcy proceedings.

The announcement came just days after Contreras-Sweet and the Weinstein Co. had revived the deal following arduous negotiations with New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who has filed a lawsuit against the company.

The studio has been trying to stave off bankruptcy since sexual assault and harassment accusations emerged last fall against its co-founder, Harvey Weinstein.

Patents

BlackBerry sues Facebook

BlackBerry is suing Facebook for patent infringement, claiming the social media giant uses technology invented by the former smartphone maker in popular messaging applications.

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp use some messaging capabilities that were originally designed by BlackBerry, a spokeswoman for the company said in an email. We have a strong claim that Facebook has infringed on our intellectual property, and after several years of dialogue, we also have an obligation to our shareholders to pursue appropriate legal remedies.

BlackBerry is asking that Facebook be ordered to stop providing its primary app as well as Facebook Messenger, Workplace Chat, WhatsApp Messenger and Instagram applications and websites.

Facebook and its companies created mobile messaging applications that co-opt BlackBerrys innovations, BlackBerry said in its complaint.

Having abandoned its efforts to innovate, BlackBerry is now looking to tax the innovation of others, said Paul Grewal, Facebooks deputy general counsel. We intend to fight.

Social media

Digital hate

report card

Facebook, Twitter and Google are taking steps to police terrorists and hate groups on their sites but more work needs to be done, the Simon Wiesenthal Center said.

The center released its annual digital terrorism and hate report card Tuesday and gave a B-plus to Facebook, a B-minus to Twitter and a C-plus to Google.

Facebook spokeswoman Christine Chen said the company has no comment on the report. Representatives for Google and Twitter did not immediately return emails seeking comment.

Center officials said that as the big tech companies have become more aggressive in shutting down accounts that promote terrorism, racism and anti-Semitism, promoters of terrorism and hate have migrated to other sites such as VK.com, a Facebook lookalike in Russia.

Chronicle News Services
An Oakland sex shop owner wants to get vibrators into San Francisco International Airport.

Feelmore Adult Gallery owner Nenna Joiner has set her sights on the airport's small business program as a way to grow her business, the San Francisco Examiner reported, but she's hitting a wall in the application process. The Terminal 3 Pop-Up Retail Program requires interested businesses meet an annual revenue minimum of $250,000 before they apply.

Joiner thinks that figure is far too high. She contends that the airport's proposal purports to help two local businesses grow, but she believes they're unrealistic in their expectations of a typical small business in the Bay Area. In January, she presented her proposal to the airport commissioners: Lower the base revenue requirement to $150,000.

The deadline to apply for this year's small business program was Feb. 14, and the shops selected for the program will be announced on March. 20. SFO's marketing team said they could not disclose the number of businesses that applied for the program in the last round.

"SFO's Pop-Up Retail program showcases a diverse range of small Bay Area retailers to the traveling public," Grier Mathews, SFO's marketing manager, said in a statement. "To date, eight retailers have operated in the pop-up spaces, and SFO looks forward to welcoming new concepts in 2018."

Neither the Chamber of Commerce nor San Francisco's City of Workforce and Economic Development could give an exact range of the average annual earnings for a small retail business in the Bay Area. A call to the U.S. Small Business Administration was not returned.

More than 3.5 million passengers traveled through through Boarding Area E last fiscal year, according to Mathews.

In Joiner's view, the adult store, which opened in 2011, has paved its way in Oakland as more than just a "sex shop." The shop also functions as an erotic art gallery and community resource center; recherche books about Oakland's racial history are right at home next to a collection of Magic Wands.

"When people get into an airport, and the plane is delayed, you got three or four hours to kill," Joiner said. You're going to need something. Not just a power cord not just a sandwich. You're going to need a vibrator, a condom, lubricant."

But a retail consulting firm expert thinks the issue is not as simple as the issue of average revenue comparisons. Matt Holmes, CEO of retail consulting firm Retail West, isn't so sure an airport would be keen on an adult store  it's both niche and taboo. SFO's merchandising efforts, he said, are highly curated and directed in their goals to satisfy the space's enormous potential for foot traffic, rivaling other lucrative retail destinations like Union Square.

"It's a premium retail opportunity, and it's priced as that," Holmes said. "If you're going to go play ball in an airport, you have to be ready. You cannot compare Telegraph Ave. to SFO in its potential. It's not in the same stratosphere."

It's also hard to be discreet when selling a foot-long prosthetic penis.

"Sex is taboo," Holmes said. "Sex is private, and people's sexuality is not often flaunted about."

That's a challenge Joiner's been trying to address, even despite the fact, she said, that "America's selling so much sex already."

"We have already started to work to make sure that people wouldn't be offended, through high-end vibrators that don't look like vibrators, and that don't have disparaging detail on the boxes," Joiner said. "That [the products] support any person regardless of gender, sex, or color."

Read Annie Vainshtein's latest stories here. Send her news tips at avainshtein@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @annievain
The federal government said Broadcoms proposed acquisition of rival chipmaker Qualcomm could pose a national security risk and called for a full investigation into the hostile bid.

The move complicates an already contentious deal and increases the likelihood that Broadcom, which is based in Singapore, will end its pursuit of Qualcomm. Such an investigation is often a death knell for a corporate acquisition.

A government panel, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, noted, in part, that the potential risk was related to Broadcoms relationships with foreign entities, according to a letter from a U.S. Treasury official. It also said that the deal could weaken Qualcomms technological leadership, giving an edge to Chinese companies like Huawei.

China would likely compete robustly to fill any void left by Qualcomm as a result of this hostile takeover, the official said in the letter.

The letter and the public call for an investigation reflects a newly aggressive stance by the panel. In most cases, it operates in secret and weighs in after a deal is announced. In this instance, the committee, which is made up of representatives from multiple federal agencies, is taking a proactive role and investigating before an acquisition agreement has even been signed.

The move reflects increased worries about overseas deals and about Chinese influence in central industries like technology. The panel has recently blocked several deals by Chinese buyers, including Ant Financials proposed takeover of MoneyGram, a money-transfer company.

The panel began to scrutinize tech-related foreign investments more closely during the Obama administration, as Chinese companies and investors began rapidly funneling money into U.S. firms. Several lawmakers have also pushed to expand the scope of the groups authority.

The Trump administration turbocharged it, said Tony Balloon, the leader of the corporate China law practice at the law firm Alston & Bird. There is now a recognition in government that foreign investors, particularly from China, are getting more and more sophisticated on how they get access to technology in the U.S.

Broadcom tried early on to quell concerns about the deal, announcing last year that it would move its headquarters to the United States. As a result, the company argued, it should not be subject to a committee review.

But Qualcomm, which is based in San Diego, pushed the government to intervene. On Sunday, the panel ordered Qualcomm to delay its annual shareholder meeting, which was scheduled for Tuesday and where investors were set to vote on the Broadcom bid.

Now, the government is going a step further by calling for a full investigation  and a major root of the consternation is China.

In the letter from the Treasury official, the government said it was important to have a well-known and trusted company hold the dominant role that Qualcomm does in the U.S. telecommunications infrastructure. Any loss of that competitiveness, the letter said, would significantly impact U.S. national security.

China, the letter said, could take advantage of any weakness. The government specifically cited Huawei, the Chinese telecom equipment giant, as a potential competitor that would move into the breach. The company has spent heavily on the next-generation telecommunications technology known as 5G, and the government said it owns 10 percent of the essential patents.

A shift to Chinese dominance in 5G would have substantial negative national security consequences for the United States, the government said in the letter.
HQ cash

HQ, the live trivia game app, told Axios that it raised $15 million in new funding, giving it a valuation of $100 million. Recode initially reported some details last month. The round was led by Founders Fund of San Francisco and its partner Cyan Banister, with participation from Menlo Parks Lightspeed Ventures, which had previously invested $8 million. HQ frequently has to postpone games because its servers are overloaded by all the players (more than 2 million Sunday night). The funding will primarily go toward improving its engineering so the app doesnt crash.

Fast Foods

San Francisco residents with Amazon Prime memberships can now get free two-hour delivery of Whole Foods orders of more than $35. Amazon, which bought the grocery chain last year, began offering the service in four cities last month and on Tuesday added San Francisco and Atlanta.

Number of the day

50

Thats how many times SpaceX has launched a Falcon 9 rocket, its satellite-delivery workhorse, since it began flying in 2010. The latest took flight from Cape Canaveral early Tuesday, carrying a 6-ton communications satellite for Spains Hispasat. The satellite is almost as big as a city bus and is the largest that the Falcon 9 has delivered to orbit. Cant believe its been fifty Falcon 9 launches already, SpaceX founder Elon Musk tweeted. Just ten years ago, we couldnt even reach orbit with little Falcon 1.
GlaxoSmithKline has seen precious few takers for its $730,000 gene therapy for a rare and life-threatening immune illness known as bubble-boy disease. Now a tiny startup thinks it can succeed where the British giant is struggling.

In almost two years since Glaxos Strimvelis came to the market, just five patients have received the treatment, offered only through a single center in Milan. Orchard Therapeutics, a closely held company in London with about 80 employees and no products on the market, is preparing to sell a competing version that may reach more sick children.

Orchard, whose team includes three former Glaxo executives, wants to one-up the larger company by taking aim at a Strimvelis shortcoming. While Glaxos therapy cant be transported, Orchard is planning to use frozen cells that can travel to markets all over the world.

Having patients move to one center in another country is not an easy way to manage things, Orchard CEO Mark Rothera said in an interview. His companys approach means patients can be treated where they live.

Gene therapy offers the possibility of using a single procedure to cure DNA flaws that cause severe, sometimes fatal conditions. But some developers are examining their commitment to the field, facing questions about the therapies profitability and prices, which have ranged up to $1 million.

Glaxo was hailed as a pioneer for its work to develop Strimvelis, just the second gene therapy for an inherited disease to gain approval. Now CEO Emma Walmsley is pruning likely duds from the companys pipeline of drugs and is seeking a partner for its rare disease unit, which developed Strimvelis.

Orchards therapy, called OTL-101, is designed to be frozen so that it can be sent to patients anywhere. The startup recently raised $110 million, plans to double its staff to about 200 by the end of this year, and is considering a sale of stock, Rothera said. Teaming with Glaxo is a possibility, he said.

We could be a potential party that would be of interest, said Rothera, who was chief commercial officer of biotech PTC Therapeutics Inc. before joining Orchard last year. Glaxo has to make their decision. Im sure theyve had a lot of interest in this.

Glaxo declined to comment on potential collaborators, saying its focused on finding the right partner who can ensure these medicines get the focus they deserve.

Bubble-boy disease disables childrens immune systems and takes its nickname from a patient who spent almost all of his life in a plastic chamber to protect him from infections. The condition is called severe combined immune deficiency, and Glaxos product treats a form resulting from defects in a gene that makes a key immune enzyme. Donors for stem-cell transplants, a standard treatment, can be hard to find, and weekly injections of a replacement enzyme tend to lose their effectiveness.

Strimvelis uses a harmless virus to insert a healthy copy of the defective gene into the bone marrow where immune cells are produced. Only 15 new cases are diagnosed annually in Europe, and Glaxo has said their rarity explains the low number of patients treated. Worldwide, there may be 100 to 200 babies born in developed nations each year with the disease, Rothera said.

More than 50 patients have been treated with Orchards OTL-101 and all are still living. The company expects to file for U.S. approval this year and begin selling the treatment in 2019, seeing it as a launchpad to a wider pipeline of gene therapies, Rothera said.

Glaxo said it has also long been interested in freezing cells to ship Strimvelis to far-flung sites. Cryopreservation increases cells maximum six-hour shelf life to several weeks and potentially months, according to Glaxo.

So far theres no option of this nature in the U.S., theres no option in Latin America, and no option in Asia, Rothera said. We want to build on GSKs heritage and the foundation theyve already established.
Hawaiian Airlines, which has long relied on Airbus for most of its twin-aisle, long-range aircraft, is making a big switch with its next order: It will turn to Boeing's 787-9 Dreamliner.

To handle its longer flights, Hawaiian currently has a fleet of 24 twin-aisle Airbus A330-200s, along with a handful of aging 767s. Recently, the airline began to take delivery of new single-aisle Airbus A321neos, which it is starting to deploy on flights from the islands to the West Coast. (However delivery problems have recently led to flight cancellations.) Hawaiian also has an inter-island fleet of 20 smaller Boeing 717s.

TravelSkills with Chris McGinnis sponsored by . See More Collapse

In deciding on a replacement wide-body aircraft, Hawaiian said it looked at the new Airbus A330-900 but ultimately went with the Boeing plane instead. It has ordered 10 of the 787-9 Dreamliners, with options for 10 more. They should start being delivered in early 2021, Hawaiian said.

"Fuel efficiency and longer range capability make it perfect for Hawaiian's long-haul Asia/Pacific and North America routes," the airline said.

The Dreamliner's composite airframe will allow the cabins to be pressurized at lower altitudes, "creating a more comfortable in-cabin atmosphere," the airline noted. The planes will also have larger overhead bins for more storage, dimmable LED window shades, and windows up to 80 percent larger than those in its current fleet.

Related: Hawaiian Airlines abruptly cancels hundreds of flights

The company offered no details on the seating configuration planned for the 787-9s, except to say that they will have Hawaiian's new lie-flat first class product as well as "extra comfort seat options." Hawaiian's current A330-200s come in two configurations, with a total of 278 or 294 seats, both offering "extra comfort" seats with 36-inch pitch vs. 31-32 inches in regular economy.

Don't expect to see the new birds flying flocking to California. These long-haul jets will serve Hawaiian's destination in Asia and possibly New York. West Coast flights will use the new single aisle A321s.

Update: Hawaiian Air "does not know" when it will get its next A321 from Airbus

Read all recent TravelSkills posts here

Get twice-per-week updates from TravelSkills via email! Sign up here

Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.
Twelve properties in San Jose were damaged by an unknown number of BB gun vandals over the course of a dozen hours Monday night to Tuesday morning, police said.

Sgt. Enrique Garcia, a spokesman for the San Jose Police Department, said he did not know how many properties were businesses or homes but he was certain the shootings inconvenienced a lot of people.
Michael Noble Jr./The Chronicle

A Berkeley man pleaded guilty in a scheme to defraud European concert promoters by lying about his connections to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, officials said.

Quincy Krashna, 49, admitted in federal court Tuesday to misrepresenting his connections with the funk-rock band that was formed in Los Angeles in 1983 to promoters who were interested in Red Hot Chili Peppers concerts in Eastern Europe. In his plea agreement, Krashna admitted telling the promoters that he could secure the band if they wired a $450,000 down payment to an escrow account in October 2011, and that he would return the money in March of 2012 if he could not connect them to the band.
A standoff Wednesday with a man hiding under a Santa Rosa house forced sheriffs deputies to cut a hole in the homes floor to pry him out, authorities said.

The Sonoma County Sheriffs Office served a search warrant for Steven Molina, 47, of Petaluma, at 5:30 a.m to a home on the 1200 block of Grand Avenue in Santa Rosa. Authorities reportedly heard a commotion after knocking on the door, but residents said that Molina was not in the house.

Meanwhile, another deputy had gone to the rear of the home and heard a commotion, including movement under the house, the sheriffs report said. Molina, who had a $30,000 arrest warrant for assault with a deadly weapon, apparently tried to hide in a crawl space under the home but was seen through an exterior vent.

When he moved away, the deputy reportedly saw 30-year-old Jessica Ybarra, of Santa Rosa, who was wanted on a $50,000 warrant for vehicle theft and drug charges.

Ybarra came out from under the house when ordered, according to the Sheriffs Office, but Molina refused to comply. He allegedly threatened to kill deputies, a K-9 dog brought to the scene and himself. Occupants of the home told deputies he was armed with a knife when he fled under the house.

Based on his threats and his ability to carry them out, the Sheriffs SWAT Team and hostage negotiators responded to the home and attempted to get him to come out, Sgt. Spencer Crum said in a statement. When Molina refused to come out, a hole was cut in the floor above Molina.

Molina allegedly tried to fight deputies but was quickly taken into custody. Both suspects were booked into the Main Adult Detention Facility in Santa Rosa.

Ybarra is due in court Thursday, while Molinas arraignment is scheduled for Friday.
Aaron Rothschild starts most of his days around 6 a.m. That way, he can finish up work in time to catch a few runs on the ski slopes. Some afternoons, he conducts meetings in the Squaw Valley Ski Resort parking lot with a "laptop between me and my steering wheel."

The recent advent of telecommuting  a Gallup poll found at least 43 percent of Americans spent at least some time working remotely in 2016  has enabled the rise of a new breed of ski bum. Unassuming in his beanie and laid-back demeanor, this individual blends into the ragtag fabric of a mountain town. He lives in his chosen domain year-round, but unlike other full-time residents, he does not depend on the unpredictable fall of snowflakes to stay afloat.

With its proximity to Silicon Valley, the greater Tahoe region has become an obvious weekend escape for the tech jetset. These "weekend warriors" are known to flood the ski resorts and snap up second homes along the lake, and their high incomes (and willingness to spend them) is most welcome to locals.

A weekend getaway does not always suffice. Tired of the Bay Area, with its traffic and exorbitant housing costs, some folks deign to live in Tahoe year-round. Telecommuting, increasingly a perk at major technology companies, means one can live the mountain lifestyle with a Silicon Valley paycheck.

The techie ski bum may provide foil to the old aphorism "you can't have it all."

Jamie Orr is testament to that. The former Mountain View resident and Bay Area native said her Tahoe "aha moment" came in 2014, when looking through a photo album from the past year.

"The vast majority of the photos were taken in Tahoe," she said. "That's when it clicked."

Within a month Orr and her husband, their two-year-old in tow, decided to move east permanently. Indicative of their Silicon Valley mindset  disruption! innovation!  the couple worked remotely while they developed a space to enable others to do the same.

Their co-working space, Mountain Lab, opened in 2014. The Orrs nearly doubled the size of the business to meet demand two years later. The 11,000-sq.-foot co-working space now houses more than 30 desks and 25 private offices.

About half of membership works for or deals directly with a Bay Area tech company, Orr says. It's a similar story across the lake in Truckee, a town that has two co-working spaces for a population of 16,000.

Megan Michelson founded the Tahoe Mill Collective in 2013. She says about 20 percent of her clientele telecommute from Bay Area-based companies. The trend makes sense in a place like Truckee, where most of the economy is based in the service industry and locals often work multiple jobs to make ends meet.

"It's a bring-your-own job environment here," she said.

Though locals always welcome new permanent residents, Michelson says, tech money is less well-received, especially when it comes to real estate.

She's increasingly seeing houses sell "above asking" and "paid for in cash"  two homebuyer headaches that will sound familiar to those who've scoured Bay Area real estate listings.

According to data from the Tahoe Sierra Board of Realtors, single-family home prices remained relatively stable in the region over the past decade, though "we're trending up in price as inventory becomes limited," said board president Lil Schaller. Between 2008 and 2017, the number of units sold in the Tahoe-Truckee region more than doubled.

"It's hard to gauge what portion of buyers are 'telecommuters,'" Schaller notes, "but we definitely know that there's been an increase, probably also due to lack of inventory in the Bay Area," especially in the affordable sector.

About 60 percent of those who work in Truckee do not live in the town due to affordability issues, Schaller said. At the same time, higher-end developments can't meet demand.

Still, the majority of properties purchased in Tahoe are second homes, she said.

Even with a lack of inventory, prices across the region are monumentally more affordable than in most Bay Area cities. According to Zillow, the median home value in Truckee is $567,600. In South Lake Tahoe it's $419,800, and in Tahoe City, the median price is $671,300.

Peter Kowalczyk, 33, left Oakland for Truckee six years ago. His job, as an engineer at a Berkeley-based company, "followed me here," as he says. Sometimes he jokes that Truckee is "practically a suburb of the Bay Area," with all the second-home owners and telecommuters, like him. That can be a hard pill to swallow, but a feeling that's difficult to avoid in many popular locales.

"Just as I acknowledge that my housemates and I were forces of gentrification in my last neighborhood in Oakland, I acknowledge that I'm part of the wave of Bay-to-Tahoe transplants who are changing this little cluster of mountain towns," he said.

Though some of Michelson's friends are "a little grumpy" with the housing market, "most are pleased because we're finally getting the educated, tech-savvy, intellectual types who otherwise couldn't live here."

"If you're moving into the community to really live locally," Orr echoed, "then the community is incredibly welcoming."

Orr hopes Tahoe locals continue to warm to the idea of remote workers from Silicon Valley, especially as a means of diversifying the economy. The region will always depend on tourism, she said, but with weather becoming increasingly unpredictable, "it can only be a positive thing that people are able to make a living regardless of the forecast."

Of course, it's not all black diamonds and business calls. If you're lucky enough to convince your company to work remotely, the perk comes with certain pitfalls. A necessity, said Rothschild, is a trustworthy internet connection. He spent almost a year convincing a wireless ISP to install an antenna at his house, otherwise, "dial-up was the only option."

Other quirks of mountain town living can hinder efforts to match the fast operating pace of Silicon Valley. Before giving birth to her second child, Orr routinely commuted to San Francisco for consulting work  a three-hour schlep each way. Twice she's gotten stuck on a Tahoe highway that was shuttered by a fallen boulder.

"I made it work," she said, giving her presentation on FaceTime instead.

Orr said one fact invariably holds true when it comes to both telecommuting and living in Tahoe: "You have to be flexible."

Michelle Robertson is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @mrobertsonsf.
Californians are particularly spoiled when it comes to all things In-N-Out, but those who don't live within driving distance of a Double-Double will do plenty to get their hands on one.

Australia is an ocean away from the closest In-N-Out location, so when a pop-up of the burger chain turned up at a bar in Melbourne, it attracted plenty of attention.

A five-week-old bar named Lover somehow wrangled the opportunity to host the pop-up, planning to serve burger fanatics from all corners of Windsor, Melbourne and beyond from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday.

That plan was all well and good, but the event wound up selling out in a mere 30 minutes, according to News.com.au.

Only 310 patties were available as a Double-Double, Animal Style or Protein Style, despite lines that spanned over two blocks outside the bar. Everyone from locals to American expats were among those looking for a taste, starting to line up by about 9 a.m., Australian newspaper, The Age reported.

However, those who weren't already in line by 11:15 a.m. (a mere 15 minutes after the pop-up's official start time) were apparently told they wouldn't get a burger  and were instead given a consolation sticker.

One disappointed customer who missed the burger cutoff reportedly began yelling to the crowd, "I'll pay $50 for anyone's burger!"

One woman remembered when In-N-Out did a similar pop-up in Sydney in 2016, saying that those in Melbourne were "devastated then." With this experience, the burgers were "almost there ... and then it wasn't."

"We got all the way to the end of the queue and they said, 'This is the maybe burger line.'" she told the news outlet. "Nobody wants to be in the 'maybe burger line,' everybody wants to be in the 'definitely burger line.'"

Reviews from some of the lucky 300 burger-eaters ranged from "amazing, everything that everyone talks it up to be" to "worth the queue" to "It's fine. Not 10 out of 10, but fine."

For what it's worth, the lines could have been worse; In-N-Out's previous Sydney outing led to customers waiting up to five hours, Mashable Australia reported then. Londoners also waited five hours for a burger in 2016. One possible reason why the line wasn't as massive as it could have been may be due to the fact that Lover was banned from doing any publicity or leaking the information to the press ahead of the pop-up, limiting advertising to the day of, according to The Age. (Lover placed one "tiny print ad" in The Age that Monday, the newspaper reported.)

In comparison to the lines, however, it truly can get even worse: Last fall, New York City was teased with an In-N-Out pop-up of its own, which turned out to be a hoax.

When questioned as to why people were willing to wait even two hours for a burger, one person copped to perhaps the truest reason behind the madness:

"Because it's hype, and we're millennials," Josh Powell told The Age. "People will line up for anything."
A 26-year-old woman was found decapitated near a survivalist bunker on a northwest Washington property, prompting a search for a man described as a person of interest in the slaying.

Katherine Cunningham was found dead Saturday on Camano Island, a rural island north of Seattle in Puget Sound. Her remains were found on an undeveloped property off Tamarack Lane, located in the southern portion of the Island County island.

Investigators are now searching for Jacob Gonzales, a 34-year-old man believed to be silver compact car. Gonzales is described as an Hispanic man with black hair and hazel eyes standing 5-feet-9 and weighing 150 pounds.

The Mitsubishi Montero he was initially thought to be driving has been located by police.

Gonzales relationship to Cunningham or the womans death was not described by police.

Cunningham was found shortly before 2:30 p.m. Saturday, though she is believed to have died days before. Island County sheriffs deputies and investigators with the Washington State Patrol crime lab searched the area and discovered a bunker in a nearby hill.

According to an Island County Sheriffs Office statement, investigators recovered a cache of supplies, firearms and ammunition from the hillside.

On Wednesday, investigators announced that Cunningham had been decapitated and publicized Gonzales identity.

Based on the evidence it appears that the victim was specifically targeted and this was not a random act, a Sheriffs Office spokesperson said in a press statement. We are developing leads on a person of interest in the case and hope to release that information in the near future.

Investigators believe Gonzales may be headed to central or Southern California. Anyone who wishes to provide information regarding the case may contact Detective Ed Wallace at 360-679-9567 or tips@co.island.wa.us.

MORE FROM SEATTLEPI: Victims claim juvenile detention center protected sexual abusers

SeattlePI senior editor Levi Pulkkinen can be reached at 206-448-8348 or levipulkkinen@seattlepi.com. Follow Levi on Twitter at @levipulk. Find more from Levi here on his author page.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos's Wednesday visit to the Parkland, Fla. school where last month a shooter gunned down 17 students and faculty members did not appear to go as smoothly as planned.

DeVos, already a contentious figure within the Trump Administration for some of the policies she's put in motion, went to the school "to connect with students and teachers in the wake of the tragic shooting on February 14."

However, those who attend the school say DeVos failed to do any connecting before she left campus. She reportedly didn't visit any classes at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, but laid a wreath near a fence by where the shooting occurred and met with a small group of students in the school's media center.

"Do something unexpected: answer our questions," wrote one student, Aly Sheehy, on Twitter. "You came to our school just for publicity and avoided our questions for the 90 minutes you were actually here. How about you do your job?"

"I thought she would at least give us her 'thoughts and prayers,' but she refused to even meet/speak with students," wrote another student named Carly Novell who is an editor for the school's newspaper. "I don't understand the point of her being here."

A history teacher at the school, Gregg Pittman, echoed the students' concerns that DeVos was merely there to posture.

"Is she here just for a photo-op? Is she bringing us any money for security? Is she bringing any money for mental health? Is she bringing us any money for teacher pay?" he said to CNN. "Is she bringing us any other things that we need help with in education, or is it just a photo-op to send her down, appear in front of some cameras, take some pictures that she was here, pretend they care and then fly back off to Washington?"

The visit occurred on the school's first full day of resumed classes after the shooting, and was reportedly designed to "cause minimal disruption for students."

After her visit to the school, DeVos took just five questions in a very short news conference at a nearby hotel.

During the conference, as CNN reported, she doubled down on the controversial proposal to arm certain teachers in schools in an attempt to defend students against another shooter.

"I think to say 'arming teachers' is oversimplification and a mischaracterization really," DeVos said. "I think that the concept is to, for those schools and those communities that opt to do this ... to have people who are expert in being able to defend and having lots and lots of training to do so."

When asked why she visited the school, she told reporters, "I was just there to be there, to be with them."

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.


Kevin Zeich had three and a half years to go on his prison sentence, but his doctors told him he had less than half that long to live. Nearly blind, battling cancer and virtually unable to eat, he requested compassionate release, a special provision for inmates who are very sick or old.

His warden approved the request, but officials at the federal Bureau of Prisons turned him down, saying his life expectancy is currently indeterminate.

Congress created compassionate release as a way to free certain inmates, such as the terminally ill, when it becomes inequitable to keep them in prison any longer. Supporters view the program as a humanitarian measure and a sensible way to reduce health care costs for ailing, elderly inmates who pose little risk to public safety. But despite urging from lawmakers of both parties, numerous advocacy groups and even the Bureau of Prisons own watchdog, prison officials use it only sparingly.

Officials deny or delay the vast majority of requests, including that of one of the oldest federal prisoners, who was 94, according to new federal data analyzed by The Marshall Project and The New York Times. From 2013 to 2017, the Bureau of Prisons approved 6 percent of the 5,400 applications received, while 266 inmates who requested compassionate release died in custody. The bureaus denials, a review of dozens of cases shows, often override the opinions of those closest to the prisoners, like their doctors and wardens.

Advocates for the program say the bureau, which oversees 183,000 inmates, denies thousands of deserving applicants. Roughly half of those who died after applying were convicted of nonviolent fraud or drug crimes.

It makes sense to release prisoners who present very little danger to society. Its the humane thing to do, and its the fiscally responsible thing to do, said Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat. The Bureau of Prisons has the theoretical authority to do this, but they basically do none of it.

Case files show that prison officials reject many prisoners applications on the grounds that they pose a risk to public safety or that their crime was too serious to justify early release.
Female brewers worldwide are raising a stein to International Womens Day.

Thousands of women in the beer business and female home brewers are brewing together around the event, which falls on Thursday, seeing it as a way to raise the profile of women in a male-dominated industry.

Theres a spot for everybody in brewing and especially in learning about brewing, said Emily Engdahl, executive director of the Pink Boots Society, a U.S. nonprofit that supports women in the brewing industry. Its important we all help each other.

British brewer Sophie de Ronde began encouraging women to brew together on March 8 five years ago to promote female brewers and beer drinkers, and to draw others in.

It has grown globally, with about 160 breweries, home brew clubs and other beer lovers in 12 countries hosting a free International Womens Collaboration Brew Day this year. The theme is exotic ingredients. They call their beer Unite.

The Pink Boots Society used to collaborate with de Ronde but now runs its own event to raise money for educational scholarships for its members and to comply with rules for nonprofits. More than 200 breweries are participating in the societys collaboration brew day, which is up from 115 last year.

Seeing the number of women getting involved is heartwarming, said de Ronde, head brewer at Burnt Mill Brewery in Suffolk, England.

Having the unity of people brewing on the same day is wonderful, she said. But having people get involved, no matter what the day is, is what the whole event is about, really.

The womens day brewing events are complementary, Engdahl said.

Its a natural way for us to get together, share ideas and have a creative collaboration, she said. And who doesnt want to make a beer that tastes great?

Black Pond Brews in Danielson, Conn., hosted home brewers and beer enthusiasts on Sunday for a Pink Boots event.

The industry benefits from bringing in more people with different ideas, said co-owner Mike Teed.

Its dominated by white men. Theres no question about it, he said. Any way we can encourage any and all diversity, its going to be better for all of us.

Studies in recent years have found that women hold about a quarter of brewery jobs in the United States.

Most of the breweries working with Pink Boots are in the United States, with 40 events in California alone and about 25 more in Massachusetts. There are participants in nine other countries, with the most in Canada and Brazil.

Theyre using a blend of hops created for the brew day to make various beer styles. Both women and men, Pink Boots members and nonmembers, can brew for the day. Many events take place Thursday.
Seattle's methods for handling people living in vehicles could be in for a shakeup.

Seattle residents living in their cars, trucks or RVs, police usually have to follow city parking codes, including a 72-hour limit on parking in one place. But a recent court ruling in favor of a man who lost his home when his truck was towed calls into question city impound rules.

It was enforcement of those rules that triggered the towing and impounding of Steven G. Long's GMC Sierra pickup truck, where he had been living since 2014 when he was evicted because he couldn't make the rent on his apartment, according to a news release from Columbia Legal Services, the organization that represented Long in a lawsuit.

The fees charged by the city for towing and impounding Long's truck were excessive and amounted to a violation of the state Constitution and state homestead laws, a King County Superior Court judge ruled on Friday.

Even if it's only an old pickup truck, the place where a person lives is a home under state law, and holding that home hostage in order to collect a debt is illegal, the judge ruled, according to Ann LoGerfo, one of two Columbia Legal Services attorneys who handled the case on for Long.

"There is little societal interest in depriving Mr. Long of his only shelter, leaving him to continue living in public spaces under a tarp," said Alison Bilow, another attorney with the Basic Human Needs project at Columbia Legal Services, in a news release.

In California, the law is fairly strict against homeless people camping in their vehicles, and police and city homeless counselors have long struggled with how to handle the hundreds of cars, trucks, recreational vehicles and trailers that wind up as rolling homes to people in many parts of San Francisco.

The eastern edge of town in particular has been so packed with parked homeless abodes that outreach workers have dubbed the area "Car Nation." City law says cars in unmarked locations must be moved every 72 hours.

Headlines have erupted recently over a few cases of police clamping down.

In February, 64-year-old James Smith filed suit against the city of San Francisco for towing the 2007 Honda Accord that he had been living in just after Christmas. His suit takes a narrow cut at the state law that permits the city to tow cars without notice  he contends that he wasn't given adequate notice, though the city says it mailed him multiple parking citiations, mostly for leaving the car on the street during cleaning days. He told The Chronicle: "That was the only place I had to stay and be warm. "I'm homeless. I'm totally homeless. They took my home away. They actually took my home away."

In 2017, San Francisco workers towed 4,749 cars whose owners had five or more delinquent parking tickets, said SFMTA spokesman Paul Rose  who has also said the city sympathizes with homeless people but needs to keep the streets passable and clear.

In another high-profile instance in San Francisco, city workers last summer towed the recreational vehicle of a young couple who were living in it while they saved money to go home to Louisiana. Donations from those who sympathized with their plight after reading of it in The Chronicle managed to help the couple  Marielle Lowes, 24, and Paul Wassell, 28  bail the vehicle out of tow, and they left town.

The couple, like Smith, owned thousands of dollars in fines and tow fees that they said they couldn't afford on their own.

Once the Seattle ruling is finalized, it could impact the way the city handles such vehicles, though city officials wouldn't speculate on how.

The City Attorney's Office issued a brief statement indicating it could still appeal the ruling:

"The city disagrees with the trial court's ruling and is evaluating its options," the emailed statement read.

Long, 57, had parked his truck in an empty gravel lot near Rainier Avenue South and South Dearborn Street in July 2016 after the truck broke down. Living out of his truck, he worked in trades such as plumbing, electrical, landscaping and as a janitor at CenturyLink Field. In his truck, he stored the various tools of his work, often secured through day labor services.

In October, Seattle police were responding to a nearby homeless camp following a complaint of a threat.

Officers told Long that his truck couldn't stay on the city-owned lot more than 72 hours and had a parking officer put a tag on the truck to that end.

Long didn't move his truck, and a few days later, Seattle police had it towed and impounded while Long was working at CenturyLink Field.

Long eventually agreed to a payment plan in order to get his truck back, but by then he was on the hook for hundreds of dollars in fees and fines.

Based on LoGerfo's description of the ruling, the towing and impounding of Long's truck was perfectly legal, though the fees may have been excessive, particularly given his lack of permanent housing.

"What the judge found with Steven Long is that you can't hold the vehicle ... in order to obtain payments of a debt," LoGerfo said. "And the towing fees and fines can't be unreasonable."

LoGerfo said the ruling doesn't necessarily mean the city will change the way it handles the issue of people living in cars, but she hoped it would.

"Certainly, as advocates for the homeless, we would encourage the city to think about what they're doing when they're targeting vehicles used as homes," she said. "Is it really a good use of resources to continue to take away people's homes?"
A San Francisco police officer who became known as the Hot Cop of the Castro was either trying to avoid legal trouble or a dangerous crowd of bystanders when he fled the scene after plowing his personal Dodge Charger into two pedestrians in North Beach.

Those were the dueling stories offered jurors on the first day of the trial of Christopher Kohrs, who was off-duty at the time of the 2015 crash.

Prosecutors are seeking a felony conviction, while Kohrs attorneys for the first time laid out their defense: the muscular lawman felt threatened by a very aggressive crowd whose members recognized him as an officer thanks to his hunky online persona.

Thousands and thousands of people knew him, defense attorney Peter Furst told the Superior Court jury in his opening statement. It was a good thing in the beginning, but in the context of this case, not so much.

Kohrs, 40, is charged with two felony counts of hit and run stemming from an early morning wreck on Nov. 29, 2015.

He was behind the wheel of his orange 2009 Charger with his brother Nathan in the back seat and a friend, 45-year-old Norman Banks, sitting up front, authorities said.

The three had been clubbing at Fort One Bar and Lounge on Leavenworth Street near Fishermans Wharf and left around 2 a.m. While heading west on Broadway, authorities said, Kohrs hit the two male pedestrians as they crossed near Montgomery Street around 2:20 a.m., seriously injuring both.

Though he apparently had a green light, prosecutors said, Kohrs ditched his friends, the victims and his car, which had a smashed windshield, and took off on foot.

The victims, Victor Perez and Frank Vilches, were left bloodied. Vilches, who nearly died, suffered permanent disabling injuries and racked up medical bills exceeding $600,000, his attorney wrote in a lawsuit against Korhs and the city.

Eight hours went by before Kohrs turned himself into police. Prosecutors were frustrated because they couldnt collect evidence to indicate whether Kohrs had been intoxicated while driving. The officer was on medical leave from the department at the time due to a knee injury.

Kohrs was ordered to stand trial on two charges: hit and run causing injury and hit and run causing serious permanent injury. He has pleaded not guilty and is on unpaid administrative leave.

On Wednesday, Furst unveiled the core of his defense, contending that Kohrs ran away because he feared a very, very aggressive crowd of more than 100 people that began to gather.

This is a dangerous neighborhood, Furst said. Crowds form and all types of things happen.

This crowd was focused on Kohrs, the lawyer said, because they knew him as the Hot Cop of the Castro.

They said, Its the Hot Cop! F the police! Furst told jurors.

Kohrs worked in the departments Park Station for seven years. A neighborhood resident noticed his good looks and bulging biceps and began posting pictures of him on social media.

Soon, fan pages dedicated to Kohrs began cropping up and images of him went viral. Kohrs used the attention for charity, going shirtless during benefits and posing as a calendar model.
22:40

The BJP sees the resignations of two TDP ministers from the central government as an inevitable outcome driven by the regional party's "political compulsions" ahead of the assembly polls in the state next year.

Andhra Pradesh BJP chief K Hari Babu said political one-upmanship has been going on in the state -- an apparent reference to the war of words between TDP and its main rival YSY Congress -- over the special category status, and said the ministers' resignations were more of a political ploy ahead of next year's assembly polls.

The assembly polls in the state will be held along with the Lok Sabha election.

The saffron party, which has two Lok Sabha members from the state with 25 seats, is not much worried, its leaders said, over the prospect of fighting the elections without an ally.

"The BJP has potential to emerge as a third viable alternative in Adhra Pradesh and our track records in different states testify to this. We will continue to work for the people there to become a significant political force," its spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said.

As of now, the TDP remains a part of the NDA even after its decision to pull its ministers out of the government.

BJP sources said even if their party has to fight alone, it can only grow in a state where it has always had a marginal presence.

They also added that while the TDP remains a part of the NDA, the YSR Congress has also been friendly to the government in Parliament, which gives the BJP a unique political space as its main national rival, the Congress, remains a pariah for the two regional parties.

With the Centre slamming the door shut on Naidu's demand for special category status, he was left with little option but to escalate the matter as YSR Congress's chief Jaganmohan Reddy has been attacking him over the issue, the sources said.

"It was his political compulsion," they said.

The fact that the TDP has decided to remain a part of the NDA shows that the party is hedging its bets given the BJP's growing political clout at the national level ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls, they said. -- PTI
1 Africa aid: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sought to mend fences with Africa on Tuesday as he embarked on a five-nation tour across the continent, promising $533 million in new aid just months after President Trump disparaged some African countries with a vulgar term. In a speech before leaving Washington, Tillerson trumpeted American efforts to improve access to electricity across Africa and provide critical drugs for millions of people to treat HIV/AIDS. He did not mention, however, that the Trump administration has proposed slashing funding for both programs, along with other aid efforts seen as vital in Africa. Tillerson is scheduled to visit Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Chad and Nigeria. The United States now has about 6,000 troops in Africa.

2 Italy politics: The former Italian premier, Matteo Renzi, has challenged members of his defeated Democrats to publicly declare if theyll support the 5-Star Movement, throwing down the gauntlet as he tries to prevent his party from fracturing and backing its political nemesis. Renzi took to Facebook on Tuesday after national election results showed his once-dominant Democratic Party had brought the center-left to its worst showing ever, with the coalition taking less than 23 percent of the vote. The center-right coalition had 37 percent and the antiestablishment 5-Stars 32 percent. Neither obtained enough votes to govern.
Illinois voters unhappy with state's direction; barely influenced by tax cuts: Simon Poll

Marijuana legalization and lobbyist restrictions also strongly favored

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Illinois voters are not very sanguine about the overall direction of the state and nation, but they are much happier about the direction of their own town or city. Voters are also not impressed with the recent federal tax cuts and do not plan to let them influence their voting decisions.

Those findings are major conclusions of a recent poll released today by Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. The poll also included questions regarding which party voters believe best represents their interests in Congress and two policy issues on Illinois political agenda  legalizing recreational marijuana if it is taxed and regulated like alcohol, and whether lawmakers should wait at least a year before becoming a registered lobbyist.

Voters believe nation, state are going in wrong direction

The SimonPoll shows that 64 percent of Illinois voters believe the nation is off track and heading in the wrong direction, with 27 percent saying the right direction and 9 percent indicating they didnt know.

As for Illinois direction, 84 percent believe the state is off track and heading in the wrong direction, while only 9 percent said the right direction.

Voters have been more negative about the state of Illinois than the rest of the country since the inception of our poll in 2008, said Charlie Leonard, an institute visiting professor and one of the designers of the poll. It is notable that the state ratings are still 20 percentage points more negative than the national ratings and there is an 18 percent gap between Illinois and the nation on the right direction option.

Meanwhile, voters were more positive about the direction that their city or area is headed. A majority, 54 percent, chose right direction while 37 percent said wrong direction and 10 percent dont know.

Majority of voters opposed to 2017 tax cuts

Well over a majority (53 percent) of Illinois voters opposed the 2017 tax cut passed by the Republican-controlled Congress and signed by President Trump.

About one-third (34 percent) supported the tax cut and 2 percent said neither.

The state is deeply polarized  80 percent of Democrats opposed and 75 percent of Republicans supported the tax cuts. Among independents, 48 percent opposed and 36 percent supported the tax cuts.

Chicago voters opposed the tax cuts by a 63 to 28 percent margin, while downstate voters were more closely divided  with 40 percent in support and 41 percent opposed. In suburban Chicago and the collar counties, 55 percent opposed the tax cuts and 33 percent supported them.

Tax cuts make it harder for Republican candidates to gain support

On whether the tax cuts will make voters more or less likely to vote for Republican congressional candidates in Novembers general election, 56 percent said less likely, 33 percent said more likely, and 6 percent said neither.

Among Democrats, it was 85 percent less likely, while 80 percent of Republicans said more likely.

Among independents, 49 percent said less likely and 29 percent said more likely.

Downstate voters chose more likely over less likely by a 48 to 42 percent margin.

Chicago voters said less likely by a 70 to 19 percent, while suburban Chicago and collar counties voters chose less likely over more likely by 58 to 31 percent.

Solid advantage for Democrats on who represents voters interests

On which party best represents your interest in the U. S. Congress there was a solid advantage for the Democrats  43 percent to 28 percent for Republicans.

The poll found 6 percent chose Libertarians, 2 percent chose the Green Party and 12 percent chose some other party.

Among downstate voters, 40 percent chose Republicans, 31 percent chose Democrats while 7 percent chose Libertarians and 2 percent chose the Green Party.

Chicago favored Democrats 55 to 15 percent over Republicans, while 6 percent chose Libertarians and 3 percent chose the Green Party. In Chicago suburbs and collar counties, there was a 45 to 25 percent edge for Democrats over Republicans, while 5 percent chose Libertarians and 2 percent chose the Green Party.

Voters favor legalizing recreational marijuana; lobbyist restriction

The poll found that 66 percent of Illinois voters favor legalizing recreational marijuana if taxed and regulated like alcohol while 32 percent are opposed. There were 3 percent of voters who were unsure.

Downstate voters favored legalization by a 58 to 40 percent margin. Chicago voters were 77 to 22 percent in favor, and suburban Chicago and collar counties voters favored the proposal 66 to 31 percent.

Democrats favored the proposal 78 to 20 percent; Republicans split at 49 percent apiece, and independents favored it by a 62 percent to 36 percent margin.

An overwhelming 85 percent support a proposal that Illinois should require lawmakers to wait at least a year before registering as a lobbyist. There were 10 percent were opposed and 5 percent unsure.

The proposal was favored by similar margins by identifiers with both parties and independents and all three major regions of the state.

Sample size and margin of error

The margin of error for the entire sample of 1,001 voters is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. This means that if we conducted the survey 100 times, in 95 of those instances, the population proportion would be within plus or minus the reported margin of error for each subsample.

For subsamples, the margin of error increases as the sample size goes down. The margin of error was not adjusted for design effects. Among self-identified primary election voters, the margin is plus or minus 6 percentage points in the 259-voter sample of Republicans, and 4.5 percentage points in the sample of 472 Democrats.

Polling methodology

Live telephone interviews were conducted by Customer Research International of San Marcos, Texas using the random digit dialing method. The telephone sample was provided to Customer Research International by Scientific Telephone Samples.

Potential interviewees were screened based on whether they were registered voters and with quotas based on area code and sex (< 60 percent female). The sample obtained 51 percent male and 49 percent female respondents.

Interviewers asked to speak to the youngest registered voter at home at the time of the call. Cellphone interviews accounted for 60 percent of the sample. A Spanish language version of the questionnaire and a Spanish-speaking interviewer were made available.

Fieldwork was from Feb. 19 through Feb. 25. No auto-dial or robo polling is included. Customer Research International reports no Illinois political clients. The survey was paid for with non-tax dollars from the institutes endowment fund.

The data was not weighted in any way. Crosstabs for the referenced questions will be on the institutes polling website, simonpoll.org.

Polling data available for use by scholars and the public

The institute is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Researchs (AAPOR) Transparency Initiative. AAPOR works to encourage objective survey standards for practice and disclosure. Membership in the Transparency Initiative reflects a pledge to practice transparency in reporting survey-based findings.

The Institutes polling data are also archived by four academic institutions for use by scholars and the public. The four open source data repositories are:

Note: The Simon Poll and the Southern Illinois Poll are the copyrighted trademarks of the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University. Use and publication of these polls is encouraged - but only with credit to the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at SIU Carbondale.
Dave Toschi, a dapper cop who became the lead San Francisco police investigator for the Zodiac serial-killer case in the late 1960s and 70s, has died at the age of 86.

Toschi died at his home in San Francisco on Saturday after a lengthy illness, relatives said.

The Zodiac terrorized the Bay Area in 1968 and 1969 when he stabbed or shot at least five people to death, writing taunting notes and cryptograms to police and newspapers including The Chronicle after his kills. Toschi was drawn into the case when he was assigned to investigate the killing of the Zodiacs only San Francisco victim  Paul Stine, a cabbie shot to death in his taxi on Oct. 11, 1969.

It was the Zodiacs final confirmed slaying. Like every other inspector looking into the saga, from federal agents to police in Vallejo and Napa County, Toschi was unable to solve the case. But he never lost zeal for the mystery, friends said.

He was a super guy and a great cop, said Duffy Jennings, who covered the Zodiac case as a Chronicle reporter in the 1970s and maintained a lifelong friendship with Toschi afterward. And he told me that he still went every year on Oct. 11 to the Paul Stine murder scene to look around and try to figure out why they couldnt catch the guy.

The Zodiac case gnawed at him, Jennings said. He said it gave him an ulcer.

Toschi was born in San Francisco and, after graduating from Galileo High School, he pulled combat duty in the Korean War with the Army. Upon his return to San Francisco in 1953, he was hired at the Police Department and stayed there until retiring in 1985.

In addition to his work on the Zodiac killings, Toschi was part of the team that solved the racially motivated Zebra murders in the early 1970s, in which four black men were convicted of the random slayings of 14 white people. In 1985 he received a meritorious conduct award from the department for arresting a man who raped senior citizens and burglarized their homes.

His penchant for bow ties, snappy trench coats and the quick-draw holster for his .38-caliber pistol drew the attention of Steve McQueen, who patterned his character in the 1968 movie Bullitt after Toschi. Clint Eastwoods Dirty Harry character was also partially inspired by him.

But it was the Zodiac case for which Toschi was best known. He worked the clues until 1978, when he was taken off the case after admitting he sent fan notes with fictitious names to then-Chronicle writer Armistead Maupin praising himself. Toschi told the San Francisco Examiner that the notes were an ill-advised indulgence.

In the brouhaha that resulted, there were suspicions that he might have also written a letter to The Chronicle that purported to be from the Zodiac. However, nothing was proved, Toschi denied it and he remained with the department as a homicide inspector until his retirement. He was portrayed by Mark Ruffalo in the 2007 movie Zodiac.

I always looked up to him because he was this Italian guy who got this crazy case, said Gianrico Pierucci, who retired in November after being the latest in a long line of homicide inspectors to head up the still-alive Zodiac investigation. He was a good cop. He said he was always happy to get up and do his job.

Of the Zodiac case, Pierucci said: Dave did the best he could. He was always very pleasant and charming, and dapper, and Zodiac is a tough case.

After leaving law enforcement, Toschi worked in the security business, including several years as vice president of Northstar Security Services.

He loved books, music and could sing with the best of them, said his daughter, Linda Toschi-Chambers of San Francisco. His greatest pleasure was his loving family, and we will miss his keen sense of humor, his gentle guidance and his unconditional love.

Toschi is survived by his wife, Carol Toschi of San Francisco; two daughters, Toschi-Chambers and Karen Leight of San Mateo County; and two granddaughters, Sarah Leight of Pacifica and Emma Leight of Los Angeles.

Private services were held Wednesday. Donations may be made in his name to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in San Francisco, or to a charity of choice.

Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron
SIU will host Regional College Fair March 15

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Southern Illinois University Carbondale is hosting the Southern Illinois Regional College Fair, bringing together prospective students with representatives from numerous institutions of higher learning.

The Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling event will be from 10:30 a.m. until noon on March 15 at the SIU Arena. The college fair is free and open to the public.

Representatives from SIUs Undergraduate Admissions and other units around campus, including the academic colleges, will be on hand along with representatives of about 60 other public and private universities, colleges and community colleges. They will provide informational materials to participating students and answer questions.

SIU has invited students from high schools and community colleges in a wide region to participate and more than 20 high schools already have committed to bring student groups. Walk-in participants are welcome; enter through the east lobby entrance of the arena.

The event is one of several regional college fairs taking place throughout the state. SIU is hosting the March 15 event as a community service.

For more information, contact Michelle Rust, SIU senior admissions coordinator, at mrust@siu.edu or by calling 618/453-2184.
"Federal law is the supreme law of the land," U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said this morning in Sacramento, a day after the federal government sued California over state laws that it alleges interfere with immigration enforcement.

"I would invite any doubters to go to Gettysburg," Sessions told a gathering of the California Peace Officers Association. "This matter has been settled."

In addition to referencing one of the most famous battles of the Civil War, Sessions called on the state to "stop treating immigration agents differently from everybody else" for the purpose of frustrating federal immigration enforcement and advancing a pro-immigrant, "open borders" policy that he described as radical and irrational.

During his lengthy speech, Sessions bemoaned the changing demographics of the nation, saying that the percentage of "non-native born" residents is rising, and will soon reach the highest point in history.

He specifically called out Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf over her decision to alert the immigrant community of impending mass detentions in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials detained at least 232 of their roughly 1,100 targets throughout Northern California, accusing Schaaf of compromising the safety of federal agents.

"How dare you?" Sessions asked. "How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of our law enforcement officers to promote a radical open borders agenda?"

He stated that sanctuary city and state policies in California directly and adversely affect the efforts of federal law enforcement officials to reduce the numbers of immigrants living here, a fact not lost on the politicians who enacted and continue to support those policies.

"This morning, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions came into our state and attacked our values, our policies and our people," San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell said in a statement. "In response to this stunt, I want my message to be clear to Attorney General Sessions: your threats will not change who we are."

"We will not be intimidated," Farrell said. "No matter how hard the federal administration tries to export their politics of fear, we will remain a city of love and compassion. We will remain a Sanctuary City."

Schaaf, for her part, retweeted an infographic from January pointing out that despite Oakland's Sanctuary City status, violent crime has steadily declined over the last five years. She has planned a news conference shortly before noontime to provide further comment.

Sessions also made an appeal to local law enforcement officers, apparently soliciting their support regardless of the positions taken by elected leaders in their communities.

"We are fighting to make your job safe," Sessions said. "We intend to win this fight.

"You can be sure about this: We have your back," he added.

Former federal prosecutor and current San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo pushed back against that in a statement issued shortly after Session's speech, saying trust of local law enforcement is critical to maintaining public safety.

"Police chiefs of major cities throughout the nation agree that we critically need to ensure every resident -- regardless of status -- will not hesitate to call 911 in an emergency, to report a crime or share information with police, without a looming fear of being ripped from their family," Liccardo said.

Sessions did not limit his criticism to local jurisdictions. He also blasted state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Gov. Jerry Brown and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.

"Jeff Sessions just called me an embarrassment," Newsom responded on Twitter. "A man whose legacy is targeting immigrants, re-waging the failed War on Drugs, sucking-up to private prison profiteers, and apologizing for white supremacists... I take that as a HUGE compliment."

###
SAN JOSE (BCN)

The San Jose City Council adopted a resolution today that authorizes the city's housing department to accept a grant that will help those displaced by the Coyote Creek flood of February 2017.

Assembly Bill 130, passed by Assembly Member Ash Kalra, appropriated $5.4 million to the California Department of Social Services to provide a one-time grant to San Jose in order to assist the homeless and low-income affected by the flooding, the adopted resolution says.

The first plan of action, according to the memo headed by housing director Jacky Morales-Ferrand on Feb. 20, 2018, will be to use the first portion of the funding to continue to fund the nonprofit Catholic Charities' case management and housing to residents still searching for permanent homes. Morales-Ferrand said that 18 households consisting of 42 individuals remain displaced and are living in temporary housing.

The resolution states that the city aims to use the grant funds to finance intensive case management and housing assistance until all impacted by the flooding are able to return home or locate new housing.

Once that goal is reached, funding will be used to provide community coordination in three flood-impacted neighborhoods in which residents will be connected to resources to recover and prepare for any other potential future disasters, Morales-Ferrand said in the memo.

With the adoption of this resolution comes the approval of two new Community Coordinator positions within the housing department, which will run the second phase of the funding.

A portion of the funding will be used to support a temporary position in the Office of Emergency Management for the rest of 2018 with the possibility to extend up to two years, the memorandum reads. This employee will help to support a Community Emergency Response Team in impacted neighborhoods and educate volunteers about basic disaster response skills and hazards that may impact their area.

As a condition of these funds, the city will provide quarterly reports regarding how many have been served with housing, neighborhood stabilization, disaster preparedness, employment, transportation, education and community building services, according to the document.

The Office of Mayor Sam Liccardo said that the efforts that can be made with the money from the Department of Social Services Grant will add to several steps that the city has taken, including raising $7 million to support non-profits that helped flood victims, establishing a disaster recovery service program with Catholic Charities and providing more than 80 households with vehicle replacements or repairs.

According to the Housing Department's proposal, all flood-related community programming and activities will be in place by May.

###
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

A San Francisco Superior Court judge has ruled that local election officials must give voters notice and a chance to verify their signatures before rejecting signatures on mailed ballots.

Judge Richard Ulmer on Monday struck down a state law that allows county elections managers to discard a vote-by-mail ballot without notifying the voter if the signature on the ballot envelope does not appear to match the one on file.

Ulmer said the law violated the federal and state constitutional rights of due process.

"Voting is a fundamental right, and notice and an opportunity to be heard are fundamental to due process," the judge wrote.

He ruled in a lawsuit filed in November by the American Civil Liberties Union and Santa Rosa resident Peter LaFollette.

LaFollette, 25, a hydrologist, voted by mail in the 2016 general election and did not learn until eight months later, when he checked the California secretary of state's website, that his ballot wasn't counted because his signature appeared to be a mismatch.

More than half of California's 14.6 million voters cast ballots by mail in November 2016 and an estimated 33,000 to 45,000 were rejected because of mismatched signatures, according to Ulmer's decision.

The lawsuit proceedings didn't show any evidence of fraud in the rejected ballots, Ulmer said in the ruling. He said factors that could account for signature variations include disability, injury, the passage of time and or a person having a primary language, such as an Asian language, that does not use the Roman alphabet.

Ulmer's decision requires the secretary of state to inform county officials that they must notify voters and give them a chance to verify their signatures before disqualifying ballots on grounds of a mismatched signature.

The defendants in the lawsuit were Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Sonoma County Registrar of Voters William Rousseau. The decision could be appealed.

Padilla's press secretary, Sam Mahood, said "We are reviewing our options and have no further comment at this time."

ACLU Foundation Attorney Michael Risher said that if it is not appealed, Ulmer's order will go into effect in time for the November general election and possibly in time for the June primary vote.

"Handwriting varies and a perceived mismatch does not give election officials the right to refuse to count a vote," Risher said.

Meanwhile, Mahood said, Padilla is supporting a proposed state law, SB 759, that would accomplish the same result as Ulmer's order.

The measure, sponsored by state Sen. Mike McGuire, D-North Coast/North Bay, has passed the Senate and is now pending in the Assembly. But it would not go into effect until 2019, Risher said.

###

309

Secretary of State Press Secretary Sam Mahood (916) 653-6575
SANTA ROSA (BCN)

Three Sonoma County Superior Court judges have affirmed the convictions of a Petaluma mother and daughter for misdemeanor obstructing and resisting a sheriff's deputy during a confrontation outside their home in 2015.

Gabrielle Lemos, 21, and her mother Michelle Lemos, 50, were convicted in August 2016 of resisting Deputy Marcus Holton in front of their Liberty Road home in Petaluma on June 13, 2015, and were sentenced to 30 days in Sonoma County Jail and two years of probation.

Judges Shelly Averill, Rene Chouteau and Gary Nadler heard their appeal and upheld the convictions on Feb. 27, according to the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office.

Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch said the three-judge panel rejected defense claims of insufficient evidence, prosecutorial misconduct and errors by the judge during jury instructions.

Gabrielle Lemos' attorney Izaak Schwaiger said today he will ask a state Court of Appeals in San Francisco to hear an appeal of the three-judge panel's ruling.

At the trial, Holton testified he stopped in front of the Lemos residence because a truck with an attached trailer was blocking Liberty Road. Holton said he heard an argument that indicated a possible domestic violence incident involving Gabrielle's sister Karli, who was sitting inside the truck.

The defendants said Karli had been drinking and was upset because she lost her cellphone, and there was no domestic violence at their home that night.

Holton said he wanted to arrest Gabrielle for interfering with his investigation after she made physical contact with him when he opened the passenger door to remove Karli from the truck.

Gabrielle testified her mother told her to go inside the house while she tried to defuse the situation. She said Holton followed her up a gravel driveway, lifted her up and threw her to the ground.

She suffered facial injuries and was treated at a hospital before she was booked into Sonoma County Jail. The confrontation and arrest were recorded by Holton's body-worn camera.

Michelle Lemos testified she grabbed Holton's collar and might have kicked him as he straddled Gabrielle and handcuffed her. She also was arrested for obstructing an officer.

The trial raised issues of excessive police force by Holton and racism by the defendants, who were heard making racist comments about Holton, who is black, during recorded telephone conversation while Gabrielle was in jail.

###

565-3098

Defense attorney Izaak Schwaiger (707) 595-4414
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

After a decade-long planning process that included numerous city agencies, community organizations and the San Francisco Giants, Mayor Mark Farrell signed new legislation this morning that will convert an old parking lot near AT&T Park into a new mixed-use housing and commercial complex.

Located at Third and Mission Rock streets in the city's Mission Bay neighborhood, the parking lot is on the waterfront and adjacent to Piers 48 and 50. A total of 21 acres will be developed, according to Farrell.

Dubbed "Mission Rock", the new neighborhood will include an array of shops, cafes and offices, as well as 8 acres of parks and public open space, a community square, a wharf and public access to pier 48. The project will also include 1,500 housing units, 40 percent of which city officials say will be affordable for residents with low to moderate incomes.

Flanked by members of the Board of Supervisors, officials from the Port Commission and San Francisco Giants GEO Larry Baer, Farrell signed the legislation, officially paving the way for the project to move forward.

Planning for the project began about a decade ago. Then-Mayor Gavin Newsom, late Mayor Ed Lee, former Acting Mayor London Breed, and current Mayor Farrell all threw their full support behind the project, which was a joint venture among city officials, the Port Commission and the Giants, among other groups.

"This is really emblematic of the best of a collective planning process that we have here in the city of San Francisco," Farrell said this morning at City Hall.

He also congratulated each of the agencies and organizations involved in the planning process for ensuring that the project included the 40 percent affordable housing, which is a record for housing projects in San Francisco.

"We're now going to have police officers and firefighters and teachers living there and transitional age youth are going to be living there. This is a big deal for the city of San Francisco and a huge part of what Mayor Lee was pushing for in all the new housing units," Farrell said.

Lee spent much of his time in office helping to plan and promote the project, a point Farrell was quick to point out.

"I think he'd be very proud," Farrell said.

###
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

San Francisco police fatally shot a suspect in the Mission District during a robbery investigation on Tuesday night, police reported today.

Two armed robbery victims flagged down a police car at 20th and Capp streets at about 10:36 p.m. in the Mission District, police said.

Using a vehicle description provided by the victims, police located a black Honda Civic on Capp Street between 21st and 22nd streets. Police ordered the suspects out of the car, and the driver and another suspect were detained.

Police saw one more suspect in the open trunk of the car, and shot the suspect while attempting to detain the person, police said.

The suspect died on the scene, according to police, even after police administered medical aid and emergency responders arrived in an ambulance.

Police found a handgun in the trunk of the vehicle, and the two detained suspects were transported to Mission police station for interviews.

Several agencies are conducting an ongoing investigation.

Police said they will hold a town hall meeting about the officer involved shooting within 10 days. More information will be released when it becomes available, according to police.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the San Francisco police tip line at (415) 575-4444. Callers will allowed to place anonymous tips.

###
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

San Francisco police shot someone in the Mission District on Tuesday night, officials reported.

The shooting happened at 20th and Capp streets at about 10:36 p.m., according to a tweet from the San Francisco Police Officers Association.

The association said no police officers were wounded, but did not say if anyone else suffered injuries.

The association said there were no suspects in the area at about 11:40 p.m. and told people to avoid the area due to an ongoing investigation.

At about 12:30 a.m. today, San Francisco police tweeted that officers were responding to an officer-involved shooting at 21st and Capp streets.

It was not clear if the two incidents were the same event, and police did not immediately respond to request for comment.

###
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

San Francisco police Monday arrested a suspect in a stolen vehicle after he tried to flee from officers.

According to police, officers from the police department's Southern Station responded to a call of suspects casing a motorcycle shop.

Officers responded to the scene, but the suspect allegedly fled in a stolen vehicle. He was soon apprehended at 8th and Brannan streets and identified as William Flubacker, police said.

Flubacker was allegedly wearing gloves and had a pry bar, a wedge and suspected methamphetamine, police said.

He was arrested and booked into jail, police said.

###
The U.S. government has sued the state of California, Gov. Jerry Brown and Attorney General Xavier Becerra, alleging that three California laws are unconstitutional because they interfere with federal immigration enforcement.

The laws are "a deliberate effort by California to obstruct the United States' enforcement of federal immigration law," says the lawsuit filed by U.S. Justice Department lawyers Tuesday in federal court in Sacramento.

The three laws were enacted by the state Legislature and signed by Brown in 2017.

One of them, Senate Bill 54, entitled the California Values Act, bars local officials from informing federal officials about immigrants' release dates from jail except in serious criminal cases.

It requires a court warrant before an immigrant can be transferred from local to federal custody and bars local law enforcement officers from asking about individuals' immigration status during routine interactions.

Brown said when signing it in October that the law doesn't interfere with the work of federal immigration agencies in any way, but merely "prohibits the commandeering of local officials to do the work of immigration agents."

The other two laws restrict private employers' cooperation with immigration officials and require federal inspection and review of immigrant detention facilities in the state.

The lawsuit asks for court orders striking down the three laws.

It says the U.S. Constitution and laws enacted by Congress give the federal government the "preeminent authority to regulate immigration matters" and the Constitution does not allow a state to interfere with those powers.

Brown and Becerra planned a news conference this morning in Sacramento to respond to the lawsuit.
Student/faculty work on display  Two pieces on exhibit by Southern Illinois University Carbondale photography students at the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mount Vernon are Delphian by Haley Powell and John Penkala by Louis Washkowiak. The faculty and student exhibit has been held annually at Cedarhurst since 1993. (Photographs provided)

Cedarhurst hosting 2018 SIU photography exhibition

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill.  The photographic works of Southern Illinois University Carbondale students and faculty are on display at the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mount Vernon.

The 2018 exhibition The Influence of Tradition in Contemporary Photography, features work from undergraduate and graduate students and faculty within the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts. The exhibition, which dates back to 1993, runs through April 29 in the centers Beal Grand Corridor Gallery.

Admission to the exhibition is free, but admission to the main gallery is $5, except on Thursdays, which are free.

Exhibition presents unique opportunity for students

The works on display include photographs by students across a varying range of experience levels  from graduate-level students to those who are taking their first photography class  according to Daniel Overturf, professor in the Department of Cinema and Photography.

The exhibition is also special in that it allows students to show their images in a regional arts center with an international reputation for its galleries and sculpture park, he noted.

In many cases, the exhibit will be the student's first gallery exhibit. While some students may eventually enter the professional, commercial photography field, many might also enjoy long careers in galleries and other public art events, Overturf said. The relationship that has been fostered with Cedarhurst over the years has resulted in many wonderful examples of creative interrelationships between students, faculty and staff in our college.

Wanted to show hard-working Americans

Louis Washkowiak, a senior photography major from Spring Valley, chose a photo from his Applied II Photography class. Its the last photo class students typically take, and one that helps them find their career paths once they graduate.

Washkowiak said he drew much of the inspiration for his photograph, John Penkala, from early 20th century street and documentary-style photographers, such as Walker Evans and Robert Frank. Penkala, Washkowiak said, is a miner for a sand company.

Evans and Frank had a lot of images showing hard-working Americans, which is something I think is important to preserve, Washkowiak said. I simply wanted to create this visual still documentary of John Penkala while he was hard at work.

Started her shoot with just a location

Powells photograph, Delphian, projects a deadpan style of photography which is generally described as a deliberate display of no emotion. The photograph is channeling the documentary portrait style of Alec Soth, as well as painting like the Mona Lisa and American Gothic, she said.

Powell, from Savannah, Ga., said she usually starts with a concept or subject.

But after I found the location I knew I wanted to make a photo of a person in front of the beautiful landscape and somehow I got to this final image, she said.

Personal achievement to have photos in exhibit

Washkowiak and Powell each appreciate the chance for others to see their work. Washkowiak would like to have a photo on permanent display in an institution or gallery.

To me, having an image up at Cedarhurst feels like the first step to achieving my goals, he said.

The experience is extremely valuable, Powell agreed. This is the only time my work has been exhibited outside of the classroom or the schools hallways.

Its also a safe introduction to the process because there are consistent reminders of deadlines and its a student show, which I think makes people respond differently to the work.

Faculty also contribute work

The 34-piece exhibition is comprised of work from 31 students and three faculty: Overturf, Antonio Martinez, associate professor, and Alison Smith, a visiting lecturer in the department.

Visually exciting show with lots of good ideas and execution

The exhibition is also important for people from the community as it enables them to observe the students current ideas and techniques as well as their abilities, Rusty Freeman, Cedarhursts director of visual arts, said. He said it is Cedarhursts honor to bring awareness of the teaching and student work being offered at SIU Carbondale.

The exhibit is a way of keeping our finger on the pulse of what is happening in todays world from the students unique perspective, Freeman said.

Exhibit part of larger Paul Strand photography exhibition

Main Gallery admission, which features Paul Strand and the Masters of American Photography, is $5 per person; Cedarhurst members, and children 10 and under are free.

Admission is free on Thursday.

Cedarhurst Center for the Arts is at 2600 Richview Road, Mount Vernon. The facility is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. There are extended hours until 8 p.m. on Thursdays. The facility is closed on Mondays and national holidays.
Gov. Jerry Brown and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra vowed today to defend the state against a U.S. government lawsuit that claims three state laws protecting undocumented immigrants are unconstitutional.

Brown called the lawsuit filed in federal court in Sacramento Tuesday "a political stunt" and accused the administration of President Donald Trump of "basically going to war against the state of California."

Brown and Becerra at a news conference in Sacramento said the three challenged laws are "fully constitutional."

The 10th amendment of the U.S. Constitution "provides California with the right to decline to participate in civil immigration enforcement," Becerra said.

The two top officials and the state of California are named as defendants in the lawsuit filed by Justice Department lawyers on behalf of the United States.

They spoke shortly after Sessions addressed law enforcement officers at a separate meeting of the California Peace Officers Association in Sacramento.

Sessions called the California laws "irrational, unfair and unconstitutional."

He told officers at the meeting, "California is using every power it has, and some it doesn't, to frustrate federal law enforcement. So you can be sure I'm going to use every power I have to stop them."

The lawsuit alleges the three laws enacted last year are "a deliberate effort by California to obstruct the United States' enforcement of federal immigration law."

One of the measures, entitled the California Values Act, bars local officials from informing federal officials about immigrants' release dates from jail except in serious criminal cases.

It requires a court warrant before an immigrant can be transferred from local to federal custody and bars local law enforcement officers from asking about individuals' immigration status during routine interactions.

Brown said when signing it in October that the law doesn't interfere with the work of federal immigration agencies, but merely "prohibits the commandeering of local officials to do the work of immigration agents."

The other two laws restrict private employers' cooperation with immigration officials and require inspections and reviews of immigrant detention facilities in the state.

The lawsuit contends that the U.S. Constitution and laws enacted by Congress give the federal government the "preeminent authority to regulate immigration matters" and that the Constitution does not allow a state to interfere with those powers.

###
"No one elected me to be fearful," Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf told reporters this afternoon, responding to a fresh round of criticism from U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who condemned her this morning for warning the public about last week's immigration sweeps.

"They elected me to stand up for the people of my community," Schaaf said. "They elected me to have courage during difficult times -- and these are difficult times."

On Feb. 24, she alerted the immigrant community of impending mass detentions in which ICE officials detained at least 232 of their roughly 1,100 targets throughout Northern California.

Despite White House statements that the U.S. Department of Justice has been instructed to look into a possible obstruction of justice investigation, Schaaf said that as of today she's not aware of any formal request for documents related to a criminal investigation into her actions.

Melinda Haag, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California and a litigator with a high level of expertise in this particular kind of case, is consulting with the Oakland city attorney to represent the mayor on a pro-bono basis, according to Schaaf. She declined to provide details on the substance of their discussions, citing attorney-client privilege.

"The agenda of this administration is petty political vindictiveness," Schaaf said.

"Clearly they are picking a fight with California," Schaaf said. "They are picking a fight with diverse sanctuary cities and the people who lead them, but I cannot let that distract me from my job."

Schaaf said it was not her intention to get caught up in the national debate over sanctuary cities, but said she believes she's speaking on behalf of the people she represents. She also expressed confidence that any questions regarding the legality of sanctuary city and state policies will be settled by the courts.

"Federal law is the supreme law of the land," U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said this morning in Sacramento to a gathering of the California Peace Officers Association, a day after the federal government sued California over state laws that it alleges interfere with immigration enforcement.

"I would invite any doubters to go to Gettysburg," Sessions said. "This matter has been settled."

In addition to referencing one of the most famous battles of the Civil War, Sessions called on the state to "stop treating immigration agents differently from everybody else" for the purpose of frustrating federal immigration enforcement and advancing a pro-immigrant, "open borders" policy that he described as radical and irrational.

During his lengthy speech, Sessions bemoaned the changing demographics of the nation, saying that the percentage of "non-native born" residents is rising, and will soon reach the highest point in history.

He specifically called out Schaaf over her decision to leak news of the impending ICE raids, which critics say may have put ICE agents at risk of violence during the operation.

"How dare you?" Sessions asked. "How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of our law enforcement officers to promote a radical open borders agenda?"

He stated that sanctuary city and state policies in California directly and adversely affect the efforts of federal law enforcement officials to reduce the numbers of immigrants living in the state, a fact not lost on the politicians who enacted and continue to support those policies.

Sessions also made an appeal to local law enforcement officers, apparently soliciting their support regardless of the positions taken by elected leaders like Schaaf.

"We are fighting to make your job safe," Sessions said. "We intend to win this fight."

"You can be sure about this: We have your back," he added.

This afternoon, one reporter asked Schaaf about the seemingly warm reception Sessions enjoyed in Sacramento, pointing out that the crowd at the California Peace Officers Association meeting may have included local law enforcement from Alameda County.

Schaaf responded, saying her focus has been on the Oakland Police Department and Chief Anne Kirkpatrick.

"She has been unequivocal in her support of Oakland's Sanctuary City policies and for the values this community believes in," Schaaf said of Kirkpatrick.

"Many law enforcement leaders have said that sanctuary policies actually help them fight crime," Schaaf added. "They know they must have the trust of all members of the community for them to do their jobs safely and effectively."

###
"Federal law is the supreme law of the land," U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said this morning in Sacramento, a day after the federal government sued California over state laws that it alleges interfere with immigration enforcement.

"I would invite any doubters to go to Gettysburg," Sessions told a gathering of the California Peace Officers Association. "This matter has been settled."

In addition to referencing one of the most famous battles of the Civil War, Sessions called on the state to "stop treating immigration agents differently from everybody else" for the purpose of frustrating federal immigration enforcement and advancing a pro-immigrant, "open borders" policy that he described as radical and irrational.

During his lengthy speech, Sessions bemoaned the changing demographics of the nation, saying that the percentage of "non-native born" residents is rising, and will soon reach the highest point in history.

He specifically called out Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf over her decision to alert the immigrant community of impending mass detentions in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials detained at least 232 of their roughly 1,100 targets throughout Northern California, accusing Schaaf of compromising the safety of federal agents.

"How dare you?" Sessions asked. "How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of our law enforcement officers to promote a radical open borders agenda?"

He stated that sanctuary city and state policies in California directly and adversely affect the efforts of federal law enforcement officials to reduce the numbers of immigrants living here, a fact not lost on the politicians who enacted and continue to support those policies.

"This morning, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions came into our state and attacked our values, our policies and our people," San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell said in a statement. "In response to this stunt, I want my message to be clear to Attorney General Sessions: your threats will not change who we are."

"We will not be intimidated," Farrell said. "No matter how hard the federal administration tries to export their politics of fear, we will remain a city of love and compassion. We will remain a Sanctuary City."

Schaaf, for her part, retweeted an infographic from January pointing out that despite Oakland's Sanctuary City status, violent crime has steadily declined over the last five years. She has planned a news conference shortly before noontime to provide further comment.

Sessions also made an appeal to local law enforcement officers, apparently soliciting their support regardless of the positions taken by elected leaders in their communities.

"We are fighting to make your job safe," Sessions said. "We intend to win this fight.

"You can be sure about this: We have your back," he added.

Former federal prosecutor and current San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo pushed back against that in a statement issued shortly after Session's speech, saying trust of local law enforcement is critical to maintaining public safety.

"Police chiefs of major cities throughout the nation agree that we critically need to ensure every resident -- regardless of status -- will not hesitate to call 911 in an emergency, to report a crime or share information with police, without a looming fear of being ripped from their family," Liccardo said.

Sessions did not limit his criticism to local jurisdictions. He also blasted state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Gov. Jerry Brown and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.

"Jeff Sessions just called me an embarrassment," Newsom responded on Twitter. "A man whose legacy is targeting immigrants, re-waging the failed War on Drugs, sucking-up to private prison profiteers, and apologizing for white supremacists... I take that as a HUGE compliment."

Gov. Jerry Brown and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra vowed today to defend the state against a U.S. government lawsuit that claims three state laws protecting undocumented immigrants are unconstitutional.

Brown called the lawsuit filed in federal court in Sacramento Tuesday "a political stunt" and accused the administration of President Donald Trump of "basically going to war against the state of California."

Brown and Becerra at a news conference in Sacramento said the three challenged laws are "fully constitutional."

The 10th amendment of the U.S. Constitution "provides California with the right to decline to participate in civil immigration enforcement," Becerra said.

The two top officials and the state of California are named as defendants in the lawsuit filed by Justice Department lawyers on behalf of the United States.

They spoke shortly after Sessions addressed law enforcement officers at a separate meeting of the California Peace Officers Association in Sacramento.

Sessions called the California laws "irrational, unfair and unconstitutional."

He told officers at the meeting, "California is using every power it has, and some it doesn't, to frustrate federal law enforcement. So you can be sure I'm going to use every power I have to stop them."

The lawsuit alleges the three laws enacted last year are "a deliberate effort by California to obstruct the United States' enforcement of federal immigration law."

One of the measures, entitled the California Values Act, bars local officials from informing federal officials about immigrants' release dates from jail except in serious criminal cases.

It requires a court warrant before an immigrant can be transferred from local to federal custody and bars local law enforcement officers from asking about individuals' immigration status during routine interactions.

Brown said when signing it in October that the law doesn't interfere with the work of federal immigration agencies, but merely "prohibits the commandeering of local officials to do the work of immigration agents."

The other two laws restrict private employers' cooperation with immigration officials and require inspections and reviews of immigrant detention facilities in the state.

The lawsuit contends that the U.S. Constitution and laws enacted by Congress give the federal government the "preeminent authority to regulate immigration matters" and that the Constitution does not allow a state to interfere with those powers.

San Francisco police fatally shot a suspect in the Mission District during a robbery investigation on Tuesday night, police said today.

Two armed robbery victims flagged down a police car at 20th and Capp streets at 10:36 p.m., police said.

Using a vehicle description provided by the victims, police located a black Honda Civic on Capp Street between 21st and 22nd streets. Police ordered the suspects out of the car, and the driver and another suspect were detained.

Police saw one more suspect in the open trunk of the car, and shot the suspect while attempting to detain the person, police said.

The suspect died at the scene, even after police administered medical aid and emergency responders arrived in an ambulance.

Police found a handgun in the trunk of the vehicle, and the two victims were transported to the Mission police station for interviews.

Police said they will hold a town hall meeting about the officer involved shooting within 10 days. More information will be released when it becomes available, according to police.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the San Francisco police tip line at (415) 575-4444. Callers will allowed to place anonymous tips.

One person is dead after a collision involving a stolen motorcycle in San Jose on Tuesday evening, according to police.

Officers responded to the crash at North Ninth and East Santa Clara streets at 7:37 p.m., police said.

A preliminary investigation showed that a silver Nissan Altima driven by an 18-year-old man was traveling up North Ninth Street when another man riding a stolen Suzuki motorcycle collided with his vehicle at East Santa Clara Street, police said.

The motorcyclist was transported to a hospital but died a short time later, according to police. The driver of the Nissan remained on scene and cooperated with investigators.

The Santa Clara County medical examiner's office is not releasing the identity of the motorcyclist as of this morning.

San Jose police said that this was the 12th fatal collision on city streets this year.

Anyone with information on the incident should contact Detective LeAnn Alfonzo of the Police Department's Traffic Investigations Unit at (408) 277-4654.

A victim of a DUI-related traffic collision that took place in San Jose in February succumbed to her injuries and passed away the day after her 84th birthday, according to police.

On Feb. 4 at 9:56 p.m., officers responded to a major injury traffic collision on Bernal Road at the northbound U.S. Highway 101 off-ramp intersection, police said.

When officers arrived on scene, they found both drivers in critical condition, and both were transferred to a hospital.

A preliminary investigation indicated that the woman who eventually died was driving her white 2018 Toyota RAV4 going north to exit at Bernal Road and continued into the intersection when a black 2013 Hyundai, traveling south on Bernal Road, ran the red light and collided with the Toyota, according to police.

The driver of the Hyundai, 53-year-old San Jose resident Elizabeth Marie Armendariz, was arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of felony DUI.

Police said they were notified on Tuesday that the victim had been pronounced dead on Feb. 28.

San Jose police detectives are submitting the case to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office for review.

The victim's name is not yet being released by the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office.

Police said that this case is San Jose's 11th fatal collision on the city's streets in 2018.

Anyone with information about the collision should contact San Jose police Traffic Investigations Unit Detective Kelvin Pham at (408) 277-4654.

A woman was struck and seriously injured by a vehicle in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood on Tuesday evening, according to police.

The collision was reported at about 6:55 p.m. in the area of Fifth and Harrison streets.

The 25-year-old woman was struck while walking in the roadway and was taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries that are considered life-threatening, police said.

The driver was not arrested as a result of the collision.

The Sunnyvale City Council voted unanimously Tuesday evening to direct the city attorney to research restricting the purchase of semi-automatic rifles by those under 21 years old.

Mayor Glenn Hendricks put the item on the agenda because of a "direct, urgent need for the topic of public safety," he said at Tuesday's meeting.

City Attorney John Nagel will return at a time yet to be determined with information on creating an ordinance that would stop those under the legal drinking age from buying semi-automatic centerfire rifles, with exceptions for active-duty military and law enforcement personnel.

The research would be halted if state or federal legislation was passed that addressed what Hendricks believes to be the two main components in many mass shootings: youth and semi-automatic rifles.

"When you're a teenager and you get your license, you have to wait 12 months before you can go ahead and drive with your friends," the mayor said. "It is not a stretch to see the common theme that it can be appropriate to restrict what people are able to do before they are 21."

Hendricks suggested that while the most impact could be made at the state or federal level, Sunnyvale could address the immediate concern by creating an ordinance and inviting neighboring cities to do the same.

Councilmember Russ Melton pointed out that the city does have a study session process that the item could have circulated through, but Hendricks said an ordinance would help expedite the process to ensure the community would not face this threat.

"I am willing to talk to citizens about doing too much, but I never want to have to talk about not doing enough," Hendricks said.

The ESL Incorporated shooting that took place in Sunnyvale in 1988 when former employee Richard Farley shot and killed seven people with a semi-automatic shotgun was brought up, prompting the question of whether or not shotguns would be included in the ordinance.

Hendricks said this specific ordinance would not cover shotguns since "the intent is not to try and plug every hole that somebody might want to go ahead and see."

He also pointed out that the shooter in that case was over the age of 21.

"This is not an end-all action," Hendricks said.

He said in most shootings, excluding mass shootings, the violence is caused with a handgun, which already requires the purchase age of 21 in California.

Former Sunnyvale Mayor Tony Spitaleri was present at the meeting and spoke during public comment, saying that he doubted federal change will happen as a result of the school shooting that took 17 lives on Feb. 14 in Parkland, Florida.

"It's as quiet as a church in there," Spitaleri said of gun control plans in the Republican-controlled Congress.

Spitaleri said local ordinances and measures do matter, and that he prefers that the proposal be translated into a ballot measure so that it can be voted on by residents and not "weakened by future councilmembers with different views."

Lastly, Spitaleri said he does not believe there should be exemptions to the restrictions, since the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety hires at the age of 21 and military bases are not immune to their own soldier-on-soldier shootings.

Councilman Michael Goldman backed this point up, saying that the purchasing process wouldn't apply to military or law enforcement anyways since they are issued guns.

Three Sonoma County Superior Court judges have affirmed the convictions of a Petaluma mother and daughter for misdemeanor obstructing and resisting a sheriff's deputy during a confrontation outside their home in 2015.

Gabrielle Lemos, 21, and her mother Michelle Lemos, 50, were convicted in August 2016 of resisting Deputy Marcus Holton in front of their Liberty Road home in Petaluma on June 13, 2015, and were sentenced to 30 days in Sonoma County Jail and two years of probation.

Judges Shelly Averill, Rene Chouteau and Gary Nadler heard their appeal and upheld the convictions on Feb. 27, according to the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office.

Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch said the three-judge panel rejected defense claims of insufficient evidence, prosecutorial misconduct and errors by the judge during jury instructions.

Gabrielle Lemos' attorney Izaak Schwaiger said today he will ask a state Court of Appeals in San Francisco to hear an appeal of the three-judge panel's ruling.

At the trial, Holton testified he stopped in front of the Lemos residence because a truck with an attached trailer was blocking Liberty Road. Holton said he heard an argument that indicated a possible domestic violence incident involving Gabrielle's sister Karli, who was sitting inside the truck.

The defendants said Karli had been drinking and was upset because she lost her cellphone, and there was no domestic violence at their home that night.

Holton said he wanted to arrest Gabrielle for interfering with his investigation after she made physical contact with him when he opened the passenger door to remove Karli from the truck.

Gabrielle testified her mother told her to go inside the house while she tried to defuse the situation. She said Holton followed her up a gravel driveway, lifted her up and threw her to the ground.

She suffered facial injuries and was treated at a hospital before she was booked into Sonoma County Jail. The confrontation and arrest were recorded by Holton's body-worn camera.

Michelle Lemos testified she grabbed Holton's collar and might have kicked him as he straddled Gabrielle and handcuffed her. She also was arrested for obstructing an officer.

The trial raised issues of excessive police force by Holton and racism by the defendants, who were heard making racist comments about Holton, who is black, during recorded telephone conversation while Gabrielle was in jail.

Twenty suspects were involved in a strong-armed robbery in Oakland on Tuesday afternoon, according to police.

None of the suspects are in custody, according to police. Three people were victims in the robbery and at least one suffered injuries.

The suspects allegedly took the victims' cash and attacked them with weapons at 4:40 p.m. in the 6500 block of San Leandro Street.

Separately, a man was shot in Oakland on Tuesday evening and was transported to a hospital in stable condition.

Three suspects were involved in the shooting and attempted robbery in the 800 block of Chester Street at 7:26 p.m., according to police.

At 9:56 p.m., a crash was reported in the 5700 block of Broadway that sent a victim to the hospital in critical condition.

More information about the crash was not immediately available.

Sonoma County sheriff's deputies this morning arrested two suspects who were wanted on warrants.

Both were found hiding in a crawl space under a residence in the 1200 block of Grand Avenue in Santa Rosa around 5:30 a.m., sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Crum said.

Jessica Ybarra, 30, of Santa Rosa, was wanted for vehicle theft and drug offenses. She cooperated with deputies, came out from under the house and was arrested without incident, Crum said.

Steven Molina, 47, of Petaluma, was wanted for assault with a deadly weapon. Molina remained under the house and allegedly threatened to kill the deputies, a police dog and himself. The occupants of the house said Molina was armed with a knife, Crum said.

After a SWAT team arrived, a hole was cut in the floor above Molina and he tried to fight the deputies before he was arrested around 7 a.m. on the warrant and for threatening the deputies, Crum said.

###
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

A woman was struck and seriously injured by a vehicle in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood on Tuesday evening, according to police.

The collision was reported at about 6:55 p.m. in the area of Fifth and Harrison streets.

The 25-year-old woman was struck while walking in the roadway and was taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries that are considered life-threatening, police said.

The driver was not arrested as a result of the collision.

###
UF plant biologist Pam Soltis receives SURAs Distinguished Scientist Award

University of Florida plant biologist Pam Soltis will receive the Southeastern Universities Research Associations 2018 Distinguished Scientist Award, given annually to a scientist whose extraordinary work fulfills the associations mission to advance collaborative research and strengthen the scientific capabilities of its members and the nation.

Soltis, a distinguished professor and curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History at UF, will be presented with the award and its $5,000 honorarium at the SURA Board of Trustees meeting at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Virginia, on April 26.

A member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Soltis studies plant diversity, with emphasis on the origin and evolution of flowering plants, plant genome evolution and conservation genetics. She uses genomic methods, natural history collections and computational modeling to understand patterns and processes of plant evolution and identify conservation priorities.

To help increase the publics understanding of biodiversity, she joined an interdisciplinary team to create multimedia art pieces and an animated film that use the Tree of Life as a metaphor for how all living things are related to one another.

In nominating Soltis for the award, UF Vice President for Research David P. Norton wrote that her work in genetics and genomics was not only groundbreaking for plant scientists but for all scientists who want to understand the genetic relationships between populations and species.

Dr. Soltis research has dramatically changed our understanding of the natural world, Norton said. Her work uncovers new relationships in the Tree of Life, illuminates fundamental aspects of plant biology, points to areas of greatest conservation concern and continually pushes the boundaries of what is possible in bioinformatics. In addition to being a world-class researcher, Dr. Soltis also shows a tremendous commitment to training and mentoring the next generation of scientists and engaging the minds and imagination of the public. UF is very fortunate to have such a leader.

SURA Board of Trustees Chair Kelvin Droegemeier, who is also vice president for research at the University of Oklahoma, said, Dr. Soltis is the kind of researcher every university hopes to have on its faculty. She is a renowned scholar cited in respected journals, an aggressive researcher winning multiple grants and a passionate teacher impacting scores of students.

Soltis has won numerous honors for her contributions to the study of plant diversity. Jointly with Doug Soltis, she received the Darwin-Wallace Medal from the Linnean Society of London, the R. Dahlgren International Prize in Botany, the Asa Gray Award from the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, the Botanical Society of Americas Merit Award and the Stebbins Medal from the International Association of Plant Taxonomists. Thomson Reuters named her one of the Worlds Most Influential Scientific Minds in 2014. She also won the Botanical Society of Americas Centennial Award.

Soltis earned a bachelors degree in biology from Central College and a doctorate degree in botany from the University of Kansas. She joined UF in 2000, after serving on the faculty of Washington State University for 14 years.

She is the founding director of the UF Biodiversity Institute and a member of the UF Genetics Institute.

She has published more than 400 peer-reviewed journal articles and oversees a diverse lab of more than a dozen graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and routinely trains at least five undergraduate students per semester.

Soltis has received more than $37 million in support for her research on the evolutionary history and genomics of flowering plants. She became the lead investigator on the project that launched the new Genetic Resources Repository at the Florida Museum and is one of the principal investigators for iDigBio, a project that made UF the hub for the NSF-funded program to digitize the collections of all U.S. natural history museums. This led to a $27-million award that has brought widespread recognition to UF for its leadership role in bioinformatics. She is also a co-principal investigator of a $7-million Department of Energy project to pinpoint the genes that allow certain plants to fix nitrogen and engineer this genetic pathway into other plants for food and fuel.

I am very honored to receive this award, Soltis said. I have a fantastic group of collaborators at UF and elsewhere, and this award is for all of them as well. Im also thankful for the supportive environment at UF, where collaboration is both valued and encouraged.

SURA is a nonprofit consortium of more than 60 research institutions in the southern U.S. and the District of Columbia.

The SURA Distinguished Scientist Award was established in 2007, commemorating the organizations 25th anniversary. SURAs development & relations committee manages the solicitation, screening and selection of the recipient from a SURA member institution. The president and trustee of each of SURAs member research universities are eligible to make one nomination for the Distinguished Scientist Award.

Soltis joins UF College of Pharmacy Dean Julie Johnson, who received the award in 2015, and microbiology Distinguished Professor Lonnie Ingram, who was recognized in 2008.
In the wake of Attorney General Jeff Sessions' strident anti-immigration speech in Sacramento Wednesday, Gov. Jerry Brown ripped into Sessions, accusing him of going to war on California and saying the Trump administration is "full of liars."

A day after announcing the Department of Justice would sue California over three immigration laws he claims are unconstitutional, Sessions said he intends to use "every power" possible to stop California from limiting the powers of law enforcement.

He also attacked Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf for her decision to warn her city of impending raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement late last month, accusing her of having a "radical open-borders agenda."

Asked about Sessions' claim that California's immigration laws endanger those who work in law enforcement, Brown did not pull punches in his Sacramento press conference.

"Look, we know the Trump administration is full of liars. They've pled guilty already to the special counsel," said Brown.

"There's nothing that stops the sheriff running the jails from working with ICE," he added.

He went on to call the notion that California wants to protect criminals or secede "lies" and said Sessions should apologize for bringing Washington-style dishonesty to California.

"I call upon him to apologize to the people of California," he said.

"It's not about the truth, it's not about protecting our state, it's about dividing America," he said of Sessions's announcement. "This is basically going to war against the state of California, the engine of the American economy."

Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on Twitter
This article has been corrected from its original version.

Iris Canada  who became the poster elder for property disputes when she lost her ownership rights in her Lower Haight apartment a few years ago  died in May at age 100. But the fight over the future of her former home continues.

On Thursday the Planning Commission is expected to rule on whether Peter Owens, the co-owner of 670 Page St., will be permitted to convert the building into condominiums.

Owens became the target of housing activists in 2016 after moving to evict Canada, who had lived in the building from the 1950s to 2012. Owens, who said she forfeited her ownsership rights at that point, bought into the building in 2002 with the goal of converting it to tenancy-in-common units and eventually to condos. Though the other tenants moved out, Canada resisted and eventually won a life estate agreement, where she was allowed her to remain in the unit until she died.

But in 2016 Owens argued that she had actually been living elsewhere with family for six years, rather than in the Page Street flat.

It doesnt look too promising for Owens. Planning staff is recommending that the commission reject the conversion request. At a January hearing, Commissioner Dennis Richards stated that he found the whole case distasteful.

Whats going on in this city kind of makes me sick, Richards said. Its so selfish and so money-oriented.

 J.K. Dineen

Registration required? A former legislative aide for San Francisco Supervisor London Breed is facing a city ethics complaint for failing to register as her campaign consultant, after receiving $2,583 from Breeds Democratic County Central Committee campaign account as payment for consulting services.

Gabrielle Lurie/Special to The Chronicle

Conor Johnston left Breeds office last year to become a consultant for the cannabis industry, specializing in government relations. He also describes himself as a periodic adviser to Breed.

Filings from Breeds 2016 DCCC campaign account show five payments to Johnston last year, amounting to $1,000 for campaign consulting and $1,583 for content creation and editing, services usually provided by campaign consultants.

San Franciscos ethics rules require anyone who is paid $1,000 or more for campaign consulting in a calendar year to register with the city.

Johnston pushed back Wednesday, characterizing the complaint as a bogus political ploy from backers of Mark Leno, one of Breeds leading opponents in the mayoral race.

The Ethics Commission is barred from commenting on the complaint, which was filed Tuesday by Castro district resident Aaron Stella, who described himself as a fan of Leno.

Should the commission pursue the case, it could fine Johnston $5,000 or three times the amount of money he failed to report  whichever is greater.

 Rachel Swan

Making space: The citys much-hyped effort to create housing by allowing property owners to convert basements, storage spaces and laundry rooms into legal apartments is being strangled by red tape, and Supervisor London Breed says that is unacceptable.

Stephen Lam/Special to The Chronicle

There are 419 accessory dwelling unit  ADU  projects in the planning pipeline. Many are proposing multiple units, which means that the number of individual units pending approval is actually 1,100 ADUs.

Thats a lot of housing  the equivalent of about three Rincon Hill apartment towers. But only about a quarter of those projects have been issued permits so far, and only 23 have been completed.

Whats the holdup? We made ADUs legal, so why is it taking so long to implement? said Breed, who is running for mayor and positioning herself as the most pro-housing candidate in the race. Its been two years. There is too much bureaucracy.

To get to the bottom of the delays, Breed is proposing an ADU task force that would include officials from the Planning Department, Department of Building Inspection and Fire Department. The working group would go through the cases in the backlog and figure out which applications can be sped up.

ADUs are a creative way to produce more housing in a market that desperately needs it, she added. We need to get these units to the market sooner rather than later.

 J.K. Dineen
BRUSSELS  The European Union says its ready to retaliate against the U.S. over President Trumps proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum  with counter-measures against iconic U.S. products like Harley Davidson motorcycles, Levis jeans and bourbon.

The EU threat and Trumps insistence that the tariffs will go ahead escalate the risk of a trade war, in which countries try to punish each other by increasing taxes on traded goods. In the end, that tends to hurt all sides as exporting producers suffer but so do consumers who face higher costs, experts say.

There was some hope that free trade proponents in the White House, like economic adviser Gary Cohn, would dissuade Trump from going ahead with the tariffs. But Cohns resignation Tuesday dealt a blow to that expectation.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said Wednesday that the EU is circulating among member states a list of U.S. goods to target with tariffs so that it can respond as quickly as possible.

The list is being finalized but so far includes U.S. steel and agricultural products, as well as other products like bourbon, peanut butter, cranberries and orange juice.

She did not say what level of tariffs the EU would set, leaving it unclear what the economic impact would be.

This is basically a stupid process, the fact that we have to do this. But we have to do it, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had said Friday. We can also do stupid.

The EU considers itself to be caught in the crossfire of this particular trade dispute, in which Trump has mainly singled out China for being unfair in its commercial deals.

Trump last week he said his government would levy penalties of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports, but left it not clear whether trading partners like the EU and Canada would be exempt.

So the EU has moved ahead with preparations for the worst.

Malmstroem said that the EU, the worlds biggest trading bloc, rejects Trumps reasoning that the tariffs are backed by the international legal right to protect national security.

We cannot see how the European Union, friends and allies in NATO, can be a threat to international security in the U.S., Malmstroem told reporters. From what we understand, the motivation of the U.S. is an economic safeguard measure in disguise, not a national security measure.

The EU itself already has tariffs on many imports. But Malmstroem said Trumps motives in this case do not appear compatible with World Trade Organization rules and that this means the EU can activate safeguards to protect its own markets.

The WTO said Wednesday that, so far, 18 members  including China, Australia, Brazil, the EU, India, Japan, Norway and Russia  have expressed concerns about Trumps proposed tariffs.
ROME  Precious survived a trip across North Africa and two sinking boats before making it to Italy, only to be confronted with the reality facing young Nigerian migrants like her: A madam gave her condoms, pantyhose and a G-string, and put her to work.

I had a mattress. It was in the bush, Precious said recently, her face hidden to hide her identity. If a white man came who said he wasnt going to have sex inside his car, I would take him to my bed.

Nigerian teenagers and young women selling sex is a common sight for motorists in Italy. Working along roadsides and secondary highways in cities big and small, they are a haunting reminder that while Italy has been successful in curbing immigration from Libya, it has largely failed to help a fraction of the migrants trafficked as sex slaves.

Between 10,000 and 30,000 Nigerian prostitutes are estimated to be walking Italian streets, often to pay off the debts they incurred to get there. Government figures show 1,172 trafficked people were rescued and given special protection in 2016, about 700 of them Nigerian women and girls. More than 100 were minors, like Precious.

She was 17 years old when she was found off Libyas coast with a boatload of other migrants and brought to Italy. After Nigerian traffickers put Precious on a train to Turin, the Nigerian madam who met her in the northern city explained her new life:

You dont have any choice. This is what is going on, this is how it is going to be, Precious, a nickname she uses, recalled. You need to prostitute.

The reason? She had to pay off the $25,000 debt her traffickers said she had acquired, one customer at a time.

The Italian government has tripled its funding to help trafficked girls get off the streets, from $10 million in 2015 to $28 million in 2017. The governments equal opportunities office says most of the money has gone to providing more beds in safe houses for trafficked women and girls who want to escape life on the streets.

But advocates say there is no coordinated response or strategy, and not enough beds to go around. The rescued women cant be housed in regular migrant shelters because their pimps will come for them. In fact, many girls still on the streets actually live in migrant shelters, where their traffickers can operate with impunity, said David Mancini, assistant prosecutor in lAquila.

The traffickers work inside the centers, recruiting and running their business, he said. The girls leave in the morning and come back at night. Its a pressing issue and we dont have any way to prevent this exploitation.

Increasingly, the Nigerian migrants being forced into prostitution are minors, some as young as 13, according to the International Organization for Migrations 2017 report on human trafficking.

Their young age doesnt allow them to understand the true risk that they are facing, said Oliviero Forti, migrant policy director for the Caritas Catholic charity, which is among dozens of groups providing help for trafficked women and girls.
VATICAN CITY Pope Francis has cleared the way for slain Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero to be made a saint, declaring that the churchman who became a hero for standing up for the poor and oppressed should be canonized along with the reformer Pope Paul VI.

Francis signed a decree confirming miracles attributed to two of the most important progressive figures in the 20th century Catholic Church during a meeting with the head of the Vaticans saint making office, the Vatican said Wednesday.

No date was set for either canonization. Vatican officials have previously said Paul VI would likely be canonized in October, during a big Vatican meeting of bishops.

The Vatican official who spearheaded Romeros sainthood cause, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, said he hoped the two would be declared saints together in October, saying a joint canonization would give Catholics a burst of energy and example of the need to live ones life for others.

Im in a hurry because theres an urgent need to change the world, Paglia told the Associated Press. The canonization is not just a ceremony, I want it to be a motor for change.

Another option would be to canonize Romero closer to home, such as when Francis travels to Panama in January for World Youth Day. The big Catholic youth rally will draw tens of thousands of young Catholics from across Central and South America, where Romero is considered a hero.

Romero was gunned down by right-wing death squads on March 24, 1980, as he celebrated Mass in a hospital chapel. The countrys military dictatorship had vehemently opposed his preaching against the repression of the poor by the army at the start of the countrys 1980-1992 civil war.

Paul was responsible for presiding over the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 meetings that reformed the church.

Romero loved to say that the Second Vatican Council asked all Christians to be martyrs today, that is, to live giving your life for others, not for yourself, Paglia said.

Paglia said Romeros example of literally paying with his life for the poorest of the poor was particularly needed today, in a world full of individualism and oppression, where inequality grows rather than diminishes.
MOSCOW  Russias President Vladimir Putin had more words of praise for President Trump on Wednesday, but added that he was sorely disappointed with the U.S. political system, saying that it has been eating itself up.

Speaking in an interview with the Russian state television, Putin lavished Trump with praise, describing him as a great communicator.

I have no disappointment at all, Putin said when asked about the U.S. president. Moreover, on a personal level he made a very good impression on me.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of international summits last year. Putin praised Trump as a balanced man, who easily gets into the gist of various issues and listens to his interlocutor.

Its possible to negotiate with him, to search for compromises, Putin added.

He also noted that he spent some time talking to Melania Trump when he sat next to her during an official dinner at the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany in July. The Russian leader said he told her and the wife of the Italian premier about Siberia and Kamchatka, about fishing ... about bears on Kamchatka and tigers in the Far East.

Venting his frustration with the U.S. political system, Putin said it has demonstrated its inefficiency and has been easting itself up.

Its quite difficult to interact with such a system, because its unpredictable, Putin said.

Speaking about the bitter tensions in Russia-West relations, Putin said they have been rooted in Western efforts to contain and weaken Russia.

We are a great power, and no one likes competition, he said.
LONDON  A Russian ex-spy and his daughter fighting for their lives in an English hospital were attacked with a nerve agent in a targeted murder attempt, British police said Wednesday.

The case has further strained relations between Russia and Britain, which has said it will respond strongly if the Russian government is linked to the attack. It has overtones of a 2006 fatal attack on a former Russian spy that was blamed on the Kremlin.

In that incident, a radioactive poison was used. The choice of a nerve agent in the latest case follows the use of the banned nerve agent VX to kill the estranged half-brother of North Koreas leader last year.

Sergei Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, were found unconscious on a bench in the southwestern English city of Salisbury on Sunday, triggering a police investigation led by counterterrorism detectives. Baffled police initially said the pair had come into contact with an unknown substance.

Having established that a nerve agent is the cause of the symptoms leading us to treat this as attempted murder, I can also confirm that we believe that the two people who became unwell were targeted specifically, Metropolitan Police counterterrorism chief Mark Rowley said.

Police said the two remain in a critical condition in intensive care after being exposed to the substance.

Police have declined to speculate on who might be behind the attack. The Russian government has denied any involvement in the attack on Skripal, a former Russian agent who had served jail time in his homeland for spying for Britain before being freed in a spy swap.

Rowley said a police officer who treated Skripal and his daughter at the scene was in serious condition. He did not provide the officers name.
BEIRUT  Government forces on Wednesday seized vast swathes of territory including farmland from rebels in the opposition-held suburbs of Damascus, effectively dividing the besieged enclave in two and further squeezing rebels and tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside, state media and a war monitor reported.

The government, determined to wrest the suburbs from the control of rebels after seven years of war, has resorted to extreme levels of shelling and bombardment to clear the way for its troops to advance on the ground. Hundreds have been killed in the past two weeks.

The state-affiliated al-Ikhbariya TV station on Wednesday broadcast live shots from the region, showing dense columns of smoke rising above the town as explosions and rockets could be heard flying overhead. Syrias Central Military Media said troops took control of the town of Beit Sawa and most of Misraba, both rebel-held communities in the heart of the enclave.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that by nightfall, Syrian government troops and allied militias had seized half of the territory held by rebels in eastern Ghouta and split the enclave in two halves  a north and southern part.

By slicing the territory, the Syrian government succeeds in severing supply routes and squeezing further rebels inside.

Dramatic videos released by the oppositions Syrian Civil Defense on Wednesday showed rescuers digging away hard-packed rubble to rescue a dust-covered little boy and a baby girl in the town of Arbeen. The Britain-based Observatory, which monitors the war through a network of activists on the ground, said 40 people were killed in the bombardment Wednesday.

In Geneva, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein denounced what he said were attempts by Syrian government of President Bashar Assad to justify indiscriminate, brutal attacks on hundreds of thousands of civilians by the need to combat a few hundred fighters in eastern Ghouta, calling it legally and morally unsustainable.

When you are prepared to kill your own people, lying is easy, too. Claims by the government of Syria that it is taking every measure to protect its civilian population are frankly ridiculous, he said.

At least 800 civilians have been killed since the offensive started Feb. 18, according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights. Russias military by its own admission is playing a key role supporting the assault.
Page Content

California is one of the most complex states when it comes to employment laws and legislation. The number of statutes and regulations governing workers and the workplace far exceeds those of other states, as well as the federal government. The impact of this "California difference" on HR professionals in the state is clear. Nonstop legislative and regulatory changes mean that HR must always be prepared to realign employment policies and practices to a moving target. Ensuring compliance means being proactive, not reactive.

California's legislative and regulatory complexity means that HR professionals who practice in the state, who work for an organization with operations in the state, or who serve clients who do business in the state all have a need for state-specific resources and education. In 2014, when SHRM was developing its certification program, I approached it on behalf of the California State Council (CalSHRM) to find out how the new SHRM credentials would recognize the California difference. Building the expertise of HR professionals across the state was my goal as CalSHRM's state director.

CalSHRM leadership had been instrumental in developing prior California-specific certifications. Now we felt it was time to move to the next level and build a California-specific body of knowledge. CalSHRM was also developing its state legislative advocacy efforts. We felt it was important to build a strong state knowledge base among HR professionals, which they could use to distinguish themselves in the field.

SHRM was excited to explore the idea further. It was an honor to become a part of the development process over the subsequent three years, working in conjunction with the SHRM education department. Our result is the new California Employment Law Micro-Credential officially introduced on Feb. 23, 2018.

California HR Knowledge and Expertise

There was a lot of discussion over what a California certification should look like. Based on my three decades of experience as an HR practitioner in the state and as an instructor of HR courses, I felt it was necessary for a micro-credential to focus on technical competence linked to education and knowledge. California employers seek HR professionals who are not only adept in the SHRM-defined behavioral competencies, but who also bring to their work an expertise in and understanding of California employment law. We set about designing the requirements for the micro-credential from this perspective.

Our goal was to provide HR practitioners with in-depth, state-specific knowledge in each of the functional areas within SHRM's HR Expertise technical competency. Those who successfully earned the micro-credential would be able to demonstrate subject matter expertise in the multiple layers of California employment law, setting them apart from their peers and identifying their true value to employers.

We developed criteria and information for the micro-credential based on the California employment law education course currently offered by SHRM. By 2017, the e-learning modules were refined, the self-assessment was finalized, and the pilot was tested. The required combinationa two-day SHRM seminar plus four SHRM e-Learning coursesprovides HR professionals with a strong foundation of knowledge and expertise. Those who pass the self-assessment show that they have what is needed to lead California organizations in reducing employment risk and building engaged and productive workforces.

SHRM's State-Specific Micro-Credential

The SHRM California Employment Law Micro-Credential is valid for five years. A new self-assessment is required to reinstate one's micro-credential. As more California content becomes available, SHRM will offer additional California curriculum. SHRM has always done an outstanding job of putting together state resources; I consider its California resources my bible. I also value SHRM's research because it is unbiased toward labor or business. SHRM is truly looking at realistic, common-sense approaches and solutions for HRnot at whose side you're on.

Culture, not compliance, drives behavior in business. The foundational knowledge demonstrated by SHRM's new California micro-credential gives the HR practitioner who holds it two key advantages: (1) the ability to develop procedures and programs that help drive organizational effectiveness and reduce risk; and (2) the insight to formulate workforce strategies that help drive engagement and productivityall within a cultural framework in compliance with the law.

Collaborating with SHRM on this project has been a true highlight of my career. One of my personal goals as an HR practitioner was to gain professional certification and also to identify myself as a subject matter expert in California employment law. I had gained other HR credentials in the past, but I am most proud to have passed the SHRM-SCP exam and now to be one of the first to have the SHRM California Employment Law Micro-Credential.

SHRM's efforts have pushed the profession forward so that HR professionals are taken seriously as business partners. My SHRM membership and affiliation continues to be the most powerful alliance in my professional life. If not for SHRM, I would not be the owner and CEO of my own HR business, nor would I have the value and ability to deliver the results I now bring to my clients.

Being SHRM-certified means the world to me. HR professionals: Take the time to educate yourself.

Michael Letizia, SHRM-SCP, is president of Letizia HR Solutions Inc., in Stockton, Calif., and the author and developer of the "California Employment Law Essentials for Business" training workshop. He is past state director of the California State Council of SHRM and has held other positions with CalSHRM, including conference director and workforce readiness director. Letizia has been a member of the board of directors for San Joaquin SHRM for more than 15 years, twice as president.




Page Content

When employers fail to provide full pay to employees for all their hours worked, it's sometimes called wage theftan issue that has gained visibility in recent years.

Experts say that this type of theft is common, yet it often remains hidden from regulators. And even when workers win judgments against companies, many of them never recover their unpaid wages. They may also face retaliation from their employer for bringing a claim.

To combat the issue, California enacted legislation in January that provides more tools for the labor commissioner to enforce labor laws, and the labor commissioner's office has hired more investigators. At the local level, many cities have created new agencies to enforce local wage laws.

California employers need to ensure they are complying with these laws, or they could face significant penalties. Managers should be trained about the relevant issues that may arise, said John Skousen, an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Irvine.

Scope of the Issue

Wage theft can take many forms, including paying less than minimum wage, failing to provide overtime pay, requiring workers to perform off-the-clock work, and failing to provide meal and rest breaks.



Nearly 34,000 wage-theft claims were made in California in 2017, according to data from the California Department of Industrial Relations. However, the official numbers don't tell the full story, experts say.

"For every wage-theft case that is reported, there are dozens more that don't get reported," said Jora Trang, managing attorney at Worksafe Inc., an employee advocacy group based in Oakland. "That's because of retaliation. If workers know when they report wage theft they're going to get fired, they're less likely to report it."

Undocumented workers often are reluctant to report wage violations because they worry about being deported, said Tia Koonse, legal and policy research manager at the UCLA Labor Center, a university research department focused on labor rights.

Activity in California

In recent years, California has increased the resources available to the labor commissioner for fighting wage theft. For example, S.B. 588which was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2015was designed to help workers collect unpaid wages. If an employer fails to pay a judgment for unpaid wages, regulators can impose a lien on the employer's property and levy its bank accounts.

Employers need to pay judgments or appeal decisions that lead to judgments in a timely manner, Skousen said. In order to appeal a labor commissioner decision in which money was awarded, the employer needs to file, along with the appeal, a bond or cashier's check for the award amount in the designated superior court , he noted. "Doing nothing is bad," he emphasized.

S.B. 306, which took effect on Jan. 1, is another key development, according to Trang. The law enables the labor commissioner to investigate an employereven without a complaintwhen retaliation is suspected during a wage-claim investigation.

Managers should be trained on how to appropriately handle disciplinary matters so they don't retaliate (or appear to be retaliating) against employees who have asserted workplace rights. Skousen noted that "it comes down to issues of timing, proper and adequate record-keeping of legitimate disciplinary action, and understanding what retaliation is."

[SHRM members-only toolkit: Preventing Unlawful Workplace Retaliation in California]

Under S.B. 306, an employer may have to pay the labor commissioner's reasonable attorney fees if violations are found and $100 per day (up to $20,000 total) if it willfully refuses to comply with a court order.

At the local level, wage-theft offices have sprung up to assist workers. Several years ago, Los Angeles created the Office of Wage Standards to enforce its $15 hourly minimum wage. As other cities in California increased their minimum wages, most of them also established wage-theft offices, according to the UCLA Labor Center website.

Notice Requirements

Employers also need to make sure they comply with wage-notice requirements. For example, under the California Wage Theft Protection Act, employers must provide a written notice to new hires that discloses wage information. The notice template provided by the state includes sections on pay rate, overtime compensation and work schedule.

"The purpose of the notice is to inform workers of the wage rates that apply to them," according to the California Department of Industrial Relations.

Toni Vranjes is a freelance business writer in San Pedro, Calif.
Creating your own site is the perfect way to preserve the memories of you and your friends. But not everyone has the skills to design and build their own sites. Fortunately, there are many tools and resources to help you start a blog even if you're not technically inclined. In fact, you can set up a blog in 20 minutes or less and build a decent looking site within a couple of hours with the right directions. Here is a 10-step guide to starting your very own photo blog.



Step 1: Choose Domain, Web Host and Platform



If you want to have total control of your site, you will want to set up your own domain. You can register a domain by going to Godaddy.com or any other registrar. You will then want to get a basic hosting plan which can cost anywhere from $3 to $10 a month depending on the web host provider. Once you set that up, you will want to install WordPress as a website building platform due to its simplicity. All these steps are very straightforward as most of these services provide video tutorials and tech support to get you set up.



Step 2: Find a Theme



A theme is basically a template for your WordPress site. It's important to understand that many themes are more than templates you use. They also are site builders that allow you to customize many elements from the colors, headers, logo, layout, etc. WordPress offers a large library of free themes at https://wordpress.org/themes/. You'll be able to find designs across a large range of categories from business, art, technology to of course, photography.



Step 3: Find the Right Plugins



WordPress plugins are upgrades that enhance the functionality of your site. There are many plugins that can help you add the features you're looking for. Some plugins that can work great for photo blogs include Envira Gallery (gallery creator), Soliloquy (slider generator) and Easy Watermark (to protect your photos) just to name a few. Just go to https://wordpress.org/plugins/ and look around for plugins that may be useful to your site. The majority of the plugins listed on the site will be free.



Step 4: Create a Navigation Menu and Main Pages



The next step is to create a simple navigation that links to your main pages. You will want to build basic pages like the About, Contact and Help pages. Then, you want to think about how you want to organize your photos so that you can create category pages. If you have a lot of photos, you want to create category pages for specific groups of photos because putting all your photos on one page will result in long load times. It will also be easier and intuitive to browse through category pages.



Step 5: Create a Basic Navigation Menu and Layout



After you've created a basic navigation menu and your main pages, you need to move forward with a layout. Most basic blogs use a simple two-column layout with a side bar column that has category and archive links to your posts. If you want to add widgets to your site, you may want to go with a three-column layout with two sidebars as trying to add both the category/archive links and widgets on one column can be distracting and confusing.



Step 6: Organize Your Photos and Choose the Best Ones



If you want your friends to know what they're looking at, you want to put in the time to organize your photos. Group photos by events and consider arranging them in chronological order. If you want to go the extra mile, you may want to tags to your photos so that can be searched. This is also a good time to go through your photos and choose the best shots. This will get rid of low quality shots, reduce load times and provide a better viewing experience for your friends.



Step 7: Add Captions to Photos



If you want your friends to get the most out of your photos, it will help to add context to your photos. Simply add captions with a solid photo gallery plugin. That will give your friends an idea of where the photos are from, what happened during an event and what went on in the picture. It's a fun way to create a conversation piece for the next time you and your friends get together.



Step 8: Optimize Your Photos



Posting high quality photos often leads to long loading times on your site. This can ruin the browsing experience for users. To avoid this problem, use image-optimizing programs to bring down the size of your image files. Many of these programs will help you reduce file sizes without reducing hurting the quality much.



Step 9: Create Interesting, Fun and Exciting Content



If you want your friends to really enjoy the blog, do more than just post photos. Create content based on your photos and tell a story. Post videos every now and then to mix it up. Simply posting random photos over and over again can get old really fast. You want to make it interesting, fun and exciting for the readers. That will want your friends to keep coming back to the blog and give you a reason for updating it.



Step 10: Set Up Email and Social Media Accounts



If you want to keep your friends updated of new posts, you need to have some way to notify them. Creating an email subscription box and setting up social media accounts will be the solution. You can manage a small email list for free by signing up with MailChimp. You can then set up follow links to your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts to stay connected with your friends.



This is all the information you need to start a blog. Simply follow these 10 steps and you'll have a fully built blog in a day or two.



Read more news:



Corporate Scams that Shook the Nation



Microsoft completes renewable energy deal for Bengaluru facility
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
A major cyber breach at an Australian financial institution is "probably inevitable", and such an attack could even wipe out an entire business in the "worst case scenario", the financial regulator has warned.

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority on Wednesday urged banks, insurers and superannuation funds to be vigilant against the risk of cyber attacks, warning that online criminals viewed the local industry as a key target.

APRA's Geoff Summerhayes says cyber crime is a growing industry and the financial sector is a key target. Credit:Jessica Hromas

Despite the growing threat, APRA executive board member Geoff Summerhayes said some financial institutions had not tested how they would cope with a cyber attack, which could leave them exposed to serious reputational and other risks.

While he said cyber security was "generally well handled" in finance, Mr Summerhayes warned that with cyber crime growing, it was "easy to envisage" an attack with catastrophic effects for the business affected.
Premier Investment Group's chairman Sir Ron Brierley says selling the group's 5.9 per cent holding in Coles to Wesfarmers was a good decision.

Wesfarmers has accumulated an 11.3 per cent holding in Coles, and this week along with three consortium partners, has made a $19.7 billion takeover bid for the company.

Sir Ron said selling Premier's holding to Wesfarmers was a deal that had to be done.

"Overall it was such a favourable deal to Premier that there was the motivation there to do it," Sir Ron told ABC Radio.

"Any deal of that magnitude always involves difficult decisions but at the end of the day it was fairly obvious that it was a deal that should be done and we did do it.
Retail Food Group could shut as many as 460 stores over the next 2.5 years as it tries to not breach its agreements with its bankers, according to a leading analyst.

UBS analyst Jordan Rogers slapped a sell on RFG's shares on Tuesday in the wake of a weak result from the owner of the Gloria Jeans and Brumby's Bakeries chains.

Gloria Jeans was purchased by RFG in 2014. Credit:Jessica Shapiro

On Friday, RFG , which also owns the Donut King, Michel's Patisserie and Crust Pizza brands, reported a loss of $87.8 million for the first half of 2006 and revealed it would shut between 160 and 200 stores.

Its loss followed a $138 million writedown on the value of its franchise businesses.
Users' data is a valuable commodity. Facebook offers advertisers precisely targeted audiences based on user profiles. YouTube, too, uses users' preferences to tailor its feed. Still, this pales in comparison to how valuable data is about to become, as the footprint of artificial intelligence extends across the economy. Data is the crucial ingredient of the artificial intelligence revolution. Training systems to perform even relatively straightforward tasks like voice translation, voice transcription or image recognition requires vast amounts of data  like tagged photos, to identify their content, or recordings with transcriptions. "Among leading AI teams, many can likely replicate others' software in, at most, one to two years," notes technologist Andrew Ng. "But it is exceedingly difficult to get access to someone else's data. Thus data, rather than software, is the defensible barrier for many businesses." We may think we get a fair deal, offering our data as the price of sharing puppy pictures. By other metrics, we are being victimised: In the largest technology companies, the share of income going to labor is only about 5 to 15 per cent, Posner and Weyl write. That's way below Walmart's 80 per cent. Consumer data amounts to work they get free. "If these AI-driven companies represent the future of broader parts of the economy," they argue, "without something basic changing in their business model, we may be headed for a world where labour's share falls dramatically from its current roughly 70 per cent to something closer to 20 to 30 per cent."

As Lanier, Posner and Weyl point out, it is ironic that humans are providing free data to train the artificial-intelligence systems to replace workers across the economy. Commentators from both left and right fret over how ordinary people will put food on the table once robots take all the jobs. Perhaps a universal basic income, funded by taxes, is the answer? It is ironic that humans are providing free data to train the artificial-intelligence systems to replace workers. How about paying people for the data they produced to train the robots? If AI accounted for 10 per cent of the economy and the big-data companies paid two-thirds of their income for data  the same as labour's share of income across the economy  the share of income going to "workers" would rise drastically. By Weyl and Posner's reckoning, the median household of four would gain $US20,000 ($25,000) a year. A critical consideration is that if people were paid for their data, its quality and value would increase. Facebook could directly ask users to tag the puppy pictures to train the machines. It could ask translators to upload their translations. Facebook and Google could demand quality information if the value of the transaction were more transparent. Unwilling to enter in a direct quid pro quo with their users, the data titans must make do with whatever their users submit. The transition would not be painless. We would need to figure out systems to put value on data. Your puppy pictures might turn out to be worthless, but that college translation from Serbo-Croatian could be valuable. Barred from free data, YouTube and Facebook might charge a user fee for their service  like Netflix. Alternatively, they might make their money from training AI systems and pay some royalty stream to the many people whose data helped train them.

Who controls the data? But whatever the cost, the transformation seems worthwhile. Notably, it could help resolve one of the most relevant questions coming into focus in this new technological age: Who will control the data? Today, the dominant data harvesters in the business are Google and Facebook, with Amazon, Apple and Microsoft some way behind. Their dominance cannot really be challenged: Could you think of a rival search engine? Could another social network replace the one all your friends are on? This dominance might matter less if companies had to pay for their users' data. The big question, of course, is how we there. My guess is that it would be naive to expect Google and Facebook to start paying for user data of their own accord, even if that improved the quality of the information. Could policymakers step in, somewhat the way the European Commission did, demanding that technology companies compute the value of consumer data? In any event, there is probably a better deal out there, in your future, than giving Facebook free puppy pictures.
Carl Icahn had no knowledge of President Trump's plans to slap tariffs on steel imports when he sold down a major position in a company that would be hit by the toll, the billionaire investor said Wednesday.

In a statement posted to his website, Icahn said the sale of shares in Manitowoc Co. was for "legitimate investment reasons" and had nothing to do with the tariff proposals, which were announced on March 1.

Icahn, 82, sold about $US30 million ($38.4 million) of shares in the Manitowoc, Wisconsin-based cranemaker, which has a sizable exposure to US steel imports, according to a regulatory filing. The transactions took place from February 12 through February 22, the filing showed.
Brussels: The top European Union trade official says that the 28-nation bloc seeks to avoid a ruinous trade war with the United States, but that it was ready to strike back if President Donald Trump goes through with plans to impose tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium.

EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said the European Union saw no national security justification for the imposition of the planned US trade barriers - the reasoning Trump has cited in seeking to slap 25 per cent tariffs on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium.

In response, Malmstrom said the European Union could place targeted tariffs on some iconic American products such as cranberries, orange juice and peanut butter. That comes in addition to the bourbon, motorcycles and blue jeans that EU policymakers have already set in their sights.
In Cockatoo Island's cavernous power generation room, banks of switches and electrical dials line the walls, vast generators are bolted to the tessellated floor and dusty tools lie on benches, apparently undisturbed for decades.

It takes only a modest flight of fancy to imagine a manic Victor Frankenstein running up and down the gantry in a lightning storm, throwing levers to awaken his creation from slumber.

Artist Yukinori Yanagi is dwarfed by his installation Landscape With An Eye. Credit:Janie Barrett

And it couldn't be a more perfect setting for a new installation from Yukinori Yanagi, a leading Japanese contemporary artist whose work often references the technological "monsters" created by humanity.

Suspended from the ceiling of the room is what appears to be a human eyeball, 2.5 metres in diameter.
Netflix, the streaming service that aims to become a ubiquitous screen presence, has a new show with all the makings of a successful title: binge-worthy structure, larger than life characters, social relevance and buoyant online chatter. The difference is that instead of being a drama like previous signature productions such as The Crown or Stranger Things, Netflix's new object of audience affection is a reality show: Queer Eye.

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy will be a timely hit for Netflix. Credit:Gavin Bond/Netflix

Netflix (along with fellow services such as Stan and Amazon's Prime Video) doesn't just want to be your first choice for scripted series and new movies, it wants to vacuum up the audience segments that have stayed loyal to traditional television networks and the multi-channel cable package.

In recent months the streaming service has been expanding its focus. Alongside Queer Eye there is a new talk show from the godfather of late night TV (My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman), a culinary travel show fronted by a famous chef (David Chang's Ugly Delicious) and pop culture snark (The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale).
Little Women: LA star Terra Jole and her drummer husband, Joe Gnoffo, have bought themselves and their two kids a house in Los Angeles, and they're spending $US150,000 renovating it. Jole and Gnoffo both have dwarfism, so the focus is on making everything "little-people friendly" with low benchtops and whatnot. Unfortunately, tonight's renovation of their master suite is a shemozzle from start to finish. Half-way through Gnoffo decides that he has to have a bathtub because standing in the shower is too difficult for him, then when his custom sink is installed he can't reach the taps so he has to get pedals fitted. Other cost overruns put Jole's side "passion project" in jeopardy. As with all the other Little Women series, it provides insights about the extra hurdles that little people have to overcome, but it isn't terribly exciting.

It's the three individuals who willingly share their living nightmares who make this documentary for BBC Horizon so riveting. Psychosis will affect one in 100 people but the affliction hasn't moved far in public perception from days when sufferers were said to be possessed. Dryly witty David, a highly educated scientist whose world fell apart when he started seeing man-eating rats, acts as a tour guide through his tortured psyche as he continues to battle his terrifying visions. Beyond the complicated causes of psychosis (factors include childhood abuse, displacement and outsider status) and treatments (one of the women tries with success to befriend her voices) the biggest lesson here is one of simple understanding.

Larissa Dubecki

Hughesy, We Have A Problem

Ten, 8.30pm

Not to be all Ita Buttrose about it, but anyone seeking advice on life's thorny problems could do better than to turn to the drawling comedian whose alarmingly bug-eyed monologues to camera have the potential to terrify small children. In his defence, Dave Hughes isn't really trying to solve anyone's problems except Channel Ten's ratings deficiency. It's a blessed relief, therefore, that he and his empanelled industry mates (this week: Dave O'Neill, Tommy Little, Denise Scott and Susie Youssef) could churn out the comedy chat show formula in their sleep, their ability to bounce off each other while sharing the limelight a model for Australian parliamentarians. Watch the pros in action, but please don't take their advice.

Larissa Dubecki
It was subtle  but it was there. On Wednesday night, the Melbourne Fashion Festival gave a sartorial nod to same-sex marriage in its bridal parade.

Two male models dressed as grooms hold hands at rehearsals for the bridal runway at Melbourne Fashion Festival. Credit:Eddie Jim

The show, which returned to the schedule after a two-year hiatus, featured two male models dressed as grooms holding hands, and a bride in a tailored suit, invoking the spirit of marriage equality.

But it wasn't the first time the festival had worn its support for marriage equality on its trumpet sleeves.

Three years ago, the bridal runway featured a "moment" at the end of the show to mark the festival's support for the same-sex marriage.
With the local operations of the William Hill heading into the safe hands of Matthew Tripps CrownBet, it is time to answer the really big question on everyones lips: What will become of the local boss Tom Waterhouse?

Will Tom revive his toxic brand and return to our TV screens? The answer is a pretty definitive no.

Illustration: John Shakespeare

The evidence is pointing in the direction of many years of peace and quiet on this front as Waterhouse serves out a non-compete clause - assuming his services are no longer required by the new owners of the William Hill business, which owns the now defunct TomWaterhouse.com brand.

It is clear Tripp has no use for the wunderkid other than to thank him for his role in delivering the William Hill business - built on $770 million worth of acquisitions - to CrownBet for just $300 million.
At-risk youth will continue slipping through the cracks if the growing need for drug treatment and mental health support is not addressed, advocates say.

Lachlan Dean manages the Street University in Civic, which offers drug and alcohol treatment to the territory's young people, as well as other services such as counselling.

Lachlan Dean, who has called for more federal government funding to prevent at-risk youth slipping through the cracks. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos

The number of young people using the Street University's services in the space of a month had recently grown by almost 80 per cent, Mr Dean said.

"In the past three months we've had 297 separate client contacts  young people coming in and looking for support," he said.
Sceptics of Canberra's CTP citizens' jury will have the chance to see the process for themselves with the final session to be open to the public.

Jurors are set to select their preferred model of compulsory third party insurance when they meet for the last time on March 24 and 25.

The last CTP citizens' jury session in 2017. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

The models have been developed by an actuary, designer and stakeholder reference group that included lawyers, insurance brokers and healthcare representatives.

Democracy Co co-chief executive Emma Lawson, who's running the exercise, said it was a chance to see "democracy in action".
Elizabeth Proust, chair of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, is asking businesses why they dont have more women in leadership positions. Credit:Louise Kennerley

For women who make it to the top one myth prevails, time and time again. Shes not supporting other women, shes pulling the ladder up behind her and shes actively working against the success of other women. Its not that shes just a bitch, its that shes so insecure and lacking in confidence that she sees achievements of other women as a direct threat to her own opportunity.

Loading

Except this woman does not exist. Evidence Ive compiled and analysed shows that when women hold management roles they tangibly support other women. Though only 6.5 per cent of Australian companies have a female board chair, they are more likely to bring more women onto the board and have more women in senior management. I found the same with female chief executive officers, who create pathways to management for other women.

The idea that women are their own worst enemies just doesnt stack up.
Were building Australias next great city, the billboards proclaim. Its hard not to be seduced: Parramatta now even has a Messina ice-cream parlour. Yet building up need not mean stamping out soul.

A whos who of developers  Crown, Meriton, Walker Corporation  are reshaping the skyline. Just this week, even the local McDonalds announced plans to partner with Stockland to develop 350 units on the corner of Church Street and Victoria Road.

Sleep is becoming impossible in Parramatta. All over the city, cement trucks and chainsaws whir into action from first light. Parramatta Stadium is being razed and rebuilt. Parramatta Square will be a glass menagerie of office towers. Right across from my bedroom window, Arthur Phillip High School and Parramatta Public School are being converted into a high-rise education facility.

I purchased in Parramatta two years ago, part of a new generation eager to share in the area's future. It was also something of a return to my roots. Our family migrated to Australia in the late 1980s, landing in Carlingford and then the Hills. My mother, who raised our family single-handedly, would often bundle us in the Nissan and take us to Parramatta Library. One of my vivid childhood memories is finding my sister at closing time, barricaded in a corner, working her way in thick glasses through a cavern of books.

Other Parramatta residents might remember going on first dates at the Roxy Theatre or frolicking as teenagers in the Parramatta River during the 1950s. It all adds up to a sense that our area is special, and change must be sensitively calibrated and build upon whats there.

Parramatta is steeped in history worth preserving  from the original Burramattagal people who lived along the riverbanks, to governor Arthur Phillip who first strode inland in search of fertile farmland. Today, there are more heritage buildings in North Parramatta than in The Rocks. These include the Female Factory, Australias first institution for convict women. The site merits UNESCO World Heritage Listing. Incredibly, however, there are proposals to flood the area with 3,000 apartments.

The $2 billion Parramatta Square redevelopment. Credit:Walker Corporation

Meanwhile, the 180-year-old Royal Oak Hotel, a beloved institution on game day, is being flattened to accommodate light rail. And the Powerhouse Museums relocation, without a published business case, has become shrouded in mystery. Former Premier Mike Baird has been summoned to appear before a NSW upper house inquiry on April 4.
A suspected terrorist group dismantled in police raids in Indonesia was planning an attack twice the size of the first Bali bombings, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) says.

AFP deputy commissioner John Lawler said the group was well advanced and had accumulated large quantities of explosives.

"Our technical experts are telling us that it's likely to be twice the size of the first Bali bombings," he told Southern Cross Broadcasting in Melbourne.

"It's significant because what it's done is prevented, we believe, future bombing attacks in Indonesia.

"The group were well advanced."
Dr William Mooney, an eastern suburbs surgeon who claims on his website he performs the highest number of nose jobs in Australia, is currently the subject of a Medicare investigation into his billing practices.

Surgeon Dr William Mooney.

Fairfax Media has previously revealed that two patients of the prominent ENT [ear, nose and throat] surgeon have died in recent times. The death in December of Alex Little Al Taouil, 41, and that of Pouya Pouladian, 24, on March 3 have been referred to the coroner.

Dr Mooney, who has denied any wrongdoing, said in a statement that he was terribly sorry for Mr. Alex Taouil and Mr. Pouya Pouladians passing and the loss to their families.

Each was a tragedy. But contrary to what the SMH alleges, neither was caused by a complication in my procedure.
Salim Mehajer, the scandal-prone former deputy mayor of Auburn, has told a Sydney court he did not stage a car crash to avoid appearing in court and the case has led to the "collapse" of his life around him.

The 31-year-old property developer and former councillor has been in jail since January 24 after he was charged with perverting the course of justice and conspiring to cheat or defraud over an allegedly staged car crash on October 16.

Salim Mehajer outside Burwood Local Court before his arrest in January. Credit:AAP

The crash occurred shortly before Mehajer was due to appear in court to face a trial for assaulting a taxi driver outside The Star casino. He pleaded guilty to the assault last week and was given a three-year good behaviour bond.

A bearded Mehajer, dressed in prison greens and carrying prayer beads, appeared via audiovisual link in Burwood Local Court on Wednesday to make a third application for bail.
Sydney Trains will cut about 94 services a week from Monday as part of what it describes as a tweak to the rail timetable after the network suffered a major meltdown two months ago.

The changes  representing fewer than 1 per cent of the thousands of services each week will mainly affect the Northern, North Shore, Bankstown, Cumberland and Carlingford lines.

Sydney Trains chief executive Howard Collins said the services to be cut were mostly late at night or early in the morning, and Opal data showed them to have low patronage levels.

We are reusing the train resources and the driver resources. We don't want to run trains when people are not using them, he said.
While several of Brisbanes civic leaders are women, their professional titles continue to be masculine.

Within Brisbane City Council chambers, one-third of elected representatives are women, including several heads of committees and the chair of the chamber.

Despite women being in these positions of power, they continue to be called chairman over a gender-specific title of chairwoman or a gender-neutral title of chairperson.

Brisbane City Council opposition leader Peter Cumming used the significance of International Womens Day to call on lord mayor Graham Quirk to end the use of gender-specific titles like chairman.
Victorias sexual assault and trauma services say they are experiencing a significant increase in demand for assistance as more women speak up in the wake of the #MeToo campaign.

The Royal Womens Hospital is among groups reporting a rise in people coming forward seeking help, both for recent incidences of abuse, including university campus assaults, and historic child sex abuse cases, some dating back decades.

Its estimated there has been a 10 to 15 per cent increase in demand across the state.

Celebrities at the Golden Globe Awards called "time's up" on sexual abusers this year by wearing black.

While the expose of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein as an alleged serial abuser has opened the floodgates to a spate of stories on sexual harassment, Melbourne experts say they started to see more people feeling empowered to come forward as early as 2012, following a Victorian parliamentary inquiry.
WA Museum conservators said the paper fabric and coloration appears consistent with cheaply-made 19th century paper. All this evidence led the German agencies to confirm the bottle appeared to be genuine.

Doubts still linger despite evidence But the connection between the name of Mr Illman's business and the discovery, not to mention his penchant for securing free promotion through "ambush marketing", had radio listeners wondering on Wednesday if the discovery was another publicity stunt. Radio 6PR Breakfast co-host Basil Zempilas first raised the doubts on Wednesday morning.

"There are some people suggesting to the 'rumour file' this morning that this is an elaborate ploy, if you like, by Kim to bring attention to Wedge Island, where it was found," Zempilas said. "Three different people have said 'I reckon Kim bought that in his travels overseas and he brought it back and said look what we've discovered'." Mr Illman later admitted to Simon Beaumont's Afternoons program on 6PR the coincidence was remarkable but fortuitous. He said he was one of a group of six people that included his wife, his son and girlfriend (Bree Del Borrello) and the parents of WA Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo, Joe and Grace. The six took a drive to Wedge Island, spending half an hour taking photos and paddling in the water before deciding to go "bush bashing" in two cars.

"Grace felt sick in the front seat and wanted to get out to walk it off, and Tonya accompanied her to where we had driven on to, before promptly getting bogged," he said. "On the walk, Tonya happens to walk past the bottle and says 'there's rubbish on the beach, lets pick up something'. "She picks up the bottle, has a look at it, gives it to Bree back at the car.. it's Bree who shakes out the bottle and finds the note. "Now that could have quite easily been Grace Ricciardo being first and picking it up, it could have quite easily been nobody picking it up. "I'd like to suggest I'm a clever guy ... but I can't possibly pull the wool over two German national agencies, the WA Musuem, the Ricciardos and my son's girlfriend.

"Not even you're that clever Simon." The irony however was not lost on Mr Illman. "Now we discovered this on the 21st January - there's not a day that goes by that we don't look at each other and just laugh and say this is unbelievable and ... we were part of it," he said. "To imagine anyone else could possibly believe it, especially who knows me, yes it's going to be a hard road for them to believe it." Tonya initially picked up the bottle because she thought it would make a nice display at the family home.

"Bree noted there was no lid on the bottle and, peering inside, caught a glimpse of what she initially thought was a cigarette," Tonya said. "After upending the bottle, she discovered a neatly rolled, damp note, tied with a piece of string, and covered in fine Wedge sand. "To me it seems unbelievable that this bottle could have stayed in these dunes, with out a cap on it, with that scroll intact for that many years." Mr Illman said WA Museum experts said the only way the note could survive was if it was in a closed environment, out of the elements and certainly out of the sun.

He resisted posting the find to social media in the days after the discovery because he wanted to investigate more and get people who know involved. "When we got the final note from the Germans saying here's the meteorological journal, have a look at the captain's entry, have a look at his handwriting, look at the way he's written 'Paula', the way he's written 'June', it's exactly the same as the note," Mr Illman said. "You can't go and get that information anyway, you can't search on the internet the 'Paula journal' for the 12th of June 1886." Museum assistant curator of maritime archaeology Ross Anderson said he was surprised the bottle and message were in such good condition. But there were other rare examples of objects kept intact by a perfect micro-environment.
The West Australian premier is pushing for Rio Tinto to retrain the estimated 200 employees whose roles will be replaced by driverless trucks.

Rio Tinto will introduce driverless trucks to a new mine in the Pilbara region later this month, its fifth to be serviced by the expanding fleet.

A Rio Tinto CAT autonomous truck.

WA Premier Mark McGowan said on Wednesday that possible job cuts were concerning for the workers involved and he would write to Rio Tinto to request employees were offered other positions.

"Rio Tinto is a big company. It operates in Western Australia mining iron ore and there's a range of jobs that it needs to be performed," he said.
"It'll destroy us. "It's discerning adults who enjoy an occasional cigar... it's a legal product. "I really, really hope that this is an unintended consequence of this legislation and that the Health Minister Roger Cook and the Premier... that they will have a look at this and say 'hey we don't want to destroy an iconic Perth business that has been around for 21 It looks like they're trying to destroy our small business. "There are other things in this bill which are about protecting minors, et cetera, but this little section 23, clause six is going to devastate us.

"I do not understand why a government would decide this is a good idea." The amendments are reminiscent of similar regulations previously proposed by the Liberal Government in 2009, which also suggested specialist retailers lose their defence against section 22. "I was absolutely amazed... they tried to do this in 2009 and obviously it's come back again," Mr Devlin said. "It looks like they're trying to destroy our small business." Liberal Democrat MP Aaron Stonehouse, who brought the amendments to Mr Devlin's attentions, told 6PR the amendments seemed to be another "stamp in the health lobby's 'war on fun'".

"When I found this, I was surprised that a lot of my parliamentary colleagues had no idea this was a part of the government's bill, and proposed changes to tobacco. "It doesn't just stop there. There are other parts of this bill that are going to see a lot of young people lose their jobs. But I think it's really nasty. "We talk about smoking, and I often talk about the nanny state and people's right to make their own choices, but here we have an instance where Simon Devlin is possibly going to lose his business, his livelihood. "The people he employs are going to lose their jobs. He's been around for 21 years. "The government is going to run him out of town through red tape and regulation.

"If you can't touch, and smell and feel the cigars, you have no idea what you're getting. That's a very expensive item. "You can't run a cigar business without having a humidor where the customer can see the product. "I really don't see the public health benefit in this and it's destroying a business. It's really, really sad stuff." The bill states the reasoning behind the amendment in its explanatory notes: "The Department of Health has noted that the specialist retailer exemption is increasingly being exploited as a loophole by retailers who may no longer derive 80 per cent or more of their current business from the sale of tobacco products," it reads.

"This clause amends the definition of specialist retailer to include an additional requirement for the business to derive 80 per cent of its average gross turnover from the sale of tobacco products in the most recently ended financial year." Health Minister Roger Cook told 6PR the amendments were in the interest of public health. "Laws which have allowed specialist tobacco retailers to keep on displaying tobacco products will be phased out over two years," he said. "Only a very small minority of tobacco retailers in WA are specialist tobacco retailers so this part of the amendment will not have widespread commercial impact. "The amendments to the tobacco act were originally proposed by the previous Liberal government as the appalling health impacts of tobacco use are well known in the community  as Health Minister I will not shy away from an opportunity to save lives and prevent chronic illness - so I am committed to implementing these strict tobacco laws."

Australian Council on Smoking and Health president Maurice Swanson told 6PR's Simon Etheridge he didn't believe the arguments against the amendments stood up. "In the earlier versions of the legislation a limited number of outlets were provided with an exemption so they could display tobacco products within their store," he said. "That exemption was not provided to the vast majority of retail outlets. I understand that the new reforms and the new changes are designed to remove those very generous exemptions. "Simply reducing display is reducing the opportunity for people to promote tobacco products. "The Health Department and the Health Minister are determined to further reduce the opportunity for the promotion of tobacco products, including cigars. From a health point of view... this is a positive change."
Questions for Qantas

"Aviation safety authorities have asked Qantas to explain serious irregularities at its aircraft training school, including leaks of exam papers and the practice of candidates filling out answers in pencil. The problems within Qantas' training school, which trains aircraft engineers working on the international fleet, were uncovered in a six-week investigation by two senior officers of the Civil Aviation Authority."

A ratings winner

"The ABC's one-hour replay coverage of the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras produced record Sunday night ratings for the corporation. The one-hour highlights package gave the ABC a winning ride, with an average 644,000 Sydney viewers easily pushing aside the traditionally unbeatable movie slots on the commercial channels. A three-hour version of the Mardi Gras is expected to be released for sale on videotape."

Mr Rent-a-Kill spotted
The re-election last Saturday of the Tasmanian Liberal government led by Will Hodgman means that one state election has been decided with the other one to be held in South Australia in 10 days.

There are two possible reasons for Australians generally to be interested in state elections. The first is whether there are federal implications. The sensible answer is that federal parties always take some solace from state results if they go their way, but that the federal implications are usually slight. On this occasion the national economy may have played a tiny role, but you could just as easily say that Hodgman won despite the contribution of the Turnbull government and Barnaby Joyce. State elections are largely determined by state issues.

Jay Weatherill is on the campaign trail in South Australia ahead of the state election. Credit:MORGAN SETTE

On this occasion, apart from the respective merits of the government and opposition the big issue was pokies. When the Labor Opposition promised to ban them in pubs and clubs the national pokies lobby - pubs, clubs and the pokies industry - weighed into the campaign in unprecedented fashion. No national implications there but a reminder of the power of the pokies lobby and echoes of campaigns elsewhere.

The second reason for Australians generally to be interested is when patterns are visible that can be repeated elsewhere. Tasmania was another instalment in the world-wide phenomenon in which minor parties, in this case mainly the Tasmanian Greens but also the Jacqui Lambie Network, are pitted against the established major parties. South Australia will be yet another one in which Nick Xenophon's re-badged SA Best Party (formerly Nick Xenophon Team) as well as the Greens and Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives are tackling Labor and the Liberals.
Almost one in 10 Queensland primary school classrooms are overcrowded, government data reveals.

In 2017, 8 per cent of the state's primary school classrooms and 4 per cent of secondary classrooms were overcrowded.

About 5 per cent of all classes across Queensland were over target in 2017. Credit:Phil Carrick

Education Queensland sets targets of 25 students per teacher for Prep to Year 3, 28 students for Year 4 to 10, and 25 students for Year 11 to 12.

The state's youngest students were the most likely to be in classes that were "over target", with 9 per cent of Prep to Year 3 classrooms overcrowded.
Samsung has unveiled its television lineup for 2018, showcasing a feature that makes your TV blend into its surroundings like a chameleon and another that de-clutters cables.

At its "First Look" event held at the American Stock Exchange in New York City, the South Korean technology giant unveiled a lineup of new TVs across several different ranges, with screen sizes from 55 inches to 88 inches.

'Ambient Mode' helps your TV blend into its surroundings and displays handy info.

The new QLED range has a feature called "Ambient Mode", which acts as a smart display when not in use, for example by showing traffic, weather or news. If you take a picture of your wall after you mount or set up the TV, it can process and display this image during Ambient Mode in a way that makes the TV appear as a transparent floating rectangle.

"Customers tell us that they try to hide their TV inside their cabinet," says Jae Julien, vice president of Samsung's visual display user experience team, explaining why Samsung built the new feature. It was designed because TVs were turned off 80 per cent of the time, making them big black rectangles that didn't look aesthetically pleasing on walls, she says.
Beijing: Old fashioned diplomacy to avert a war has roared back, achieving a breakthrough in the North Korean nuclear crisis that Donald Trump's twitter barbs of fire and fury could not.

Trump was quick to claim personal credit for North Korea's offer to talk about giving up its nuclear weapons. The offer, described as "stunning" and unexpected by analysts, meets a key US precondition for talks that, until Tuesday evening, Kim Jong-un had refused to yield to.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, poses with Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, after lunch at Seouls presidential palace in February. Credit:Yonhap

But twitter diplomacy was not the catalyst. South Korean president Moon Jae-in has pursued a steady path of personal diplomacy, even taking the risk of hosting Kim's sister and the circus of North Korean cheerleaders at his nation's proud moment of hosting the Winter Olympics, in the pursuit of peace.

He took this path to the apparent annoyance of South Korea's key security backer, the US.
New York: The US Holocaust Memorial Museum has revoked a prestigious human rights award it had given to Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, now Myanmar's de-facto leader, faulting her for failing to halt or even acknowledge the violence against her country's Rohingya Muslim minority.

Suu Kyi, who endured 15 years of house arrest for taking on the military dictatorship in Myanmar, was only the second person to receive the award, in 2012.

Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, with President Htin Kyaw, right, and Vice President Henry Van Hti Yu, left. Credit:AP

It is named after Elie Wiesel, a fellow recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, a Holocaust survivor who was one of the museum's founders, and the award's first recipient.

The award, according to the museum, is given annually "to an internationally prominent individual whose actions have advanced the Museum's vision of a world where people confront hatred, prevent genocide and promote human dignity."
A female police officer in Belgium stopped the man for jaywalking when she was subjected to sexist abuse. Credit:AP

Brussels: A man who insulted a female police officer because of her gender has become the first person to be convicted of sexism in a public space in Belgium.

The man, whose name has not been released, was stopped in Zaventem, a town outside Brussels, on June 6, 2016 to be questioned for jaywalking. He told the officer that her job did not suit women.

"Shut your mouth, I don't talk to women, being a police officer is not a job for women," the man told the police officer during the arrest, according to Gilles Blondeau, a spokesman for the public prosecutor's office.

Initially, when the 23-year-old officer tried to stop him for questioning, he fled and had to be chased down in the middle of a local annual fair.
[March 06, 2018] MEGA International Appoints Sebastien Rey as Vice President of Latin America MEGA International has appointed Sebastien Rey as vice president and managing director of the company's rapidly growing Latin America business. Rey has over 17 years of experience in technology and will now manage MEGA's operations in Mexico, Central America, and South America. He will oversee sales, marketing, consulting, and partnership development from the company's Mexico City office. "Sebastien has an incredibly extensive knowledge of MEGA, our products and services, and how to expand the business," remarked Lucio de Risi, CEO of MEGA. "This new opportunity managing Central and Sout America will give Sebastien the chance to share his expertise with colleagues and customers in that region and provide added value to those we serve." Previously, Rey served as MEGA's group general counsel and prior to that, as MEGA's corporate legal manager. Rey holds a Master's degree in business and taxation from the National Conservatory of Arts and Trades of Paris, and another Master's degree in business law from the University of Versailles. Rey is a member of the Mexican Bar Association (INCAM). Rey is thrilled about his new position with MEGA's Mexico City office and is looking forward to strengthening MEGA's relationships in the region and developing new ones. "Enterprise architecture plays a key role in digital business transformation, customer experience excellence, and governance, risk, and compliance. I'm looking forward to serving our customers in this growing, fast-paced region and helping them achieve their business goals. This is an exciting time to be part of MEGA's growth as we're seeing an increase in organizations adapting and embracing new technologies to meet business demands." About MEGA

MEGA International is a global software firm helping companies manage enterprise complexity by giving them an interactive view of their operations. Executives gain the visibility and information they need to make the right choices for effective governance and to strike the right balance between capacity for innovation, cost optimization, and risk management. MEGA's HOPEX software is a comprehensive lineup of integrated software bringing together industry-leading practices in enterprise architecture (EA), IT portfolio management (ITPM), business process analysis (BPA), and governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) into a single platform. Backed by HOPEX software and MEGA services, companies can boost business and IT agility in today's disruptive business environment. www.mega.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180306005023/en/

[ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ]
London: The teenage asylum seeker behind September's failed London Underground bombing told British authorities he was trained "to kill" by Islamic State (IS), a court has heard.

Iraqi Ahmed Hassan, 18, is accused of packing shrapnel into a plastic bucket containing 400g of explosives then leaving it to go off on a timer at Parsons Green station during rush hour on September 15.

A London evening newspaper poster outside Paddington tube station in London, after a terrorist incident was declared at Parsons Green in September. Credit:AP

There were 93 commuters on board when the device partly exploded on the District Line carriage, leaving many with serious burns or crushed in the stampede.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan told jurors it was just "a matter of luck" that the bomb did not fully detonate and people were not killed.
Washington: Gary Cohn is a Democrat, but his resignation as director of the White House National Economic Council has actually underscored the fundamental divide between President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans as the Trump seeks to raise barriers to foreign trade.

From his perch in the West Wing, Cohn in effect served as a proxy for the business wing of the Republican Party as it fought what may be a losing battle against new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. His departure deprives free trade proponents of perhaps their strongest voice inside Trump's inner circle.

Gary Cohn is leaving his post. Credit:Bloomberg

Trade has always been the Iron Curtain that divided Trump and establishment Republicans.

The president argues that other countries have run roughshod over the United States when it came to the exchange of goods and services, while most Republican leaders in Washington maintain that in fact lower barriers have helped keep the US the world's leading economic powerhouse.
Melbourne: The death toll from a series of massive earthquakes in the remote souththern highands of Papua New Guinea is climbing towards 100 as international aid organisations struggle to get food and other necessities through.

A huge, 6.7 magnitude aftershock on Wednesday morning killed another 18 people in the stricken region, following from a 7.5 magnitude earthquake nine days ago.

Children from Baguale village waiting for food.

"I have just received reports that 18 people were killed last night," William Bando, Hela Province administrator told Reuters.

"It appears Hides was hardest hit. We haven't heard about potential casualties there yet, but it is a big village with many people."
A US envoy said Wednesday that North Korea's nuclear disarmament was back on track, with UN inspectors set to return after more than four years and six-nation talks likely to resume within weeks.

North Korea had refused to implement a breakthrough February deal to shut its nuclear reactor due to a long-running feud over its assets frozen in the Chinese territory of Macau.

With the funds finally returned, North Korea has invited inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, to the country to seal its Yongbyon reactor.

Christopher Hill, the US pointman on North Korea, said that the IAEA team was expected to return on Tuesday and that six-nation talks on the next stage of disarmament would probably resume shortly.

"I would think it would be early July," Hill said of the talks. "We have a lot of work to do and very little time to do it."
IT SME sector continues to grow

Posted by Publisher Telecommunication

In the recently presented ?IT-Mittelstandsbericht? of the digital association Bitkom, the effects of digitization show their positive effects. In the past fiscal year, German IT SMEs recorded a 9 percent increase in sales and an increase of around 30,000 jobs.

?IT SMEs are the growth driver of the digital economy. Medium-sized companies are the fastest growing companies in the bitcom industry. It is particularly medium-sized companies that drive the economy with great agility and dynamism, create new jobs and strengthen Germany as a business location,\says Bitkom Chairman Dirk Rohrborn.

The nearly 10,000 medium-sized German companies are responsible for about 35 percent of the total industry turnover.

However, the two issues of a shortage of skilled workers and company succession pose major challenges in this area in particular, in order to further drive corporate growth. ?In the IT sector alone, there are 14,500 vacancies for IT experts. It is particularly difficult for medium-sized companies to win the race for the best and brightest minds,\ says Rohrborn.

The shortage of skilled and managerial staff is becoming increasingly threatening for German SMEs and is also costing massive growth. Never before has it been so difficult for companies to find suitable candidates for their vacancies. In order to counteract this shortage of specialist and managerial staff, companies  especially SMEs  must come up with some ideas. However, there is no panacea to meet the demand for skilled labour for companies. Various instruments are available for the successful recruitment of specialists and managers. An underestimated point is the perceived attractiveness of employers, the so-called employer branding, in order to both recruit qualified employees and retain them in the long term. In addition to salary, the attractiveness features include management and corporate culture, career and development opportunities as well as work-life balance. Another evaluation factor is the exploitation and promotion of one\-\-s own employee potential, as well as the flexibility and agility of the working models. For employees and the company itself, it is important to offer new work perspectives  and models. In addition to a healthy degree of creativity, it is also indispensable here to know the requirements and needs of the sought-after personalities and  depending on the company and industry  to make them available in suitable ways and to advertise them profitably.

?Many medium-sized companies are often not perceived by potential candidates in the prevailing labour market. Employer branding can be successfully positioned here with the help of external supporters who draw attention to the company\-\-s advantages as a neutral entity.

The current trend in the IT midmarket confirms and shows that IT is now categorized as a value-added factor and no longer just a cost factor.

Generally speaking, we do not recommend our customers to look for suitable minds at short notice, but rather to bring on board qualified know-how with strategic foresight,\ says Martin Krill, Managing Director of Hager Unternehmensberatung.

Authors:

Martin Krill has been working for Hager Unternehmensberatung for more than fifteen years and was made a managing partner in 2004. He fills top sales and management positions in the technology industry as well as a number of other sectors.

Hager Unternehmensberatung is a partner of Horton International and offers customers at over 40 locations in the globally most important economic regions solutions for issues throughout the working life cycle: Employment Lifecycle Solutions?.

These targeted solutions for the working life cycle are mirrored in our individual divisions: in the placement of the right candidates, the evaluation of staff potential, during training to develop the personal skills of employees and supporting individual change processes.

With more than 90 employees in Germany working in small specialist teams, a fully digital workflow and over 20 years of experience in the technology sector as well as other innovative markets, Hager Unternehmensberatung brings together the performance and process quality of the industry?s big names with the speed and flexibility of a start-up.

Hager Unternehmensberatung is one of the top 15 recruiters in the DACH region and the well-known executive search consultancy for digital transformations.
Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 73F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 73F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
The speed of light is a speed limit on everything in our universe. Or is it?

Light traveling through a vacuum moves at exactly 299,792,458 meters (983,571,056 feet) per second. That's about 186,282 miles per second  a universal constant known in equations and in shorthand as "c," or the speed of light.

According to physicist Albert Einstein 's theory of special relativity , on which much of modern physics is based, nothing in the universe can travel faster than light. The theory states that as matter approaches the speed of light, that matter's mass becomes infinite. That means the speed of light functions as a speed limit on the whole universe. The speed of light is so immutable that, according to the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology , it is used to define international standard measurements like the meter (and by extension, the mile, the foot and the inch). Through some crafty equations, it also helps define the kilogram and the Kelvin .

But despite the speed of light's reputation as a universal constant, scientists and science fiction writers alike spend time contemplating faster-than-light travel. So far, no one's been able to figure out how to travel at such speed. But that hasn't slowed our collective hurtle toward new stories, new inventions and new realms of physics.

Related: Special relativity holds up to a high-energy test

What is a light-year?

The Hubble Space Telescope snapped this image of the spiral galaxy NGC 3972. The galaxy is 65 million light-years from Earth (that's 382 quintillion miles!) and can be found in the constellation Ursa Major. (Image credit: NASA/ESA,/A. Riess (STScI/JHU))

A light-year is the distance that light can travel in one year  about 6 trillion miles (10 trillion kilometers). It's one way that astronomers and physicists measure immense distances across our universe.

Light travels from the moon to our eyes in about 1 second, which means the moon is about 1 light-second away. Sunlight takes about 8 minutes to reach our eyes, so the sun is about 8 light-minutes away. Light from Alpha Centauri , which is the nearest star system to our own, requires roughly 4.3 years to get here, so Alpha Centauri is 4.3 light-years away.

"To obtain an idea of the size of a light-year, take the circumference of the Earth (24,900 miles), lay it out in a straight line, multiply the length of the line by 7.5 (the corresponding distance is one light-second), then place 31.6 million similar lines end to end," said NASA's Glenn Research Center . "The resulting distance is almost 6 trillion (6,000,000,000,000) miles!"

Stars and other objects beyond our solar system lie anywhere from a few light-years to a few billion light-years away. And everything astronomers "see" in the distant universe is literally history. When astronomers study objects that are far away, the objects appear as they existed at the time that light left them.

Related: Why the universe is all history

This principle allows astronomers to see the universe as it looked after the Big Bang , which took place about 13.8 billion years ago. Objects that are 10 billion light-years away appear to astronomers as they looked 10 billion years ago  relatively soon after the beginning of the universe  rather than how they appear today.

How did we learn the speed of light?

Aristotle, Empedocles, Galileo (illustrated here), Ole Rmer and countless other philosophers and physicists in history have contemplated the speed of light. (Image credit: NASA)

As early as the 5th century, Greek philosophers like Empedocles and Aristotle disagreed on the nature of light speed. Empedocles thought that light, whatever it was made of, must travel and therefore, must have a rate of travel. Aristotle wrote a rebuttal of Empedocles' view in his own treatise, On Sense and the Sensible , arguing that light, unlike sound and smell, is instantaneous. Aristotle was wrong, of course, but it would take hundreds of years for anyone to prove it.

In the mid 1600s, recounts PBS NOVA , the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei stood two people on hills less than a mile apart. Each person held a shielded lantern. One uncovered his lantern; when the other person saw the flash, he uncovered his too. But Galileo's experimental distance wasn't far enough for his participants to record the speed of light. He could only conclude that light traveled at least 10 times faster than sound.

In the 1670s, Danish astronomer Ole Rmer tried to create a reliable timetable for sailors at sea, and according to NASA , accidentally came up with a new best estimate for the speed of light. To create an astronomical clock, he recorded the precise timing of the eclipses of Jupiter's moon , Io, from Earth . Over time, Rmer observed that Io's eclipses often varied from his calculations. He noticed that the eclipses appeared to lag the most when Jupiter and Earth were moving away from one another, showed up ahead of time when the planets were approaching and occurred on schedule when the planets were at their closest or farthest points  a rough version of the Doppler effect or redshift . In a leap of intuition, he determined that light was taking measurable time to travel from Io to Earth.

Rmer used his observations to estimate the speed of light. Since the size of the solar system and Earth's orbit wasn't yet accurately known, argued a 1998 paper in the American Journal of Physics , he was a bit off. But at last, scientists had a number to work with. Rmer's calculation put the speed of light at about 124,000 miles per second (200,000 km/s).

In 1728, English physicist James Bradley based a new set of calculations on the change in the apparent position of the stars due Earth's travels around the sun. He estimated the speed of light at 185,000 miles per second (301,000 km/s)  accurate to within about 1% of the real value, according to the American Physical Society .

Two new attempts in the mid-1800s brought the problem back to Earth. French physicist Hippolyte Fizeau set a beam of light on a rapidly rotating toothed wheel, with a mirror set up 5 miles (8 km) away to reflect it back to its source. Varying the speed of the wheel allowed Fizeau to calculate how long it took for the light to travel out of the hole, to the adjacent mirror, and back through the gap. Another French physicist, Leon Foucault, used a rotating mirror rather than a wheel to perform essentially the same experiment. The two independent methods each came within about 1,000 miles per second (1,609 km/s) of the speed of light.

On Aug. 15, 1930 in Santa Ana, CA, Dr. Albert A. Michelson stood alongside the mile-long vacuum tube which would be used in his last and most accurate measurement of the speed of light. (Image credit: Getty/Bettman)

Another scientist who tackled the speed of light mystery was Poland-born Albert A. Michelson, who grew up in California during the state's gold rush period, and honed his interest in physics while attending the U.S. Naval Academy, according to the University of Virginia . In 1879, he attempted to replicate Foucault's method of determining the speed of light, but Michelson increased the distance between mirrors and used extremely high-quality mirrors and lenses. Michelson's result of 186,355 miles per second (299,910 km/s) was accepted as the most accurate measurement of the speed of light for 40 years, until Michelson re-measured it himself. In his second round of experiments, Michelson flashed lights between two mountain tops with carefully measured distances to get a more precise estimate. And in his third attempt just before his death in 1931, according to the Smithsonian's Air and Space magazine, he built a mile-long depressurized tube of corrugated steel pipe. The pipe simulated a near-vacuum that would remove any effect of air on light speed for an even finer measurement, just slightly lower than the accepted value of the speed of light today.

Michelson also studied the nature of light itself, wrote astrophysicist Ethan Siegal in the Forbes science blog, Starts With a Bang . The best minds in physics at the time of Michelson's experiments were divided: Was light a wave or a particle?

Michelson, along with his colleague Edward Morley, worked under the assumption that light moved as a wave, just like sound. And just as sound needs particles to move, Michelson and Morley and other physicists of the time reasoned, light must have some kind of medium to move through. This invisible, undetectable stuff was called the "luminiferous aether" (also known as "ether").

Though Michelson and Morley built a sophisticated interferometer (a very basic version of the instrument used today in LIGO facilities), Michelson could not find evidence of any kind of luminiferous aether whatsoever. Light, he determined, can and does travel through a vacuum.

"The experiment  and Michelson's body of work  was so revolutionary that he became the only person in history to have won a Nobel Prize for a very precise non-discovery of anything," Siegal wrote. "The experiment itself may have been a complete failure, but what we learned from it was a greater boon to humanity and our understanding of the universe than any success would have been!"

Special relativity and the speed of light

Albert Einstein at the blackboard. (Image credit: NASA)

Einstein's theory of special relativity unified energy, matter and the speed of light in a famous equation: E = mc^2. The equation describes the relationship between mass and energy  small amounts of mass (m) contain, or are made up of, an inherently enormous amount of energy (E). (That's what makes nuclear bombs so powerful: They're converting mass into blasts of energy.) Because energy is equal to mass times the speed of light squared, the speed of light serves as a conversion factor, explaining exactly how much energy must be within matter. And because the speed of light is such a huge number, even small amounts of mass must equate to vast quantities of energy.

In order to accurately describe the universe, Einstein's elegant equation requires the speed of light to be an immutable constant. Einstein asserted that light moved through a vacuum, not any kind of luminiferous aether, and in such a way that it moved at the same speed no matter the speed of the observer.

Think of it like this: Observers sitting on a train could look at a train moving along a parallel track and think of its relative movement to themselves as zero. But observers moving nearly the speed of light would still perceive light as moving away from themselves at more than 670 million mph. (That's because moving really, really fast is one of the only confirmed methods of time travel  time actually slows down for those observers, who will age slower and perceive fewer moments than an observer moving slowly.)

In other words, Einstein proposed that the speed of light doesn't vary with the time or place that you measure it, or how fast you yourself are moving.

According to the theory, objects with mass cannot ever reach the speed of light. If an object ever did reach the speed of light, its mass would become infinite. And as a result, the energy required to move the object would also become infinite.

That means if we base our understanding of physics on special relativity, the speed of light is the immutable speed limit of our universe  the fastest that anything can travel.

What goes faster than the speed of light?

Although the speed of light is often referred to as the universe's speed limit, the universe actually expands even faster. The universe expands at a little more than 42 miles (68 kilometers) per second for each megaparsec of distance from the observer, wrote astrophysicist Paul Sutter in a previous article for Space.com . (A megaparsec is 3.26 million light-years  a really long way.)

In other words, a galaxy 1 megaparsec away appears to be traveling away from the Milky Way at a speed of 42 miles per second (68 km/s), while a galaxy two megaparsecs away recedes at nearly 86 miles per second (136 km/s), and so on.

"At some point, at some obscene distance, the speed tips over the scales and exceeds the speed of light, all from the natural, regular expansion of space," Sutter explained. "It seems like it should be illegal, doesn't it?"

Special relativity provides an absolute speed limit within the universe, according to Sutter, but Einstein's 1915 theory regarding general relativity allows different behavior when the physics you're examining are no longer "local."

"A galaxy on the far side of the universe? That's the domain of general relativity, and general relativity says: Who cares! That galaxy can have any speed it wants, as long as it stays way far away, and not up next to your face," Sutter wrote. "Special relativity doesn't care about the speed  superluminal or otherwise  of a distant galaxy. And neither should you."

Does light ever slow down?

Light moves more slowly when traveling through diamond than when moving through air, and it moves through air slightly slower than it can travel in a vacuum. (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Light in a vacuum is generally held to travel at an absolute speed, but light traveling through any material can be slowed down. The amount that a material slows down light is called its refractive index. Light bends when coming into contact with particles, which results in a decrease in speed, according to an explainer article from the Khan Academy .

Related: Here's what the speed of light looks like in slow motion

For example, light traveling through Earth's atmosphere moves almost as fast as light in a vacuum, slowing down by just three ten-thousandths of the speed of light. But light passing through a diamond slows to less than half its typical speed, PBS NOVA reported. Even so, it travels through the gem at over 277 million mph (almost 124,000 km/s)  enough to make a difference, but still incredibly fast.

Light can be trapped  and even stopped  inside ultra-cold clouds of atoms, according to a 2001 study published in the journal Nature . More recently, a 2018 study published in the journal Physical Review Letters proposed a new way to stop light in its tracks at "exceptional points," or places where two separate light emissions intersect and merge into one.

Researchers have also tried to slow down light even when it's traveling through a vacuum. A team of Scottish scientists successfully slowed down a single photon, or particle of light, even as it moved through a vacuum, as described in their 2015 study published in the journal Science . In their measurements, the difference between the slowed photon and a "regular" photon was just a few millionths of a meter, but it demonstrated that light in a vacuum can be slower than the official speed of light.

Why we still love the idea of faster-than-light travel

Science fiction loves the idea of "warp speed." Faster-than-light travel makes countless sci-fi franchises possible, condensing the vast expanses of space and letting characters pop back and forth between star systems with ease.

But while faster-than-light travel isn't guaranteed impossible, we'd need to harness some pretty exotic physics to make it work. Luckily for sci-fi enthusiasts and theoretical physicists alike, there are lots of avenues to explore.

All we have to do is figure out how to not move ourselves  since special relativity would ensure we'd be long destroyed before we reached high enough speed  but instead, move the space around us. Easy, right?

One proposed idea involves a spaceship that could fold a space-time bubble around itself. Sounds great, both in theory and in fiction.

Related: Spaceship could fly faster than light

"If Captain Kirk were constrained to move at the speed of our fastest rockets, it would take him a hundred thousand years just to get to the next star system," said Seth Shostak, an astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute in Mountain View, California, in a 2010 interview with Space.com's sister site LiveScience . "So science fiction has long postulated a way to beat the speed of light barrier so the story can move a little more quickly."

Without faster-than-light travel, any "Star Trek" (or "Star War," for that matter) would be impossible. If humanity is ever to reach the farthest  and constantly expanding  corners of our universe, it will be up to future physicists to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Additional resources

Some research for this article by Space.com contributor Nola Taylor Redd.
Tiangong-1 is a single-module space station operated by the China National Space Administration. The module was launched in 2011 and hosted two crews of taikonauts (Chinese astronauts) in 2012 and 2013. Since China's space agency discloses less information about its missions than other space agencies, the details surrounding the space station are not widely known.

In 2016, Chinese flight controllers lost control of Tiangong-1, sealing the 8.5 metric ton space lab's fate. Tiangong-1's decaying orbit may make it fall into Earth's atmosphere sometime between March 30 and April 2, 2018.

Chinese Space Station's Crash: Everything You Need to Know

"There is a chance that a small amount of Tiangong-1 debris may survive reentry and impact the ground. Should this happen, any surviving debris would fall within a region that is a few hundred kilometers in size and centered along a point on the Earth that the station passes over," according to the U.S.-based Aerospace Corporation, which is tracking Tiangong-1.

The orbit of the space station passes over most of the civilized world, with the exclusion of northern latitudes that include the United States, Russia and Canada, as well as the extreme south of the world, including Antarctica and the tip of South Africa. However, most of the Earth is covered by water, reducing the chances of a crash in a populated area.

Preparing for orbit

Multiple news sources say the Chinese were interested in having a human space program back at the dawn of the Space Age in the 1950s and the 1960s. At the time, the United States and the Soviet Union were competing for supremacy in orbit, sending up satellites (starting in 1957) and people (starting in 1961). The space race cooled in the late 1960s after the United States landed people on the moon, and the two nations agreed to their first joint space mission, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, which flew in 1975.

Meanwhile, China was secretly working on its own single-person space capsule known as Shuguang-1. Chinese sources translated for Encyclopedia Astronautica suggest that China got as far as selecting 19 astronauts for the program before its cancellation in 1972, for political reasons. More studies on human spacecraft reportedly took place in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Shenzhou program had its first successful robotic launch in 1999, and the first known taikonaut, Yang Liwei, flew on a 21-hour space journey on Oct. 15, 2003, aboard Shenzhou 5. This made China only the third country to independently launch humans into space. In 2005, China launched its first two-person mission. In 2008, China launched a three-person mission into space and performed its first spacewalk.

From there, a probable path was to follow the lead of other nations that had established space stations, namely the Soviet Union (Salyut series and Mir), the United States (Skylab) and the consortium of 15 nations (led by the United States and Russia) that created the International Space Station. So on Sept. 29, 2011, China launched Tiangong-1 on a Chinese Long March 2F rocket from northwest China.

A look inside China's Tiangong 1 space lab, which launched into orbit in September 2011. (Image credit: Dragon in Space)

Visiting the laboratory

Tiangong-1 (whose name means "Heavenly Palace") weighs about 8.5 metric tons, and is about 34 feet long by 11 feet wide (10.4 meters by 3.4 meters). It contains an experiment module  where the astronauts live and work  and a resource module that contains propellant tanks and rocket engines.

The module was placed in low Earth orbit at about 217 miles (350 kilometers), at a slightly lower altitude than the International Space Station. Two solar arrays power the station, and it can house three astronauts.

A primary goal for the module was to help the Chinese practice space dockings, which is an important skill for nations looking to build larger space stations or to send multiple spacecraft to the moon, Mars or other locations in the solar system.

In China's case, Liwei said around the time of the launch, the country wanted to practice these skills to create a multi-module, 60-ton space station in low Earth orbit for operation in the 2020s. In April 2017, Chinese officials predicted the first module for this space station would launch in 2019, according to Reuters.

As Tiangong-1 was initially slated to last two years, a suite of space missions quickly followed its launch. First came Shenzhou 8, an uncrewed spacecraft that docked with the space station in October 2011. Two crews followed. June 2012's Shenzhou 9, a three-person crew, included the first Chinese woman in space. A second three-taikonaut crewed docking took place in June 2013, with Shenzhou 10.

Space stations after Tiangong-1

A second space station, Tiangong-2, launched on Sept. 15, 2016, to further test out space station technologies. A crewed docking mission, Shenzhou 11, visited the space station in October and November 2016. The Chinese then tested out docking and refueling with a cargo ship, called Tianzhou-1. The cargo spacecraft made three dockings in April, June and September in 2017. The last docking was performed in just 6.5 hours instead of two days, according to GBTimes.com. The status of Tiangong-1 is unclear, according to a Space.com article from June 2016. China released little information about Tiangong-1 during its mission. Some experts examining its trajectory suggest it might be in an uncontrolled orbit, while others have seen evidence of reboosting and believe the spacecraft could fly for a while.

While crews have not visited Tiangong-1 since 2013, data gathered using the station has helped the Chinese find minerals and monitor ocean and forest use. It also helped with emergencies such as China's Yuyao flood disaster in 2013, according to the China Manned Space Engineering (CMSE) office. State-run news reports from China said the data collection ceased in March 2016.

It's unclear if and when Tiangong-1 will return to Earth, and if Chinese space officials will have control over its re-entry trajectory. While some past space stations (such as Mir) were brought down in a controlled fashion, others have tumbled back to Earth. The most notorious uncontrolled re-entry was Skylab in 1979, which saw some pieces crash into populated areas in western Australia.
Mattel's new Barbie Inspiring Women Katherine Johnson doll honors "the achievements of a pioneer who broke through barriers of race and gender."

A once-"hidden figure" from NASA's history is being celebrated by one of the most well-known toy lines in the world.

NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, whose real-life experience as an African American "human computer" was depicted in the 2016 movie "Hidden Figures," is among the first three historical figures to be honored in Barbie's "Inspiring Women" doll series.

The new line, revealed on Tuesday (March 6) ahead of International Women's Day on Thursday (March 8), will come packaged with educational information about the contributionse ach woman in the series made to society and their respective fields. The Barbie Inspiring Women Katherine Johnson doll honors "the achievements of a pioneer who broke through barriers of race and gender," said Mattel. [On 'Hidden Figures' Set, NASA's Early Years Take Center Stage]

"We know that you can't be what you can't see. Girls have always been able to play out different roles and careers with Barbie and we are thrilled to shine a light on real life role models to remind them that they can be anything," Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and general manager for Barbie, said in a statement.

Johnson, now 99, began work at what would become NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia in 1953, when she joined a pool of African-American women whose role it was to be the computers for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the predecessor agency to NASA. Johnson and her colleagues performed the mathematical equations and calculations needed by the engineers to advance their aeronautical work.

Eight years later, in support of the United States' early human spaceflight program, Johnson calculated the trajectory for Alan Shepard, who was the first American to fly in space on May 5, 1961. Even after NASA began using electronic computers, John Glenn requested that Johnson re-check the machine calculations before he launched to become first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth in 1962.

Johnson continued to work at NASA until 1986, combining her talent for math with her computer skills. Her trajectory calculations proved as critical to the success of the Apollo moon landings and start of the space shuttle program as they were for those early steps on the United States' journey into space.

barbie-inspiring-women-doll-katherine-johnson (Image credit: Mattel)

Johnson worked closely with Barbie designer Kelley Lindberg to ensure complete authenticity of her doll. The Barbie Inspiring Women Katherine Johnson includes her glasses, NASA badge, earrings and necklace. Available for pre-order now for $29.99, the doll will go on sale on May 10.

Barbie is also introducing dolls modeled after Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, and artist Frida Kahlo, whose portraits and works were inspired by the people and artifacts of Mexico.

In addition to the Katherine Johnson doll highlighting the role of women at NASA, Barbie's Careers line includes an Astronaut and Space Scientist set, which include one spacesuit-clad doll and another in a white lab coat. The first Barbie astronaut outfit, "Barbie Miss Astronaut," was released in 1965.

Another of Mattel's doll lines, American Girl, has also recently focused on space exploration with the introduction of its 2018 Girl of the Year, Luciana Vega, an 11-year-old of Chilean descent who won a scholarship to Space Camp and dreams of being the first person to fly to Mars.

Johnson's Barbie doll is the latest honor for the mathematician. In 2015, she was bestowed the nation's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A year later, NASA dedicated its computational research facility at Langley Research Center in her name.

See more photos of Mattel's Barbie Inspiring Women Katherine Johnson at collectSPACE.

Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2018 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved.
Optimization

Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should?

Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools.






TV Spot - IX Days to Go

Special Look

TV Spot

Promotional Character Photos

Promo

Promotional Poster

New Promotional Photos

21st October 2019 - Final Trailer

28th September 2019 - Promotional Artwork

26th August 2019 - Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker | D23 Special Look

24th August 2019 - New Poster

Check out the new poster for Star Wars: #TheRiseOfSkywalker that debuted at #D23Expo. See the film in theaters December 20. pic.twitter.com/FUSZaGQZE6  Star Wars (@starwars) August 24, 2019

Other highlights: Rey and Kylo lightsaber fighting on a rocky cliff with waves crashing around them in the water below. Rey using the force to send her lightsaber flying trough all of these trees (slicing them all) as it whirls around. #D23Expo  Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) August 24, 2019

22nd May 2019 - BTS Set Video

12th April 2019 - Teaser Trailer + Titled Revealed

15th February 2019 - Filming Wraps

It feels impossible, but today wrapped photography on Episode IX. There is no adequate way to thank this truly magical crew and cast. Im forever indebted to you all. pic.twitter.com/138AprtFuZ  JJ Abrams (@jjabrams) February 15, 2019

13th September 2018 - Greg Grunberg Joins Cast

EXCLUSIVE: Greg Grunberg has been set to return for Star Wars: Episode IX, the final installment of the trilogy. Grunberg has been such a good luck charm for director J.J. Abrams going back to Felicity, Alias and Lost, that even when it appears his character didnt make it, hes not off the boards. Grunbergs role here isnt being disclosed, but he played the ace X wing fighter pilot Snap Wexley in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and things didnt appear to end well for him in the battle above DQar.



Source: Deadline EXCLUSIVE: Greg Grunberg has been set to return for Star Wars: Episode IX, the final installment of the trilogy. Grunberg has been such a good luck charm for director J.J. Abrams going back to Felicity, Alias and Lost, that even when it appears his character didnt make it, hes not off the boards. Grunbergs role here isnt being disclosed, but he played the ace X wing fighter pilot Snap Wexley in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and things didnt appear to end well for him in the battle above DQar.

28th August 2018 - Matt Smith Joins Cast

Sources tell Variety that The Crown star Matt Smith is joining Star Wars: Episode IX, which is currently in production in the U.K. Its unknown at this time whether the Doctor Who alum will be on the side of the rebels or the evil empire.



Source: Variety Sources tell Variety that The Crown star Matt Smith is joining Star Wars: Episode IX, which is currently in production in the U.K. Its unknown at this time whether the Doctor Who alum will be on the side of the rebels or the evil empire.

24th August 2018 - Dominic Monaghan Joins Cast

EXCLUSIVE: Dominic Monaghan is joining the cast of Star Wars: Episode IX, Not sure what role he will be playing, but hes set, and it reunites him with J.J. Abrams, with whom he did the ABC series Lost.



The galaxy far far away has had almost as much influence as the one I live in, so I am delighted to be involved, Monaghan said.



Source: Deadline EXCLUSIVE: Dominic Monaghan is joining the cast of Star Wars: Episode IX, Not sure what role he will be playing, but hes set, and it reunites him with J.J. Abrams, with whom he did the ABC series Lost.The galaxy far far away has had almost as much influence as the one I live in, so I am delighted to be involved, Monaghan said.

24th August 2018 - Set Photos

27th July 2018 - Cast Announced

STAR WARS: EPISODE IX CAST ANNOUNCED



RETURNING AND NEW CAST MEMBERS WILL JOIN TOGETHER FOR THE FINAL INSTALLMENT OF THE SKYWALKER SAGA.



Star Wars: Episode IX will begin filming at Londons Pinewood Studios on August 1, 2018. J.J. Abrams returns to direct the final installment of the Skywalker saga. Abrams co-wrote the screenplay with Chris Terrio.



Returning cast members include Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyongo, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd. Joining the cast of Episode IX are Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant, who will be joined by veteran Star Wars actors Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams, who will reprise his role as Lando Calrissian.



The role of Leia Organa will once again be played by Carrie Fisher, using previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We desperately loved Carrie Fisher, says Abrams. Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carries legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.



Composer John Williams, who has scored every chapter in the Star Wars saga since 1977s A New Hope, will return to a galaxy far, far away with Episode IX.



Star Wars: Episode IX will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Michelle Rejwan, and executive produced by Callum Greene and Jason McGatlin. The crew includes Dan Mindel (Director of Photography), Rick Carter and Kevin Jenkins (Co-Production Designers), Michael Kaplan (Costume Designer), Neal Scanlan (Creature and Droid FX), Maryann Brandon and Stefan Grube (Editors), Roger Guyett (VFX Supervisor), Tommy Gormley (1st AD), and Victoria Mahoney (2nd Unit Director).



Release is scheduled for December 2019.



Source: Star Wars Star Wars: Episode IX will begin filming at Londons Pinewood Studios on August 1, 2018. J.J. Abrams returns to direct the final installment of the Skywalker saga. Abrams co-wrote the screenplay with Chris Terrio.Returning cast members include Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyongo, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd. Joining the cast of Episode IX are Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant, who will be joined by veteran Star Wars actors Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams, who will reprise his role as Lando Calrissian.The role of Leia Organa will once again be played by Carrie Fisher, using previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We desperately loved Carrie Fisher, says Abrams. Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carries legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.Composer John Williams, who has scored every chapter in the Star Wars saga since 1977s A New Hope, will return to a galaxy far, far away with Episode IX.Star Wars: Episode IX will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Michelle Rejwan, and executive produced by Callum Greene and Jason McGatlin. The crew includes Dan Mindel (Director of Photography), Rick Carter and Kevin Jenkins (Co-Production Designers), Michael Kaplan (Costume Designer), Neal Scanlan (Creature and Droid FX), Maryann Brandon and Stefan Grube (Editors), Roger Guyett (VFX Supervisor), Tommy Gormley (1st AD), and Victoria Mahoney (2nd Unit Director).Release is scheduled for December 2019.

Keri Russell has just closed her deal to join the cast of #StarWars: Episode IX: https://t.co/UWwu6YT31K pic.twitter.com/FjndqhyDaB  Variety (@Variety) July 27, 2018





Source: Deadline The reason Keri Russell's name wasnt on the cast list: she hadnt signed her deal by the time the studio wanted the news to go out today via StarWars.com. Deadline hears though that she has now officially inked for the unknown role, and that she will be in the finale of the Skywalker Saga movies that has a December 20, 2019 release date.

9th July 2018 - Billy Dee Williams Returning

Billy Dee Williams is returning to a galaxy far, far away.



The actor, who famously played the galactic gambler Lando Calrissian, will reprise the role for Star Wars: Episode IX, the next Star Wars installment from Lucasfilm.



Chatter about Williams joining the production, which begins later this summer, increased in recent days when the actor bowed out of an upcoming sci-fi and pop culture convention citing a conflict with a movie schedule. Sources confirm to The Hollywood Reporter that Williams will indeed be returning to the Star Wars big screen for the first time since 1983s Return of the Jedi. The character made his suave debut in Empire Strikes Back.



Source: The Hollywood Reporter Billy Dee Williams is returning to a galaxy far, far away.The actor, who famously played the galactic gambler Lando Calrissian, will reprise the role for Star Wars: Episode IX, the next Star Wars installment from Lucasfilm.Chatter about Williams joining the production, which begins later this summer, increased in recent days when the actor bowed out of an upcoming sci-fi and pop culture convention citing a conflict with a movie schedule. Sources confirm to The Hollywood Reporter that Williams will indeed be returning to the Star Wars big screen for the first time since 1983s Return of the Jedi. The character made his suave debut in Empire Strikes Back.

6th July 2018 - Keri Russell in Talks to Join Cast

Sources tell Variety that the Felicity alum is in early talks to join J.J. Abrams Star Wars: Episode IX, which Abrams is writing and directing. Russell and Abrams last collaborated on 2006s Mission: Impossible III.



The role calls for action-heavy fight scenes. Russell has shown her ability to perform tough stunts in projects like FXs The Americans, Mission: Impossible, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.



Abrams and Lucasfilm execs met with several actresses for the role in the past two months and settled on Russell right before the Fourth of July holiday. Abrams will likely cast two more actors by the time the film begins production at the end of the month. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Adam Driver are all expected to return.



Source: Variety Sources tell Variety that the Felicity alum is in early talks to join J.J. Abrams Star Wars: Episode IX, which Abrams is writing and directing. Russell and Abrams last collaborated on 2006s Mission: Impossible III.The role calls for action-heavy fight scenes. Russell has shown her ability to perform tough stunts in projects like FXs The Americans, Mission: Impossible, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.Abrams and Lucasfilm execs met with several actresses for the role in the past two months and settled on Russell right before the Fourth of July holiday. Abrams will likely cast two more actors by the time the film begins production at the end of the month. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Adam Driver are all expected to return.

7th March 2018 - John Williams to Stop Scoring Star Wars

John Williams has no doubt that Star Wars films will go on indefinitely now that the franchise is owned by Disney, but it sounds like he's over scoring them.



The iconic 86-year-old composer recently told radio station KUSC that he planned to score the upcoming Episode IX, but then he wants to be done.



"We know J.J. Abrams is preparing one now for next year that I will hopefully do for him, and I look forward to it," Williams said. "It will round out a series of nine and be quite enough for me."



Williams also revealed that his new favorite character is Rey, played by Daisy Ridley. And when he was asked to score The Last Jedi, the first question he had for producer Kathleen Kennedy was whether would Ridley return.



"She said yes, so I said yes," Williams said.



Source: The Hollywood Reporter John Williams has no doubt that Star Wars films will go on indefinitely now that the franchise is owned by Disney, but it sounds like he's over scoring them.The iconic 86-year-old composer recently told radio station KUSC that he planned to score the upcoming Episode IX, but then he wants to be done."We know J.J. Abrams is preparing one now for next year that I will hopefully do for him, and I look forward to it," Williams said. "It will round out a series of nine and be quite enough for me."Williams also revealed that his new favorite character is Rey, played by Daisy Ridley. And when he was asked to score The Last Jedi, the first question he had for producer Kathleen Kennedy was whether would Ridley return."She said yes, so I said yes," Williams said.

12th September 2017 - Release Date Moved

Star Wars: Episode IX is scheduled for release on December 20, 2019. pic.twitter.com/rDBqmuHX89  Star Wars (@starwars) September 12, 2017

12th September 2017 - J.J. Abrams to Write and Direct Star Wars: Episode IX

J.J. Abrams, who launched a new era of Star Wars with The Force Awakens in 2015, is returning to complete the sequel trilogy as writer and director of Star Wars: Episode IX. Abrams will co-write the film with Chris Terrio. Star Wars: Episode IX will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Abrams, Bad Robot, and Lucasfilm.



With The Force Awakens, J.J. delivered everything we could have possibly hoped for, and I am so excited that he is coming back to close out this trilogy, said Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.



Source: Star Wars J.J. Abrams, who launched a new era of Star Wars with The Force Awakens in 2015, is returning to complete the sequel trilogy as writer and director of Star Wars: Episode IX. Abrams will co-write the film with Chris Terrio. Star Wars: Episode IX will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Abrams, Bad Robot, and Lucasfilm.With The Force Awakens, J.J. delivered everything we could have possibly hoped for, and I am so excited that he is coming back to close out this trilogy, said Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.

5th September 2017 - Rian Johnson Might Return to Direct

EXCLUSIVE: Put Rian Johnson atop the short list of directors who might replace the recently departed Colin Trevorrow in Star Wars: Episode IX. Insiders said that nothing is done yet, but that prospect is certainly in the air right now. The Looper helmer fit seamlessly into the LucasFilm machine, which is no small feat given the number of star directors whove been chewed up and spat out under the creative difference line in exiting Star Wars movies. Deadline was first to tell you that Ron Howard was top choice to replace Lord & Miller as director of the Han Solo spinoff movie, and that came to pass. If Johnson, who directed the December 15 launching Star Wars: The Last Jedi, does in fact come back to take the reins of the next movie, it would somehow seem like destiny. When Deadline revealed that the Looper helmer was being hired to take on Star Wars, the original intention was for him to direct two movies. Stay tuned. It might come to pass.



Weve now seen the Jurassic World helmer Trevorrow follow Phil Lord and Chris Miller out the door, which followed the previous exit of Josh Trank. And the sort of exit of Gareth Edwards, who completed principal photography on the spinoff Rogue One, but it is the worst kept secret in Hollywood that Tony Gilroy supervised the directing of the re-shoots that put Rogue One back on track as another billion dollar grossing Star Wars film.



Source: Read More on Deadline EXCLUSIVE: Put Rian Johnson atop the short list of directors who might replace the recently departed Colin Trevorrow in Star Wars: Episode IX. Insiders said that nothing is done yet, but that prospect is certainly in the air right now. The Looper helmer fit seamlessly into the LucasFilm machine, which is no small feat given the number of star directors whove been chewed up and spat out under the creative difference line in exiting Star Wars movies. Deadline was first to tell you that Ron Howard was top choice to replace Lord & Miller as director of the Han Solo spinoff movie, and that came to pass. If Johnson, who directed the December 15 launching Star Wars: The Last Jedi, does in fact come back to take the reins of the next movie, it would somehow seem like destiny. When Deadline revealed that the Looper helmer was being hired to take on Star Wars, the original intention was for him to direct two movies. Stay tuned. It might come to pass.Weve now seen the Jurassic World helmer Trevorrow follow Phil Lord and Chris Miller out the door, which followed the previous exit of Josh Trank. And the sort of exit of Gareth Edwards, who completed principal photography on the spinoff Rogue One, but it is the worst kept secret in Hollywood that Tony Gilroy supervised the directing of the re-shoots that put Rogue One back on track as another billion dollar grossing Star Wars film.

5th September 2017 - Colin Trevorrow Departs as Director

Lucasfilm and Colin Trevorrow have mutually chosen to part ways on Star Wars: Episode IX. Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ. We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon.



Source: Star Wars Lucasfilm and Colin Trevorrow have mutually chosen to part ways on Star Wars: Episode IX. Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ. We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon.

1st August 2017 - Jack Thorne to Rewrite Script

Jack Thorne, the British scribe who wrote the upcoming Julia Roberts-Jacob Tremblay movie Wonder, has been tapped to work on the Star Wars installment that is to be directed by Colin Trevorrow.



Trevorrow and his writing partner Derek Connolly wrote the most recent draft of the script and were working off a treatment by Rian Johnson, who wrote and directed Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the eighth installment of the sci-fi fantasy that opens December 15.



Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac are expected to return  but you never know who a Star Wars movie may kill off so dont get too comfortable  with the installment eyeing a production start in January 2018.



Source: The Hollywood Reporter Jack Thorne, the British scribe who wrote the upcoming Julia Roberts-Jacob Tremblay movie Wonder, has been tapped to work on the Star Wars installment that is to be directed by Colin Trevorrow.Trevorrow and his writing partner Derek Connolly wrote the most recent draft of the script and were working off a treatment by Rian Johnson, who wrote and directed Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the eighth installment of the sci-fi fantasy that opens December 15.Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac are expected to return  but you never know who a Star Wars movie may kill off so dont get too comfortable  with the installment eyeing a production start in January 2018.

25th April 2017 - Release Date Revealed

The Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm announced today two major upcoming release dates.



Star Wars: Episode IX is now set for release on May 24, 2019. Directed by Colin Trevorrow, the film will close out the third Star Wars trilogy.



In addition, the fifth chapter of the Indiana Jones series is now confirmed for a July 10, 2020 release. Both Steven Spielberg, director of every Indiana Jones film, and star Harrison Ford will return.



Source: Star Wars The Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm announced today two major upcoming release dates.Star Wars: Episode IX is now set for release on May 24, 2019. Directed by Colin Trevorrow, the film will close out the third Star Wars trilogy.In addition, the fifth chapter of the Indiana Jones series is now confirmed for a July 10, 2020 release. Both Steven Spielberg, director of every Indiana Jones film, and star Harrison Ford will return.

14th April 2017 - Carrie Fisher Won't Appear

EXCLUSIVE: Lucasfilm President Kathy Kennedy says Carrie Fisher will NOT be in @StarWars Episode 9 as General Leia. #SWCO #TheLastJedi pic.twitter.com/gxH80QteYb  Good Morning America (@GMA) April 14, 2017

7th April 2017 - Carrie Fisher to Appear via Recent Footage Says Todd Fisher

Thanks to DarthLocke4 for the heads up.



After months of speculation about Carrie's future in the sci-fi saga, Todd has revealed that Disney bosses want to bring Princess Leia back for Episode IX. And he said he and Carrie's daughter, Billie Lourd, have granted the studio rights to use recent footage for the finale. It is understood that CGI will not be used to recreate Leia.



Both of us were like, Yes, how do you take her out of it? And the answer is you don't, said Fisher, as he attended the opening night gala of the TCM Film Festival in Los Angeles, celebrating In the Heat of the Night.



Shes as much a part of it as anything and I think her presence now is even more powerful than it was, like Obi Wan  when the saber cuts him down he becomes more powerful. I feel like that's what's happened with Carrie. I think the legacy should continue.



To what extent Leia will figure in to the storyline is not clear. Im not the only part in that equation, but I think the people deserve to have her, said Fisher. She's owned by them.



And he said he had total faith in the filmmakers to do great things.



You don't mess with this legacy, he said. It would be like rewriting the Bible. To me, Star Wars is the holy grail of storytelling and lore and you can't mess with it.



Source: Read More on New York Daily News After months of speculation about Carrie's future in the sci-fi saga, Todd has revealed that Disney bosses want to bring Princess Leia back for Episode IX. And he said he and Carrie's daughter, Billie Lourd, have granted the studio rights to use recent footage for the finale. It is understood that CGI will not be used to recreate Leia.Both of us were like, Yes, how do you take her out of it? And the answer is you don't, said Fisher, as he attended the opening night gala of the TCM Film Festival in Los Angeles, celebrating In the Heat of the Night.Shes as much a part of it as anything and I think her presence now is even more powerful than it was, like Obi Wan  when the saber cuts him down he becomes more powerful. I feel like that's what's happened with Carrie. I think the legacy should continue.To what extent Leia will figure in to the storyline is not clear. Im not the only part in that equation, but I think the people deserve to have her, said Fisher. She's owned by them.And he said he had total faith in the filmmakers to do great things.You don't mess with this legacy, he said. It would be like rewriting the Bible. To me, Star Wars is the holy grail of storytelling and lore and you can't mess with it.

17th August 2015 - Colin Trevorrow to Direct

Today at D23, Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn announced that writer-director Colin Trevorrow will direct Star Wars: Episode IX, which is set for release in 2019.



While production wont begin for a few years, Trevorrow is heading to Lucasfilm this year to begin working with artists and his fellow Star Wars directors. Colin is someone Ive been interested in working with ever since I saw Safety Not Guaranteed, says Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. The power of that film paired with the enormous success of Jurassic World speaks volumes about his abilities both as a storyteller and skilled filmmaker. We are thrilled to have such an incredible talent as Colin join our family and step into the Star Wars universe.



Trevorrow states This is not a job or an assignment. It is a seat at a campfire, surrounded by an extraordinary group of storytellers, filmmakers, artists and craftspeople. Weve been charged with telling new stories for a younger generation because they deserve what we all hada mythology to call their own. We will do this by channeling something George Lucas instilled in all of us: boundless creativity, pure invention and hope.



Star Wars: Episode IX will conclude the third trilogy of Star Wars movies that begins with Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 18, 2015.



Source: Star Wars Today at D23, Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn announced that writer-director Colin Trevorrow will direct Star Wars: Episode IX, which is set for release in 2019.While production wont begin for a few years, Trevorrow is heading to Lucasfilm this year to begin working with artists and his fellow Star Wars directors. Colin is someone Ive been interested in working with ever since I saw Safety Not Guaranteed, says Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. The power of that film paired with the enormous success of Jurassic World speaks volumes about his abilities both as a storyteller and skilled filmmaker. We are thrilled to have such an incredible talent as Colin join our family and step into the Star Wars universe.Trevorrow states This is not a job or an assignment. It is a seat at a campfire, surrounded by an extraordinary group of storytellers, filmmakers, artists and craftspeople. Weve been charged with telling new stories for a younger generation because they deserve what we all hada mythology to call their own. We will do this by channeling something George Lucas instilled in all of us: boundless creativity, pure invention and hope.Star Wars: Episode IX will conclude the third trilogy of Star Wars movies that begins with Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 18, 2015.

You can see more photos here and here
Welcome To SpoilerTV



We bring you a comprehensive and up to date spoiler service on all the major US TV shows and Movies. You can find specific show content by clicking the menu system at the top of the screen. We scour the Internet for spoilers as well as posting our own exclusive spoilers (Scripts, Casting Calls, Set Photos etc) as well as recaps and other fun articles and polls. We hope you enjoy your stay.




USA Network announced today that its acclaimed drama The Sinner will return for a second limited season in Summer 2018!From Universal Cable Productions (UCP), the second, eight-episode season will once again feature Derek Simonds as executive producer and showrunner, Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple as executive producers through their company Iron Ocean, and Charlie Gogolak as executive producer. Brad Winters will also serve as executive producer. Antonio Campos, who directed the first three episodes of season 1, will return to direct and executive produce the first two episodes.Season 2 lures Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) back to his hometown in rural New York to assess an unsettling and heart wrenching crime -- parents murdered by their 11-year-old son, with no apparent motive. As Ambrose realizes theres nothing ordinary about the boy or where he came from, the investigation pulls him into the hidden darkness of his hometown. Hes pitted against those wholl stop at nothing to protect its secrets -- and a mysterious woman who proves to be a complicated, enigmatic piece to this haunting puzzle."The Sinner was a huge success for USA Network, said Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks for NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. In our second season, well follow Detective Ambrose as he tracks his newest why-dunnit, while staying true to the unique, edge-of-your-seat storytelling that captivated audiences and critics alike.The Sinner's first installment, which premiered on USA Network last summer, was the #1 new cable series of 2017. The series also garnered two Golden Globe nominations (for Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television and Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for Jessica Biel), and 2 Critics Choice Award nominations (for Best Actor in a Movie Made for TV or Limited Series, and Best Actress in a Movie Made for TV or Limited Series).






Wendie Malick and Dan Lauria Cast as Toby's Parents

THIS JUST IN: Wendie Malick and Dan Lauria will be playing Toby's parents in tonight's season finale. #SXSW  This Is Us (@NBCThisisUs) March 13, 2018

Sneak Peeks

Promotional Photos

Promo

Season Finale to Introduce Beth & Toby's Family

The finale, which surrounds the entire family gathering for Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Toby's (Chris Sullivan) wedding, will introduce three new characters: Toby's parents and someone from Beth's (Susan Kelechi Watson) family.



"We are throwing everyone together up at the family cabin for a very, very big celebratory occasion," co-showrunner Isaac Aptaker tells The Hollywood Reporter. "We're going to get to meet Toby's parents for the first time, which we're very excited about, and it's something we've wanted to do for quite a while on the show, and this felt like the perfect reason. We're also going to get to meet a member of Beth's extended family, which is something people always ask about. They're always like, 'I want to meet her mom, I want to meet one of her sisters, I want to meet somebody,' so we are finally going to meet another person from Beth's world at the wedding."



While it's unclear who from Kate's sister-in-law's family will appear (and why one of Randall's in-laws would be at his sister's wedding), the person in question  and the couple cast as Toby's parents  could definitely pop up on This Is Us in the show's third season.



"We cast some pretty in-demand actors, so it's always a bit of a matter of scheduling, but yes, we cast Beth's family member and then Toby's parents," Aptaker said of the castings, which are being kept under wraps. "We love all three of them, so I certainly hope [we'll see them again]."



Source: The Hollywood Reporter The finale, which surrounds the entire family gathering for Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Toby's (Chris Sullivan) wedding, will introduce three new characters: Toby's parents and someone from Beth's (Susan Kelechi Watson) family."We are throwing everyone together up at the family cabin for a very, very big celebratory occasion," co-showrunner Isaac Aptaker tells The Hollywood Reporter. "We're going to get to meet Toby's parents for the first time, which we're very excited about, and it's something we've wanted to do for quite a while on the show, and this felt like the perfect reason. We're also going to get to meet a member of Beth's extended family, which is something people always ask about. They're always like, 'I want to meet her mom, I want to meet one of her sisters, I want to meet somebody,' so we are finally going to meet another person from Beth's world at the wedding."While it's unclear who from Kate's sister-in-law's family will appear (and why one of Randall's in-laws would be at his sister's wedding), the person in question  and the couple cast as Toby's parents  could definitely pop up on This Is Us in the show's third season."We cast some pretty in-demand actors, so it's always a bit of a matter of scheduling, but yes, we cast Beth's family member and then Toby's parents," Aptaker said of the castings, which are being kept under wraps. "We love all three of them, so I certainly hope [we'll see them again]."

Aftershow

Variety Interview

What made you want to dive into a full Deja episode, as opposed to letting her story trickle out through flashbacks the way the other backstories have?



In the writers room we have a whiteboard thats like our very special episodes whiteboard for really outside of the box ideas, which were always encouraging our writers to come in and pitch. And we try to devote a couple of episodes a year to that. Last year we did the one where you see the day the Big Three were born and you see the firefighters perspective and Dr. Ks perspective. We always try to have a couple of those a season  that really break out of our typical mold and dont necessarily advance our main narrative  so we thought, Why dont we do an episode that really tells the entire 12-year history of this girls life and really dives into the moments in between the stuff weve seen at Beth and Randalls?



Source: Read More on Variety In the writers room we have a whiteboard thats like our very special episodes whiteboard for really outside of the box ideas, which were always encouraging our writers to come in and pitch. And we try to devote a couple of episodes a year to that. Last year we did the one where you see the day the Big Three were born and you see the firefighters perspective and Dr. Ks perspective. We always try to have a couple of those a season  that really break out of our typical mold and dont necessarily advance our main narrative  so we thought, Why dont we do an episode that really tells the entire 12-year history of this girls life and really dives into the moments in between the stuff weve seen at Beth and Randalls?
HARTFORD  Next to new jets, Tweed New Haven Regional Airport envisions a long line of solar panels gleaming on its grounds.

The project could be one of many future community solar projects in Connecticut, advocates and some legislators hope.

In Connecticut, community solar can provide residents and businesses, the majority of whom cannot host a solar project, affordable, reliable, and clean solar energy for the first time, Jeff Cramer, executive director of the Coalition of Community Solar Access, testified before the legislative Energy and Technology Committee Tuesday.

The Committee is considering two bills concerning community solar projects. Unlike residential solar panels which might provide electricity to one home, community solar projects are large areas of solar panels that individuals can subscribe to receive energy from. Subscribers might be people who are low-income, or live in apartment buildings or shady areas, who want to support clean energy but cannot install their own panels.

One bill charges the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, along with Connecticut Green Bank, with establishing a statewide shared clean energy program that would support projects like community solar. DEEP is already working with three community solar projects in Bloomfield, Shelton and Thompson, Connecticut as part of pilot program, and voiced its support for community solar in testimony.

The second bill would allow such shared solar projects at municipal airports, like Tweed.

Advocates touted the economic benefits that community solar would bring to Connecticut by creating jobs, bringing energy investment to the state and allowing residents to save on energy costs.

Shared solar catalyzes significant private investment in the state, its workforce, and the grid, testified Christopher Gilrein, policy and regulatory manager for the Clean Energy Collective. Each Megawatt of community solar capacity built generates approximately $2 million in direct investment in the local economy.

Eversource, New Englands largest energy provider, said it opposed the statewide community shared clean energy bill. It argued for more time to study the pilot program. It also claimed community solar projects would be more expensive than other solar projects selected by DEEP and allowed by state statutes.

The Office of Consumer Council raised concerns, too. It recognized community solar has had some successes in states like Massachusetts, California and Minnesota, but said it might be an unwise choice in Connecticut, due to cost.

Where community solar projects are more expensive than rooftop projects despite the economies of scale, the case for supporting community solar essentially evaporates, testified Elin Katz, commissioner of OCC. Being pro-clean energy requires getting the maximum clean energy for each dollar expended.

In New Haven, support for community solar at Tweed Airport is two-fold. The Tweed New Haven Airport Authority, the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce and Yale University gave nod to the environmental and economic benefits of community solar.

Officials from these organizations spent most of their time talking about a tiny subsection of the solar municipal airport bill, however: a single line that would strike down the statutory 5,600 foot limit on Tweeds runway length. Expanding the runway would allowed bigger planes to land there.

The proposed runway expansion would bring in more airlines, destinations and non-stop flights for both business and leisure travel for the 4 million passengers who live closer to Tweed than any other airport, said Garrett Sheehan, president of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce.

Richard Jacob, associate vice president for Federal and State Relations at Yale University, cited a lack of transportation in New Haven as a big reason why businesses and graduate students are not staying in Connecticut.

The Energy and Technology Committee has until March 29 to vote on the two bills, which would subsequently need to gain support in the General Assembly.
STAMFORD  Dr. Sharon Kiely has been appointed dean of Stamford Hospitals Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Kiely joined Stamford Health in 2010 as the hospitals first vice president and chief quality officer, and was named to her current position of senior vice president, medical affairs and chief medical officer in 2011.

In her additional role as associate dean, Kiely is now also responsible for the affiliation with Columbia P&S and the learning environment for all medical students and the more than 70 resident physicians on the Stamford campus.

The students work closely with our extremely talented residents and faculty medical staff, receiving first-hand experience that is unparalleled in the region, with access to our new facility, our culture of patient-centered care and high quality programs, Kiely said. Our students are an integral part of our multidisciplinary care team and have a great positive impact on our patients, their families, as well as the doctors that teach them here.

Dr. Noel Robin was the associate dean until he retired in January after serving as the hospitals chairman of the Department of Medicine for 45 years. Robin remains a member of the medical staff as emeritus chairman of the Department of Medicine, as a teacher and preceptor in the endocrine clinic.

Dr. Robin is an inspiring individual who has impacted generations of doctors in our education programs for medical students and resident physician training programs, Kiely said. We are indebted to him for laying this solid foundation for education and learning.

Kiely graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine and is board-certified in internal medicine. She practiced primary care internal medicine for more than 23 years.
Below is the most up-to-date information on Wednesdays snowstorm and its impact to towns and cities in the Fairfield County area.

Update 11:30 p.m.

Bridgeport

City offices and facilities will open at noon Thursday.

Public facilities will work overnight clearing snow from city streets. In downtown around 11:15 p.m., most of the roads were cleared or in the process of being cleared by snowplows.

As of 11:25 p.m., approximately 700 people in Bridgeport were without power, United Illuminating estimated.

Darien

The town has sustained significant damage, police said. There are numerous reports of downed trees and power lines, police indicated.

All unnecessary travel should be avoided, police encouraged, until crews clear the roadways.

Fairfield

The towns fire and police departments responded to more than 290 calls for service during the evening shift Wednesday. Nearly 90 of those calls  which, police said, are weather-related  are still pending.

All sections of town are affected by downed trees and wires, police said. Many roadways are completely impassable.

Greenwich

The towns public works and parks department will work throughout the night to clear the roadways, police said.

Milford

City police reported several trees and wires down.

Some streets that are affected are Cedarhurst, Dale, Lennox, Tower, Woodruff and Clark. Police said most of these streets are impassable.

New Canaan

There are more than 75 roads in town that, police said, are impassable because of downed trees and wires.

Please shelter in place and stay off the roads, police urged.

Stratford

Mayor Laura Hoydick is opening the towns Emergency Operations Center. Officials report wires down in several locations throughout the town. Tree limbs with tangled wires are blocking roads, preventing plowing on some roads.

Public works and public safety crews are working with United Illuminating to address outages.

Trumbull

First Selectman Vicki Tesoro said the town is currently in a State of Emergency.

A parking ban remains in effect until further notice to allow snowplows to clear roadways throughout the town. All residents are urged to stay inside until conditions are safe to travel.

Town offices and facilities will open at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Westport

It was all hands on deck in Westports fire department Wednesday evening. And that meant fire Chief Robert Yost was even taking 911 calls to help dispatchers during the snowstorm.

Update 10:05 p.m.

Stamford

Public Safety Director Ted Jankowski said North Stamford got hit very hard by heavy snow from 5 p.m. on Wednesday. There are about 150 trees down in the area that took wires down with them.

Jankowski said residents should stay off the roads because there are live wires all over. He said workers are out trying to get to them and make repairs.

Update 10 p.m.  OUTAGES

As of 9:45 p.m., United Illuminating reported 22,030 customers without power.

Ansonia: 24

Bridgeport: 1,817

Derby: 3

East Haven: 4

Easton: 1,474

Fairfield: 5,537

Milford: 121

New Haven: 2,307

Orange: 48

Shelton: 3,891

Stratford: 262

Trumbull: 2,718

West Haven: 119

As of 9:45 p.m., Eversource reported 112,465 customers without power.

Bethel: 501

Brookfield: 847

Danbury: 728

Darien: 718

Easton: 13

Fairfield: 22

Greenwich: 1,574

Monroe: 3,942

New Canaan: 1,897

New Fairfield: 36

New Milford: 286

Newtown: 2,566

Norwalk: 3,621

Oxford: 938

Redding: 2,938

Ridgefield: 903

Seymour: 844

Stamford: 2,978

Trumbull: 18

Weston: 2,570

Westport: 3,187

Wilton: 2,342

Update 9:20 p.m.

Connecticut State Police:

Calls for service: 954

Motorist assists: 360

Accidents; no injuries: 130

Accidents with injuries: 5

Fatalities: 0

Update 9 p.m.

The First Selectman's office issued a notice around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday stating the snow emergency and on-street parking ban on designated streets will remain in effect until further notice.

Town Hall will have a delayed opening for business on Thursday, March 8, with normal business operations resuming at 10 a.m., but the Emergency Operations Centers is open and staff continues to manage Winter Storm Quinn.

Warming and electronic device charging centers available at the Greenwich Public Safety Complex, 11 Bruce Place. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Also open are the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center, 90 Harding Road, Old Greenwich, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; the Western Bendheim Civic Center, 449 Pemberwick Road, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the Greenwich Library.

Thank you to all those who are on the front line ensuring the safety of our residents and addressing this weather event, said Tesei. We appreciate residents adhering to the snow emergency and parking ban and ask that they continue to do so, so that the Town can return to normal operations as soon as possible.

Your browser does not support the iframe HTML tag. Try viewing this in a modern browser like Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer 9 or later.

Residents are advised to park their vehicles in their driveways or in their yards to keep banned roads clear. Municipal parking lots are also open to residents, according to the Department of Public Works.

And as per town ordinance, residents must keep their sidewalks clear of ice and snow once the storm ends, before 18 hours have passed.

"The town of Greenwich prohibits plow contractors from pushing snow from driveways or parking lots onto town streets," the notice states. "This practice is dangerous and impedes the towns snow removal efforts. If there is no other alternative to pushing snow into the street, the private plow driver must plow off the windrow left across the street by re-plowing until the road is safe."

The town also reminds residents that the risk of falling trees and branches is increased with heavy, wet snow.

"If a tree falls on a power line and causes it to come down or block a town road or right-of way," officials wrote, "the situation should be reported immediately. All downed wires should be considered live and avoided."

Snow emergency routes where the parking ban will be enforced are as follows:

Central Greenwich: Amogerone Crossway, Arch Street, Benedict Place, Bolling Place, Brookside Drive, Bruce Park Avenue, Bruce Place, Church Street, Connecticut Avenue, Davis Avenue, East Elm Street, East Putnam Avenue (Maple Ave. to Library), Fawcett Place, Field Point Road, Greenwich Avenue, Grigg Street, Havemeyer Place, Hillside Road, Horseneck Lane, Hunter Place, Lafayette Place, Lake Avenue, Lawrence Street, LeGrande Avenue, Lenox Drive, Lewis Street, Lexington Avenue, Locust Street, Maher Avenue, Maple Avenue, Mason Street, Milbank Avenue, Perryridge Road, Railroad Avenue, Ridge Street, Sherwood Place, Shore Road, Sound View Drive, Steamboat Road, West Elm Street, West Putnam Avenue and William Street.

Byram: Beech Street, Byram road, Cedar Street, Chestnut Street, Church Street West, Delavan Avenue, Division Street West, Hervey Street, Kirby Street, Mead Street, Mill Street, North Water Street, Oak Street, Pine Street, Richland Road, South Water Street, Spruce Street, Western Junior Highway and William Street West.

Chickahominy: Hamilton Avenue, Old Field Point Road and Saint Rochs Avenue.

Pemberwick: Comly Avenue, Pemberwick Road and Moshier Street.

Glenville: Glenville Road/Street from Glenridge Road to Pemberwick Road, Riversville Road from Glenville Road and the north to entrance to Glenville School.

Cos Cob: Bible Street, East Putnam Avenue (Field Road to Diamond Hill), Loughlin Avenue, Orchard Street, Relay Place, River Road, River Road Extension, Sinawoy Road, Strickland Road, Suburban Avenue and Valley Road.

Riverside and Mianus: Hendrie Avenue, North Sound Beach Avenue and Valley Road.

Old Greenwich: Arcadia Road, Lockwood Avenue, Sound Beach Avenue and West End Avenue.

Update 8 p.m.

A tree reportedly went through a house in Trumbull on White Plains Road, hitting a 30-year-old in the head. The victim is not alert at this time, according to an alert. Emergency medical services are en route.

Update 7:30 p.m.

Connecticut State Police

Calls for service: 514

Accidents no injuries: 104

Motorist assists: 197

Accidents with injuries: 5

Fatalities: 0

Power outages

United Illuminating reported 12,076 customers without power across the state as of 7:12 p.m. Below is a list of towns and cities who are reporting customers without power. Despite the increase in customers, the individual town outages hadnt changed.

Eversource reported 23,695 customers without power across the state as of 7:12 p.m. Below is a list of towns and cities who are reporting customers without power...

Bethel: 257

Brookfield: 202

Danbury: 1,106

Darien: 492

Greenwich: 1,232

Monroe: 1,746

New Canaan: 777

New Fairfield: 90

New Milford: 213

Newtown: 1,346

Norwalk: 1,739

Oxford: 684

Redding: 321

Ridgefield: 728

Seymour: 958

Stamford: 2,214

Weston: 2,013

Westport: 1,589

Wilton: 2,066

Greenwich

First Selectman Peter Tesei sent out an alert that damages and weather conditions from Winter Storm Quinn have put the town of Greenwich into a state of local emergency an hour ago.

"I am declaring a local civil preparedness emergency to enable our operating employees to work through this storm event and avail the Town to external resources should the conditions worsen," Tesei wrote in a notice to town employees and emergency responders.

"Presently," he wrote, "there are an increasing number of trees or tree limbs impacting our roadways combined with the heavy snow making operations and response for highway and responders increasingly difficult."

Around the same time, Greenwich Dispatch tweeted, "The roads are slick and dangerous.

"The heavy wet snow is starting to bring down trees all across town. Please limit your driving for emergencies only."

Just a few minutes later a Connecticut Transit bus got stuck on East Putnam Avenue near Hillside Road as a result of the slick conditions.

As of 7:23 p.m., 1,232 homes in Greenwich are without power. Although the number has surpassed 1,000, the town has less outages than neighboring Stamford, 2,214, and Norwalk 1,739.

Contributing to outages are the downed wires across town. About half a dozen reports have been provided to the Greenwich Fire Department within the past few hours.

Update 6:20 p.m.

Norwalk

Police Lt. Paul Resnick said officers are responding non-stop to downed trees and wires across the city. Multiple roads are closed. Avoid all unnecessary travel, he warned.

Danbury

Mayor Mark Boughton said trees are starting to come down in the city.

Update 6 p.m.

Westport

I expect to have our schools open tomorrow (Thursday), but will be up early to check on conditions of roads, parking lots, and sidewalks in terms of safety and readiness to receive our students and staff for an on-time opening, said Superintendent of Schools Colleen Palmer.

Palmer said no decision would be made Wednesday night and noted that the schools could opt for a one-, two-, or three-hour delay. She posted on Twitter late Tuesday that todays snow day was the last built into the school calendar. Any subsequent snow days would be made up during spring break.

Bridgeport

A lot of incidents of cable and phone wires down in the city, based on police and fire dispatch reports.

All Bridgeport fire personnel have been instructed to put chains on the tires of their rigs.

Wilton

Laurel Lane is closed in the area of 9 Laurel Lane because of a tree and wires down on the road, police said.

And McFadden Road is closed in the area of 108 McFadden Road for a tree and wires across the road, police said.

There is a tree blocking half of the roadway on Scribner Hill Road.

Update 5:40 p.m.

United Illuminating reported 908 customers without power across the state as of 5:17 p.m. Below is a list of towns and cities who are reporting customers without power...

Bridgeport: 25

Easton: 127

Fairfield: 2

Orange: 4

Shelton: 1

Trumbull: 706

Eversource reported 4,260 customers without power across the state as of 5:17 p.m. Below is a list of towns and cities who are reporting customers without power...

Bethel: 86

Brookfield: 103

Danbury: 340

Darien: 382

Greenwich: 514

Monroe: 220

New Canaan: 182

New Fairfield: 71

New Milford: 55

Newtown: 220

Norwalk: 94

Oxford: 272

Redding: 57

Ridgefield: 72

Seymour: 142

Stamford: 441

Weston: 283

Westport: 63

Wilton: 248

Update: 5:30 p.m.

Stamford

The heavy wet snow combined with the strong winds is causing isolated power outages, according to Ted Jankowski, Stamfords Director of Public Safety, Health and Welfare.

This wind is kicking up now and the snow is falling really heavy, which is causing some power outages and trees to come down, Jankowski said.

So far, Jankowski said the city has fielded reports of three downed trees and eight minor motor-vehicle collisions, but added he expects it to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Update 4:45 p.m.

Connecticut State Police

Statewide activity...

Calls for service: 403

Accidents no injuries: 56

Motorist assists: 56

Accidents with injuries: 3

Fatalities: 0

Update 3:55 p.m.

Greenwich

Town police warn that snow is starting to accumulate and its going to get deep, slick and dangerous. Police urge residents not to take a risk to travel if it isnt necessary.

Plan accordingly and wait out the storm, police said.

Fairfield

The change in the forecast pushed the town to declare a snow emergency and issue parking restrictions for the beach area evacuation routes as of 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Reef Road, Fairfield Beach Road, Rowland Road, Penfield Road and Beach Road are all those affected by the snow emergency declaration, police said. Parking is prohibited on those streets until the towns Department of Public Works completes snow removal operations.

Residents can park overnight at the Veterans Park and Penfield Pavilion.

The snow emergency was broadcast to residents via the CodeRed system. To sign up for the system, visit www.fpdct.com/codered.

Monroe

The town issued a parking ban for the remainder of the day Wednesday. All cars, trailers, basketball hoops and other items must be removed from the roadway so the roads can be cleared.

Police encourage people to stay off the roads unless its absolutely necessary to go out.

The police department also asks that residents limit 911 calls strictly to emergencies. Power outages can be reported to power companies, not 911, police remind residents.

Housatonic Area Regional Transit

HARTransit has canceled several routes already and announced there will be no evening or return service for Danbury after 5 p.m.

Update 3:45 p.m.

Norwalk

A downed tree on Creeping Hemlock Drive in Norwalk took down power, phone and cable wires, police Lt. Paul Resnick said.

An Eversource supervisor is on scene. Linemen and tree crews are responding, he said.

As of 3:47 p.m., Eversource reported only two customers without power in Norwalk. It was unclear if those outages had been updated to include those affected by the downed tree and wires.

Bradley International Airport

Bradley International Airport is open and snow removal operations are ongoing.

About 55 percent of Wednesdays flights were canceled, with the most significant amount in the afternoon and evening schedules.

The airport anticipates the storm will impact Friday mornings flight schedules, too.

Those scheduled to travel should check with their airline before heading to the airport. Several airlines are issuing travel waivers.

Flight status updates are available at www.flybdl.org. Twitter users can receive automated updates by tweeting their flight number to @BDLFlightInfo.

Update 3:30 p.m.

Avangrid, Inc.

Avangrid said its Connecticut energy companies  United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas are ready for Wednesdays snowstorm.

The storm is not only bringing snow, or a wintery mix in some areas, but winds, too.

The companies reminded customers that they should be prepared for the possibility of losing power.

Residents should also remember to keep gas meters, exhaust vents and regulators clear of snow and ice as snow cleanup begins. Blocked vents can cause toxic fumes and carbon monoxide to build up indoors.

UI customers can report outages by calling 800-722-5584.

Storm readiness teams for UI have been holding planning meetings and preparing personnel and equipment to restore any power outages that may result from the storm.

Current forecasts

Though the storm hasnt necessarily packed a wallop in Fairfield County yet, the possibility of up to a foot or more of snow in some areas is still possible.

Danbury

Deputy Fire Chief Joe Halas called a Signal 40 earlier in the afternoon. That signal meant all fire and emergency medical service units had to put chains on their tires to ensure safe travel on the snow-covered roads.

Update 3:20 p.m.

Bethel

Bethel First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker said road conditions are poor and deteriorating, despite the work of highway department crews clearing the roads.

(Roads) are still very slick and snow covered, he said. At this hour, we are still urging people not to go out unless they need to.

There have not been any major crashes or fires, as of 3:15 p.m. But crews are removing a large tree that fell on Taylor Road. The tree did not cause any power outages, Knickerbocker said.

Ridgefield

Ridgefields Emergency Manager Dick Aarons said the town will have 35 plowing units on the roads this afternoon and throughout the night.

Theyll stick it out until its clear and they get the roads open, he said.

So far, the crews and police have not encountered any major problems except a tree down on Canton Hill Road. Aarons said the tree took some power lines down, but that an officer is on the scene and notified Eversource.

For the most part, Aarons said, there have not been many cars on the roads in Ridgefield.

The good news is everyone seems to be hunkering down and enjoying an afternoon inside, he said.

Ridgefield will have about 35 plowing units out throughout the day and into Friday.

"Theyll stick it out until its clear and they got the roads open," Aarons said.

Update 3:15 p.m.

Danbury

Mayor Mark Boughton in Danbury said everything in the city is OK, with no major incidents or accidents to report. He said roads are slippery and there are a few inches of snow on the ground.

The city has about 50 plows out on the roadways Thursday, from the city's official plow trucks to pickups with plows that they've brought on to help out. Those crews will remain working nonstop, except for brief breaks. Theyll be on the roads until the last flake falls, Boughton said.

Its all hands on deck, he said.

The weather is expected to get much worse in the city from now until midnight, Boughton said.

The city does not have a deadline to decide whether to have school Friday, or whether to open public buildings. Boughton said the storm will be monitored into the evening and a decision will be made as the forecast changes.

We'll watch the forecast and see if and how it changes and make a decision tonight, Boughton said. If we're really going to get 12 to 18 inches of snow and there's only 3 on the ground so far, it's obviously going to be a big impact on schools and roads and those things.

Stamford

Many restaurants on Bedford Street in downtown Stamford opened as planned this afternoon, including Luckys Classic Diner, Brother Jimmys BBQ and 16 Handles frozen yogurt.

Got to make a dollar, said Richie DeCesare who was working in the empty frozen yogurt place in the midst of the storm. Its bad, but its not as bad as theyre making it out to be.

Carozza Realty on Summer Street felt the same way and remained open on Wednesday. But some of its employees decided to brave the weather and take a late lunch break on Bradfords Grill & Tavern on Bedford Street which retained its normal business hours through the storm.

We were working and got tired of working and decided to get a bite here, said Chris Carozza who said he expected to also stay at work for the length of the day.

Some residents decided to report to work despite their offices being closed. Sam Gordon, who works for Innovate Stamford, still took meetings even though the Ferguson Library where hes based was closed.

I still had two meetings, Gordon said. This isnt nearly as bad as the last (storm).

The Stamford resident was waiting to meet up with his wife outside the Ferguson Library so the two could enjoy a snowy walk in Mill River Park.

William Fleming, on the other hand, had no choice but to report to work as the caretaker of the Unitarian Universalist Church. Fleming said he came into work around 10, despite the late start of the snow, and got started right away with clearing the sidewalk using a method he came up with five years ago - brushing the snow onto the street with a wide broom.

Its easier to push it because it doesnt get trapped, he said.

Update 3:05 p.m.

Fairfield

The snow team will be monitoring through the evening and into the morning, the Fairfield schools superintendent said.

Update 2:25 p.m.

Darien

The towns First Selectman Jayme Stevenson said, via email, that public works and the police department were prepared for the storm.

We are in contact with our utility partners if power outages become a problem. I have the ability to contact my colleagues in other communities at any time but only reach out if we have a need for mutual aid. I dont anticipate that we will need to do that for this storm, Stevenson said.

Update 2 p.m.

New Milford

New Milford Mayor Pete Bass said a parking ban, which started at 3 p.m., will be in affect until lifted and crews with plows, sand and salt will be out until the storm passes.

"Crews are going to pretty much work through the night," Bass said.

Bass, in an afternoon call, said it was still too early to tell what other actions he may take Thursday.

Westport

Jimmy Izzo, owner of Crossroads Hardware on Main Street said he's well-supplied and prepared for the storm.

"This one being a snow event in March, people don't get as excited and nervous because we have more daylight," Izzo said, adding "people look at it as more of a nuisance."

Izzo's shop is stocked with plenty of shovels, batteries, but doesn't think this storm will be as dangerous as last week's. "I'm hoping this is just a snow event and not a wind, power, flood event," Izzo said.

He reminded people to check the washer fluid in their windshields because it's dangerous to drive in snow when the fluid runs out.

Housatonic Area Regional Transit

Housatonic Area Regional Transit, or HARTransit, is encouraging passengers to stay home as the snowfall increases.

It also warns riders who are already out to return home as soon as possible because it cant guarantee service later. The buses are already operating on snow routes and there is no service on Coal Pit Road.

Conditions are deteriorating rapidly, HARTransit tweeted.

Update 1:40 p.m.

XFinity is offering free WiFi hotspots for residents who might lose power during the storm.

The hotspots are available across 14 northeastern states from Maine through Virginia and the District of Columbia to subscribers and non-subscribers until March 12.

Only a handful of Eversource customers are without power Wednesday afternoon, but the National Weather Service warns outages are likely because of heavy snow falling on power lines and tree limbs.

Xfinity internet customers can sign in with their usernames and passwords, and they will be automatically connected to Xfinity WiFi hotspots in the future.

Non-Xfinity internet subscribers should visit the "Not an Xfinity Internet Customer" section on the sign-in page. Non-customers will be able to renew their complimentary sessions every two hours.

For a map of the Xfinity WiFi hotspots, which are located primarily throughout busy shopping districts and businesses, residents can visit www.Xfinity.com/wifi. Once in range of a hotspot, they should select the "xfinitywifi" network name in the list of available hotspots and then launch a browser.

Update 1:30 p.m.

Greenwich

As the snow ramps up, Greenwich Emergency Management Director Daniel Warzoha says its fairly smooth sailing as the town transitions from preparing for snow to actively managing the roads throughout Noreaster 2.0.

Things are calm and quiet here actually, Warzoha said. The roads are finally snow covered. At some point highway will transition from salting operations to plowing operations, and between them and the Parks Department, theyll be at it for the duration.

Much of the seamless work is possible, he said, because schools and town hall are closed and many businesses and offices have people working remotely so traffic is light and making clean-up easier.

"We expect things to stay that way," the director said. "(The forecast) is showing eight to 14 inches. I'm looking at the radar and there is still a significant amount of precipitation way south of us, so its going to be a while before this thing wraps up and gets past us. Were hoping around midnight.

Update 1:20 p.m.

Fairfield

Public Works Supt. Scott Bartlett said he had his crews sticking close to the highway garage Wednesday morning, as he expects they will have a long night ahead of them. He said he wanted them to avoid getting behind the wheel before they have to go out and plow, so they can be fresh once it starts.

Reports still say it is going to be bad this afternoon and evening, with snow falling one to two inches per hour, Bartlett said, adding the radar seemed to back up that prediction.

Earlier on Thursday, police announced a parking ban on the beach area emergency evacuation routes. Parking for residents is available at Veterans Park.

Update 1:15 p.m.

Greenwich

North Street from Fairfield Road to Maple Avenue will be closed to southbound traffic for the next five to six hours as Eversource makes repairs, according to Greenwich Dispatchs Twitter. Dispatch is requesting motorists stay off the roads, so Eversource can complete its work safely.

Greenwich has 12 outages, lower than earlier this morning. Meanwhile, New Canaan has 48 outages and New Milford has 16, according to Eversource.

Update 12:55 p.m.

Celebrity Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore, said that those along the shoreline who are looking for the snowfall to begin in earnest wont have too much longer to wait.

"Dont worry, itll come," he said in a telephone interview with Hearst Connecticut Media at about noon on Wednesday. "Just be patient with it - its a little slower than we thought. It cant miss Connecticut."

Cantore, who was reporting in the field from Bethel, said that people shouldnt be surprised if they hear thunder and see a flash of lightning.

"Youre looking at the same instability that you might see in a summertime thunderstorm," he said. "And yes, you can get cloud-to ground lightning in a snowstorm. A few years back there was a young man in Maine who was killed by lightning while sledding during a snowstorm.

Cantore said that there is a possibility of a so-called "dry slot," which is a mass of dry air that forms during a predicted snowstorm, greatly diminishing snowfall.

"Thats why I came to the Danbury area - because there was the possibility of a dry slot forming further east," he said. "The dry slot phenomenon has humbled many a meteorologist."

Update 12:30 p.m.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy urged drivers to stay off the roads in a noon news briefing.

Malloy has not instituted a highway ban, but recommended residents avoid driving so that crews can clear the roads efficiently. He encouraged employers to allow staff to work from home or alter their hours.

The evening commute could be treacherous, with snow predicted to fall at rates of one to three inches per hour by 1 p.m. in southwestern Connecticut and by 4 p.m. in the Hartford area, he said.

The impact on the afternoon rush hour will be heavy with several inches on most roads and low visibility by that time, Malloy said.

Not as many drivers are expected to be on the roads during regular rush hour times because companies sent employees home early and more people were working from home, Malloy said.

"Everyone is responding well," he said.

The state Department of Transportation has 634 plow trucks ready to clear snow and 200 contractor plows that could be called in if necessary. Drivers should not try to pass the plows, Malloy said.

He also cautioned the storm could bring power outages with wind gusts of 30 to 50 mph expected to cause outages. While many crews are ready to restore power, the gusts could delay the process because power crews are not able to get in bucket trucks when its at that force.

Update 12:15 p.m.

Although the storm has not been too severe yet, the National Weather Service is predicting even more snow than originally forecasted.

The service advised in an updated winter warning that northern Fairfield and northern New Haven counties could see 13 to 18 inches of snow. Snow could fall at one to three inches per hour this afternoon and into the early evening.

Travel will be very difficult to impossible, including during the evening commute, the National Weather Service said.

Meanwhile, nine to 13 inches are anticipated in southern Fairfield and New Haven counties. One to two inches of snow could fall per hour in the afternoon and early evening.

Visibility could be poor, and power outages are possible because of heavy snow weighing down tree limbs, according to the National Weather Service.

Stamford

Barely a dusting of snow had fallen in Stamford by 9 a.m. on Wednesday, but police were already towing cars off Prospect Street.

Mayor David Martin declared a snow emergency the night before, effective 11 p.m., in light of an anticipated 10 to 15 inches of snow expected to hit the city. On early Wednesday, police had just begun the removal of cars still remaining on designated snow emergency streets. Meters on Prospect Street and Bedford Street were covered with red plastic slips, warning residents not to park there in anticipation of the plows coming by later.

Update 12 p.m.

Stamford

Though it still doesnt look like much yet, Ted Jankowski, Stamford Director of Public Safety, Health and Welfare, said "when the storm hits, its going to hit hard.

Jankowski said he had just spoken to a National Weather Service meteorologist who reported the storm would begin to ramp up in the early afternoon, bringing one to three inches of snow an hour until about 8 p.m. Wednesday night. Forecasts, Jankowski said, still call for an estimated 10 inches of snow in Stamford, with the possibility of 15.

A press release from the states Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection warns the snowfall is expected to "intensify" about 3 p.m. bringing "very heavy" snowfall that is expected to continue through the evening rush hour.

Additionally, a rain and snow line is expected to move into the southeastern Connecticut coastline by 4 p.m., the release states.

"The impact on the afternoon rush hour is forecast to be major with heavy or very heavy snow falling across most of the state, several inches of snow on most roads and near blizzard conditions. Highs are forecast to be in the low 30s with Northeast winds gusting to 30 miles per hour at times inland and to 30 - 50 miles per hour at times along the coast. The heavy wet snow combined with the strong winds are likely to cause power outages."

"So far, right now, all is going smoothly," Jankowski said. "Our operations crews are out there and ready, all 34 snow routes are covered and all emergency response personnel are prepared and ready to go. When it hits, well be ready to go."

Update 11:45 a.m.

Bradley International Airport

Half of departing and arriving flights at Bradley International Airport have been cancelled as of 11:30 a.m. Some flights are also delayed.

About a quarter of flights had been canceled as of 7:30 a.m.

The airport said in a release that it expects the number of cancelations and delays to change as the storm progresses. Passengers should check with their airline to see if their flight is on schedule.

Several airlines are issuing travel waivers.

Norwalk

Although the weather forecast shows an impending snow storm in Norwalk, the citys director of public works said the storm might be a bust at this point.

Bruce Chimento and his department expect only about 1 to 4 inches of snow until about 3 p.m.

"And then its going to change to rain, and itll rain from 3 to 7, and then itll change to a light rain and thats it," Chimento said.

Regardless of what the total snowfall is, Chimento said snow plows and salt trucks are prepared to respond to the storm. Some sidewalks and other areas have been pre-salted.

Norwalk police have also encouraged residents to stay home and to keep off the roads.

Update 11:30 a.m.

New Fairfield

First Selectman Pat Del Monaco said the snow has been falling steadily, but so far has not caused problems in town. But she added that hopefully, as the storm picks up, it will not create power outages as last weekends noreaster did for New Fairfield.

Well just have to wait and hope that we dont lose power again, she said. The town just recently restored power to its residents and repaired power lines that had gone down during the last storm, Del Monaco said.

On Saturday, the town opened its senior center for about 850 residents who remained without power.

Del Monaco said the back-to-back storms might also put a strain on the towns salt and sand mixture supply. She said officials will re-evaluate once the snow lets up.

We are going to have to look at that after the storm, Del Monaco said. Like many towns, I think, we are going beyond what we thought we needed.

Update 11:15 a.m.

Greenwich

For Plaza Restaurant on Railroad Avenue, Wednesday morning was business as usual as the second noreaster of the season took its time arriving.

There were a few less guests in the booths and sitting on the bar stools during the peak commuting hours, the Kourdis family said. But a storm has never stopped the diner in the past and owners said its not stopping them now either.

Were open with any weather, said Kathy Kourdis, even when it snows. For the last 45 years weve been open every day.

Kourdis son Theo, who also works at the restaurant, said they told the rest of their staff to stay home because of concerns for the afternoon commute.

Everyone was a little let down though that its not snowing yet, he said.

At the bar, Clyde Morris drank a beer. Behind him a stack of local newspapers, including the Greenwich Time, lay strewn on a two-top. He said he isnt worried about noreaster 2.0.

I read (about the storm on) the front page of the Greenwich Time, he said. Thats what it says but its not necessarily whats going to happen. Theres no point in worrying about it.

At the Greenwich Train Station across the street, commuters had a similar attitude.

Im not concerned, said Steve Levy, who waited for the 9:15 a.m. train to Grand Central Station wearing his suit and carrying a hardcover novel. I think taking the train through storms always works.

Over the loudspeaker at the station, a five-minute delay was announced.

I know its supposed to snow a lot this afternoon, Levy said, but the trains will still be going.

Kristen Fajt, a Greenwich native, and Nick Parker waited for the same train to New York City, where they both work in T.V. production. Although they spent the night in Greenwich Tuesday, where Fajt still has family, the two have plans to stay in the city, where they currently live, to avoid a potentially dangerous commute back to Fairfield County Wednesday night.

I think we got lucky, said Fajt. Its just going to get worse later.

Eversource Energy Spokesman Mitch Gross said that there is no way to predict if Wednesdays storm will wipe out Greenwich like the noreaster last Friday, but that power has been restored to all customers in town since then and the company is ready for anything.

We prepare for severe weather every day, he said. We wait, we watch, were ready. That's all we can do. Our line workers theyre outstanding. We understand our customers situation when they lose power. We understand. The guys do everything they can to get the customers back on as quickly and safely as possible.

And although heavy snowfall has just begun as of 10:30 a.m., he said, mother nature will determine, mother nature always has the first word and the last word in all of those storms.

Update 10:25 a.m.

Stamford

With little to no snowfall in Stamford, commuters are continuing to head into the city and local businesses are beginning to open, despite predictions of up to 15 inches of snow for later in the day.

Lorca, a coffee shop on Bedford Street, was open Wednesday morning around 9 a.m. and said they would decide later in the day if theyd close based on the forecast.

"We post on Instagram, Facebook," said Lorca barista Layna Gatling. "All updates are on social media."

At Sandwich Maestro on Atlantic Street, co-owner Louis Juarez, said business is slower because of the people staying in due to the forecast. But he said the sandwich shop would stay open as planned.

"Our schedule is early," Juarez said. "We close at 4 p.m. For us, it thankfully didnt affect us. Were a small business, so we want to stay open as much as we can."

Platforms at the Stamford train station were mostly bare around 9:30 a.m., but a handful of commuters braved the cold temperatures to head into work. Arrival boards showed most of the trains to Grand Central were on time.

Kathie Tallman, who works in broadcast operations at ABC, kept safe from the cold in a platform shelter with a brightly colored duffel bag in tote. Tallman said her company was putting her up in a hotel for the night, should the snow get bad, so she could go into work as planned.

"Im trying to get there earlier," she said. "Some staff cant go in because their kids had school cancelled...They want to make sure they have coverage. Were a 24/7 operation."

Elliot Jordan, who works in finance, was also heading into the city, despite his original plan to work remotely today.

"Im not nervous," he said. "I was supposed to work from home, but realized there was no snow."

Jordan said its normal for his company to allow employees to work from home in inclement weather, but about half choose to go in anyways. But Matt Moradi, who commutes into the city to work in information technology, said he noticed the train platform was quieter than usual in wake of the impending storm.

"My company hasnt closed," he said. "Were probably going to have an early dismissal, but its business as usual."

Stamford has seen the most snowfall so far in the area, with 1.4 inches, according to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network. Parts of Bethel have reported 1.3 inches of snow, but most other towns and cities, including Norwalk, have an inch or less.

Norwalk

While the worst of the storm wont hit Norwalk until after noon, salt trucks and plows have been preparing since early morning.

Vincent Perry and his crew from B & W Paving and Landscaping, LLC, started their day at 5 a.m. and expect to clear parking lots in SoNo and at train stations uptown until midnight or early morning.

"We usually work 18 to 24 hours," Perry said.

Update 9:45 a.m.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced all nonessential state employees will be sent home early in staggered phases of 15-minute intervals beginning at noon.

After consulting with our emergency management team, we are directing state employees to head home today in staggered phases beginning at noon in order to ensure that folks are off the roads by the rush-hour period when the snowfall is forecast to be at its heaviest, Malloy said in a statement.

Nonessential, second-shift state employees should not go to work in the evening.

We are also encouraging private sector businesses to consider similar plans, Malloy said. Travel will be dangerous this afternoon with white-out conditions at times - if you do not need to be on the road this afternoon and evening, please stay safely at home.

Meanwhile, Eversource said power has been restored to all customers after Fridays storm knocked out power to thousands across the state. The company said on Twitter that it has tree, line and service crews ready to respond to any outages from Wednesdays storm.

Ridgefield

In Ridgefield, police said the snowfall did not cause any problems with the commute this morning. There have been no accidents due to snow so far, police said.

Update 9:15 a.m.

Greenwich

Greenwich Police tweeted they are prepared for the predicted up-to-12-inches of snow, wind, and flooding expected Wednesday, and Greenwich Dispatch tweeted significant progress has been made in clearing roads from the last storm. Now trucks are gearing up for the second nor'easter.

Greenwich Emergency Management Director Daniel Warzoha said commuters should take caution.

The best advice for commuters is leave plenty of time," he said 9 am. Wednesday. "Right now it's the calm before the storm. The roads are in pretty good shape, our crews are out applying salt to the roads, and travel is pretty decent except for areas where they've got blockages from the previous storm -- but the situation all through the evening commute does not look very promising.

Warzoha said the existing blockage list won't be ready for another hour, but for people who may need warming and charging stations during the storm Wednesday, the Public Safety Complex at the Greenwich Police Station is open and ready, as well as the Bendheim Western Greenwich Civic Center.

The number of customer outages in Greenwich has increased from 14 to 17 within the past two and a half hours.

Warzoha said a few households needed to be taken offline in order to continue restoration work.

As for Greenwich's emergency preparedness this second go-round, the director said he wouldn't hazard a guess, but that winds up to 45 miles per hour could be detrimental to trees that are already damaged.

We have damaged trees that are still standing, he said. And if we get gusts of wind to 45 mph, that's certainly a concern. But much lesser winds like 15 to 20 miles per hour will help keep the snow off of the white pines and prevent them from snapping so that's not a bad thing.

Update 9 a.m.

Danbury

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton expects the biggest snowfall after 1 p.m., he told meteorologist Jim Cantore in an interview on The Weather Channel.

He said Eversource and public works crews have been busy since last weekends storm, but are still ready for this one.

Nobodys allowed to go home, Boughton said. We keep everybody here til the last flake falls.

The city also has snowmobiles that can be used to help motorists and residents stuck in the snow, he said.

Stamford

Meanwhile, snowfall in the Belltown neighborhood of Stamford has been light thus far, with minimal accumulation. Though wet and slippery, the roads so far are clear and traffic appears to be moving normally.

Traffic was lighter than usual on Belltown and Toms roads, two typically-bustling arteries that connect Strawberry Hill Avenue to Hope Street, and the small bodegas and cafe that line Belltown Road near Leonard Street were open for business as usual.

Redding

In Redding, First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton posted a message to the town website asking residents to "Stay safe - stay warm!"

This storm comes just a day or so after power was restored to the town from Fridays storm where about half of the residents lost power. On Tuesday, Pemberton warned residents outages were likely today, too, with 11 inches of wet snow forecast for Redding.

Update 8:45 a.m.

Wind gusts up to 40 to 55 mph in the coastal areas this afternoon and evening could knock down trees and power lines, the National Weather Service reported in its latest update. The heaviest snowfall is expected between 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Southern Fairfield County could also see flooding near the coast this afternoon. The National Weather Services Coastal Flood Advisory remains in effect from 2 to 5 p.m.

Norwalk

Norwalk police said its been quiet and that no accidents have been reported so far.

However, police reminded drivers to reduce their speed and to keep headlights on as wet conditions persist throughout the city and snowfall is expected to increase after noon.

Update 8:30 a.m.

Some parts of Fairfield County have seen about an inch of snow so far.

Ridgefield has 1.3 inches of snow, while Bethel and Shelton have 1.1 inches, according to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network. Meanwhile, an inch has fallen on Norwalk and Newtown. The network has also recorded .9 inches in Darien and Brookfield.

Update 8:15 a.m.

Metro-North has canceled the 7:54 a.m. train out of Danbury because of mechanical issues, the railroad said on Twitter. Customers can instead ride the 9:05 a.m. train #1849 from Danbury to South Norwalk.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton will also discuss the storm on the Weather Channel with meteorologist Jim Cantore at 8:40 a.m.

Update 8:10 a.m.

All has been quiet in Bethel and Brookfield so far this morning, but police dont expect it to stay that way for long.

Its going to be a long day, a Bethel police dispatcher joked.

Brookfield police also said there havent been any problems with the morning commute.

Update 8 a.m.

The National Weather Service is projecting nine to 14 inches of snow could be dumped on northern Fairfield County Wednesday, according to the latest update. Local accumulations could be even higher.

Meanwhile, the storm could be less severe in southern Fairfield County, where four to eight inches are expected. But local amounts could reach up to 12 inches.

In Danbury, police said the early snowfall has not caused any major crashes or problems. Police said they expect conditions will be better in the morning, but could worsen in the afternoon.

Update 7:45 a.m.

The National Weather Service says that we might hear thunder, too, as the height on the cloud deck will lead to the possibility of lightning at the height of the storm this afternoon.

Bradley International Airport is open, but 27 percent of arriving and departing flights are canceled, the airport announced Wednesday morning.

A small number of flights have also been delayed.

This may change as the storm progresses and the airlines continue to adjust their schedules, spokeswoman Alisa Sisic said in a release.

The airport encouraged passengers to check with their airlines before heading to Bradley to see if their flight is still available and whether there are rebooking options. Several airlines are issuing travel waivers, the airport said.

Real time flight status updates are available at www.flybdl.org. Twitter users can also receive automated updates by tweeting their flight number @BDLFlightInfo.

Original story

Here we go again.

For the second time in less than a week, Connecticut is bracing for another major storm.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warming for the state, advising that most of interior Connecticut could see between 10 to 15 inches of snow, but snowfall in some towns could be even higher. About 1 to 2 inches per hour can be expected. Many local schools have closed in anticipation.

While snowfall totals are not yet available, a couple inches fell on Danbury overnight. Snow had stopped by 6 a.m. Sunday morning.

State police dispatchers in Southbury and Bridgeport reported no problems or accidents overnight.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy plans to partially activate the states Emergency Operations Center beginning at 11 a.m. Wednesday to monitor storm conditions across the state.

We are urging residents to plan ahead and exercise caution if they need to travel - we anticipate rough afternoon conditions as the heaviest of the snow is anticipated to impact the state during the afternoon through the evening, Malloy said in a statement.

Metro-North is also operating on a reduced weekday schedule with some combined and canceled trains during morning and evening peak times. Service will stop at 8 p.m.
NORWALK, Conn.  Every time Robert Deluca of Westport thinks of the ocean, he thinks of his father.

The two loved to scuba dive together, and Delucas father had a passion for all things related to the sea.

So when his father passed, Deluca didnt think a traditional burial was fitting. Instead, he went online in search of something special. Thats how he discovered Eternal Reefs, a company that incorporates cremated remains into structures designed for coral reefs to grow over. His father is now part of a reef off the shore of Florida, between Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

Its just beautiful, because its so much better than a regular cemetery, Deluca said. When you drive past a regular cemetery, you think, what a waste. But with a reef, its great  youre creating something new, something alive. Its a great way to remember loved ones.

He has already made arrangements in his will to do the same with his body after he dies.

More and more, people are prearranging their own funerals and moving away from traditional burials, funeral directors throughout Fairfield County told the Hearst Connecticut Media Group.

People want to find more personal meaning in their funerals, said Rebecca Lautenslager, funeral director of Shaughnessey Banks Funeral Home in Fairfield. I think its just part of society now. Everything is tailored to be unique to each person, which is a good thing.

The number of burials, which had long been the most common type of funeral in Connecticut, fell behind the states number of cremations in 2014, according to statistics from the National Funeral Directors Association. As of 2018, 58 percent of dead bodies in the state are cremated. And funeral directors only see that trend rising  the NFDA projects that 80 percent of dead bodies in Connecticut will be cremated by 2030. The Connecticut Department of Public Health has already reported seeing the number of funeral homes licensed to provide cremation services rise over the past few years.

With the rise of cremations came the rise of the question of what exactly to do with those cremains.

While a burial necessitates a plot and a casket, a cremation opens both to deliberation. A casket can be rented to show the body before the cremation for considerably less than the $2,000 the Federal Trade Commission estimates to be the cost of an average casket, but the step can also be skipped all together.

And while a plot eventually works out to be cheaper for urns than caskets (three urns are allowed per plot, according to John Lesko, the director of the Hoyt-Cognetta Funeral Home in Norwalk), the decision of whether or not to inter often comes down to religion. Hinduism embraces cremation and families often scatter ashes in a meaningful location, while the Catholic Church maintains that cremains should be kept together and placed in a grave or a tomb. Cremation is off-limits to Orthodox Jews altogether.

A changing society has also impacted decisions to purchase plots. As Gary Miraldi pointed out, You have no idea where your kids are going to be ... will your kids really visit it like we used to? Also, with population growth, theres less free land.

If not in a cemetery, then where? Miraldi has been designing jewelry in Connecticut for 36 years, and his work has unexpectedly led him to grapple with the question.

Over two decades ago, a customer who had lost a son in a car accident came to him with what was then an unusual request. The person wanted to create a piece with the ashes that didnt seem religious, and Miraldi was able to help.

Since then, objects incorporating peoples ashes  known as keepsakes  have become a significant part of Miraldis business, A Soul to Heart.

Its more acceptable, he said. Jewelry remains a common choice, but he once inserted ashes into a Disney Service Award and has also turned a microphone into a keepsake memorializing a karaoke-loving mother.

You try to give them what they want that makes them connected to the person they lost, he said.

At Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home in Stamford, Crematory Manager Anthony Notaro opened a case of urns ranging from the classic to the unconventional.

Those are actual Harley Davidson parts, Notaro explained of an urn that resembled industrial tongs with drums on either end. The transmission pan and pistons. And inside the transmission pan can go cremated remains.

Other options at the funeral home included an organically shaped vessel made of corn starch, salt and non-toxic glues, designed to dissolve in water for a burial at sea, and a metal rose which could unscrew to hold ashes within the stigma.

The funeral home is one of only four in the state that has its own crematory on the premises and has witnessed cremations rise in popularity. Lesko said that now many people are surprised by all of the options. We ask: What would you like to do? Merchandise evolved for cremation out of the needs of people and what theyd like to have.

But many, like Deluca, have already decided on the ritual that means the most to them. Dolly Curtis of Easton said that when her husband passes away, her family plans to cremate his body and incorporate it into one of her sons works of handblown glass.

It would just be the natural thing to do for his dad, she said. I wouldnt think of anything else.
What do Chloe Kim, Logan Paul and the Florida school shooting survivors all have in common?

Yes, they've all made headlines recently (although some headlines are better than others), but they are also all members of the generation following Millennials: Generation Z or iGen.

Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State and widely cited author on Generation Z, defines iGen as the generation born in the years between 1995 and 2012, meaning the oldest iGen members are 23, and the youngest are five.

Like with Millennials, social scholars have plucked out several traits that seem to characterize the generation. Generation Z members are characterized by their heavy social media presence, risk aversion and entrepreneurial spirit.

Now, it appears that Generation Z members are finally starting to emerge from the shadow of their Millennial predecessors in the news cycle.

Click through the slideshow above to learn more about what to expect from iGen.

Seventeen-year-old Chloe Kim was one of breakout stars of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, and her rise to stardom was in part due to her social media habits. In addition to winning gold in the women's halfpipe, Kim became an internet sensation by tweeting about her food cravings while in the middle of competition.

Although it was commonly believed that individuals born in the late 1990s were Millennials, Twenge noticed in 2017 that there were "big shifts in teens' behavior and attitudes" in the early 2010s, leading her to believe that the cutoff between Millennials and iGen should actually be around 1995, as opposed to 2000. Other research groups have suggested a similar cutoff around 1995, with a cutoff somewhere between 2009-13.

For those interested, here are the rough cutoff years for the three generations preceding Generation Z, according to the Pew Research Center:

-Baby Boomers 1946-1964

- Generation X 1965-1980

-Millennials 1981-1995 (note: Pew cuts Millennials off at 1997, but more recent studies cut them off at 1995.)

Others argue that there is another generation around 1980 which has been dubbed Xennials. At this point, Millennials are probably perfectly willing to let any other group grab headlines, no matter what you want to call them.
WASHINGTON - The officials who run the federal government's background check system told senators Wednesday that they would find it difficult to approve a permanent security clearance for someone who failed to disclose "significant financial entanglements with a foreign adversary," as the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner is alleged to have done.

"I would have a hard time overcoming that," Charles Phalen, the director of the National Background Investigations Bureau, told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Officials in at least four countries have discussed how they might be able to manipulate Kushner by leveraging his foreign business ties - many of which he failed to initially disclose on his security clearance forms. Kushner's foreign contacts are one reason he never secured a permanent security clearance, despite his position of influence in the White House - and potentially contributed to the decision last month to downgrade his interim clearance from top secret to secret.

Phalen and other federal background check officials declined to weigh in specifically on Kushner's clearance, noting that there are no specific tripwires or dealbreakers outlined in the security clearance review process. They also demurred to weigh in on the greater problem of security reviews at the White House, where dozens of officials - including Kushner and senior aide Rob Porter, who resigned last month under domestic abuse allegations - have been operating with interim clearance, some since the beginning of Trump's presidency. But they warned that, in general, the type of circumstances surrounding Kushner and the White House could jeopardize national security.

Foreign financial entanglements "often causes people to make bad decisions," Phalen said, particularly if that individual is in debt. In such cases, a person might figure "I've got something valuable here, let me sell it to somebody," Phalen explained, or "make a decision that my personal life is more important than my country."

Running the government on long-term interim clearances also poses risks more generally, Daniel Payne of the Defense Security Services said, noting the dangers of allowing people whose clearance would eventually be denied to work with secret information on an "interim" basis for months on end.

"The length of time that someone stays in an interim capacity has to be limited as much as possible," Payne said.

The spotlight on the White House's security clearance woes has put new urgency behind a campaign to institute reforms to the background check process and clear the processing backlog that has top secret applicants waiting for 200 to 400 days.

"We feel that it can go much lower," Garry Reid, the director of defense intelligence, told the Senate panel.

But some senators noted that government officials setting the standards for clearance and contractors who have to obtain it do not appear to have the same priorities when it comes to clearing that backlog.

Both government officials and contracting company directors who appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee spoke of the importance of adopting continuous evaluations and incorporating automated background check processes into the security clearance approval process, instead of relying on periodic, pen-and-paper interviews that can be time-consuming and less responsive to changing circumstances and risks. But the contracting industry's top priority, reciprocity - a unified background check process in which a person, once approved for clearance, does not have to reapply every time they change a job within government - barely received a mention from government officials, who are focused on separating out Defense Department clearances to expedite those.

"It seems like we're going in the opposite direction," top panel Democrat Mark Warner, D-Va., noted.

Though there is urgency in Congress to amend and improve the security clearance process, the road ahead is unclear. Some Democratic senators suggested Wednesday that the background check backlog could be partially cleared by simply adopting a new mind-set about classification, and about which jobs actually need secret clearance in an era when many things are available on the Internet. Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., also told federal officials that while he is not adverse to seeking an increase in funding that would allow the processing agencies to hire additional investigators, "I am averse to doing either of those things before we change the [background check] system."

Government officials told Congress there are no legislative barriers to improving the security clearance process, but that they would have to "look at a different methodology of doing this," Payne said.

"We're never going to be able to reduce the risk to zero unless we stop hiring," he added. "What we have to determine is how much risk we find acceptable."
R ecruiting company PageGroup has seen a record year in 22 of its overseas markets, offsetting Brexit-induced weakness in the jobs market at home.

PageGroup on Wednesday reported operating profit for 2017 11.3% higher at 118.3 million, at the top end of expectations.

Revenues climbed 9.8% to 1.37 billion on a constant currency basis, helped by booming recruiting conditions in Europe, China and the US.

However, the group warned 2018 would be another challenging year for its UK business, where reported gross profit fell almost 4% to 140.8 million.

The UK now represents just a fifth of the groups gross profits after a period of rapid expansion overseas.

Steve Ingham, chief executive, said: There is a small amount of uncertainty in the UK market. Some international clients are hiring at slightly lower volumes and one or two senior candidates are holding back until there is more certainty.

Retail, sales and marketing and legal placements were down in the UK but construction and property, engineering and technology were up strongly.

Londons gross profits have fallen 3%, having been down 4% last year.
W hat do we ask of the rulers of Saudi Arabia?

We want them to end the oppressive discrimination of women, starting with the basics such as letting women drive and appear without men in public. We want to see political reform and the development of public services.

We want the Saudi sponsorship of Wahhabist Islamist extremism around the world to end immediately, while recognising that the home of Mecca must always have a central role in Islam. We want the Saudi economy to be less reliant on the shifting sands of oil revenues, and diversify  as Dubai and Abu Dhabi have done  to be a centre of business and even tourism.

We want to see an end to the rampant corruption we have come to associate with the location of the worlds largest oil reserves  corruption that has tainted great British firms that employ thousands here. We want Saudi Arabia to be a source of stability and a reliable ally for the West, especially Britain, in a region beset by bloody civil war, schism and Russian expansionism.

This has long been our wish-list for Saudi Arabia, and the rulers of the Kingdom have consistently let us down.

Until now. Today, Mohammed bin Salman, the 32-year-old Crown Prince and de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, arrives in London for a three-day visit with our royal family, politicians and business leaders.

Like a desert whirlwind, MBS (as hes known) appeared to arise out of nowhere.

Just a few years ago he was one of many hundreds of young and largely obscure members of the House of Saud. Supported by his father the King, he is now the most powerful man in the Middle East and his dramatic reforms to Saudi Arabia have made him one of the most talked-about figures in the world.

And he is doing what we in the West asked the Saudis to do.

Women are being granted political rights (albeit limited) and will be allowed to drive from June. The conservative religious police have been stripped of their dictatorial powers.

Theatres and cinemas, shut down since the Seventies, are reopening. Tourism is being promoted.

A stable tax base is being created through the introduction of VAT. Investment in infrastructure is being encouraged.

Aramco, the secretive Saudi oil producer and reputed largest company in the world, is being modernised and may soon be partially floated  in London, we hope.

Some of the richest Saudis have been locked up in the unusual prison of Riyadhs Ritz-Carlton, sending the powerful message that corruption will be tackled.

And the Crown Prince promises that the Islamist extremism that Saudis have either actively promoted, or quietly turned a blind eye to, will now be confronted, with a commitment to destroy extremist thoughts  now and immediately.

Right direction

Of course, many questions remain. The widespread suffering in the war in Yemen, which Saudi Arabia is involved in, has caused global concern.

We wait to see whether the laudable rhetoric on Islamist extremism will be matched with action, including choking off funds to Wahhabist mosques around the world. There is much, much more to do on womens rights.

But the simple fact is that for the first time Saudi Arabia is moving in the right direction.

The protesters who will greet the Crown Prince should ask themselves: what is the alternative? An overnight democracy flowering in the sands of Arabia? The bloody experience from Libya to Syria to Iraq must have taught us to be more realistic. Iranian supremacy in the Middle East? Their stifling theocracy, repression of women and crushing of recent protests show they are hardly benign. Some other ruler in charge of Saudi?

Were this Crown Prince to fail, the Kingdom would experience a conservative backlash that would set back reform for another generation.
H e is bringing change to Saudi Arabia, say the billboards that have sprung up around London in advance of the arrival of Mohammed bin Salman, the 32-year-old Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who arrives in London today.

The young princes visit is a test and a challenge for Britain and for London. We are living through a time when senior politicians tell us that when it comes to trade agreements, cake exists to be eaten and cherries exist to be picked.

If only life were so simple. In the real world, facile quotes go only so far. That is true for the future of Britain  and it is especially true when it comes to dealing with the Middle East. Foreign policy requires tough choices to be made, ones that not only require thought but also working out what is right for this country.

At a time when the UK is at a crossroads in its relations with the European Union as it attempts to disengage and face the brave new world that lies outside, nothing is more important than getting its relationship with Saudi Arabia right.

Saudi Arabia is the worlds largest oil exporter and accounts for 22 per cent of the worlds proven oil reserves. This has brought profound wealth to the ruling elite. But it has also produced a turgid, introverted society that has been driven by astonishing levels of inefficiency. For decades Saudi Arabia has been a problem both regionally and beyond. It is difficult to exaggerate the significance of the seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca in the winter of 1979, just a few months after revolution had gripped Iran and seen the Shah chased from power.

Although the well-organised rebellion that took over Islams most holy site and demanded the overthrow of the ruling house of Saud was put down, the consequences were profound. Never the most open of societies, the Saudi response to the ending of the attempted coup was an accommodation with hard-line conservatives and an escalation in the promotion of Wahhabism inside Saudi and in neighbouring and not-so neighbouring countries.

Not only was a blind eye turned to rising levels of fundamentalism but in some cases it was actively encouraged by authorities who were keen to avoid any accusation that they were not defiant, enthusiastic supporters of a version of Islam that sees non-Muslims  and indeed many Muslims too (not least the Shia)  as threats and legitimate targets. Few in the intelligence community were surprised, for example, that 15 of the 19 attackers on 9/11 were Saudi citizens.

Change is finally in the air. Mohammed bin Salman is ambitious, focused and impressive. He has risen quickly to become the most important figure in Saudi Arabia and beyond. His aim is to reform the country and drag it away from its past into a new era.

This is not an easy task. In November he ordered the arrest of a large number of members of the royal family and the ruling elite as part of a process of trying to stamp out corruption, money laundering and abuse of power  an exercise that was inevitably seen by many as a means of stamping his authority on the kingdom.

This followed a series of reforms that have included the imposition of VAT for the first time, which will usefully broaden the tax base to pay for public services, and, most notably, the lifting later this year of the restriction on women being able to drive  seen as a symbol of oppression. Then there are ambitious new initiatives in the offing, such as the proposed construction of the $500 billion Neom on the Red Sea, a biotech and digital super-city.

There are many hurdles that the Crown Prince faces in terms of delivering on his ambitious ideas. This is also while working out how to normalise relations with Qatar, de-escalate tensions with Iran and end the engagement in Yemen that has brought famine, disease and death on a scale that is almost unimaginable.

If Britain has a global role to play in the 21st century it should try to help the Crown Prince to navigate challenges

But if Britain has a global role to play in the 21st century, it should start by trying to help the Crown Prince to navigate a difficult series of challenges. Saudi Arabia is the key to stabilising the Middle East. It can play a role too in helping to end the spread of fundamentalist and barbaric ideas that have poisoned so many minds and cost so many lives.

In that regard, it can be only a positive thing that Mohammed bin Salman met the Coptic Pope, Tawadros II, in Cairo on Monday and visited St Marks Cathedral, the site of an atrocious terrorist attack in December 2016. About half of the population of Saudi Arabia is under 25, and seeing a demonstration of respect for leaders of other religions can only have a positive impact.

One of the problems in dealing with Saudi Arabia in the past has been trying to find an individual who can deliver on promises of reform, openness and tolerance. The Crown Prince should be encouraged not only to make positive gestures like this, but to put into practice plans to make Saudi Arabia more open and more tolerant. This, of course, means standing up to those conservative elements who resist change and want to set the country on course not just back to the apparent glory years of the 20th century but to the mythical seventh century and the origins of Islam.

Britain still has a high standing in the Middle East. It has a responsibility to help the transition of a country that has long been thought of as an important ally in the region. Not only that. Given the high stakes that are brought about by Saudis oil reserves, its strategic importance and what the alternatives might be, we cannot allow the Crown Prince to fail.

This is not about cake or cherries. It is about making choices and helping to make sure much-needed hard work gets done.
S treet food celebrants KERB have announced their first one-day food and music festival, which will kick off on Mays Bank Holiday Monday.

Jam on Rye will take place at Peckham Rye Park on May 28, and will be a celebration of sound system culture and Londons best street food.

Reggae, afrobeat and new wave jazz will be the musical order of the day, with sets from the likes of Reggae Roast, David Rodigan, Horace Andy, Mungos HiFi, alongside a second stage hosted by south London club connoisseurs Wormfood.

Providing the eats will be some of Londons favourite street food purveyors, including taco-lovers Breddos, as well as White Men Cant Jerk and Only Jerkin, who will be serving up tasty treats with a Caribbean twist.

Food. Bars. Going out. Delivered weekly Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}}

If music be the food of love, then we know where you should be this May Bank Holiday.
A hot sandwich at midnight has instant appeal. Especially if its a wedge of beef shin, zinging homemade kimchi, chilli and melted Ogle shield cheese, packed into a pillowy Pullman bun that just about contains its juicy mass.

On Stroud Green Road, tucked between a taxi firm and a roti takeaway, theres a hole in the wall where chefs in the know get their fix. Its called The Black Hamburg. The menu is scrawled on the window. Its short, just two sandwiches. Theres the signature, that smokey beef shin concoction (6.50), and a rotating cast of specials, which start at 5.

A popular one is the Vadavan lamb shoulder, pickled sultanas, labneh and fermented green chilli toastie but options for the less carnivorous include miso aubergine, peanuts, spring onion, kimchi and aged cheddar. The minimal menu is part the draw  if there are only two options it frees up your brain for other life choices.

Co-founder Ian Macintosh, who also runs modern British restaurant Heirloom in Crouch End says: The idea behind The Black Hamburg was to create a late-night fast-food option for off-duty chefs, or anyone who wants to eat quality fast food. Any chef will tell you that no matter how high-end the cuisine you are cooking, we all love fast food. He came up with the name years ago; Black Hamburg was the original name for the English muscat grape.

You can take away or stay in the warm shop, which has space for just four people at the counter. Last Saturday they were playing famous bacon sandwich eater Ed Milibands Reasons to be Cheerful podcast. In the evening its BYOB and revellers stumbling out of Rowans Bowling Alley a few doors down have come in with mini bottles of prosecco as well as ales from the Stroud Green branch of Clapton Craft.

Food. Bars. Going out. Delivered weekly Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}}

The Black Hamburg is the result of a series of fortunate coincidences. Macintosh and his business partner Michael Spurgeon met more than 10 years ago while backpacking through Brazil. They lost touch but bumped into each other in Crouch End, where they both own restaurants. Spurgeon is behind the cocktail bar Nickel. They went for a drink and noticed a vacant site that used to be a hair salon. One picture of a haircut on offer remains in memoriam, called The Blue Boy.

Macintosh explains the logic behind the menu: We wanted to do what we do well. We spend a long time perfecting these sandwiches and they are the business. Secondly, experience taught us overcomplicated menus can lead to excessive waste, so we were careful to avoid this for economic and environmental reasons. Finally, we dont have the space for an expansive menu.

The best sandwiches in London 1 /14 The best sandwiches in London For the world in a sarnie  Bodega Ritas Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd For overall bliss  Max's Sandwich Shop Matt Writtle For subs  Sub Cult For a katsu sando  Tata Eatery For something fancy  Quo Vadis For salt beef  Montys Deli For steak - Hawksmoor For naan  Dishoom For Spanish simplicity  Brindisa Chorizo Grill For lobster rolls  Claw For bao  Bao For bagels  Beigel Bake Brick Lane Getty Images For grilled cheese  Kappacasein For barbecue  Smokestak

What they decide to make is based on whats in season, says Macintosh. We are firm believers in using the right ingredients at the right time of year. While there will only ever be two or three sandwiches available at any one time, we change the menu weekly so there will always be variety.

They make the fillings from scratch, without additives or preservatives, and plan to sell the kimchi and fermented chilli sauce. Both are addictive. Meat is sourced from within a 50-mile radius of London, while the bread and buns come from Seven Seeded Bakery in Watford. Try to go when they have a foccacia special. Theyve recently bought a toastie maker too.
A s a travel writer, Im lucky enough to have stayed in some ultra-luxurious places, yet one of the best places Ive ever stayed was a hostel in Lagos, Portugal.

While many can turn their noses up at hostels, saying theyre for young party animals, this really isnt the case.

This particular hostel was quaint, quiet and gorgeous. The staff were friendly, the rooms were private, there was a big sharing kitchen and the rooftop looked over the Atlantic Ocean  and it was just 14 per night (you can check it out here).

During the four months I travelled around the U.S.A and Europe in 2016, I mostly stayed in hostels and Airbnbs, which kept the cost of the trip down considerably.

Below are some more tips for travelling on a budget.

People. Fashion. Power. Delivered weekly. Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}}

1. If the hostel offers free breakfasts, take them up on it

And do the thing where you make a sneaky to-go sandwich for later.

2. Keep eating out to a minimum

This is the one Im worst at. I love eating out in a new country and trying different things so before I go or while Im there I will Google cheap eats [insert place name] and find the best cheap food around. This has led to some amazing discoveries, like the 24-hour pierogi place in Krakow where you can get a plate of pierogi (Polish dumplings) for around 2 or the 1 hot dogs in Reykjavic, Iceland.

Some places, like Scandinavian countries or France, are much more expensive to eat out so go for a wander through their local supermarket aisles and see what you can find. On a recent trip to Paris, my friend and I bought cheeses, a baguette and cured meats which ended up being around 3 each.

3. If travelling through Europe for a lengthy period of time, use Interrail

I spent most of my four-month trip travelling solo and part of this was spending a month training around Central and Eastern Europe. All you need to do is buy your pass, choose the destinations you want to go to and youre set. It all works out to be a lot cheaper than buying the tickets individually or flying to each destination. However, if you want to go for the super-cheap yet a lot slower route, buses between countries can sometimes cost a fiver.

4. Spend more time in countries where your money goes further

During my month Interrailing, I spent the most time in Poland, Croatia and Hungary  where my money stretched further and less in places like Amsterdam, Germany and Austria where it didnt go as far. Eastern European countries are the best to visit for a cheap and cultured weekend break close to home, but if youre looking to go further afield, head to South-Eastern Asian countries like Bali, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia or around parts of South America.

Kristin Addis travels to Slab City

5. Get yourself a Monzo card

Gone are the days of travellers cheques and hoarding around wads of cash in foreign currencies, its time to get a Monzo. A new kind of bank, Monzos app makes managing your money ridiculously easy and they dont charge for using your card overseas or for taking cash out up to a certain value. Its been a revolution for someone (me) who likes to travel overseas as much as they can. Believe me this is not a #PaidPartnership, I just really love Monzo.

6. Go for a hike

Seeing beautiful new places doesnt have to mean just wandering around a new city, head for the mountains too. Last summer I went hiking through Italys Liguria region, took a cheap bus to the start of the trail, packed some lunch and hiked down to the San Fruttuoso Monastery and back. The whole day cost around 10 and it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

Also try Croatias Plitvice Lakes, you can take a bus from Zagreb or Split to the start of the trail, spend the day walking through and take a bus back when youre done.

7. Travel off-season

While travelling in summer is wonderful, accommodation is often cheapest during the off-season between October and April. So head for a later summer break somewhere where its still warm in October and soak up the sun for less.

8. Plan ahead

Before you head off, know where you want to stay and have a rough plan of what you want to see as most places are cheaper if you book in advance  and some key attractions can book out months in advance too.

9. Keep an open mind

Living in the UK, we have the luxury of having so many amazing destinations at our doorstep. So when looking for a weekend or week away, use a tool like Sky Scanners search everywhere option that will show you the cheapest destinations to fly to for your preferred dates. Thats how I ended up in Geneva last Easter (which is just a short bus ride to France by the way ...) Am I insufferable yet?

10. Check out the free sights
A courtroom descended into chaos as leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First were jailed for their part in a "political campaign" branding Muslims paedophiles and rapists.

Paul Golding, 36, and Jayda Fransen, 32, were found guilty at Folkestone Magistrates' Court on Wednesday of religiously-aggravated harassment.

Sentencing Fransen to 36 weeks and Golding for 18 weeks in jail, Judge Justin Barron said the crimes were "deliberately planned against targeted victims".

The pair were arrested on May 10 last year in an investigation into the distribution of leaflets and online videos during an on-going trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

Three Muslim men and a teenager were later jailed for raping a 16-year-old girl in a flat above the 555 Pizza takeaway in Ramsgate, Kent.

Judge Justin Barron convicted Fransen of three charges and Golding of one charge.

The courtroom descended into chaos as Judge Barron attempted to continue his sentence and impose restraining orders so the pair could not contact victims and witnesses in the case.

But Fransen spoke over him and said: "This is a very sad day for British justice. Everything I did was for the children of this country and they are worth it."

Cheers and applause erupted from the public gallery as the pair were led away and Judge Barron temporarily left the courtroom before concluding his directions.

As supporters left the courtroom they hurled abuse at court staff and members of the press, branding the proceedings a "shambles" and shouting: "No surrender."

They added: "If we say anything these days we get sent to prison."
C CTV has emerged showing former Russian spy Sergei Skripal shopping for sausages and scratchcards days before he was poisoned.

The 66-year-old, wearing a brown jacket and jeans, is seen laughing and joking with the shopkeeper as he bought the items near his home in Salisbury.

Mr Skripal visited the store on February 25, five days before he and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found collapsed on a bench in the city centre.

The pair remain fighting for life in hospital with the attack  which Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said had echoes of the assassination of Alexander Litvinenko  triggering a huge diplomatic row and prompting crisis talks in Whitehall.

Sergei Skripal buys sausages and scratchcards near his home in Salisbury

Shopkeeper Ebru Ozturk told the Mirror: "He would come into the shop a couple of times a week and he always bought his scratchcards.

He loved to buy them, I think he loved to gamble."

The shop's owner said Mr Skripal regularly shopped there

Meanwhile a woman was treated by medics after apparently being taken ill at a building next to Zizzi  the restaurant at the centre of the poisoning  on Wednesday.

Fire crews and paramedics were called at about 1pm before a woman was led into an ambulance.

Russian spy poisoning: Sergei and Yulia Skripal are fighting for life in hospital / PA

Police could not provide further information about the latest incident.

Evidence points to Mr Skripal having been poisoned with a very rare toxic substance, a minister has said as police appealed for witnesses to the suspected assassination attempt.
A n Iraqi asylum seeker who tried to murder Tube commuters with a homemade bomb on a packed train at Parsons Green was taught how to kill by ISIS, a court heard today.

Ahmed Hassan, 18, packed more than 2kgs of shrapnel into his improvised explosive, made from chemicals he had bought online from Amazon and hooked up to a modified kitchen timer, it is said.

The teenager, who was claiming asylum after entering the UK on the back of a lorry, allegedly planted the bomb, packed into a bucket inside an Aldi shopping bag, on a District Line train heading into central London last September.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan told a jury today the bomb sent a "large fireball" shooting through the carriage, containing 93 people, when it partially detonated at Parsons Green station.

The jury was shown CCTV of the bomb being detonated on the train / AFP/Getty images

"Some in the carriage were caught by the flames and sustained significant burns", she said.

"Many ran in fear and panic. They were fortunate. Had the device full detonated, it is inevitable serious injury and significant damage would have been caused within the carriage. Those in close proximity to the device may well have been killed.

"The passengers fled from the Tube as quickly as they could. Hundreds of people tried to get down a narrow staircase and out of the barriers of the station."

Ms Morgan said the shrapnel, including including sockets, screws, bolts, nails, knives, screw drivers, was "designed to be propelled out of the device during the explosion, causing maximum harm and carnage to those in the surrounding areas".

A sketch of Parsons Green Tube bombing suspect Ahmed Hassan in court

Around 20 months before he detonated the bomb, Hassan told the UK authorities he had been "trained to kill" by ISIS, the court heard.

In a Home Office interview in Croydon in January 2016, Hassan was questioned about his asylum claim, which was based on his treatment under ISIS in Iraq.

Asked if he had been trained by ISIS, Hassan said: "They trained us on how to kill. It was all religious based."

He said he was recruited on his own but trained with around 1000 others, spending up to four hours a day in the mosque.

Hassan denied he had been sent to Europe by ISIS, and in a second interview while accompanied by a solicitor, he repeated his claims.

He said he was "taken by force" by the extremists, who forced him to "train how to kill and they would teach him about religion and what Allah believed was right".

Hassan said he was set free when Iraqi soldiers stormed the ISIS territory and freed the children.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan said a member of staff at Barnados, who gave Hassan a place to stay shortly after he arrived in the UK, overheard him listening to an Arabic "call to arms" song.

"He heard words to the effect of 'we are coming with you to the slaughter'."

The court heard Hassan studied media at Brooklands College in Surrey, focusing on photography and film making.

He was taken in by foster parents, Mr and Mrs Jones, until the Tube bombing on September 15 last year.

Prosecutors said Hassan had already got off the train at Putney Bridge and was on a bus towards Earl's Court at the time of the explosion, just before 8.20am on September 15 last year.

"The carriage became more crowded at each stop, as more passengers got on", said Ms Morgan.

"At 8.17am, when the Tube pulled into Putney Bridge station, the defendant got off, leaving the device on the floor of the carriage.

"He walked off, down the steps, and out of the station without speaking to anyone or even looking back at the Tube."

After playing dramatic CCTV footage of the explosion to the jury, Ms Morgan said victims included Jelena Semenjuk, who suffered burns to her legs, hands and face, Aimee Colville, who realised her hair was on fire after the blast, and Alex Bevan, who saw a "fireball rolling towards him in the carriage".

Stephen Nash described the aftermath of the blast as "feeling like he was in a furnace", while Georgina Bale was injured in the stampede as commuters fled the train, the court heard.

Ms Morgan said Hassan began making the bomb in late August, creating a volatile explosive using hydrogen peroxide, acid and nail varnish remover.

The prosecutor told jurors the chemicals "are not difficult to acquire", and Hassan purchased his on Amazon.

The teenager was living with foster parents in Sunbury-upon-Thames at the time of the bombing, but they went on holiday at the start of September and Hassan had time to prepare the bomb.

On the day of the incident, he took the train from Sunbury to Wimbledon before spending 13 minutes in the station toilet, allegedly arming the bomb before getting on the District Line train.

Hassan was arrested at the port in Dover, nearly 24 hours after the explosion, the court heard.

Explaining the teenager's background, Ms Morgan said: "We know that he came into this country in October 2015 and claimed asylum.

"Having travelled through the Channel Tunnel on a lorry, he arrived without any identity documents. He gave his name as 'Ahmed Hassan Mohammed Ali' to the authorities, and said that he had been born on June 1, 1999 in Iraq.

"If that is correct, he is now 18 years old. He was given accommodation and by the middle of 2016 onwards was living with foster parents."

Hassan, from Sunbury, Surrey, denies attempted murder and causing an explosion likely to endanger life or damage property.
C ommuters put on a classic display of Britishness as they queued patiently for the Tube around a huge puddle of flood water in south London.

Video footage captured the moment passengers clutching umbrellas stood in single file as a burst water main sparked a deluge outside Tooting Broadway station.

Passengers were filmed shuffling along a stretch of road around 100m long during morning rush hour despite needed to get to work and school.

The station was cordoned off by emergency services from 3am as floodwater spilled out across the A24, a busy commuter route, and breached the doorways of shops and restaurants.

Commuters put on a classic display of Britishness in Tooting / Barney Davis

Thames Water engineers traced the leak to a 30in main and spent three hours bringing it under control as rush-hour buses were diverted and traffic backed up for at least a mile.

Social media react to burst water main in Tooting Broadway

Tooting MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan said several basement flats and 15 shops had been flooded, as video footage showed residents wading through knee-deep water.

Bust main: the flooding in Tooting High Street / Twitter/@MPSWandsworth

One local tweeted: Tooting Broadway has sprouted a new lake overnight.

Maggie Othal, a sales adviser at the New Look store, said: Our shop floor is absolutely covered in mud... Im pretty sure we wont be open today.

Flooding: New Look was hit by the deluge / Barney Davis

Jalel Sultan, manager of the Londis shop, said: We had sandbags stacked high.

The Tube station remained open as commuters queued in single file along Tooting High Street to the entrance.

Thames was unable to say whether its decision to increase water flow by 25 per cent to resupply 12,000 properties cut off after pipes burst across the capital in the post-snow thaw was to blame for the new leak. It said a large number of the 10,000 affected customers in south-west London, from Wandsworth to Mitcham, had water restored this morning.

Mains water in Hampstead and Hendon was also said to be back, with the number of London homes still cut off down to several hundred.

But some schools were closed for a third day.
A Spanish man who died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in a four-star Kensington hotel was a tourist who had travelled to London to see a West End show, friends said today.

Theatre-loving TV producer Marcos Cervera, 34, right, was found dead in his room at the Mayflower Hotel at shortly before 2pm on Monday.

His friend Esteban Garcia, 37, staying in the same room, was rushed to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital where he was today fighting for life.

Two police officers called to the hotel were also admitted to hospital after reporting feeling dizzy and sick. All 29 other guests were evacuated and moved to a nearby hotel after being screened by the London Ambulance Service.

Mayflower hotel, Kensington / Google

According to friend Guillermo Trapiello, the two friends were on a city break to London and had planned to see the musical Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre that evening.

Mr Cerveras family are understood to have travelled from Spain to London after hearing the tragic news.

A family friend told the Standard: His family werent concerned about him until they were notified that his friend was in a coma because of carbon monoxide poisoning.

They tried contacting the embassy and the hotel but had no luck getting through. His sister then asked on Facebook aif anyone in London could go and check on him and I said I would.
T he developers behind the 3 billion regeneration of Wembley Park have launched the next stage of the creation of a new town around the national stadium.

Property giant Quintain unveiled plans at an event at Wembley last week for a further 250,000 sq ft of shops, restaurants and bars at the 85-acre site  doubling what has been built.

The main completed element so far is the London Designer Outlet shopping centre, while Boxpark Wembley  the capitals third street food and bar mall made from shipping containers  will open towards the end of this year.

The next phase will also see the construction of 7,000 homes, offices, a huge gym, a park with a swimming lake and possibly a new music venue.

The company released an image showing how the area will look by 2027, a quarter of a century after the demolition of the original home of the Three Lions kickstarted the transformation of the area.

It was then a rundown district of light industrial estates surrounding the ageing arena that was first used in 1923.

The Wembley Park area around it was created for the British Empire Exhibition of 1924 and 1925.
A s women worldwide embrace the #MeToo movement, a number of men are feeling a cold hand in an uncomfortable place: their consciences. Interviewer Michael Parkinson is the latest prominent public figure to say he feels queasy about his past actions.

Men are in a quandary, says Parkinson. I mean, if I was doing now what I did then, I would have to watch myself. I could get arrested. The #MeToo movement is, so far, a cultural shift rather than an implementation of new laws but that doesnt stop Parky from analysing his past. There isnt a man of a certain age who doesnt look back and wonder, Was my behaviour entirely appropriate? he says, in this months issue of GQ magazine. There was a bar on Fleet Street [where] women were treated disgracefully, like second-class citizens. It was woefully un-PC.

Parkinson has never been accused of anything improper, although his approach to some of his interviewees has raised eyebrows. In a 1975 interview with Dame Helen Mirren, Parkinson asked her if her equipment meant she couldnt be taken seriously as an actress. Serious actresses cant have big bosoms, is that what you mean? replied Mirren. The fallout still rumbles on  in 2016 he said his approach was a response to the fact that she presented a provocative figure. We have not done much since to repair the damage, he added.

Despite looking into his soul and his past, Parkinson doesnt think he could handle sitting down with Harvey Weinstein, whose fall from grace marked the beginnings of the anti-harassment movement. You would have to stop yourself from punching him first, he says. Surely that prospect is enough for ITV to set up a TV special?

---

Hats off to Edmund Gordon, the winner of last nights Slightly Foxed Award for best first biography. Gordon won for his book The Invention of Angela Carter but writer Gareth Russell, whose biography of Catherine Howard was also nominated, says the process can be dangerous. Its like Stockholm syndrome, he said. You start becoming your subject. Im Irish so I had to make sure I didnt fall into the trap of hitting the whiskey. Hic.

A smooth ride for ex-MP Chris Mullin

TRICKY times for international diplomacy, and now the former Labour MP Chris Mullin reveals that he was once of interest to the US. In 1982 Mullin published his novel A Very British Coup about a Left-wing PM keen on getting rid of American nuclear bases, who is sabotaged by MI5.

The first cheque for 6.95 came from the US embassy, Mullin writes in the LRB. Shortly afterwards I received an invitation to lunch with the ambassadors deputy. He sent his bullet-proof Cadillac. He was perplexed as to why. I reckon you are among the top 1,000 opinion formers in the country, the Ambassador said. Well, I must be about 999, replied Mullin. The Ambassador considered this, then: The other 999 have been here too.

Quote of the day

Songstress: Mel C (Photo by Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage) / Mike Marsland/WireImage

'Are you still singing?

The question the Duke of Cambridge asked Melanie C, above, yesterday at a Princes Trust event. His enquiry may quell rumours of a Spice Girls gig at the royal wedding

All to the good at this one-woman show

Good Girls: Emma Thompson, Naomi Sheldon, and Hayley Atwell (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images) / Dave Benett/Getty Images

DOWN to the Trafalgar Studios last night for the press night of Good Girl, the one-woman play from Naomi Sheldon that explores the trials of a girl growing up in the Nineties. Emma Thompson was in the audience with fellow actress Hayley Atwell. The pair have been close since starring in an adaptation of Brideshead Revisited, when Thompson came to Atwells aid after producers asked her to lose weight. I said to them, If you speak to her about this again, on any level, I will leave this picture, Thompson recalls. Never a good idea to make an enemy of an Emma.

---

Windsor Castle is looking for a groom. No, Prince Harry hasnt bolted in the run-up to his wedding to Meghan Markle: the Castle is advertising for a horse groom. A job advert on the Royal Households website details a need for an individual to train young horses in preparation for their ceremonial career as well as the distinctly less glamorous mucking out. Applicants have until March 19. The Londoner will be keeping a close eye on the runners and riders.

Bananaramas love plea

In the dock: Keren Woodward, Sara Dallin, and Siobhan Fahey (Photo by Timothy Norris/Getty Images) / Getty Images

THERES liking a song, then theres Love in the First Degree. The Secret Barrister, an anonymous blogger with a devoted following, has gone viral after tweeting a line-by-line analysis of the 1987 hit.

Love in the First Degree has Bananarama imagining themselves up before a judge, guilty of unrequited love. The Secret Barrister wasnt buying their defence: Bananarama confess  openly  that they are not only guilty, but guilty as a girl can be, he (or she) surmises. In such circumstances, it is nonsensical for them to express surprise or complaint at the jury rejecting their plea. That the CPS charged this case at all is a damning indictment on its chronic lack of resources and obsession with targets above all else.

It looks like theres more to come, though, as The Secret Barrister has teased the next case: Next Friday: Was Meatloaf being incited to commit a criminal offence, and therefore well within his rights to refuse to do *that*? Throw the book at him, judge.

Tweet of the day

After Donald Trump moaned that a lack of stars caused low ratings at the Oscars, Star Wars actor Mark Hamill has an idea.

---

Endorsement of the day: TV historian Dan Snow tweeted a photo of a man watching his BBC show on the train last night. An act of shameless self- promotion? No: the commuter was fast asleep.

Who let the dog out in Brussels?
A woman was treated by medics after apparently being taken ill at a building next to the restaurant at the centre of the suspected poisoning of Sergei Skripal.

Fire crews and paramedics were called to the building next to Zizzi in Salisbury at about 1pm before a woman was led into an ambulance.

Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, had dined at the restaurant before being found collapsed on a bench nearby earlier this week.

The pair remain fighting for life in hospital after the attack - which had echoes of the assassination of Alexander Litvinenko - triggered a huge diplomatic row and prompted crisis talks in Whitehall.

Police could not provide further information about the latest incident on Wednesday.

Police officers attend the incident in a building in Salisbury next door to a branch of Zizzi / Jeremy Selwyn

A spokeswoman for Scotland Yard, which is leading the investigation into the suspected poisoning, said only: "There are a number of scenes in place".

A spokeswoman for South Western Ambulance Service said she was aware of what was happening, but said: "I'm sorry, we can't give anything out about that one."

Asked why, she said: "Because it's not for me to say."

The spokeswoman said "no comment" when asked if it was related to everything else going on in the area.

Several police officers and paramedics were seen inside Sarum House, next door to the pizzeria.

The latest incident comes after counter-terror detectives urged members of the public to come forward to help with the investigation into the suspected poisonings.

Police at the scene near the Zizzi restaurant in Salisbury today / Jeremy Selwyn

Detectives said they were seeking anyone who visited Salisbury town centre and the surrounding area on Sunday afternoon to get in touch, especially if they had been in Zizzi restaurant in Castle Street and The Bishops Mill pub in The Maltings.

Police have also cordoned off an ambulance station at Solstice Park in Amesbury.

Russian spy 'poisoning': Sergei and Yulia Skripal are fighting for life in hospital / PA

Today security officials were briefing members of the Cabinet at a Cobra emergency response meeting before Theresa May answered questions in the Commons this afternoon.

The Cobra was expected to hear about toxicology tests to determine how the pair were poisoned but officials cautioned that definitive results were likely to take longer.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd was planning to make a short statement to the media after Cobra finished, but officials said they doubted she would be pointing any fingers of blame at this stage.
T he European Union warned Britain to expect the negative economic consequences of Brexit today as it rejected Theresa Mays call for a bespoke trade deal.

In its opening offer for negotiations, Brussels instead offered a no-frills free trade agreement excluding unfettered access for the UKs financial sector.

Its six-page document, seen by the Standard, warns that quitting the blocs custom union and single market will inevitably lead to frictions.

Brexit will unfortunately will have negative economic consequences, it adds.

Failure to adhere to EU rules and their enforcement by EU courts necessitates checks and controls at borders such as with France and Ireland, the text says.

The document calls for free trade in goods, where the EU exports more to Britain than it imports, but omits the banking and financial services, where UK has a 20 billion surplus.

Britain would not be allowed to slash company taxes, bail out struggling industries or axe costly environmental protection, the text says, as they could give the UK an unfair competitive advantage.

The EU also demands the right to fish in British waters on a reciprocal basis.

Theresa May wants 'deepest and broadest' trade agreement with EU

Although the text urges as close as possible a partnership with the UK in the future, it says Mrs Mays red lines will limit the depth of such a future partnership.

A non-member of the union that does not live up to the same obligations as a member, cannot have the same rights and enjoy the same benefits as a member, the text says.

The offer goes beyond trade to cover security, defence and foreign policy, as well as policing, data protection, aviation, research and education. But it excludes the UK from participation in EU institutions, agencies and bodies on the same basis as bloc members.

Chancellor Philip Hammond is to call for financial services to be included in a trade deal / EPA

Such an agreement cannot offer the same benefits as membership and cannot amount to participation in the single market or parts thereof, the document says.

Calling for a level playing field, the EU text states: The aim should be to prevent unfair competitive advantage that the UK could enjoy through undercutting of current levels of protection with respect to competition and state aid, tax, social, environment and regulatory measures and practices.

The document makes clear Britain will be expected to pay cash fees to take part in EU programmes covering research, education and culture. This would be subject to the relevant conditions in the next seven-year budget.

In a separate rebuff to the UK, a draft resolution of the European Parliament called for measures to curtail Mrs Mays proposal that Britain could adopt different regulations in some areas.

Instead, there should be a binding convergence mechanism to ensure permanent alignment with EU laws as the price for a deep and comprehensive trade deal.

This morning Pascal Lamy, the former head of the World Trade Organisation, dismissed a planned speech by Chancellor Philip Hammond calling for financial services to be included in a trade deal as a bit vague. Whatever they get, this will be much more fragile, much less business-stable, he told the BBC.
N ew Look has announced plans to close 60 stores as part of a "rescue plan" which puts 980 jobs at risk.

The retail giant said the move was part of a bid to reduce its rent burden amid a "difficult retail environment."

Three London stores, including one in Oxford Circus, are among those facing closure.

The company anticipates that 980 people could lose their jobs as part of the rescue plan to avoid going into administration.

It said on Wednesday that it had instigated a Company Voluntary Arrangement and was seeking approval from creditors on its proposals to improve the operational performance of the Company.

The London stores potentially closing Marble Arch Moorgate / London Wall Oxford Circus

These proposals include shutting 60 out of its total 593 stores in the UK alongside a further 6 sites which are sub-let to third parties.

The CVA would allow it to reduce costs and slash high rent bills on the companys stores.

Full list of potential store closures in the UK Aberdeen - Bon Accord; Beckton; Bolton Mens; Borehamwood; Brynmawr; Burton Mens; Cameron Toll; Cardiff - Queen Arcade; Cheshunt; Clevedon; Craigleith; Doncaster Mens; Dundee  Wellgate; Exeter Mens; Fleet; Gateshead - Team Valley;Glasgow - Buchanan Street Mens; Gorleston; Hanley Mens - Intu Potteries; Hounslow Mens; Hull  Whitefriargate; Keynsham; Kingswood; Leeds - The Core Shopping Centre; Leicester  Haymarket; London - Marble Arch; London - Moorgate/ London Wall; London - Oxford Circus; Maidenhead; Maidstone Mens; Merry Hill Mens; Metro Centre  Mens; Monmouth; Newport Mens; Newton Mearns; North Shields; Nottingham Mens; Ocean Terminal; Peterbrough Bridge Street; Pontypool; Portswood; Ramsgate; Reading - Broad Street; Reading Oracle Mens; Rhyl; Romford Mens; Rugby; Shrewsbury Mens; Sidmouth; Stockport  Merseyway; Stockton-on-Tees; Stratford Upon Avon -Bridge Street; Thornaby; Tonypandy; Torquay - Union Street; Tredegar; Troon; Wallsend; Weston Favell; Wigan Mens.

Alistair McGeorge, Executive Chairman of New Look, said: Given our challenged trading performance and over-rented UK store estate, we are having to take tough but necessary actions to reduce our fixed cost base and restore long-term profitability.
P rince Harry today said we must encourage more youngsters to study science and technology so Britain can continue its role as a world leader in engineering.

The prince, speaking at Silverstone, said the UK has established itself as top of its field in motor racing.

Harry, who left Eton College with a B in art and a D in geography at A-level before graduating from Sandhurst, said: It is well known that Great Britain is a world leader in high performance engineering and motor racing engineering in particular - as well as having some great drivers as well but it is no exaggeration to say that, unless we encourage more young people to study science, technology, engineering and maths it will be impossible for us to continue to lead in this field.

He went on: I am really encouraged to have seen the state of the art facilities and equipment in the Silverstone University Technical College, but more significantly, to have met the enthusiastic young people currently studying there, as well as those who have gone on to start their careers with leading employers in the motorsport industry.

Prince Harry chats to students and apprentices at Silverstone / PA

He said he was delighted to be at the Northamptonshire race track as construction was getting under way to create the Silverstone Experience.

When it opens in fourteen months time, it will tell the story of Silverstone, the history of British motor racing and the pivotal role which Great Britain plays in motorsport today.

The Silverstone Experience will be a fascinating and exhilarating visitor attraction, based here at the home of British Motor Racing, he said.

I am sure that it will help to engage children in engineering by making that all important connection between their text books and the excitement and thrills of motorsport.
A hunt is under way for a woman with blonde hair seen on CCTV shortly before former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were found collapsed after a suspected assassination attempt.

The footage showed the young woman, carrying a red handbag, walking beside an older man not far from the bench where the pair were discovered in Salisbury on Sunday afternoon.

It was initially thought the CCTV images were of former double agent Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, shortly before they fell ill after being exposed to an unknown substance.

But a witness who had seen the pair before they collapsed has now reportedly claimed that Yulia is not blonde, but had red hair when she was seen in the city with her father.

CCTV: The footage showed a man and woman near to where the ex-spy was found collapsed (Snap Fitness 24/7 ) / Snap Fitness 24/7

According to reports, officials said they fear the ex-spys daughter was collateral damage as detectives continued to investigate the theory that a Kremlin assassin carried out a hit, possibly by spraying them with a substance as they sat together on a bench.

The pair remained critically ill in hospital on Tuesday night as Scotland Yard counter-terror detectives took over the Wiltshire Police inquiry into the suspected attack.

Yulia: The 33-year-old is in critical condition after the suspected assassination attempt / Facebook

The deaths of Mr Skripals wife Liudmila from cancer in 2012 and his son Alexander, 44, last year in St Petersburg will also be considered as part of the Met Police investigation, the Times reported.

Amber Rudd, the home secretary, is to chair a meeting of the Cobra crisis committee today in connection to the suspected assassination.

This comes as Prime Minister Theresa May faced growing pressure to be ready to take on Russian leader Vladimir Putin amid the investigation.

It has not yet been confirmed if Russia is behind the attack.

Double agent: Sergei Skripal was found unconscious in Salisbury

Mr Skripal, a former colonel in Russian military intelligence to M15, and his daughter were found unconscious in the street in the citys town centre before being rushed to hospital.

The ex-spys relatives had told the BBC Russian Service that he believed the Russia special services would come after him at any time. An anonymous relative was quoted as saying he knew it would end badly and that he would not be left alone.

More details began to emerge yesterday about the mysterious collapse of the pair, which has sparked a diplomatic war of words between Britain and Russia.

Salisbury 'Russian spy' incident: Eyewitness describes couple

Relations between the UK and the Kremlin soured after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson went on the offensive in the House of Commons.

One line of inquiry is that Mr Skripal could have inhaled the deadly chemical after being attacked in the street near the Maltings shopping centre, the Daily Mail reported. It is believed his daughter could have come into contact with the substance while trying to help.
F ormer spy Sergei Skripal may have been sprayed with poison by attackers in the street, investigators believe.

The Russian army colonel who sold secrets to MI5 was found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury with his daughter Yulia, 33, on Sunday.

The pair remained critically ill in hospital on Tuesday night as detectives worked to identify the unknown substance which caused them to collapse, and how they were exposed to it.

One line of inquiry is that Mr Skripal, 66, could have inhaled the deadly chemical after being attacked in the street near the Maltings shopping centre, the Daily Mail reported. It is believed his daughter could have come into contact with the substance while trying to help.

Police inside a Zizzi restaurant where the pair ate before collapsing nearby / PA

Another possibility is that the pair's drinks were spiked in the nearby Mill pub, where they are believed to have gone following a meal in a Zizzi restaurant.

More details are beginning to emerge about the mysterious collapse of the pair, which has sparked a diplomatic war of wards between Britain and Russia.

Mr Skripal and his daughter ate garlic bread and risotto with a glass of white wine each at Zizzi in the town centre, according to reports. However, witnesses said the Russian was agitated and angry about the time it took for his meal to come.

CCTV of a man and woman walking through an alleyway in their investigation into the alleged poisoning of a Russian double agent in Wiltshire

Minutes after leaving the restaurant they were found slumped on a bench in the town centre, in a "catatonic" state.

Counter-terrorism police have taken over the investigation and home secretary Amber Rudd is due to chair a meeting of the Cobra crisis committee on Wednesday.

Whitehall sources told the Times that early indications suggest the attack was an assassination attempt by Russia.

However, investigators have reportedly not ruled out alternative theories including a rival trying to frame President Putins regime or a personal dispute.

Mr Skripals relatives told the BBC Russian Service that the former spy believed the Russia special services would come after him at any time.

An anonymous relative was quoted as saying he knew it would end badly and that he would not be left alone.

The deaths of his wife and son had died in the last ten years will reportedly be considered as part of the investigation.

Relations between the UK and the Kremlin soured after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson went on the offensive in the House of Commons.

Boris Johnson answers an urgent question in the House of Commons on Tuesday / PA

Addressing MPs about the "disturbing incident", Mr Johnson noted that this case had "echoes" of the death of Alexander Litvinenko, a Russian dissident who was fatally poisoned in London in 2006.

He said: "While it would be wrong to prejudge the investigation, I can reassure the House that should evidence emerge that implies state responsibility, then Her Majesty's Government will respond appropriately and robustly."

In a fresh sign of the deterioration in relations between the countries, Mr Johnson also claimed Russia is "in many respects a malign and disruptive force".

The Russian Embassy said it was "completely untrue" to suggest the country's special services were involved and criticised Mr Johnson for speaking "in such a manner as if the investigation was already over".

Salisbury 'Russian spy' incident: Eyewitness describes couple

Mr Skripal was convicted in 2006 of passing state secrets to MI6 before being given refuge in the UK as part of a spy swap.

The former colonel in Russian military intelligence, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison, was among four convicts who were given pardons and one of two sent to Britain in 2010 in a deal that was said at the time to be the largest exchange since the Cold War.

He was found along with his daughter on a bench in The Maltings in Salisbury after police were called by a concerned member of the public at around 4.15pm on Sunday.

The pair did not have any visible injuries and were taken to Salisbury District Hospital, where they are being treated in intensive care for "suspected exposure to an unknown substance".

Officers subsequently "secured" a number of scenes - including the Zizzi restaurant on Castle Street and the Bishop's Mill pub in The Maltings.

At least two people left a contamination tent inside the cordon wearing protective suits and gas masks on Tuesday night.
Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were looking strung out and dazed moments before they passed out, a witness said today.

Bathroom fitter Olly Field, 30, had been exercising in Snap Fitness 24/7, a gym overlooking the scene in Salisbury, at about 4pm on Sunday.

He said he saw Mr Skripal, left, and a blonde woman, believed to be his daughter Yulia, 33, right, sitting on a bench staring into space, with the woman stroking the mans arm.

Mr Field said: I walked past them and saw them on the bench. I thought they were strung out on heroin. They were whacked out. The girl had blonde hair and was stroking the older mans arm, like she was stroking a cat.

They were both sat there staring into space. It looked like they were hallucinating.

There was no one going to help them, everyone thought they were chilling out. They were out of it.

I didnt think twice really, he looked too old to be with her.

The Skripals had earlier had lunch in a branch of Italian restaurant chain Zizzi in the centre of Salisbury on Sunday. They are believed to have left between 2pm and 3pm and gone to a nearby pub called The Mill.

They were then seen walking through a shopping precinct and were found on the bench overlooking the Avon shortly after 4pm.
F ormer Russian double agent Sergei Skripals daughter may have been poisoned after daring to openly criticise Vladimir Putin on Facebook.

Yulia Skripal, who is fighting for life in hospital after what is thought to be an attempted assassination of her ex-spy father, is thought to have exchanged anti-Putin messages on social media.

The 33-year-old had commented nice on a public message from a friend who was urging for the Russian leader Mr Putin to be jailed.

The Kremlin is believed to have closely monitored the social media accounts of Mr Skripals entire family after his exile to the UK in a spy-swap deal in 2010, according to unconfirmed reports.

Yulia: The 33-year-old is in critical condition after the suspected assassination attempt / Facebook

This could mean that Yulias single-word response to her Facebook friends message could have marked her as an enemy of Mr Putins Russia.

The initial message reportedly read: I want to put into jail Vladimir Putin because I think that he is the worst president in the world. Hes stolen so much money that they can feed a small starving country."

An investigator in protective gear after the alleged poisoning of Russian spy Sergei Skripal / PA

Mr Skripal and his daughter remained critically ill in hospital on Tuesday night as Scotland Yard counter-terror detectives took over the Wiltshire Police inquiry into the suspected attack.

Double agent: Sergei Skripal was found unconscious in Salisbury, where he has been living a quiet retirement

The deaths of Mr Skripals wife Liudmila from cancer in 2012 and his son Alexander, 44, last year in St Petersburg will also be considered as part of the Met Police investigation, the Times reported.

Amber Rudd, the home secretary, is to chair a meeting of the Cobra crisis committee today in connection to the suspected assassination.

This comes as Prime Minister Theresa May faced growing pressure to be ready to take on the Russian leader amid the investigation.
A senior Foreign Office minister today hailed a new era of economic and security partnership with Saudi Arabia as modernising new leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made his first official visit to the UK.

Speaking to the Standard, Alistair Burt said anti-terrorism co-operation with the Gulf state had foiled attacks in the UK and was saving lives and Britain also had huge opportunities ahead to export technology, arts, sport and university degrees.

The prince was due to lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace on the first day of his three-day tour. Aged just 32, he already has a reputation as a moderniser who is transforming womens rights in his country.

Mr Burt said: In social and economic spheres we have seen the beginnings of changes which have a profound significance for Saudi Arabia and the region: women being permitted to drive and to attend sporting matches, cinemas being reopened and, under the Crown Princes Vision 2030 programme, the economy diversifying and opening up. All of this offers huge opportunities for the UK. We have world-leading expertise in the sectors that are central to the Saudi plan.

Mr Burt said university education, technology, culture and sport were all major areas where British expertise was being showcased to the Crown Prince during his visit.

However, protesters gathered outside Parliament this morning to demonstrate against Saudi military action in the Yemen civil war. Mr Burt said talks would cover humanitarian relief there, but he did not criticise Saudi policies.

We will seize the opportunity to discuss how to bring an end to the appalling humanitarian situation in Yemen, he said. Saudi Arabia is interacting with its neighbours, and the world, in a way that was not possible even a few years ago.

Labours shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, said Britain had to tell the Saudis to stop bombing Yemen.Theresa May is expected to raise deep concerns over the humanitarian crisis there during talks, her spokesman said.
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
T he UK is back on snow alert just days after the Beast from the East wreaked havoc across the country.

Forecasters have issued a severe warning for snow across a swathe of the Midlands and Wales, which is likely to cause disruption on the areas roads and railways.

The yellow weather warning encompasses major cities including Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester and Bradford, as well as most of Wales.

Last week bitterly cold air from Siberia met Storm Emma, causing days of snowfall and freezing conditions in Britain.

On Wednesday night an occluded front will arrive, bringing with it rain and, where temperatures are colder, snow, the Met Office said.

Forecaster Martin Bowles told the Standard: Today in London the rain that has been around will clear this afternoon, it will mainly be mild and sunny, maybe some showers later.

UK Weather: Beast from the East freeze - In pictures 1 /64 UK Weather: Beast from the East freeze - In pictures Snow storm over London NPASLondon/Twitter The frozen canal at Little Venice, London Jeremy Selwyn A multi-car collision on the M66 NEAR Ramsbottom and Bury Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) Ice climbers at Kinder Downfall, High Peak in Derbyshire PA RFA Tidespring battles powerful weather conditions sparked by the Beast from the East EPA/Ministry of Defence Members of 1st Battalion Welsh Guards take part in a snow ball fight prior to the combined St David's Day celebration and pre-deployment service at Elizabeth Barracks, Pirbright, Surrey PA A police car on fire on the M62 near Huddersfield. PA Andrea Geile skies along Princes Street in Edinburgh PA Heavy snowfall hits St Paul's Cathedral Zuma / Splash News Storm clouds over Dublin Bay PA Paddington Station today Jeremy Selwyn The M876 to Glasgow is closed PA A man walks in the snowy conditions in Larbert PA Edinburgh Castle in the snow PA Members of the public make their way through snow the streets in Alexandria, Scotland Getty Images Jock the Shih Tzu plays in the snow Getty Images Waterloo Station tracks covered in snow Jeremy Selwyn A man clears snow in Alexandria, Scotland Getty Images Snow-covered members of the public walk through heavy snow in Westminster Getty Images A stranded car covered in snow in Whitley Bay in Tyne and Wear PA Police push a car on the on the M80 Haggs in Glasgow PA A blizzard hit Trafalgar Square School children from Wearhead Primary School, in County Durham, which stands more than 1,100 feet (335m) above sea level and which remained open despite blizzards thanks to teachers battling through the elements and a parent with a digger PA Snow continues to fall in Westminster Jeremy Selwyn A man clears snow from a car in Larbert PA Fabio Fodaro cycles during a blizzard at Helix Park in Falkirk PA The scene on the M80 Haggs in Glasgow PA Police push a car on the on the M80 Haggs in Glasgow PA Huge crowds outside Oxford Circus Tube station @_kathyharvey People walk in the snow on Horse Guards Parade Reuters Whiteout: Londoners brave the snow in Piccadilly Circus Tony Villalon Three-year-old Wilfred Martin, enjoys sledding in the snow in Richmond Park, Londo PA Victor the polar bear enjoys the snow at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster PA Giant waves crash over Seaham lighthouse near Durham as the "Beast from the East" brings heavy snow and freezing temperatures to much of the country PA Spectacular sunrise over Canary Wharf James Burns/London from the Rooftops Vehicles get stuck on a hill on the A30 near Land's End in Cornwall following heavy snow that made driving conditions difficult PA Battersea looking beautiful in the snow Hatty Collier People walk their dogs on Blyth Beach in Northumberland PA A swimmer braves the snowy conditions at King Edwards bay near Tynemouth PA Frozen foutains at Trafalgar Square Jeremy Selwyn Stationary traffic on the M20 near Ashford, Kent PA Pedestrians cross Whitehall as snow falls AP Pedestrians walk across millennium bridge in front of St Paul's as heavy snowfall hits London AFP/Getty Images A snow-covered Tube train early today Londoners woke to wintry scenes Jeremy Selwyn A lorry shed its load on the M20 overnight Kent Police RPU Snow falls on Wimbledon Common Alex Lentati A London bus travels through the snow in Oxford street EPA Snow surrounds the Angel of the North in Gateshead PA People walk past Buckingham Palac PA People walk along Bankside, London in the snow PA Snow at Horse guards in London Jeremy Selwyn Rare snow seen at Brighton Beach James Mayes Toby Stanton walks to school in Ashford, Kent, as heavy snowfall is affecting roads across the UK PA Highways England/Twitter Cars travel through Great Chart in Ashford, Kent PA A Eurostar train passes through Ashford, Kent PA Vehicles on the M20 between Junctions 8 and 9, as heavy snowfall is affecting roads across the UK PA A double decker bus carefully makes it way through the snowfall in London Jeremy Selwyn Cars drive through falling snow on the A41 in Hemel Hempstead Jeremy Selwyn Parents walk their children to school in Ashford, Kent PA Newcastle Quayside following heavy overnight snowfall PA Walkers in the snow near to Another Place by Anthony Gormley, on Crosby Beech near LiverpooL PA Fishing boats moored in Scarborough harbour PA Commuters battle the snoiw across London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn

It will be dry and bright across the rest of the UK, with some showers in the west.

Tonight an occluded front will bring a period of prolonged rain which will arrive in London in the early hours of Thursday. This may fall as snow further north.

The milder temperatures will remain into the weekend in the capital, where temperatures could reach 13C, while rain and strong winds will arrive in the UK on Saturday, he said.

Mr Bowles added: On Thursday most of the time, for most of the country, it will be dry and bright, and this will be the same on Friday although there could be some more rain overnight.
A Belgian man has been convicted of sexism in a public place for the first time under a newly-passed law.

He was ordered to pay a $3,000 (2,700) fine by a Brussels court over remarks he made when he was stopped for jaywalking.

According to Belgian newspaper Le Soir, the unnamed man insulted a female police officer because of her gender after he was stopped for questioning.

A spokesman for the countrys public prosecutors office was reported as saying that the man told the officer: Shut your mouth, I dont talk to women. Being a police officer is not a job for women.

The law against sexism in a public place was introduced in 2014 after a public outcry over a documentary that exposed abuse women faced on Brussels streets.

Named Femme de la Rue, the film showed accounts of everyday sexism and sexual intimidation in the Belgian capital, including continuous catcalls and wolf whistles.

The new bill defined sexism as a remark or action that is intended to express contempt, suggests someone is inferior due to their gender or is designed to reduce someone to his or her sexual dimension.

The man was convicted of a serious violation of the dignity of the person because of her sex, and the use of threats following the incident that happened in July 2016.

He was also convicted of slander and threatening a police officer.

Prosecutors described the incident as good case to test the new law as it was a concrete and very clear case with many witnesses.
D onald Trumps administration has quietly lifted a ban on big game hunters importing the body parts of African elephants killed for sport to the US.

The move comes despite tweets from the US leader last year in which he branded big game trophy hunting a horror show.

The US President personally intervened in November when the US Fish and Wildlife Service first said it would lift an Obama-era ban on elephant trophies imported from Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Encouraging big game hunters to kill the threatened species would help raise money for conservation programmes, the agency claimed.

After a public outcry over the November decision, the US President tweeted: Big-game trophy decision will be announced next week but will be very hard pressed to change my mind that this horror show in any way helps conservation of Elephants or any other animal.

Donald Trump: The US leader's administration has lifted the ban / Getty Images

But in quiet U-turn Mr Trumps administration has now announced that elephant trophies from African countries would be approved on a case-by-case basis.

The federal agency, overseen by interior secretary Ryan Zinke, issued a letter on March 1 cited a long-running lawsuit challenging the ban filed in December by Safari Club International and the lobbying arm of the National Rifle Association.

Mr Zinke recently told people privately that Mr Trump had called him several times to discuss what to do about elephant trophies.

Nether the Interior Department nor Fish and Wildlife have issued a media release announcing the decision, which was quickly condemned by environmental advocates.

"The Trump administration is trying to keep these crucial trophy import decisions behind closed doors, and that's totally unacceptable," said Tanya Sanerib, international legal director at the Centre for Biological Diversity.

"Elephants aren't meant to be trophies, they're meant to roam free."

The African elephant, which is the world's largest land mammal, has been classified as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act since 1979.

A licensed two-week African elephant hunt can cost more than 50,000 dollars (36,000) per person, not including airfare, according to advertised rates.

Illicit demand for elephant ivory has led to devastating losses from illegal poaching as the natural habitat available for the animals to roam has also dwindled by more than half.

As a result, the number of African elephants has shrunk from about five million a century ago to about 400,000 remaining. That number continues to decline each year.
T he prime suspect in the Florida high school shooting has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder.

Nikolas Cruz was also charged with 17 counts of attempted murder following the Valentine's Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Cruz's public defender has said he will plead guilty if prosecutors take the death penalty off the table, which would likely lead to life imprisonment.

James and Kimberly Snead, the couple who gave Cruz a home after his mother died late last year, testified before the grand jury on Wednesday, telling investigators they were "trying to do the right thing".

A vigil held in memory of the 17 victims of the shooting / AFP/Getty Images

Cruz told officials he took an AR-15 rifle to the school and started shooting into classrooms.

Jail records released by the Broward Sheriff's Office show Cruz was being held in solitary confinement. Officers described Cruz as being cooperative but avoiding eye contact.

The report said Cruz "often sits with a blank stare," appeared to laugh and exhibited "awkward" behaviour during and after a visit with an attorney and had one "family visit."

Florida shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz's Instagram pictures 1 /9 Florida shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz's Instagram pictures Posing: Suspect Nikolas Cruz with a gun One of the images posted on an Instagram account thought to belong to Nikolas Cruz Posing: Suspect Nikolas Cruz with knives One of the images posted on an Instagram account thought to belong to Nikolas Cruz Posing: Suspect Nikolas Cruz with a knife Other images taken from an Instagram account purportedly belonging to Cruz Florida shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz as he is arrested by police at the scene where 17 people were shot dead One of the images posted on an Instagram account thought to belong to Nikolas Cruz One of the images posted on an Instagram account thought to belong to Nikolas Cruz

Officers said Cruz also requested a Bible to read in his single-person cell in the infirmary.

Cruz, who was expelled from the school for disciplinary reasons, was described by former classmates as a troubled "outcast" who was obsessed with guns.

The FBI has been heavily criticised since revealing it received a tip-off in January that Cruz had a "desire to kill" and access to guns and could be plotting an attack, but agents failed to investigate. The governor called for the FBI director to resign.

In a statement, the agency acknowledged that the tip should have been shared with the FBI's Miami office and investigated, but it was not.

The admission came as the agency was already facing criticism for its treatment of a tip about a YouTube comment posted last year.

The comment posted by a "Nikolas Cruz" said: "I'm going to be a professional school shooter."

The FBI investigated the remark but did not determine who made it.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the shooting that killed 17 people on Wednesday was a "tragic consequence" of the FBI's missteps and ordered a review of the Justice Department's processes. He said it is now clear that the nation's premier law enforcement agency had missed warning signs.

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said his office had received more than 20 calls about Cruz in the past few years.
A nimal rights activists have slammed an Indonesian zoo after footage emerged of one of its orangutans smoking.

A visitor was seen flicking a half-smoked cigarette into 22-year-old Odons enclosure at Badung Zoo in Jakarta, before the primate picked it up and began puffing to the laughter of the crowd.

The zoo, which has previously been accused of mistreating animals, said the incident was regrettable.

Activist Marison Guciano said the smoking orangutan is further evidence of a lack of supervision and education at the zoo.

Zoo outrage: A Bornean orangutan was seen smoking a visitor's cigarette / AFP/Getty Images

He said the privately owned zoo is mainly responsible because of its "ignorance of supervision and education for visitors."

Zoo spokesman Sulhan Syafi'I said: "We very much regret that such a thing happened." The incident was reported to police.

Badung Zoo was temporarily closed in 2016 after a Sumatran elephant that died was found to have bruises on its body.

A change.org petition calling for the zoo to be closed has nearly 1 million signatures. Visitors who review the zoo on TripAdvisor describe a dirty facility and sadness and anger at seeing the condition of the animals.
T hese incredible images show SpaceXs reusable Falcon 9 rocket blasting off into orbit for the 50th time.

Spectacular pictures of the event show a bus-sized Spanish satellite strapped to the rocket as it lights up the morning sky over its launch pad on its journey out of the atmosphere.

Stunning footage also showed the huge rocket creating a huge trail of smoke and fire as it blasted through the sky from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The impressive milestone launch by billionaire business magnate Elon Musks private rocket firm on Tuesday was reached in less than eight years.

SpaceX successfully launched a bus-sized satellite into orbit 22,300 miles above Earth

After the reusable rocket shoots into space, its boosters return to earth and land on one of SpaceXs drone ships in the middle of the ocean.

This time however no attempt was made to recover the Falcon 9s first-stage booster as the waves offshore were too rough for a barge landing.

Once the Falcon 9 releases satellites into orbit it returns to Earth to land on one of the privately-owned firms designated ground-based landings zones.

Mr Musk said the communications satellite for Spain's Hispasat corporation that was attached to the rocket this week is the largest geostationary satellite weve ever flown.

The rocket blasted off into space on Tuesday / SpaceX

The Hispasat 30W-6 satellite was successfully offloaded into orbit just 33 minutes after the launch from Earth, SpaceX said in statement.

The Falcon 9 rocket lifts off early on Tuesday / AFP/Getty Images

The Spanish commercial communications satellite will orbit the earth providing signals to TVs, broadband networks and other communications services in Europe, North Africa and the Americas.

It comes after Space X's Falcon Heavy - the world's most powerful rocket - made history last month as it blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida in front of cheering crowds.
S tormy Daniels is the former adult film star at the centre of claims about the US President's marriage.

Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has alleged she had an affair with Donald Trump - claims the President strongly denies.

She has claimed to have had sex with Mr Trump once in 2006, adding that they continued a platonic relationship for years afterwards.

Mr Trump married his current wife, Melania, in 2005. She gave birth to their son Barron in 2006.

Ms Daniels' claims about the affair surfaced in January, when InTouch magazine published an interview with her from 2011.

Affair claims: Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford / ABC

In February, it emerged that Mr Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, set up a private company that made a $130,000 (94,000) payment to Ms Daniels in October 2016, just weeks before the presidential election.

Mr Cohen said he made the payment out of his own pocket, adding: Neither the Trump Organisation nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly.

Michael Cohen works as a personal attorney for President Trump / Getty Images

A month earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that Ms Daniels was paid in exchange for an agreement not to discuss a year-long affair with Mr Trump.

Now, she is suing the President over the alleged agreement. In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday, she alleges that, since Mr Trump did not sign it, the agreement is "null and void" and should be invalidated.

Ms Daniels wanted to go public with the details of the alleged affair in the weeks before the US election in 2016, according to the lawsuit.

Married in 2005: Donald and Melania Trump / REUTERS

The White House has consistently rejected the claims, saying: These are old, recycled reports, which were published and strongly denied prior to the election.

In the 2011 interview with InTouch, Ms Daniels claimed she was invited into Mr Trumps hotel room at a gold tournament in Nevada in 2006.

He was wearing pajama pants and watching a documentary about sharks on television when she arrived, Ms Daniels claims.

He is obsessed with sharks. Terrified of sharks, she said.

He was like, I donate to all these charities and I would never donate to any charity that helps sharks. I hope all the sharks die. He was like riveted. He was like obsessed. Its so strange, I know.

Speaking of his obsession with his images, Ms Daniels added of Mr Trump: He just kept talking about this magazine that he was on the cover of, like, Look at this magazine, dont I look great on the cover?
A licia Vikander says she put on nearly a stone in muscle to play Lara Croft so she could make her fight scenes against men plausible.

But the Oscar-winner, who reprises Angelina Jolies role in the new Hollywood reboot of Tomb Raider, did not sustain the six kilograms of muscle she gained  in part because of her fondness for dinner parties.

The film, out next week, reimagines Croft as a London bike courier who leaves her old life behind to look for a tomb off the coast of Japan.

Vikander, 29, told Hunger magazine: I wanted it to be plausible that a young girl could fight a man whos obviously both stronger and bigger.

Alicia Vikander: It would be fun to keep playing Lara Croft

"To feel like you have that strength is pretty cool. But she added: I realised it takes about four months to gain anything, and only three weeks to lose it all!

Vikander, who married fellow actor Michael Fassbender, 40, last year, said what she missed most during filming was cooking, in particular having time to choose ingredients for two hours and read up on some different recipes and make your own mix and then have friends come over, make sure they drink lots of wine, listen to music, and be in the kitchen for four hours.

Read the full interview with Alicia Vikander in Hunger Magazine (Rankin)

Its my dream day, she added.

The Swedish star, who won an Oscar in 2016 for The Danish Girl, also spoke about the drive for equality in the film industry following the sexual harassment scandal.

She said: Ive been really lucky; my first three films were all directed by a female director. Ive had some really cool women to look up to. I think the sisterhood really creates a mentoring environment.

"Change is about initiatives like Times Up, its about making sure you include women in all departments, about really making an effort to not only have women in front of the camera, but also behind.

"But also I think that in any industry we women have been taught that you have to elbow your way in, because there are no spots for us, so in a big group, its only going to be one woman who gets a shot. Thats imprinted. And suddenly, Ive never felt such support from women. Its wonderful.
C oronation Street star Michael Le Vell has reportedly been declared bankrupt, despite his 250,000-a-year pay packet from the Cobbles.

The actor - who plays Kevin Webster in the soap - failed to keep on top of his tax affairs, according to papers The Mirror claims to have seen.

The publication claims that sources have revealed that Le Vells outstanding bill was a six-figure sum, as HMRC petitioned him in the High Court.

They also reveal that the star was declared bankrupt under his real name Michael Robert Turner earlier this year but a change in details to include his stage name and profession led to the discovery of his identity.

Standard Online have contacted representatives for Le Vell for comment.

It is thought that the father-of-two shelled out 200,000 in legal fees when he was accused of 12 counts of sexual allegations against children.

Coronation Street: Michael Le Vell has played Kevin Webster on the Cobbles since 1983 / ITV

A jury at Manchester Crown Court found Le Vell not guilty in September 2013 and cleared him.

But Ministry of Justice rules prevent people who can afford their defence from receiving tax-payer funded paybacks after the case closes, meaning Le Vell was left to pay the full amount.
E astEnders fans have expressed their confusion at the fact that A-lister Gary Oldman is the brother of Laila Morse, who plays Walford legend Big Mo.

With Oldmans Best Actor win at the Oscars, its only natural The Darkest Hour star is getting people talking.

But, despite it having been common knowledge for some time, EastEnders fans still cant get over the unlikely bit of trivia.

On twitter, viewers shared their surprise at the familial connection as Laila Morse makes her return to the soap just says after her brother's Oscar triumph.

Siblings: Laila Morris as Big Mo in EastEnders (BBC)

One wrote: Wtf since when were Big Mo from Eastenders & Gary Oldman brother & sister?????

Another tweeted: Struggling to believe Gary Oldmans sister is Big Mo from Eastenders.

A third wrote: Imagine Gary Oldman and Big Mo from Eastenders came out the same womb.

But others were in disbelief that people had only just discovered the information.

Three Billboards and Gary Oldman score success at the Bafta Awards

How are folk only finding out that Big Mo is Gary Oldmans sister??? asked one

Has Gary Oldmans sister (Big Mo, Eastenders) made a statement about his Oscar win yet? joked another.

One reason for the surprise at the connection could be the pairs different surnames, as Morse uses a stage name.

Oscars 2018: Winners - In pictures 1 /24 Oscars 2018: Winners - In pictures Guillermo del Toro accepts the Oscar for Best Picture for 'The Shape of Water' Reuters Gary Oldman accepts the Oscar for Best Actor for 'Darkest Hour' Reuters Sam Rockwell, winner of the Best Supporting Actor award for 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri;' actor Frances McDormand, winner of the Best Actress award for 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri;' actor Allison Janney, winner of the Best Supporting Actress award for 'I, Tonya;' and actor Gary Oldman, winner of the Best Actor award for 'Darkest Hour,' pose in the press room during the 90th Annual Academy Awards Getty Images Guillermo del Toro accepts the Oscar for Best Picture for "The Shape of Water" from presenter Warren Beatty Reuters Allison Janney, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for 'I, Tonya' Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Frances McDormand accepts Best Actress for 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards Getty Images Sam Rockwell, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri', and Viola Davis pose in the press room at the Oscars Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Rachel Shenton using sign language and Chris Overton accept the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film for "The Silent Child Reuters Roger Deakins accepts the award for best cinematography for "Blade Runner 2049" at the Oscar Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Guillermo del Toro accepts the Oscar for Best Picture for 'The Shape of Water' Reuters Guillermo del Toro and Sally Hawkins take the stage to accept the Oscar for Best Picture for "The Shape of Water" from presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway Reuters Guillermo del Toro accepts Best Picture for 'The Shape of Water' from actor Warren Beatty onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards Getty Images Gary Oldman accepts the Oscar for Best Actor for 'Darkest Hour' Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Chadwick Boseman helps James Ivory pick up his award for best adapted screenplay for "Call Me by Your Name" from the stage floor as Margot Robbie looks on at the Oscars Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Guillermo del Toro, winner of the award for best director for "The Shape of Water" celebrates in the audience at the Oscars Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Sebastian Lelio (foreground center) and Nicolas Saavedra, from back left, Daniela Vega, Alejandro Goic, and Pablo Larrain accept the award for best foreign language film for "A Fantastic Woman" at the Oscars Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Australian Film Editor Lee Smith (right) celebrates next to US actor Matthew McConaughey after he won the Oscar for Best Film Editing for 'Dunkirk' during the 90th Annual Academy Awards show AFP/Getty Images Kobe Bryant, winner of the award for best animated short for 'Dear Basketball' poses in the press room at the Oscars Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, winners of the Best Original Song award for 'Remember Me' from 'Coco,' pose in the press room during the 90th Annual Academy Awards Getty Images Jordan Peele accepts the award for best original screenplay for "Get Out" at the Oscars Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Jeffrey A Melvin, Paul D. Austerberry, and Shane Vieau, winners of the award for best production design for "The Shape of Water", pose in the press room at the Oscars Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Mark Bridges, winner of the award for best costume design for 'Phantom Thread' Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Lucy Sibbick, Kazuhiro Tsuji, and David Malinowski accept the award for best makeup and hairstyling for 'Darkest Hour' at the Oscars Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Guillermo del Toro, winner of the awards for best director and best picture for "The Shape of Water," poses in the press room at the Oscars Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

In fact, in real life she shares a first name with her EastEnders character, as her name is Maureen Mo Oldman.

Oldman picked up an Oscar for his turn as Winston Churchill in Joe Wright's Darkest Hour. He used his acceptance speech to thank his 90-year-old mother, telling her to put the kettle on. Im bringing Oscar home.
A manda Redman has spoken out about how we need more women on television.

The actress, who stars as Dr Lydia Fonseca in The Good Karma Hospital, remains passionate about equal representation on-screen - especially in the wake of the Me Too and Times Up movements.

In an exclusive chat with Standard Online, Redman said: We are 51 or 52 per cent of the population and yet the representation of us on screen is well below that.

Thats just ridiculous especially when you think the majority of people who watch television are women.

Redman continued: I like watching dramas that are led by women because I think it allows so much more to happen. I think the possibilities are endless.

We shied away from it in this country for so long and still do. It isnt there at all as much as we all like to be mouthing off. The truth is, its only now its suddenly become fashionable to get behind it.

I think its very important. I look at young actresses and I think to myself yeah I really hope its changed by the time you get to my age.

The 60-year-old added that things in the industry have changed since she first started acting, although admitted it is still 'tough' from age 50.

The Good Karma Hospital: The second series starts on ITV this March (Chris Burgess / ITV) / CHRIS BURGESS / ITV

She told us: I was told when I was in my 20s to make the most of it because by the time I got to 40 I wouldnt be getting great roles because there werent any. Which there werent at that time.

That changed when I was in my 20s so by the time I got to 40, actually, there were some fantastic roles.

But from 50? Thats where it is tough. Its getting better but its not great.

New TV shows to look forward to in 2018 1 /17 New TV shows to look forward to in 2018 The Little Drummer Girl Florence Pugh as Charlie with Alexander Skarsgard as Becker in the John le Carre thriller BBC / The Little Drummer Girl Distribution Limited. The Cry Jenna Coleman and Ewen Leslie Synchronicity Films Ltd/Lachlan Moore Vanity Fair ITV and Amazon's remake of William. M. Thackeray's classic novel starring Olivia Cooke and Tom Bateman ITV Wanderlust Toni Collette and Steven Mackintosh star in BBC's new raunchy drama BBC/Drama Republic Press Charlotte Riley and Ben Chaplin go head-to-head as rival newspaper editors in new drama from Doctor Foster creator Mike Barlett BBC Death and Nightingales Jamie Dornan, Ann Skelly and Matthew Rhys star in a three-part drama for BBC Two BBC Maniac Emma Stone and Jonah Hill star in the limited Netflix series coming September Michele K. Short / Netflix Disenchantment Matt Groening is back and on Netflix with new adult comedy following Princess Bean and friends Netflix / Matt Groening Age Before Beauty Age Before Beauty on BBC One with Polly Walker, Sue Johnston and Lisa Riley follows a family business with plenty of secrets BBC/Mainstreet Pictures/Todd Antony Hard Sun Luther creator Neil Cross has another dabble at the cop show format in this crime/sci-fi drama inspired by the Bowie song Five Years. BBC/Euston Films A Very English Scandal Hugh Grant stars in this drama from Doctor Who/Sherlock writer Russell T Davies, which adapts John Prestons book about the scandal that surrounded Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe BBC/Blueprint Television Ltd Kiri National Treasure writer Jack Thorne pens a four-part drama about the abduction of a young black girl. The ever-reliable Sarah Lancashire is unconventional social worker Miriam, who finds herself being blamed. Channel 4 Britannia Filmed in Wales and Prague, Jez Butterworths historical drama is set in 43AD, when Roman General Aulus (David Morrissey) is attempting to conquer the Celts. Sky Collateral David Hares four-part drama (his first original TV series) explores the repercussions after a pizza delivery man is shot dead. Carey Mulligan plays Detective Inspector Kip Glaspie, who investigates. BBC/The Forge Save Me In the absence of Doctor Foster, Suranne Jones stars as the mother of a missing girl who believes that her ex- (Lennie James, who wrote the show) is guilty of the abduction, forcing him to work to clear his name. Sky Atlantic Troy: Fall of a City Swords and sandals epic in eight parts made in a collaboration with Netflix, written by David Farr (who also wrote The Night Manager). BBC/Wild Mercury Productions Patrick Melrose Benedict Cumberbatch looks right at home in this adaptation of the Edward St Aubyn novels about an outrageous aristocrat struggling to overcome the damage inflicted by an abusive father. Dave Benett

Redmans character isnt the only strong lead in The Good Karma Hospital, as one of the main protagonists of the ITV drama is Dr Ruby Walker, played by Amrita Acharia.

Written by Dan Sefton, the Sri-Lankan filmed programme also stars Neil Morrissey as Greg McConnell and James Krishna Floyd as Dr Gabriel Varma among its cast.
Countries & Areas

Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe
Cybersecurity (CS) is the latest frontier in warfare. Much has been said about the need to work out certain rules to prevent an unfettered arms race and combat operations in this domain. Last year, Russia and the US agreed to discuss these issues and form a working group. The need for a joint approach to the problem during a telephone exchange between the two presidents. US pundits have discussed it in depth.

Many hopes were pinned on these Russia-US cyber talks. If they could get off the ground, they would be viewed as a light at the end of the tunnel. Negotiations over strategies in regard to this fifth domain might expand to also include land, air, sea, and space. It took a lot of effort to reach an agreement to hold a dialog on February 27-28 in Geneva. Experts had been impatiently waiting for the two powers to address this burning issue.

The whole world heard National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster claiming at the Munich Security Conference in February that the US was ready for such talks. Russia had initiated the efforts to reach an agreement aimed at restricting military operations in cyberspace. The 17-member Russian delegation arrived in Switzerland ready to roll up their sleeves, buckle down, and work hard to tackle the issue and get something accomplished, but Washington torpedoed the consultations. It informed Moscow that its delegation was not coming. It was a last-minute pull out.

Thats pretty tacky! You talk to someone and reach an accord, but then when the time comes to do what had been agreed upon, your counterpart simply doesnt show up at the scheduled meeting with no advance notice! This isnt something were used to seeing in diplomacy. Or is this a new trend in the evolution of international diplomatic protocol?

As a result, Moscow cut off the Russian-US consultations on strategic stability and bilateral relations that were slated to begin March 6-7 in Vienna. Russia has called for a broad international effort to prevent the militarization of cyberspace. The lessons learned from implementing the 1972 INCSEA Agreement and the 1989 DMA Agreement could help guide this work. Several European NATO members have shown their interest in joining the cybersecurity negotiations. But the US stymied the process, at least in a Russia-NATO format. Its a pity, because the issue could have become part of a broader Russia-NATO and OSCE agenda.

CS is an area in which agreements can be reached. For instance, Russia and China signed an agreement on CS in 2015. Their deal on cyber security could serve as an example for other states that are willing to join in those efforts. The only initiative aimed at tackling CS on a global level was launched by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2015. It did not go far because of the Wests reluctance to discuss it.

In 2013, Russia and the US came up with a package of agreements that included the exchange of information and emergency response teams. They agreed to use the operational nuclear hotline to also address cyber emergencies. It never got off the ground. The dialog was suspended in 2014 after Crimea joined the Russian Federation.

On Feb. 27 in Geneva the process could have been given a new lease on life. The first-ever non-aggression pact in the cybersphere could have been signed and it could have had room to grow. Once Moscow had agreements in place with both parties, Russia could have acted as a link between Washington and Beijing. America and Russia could have come together to draft an international agreement, outlining universal rules to regulate cyber operations on a global level. After all, the protection of critical infrastructure, such as power and water supplies, against cyberattacks is an issue of common interest, which requires joint efforts, regardless of any political divisions or affiliations.

Without curbs on cyberwarfare, cyber operations might spiral out of control. Without established rules, we could see dangerous consequences. Hostilities could spill over into other areas. In 2001, the US left the 1972 ABM Treaty. Seventeen years later it was surprised to discover that all those years of missile-defense efforts had gone down the drain and that Russia is now leading the superweapons race. On March 1, President Putin elaborated on this issue in his address to the Federal Assembly. A few days ago, the US missed its chance to address the problem of cyberwarfare. Its quite possible that eventually it will find itself lagging behind in this area as well. And maybe one day it will appreciate the wisdom that can be gained by learning ones lessons and seizing opportunities.
Since late 2016 there have been frequent accusations of Russia interfering in American elections. This was accomplished by using government directed messages to be posted, on a massive scale, in social media and other online sites. One aspect of this that didnt attract much media attention was that this technique, and its use by foreign governments in the United States, was nothing new. This sort of thing has been widely used on the Internet for over a decade and for generations before that there was astroturfing (creating fake grass roots support with a variety pre-Internet techniques) and more lavishly funded Soviet efforts called dezinformatsiya (disinformation) operations.

During the Cold War the communist rulers of the Soviet Union invented or expanded on all sorts of propaganda, deception and indoctrination techniques that are still widely copied (and often condemned) because they work. At least sometimes. In the end all that dezinformatsiya did not prevent the Soviet empire from collapsing and disintegrating. Some of those techniques have been updated and continue to serve the current rulers of Russia. One of them involves the Internet and is believed particularly useful (or at least through to be) in Russia.

While technically a democracy, modern Russia has evolved into yet another dictatorship. This is because out of the ashes of the Soviet Union there arose an oligarchy with enough cash and propaganda skills, not to mention control of most mass media, to get elected and make most Russians support what the new government wants. A key tool in this was using freewheeling Internet based message boards to mold and manipulate public opinion. This sort of thing has been around since the Internet began its explosive growth in 2001, as it went from 500 million users to four billion now.

It wasnt long before many Internet users noticed that messages posted by propagandists (or PR specialists) were showing up in social media and messaging areas throughout the Internet. This was especially true in China. There is where it all began; the idea of quietly paying Internet users a small fee to post pro-government (or company) responses on message boards where some company or the government is being criticized or maligned. For some members of the original Chinese "50 Cent Party" it was a full time job, receiving up to 50 cents (two yuan) each for up to a hundred pro-government messages posted a day, using several dozen different accounts. But most of the posters were volunteers or just did it to earn a little extra money. If you could post in foreign languages, especially colloquial English, you made more. Very few members of the "50 Cent Army" (as the mercenary posters were also known) made lots of money and most were reviled by their online peers as a bunch of trolls (those who leave messages to annoy rather than inform or amuse).

By 2015 Russia had turned Internet trolling into a profession with full time workers getting paid $700 to $1,000 a month (plus bonuses for especially effective efforts) and working in office settings rather than from home. These professional trolls mainly write in Russian, to encourage pro-government opinions among Russian Internet users. The government also has an international program that pays a lot more because of the need for good foreign language skills. That means the ability to write like a native not only in terms of grammar but in terms of the Internet idioms unique to each language or country. The key here is not so come off as a Russian troll but a local.

Even before Russia had turned Internet trolling into a profession Israel kicked this process up a level in 2013 by establishing a special tuition assistance program for university students who agreed to regularly post messages on the Internet to combat anti-Semitism and anti-Israel propaganda. While Israel is unique in being one of the few countries to admit doing this, many others have been caught at it and continue to deny any official involvement. One example is North Korea, which South Korea believes has had (since at least 2014) several hundred operatives who are basically full-time Internet Apes, whose sole task is to battle anti-North Korean sentiments on South Korean Internet message areas and push the idea that North Korea is a better place to live than it actually is.

By now many Internet users automatically recognize and ignore the paid messages and go out of their way to teach others what to look for. In the West many moderators of message boards have tools that allow them to instantly delete the accounts of Internet Apes (paid posters) and all their paid-for posts. In China you can get arrested for doing that but not for just ignoring the paid propaganda. Israel leaves it up to the operators to reveal they are semi-official or keep quiet about that. By using carefully selected university students the Israelis are better able to avoid detection and deliver more effective messages. This could be a key advantage of this program

The Chinese began to use of this practice in 2005, when propaganda officials sought ways to deal with growing anti-government activity on Internet message boards. One idea was to organize the pro-government posters already out there. The propaganda bureaucracy (which is huge in China) did so and got so many volunteers that they soon developed a test to select the most capable posters and also set up training classes to improve the skills of these volunteers. Cash bonuses were offered for the most effective work. At one point, the government had nearly 100,000 volunteers and paid posters operating. This quickly evolved into the 50 Cent Army. By 2010 the Russian government adopted the practice and before long there was the 50 Ruble Army in Russia.

The Chinese eventually realized that quality was better than quantity because the less articulate posters were easily spotted, and ridiculed, as members of the "50 Cent Army," "Internet Apes," or the Water (because of the zombie accounts used for posting) Army. This was especially the case outside China. Inside China people just learned to ignore the government posters. But the more skilled Internet Apes often appear convincing to many people following Internet based discussions. The 50 Cent Army was often a very worthwhile investment, especially when experienced and skilled posters were used. In this area quantity does not really match quality.

In the United States the same techniques were adopted to push political candidates or commercial products. There it was called "viral marketing." The CIA has used a similar technique to counter anti-American, or pro-terrorist, activity on the Internet. This activity also made it easier to spot potential terrorists or potential informants.

Russia adopted the Chinese technique of harnessing the enthusiasm of pro-government volunteers. As happened elsewhere, bloggers and posters with a large following were also enticed to be pro-government, for a fee (or perhaps because of a few threats).

This practice of buying favorable attention in the media is nothing new and is centuries old. The U.S. is unique in that, for about a century, the American mass media was largely free of this blatant bribery. But in most of the world, a clever journalist quickly attracts the attention of people who will pay for some favorable comments. It's no secret, although many journalists insist they are not bought.
Every NATO member has somewhat different defense plans but the one thing all have in common is the ancient threat from the Russian Empire. While the larger NATO members (U.S., Britain and France) have nuclear weapons, the smaller ones have to be more creative in dealing with the Russian threat. The smallest and most exposed members of NATO are the three Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Together these three nations have a population of only six million. Russia has over 140 million and an increasingly open desire to regain its valuable Baltic territories and other recently (1991) lost portions of the empire.

The Baltic States have long been fought over because, like most coastal areas, the Baltic States were always more prosperous than inland areas because of seaborne trade and fishing, in addition to farms inland. Currently the per capita GDP of the Baltic States of twice that of Russia and a third higher than Poland (which has a large Baltic coastline but also a lot more inland area). Poland, Sweden and Germany were a threat to what is now the Baltic States over the last thousand years, but since the 1700s another threat has been Russia, and still is.

Once the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991 many Russian neighbors feared a revival of the traditional Russian aggression and empire building. Thus in 2004 Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia joined NATO, putting parts of the former Soviet Union (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) within NATO and on Russias border. Many Russians do not like this, for Russian policy since 1945 has been to establish a "buffer" of subservient (preferably Russian occupied) countries between Russia itself and the rest of Western Europe (especially Germany). This attitude is obsolete in a practical sense but old habits die hard.

In the 1990s the new post-communist Russian government said it was willing to work with NATO in areas of mutual benefit but that did not work out. Now there is a state of undeclared war between Russia and NATO. These new NATO members are more worried about the renewed Russian aggression than the original NATO members (the U.S. and Western Europe). The nations of east NATO are asking for more presence by troops from west NATO. Some of the eastern members (especially Poland and the Baltic States) have called for the permanent basing of U.S. troops on their territory. The smaller states Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania believe Russia could overrun them in two days and senior NATO military commanders openly agree. Russia considers such talk more evidence of NATO aggression against Russia. The Baltic States have heard this kind of talk from Russia before and want to avoid the usual outcome.

All three Baltic States have adopted similar defense plans based on that long used by Switzerland (and later Sweden and Israel). This total war mobilization system expected every citizen to be prepared to resist an invader. In the last century this has meant conscription of all able males (and even some females) for a year or so of training followed by decades of service in a reserve. The Baltic States have eliminated conscription and depend on fear (of the Russians) to obtain enough volunteers for the active duty forces and the much larger reserve. Beyond that all citizens are constantly reminded of how they can all resist an invader (Russia is the only likely one as the Germans, Poles and Swedes have abandoned imperial ambitions).

In light of this most Latvians accepted the new total mobilization policy which provides more opportunities for all citizens to participate. The voters would not revive conscription but so far there has been sufficient willingness by military age men (and many women) to join or otherwise support the largely part-time military. There are now voluntary programs in high schools where students can receive basic military training. Other countries have found that programs like this enable many potential recruits to see if they have any aptitude and interest in this sort of thing. Many find that they do and those who are not really good at it discover that as well. The military is also establishing a Summer Training program in which students can volunteer for several weeks (or more) of full time training. There is now money for National Guard units to conduct training that can get expensive (like how to obtain lumber and other materials locally to build roadblocks and other obstacles). There is also more money for part time soldiers to practice their marksmanship and using other weapons (grenades, mortars, anti-tank rockets, explosives in general).

The current Latvian armed forces are quite small. There are 4,600 active duty troops, 11,000 reserves (former active duty men who can be mobilized in wartime) and 8,000 in the National Guard. While the reserve troops are not very active at all, the National Guard is another matter. The National Guard proved so popular that it is being allowed to expand to 12,000 (by 2027). Many of the troops who complete a term of active service volunteer to join the National Guard rather than just be a name on a mobilization list in the reserves. The Latvian military is now the classic type that Switzerland pioneered; a small number of full time troops that exist mainly to train and support the 20,000 part time personnel.

The Latvian National Guard is more like the American National Guard in that it devotes a lot of its training and organization to dealing with natural or other emergencies in a specific part of the country. But the Latvian personnel are armed and improving their military skills enthusiastically and often on their own time. Latvia recently decided to harness this enthusiasm by devoting more of the military budget to obtaining more equipment and expensive training. This additional investment is intended to produce some units in each National Guard battalion with the ability to activate and move much more quickly than the rest of their battalion.

Since Latvia joined NATO in 2004 they have had ample opportunity to test their system by mobilizing reserve and National Guard units more frequently for training, often with other NATO troops. Because Latvia went all-volunteer in 2005 they have no problem getting troops to go overseas on peacekeeping duty. Meanwhile Estonia and Lithuania have revived conscription and Latvia will monitor how that goes and that will influence future efforts to revive it in Latvia. But so far Latvians would prefer to keep it voluntary.

Like the other two Baltic States Latvia is tiny (population two million) and 0nly 61 percent of that is ethnic Latvian while 25 percent is ethnic Russian. Defense spending is only $715 million dollars a year (two percent of GDP). Latvia, like the other Baltic States planned to increase defense spending to two percent of GDP by the end of the decade and was able to do it by 2018. Even so that is not a lot so the Latvians are depending on the mobilization of the entire population to resist.

There is also more sharing of ideas with the other Baltic States. For example in late 2016 neighbor Lithuania issued a 75 page how to survive another Russian occupation manual for its citizens called; "Prepare to survive emergencies and war." Latvia has adopted that approach. All three Baltic States have plenty of experience with being invaded and occupied by Russia and wants to remind its citizens what works, especially now that the Baltic States have a mutual defense treaty with the United States and all other NATO members. Latvia has a Mobilization Law which covers all this and the bit of legislation is in a constant state of upgrade and revision.

The prepare to survive guide provides tips that resonate with most Russian neighbors. Thus the guide tells how to behave when dealing with the invader while also spying on the occupation force. The manual provides illustrations and description of most Russian weapons and details of how the Russians use secret police, local informants and special operations troops to try and control an occupied population. The manual also points out that Russia will send in agents (or activate ones it has already recruited) before an invasion and provides tips on how to detect the presence of these agents, especially in preparation for an imminent invasion. All three Baltic States have issued this type of document along with Sweden and Finland.
by Austin Bay March 7, 2018

North Korea's criminal dictatorship routinely violates weapons and security agreements, so reports that dictator Kim Jong Un wants to "dialogue" with the U.S. and South Korea about his precious nuclear weapons warrant deep skepticism.

However, Pyongyang's latest offer to hold "discussions about more discussions" may not be completely superficial.

North Korea's rapid move from the Olympics' political theatrics to publicly acknowledging substantial issues and expressing a willingness to address them isn't decisive, but it is encouraging.

During a state banquet held in Pyongyang on March 5, Seoul's negotiating team and Kim himself reached a "satisfactory agreement" to hold a full-scale inter-Korean summit meeting that would include a face to face meeting between Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The South Korean diplomatic delegation's trip to Pyongyang was the first high-level South Korean visit to the capital since 2007, when they met with Kim's father, Kim Jong Il.

The banquet classifies as theatrics, but it was also the first time South Korean officials had talked openly and directly to the Kim Jong Un. North Korea also dropped its demand that South Korea and the U.S. cancel their joint military exercises scheduled for April. The South Korean delegation indicated Kim himself had said he understood the drills would proceed. North Korea had also agreed to suspend its provocative nuclear weapons tests and missile tests while talks continue.

But here's the big news: Pyongyang's dialogue with the U.S. and South Korea would address two critical subjects, denuclearization and establishing formal diplomatic relations between them and North Korea.

Denuclearization is Trump Administration short hand for America's strategic goal on the Korean peninsula -- no nuclear weapons in either the North or the South.

The policy is well crafted. The U.S. and its democratic allies, South Korea and Japan, are not demanding regime change. North Korea's vicious regime can remain in place. Yes, North Korea's wretched citizens will continue to starve in a Stalinist gulag, but China will retain an authoritarian and semi-dependent buffer state between its border and South Korea.

However, the Kim regime must get rid of its nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons manufacturing capabilities. Assuring that it no longer possesses the weapons and means to threaten Seoul, Tokyo, Honolulu and San Francisco with nuclear immolation will require a very intrusive, long-term verification regimen.

The U.S. and its allies have backed the policy with "high pressure" coercive diplomacy featuring ever-harsher economic sanctions and very potent military "shows of force."

The U.S. has also pressured China politically and economically. Beijing certainly heard President Donald Trump's recent calls for tariff hikes and his seeming disregard for the consequences of a trade war. I'm betting Trump's timing wasn't an accident. The U.S. has also threatened to stop sanctions violators on the high seas.

Trump has also engaged "Little Rocket Man" Kim in bouts of name-calling. Trump belittled Kim, and did so with humor. Insulting a dictator's "dignity" is a potentially valuable act of psychological warfare. Dictators assert invulnerability by using physical threat to silence dissent. Kim's inability to stop or ignore Trump's taunts revealed a kind of vulnerability.

Trump posted a tweet on March 6 that summarized developments since the end of February: "Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!"

The Kim regime has a record for duplicity. It could use negotiations to buy time to deploy a nuclear weapon deliverable by ICBM. It could reject the intrusive verification regimen assured compliance requires.

However, the regime's March 2018 script has altered, if ever so slightly. Kim once said he would never give up his nuclear weapons. Now he says he'll discuss the possibility. Hard in either direction -- Trump is guaranteeing the pressure to achieve denuclearization will continue.
The UN sponsored peace plan is being modified by what is actually happening in Libya. The UN backed GNA (Government of National Accord in Tripoli) has become less able to accomplish anything than the technically outlaw (according to the UN) HoR (House of Representatives government in Tobruk) which now controls or contests control in most of the country. In reaction to that the UN has established a presence in HoR territory and regular contact with HoR officials. With this comes recognition of the LNA (Libyan National Army) and support for recognizing the LNA as the sole legitimate armed force in the country.

The current UN plan is that that elections will be held in 2018 and that the HoR is recognized as the major political player in the country. In late 2017 the HNEC (High National Elections Commission in Libya) began registering voters and by early 2018 had determined that there were about 1.8 million potential voters and had shown that it was possible to register nearly all of them by mid-2018. Most local leaders agree that elections should be held this year and that there should be no foreign military intervention. The Libyans do welcome foreign investment and the improved security situation has more nations (like Germany) announcing that they will soon reopen their embassies in Tripoli.

The country is still chaotic because of the hundreds of militias and private armies. Many of these are unifying behind what is left of the GNA in Tripoli in an effort to survive. While many Western nations consider the LNA, or at least some of its commanders, to be war criminals the fact is that pro-GNA faction leaders are no better and often a lot worse. The Arab nations that have long supported the LNA and its creator Khalifa Hiftar. This was in recognition of the fact that Libya was never a united entity and the government overthrown in 2011 was a dictatorship in which factions were paid off and played off against each other. This worked for half a century and is a common form of government in North Africa and the Middle East.

Libya is something of a special case because, until oil was discovered, what is now Libya was a big nothing as far a population went. The only land that could sustain a population was along the coast and 90 percent of the country is uninhabited desert. Even with the oil (reserves of over 70 billion barrels) the population was only six million while the six neighbors (Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Algeria and Tunisia) have some 200 million people and land borders with Libya that total 4,500 kilometers.

Since 2011 the old Kaddafi dictatorship has not been replaced by anything as effective at unifying and pacifying the country. Kaddafi had replaced a functioning monarchy in 1969 with a functioning dictatorship that finally failed in 2011. Despite the lure of all that oil wealth, none of the neighbors are willing or able to go in and restore order and take oil in payment. None of the neighbors (except, to a limited extent, Egypt) is willing to send in military forces to restore order. Some Western nations have contributed small numbers of special operations forces (for limited operations) and air support. But basically Libya is a black hole in the political map and a free-fire zone for all sorts of Islamic terrorists and warlords. Algeria and Tunisia have managed to keep the Islamic terrorists out while to the south Libya depends on French help to keep the Islamic terrorist activity in the Sahel (Niger and Chad) from getting in.

Southern Discomfort

In the south (Sabha, 770 kilometers south of Tripoli) fighting, apparently between Tabu and Zaghawah tribesmen broke out again in late January and has escalated since then as the GNA organized a special force to confront the LNA units that have long been active down there. By early February there was a lot of shooting but no reports of casualties. In fact the casualties were light, as they usually are during these tribal feuds. The GNA accuses the LNA of hiring foreign mercenaries to deal with the tribal feuding. The reality is that the LNA commander hired fighters who would follow orders since most of the armed groups native to the area are unpredictable because of factionalism and tribal politics.

Tribal violence down there is usually over who controls smuggling routes and has been flaring up regularly since the 2011 revolution. Most of this violence has been in or near the town of Sabha, which is astride the main road going to the Niger border. It is the biggest city in the largely desert south. The fighting is a continuation of ancient animosities between tribes divided by ethnicity as well as loyalty to the deceased dictator Kaddafi, who used tribal loyalties to maintain power and favored certain tribes. Some of the pro-Kaddafi Tuareg tribes kept fighting after Kaddafi died in 2011. The violence is not so much about putting Kaddafi followers back into power or supporting any Islamic terrorists, but holding on to Kaddafi era privileges and avoiding punishment for crimes committed to support Kaddafis rule. After 2011 violence continued on the southern border in part because the pro-rebel Tabu (or Tebu) tribesmen were put in charge of border (with Sudan, Chad and Niger) security. There they constantly skirmished with the Tuareg tribes over control of the smuggling business. Another element of this rivalry was that the Tabu are black African while the pro-Kaddafi tribes are Arab. Kaddafi tended to support Arab domination over black Africans, something many Arabs still prefer. However, in some cases Kaddafi favored black tribes in the north, and used them to keep the population in line. By 2015 the Tabu were still technically in charge of the border but mostly concerned with their control over smuggling (of fuel, drugs and people). The Tabu and Tuareg leaders have frequently worked out agreements on dividing smuggling business but discipline in the tribes is not all that tight and fights keep breaking out. The GNA is publicizing its effort to confront the LNA down there and when the GNA forces are defeated the politicians in Tripoli will blame it on foreign interference and demand UN intervention. That wont work either. The GNA is running out of options because it has already run out of popular support.

The LNA has demonstrated it is more effective at dealing with tribal unrest (usually via negotiations, which a favored Hiftar approach) and Islamic terrorists, outlaw warlords and bad actors in general (usually with well led and disciplined soldiers and militia fighters). The LNA has been fighting the southern outlaws for over two years and been making progress. It is slow going because the LNA has limited resources and seeks to make a permanent difference after it pacifies an area. Because of there are still pockets of unrest in the eastern coastal areas that are HoR territory. In the west allied LNA forces are closing in on Tripoli and Misarata, the major western coastal cities. This is where a lot of the people smuggling still thrives because local forces can be bribed while the LNA forces cannot. The ability to suppress the people smuggling gangs is very popular with European nations and make Hiftar and the LNA are more acceptable alternative to the GNA in Libya.

Oil Is Life

There have been some oil pipeline shutdowns recently as local militias use force to extort money out of whoever is running the oil operations. In late February this reduced production by a third compared to late January. That situation appears to have been resolved, for the moment. Despite the chaos since 2012 the National Oil Corporation (NOC) and Libyan Central Bank (LCB) were generally left alone to deal with essential matters like importing food and other necessities that Libya does not produce itself. The NOC managed to increase production for 2017 to record (since 2011) levels; about a million BPD (barrels per day, including natural gas equivalents). By early 2018 that was up to 1.1 million BDP. That was progress because production was 250,000 BPD in mid-2016 and 800,000 BPD by April 2017. Now production growth is stalled because of the lack of foreign firms willing to work in Libya to repair and expand Libyan oil facilities. The chaos created by all the militias and lack of a reliable central government means foreign firms rate Libya as one of the least reliable places to operate and opt for working in other areas, even though the profits are lower. Risk is a big deal in the oil industry because huge amounts (often billions of dollars) are often required to get new (or refurbished) oil facilities producing.

There are still occasional disruptions because of all the independent minded factions near the oil facilities. Despite that the NOC still hopes to reach 1.25-1.5 million BPD by the end of 2018 and 2.1 million BPD by the early 2020s. This is far in excess of pre-2011 levels (1.6 million BPD) but is necessary because of the need to finance reconstruction and adapt to the fact that the world price for oil keeps falling, despite OPEC (the Arab dominated oil cartel) efforts to reduce overall production and drive up the price. The problem is that the United States and Canada are producing a lot more due to new technologies (like fracking) that open up huge new sources that were long known but not reachable. A more immediate problem is the continuing government corruption in Libya which is increasingly hurting employees of the National Oil Company. Reducing corruption is a high priority because foreign firms are more likely to invest and send their own tech personnel in to help maintain and expand production is there is less corruption and better security.

The growing incidents of foreigners being kidnapped in and around the southern oil production facilities is a potential disaster because the foreign technical help is essential. The LNA can deal with this once they pacify an area but the LNA needs more resources (equipment, weapons, cash and technical advisors). Arab nations already provide some of this covertly but could do a lot more with UN approval. Many Western nations fear Hiftar might turn into another Kaddafi and return Libya to dictatorial rule. That is always a possibility but Hiftar was a Libyan Army officer who turned against Kaddafi in the 1980s and received asylum in the United States. He lived in America and became a naturalized citizen. In 2011 he returned to Libya and joined the rebels. Seven years later Hiftar has a track record in Libya and the UN has concluded he is what he is and there are no better alternatives. Arab states are even more enthusiastic. Hiftar is a smart guy who never forgot where he came from and has lots of friends in the West. If he can bring peace to Libya even his detractors are willing to try that for a while. The UN needs enough peace in Libya if it wants to carry out the planned national elections by the end of the year. If those elections are held and Hiftar wins the popular vote then the UN will have to support the will of the people.

Getting Clean

Libya has been making some earnest efforts to reform its economy and government to cope with the long-term loss of oil income but actually changing the culture of corruption is proving difficult. One of the major problems is the government inability to clean up its own massive internal corruption. Despite positive press releases from the government, outside observers cannot see any real progress. In 2017 Libya ranked 175 out of 180 nations in a worldwide survey of corruption. In 2016 Libya was 170 out of 176 countries. Progress, or lack thereof, can be seen in the annual Transparency International Corruption Perception Index where countries are measured on a 1 (most corrupt) to 100 (not corrupt) scale. The most corrupt nations (usually Syria/14, South Sudan/12 and Somalia/9) have a rating of under 15 while of the least corrupt (New Zealand and Denmark) are over 85. The current Libya score is 17 (up from 14 in 2016) compared to 33 (34) for Algeria, 32 (34) for Egypt, 31 (32) for Mali, 40 (37) for Morocco, 42 (41) for Tunisia, 20 (20) for Chad, 33 (35) for Niger, 71 (66) for the UAE (United Arab Emirates), 62 (64) for Israel, 61 (60) for Botswana, 75 (74) for the United States, 27 (28) for Nigeria, 25 (26) for Cameroon, 39 (36) for Benin, 40 (43) for Ghana, 43 (45) for South Africa, 21 (21) for Congo, 45 (45) for Senegal, 40 (40) for India, 73 (72) for Japan, 37 (37) for Indonesia, 54 (53) for South Korea, 18 (17) for Iraq, 40 (41) for Turkey, 49 (46) for Saudi Arabia, 28 (28) for Lebanon, 30 (29) for Iran, 15 (15) for Afghanistan, 32 (32) for Pakistan, 29 (29) for Russia and 41 (40) for China. A lower corruption score is common with nations in economic trouble and problems dealing with Islamic terrorism and crime in general. Libyas corruption score has gotten worse since 2012, when it was 21.

March 6, 2018: In the southwest the Sharara oil field, capable of producing 300,000 barrels per day, has resumed operations after a 24 hour shutdown. The local Tuareg tribes have been fighting the Tebu tribes for control of oil facilities in the area since early 2014 and that has kept the situation somewhat chaotic.

March 5, 2018: The GNA announced the formation of a special unit to be sent south to fight LNA forces in Sabha (south of Tripoli). The force will consist of 350 troops, 25 combat vehicles and nine artillery weapons.

March 4, 2018: In Zintan ((a largely Berber city south of Tripoli)) a local gang shut down the oil pipeline from Sharara and demanded a large cash payment to allow the pipeline to resume operation.

March 3, 2018: The UN has agreed to resume operations in Benghazi and recognize Khalifa Hiftar as the head of the LNA. The UN had pulled out of Benghazi in 2014.

February 23, 2018: LNA forces are setting up more checkpoints on roads into Tripoli. Controlling access to Tripoli means dealing with the several large criminal gangs based outside Tripoli near these roads. The GNA has been sending its only reliable force, the Presidential Guard, out to deal this these gangs but the GNA force has not got enough troops to guard the roads on a permanent basis.

February 21, 2018: Southwest of Tripoli five LNA troops were killed by a car bomb.

February 15, 2018: In Egypt, near the Libyan border Egyptian F-16s attacked and destroyed ten 4x4 vehicles from Libya that were trying to move weapons and ammunition into Egypt. The F-16s can operate at night and that has made it possible for more of these attacks to take place. Some of these convoys get in but a growing number are detected and destroyed. The smugglers raise their prices and if they still have customers the convoys keep coming. The F-16s also hit Islamic terrorist targets in the Western Desert between the Libyan border and the Nile River Valley. Islamic terror groups, especially ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) have been trying to establish new bases. That has proved difficult in Libya so now the Western Desert is where another attempt is being made. As long as the LNA can keep their side of the border ISIL free the Egyptians have a better chance of success in the Western Desert.

February 9, 2018: In the east (Benghazi) a bomb went off in a mosque, killing three and wounding over 80. The bomb had been planted and no one took credit. This may have been about local (or mosque) politics.
Veteran politician senator Farhatullah Babar was removed as the spokesperson of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday, a day after he criticised his party for backing off from upholding the parliament's supremacy.

PPP secretary information Nafisa Shah said Babar had tendered his resignation a couple of days ago and that it had been accepted by Zardari.

"Farhatullah Babar is a PPP senior and an asset of the party. He is and will remain the Secretary-General of the PPP-Parliamentarians," she said.

However, party sources told that Babar had been removed after his farewell speech on the floor of the Senate wherein he said his party had backed off from upholding the parliament's supremacy.

In his speech on Tuesday, the outgoing senator lamented that the supremacy of the parliament was ending, saying a state within the state was coming into existence and that there existed a conflict between the two.

If the parliament did not end the defacto state then it would lead to a collision between institutions, he added.

Babar had said that other institutions impinged the authority of the parliament. He said that the accountability committee tried to hold everyone accountable; however, his own party backed away.

The PPP leader had said the situation was moving towards a conflict between the institutions.

The 18th Amendment and the shifting of the autonomy to the provinces were being rolled back, which, in turn, can lead to smaller provinces demanding equal status as that of Punjab, he said.

The PPP leader said that due to the persisting danger, the onus of saving Pakistan is on the Parliament.

Politicising the judiciary and vice versa had endangered the parliament, the senator said.

It is concerning when the Chief Justice of Pakistan promises that he has no political agenda, said Babar.

Babar further said it was concerning when judges lean on contempt of court for their integrity.

There is a wise man in my village, Baba Rehmatay, who says the constitution is superior to the parliament, said Babar.

'Baba Rehmatay' says the Constitution is not what is written, it is what he says, remarked Babar.

The senator said that when it comes to the scope of influence of institutions, the parliament was failing.

In November 2017, Babar resigned from the parliamentary committee on accountability laws. Then, on October 20, he stepped down from the Senates Standing Committee on Defence, without offering to the media his reason for resignation.
Saudi Arabia's crown prince says Qatar will not be barred from an Arab summit in Riyadh later this month, but predicted the standoff with Doha could last a long time.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman's comments were made to local editors during a visit to Egypt this week and published Wednesday in the independent Al-Shorouk newspaper.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar in June, accusing the tiny but super-rich Gulf state of supporting militant groups and forging close ties with Iran.

The prince described Iran, Turkey and militant groups as the contemporary triangle of evil. He said Saudi Arabia was seeking to end the close relations between Iran on the one hand and Russia and Syria on the other.
A South Korean film crew which visited Whakatane last month, has given high praise about their experience in the region.

The crew, from the South Korean Channel A network, spent two days filming aboard a charter fishing trip with Cascade Charters; followed by a cooking shoot at Ohope Top Ten Holiday Park.

The footage will be aired as part of television show, The Fisherman, which will screen to over 2.5m viewers in South Korea and several other countries.

The film crews New Zealand-based coordinator, Kris Lee, says it was great experience for everyone involved.

Everyone agreed it was one of the most beautiful places they had been to. It was a dream-come-true experience for the entire crew, including the celebrities, and they will be returning to Whakatane again for sure.

Whakatane District Council Events and Tourism Advisor Nicola Burgess says hosting the group had far-reaching positive effects.

Showcasing our stunning district to a large and completely new international audience has the potential to bring many new visitors and business opportunities to Whakatane.

Their experience was also enhanced by the warm welcome shown by their hosts, Cascade Charters and Ohope Top Ten Holiday Park.

They went all-out to ensure the crew had everything they needed and had a fantastic time, she says.

The television show will go to air in South Korea later this month.
New regional factsheets show the housing crisis is not just an issue for Auckland, but is now a challenge for our regions, according to Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford.

Factsheets for 11 regions are now available on the Ministry of Social Development website and contain the latest data  including regionally-specific public housing supply figures, government support, transitional housing and numbers on the public housing waiting list  from the December 2017 quarter.

The Labour-led government isnt shying away from the housing challenges our regions face. We want the public to understand the extent of these issues, says Phil.

This data gives the regions the information they need to work with central government on solutions to increase the supply of housing in their areas.

This information is critical for the government to understand what is happening at the grass roots level. We know what is happening at a national and main centres level, Auckland especially, but these factsheets shed new light on what is happening in heartland New Zealand in places like Northland, East Coast, Bay of Plenty and Canterbury.

The data shows there are 2655 public houses in the Bay of Plenty, while more than $1.6 million is paid in accommodation supplements in the region.

Everyone  no matter where they live  should have a warm, dry, safe home. Solving the national housing crisis is a massive task and one we are rolling up our sleeves and getting on with, says Phil.

This is why last week I announced the first tranche of up to 155 new state houses to be built in the regions by the middle of this year. And there will be more to come.
Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller is echoing the frustrations of the local community who are petitioning both the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Transport Committee and the Government to commit to funding for State Highway 2.

For this road to be listed at number 11 on the regional transport committees list of priorities is an utter disgrace. The community is outraged, and quite rightly so," says Todd.

You dont need to see that statistics to know this stretch of road has the highest death and accident rate of any State Highway in New Zealand  all you need to see are the white crosses lining the sides of the road where families have lost loved ones."

Todd wants funding to go towards:

- a full continuous four lane expressway from Tauranga to Katikati;

- a grade-separated connection from Omokoroa onto State Highway 2 and;

- the Katikati Bypass.

Every time you pull onto SH2 you get a real sense that you are taking your life into your hands.

Under a National Government this stretch of road would have been treated as a Road of National Significance  because that is exactly what it is.

Unfortunately the Labour Government doesnt share our view and is instead prioritising pet projects like trams in Auckland.

The Minister of Transport, Phil Twyford, should come down from his office on the 6th floor of the Beehive and drive the road himself at 7.45 in the morning or at the very least front our community, look them in the eye, and explain why this road isnt a priority for his Government.

I have a total appreciation of the frustration the community is feeling and my promise to them is that I will continue to push this issue as hard as I can in Wellington on their behalf."
Click the image above to watch the video

Renowned museologist Ken Gorbey believes museums are a sign of cultural maturity, and that its time Tauranga had one.

He was the presenter at the second in a series of public breakfasts to discuss the merits of a museum for Tauranga, held on Wednesday morning at the Devonport Hotel.

Ken spoke at the invitation of Taonga Tauranga, a group pushing for the establishment of a museum in the city.

He was introduced by Otumoetai College deputy principal Bruce Farthing, who says Ken is without a doubt one of New Zealands leading museologists.

He played a particularly pivotal role in the establishment of Te Papa, and has advised throughout New Zealand on small museums, right through to large museums across the world, says Bruce.

Ken, who says he has 50 years of experience in the heritage profession, says he believes in making museums truly fit the culture of their city and region, and available to all the populace.

I believe museums are part of a fundamental morality to our society, and are therefore incredibly important.

He says the word museum typically conjures up images of vast collections and vast buildings.

But there are only around 20 or 30 of those models worldwide, whereas there are probably around 70,000 museums around the world.

He says Tauranga residents have the incredible opportunity of being able to choose what kind of museum they have, which he suggests should incorporate tourism and modern technology, without becoming a Disneyland.

Libraries have kept up for the last 100 years, transforming themselves into information centres for their communities. They used to be about just collecting and protecting books.

Mount Maunganui College students Samuel Taylor and Louis Donovan.
The flag that will be used to start this years Indianapolis 500 has been touring the world lately, including a stop at the recent Winter Olympics in South Korea  and a flying visit here to Tauranga.

Former speedway promoter Willie Kay was the man chosen to host the flag when it arrived.

They had to have someone in New Zealand grab it, because they wanted it to come here as part of the world tour, he says.

Im fairly well-connected with the Indianapolis motor speedway so they sent it to me to be the flag-bearer.

Willie, who used to live Indianapolis, has been involved in motorsport for most his working life, and has been taking tour groups to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for more than 30 years.

Locally, he promoted Baypark Speedway for eight years when it was first established.

I also promoted Western Springs Speedway in Auckland for 10 years, and I was sprint car racer before that.

He says its a big honour to be sent the flag, which will start the 102nd Indy 500 in May.

Its a pretty precious item as far as Im concerned.

Willie also received a bottle of milk with the flag  a nod to the tradition that began in the 1930s of the race winner drinking a bottle of milk upon attaining victory.

The flag has since been forwarded on to St Petersburg, Florida.
Click the image above to watch the video

Today we are expecting fine spells and occasional showers, possibly heavy with thunderstorms from afternoon. Also light winds.

Its a one-clothing-layer day today with a high of 24 and an overnight low of 17 degrees. Humidity is 92 per cent.

High tide is at 12.30pm and low tide at 6.40pm. Theres a sea swell of .6m, sea temperature is a warm 22 degrees and sunset tonight is at 7.43pm.

If youre going fishing today the best fish bite time is from 5pm to 7pm.

This day in NZ history in 1929 the first talkie drew crowds in Wellington. Moviegoers flocked to see Frank Borzages Street Angel, a silent picture with a recorded musical soundtrack, at Wellingtons Paramount Theatre.

This day in world history in 1618 Johannes Kepler discovered the third law of planetary motion. In 1790 George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address.

In 1855 the first train crossed Niagara Falls on a suspension bridge. In 1908, the House of Commons in London turned down the womens suffrage bill.

In 1961 Max Conrad circled the globe in a record time of eight days, 18 hours and 49 minutes in a Piper Aztec.

Today is the birthday of Scottish author Kenneth Grahame. Born in 1859 he wrote The Wind in the Willows.

Its also the birthday of Otto Hahn. Born in 1879, he was the co-discoverer of nuclear fission.

George Washington, who delivered the first State of the Union address on this day in 1790, once said "Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company."

To get involved in some of the many activities happening around the Bay, please check out our Whats on page.

Have a great day!
Australian Businesses Urged To Prepare For Payroll Reform

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

07 March 2018

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is urging businesses with 20 or more employees to ensure that they are prepared for the rollout of Single Touch Payroll (STP) in July.

Under STP, employers will be required to report payments such as salaries and wages, pay as you go withholding, and superannuation information to the ATO directly.

From July 1, 2018, employers with 20 or more employees will be required to use STP. The system will be extended to all employers from July 1, 2019.

Assistant Commissioner John Shepherd said that many employers will be able to update their existing payroll software to a version that is STP-ready. The ATO recommends that employers talk to their software to find out how and when their product will be ready for STP and that employers who do not currently use software ensure they choose a product that offers STP.

Shepherd explained that some payroll software providers have asked the ATO for more time to prepare their systems for STP. He advised employers to "ask if their provider has been given a deferral which will cover them, and also check when their product will be updated to offer Single Touch Payroll reporting."

Shepherd described STP as "a game-changer for both employers and the ATO."
Canada Says Work Still To Be Done On NAFTA

by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com, Washington

07 March 2018

Negotiators are making progress on a modernized NAFTA but "have significant work ahead," Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs has said.

Chrystia Freeland is in Mexico for the seventh round of NAFTA renegotiation talks. She said that in the negotiations Canada has been "constructive, fair-minded, and determined to reach not just any deal, but a good deal."

Freeland explained that in previous rounds negotiators had closed chapters on competition, SMEs, and anti-corruption. She said that during the seventh round, they had closed the chapters on good regulatory practices, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and also annexes on chemicals and proprietary food formulas.

She added that headway is being made "on some of the more challenging issues" and that discussion "has been constructive."

"We are making progress  but we have significant work ahead," Freeland stressed.
ECJ Rules Against Portugal In Input VAT Credit Dispute

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

06 March 2018

The European Court of Justice has provided a ruling against the Portuguese tax and customs authority in favor of a taxpayer who challenged the authority's decision that it should be retroactively precluded from deducting tax incurred on inputs in relation to a supply of leasing and letting transactions. The tax and customs authority required the taxpayer, Imofloresmira, to make adjustments to VAT deductions on the ground that the properties at issue had been unoccupied for over two years and were therefore regarded as no longer being used for the purposes of its own taxed transactions, even though, during that period, the company always had the intention of letting those properties and undertook the necessary steps to that end.

The Court noted that the VAT Directive provides for the right to deduct input taxes incurred on goods or services used to make taxed transactions. The deduction of input taxes is linked to the collection of output taxes; where goods or services acquired by a taxable person are used for the purposes of transactions that are exempt or do not fall within the scope of VAT, no output tax can be collected or input tax deducted.

The case concerned the taxation of leasing and letting transactions, which member states may elect to tax under a derogation from the general rule provided in Article 135(1)(l) of the VAT Directive, that such transactions should generally be exempt.

In Portugal, such transactions may be taxable and therefore taxpayers can generally claim input tax credits. When the leases relating to the properties at issue in the main proceedings were concluded, Imofloresmira, a VAT-registered entity, opted for the taxation of the letting of those properties.

The ECJ said that, under Article 167 of the VAT Directive, a right of deduction arises at the time the deductible tax becomes chargeable. Consequently, only the capacity in which a person is acting at that time can determine the existence of the right to deduct. It said: "It follows that, once the tax authority has accepted, on the basis of information provided by a business, that it should be accorded the status of a taxable person, that status cannot, in principle, subsequently be withdrawn retroactively on account of the fact that certain events have or have not occurred."

"It should be remembered that, according to settled case-law, the right to deduct provided for in Article 167 to 172 of the VAT Directive is an integral part of the VAT scheme and, in principle, may not be limited. It is exercisable immediately in respect of all the taxes charged on transactions relating to inputs."

"The deduction arrangement is intended to relieve the trader entirely of the burden of the VAT payable or paid in the course of all his economic activities. The common system of VAT therefore ensures complete neutrality of taxation of all economic activities, whatever their purpose or results, provided that they are themselves subject to VAT."

"It is important to recall also that it is the acquisition of goods or services by a taxable person acting as such that gives rise to the application of the VAT system and therefore of the deduction mechanism. The use to which the goods or services are put, or intended to be put, merely determines the extent of the initial deduction to which the taxable person is entitled under Article 168 of the VAT Directive and the extent of any adjustments in the course of the following periods."

"It follows therefore that the entitlement to a reduction is retained in principle, even if subsequently, by reason of circumstances beyond its control, the taxable person does not make use of those goods and services which gave rise to a deduction in the context of taxed transactions."

It concluded, therefore, that "the principle of fiscal neutrality precludes national legislation which, by making the final acceptance of the VAT deductions dependent on the results of the taxable person's economic activity, creates, as regards the tax treatment of identical investment activities, unjustified differences between undertakings with the same profile and carrying on the same activity."

The Court said that conclusion cannot be called into question by the argument of the Portuguese Government that, due to the termination of the leases concluded previously, "some change occurs in the factors used to determine the amount to be deducted," so that it would be necessary to carry out a proportional adjustment of the tax deducted.

The ECJ said that the right to deduct may only be challenged in instances of demonstrable fraud.

The ruling in Imofloresmira v. Portuguese tax and customs authority (Case C-672/16) was released February 28, 2018.
First Chinese 'Environment Tax' Reports Due April 1

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

06 March 2018

About 260,000 businesses with operations in China will begin to be assessed for liability to the country's new environmental tax starting next month.

The Environmental Protection Tax Law, which became effective on January 1, 2018, replaced the previous system of pollution surcharges with an environmental tax on air, water, and noise pollutants, and the production of solid waste. The tax targets private- and public-sector businesses and not individuals.

Entities liable for the tax must file quarterly. According to a report from state news agency Xinhua, citing the State Administration of Taxation, the first declarations, to be filed online, are required by April 1.
IRS Will Close Carried Interests Tax Loophole

by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com, Washington

07 March 2018

The Internal Revenue Service has said it will soon issue regulations to confirm that S corporations are also subject to the three-year holding period for partnerships interests introduced in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, to prevent individuals from circumventing the measure.

The change concerns carried interest  ownership interests in a partnership that share in the partnership's net profits. Carried interests are often issued to investment managers in connection with the investment manager's services. These interests often result in the holder receiving capital gains that are taxed at a lower rate, rather than ordinary income.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act extended the holding period with respect to certain carried interests (i.e. applicable partnership interests) to three years to access the concessionary tax treatment. However, concerns have since been raised that hedge fund managers are avoiding the new rules by creating shell companies in Delaware to avoid the three-year restriction, which currently covers only individuals.

In February, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin acknowledged these concerns in front of the Senate Finance Committee, and promised that new guidance would be issued by the end of the month after consultation with the IRS and Treasury.

Although no official guidance has yet been released, the IRS on March 1 issued a notice confirming that it would issue regulations to clarify that taxpayers will not be able to circumvent the three-year rule by using S corporations.

"Under the tax reform law, the three-year rule took effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. Treasury and IRS intend to issue regulations that are also effective for tax years beginning after that date," said the agency.
OECD Urges Finland To Broaden VAT Base, Cut Labor Taxes

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

07 March 2018

The OECD has recommended that Finland reduce its high tax wedge on labor and shift the burden of taxation towards indirect taxation, property taxes, and environmental levies.

The OECD said in its latest Economic Survey of Finland that the high tax wedge discourages participation in the labor market, with employment rates in Finland generally lower than other OECD countries.

"The combination of different working-age benefits, childcare costs and income taxation creates complexity, reduces work incentives, and holds back employment," the OECD said.

Therefore, tax reforms which reduce taxes on labor and shift the burden to other forms of taxation, in particular value-added tax and property tax, could shore-up the revenue base in a growth-friendly way, the report concluded.

In particular, the OECD argued that there is room for Finland's VAT base to be widened by decreasing the scope of reduced rates.

"Finland has a 24 percent standard VAT rate, which is among the highest in the OECD, but a number of goods and services are taxed at lower rates. A 14 percent rate applies to food and restaurants. A 10 percent rate applies to a wide range of items, including books, pharmaceutical products, accommodation, passenger transport services, and some sport and cultural activities," the report observed.

As a result, the Finnish VAT system is somewhat less efficient than consumption tax systems in other OECD countries, the report said.

"The relatively low efficiency of Finnish VAT is mainly related to exemptions and reduced rates, as compliance is high. Reduced VAT rates cost about EUR2bn (USD2.5bn) in 2014 and are the second largest tax expenditure after the total of deductions related to income taxes."

"Furthermore, having several VAT rates generates administrative and compliance costs," the report said. "This calls for narrowing the number of goods and services subject to reduced rates. Another option would be to tax all products subject to reduced rates at 14 percent, instead of taxing some at this rate and others at 10 percent."

The expected adverse impact of such a measure on low-income households could be offset by reducing taxes on low incomes, the report suggested.

In addition, the report argued that recurrent taxes on immovable property are generally considered as among the least harmful to economic growth. "Nevertheless, property tax revenue remains below the OECD average" in Finland, it said.

"Residential property taxes are also regressive, as municipalities with high average incomes tend to set lower tax rates. Hence, there seems to be potential to raise a larger share of local government revenue through property taxation, as well as to make the tax more progressive."

While revenues from environmental taxation are somewhat above the OECD median, with relatively high taxation of vehicles like in other Nordic countries, the OECD noted that there are inconsistencies in Finland's energy tax mix, and there is scope to raise environmental taxes on certain items.

"As elsewhere, environmental taxation on non-energy items, other than vehicles, is negligible in terms of revenue," the report said.
Somalia Seeking To Enforce Tax Regime, With Int'l Support

by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus

07 March 2018

The Government of Somalia has reported on the tax system reform and tax administration improvements it is introducing with support from international agencies.

In its yearly consultation with the International Monetary Fund, the Somalian authorities said they had implemented a number of key policy measures in 2017. These included concluding discussions with telecommunications companies to pay their tax obligations in line with existing laws, retroactively to October 2017. Under the agreement, telecommunications companies have started paying sales taxes based on self-reported sales figures, which local authorities will audit to ensure accuracy.

Authorities said "the agreement also clarifies that there will be no more negotiated payments of taxes; instead, compliance with the income tax (personal and corporate) law and the sales tax law will be enforced."

Somalia has also concluded an agreement with an airline for it to pay in full its sales tax and arrival and departure fees.

Somalian authorities told the IMF: "We are determined to strengthen tax collection. A significant increase in domestic revenue remains an important target under the program. We are pressing ahead with the implementation of the recently agreed-on tax measures as well as improving compliance. We will continue discussions on the harmonization of customs with federal member states and draft a common customs strategy roadmap for Somalia. We expect the large and medium taxpayer office (LMTO) to start enforcing tax compliance with the identified taxpayers in early 2018."

In addition, the country has said it will look to establish a more effective audit program by March 2018.

In concluding comments, Somalia sought technical assistance in a number of fiscal areas, including tax policy, revenue, and customs administration; budget preparation and execution; and reforms in cash management and forecasting.
US Taxpayer Made To Shoulder Legal Costs, Despite IRS Inaction

by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com, Washington

06 March 2018

The US Tax Court has ruled against the taxpayer in a case concerning its ability to claim back legal and administrative costs incurred in chasing the Internal Revenue Service regarding a request for tax-exempt status in the courts.

The case centered around the award of costs after the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) failed to act on the plaintiff's application for recognition of tax-exempt status. The petitioner filed a petition for a judgment declaring it to be an organization exempt from federal income tax under IRC Section 501(a). The IRS subsequently issued a favorable determination letter and, before even filing an answer, the IRS conceded. The plaintiff moved for an award of reasonable administrative and litigation costs under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 7430.

Under Section 7430 of the US IRC, to recover costs, the taxpayer must establish that (1) it is the "prevailing party," (2) it did not unreasonably protract the proceedings, (3) the amount of the costs requested is reasonfable, and (4) it exhausted the administrative remedies available. These requirements are conjunctive, and the failure to satisfy any one of them will preclude an award of costs.

On administrative costs under Section 7430, the Court agreed that an application for tax-exempt status is an administrative proceeding, dismissing an argument to the contrary from the IRS.

The IRS said the taxpayer had satisfied conditions two and four but disputed that it satisfied points one and three.

On the first, Section 7430(c)(4)(B)(i) provides that a party shall not be treated as the prevailing party if the United States establishes that its position in the proceeding was "substantially justified."

The Court pointed out that, based on earlier case-law, when the Government fails to take a position at all, a taxpayer cannot be the prevailing party.,

The IRS pointed to the Court's ruling in Fla. Country Clubs, Inc. (122 T.C. 73 (2004)) in which the Court held that identifying the Government's position is a precondition for determining whether the taxpayer is a prevailing party. This ruling drew attention to statute provisions that define the position of the United States taken in an administrative proceeding as the position taken on the earlier of "(i) the date of the receipt by the taxpayer of the notice of the decision of the Internal Revenue Service Office of Appeals, or (ii) the date of the notice of deficiency." In Fla. Country Clubs, Inc., the Tax Court held that a taxpayer may not qualify as the prevailing party when neither of these notices has been issued.

The plaintiff instead urged the Court to look to Reynoso v. United States, No. 10-00098 (SC), 2011 WL 3473366 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 9, 2011) in which the Government failed to issue refunds of tax overpayments and seized funds despite the taxpayer's repeated refund requests. When the taxpayer filed suit and the Government conceded, the taxpayer moved to recover costs. The Government contended that it never took a position in the administrative proceeding (and therefore the taxpayer was not the prevailing party, citing Fla. Country Clubs, Inc. as support against the awarding of costs.)

The Court decided in favor of the taxpayer in this case, finding that the failure to respond to the taxpayer's repeated refund requests was tantamount to a denial of those requests.

For similar reasons, the petitioner in the most recent case contended that it incurred "administrative costs" under Section 7430 even though it never received a notice or letter and also that its administrative costs should cover the period prior to receiving a response.

The Court said, "to do so, however, we would have to find an unwritten exception to the statute and hold that the notice or letter requirement is inapposite when the claim for administrative costs rests on the fact that the IRS has failed to act."

"We need not reach a decision regarding either of petitioner's contentions [with regards to administrative costs], however, because petitioner has provided evidence only of litigation costs." The Court said that the taxpayer had failed to properly justify the administrative costs it said it had incurred. The IRS had challenged the content of the invoices, which listed a separate party, were heavily redacted, and were poorly organized, according to the Tax Court. At least some of the administrative costs listed related to the development of a litigation strategy, rather than the filing of the form for tax-exempt status. Further the petitioner had not paid the invoices, and the IRS argued that it never would.

Turning to discuss legal costs, the Tax Court noted that unlike with administrative proceedings, Section 7430 does not specify when the United States takes a "position" in a judicial proceeding. Instead the Court has held in prior rulings that the Government's position in a judicial proceeding is generally established at the filing of its answer. Some rulings have established that the Government took a position earlier, with Elder v. Commissioner finding that counsel established the Government's position in correspondence with the taxpayer; and in Estate of White v. Commissioner the Government was said to have established its position in its second motion to extend the time in which to file an answer.

The Tax Court noted that, in the case being discussed, days after the petition was filed, and before filing an answer, the IRS's counsel informed petitioner's counsel that the IRS would concede the case.

On this development, the Court noted that Congress amended Section 7430 to allow for the awarding of costs in declaratory judgment proceedings, but only where the Government's position is not "substantially justified," with the onus placed on the taxpayer to demonstrate it was not.

The Court said in conceding the case, and before agreeing to grant the plaintiff tax-exempt status, the IRS showed that its position in the litigation was "substantially justified" and the petitioner cannot be treated as the prevailing party.

The Court said: "The Government's concession within days of the filing of the petition was a substantially justified position in the judicial proceeding, irrespective of its previous actions. Accordingly, petitioner is entitled to neither administrative nor litigation costs."

It stated: "While we recognize that Section 7430 leaves a gap in coverage in circumstances such as this one, it is not our place to provide a remedy." It noted the conclusion in Pac. Fisheries, Inc. v. United States, 484 F.3d 1103, 1111 (9th Cir. 2007), wherein it was stated that, "although the IRS's issuance of the administrative summonses forced the taxpayers into litigation, we see no fees remedy for them in the judicial proceeding. We conclude that their case falls into a gap in the statute, but it is not our role to bridge that gap."

The Court continued: "In the instant judicial proceeding, because respondent's counsel promptly conceded the case, the Government's position was substantially justified, and petitioner is not a prevailing party entitled to recover litigation costs."

The Tax Court said: "We do sympathize with petitioner. Section 7428 was enacted because Congress recognized that '[m]ost organizations hoping to qualify for exempt status find it imperative to obtain a favorable ruling letter' from the IRS; doing so 'assure[s] potential donors in advance that contributions to the organization will qualify as charitable deductions.'"

"Congress intended section 7428 'to facilitate relatively prompt judicial review,'[] and the statute expressly provides that an organization applying for tax-exempt status may file suit if the IRS has not ruled after 270 days."

"Petitioner waited well over 14 months after it applied, and even then the IRS declined to give petitioner any assurance that a ruling would be forthcoming. We cannot criticize petitioner for then filing a petition; and the IRS's almost immediate issuance of a determination and concession indicates that petitioner should not have been put to the trouble and expense of doing so."

"Congress amended Section 7430 to allow for the awarding of costs in declaratory judgment proceedings, but only where the Government's position is not 'substantially justified.' While we recognize that Section 7430 leaves a gap in coverage in circumstances such as this one, it is not our place to provide a remedy. [] In the instant judicial proceeding, because respondent's counsel promptly conceded the case, the Government's position was substantially justified, and petitioner is not a prevailing party entitled to recover litigation costs."

The Court concluded: "Petitioner failed to provide evidence of any reasonable administrative costs incurred in the administrative proceeding and cannot be treated as the prevailing party in the judicial proceeding. The Government's concession within days of the filing of the petition was a substantially justified position in the judicial proceeding, irrespective of its previous actions. Accordingly, petitioner is entitled to neither administrative nor litigation costs."

The total cost listed in the case documentation was USD37,866.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
How do I get my business listed?

Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, just click below to request that it be added. It's free!

How can I get listed at the top of the results?

Both of our upgraded services will list you towards the top of the search results. A Power account puts your business right near the top!

Add your business
Close

About Brown & Brown of Michigan, Inc.







From large multinational organizations to small businesses and personal insurance, Brown & Brown offers comprehensive insurance solutions to fit the needs of our customers. Our customers' exposures are unique an deserve equally unique options that provide appropriate coverage to reduce risk. Utilizing our unparalleled expertise and market strength, we are focuses on helping to protect what our customers value most.

With a team that is as connected locally as it is nationally, Brown & Brown provides the personalized, dedicated service you want from a local agency, while delivering the peace-of=mind that you expect from a top ten brokerage. We have become a leading insurance partner because we view insurance differently and utilize our vast experience and wide-reaching network. By leveraging our experience, carrier relationships, and customer-centric focus, we deliver superior service and solutions to our customers, both big and small.

Our Partner Carriers:

As an independent agency we have multiple carriers with which to quote your insurance coverage. We contact directly with nearly all the national and many of the regional carriers. In addition, Brown & Brown owns a wholesale division which allows us to access nearly the entire market place on your behalf.

Our Specialties:

In the commercial lines arena we are "generalists" and will write all types of businesses. We do , however, have a few niche industries that we specialize in such as Trucking, Distributing, Manufacturing and Non-For Profit entities. On the employee benefits side we focus on groups of 0 - 500 lives. Lastly our personal lines advisors are trained to deal with the unique needs of our affluent customers.


Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Samsung announced its 2018 TV plans today at an event in New York. Amid the usual overwrought language (including phrases such as "magical" and "passion point"), polite applause, and forced enthusiasm, there appeared some fairly interesting news about new products and improvements to the company's already great TV technology.

New hardware

The microLED (like OLED, but non-organic and longer lived) "Wall" TV previously announced at CES in January will reach stores in August. Like OLED, mLEDs are self-emitting, so they can be used in any size or ratio display. The other new offering to arrive this year will be the Q9S 8K UHD TV, with resolution of 7,680 by 4,320 pixels. Intelligent upscaling is said to deliver at least some of the benefits of the TV's higher resolution using lower-resolution content. Look at it this way: It's bound to be better than stupid upscaling.

IDG Samsung's demonstration of the currently available 8K UHD content and the interesting news in today's 2018 TV reveal. Okay, it's actually shot between presentations. And there was actually some interesting news. We kid, because we care.

There was mention of providing 100-percent color volume, of course, without telling us which color space it's 100 percent of (Samsung has since informed us that it is 100 percent of the DCI P3 color space, which is significantly narrower than the REC. 2020 color space.). Also hyped was the world's most advanced HDR, which we're assuming (because Samsung didn't say) is the new HDR10+ with dynamic metadata. If Samsung is going to do anything with Dolby Vision, it was not mentioned.

Four new soundbars were announced, including the HW-N950, with front- up-, and side-firing speakers for 7.1-channel surround (Dolby Atmos), which was played up as the perfect accompaniment for the new QLED line. Said QLEDs will be available in sizes from 65- to 88 inches.

Move along folks, there's no TV here

The second longest demo of the presentation was for "Ambient Mode," which is a fancy term describing using an image capture of the TV's surroundings as screen wallpaper, to make the TV disappear into said surroundings. This is clever, and it looks quite good (see below). Samsung will also push content onto your display, such as weather forecasts, news updates, and the like, transforming your otherwise inactive TV into a large digital ticker-tape machine.

IDG A Samsung QLED TV "disappearing" using photo recognition camouflage that was implemented as we watched the presentation. It's really kind of cool, if a waste of energy.

Which brings us to another piece of news: Samsung's partnership with the New York Times, as announced by Mark Thompson (ex- of the BBC), to push news onto QLED series TVs. Of more importance, Samsung announced that the QLED's One Connect feature, which uses a single cable to route all the signals from a breakout box containing all the ports now carries the power. Yup. One cord to rule them all, or more to the point, only one cable running to a QLED TV.

The rather thin "One Invisible Connection" cable can be up to 15 meters in length (that's nearly 50 feet) and can be neatly tucked away in carpet crevices and the like.

There was also discussion of the SmartThings app and SmartThings Cloud, which allow you to do things like set up your TV apps using your phone, control smart devices such as Samsung's Robovac, and continue viewing the movie you were watching on the train, before a mugger stole your phone, when you get home. Cool.

The company also discussed its Knox (as in Fort, I assume) cyber security, which is the company's initiative to patch what was one of the least-secure TV operating systems in the business.

Good stuff

Ignore my poor attempts at humor (and fear of a connected future). Samsung announced some significant and welcome improvements to what are quite arguably the best TVs on the market. When we have the details on the actual technology we'll get back to you.

Editor's note: This story was updated shortly after publication when Samsung provided additional information about color space.
365 Threat Monitor scans all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Receive real-time phone alerts, get real-time security breach updates and instantly delete threats with just one click - for free! Learn More.

If there ever were a time when perception Trumped reality (capital T intended), this would be it. So much of what we see these days that looks real just isnt. I can connect a lot of this back to Steve Jobs, who was the master at this in the tech world. However, Im worried that too many people dont realize that there were several times Steve missed jail by the skin of his teeth, largely because he did amazing work under pressure.

There isnt anyone at his level at the moment, suggesting that much of the activity Im seeing will end badly. A case in point is Intels obvious fake news of 5G at the Olympics. 5G is more than a year out, which means that Intel is clamoring for massive media attention in an effort to convince the world that it is the leader in the next-generation network.

Given the huge focus on cheating  well, stopping it  at the Olympics this year, Intels move is either incredibly gutsy or incredibly suicidal, depending on how it plays out. Ill grant you that from big risks come big gains, but given how Intel has been executing of late, the odds of this ending well arent good.

Ill focus on Intels fake 5G Hail Mary and close with my product of the week: The Noon Switch, which is one of the most interesting home automation switches Ive seen yet.

Background of the Story

Im fascinated by the Qualcomm vs. Apple/Intel war for a lot of reasons  not the least of which is that it seems incredibly tactical with a very low upside and massive downside, particularly for Apple.

Apple has been fighting a delaying game, but the collateral damage of being nearly locked out of Qualcomms engineering assistance is clearly having an adverse impact on its ability to execute. In addition, the animosity between the two firms is such that Apple likely realizes that the only way this doesnt come back to bite it hard in a few years is if it can kill Qualcomm.

This has many of us speculating that Apple is behind the Broadcom hostile acquisition, which is intended either to distract Qualcomm massively or to allow Broadcom to dismantle Qualcomm.

In the wireless world, Qualcomm is the 500-pound gorilla, and while Apple is incredibly powerful, it hasnt had a hit product since last decade. In addition, it is only able to hold its profits and revenue growth through increased prices and through pounding on its suppliers. At some point that no longer will work, as there is a limit to how much people will pay for an iPhone, and suppliers cant live off nothing. In other words, there is hard limit on driving down costs.

Eventually, Apple is going to go through a massive correction. Not being timely on 5G could be the trigger, as it is doubtful that people will be willing to fork over a 30 percent to 60 percent premium for a phone that is seen as old and slow. Thats what will happen if the 5G boat arrives and Apple isnt on it. Without Qualcomm, it is off that boat  and right now, it is off that boat.

Bigger Problem

To address the 5G problem, Apple needs Intel to give it 5G. However, Intel is at least a year behind Qualcomm, by my estimate, and Qualcomm seems to be moving faster. Of course, much as weve seen with the Olympics, when there is a ton of pressure on winning, and the athlete or team isnt competitive but desperately needs a win, many are tempted to get creative and hope they dont get caught.

Allow me to digress for a bit to explain how I got here. Ive been following 5G closely because it will be massively disruptive. The massive jump in wireless cellular speed is expected to impact everything from cars (which will use it to accelerate autonomous car viability) to wired connections for their PCs because wireless finally will be fast enough.

You may no longer need your cable company, for instance, and new high-end TVs may start to ship with built-in 5G  you just plug them in, and all your streaming stuff magically appears.

The change could wipe out Intels dominance in PC space, because a pervasive 5G connection could allow access to nearly unlimited cloud power (a direction that Microsoft is exploring with its Connected PC initiative and Apple is exploring with the iPad Pro, even before 5G launches next year).

While both Apple and Intel likely have at least 12 months, and maybe 24, both firms will be screwed if they dont massively change this dynamic. Im having trouble seeing how, even in a best-case scenario, Intel can go from a processor company to a modem company in 24 months. The hole it is in is really deep.

The Gambit

I, and a great many of my peers, have been watching 5G very closely, so when Intel announced it was bringing 5G to the Olympics, some of my peers who are in country are looking at what Intel is setting up, and it isnt 5G at all. Much of it is WiFi, and while Intel will be able to use this technology to emulate some of the experiences  which Intel does well, by the way  it has nothing to do with 5G.

Ive seen this done very successfully in the past. IBM, back in the 1990s, had the best marketing organization in tech. Its CEO, the only one hired from outside the company, came from Nabisco. While he didnt know squat about technology, he really understood that perception Trumped reality.

So, when he saw the coming wave of e-commerce and found out that HP had a solution but IBM was years behind, he rolled out a massive marketing program, broadly stating that IBM was the leader in e-commerce. That stalled the market long enough for IBM to deliver, and HP, which actually had a product, was screwed.

That was before the social media era, when most analysts worked for a few large firms or for companies, so there werent a lot of folks who could yell foul. Even when we did, it went to a small number of subscribers and not the world. I think that dynamic is important here, but it is hard to believe that Intel doesnt know that.

Unlike HP, Qualcomm faces an underfunded hostile takeover. Qualcomm also has been undervalued significantly, particularly against this massive 5G opportunity.

If Intel can convince the market  even for a few months  that it has bypassed Qualcomm, then Qualcomms stock should drop enough for Broadcom to execute and shut it down. That would shift both the short- and long-term threats from Qualcomm to Apple.

However, Broadcom then would move into Qualcomms space and likely would replace it, making Apple happy but leaving Intel flapping in the wind. It would be another outcome that would make Andy Groves advice to run from Apple like your life depended on it extremely relevant.

Wrapping Up: Will It Work?

Certainly, the strategy Ive laid out could work. Qualcomm is very light with marketing. Although it has reversed its recent foolish policy of not having a CMO, the new CMO is not yet up to speed.

Also, I dont think Qualcomm fully understands the threat; it certainly hasnt resourced an adequate response, given the terminal risk.

On the other hand, Intels strongest CMO was Dennis Carter, and even at its strongest Intel was never in the same league that the old marketing team at IBM was. No tech company ever has been, with the exception of Apple under Jobs.

If I know about this, virtually every analyst that covers 5G knows about this, and most of us are on social media  so expect the calls of foul to be numerous and impressive. (I just left a huge meeting of my peers and this was mostly what we were talking about.)

So, the likely outcome is that Intels efforts at the Olympics  an event that is about as anti-cheating you can get  will overwhelmed by industry experts screaming foul. I dont see how that ends well for Intel. If Qualcomms new CMO spins up, well, it could get worse.

It will be an interesting week  but between you and me, I kind of wish tech firms would go back to bringing out great products and not be defined by litigation, insider trading, and fake news. Just saying

Ive been following home automation since the late 1970s. It mostly has been a frustrating process defined by firms that didnt want to create products that would work reliably.

My last home and my current home are Insteon homes. Insteon works great but it is hardwired and often requires switch upgrades (technology changes) and Ive been shocked so many times doing that, that I now have serious issues just touching the switches. Ive argued for some time that these things need to be modular so that they can be replaced easily. Also, Ive long felt that they needed to look cool, so visitors could see you had something special.

One of the big advantages of home automation is that your home looks occupied even when you arent there. Lights come on when you need them and are off the rest of the time. If you need light you can light the entire house up, and when you go to bed, one button turns everything off.

You also can really piss off your spouse by controlling the lights remotely (wait  maybe that isnt an advantage).

If you have streaming security cameras, you can fire up lights to capture images, scare, or just annoy folks around your home when you arent there. More huge positives: You save power, you are more secure, you gain far more convenience, and you can freak folks. (Yes, Im twisted, sue me.)

The Noon Switch, developed by some folks out of Nest, does all of this. It also addresses both of my concerns. While you initially must wire it in, it has a modular base that can be upgraded by snapping in a new control module.

Noon Light Switches

In addition, the primary switch has a display and sensor on it, so it both looks cool and will work as an occupancy sensor. Sadly, it doesnt interoperate with Insteon, and Im not yet motivated to replace the switches I have (about 80 of the damn things). However, were I starting from scratch, Id seriously consider Noon as a better alternative, mostly because it is more easily upgraded.

It is clear this technology hasnt settled, so there likely will be a number of options in the future. However, because the Noon Switch is the best home automation switch Ive seen yet, it is my product of the week. If only it interoperated with Insteon .
Google may be one of the bigger players in the world of artificial intelligence but it's unlikely many could have foreseen their latest move. According to Gizmodo, Google has teamed up with the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to assist the agency in the development of AI capable of analyzing drone footage.

Dubbed "Project Maven," the project is primarily focused on using machine learning and AI to identify vehicles and "other objects" in drone footage in order to reduce the workload for human analysts. It's unclear what the information gained from this analysis will be used for.

If you're a bit wary of some of the potentially-negative implications of a tech company like Google collaborating with a military organization like the DoD, you aren't alone. The partnership has attracted criticism from several Google employees, many of whom are concerned with the ethical ramifications of using machine learning for military purposes.

"The technology flags images for human review, and is for non-offensive uses only."

However, the search giant has said their work with the DoD is unrelated to combat uses. "We have long worked with government agencies to provide technology solutions. This specific project is a pilot with the Department of Defense, to provide open source TensorFlow APIs that can assist in object recognition on unclassified data," said a Google spokesperson. "The technology flags images for human review, and is for non-offensive uses only."

Furthermore, the spokesperson recognizes the ethical questions Google's involvement with Project Maven has raised in some circles, stating "We're actively discussing this important topic internally and with others as we continue to develop policies and safeguards around the development and use of our machine learning technologies."

Whether or not these statements will be enough to reassure Google's more skeptical employees remains to be seen.
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has been hit with two class action lawsuits in recent days, one for insider trading and another for allegedly stealing customers' coins. This comes at a difficult time for Coinbase as they continue to face system stability issues and reports of overcharging.

The first lawsuit was filed in San Francisco federal court and surrounds the launch of Bitcoin Cash, BCH, on the Coinbase platform. Shortly after trading opened, the price of BCH skyrocketed to massively inflated levels. When rumors emerged that Coinbase employees were tipped off about the launch, suspicions of insider trading immediately began to spread. Jeffrey Berk is representing all customers that placed buy, sell or trade orders for BCH between December 19 and December 21, 2017. The complaint alleges:

When Coinbases customers trades were finally executed, it was only after the insiders had driven up the price of BCH, and thus the remaining Bitcoin customers only received their BCH at artificially inflated prices that had been manipulated well beyond the fair market value of BCH at that time.

Company CEO Brian Armstrong quickly announced an internal investigation but has yet to provide details of its results.

The second lawsuit was also filed in San Francisco and claims that Coinbase failed to notify customers of unclaimed balances back in 2013. The plaintiffs argue that rather than turning these coins over to authorities, Coinbase kept them. The complaint states:

Defendant kept, and continues to keep, unredeemed cryptocurrencies sent via email through Coinbase.com.

This was caused by Coinbase's operating procedure surrounding sending coins to non-members in certain scenarios. The two men filing the suit allege they received reminders of an unclaimed Bitcoin balance but were unable to claim the coins since the email link had expired.
At the Galaxy S9 event, it appeared that Samsung had taken inspiration from Apple with its AR Emoji, which are pretty similar to the iPhone Xs Animoji. It now seems that the S9 is mimicking Apples flagship in another area: lower than expected pre-orders.

According to South Koreas Yonhap News Agency, pre-orders for the Galaxy S9 are about the same or slightly lower than those for the Galaxy S8.

"We believe that the preorders for the Galaxy S9 are similar to that of the Galaxy S8," a Samsung official said.

Even if the report is accurate, it still doesnt mean the phone is a failure. But the handsets were expected to outperform their S8 predecessors, which had the highest number of pre-orders550,000 units in two dayssince Samsung started the program in 2013.

Samsung claims the figures could be lower for the S9s because the company started receiving pre-orders for the phones just two days after their unveiling in Barcelona; with the S8/S8+, there was an eight-day gap. However, one employee from a local mobile carrier places the blame on the phones' lack of upgrades compared to last years model.

"Customers may be finding the Galaxy S9 not much different from other smartphones," they said. "The popularity and customers' interest are not as high compared to the previous model."

Analyst Jeff Johnston from boutique firm Arthur Wood Research (via Barrons) also believes that the S9/S9+ are disappointing Samsung. He writes that they are significantly underperforming pre-launch expectations of 10% to 15% growth, and are down ~50% over GS8.

Samsung hasnt given out any official figures and it still expects the S9 to sell more than the S8pre-orders could rise quickly in the run-up to the handsets March 16 launch date. But lessening interest appears to be affecting the entire smartphone market, which saw its first YoY sales decline in Q4.

With incremental improvements over previous models and ever-increasing prices, fewer people are rushing out to upgrade to the latest models. Hopefully, the industry will take heed and come up with more innovative designs and cheaper handsets with killer features.
On Sunday, a drill was performed as part of the commemoration and the flag was raised at half-mast as a sign of national mourning. | Read More
A panel of British lawmakers has submitted a request to visit former President Mohamed Morsi in detention since he was overthrown in 2013 by incumbent President who is seeking a second term in office.

The group, made of the UKs two leading parties, Conservative and Labor, reportedly wrote to Egypts UK ambassador to request a visit of Morsi who was toppled one year into his four-year term by current President Fattah al-Sisi, then defense Minister.

The panel head, Crispin Blunt, from the Conservative Party, wrote the letter on behalf of Morsis family, which described the heath condition of the former leader very critical. The family members said they were allowed to visit their father only two times in four years.

Morsi, in his detention at the Tora prison, according to the MPs and the family cited by media, is suffering from worsening diabetes, high blood pressure, loss of sight in one eye and other ailments, and is not receiving proper treatment.

His request for urgent medical treatment during a trial session was refused, Morsis son Abdullah added in a statement.

Regardless of any persons opinion of my father or his beliefs, this is unacceptable for anyone. That is why we have asked this independent panel  with legal, medical and foreign policy experience  to assess the situation.

Locked up with dozens of other top members of the Muslim Brotherhood, Morsi is facing several charges ranging from use of unauthorized violence to crack down on protest, arrest and torture of protestors outside the presidential palace.

The first democratically elected President also is sued for facilitating prison break in 2011 during the revolution.

The coup leader and Morsis successor, al-Sisi, is currently seeking a second term in office in this month election void of suspense after all serious challengers have been forced or threatened to bow out.

Al-Sisi is expected to win the polls against one candidate who many believe is bidding in view of saving the election.

Blunt, a former chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee would be accompanied by Edward Faulks, a fellow Conservative and former justice minister, the London-based media notes.

Labors Paul Williams, doctor by profession, and member of the health select committee is also on the team. Tim Moloney will be the bipartisan groups lawyer to visit Morsi if the visit is allowed.
Global gambling heavyweight The Stars Group has dramatically upped its bet on the Australian sports-betting market, raising its stake in digital bookmaker CrownBet to 80 per cent.

The Canadian-based company behind some of the world's biggest and best-known online poker sites made its foray into Australia last month when it spent $150 million buying a 62 per cent stake in CrownBet from James Packer's casino group, Crown Resorts.

Crownbet chief executive Matt Tripp will operate the combined business in Australia. Credit:Arsineh Houspian.

Now it has lifted its ownership to 80 per cent announcing the move to the Toronto stock exchange after CrownBet emerged as the winning bidder for the Australian assets of a major competitor, William Hill.

In a statement, The Stars Group, which runs the popular PokerStars online poker site and has 115 million customers worldwide, said the aggregate price of its CrownBet ownership increase and the William Hill transaction was about $400 million.
A highlight of our trip to New York after Christmas was a visit to the Tenement Museum down on the lower east side, where the movie Gangs of New York was set. It was the area where successive waves of Irish, German and Russian immigrants first settled, crowded into tenements. We were taken around the corner to see inside a tenement building restored to its original condition.

As we climbed the back stairs, we were shown a row of dunnies and a water tap in the backyard. This, we were told, was one of the first tenements required to have outside toilets and running water under a new city ordinance.

Illustration: Simon Letch Credit:

Can you imagine any developer today thinking they could get away with building multi-storey units without adequate (indoor) toilets and plumbing? Unthinkable.

But I can imagine the fuss the developers of that time would have made when the city government  no doubt acting under pressure from citizens worried about the spread of disease  was passing the new ordinance.
Victorias economy grew by just 0.3 per cent in the December quarter, the slowest growth rate among Australias states and territories, as private sector investment slumped by six per cent.

The economies of Western Australia and Northern Territory contracted, but all other states fared better than Victoria in the last three months of 2017, new data shows.

The soft economic performance would have been worse if not for the Andrews governments huge construction program, which lifted the economy courtesy of an 11.7 per cent surge in spending on publicly funded infrastructure.

The first columns of elevated rail line through Melbourne's south east at Murrumbeena Station. Credit:Joe Armao, Fairfax Media.

The quarterly data, published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday, indicates that the government has become the heavy lifter of the states economy, while private investment has weakened.
Amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst is a legendary figure in Britain, but before seeing James Marsh's The Mercy I had never heard of him.

In retrospect, I'm glad I went in cold. Crowhurst's story is an unusual one  the adventurous director Nicolas Roeg (Performance) wanted to adapt it in the 1970s  and the film is hardly the straightforward, inspirational drama you might anticipate.

We open at a nautical trade show in 1968, where the guest of honour is the celebrated yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester (Simon McBurney), an unassuming fellow in a blue cap. Standing out from the rapt crowd is Crowhurst, played by Colin Firth. In his well-tailored suit, his face the size and colour of a large ham, he looks immediately smoother and more authoritative than those milling around in geeky period costume.

He's like an advertisement for Britishness  which is more or less what Firth has become, much as John Wayne, in his day, was an icon of American rugged individualism.

Marketing, in fact, is what Crowhurst seems mainly about. He owns a company specialising in navigation equipment, which we see him unsuccessfully trying to peddle.
New York: The millennial entrepreneur whose 2017 Fyre Festival began with promises of music and luxury in the Bahamas and descended into a chaos of badly constructed tents, cold cheese sandwiches and a lack of sufficient bathrooms may soon find himself in the no-frills accommodations of a federal prison.

Billy McFarland, 26, told a judge on Tuesday that he "grossly underestimated the resources that would be necessary to hold an event of this magnitude". McFarland may spend a decade in prison after admitting he defrauded 80 investors and a ticket broker out of more than $US26 million.

Billy McFarland could spend up to a decade in prison after admitting he defrauded 80 investors and a ticket broker out of more than $US26 million. Credit:Bloomberg

"My intention and effort was directed to organizing a legitimate festival," McFarland said in a clear voice to US District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald in Manhattan. "In an attempt to raise what I thought were needed funds, I lied to investors about various aspects of Fyre Media and my personal finances."

McFarland became instantly notorious when patrons paying as much as $US12,000 for a "life-changing" Caribbean music festival deplaned on the island of Great Exuma in April 2017, only to find port-a-potties instead of bathrooms and tents instead of private villas.
Danger, Will Robinson.

The threat looks like Star Wars and sounds like nostalgia. Netflix's latest reboot is the 1960s classic Lost In Space and sci-fi fans are going wild for the trailer.

The original series first hit television screens in 1965. Created by legendary producer Irwin Allen, it aired for just three seasons. However, like its science fiction cousin Star Trek the show found its feet  and a passionate fanbase  in subsequent reruns.

Lost in Space is now considered among the most-loved sci-fi series of all time, despite not enjoying the same success as Star Trek or Star Wars. That could all be about to change, with Netflix signalling its reboot will have a much darker edge compared to the colourful and camp original.
Commuters were late and confused on Wednesday morning after trains on nine of Melbourne's suburban railway lines suffered major delays, with passengers being given mixed signals about what had caused the problem.

Signs at platforms said there had been a power fault, while the Metro Trains website blamed an equipment fault.

One train driver apparently told passengers the Metro control room had "lost control of a critical system".

A Metro spokesman told The Age a "temporary loss of power" caused an equipment fault near Richmond, just after 8.35am, taking out the Alamein, Belgrave, Glen Waverley, Hurstbridge, Lilydale and South Morang lines.
The bilateral talks held Tuesday in Lisbon between the UN Secretary-Generals personal envoy for the Sahara, Horst Kohler, and a Moroccan delegation, led by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, were rich and fruitful.

The description was made by Nasser Bourita who pointed out that overall, the discussions took place in an atmosphere of serenity and the debates were rich and fruitful. The atmosphere was marked by seriousness and mutual respect, Bourita told the press after the talks, making it clear that it was a bilateral meeting.

This is neither a negotiation process nor a negotiation, but a meeting to discuss the developments of the Moroccan Sahara issue, he said.

Besides Bourita, the delegation included Moroccos ambassador to the UN Omar Hilale as well as the presidents of two Sahara regions. These are Sidi Hamdi Ould Errachid, President of the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra region and Ynja Khattat, President of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region.

During the meeting with Horst Kohler, the Moroccan delegation surveyed the genesis of this regional dispute and the political, legal and geostrategic considerations that led to its creation in the 1970s.

The delegation members also highlighted the efforts made by Morocco to implement a regional development model and roll out the structures of advanced regionalization, Bourita told the media, adding that they likewise detailed the Morocco-proposed autonomy initiative, the context wherein it was elaborated, its rich content and its very solid legal bases.

The Lisbon meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss with the UN envoy the situation in the Maghreb, the cost of non-Maghreb and reasons obstructing the Maghreb construction, the Foreign Minister said.

Nasser Bourita recalled that the Moroccan delegation to the Lisbon meeting was guided by the terms of reference outlined by King Mohammed VI in the speech he delivered on the occasion of the commemoration of the 42nd anniversary of the Green March, on November 6, 2017.

In this speech, the Sovereign had re-defined the four firmly established principles and terms of reference on which the Moroccan position on the Sahara question is based, parameters that need to be respected for the process to be continued.

One of these parameters is that any settlement of this artificial dispute must be conceived within the framework of Moroccos full sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity, Bourita recalled.

Secondly, the process should include all the stakeholders in this dispute, the actual parties who have been at the root of this regional dispute. Thirdly, the process must be held under the exclusive aegis of the United Nations without the intervention of any other regional or international organization. And fourth, the process must focus on political issues, away from all the marginal issues that are often embedded in the discussions to divert the process from its primary objectives, added the Foreign Minister.

In this connection, King Mohammed VI had stated clearly in his Green march speech Moroccos outright rejection of any transgression or attempt to infringe on Moroccos legitimate rights or its best interests; rejection of any obsolete proposals designed to divert the settlement process from the set terms of reference, or to introduce or impose other issues which are dealt with by other relevant bodies.

The participation of the Moroccan delegation in this bilateral meeting, at the invitation of the Personal Envoy, is part of Moroccos ongoing cooperation with the United Nations to reach a final political solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation had said in a statement announcing the Lisbon meeting.
Women the world over continue to be treated unjustly, abundant evidence shows  including fresh research to mark todays International Womens Day. But there is reason to be cautiously optimistic; there are many signs of change, especially after the extraordinary social shifts of the past year.

First, though, the gloom. For more than the past century, International Womens Day has been an annual moment to collectively condemn discrimination and misogyny and to celebrate and record womens social, economic, cultural and political achievements.

Injustice has been reduced  in homes, workplaces, organisations and governments  in the 100-plus years since the days inception. But, as we crest IWD 2018, there are women in Australia, the land of a fair go, and throughout the world, who are treated appallingly because they are women. They face violence, predation, economic and educational impoverishment. Battling this, of course, requires daily effort and awareness, not just annual recognition.

Illustration: Joe Benke

Now, the beams of hope. Change is being driven from the ground up, and is spreading globally and virally, as evidenced by the #MeToo movement. The careers of an astonishing number of predatory men in many professions who had insidiously abused their power over women for decades have ended, amid public shame. Women and men alike should not only exercise zero tolerance in the workplace and elsewhere, they should denounce abuse when they see it.
Three-year-old boys at Canberra Girls Grammar's early learning centre will not be offered a place in prep, under a new move to phase out co-educational learning in the junior school by 2020.

Principal Anne Coutts said the decision "strengthened the school's commitment" to single-sex education, after the former all-boys school Canberra Grammar famously opened its doors to girls in 2016.

Canberra Girls Grammar is phasing out boys from 2020, however their Eearly Learning Centre will be expanding and remain co-ed. From left, Ashley Lu, Hunter Sheldon, Jessica Ryall, Victoria Carpenter, and Ayman Siddiqui, all 4-years-old. Photo: Jamila Toderas Credit:Jamila Toderas

That change ended a long history of co-operation between the two schools, which had both previously taken girls and boys up until Year 2 and then provided a reciprocal enrolment guarantee for Year 3.

As rumours swirled around campus on Wednesday morning, a Canberra Girls spokeswoman confirmed that, come 2020, boys would only be accepted into the early learning centre, which was also set to expand by 50 per cent.
A Page man who befriended a group of underage girls and plied them with cash, alcohol and drugs before raping them at his home has been jailed.

Justice Michael Elkaim on Wednesday sentenced Sunil Batagoda, 62, to seven years jail, with a five year non-parole period.

Justice Michael Elkaim Credit:Graham Tidy

The judge backdated the sentence to take into account time spent in custody, meaning Batagoda will be eligible for release in 2022.

In jailing Batagoda, Justice Elkaim found the offender had taken advantage of the victims in order to obtain sexual gratification for himself.
A series of break-ins at jewellers in Manuka have left business owners feeling shaken and concerned they may be being targeted.

Bijoux Jewellers had its front door smashed in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with nine cabinets smashed. Although a small amount of stock was stolen, owner George Bezos said the cost of repairing the damage outweighed the lost jewellery.

Bijoux Jewellers in Manuka was broken into on Wednesday morning. Credit:Jamila Toderas

The robbery was the second time Bijoux Jewellers had been robbed this year, and the fourth break-in at a jeweller in the area since January 6.

While there is security footage of the offenders, Mr Bezos said they went to an effort to hide their identities with face coverings and gloves.
I viewed each work individually and did not look for synergies or other characteristics that might have established relationships, aesthetic, thematic or otherwise. That said, I sensed a clear celebration of ways of looking and seeing and of the role of the viewer, the artist as auteur/controller and the power of the photographic gaze.

The View from Here is a PhotoAccess Members' exhibition showcasing the work of 37 artists. Artists were "invited to look through their viewfinder to creatively explore unique perspectives of the place and spaces they encountered". As one would expect from an exhibition such as this the overall effect is an eclectic one. That said, the 37 individual aesthetic personalities are each deserving of attention and it is this combined eclecticism that gives the exhibition its dynamic energy.

The View from Here. Various artists. Horizons  Earth and Water. By Marie Lund. PhotoAccess at the Manuka Arts Centre, cnr Manuka Circle and NSW Circle, Griffith. Until March 25, 2018.

In relation to this Brian Stewart's Painted Canyon (Cat. 3) is especially apposite. Here we have the viewer looking at the artist looking at the image he is making of a real landscape that lies in front of him. This is a clever and pointed statement about the contrasts and elisions of artifice and reality, of what we see and what the artist makes us see. In a sense this work provides a manifesto for the whole exhibition as stated in the exhibition premise above.

Ulli Brunnschweiler's Sunrise after the Storm (Cat. 11) may not have had the same theoretical premise as Stewart's piece but I find the pair of chatting kangaroos silhouetted against the Romantic seascape to be both funny and telling. The concept of "nature naturans" ie "nature being nature" fits well here and as one set of the natural world (the kangaroos) views another (the seascape) the omission of humans says a lot.

The evocative use of black and white in Andrew Robert Morgan's landscape (Cat. 1) found equivalents in a number of other works. The stilled image of Maria Island by Jacqui Doyle (Cat. 12) held a stark beauty as did Luke Power's The Cabin (Cat. 29) and Angus Kendon's untitled rocky outcrop (Cat. 31).

The use of architecture as frame or matrix provided a number of excellent examples. Kleber Osorio's Circle of Sight (Cat. 2) used a circular, tunnel-like structure to direct the viewer while other artists such as Richard Glover (Cat. 2) and Christine Mogg (Cat. 20) placed a linear grid over the image, both screen and filter simultaneously stopping the viewer but then inviting him in. Kathryn Leo's A Path to Parliament (Cat. 9) had a striking and dynamically angled viewpoint, the viewer's eye forcefully directed through a narrow opening to the flagpole dominating the centre of the image (and indeed the building itself).

Beautiful atmospherics are also present for me most beautifully in Boys from St Malo (Cat. 6) where the marvellous serpentine curve of the sea wall falling away into the background mist, creates an image of quiet seduction. The evocative light and chiaroscuro of a part of Venice not full of tourists as captured by Geoffrey Dunn (Cat. 18) also holds a particular attraction.
David Ogden Stiers, the tall, balding, baritone-voiced actor who brought articulate, somewhat snobbish comic dignity to six seasons of the acclaimed television series M*A*S*H, has died at his home in Newport, Oregon, aged 75. His death was announced on Twitter by his agent, Mitchell Stubbs, who said the cause was bladder cancer.

Stiers joined the cast of M*A*S*H in 1977, when Larry Linville, who had played the pompous and inept Major Frank Burns, left the show. The series, a comedy-drama set in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War, required a foil for its raucous, irreverent, martini-guzzling leads, Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) and B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell), and Stiers' imperious Major Charles Emerson Winchester III fitted the bill.

Major Charles Emerson Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) in 1978. Credit:Fairfax Media

Winchester's upper-class Boston priggishness, however, was balanced by impressive medical skills, a heartfelt appreciation of the arts, real wit and a surprising level of compassionate humanity. Winchester was, unlike Burns, a worthy adversary.

From the beginning, Stiers said he felt confident about playing Winchester. "It's just a matter of isolating the traits" from others in his own personality, he told The Salt Lake Tribune in 1977. But he confessed to one definite difference between himself and his aristocratic character. "Where he wears a smoking jacket to bed," he said, "I often wear nothing but socks."
The new Minister for Women Kelly O'Dwyer.

Are you done with women yet? Sick of hearing about them?

I can't glance at my media feed, or scan a news website without the ''women thing'' wagging a vindictive finger. A preoccupation with womens issues  rights, power and pushback  is jamming the airwaves.

Feminist action and online campaigns are springing up like poppies in a battlefield. Ballsy women are shouting on TV and raging in print. They're bonding, hugging and high-fiving with new-found purpose.

All this energy is giving oxygen to what anti-sexual harassment crusader Tracey Spicer proclaimed a seminal moment in history, at last weekends All About Women festival. Beamed via satellite from the Opera House to 30 locations across Australia and New Zealand, thousands of women cheered wildly when the festivals star attraction, #MeToo spokeswoman Tarana Burke, declared the MeToo juggernaut a movement of Joy! It was a celebration of the empowerment women feel when their collective voice is finally heard. And back in January, when Oprah bellowed down the barrel A new day is on the horizon! I cheered too.
A man has been rushed to hospital with "significant" burns after an explosion at a home in Sydney's west.

Emergency services were called to a property on South Creek Road in Shanes Park just before 11am to reports of a man being burnt in an explosion, NSW Ambulance Inspector Peter Grant said.

A man in his 60s man was welding in the backyard of a private residence when there was an explosion," he said.

He received significant burns to his legs and arms.

The man was rushed to Westmead Hospital in a stable condition with an Intensive Care Paramedic on board, the inspector said.
A time capsule buried for more than 125 years beneath the foundation stone of North Richmonds Belmont House has finally given up its secrets.

A total of 88 coins, a Sydney Morning Herald and a scroll containing information about the house, its owners and its builders were contained in the time capsule, removed from its sub-floor position between the mansions bearers and joists on March 5.

A copy of the Sydney Morning Herald from February 29, 1892 found in the Belmont House time capsule. Credit:Geoff Jones

The capsule was ceremoniously buried during the laying of the buildings foundation stone on February 29, 1892, at the site of the modern-day St John of God Hospital. It was accessed by drilling through stone under the floor and was opened by St John of God chief executive Steve Brooker.
If you were to plot the past year for women on an emotional seismograph, it would trace a wildly oscillating line, with sexual harassment and violence the overarching preoccupation.

Our hearts leapt as millions of women marched against the elevation of a sexual predator to the White House, and extraordinary journalism exposed the monstrous Harvey Weinstein and his ilk, dozens of men, across many industries.

A sign of the times: a placard from the women's march in Melbourne in January.

What feminist wouldnt feel a certain schadenfreude at this watershed cultural moment? There was blood in the water and, to be honest, it was bracing.

But this year has also held pain. The #metoo disclosures were a global keening, which rent a hole in the collective inertia.
Morocco reiterated its firm condemnation of Algerias connivance with the Polisario militias in maintaining a civil population hostage in abhorrent living conditions in the Tindouf camps.

Speaking at the 71st session of the Standing Committee of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) held on March 6-8 in Geneva, Moroccos charge daffaires, Hassan Boukili, deplored the inhumane conditions imposed on thousands of Sahrawis held in the Polisario-run camps, where the Algerian state has abdicated all its legal responsibilities.

The Moroccan diplomat also recalled Algerias reluctance to allow a head-count of the population held against their will in the Tindouf camps, adding that Algerias refusal to allow the UN refugee agency to conduct a census has serious repercussions on the protection of the population.

Carrying out a head-count of the population will also pave the way for the camps dwellers to obtain the refugee status. This will grant them the right to return to their homeland, Morocco, or at least the right to choose freely their country of asylum.

Such options that Algeria and the Polisario dread the most as they continue to trade in the suffering of the Sahrawis living in abject conditions.

The Polisario and its mentor Algeria have been blamed by EUs anti-fraud office (OLAF) and several NGOs for diverting humanitarian aid.

In this connection, the Moroccan diplomat deplored that humanitarian aid embezzlement in Algeria is a well-organized activity that has been running for years to the detriment of the population held against their will in the camps.

The diplomat called for an objective evaluation of the situation in the Tindouf camps, to establish the political responsibility in the creation and persistence of this situation, the militarization of the Tindouf camps, the repeated opposition to a census, obstruction of a lasting solution, and the persistence of human rights violations in these camps.

Paradoxically, it is rather Algeria that creates a huge human and humanitarian burden for the camps population, he said insisting on Algerias refusal of a census, forcible detention of the population in a lawless area where human rights abuses are a daily practice and the exploitation of a humanitarian drama to serve hegemonic ambitions.

He said Algerias only burden- that it shoulders voluntarily- consists in the huge sums it spends to arm the Polisario, fund political and media campaigns against Morocco and support the separatists activism.

Since Algeria is a false host country, it is not entitled to claim any kind of burden sharing, like all of the real host countries, such as Jordan or Lebanon, insisted the Moroccan diplomat.
"It's way too expensive to move out," she says. "Especially if I want to be able to buy a house or apartment." Plus, she will claw back valuable time spent commuting on public transport, with the 55-kilometre drive along the congested Monash Freeway proving faster, even in peak-hour.

Car-bound Dal Zomi lives in Rockbank, a sprawling new suburb about 20 kilometres north of Hoppers Crossing, and he had no choice but to take out a $6000 loan to buy a Toyota. Dal walked about 35 minutes every dawn to his local station for weeks, because the bus service to the station arrived after his train left. Dal Zomi has to drive, take a train and a bus to get to his work in Port Melbourne. Credit:Simon Schluter

An Uber or taxi ride to the station was too pricey for the automotive industry apprentice, so two weeks ago, he bought a car. "Walking made me very tired in the morning," says Dal, a refugee from Myanmar. "It was not very good for my health; it made me cough. Dal lives in the municipality of Melton, which, along with Wyndham, has been listed among five spots in Melbourne where public transport is least accessible, an analysis by RMITs Centre for Urban Research reveals. Bulging satellite suburbs on Melbourne's western edge such as Rockbank have developed faster than anyone predicted, and outpaced the supply of basic services - most crucially, public transport.

About half of Melbournes growth to 6 million people by 2031 will see people move to growth areas in the west, north and south-east, but official figures show the greatest surge will hit Melbournes west, which, by 2051 will have absorbed an extra 920 000 people. Thats the size of five Geelongs. Only 13 per cent of people in Wyndham and 4 per cent in Melton live 400 metres from a public transport service that runs every half hour. It's a far cry from the leafy inner-city suburbs where, in the cities of Port Phillip, Melbourne and Yarra, more than 80 per cent of people live within walking distance of a reliable train, tram or bus. And its certainly miles away from reaching a state government target of 95 per cent of residences in each local area located within walking distance from public transport.

Building on a mounting backlog Back to our student, Victoria. She travels to the city on a new rail line that runs through a new station, Wyndham Vale, which opened in 2015 as part of the $3.7 billion Regional Rail Link to meet the wests soaring demand. But in the two years since the Regional Rail Link opened, patronage has skyrocketed, and trains have become so crowded that Victoria often cant board, let alone find a seat. Rail services from the west are so stretched, that even if one extra train was added to the Wyndham Vale line during the peak period, this would transport just 900 extra people. Thats a fraction of whats needed for the 230 people moving to Wyndham every week.

Railway lines arent built overnight; the Regional regional rail link took six years to build, and the Melbourne Metro Tunnel, which will free up capacity on the Sunbury line, will be completed by 2025. Victoria has given up on public transport and bought herself a car instead. Credit:Chris Hopkins But experts warn that booming suburbs in the west cant wait seven years to receive the benefits of the new underground rail, with the Andrews Government promising to electrify the Melton line after the tunnel is built. The influential Rail Futures Institute is now calling on the government to electrify the lines to Melton and Wyndham Vale before 2025, which would allow for larger suburban trains to replace V/Line trains. But investing in Melbournes rail network is not enough to stop the growing isolation of Melbournes newer western suburbs.

Loading Many of the bus routes in the west bypass old and new estates, leaving entire suburbs cut off from jobs and services, says Craig Rowley, chief executive of LeadWest, a nonpartisan advocacy group representing six councils in the west. Only two bus routes cross the wests industrial area covering sections of Laverton, Laverton North and Altona. They run once every 45 minutes, in the peak. Employer Essendon Fields and the developers behind 700-hectare Woodlea estate have now started chartering their own private buses to get people to and from stations. The $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel has been backed by councils in the west as it provides an alternative to the congested West Gate Bridge and widens the West Gate Freeway, yet Mr Rowley says the project should have been built in conjunction with a high capacity bus service along the freeway, while a much greater number of buses on better suburban routes was urgently needed.
Work will halt on the Victorian Government's controversial $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel after the Coalition and the Greens teamed up on Wednesday to stop the project.

The two parties used their numbers in State Parliament's upper house for a vote cancelling the development approval for the giant building job, provoking accusations of "economic vandalism" from the Andrews government.

An artist's impression of the Footscray Road elevated freeway section of the West Gate Tunnel project. Credit:Victorian government

The move will force nearly all of the project's 800 workers to down tools but the tunnel's builders say they will keep their workforce on site in the expectation that machines will start to move again soon.

Labor says the workers should be back on the job on Thursday morning, with the government intending to simply start the planning process all over again, risking a farcical repeat of the Parliamentary veto as early as this month.
"People aren't going to begin exploring beer flavours unless somebody talks to them about it," he said. "When you walk into a venue and you look at their menu you might see one fifth of a page dedicated to beer and three pages dedicated to wine." He says the accepted culture has always been to match wine and food and menus will highlight what wines to pair with foods. You'd have your typical pub lunch with a steak or a chicken schnitzel and it all came down to what was available, what you knew or what your dad drank. "But now we're starting to see the evolution of menu documents, especially in great breweries and brew houses or restaurants that have a focus on beer," Daley said.

"When you start to say 'hey, try this beer, or try this food item, this steak, but instead of a pint of lager, if it's a nice char-grilled steak, try it with an American pale ale or if it's something that has been braised like lamb shanks try it with an American brown ale or try it with a porter'. "You have to give people little hints along the way because people still don't have the mind frame that beer and food can go really well together. "Even beer and salad can go really well together, there are some beautiful styles of beer that can enhance a salad," Daley says. Daley says people heading along to the Night Noodle Markets should be looking for a variety of beers. "Whenever I go to the Night Noodle Markets I look for a beer that's going to come up well against the flavour of the food," he said.

"If it's a heavily-sauced noodle or if it's something light and fresh like a Thai dish with some lemongrass or chilli, coriander or herbs, I'll go for something with a lot of hop character, where the hop notes really lift that flavour and accentuate the characters of the food. "A little bit of higher alcohol too can really bring that dish to life. "Always match intensity with intensity, so if you have something that's quite heavy you can go for a beer that's a little bit heavier in malt richness or hops. Market goers enjoy the atmosphere of the Night Noodle Markets. Credit:Cole Bennetts

"Don't make the mistake people used to make by drinking a really light easy drinking lager that has no flavour and then having a meal item that is so overpowering with complexity and flavour that you can't even taste the beer.

"Then you don't win the battle of educating people about how well flavours harmonise together." Daley says the 'Beer It's Beautiful; James Squire's Night Terrace' pop up bar will be offering a range of brews to match the Asian hawker markets style of food on offer from vendors all over Australia. These will include the James Squire Orchard Crush apple cider, James Squire Hop Thief, James Squire 150 Lashes, Furphy, Little Creatures Elsie and Guinness, which will be available at the markets on St Patrick's Day on Saturday March 17. Daley's pairing suggestions are:  James Squire Orchard Crush apple cider: "It goes really well with pork dishes, so any Asian dish at a noodle market that has quite a bit of pork in it will be perfect. Apple and pork have always traditionally been a fantastic combination. Because it's a type of cider that has a little bit of acidity to it, a traditional English cloudy apple cider, that acidity cuts through any fat so well. It's a match made in heaven."

Try with: Hoy Pinoy's Inihaw na baboy (Pork belly skewers with banana ketchup glaze) Pork belly skewers with banana ketchup glaze from Hoy Pinoy.

 James Squire Hop Thief: "This is an American style pale ale, which has a great amount of hop bitterness and it goes well with those South-East Asian characteristics of light, fresh and vibrant, with a little bit of meat in there. It's all about flavour and aroma, lovely tropical notes and citrus and pine characteristics, which match really well with any of the coriander, citrus or lemongrass, or any of those other flavours that are in that South-East Asian style noodle, Thai, Malaysian or anything like that. It really accentuates those flavours and makes that dish dance. The caramel malt in the beer also accentuates any meat in there too." Try with: Teppanyaki Noodles Yakisoba (stir-fried noodles with cabbage, carrot, onion & garlic)

 James Squire 150 Lashes: "This is more of an Australian-style pale ale, so it's more about aroma and will go well with anything light, like seafood, grilled prawns, squid, any fish dish that's light and vibrant that has a little bit of herb character to it. It's more about if you have that really simple, lovely noodle dish that has nice fresh seafood in it that has either been grilled, has some citrus, but not too much chilli. Steer clear of matching it with anything that has a really heavy sauce, but it will go well with a pad Thai, matching light fresh flavours with a nice aromatic hop-driven beer."

Try with: Bangkok Jump Street's Korat Pad Mie with Soft-Shell Crab Bangkok Jump Street's Karat Pad Mie with Soft Shell Crab (left) and Puffle's Bulgogi beef and Philly cheese steak cheese puffle.

 Furphy. "The same as the 150 Lashes, but the Furphy uses Victorian hops, making it really nice and sessionable, so you don't want anything to over the top and rich and dark or heavy, so steer clear of Chinese style noodle dishes or braised meats or slow cooked meats, which don't pair well because they don't have the power to cut through and cleanse the palate. This is more ester driven from the yeast, so I'd go with anything that's a bit low in chilli, but light, fresh, great Thai salads and anything that has a nice amount of herbs or clean cut vegetables, seafood and even chicken would go really well with this beer." Try with: Sambal Kampung' San Choy Bow San Choy Bow from Sambal Kampung.



 Little Creatures Elsie. "Elsie is ester driven and in terms of intensity on the palate this and Lashes and Furphy are all very similar, but they all have slight differences. Elsie is very similar to a Californian common style ale, so it's a lager that's fermented at warmer temperatures with lemon citrus characteristics and a little bit of wheat, which makes it a beer that goes perfectly with salad. Again if you have any really nice light, fresh Asian style salads this goes perfectly. Fresh tomatoes, prawns, squid, scallops are fantastic with it or even chicken or light pork." Try with: Ahi Poke's Spicy Tuna Bowl

 St Patrick's Day Guinness. "Guinness is fantastic, it goes really well with anything that's rich, so this is where you can start to do richer meats, anything that's slow cooked, braised beef, any Asian style char-grilled meats, works with the roasted characteristics of the malts and the sweetness of the malts comes through so well with any red meat that's been char-grilled." Try with: Puffle's Bulgogi beef and Philly cheese steak cheese puffle



March 16-25, Elizabeth Quay

Monday-Wednesday, 5pm-9pm

Thursday-Friday, 5pm-10pm

Saturday, 4pm-10pm

Sunday, 4pm-9pm
Sharman Stone who serves as the Australian ambassador for women and girls. Credit:Simon Schluter

Activist Jessie Street was thrilled when a call came for her at the Lapstone Hotel in the Blue Mountains, from prime minister John Curtin's office, asking her to be the only Australian woman delegate at the founding of the United Nations in San Francisco in 1945.

Lady Jessie Street, first female delegate to the United Nations, pictured in October 1943.

She was not so thrilled when she got there to learn, while organising a trip to Yosemite National Park, that her male counterparts, such as Doc Evatt, were earning three times as much as she was.

She stormed back to San Francisco in a fury, demanding equal pay, then, in co-operation with other female delegates, secured the insertion of the word "sex" in the clause "without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion" wherever it occurs in the Charter of the United Nations.
"It's a great place to shop and a great place to take visitors," the chief reckoned.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr recently bestowed the honour on the markets, now celebrating their 10th year.

And now they are officially a "Canberra institution".

Handmade Canberra's founder and owner Julie Nichols reckons the markets are "as Canberran as a roundabout".

The Handmade Market is hugely popular. Credit:Graham Tidy

The Handmade Market attracts 120,000 visitors and generates an estimated $15 million in sales per year.

It outgrew Albert Hall, the Yarralumla Woolshed and the Kamberra Wine Company, before finding a home at the National Convention Centre.

It is now based at Exhibition Park in Canberra, offering 260 stalls across two halls. More than a quarter of the stalls are brand-new to the market and more than half are exclusive to Handmade Canberra.

Julie says this was designed to "keep it fresh and interesting for repeat and long-term customers, as well as providing the latest in design and food trends to attract new customers".
When Claire Carton was thinking about coming back to work after her second child she began looking for law firms that would suit the way she wanted to work.

She couldn't find one so she started her own. She established Griffin Legal in 2009 with the aim of providing an alternative to the traditional inflexible law firms she had been working in.

Claire Carton couldn't find a law firm that suited the way she wanted to work so she opened her own. Credit:Jamila Toderas

"In hindsight, how was I so bold," says Carton, now a mother of four children under the age of 12 and managing partner of one of Canberra's leading commercial law firms.

Carton was the keynote speaker at the YWCA's International Women's Day event Leading the Change: The pathway to gender equality on Wednesday.
The Turnbull government has stepped up talks with Japan and other countries to resist Donald Trumps new steel tariffs, as the shock resignation of top presidential adviser Gary Cohn fuels fears of a trade war.

Malcolm Turnbull has held talks with Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe to ensure two of Americas closest military allies push back at the US Presidents plan, while also negotiating with other countries on a joint stance against the move.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is set to speak to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to express Australian concern at the Mr Trumps stated goal of imposing a 25 per cent tariff on steel imports and a 10 per cent tariff on aluminium.

But officials are bracing for the new rules to hit Australian industry with no country exemptions for American allies.
Nationals officials were warned of an impending "avalanche of allegations" about Barnaby Joyce and were expecting so many women to complain some MPs considered asking a former governor to hold an inquiry.

New documents obtained by Fairfax Media show former WA Nationals leader Terry Redman delivered the warning days before a formal complaint against Mr Joyce was actually lodged, forcing the former deputy prime minister's resignation from cabinet.

Catherine Marriott, the woman who made the confidential complaint over an alleged incident involving Mr Joyce outside a Canberra hotel in 2017, blasted the Nationals for mismanaging the investigation. The former WA Rural Woman of the Year on Wednesday claimed the review had been used for "political advantage", had brought her integrity into question, and could stop other women coming forward.

The WA Nationals' handling of the complaint has become the subject of fierce disagreement within the party. Some members believe the complaint was used to bring down Mr Joyce after news of his affair with former staffer Vikki Campion triggered weeks of damaging headlines. Mismanagement of the complaint also led to Ms Marriott's name being published by newspapers just days after it was lodged.
Mark Lee left his role as media director for the Fair Work Ombudsman on Friday last week, five months after the scandal first erupted and sparked an Australian Federal Police leak investigation that is still ongoing.

Another key government official connected to the union raid media leak controversy that rocked the office of Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash has quit, blaming intense media scrutiny of his involvement.

"In recent months, my professional and personal reputation has been repeatedly questioned through the media," he told Fairfax Media.

"After consultation with my family and medical professionals, I came to the conclusion that it is no longer in my best interest to remain in such an environment and I have decided to pursue options outside of media and government."

Senator Cash's media adviser, David De Garis, resigned in October after admitting he told the media the police were about to raid the offices of the Australian Workers Union as part of an investigation into donations. He has not publicly revealed who told him the raids were about to occur.

But suspicion fell on Mr Lee after it emerged he knew search warrants were being sought as part of the Registered Organisation Commission's investigation into donations the AWU made 10 years ago to activist group GetUp!

While Mr Lee worked for the ombudsman, he had at the time also been assisting the ROC with its media relations.
A state Labor MP has publicly hit out at fire union boss Peter Marshall, accusing him of trying to silence firefighters who have raised concerns about sexual discrimination at work.

Wendouree MP Sharon Knight told Parliament on Wednesday that the United Firefighters Union needs to stop this nonsense of attempting to suppress a Human Rights Commission report examining workplace bullying and sexism in the fire services.

Labor MP Sharon Knight Credit:Simon O'Dwyer

It is time wasting. It is cruel. Some of those who contributed to the report I would guess would be your members, she said. You should be supporting them, not trying to silence them.
Jeff Sessions invaded California with some angry attacks on its leaders, and Governor Jerry Brown soon reciprocated. Photo: Stephen Lam/Getty Images

Attorney General Jeff Sessions brought his war against Californias immigration enforcement policies right into the lair of his enemies today, accusing state officials and especially Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf of risking the lives of ICE personnel. Sessions made his fiery remarks at a law enforcement conference in Sacramento. His Department of Justice had just filed suit against Governor Jerry Brown and Attorney General Xavier Becerra to strike down Californias so-called sanctuary state law that protects the prerogatives of local law enforcement officials to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement when it interferes with their own enforcement priorities. Sessions also took a swing at Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, the front-running candidate to succeed Brown as governor, for defending Schaaf, as the Los Angeles Times reports:

[T]he mayor of Oakland has been actively seeking to help illegal aliens avoid apprehension by ICE. Her actions support those who flout our laws and boldly validate the illegality. Theres no other way to interpret her remarks.

To make matters worse, the elected lieutenant governor of this state praised her for doing so. Bragging about and encouraging the obstruction of our law enforcement and the law is an embarrassment to this proud and important state.

Then Sessions really got on his high horse:

So heres my message to Mayor Schaaf: How dare you. How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open-borders agenda.

Brown responded at a press conference today by denouncing Sessionss description of Californias policies as indicative of an administration full of liars:

Look, we know the Trump administration is full of liars, theyve pleaded guilty already to the special counsel  Under the laws of California, nothing stops the federal government from coming to a jail. The release records are public. In many ways, there are many layers of protections. And what Jeff Sessions said is simply not true. And I call upon him to apologize to the people of California, to bringing the mendacity of Washington to California. And trying to insert discord and division and, I might add, dysfunctionality in a state thats really working. So lets build some bridges, not walls.

Its been clear for a while that the White House thinks sanctuary cities are the soft underbelly of pro-immigrant sentiment in the country. As Dara Lind explains, invading California with attacks on the alleged lawlessness of the evil liberals who run the Golden State fits in with the broader Trumpite project. And said liberals are more than happy to fight back:

Politically speaking, its the next phase in a battle the Trump administration and California are equally enthusiastic about having: an ongoing culture war between progressive politicians who feel a duty to make their immigrant residents feel as safe as possible, and an administration (and its backers) whose stated policy is that no unauthorized immigrant should feel safe.

And to add a personal note to this particular exchange of angry rhetoric, Libby Schaaf is close to Jerry Brown: She served as a special assistant to Brown when he was mayor of Oakland, and gained a key endorsement from him when she ran for the post herself.

So its no surprise Brown took umbrage at Sessions coming to California to speak to an elected official and protege  a woman, at that  like an Alabama sheriff lowering the boom on a Yankee agitator.

You shouldnt expect this dialogue, so to speak, to get friendlier any time soon.
Jakarta: The Indonesian government wants Australia to re-open discussions on maritime boundaries after a deal was finally struck to resolve a similar dispute between East Timor and Australia.

In comments that suggest Canberra could face a new headache over economic borders at sea, the director-general of legal affairs and international treaties at Indonesia's Foreign Ministry, Damos Agusman, told Fairfax Media that Jakarta wanted new talks over the Perth Treaty, signed in 1997.

Informal: Malcolm Turnbull and Joko Widodo take off their ties during a visit to Tanah Abang market in Jakarta in November 2015. Credit:AP

The 1997 treaty has never entered into force as Indonesia has not ratified it, though both nations have observed it. The document sets out Australia's and Indonesia's exclusive economic zones using the median line between the two countries.

This has meant Indonesia's fishing rights extend further south than its right to explore the seabed for oil and gas, which is governed by an earlier treaty from 1972. That treaty sets the boundary between the countries much closer to Indonesia.
Former Melbourne school principal Malka Leifer has been placed on house arrest after a Rabbi's testimony. Credit:AP

Jerusalem: An Israeli court has ordered the former principal of an ultra-Orthodox school in Australia wanted on child sexual abuse charges to be freed from detention on house arrest, after the defence brought in a chief rabbi to vouch for her.

Malka Leifer is set to be released on bail on March 9 at 10am local time, pending an appeal by the prosecutor.

She would be monitored by two supervisors in the northern Israeli town of Migdal Haemek under the custody of the towns chief rabbi, Yitzhak Grossman, who was brought in as a character witness by her defence lawyer.

Rabbi Grossman, the recipient of the 2004 Israel Prize, the country's highest cultural honour, argued to the court for the accused former principal of Elsternwick's Adass Israel school to be freed while she fights extradition to Australia.
Washington: Gary Cohn, US President Trumps top economic adviser, plans to resign, becoming the latest in a series of high-profile departures from the Trump administration, White House officials said on Tuesday.

The officials insisted there was no single factor behind the departure of Cohn, who heads the National Economic Council. But his decision to leave came after he seemed poised to lose an internal struggle amid a Wild West-style process over Trumps plan to impose large tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

Gary has been my chief economic adviser and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again, Trump said in a statement to The New York Times. He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people.

Cohn is expected to leave in the coming weeks. He will join a string of recent departures by senior White House officials, including Trump's communications director and a powerful staff secretary.
In one of the prettier courtyards of the Louvre, with a pair of stone ramps sweeping toward a celestial white runway, Nicolas Ghesquiere closed out an exciting Paris Fashion Week. Celebrities were scarce this season, due to the Oscars, but Ghesquiere had them at Louis Vuitton: Jennifer Connelly, Michelle Williams, Emma Stone (who wore LV trousers on the Oscars red carpet), and Isabelle Huppert. Even his former boss, Jean Paul Gaultier, showed up, sitting next to Catherine Deneuve.

So it took a while for Ghesquiere to finish taking backstage pictures with the celebs and the LVMH brass, who looked delighted by the concentration of glamour. The thick-soled sneakers from Ghesquieres spring collection reportedly sold out. And at a dinner on Monday for luminaries of the fashion industry, Frances First Lady, Brigitte Macron, wore one of his Louis XV-inspired frock jackets from the same show.

Ghesquiere has had a harder time convincing journalists that his Vuitton designs are as ambitious as those he did during his 15 years at Balenciaga. The contrast may be unfair: Ghesquiere was a younger man then, he had less to lose because Balenciaga was a has-been label, and the whole industry was being shaken by daring talent, from Tom Ford at Gucci to John Galliano at Dior and Alber Elbaz at Lanvin. Today its a much more tempered industry, shaken instead by a storm of economic and social changes. Its extremely hard for a designer to have the kind of impact Ghesquiere had in the early 2000s, when his cargo pants sold in the thousands, if not tens of thousands, and spawned copies. Also, while clothing is a sizable business at Vuitton  thanks in part to his predecessor, Marc Jacobs  revenues are driven by leather goods.

Last season, after some meandering, Ghesquiere presented one of his coolest collections. Lots of designers offer sneakers, but his were distinguished by a shapely, built-up soul that seemed to pitch the wearer forward. You couldnt help but notice them. He showed them with running shorts or filmy pastel silk pants that looked like nylon and featured a discreet ruffle down the side, and of course Madame Macrons frock coat. He simultaneously acknowledged that everyone wears sneakers and made the look hipper.

So it was surprising last night when he jettisoned them in favor of pumps with a feminine cross strap on the top of the foot, bare legs, and suits with trim jackets and skirts that just grazed the knees. There were also dresses with white collars that fit over the shoulders like a tea cozy, a sleek black leather shirt worn with a black checked skirt, and blouson leather jackets and nice coats with contrasting lapels or a fur collar in warm yellow. But it was the suits that made you think of French bourgeois style  extremely feminine and pretty but not too fashionable.

Louis Vuitton Fall 2018 Photo: Imaxtree

Was Ghesquiere really going for that old chestnut? Or did he have something more subversive in mind? Reactions I overheard ranged from nonplussed to god-awful.

Backstage, once the celebs had cleared out, Ghesquiere explained that he was fascinated by the gap between times  between what we already know and anticipation. We all have access to more and more information, to what we believe will be our future, he said. At the same time, we have the beautiful richness of the past. And this season he wanted to look back at the women he grew up with who helped me make choices and build my aesthetic.

He added, This is a straight collection compared to last season; its kind of rigorous.

And bourgeois?

Yes. I would say quintessentially French.

But Ghesquiere also said that he and his design team speak about #MeToo and resurgent feminism every day, and the collection is hardly a pantomime of bourgeois dressing. Its actually extremely straightforward, with polished jackets, some fresh-looking checks, and an uncomplicated femininity that legions of female executives and lawyers would recognize. We forget that some very strong women were wearing some very feminine outfits, and I love this idea, he said.

Of course, Ghesquiere may be looking back with rose-colored glasses at France in the 70s and 80s of his youth. It wasnt so great for a lot of women. Still, I was glad for Ghesquieres explanation, even though most women  cool Shanghai girl, well-wardrobed New York executive, L.A. hipster probably wont need it.

For something else was at work, something perhaps like the time travelers gap that Ghesquiere had mentioned. I recognized it when I left the Louvre. It had begun to rain. A lanky woman with olive skin and jet-black hair passed me wearing Ghesquieres frock coat from last season, the pale blue silk pants with the frill, and the sneakers that nobody can seem to get. Suddenly, her outfit looked out of date.

What a dopy business, I thought, half in jest, and went off to find some dinner.
Anthony Borges in the hospital after the shooting. Photo: @rob_bennett/Twitter

Two students who were wounded during the horrific February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, are suing authorities over the massacre.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports attorneys for two survivors of the attack  15-year-old Anthony Borges, who used his body as a human shield to protect classmates from gunfire and was subsequently shot multiple times, and Kyle Laman, also 15, who was shot in the foot  sent separate letters showing their intent to sue over the shooting.

Laman has already undergone two surgeries to reconstruct the ligaments damaged as a bullet tore through his ankle and foot, the Sun-Sentinel reports, and is dealing with the trauma of gunman Nikolas Cruz allegedly looking him right in the eye before shooting. Borges remains hospitalized as he recovers from being shot five times in his legs and torso.

Borgess notice, meanwhile, alleges negligence by Broward County Public Schools, Marjory Stoneman Douglass principal, and the schools resource officer. Meanwhile, Lamans letter was sent to the Broward Sheriffs Office, the FBI, the Broward School Board, and other defendants.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, Lamans notice claims authorities failed to act at the moment of need and that the FBI had been warned about Cruz. It also alleges the Florida Department of Children and Families determined Cruz was not a risk even though there were warning signs stretching back over a decade.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Children and Families told the Sun-Sentinel that the agency was reviewing the letter. It is important to note that the departments interaction with Mr. Cruz in 2016 was related to allegations of caregiver abuse, she said. Henderson Behavioral Health, which treated Cruz and also received the notice, said it couldnt comment on a patients treatment, while the school board and FBI declined to comment and the sheriffs office couldnt be reached.
2 Babies Abducted in North Carolina May Be in New York City Area

Two babies were reportedly abducted from their grandmothers home in North Carolina, according to police.

Officials said 4-month-old Antoin Marsh and 1-year-old Destiny Marsh were taken by their mother on Sunday, reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. They were living at their house of their grandmother, Tanya Hunt, in Fayetteville when the abduction took place.

The Department of Social Services placed the children with Hunt for their safety, and Hunt said she feels as if the abduction was planned.

Who has clothes for those children? Who got milk for that baby? Who bought Pampers? Wipes? Anything? she asked. Because when she took them, my grandson had on a tank top T-shirt and sweatpants. No jacket. My granddaughter had on a T-shirt and sweatpants. No jacket. No car seats. So, do I feel like it was planned? Yes.

Police do not feel like the children are in immediate danger, so they didnt activate an AMBER Alert.

Their mother, 20-year-old Catrina D. Lucas, is accused of taking them from Hunts home.

Officials said that they might be in the New York City area, PIX11 reported.

Fayetteville police are searching for two children who were kidnapped by their mother.

Catrina Lucas took them from their grandmother's home after DSS put them there.

Call @FayettevillePD if youve seen them.https://t.co/NcobbbkHar pic.twitter.com/K6LHKw6hD5  Steve Daniels (@DanielsABC11) March 4, 2018

Hunt, the paternal grandmother of the children, told WRAL that the kids had been in her care for around a month.

Hunt told WRAL she chased Lucas through her front yard on Saturday night in an attempt to get the children back.

I went to grab the baby. She ran up on me, fist like this, with my granddaughter [under her arm] like dont touch her or watch what happens,' Hunt said.

She then realized that she was outnumbered by other adults that were there and felt threatened, according to the WRAL report.

[Destiny] is a little bit more familiar about her mom because shes a little bit older but, as far as my grandson, I know the only thing hes doing right now is crying because he dont know who hes with, she said. I tried to warn DSS that she does this, she added.

Those who know of the whereabouts of the children should contact Detective J. Arnold with the Fayetteville Police Department at 910-824-9539 or Crime Stoppers at 910-483-8477.

Recommended Video:

How Doctors in China Turn into Murderers
Luigi Di Maio, party leader of the Five Star Movement, celebrates in his hometown of Pomigliano on March 6, 2018, after Italys general elections. Photo: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi is often compared to Donald Trump: an audacious billionaire with an insatiable penchant for glitz, press coverage, and younger women, who rose to power through canny media manipulation and anti-politics politics. Like Trump, Berlusconi campaigned as a champion of the common man, pledging to overturn the entrenched political Establishment and Make Italy Great Again, as it were  but of course his tenure in office devolved into a veritable orgy of corruption and self-dealing.

Ironic, then, that in the national election Italy held on Sunday, Berlusconis center-right Forza Italia party was part of the Establishment against which a new generation of populists revolted.

The Five Star Movement (M5S), an anti-Establishment party founded in 2009 by the eccentric comedian Beppe Grillo, took a third of the vote, doing particularly well in the poorer southern provinces. M5S is an idiosyncratic party, not entirely identifiable with the right or the left but representing a coalition of environmentalists, libertarians, Euroskeptics, and angry, unemployed youth (which in Italy are legion). Their candidate for prime minister, Luigi di Maio, is only 31 years old: young enough to be a grandson to the 81-year-old Berlusconi.

Sundays other big winner was the League, a right-wing populist/nationalist party that ran almost exclusively on a promise to crack down on uncontrolled migration from across the Mediterranean. Originally known as the Northern League, the party recently rebranded to shed its well-earned image of contempt toward southerners. Reminiscent of the shock performance of the Alternative for Germany in the German elections last year, the League shot from 4 percent of the vote in the last election to nearly 18 percent this time around, outperforming Forza Italia and Fratelli dItalia to become the leading party in the center-right coalition.

No party or coalition captured a majority, so now the jockeying begins to assemble a government. Both M5S and the League are claiming a mandate to govern, the former as the largest party and the latter as the head of the largest coalition. League leader Matteo Salvini said he would not take his party into strange coalitions, but the right does not have enough seats in parliament to govern on its own and will have to find outside partners to achieve a majority.

M5S is willing to talk to anyone, but di Maio may insist on the premiership as a condition of his partys participation in government, which could complicate a coalition deal with the right. The ruling Democratic Party (PD) has said it will not go into coalition with either of the anti-system parties. President Sergio Mattarella will likely open formal talks in on forming a new government in April.

The center-left PD fell from 25 percent of the vote to 19 percent, prompting former prime minister Matteo Renzi to resign as party leader. The Democrats, in government since 2013, had done a respectable job rescuing Italy from the economic disasters of the Berlusconi administration, the financial crisis, and the punishing austerity measures imposed by the EU in its wake. Yet in a parallel to their American cousins in 2016, Italys Democrats failed to persuade voters to give them five more years.

The PDs poor showing, politics professor James Newell writes in the Local, came down to two factors. For one, Renzi has proven a polarizing figure, and his role as the face of his party hindered it from capitalizing on the popularity of the current prime minister, Paolo Gentiloni, who has been ranked as the countrys most-liked politician. More generally, Newell adds, the PD, like parties of the centre-left elsewhere in Europe, has suffered from the loss of any kind of cultural ascendancy since the collapse of the Berlin Wall:

It has incorporated the neo-liberal narratives of its adversaries on the right and in so doing failed to offer representation to a working class that now feels threatened by the effects of globalization, especially austerity and mass migration. The lefts natural constituency has been left prey to alternative appeals, and the inevitable consequence has been a dramatic advance for the populist right represented by the League.

Perhaps the key lesson in Italys election is that there, like nearly everywhere else in the Western world, voters are losing patience with a political class that they see as unable to deliver relief from the problems that ail them. Anger over the constant influx of migrants from North Africa and the lack of help from the EU was a big vote-getter for the League in particular, leading Berlusconi and other center-rightists to talk openly about once-unthinkable propositions like deporting the countrys 600,000 undocumented immigrants.

Anemic economic growth and still-staggering youth unemployment were other major contributors to Sundays discontented message from voters. Neither of the mainstream parties, right or left, has managed to solve these problems, while Brussels obsession with fiscal restraint has, if anything, exacerbated them.

Thats why former prime minister Mario Monti, in an op-ed for the Washington Post, describes Sundays outcome as a nightmare for the EU. If Brussels fails to deliver structural reforms that allow for greater investment in alleviating the malaise of the European periphery, Euroskeptics in Italy (the third-largest economy in the Eurozone) will have a stronger case for abandoning the currency union or the EU itself  though as the U.K. is discovering in the Brexit process, thats easier said than done.

Monti cautions against reading Sundays election too simplistically as a sign that Italy is turning to the right. Even though former Trump strategist Steve Bannon has ecstatically described the emerging Italian politics as a pure populism that could serve as the vanguard of the new European nationalism, the former premier points out that M5S isnt entirely Bannonite in its inclinations. Many of its supporters dont identify with the right, much less the far-right. Italys overtly fascist parties, CasaPound and Forza Nuova, failed to crack one percent of the vote on Sunday. For all the Leagues inflammatory anti-migrant rhetoric, meanwhile, it just elected Italys first black senator, Toni Iwobi, an immigrant from Nigeria.

Its too early to say what Italys next government will look like or if either of Sundays victors will be up to the task of governing. Perhaps, like Berlusconi, todays upstarts will fail to evolve and merely grow into tomorrows Establishment.

The message to mainstream technocrats in both Rome and Brussels, however, is crystal clear: Without real solutions to the migration crisis, economic stagnation, youth unemployment, and corruption, voters in Italy and elsewhere will continue to reject the political Establishment and flirt with populist novelties. Simply decrying the inexperience, bigotry, oddball theories, or politically incorrect rhetoric of these upstarts isnt going to cut it.

On a more philosophical level, Europeanists need to both make a more forceful positive argument for European integration and build institutions that demonstrate its value to an increasingly skeptical public. Otherwise, the European project is destined to fail, and considering what happened the last time Europe fell apart, nobody wants to see what happens then.
3-Year-Old Girl Was Allegedly Raped Inside Bus After Being Offered Chocolate

A man has been arrested after he allegedly raped a 3-year-old girl inside a parked luxury bus in Kolkata, India, after luring her onto the bus with chocolate on Tuesday, March 6, police have said.

Bus cleaner Sheikh Munna, 45, has been accused of sexually assaulting the toddler who was playing ball with her 5-year-old brother around Canal West Road, reported NDTV, citing police.

The siblings ball fell near the parked luxury bus. The little girl went to the bus to retrieve their ball where she encountered Munna, reported Times of India.

Police allege Munna dragged the victim inside the bus after offering her chocolate.

The toddlers brother, who followed his sibling, attempted to stop the attack by pleading with Munna but his attempts were futile.

The victims brother had pleaded with Munna to open the door and let his sister go when he heard her screaming. The boy continued banging on the buss door but there was no result, a senior officer with the Kolkata Police told NDTV.

The boy then ran to his mother, a widowed rag-seller, to inform her of the incident.

The woman alerted her neighbors, who rushed to the bus and rescued her from the accuseds grip and then thrashed him before informing the police.

We found the girl lying in a pool of blood on a bus seat. The childs clothes were torn and she was bleeding profusely, the senior police officer told the news station.

The police officer said the accused had blood on his hands and trousers when he was arrested.

Forensic experts have also collected blood samples and stains from the bus which has been seized, police told the news station.

The girl is currently being treated at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Doctors said the girl was bleeding heavily when she was brought to the hospital.

She had bled profusely but her condition has improved since last night and possibly she will survive. Signs are clear that she had been brutalized, one senior doctor told NDTV.

Police said there are ongoing investigations into the incident.

We are waiting for the report of the tests conducted on the girl to confirm rape. We are questioning the accused and our forensic experts have collected samples from the spot where the alleged incident took place, the officer said.

Recommended Video:

How Doctors in China Turn into Murderers
President Donald Trump in the East Room of the White House in Washington on March 6, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

After Gary Cohns Resignation Announcement, Trump Says Hes Close to Appointing New Economic Adviser

President Donald Trump has stated he is close to choosing a new chief economic adviser after his current adviser, Gary Cohn, announced his resignation on March 6.

Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor, Trump wrote. Many people wanting the job  will choose wisely!

Cohn announced his resignation on the heels of Trumps announcement of steel and aluminum import tariffs. Cohn, a registered Democrat, publicly opposed the measure and lobbied the president to not impose the tariffs.

Trump and Cohn exchanged cordial statements for the public. Cohn is set to leave the White House in a few weeks.

It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular, the passage of historic tax reform, Cohn wrote in a prepared statement, according to CNBC.

I am grateful to the President for giving me this opportunity and wish him and the Administration great success in the future, Cohn added.

Cohn served as Trumps chief economic advisor since the inauguration last year. Trump thanked Cohn for his work in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Gary has been my chief economic advisor and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again, the president said, according to CNBC. He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people.

Though a final announcement is still pending, Trump announced his intention to impose broad tariffs on steel and aluminum imports last week. Under the current proposal, the United States will charge 10 percent on imported steel and 25 percent on imported aluminum.

Trump campaigned on a promise to bring back American jobs and place American interests first when it comes to international trade. The tariff announcement stemmed from a report prepared by Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, which showed that the American steel and aluminum industries are struggling while foreign companies dump heavily subsidized and unfairly priced products in the U.S. market.

Cohn was second-in-command at Goldman Sachs when Trump offered him the economic advisor post on Dec. 9, 2016.

In addition to the presidential advisor role, Cohn also serves as the Director of the National Economic Council, an advisory body which consists of the president, vice president, and the heads of a host of top-tier government agencies.

Cohn was preceded by Jeff Zientz, who served for three years under President Barack Obama.

From NTD.tv

Recommended Video:

President Trumps First State of the Union Address
Boyfriends Tinder App Triggers Samurai Sword Attack in Washington, Woman Tells Police

A Washington woman said she attacked her boyfriend because of what she found on his phone.

Emily Javier faces an attempted murder charge after she repeatedly slashed her boyfriend in Camas after she found he had the Tinder dating app.

I just stabbed him! Javier, 30, told officers outside the couples home in Camas around 1:50 a.m., reported Oregon Live,. You guys need to help him!

The officers entered the bedroom and found a lot of blood and Alex Lovell, 29, severely wounded.

He was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Javier said she was compelled to stab her boyfriend after she found he had downloaded the Tinder dating app, she told police officers.

Then she found sensual scratches on his back, she claimed.

Then she said she found red hair in the couples shower drain despite neither of them having red hair.

Javier then went to a shopping mall and bought a samurai sword before spending a week plotting her attack.

She finally attacked him one night after he went to sleep, after he returned home only to ignore her, she said.

I was trying to kill him for cheating, she told police officers, reported KATU.

But eventually, she called 911.

Neighbors said they were stunned when they learned what had happened.

We were like, Theres no way. Like, are you sure its this family? Meili Murray, who lives a couple doors down from the home where the stabbing happened, told KPTV. I would never have guessed.

Another neighbor said Lovell didnt deserve to be attacked no matter what he did to his girlfriend.

Whatever that guy was into, doesnt deserve getting knifed basically. Even if he was doing her wrong, said neighbor Jay Meltesen.

Javier was booked into the Clark County Jail on first-degree attempted murder charges.

From NTD.tv

Recommended Video:

American Mirai Nagasu Makes Figure Skating History at Pyeongchang 2018
police tent is seen behind a cordon outside the shopping centre in in Wiltshire, England where a man and a woman were found critically ill on a bench on March 4 and taken to hospital sparking a major incident, on March 7, 2018. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Britains Top Ministers to Meet on Mysterious Illness of Russian Double Agent

SALISBURY, EnglandBritish investigators will update an emergency response committee of senior ministers on Wednesday about the mystery illness that struck down a former Russian double agent and his daughter.

Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russias GRU military intelligence service, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, were found slumped unconscious on a bench outside a shopping centre in the southern English city of Salisbury on Sunday afternoon.

Police said they had been exposed to an unknown substance. More than two days later, both are critically ill in intensive care.

Counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation and Britains military research laboratory at Porton Down is trying to identify the substance which caused Skripal, 66, and his daughter to fall ill.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd will chair the emergency response meeting.

Britain has cautioned Russia that if the Kremlin was behind any poisoning then there will be grave consequences and British ministers have drawn parallels with the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko who was killed with radioactive polonium-210 in London.

A previous British inquiry said President Vladimir Putin probably approved the murder Litvinenko who died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at Londons Millennium Hotel.

Russia, which denied any involvement in the death of Litvinenko, has dismissed claims that it may have had a hand in the poisoning of Skripal.

Moscow says anti-Russian hysteria is being whipped up without any evidence to show its involvement in the Skripal case. Russia holds a presidential election on March 18, which polls show Vladimir Putin should comfortably win.

Skripal, who passed the identity of dozens of spies to the MI6 foreign intelligence agency, was given refuge in Britain after being exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport.

Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested Skripal in 2004 on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a speech during the opening session of China's rubber-stamp legislature, the National People's Congress, at The Great Hall of People in Beijing on March 5, 2018. (Etienne Oliveau/Getty Images)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Lays out Countrys Goals: Cautious Economic Growth, Boom in Military Spending

With the commencement of meetings of the National Peoples Congress, Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, premier Li Keqiang gave an annual work report on March 5, highlighting Chinas economic and military goals.

His speech delivered at the Congresss opening session stressed stable growth, the need to combat unemployment, and the strengthening of Chinas military. Below are some major takeaways from Lis speech:

Economy

Li announced the regimes aim to expand Chinas economy by 6.5 percent in 2018, the same rate as last year.

The number stayed the same even though Chinas economy grew by 6.9 percent last year, exceeding the targetsuggesting that the Chinese regime wished to be cautious and reduce financial risks. Last year, Li made a speech mentioning this target number, adding that in actual work, [we will] strive for an even better result. The omission of this during Lis work report indicates the Chinese regime is not confident it can go for a higher target.

Economists predicted that Chinas economy would lose some momentum this year as the regime seeks to contain a buildup in corporate debt, while pollution-fighting efforts and a cooling property market weighed on Chinese manufacturers.

Military

Also on March 5, Chinas Ministry of Finance unveiled a report at the Congress opening session, announcing that the Chinese regime plans to increase its military spending by 8.1 percent this year, bumping up its defense budget to 1.107 trillion yuan (about $175 billion). This is the biggest uptick in the past three years.

Chinas defense budget is second only to that of the United States. At $686 billion for fiscal year 2018 to 2019, America has the worlds largest military budget. But Chinas still dwarfs other nations. According to a recent report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Saudi Arabia ranks third at $76.7 billion, followed by Russia ($61.2 billion) and India ($52.5 billion).

On March 6, at a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, commander of the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet Admiral Scott Swift said Chinas military budget lacked transparency, noting that the countrys intent is not clearly understood, he said. The Chinese regime did not provide a breakdown of its budget.

Chinas Asian neighbors also expressed concern. Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press briefing, We would like to see China be more transparent about its defense policy, including spending and the direction of its military power.

Analysts say the Chinese authorities often underreport their budget figures. Bruce Lui, senior lecturer in the journalism department of Hong Kong Baptist University, told Radio Free Asia (RFA) that some spending, such as in the area of military technology research, is not counted toward the defense budget, but as science and technology expenditures.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance also revealed 2018 budget figures for public safety expenditures, a euphemism for efforts to curb dissentfrom censorship to civilian arrests. That number grew 5.5 percent compared to the year prior, to over 191.91 billion yuan ($30 billion). Lui, the university lecturer, told RFA that the real figure is probably higher, because it does not include local government spending. If those figures were aggregated, he estimates they would total more than a trillion yuan ($158 billion).

The increase also suggests that the Chinese regime has plans to further stamp out dissent and perceived threats to its legitimacy. In the same RFA report, a Chinese petitionera citizen who brings grievances to the central authorities seeking justiceworried that the increased budget meant more arrests of petitioners. In Beijing, no matter where you are, [the authorities] will be sure to catch you and send you back, the petitioner said.

Xis Power

On Twitter, The Economist journalist Simon Rabinovitch observed the unusually high number of references to Party leader Xi Jinping in Lis speech: a record number of 15, compared to 9 times in 2017 and 6 the year prior.

Big increase in references to Xi Jinping at the opening session of China's National People's Congress: not surprising but still striking. pic.twitter.com/6qAHR9vOB1  Simon Rabinovitch (@S_Rabinovitch) March 5, 2018

In March 2017, Radio France Internationale looked into past Congress work reports and found that only two other Party leaders received more than 10 mentions: Mao Zedong in 1975 (17 mentions) and Deng Xiaoping in 1997 (11 mentions). The increase in mentions is seen to be a testament to Xis superior position of power within the Party.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Coca-Cola to Launch Its First Alcoholic Drink

Coca-Cola is planning to launch its first alcoholic drink in its 125-year history, with an alcopop in Japan.

The worlds largest soft drink company is looking to cash in on the growing market for Japanese alcopop, known as Chu-Hicanned low-alcoholic drinks that contain the popular shochu spirit with flavored sparkling water.

Coca-Cola said it plans to launch its product in Japan as a small experiment.

Jorge Garduno, Coca-Colas Japan president, said in an interview on the companys website, We havent experimented in the low alcohol category before, but its an example of how we continue to explore opportunities outside our core areas.

He added, Coca-Cola has always focused entirely on nonalcoholic beverages, and this is a modest experiment for a specific slice of our market.

He indicated that the idea of an alcoholic drink from Coca-Cola is to stay within Japan and is not likely to be sold globally, because of the very unique and special culture of the Japanese market. He did not specify a timeline for the new product.

The Chu-Hi category is found almost exclusively in Japan. Globally, its not uncommon for nonalcoholic beverages to be sold in the same system as alcoholic beverages. It makes sense to give this a try in our market, he said.

Chu-Hi is an abbreviation for shochu highball and appeared shortly after World War II, when alcohol was in short supply, according to the Japan Times.

Chu-Hi is typically 3 percent to 8 percent alcohol by volume. Major Japanese beverage companies, Kirin, Suntory, and Asahi have Chu-Hi products that come in multiple flavors, including lemon, grapefruit, kiwi, and yuzu.

The drinks have become particularly popular with female drinkers, according to the BBC.

Coca-Cola has been diversifying from soft fizzy drinks by buying water and tea brands, as a growing number of younger consumers are becoming more health conscious, reported the Financial Times.

Recommended Video:

Video Catches Woman Climbing Through Drive-Thru Window
A leopard cat, pictured on Oct. 22, 2016 versus a real tiger, pictured on Oct. 25, 2006, both in Wuhan, China. (Wang He/Getty Images & China Photos/Getty Images)

Couple Suffer Shock After Sighting What They Think Is a Tiger in Hong Kong

A suspected sighting of a tiger in Hong Konganimals that havent been seen for more than 50 years in the former British colonyhas been debunked as something far more pedestrian.

Authorities searched a country park after a couple called the police saying they had seen a tiger on Tuesday, March 6.

They described the animal as yellow and 3 feet long.

Police had to escort the couple downhill from Ma On Shan Country Park, reported the BBC.

They were suffering from shock and were sent to the hospital, Radio Television Hong Kong reported.

They claimed the animal was yellow in colour and measured about 3 feet by 2 feet. They were worried, so they called police, a police spokesman told the South China Morning Post.

The couple were later shown photos of feline animals and said one of a leopard cat was like the one they saw.

Leopard cats generally have yellow coats with dark markings similar to tigers and leopards, but are much smaller.

Dr. Michael Lau, a director at the WWFs Wetlands Conservation department, told the BBC it was highly unlikely that the animal the couple had seen was a tiger.

The South China tiger is probably extirpated from the region, plus the size of the animal is small and if it were a tiger it would be a cub, [meaning that] its mother would be nearby and likely signs of kills would be seen by people, Lau said.

Hong Kong also no longer has enough space to support tigers, Lau added. The last substantiated tiger sighting was in Shatin in 1947.

Timothy Bonebrake of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Hong Kong, said to the BBC, the likelihood of it being a tiger is close to zero percent.

Leopard cats are relatively abundant in parts of Hong Kong, Bonebrake said.
Hidden Camera Captured Alleged Abuse of 89-Year-Old Man in Nursing Home

A family is suing a Michigan nursing home after their staff members were captured on a hidden camera allegedly abusing an elderly man in 2015.

Hussein Younes, 89, was recovering from bowel obstruction surgery at Autumnwood of Livonia in April 2015 when his son noticed unexplainable cuts and bruises appearing on his elderly father.

The son, Salim Younes, installed a hidden camera inside his fathers room to find out what was going on.

What the son saw in the footage horrified him.

I discovered unspeakable horrors, said Salim to Fox 29.

In one video, a staff member roughly holds Husseins head while repeatedly telling the elderly man stop, enough while another staff member watches on without doing anything. Hussein is then harshly picked up from his wheelchair and thrown onto his bed.

Warning: Footage may be distressing for some viewers. Please watch at your discretion.

Credit: Younes Family via Storyful

Just before the staff member leaves, she is seen verbally abusing the elderly father.

On a separate occasion, the same staff member is seen verbally denigrating Hussein and roughly throwing him onto the bed.

The familys attorney, Jonathan Marko, said the footage only captured two days of the six months Hussein was at the nursing home.

We only caught two days of this horror show at Autumnwood Livonia, two days, Marko told the news station.

He was there for approximately six months. He went in, in May, until his family saw the video in December and yanked him out as soon as they saw it.

When confronted with video evidence that their staff was battering and abusing this man, they refused to take any responsibility, Marko added.

Marko told WDIV that he thought the abuse on the 89-year-old was ethnically motivated.

Hes an elderly Lebanese gentleman who was born and grew up in Lebanon, Marko said. Hes an Arab-American, and because of that, he was targeted at this nursing home and horribly abused.

Salim has compiled over 100 clips of the abuse to use as evidence in his lawsuit. Some of the clips have been released to the public by Marko.

Marko told Fox 29 that the nurse, Tammy, was previously reprimanded in a nursing home in Virginia for using inappropriate language. She was also terminated from another two nursing homes before being hired in the Michigan nursing home. She has reportedly lost her nursing license in Michigan.

In response, Autumnwoods attorney released a statement over the alleged abuse, reported WDIV.

The actions depicted in the video are in no way illustrative of the quality care that is provided by the caring staff at Autumnwood on a daily basis, the attorney said in the statement.

The employees identified from the video have been terminated, and additional training has been provided to all employees, the statement read.

Marko said that despite the complaints and allegations, the nursing home still sent Salim a bill for his fathers stay.

Worst of all, they sent Mr. Younes a bill for abusing his father, Marko told Fox 29. Thats despicable.

No criminal charges have been brought against the staff involved. The civil trial starts in June.

From NTD.tv

Recommended Video:

How Doctors in China Turn into Murderers
Justice Department Sues California Over Sanctuary Policies

The Department of Justice (DOJ) hit California with a lawsuit on March 6 in response to the states sanctuary policies.

The lawsuit takes aim at three California bills that the DOJ says intentionally obstruct and discriminate against the enforcement of federal immigration law.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions traveled to Sacramento, California, on March 7 to announce the lawsuit.

I understand that we have a wide variety of political opinions out there on immigration. But the law is in the books and its purpose is clear, Sessions said. There is no nullification. There is no secession. Federal law is the supreme law of the land.

There is no nullification. There is no secession. Federal law is the supreme law of the land.  Jeff Sessions, attorney general

A refusal to apprehend and deport those, especially the criminal element, effectively rejects all immigration law and creates an open borders system. Open borders is a radical, irrational idea that cannot be accepted.

The first bill, Assembly Bill 450, prohibits private employers from voluntarily cooperating with federal immigration officials. California Attorney General Becerra warned business owners that they face a fine ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 if they cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The second, Senate Bill 54, restricts state and local law enforcement officials from providing information to ICE about the release date of removable criminal aliens who are in their custody. Instead, the criminals are often released back into the community.

The third, Assembly Bill 103, imposes a state-run inspection and review scheme of the federal detention of aliens held in state and local facilities, according to DOJ.

The lawsuit comes a week after Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf publicly warned of an impending ICE operation in her area. Acting ICE Director Tom Homan said the warning meant that 864 criminal aliens and public safety threats remained at large in the community.

California Gov. Jerry Brown criticized Sessions visit, tweeting out that At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they dont work here. SAD!!!

However, Sessions said he simply wants California to follow the law.

Contrary to what you might hear from the lawless open borders radicals, we are not asking California, Oakland, or anyone else to enforce immigration laws, Sessions said. We are simply asking California and other sanctuary jurisdictions to stop actively obstructing federal law enforcement.

Recommended Video:

Texas Sheriff Talks About Why Sanctuaries Dont Help Public Safety
Man Allegedly Killed Wife After She Discovered Tinder Affair

A Denver man has been charged with the murder of his wife, who died in unusual circumstances in 2015.

Police received a tip-off from a woman he met on Tinder and with whom he was cheating on his wife.

Robert Wayne Feldman, 53, allegedly strangled his wife, Stacey Feldman, 44, to death in the couples bathroom on March 1, 2015the very day she found out about his affair. He was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in February.

The autopsy conducted at the time could not determine the cause of death. However, this did not deter Denver Police Department detectives from pursuing the investigation for two years which culminated in last months arrest.

The arrest affidavit, released on March 5, details the events which led investigators to conclude that Feldman murdered his wife. These include a forensic analysis of Feldmans 911 call, a tip-off from the woman he had slept with, and a medical examination conducted by a doctor specializing in strangulation.

At 3 p.m. on March 1, 2015, Feldman, a meat products wholesaler, called 911 stating that came home to find his wife in the bathtub unresponsive. Stacey Feldman, who worked at non-profit PSC Partners Seeking a Cure, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police were suspicious of Feldman from the very beginning. He was unable to recall to responding officers details of how he found his wife and what position she was in. Firefights at the scene believed Feldman was acting over dramatic, and purposely not cooperative by making a concerted effort to not answer questions, the affidavit said.

Feldman told police that his wife consumed some edible marijuana before and after going to a party the night before. The autopsy, however, did not find any traces of marijuana in Staceys system.

Before the autopsy report was released, Staceys sister advised police that Feldman told her Staceys death had been ruled an accident, that she had slipped on her conditioner and drowned.

Police also found out that in June 2015 Feldman collected a $400,000 life insurance payout on a policy he had taken out on Stacey five years prior.

Around that time, a crucial tip came by phone to the Crime Stoppers hotline. A woman told police that she had met Feldman, who had posed as Robert Wolfe, on Tinder. Feldman told her that he was divorced. They had spent a night together, but he blew her off the next day when she tried to get in contact, said in the affidavit.

The woman became suspicious, so did some digging online and found out Feldmans real name, and that he appeared to have a wife, whom he lived with, along with two children.

After tracking down Staceys email, the woman emailed Stacey on the morning of March 1 to ask if the couple were divorced. Stacey replied that they were not. Shortly after, in a phone conversation confirmed by phone records, the woman told Stacey about the dalliance. Stacey revealed that Feldman had cheated on her and that she was done with him.

Stacey died later that day.

Investigators trained in reviewing suspicious police calls also conducted an analysis of Feldmans 911 call and identified a number of guilty indicators. During the call, Feldman said he was performing CPR on his wife. However, police were unable to detect any obvious changes in breathing or other indicators that he was performing CPR.

Earlier in the call when Feldman made the initial report, police note the noise of what sounds to be a toilet being flushed and possibly items being dropped in the background, says the affidavit.

The affidavit also described how Feldman appeared to have pretended not to be home when police visited for an interview in 2016.

In late 2017, detectives and prosecutors asked a recognized medical expert on strangulation to review the autopsy and photos of the scene. The doctors final report, delivered in December 2017, concluded that Stacey died from strangulation or suffocation and ruled her death a homicide.

Feldman is currently held without bond at the Denver Downtown Detention Center. He is next due in court on March 22.

From NTD.tv

Recommended Video:

Officer Saves Woman Who Was Pinned
The bullied has become the bully. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

It will be a long time before we know all the ways in which Donald Trump has changed American politics, but with the first midterm elections of his presidency only months away, one of the Trump effects on politics is coming into focus  bullying is cool now.

So cool, that even Trumps former victims are getting in on the fun. Take Texas senator Ted Cruz, dubbed Lyin Ted during the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, who is up for reelection this year. On Tuesday night, fresh off of his primary win in Texas, Cruz released his first attack ad on newly minted Democratic challenger, Beto ORourke.

The minute-long radio ad is disguised as a country song that knocks ORourke for being a liberal and for going by Beto, a common Spanish nickname.

Liberal Robert wanted to fit in, so he changed his name to Beto and hid it with a grin, the song says about the El Paso native.

For his part, ORourke tells CNN that hes been called Beto since day one, and he has the pictures of his custom-stitched baby sweaters to prove it.

On CNN Wednesday, Cruz was asked about mocking ORourkes name in light of his own name, which is Rafael Edward Cruz, not Ted.

Some of its just having a sense of humor, Cruz said,
Beauty Queen 98 Cents Store, in Macon, Ga., where a blood-soaked man pulled up after being shot in his car on March 6, 2018. (Screenshot via Google Maps)

Man Shot in Face, Drives to Local Georgia Beauty Store, Calls 911

A man who survived being shot in the face drove himself to a nearby beauty store in Georgia.

He was reported to have been shot in his car about a mile away around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6, according to the Bibb County Sheriffs Office.

Fortunately, the bullet that hit him only grazed him, just above the left eye, said the county sheriffs office in a statement.

The victim is 23-year-old Steven Lamar Gay of Macon, Bibb County, Georgia, but the shooter remains unknown.

Gay pulled up at the Beauty Queen 98 Store in blood-soaked clothes, according to witnesses, reported the Macon Telegraph.

Breaking: at Beauty Queen 98 cent story on Mercer Universe Drive where a man who was shot in his car was taken to the hospital. This is a developing story check with @WGXAnews for updates pic.twitter.com/0vCutW7BSh  David Domingue (@dominguephotog) March 6, 2018

He then called 911, according to the sheriffs office.

Gay was transported to the Navicent Health Medical Center, where he is listed in stable condition, the sheriffs office said in a statement.

It was stated that a Green Toyota Camry, driven by 23-year-old Steven Lamar Gay, of Macon, was on Sharon Drive when an unknown suspect in a black car started shooting at him. It was stated the suspect fired several shots at Gay.

No one else was injured in the incident. No information is available on the suspect at this time, noted the sheriffs office.

Investigators marked at least eight shell casings on the street about a mile from the store, reported the Telegraph, and deputies appeared to be searching for something as they circled around a brick house.

Are you trying to tell me somebody got shot at eight times over here and I didnt hear a thing, a neighbor told a Telegraph reporter, saying that she had been home all day. My God.  Thats scary.

Broken shards of glass were strewn across the street, reported the newspaper.

Recommended Video:

Officer Saves Woman Who Was Pinned
Masked Antifa Assault Security Staff, Disrupt Event at British University

Masked antifa invaded a talk at a British university, assaulting security staff and forcing the event to be abandoned after they lit a smoke bomb, according to eye witnesses and video footage.

Video footage shows the moment they burst into the lecture room on March 5, trying to grab the microphone, about 12 minutes into the event at the prestigious Kings College London (KCL).

Ten to 15 people dressed all in black, with black hoods and black face masks, leapt over the barriers and instantly engaged in a fight with two or three security guards, one onlooker told the MailOnline.

They tried to stop them but they just started punching them in the face. One guard, a grey-haired gentleman who looked to be in around 60, received several punches.

In one video, a few attendees can be seen shoving the invaders, with at least two hitting them. Within about 4 minutes, they had been jostled out of the room.

The event, organized by the universitys Libertarian Society, was billed as a discussion between the conflicting ideas of entrepreneur and author Yaron Brook, who flies the flag for objectivist philosophy and the controversial YouTuber Carl Benjamin.

Benjamin, also known by the moniker Sargon of Akkad describes himself as a classical liberal, but is labeled as an alt-right mouthpiece by detractors despite claiming to stridently reject the alt-right movement himself.

When left-wing protest groups indicated online their intention to no platform the event, the university then began to place certain conditions on the event, explained Brook in an online video posted after the incident.

According to Brooks, the university had previously explicitly granted permission to livestream and record the event. After the left-wing groups stated their intent to intervene, however, the university then reversed that decision.

The university also then subsequently restricted attendance to only students from the university and faculty members, disappointing around 200 people, some of whom had come from outside the city to see the event, said Brooks.

The university also required them to have safe space marshals, said Brook. The marshals would be ready to intervene in the instance of the speakers saying something insulting.

On arrival, Brooks said he had to wait in a green room for around 45 minutes, with a guard outside who insisted he remain in the room.

He said that there were about 7 protesters who had come in with the audience members, waiting for the masked intruders before they acted.

The guy moderating the talk is on my course and hell have a difficult time once the strike is over. Just an example of the many death threats I received after #ANTIFA disrupted our event with #SargonOfAkkad and @yaronbrook at Kings College. Freedom will always win. pic.twitter.com/MX9wUjJ0xx  Danny (@DannyAlk99) March 6, 2018

There was no sign of any protesters outside, according to some witnesses.

Simon Gibbs wrote on the Libertarian Home website that he saw no sign of protesters as he waited in the lobby with other people who had been refused entry.

Then about twelve people, dressed in black, ran determinedly towards the security barrier, he said.

The lead figures leapt the barrier and began being wrestled by up to five security guards, including the rapidly redeployed head of security. A shower of sparks announced the ignition of a purple smoke bomb. One, perhaps two at the most.

Gibbs said that the scuffle involved only a few people and was over quickly, saying some twitter reports were exaggerations of the incident.

The real damage was done by the smoke bomb which caused an immediate evacuation.

As soon as that smoke bomb went off, Antifa had sealed the deal.

What is truly scary is that, for most of us, the event was effectively cancelled hours before any of this occurred. There were 147 clicks on a Facebook event that never took place. There was one threatening tweet. That was all it really took. Those tweets and clicks are what really stopped the show.

KCL Libertarian Society said in a statement: Speakers Yaron and Carl were invited this evening to discuss and debate their conflicting ideas. The event was meant to be academic, philosophical and open to criticism.

According to the Telegraph, a KCL spokesperson said: Last nights event organised by Kings College Londons Libertarian Society had to be cancelled after protestors violently forced their way into the venue. The police attended and we are fully co-operating with their investigation.

Recommended Video:

The Origins of Antifa
Missing Detroit Woman Had Checked Herself Into Hospital, Family Says

A Detroit woman who was reported missing over the weekend has been found, her family said.

A family member of Angela Caraway told Fox2 that she had checked herself into a hospital.

The hospital notified the family on Tuesday morning.

Caraway had been reported missing on Sunday after she didnt return home after work on Saturday.

Her husband said he last spoke to her around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.

She told him she was about to leave her nursing assistant job at Beaumont Hospital in Dearborn and that she would be home soon.

He said he was worried about her disappearance because she has been struggling with postpartum depression.

Detroit Woman goes Missing on her way home from Work https://t.co/QUlHKdcO6G  Metro Detroit Crime (@CrimeInTheD) March 6, 2018

MISSING PERSONS UPDATE: Detroit woman with postpartum depression found SAFE; family says she checked herself into hospital https://t.co/1UarSxDt1X pic.twitter.com/s3NKd2ZVgM  FOX 2 Detroit (@FOX2News) March 6, 2018

She finally admitted it a week or two ago. We were trying to work my schedule out so she could get more rest, Kent Caraway II said.

Co-workers also expressed concern because they said she experienced an especially rough night at work, and they saw her crying.

Multiple search teams had been utilized to search for Caraway after she had been reported missing, including teams based out of the familys church in Detroit.

The Press and Guide reported that David Claeys, president of Beaumont Hospital-Dearborn, issued a statement shortly after her disappearance.

We have the utmost concern for Angela. Our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time, and we want nothing more than to see her come home safely.

From NTD.tv

Recommended Video:

Timelapse Video Captures Ocean of Clouds Over Vancouver, British Columbia
Mother Doesnt Seek Help After 4-Year-Old Daughter Is Shot, Goes Back to Work Instead

A court hearing determined that a 27-year-old mother left her 4-year-old daughter at home while she returned to work, after being notified that her 8-year-old son shot the 4-year-old, on March 3.

Alyssa Edwards came home and saw the bullet wounds, and then left the children home alone again, according to WOIO. Prosecutor Chris Tunnell said Edwards was contacted at 10 a.m. about the shooting, came home, checked on the children, and then was back at work by 11 a.m., according to the Mansfield News Journal.

She came home, cleaned up a bed cover with blood on it, examined the 4-year-old and was aware the 4-year-old was injured at the time, Tunnell said, via the Times-Gazette. And despite that knowledge, clocked back in at work at 11 a.m., again leaving the 8-year-old and the 4-year-old home alone, yet again.

The mom returned after she got off work, at around noon. The girl was then at some point taken to University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center in Ashland County, before being transported to a Cleveland hospital, Mansfield News Journal reported. She will be at the hospital for at least a week, according to WOIO. The boy is in the custody of childrens service, AP reported.

The defendants husband left for work, prosecutor Chris Tunnell said in court on March 5, via the Mansfield News Journal. His understanding was the children would be dropped off at a babysitter.

Edwards kept her guns in a safe, but her son was able to access them because the safe was not locked, according to WOIO.

Chief Deputy Carl Richert of Ashland County, Ohio told WOIO that the girl was allegedly shot multiple times. Deputies were notified of the shooting by the Samaritan Medical Center, at around 2 p.m.

Richert told WOIO the girls wounds were not life-threatening, and that small-caliber bullets were used.

Edwards was charged with a felony and a misdemeanor both in connection with endangering children. Richert explained the charges, via the Times-Gazette.

The first is a third-degree felony, and that was for letting her 4-year-old daughter get shot, Richert said. And the other is for not being home when her little son picked up a rifle and shot his sister multiple times.

Her bond was set at $30,000. If she posts bond, she will not be allowed contact with the children, Mansfield News Journal reported.

From NTD.tv

Recommended Video:

Brothers Step in When They See Man Harassing Two Teen Girls on New York Subway
Neighbors Heard New Jersey Couple Argue Night Before Apparent Murder-Suicide

Neighbors of a New Jersey couple heard them arguing loudly the night before an apparent murder-suicide.

Lydiah Okongo, 40, was found dead on Monday morning, March 5, with multiple gunshots in her head and torso.

Henry Okongo, 51, was also found dead in the couples home in Jersey City, with a gunshot wound to his head.

Police officers believe Henry Okongo killed his wife before committing suicide.

A family member discovered the bodies, reported The Jersey Journal.

Their kids, a 2-month-old and a 5-year-old, were found alive inside.

Neighbors apparently heard the Okongos involved in a loud argument the night before the deaths.

Kenyan couple found dead in US https://t.co/fkqZht4xji pic.twitter.com/SoKQjzQxQX  Daily Nation (@dailynation) March 6, 2018

They quarreled a lot and they would separate for long periods only to come together again, Dr. George Omburo, an elder at a local church, told The Nation.

He said neighbors told him they heard a quarrel on Sunday night.

Neighbors said that Lydiah Okongo worked as a nurse while her husband owned multiple laundromats in the area.

Hundreds of area residents helped Henry Okongo save one of his laundromats on Martin Luther King Drive when his lease was up in 2013 but he was behind on rent, according to The Jersey Journal.

He also owned both the home that his family lived in and a nearby home.

Henry Okongos brother used to live in his other home but later moved to North Carolina.

What we know about Jersey City couple [of Kenyan origin] killed in apparent murder-suicide https://t.co/0EjvdDcpvD  Mwangi Githahu (@MwangiGithahu) March 6, 2018

Neighbors told The Journal that the couple lived in the home for at least a decade.

The Okongos emigrated to the United States from Kenya.

Area residents also said that the couple was hard-working and lovely people, and they expressed surprise over the news of the two deaths.

Local officers are investigating the case and are urging members of the public with any information to call 911 or the Hudson County Prosecutors Office at 201-945-1345.

The prosecutors office hasnt released any information on the case.

From NTD.tv

Recommended Video:

Supermarket Clerk has Sensational Voice
Small Earthquake Hits New Hampshire

An earthquake struck New Hampshire on March 7, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The USGS says the quake, which had a magnitude of 2.4 on the Richter scale, was centered near the village of Contoocook in the town of Hopkinton.

Another NH earthquake: 2.4 magnitude in Contoocook or Hopkington, New Hampshire. about 5am pic.twitter.com/gYqzSaBVUU  Newfound Lake (@Newfoundlake) March 7, 2018

It hit after 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Locals in Penacook, Henniker, Boscawen, Webster, Dunbarton, and Concord said they could feel the tremor, The Associated Press reported.

There were no reports of damage or injuries.

Recommended Video:

How Doctors in China Turn into Murderers
South Carolina Man Who Wanted to Cannibalize a Child Is Let Out of Jail

A South Carolina man who police said wanted to cannibalize a child has been released from jail on bond.

Justin Bensing, 36, of Myrtle Beach was arrested during a roundup of dozens of accused child predators and sex traffickers last week.

Bensing said in messages sent online that he wanted to cannibalize a teenager he was talking to.

However, the teen was actually an undercover officer.

Bensing traveled to Greenville to pick up the girl, where he was arrested.

According to arrest warrants obtained by Fox, Bensing said he wanted to make the teenager into his slave.

He asked her if she was ready to be a full-time baby maker and sex slave.

He used a moniker, Rebel Deese, while online.

Bensing was charged with two counts of criminal solicitation of a minor.



But Bensing was bonded out of jail on Feb. 14 on a $20,000 bond, reported WMBF.

A clerk said there were no stipulations on the bond.

The sheriffs department said in an announcement that the roundup of sexual predators, dubbed Operation Millstone, resulted in 43 arrests.

This two week, multi-agency operation sought to take down internet predators looking to engage in sex with young children, as well as reveal any potential human trafficking activity through the arrests of predators, prostitutes, and johns. In all, 14 predators, 2 human traffickers, 10 prostitutes and 17 johns were arrested. 31 cases are still pending, the department stated.

However, some members of the public disputed the charges, including one who was accused of being a predator.

These are all lies and they should not be allowed to put this [expletive] on Facebook or on the news. It is horrible and it is wrong some of us were not even doing anything all I did was pull on that street they yanked me out of my car and left my 65-year-old uncle and arrested all of us for prostitution, wrote Casey Brooks.

From NTD.tv

Recommended Video:

Boiling Water Turns to Snow
Texas Woman Accused of Filling Neighbors Door Locks With Super Glue

A Texas man wants help because he says his neighbor has been filling his locks with super glue.

Rodrigo Camus said that Dallas Rose Lott, 64, has been trespassing and vandalizing his property in Houston for months.

She lives next door to the 3-bedroom townhouse that Camus is trying to sell but he says her actions have scared off potential buyers.

Just the other day, Camus said he arrived at the house only to be threatened by Lott. She was holding a club, he claimed.

He recorded the confrontation on his cell phone and he said that cameras at his house have recorded Lott, who has a warrant out for her arrest, messing with the locks.

She filled locks with super glue, and others with pins, Camus said.

Ive changed the door knobs like five times and cleaned spray paint, he told ABC.

Lott has faced criminal mischief charges before. Her attorney withdrew from representing her in 2016 because she wouldnt cooperate with him.

Camus said he feels Lott has mental problems although a judge found her mentally competent.

Hes tried to locate some of her family members to try to diffuse the situation but to no avail.



Its kind of like, are they waiting for things to escalate. For her to do something? I feel like theres been absolutely no response, Camus said.

Facebook users said Camus has a good case.

She is crazy. She may hear voices and really believe her side of the story. If her attorney withdrew counsel, then he must recommend a psychological exam, said one user.

Each State has different rules but an inhospital evaluation may be necessary.

Another added, Good luck. We had one where I live and adult protective services did nothing!! Finally after she slapped someone the cops took her away. Awful!

From NTD.tv

Recommended Video:

Lost World War I Submarine Found 103 Years Later
Dr. Jordan Greenbaum, medical director, Child Protection Center, Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc., at the Department of Justice Human Trafficking Summit in Washington on Feb. 2, 2018. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

The Trauma of Child Trafficking, Hidden in Plain Sight

Health care providers need to do more to identify trafficking victims, says doctor

WASHINGTONHuman traffickingwhether sex or labor, adult or childhas devastating consequences on the victims.

We see an extraordinary amount of physical and mental health effects from child and adult trafficking, said Dr. Jordan Greenbaum, medical director of the Child Protection Center at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, at a human trafficking event at the Department of Justice in Washington on Feb. 2.

Greenbaum said that in Atlanta, about one-third of the girls under 18 who have been sex trafficked have a history of pregnancy. Almost half have an active sexually transmitted infection, such as gonorrhea or chlamydia, and a third have had a prior history of infection.

Drug use is very, very commonalmost 90 percent of our kids use drugs, she said. In another study of child survivors, almost 50 percent of them had a drug abuse problem, and 75 percent of them had post traumatic stress disorder.

One of the most difficult things to do is break the trauma bond, or the loyalty, that the victim has to their trafficker.

Almost 50 percent reported a prior suicide attempt within the last year, said Greenbaum.

These are adolescents. Fifty percent trying to take their own lives, she said.

Child sex trafficking is so hidden in society that a reliable estimate of its prevalence in the United States doesnt exist. Estimates vary wildly from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of cases per year.

Of the nearly 25,000 runaways reported to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children in 2017, one in seven were likely victims of child sex trafficking. Of those, 88 percent were in the care of social services when they went missing.

Health Care Providers

Greenbaum said health care providers need to be more aware of the signs of trafficking in their patients.

She said in one study of adults and adolescent girls who were sex trafficking survivors, 88 percent said they had seen a health care provider while they were being exploited, yet none of them had been identified in the health care setting.

What does that say to us? It says that victims are coming to get health care, but were not recognizing them, she said. We have yet to see a victim come in and say, My chief complaint, my concern, is human trafficking. They dont self-disclose spontaneously.

Greenbaum said she would like to see protocols around identifying and responding appropriately to sex trafficking victims at health clinics, emergency departments, and hospitals around the country.

The issue is complicated, though. Very few victims actually realize theyre being exploited, she said.

They dont see themselves as needing or wanting outreach and help. So it becomes very difficult, Greenbaum said.

Its often a case of being re-trafficked and re-trafficked and re-trafficked. And we will see the same child every three or four months as they are picked up again by police. Then they are back out again.

We cant force anything, but we can certainly make it very clear that we want to help if we can.

Getting Out

Once theyre out of the trade, however, there is a long road ahead.

Many girls are mandated into residential facilities because they are minors.

We assume temporary custody while theyre with us; theyre with us about a year, said Mary Frances Bowley, founder and executive director of Atlanta-based Wellspring Living, which has a residential program for girls aged 12 to 17. Most of the girls are referred through the Department of Family and Children Services.

As they come in, one of the things we have to know is theyre probably not ready  because theyre being mandated to us, Bowley said.

One of the most difficult things to do is break the trauma bond, or the loyalty, that the victim has to their trafficker. Also known as the Stockholm Syndrome, its the psychological phenomenon where strong emotional ties develop between two people where one person intermittently harasses, beats, threatens, abuses, or intimidates the other, according to the Marin County Coalition to End Human Trafficking.

The victim expresses empathy and sympathy and positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with them, the coalition website states.

Most commonly, the pimp or trafficker makes the girl feel as if theyre in love and manipulates her into being too afraid to leave.

Bowley said at Wellspring they avoid telling the girl that the trafficker was wrong. They have to see it for themselves.

So exposing them to who they are and maybe helping them to understand that they have been exploited  they dont see that theyve been exploited, at first, Bowley said.

But generally about 60 to 90 days in, with consistent care, consistent therapy, they begin to see that and move away from that trauma bond.

But it is very, very hard to break. There is no doubt about thatit is very hard to break.

Bowley said building a trust relationship in a healthier way than the trafficker did is critical. But its often school that makes the girls want to stay, especially the younger ones.

They realize they will now be able to get their high school diploma, which they had given up on.

I think another aspect of the way that our girls and women feel like they can stay in the program is because we also work with a lot of volunteers. We celebrate a lot. And as you celebrate them, it helps them to believe Maybe this is hard, but its better than where Ive been, Bowley said.

The average age of girls forced into the commercial sex trade is between 12 and 14; and for boys, its 11 to 13, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The top five states for sex trafficking in the United States are California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, and New York.

Recommended Video:

What is MS-13?
If Trump no longer cares what corporate America thinks, then anything is permitted. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The stock market is a terrible proxy for an economys well-being. Corporate Americas conventional wisdom is not the revealed truth of the market gods. Multinational corporations and the median American worker have very different interests  and the formers support for free trade is no less fickle and contingent on narrow self-interest than the latters is: Apple may want to build its electronics from the cheapest possible commodities, but it will fight like hell to retain the protectionist patents that inflate its profit margins at the consumers expense.

All of which is to say: In some parallel universe, the news that the president has decided to disregard the stock markets feedback, buck corporate Americas common sense on trade policy, and oust the White Houses most influential voice of Wall Street wisdom might be cause for celebration, not trepidation.

But in that universe, Donald Trump is not the president.

Our populist president has displayed little interest in evidence-based policy-making, or respect for expertise and scientific research. But, until recently, he did make policy with an eye toward one external indicator of the nations general well-being: the performance of the stock market. That is, again, a terrible metric; but at least its a measure independent of the presidents subjectivity, and one that has some correlation with economic health. Similarly, corporate Americas consensus on any given policy is a poor yardstick for said policys merit. But the business community, as a whole, still has more interests in common with the public than does any given ideologue or kleptocrat on the White House staff.

A president whose actions were guided by a singular desire to please the stock market and corporate America would do a lot of damage to this country. But one whose actions are guided entirely by his own baseless intuitions, obsession with his personal image, and mercenary interests (and/or those of his staff) could prove even more destructive.

And make no mistake: Trumps break with corporate America in recent days is rooted in baseless intuitions and branding concerns  not a coherent ideological disagreement.

When Gary Cohn leaked word of his pending resignation on Tuesday  less than a week after Trump impulsively announced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports  the economic advisers departure was framed as a triumph for economic nationalism over globalism. And theres obviously something to that interpretation.

Cohn was among the administrations leading advocates for moderation on trade and immigration. Hed fought for months to prevent Trump from imposing steep tariffs on steel and aluminum; trade adviser Peter Navarro and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross took the opposite side of that argument  and prevailed. Now, as America hurtles toward a trade war with its closest allies, self-styled economic nationalists will have an even larger share of the (highly impressionable) presidents attention.

And yet, this frame lends Trumps nationalist trade policies a degree of ideological coherence that they do not deserve. Cohn may well be a globalist; Navarro, a protectionist. But the president is, first and foremost, a fantasist  one who cares more about projecting the image of himself as an economic nationalist than about implementing policies that benefit American exporters.

Trumps indifference to the actual consequences of his trade policies were reflected in one of the first decisions he made in the wake of Cohns resignation: canceling a meeting with the executives of American companies that will be hurt by his tariffs on steel and aluminum, which Cohn had worked to set up.

One can imagine a world where the White House is riven by an internal debate over whether its worthwhile to accept slightly higher consumer prices in the U.S. for the sake of fortifying Americas industrial base. But that isnt actually the debate thats currently playing out at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Trump has not signed onto a carefully-thought-out, comprehensive plan to bolster domestic manufacturing; hes impulsively announced a scheme to aid two domestic industries (including one that his Commerce secretary just happens to have ties to) in a manner that will put a much larger number of domestic industries at a competitive disadvantage.

Fewer than 150,000 Americans work in the steel industry. More than 950,000 work in motor-vehicle and auto-parts manufacturing. A policy that imposes tariffs on steel imports  but not on imported vehicles  aids a minor American industry at the expense of a major one. The president is about to incentivize car makers to relocate production outside of Americas borders, by making one of their products core inputs cheaper in Windsor, Ontario, than in Detroit, Michigan. And the metal tariffs would inflict similar hardships on other manufacturing industries, while sharply raising costs for the nations construction industry  thereby increasing the obstacles to commercial development.

Illustration: Bloomberg

Gary Cohn probably opposes protecting American manufacturing through tariffs on principle. But thats irrelevant to the internal debate over steel tariffs  because the steel tariffs that Trump has proposed would hurt American manufacturing. Thus, Cohn knew he didnt need to convert Trump to the neoliberal faith. He wasnt trying to get the president to meet with Cato Institute economists, but rather, with representatives from the domestic manufacturers he claims to champion. But Trump (apparently) had no interest in finding out how his chosen policy might undermine its ostensible goal.

Which makes sense: The presidents public remarks on trade do not evince much intellectual curiosity about the substance of the issue. The man gets the actual size of Americas trade deficit wrong virtually every time he cites it; claims that our country has a massive trade deficit with Canada, when we actually run a trade surplus with our neighbors to the north; and doesnt seem to understand what a trade deficit even signifies, or what a trade war actually involves.

It is true that Trump has expressed protectionist intuitions for the entirety of his time in public life. But this does not mean that there is any great depth or sincerity to his protectionist ideas, which arent rooted in any personal experience with the ravages of deindustrialization  or intellectual engagement with the subject of international trade  but only a faith in the zero-sum nature of all economic exchange (if not all human relationships).

And, by all appearances, Trumps decision to pursue his current protectionist policy was motivated more by a desire to stay true to his brand  and project a fitting image to his core constituency  than to realize any substantive goal. Observe Axioss rendering of the decisive Oval Office meeting:

Cohn tried to argue that these tariffs would ruin Trumps record-setting stock market streak and wipe away benefits of tax reform. But Trump kept saying Cohn was a globalist while he himself was an economic nationalist.

N avarro argued that Trump needed to protect the domestic industry, promote American jobs and show the world we were going to be tough on trade and this was the best way to do it. [Former White House Staff Secretary Rob] Porter argued tariffs would hurt the manufacturing industries that use steel and aluminum as inputs, tax American consumers, roil global markets, alienate allies and lead to retaliation.

Trump sat and watched the fight. He occasionally interjected, saying things like I need to take care of my base, You cant have a country without steel, and Peter, what do you say to that argument? By the end, Trump told Porter he didnt realize he was such a globalist.

In this account, Trumps primary concerns are about identity and branding  can he reconcile this or that argument with his persona as an economic nationalist, or is the contention simply too globalist for him to adopt. The fact that one of the globalist arguments here was that the tariffs will hurt American manufacturing doesnt appear to have troubled Trump in the slightest.

And this is what makes Gary Cohns departure ominous: He tethered Trump to an empirical worldview  a myopic and classist empirical worldview  but nonetheless, one that valued rational decision-making, economic growth, and international stability.

If the president continues down his current path  toward trade war and away from Establishment reason  he will have to convince himself that the S&P 500 is just another purveyor of fake news, and that the Chamber of Commerce is just a pack of self-interested globalists. From a different kind of populist, such sentiments might sound like righteous truth-telling; from this one, theyd sound like a ticking time bomb.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump attend a welcoming ceremony November 9, 2017 in Beijing, China. Trump is on a 10-day trip to Asia. (Thomas Peter-Pool/Getty Images)

Trump: White House Acting Swiftly on Chinas Intellectual Property Theft, Trade Deficit

President Donald Trump said that the White House is acting swiftly to stem the tide of intellectual property theft and demanded that China come up with a plan to reduce its trade deficit with the United States by $1 billion.

Under the predecessors of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, China became the main perpetrator of intellectual property theft from the United States by encouraging the growth of a shadow industry which steals up to $5 trillion in value from the U.S. economy every year, according to a two-year investigative series by The Epoch Times.

The U.S. is acting swiftly on Intellectual Property theft, Trump wrote on Twitter on Wednesday morning. We cannot allow this to happen as it has for many years!

The presidents hint of forthcoming moves on intellectual property theft was one of three China-related tweets he sent on Wednesday. Trump, in one tweet, demanded that China reduce its trade deficit by $1 billion, and in another, lamented the loss of U.S. jobs and factories due to the policies of his predecessors.

From Bush 1 to present, our Country has lost more than 55,000 factories, 6,000,000 manufacturing jobs and accumulated Trade Deficits of more than 12 Trillion Dollars, Trump wrote in the first of three tweets. Last year we had a Trade Deficit of almost 800 Billion Dollars. Bad Policies & Leadership. Must WIN again!

China has been asked to develop a plan for the year of a One Billion Dollar reduction in their massive Trade Deficit with the United States, Trump wrote in the second tweet. Our relationship with China has been a very good one, and we look forward to seeing what ideas they come back with. We must act soon!

Trump indicated on Jan. 17 that he is considering imposing a big fine on China as part of a probe into Chinas theft of intellectual property.

We have a very big intellectual property potential fine going, which is going to come out soon, Trump said.

Trump and his economic adviser, Gary Cohn, said China had forced U.S. companies to transfer their intellectual property to China as a cost of doing business there.

While Trump did not specify what he meant by a fine against China, the 1974 trade law that authorized an investigation into Chinas theft of U.S. intellectual property allows him to impose retaliatory tariffs on Chinese goods or other trade sanctions until China changes its policies.

Trump said the damages could be high.

Were talking about big damages. Were talking about numbers that you havent even thought about, Trump said.

U.S. businesses say they lose hundreds of billions of dollars in technology and millions of jobs to Chinese firms which have stolen ideas and software or forced them to turn over intellectual property as part of the price of doing business in China.

The president said he wanted the United States to have a good relationship with China, but Beijing needed to treat the United States fairly.

Trump said he would be announcing some kind of action against China over trade and said he would discuss the issue during his State of the Union address to the U.S. Congress on Jan. 30.

Asked about the potential for a trade war depending on U.S. action over steel, aluminum, and solar panels, Trump said he hoped a trade war would not ensue.

I dont think so, I hope not. But if there is, there is, he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.

From NTD.tv

Recommended video:

President Trump Visits China
US Sanctions North Korea for Killing of Leaders Half-Brother With VX Chemical

WASHINGTON The United States has determined Pyongyang used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Malaysia in 2017 and has imposed sanctions in response, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday.

The prohibitions appeared largely symbolic, such as sales to North Korea under the Arms Export Control Act and barring the export of national security-sensitive goods and technology to North Korea, which has no relations with the United States.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement the U.S. government made the formal determination about the use of VX on Feb. 22 under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991.

The additional sanctions on Pyongyang went into effect on March 5 after the finding was formally published in the Federal Register, the official journal of the U.S. government, Nauert said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson determined North Korea had used chemical weapons in violation of international law or lethal chemical weapons against its own nationals, the department said in the Federal Register.

Kims estranged half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, was killed at the airport in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 13, 2017. Two women, Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, are on trial on charges of murdering Kim by smearing his face with VX.
WeChat, the most popular messaging app in China, now has one billion accounts worldwide despite widespread concerns about its privacy. (Matthew Robertson/Epoch Times)

WeChat Now Has 1 Billion Accounts, Whose Conversations Are Being Stored and Monitored in China

Chinas dominant messaging app WeChat now has one billion accounts worldwide. The popularity of the platform, however, has not diminished concerns over how the app acts hand-in-glove with the Chinese regime, sharing private user data with it and helping to implement censorship.

Pony Ma, chief executive of WeChats parent company Tencent, said on March 5 that the platform had hit the landmark figure of one billion users during last months Lunar New Year festival. Ma gave the remark to reporters when he was attending the annual session of the National Peoples Congressthe Chinese regimes rubber-stamp parliament.

WeChat later clarified that this means the total user accounts and not the number of individuals, which could be much less than the stunning figure of one billion. Market research firm eMarketer estimated last year that WeChat had 494.3 million individual users in China, according to a Financial Times report. WeChat had also reported last September that its user accounts grew by 15.8 percent annually.

WeChat growth outside of China reflects the large number of Chinese migrants, students, and travelers around the world. Inside China, WeChat has extensive working relationships with all levels of the Chinese state and has become an essential platform used in daily micro-transactions, taxi-hailing, news services, and food delivery, among other uses.

Tool of Censorship and Surveillance

The dominance of WeChat in China has been widely attributed to the companys close collaboration with the Chinese regime in implementing self-censorship and surveillance mechanisms. WhatsApp and other global messaging apps that might have competed with WeChat have mostly been blocked or otherwise forced out of Chinas massive market.

A 2016 survey done by Amnesty International that ranks the worlds most popular messaging apps in terms of privacy protection for users gave WeChat a score of 0 out of 100, meaning that users of WeChat receive little or no encryption protection for their communications, and the app is completely exposed to censorship and surveillance.

Unlike other messaging apps such as WhatsApp, WeChat does not provide end-to-end encryption between users. Instead, WeChat employs what is called transport encryption that encrypts messages only between the user and WeChats servers. In addition to the extra security vulnerability such a process introduces, it also means that WeChat servers in China would essentially keep a record of all messages.

While WeChat has consistently insisted that it deletes the content of the message once it is received by the intended user, The Epoch Times reported last September that WeChat had updated the wording of its privacy policy agreement, which implies that the company freely shares private user messages with the Chinese regime.

WeChat would retain, preserve or disclose users data to comply with applicable laws or regulations, the new user agreement says. Because the Chinese regimes law enforcement agencies and security apparatus do not need a search warrant to seize a citizens property or private data, the regime would essentially have access to just about everything WeChat users send through the app.

At my annual China visa renewal: Police officer: I saw you posted on social media about organising an event for journalists on the 8th Me: I don't think I did Me: *thinks, does he realise he saw that by surveilling my private messages and not on my public feed*  Yuan Yang (@YuanfenYang) February 9, 2018

Yuan Yang, a reporter for the Financial Times stationed in Beijing, tweeted in February that a Chinese police officer inquired about her online activity during her visa renewal application. It was implied that the question could have been prompted by the authoritys routine snooping into her WeChat private messagesexactly the type of surveillance that WeChat consistently denied that it provided to the Chinese regime.

In 2017, Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che was arrested when he arrived in mainland China and later convicted of subversion after a Chinese court found him guilty of sending pro-democracy messages to others through WeChat and other messaging platforms.

The sentencing of a Taiwanese citizen to jail based in part on dissenting messages made through WeChat raises the concern that citizens from other countriessuch as the United States, could face the same fate when they travel to China.

Recommended Video:

How Doctors in China Turn into Murderers
LR: Scott Root Jr., Michelle Root, Sarah Root, and Scott Root at Sarahs graduation ceremony on Jan. 30, 2016, just hours before she was killed. (Courtesy of Michelle Root)

Grieving Mother Becomes Activist Against Illegal Immigration

Michelle Root is haunted by the avoidable death of her daughter

When holding her baby, Michelle Root could never have known that she would only have her for 21 years, 8 months, and 30 days.

Her daughter, Sarah, was at a stop light on Jan. 31, 2016the night of her college graduationwhen a drunk, unlicensed driver, who was traveling almost 70 miles per hour in a 35-mile zone, slammed into her vehicle. She didnt stand a chance.

Beyond trying to wrap her head around the sudden tragedy of losing her daughter, Michelle had to grapple with the concept that the man who killed her was in the United States illegally.

She often gets asked why it matters that the driver, Edwin Mejia, was in the country illegally.

What if he hadnt been here? My daughter would be, she said.

I cant play what ifs, because he was. And, guess what, nobody else died in Omaha, Nebraska, on January 31 from a drunk driver. So what if Sarah would have lived?

How Does This Happen?

Sarah had just graduated from Bellevue University near Omaha, Nebraska, with a 4.0 GPA in crime investigation.

Michelle recalled seeing Sarah pop up on the jumbotron three times during her graduation ceremony. Looking back, she wonders if it was something God did for her.

Just to see her walk across that stage, one of the happiest moments of her life and one of the proudest moments of my life. To know that in less than 24 hours she was going to be taken  its just unbelievable, Michelle said.

Mejia was 19, drunk, and speeding. There was a warrant out for his arrest, and he was in the country illegally.

She was just the most giving and caring and smart young woman that Ive ever known. She never made anybody feel like she didnt have time for them. I miss everything about her.

Sarah lived with her older brother, Scott Jr., who had bought the family home when their parents divorced. Scott Jr. was the one who got the dreaded visit by the police in the middle of the night to say Sarah had been in a car accident. He then had to call his parents at 4 a.m. and tell them to get to the hospital.

You never think that when you get to the emergency room that youre going to hear those words. We got there and found out there was zero chance of survival, Michelle said.

Of course, youre trying to take that all in, and the neurosurgeon and the trauma surgeon are explaining to you her injuries, and again I dont know the full situation at this time, all I know is she was rear-ended.

So Im thinking that my daughter did something wrong, like not wear her seatbelt (which she did all the time), in order to have sustained such horrific injuries from a rear-end accident.

Michelle also found out that the person who hit Sarah was in the same hospital, and she expressed her concern that he was OK.

But then, just hours after the accident, early on Sunday morning, she found out the rest of the story. Mejia was 19, drunk, and speeding. There was a warrant out for his arrest, and he was in the country illegally.

Im like, how does this happen in the United States of America? By this time, I find out that he had a warrant out for his arrest since May of 2015, for failure to appear. So then Im finding out he has other traffic violations. Hes 19 years old, hes here illegally, and yet he was still out on our streets, American streets, Michelle said.

So then I get angry.

Michelle and her family were told that Mejia would be taken directly from the hospital to jail, then he would go through the judicial system, do his time, and be deported back to Honduras. The day after the accident, on Monday, Mejia was charged with DUI with serious bodily injurySarah was still on life support, so they couldnt charge him with vehicular homicide yet.

The next few days were a whirlwind. Sarah was an organ donor, so doctors kept her body alive while recipients arrived. Meanwhile, the Roots were planning a funeral. Early on Thursday morning, Sarahs machines were switched off.

On Friday, while we are making arrangements for Sarah at the funeral home, finishing up the arrangements, my sister gets a call saying they set bond at $50,000, Michelle said. In Nebraska, only 10 percent of the bond amount needs to be paid to secure release.

Of course, we were upset about this bond because her funeral is more than the $5,000 that he needed to get bailed out, Michelle said.

On Friday night, at about 8 p.m., Michelles ex-husband called one of the investigators to find out what happened with Mejia. He was told a relative had paid the $5,000 and Mejia was out of jail, but due to show up in court on Monday.

I lost it. I wanted to break every bone in his body, Michelle said. Because again, I cant understand how youre here illegally, and you can bond out at $5,000 when you have priors. I just cant wrap my head around any of it.

He was supposed to show up for court-appointed drug and alcohol testing and to get the ankle monitor put on. So then, again, I lose it. So you guys let him go without even putting an ankle monitor on him prior to leaving the jail? I understand you can cut it off  but at least it would have been an extra layer. I would have felt like they had done something.

Mejia never showed up in court on that Monday, and he has been in the wind ever since.

As it stands right now, theres nobody accountable for Sarahs death, which makes it even worse, Michelle said.

Because even though its not going to bring Sarah back, at least it would have felt like some justice was served. And that her death wasnt in vain.

A Long-Term Fight

As with many loved ones of victims of illegal alien crime, Michelle has become an unintended activist against illegal immigration and sanctuary cities.

She has found support with congressmen from Iowa and Nebraska and was on stage with then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016.

Trump mentioned Sarah during his speech at the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016.

Her killer was then released a second time, and he is now a fugitive from the law, Trump said. Ive met Sarahs beautiful family. But to this [Obama] administration, their amazing daughter was just one more American life that wasnt worth protecting.  One more child to sacrifice on the altar of open borders.

Michelle said she feels that the Trump administration is taking illegal immigration seriously.

I have faith in him, Michelle said. I know he has an uphill battle with Congress and the Senate.

She supports legislation against sanctuary cities that harbor illegal immigrants and tougher penalties for illegal border crossers.

In December, Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Ind.) introduced a bill to the House that would punish officials who implement sanctuary policies in their jurisdictions.

Kates Law, named after Kate Steinle, who was fatally shot by an illegal alien in June 2015, seeks to increase the penalties for illegal aliens who attempt to re-enter the United States after deportation. It passed the House last summer and is on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells (R-Ky.) desk waiting to be introduced to the Senate.

We get these little pieces of hope, Michelle said, referring to legislative reform. These are common sense laws. And I dont know why we need these laws against illegal aliens for Americans safety.

She is a co-founder of Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime, a group of people whose loved ones have been killed by illegal aliens. They are trying to raise their voices to be heard alongside the sustained support for amnesty for a large group of illegal aliens, specifically recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

The group wrote an open letter to Trump in January, imploring him to follow through on the election promise he made to secure the border and bring about immigration reform. They asked for several reforms to be made before any type of amnesty is granted to DACA recipients, including an end to sanctuary jurisdictions, a massive increase in deportations, and an end to chain migration, the diversity visa lottery, and birthright citizenship.

As law-abiding citizens, we demand that our constitutional rights be guaranteed and protected before anyone who has entered our country illegally is given any deference, the Jan. 3 letter states.

For Michelle, its a lifelong mission she is dedicated to.

Ill continue to do this until I die and [am] reunited with Sarah. Because she deserves that, she deserves her story, her legacy, to be known, she said.

She deserves to be down here with her family, celebrating all the little accomplishments, all the big accomplishments, the holidays, the birthdays. She deserves to be enjoying that with us. She deserves to be a wife and a mother and a grandmother. But that was stolen from her by somebody that shouldnt have been here.

Meanwhile, she is looking forward to meeting the man who received Sarahs heart.

My son  recorded Sarahs heartbeat before they took her down to donate her organs, she said. So, to have that, and to hear it beating again and tape record it, would be so, so special.

Recommended Video:

Texas Sheriff Talks About Why Sanctuaries Dont Help Public Safety
When the company that owns the Johnnie Walker brand, Diageo, launched a limited-edition version of its scotch featuring a female version of its top-hat-wearing male icon, there was quick backlash. Consumers and the media found the timing of the launch (which coincided with International Womens Day and Womens History Month) questionable, and many people suggested Diageo was pandering.

Related: When Your Customers Are Talking, Quiet Your Brand Voice and Listen

Any chance of changing the publics perception of Jane Walker quickly ended when some comments from Johnnie Walker vice president Stephanie Jacoby (who actually worked on the Jane Walker campaign) took the media and the Twitterverse by storm and even made it onto The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Specifically, Jacoby said in an interview, Scotch as a category is seen as particularly intimidating to women.  [Jane Walker] is a really exciting opportunity to invite women into the brand.

Despite the fact that Diageo had been making changes internally to promote womens rights for some time and will donate $1 to organizations championing womens causes for each bottle of Jane Walker produced (there will be 250,000 produced), the wave of negative perception overshadowed any good intentions the company may have had.

Understanding the backlash against Jane Walker

From a marketing perspective, its always risky to connect a product, service, brand or company to a social or political movement, including days that celebrate social or political movements like International Womens Day or Womens History Month. The reason is very simple. Human beings can be distrustful of companies motives. After all, companies are in business to make money, so this distrust isnt surprising. Its the companys job to earn consumers trust in their brands, products and services first, so later, its intentions are perceived as good, genuine and  wait for it  trustworthy.

Related: Why You Should Hire One of These People to Tell Your Brand's Story

Thats where Diageo failed with Jane Walker. In fact, there are two specific steps that the company took with the release of Jane Walker that foretold its negative debut: timing and messaging.

1. Intentional timing perceived as pandering

Diageo originally planned to launch Jane Walker in the wake of Hillary Clintons expected victory in the 2016 Presidential election. When that didnt turn out the way the company expected, Jane Walkers debut was delayed until this year when its launch was tied to International Womens Day and Womens History Month. In other words, the launch timing was clearly intentional, and as a result, people perceived the timing as pandering rather than authentic.

Remember, in marketing reality and perception dont always mix, and as the first rule of marketing tells us, consumers build brands, not companies. If the consumer perception of a companys brand and related products and marketing doesnt align with the companys intentions (as it did not for Jane Walker), then the company failed at understanding its audience, effectively communicating with them, and delivering the right products to them.

Related: 5 Ways to Authentically Connect Your Employees to the Brand

2. Public relations messaging created negative brand perceptions

When a company tells the world that its brand and products are intimidating to women, and this intimidation was so massive that the company actually had to create a female icon to place on its packaging in order to invite women into the brand, the result will be negative perceptions.

Suggesting that a whiskey brand is intimidating and there was a need to make it less scary for a portion of the consumer audience to drink is practically a guaranteed way to alienate that portion of the consumer audience. Its also a good way to insult the 29 percent of the products current customers who belong to that segment of the consumer audience (29 percent of scotch buyers are women and women are responsible for 24 percent of scotch sales, according to Nielsen Spectra).

Related: 4 Ways to Make Your Business More Authentic and Successful

How the Jane Walker brand launch could have worked better.

For Diageo, the Jane Walker brand launched before the consumer audience was ready for it and prepared to accept it. For casual observers, one day Johnnie Walker was a scotch enjoyed primarily by men. The next day, Johnnie is Jane and the brand claims to be all about womens rights. There was an obvious disconnect between the brand promise, and you cant be surprised that most people didnt instantly make the leap.

Diageo could have had more success with the Jane Walker branding if the icon and product were not launched until after the company had invested time and money into connecting the company to womens rights. Had the company led with messaging and events about all of the great things its doing for womens rights first, and then launched Jane Walker, the icon and product would have seemed like a natural next step for the brand promise rather than a giant leap out of nowhere.

Furthermore, Diageo could have positioned Jane Walker not as a scotch for women but as a scotch for everyone who supports women. Rather than directly saying the purpose of Jane Walker is to bring more women to the brand, Diageo should have allowed that to happen naturally based on its actions. Ultimately, the icon and Jane Walker brand name simply would act as tangible brand identity elements representing the purpose, promise and actions. In fact, thats what brand identity elements like icons and names are for, so this recommendation isnt innovative or surprising. Its marketing at its most basic, strategic level.

Related: Don't Get Too Fancy in Your Marketing -- Authenticity Always Wins

Furthermore, consumer psychology tells us that people are more likely to buy products they can relate to. Thats why its important to use the right colors in packaging, actors in commercials, etc. -- so the appropriate target audience can relate and say, This product is for me, or This brand is for me. Diageo needed to build an emotional connection in peoples minds between the brand and womens rights before trying to sell the Jane Walker product. Otherwise, the launch would be perceived as pandering, particularly due to the timing that made it look like the company was trying to ride on the coattails of International Womens Day and Womens History Month. Of course, as we all know now, thats exactly what happened.

The lesson to learn from Jane Walker

With all of that said, its important to remember that companies can and should conduct market research to understand consumer preferences and behaviors and launch products for specific target markets. That includes gender-specific products, because men and women could use products differently, have different preferences for products and derive different benefits from products.

For Diageo, the Jane Walker branded scotch is identical to the Johnnie Walker branded scotch, so the new branding wasnt based on product-related preferences. It was entirely based on a new aspect of the brand promise, but the way it was launched made people question that brand promise. Does Diageo really care about womens rights, or is the company just trying to gain more exposure with the conveniently timed launch? Based on this consumer confusion and coupled with the companys own comments about its product and the purpose of Jane Walker, the effort was tarnished with negative perceptions regardless of the companys actual intentions.

Jacoby later clarified the intention of Jane Walker, saying, This wasnt about making a whiskey for women. We would never make anything thats for womens palates. Taste buds have no gender. However, the negative perception had already traveled fast and far.

The lesson to learn from Jane Walker is to match your products, marketing and efforts to your brand promise, and if there could be a disconnect, close the gap and massage consumer perceptions before you make any big changes.

Related Video: Your Competitive Advantage Is Not Your Product -- It's Your Story

Related:

Disney's Punny Team Up With Solo Cup for the Next 'Star Wars' Movie Is a Good Reminder That George Lucas Made Millions on Licensing

The Problem With Johnnie Walker's Jane Walker Scotch Was Perception

#4 Tips to Help Women Entrepreneurs Grow a Strong Personal Brand



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Just a few hours after a 21-year old UConn senior grabbed a womans buttocks on campus one November morning last year, the entire student body received an alert with an image of the suspect caught on campus camera, according to UConn police. The offender, an engineering major, was arrested that same day in his dorm room and charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and second-degree breach of peace.

The widely-publicized incident was one of 37 reported sex crimes last year on the 27,000-student campus, a 24 percent decrease in sexual assault from 2015, according to data from UConns annual safety report released earlier this month.

The university increased its campus security training and guidance four years ago after a group of students filed a lawsuit and a Title IX complaint against UConn, alleging that school officials mishandled reports of sexual assault. UConn paid $1.3 million to settle the lawsuits.

We will continue to do the important work of ensuring that our university community is free from all forms of sex-based discrimination and violence, just as we were doing before, UConns president, Susan Herbst, said in a recent statement. This commitment is unwavering.

Reports of other criminal offenses, including robberies and burglaries slightly increased for the 2016 school year at all UConn campuses, school data shows. But for the first time in three years, the university didnt receive any reports of aggravated assault.

Trinity College in Hartford had the highest rate of criminal offenses of all four-year universities in Connecticut last year, averaging close to 20 incidents per 1,000 students for a campus of roughly 2,300 undergraduates and graduates, according to the schools safety data. But crime incidents on campus have slightly decreased since 2015.

"The college has paid particular attention to the incidents that have occurred on campus and our Campus Safety operation uses various methods  education, technology, and crime prevention strategies  to reduce the opportunity for criminal behavior," said Trinity spokeswoman Kathy Andrews.

Trinity has put in place more safety measures that have helped lower crime rate, from increasing its deployment of officers on bicycles to requiring ID card access for buildings throughout campus, and adding more closed circuit cameras.

All U.S. universities and colleges that receive federal funds are required to share on-campus crime statistics with the public under the Clery Act of 1990. The law was named after Jeanne Clery, a Lehigh University freshman who was raped and murdered in her dorm in 1986.

But Clery reports dont always capture the whole picture. Less than 28 percent of even the most serious sex crimes are reported to an organization or agency, according to a study conducted by the Association of American Universities in 2015.

Small and less serious incidents are also not always reflected in Clery reports, said Lt. John Ritchie, the assistant director of public safety at Fairfield University.

"The required statistics provides a limited snapshot of the incidents reported on campus, Ritchie said. We actually go a little further and do a complete incident analysis annually for a much larger picture of campus activities."

Fairfield University, a Jesuit school with a 200-acre campus, had six reports of sexual assault last year for a total enrollment of about 5,100 students. In response to increased safety escorts and student requests, the school released an app in 2016 called EmergenSee that let people stream real-time video and share their GPS location with Fairfield Universitys public safety dispatch center. Other schools like Sacred Heart University, Yale and Central Connecticut State University, have launched similar safety apps to reach students and employees in an emergency scenario and better respond to crime reports.

Students like to text and use smart phone apps rather than make phone calls, Ritchie said. EmergenSee is a smartphone app that is a great addition to our arsenal of technology as we strive to make our campus as safe as possible.

Goodwin College, a suburban school in East Hartford, was the safest campus last year with no reported crime. Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven had one of the lowest crime rates among universities in the state, with only 6 reported offenses in 2016 for an enrollment of more than 10,400 students.

Yale University, also in New Haven, reported about 113 criminal incidents, including 25 rapes for the 2016 school year. Eighteen rapes happened inside Yale's campus residences, and for the first time since 2014, the university reported two incidents of statutory rape last year.

"Yale makes a strong effort to provide information and tips to our students, faculty and staff," said Yale spokesperson Thomas Conroy. "We don't believe we face higher challenges than other campuses. We all have similar concerns."

Check out the gallery above to see how many crimes were reported at colleges and universities in Connecticut.

Additional reporting by Nicole Funaro.
EDWARDSVILLE  The case involving possible hacking of Madison County computers will be heard by a judge in a different circuit, according to court documents.

The records show that Chief Judge David Hylla asked the Illinois Supreme Court to have the case heard by a judge in a district other than the Third Judicial Circuit, which is primarily made up of Madison County.

The high court ruled that the case will be heard in the Second Judicial Circuit in Mount Vernon.

Hylla could not be reached for comment.

Chief Judge Thomas J. Tedeschi of the Second Circuit appointed Associate Judge Jerry E. Crisel to hear the case.

The case is in response to a search warrant filed by Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons, who formed a task force to look into use of county computers. Officers raided the Administration Building and took possession of several computers under a search warrant obtained by Gibbons.

Based on the information provided through multiple sources and individuals, States Attorney Tom Gibbons called for the formation of a special investigative task force, comprised of members of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies to investigate the allegations and determine the extent of any wrongdoing, according to a news release from Gibbons.

Evidence of possible illegal conduct by county officials was provided to the States Attorneys Office, according to the release.

In response to the search warrant, attorney Ed Moorman filed a suit seeking to clarify possible conflicts of interest Gibbons may have as states attorney. He represents Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler, County Administrator Doug Hulme and Information Technology Director Rob Dorman.
Ormat Technologies, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of geothermal and recovered energy power business. It operates through the following segments: Electricity, Product and Energy Storage. The Electricity segment focuses in the sale of electricity from the company's power plants pursuant to PPAs. The Product segment involves in the manufacture, including design and development, of turbines and power units for the supply of electrical energy and in the associated construction of power plants utilizing the power units manufactured by the company to supply energy from geothermal fields and other alternative energy sources. The Energy Storage segment consists of battery energy storage systems as a service and management of curtailable customer loads under contracts with U.S. retail energy providers and directly with large commercial and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Reno, NV.

Read More
South32 Limited operates as a diversified metals and mining company primarily in Australia, Southern Africa, North America, and South America. The company has a portfolio of assets producing alumina, aluminum, bauxite, energy and metallurgical coal, manganese ore and alloy, ferronickel, silver, lead, and zinc. It also exports its products. South32 Limited has a strategic alliance agreement with AusQuest Limited for exploration opportunity under at its Morrisey nickel-copper project. The company was formerly known as BHP Coal Holdings Pty Limited and changed its name to South32 Limited in March 2015. South32 Limited was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in Perth, Australia.

Read More
Police officers outside the home of Sergei Skripal. Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia were poisoned by a nerve agent in the U.K. this week, British police said Wednesday.

Though Metropolitan Police counterterrorism chief Mark Rowley would not reveal the type of poison used in the attack, he did say that it was deliberately administered and the case is now being treated as an attempted murder.

The Skripals were found Sunday slumped over on a bench in Salisbury, where Sergei lives, and are now hospitalized in critical condition. Rowley said several first responders have also fallen ill, with the police officer who was first on the scene now in a serious condition in hospital.

Skripal, a 66-year-old ex-spy, was convicted of selling secrets to the U.K. in 2006, but was pardoned in 2010 as a part of a U.S.-Russia prisoner swap and moved back to the U.K.

While its still unclear who is behind Skirpals poisoning, the Russian government is the top suspect. Boris Johnson, the U.K. foreign secretary, has said the U.K. will respond appropriately and robustly if the Kremlin is found to be behind the attacks. In remarks Tuesday, Johnson drew parallels to the 2006 death of Alexander Litvinenko, a Vladimir Putin critic who was killed in a poisoning ordered by the Kremlin.

The Russian embassy in London responded to Johnsons comment with sarcasm, saying in a statement that it was impressed with him.

It looks like the script of yet another anti-Russian campaign has already been written, the statement said, adding that Johnson spoke in such a manner as if the investigation was already over and Russia was found responsible for what had happened in Salisbury.
1+ days ago

3 Stocks Close to Record Highs to Buy Now

Although the market has been pulling back over the past few weeks, the good news is that there are still pockets of strength that stand out as potential buying opportunities. In fact, some stocks are trading close to their all-time highs and have barely budged during the recent market weakness, which tells us that there is heavy demand for their shares.

Read Article
Teachers and demonstrators hold signs during a rally outside the West Virginia Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia, on Friday, March 2, 2018. Photo: Scott Heins/Bloomberg via Getty Images

West Virginias teachers, bus drivers, and school cooks will soon be a bit less underpaid. By mounting a wildcat strike that shuttered the Mountain States school system for nine days, West Virginia teachers forced Republican elected officials to provide them, and their colleagues in the public education system, with a 5 percent raise.

This is no small victory. Public sector unions enjoy few rights in West Virginia, and count few friends in its state legislature. The success of their strike is a testament to the power of labor solidarity, and the weakness of public support for the conservative movements vision of government. These teachers suspended their states entire school system for over a week, imposing a significant burden on West Virginia parents  and still, public support for the teachers demands remained high enough to force conservative Republicans to reward an act of labor militarism.

That public support shouldnt be too surprising. Only two states in the union pay their teachers lower salaries than West Virginia did. And two of the states neighbors, Pennsylvania and Maryland, pay their teachers nearly $20,000 more each year than the average West Virginia educator makes. These realities have left the Mountain State with an estimated 720 unfilled teaching positions. Last year, then-Democratic West Virginia governor Jim Justice tried to ameliorate this crisis, proposing $450 million in new taxes to fund a raise for the states teachers, among other initiatives. Republicans in the state legislature refused to sign on.

West Virginia voters may have fondness for right-wing rhetoric, social conservatism, and Donald Trump. But very few of them would prefer for their children to attend overcrowded classes taught by underqualified teachers, than for rich people and corporations to pay higher taxes. On the national level, the GOP has been able to conceal the costs of its addiction to regressive tax cuts through deficit financing. But on the state level, the books need to balance, And so, voters must (eventually) grapple with the actual trade-offs of small government  bigger McMansions for the elite, failing public schools for the rabble. The depth of public support for the striking teachers in West Virginia suggests that, even in the heart of Trump country, Americans prefer investment in public goods to upward redistribution. This development should give courage to progressives and public-sector unions in other deep red states, where GOP orthodoxy is making it impossible for governments to fulfill their most basic obligations to ordinary citizens.

But while the West Virginia strikers victory is significant, its also partial. The teachers won their raise, but they did not convince their elected officials to put public education ahead of coal companies profit margins  rather, they forced Republicans to put the former ahead of Medicaid recipients. The legislature did not consent to a single penny of tax increases. Instead, it will fund the teachers raises with $20 million in spending cuts, including reductions in public spending on health care  this, in a state that suffering the brunt of a drug overdose epidemic.

The strikers won the battle in West Virginia. But theres an awful lot of class war yet to be waged.
The hero America deserves right now. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

If Stormy Danielss 5,000-word In Touch interview about her alleged affair with Donald Trump left you wanting more, youre in luck. If, on the other hand, you happen to be Trumps longtime attorney Michael Cohen, you might be wondering if youre cursed.

The adult film star filed a civil suit against the president in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, alleging that since Trump never signed the nondisclosure agreement their lawyers set up weeks before the 2016 election, their hush agreement is null and void.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, also alleges that when the story went public in January, Cohen used intimidation and coercive tactics to force her to sign a false statement denying that she had an affair with Trump.

Following reports that Cohen arranged a payment of $130,000 to Clifford just days before the 2016 election, the lawyer said he paid her out of his own pocket, and wasnt reimbursed by the Trump Organization or the Trump campaign. Cohen refused to say why he paid Clifford, or whether Trump paid him back through his personal funds. Yesterday The Wall Street Journal reported that Cohen put up the money because he couldnt get in touch with Trump during the final days of the campaign, and he complained to others that he hadnt been reimbursed. Its not clear if Clifford would give back the $130,000 if the contract is voided.

On Tuesday Cliffords attorney, Michael Avenatti, tweeted out the full complaint, which includes the hush agreement she signed in October 2016. Heres what we learned:

 Clifford stands by the story she told journalists prior to signing the nondisclosure agreement: She began an intimate relationship with Trump in the summer of 2006 in Lake Tahoe, and the affair continued into 2007. It included at least one meeting with Trump in a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

 Clifford started shopping her story to media outlets after the release of the Access Hollywood tape. The suit says that after learning this, Trump and Cohen aggressively sought to silence Ms. Clifford as part of an effort to avoid her telling the truth, thus helping to ensure he won the presidential election. Later it notes that Trump had to be aware of what Cohen was doing  if not, the attorney flagrantly violated his ethical obligations and most basic rules governing his license to practice law.

This framing is relevant to complaints a government watchdog group filed with the Federal Election Commission and Justice Department over the $130,000 payment. If Cohen intended to silence Clifford to aid Trump politically (rather than, say, keeping the affair from Melania Trump), that could violate campaign finance laws. Even if the payment came from Trump, he might have failed to properly disclose it.

Democratic Reps. Ted Lieu and Kathleen Rice, both former prosecutors, have called for an FBI investigation into the payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, saying they believe the transactions may have violated federal election law. pic.twitter.com/fU0OMENpw2  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 6, 2018

 As previously reported, Cohen set up Essential Consultants LLC on October 17, 2016, for the sole purpose of paying Clifford. In the hush agreement she was referred to as Peggy Peterson and Trump was called David Dennison.

BREAKING: Stormys suit is more evidence for our @CREWcrew complaint that Trump broke the law by failing to disclose info re the agreement on his SF-278 federal disclosures. For Gods sake, there was a signature line for him in the docs under a fake name! https://t.co/hZAOfk21rG https://t.co/wiAlVtgXqz  Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) March 7, 2018

 Clifford and Cohen signed the contract, but Trump never did. The suit alleges that he purposely did not sign the agreement so he could later, if need be, publicly disavow any knowledge of the agreement or Clifford.

It may not matter that Trump didnt sign the contract, but the court could decide the agreement is unenforceable for other reasons, like being wildly unfair.

Here's what may be fatal to Stormy's case. Her agreement says that it's between EC, the company Michael Cohen set up, AND/OR DD [defendant, Trump], and PP (Stormy). Cohen signed for EC. AND/OR means Cohen's signature for EC alone, without Trump's may be enough. Plus she was paid.  Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) March 7, 2018

 Clifford alleges that in addition to bullying her into signing a false statement denying the affair in January 2018, a month later Cohen issued a public statement denying the existence of the hush agreement, without her consent. The suit argues that even if the hush agreement was valid without Trumps signature, Cohen voided it when he made multiple statements to the media.

Um, folks, @MichaelCohen212 better get himself a good lawyer. If the allegations here by @StormyDaniels are correct then Cohen forced her to sign a statement that Cohen knew was false.



Lawyers cant do that. https://t.co/1LcZVRA31g  Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) March 7, 2018

 The suit says Cohen continued pressuring Clifford in recent days by initiating a bogus arbitration proceeding against her in L.A., without providing her with notice of the proceeding and basic due process.

Porn Star Stormy Daniels sues Trump. It also sounds like Cohen has engaged in a number of unethical actions in connection with his representation of Trump. I would like to see a criminal probe of Cohen for witness intimidation. https://t.co/DTOONkpw67 via @nbcnews  J Whitfield Larrabee (@jwlarrabee) March 7, 2018

 The hush agreement says Clifford has confidential information related to Trump, which includes information, certain still images and/or text messages.

Tfw you realize Trump prolly sent Stormy a dick pic pic.twitter.com/95CqkTLA1l  Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) March 7, 2018

 The agreement says Clifford alleges that shes been damaged by Trump, including proximately causing injury to her person and other related claims. Clifford has said the affair was consensual, and its not clear what this refers to.

Trump alleges that Clifford harmed him with her threat of selling, transferring, licensing, publicly disseminating and/or exploiting the Images and/or Property and/or other Confidential Information. Clifford is supposed to turn over any of Trumps tangible property and permanently delete any electronic copies that can not be transferred.

 The agreement says that if Clifford violates the agreement, she must pay Trump $1 million for each breach.

Oh hell ya. Theres an Austin Powers provision buried in the Story Hush Agreement. If Stormy breaches the agreement she not only has to give up the money she made but pay trump ONE MILLION DOLLARS for each individual breach. pic.twitter.com/Hc9rbBJxaG  Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) March 7, 2018
MontrealBombardier Inc. fell the most in five months after announcing a plan to sell new shares in an effort to strengthen its balance sheet.

The offering furthers Bombardiers efforts to shore up its finances, while diluting investors who had previously been enjoying a rally as chief executive officer Alain Bellemare made headway on a five-year turnaround plan.

Through Monday, shares had risen 31 per cent this year. Bombardier is taking advantage of the surge to raise about $638.4 million with its first stock sale in three years. Canadas largest aerospace company is offering the shares at a 4.5-per-cent discount to the closing price Monday.

If you buy into Bombardier, one of the risks you run as an investor is that there will be events like this one that take away from the earnings, said David Tyerman, an analyst at Cormark Securities in Toronto. This is another step to give themselves more breathing room. Even if the plan works, and so far its working, they will need a long time to fix the debt situation.

The shares tumbled 6 per cent to $3.74 at 11:15 a.m. in Toronto after sliding as much as 9.3 per cent for the biggest intraday decline since Sept. 27.

Lower leverage

Before the share sale plan, Bombardier had posted the second-biggest advance this year on Canadas benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index.

The improvement in the valuation of Bombardier recently may have triggered an opportunity whereby the company begins to lower financial leverage earlier while at the same time de-risking the transformation plan in the immediate term, Fadi Chamoun, a BMO Capital Markets analyst, said in a note to clients. The stock sale represents an insurance policy that might be worth the costs given the unpredictable nature of the aerospace segment, he said.

Bombardier, which also makes trains, will sell 168 million of its widely traded Class B shares at $3.80 apiece, according to a statement Monday. The offering is expected to be completed by March 23.

Proceeds will be used to supplement working capital and for general corporate purposes, thereby building further operational flexibility and re-equitizing the balance sheet, the company said. The Montreal-based company has said its well positioned to break even on a cash-flow basis this year  a major milestone for Bellemares turnaround plan.

CEO options

Options for Bellemare and his team include buying back the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebecs minority stake in Bombardiers rail unit after this year, Cai von Rumohr, a Cowen & Co. analyst, said in a note to clients. The Caisse, Canadas No. 2 pension-fund manager, owns about 28.5 per cent of the unit.

Bombardier last sold stock in 2015 when it issued $1.1 billion of Class B shares a few days after appointing Bellemare as CEO.

Credit Suisse Securities, National Bank Financial, UBS Securities Canada and TD Securities are leading the stock sale. The underwriters have an option to purchase another 25.2 million shares at any time up to 30 days after closing of the offering. That would increase total proceeds to $734 million.

Read more about:
MONTREALA Montreal university and one of its unions will sit down with a mediator Wednesday to discuss a flyer in which the institutions rector was compared to the captain on Gilligans Island.

Montreal La Presse is reporting the issue goes back to 2015 when unionized students employed in research projects as well as technical and teaching assistants at Universite de Montreal were negotiating a new collective agreement.

In a court filing, the university says the students union, which is affiliated with the Public Service Alliance of Canada, published a leaflet in which rector Guy Breton is shown in a sailors hat.

The handout asks who is in charge of the boat, if there is a captain on board and whether negotiations are hidden on Gilligans Island  a reference to the popular TV series that ran during the 1960s.

The Universite de Montreal has issued a statement saying it took the legal route to avoid further personal attacks on its representatives.

It notes that since the events in question arose, a new collective agreement has been reached and the parties involved have agreed to meet with a mediator to reach an out-of-court settlement.

Read more:

Former NDP leader Thomas Mulcair to teach at Universite de Montreal

Read more about:
He can be very convincing. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The most stunning thing about President Trump allegedly paying a porn star to keep quiet about their affair: Whenever the story surfaces, its rarely the biggest Trump scandal of the day.

That was true when Stormy Daniels filed a civil suit against Trump on Tuesday  and not just because Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, announced his resignation hours earlier. The New York Times reported that George Nader, an adviser to the United Arab Emirates with ties to various Trump aides, is cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller and testified before a grand jury last week. Nader is an obscure figure in Trumps orbit, but he may be key to Muellers investigation of possible attempts by foreigners to influence Trump officials.

Nader is a Lebanese-American businessman who advises Emirates Crown Prince Mohammed Zayed al-Nahyan, whos known as MBZ. Hes worked as a contact between Washington and various Middle Eastern leaders for three decades, and he became close with several Trump advisers, visiting the White House frequently last year.

Nader was served with search warrants and a grand jury subpoena on January 17 at Washington Dulles International Airport, while en route to a celebration of Trumps first year in office at Mar-a-Lago. The Times reports that Muellers investigators have questioned Nader and other witnesses about possible efforts by the Emiratis to buy Trumps support by funneling money to his campaign. They have also asked about Naders role in White House policy-making.

Nader has also drawn particular attention for his role in two meetings between foreign officials and Trump associates.

The first occurred in December 2016, when MBZ  accompanied by Nader  met with Trump advisers Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn, and Jared Kushner at Trump Tower. The UAE failed to notify the Obama administration of the visit beforehand, and the breach of protocol raised concerns in the U.S. intelligence community. Around the same time, Kushner met with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the U.S., and Sergey Gorkov, a Russian banker close to Putin, and discussed setting up a back channel to communicate directly with Moscow during the transition. Kushner was simultaneously trying to find foreign investors for his familys real estate projects.

The second meeting took place in the Seychelles days before Trumps inauguration. The Times reported that Nader represented MBZ in the meeting with Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian investor close to President Vladimir Putin, and Erik Prince, the Blackwater founder and informal Trump adviser (who is the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos). Sources say Emirati officials were under the impression that Prince was speaking on behalf of the Trump transition, and Dmitriev was representing Putin.

The Seychelles meeting has been the focus of much speculation. Though Prince has testified to Congress that his contact with Dmitriev was merely a hastily arranged conversation over a drink, others say it was part of the effort to establish back-channel communications between Trump and Moscow. The Post reports:

The UAE agreed to broker the meeting in part to explore whether Russia could be persuaded to curtail its relationship with Iran, including in Syria, a Trump administration objective that would be likely to require major concessions to Moscow on U.S. sanctions, those officials said.

Nader has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and perhaps he told Muellers investigators that Trump officials had perfectly innocent reasons for holding various secretive meetings with Russians tied to Putin. But with reports suggesting the special counsel is digging into improper interactions between Trump officials and several foreign nations, not just Russia, having a key figure willing to talk is bad news.
REGINAThe father of a young Cree man who was killed on a Saskatchewan farm says he is heartbroken the Crown will not appeal the acquittal of the man accused in the fatal shooting.

Last month, a jury found Gerald Stanley not guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Colten Boushie, who was 22 and from Red Pheasant First Nation. The Crown said Wednesday there is no legal basis to appeal the verdict.

Read more:

Police watchdog to investigate RCMP handling of Colten Boushie killing

After acquittal in Boushie killing, RCMP town hall in Biggar, Sask., focuses on property rights

Indigenous youth say justice-system reforms are necessary to achieve reconciliation

Theres no justice there, Pete Boushie told The Canadian Press from his home on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. What else can I say?

It just goes to show there is no justice in this world.

Saskatchewan senior prosecutor Anthony Gerein said a verdict cant be appealed because people dont agree with it or because there may be questions about the investigation.

The Crown can only appeal legal errors in the course of the trial, he told a news conference.

Public prosecutions lawyers, me, lawyers who do the appeal work here in Saskatchewan, experienced trial lawyers outside the appeal section  found no basis to appeal.

The trial heard that Boushie was one of five young people who drove an SUV into Stanleys farmyard near Biggar, Sask., in August 2016. They testified they were looking for help with a flat tire.

Stanley told the trial he thought they were trying to steal an all-terrain vehicle. He testified he fired warning shots to scare them away and the gun accidentally went off again when he reached for the keys in the SUVs ignition.

Colten Boushie's family is meeting with ministers following the acquittal of the Saskatchewan farmer charged in his death. Cousin Jade Tootoosis says her family wants to build relationships with people in Ottawa who can make a difference. (The Canadian Press)

The case was filled with racial tension from the beginning and the verdict was met with outrage from Boushies relatives and their supporters.

After the verdict, family members met with federal ministers along with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ask for changes to the justice system and to how juries are selected to better reflect Indigenous people.

Rallies were also held around Canada to voice displeasure with the outcome of the case.

I know there is much sadness about the decision not to appeal, but there can be no appeal because the law does not allow it, Gerein said.

He said the Crown did not consult with the Boushie family about the legal decision, but Gerein spoke to lawyers on both sides and they informed their clients.

Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said the decision is another devastating blow to the family of Colten Boushie, and yet another indication to First Nations that Canadas justice system is failing them.

He said seeing justice denied affects everyone.

This specific case exposed with glaring clarity some ugly aspects of racism and ignorance, he said in a statement. We are deluding ourselves if we think thats not the case.

Boushies cousin, Jade Tootoosis, has said that the family felt excluded and ignored by the justice system following the shooting.

I urge no one to be discouraged or distrust the system. We are all in this together and must be united against crime and in the search for justice, Gerein said.

Tracey Lindberg, of the Kelly Lake Cree Nation and a law professor at the University of Ottawa, said Indigenous people are still stereotyped as villains even when they are the victims.

We have to give up this false narrative of justice and replace it with a truth: Canadian justice harms Indigenous peoples, she said in an email. And justice which harms some is not just for anyone.

Nickita Longman, an activist and Boushie family supporter who attended the trial, said justice cant be found in Canadas legal system.

And without justice in colonial law, there can be no reconciliation, she said.

On Tuesday, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission launched a review into the RCMPs investigation into the shooting.

Read more about:
HALIFAX  A sailor has told a military court he woke up in his bunk to a superior performing oral sex on him while a navy destroyer was visiting Spain in 2015.

The leading seaman was testifying Wednesday in Halifax at the standing court martial for Master Seaman Daniel Cooper, accused of sexual assault and ill treatment of a subordinate.

The man, whose name is protected by a publication ban, said he and Cooper returned to HMCS Athabaskan after having a few drinks with other crew members in Rota, Spain, on Nov. 9, 2015.

He said the men had a few more drinks in the mess and eventually went to bed around 1 a.m. on Nov. 10, 2015  but he woke up about three hours later as someone was performing oral sex on him.

Im trying to figure out whats going on. Im in shock. Im frozen stiff, he told the court. Im not sure what to do.

The man said it was dark and he couldnt see, but the person performing the act was repeating a sexual phrase to him, and he recognized the voice to be that of Cooper, a naval communicator at Canadian Forces Base Halifax.

He became emotional in the courtroom as he spoke about fearing for his safety and attempting to alert a crew member in the bunk below him  but he said his pleas for help went unanswered.

I said, I think Im getting raped ... But he didnt believe me. His response was Youre drunk and I have duty in a few hours. Go back to bed, the man said, breaking into tears.

The junior sailor eventually told his alleged assaulter he was not gay, to which he replied, Oh, sorry, and left.

The alleged victim immediately reported the incident to his superiors.

He told the court he never invited Cooper into his bunk or consented to oral sex.

Cooper has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Read more about:
OTTAWA  A new study of more than 650 wildlife management systems in Canada and the United States concluded that most of them lack fundamental hallmarks of science, a finding that the studys lead author said raises doubts about hunting regulations and animal protection in North America.

Using a framework of 11 criteria to determine scientific rigour, biologist Kyle Artelle and his co-authors found only 26 per cent of the wildlife management systems include benchmarks to measure performance, while almost half  48 per cent  do not publish information about the size of animal populations or how they are changing over time.

The study also found that just 11 per cent of the systems publicly report how hunting quotas are set, while only 9 per cent of the systems are subject to any form of independent review, something the authors say deviates substantially from proper scientific practice.

Artelle, a biologist with the Raincoast Conservation Foundation and post-doctoral fellow at the University of Victoria, said the findings mean it is difficult to assess how governments choose to manage animal populations that are hunted in Canada and the U.S.

This could be cause for alarm if some of this hunt management is not as rigorous as some might hope, he said in an interview this week.

It can be concerning on a couple of levels. Science is a really great tool In the absence of it, its hard to say how credible management is.

The study was published Wednesday in the journal, Science Advances. Artelle and his five co-authors examined 667 systems to manage animal populations that are hunted in 62 jurisdictions at the provincial, territorial and state levels in Canada and the U.S. The systems covered 27 species, which Artelle said include big game animals like deer, elk and sheep, smaller mammals killed for their fur, and birds such as quail and pheasants. He said the study included 123 wildlife management systems in all provinces and territories except Quebec, because plans were not available in English.

Artelle explained that their goal was to assess the scientific basis of management systems using 11 criteria under four broad hallmarks: measurable objectives, the use of evidence, public transparency and independent review. Sixty per cent of systems examined in the study fulfilled just one or two of those hallmarks.

While Artelle said that decisions around wildlife management shouldnt be solely based on science  social and economic considerations are important too, he said  he argued that it should be emphasized when the public expects it, or when governments justify policies by appealing to evidence-based decisions.

Agencies will often defend a particular policy using the words science-based, Artelle said. It has a lot of weight to it, but if it turns out that this isnt as science-based as its being sold, then I think thats just concerning in terms of good governance, in terms of having honest discussions with the public.

The population of terrestrial species in Canada dropped by an average of 10 per cent between 1970 and 2014, mainly due to a decline in mammal population, according to the species index published last month by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Finance Minister Charles Sousa will table a pre-election budget on March 28 that puts Ontario back into the red.

We are choosing to put our strengthened fiscal position to work, to address our priorities, your priorities  and, as a result, we will be running a deficit, starting next year, Sousa told an Economic Club of Canada luncheon Wednesday.

The treasurer said the shortfall would be less than 1 per cent of GDP, but declined to be more specific.

Given that Ontarios gross domestic product was $794 billion in 2016, that suggests a deficit that could be almost $8 billion in 2018-19.

We are making a choice. We are committing to more support for social and developmental services, more supports for mental health and healthcare programs, more supports for students, said Sousa.

And make no mistake: our budget will have a clear plan to track back to balance. But lets be clear: we are making this choice deliberately.

Sousas surprise return to deficit budgets comes three months before the June 7 election, in which the opposition Progressive Conservative, under former leader Patrick Brown, said they would be running a $2.8 billion shortfall.

It also comes after the Liberal got things back in the black last year and promised surpluses for the foreseeable future.

Tory MPP Lisa MacLeod said the deficit U-turn proves the budget is nothing more than a costly re-election ploy full of expensive voter-friendly goodies.

After promising a balanced budget for years to come, the ... Liberals are already changing their tune and plunging the province back into deficit. They cant be trusted to keep their word, said MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton).

This is a government that has no real beliefs other than their own political self-interest, she said.

NDP MPP John Vanthof, whose party has yet to say whether it will run a deficit, noted hospitals are overcrowded and services are inadequate thanks to an old, tired government that has been in power since 2003.

Vanthof said only the New Democrats can deliver change in the spring campaign.

Weve got a tired government on one side and the loyal official opposition are a trainwreck, he said, referring to the Tories problems since Brown resigned in scandal Jan. 25.

Everybodys looking at the trainwreck. Once they are picking up the remnants and people see what the options are, theyll realize they do have a real option for change  and thats us.

Sousa acknowledged it was a difficult decision to return to borrowing money to finance programs.

Even though I have fought long and hard to slay the deficit and balance the books  and I appreciate those concerns  but I will not leave people behind, he said.

I announced last year that we eliminated the deficit entirely and I am pleased to report that we now have a surplus in this fiscal year.

With the Tories electing a new leader Saturday  former MPP Christine Elliott, ex-city councillor Doug Ford, rookie PC candidate Caroline Mulroney, and social conservative activist Tanya Granic Allen are vying for the crown  Sousa also took a shot at the Liberals main rivals for opposing carbon pricing.

The Conservatives are misguided in turning their backs on this cost-effective approach. It leaves them with no plan whatsoever to tackle climate change or seize investment opportunities, he said, referring to Ontarios cap-and-trade pact with Quebec and California, a deal the Tories plan to scrap.

It leaves them with a gaping $16-billion hole in their fiscal plan. If you start cutting away to make up for the Conservatives $16-billion shortfall, it wont be fat youre sawing into; it will be bone.

Elliott, who is the favourite to win the Tory leadership, warned voters not to be fooled by Premier Kathleen Wynnes empty campaign promises.

As premier, I will go line by line through Ontarios books and audit Kathleen Wynnes mess.

While Ontario budgets are traditionally held on Thursdays, this years spending plan will be tabled on a Wednesday because of Easter.

Read more about:
OTTAWACanadian pulse farmers are pondering if it is even worth planting peas and lentils this spring, as steep tariffs from their No. 1 customer cut deep into their profit margins.

However Gordon Bacon, CEO of Pulse Canada, hopes that if Canada can persuade India to stop requiring Canadian producers to douse their pulses in pesticides that are unnecessary on Canadian crops, it may improve the economics of the exports, even if the tariffs arent lifted.

Import tariffs of 50 per cent on yellow peas and 33 per cent on lentils had an immediate effect on Canadian exports to India, which fell 92 per cent in the last two months of 2017, compared with the same time period a year earlier. India is the biggest foreign buyer of Canadian peas and lentils.

Read more:

Indias crackdown on pulse pests marks uncertainty for Canada

The drop has left many farmers with excess stock from last year they havent already sold and makes it increasingly less attractive to plant more peas and lentils this year, said Bacon.

Bacon doesnt expect Canada to be exempted from the tariffs, but he says Canada needs to ensure India provides predictability and transparency in its decisions. He was also buoyed when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the pesticide issue directly with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi last month.

Bacon says though the pesticide rule has been in place since 2003, and has been brought up at the diplomatic and ministerial level before, this was the first time it was raised at the highest level of the Indian government.

It was important that this was addressed by the prime ministers, said Bacon. Because of the political importance of pulses in India, it was recognized this would need to go to the highest political office.

He says the joint statement also mentions that the two countries agreed within 2018 to finalize an agreement that will allow Canadians to export pulses to India free from pesticides using mutually acceptable technology. Bacon says the methyl bromide India forces all countries to fumigate their pulses with is an ozone-depleting chemical and that Canada either doesnt have the pests India is worried about or already has other systems in place to get rid of them.

Canada does not pose any risk, he said.

He estimated on a 50,000 tonne shipment of pulses, the fumigation adds an additional $700,000 in costs.

He noted Indias current policy expires in June and will be replaced, so the clock is ticking if Canada wants an exemption.

A spokesman for Agriculture Canada says the goal is to get an arrangement in place this year but doesnt specify a specific deadline, nor did he outline exactly what steps are being taken.

Luc Berthold, the Conservative agriculture critic, said the Indian issue is a significant problem for Canadian pulse producers and said Trudeaus recent allegations that the Indian government was somehow involved in embarrassing him by getting a convicted attempted murderer invited to a reception in India, is not going to help.

Justin Trudeau needs to make securing new markets for Canadian pulse producers a priority rather than jeopardizing our existing relationship with India with reckless accusations, said Berthold.

Read more about:
Years before he was named as an alleged serial killer, Bruce McArthur was brought in by police for questioning in a separate incident unrelated to men missing from Torontos Gay Village and was let go, according to sources familiar with the incident.

McArthur, who is now charged with six counts of first-degree murder, was brought in after the 2014 closure of a police investigation dubbed Project Houston, which investigated three missing persons, and before the 2017 launch of Project Prism, which culminated in McArthurs January arrest, sources said.

Homicide detectives now probing McArthurs case did not find out that police had previously questioned McArthur until after his arrest. These investigators then passed this information to the Toronto police professional standards unit and an internal investigation began Monday.

The chief has always said, if we come across issues that need addressing, we would not wait. We would act as soon as practical, Toronto police spokesperson Meaghan Gray told the Star in a statement Tuesday night. Information was brought forward by our investigators that was concerning. That information was referred to professional standards and, as early as yesterday, an investigation was started.

Gray said that police would not provide any details, in order to ensure a fair disciplinary process and to protect evidence that is now part of a complex homicide investigation.

We know this information will be disappointing to some members of the community, Gray added. In addition to listening to their concerns, we have always said we are open to a public inquiry into these investigations, and Chief (Mark) Saunders has already taken steps to consider what areas can be reviewed right now, during the ongoing investigation.

The Star does not know under what circumstances McArthur was brought in for questioning, nor the particulars of the information recently exchanged between officers that has triggered the internal investigation.

The Star has also confirmed that the police chief, Saunders, met Tuesday with Jaime Watt, who heads the high-profile crisis communications firm Navigator. In her statement to the Star, Gray said that Navigator had not been retained, but rather the chief has met with Jaime Watt, an active leader within (the LGBTQ) community, to discuss our ongoing efforts to connect with the LGBTQ community.

Read more:

Tips pour in after police release grim photo of man believed to be victim of alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur

The red tape behind the Bruce McArthur tapes

Opinion | Keenan: What is Chief Saunders thinking, adding insult to gay communitys injury?

McArthur, 66, is facing six charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of men who began disappearing from the area of the Church-Wellesley Village in 2010.

He is charged in the deaths of Andrew Kinsman, 49; Selim Esen, 44; Majeed Kayhan, 59; Soroush Mahmudi, 50; Dean Lisowick, 47; and Skandaraj Skanda Navaratnam, 40.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT. Toronto police have released a photograph of a man who is believed to be a victim of alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur. Det. Sgt. Hank Idsinga says releasing the image is a last resort to find the mans identity. (The Canadian Press)

On Monday, police held a press conference and took the rare step of releasing a photo of a deceased man they believe to be a seventh victim. Det. Sgt. Hank Idsinga, who is in charge of the McArthur investigation, said police decided to publicize the photo in the hope that someone can identify him. Sources with knowledge of the ongoing probe have told the Star that investigators uncovered reams of evidence in the case, including digital images linked to McArthur.

The remains of six people have been found in large planters at a Leaside home where McArthur did landscaping work. Three of those individuals have since been identified as Kinsman, who was identified through fingerprint evidence, and Navaratnam and Mahmudi, whose identities were confirmed through dental records.

McArthurs arrest in January followed years of missing persons reports and suspicions in and around the Gay Village that a serial killer was at work. In November 2012, police convened a task force dubbed Project Houston to search for three missing men (Kayhan, Navaratnam and Abdulbasir Faizi, 44) who disappeared between 2010 and 2012. The task force was shut down after 18 months. Police said recently the project was closed because there was no evidence to suggest criminal activity.

In July 2017, after the more recent disappearances of Kinsman and Esen, police launched Project Prism, the ongoing investigation that is now focused on McArthur.

Saunders has faced criticism, most notably from the LGBTQ community, for how he and his force have communicated the progress of their investigations into the disappearances. Last week, in an interview published by the Globe and Mail, Saunders seemed to suggest that citizens were to blame for the slow progress police made in identifying a potential serial killer.

We knew something was up  We did not have the evidence, the Globe quoted Saunders as saying. If anyone knew before us, its people who knew him very, very well. And so that did not come out.

In a subsequent interview with CP24, Saunders defended his remarks by saying: I dont think theres anything I said about civilian fail, community fail or victim-blaming. He said if his comments to the Globe and Mails editorial board were misconstrued or taken in the wrong context, then I definitely apologize for that.

In December, during at a press conference announcing a review of how the police handle missing persons cases, Saunders said there was no evidence the disappearances were the work of a serial killer. Just over a month later, McArthur was arrested and charged with the murders of Esen and Kinsman.

In a CTV W5 report in February, Idsinga, in an interview, told the network that Project Houston was formed in response to a tip about an online cannibalism ring playing a role in Navaratnams death.

It was a tip that was ultimately discounted, Idsinga added.

In the CTV report, a man who said he used to date Kayhan  CTV protected his identity  said he last saw Kayhan with McArthur, information he shared with police after Kayhans 2012 disappearance.

Idsinga said he couldnt confirm police received the tip or spoke to McArthur in 2012. At the time, the task force found no evidence of foul play.

Toronto police have committed to an internal review that would look at how all missing person files are handled. This followed recent criticism over several high-profile cases. At a monthly meeting last week, the police board passed a motion requiring the service make the results of that internal review public.

The Star recently filed a freedom of information request to Toronto police asking for more detailed reasons why Project Houston was shut down. Police responded that any records contained in Project Houston could not be provided because they were related to a matter that is currently before the courts. The response also said Idsinga, along with a now retired detective, Sgt. Deb Harris, were in charge of Project Houston.

In 2003  long before Project Houston and Project Prism  McArthur pleaded guilty to hitting a man numerous times with a metal pipe on Halloween in 2001. He was barred from an area that included the citys Gay Village and prohibited from spending time with male prostitutes.

A court recording of the sentencing, obtained by the Star after a court order was granted last week, shed some light on the circumstances around the 2001 attack, although the proceedings make clear that no motive was ever determined.

McArthur himself said he did not know why he attacked the victim.

I just wanted to apologize to the court for what happened. My lifes been kind of a mess in the last year and a half, knowing whats going to happen and whats happened to me, McArthur told now retired Ontario Court judge William Bassel.

Id like to apologize to the victim  I wouldnt know what to say, other than Im sorry for all the pain and anger Ive caused him.

Since McArthurs January arrest, others have come forward to speak about encounters with the alleged serial killer that now haunt them. One man, Sean Cribbin, told Global News that he had a 2017 sexual encounter with McArthur that left him unconscious. Cribbin said he was willing to push his limits during the encounter but as it went on, he remembers he couldnt breathe.

He was cutting off my airway  with his hands, with his body weight sitting on my chest, he told Global News, adding that the only reason he survived is that McArthurs roommate returned.

With files from Vjosa Isai, Fatima Syed and Star staff

A timeline of the McArthur investigation

April 2003: Bruce McArthur, now 66, is convicted of assault for hitting a man with a metal pipe. He is barred from the gay Village and prohibited from spending time with male prostitutes.

Sept. 6, 2010: Skandaraj Skanda Navaratnam, 40, disappears.

Dec. 29, 2010: Abdulbasir Faizi, 42, disappears.

Oct. 14, 2012: Majeed Kayhan, 59, disappears.

November 2012: Police commence Project Houston.

April 2014: Project Houston is shut down.

August 2015: Soroush Mahmudi, 50, disappears.

2016 or 2017: Dean Lisowick, 47, disappears.

April 14, 2017: Selim Esen, 44, disappears.

June 26, 2017: Andrew Kinsman, 49, disappears.

July 2017: Project Prism is launched into the disappearances of Kinsman and Esen.

Jan. 18, 2018: McArthur is arrested and charged with the murders of Esen and Kinsman.

Jan. 29, 2018: McArthur is charged with the murders of Kayhan, Mahmudi and Lisowick.

Feb. 23, 2018: McArthur is charged with the murder of Navaratnam.

March 5, 2018: Police release the photo of an unidentified deceased man who they believe is the seventh victim of McArthur.

Read more about:
A Canadian seriously injured in a violent shooting on June 2017 has launched a civil lawsuit against a New York hospital where he was completing his medical residency, alleging lax security measures enabled the attacker on a deranged mission to enter the facility.

The suit, filed at a Manhattan federal court by Justin Timperio, 29, who was working as a first-year medical resident, against Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center alleges the hospital had an ineffective security system, and against Upstate Guns and Ammo, LLC, the company who sold the AR-15 rifle to Dr. Henry Bello a few days before the mass shooting.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

As a general policy, our hospital does not comment on any litigation, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital spokesperson Errol Schneer said.

Timperio, originally from St. Catharines was one of six people wounded when Bello went on a shooting rampage, killing a woman before killing himself.

The firearm used in the shooting has been used in a rash of mass shootings across the U.S., including at the Orlando nightclub and, more recently, at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fl., the suit states. The Orlando shooting in June 2016 killed 49 people and the Parkland shooting on Feb. 14 killed 17. The suit questions whether the gun shop ensured Bello was issued a rifle permit required by the New York Police Department.

The gun dealer had an obligation to check with NYPD, said Arnold Kriss, Timperios lawyer. We believe that this is something, especially with this modified assault weapon, the responsibility should be on the firearms dealer, and itll be up to the court to make that decision.

Craig Serafini, identified as the owner of Upstate Guns and Ammo, said in a news report that every one of (our) employees follows all state and federal compliance checks. No firearm has ever left our building without going through those checks according to the suit.

Serafini declined to comment to the Star through his lawyer, Michael Murphy.

Contained in the allegations outlined in the suit is a harrowing account of how the shooting unfolded.

Bello, who was previously employed by the hospital, bypassed security through the use of an invalid identification badge, the suit says, adding the hospitals human resources department failed to reclaim the badge.

Timperio was writing medical chart notes in the 16th floor work station when a medical student said, code silver, meaning a person has a gun and is in the building.

There was mass pandemonium, where people were yelling about what was going on. As Timperio and other medical residents hid in an enclosed station, the door swung open.

Bello, donning a white frock and a hooded sweatshirt covering his face, walked in brandishing an AR-15 rifle. The former doctor who had resigned from the hospital in 2015 amid sexual harassment allegations, sent out a barrage of shots into the work station.

I saw flashes of light coming from the muzzle of the gun, smoke, large pops, and I had no idea what was going on, Timperio said at a press conference in New York on Tuesday, adding that he was about four feet away from Bello when he was shot.

Bello proceeded to the nursing station, according to Timperio, stating there was a lot of blood and papers were flying around. Timperio saw one of his female colleagues hiding under a desk with a gunshot wound to the neck.

I grabbed her by the hand and said We have to go, now.

As they attempted to flee, Timperio encountered Bello again. Bello had an orange juice container filled with gasoline, which he used to set the nursing station on fire, the suit says, sending a curtain of flames ... to the ceiling.

When Bello saw them, he pointed the rifle, and said Come back here. I am going to find and get you. Dont try to leave, according to the suit.

The pair made their way to a stairwell  Bello followed, shouting and cursing after them, Timperio said.

Travelling down from the 16th floor to the 11th, they met two security guards, Timperio said, who helped them find medical attention.

Timperio said he recalled asking the officer to call his mother and father to tell them he loved them, saying he knew he was going to die.

He was transferred to Mt. Sinai Hospital the following day.

Because of the nature of these weapons that are used, it hit me in the liver, it ricocheted around my abdomen, hit my stomach, hit my small intestine, and then it tracked down and came out my right thigh, he said during a New York press conference on Tuesday.

Timperio is accusing Bronx-Lebanon Hospital of negligence causing emotional distress after no one from the hospital administration contacted his family when he was clinging to life. No one from the hospitals administration has reached out to the family to explain what happened or to offer any support, with the exception of the surgeon who operated on him, the suit says.

According to the lawsuit, Timperios injuries will require ongoing care and have impacted his medical career.

The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the serious physical and life threatening injuries, emotional distress and potential economic harm to (Timperio). Damages are greater than $75,000.

Nobody will ever fully recover after something like this, Timperio said in an interview with the Star.

With files from Bryann Aguilar and The Associated Press
Ontarios proposed new transparency legislation aimed at eliminating the gender pay gap is too weak and fails to address fundamental issues surrounding wage discrimination, according to the provinces Equal Pay Coalition.

Hailed by Premier Kathleen Wynne as a first-of-its-kind strategy, the bill introduced Tuesday would require all publicly advertised job postings to include a salary rate or range, bar employers from asking about past compensation and prohibit reprisal against employees who do discuss or disclose compensation. The bill would also make large employers track and disclose compensation gaps to government.

Fay Faraday, co-chair of the Equal Pay Coalition formed in 1976, welcomed the first three measures but said the reporting requirements fall short of other jurisdictions  and dont even match legal obligations already imposed on Ontario employers.

Pay transparency is tremendously important but if the government is going to do it, they have to do it right to make sure its effective, Faraday said.

The reporting requirements contained in the proposed reforms will be applied to specific sectors. First, they will be rolled out for the Ontario Public Service. They will subsequently be introduced for private sector workplaces with more than 500 employees, and then those with more than 250.

Small businesses represent 95 per cent of all employers in Ontario, and employ 28 per cent of Ontarios workers, according to the Ministry of Labour.

One hundred per cent of employers have an obligation to provide equal pay, said Faraday. The human rights code doesnt carve out anybody. So there is no principle justification for restricting pay transparency.

Civil service workers pay structures are already transparent because they are unionized employees with publicly available collective agreements that lay out pay rates, she added. Employees who make over $100,000 are also named on the Sunshine List.

Janet Deline, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour, said the new proposals would require the public service to provide additional data on workforce composition and aggregate pay gaps.

The intent of the new legislation is to increase disclosure in hiring processes, around workforce composition and aggregate pay gaps by gender and other diversity characteristics, she said, adding the ministry would encourage smaller employers to release the same data.

Faraday said pay transparency is about shifting the onus of responsibility away from individual employees, who must currently file complaints about wage discrimination to get action, and onto employers to prove they are complying with the law.

Every single employer should have this information at their finger tips, Faraday told the Star. What theyre proposing has some good elements but it doesnt actually address that fundamental issue.

The gender pay gap in Ontario is 30 per cent, according to the Equal Pay Coalition's calculation  a gap that narrowed by just 6 per cent since the late 1980s. To put the figure in perspective: if a man were to retire today at 65, a woman would have to keep working until she was 79 to quit with the same earnings.

The gap sharpens considerably based on race and origin. The pay gap for Indigenous women is 57 per cent, for immigrant women it is 39 per cent, and for racialized women it is 32 per cent. Women also make up the majority of minimum-wage earners and part-time workers.

The governments pay transparency legislation is part of a broader, $50 million three-year plan for womens economic empowerment. Provincial Pay Equity Commissioner Emanuela Heyninck told the Star the strategy as a whole will have a significant impact for working women, as it addresses many of the barriers to womens full participation in the workforce.

The goal of any transparency legislation is to remove opportunities for pay inequalities, help shift expectations around salary and put women in a better position to negotiate a fairer wage. It will also enable employers to show leadership as accountable, equitable employers, she said.

While recently-passed Bill 148 introduced reforms for those in precarious jobs such as a $2.60 minimum wage bump, Jan Borowy  a lawyer with labour law firm Cavalluzzo and who co-chairs the Equal Pay Coalition with Faraday  called the governments latest wage discrimination proposals timid.

I think they may be concerned frankly about backlash from the business community after the minimum wage backlash. They are doing a disservice to women and their fundamental human rights.

The United Kingdom recently imposed similar pay transparency reporting requirements, which  like Ontario  apply only to workplaces with more than 250 employees. So far, 74 per cent of companies who have submitted their data pay men more than women, according to the Guardian newspaper.

Last year, the coalition drafted a model pay transparency law and urged the province to adopt it. Among other measures, it set out employees right to know their workplaces pay structure and required all employers to file transparency reports to the Ministry of Labour and their shareholders ever year.

We did the work for them already, Faraday said, adding that the coalition had no prior knowledge of the legislation tabled Tuesday. This came out of the blue for us.

Borowy said pay transparency requirements should also apply to provincial government procurement processes. Last week, the federal government took steps in that direction, noting in its 2018 budget that its own proposed pay transparency legislation would specifically apply to federal contractors with contracts worth more than $1 million.

In a 2016 brief to the federal government prepared on the topic by the provincial Pay Equity Commission, the office noted its wage gap pilot program found 54 per cent of respondents appeared to have a gender wage gap in their organizations. It also noted that 81 per cent of employers contacted voluntarily provided their compensation data to the commission.

That, Borowy said, could indicate that employers are willing to participate in more rigorous pay transparency schemes. But, she added, ensuring compliance required resourcing enforcement efforts. The Pay Equity Office currently has 14 review officers, but Ministry of Labour spokesperson Deline said the new economic empowerment strategy would increase the offices budget by 25 per cent, allowing them to increase enforcement efforts.

The concern that weve raised since the outset is that these initiatives are being promised now but its a matter of weeks before the writ drops so theres no real action that's going to happen on this, said Faraday, referring to the imminent provincial election.

This is really serious work that needs to be done, that needs to be taken seriously.
What started out as a blessing for Markham couple Ayesha Riaz and Ahmad Saleem with the birth of their baby boy at Markham Stouffville Hospital turned tragic when the 24-year-old new mom died just days later from a strep A infection.

An outbreak of the infection in the hospitals maternity ward not only left Riaz dead, but two other women ill.

Read more:

This new mom had a close call after Strep A outbreak at Markham hospital

Riazs son Eesa Ali was born Feb. 7. Both the mother and baby were doing well after the early birth, her friend Khalidha Nasiri said in an email.

Ayesha and the baby stayed in the hospital for the next few days because she gave birth four to five weeks early, so the baby was to be monitored, she said.

On Feb. 10, 2018 around noon, Ayesha underwent sudden septic shock and her organs started failing. It was determined that she had an undetected group A streptococcus (GAS) infection that resulted in the septic shock. Within a matter of a few hours, she died.

A GoFundMe page set up on behalf of the family outlines the devastation of losing beloved Riaz.

Ayesha was only 24 years old and was just starting her new journey as a mother with her loving husband and family, it said.

Ayesha had the most contagious giggles, was never too busy to check in on friends and family and always went out of her way to help everyone in even the most mundane things. In every interaction she had with people, she left a memorable feeling in their hearts. Ayesha loved life!

The family has many questions and concerns about the care Riaz received at the hospital, Nasiri said.

Those include a nurse delivering the baby without the supervision or monitoring of a doctor, worries Riaz had with symptoms she was experiencing that were dismissed as normal,  and only one doctor in charge of the intensive care unit when she was transferred there on Feb. 10, Nasiri said.

Lisa Joyce, the hospitals head of communications, said she could not answer some questions, such as whether a doctor was present at the time of birth, due to patient confidentiality.

An internal investigation was launched on Feb. 10 when the hospital identified a suspected case of possible Group A Strep infection, Joyce said.

At that time, we immediately implemented protocols consistent with an outbreak, including enhanced cleaning and restrictions on the number of visitors, she said.

Joyce said the hospital notified York Region public health when it learned of the outbreak.

Like all hospitals, we have an obligation to report Group A Strep cases to Public Health and we did so immediately, she said.

As soon as there were indications of a Group A Strep case on the unit, we instituted enhanced cleaning measures and restricted visitors to the unit. We also proactively notified patients who would be coming to the unit about the increase in infections and the restrictions we had put in place.

The hospital will be undertaking a critical incident review which will examine the root cause of this incident and make recommendations aimed at preventing a recurrence, Joyce said.

York Region public health said it was assisting the hospital with its investigation.

On the GoFundMe page, Riaz is praised as a recent University of Toronto graduate who was known as a strong, kind and empathetic women.

She volunteered at Sunnybrook Hospital and tutored children in her neighbourhood.

Ayesha was a strong believer in social justice and the empowerment of women in every part of the world, the page said.

Loved ones are hoping to raise $25,000 with 10 per cent of the funds going towards building wells in communities in Pakistan lacking safe drinking water.

Read more about:
OTTAWA The mayor of Canadas biggest city is stressing the need for more money and stronger laws to fight the scourge of gang-related gun violence.

Toronto Mayor John Tory said Wednesday that while Canada generally has tight controls on firearms, there are some holes that exist in that system.

Measures should be toughened to ensure authorities are notified when gun traffickers make repeat purchases of firearms that end up being sold to criminals who kill, Tory told a national conference on guns and gangs.

When people are buying multiple guns in any number at all there should be a red flag.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale convened the meeting of government, police, community and Indigenous representatives against the backdrop of some troubling statistics.

The number of firearm-related homicides in Canada hit 223 in 2016  up 44 from 2015, and the third consecutive annual increase. There were 141 gang-related homicides in 2016, 45 more than the previous year. Meantime, break-and-enters to steal guns have been rising.

The federal government has earmarked more than $327 million over five years, and $100 million a year thereafter, to address criminal gun and gang activities.

The government is also preparing legislation to strengthen controls on the movement, licensing and tracing of firearms  measures that would repeal some elements of a bill passed by the previous Conservative government.

One of the common messages to emerge from the meeting is the need for a collaborative effort, Goodale told a news conference. Co-ordination is absolutely essential here.

Rob OReilly, interim director of firearms regulatory services at the RCMP, told the meeting about the dark, hidden corners of the internet where high-powered weapons can be purchased anonymously.

Conservative MP Glen Motz, a conference attendee, expressed concern about the trend. You can go on the web right now, and you can order almost anything you want, and its delivered to your door.

Tory said he hopes some of the new federal money will find its way to Toronto and other cities to help with staying ahead of the bad guys on the internet, or even giving us the tools to have a fair fight with them.

He praised a program in suburban Scarborough thats trying to steer kids clear of gangs, but with federal financial support that could run out after August. There are people in this room from that organization who are uncertain as to whether that funding is going to be continued.

The idea is to get the federal money to where the problems are most acute, while respecting different regional needs, Goodale said. He also stressed the importance of healthy communities that make vulnerable young people less susceptible to the insidious lure of gang activity.

The government must update the law to ensure police have timely and consistent access to telecommunications subscriber information as well as the ability to intercept messages and calls in the age of strong encryption, said Mario Harel, president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

This is critical to maintaining the ability of law enforcement to investigate gangs and other criminal organizations.

Goodale indicated such legislation would not come soon, pointing to the complexity of the issue as well as privacy concerns.

A change the federal government has been mulling would allow authorities to more quickly identify people considered unfit to have guns for reasons such as mental instability or violent behaviour, an internal memo shows.

The Liberals are planning to introduce legislation in coming weeks to fulfil platform promises on firearms  including a requirement for enhanced background checks for anyone seeking to buy a handgun or other restricted gun.

The federal memo, released under the Access to Information Act, indicates the government could go further, beefing up screening of those who already have guns by allowing authorities to reassess licence eligibility in a more timely fashion.

Under the current application and renewal process, personal information helps determine whether someone is eligible for a firearms licence. In addition, continuous eligibility screening means criminal behaviour can be flagged for the federal chief firearms officer for review and possible investigation.

Federal statistics show 2,223 firearms licences were revoked in 2016, with mental health concerns figuring in 424 of these cases.

Certain professionals such as doctors, therapists and social workers have discretion to inform police of behaviour indicating that someone might harm themselves or another individual with a gun, notes the federal memo prepared for a May 2017 meeting of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, which provides advice to the government.

The memo, intended to generate discussion among committee members, also cites a Quebec law that requires people working at childcare facilities, schools and shooting clubs to report such behaviour to police. Identifying individuals who are no longer eligible for a firearms licence as quickly as possible and ensuring they can no longer access firearms is an important public safety objective.

The government needs to ensure the right balance between privacy rights and public safety, the memo adds.

The federal plans to crack down on the illicit gun trade and gang violence has won approval from some representatives of the firearms community. But they are wary of measures that would impose new burdens on legitimate owners or merchants.

On background checks, Goodale noted a need to be practical and fair to gun owners.

Firearms organizations are framing the issue in a way that denies any connection between gun control and illegal guns or violent crime, says the group PolySeSouvient, composed of graduates and students of Montreals Ecole Polytechnique, where 14 women were gunned down in 1989.

Virtually all the guns used in mass shootings in Canada in recent history were legally owned at the time of the shooting, the group says. While illegal guns definitely pose a risk to public safety, so do legal guns.

Read more about:
The newly appointed minister for Security, Gen Elly Tumwiine says that collaboration will cure the increasing insecurity in the country.



Tumwiine was speaking to journalists at parliament immediately after his appearance before the Appointments Committee chaired by speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga. Following a one-hour interface with the committee, Tumwiine, one of the longest serving members of parliament said that he enjoyed his time in the committee and awaits its decision.

L-R: Newly appointed IGP Martin Okoth Ochola, Security minister Elly Tumwiine and deputy IGP Sabiiti Muzey at parliament for their vetting. Photo: Nicholas Bamulanzeki

Asked what he is going to do to ensure security in the country, Tumwiine emphasised the need for leaders and all Ugandans to work together for the country's security.

"All of us, using the good will I see, should come together and work for our country together instead of doing it in a divided way. Divided we have insecurity, united we have security. The security concern mainly is to give people assurance that theres going to be a good team, good working together, good coordination...," said Tumwiine.





He assured Ugandans that he is going to work together with other security heads in the country to ensure that the prevailing insecurity in the country is solved.

President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday appointed Tumwiine as minister for Security, replacing Lieutenant-General Henry Tumukunde, who has been in the docket since June 2016.

Gen Tumwine has, in different media interviews since his appointment, emphasised the need to work closely with all Ugandans in the fight against rising insecurity in the country. He said that he is to mobilise and marshal goodwill of the public to bring back security to order.

"We have many advantages than before - easier communication than never before. Media, if you [must] and I repeat, I repeat again, report both the bad and the good. Then we have a balanced community so that you dont only give an impression that the country is on fire when actually a lot of good things are going on. So that is what I request that we work together to improve our security." he said.



Until his appointment as Security minister, Tumwiine was working as senior presidential advisor, army member of parliament and member of the Military High Command.



Tumwiine joined the army in 1979, among the cadets who were sent to Tanzania for military training shortly after the fall of the Idi Amin government. Other cadets with whom he trained include General Katumba Wamala, Lieutenant-General Ivan Koreta, Major General Pecos Kutesa and the late Brigadier Clovis Kalyebara among others.

In February 1981, a group of 41 men headed by Museveni attacked Kabamba Military Barracks in Mubende district marking the start of what would become the five-year bush war against the government of Milton Obote. Twenty-seven of these men, including Tumwiine, were armed while the rest were not.

It is Tumwiine who fired the very first shot of the war on the morning of February 6, 1981 at Kabamba Barracks. He would suffer injuries and lose an eye in the course of the war that climaxed with the rebel army's victory in January 1986.

In 1984, Tumwiine was named commander of the rebel National Resistance Army (NRA), a post he held until 1987 when he was succeeded by Gen Salim Saleh.



He has over the years served in various positions including minister of State for Defence in 1989, director general of the External Security Organisation (ESO) from 1994 until 1996, presidential advisor from 1996 until 1998, chairman of the High Command Appeals Committee from 1986 until 1999 and chairman of the General Court Martial in 2005.



He has also continuously represented the army in the Ugandan parliament since 1986. In September 2005, he was promoted to the rank of General in the UPDF.



Tumwine is also an artist and while serving as the Commander of the NRA, he designed the flag, the emblem and the green and camouflage uniforms of the army. He was appointed chairman of the board of trustees of the National Cultural Centre. In 1992, he launched his company, The Creations Limited, to promote the arts and crafts industry, encouraging artistic values and creativity.



Speaking to journalists at parliament, Tumwine who sang his favourite song 'Kino Kyekisela' promised to continue with his music and art.

OCHOLA DECLINES TO SPEAK TO MEDIA

Unlike Tumwiine, newly appointed inspector general of police Martin Okoth Ochola today declined to speak to journalists after appearing before the Appointments Committee.



Clad in a navy blue suit matched with a white shirt and a maroon tie, Ochola interfaced with the committee for close to an hour.



When asked by waiting journalists to address them about his interface with the committee and what he plans to do in the police force as IGP, Ochola simply walked away telling journalists to find him at the police headquarters in Naguru.



Ochola's appointment has since Sunday been received with scepticism among sections of the public with some people saying that they do not expect any drastic changes in policing, considering that he has been part of the Police administration under the sacked General Kale Kayihura.

Some have alluded to the appointment of Brig Sabiiti Muzeyi as his deputy, who some say will be the de facto IGP given his closeness to the first family.



Others however welcomed Ochola's appointment saying that given he is a career police officer with 30 years of service, there is hope for better policing.



If approved by parliament, Ochola is to face a number of tasks that need to be addressed in order to restore the image of the police as well as public trust in the institution that seems dwindling.

Among the tasks ahead for Ochola is to fight brutality in the police force, human rights abuses, corruption, excessive use of force, misuse of fire arms, appalling welfare among others.
Mayor John Tory is calling for an independent review of the Toronto Police Services handling of missing persons cases and the circumstances surrounding the investigation into Bruce McArthur as new details emerge about previous contact police had with the alleged serial killer.

Acknowledging there are many unanswered questions in the case, Tory said he will ask the Toronto police board to commission an outside investigation to seek answers in a methodical, independent way  a request the board chair seconded Wednesday.

The call for an outside probe comes two days after Toronto police launched an internal investigation into what the lead homicide investigator says was concerning information that he became aware of.

The Star has learned that McArthur, now accused of killing six men dating back to 2010, was questioned by police in 2016 regarding an allegation that he was physically abusive to someone. He was let go. Homicide detectives currently probing this case did not know about the 2016 questioning until after McArthurs arrest in January, according to sources familiar with the incident.

Last week, Det.-Sgt Hank Idsinga prepared a report and sent it to the Toronto police professional standards unit for an internal probe regarding the actions of some officers in a previous occurrence (who), I am led to believe  potentially did not do what they were supposed to have done, according to our policies and our procedures, Idsinga told the Star on Wednesday.

And thats something that should be investigated and Im not the one to investigate that, so I prepared the report and I forwarded it to professional standards and they are now conducting that investigation, Idsinga said. He would not disclose any details about the report sent to police internal investigators.

Share your thoughts

It is unclear whether Toronto police also spoke to McArthur, in any capacity, during Project Houston, an investigation into three missing men that began in November 2012 and was closed 18 months later because there was no evidence to suggest criminal activity, according to police.

Idsinga would not comment on any past interactions between police and McArthur, who had a 2003 conviction for assaulting a man with a pipe and had been barred from the Gay Village and associating with male prostitutes for a period of time (the Star has confirmed McArthur later received a pardon for the conviction).

Toronto police have said that during Project Houston, a dozen full-time investigators worked for thousands of hours, including interviewing dozens of witnesses, who voluntarily spoke to police.

McArthur, 66, is facing six charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of men who began disappearing from the area of the Church-Wellesley Village in 2010. He is charged in the deaths of Andrew Kinsman, 49; Selim Esen, 44; Majeed Kayhan, 59; Soroush Mahmudi, 50; Dean Lisowick, 47; and Skandaraj Skanda Navaratnam, 40.

Navaratnam and Kayhan disappeared between 2010 and 2012. Mahmudi, Lisowick, Esen and Kinsman disappeared between 2015 and June 2017, right before the launch of Toronto polices Project Prism, which culminated in the McArthurs arrest earlier this year.

On Monday, police held a news conference and took the rare step of releasing a photo of a deceased man they believe to be a seventh victim. Idsinga said police decided to publicize the photo in the hope that someone can identify him.

Speaking in Ottawa on Wednesday, Tory said he was pushing for a review into Toronto police policies, procedures, protocols, training and more that relate to missing persons investigations. He also called for the review to examine any systemic concerns  including any differentiated treatment or bias including but not limited to the LBGTQ communities.

The proposed external review would be in addition to the ongoing internal Toronto police investigation into how their officers probe missing persons cases. Tory will request the review at the Toronto police board meeting later this month, supported by board chair Andy Pringle.

We want to make sure that everything is done, Pringle said Wednesday, calling the magnitude of the McArthur case unprecedented.

Read more:

Torontos gay community shocked in the wake of McArthur investigation revelations

Bruce McArthur was previously questioned, released by police in separate incident

Tips pour in after police release grim photo of man believed to be victim of alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur

The red tape behind the Bruce McArthur tapes

Toronto police spokesperson Meaghan Gray told the Star in a statement Tuesday night that the chief has always said, if we come across issues that need addressing, we would not wait. We would act as soon as practical.

Torys call for an external probe came as a recommendation from representatives of the LGBTQ community, including the Alliance for South Asian Aids Prevention (ASAAP), and he thanked them for their leadership, strength and collaboration.

Shakir Rahim, an ASAAP board member, said he hopes positive steps come from an outside probe.

Bottom line is, obviously there has to be change, Rahim said.

McArthurs arrest in January followed years of missing persons reports and suspicions in and around the Gay Village that a serial killer was at work. In November 2012, police convened a task force dubbed Project Houston to examine the disappearance into three missing men (Kayhan, Navaratnam and Abdulbasir Faizi, 44).

In a CTV W5 report last month, a man who said he used to date Kayhan  CTV protected his identity  said he last saw Kayhan with McArthur, information he shared with police after Kayhans 2012 disappearance.

Idsinga said he couldnt confirm police received the tip.

In July 2017, after the more recent disappearances of Kinsman and Esen, police launched Project Prism, the ongoing investigation that is now focused on McArthur.

Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, Torontos only openly gay councillor and the representative for the Church-Wellesley area, said an independent review must examine the adequacy and effectiveness of the way Toronto police handle missing persons cases, especially gay men who vanished when, police say, McArthur killed them, Wong-Tam said.

I'm no longer surprised by the incidents that are coming forward about the police investigation and what transpired, she added. She says there was obvious police mishandling of the investigation.

It may not have been wilful but rather just incompetence. It correlates to what people in our community said, that they came forward to police with pieces of the puzzle but the investigators didnt follow up, didn't put those pieces together, she said.

The results are tragic, Wong-Tam said, leaving a neighbourhood to wonder how many lives could have been saved by an earlier arrest.

With files from David Rider, Vjosa Isai and Star archive

McArthur timeline

April 2003: Bruce McArthur, now 66, is convicted of assault for hitting a man with a metal pipe. He is barred from the gay Village and prohibited from spending time with male prostitutes.

Sept. 6, 2010: Skandaraj Skanda Navaratnam, 40, disappears.

Dec. 29, 2010: Abdulbasir Faizi, 42, disappears.

Oct. 14, 2012: Majeed Kayhan, 59, disappears.

November 2012: Police commence Project Houston.

April 2014: Project Houston is shut down.

August 2015: Soroush Mahmudi, 50, disappears.

Sometime in 2016: McArthur is questioned by police regarding an allegation that he was physically abusive, according to a source. He is let go.

2016 or 2017: Dean Lisowick, 47, disappears.

April 14, 2017: Selim Esen, 44, disappears.

June 26, 2017: Andrew Kinsman, 49, disappears.

July 2017: Project Prism is launched into the disappearances of Kinsman and Esen.

Jan. 18, 2018: McArthur is arrested and charged with the murders of Esen and Kinsman.

Jan. 29, 2018: McArthur is charged with the murders of Kayhan, Mahmudi and Lisowick.

Feb. 23, 2018: McArthur is charged with the murder of Navaratnam.

March 5, 2018: Police release the photo of an unidentified deceased man who they believe is the seventh victim of McArthur.

March 5, 2018: Police launch an internal investigation after receiving "concerning" information. The Star confirms that homicide detectives probing McArthur only recently found out about his 2016 questioning. Lead homicide investigator Det. Sgt. Hank Idsinga says that he prepared a report for Toronto polices Professional Standards unit, after regarding the actions of some officers in a previous occurrence (who), I am led to believe ... potentially did not do what they were supposed to have done, according to our policies and our procedures.

Read more about:
As police arrested the man they accuse of fatally shooting his girlfriend in a Mississauga townhouse complex early Monday morning, family and friends of the victim were expressing shock and anger over her violent death.

I am so heartbroken, Natalie Lewandowski wrote on Facebook about the brutal death of her little sister Alicia Lewandowski. My baby!!!

Alicia, 25,  the fifth woman murdered in Peel this year  was a student at Humber College, in her second and final year in the esthetician/spa management course, according to her Facebook page.

Read more: Suspect arrested in fatal Mississauga shooting

She was also one of the victims evacuated from their homes in 2016 when a house exploded on Hickory Drive, just around the corner from the townhouse complex where Lewandowski was found shot dead March 5 in the parking lot.

Her boyfriend, Joseph Chang, 39, was arrested in Toronto at 7:45 p.m. He has been charged with first-degree murder.

Lewandowski was living with her mother in the complex where she was killed at 1343 Rathburn Rd. E. near Dixie Road.

Peel police were called to the complex at 5 a.m. Monday for multiple reports of gunshots. When they arrived, they found Lewandowskis body and a manhunt began for her boyfriend.

I am in absolute shock. My sister is gone, wrote Natalie Lewandowski on social media. She has been taken from us. I cant believe this. My little sister. My best friend. My confidante. My partner in crime. We were supposed to hang out today. We had plans  I dont know how I am going to go on without her  Why God, why?

Just last month, the Peel Committee Against Woman Abuse called for community mobilization after four women were murdered in Brampton and Mississauga in the space of two weeks. The group called for more awareness and attention to the issue of gender-based violence against women with the Sound Off Against Silence campaign.

Read more about:
Mayor John Torys signature transit plan got a rough ride at a public consultation in Scarborough Tuesday evening, with residents and activists asking pointed questions about the proposal to build two SmartTrack GO stations in the inner suburb.

The meeting at the Scarborough Civic Centre was held to unveil updated plans for new stations at Finch and Lawrence on GOs Stouffville line, and was attended by roughly 100 people.

The stops in Scarborough are two of six SmartTrack-branded stations being considered for addition to existing GO lines in Toronto as part of the mayors plan. The proposal is part of a wider GO expansion known as regional express rail (RER).

In a question-and-answer session, speakers from the audience raised concerns about everything from construction noise, to service levels, and political interference in the planning process.

Moya Beall, one of several speakers affiliated with advocacy group Scarborough Transit Action, argued local residents would not be well-served by the proposal to replace the existing six-stop Scarborough RT with a SmartTrack station at Lawrence and a $3.35-billion one-stop subway extension to the Scarborough Town Centre.

An extension of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT to the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus is also part of the citys plans and has a tentative completion date of 2023, but the $1.6-billion project isnt funded.

The model that youre coming up with is going to put more people on more crowded buses, for longer periods of time. Its not the kind of connectivity that people are looking for, Beall said.

According to the latest reports from Metrolinx, the regional transit agency that operates GO, by 2031 the Finch and Lawrence stations are projected to see ridership of 4,200 and 9,200 people per day, respectively. The figures include an unspecified number of riders who already use existing GO stations.

Brian Connolly, from Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113s Keep Transit Public committee, asked how can we trust these new ridership numbers in light of revelations that former transportation minister Steven Del Duca pressured Metrolinx into approving new GO stations, including Lawrence, that werent supported by studies.

Greg Pereira, Metrolinxs senior adviser for hubs and station planning, responded that the ridership projections were based on anticipated development, and that Metrolinx would study them further as it finalizes a full business case for the projects.

I think were quite robust with regards to the approach weve taken, he said.

Some residents became frustrated when Pereira couldnt definitively say how frequently trains would stop at the Scarborough SmartTrack stations.

Each station added to GO lines within Toronto adds travel time for inbound riders from outside the city, and in a bid to lessen delays for those passengers, Metrolinx is proposing to run some express trains that will bypass the SmartTrack stops.

Now people from Scarborough can sit on the Lawrence platform waving to RER trains going by that they cant get on because theyre not stopping. Why are 905 people more important than Scarborough people? asked Randy MacDougall, vice-president of the Agincourt Village Community Association.

Pereira replied that the agency anticipates seven trains an hour could stop at Lawrence and Finch, which would work out to one roughly every eight-and-a-half minutes. But he said the actual service level hasnt been determined.

Its not something thats set in stone today, he said.

Mayor Tory sat in the audience for most of the session, but left shortly before it concluded. A spokesperson said he had to leave early in order to travel to Ottawa for a summit on gun and gang violence Wednesday.

Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker (Ward 38, Scarborough Centre), a strong proponent of the mayors transit plans, also attended, and afterward said he was glad residents had aired their concerns.

I thought the input tonight was very valuable, he said.

While he acknowledged that the unfunded LRT extension to the Scarborough campus may not be built for years after SmartTrack and the subway extension are completed, he predicted most Scarborough residents wouldnt be bothered.

Because if you live up here or in Malvern you get to the Scarborough Town Centre, and youre getting on a subway. And people will dance, he said.

Absolutely, there will be a huge benefit to the people of Scarborough when this system is built.

The SmartTrack project, which also includes an extension of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT in the citys west end, is expected to cost $3.7 billion. The current version of the plan is significantly smaller than the version Tory pitched during his election campaign, which called for 15 new rail stations.

Metrolinx has not released cost estimates for all its new stations. But as the Star has previously reported, Lawrence is expected to cost $155 million. City council has agreed to pay all of the capital costs for new stations within Toronto, as well as the incremental cost to GO of operating the new stops.

Read more about:
Premier Kathleen Wynne got a rough ride from an autoworker Tuesday night as she faced voters at a town hall meeting in Ancaster.

I respect you as premier but Im a little pissed off right now, said a man in a bright yellow safety vest who identified himself only as Doug.

His concern was about the way auto industry workers were excluded from new employment standards laws providing others with a minimum of 10 personal emergency leave days a year, for illnesses or pressing family matters.

Read more:

Auto workers cut off from labour law improvements

Ontario to bring in pay transparency bill that aims to close gender wage gap

Ontario PC party now has clean bill of health, interim leader Vic Fedeli says

You didnt listen to autoworkers, added Doug, who noted he gets just seven days and fears he could use them up in one go if he was injured or contracted a serious illness.

Wynne said the exclusion of auto workers is part of a pilot project that will be reviewed. Previously, Labour Minister Kevin Flynn has said the auto industry operates in a particularly competitive global sector.

I get that theres a difference in the leave time, she added at the forum moderated by Hamilton Spectator managing editor Howard Elliott.

The talk is the latest in a series of town halls organized and paid for by the government to make Wynne, who is struggling with low personal popularity in public opinion polls ahead of the June 7 election, more accountable and accessible to the public.

She also faced questions about the future of the local steel industry amid threats of tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump and the possible demise of NAFTA, the basic income pilot project as a possible alternative to traditional welfare, school repair budgets and the plan for government stores to sell marijuana instead of private cannabis stores once the federal government legalizes recreational pot this summer.

One woman who works at a private cannabis shop for medical users accused the premier of criminalizing law-abiding citizens and questioned her on why Ontario did not opt for a mixed retail model of government and private retailers as is the case in British Columbia and Alberta.

Wynne said the province is keeping stores in government hands to undercut the black market but was immediately challenged by the woman.

Forty stores is not going to undercut the black market, she retorted.

I hear weve got a difference of opinion on this, said Wynne, noting the plan for 40 stores is just a start.

The premier is holding another town hall meeting Wednesday evening at the Design Exchange in downtown Toronto to mark International Womens Day.

Previous town halls have been held in Toronto, Ottawa, Brampton and Windsor.

Read more about:
LONDONSergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent who came to Britain in a spy swap in 2010, lies in critical condition in hospital after being exposed to an unknown substance. His daughter is also critically ill after the incident in Salisbury, southern England.

Police say they are still investigating whether a crime has been committed.

But Skripal is not the first opponent of the Kremlin to be struck down in Britain in mysterious circumstances.

Boris Berezovsky

A Russian oligarch who moved to Britain in the early 2000s and became a strident critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Berezovsky was found dead on a bathroom floor at his home in southern England in March 2013, with a scarf around his neck.

After an inquest, coroner Peter Bedford said it was impossible to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt whether Berzovsky was killed or committed suicide.

Read more:

U.K. threatens Russia as ex-spy, daughter fight for life following contact with unknown substance

Spy-swap drama quick and quiet

Alexander Perepilichny

A Russian businessperson who was a key witness against Russian officials accused of stealing $230 million (U.S.) from a London hedge fund, Perepilichny collapsed and died while jogging near his rented home south of London in November 2012.

Two autopsies failed to determine a cause of death and no known toxin was found, but colleagues believe he may have been poisoned with a hard-to-detect plant.

A coroners inquest to determine the cause of death is ongoing.

Alexander Litvinenko

A former KGB agent who had defected to Britain and become a vocal Kremlin critic, Litvinenko died in November 2006, three weeks after drinking tea laced with the radioactive isotope polonium-210 at a London hotel.

On his deathbed, he accused Putin of ordering his killing. The case chilled U.K.-Russian relations for years.

British police charged two Russian men, Alexander Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun, with killing Litvinenko, but Moscow refused to extradite them. A public inquiry concluded in 2016 that Litvinenko had been killed by Russias security service, likely on Putins orders. The Russian government has denied any responsibility.

Georgi Markov

A Bulgarian dissident working for the BBC, Markov died in September 1978, four days after he was jabbed in the thigh with a poison-tipped umbrella while waiting for a bus on Londons Waterloo Bridge. The umbrella tip contained a tiny pellet of ricin, a toxin derived from caster beans that is lethal in tiny doses.

KGB agents and senior members of Bulgarias secret police were suspected of being involved in the killing, but Markovs killers have never been brought to justice.
GENEVAUnited Nations war crimes investigators said Tuesday that a Russian plane was apparently behind an airstrike in November on a Syrian market that killed 84 people, an attack that could amount to a war crime.

The findings, reported by the UNs Commission of Inquiry on Syria, were the first time the group has pinned responsibility for civilian deaths in Syria directly on Russia.

In the same report, the Commission of Inquiry said the U.S.-led coalition in the war against the Islamic State group failed to properly vet the target of a March 20, 2017 air raid that killed 150 civilians sheltering in a school in northern Syria.

The international coalition should have known the nature of the target, the report said, adding that the oversight had put the coalition in violation of humanitarian law. The coalition took responsibility for the strike, saying it had targeted 30 IS fighters it believed were hiding in the building.

All parties share guilt for completely disregarding the rules of war, said the commissions chairman, Paulo Pinheiro, at a press conference introducing the report. He said parties were resorting to increasingly cynical methods to secure objectives in Syrias complex civil war.

The report documented widespread abuses of international law, including leveraging aid in combination with siege warfare to force civilians to surrender or starve. It said pro-government forces had bombed hospitals and clinics in opposition-held territory in northwest Syria.

According to the report, all available information indicates that a Russian plane carried out the Nov. 13 airstrike that hit a market near houses and a police station run by Western-backed Syrian rebels in the town of Atarib, in the northern Idlib province.

At least 84 people were killed and some 150 were wounded in the attack.

The commission, which was created 6 1/2 years ago to document alleged human rights violations by any side in Syrias war, says the plane that carried out the airstrike took off from the Hemeimeem air base in Syria, which is run by Russian forces.

Russia is a main backer of President Bashar Assads forces and has helped turn the tide of war in his favour with a campaign of airstrikes.

The Russian military denies accusations of killing civilians. It says its forces in Syria have only launched strikes on militant targets after verifying their location, and have never hit areas populated by civilians.

Tuesdays report, prepared under a current mandate from the UN-backed Human Rights Council, lays out the investigators findings during a six-month probe conducted between July 8 and Jan. 15.

All information available indicates that a Russian fixed-wing aircraft that took off from Hemeimeem airbase conducted the strikes, the report said. Early warning observers monitored the take-off of a fixed-wing aircraft, whose pilots communicated in Russian, from Hemeimeem airbase at 1:37 p.m. and tracked the aircraft going south and then to the northeast all the way to Atarib where it arrived at 2:07 p.m.

No Syrian aircraft were observed in the area in the two hours preceding the airstrikes, it added.

The report said the attack on the densely populated area, involving unguided weapons, may amount to a war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks resulting in death and injury to civilians.

Advocacy groups, including Human Rights Watch, have previously linked Russia to alleged war crimes and human rights violations in Syria, such as bombing civilians in rebel-held eastern Aleppo in 2016.

The investigators also provided details of the ongoing Syrian government offensive in eastern Ghouta, just outside Damascus, which began on Feb. 18.

In an annex to the report, they said the siege of eastern Ghouta has been marked by pervasive war crimes, including the use of prohibited weapons, attacks against civilian and protected objects, starvation as a method of warfare leading to severe acute malnutrition, and the routine denial of medical evacuations.

The UN human rights office and other monitors estimate that hundreds of people have been killed during the assault on eastern Ghouta, where the Syrian government says it is making advances against rebel forces.

Read more about:
MOSCOWA Russian military cargo plane crashed as it was descending to land at an air base in Syria on Tuesday, killing all 39 people onboard, the Russian Defence Ministry said.

The Russian military said an An-26, with 33 passengers and six crew members onboard, crashed just 500 metres from the runway. The military blamed the crash on a technical error and insisted that the plane was not shot down.

All of the people on board were Russian servicemen, the ministry said.

Read more: Syria, Russia step up airstrikes against rebel strongholds in last 24 hours

Russia, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, leases the Hemeimeem military base in Syria, near the Mediterranean coast.

The base is far from the front lines of the conflict, but came under shelling in December. The Russian military insisted the cargo plane did not come under fire, while saying it would conduct a full investigation.

President Vladimir Putin offered his condolences to the families of those killed in the crash after receiving a briefing by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, the Kremlin said.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in a statement on the governments website said he was deeply shaken by the crash, which had caused an irreparable loss.

The Interfax news agency quoted a spokeswoman for Russias Investigative Committee, which handles high-profile cases, as saying Russian investigators have been dispatched to Syria to look into the crash.

It was the second Russian military plane to crash in Syria this year, after a Su-25 ground attack jet was struck by a portable air defence missile over the northern Idlib province last month.

The Antonov An-26 is a twin-engine transport plane designed in the late 1960s in the Soviet Union. Large numbers have remained in service in Russia and many other countries around the world.

An An-26 belonging to a military flight school crash-landed and caught fire southeast of Moscow in May, killing one crewmember.

The RIA Novosti news agency on Tuesday quoted Col. Gen. Nikolai Antoshkin, former deputy commander of the Russian Air Force, as calling the An-26 a reliable machine even though it has been out of production since 1986.

Read more about:
SACRAMENTO, Calif.  California Gov. Jerry Brown denounced U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions for coming to the state to speak about a lawsuit targeting policies that limit co-operation with federal immigration authorities, saying Wednesday it was unprecedented for him to act more like Fox News than a law enforcement officer.

Shortly after Sessions speech to law enforcement officials, the Democratic governor accused the attorney general of lying and trying to appease U.S. President Donald Trump.

What Jeff Sessions said is simply not true and I call upon him to apologize to the people of California for bringing the mendacity of Washington to California, Brown told reporters.

Read more:

Trump administration sues California to block its sanctuary laws

Sessions said several California state laws prevent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from making deportation arrests and singled out elected officials for their actions. He had particularly strong words for Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who issued an unusual public warning last month about an immigration operation.

How dare you? he said of Schaaf at a California Peace Officers Association meeting in Sacramento. How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open borders agenda?

The Justice Department, in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Sacramento, is challenging three California laws that bar police from asking people about their citizenship status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities.

It wasnt something I chose to do, but I cant sit by idly while the lawful authority of federal officers are being blocked by legislative acts and politicians, Sessions said, straying from his prepared remarks.

More than a dozen attendees in a room of about 200 people gave the attorney general a standing ovation.

The lawsuit is the latest salvo in an escalating feud between the Trump administration and California, which has resisted the president on issues from taxes to marijuana policy and defiantly refuses to help federal agents detain and deport immigrants. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said it will increase its presence in California, and Sessions wants to cut off funding to jurisdictions that wont co-operate.

I say: Bring it on, said California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, a Los Angeles Democrat who wrote the so-called sanctuary state bill. Democratic Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon was among those suggesting that Sessions shouldnt come at all.

The lawsuit was filed as the Justice Department also reviews Schaafs decision to warn of an immigration sweep in advance, which ICE said allowed hundreds of immigrants to elude detention. Schaaf said Tuesday that the city would continue to inform all residents about their constitutional rights.

The California laws were passed in response to Trumps promises to sharply ramp up the deportation of people living in the U.S. illegally.

One prohibits employers from letting immigration agents enter work sites or view employee files without a subpoena or warrant, an effort to prevent workplace raids. Another stops local governments from contracting with for-profit companies and ICE to hold immigrants. Justice Department officials said that violates the Constitutions supremacy clause, which renders invalid state laws that conflict with federal ones.

The Supreme Court reinforced the federal governments primacy in enforcing immigration law when it blocked much of Arizonas tough 2010 immigration law on similar grounds. The high court found several key provisions undermined federal immigration law, though it upheld a provision requiring officers, while enforcing other laws, to question the immigration status of people suspected of being in the country illegally.

In this case, California has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and responsibility of Congress to protect our homeland, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement.

Sessions, who has blamed sanctuary city policies for crime and gang violence, spoke Wednesday to groups representing police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys, narcotics investigators and the California Highway Patrol. Only the California State Sheriffs Association actively opposed the so-called sanctuary law.

Dozens of demonstrators chanted stand up, fight back and no justice, no peace outside the hotel where the meeting was held and some blocked traffic on a major thoroughfare. A heavy police presence was on hand.

Demonstrator Henry Gordon of Sacramento said he hopes Sessions gets the message that Californians will resist efforts to separate families and deport immigrants.

Becerra, who is up for election in November, said sanctuary policies increase public safety by promoting trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, while allowing police resources to be used to fight other crimes.

Were in the business of public safety, not deportation, he said.

Read more about:
WASHINGTONCanada will get a special carve-out potentially allowing it to avoid the impact of U.S. President Donald Trumps controversial steel and aluminum tariffs, a White House spokeswoman suggested Wednesday.

After days of drama and a last-minute diplomatic scramble, the White House is now hinting that the impending tariff announcement might have some particular exceptions for the U.S. neighbours based on national-security considerations.

There are potential carve-outs for Canada and Mexico based on national security  and possibly other countries as well, based on that process, Sarah Sanders said during her daily media briefing.

That would be a case-by-case and country-by-country basis.

But the drama isnt over.

The formal tariff announcement is expected Thursday afternoon. Hawkish White House trade adviser Peter Navarro suggests the exemption would come with a catch. He told Fox Business Channel that, at 3:30 p.m. ET, surrounded by steel workers in the Oval Office, Trump will sign proclamations that impose tariffs that kick in within 15 to 30 days on most countries.

He suggested tariffs could still hit Canada and Mexico later: The proclamation will have a clause that does not impose these tariffs immediately, on Canada and Mexico. Its gonna give us ... the opportunity to negotiate a great (NAFTA) deal for this country. And if we get that, alls good with Canada and Mexico.

Intense debates have been going on within the Trump administration about whether to offer any exemptions  some want a hardline approach where the tariffs apply to every country and some want the opposite, meaning full relief for Canada and other allies.

Then theres the third, middle-of-the-road approach others have suggested, and which Navarro appeared to hint at: offering short-term relief for Canada and Mexico, while still using the threat of tariffs as a U.S. negotiating weapon at the NAFTA bargaining table.

The internal pressure from within Washington to go back to the drawing board was illustrated Wednesday in a letter from 107 congressional Republicans, who expressed deep concern about the presidents plans.

The Canadian government isnt celebrating yet. It kept a low profile following the White House statement about a carve-out. Speaking earlier in the day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he wants to withhold judgment until the final details are out.

We know from experience that we need to wait and see what this president is actually going to do, Trudeau said during a news conference just before the Sanders briefing.

Theres many discussions on this going on in the United States right now. We are going to make sure were doing everything we need to do to protect Canadian workers  and that means waiting to see what the president actually does.

Behind the scenes, a full-court, 11th-hour diplomatic press was underway Wednesday.

It occurred in Ottawa, Washington, New York and even in Texas, where a number of Canadian officials were reaching out to American peers  some of whom had been pleading the Canadian case.

The fact that Canada might be hit with tariffs had actually become a leading talking point for critics bashing the Trump plan. From Capitol Hill, to cable TV, to the Wall Street Journal editorial pages, numerous commentators ridiculed the idea of a supposed national-security tariff applied to Canada.

A poll this week suggested the measures are unpopular.

Read more:

Trumps top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, resigns over tariff plan

Trumps commerce secretary says Canada, Mexico could escape new tariffs

How chaos and departures have Trump aides worried the White House is entering a death spiral

In the final diplomatic push, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland spoke with congressional leader Paul Ryan, and Canadian Ambassador David MacNaughton was to dine Wednesday with U.S. national security adviser H.R. McMaster.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan chatted with Pentagon counterpart James Mattis, UN ambassador Marc-Andre Blanchard spoke with U.S. counterpart Nikki Haley, and Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr raised the issue with Energy Secretary Rick Perry at a conference in Texas.

Trudeau, meanwhile, spoke with the president this week.

A source familiar with the last-minute scramble likened it to a high-stakes, reality-show contest, with a drama-courting U.S. president at the centre of the production: (Its a) last-episode-of-The-Apprentice kind of thing.

Canada is the No. 1 exporter of steel and aluminum into the U.S., which is looking to impose tariffs under a rarely used national-security provision in a 1962 law, which some critics have called either illegitimate or likely to start copycat measures that threaten the international trading system.

Some trade hawks in the administration argue the tariffs must apply to everyone to be effective. If the goal is to keep out low-cost international steel, with excess Chinese supply dragging down the entire global market, they say the U.S. cant allow any supply in at low global prices.

The counter-argument was that these measures might help some American steel workers, but hurt far more workers in other sectors that use steel, damage the economy as a whole and poison the U.S.s relationships with the rest of the world.

The biggest American business lobby is among those pushing back.

These new tariffs would directly harm American manufacturers, provoke widespread retaliation from our trading partners, and leave virtually untouched the true problem of Chinese steel and aluminum overcapacity, U.S. Chamber of Commerce president Tom Donohue said Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump is reaffirming his plans to place tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. During a White House news conference, he said "trade wars aren't so bad." (The Associated Press)

Alienating our strongest global allies amid high-stakes trade negotiations is not the path to long-term American leadership.

The White House announcement came as congressional Republicans and business groups braced for the impact of the tariffs, appearing resigned to additional protectionist trade actions as Trump signalled upcoming economic battles with China.

Trump signalled other trade actions could be in the works Wednesday. In a tweet, he said the U.S. is acting swiftly on Intellectual Property theft. A White House official said Trump was referencing an ongoing investigation of China in which the U.S. trade representative is studying whether Chinese intellectual property rules are unreasonable or discriminatory to American business.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said an announcement on the findings of the report  and possible retaliatory actions  was expected within the next three weeks.

Business leaders, meanwhile, continued to sound the alarm about the potential economic fallout from tariffs, with the president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce raising the spectre of a global trade war. That scenario, Tom Donohue said, would endanger the economic momentum from the GOP tax cuts and Trumps rollback of regulations.

We urge the administration to take this risk seriously, Donohue said.

The president has said the tariffs are needed to reinforce lagging American steel and aluminum industries and protect national security. He has tried to use the tariffs as leverage in ongoing talks to revise NAFTA, suggesting Canada and Mexico might be exempted from tariffs if they offer more favourable terms.

Lawmakers opposed to the tariffs, including Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have suggested more narrowly focused approaches to target Chinese imports. But members of Congress have few tools at their disposal to counter the president, who has vowed to fulfil his campaign pledge.

I dont think the president is going to be easily deterred, said Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who has suggested hearings on the tariffs.

Republicans in Congress have lobbied administration officials to reconsider the plan and focus the trade actions on China, warning that allies such as Canada and members of the European Union would retaliate.

The EU said it was prepared to respond to any tariffs with countermeasures against U.S. products such as Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Levis jeans and bourbon. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said the EU was circulating among member states a list of U.S. goods to target with tariffs so it could respond quickly.

The president plans to rally Republicans in western Pennsylvania on Saturday in support of Rick Saccone, who faces Democrat Conor Lamb in a March 13 special House election. Trump has told associates the tariffs could be helpful to the GOP cause in the election in the heart of steel country.

With files from the Associated Press

Read more about:
Fresh from Makerere University, I was approached to work with the newly-founded The Monitor newspaper in 1992.

Among the seven founding directors was a man no one needed to be introduced to. He was Teddy Ssezi Cheeye, more known for Uganda Confidential, the paper that split the atom. Cheeye was feared for the manner in which he sourced and delivered his news, by championing the fight against corruption and excesses of those in power.

Such was the manner in which he was revered that just mentioning his name would elicit fear and awe at the same time. So, there we were in The Monitor newsroom and he would saunter in with all the bravado about him.

As a director who was not that closely operational on a daily basis, Cheeye would sometimes ask why a certain story was not followed or suggest the more sanguine stories that only Uganda Confidential could publish.

His fights with the then Finance minister Dr Crispus Kiyonga and the World Bank scandals are legendary and opened the door for more investigative stories and journalism in Uganda. The irony of all things came when the crusader against corruption and its attendant evils was caught in the same melee he vehemently fought.

I remember meeting him while he still worked as Director of Economic Monitoring in the Internal Security Organization (ISO). I asked why he had gone into bed with the very people that he for long persecuted for the wrongs they had exacted on the country.

He laughed it off, saying he was in a better position to end what he termed then as chronic corruption. I remember warning him that if he was not careful, the very people he wrote about in Uganda Confidential would get to him.

It was not long before he was caught up in the infamous Global Fund scam with Shs 120 million that he did not properly account for.

Poor Cheeye, unlike the bigger fish who should have been held politically liable for the loss of millions of Global Fund money, was sentenced and jailed for 10 years. Till his release from Luzira last year, he had come full circle to believe that there were people behind his incarceration.

At the height of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, Cheeye and I took off to cover the genocide. Because Cheeye had close links with the Rwanda Patriotic Front and had personal rapport with the then Maj Paul Kagame, access to stories was made easy.

I remember one day as we were driving towards Kigali, we suddenly met a heavy convoy of military vehicles heading in the opposite direction. All of a sudden, the military convoy came to an abrupt halt and we were quickly surrounded.

A Range Rover that had its headlights on reversed. There were soldiers everywhere. This was just next to Lake Muhazi, found about 20 kilometres east of Kigali.

Then we heard the name of Cheeye called out. The lone occupant of the Range Rover opened the drivers door. A tall and slender man in military fatigue stepped out. It was Maj Paul Kagame. He shouted: Cheeye, amakuru? (How are you Cheeye?) He then proceeded to greet us all, including a CNN crew.

Two guards who had been assigned to escort us to Kigali were quickly arrested. Their guns were taken away and told to sit down. Cheeye, meanwhile, was in conversation with Kagame in Kinyarwanda. I could pick the things he was asking him.

How far is the war? When are you taking over Kigali? What are the exact numbers of the dead so far? Kagame was about to begin speaking to Cheeye in Kinyarwanda but quickly realized that there were other foreign journalists.

We set up and quickly interviewed him. He asked his personal assistant to avail him a map and he proceeded to show us where his forces had advanced. For about thirty minutes, this spot on the shores of Lake Muhazi was probably the safest place to be in Rwanda.

As we parted, he told Cheeye to meet him later for a chat. Our guards were given back their guns and we proceeded to Kanombe barracks where we spent the night. That evening, Cheeye was taken by some people to meet Maj Kagame.

We waited for his return but we were later told he had left us behind and headed back to Uganda. Upon my return from Rwanda a few weeks later, I asked him why he had abandoned us.

His answer was that of a typical journalist of those days. After the interview with Kagame, he wanted to publish and beat us to it.

Cheeye, whose real name was Sezikyeye but changed it, like the many NRA rebels of the time, was a very knowledgeable journalist particularly on economic journalism, which had not been a common field those days.

A man who weathered the storms of life in prison to get killed by a boda boda a year after he regained his freedom is sad, indeed!

Rest in peace, Teddy Ssezi Cheeye!

The author is a human rights expert.
COPENHAGENAs divers found mutilated body parts in plastic bags on the ocean floor one by one, a gruesome puzzle as dark as any Scandinavian noir emerged in Denmark: A young Swedish reporter who had embarked on a submarine journey to interview its maker was tortured, murdered and disposed at sea.

Businessman Peter Madsen stands trial at Copenhagens City Court on Thursday for the killing of Kim Wall, 30, in his submarine off the usually quiet northern European country.

Madsen denies killing Wall and says she died accidentally inside the UC3 Nautilus while he was on deck. However, he has admitted cutting her up before he buried her at sea.

Some dont want to talk about Madsen or be associated with him anymore. Others do.

Read more:

Danish inventor Peter Madsen charged with killing journalist Kim Wall on his submarine

Danish submarine inventor admits dismembering journalist Kim Wall, still denies killing her

Police in Denmark find severed head and legs of Kim Wall, journalist believed killed on submarine

He had two sides: He could be a well-spoken and charismatic person who could speak for hours about his submarine. And then ... a much darker side, said retired adult movie actress Dorthe Damsgaard, 48, who met him several times.

Damsgaard told The Associated Press she had declined invitations to join Madsen in his submarine because she has claustrophobia.

He made it no secret to me about having sexual fantasies, Damsgaard said, describing him as funny, manipulative, serious and scary.

Madsens wife, who reportedly has sought a divorce, has told investigators that he openly spoke about attending fetish parties without her.

His former workshop, a low building of corrugated iron, sits on Refshale island, a once-bustling shipyard and industrial area across from downtown Copenhagen.

It was here that Wall embarked on the submarine journey on a sunny summer evening last year.

On Aug. 10, she and her Danish boyfriend, Ole Stobbe Nielsen, threw a goodbye party before moving to China. That evening, she received a text message from Madsen saying an interview was possible. For months, she had been trying to speak with him and she left the party to join the now 47-year-old Dane. Alone.

Wall grew up in southern Sweden, just across a narrow waterway from Copenhagen. She studied at Paris Sorbonne university, the London School of Economics and Columbia University in New York, from where she graduated with a masters degree in journalism in 2013.

She wrote for The New York Times, The Guardian and other publications, reporting on topics such as tourism in post-earthquake Haiti and nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands.

Caterina Clerici, a friend from Columbia, said Wall had a soft spot for misfits, for places and people that did not conform.

Madsen doesnt fit into any boxes. According to a 2014 biography, he grew up in a small town west of Copenhagen with an authoritarian father. Considered a nerd at school, he challenged science teachers and built rockets in his past time.

In 2008 he co-founded Copenhagen Suborbitals, a private aerospace consortium to develop and construct manned spacecraft. In 2011, it launched a homemade nine-metre rocket eight kilometres into the sky over the Baltic Sea, a step toward its unrealized goal of launching a person into space.

However, differences led to a split with his business partner in 2014. Madsen, known for his shifting moods and for hating to be contradicted, moved into another workshop.

In an interview with Danish weekly Soendagsavisen the same year, Madsen said he one day hoped to have a criminal career, adding he didnt want to rob a bank because no one must be hurt.

On the evening that he contacted Wall, Madsen also texted his associate Steen Lorck to call off a planned trip the following day in the submarine that first launched in 2008.

After Wall left to meet Madsen, her boyfriend received several text messages from her. He started worrying when the messages stopped coming and eventually alerted authorities, who launched a search for the submarine, which didnt have a satellite tracking system.

The 33-ton, nearly 18-metre-long submarine sank south of Copenhagen shortly after being spotted afloat. Madsen was picked up unharmed. Initially, he told police he had let Wall off on Refshale island several hours into the trip.

Investigators found dried blood inside the submarine, and divers eventually found Walls body parts in plastic bags held down on the Baltic Sea bed by metal pieces. Her torso had been stabbed multiple times.

Police believe Madsen sank the submarine on purpose, and found videos of women being tortured and killed on his personal computer in his hangar. He did not make the videos himself, investigators said.

Prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen claims Madsen tied up and tortured Walls before killing her, either by cutting her throat or strangling her. The murder has been called premeditated because he had brought along tools he normally wouldnt take with him on the submarine.

Madsen has undergone a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation and is deemed fit for trial. His defence lawyer, Betina Hald Engmark, wont discuss the case before the trial begins.

Walls family has declined to comment for the time being.
The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has revoked a prestigious human rights award it had given to Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, now Burmas civilian leader, faulting her for failing to halt or even acknowledge the violence against her countrys Rohingya Muslim minority.

Suu Kyi, who endured 15 years of house arrest for taking on the military dictatorship in Burma, was only the second person to receive the award, in 2012. It was named after Elie Wiesel, a fellow recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and a Holocaust survivor who was one of the museums founders. Wiesel was the first recipient.

The award, according to the museum, is given annually to an internationally prominent individual whose actions have advanced the Museums vision of a world where people confront hatred, prevent genocide and promote human dignity.

Read more:

No end in sight for Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh six months after attacks

They couldnt hide all the death: Unreported mass graves suggest Burma is covering up a genocide

Burma bulldozes dozens of empty Rohingya Muslim villages

But Suu Kyi, the museum said, has failed to live up to that vision.

We had hoped that you  as someone we and many others have celebrated for your commitment to human dignity and universal human rights  would have done something to condemn and stop the militarys brutal campaign and to express solidarity with the targeted Rohingya population, the museum said in a letter to Suu Kyi. The letter, which was made available to The New York Times, was dated Tuesday and addressed to Suu Kyi via the Burma Embassy in Washington.

Instead, the letter said, she and her political party, the National League for Democracy, have refused to co-operate with United Nations investigators, blocked access to journalists and promulgated hateful rhetoric against the Rohingya community.

The museums decision is perhaps the strongest rebuke yet of Suu Kyi, who has been increasingly criticized as a seemingly unrepentant apologist for Buddhist nationalism and the Burma militarys campaign of ethnic violence.

Beginning last August, Burmas military, joined by armed Buddhist civilians, systematically killed thousands of Rohingya in the western state of Rakhine. As many as 700,000 more fled across the border to Bangladesh, where they remain. Behind them, soldiers moved in to burn their villages and bury the dead in mass graves.

Suu Kyi has refused to even utter the word Rohingya in public. In private, she becomes angry when the topic comes up, according to people who have spoken with her.
Journalists are like firefighters: you may not need them every day, but you want to know theyre there to protect you. Veteran journalist, Edward Greenspon used this analogy at a recent Senate Open Caucus meeting held to discuss threats to traditional journalism in Canada.

Media panellists and Senators from across the country debated the central question: Should governments support rigorous independent journalism, beyond public broadcasting, in the face of its economic decline?

Traditional media revenues are in free fall, as subscriber fees dwindle, paywalls prove inadequate and ad revenues migrate to Google and Facebook. Gaps in coverage are growing in critical areas like local journalism (costly) and courtroom coverage (time-consuming). Indigenous communities are the hardest hit, with the least available funding sources and the toughest road to train reporters.

While the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network fills the need for trusted community programming, the mainstream media misses the complexity and only reports on the crises, said APTN Executive Director of News and Current Affairs Karyn Pugliese.

Most Canadians agree that a trusted media and an informed public are key to democracy. But how far are we willing to go to protect traditional journalism? The recent federal budget has set aside $50 million for local independent journalism. Most participants felt this is a welcome first step. But is it enough?

While Canadians need  and want  accurate news to make informed decisions, the internet is full of material that intentionally blurs the lines between news, propaganda, research and advertising, said Matthew Johnson, director of education for MediaSmarts, non-profit digital and media literacy centre. And young people are ill-prepared to recognize it.

Fortunately, said Johnson, Canadians rank among the highest in the world when it comes to trust of traditional news outlets. So how can government navigate this changing landscape to create the conditions for vigorous, ethical journalism and open, informed debate?

Most experts agreed that a medley of action is needed, both for funding the supply of  and improving the demand for  trusted news.

But is Canada ready to catch up with European countries in its public support for media? Its a long way to go from our $29 per person per year to Frances $73, or Norways $180.

While strengthening our public broadcaster could only help, what about private media outlets? Are any of them too big to fail like some players in the financial or automotive industry?

Governments only save organizations with strong business plans to thrive beyond bailout, said Greenspon, now president and CEO of Public Policy Forum and author of The Shattered Mirror. How many media companies can demonstrate that?

Alternate funding for media raises the age-old questions of freedom of expression and the corporate or political agenda of funders. We just need the right policies to keep these funding relationships at arms length from editorial, said Pascale St-Onge, President of Quebecs Federation nationale des communications.

Other ideas for arms-length support included more tax credits on media payrolls, as well as levies on web giants for distributing Canadian content.

As outlined in the budget, exploring new models that enable private giving and philanthropic support could help bolster non-profit journalism and local news. National agencies like The Canadian Press could collaborate with local and Indigenous news organizations to ensure trusted, professional journalistic standards are being practiced.

While strengthening independent media, we must also catalyze demand for it, said MediaSmarts Matthew Johnson. Truth-seeking creates demand for truth.

Education will help people, especially young people, with how to spot fake news, authenticate sources, identify emotionally charged communication and read through bias. Media literacy can inform people how an algorithm may influence what news  or advertisements  they see, and what they do not.

But perhaps most important, media literacy helps us exercise our right as citizens and consumers to demand more from the media landscape.

Over the coming years, Canadians will be challenged to find the best way forward. We hope to see a strategy that touches both the supply and demand for a trusted, independent and rigorous news media, for democracys sake.

As recommended in The Shattered Mirror, one path to explore could be creating a Future of Journalism and Democracy Fund. This fund would provide financing for digital news innovation, especially in its early stages, and be directed at those operators who produce civic-function journalism at the national, regional and local levels.

To further promote independence, the fund would be at arms length from government. This model may prove to be the best path forward, provided it is able to strike a balance between providing financial support and upholding the principles of free press and journalistic independence.

Senator Raymonde Saint-Germain is deputy facilitator of the Independent Senators Group. Senator Art Eggleton is a member of the Canadian Senate from Toronto.
Its not for nothing that parliaments and the politicians who inhabit them have fallen into wide public disdain in recent decades.

The partisan cynicism and selfishness. The chronically immature antics. The inability to delay gratification and think beyond the next electoral cycle. The state of affairs is so discouraging that many despairing voters have simply opted out, leaving election turnouts alarmingly low.

To his credit, Toronto MPP Arthur Potts has suggested one antidote. And its a good one. Add more youth.

Potts introduced a private members bill Monday in the Ontario legislature that, if passed, would lower the voting age to 16 from 18 for provincial elections.

Granted, private members bills seldom pass. But its not out of the question the Beaches-East York Liberal is floating a trial balloon for what might be in Premier Kathleen Wynnes campaign platform in a matter of weeks.

More immediately, Potts raises for debate a worthy proposition.

There is no Solomonic wisdom inherent, after all, in a voting age of 18. Other jurisdictions around the world, including Austria, Argentina and Brazil, provide for voting at 16. Sixteen-year-olds voted in 2014 in Scotlands independence referendum, which saw youth turnout of 75 per cent.

The current unsatisfactory situation being what it is in Canada and its provinces, older generations can make no claim to having safeguarded the electoral process or parliamentary governance with any special intelligence.

The federal special committee on electoral reform  which reported in December 2016 and was promptly disowned by the Liberal government  heard numerous witnesses suggest lowering the voting age.

Many argued that it would increase voter turnout and encourage youth voters to participate in the democratic process and to remain active voters throughout their life, the report said. Inviting youth to vote while they are still in secondary school and still living with their parents would encourage higher levels of registration and enduring engagement, they argued.

Many of those who supported lowering the age also suggested improving civics education in schools.

In Canada, recent surveys have been putting the lie to the myth of growing youth apathy. Young voters turned out in historic numbers in the 2015 federal election, according to research by Samara Canada.

But while turnout of young voters jumped 18 percentage points to 57 per cent, youth remained the generation least likely to be contacted by political campaigners, Samara found.

That insult-and-injury combo of being ignored by politicians, even as the economy offers them the worst prospects in generations, has left many young people feeling alienated from the democratic process. Experts argue that lowering the voting age will felicitously alter the political calculus, creating new incentives for politicians to engage youth and tackle the issues that matter to them and thus to our collective future.

In any event, adding the votes of 16- and 17-year-olds to the electoral mix could hardly make things worse.

If modern politics has made anything clear, with its gridlock and unbridgeable partisan divides, it is that good ideas and good examples are not necessarily dictated by chronology.

Younger voters would, presumably, bring to bear some important attributes  and crusade for some of the major causes - of their generation.

As digital natives, they are fluent in the technology so determinative in modern society.

Young people have grown up, and are vastly more comfortable with the diversity that demographic forecasts say will be a hallmark of the future in North America.

They have a vested interest in tackling intergenerational inequality and the significant threat this widening gap poses to our economy.

And their very future depends, after all, on addressing climate change.

As recent events in the United States have shown, where Florida teenagers mobilized demands for action on gun control after a murderous rampage at their high school, young people are courageous, idealistic, energetic, passionate.

And, most important, as Americas National Rifle Association discovered when corporate sponsors began bailing out in response, effective.

Pottss private members bill is unlikely to pass, but the idea is worth giving serious consideration in Ontario and beyond. Greater youth engagement means a richer democracy. Lowering the voting age promises to accomplish just that.
How reassuring it was when the Toronto Police Service told the Star two years ago that it did not use so-called stingrays, controversial and highly invasive surveillance devices also known as IMSI catchers. Privacy experts have long warned these tools, which indiscriminately record data from the cellphones of all those nearby, are overused, under-regulated and shrouded in troubling secrecy. If only the force had been telling the truth.

As the Star reported this week, documents obtained with difficulty through an access-to-information request show that Toronto police used the device in five separate investigations dating back to 2010. Asked why the force misled the public and never corrected the record, Mark Pugash, head of communications for the service, said frankly, We should have.

Clearly. Yet when it comes to the use of stingrays in Canada, secrecy and deception are the troubling norm. The TPS is among many state actors, at every level of government, that has been consistently and alarmingly secretive about how frequently these invasive tools are being employed and what rules govern their use. Nor is the TPS alone in having denied using them at all, even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

The secrecy around IMSI catchers and the regulatory vacuum in which they are used are cause for grave concern. A 2016 report by two Canadian privacy scholars, Christopher Parsons and Tamir Israel, argued that the devices pose a particularly insidious threat to real-world anonymity and government opacity on the issue is delaying important public debates.

For years, police and security agencies have refused to answer questions from journalists and parliamentarians about the use of these tools. Mayor John Tory, for instance, says he didnt know Toronto police were using stingrays until last year, when an investigation into death threats against him employed the tool.

This secrecy is often justified on the grounds that openness would compromise the ability of police to conduct criminal investigations. And yet this position is based on the absurd premise, as Parsons and Israel put it, that generalized knowledge of the very use of a surveillance tool will permit criminals to circumvent it.

Germany, which publishes annual statistics on its use of IMSI catchers, clearly disagrees. As does the United States, which in 2015 made public its new rules governing stingray surveillance.

But secrecy is only part of the problem. The regulatory framework around IMSI catchers is grossly inadequate given the inevitable collateral damage. In the U.S., the government is required to destroy within 48 hours any information obtained that is unrelated to an investigation. No such law exists here. In several countries, the state must apprise all citizens whose data have been incidentally dredged. Not in Canada, where, by the way, it seems to be unusually easy to obtain a warrant to use the device.

As new technologies have made it possible for the state to dredge and analyze endless streams of information, police forces and security agencies have often argued that the privacy downside of such tools is outweighed by their usefulness. Thats debatable, but its a debate were not having. We cannot democratically decide or legislate how and when stingrays should be used as long as policymakers and the public are kept in the dark.

As the truth about stingrays begins finally to emerge, the urgent need for both federal and provincial governments to regulate how they are used and what is done with the information they glean must no longer be denied.
Stand up to these threats, editorial, March 6

Canada has very few options in dealing with an irrational and unstable U.S. president who seems to love punishing his northern neighbour with punitive trade measures, whether that be softwood lumber, aerospace or steel  the list seems endless.

But heres a radical and novel idea: disinvite President Donald Trump from the G-7 meeting in Quebec. Canada is the host this year and probably has the power to do so. That would get Americas attention. If it sours Canada-U.S. relations, so be it. The US clearly doesnt care if it offends Canada and, lets face it, NAFTA is all but dead.

A few years ago, Russia was kicked out of what was then the G8 for bad behaviour on the global stage. Now, Trump is turning the U.S. into the worlds main rogue nation. Maybe its time to send him a message.

Andrew van Velzen, Toronto

All anyone is talking about now is the steel tariffs. What they are no longer talking about is guns. I believe that is exactly what U.S. President Donald Trump wanted to achieve. It was never about steel.

Michael Liotta, Toronto

U.S. President Donald Trump suggests that trade wars are easy to win. He now wants to impose punitive tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, following other salvoes against Canadian softwood, aerospace and other industries. It all flies against the facts.

While its true that Canada has a trade surplus in goods with the United States, it is more than offset by a multi-billion deficit in services such as tourism. Canadians continually leave more money in the U.S. than Americans send here.

How should the average Canadian respond? What can one person do? When shopping, check the country of origin. Look for vacation alternatives. Fly from Canadian airports with Canadian airlines. Pick Yoho over Yosemite, Mexico over Maui, Newfoundland over New England, Saguenay over Sedona, Madrid over Miami. Forego that Blue Jays away game. Stay clear of anywhere near Mar a Lago.

Only then can we show the meaning of that $10-billion tourism deficit with our American friends.

Mike Brown, Burlington

Read more about:
If Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer does not know Joe Clarks telephone number, then he should find it right away.

Once Scheer gets him on the line, Clark can explain in excruciating detail how back in 1979 he made a major blunder when he confirmed just two days after he was sworn in as prime minister that he would carry out an election promise to move Canadas embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Clark made the initial pledge in the heat of the 1979 campaign, convinced it would help him with Jewish voters, especially in some key Toronto-area ridings.

A political storm erupted because of Clarks decision to reverse Ottawas decades-old position about the embassys location, with Arab nations hinting at possible trade retaliation against Canada.

Within days Clark assigned former Tory leader Robert Stanfield to conduct a one-man fact-finding commission. Stanfield filed an interim report just four months later in which he recommended the embassy move be shelved.

Clark took Stanfields advice, stating at the time that no action would be taken until the status of Jerusalem is clarified within a comprehensive agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbours. Clarks embarrassing flip-flop immediately closed the issue, but for the rest of his nine-month term as prime minister the Jerusalem Affair, as it had come to be known, stained his leadership.

Scheer could learn from Clarks experience, but it may be a bit too late. Thats because Scheer has told Conservatives that if he wins the 2019 federal election, he will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Scheers promise, overlooked to a large extent in the sweeping political news coverage of Justin Trudeaus controversial trip to India and the wacky Ontario Tory leadership race, wrenches the party away from its traditional position of supporting a negotiated agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

In doing so, Scheer has aligned himself firmly with U.S. President Donald Trump, who in December rejected long-standing advice from the U.S. State Department and said the U.S. will formally recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital and move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to that city.

Scheer made his promise in a posting on the partys website in which members were asked to sign a form if they agreed with him and that had a web link for donations.

Canadas Conservatives led by Andrew Scheer will recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital when we form government in 2019, the posting said, adding that Israel, like every other sovereign nation, has a right to determine where the capital is located.

The posting doesnt mention moving Canadas embassy to Jerusalem, but a spokesman for Scheer has said that issue will be considered at a later date.

Jerusalem is a diplomatic nightmare. Israel claims it as its capital, but so do Palestinians. The future status of the holy city is considered one of the most difficult parts of decades-old peace efforts.

Successive Canadian governments, including the current one, have said the status of Jerusalem must be settled through negotiations. Even Stephen Harper, perceived in Israel as among that countrys biggest supporters, never formally recognized Jerusalem as Israels capital, believing any shift from the long-held Canadian position or moving the embassy might be seen to be taking sides on the status of Jerusalem and bias the outcome of peace talks.

Successive Canadian governments have long demonstrated their support of Israel, albeit with occasional lapses. But with the exception of the Harper years, Canada has long been viewed in the Middle East as an honest broker, a reasonable middle power trusted by both Israelis and Arabs.

What Scheer is doing is weighing in uncritically on the side of the Israelis, and giving no consideration to Palestinians. Indeed, he makes no mention of Palestinians.

What Scheer ignores is that to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and to possibly move the embassy would amount to legitimizing Israeli sovereignty over all of Jerusalem, something still in dispute some 39 years after Clarks failed dabbling.

Scheer would be wise to keep this promise, which is looking like a major blunder of his own making, on the rear burner.

And he should call Joe Clark soon.

Bob Hepburn's column appears Thursday. bhepburn@thestar.ca

Read more about:
I place the sad dilemma of the Letts family  their son Jack is imprisoned in Kurdish territory after travelling to Syria  in a classification I secretly call So what did you think would happen? Annoyed as just about everyone is with Jihadi Jack Letts, he has dual U.K./Canadian citizenship and has to be brought back home. But how and where?

Teenagers, they do madden us to the max. It is the deep drag of their nature just as it is for parents who wreck their lives to rescue their clueless offspring. Jack, youre grounded.

I write about the Letts because there is a poignance to the story  I have yet to find that in any Trump-related scandal  of the daft/vile Western men who went to Syria, perhaps to join Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, and now yearn for a homeland that regards them with disgust.

The Stars famed national security reporter Michelle Shephard has written about the case, which is complicated and poses problems for every nation and person drawn into it.

Heres the mad part. British-born Jack, who has unspecified mental health problems plus OCD and Tourettes syndrome, converted to Islam as a teenager, left the U.K., headed to Kuwait at age 18  amazingly with his parents permission  and in 2014 popped up in Syria. He is alleged to have posted shocking things on Facebook, and in the summer of 2015, he posed for a photo, smiling, with the one-finger salute used by Daesh. It is not clear what he did for them or if he ever joined.

But the notorious video of Daesh masked men burning a Jordanian pilot alive, making him watch as the fire snaked towards his cage, came out in February 2015. Ive watched it twice, I saw a brave man melting, and even by terrorist standards, this was evil beyond human understanding. Jack must have known about their bloody talents, their mass hacking and hanging.

And then the British police visited his parents, who were eventually charged with abetting terrorism for sending Jack money to escape Raqqa. Jack is now being been held by Kurdish militia. Kurds, the most betrayed group in the Middle East, are sick of Western pests  they visit nations as blithely as the U.S invaded Iraq  and would happily unload them to any nation wholl take them.

Here is the sad. Jacks parents, John Letts and Sally Lane, are gentle, trusting people, an organic farmer married to a freelance book editor. The Letts left Canada for the U.K. in 1990 to live in Oxford. Though they are all dual citizens, Jack has only visited Canada occasionally.

Heres the problem. The U.K., having seen terrorist bloodbaths on its own soil, is clearly hoping that British citizens who left to fight for a mass-murdering, pedophilic, torture-loving women-hating force of evil, just rot where they are. Not unreasonably, Jack has grown terribly fond of Canada, as have his parents.

But there is no diplomatic mechanism for Canada or the U.K. to deal with the Kurds, who have no nation. Jack has become known as Jihadi Jack. If only his name didnt start with J, one Guardian reader mourned, he wouldnt have been given that fatal nickname. No, it would be Isis Irving or Beheader Boris.

A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said, which is true, but Jack really stretches the point. I want to come back to Canada, Jack has said. Back? He was never really here. That said, he is technically Canadian and we must defend a principle.

Britain made Jack. I doubt they will refuse to take him if that means irritating Canada. We are one of the few friends they have left, Brexit having alienated Europe almost to the point of being shunned. We are kind to William and Kate when they visit, though we groan at the ridiculous Charles. We do our colonial bit.

There is a tinge of double-standards here. If John and Sally were British Muslims, they would, doubtless without public sympathy, face the same criminal charges.

If the best lack all conviction and the worst are full of passionate intensity, how is one to characterize the gentle, implacable, relentlessly well-intentioned?

hmallick@thestar.ca
The Trump tariff threat is a reminder of Canadas free-trade dependency.

Free trade with the U.S. and Mexico was supposed to unambiguously benefit this country. And in some ways, it did. But by integrating our industries so seamlessly into the U.S. economy it also left us even more vulnerable to the whims of American politics.

President Donald Trumps decision to impose ruinous tariffs on steel and aluminum imports into the U.S. is more than the antics of a madman. It is a political response to real pressure  from both domestic companies and their workers.

George W. Bush, an ardent free-trader, bowed to this pressure when he was president. Why would anyone expect a free-trade critic like Trump to behave differently?

As usual, Ottawas response is to ask for special status  in this case, an exemption from the 25 per cent tariff on imported steel and the 10 per cent tariff on imported aluminum.

Trump has responded by saying he is open to that idea  but only if Canada is willing to give up more ground in the concurrent North American Free Trade Agreement talks.

This isnt very nice of the U.S. president. But its hardly insane.

U.S. President Donald Trump is reaffirming his plans to place tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. During a White House news conference, he said "trade wars aren't so bad." (The Associated Press)

There is a lot of loose talk around the Trump tariffs  including from the president himself.

They do not necessarily presage a trade war. The European Unions response, which was to slap tariffs on Kentucky bourbon, Harley-Davidson motorcycles and U.S.-made jeans, smacked more of political theatre than war.

Canadas Liberal government is still trying to figure out its response. But the integrated nature of the Canadian and American economies gives it little room to manoeuvre. It is unlikely to do anything that would invite counterretaliation from the U.S.

In any case, even a full-scale trade war would not drive the world into recession. Some look back to Americas Smoot-Hawley tariff of 1930, which started a trade war that is often blamed for the Great Depression.

But as Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman has pointed out, trade wars  including the one ignited by Smoot-Hawley  dont cause recessions. They may have negative effects (in particular they encourage inefficiency). But on their own, they dont reduce global aggregate demand for goods and services  which is the necessary condition for a recession.

Krugman, who is a fierce critic of Trump, writes in his New York Times column that the presidents proposed steel and aluminum tariffs, while potentially an unwelcome sign of where American policy is heading, are not in themselves that big a deal.

Protectionism does have its virtues. It can keep alive domestic industries that would founder if exposed to global competition.

Canada likes to present itself as a paragon of free trade. But it uses hefty tariffs to protect the Quebec and Ontario dairy industries from foreign competition.

It also uses non-tariff barriers to protect medicare from being picked apart by foreign private insurers.

But most of the rest of the economy is completely integrated, via NAFTA, with that of the U.S.

As long as there is a free-trader in the White House, thats fine. But put an America-firster in charge and the dynamic changes.

In steel, for instance, Canada has a trade deficit with the U.S. We buy more steel from the Americans than we sell to them. In theory, therefore, mutual protective tariffs on steel should work to Canadas advantage. In theory, the loss of the U.S. market should be more than compensated for by the expanded Canadian market.

In practice, however, thats not how things work. In practice, the Canadian steel industry is a small and specialized part of the American steel industry  in everything but nationality.

But we have now entered an era in which nationality matters again. As this weeks election in Italy shows, right-wing populism and economic nationalism are not going away.

With its charming but outdated belief that free trade conquers all, Canadas government is singularly unprepared for this new world.

Thomas Walkoms column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Read more about:
Whenever a new asset is listed on Coinbase, it will be automatically added to the fund.

Coinbase, the biggest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., announced Tuesday that it's launching a Coinbase Index Fund.

The fund is aimed at giving investors broad exposure to all of the digital assets listed on Coinbase's regulated exchange, called GDAX, weighted by market capitalization. Coinbase said that whenever a new asset is added to GDAX, it will automatically be added to the index fund. Currently, Coinbase's GDAX tracks bitcoin, litecoin, ethereum and bitcoin cash.

"Index funds have changed the way that many people think about investing. By providing diversified exposure to a broad range of assets, index funds enable investors to track the performance of an entire asset class, rather than trying to pick winners," Coinbase said in a statement. "We're excited to give our customers the ability to invest in the potential of blockchain-based digital assets as a whole."

Coinbase said that investing in the index fund will only be available to accredited investors in the U.S. for now.

"We're working on launching more funds which are accessible to all investors and cover a broader range of digital assets," Coinbase added.

Coinbase was unable to comment further to TheStreet.

Todd Kornfeld, attorney in the Financial Services Practice Group at Pepper Hamilton LLP, said index funds could be an attractive choice for investors looking for a more traditional investment vehicle. A lot of investors looking to gain cryptocurrency exposure might not feel comfortable with the security, custodies and nuances of digital wallets, but a holding in an index fund is more similar to traditional securities.

"There are a lot of mechanical and practical things you have to consider when you buy a cryptocurrency," Kornfeld said. Buying into an index fund could mitigate some of those new-age concerns, provided the issuer is compliant with regulations.

Kornfeld noted that so long as the index fund issuer is following regulatory standards, their index fund makes the lives of smaller investors easier. Plus, an index fund allows those investors more exposure and breadth.

"That's why people like S&P index funds," Kornfeld explained. They allow a wide swath of exposure, allocating funds to a number of equities instead of piling into one single stock. The same could be said for a cryptocurrency index fund -- investors can gain exposure to numerous digital assets without being beholden to the price moves of a single coin or token.

Coinbase said on Tuesday it is also launching the Coinbase Index, which will serve as a benchmark for the performance of all assets listed on Coinbase.

According to the Coinbase site, it has facilitated more than $50 billion in digital currency exchanges in 32 countries for more than 10 million customers.

Keep up with all things cryptocurrency from TheStreet:
He had just done one of his signature acts: shuffling police commanders and senior officers.

This, he unfailingly did with remarkable ease and outrageous frequency. But hours later, he too got shuffled. Bang! Sacked. Just like that.

At the time of this writing, his fate remains unknown. On a wet and chilly Sunday afternoon in Kampala, the breaking news flash on TV appeared surreal.

On the streets, folks who effortlessly excel at topical-gossip, the passenger motorcycle riders, had just landed a big one for the day, perhaps for the week. The man is gone, one remarked with a rather celebratory tone.

The man whos gone was known to be a patron to factions of this industry that could well have now become the leading locus of a pending national security disaster.

He was known to have used the boda men to build a political network, something that, according to work on the grapevine, may have been one of the reasons for the Sunday sack. For long, the sack appeared inevitable but I thought it wouldnt happen anytime soon.

I thought because he had become so dirtied and battered in the course of executing his remit, Kale Kayihura remained the best bet to continue doing what the boss wanted. I was wrong!

The man who wielded enormous coercive and financial power, generously granted to him by the ultimate ruler, is no more. At least not as head of the Uganda Police Force, an institution he tossed and distorted with remarkable tenacity.

There is one question, though, that must exercise the minds of concerned Ugandans: who will sack the general who sacked General Kale Kayihura?

Since taking the helm in 2005, coinciding with what I consider the most important turning point in Ugandas recent political history when the constitution was manipulated to entrench one-man rule, Kayihura took the police on a race to the bottom.

With an uncanny knack for bombastic claims, public posturing, and exaggerated proclamations, he always sought to score victories and wallow in them, however pyrrhic.

Easily the most outrageous claim was the 2015 announcement that he had recruited eleven million so-called crime preventers, purposely sourced as part of the grand scheme to game the 2016 elections. This number is comparable to Ugandas registered voters, meaning almost every vote was enlisted as a crime preventers!

Public parading of suspects and eliciting confessions in total violation of due process, rushing to scenes of high-profile crimes, unleashing unwarranted violence on regime political opponents, among others, were part of his routine modus operandi.

But a sense of inadequacy and personal insecurity remained quite palpable around a man who enjoyed displaying might and projecting power.

The more resources he pulled under his direct control, both financial and human, the dire the state of law and order in the country became. This created gross paranoia and rushed condemnations of subordinates.

The more power he sought to display, the more hostility he generated from both opponents of the regime and other factional actors inside the regime.

The more he worked hard to secure the master in power, ironically, the more his own position became precarious. He is now dispatched out of an institution on which he had had a firm grip for twelve, very long, years, but the damage of the past decade is extensive and thoroughgoing.

For one, Kayihuras topmost achievement was the transformation of the Uganda Police Force into a frontline political instrument for regime protection and repression of legitimate political opponents.

With his relentless vigor, an institution meant to be professional and non-partisan became an openly active partner of the ruling party, taking sides even in internal political contests.

The most high-profile and consequential undertaking was the demobilizing of Amama Mbabazi in 2015, the primary motivation for the crime preventers project and the need to cook up a figure of eleven million.

The distortions visited on the organizational makeup of the force are severe, mostly driven by the imperatives of what is considered its primary function  regime protection. From the calculated fragmentation seen in creation of forces within the police force to the nefarious crime preventers project and working with criminal gangs.

Then the ceaseless and sometimes bewildering transfers and promotions! Its possible some police officers in recent years have been in three different command positions in a months period: regional police commander (RPC) of Kampala East this week, RPC of Kyoga East next week, and RPC of Aswa the week after.

And to successfully coerce and execute the political mission at hand, a tried and tested strategy was handy: resorting to nepotism. Blatant and shameless on a scale that may never have been practiced at any point in the history of this dear country.

The author is an assistant professor of political science at North Carolina State University.
Suddenly, retail is alive and well. The consumer is spending, and money is pouring into the sector with a few notable exceptions, like Target (TGT) - Get Target Corporation Report .

To find out why, Jim Cramer checked in with with Bob Lang, founder of ExplosiveOptions and a contributor to TheStreet.com's Trifecta Stocks newsletter.

On Tuesday's episode of Mad Money, Cramer and Lang started by looking at Costco (COST) - Get Costco Wholesale Corporation Report , which reports its latest results later this week. Costco has been consolidating its recent gains, holding above both its 200- and-50 day moving averages. Despite the volatility of the last month, Lang points out that Costco's volume tends to rise on up sessions, a bullish sign because volume indicates whether a move is lying or speaking the truth, and the strong volume on up days means that the strength in Costco is honest.

Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index, or RSI, an important momentum indicator, has been trending steadily higher, but remains far from overbought territory. Costco's soon likely to break out of a wedge pattern, and if it breaks out to the upside, as Lang expects, the stock could move quickly to $200. Lang's noticed some bullish options activity in the April $190 calls and higher, another sign that Wall Street has gotten pretty positive on this name.

In the case of Nordstrom (JWN) - Get Nordstrom, Inc. (JWN) Report , which just turned down an $8.4 billion bid from the Nordstrom family to take the company private, Lang likes the action. The rebound on Friday indicates that big institutional buyers bought the selloff at the open. When investors are eager to buy the dips, that's a good sign. If there's follow-through, Lang says these reversals can mark huge turns for a stock. He also points out that volume levels have swelled of late, and lots of investors were buying March 52.5 call options, clearly looking for Nordstrom's stock to move much higher in the days ahead. Lang notes that the Moving Average Convergence Divergence, or MACD indicator, just flashed a bullish crossover, where the black line crosses above the red line. This is one of the most reliably bullish signals around. Lang thinks the stock won't have much trouble climbing above $57 over the coming weeks.

Macy's (M) - Get Macy's Inc Report surged after it reported a strong quarter last week. The Chaikin Money Flow oscillator, which measures the level of buying and selling pressure, has turned positive again -- meaning institutional investors are giving Macy's their blessing. For Lang, this chart tells a story of institutional investors coming back on board with Macy's. Right now it's a $30 stock; he sees it moving toward $35 over the course of the spring.

Last of all, Cramer and Lang looked at TJX (TJX) - Get TJX Companies Inc Report , the parent of TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Home Goods. Lang says TJX has the best chart of them all. After reporting a surprise blowout quarter last week, the stock spiked on Wednesday even as the averages fell sharply. The stocks remained higher on Thursday, despite the fact that the averages got hammered yet again. When a stock is up on a big down day, it suggests the underlying company is doing something very right.

Lang thinks this move might just be getting started. The MACD indicator just flashed a buy signal last week. While the Relative Strength Index is at overbought levels, Lang says this might be one of those stories that stays overbought because it's attracting so much positive attention after being down in the dumps for quite some time. Lang sees it going from the mid-$80s to the $90s by this summer, and then on to the $100 mark.

What about the big blowup today from Target, which sent the stock plunging 4.5%? Looking at the chart, Lang points out that it's now selling off on high turnover, a classic bearish sign. The MACD indicator has rolled over to a sell signal, and Lang could see Target tumbling from here at $71 down to $60, where it might find support at its 60-day moving average.

Cramer and the AAP team say that the Nordstrom (JWN) - Get Nordstrom, Inc. (JWN) Report family's $50 offer is the just the floor of negotiations. Find out what they're telling their investment club members and get in on the conversation with a free trial subscription to Action Alerts PLUS.

On Real Money, Cramer says if we didn't have something to worry about, we'd just invent it. Get more of his insights with a free trial subscription to Real Money.

Search Jim Cramer's "Mad Money" trading recommendations using our exclusive "Mad Money" Stock Screener.

To read a full recap of this episode of "Mad Money," click here.

To watch replays of Cramer's video segments, visit the Mad Money page on CNBC.

To sign up for Jim Cramer's free Booyah! newsletter with all of his latest articles and videos please click here.

At the time of publication, Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS had a position in JWN.
Goldman Sachs says these three stocks are underappreciated by Wall Street.

Oil is still hot, especially after a confidence-inspiring earnings season, Goldman Sachs analysts said in a note on Wednesday, March 7.

Goldman said it expects U.S. oil production will grow "at a healthy clip" of 1.1 million barrels per day in 2018. But analysts noted that for oil producing companies in its coverage estimates for production in the first half of 2018 fell 2% and for the full year fell 2.1%.

But analysts noted the "three Ds" -- U.S. producer discipline, above-consensus global demand and continued voluntary/involuntary disruptions -- remain on track prices at high levels. There could be a new fourth "D" in investor disinterest, which will increasingly "need to be combated for greater credit in equities," analysts said.

Still, Goldman remains above consensus on production and bullish on companies that have lagged the larger exploration and production group but maintain strong free cash flow prospects.

Goldman highlighted its Conviction List, buy-rated names that "appear increasingly underappreciated on the margin" following year-end results.

Since reporting earnings on Feb. 27, RSP Permian Inc. (RSPP) has outperformed the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration/Production ETF (XOP) - Get SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF Report by 11% and is higher 9% year to date. According to Goldman, RSP shares still trade at a discount relative to other high-quality Permian E&P names.

"We do not believe RSPP's acreage quality advantage warrants a discount and anticipate positive 2019 oil production revisions will illuminate attractive valuation to investors," analysts wrote. Goldman's forecast for RSP's oil production is 6% higher than the rest of Wall Street's.

RSP also issued high-level guidance for 2019 and 2020 in its recent earnings announcement, offering plans to grow volumes 30% or more at $50-per-barrel West Texas Intermediate crude alongside the promise of "significant" free cash flow.

Guidance for EOG Resources Inc. (EOG) - Get EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) Report is "likely conservative," Goldman wrote, as both earnings and cash flow appear underappreciated in 2018. Shares of EOG underperformed following year-end results due to "unfavorable" production and capex guidance for the rest of this year.

"However, we believe EOG's production guidance is conservative (we are 2% above the upper end of company guidance and +5% vs. consensus expectations for FY18 total production)," Goldman said. Analysts added that they also expect earnings and business expense margins to expand this year.

Should WTI trade at $60 per barrel and production reach the top end of expectations, Goldman sees $7.9 billion in 2018 earnings before taxes, which is 9% above consensus expectations. What's more, the base case for EOG at Goldman assumes WTI at $72.50 per barrel, suggesting EOG could tally $9.3 billion in earnings.

Production costs are falling and the dividend yield is still underappreciated for Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY) - Get Occidental Petroleum Corporation Report , according to Goldman.

There was some "noise" around Occidental's year-end earnings report and early 2018 guidance, but Goldman said it believes the effects of the company's focus on a Permian ramp-up in the back half of this year "remain underappreciated." That focus could drive above-consensus production growth while also driving down unit operating costs, analysts added.

Additionally, Goldman said Occidental will be able to demonstrate ability to fund its $2.4 billion dividend with a 4.7% yield through internally generated cash flows by the second half of this year.

Get all your investing strategy tips from TheStreet here:
The giant Android OEM's sales took off in 2017. But it's far from certain that the momentum will continue.

As Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi reportedly preps a 2018 IPO in which it wants to raise over $10 billion, it's worth remembering exactly when the company last did a big capital raise, and what happened shortly afterwards.

In late 2014, Xiaomi raised $1.1 billion at an eye-popping $46 billion valuation. Investors included Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, Russian investment firm DST Global and a PE firm affiliated with Alibaba (BABA) - Get Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Sponsored ADR Report chairman Jack Ma.

The company has set its sights even higher this year: The Wall Street Journalreports Xiaomi is aiming to go public in Hong Kong (and perhaps also Shanghai) in the second half of 2018 at a valuation somewhere between $80 billion and $100 billion. Public investors will, of course, have the final say on just what Xiaomi's post-IPO valuation is.

What allowed an Android OEM whose sales skew towards sub-$500 models to receive a $46 billion valuation in 2014? Xiaomi's sales were skyrocketing at the time, as the company's viral marketing, direct sales efforts, custom Android interface (known as MIUI) and knack for creating phones with high-end specs and mid-range prices yielded strong demand among younger Chinese consumers.

In 2014, the company's phone shipments rose an astounding 227% to 61.1 million, making it the world's fifth-biggest smartphone vendor after Samsung (SSNLF) , Action Alerts Plus holding Apple (AAPL) - Get Apple Inc. (AAPL) Report and Chinese peers Huawei and Lenovo.

But Xiaomi's momentum began slowing in 2015 as Chinese smartphone growth slowed and domestic rivals -- not just Huawei and Lenovo, but also upstarts such as Oppo and Vivo -- began replicating many of the company's tactics. Xiaomi said it shipped "over 70 million" phones in 2015, falling short of an original target of 80 million. Revenue rose a mere 3% in dollars to $12.5 billion. Research firm IDC believes Xiaomi's phone shipments rose 10% annually in Q4 2015, a far cry from the 179% growth IDC believes Xiaomi saw a year earlier.

And things really went downhill in 2016. Xiaomi declined to share its phone sales for the year, but research firm IDC believes they fell 25% to 53 million, knocking the company out of the global top five. The decline was likely even larger in China, given that Xiaomi's Indian phone shipments rose 150% in 2016.

But things look a lot better today. Xiaomi disclosed in January it had topped its 2017 revenue target of RMB100 billion ($15.8 billion) -- Reuters reported in December the company had told bankers the target could be topped by as much as 18% -- and claimed it can "do much more" in revenue in 2018. IDC believes the company's smartphone shipments, lifted both by a rebound in China and rising sales to markets such as India, Russia and Indonesia, rose 75% to 92.4 million.

Xiaomi's 2017 growth wasn't merely driven by smartphone sales, however. The company says revenue for its Mijia brand, which covers a number of consumer electronics and smart home/IoT devices, hit roughly $3 billion last year. Aided by a sizable retail store footprint, Xiaomi also now sells everything from laptops to TV sets to Bluetooth headsets, and has an online services business that includes a video streaming service, a gaming platform and a lending service.

And the company is starting to get serious about trying to crack affluent Western markets. Xiaomi began selling phones in Spain in late 2017 (its Mi Mix 2 high-end phone launched around the same time), and recently said it plans to enter the U.S. in late 2018 or early 2019. National security worries could get in the way of the U.S. effort, however; in January, Huawei saw a deal with AT&T (T) - Get AT&T Inc. Report to sell its high-end Mate 10 phone cancelled at the last minute due to security concerns.

But even if Xiaomi can sidestep that issue, becoming a top smartphone OEM in the U.S. and other developed markets presents a unique set of challenges. Sales here skew more towards the high end, and no one to date has put a massive dent in Apple and Samsung's dominance within this segment. Chalk this up to the continued popularity of the iPhone (and the software/services ecosystem surrounding it), Samsung's success at launching phones with top-notch displays and cameras, and the importance of branding and marketing in winning over high-end buyers.

In addition, as impressive as the company's recent growth has been in emerging markets, it's worth asking just how much of a long-term moat Xiaomi has created. The company likes to argue its various hardware offerings are part of a broader ecosystem, but Samsung, Huawei and other big mobile OEMs can also claim extensive consumer electronics and smart home lineups.

MIUI and Xiaomi's online services do provide a measure of differentiation, but in the end, the company is relying on the same OS as its rivals (Apple excluded). And it's one for which Action Alerts Plus holding Alphabet/Google's (GOOGL) - Get Alphabet Inc. Class A Report apps and services are ubiquitous outside of China, and for which Tencent's WeChat app is a platform unto itself within China.

Xiaomi's focus and execution -- not just in terms of product development, but also in terms of its sales and marketing efforts -- have allowed it to get pretty far. But just as the company raised funds in 2014 just before its sales growth began slowing sharply, it might be rushing to go public this year just before its latest sales surge loses steam.
EDWARDSVILLE  A National School Walkout event has been gaining momentum over the past week in response to the Florida shooting that took nearly 20 lives last month.

The event, planned by Womens March Youth Empower, is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. on March 14, the one-month anniversary of the Feb. 14 shooting that took 17 lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Students are being encouraged to walkout for 17 minutes, one minute each to honor the 17 lives taken in the Parkland tragedy.

As support for this movement has grows, Edwardsville High School administration, recognizing that some students may take part in this event, has been preparing for it by communicating openly with students, teachers and parents. At some level, we will facilitate a meaningful and safe event for our students in the march, Edwardsville High School Principal Dr. Dennis Cramsey noted in a letter to parents.

While EHS teachers will remain in classrooms to provide instruction for those who choose not to participate, Cramsey noted that he had three main objectives in developing a plan for March 14.

His goals are to minimize the disruption to the learning environment, validate students feelings and ideas surrounding school shootings and school safety, and maintain a safe school environment for all students, faculty, and staff during the event.

Cramsey emphasized that he would be meeting with the high school students in the weeks prior to the National School Walkout. By opening a dialogue with students about the senseless tragedies that have occurred in schools throughout our nation, we hope to gather their thoughts on how to make a difference and prevent future occurrences, he stressed in the letter. I have directed our faculty to carry on instruction at the same high level that always occurs at EHS.

I have also encouraged teachers to use the issues facing our schools and our nation as learning opportunities, while remaining focused on the board-approved curricula and without inserting political bias into instruction, Cramsey added.

He also encouraged parents to speak to their children about their feelings pertaining to school safety and school shootings. Encourage your child to talk to me, a counselor, teacher, or an administrator about ways that we can ensure that the National School Walkout accomplishes the goals expressed above, Cramsey urged.

Cramseys letter reassured parents that school safety remains a number one priority. As we communicated in a letter to parents sent in the last week, I want to reassure you that we have a well-developed safety plan in place, he said. We continually review our safety plan and execute drills throughout the year to practice our response to emergency situations in an effective manner, and our School Resource Officers Sergeant Breihan and Officer Arendell remain a visible presence in our buildings.

Other area high schools are making preparations for the walkout as well.

In Bethalto Community Unit School District 8, Superintendent Jill Griffin said Friday that the administration has been trying to come up with guidelines and procedures for those students who choose to participate in the planned March 14 walkout. So far no students have approached me or other administrators to say that they will, she said. Its not something the administration is encouraging.

The movement has gained such momentum through social media over this past weekend that a second event is also being planned for April 20 to coincide with the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting.

Reporter Steve Horrell also contributed to this story.
GODFREY  Backyard chickens are coming to town, following a vote Tuesday night at the Godfrey Village Board meeting.

The board voted 4-2 in favor of the ordinance, which for the first time will allow residents to seek a backyard chicken permit. For a handful of residents who have clandestinely kept chickens on their property, the new rules will act to legalize their situation. As drafted, the measure would have limited chickens to parcels with at least 12,000 square feet, but at the suggestion of Trustee Mark Stewart, this was lowered to 9,000 square feet to accommodate some village residents who had expressed specific interest in having chickens.

The new measure will cap the number of permits that can be issued in any given year to 20, cap the number of chickens at five per parcel and prohibit roosters. The measure also only allows chickens to be used for egg purposes. Killing them for meat is prohibited.

The board passed the measure without discussion, with trustees Eldon Williams and Karen McAtee voting against. McAtee has been the most outspoken opponent of the measure, saying she received scores of phone calls in opposition, many from residents who do not have a homeowners association to further govern chicken issues. Williams, who spoke to The Telegraph after the meeting, said he felt chickens had no place in city limits.

Its going to work out I believe, Williams said, but chickens are a nuisance. Thats all there is. When you get chickens too close to other peoples homes they make noise, and the discharge is terrible. I dont know of anything worse than chicken discharge.

Stewart, who has been an advocate for the measure, and introduced the motion for the ordinance, said he was pleased by the outcome of the vote.

It will give a chance for families that are interested in raising chickens to have the opportunity to do that with their kids, he said. I think there are some people that like having some control in their lives.

In other business, the board slightly changed a residency requirement for village employees, from 20 miles as the crow flies to 25 driving miles. The proposal brought a heated exchange between trustees, some of whom held that the rules should be changed to require employees to live within the village itself.

(I want) people to live in Godfrey and work in Godfrey, Williams said. Twenty-five miles takes you across the river. Twenty-five miles takes you to the other side of Edwardsville. I dont think we need people coming that far to work here. Theres a number of people in Godfrey that are unemployed right at the present time Theres people here within our village that need work, and we can hire them.

Stewart objected to the idea, saying that restricting municipal employment to village residents would limit the available talent pool. Godfrey, he added, was a community of commuters.

It gives us a bigger pool of people, he said. There are reasons people might want to live in a more rural setting. They want to live in a different school district possibly, or for whatever personal reason; theyve got family. But they are totally committed employees.

Trustee Nathan Schrumpf said he believes a residency requirement is a good idea, which will lead to more loyal employees, since they have to live in the community they serve. Residency requirements would also strengthen the villages tax base, he suggested.

The issues of changing the rules deadlocked in a 3-3 vote, with Williams, Schrumpf and Trustee Joseph Springman voting against. Mayor Mike McCormick, who said he was sympathetic to residency requirements, ultimately voted against strengthening them, saying the employees who live outside the village have been very loyal, and reliable.

The reason Im voting yes, is weve got employees that theyve already caved in to, and I dont want to make them nervous, he said. Theyre all good employees. I dont care what you think Especially our street department. These are very dedicated people. Never once in the nine years Ive been mayor, has one of our street guys not shown up for a snow storm. Never once. And I admire them for that. A lot of places cant say that.

Reach Alex Heeb at 618-208-6451 or on Twitter @alexheebs
ALTON  Since high school, JaTerra Castine-Ross knew she wanted to be either a teacher or a dentist. Instead of picking one future profession, she says she chose both by pursuing a degree at the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM).

As a dentist, you not only treat patients, but also teach children and adults about how their oral health impacts the rest of their body, said Castine-Ross, of Chicago.

Her passion for dentistry and education was on full display as she and her fellow SIU SDM classmates hosted approximately 230 kindergarten and second grade students throughout February in celebration of National Childrens Dental Health Month. Third-year SIU SDM students provided engaging oral health education and fourth-year students performed dental screenings on children from Alton, Bethalto and Roxana.

Every year, this is a fun field trip for local kids, and it offers our students an opportunity to build their communication and dental skills with this patient population, said Katie Kosten, DMD, assistant professor in the SIU SDM and director of community dentistry. Early intervention is extremely important. Some of these children have not been to a dentist before. If we can catch things early on and teach them how to take care of their teeth, it may prevent future oral health issues.

Educational stations included a spinning wheel with facts about oral health, an interactive brushing and flossing activity, a healthy food category game and an opportunity to make an alginate hand impression.

We dont want children to be afraid of the dentist, so we made the activities entertaining, interactive and educational, said Castine-Ross. We want them to know were here to help make sure they have nice, strong teeth for the rest of their lives.

As a student, this annual event helps us have more exposure to kids of primary school age, added Peoria native Katie Unes, a fourth-year dental student. We start with talking about what we wear, and what tools we use and why. It teaches us to take a step back and look at a dentist visit through their eyes. We want to show them what these things are and explain what were doing in a non-threatening, gentle way.

Roxana South Primary School students have enjoyed the SIU SDMs annual offering for years.

My students always look forward to coming, and they always come back to school able to tell me several things they learned from the experience, said kindergarten teacher Sheryl Luly. The event is incredibly organized, and our school is grateful that we get invited every year.
When President Trump announced he would protect American jobs by imposing tariffs on foreign-made steel and aluminum, naysayers of both parties rushed to the nearest microphone or TV camera. Pundits and politicians alike pretended to be shocked, shocked that Trump meant what he said as a candidate, and that he actually means to deliver what he promised during the campaign.

The Swamp, in short, is not happy. But cheers rose from the manufacturing belt that runs through the states that put Trump in the White House: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

This is a good thing for the steel industry and for our country, said Tim Timken, the fifth-generation leader of TimkenSteel, which has 3,000 employees in Ohio. Were standing up to our foreign competition and essentially saying enough is enough, he added.

While foreign lobbyists warned of a new trade war in which other countries retaliate against the United States, U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt pointed out that, We are, and have been, in a trade war for decades. Countries which have economically prospered by creating our current trade imbalance will face repercussions to their own economies if they choose the path of retaliation.

Peter Navarro, director of the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, debunked the notion that the United States could lose a trade war with Europe or Asia. We are the most lucrative and biggest market in the world. We have the lowest tariffs in the world, we have the lowest non-tariff barriers, we are the free-tradingest nation in the world.

And what do we get for that? Navarro asked. We get every year a half-trillion-dollar trade deficit that transfers our wealth to other countries and basically offshores our jobs and our factories. All we are asking for is fair and reciprocal trade.

The rest of the world wants unlimited access to the American consumer without complying with American regulations and without paying American taxes. Under my administration, Trump boasted in his speech to CPAC last month, the era of economic surrender is over.

Were renegotiating trade deals that are so bad, whether its NAFTA, whether its the World Trade Organization, which created China. China has been like a rocket ship ever since, and last year we had almost a $500 billion trade deficit with China  money that finances the growing Chinese military.

Critics are exaggerating the cost to consumers by adding a tax to foreign-made steel and aluminum. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross ran the numbers and found that the aluminum tariff would add just six-tenths of a cent to the cost of a soup or beer can, while the steel tariff would add about $175 to the cost of a $35,000 car.

Tariffs are much like the out-of-state tuition that state colleges charge students whose families have not supported the college through taxes. Most state colleges require out-of-state students to pay more, and most people fully support that sensible requirement.

Similarly, tariffs help level the playing field between offshore manufacturers that escape the extra burdens and costs of operating a business in America and providing jobs to Americans. Requiring those foreign companies to pay more for the privilege of selling to American consumers is perfectly logical given how the foreigners have not been paying American taxes or complying with our regulations.

The resistance to tariffs comes from the same never-Trumpers who assured us that Trump could never be nominated or elected. Peter Navarro noted that nearly all the other presidential candidates opposed Trump on trade, but guess what? He beat them.

Thirty years ago, when Donald Trump was in his early 40s, his views on trade were much the same as they are now. He told Larry King that he was tired of watching other people ripping off the United States. He told Oprah, Id make our allies pay their fair share.

Trump told Letterman that nations such as Japan have totally taken advantage of the country. Im talking about the [trade] deficits. They talk about free trade [but] they dump the cars and everything else.

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, who supports the Trump tariffs, observed that, Free trade hasnt worked well for West Virginia. Maybe that explains why Trump carried West Virginia with 69 percent of the popular vote, a whopping 42-point margin over Hillary Clinton in that formerly Democratic state.

Just as entrenched politicians in D.C. have blocked Trumps efforts to build a Wall, they also protest too much at his effort to impose a few tariffs. Yet the approach of a tariff-less society has been a catastrophic failure for the American worker, so it is time to try the approach that originally made our country great.

John and Andy Schlafly are sons of Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016) whose 27th book, The Conservative Case for Trump, was published posthumously in 2016.
At least 400 vehicles, mainly trucks carrying merchandise, cross from Uganda into Rwanda through the Katuna border in Kabale district every day.

These include 40 buses carrying passengers, 70 small vehicles and the rest are heavy trucks. This means at least 8,700 trucks cross into Rwanda using the Katuna/Gatuna border every month.

Knowing our level of industrialization, the biggest percentage of merchandize these trucks are carrying is from outside Africa, just transiting through Kenya and Uganda. A small percentage is what Uganda and Kenya are producing and selling to neighbouring Rwanda.

Small as it is, the goods Uganda is selling to Rwanda generate $160 million (about Shs 570 billion) annually, according to Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) customs officials at the border post.

Despite this volume of trade and passengers, our revolutionary government has stubbornly failed to raise Shs 25 billion to complete construction of an office block meant to process this traffic.

We are also supposed to tarmack the half-kilometer stretch between our side of the border and Rwandas. The rest of the road from Kabale to Katuna town council was recently paved using money borrowed from the European Union.

The office block (freight house) Uganda is constructing at the border has been abandoned for a year now because of lack of funds. URA and other border officials are operating in makeshift structures and containers.

Trucks waiting to be cleared to cross into Rwanda are parked along the road because money to construct a parking yard is part of the Shs 25 billion that we dont have.

That is the chaotic scene we (members of the public accounts committee of parliament), met on Monday during a field inspection trip to our Rwanda border crossings.

This state of affairs generated anger even from NRM MPs who are beneficiaries of Ugandas mismanagement. One of them kept blaming his government for getting priorities wrong. And he is right.

Before travelling to Kiboga last week to celebrate the removal of presidential age limits from our Constitution, each of the 317 NRM MPs who voted yes was given Shs 60 million, totaling to Shs 19 billion.

The newly-acquired Police Training Institute at Bwebajja was the distribution centre. Because of the nature of the operation (distribution of money), the gate was manned by Special Forces Command (SFC).

Each MP was advised to carry a bag in which their loot was stuffed. The NRM chief whip, Ruth Nankabirwa, was at this place up to past midnight overseeing distribution of this money.

She eventually got tired and assigned her deputy, Bukooli Central MP Solomon Silwany, to take over. Controversial Busia Municipality MP Geoffrey Macho who voted No to the age limit bill during the first stage and voted Yes in the final stage was chased from Bwebajja by Silwany. He was not entitled.

I hope you remember that NRM MPs, and some of our colleagues in the opposition, were given Shs 40 million each in December to pass this bill. Opposition MPs were given money not to walk out.

So, the Museveni government has spent over Shs 50 billion bribing MPs but we dont have money to complete construction of a border post that processes goods worth $160 million a year!

For me, it is these issues that we must discuss, and not the sacking of General Kale Kayihura or Security minister Henry Tumukunde.

In fact, the duos biggest crime is not the much publicized wrangling. It is the violation of rights each of them has orchestrated during their tenures. More than 200 people have been murdered by police in concert with the military during the 13-year reign of Kayihura. You remember the Kayunga riots and walk-to-work massacres?

That, for me, is the debt that we must ask Kayihura to repay. Concentrating on his quarrels with Tumukunde is to accept to be diverted. Tumukunde is also yet to account for the torture and some deaths that occurred when he was the Chief of Military Intelligence.

I have a strong feeling that the centre can no longer hold. I dont think ordinary soldiers and policemen providing security to NRM MPs as they shared billions of money go home happy after witnessing this robbery.

Yes, the 317 MPs are now historicals, according to Museveni, because they removed age limits from the Constitution so he can die in office; but what about the young men and women who beat up opposition MPs and intimidate the population every day to keep the big man in power?

How do these soldiers and policemen feel when they hear that each NRM MP has so far officially received Shs 129 million and will be given another Shs 100 million in the last quarter of the current budget?

Yes, they will each receive Shs 100 million when Keith Muhakanizi releases money for the last quarter (April-June) of 2017/18 financial year.

For me, the sharing of this stolen money is what is fuelling this wave of insecurity. Certainly the Tumukundes were not happy that Kayihura was controlling big sums of money. But ordinary policemen and soldiers are also not happy with their selfish bosses who are only serving themselves. Things can only get worse!

semugs@yahoo.com

The author is Kira Municipality MP and opposition chief whip in parliament.
Chinese investors may give investment in India a highbrow but Taiwan seeks to beef up its response and foothold in this large, young consumer market. To counter Chinese investments Taiwan is likely to lead investments of more than $10 billion to make India its business partner.

A large Taiwanese chemical firm alone is setting up a $10 billion investment in the southern part of India, to make polypropulene raw materials for making plastic, said James Kuo, deputy executive director of Taiwan External Trade Development Council.

Kuo said that along side investments by firms in the chemical sector, Taiwanese companies are also seeking 'Indian partners' for investments in sectors like Information and Communications Technology (ICT), virtual reality (VR), shoes, and even in the manufacturing of iPhones by Foxconn, the Taiwan based iPhone manufacturer.

Apparently, Foxconn is also 'on the way' with their India investments and are short of acquiring land for building facilities. The company is looking at Hyderabad and Bangalore primarily for setting up their manufacturing unit.

Stating the objective of the Taiwan government, Kuo, a spokesperson from the external trade department, said: we have transformed in the last few years from hardware manufacturers to developing products using artifical intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and virtual reality (VR).

We need India as a partner for its trained manpower in software who are working all across the world. If we partner with Indian companies we would be able to participate in government tenders for smart cities, said Kuo.

India had last year signed an economic cooperation agreement with Taiwan, under which Taiwanese companies are allowed to acquire a majority stake in their Indian partner firms. It is a win-win situation for both India and Taiwan, he said.

India and Taiwan has an annual bilateral trade which currently stands at $3 billion per annum. We expect this to go up by many times on the back of our fresh investments and exports to be generated out of India, said Kuo.

Aiming to seek out capable partners in India, Taiwanese businesses are going to participate in three trade expositions to be held across India. One of them, Computex, is already reputed to be the best technology show around the world.

Taiwan is expected to have expositions Smart Asia, based on smart city products, and another one to draw India's interest in tying up with Taiwanese businesses.
A new quake struck the country of Papua New Guinea Tuesday (early Wednesday morning local time), just two weeks after a stronger tremor in the same region killed dozens of people and caused millions of dollars in damage.

The tremor, shortly after midnight local time, struck just 31 km (19 miles) southwest of the epicentre of a magnitude 7.5 quake that flattened villages and caused landslides last Monday, killing at least 55 people.

"I'm hoping it does happen this week, as there is a lot of frustration by people who say that things are moving too slowly and that frustration is being expressed both in Port Moresby and in Hela".

It was the most severe of a series of aftershocks that have rattled the resource-rich region, about 600 km (370 miles) northwest of the capital Port Moresby, complicating efforts to provide aid to almost 150,000 people in need of emergency supplies.

Katherine Johnson to be part of Barbie 'Inspiring Women' series

Each doll will come with educational information about the contributions each woman made to society and their respective fields. It's too bad; Patty Jenkins is in the line-up, and I would love to be able to stand her alongside a Wonder Woman Barbie.

The team will assist the PNG National Disaster Centre in assessments, response coordination, logistics and information management in the worst affected areas especially in Hela and Southern Highlands provinces.

"Mothers and children are so traumatised. Every little movement scares them", James Komengi, a United Church project officer, told Reuters. Provincial health officials and Red Cross volunteers were urgently trying to improve sanitation systems and carry out hygeine training to avoid an outbreak of dystentry, Regmi said.

Aid agencies were struggling to get aid by helicopter to all of the almost 150,000 people who remained in urgent need of emergency supplies. As well, road infrastructure was damaged during the event, making it harder for aid to reach more remote areas.

The quake has been felt on global natural gas markets, with ExxonMobil Corp declaring force majeure on exports from Papua New Guinea, according to an industry source, pushing Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices 5 percent higher.
Seated in a restaurant, you take a selfie. How would you like a chance to post it along with an animated avatarwhich can be customisedand share it through different social media platforms? Bengaluru-based startup Mobigraph finds huge potential in such a project. Commenced by ex-Samsung R&D technologists, the aim of the company is to help people express and emote better in all forms of digital communication. There are hundreds of avatars to choose from, that can be customised as per the user's choice.







Currently, digital communication is emotionally bankrupt, depending predominantly on yellow-faced smilies or some static stickers. However in real life communication, body language and facial expression play a very important role. These are called non-verbal cues, and according to studies, they play upto 80 per cent role in conveying meaning and emotion. They are not present in today's digital communication which is predominantly textual, Siddhartha Vinnakote, the chief technology officer and co-founder of Mobigraph, told THE WEEK.







In order to meet the requirement of better expression, his company helps users easily create digital 3D avatars on their mobile phones. This avatar can then be used in 300-plus animations, which can then be personalised with user text in any language. This avatar can be edited any number of times with the latest trending fashion outfits. Users can then export these animations with their avatar, text, and share across any social platform. We are currently beta testing our new technology where we create a 3D avatar from user selfie. We believe this will push the limits of personalisation further, he said.







Interestingly, the company has a smartphone app known as XPRESSO, with around 6 lakh users worldwide, and 12 million customised gifs shared every month. Majority of our users are in the age group of 18-24, and we have most active users from USA, Latin America (Mexico, Brazil) and South East Asia (Thailand, Philippines). It is catching up in India too. We believe that this is the target user base, because this demography is generally the early adopters of any new technology, and are looking more and more options for self-expression."







The company has also won a US patent for the technology featuring runtime personalisation of animations with the 3D avatar, user text, themes and the option to share them at the click of a button. Their business is simple, as they charge users for animations, developers for using the API, and pay artists for creating the animations. Apart from charging the end users, the real time customisation functionality is exposed as open API (Application Program Interface) to all developers. Using the API, developers can develop new apps or update existing apps with these features. These API, once they reach a certain volume, are charged.







The company is also in talks with some leading handset manufacturers and keyboard companies to integrate and provide personalised emojis to their users. The company is also aiming to leverage the blockchain technology. We are now looking to leverage the power of blockchain technology to create a decentralised ecosystem for personalised emotions called PEP network (Personalised Expression Platform). Through ethereum-based blockchain, we will allow artists to create animations, and users to directly buy from the artists with near-zero commissions. We also plan to use the enormous computing power of the block chain. It will help cut our cost to run the technology, making the API subscription much cheaper for the developer, added Vinnakote.
If anything happens to me, please tell my story. This was...
Popular TV host Jimmy Kimmel has slammed US President Donald Trump over his Oscars ratings comments and called him the "lowest rated President in history".

After the 90th Academy Awards wrapped up this Sunday, Trump took a jibe at the low TV ratings of the ceremony with a tweet that the problem with the Oscars is "we don't have stars anymore", except him.

Kimmel, who hosted the Oscars for the second time, got back at the POTUS tweeting, "Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY."

He later followed up his reply with more potshots on his show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!".

The presenter said after the rise of the streaming services, rating of every television show had seen a lull.

"... The truth is, every year since Netflix happened, the ratings are down for every big TV event: the Super Bowl, the Grammys, the Emmys, the Golden Globes," he said.

Kimmel added that Trump believes he is responsible for affecting the TRPs, but said he got the last laugh.

"My tweet (in response to Trump) got twice as many likes as his tweet." "I know that's the thing that will get under his orange skin," he quipped.

Viewership of the Academy Awards broadcast plunged to a record-low viewership of 26.5 million people.

Kimmel also said the US president has often had a beef with the Oscars but he might like this year's Best Picture winner, The Shape of Water. "It's about a monster that has sex with a woman who can't talk about it, it's like his life story," he joked.
In Netflix's House of Cards final season trailer, the camera pans through a bustling White House and stops at the president of United States swivellling around to greet the viewers with a contorted smile: "We are just getting started."

After Netflix decided to jettison Kevin Spacey, who played the conniving Frank Underwood in the show, there were numerous questions on the direction the show would take; the final season had left us with Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) coming into her own as the president, and the shadows of an emerging feud with Frank.

The trailer reveals next to nothing, except reassuring viewers that the streaming giant would no longer deal with Kevin Spacey. Netflix had severed ties with Spacey, one of its biggest stars, after a number of allegations of sexual misconduct against the Oscar-winning actor. Netflix will not be involved with any further production of House of Cards that includes Kevin Spacey, the company said in a statement.

Spacey was accused by actor Anthony Rapp of attempts to seduce him in 1986, when Rapp was 14. Spacey, as part of his apology to Rapp, announced he was gay, which angered many in the LGBT community and beyond who saw his announcement as an effort to divert attention from the accusations.
Twelve years after he died during his trial for war crimes, Slobodan Milosevic, the

one-time Serbian strongman, divided his audience again, this time as a character in a musical that made its debut on Tuesday. The Lift - The Slobodan Show, written by Belgrade-based writer Jelena Bogavac, focuses more on Milosevic's personal relationship with his powerful wife Mirjana, his daughter Marija and his son Marko than on the politics that made him infamous.





Milosevic rode a wave of nationalism to power in Belgrade in 1989 as communism was collapsing across eastern Europe. He then led Serbia through a decade of wars in Bosnia, Croatia and

Kosovo. Hailed by Serbian nationalists as their champion against Catholic Croats and Bosnian and Kosovar Albanian Muslims, Milosevic was seen as a brutal dictator by the West.Around 200 Kosovo Serbs attended the show at a theatre in Gracanica, a Serb enclave just outside Kosovo's capital Pristina. They expressed mixed feelings about it."There's nothing there, it's simply a great manipulation ... a political theatre which actually tricked us," said Zivojin Rakocevic, a former journalist from Gracanica. In one scene Milosevic comforts his daughter over the poor financial state of her radio station. In another he tells Marko not to overheat the water in the family swimming pool.

Milosevic lost power after a NATO bombing campaign in 1999 and popular unrest in October 2000. The play ends with his war crimes trial in the Hague, where he died of a heart attack in 2006. "I'm delighted ... the point of the whole show is in one sentence, when a young man says 'Sloba (Milosevic) didn't get under my skin'," said Viktorija Zivkovic, who works in a local school."We tried to show through their personalities what happened both in Kosovo ... and in Serbia of the 1990s," Belgrade-based actress Tamara Tomanovic said.

The play frustrated ethnic Albanians who form the majority in Kosovo, which declared independence from Belgrade in 2008 in a move still not recognised by Serbia and Kosovo Serbs. An estimated 800,000 ethnic Albanians were displaced and about 10,000 killed by Milosevics forces in the brutal 1998-99 counter-insurgency war.

-Reuters
A few hours before the International Women's Day, Google released a doodle celebrating a woman's life. Divided into 12 animated stories, the doodle explores the different facets and stages of a woman's lifereminiscences of home, to teenage love, and breaking the mould.

The stories can also be shared via Facebook and Twitter.

Aiming to celebrate women's voices and uncover their inspiring stories of trials, hope and success in everyday life, Google India had, on Tuesday, launched #HerStoryOurStory campaign.

As part of the campaign, Google will be sharing woman hero stories through online videos, putting spotlight on women who have not just fought societal, cultural and economic barriers to achieve their dreams but are also redefining women's role in the society and business through technology.

The campaign will showcase stories of trials, hope and success of women across India.

"Many studies show that one of the major barriers that prevent women in India from growing is the lack of relatable and realistic role models from a similar background. We are committed to empowering women, across both urban and rural India, by investing in providing access to tools and skill sets required to grow and succeed," Sapna Chadha, Director Marketing (SEA and India) Google, said in a statement.

"On International Women's Day, we want to bring forward stories and voices of women who are not just transforming their lives but also their communities along the way. We are celebrating the success of women from all walks of lifewho can inspire many more women to follow their dreams," Chadha said.

Inputs from IANS
While the CPI(M) is crying hoarse over the alleged attack on its cadre in Tripura, a High Court verdict on Wednesday has put the party on a back foot in Kerala. The Kerala High Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to take over the probe into the murder of Shuhaib, a Youth Congress activist, as it found that the police investigation is not satisfactory.

Pronouncing the judgement, Justice B. Kemal Pasha said that the CBI should probe it as a fresh case in order to bring out the truth. The CBI counsel informed the court that it is ready to take over the probe.

The murder of Shuhaib in the red bastion of Kannur, that too, at a time when the CPI(M) was about to hold its state conference, had once again brought to light the political killings in the state, especially Kannur. The state police had arrested 11 CPI(M) cadre in connection with the murder.

The Kerala High Court had earlier observed that the conspiracy behind the political murders in Kannur is never brought to light.

The state government, on its part, informed the court that all culprits in the case have been arrested and no further investigation is required in the case. It also informed the court that the motive behind Shuhaib's murder was personal vendetta.

The court raised a few crucial questions after hearing the argument from the government's side. It asked the state attorney if he was sure there was personal vendetta between the culprits and Shuhaib. The government's lawyer replied that Shuaib and one of the persons arrested had issues between them. He also informed the court that the weapons were found based on the statement given by Biju, one of the accused.

When the court asked if the conspiracy behind the incident was clear, the government replied that a detailed probe will be held. In this context, Justice Pasha asked if the conspiracy behind political murders in Kannur has ever been disclosed.

Congress leader K. Sudhakaran, who had sat on a hunger strike demanding a CBI probe in the case, said he felt vindicated. The CPI(M) is unleashing violence against all those who oppose it. Being Congressmen with some ethics, we are unable to give tit for tat. Hence we are easy victims,'' he told The WEEK.

He also said that the Congress leadership should ensure that the lives of ordinary workers are protected. The CPI(M) which is playing victim card in Tripura should explain, he added.
Geographically, Tripura is far away in the northeast for the people of Tamil Nadu. The victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Tripura Assembly elections would have been a one line news for them. But the results were bound to have political ramifications even in this southern state.

Hours after it was clear that BJP won in Tripura, a statue of Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin was razed down to ground. Minutes after the incident, a senior BJP leader in Tamil Nadu took to social media to say, Today it is Lenin's statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic EVR Ramasamy

This statement from the BJPs national secretary H. Raja led to much anger among the political parties, fringe groups and the general public in the state, where Periyar still lives in the minds of people as a symbol of resistance against oppressive forces, a symbol of rationalistic pride and, more than these, as a philosophy that makes the Tamils rediscover themselves each time they face oppression and each time they go out to vote.

Protests broke out across the state with sporadic violence reported in a few places. At Tirupatur, down south, a Periyar statue was defaced allegedly by BJP activists. In Chennai, as a mark of protest, the sacred thread of four Brahmin priests were cut off by unidentified people.

In a video post, actor Sathyaraj, who has played the lead character as Periyar, in the movie Periyar, hit back at BJP over the statue row. Periyar is not a statue, not a name, not a body, not a mortal made of blood, flesh and bones. Periyar is a philosophy. He is an ideology created for the freedom of the working class, for the freedom of women, for abolishing superstition. He doesnt merely live as a statue, he lives in our hearts. H. Raja must apologise, the Tamil Nadu government must take legal action against him, Sathyaraj said.

In a tweet, actor Vivek said, Periyars atheism might not go well with the believers. But his contribution like women freedom, self-respect movement and the pains he took always stand out beyond time.

The opposition DMK and the ruling AIADMK expressed their displeasure and carried out token protests to condemn Raja's comment. MDMK leader Vaiko said: Whoever touches Periyar statue, his hands and legs will be chopped. Actor-turned politician and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan called the Facebook post by Raja as a planned attempt to divert the states attention from Cauvery issue. He demanded that Raja apologise. He has expressed his regrets. He should apologise, Kamal Haasan said.

Who is Periyar?

Rajas post and the sporadic incidents of violence thereafter have only made the people of the state talk more about Periyar and his ideologies. The statues of Periyar are just the depiction of an old bespectacled man, with grey hair and long beard, sporting a walking stick in his hand. But it was the far-reaching radical ideas and far-fetched thinking and philosophies of this man that moulded the Dravidian land of today. It was his rationalistic thinking that laid the basics for the principles of rationalism and social equality in Tamil Nadu. In fact, it was Periyars ideologies that moulded the Dravidian parties of Tamil Nadu. The social justice movement and then the Dravida Kazhagam, followed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (DMK) and Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) are just the extensions or break away factions of Periyars principles.

Born in 1879, E.V. Ramasamy Naicker was initially a member of the Indian National Congress. But later he had differences with its leaders and quit the posts he held in Erode municipality. The difference in opinion arose as Periyar believed that the the party leaders would neither speak against the caste system nor subscribe to his appeal for reservation of jobs in government services for the underprivileged. This was what took him up. More than his rationalism and atheism, what still makes him stand as a philosophy among the people of the state is his self-respect movement, which the people even now holds up against the BJP and its leaders.

Periyar is the fort that protects Fort St George from the modern day Hindutva invasion and cultural imposition that has spread everywhere, said Manuraj Shunmugasundaram, DMK spokesperson. Today, after his death, Periyar is still a symbol of resistance against the oppressive forces. Apparently, Periyar will be known for ages because of his self-respect movement and for his atheistic principles.

It is actually a wrong understanding among so many people that Periyars contribution is just atheism and that he was against believers. It was much more to self-respect movement than atheism. The fact of the matter is Periyar contributed to self respect movement which helped hundreds of backward and MBC who rose from their lower status to middle and upper middle class status. His another contribution is for the upliftment of the down-trodden and underprivileged, especially the backward communities.

You can find sadhus, people wearing rudhrakshas and even people sporting the sacred ash on their forehead roaming inside Periayar thidal (a huge premises that houses Periyar movements office). This is totally an unbelievable scene for a foreigner who visits Periyar thidal, because he or she will struggle a lot to understand how Periyar even after 40 years of death still holds relevance to enlighten peoplelower, middle and upper middle class people and even the god fearing believers. History will always remember Periyar not as an atheist leader but as a champion for upliftment of backward communities. He gave self respect to Tamils, says Journalist R. Mani.

Even while the right wing activists and RSS sympathisers in Tamil Nadu continue to stress on his second name, Naicker, the community he belonged to, he is referred to as only Periyar (elder) and an icon among the people of the state. He had an iconoclastic approach and an open mind for any criticism that came across his way. When someone referring to his atheistic belief asks him what would you do, if the God comes before you? He would respond saying I will accept him, if he comes. Periyars role in education, formation of policies for reservation of jobs for the under-privileged and womens empowerment has made him stand for ages not just as an icon but as a philosophy and as an ideology.
Homegrown e-commerce brand Paytm's investment subsidiary, Paytm Money, has received the approval from Sebi to become a registered investment adviser. The approval could open the possibilities of investment for the company, which is already spreading across various verticals like digital payments, Paytm Mall, among others. At first, the company is planning to launch mutual funds investments for its customers.

"Paytm Money is currently completing integrations with the respective compliance and regulatory authorities for KYC (Know Your Customer) under the Sebi regulations. It is also integrating all leading AMCs (Asset Management Companies) in India," a Paytm release stated.

The platform has planned a limited rollout of investment products, starting with direct plan mutual funds investments with zero commissions. The company will have a separate app available for both Android and iOS users. "We are committed in our mission to make wealth management easier and more accessible for the masses. The Sebi approval to our request for an investment adviser licence puts us on track for our planned launch date of April," Paytm Money Senior Vice-President Pravin Jadhav said.

Besides this, the company's another subsidiary Paytm Mall is already in talks with Japanese investment group SoftBank to raise Rs 3,000 crore. This is in addition to its talks with Singapore's Temasek Holdings and China's Primavera Capital Group to raise another Rs 1,000 crore. Once the SoftBank deal goes through, Paytm Mall is likely to be valued at Rs 13,000 crore, putting it in the 'unicorn' bracket or a billion dollar startup.

Currently, Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba and its payment affiliate Ant Financial hold a majority stake in Paytm Mall. Alibaba and SAIF Partners have pumped in $200 million in Paytm Mall, but after this round of funding, Alibaba and Ant Financial, which accounts for 55 per cent shareholding, would be reduced to a significant minority.

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma's company recently reached a valuation of $10 billion. This valuation came in January after a secondary sale where some current and former employees were given an opportunity to sell their ESOPs (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). Two hundred employees liquidated their ESOPs for $50 million. Paytm is currently the second most valuable internet firm in India after Flipkart, which has a valuation of $12 billion.
Just a few days after Emmanuel Macron took over the reins of his country, the French embassy in India received a call from the Prime Minister's Office. They wanted to quickly plan a meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Macron. Modi was on a scheduled three nation tour of EuropeRussia, Spain and Germany. He could squeeze in a day for meeting Macron.

The French government, which is used to standard protocol that includes weeks and even months of planning before a country's head visits another, was taken aback. The officials, however, got to work and planned that famous meeting. Modi was one of the first international leaders to personally meet and greet Macron.

The unconventional diplomacy, which actually is 'conventional Modi diplomacy' paid. (It hasn't always worked; the Christmas Day visit to meet Nawaz Sharif yielded no returns.) France, and Emmanuel Macron, both, have worked overtime to make his forthcoming visit to India meaningful. Macron is reportedly reading a lot, and consulting experts on India.

India, too, is keen to keep happy a partner that stood by it steadfastly when the world imposed sanctions. That India and France's strategic relationship goes back to 1998, the post Pokhran II time, says a lot.

Macron has kept his engagements in India intensive (March 9 to 12), and yet tried to encompass as much of the diversity of the bilateral ties as possible in a packed four day tour. French officials say that Macron, on his first visit ever to India, was keen to see beyond the capital city engagements, and wasn't keen on the regular Mumbai (business) or Bengaluru (technology) visit. India offered Varanasi, the prime minister's own constituency, which has a rich tapestry of culture and tradition. Furthermore, Modi offered to take him around, himself. The two will lunch privately on Macron's last day in India, stroll down the ghats and even take a chopper ride together to Mirzapur where Macron will inaugurate Uttar Pradesh's largest solar plant, built by a French firm.

When the first lady accompanies a head of state, the Agra tour is almost mandatory. Macron and wife Brigette will do their posing on the famous bench, and also attend a select dinner some kilometres away from Delhi, with a carefully curated guest list from the world of art.

Sunday, of course is almost entirely dedicated to the International Soalr Alliance Summit, being hosted at Rashtrapati Bhawan itself. Throw in a town hall with students, and you not only make that people to people connect, but also pitch in to bring business (student for universities) back to France. With just 5,000 Indian students in France, here is clearly an area of great potential.

Close on the heels of the Trudeau visit, Macron's tour will undoubtedly be on the scanner and put up for comparison. But with so much homework being done, Macron seems likely to pass the test. Results to be out by Monday evening.
After months of speculation, Telugu Desam Party on Wednesday is taking action in moving away from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP national president, N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday night announced that two Union ministers from TDP, Y.S. Chowdary, minister of state for science and technology and Ashok Gajapathi Raju, civil aviation minister will submit their resignations. The party wants to build pressure on the BJP, their ally since 2014 elections, after the Centre had refused to give a special category status to AP.

Hectic political activity was witnessed throughout Wednesday in Amaravathi and New Delhi.

Speaking to the media in Amaravathi, Naidu said that the Centre disappointed him and leaving the state with no hope of any help. He said that though he tried to contact Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he could not talk to him. Naidu added that he will take a decision soon on walking out of NDA.

The day started with a three-hour speech of Naidu in the Assembly. In his address, Naidu detailed the journey of the bifurcated state and the hardships his government faced. He squarely blamed the BJP for not fulfilling the promises made in their manifesto including allotting special category status and extending financial support to various projects. He said that a special status was peoples demand and that he had always strived to achieve it. At one point, he said that the tie-up with BJP was only for the benefit of the state.

He also added that he made 29 trips to New Delhi and sent MLAs, ministers and officials numerous times with appeals and requests.

After Naidu's speech ended, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley responded to the the strong statements of the chief minister. Speaking to the media, Jaitley stuck to the earlier stand of the BJP that they have offered the required financial assistance to AP.

Stung by the casual reaction of the BJP, the TDP leaders held meetings till late evening. Naidu spoke to his MPs and MLAs. He called a press meet which was scheduled to begin at 7.30 pm. After a couple of hours of delay, Naidu announced his decision.

Two BJP ministers in the state cabinet, Kamineni Srinivas and P. Manikyala Rao, will also resign.
Sri Lanka on Wednesday blocked popular social media networks, such as Facebook, Whatsapp, Viber and Instagram to name a few, for three days in order to prevent the spread of communal violence across the country.

"The social media in the country is now being filtered as requested by the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry, so as to prevent transmitting fake news or rumours that instill a fear psychosis or a threat to communal harmony", the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) said in a statement.

According to local media reports, users will not be able to access popular social media networks in Kandy district, the centre of violence, and other places across the country.

The Sri Lankan Government earlier on Tuesday imposed a state of emergency for 10 days to control law and order in the country to quell the anti-Muslim riots.

A curfew was reimposed on Monday in two police divisions of Kandy district till Wednesday, following the tense situation that claimed two lives.

More than two dozen arrests have been made so far in this regard.

Members of the Buddhist community held a protest outside a police station in Kandy, demanding the release of its people who were arrested in the riots.

The police said that the special security arrangements, put in place in the areas, would continue and the country's Special Task Force (STF) were deployed to maintain peace.
A US Navy veteran on Wednesday pleaded guilty to the murder of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in a racially motivated hate crime at a bar in Kansas City last year that drew international attention.

Adam Purinton, 52, pleaded guilty before a Kansas court.

He was charged with first-degree murder of Kuchibhotla, 32, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of his friend, Alok Madasani, and a bystander, who chased Purinton after he fled the Austin's Bar and Grill in Olathe city on February 22 last year.

Purinton, yelled, "Get out of my country," before shooting Kuchibhotla, who later died from injuries sustained in the attack.

Kuchibhotla and Madasani worked as engineers at Garmin, a tech company that makes GPS devices.

Puriton had earlier pleaded not guilty on all these charges and waived his preliminary hearing in late November 2017.

Before allowing Purinton's plea, Judge Charles Droege explained to him that changing his plea meant he would face life in prison, as well as a minimum of 146 months, maximum of 653 months in prison for attempted murder, not to mention the sentence he will face if convicted of a hate crime in federal court.

Purinton told the judge he understood, then he sat down as the State presented the details of the incident last February.

Kuchibhotla's widow Sunayana Dumala welcomed the guilty plea.

"Today's guilty verdict will not bring back my Srinu, but it will send a strong message that hate is never acceptable," she said in a statement.

Purinton sentencing is scheduled for May 4.

According to court documents, Purinton's plea hearing was originally scheduled for May 8 but later it was moved to March 6.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Purinton committed offences after substantial planning and premeditation, attempted to kill more than one person in a single criminal episode, and knowingly created a grave risk of death to others on the scene.

The murder generated immense outrage in India. The murder also drew international attention and raised fears of growing intolerance in America.

Many blamed US President Donald Trumps tough rhetoric on immigration, but the White House rejected any link between that and the shooting.

-PTI
More than 89 per cent of the total population has been issued the biometric identifier Aadhaar as of mid-February, Parliament was informed today.

Aadhaar coverage is low in Assam and Meghalaya where the enrollment has started recently, K J Alphons, Minister of State for Electronics and IT, said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

As per the information provided by the minister, against total population of 1.31 billion, the number of Aadhaars assigned were 1.17 billion, translating into 89.2 per cent penetration.

"As on 15 February, 2018, more than 89.2 per cent of estimated population has been issued Aadhaar all over the country. In the States of Assam and Meghalaya, the enrolment has started recently. Hence, Aadhaar coverage in these states is low," Alphons said.

He noted that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was approved as a Central Sector Scheme in 11th Five Year Plan continued in 12th Five Year Plan with the approval to operate in project mode till March 2017. The Aadhaar-issuing body is now an independent statutory authority established and operating under Aadhaar Act 2016.

"The approved Budget at Revised Estimate Stage for Financial Year 2017-18 in the form of Grants in Aid is Rs 1150 crore," he said.
 American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved.

326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257

MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.



Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information



 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research.
It is the country's fourth largest private employer - after Tata Consultancy Services, Reliance Industries and Cognizant - with 241,000 people on its rolls. In just about a decade, it operates in nine countries and has a market cap of more than Rs 15,000 crore, which has ballooned so rapidly that an investment of Rs 245 in the company in 2013 would now be worth Rs 8,500. It had revenues of Rs 4,157 crore in 2016/17, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 45 per cent in the last five years, while net profit has risen even faster at a CAGR of 69 per cent. And yet this is a company most people are unlikely to have even heard of.

Its name is Quess Corp and it is India's largest staffing company, housed in an unprepossessing, three storey, grey coloured building in east Bangalore's IT corridor. It provides personnel to a host of industries, from the courier boys who deliver packages for e-tailing companies to the shopping assistants who offer guidance at large retail stores to top level pharma or metallurgical scientists working in the R&D divisions of leading companies in these sectors. It processes 3,000 job applications a day at its 108 recruiting centres across the country, eventually hiring more than 5,000 every month. And as the response to its June 2016 initial public offering (IPO) showed, in an economy where more and more companies are outsourcing all but their core functions, Quess's jack-of-all-trades role is bringing it major dividends.



Unlikely Founder

A human resources role is hardly a solid foundation for becoming a self-made multimillionaire. Yet Quess's current Chairman, CEO and Managing Director, Ajit Issac (49) - who owns a quarter of its shares - has managed just that. Starting as an HR executive with Godrej & Boyce in 1991, moving on to the Essar group and then IDFC in various HR positions, Issac made his first entrepreneurial move in 1998 starting an online jobs portal Go4careers.com, with funding from JP Morgan. Having seen entrepreneurs up close during his stint at IDFC, he had caught the entrepreneurial bug himself.

When the dotcom bubble burst in 2000, Go4careers.com burst with it, but Issac did not give up. Instead he took the same model offline, setting up an HR company, Peopleone Consulting, which provided people for short-term roles, mostly in the multinational companies then just setting up shop in India. Despite his online setback, JP Morgan backed him again, and when Peopleone was finally acquired by Swiss HR major Adecco in 2004, it exited with a five-fold return on its investment.

In his next venture, started as soon as the non-compete period under his deal with Adecco ended, Issac remained true to his area of expertise. He set up IKYA Global - which has since been subsumed under the Quess brand - in 2007, with the Rs 160 crore he received as his share while selling Peopleone to Adecco. The name, taken from the Sanskrit 'Aikya' meaning 'oneness' or 'integration', sparked a legal battle with the global furniture brand IKEA, but Issac won the case. IKYA - which still runs the people and services vertical of Quess - remains the company's mainstay with 212,000 employees and contributing 54 per cent to its revenue.

"We have 65 offices across 33 Indian cities from Kashmir to Kerala and Guwahati to Gandhinagar," says Lohit Bhatia, CEO, IKYA. The company supplies staffing to a host of household names in different capacities - HUL, Marico, Samsung, LG, Daikin, Vodafone, Google and more - embracing sectors from retail to telecom to footwear to garments and beyond. The ticket issuer at a metro station, the salesman selling Hush Puppies footwear, the HUL distributor visiting neighbourhood convenience stores, many of the men and women painstakingly identifying and uploading names of roads and locations on Google maps covering India could well all be employees of IKYA. "Any Quess business that does not involve IT or facilities management is handled by IKYA," adds Bhatia.

People Skills

Roping in so many high profile clients calls for establishing a wide network of close contacts - a skill Issac excels at. He believes in the power of relationships, even with those who do not bring any immediate business benefits. "He first met me when he was still running Peopleone and did a pitch for me as a service provider," says Marcel Parker, an HR industry veteran who was then President, HR, at Raymond. "We never did any business together. Yet years later he asked me to join Quess as a mentor. It is this ability of Issac to invest in relationships that has enabled Quess to grow."

The remaining divisions provide solutions other than staffing. To take just one example, Quess, apart from supplying manpower, has invested in Sterlite's copper smelting plant in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu. "We've put in Rs 32 crore in material handling equipment alone," says Satyakam Basu, CEO of the industrials division of Quess.

But the staffing business, which provides more than half of Quess's revenue, is a tough one, full of people related problems which can arise anytime. "It is a brutally hard business with margins in low single digits and a plethora of large and small competitors," says an analyst with a brokerage who prefers not to be identified. Issac, however, is unfazed. "We're in a range of businesses where margins vary enormously," he says. "Competition has always been there and we welcome it. But we have scale, and an understanding of what it requires to succeed in various segments."

Rush of Acquisitions

Quess has displayed a ravenous appetite for acquisitions, virtually right from its start, picking up 100 per cent stake in eight companies, majority stake in another six while investing heavily in three more. "Acquisitions at the right price have been the key to our success," says Isaac. Analysts seem to agree. A report by Motilal Oswal, for instance, notes that one of Quess's recent acquisition - 51 per cent stake in Tata Business Support Services (TBSS) in November 2017 for Rs 153 crore - is a bargain, considering TBSS has a revenue run rate of Rs 660 crore for 2017/18, and an operating profit of Rs 55 crore. The brokerage house analyst compares Quess's TBSS acquisition with its biggest rival in manpower services, TeamLease. "TeamLease had an operating profit of Rs 61.31 crore in 2016/17 against a market cap of Rs 3,300 crore," he says. "Quess has acquired a business with profits in the same range at a tenth of the price."

Still senior Quess officials insist that acquisitions are only a part of the company's growth strategy. "Acquisitions are important but core growth will continue to come from organic expansion," says Subrata Nag, Chief Financial Officer, Quess. Amitabh Jaipuria, heading the people and services division, agrees. "Tuck-in acquisitions will continue, but we will never bet on acquisitions," he says. Nag adds that Quess is careful never to disturb the equilibrium in acquired companies. "We will never make a hostile acquisition," he says. "In every case, the team which ran the show before acquisition has continued to do so after we took over."

Some analysts also see a pitfall in Quess's decision to work closely with state governments. It has provided staffing for projects like the Ahmedabad Smart City. "Our exposure to that segment is very low in single digits," says Issac. "We are selective about the smart city projects we take on. We cannot ignore a $15 billion opportunity."

Future Bright

Quess has embraced digitisation, thereby reducing costs. "New employees can download our app and submit relevant documents using a smartphone," says Guruprasad Srinivasan, head of shared services, Quess. "Imagine the savings, considering the number of new employees we take on every month. No human beings are required to do the on-boarding."

{mosimage}

Investors are gung-ho about Quess and IKYA, too. Thomas Cook India Ltd (TCIL) (a company owned by Canadian billionaire Prem Watsa and completely distinct from the UK's Thomas Cook) invested Rs 245 crore in Quess for a 74 per cent share in 2013. Its value has since zoomed to Rs 11,000 crore. Says Watsa: "Quess has seized opportunities and executed them very well."

If further proof was needed, the response to Quess's IPO provided it. It was oversubscribed 147 times, and the scrip, issued at Rs 317, currently trades at Rs 1,050. "The funds raised have been used for more acquisitions to complete our service bouquet as well as for further digitisation," says Isaac.

He estimates that by 2020, Quess will have a headcount of 450,000 to become perhaps India's largest private employer. But it has to be seen if Quess can sustain such growth even as it emphasises margin accretion.

@venkateshababu
Getty Images

ALBANY - After a five-day trial, a jury Tuesday voted to convict a Russian citizen living in Schenectady of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, federal authorities said.

Yana Potapova, 29, faces up to five years in prison when sentenced on July 10.
Albany

CommerceHub, the Albany software firm that does online shopping fulfillment for retailers, is being acquired by two private equity firms in a $1.1 billion deal.

The two firms are GTCR of Chicago and Sycamore Partners of New York City. The cash-for-stock transaction is a premium of between 25 percent and 30 percent for CommerceHub stock, depending on when the shareholder purchased the shares.

"This is a significant milestone for CommerceHub and a very positive outcome for our stockholders," Frank Poore, CommerceHub's founder and CEO, said in a statement. "GTCR and Sycamore recognize the power of CommerceHub's platform and our unique ability to transform how retailers and brands drive growth through ecommerce. Our customers rely on CommerceHub as a strategic partner to enable their most critical growth strategies, and we are confident that our relationship with GTCR and Sycamore will accelerate the development of our platform and solutions to enable the future of retail."

CommerceHub was taken public less than two years ago by its former parent company Liberty Interactive Corp. Liberty's chairman, cable TV mogul John Malone, is the biggest shareholder of CommerceHub stock.

"Frank and the CommerceHub team have built a unique company with a highly strategic position in ecommerce," Mark Anderson, managing director of GTCR, said in a statement. "We are excited to work with Frank to continue executing on their vision for a platform and network to tie together all sources of demand, supply and delivery in global ecommerce."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

"CommerceHub is a valued partner to many leading retailers," Peter Morrow, managing director of Sycamore Partners, said in a statement. "We look forward to working with the CommerceHub team to help them grow by continuing to enable retailers' and suppliers' ecommerce offerings."

After becoming privately held again later this year, the company will remain headquartered in Albany.

GTCR was also in on a nearly $1 billion deal last year to acquire Albany Molecular Research.
Albany

Coulson's News  a small store on Broadway where politicians, business owners and downtown residents have stopped to pick up a pack of cigarettes, a lottery ticket, a sandwich or a magazine for more than 100 years  has new owners.

Diana Ortiz, a New York City resident, and her son Steve Colon, who lives in Albany, bought the business from Richard Metzger last week for an undisclosed amount. Colon used to work at a hotel in Albany and was familiar with Coulson's before he became the store's manager last week. This is the first time he and his mother have gone into business together.

"I've been waiting my whole life" to own a business, he said. Colon plans to add more hot food items to the store's offerings.

Last year, the pair approached Metzger, who had been thinking about selling Coulson's for a year and a half. He owns the liquor store next door, and while Coulson's was "doing very well," managing both businesses was challenging, he said. Others expressed interest in buying the store over the years but he felt Coulson's was in good hands with Colon and Ortiz.

"It was time," he said.

In 2014, Metzger bought the store from Steve Hutchins, whose great-grandfather William Coulson Sr. set up shop on North Pearl Street in Albany in the 1890s. Coulson Sr. later moved the store to the corner of State and North Pearl streets before Billy Coulson Jr. moved it to the corner of Broadway and State Street.

The store was frequented by a host of prominent figures over the years, including boxer Mike Tyson, Gov. Mario Cuomo and actress Maureen Stapleton, Hutchins said. "Mayors and governors would drop in all the time to get the Sunday paper," he said.

One of them was Theodore Roosevelt, who often stopped at Coulson's to snag a copy of the New York Tribune and cigars when he was the state's governor. Coulson Sr. and Roosevelt were good friends, Hutchins said.

While Coulson Sr. was a fan of Roosevelt, he did not like William Randolph Hearst, the founder of Hearst Corp., which owns the Times Union - a property Hearst acquired in 1924. Coulson Sr. blamed the newspaper baron for the spread of yellow journalism, or sensationalized news reporting, which was believed by many to have brought about the Spanish-American War.

He even refused to sell Hearst's paper, the New York Journal. When Hearst sent people up to Albany to sell copies of it in front of the store, as family lore goes, Coulson Sr. punched and threw them out  "and he was not a very large man," Hutchins said. Hutchins isn't sure if his great-grandfather ever relented.

"I guess he was kind of a character," Hutchins said.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Coulson's migrated to its current location at 420 Broadway in the early 1950s. Hutchins expanded the business to four locations that he eventually sold, and worked at the store full time for 43 years before selling it to Metzger.

When Metzger took over, he shifted the focus toward the store's deli offerings because fewer people were reading print newspapers and magazines. He also saw the deli as fulfilling a need in the downtown area for people who didn't want to walk several more blocks to grab a wrap or sandwich.

"The day of the newsstand is over," he said. "That's not the emphasis (of Coulson's) as much anymore, and (the deli) helped quite a bit."

While there has been some growth, downtown Albany's residential population also affected the business, Metzger said.

"The critical mass downtown is not quite there yet," he said.

miszler@timesunion.com  518-454-5018  @madisoniszler
Washington

Two members of President Donald Trump's Cabinet suggested Wednesday that Canada and Mexico might escape new tariffs on steel and aluminum, a potential bargaining chip in North American trade talks that heeds the "surgical approach" advocated by House Speaker Paul Ryan.

"The president indicated that if we can work something out with Canada and Mexico they will be exempted. It's not inconceivable that others could be exempted on a similar basis," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told reporters. He said earlier on CNBC that the president has "indicated a degree of flexibility."

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the administration was "definitely going to end up" with the across-the-board tariffs Trump is seeking  25 percent on steel imports, 10 percent on aluminum. "But, again, there will be a mechanism where, to the extent that the president wants to give waivers, the president can do that," Mnuchin told Fox Business.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the White House was "on pace for an announcement" on the trade penalties "at the end of this week."

Business leaders expressed alarm about the potential economic fallout from the tariffs Trump is pursuing, with the president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce raising the specter of a global trade war. That scenario, Tom Donohue said, would risk the economic momentum from the GOP tax cuts and Trump's rollback of regulations.

"We urge the administration to take this risk seriously," he said, and opt against the tariffs.

Trump has said they're needed to preserve the American industries and protect national security, but he also has tried to use them as leverage in the talks to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"We're cautiously optimistic on NAFTA," Mnuchin said. "This is part of those discussions. But assuming we get the new NAFTA deal done, they will be exempted."

White House adviser Jared Kushner and staff from the State Department and National Security Council plan to meet Wednesday with Mexico's president and foreign minister.

Trump also signaled other trade actions could be in the works. In a new tweet, he said the "U.S. is acting swiftly on Intellectual Property theft." His trade representative is investigating whether China's rules are "unreasonable or discriminatory" to U.S. business. Findings are expected in the coming weeks.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Congressional Republicans and industry groups, warning of the economic fallout, are pressing the president to narrow his plan, but he appears unmoved. "Trade wars aren't so bad," he said Tuesday, adding that the U.S. has long been "mistreated" in trade deals.

Hours later, Trump economic adviser Gary Cohn, who has opposed the tariffs, announced his plans to depart the White House.

Ryan, R-Wis., called for a "more surgical approach" that would help avert a trade war. Added Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.: "We are urging caution," McConnell said.

Asked about the calls from those leaders, Ross said the White House was "trying to do a surgical approach."

Trump has been keenly aware of how the tariffs may play in a March 13 special House election in western Pennsylvania, part of the steel belt, White House officials have said. The president is headlining a Saturday rally in support of Rick Saccone, who is battling Democrat Conor Lamb in the Republican-leaning district.
HARD SUN

Hulu

New Series! In Hulu's pulse-pounding BBC One import, Agyness Deyn (Clash of the Titans) and Jim Sturgess (Cloud Atlas) play Brit detectives Elaine Renko and Charlie Hicks, wary new partners harboring some personal secrets. When the investigation into a young hacker's murder uncovers an MI5 plot to hide humanity's looming extinction, the pair's private and professional worlds are further upended as they try to mitigate the revelation while managing their own affairs.

THE BLACKLIST: "PATTIE SUE EDWARDS"

NBC, 8 p.m.

As Liz (Megan Boone) works a new angle in tracking Tom's killers, Red (James Spader) looks to find a creative solution to a tax issue in his money-laundering operation. Aram (Amir Arison) ventures into the field as the task force investigates a mysterious woman behind a deadly viral outbreak. C. Thomas Howell and Michael Aronov guest-star.

SCHITT'S CREEK: "THE BARBECUE"

Pop, 8 p.m.

Johnny and Moira (Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara) may have planned a family barbecue, but knowing the Roses, it's likely to be more like a roast. Will son David (Daniel Levy) be able to keep new beau Patrick (Noah Reid) out of the hot seat?

SPEECHLESS: "U-NUNFORGETTABLE P-APAIN"

ABC, 8:30 p.m.

Ray (Mason Cook) is miserable after breaking up with Taylor (Sedona James), so Maya (Minnie Driver) tries to cheer him up with a day out  but Ray has a plan of his own. JJ (Micah Fowler) is nervous about his first outing with Aaron (Andrew Matarazzo), so Dylan (Kyla Kenedy) offers to make sure everything goes smoothly. Kenneth (Cedric Yarbrough) teaches Jimmy (John Ross Bowie) how to take charge at home.

LIFE SENTENCE

The CW, 9 p.m.

New Series! When Stella (Lucy Hale) is miraculously cured of the cancer that was supposed to kill her, she has to stop living like she is dying. Now that her life has a future and her decisions have ramifications, she also learns that her family has put their own lives on hold for the sake of her happiness. Dylan Walsh, Gillian Vigman, Elliot Knight, Jayson Blair, Carlos PenaVega, Brooke Lyons, Nadej Bailey and Riley Smith also star.

THE MEN WHO BUILT AMERICA: FRONTIERSMEN, PART 1

History, 9 p.m.

New Miniseries! This four-part prequel to the award-winning "The Men Who Built America" takes viewers into the early, volatile years of America, from the Revolution through the California gold rush, to tell the epic story of the American frontier through the eyes of the iconic figures who explored the country's vast wilderness. In Part 1, the Revolution begins, and the outbreak of war spreads beyond the Colonies into the remote frontier. Then, Daniel Boone's life-or-death struggle for the future of his settlement becomes a fight for the future of America.

LAW & ORDER: SVU: "IN LOCO PARENTIS"

NBC, 9 p.m.

Benson (Mariska Hargitay) warns Carisi (Peter Scanavino) to stay impartial during an investigation in which his young niece accuses a classmate of sexual assault.

THE MAGICIANS: "ALL THAT JOSH"

Syfy, 9 p.m.

While Q (Jason Ralph), Kady (Jade Tailor) and Alice (Olivia Taylor Dudley) reach out to a friend who has gone MIA, Eliot (Hale Applebaum) and Margo (Summer Bishil) learn that their latest plot to run off the Fairy Queen (Candis Cayne) has unexpected consequences.

CRIMINAL MINDS: "ANNIHILATOR"

CBS, 10 p.m.

In the new episode "Annihilator," the FBI's assistant director of national security (guest star Kim Rhodes) joins the BAU as they investigate a quadruple homicide of a group of roommates in St. Louis.

HOMICIDE CITY: "MAIN LINE MASSACRE"

Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.

In the wealthy Philadelphia Main Line, violent crime rarely occurs. This all changes when two residents are found dead inside their mansion. Fear spreads throughout Philly and the nation as it's revealed that one of the victims is the CEO of Lockheed Corporation. Investigators soon discover other crimes that fit the profile of the Main Line murders, but their suspect always seems one step ahead. Will investigators finally catch up?

CHICAGO P.D.: "PROFILES"

NBC, 10 p.m.

Intelligence investigates a string of bombings targeting members of the media. Racing against a ticking clock, the team enlists Firehouse 51 to help examine the devices and prevent the next attack. This P.D./Fire crossover concludes on Thursday night's "Chicago Fire."

HAP AND LEONARD: THE TWO-BEAR MAMBO

SundanceTV, 10 p.m.

Season Premiere! The third installment of the hit anthology series finds Hap and Leonard scrambling to locate Florida Grange, who has gone missing in the Klan-infested town of Grovetown. Facing off against a possibly corrupt sheriff and the leader of the Caucasian Knights, the boys learn that good guys don't always win, and you can't beat Mother Nature.

Brought to you by the publishers of TV Guide.  TV Guide 2018
In "Shine a Light," his 2008 documentary on the Rolling Stones, director Martin Scorsese asks Keith Richards who's the better guitarist between himself and cohort Ron Wood. In quintessentially Keith fashion Richards responds, "Individually we're lousy. Together, we're more powerful than 10 (players)."

At face value, it's a fairly ludicrous statement, but Richards states an essential truth  if two like-minded artists with a shared vision unite, the results are pretty cool.

To see that in action, look no further than the story of Gyasi Owens and Joshua Groft, who perform as Wavy Cunningham and DJ Mercy, respectively. Both the 25-year old Cunningham and the 32-year old Mercy, both of Latham, did their own thing separately for years and found some success. But it wasn't until they met when sharing the bill at a show in early 2017 that the duo found what each needed to take their creativity to a new level.

"It's hard in bands to get four people on the same page," Mercy said. "We're like two anxious dudes that like a lot of different music."

Cunningham went further, adding, "With Mercy, we share a lot of the same ideals and values and musical taste. So it's easier and better (than past collaborations). We get straight to the point, make these songs and put them out."

When he says they're getting straight to the point, Cunningham isn't fooling. Last June, they released "Welcome to the Wave." That was a Cunningham-driven project, as he had what Mercy referred to as a "blueprint of an album"  lyrics and a list of samples for each track  that he needed help assembling.

From there, the collaborative efforts have accelerated. In December, the pair released "Vacation Plug" and are prepping two more albums for this year: the 12-track "Gas and Patron, Vol. 1" for early summer and the 10-song "Blue Album" for December. All 22 songs have titles and are in some state of production. Mercy keeps a running tab on his phone of each song, its current status and when it was last worked on. The updates come frequently and Cunningham enthuses that it's been "hard to pace ourselves."

"I write songs throughout the week and either have a sample in mind or Mercy has a ton of vinyls," Cunningham said. "Sometimes I'll write a song with a craft in mind, of a certain kind of music. I look for a catchy melody, something that has the ability to relate to someone and has replay value."

"Just this morning, he (Wavy) sent me a YouTube link (for a beat)," Mercy added. "I usually have the background, like I know it's going to be eight bars, and I fill in the blanks. For me, I'm more abstract (in what to look for), so for me whatever makes Wavy happy or makes the most Wavy-ness I can do."

That means mixing it up, incorporating elements of trap, boom-bap, old school funk and soul as the sonic palette Cunningham can flex his lyrical muscles over. Cunningham sees it as a chance to push himself and engage in creative writing, a passion of his since elementary school.

"I've always been a really big fan of writing, poetry, short stories, just writing for fun," Cunningham said. "With lyrics, I'm always playing a lot with flows, just playing off certain words, certain things going on in culture, trying to make it as relevant to as many as possible. You have to be true to yourself and what you know."

On Saturday, Cunningham and Mercy will take a break from putting together their next albums for a rare live appearance, opening for Texas rapper Riff Raff at Jupiter Hall. The live show isn't a core component of their musical vision, opting to promote their tunes through social media and various streaming media platforms in lieu of concerts.

They aren't strangers to performing live, however. When "Welcome to the Wave" was released, Mercy and Cunningham appeared on WCDB 90.9 FM's "Revolution Radio" and performed the entire album live in-studio. It was a bold idea, but the pair looks forward to testing themselves and audiences with new experiences.

"I'll say something outlandish, then Wavy will agree," Mercy said. "This (the current state of their careers) is a warm-up. It's just a scrimmage. I want (to work with) a band, an orchestra, (make) the movie, the comic book."

"I'm always up for a challenge; if you're not scaring yourself, what you're doing is not making you progress," Cunningham added. "We're here for people's musical pleasure. What they thought they knew and what we're about to show them, we're going to shake things up a bit."

Jim Shahen Jr. is a frequent contributor to the Times Union.
ALBANY - An Albany man pleaded guilty on Monday in federal court to sexually exploiting a child to produce child pornography, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Albany announced.

Brennan McNeil, 26, admitted in federal court in Albany to producing a video of a 10-year-old child being subjected to sexually explicit conduct in 2017. He produced the video in North Carolina where he lived at the time. McNeil saved the thumb drive that he brought with him when he moved to New York.
American luxury motorcycle manufacturer Indian Motorcycle on Wednesday announced a reduction in prices of its products by upto Rs 3 lakh following the Indian government's decision to reduce import duty on luxury two wheelers last month.

The company's current line up following the cut starts with the Indian Scout Sixty at Rs 10.99 lakh to the top of the line Indian Roadmaster that is priced at Rs 39 lakh onwards.

"We are glad that the government has rationalised the import duty structure to 50 per cent across the range for imported bikes. The new attractive price of our products available in India will definitely lead to more sales," said Pankaj Dubey, Managing Director and Country Head, Polaris India Pvt. Ltd. "This will also create opportunities for enthusiasts to buy our iconic products and be a part of the Indian Motorcycle family."

Last week, luxury two wheeler market leader in India Harley Davidson had also reduced the prices of the four bikes that it directly imports from the US by Rs 2.62-3.73 lakh. Road King that was previously priced at Rs 28,37,000 is now available for Rs 24,99,000, while Street Glide Special that was priced at Rs 33,50,000 is available for Rs 29,99,000. Likewise, the new price for Road Glide Special is RS 32,99,000 against the old price RS 35,61,000 and CVO TM Limited is now available at Rs 49,99,000 against the old price Rs 53,72,000.

Similarly, Ducati has also reduced prices of its four bikes that it imports into India from its factory in Bologna in Italy by Rs 3.3-8.57 lakh. Its Monster 1200 now costs Rs 20.10 lakh instead of Rs 23.4 lakh, the 1200 S Red is priced at Rs 24.63 lakh against the earlier Rs 28.68 lakh and the 1200 S Charcoal grey has received a Rs 4.06 lakh cut from Rs 29.79 lakh to Rs 24.73 lakh. Prices of its most expensive bike in India, the Panigale R Final Edition has been reduced by Rs 8.57 lakh from Rs 60.39 lakh to Rs 51.82 lakh.

The Indian government had cut customs duty on imported motorcycles from high-end brands to 50 percent from 60 percent for less than 800cc engine capacity and 75 percent for the rest after the US administration led by President Donald Trump had repeatedly expressed displeasure over the high import duties charged by India on bikes made and exported from America.
BALLSTON SPA  They were four adult friends out for a Friday night of dinner, drinks and music.

Now one of them is paralyzed  and another is on trial charged with causing her catastrophic injuries in an alcohol-fueled crash on Sitterly Road in Halfmoon.

Nearly one year after the crash, John W. Cole sat in a Saratoga County courtroom Tuesday as Assistant District Attorney Katherine DeMartino told jurors the local businessman was drunk on March 11, 2017, when he got behind the wheel.

That night, Cole was joined by wife, Regina, in the front passenger seat, and backseat passengers Scott and Deanna Shapiro.

The prosecutor said Cole floored his twin turbocharged BMW to reach 78 mph on 40 mph Sitterly Road and lost control of the car. She said he crossed a double-solid yellow line, struck a sign post, ripped it from the ground and took it with him, struck a fire hydrant, sending it flying across the road, crossed the double-line again, smacked into a tree at 50 mph and flipped over, landing upright.

"And shockingly, you're going to hear that almost everybody in the car was able to walk away," the prosecutor said. "Everybody except Deanna Shapiro. Deanna Shapiro would never walk again after that night because of the reckless conduct of this defendant."

Shapiro, known as "Dee" and a mother of two teenage sons, is now a quadriplegic.

"Deanna Shapiro trusted John Cole to get her and her husband, Scott, where they were going," DeMartino said. "And the defendant betrayed that trust by driving at a recklessly high rate of speed after consuming alcohol to the point of intoxication."

Cole, the owner of Cole's Collision, a business with several area locations, is charged with second-degree assault, vehicular assault, DWI and reckless driving. The assault charge carries two to seven years in prison.

His attorney, Cheryl Coleman, told the jury her client immediately told police what happened. She said no civilian witnesses who had any contact with Cole that night will testify he had "any more than a drink or two" over five hours  or ever appeared intoxicated.

"It was a nightmare for multiple people," Coleman said. "I think the evidence will show it was nothing more than a normal social evening out for grown-ups. There was nobody going nuts. Nobody doing shots, nobody pounding down."

Coleman added: "Something happened that was beyond the control of John Cole. It was beyond of the control of anyone."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Earlier, the prosecutor described the sequence of events of March 11, 2017 as follows:

The Shapiros drove to the Cole home, left their car and joined them for plans to see a band play at Trick Shot, a Halfmoon billiards spot and bar. Cole offered to drive. The couples went for dinner and drinks at the Rusty Nail in Halfmoon about 7 p.m. They ordered a round of drinks at the bar, sat down and ordered appetizers and more drinks. They left about 9 p.m. to go to Trick Shot.

Cole dropped off the passengers at the bar and left to return a birthday card he had found on the ground. He was gone for a period of time, returned to Trick Shot and had a drink at the bar. They left about midnight, but not before Scott and Deanna Shapiro asked him, "Are you OK to drive?" Cole responded, "Yes, I've been drinking water."

When he made his way to Sitterly Road on the return trip, Cole began to speed, prompting everyone in the car to ask Cole to slow down, unsuccessfully. The crash followed.

Testimony was expected to begin Wednesday, but the trial will not resume until Thursday because of the expected snowstorm.
ALBANY School safety is shaping up to be the latest front in the endless fight between the Democratic controlled Assembly and the Republican-led Senate in the legislature.

While Senate Republicans on Monday unveiled their response to the Feb. 14 mass shooting that killed 17 at a school in Parkland, Fla, Assembly Democrats  in step with their Democratic counterparts in the Senate  offered their own vision on Tuesday.

From a political and ideological standpoint, the differences were no surprise.

Senate Republicans offered a package of bills that emphasized putting more police and "hardening" security in schools.

The proposals by Assembly Democrats focused largely on keeping guns away from people who may pose a danger to others.

What remains to be seen is whether the two parties can come together by the end of the session in June. If not, the gun-violence proposals could become another perennial disagreement like earlier fights over the Dream Act, abortion rights and other social issues.

The Assembly's proposals, which mirror those put forth in the past two weeks by Senate Democrats, include allowing judges to block a person's access to firearms if they are determined, after a hearing, likely to harm themselves or others. Another bill would extend from three to 10 days the waiting period for federal background checks needed to buy a gun. The Democrats also have proposed banning the possession or use of bump stocks, which increase a gun's firing capacity.

Additionally, The Democrats want to prohibit those convicted of domestic violence from having access to firearms.

The Senate package included measures to put more police on school campuses  including allowing retired police to collect their pensions and a school-security officer salary; tougher penalties for violence on or near school grounds or places where more than 25 people are gathered; and increased technology such as metal detectors and personal-safety alarms that teachers can use.

Senate Republicans are also calling for more mental health services on school campuses.

On Monday afternoon, the tensions between the two parties on gun violence solutions was revealed on the Senate floor, where Democrats referred to portions of the Republican's plan  notably using sale of vanity license plates to help fund armed security officers in schools  as "hair-brained" and "stupid."

Sen. James Tedisco, R-Glenville, who sponsored the license plate bill, responded heatedly by telling his Democratic colleagues to look up the word "hypocrite" in the dictionary and suggested they would see a photo of themselves.

When asked if there's any hope for a compromise with Senate Republicans, Assembly Democratic Majority Speaker Carl Heastie said: Hopefully were convincing our colleagues this is the right way to go.

Democrats in the Assembly and the Senate both have vehemently opposed any plans to put more guns in schools, whether by arming security officers or teachers. They said the costly measures would do nothing to stem mass shootings in malls, churches, concerts or other gathering places and that it is more about stemming access to high-powered weapons.

We dont think more guns on top of students is the answer, Heastie said. I dont think theres any room for us is putting guns in schools.

As in so many Republican-Democratic disputes, both sides are reflecting their constituencies.

On the issue of gun violence, police unions and other law enforcement groups have embraced some of the measures put forth by Republicans.

Shortly after last month's mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., for instance, the state Sheriffs Association called for putting a police officer in every school.

Assembly Democrats, on the other hand, have close relations with lawyers groups and many of their ideas focus on changing statutes regarding gun ownership.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The list of topics upon which Assembly Democrats and Senate Republicans disagree is a long one.

The Dream Act, abortion rights, protections for transgender people, as well as drug enforcement versus treatment are all points of contention.

Other disagreements center on a millionaires tax and campaign finance reform.

It remains unclear whether the two sides will reach a compromise on any measures to increase school safety or reduce gun violence, or whether the issue becomes a rallying point that the two sides invoke come election time.

Part of that could depend on how deeply Gov. Andrew Cuomo wades into the fight.

Last week, Cuomo said that he supports the measures put forth by Senate Democrats but stressed that gun-violence reduction is a federal issue. States can strengthen their gun laws, he said, but it won't stop someone from bringing high-powered weapons illegally across state borders.

Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi on Tuesday reiterated the governors stance that the federal government needs to act.

"We support further strengthening the strongest gun safety laws in the country, and look forward to discussing proposals to do that with the Assembly and Senate, but as the governor said, to most effectively curb gun violence we need federal action and the lack of federal action on this is alarming, Azzopardi said.

New York already has some of the nations toughest gun laws. The SAFE Act, as it's known, was passed in the wake of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Ct., five years ago.

Some observers wonder whether Cuomo, who is said to harbor presidential ambitions, may see the deadlock as an opportunity to cut a deal. I cant imagine hell sit this one out, said one veteran lobbyist.

rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU
TROY  Capital Region colleges and universities are keeping a close eye on Washington as federal cuts to student aid programs and rhetoric around immigration threaten to limit college access, affordability and international enrollments at the local level.

College presidents expressed their concerns at the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce's annual College Presidents Panel Discussion, held Wednesday in Troy with leaders from the University at Albany, Hudson Valley Community College, the College of Saint Rose, Siena College and Excelsior College.

Roughly 500 institutions of higher education this past fall reported an average decline in new international students of 7 percent, with more than half of them crediting the current social and political environment in the U.S. as a reason for the decline.

Local institutions say that they aren't feeling a direct impact on their enrollment just yet. At UAlbany, where increasing the number of foreign students has been a high priority, international enrollment rose by 6.2 percent this past fall. They are seeing other warning signs, though.

"We get questions asked, 'So if my son or daughter comes from X country and they go back during the summer period of during holidays will they be able to get back into the United States? As a mother or father or family member, will I be able to visit my son or my daughter?' " recalled UAlbany President Havidan Rodriguez. "So clearly there is a perception out there, and perception for many individuals is reality."

College of Saint Rose President Carolyn Stefanco told the crowd of about 140 guests that a nonprofit with which she's involved that brings together higher education leaders from around the globe just canceled a trip to the region and the state due to concern about the nation's political climate.

At Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, officials worry the debate around "chain" or family-based migration could have a negative impact.

A number of international students decide to enroll at HVCC and then transfer to the nearby Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute thanks to word of mouth from family or friends, said HVCC President Drew Matonak.

"There are issues and we need to address them, but we need to be addressing them with a scalpel not a bludgeon," he said. "We're bringing some wonderful people here who are contributing significantly to our economy, and we need to be sensitive to that."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Meanwhile, federal tax reform and a package of tax cuts approved by Congress late last year have local colleges on their toes.

Some expressed worry that the reforms will hurt their philanthropic efforts, which are especially important at the smaller regional colleges. Others said the threat of a freeze to the federal Pell grant program, the elimination of loan forgiveness programs and the elimination of subsidized Stafford loans  all proposed to pay for the tax cuts  will make it even harder for low-income students to afford college.

"At the University at Albany, about one-fourth of our students come from low-income households," Rodriguez said. "So income and affordability is critically important."

The annual event was well-attended, chamber officials said, despite a snow storm that was expected to hit the region hard Wednesday. Sage Colleges President Christopher Ames and RPI President Shirley Ann Jackson were scheduled to be on the panel, but were kept away due to the storm, they said.
WASHINGTON  One week after President Trump stunned fellow Republicans by expressing support for a host of Democratic gun proposals, its quiet on Capitol Hill as far as firearms are concerned.

In the House, guns are not on Speaker Ryans radar, and the Senate has turned its focus to an overhaul of Dodd-Frank banking regulations imposed after the 2007-2008 Great Recession. But beneath the placid surface, there is some churn.

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, on Tuesday blamed Democrats for turning the no-frills Fix NICS bill  aimed at beefing up the existing FBI gun-purchase background-check system  into a Christmas tree, decorated with other legislative ornaments that look nice to their political base but stand no chance of passing this body or the House.

For Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, however, its Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who are sidetracking gun legislation.

Its a show weve all seen before, and its getting old, Schumer said Monday. We could find a bipartisan consensus. Its very possible. But it requires the president of the United States to show some leadership  Otherwise, Congress will continue to do what its done after every mass shooting for the past decade  nothing.

At least since the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Schumer and other Democrats on Capitol Hill have used the momentum generated by this and other horrific incidents to push their legislative agenda forward. But success has eluded them.

After the Feb. 14 shooting that left 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Democrats believed the tide had turned in their favor.

Schumer last week detailed the three-prong Democratic approach, the leading item being expanded background checks aimed at closing the so-called gun show loophole. It would require background checks on most private sales of guns, not just those for gun purchases at federally licensed dealers.

Also included were protective orders from judges, seizing guns from individuals deemed to be dangerous to themselves or others, and a promise to debate reinstatement of the assault-weapons ban that existed between 1994 and 2004.

Trump and Republican congressional leaders face the conundrum of wanting to appear proactive after the Parkland shooting while not alienating the National Rifle Association and its gun-rights base.

Trump has been virtually mute on guns since he met with NRA representatives a day after the Feb. 28 White House meeting, where he said the gun-rights organization doesnt have much hold over him.

Blaming Democrats for stalling Fix NICS arguably gives Republicans some breathing room. The NRA supports Fix NICS.

But Schumer, through a spokesman, denied Democrats are holding up Fix NICS. Democrats countered the real culprit can be found among Republicans themselves, specifically conservative Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who on Monday blocked a path that would have fast-tracked gun legislation onto the Senate floor.

Nevertheless, Schumer has been dismissive of Fix NICS as little more than a Band-Aid for what amounts to a gaping wound. On Monday, he called the bill co-authored by Cornyn and Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a minor measure that doesnt work.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The bill would set up a carrot-and-stick system for encouraging states and federal agencies to hasten the rate of submitting records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) that would disqualify individuals from purchasing firearms. A felony conviction or adjudication of mental illness are among the reasons cited in current federal law for denying purchases.

Murphy himself has characterized Fix NICS as a relatively modest step, no substitute for a broader background-check bill.

I'm proud that Sen. Cornyn and I came together and wrote the Fix NICS Act, Murphy said Tuesday. But lets be honest  it's a modest change. If we want to make a significant difference in the fight to reduce gun violence, we need to expand background checks.

We owe it to the kids in Parkland, and survivors and victims families across the country to have an open debate about solutions, he said.

Even if the Senate were to pass a Fix NICS bill, its future in the House would not be assured. In December, House Republicans packaged Fix NICS with concealed carry reciprocity, a top-of-the-line NRA priority that would let traveling handgun owners carry weapons based on their home-state laws, not those of jurisdictions such as New York that are tougher.

The bill died in the Senate because concealed-carry reciprocity is anathema for Democrats whose votes would be needed for passage.

Upstate GOP Reps. John Faso and Elise Stefanik voted for the measure and were among 19 Republican House members who signed on to a Feb. 23 letter calling on Ryan to bring Fix NICS back to the House floor as a stand-alone bill.

We continue to encourage leadership to decouple the bills and move the Fix NICS portion on its own, said Stefaniks spokesman, Tom Flanagin.
NEW SCOTLAND  Bruce L. Decker disappeared much as he lived: seemingly without a trace.

After a week of searching, state park rangers have scaled back their search for the Guilderland psychiatrist, who abandoned his vehicle and vanished into Thacher Park last month.

The search for Decker, 71, started Feb. 22 and was drawn down last Thursday, the day before a nor'easter dumped 2 feet of snow on the area around the park. Another weather system was expected to drop more than a foot there on Wednesday.

Personnel from two state agencies  Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation and Environmental Conservation  joined Albany County Sheriff's Office employees, volunteer firefighters and 12 volunteer search and rescue teams to comb 2,442 acres for some trace of Decker. Park Police have not said if they recovered anything in their search.

Deckers public record is scarce, with little clue as to where he was from or how he came to Guilderland. He graduated in 1973 from Tennessee's Vanderbilt School of Medicine and was licensed to practice in Rhode Island four years later.

He was licensed to practice psychiatry at various times in New York, Vermont and Rhode Island. His New York license expires at the end of this month.

Decker seemed to spend his time between condos in Guilderland and Providence, R.I. According to business records, he worked out of his home. On Tuesday, the one neighbor who answered the door at the Guilderland condo complex where Decker lived said she did not know him. Records indicate he lived there since at least 1998.

Records in all three states dont indicate any professional disciplinary actions against Decker. There are no liens or bankruptcies. Nor is there any indication of family, associates or extended relatives. Based on his digital outline, the only constants are medical licenses and voter registrations. He was not a member of any major political party, nor does it appear he donated to any candidate.

Park Police began searching for Decker after his vehicle was discovered in the Paint Mine parking lot. A check of his residence indicated he may not have been home since Feb. 19, the agency said.

Searchers do have video of him in the park, but it doesnt indicate where he went or where he disappeared.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

DEC said the search effort is being reduced, though additional field searches will resume once the snow melts.

Police have released little information about the search or the subsequent tips that have come in since Deckers disappearance. A Park Police spokesman did not respond to an email with specific questions about the search, or whether anyone had made contact with a family member.

Decker is white, about 5-foot-9 and has gray hair. He was last seen wearing gray pants, black jacket, gray plaid scarf and dark boots. Anyone with information is asked to call 518-584-2004.

shughes@timesunion.com - 518-454-5438 - @shugheswrites
Saratoga County Sheriff's Office

GALWAY - A town man was arrested last week for allegedly forcing a 14-year-old girl to have sex with him while she was inside his home last October, Saratoga County Sheriff's Office said.

Scott A. Laux, 17, of Bliss Road, was arrested on Thursday and charged with rape, a felony.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  Mayor Meg Kelly on Tuesday night appointed a new charter review commission with three commissioners who have vehemently opposed any charter change: Commissioners John Franck, Michele Madigan and Skip Scirocco.

The 10-member group will be tasked with tweaking the current charter and put it up for a vote in November. The move ends efforts by advocates to force another charter-change vote.

"The goal of this revision will be to find efficiencies and organizational improvements within the current government to better serve the people of Saratoga Springs," the mayor said.

Kelly's action was lauded by those who want to preserve the commission form of government and a ploy to protect political power by those who want to see another government structure for the city.

Franck said the charter-change advocates lost, and they need to accept that fact and move on.

"The majority rules," Franck said. "Mayor Kelly is listening to the majority of voters."

Kelly ran for election in November on a platform for charter change, so many change advocates felt betrayed. A petition drive was planned to gather 1,500 signatures to force a vote this November.

"What this does is block us," said Bob Turner, the former chair of the now disbanded Charter Review Commission that rewrote the charter for the 2017 vote. "The mayor's creation of a new charter review commissions means there is no potential for a citizen's initiative for a new charter."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Patty Morrison, a member of It's Time Saratoga, said: "With this action, we will only be presented with one option and this is to continue with the commission form of government (which) did not get a clear majority of the vote in our late election."

Last November, charter change advocates sought a recount after their side was defeated by 10 votes, but the Saratoga County Board of Elections said no. A state Supreme Court judge also struck down a request.

While many spoke against the measures, others at the meeting were in favor. Bonnie Sellers, a member of SUCCESS, the group that opposed charter change, said that the people need to embrace the 100-year-old city form of government.

"You don't criticize the constitution. You don't criticize the state constitution," Sellers said. "Why is it so difficult to respect what we have. Leave the government alone."

The commission will be chaired by City Attorney Vince DeLeonardis with Madigan's Deputy Commissioner of Finance Michael Sharp the vice chair. Also to be seated on the commission will be Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety John Daley, Commissioner of Public Safety Peter Martin, Deputy Mayor Lisa Shields, Deputy Commissioner of Public Works Joe O'Neill and Deputy Commissioner of Accounts Maire Masterson.
As part of the Cold Case Tuesday initiative, State Police are asking for the publics help in the investigation into the 1998 disappearance of former University at Albany college student Suzanne G. Lyall.

On March 4, 1998, Lyall, then 19, was reported missing by her father, Doug Lyall, of Ballston Spa.

Police were able to determine that Lyall left her part-time job at Babbages Software in Crossgates Mall at about 9:20 p.m. on March 2. She got on a CDTA bus to head back to her dorm in Colonial Quad.

Witnesses at the time told police she left the bus at about 9:40 p.m. at Collins Circle on the UAlbany uptown campus. She has not been seen since.

More for you New York cold case playing cards hit 10-year mark

Senior Investigator James D. Horton, who at the time was head of the Major Crimes Unit at Troop G in Loudonville, said police believed Lyall fell victim to a crime.

"We felt immediately that she was most probably a victim of foul play, and time has not helped to change our mind,'' Horton said. "In fact, it has made us feel even more strongly."

Her ATM card was used at a Stewarts Shop at the corner of Central Avenue and Manning Boulevard in Albany just before 4 p.m. the next day.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Two months later students walking through the visitors parking lot adjacent to Collins Circle found a Babbage Software ID card belonging to Lyall. The card was outdated and it is unknown if the card was lost the night Lyall disappeared.

Lyall is described as a white woman, 53, weighing approximately 170 pounds. She has long reddish-brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing an ankle-length black coat, black shirt and jeans while carrying a black tote bag.

Anyone with information in this case is asked to call at 518-783-3211.
Anyone falsely accusing someone of blasphemy should be subjected to the same punishment: Senate

A Senate Special Committee on Human Rights on Tuesday recommended that perpetrators of false accusations of blasphemy be given the same punishment as set for those convicted for blasphemy. "Anyone falsely accusing someone of blasphemy should be subjected to the same punishment as a person convicted of blasphemy," the recommendation stated.



The punishment for blasphemy in Pakistan ranges from several years in prison to a death sentence. Under existing laws, a person making a false accusation can only face proceedings under Section 182 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which entails a maximum punishment of six months, or a mere Rs1,000 fine.



The recommendation also stated that anyone looking to register a blasphemy case at a police station should have to bring two witnesses to support their accusation.



However, committee member Senator Mufti Abdul Sattar, who belongs to the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, opposed the recommendations, terming them "an attempt to sabotage the blasphemy law."



"Are there no other laws in the country that are being misused?" the legislator complained.



"We are not trying to make any changes to the blasphemy law, we are trying to keep people from misusing it," Senator Farhatullah Babar clarified.



The committee has decided to forward its recommendations to the Council of Islamic Ideology.

Push for equal punishment



Last year, in October, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had suggested that parliament make the blasphemy law tougher by fixing the same punishment for any person misusing it or falsely accusing someone of blasphemy.



The recommendation was made in a long order addressing a a petition seeking the elimination of blasphemous content from social media.



IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had said in his order that due to the misuse of the law, critics even demanded abolishing it, adding it was better to stop exploitation of the law rather than abolishing it.



At the time, the judge had referred the matter to the legislature.



The Interior Ministry had on February 16 submitted to Justice Siddiqui a draft of proposed amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016. The amendments had sought to equate punishments for a false accusation of blasphemy to the punishment for actually committing blasphemy.



The matter had first been brought before the IHC by the Lal Masjid-led Shuhada (Martyr's) Foundation, which had initially accused five bloggers of uploading blasphemous content on social media last year.



However, the Federal Investigation Agency had later informed the IHC that the bloggers, who had been forcefully disappeared early last year, were not involved in blasphemy and the investigation agency had not found any tangible evidence against them.



Justice Siddiqui had subsequently proposed invoking the blasphemy-related Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deals with those who falsely accuse another of blasphemy.



In his116-page verdict, Justice Siddiqui had discussed in detail the common criticisms against the blasphemy law and said that due to misuse of this law, critics were demanding its abolition, adding that it would be better to stop the exploitation of the law rather than abolishing it.



The detailed judgement also explained how, in cases of personal enmity, people managed to drag their rivals into blasphemy cases, putting at risk the lives of the accused and all their friends and family members.

Youhanabad case



The Senate Special Committee also discussed the Youhanabad lynching case and said that the charges against those arrested in the case should be reconsidered.



Recapping the case for the committee, Babar said: "Three years ago, two churches were targeted in Youhanabad as a result of which at least 150 Christian citizens died. People in the area conducted protests to condemn the deaths of their fellow citizens  as is their right. These people were charged with terrorism and have been rotting in jail for three years."
Forty years ago, I was working for the Department of Social Services. The department was going to initiate a project to automate the payment of Medicaid claims. The federal government was offering to help pay for the implementation of the Medicaid Management Information System, MMIS.

Many people claimed it couldn't be done. It was too complex. There had to be a file of Medicaid recipients. There had to be a file of medical service providers, and a formulary file of the diagnosis and treatments that would be paid for, along with the payment amount of each service. And two reporting systems were required. That meant six subsystems in all. This would be a large task and would involve three layers of government  federal, state and local  and a computer systems firm.

The state developed a proposal and asked various computer systems firms to bid on the process. A firm was ultimately selected, the development and implementation processes were successful. All this is now history; the State has an ongoing Medicaid Management Information System.

The significance of this for me is that, with the loss of 17 lives on Valentine's Day, my heart and head tell me there must be a collective will to say that we can solve this problem of innocent children and adults being killed with guns.

I can imagine a system like MMIS; call it the Gun Management Information System, GMIS. There would be a file of all those people who are registered to have a gun; a file of those businesses that sell the guns; and a file of the types of weapons and ammunition sold. These files would be confidential and only made available to law enforcement agencies. The file of those registered would come from the businesses that sell guns and ammunition. It would be processed and compared with school and mental health files to detect possible problem gun owners.

There would be management reports used by law enforcement to detect possible problems. What types of guns are people purchasing? For what purpose? This comprehensive system would ultimately be used to control and monitor the sale of guns and ammunition.

How would such a system get developed and implemented? It would require an ethical and motivated computer systems corporation or corporations. It would require the political will of our leaders and of the voting public. It would require the passing of appropriate laws. It would require an agency, such as the FBI or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, that would support and fund the implementation of such a system.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

I heard someone recently say we have two choices: Either we are willing to accept the occasional loss of children's lives, or we are going to do something to stop it. We either fix the problem or acknowledge that we are willing to sacrifice lives.

A recent Time magazine headline read "Live Longer Better." Isn't that what we all want? Don't our children deserve a chance to live full and happy lives? I believe a GMIS would help end the killing of innocent children and adults. They said it couldn't be done, but the state successfully implemented MMIS. America knows how to get things done when it has the will. Are there any governors, senators or congressmen willing to take on this effort and prove that it could be done?

Alfred Manzella lives in Slingerlands.
What happens to U.S. politics after Donald Trump? Do we snap back to normal, or do things spin ever more widely out of control?

The best indicator we have so far is the example of Italy since the reign of Silvio Berlusconi. And the main lesson there is that once the norms of acceptable behavior are violated and once the institutions of government are weakened, it is very hard to re-establish them. Instead, you get this cycle of ever more extreme behavior, as politicians compete to be the most radical outsider. The political center collapses, the normal left/right political categories cease to apply and you see the rise of strange new political groups that are crazier than anything you could have imagined before.

If the United States follows the Italian example, by 2025 we'll look back at Trump nostalgically as some sort of beacon of relative normalcy. And by the way, if America follows the Italian example, Trump will never go away.

Silvio Berlusconi first came to power for the same reasons Trump and other populists have been coming to power around the world: Voters were disgusted by a governing elite that seemed corrupt and out of touch. They felt swamped by waves of immigrants, frustrated by economic stagnation and disgusted by the cultural values of the cosmopolitan urbanites.

In office, Berlusconi did nothing to address Italy's core problems, but he did degrade public discourse with his speech, weaken the structures of government with his corruption and offend basic decency with his lewdness.

In short, Berlusconi, like Trump, did nothing to address the sources of public anger, but he did erase any restraints on the way it could be expressed.

This past weekend's elections in Italy were dominated by parties that took many of Berlusconi's excesses and turned them up a notch. The big winner is the populist Five Star Movement, which was started by a comedian and is now led by a 31-year-old who had never held a full-time job. Another winner is the League, led by Matteo Salvini, which declined to effectively distance itself from one of its former candidates who went on a shooting rampage against African immigrants. Berlusconi, who vowed to expel 600,000 immigrants, is back and is now considered a moderating influence. The respectable center-left party, like center-left parties across Europe, collapsed.

Italy is now a poster child for the three big trends that are undermining democracies around the world:

First, the erasure of the informal norms of behavior. As Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt argue in "How Democracies Die," democracies depend not just on formal constitutions but also on informal codes. You treat your opponents like legitimate adversaries, not illegitimate enemies. You tell the truth as best you can. You don't make naked appeals to bigotry. Berlusconi, like Trump, undermined those norms. And now Berlusconi's rivals have waged a campaign rife with conspiracy theories, misinformation and naked appeals to race.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Second, the loss of faith in the democratic system. As Yascha Mounk writes in his book "The People vs. Democracy," faith in democratic regimes is declining with every new generation. Seventy-one percent of Europeans and North Americans born in the 1930s think it's essential to live in a democracy, but only 29 percent of people born in the 1980s think that. In the U.S., nearly a quarter of millennials think democracy is a bad way to run a country. Nearly half would like a strongman leader. One in 6 Americans of all ages support military rule.

In the Italian campaign, we see the practical results of that attitude. Voters are no longer particularly bothered by dictatorial tendencies. As one voter told The Times: "Salvini is a good man. I like him because he puts Italians first. And I guess he's a fascist, too. What can you do?"

Third, the deterioration of debate caused by social media. At the dawn of the internet, people hoped free communication would lead to an epoch of peace, understanding and democratic communication. Instead, we're seeing polarization, alternative information universes and the rise of autocracy.

The underlying message is clear. As Mounk has argued, the populist wave is still rising. The younger generations are more radical, on left and right. The rising political tendencies combine lavish spending from the left with racially charged immigrant restrictions from the right. Vladimir Putin's admirers are surging. The center is still hollowing out.

Nothing is inevitable in life, but liberal democracy clearly ain't going to automatically fix itself.
STAMFORD  A dog warned its master of a fire that severely damaged a home in North Stamford early Monday morning.

Fire Capt. Philip Hayes said a 911 call came in reporting the fire on Long Ridge Road at 3:35 a.m. Firefighters responded with six engines, a ladder truck a rescue company and a water tanker.

Stamford Engine Company #9 from Roxbury Fire Station was first to arrive on scene to find a well involved fire on the first floor of the home, with flames having blown out a large picture window on the front of the house.

The sole occupant and her poodle mix escaped the fire without injury. The woman told firefighters that her dog came up to her second-floor bedroom and began barking. When she went downstairs, she heard the smoke detectors and saw fire in the living room behind a piano.

Firefighters quickly stretched a hose line into the first floor of the structure and extinguished the main body of fire using water from the initial response resources. The fire was brought under control in approximately 40 minutes. The last crews left the scene at 6:30 a.m..

The first floor of the home was extensively damaged by smoke and heat, with less severe damage throughout the structure, Hayes said.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Hayes said the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of smoke detectors on every floor of a home and in every bedroom. Fortunately, no one was injured at this incident due to the alertness of the occupants pet dog and the activation of smoke detectors, Hayes said.

The fire marshals office will continue an investigation to determine the cause and origin of the fire.
The Status Red weather alert caused by Storm Emma and the Beast from the East failed to deter burglars around North Tipperary last week.

One burglary occurred at Ormond Keep, Nenagh, last Thursday afternoon. The alleged culprit, a local man, was arrested nearby by gardai, who brought him before a special sitting of Nenagh Court later that day.

Gardai in Roscrea are investigating a burglary in the Copper Beech View area between 1am and 3am last Friday, when the Red weather alert was in effect. Anyone who might have been aware of suspicious activity in the area at that time is asked to contact the Gardai.

Another burglary occurred at Sallygrove, Nenagh, in the early hours of the same morning. A number of items were stolen.

Gardai arrested a suspect that afternoon and recovered some of the stolen items. The suspect has been charged and is to appear before Nenagh Court this Friday.

There was also a break-in at a pharmacy in Toomevara between midnight and 3am on Friday. The shop was damaged but nothing substantial was taken. Gardai are appealing for witness information.

Meanwhile, Gardai have seized property that may have been stolen from the Sallygrove / Bulfin Crescent area in Nenagh in recent days. People living in the area are asked to check their sheds to see if anything is missing.

Also recently recovered are two mountain bikes, which were found at Hanly's Place, Nenagh, last Friday. Gardai are seeking public help in establishing the ownership of the bicycles.

Gardai are advising members of the farming community to be vigilant of opportunistic thieves following the theft of a horse box at Youghalarra.

Elsewhere, a male was detected driving at high speed on the M7 outside Nenagh at Clashnevin last Tuesday. He has been charged with dangerous driving and is to appear before Nenagh Court on March 16.
Severe weather events are fast becoming a regular feature of Irish life and these events, which are extreme in nature, prove very challenging for all services including local authority services. Storm Emma combined with the Beast from the East, demonstrated Natures raw power across the county which is something we havent seen for thirty five years and represented very challenging conditions in many areas.

Tipperary County Councils response was immediate following the Met Eireann weather advisory on Sunday 25th February, 2018.

The Councils Severe Weather Plan was activated on Monday 26th February following a meeting of its Crisis Management Team and teleconference consultations with An Garda Siochana and the HSE, bringing a range of formal emergency management actions and resources into play. This team continued to convene nine times over the course of the severe weather event via meetings, video conference and conference calls, including the setting up of a What Apps group for communication purposes;

Chief Executive Mr Joe MacGrath stated that The Councils Crisis Management Team, Severe Weather Team, Outdoor District staff and Civil Defence volunteers were in constant liaison throughout the severe weather event and worked tirelessly throughout the storm to ensure a safe environment for the people of Tipperary. A total of 2,000 tonnes of salt was used over the course of the weather event with 3,200 km of roads covered. I would also like to express my gratitude to the public for taking our advice and staying indoors during the severe weather red alert.

Deployment of Resources

The Councils fleet of specialist vehicles and equipment for dealing with snow was fully mobilised with staff working tirelessly through the number of days preceding and during this weather event. The Councils salt stores, with capacity for 2,700 tonnes of salt, were also stockpiled in anticipation of the severe weather.

The situation was monitored regularly through conference calls with all participants to assess the situation throughout the county and appropriate action was taken as considered necessary.

Once the Met Eireann red alert had abated on Friday, 02 March, all available snow ploughs, 14 in total were mobilised in clearing Priority 1 Routes, i.e. national routes, major regional routes through towns, access to major Water Treatment Plants, Fire Stations & Hospitals, followed by Priority 2 routes, i.e. regional routes and streets within the major towns and primary county routes.

A total of over 250 outdoor staff were mobilised across the 5 Districts in addition to mobilising 25 JCBs and 15 mini salt spreaders mounted on pickups to clear footpaths in the towns and villages. A total of 2,000 tonnes of salt were used over the course of the weather event with 3,200 km of roads covered.

All 12 Fire brigades involving 115 fire-fighters in the county were brought in on standby at 3pm on Thursday 1st March and remained on station until 6pm on Friday 2nd March. During this standby period the Fire Service responded to just 5 incidents in total, a reflection that the public had heeded the weather alert warnings.

The Water Services Section of the Council, as the agent of Irish Water, was pro-active, in the days leading to the arrival of Storm Emma, in ensuring the maximum availability of Water Services staff, ensuring that all water services installations, whether drinking water treatment plants or waste water treatments plants were adequately stocked with chemicals and other materials required in the treatment process and inspecting all such treatment plants to ensure that all machinery and equipment was in full working order. Any issues which had manifested themselves were resolved by 12.00 noon on Saturday, 03 March.

On Sunday, 03 March a water supply issue arose at Cashel where low reservoir levels were causing supply disruptions to the town and surrounding areas, particularly locations on high ground. Staff from the Water Services Section were actively engaged in the restoration of normal reservoir levels and, in the meantime, arranged for the supply of a water tanker to facilitate the supply of drinking water to affected customers. This tanker was located at St. Patricks Hospital, Cahir Road, Cashel, from 3pm onwards. Details of these arrangements were posted onto the Councils website, with propagation to twitter , Facebook and MapAlerter. Direct contact was made by Water Services staff with vulnerable customers and local elected members to advise them of the situation.

From a Housing perspective, arrangements were put in place to ensure those persons known to be homeless or sleeping rough across the county had access to food supplies and shelter. Gardai were notified of out of office emergency arrangements and made aware of available emergency accommodation. Six (6) units of additional emergency accommodation was made available by the council for the period of the weather event in Towns throughout the county and a number of rough sleepers were accommodated in emergency bed and breakfast for the duration of the severe weather event. The council also linked in with staff from the Department of Social Protection, the HSE and the voluntary housing organisations , NOVAS & SIMON in relation to accessing emergency accommodation & helping people with the provision of clothing and medical attention.



Civil Defence, with nine 4x4 emergency vehicles and over 30 volunteers mobilised throughout the severe weather event, delivered up to 60 meals to the vulnerable and elderly with the local meals on wheels. Transport support was provided for essential medical staff and patients to the various hospitals and nursing homes around the county. An emergency call was responded to from Nenagh Gardai to an injured hill walker on Keeper hill and food parcels and essential supplies were delivered to residents in the Ballingarry area. Assistance was also provided to Wexford Civil Defence and to local Primary & secondary schools in clearing snow from footpaths and driveways to allow safe access to the schools.

Keeping the Public Informed

The Councils out of hours emergency call management service was activated from 3pm on Thursday 29th February and dealt with over 150 calls of which 34 were snow related incidents;

The public were advised to visit the winter ready web site  www.winterready.ie detailing the recommended measures they should take during periods of severe weather.

The Council posted details of news, weather alerts, road closure details, safety advice and general updates using the communications channels of Web site , Twitter, Facebook and MapAlerter. The Home page of the Councils web site was modified to make the severe weather updates more easily visible and accessible. Forty items of news were posted on to each communication channel. Over 12,000 people visited the web site , with 32,833 page views; 63,300 tweet impressions were made and Facebook reached 92,900 people. The number of people who engaged with the Facebook posts was 12,100. Over 40,000 text alerts and 53,600 emails were issued to MapAlerter Subscribers and approx 7,800 Alerts were issued to people who downloaded the MapAlerter App.
Do you have what it takes to represent your county on an international audience? Then why not sign up for the International Rose of Tralee competition and represent your county as the Tipperary Rose.

With only days left to fill out the application form, rose hopefuls are being urged to send in their entries as soon as possible on www.roseoftralee.ie/apply, emailing tipperaryrose@gmail.com or through tipprosecentre on social media.

Tipperary Rose Sheila Ryan says that the past 12 months as the premier county's 2017 rose has been "one of the best years" of her life, adding that any rose hopefuls interested in applying should "go for it" rather than looking back in regret in years to come.

Organisers say they are also looking for the help of the extended Tipperary people to nominate a daughter, sister, cousin friend or colleague as a rose in this years Rose of Tralee.

Speaking recently, Dr Jennifer Byrne (Rose of Tralee) said: All I can say to any young woman is to go for it and apply. The Rose of Tralee international Festival has truly been the most incredible experience of my life and I hope to encourage as many young women as possible to take part and become their local Rose. I guarantee them they will make incredible friends and have an amazing experience."

All ladies interested in entering can find more info on www.roseoftralee.ie/apply. All County Roses who travel to Tralee will take part in all the parades, Rose Ball, public engagements and a qualifying event from which 32 Roses will be chosen to appear in the live selection broadcasts.

The Tipperary Rose Selection night will take place on Saturday the 31st of March at 8pm. Closing date for entries is this weekend.

For further information call on 0863871635.
The country's two main farm organisations have each said that priority must be given to dairy farmers in order for milk collections to be made following the bad weather.

With some co-ops unable to get to all their suppliers over the past few days, it is vital that milk is collected if it not to be dumped.

ICMSA president Pat McCormack said that there needed to be a co-ordinated approach to ensure that all milk was collected from farms as soon as possible and it was important that milk processors co-operate as much as possible in this regard.

IFA president Joe Healy has written to Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy and the National Emergency Co-ordination Group regarding the urgent situation facing a rapidly rising number of dairy farmers whose milk cannot be collected.

Tipperary farmer Pat McCormack said that with calving numbers ahead of last year, milk production levels were also up and it was essential that farmers who milked their cows in very difficult conditions suffered no loss due to delays in milk collections.

He acknowledged the Glanbia commitment to paying 20cpl for milk they were unable to collect, but pointed out that this still left farmers down 15cpl due to no fault of their own.

Mr McCormack also welcomed the clarity supplied by the Governments announcement that farmers who removed snow-related hazards on public roads will not be liable for any claims during the extreme weather conditions.

Farmers throughout Tipperary and throughout the State had done an enormous amount of work clearing roads and trying to improve driving conditions, he said.

It was only fair that they were not made in any way liable for trying to help others and provide valuable voluntary work for the public good, he said

Mr McCormack said the clarification provided was welcome and should always be the case in these kinds of circumstances.

He paid tribute too to the council staffs and emergency response teams who had done their level best to help the farming and wider rural communities

Meanwhile the IFA is asking that local authorities would co-ordinate their actions with co-ops to prioritise the clearing of roads leading to dairy farms.

Mr Healy said milk was normally collected by private hauliers on contract to milk processing co-ops, using both articulated and rigid tankers, the latter being better able to handle difficult conditions.

The hauliers had done trojan work to collect milk before the storm hit, and to keep collections going for as long as possible, he said

However, in many of the co-ops catchment areas, milk collections had to be suspended.

Most dairy farms farmers have static refrigerated milk storage tanks that can hold up to two days worth of milk. Already, some farmers have filled these and they will have to dispose of milk if it is not collected urgently, said Mr Healy.

This is obviously seriously problematic from a food wastage point of view and would cause a massive economic loss to the farmers concerned. If it continues it could also affect the availability of fresh milk on supermarket shelves, he warned.

IFA National Dairy chairman Tom Phelan has welcomed the announcement by Glanbia that they will pay farmers 20cpl for milk that cannot be collected due to difficulties arising from extreme weather conditions.

This is a welcome signal of support, which we hope others will follow. However, the key issue is try to get milk collections going again, he said.

Glanbia resumed milk collecting on Saturday, but the company said that Milk collection has today (Saturday) resumed in some areas, but only where it is safe to do so. However, the scale of the backlog and the state of rural roads means that it will take significant time (depending on conditions) to reach all dairy farms. In some cases this will be too late to collect milk of appropriate quality for processing, or to reach farms before bulk tanks exceed their capacity.

In the event that a farm insurance policy does not cover milk lost, Glanbia will pay 20 cent per litre (including VAT) on milk volumes that are lost due to the impact of this extremely significant weather event.

I would urge any farmer in difficulty to contact their local farm development or milk quality manager. Finally, please keep your own personal safety to the forefront at this challenging time, said group chairman Henry Corbally.
12,250 in Tipperary remain without water in the aftermath of Storm Emma according to an update from Irish Water

The Storm has had a significant impact on the water network around the country as the extreme cold damaged water treatment plants and has led to significant burst in pipes. The condition of pipes, particularly in Dublin where the average age is 80 years, has contributed to the widespread outages and water restrictions experienced by customers all over the country.

Irish Water says its crews have been mobilised across Dublin and around the country to make the necessary repairs at plants and to fix bursts and significant progress is being made. Other counties which also had significant numbers of people on no or restricted water are back to normal including Kerry, Westmeath, Laois and Longford.

"Irish Water recognises that many of our water customers continue to face severe impacts from water interruption or restrictions, where customers only have water at certain times. These are likely to continue for a number of days. Irish Water, working with the local authorities is attempting to minimise the impact of these restrictions by confining them to night time hours where possible".

In all just over 23,000 people are without water and an additional 39,000 have restricted supply due low levels in reservoirs. These numbers are subject to change as more bursts and repairs occur.

Those without water are include 4000 in Galway; 2,800 in Leitrim; 12,250 in Tipperary; 4000 in Wexford.

Due to hydrocarbon contamination of the source supplying the Fethard Public Water Supply, Irish Water and Tipperary County Council, in consultation with the HSE, have issued a Do Not Drink notice for customers supplied by this scheme affecting 12,000 people. This number is included in the without water category.

"We are working with Tipperary Co. Council to resolve the issue but it is expected to stay in place for a few days. Water tankers will be provided to assist customers in these areas. Details of the locations of these tankers will be available on the Service and Supply Section of the Irish Water website at www.water.ie/water-supply/ supply-and-service-update/

"Irish Water continues to appeal to customers all across the country to conserve water at this time. Increasing demand coupled with weather related bursts and leaks has resulted in our water treatment plants running at capacity which could lead to even more outages and restrictions in the coming week".

The Irish Water contact centre is available during 24/7 on 1850 278278 for customers to report outages. Customers are urged to report loss of service or visible leaks to assist Irish Water to identify bursts.

Updates on outages and advice water conservation in homes and businesses is available on water.ie and @IrishWater.
Sinn Fein spokesperson Rural and Community Affairs, Deputy Carol Nolan has called on the Government to explain what measures it had taken to ensure equitable rural development in the Project Ireland 2040 Planning process.

Deputy Nolan tabled the Topical Issue motion in response to the spatial imbalance of the National Framework Plan and its failure to include measures to redress rural decline.

The Offaly and North Tipperary TD asked the Government to specifically describe what "rural proofing" metrics, processes and methodologies that were used to throughout all stages of the planning and which stakeholders contributed to that process.

"This Government claims to have strong rural credentials. It claims it is committed to ensuring the interests of rural communities and that businesses are equitably accounted for in planning, policies and programmes," she said

However, Deputy Nolan said that this was not evident in the Project Ireland 2040 Plan. There is little or no evidence that this Plan was subjected to a robust process of rural proofing.

Rural Proofing is not an abstract idea. It is a methodical and systematic process of stress testing proposals to ascertain whether or not they will achieve critical targeted outcomes in rural areas. This systematic impact assessment approach is informed by statistical data and comprehensive processes of enquiry with key rural stakeholders," said the Sinn Fein Deputy.

Rural Ireland was not a homogeneous "non-urban" hinterland and solutions for coastal and island regions will vary substantially from those in the Border area, and it will differ again from those in the Midland region, she said.

Ms Nolan said that given the spatial imbalance of the National Framework Plan and its failure to include measures to redress rural decline, there was no evidence that Project Ireland 2040 had been subjected to rigorous rural stress testing or that it met any international standard rural proofing best practice.

"The Governments failure to reach its own rural development targets over the past two years with job creation at 12 per cent of its target, leader expenditure at 0.3 per cent of its budget; rural broadband far behind schedule, and rural Housing targets not achieved, there is little reason to expect Project 2040 to deliver outcomes for rural Ireland," she said.

The TD asked the Government to detail the specific metrics, processes and methodologies that were used to rural proof the Project Ireland 2040 Plan throughout all stages of development and which stakeholders contributed to that process.

In response, Minister of State for Housing, Planning and Local Government Damien English gave a lengthy statement about the consultation process that was adopted, but failed to make any reference to any rural proofing techniques or impact assessments undertaken.

"I am very disappointed with your response stated Deputy Nolan. "It is evident you are missing the point entirely."

Deputy Nolan stated that it was clear that the Government had neither methodologies, processes nor procedures in place to rural proof this or any other Departments activities.

"It is clear that the Minister did not understand the distinction between consultation and rural proofing and it is clear that Project Ireland has not been subjected to any methodical rural impact assessment, all of which is a shocking indictment on this over-hyped, spatially imbalanced, Government vanity Plan," said the Sinn Fein Spokesperson.
Independent TD Mattie McGrath has called for countywide consideration to be given to having the St Patrick Day Parade celebrations on Sunday, March 18, instead of Saturday, March 17.

Deputy McGrath was responding to the decision by Nenagh-based Cllr Hughie McGrath and the town's St Patrick's Day Festival Committee of the Nenagh parade to transfer the celebrations to the day after St Patrick's Day in a bid to assist the local economy.

I think what Nenagh have decided to do is an excellent example of a community pulling together in an effort to address the enormous loss of trade that was experienced by local retails and small businesses during Storm Emma," said Deputy McGrath.

St Patrick's Day falls on a Saturday this year and that is normally a day when trade is up anyway. To have the parade on the following day would offer clear benefits to the local economies across the county and should be seriously considered by all organising committees as a possible option, he said.

"I want to salute the initiative of the Nenagh committee for what is effectively a very simple but potentially significant idea. From a safety perspective it would also give the clean-up operation that followed Storm Emma even more time to remove some of the high mounds of snow and drift that have accumulated," said Deputy McGrath.

Meanwhile, Cllr McGrath told the Tipperary Star that the committee had taken the "right decision locally".

He said that the committee had received a request and considering what traders had suffered they felt it was the right decision to make.

The Nenagh parade will take place at 2pm on March 18, which should give those who may want to take in the Ballycommon Sponsored Ride in the morning before heading back into town.

"We wouldn't dream of telling any other committee what they might want to do," he said.

The Independent councillor revealed that Retail Excellence had subsequently got in touch with all county CEOs to see if they could influence local parade committees to have Saturday's parades rescheduled to Sunday, "but we were ahead of the posse in Nenagh".
The search for Irelands greatest cover version has been narrowed down from hundreds of entries as judges have selected their Top Five for the National Final, set to take place in Whelans on Wednesday March 14.

The Le Crunch Apple of My Eye song contest asked Irelands musicians to record and enter their most cherished cover version.

The top prize of 1500 and a slot at Indiependence Music & Arts Festival will be decided following a live performance by the five finalists at Whelans Dublin on March 14.

The following 5 artists will contest the final:

1. The Rush  Cocoon by Milky Chance (Co Kildare)

2. Perfect Friction - 'All I Want' (as Gaelige) by Kodaline (Co Wicklow)

3. Liam Geddes  Stargazing by Kygo ft. Justin Jesso (Co Dublin)

4. Sparkle  Youve Got The Love by Florence & the Machine (Co Cork)

5. Dan Elliott  Nothing Compares To You by Prince (Co Cork)

Weve been delighted with the huge response that the Apple of My Eye song contest has received across Ireland, said Sandrine Gaborieau, Marketing Director of Le Crunch from France. Once again, the competition seems to have caught peoples imagination and to be involved with such great young talent from all over Ireland has been an immense pleasure for Le Crunch.

Wed like to thank everyone who took the time to send us their entries over the last few weeks and would also like to wish our five finalists the best of luck for next weeks final.

The five finalists will perform two tracks live at the final in front of judges Jess Kavanagh from BARQ, songwriter Jack ORourke and JOEshow presenter, Paddy McKenna.
Its not the fanciest or most powerful car in the world, but the Toyota Aygo is present and accounted for at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. Toyotas little munchkin of a hatchback is packing serious visual and technical updates, fitting for a car that was in need of a mid-life refresh. The updates range from the prominent to the obscure. All told, they make for an impressive-looking hatchback that should help the Aygo gain ground on models like the Volkswagen Up! and Hyundai i10.

The most prominent of these upgrades is the large X on the nose of the car.

So, whats new with the updated Toyota Aygo? Theres a lot to unpack here so lets start with the visual upgrades. The most prominent of these upgrades is the large X on the nose of the car. Its been there before, sure, but the updated model features a more prominent version with an integrated three-dimensional design. The headlights are also new, specifically the addition of daytime running lights. The rear section also gets new LEDs. There are also plenty of new colors and new alloy wheel designs to choose from. In keeping with the three-dimensional theme of the X design on the front, the Aygos interior also boasts an upgraded combi-meter with graphics that have a more three-dimensional look to them. New seat fabrics are also on the table, as are premium color schemes like Quartz Grey and Piano Black.

Dont look now, but even the Aygos minuscule 998-cc three-cylinder engine also gets a slight bump in power, thanks in part to a new dual fuel injector system, a higher compression ratio, new low-friction components, a cooled exhaust gas recirculation system, and an improved balancer shaft. The result is an output of 71 horsepower  an increase of two ponies!  and 69 pound-feet of torque. Trust those numbers, and youll see yourselves accelerating from a resting position to 62 mph in 13.8 seconds on your way to a top speed of 100 mph.

The Aygos interior also boasts an upgraded combi-meter with graphics that have a more three-dimensional look to them

As it is, the updated Aygo isnt so much about any significant upgrades. Its about refining the model to lengths that will allow it to better compete against a market thats becoming more and more crowded by the day. The Toyota minicar has so far done well, finishing sixth in total sales in Europe in 2017 with 84,588 sold units. As impressive as that figure is, theres also plenty of room for improvement, specifically in terms of catching up to the Volkswagen Up! and Hyundai i10, the two minicars that sit directly above the Aygo in the sold units ranking in Europe. The Up! is a little harder to catch after selling 100,715 units in 2017, but catching up to the i10 is attainable since the Hyundai hatch outsold its Toyota rival by just a little over 6,000 units (90,603 units sold in 2017). For the record, the Fiat 500 and the Fiat Panda rank as the top two best-selling minicars in the Old Continent, and theyre sales numbers are unassailable with 189,360 and 187,049 sold units, respectively.

Trust those numbers, and youll see yourselves accelerating from a resting position to 62 mph in 13.8 seconds on your way to a top speed of 100 mph.

So, can the updated Toyota Aygo unseat the Hyundai i10 in 4th place? Even better, can it catch up to the Volkswagen Up! and become the best-selling, non-Fiat minicar in Europe? Judging from these updates, Id say the Aygo now has a realistic chance against the i10 and a punchers chance against the Up!. As for the two Fiats? Yeah, thats still not happening.

References

Read more Toyota news.

Read more Geneva Motor Show news.
Nigeria President, Mahamadu Buhari has assured President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of his unflinching support to fight corruption in Ghana.



He was pleased with President Nana Addos effort to curb the canker in Ghana after lending his support



I congratulate you on your efforts to fight corruption which has eaten into the public fibreYour Excellency I can assure you that you have a good partner in me in tackling endemic corruption, Mr. Buhari said when delivering the Special Guest of Honour Speech during Ghanas 61st Independence Anniversary Parade at the Black Star in Accra



He added that Nigeria will always be available to support Ghana in its bid to ensure that corruption is defeated.





Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Ambrose_wash









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Once upon a time, two college students spent a school break on a fishing trip in rural Finland. At some point, the idea came up of building a small lakeside retreat of their own  an idea that morphed into a plan later than night over beers in the sauna.

Now of course this could go in all kinds of wrong directions, but in the hands of our heroes here, Timm Bergmann and Jonas Becker, the result was a marvelous minimalist cabin of 280-square-foot. And remarkably, one in which respect for nature was taken into consideration with every decision.

"We wanted to test our knowledge of the first years in university and thought it would be a great chance," Bergmann (an architecture student) and Becker (an urban design student), told Dwell.

They found a perfect lakeside site for lease; mostly forest which opened into a glade, meaning they would not have to fell any trees. There was also a distinct lack of electricity, running water, and road access  which necessitated some creative planning.

"We got inspired by various other architecture projects which treated the surrounding nature in a gentle way," the duo told Treehugger. "For us the nature, landscape, or simply the outside of the house is the most important thing."

"It is a very special place between two different kinds of forests of pine and birch trees. So our first mission in designing the house was to keep as much trees and wildlife as possible," they added.

First things first, how to get supplies to the site, given the lack of road? No problem, just build a 650-foot-long elevated pathway to the nearest road.

Building the Base

Andre Boettcher / Politaire



For the foundation, they filled steel pipes with concrete and anchored them into the bedrock, the most eco-friendly solution they could find for building on swampy terrain. They specifically decided against a traditional concrete foundation since one of their main missions was that the cabin could be "erased" from the site if need be.

"But not only constructing the cabin eco-friendly was important," they told us. "We also designed the cabin that tearing it down (not soon gonna happen) would not leave any traces and there is no issue about renaturation."

"Building the house in such a way that nature can revive and that we are not dominating the place," was crucial, they emphasized.

Choosing the Right Materials

The double-layered metal sheeting for fire protection is not pictured here. Andre Boettcher / Politaire

Given the importance of treading lightly on the land, they built the house off-site at Bergmanns grandparents nearby farm. They constructed 17 frames of local wood, each one weighing less than 220 pounds so that they could be carried along the walkway. And we love this: They got the furniture first  from Germany (where they attended school) and from the grandparent's farm  and designed the house to fit around it.

"Wood was and is the perfect material for us to fulfill our requirements for building environmentally friendly," they said. The structure is insulated with local recycled newspaper and covered with 18-millimeter pine plywood sheets. And like good students, they made sure that the house received building permission and approval, and meets fire regulations.

Making the Right Plan

Andre Boettcher / Politaire

The plan is beautiful and succinct, as it was designed with simplicity and flexibility in mind. The entrance leads to the kitchen, a bedroom, and a sauna. Because what else does one need? (There is a composting toilet in a separate outhouse.)

"This motto we kept in mind when we started the concept of the house. What do we really need to be happy? For example, do we really need to have two big separate rooms for eating and relaxing or can it be one combined in the kitchen? In the end, we came up with a design of four rooms on less than 26 square meters [280 square feet] which offers a comfortable feeling as it would have been 40 square meters," they told Treehugger.

"We wanted to show that a house does not have to be big," said Bergmann. "Building something beautiful does not have to be expensive," adds Becker.

Practical Costs

Andre Boettcher / Politaire

All told, the house cost $13,449. The lack of running water and electricity helped keep the price down. Much of the cost went to the timber and double-glazed windows. A Werkstattofen wood stove helps keep the cabin toasty in the winter (there is double-layered metal sheeting for fire protection behind the stove, though it is not pictured in these images).

With the success of their initial foray into building, the two have started a design firm called Studio Politaire. When I asked them more about the firm, they replied:

"We think that especially in the building sector, which is one of the highest carbon-oxygen producer in the world, it is really important to switch to more environmental friendly materials. The trend of the last century to mainly use steel and concrete must come to an end to lower the global carbon emissions. Architects and Engineers must feel more responsible with this issue."

Andre Boettcher / Politaire

Some may say that a lack of electricity and running water (though they do have a clean lake and a filtering system) do not make for a livable space  and of course, it isn't going to be for everyone. But the designers are thinking ahead of the curve here. "People need to start questioning themselves in eco-sufficiency," they told us. "It is not the best way to save carbon emissions by buying a new car with a more efficient combustion engine, or to buy an electric car  the best way is to use your bicycle or feet."

"We think questioning our own needs and defining what is luxury for us didn't make the cabin less satisfying," they told us. "It made it even better."

We think Henry Thoreau would be proud.
Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association

Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the Military Writers Society of America.
Treehugger and our third-party partners use cookies and process personal data like unique identifiers based on your consent to store and/or access information on a device, display personalized ads and for content measurement, audience insight, and product development. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Treehugger.com, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, click below. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. List of Partners (vendors)
Well we are not immigration lawyers and you are effectively travelling separately anyway so not sure what you husband has to do with the application. Might have need easier to just both apply at the German consulate even though your port of entry was not there.

Surely if you have permanent residency and permanent employment in the US I would not see an issue with getting a tourist visa. If your husband was not going and you were going alone would you need to show his bank statements? I doubt it.

These are things that the consulate can answer though.
- Mary Wanjiru is a reformed dreaded former gangster now a pastor on a mission to help change the lives of those who lead a life similar to her former self

- Mary was ushered into gangster lifestyle by her slain husband, Thuo Matheri aka Rasta, a gang leader, until he met his untimely death

- According to Mary, joining criminal gangs was not her ideal life but was due to lack of parental care and education

At the mention of the name Bernard Thuo Matheri alias Rasta, what many Kenyans will remember is a dreaded gangster who gave police sleepless nights.

What many didnt know was that behind his deadly gangster lifestyle, there was a committed, supportive woman.

Mary Wanjiru was not only a wife to the slain gangster but an accomplice and confidant who claims to have been driven into crime by her poor upbringing and lack of education.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Mbunge tajika Gladys Wanga ajenga jumba la kifahari kijijini Homa Bay (picha)

She led a life of chaos and instability as a child due to lack of parental love and she says her parents never took notice of her needs as a child.

Mary Wanjiku was once a dreaded gangster alongside her husband, Bernard Thuo Matheri, now a trnsformed woman and a pastr. Photo: Edwin Otieno/ TUKO.co.ke

READ ALSO: Khalwale told to apologise after he rubbished Raila's swearing in

Now a reformed woman and a pastor, Mary narrated her life in crime in an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke revealing how a botched robbery landed her in the hands of authorities.

Born in Gichugu, Kirinyaga County, she said her first attempt at robbery was at a supermarket in the company of her slain husband who took charge of the premises at gun point while she stuffed money into a gunny bag from the cash box.

"We went back home and he told me, 'I like you, I love how you have carried out your work',... since then, he would teach me how to handle a gun, he showed me tactics on how to manage the gun, " she narrated.

And to succeed in her mission, Mary and her gang worked with insiders of the targeted business premises.

"We would cooperate with the client until they wonder where is this thief from? and I never wanted to scare anyone while robbing them... my intentions were to get money only but never to kill them," she added tears flowing down her cheeks as she recalled her dirty past.

READ ALSO: Deputy CJ Mwilu reveals Supreme Court judges were threatened after nullifying Uhuru's win in August 2017

Mary notes she became a much more dreaded gangster than her husband after his death on September 1, 1997.

This however did not last long as two years into her gangster life without Matheri, she was arrested after a botched KSh 196 million robbery in Meru in 1999.

Mary was sentenced to 35 years in prison but managed to serve only eleven years after which she was commuted to seven years and later four and finally released on June 1, 2002.

Almost 20 years since Mary was first arrested, she now runs Jehovah Shalom Ministries in Kitengela with an aim of ministering to many who lead a life similar to her past.

WATCH: Kenya's once dreaded gangster queen turned pastor, Mary Wanjiru, share her story | Faces of Kenya on TUKO tv

Source: Tuko
- A Kenyan couple living in Jersey city, New Jersey in USA were on Monday, March 5 found dead with bullet wounds inside the their home

- Henry Okongo's body was found in the basement with a single bullet wound while Lydiah Okongo's body was found in a separate room on the first floor with multiple gunshots

- The discovery was done by a relative who also found a 5-month-old baby and a 5-year-old inside the house

- It is reported police in New Jersey are now investigating a murder-suicide

Kenyans living in Diaspora woke up to rude shock as a couple from Kenya were found dead in their home with bullet wounds on both of them on Monday, March 5.

The body of the man of the house identified as Henry Okongo was discovered in the basement of their house with a bullet wound on his head.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Babu Owino azungumzia "ulevi" wa Mbunge Moses Kuria

His wife, Lydia Okongo's body was discovered in a different room in the upper floor of their house with several bullet wounds on her body.

Mystery as Kenyan couple found dead with gunshot wounds in New Jersey, USA. Photo: Daily Nation.

According to Local dailies, the bodies were discovered in the morning hours by a relative who also found a 5-months-old baby and a 5-year-old child in the house.

The authorities in Jersey City, New Jersey, are now investigating into the mysterious deaths as a murder-suicide

The couple had been living together for over a decade in the 2 Mina Drive home and neighbours are still confounded by the incident because, according to them, the Okong'os seemed "happy".

Three children have been left without parents. This is so sad, one neighbour was quoted by the local press

READ ALSO: MPs vow to impeach Health CS for suspending KNH CEO after brain surgery mix-up

Mystery as Kenyan couple found dead with gunshot wounds in New Jersey, USA. Photo: Jersey Daily

However, some Kenyans in Jersey City, especially those who knew the couple, suspect the deaths could have been as a result of domestic violence.

They suspect Mr Okongo who owned run his own businesses in the area, might have shot his wife who worked as a nurse and then turned the gun on himself.

Most of us who knew the couple very well know that they have had a tough marriage, Said George Omburo, one of the SDA church elders.

They quarrelled a lot and they would separate for long periods only to come together again. he added.

Omburo said neighbours reported to have heard a quarrel emanating from the house on Sunday night.

READ ALSO: Miguna on funds drive to raise air fare and repair his house destroyed during dramatic arrest

Mystery as Kenyan couple found dead with gunshot wounds in New Jersey, USA. Photo: Jersey Daily

The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, which had not released any information on their investigations yet, remained at the scene until late Monday.

Homicide detectives were seen sifting through the mailboxes at their Sycamore Road residence, which was their second home.

Neighbours gathering around the home described the Okongo s as lovely people who kept their home well maintained.

READ ALSO: Reprieve for former KTN anchor Louis Otieno as surgeon comes to his rescue

Mystery as Kenyan couple found dead with gunshot wounds in New Jersey, USA. Photo: Jersey Daily

The incident comes two months after another Kenyan, Ms Patricia Miswa, was found dead in her room in the US.

Patricia left Kenya in 2017 to pursue a masters in Creative Writing at University of Minnesota.

A week before her death, her mother reportedly tried calling her but she did not answer.

The mother later called the hostel room management who, together with the police, discovered Patricia's lifeless body inside her room.

ALSO WATCH: Kenya's dreaded gangster queen shares her story | Faces of Kenya on TUKO tv

Source: Kenyan Breaking News
- A Kenyan man has asked fellow men to desist from paying for their lover's school fees after he was left by his wife, even after taking her through college

- The man said his wife allegedly left him to be with another man as soon as she was done with school

- The man had hoped for a better future, with expectations that the wife will relieve his financial burden once done with school

A hurt Kenyan man recently took to social media to warn fellow men against taking their wives and lovers through school, terming the move as a heartbreak and disappointment in waiting.

Taking to the popular Kilimani Mums and Dads Facebook group, the irate man identified as William, accused his wife and her new lover of allegedly conspiring against him by eloping together.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Babu Owino azungumzia "ulevi" wa Mbunge Moses Kuria

According to William, his wife ran away to be with another man even after taking her through college.

Nairobi man warns fellow after educating wife and losing her to new lover. Photo: Lerlop

READ ALSO: Papa Shirandula's actress Kawira and hubby are finally parents

In a series of social media posts accompanied with photos and videos seen by TUKO.co.ke, William revealed how hurt he was by his wife's betrayal.

The estranged man swore never to do the same mistake again and asked fellow men to heed to his call as he leaked part of his wife's escapades with her new lover, known as Kilonzo.

''Never ever take your wife to school, wacha akae na masomo yake hiyo alitoka nayo kwao hata kama ni ya class two... I repeat NEVER EVER... '' William wrote in part.

Nairobi man warns fellow men after educating wife and losing her to new man. Photo: William Orinda/Facebook

READ ALSO: Bitter sweet feeling for Papa Shirandula's actress Kawira as she loses one of her triplets

William, who was seemingly struggling to educate his wife had hoped for a better future, and even thought the wife will help relieve his financial burden once employed.

But that was not to happen since the wife had totally different plans.

''I took her to thika college hoping when she finish, she will help me raise our young family kumbe nlikuwa napelekea kyalo... Kyalo kyalo kyalo kyalo kyalo kyalo kyalo Thomas ... Nani amepata huyo jamaa??... Ndio hiyo video'' He wrote.

Nairobi man warns fellow men after educating wife and losing her to new man. Photo: William Orinda/Facebook

READ ALSO: Akothee tells fans she is soon retiring

William plea, rather complaint irked throngs of men who apart from consoling him, revealed that they can never take girlfriends, lovers and wives to school.

Well, others said they can take their lovers through school because people are different.

In conclusion, William said he had finally given the wife and her lover his blessings, and asked the man, Kilonzo to take good care of her.

''Kyallo , I've surrendered my wife to you in good faith...i wish you all the best and take good care of her.''he wrote.

Kenya's dreaded gangster queen shares her story | Faces of Kenya

Source: Tuko
Just over 40% of the nation's schoolchildren have received their first dose of COVID vaccine
The Malyshev Plant and the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau are preparing another batch of T-84 main battle tanks for transfer to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the press service of the Ukroboronprom State Concern has reported.

"The work carried out by Kharkiv enterprises is aimed at repairing and upgrading combat vehicles, which will be subsequently transferred to the Ukrainian Armed Forces," the statement reads.

The concern noted that the Malyshev Plant had conducted repairs of another batch of T-84 tanks and that the combat vehicles had undergone inspection, restoration and all major units and aggregates had been completely replaced.

After that, the tanks were sent to the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau and are now undergoing modernization.

After all the work is carried out, the T-84s will be sent for trials, which will take place in the presence of Ukrainian Defense Ministry representatives.

op
The European Union is ready to provide EUR 20 million for the construction of Go Highway transport corridor.

Head of the State Agency of Automobile Roads of Ukraine (Ukravtodor) Slawomir Nowak said this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.

"The EU has offered to grant about EUR 20 million this year for the construction of the Ternopil bypass road. The project has already been agreed on, i.e. the first step in the implementation of the G Highway project has already been taken. However, we need much more funding for this road, and the European Commission is well aware of this," Nowak said.

According to him, the amount of financing for this transport corridor from the European side largely depends on political agreements.

"If Ukraine were a member of the European Union, the situation would be completely different. Now the decision primarily depends on the leaders of the European Union and, second, on the leadership of Ukraine. We will present this road as a well-known sign of Ukraine's European integration. I am sure that the European Union also needs to show that there is a certain progress in Ukraine's European integration," the Ukravtodor head explained.

Nowak stressed that the successful negotiations had already been held with European Commission's Director General for Mobility and Transport Henrik Hololei.

ol
Russia uses supplies of natural gas as a tool of political pressure on Ukraine.

Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, David McAllister, Chair of Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee, Dariusz Rosati, and EP rapporteur on Ukraine, Michael Gahler, said this in a joint statement released on Tuesday, own Ukrinform correspondent in Brussels reports.

"We are deeply concerned about the decision taken by Gazprom on 1st March 2018 to stop supplying pre-paid gas to Ukraine, as well as about the following announcement of Gazprom's withdrawal from the contract with Naftogaz. This is yet another proof of the instrumentalisation of gas supplies as a political tool of pressure by the Russian Federation, which might also impact the EU's energy security, reads the statement.

The authors of the statement have welcomed the European Commission's willingness to be a mediator in this situation and called on all parties to agree to start as early as possible trilateral consultations in the EU-Ukraine-Russia format so that to overcome this tense situation.

These recent developments make it even more important for the EU to enhance its energy security by immediately reducing its dependence on oil and gas supplied by authoritarian regimes and by stopping it altogether in the medium term, the officials noted.

As Ukrinform earlier reported, on February 28, the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce obliged Gazprom to pay NJSC Naftogaz $4.63 billion in compensation for the failure to meet its gas transit obligations. According to Naftogaz, this ruling means that Gazprom must pay Ukraine about $2.56 billion, taking into account the final payment for gas supplied in 2014 and 2015.

Gazprom, after the Stockholm arbitration decision not in its favor, had launched the process of terminating contracts for the supply and transit of gas with Ukraine's Naftogaz.

iy
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) granted a loan worth EUR 25.9 million to KNESS Group for the construction of three solar power plants in Vinnytsia region.

This is said in the report by the KNESS GROUP company, which is available to Ukrinform.

"The EBRD and the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) have provided the KNESS Group with a loan of up to EUR 25.9 million under the Ukraine Sustainable Energy Lending Facility (USELF). Photovoltaic stations will be constructed in Vinnytsia region, namely in Illinets (10.87 MW), Tulchyn (11.42 MW) and Pohrebyshche (11.6 MW) areas. Total installed capacity of the three plants will be 33.9 MW. This renewable facility will significantly contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions (c. 37 500 tons per year)," the report reads.

The KNESS GROUP and the EBRD signed the relevant loan agreement on March 2.

About 350 jobs will be created during the construction period. The construction of the stations is planned to be completed by the end of 2018.

The implementation of this project will make a significant contribution to ensuring Ukraine's energy security and reducing dependence on energy imports.

This project is the 13th project financed under USELF bringing the total renewable capacity supported by the Bank and the CTF to over 150 MW across all type of technologies.

ish
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that foreign donors cannot dictate laws to Ukraine.

He said this in an interview with British newspaper Financial Times, while commenting on a statement by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding shortcomings in the law on the Anti-Corruption Court.

"If anybody can imagine that foreign donors will form Ukrainian courts, this is against the constitution," Poroshenko said.

He warned that demands from the IMF and the Venice Commission for foreign donors to have a significant say on candidates to be judges at the Anti-Corruption Court infringed Ukraine's sovereignty.

Poroshenko also said that he was ready to sign amendments to the bill on the Anti-Corruption Court if it complied with the Constitution of Ukraine.

"I hate the idea that the very next day, anyone [could] go to the Constitutional Court and suspend or stop this law. That would be a catastrophe," Poroshenko said.

On March 1, 2018, the Verkhovna Rada supported the presidential bill on the Anti-Corruption Court at first reading.

op
MEP Elmar Brok has offered Ukraine to present its position in the "gas war" during the next session of the European Parliament.

He said this during a meeting with Pat Cox, the Head of the European Parliament's Needs Assessment Mission to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, the Governmental portal reports.

"We know that Russia is trying to raise doubts about the reliability of Ukraine as a transit country for gas supplies to Europe. We all need to hear the position of Ukraine and to get real evidence and arguments about Russia's breach of the agreements in order to decide on further cooperation with it," the MEP noted.

In turn, Klympush-Tsintsadze said that Russia had once again shown that it used gas as a tool of political pressure, as a weapon in its hybrid war, and this is a threat not only for Ukraine, but for the whole of Europe.

ish
The risk of Russia's interference in Ukrainian elections is quite high, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said.

He stated this in an interview with British newspaper Financial Times, the press service of the head of state reported.

"I tried to protect Ukraine from the dangers of hybrid war, including the system of their fake news, [and] using social media," Poroshenko said.

He expressed hope that Ukraine would use the experience of German and French legislation to counteract fake news.

"We have an absolutely wide range of dangers from Russia, starting from the fact that we stopped more than 400 terrorist attacks by a training camp in the Russian Federation. Everybody should understand that it is not a frozen conflict. This is a real hot war. We're attacked, every single day, they go with snipers and try to kill my soldiers. It's absolutely crazy behavior," the president said.

He also added that Russia uses a huge army of provocateurs and agents in social media. He recalled that that's why Russian TV broadcasting and Russian social media had been stopped, "because they use it for propaganda war."

According to him, Ukraine has effective cooperation with the secret services of partners from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. "I'm proud that we have trust there. But there's a lot of work that should be done," he added.

op
On March 13-15, Federal President of the Republic of Austria Alexander van der Bellen will make an official visit to Ukraine.

This was reported by the press service of the Ukrainian Embassy in Austria.

"Next week, President of Austria Alexander van der Bellen and his wife Doris Schmidauer in the company of Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl and a large delegation on economic and cultural issues will make an official visit to Ukraine," the report reads.

During the visit, Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen will meet with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman.

The parties will discuss bilateral relations, as well as relations with the EU, the situation in the east of Ukraine and the Minsk agreements. The agreement on cooperation in the field of culture and education will be signed, the report says.

ish
The Ukrainian days in the U.S. Congress, aimed at promoting the Ukrainian agenda among the American legislative and executive bodies as well as the expert community, kicked off on Tuesday in Washington D.C.

A lot of meetings, speeches, conferences and other events will be held during two days there, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The purpose of the Ukrainian Days is to gather our community in different regions and cities, to hold their meetings with the congresspeople and senators so that further support for Ukraine in the Congress would remain as powerful as it is now," President of Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) Andriy Futey said in a commentary to the agency.

In this regard, he stressed the importance of "maintaining a bipartisan support in the Congress."

"It's also important that the issue of Crimea is not forgotten. Besides, we are talking about further arms assistance to Ukraine, as well as financial support for military training and other assistance for the Ukrainian troops," Futey said.

ol
Kyiv almost certainly will not retake the Russian-occupied areas in Ukraine's east in 2018.

Director of National Intelligence (DNI) of the United States Daniel Coats forecasts that a major offensive in Donbas by either side is unlikely in 2018.

"A major offensive by either side is unlikely in 2018, although each side's calculus could change if it sees the other as seriously challenging the status quo," Coats said in a statement posted on the website of the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 6, 2018. "Kyiv will strongly resist concessions to Moscow but almost certainly will not regain control of Russian-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine in 2018."

"The conflict in eastern Ukraine is likely to remain stalemated and marked by fluctuating levels of violence," he said.

Read alsoNew U.S. sanctions against Russia likely coming 'within a week'  mediaAccording to him, Russia will modulate levels of violence to pressure Kyiv and shape negotiations in Moscow's favor. What is more, Russia will work to erode Western unity on sanctions and support for Kyiv, but the Kremlin is coping with sanctions at existing levels.

Coats predicts Russia will continue its military, political, and economic destabilization campaign against Ukraine to stymie and, where possible, reverse Kyiv's efforts to integrate with the EU and strengthen ties to NATO.

"Ukraine remains at risk of domestic turmoil, which Russia could exploit to undermine Kyiv's pro-West orientation," the statement said.

These factors will threaten Ukraine's nascent economic recovery and potentially lead to changes in its foreign policy that further inflame tension between Russia and the West.

"Popular frustrations with the pace of reforms, depressed standards of living, perceptions of worsening corruption, and political polarization ahead of scheduled presidential and legislative elections in 2019 could prompt early elections," the U.S. intelligence community forecasts.

Opposition leaders will seek to capitalize on popular discontent to weaken President Petro Poroshenko and the ruling coalition ahead of elections in 2019.
Sobchak said she had applied to the Ukrainian embassy for permission to visit the Russian-occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has branded "political schizophrenia" the intentions by Russian presidential candidate Ksenia Sobchak to enter Crimea via mainland Ukraine in order to campaign across the peninsula.

"I'm being asked about Sobchak and the occupied Crimea, as if there are no other topics. Adhering to the Ukrainian legislation to enter the occupied Crimea is certainly a positive thing, but ensuring a legal entry to conduct an illegitimate campaign ahead of the illegitimate elections in the occupied territory is real schizophrenia," he wrote on Twitter.

Read alsoSobchak says civil war to start in Russia if Crimea returned to Ukraine"And in order to communicate with the Crimean Tatars, she should come to Kyiv and meet with the Mejlis, which is recognized throughout the world but banned in the occupied Crimea. I hope Ms. Sobchak takes the side of the civilized world," the minister added.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Russian presidential candidate Ksenia Sobchak said she had applied to the Ukrainian embassy for permission to visit Crimea. At the same time, the Ukrainian embassy refuted reports Sobchak had submitted such a request.
According to the president, Russia employs a huge army of provocateurs and agents in social media.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says there is a danger of Russian interference in the Ukrainian elections, which are to be held in 2019.

"We try to do our best, but we consider this danger extremely high. This is also the danger for the main attacks of Russia, to me. Of course, I tried to protect Ukraine from the dangers of hybrid war, including the system of their fake news, [and] using social media. But we have an effective co-operation and strategic communication with our partners, and I hope we will use the experience of the German and French legislation against fake news," Poroshenko said in an interview with the Financial Times.

"We have an absolutely wide range of dangers [from] Russia, starting from the fact that we stopped more than 400 terrorist attacks by a training camp in Russian Federation. Everybody should understand that it is not a frozen conflict. This is a real hot war. We're attacked, every single day, they go with snipers and try to kill my soldiers. It's absolutely crazy behavior."

Read alsoRussian propaganda undermining trust in any information source, researcher saysAccording to Poroshenko, Russian employs a huge army of provocateurs and agents in social media.

"And that's why I do things like stop Russian TV broadcasting and stop the Russian social media, because they use it for propaganda war," he said.

Read alsoBill aimed to enhance U.S.-Ukraine cybersecurity cooperation introduced in U.S. Senate"We have an effective cooperation from secret services with our partners from the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. I'm proud that we have trust there. But there's lots of work that should be done," he added.
The Russian president says the law on amnesty and special status of Donbas is not being passed in Ukraine, while the Donbas de-occupation law has no mention of Minsk agreements.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the war in Donbas "leaves a strong impression" on him as "there are all 'our people' there".

"There are no our troops there. There is enough weaponry there. And I always answer the question on where these weapons come from: wherever one side takes, there are always opportunities for the other side," according to a documentary titled "World Order 2018" based on several interviews with the Russian president, an UNIAN correspondent in Russia reports.

He referred to Ukrainian authorities who claim within the Normandy debate that the weapons are flowing in from the territory of Russia, killing Ukrainian servicemen.

Read alsoKremlin says no to UN peacekeepers in Donbas without militants' consent"This is terrible. It leaves a very strong impression on me when I reflect on this. I believe that there are all 'our people' there. But I always want to ask, whose the shells and bullets are that have been killing civilians in Donbas," he added.

According to Vladimir Putin, it is not about where the weapons and ammunition come from, it's about finding a way "to stop the bloodshed and achieve peace".

At the same time, he says that the law on amnesty and special status of Donbas is not being passed in Ukraine, while the Donbas de-occupation law has no mention of Minsk agreements.

Read alsoUkraine, risks of war to dominate Munich Security Conference  mediaUNIAN memo. After the annexation of Crimea by Russia in March 2014, Ukraine's eastern parts were seized by Russian-backed militants, and on April 15, 2014, the Ukrainian government had to launch its first formal military campaign against Russian proxies who had seized government buildings in towns and cities across eastern Ukraine. Less than a month later, "separatists" in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk declared independence following globally unrecognized referendums.

Despite numerous reports showing evidence of Russia's supplies to Donbas of arms and fighters, including regular troops of the Russian armed forces, the Kremlin has denied involvement in hostilities, branding the conflict a "civil war".
The visit takes place a few days before the fourth anniversary of the illegal annexation by the Russian Federation of Crimea and Sevastopol.

Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, will on 11 and 12 March travel to Ukraine for a working visit.

"Federica Mogherini will have several meetings with the Ukrainian authorities and government officials, namely the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister, Volodymyr Groysman, Foreign Minister, Pavlo Klimkin, and the Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons, Vadym Chernysh," the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine reported.

"The visit comes at an important moment for the implementation of crucial reforms related to the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, and will be an opportunity to renew the European Union's longstanding commitment to the Ukrainian people and their aspirations to build a stronger Ukraine," reads the report.

The High Representative will also meet with Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, the Chief Monitor of the OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission, Martin Sajdik, the OSCE's Special Representative to the Trilateral Contact Group, and Alain Aeschlimann, Head of the Mission to Ukraine of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to address the situation on the ground and the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

While in Kyiv, Mogherini will also speak to students at the Taras Shevchenko University, meet with representatives of civil society organizations, and with members of staff of the European Union's Advisory Mission and the EU Delegation to Ukraine, according to the report.

The visit takes place a few days before the fourth anniversary of the illegal annexation by the Russian Federation of Crimea and Sevastopol, "which the European Union does not recognise as it continues to fully support Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence," the EU Delegation wrote.
The United States is waiting to hear Moscow's response.

The United States' special representative for Ukraine says he hopes that Russia will still "make peace and withdraw from eastern Ukraine" and that if it does, Washington stands ready to play a role in the transition.

Kurt Volker said Wednesday in Warsaw that the United States has suggested to Russia that a United Nations-mandated force could provide security following a Russian withdrawal of troops, and is waiting to hear Moscow's response, ABC News reported.

Read alsoRussian parliamentarian dubs Volker "U.S. envoy for Minsk breakdown"Volker said he remains hopeful that Moscow will agree because of the huge cost Russia is paying in military costs, casualties, frozen ties with the U.S. and European Union, and the fact that as the conflict drags on it is producing a Ukraine "more nationalist, more unified, more Western-oriented, more anti-Russian, frankly, than has ever existed before."
Dziubak and Martson were later swapped for the two Russian agents and returned home on March 2, 2018.

Russian special services attempted to abduct Ukrainian border guard officers three times after two agents of Russia's FSB service were detained in Ukrainian territory in June 2017.

"We were repeatedly informed by different sources that Russian special services had been instructed to capture two border guards. At least we managed to prevent three attempts in the sectors of the Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Sumy [border guard] detachments," spokesman for the State Border Service of Ukraine Oleh Slobodyan told Hromadske Radio.

Read alsoFSB officers detain Ukrainian citizen entering occupied CrimeaThe FSB's fourth try succeeded and they kidnapped Ukrainian border guards, Ihor Dziubak and Bohdan Martson, in Sumy region, Ukraine's north, on October 3, 2017.

In Moscow, they were remanded in custody for two months and charged with illegally crossing the border.

"They were abducted at the Sumy border detachment's stretch on October 3. There is no doubt it was abduction," Slobodyan said.

Dziubak and Martson were later swapped for the two Russian agents and returned home on March 2, 2018.

The two FSB officers, Vladimir Kuznetsov and Askar Kuluba, who were detained in Ukraine's Kherson region on June 30, 2017, were handed over to the Russian side.
The Mufti says that he was assured after the last such "search" that there would not repeat.

Said Ismagilov, Mufti of the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Ukraine, has accused Ukraine's enforcement bodies of multiple infringements during an early-morning search of the Islamic Cultural Center in Kyiv.

Ukraine is using methods, he says, which are disturbingly similar to those applied in Russian-occupied Crimea, the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group wrote

A spokesperson for the Kyiv prosecutor's office has rejected any criticism, asserting that the measures were in accordance with the law.

The Mufti reports that the operatives produced a warrant allowing a search for literature "which promotes hatred and cruelty, racial, ethnic or religious intolerance and discrimination".

Read alsoSheikh Said Ismagilov: Terrorists could be of any religion. Like "Russian Orthodox Army" in Donbas... But no one has ever used the term "Orthodox terrorist"According to Said Ismagilov, there was only one security guard present when the SBU [Security Service], police and prosecutor's office arrived at 6:30 on March 6, together with their own "witnesses".

The guard was not allowed to make a call and summon anyone from the management. Since material was allegedly found which Said Ismagilov is adamant had not been there, this serious procedural infringement is of critical importance.

According to Said Ismagilov, law enforcers also searched the flat of the person responsible for the library, Sheik Tarik Sarkhan, where they allegedly found two books hidden behind the fridge.

This is all depressingly reminiscent of searches carried out in occupied Crimea. On the latest occasion, security forces claimed to have found "banned literature" near the outdoor WC, although it was inconceivable that any devout Muslim would have left religious literature in such a location.

The Mufi had earlier pointed out to the SBU that, unlike Russia, Ukraine does not have a list of "prohibited literature". He was told that there had been a court ruling, back in 2012, over a specific book published abroad, which the SBU had confiscated in the course of their criminal proceedings. The views expressed in that book (seemingly linked to the 'Direct Path' movement were not shared by either the Spiritual Directorate or by the Islamic Cultural Center, and neither were the copies of the book stored.

The Mufti says that he was assured after the last such "search" they would not repeat.

Read alsoNineteen people missing in Russian-occupied Crimea  SmedlyaevAs mentioned, the prosecutor's office and SBU assert that the search was carried out in accordance with the law, and that up to 100 items of literature were removed.

Journalist Taras Ibragimov was told by SBU spox Olena Hitlyanska that their operatives had acted merely as "technical personnel". The Kyiv prosecutor's office confirms that the above-mentioned searches in Kyiv were carried out, as well as the one in Poltava. They say that the court warrant was "in order to identify wrongful actions by certain individuals".

The criminal investigation is ongoing under Article 300 Part 1 of Ukraine's Criminal Code (preparing or disseminating works promoting a cult of violence and cruelty".
The Hungarian Culture Association has called on the OSCE to introduce a permanent monitoring mission to Zakarpattia region following two arson attacks at their office in the town of Uzhgorod.

According to the statement released by the Hungarian Culture Association, cited by Zakarpattia online news portal, the Association welcomes the 'OSCE proposal' to set up a special monitoring mission in Zakarpattia region, calling it an "extremely necessary initiative" given the recent developments.

On March 5, Deputy Chairman of the Hungarian Culture Association, First Deputy Chairman of Zakarpattia Regional Council Josyp Barto said the issue of a permanent OSCE mission in Zakarpattia region was being decided on.

"Their delegation is headed by Giorgio Zeljkovic, and I talked with him. We discussed several issues, including a terrorist attack on the office of the Hungarian cultural center. We agreed that after the monitoring he will make an offer to his leaders that the OSCE representatives operate permanently in Zakarpattia region," he said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, ABW, Poland's internal security agency, detained a group of three Poles suspected of an arson attempt at the headquarters of the Hungarian culture center in western Ukraine. The men represent a Polish pro-Russian radical right-wing organization Falanga.

Despite the reports from Poland, Ukraine's ambassador to Hungary was summoned to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry in connection with arson attacks.

On March 6, two suspects in another arson attack on the Hungarian cultural center in Uzhgorod, revealed by Ukrainian law enforcers, were taken into custody for 60 days. The case was qualified as a terrorist attack.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has condemned the attempted arson, calling it a provocation

Zakarpattia Governor Hennadii Moskal said that the Russian special services were behind the provocation. "No one has any doubts that the second arson at the culture center was organized by the Russian FSB (as well as an earlier arson on the night of February 4, committed by citizens of Poland, members of the right-wing pro-Russian Falanga organization)," Moskal said.

The incident in Uzhhorod, experts and officials suggest, was a small part of a much wider Russian campaign bent on fomenting ethnic tensions within Ukraine, with the goal of destabilizing the country and antagonizing its NATO-affiliated neighbors, especially Poland and Hungary, according to The Daily Beast.

Earlier, Hungary vowed to block Ukraine-NATO cooperation until Kyiv amends the newly-adopted education law in the part of national minority languages.

Basically, what were seeing in these spats is a clash of populist, assertive governments who consider themselves to be regional powers, and who pander to nationalist sentiments, concludes former intelligence officer Robert Cheda. For Russia this is a perfect environment.

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Szijjarto, speaking at the 24th OSCE Council of Ministers in Vienna December 7, called on the Organizations Special Monitoring Mission to conduct constant monitoring of the situation in the western Ukrainian region of Zakarpattia claiming there are tensions in the area.
The public has been raging in social networks throughout the weekend over the court ruling lifting a suspension from post head of a Kyiv-based medical university Kateryna Amosova. At the same time, cases are not uncommon in Ukraine when courts take the side of rectors, deans and professors who were not just involved in scandals and fights with government officials, but were caught red-handed in blatant corruption acts.

For several weeks, Ukraine has been following a scandal in the medical university, where, against the backdrop of the need for students to be independently assessed via a "Krok" testing system, the university board and the Ministry of Health got into an irreconcilable fight. Recently, the rector of the educational facility, Kateryna Amosova, who was suspended from office on February 20, was reinstated by a court ruling, which sparked a wave of indignation among the supporters of the health ministry. At the same time, in Ukraine cases are not uncommon, when courts take the side of rectors, deans and professors who were caught in blatant corruption acts. Even some show-off arrests, followed by bright news headlines, gradually turned into a long litigation process, and, in fact, ended with the fact that as soon as the hype subsided, bribe-takers got away with everything.

The Ministry of Education and Science does not deny this pressing problem. But officials refer to law enforcement bodies, claiming it's them who could update the press on stats on criminal cases launched and arrests made, and it's Ukrainian courts who are to hand down verdicts.

If we monitor the reports of the press offices of prosecutor's offices across Ukraine, it turns out that bribes in educational facilities are recorded almost on a monthly basis. And the sums of bribes (demanded both by lab assistants and professors, department boards and deans) range from UAH 2,500 to $5,000.

A website monitoring violations of the rights of teachers and students in higher educational facilities recorded more than 400 violations in various universities. Almost 41% of them are related to bribe extortion and other types of corruption. Bribe-takers seem to not be spooked off by a rather severe punishment for such an offense - from five to ten years of imprisonment with the ban to occupy certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years with confiscation of property.

However, such "fearlessness" can be explained. The thing is that even high-profile detentions do not guarantee a sure "lock-up" of bribe takers. And there are also such egregious cases where, having received a bribe, the offender somehow appears to be clean before the law. UNIAN decided to recall several such stories.

Dean, the recidivist

Several fresh stories from the reports of the prosecutor's offices about bribe takers in Ukrainian universities show that you a master's degree can be secured for $300 (head of one of the Zaporizhia-based universities was recently busted in such a case); a diploma and successful passing of state exams in Vinnytsia-based National University (evacuated from Donetsk) will cost a bit more ($500). Late last year, head of one of the branches of the university and department head were caught in a sting operation); while in Kyiv, some $400 will have to be paid for a simple test (a couple of months ago, a professor was fired for such "services" from one of the Kyiv universities).

For example, a director of the National Institute of the Danube University "Odesa Maritime Academy" Maria Yarmolenko systematically extorted from applicants $300 to $1,500 for corrupt assistance in the academic process. At the end of March 2016, Yarmolenko was detained red-handed in one of the restaurants in Odesa, where she received $900 from an applicant for being enrolling for their junior year in the institute... By the way, after her detention, law enforcers found another $20,000 in her banking cell. That is, this "little business" was more than successful for Yarmolenko.

In April of the same year, the court ruled to arrest her. And, it seems, justice triumphed, if not for a little nuance. It turned out that it was not the first charge pressed against Maria Yarmolenko. In 2011, being the Dean of one of the faculties at the same institute, she took a $500 bribe. Yarmolenko was detained at her office. As a result, she spent ten days in custody, and then released on her own recognizance. The ex-Dean did not admit her guilt though. In November 2012, the Izmail court sentenced a woman to 4 years and 11 months in prison with confiscation of property and a ban on occupying executive positions within three years after leaving the colony. But the Court of Appeal ... acquitted the bribe taker and removed all charges. As a result, Yarmolenko retained her post and even got a promotion...

Elusive rector

One of the most high-profile figures, who made a business out of accepting applicants for money, is the ex-rector of the University of the State Fiscal Service (the Tax Academy), Petro Melnyk. In July 2013, he got busted at his office after leaving his fingerprints on marked banknotes having accepted a bribe of UAH 120,000 from two families who wanted to have their kids study at the university. Immediately after the arrest, the previously healthy bribe taker suddenly fell ill. To attend a court hearing on August 1, 2013, he arrived in the ambulance and drove into the courtroom in a wheelchair.

Given Melnyk's "poor state of health," the Kyiv Pechersk district court did not put him behind bars, choosing a 2-month house arrest. And ... the suspect fled on August 9, having got rid of the ankle bracelet. By the way, he is now the first person in the history of Ukraine who managed to somehow remove the bracelet.

The fugitive was put on the Interpol wanted list and has long been hiding abroad. However, after the Revolution of Dignity, he returned to Ukraine. Interior Minister Arsen Avakov in April 2014 reported on his detention at the Boryspil airport. Pechersky court did not repeat the old mistakes and set a UAH 22 million bail. Unfortunately, the Court of Appeal reduced the sum substantially. As a result, Petro Melnyk submitted a UAH 609,000 bail and once again avoided being taken into custody, put under house arrest.

A few months later, in July 2014, the case of Mr Melnyk, who was facing up to 9 years in jail, was transferred to the court of Irpin, the town where the Tax Academy is based. The judge withdrew so the case was forwarded to another court, in the settlement of Borodyanka. About a year later, Melnyk was acquitted and a seizure warrant was lifted off his assets.

It is curious to note that the Borodyanka court in December 2017 found Melnyk not guilty of committing another crime - the illegal sale of four buildings belonging to the state university, which he headed, to a company founded by his wife and son. According to the investigation, they were sold for slightly more than UAH 10 million, although their market value is three times higher, according to experts.

Today, this case is still being heard by the Court of Appeal of Kyiv region...

Business of a Kyiv General

Another case of great public interest is the one of Major-General of the Kyiv Military Lyceum, Daniil Romanenko, who was in July 2013 caught on a $5,000 bribe. Romanenko demanded the sum from one of the applicants from a low-income family. Journalists have unearthed allegations that this was not an isolated case, since parents of other applicants span rumors about the "fees" of $5,000-8,000 to ensure that their kids are accepted.

Criminal proceedings were opened and the Major-General was facing a prison term of 8 to 12 years. Romanenko chose not to testify following the arrest. But just a few days later, he was bailed out for UAH 97,000. The case was forwarded to court in November. In December 2014, Gen. Romanenko was sentenced to three years in prison. But in July 2016, the bribe-taker was released because of ... the prosecutor's error. The prosecutor allegedly made a procedural error in the indictment papers.

Bribes at the National Aviation University

While mediocre corruption-stained professors stick around sums ranging from $300 to $5,000, some heads of universities do not hesitate to take astonishing sums up to hundreds of thousands dollars. One of the most high-profile cases of such level is the scandal at the National Aviation University. In 2016, Acting Rector Volodymyr Kharchenko was detained for demanding a staggering sum of EUR 170,000 from a professor who wished to receive a post in the university. He was detained after receiving a part of the amount, EUR 100,000. Along with the rector, his accomplice was also detained, a lawyer Serhiy Kryzhanivsky. In the course of searches, law enforcers found another UAH 5 million and nine gold bars in the rector's home. Kharchenko assured that he had earned these UAH 5 million on his own.

Immediately after his arrest, Kharchenko and Kryzhanivsky's health suddenly "worsened", rather traditionally for corruption-related cases in Ukraine... For the entire period before the indictment was handed down, both men have stayed at a hospital. Even when the case was forwarded to court, the defendants did not appear at hearings, referring to their poor state of health. Both men were facing up to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property and a ban on holding certain posts for three years after being released...

In September 2017, the Shevchenkivsky Court of Kyiv ruled to put Kharchenko under house arrest, and in December, the Pechersky Court of Kyiv softened the prevention measure to an ankle bracelet. But the most interesting part is that, for some mysterious reasons, Kharchenko has not yet been suspended from thethe post of NAU's Vice Rector.

When a bribe is not yet corruption

If even big fish remain unpunished, it is almost impossible to bring to responsibility those ordinary professors who engage in bribery. The thing is that dirty university staff who do not occupy administrative positions are not considered "corrupt officials". "We do not have a serious punishment for bribery, because very often the money is taken by regular professors, not heads of departments or deans. This is the casuistry of terms in our legislation. If someone has no administrative authority at the university, don't manage a department or are appointed a dean, rector, or pro-rector, their actions are not considered corruption and no real serious penalties are provided. But when the money is taken by a person occupying an administrative position, then this is considered corruption and punishment is more serious. But, frankly, they're all one swarm," says Yehor Stadny, head of the educational policy analysis department at CEDOS.

However, according to him, bribery in universities will flourish until the students contribute to the fight against this problem. After all, students often provoke bribery with "voluntary contributions". "This system exists provided voluntary consent because its roots lie in mutual interest: "My class is completely unnecessary to you, but it is in your schedule, so I will appreciate your gratitude for me assessing you while not demanding to study."

However, there are exceptions to the rules. One of these is the dispute between Yulia Mendel, a graduate student at the Institute of Philology of the Kyiv National University, and her professor Yuriy Kovaliv. In 2016, Yulia wrote an article for one of the European publications, claiming she was forced to bribe her academic adviser. According to the young woman, the professor would not accept her thesis until she put $200 between the pages of her work. The teacher denies accusations and insists that the graduate student slandered him. Therefore, he filed a lawsuit in one of the district courts of Kherson on protection of reputation and requires that Yulia Mendel pay a compensation of $40... The case is yet to see the court's decision.

Tetiana Kuznetsova

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter
The aggressor used grenade launchers and small arms in the vicinity of the town of Avdiyivka.

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas three times in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as killed in action (KIA).

Read alsoGen. Staff readies documents to launch Joint Forces Operation instead of Anti-Terrorist Operation"In the Luhansk sector, the enemy fired anti-tank grenade launchers and heavy machine guns near the village of Luhanske, as well as automatic grenade launchers and small arms near the village of Malynove," the press center of the headquarters of Ukraine's military operations reported on Facebook on Wednesday morning.

In the Donetsk sector, the aggressor used grenade launchers and small arms in the vicinity of the town of Avdiyivka.
This was connected with the captivity of Russian citizen Nikolay Pokusaev on March 4.

The command of the occupation forces in Donbas are taking additional measures aimed at covering up Russia's presence in the area.

"According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the command of the occupation forces are taking additional measures aimed at concealing the Russian military presence in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including at preventing documented confirmation of Russian citizenship of troops who may be captured by or defect to the Ukrainian security forces," said press secretary of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry Dmytro Hutsuliak, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

Read alsoMilitant with Russian passport captured in Donbas warzoneHe noted that the latest developments follow the latest arrest of a Russian citizen Nikolay Pokusaev in the area of hostilities in Donbas on March 4.

"In particular, on the orders of the Russian command, all IDs are being currently seized from the so-called military of the so-called combined units of the 1st and 2nd Army Corps of the Russian occupation forces, that may indicate their Russian citizenship or service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation," Hutsuliak said.

As UNIAN reported, on March 5, it became known that servicemen of the 57th separate motorized infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine captured a militant who was part of an illegal armed formation. The mand turned out to be a Russian citizen.
When Russian journalists cover any Ukraine-related issues, there are always elements of propaganda present. Russian propaganda masterminds have several approaches to reporting on Ukraine. In one case, once some incident occurs, a camera crew arrives at the scene and "adds some things up" to make their case. In another scenario, Russian journalists seem to have been well-prepared in advance for some of such incidents. Recall the downed MH17, where Russian journalists suddenly emerged near the site where a Buk rocket launcher was used. When a Russian proxy militant warlord Girkin announced that they had shot down another aircraft [a Ukrainian military cargo plane, they apparently thought at the time], Russian reporters were first on the scene to shoot their report. However, when they figured out that in fact a civilian aircraft had been shot down, they started deleting video material, while some of their footage had already been aired on TV by that time. Russian reporters swarmed to try and explain the incident to the audience in a way suitable for propaganda purposes.

The recent incident with Russian MP Zhuravlev, who went on a visit to the occupied part of Donbas and allegedly came under mortar fire, just a day after the ceasefire had been announced, is also a typical staged story. Now the Russian media will spin reports claiming that the Ukrainian military violated the newly-agreed ceasefire. It appears that their usual reports on the aftermath of shellings of residential neighborhoods have ceased to be of any interest to their audience, therefore lost their effectiveness. Therefore, they engaged a more high-profile "target of Ukrainian atrocities", a Russian people's deputy. So this upgraded propaganda story was thoroughly directed, shot, and aired. There's nothing else here.

The recent incident with Russian MP Zhuravlev, who went on a visit to the occupied part of Donbas and allegedly came under mortar fire, just a day after the ceasefire had been announced, is also a typical staged story.

We are forced to analyze and dissect such situations, showing that these are merely elements of Russian propaganda. It is necessary to fight for the truth, because Russia's huge propaganda machine employs truly powerful means of disinformation, while astonishing amounts of money are being invested in information warfare. So the story with Zhuravlev is merely a staged show, timed to coincide with the first day of the truce, or rather, timed to disrupt said truce. After all, Russian proxies started shelling Ukrainian positions almost immediately, just a couple of hours after a ceasefire declaration.

So the story with Zhuravlev is merely a staged show, timed to coincide with the first day of the truce, or rather, timed to disrupt said truce

All this suggests that Putin did not make a principled decision to ensure ceasefire in Donbas. It was only the Tripartite Contact Group who agreed on the truce, which is the lowest "floor" of negotiating players: the Normandy Four are the top "floor", above which there are also direct talks between Americans and Russians under the Volker-Surkov scheme. So, the TCG is the lowest level. In Russia, any moves by Moscow toward any concessions to Ukraine would be regarded as weakness. Ahead of the presidential elections, this would be unacceptable for Vladimir Putin.

Ihor Romanenko is a Ukrainian Army Lt. Gen (Rtd), Candidate of Military Sciences, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, ex-Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Asked whether Washington intends to hear out the Russian woman detained in Thailand, Nauert said: "We support and assist American citizens. She is not an American citizen."

Claims by an elite escort Anastasia Vashukevich aka Nastia Rybka that she is in possession of evidence of Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential elections in 2016 is a "bizarre story", according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Heather Nauert.

"This sounds like a pretty bizarre story. The woman has been detained there. Im sure if there is anything of great interest that we need to be aware of that our Thai officials would inform us of that," she said, according to a transcript of Nauert's Tuesday briefing in Washington.

Asked whether Washington intends to hear out the Russian woman detained in Thailand, Nauert said: "We support and assist American citizens. She is not an American citizen."

Read alsoThe New York Times: Escort says audio recordings prove Russian meddling in U.S. election"Were certainly aware of her arrest. The Russian authorities may have more information on her case. Certainly, the Thai or Thai law enforcement may have additional information, but were limited in terms of what we have," she said.

As reported earlier, a self-described "sex expert", detained in Thailand, said she would spill information on Trump team's Russia ties and claimed she was in possession of hours of recordings from August 2016 involving Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch she had an affair with, where he discusses the United States presidential election with people she declined to identify.

Mr. Deripaska, a billionaire with close ties to Russias president, Vladimir V. Putin, also has business ties to Paul J. Manafort, President Trumps former campaign chairman. Mr. Manafort is under investigation by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel looking into the campaigns connections to Russia.

Rybka said she would hand over the recordings if the United States granted her asylum, according to The New York Times.
A related synthetic opioid, carfentanyl, is 100 times as potent as fentanyl and as much as 10,000 times as potent as morphine.

Initial reports in British media said authorities suspected former Russian Army colonel Sergei Skripal and his daughter were exposed to fentanyl, a synthetic opiate painkiller that is at least 50 times more powerful than morphine and that was used by the Russian special forces to subdue Chechen separatists who were holding 800 people captive at the Dubrovka Theater.

"A report by British government scientists who tested clothing and urine samples from three survivors of the 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis found that Russian special forces used carfentanyl to subdue Chechen separatists who were holding 800 people captive at the Dubrovka Theater. The raid succeeded, but more than 120 hostages died from the effects of the chemical," RFE/RL reports.

A related synthetic opioid, carfentanyl, is 100 times as potent as fentanyl and as much as 10,000 times as potent as morphine.

In addition to medical uses, and abuse as street drugs that often has deadly consequences, the chemicals have been weaponized as potentially lethal incapacitating agents.

Read alsoKremlin claims unaware of how, why ex-GRU operative poisoned in UKWeaponized forms include guns that shoot felt pads soaked in the substances, paint-ball type projectiles, and an aerosol spray.

The chemicals can be ingested through skin contact or inhaled if they become airborne.

The U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that "first responder" emergency workers in cases of fentanyl and carfentanyl exposure can ingest the chemicals by touching the victim's skin.

Read alsoReuters: Former Russian spy critically ill in Britain after exposure to unidentified substanceTwo police officers who initially responded to Skripal's case were treated and one remained hospitalized on March 6.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail Wednesday said the country's exports have increased by up to 15 percent in the month of February this year while increase in imports remained at 8 per cent only due to some duties imposed by the government.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 08th Mar, 2018 ) :Adviser to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail Wednesday said the country's exports have increased by up to 15 percent in the month of February this year while increase in imports remained at 8 per cent only due to some duties imposed by the government.

Further improvements would be made in the exports sector and incentive package would be announced soon, he said talking to a private news channel. He said the matter of circular debt would be resolved soon as the Economic Coordination Committee has approved a plan presented by the ministry of power to settle circular debt and work on it would get started soon.

Miftah said the government had to bear a loss of Rs.110 billion in power sector so the government has to enhance recoveries as power generation had also increased in the country. He said there was need of better enforcement to increase recoveries rather to put burden of extra tariff on those consumers who were already paying bills regularly.

We were negotiating with the provinces to sought solution of the problem because performance of some DISCOs was very bad and it was difficult to manage in such governance, he added.
Hong Kong stocks fluctuated in the morning session before ending lower as an offer of denuclearisation talks by North Korea was offset by fresh fears over a global trade war

Hong Kong, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Hong Kong stocks fluctuated in the morning session before ending lower as an offer of denuclearisation talks by North Korea was offset by fresh fears over a global trade war. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.35 percent, or 107.69 points, to 30,403.04 by the break.
Interior Minister Professor Ahsan Iqbal Wednesday said the government's utmost priority is to make investment in youth for ensuring peace and prosperity in the region.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Interior Minister Professor Ahsan Iqbal Wednesday said the government's utmost priority is to make investment in youth for ensuring peace and prosperity in the region.

Chairing a meeting at NADRA Headquarters held here to review the Readmission Case Management System (RCMS), the interior minister said the government's policy is to curb human Trafficking. We have taken robust steps in this connection and crackdown against the human traffickers is underway throughout the country, said a press release.

"We will not allow any Pakistani to live illegally anywhere in the world. Pakistan has become among the countries, who have initiated the E-Passport facility that will minimize the cases of forgeries and render swift verification of the identity of Pakistanis living in any other country of the world," he said.

The interior minister stressed that Pakistani nation has rendered unparallel sacrifices in the war against terror. The world should acknowledge our achievements by understanding the remarkable commitment of Pakistan as a peace loving country of the world.

The minister said arm twisting methods will not yield the favorable results in the war against terrorism. Rather, placing us under conditions will give terrorists the opportunity to take refuge behind the pretext that they are being subjected to international agenda, whereas eliminating extremism is our own national agenda.

He said Pakistan is eager to cultivate people to people relations with the European states and also values the development of relations with European Union.

Ambassadors of European Union (EU) countries also participated in the meeting.

He said we want strong links with European Union by developing a Knowledge platform with European countries so that our youth can study in the top European universities. He added that youth equipped with modern education will take part in the prosperity and development of the country.

The interior minister said economic relations between Pakistan and European countries should be based on bilateral trade ; adding that Pakistani markets have the huge potential to attract the foreign investors.

Later, Chairman NADRA briefed the participants on the New Electronic Readmission Case Management System. It is to be noted that Government of Pakistan and European Community signed an Agreement titled "European Union Readmission Agreement (EURA)" to adopt a procedure for safe return of the persons residing without authorization.

On the directions of Ministry of Interior, NADRA signed an Agreement with International Organization for Migration (IOM) on electronic Readmission Case Management System (RCMS) on 20 April, 2017.

The basic aim of the project is to develop an electronic platform to make readmission process more efficient and less time consuming between GOP and EU Member States. System deployment and configuration in EU Member States (Germany, France, Belgium, and Greece) was completed in February, 2018.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Minister of State for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan Wednesday expressed the confidence that a National Single Window (NSW) for trade would be established within a period of one or two years to process all import, export and transit-related regulatory requirements efficiently under one umbrella

ISLAMABAD,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Minister of State for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan Wednesday expressed the confidence that a National Single Window (NSW) for trade would be established within a period of one or two years to process all import, export and transit-related regulatory requirements efficiently under one umbrella.

"It (NSW) will take one or two years to start as Federal board of Revenue (FBR) has been authorized to complete the task. Funds are pouring in. The Window's lead department is the Customs and its all sort of requirements will be fulfilled," he said while talking to media after addressing the inaugural session of a two-day conference on establishment of NSW for trade here.

The moot, jointly organized by United States for International Development (USAID) and FBR, was attended by more than 100 government officials from key trade regulators to better understand the challenges involved in institutionalizing the initiative, 'National Single Window For Trade.' Currently, the minister said, Pakistan had around 42 departments regulating imports and exports through the Customs, and the new initiative would help get rid of typical time-consuming file work, adding, under the one window operation each department would upload the 'single sourced databank' and all the required information would be shared with all the concerned departments.

"For example, customs duty, port charges and federal excise duty will be fed just by one click, and all will be cleared within minutes. Our cost of customs clearance is 200 percent higher than others, and this initiative will not only save time and money but also bring national efficiency and increase tax recovery ratio," he said.

Afzal said the NSW would also help increase profitability of entrepreneurs, which would ultimately increase tax recovery ratio and expand tax-base, adding "We are far behind of the world as this initiative should have been adopted 10 years before, but it is never too late, we are stepping into it which will be a superb integrated, computerized and electronic system, providing great scope for the country's information technology sector to further flourish." He said a number of such initiatives were about to take place in the country, and "If we have to increase our exports rapidly, move forward step by step with the world and get growth beyond eight percent, this NSW initiative will be greatly helpful for the purpose." Commenting on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, the minister said it was the facilitation and infrastructure through which additional electricity was arriving, efficient sea connection achieved, information technology sector getting further strength and efficiency of railways improving.

"The CPEC is a physical infrastructure for real time movement of goods, and the NSW is of its facilitation, and we are switching over from paper to paperless mechanism.

These are the pillars of Pakistan's development as one (CPEC) is the hardware and the other (NSW) is of its software," he remarked.

Earlier, addressing the conference, the minister said the NSW was one of the most critical reform efforts initiated in the trade-related public sector, which has the capacity to transform and modernize traditional way of doing business by introducing various trade- related processes and procedures in an automated and paperless environment leading to significant saving to Pakistan's trade in terms of time and costs.

"This development will have a positive impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the public sector regulatory bodies," he said. The initiative would expedite the process of cross-border trade, enabling businesses to expand their operations and the government to reduce unnecessary documentations.

FBR Chairman Tariq Mahmood Pasha in his opening remarks highlighted importance of the initiative and its various aspects for promotion of trade. Country Director World Bank-Trade Facilitation in Pakistan Patchamuthu Illangovan said Pakistan was located where Central Asia, South Asia, Far East and middle East come together, terming Pakistan a 'true global trading hub.' He urged that Pakistan would have to increase its ratio of trade to GDP by taking advantage of its strategic location and improving trade, adding "Our experience from South, East and Asia and elsewhere is that economies grow faster with better trade regimes." He hoped that the National Single Window should turn into a joint single window at the international level, wishing that the NSW initiative would be a moment of turning around for Pakistan's performance in export sector.

He said the World Bank was ready to support Pakistan in increasing its exports performance and wanted to see its trade to GDP ratio at around 60 percent in near future. Acting USAID Mission Director Helen Pataki said "For Pakistan, boosting exports and enhancing the competitiveness of Pakistani industries is integral to overcoming the current trade imbalance.

By making trade simpler, the NSW will unlock Pakistan's economy." She said Pakistan could achieve its great commercial impact potential by streamlining and simplifying rules and regulations for doing business.

"The USAID and Pakistan have partnered to capitalize this potential by establishing the NSW for trade and customs duties. We are working together to streamline Pakistan trade and customs procedures." She said the NSW concept had already stimulated trade in many other countries and achieved desired results of increasing business activities by adopting paperless mechanism.
Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt General (Retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch Wednesday informed the Senate that petrol prices in Pakistan was less as compared to India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt General (Retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch Wednesday informed the Senate that petrol prices in Pakistan was less as compared to India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh.

He said this while responding to a calling attention notice moved by Senator Sherry Rehman regarding increase in the prices of petroleum products. He said that oil prices in India as per Pakistan Currency was Rs 126.94 per litre, Sri Lanka Rs 91.33, Bangladesh Rs.

117.94, Nepal Rs.

110.33 while it is Rs 88.07 per liter in Pakistan. He said that prices of petroleum products in Pakistan were linked with international market. "If the prices of petroleum products decrease internationally, the impact is passed to local consumers," he added.

He dispelled the impression that any unlawful tax had been imposed on petroleum products. He said that it was not possible for the government to give subsidy on the prices of petroleum products in the Pakistan. "Only stable economies in the world are awarding subsidy on the petroleum products" he added.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Sudan needs an investment of nearly $500 billion in various sectors, acting president of a Turkish Business Association said.

ANKARA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Sudan needs an investment of nearly $500 billion in various sectors, acting president of a Turkish Business Association said. Harun Macit, who represents A New World Industrialist and Businessmen's Association (YENIAD), said the major drawback in Sudan is its inadequate production technology.

He added that Sudan is among the top three African countries having gold and copper mines, and Turkish businesspeople can play an important role in the country's mining industry. "Due to the lack of proper mining technology they [Sudanese people] have limitations.

Below the surface, a large number of precious metals is waiting to be explored," he said. Macit urged Turkish businesspeople to establish a system to process those metals and integrate them with Turkey's gold exchange market to provide overseas finance for Sudan.

He said five consortiums were set with Sudanese and Turkish businesspeople in the fields of construction, energy, mining, agriculture and machinery during a business trip organized by YENIAD in February.

"Preliminary agreements worth $1.2 billion were signed between Turkish businesspeople and Sudanese ministry officials along with private sector representatives during the visit," Macit said. "We believe that those business agreements will be realized this year and completed in five years," Macit said.

He noted that the construction consortium includes building roads, bridges, hotels, schools and infrastructure works. "We also plan to establish a factory in Turkey to process gum Arabic, and we will sell it to the whole world from Turkey.

" In 2014, Turkey and Sudan signed an agreement to rationalize resources and agricultural potential and contribute to sustainable food objectives.

Under the agreement, around 780,000 hectares across five regions were earmarked for investment by Turkish entrepreneurs. He added that talks were underway for establishing livestock laboratories based on international standards in Sudan.

"We have made some agreements on livestock as Sudan is one of the largest animal-breeding countries in Africa," Macit said, adding that the move will enable Sudan to import worldwide. In February, $50-million agreements in the fields of water and energy were signed, including construction of a dam on River Nile.

"We also offered Sudanese officials cooperation in software education by providing a turnkey system for schools in the country." He said the association was also planning to make similar business agreements in Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Jordan and South American countries, this year.

The investment may be increased, he said, if bureaucratic hurdles are removed, and financial infrastructure improved in Sudan, Anadolu Agency reported. "We believe we will exceed targets set by presidents of both countries," he said.

A bilateral trade volume target of $10 billion was announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visit to Sudan in December. Turkey's exports to Sudan totaled $395.2 million in 2017 while imports from the country stood at $86.2 million.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of Pakistan's Federal Board of Revenue partnered to host a two-day conference on the establishment of a National Single Window (NSW) for trade.

Islamabad, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018) : The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of Pakistan's Federal board of Revenue partnered to host a two-day conference on the establishment of a National Single Window (NSW) for trade.

The NSW will allow parties involved in trade and transport to file standardized information and documents at a single entry point for all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements.

The conference brought together more than 100 government officials from key trade regulators to better understand the challenges involved in institutionalizing Pakistan's National Single Window for trade.

\While speaking at the conference, the Minister of State for Finance, Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan said, "The National Single Window Initiative is one of the most critical reform efforts initiated in the trade-related public sector." He added, "This system has the capacity to transform and modernize traditional way of doing business by introducing various trade-related processes and procedures in an automated, paperless environment leading to significant savings to Pakistan's trade in terms of time and costs.

This development will have a positive impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the public sector regulatory bodies." Around the world, bureaucratic processes that burden traders deter business and discourage exports.

A National Single Window will expedite the process of cross-border trade, enabling businesses to expand their operations and the government to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.

While delivering remarks at the conference, Acting USAID Mission Director, Helen Pataki, said, "For Pakistan, boosting exports and enhancing the competitiveness of Pakistani industries is integral to overcoming the current trade imbalance.

By making trade simpler, the National Single Window will unlock Pakistan's economy." Development of the National Single Window for trade in Pakistan will be phased in over a span of four years. The National Single Window is only one component of USAID's enduring efforts to support Pakistan's economic growth by enabling private sector investment, promoting a vibrant agricultural sector, fostering a strong business enabling environment, and expanding trade opportunities.

USAID's Pakistan Regional Economic Integration Activity is a five-year initiative that aims to improve the development of Pakistan's trade sector. The public-private dialogue forum supports the United States' objectives to improve Pakistan's trade environment by building the institutional and human capacity of both public and private stakeholders.

USAID's Training for Pakistan Activity is a multi-year initiative aimed at providing training in the areas of education, energy, economic growth and agriculture, health, and stabilization and governance in line with the development objectives of the Government of Pakistan.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday urged all sides to seize the opportunities of a planned summit between North and South Korea, as well as future talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons drive.

United Nations, United States, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday urged all sides to seize the opportunities of a planned summit between North and South Korea, as well as future talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons drive.

Guterres said he was encouraged by the advances made to hold the summit and discuss future talks on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. "The latest developments are further steps forward in laying the foundation for the resumption of sincere dialogue, leading to sustainable peace and denuclearization on the Korean peninsula," his office said in a statement.

Guterres "is encouraged by the advances made during the latest inter-Korean talks, particularly the agreement to hold a summit meeting soon, to further reduce military tensions, and to discuss denuclearization in future talks with all relevant parties," it added.

"He stresses the need to protect the momentum and seize the opportunities available to find a peaceful path forward." The leaders of North and South Korea will next month hold a historic summit at the truce village of Panmunjom, said an envoy from the Seoul government following talks in Pyongyang with leader Kim Jong Un.

South Korea's national security adviser, Chung Eui-yong, said Pyongyang was open to discuss getting rid of its nuclear program with the United States in exchange for security guarantees. Guterres offered UN help to the governments concerned to address the crisis.

In December, Guterres dispatched his political chief, Jeffrey Feltman, to Pyongyang to urge North Korea to open a dialogue on ending the crisis. Feltman, however, was then told by Pyongyang that "now was not the time" for dialogue, even if the North Korean officials agreed it was important to avoid war.

The UN Security Council has imposed tough economic sanctions aimed at choking off revenue to Pyongyang's military programs after Kim's regime carried out a sixth nuclear test and a series of advanced missile launches.

China -- Pyongyang's sole ally -- and Russia argue that sanctions alone will not push North Korea to change course and have repeatedly called for stepping up diplomatic efforts to achieve a solution.
As many as 50 organizations attended the Career Fair held on Wednesday at Air University

Islamabad (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) As many as 50 organizations attended the Career Fair held on Wednesday at Air University. On the occasion, HR representatives belonging to various sectors conducted the recruitment drives simultaneously.

The purpose of the Career Fair, organized by Air University Placement Office, was to allow organizations to meet potential employees in an informal setting. Vice Chancellor Air University Faaiz Amir, while expressing his views, said that career fair offers an excellent opportunity to learn general information about ongoing job trends.

He was of the view that it is also a way to explore career opportunities within a variety of organizations under one roof. He thanked the companies for their active participation and urged students to avail the opportunities proactively.

In connection with Career Fair, special guest lectures were also delivered by renowned motivational speaker Abdul Rafay Athar and HR expert, Ehtisham Khan from Rockville Technologies. Career fairs are equal opportunity events for job seekers and employers alike, said a HR representative, acknowledging that career fair provides Air University students and participating organizations a common platform for interaction.

The HR representative also provided the students career advice, counseling and shared the requirements of the job market. ptcl, NayaTel, ZTE, Huawei, zong, Kohinoor Textile Mills, Shifa Foundation, WWF, NESCOM, UBL, Master Tiles,Teach for Pakistan, Launchpad Interactive, Obortunity, Ciscom, Black Horse International, Sharif Group, ASK Development, Go Solar, Digital Processing Services, and National Tourism Pakistan were some of the prominent companies among total fifty participating organizations.

Chinese organizations included China Pakistan Educational Cultural Institute (CPECI) and DWG Group also took great interest in the career fair. A large number of students studying in final semesters of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Sciences and Social Sciences participated in the event.

On the occasion, souvenirs were also distributed among the participating organizations.
SANTIAGO, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) ::Chilean researchers have inched closer to the trigger of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a complex and mystifying neuro-developmental disability that has been on rise for years, local media reported on Tuesday.

Scientists at Chile's Andres Bello University have discovered that an alteration in the signals received by the brain increases "the expression" of one of the main genes that associated with ASD, the Chilean daily El Mercurio reported.

The study was published in the online medical journal Translational Psychiatry, a division of Nature.

While, the population with ASD has doubled in the past 10 years across the world, the cause of it remains uncertain.

"Our research indicates the existence of a pathway that would occur early in embryonic development and that would mould the brain towards a subtly different structure in children with the disorder," said biologist Giancarlo de Ferrari, leader of the study.

The knowledge could eventually help doctors understand what triggers ASD and how to make an early diagnosis at the embryonic stage by developing a blood test to detect anomalies, he added.
(@FahadShabbir)

Director General Health Services Dr Ayub Roz has urged the medical field force in general, pediatricians and gynecologists to create awareness regarding the benefits of breast feeding and child nutrition.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Director General Health Services Dr Ayub Roz has urged the medical field force in general, pediatricians and gynecologists to create awareness regarding the benefits of breast feeding and child nutrition.

He was addressing an orientation workshop on ''Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Breast Feeding and Child Nutrition Act 2015'' held by provincial Health Department in Collaboration with UNICEF here on Wednesday.

Dr Ayub Roz in his welcome address termed the issue of immense significance and said that no legislation could prove to be fruitful unless it enjoyed support of the implementers and beneficiaries alike.

"Thousands of doctors and supporting staff both in public and private sectors were required to advise what was necessary for the health of a mother and her child.'' He said that formula milk was preferred in some cases but it could not be considered a substitute for breast feeding, adding breast feeding was the basic right of each child and children should not be deprived of their rights.

Dr Ayub Roz remarked that medical practitioners were the best judges and therefore were collectively responsible for making the right and appropriate decisions while providing prescriptions.

''Every one of us should take responsibility to advocate the cause of breast feeding,'' he said.

Dr Arshad on this occasion while making a presentation on the importance of breast feeding said that the first 1000 days happened to be the most critical period in the life of a child as this was the point where he/she becomes a hero at from zero at conception.

He said that breast feeding not only was beneficial for child but for mother as well. He informed that the first milk, colostrums can protect a child from allergy, infection, jaundice. Reflecting on the history of decline in breast feeding, he said that industrialization in the western world, germ theory and promotion of the formula milk since 1915 has been playing central role in the decline of breast feeding.

Prof Amin Jan also made a presentation about the importance of the breast feeding. Similar workshops would also be conducted I at regional and district level. The workshop was attended by pediatricians, gynecologist and general masses besides Additional DG Health Dr.

Tahir Khilji and Prof. Sadaqat Jan. It's worth mentioning that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Breast feeding and child nutrition act was passed in 2015 and rules were notified in 2017.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The Roving Ambassador designate of Finland to South Asia Harri Kmrinen along with Mr. Asad Ansari Honorary Consul of Finland in Pakistan visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry and said that his country has advanced technology and expertise in health,

Islamabad, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018) : The Roving Ambassador designate of Finland to South Asia Harri Kmrinen along with Mr. Asad Ansari Honorary Consul of Finland in Pakistan visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry and said that his country has advanced technology and expertise in health, energy and forest sectors and it could help Pakistan in these areas for improvement.

He said Finland's company Nokia has brought revolution in health sector due to its involvement in health technology. He said health was the fastest growing exports industry in Finland and Pakistan could get good benefits from Finland's advancement in this field.

Mr. HarriKmrinensaid that Finland has been using forest resources for business and industry for the last over 500 years and Pakistan could learn a lot from Finland for improving its forest industry and promoting green environment.

He said Finland has achieved great progress in energy efficiency and by developing close cooperation with Finland, Pakistan could make efficient use of energy in industrial and other sectors. He said IT sector also offered good potential for cooperation between the two countries as many students of Pakistan were already getting IT education in Finland.

He said Finland's Outotec company provided process technologies and services for metals and mining, industrial water treatment, alternative energy & chemical industries and it could help Pakistan in developing its mining sector on modern lines.

He said Finland's world renowned company Wartsil? was already in Pakistan and more could come to Pakistan for business and investment.

He assured that he would try to pay more visits to Pakistan to improve linkages with the business community. Speaking at the occasion, Sheikh Amir Waheed, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that given the size of both economies, bilateral trade between Pakistan and Finland was not up to the real potential and both sides should focus on frequent exchange of trade delegations to improve trade relations.

He identified engineering, agriculture, energy, mining, telecommunication, biotechnology, health and education as potential areas of mutual cooperation between the two countries and stressed for promoting B2B contacts between the private sectors of Pakistan and Finland to explore business matchmakings.

Muhammad Naveed Senior Vice President and Nisar Mirza Vice President ICCI said that CPEC has created plenty of business and investment opportunities in Pakistan and it was the right time that Finnish investors should explore JVs and investment in CPEC.

Malik Sohail Hussain Chief Coordinator FPCCI, M. Shakeel Munir, Mehmood Elahi and others also spoke at the occasion and highlighted many areas for mutual cooperation including marble and rural health between Pakistan and Finland.
Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Khawaja Muhammad Asif have strongly condemned the unprovoked firing by Indian army across the Line of Control (LOC) and Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir particularly killings of civilians in Shopayan

MIRPUR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) , March 7 (APP)::Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Khawaja Muhammad Asif have strongly condemned the unprovoked firing by Indian army across the Line of Control (LOC) and Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir particularly killings of civilians in Shopayan.

They expressed these views during a meeting late Tuesday. AJK, PM informed the Minister for Foreign Affairs that the people of AJK were resolute in their desire to join Pakistan and will not hesitate from any sacrifice in facing Indian aggression.

Farooq Haider appreciated the Foreign Minister for his recent visits to abroad and advocating the national interests with courage and dignity. He said that people of occupied Kashmir was rendering sacrifices for their great mission of liberating the state from Indian occupation.

Kashmirs are targeted by state terrorism for seeking their inalienable right to self-determination'' he pointed out.

Farooq Haider said that the people of Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) should not be considered alone and isolated, adding that Indian forces are targeting and killing the youth mercilessly.

Farooq said that the occupying forces in the Indian Occupied Kashmir are pushing youth towards militancy and armed resistance by threatening them with punitive military measure's."The movement of the people of Kashmir is indigenous and peaceful.

India is denying Kashmirs youth and Kashmirs freedom leaders the political space they need by choking off all channels of communication", he said He invited the Khawaja Asif Foreign Minister to visit LoC and meet the citizens being targeted daily by unprovoked Indian firing.

The Foreign Minister appreciated the resilience of the brave citizens living along the Line of Control in Azad Jammu and Kashmir for facing daily unprovoked firing by Indian Forces. He reiterated Pakistan's commitment to support the cause of Kashmiri freedom morally and diplomatically.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The National Economic Council (NEC) Wednesday approved enhancement of sanctioning powers of the development forums of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and FATA, it was official declared by the AJK govt.

MIRPUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :The National Economic Council (NEC) Wednesday approved enhancement of sanctioning powers of the development forums of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and FATA, it was official declared by the AJK govt.

According to details, the sanctioning limit for Development Working Party (DWP) of the three regions has been increased to Rs 400 million while the Development Committees (DC) would be authorized to sanction the development expenditure up to Rs one billion, an official statement said.

AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan attended the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. According to development experts, the development process would get more pace in AJK and the government would be in better position to approve mega projects in short time.

They gave credit to Raja Farooq Haider for resolving much waited financial issues with the Federal government.
The Arctic LNG 2 project is completed by 19 percent and will continue uninterrupted despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian gas company Novatek, the major shareholder of the project, said on Friday in a press release

US and European stock markets were higher Friday as investors turned buyers again after the previous day's rout on coronavirus economic fallout fears and the likelihood of a second wave of the pandemic in the United States

Stocks on Wall Street rose as much as 3 percent in Friday's early trade, recovering about a third of the previous session's losses, as broad-based buying helped soothe a market shaken by the fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections in the United States

US financial sector vulnerabilities are expected to be significant in the near term due to the novel coronavirus-imposed measures and financial institutions may face strain despite the Federal Reserve's wide-ranging efforts to fight the pandemic, the central bank said in its June Monetary Policy Report issued on Friday

Records 15376 To 15400 (Total 65337 Records)

Business news

Business news is important part of the news. World business news, Pakistan business news, and top business news are available on this site. Urdu Point provides you finance news, economic news, stock market news, gold rates, silver rates etc. For all types of business news visit Urdu Point. Business news matters a lot as they directly link the economy. CPEC news, PSX news and BTC news are also found on Urdu Point. You can have the today currency rates, today gold rates and today business news on the same page. All types of news about Bitcoin, Bitcoin Pakistan and business news are available here. You can get the information about the petroleum prices, gold rates, gold and silver prices, and CNG prices on Urdu Point.

If you want to learn bullion rates, bullion rates in Pakistan go for Urdu Point. Urdu Point is best for all kinds of business news, business news Pakistan and business news today. If you want the search results for the dawn business news, latest business news, international business news and world business news you can find here easily. We also give information about good news messages in business communication and bad news messages in business communication. International business news is normally latest business news. For all the latest business news and Pakistani business news visit us. Urdu point has news about currency rates, gold rates and silver rates. Urdu Point also gives you information about good news letter in business communication and bad news letter in business communication.

To improve the business communication you must have the business news, latest business news and top business news. You can read business plus news and dawn business news here. We provide latest business news in Pakistan and world latest business news. If you are looking for the bad news messages in business communication and good news messages in business communication go for Urdu Point. We also have information about PSM news in business recorder. To get the updates about gold rates, gold rates in Pakistan, gold rates in Karachi and today gold rates visit Urdu Point. Gold jewelry is popular among women and gold rate does not matter when women fell in love with jewelry. Gold rates vary daily. Stock exchange and economy directly depend on gold rates. Gold rates in Pakistan and gold rates in the world are different. Live gold rates and live currency rates in Pakistan can also be searched.

There is much difference between currency rates in Pakistan and foreign currency rates. This site provides you all information about open market currency rates, open market currency rates in Pakistan and currency exchange rates. International currency rates and open market currency rates are found here. Business news contains the information about gold rates, currency rates, foreign currency rates, currency rates Pakistan, bitcoin news and bullion rates in Pakistan. Daily business news and today business news can be read here. Urdu Point provides top business news for the readers. Open market currency rates and foreign currency rates matter in business news. To read all types of business news, top business news, latest business and currency news, bitcoin news and gold rates visit Urdu Point.
Ambassador of Qatar, Saqr Bin Mubarak Al-Mansouri, called on Federal Minister for Defence Production, Rana Tanveer Hussain in his office at Ministry of Defence Production, Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Ambassador of Qatar, Saqr Bin Mubarak Al-Mansouri, called on Federal Minister for Defence Production, Rana Tanveer Hussain in his office at Ministry of Defence Production, Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

The minister welcomed the guest and highlighted the importance of relations between the two brotherly countries, said a press release issued here. The minister stated that Pakistan valued its relation with Qatar and desire to further strengthen the relation between both the countries.

He expressed special thanks to Khalid Al Attiyah, Qatar's Minister for State for Defence Affairs for extending invitation to attend DIMDEX-18. Rana Tanveer Hussain briefed the Ambassador about salient features of JF-17 thunder aircraft.

He said that it was an advanced, all weather, multirole, fighter aircraft with an excellent air-to-air, and air-to-ground combat capabilities.

He also briefed the dignitary about the defence industries and their state-of-the-art defence products.

He further expressed that Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) had the expertise and skill to establish production facilities for infantry weapons, small arms and ammunition. He said that security products manufactured by Heavy Industries Taxil (HIT) could also be beneficial for Qatar's defence forces.

Both sides expressed the desire to expand defence industrial cooperation. The importance of joint ventures and exchange of expertise between the two countries also came under the discussion. The minister extended an invitation for Qatari leadership to attend IDEAS-2018 to be held in November 2018.
Chief Minister Balochistan, Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo on Wednesday expressed deep grief and sorrow over the targeted killing of a Police personnel here at Hazar Ganji Fruit market. According to a statement issued here, the CM said that security forces has rendered tremendous sacrifices in the fight against terrorism

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Chief Minister Balochistan, Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo on Wednesday expressed deep grief and sorrow over the targeted killing of a Police personnel here at Hazar Ganji Fruit market.

According to a statement issued here, the CM said that security forces has rendered tremendous sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.

He said the government is taking concrete measures to end terrorism. He prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and expressed sympathies with the bereaved family.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Chief of Italian Navy, Admiral Valter Girardelli visited Naval Headquarters (NHQ) Islamabad and called on Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi on Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Chief of Italian Navy, Admiral Valter Girardelli visited Naval Headquarters (NHQ) Islamabad and called on Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi on Wednesday.

Upon arrival at Naval Headquarters, the dignitary was received by Chief of the Naval Staff, said a press release issued here by directorate of public relations of Pakistan Navy. A smartly turned out contingent of Pakistan Navy clad in ceremonial dress presented guard of honour.

The visiting dignitary was then introduced to Principal Staff Officers at NHQ. Later, Admiral Valter Girardelli called on Chief of the Naval Staff in his office, where discussions on professional matters of mutual interest and bilateral naval collaboration were dilated upon.

Various avenues of cooperation between the two Navies were also focused.

Admiral Zafar Mahmood highlighted Pakistan's commitment and contributions in fight against terrorism, including participation of Pakistan Navy in Coalition Task Force against piracy and maritime terrorism.

Admiral Valter Girardelli highly appreciated role and contributions of Pakistan Navy in maintaining peace and stability in the region. The call was followed by a brief given to the visiting dignitary on Pakistan Navy's perspective on regional issues and its contributions towards peace and stability in the Indian Ocean.

Later, Chief of Italian Navy also laid wreath at Shuhada Monument at NHQ. In the second leg of his visit, Chief of Italian Navy is scheduled to visit Pakistan Navy Field Commands in Karachi. The visit of Chief of Italian Navy is expected to strengthen the bilateral collaboration between the two Navies.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The Network for Consumer Protection on Tuesday applauded the federal cabinet's decision of banning the sale of loose cigarettes to discourage smoking in the country.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :The Network for Consumer Protection on Tuesday applauded the Federal cabinet's decision of banning the sale of loose cigarettes to discourage smoking in the country.

Commenting on the decision of the federal cabinet, the representatives of civil society said that the ban would definitely help in discouraging the smoking trend in country's youth. Head of the Network for Consumer Protection, Nadeem Iqbal said "It has been always the duty of the government to protect its youth from the hazards of tobacco and we are thankful to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of National Health Services and Regulations, for taking this concrete step in the right direction." He said "We are hopeful that this ban would be enforced in its true spirit and we believe that it's just the beginning." He said that in addition to the tobacco industry, retailers were the main beneficiary of the loose cigarette sale as it earned them more money than selling a full pack as a single loose cigarette of one popular brand costs rupees eight whereas the whole pack is sold for Rs 135.

With the new ban in place, things would apparently look better but there is a dire need to enforce the underage no sale law, he said. According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2013, among current cigarette smokers who bought cigarettes, 44.

9% were not prevented from buying them because of their age.

This calls for immediate enforcement of the underage no sale law. The struggle for a tobacco free youth requires to pay equal attention to the increase in tax on tobacco products, prohibition of underage sale, an increased percentage of Graphic Health Warning on cigarette packaging and a comprehensive ban on any form of advertising, promotion and sponsorship of Tobacco products.

The civil society representatives said "If we are able to legislate these areas, only then it will serve as a complete package where you make cigarettes less affordable by banning sale of loose cigarettes and increasing tax on the price of cigarette packs, prohibiting underage sale and creating constant awareness about health hazards related to tobacco use by increasing the size of graphic health warning.

They also asked for imposing a complete ban on advertisements, promotions and sponsorships of tobacco products, including the point of sale advertisements which are the root cause of demand generation for tobacco in youth and are mainly targeting children.

It is pertinent to mention here that in order to discourage cigarette smoking, the federal cabinet approved banning of sale of loose cigarettes by amending the "Prohibition of sale of cigarettes to Minor Rules, 2010.
Commissioner Lahore Abdullah Khan Sumbal has said that establishment of new 60 units of public toilets in various parts of Lahore city will help redress the challenge of defecation.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Commissioner Lahore Abdullah Khan Sumbal has said that establishment of new 60 units of public toilets in various parts of Lahore city will help redress the challenge of defecation.

These were very limited numbers in view of population of city and civic demand, so public toilets number would be enhanced in second phase of that initiative, he said. Chairing a meeting regarding public toilets here on Wednesday, the commissioner said that currently civil work continued at 10 sites which would be completed by March 20, 2018.

Envisions of public toilets would pave a way of cleanliness in whole city and the project would be replicated in other districts of Lahore division also.

Assistant Commissioner of concerned areas and officers of development participated in the meeting.

The meeting was briefed that out of 60 units, 30 were for males, 10 for females, 10 for disabled males and other 10 for disabled females. It may be pertinent to mention here that identified locations were Karim Block Market, Ichhra, Niazi Chowk, Bekhaywal, Near Mian Mir Darbar, Sabzi Mandi, Lorry Adda, Mauza Raiwind Road, Fateh Garh and Dayal Pull Lahore.
(@rukhshanmir)

Police arrested nine drug pushers and recovered narcotics and illegal weapons.

SARGODHA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) ::police arrested nine drug pushers and recovered narcotics and illegal weapons. A police spokesman said the accused were identified as Ali Raza, Abdu. Jabbar, Ghulam Abbas, Qandeel, Shafqat, Mohsin, Ejaz, etc. Police recovered 3kg hashish, 550g heroin, three pistols, two rifles and three guns.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the chair, on Wednesday approved a plan to settle power sector payable that would ensure that government-owned companies including PSO, SSGPL, SNGPL, Gencos, DISCOs and nuclear power plants continue to operate normally.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the chair, on Wednesday approved a plan to settle power sector payable that would ensure that government-owned companies including PSO, SSGPL, SNGPL, Gencos, DISCOs and nuclear power plants continue to operate normally.

The Government will also settle outstanding dues of IPPs after reconciliation and pre-audit in the prescribed manner to ensure transparency. The ECC also approved procurement target of 6.100 million tons of wheat for the year 2017-18.

The ECC reviewed progress into its earlier decision of directing Trading Corporation of Pakistan to procure 0.3 million metric tons of sugar from sugar mills. It was reiterated during the meeting that the decision was taken by the forum to facilitate sugar mills for timely procurement of sugarcane and to ensure payments to the farmers at prescribed rates.

The meeting was informed that no bid was received against the TCP tender for procurement of sugar at Rs 48 per kg. Signing of Headquarters Agreement between Government of Pakistan and SAARC Arbitration Council (SARCO) for exemption from duties and taxes to SARCO and its officials was approved.

The ECC accorded approval to a proposal to link price of JP-8 petroleum product with ex-refinery price of JP-1. Issuance of GoP Sovereign Guarantee against financing facility of PKR 13,132 million from local banks for evacuation of power from 1320 MW imported coal power plant at Hub was also approved.

The ECC also approved three months salary (October to December 2017) for the employees of Pakistan Steel Mills Corporation (PSM).
Four have been killed including two brothers in different incidents. Accoring to police, firing from opponents have killed two brothers and injured two in the jurisdiction of PS- Sadar in Okara.

Okara, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018) : Four have been killed including two brothers in different incidents. Accoring to police, firing from opponents have killed two brothers and injured two in the jurisdiction of PS- Sadar in Okara.

Police have shifted the dead bodies and injured to the hospital after reaching the crime scene. On the other hand, unknown assailants have killed two people after firing in the area of Bakir. Police have started the investigation after filing the case.
(@rukhshanmir)

Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chudhary Wednesday said nothing has proved against former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and his family despite the passage of six months as mandated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chudhary Wednesday said nothing has proved against former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and his family despite the passage of six months as mandated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Talking to media persons, he said the references against Nawaz Sharif and family were filed on September 8, 2017. The six months has completed on March 7, 2018 but the Accountability Court has proved nothing against the family of former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

He said now the NAB has demanded two more months and preparing to file supplementary references against Nawaz and family as the existing references are too weak to prove him guilty.

He said Nawaz Sharif is the only former premier, who had persistently been attending the court proceedings.

He had already been convicted by the apex court on weak grounds of 'Iqama'. The opponents of Nawaz Sharif on failure to compete him in political arena were hatching conspiracies to oust him from the politics.

Nawaz Sharif has become the symbol of country's sovereignty. No premier from out of 18 premiers of the country have been allowed to complete their term. PTI chief committed fraud by presenting forged documents of his Bani Gala house.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Federal government has chalked out a plan to improve irrigation system in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Federal government has chalked out a plan to improve irrigation system in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. A spokesman of FATA Development Authority told Radio Pakistan that in the first phase, work on six schemes will be initiated in Frontier Region Dera Ismail Khan shortly, which will be completed at a cost of rupees one hundred and forty million in two years.

The schemes on completion will irrigate thousands of acres barren land in the area.
Veteran politicians of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wednesday supported the proposals of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding new delimitation of constituencies as the same would help ensure holding of next general election on time.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Veteran politicians of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wednesday supported the proposals of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding new delimitation of Constituencies as the same would help ensure holding of next general election on time.

They were of the opinion that unnecessary criticism for the sake of political mileage would serve nothing except to delay the elections. KP Minister for Religious Affairs, Usher and Zakat Haji Habibur Rehman endorsed the ECP's issuance of the list of proposed new constituencies in the light of provisional results of the national census held last year.

Those criticising the ECP's proposals were in fact trying to avoid contesting the elections, besides impeding the Commission to complete its work, he added. The ECP had taken timely decision for holding next election on time, as it had given 30 days for filing of objections, if any, he said talking to APP.

Haji Habibur Rehman said there should be no politicking on such a national issue. "There is no justification of hue and cry as 30 days are sufficient to submit objections. Political jugglers will be held responsible if general election were delayed due to non-completion of the delimitation work," the Jamaat-e-Islami leader said.

He said small federating units, including KP and Balochistan would be largely benefited as their number of National Assembly constituencies would be increased. The minister said the ECP had made an extensive exercise of redefining the boundaries of provincial and national assembly constituencies in light of the census 2017, for which it should be backed fully for smooth holding of the general election.

He said there was no harm in marking either Chitral or Peshawar as NA-I constituency as it was better to make efforts to hold the general election in a transparent, free and fair manner.

The importance of Pakistan, he said, had enhanced internationally after launch of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the country would become a prime destination for foreign investors.

With operationalization of the Gwadar port, Pakistan would become a giant leader in trade and business of the entire region, he added. He said if any one had any concern about the delimitation of constituencies, he could approach courts.

"Only a few months are left in the general election and we should start preparations for it instead of utilizing energies in hallow slogans, unnecessary criticism, and pointing fingers at one another," he added.

Former president of Pakistan Peoples Party KP Rahimdad Khan said new delimitation of assembly constituencies was need of the hour on the basis of national census as KP and Balochistan would be the main beneficiary.

He recommended that all the stakeholders, including political parties, should be taken on board and their workable suggestions should be incorporated before finalization of the delimitation process.

KP Assembly member Saleh Muhammad of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz said delimitation of constituencies was a national issue and all the political leadership must be consulted. Decisions taken in haste sometimes became counter-productive and the ECP should give 60 days instead of 30 days for filing of objections, he added.

The PML-N leader said successful conduct of the national census was a major achievement of the present elected government as the exercise was held after 19 years.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Punjab Emergency Service (PES) Rescue 1122 Rawalpindi rescued victims of 645 Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) and provided first aid to 233 persons at the spot while 1564 patients were also shifted to the different hospitals after provision of emergency medical treatment by the trained paramedics of the service during February.

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Punjab Emergency Service (PES) Rescue 1122 Rawalpindi rescued victims of 645 Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) and provided first aid to 233 persons at the spot while 1564 patients were also shifted to the different hospitals after provision of emergency medical treatment by the trained paramedics of the service during February.

Talking to APP District Emergency Officer, Rawalpindi, Rescue-1122, Dr. Abdul Rehman informed that total 1917 victims of emergencies were rescued during last month while responding to 2013 emergency calls.

He said, the emergency calls received in Command and Control Room, Rescue-1122 here included 645 road traffic accidents, 1100 medical emergencies, 69 fire emergencies, 60 crime calls, one Sui Gas/LPG explosion and 138 other miscellaneous emergencies.

He said, out of rescued victims 233 persons were provided first aid at the spot while 1564 patients were shifted to the different hospitals after provision of emergency medical treatment by the trained paramedics of Rescue 1122 Rawalpindi.

120 bodies of those lost their lives in emergencies were also shifted to different hospitals of the town, he added. To a question, he said, total 70433 phone calls were received in Rawalpindi district during last month out of which 38,553 were irrelevant and 25125 were distorted/blank or dropped calls with 3829 calls made to seek information.

He informed that 902 wrong calls were also received during the period with 11 fake calls. He further said, Rescue-1122 Rawalpindi since its inception on Aug 14, 2007 has rescued 179747 emergency victims.

47599 victims were provided first aid at the spot while 124665 patients and 7253 bodies were shifted to hospitals. The emergency calls to which Rescue 1122 responded included 20474 road traffic accidents, 25535 medical emergencies, 884 fire and 1753 crime incidents, 67 drowning incidents, 70 building collapses and 5313 miscellaneous operations.

To another question the DEO said, 71.89 remained average responded calls per day during February while average response time generally was 8.29 with 7.80 for fire emergencies.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Spokesman Punjab government Malik Ahmed Khan has said that on the occasion of International Women Day Imran Khan should apologize from the women of KPK for failing to legislate protection of women against domestic violence.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Spokesman Punjab government Malik Ahmed Khan has said that on the occasion of International Women Day Imran Khan should apologize from the women of KPK for failing to legislate protection of women against domestic violence.

He said no practical measures have so far been taken in these four years for the welfare of women in KPK. Only feasibility study of database of women victimized domestic violence in KPK has been made so far, he added.

The Punjab government has taken practical measures for the welfare of the women besides including them in national mainstream, he said. Whereas, record increase in honor killing and domestic violence has been recorded due to not taking effective steps for the welfare of the women in KPK, he added.

Quoting statistics, he said in KP Mother Child health services have been provided in 46 BHUs while in Punjab this figure is 1397. The KPK government has started initiative of Rs 200 monthly stipend for girl students to encourage female enrollment in Primary schools while Rs 1,000 stipend is being provided to over 4 lakh girl students in 16 districts of South Punjab under Khadim-e-Punjab Zaiware Taleem Program, he added.

He said the Punjab government has distributed 870,000 poultry units and over 36,000 cattle heads among rural women in 36 districts with the aim to provide them respectable employment.

Malik Ahmed Khan further stated that a state of the art "Violence against Women Centre" is operational in Multan since March 2017.

He maintained that the initiatives like District Acid Burn Survivor board for the rehabilitation of acid victims, establishment of 102 day care centers and 16 hostels for working women speak volumes about Punjab government's sincerity to bring women into the mainstream of society.

Malik Ahmed Khan said that Government introduced series of Punjab Women Empowerment Packages (2012-2017), adding that under these packages various initiatives have been taken. The Spokesman Punjab Government said that the Punjab government has taken revolutionary steps under the visionary leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The steps include 15 percent quota for women in jobs, legislation for protecting women against harassment at workplace, appointment of women ombudsperson, provision of bikes to women under "Women on Wheels" initiative, establishment of family courts, training of over 39,000 Nikah Khawans and amendment in Inheritance Laws to protect the rights of female heirs, he concluded.
The district and sessions court hearing the Qandeel Baloch murder case ruled on Wednesday that the remaining suspects will be indicted on March 21.

Multan, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018) : The district and sessions court hearing the Qandeel Baloch murder case ruled on Wednesday that the remaining suspects will be indicted on March 21.

During the hearing, the Primary accused in the social media celebrity's murder, Baloch's brother Waseem and relative Haq Nawaz, appeared in the court along with the other accused: Mufti Abdul Qavi, Aslam Shahid and Abdul Basit.

Waseem and Nawaz were indicted in the case in December 2016. The judge directed that the remaining accused be provided copies of the charge-sheet so they could be indicted on March 21. Moreover, the judge separated today the case of Baloch's other brother, Arif, after declaring him an absconder for being a no-show in the proceedings.
The Supreme Court Thursday adjourned hearing of the case regarding illegal development of land in Bani Gala area of Islamabad till March 13.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 06th Mar, 2018 ) :The Supreme Court Thursday adjourned hearing of the case regarding illegal development of land in Bani Gala area of Islamabad till March 13.

A three-member bench of the court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard the suo moto notice case regarding encroachments and environmental degradation in Bani Gala.

During the course of proceedings, the chief justice remarked that there were claims of fake documents submitted by Imran Khan. Advocate Babar Awan counsel for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan appeared before the bench and informed that the no-objection certificate (NOC) issued for Imran Khan's Bani Gala residence was not fake and issued by the relevant authority.

Babar Awan produced the NOC before the court and said it bear the signature of former local secretary of Bara Kahu local union, adding that the official lied that he had not issue and/or signed the document.

The chief justice remarked that Imran would eventually have to regularize his property. There will be one law regarding governing property in the area, he added. The court also summoned report from the CDA on leasing of government land in the area.

The state counsel informed the court that constructions in Bani Gala were according to rules. Former Chairman CDA Kamran Lashari appeared before the bench and informed that Lake View park had been developed for recreation.

He also said that an advertisement for the subject lease was published in newspapers during July 2006 and 75 acres of land was allotted on lease. The chief justice inquired under which law the land had been given on lease.

On which Lashari informed that five to six projects were launched by spending public money but were not functional. The chief justice directed Lashari to inspect the projects personally and submit a report.

He also asked Lashari to sit with the Chairman CDA and suggest proposals. He remarked that 2.8 acres of land was given on lease for thirty years.

The Chairman CDA informed the court that four out of six leases were functional.

CDA earned Rs 67.5 million revenue through leases, he added. The chief justice remarked that the court would not do unjust with anyone. The counsel for Punjab government informed the court that the Small Dam Organisation had reservations over construction of marquees on Rawal Dam land.

The representative of Environment Department of CDA informed the court that there were also illegal marquees in Islamabad's sector E-11 on which the chief justice remarked that CDA should not allow marquees and save the capital.

State Minister for CADD Tariq Fazal appeared before the court and informed that the survey for illegal construction in Bani Gala and adjoining area had been carried out. The chief justice asked the minister to provide health and education to the masses instead of running four minutes advertisement on tv channels.

The chief justice asked the minister how much time was required to make area pollution free on which Tariq Fazal Chaudhry requested the court to grant at least three months time. The representative of Environment Department of CDA informed the court that PC-1 for sewage system had been prepared on which the chief justice ordered that the whole federation should take necessary action in that regard.

During the hearing, the chief justice asked that managing directors of Sui Southern Gas and Sui Northern Gas were summoned on which the court was informed that both heads were present in the court.

The chief justice remarked that action would be taken if any gas connection was given on political grounds and asked the MD to add in their affidavit that no connection would be given on political grounds.

The court directed both the managing directors to submit compliance report after every two months. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry informed that one million rural population was deprived of gas facility. The court disposed of the case to the extent of gas connections and adjourned hearing of Bani Gala encroachment case.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry (HCSTSI) Wednesday said that the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) was the major hurdle in ensuring load-shedding free Hyderabad.

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :The Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry (HCSTSI) Wednesday said that the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) was the major hurdle in ensuring load-shedding free Hyderabad.

In a statement issued here, President HCSTSI, Muhammad Akram Ansari appealed the government to take serious notice of HESCO's poor load management strategy. He said, despite announcement by the Federal Minister for Energy of ending load-shedding in the country and switching off only those feeders which have line losses, six hours load shedding was being observed in all feeders of Hyderabad by HESCO Even the people have been suffering from week-long eight to ten hours of long power shutdown.

He said that the federal cabinet, which met yesterday under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, had vowed to ensure uninterrupted power supply in summer seasons, particularly in the month of Ramzan-ul-Mubarak.

However, he said, the people of Hyderabad region feared that the load shedding would further increase in summer. He appealed the Federal and State Minister for Energy to take notice of such discriminatory attitude of HESCO and ask the management to carry out load shedding on only on those feeders which have line losses so that the people of Hyderabad could take sigh of relief.
Two people were killed while two other sustained injuries in an accident at Valencia Town area here on Wednesday.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Two people were killed while two other sustained injuries in an accident at Valencia Town area here on Wednesday. Police said speeding vehicles collided with each other, causing death of Muhammad Iqbal and another whose identification could not be ascertained.

On information, Rescue 1122 volunteers reached the spot and shifted the injured, including Shaukat and Muhammad Azam, to the Jinnah Hospital.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The Mehran Workers Union of Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has expressed gratitude to Judicial Commission on Water and Sanitation and Sindh Government for resolving the issue of their salaries.

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :The Mehran Workers Union of Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has expressed gratitude to Judicial Commission on Water and Sanitation and Sindh Government for resolving the issue of their salaries.

At a press conference at Hyderabad Press Club on Wednesday, the union's leaders Ramzan Mallah and Mohammed Azam Rajput said the problem of their unpaid salaries of last 5 months had been resolved.

They informed that the provincial government speedily took up the issue following the commission's order last month. They said they brought the issue to knowledge of the commission during a recent visit of its head Justice (r) Amir Hani Muslim to Hyderabad.

The union's leaders pointed out that the problem of unpaid salaries lingered on without a resolution for several years during which the workers had to resort to protest and strikes time and again.
(@FahadShabbir)

N collaboration with their male counterparts, women lawmakers contributed 39% of parliamentary business in the National Assembly and Senate during 2017-18, said a press release issued by Free and Dair Election Network on Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :In collaboration with their male counterparts, women lawmakers contributed 39% of parliamentary business in the National Assembly and Senate during 2017-18, said a press release issued by Free and Dair Election Network on Wednesday.

Comparison of the on-floor performances of women and men lawmakers in both Houses of the Parliament shows that women members actively participated in the proceedings through regular attendance and substantive contribution to parliamentary business, particularly in the National Assembly during the reporting periods May 2017 to February 2018 for the National Assembly and March 2017 to March 2018 for the Senate.

Currently, women constitute 20% of the Parliament with 19 seats in the Senate and 70 in the National Assembly. These women parliamentarians contributed 36% of the business transacted by both Houses of the Parliament in their respective parliamentary years.

They also supported their male counterparts in sponsoring a three-percent additional agenda. The parliamentary Orders of the Day included a total of 5,654 agenda items during the reporting period.

The percentage of women's contribution to parliamentary business in the National Assembly was equivalent to that of men, i.e. 49%. In the Senate, women sponsored 15 percent parliamentary business individually and three percent jointly.

The women lawmakers of the National Assembly initiated 31 (32%) out of 98 bills on their own and 22 (22%) bills in collaboration with their male colleagues. Women lawmakers exclusively sponsored 36 (50%) of 72 resolutions in the National Assembly and collaborated with their male counterparts for moving 16 additional (22%) resolutions.

The women lawmakers in the Senate sponsored 13 (9%) of 145 bills on their own and five in partnership with male lawmakers, and moved 15 (15%) of 99 resolutions. Women parliamentarians also kept a close vigil on the government by asking questions and raising Calling Attention Notices.

They asked 1,595 (50%) Questions and moved 64 (86%) Calling Attention Notices (CANs) in the National Assembly. Whereas, in the Senate, the Questions and CANs moved by them amounted to 241 (16%) and 26 (25%).

Moreover, they sponsored 36 (80%) Motions under Rule 259 in the National Assembly and 48 (42%) Motions under Rule 218 in the Senate. On average, a woman lawmaker sponsored 23 agenda items individually in both Houses of Parliament whereas a male lawmaker sponsored on average 10 agenda items.

In the National Assembly, a woman lawmaker introduced on average 25 agenda items, in comparison to six by her male colleague. In the Senate, a woman lawmaker sponsored on average 17 agenda items as compared to 21 agenda items per male lawmaker.

The National Assembly held 75 sittings while the Senate held 100 sittings during their respective reporting periods. In the National Assembly, a woman lawmaker attended on average 50 (67%) sittings whereas a male lawmaker attended on average 42 (56%) sittings.

In the Senate, a woman lawmaker attended on average 64 (64%) sittings whereas a male lawmaker attended on average 59 (59%) sittings.
(@rukhshanmir)

A Moroccan accomplice of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind of the deadly 2015 attacks in Paris, is being held in Poland over suspected participation in terrorist activity, Polish prosecutors said Wednesday.

Warsaw, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :A Moroccan accomplice of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind of the deadly 2015 attacks in Paris, is being held in Poland over suspected participation in terrorist activity, Polish prosecutors said Wednesday.

"During our investigation we found that between December 2014 and September 2016 Mourad T. was involved... with an armed crime organisation an international terrorist organisation ," prosecutors said in a statement. Local media said Mourad T. was detained 18 months ago. If convicted, he risks six months to eight years in prison.
Ethiopia's ruling coalition will meet next week to choose a successor to Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn whose surprise resignation last month has sparked a rare succession race, state media reported Wednesday

Addis Ababa, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Ethiopia's ruling coalition will meet next week to choose a successor to Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn whose surprise resignation last month has sparked a rare succession race, state media reported Wednesday.

Hailemariam's decision to step down was unprecedented in the 27-year reign of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and analysts say it is unclear who the party will pick to replace him.

The next prime minister will be chosen by the EPRDF council, a 180-person body composed of party officials. The council will meet after the party's 36-member executive committee finishes deliberations which are scheduled to start on Sunday, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported.

"After the end of the Executive Committee's meeting, the council of EPRDF will convene to elect (a) chairman of the organisation," Fana said, citing party administrator Shiferaw Shigute, who is thought to be one of the three front-runners to replace Hailemariam.

Made up of four ethnically based parties, the EPRDF controls every seat in parliament and wields unchecked power in Ethiopia.

But cracks have emerged within the coalition in recent months, leading to speculation that top officials -- who rarely discuss intraparty politics openly -- are divided over Hailemariam's replacement.

Last week, 88 parliamentarians voted against formalising a state of emergency declared after Hailemariam's resignation, an unusual break from the party line. The last time Ethiopia declared a state of emergency was in October 2016 after months of anti-government protests by the country's two largest ethnicities the Oromo and Amhara that left hundreds dead.

That declaration lasted for 10 months and mostly halted the protests, but Shiferaw said deadly clashes earlier this year in the regions of the Oromo and Amhara peoples' were the reason for the new emergency decree.

Analysts believe it was this unrest and simmering discontent which prompted Hailemariam's resignation. Besides Shiferaw, Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen, an Amhara, and former science and technology minister Abiy Ahmed, an Oromo, are believed to be front-runners for prime minister. Hailemariam has agreed to stay in office until a successor is chosen.
European experts will visit Belarus on March 12-16 for a peer review of results of stress tests of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, BelTA learned from the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor).

MINSK, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :European experts will visit Belarus on March 12-16 for a peer review of results of stress tests of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, BelTA learned from the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor).

A group of experts have been authorized by the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) to review Belarus? national report on revaluating the safety (stress tests) of the Belarusian nuclear power plant.

The delegation of 17 experts will stay in Belarus on 12-16 March. They will be led by Mark Foy, a representative of the UK Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). Representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Russia, and Iran will participate in the capacity of observers.

While in Belarus the experts will discuss with Belarusian specialists the information the national report contains. They will also visit the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant near Ostrovets and will prepare a preliminary report on the peer review.

The final report is supposed to be presented in Minsk in June 2018 during the visit of representatives of the peer review council. According to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the national report on stress tests of the Belarusian nuclear power plant was open to public consultations for two months (from 13 November 2017 through 13 January 2018).

Questions, including those submitted by European regulating agencies, non-governmental ecological organizations, and public associations, were sent by ENSREG to Gosatomnadzor in early February 2018 so that the Belarusian agency could give answers to them.

Materials of the public consultations will be published by the ENSREG website in the form of questions and responses. Belarus acceded to the joint declaration of the European Union and neighboring countries on comprehensive risk and safety assessments of nuclear plants (stress tests) in June 2011.

Belarus undertook political commitments to stress test the nuclear power plant under construction using ENSREG specifications and to arrange a peer review of the results in order to build up trust in them.

Stress tests represent a one-time unscheduled evaluation of safety parameters of a nuclear power plant with a view to measuring the power plant?s resilience to extreme external natural phenomena and their combinations: earthquakes, floods, extreme weather conditions, and other factors.

In 2016 the operating company Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant performed a self-evaluation of risks and safety parameters. The results were submitted for consideration of the regulatory body ? Gosatomnadzor.

A national report on stress tests of the Belarusian nuclear power plant was prepared using the operating company?s report as its core. The report was translated into English and forwarded to the European Commission in late October 2017 for a peer review in accordance with the procedure the sides had agreed.

The national report in Russian is available on the Gosatomnadzor website. A copy of the report in English is available on the ENSREG website.
France's Ambassador to Lebanon Bernard Foucher stressed that his country's participation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFI) aims at preventing a new war between Lebanon and Israel and strengthening security in the region, Xinhua quoted the National News Agency (NNA) as saying here on Wednesday.

BEIRUT, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :France's Ambassador to Lebanon Bernard Foucher stressed that his country's participation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFI) aims at preventing a new war between Lebanon and Israel and strengthening security in the region, Xinhua quoted the National news Agency (NNA) as saying here on Wednesday.

"We are present in south Lebanon to strengthen security and prevent the outbreak of wars threatening the region and the world," Foucher said during a reception organized by the French embassy in Beirut on Tuesday evening.

The diplomat said that in the south of Litani, the goal of the international community remained that the Lebanese government could progressively exercise full sovereignty over the entire territory.

"It is wrong to think that France is not doing enough for Lebanon; France has always supported the Lebanese," he said. "As we approach Rome II conference, our gathering will be a symbol of our commitment to a united and strong Lebanese state," the French diplomat said.
A humanitarian convoy of the United Nations and Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) arrived in the besieged Syrian enclave of Eastern Ghouta on Monday bringing life-saving aid to thousands of desperate people, the UN World Food Program (WFP) has reported.

DAMASCUS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :A humanitarian convoy of the United Nations and Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) arrived in the besieged Syrian enclave of Eastern Ghouta on Monday bringing life-saving aid to thousands of desperate people, the UN World Food Program (WFP) has reported.

A 46-truck aid convoy brought 5,500 food parcels for more than 27,500 people in the city of Duma and marked the first time in four months that WFP and its partners have reached the area, located near the capital Damascus.

The opposition-held Eastern Ghouta has been under heavy bombardment for more than two weeks, with more than 400,000 people experiencing shortages of food, fuel, medicines and drinking water. "A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Eastern Ghouta where raging violence has paralyzed our response and our ability to reach families who desperately need help," said Jakob Kern, WFP representative and country director in Syria, urging all parties to allow the ongoing and safe delivery of aid to all people in need, no matter where they are.

" WFP Communications Officer Marwa Awad said plans are underway for another humanitarian convoy to access Eastern Ghouta on Thursday.

She expressed hope to get more access in the future to support the people who desperately need humanitarian assistance. WFP reported that a recent food security analysis has revealed widespread severe malnutrition in Duma. The UN agency provides food assistance to three million people in Syria every month.
Oslo, March 6 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :Norway announced Tuesday a 28 percent increase of its annual whaling quota to 1,278 whales in a bid to revive the declining hunt amid international controversy.

Whalers have for several years failed to meet the quotas set by Oslo and the number of whaling boats has plunged. "I hope the quota and the merging of fishing zones will be a good starting point for a good season for the whaling industry," Fisheries Minister Per Sandberg said in a statement.

Norway and Iceland are the only countries in the world to authorise whaling. Japan also hunts whales, but officially it does so for scientific research purposes, even though a large share of the whale meat ends up on dinner plates.

Norway does not consider itself bound by a 1986 international moratorium on whaling, to which it formally objected. The Scandinavian country resumed its Minke whale hunt in 1993, judging stocks robust enough.

According to Oslo, there are more than 100,000 Minkes in Norwegian waters. Yet whaling appears to have fallen out of favour. While there were around 350 whaling vessels in 1950, there were just 11 in 2017, a number almost halved from the previous year.

The number of whales killed has also plunged from 660 in 2015 to 432 last year -- when the quota was 999 -- the "lowest in many years", according to Sandberg. Whaling professionals have argued they fail to reach the annual quotas because of the whale meat processing plants' lack of capacity and high fuel prices.

Also whales are now seeking out colder waters, which are increasingly distant because of global warming. Animal rights activists say a lack of consumer interest is the reason for the decline. "Greenpeace believes Norway should take the logical consequences of the International Whaling Commission's ban on commercial whaling, the widespread opposition to whaling, as well as the lack of local market for the products, and close down this unnecessary and outdated industry," the head of Greenpeace Norway Truls Gulowsen said.

"Norwegian whaling belongs to the past, is only maintained for narrow political reasons and should be phased out as quickly as possible," he said in an email to AFP.
(@FahadShabbir)

The deputy mayor of Zimbabwe's second city Bulawayo was among 12 people who faced disorder charges in court Wednesday over weekend clashes between rival factions of the country's main opposition party.

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Mar, 2018 ) :The deputy mayor of Zimbabwe's second city Bulawayo was among 12 people who faced disorder charges in court Wednesday over weekend clashes between rival factions of the country's main opposition party.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has been paralysed by disagreements over who should have succeeded its long-serving former leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who died of cancer on February 14. Deputy mayor Gift Banda, councillor Mlandu Ncube and 10 other MDC supporters appeared in court following the violence on Sunday which left several people injured.

Banda was freed on bail of $200 (160 Euros) while the rest were released after posting sureties of $50 and will all appear in court to answer charges of public disorder at a later date. "Some of them were actually victims of violence who went to report that they had been attacked and were called back by the police and arrested.

One person is battling for his life in a city hospital," said defence lawyer Dumisani Dube who confirmed the charges. "We deplore the violence that is going on ahead of the elections and we urge the police to investigate without being partial.

" Prosecutors allege that the 12 MDC activists stormed a meeting organised by one of Tsvangirai's former deputies, Thokozani Khupe, who is embroiled in a bitter stand-off with the party's new leader Nelson Chamisa.

Images from the incident show several people being attacked with sticks and stones. The violence, which lasted nearly two hours, ended when riot police intervened with water cannon and teargas. Several people are understood to have been injured in the clashes.

The violence followed an earlier incident in which Khupe and several allies had to be rescued by police from angry protesters threatening to attack them during Tsvangirai's burial last month. Feuding over Tsvangirai's successor is threatening to split the MDC ahead of elections expected in July in which President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who replaced veteran ruler Robert Mugabe in November, has vowed to secure a landslide victory.

Tsvangirai's three former deputies Chamisa, Elias Mudzuri and Khupe all claim to be the former leader's rightful successor. But Chamisa was chosen by the party's national council to be the MDC's leader and candidate for the presidential polls.


Cleo at SLS Las Vegas has introduced two new entrees to its celebrated menu, both Moroccan twists on two American classics: fried chicken and prime ribeye (Pictured: Fried Chicken at Cleo in SLS Las Vegas  Photo credit: Chris Wessling).

The newest additions to Chef Danny Elmalehs signature contemporary Mediterranean cuisine, the juicy and flavorful Moroccan fried chicken is served with apricot mustard and harissa aioli and is priced at $15. The new, 13-ounce prime ribeye with grilled peewee potatoes and spoon salad is available for $44.

Photo credit: Chris Wessling

With its signature central wood-burning oven, Cleo offers an eclectic blend of shared plates including seasonal flatbreads, kebabs, dips with freshly baked laffa; as well as gluten free options such as falafel, garlic shrimp, freshly prepared salads and a variety of oysters. Combined with a celebrated mixology program and enticing atmosphere, Cleo reimagines traditional Mediterranean cuisine.


Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada (CCSN) is proud to announce a $10 million joint pledge from the Frank and Victoria Fertitta Foundation, Frank and Jill Fertitta and Lorenzo and Teresa Fertitta. This generous gift, will be funded over a three-year period to enable the renovation of the nonprofit campus and provide funds for ongoing operational support (Pictured: Deacon Tom Roberts with kids).

Campus improvements will include refurbishing the Emergency Shelter, which houses an average of 500 homeless men each night, and remodeling the St. Vincent Lied Dining Facility, which hosts the free community meal that serves an average of 800 men, women, and children every day of the year. CCSN operates 18 programs, including Meals on Wheels for Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, the Hands of Hope Community Food Pantry, Adoption Services, and job training for homeless individuals seeking to achieve self-sufficiency.

There are few words that can adequately describe the gratitude we feel toward the Fertitta Family, who have long been supporters of our core mission of providing help and hope to our communitys most vulnerable citizens, said Deacon Tom Roberts, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, President & CEO. This gift will allow us to continue to fund and sustain existing programs, and we are blessed to be stewards of such incredible generosity.

Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada is one of our communitys oldest nonprofit organizations, which operates 365 days a year to provide a culture of caring, said Victoria Fertitta. My family is very grateful for their dedicated staff and volunteers, who tirelessly go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure those in need are taken care of.
Editor's Note: The past year marked an important turning point for women's rights and feminist movements around the world. In the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's early days into office, women around the world turned to the streets to march for their rights. Later on, the #MeToo movement grabbed the attention of Hollywood and the political world to expose long-buried sexual misconduct and abuse. Silaka Cambodia activist Seng Reasey sat down with VOA Khmer's Aun Chhengpor to discuss what should be on our minds ahead of Womens Day this week.

VOA: What can you say about the situation of women's rights in Cambodia over the past year?

Reasey: Little changed with the rights issues for Cambodian women in the past year, compared to previous years. We have seen some improvements and some backtracks in certain areas. On the national political aspect, we have noted the decrease of the proportion of women in the National Assembly in the wake of the dissolution of the Cambodia National Rescue Party. With regards to violence against women, we also noticed that cases are still common with a new phenomenon, the younger age of perpetrators of the sexual assaults associated with the even younger age of victims and survivors. Despite efforts from the government agencies and relevant NGOs, we still cannot ensure a safe space for women, making them vulnerable to sexual harassment and assaults. On a positive note, we have also noticed that more and more women are engaged in leadership roles in the private sector or are running their own business.

VOA: After the dissolution of the CNRP, 55 politicians were handpicked to assume the opposition slots in parliament --- only two of them are women. Meanwhile, among the 58 Senate seats won by the CPP last month, only 5 of them are women. What is your take on this?

Reasey: This shows that women are always first to feel and experience the impacts of political conflicts. It is a huge setback. So we can say the women are losing legitimate opportunities to engage in meaningful democratic participation. It will be a concern for Cambodia to reach its United Nations promises with the Sustainable Development Goals to accomplish a 50-50 quota between men and women in representation in public office.

VOA: You mentioned the increasing participation of women in the leadership roles when it comes to the private sector. Can you tell me why?

Reasey: I would say that the more exposure to the social media and increasing access to information and education. The surrounding communities are also opening up their minds to provide more space and opportunity for women to learn and to work.

VOA: Prime Minister Hun Sens government has rallied around the garment workers --- most of whom are female --- with more social protections, including higher wages, on-work insurance, and maternity benefits. What's your take on this?

Reasey: That's a good thing. I would suggest the practice of this social protection scheme to be comprehensive and inclusive. On the other hand, some female workers who are working under short-term contracts find themselves vulnerable to this. Some face dismissal when they demand maternity benefits since they only possess short-term contracts and their employers do not want to offer them financial benefits required by the state.

VOA: The past year also saw the #MeToo campaign open up untold stories about sexual assaults. How do Cambodian activists like you perceive this global campaign?

Reasey: It's an irony that, behind the global economic prosperity accompanied by high-rises and skyscrapers, women are still suffering from the ongoing assaults and exploitation. It's never easy for one to collect their bravery to speak out about those kinds of stories of bad experiences. But #MeToo is a turning point, and we also encourage women here to speak out. This sends a message to would-be perpetrators that we no longer remain silent, and you can no longer cover up your abusive behavior. We will expose it.

VOA: What is your message for this Women's Day?

Reasey: Despite natural and social obstacles designated for them, women can still move on and make great progress to actively participate in all walks of life. Womens leadership does not have to have them leading 10, 20, or 100 people, but the most important thing is that they can at least obtain the ownership and the leadership of their own life. They have to dream beyond married life. They have to be able to pursue their dreams: education, career, and social life to their best capabilities and wishes.

Note: This interview was edited for length and clarity
China has added its voice to a growing chorus of concern about the rising threat of a trade war and tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to impose on steel and aluminum imports later this week.



A top Chinese diplomat says that while Beijing does not want a trade war with Washington, it will defend its interests if necessary.



Speaking at a press conference ahead of Chinas annual legislative meetings, Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui also gave assurances that the rise of worlds second largest economy and a rise in military spending was no cause for alarm.



China does not want a trade war with the Untied States, but we will absolutely not sit idly by and watch as Chinas interests are damaged, Zhang said.



Tit for tat

Last week, the U.S. president announced plans to slap tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports.



China is a key country Washington is aiming to target with the tariffs, but the decision also has sparked a global backlash with leaders of other affected nations such as Canada and Europe, which are warning they, too, are prepared to take countermeasures.



Analysts have said that if President Trump follows through on his pledges to get tough with China on trade, Beijing could respond by targeting the airline and agricultural sectors, even focusing on communities in the United States where support for the president was strong during the 2016 election.



Zhang, who also is serving as the rotating spokesperson of the National People's Congress (NPC) said the best way to improve trade is to open up markets further and expanding the pie of cooperation.



"If policies are made on the basis of mistaken judgments or assumptions, it will damage bilateral relations and bring about consequences that neither country wants to see," Zhang said.



Rising concerns about a trade war are likely to be a hot topic during the annual political meetings. Chinas Premier Li Keqiang will deliver a government work report on Monday to the NPC during its opening session. That speech may highlight Beijings concerns as it forecasts the government outlook for the economy in 2018.



Moderate increase

The report also will provide details about another closely watched item, Chinas military spending.



Zhang said China will see a moderate increase in its military budget this year, but argued that was to make up for a shortfall from previous years, upgrade equipment, and improve training and living conditions at the grassroots level for troops, among other reasons.

Zhang did not say how much of a percentage increase China might see this year in its defense spending, but he stressed that the countrys military does not threaten anyone.



Analysts tell VOA that spending could grow by about 10 percent, but they note that the real figure is perhaps much larger.



Chinas defense budget takes up a smaller share of its gross domestic product [GDP] and national fiscal expenditure than other major world countries. Its military spending per capita is also lower than other major countries," he said.



Last year, China disclosed that it spent nearly $165 billion on its military about one-fourth of what the United States plans to spend on defense this year.



China model

Despite assurances, Chinas broader strategic intentions are still something that Washington and other countries in the region watch closely.



Under Xi Jinpings leadership, China has begun assuming a bigger role on the global stage and has launched several initiatives of its own, including a massive trillion-dollar trade and infrastructure project called the Belt and Road initiative.

During this years annual meetings, Chinas communist party aims to solidify its self-proclaimed position as the only political organization qualified to rule the country, with the passage of 21 constitutional amendments.



One key amendment in the package is a proposal to scrap restrictions regarding the number of terms the president can serve in office. The proposal paves the way for Xi to become Chinas president indefinitely, although state media denies Xi will be granted tenure for life.

When asked, Zhang did not respond to the question of whether the changes would give Xi lifelong tenure. He only said that the amendments would help unify the countrys leadership under Xi as Chinas core leader.



The proposal, along with Chinas growing ambitions to showcase what it calls the China model or "China Solution has led to concerns that Beijings communist leaders will seek to spread their model of rule.



Zhang said that each country has its own development path and model, and Beijing will not import models from other countries, nor will it export its own.



We will not ask other countries to copy Chinas practices, but of course if some countries are interested in learning Chinas experiences and practices, we are ready and willing to share our experiences with them, Zhang said.



Zhang added that China will not impose anything on others and has no intention of overthrowing the existing international order or trying to start again.
Mam Sonando, the owner of Beehive Radio, said on Monday that he would return to politics as a candidate for the leadership of the Beehive Social Democratic Party (BSDP), more than six months after he resigned from the presidency.

Sonando, 77, was both an outspoken supporter and critic of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, which was dissolved by the Supreme Court in November.

Since the CNRPs dissolution, Sonando said he had changed his mind about leaving politics, as there was not more of an opportunity for smaller opposition parties to win a bigger share of the vote.

I will change the box, meaning I will not follow in the footsteps of the CNRP, he said. I will not stab people in the back.

Sonando announced his retirement from politics after his party failed to win support in local elections last year.

Sonando had criticized the CNRP leadership for placing their own personal ambition above the national interest.

Sam In, secretary general of the Grassroots Democracy Party, said he welcomed more competition in the upcoming general election. We are happy and welcome other political parties, he said.
The U.N. refugee agency says it has been forced to temporarily suspend an operation to resettle African refugees evacuated from Libya to Niger because too few countries have agreed to accept them.

In November, Niger agreed to accept, on a transit basis, Africans evacuated by the U.N. refugee agency from Libya for resettlement in third countries. The UNHCR says it has managed to evacuate 1,400 from Libya since December.

The African refugees had been held under terrible conditions in detention centers run by the Libyan government of national accord.

Vincent Cochetel, UNHCRs special envoy for the Central Mediterranean Situation, says his organization would like to evacuate more people from Libya, but the government of Niger has suspended the operation because there are too few resettlement departures. For now, Cochetel says, the UNHCR has no solution to this problem because only 30 resettlement locations are available. He says that is not enough.

So, we have been calling on resettlement states to do more to evacuate very quickly the thousands of people that are going to Niger because, unless we have this space, people will have to continue to rot in appalling conditions in detention centers. We have no other solution available to us, Cochetel said.

Hundreds of thousands of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa make the dangerous trek to Libya in hopes of reaching Europe and a better life. Currently, the U.N. migration agency estimates more than 700,000 migrants, including at least 47,000 refugees, in need of protection, are in Libya.

Many never make it to Italy, the main port of call, because they are held in detention centers run by Libyan authorities or by smugglers and human traffickers who kidnap and torture migrants for ransom.

The UNHCR is appealing for nearly $227 million for humanitarian operations in the central Mediterranean this year. Cochetel says some of the funds could be used to try to deter refugees from making the desperate journey to Libya by offering alternate options for asylum in countries they pass through en route to Libya.


Arab foreign ministers are insisting that Jerusalem must be the capital of a future Palestinian state, even as the U.S. prepares to move its embassy there in a step that has angered the Arab world.



A ministerial meeting held Wednesday in the Egyptian capital Cairo brought together foreign ministers from the Arab League member-states.



It comes amid a wave of anger at U.S. President Donald Trump's decision in December, which sparked protests in the West Bank and Gaza Strip at the time. Trump recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital.



Trump's declaration departed from decades of U.S. policy and upended longstanding international assurances that the fate of the city would be determined in negotiations.



Most countries around the world have not recognized Israel's 1967 annexation of east Jerusalem. Under a long-standing international consensus, the fate of the city is to be determined in negotiations.
East Timor and Australia signed a treaty at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday to resolve a long-running dispute over their maritime border and struck a deal on how to share revenue from the giant offshore Greater Sunrise gas field.

Under the agreement, East Timor will receive a bigger share of the revenue than Australia depending on the development concept - 70 percent of the revenue if the gas is piped to the tiny country or 80 percent if the gas is piped to Australia for processing.

The agreement establishes a maritime boundary in the Timor Sea for the first time. Australia had sought a boundary aligned with its continental shelf, but East Timor argued the border should lie half way between it and Australia - placing much of the Greater Sunrise field under its control.

"With this treaty we open a new chapter in relations between Australia and Timor-Leste," said Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who signed the treaty alongside East Timor's Deputy Minister of the Prime Minister for the Delimitation of Borders Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira.

"Australia has an enduring interest in a stable and prosperous Timor-Leste. As good friends and close neighbors we want Timor-Leste to achieve its economic potential," she said.

Pereira acknowledged: "These negotiations have been tough."

The protracted dispute had led the owners of Greater Sunrise - Woodside Petroleum, ConocoPhillips, Royal Dutch Shell and Japan's Osaka Gas - to shelve the project.

The Greater Sunrise field is estimated to hold 5.1 trillion cubic feet of gas and 226 million barrels of condensates, which analysts have previously estimated could be worth $40 billion.

However, development could be at least a decade away, with Woodside looking at the latter half of the next decade.

Ending years of opposition, Australia agreed in 2017 to accept Dili's formal notice to terminate an agreement to split petroleum revenue equally from Greater Sunrise and set a 50-year timetable for negotiating a permanent sea boundary.

Dili had taken the long-running maritime border dispute to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, an intergovernmental organization based at The Hague, which ordered compulsory arbitration between the two parties.

East Timor had been pushing hard for the building of an onshore processing plant to boost its economy.
She is known as "nonna" in Italian, "abuelita" in Spanish and "Grandma" in English. But across cultures, the grandmother is the matriarch and foundation on which the family unit is built.

In ethnically diverse East Boston, home to a large immigrant community, a new mural serves as a visual tribute to grandmothers and the values that residents of what is known as "Eastie" share across ethnic lines.

"It makes me feel identified," Salvadoran-native Guadalupe Gonzalez said of the mural, known as "Immigrant Grandmothers," which stands tall underneath an overpass along a park known as the East Boston Greenway.

"I identify with these grandmothers that came with nothing, [like me], that came with a dream," said Gonzalez, a 59-year-old mother of two and grandmother of four. She shares a powder-blue, triple-decker home with two other immigrant families from El Salvador in what is now an area comprising mainly immigrants from Latin America.

Gonzalez's East Boston neighborhood, located about a kilometer from the mural, reflects the changing demographics throughout the port city's history.

Heidi Schork, director of the Mayor's Mural Crew of the City of Boston, conceived of the idea for the mural after noticing more elderly women on the streets than in other areas of the city  "going to market, sweeping the sidewalks and going to medical appointments."

"I noticed, in looking over a lot of reference photos, that the posture of making tortillas and making pasta is exactly the same," Schork said, an example that transpired into three centerpiece grandmothers.

Among other motifs are local churches, a topic Schork said "broke the ice immediately" among Italian and Central American grandmothers, along with polka-dotted dresses  "the international grandmother outfit."

Left of the mural's center, one such immaculately dressed older woman stands proudly beside her young granddaughter, who is wearing an organza dress to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation, a rite of passage in the Catholic Church.

"It had these little pleats in the front of it, and you had the little white gloves," Diane Modica, an East Boston-based lawyer, said of an outfit she once wore when she was a child, in the company of her grandmother. "My grandmother standing next to me, it evokes such memories."

WATCH: Women with Ties to Mural Discuss its Significance

United by purpose

Modica, the granddaughter of early 20th-century Sicilian immigrants, lives in the same house that her family bought in 1922. Although the immigrants of her diverse neighborhood come from vastly different origins than a century ago, Modica says they are united by their reasons for settling.

"They're not doing anything different than what we did," Modica said, "which is come over, work hard, raise their family, take care of their family and hope for a better future."

The completed artwork presents typical East Boston homes, together with villages of southern Italy and Central America. It is one of a series of City of Boston mural projects inspired by a larger national campaign "To Immigrants With Love."

"People here are really linked to where they came from, even if it was generations ago," Celina Barrios-Millner, Immigration Integration Fellow at the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement, told VOA.

"We want to connect that pride and that love for today's immigrants, as well."

Like the women in the mural and near her Boston home, Gonzalez believes in the value of hard work, and looks up to labor leaders and civil rights activists such as Dolores Huerta and the late Cesar Chavez.

She credits her achievements as a house cleaner to provide for her youngest son's education in El Salvador, and now  she hopes  the next generation, too.

But for those achievements to be possible, she counts longevity among her blessings.

"[Life] doesn't take years away," Gonzalez said. "The years give you life!"
British counterterrorism police say a former Russian double agent, whom Russian President Vladimir Putin had vowed to kill, was poisoned by a nerve agent.

The comments came after the British governments high-level emergency committee known as COBRA was updated Wednesday on a probe into the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter.

This is being treated as a major incident of involving attempted murder by the administration of a nerve agent, assistant police commissioner Mark Rowley said. He said father and daughter remain critically ill. Rowley would not identify the exact substance used or how it was delivered.

Police also confirmed Wednesday that one officer who was part of the initial response to the incident was hospitalized in serious condition.

The poisoning Sunday of the two in the normally quiet town of Salisbury is threatening a full-scale security and diplomatic crisis for Britain, with lawmakers demanding the government launch an urgent inquiry into more than a dozen recent suspicious deaths in Britain, all potentially tied to Russian intelligence services.

Skripal, 66, and his daughter, Yulia, are fighting for their lives after being found unconscious on a bench outside a shopping mall. Police have been examining CCTV footage and reportedly have focused their attention on a man and woman spotted nearby.

On Tuesday, Britains foreign minister, Boris Johnson, prompted sharp Russian rebuttals when he assured British lawmakers the government would get to the bottom of the mystery and threatened the imposition of new sanctions on Russia, if the Kremlin were found to have been responsible. Johnson said while he was not pointing the finger at this stage, he described Russia as a malign and disruptive force.

His remarks were characterized by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as wild. Russian diplomats in London accused Johnson of demonizing their country. The incident is drawing comparisons to Alexander Litvinenko, a highly public critic of President Putin and a Russian KGB officer-turned-British intelligence agent, who died agonizingly, days after drinking tea laced with radioactive polonium-210 in a London hotel in 2006. British doctors struggled in that case to identify the substance that killed him.

A British inquiry concluded the Russian leader probably approved the killing. The conclusion was dismissed angrily by the Kremlin as a politically motivated smear.

An eyewitness to the discovery of Skripal and his daughter, Jamie Paine, told British reporters the woman was passed out, frothing at the mouth and her eyes were wide open, but completely white. He said, The man went stiff, his arms stopped moving, but he was still looking dead straight. Adding to alarm, one of the emergency service workers who attended the pair has also been hospitalized.

Skripal, who served in Russias military intelligence agency, GRU, was exchanged in a Cold War-type spy swap in 2010 on the runway at Viennas airport. After serving four years in prison in Russia for spying for Britains espionage service, MI6, he was one of four Russian double agents exchanged for 10 Russian sleeper agents expelled from the United States, including Manhattan socialite and diplomat's daughter Anna Chapman.

At the time, Putin, a former KGB officer, issued televised threats against those who had betrayed Russia. Traitors will kick the bucket. Trust me. These people betrayed their friends, their brothers-in-arms. Whatever they got in exchange for it, those 30 pieces of silver they were given, they will choke on them, he said.

In 2006, a new Russian law was adopted formally permitting extra-judicial killings abroad of people Russian authorities deemed extremist or terrorists, allowing the Russian president alone to order a killing.

Skripal had spied for Britain during the 1990s and continued to communicate with MI6 after his retirement in 1999 from the GRU, while working at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Moscow.

Russian prosecutors said Skripal received at least $100,000 for his collaboration with MI6, according to Russian news outlets. At his trial he admitted selling the names, addresses and code names of several dozen" Russian agents operating in Europe to MI6 over a period of 10 years. British intelligence officials say Skripal identified as many as 300 Russian spies and moles.

A year after the spy swap, he bought a house in Salisbury for $360,000. He lived apparently quietly there with his wife, Lyudmila, until her death from cancer five years ago. But a relative told BBC Russia, From the first day, he knew it would end badly, and that he would not be left alone, he said.

As British investigators piece together what happened to Skripal, senior British lawmakers say other suspicious Russia-linked deaths during the past two decades need to be re-examined.

Among them: former oligarch Boris Berezovsky; Scot Young, a businessman impaled on an iron fence after a fall from a window; Badri Patarkatsishvili, a Georgian oligarch who died of an apparent heart attack in 2008; Yuri Golubev, an outspoken Putin critic, and Alexander Perepilichny, who fled Russia for London and gave evidence of high-level corruption to Swiss authorities.

Britains foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, during a press conference late Wednesday held with the Saudi Crown Prince, who is visiting London, said:If this does turn out to be in any way turn out to behostile activity by another government or led by another government then the people of this country can be absolutely sure the UK will respond robustly.

On Thursday, Amber Rudd, Britains interior minister is due to make a statement in the House of Commons, and officials say shes likely to announce an inquiry into the other suspicious recent Russia-linked deaths on British soil.


A renowned Buddhist monks condemnation of fellow monk Ashin Wirathu, Myanmars most prominent Buddhist nationalist, has given hope to activists trying to promote tolerance in a divided society and rescue Buddhism from hard-line nationalists.

Buddhist nationalism, which presents Muslims as an existential threat to Buddhist-majority Myanmar, has shaken the countrys politics since democratic reforms were launched in 2011. In recent months, influential monks and their lay acolytes have stoked public support for the military in its brutal crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State.

At a news conference in Yangon on Feb. 25, Ashin Issariya  the monk known popularly as Min Thu Nya, or King Zero  called for monastic authorities to punish Wirathu for flouting a one-year ban on his inflammatory sermons, imposed in March last year, and asked that other monks publicly distance themselves from him.



The event had to be relocated from the office of the Myanmar Journalist Network to a monastery after Wirathu supporters arrived and sparked a confrontation. In Myanmar, contradicting monks is culturally taboo and critics of hard-line monks face lawsuits and intimidation.

Saffron Revolution



Min Thu Nya was a leading figure in the so-called Saffron Revolution in 2007, when monks led a mass uprising against the military junta. Originally from Kayin State in eastern Myanmar, the monk has re-established himself after years of exile in Thailand.



Yet his recent message, delivered on behalf of the Anti-Adhamma Committee, a group that opposes ultra-nationalists, did not center on secular principles of pluralism and democracy. Instead, he argued the threat Wirathu and his hard-line political message poses to the integrity of Buddhism and the countrys venerated monkhood, or sangha.



Monks should be a model for people, Min Thu Nya later told VOA. But if they start treating people cruelly, which is the opposite of what Buddha preached, then people will lose respect for the sangha.



He said he hopes to motivate those who are speaking out for the truth. [] I want to encourage them to keep doing this bravely. However, he insisted the Rakhine issue is separate.

Support for Wirathu



Though Wirathu and the main Buddhist nationalist group have grown more distant from each other over the last year, Wirathu still commands support within the movement.



Ashin Thaw Parka, a leading member of the hard-line Buddha Dhamma Parahita Foundation  formerly known as Ma Ba Tha  accused Min Thu Nya of overstepping the mark by criticizing a fellow monk in his Feb. 25 statement.



He accused Ashin Wirathu of not following the way of Buddha. This is not his job, he said. How much does he know about the way of Buddha?



The previous government of President Thein Sein treated nationalist monks groups such as Ma Ba Tha, the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion, lightly, with members of the ruling party and military establishment offering patronage.



Ma Ba Thas biggest political victory, the passing of four discriminatory laws to protect race and religion in 2015, has not been matched by any formal successes under the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, which took over in 2016.



Under government prodding, the State Sangha Maya Nayaka, or Ma Ha Na, the committee of senior monks tasked with regulating Buddhist monastic orders, has in the last two years issued ordinances withholding recognition from, and restricting the activity of, Ma Ba Tha. This has diminished their power to lobby parliament and mobilize on a grand scale.

Matthew Walton, an Oxford scholar who writes about Buddhism and political thought in Myanmar, told VOA Ma Ba Tha is now contained as public-political voice, but not broken as a movement.



Moreover, he said, radical elements are moving underground, or to fringe groups. The NLD lacks a concerted plan for this more diffuse threat, Walton said, partly because the party has avoided dealing with the issue of Buddhist identity, allowing nationalists to stake a monopoly in addressing concerns about preserving tradition amid rapid change.

Stronger stand



Myanmar interfaith activist Thet Swe Win, who was present at the news conference, applauded Min Thu Nyas brave move but told VOA that given the governments inadequate stance, civil society and more progressive monks need to form a stronger, more united front to counter the organizational clout of nationalist groups.



The difficulty, he said, is the resistance largely lives on social media. Posts condemning or ridiculing Wirathu on Facebook are commonplace. However, only around 30 people turned up to support Min Thu Nya on Feb. 25, and had to contend with close to 200 nationalist agitators, who swarmed the street outside the venue, he said.

People are very brave online, because they dont have to show their identity. But its very difficult for us to bring those online people onto the ground, he said. When we really need to show up, we never come.



Additional reporting by Aung Naing Soe in Yangon
China is testing a friendlier stance, at least for now, toward old foe Taiwan as military moves and a diplomatic squeeze have made the islands leaders angrier.



On Monday, the first day of annual legislative sessions in Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang encouraged more economic and cultural exchanges with Taiwan. China advocates peaceful development of relations, he added.



His remarks followed Chinas release last week of 31 measures that make it easier for Taiwanese citizens to work, invest or study in China  a larger, faster-growing market compared to Taiwan.

Relations have slid since May 2016, when President Tsai Ing-wen took office in Taiwan without agreeing to see both sides as one country. China claims sovereignty over democratic, self-ruled Taiwan and has vowed eventually to unite with it.



Chinese officials had made harsher statements on Taiwan at past legislative sessions, including the passage in 2005 of an anti-secession law.



Taiwan cautiously welcomed the statements this week.



The other side must correctly see that [positive exchanges] are Taiwan peoples expectation for peace, stability and development of relations between the two sides, said Chiu Chui-cheng, spokesman for the Taiwan governments Mainland Affairs Council. Its the responsibility of both sides, not one that mainland China can pass off to Taiwan or avoid.



Rethink in Beijing



Chinas harder stance toward Taiwan began to slow down in January because they felt it had reached a saturation point, said Lin Chong-pin, retired strategic studies professor in Taiwan.



The Taiwan president had grown angry rather than closer to China as Beijing flew military planes near the island, scaled back Taiwan-bound group tourism and choked off Taiwans foreign relations.

Two countries have switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China since 2016, and Taiwan has lost bids to observe United Nations agencies dominated by Chinese allies.



Chinese leaders probably knew through their own pollsters that Taiwanese were willing to work or study in China, Lin added.

Chinas economy should grow 6.5 percent this year, according to a work report released at the National Peoples Congress Monday. Taiwanese can earn 1.2 to 1.3 times their normal salaries in China, an executive with the ManpowerGroup employment consultancy in Taipei said. More than 420,000 Taiwanese were working in China as of 2015, Beijings official Xinhua News Agency has reported.

However, government opinion polls in Taiwan say 70 to 80 percent of the population prefers autonomy from China over unification.



Chinas easing of conditions for work, study and investment go after Taiwanese citizens directly, requiring no buy-in from Taiwanese officials, Lin said.



Unlike the measures taken under [former Chinese president] Hu Jintao, which required cooperation and participation at least by the Taiwan administration, all these measures dont need any participation by Taiwan, he said.



The Chinese premier may be using politically correct language as well to inspire existing Taiwan investors who face legal issues, said Liu Yih-jiun, public affairs professor at Fo Guang University in Taiwan.



No political thaw seen



Analysts expect little change in official relations following the Chinese premiers comments or the lowering of barriers for Taiwanese citizens in China.



The premier said his government would absolutely not tolerate any moves in Taiwan to declare independence from China and that recognition by both sides of a single China would underpin pursuit of mutual prosperity, the Taiwan Affairs Council website says.



Taiwans president rejects the one-China idea and senior members of her party advocate independence.



China has asserted sovereignty over Taiwan since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, when Chiang Kai-sheks Nationalists lost to Mao Zedongs Communists and fled to the island 160 kilometers away. The two sides have been separately ruled since then, though the constitution of each claims the other.



New political issues could fray relations further, especially if Chinese President Xi Jinping extends his term indefinitely after a change proposed last month to abolish term limits, said Sean King, vice president of the Park Strategies consultancy in New York.

Id imagine Xis recent long-term power grab will only further alienate Taiwanese, thus making even less likely Tsai will make any concessions, King said.



Once the legislative sessions end in mid-March, Taiwan should expect a resumption in diplomatic pressure such as more foreign allies switching recognition to China, Liu said.



The government in Taipei warned this week that Beijings focus on economic measures might hide other motives, a turnoff for the Taiwanese public.



Behind the scenes of this, if they hide their political agendas, goals and methods and totally use economic development advantages as a point of consideration, that wont make Taiwanese people feel any honesty, trust or goodwill, Chiu said.


One day after hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants formally lost temporary protection from deportation, Republican Jeff Flake of Arizona attempted to revive U.S. Senate debate on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which had provided temporary work and study permits to beneficiaries.

"There are teachers, students and members of the military who are DACA recipients. They are friends and colleagues who represent the very best ideas of America," Flake said Tuesday on the Senate floor. "That's why I've introduced legislation to extend DACA protections for three years and provide for three years of increased border funding."

Another Republican, James Lankford of Oklahoma, objected to Flake's motion, shelving the issue once again.

"If Congress does a temporary patch once, it'll do it 20 times again," Lankford said.

Last year, President Donald Trump set a March 5 expiration date for DACA, an Obama administration program protecting immigrants brought illegally into the country as children. Trump challenged Congress to enact a permanent fix granting the immigrants legal status. Lawmakers of both political parties back the goal, but Congress has yet to act.

In the meantime, federal court battles over Trump's DACA order have prevented deportations from going forward  a reprieve for so-called "Dreamers" that could end at any time.

"It's a politically tricky issue for Republicans," said political analyst Molly Reynolds of the Washington-based Brookings Institution. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan "are really hesitant to expose those divides within the party. I also think they are hesitant to be seen as giving a win to Democrats," she added.

On Twitter and in recent public speeches, Trump has blamed Democrats for Washington's inaction.

"We're trying to have a DACA victory for everybody, by the way, and the Democrats are nowhere to be found," the president said Wednesday in an address to Hispanic business leaders.

Democrats insist they remain ready to make a deal with Republicans on immigration and border security, noting it was Trump who, in January, appeared to endorse a bipartisan proposal with a DACA fix, then rejected it days later.

"This humanitarian crisis in this country, and I call it that, was created by President Trump on September 5," Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois said. "He has failed to agree to six different bipartisan proposals to solve the problem he created. And now these lives hang in the balance."

WATCH: DACA Stalemate Continues on Capitol Hill

Observers note that, while Democrats are in the minority in Congress, they are not without clout, especially in the Senate, where a three-fifths majority is required for most legislation to advance.

"It's a matter of, do Democrats want to keep pushing the issue?" Reynolds said.

Democrats could apply pressure for action on immigration by withholding votes later this month on a yearlong government funding bill. They already used that tactic earlier this year, causing a brief federal shutdown, and Democratic leaders have shown little appetite for a repeat.

"We're going to keep fighting hard for DACA, but we need to hear something from Republicans, because they're the ones who have thwarted it time and time again," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

Court challenges to Trump's DACA decision have, in effect, extended the deadline for Congress to act. Political analysts believe that makes it more likely that Dreamers will remain in legal limbo through the November midterm elections.
Women running for Congress surged to big wins and Democrats smashed recent turnout levels in Texas' first-in-the-nation 2018 primary elections, giving Republicans a potential glimpse of what's ahead in the first midterms under President Donald Trump.

Energized and angry Democrats in Texas, where the GOP has dominated for decades, came out in force to surpass 1 million voters Tuesday - the first time the party has eclipsed that benchmark in a midterm primary since 2002, just months after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Equally striking was the showing by women on the ballot: Of the nearly 50 women running for Congress in Texas, more than half won their primaries outright or advanced to runoffs. What's more, at least three of those runoffs in May will feature women going head-to-head, including a key race for Democrats in their bid to take control of the U.S. House this fall.

"It's Trump. It's Trump," said Veronica Escobar, who won her Democratic primary and is now poised to become one of the first Hispanic women to represent Texas in Congress.

"I've spoken to innumerable senior citizens, retirees, parents of disabled children, people who understand what this administration means to their families. And they're afraid."

Not all women fared so well. Kathaleen Wall, a Republican megadonor in Houston who pumped $6 million of her own money into her race for Congress, failed to survive a crowded nine-person field despite outspending all other candidates and having the backing of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

Wall's failure was also a potential warning sign of the limits of Republicans going all-in on Trump this election year. She partly staked her candidacy on TV ads that told voters there was little daylight between her and the president, who remains popular among GOP voters despite his rough edges and low approval ratings nationwide.

For all the talk of renewed Democratic energy heading into the 2018 midterms, Texas Republicans also set a new benchmark for turnout in a midterm election.

More than 1.5 million people voted Tuesday in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, won by incumbent Ted Cruz. That beats the previous record of 1.48 million in 2010, during former President Barack Obama's first term.

Democrats showed up despite the long odds this November of ousting Republicans such as Cruz - who released a radio ad after clinching the GOP nomination Tuesday night, telling voters that Democratic opponent Beto O'Rourke "wants to take our guns."

O'Rourke, a congressman from El Paso, has called for banning AR-15-style assault rifles in wake of last month's mass shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 people.

Neither that tragedy nor a mass shooting at a Texas church last fall played as dominant campaign issues in Texas, but with the GOP's majority in Congress on the line this fall, Democrats showed up.

Democrats have their sights on flipping three GOP-controlled congressional seats in Texas that backed Hillary Clinton over Trump in 2016, including a Houston district where liberal favorite Laura Moser forced a runoff with Lizzie Pannill Fletcher. Another is a sprawling district that runs along the Texas-Mexico border, where Gina Ortiz-Jones advanced to a May runoff and another woman, Judy Canales, was battling to join her.

"I think that a Congress that is only 20 percent women is not where we need to be," Ortiz Jones said. "This is not a spectator sport. We've got to participate, all of us and that's what's important."

College students waited more than an hour to vote in liberal Austin and rural counties offered Democratic candidates for the first time in years. Many women ran in a record eight open congressional races this year in Texas - two of which are up for grabs after longtime GOP incumbents abandoned plans for re-election amid scandal.

While 2002 was a high water mark for Democratic turnout in Texas it also showed the limits of the exuberance for turning the state blue. In November that year, the Democrats running for statewide office were all beaten, just as they have been since 1994.

For Republicans, the primary was a vivid exhibition of the Trump effect in GOP politics. George P. Bush, the Texas land commissioner, won a contested primary after he cozied-up to a president who once called his dad, Jeb, a pathetic person.

Trump won Texas by 9 points in 2016. It was the smallest margin of victory by a Republican presidential candidate in Texas in 20 years, but Cruz dismissed talk of a Democratic takeover this fall.

"Left-wing rage may raise a bunch of money from people online, but I don't believe it reflects the views of a majority of Texans," he told reporters after winning the nomination.

Democrats will have a tough time winning statewide races in November despite the "Trump effect" because they have fielded little-known candidates against top Republicans, such as Republican Gov. Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Even Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been indicted on felony securities fraud charges, clinched his party's nomination unopposed.

Abbott will face either Lupe Valdez, who was Texas' first Hispanic, lesbian sheriff, or Andrew White, who opposes abortion and whose father, Mark, was governor in the 1980s.
U.S. President Donald Trumps plan to impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum has met criticism from his Republican allies in Congress, many of whom worry the measures could trigger a trade war that damages U.S. businesses. But the president does have supporters among some Senate Democrats from states where voters are concerned about the long-term loss of American manufacturing jobs.

This welcome action is long overdue for shuttered steel plants across Ohio and steelworkers who live in fear that their jobs will be the next victims of Chinese cheating, Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio, said in a statement released after the plan was announced. If we fail to stand up for steel jobs today, China will come after other jobs up and down the supply chain tomorrow.

American labor unions have also broadly favored Trumps proposed tariffs, saying they have been complaining for years that foreign countries frequently subsidize their own steel industries, putting American competitors at a disadvantage.

Economists have been mostly critical of the plan, saying that overall it will hurt American manufacturers, some of whom may be targeted by trading partners for retaliatory sanction. They argue that the benefits to steel and aluminum workers are outweighed by job losses among Americans in other industries.

Tariffs in focus in special election

A test of how much the issue is resonating with American voters comes next week, when voters in Pennsylvanias 18th congressional district, vote in a special election to fill a vacated seat.

Many voters are looking to the president to fulfill his campaign promise of protecting manufacturing jobs in Americas heartland.

The race for the seat left vacant by Rep. Tim Murphys sex scandal is coming down to the wire between Republican candidate Rick Saccone and Democrat Conor Lamb.

Saccones campaign endorsed Trumps tariff plan in a statement, saying If other countries arent playing by the rules and tariffs are needed to protect steel and aluminum jobs in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Rick would support those measures.Pennsylvanias Democratic Senator Bob Casey also voiced his support for the presidents plan in a Facebook statement Thursday.

I commend the President for announcing his intent to take action to protect our steelworkers from countries, like China, that cheat on trade. I have repeatedly called on this and previous Administrations to aggressively enforce our trade laws. For years, foreign countries have been dumping steel into our markets and costing our workers their jobs and suppressing their wages, he wrote.

But Trumps plan to impose the new tariffs prompted White House Chief Economic Advisor Gary Cohn to resign Tuesday.

McConnell, Ryan concerned

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan also expressed their concerns to the president, urging him to target the tariffs against specific countries to avoid a potential trade war.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told cable news network CNBC Wednesday the administration is not seeking a trade war.

Were going to have very sensible relations with our allies, said Ross. We hope and we believe that at the end of the day, there will be a process of working with the other countries that are our friends.

Trump dismissed concerns about a trade war during a joint press conference with the Swedish prime minister Tuesday.

When were behind on every single country, trade wars arent so bad, he told reporters. In some cases we lose on trade plus we give them military where were subsidizing them tremendously. So, not only do we lose on trade, we lose on military.

The administration is considering the new tariffs under a so-called 232 report. It allows the president to impose trade quotes or tariffs if a probe finds imports threaten national security.

'National security'

Its about our economy, Vice President Mike Pence said of the need to enact tariffs, during a February meeting with lawmakers. Its about our national security.

A March 7 Politico/Morning Consult poll of 2,000 registered voters, found that 65 percent of Republicans support the presidents plan.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Wednesday the administration was still on pace to fully roll-out the tariffs at the end of this week.
European Union states are set to remove Bahrain, the Marshall Islands and Saint Lucia from a list of tax havens next week, leaving only six jurisdictions on it, an EU document shows.

The planned removals from the EU list drew criticism from an anti-corruption watchdog on Tuesday. The decision is also likely to bring more disapproval from lawmakers and activists who had strongly criticized a first delisting in January that cut the number of jurisdictions named to nine from 17.

The latest decision was taken by the EU Code of Conduct Group, which includes tax experts from the 28 member states, according to an EU document seen by Reuters.

EU finance ministers are expected to endorse the proposal at their regular monthly meeting in Brussels on March 13.

The jurisdictions that remain on the blacklist are American Samoa, Guam, Namibia, Palau, Samoa and Trinidad and Tobago.

Bahrain, the Marshall Islands and Saint Lucia are to be delisted after they made "specific commitments" to adapt their tax rules and practices to EU standards, the document says.

Those commitments are not public.

"This ever-decreasing list of tax havens will soon be so short it will be able to fit on a Post-it. It's time for the EU to publish how it chooses which countries go on the list and why," said Elena Gaita, of Transparency International EU, an anti-corruption watchdog.

Panama

In the last cut, EU governments decided to remove Barbados, Grenada, South Korea, Macau, Mongolia, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Panama.

Panama's delisting caused particular outcry. The EU process to set up a tax-haven blacklist was triggered by publication of the Panama Papers, documents that showed how wealthy individuals and multinational corporations use offshore schemes to reduce their tax bills.

Ministers said January's delisting signaled that the process was working as countries around the world were agreeing to adopt EU standards on tax transparency.

All delisted countries have been moved to a "gray list," which includes dozens of jurisdictions that are not in line with EU standards against tax avoidance but have committed to change their rules and practices.

These countries can be moved back to the blacklist if they fail to respect their undertakings.

Blacklist

Blacklisted jurisdictions could face reputational damage and stricter controls on their financial transactions with the EU, although no sanctions have been agreed by member states yet.

The blacklist was set up to discourage the use of shell structures abroad, which in many cases are legal but may hide illicit activities.

It took nearly a year for EU experts to screen an initial 92 jurisdictions around the world before identifying 17 in December that could favor tax avoidance.

EU countries were not screened. They were deemed to be already in line with EU standards against tax avoidance, although anti-corruption activists and lawmakers have repeatedly asked for some EU members such as Malta and Luxembourg to be blacklisted.
Millions of Europeans who arrived late to work or school Wednesday had a good excuse - an unprecedented lag in the continent's electricity grid that's slowing down some clocks.

The problem is caused by a political dispute between Serbia and Kosovo that's sapping a small amount of energy from the local grid, causing a domino effect across the 25-nation network spanning the continent from Portugal to Poland and Greece to Germany.

Since the European system is interconnected ... when there is an imbalance somewhere the frequency slightly drops, said Claire Camus, a spokeswoman for the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity.

The Brussels-based organization, known as ENTSO-E, said in a separate statement that this average frequency deviation, that has never happened in any similar way in the Continental European power system, must cease.

The deviation from Europe's standard 50 Hz frequency has been enough to cause electric clocks that keep time by the power system's frequency, rather than built-in quartz crystals, to fall behind by about six minutes since mid-January. The problem mostly affects radio alarms, oven clocks or clocks used to program heating systems.

ENTSO-E said it's working on a technical solution that could bring the system back to normal within a few weeks, but urged European authorities and national governments to address the political problem at the heart of the issue.

This is beyond the technical world. Now there needs to be an agreement between Serbia and Kosovo about this lack of energy in the Kosovo system. You need to solve it politically and then technically, Camus told The Associated Press.

The friction between Serbia and Kosovo is part of a broader dispute that goes back almost 20 years. Since the war in Kosovo ended in 1999, the Serb-dominated north of Kosovo that remains loyal to Belgrade, haven't paid the Kosovo government for the energy they consume.

A 2015 agreement was meant to resolve the dispute, but Serbia has blocked its implementation.

Serbia's power grid company EMS blamed the problem on Kosovo, claiming that in January and February the country was uninterruptedly withdrawing, in an unauthorized manner, uncontracted electric energy from the Continental Europe synchronous area.

Kadri Kadriu, deputy manager of Kosovo's grid operator KOSTT, acknowledged that electricity from elsewhere was diverted to the Serb minority in the north, but said consumers there hadn't paid for their electricity, causing considerable financial burden to the company.

ENTSO-E warned that if no solution can be found at political level, a deviation risk could remain.

So far the only consequence seems to be the effect on clocks.

The system is built in such a way that all your basic needs are really secured by the distribution and the transmission system operators, Camus said. Frankly, there is no risk other than those clocks running behind.
The European Union is cool to the idea of Britain's "associate membership" in various agencies of the bloc as proposed by London to make Brexit less disruptive for British business.

Britain started a process to leave the EU last year because it no longer wants to accept the authority of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and the free movement of workers, and it does not want to contribute to the EU budget.

But it is keen to keep most of its other links with the EU, especially unfettered access to the EU's market.

EU officials call this approach "cherry-picking," where London chooses the areas it wants for closer association but does not accept the obligations linked to it in other areas.

Last Friday, Prime Minister Theresa May floated the idea of Britain's remaining an associate member of the European Medicines Agency, the European Chemicals Agency and the European Aviation Safety Agency after Britain leaves the EU in March 2019.

She said London understood this meant abiding by the rules of those agencies and financial contributions. But EU officials involved in the negotiations on the terms of Britain's exit from the bloc and deciding on the future trade relationship were not impressed.

"It is not so much 'how' they participate. That's a technicality. The bigger question is 'if' they should participate. Why would we let them in?" one official said.

"The bottom line is that the U.K. approach is cherry-picking.

"The EU has a vast number of agencies, and I think we'd think twice to let the U.K. 'associate' itself with a selected number they choose because they have an interest," the official said.

Brussels officials pointed out that an "associate membership"  a status that does not exist yet and would have to be created especially for Britain  would not give London the kind of access to the EU single market it sought.

"It is not possible to accept ECJ oversight in only some segments of business in the EU and not in others," a second EU official said. "The single market is not made of bits and pieces you can pick and choose."

An "associate membership" status would also likely involve complex legal work in the EU to create it.

"The willingness to change regulations in order to accommodate the U.K.'s wishes ... is limited because it entails lengthy legislative procedures," a third official said.

The chairman of EU leaders, Donald Tusk, will present draft guidelines for the EU's future trade deal with Britain in Luxembourg on Wednesday.



'Freedom implies responsibility'

The closest to an "associate membership" the EU has now is with countries in the European Economic Area but not EU members  Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland  which can take part in meetings, but they do not have voting rights.

Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, said last November that the work of the EU agencies was based on EU laws, which Britain no longer wants to accept and should then go on and build its own.

"The same people who argue for setting the U.K. free also argue that the U.K. should remain in some EU agencies. But freedom implies responsibility for building new U.K. administrative capacity," Barnier said.

"On our side, the 27 will continue to deepen the work of those agencies, together. They will share the costs for running those agencies. Our businesses will benefit from their expertise. All of their work is firmly based on the EU treaties, which the U.K. decided to leave," he said.

May argued in her speech last week that every trade agreement, which focused on some aspects of an economy more than on others, was some form of "cherry-picking."

"With all its neighbors the EU has varying levels of access to the single market, depending on the obligations those neighbors are willing to undertake," she said.

"What would be cherry-picking would be if we were to seek a deal where our rights and obligations were not held in balance. And I have been categorically clear that is not what we are going to do," she said.

But EU officials said that Britain would get the trade agreement it sought with the EU only if it agreed to balance the rights and obligations in a way that would not pick apart the EU single market.

The bloc would also have to make sure that the deal is less attractive than EU membership.

"Nobody asked after the EU trade agreement with Canada, or Korea: 'Why can't we be like Canada or Korea?' The point is that also after Brexit, nobody should ask themselves: 'Why can't we be like Britain?' " the second official said.
Firefighters are battling dozens of wildfires in Kansas and Nebraska that have erupted since the weekend, even as calmer winds on Wednesday helped contain or extinguish most of them.

In Nebraska, a burned man was found crawling in a McCook farm field Tuesday afternoon as 50 mph wind gusts whipped flames down a ravine toward the Red Willow County community of 7,500 people. The man, who had camped out in the area, has been transferred to a burn center.

Kansas authorities said 50 fires have burned about 40 square miles (103.6 square kilometers). Improving weather conditions Wednesday left crews in 13 Kansas counties fighting blazes that are contained or almost out.

But a blaze that broke out Wednesday near Hamilton in Greenwood County prompted the Kansas Army National Guard to send six Black Hawk helicopters to assist with the firefighting operations.

This year's wildfire outbreak in Kansas pales in comparison to March 2017 when some 2,000 firefighters battled a series of blazes that consumed more than 1,000 square miles, killed a truck driver, forced thousands to evacuate, and damaged or destroyed dozens of structures. Thousands of cattle also died.

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer said the state has learned a lot in the last couple years.

"This is something that can get out of control very easily, so we're quite concerned still," Colyer said. "But we're dealing with it."

The governor attributed the successful efforts this year to improvements in coordination between state and local emergency responders.

"They've experienced a lot together after the last couple of years," Colyer said. "They know each other by name now. They're closer."

In southwest Nebraska, crews were dispatched to eliminate dangerous hot spots left by a wildfire that destroyed a house and blackened hundreds of acres as it threatened McCook.

As officials called for evacuations, students and staff at McCook Elementary School were taken to McCook Senior High School several blocks away.

People at the state prisons' Work Ethic Camp spotted the fire and reported it to local officials around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday, but camp spokeswoman Cristy Schwartz said the 189 inmates and nearly 50 staffers didn't have to leave the grounds.

Chief Bill Elliott of the Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department said wind gusts knocked a power line into a shed about 2 miles (3 kilometers) from town, and sparks from the resulting short ignited dry brush below.

The blaze never entered the city proper, but the flames did destroy a house on the edge of town while the residents weren't home, Elliott said.

"The house right beside it  only 30 feet away  was not damaged," he said.
The reported death of an Eritrean political prisoner has shined a spotlight on the countrys secret prison system, where some of the nations founders have been held without trial for more than 16 years.

In February, news began circulating on social media that Haile Durue Woldensae, a fighter in Eritreas liberation struggle and the countrys former foreign minister, had died. Woldensae was imprisoned in 2001 and has not been seen since. In a 2010 interview with al-Jazeera, a prison guard who escaped the country said that Woldensae was alive but blind and emaciated.

A post on an anonymous Facebook page in February said that Woldensae died on January 25 and was buried on the premises of the Eirairo prison, where he had reportedly been detained. The claims have not been independently verified, and press freedom in Eritrea is severely restricted, making it difficult to confirm information that comes out of the country.

Woldensaes brother Sengal told VOA that the family still doesnt know whether he is alive or dead, but they have long believed the worst.

All prisons in Eritrea are like Enda Hawya  a place where you can see people go in but never come out, he said, referring to a village in a grim Eritrean fairy tale.

Woldensae was arrested in a roundup that targeted dissidents in Eritreas ruling political party, journalists and others. The group of dissidents had called for the implementation of the countrys 1994 charter and demanded a democratic form of government. They became known as the G15.

They wanted to fight the good fight, and they said, Enough is enough. Its time to change, Sengal said. So, they said, With our people, we will fight this wrong direction that the country has taken. Thats how they started. Therefore, they knew that they were going to be harassed, mistreated, suppressed and even killed. They knew what they were getting themselves into.

Most of the political prisoners have not been heard from since their arrest. Pleas from family members and human rights organizations for access to the detainees have gone unanswered.

The Eritrean governments last direct word on the G15 came in June 2016, when current Foreign Minister Osman Saleh said Woldensae and the other G15 members were all still alive.

The government is looking for their safety. They are in good hands, in prison. They are political prisoners and the government is dealing with them, he told Radio France International.

He said the 15 men would be tried when the government decides.

10,000 political prisoners

President Isaias Afwerki has ruled Eritrea with an iron hand since the country won independence in 1993. A 2013 report by Amnesty International identified 34 prisons in the country, both secret and recognized. The report said Eritreas government was responsible for the arrest of 10,000 political prisoners, although none had ever been charged with a crime or faced trial.

Reports from inside the country describe inhumane conditions where prisoners are held in shipping crates in the desert where temperatures reach 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day. Rumors of prisoner deaths due to illness and suicide have been widely circulated, though never confirmed.

Fisseha Tekle, a Horn of Africa researcher at Amnesty International, said families of those jailed are desperate for information. He believes the government owes it to these families to account for the imprisoned.

What we would like to call for is for the government to let everyone know their whereabouts, the conditions they are being held in, how they are treated. The families should be allowed to know this, Tekle said. They need to be in front of a free court and have a fair trial. They should be given credit for the time they have already served. The government needs to issue a statement counting clearly how many years they have spent in prison. If they are dead, there needs to be a clear statement on that.

Our pride and honor

Woldensaes family has accepted that they likely will never see him again, but they believe, if he died, that it was because he stood up for his beliefs.

Haile and his comrades sacrificed their lives when they decided to fight for freedom in the beginning, so their sacrifice is our honor because they stood their ground, and thats how they fell, Sengal said. We are glad that theyre not like those who are licking the boots of this regime, and we are glad that they are not part of a shameful history. So, they are our pride and honor.
A former chief executive officer of Brazil's state oil company Petrobras has been sentenced to 11 years in prison as part of sprawling corruption investigation that has ensnared many of the country's top business and political leaders.

Federal Judge Sergio Moro found Aldemir Bendine guilty Wednesday of corruption and money laundering in connection with about $1 million in bribes paid by construction giant Odebrecht.

Moro said Bendine used his influence to illegally help the builder between 2014 and 2017. He was arrested in July and is the only ex-Petrobras CEO implicated in the so-called "Car Wash'' investigation.

Bendine was named head of Brazil's second-largest bank, Banco do Brasil, in 2009 by then-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Six years later, President Dilma Rousseff made him CEO of Petrobras.
About Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profile
At Sweet Waters, a village in central Kenya, Veronicah Nyambura stands under the hot sun between two fields. One is full of lush plants - but the other has crops so wilted that their leaves have curled up.

The green land is planted with tea tree, an Australian native that thrives in this semi-arid part of Kenya. Opposite is a field of maize, which suffers in years of poor rains and high temperatures.

"Maize is very disappointing. You plant but you're never sure whether you'll harvest anything," said Nyambura, who has planted a quarter-acre of tea trees.

The 65-year-old said she harvests 900 kg of tea tree branches every six months from that bit of land. When it was planted to maize, she got about 270 kg of grain every nine months, she said.

Many farmers in this part of Laikipia County - like farmers in many parts of the world - cannot afford to buy seeds for alternative crops better suited to drought, so keep planting maize.

But Nyambura and about 800 other small-scale farmers were sold tea tree seedlings on credit by a company called Earthoil that also guaranteed to buy their harvest. Each seedling cost 3.5 Kenyan shillings, or about 3 cents.

Earthoil, which buys the branches for between 17 Kenyan shillings ($0.17) and 19 Kenyan shillings ($0.19) a kilogram, extracts the tea tree oil at its local distillery and exports it to British skin-care company, The Body Shop.

Dairy cows and a TV

To meet the demands of buyers, Martin Thogoto Mwambia, 68, uses mulch - not chemical fertilizers or pesticides - on his 1.75-acre tea tree farm in Ngarariga village, in neighboring Nyeri county.

"I am mulching them with cow-dung and dried leftovers of tea tree," he said with a smile while rubbing the dirt off his hands.

The farmer said he has reaped a fortune from the crop, which means he does not have to spend his old age working in menial jobs.

"Handling 50,000 Kenyan shillings ($490) and sometimes 100,000 Kenyan shillings ($990) is a miracle to me. Tea tree has given me that privilege," said Mwambia, who worked as a guard in a local firm before he began growing tea trees.

Prior to tea tree he grew maize - but even in good years he earned far less, he said.

"Sometimes when the drought is at its worst I would harvest a tin (a kilogram) or two," said Mwambia who is now harvesting an average of 10,000 kgs of tea tree branches annually from his farm.

The proceeds have enabled him to buy two dairy cows, get connected to electricity and buy a television set.

"Life is better for us now. I am happy," said his wife, Jane Gathigia.

The drought-tolerant tea trees come with the advantage of a ready market, the farmers said.

"Marketing maize is a headache. The prices fluctuate from time to time and farmers end up making losses," said Alice Wanja, 42, at her quarter-acre tea tree farm at Sweet Waters, about 1.5 km from Nyambura's home.

"There is nothing like that with tea tree. The buyer is already at the waiting end and the buying price is good," she said.

Long-term risks

The Laikipia County project came about through a grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), administered by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and implemented by a local charity, Kenya Organic Agriculture Network (KOAN), which partnered with Earthoil.

Although projects of this kind guarantee farmers a reliable buyer, they do not necessarily offer security in the longterm since the buyer may go out of business or move elsewhere, warned Tom Nyamache, professor of economics at Turkana University College.

On the flip side, the buyer is also at risk of closing shop if the farmers' productivity falls or fails completely, he said.

It is important that farmers plant an alternative crop that also can thrive in the changed climate conditions to serve as a fallback should their tea tree ventures fail, he said.

Earthoil's project manager, Martin Wainaina, said there is such a big demand for tea tree oil that they are making aggressive plans to expand production.

The Body Shop wants 30 tons of oil from the firm each year, but Earthoil can currently only supply 8 tons, he said.

Expanding the pool of farmers is a challenge. The plants have to be grown near the distillery, as tea tree branches are bulky and difficult to transport, he said.

The tea tree thrives in the volcanic soil and high altitudes in this region near Mount Kenya, Wainaina said.

Expanding production to other parts of Kenya with similar arid and semi-arid climates will only be possible through research and investment in more tea tree processing, analysts say.

Nancy Chege, country program manager at GEF-UNDP, Kenya, said scaling up tea tree farming also would depend on continuing to look for new markets, both locally and internationally.

But "most (such) community projects ... are usually sustainable because trade goes on even after the project (ends)," she said.

($1 = 101.1700 Kenyan shillings)
North Koreas agreement to enter into talks with the United States could be a diplomatic breakthrough to reach a peaceful resolution to the nuclear crisis, or a ruse to weaken sanctions, or both.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns willingness to engage with the United States in negotiations to end his countrys nuclear weapons program, and his promise to suspend nuclear and missile tests while talks are under way, was reported on Tuesday by Chung Eui-yong, the head of South Koreas National Security Office, following his meeting with Kim in Pyongyang.

Contradictory messages

The North Korean government has not yet confirmed the South Korean interpretation of the potential diplomatic breakthrough. In fact the Norths state newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, on Wednesday ran a seemingly contradictory column that justified the nations nuclear deterrence as necessary to protect against U.S. nuclear threats, and said the issue is not open to dispute.

The South Korean Unification Ministry on Wednesday refuted the newspapers uncompromising stance and said the Kim governments position, as communicated to the South Korean envoy, is open to end its nuclear program under the right conditions.

North Korea clearly stated its willingness to denuclearize, and also clarified that it had no reason to retain nuclear weapons if the military threat against North Korea is resolved and regime security is guaranteed, said Baik Tae-hyun, spokesperson for the Unification Ministry.

North Korea has broken past agreements to end its nuclear program, in exchange for economic assistance and security guarantees. In the last two years, the Kim Jong Un government accelerated long-range ballistic missile and nuclear tests, defiantly declared North Korea a nuclear weapons state, and moved closer to developing operational capability to target U.S. mainland cities with a nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile.

Skeptical allies

U.S. President Donald Trump has responded with a maximum pressure strategy to force Pyongyang to halt its nuclear program by imposing tough sanctions that ban billions of dollars worth of North Korean coal, iron ore, clothing products and seafood exports. The Trump administration has also emphasized a willingness to use military force, if needed, to eliminate the nuclear threat.

The South Korean chief envoy, along with Suh Hoon, the head of the National Intelligence Service, will travel this week to Washington to brief U.S. security officials on their findings. They will also visit Beijing, Moscow and Tokyo to brief officials.

Trump said North Korea seems sincere in its offer to engage in talks. But Vice President Mike Pence emphasized that the United States will keep up sanctions pressure until Pyongyang takes significant measures to halt its nuclear program.

Japan also voiced strong support for maintaining economic sanctions on North Korea while any talks are underway.

"If we were to have a meaningful discussion, North Korea needs to commit to a denuclearization plan that is verifiable, and irreversible. They need to take specific action. This is of utmost importance," said Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

China has encouraged reconciliation efforts, but the Global Times, a state-run newspaper, published an editorial on Wednesday emphasizing that China, Russia and the United Nations Security Council must also be included in negotiations to resolve the Korean nuclear issue.

Cautious progress

Analysts view North Koreas offer to hold nuclear talks, while also suspending provocative tests, with a mix of cautious optimism and skepticism.

"We should just continue talks forever as far as I am concerned, because if they do not conduct nuclear tests and if they do not conduct missile flight tests, thats a win," said regional security analyst Daniel Pinkston with Troy University in Seoul.

While engaging in talks may be a positive step, it is unclear that the United States and North Korea can even agree on what denuclearization means. Washington wants to dismantle Pyongyangs nuclear program, but North Koreas longstanding requirement for denuclearization includes the removal of all U.S. forces from the Korean Peninsula, and the withdrawal of the American commitment to use its nuclear arsenal to defend its allies in the region.

"They say if you will remove those things that will make North Korea feel more secure, and then at that point North Korea will be in a position to consider, that is their word, consider denuclearization," said Evans Revere, a security analyst at the Albright Stonebridge Group and a former State Department official who was involved in past negotiations with North Korea.

There are also concerns that the Kim government is only offering to engage in talks to extract concessions from South Korean President Moon Jae-in when they meet for a summit in late April.

The agreement to hold an inter-Korean leaders summit at the truce village of Panmunjom, on the South Korean side of the demilitarized zone border region, was also worked out during the envoys visit to Pyongyang. This will be the first meeting of leaders from North and South since 2007.

The progressive South Korean leader has tried to encourage the Norths cooperation through engagement, most recently by facilitating Pyongyangs participation in the winter Olympics.

Some worry Moon may seek an exemption from sanctions, to offer the North economic incentives when he meets with Kim in April, such as reopening the jointly run Kaesong Industrial Complex that employed over 5,000 North Korean workers until it was shut down following a Pyongyang nuclear test in 2016.

"Anything that would weaken or dilute the impact of existing economic sanctions on North Korea would be a great mistake," said Bong Young-shik, a political analyst with the Yonsei University's Institute for North Korean Studies in Seoul.

However President Moon on Wednesday said there are no plans to ease sanctions related to the summit, according to the South's Yonhap news agency.

Lee Yoon-jee in Seoul contributed to this report.
Grammy-winning Latin rapper Residente will receive the BMI Champion Award at the BMI Latin Awards this month.



The performing rights organization says in a statement Tuesday that Residente will be the first act to receive the honor in the 25-year history of its Latin Awards.

The event takes place March 20 in Beverly Hills, California.



Residente is best known for his work in the Puerto Rican rap group Calle 13. He is the most decorated Latin Grammy act of all time with 24 wins.



Residente's self-titled solo debut, released last year, won him a Grammy in January. He will receive the BMI honor for his career achievements and philanthropy.



"Despacito" hitmaker Luis Fonsi will earn the BMI President's Award at the event, which honors Latin music's top songwriters and publishers.
At least 21 Libyan migrants who were trying to make the dangerous Mediterranean Sea journey to Italy late last week are missing and feared drowned.

The U.N. migration agency said Tuesday that they were part of a large group who had set off from Libya aboard a wooden boat and a rubber dinghy and had to be rescued at sea.

Survivors said there was a panic on one of the vessels and people fell overboard, but the details of what happened were unclear.

The Libyan Coast Guard returned some to Libya while a Cypriot commercial ship picked up others. They arrived at the Italian port of Pozzallo on Tuesday.

The number of migrants trying to reach European Union nations from Libya is down substantially from the same time last year, in part because of an agreement between Libya and Italy to immediately return most of those picked up at sea.

U.N. migration officials said 421 people had died trying to sail to Italy so far this year, compared with 521 at the same time in 2017.

But they said more than 100 had died trying to reach Spain in an equally dangerous western sea journey.
Trade war fears pushed U.S. and some Asian stock markets lower Wednesday, following the resignation of U.S. President Donald Trump's top economic adviser.

National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn was a leading administration opponent of Trump's plan to impose 25 percent tariffs on steel imports and 10 percent tariffs on aluminum imports.

"It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular the passage of historic tax reform," Cohn said in a statement Tuesday announcing his resignation.

In Wednesday's trading, the Dow Jones industrial average was down as much as 1 percent, but recovered some ground to close down about one-third of a percent. The Standard and Poor's 500 index fell slightly, while the Nasdaq composite and key European indexes posted gains. Earlier in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 1 percent, while Japan's Nikkei stock index had a smaller loss.

As director of the NEC, Cohn tried to get Trump to abandon his tariff plan. But the president reiterated Tuesday that he will impose the measures in the coming days.

In a statement released by the White House, Trump praised Cohn.

"Gary has been my chief economic adviser and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again. He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people."

Chief of Staff John Kelly also praised Cohn.

"Gary has served his country with great distinction, dedicating his skill and leadership to grow the U.S. economy and pass historic tax reform. I will miss having him as a partner in the White House, but he departs having made a real impact in the lives of the American people," he said.

There was no immediate announcement from the White House about a replacement for Cohn.

Cohns extensive policy portfolio included tax and retirement, infrastructure, the financial system, energy and environment, health care, agriculture, global economics, international trade and development, technology, telecommunications and cybersecurity.

He also played a critical role in advancing the presidents deregulatory agenda and organizing Trump's successful participation in the World Economic Forum in January.

Cohn, former president and chief operating officer of Goldman Sachs investment bank, is one of several top-level White House staff members to resign this year, including communications director Hope Hicks, deputy communications director Josh Raffel, and staff secretary Ron Porter.

Cohn was one of several Wall Street veterans tapped by Trump for senior administration positions after the 2016 presidential election.
Mexico is looking into ways to deepen energy cooperation with Jamaica, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said on Tuesday on a Caribbean trip to promote U.S.-backed efforts to erode Venezuelas diplomatic influence.

Videgaray said he was hoping to get more Mexican firms to come to Jamaica as suppliers of oil and as potential investors in developing Jamaican oil resources.

Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced that Mexico, Canada and the United States were looking at how to mitigate the effect sanctions on OPEC-member Venezuela would have in the Caribbean.

Videgaray, who visited St. Lucia before Jamaica, said deeper Mexican-Jamaican energy ties could serve as a model elsewhere in the island region.

Whatever we do in Jamaica can be a learning experience for what we do with other Caribbean countries, he said, without directly mentioning efforts to weaken Venezuelas support among countries grateful for past oil largesse.

While Jamaica no longer imports Venezuelan crude, it was a founding member of the South American nation's Petrocaribe program that provided cheap loans for oil to Caribbean nations.

The legacy of the program has helped Venezuela win votes in the Organization of American States to defeat motions against President Nicolas Maduro, whose socialist government has overseen an economic crisis in Venezuela.

Mexicos oil output has fallen sharply and the energy ministry has said it would be difficult for the country to replace Petrocaribe.

We are a market-based economy and any kind of cooperation that we do, and any business that we foster, is according to market principles, said Videgaray, standing next to his Jamaican counterpart Kamina Johnson Smith.

He added Mexico would be signing a memorandum of understanding to provide technical support to Jamaica's oil refinery, Petrojam, which is jointly owned by a unit of Venezuelan national oil company PDVSA.

Jamaica already buys spot cargos of crude from Mexico, a major oil supplier to the United States.

Mexico has been gradually opening up its oil sector following a constitutional reform in 2013 that ended decades of monopoly control by national oil company Pemex. Its ability to maximize crude processing has been hobbled, however, by little new investment, accidents and natural disasters.
In the month since Syed Ahmed Jamal, originally from Bangladesh, was arrested by immigration agents, his case has sparked outrage and support in a community that had known him as an involved teacher and parent for over a decade.

This is exactly the ideal citizen that we should be supporting in his efforts to stay here, one woman commented on an online petition for his release.

Paperwork, miscommunication, and bureaucracy shouldn't mean our community is deprived of intelligent, hard working, contributing immigrants, wrote another.

The science teacher in Kansas was arrested while getting into his car; he sits in a county jail, having been transferred from Kansas to Hawaii to Missouri.

An adjunct instructor at a local college, he was undocumented, having overstayed an expired work visa.

I think it touched a nerve because here hes a very well respected person in the community, everybody knows him, his brother, Syed Hussain Jamal, told VOA.

He ran for a school board membership, hes always at the PTAs, all the parents know him ... so the community realized, you know, it can happen to someone we care about  we love. Syed Hussain Jamal recently obtained U.S. citizenship.

Visa gap

Since the Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era policy that distinguished between criminal and non-criminal undocumented immigrants, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has picked up an increasing number of immigrants.

According to figures released by ICE, 13,548 non-criminal undocumented people were arrested between October and December  nearly triple the figure over the last three months of the Obama presidency.

In a statement released on the case, ICE said that Jamal had overstayed two visas in the past, but came to its attention in September of 2012 after failing to leave the country during a window given to him by a judge after his visa expired. Jamal was required to periodically check in with ICE while the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) reviewed his appeal of the removal order.

On May 21, 2013, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) dismissed Jamals appeal of his removal order. To effect this removal order, deportation officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] arrested Jamal outside his residence on Jan. 24, 2018. He is currently in ICE custody, ICE said in a statement.

But Jamals family and lawyers say that he was initially told by officials that he was protected under an F-1 student visa as he pursued a Ph.D. at Kansas University, only to have the visa revoked after he enrolled in classes because he had waited too long to apply.

At one point he was advised that he was in valid status by the government which, later on, they revoked that finding, Jamals immigration attorney, Rekha Sharma-Crawford, told VOA.

The history [of his case] is complicated, she added.

Jamals case in particular drew national attention because of his strong academic background and history of teaching at multiple Kansas universities.

Jamal first came to the United States on a student visa in 1986, and since then obtained an undergraduate degree, as well as two Masters in molecular biology and pharmacology. In recent years, he taught at a number of local universities as an adjunct instructor - most recently at Park University in Missouri.

We take great pride in the process that we go through hiring adjunct faculty, Michelle Myers, interim provost of Park University told VOA.

Mr. Jamal was unique in that he had come to visit with us in the fall of last year to see how the classes are, kind of find out who Park University is and our students. So its someone whos really going above and beyond the call and of course we take notice of that.

WATCH: Detained teacher

But Jamal, who began his employment at Park University this semester, had only overseen two lab courses before he was arrested.

Before his work as an adjunct instructor, he had worked in a lab which, until it ran out of funding, sponsored his work visa.

Of course he was worried, and he was trying to do things to adjust his status, his brother said.

He was worried because it takes time. He was trying to exhaust all paths to make adjustments be it getting into a program, be it getting another job  whatever it was he was trying all those avenues.

But the gap between the expiration of Jamals work visa and his application for a student visa alerted ICE.

Jamal is scheduled to appear in court on March 20 to challenge his detention.
Demonstrators said Tuesday after losing a court battle that they planned to protest against a railway line being built inside Nairobi National Park, which they say threatens wildlife and people in Kenya.

A court said it could not stop construction of a 6-kilometer (4-mile) railway bridge, which the China Road and Bridge Corporation started building last month through the capital's sprawling sanctuary for lions, giraffes and zebras.

"We have found that we have no jurisdiction on the matter," Mohammed Balala of the National Environment Tribunal (NET) ruled Tuesday. "A similar case is pending in the High Court."

Kenya's game parks draw tourists from across the globe but its wildlife are facing increased pressure to share their space with infrastructure projects and people seeking more land to farm and live on.

Campaigners said that the Chinese company was defying a June order by NET to halt construction in Kenya's oldest park, which is the second phase of a $13.8 billion project linking the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa to Nairobi and Uganda.

But NET said Tuesday that the order was no longer valid because the Chinese company had since lodged a case in the High Court, which is a superior court.

Human settlements and activity have long encroached on the park, which was established in 1946 on the city limits.

More protests

Activists who demonstrated in Nairobi last week said they would return to the streets and might appeal to the High Court.

"We intend to do another demo next week when the Chinese premier will be visiting," said Reinhard Bonke, a spokesman for Friends of Nairobi National Park, a conservation group that was party to the petition.

The railway has divided opinion. The government has said that it is better to route the line through park rather than build in populated areas, which would require land seizures.

Activists said the raised railway through the park would affect animals' routes and breeding grounds.

But Paul Gathitu, a spokesman for the government's Kenya Wildlife Service, said human encroachment was more of a concern to animals than the railway line, which will be at least 8 meters off the ground and painted to blend with nature.



"There's a lot of land use changes with people encroaching on their routes," he said.
North Koreas announcement expressing willingness to negotiate with the United States on denuclearization is a positive step but one that needs to be dealt with cautiously, say former U.S. officials who have dealt extensively with North Korea.

On Monday, North Koreas leader, Kim Jong Un, told a South Korean delegation visiting Pyongyang that he is willing to a hold a heartfelt dialogue to begin negotiations with the U.S. on denuclearization.

Its certainly a positive development if such talks get scheduledI do hope that it moves forward, Ambassador Wendy Sherman told VOA.

If all comments are accurate and North Korea says it will stop testing as these conversations move forward, this, of course, would be a positive sign, said Sherman, who served as North Korea policy coordinator during the Clinton administration and most recently as undersecretary of state for political affairs during the Obama administration.

The U.S. needs to proceed to talks and to not be perceived as missing an opportunity to talk to North Korea, according to Christopher Hill who led the U.S. delegation to nuclear talks with North Korea during the George W. Bush administration.

Robert Manning, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, also believes North Koreas willingness to talk is a positive development and exactly what the Trump administration had been asking for.

In response to Kim, President Donald Trump tweeted on Tuesday possible progress being made in talks with North Korea and added that the U.S. is ready to deal with North Korea whether or not it is sincere about denuclearization, May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!

South Korean envoys

The latest development came after Kim sent his sister, Kim Yo Jong, to the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics to propose a summit meeting between the two Koreas to South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Moon had initiated a peace effort to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea conducted multiple rounds of nuclear weapons and missile tests last year.

The two day-trip to Pyongyang was led by South Korean envoys including National Security Adviser Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service Chief Suh Hoon.

Kim told the South Korean envoys that he would suspend all nuclear weapons and missile tests while having such talks, if the U.S. removed what North Korea considers threats to its regime.

The trip ended on Tuesday with an agreement for the leaders of the two Koreas to meet in Panmunjom, a truce village in the demilitarized zone between the two countries, in late April. The South Korean envoys are expected to give an official briefing to the Trump administration in Washington later this week.

North Korea has long believed the United States is an existential threat to the survival of the regime, Sherman told VOA.

If the U.S. agrees to talk to North Korea, she cautioned that Washington needs to stay in close communication with South Korea because North Korea is quiet adept at trying to drive a wedge, particularly between [the U.S.] and South Korea.

Hill cautioned, You have to remember nuclear weapons for [Kim] is not about regime survival  Its about decoupling the U.S. from South Korea. Thats the aim.

One has to be a little skeptical about North Koreas public pronouncements, he added.

Denuclearization

According to Evans Revere, who served as an acting assistant secretary of state of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and has extensive experience negotiating with North Korea, Kims regime has a tendency to interpret denuclearization of the whole Korean Peninsula to mean the removal of the U.S. nuclear umbrella in South Korea.

But North Korea also feels threatened by the presence of U.S. troops in South Korea and the existence of the U.S.-South Korean security treaty, and it would only feel secure and in a position to consider denuclearization if all were removed, according to Revere.

Manning thinks the U.S. should test North Korea to see if they are serious about being willing to discuss giving up their nuclear weapons program. He suggested the U.S. should dispatch a high-level envoy who can present an unfiltered message to Kim Jong Un for an exploratory meeting.

The Trump administration has said repeatedly that denuclearization is its main policy objective toward the Kim regime.

I dont think anyone who knows the situation well thinks it is a good idea to accept a nuclear North Korea, Hill said. I think the Trump administration will hold to the idea of denuclearization of North Korea. I think thats firm.

The question is whether the Trump administration has the flexibility and the agility to respond to this in a way that the South Koreans and others will regard it as a positive response, said Hill.

Manning, who thinks the Trump administration does not have a clear diplomatic strategy, suggests the U.S. should resume the Six-Party Talks starting with the September 2005 Agreed Statement.

According to the Arms Control Association, The six-party talks were a series of multilateral negotiations held intermittently since 2003 and attended by China, Japan, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, and the United States for the purpose of dismantling North Koreas nuclear program. The talks were hosted in Beijing and chaired by China. North Korea decided to no longer participate in the six party process in 2009. In subsequent years, other participants, notably China, have called periodically for a resumption of the process.

The statement set forth offers including energy aid, economic assistance, U.S.-North Korea normalization, security guarantees, and a peace treaty amenable to North Korea. According to the statement, The Six Parties agreed to take coordinated steps to implement the aforementioned consensus in a phased manner in line with the principle of commitment for commitment, action for action as North Korea makes progress on denuclearization.

Youngnam Kim from VOA Korean Service and Ira Mellman from VOA contributed to this story.
An Australian family has found the world's oldest known message in a bottle, almost 132 years after it was thrown into the ocean.

Tonya Illman and her husband, Kym Illman, were walking in the dunes on Wedge Island in January when they spotted the dark square gin bottle and picked it up.

It just looked like a lovely old bottle, so I picked it up thinking it might look good in my bookcase, Tonya Illman told Australias ABC.

The bottle had no closure and was partially filled with damp sand. Shortly after, Illman's son's girlfriend tipped out the contents and found a tightly rolled note covered in a piece of string.

Australian, German and Dutch researchers worked together to verify the note's authenticity, according to a report from the Western Australia Museum.

Details from the note matched maritime records of the German sailing ship Paula, as well as the handwriting in the captains journal, according to Ross Anderson, the museums assistant curator of maritime archaeology.

Incredibly, there was an entry for June 12, 1886, made by the captain, recording a drift bottle having been thrown overboard, Anderson said.

Between 1864 and 1933, German ships conducted an experiment in which they threw thousands of bottles into the sea to track ocean currents. Each message was marked with the ships coordinates, the date and the name of the ship. Some 662 of those messages were recovered  and no bottles until now.

The message in the Illmans bottle was written on 19th-century paper before being slipped into a mid- to late-19th-century Dutch gin bottle. Sailors on the ship had flung the bottle from the deck as they crossed the Indian Ocean, 950 kilometers from the Australian coast.

It's believed to be the oldest-known message in a bottle, in terms of the amount of time that has passed between when it was written and when it was found. Before this discovery, Guinness World Records said that the oldest was 108 years old, found in Germany in 2015.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
The state of Oregon has sued Nevada gambling mogul Steve Wynn and the board of directors of Wynn Resorts Ltd. for allegedly failing to act in the best interests of shareholders and stop sexual misconduct at the company, state officials said Wednesday.

The civil case , alleging massive breaches of fiduciary duty that caused damage to the company and impaired long-term shareholder value, was filed Tuesday in district court in Clark County, Nevada. Last month, New York's public pension fund, the nation's third largest, filed a similar lawsuit.

The offices of Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and Read announced the lawsuit, saying Oregon's pension system held 8,506 shares of Wynn Resorts worth $1.3 million and that the investment is suffering a loss because of misconduct and inaction.

The lawsuit is part of another front opening up in the #MeToo movement that aims to hold those involved in sexual misconduct, and those who cover it up, accountable. The movement launched after an October expose of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein by the New York Times.

This filing will help hold the Board of Directors and Mr. Wynn accountable for their profound dereliction of fiduciary duty, said Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read.

Wynn Resorts spokesman Michael Weaver said he had no comment on the lawsuit. Wynn has denied he harassed and assaulted women. He resigned as chairman and CEO of the company bearing his name Feb. 6.

The story of Steve Wynn is a cliche: a powerful man preying on the powerless, the lawsuit said. But the Directors of Wynn Resorts were not powerless. They were the only people with the knowledge and ability - and duty to the company - to investigate and stop Steve Wynn's conduct.

Instead, the board of directors devoted substantial company resources to covering up the alleged misconduct, the lawsuit claimed.

Since the Wall Street Journal broke the story in January on Wynn's alleged misconduct that goes back years, Wynn Resorts has lost $2 billion in market capitalization, the Oregon lawsuit says.

Oregon's action is the latest known derivative lawsuit filed in state court in Las Vegas against the board and the billionaire.

Besides New York and Oregon, at least four other shareholder groups have filed lawsuits. Derivative lawsuits allow shareholders to take legal action on behalf of a company when they believe its officers or directors are not meeting their fiduciary duties. If the complaints are successful, Wynn and the company's board members could be ordered to pay monetary damages to Wynn Resorts, not the shareholders who filed the lawsuits.

San Diego-based attorney Todd Neal with the firm Procopio said the lawsuits seek monetary damages for the alleged loss in share price because of breaches of fiduciary duty, compliance with company policies and the possible removal of company board members.

The Massachusetts-based Norfolk County Retirement System and Pennsylvania-based Operating Engineers Construction Industry and Miscellaneous Pension Fund are among the other shareholder groups that have sued the Wynn Resorts' board.
Pakistanis who make false accusations of blasphemy should receive the same punishment as those convicted of the offense, a special committee on human rights in Pakistan's Senate recommended Tuesday.

"This recommendation does not intend to tamper with the existing blasphemy law of the country. It suggests that the law should not be misused," Nasreen Jalil, head of the special committee, told VOA.

Blasphemy is considered an enormously sensitive charge in Pakistan. Under Pakistani law, insulting the Prophet Muhammad carries the death penalty, and there have always been concerns about its misuse.

One of the country's top courts recently ordered Pakistan's parliament to enact legislation against those who misuse the country's blasphemy law.

Criticizing, or even talking about, Pakistan's blasphemy law has inherent dangers as well. In 2011, Salman Taseer, the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, was killed by his own bodyguard after Taseer demanded reforms in the blasphemy law. The bodyguard was later hanged, but he was considered a hero by many in the country.

Jalil added that in 2001, Pakistan's Islamic Ideology Council suggested equal punishment for false accusers and also suggested that accusers take an oath in the presence of a government official and present two witnesses who could support the claim.

"And that's why we have presented both of these recommendations again in the Senate," Jalil said.

Senator objects

However, a member of the same committee opposed the recommendations, calling them an "attempt to sabotage the [current] blasphemy law in Pakistan."

"Is this the only law which is being misused in the country? Are there no other laws that need attention?" asked Senator Mufti Abdul Sattar.

According to Jalil, with the exception of Sattar, all other committee members understand that the only purpose of the recommendations is to ensure the blasphemy law is not misused.

Under the existing laws, a person making a false accusation can face only proceedings under Section 182 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which carries a maximum punishment of six months in jail, or a fine of 1,000 rupees (less than $10).

While the state has never executed anyone under the blasphemy law, mere allegations have prompted mob violence and lynchings.

Since 1990, there have been at least 67 killings over unproven allegations of blasphemy, Reuters reported this year.
Lining up hours before dawn, citizens of Sierra Leone went to the polls Wednesday to choose a new president, parliament, and local councilors in one of the most hotly contested elections in the West African nation's history.

Current president, Ernest Bai Koroma, of the All People's Congress party must step down after serving two terms.

Front runners in the presidential race include former-foreign minister Samura Kamara for APC, former-general Juluis Maada Bio of the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party, and former U.N. official Kandeh Yumkella of the newly formed National Grand Coalition party.

But there are 16 total candidates, including women, vying for the top job, so analysts say the results, expected this weekend, will likely necessitate in a run-off. To win in the first round, a candidate must earn 55 percent of votes.

APC is running on its record of building roads and connecting electricity over the past 10 years in office, which motivated 50-year-old father Samir Dorsett Macfoy to arrive before dawn at a polling station in western Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, to make sure he was first in line to cast his vote.

"I've seen so so many, many, many strides of development in these short 10 years," said Macfoy, getting emotional as he spoke. "I have seen many, many, many presidents come and go, but I haven't seen such kind of strides before."

Not everyone is convinced. A few meters away at the same polling station, Joseph Kamara said he was voting for a change. "Some of us are not too happy," he said. "We expect changes, and that's why we're here to vote."

APC has faced criticism for corruption, and the mishandling of the deadly 2014 Ebola epidemic and a massive mudslide last year that killed over 1,000 people on the outskirts of Freetown.

Within view of the collapsed hillside, hundreds of voters, many of whom lost relatives in the mudslide, queued at a polling station in a Catholic church. Reverend Joseph Emmanuel Bangura said he hopes the people who were impacted by the mudslide vote with the tragedy in mind.

"Even though the mudslide was a year ago, they still face the same difficult problems. Housing, can they go back to the same place where they were?" he said. "Those are issues that those who emerge as leaders after this election will have to address."

Speaking to VOA's Peter Clottey before polls opened, National Electoral Commission Chairman N'fa-Ali Conteh urged political parties to eschew violence after sporadic reports of supporters of various parties being attacked.

"I want to urge all political parties that, look, this is the only country we have," he said. "We cannot conduct credible elections if there is no peace and tranquility."

So far, Wednesday's vote has gone peacefully, with healthy but not overwhelming lines of voters snaking through generally quiet polling stations. Frank Engel, a member of the 100-member EU observer team in Sierra Leone, said the team will release a report assessing the poll in a few weeks.

VOA witnessed one argument at a polling station over people cutting in line before unarmed police officers quickly intervened. The usually chaotic streets of the capital, Freetown, were mostly empty as police and military deployed to enforce a ban on movement of vehicles, while encouraging citizens to vote and go home.

Outgoing President Ernest Bai Koroma, speaking to media at a polling station in the Goderich neighborhood of Freetown, said the calm polling was a sign that democracy was entrenching itself in Sierra Leone, 15 years after the end of a bloody civil war.

"So far the process has been moving smoothly, the turnout is very impressive, and it is sending a message to the international community that Sierra Leone is transforming itself to belong to the new league of nations that would be considered to be democratically matured," he said.

In Photos: Sierra Leone Election
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would easily win a second-round runoff vote against several likely opponents and retake the presidency in October elections if allowed to run, according to a poll released on Tuesday.

Lula, who is likely to be barred from running because of a corruption conviction that was upheld on appeal in January, also had the lowest rejection rate among likely contenders in the survey, conducted by pollster MDA. Support for him in several potential second-round matchups rose from levels in an MDA poll in September.

Still, nearly half of those polled, 46.7 percent, said they would never vote for Lula, underlining widespread voter discontent with political choices in Brazil as graft investigations continue to target the political class.

In a runoff vote against right-wing congressman Jair Bolsonaro, the MDA polls found, Lula would take 44 percent of the vote against 26 percent for his opponent.

If Lula is barred by courts from running for the presidency, the poll found that Bolsonaro would face environmentalist and former senator Marina Silva in a second-round runoff, which takes place in Brazil if no single candidate wins a majority of votes on the first ballot.

Bolsonaro and Marina Silva are polling within the survey's margin of error in a theoretical runoff, MDA found, a situation repeated in other likely second-round scenarios absent Lula.

Lula has said repeatedly that he wants to run and will fight for that chance in Brazil's top courts. However, the country's constitution, with rare exceptions, bans politicians from running for office if their convictions have been upheld on appeal. The question of whether Lula can run is not likely to besettled by the courts for several months.

The survey showed that the vast majority of those asked think President Michel Temer is doing a poor job as president, with 73 percent giving a negative evaluation, little changed from the last poll in September, when Temer received a negative rating from 76 percent.

The MDA poll, which had a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points, was commissioned by national transportation association CNT and surveyed 2,002 people across Brazil from Feb. 28 to March 4.
Pope Francis has cleared a path for sainthood for the late Oscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop gunned down for preaching against the violence and repression that plagued the country as it descended into civil war.

The Vatican announced Wednesday that the pontiff approved a decree the day before confirming a miracle attributed to Romero's intercession.

Installed as archbishop in 1977, Romero openly denounced the military death squads that had killed and terrorized El Salvador's poor and vulnerable until his assassination on March 24, 1980 while celebrating Mass in a hospital chapel.

Romero's path to sainthood had been blocked for years by conservative Latin American Catholics who believe his defense of the poor and oppressed would inspire other Catholics to take a more activist approach towards achieving social justice.

Pope Francis beatified, or blessed, Romero in 2015, declaring him a martyr for the Catholic faith.

The pontiff also approved a similar decree for one of his predecessor's, the late Pope Paul VI, who oversaw the sweeping reforms of the Church in the 1960s that came to be known as "Vatican II." Pope Paul was beatified by Francis in 2014.

No date has been set for the canonization ceremony of either Romero or Pope Paul VI.
Prosecutors have asked a federal judge to sentence ex-pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli to a stiff 15 years in prison for investment fraud.

U.S. attorneys say Shkreli, who hiked the price of the anti-parasitic drug Daraprim by more than 5,000 percent, has shown no genuine remorse for his crime.

Shkreli is a man who has consistently chosen to put profit and the cultivation of a public image before all else, and a man who believes the end always justify the means, the attorneys said.

In a letter to the court, Shkreli expressed contrition. I was wrong. I was a fool. I should have known better, he said.

His lawyers are asking for a relatively light sentence of no more than 18 months, calling Shkreli a misunderstood eccentric.

Shkreli is set to be sentenced Friday by Judge Kiyo Matsumoto, who has already ordered Shkreli to forfeit $7.3 million in assets.

Along with cash, Shkreli was ordered to relinquish the only copy of an album recorded by the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which he claims he bought at auction for $2 million.

He was also ordered to surrender a Picasso painting and other valuables.

Shkreli was found guilty in August of defrauding investors by lying about the performance of two hedge funds he ran. Hedge funds are complicated high-risk funds that can result in huge financial returns or huge losses.

Shkrelis lawyers argued that investors actually made money when he paid them off in drug company stocks.

Matsumoto revoked Shkrelis bail in September when Shkreli offered $5,000 to anyone who could produce a lock of former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's hair.

Shkreli earned the nickname Pharma-Bro for hiking the price of the medication and for sarcastic remarks and courtroom antics during his trial.
Voters in Sierra Leone are heading to the polls Wednesday to choose a new president they hope will lead the west African nation out of an economy left in shambles from the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak.

Sixteen people are running to succeed outgoing President Ernest Bai Koroma, who has served his constitutionally allowed two five-year terms in office. The two leading candidates are Samura Kamara of President Koroma's ruling All People's Congress, and Julius Maada Bio, the leader of the Sierra Leone People's Party. The APC and SLPP have alternately ruled the small nation since it gained independence from Britain in 1961.

But the newly formed National Grand Coalition party, led by former United Nations diplomat Kandeh Yumkella, has attracted the support of younger voters who are not loyal to either the APC or SLPP.

The large field of candidates may increase the possibility of a runoff election if no candidate gets 55 percent of the votes.

Sierra Leone has been mired in deep poverty thanks to the two-year outbreak of the deadly Ebola crisis and falling global commodity prices that affected iron ore, the country's key export.

And Sierra Leone continues its struggle to recover from the horrific 1991-2002 civil war that killed tens of thousands of people.
Sri Lanka has blocked access to social media sites to prevent the spread of violence against members of the minority Muslim population, as the South Asian island remains under a state of emergency.

President Maithripala Sirisena imposed the decree Tuesday, a day after ethnic Sinhalese Buddhist mobs attacked several mosques, and dozens of Muslim-owned businesses in the central district of Kandy. The body of a young Muslim man who was trapped when fire burned down his parents' small shop was found by firefighters Tuesday.

The unrest began Saturday, when a Sinhalese truck driver reportedly clashed with a group of Muslim youths in Kandy. The driver died of his injuries the next day.



Internet providers began blocking access to Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp Wednesday after messages began appearing threatening more attacks on Muslims.

Sporadic attacks continued Wednesday in the region despite the emergency decree. Police have imposed a strict curfew across much of the area in attempt to defuse the situation.

Sri Lanka remains deeply divided along religious and ethnic lines since the end of the 36-year civil war in 2009, when government forces crushed an insurgency by the ethnic Tamil minority seeking an independent homeland. Hardline Sinhalese Buddhist nationalists have accused Muslims of attacking sacred Buddhist sites and forcing people to convert.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe condemned the "racist and violent acts" on Twitter Tuesday. "As a nation that endured a brutal war we are all aware of the values of peace, respect, unity & freedom," he wrote.

The U.S. Embassy in Colombo urged the government to act quickly against the perpetrators, protect the rights of religious minorities and lift the state of emergency as soon as possible.
Heavily armed suicide bombers attacked a district police headquarters in southern Afghanistan late Wednesday, sparking an intense firefight with government security forces.

The attack reportedly began with a suicide bomber hitting a security outpost at the entrance of the security complex, making way for other assailants to storm the facility in Spin Boldak, which borders Pakistan.

A Taliban spokesman claimed its fighters wearing police uniforms have attacked the facility and inflicted heavy casualties on police forces.

Earlier, a suicide bomber killed a senior provincial government official and his security guard in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, capital of Nangarhar province.

The attack targeted and killed Abdul Zahir Haqqani, the director of religious affairs and Haj pilgrimage department, officials said.

A provincial government spokesman told VOA a suicide bomber walked up to Haqqani's vehicle on a busy road and blew himself up.

Haqqani's bodyguard was also among the dead and the explosion wounded about a dozen people, mostly passersby, added Ataullah Khogyani.

Islamic State claimed it plotted the bomb attack.

Haqqani was a vocal critic of the Islamist Taliban and would publicly condemn Islamic State militants for killing Afghan civilians in the name of religion.

He had, until Wednesday, survived several attempts on his life; his brother was killed in one of those attacks.

Islamic State loyalists use Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan, as their main base for attacks in the province and elsewhere in Afghanistan.
U.N. Security Council President Karel van Oosterom on Wednesday reiterated a call for all parties in Syria to implement a nationwide cease-fire and expressed concern about Syria's humanitarian crisis.

Van Oosterom's comments came after the council met to discuss the ignored 30-day halt in fighting it demanded in a resolution nearly two weeks ago.

"The cessation of hostilities was discussed. The Security Council reiterated its call for implementation of Resolution 2401," van Oosterom said after the meeting ended.

The cease-fire's failure prompted Britain and France to request the closed-door meeting.

"We've called this meeting with the U.K. because the Syrian regime, as we speak, keeps besieging and bombing its own citizens in eastern Ghouta in complete violation of Resolution 2401 that was unanimously adopted by the council," French U.N. representative Francois Delattre told reporters before the meeting.

Designed to allow aid

The council's resolution was meant to give humanitarian workers a chance to take food and medical supplies to areas where seven years of conflict has left millions of Syrians badly in need of help.

Sweden's representative to the U.N., Olof Skoog, demanded before the meeting "full and immediate implementation of the resolution" and "immediate progress on medical evacuations" from the area.

Council members are scheduled to discuss the implementation of the cease-fire again on Monday when they meet with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

An attempt Monday by the United Nations, Syrian Arab Red Crescent and International Red Cross to deliver aid in the eastern Ghouta area had to be abandoned because of continued violence. The agencies also reported the Syrian government blocked rescue workers from loading most of the medical supplies they had planned to transport.

"The secretary-general commends the courage of all humanitarians working tirelessly to ensure that people in need throughout Syria receive lifesaving humanitarian aid," Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Guterres said there is a particular need to ensure that Thursday's planned deliveries to the Douma part of eastern Ghouta go through, "as previously agreed with the Syrian authorities."

In the resolution, the council expressed "outrage at the unacceptable violence" in several parts of the country as well as at the "insufficient implementation" of seven of its resolutions regarding Syria dating to 2014.

More heavy fighting

Heavy fighting continued Wednesday in eastern Ghouta, a rebel-held suburb of Syria's capital that government forces have held under siege since 2013. Syrian government forces have pounded the area with airstrikes, killing hundreds of people. The Syrian government's more than two-week assault on the area, one of the last remaining under opposition control near Damascus, has escalated into one of the most intense campaigns since the war began nearly eight years ago.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced Wednesday that the Syrian government's military campaign had effectively cut eastern Ghouta in two, saying a strip of land connecting the northern and southern portions of eastern Ghouta was now within firing range.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, meanwhile, accused Russia in a tweet Wednesday of not being committed to the cease-fire:

Russia's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that Syrian rebels, in addition to civilians, were free to use evacuation corridors to leave eastern Ghouta.

A ministry statement said the fighters could take their guns and their families, but did not specify where they would go.

James Jeffrey, a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq and Turkey and now a distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told VOA that Russia's offer was a continuation of a pattern it has followed since joining the conflict in 2015.

"After much delay and hesitation, it accepts the U.N. resolution for a cease-fire, then it doesn't adhere to the cease-fire, while the Syrians claim, 'We're just fighting terrorists.' Then it does these peace corridors to allow them to come out so that they don't have to go in and do the ground fighting, because the truth is the Syrian-Iranian forces do not have a lot of infantry who are reliable," Jeffrey said.
The teenager accused in the mass shooting at a U.S. high school three weeks ago was indicted Wednesday on 17 counts of premeditated murder and another 17 counts of attempted murder.

Nikolas Cruz, 19, who was expelled from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, last year, could face the death penalty in the case, but the prosecutor in Broward County has not announced whether he plans to seek it. No date has been set for Cruz's arraignment, a court hearing at which he can enter a plea in the case.

Cruz's attorney, Broward County public defender Howard Finkelstein, has said Cruz will plead guilty in the case if the death penalty is removed as an option, possibly sending him to prison for life.

Cruz has been jailed since he was arrested shortly after he allegedly gunned down 14 students and three adults, using an AR-15-style assault weapon to fire dozens of rounds of ammunition.

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos met with some students at the school Wednesday, later telling reporters that arming some teachers at U.S. schools to thwart future mass shootings should be an option but not a requirement. President Donald Trump has offered the same suggestion in response to the shooting, saying that teachers and administrators at schools should be armed only after undergoing extensive training.

But arming teachers is controversial in the U.S., with some education groups and law enforcement agencies opposed to the idea.

The Florida legislature, in the wake of the shooting, is considering several gun-related measures. Among them are bills that would increase the age required for all gun purchases in the state from 18 to 21; impose a three-day waiting period on gun purchases; and allow police to temporarily seize guns from people involuntarily committed to a mental health care facility or deemed by a court to be a danger to themselves or others.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was welcomed to Ethiopia Wednesday on the red carpet by Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu on the first stop on his official visit to Africa, a resource-rich continent that is becoming more closely linked with China on matters such as trade and aid.



Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also visiting Ethiopia Wednesday but there has been no confirmation the two diplomats will meet.



Hours before leaving the U.S. Tuesday, Tillerson said the U.S. is committed to building on a "strong foundation of U.S.-Africa relations" and accused China of "encouraging dependency" in its approach to the continent.



In a speech Tuesday outlining the Trump administration's Africa policy, Tillerson said the United States is "eager" to lower barriers to trade and investment in Africa, whose largest trading partner by far is China.



The secretary of state added the U.S. approach of "incentivizing good governance" contrasts sharply with China, "which encourages dependency, using opaque contracts, predatory loan practices and corrupt deals that mire nations in debt and undercut their sovereignty."



"Chinese investment does have the potential to address Africa's infrastructure gap, but its approach has led to mounting debt and few, if any, jobs in most countries," Tillerson added."When coupled with the political and fiscal pressure, this endangers Africa's natural resources and its long-term economic, political stability."



Representative Chris Smith, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, released a statement that said China's activities and actions on the continent have "propped up kleptocrats and autocrats."



"Although Africa needs sustained investment and engagement from members of the international community, China has been largely a negative actor in the region for some time," Smith said.

The U.S. lawmaker added China "is building military relationships and partnering with one-party states, often to the detriment of good governance, the rule of law, and the African people themselves."



Former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield told VOA on Tuesday that Tillerson is "absolutely correct" on Chinese influence in Africa, but "he did not say what will done to counter balance that influence."



In Ethiopia, for example, total U.S. investment of around $567 million, is dwarfed by Chinese investments, which are more than $15 billion, according to the State Department.



Some experts say Washington and Beijing can both benefit from their work on the continent, even though China is focused on infrastructure and the United States is focused on education and health care.



"The U.S.-Africa versus China dynamics doesn't necessarily have to be, I think, an either/or," said Christina Golubski, an assistant director of Brookings Institution's Africa Growth Initiative.

"The opportunities for engagement from different partners in the continent is quite great," she added.



Counterterror, trade, governance



Tillerson's one-week, five-nation trip that begins late Tuesday will focus on counterterrorism, promoting peace, good governance and trade and investment.



"Our country's security and economic prosperity are linked with Africa's like never before," the top U.S. diplomat said before an audience at George Mason University just outside of Washington.



The trip comes two months after President Donald Trump triggered a wave of controversy when he reportedly referred to some African nations as "shole countries" during an Oval Office meeting on immigration with a bipartisan group of senators.



The African Union, which represents 55 countries on the continent, demanded an apology from Trump.A group of African ambassadors to the United Nations also denounced Trump's remarks, saying they were "outrageous, racist and xenophobic."



After more than a year in office, Trump has not nominated a chief U.S. diplomat for Africa, and embassies in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, South Africa and in five other African countries remain without ambassadors.



Tillerson is also scheduled to meet with top officials in the allied nations of Chad, Djibouti, Kenya and Nigeria, some of which are helping in the battle against rebellions from jihadists linked to al-Qaida and Islamic State.



"To understand where the world is going, one must understand Africa is the future," Tillerson said, noting Africa will be home this year to six of the world's 10 fastest-growing economies and will have one-fourth of the world's workforce by 2030.



Without partnerships to build infrastructure and achieve more economic development, Tillerson warned there will be "new ways for terrorists to exploit the next generation."He said the administration is willing to collaborate with African countries to address the "drivers of conflict" and to build the "institutional law enforcement capacity of African nations."



Tillerson also said U.S. and African leaders "must work to find long-term diplomatic solutions" to regional conflicts "that cause so much human suffering."He announced the United States will give $533 million in additional aid to alleviate famine and other needs caused by conflicts in Ethiopia, the Lake Chad Basin, Somalia and South Sudan.



"Greater stability will attract United States' trade and investment with African nations," he said.
The window for a new NAFTA trade deal before Mexico's July presidential election is closing, and with it, the chances for the ruling party to claim a win in its battle with U.S. President Donald Trump and bolster its bid to retain power.

President Enrique Pena Nieto has devoted considerable energy to trying to counter Trump. The American president took office vowing to rebalance trade at Mexico's expense, blaming the country for many of the United States' problems, threatening to pull out of NAFTA and promising to make Mexico pay for a U.S. border wall.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) underpins the bulk of Mexico's trade, and lobbying of U.S. policymakers by Mexican leaders has helped keep alive talks to rework the 1994 accord longer than some skeptics anticipated.

However, Trump has issued threats against NAFTA throughout, linking the ongoing renegotiation to Mexico paying for the wall, and suggesting the country would not avoid punitive tariffs on steel and aluminum unless a "fair" deal was agreed.

The NAFTA talks have made slow progress since starting in August, with only a few chapters concluded amid resistance from Mexico and Canada to tough U.S. demands aimed at slashing the country's trade deficit with its neighbors.

With the fraught negotiations about to spill into the election campaign, Mexico's ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) has less room to respond vigorously to Trump's provocations than its political rivals.

Enrique Jackson, a PRI lawmaker, said Trump's NAFTA maneuvers played into the hands of the front-runner to succeed Pena Nieto, opposition leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Because he has no responsibility for the negotiation, Lopez Obrador can criticize the government on NAFTA and promise to fix things once he becomes president, Jackson said.

"The fact is we have very knowledgeable, experienced people, but they're up against this capricious, closed and authoritarian stance of Trump," he told Reuters.

"Reason does not prevail when you're looking for someone to pay the cost. And so it's the government that pays the cost. And the government is the PRI," he added.

Lopez Obrador, who has vowed to put Trump "in his place" if elected in July, was ahead of the third-placed PRI candidate Jose Antonio Meade by nearly 20 percentage points, according to a poll by newspaper Reforma published in mid-February.

Meade, a former finance minister with no formal party affiliation, has been weighed down by Pena Nieto's legacy.

A steady stream of scandals have solidified the PRI's reputation for corruption, and Pena Nieto's failure to curb gang violence or meet his economic growth targets have eroded support for the once-dominant party.

Mexican law bars Pena Nieto from seeking re-election. Most polls put Ricardo Anaya, a former leader of the center-right National Action Party (PAN) who heads a right-left coalition, in second place.

Electoral Hurdles

Jorge Buendia, head of polling firm Buendia & Laredo, said if Pena Nieto could strike a deal on NAFTA, it would probably deliver at least a short-term boost to the PRI.

However, the government is more vulnerable to downside risk, he argued.

"People are more sensitive to what they lose than what they gain," Buendia said.

Pena Nieto pitched his presidency on a platform of economic liberalization, earning plaudits from U.S.-based investors.

He and Meade have sought to frame the election as a referendum on those reforms, which ranged from ending a decades-long state oil monopoly to taking steps to loosen billionaire Carlos Slim's hold on the telecommunications market.

Yet Trump's nationalist posturing at Mexico's expense has undercut that message, fanning the appeal of Lopez Obrador's pledge to reduce Mexico's dependence on foreign powers.

Wedded to a liberal economic vision, Pena Nieto has limited scope to hit back against Trump. Mexico depends heavily on U.S. firms for foreign investment, and 80 percent of its exports are sold to its northern neighbor.

With Trump branding NAFTA a U.S.-job-killing "disaster," Mexican officials have been circumspect about the chances of quickly renegotiating the accord.

After the latest round of NAFTA renegotiations, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Monday sought to accelerate the talks, floating the idea of agreeing a deal "in principle" in coming weeks before electoral hurdles move center stage.

Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo offered support, arguing those weeks should be used to narrow differences on the thorniest issues.

However, four participants at the talks consulted by Reuters were skeptical about a quick fix and said the renegotiation could extend into 2019, assuming Trump remained committed.

Guajardo himself said a deal was not dependent on "political calendars" and that the administration would keep negotiating until Pena Nieto's term ends on Nov. 30 if necessary.

Even if a preliminary accord can be reached, Trump will likely continue to attack Mexico in the run-up to the U.S. mid-term elections in November, said Juan Carlos Romero Hicks, a member of the Mexican Senate's foreign relations committee.

"He's got an electorate he's going to cultivate from here to the first Tuesday of November, and it's about fear of Mexico, jobs, and so on," Romero said. "He's a bully. He thinks everything gets done this way, by making threats."
Top economic adviser Gary Cohn is leaving the White House after breaking with President Donald Trump on trade policy, the latest in a string of high-level departures from the West Wing.



Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council, has been the leading internal opponent to Trump's planned tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, working to orchestrate an eleventh-hour effort in recent days to get Trump to reverse course. But Trump resisted those efforts, and reiterated Tuesday he will be imposing tariffs in the coming days.



Cohn's departure comes amid a period of unparalleled tumult in the Trump administration, and aides worry that more staffers may soon head for the doors.



The announcement came hours after Trump denied there was chaos in the White House. Trump maintained that his White House has "tremendous energy," but multiple White House officials said Trump has been urging anxious aides to stay.



"Everyone wants to work in the White House," Trump said during a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven. "They all want a piece of the Oval Office."



In a statement, Cohn said it was his honor to serve in the administration and "enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people."



Trump praised Cohn despite the disagreement on trade, issuing a statement saying Cohn has "served his country with great distinction."



Cohn is a former Goldman Sachs executive who joined the White House after departing the Wall Street firm with a $285 million payout. He played a pivotal role in helping Trump enact a sweeping tax overhaul, coordinating with members of Congress.



Cohn's departure was anticipated, but met with disappointment on Capitol Hill and among the business community.



"I hate to see Gary go," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told The Associated Press. "I think he did a great job."



Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., who is trying to persuade the administration to target the steel and aluminum tariffs as narrowly as possible, acknowledged his side of the argument was increasingly outnumbered in the administration.



"I'm sorry to see him go," Toomey said, calling Cohn "a very important voice in encouraging free trade."



Josh Bolten, the president and CEO of the Business Roundtable, which opposes the coming tariffs, called Cohn's exit "a real loss for President Trump and the American people."

Rocky Tenure



Trump loved to boast about the former executive's wealth, but Cohn's tenure in the White House was rocky. Cohn nearly departed the administration last summer after he was upset by the president's comments about the racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. Cohn, who is Jewish, wrote a letter of resignation but never submitted it.



"Citizens standing up for equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK," Cohn told The Financial Times at the time. "I believe this administration can and must do better in consistently and unequivocally condemning these groups and do everything we can to heal the deep divisions that exist in our communities."



The comments came as Cohn was under consideration to serve as chairman of the Federal Reserve.



Earlier in the administration, Cohn found himself on the losing side of several contentious battles with Trump's more nationalist-minded aides  including then-chief strategist Steve Bannon  on policies including the announcement of plans to pull the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement.



Cohn had also hoped to steer more than $1 trillion into infrastructure investments. But the multiple rollouts by the Trump administration failed to gain traction, often overshadowed by controversial statements made by the president himself.



Cohn often faced ridicule among some inside the White House for being a registered Democrat who last year met with former Republican officials pushing a form of a carbon tax that was designed to reduce the risks from climate change.



Yet his stock improved to the point that he was one of names Trump was floating for chief of staff last month, when it looked like John Kelly was on thin ice.



Cohn told other White House aides in recent weeks that he would have little reason to stay if Trump followed through with his tariff plans, according to a White House official familiar with his views. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.



"I mean it is no secret that he disagreed with Trump on trade and he was opposed to the policy," said Stephen Moore, who served as an economic adviser to Trump's campaign.



The White House did not immediately announce a replacement for Cohn, whose deputy, Jeremy Katz, departed in January. Among those under consideration for Cohn's job are CNBC commentator Larry Kudlow and Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

In a tweet earlier Tuesday, Trump sought to portray himself as the architect of the White House staff changes, writing, "I still have some people that I want to change (always seeking perfection)."



Trump acknowledged he is a tough boss to work for, saying he enjoys watching his closest aides fight over policy. "I like conflict," he said during the press conference.



Cohn was nowhere in sight at the press conference and a seat reserved for him in the East Room was filled by a different aide.



Dating back to the campaign, Trump has frequently and loudly complained about the quality of his staff, eager to fault his aides for any mishaps rather than acknowledge any personal responsibility. But the attacks on his own staff have sharpened in recent weeks, and he has suggested to confidants that he has few people at his side he can count on, according to two people familiar with his thinking but not authorized to publicly discuss private conversations.



Coinciding with the heated debate over tariffs, Trump's communications director Hope Hicks, one of his closest and most devoted aides, announced her resignation last week, leaving a glaring vacancy in the informal cadre of Trump loyalists in the White House.



Turnover after just over a year in office is nothing new, but the Trump administration has churned through staff at a dizzying pace since taking office last January, and allies are worried the situation could descend into a free-fall.



Making matters worse, the list of prospects to replace departing aides grows shorter as the sense of turmoil increases. Vacancies abound throughout the West Wing and the administration at large, from critical roles like staff secretary to more junior positions in the press office.
U.S. President Donald Trump's net worth fell by $400 million last year, down to an estimated $3.1 billion, causing him to plummet 222 places on Forbes magazine's annual list of the world's billionaires, released Tuesday.

Trump slipped from 544th richest in 2017 to 766th in 2018. It is the second consecutive year that Trump's fortune has dwindled.

Trump's slide down the rankings of the world's wealthy comes as a record 35 people have joined Forbes list of billionaires.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was named the richest man in the world, with a fortune of $112 billion, up $39.2 billion from the year before. Rounding out the top three are Microsoft's Bill Gates with $90 billion and investor Warren Buffett with $84 billion.

The richest person in Europe and fourth on the list is the boss of luxury goods firm LVMH, Bernard Arnault, who has a fortune of $72 billion.

The U.S. has the most billionaires by country, with 585, followed by China. California alone has 144 billionaires, more than any country besides the U.S. and China.

Germany has the most of any European country, with 123. India has 119 billionaires, and Russia has 102. Hungary and Zimbabwe made their first appearances on the annual list, with one billionaire each.

Ten Saudi Arabians who usually feature among the top 100, including prominent tech investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, were left off the list, "due to a lack of clarity about what they currently own," Forbes explained, following a recent Saudi government crackdown on corruption within its ranks.

The list featured a record 256 women, led by Walmart heiress Alice Walton, worth $46 billion.

According to Forbes, the 2,208 billionaires who made this year's list together are worth $9.1 trillion, roughly 4 percent of all the money in the world.
Turkey says it will establish camps for 170,000 displaced people in the Idlib province and in Turkish-controlled areas to the east of it ahead of a possible refugee influx from Afrin, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hami Aksoy said in a press conference Tuesday.

The camps will be established in nine different regions. Turkey has been one of the main relocation points for refugees fleeing Syria since war erupted in early 2011. However, Ankaras increasing involvement in the war has worsened the refugee crisis, especially in the north of Syria where Ankara is battling Kurds with the aim of pushing them back to the west of the Euphrates.

Dubbed "Olive Branch", the operation was launched in late January to clear the city of Afrin and the surrounding areas from Kurdish militants of the YPG group. The Afrin operation has largely failed to reach its objectives while it is strongly opposed by the United States, an ally of the Kurdish forces, and the Syrian government, which views the campaign as a violation of its sovereignty.

Aksoy said Turkey, Iran and Russia will hold a trilateral summit in Istanbul in early April aimed at discussing the Syrian crisis. Officials of the three countries will meet in Astana on March 16 for preparatory talks ahead of the summit, he added.

Syrian Refugees in Turkey

Turkey currently hosts Syrians in 21 temporary shelters set up in 10 cities. According to Turkish interior ministrys Bureau of Migration numbers, there are 228,197 Syrians currently living in these shelters. Aside from these, 3,312,451 Syrian citizens, dependent on state benefits and NGO donations, are dispersed throughout different towns and cities.

There is a total of 3,540,648 Syrians currently living in Turkey. 1,621,363 of them are women and 1,919,285 are men. The number of Syrian children 18 and under is 1,614, 601. The number of girls is 769,297.
A federal appeals court in San Francisco on Wednesday refused to dismiss a lawsuit against the U.S. government by 21 young people who say climate change deprives them of their constitutional rights.

The youngsters, between the ages of 10 and 21, sued the Obama administration in 2015. They have carried their case over to the Trump administration, which is seeking to have it tossed out.

The three-judge panel ruled Wednesday that the administration failed to meet what they call the "high bar" under federal law to have the case dismissed.

The group said U.S. administrations as far back as Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s have ignored the dangers caused by carbon emissions and pollution  including climate change  taking away from their constitutional right to life, liberty and the ability to pursue wealth.

U.S. attorneys argue the case could lead to long and complicated litigation and a "constitutional crisis" involving the federal courts and the White House.

Chief Judge Sidney Thomas disagreed. "Litigation burdens are part of our legal system," he wrote. "Claims and remedies often are vastly narrowed as litigation proceeds. We have no reason to assume this case will be any different."

The Justice Department has not yet responded to the appeals court's decision.

An attorney representing the young people called it "very exciting. It will be the first time that climate science and the federal government's role in creating the dangers will go on trial in a U.S. court."
The U.S.-led coalition battling the Islamic State (IS) is asking for a pause in fighting in Northwest Syria where the Turkish government and its allied Syrian militias are fighting Kurdish forces in the town of Afrin.

We call on all parties to take measures to de-escalate violence, avoid endangering civilians, and maintain focus on the fight against Daesh, U.S. Army Col. Thomas Veale, a spokesperson for the coalition told VOA, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

Veale said the call for the cessation of violence is in line with the UN Security Councils vote last week calling for a 30-day break across Syria.

The Coalition will stand by our SDF partners through a U.N.-led peace process in Syria, he added.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is an umbrella organization of several Syrian militias who played a key role in the U.S.-led fight against IS in Syria. Kurdish fighters, known as the Peoples Protection Units or the YPG, are the backbone of the SDF.

We call for international dialogue that reduces regional frictions and restores everyones focus to achieving the lasting defeat of Daesh, which has been and continues to be a significant threat to all our homelands, Veale said.

Operational pause

Veales comments come on the heels of the Pentagons announcement Monday that the Turkish offensive in Afrin has led to an operational pause in eastern Syria where the Kurdish YPG fighters are fighting against IS. It said Kurdish fighters have started shifting attention to northwest Syria to repel the Turkish attacks.

The SDF on Tuesday said it was deploying around 1,700 members from frontlines against IS in the middle Euphrates river valley to Afrin in an effort to defend against the ongoing Turkish offensive in the region.

Today we regretfully make a difficult decision of moving our fighters from the east of the Euphrates and the rural areas of Deir al-Zour, who are stationed in the face of terrorist threats, to the frontlines of Afrin, Abu Omar al-Idlibi, an SDF commander, said in a press conference.

We would not have taken this decision if it was not for the failure of the international community to restrain the Turkish aggression, al-Idlibi added.

The Turkish air and ground operation, code-named Operation Olive Branch, started in January against the YPG. Ankara says the operation is to protect its borders from the group, which has gained control over large swaths of land across northern Syria.

Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organization, alleging the group is an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, which has been fighting for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for decades. The U.S. and EU also consider the PKK a terrorist group.

But the U.S. denies the connections between the PKK and the YPG and considers the YPG to be a key ally in the ongoing campaign against the Islamic State.

U.S stance on Afrin

Washington has repeatedly asked Turkey to show restraint and has warned that the assault on Afrin could hinder the efforts to drive IS completely out of Syria.

Last week, the U.S. State Department asked Turkey to suspend the operation. France and Germany have made similar demands to Ankara.

Those calls have been forcefully rejected by Turkish officials who say the resolution does not apply to their cross-border offensive.

There some people confusing Operation Olive Branch that we have been conducting in Afrin with East Ghouta. It is obvious that the U.N. Councils resolution refers to East Ghouta, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told the Turkish parliament last Thursday.

The U.N. resolution demands all parties to cease hostilities without delay across the country to allow safe, unimpeded and sustained delivery of humanitarian aid and services and medical evacuations of the critically sick and wounded.
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions vowed Wednesday to stop California's resistance to a federal crackdown on immigration enforcement, a day after the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state over its immigrant-related policies.



The move is the latest friction between the federal government and the Democrat-governed west coast state, which has repeatedly attempted to defy the Republican Trump administration and provide a legal buffer between increased enforcement and California's undocumented population - the largest in the nation.



"California is using every power it has  and some it doesn't  to frustrate federal law enforcement. So you can be sure I'm going to use every power I have to stop them," Sessions, the top U.S. law enforcement officer, said.



Speaking in Sacramento to the California Peace Officers' Association, Sessions described California's state laws related to so-called "sanctuary" policies, as a risk to law enforcement officers.

"We are fighting to make your jobs safer and to help you reduce crime in America. We are fighting to have a lawful system of immigration that serves Americans," he said. "And we intend to win this fight."



The lawsuit filed Tuesday says three laws passed in California last year blatantly obstruct federal immigration law and thus violate the U.S. Constitution's supremacy clause, which gives federal law precedence over state laws.



The laws in question prohibit employers from letting immigration agents enter work sites or view employee files without a subpoena or warrant, prohibit local law enforcement from alerting immigration agents when detainees are released from custody and stop local governments from contracting with for-profit companies and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) to hold immigrants.



Sessions has made changes to the U.S. immigration system a priority during the first year of President Donald Trump's administration. Immigrant advocacy groups around the country have protested repeatedly in opposition to the federal government's decisions, which range from ending a program from undocumented youth, to dramatically cutting back the U.S. refugee program, to eliminating the prioritization system put into place by the Obama administration for detaining undocumented immigrants with criminal records.



"The Trump administration has been obsessive in their attack and scape-goating of immigrants," the California-based group Asian Americans Advancing Justice said in a statement released after Sessions' speech. "The Constitution is clear: the federal government cannot commandeer California's resources to carry out deportations."
The Interior Department has opened the door for trophy hunters to again bring back elephant parts from Zimbabwe, even while President Donald Trump calls elephant hunting a "horror show."

With no fanfare, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke issued a letter saying officials will review requests to import elephant parts on a "case-by-case" basis.

The Obama administration banned elephant trophy-hunting imports. The NRA and a group called Safari Club International sued to have the ban overturned.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a partial lifting of the ban in November, saying controlled hunting will help the endangered species survive.

But Trump intervened, tweeting at the time that he cannot see how "this horror show in any way helps the conservation of elephants or any other animal."

The president has often said he is not a fan of trophy hunting. However, it is a favorite hobby of his two sons, Eric and Donald Jr.

Big-game hunters, and even a number of conservationists, say allowing regulated and controlled hunting can raise money for endangered species and encourage local African populations to work toward better wildlife management.
The United States says it will impose new economic sanctions on North Korea for using a lethal chemical nerve agent in last year's assassination of the estranged half-brother of leader Kim Jong Un.

The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday that it has determined that Pyongyang used the banned VX nerve agent to kill Kim Jong Nam on February 13, 2017 as he walked through Kuala Lumpur's International Airport. Two women were caught on airport security cameras spraying a liquid in Kim's face. He died just minutes later.

"This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of North Korea and underscores that we cannot afford to tolerate a North Korean WMD (weapons of mass destruction) program of any kind," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a written statement. The statement did not explain how the department reached its conclusion.

The United States will impose a new set of economic sanctions against Pyongyang for carrying out Kim Jong Un's brother, but they will likely make little, if any, impact as North Korea is already under severe sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Two women, 25-year-old Indonesian Siti Aisyah and 28-year-old Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, are on trial for Kim Jong Nam's murder. The women claim they were tricked by North Korean agents who told them they were taking part in a prank television show.

Kim Jong Nam was estranged from Kim Jong Un. He reportedly fell out of favor with their father, the late Kim Jong Il, in 2001, when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a false passport to visit the Disneyland theme park in Tokyo.

North Korea is believed to have a large stockpile of chemical weapons. A leaked United Nations report says Pyongyang has supplied forces under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with chemical weapons equipment and expertise.
A former president of Bolivia and his one-time defense minister went on trial Tuesday in connection with a lawsuit filed by family members who they say their relatives were indiscriminately shot by the military in a heavy-handed attempt to quell civil unrest in 2003.



The federal case against former President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, and his former defense minister, Jose Carlos Sanchez Berzain, has been pending since 2007. It was brought by families of eight people shot and killed under the Torture Victim Protection Act, which authorizes lawsuits in the U.S. for extrajudicial killings in foreign countries.



The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the two men, who have lived in the U.S. since fleeing Bolivia in 2003. Leftist Evo Morales, who was behind many of those protests, mainly by indigenous Aymara Bolivians like himself, became president later that year and remains so today.



In their opening statements to the jury, attorneys for both sides gave competing versions of events in the fall of 2003, when a series of sometimes-violent protests in Bolivia over use of the country's vast natural gas reserves came to a head. Protesters blockaded many towns and cities, including the capital La Paz, and confrontations between police and protesters frequently turned violent.



Joseph Sorkin, attorney for the Bolivian families, said he would show over the next several weeks of trial that Sanchez de Lozada and Sanchez Berzain were responsible for the deaths by authorizing the military to move in and halt protests by any means necessary. He said unarmed civilians were shot down in the streets and people killed inside their homes, including an 8-year-old girl.



"What I'm talking about is the indiscriminate shooting of fleeing people. At windows of homes. At anything that moved," Sorkin said. "While neither of the defendants pulled the triggers, they are responsible."



But Ana Reyes, who represents the two former Bolivian officials, said the civilian deaths, while tragic, were more a product of crossfire than deliberate killings by soldiers. She said an investigation into the deaths determined that the military's response was "proportionate and measured."



"The evidence is going to show that there was no plan to kill people. There was a crisis and the government had to respond," Reyes told jurors.



Reyes contended that the real blame lay with Morales and fellow protest organizer Felipe Quiste, rather than the former president and defense minister, because their real aim was to overthrow the government.



"The men responsible for that tragedy are not in the courthouse today," she said.



Family members of the eight victims are expected to testify, as are Sanchez de Lozada and Sanchez Berzain, their lawyers said.



Sorkin said the family members are relieved to finally get their day in court. An estimated 50 people were killed in the confrontations between the Bolivian military and protesters or civilians in September and October 2003.



"They are honored to be here," he said.
Turkish and U.S. officials are scheduled to meet Thursday to resolve unprecedented bilateral tensions between the NATO allies.

The talks are part of a series of meetings to address differences between the countries. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned the outcome of the talks would determine the future of bilateral relations.

The talks are part of a process formed after last month's U.S. diplomatic efforts, as bilateral relations hit a crisis point.

The establishment of the mechanism to at least speak about the disputes, if not to solve them immediately, is a step in the right direction, said international relations lecturer Soli Ozel of Istanbuls Kadir Has University. Hopefully, the two sides will manage to speak the same language.

Thursday's meeting is expected to focus on one main point of contention  U.S. support of the Syrian Kurdish militia, the YPG, in its fight against Islamic State. Ankara accused the militia of being terrorists linked to a decades-long insurgency inside Turkey.

Amicable settlement sought

Experts warned that Thursdays talks were complicated by Washington's various stances toward the YPG.

Whereas the State Department is more cognizant of the damage that this relationship does to the overall Turkey-U.S. relationship, this is going to be as much a negotiation between Turkey and the U.S. as really an interagency negotiation within the U.S. administration, said Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar with Carnegie Europe.

Ulgen said Ankara is looking to U.S. President Donald Trump to find a resolution to the conflict.

"There is an expectation that the U.S. president, through the National Security Council, will impress upon the need to find an amicable settlement that would satisfy Turkey, Ulgen said.



Turkish diplomatic and presidential sources blame the Pentagon for bilateral tensions and believe Trump offers the best chance of resolving ongoing differences.

Turkeys ongoing military operation in Syria's Afrin enclave against the YPG Kurdish militia is further aggravating bilateral tensions. Washington opposes the offensive, called Operation Olive Branch, warning it would undermine the war against IS.

Those fears appeared well-founded this week, with the U.S. confirming ground operations against the jihadists had been temporarily suspended. On Tuesday, the Syrian Defense Forces, the umbrella organization under which the YPG fights, announced it was sending 1,700 of its fighters to Afrin. Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway, a Pentagon spokesman, acknowledged some SDF fighters abandoning operations against IS.

Ankara turned up the pressure on the U.S. Department of Defense Wednesday, stating, "It is particularly expected [by Turkey] that the U.S. must certainly step in and halt the shifting of YPG/PYD forces, which moves under its control in [the city of] Manbij to Afrin, said Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin.

Incompatible interests?

Thursdays talks in Washington are expected to focus on Turkeys ongoing offensive. Ankara has warned that the next target of Operation Olive Branch is the Syrian City of Manbij, where U.S. forces are deployed with the YPG militia. Turkish ministers have warned that U.S. forces could be targeted if they remained deployed with the YPG.

I believe there can be a deal to position some sort of liaison office of the Turkish armed forces in Manbij and further de-conflict the situation by extracting YPG elements out of Manbij, said former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen, who served in Iraq and Washington.



For now, the YPG has ruled out any withdrawal from Manbij, while Ankara is demanding Washington cut all ties with the Kurdish militia.

The U.S. will never abandon the Kurds, said international relations professor Huseyin Bagci of Ankaras Middle East Technical University. They are simply too important for their interests in the region. That is something Ankara has to understand.

Thursday's talks are just the start of the process, with further meetings scheduled for later in March and April aimed at addressing the myriad of differences between the countries.

These meetings may be rolling the can down the road, but there are some very serious issues needing to be resolved. You cannot forever deflect those or delay them forever, Ozel said. "My sense [is] the most fundamental problem is that Turkish interests in the Middle East and American interests in the Middle East are not the same. Are they totally incompatible? I am not sure.
The Vatican on Tuesday signaled its concern over the results of Italy's national election, which saw sharp gains for populist and anti-immigrant parties.

The biggest winners were the League  the largest party in a center-right grouping that employed the most fiery anti-migrant rhetoric during the campaign  and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State, was asked on the sidelines of a conference on immigration if the Holy See was worried about the results.

"The Holy See has to work in whatever conditions arise. We can't (always) have the society that we would like to have, or the conditions that we would like to have," he told the Catholic news agency SIR.

It was the Vatican's first public reaction to the results and its most authoritative because Parolin, its top diplomat, ranks second only to Pope Francis in the Holy See's hierarchy.

During the campaign, League leader Matteo Salvini clashed with the pope several times over immigration.

When Francis backed a proposed law that would have granted Italian citizenship to children born in Italy of immigrant parents  something the League vehemently opposed  Salvini said Francis could house the children in the Vatican if he wanted to.

Political squabbling blocked discussion of the law before parliament was dissolved ahead of the elections.

Salvini also criticized the pope for promoting dialogue with Islam. Many of the Africans who made the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean to reach Italy are Muslim.

Parolin said at the conference that the Vatican realized that the election results meant it would have to continue "a work of education" about the dignity and rights of immigrants.

Surveys show Italians are increasingly uneasy after more than 600,000 migrants reached Italy by boat in four years. Last month, a neo-Nazi wounded six migrants in a shooting spree in central Italy.

"Citizens must feel safe and protected but at the same time we can't slam doors in the faces of people who are fleeing violence and threats," Parolin said.

The pope, who was born in Argentina of Italian immigrant stock, has championed the cause of migrants since taking office in 2013.

Last year he called for a radical change of attitude towards immigrants, saying they should be welcomed with dignity and denouncing the "populist rhetoric" he said was fueling fear and selfishness in rich countries.

The center-right has vowed to deport hundreds of thousands of migrants if they are able to form a government. 5-Star has also vowed to step up deportations of illegal immigrants.
The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

A suicide attack Wednesday in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province killed at least three people, including Abdul Zahir Haqqani, the provincial director of religious affairs and Haj pilgrimage department. Haqqani was a blunt critic of the Taliban and Islamic State militants.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke says his agency should be a partner with oil and gas companies that seek to drill on public land and that long regulatory reviews with an uncertain outcome are un-American.

Speaking Tuesday to a major energy-industry conference, Zinke described the Trump administrations efforts to increase offshore drilling, reduce regulations, and streamline inspections of oil and gas operators.

Interior should not be in the business of being an adversary. We should be in the business of being a partner, Zinke said to a receptive audience that included leaders of energy companies and oil-producing countries.

Shorten permit process

Zinke said the government should shorten the permitting process for energy infrastructure  it shouldn't take longer than two years.

If you ask an investor to continuously put money on a project that is uncertain because the permit process has too much uncertainty, ambiguity, (it) is quite frankly un-American, he said.

The Interior Department manages 500,000 million acres  one-fifth of the U.S. land mass  as well as the lease of offshore areas for oil drilling. One-fifth of U.S. oil production takes place on land or water that the Interior Department leases to private energy companies.

Environmentalists accuse Zinke and the administration of undercutting environmental rules to help oil, gas and coal companies.

Alex Taurel, a legislative official with the League of Conservation Voters, said Tuesday that Zinke thinks our public lands are nothing more than an ATM for his industry friends. If anything is un-American, its this administrations persistent attacks on Americas public lands.

In January, the Trump administration proposed to open up nearly all coastal areas to oil drilling, although Florida was dropped after the Republican governor and lawmakers objected, citing risk to the states tourism business.

States have leverage

As he has before, Zinke defended the plan, which faces fierce opposition from governors and lawmakers along the entire West Coast and much of the East Coast.

Zinke said he would listen to local objections, and he noted that states have leverage if they oppose drilling in federal water off their coastlines  they would have to approve pipelines and terminals to handle the oil.

You can't bring energy ashore unless you go through state water, he said.

Zinke said the United States wont exhaust its resource of fossil fuels in our lifetime, but that cleaner-burning natural gas will take on a bigger role.

Trump 'a delightful boss'

The Trump administration, he said, is pro-energy across the board, and he tried to dismiss an environmental disadvantage to burning fuels that emit carbon linked to climate change. All fuels, he said, have consequences.

When solar facilities are built on public land, people cant hunt or pursue other recreation there, he said, and wind turbines probably chop up as many as 750,000 birds a year.

Zinke acknowledged, however, that certainly oil and gas and coal have a consequence on carbon.

Zinke began his comments with a shout-out to his boss, President Donald Trump, calling him a delightful boss, before explaining Trumps goal of encouraging U.S. energy dominance. He has frequently criticized former President Barack Obama.

U.S. oil production surged during Obamas tenure and has kept growing, recently surpassing 10 million barrels a day, thanks to increasing output from shale formations in Texas, North Dakota and elsewhere.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are giving Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology $30 million to help improve the literacy skills of elementary school students across the nation.

The Reach Every Reader program will combine scientific research with methods of tracking and predicting students' reading abilities to develop a web-based screening tool to identify kindergartners at high risk of reading difficulties.

MIT President Rafael Reif said struggling to read can be a crushing blow with lifelong consequences and when millions of children struggle, it's a crisis for our society.

Chan called the five-year effort a unique combination of cutting-edge education and neuroscience research.

Zuckerberg created Facebook while a Harvard student but dropped out. Chan graduated from the Ivy League school in 2007.
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe will join other countries in banning imports of processed meat products from South Africa after a deadly listeria outbreak there, Zimbabwes ministry of health said in a statement on Tuesday.

South Africa on Monday said cold meat products were to blame for delays in tracing the cause of the worlds worst listeria outbreak, which has killed 180 people in the past year.

South Africa said on Monday producers of cold meat products were to blame for delays in tracing the cause of the worlds worst listeria outbreak, which has killed 180 people in the past year.

As shoppers queued up to return processed meat items and demand refunds, shares in the biggest food firm in Africas most industrialised economy, Tiger Brands, tumbled because of its link to the outbreak that has spread since January 2017.

The government, which has been criticised for taking too long to find the cause, had on Sunday linked the outbreak to a meat product known as polony made by Tigers Enterprise Food.

It also said it was investigating a plant owned by RCL Foods that makes a similar product, whose shares also slid on Monday before recovering.

RECALL OF COLD MEATS

Both companies, which say they are cooperating with the authorities, suspended processed meat production at their plants after health authorities ordered a recall of cold meats associated with the outbreak from outlets at home and abroad.

The U.N. World Health Organization called the outbreak the largest ever recorded globally, after 948 cases were reported since January 2017. Listeria causes flu-like symptoms, nausea, diarrhoea and infection of the blood stream and brain.

South Africas Health Ministry said the source was found after pre-school children fell ill from eating polony products traced to processed meat producers.

The meat processing industry was not cooperating for months. They did not bring the samples as requested. We had long suspected that listeria can be found in these products, the ministrys communications director, Popo Maja, told Reuters.

It is not that we are incompetent, or that we have inadequate resources, Maja said when asked why it had taken more than a year to find the cause of listeria.

PROCESSED MEAT INDUSTRY

He said all firms in the industry were being examined.

South Africas processed meat market grew about 8 percent in 2017 to a retail value of $412 million, according to Euromonitor International. Tiger Brands has a 35.7 percent market share, followed by Eskort Bacon Co-Operative with 21.8 percent. Rhodes Food, RCL Foods and Astral Foods each have less than 5 percent.

Tiger Brands, Eskort, RCL Foods, Rhodes and Astral said they had complied with all requests from the health authorities.

Lawrence McDougall, the CEO of Tiger Brands, said there was no direct link between the deaths and its cold meat products. We are unaware of any direct link, he told a media briefing.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi had said on Sunday the outbreak had been traced to a Tiger Brands factory in the northern city of Polokwane.

The authorities are also examining a second Tiger Brands factory and have not said when they could conclude tests on RCL Foods, which has a plant under investigation.

Rhodes said it produced processed canned meat, different from the cold processed meat made by rivals. Astral said it produced fresh and frozen chicken, not polonies and items linked to the outbreak. Both those firms said their products were safe.

Fast food chain owner Famous Brands said it was recalling ready-to-eat meat products from its retail outlets.

CLEANING FRENZY

The minister told South Africans not to consume any ready-to-eat processed meat due to the risk of cross-contamination.

The announcement prompted a frenzied clearing and cleaning of the shelves by local supermarkets chains Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Spar and Woolworths, which also urged consumers to return the meats for refunds.

Neighbouring states acted swiftly. Zambia banned imports of South African processed meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruit. Mozambique and Namibia halted imports of the processed meat items and Botswana said it was recalling them. Malawi stepped up screening of South African food imports.

Shares in Tiger Brands sank as much as 13 percent, before recouping some losses to close 7.4 percent lower at 393.38 rand. RCL Foods fell more than 6 percent but later recovered to trade down just 0.5 percent at 17.11 rand.

Dozens of customers lined up outside a Tiger Brands outlet with bags of cold meat products and demanding their money back.

INVENTORY WRITE OFFS

I lost trust with Enterprise. Ill be scared even if they say this problem is solved. I would rather go back to peanut butter and jam, said call centre agent Tshepo Makhura, 37.

Deline Smith, a 57-year-old housewife with three full bags, said: I hope my grandchildren are going to be okay because we gave them food over the weekend from these parcels.

Analysts said profits at the two firms were unlikely to be hit hard. Standard Bank analyst Sumil Seeraj estimated the recall would cut operating profit at Tiger Brands value added foods division by 6 percent at most.

The big hit is going to come with inventory write-offs because they are recalling all these products. Thats most likely where they will lose because the inventory write-off will affect operating profit from that division, Seeraj said.

The Enterprise unit of Tiger Brands had a very strong brand in meat, he said, adding: In the short term consumers will switch to other forms of protein.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
But the narrator also has an idiosyncratic story to tell of mother, father, first love, vinyl records  life going on. The wonder of the performance is how Strain, who has been offstage for four years getting a graduate degree and starting a career in psychology, plays this character while also building a keen rapport with the audience. Confessional stand-up comedians sometimes muster this, but its a rarer experience in theater. Under Jason Loewiths direction, Strain works the crowd and guides the gentle participation (you may be given a line to read). Its a very live event. But its also a subtle piece of acting.
The local students compiled a list of demands, which originally called for stricter gun-control legislation, including the passage of a red flag law allowing judges to temporarily order gun owners to surrender firearms if they are deemed a danger to themselves or others. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has endorsed the creation of such a law. The students had also called for a ban on detachable magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
Dr. Landrum, a District resident, was born in Overton, Tex. He was a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria and later became president of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington. In the late 1960s, he founded The Teachers Inc., a predecessor of Teach for America. He helped start Youth Service of America in 1986 and, later, Youth Service International. After his retirement in 1998, he traveled widely and won awards for his photography.
Todays Headlines

The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning.

Email address

By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
The question is no longer whether there is a blue wave coming, but rather, how high the storm surge will get, said Rachel Bitecofer, assistant director of the Wason Center. This enthusiasm gap in favor of Democrats suggests several House seats currently held by Republicans could be in play.
23 migrants feared dead in Mediterranean: Twenty-one migrants were missing and probably drowned after a rubber dinghy and a wooden boat set off from Libya for Italy and had to be rescued, the International Organization for Migration said. The 21 were among 51 people on the boat, and two dead infants reportedly were discovered on it, bringing the likely death toll to 23, an IOM spokesman said at a United Nations briefing in Geneva. All 132 people on the dinghy were rescued, he said.
Unfortunately, tariffs are not the only problem. Our entire economy is rife with cronyism, resulting in regulations and subsidies that are destroying competition, opportunity and innovation. Koch Industries benefits from many of these, as do many established companies, but we consistently work to eliminate them. We only support policies that are based on equality under the law and that help people improve their lives. This is why we successfully lobbied to end direct ethanol subsidies, despite being one of the largest ethanol producers in the United States. It is why we fought against the inclusion of a border adjustment tax in the tax-reform package, even though it would have greatly increased our profits by increasing costs to consumers.
For nearly three years, Republican lawmakers have stood with Trump, offering only isolated protest, through all manner of outrage. Disparaging Mexican immigrants. Videotaped boasts about sexually assaulting women. Alleging that his predecessor put a wiretap on him. Falsely claiming massive voter fraud. Racism directed at a federal judge. The firing of James B. Comey. Talk of women bleeding. A payoff to a porn actress over an alleged affair. A defense of white supremacists in Charlottesville. Support for Senate candidate Roy Moore despite allegations of child molestation. The guilty pleas of Michael Flynn, George Papadopoulos and Rick Gates and the indictment of Paul Manafort. The botched travel ban and bungled repeal of Obamacare. Insulting Britain and other allies. Attacks on the FBI and judiciary and attempts to fire the attorney general. Talk of African shithole countries. Questions about his mental stability. The lethargic hurricane response in Puerto Rico. The stream of staff firings and resignations and personal and ethical scandals, most recently Tuesdays finding that Kellyanne Conway twice violated the Hatch Act.
The crux of Putins argument is that Russia was ignored during its years of weakness and is only taken seriously now because it looks threatening. Putin recounted that before he took power, the military equipment of the Russian army was becoming obsolete, and the armed forces were in a sorry state. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, he said, the nation had lost 23.8 percent of its territory, 48.5 percent of its population, 41 percent of its gross domestic product and 44.6 percent of its military capability.
The D.C. Council said it plans to hold a hearing on this matter, but Ms. Bowser said she doesnt plan to testify because its likely to be a political circus and she believes the inspector general, with whom she and her administration are cooperating, is better positioned to get to the bottom of things. With the mayors credibility under challenge in an election year, the inspector general should report to the public as expeditiously as possible. Key to that effort will be hearing from former deputy mayor Jennifer C. Niles, who also was forced to resign for her role in facilitating the transfer and who has declined to comment on the events. We urge the inspector general to give this matter top priority because the longer questions linger, the harder it will be to focus attention on the crucial work of school improvement.
The letter from Goodlatte and Gowdy adds further intensity to the pressure from many House Republicans to have a special counsel investigate whether Justice and the FBI acted properly in a series of decisions related to both Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections and the federal probe of former secretary of state Hillary Clintons use of a private email server. The committees chaired by Goodlatte and Gowdy launched a joint investigation into some of these questions late last year over the objections of several Democrats, who see the effort as an attempt to discredit the law enforcement agencies tasked with determining whether President Trump benefited from Russian interference in the 2016 election.
He has zeroed in on cars as one area of unfair competition, complaining that E.U. tariffs for U.S.-made cars are 10 percent, whereas the United States imposes tariffs of 2.5 percent on cars imported from Europe. European officials say that targeting their carmakers ignores the plants that Mercedes, BMW and others have set up in the United States.
We are aware of the departure of some SDF forces from the Middle Euphrates River Valley and continue to point out the potential costs of any distraction from the defeat-ISIS fight, Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway, a U.S. military spokesman, said in an emailed statement. The Coalition will achieve its goals, but the increased complexity of the situation in Syria can result in operations taking longer. U.S. support for the SDF will continue as long as they remain focused on the defeat-ISIS fight, Rankine-Galloway added. Any military efforts outside those specifically focused on defeating ISIS do not, and will not, receive coalition support.
Nader  and the Seychelles meeting  are of interest to Muellers team as it examines whether any foreign money or assistance fueled the Trump campaign, and how Trump officials during the transition and early days of the administration communicated with foreign officials. One person described Nader as an important witness in Muellers efforts  one who has spoken repeatedly to investigators since his arrival in the United States.
Sheriffs do not wish to act as immigration police, nor are they, and we protect EVERYONE in our communities regardless of immigration status, Brown said. That said, we need to continue to cooperate with our law enforcement partners  especially as it relates to the release of offenders from our jails  to ensure that those who victimize our communities are not given unnecessary opportunities to do more harm.
Kushner has been a key point of contact between Trumps inner circle and the Mexican government since the campaign. Back then, Videgaray, who was Mexicos finance minister, coordinated with Kushner to arrange a visit by Trump to Mexico City in August 2016. That trip turned into a political debacle for Pena Nieto; Mexicans were outraged that their leader would invite a candidate who had expressed such vitriol toward Mexicans on the campaign trail. In the backlash, Videgaray lost his job, but once Trump won the election, Videgaray was recruited back into the fold as foreign minister, in part because of his link with Kushner.
Art Exhibit by Retired WSU Zoology Professor at Stewart Library

March 7, 2018

.OGDEN, Utah  Forty years of wildlife and landscape photos taken by Sam Zeveloff, a recently retired zoology professor at Weber State University, is now on display in the Stewart Library.

A reception for the exhibit will be held March 13 at 4 p.m. in the Stewart Library Hetzel-Hoellein Room 321.

Wildlife and Landscapes is presented by WSU Friends of Stewart Library. The exhibit features images Zeveloff has taken during his travels across the globe, including Madagascar, Fiji and Utah.

I have always been deeply intrigued by natures incredible and profound beauty, Zeveloff said. My hope is that those viewing these photographs will be moved to conserve the places and species that inspire them.

The public is welcome to tour the free exhibit seven days a week during varying library hours. For more information about the exhibit, call 801-626-6509. Accompanying education material is available. For more information about the Stewart Library, visit library.weber.edu.

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
Bruce Graham knows what its like to be the only white guy on the bus  the only middle-age white guy among young black men and women on their way to visit friends and relatives incarcerated at Rikers Island prison in New York City.

In a recent chat, the noted Philadelphia playwright said he used that experience to create what is being called by critics as a play with guts  a morality tale combined with social commentary, as well as a well-crafted mystery.

Through March 18, Grahams play, White Guy on the Bus, is playing at the Square One Theatre Companys venue at Stratford Academy. In an email chat, artistic director Tom Holehan said he chose to produce the play for several reasons, including the authors track record.

Square One has always relied on the off-Broadway scene for diverse and small-scale theater selections that challenge, educate and entertain. We found Bruce Grahams The Outgoing Tide there and produced it two seasons ago to great success.

His White Guy on the Bus was in a celebrated production last season off-Broadway and, after reading it, my first response was that it scared me ... and I think thats a good thing. We dont want to always rely on the tried and true at Square One and (his play) is as timely as a twitter feed from the White House.

It will be ... a challenge for audiences to watch, but no one will leave the theater without an opinion. If race is a conversation that needs to be had in this country, WGOTB is a prime conversation starter and Mr. Graham is a relevant voice on the topic, Holehan said.

Holehan also announced that Square One is partnering with Stratford Citizens Addressing Racial Equity, known as CARE, whose members will facilitate talk backs with the actors and audience following matinees on Saturdays, March 10 and 17.

The theater describes the plot thus: On a city bus, Shatique, a struggling African-American nurse and single mom, meets Ray, a 50-something white man, who makes a point of always sitting next to her and inquiring about her family and her hopes for the future. After learning that he has a Mercedes, she wonders (just as the audience does) why he even rides this damn bus so often.

The answer is part of what makes Grahams complex and even brilliant play so very intriguing. Things take an unexpected sinister turn when he shows up on her tenement doorstep with a dangerous proposal. When key plot points (one has to see it to believe it) are revealed, every cynical retort, frustration-fueled rant and defensive comeback relates to the storys twists and turns.

More Information Stratford Academy, 719 Birdseye St. Through March 18. Performances Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. $20, $19 seniors and students. 203-375-8778, squareonetheatre.com See More Collapse

Graham said the idea for the drama came a few years ago, after reading a news story about transportation outfits offering needed (and cheap) regular-but-often-unlicensed van and bus service to prisons across state lines or to out-of-the-way locations. Curious about the concept and eager to see how it worked, he decided to use the service from Philadelphia to Rikers Island in Manhattan and back. Thats where the similarities end because the white guy in his drama has a heart set on revenge.

Graham, who also is a professional actor and university lecturer, began his career as a playwright at the Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays in 1984 with Burkie, and subsequently became the playwright-in-residence at PFT, where he later served for two years as its artistic director.
WESTPORT  No one was home when a residential garage caught fire Friday afternoon, Westport fire officials said.

There was a dog in the house at the time, but a neighbor managed to get it out, according to Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Gootman.

Shortly after 12 p.m. Friday, several fire units were dispatched to a residence on Canal Street after the fire department received several calls reporting a structure fire.

One of the first fire engines on scene found that Canal Road was covered in about one foot of water. The fire personnel also reported heavy smoke coming from the house, Gootman said.

Crews found the garage on fire and stretched two fire attack hoses, Gootman said. It was determined that no occupants had been home at the time of the fire and that a dog had been removed by a neighbor.

The Fire Marshals Office responded to the seen and an investigating is ongoing, Gootman said.

Westport firefighters wree assisted by the Norwalk Fire Department, Westport Police Department and Westport Emergency Medical Services.

Fairfield and Weston fire departments sent fire engines to Westports fire headquarters to help cover other calls in town during the extinguishment of the Canal Street fire.
Contributed Photo / Stratford Fire Department / Contributed Photo

STRATFORD  The Silver Alert was canceled for a missing town man when he was found in upstate New York on Wednesday, police said.

Police said he was found safe and well around 5 p.m. Wednesday. The alert was issued earlier Wednesday morning.
Kind and caring Breda was always thinking of others
The restaurant business is known for its volatility, but Hys has been around long enough to cycle from modern to retro to retro-modern. The upscale steakhouse started out in Calgary in 1955 and opened its Winnipeg outpost in 1958, making this its 60th year in town.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/3/2018 (1292 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

The restaurant business is known for its volatility, but Hys has been around long enough to cycle from modern to retro to retro-modern. The upscale steakhouse started out in Calgary in 1955 and opened its Winnipeg outpost in 1958, making this its 60th year in town.

Checking in on this venerable downtown institution, we decided to channel the spirit of 1958 and order up a classic steakhouse dinner. By this I mean a total Mad-Men-season-one kind of meal, with lots of red meat, butterfat, liquor and tableside service. (We skipped the cigars.)

It was a treat.

Almost as soon as we walk through the tall doors into the restaurants swanky, soothing atmosphere, I am seized by an atavistic craving for a retro drink. I order up a Sidecar, while my friend tries a Champagne cocktail. (Our server assures us the bartenders can whip up anything not listed.)

Icy and zippy, my Sidecar shares a characteristic common to old-time cocktails: It goes down very smoothly  possibly too smoothly  but packs a wallop.

Prawn cocktail

In keeping with our mission to dine 1950s-style, we start off with a jumbo prawn cocktail. Over a dish of crushed ice, four meaty prawns are served with a traditional cocktail sauce, the bite of horseradish cutting the slight ketchuppy sweetness.

To get a taste of the restaurants famous tableside service, we order a Caesar salad, which is made right in front of us in a big, well-seasoned wooden bowl. Our server begins by separating an egg into yolk and white with unostentatious flair. (Unlike Roger Sterling in Mad Men, I do not request a second egg.) The whole process  which involves much whisking and squeezing and tossing  is fancy, of course, but it also ensures the freshness thats so crucial to a good Caesar.

The finished product, which can be generously shared between two people, is a perfect example of a very traditional Caesar: the taste of anchovies, garlic, lemon and cheese carefully balanced, the dressing creamy but not soggy, the croutons crisp but not dry.

My friend splashes out on the beef filet with lobster. The lobster tail is brought in the shell, but then deftly extricated by the waiter and served with charred lemon and clarified butter kept warm over its very own little flame. (Nice touch, that.) The filet is cooked just to the requested rare and served with piped whipped potatoes, lovely and light but not hot enough, a rare mistake.

Steak Diane makes for more table-side theatre  this time with fire!  as small medallions of beef tenderloin are seared and then finished with lashings of cream, a smidge of Dijon and some sauteed mushrooms, the whole pan then doused with brandy and dramatically set alight.

Filet mignon and lobster

Along with the irresistible 21 Club-vibe involved in its making, the dish itself  so wonderfully too much  has loads of mid-century charm. It is accompanied by potatoes and green beans, the latter served absolutely straight-up  nothing beyond salt and a bit of butter  but nicely cooked to tender-crispness.

Just for the hell of it, we also order creamed spinach, as an homage to an age when vegetables were regularly subdued with cream. This shareable dish is richly comforting.

Maxing out the possibilities for table-side service, we request bananas foster to finish. This involves bananas enveloped in a caramel sauce cooked up right on the spot and flambeed with rum for a simple, but rather elegant, dessert. We also try the Belgian bourbon chocolate cake, which turns out to be not a classic layer cake, but a flourless  or nearly flourless  cake, creamy and dark, one of the best in the city.

As these two desserts suggest, you can choose to go classic or contemporary at Hys. Though staunchly rooted in its 1950s origins, Hys has also moved with the times. This blend of the traditional and the modern is perhaps best exemplified in the drinks menu, which includes many retro libations  Mai Tai, anyone?  but comes to the table on a high-tech tablet. With a few clicks, you can see the whole backstory on your cocktail.

Moving through the food menu, you can get old-school oysters Rockefeller or new-school "black and blue" ahi tuna with wasabi mustard. You can order up beef Wellington or beef tenderloin carpaccio.

Key lime pie

Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Hys is extravagantly expensive, that needs to be said. Mains hover around the $50-$70 range with a few edging into the three-digit bracket, and a la carte additions rack up with alarming speed. For that hefty price, the restaurant offers very good food, consistent attention to detail and, of course, that soothing supper-club ambience.

I do love hipster restaurants, packed with crowds and buzzing with noise, all exposed pipes and cool industrial surfaces. But there is something reassuring in an occasional dip into the kind of luxe restaurant environment that has become increasingly rare. Hys, in its newer location in the Richardson Building  where it moved from the original Kennedy Street site in 2005  offers plushly comfortable seating and lighting that is neither too bright nor too dark, but glowing, gleaming, flattering.

The room is quiet, except for some atmospheric music. The white linens are heavy and the flatware is substantial, including the absolute biggest steak knives I have ever seen. (They look like wilderness survival tools.)

The waiters  all men when we were there  dress in grey uniform jackets. Several are veterans with decades of experience, and their proficiency shows in the unobtrusive and professional service (used plates and forks removed with quiet alacrity, crumbs brushed off between courses, even a napkin discreetly draped over a corner of the table to cover a drip of cocktail sauce).

The restaurant business is often driven by the lure of the new and novel. Hys understands the enduring appeal of the tried and true.

alison.gillmor@freepress.mb.ca
Securities commissions across the country are doing double duty these days in their oversight efforts to prevent fraud in the cryptocurrency business.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/3/2018 (1292 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Securities commissions across the country are doing double duty these days in their oversight efforts to prevent fraud in the cryptocurrency business.

"Its like a never-ending process of whack-a-mole," said Jason Roy, senior investigator with the Manitoba Securities Commission (MSC).

This week, the MSC publicly flagged a company that had posted ads on social media sites targeting Manitoba investors for an enterprise that was allegedly raising money through a process called an initial coin offering (ICO).

Working in conjunction with other Canadian securities commissions, the MSC found that the company, called Bitcoin Bank, did not actually inhabit the address it listed on its website and that the photos of the people purported to be the companys "team" were photos of people that have appeared on other websites.

In addition, the MSC is warning investors about the scheme because of its unreasonable claims of regular returns on investment and the evidence that those who encourage others to invest will be rewarded, which is the hallmark of a Ponzi scheme.

ICOs are an unregulated means by which funds are raised for new cryptocurrency ventures. They have become a booming business as interest in cryptocurrencies has exploded during the past couple of years.

If compared to an initial public offering, where participants buy shares in a company, initial coin offerings sell "tokens" that represent either a portion of a new cryptocurrency being created or a way to raise money for a new project, for which a special currency is needed.

While there are many serious arguments defending the usefulness of cryptocurrency, perhaps  as with everything else about cryptocurrency  the most attractive thing about ICOs for the promoters is that they are unregulated.

Roy said securities regulators get involved with an ICO because it is a process where an entity is trying to raise money by selling something that is considered a security.

The entirety of the cryptocurrency market is not necessarily always a concern to regulators, but it is posing challenges.

"From an investigative or public-protection standpoint, (it) is very concerning. There are lots and lots of scams popping up every day," Roy said.

"There have been reports that half of all ICOs that were created in 2017 have already failed. It is very, very high risk."

Roy added that there are some legitimate ICOs and some legitimate companies looking at the technology and trying to be innovative. But he said investors have to be be very careful.

The significant volatility in the market is something that is of particular concern when it comes to protecting the investor public. That is why, he said, when the Bitcoin Bank website makes the claim that "our algorithms diversify the investments to eradicate risks," it raises red flags.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Roy said "its just not true" that risk can ever be "eradicated."

This past year, Roy led a task force of Canadian regulators that effectively banned the marketing of binary options in Canada.

But unlike binary options  which Roy said proved to be frauds in about 99 per cent of the cases  security regulators have a more challenging task when it comes to the role the regulators might play in initial coin offerings.

In some countries, regulators have already come down hard. In the fall of 2017, China banned initial coin offerings outright and ordered funds that had been raised to be returned to investors.

There has been movement in Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere advocating that ICOs should at least be regulated by securities commissions.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
With construction season fast approaching, Red River College needs to resolve its impasse with Ottawa over the timing of completing a new downtown Innovation Centre soon, says the Winnipeg college's president and chief executive officer.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/3/2018 (1292 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With construction season fast approaching, Red River College needs to resolve its impasse with Ottawa over the timing of completing a new downtown Innovation Centre soon, says the Winnipeg college's president and chief executive officer.

Paul Vogt said in an interview late Tuesday the matter must be solved within days, not weeks or months.

"We anticipate that the bulk of construction for the foundation and the frame will take place this summer and fall, so the tenders have to get out now so we can select the subtrades to do that," he said.

Vogt said he thinks the college's decision -- first reported by the Free Press -- to suspend work on the $95-million centre has opened up a line of communication with the federal Innovation Science and Economic Development Department, which last year committed close to $41 million to the project.

Red River is financing the rest of the cost and has launched a fundraising drive.

Ottawa was given a few days advance warning of the project's suspension before news of it became public. "I think they realized we'd come to a pretty critical decision point," the RRC head said.

Ottawa wants the 100,000-square-foot centre to be completed by Nov. 30 of this year. It was one of the largest projects approved following the launch of a post-secondary institutions investment fund in April 2016.

The original deadline for completion of projects funded under the program was to be this April. However, after lobbying from across the country, the feds agreed to move the deadline date to November.

The problem for Red River is its project was one of the last to receive approval. Ottawa didn't sign off until June 2017. That left a 17-month window to design and build the centre -- an impossible task in RRC's view.

A complicating factor is the new centre incorporates the shell of a heritage building on Elgin Avenue.

"The key decision rests with Ottawa. And I can say that we're in touch with senior officials in (Innovation) Minister (Navdeep) Bains' department and in the PMO (prime minister's office)," Vogt said. "We still don't have a resolution but... the discussions have felt positive to me. They've been asking the right directions."

Vogt said Manitoba's lone federal cabinet minister, Jim Carr, has been raising the issue in Ottawa.

"I think he's given us hope that the federal government will see the importance of this project," Vogt said of Carr, who has declined to be interviewed on the subject for two consecutive days.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The Manitoba government has not contributed any money to the project, but it has agreed to guarantee RRC's loan of up to $54 million.

Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart said the impasse was "a troubling development" on an important project.

"Im actively calling government ministers and MPs to understand what has changed here," the provincial minister said in a statement. "Everyone had a good sense of what the timelines were when the federal government announced support for the project back on April 27, 2017, and that some adjustment under this program would be required."

Vogt said he thinks Ottawa was aware when the deal was finally sealed last summer the Nov. 30 deadline would be impossible to meet. But he said the feds have clung to that requirement -- perhaps fearing demands for extensions from project proponents across the country.

The Innovation Centre, when completed, is expected to attract more than 1,200 students and staff to RRC's downtown campus. It has strong support from the Winnipeg business community and is seen as a key pillar underpinning the growing downtown hub of tech and start-up enterprises known as Innovation Alley.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
Heavy precipitation and flooding in southern Manitoba in recent years are not part of a weather cycle, but are here to stay, according to the most complete study to date on how climate change will impact water in Western Canada and the North.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/3/2018 (1292 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Heavy precipitation and flooding in southern Manitoba in recent years are not part of a weather cycle, but are here to stay, according to the most complete study to date on how climate change will impact water in Western Canada and the North.

"It used to be you might expect one big flood in a lifetime. If you go back to 2005, youve had repeated flooding in Manitoba on different rivers, and not just in Manitoba, but eastern Saskatchewan, and 2005 and 2013 floods in Alberta, too," said John Pomeroy, a hydrologist with the University of Saskatchewan. "Were seeing strong evidence from our modelling that long-term wetting will be the general trend. Manitoba and the eastern Prairies need to be prepared for that.

Canadian Press Files A warning sign is almost completly submerged by flood waters of the Red River near Winnipeg's downtown skyline in 1997. Heavy precipitation and flooding in southern Manitoba in recent years is here to stay, according to a recent study.

"This is not something we just get through short-term."

An indication of those rains is that snowfall, which made up one-third of Manitobas precipitation in the 1940s, now makes up only 20 per cent, the study found.

"Humidity is pumping up more frequently from the Gulf of Mexico. Thats the source of these rainstorms" that contributed to flooding in Calgary in 2013 and the Assiniboine River in 2014, Pomeroy said.

Pomeroy was part of a five-year study led by the U of S that formed a Changing Cold Regions Network with researchers from across Canada, including atmospheric scientist Ron Stewart and geographer John Hanesiak from the University of Manitoba. The study is unique in that it focuses on water issues, but also because it uses the best climate modelling to date to predict future weather.

"Were interested in looking at storms. You cant get those accurately out of previous climate models," Pomeroy said.

The study forecasts big precipitation events will continue. Greater precipitation will fall in three seasons; only summers will be drier, as well as hotter, and produce more severe droughts.

However, summers will also have bigger outbursts when it does rain.

A documentary on the research program, called The Changing Climate and Environment of Western Canada, was to premiere Tuesday night at the Roxy Theatre in Saskatoon.

A big factor in the Assiniboine River floods in 2011 and 2014 was the atmospheric circulation over North America, the report found.

"We looked at whether the functions of the atmosphere will change in the future and, generally, its painting a picture where flooding events will be more common," Stewart said.

Atmospheric forces have changed, he said. Historically, upper-level winds over Manitoba blew west-to-east and scattered moisture from the south into Ontario.

That didnt happen in the Assiniboine Basin in 2011 and 2014. Instead, those winds died and the calm allowed moist air to sit over southern Manitoba and produce large rain storms.

The weather models also predict an increase in thunderstorms, shorter winters and wetter snow.

Some of the study findings include:

 In the past five years, the four Western provinces have experienced the most extreme floods and droughts in recorded history.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

 Overnight lows in winter have gone up by 8 C since the 1960s in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and 4 C to 5 C in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. "Thats definitely attributable to greenhouse gases. Think how often we used to plug in our cars 30 years ago. Today, not as much," Pomeroy said.

 Across Western Canada, winters have been as much as two months shorter since the 1970s.

 Greater warming and more moisture occurring in the north is causing rapid thawing of permafrost and longer, rainier summers.

Hydrologists in the study also looked at drainage patterns and how natural drainage has been altered for residential and agricultural purposes. Water that used to be captured in natural hollows provided by potholes and sloughs now runs straight into creeks and streams and contributes to flooding, researchers said.

Pomeroy said the forecasts should be used by communities to defend against a wetter future in three seasons, and hotter and drier summers.

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca
Work will start soon on developing a $10-million access road to allow construction crews to build the $540-million Lake St. Martin and Lake Manitoba outlet channels, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler declared Tuesday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/3/2018 (1292 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Work will start soon on developing a $10-million access road to allow construction crews to build the $540-million Lake St. Martin and Lake Manitoba outlet channels, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler declared Tuesday.

Best-case scenario, all the work will be done by 2025, Schuler told a news conference.

The massive flood-management project would first build a new channel to Lake St. Martin from Lake Manitoba, and then on to Lake Winnipeg, Schuler said.

"This has been discussed for more than 50 years," the minister said. During the former NDP government, he said.

"In the 17 years I sat in Opposition, this is one of the projects talked about."

Schuler said he expected most of the road construction to happen in 2019, with much of the work being done by Indigenous hires. However, "we do not have an estimate of how many jobs this will create."

During the news conference at the riverbank at The Forks, Schuler pointed nearby to pillars, which showed the levels of flood water at its peak in 1826, then somewhat lower in 1872 and 1997 and finally down some more in 1950.

"That would be 25 to 30 feet higher than where we stand now," Schuler said, to emphasize the importance of flood management for Manitoba.

"Weve learned over the last 10 years that doing it is very expensive. Theres an added urgency," because Manitoba has never before seen the current levels of water coming down the Assiniboine from Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Dakotas, the minister said.

"We cant allow that much water to come down the Assiniboine RIver or it will flood Winnipeg. (The project) is about diverting water from the Assiniboine River to Lake Manitoba, and not flooding everyone around Lake Manitoba."

The unprecedented flooding levels in 2011 caused widespread devastation to Lake St. Martin First Nation and other Indigenous communities, as well as destruction and damage to cottages and the shoreline.

Schuler said the channels project still awaits final agreement from Ottawa on sharing the initial $500-million cost, there are also still some environmental issues to be addressed and some consultation with Indigenous communities is still outstanding.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The province would cover any costs beyond the shared $500 million, he said.

Liberal infrastructure critic Jon Gerrard welcomed the update on the project, but also expressed some reservations on the process.

"There remain important issues to be clarified, including the estimated cost for the access roads, the channels and their control structures and the associated bridges and highway changes. Also missing (are) the critical rules for the operation of the control structures  which need to be made public quickly so that people can assess the impact the structures will have on Lake Manitoba, Lake St. Martin and Lake Winnipeg," Gerrard said.

The NDP critic for Indigenous and northern relations also played down Tuesdays announcement.

"Were no further ahead on this access road than we were when Pallister announced that construction would be starting in 2017. Its now 2018, and the government has made no progress to date. If theyre committed to the project, we expect to see them put dollars on the table in next weeks budget," Amanda Lathlin said.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
You know your career is ending when everyone is nice to you.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/3/2018 (1292 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

You know your career is ending when everyone is nice to you.

On Wednesday, former NDP premier and longtime MLA Greg Selinger bid farewell to the Manitoba legislature, a building where he had been a prominent fixture for almost 19 years.

"We can make this place better," Selinger told the house, between standing ovations.

He quietly left the Winnipeg landmark for the final time as an elected official, after Tory Premier Brian Pallister and NDP Leader Wab Kinew wrapped him in a star blanket.

Selinger, 67, resigned his seat as the NDP member for St. Boniface with a brief speech in the house in English and French, thanking his family for their support and thanking legislature staff and the civil service for working for Manitobans.

There was none of the acrimony that accompanied the NDP's plummet to electoral defeat two years ago under Selinger's watch or, just last month, being ordered to quit by Kinew, whom Selinger had supported as leader despite widespread criticism of Kinew's past.

"Megwetch, Greg," Kinew told the house.

Kinew said when his father died in 2012, Selinger came to the memorial and spoke. In 2011, when Kinew was a CBC reporter, he said the then-premier set an example.

"Everywhere I covered the flooding, where people were in need, where people were in danger, the premier was there. He was the leader our province needed."

Pallister said it was a rare honour for a premier to be able to honour a former premier. Public service involves both the best and worst of times, and it's only natural for the two leaders to have disagreed over issues, he said.

Selinger's loyalty was not always reciprocated, Pallister noted. He singled out Selinger's government for its work to improve francophone services, and for enabling so many new Manitobans to come to the province under its nominee program -- though Pallister could not resist pointing out previous Progressive Conservative premier Gary Filmon started the program.

Selinger's family shared the personal toll politics takes, Pallister said. "They will enjoy getting to know their husband and father a little better."

In one final media scrum, Selinger said it wasn't the day to talk about what befell him and the NDP (which was in power from October 1999 to May 2016), or to divulge what he thinks of the government led by Pallister.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Premier Brian Pallister and NDP leader Wab Kinew present Greg Selinger with a star blanket on his last day at the Legislature in Winnipeg.

"I'm not in that business  yet," said Selinger, quickly noting he has no current career plans and is in no rush to take up any of the offers coming in.

Looking back at the inner turmoil in 2014 that led to his government's downfall, Selinger would only say it was his primary responsibility to stay focused on the people of Manitoba.

"You acknowledge, with gratitude, the chance to serve the people of the province," he said. "Most important is to move forward to make things better."

First and foremost, responsible government must respond to its people's needs, he said.

The former University of Manitoba social work professor and former Winnipeg city councillor won the St. Boniface seat in 1999, and was immediately named finance minister. He became premier in 2009. In all, Selinger won the St. Boniface seat -- handily -- five times.

However, Selinger and the NDP ran into major trouble when he backpedalled on a 2011 campaign promise and raised the PST to eight per cent from seven per cent.

That fuelled open rebellion by the so-called Gang of Five, dissident cabinet ministers who tried unsuccessfully to talk Selinger into resigning. He refused, and barely held onto his leadership in a subsequent race.

Selinger has shown up in the house on a regular basis since the disastrous April 19, 2016, election ended with the New Democrats plummeting to 14 seats from 35. He has posed questions as francophone affairs critic, but has steadfastly refused to discuss the past.

Last month, Kinew demanded Selinger resign as MLA, after several women accused former NDP cabinet minister Stan Struthers of sexual misconduct during the time Selinger and Gary Doer served as premier.

The NDP has, so far, not recognized his service to the party. At the annual general meeting in 2017, members were adjourning when former MP Cyril Keeper spontaneously called for a standing ovation for Selinger. MLA (and Gang of Five member) Andrew Swan pointedly stayed in his seat.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

At last September's party leadership convention, won by Kinew, there was no mention of Selinger.

When Doer resigned his seat in 2009, to become Canadian ambassador to the United States, he was lauded and feted with speeches.

Filmon resigned his seat at a news conference in 2000, the year after losing power to the NDP.

The premier prior to Filmon never got the chance for a farewell  Howard Pawley's NDP government fell on a confidence vote, and Pawley chose not to run for re-election.

Pallister has until Sept. 8 to call a byelection in St. Boniface.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Manitoba school divisions are readying to roll out radon screenings, after free testing kits became available last month on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/3/2018 (1292 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba school divisions are readying to roll out radon screenings, after free testing kits became available last month on a first-come, first-served basis.

Darren Thomas, risk manager for the Manitoba School Boards Association, said about five minutes after he emailed a memo to all the provinces school divisions, saying there were six kits up for grabs, they were all gone.

The association then bought four more kits, at about $200 apiece, to shorten the wait list.

Radon is a colourless, odourless gas arising from the decaying of radium and is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to CAREX Canada, a research program monitoring carcinogen exposure across the country. The gas is present in Manitoban soil, and can enter buildings through ground floors.

Children are most susceptible to radon exposure, which can lead to lung cancer later in life.

Some provinces, such as Quebec, have implemented mandatory screening tests in schools and daycares, Thomas said. Manitoba has no such rules.

According to a CAREX survey (published in a November 2017 report), Manitoba was among the provinces with the lowest instances of radon testing.

At least 76 of 940 schools in the province were tested, while 831 schools testing status was unknown, the research project said. Another 33 schools had not been tested for radon, though 18 of those had expressed interest.

"When the CAREX summary came out, there was obviously some need for improvement. And I took it upon my office to say, OK, lets get some testers out there and lets get these answers," Thomas said.

The last round of radon testing in Manitoba schools happened in partnership with the federal government between 2009 and 2011  but those results were lost, according to Thomas.

"The information that we had was not available. And I thought, You know what, lets just start fresh on this so that we control the information and we know the problem areas for all the school divisions. And this (info) will be kept in-house, so we can reference this," he said.

The results of the screenings will not be made public unless the school divisions wish to make them so, he said.

Two schools  one in Winnipeg and one in the Westman area  previously tested over recommended guidelines, though Thomas wouldnt say which ones. Both were "remediated" and brought up to code with fans and new systems put in place to improve air flow.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Thomas said he doesnt think the province needs to legislate mandatory screening tests for radon, adding school divisions are handling the issue appropriately.

"From our past testing, we didnt really have an urgency to move on (mandatory testing). Its always a good idea to do the testing, but we didnt find results that were out of line (or) that were scaring us," he said, adding future testing will likely be done at each school every two years.

Winnipegs Pembina Trails School Division has the Manitoba School Boards Association memo included in its school board meeting agenda for Thursday. The division is currently in the second of a three-year radon testing plan, according to Supt. Ted Fransen.

"In 2011, we participated in a proactive research project with the University of Manitoba to test for radon gas in our schools with basement-level classrooms," Fransen said Tuesday by email.

"The final results revealed that the levels in all our buildings were below Health Canada requirements."

jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @_jessbu
Considerable attention has been paid since last week to the Federal Budget 2018 and its emphasis on women in leadership in the Canadian economy. It includes a pledge to subject all future government programs to a gender analysis before implementation. This is good news for women and good news for science in Canada.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/3/2018 (1292 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Considerable attention has been paid since last week to the Federal Budget 2018 and its emphasis on women in leadership in the Canadian economy. It includes a pledge to subject all future government programs to a gender analysis before implementation. This is good news for women and good news for science in Canada.

The opportunity to hire young faculty with new ideas at Canadian universities has been dependent, to a great extent, on the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program for almost 20 years. The program funds exceptional researchers by supporting both salary and research costs for their projects and state-of-the-art equipment for laboratories and field stations.

The majority of the chairs so far have been awarded in the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), areas in which women researchers are few. While women earn as many undergraduate degrees as men, Statistics Canada data indicates two-thirds of these are in non-STEM fields.

In 2010, the government of Canada launched a new level of funding to attract the best and brightest senior researchers to Canada from around the world. When the Canada Research Excellence Chair awardees were announced, there were 19 men and zero women. When you look at the nominees for these prestigious chairs, the story is even more stark: 36 men and zero women.

Clearly, we have a problem.

In response to this alarming situation, the Council of Canadian Academies undertook a review of the situation facing women in university research. Our report in 2012 documented the loss of women from research careers at each step of the ladder. While many roads lead out of research careers, there are few avenues for re-entry. The report identified the opportunity the CRC programs afford to support women researchers in the very critical early career years, as well as the potential to increase support for women researchers in the areas in which their numbers historically are higher, including the social sciences, humanities, education and health sciences.

Particularly painful to note at that time is that the number of women researchers who were Indigenous was too small to be included in the data analysis. In the intervening years, recommendations from the Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission have included the need to recognize the importance of post-secondary institutions  primarily colleges and universities  in establishing right relations between settler and Indigenous communities. We have much work to do.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

In a similar vein, Canadas Fundamental Science Review, prepared by David Naylor in 2017, drew attention to the vital need to focus the CRC program on early-career researchers and to increase both the number of women and the diversity of the research community to reflect our Canadian population.

Science Minister Kirsty Duncan has been a strong advocate for STEM and the need to support fundamental research and researchers. To get science right again in Canada is to support researchers with adequate funds and access to cutting-edge technologies, especially in the early-career years. Budget 2018 and its demonstrable commitment to women in leadership, including in STEM, is a breath of fresh air. The budget promises up to 250 new CRC positions for early-career researchers. The opportunity is real to write a better script.

It is now incumbent upon universities and colleges to recruit and support early-career researchers who reflect the communities they serve  more diverse, and with a greater proportion of women. We in the research community must respect the new questions they will ask and honour the research approaches they will forge; not limit them to the narrow paths of the past.

We must not be afraid to move beyond traditional academic silos and acknowledge that interdisciplinary projects offer the best hope for social and economic outcomes that will benefit all of us. We need all of the intellectual and creative power we can muster to tackle our many challenges as we seek to create healthy communities and economic prosperity for all.

Feb. 11 was the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a UNESCO initiative to celebrate the girls and women who love science and research. Finding Lego sets that include women scientists should not be a futile quest. For all our daughters and our sons, we can do better.

Janice Dodd is a professor in physiology and pathophysiology and womens and gender studies at the University of Manitoba.
The federal government recently announced its plan to improve the National Energy Board. The language of the announcement is all sunny ways, promising to be all things to all stakeholders. But the promises are incompatible.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/3/2018 (1292 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

The federal government recently announced its plan to "improve" the National Energy Board. The language of the announcement is all "sunny ways," promising to be all things to all stakeholders. But the promises are incompatible.

The announcement says the new approval process for major energy projects will be rigorous and science-based, but also based on Indigenous traditional knowledge. It says it will be faster and easier for developers, even as it vastly widens the scope of reviews, including new requirements to include "gender-based analysis." Its intended to cut red tape for resource development, even as it asks the public to suggest ways to expand the list of projects requiring review.

In short, the announcement promises a leaner, more efficient approvals process and a denser, more complex review system. Its a safe prediction that only one of these promises will be fulfilled.

Our informal motto at the Fraser Institute is: "If it matters, measure it." Were all for the empirical, measurable and meaningful analysis of proposed activities. To the extent the government is serious about transparent, science-based decisions, its all to the good.

However, the governments announcement injects a large number of subjective criteria into project analysis, including such intangibles as the social impact of a proposed investment, its gender implications and climate impacts. The announcement repeatedly invokes science, as in science-based decision-making, but undermines that intention by calling for evaluation of unmeasurable things. The category of "effects on Indigenous people," for example, is so ill-defined as to be meaningless in a scientific context, as are gender-based impacts of proposed activities.

A related problem is the implied invitation for busybodies to flood the system with new demands and obstructionist tactics. While we are not fans of having small numbers of remote bureaucrats making arbitrary decisions, neither is it wise to open the evaluative process to anyone and everyone who wants to participate, regardless of their stake in the project.

Does a person living 1,500 kilometres away from a stretch of pipeline really deserve an equal voice to those who will be locally impacted by the decision?

Should distant provinces (that may be seeking competitive advantage) really have comparable input to a decision-making process as a province that will be directly affected by the outcome?

Giving distant (and self-interested) interest groups and provincial governments a greater voice before a national energy regulator (in Ottawa) can only lead to more delays and more of the kind of blatant provincial rent-seeking and virtue-signalling we are seeing in the great Alberta/British Columbia pipeline war.

The announcement reflects admirable intentions to provide a one-stop approach for reviews. While we like the idea of defined-timeline, single-process regulation, those organizational characteristics are only beneficial if one presumes the regulators intention is to seek out tangible economic and other benefits for the people being regulated.

Implementing a one-stop, centralized regulator with a fixed timeline has little to do with whether that regulator is likely to approve projects or use federal authority to see them to completion. To the extent that the announced reforms actually reduce local decision-making, increase the subjectivity of evaluation criteria, dilute the voice of the most directly impacted and increase the number of hoops an investor needs to jump through, concentrating control in fewer hands may actually make the system less responsive and beneficial.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Ultimately, its hard to tell if the government really wants new resource investment.

The announcement refers to $500 billion in proposed projects over the next decade almost like a threat needing to be headed off with "better" rules and more formidable standards.

The announcement sounds a few encouraging notes about improving the efficiency of the approvals process, but those hopes are more than drowned out by signals that the new system will be even more difficult and costly to navigate than before.

No one doubts the governments commitment to setting high social and environmental standards. What is doubtful is its commitment to ensuring resource development actually occurs.

Kenneth Green is senior director of natural resource studies at the Fraser Institute. Ross McKitrick is a senior fellow with the institute and a professor at the University of Guelph.

 Troy Media
Amid the unrelenting campaign by the Democrats and the mediabacked by powerful sections of the US military and intelligence apparatusto whip up hysteria over alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US election, scant attention has been paid to the blatant meddling of US imperialism itself in the electoral processes of the countries south of the Rio Grande.

Involved in these operations are not a few tens of thousands of dollars in Facebook advertisements, alleged activities of social media bots and supposed fake news, but rather support for bloody repression, the systematic impoverishment of entire populations and preparations for military coups and outright US military intervention.

A principal case in point is Washingtons attempt to sabotage the upcoming presidential election in Venezuela, which had been scheduled for next month, but has now been pushed back until May 20 following negotiations between the government of President Nicolas Maduro and opposition parties.

Of course, none of this is new. US imperialism has rigged elections, funded candidates and parties and overthrown presidents it did not likeincluding Arbenz in Guatemala in 1954, Goulart in Brazil in 1964 and Allende in Chile in 1973for over a century.

These methods are no means merely a regrettable legacy from some distant past. In Venezuela, the US is backing right-wing political figures who participated in the abortive 2002 coup against the late President Hugo Chavez, while openly appealing for a new military coup and threatening direct US intervention to topple his successor, Maduro.

Washington has denounced the Venezuelan election as a sham and illegitimate before it has even taken place. Despite the fact that the terms of the vote originally scheduled for April 22 were negotiated between the government and elements of the oppositionincluding the presence of UN election monitorsthe Trump administration is treating it as a political crime that must be stopped at all costs.

Administration officials have told both Reuters and McClatchy news agencies that the White House, the National Security Council, the State Department and Treasury Department are all involved in active discussions on the imposition of sanctions on Venezuelas oil industry that could lead the countrys already crisis-ridden economy to completely collapse.

Under consideration are not only a full-scale embargo on all Venezuelan oil shipments to the USwhich constitutes a third of the countrys marketbut also a ban on the sale of all US oil-related products to Venezuela and blocking insurance coverage for oil tankers moving Venezuelan oil.

The latter two measures could prove as crippling as an outright import ban, as the Venezuelan oil industry depends on the importation of US lighter crude oil and refined products to mix with its heavy crude to prepare it for export. And, without insurance, the country cannot ship its oil through international waters.

The message is we will continue to ratchet up the pressure until the Maduro regime is removed and democracy is restored to Venezuela, a senior administration official told McClatchy.

The strategy is clear. Venezuelas economy must be brought to such a state of collapse that the military is induced to overthrow the government. Thus, the removal of an elected president, by means of starving the population and employing military forceeither Venezuelan or USconstitutes for Washington the restoration of democracy.

Why is the Venezuelan election illegitimate? Apparently because it was boycotted by the MUD right-wing opposition coalition, which cited the early date selected for the vote, a date that had been agreed upon in negotiations between opposition figures and the government. The pushing back of the date by a month to placate the opposition has made no difference as far as the MUD leadership is concerned.

One prominent MUD official, Henri Falcon, the governor of the state of Lara, has decided to run against Maduro and agreed to the revised date for the election. In retaliation, the MUD leadership expelled him from the opposition coalition last week.

The MUD boycott is backed by Washington. The coalition does not want to participate in the election because it is likely to lose. While Maduros popular approval rating stands at roughly 25 percenton a par with the deeply unpopular presidents Temer and Santos in neighboring Brazil and Colombiathe right-wing opposition is even more despised by masses of Venezuelans.

Both the ruling PSUV (United Socialist Party of Venezuela) and the MUD are bourgeois parties, representing rival factions of Venezuelas financial and corporate elites. Maduros government has its principal pillar in the Venezuelan military and enjoys the backing of the so-called boliburguesia, a layer of corrupt officials and capitalists who have fattened off of financial speculation and government contracts.

While the limited social assistance programs associated with the rule of Chavez and Maduro have become increasingly hollowed out, as unemployment and prices rise, the MUD has proven incapable of harnessing popular anger among working people, who see the opposition coalition as the political instrument of the countrys traditional ruling oligarchy.

Washington is backing a boycott not only out of fear that the Venezuelan right cannot be counted on to defeat Maduro at the ballot box, but because it wants a far more sweeping change in the country than can be achieved in an election.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the former CEO of ExxonMobil, which once exercised a monopoly over the exploitation of Venezuelan oil, expressed US preferences on the eve of his Latin American trip staged last month to drum up support for Maduros ouster. In the history of Venezuela and South American countries, it is often times that the military is the agent of change when things are so bad, and the leadership can no longer serve the people, he told an audience at the University of Texas.

In the same address, Tillerson declared that the Monroe Doctrine is as relevant today as it was the day it was written.

This nearly 200-year-old canon of US foreign policy supposedly endowed Washington with the right to use force in preventing outside powers from establishing a foothold in the Western Hemisphere.

Initially invoked as a US policy of opposing any attempt by European empires to re-colonize newly independent countries in Latin America, it was turned into a declaration of a US sphere of influence and became the rationale for some 50 direct US military interventions along with a series of CIA-backed coups that imposed fascist-military dictatorships over much of the region in the second half of the 20th century.

The doctrine is once again being invokedsome four and a half years after being publicly repudiated by Tillersons predecessor John Kerryto counter the rising influence of both China and Russia in a region long regarded by US imperialism as its own backyard.

Chinas recently bid to extend its One Belt, One Road initiative to Latin America, with Beijings promise to the region of $500 billion in trade credits along with $250 billion in Chinese direct investment over the next decade. This, together with Russias increased involvement, particularly in Venezuela, with the funneling of some $6 billion into the state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela in return for oil and petroleum assets, are seen by the US as a strategic threat.

Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee last month, the head of Southcom, which oversees US military operations in Latin America, described the growing influence of China and Russia as his commands most significant concern. While stating that the challenge posed in the region was not yet a military one, there is no doubt that US imperialism is preparing, just as elsewhere in the world, to counter the decline of its economic dominance by military means.

Venezuela is the foremost target of this military strategy because of its strategic petroleum reserves, estimated to be the largest of any country in the world. Washington is determined to restore its unfettered dominance over these resourcesand deny them to China and Russiasomething that can be achieved not by means of an election, but only through a military overthrow or intervention, the overturning of constitutional restrictions on foreign exploitation of Venezuelan oil and the savage repression of opposition within the population.

As always, the New York Times editorial board is operating in lockstep with the Pentagon and the CIA in the machinations of US imperialism in Latin America.

In its Sunday magazine section, the newspaper published a cover story dedicated to the extreme right-wing Venezuelan politician Leopoldo Lopez under the headline Can Venezuela Be Saved?

Casting Lopez as the embattled countrys Messiah says more about the real intentions of US imperialism than the man himself. The scion of one of Venezuelas most aristocratic families, tracing its lineage back to the liberator-turned-dictator Bolivar, and with ministers in virtually every government since, Lopez is a representative of the most extreme right-wing political forces in the country.

He was arrested and sentenced to house arrest for his role in organizing a violent campaign in 2014 known as La Salida, or the exit, aimed at overthrowing the Maduro government in which 43 people lost their lives.

As a youth, he was reportedly influenced by the semi-fascist Catholic organization Tradition Family and Property. The graduate of an exclusive US prep school and Kenyon College in Ohio, Lopez went on to attend Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government, an institution known for recruiting and grooming assets of the CIA and US imperialism all over the world.

His only elected office was that of mayor of Chacao, the center of the wealthy elite in the city of Caracas.

In 2002, Lopez was a direct participant in the abortive coup against Chavez, participating in the illegal detention of the minister of interior and justice and playing a key role in organizing a violent assault on the Cuban Embassy

In its obscenely hagiographic piece, the Times compares this extreme right-wing oligarch to Martin Luther King Jr., claiming that the slain American civil rights leaders Letter From Birmingham Jail is one of his principal inspirations.

After weeks of speaking with the right-wing politician, the author of the Times article, Will S. Hylton, declared it jarring to hear him declare his totally unsurprising support for a military coup as a viable transition to democracy.

Hylton writes, incredibly: On the spectrum of American politics, he would probably land in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

There is, however, a grain of truth in this political characterization. Lopez and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party are in the same trench together with the Trump administration and its principal architect of Latin American policy, Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, when it comes to Venezuela.

Last week, a group of 11 Democratic Senators introduced a resolution in the Senate that denounces as illegitimate any presidential election in Venezuela that fails to meet the standards demanded by Washington.

There could be no more naked foreign meddling in another countrys elections, reducing the unsubstantiated allegations against Russia to insignificance by comparison. Among the signatories is the self-described socialist and independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

The working class in the US must reject this kind of interventionism and its accompanying political hypocrisy with contempt. It is up to the working class of Venezuela to sweep away Maduro and the corrupt capitalist elements he represents, not the US military and intelligence apparatus.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus five-day trip to the US has been dominated by a growing drumbeat for war against Iran, a regional struggle that would eclipse the immense carnage wrought by the past 15 years of uninterrupted US military intervention in the Middle East.

Netanyahus meeting with US President Donald Trump Monday was followed Tuesday by his appearance before the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the principal US Zionist lobby, in Washington. There, he proclaimed before a cheering audience that Iran, Iran and Iran was the main topic of the meeting.

The Israeli prime minister spoke in apocalyptic terms of Irans growing influence in the Middle East, declaring darkness is descending on our region and pointing to a map in which countries that he alleged Iran was dominating were painted black.

Iran is building an aggressive empire: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Gaza, Yemen, more to come, he continued.

He went on to praise Trump for adopting a policy of provocation and aggression against Iran, declaring that his administration will not accept Irans aggression in the region and will never accept a nuclear-armed Iran.

Netanyahu said that Trump has also made it clear that if the fatal flaws of the nuclear deal are not fixed he will walk away from the deal and restore sanctions.

Trump must sign a waiver in May to prevent the reimposition of US sanctions that were lifted as part of the nuclear agreement reached between Tehran and the major world powers in 2015, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The administration has issued an ultimatum to its erstwhile European alliesBritain, Germany and Francethat unless they join with Washington in imposing a rewritten nuclear accord on Tehran, including provisions that the Iranian government cannot and will not accept, the US will proceed unilaterally in carrying out punitive economic measures that pave the way to war.

The sharp divisions between the US and Europe over the nuclear accord were made clear during a trip to Tehran Monday by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who stressed to the Iranian leadership that he was no emissary of Donald Trump. A spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry told the media, We want to preserve the nuclear deal because it is working, its robust and because the Iranians are respecting it.

The European powers view the drive by US imperialism and Israel to forge an anti-Iranian bloc with the reactionary Sunni Persian Gulf oil monarchies with increasing concern. Major European corporations, including the French oil conglomerate Total, have signed billions of dollars worth of deals with Tehran, while Europe stands to face the brunt of the blowback from a major new Middle East war.

Speaking at the AIPAC conference on Monday night, Vice President Mike Pence reiterated Trumps ultimatum, stating that unless the Iran nuclear deal is fixed in the coming months, the United States of America will withdraw from the Iran deal immediately.

Pence adopted an even more hysterical tone over Irans alleged regional ambitions, declaring that with the collapse of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, we must be vigilant to prevent others from taking its place.

Iran hopes to recreate the Persian Empire under the modern dictatorship of the ayatollahs, he charged. As we speak, that regime seeks to carve out a corridor of influence running through Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, creating an unbroken passage for its armies and ideology.

As Trump and Netanyahu were meeting, the Washington Post revealed that the Trump White House, the National Security Council and the Pentagon have begun drawing up plans for a major new US military assault on the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The talks last week reportedly included Trump, his Chief of Staff Gen. John F. Kelly, national security adviser Gen. H.R. McMaster and Defense Secretary Gen. Jim Mattis.

While the attack would be launched on the pretext of responding to completely unsubstantiated allegations of Syrian government use of chlorine gas bombs in its military campaign against Al Qaeda-linked militias in the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta, the main purpose of a fresh US military intervention would be to counter Iranian and Russian influence in the country, raising the risk of a far wider and potentially world catastrophic armed confrontation.

According to the Post account, there were sharp divisions among the generals who form the core of the Trump administration, with McMaster strongly in favor of an attack, and Mattis adamantly against it.

The US has at least 2,000 US troops on the ground in Syria. Their supposed campaign against ISIS has turned into a drive to militarily carve out a US-controlled sphere of control in the countrys northeast on the borders of Turkey and Iraq in order to provide a base of operations for continuing the war for regime change against Assad and preparing for confrontation with Iran.

Even as Netanyahu flew to Washington, his former spokesman and senior aide Nir Hefetz reached a deal with prosecutors to testify against him and provide tapes of both Netanyahu and his wife Sara implicating them in the bribery and corruption charges brought by prosecutors.

For his part Trump has suffered a series of resignations of top aides as he faces an unrelenting campaign by the Democrats, the media and the intelligence agencies over alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, which is increasingly aimed at crippling his administration and, if possible, forcing him from office.

The domestic political crises faced by both US and Israeli leaders only serves to accelerate their drive to war.

In his remarks to APEC, Netanyahu made it clear that the Trump White House, having announced last year its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and its decision to transfer the US embassy to the disputed city, gave an unequivocal green light to the ever-expanding Zionist settlements in the West Bank and to Israels move toward outright annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory.

Stressing that he and Trump spent more than half of their meeting discussing Iran, Netanyahu allowed that the rest of the time was devoted to Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, with the Palestinians as an afterthought.

The evacuation of the settlements didnt come up at all in the talks, he boasted.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley drove home this point in her speech to the AIPAC conference in which she condemned the Obama administration for having abstained on a UN General Assembly vote in 2016 that stated the obvious fact that the Zionist settlements in the occupied territories were illegal. Describing it as a shameful day for the United States, she added that on my watch, that would never happen again.

In his remarks to the conference Pence stated that if both sides agree, the United States of America will support a two-state solution. The clear implication being if Israel rejects such a solution, as the right-wing government of Netanyahu surely does, the US will as well.

The actions of the Trump administration have driven the last nail into the coffin of the decades-long fraud of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict mediated by Washington and the other major imperialist powers. Washington has driven this message home with a series of punitive measures, including sharp cuts in humanitarian aid, that have pulled the rug out from under the corrupt Palestinian Authority of President Mahmoud Abbas, while inflicting new suffering on the Palestinian masses.

Not to be outdone in genuflecting to the Zionist lobby and braying for war, leading Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi delivered speeches to the AIPAC convention unequivocally supporting Israeli aggression and suppression of the Palestinians as well as confrontation with Iran.

Schumers statement was perhaps the most reactionary. He insisted that the only reason that there was no peace in the Middle East was that the Palestinians dont believe in the Torah when it says that its our land. He praised Trump for moving the US embassy to where it should belong in Jerusalem.

He was joined by Democratic Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey who criticized the Trump administration from the right for not immediately reimposing the full range of sanctions against Iran and for failing to pursue a sufficiently belligerent policy in Syria and against Russia.

Hand in hand, criminal and terrorist, Putin and Assad have cleared a path for the Iranian regime to expand its military footprint, Menendez said. We risk willfully disregarding this reality if we cling to a repeatedly failing policy of negotiating with Russia.
Teachers in Victoria and New South Wales, Australias two most populous states, have expressed powerful support for the struggle being waged by their counterparts in West Virginia.

Members of the Committee For Public Education (CFPE), established by the Socialist Equality Party to fight for the rights of all teachers and students to a free, high quality and fully resourced public education, are convening meetings in their schools to inform teachers of the historic strike, to discuss its international significance and to send messages of support.

Last Monday, the CFPE invited several teachers at Moonee Ponds West Primary School in Melbourne, Australias second largest city, to be photographed in order to express their solidarity with their counterparts in West Virginia. Posted on the World Socialist Web Site Teacher Newsletter, the photo has been viewed more than 38,000 times on Facebook alone, shared by 485 people, and has received expressions of thanks and solidarity from teachers across different counties of West Virginia.

Teachers at Moonee Ponds West Primary School

Earlier today, a meeting was held at the school to discuss the latest stage of the struggle being waged by the West Virginian teachers, and to view several of the video reports and interviews from West Virginia posted on the WSWS Teacher Newsletter.

CFPE convenor Sue Phillips introduced the discussion by explaining that more than 30,000 teachers in the impoverished US state had taken illegal strike action in defiance of anti-democratic laws, but they were now being pressured back to work on the basis of a sell-out agreement between the unions and the state government. The proposed 5 percent wage rise was in reality no such thing, with health insurance costs swallowing any increase. Phillips also explained that the nominal wage rise would be offset with equivalent budget cuts to other crucial public services depended on by working people, including Medicaid.

The role of the unions in West Virginia, she said, was similar to that of Australian education unions against teachers here. Last year, in the state of Victoria, the Australian Education Union rammed through a regressive, three-year industrial agreement after blocking mass meetings of teachers to discuss the proposed deal and censoring opposition.

Teachers attending Wednesdays meeting unanimously endorsed the following resolution:

We Moonee Ponds West primary school teachers from Melbourne, Australia express our solidarity with and support for striking West Virginia teachers. Your courageous stand in defence of public education, for decent pay and health entitlements, is in defiance of decades of education budget cuts by successive Democrat and Republican governments, policed through union sell-outs.

Teachers cannot trust Governor Jim Justices announcement and the unions claim yesterday that the deal offered by the Senate of a one-off 5 percent rise represents a victory. None of the key issues, above all adequate healthcare insurance, have been resolved. West Virginia teachers have the democratic right to consider and discuss the proposed agreement, with a vote at teacher-led meetings deciding whether or not to return to work.

At the end of the meeting, teachers watched a CFPE video in which Phillips explained the critical issues in the West Virginian teachers strike. She concluded with a commitment to West Virginian teachers that the CFPE will continue to support you, publicise your struggle, and provide our active collaboration.

Staff members spoke to CFPE members about the struggle in West Virginia. One raised that it had energised the school staff. Another commented in the staffroom: I fully support the teachers in West Virginia. What they are doing by striking is fantasticwe should have done that here last year when the union sold us out with our agreement.

Jamie

Classroom teacher Jamie said: I think the strike in West Virginia is exciting. We have people who are working in a profession that is so exploited and who are standing up and doing something about it. It is resonating with so many people around the world. Seeing this take place shows how it can have such an impact on one state, as well as the rest of the world, is great. The conditions are so awful, with people thinking about whether they take medicine or not, depending on whether they have enough money.

Im really concerned about the role of the official media in all this, what they say and how they portray this to the rest of the world. I have only found out about the West Virginia teachers through emails from staff here, leaflets left in the staffroom, and talking to colleagues. I think it is great that thousands of teachers in the US have viewed our photograph of support from our schoolthey need to know that theyre being supported here.

Mandy, another teacher at the school, said: I have been following what is happening in West Virginia through the WSWS. The teachers there are on such low wages. The situation with healthcare is shocking, theyre buying their own supplies for school, feeding kids who dont have food.

Mandy

We can relate here to what is happening in West Virginia with the union. Last year a union deal was pushed through with no mass meetings, no opportunity to debate, and the information from the union was misleadingthe so-called improvements are not there. At the time people who didnt read the analysis of the WSWS couldnt really understand what was really going on, and some ended up believing the spin of the unions. Because there were no mass meetings people didnt get to hear the opposed side.

You cant trust the unionsdont rely on the unions to support you, that seems to be done and dusted. We pay the unions to get us better conditions but they are selling us out to look after their own needs. I have been following what the WSWS says about forming rank-and-file committees. I originally thought that sounds quite different, but it becomes clear that we need to stand up and fight for ourselves. This seems like a turning point and we need to encourage other workers to come out in support of West Virginia teachers.

Another CFPE-sponsored meeting, attended after school hours by teachers and support staff, was held yesterday at Rosehill Secondary College in Melbournes north-western working class suburbs.

Rosehill Secondary College teachers and education support staff in Melbourne

CFPE member Frank Gaglioti opened the meeting by explaining that in taking strike action, the West Virginian teachers were fighting both the states repressive right-to-work laws, and a union sell-out deal, compromising a contemptuous pay rise and nothing at all on the teachers demands for health insurance, under conditions of soaring health costs. He raised that while the teachers were the 48th lowest paid out of the 50 US states, the states legislators were among the richest in the country.

At the same time, children are coming to school hungry, due to the high level of poverty. West Virginia is now at the centre of the opioid crisis that must be having an inevitably retrograde impact on schools, Gaglioti said.

In response to Gagliotis remarks, one teacher remarked: The fact that these teachers are defying the anti-strike laws is enough for me to support their strike!

Before the meeting, Gaglioti had sent to every teacher at the school an email containing a video of a member of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in the US, Zac Corrigan, addressing a huge student-led protest, defending the West Virginia teachers in Charleston, West Virginia last Saturday. At the meeting, he played a short YouTube video, with comments from individual teachers as to why they had to decided to strike.

The meeting concluded with the CFPE resolution, which was passed unanimously:

Rosehill Secondary College teachers and education support staff from Melbourne, Australia express our solidarity and send our fraternal greetings to West Virginian teachers, and hail the courageous and historic stand you have taken. Your struggle for a living pay, health entitlements and the necessary funds for a high-quality education is in opposition to the years of education budget cuts by successive Democrat and Republican governments, resulting in some of the lowest pay rates for teachers in the US.

We recognise that your stand was taken in defiance of repressive laws barring strikes and, most importantly, the teacher unions rotten betrayal. They have brokered yet another sell-out agreement. You have stood firm to threats of government injunctions, threatening fines and jailing of teachers.

We support calls for the establishment of rank-file committees, reaching out to other teachers and students, and other sections of the working class across West Virginia, the US and internationally, as the only way to defeat the governments threats.

CFPE member Will Marshall (left) with fellow Footscray teachers, William Blakeley (centre) and Rob Cust

At Footscray City College, west of Melbourne, a meeting of teachers and education support staff was addressed by CFPE member Will Marshall, who moved a similar resolution, which was also passed unanimously.

Speaking to the World Socialist Web Site after the meeting, Marshall said that teachers were eager to read WSWS material on the West Virginia teachers struggle, because the Australian media had carried out virtual blanket censorship since it began. He pointed out that teachers have also expressed admiration for the fact that the WV teachers wouldnt accept the union deal.
World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke to striking UK lecturers and other university staff during the first two days of this weeks four-day strike. This is the third successive week of strikes in opposition to attacks on their pension rights. Socialist Equality Party members distributed to strikers on picket lines copies of the statement, UK lecturers dispute: Lessons from the West Virginia teachers strike.

Molly is from the United States and in her third year as a lecturer in American Studies at the University of Manchester. She told reporters, The strikes by UK lecturers and West Virginia teachers are linked. In the US teachers are forced to wear wrist monitors all the time. They have to work out in the gym every day, because how much they get paid in health insurance is dependent on how much they work out.

Its the same offloading of unpaid labour onto us and teachers in the US.

The rally in Leeds of striking lecturers

Universities UK is proposing that lecturers in the Universities Superannuation Scheme be moved to a scheme in which pension pay-outs are dependent on stock market investments.

They want us to manage our own pension funds, and by the time Im 70 there might not be anything left, with the stock market collapsing. We dont do these public-sector jobs for the money. Teachers in West Virginia are one of the lowest paid; they could leave but they stay because they care, she said.

Molly wanted to see more workers involved in the fight against the attack on pensions and marketisation of higher education, saying, It would be good to broaden the strikes.

Lucy is a lecturer at Leeds University: The principal reason for the strike is pensions. They say they are reforming them, but that means a substantial cut. With the modeller that theyve got online, mine would be 18,000 a year, and it will go down to 11,000 a year. Its a transformative change, a 7,000 a year dip. Thats the initial thing, but it connects to all sorts of other problems with the university.

There is a lot of casualisation. There are people working on short-term contracts, much more so than there were in earlier times. Many people dont get into their first permanent job until they are in their 30s. And youre lucky if you get there even in your 30s. As a result you dont start saving for a pension until quite a lot later, so theres even more risk associated with the pension changes from that perspective.

Thats one of the reasons that Im here, for myself, but also for junior colleagues who are coming in and joining the profession.

Were doing this because its a really important fight. If we lose this, there are lots of other pensions in the public sector all around the country that are going to be nextteachers, NHS workers and so on. I think we need to win this one, its the only way.

Im intrigued as to what the Universities UK think they are doing. I assume they are just hanging about, not doing much, hoping well crack. But the point is, we are not daft. We think critically about the world and we know whats going on. We understand that they are trying to cut our pensions and theres no good reason for it.

I am married to a teacher, who started really late in life, but who will probably get a better pension than me. This is even though Ive been in my pension scheme for 14 years, because they are degrading it to such an extent. Unless of course they go after his pension as well. If they do, it will mean that we are forced to ask for benefits in our retirement.

We have both got a very high level of education, weve both got professional jobs, and that should not be the case We are on double the average income, and yet we are going to be forced to ask for help.

Our salaries are not in line with the private sector. If I was an environmental consultant, I could be getting double what Im earning now. Thats part of the trade-off. I love my job. I love working in this institution, but there is a balance there. My future is what, to have a reasonable income until I retire and then penury? It doesnt look particularly attractive, does it?

Robbie

Robbie, a lecturer at the University of Glasgow, said he had learned of the West Virginia teachers strike via the leaflet the SEP members were circulating.

After reading the leaflet, he said, All I can say from a very snowy Glasgow is that we wish you [the West Virginia teachers] all the luck and support in your struggle.

I came into the dispute rather gloomily. Past struggles have ended anticlimactically, but there seems to be a bit of muscle this time. People in academia seem galvanized. And it seems like were on the cusp of winning.

Responding to calls by the Socialist Equality Party for the mobilization of broader sections of the working class, Robbie remarked, This dispute could be the spark that lights the touch paper for public sector workers. It seems to me that this is an attack on life as a pensioner, life in retirement. This Tory government seems to want to condemn pensioners to a life in poverty. Its not just in academia, but in every area of the public sector.

Ian, a political geography lecturer, said, The strike has been a lightning rod for a variety of issues within education. For me, personally, its about the wider marketisation of education and the turning of education into just another commodity. Its about protecting education as a public service. Its about what I call education as liberation.

If you mean to change academia such that only the wealthy can afford to work here and only the wealthy can afford to study here, then you no longer have an effective challenge to the status quo and hegemonic common sense. Im out here to defend education much more broadly than my own pension.

Ian said he agreed on the necessity of an international and socialist perspective and mobilisation of the working class against a mounting war danger: I think an internationalist perspective is very important because the military-industrial complex isnt bound by any borders, and so any challenge to it must come from across national borders. Thats why the defence of education and the role of lecturers is very important. Its to make people aware of the military-industrial complex and the danger of war. Its tentacles spread far and wide, its sucking the blood and money out of many communities. Its a lethal force that must be challenged. And thats what I try to do in my lectures.

The discussion turned to the issue of the Russian Revolution as a strategic experience in the re-emerging struggles of the working class. Ian said, An important lesson of the revolution is really that the struggle we face ahead is a struggle that cannot simply be waged through traditional parliamentary forms of democracy. It requires people getting together in their communities and it requires action on the street.

As the state increasingly becomes a garrison state rather than a welfare state, we cannot simply keep looking toward the state to defend our interests.

The author also recommends:

UK lecturers dispute: Lessons from the West Virginia teachers strike

[5 March 2018]
Research conducted by the Resolution Foundation (RF) think tank found that Britains millennial generationthose born since 1981 and leaving secondary education around 2000have suffered a greater reversal in their financial fortunes than their counterparts in every other developed country, with the notable exception of Greece.

The survey reveals that in 2014 British millennials earned 13 percent less than those born in and around 1970 at the same stage in life. In Greece, the decline is a savage 25 percent.

The RF think tank researched how incomes, employment and home ownership rates have changed from one generation to the next over the decades since the end of the Second World War in nine advanced economies, including the UK.

The international scope of the research reveals that in every so-called developed country across the world, most of the millennial generation struggle to find affordable and decent housing and to find secure employment with a decent wage. In short, for tens of millions of younger people, everyday life is a struggle to make ends meet. The basic needs of a civilised life, for shelter and food, cannot be taken for granted from one day to the next by millions.

The RF found severe reductions internationally in the levels of secure housing, jobs and income in the most advanced economies. On all measures except for unemployment, the British millennials have suffered greater reversals than their international counterparts. The scale of the pay squeeze for those aged under 30 is surpassed only by Greece, the RF finds.

The mass austerity imposed on the international working class since 2008 by all governments, working night and day to impose the predatory demands of the banks and financial speculators, finds its most calamitous expression in Greece.

The Greek populationbarring the super-rich and upper middle classhave suffered a disastrous loss of income across the board. Over the same period, Greeks in their fifties suffered a 6-7 percent income fall.

Led by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, the pseudo-left Greek Syriza government continues to impose the brutal austerity diktats of the European Union (EU) and International Monetary Fund upon the backs of the Greek working class. Today, 19 years of brutal austerity imposed by social democratic, conservative and now a pseudo-left government have produced a social decline amongst Greek workers that is unprecedented in peacetime.

During the opening decades of the twenty-first century, the Greek working class have been reducedafter years of rising living standardsto social conditions usually associated with the so-called Third World. Absolute poverty, not just relative disadvantage, exists amongst the Greek working class, with Britain the next worse example of the outcome of such social butchery. This takes place under conditions in which the ruling elite are not declaring such austerity to be over. We are warneddriven by the necessity to ramp up military, intelligence and police spendingthat far more attacks on the social position of the working class are on the agenda.

Britain is currently the penultimate poorly rated location for young working class peoples living standards and wages.

One of the notable aspects about the precipitous decline in the incomes and social conditions of the British working class is that the UK is still one of the top five economies in the world. It is a much more populous country than Greece, with the Mediterranean states relatively small geography and population. While the UK is the second largest economy in the EU, with a 16 percent share of the EUs GDP total, Greece represents just 1.2 percent.

Hence, whilst the decline in the social position of the British working class has not yet sunk to the levels witnessed in Greece, the suffering in the UK is being experienced by much greater numbers of workers. Greeces population is 10.75 million and the UKs 65.6 million.

The collapse in living standards among millennials is the product of a social counterrevolution being implemented by the European ruling class, which is being rolled out by governments of every political stripe. Cuts totaling hundreds upon hundreds of billions of euros have been made across the continent, bringing untold misery.

The European ruling class chose Greece as the test bed to establish how far it can savage the social conditions of the working class. The result is that Greece has established an historic benchmark against which the austerity imposed upon other countries workers is to be measured. The calamitous decline in the social position of the Greek working class has been utilised to intimidate and threaten the entire European working class.

Whilst official UK unemployment among young people (those aged 16-24) is considered relatively low by international comparisons, it is still historically high at 9 percent, almost one in ten. (The youth unemployment rate has more than doubled in Italy, Spain and Greece between the early 2000s and the years following the 2008 financial crisis, and today remains above 25 percent.)

The British governments figures on unemployment, however, cannot be considered accurate. The official figures are the result of years of so-called labour market reforms that have rendered it effectively impossible for young British jobless men and women to be counted amongst the monthly collected figures of the unemployed.

The RF notes the rise in the number of young people experiencing what it euphemistically called atypical employment arrangementszero hour contracts and the proliferation of self-employment amongst the insecurely and infrequently employed. The decades-long brutal deregulation and casualisation of the British labour market is a prime reason why workers find it virtually impossible to make ends meet.

Generation-on-generation progress has been all but wiped out for Millennials whose home ownership rate in their late 20s, at 33 percent, is half that for the baby boomers at the same age (60 percent), the RF said. Moreover, the RF reported last year, the generation aged 18-36 are on average spending more than a third of their post-tax income on rent or about 12 percent on mortgages, compared with 5-10 percent of income spent by their grandparents in the 1960s and 1970s. The UK was ranked third worst amongst the developed states in terms of high house prices in relation to incomes. Only Denmark and, once again, Greece ranked lower.

The collapse in income and assets has further produced a growing debt crisis among young people. Last October, the Financial Conduct Authoritys Andrew Bailey explained, There has been a clear shift in the generational pattern of wealth and income, and that translates into a greater indebtedness at a younger age. ... That reflects lower levels of real income, lower levels of asset ownership.

The RF research revealed that in most developed European countries there is now a widespread beliefaccording with bitter life experiencethat young adults will be worse off than their parents, with the French the most pessimistic. Only 10 percent of French people think young people will be better off than their parents, while 71 percent believe they will be worse off. The UK was fourth from bottom in the survey, with 22 percent believing young adults will be better off and 50 percent saying they will be worse off.
In talks between top-level South Korean officials and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday, North Korea reportedly indicated its readiness to engage in negotiations over denuclearisation and the termination of its nuclear weapons programs. The South Korean delegation was led by national security adviser Chung Eui-yong and intelligence chief Suh Hoon.

Chung told a media briefing in South Korea: North Korea made clear its willingness to denuclearise the Korean peninsula and the fact there is no reason for it to have a nuclear program if military threats against the North are resolved and its regime is secure. He said North Korea also agreed to suspend nuclear and missile testing while talks were underway.

Pyongyangs call for a security guarantee is a longstanding demand that Washington has never been prepared to grant. Indeed, over the past year, the Trump administration has repeatedly made bellicose threats to destroy North Korea and has imposed crippling sanctions, both unilaterally and through the United Nations.

The US agreed to delay massive joint military exercises with South Korea during the Winter Olympics, to enable North Korean athletes and officials to attend the event. There is no sign that the Pentagon is going to put the war games, due to start next month, on hold again.

In fact, Washington has in the past dismissed the so-called freeze-for-freeze proposal by China and Russiaa halt to North Korean testing in return for a suspension of US drills in South Koreaas means of starting talks. The annual joint military exercises, which are rehearsals for war with North Korea, have always led to high tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

National security adviser Chung told the media that North Korean leader Kim had said he could understand that the joint war games might start in April. But he said he expected them to be readjusted if the situation on the Korean Peninsula stabilises in the future, Chung said.

The meeting was the first time since 2007 that a South Korean delegation has travelled to Pyongyang for talks. South Korean President Moon Jae-in is planning a summit with Kim in the de-militarised zone that separates the two Koreas.

US President Donald Trump reacted positively to the announcement, but maintained Washingtons threats against North Korea. Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea, he tweeted yesterday morning. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the US is ready to go hard in either direction!

Speaking at a news conference later, Trump said he thought the North Korean offer was sincere, yet claimed that his administrations campaign of maximum pressure on North Korea had brought about the change. Asked if he had any preconditions for talks, Trump said: I dont want to talk about it. Were going to see what happens.

However, a senior administration official speaking to CNN reiterated the Trump administrations demand that North Korea take concrete steps to abandon its nuclear arsenal before the US would engage in direct talks. All options are on the table and our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible moves toward denuclearisation, the official said.

Vice President Mike Pence, who attended the opening of Winter Olympics and deliberately snubbed North Korea officials, declared yesterday: Whichever direction talks with North Korea go, we will be firm in our resolve. All options are on the table and our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible, verifiable and concrete steps toward denuclearisation.

In other words, unless North Korea concedes to US demands and takes steps to denuclearisein advance of any negotiationsWashington will maintain its punitive sanctions and continue to menace Pyongyang with total destruction. All options include a pre-emptive US military attack on North Korea with conventional and/or nuclear weapons.

While the US media and political establishment repeatedly accuses North Korea of seeking to buy time and a lack of good faith, Washington has a long track record of breaking promises. North Korea has twice entered into international agreements to abandon its nuclear weapons programs in exchange for assurances from the US, only to find that Washington failed to keep its end of the bargain.

The Clinton administration struck a deal with North Korea in 1994the Agreed Frameworkfor Pyongyang to shut down its nuclear reactor and open up its facilities to international inspection. In return, the US pledged to provide North Korea with two power reactors and to normalise relations, enabling the small, economically backward country to seek foreign investment.

By the time Bill Clinton left office in 2000, however, the construction of the nuclear power reactors had barely started and relations with North Korea remained as beforethe two countries are formally at war, having never signed a peace treaty after the 1950-53 Korean War. President George W. Bush rapidly overturned the Agreed Framework and in 2002 declared that North Korea, along with Iraq and Iran, formed an axis of evil.

North Korea resumed its nuclear and missile program and exploded its first crude atomic bomb in 2006. Mired in its illegal military occupation in Iraq, the Bush administration turned to China to put pressure on North Korea and reached a deal in 2007 to dismantle North Koreas nuclear facilities and allow UN inspections, in return for vague US promises to normalise relations. While Pyongyang kept its side of the deal, the Bush administration provocatively demanded more intrusive inspections, leading to a breakdown of the agreement.

The Trump administrations own record demonstrates that it will not live up to international agreements. In January, Trump delivered an ultimatum to the European powers to support US amendments to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that places strict limits on Iranian nuclear programs. Speaking to the pro-Israeli lobby group AIPAC this week, Vice President Pence reiterated Trumps threat to withdraw from the agreement unless the deal is fixed in line with US demands.

In announcing North Koreas offer of talks, South Korean officials stressed that their discussions in Pyongyang were only preliminary. National intelligence chief Chung is due to head to Washington to brief the Trump administration on the substance of the meeting with Kim. North Korea is yet to make a formal statement about any talks with the US.
404

This page could not be found .
New Zealands opposition National Party elected a new leader, Simon Bridges, on February 27, to replace Bill English, who announced his retirement from politics on February 13.

It was the conservative partys second leadership change in less than two years, indicating considerable perplexity and turmoil within the partyespecially over how to deal with rising working class anger over falling living standards, and the global drive toward economic nationalism and trade war.

Former National Party Prime Minister John Key resigned suddenly and unexpectedly in December 2016, after eight years in office, giving no explanation apart from wanting to spend more time with his family. His replacement, English, similarly declared his own resignation was a purely personal decision.

After the National Party failed to form a government following the September 2017 election, English gave no indication he would step down. He trumpeted the fact that National secured more votes than any other party, albeit not enough to govern alone. In January, English reportedly dismissed rumours of his impending resignation as gossip.

There are undoubtedly divisions and recriminations within the National Party over its failure to form a government. After the September 23 poll, the right-wing nationalist New Zealand First Party, which received only 7.5 percent of the vote, negotiated with National and the Labour Party for a month and then announced it would form a coalition government with Labour and the Greens, ending nine years of National Party rule.

Significantly, NZ First leader Winston Peters announced his decision after US ambassador Scott Brown made a series of extraordinary public statements calling for a government that would strengthen the alliance between the US and New Zealand. Brown criticised Englishs government for failing to fully endorse President Donald Trumps threat to annihilate North Korea. English had described Trumps statements as not helpful.

The National Party also came under sustained attack in the lead-up to the election, and in its aftermath, for its alleged close diplomatic and business relationship with China. Academic Anne-Marie Brady, from the US government-funded Wilson Centre think tank, denounced the National government for failing to sufficiently condemn Chinas expansionism. She alleged that National Party MP Jian Yang was a Chinese Communist Party agenta claim echoed by New Zealand First and much of the media. The Labour-NZ First government has ordered an investigation by the countrys intelligence agencies into Bradys allegations of Chinese interference.

The direct rebuke from Washington unquestionably played a part in Englishs demise. Successive National and Labour Party governments have strengthened military and intelligence ties with Washington, sending troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, while at the same time rapidly expanding trade and investment with China. National government ministers repeatedly said they did not need to make a choice between the US and China, even as the Obama administration began its military build-up against China.

The Trump administration has indicated that it will not tolerate such equivocation from New Zealand, a partner in the top-level, US-led Five Eyes intelligence network.

New leader Simon Bridges entered parliament in 2008, the same year as Labours Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and only became transport minister in 2014. Before that, he worked as a crown prosecutor and a lawyer at the elite Auckland commercial law firm Kensington Swan. Bridges defeated more senior contenders for the party leadershipSteven Joyce, Amy Adams and Judith Collins. The latter has been attacked repeatedly by the Labour Party and the media for her relations with Chinese business.

Media coverage of Bridges elevation focused on the fact that he is part-Maori, as is deputy leader Paula Bennett. Bridges told Radio NZ he felt very proud of his Maori heritage and it was a great privilege to be the first indigenous person to lead one of the two main political parties.

The obsession with Bridges ethnicity and Arderns gender (and her pregnancy) is intended to obscure fundamental class divisions and divert rising social discontent. Neither leader represents, in any way, working class Maori or women, who are suffering record levels of inequality. Maori are over-represented in all statistics relating to poverty, including homelessness, mental health, suicide and incarceration.

Following the 2008 financial crisis, the National Party government slashed government spending on essential services and enacted austerity measures, with Labours support. Both parties have encouraged property speculation which has driven up house prices and rents, producing a social disaster. More than one in 100 people are homeless. A recent report on housing and homelessness found that 80 percent of people seeking emergency shelter were being turned away because of a lack of beds.

Many people cannot afford food. One week after Bridges installation as leader, the Ministry of Social Development released figures showing that in 2017 it made almost 498,000 food grants to desperate welfare recipients and low-paid workersan increase of close to 100,000 on the year before.

Bridges described himself as politically moderate and made vague pledges to modernise the National Party. In media interviews he said there was a housing crisis for those who dont have houses. Bridges has previously defended the severe cuts to welfare and other attacks by the 1990s National Party government, which deepened the previous Labour governments sweeping privatisation of public services, and the removal of national protections from industries in the 1980s.

Significant divisions remain within the political establishment, exacerbated by the Trump administrations announcement of trade war measures. Sections of the ruling class are still striving to maintain an unsustainable balance between economic relations with China and the military alliance with the US.

Bridges said he opposed Trumps tariffs and economic protectionism. He told TVNZ the government should raise these issues with Washington through the World Trade Organisation.

Bridges also expressed concern over anti-Chinese statements by Foreign Minister Peters, the NZ First leader. Peters last week described Chinas economic activities in the Pacific region as not helpful and hinted that the government was considering withdrawing from Beijings One Belt One Road (OBOR) international infrastructure and development scheme.

In response, Bridges told Radio NZ Peters statements had a negative and sceptical tone. Bridges noted that he personally signed New Zealand up to OBOR as transport minister and said it would bring significant economic opportunities for New Zealand investors throughout the world.

At the same time, Bridges told Radio NZ the National Party agreed with Peters announcement of a renewed push to counter Chinese economic influence in the Pacific. The previous National government participated in numerous US-led military exercises, aimed against China, and increased New Zealands military presence in the Pacific region, which the NZ ruling elite regards as its colonial back yard.
Oklahoma teachers are demanding statewide strike action to reverse years of declining living standards, increasing class sizes and budget cuts to K-12 education. Two Facebook groups, Oklahoma Teachers United (OTU) and Oklahoma Teacher Walkout-The Time is Now, have called meetings today asking for representatives from every school to consider the timing of strikes and protests by educators.

The developments in Oklahoma underscore the fact that an insurgency of teachers and other workers is growing well beyond West Virginia. The courage of West Virginia educatorsdefying their own unions, the states anti-strike law and the bought-and-paid-for politicianshas inspired workers both nationally and internationally.

Yes, there should be a strike here, Denise, an Oklahoma special education teacher told the World Socialist Web Site. Like West Virginia, Oklahoma has not seen a teacher strike since 1990 and is a right-to-work state in which strikes by teachers are illegal.

Oklahoma teachers are angry, Denise said. From my personal standpoint, I dont make enough money. I am building the future for tomorrow, and Ill probably be paying for my education for the rest of life. Ive been teaching about 14 years, and I have about $20,000 in student loans left to go. What I paid for a graduate degree isnt being paid off by my salary bump.

West Virginia teachers have shown us team effort and organization. Its great to see someone else do this.

However, referring the deal agreed by the unions with West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, to finance salary increases through cuts to social programs, Denise strongly objected: Taking Medicaid from kids is wrong.

The Oklahoma Facebook groups pushing for statewide walkouts are holding two conferences tomorrow, in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, to consider the date for a strike. We will not be asking if teachers want to walkout. This has already been stated loud and clear. They cite a survey conducted by the Oklahoma Education Association (OEA), which reported that 85 percent of teachers want to strike, and 75 percent of parents would support it.

While stating that neither OEA, nor the superintendents, have been able to unite the state, OTU stated that they have spoken with the OEA and confirmed that they would encourage the plan promoted by Tulsa Public Schools for a three-step protest. That proposal consists of a work-to-rule (no working early or late), a walkout in groups of 10 who would protest at the Capitol and then return to work, and a full-strike in May if there is no acceptable resolution to their demands.

This timid course of action has been met with skepticism among Oklahoma teachers. I am not a fan of this plan of escalating actions, writes Lori Mallory Wilkinson. A full walkout is the only way to get our point across. OEA should listen to its members May is too late! Daniel V. Payne agreed with this sentiment: The politicians, elected and appointed officials, and superintendents have all had more than enough time No escalated action, no expecting teachers to drive all the way to OKC just to protest. Shut down every school.

I am sorry to say this, but what a total waste of time; our illustrious legislators would just lock their doors, pull the shades, hang out the closed sign if 10 people showed up at the capitol, said a post by Nancy. News media would not cover it. BUT 10 oil and gas lobbyists would be ushered into their offices. Also, I think the districts will lose a lot of support if the plan is rolled back to May.

OEA President Alicia Priest responded to the growing demand for action by explicitly stating, The goal is not a walkout The goal is for us to have funding for public education to best meet the needs of our students. She has previously used the pretext of illegality to rule out strike activity.

Oklahoma teachers should pay careful attention to the role of the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers in West Virginia, which have worked to shut down the powerful strike precisely as it has gained national and international support. The unions did everything they could to prevent a broader mobilization of the working class behind educators.

The deal reached between the unions and Democratic and Republican politicians completely abandons the struggle to fully fund public sector workers healthcarethe teachers number one demandbecause they have no intention of challenging the energy and big business interests and politicians who represent them.

It is no different in Oklahoma or anywhere else. For decades, the OEA has failed to lift a finger under conditions of the wholesale dismantling of public education in the state. Oklahoma educators, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are presently paid 50th out of 50 states. The state has cut spending on K-12 education by $1,058 per pupil over the last 10 years, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. A widespread teacher shortage, as a result of poverty salaries, has resulted in the extensive use of emergency credentials, placing non-certified adults in charge of classrooms.

Mid-year cuts to education in the state, which Governor Mary Fallin has said she would sign, would cut an additional $16.2 million from the State Department of Education. The larger the district, the more drastic the funding reduction. Tulsa Public School faces the loss of another $1 million.

At the same time, state lawmakers have slashed taxes for big businesses and the wealthy, cutting the top income tax rate from 6.65 percent to 5.0 percent, costing the state over $1 billion a year. Meanwhile, tax breaks for the oil and gas industry are totaling close to half a billion a year since the early 2000s. In 2017, the industry was handed $450 million.

While the Democrats pose as opponents of budget cuts to education, bipartisan agreements between 2004 and 2007 under the Democratic administration of Governor Brad Henry laid the basis for the defunding of education in the state.

The real allies of Oklahoma teachers are those in West Virginia and workers around the world. In fact, the Oklahoma Teachers United page was flooded with comments like Stay strong and united! WV supports you!!; Jackson County Supports You #55STRONG; and Berkeley County WV  Stand strong and united.

Teachers from other states have been likewise galvanized. You stand up for all of us! Solidarity from New Jersey! said another post addressed to Oklahoma teachers. Another teacher added, Come on teachers! This needs to be NATIONWIDE!!!

Teachers are looking for lower class sizes, Denise told to the WSWS. Its not unusual to have over 30 in a class. I am not supposed to have more than 10 in a class at one time because its Special Ed. I have learning disabled, autism, behavior issuesall of it. I now have 17 kids on my roster. I dont ever say no to more kids because my room is the best place for them in the school. I try to get them not only their IEP [Individualized Education Program], but social skills to help them survive not only in school but for life. It is so much to ask.

In my 14 years, this is the biggest change, the number of kids in classes. Third and fourth grades have 33 kidsthat is not a quality education.

Our school has been graded, I think, a D. They are grading us on the test scores, but we have poverty-level kids. We are just racing against the clock, trying to cram everything in for the tests. We have about 66 percent of our children Hispanic, and many dont really speak English. We need smaller classes. Many of our parents cant meet during the day, they cant take off work or theyll be fired. So we stay late and accommodate them. We do so much more than what they measure.

As you may have seen, now we are going to work the contract. This makes you realize how much extra you do! I do all my IEP meetings either before or after school.

The oil business is the financial elite here. They get tax incentives instead of using money to help teachers. Trickle-down theory doesnt work. It rigged against the poor people and even those not necessarily poor.

The author recommends:

Oklahoma teachers demand strike action, funding for education

[5 March 2018]
ABC News(WASHINGTON) -- With a freewheeling address to the party faithful at Conservative Political Action Conference last month, President Donald Trump kicked off his involvement in the 2018 campaign season as if 2016 had never ended.



You don't mind if I go off script a little bit because, you know, it's sort of boring, Trump said, veering off his teleprompter and whipping up the crowd. Chants of lock her up! quickly ensued.



But as Trump heaves political red meat to rally his base for the midterms, hes leaning on Vice President Mike Pence to sweep into competitive districts to make the sell  and raise some serious cash.



When Pence spoke from the same podium at CPAC, his measured and dogmatic address on the administrations policies was a study in contrasts with his boss, even as it stirred the crowd in a different way.



Multiple people close to the Trump political operation have described Pence as at the heart of its formula for 2018 voter engagement.



While President Trump plays the starring role as a one-man-band style closer, the vice president is being utilized as the tip of the spear, says Pences outside political adviser Marty Obst.



The vice president has set an aggressive campaigning calendar that has him on pace to participate in nearly 40 campaign events before the end of April to promote Republican candidates in House, Senate, and governors races, according to a Pence aide familiar with the plans.



Aggressive deployment of the vice president on the campaign trail this spring and summer is in part a nod to the uphill battle Republicans face in holding the House and Senate in November, several Pence advisers told ABC News.



The party in the White House has historically lost seats in the midterm elections, and in the most recent ABC/Washington Post poll, Democrats held a 12-point lead on Republicans in a generic ballot among registered voters.



Trump, his political team and Republican Party leaders decided during a Camp David retreat early this year to green-light Pence as their top surrogate, sources familiar with the meeting said.



The vice president plans to target his early campaign activity in reliably GOP districts but where the party isnt being overly confident, according to a political adviser to the vice president. After Labor Day, the expectation is that Pence will be a rapid response surrogate to help shore up support in tight races.



Pence pushes message discipline



As the GOP tax cuts take hold  and millions of American workers potentially start to see larger paychecks  Pences top priority is to create a direct line to the president and Republican lawmakers, Pence communications director Jarrod Agen told ABC News.



The president's tax cuts are benefiting American workers across the nation and it was only achieved thanks to this Administration and Republican leadership in the House and Senate, Agen said.



Obst, Pences outside political adviser, said Pence is seen by the presidents political team as particularly well-suited to make the case because of his message discipline.



Hes known for incredible message discipline and nobody is able to reemphasize the talking points, the vision, the strategy, better than the vice president, Obst said. And so him coming into a district and articulating that message gives candidates the freedom to articulate that same message.



Even as Pence serves as one of President Trumps most loyal and ardent defenders, Obst says the vice president counsels candidates to stick to the tax reform-focused message and aggressively sidestep distractions and dramas coming from the West Wing on any given day.



Pence tells candidates to focus on the agenda, Obst said. Don't get sucked into fights that aren't yours, and don't get caught up in answering for every attack on the administration. Instead, focus on the successes of the administration and Congress, and the policies that are improving lives of the American people.



The administrations strategy is getting support from the Trump-allied advocacy group America First Policies, run by several of the presidents former advisers.



The group has organized a Tax Cuts to Put America First" tour across the country in tandem with the vice presidents campaign schedule. The group has already hosted four events in the tour  first in Pennsylvania, then Texas, Michigan, and Iowa  and the vice president has made appearances at each event, with more to come.



"We've extended an invitation to the Vice President to be our special guest at all events, and we are grateful he's been able to join us," says the group's communications director Erin Montgomery.



Democrats buoyed



Democrats are preparing to counter Pence, arguing the realities of the economy for the middle class sharply contrast with the GOP messaging on tax cuts. They also dont appear intimidated by Pences involvement in key races.



It doesnt matter who the messenger is, its the GOPs agenda  more expensive health care costs while corporate executives and big industries like pharmaceutical companies get a tax handout  that is repulsive to voters across the country, said David Bergstein, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman.



Tyler Law with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said the special election this month in Pennsylvanias 18th Congressional District is already highlighting flaws in the Republican pitch.



After abandoning their tax message in Pennsylvanias 18th district, House Republicans are clearly scrambling to find a message and a messenger, Law said. Its laughable to think that Mike Pence is the answer.



Pence fundraising blitz



Pences advisers say his ability to raise money from the Republican grassroots is an indication his strategic appeal in the midterms goes beyond the message.



Since becoming vice president, Pence has raised nearly $20 million to benefit various campaign committees and GOP candidates, according to a political adviser to the vice president.



A key vehicle of the vice presidents fundraising activities this year is a first-of-its kind leadership PAC  the Great America Committee -- registered to Pences name.



The leadership PAC was formed for two fundamental reasons: The first is to invest in candidates who supported the Trump agenda and are in competitive races, Obst said. The second is those investments literally put gas in the plane to travel the country campaign for candidates.



Since its creation last year, Pences leadership PAC has cut two rounds of checks: the first round went to max-out donations to President Trumps 2020 reelection campaign and the second round of checks to support 40 priority House and governors races across the country, each getting a $5,000 cash infusion.



In the long run, the PAC also offers Pence the opportunity to maintain relationships with donors that the administration will again want to call on again during the presidents 2020 reelection bid.



The vice presidents fundraising activity has spurred speculation about his own future political ambitions. But people close to the vice president dismiss suggestion he will seek the presidency in 2020, pointing to Pences deep loyalty to the president and the reality that the leadership PACs funds can only be applied to the campaigns of other candidates.



The bigger question I ask people when they ask why the leadership PAC was formed is, why hasn't anyone else [done one]? It's another tool in the tool kit to help candidates, Obst said.



The PAC also has the blessing of the Trump family, sources say. When the PAC held a summit at the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC earlier this year  raising half a million dollars over two days  the presidents eldest son Don Trump Jr. even introduced Pence for his keynote speech, according to people close to the vice president.



Pences 2018 fundraising blitz also aims to maximize donations across all of the partys committees, including the RNC, NRCC and the NRSC, and individual candidates, his aides say. In the case of the RNC, an official said Pence has worked hand in hand with the committee to raise $4.5 million since last summer and is expected to bring in another $2 million through upcoming events.



When Pence was last in Pennsylvania to support Republican Rick Saccone ahead of the upcoming special election for an open US House seat, Pence hauled in a quarter of a million dollars for Saccone.



Pence forges ahead despite warning signs



Republicans have had mixed results in off-year elections since Trump took power. In Alabama, Democrat Doug Jones pulled out a victory in the deeply red state against Republican Roy Moore, who had the backing of the White House, in the special election for Jeff Sessions US Senate seat.



Pence went all in to help elect Republican candidate Ed Gillsepie in Virginia governors race late last year, but Democrat Ralph Northam prevailed.



While some pundits have ominously forecast a coming Democratic wave, the vice president and his team shrug it all off.



I know that conventional wisdom holds that the upcoming midterms are going to be a challenge, right? Pence said in his remarks rallying Republicans at the GOP congressional retreat last month. But I think you all know what President Trump thinks about conventional wisdom.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The results of Italys March 4 parliamentary elections must be taken as a warning by the European and international working class. The collapse of the official leftthe Democratic Party (PD) and its pseudo-left appendageshas led to an electoral victory for the far right, including the Five Star Movement (M5S), led by comedian Beppe Grillo, and the extreme-right Lega, formerly the Lega Nord.

Notwithstanding their demagogic social promises, these far-right parties will intensify the anti-working class policies of the PD government just voted out of office, including the assault on refugees and immigrants. Lega leader Matteo Salvini threatened during the election campaign to deport half a million immigrants if his party came to power.

Other Lega politicians want to segregate train cars on the basis of skin colour and religion. They bluster about the supposed extermination of the white race due to an invasion of refugees. The M5S, which initially focused chiefly on corruption within the established parties, has long been agitating against refugees.

The ability of the far-right to so aggressively raise its head in Italy, a country whose working class has long and militant anti-fascist traditions, testifies to the utter bankruptcy of the official left. The racist and fascist policies pursued by the right-wing parties are not supported by the broad mass of workers. Just days before the election, 100,000 people demonstrated in Rome against racism and fascism. The votes for Lega and M5S are largely an expression of hatred of the established parties, which have presided over a social catastrophe and supported the deeply despised war policies of NATO and the European Union.

In the United States, the close ties of the Democrats and their presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to Wall Street and the military/intelligence apparatus paved the way for Trump to enter the White House. In Europe, social democratic parties have lost the support of the working class due to their pursuit of neo-liberal policies.

In every case, it is the far-right that has benefited. In France, the National Front came in second place in last years election; in Germany, the far-right ultra-nationalist Alternative for Germany entered parliament for the first time, and in Austria, the Freedom Party (FPO) shares government power.

The growth of the right wing due to the anti-working class policies of the nominal left parties is especially pronounced in Italy. Since the 1990s, the successor organisations to the Italian Communist Party have repeatedly enforced the interests of the financial markets and the European Unions austerity dictates against bitter opposition from the working class.

Over the past six years, four successive prime ministersthe technocrat Mario Monti, who was backed by the Democrats, and the three PD prime ministers (Enrico Letta, Matteo Renzi and Paolo Gentiloni) have rolled back the historic gains of the workers movement and slashed social benefits.

The consequences of these policies are seen in Italys disastrous social conditions, with 10 million people living in poverty, 7.5 million unemployed or underemployed and 10 million without healthcare. The official left has presided over a dramatic redistribution of income and wealth from the bottom to the top. Today, the richest 1 percent of the population owns 240 times as much wealth as the poorest 20 percent.

The Five Star Movement and the Lega, which together won almost half of all votes cast, appealed to popular anger against the government and the ruling elite. Both parties attacked the EU, promoted nationalism and scapegoated refugees. Lega, whose stronghold is in wealthier areas of northern Italy, combined these demagogic calls with demands for tax cuts. The Five Star Movement, which was most successful in the impoverished south, has pledged to fight for a guaranteed basic income and better pensionspromises it has no intention of keeping.

The pseudo-left organisations, which contested the election as the Potere al Popolo (Power to the People) alliance, also bear responsibility for the rise of the extreme right. These tendencies portray themselves as left-wing and anti-capitalist, but have for years supported the right-wing policies of the PD and the trade unions. The driving force behind Potere al Popolo was Rifondazione Comunista, a party that used its influence in the 1990s to prop up bourgeois governments and ultimately entered the hated centre-left government of Romano Prodi.

Potere al Popolos international models include parties such as Spains Podemos, Jean-Luc Melenchons Unsubmissive France, and Greeces Syriza, which came to power by promising to end European Union austerity and has since imposed more brutal social attacks than its predecessors. These betrayals have repulsed workers and young people, andin the absence of a true Marxist and socialist alternativedriven desperate sections of the population to vote for parties such as the M5S and Lega. Potere al Popolo polled little more than 1 percent in the election.

The collapse of the official Italian left and its pseudo-left appendages underscores the fact that the fight against the growth of the far-right and the turn of the ruling elites to war, fascism and dictatorship can be stopped only by a revolutionary socialist movement of the working class. The growing number of strikes and working class protests across Europe as well as in Asia and the US shows that the conditions for the emergence of such a movement are ripening internationally.

The Italian election marks the beginning of a new period of political crises and class struggles. It has intensified the crisis of the European Union. The formation of a new government could drag on for months, possibly resulting in new elections. Italys banking system faces the threat of complete collapse. While the ruling elites are seeking to remilitarize Europe and crack down on social and democratic rights, political and social opposition is growing throughout the continent.

Amid the rise of German and Italian fascism during the 1930s, Leon Trotsky wrote that the political situation as a whole is chiefly characterized by a historical crisis of the leadership of the proletariat. This remains the most urgent question today.

Everything now depends on the construction of a Marxist party to mobilise the revolutionary potential of the Italian, European and international working class. This means building sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International in Italy and throughout Europe.
On Tuesday afternoon, billionaire West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed into law a bipartisan agreement announced earlier in the day by legislators to end the nine-day strike by teachers and other public school employees across the state.

The agreement, which the unions endorsed and are claiming as a victory, is a betrayal of the courageous struggle by 33,000 school workers.

It does nothing to address workers primary demand: guaranteed funding for the state-run Public Employee Insurance Agency (PEIA). Instead, it provides a temporary freeze on rising health-care costs and sets up yet another task force to address the chronic underfunding of the PEIA. The task force will resolve nothing, since both political parties are beholden to the powerful energy and corporate interests in the state and refuse to impose any significant tax on them to fund health care.

Justice and the state legislators have boasted that the five percent pay raise, which also covers all state workers, will not be financed through any increase in taxes. Instead, it will be funded through budget cuts, including to the health insurance program Medicaid, upon which many school employees, their students and thousands of workers depend.

School employees have waged their fight for the right to health carenot for it to be taken from the poor. Teachers, who are already the 48th lowest paid of all states in the country, have made clear that a five percent raise will be more than eaten up due to future health-care cost increases.

An article published yesterday in the Charleston Gazette-Mail reports that the raises will be funded by $82 million in cuts to the 2018-2019 state budget, including $23 million allocated to repairing dilapidated state buildings, $7 million assigned to provide tuition for students at state community and technical colleges, and millions from Medicaid. Senate Finance Chairman Craig Blair said the Republican-controlled Senate had only agreed to the pay rise in exchange for very deep cuts, adding: Theres going to be some pain.

Dale Lee (second from left), Christine Campbell (third from left) and school support staff union president Joe White smile and applaud as governor Justice signs bill

Union officials, aware that there would be deep opposition from workers, rushed the deal through as quickly as possible to ensure teachers had no time to come together, discuss it and vote on it. Even before the two houses of the state legislature had approved the bill, Justice had tweeted that the deal was done, and the media declared the strike over. Before union officials and the governor could sign the agreement, a robocall had been sent out to workers instructing them to return to work.

Union officials drew conclusions from the previous Tuesday, when they ordered workers back to school after a cooling off day. This gave the workers time to organize and vote to continue the strike in defiance of the union leaders.

Governor Jim Justice signed the bill into law during a press conference that was a lovefest between the billionaire governor, state Democratic and Republican politicians and union officials. Christine Campbell of the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia (AFT-WV) and Dale Lee of the West Virginia Education Association (WVEA), grovelingly thanked the coal magnate as he handed them personalized copies of the signed bill.

Justice, who could write a personal check to fund PEIA for more than 30 years, postured as a friend of school workers. He let slip his real attitude to this movement when he declared that teachers had done things that maybe were not the right thing to be done, and maybe you did that out of frustration, and that the world was looking at us saying: well I dont know if I like West Virginia right now.

In fact, the powerful nine-day strike in West Virginia became a pole of attraction and inspiration to workers in the US and around the world.

A WSWS reporter asked Justice to comment on the fact that not only did the bill not provide health-care funding for teachers, it would be paid for through cuts to funding for poor children. Justice responded that there was not a chance on the planet that such cuts would take place, but in the next breath declared that it may be prudent to cut $10 million from the state Medicaid fund because it currently has a cash surplus.

When teachers first heard of the deal, it was met with skepticism and distrust. Lorene, a school cook for nearly two decades, told WSWS reporters outside the capitol building immediately after the deal was announced, I do not think they [the unions and legislature] will fix PEIA  They lied before. They broke promises before. I do know this: if its not fixed, we will be back in full force.

Melanie, who has taught for over a decade, commented inside the capitol building: I dont feel good about this because this compromise is setting us up to look like the bad guy, because if one penny is taken from Medicaid it looks like were greedy and selfish and we dont care who it comes from. I care! If I had a say, Id say no deal. Its not right.

With the end of the strike, it is critical that workers in West Virginia, the United States and internationally draw the political lessons from the events of the past two weeks.

The strike demonstrated that the growth of class conflict will bring workers into ever more direct conflict with the right-wing trade union apparatuses which function as an industrial police force for the governments and companies. It was the teachers defiance of the unions back-to-work order that galvanized the support of ever-broader sections of the working class and youth.

The unions, terrified by this development, responded by sending a small army of bureaucrats to the state capitol to maintain the control of the unions over the workers. A major factor in the unions effort to shut down the strike was the beginning of the strike by Frontier telecommunications workers in West Virginia over the weekend, and the growing support for the strike from teachers in Oklahoma, Kentucky and other states.

National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia, with a salary of over $300,000, expressed the attitude of the unions when she emphatically declared that the unions did not want to see an expansion of the struggle to other states.

The objective striving of the workers to break free from the union apparatuses must be consciously organized in the form of new organs of struggle, rank-and-file committees elected by and from among the workers themselves.

The coming struggles must be grounded, above all, on a clear political perspective. The West Virginia teachers struggle demonstrated that the defense of the social rights of the working classto health care, education and decent jobscenters on the question of which social class controls societys wealth and decides how it is allocated: the international working class, the overwhelming mass of society, or a tiny layer of corporate billionaires. The guaranteeing of such rights requires the fight to expropriate societys resources from the corporate elite and the socialist reorganization of economic life in the interests of the working class.
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
A Denver woman who was killed in 2015 had learned on the day she died that her husband was allegedly having an affair with a woman hed met on the dating app Tinder, according to court documents unsealed Monday.

Robert Feldman, 53, was arrested on Feb. 13 and charged with first-degree murder in the death of his 45-year-old wife, Stacy Feldman, court records show, PEOPLE confirms.

The medical examiner had originally classified the cause and manner of Stacys death as undetermined, so it remained a mystery for nearly three years.

A mother of two, Stacy had served as president of the parent-teacher organization at her childrens elementary school in Denver and worked for a non-profit, local TV station KUSA reports.

At the time of Stacys death, on March 1, 2015, Robert allegedly told authorities that he came home and found her unresponsive in the bathtub with the water still running, the Denver Post reports.

He allegedly said he believed Stacy died as a result of eating edible marijuana the night before, according to local station KMGH.

But on Monday, new details of Stacys death and Roberts suspected involvement emerged when his eight-page arrest affidavit was unsealed.

The affidavit, which was obtained by PEOPLE, reveals prosecutors believe he strangled or suffocated his wife after she learned he was allegedly having an affair.

Among other details, the documents show Stacy had no signs of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in her system when she died.

Robert went on to collect a $750,000 insurance policy on Stacy, which he took out in 2010, according to the affidavit.

Court documents state that investigators first learned of the life insurance money about three months after Stacy died.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Robert Feldman

Around that same time, they learned of Roberts suspected affair, according to the affidavit: In June 2015, a woman called Metro Denver Crime Stoppers to report that she had told Stacy she was Roberts alleged mistress just before Stacy was found dead.

Story continues

The woman alleged she had met Robert in February 2015 on Tinder and that they had gone on dates and had sex at least once. Robert had told her he was divorced but the woman didnt believe him and took to Google to find out whether he was married, she claimed.

The woman said she emailed Stacy the morning she was found dead, asking her if she and Robert were divorced and then telling her about the alleged affair.

According to the woman, Stacy told her that Robert had allegedly cheated on her before and that she was done with him,  the affidavit states.

During their investigation, authorities learned Robert was uncooperative with police and firefighters at the scene where Stacy was found dead and said he did not want an autopsy performed, according to the arrest affidavit.

Perhaps most consequentially, however, was what happened last fall.

 For more compelling true crime coverage, follow our Crime magazine on Flipboard.

The arrest affidavit shows that in October, authorities asked a nationally-recognized doctor who specializes in domestic violence-related strangulation and suffocation injuries to review Stacys injuries.

In December, the doctor reported that he believed Stacy died as a result of strangulation or suffocation and that her injuries were the result of an assault, which included blunt force trauma, strangulation and suffocation, the affidavit states.

He ruled the death a homicide.

Robert was arrested two months later and is being held in Denver without bail until his next court appearance. He has not entered a plea.

Calls to his attorney for comment were not immediately returned on Tuesday.
Former Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon has unveiled her candidacy for governor in her home state of New York. Nixons bid could create a significant primary challenge for the Empire States incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo, a Democrat, is believed to have his eye on running for the White House in 2020. Nixon []

Cynthia Nixon is assembling a staff ahead of a potential run for governor of New York, NY1 reported on Tuesday.

Rebecca Katz and Bill Hyers, who worked on Bill de Blasios first campaign for mayor of New York, would play major roles in Nixons candidacy. Katz and Hyers did not immediately return requests for comment.

Sex in the City star Nixon recently wrote in an op ed on CNN.com that each one of us has to do whatever we can to take the government back, including taking the leap to run for office ourselves.

Everyday people running means more people of color, more women, more queer people, more first-generation Americans, more allies  more of the people whose voices have been missing for far too long, she wrote. We may not have million dollar super PACs behind us, but well have something more important  a shared mission uniting millions of people across this nation.

Appearing on NBCs Today last year, she said that she was being encouraged to run. She criticized the record of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, who she would challenge in a September primary if she enters the race.

A spokeswoman for Nixon indicated that she was still considering a bid. Many concerned New Yorkers have been encouraging Cynthia to run for office, and as she has said previously, she will continue to explore it. If and when such a decision is made, Cynthia will be sure to make her plans public, the spokeswoman said.
UPDATE: On After the Final Rose, host Chris Harrison revealed fans have raised $6,000 for Kufrin, who pledged to donate the money to Stand Up To Cancer  and Harrison promised ABC would match that amount.

Theres nothing like a few cocktails to help mend a broken heartaccording to Bachelor Nation anyway.

After Monday nights shocking finale, fans of The Bachelors Becca Kufrin have been using the mobile payment app Venmo to send Kufrin money to buy herself some breakup food.

The shows dramatic twist started with Arie Luyendyk Jr. ending his relationship with Lauren Burnham during the final rose ceremony in Peru, and proposing to Minneapolis-based publicist Kufrin. But after filming wrapped and the newly engaged couple returned back to the U.S., Luyendyk Jr. was unsettled with his decision  admitting on the show that he still had feelings for 26-year-old Burnham.

After having a sit-down conversation with Burnham, Luyendyk Jr. decided to call off his engagement with Kufrin during a weekend trip to Los Angeles.

RELATED: The Final Rose! The Bachelor Launches Its Own Brand of Wines

There was a better and more tactful way to do it, Kufrin tells PEOPLE of getting dumped on national television. A breakup is hard enough, and to have it all filmed and have to re-watch it and know that people all across the country are watching you get your heart broken, it is embarrassing. Its not fun. I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy. It was like a slap in the face.

Savvy Internet users were not about to let Kufrin wallow alone, and instead found the reality stars Venmo accountas first pointed out by Elite Dailyto help cheer her up.

Girl, Arie is a plain ass bagel, one user wrote along with their payment. Heres some beer money for you until you find your everything bagel.

You deserve so much better. Like a margarita]]>
Watch news, TV and more on Yahoo View.



WASHINGTON  The attorney for Stephanie Clifford, the adult film star known as Stormy Daniels, says he believes shes free to talk about her relationship with Donald Trump. She filed a lawsuit against Trump to declare a $130,000 pre-election hush agreement null and void.

Mr. Trump did not sign. We believe that that was so that he could later claim deniability, and therefore, from a legal perspective, we believe shes free to talk, Michael Avenatti, Cliffords attorney, said on NBCs Today, adding that his client may have to return the money if they win in court.

The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. It claims that the line for Trumps signature, to be made under a pseudonym, David Dennison, is left blank. Clifford also signed under a different name, Peggy Peterson.

The agreement was entered into on Oct. 28, 2016, the week before the election, according to the lawsuit, which Avenattis firm posted online.

Cohen did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and a White House spokesman did not immediately comment.

In January, the Wall Street Journal first reported that Michael Cohen, Trumps attorney, arranged a $130,000 payment to Clifford to not discuss the alleged affair. But In Touch magazine then published an interview with Clifford, conducted in 2011, where she provided some of the details.

She also denied an affair with Trump in a statement, saying it never happened, and in an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

But her lawsuit claims that she and Trump had an intimate relationship starting in 2006 and going into 2007. It claims that Cohen created and LLC, Essential Consultants, to hide the true source of funds to pay her. It also claims that Cohen, through intimidation and coercive tactics, forced Clifford into signing a false statement in which she claimed that reports of an affair were false.

Story continues

Cohen issued a statement to the New York Times in February in which he said he used his personal funds to make the payment. But Clifford, in her lawsuit, contends that he did this without her consent, evidence that Cohens position is that no binding agreement is in place. It also claims that Cohen surreptitiously initiated a bogus arbitration proceeding against Clifford late last month.

Related stories

Former Trump Aide Does Round of Cable News Interviews to Say He'll Defy Mueller Subpoena

Will Hope Hicks and Josh Raffel Be Welcome Back in Hollywood After White House Exits?

Trump Blasts Alec Baldwin on 'SNL': 'Bring Back Darrell Hammond'

Subscribe to Variety Newsletters and Email Alerts!
WASHINGTON  Two top legal experts have told the Senates leaders that they see little merit in a Trump administration legal opinion criticizing Senate efforts to debate U.S. involvement in Yemens civil war.

The insinuation... that the President may unilaterally engage the United States in military action to defend presidentially decreed American interests is frivolous, write Bruce Ackerman, a Yale Law School professor, and Bruce Fein, a Reagan-era Justice Department official, in a letter obtained by HuffPost. If the law means anything, it means that the Senate should debate and vote on S.J. Res. 54.

At issue is a bill introduced last week by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) that invokes the War Powers Resolution and demands that senators consider whether to end U.S. assistance for a Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen since 2015. The Pentagon sent Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) a letter criticizing the proposal before it was even officially filed, HuffPost revealed last week.

Scholars on Twitter criticized the reasoning in the letter from the Defense Departments acting general counsel, which relies on the idea that the U.S. is not actually helping fight the rebels, after HuffPost published the story.

In their five-page response, Ackerman and Fein note that a House resolution passed overwhelmingly last year with Pentagon input acknowledges that U.S. planes are providing aerial refueling to Saudi-led coalition planes bombing the rebel group and that the coalition is receiving American intelligence. They argue that the Defense Department letter justifies unconstitutional executive branch overreach.

Two backers of the House effort, Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, solicited the analysis.

The senators are working on their own response, two Hill sources have told HuffPost. And the Trump administration is not backing down from the fight: Officials from the Pentagon, State Department and intelligence community will make their case on Yemen policy to Senate staff on Wednesday morning, two sources said. Movement on the bill is expected next week and may come just as Saudi Arabias de facto ruler, Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman, arrives in Washington to visit President Donald Trump.

Story continues

Read the scholars letter to McConnell and Schumer here or below:

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Ed Sheeran has been wearing a ring on THAT finger, but its not what you think it is. Its simply a man-gagement ring.

People noticed the wedding band-style accessory about two weeks ago, and he has since addressed it. I never saw why men didnt wear engagement rings, Sheeran, 27, told British talk show Lorraine. Cherry made it for me herself out of silver clay, he said of his new ring, which was handcrafted by his fiancee, Cherry Seaborn. I really like it.

Ed Sheeran and his notable ring. (Photo: Getty Images)

Nothings changed since he proposed: We didnt get secretly married, no, he clarified on Australias The Kyle and Jackie O Show this week. So we were both kinda wearing rings.

One of the benefits of wearing an engagement ring when youre a male celebrity is that no one will know your exact status. It also means that nobody will know when we have got married, Sheeran said on the radio show.

Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Thats not the only reason he  and other men  are wearing engagement rings nowadays. The trend has taken off in the last few years. According to a survey by XO Group Inc., five percent of engaged men are wearing man-gagement rings. And that was a few years ago; the number has probably increased since then, especially as influential people like Sheeran join in on the trend.

Theres a leveling of the playing field, Jane Greer, New York-based marriage and sex therapist and author of What About Me? Stop Selfishness From Ruining Your Relationship, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Women are exercising more choice and control in their lives. They dont have to wait for the man to propose and stay stuck in this limbo, not knowing if or when its going to happen. They are taking initiative and putting the option on the table, she adds. In relationships, modern women are now able to express their needs and desires more clearly  what they want for their futures, and what timing works for them. They are feeling more in charge.

This doesnt mean men dont want to propose. Men are not taking a back seat or getting lazy, but they move at a different timing than women sometimes, Greer says. Men look to have their careers in place before proposing, even though theyre committed and looking to marry the woman that theyre with. So, women are thinking, why wait?

Story continues

Ed Sheeran (Photo: Getty Images)

Mutual ring-wearing is most popular among couples who are looking for more sharing and equity between them, Greer says. They are not bound by conformity or tradition. They are able to adapt norms to their needs rather than feeling limited by the standard protocol.

With gender equality being a hot-button issue right now, its the perfect time to introduce man-gagement rings, but the concept is actually not new. In 1926, jewelers tried to popularize pre-wedding rings for men, according to the Atlantic. Companies like L. Bamberger & Co., a large department store later rebranded as Macys, placed ads in newspapers featuring black-and-white photos of a mans left hand, a cigarette resting between the first two fingers and a large rock flashing on the fourth. Not to deter the manly men, the rings had macho names like the Pilot, the Stag, and the Master. However, these campaigns were unable to overcome the ingrained femininity of the symbol, and the campaign failed.

Still, some form of jewelry is often given to the groom at the time of a proposal. In some circles, its commonplace for the family of the bride to gift the groom with a nice watch or something once he proposes as a sort of welcome to the family and an acknowledgement of the tidy sum he has spent on their daughters ring, Amy Elliott, author of the All That Glitters blog for JCK (Jewelers Circular Keystone) and jewelry expert for the Bridal Council, tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

Elliott thinks these rings might become more popular now, thanks to Sheeran.

Ed Sheeran being the recipient of a man-gagement ring has the potential to give this emerging microtrend some extra momentum and legitimacy, she says. Celebrity engagements have an effect on demand. But retailers have been designing mens styles with diamonds and gemstones for decades, blurring the lines between a traditional wedding band and an accessory that makes more of a fashion statement, she points out. So my guess is that you might see an increase in sales of gemstone mens rings, which would certainly make excellent man-gagement rings.

Some designers are avoiding gender altogether. I have noticed some indie designers like Wendy Brandes and Jill Maurer debuting ring styles that are less cisgender in feel as a way to give people an expanded array of options that feel right for who they are, and the nature of the relationship, Elliott says.

This does not mean the end of men getting down on one knee altogether. The premium is still on the woman receiving the ring, because it holds a certain symbolism in being engaged, Greer assures. Sheeran proposed to Cherry Seaborn with what looks like an oval-shaped diamond flanked by two smaller diamonds set on a white gold or platinum band. She may give him a ring, but many women want to have a ring of their own as well, Greer insists. So, while gender stereotypes are evolving, you likely wont be seeing a rise in only men wearing the rings anytime soon  with the exception of two-groom couples, of course. Either they would both exchange rings, or the woman would get the ring.

Elliott agrees. If more guys start getting engagement rings from their fiancees, I suspect that it will be more a of reciprocal thing  you gave me this gorgeous ring, so heres one for you, she explains. The idea that the brides ring is a really, really big deal is not going to change anytime soon.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.




The families of two Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students injured in the mass shooting at their school announced separate plans on Monday to sue officials in Broward County, Florida, over the incident.

In letters of intent released this week, lawyers representing the students and their parents pin blame on law enforcement, Broward County and Broward County Public Schools for failing to protect Stoneman Douglas students from the gunman.

Anthony Borges and Kyle Laman, both 15, suffered gunshot wounds that landed them in the hospital for weeks. The Broward County Sheriffs Office says a 19-year-old former student confessed to killing 17 students and teachers with an assault-style rifle at the school.

The gunman shot Borges, 15, five times  three times in his legs and twice in his torso  while Borges was trying to close and lock the door to a classroom, a move that protected about 20 classmates. Using his knowledge as a Boy Scout, Borges then fashioned a makeshift tourniquet to slow his own bleeding.

Borges remains hospitalized at Broward Health Medical Center, still unable to walk. Hes having a great deal of difficulty performing rudimentary tasks for himself, requiring assistance constantly, attorney Alex Arreaza said in a letter of intent provided to HuffPost.

The failure of Broward County Public Schools and of the Principal and School Resource Officer to adequately protect students, and in particular our client, from life-threatening harm were unreasonable, callous and negligent, the letter continued. Such action or inaction led to the personal injuries sustained by my client.

Borges family seeks unspecified monetary damages. As of Tuesday, a GoFundMe page has raised $617,000 of a $700,000 goal to cover his medical bills.

The gunman was able to shoot Laman, also 15, through his right ankle and foot because a teacher couldnt open a door quickly enough to help him escape from the hall. Sgt. Jeff Heinrich from the nearby Coral Springs Police Department encountered Laman near the school parking lot and gave him medical attention. The teen provided an accurate description of the shooter that helped police.

Story continues

Laman was released from Broward Health North last week, but told TMZ he would need several more surgeries and a year of rehab before he would be able to walk normally again.

As of Tuesday, a GoFundMe page set up on behalf of the Laman family had raised $39,000 of a $50,000 goal.

Among those named in the lawsuit Arreaza plans to file on behalf of Borges and his family are Broward County, county administrator Bertha Henry, Broward County Public Schools, Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie, the Broward County Sheriffs Office and Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel.

The Broward County School Board, Broward County Sheriffs Office, the FBI and the Florida Department of Children and Families received a separate letter of intent to pursue legal action from the Berman Law Group, on behalf of Laman and his parents, the Miami Herald reported.

A school board representative told the Herald that government agencies do not comment on lawsuits before they are filed, per policy.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
The original meaning of "dumpster fire." (Photo: Baloncici via Getty Images)

Now when a man mansplains what the word mansplain means, he can do it with an added air of arrogance  because it just became an official word.

The verb, meaning to explain something to a woman in a condescending way that assumes she has no knowledge about the topic, was among 850 new words Merriam-Webster added to its dictionary, the publisher announced Monday.

Other new words Merriam-Webster added to embiggen (meaning to enlarge or expand, reportedly derived from The Simpsons) our collective language include self-care (health care provided by oneself often without the consultation of a medical professional) and dumpster fire (an utterly calamitous or mismanaged situation or occurrence).

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

And if these words seem eerily reflective of the current political and cultural climate, theres a reason for that.

Emily Brewster, Merriam-Websters associate editor, said in a statement that for a word to make it into the dictionary, it must have widespread, sustained, and meaningful use.

She added: These new words have been added to the dictionary because they have become established members of the English language, and are terms people are likely to encounter.

Also joining the class of 2018 are words such as subtweet, glamping, Yorkie-poo, tzatziki, hate-watch, wordie and, welp, welp.

To check out their meanings (plus a few more), just take a gander below:

Bandwidth: (noun) the emotional or mental capacity necessary to do or consider something (to see additional meanings, click on bandwidth).

Bitcoin: (noun) a digital currency created for use in peer-to-peer online transactions.

Glamping: (noun) outdoor camping with amenities and comforts (such as beds, electricity, and access to indoor plumbing) not usually used when camping.

Hate-watch: (verb) to watch and take pleasure in laughing at or criticizing (a disliked television show, movie, etc.).

Narcissistic personality disorder: (noun) a personality disorder characterized especially by an exaggerated sense of self-importance, persistent need for admiration, lack of empathy for others, excessive pride in achievements, and snobbish, disdainful, or patronizing attitudes.

Story continues

Subtweet: (noun) a usually mocking or critical tweet that alludes to another Twitter user without including a link to the users account and often without directly mentioning the users name.

Tzatziki: (noun) a Greek yogurt sauce made with cucumbers and garlic.

Welp: (interjection) used informally like well (as to introduce a remark expressing resignation or disappointment).

Wordie: (noun) a lover of words.

Yorkie-poo: (noun) a dog that is a cross between a Yorkshire terrier and a poodle and especially a miniature or toy poodle.

Check out more new words over at Merriam-Webster.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Kyle Mizokami

Security,

What firearm would you choose?



5 Best Guns for Defending Your Home (Glock and Beretta Made the Cut)



New for 2018, Rugers PC (pistol caliber) carbine looks to be an excellent choice for home defense, combining the best attributes of a handgun and a long gun in a home-defense weapon. The nine-millimeter PC Carbine features a sixteen-inch cold hammer-forged barrel, fluted to reduce weight and threaded to accommodate muzzle brakes, compensators, flash hiders, or even a suppressor. The PC Carbine takes Ruger or Glock pistol magazines, has an overall length of just thirty-four inches, and has an adjustable length of pull to suit a wide range of body types. The length and weight of the PC Carbine will counteract much of the guns recoil, making for a stable shooting platform in a crisis situation. The Carbines ghost ring sights are adequate for the task, but a red dot sight and flashlight attached to the weapon would make for rapid target identification and target acquisition at night.

Home defense is probably the most stressful scenario a civilian gun owner could encounter. A crash or bump in the night, waking a homeowner up from an evening torpor or sound slumber, is a jarring proposition. Add to that a house or apartment full of family members for whom the homeowner is responsible, and things start moving very quickly. After calling the police, what weapon do you reach for to defend your family? Here are five options.

Recommended: The Colt Python: The Best Revolver Ever Made?

Recommended: Smith & Wesson 500: The Gun That Has As Much Firepower As a Rifle

Recommended: Smith & Wesson's .44 Magnum Revolver: Why You Should Fear the 'Dirty Harry' Gun

Beretta 1301 Shotgun

A semiautomatic shotgun from Italian gun manufacturer Beretta, the compact 1301 comes with an 18.5-inch barrel and a four-round magazine. The shotguns heft and weight, reminders of its raw power, are reassuring in stressful situations. The barrel length makes the shotgun easier to wield indoors without bumping into walls or getting caught in doorways. The semiautomatic loading system means that, after the first round, a second round is automatically loaded and ready to fire. Although shotgun shot is known to disperse with distance at close, indoor ranges, the dispersion pattern is negligible. Care should be taken firing indoors, however, as contrary to expectations shotgun shot is particularly good at penetrating drywall.

Story continues

Glock 19

The Glock 19 handgun is slightly smaller than the original Glock 17, making it an excellent choice for home defense. The Glock 19 has a slightly shorter barrel than the -17, with a slightly smaller magazine capacity, but is less obtrusive and easier to conceal in a gun safe. As a handgun, the Glock is easier to maneuver through close indoor confines than a long gun. The recoil of a nine-millimeter pistol is very manageable and easier to keep the muzzle on target in stressful situations. A Glock 19 with a flashlight attachment and specialized self-defense rounds such as 147 grain Federal HST will quickly and reliably put down a threat.

Ruger GP100

Rugers GP-100 revolver is a beefy magnum pistol that brings some unique capabilities to the table. Like the Glock 19, it is easier to maneuver indoors. However, the GP100 is unique in having the adaptability to fire two calibers, .357 Magnum or .38 Special. .357 Magnum transfers more energy to the target, making it an excellent choice for those willing to deal with the greater recoil. Other shooters may prefer to use the softer shooting (but still dangerous) .38 Special round, which the GP100 handles with a minimum of recoil. The double-action nature of the GP100 means it is ready to fire, instantly, without racking a slide to chamber a round. The main downsides to the GP100 are a limitation to six rounds in the cylinder, and a lengthier and more involved reloading process.

AR-15

The explosive popularity of the AR-15 platform over the last decade has resulted in several million such rifles residing in American households. While the 5.56-millimeter rounds high velocity and penetration against body armor means such a bullet could go through several walls in a home before stopping, properly configured an AR makes a reasonably good choice for home defense. An AR-15 with a sixteen-inch barrel, twenty- or thirty-round magazine, and flashlight attachment, coupled with 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip and Hornady V-Max ammunition can provide reassurance and protection while limiting overpenetration. The sound of the AR-15s bolt slamming forward, chambering a round, will make for an intimidating sound in in a quiet, dark home.

Ruger PC Carbine

New for 2018, Rugers PC (pistol caliber) carbine looks to be an excellent choice for home defense, combining the best attributes of a handgun and a long gun in a home-defense weapon. The nine-millimeter PC Carbine features a sixteen-inch cold hammer-forged barrel, fluted to reduce weight and threaded to accommodate muzzle brakes, compensators, flash hiders, or even a suppressor. The PC Carbine takes Ruger or Glock pistol magazines, has an overall length of just thirty-four inches, and has an adjustable length of pull to suit a wide range of body types. The length and weight of the PC Carbine will counteract much of the guns recoil, making for a stable shooting platform in a crisis situation. The Carbines ghost ring sights are adequate for the task, but a red dot sight and flashlight attached to the weapon would make for rapid target identification and target acquisition at night.

Related:

Watch original series, sports and more on go90.

Kyle Mizokami is a defense and national security writer based in San Francisco who has appeared in the Diplomat, Foreign Policy, War is Boring and the Daily Beast. In 2009 he cofounded the defense and security blog Japan Security Watch. You can follow him on Twitter: @KyleMizokami.

This first appeared in January.

Image: Creative Commons.

Read full article
Axios

Three tourists were arrested after allegedly assaulting a New York City restaurant hostess when she asked for proof of their vaccination status before they could be seated indoors, the New York Times reports. The latest: On Saturday, lawyers for the restaurant and the three women revealed that the tourists had in fact shown proof of vaccination and been allowed into Carmine's Italian restaurant, according to the Times.Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Marke
Dave Majumdar

Security, North America

This marks the first time the jet has deployed operationally onboard a large deck amphibious assault ship.

America Can Now Fly F-35s off of Assault ShipsHere's Why That's a Big Deal

The U.S. Marine Corps has deployed a detachment of Lockheed Martin F-35B Joint Strike Fighters onboard USS Wasp (LHD-1), marking the first time the jet has deployed operationally onboard a large deck amphibious assault ship.

The arrival of the F-35B onboard the L-class ships mark a massive boost in striking power for the roughly 40,000-ton vesselseffectively turning them into light carriers. Indeed, until the United States Navys F-35C version becomes operational, the F-35B will be the only stealth aircraft to be found onboard a naval flight deck.

"Pairing F-35B Lightning II's with the Wasp represents one of the most significant leaps in warfighting capability for the Navy-Marine Corps team in our lifetime," Rear Adm. Brad Cooper, commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 7, said. "This 5th generation stealth jet is extremely versatile and will greatly enhance and expand our operational capabilities."

Capt. Colby Howard, Wasps commanding officer, is understandably proud of his newly upgraded vessel and its embarked aircraft. Indeed, F-35B was tested at sea for the first time onboard Wasp when the jet was being developed.

"Deployment of the versatile F-35B enhances the full range of Expeditionary Strike Group capabilities with one of the world's most technologically-advanced air warfare platforms," Howard said. "With the specific upgrades Wasp has received, the Navy Marine Corps team in the Pacific is better positioned than ever before to support our commitment to the security of Japan and the Region."

The Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) will be part of a new type of unit that offers far greater firepower than the three-ship amphibious warfare groups that have become commonplace in the postCold War era. Instead, the new 'Up-Gunned ESG' will not only incorporate the F-35B but also the Arleigh Burkeclass guided-missile destroyers USS Dewey (DDG 105) and USS Sterett (DDG 104), which will enable the ESG to be more effective against peer-level threats such as Chinese or Russian forces.

Story continues

The 'Up-gunned ESG' is a U.S. Pacific-fleet initiated concept that aims to provide lethality and survivability to a traditional three-ship amphibious ready group by integrating multi-mission surface combatants and F-35B into amphibious operations, the Navys 7th Fleet said in a statement. By adding these enabling capabilities, the amphibious force can more effectively defend against adversarial threats in the undersea, surface and air domains, as well provide offensive firepower to strike from the sea.

The F-35B should also be useful for the Marines operations ashore as a more capable support aircraft for the services infantry than the venerable Boeing AV-8B Harrier II jump jet. "This is a historic deployment," Col. Tye R. Wallace, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit commanding officer, said. "The F-35B is the most capable aircraft ever to support a Marine rifleman on the ground. It brings a range of new capabilities to the MEU that make us a more lethal and effective Marine Air-Ground Task Force."

Dave Majumdar is the defense editor for The National Interest. You can follow him on Twitter: @davemajumdar.

Image: U.S. Marines

Read full article
Bill Gertz

Security, Asia

The NPR outlines a new tailored deterrence policy that seeks to persuade Chinese leaders to avoid miscalculationsbut it could lead to war.

Is America Preparing for a Nuclear War with China?

Russias leader Vladimir Putin unveiled several new nuclear weapons last week in a replay of the Cold War. China, meanwhile, is continuing a similar buildup of high-technology strategic nuclear forces that remains largely hidden from view.

Chinese secrecy about its nuclear forces and their use was a major theme of the Pentagons recently completed Nuclear Posture Review that outlined a new tailored deterrence policy for China.

The new plan is aimed at persuading Chinese leaders to avoid military miscalculations  like provocative actions in the South China Sea, or hostile activities related to Taiwan or Japan  that could quickly escalate into a nuclear exchange.

The unclassified posture review shed little light on the details of the buildup of Chinas nuclear forces other than identifying what were called entirely new nuclear capabilities. They include several new types of missiles, including hypersonic weapons, satellite-killing missiles and regional intermediate-range nuclear forces.

The review takes note of the main threat of a nuclear war between the United States and China: A military encounter that escalates into a regional conflict culminating in a nuclear exchange involving Chinas regional nuclear-armed missiles.

Recommended: America Has Military Options for North Korea (but They're All Bad)

Recommended: 1,700 Planes Ready for War: Everything You Need To Know About China's Air Force

Recommended: Stealth vs. North Koreas Air Defenses: Who Wins?

Our tailored strategy for China is designed to prevent Beijing from mistakenly concluding that it could secure an advantage through the limited use of its theater nuclear capabilities, or that any use of nuclear weapons, however limited, is acceptable, the review states.

Story continues

The Pentagon did not specify how tailored deterrence would work. It warned that the United States will maintain the capability to credibly threaten intolerable damage as Chinese leaders calculate costs and benefits, such that the costs incurred as a result of Chinese nuclear employment, at any level of escalation, would vastly outweigh any benefit.

Strategic military planning for China, however, would likely seek to put at risk what Chinese leaders hold most dearly: Continued rule by the Communist Party of China. Thus, U.S. tailored deterrence would involve signaling to the Chinese leadership that any future conflict would result in the destruction of the Chinese Communist Party, and its military arm, the Peoples Liberation Army.

Robust security for Chinese leaders

Chinese leadership statements and military writings make clear China probably understands that strategy, and the military has invested heavily in defending Party leaders.

The PLA has built robust leadership security systems that include networks of underground escape and transit systems to be used by senior Party leaders in a crisis or conflict.

For example, the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing, where Party leaders live and work, includes a terminal for a large underground tunnel and rail system that runs to a major command center west of the city known as the Western Hills. From that command center, other underground trains and tunnels lead to additional secure facilities in various parts of the country.

Unfortunately for the Chinese, U.S. intelligence agencies have known the locations of many of these leadership protection facilities. And the Pentagon has been developing precision-guided bombs and missiles capable of penetrating the underground bunkers and tunnels  putting Chinas most valuable strategic assets at risk.

Beijing refuses to discuss its nuclear policies

One problem for the United States has been Chinas repeated refusal to engage in official discussions that could make such deterrence goals clear.

We have long sought a dialogue with China to enhance our understanding of our respective nuclear policies, doctrine, and capabilities; to improve transparency; and to help manage the risks of miscalculation and misperception, the review says. We hope that China will share this interest and that meaningful dialogue can commence.

The reason China does not hold such talks is the Chinese view that any discussion of its strategic nuclear and non-nuclear capabilities  such as nuclear forces, space weapons and cyber-attack capabilities  as undermining deterrence.

That was disclosed several years ago in a classified State Department cable outlining a June 2008 meeting in Beijing. During the talks, U.S. officials called on China to be more open about its nuclear capabilities.

In response, Chinas then-Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei responded that Chinas nuclear forces were a sensitive issue and officials engaged in the talks did not even know the size of Chinas nuclear arsenal. Now is not the time for China to tell others what we have, He Yafei said, adding that even revealing the size of the nuclear arsenal would eliminate its deterrent value.

Thus, excessive secrecy remains a hallmark of Chinas approach to deterrence. By keeping its nuclear and non-nuclear military power secret, China calculates the United States will not risk a conflict without fully knowing what kind of weapons will be used.

The Pentagons new posture review, however, appears to be taking the Chinese strategic secrecy into account.

Pentagon expanding conditions for using nukes

Because China is developing new and formidable capabilities to threaten U.S. interests and those of allies and partners, the Pentagon is expanding the conditions for using nuclear forces in response to non-nuclear attacks, such as the destruction of satellites or devastating cyber attacks on power grids.

The United States is prepared to respond decisively to Chinese non-nuclear or nuclear aggression, the review says.

While continuing to seek meaningful dialogue with China, the United States will use military exercises that demonstrate nuclear strike capabilities, and, second, will increase the range of graduated nuclear response options available to the president, the review said.

Chinas Defense Ministry reacted to the nuclear review with harsh criticism. Spokesman Ren Guoqiang, repeating standard Beijing propaganda, saying the reviews view of China as a threat was a reflection of American anti-communism.

We hope the US side will discard its cold-war mentality, shoulder its own special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament, understand correctly Chinas strategic intentions and take a fair view on Chinas national defense and military development, he said.

American defense officials say the secret version of posture review includes details on the weapons of concern, including the growing arsenal of land-based missiles of various types and ranges, and the addition of multiple warheads that are both independently targetable and maneuverable.

Chinas vast underground tunnel network

The secret review also addresses the numerous unknowns about Chinas nuclear modernization program, such as total warheads in the stockpile, their location in the 3,000-mile long underground tunnel network known as the Great Underground War, and uncertainties about the chain of command and decision-making for using nuclear arms.

Most American intelligence analysts and military planners doubt the official Chinese declaratory policy of not being the first nation to use nuclear weapons in a conflict.

While Chinas declaratory policy and doctrine have not changed, its lack of transparency regarding the scope and scale of its nuclear modernization program raises questions regarding its future intent, the review states.

All signs related to the Chinese nuclear buildup, especially the increase in both numbers and capabilities for short- and medium-range nuclear missiles, suggest Beijing is preparing to use its nuclear arsenal during the early phases of a conflict and not after a nuclear strike on China.

Like the United States, China appears to be planning to blend nuclear and conventional military power in tandem.

China, Russia increased nukes while US cut back

Thus, nuclear explosions in space designed to knock out U.S. intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and command and control systems could be a first use of nuclear arms early in a conflict.

Once satellites have been disabled, Chinas formidable cyber forces would go to work attacking critical infrastructure, including attacks on the U.S. electric grid.

The review also accuses China of exploiting American nuclear weapons restraint, which took place during the administration of President Barack Obama when nuclear weapons were downgraded in U.S. defense strategy. While the US reduced nuclear arms, China and Russia both moved in the opposite direction, the review states.

Beijings nuclear build-up

The nuclear buildup is a central part of what Chinese supreme leader Xi Jinping has announced the PLA will fully modernize by 2050. The weapons include a new road-mobile strategic intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a new multi-warhead version of its DF-5 silo-based ICBM, and its most advanced ballistic missile submarine armed with new submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM).

A new bomber is also planned that would provide Beijing with a complete nuclear triad.

The intermediate-range DF-26, a missile with precision guidance, is also one of the major strategic nuclear missiles that can strike both land and naval targets.

A further indication of Chinas growing strategic offensive capabilities is the development of Chinese missile defenses.

While Beijing routinely criticizes American homeland missile defenses as destabilizing, China is secretly building two types of long-range missile defenses, a new mid-course defense against incoming ICBMs along with a sea-based mid-course defense and theater ballistic missiles defenses.

The new US deterrence policy is likely to remain wrapped in secrecy unless China changes its policy of not engaging in strategic talks with the United States.

This article originally appeared on Asia Times.

Image: Reuters

Read full article
Its the worlds most famous interrogation technique, immortalized by countless TV detective shows and backed by the CIA. And now the good cop, bad cop routine has begun to pry open the inscrutable Hermit Kingdom.

On Tuesday, the leaders of North and South Korea agreed to sit down next month for historic talks, which may include the denuclearization of the divided peninsular, marking a distinct thaw after years of deteriorating relations amid Pyongyangs accelerating nuclear and missile tests.

If military threats to the North Korea decrease and regime safety is guaranteed, the North showed that it has no reason to retain nukes, South Koreas presidents office said Tuesday following a meeting between Seoul officials and Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, where the group were pictured grinning together during a four-hour dinner.

Much credit for the breakthrough must go to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the son of refugees from the North, who has pushed for dialogue with the Kim regime since his May election, spearheading symbolic cooperation such as marching under a unified flag at the recent Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.

But it would be churlish not to also recognize the contribution of the bad cop: U.S. President Donald Trump, who has turned up the heat on North Korea with ever tighter rounds of sanctions, and badgered historic ally China to isolate the 25 million-strong Stalinist state.

The Trump administration deserves credit for increasing the pressure and deepening even further the alienation between China and North Korea, says Professor John Delury, an East Asia expert at Yonsei Univeristy in Seoul. And globally, there have been a lot of bilateral relationships where Trump has put North Korea at the top of the agenda.

Like in Egypt, whose pilots were trained by North Korea during the 1973 war with Israel, and whose obstinate backing of the Kim regime reportedly contributed to the recent suspension of $290 million of American aid. Or nations like Spain, Italy, Mexico, Peru and Kuwait, which in the last year expelled their North Korean ambassadors following pressure from the White House.

Story continues

Read more: How to Stop Kim Jong Un

This is important as North Korean embassies abroad operate as revenue-generating hubs for myriad illicit activities. In October, thousands of bottles of bootlegged whisky, beer and wine were stolen from a North Korean diplomats home in the Pakistani capital Islamabad. Several African nations with military links to North Korea have also been pressured to cut off ties, which experts say could trim 3-5% off Pyongyangs foreign currency reserves.

But more crucial has been the extra pressure Trump has put on China to enforce two new rounds of U.N. sanctions. Despite all warnings to the contrary, the Trump administration has also steadfastly maintained that military action remains on the table. Such threats have been roundly  and rightly  criticized as risking nuclear catastrophe, though theres little doubt Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken notice, especially when Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff General Joseph Dunford visited the border area in August and established three-star communication channels with the Chinese military to avoid accidental clashes in the event of a conflict.

Sanctions enforcement by Beijing is key. About 90% of all North Korean trade comes across the 880-mile shared frontier, but recent Chinese imports of coal, seafood and labor have been slashed. As a result, some experts suggest North Korea may burn through cash reserves by the middle of 2019. Reports of a sudden depreciation of North Korean currency to the Euro will also hamper Kim keeping the North Korean elites satisfied. That North Korea has resorted to inefficient and costly ship-to-ship transfers to evade the sanctions is yet more evidence that they are biting.

Read more: North Korea Is the Biggest Threat to All Humankind. U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad Talks to TIME

Trumps tightening noose, combined with a sympathetic ear in Seoul (compared to hawkish former President Park Geun-hye), is the most likely explanation for Kims stunning about-face. Not only did the Swiss-educated 34-year-old agree to meet Moon at the DMZ that has divided the Korean peninsular since the 1950-53 Korean war, he offered to discuss denuclearization with Washington, and also confirmed that Aprils summit would take place regardless of whether U.S.-South Korea military exercises occur in the interim. North Korea traditionally abhors the drills, deeming them a dress rehearsal for invasion, and stages missile and nuclear tests to coincide.

The drills were one of the biggest issues that was likely to become a poison pill to negotiations, says Stephan Haggard, a Korea expert at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy. And that theyre willing to actually discuss the nuclear issue means theyre really desperate to have talks.

Turning that desperation into a meaningful resolution will be no easy feat, however, and even if an agreement is reached, North Koreas record of noncompliance is galling. But the thaw is positive given that years of isolation led North Koreas weapons program to advance in leaps and bounds, with their latest nuclear-armed ballistic missiles theoretically able to hit anywhere on the continental U.S.

Trump, notably, isnt being too triumphant, tweeting that the summit is possible progress but may be false hope. That is true. And its also a concern whether Trumps threadbare State Department has the expertise and wherewithal to exploit this momentous opportunity. But then again, if it proves at all possible, theres few better placed than good cop Moon  a man with deep emotional and intellectual connections to the North  to eke the goods out of Kim.
Hope they werent expecting a quick reply.

An Australian woman happened upon what experts believe is the oldest message in a bottle ever found, dating back to 1886.

Tonya Illman of Perth said she walking along the beach on Wedge Island in January when she spied the old glass bottle and picked it up. She thought the bottle  which apparently once contained gin  might look nice on display in her home, NPR reported, quoting from a website owned by her husband, Kym Illman.

Illman said when she got back to her car, she handed the bottle to her sons girlfriend, Bree Del Borrello. She noticed the bottle had no lid or cap, but there was something that looked like a cigarette inside.

It turned out to be a neatly rolled, damp note wrapped in string. After the paper dried, they discovered the note was written in German, according to the account on the website.

Using basic German language skills and Google Translate, Kym Illman figured out the person who dispatched the bottle wanted to know where and when it was found.

I could easily make out the day and month, June 12, but the year was harder to decipher, he said on the website. We had to wait a week before we had confirmation it was 1886.

(Photo: Western Australia Museum)

The Western Australian Museum in Perth helped the Illmans determine the bottle had been thrown overboard from the German sailing ship Paula as it crossed the Indian Ocean, nearly 600 miles from the Australian coast, according to The Guardian.

Ross Anderson, the museums assistant curator of maritime archaeology, also determined the bottle was part of an experiment by German ships  conducted from 1864 to 1933  that attempted to track ocean currents by tossing thousands of bottles into the sea. Each one contained a note giving the name of the ship, its coordinates when a bottle was tossed into the sea and the date.

The notes asked that those who found them contact either the German Naval Observatory in Hamburg or the nearest German Consulate with information on where the bottles washed ashore.

Story continues

The handwriting on the note found by Tonya Illman matched that in the captains log for the Paula. And an entry in the log for June 12, 1886, mentioned a bottle having been thrown overboard.

The previous record for oldest-known message in a bottle was for one discovered in April 2015 at Amrum Island, Germany, 108 years and 133 days after it was tossed into the North Sea by the British Marine Biological Society.

Despite the scientific evidence that the bottle and note found in Australia are legitimate, The Brisbane Times interviewed a few people who suspect the whole matter is just an elaborate publicity stunt by Kym Illman. Owner of Messages On Hold, an audio advertising company, hes known for aggressively marketing his projects.

Illman denied making up the story, though he acknowledged to a radio host the coincidence of his wifes discovery and his companys name was remarkable but fortuitous, according to the newspaper.

The bottle will be on display at the Western Australian Museum for the next two years, according to The Australian newspaper.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
When former mortician Bill Faloon co-founded the Church of Perpetual Life in Florida five years ago, it wasnt to bring people together to worship immortality  it was to achieve it. I never accepted death as being inevitable, Faloon told his congregation in 2015. Technology will advance to the point where death is rather optional.

Photo: Getty Images

This February, he introduced what he seems to consider the most promising immortality option thus far: infusing older people with the blood of young, healthy millennials. While the idea that immortality can be achieved through transfusions of young peoples blood is still scientifically unfounded, that didnt dissuade roughly 120 wealthy baby boomers from attending a luxury lunch on the topic last month.

Rebecca Robbins, a reporter from medical news site STAT, attended the $195 luncheon at a wealthy beachside enclave in Florida, where guests listened to Faloons theory.

Faloons zealous quest for longevity is evidently alluring to an older population, some of whom flew in from as far as Spain to hear about the next big thing in the world of aging. Not only do you get to potentially live longer  but youre going to be healthier, Faloon continued. And some of the chronic problems you have now may disappear.

Faloon is not the creator of this theory, hes just the face of it. The doctor touting the benefits of blood transfusions  and the one who says hes launching a study on it  is Dipnarine Maharaj. A hematologist based in Florida, Dr. Maharaj is founder and medical director of the Maharaj Institute, where he performs outpatient bone-marrow and stem-cell transplants.

His clinic and his philosophy revolve around whats called immune regenerative medicine a procedure defined on his website as the process of replacing or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function. The idea of transfusing young blood into a body suffering the effects of aging falls into this category, making Maharaj an obvious choice to take up the crusade.

Story continues

Robbins, the STAT reporter who attend the conference, said Maharaj  who said flatly that hed found the secret to extending life  was the star of the luncheon. Were saying that we will defy aging, the hematologist reportedly told the attendees. We believe that this could benefit everyone who is here.

Donors must be between the ages of 18-35 (Photo: Getty Images)

The ultimate goal of the luncheon, was to recruit individuals to participate in what Maharaj claims is a soon-to-be launching study thats allegedly approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In handouts Robbins obtained from the conference, Maharaj outlines exactly what the study requires.

Participants must be between the ages of 55 and 95 and have a clinical frailty score between 4-7 (meaning they are experiencing things like weight loss, slow walking speed, and decreased physical activity). The 30 individuals who qualify will not only have to submit to monthly blood transfusions, but also pay $285,000 just to enroll  a result of Maharajs inability, he told them, to secure funding.

To qualify as a donor, individuals have to be between 18 and 35 and weigh more than 150 pounds. Those who sign on as donors will be paid $750, but have to agree to be injected with Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), a medicine thats often administered after chemotherapy to help patients recover (or before someone donates stem cells). It basically bolsters the immune system by stimulating the bone marrow to make more white blood cells.

Maharajs thinking is that this will increase the chances of leading to regeneration in the people who receive the transfusions. Its a concept that has been percolating in both the science world and the media for several years, most recently in a Washington Post piece titled Giving young blood to older animals raises tantalizing possibilities for people.

In it, the author details a 2014 paper from researchers at Harvard University, one in which scientists sewed together 2-month-old mice together and 15-month-old mice (joining their circulatory systems) to see if the younger blood would have an impact on the older mice. It did, but not a life-extending one. What scientists found was improved memory and learning in the older mice, suggesting that the new blood helped their brains form new neurons. The idea that young blood can offer rejuvenation is enticing, for obvious reasons, but its a theory that remains untested in humans.

When STAT spoke with one of the researchers who has studied the topic in mice, she rejected the notion that her work provides a scientific basis for the clinical trial. Other researchers expressed the same, saying it was a significant leap to tell people that the same effect would occur in humans.

The FDA website currently shows no pending studies which match Maharajs description. A spokeswoman for the FDA Lauren Dyer Smith tells Yahoo Lifestyle that a clinician who wants to test an unapproved product in humans must first submit it to the FDA, but that the FDA cannot confirm the existence of or comment on an current or pending product applications. In other words, shes unable to confirm it. When asked to do the same by Yahoo Lifestyle, neither Faloon nor Maharaj could be reached.

In the interim, its STATs on-the-ground reporting that stands alone  a report that leaves little doubt where the medical community stands on the issue. It just reeks of snake oil, Michael Conboy, an assistant researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, told Robbins. Theres no evidence in my mind that its going to work.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.




KANSAS CITY, Kan.  In mid-October, on the last day he could register to vote ahead of the Nov. 4, 2014, midterm elections, Charles Stricker went to the DMV in Wichita. When he checked in, Stricker, who had just moved to Kansas, was told he didnt have all the documents he needed to get a drivers license. So he went home, put all the documents together and rushed back to the DMV. He wanted to make sure he got there in time because at the DMV he could do both: get his license and register to vote in time.

He showed the DMV clerk the folder of documents he brought, including his birth certificate from Missouri, and thought he had successfully registered to vote. The officials at the DMV told him his permanent license and voter information would come in the mail in a few weeks.

Stricker, who is 37 and works as a hotel manager, went to vote with his wife when the polls opened on Nov. 4. By that time he had gotten his permanent drivers license, but when he went to sign in at the polls, they told him his name wasnt on the list. He thought it was a mistake, maybe because he had registered at the last minute, and he asked to speak with the person in charge to try and figure out what the problem was. Eventually he was given a provisional ballot, but instead of getting a private booth to fill out his ballot like everyone else, he was sent to a white plastic table, where everyone could see how he was marking his votes. He could see who the person next to him was voting for, and he was pretty sure she could see who he was voting for. He said he felt humiliated.

Since 2013, Kansas has required anyone who registers to vote to prove they are a U.S. citizen. Even though Stricker had brought his birth certificate to the DMV that day, election officials said they couldnt prove he was a citizen, so they blocked his registration.

On Tuesday, Stricker was one of three Kansans who testified in a closely watched federal lawsuit challenging the law. Stricker and a handful of other Kansas voters are the plaintiffs in the case and contend the law violates a federal requirement that state agencies can only ask people the minimum amount of information necessary to assess their eligibility to vote when they give them the opportunity to register. To justify the law, Kansas officials have to prove that such a restrictive registration policy is justified by a substantial number of noncitizens on the voting rolls. In many ways, that is the same question at the heart of the national debate over voter fraud, which several studies have shown is not a widespread problem.

Story continues

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) will have to show that voter fraud is a substantial problem in his state in a lawsuit challenging a requirement that Kansans show proof of citizenship when they register. (Photo: Mark Reinstein via Getty Images)

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), who is a defendant in the case and is serving as his own lawyer, questioned how much of a burden it would have been for Stricker to prove he was a citizen to election officials, noting that there was an election office near the hotel where he worked, so he could have taken his birth certificate there during his lunch hour. Stricker said he frequently works nearly 12-hour days and often eats lunch at his desk. Plus, in 2014 he had just started a new job and was wary about taking a lunch hour to go to the election office. He has since refused to register on principle, saying an average Kansan shouldnt have to take legal action to register. The Kansas law has also been blocked since 2016, when a federal judge stepped in and issued a temporary injunction, a decision that allowed 18,000 people who had tried to register at the DMV but failed to prove their citizenship to vote that year.

Sue Becker, an attorney for Kobachs office similarly pressed Donna Bucci, 59, about how difficult it would have been for her to prove she was a citizen. Bucci, who was born in Maryland, tried to register to vote in 2013, but her name was purged from the rolls because she didnt have a birth certificate or a passport and couldnt prove she was a citizen. Becker asked Bucci how difficult it would have been for her to call the secretary of states office to explain her situation during a break at work.

Bucci explained that she works as a cook in a prison from 3 a.m. to noon and cant have her cellphone in the building.

A big part of the case will be whether Kobach can show that current federal law is not doing enough to combat voter fraud. The federal form to register to vote requires a person to swear under penalty of perjury that he or she is a citizen, a safeguard Kobach said Tuesday was too weak and like nothing.

Since 2000, Kobachs office has identified only 129 noncitizens who registered to vote or attempted to register, but he cites a study by political scientist Jesse Richman that indicated as many as 18,000 noncitizens could be on the rolls in the state. As of October 2016, there were more than 1.8 million registered voters in Kansas.

Even though Kobach argued there could be substantial voter fraud in Kansas, he conceded that the court would have to define what substantial meant. The American Civil Liberities Union, which is representing the plaintiffs, said voter fraud was insignificant because it is such a small percentage of the overall voting population in Kansas.

Kobach said one could also take substantial to mean a small number of illegitimate voters who could end up swinging a close local election. He urged the court to evaluate the proof-of-citizenship law through a kind of intermediate standard and consider whether enough noncitizens were getting around the proof-of-citizenship requirement to render it insignificant.

He spent much of the afternoon questioning Michael McDonald, a political science professor at the University of Florida who is serving as an expert witness in the case about an analysis he prepared showing that over 35,000 people in the state had been affected by the proof-of-citizenship law and that it disproportionately affected first-time voters, who are usually young. But Kobach countered that McDonald had not analyzed how many noncitizens there were among those affected and had not fully examined all the possibilities for why people might be removed from the list.

Kobach is running for governor of Kansas and has drawn national attention for his staunch conservative views on immigration and voter fraud. The courtroom at the Robert J. Dole federal courthouse was packed with about 100 people for the opening statements in the case, which was filed in 2016. Joe Cheray said she woke up before 6 a.m. and drove from Topeka to make it in time for the opening statements at 9 a.m.

There were a few moments of befuddlement throughout Tuesday.

Within the first hour of the trial, lawyers for the ACLU complained Kobach had sent them a document at 10:45 p.m. Monday and they had not had time to review it. Judge Julie Robinson, a George W. Bush appointee, declined to let Kobach use the documents in court.

Robinson also rebuked Kobach and his team throughout the day for not following usual procedures for entering documents as evidence, at one point having to remind them that they should know something because it was Evidence 101. At another point in the afternoon, lawyers and Robinson had to sort through the confusion of a reply-all email thread because the court had incorrect email addresses for Kobach and some of his team and ACLU lawyers had sent documents to those incorrect addresses.

Kobach also pointed to several of McDonalds tweets in an effort to discredit McDonalds expertise and show McDonald had a personal bias against him (McDonald said he did not). In one of the tweets Kobach pointed to, McDonald had referred to a CNN report in which someone in Vice President Mike Pences office referred to working with Kobach as a shit sandwich.

When Kobach asked him whether or not the tweets showed a personal bias, McDonald said they did not.

Theyre tough, but theyre just tweets, he said.

Also on HuffPost

Alabama State Capitol (Montgomery, Ala.)

Pictured on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Alaska State Capitol (Juneau, Alaska)

Pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Chris Miller)

Arizona State Capitol (Phoenix)

Pictured on Friday, April 23, 2010. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Arkansas State Capitol (Little Rock, Ark.)

Pictured on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

California State Capitol (Sacramento, Calif.)

Pictured on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2006. (Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images)

Colorado State Capitol (Denver)

Pictured on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2006. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Connecticut State Capitol (Hartford, Conn.)

Pictured on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 1999. (AP Photo/Bob Child)

Delaware State Capitol (Dover, Del.)

Florida State Capitol (Tallahassee, Fla.)

Pictured on Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Georgia State Capitol (Atlanta)

Pictured on Tuesday, November 13, 2007. (Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)

Hawaii State Capitol (Honolulu)

Idaho State Capitol (Boise, Idaho)

Pictured on Monday, Jan. 14, 2008. (Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Illinois State Capitol (Springfield, Ill.)

Pictured on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2004. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

Indiana State Capitol (Indianapolis)

Pictured on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Iowa State Capitol (Des Moines, Iowa)

Pictured on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Kansas State Capitol (Topeka, Kan.)

Pictured on Thursday, April 15, 2010. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

Kentucky State Capitol (Frankfort, Ky.)

Pictured on Wednesday, April 12, 2006. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

Louisiana State Capitol (Baton Rouge, La.)

Pictured on Monday, Jan. 14, 2008. (Matthew HINTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Maine State Capitol (Augusta, Me.)

Pictured on Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach)

Maryland State House (Annapolis, Md.)

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Massachusetts State House (Boston)

Pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2007. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)

Michigan State Capitol (Lansing, Mich.)

Pictured on Wednesday, April 13, 2011. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Minnesota State Capitol (St. Paul, Minn.)

Pictured on Friday, July 1, 2011. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Mississippi State Capitol (Jackson, Miss.)

Pictured on Thursday, June 10, 1999. (AP Photo/Rogelio Solis)

Missouri State Capitol (Jefferson City, Mo.)

Pictured on Friday, Oct. 16, 2000. (Photo credit should read ORLIN WAGNER/AFP/Getty Images)

Montana State Capitol (Helena, Mont.)

Nebraska State Capitol (Lincoln, Neb.)

Pictured on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 1998. (AP Photo/S.E. McKee)

Nevada State Capitol (Carson City, Nev.)

New Hampshire State House (Concord, N.H.)

Pictured on Friday, Dec. 28, 2001. (Todd Warshaw//Pool/Getty Images

New Jersey State House (Trenton, N.J.)

Pictured on Friday, Aug. 13, 2004. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

New Mexico State Capitol (Santa Fe, N.M.)

New York State Capitol (Albany, N.Y.)

Pictured on Sunday, March 16, 2008. (Photo by Daniel Barry/Getty Images)

North Carolina State Capitol (Raleigh, N.C.)

Pictured in 1930. (AP Photo)

North Dakota State Capitol (Bismarck, N.D.)

Pictured on Thursday, April 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Dale Wetzel)

Ohio Statehouse (Columbus, Ohio)

Pictured on Tuesday, March 8, 2011. (Photo by Mike Munden/Getty Images)

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Krasimir Karakachanov said on Tuesday that Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova's resignation would not be accepted. Last month Petkova tendered her resignation to Prime Minister Boyko Borissov following media reports she was linked to the owners of Inercom, a small company slated to buy Czech utility's CEZ's assets in Bulgaria. A few hours later Borissov said he would accept Petkova's resignation despite saying the government "had not influenced that deal in any way". On Tuesday, however, Bulgaria's government performed a U-turn, saying Petkova has no reason to quit and would keep her post. "Temenuzhka Petkova's resignation would not be accepted," Karakachanov, who is also defense minister, said, adding the decision had been taken at a meeting with the participation of most of the ministers in the center-right government. The deal prompted concerns across the political spectrum that strategic energy assets in the European Union country were passing into the hands of owners about which little was known. Inercom, with assets worth around 100 million levs ($63 million), is set to acquire a business with annual turnover of about 1.8 billion levs ($1.1 billion) that operates one third of the Balkan country's power grid. STATE INVOLVEMENT On Tuesday Inercom's owner Ginka Varbakova started talks with CEZ in Prague over final approval of the sale as well as the potential Bulgarian state involvement in the deal. CEZ said talks on both points would continue until the end week. Borissov, who has previously dismissed opposition Socialists' calls for the state to buy back private energy assets, said the government was considering legal changes that would allow the state to have a say in similar deals despite objections from analysts and political parties, including Bulgaria's ethnic Turkish MRF. Last week Borissov urged the central bank and intelligence services to look into the deal, estimated to cost about 320 million euros. Inercom has said it will be financed by bank loans, but has declined to elaborate. The Socialist party (BSP), the largest opposition party in the ex-communist country, has started a campaign against the CEZ sale, saying the Bulgarian state should be able to try and buy the power distributor and compete on the market. BSP also initiated a petition to stop the deal and asked the chief prosecutor to check the origins of the funds with which Inercom plans to complete the deal. BSP will take part in a protest against CEZ sale in Sofia on Wednesday. Energy prices are politically sensitive in the EU's poorest member state, and a spike in electricity bills in 2013 toppled Borissov's first government. (Reporting by Angel Krasimirov, editing by David Evans)
Female-driven dating app Bumble announced on March 5 that it would ban most of its almost 30 million users from posting images that include firearms and other weapons on its platform, following the mass shooting in Parkland, Fla. (Only those who have served in the military or worked in law enforcement will be able to keep photos with guns in them  as long as theyre carrying them in uniform. The company also will not censor photos drawn from users Instagram accounts.) Bumble CEO and founder Whitney Wolfe Herd spoke to TIME about the companys decision.

Why do this? We were founded with safety at the helm of everything we do  to create a kinder Internet, to create a platform that would encourage accountability and rewrite the rules of how we interact with each other. If you think about what Bumble is, its a mechanism to connect. People are putting themselves out there, theyre showcasing themselves and theyre doing so in the hopes of attracting a connection. We dont want guns to be part of that conversation. We dont want guns to be romanticized. It was time to stake a stand.

What would you say to users who are gun hobbyists? Why should they not be able to display their passions and interests on a dating app? Our team is a collective of so many different individuals  we have Republicans on our team, we have Democrats on our team. We have team members with family members who are supporters of the NRA. We have team members who either themselves or their loved ones have been a victim of some form of gun violence. We literally have people at every corner of this discussion.

At the end of the day, we ultimately landed  regardless of personal beliefs and politics  that this is a matter of safety and a matter of what is taking place in our country right now. Until the violence comes under control, we should not normalize a hobby and allow that to be exposed to millions of people. We want women  and men  to feel comfortable, to feel safe and feel secure. Weapons dont send that message.

Story continues

This is not about discriminating against anyone who has political beliefs one way or the other. This is us saying that were going to lay the groundwork for our ecosystem, and we dont want violent weaponry to have a place here.

Why risk losing so many users? We will always put our values above our bottom line. End of story.

Youve said that this wasnt a politically driven decision, but this move is coming during a time of heightened gun-control discussions, and you made a $100,000 donation to the gun control-rally organized by Parkland students, March for Our Lives. What would you say to people who believe this decision is politically motivated? Seventeen lives were taken. I dont care if you are a Democrat or a Republican, those were human lives that were lost on a random Wednesday when they were in what is supposed to be the safest place for our children: school. They were learning; they were working toward their future. That, for me, is bigger than politics. That, for me, is human ethics.

The recent mass shootings have sparked discussions about the link between domestic violence and gun violence. Did that come up in your discussion? This is something we take very seriously. We have several members of our team  a sociologist and others  who do research on domestic abuse, matters of hatred and vitriol. The truth is so many women die every year because of abusive acts from a partner. If you do the research and look at the statistics, guns are a big piece of that.

Why would we want to romanticize a weapon that is used in so many instances of violent crimes against women? And looking at all of these mass shootings, the only commonality amongst most of them is a history or a past of domestic abuse.

I generally founded this company to mitigate the abuse that I have felt in my life in relationships. I have lived through psychologically abusive relationships, and Ive seen my friends and my family members go through abusive relationships. Everything I try to do as the leader of this company is to inch toward eliminating abuse in all forms someday down the road. We really strive to end misogyny.

How is Bumble going to enforce this? Its been a work in progress. We have around 5,00o moderators who work remotely across the globe so we cover every time zone. As of yesterday, we put into effect the taking off point to start moderating photos. Over the next month, it might take a little longer, we are going to have those amazing moderators go back and really moderate the photos.

Yesterday alone, because we stood up for something and we drew our stance in the sand, we had an over 3,000% increase in photo reporting, and we saw a 95% increase in female activity after the New York Times story yesterday.

What was the user response like? We had an outpouring of support in our Bumble feedback email and I received personal emails from so many women just saying, Thank you, I feel safer. But to be candid with you, we did have some women reach out and ask: Well how do I know that someone is a gun owner now? And once we walked them through our logic, they actually really understood and appreciated where we were coming from. Being able to ask what someones beliefs are is not as hard as the consequences of someone casually showing a gun, which might send the wrong message to someone who might go and misuse a gun.

There have also been a lot of awful threats that have come through. Ive received very ugly messages from several people who were upset about this. And thats O.K. The way they reacted shows that having someone who is willing to be abusive like that probably isnt good for our ecosystem.

Bumble is about bringing people together. Are you worried about contributing more divisiveness? Divisiveness is something that you have to be willing to accept when you take a stand. If you dont want any criticism, you literally have to do nothing. We dont believe thats productive or proactive.

Were a team led predominantly by women. As women leading a tech company, which in and of itself is so rare, we feel its our duty to do what we believe in, what we feel is core to what we would want from a company that we were engaging with. If we were using the platform, how would we want to feel? We constantly try to put ourselves in our users shoes.

Yes, there will be some divide. But the way we mitigate that is by being honest. We dont hate you. We dont want to block you if you like guns. We just dont want to showcase guns here.

Why is Bumble doing this when other tech companies  like Twitter and Facebook  arent? We connect millions of people, which does affect behavior and society. There are things that we see in the real world that we wish we could change. If we can have any control over that from a product standpoint or a decision-making standpoint, as a company, thats our duty. We have a responsibility to do something better for the world.

This interview has been edited and condensed.
Tony-winner Ruthie Ann Blumenstein, whose stage name is Ruthie Ann Miles, was hospitalized after being hit by a car on Monday.

According to NBC 4 New York, Blumenstein, who is pregnant, along with two other adults and two children were struck in an intersection in the neighborhood of Park Slope in Brooklyn. The two children, 4-year-old Abigail Blumenstein and 1-year-old Joshua Lew, were killed. Lauren Lew, mother of Joshua, and a 46-year-old man were also injured and hospitalized.

At around 12:40 p.m. local time, the driver of a white 2016 Volvo S60  identified by news organizations as 44-year-old Dorothy Bruns  struck the pedestrians at the intersection of Ninth Street and Fifth Avenue. Bruns, according to The New York Daily News, claims to have suffered a seizure and has no memory of the crash. According to a statement provided to TIME by the New York Police Department, the investigation is ongoing, the driver is not in custody, and there are currently no charges.

In 2015, Blumenstein won a Tony Award for her role as Lady Thiang in a revival of The King and I. She has also had a role as Young Hee Seong in the television show The Americans. In February, Blumenstein performed in the musical Chess at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

The Broadway community, including Lin Manuel Miranda and Ben Platt, offered support and shared their condolences on social media.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

GoFundMe campaigns have been set up for both Blumenstein and Lew and have raised over $177,ooo and $60,ooo respectively.
Chelsea Clinton has defended President Donald Trumps youngest son, Barron, from criticism, but when it comes to his eldest daughter, Ivanka, the former first daughter feels differently.

In an interview with Stephen Colbert on Monday night, Clinton said Ivanka Trump, in her role as a White House adviser to the president, is fair game for criticism.

I think anyone who works for the president certainly should expect to be scrutinized for whatever decisions not only he or she is making, but whatever decisions the White House is making on any given day, she said.

Clinton said she and Ivanka Trump were friends before the election, but that they had not spoken in a long time.

Its clear that she has supported policies and decisions that I dont agree with, she added. Ive been very vocal about my opposition to President Trump.

As recently as last month, Ivanka Trump avoided answering a question from NBC News by saying it was inappropriate to ask a daughter. NBCs Peter Alexander had asked her if she believed the multiple women accusing her father of sexual misconduct.

I think its a pretty inappropriate question to ask a daughter if she believes the accusers of her father when hes affirmatively stated that theres no truth to it, she said.

Critics were quick to pounce on that response, considering Ivanka Trump is an official White House adviser who travels around the world representing the United States.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
(Reuters) - A Florida grand jury formally indicted Nikolas Cruz on Wednesday on 17 counts of premeditated murder in the first degree and 17 counts of attempted murder in the first degree for last month's shooting spree at a high school in Parkland, prosecutors said.

No date was set for an arraignment, at which Cruz will be allowed to enter a plea, said Constance Simmons, a spokeswoman for the Broward County state attorney's office.

The 19-year-old former student is accused of using a semiautomatic assault rifle to kill 17 students and faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14.

He faces a maximum sentence of either execution or life in prison without parole if convicted. The public defender's office in Broward County has said Cruz was willing to plead guilty if county prosecutors choose not to pursue the death penalty.

The prosecutors' office has said a decision on this has not yet been made, according to Simmons.

The attack, one of the deadliest at a school in a country where school shootings happen multiple times a year, has reignited a national debate about overhauling gun laws in Florida and beyond.

(Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Santiago (AFP) - Everything seems to make Daniela Vega smile: her transition from male to female, her family's unwavering support, and her rise from hairdresser to actress with the backing of Chilean director Sebastian Lelio, who won the Oscar for best foreign film.

As Marina in the film "A Fantastic Woman" -- her fifth movie role -- Vega plays a transgender woman confronting discrimination and rejection by the family of her deceased partner. The role has thrust her into the international spotlight and made her a Hollywood darling.

And at Sunday's Oscar ceremony, she became the first transgender person ever to present a performance at the movie industry's most important event.

The 28-year-old's dignity and poise have caught the attention of media across the world, from Spain's El Pais to The Guardian in Britain and Vanity Fair and The New York Times in the United States. The US magazine W included her in its list of top 10 performances of 2017, featuring her in a photo alongside heartthrob Robert Pattinson.

The New York Times said Vega evinced "a charisma that defies pity and a sense of poise that can be both intimidating and heartbreaking."

The Guardian called Vega's performance "passionate, intelligent and with a certain understated dignity."

Friends and acquaintances describe Vega as an ambitious woman, determined to go far in her career, and one who throws herself fully into her work.

- From hairdresser to actress -

Vega was born into a middle-class Santiago family and began her acting career in theatre plays such as "Migrants" and "The Butterfly Woman" and by taking singing lessons.

Her aptitude for poetry led her into the arts world and she appeared in a video for the song "Maria" by Chilean musician Manuel Garcia and made her cinematic debut in the movie "The Visit" by Mauricio Lopez Fernandez, in which she also played a transgender woman.

Story continues

But until Lelio -- an Argentinian-born Chilean director who initially hired her as a "cultural advisor" -- cast her in his Oscar-winning movie, Vega was earning her living as a hairdresser in a salon in Santiago.

- Seeking an answer online -

Vega's mother Sandra Hernandez told El Mercurio newspaper that when she was pregnant, doctors told her she was going to have a girl, and so she had bought earrings and pink girls' clothing in preparation.

Vega was bullied at school and under pressure from her mother. When she was 15, she turned to the internet to explore why she felt the way she did about her adolescent body, and her attraction to men. That's when she realized she was transsexual.

Those were hard times to face up to such a realization in conservative Chile, still struggling to escape the legacy of the dictator Augusto Pinochet, who ruled from 1973 to 1990, and shocked by charges of child sex abuse in the powerful Catholic church.

But shielded by her parents and her younger brother Nicolas, she began her transition to her new sexual identity. It took three years.

"I have known the love of my family, of a partner, I have been surrounded by a great amount of love," Vega told AFP.

- Transgender symbol -

Vega has not changed identity or gender on her passport because this is barred under Chilean law.

The team that made the movie will be received Tuesday by Chile's outgoing President Michelle Bachelet, who in August sent to congress a bill to authorise gay marriages and adoptions.

Chilean rights groups have expressed hope that the Oscar for "A Fantastic Woman" and the mounting global recognition for Vega will help the bill's passage.

But the new government of conservative Sebastian Pinera, who takes over the reins from Bachelet on Sunday, have not made encouraging statements in favor of the legislation.
Democrats saw a massive 87 percent surge in voter turnout compared to 2014 as the 2018 midterm election season kicked off in Texass primary Tuesday. The rise was thanks in part to the number of women and non-white voters who turned out, experts said.

Beto O'Rourke secured the Democratic nomination to run against Republican Senator Ted Cruz and for the first time since 1992, the party has a candidate in all 36 of the states congressional districts running for the House.

I would absolutely say that Republican elected officials should be concerned about what theyre seeing in Texas, Tom Bonier, the CEO of data firm TargetSmart, told Newsweek. Boniers firm provided data to the Democratic National Committee in the 2016 election.

Trending: 'League of Legends Lissandra Rework, Experimental New Passive

03_07_ORourke

William Philpott/Reuters

Eighty-seven percent increase in turnout is just something that you never would expect to see, he said, pointing out that while Republican turnout increased 15 percent, they're coming out at rates that match what you would expect for off year elections.

The Republican advantage in Texas has largely been based on white male votes. Yet Texas has an increasing Hispanic population as well as an African-American population and traditionally those voters haven't had turnout at rates anywhere approaching white voters, Bonier said. If they come out in greater numbers, they will have an impact.

During early voting last weekend Bonier said he saw bumps in the number of women, black and Hispanic voters, and a parallel drop in white voters turning out. He expects that to carry over into the final numbers.

Democrats Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garciatwo Hispanic womenwon Democratic primaries in their districts and one or both of them could well become Texass first Latina congresswomen.

Don't miss: International Womens Day 2018: These Are the Worlds 10 Worst Countries for Women

Story continues

Read more: Texas Democrats are outpacing Republicans in early voting and the GOP is sounding "blue wave" alarms

Republican elected officials should be concerned about what they're seeing in Texas, Bonier said. They are seeing a very energized Democratic base and they're seeing a Republican base that at this point doesn't appear to be matching Democratic enthusiasm or anywhere close to it last year.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

We have candidates everywhere, and that means we are reaching voters who haven't heard from Democrats in a long time, Texas Democratic Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa told the Associated Press. That's a good thing for November.

Better educated white voters are flocking to the Democrats, Bonier said, citing various recent elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and Georgia, which each saw wins or vote increases for Democrats with the help of those voters.

Most popular: U.S. Troops Dance and Play With Victims of Agent Orange, Toxic Chemical the U.S. Dumped on Vietnam

This enthusiasm, he said, is being fueled in reaction to President Donald Trump, who endorsed Cruz and several other Texas Republicans in a tweet at the end of February. On Wednesday a new Politico/Morning Consult poll showed Trump was eight percentage points behind a generic Democratic candidate.

Trumps tax bill, budget, and proposed cuts to entitlements are all having an impact, Bonier said. I think voters are starting to be in on the joke so to speak, he said, adding voters were taking a "wait and see" approach to what he actually does instead of just reacting to his tweets and off the cuff remarks at press conferences.

Late Tuesday Cruz released a radio ad warning Texans that his Democrat nominee O'Rourke wants to take our guns over his call to ban assault weapons like the AR-15 used in last months massacre at a high school in Florida.

03_07_Texas

Jon Herskovitz/Reuters

In Texas Republicans still cast over 500,000 ballots more than their Democratic counterparts in the Senate primary.

As Democrats seek to retake control of the House of Representatives by turning 24 seats blue, Texas is unlikely to turn to give them a win, some warned.

Having Democratic turnout surpass Republicans is a big deal in Texas, and should have the GOP scared, Cal Jillson, a professor of Political Science at Southern Methodist University, told Fox News Tuesday. But, he said, it will not enough to flip the state.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
Copenhagen (AFP) - An eccentric "inventrepreneur", or a murdering, sexual sadist? The evidence against Peter Madsen has provided some clues about how Swedish journalist Kim Wall died on board his homemade submarine, but he has yet to tell the whole story.

The self-taught engineer goes on trial for murder on Thursday amid hopes the proceedings will determine what actually happened on board the submarine on August 10, 2017, and help understand the inner workings of a person accused of such a grisly crime.

The 47-year-old, nicknamed "Rocket Madsen", was well-known in Denmark before his arrest as an inventor who dreamed of exploring worlds beyond. He built his own submarine and was developing plans for private space travel.

Now he faces a life sentence for premeditated murder, desecration of a corpse and aggravated sexual assault against Wall, who had accompanied him on his sub for a profile piece she was writing about him.

Prosecutors have painted a picture of a control freak who fantasised about torturing, killing and dismembering a woman.

They believe Madsen tied Wall up before beating her and stabbing her repeatedly in the genital area.

They say he then killed her, possibly by strangulation, dismembered her torso, head, and legs, and placed them in separate bags weighed down with metal objects before tossing them into Koge Bay off Copenhagen.

They claim he planned it all, bringing a saw, knife, plastic strips and metal pieces on board.

And they believe Madsen watched fetish films in which women were tortured, decapitated and burned alive. Investigators found the films on a hard drive in his workshop.

Madsen, meanwhile, has insisted the hard drive is not his, and has denied intentionally killing Wall.

He has changed his version of events several times, but maintains Wall died in an accident.

He has however told investigators he panicked after her death: he took a nap, then chopped up her body and threw it overboard.

Story continues

- Rocky past -

Peter Langkjaer Madsen grew up in the small town of Saeby, 100 km (60 miles) west of Copenhagen.

His parents divorced when he was six and Madsen went to live with his father, whom he has described as authoritarian and violent.

"When I think about my father, I think how children in Germany must have felt if their dad was a commandant in a concentration camp," Madsen said in a 2014 biography written by journalist Thomas Djursing.

At 15, he started his first company, Danish Space Academy, to buy spare parts to build a rocket.

He studied engineering, but quit once he thought he knew enough to build submarines and rockets.

"My passion is finding ways to travel to worlds beyond the well-known," Madsen wrote on the website of his now-defunct Rocket Madsen Space Lab.

In 2008, he launched the Nautilus, the biggest privately-made submarine at the time.

Around the same time, he developed his idea for private space travel.

In June 2011, he successfully launched a rocket from a floating platform on the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm.

Madsen reportedly had an open marriage. Some of his ex-girlfriends have told the media he was into sado-masochism and erotic asphyxiation.

- 'Angry with everyone' -

His half-brother Benny Langkjaer Egeso said in August that Madsen is "very strange", but also "very open and likeable".

"You can ask whoever you like, they'll tell you 'we never saw this side of him'," Egeso told AFP at the time.

Others paint a dark picture of an erratic person who couldn't take no for an answer, with sudden mood swings and a reputation for histrionics.

"Conflict has followed him his whole life. He has a hard time getting along with other people -- he has lofty ambitions and wants to do everything his way," according to Djursing.

"He is angry with God and everyone," Djursing said last August.

His rocket partnership with former NASA architect Kristian von Bengtson also collapsed after an angry spat in 2014.

"I'm fully aware that my temper is to blame for Kristian's exit and I'm very sorry it has come to this," Madsen wrote in a statement at the time.

The inventor also fought with the 25 volunteers who helped build the Nautilus. After a 2015 conflict, the sub's board of directors transferred ownership to him.

"There is a curse on Nautilus," he wrote to two of the collaborators.

"That curse is me. There will never be peace on Nautilus as long as I exist."
Dyson is to stop designing new corded vacuum cleaners after the launch of its new Cyclone V10

Dyson is to stop designing traditional corded vacuum cleaners after 25 years, turning its focus to developing cordless models that have become a major growth area for the British engineering group.

Inventor Sir James Dyson announced on Tuesday that his company would no longer develop new corded models during the launch of its latest cord-free vacuum in New York.

Hailing the companys most advanced model, the Dyson Cyclone V10, Sir James said: It is the reason why Ive stopped developing full-size vacuums.

Dyson, headquartered in Malmesbury in Wiltshire, is expected to make new efforts into research for electric cars over the next two years. By 2020, Dyson said it expects to launch an electric car growing its 400-strong automotive team by adding 300 design staff based in the UK for the project.

CV | James Dyson

Only around half of its revenues now come from its long-running vacuum cleaner range, as the company has diversified into goods like hand-dryers, hairdryers and air purifiers.

Dyson launched its first vacuum cleaner in 1993. The original Dyson DA001 model took years of development after Sir James was disappointed with the power available in existing models.

Its original dual cyclone model was billed as having no bag and no loss of suction. The companys cyclone technology has made it a modern success story for Britains consumer electronics industry.

While the company has developed corded vacuum cleaners since it was founded, it will now move away from the legacy technology. The new battery powered Cyclone V10 will run for 60 minutes and includes the companys fastest digital motor technology, spinning at 125,000 rpm.

The new Dyson Cyclone V10 has a redesigned motor Credit: Dyson

Dyson first launched a hand-held cordless vacuum in 2013 and growing sales of cordless vacuum cleaners has made a full the move to the technology more attractive for the company. In the UK, one in two cord-free models sold are Dysons and appetite for premium vacuums from buyers in the Asia has driven its booming profits.

Story continues

Last week, Dyson reported its sales had risen 40pc to 3.5bn for 2017, with three quarters of its growth coming from Asia. Profits before ebita hit 801m, up 25pc compared to the previous year.

Inventor Sir James Dyson said his company would now only focus on cord-free designs Credit: Dyson

In September last year, Sir James said the company would invest 2bn into its electric car project. The company will develop the vehicle in Hullavington, a former Second World War RAF base in Wiltshire, with the site set to open this year.
By Guy Faulconbridge and Alistair Smout LONDON (Reuters) - Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, who was convicted by Russia of betraying agents to British intelligence, was critically ill on Monday after exposure to an unidentified substance in Britain, two sources close to the investigation told Reuters. British police said two people, a 66-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman, had been found unconscious on a bench in a shopping center on Sunday in the southern English city of Salisbury after exposure to the unknown substance. Both are critically ill in intensive care. Police declared a major incident. Skripal, once a colonel in Russia's GRU military intelligence service, was convicted in Russia of treason in 2006 but exchanged as part of a Cold War-style spy swap in 2010 on the tarmac of Vienna airport. Skripal is 66 years old. British police did not release the names of those who were being treated but two sources close to the investigation told Reuters that the critically ill man was Skripal. It was unclear what the substance was, they said. "This has not been declared as a counter-terrorism incident and we would urge people not to speculate," Wiltshire police's Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Craig Holden told reporters. "However, I must emphasize that we retain an open mind, and that we continue to review this position." Relations between Britain and Russia have been strained since the murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko with radioactive polonium-210 in London in 2006, a killing which a British inquiry said was probably approved by President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement in the killing. Litvinenko, 43, an outspoken critic of Putin who fled Russia for Britain six years to the day before he was poisoned, died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at Londons Millennium Hotel. It took some time for British doctors to discern the cause of Litvinenko's illness. SPY SWAP Skripal, who was arrested in 2004 by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence, was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006. But he was later pardoned in 2010 by then-President Dmitry Medvedev as part of a spy swap to bring 10 Russian agents held in the United States back to Moscow. The swap, one of the biggest since the Cold War ended in 1991, took place on the tarmac of Vienna airport where a Russian and a U.S. jet parked side by side before the agents were exchanged. One of the Russian spies exchanged for Skripal was Anna Chapman, who was greeted as a hero by the Kremlin. She was one of 10 spies who tried to blend in to American society in an apparent bid to get close to power brokers and learn secrets. They were arrested by the FBI in 2010. Putin, himself a former KGB officer, sang patriotic songs with the returned spies. Since finding refuge in Britain, Skripal kept largely out of the spotlight until he was seen making strange movements on a bench in Wiltshire on Sunday. "On the bench there was a couple, an older guy and a younger girl. She was sort of leant-in on him, it looked like she'd passed out maybe. He was doing some strange hand movements, looking up to the sky," witness Freya Church told the BBC. "They looked so out of it that I thought even if I did step in I wasn't sure how I could help, so I just left them. But it looked like they'd been taking something quite strong." (Reporting by Alistair Smout, William Schomberg and Andy Bruce in London and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
By Geert De Clercq PARIS (Reuters) - French hydropower firm CNR, anticipating the impact of climate change and the possible disappearance of glaciers in the Swiss Alps, plans to sharply increase its solar and wind capacity to compensate for lower water levels on the Rhone river. The Rhone, running from Lake Geneva to the French Mediterranean, is one of Europe's biggest rivers but also one of the most exposed to climate change as it is fed mainly by Alpine glaciers, which are shrinking due to global warming. An exceptional drought last year reduced water flow by 27 percent and reduced electricity production at the Compagnie Nationale du Rhone (CNR) hydropower group by the same percentage to 10.7 terawatthours, compared to 17.4 TWh in record year 2013. Some scientists forecast the Rhone's flow to fall by 10 to 40 percent in coming decades and also see more violent swings in flow rates as droughts alternate with floods. "Scientists say the Alps' glaciers could disappear by the end of the century. That does not mean they will, but we must act responsibly," CNR CEO Elisabeth Ayrault told Reuters on the sidelines of a briefing for energy reporters. To make up for this, CNR plans to boost its renewables capacity five-fold. "Our plan is to have as much capacity away from the river as on the river, probably by 2035," she said. CNR has 3,035 megawatt (MW) of hydropower capacity - making it France's second-biggest hydropower producer after EDF - and has already built some 600 MW of mainly wind and some solar power since 2015. By 2020, it wants to boost that to 1,000 MW and then accelerate renewables investment with a further 1,500 MW in 2020-25 to eventually reach 3,000 MW of renewables capacity. Ayrault said the problem was not just slower flow rates but also increasing volatility. Last year's drought was followed by three major floods in December-January. Floods also weigh on output, as CNR is forced to open dams to evacuate excess water. "What is worrying is the huge swings in river flow. We no longer have the regularity we had before," she said. Ayrault said the irregular flow also affects other industries, such as nuclear energy, agriculture and shipping. In the past 18 months, France twice had to ask Switzerland to increase the outflow of Lake Geneva to ensure sufficient cooling water for the Bugey nuclear plant, she said. Owned 49.97 percent by gas utility Engie, 33.2 percent by state financial group Caisse des Depots and 16.83 percent by local authorities, CNR accounts for 25 percent of French hydropower output and has a monopoly on Rhone river hydropower under a concession that runs till 2023. (Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Adrian Croft)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet approved plans on Wednesday to expand Germany's military missions abroad, including in Afghanistan, Mali and Iraq, government sources said. The defense bill, which must still be approved by the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, would raise the number of German troops deployed in Afghanistan by a third to 1,300. It also changes Germany's military operations in Iraq. After their successful work training Kurdish Peshmerga forces in north, German forces would now also be stationed in Baghdad. The cabinet's decision implements an agreement on defense made by Merkel's conservatives and the center-left SPD during negotiations about a re-run of the 'grand coalition' that ruled Germany since 2013. It also includes a plan to add 100 more troops to Germany's 1,000-strong deployment to a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali in order to meet increased maintenance needs and Germany's new responsibility for a military base in Gao. The decision to increase German military presence in Afghanistan comes against a backdrop of increased violence there and a new peace initiative launched by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen told broadcaster ARD the move should be matched with accelerated reforms by Kabul. She warned the mission would likely extend for some time. "We need patience and a long breath, without question," von der Leyen told ARD, citing a history of progress and setbacks in Afghanistan in recent years. She praised the military's success in training the Peshmerga, adding, "That is moving to a different level now," von der Leyen said. In addition, the cabinet backed the continuation of surveillance and refueling flights by the German military in support of allied efforts to fight Islamic State, as well as AWACs flights carried out on behalf of NATO. Germany has carried out limited engagements abroad since World War Two, focusing mainly on training , surveillance, medical rescue and peacekeeping, although it participated in the 1999 air offensive on what was then Yugoslavia. The minister acknowledged shortfalls in military equipment and personnel disclosed in a critical report last week, but said troops headed on overseas missions like those in Iraq and Afghanistan would be adequately equipped. The new governing coalition has already agreed to add 10 billion euros to the military budget over the next four years, but von der Leyen has said further increases will be needed to rebuild the German military after years of spending cuts. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
By Gernot Heller and Michael Nienaber BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany sees the danger of an "escalating spiral" in the trade dispute between the United States and Europe, a government spokesman said on Wednesday following the resignation of the top White House economic adviser. The departure of Gary Cohn, seen as a bulwark against U.S. President Donald Trump's economic nationalism, unsettled allies and markets alike as investors saw an increased likelihood of tit-for-tat trade measures that would hurt global growth. "The situation is serious," German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries said about Trump's decision to impose hefty tariffs on metals and the departure of Cohn, who was seen as a moderating voice in the White House. Germany is closely coordinating its next steps with other European Union member states, Zypries said, adding that Europe would respond in an appropriate manner if the U.S. decided to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum. But she also said Germany still hoped to avoid a trade conflict. "I hope Trump changes his mind," Zypries said. Germany's BGA trade association said Europe must resist the temptation to give tit for tat in the trade dispute. "Rather than thinking about retaliation, we should use the time to convince the U.S. administration that the U.S. president's plans are nonsensical and would cause massive damage on both sides of the Atlantic," BGA President Holger Bingmann said in a statement. Bingmann added that any counter-measures by the European Union would have to be in line with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO). JOB LOSSES Germany's industry body BDI said it supported the EU in warning Trump against imposing U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs, cautioning that they were a risk to trade and to the economy. "U.S. President Donald Trump should come to his senses before it's too late to avoid trade conflicts and unnecessary job losses in the USA and around the world," BDI President Dieter Kempf said. Germany's transatlantic coordinator urged the European Union to take a common line in responding to proposed U.S. tariffs. After visiting Washington, Juergen Hardt - a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats - told the RND group of newspapers that an escalation of the conflict with the United States was not in Europe's interests. Europe would stick to a "rule-based world order", Hardt said, adding: "It's important that the European Union does not let itself become divided." Zypries said she was convinced that trade ensured prosperity for all if it was based on mutual understanding. "It's very important that there are advocates for this in the White House," Zypries said in a reference to Cohn. "That's why I'm worried about the latest signals coming from the USA." Trump said in a tweet on Tuesday night he would decide soon who would replace Cohn. White House officials said the tariffs dispute contributed to Cohn's decision to leave but that it was not the sole reason. Trump has also warned the EU it would get hit with a "big tax of 25 percent on their cars" for not treating the U.S. well when it comes to trade. Trump's trade threats have alarmed German carmakers who have urged policymakers to avoid a trade war with the United States "at all costs". The United States is the second-biggest export destination for German auto manufacturers after China, while vehicles and car parts are Germany's biggest source of export income. Analysts fear a full-blown trade war between the United States and Europe could cut growth in Germany, the biggest European economy, by up to 1 percentage point. (Additional reporting by Michelle Martin and Madeline Chambers; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
A YouTube account belonging to the 17-year-old girl who escaped the so-called House of Horrors has been found, offering a glimpse into what life was like in the home where 13 siblings were allegedly starved and tortured.

David and Louise Turpins daughter managed to flee the home in Perris, California, to alert authorities of the alleged abuse which was taking place.

As the parents await trial for a string of abuse and neglect charges, Good Morning America uncovered a YouTube account belonging the teenage girl in which she regularly uploaded videos of herself under an alias.

Trending: Gary Cohn Lost The Battle On Trade, Leaving Donald Trump To Fight the War

turpin

Good Morning America

In many of the clips, the girl sings songs to camera. In another video, she can be seen playing with one of the familys pet dogs inside the house. During the clip, viewers can briefly see dirt smudges on one of the door, as well as a huge pile of clothes dumped in the corner of the room.

According to Good Morning America, the last time the girl uploaded a video of herself was seven days before she managed to break out. An Instagram account belonging to the girl was also found, featuring mainly selfies and pictures of pop star Justin Bieber.

Don't miss: Premier League Transfer News: Manchester United Swoop for Abdoulaye Doucoure, Liverpool Close in on Signing

In a case which shocked the world, 13 siblings, aged between two and 29, were found inside the home padlocked to their beds on January 14 after the 17-year-old alerted authorities.

It later emerged that the siblings were so malnourished that police were shocked to find seven of them were actually adults, including the oldest child, a 29-year-old woman, who weighed only 82lbs (five stones) when she was rescued.

The siblings were allegedly chained to their beds for months at a time by their parents, only allowed to shower once or twice a year and denied access to a toilet.

Story continues

Most popular: Trump Administration Makes Elephants Fair Game For Hunters As Trophy Ban is Lifted

David_Allen_Turpin_Louise

Youtube

David and Louise Turpin were arrested and charged with 12 counts of torture, 12 of false imprisonment, six of child abuse and six of abuse of a dependant adult. David Turpin was later charged with one count of a lewd act on a child under the age of 14 by force, fear or duress. The pair were then charged with further counts of abuse, with one new count of felony assault also filed against Louise Turpin.

The pair, who face at least 94 years in jail in jail if found guilty, deny the charges.

The siblings are now recovering privately from their ordeal. Attorneys representing the adult siblings told CBS News they are planning for their futures.

"I just want you to understand just what special individuals they are," attorney Jack Osborn said. "They all have their own aspirations and their own interests and now they may have an opportunity to address those, which is really exciting."

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
Guatemala City (AFP) - Guatemalan Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel defended Tuesday her country's "sovereign" decision to relocate its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"We are doing the right thing in accordance with the foreign policy that Guatemala has had toward Israel over the past 70 years," Jovel said at a press conference.

The controversial move is "a sovereign decision of Guatemalan foreign policy," she said.

President Jimmy Morales told a cheering crowd at the annual meeting of the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobby in Washington on Sunday that Guatemala's mission would be moved "two days after the United States moves its embassy" to Jerusalem.

The White House plans to open its new facility in Jerusalem on May 14, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of Israel's creation. Guatemala's embassy would therefore move on May 16.

Trump's decision in December to transfer the US embassy to the disputed city has drawn widespread condemnation, with critics saying it damages hopes for a negotiated Middle East peace.

Morales quickly followed Trump, making Guatemala the first country to do so.

Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians see the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.

The international consensus has long been that the city's status should be settled as part of a two-state peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.

Only seven small countries -- including Guatemala and Honduras -- sided with the United States and Israel on a non-binding December 21 UN General Assembly resolution rejecting Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Jovel said that she "respects the opinion" of countries opposing Guatemala's decision.

Last week, a Guatemalan court rejected the request from a local lawyer to halt the move, arguing that it broke international law.
If you try to pay for your coffee at Bluestone Lane in New York City with cash, you will be gently told that cash is not accepted  and asked if you have a credit card.

Occasionally, this can lead to mild confrontation (Whaddayamean you dont take cash?) from someone unfamiliar with the cashless policy, but for the most part it has started to help streamline businesses within the past two years.

Across the country, chiefly in cities, a growing number of businesses are electing to go cashless for a number of reasons. According to Jesse Dorogusker, head of hardware at Square (SQ), which handles the payments for more than two million small businesses, cashless has the beginnings of a trend as more and more businesses decide that the pros of going cashless outweigh the cons.

People have long underestimated the cost of accepting cash, Dorogusker told Yahoo Finance. Now we see sellers realizing that cash isnt free.

Cash may be cheaper than credit and debit cards in terms of the fees they carry for hardware and processing, but some businesses have realized  after heavy consideration  that theyd be better off leaving cash behind.

Why some businesses are ditching cash

At the time Bluestone Lane switched its dozen-plus locations over to cashless in September 2016, only 10% of transactions were made in cash, making the change not a particularly big one. According to Andrew Stone, Bluestone Lanes marketing director, dealing in cash felt cumbersome from a transactional standpoint, from a health standpoint  cash is dirty  and a logistical standpoint, as guarding and transporting cash is often a significant hidden cost.

Nowhere is this more pronounced than for food trucks, which are more vulnerable and have even more logistical concerns. At Senor Sisigs, a San Francisco-based network of five Filipino fusion food trucks, cash made up 19% of its payment mix when it decided to move to a cashless system.

Every year it was dropping 5% to 10%. Soon enough we were going to be less than 10% cash, said Evan Kidera, one of the founders of Senor Sisig.

Story continues

Square has borne data on the move to cashless out on a large scale. According to Dorogusker, there is a strong trend towards credit cards across the board. Both businesses told Yahoo Finance cards were faster, simpler, and easier.

It was mostly cash, then 50-50, and now were seeing card and preference for card, said Dorogusker.

With a dwindling amount of cash customers, it just wasnt worth it for Senor Sisig and Bluestone Lane to accept bills. For Senor Sisig, the amount of cash that had to be handled for the entire network of food trucks was onerous: counting cash at the moment of sale and then making the rounds to collect, recount and recheck total sales from each food truck at Senor Sisig main headquarters.

Bluestone Lane made the decision to ditch cash. (Bluestone Lane)

Youre talking about three hours of counting in and out, said Kidera. We were spending over 40 hours a week counting cash just at the hub. It felt like we were running a bank.

Squares Dorogusker noted that both the old cash-only businesses and the cashless upstarts actually come from the same place  practicality.

If youre not operating at scale, you can count the money, so again its not an unreasonable impracticality, he said. But some business are waking up to the ignored cost of cash.

If you zoom out, might think the calculation of handling cash is too expensive and the 2.75% on a credit card transaction and benefits from digitized payments are worth it, said Dorogusker.

The transition has been smooth

The month before the change, Senor Sisig began notifying people via social media, newsletters, and telling customers at the food truck in-person.

Not surprisingly, no one said anything until the change had been made, but Kidera said that heavy signage warning customers that cash isnt accepted has made things easier.

Most of the feedback has been great, but some people dont agree with the change, he said. For the most part once we talk to them and give them more info on why we went cashless they tend to understand.

For the employees, the change has been a welcome one. Kidera said that tips from cards and other cashless means are generally six times higher than cash, and the no-cash signage makes it very clear that the only things on board are delicious food and a few card reader tablets.

Bluestone Lane, which had a four-month grace period where theyd still take cash, was nervous to see how cashless would be accepted, but was pleasantly surprised. Of course, a select few customers were miffed.

I wouldnt say we didnt have anyone write in to say cash money is legal tender, said Stone, who noted that tips didnt change, but sales sped up.

(While the U.S. dollar is legal tender for all debts public and private, the U.S. Treasury website FAQ notes that there is no federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as payment for goods and/or services.)

As it stands, businesses like Senor Sisig and Bluestone Lane are joined by the likes of Starbucks and Sweetgreen. In a larger context, however, since the number is still small, cash is certainly not on notice. And that may be a good thing, as cash is still king for many people like children who dont yet have cards or the underbanked who dont have access to the cashless financial system. But as a pilot, the reviews are in  and theyre good.

Ethan Wolff-Mann is a senior writer at Yahoo Finance focusing on consumer issues, tech, and personal finance. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann.

This story is a part of Yahoo Finance Presents: The Retail Revolution, March 5-9, 2018.
Madrid (AFP) - More than 300 trains have been cancelled on Thursday throughout Spain as workers go on strike to defend women's rights on International Women's Day, the country's transport ministry announced.

Some 200 intercity trains out of 568 won't be operating, while 105 long-distance trains are cancelled, it said Wednesday.

The underground in Madrid will also be affected.

The 24-hour strike has been called by 10 unions. Feminist groups have also asked women not to spend money and to ditch their domestic chores for the day.

Meanwhile Spain's two main unions -- the CCOO and UGT -- have called their members to stop work for two hours on Thursday.

All are campaigning against inequalities between men and women.

The upcoming strike has been the subject of much debate in Spain over the past weeks and many famous women have thrown their weight behind the stoppage.

Spanish star Penelope Cruz, for instance, has cancelled events she had planned and will also go on "domestic" strike, leaving her partner Javier Bardem to care for their two children.

But two of the five female ministers in Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government have said it would be better to observe a work-to-rule, in which employees do no more than the minimum required by the rules of their contract.
Idahos transgender community won a huge legal victory this week after a federal judge in Boise stuck down the states policy banning people from changing the assigned gender on their birth certificates.

Idaho now has until April 6 to begin considering applications for people who wish to change their birth certificates to accurately reflect their gender identity.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The ruling, issued Monday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale, was in response to a lawsuit that two transgender women filed last year after the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) rejected their applications to change the gender on their birth certificates. Both women said that being identified as a male on their birth certificates has led to discrimination.

One of the woman, identified only by her initials F.V., said that a social security office employee called her a tranny after seeing her birth certificate. The other plaintiff, Dani Martin, said she had a similarly distressing experience at a local DMV.

According to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, almost one in three transgender individuals who showed an ID with a name or gender that did not match their gender presentation were verbally harassed, denied benefits or service, asked to leave, or assaulted.

In her ruling, Dale agreed that such discrepancies can create risks to the health and safety of transgender people, who the judge noted already face disproportionately high levels of discrimination. As such, barring transgender individuals from changing their birth certificates to reflect their preferred gender is unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, Dale wrote.

Though applications arent guaranteed to be approved, Dale said that such applications must be reviewed and considered through a constitutionally-sound approval process.

If an application is approved, the reissued birth certificate cannot have a record of any name changes or amendments to the assigned gender. This is to protect transgender individuals from possible discrimination.

Story continues

Niki Forbing-Orr, a spokeswoman for IDHW, told the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday that the agency was reviewing the court order and determining our next steps.

As the Statesman noted, officials at the department had previously acknowledged that their current rules about birth certificate changes were unfair but that they would need a court order to change the policy.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Lambda Legal, the law firm that represented the two plaintiffs in the case, celebrated the legal victory this week.

The Court understood that the states ban against transgender people correcting their birth certificates was archaic, unjust, and discriminatory, Peter Renn, a senior attorney at the firm, said in a statement. It only makes sense. Essential identity documents should accurately reflect who you are, and the court recognized that the government cannot rob transgender people of this basic tool to navigate through life.

With this change, transgender Idahoans will no longer be forced to represent that they are someone they are not and jeopardize their privacy and safety, Renn added.

F.V., one of the plaintiffs, said she was thrilled by the court decision.

I am thrilled and proud that my own state will be updating their policies, even though it required a court order to do so, she said. Im excited to be among the first to update their birth certificates.

Idaho had been one of only four remaining states where transgender individuals are prohibited from changing the assigned gender in their birth certificates. Kansas, Ohio, and Tennessee are the other three.

As ThinkProgress notes, however, other states require burdensome hurdles such as proof of surgical transition before such amendments can be made.

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Monday marked 150 years since impeachment proceedings began against President Andrew Johnson.

Johnson, who was vice president when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, was accused of high crimes and misdemeanors after he fired prominent Cabinet members. He was acquitted and served out the remainder of his term and later served in the U.S. Senate, but his legacy remains as the first president to be impeached.

Photos from the trial show how the process played out, down to the tickets issued to Senate members. It would be 130 more years before another successful impeachment by the House of Representatives, that of President Bill Clinton.

Andrew Johnson (1808-1875) served as vice president under Abraham Lincoln, taking office as president in 1865 after Lincoln's assassination.

Mathew Brady studio portrait of the House of Representatives impeachment committee of President Andrew Johnson in 1868. Standing from left are James F. Wilson, George S. Boutwell and John A. Logan. Seated are Benjamin F. Butler, Thaddeus Stevens, Thomas Williams and John A. Bingham.

The impeachment committee prepares the indictment.

Engraving depicts a courtroom scene during the 1868 impeachment of Andrew Johnson.

George T. Brown, sergeant-at-arms of the Senate, serves the summons on President Johnson.

Facsimile of a ticket of admission to the Impeachment Trial of President Andrew Johnson in the United States Senate on March 13, 1868. The Senate failed to convict Johnson by one vote.

Charles Sumner, a Senate leader in the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson.

Thaddeus Stevens closes the debate on the Andrew Johnson impeachment in the House in March 1868.

Edwin McMasters Stanton, secretary of war under Lincoln, led the attempt to convict Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson.

The vote of the Senate, sitting as the High Court of Impeachment for the trial of Andrew Johnson. They failed to convict him by one vote.

Also on HuffPost

A model of President Donald Trump from Madame Tussauds waxwork attractions stands outside the new U.S. Embassy in London on Jan. 12, 2018.

People take photographs of the wax figure.

Uncanny.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
By Rupam Jain NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India has banned Tibetans from holding a rally with the Dalai Lama in New Delhi this month to mark the 60th anniversary of a failed uprising against Chinese rule, officials said on Wednesday, as it tries to improve fraught ties with China. Relations between China and India have been tense in recent months after their troops faced off on a disputed part of their border. China was also angered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's February visit to the eastern border state of Arunachal Pradesh, also claimed by China. Senior officials in the foreign and interior ministries said exiled Tibetans would not be allowed to hold a rally in the capital, but could do so in the northern town of Dharamsala, where a Tibetan government in exile is based. "We don't want Tibetans to hold big anti-China protests in New Delhi because it creates a bit of diplomatic tension between India and China," said the senior foreign ministry official. "It's a very sensitive time for India and China ties and we want to ease tensions." China took control of Tibet in 1950 in what it calls a "peaceful liberation" of the remote, Himalayan region. An uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet erupted in 1958 and troops crushed it the following year. The The Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, fled from the crackdown and was granted asylum in India. The Dalai Lama has lived mostly in Dharamsala, where his supporters run a small government in exile and advocate for autonomy for Tibet by peaceful means. An interior ministry also said the Tibetan rally could not be held in New Delhi. "The Dalai Lama's followers can host events, hold protests - but only in Dharamsala," said the official, who also declined to be identified as he is not authorized to speak to the media. "We have limited them this time." Dorje Gyalchen, a representative of the Tibetan community in Dharamsala, confirmed that the venue for the gathering planned for New Delhi would be changed. China considers the Dalai Lama to be a dangerous separatist and has piled pressure on foreign governments to shun him. India allows him to pursue his religious activities in the country and to travel abroad. Tens of thousands Tibetans live in 39 formal settlements and dozens of informal communities across India.
By Crispian Balmer

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi said on Wednesday his party would back the far-right League in attempts to form a government, as an anti-establishment rival reaffirmed its claim to call the shots in any new coalition.

No party or bloc won an absolute majority in Sunday's national election, leaving the country mired in political uncertainty as EU authorities said urgent action was needed to put its teetering economy back on an even keel.

An alliance of centre-right and far-right groups won the most parliamentary seats, with the eurosceptic, anti-migrant, League for the first time gaining more votes than Berlusconi's more moderate Forza Italia (Go Italy!).

The octogenarian media magnate insisted his allies be given first chance to govern, while acknowledging that Forza Italia was no longer the kingpin on the right.

"In full respect of our agreements, we will now loyally support attempts by (League leader Matteo) Salvini to form a government," Berlusconi told Corriere della Sera.

"I am here to support him, to guarantee the solidity of the coalition and keep our commitments with the voters."

The anti-system 5-Star movement established itself as by far the most popular party, however, and its leader staked a fresh claim to take the helm of the country.

Luigi Di Maio laid out on Wednesday key themes the next government needed to focus on -- reducing poverty and unemployment, cutting wasteful state spending, lowering taxes for businesses and boosting security.

"Politics must stop being arrogant and start to be humble," Di Maio wrote in la Repubblica newspaper. "The importance of this vote is enormous and marks a sea change with everything that has gone before."

ECONOMIC IMBALANCES

An opinion poll published by La7 television said 40 percent of people wanted Di Maio to be entrusted by the head of state with forming a new government. Only 21 percent backed Salvini.

Story continues

President Sergio Mattarella is not expected to start formal government consultations until next month.

Meanwhile in Brussels, the European Commission said Italy, with its large debt and weak banking sector, was among three EU states experiencing "excessive" economic imbalances that might impinge on other parts of the bloc.

As part of regular monitoring of European economies, the Commission welcomed reform efforts, especially in the banking sector, by Italy's outgoing, centre-left government

But, without commenting directly on Sunday's election or its outcome, the EU executive noted in its report that "reform momentum has somehow slowed".

Both the League and 5-Star promoted free-spending policies on the campaign trail, and concerns that they might loosen the domestic purse strings if they took office drove a sell-off of Italian assets on Monday.

The position of the defeated Democratic Party (PD), which led the outgoing government, could yet prove pivotal because it will have numbers in the new parliament to become prospective kingmaker for either the right or 5-Star.

PD leader Matteo Renzi has said he will resign but has also sought to lay down his party's future path - saying it would move into opposition and shun any tie-ups with either party.

Some PD heavyweights bristled at this and said the party should be open to talks with 5-Star, which managed to whisk away many former centre-left voters thanks to its focus on helping the poor and the unemployed.

But many ordinary PD voters have taken to social media to mobilise against such an alliance, using the hashtag #withoutme.

Industry Minister Carlo Calenda, who announced on Tuesday that he would join the PD, also came out against any pact with the 5-Star, which has accused the centre-left of being corrupt and incompetent.

In the event of such an alliance "my membership of the party will be the shortest in the history of party politics," he wrote on Twitter.

Full results of the election have still not been released because of legal disputes in the Lazio region centred on Rome.

But projections by YouTrend pollsters say the centre-right will take 267 seats in the lower house, 49 short of a majority, while 5-Star will have some 228.

The PD was seen taking 109 seats against the 292 it won at the last election in 2013.

(Additional reporting by Stephen Jewkes; editing by John Stonestreet)
Controversial county clerk Kim Davis gets some eyebrow-raising praise in a video released in conjunction with her new memoir, Under Gods Authority: The Kim Davis Story.

The Liberty Counsel, a nationwide public interest religious civil liberties law firm that has represented Davis, is publishing and distributing Under Gods Authority and posted images of the cover to its Facebook and Twitter accounts Feb. 26. The memoir recounts the Kentucky county clerks 2015 legal battle after she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples following the Supreme Courts marriage equality ruling that June.

On Monday, the group released a bizarre promotional video for the book on YouTube. The clip, which clocks in at just over seven minutes and can be viewed above, features testimony from Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R), who praises Davis for her boldness, conviction and her knowing that she was right.

I think Kim Davis is, without question, an inspiration, not only to leaders like myself ... but to my children, to the children of America, the Republican, who publicly supported Davis during his gubernatorial campaign in 2015, explains. People, even if they disagree with her, have got to respect the fact that here is a woman who was willing to put it all on the line out of conviction for what she believed and knew to be her right as an American citizen.

He continues, If thats not admirable  if thats not something that we would want all Americans to emulate, I dont know what is.

The interview with Bevin is intercut with footage of a teary-eyed Davis.

When I think about marriage in my life, before I knew Christ, I was a miserable flop at it  just terrible, says the clerk, an Apostolic Christian who has been married four times. But I still knew that it was between one man and one woman.

The video seems to be timed to Daviss re-election campaign. The clerk, who changed her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in 2015, will seek another term in November.

Story continues

One prospective opponent, Democrat David Ermold, was among those denied a marriage license by Davis nearly three years ago.

H/T Right Wing Watch

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Nairobi (AFP) - Kenya's government cannot account for $400 million in public funds, according to a damning report from the auditor general highlighting the country's failure to crack down on graft and misuse of state resources.

The report for the 2015/2016 financial year describes a litany of misspending and poor accounting under President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is several months into a second term after an election in which he again vowed to tackle graft.

Less than a third of financial statements of ministries, departments and agencies that were scrutinised were clean, according to the report presented to parliament last week.

Auditor general Edward Ouko noted that this was however an improvement, with only six percent of financial statements declared clean five years ago.

"Accounting for public funds is still wanting," wrote Ouko.

Of $12.4 billion (10 billion euros) in recurrent and development spending, only 3.45 percent was spent "lawfully and in an effective way", according to the report.

While some entities failed to submit statements at all, others were unable to explain transfers of millions of dollars, unlawful cash withdrawals or "fraudulent" double payment of bills.

The defence ministry came under fire over the purchase of seven aircraft from the Royal Jordanian Airforce for $15 million in 2007, which were never used due to defects and, the report found, are now being used as "sources for spare parts".

The ministry also paid five times the market price for two hydraulic excavators, and spent some $8 million on projects and equipment which never materialised.

Meanwhile the interior ministry could not account for 51,500 pairs of shoes worth $1.7 million allegedly destined for police officers, who were found in worn-out footwear or having resorted to buy their own.

- 'Post-mortem of grand theft' -

"Our concern is that every year, the auditor general prepares such reports detailing loss of huge sums of money and presents them to parliament but they are never acted upon," read an editorial by the Daily Nation newspaper.

Story continues

In 2017 Kenya fell to 143rd out of 180 countries in Transparency International's annual corruption index.

While Kenyatta has vowed to tackle corruption, veteran activist John Githongo is sceptical.

"Theft has created Kenya's elite. That's our history. Stopping the theft would mean restructuring our economy and politics," he told AFP.

"That we've always had auditor generals who do these essentially post-mortem audits of grand theft is an interesting quirk of Kenyan political economy."

Ouko has battled to remain in his position, with a lawmakers' attempt to remove him over alleged abuse of office blocked by the high court in 2017.

His report also highlighted soaring debt that has raised alarm in East Africa's richest and most diverse economy, after rampant borrowing in recent years.

Moody's last month cut Kenya's credit rating from B1 to B2 -- assigning a stable outlook -- warning it expected government debt to rise to 61 percent of GDP in the 2018/19 financial year from 41 percent in 2011/12.
North Koreas surprising offer Tuesday to hold talks with the United States, holding out the eventual prospect of abandoning its nuclear weapons, throws the diplomatic ball dramatically back into Washingtons court.

While the overture is a seeming triumph of the sunshine diplomacy of South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the Trump administrations increased pressure, the big question remains whether the White House is willing or able to grab the opportunity.

The Trump administration has been all about applying maximum pressure, with the whole purpose to bring North Korea back to the table to talk about denuclearization, says Jenny Town, assistant director of the U.S.-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Kim has said, Yeah, we can talk about that. So now what? This is more a test of how serious the Trump administration is, rather than Pyongyang.

After a landmark meeting with senior South Korean officials Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said hed be open to negotiations with the United States to discuss normalizing relations, including a willingness to discuss the countrys controversial nuclear program. Pyongyang said it wouldnt need nuclear weapons if its security is guaranteed, and offered to freeze nuclear and missile tests during the talks. The two Korean leaders will meet next month to lay the groundwork for a possible diplomatic solution to an impasse that has raised fears of a devastating conventional or even nuclear war in East Asia.

Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea, President Donald Trump tweeted early Tuesday. May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!

The move culminates a month of Olympics-fueled diplomacy in the divided Korean Peninsula and amid an escalating pressure campaign from the United States and the United Nations, including fresh sanctions on North Korea in recent weeks. But Moon has also stepped up diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang as fears have grown of a preemptive U.S. military strike.

Story continues

Facing its first high-stakes diplomatic negotiation, the Trump administration will come to the table shorthanded. The State Departments top point man on North Korea, Joseph Yun, unexpectedly retired last week. And Victor Cha, who was the presidents initial pick for the vacant ambassadorship in Seoul, was nixed after a last-minute change of heart by the White House, reportedly over differences of opinion on the wisdom of a preemptive U.S. military strike. Both were seasoned diplomats who had hands-on experience with the North Koreans.

Now is when you would want serious, experienced diplomats to be engaging in a negotiation, says Ely Ratner, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who served as former Vice President Joe Bidens deputy national security advisor. You would need the best of the diplomatic corps to even understand whether there was a deal to be had here.

Given Kims past belligerence, dogged pursuit of long-range missiles and nuclear weapons, and need to maintain control over an internally fracturing regime, we cannot definitely determine what his real intent is, says Bruce Bennett, senior defense analyst at the RAND Corporation.

Is he Hitler going to Munich in 1938, or is he really prepared for some kind of peaceful solution?

A senior Trump administration official expressed caution about Kims offer, saying the United States remained open to dialogue but that the regime had a long history of breaking agreements.

If their plan is simply to buy time, in order to continue building their arsenal, talks arent going to get very far at all. Because weve seen that movie before, the official told reporters Tuesday.

But the official said the proposal showed the U.S. sanctions effort was having a genuine impact and that the administration would keep an open mind.

North Koreas apparent willingness to come to the table marks a sharp turnaround from the mutual threats, insults, and bellicose rhetoric from Pyongyang and Washington over the past year, accompanied by ominous developments in North Koreas nuclear weapons and missile technologies. But its not the first time North Koreas leaders have tendered an apparent olive branch, only to see a diplomatic solution undercut by unbridgeable gulfs between the two sides.

That the initiative came directly from Kim after his meeting with South Korean officials could be a significant departure from Pyongyangs previous stabs at fig-leaf diplomacy, Town says.

Sure, weve heard it before, but not from Kim Jong Un himself. Hes proven himself to be different from his father and grandfather, she says.

Former Obama administration officials chalk up the apparent opening to the combination of Moons diplomatic efforts and, especially, the Trump administrations heightened pressure on Pyongyang, saying said this time could be different from North Koreas bad-faith overtures of the past.

We may in fact be seeing a change in Kim Jong Uns calculus, and we ought to explore that, Ratner says. What were hearing is a little different from what weve heard before  The administration would be nuts to brush this off or turn it down.

Another ray of hope is the North Korean regimes newfound willingness to accept continued joint military exercises held by the United States and South Korea. Just days ago, Pyongyang was threatening to counter the annual military drills that North Korea sees as a dress rehearsal for forcible regime change. Seoul and Washington announced they would hold the exercises later in March, after postponing them for the Winter Olympics, but might have to scale them back in the future as a concession to Pyongyang.

Kim Jong Uns willingness to allow the U.S.-South Korean military exercises to go ahead is quite significant, Ratner said, as it would have provided him with a convenient way to drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington.

The offer to put denuclearization on the table could also end up being a bone of contention between Pyongyang and Washington. Vice President Mike Pence said last month that the United States would continue to squeeze North Korea until it gave up its pursuit of nuclear weapons; North Koreas outreach dangles the prospect of a nuclear-free peninsula as the outcome of diplomatic talks, not as a precondition.

Pence on Tuesday reiterated the U.S. desire to withhold carrots until Pyongyang starts to roll back its weapons program.

The United States and our allies remain committed to applying maximum pressure on the Kim regime to end their nuclear program, he said. All options are on the table and our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible, verifiable, and concrete steps toward denuclearization.

Getting rid of nuclear weapons is not the only likely sticking point. At the high-level dinner on Monday, Kim reportedly spoke of writing a new history of reunification of the peninsula, which has been uneasily split into northern and southern halves since the armistice ending the Korean War in 1953. That doesnt mean the kind of democratic-led reunification that Seoul and Washington have sought for decades, says RANDs Bennett.

He was not talking about South Korean style unification  he was talking about unification under his control, he says.

North Korea also said that it wouldnt need nuclear weapons at all if its security were guaranteed, which seemed to open the door to a negotiated solution. The problem is that Pyongyangs understanding of a security guarantee is likely vastly different than that envisioned in Washington, including at a minimum and end to hostile U.S. policies, economic sanctions, joint military exercises, and possibly even an end to the decades-long U.S. military presence in South Korea.

Whats more, for years North Korea has cited the example of former Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi, who gave up his nuclear weapons in 2003 only to be toppled with U.S. assistance almost a decade later. For Pyongyang, the only security guarantee worth having would likely be a peninsula reunified on its terms, Bennett said.

And coming hard on the heels of intensified U.S. sanctions  including the broadest effort yet to forestall North Koreas ability to use its merchant marine to evade sanctions  the North Korean offer to come to the table seems to imply that it expects concessions in return. Congressional aides described the latest North Korean outreach as a charm offensive meant to secure some relief from sanctions that have dramatically curtailed its ability to earn hard currency through exports.

The Trump administration had never offered the prospect of limited sanctions relief as a carrot in its maximum pressure campaign, and administration officials gave no indication Tuesday they were ready to relent.

But what is clear is that the North Korean outreach will make it more difficult for Washington to coax other countries, especially China, into supporting additional sanctions measures against Pyongyang. Last Friday, China already vetoed efforts to blacklist dozens more North Korean vessels. With Kim apparently ready to talk, Beijings willingness to keep squeezing is doubtful, Town says.

Since this is what the Trump administration said it wanted, if the U.S. does not take advantage, there will be a lot more international opposition to the pressure campaign, she said.
Qamishli (Syria) (AFP) - Hundreds of miles away from family and friends facing an attack by Turkey, Kurdish and Arab forces deployed in the eastern Syrian desert against jihadists have become increasingly frustrated.

Six weeks into the Turkey-led assault on the Kurdish enclave of Afrin, young men and women are leaving the fight against the Islamic State group in droves to head west to help.

Kurdish militia have formed the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance that has successfully expelled IS from much of Syria with the backing of a US-led military coalition.

But as news of the battle in Afrin reaches them, the fighters have become reluctant to hunt down jihadists in their last hideouts in Deir Ezzor province.

"We're preparing to head to Afrin," SDF fighter Roshavam Qamishlo told AFP on Saturday. The enclave "needs us now more than ever".

He spoke at the funeral of three comrades-in-arms in the northeastern town of Qamishli, where dozens came to pay their respects to those killed in Deir Ezzor.

"They should have died in Afrin," he said, as their coffins were displayed in the middle of the crowd, draped in the Kurdish colours of yellow, red and green.

Arab fighters, too, have opted to ditch battlefronts against IS to shore up lines of defence in Afrin.

On Tuesday, SDF commander Abu Omar al-Idlibi said 1,700 of his fighters -- mostly Arabs from northern Syria whose families had sought refuge in Afrin -- would be sent to defend the enclave in the coming week.

- 'All want to go' -

Afrin, which is controlled by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, is one of three regions Syria's Kurds hope will be part of a self-ruled federal region in the country's north.

Turkey sees the YPG as a "terrorist" group and has bombarded the region with air strikes and artillery fire since January 20.

More than 170 civilians have died in the assault, says the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor.

Story continues

Ankara however denies the claim and says it takes the "utmost care" to avoid civilian casualties.

The offensive has prompted a call-to-arms for the YPG and SDF, and one senior SDF official says "hundreds of fighters from Afrin and who have relatives there have returned to defend" their people.

As a result, the US-led coalition declared an "operational pause" to its anti-IS fight in eastern Syria on Monday.

US and coalition officials have said they will not get involved in the Afrin fighting and expressed concern it would detract from the SDF's operations against IS.

In addition to reinforcements from IS battlefronts, other fighters have streamed into Afrin from Qamishli, Hasakeh in the northeast and Kobane further west, says Rezan Hedo, an adviser to the YPG in Afrin.

Others even travelled from the Kurdish neighbourhood of Sheikh Maqsud in the northern city of Aleppo, Hedo tells AFP.

In Qamishli, another fighter who gave his nom de guerre as Nushin Qamishlo said he would also join the fight on the Turkish border.

"We all want to go," said the 25-year-old, who sported a thick beard and whose head was wrapped in a bright blue scarf.

- 'A fair solution' -

"We're highly capable and will take on the Turks even without the coalition's help."

Fighter Al-Ashqar Nuseen feared losing Afrin could be a huge blow to his long-awaited dreams of a federal Syrian Kurdish region.

"We will defend Afrin with all our might, taking on the Turks like we did Daesh," he said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

Ali Omar, 65, a Syrian Kurdish bystander at the funeral in Qamishli, said he supported the Kurdish fighters withdrawing from Deir Ezzor.

"When it's our interests, our people, our villages and our towns that are threatened, we're forced to leave everything and head to defend our homeland," he said.

But he questioned why the US-led coalition, which the Kurds have aided in its fight against IS in Syria, had not intervened to help the Kurds in Afrin.

"Why are we helping you in Deir Ezzor and other places, and you don't help us in Afrin?"

Without help from any outside power, Syria's Kurds have found themselves in the awkward position of having to ask for support from the Damascus regime.

Since last month, pro-regime fighters have been deployed alongside Kurdish fighters in Afrin on several fronts.

Abdel Salam Ahmad, a high-ranking official of the Kurdish Democratic Society Movement, said Syria's Kurds have lost faith in the international community.

"This region will not find stability until a fair solution is found for the Kurdish people," he said.
What would Laverne Cox look like as a Barbie? Some fans of the transgender activist and Orange Is the New Black actress want to find out.

Laverne Cox visited the Build Series on Feb. 27. (Photo: Desiree Navarro/WireImage)

Fan Jason Preston has started a Change.org petition, which as of Wednesday morning had garnered more than 150 signatures, calling for Barbie maker Mattel to create such a doll.

Laverne Cox is the definition of the inspiring woman, Preston wrote in the petition. To many young women and men around the world Laverne Cox is a symbol of what you can achieve if you are true to who you are. She epitomizes not only the messages of the Inspiring Women and Sheroes Barbie doll lines but that of Barbie herself. But brings its message of being who and what you want to be into our ever changing world; from inspiring the limitless potential in every girl to inspiring the limitless potential in every person.

Preston cites the Glam Masters hosts many firsts, including being the first transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy and the first transgender person to land the cover of mainstream magazines, such as Time and Cosmopolitan, in making his argument.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Cox embraced the idea over Twitter, as did her followers.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The conversation is happening just as Mattel releases 17 new dolls based on boundary-breaking modern-day women and women who have inspired in the past, ahead of International Womens Day on March 8. The new Barbies are based on women such as Chloe Kim, the 17-year-old American snowboarder who won a gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics last month; Katherine Johnson, the real-life NASA mathematician played by Taraji P. Henson in the 2016 movie Hidden Figures; and director Patty Jenkins, who helmed the box-office behemoth Wonder Woman. Other recognizable women such as Bindi Irwin, Frida Kahlo, and Amelia Earhart are also represented.

And it would be an understatement to say that the women being honored are excited.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Much of social media was delighted too.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Although, there was some backlash over the way Kahlos doll looked.

Story continues

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Who else would you like to see as a Barbie?

Read more on Yahoo Entertainment:
By Colin Packham

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea's mountainous Southern Highlands on Wednesday killing at least 18 people, an official said, a week after a larger quake flattened villages and killed at least 55 people.

The tremor, shortly after midnight local time, struck just 31 km (19 miles) southwest of the epicentre of last Monday's magnitude 7.5 quake that has left government and aid agencies scrambling to provide emergency supplies to the remote region.

Australia and New Zealand said on Wednesday they would increase aid to Papua New Guinea.

Australia will deploy three helicopters this week to deliver aid, while New Zealand will send a second military plane to distribute medical equipment, hygiene kits and tarpaulins.

Wednesday's quake was the most severe of a series of aftershocks that have rattled the resource-rich region, about 600 km (370 miles) northwest of the capital Port Moresby.

William Bando, the administrator of Hela Province, said initial reports put the death toll from the aftershock at 18.

"It appears Hides was hardest hit. We haven't heard about potential casualties there yet, but it is a big village with many people," he added.

Manasseh Makiba, Papua New Guinea's Vice Minister for Petroleum & Energy who represents parts of Hela Province in parliament, said victims were still being found.

"People are still being extracted from mud. People are still being taken to hospitals," he said.

Local media outlets reported the death toll from the original quake had risen to 75, after government officials said previously that 55 people had been killed.

A spokeswoman at Papua New Guinea's National Disaster Centre said on Wednesday that authorities were finalising a final report into the casualties from the first quake.

James Komengi, a United Church project officer, speaking from Tari, the capital of quake-affected Hela province, said his church's assessment and response centre had counted up to 67 deaths in that province alone.

Story continues

Aid efforts are being hampered as rescue workers struggle to reach the highlands area as many roads are either badly damaged or blocked.

The International Red Cross warned the situation could deteriorate if heavy rains hit the region.

"We are anxious to reach communities while there is a lull in what is usually a season of heavy rain. A big downpour could bring landslides in hillsides already destabilised by the earthquake, cause floods and contaminate water," said Udaya Regmi, Director the International Red Cross in Papua New Guinea.

The Red Cross said its initial assessments indicate that as many as 143,000 people could have been affected, with an estimated 500 people injured and 17,000 people displaced from their homes. Even in more accessible areas of the country, health facilities have been damaged.

ExxonMobil, which shut its $19 billion PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project after the first quake, said on Wednesday its facilities in Hides, where it runs a gas conditioning plant, were safely shut in. All employees and contractors were safe.

(Reporting by Colin Packham, Tom Westbrook in Sydney Sonali Paul in MELBOURNE, Charlotte Greenfield in WELLINGTON and Byron Kaye in SYDNEY; editing by Richard Pullin)
By Colin Packham SYDNEY (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea's mountainous Southern Highlands on Wednesday killing at least 18 people, an official said, a week after a larger quake flattened villages and killed at least 55 people. The tremor, shortly after midnight local time, struck just 31 km (19 miles) southwest of the epicenter of last Monday's magnitude 7.5 quake that has left government and aid agencies scrambling to provide emergency supplies to the remote region. Australia and New Zealand said on Wednesday they would increase aid to Papua New Guinea. Australia will deploy three helicopters this week to deliver aid, while New Zealand will send a second military plane to distribute medical equipment, hygiene kits and tarpaulins. Wednesday's quake was the most severe of a series of aftershocks that have rattled the resource-rich region, about 600 km (370 miles) northwest of the capital Port Moresby. William Bando, the administrator of Hela Province, said initial reports put the death toll from the aftershock at 18. "It appears Hides was hardest hit. We haven't heard about potential casualties there yet, but it is a big village with many people," he added. Manasseh Makiba, Papua New Guinea's Vice Minister for Petroleum & Energy who represents parts of Hela Province in parliament, said victims were still being found. "People are still being extracted from mud. People are still being taken to hospitals," he said. Local media outlets reported the death toll from the original quake had risen to 75, after government officials said previously that 55 people had been killed. A spokeswoman at Papua New Guinea's National Disaster Center said on Wednesday that authorities were finalizing a final report into the casualties from the first quake. (For a graphic on 'Papua New Guinea quake' click http://tmsnrt.rs/2ow1YLR) James Komengi, a United Church project officer, speaking from Tari, the capital of quake-affected Hela province, said his church's assessment and response center had counted up to 67 deaths in that province alone. Aid efforts are being hampered as rescue workers struggle to reach the highlands area as many roads are either badly damaged or blocked. The International Red Cross warned the situation could deteriorate if heavy rains hit the region. "We are anxious to reach communities while there is a lull in what is usually a season of heavy rain. A big downpour could bring landslides in hillsides already destabilized by the earthquake, cause floods and contaminate water," said Udaya Regmi, Director the International Red Cross in Papua New Guinea. The Red Cross said its initial assessments indicate that as many as 143,000 people could have been affected, with an estimated 500 people injured and 17,000 people displaced from their homes. Even in more accessible areas of the country, health facilities have been damaged. ExxonMobil, which shut its $19 billion PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project after the first quake, said on Wednesday its facilities in Hides, where it runs a gas conditioning plant, were safely shut in. All employees and contractors were safe. (Reporting by Colin Packham, Tom Westbrook in Sydney Sonali Paul in MELBOURNE, Charlotte Greenfield in WELLINGTON and Byron Kaye in SYDNEY; editing by Richard Pullin)
U.S. oil and natural gas is on the verge of transforming the worlds energy markets for a second time, further undercutting Saudi Arabia and Russia.

The widespread adoption of fracking in the U.S. opened billions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of natural gas to production and transformed the global energy sector in a matter of a few years. Now, a leading global energy agency says U.S. natural gas is about to do it again.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a new forecast this week that growth in U.S. oil production will cover 80% of new global demand for oil in the next three years. U.S. oil production is expected to increase nearly 30% to 17 million barrels a day by 2023 with much of that growth coming from oil produced through fracking in West Texas.

Non-OPEC supply growth is very, very strong, which will change a lot of parameters of the oil market in the next years to come, Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, told reporters at the CERAWeek energy conference hosted by IHS Markit. We are going to see a major second wave of U.S. shale production coming.

Republicans politicians and policymakers celebrated the news and sought to take credit for the development. Trump has sought to portray himself as a savior of the U.S. oil and gas industry, opening up federal lands to oil and gas development at a breakneck pace and undoing Obama-era climate regulations.

But analysts attributed the growth in U.S. production to market factors rather than Republican policy. In the report, the IEA forecast that higher oil prices and increased demand from China and India will trigger increased U.S. output to make up the gap. The IEA also predicts that demand for petrochemicals used in plastic will grow overall demand for oil.

Still, the White House sent out a press release highlighting the report on Monday. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska told reporters at CERAWeek that Republican dominated Washington has transformed the federal government from being basically hostile to oil and gas under President Obama to actively supporting the industrys growth. (In reality, Obama promoted natural gas as part of an all of the above energy strategy and his signature climate change regulation would have benefited the fossil fuel.)

Story continues

Theres never been a more exciting time in the American energy sector, Sullivan told oil and gas industry insiders. The American energy renaissance that so many of you in this room are responsible for is now in full swing.

A second rise in U.S. oil production comes with significant implications for both the global energy markets and geopolitics more broadly. The U.S. supply of oil and natural gas has contributed to political upheaval in the Middle East, creating new competition for oil exports, and in Russia, a leading supplier of natural gas to Europe.

Alexei Texler, Russias first deputy energy minister, acknowledged that U.S. shale poses certain risk Tuesday but said his country would continue collaborating with partners in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in response.

In a shale revolution world, no country is an island, said Birol. Everyone will be affected.
Jacob Moore, the first male to publicly accuse former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse, said he hopes his story encourages other male survivors to come forward.

I hope he rots in hell, Moore, 18, said of Nassar on NBC News Today show on Tuesday.

Nassar has been accused of abusing over 260 young girls and women during decades as team doctor for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. Hes now serving three concurrent sentences of up to 175 years on child sexual abuse and child pornography charges. Moore became the first male to accuse Nassar in a federal lawsuit filed last week alleging the former doctor molested him in 2016.

Moore, now a freshman at the University of Michigan, said Nassar abused him under the guise of treatment for a shoulder injury when he was 16 years old.

I wasnt a dumb kid, I knew kind of what medical practices were and that one was out of the ordinary, Moore said Tuesday. Coming out of the treatment, I felt very uncomfortable.

Moore said he kind of freaked out when abuse allegations against Nassar became public, and he couldnt find an explanation for the treatment he received.

Moores sister, who also has accused Nassar of abusing her, testified during a January sentencing hearing for the doctor in which she mentioned her brother had been victimized. Both siblings are gymnasts.

My whole family was fooled by you, but I know now who you really are, Kamerin Moore told the serial predator.

Jacob Moore said his entire family has been affected by Nassars abuse.

Me and my sister shouldnt be able to relate over the fact that weve both been abused, he said. Thats just really sickening to me, that he would violate our trust like that  the things that he did were just awful.

President Donald Trump recently signed a bill that aims to protect amateur athletes from sexual assault in the wake of the Nassar scandal.

In January, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette (R) announced that his office will conduct an independent, thorough, transparent and prompt investigation into MSU and its handling of the Nassar case. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos also has said the Department of Education will investigate how MSU handled the Nassar allegations.

Story continues

Related...

'Every Corner' Of MSU Will Be Investigated Following Larry Nassar Sentencing

Former USA Gymnastics Doctor Larry Nassar Has 'Over 265 Identified Victims'

Education Department Launches Investigation Into How MSU Handled Larry Nassar Abuse

First Male Gymnast Accuses Larry Nassar Of Sexual Abuse

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Greta Lindecrantz, a criminal defense investigator from Colorado, is jailed for contempt of court after refusing to testify in a condemned killer's appeal because of her faith. (Photo: Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office)

A Mennonite woman in Colorado has been jailed for refusing to testify in a condemned murderers death penalty appeal because of her faith.

Greta Lindecrantz, who was a private investigator for the killers defense back in 2009, has already spent nine nights at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility. She faces months more behind bars after she was charged with contempt of court for refusing to answer questions about former client Robert Ray, one of three men on Colorados death row.

Lindecrantz, 67, was subpoenaed by prosecutors fighting Rays appeal to testify about her work for his defense during the original trial. She says religious beliefs prevent her from testifying for the prosecution in a death penalty case.

Ms. Lindecrantz is firm in her faith-based commitment that she can not be used as a tool for prosecutors seeking to kill a fellow human being, her lawyer, Mari Newman, told HuffPost.

Lindecrantz told Colorado District Judge Michelle Amico in court Feb. 26 that she would have no problem testifying if death wasnt on the line.

I feel like I was handed a gun and I was told to point it at Mr. Ray, and the gun might or might not have bullets in it, but Id have to fire it anyway. I cant shoot the gun. I cant shoot the gun, Lindecrantz said, sobbing, according to The Colorado Independent.

Mennonites as a denomination oppose all forms of violence, including war, abuse of children and women, and capital punishment. They have been conscientious objectors to military service throughout American history.

Lindecrantz on Friday filed a motion seeking to testify as a witness called by the court, instead of by prosecutors. Amico ruled against her, and an appeals court unanimously upheld the decision, according to The Associated Press. Newman said shes preparing an appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court.

In the meantime, Lindecrantz will remain in jail unless she agrees to testify for the prosecution. She could be held for up to six months.

Story continues

Jail is extraordinarily difficult for Lindecrantz, her lawyer said. Shes lost seven pounds and hasnt been able to see her husband, a man in his 70s who needed help figuring out how to book visitations online, Newman said.

Robert Ray, center, listens after being indicted for double homicide at Arapahoe County Court on Monday March. 13, 2006. (Photo: RJ Sangosti via Getty Images)

According to the Independent, Lindecrantz is a highly respected, veteran investigator who has worked on several death penalty cases and defended detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

Ray was convicted in 2009 for the 2005 murders of a Colorado couple, Javad Marshall-Fields and fiancee Vivian Wolfe. He and co-defendant Sir Mario Owens were sentenced to death.

Rays current defense team argues that his original legal team was ineffective during the 2009 trial. Prosecutors who want the death sentence upheld claim the original defenders represented Ray professionally. The prosecutors have already questioned other members of Rays team.

Newman said prosecutors dont need Lindecrantzs testimony for the appeal.

Any information that could theoretically be elicited through her testimony is already in the court record. She provided her entire file to the prosecution, Newman said. The lawyers who directed her work and make all decisions about what was and was not done in the case have already testified and been cross examined.

She added: This is not about the truth-seeking process; this is about a prosecutor and judge ... punishing Ms. Lindecrantz for refusing to abandon her faith-based refusal to testify for the prosecution seeking to kill her fellow human being.

The Denver-area Mennonite community has been rallying around Lindecrantz, organizing hymn sings and prayer protests outside the courthouse and jail. Lindecrantz was a member of First Mennonite Church for two decades and more recently joined Beloved Community Mennonite Church, the Rev. Vern Rempel told HuffPost.

Rempel explained that Mennonites objection to capital punishment stems from their beliefs about the nature of God.

We do not want to give the impression that we are more right or morally superior to anyone, Rempel said in an email. We want to bear witness to something that is close to our hearts, to the heart of our faith, that we do not kill people as a solution to anything, because of our experience of and our understanding of Gods love in our lives and our communities.

Also on HuffPost

St. Catherine of Siena

The second-youngest of 25 children, Catherine of Siena is one of only two patron saints of Italy. Catherine believed herself to be spiritually wed to Jesus and committed herself to a monastic life as a teenager. She was a peacemaker during the 1368 revolution in Siena and convinced Pope Gregory XI to return the papacy to Rome during a tumultuous time for the Catholic Church. One story from her life tells of Jesus appearing to her with a heart in his hands and saying, Dearest daughter, as I took your heart away from you the other day, now, you see, I am giving you mine, so that you can go on living with it for ever. She was canonized in 1461.

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc grew up a peasant in medieval France and reportedly started hearing the voices of saints from a young age. At the age of 18, Joan believed that God had chosen her to lead France to victory in its ongoing war with England. The precocious Joan convinced crowned prince Charles of Valois to allow her to lead a the countrys army to Orleans, where it defeated the English and their French allies, the Burgundians. She was subsequently captured by Anglo-Burgundian forces, tried for heresy and burned at the stake in 1431. She was just 19 years old when she died. The Catholic Church canonized her in 1920.

Hildegard von Bingen

Hildegard von Bingen was a Benedictine abbess who lived between 1098 and 1179. Hildegard became a nun as a teenager, though she had received divine visions since early childhood. It wasnt until her 40s that Hildegard began writing a record of these visions, which came to be known as Scivias (Know the Ways). She went on to write other texts documenting her philosophy and also composed short works on medicine, natural history, music and more. Bishops, popes, and kings consulted her at a time when few women engaged in the political domain. She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.

St. Teresa of Avila

Teresa of Avila was born in Spain during the 16th century to a well-to-do family. Teresa was fascinated by stories of the Christian saints and martyrs from a young age and explored these interests through mystical games she played with her brother, Roderigo. Her early efforts to join a convent were interrupted by the disapproval of her father, as well as several bouts of malaria. She turned instead to quiet prayer and contemplation and attained what she described in her autobiography as the "prayer of union," in which she felt her soul absorbed into Gods power. She went on to join a convent and was said to have at one point restored her young nephew to health after he was crushed by a fallen wall. The episode was presented at the process for Teresa's canonization, which took place in 1662.

St. Catherine of Genoa

Born in 1447, Catherine of Genoa is perhaps best known for her visions of and treatise on purgatory. She conceptualized purgatory as an interior, rather than exterior, fire which individuals experience within themselves. The soul presents itself to God still bound to the desires and suffering that derive from sin and this makes it impossible for it to enjoy the beatific vision of God, Catherine wrote in her book of revelations. She developed a deep relationship with God which Pope Benedict XVI described as a unitive life. Catherine also dedicated her life to caring for the sick, which she did at the Pammatone Hospital until her death in 1510. She was canonized in 1737.

St. Clare of Assisi

Clare of Assisi shunned a life of luxury in her wealthy Italian family to devote herself to the burgeoning order of Francis of Assisi. When her parents promised her hand in marriage to a wealthy man in 1211, Clare fled for the Porziuncola Chapel and was taken in by Francis. She took vows dedicating her life to God, and Francis placed Clare provisionally with the Benedictine nuns of San Paolo. Her family, furious at Clares secret flight, went there to try to drag her home by force, but Clare was resolute. Clares piety was so profound that her sister, mother and several other female relatives eventually came to live with her and be her disciples in her convent outside Assisi. The group came to be known as the Poor Clares and walked barefoot, slept on the ground, abstained from meat, and spoke only when necessary. Clare died in 1253 and was canonized two years later by Pope Alexander IV.

Therese of Lisieux

Born in France in 1873, Therese of Lisieux experienced a mystical union with Christ while undergoing study for her First Communion in 1884. She entered the Carmel of Lisieux, a Carmelite hermitage, in 1888 and made a profession of religious devotion in 1890. She became ill and died at the young age of 24, but her writings and revelations formed the basis for widespread veneration after her death. Affectionately called The Little Flower, Therese believed that children have an aptitude for spiritual experience, which adults should model. "What matters in life," she wrote, "is not great deeds, but great love." She was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925.

Julian of Norwich

Little is known about Julian of Norwich, an English mystic who lived from 1342 until roughly 1430. Information about her comes primarily from her Revelations of Divine Love in Sixteen Showings, the book in which Julian recorded her divine visions. In 1373, she became ill and nearly died within a matter of days. A priest came to her bedside and show her an image of Christ, after which Julian recovered and received the 16 revelations that she recorded in her book. God later revealed to her the meaning of these visions, which she recorded as: Would you learn to see clearly your Lords meaning in this thing? Learn it well: Love was his meaning. Who showed it to you? Love.... Why did he show it to you? For Love.... Thus I was taught that Love was our Lords meaning. She chose to live a contemplative and reclusive life until her death.

St. Bridget of Sweden

Unlike many of her counterparts, Bridget of Sweden did not devote herself fully to a religious life until her 40s when her husband died in 1344. Reportedly distraught after his death, Bridget spent long hours in prayer beside her husbands grave at the abbey of Alvastra. There she believed God spoke to her, telling her to be my bride and my canal. He gave her the task of founding new religious order, and she went on to start the Brigittines, or the Order of St. Saviour. Both men and women joined the community, with separate cloisters. They lived in poor convents and were instructed to give all surplus income to the poor. In 1350, Bridget braved the plague, which was ravaging Europe, to pilgrimage to Rome in order to obtain authorization for her new order from the pope. It would be 20 years before she received this authorization, but Bridget quickly became known throughout Europe for her piety. She was canonized in 1391, less than 20 years after her death.

St. Beatrice of Silva

Born in 1424, Beatrice of Silva abandoned a court life with Princess Isabel of Portugal to enter a Cistercian convent in Toledo. She lived at the convent until 1484, when she believed God summoned her to found a religious order. She started the Congregation of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where she lived and served as superior until her death circa 1492. Shortly before Beatrices death, Pope Innocent VIII approved a the convents adoption of the Cistercian rule, which consisted of three guidelines: be silent and submissive to Gods direction; strive for a life of obscurity and piety; and love everyone with a holy love. Beatrice reportedly received a vision of the Virgin Mary dressed in a white habit with a white scapular and blue mantle, which formed the basis of the dress for her order. Pope Paul VI canonized St. Beatrice in 1976.

St. Angela of Foligno

Angela of Foligno was a Franciscan mystic who was born into a prestigious family and married at the age of 20. A series of events, which included a violent earthquake in 1279 and an ongoing war against Perugia lead her to call upon St Francis, who appeared to her in a vision and instructed her to go to confession. Three years later, her mother, husband and all of her children died in the span of a few months. Angela then sold her possessions and in 1291 enrolled in the Third Order of St Francis. At 43, Angela had a vision of Gods love while she was making a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Francis of Assisi. She dictated her experiences in The Book of the Experience of the Truly Faithful. Pope Francis canonized Angela of Foligno in 2013.

Mechthild of Magdeburg

Like Hadewijch, Mechthild of Magdeburg was part of the Beguine community. The German mystic decided at age 22 to devote her life to God and authored a text entitled The Flowing Light of the Godhead. She entered the convent of Helfta in 1270 and used poetry to express her divine revelations. On the first page of The Flowing Light, Mechthild wrote: I have been put on my guard about this book, and certain people have warned me that, unless I have it buried, it will be burnt. Yet, I in my weakness have written it, because I dared not hide the gift that is in it.

Hadewijch

Hadewijch was a Flemish mystic who was part of the Beguine movement, a network of ascetic and philanthropic communities of women that arose primarily in the Netherlands in the 13th century. Little is known about her life outside of her writings, which include a collection of letters on the spiritual life of the Beguines, as well as a book of visions. According to Dr. Elizabeth Alvilda Petroff, a comparative literature professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Hadewijch believed that the soul, created by God in his own image, longs to be one with divine love again, to become God with God.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico threatened Tuesday to retaliate against President Donald Trump's planned steel and aluminum tariffs by hitting the most "politically sensitive" US exports with tariffs of its own, the latest signal of a brewing trade war.

Speaking a day after Trump shot down Mexican and Canadian proposals that the neighboring nations be granted an exemption from the steep US tariffs, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said Mexico was prepared to fight back.

"We would have to target our response at the things they export that are most politically sensitive and hit exactly those goods. We have the ability to respond," he told Mexican broadcaster Televisa.

He said the Mexican government was currently analyzing which US exports it would tax.

"We won't be making that public until we see exactly what (the Americans) are going to do," he said.

A top Mexican strategist said such tariffs could target exports from states that voted for Trump in 2016, and which he would need to win to secure re-election in 2020.

"The key is to get down to details on what's going to affect Michigan, what's going to affect Wisconsin, what is Ohio going to do, how will Iowa or Nebraska react," said Moises Kalach, the head of the strategic council for international business at Mexico's Business Coordinating Council.

"We can say to a given governor, this company exports 90 percent of its production to Mexico, and it's going to be affected," he told Televisa.

The escalating row comes as Canada, Mexico and the United States renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that has linked their economies since 1994, and which Trump has called the worst deal his country has ever signed.

On Monday, Trump moved to hold the trade talks hostage to the tariffs, tweeting: "Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum will only come off if new & fair NAFTA agreement is signed."

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin sought to clarify the administration's stance in testimony before a congressional committee.

Story continues

With Canada and Mexico, "our objective is to have a new NAFTA and once we do that -- which I'm cautiously optimistic on -- the tariffs won't apply to them," he said.

However, with the tariffs due out this week and the latest round of NAFTA talks ending Monday with no agreement imminent, the two countries will face tariffs on their metals exports at least for some time.

- Backlash at home, abroad -

Trump sparked global outrage last week by announcing he would impose tariffs of 25 percent on all imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum to protect domestic industries, citing a rarely invoked national security section of US trade law.

Canada, the top source of steel to the US market, has already vowed to take "appropriate, responsive measures" if the Trump administration goes ahead with the tariffs.

The European Union has threatened to hit big-name US brands such as Harley Davidson motorbikes, Levi's jeans and bourbon whiskey with import duties.

That prompted Trump to fire back a threat to tax cars from the EU, further fueling fears of a full-on transatlantic trade war erupting.

Trump is also facing pushback on the issue from within his own Republican Party.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said the Trump administration could have been "smarter" in how it went about protecting US steelmakers, imposing "more surgical, more targeted" tariffs on countries like China that are accused of dumping.

Trump has defiantly hit back at global critics, saying trade wars are "good, and easy to win."
Cape Town (AFP) - Philanthropist Michael Bloomberg announced on Wednesday that he will spend $20 million (16.13 million euros) to launch a watchdog to detect and expose deceptive practices by the tobacco industry.

The monitor, to be called Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products (STOP), will seek to counter the industry's influence by publishing reports detailing pro-smoking activities and tactics.

It will also support non-profit organisations and government to resist interference from the tobacco industry.

"Over the last decade tobacco control measures have saved nearly 35 million lives, but as more cities and countries take action, the tobacco industry is pushing to find new users, particularly among young people," said Bloomberg, an ambassador for the World Health Organization (WHO) on noncommunicable diseases.

"We cannot stand by as the industry misleads the public in an effort to get more people hooked on its products -- and this global watchdog will help us hold the industry accountable."

Bloomberg's charitable giving organisation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, accuses the tobacco industry of seeking to legitimise itself in the eyes of policy makers, of marketing to children, and pushing cigarette alternatives for which the health case remains inconclusive.

Bloomberg, who made his fortune selling financial data, has given more than a billion dollars since 2007 to curb global tobacco use, which claims nearly seven million lives every year.

Along with WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, Bloomberg will on Wednesday launch the World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Cape Town.

Research on the tobacco industry, published in peer-reviewed journals, has portrayed a decades-long strategy to defend the industry against health campaigners.

Investigators say tactics have included casting doubt on the scientific evidence of the perils of smoking, promoting brands through product placement in movies and aggressively marketing tobacco in low- and middle-income countries where smoking laws are weak.
Two particular events involving President Donald Trumps longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen have reportedly become areas of interest in the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Robert Muellers team has asked for documents and spoken with witnesses specifically about Cohen, involving the Trump Organizations plan to build a new property in Moscow during the presidents campaign and a peace plan for Ukraine that favored Russian interests, according to The Washington Posts report Tuesday. The report cited people familiar with the investigations subpoenas and interviews with witnesses.

Cohens work on those two matters has drawn Muellers attention, the report stated. Cohen is said to have handed Trump a letter of intent from a Russian developer in October 2015 to build a new tower in Russias capital city and then later reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putins right-hand man to try and move the project along. At that point, Trump had already been on the campaign trail for several months.

Trending: Ancient Viking Settlement Hop, Known in Sagas But Lost for Centuries, Found in Canada

GettyImages-865948696

Getty Images/Mark Wilson

Nine days before his inauguration, and with allegations of Russian collusion swirling, Trump vehemently denied having any business ties to Russia whatsoever.

Russia has never tried to use leverage over me. I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA - NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING! Trump tweeted January 11 of last year.

Don't miss: New Border Security Algorithm Detects Potential Criminals, Illegal Cargo In Seconds

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

As well as the Trump Tower negotiations, Cohen is reported to have received the Ukraine peace proposal plan from a Ukrainian lawmaker a week after Trump took office. Russias annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 sparked sanctions from the United States and European Union members that Putins regime has tried to lift or circumvent.

Story continues

Unsourced innuendo like this succeeds only because the leakers know the Special Counsel will not respond to set the record straight, Cohens attorney, Stephen Ryan, told The Post in a statement.

Cohen, who has worked for Trump for more than two decades, previously spoke to both the House and Senate Intelligence Committees in October. Both committees reportedly asked about the Trump Tower Moscow deal that never was.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
By Jeff Mason and Christine Kim

WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) - Feeling the pressure of sanctions, North Korea seems "sincere" in its apparent willingness to halt nuclear tests if it held denuclearization talks with the United States, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday as U.S., South Korean and Japanese officials voiced skepticism about any discussions.

Trump declined to say whether he had any preconditions for talks with Pyongyang as officials in the United States, South Korea, Japan and China responded with caution and guarded optimism to the possibility following months of insults and threats of war between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"I think that they are sincere. And I think they're sincere also because of the sanctions and what we're doing with respect to North Korea, including the great help that we've been given from China," Trump said at a news conference after meeting with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven of Sweden, which represents U.S. interests in North Korea.

Word of possible talks was delivered by a South Korean delegation on its return from a first-ever meeting with North Korean leader Kim in Pyongyang on Monday.

A senior Trump administration official said, "We are open minded, we look forward to hearing more. But ... the North Koreans have earned our skepticism, so we're a bit guarded in our optimism." The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said "our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible moves toward denuclearization."

Routine U.S. military exercises with allies in the region would resume, the official said. The next U.S.-South Korean exercises are expected in April.

Some U.S. and South Korean officials said a breakthrough on the Trump administration's top national-security challenge remained unlikely after the failure of previous talks, adding that North Korea may be trying to buy time to develop its weapons programs and seek relief from punishing American and U.N. sanctions.

Story continues

More than 10 hours since Seoul made the announcement, there was no comment from Pyongyang.

'POSITIVE' STATEMENTS

Earlier, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he met with Lofven that the United States had "come a long way, at least rhetorically" with North Korea and "statements coming out of South Korea and North Korea have been very positive."

Asked if he had any preconditions for talks, Trump said, "I don't want to talk about it. We're going to see what happens."

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said the United States would continue to apply "maximum pressure" on North Korea and that all options were "on the table" until Washington sees evidence that the reclusive country was taking steps toward denuclearization.

Lofven said Sweden could provide a channel for the main parties grappling with the North Korea nuclear issue because of its longtime diplomatic relations with Pyongyang.

"It is not up to us to solve the problem but with our presence ... if the key actors ask us to help we can be there," Lofven told the news conference.

Next month, North Korea and South Korea will have the first meeting between their leaders since 2007 at the border village of Panmunjom, said Chung Eui-yong, head of the South Korean delegation.

"North Korea made clear its willingness to denuclearize the Korean peninsula and the fact there is no reason for it to have a nuclear program if military threats against the North are resolved and its regime is secure," Chung told a media briefing.

Chung cited North Korea as saying it would not carry out nuclear or missile tests while talks with the international community were under way. North Korea has not carried out any such tests since last November. North Korea also is willing to discuss normalizing ties with the United States, Chung said.

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters late on Tuesday that "it is necessary to assess whether the North-South summit will really lead to the (Norths) abandonment of nuclear and missile development."

Tensions have eased significantly on the Korean peninsula since the Winter Olympics in the South last month, even though the countries are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.

Since North Korea pulled out of so-called six-party denuclearization talks in 2009, Pyongyang has developed new nuclear capabilities. It tested its largest-ever intercontinental ballistic missile in November, which it said could reach all of the U.S. mainland.

China encouraged North and South Korea to continue reconciliation efforts.

Despite skepticism about Pyongyang's intentions, the prospect of talks represents a significant potential development after heightened tensions and rhetoric between Kim and Trump, who last August threatened "fire and fury" if the North threatened the United States again.

White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster and other Trump administration officials are due to meet this week with South Korean officials, including the South Korean national security adviser, two White House officials said.

Global stock markets rose on the news about North Korea. The broadest gauge of shares, MSCI's All Country World Index <.MIWD00000PUS>, rose 0.7 percent.

'TREASURED SWORD'

North Korea has vowed never to give up its nuclear program, which it calls a "treasured sword" against a possible U.S. invasion. The United States stations 28,500 troops in South Korea but denies any invasion plans.

If Pyongyang demands the departure of those troops, that could render any summit talk impossible, a South Korean government official said. "If the North were to move things forward, they would present something more realistic and doable," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

In Washington, U.S. intelligence officials said it was too early to assess North Korea's willingness on denuclearization.

"Hope springs eternal but we need to learn a lot more relative to these talks. And we will," U.S. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told a Senate Armed Services hearing.

Lieutenant General Robert Ashley, director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, told the same hearing he did not share a sense of optimism, adding, "That's kind of a 'show me,' and so we'll see how this plays out."

(Reporting by Jeff Mason in Washington and Christine Kim in Seoul; additional reporting by Hyonhee Shin in Seoul, Ben Blanchard in Beijing, Linda Sieg in Tokyo and John Walcott, Matt Spetalnick, David Brunnstrom, Ayesha Rascoe, Roberta Rampton, Eric Walsh and Susan Heavey in Washington; Writing by Andy Sullivan and Grant McCool; Editing by Yara Bayoumy, Will Dunham and James Dalgleish)
Israeli PM tells Aipac darkness is descending on our region

My message is a simple one: we must stop Iran. We will stop Iran

Benjamin Netanyahu: President Trump has made it clear that his administration will not accept Irans aggression in the region. Photograph: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that darkness is descending as Iran expands its sphere of influence in the Middle East.

The force behind so much that is bad is this radical tyranny in Tehran, the Israeli prime minister told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) conference in Washington on Tuesday. If I have a message for you today, its a very simple one: we must stop Iran, we will stop Iran.

Plagued by a corruption scandal at home, Netanyahu is clearly relishing the role of international statesman during a five-day US trip, putting on a united front with Donald Trump on Iran and the recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital.

Netanyahu told Aipac he had warned against the Iran nuclear deal brokered by the Barack Obama administration and claimed vindication. Pointing to a map of the Middle East showing Irans alleged dominance, he said: Darkness is descending on our region. Iran is building an aggressive empire: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, more to come.

He said Tehran was seeking to build permanent military bases in Syria  where Iranian-backed forces support President Bashar al-Assad in a civil war  and develop factories there and in Lebanon for precision-guided missiles capable of striking Israel.

I will not let that happen, he said. We will not let that happen.

Netanyahu and Trump enjoy arguably the closest relationship of any two Israeli and US leaders. Both are also facing politically damaging domestic investigations embroiling their families. Both have dismissed the allegations as fake news.

The Israeli prime minister  awaiting a decision by Israels attorney general on whether to indict him, as police have recommended in two bribery cases  lavished more praise his counterpart on Tuesday.

President Trump has made it clear that his administration will not accept Irans aggression in the region, he said. He has made clear that he too will never accept a nuclear-armed Iran. That is the right policy.

Story continues

I salute President Trump on this and the president has also made it clear that if the fatal flaws of the nuclear deal are not fixed he will walk away from the deal and restore sanctions.

Israel will be right there by Americas side and let me tell you, so will other countries in the region.

Both leaders have long spoken out against the Iran nuclear deal, citing its limited duration and the fact it does not cover Irans ballistic missile programme or support for anti-Israel militants.

Netanyahu also thanked Trumps team, including the presidents son-in-law Jared Kushner, for their commitment to peace in the Middle East. Kushners role has been questioned after his security clearance was downgraded, denying him access to some top-level intelligence, amid revelations over possible conflicts of interest.

The pro-Israel lobby groups conference is an annual display of solidarity addressed by both Republicans and Democrats. Netanyahu basked in applause and paid tribute to a beautiful alliance and eternal bond.

Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate majority leader, also drew attention to Iran. The Obama administrations fealty to the nuclear deal spawned a reluctance to address Irans regional ambitions, he said. The notion that Sunni powers in the Middle East needed to learn to share the neighborhood with Iran created a void. And Iran was happy to exploit that void, menacing our ships and planes deployed to the Persian Gulf.

Netanyahus address came a day after he met Trump at the White House and thanked him for recognising Jerusalem as Israels capital and pledging to move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv.

The US president said he might travel for the opening of the embassy, which he claimed he could get done for a cut-price $250,000, as opposed to an estimate of $1bn.
Washington (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a break from his legal woes Tuesday to denounce the "radical tyranny" of Iran in a hawkish address before a pro-Israel lobby group in Washington.

Netanyahu, who faces an intensifying corruption probe at home, was among friends in the US capital, where he delivered a speech to the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) a day after talks with President Donald Trump.

He thanked Trump for his vow to tear up the 2015 Iran nuclear deal if it is not strengthened to prevent Tehran from resuming its alleged quest for atomic weapons, and said Israel and its Arab neighbors would back such a move.

To bolster his case he presented an ominous map with the countries of the Middle East that he accuses Iran of seeking to dominate -- such as war-torn Syria and Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq and Gaza -- colored in black.

"Darkness is descending on our region. Iran is building an aggressive empire," he declared, accusing Tehran of exploiting its role supporting Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war to set up permanent bases on Israel's border.

"The force behind so much of what is bad is this radical tyranny in Iran. I have a message for you today, it's a very simple one: we must stop Iran, we will stop Iran," he said.

Trump has withdrawn Washington's endorsement of the landmark 2015 Iran deal, which America's European allies continue to regard as essential to restrain Tehran's path to nuclear breakout capacity.

Iran insists it never intended to build a nuclear weapon, but has warned it could rapidly restore its capacity if the United States breaches the deal by restoring crippling economic sanctions.

Israel and Trump see the deal's time limits as tantamount to providing Tehran with a path to the bomb, and argue that Iran has not moderated its behavior, but instead is playing an ever more dangerous game in its region.

Story continues

Netanyahu used his AIPAC speech to argue that Washington and Israel would not be alone when they choose to confront Iran, saying many Arab countries would side with the Jewish state over their common enemy.

"Most of the states in our region know, they know very well, believe me, that Israel is not their enemy but their indispensable ally in confronting our common challenges and seizing our common opportunities," he said.

"That is true for Egypt and Jordan, Israel's long time peace partners, but it is also true for many other Arab countries in the Middle East."
Paris (AFP) - Around the age of 13, the human brain region that hosts memory and learning appears to stop producing nerve cells, said a study Wednesday described as "sobering".

The finding challenges a widely-held view that the brain's hippocampus region continues to generate neurons, which transmit information through chemical and electrical signals, well into adulthood in humans, as in other mammals.

Neurons are the cells that allow animals to react to their environment by transferring data about external stimuli such as a smell or sound to the central nervous system, and from there to muscles and glands to respond appropriately.

Some research had suggested that hundreds of neurons are created in the human hippocampus every day, and it was thought that finding ways to boost such "neurogenesis" may help tackle age-related brain degeneration.

Looking at brain samples from 59 adults and children, however, "we found no evidence of young neurons or the dividing progenitors of new neurons" in the hippocampi of people older than 18, study co-author Arturo Alvarez-Buylla of the University of California in San Francisco told AFP.

They did find some in children between birth and one year, "and a few at seven and 13 years of age," he said.

Published in the scientific journal Nature, the study "shows that the human hippocampus is largely generated during foetal brain development," the team said.

- Controversy -

They did find some newly-created neurons in different bits of the brain called ventricles, but said other regions have yet to be explored to determine whether neurogenesis happens there or not.

In a comment also carried by Nature, neuroscientist Jason Snyder from the University of British Columbia said, describing the study results as "sobering".

"These findings are certain to stir up controversy," he said, and underlined they would have to be confirmed by other researchers.

Story continues

There had been a "general consensus that the hippocampus is one region in which adult neurogenesis (neuron production) exists in humans as it does in animals," he wrote.

"This is based on several studies."

But the authors of the latest paper said previous research may have misreported the detection of new hippocampal neurons as the protein used to trace them in animals does not work the same way in humans.

The hippocampus has also been linked to mood, stress, and some neurological diseases in humans.

Adult neurogenesis has been observed in the hippocampi of rodents and monkeys. But it is known not to occur in cetaceans -- the group that comprises dolphins, porpoises, and whales.
Donald Trump says possible progress being made after North Korea offers to freeze programmes if US comes to table

North Korea is willing to discuss relinquishing its nuclear weapons and will freeze its nuclear and missile programmes if it begins direct talks with the US, in a dramatic easing of tensions after a visit by senior South Korean politicians, officials said on Tuesday.

The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, will also meet his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, in late April in the first summit of its kind in more than a decade, Moons office said. The two leaders will hold talks at Panmunjom on the highly militarised border.

North Korea pledged to not use conventional or nuclear weapons against its neighbour, despite frequent threats from Pyongyang. The two sides have remained in a technical state of war since the 1950-53 Korean war.

The North side clearly affirmed its commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and said it would have no reason to possess nuclear weapons should the safety of its regime be guaranteed and military threats against North Korea removed, a South Korean presidential spokesman said, according to the Yonhap news agency.

The South and the North have agreed to set up a hotline between their leaders to allow close consultations and a reduction of military tension, while also agreeing to hold the first phone conversation before the third South-North summit.

The development was welcomed in the US. Donald Trump tweeted: Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the US is ready to go hard in either direction!

Later, asked at a White House press conference why he thought North Korea had shown a new openness to dialogue, Trump deadpanned: Me.

Dissatisfied with the response from reporters, he added: Nobody got that.

Story continues

Trump then continued with a somewhat rambling answer that gave more credit to the US and China than South Korea: I think that they are sincere, but I think they are sincere also because the sanctions and what were doing with respect to North Korea, including the great help that weve been given from China  and they can do more, but I think theyve done more than certainly theyve ever done for our country before  so China has been a big help. I think thats been a factor. But the sanctions have been very, very strong and very biting, and we dont want that to happen, so I really believe they are sincere, I hope theyre sincere, were going to soon find out.

The vice-president, Mike Pence, who attended the recent Winter Olympics in South Korea, issued a more cautious statement than his boss had. Whichever direction talks with North Korea go, we will be firm in our resolve, he said. All options are on the table and our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible, verifiable, and concrete steps toward denuclearization.

The announcement came as a South Korean delegation returned from a two-day trip to Pyongyang, where members met Kim and other senior North Korean officials.

Kim said he wanted to vigorously advance relations with South Korea during the visit, led by Chung Eui-yong, the head of the Souths national security office. Photographs of the meeting showed Kim with a wide smile as he met the delegation, saying he wanted to write a new history of national reunification.

Kim rarely meets foreign visitors, making his appearance highly significant, and his decision to personally host a dinner for the South Koreans was even more striking. But observers warned there were still serious issues that would need to be resolved for any progress to be made.

Kim Jong-un talking with the South Korean delegation, who travelled as envoys of the Souths president, Moon Jae-in, during a dinner in Pyongyang. Photograph: Handout/AFP/Getty Images

He  made an exchange of in-depth views on the issues for easing the acute military tensions on the Korean peninsula and activating the versatile dialogue, contact, cooperation and exchange, the Norths official Korean Central News Agency reported, referring to Kim.

The visit follows a period of easing tensions between the South and North, which sent a high-level delegation to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang last month. A meeting between the two leaders would be the first since Kim came to power after the death of his father in 2011. A previous summit was held with his father in 2007.

Until now Trump has resisted overtures by Pyongyang on the subject of talks. Washington has continued its maximum pressure campaign and on Monday announced a further round of largely symbolic sanctions over the Norths use of chemical weapons.

The US has said any talks must centre on North Korea abandoning its nuclear and missile programme, while Pyongyang views the weapons as necessary for its survival.

Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, welcomed the development as positive but warned: We must view it with the necessary skepticism born of such talks in the past. On multiple occasions, Pyongyang has seemingly opted for the path of negotiation, only to reverse course after pocketing concessions from Seoul or the international community.

Schiff urged the White House to pursue a diplomatic resolution to ascertain whether Kim is serious, adding a quote attributed to Winston Churchill: To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.

During the visit, the envoys were taken to the Workers party headquarters, the first time South Korean officials had visited the building, according to Seouls presidential office. Kim later hosted with his wife a dinner, set at a round pink and white table with matching chairs. His younger sister and close adviser, Kim Yo-jong, also attended the meal, which lasted more than four hours.

A photograph of Kim posing with five members of the South Korean delegation was splashed across the front page of the Rodong Shinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers party.

Before leaving for Pyongyang, Chung said he would stress the need to denuclearise the Korean peninsula and that he would encourage direct dialogue between North Korea and the US.

Analysts urged caution. James Hoare, a former British diplomat who previously served as the UK representative in Pyongyang, said: North Korea wants the impossible, a total guarantee of security, that no one will attack them with impunity. They want US military forces out of South Korea and likely Japan as well, and those alliances have been built over decades.

Scott Snyder, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said: Were still at a stage where the atmosphere is characterised by extreme mistrust. Words alone wont be enough to impress people in Washington. Its going to be a long, hard slog if the US does enter in to negotiations and that is still a long way off from concluding an agreement.
Andrew Salmon

Security, Asia

While the spectrum of opportunity has dramatically expanded, so, too, have the risks.

Is North Korea Serious about Talks with America and South Korea?

The Korean Peninsula is arguably the worlds most dangerous geopolitical flashpoint, but rarely  if ever  in inter-Korean relations has one side offered so much so swiftly.

According to South Korean officials who returned from two meetings in Pyongyang on Tuesday and delivered a press briefing in the South, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offered a summit with the South and candid talks with the United States, while unilaterally freezing missile and nuclear tests during the anticipated negotiation process.

Most notably, according to the briefing, North Korea is open to denuclearization. The North side clearly affirmed its commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and said it would have no reason to possess nuclear weapons should the safety of its regime be guaranteed and military threats against North Korea removed, Seouls delegation head and National Security Advisor Chung Eui-yong said.

Chung and other officials are expected to fly to Washington on Thursday to brief their US counterparts.

Willingness to discuss denuclearization was the key pre-condition set by the US administration for talks  meaning Kims offer punts the ball deep into Washingtons court. US President Donald Trump has responded with guarded optimism, tweeting, For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned.May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!

Recommended: America Has Military Options for North Korea (but They're All Bad)

Recommended: 1,700 Planes Ready for War: Everything You Need To Know About China's Air Force

Recommended: Stealth vs. North Koreas Air Defenses: Who Wins?

Kims magnanimity appears to bear out the diplomatic moves undertaken during what South Korean President Moon Jae-in has dubbed the Peace Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which saw intense inter-Korean dialogs taking place on the sidelines  and possibly behind closed doors elsewhere.

Story continues

In Seoul, Tuesdays announcements have stoked a combination of excitement at the possibilities, alongside an outpouring of cynicism, based on a long history of past diplomatic disappointments and failures.

There was a lot of shock here, and I felt that too, said Koo Se-woong, publisher of Korea Expose. At first I thought, This is great news!  but the question is, Can a deal really last? Others were more circumspect. I am not excited  you have to be Zen!  but these are positive developments, said John Delury of Seouls Yonsei University. It is a breakthrough, and we are seeing a series of them, but there is a very long way to go.

What is motivating charm offensive?

It is not clear whether Kim is acting out of a fear of Washington, of confidence in his own position, or of the opportunities for rapprochement offered by the administration in Seoul.

Fear of Washington may be merited. The Trump administration differs from its predecessors in the inflammatory rhetoric it has aimed at North Korea, and the signals it has sent about a unilateral, pre-emptive strike on North Korea.

Trump has been working quite well, so far: The major reason why the North Koreans are so willing to make concessions, and South Korea are so happy to accept them, is fear, said Andrei Lankov, a North Korea expert at Seouls Kookmin University. They are both afraid of the Donald Trump administration, they are standing in the same boat. Lankov added: Trump might mean business  nobody knows if he is or not  and both North and South are acting on the assumption that he does.

Diplomatic and economic pressures may also be driving events. North Korea is clearly under pressure from the US and needs to fend off that pressure, so came to South Korea, as the North Koreans are very anxious about what is happening later this year, said Go Myung-hyun, a research fellow at the Asan Institute, referencing spring military drills. They dont want Washington to have the initiative on the Korean peninsula, either militarily or diplomatically, they want to lead; they dont want to give the US any space.

It is not just Washington that is troublesome for Pyongyang: The international community is applying pressure while its traditional benefactor appears to have lost patience. They have begun to feel the pain of economic sanctions, said Choi Kang, vice president of the Asan Institute. And their relations with China may have hit the lowest spot in the history of bilateral relations.

Kim may have also hit a wall in his strategic arms programs: Some analysts believe that he is running out of parts for missile engines, while other data shows dangerous collapses at his underground nuclear testing facility. If, however, he undertook an atmospheric nuclear test, that could be a red line for Washington and the global community.

Conversely, given last years advances in his nuclear and missile programs  most notably the test of a missile that can hit the US continent  Kim may be feeling secure. Last year was a banner year of nuclear and missile testing, and Kim said they had completed this phase of their progress, so he has reason for some confidence, said Delury, referencing Kims comments following his successful ICBM test last November. He could go into negotiations with greater security about his own position.

Another factor is the liberal government that took office in Seoul in May 2017, following two conservative administrations. Dont forget Moon! said Delury. His government has a very different approach to North-South relations than the governments of the last 10 years, and its deep commitment to dialog and cooperation translates into different opportunities for North Korea.

Even so, Moon is limited in what he can offer, beyond enabling Pyongyang-Washington dialogue. Moon can smile over a barbeque at Kim, but cannot discuss sanctions or economic exchanges, which would be seen as economic assistance and sanction breaking, Lankov said. And Seoul cannot discuss military measures: If it unilaterally reduced joint exercises, America would be annoyed, and in South Korea the alliance now is more popular than ever due to unease about China.

That last factor, in addition to Seouls strong push for Pyongyang to talk with Washington, negates one motive that is frequently proposed for North Korean behavior: Its intention to drive a wedge between the two allies.

The positives

The announcement of an inter-Korean summit had been widely anticipated, but Tuesdays news included a surprise concession: While the two previous inter-Korean summits in 2000 and 2007 had taken place in Pyongyang, the April 2018 summit will take place on the South Korean side of the truce village of Panmunjeom, which straddles the border inside the Demilitarized Zone.

Moreover, the establishment of a hotline linking the North and South Korean leaders is also a first: No such channel has existed since the division of the peninsula in 1945.

The timing surprised some. North Korea had to commit to denuclearization to carry the diplomatic momentum forward, but I am surprised by the speed: I expected a summit to be much later, in the second part of the year, said Go. This is an indication that the North Koreans are a little bit anxious right now.

The fact that North Korea has offered to halt weapons tests while negotiations are underway should calm imminent fears. I am optimistic, at least up to April, which was the crisis point that people were anticipating and dreading, said Koo, referring to the climax of South Korea-US military exercises, customarily the tensest time on the peninsula.

Kims move puts the onus on the US to talk. Unless Washington acts unpredictably, they have little ground to pick faults with negotiations, Koo added.

Those negotiations offer a valuable period of reduced tensions  which could extend for years. Kim is not going to abandon his [nuclear weapons], he more likely wants to win breathing space and wait for the next president, who will be less dangerous, said Lankov. But that is likely to be three to seven years of quiet  which is good.

Kims conditions

The fact that Pyongyang is willing to discuss denuclearization, when all messaging over the past decade is that the regimes nuclear arms are sacrosanct, is telling. In recent years, they have never said they will denuclearize, so we have no idea of their conditionalities, said Choi. This is a good gesture, but it is likely to be a freeze rather than denuclearization.

The conditions Pyongyang would demand for actually abandoning nuclear arms are likely to be steep, if not unrealistic. North Koreans have said several times before that it will give up nuclear weapons if everyone else gives up their nuclear weapons, Go said.

Based on Tuesdays briefing, one of Pyongyangs preconditions for denuclearization is an end to the military threats against it. That would likely cover four key points for the US to address, said Asans Choi; the signing of a peace treaty between North Korea and the US to replace the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War; termination of South Korean-US joint military exercises; the dissolution of the South Korea-US mutual defense treaty; and the withdrawal of US forces from South Korea. They have reiterated these over and over again in meetings with US officials and ex-officials, Choi said.

Even so, given the centrality of the alliance to Seoul-Washington policy, Pyongyang has some wobble room: I would guess: lifting of sanctions; diplomatic normalization; and asking for a peace treaty, said Choi.

The second condition for denuclearization is a security guarantee, but it is unclear what Kim could accept. North Korean state media frequently refers to the guarantees offered to Libya in return for the abandonment of its nuclear programs, which did not stop a Western alliance teaming up with rebels to overthrow the Gadaffi regime.

Guarantees of regime survival are impossible, Lankov stated flatly. American, Russian or Chinese promises are hardly worth the paper they are written on, and North Korea faces a dual threat: foreign attack and domestic rebellion.

In the latter case, it seems unlikely that Washington would guarantee sanctuary for the Kim family or regime officials, given their history of human rights abuse, Lankov added.

Is a North Korea-US deal really feasible?

North Korea has a long history of breaking agreements, and Washington has also sewn grounds for mistrust: It did not follow through on its obligations under the 1994 Agreed Framework agreement, and, according to some, undermined the now-defunct six-party talks in 2005 by attacking North Korea over its international banking operations. Hence, both parties have reason to distrust the other.

Still, given Trumps pride in his negotiating skills and his ideological flexibility  he appears more willing to strike North Korea, and also more willing to meet North Koreas leader than either of his predecessors  some outcome is feasible. We may see progress on shallow issues surrounding denuclearization, as the US is likely to give it a try, said Chad OCaroll, owner of specialist media NKNews.

North Korea will not realistically discuss denuclearization on any concrete terms: They said this as necessary lip service to start talks, Lankov said. They saw Iraq, Libya and Ukraine; they are not going to go that way.

Given this, the realistic options are a manufacturing freeze, a testing moratorium, the return of international inspectors and abandonment of some components. Maybe Kim can be blackmailed or bribed into surrendering some of what he has got, but it will be difficult and costly, Lankov added.

Another issue is whether the Trump administration has the diplomatic bandwidth to handle high-level, high-priority talks with North Korea. Washington lacks diplomatic ties with Pyongyang and it currently has no ambassador in Seoul. Following the surprise withdrawal of academic Victor Cha from the running, there is no obvious candidate in sight, and the recent retirement of the US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Joseph Yun leaves another gap.

There are some obvious holes in the staffing, said Delury. Trump can tweet, but he needs staff to do the work. The North Koreans are well staffed; the South Koreans are well staffed; it is the USA needs an A team.

Then there is the American presidents demands for results. My worry is that Trump might be intoxicated with success, he will demand more and more and sooner and sooner and sooner, Lankov said. The risk is if North Korea in any way tries to cheat the US, that is very dangerous, because this is a US president who does not like to be embarrassed, added OCarroll. He will not tolerate these tactics by North Korea.

From a broad perspective, Tuesdays announcement extends the spectrum of reward and risk to limits that are wider than ever. This could be a game changer, mused Lankov. But if it falls apart, the risks will be even higher.

This article originally appeared on Asia Times.

Image: Reuters

Read full article
The bottle was thrown off a German ship on June 12 1886, about 600 miles off the coast of Australia - A 2013 KymIllman.com

The worlds oldest known message in a bottle  thrown off a German ship on June 12, 1886  has been found by a family on a remote beach in Australia after their car became stuck in the sand.

The message was written in German on paper which was bound and tied with a string and kept in a nineteenth-century Dutch gin bottle. The note stated it was thrown off the sailing barque Paula, about 600 miles off coast of Western Australia.

It was found 132 years later by Tonya Illman, who spotted an object sticking out of the sand while walking with her family near Wedge Island, 100 miles north of Perth.

"It just looked like a lovely old bottle, so I picked it up thinking it might look good in my bookcase," she told ABC News.

Ms Illman turned the bottle over and a damp piece of paper tipped out.

"My son's girlfriend was the one who discovered the note when she went to tip the sand out," she said.

"We took it home and dried it out, and when we opened it we saw it was a printed form, in German, with very faint German handwriting on it."

The bottle was found on a remote beach 100 miles north of Perth Credit: KymIllman.com

The family took their find to Ross Anderson, a maritime archaeology expert at the Western Australian Museum, who confirmed the gin and paper were authentic. He then contacted colleagues in Germany and the Netherlands who tracked down handwriting samples from the captain's entries in the ship's meteorological journal.

Incredibly, there was an entry for June 12, 1886, made by the captain, recording a drift bottle having been thrown overboard, Dr Anderson told ABC News.

"The date and the coordinates correspond exactly with those on the bottle message. The handwriting is identical in terms of cursive style, slant, font, spacing, stroke emphasis, capitalisation and numbering style."

From the 1860s, the German Naval Observatory ran an experiment to examine ocean currents in which it urged captains to toss bottles overboard containing a form which recorded the date, the ship's coordinates and details about its route.

Ms Illman has donated the discovery to the Western Australian Museum. The second-oldest bottle to be found was 108 years old.
MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines has freed an Egyptian and his Philippine partner accused of links with pro-Islamic State militants, after prosecutors determined police might have fabricated the case. Fehmi Lassoued and girlfriend Anabel Salipada were arrested last month in a apartment a few blocks away from the U.S. embassy in Manila. Police said guns, ammunition and bomb-making materials were found there. Police presented the couple to the media on Feb. 19 and said a "thorough investigation" was underway to establish the extent of their militant ties. A police spokesman on Wednesday declined to comment on the case dismissal until provided with a copy of the prosecutor's decision. The prosecutor said the gun and explosives possession charges were weak and possibly fabricated, and the gun submitted as evidence was a replica. Lassoued and Salipada were not in a police photograph of the guns and explosives either, according to the prosecutor. Pictures provided by police appeared to have been taken in a room that was not the one rented by Lassoued, the prosecutor said in a statement, supporting the Egyptian's account that he was not present for the raid, and was brought to an unfamiliar room containing explosives. (Reporting by Manuel Mogato; Editing by Martin Petty)
Paris Jackson took to Twitter with a request that shouldnt have to be made: Dont lighten her skin. Jackson, who grew up amid persistent rumors about the reasons behind her father Michael Jacksons changing skin tone, wants fans to know how proud she is of her complexion.

Paris Jackson is very proud of her skin tone and mixed heritage. (Photo: Getty Images)

Jackson is a model signed to IMG, but the problem comes from fans, not branded campaigns. The 19-year-old noticed that her skin color was edited on fan art and took a moment to acknowledge her fans support before laying down the law.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

i appreciate everything yall make for me, i enjoy every single edit i see. but please stop lightening my skin to make me look more white. and please stop darkening my skin to make me look more mixed. i am what i am. im aware of what i look like and i finally happy with it, she wrote.

As Jackson told Rolling Stone, I consider myself black. Her mixed-race background has been a source of confusion before, she explained. Most people that dont know call me white. Ive got light skin, and, especially since Ive had my hair blond, I look like I was born in Finland or something. For anyone  especially her fans  thats no excuse for changing her skin tone.

Fan accounts responded, apologized, and acknowledged that Jacksons skin may have been, perhaps mistakenly, altered in some photos. Others wrote in to cheer on Jacksons self-love. Its so sad we live in a society where people have to edit things to satisfy their description of what is acceptable to fit into society or what they think society wants to see, one fan wrote in. Never change, stand strong!

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

As Jackson continues her modeling career, she may continue to face the racist tendencies of photo editors. Kerry Washington has dealt with skin lightening on her own magazine covers  twice! In 2015, fans called out InStyle for making Washington look like a white woman with no cheekbones. The following year, Washington made the cover of AdWeek and was surprised to find her skin tone changed. This time, she took the magazine to task herself. Look, Im no stranger to Photoshopping. It happens a lot. Yesterday, however, I just felt weary. It felt strange to look at a picture of myself that is so different from what I look like when I look in the mirror. Its an unfortunate feeling, Washington said at the time.

Story continues

Lupita Nyongos skin was lightened on a 2014 Vanity Fair cover. Nyongo is still dealing with this issue; this year, Grazia U.K. was forced to apologize after it edited out her natural hair. Had I been consulted, I would have explained that I cannot support or condone the omission of what is my native heritage with the intention that they appreciate that there is still a long way to go to combat the unconscious prejudice against black womens complexion, hairstyle, and texture, said Nyongo. The list of black celebrities whove had their skin lightened in the media is long  Beyonce, Rihanna, Gabourey Sidibe, among others.

Kudos to Jackson for drawing a line against Photoshop and skin lightening, even when the editing is from fans.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.




The Trump administration has lifted an Obama-era ban on importing legally hunted elephant remains  known as trophies  from Zimbabwe and Zambia, National Public Radio reports.

If that sounds familiar its because this is the second time in recent months the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), a federal agency under the Department of the Interior, has moved to ease trophy import restrictions. This time around, agency head Ryan Zinke  a hunting advocate  appears to be working more discreetly.

When the FWS initially announced it would lift the ban in November, outrage ensued. Criticism came from conservationists, as well as celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres and Leonardo DiCaprio; President Donald Trump said he would pause deregulation until such time as I review all conservation facts.

But in a memo dated March 1, the FWS writes that it will now consider imports on a case-by-case basis rather than banning outright trophies from certain countries. The agencys original decision was based on the theory that money paid by big game hunters assists conservation efforts. But groups such as the Humane Society and Save the Elephants say its not a good idea in these two countries, especially at this time.

Read more: President Trumps Controversial Reversal of the Elephant Trophy Ban, Explained

The agencys position also appeared at odds with Trumps public remarks. Two days after pausing the ban, Trump said on Twitter that he would be very hard-pressed to change his opinion that this horror show in any way helps conservation of Elephants or any other animal.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

In a January interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan, the U.S. President said: I didnt want elephants killed and stuffed and have the tusks brought back into this [country]. Addressing Zinkes claim that hunting license fees would fund local conservation efforts, Trump added: In that case, the money was going to a government that was probably taking the money, OK?

The latest FWS memo cites a Washington D.C. court ruling in favor of a lawsuit brought by Safari Club International and the National Rifle Association. According to NPR, the court determined that the Obama administration did not adequately observe rules around passing the ban, such as inviting public comment.
Beirut (AFP) - A record number of women are among nearly 1,000 candidates who have registered to stand in Lebanon's first legislative elections in nine years, state media reported on Wednesday.

A total of 976 people announced their candidacies for 128 parliamentary seats before registration for the May 6 poll closed late Tuesday, the state-run National News Agency said.

They include 111 women, the NNA reported, citing the interior ministry which manages elections.

That marks a sharp increase compared with the previous legislative election in 2009 when just 12 women were among 706 candidates who took part.

Among the female candidates are high-profile journalist Paula Yaacoubian, civil society activist and first-time candidate Nayla Geagea, and lawyer and one-time presidential candidate Nadine Moussa.

Lebanon's political scene has long been divided between a bloc led by Iran-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah and another Saudi-aligned camp headed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni politician.

Lebanon recognises 18 official religious sects and its parliamentary seats are divided equally between Muslims and Christians, an arrangement unique in the region.

The May 6 vote will be the first test of Lebanon's new proportional electoral law which was agreed on in 2017 after years of wrangling among Lebanon's various political factions.

It replaces the existing plurality voting system with proportional representation and reduces the number of electoral districts to 15.

In each district, seats are distributed among the different religious communities living there.

Competition is expected to be fierce in several areas, including one district in Beirut where 117 people are running for 11 seats.

Candidates have paid eight million Lebanese pounds (more than $5,000) to register.

They must run in lists, which are to be finalised and announced by March 26 -- which means the total number of candidates will likely drop after that date.

Story continues

Lebanon's electoral commission has already disqualified the attempted candidacy of Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese national detained in Iran since 2015.

His brother, Ziad, told AFP that the body rejected the bid because the required paperwork was out of date.

"We are looking into the possibility of appealing," said the detainee's lawyer, Antoine Abou Dib.

Zakka was convicted in October 2016 in Iran on charges of "spying" for the United States, where he was a permanent resident.
The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit charging that a Wisconsin nursing homes insistence that all employees get annual flu vaccinations amounted to religious discrimination and a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, CNBC reports.

The lawsuit, filed March 6, claims that nursing assistant Barnell Williams was told in the fall of 2016 that she would lose her job at the county-owned Lasata Care Center if she did not get vaccinated. This policy conflicted with her sincerely held religious belief that Bible-based scriptures prohibited flu shots, according to a DOJ statement.

Flu shots are routinely given in workplaces, and sometimes required for those delivering health care. (Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill/Getty Images)

The nursing home, in Ozaukee County, did provide an exemption for employees citing religious issues, saying that could wear protective masks in lieu of getting a flu shot. Williams, however, did not meet the criteria because, according to the legal filing, she could not provide a letter from a clergy member testifying to her faith as she had no affiliation with any church or organized religion.

When Williams explained her circumstances and shared that her interpretation of the Bible prohibited her from putting certain foreign substances, including vaccinations, in her body because it was a Holy Temple,' campus administrator Ralph Luedtke allegedly told her that she should consider this your last day.

A county-owned nursing home reportedly said employees who didnt receive the flu shot would be terminated. (Photo: Douglas Sacha/Getty Images)

Williams claims that her requests to submit alternatives to the clergy letter, such as testimony from family members, were denied. Fearful of losing her job, she got the flu shot but was emotionally distraught by the situation.

Williams suffered severe emotional distress from receiving the flu shot in violation of her religious beliefs, including withdrawing from work and her personal life, suffering from sleep problems, anxiety, and fear of going to hell because she had disobeyed the Bible by receiving the shot, the lawsuit charges. These deep emotional problems stemming from having to take the flu shot have plagued Williams to the present.

Story continues

The DOJ lawsuit, which stems from an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint Williams filed in October 2016, argues that defendant Ozaukee County was unjustified in requiring her to provide a letter from a clergy member as proof of her beliefs. It noted that the nursing home has since changed its policy requiring letters for religious exemptions.

When employees religious principles conflict with work rules, they should not have to choose between practicing their religion and keeping their jobs if a reasonable accommodation can be made without undue hardship to the employer, acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore said in a statement to CNBC.

The lawsuit is seeking damages and additional relief for Williams to fully compensate her for pain and suffering caused by the defendants discriminatory conduct.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.




By Julia Harte and Jason Lange WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A majority of Republican lawmakers in the tightest congressional races are changing their message on guns, expressing new support for restrictions after last months high school shooting in Florida, according to a Reuters review of the candidates public statements. Eleven Republican incumbents face elections in 2018 widely seen as toss-ups or leaning against the current office holder. So far, six of them have publicly embraced new gun control measures in the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting in Parkland, Reuters found. (Graphic: http://tmsnrt.rs/2I8qevA) In advocating for some restrictions, they are breaking ranks with a party that has often balked at taking significant steps that could restrict Americans' constitutional right to own guns and has typically limited its responses to mass shootings to expressions of sympathy. However limited the shift, it shows that lawmakers who will depend on the votes of moderates and independents to win tough swing-district races are deviating from decades of party orthodoxy on gun ownership. They are doing it amid a public outcry over repeated mass shootings that has been driven in part by student activists who have confronted lawmakers over legislative inaction on the issue. In less competitive races, most Republican candidates are still holding to the party position on guns. Most Republican lawmakers were largely silent last week when President Donald Trump surprised his party with his call for new limits on gun ownership, including a directive to ban so-called bump stocks that make semi-automatic rifles fire more quickly. Don Bacon, a first-term congressman for Omaha, Nebraska, is one of those lawmakers facing what is shaping up to be a hard-fought race in November's congressional elections. After a former student shot dead 17 people at the Florida high school, he expressed support for tighter restrictions on Americans ability to buy and own guns. In social media posts and interviews, he departed from the message of the National Rifle Association, which is a major donor to the Republican Party and has given Bacon one of its highest ratings. Bacon said he was working on legislation to raise penalties for illegal gun buyers. He also wanted to improve background checks and allow law enforcement officers to temporarily seize firearms from people believed to be dangerous, after those people are allowed to contest the claims against them. After a gunman shot dead 58 people at an outdoor concert in Las Vegas in October, Bacon was more cautious: He joined 78 lawmakers from both parties in signing a letter urging the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to reevaluate bump stocks. The NRA also supported the move. "It's not about winning re-election. Its about doing whats right, the congressman told Reuters of his post-Parkland support for new measures. At the same time, he emphasized that he views himself as a defender of the gun rights enshrined in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. AMERICANS FAVOR RESTRICTIONS Three out of four Americans say they favor banning military-style assault weapons, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The poll of 1,488 people between Feb. 25 and March 1 also found that nearly 9 in 10 people supported expanding background checks for gun buyers. Republican incumbents in competitive districts need to respond to voters who are often more open to gun restrictions than those in districts that are easy wins, said Ryan Williams, a Republican strategist at FP1 Strategies. "In swing districts, voters have different opinions and they want to see a more comprehensive approach," Williams said. Because concern in the United States over mass shootings is high, adopting more restrictive views on gun policy could help candidates in tight races, said Doug Heye, another Republican strategist. But Republican lawmakers also want to avoid alienating gun rights supporters, said Williams. Underscoring that, in another 13 races, where Republican incumbents face competitive but not toss-up races, only three of the Republicans have moved toward gun control, according to the Reuters review. NOTICEABLE SHIFTS Dana Rohrabacher is another congressman and gun rights stalwart facing a tough fight to keep his seat. The Southern California Republican has also noticeably shifted his positions. He now says it should be illegal to sell weapons to felons and people taking psychiatric prescription drugs. By contrast, after the Las Vegas shooting, Rohrabachers spokesman Ken Grubbs said it was demagoguery to discuss specific legislative changes, according to a report in a local Californian newspaper. Grubbs did not return a request for comment from Reuters. Congressman John Faso of upstate New York said in interviews after the Florida shootings that he favors expanding background checks and not allowing people to buy semi-automatic guns until they turn 21. Faso, who took office in 2017, confined his response to the Las Vegas shootings to a Twitter post in which he described them as heart breaking. Bacon, Rohrabacher and Faso and eight other Republican incumbents face the toughest re-election fights, according to three political analysis groups - Cook Political Report, Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball and Inside Elections. Republican lawmakers in seven "safe" districts adjoining those districts have largely stuck to the same positions they had before the shooting: mostly opposed to new forms of gun control. Some defended their decision to not endorse new restrictions when contacted for comment by Reuters. Congressman Ken Buck of Colorado said he has seen no evidence to justify new laws restricting the purchase or ownership of guns. None of the other lawmakers contacted by Reuters besides Bacon and Buck offered an explanation for their shift or steadfastness on gun policy following Parkland. Reuters examined the public statements of 31 lawmakers in the competitive and safe districts, including speeches and social media postings, and asked them about any other pronouncements they have made on the issue. NRA DECISIONS TO COME The stark difference in responses can be seen in Florida. Republican congressman Carlos Curbelo is in a tight race in his South Florida district. He said he now favors raising the age of purchase for long guns and even advocates banning civilian purchases of military-style weapons and regulating high-capacity magazines. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, who is in an adjacent safe Republican district, issued a press release praising Trumps NRA-endorsed call to ban bump stocks as a welcome announcement. He advocated no other specific measures to reduce gun violence. The 18 Republican lawmakers in both competitive and safe seats whose statements Reuters analyzed have received more than $1.5 million from the NRA in donations or expenditures on their behalf throughout their political careers. The 11 lawmakers who did not shift their stance on gun control after the Florida shootings received 85 percent of that, Reuters found. Asked whether the NRA was considering limiting support for any of the lawmakers who have expressed support for new gun control measures, NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said the association had yet to complete its evaluations of candidates. This would be done after election registration deadlines, which have not yet passed in most states. (Reporting by Julia Harte and Jason Lange; Additional reporting by Grant Smith in New York; Editing by Damon Darlin and Ross Colvin)
A casting agency announced on Twitter that one of their clients was in Belfast, shooting for Game of Thrones. We are so excited at Industry HG for our artist Rebecca Van Cleave! Rebecca has been in a very snowy Belfast this week shooting her repeat role for Game of Thrones!! We cant wait until she hits our screens! Watch this space! Industry Casting tweeted. The tweet was since deleted, but not before the eagle-eyed Game of Thrones watchers at Watchers on the Wall caught it.

So who is Rebecca Van Cleave, and what does this mean for Game of Thrones Season 8?

Van Cleave was last seen in Season 5 episode Mothers Mercy, where she played Cersei as Lena Headeys body double during the walk of atonement. Remember this woman?

Trending: Trump Administration Makes Elephants Fair Game For Hunters As Trophy Ban is Lifted

<div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56%;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/WppGOxZtSHUsM" width="100%" height="100%" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/WppGOxZtSHUsM">via GIPHY</a></p>

As Lena Headeys body double, Van Cleaves return likely means some sort of scene involving a nude Cersei. Theres a few plot possibilities this casting leak opens up:

A sex scene with Jaime.

A sex scene with Euron.

Cersei giving birth, miscarrying, or being revealed as hoaxing her pregnancy.

Or anything else involving nudity!

Honestly, Van Cleaves return doesnt tell us much about any plot points surrounding Cersei in Game of Thrones Season 8. We can learn just as much from her presence in Belfast. The capital of Northern Ireland is home to Titanic Studios. Most set leaks point to the predominance of one major set on the studio lot: a battle set for Kings Landing. Whereas Kings Landing has often been assembled from a hodgepodge of real-world locations, particularly in Dubrovnik, Croatia, a massive set looks to stand in for a portion of the city in Season 8. The most likely explanation: dragonfire destruction.

Story continues

Its possible far more than a Kings Landing battle is being shot on the new set, but it does at least suggest that Cersei wont travel far afield of the Iron Throne in the series final episodes

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday that attempts to blame it for the mysterious illness that has struck down a Russian former double agent in Britain were wrong and looked like part of a campaign to damage relations between London and Moscow. Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russia's GRU military intelligence service, and his daughter, Yulia, were found slumped unconscious on a bench outside a shopping center in southern England on Sunday afternoon. They remain critically ill in hospital. Britain has warned Russia it will respond robustly if the Kremlin was responsible, while the Times newspaper has cited British government sources as saying the suspected poisoning is being treated as an assassination attempt linked to Russia. Skripal, sent to Britain as part of a 2010 spy swap, sold the identities of dozens of Russian agents across Europe and is regarded as a traitor by Moscow. But Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said allegations of Russian involvement were "bogus" and that his illness was being cynically used to escalate an anti-Russian campaign in Britain. It looked like there was an orchestrated campaign underway to harm ties between London and Moscow involving British politicians and the media, Zakharova told reporters at a briefing in Moscow. "Before it was clear what happened, the traditional speculation was being put about," she said. "It's very hard not to assess this as provocative black PR designed to complicate relations between our two countries." "GROUNDLESS ALLEGATIONS" Zakharova cited the high-profile deaths of two other Russians in Britain, that of tycoon Boris Berezovsky and businessman Alexander Perepilichny, as examples where the finger had also been wrongly pointed at Moscow. Berezovsky, a critic of President Vladimir Putin, was found dead at home in 2013 in a locked bathroom with a ligature around his neck. A British coroner said he could not be sure if the 67-year-old had killed himself or was the victim of foul play. Perepilichny, 44, was found dead near his home after he had been out jogging in 2012. He had helped a Swiss investigation into a Russian money-laundering scheme. British police ruled out foul play despite suspicions he might have been murdered with a rare poison, but an inquest into his death has yet to give a definitive conclusion as to how he died. "How did the Berezovsky story end? How did the Perepilichny story end?," Zakharova asked reporters. "You don't know ... and nobody has informed us via official channels." "This (Skripal) story will end the same way. The media buzz will be cranked up, there will be groundless allegations without any proof, and then it will all be declared secret, and neither journalists nor society nor politicians and officials will know what really happened." (Additional reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Gareth Jones)
President Donald Trumps former national security adviser Mike Flynn is selling his house in order to help pay for legal fees stemming from the Russia investigation.

Flynns three-bedroom home in Alexandria, Virginia, was first listed for sale in December with an asking price of $895,000. Flynn bought the home three years ago for $774,000, according to the New York Post.

Flynns brother told ABC News that the former three-star general and Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency was selling his house to in order help pay his mounting legal bills.

Trending: Scientists Create Wonder Substance That Can Kill Five Deadly Drug-Resistant Superbugs

Im not going to sugarcoat it, this has been a trying experience, said Joe Flynn, the generals youngest brother. It has been a crucible, and its not over.

Mike Flynn pled guilty last year to lying to federal investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials during the presidential transition.

Flynn was ensnared in special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation after serving for a short period in the White House as national security adviser. Mueller is investigating possible ties between Russia and the Trump campaign during the presidential election; Flynn pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal to cooperate with Muellers investigation.

Don't miss: Spring Is Starting 16 Days Earlier in the Arctic Than It Did a Decade Ago, Scientists Say

Mike flynn

Chip Somodevilla/GETTY

Flynn stepped down from his White House role after it was reported that he misled Vice President Mike Pence about his contact with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Joe Flynn and sister Barbara also set up a legal defense fund in September in order to help pay their brothers legal fees.

Story continues

Most popular: Winter Storms That Pummel the Northeast Are As Dangerous As The Hurricanes That Blow Through The Tropics

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The enormous expense of attorneys fees and other related expenses far exceed their ability to pay, said the pair in a statement at the time. To help ensure that he can defend himself, we have set up a legal defense fund, and we are asking Mikes supporters, veterans and all people of goodwill to contribute whatever amount they can to this fund.

Mike Flynns criminal defense lawyer Robert Kelner did not immediately respond to Newsweeks request for comment.

12_26_Trump_pardon_Flynn

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
Russia and Iran have been shoring up ties with Middle Eastern allies Iraq and Syria, two countries where the U.S. has attempted to bolster its own influence amid the multinational fight against the Islamic State militant group (ISIS).

Russian and Iranian officials met Monday and Tuesday as part of their intergovernmental commission. The commission has reportedly come close to establishing a free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, which consists of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Moscow and Tehran cooperated closely to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in overcoming the last of a political and jihadi rebellion in his country, and the two may sign a landmark trade document as soon as May, according to Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak.

Related: U.S. is losing a top Syria war ally once again, this time to Assad

Trending: Uber's Self-driving Trucks Are Already Delivering Goods in Arizona

"The move to enter into a temporary agreement making for a free trade zone to be set up between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, which is currently at an advanced stage, will obviously trigger further development of our bilateral trade and expansion of investment cooperation," Novak, who co-heads the Iran-Russia commission, said Tuesday, according to the state-run Tass news agency.

GettyImages-877559178

MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/AFP/Getty Images

Russia and Iran's current cooperation was inspired by the rise of ISIS in Iraq and Syria. ISIS had its origins in a jihadi coalition formed in the wake of the U.S. war in Iraq, and the militants spread to neighboring Syria in 2013, two years after insurgents backed by the West, Turkey and Gulf Arab states took up arms against Assad. As the Syrian military, already bolstered by Iran-backed Shiite Muslim militias, was pushed back by rebels and jihadis, Russia and Iran gathered Iraq and Syria to form a counterterrorism quartet in September 2015.

Story continues

That same month, Russia staged a direct military intervention in Syria. The U.S., which had been conducting airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria since 2014, rallied its Syrian Kurdish allies along with other Arab and minority fighters to form the Syrian Democratic Forces in October 2015, replacing increasingly jihadi rebels once backed by the CIA. The pro-Syrian government campaignbacked by Russia and Iranand the Syrian Democratic Forces offensivesupported by the U.S.-led coalitionboth largely defeated ISIS in Syria by the end of 2017.

Don't miss: John Cenas Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Character Revealed

In the first month of 2018, however, Turkey invaded Syria over the presence of U.S.-backed Kurdish militias near their mutual border. The U.S. opted not to support Kurdish fighters battling Turkey and the U.S.'s former Free Syrian Army allies in the northwestern Syrian district of Afrin. Instead, Kurdish forces reached out to Assad, who deployed pro-Syrian government fighters in support, boosting his relationship with the U.S.'s leading ally on the ground.

GettyImages-850468320

LOUAI BESHARA/AFP/Getty Images

Russia and Iran have already begun investing heavily in Syria's reconstruction and various other sectors in anticipation of Assad remaining in power. The Syrian Ministry of Education announced Tuesday new scholarships for students looking to study abroad in Russia, according to the official Syrian Arab News Agency. The head of Iranian and Syrian journalist unions pledged closer coordination in coverage to counter what they considered fake news from the West, during a meeting in Tehran on Sunday, SANA reported.

In addition to mobilizing allied Shiite Muslim militias such as the Lebanese Hezbollah to combat ISIS in Syria, Iran has played a leading role in supporting military and paramilitary operations against the jihadis in Iraq. A collective of Iran-backed, mostly Shiite Muslim groups known as the Popular Mobilization Forces fought alongside U.S.-backed Iraqi troops and Kurdish forces to mostly defeat ISIS in Iraq, but have since threatened the U.S. military over its 15-year presence in the country.

Most popular: Americans Overwhelmingly Support The Recent Backlash Against The Gun Industry: Poll

Iranian Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri was set to embark soon on a trip to Iraq in hopes of consolidating economic ties between the majority-Shiite Muslim neighbors, which fought a devastating war in the 1980s but became close after the U.S. ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Iranian Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Shariatmadari said Monday that he hoped the upcoming visit would provide an "economic cooperation road map between the two countries" and settle banking disputes via credit lines, Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency reported.

RTR4TU0N

Stringer/Reuters

Russia has also sought to capitalize on the defeat of ISIS in Iraq, having signed oil deals and security pacts and committing to closer economic relations. Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said last week that an offer to buy Russia's advanced S-400 Triumf missile defense system was "being studied in every detail," according to Tass.

The development would be a huge blow to efforts by the U.S.-led NATO military alliance, whose chief, Jens Stoltenberg, visited Iraq on Monday. He criticized Russia's military influence across the globe and Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent unveiling of new, powerful nuclear missiles.

"We are of course concerned," Stoltenberg said during his Iraq trip, according to Reuters. "Because NATO does not want a new Cold War. We don't want a new arms race."

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
A former aide to Donald Trump found himself at centre of a furore after insisting he would refuse to co-operate with an FBI inquiry into alleged links between the Presidents campaign team and Russia.

Sam Nunberg later backtracked, admitting he was probably going to end up co-operating with them after initially branding a subpoena from special counsel Robert Mueller ridiculous.

Mr Nunberg, who worked on Mr Trump's presidential campaign, complained in a series of interviews with US media about being asked to share his email conversations with other former campaign aides.

How did Sam Nunberg make his name?

Mr Nunberg is a former political adviser who initially worked for the Mitt Romney presidential campaign in 2008. He was later hired by right-wing activist group the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ) to oppose the construction of a mosque near the World Trade Center site.

It was at the ACLJ where he met Trump adviser Roger Stone, whom Mr Nunberg described as his mentor.

The 36-year-old was later hired by the Trump campaign, but lost his job in February 2014 after arranging a Buzzfeed interview with Mr Trump, which ended up being highly critical of the future president.

Mr Nunberg was rehired a year later as a communications adviser.

How did he lose his job with the Trump campaign?

After helping Mr Trump prepare for his first televised Republican debate in August 2015, Mr Nunberg was fired again after Facebook posts featuring racially charged language resurfaced.

In March 2016, Mr Nunberg endorsed Ted Cruz for the Republican nomination, saying Mr Trump did not have a coherent political ideology. Later that year, former White House communications director Hope Hicks hit back, branding Mr Nunberg a highly self-destructive individual.

Mr Trump sued Mr Nunberg for $10 million (7.2m) in July 2016, alleging he had breached confidentiality agreements by discussing the billionaire after he had left the presidential campaign team. The pair amicably settled the following month.

Story continues

What exactly did Mr Nunberg say to US media this week?

What they sent me was absolutely ridiculous, Mr Nunberg said of Mr Muellers subpoena, during the now infamous appearance on MSNBC.

They wanted every email I had with Roger Stone, and with Steve Bannon. Why should I hand them emails from November 1, 2015?

Asked if he was concerned about potential contempt of court charges if he failed to hand over the emails, Mr Nunberg suggested he was not.

Let him arrest me, Mr Nunberg told the Washington Post. Mr Mueller should understand I am not going in on Friday.

He added: Im not spending 80 hours going over my emails with Roger Stone and Steve Bannon and producing them.
After going on a defiant media spree on Monday, former Trump campaign aide Sam Nunberg said Tuesday that he would comply with special counsel Robert Muellers subpoena to appear before a federal grand jury regarding Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Though hed bombastically claimed the opposite on multiple cable news shows, Nunberg did suggest to The Associated Press on Monday that hed change his mind. And by Tuesday, hed done just that.

Apparently, it was something he heard on MSNBCs The Beat with Ari Melber that led him to reconsider his position.

Nunberg told The Washington Post that listening to fellow guest Maya Wiley, a civil rights activist, lawyer and New School professor who previously served as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasios chief counsel, was the reason he changed his mind.

He described Wiley as very, very smart and said she made a compelling case to me.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Wiley, a racial justice expert, joined the MSNBC segment shortly after Nunberg noted that he had been fired from the Trump campaign following the discovery of racially charged Facebook posts that hed allegedly authored.

She pointed out to him that if Mueller had offered him immunity, as Nunberg said, he personally didnt have any reason not to testify. Then she noted that failing to testify would be a disservice to his self-described mentor, Roger Stone.

It actually makes it appear that Roger Stone has something to hide because you will not go testify, Wiley said.

As for Nunbergs complaints about how much time complying with the subpoena would take, Wiley was incredulous.

Youd rather possibly spend a year in jail than spend 80 hours going through emails? she asked.

In a statement on Tuesday to MSNBC, Wiley said:

I joined the set after Sam Nunberg referenced his racially offensive statements that got him fired from the Trump campaign, dismissing their relevance because they wouldnt have lost Trump a vote. Unspoken was his willingness to use the N word in reference to black leaders. That Nunberg actually recognizes the value and intelligence of a black woman is, I hope, a life lesson for him. I assume he has sought the advice and counsel of his lawyer. I hope what I gave him was a sense of humanity we need now more than ever in this country.

Story continues

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
CAIRO (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has described Turkey as part of a "triangle of evil" along with Iran and hardline Islamist groups, Egypt's Al-Shorouk newspaper reported on Wednesday. The Saudi prince also accused Turkey of trying to reinstate the Islamic Caliphate, abolished nearly a century ago when the Ottoman Empire collapsed. His reported comments reflect Saudi Arabia's deep suspicion of President Tayyip Erdogan, whose ruling AK Party has its roots in Islamist politics and who has allied his country with Qatar in its dispute with Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf states. Turkey has also worked with Iran, Saudi Arabia's arch-rival in the Middle East, to try to reduce fighting in northern Syria in recent months, and Iranian and Turkish military chiefs exchanged visits last year. Al-Shorouk quoted Prince Mohammed as saying "the contemporary triangle of evil comprises Iran, Turkey and extremist religious groups." The prince spoke to Egyptian newspaper editors during a visit to Cairo, on his first foreign trip since becoming heir to the oil exporting giant last year. He said the dispute with Qatar could be long-lasting, comparing it to the U.S. embargo of Cuba imposed 60 years ago, but played down its impact, dismissing the Gulf emirate as "smaller than a Cairo street". Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar last June, suspending air and shipping routes with the worlds biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, which is home to the regions biggest U.S. military base. However, Prince Salman said Qatar would not be barred from attending an Arab summit hosted by Saudi Arabia later this month. (Writing by Dominic Evans, Editing by William Maclean)
By Ana Isabel Martinez MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, will visit Mexico on Wednesday and meet President Enrique Pena Nieto, amid strained relations over trade and Trump's demands that Mexico pay for a border wall. The visit by Trump's son-in-law comes after Trump and Pena Nieto late last month postponed plans for the Mexican leader's first visit to the White House. The Mexican foreign ministry announced Kushner's trip in a statement late on Tuesday. A senior U.S. administration official confirmed the visit, adding that meetings will focus on security, immigration and trade, among other issues. Trump wants Mexico to pay for the wall he wants built to keep out illegal immigrants. Mexico's leaders have consistently rejected the demand, and the planned White House summit was postponed following a telephone call between the two leaders that turned sour over Trump's insistence. On Monday, as the latest round of the negotiations over a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) were wrapping up, Trump repeated that the trade deal was bad for the United States and that Mexico was not doing enough to stop drugs flowing into the country. Kushner is a top foreign policy adviser, but has recently lost access to the most valued U.S. intelligence report, U.S. officials told Reuters last week. Some analysts in Mexico view the visit as a chance to repair a key U.S. relationship and for Kushner to prove his usefulness to the White House. "I see it as one of the few things of consequence that he can do that don't require security clearance," said Agustin Barrios Gomez, a former federal congressman and head of the working group on the future of U.S.-Mexico relations at the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations. Mexican officials did not say whether the plans for a Trump-Pena Nieto summit was on the agenda. CLOSE TIES Accompanied on his visit by other U.S. diplomats and security officials, the foreign ministry statement said Kushner will also meet Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray. Among Pena Nieto's closest advisers, Videgaray helped orchestrate then-candidate Trump's visit to Mexico in 2016, a trip that was widely panned in Mexico as the Mexican president failed to confront the New York businessman and reality TV star over his anti-Mexican rhetoric on the campaign trail. Videgaray lost his job as finance minister over the trip's fallout, but was later appointed foreign minister after Trump's surprise win in the U.S. presidential election. Videgaray has maintained close ties with Kushner ever since, including several visits to the White House, most recently an unsuccessful effort to try to broker a Trump-Pena Nieto meeting. Despite Trump's sharp criticism of Mexico and its migrants, Videgaray said last month during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that ties between the two countries were closer than during the previous U.S. administration. The bilateral relationship was again rocked last weekend as Trump announced plans for tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum that he later said served as an incentive to reach a favorable NAFTA re-negotiation. Trump has repeatedly blamed the pact for the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs and has threatened to ditch it unless it can be reworked to better suit U.S. interests. Trump's remarks on trade have unsettled financial markets, often causing the Mexico's peso currency to shed value. (Additional reporting by Dave Graham in Mexico City and David Alexander in Washington; Writing by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Simon Cameron-Moore)
Updated | The Kremlin said it is ready to cooperate with the British authorities after a former Russian spy and his daughter were found critically ill on a park bench following exposure to an unknown substance, in a chilling echo of the Alexander Litvinenko's murder in 2006.

Meanwhile, the U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson gave a clear warning to Russia that if Moscow is behind this latest suspected poisoning, Britain "will take whatever measures we deem necessary" to punish those responsible. And counterterrorism police in the UK are now leading the investigation because they handle cases where national security is a concern.

Sergei Skripal, 66, and Yulia Skripal, 33, were rushed to hospital after being found unconscious on a bench in a shopping centre in Salisbury, U.K., on Sunday March 4. Police were alerted by a call from a concerned member of the public who spotted the pair. One eyewitness said it looked like they had "been taking something quite strong."

Trending: Female Entrepreneur Creates Woman-Only Island Retreat Called 'Supershe'

Results from toxicology tests are not expected any time soon, a spokeswoman for Wiltshire Police told Newsweek, adding that there were currently no plans to release any information.

Sergei Skripal

YURI SENATOROV/AFP/Getty Images

The BBC reported that Skripals 43-year-old son died in St Petersburg while on holiday in 2016 with his girlfriend. He had been admitted to hospital with liver failure. Skripal is also recently widowed and lost his older brother. All three deaths occurred within the past two years.

Skripal is a former colonel in Russian military intelligence convicted of spying for the British.

At hospital, health professionals determined Skripal and his daughter had been poisoned and declared a major incident.

Dimitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, said there has been no request for help by the British but that "Moscow is always ready to cooperate," AP reported, as it faces suspicions of involvement amid the dearth of information about what happened to Skripal. Peskov called Skripals poisoning tragic.

Story continues

Skripal was prosecuted by Russian authorities in 2006 and convicted of espionage. He allegedly passed secrets to British intelligence during the 1990s and 2000s, in particular the identities of Russian agents.

He received a 13 year sentence but was pardoned and released under a 2010 spy-swap deal between the U.S. and Russia. One of the spies returned to Russia in the exchange was Anna Chapman.

Skripal settled in Salisbury, Wiltshire, in the UK where he has lived eer since, keeping a low-profile.

U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson noted in the British parliament the similarity to the Litvinenko affair. Answering an urgent question put to him by an MP about the Salisbury incident, Johnson said it is "too early to speculate as to the precise nature of the crime or attempted crime that has taken place".

Don't miss: League of Legends Gun Goddess Miss Fortune Ultimate Skin Revealed

He continued: "But I know members will have their suspicions. And what I will say to the House is that if those suspicions prove to be well-founded then this government will take whatever measures we deem necessary to protect the lives of the people in this country, our values, and our freedoms.

"And though I am not now pointing fingers, because we cannot... point fingers, I say to governments around the world that no attempt to take innocent life on UK soil will go either unsanctioned or unpunished.

"It may be that this country will continue to pay a price for our continued principle in standing up to Russia."

After the Skripal pair were found, government experts in chemical hazards and radiation were called in to Salisbury and areas of the city are cordoned off, including a local restaurant called Zizzi where the pair are thought to have dined and the nearby Bishop's Mill Pub, as police and specialists investigate.

Public Health England, the government agency responsible for protecting citizens from health hazards, said based on the evidence so far there doesnt appear to be any immediate risk to the public.

Wiltshire Police confirmed that a small number of emergency services personnel were assessed immediately after the incident and all but one have been released from hospital.

Salisbury Sergei Skripal

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Some media reports suggested the substance may be fentanyl, a deadly opiate 50 times stronger than heroin increasingly popular among drug addicts, though Newsweek was unable to verify whether this is a line of inquiry.

"On the bench there was a couple, an older guy and a younger girl. She was sort of leant in on him, it looked like she had passed out maybe," Freya Church, an eyewitness, told the BBC.

"He was doing some strange hand movements, looking up to the sky.

Most popular: Fortnite Leak Reveals Battle Royale Starter Pack & Rogue Agent Skin

"I felt anxious. I felt like I should step in. But to be honest, they looked so out of it that I thought even if I did step in, I wasn't sure how I could help. So yeah, I just left them. But it looked like they'd been taking something quite strong."

A spokesman for Salisbury District Hospital, where Skripal and his daughter are both fighting for their lives in intensive care, directed Newsweek to Wiltshire Police. Though the incident has not been catagorized as terror-related, counterterrorism police based in London are taking over the investigation.

"This investigation is at the early stages and any speculation is unhelpful at this time," Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing in the UK, said.

The focus at this time is to establish what has caused these people to become critically ill. We would like to reassure members of the public that this incident is being taken extremely seriously and we currently do not believe there is any risk to the wider public."

A 2017 investigation by BuzzFeed claimed 14 deaths on British soil have been linked by U.S. spy agencies to Russia.

Details about the Skirpal incident are sketchy and there is much that remains unknown or unconfirmed. But some are already likening it to the murder of Alexander Litvinenko, a former intelligence officer for the FSB, who was poisoned with polonium-210, a radioactive substance.

Litvinenko, who lived in London, where he was killed in 2006, was an outspoken critic of the Kremlin and Putin. He was also paid by MI6 and was investigating the Russian mafia.

Alexander Litvinenko

REUTERS/Vasily Djachkov/Files

After an investigation by British authorities, they accused Andrei Lugovoi, a politician in the Russian parliament, of carrying out the assassination during a meeting with Litvinenko by allegedly poisoning his tea. Putin was accused of ordering the hit. Lugovoi denies the accusation.

Litvinenkos widow Marina Litvinenko told The Daily Telegraph that the Skripal incident "looks similar to what happened to my husband but we need more information. We need to know the substance. Was it radioactive?

The timing of Skripals illness is also triggering speculation online about a potential connection to the infamous Steele Dossier on Trump and Russia.

Christopher Steele, the 53-year-old former British spy who authored the dossier, is the subject of a lengthy New Yorker profile published on March 5 and being shared widely across the internet.

Steele was a spy under diplomatic cover at the British Embassy in Moscow during the 1990s as the Soviet Union collapsed and fragmented.

He later returned to MI6the British equivalent of the CIA for which he workedin London to run its Russia desk from 2006 to 2009 before leaving to set up his own commercial investigative agency Orbis Business Intelligence.

Orbis produced the notorious Trump dossier after being commissioned by lawyers working on behalf of the Clinton campaign.

At the same time Steele was working as a spy in Russia, and at the beginning of his time running the Russia desk at MI6, Skripal was allegedly passing secrets to British intelligenceraising the possibility that the two men knew each other.

The New Yorker profile of Steele noted: "Steele feared that, for some of his Russian sources, exposure would be a death sentence."

This article was updated to include the most recent news of the police investigaton that counterterrorism officers are taking over.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
By Sharon Bernstein

SACRAMENTO (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday accused President Donald Trump's administration of declaring war on the most populous U.S. state, after the Justice Department sued to stop policies that protect illegal immigrants against deportation.

The Democratic governor made the charge shortly after Attorney General Jeff Sessions intensified the Republican administration's confrontation with California. In a speech in the state capital, Sessions accused California of obstructing federal immigration enforcement efforts and vowed to stop the state's defiance.

Sessions addressed a law enforcement group in Sacramento, a day after the Justice Department filed suit against California, Brown and the state's Democratic attorney general over so-called sanctuary policies that shield illegal immigrants.

"California absolutely, it appears to me, is using every power it has - powers it doesn't have - to frustrate federal law enforcement. So you can be sure I'm going to use every power I have to stop them," Sessions, the top U.S law enforcement officer, said in his speech.

Brown called the attorney general's trip to California a political stunt and his description of California's laws a lie.

"Like so many in the Trump administration, this attorney general has no regard for the truth," Brown told reporters, adding that the laws were crafted with input and support from California police chiefs. "This is basically going to war against the state of California."

Brown in October signed into law a bill that prevents police from inquiring about immigration status and curtails law enforcement cooperation with immigration officers.

Sessions said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents carry out federal law and that "California cannot forbid them or obstruct them in doing their jobs."

"In recent years, the California legislature has enacted a number of laws designed to intentionally obstruct the work of our sworn immigration enforcement officers, to intentionally use every power the legislature has to undermine the duly-established immigration law of America," Sessions told a California Peace Officers Association conference.

Story continues

The lawsuit, filed late on Tuesday in federal court in Sacramento, takes aim at three state laws passed last year that the Justice Department contends violates the U.S. Constitution and the supremacy of federal law over state law.

Trump has made fighting illegal immigration a signature issue, first as a candidate and now as president. Part of that effort involves a Justice Department crackdown on primarily Democratic-governed cities and states that Sessions calls "sanctuaries" that protect illegal immigrants from deportation.

'LAW OF THE LAND'

"Immigration law is the province of the federal government," Sessions said. "There is no nullification. There is no secession. Federal law is the supreme law of the land."

"I would invite any doubters to go to Gettysburg," he added. "This matter has been settled."

The Union army's victory at Gettysburg in 1863 is often described as the turning point of the Civil War, in which the South declared for states' rights and tried to secede from the United States.

Brown later echoed the Civil War theme when he said the lawsuit was unprecedented, particularly because it was delivered by "a fella coming from Alabama talking to us about secession." Sessions' home state was part of the South during the Civil War.

Sessions accused Democratic Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf of actively seeking to help illegal immigrants avoid ICE.

Last month, Schaaf issued a statement alerting local residents that ICE agents were preparing to conduct an operation in the area, saying it was her moral obligation. A few days later, ICE announced the arrest of more than 150 people for immigration violations in the San Francisco-Oakland area, saying about half had additional criminal convictions.

The White House has called Schaaf's actions "outrageous" and said the Justice Department was reviewing the matter.

"Here's my message for Mayor Schaaf: How dare you. How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement officers to promote your radical open-borders agenda," Sessions said on Wednesday.

Sessions also called Democratic California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom an "embarrassment" for supporting the mayor's actions.

(Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Additional reporting by Sarah N. Lynch in Washington and Dan Levine in San Francisco; Writing by Ben Klayman; Editing by Will Dunham and Rosalba O'Brien)
Sacramento (AFP) - California Governor Jerry Brown accused the Trump administration Wednesday of launching a war over the state's protections for illegal immigrants, after the Justice Department sued to block its sanctuary laws.

"This is basically going to war against the state of California, the engine of the American economy. It's not wise, it's not right, and it will not stand," said Governor Jerry Brown.

Brown was visibly angry after Attorney General Jeff Sessions, speaking in Sacramento, accused the state of deliberately obstructing enforcement of federal law by offering undocumented immigrants sanctuary protections to dodge arrest and deportation by immigration agents.

"California is using every power it has -- and some it doesn't -- to frustrate federal law enforcement. So you can be sure I'm going to use every power I have to stop them," Sessions told a group of law enforcement officials.

Late Tuesday the Justice Department sued to overturn three California statutes that render it more difficult for officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to obtain the cooperation of local officials and private employers to make arrests.

"Immigration law is the province of the federal government," Sessions said.

"A refusal to apprehend and deport those, especially the criminal element, effectively rejects all immigration law.... And it creates an open borders system. Open borders is a radical, irrational idea that cannot be accepted."

- 'Sanctuary state' -

The lawsuit, filed in the federal court in Sacramento, steps up President Donald Trump's battle to cut back legal immigration and step up deportation of people without immigration papers.

That threatens millions of people who, though without legal papers, have built lives, families and companies across the country, many over decades.

California, one of the country's largest, wealthiest and most progressive states, has battled with the administration since Trump took office in January 2017 over his immigration crackdown.

Story continues

California is home to the largest number of undocumented immigrants, nearly one-quarter of the estimated 11 million in total across the United States.

Last October Brown declared all of California a "sanctuary state" in an open challenge to the Trump administration.

Many localities have also declared themselves sanctuaries, fettering their cooperation with ICE and CBP.

On February 24 Libby Schaaf, the mayor of Oakland, California issued an open warning to cities in the San Francisco Bay area that ICE was preparing a soon to be launched operation to round up vulnerable immigrants.

Sessions said Wednesday that the raid would have netted some 800 arrests if Schaaf had not issued her warning.

"The mayor of Oakland has been actively seeking to help illegal aliens avoid apprehension by ICE. Her actions support those who flout our laws and boldly validate the illegality," he said.

"Here's my message to Mayor Schaaf: how dare you? How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement officials just to promote a radical open borders agenda?"

- 'Discord and division' -

Brown lashed back defiantly after Sessions spoke not far from the governor's offices.

"This is really unprecedented for the chief law enforcement officer of the United States to come out to California and act more like Fox News than a law enforcement officer. This is a political stunt," he said.

"What Jeff Sessions said is simply not true. And I call upon him to apologize to the people of California (for) bringing the mendacity of Washington to California, and trying to insert discord and division, and I might add, dysfunctionality, in a state that is really working."
Charlie Gao

Security, Asia

Everything you need to know.

JF-17 Fighter: China's Weird MiG-21 and F-16 Hybrid

Chinas JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter is one of Chinas most successful aerospace exports. While it was designed from the outset to be an export fighter, its road to service was very rocky, involving decades of development and even American involvement at some points. Design wise, its a fusion of the MiG-21 and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The most recent blocks of the JF-17 have introduced advanced capabilities that nominally put it on par with designs twenty years its senior. But how exactly did the United States help in creating the JF-17? Does the ancient airframe hold it back, or can it be worked around?

The JF-17 evolved out of a series of projects to produce an upgrade for the Pakistani Air Forces fleet of Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) J-7 fighters. As Pakistan was one of the primary facilitators of U.S. aid to the anti-Soviet Afghan Mujaheddin, the United States was willing to provide aid to Pakistan in other defense sectors. As the Soviets were preparing to field their next generation lightweight fighter; the MiG-29, Pakistan wanted an aircraft that could counter it.

This resulted in Project Sabre II, an attempt to modernize the J-7s conducted by CAC and Grumman. The original iteration of Sabre II only stretched the fuselage of the J-7, redesigned the control surfaces, and changed the location and size of the air intakes. However the Sabre II was unable to reach the performance of contemporary American fighters or the projected performance of the MiG-29 with this configuration, so Project Sabre II was canned.

Recommended: China's H-6K: The 'Old' Bomber That Could 'Sink' the U.S. Navy

Recommended: Why an F-22 Raptor Would Crush an F-35 in a 'Dogfight'

Recommended: Air War: Stealth F-22 Raptor vs. F-14 Tomcat (That Iran Still Flies)

However, the three countries decided to have another go at it later in the 1980s, resulting in the Super 7 project. This time the wingspan was increased and formed into a similar configuration to the F-16 in addition to the prior aerodynamic changes. Grumman pulled out of the Super 7 project in 1989 due to Tiananmen Square and the resulting fallout. The project remained on ice for around 10 years as negotiations between China and Pakistan continued. A feasibility study to see if future development would be fruitful was commissioned in 1992, it was successful so a memorandum to continue development was signed.

Story continues

In 1998 China and Pakistan recommenced serious development of the Super 7. Costs were split 50/50 between the Pakistani government and CAC and the aircraft was renamed JF-17 As Grumman had dropped out, the fighter needed a new powerplant. A solution was found in the Russian Mikoyan design bureau, which offered the Klimov RD-93 engine which was originally designed for the canceled MiG-33 fighter jet. The RD-93 was an advanced version of the RD-33 used on the MiG-29, however, only one RD-93 is used on the JF-17 in contrast to two RD-33s in a MiG-29.

Another key innovation that occurred during the development process was the inclusion of diverterless supersonic intakes (DSI) on the JF-17 design. The design went through several iterations but is seen on current JF-17 production aircraft. In 2003 the first prototype took to the air. By 2006 the JF-17 was finalized and ready to enter serial production. It was formally adopted in 2007. The first fully Pakistani-manufactured JF-17 was created in 2008.

The JF-17s designers have proven adept at keeping up with the times following its entry into service. The initial run of fighters for Pakistan have been referred to as Block I JF-17s. Block II JF-17s introduced a multitude of new capabilities and upgrades, including composites in the airframe for reduced weight, air to air refueling, a full fly-by-wire system, and a better radar. China offered to replace the Russian RD-93s with their own WS-13 in Block II JF-17s, but Pakistan opted to stick with the Russian engine.

For the Block III, China hopes to add an AESA radar to the JF-17 and further improve the avionics and weapons compatibility of the JF-17. The standard JF-17 features the MIL-STD-1760 databus in some implementations, allowing for compatibility with Western and Eastern weapons. One potential weakness of the JF-17 is its internal cannon, which is still the double-barrel GSh-23, a legacy of its MiG-21 heritage. This cannon is outperformed by practically any other autocannon mounted on a modern combat aircraft. However, given the relative infrequency of cannon usage in modern air combat, this is not a big issue.

The largest advantage of the JF-17 is its cost. At only 15 million per plane in its most basic configuration, the JF-17 is far cheaper than any of its competitors, even used. Block II JF-17s cost around the same margin, with Myanmar buying them for only 16 million per unit. This has been the key to the JF-17s export success. A poor nation can field a relatively modern fighter for a very low price. It is yet to be seen whether it can actually perform at its price point in combat, but Pakistan seems to be satisfied with what the JF-17 can do in trials. In many ways, China has updated the budget fighter of the last generation, the MiG-21, for the modern era with the help and additional design cues from the F-16.

Charlie Gao studied political and computer science at Grinnell College and is a frequent commentator on defense and national-security issues.

Image: Reuters

Read full article
By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, a champion of the poor who became a human rights icon in Latin America when he was killed by a right-wing death squad in 1980, will be made a Roman Catholic saint. A statement on Wednesday said Pope Francis had given final approval to several sainthood causes, including Romero, and the late Pope Paul VI, who reigned from 1963 to 1978. Francis personally announced Pope Paul's canonization last month. Romero's path to sainthood had stalled under two previous popes, reflecting concerns by some that he was overly political. It was revived by Francis who is also from Latin America and has made defense of the downtrodden a hallmark of his five-year pontificate. Romero, who had often denounced repression and poverty in his homilies, was shot dead on March 24, 1980, as he celebrated Mass in a hospital chapel in the San Salvador, the capital of the impoverished Central American country of El Salvador. "The long delay in recognizing the obvious fact that Romero was obviously a martyr was shameful," said Father James Martin, an U.S. author of and editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America, adding that many saints had not been understood in their own times. In a Tweet, Martin called the pope's decision "an immense step forward for the Church." Romero's murder was one of the most shocking of the long conflict between a series of U.S.-backed governments and leftist rebels in which thousands were killed by right-wing and military death squads. The civil war claimed some 75,000 lives before it ended with a peace agreement in 1992. No one was ever brought to justice for his killing but last year a Salvadoran judge reopened the case. The main suspect is a former soldier whose case was reopened after the country's constitutional court repealed a previous amnesty. Romero was beatified, or declared a "blessed" of the Church, in 2015 after a ruling that he was a martyr killed in hatred of the faith. That ceremony in San Salvador brought together former Marxist guerrillas and their former enemies. Francis ruled that Romero could be declared a saint after a Vatican theological and medical commission approved a miracle attributed to him. The Church teaches that only God performs miracles but that saints who are believed to be with God in heaven intercede on behalf of people who pray to them. A miracle is usually the medically inexplicable healing of a person. No date was given for the sainthood ceremony, which is expected to take place this year, most likely at the Vatican. (Additional reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
Since Donald Trumps surprise election victory in 2016, stocks of small companies have fallen behind larger companies, reversing a long-held trend. That has some investors bearish on the asset class, with a number of fund managers betting that current political and market dynamics will continue to favor bigger companies. Erik Weisman, chief economist at MFS Investment Management, believes that the basic fundamentals of investing in companies with smaller capitalization have turned. While small caps have historically been a big-risk, big-reward gambit for investors, Weisman argues that the reward may increasingly be shrinking. Whereas small companies previously drove innovation by disrupting bigger companies with new technologies and ideas, today many large companies can simply buy competitors to generate growth in-house. Decreasing regulations play a role but so does the changing nature of big businesses, particularly in the United States and China. If big companies like Alibaba, Amazon, Facebook, Tencent are just going to keep on winning, then the concept of buying small caps changes, Weisman told Yahoo Finance in a phone interview. In a world where winners take all and just keep on winning, we dont see small firms that show up on the public playing field.

Technology, this years best-performing sector, hasnt been this big in more than 17 years.

Weisman noted that in traditional companies, such as automobile manufacturers, at some point increasing production leads to decreasing returns. But in digital platform companies like Amazon and Facebook, its not just that they can, but they must continue to grow.

Wealth is being redistributed

And its not just technology companies that are continuing to grow unimpeded. Pharmaceuticals, beer companies and airlines have also continued to grow by swallowing up competitors in major mergers. The combination of increasing mergers and acquisitions with a decreasing number of initial public offerings has reduced the number of public companies to its lowest level in at least 40 years. Additionally, the companies that do come to market are increasingly doing so at a much higher level of capitalization, meaning they no longer qualify for many small-cap investors mandates. Research from Thomson Reuters show that U.S.-listed IPOs so far this year total $11.4 billion from 30 offerings, more than double the proceeds raised a year ago and the highest year to date period for U.S.-listed IPOs Since 2000. Giri Cherukuri, head trader at OakBrook Investments, says that the trend is not only reducing the number of companies an investor can own in the small cap space, its also redistributing wealth that would previously have gone to public shareholders to private equity and venture capital firms. By the time a company comes to market its already a mid-cap company, so some of those returns that come to small cap investors kind of disappear, he said. In essence, many of the best small companies arent becoming small-cap stocks.

Story continues

Small-cap comeback?

Some investors, however, are not convinced and are betting on a revival in small caps. They argue that the recently signed tax reform legislation and deregulation from the Trump administration have created an environment where small-cap stocks are poised to outperform large companies. Amy Kong, senior portfolio manager and managing director at Fiduciary Trust, says that she is increasing her small-cap exposure. She argues that the combination of tax reform and deregulation will benefit to small cap stocks disproportionately. Small caps do the vast majority of their business within the United States, so they will likely benefit more than a typical multi-national, large cap [company] from lower tax rates, Kong said. The tax reforms provision that U.S. companies bring money held overseas back to the country could also benefit smaller companies stock because larger companies will look to use that money buy them  increasing the smaller companys stock price, Kong said. But even that trend is benefitting big companies like Facebook and Amazon, MFSs Weisman argues, which will continue to gobble up market share and end up owning the companies that would otherwise have threatened them with new technological developments. That means investors would be wise to rollback their exposure to small caps and add to their holdings of the markets big names, like Facebook, Apple, Alphabet, Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent. You consider these companies that are winning and in spite of the fact that they seem rich you go more overweight these large companies because thats a way to add alpha, Weisman said. Its almost diametrically opposed to how we would have thought about alpha in the past. 

Dion Rabouin is a markets reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter: @DionRabouin.

Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two senior South Korean officials who met with North Korea's Kim Jong Un this week will depart for Washington on Thursday to brief U.S. officials on the outcome of their meeting, a South Korean administration official said on Wednesday.

A detailed itinerary has yet to be confirmed, as well as whether they will meet U.S. President Donald Trump, the official told reporters.

National Security Office head Chung Eui-yong, who has close contacts in the United States, and National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon, who is known as South Korea's top North Korea negotiator, will be making the trip. Chung said on Tuesday he had a message from Kim Jong Un he will relay to U.S. officials.

The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that the United States and South Korea are discussing holding a meeting later this week about potential denuclearisation talks with North Korea.

"The State Department has been speaking with the White House about the proposed upcoming meeting later this week," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a briefing.

"In terms of the meeting with South Korea and also with the DPRK (North Korea), we don't have a play-by-play of that just yet. We will wait for the Republic of Korea (South Korea) to come to Washington to be able to brief us on those meetings."

Chung cited North Korea as saying it would not carry out nuclear or missile tests while talks with the international community were under way. North Korea has not carried out any such tests since last November.

North Korea is also willing to discuss normalising ties with the United States, Chung said.

North Korea seems "sincere" in its apparent willingness to halt nuclear tests if it held denuclearisation talks with the United States, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday as U.S., South Korean and Japanese officials voiced scepticism about any discussions.

After returning from the United States, the South Korean officials will split up and Chung will visit China and Russia, while Suh will head to Japan to speak to officials in the respective countries on the latest detente with North Korea.

(Reporting by Christine Kim in SEOUL and Lisa Lambert in WASHINGTON; Editing by Will Dunham and Michael Perry)
Colombo (AFP) - Sri Lanka Tuesday declared a nationwide state of emergency to quell anti-Muslim riots that have killed at least two people and damaged dozens of mosques and homes.

"The cabinet of ministers decided on tough measures, including a 10-day nationwide state of emergency," Minister of City Planning Rauff Hakeem said as police imposed a curfew in the riot-hit central district of Kandy.

The government deployed heavily-armed police commandos in the hill station region, which is popular with tourists, after rioters defied an overnight curfew and went on the rampage.

The curfew in the district was extended after the body of a Muslim man was pulled from the ashes of a burnt building, threatening to further raise communal tensions that have flared up across Sri Lanka in recent weeks.

The emergency declaration gives authorities sweeping powers to arrest and detain suspects for long periods, and allows the government to deploy forces where needed.

It is the first time in seven years Sri Lanka has resorted to such a measure. The island nation was under a state of emergency for nearly three decades as government forces battled Tamil rebels in a civil war that ended in 2009.

Hakeem said the riots were concentrated in Kandy -- home to famous tea plantations and Buddhist relics -- but the government wanted to send a strong message given outbreaks of communal violence elsewhere recently.

A police spokesman said earlier Tuesday hundreds of commandos from the police Special Task Force had been deployed to Kandy to restore order and enforce the curfew.

Muslim homes, business and mosques were badly damaged in riots Monday triggered by the death of a Sinhalese man at the hands of a mob last week.

The Sinhalese are a mainly Buddhist ethnic group making up nearly three-quarters of Sri Lanka's 21 million people. Muslims account for 10 percent of its population.

More than two dozen arrests have been made and an inquiry opened into police conduct in Kandy, just the latest region to be plagued by religious and ethnic conflict.

Story continues

Mobs set fire to Muslim-owned businesses and attacked a mosque in the east of the country last week after a Muslim chef was accused of adding contraceptives to food sold to Sinhalese.

The government dismissed the allegation as baseless and ordered the arrest of those fomenting unrest in the area.

Last November riots in the south of the island left one man dead and homes and vehicles damaged.

In June 2014 riots between Buddhists and Muslims left four dead and many injured.

That violence was instigated by a Buddhist extremist group whose leaders are on trial accused of spurring religious conflict.
If she wins her new court case, adult film star Stormy Daniels would have to return $130,000 she took after signing a hush agreement over her alleged affair with President Donald Trump, says a criminal defense lawyer.

In Los Angeles County Superior Court, Danielswhose real name is Stephanie Cliffordfiled suit against Trump on Tuesday, claiming the agreement is null and void and of no consequence because he did not sign it.

Trump denies having an affair with Clifford, who is working to ensure she is free of any legal obligations so that she can publicly discuss her alleged relations with the now-president. Her suit claims she had an intimate relationship with Trump between 2006 and 2007.

Trending: Geneva Auto Show 2018: From High Performance Supercars to Wacky Robo-Vehicles and Everything In Between

Cliffords lawyer Michael Avenatti told ABCs Today Show Wednesday that she had a sexual relationship with Trump.

Stormy Daniels felt bad for Melania after Trump affair

Ethan Miller/Getty

Sara Azari, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who frequently provides legal analysis on CNN and Fox News, tweeted: Her lawsuit is seeking a ruling that shes not bound by the #HushAgreement. Shell have to pay back the $130,000 but who cares? Her story is worth a lot more!

Don't miss: Stormy Daniels' Attorney Says, 'Yes,' Porn Star Had Sexual Relationship With Donald Trump on NBC's 'Today' Show

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Cliffords manager Gina Rodriguez did not return a response to Newsweeks questions on how much her client is looking to sell her story for.

Azari pointed out that the original agreement calls for $1 million in liquidated damages (penalty) if it is violated. 1. Its unconscionable and disproportionate to the $130k payment therefore may not be enforced, she wrote, and 2. in reality, rarely are these damages sought by the defendant, here Trump.

Story continues

A ruling that the original agreement is null and void would mean that the money would need to be reimbursed.

Read more: "Stormy Daniels Rampway" should run near Trump-honoring highway in Utah, Democrat says

Most popular: Betsy DeVos's Visit to Parkland High School Draws Criticism from Shooting Survivors

Clifford would need to pay the money back to Trumps lawyer Michael Cohen, who told The New York Times last month that he paid Clifford out of his own pocket. The payment was routed through a shell company called Essential Consultants LLC.

On Monday The Wall Street Journal reported that Cohen has complained to friends that he had not been reimbursed for the payment. The report said that Cohens bank reported the wire transfer to the Treasury Department because it appeared suspicious.

Daniels is one of two womenincluding a former Playboy Playmatewho are under non-disclosure agreements forged with Trump associates as a result of allegations they carried on affairs with Trump before he became president.

As many as 16 other women have accused Trump of various forms of sexual misconduct, ranging from sexual harassment to sexual assault over a span of decades.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
The attorney representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Trump said on Wednesday that she had a sexual relationship with Trump.

In the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, states that she had an intimate relationship with Trump beginning in 2006 that lasted about a year. At the time, Trump had been married to his wife, Melania, for less than two years.

The suit seeks to void a nondisclosure agreement negotiated weeks before the 2016 election, for which Daniels was reportedly paid $130,000 by Trumps attorney, Michael Cohen.

On NBCs Today show, Danielss lawyer, Michael Avenatti, was asked if she had a sexual relationship with the president.

Yes, Avenatti replied. Daniels herself has not publicly affirmed the alleged relationship since it was first reported in January.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The White House has denied Danielss claim.

Weve addressed our feelings on that situation and I dont have anything else to add, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Wednesday morning.

At a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Sanders said that Trump has denied the allegations against him, adding that this case has already been won in arbitration. She did not elaborate when pressed about details on the arbitration case.

Sanders said she did not know if Trump had spoken to Cohen nor whether the president knew about his lawyers payment to the porn star.

In the suit, Daniels and her lawyer contend that the nondisclosure agreement was never signed by Trump, which they argue makes the agreement null and void.

The complaint also alleges that late last month Cohen surreptitiously initiated a bogus arbitration proceeding against Daniels. According to the suit, Cohen did so without even providing [Daniels] with notice of the proceeding and basic due process.

The extent of Mr. Trumps involvement in these efforts is presently unknown, the suit adds, but it strains credibility to conclude that Mr. Cohen is acting on his own accord and without the express approval and knowledge of his client Mr. Trump.

Story continues

Last month, Cohen said that he paid Daniels without the knowledge of the Trump Organization or the Trump campaign and was never reimbursed for the payout. He maintains the agreement does not constitute an admission of the affair.

Just because something isnt true doesnt mean that it cant cause you harm or damage, Cohen said at the time. I will always protect Mr. Trump.

Meanwhile, Democratic Reps. Ted Lieu and Kathleen Rice are calling for an FBI investigation into what they describe as the Trump Organizations hush money payments to both Daniels and Karen McDougal, a former Playboy playmate. Payments to keep embarrassing information from becoming public might be considered political expenditures and, if not disclosed in public reports, could constitute a violation of federal election laws.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

According to the suit, Daniels was preparing to go public with details about her alleged affair with Trump after the release of the infamous Access Hollywood tape on which Trump was caught bragging about sexually assaulting women. Cohen aggressively sought to silence her, the suit alleges, and Daniels and Cohen signed the nondisclosure agreement on Oct. 28, 2016  just nine days before the election.

Nullifying the agreement would presumably require Daniels to repay the $130,000 she received for signing it. But her story could be worth much more than that if she is free to sell it.

A copy of the agreement attached to the lawsuit states that Daniels has confidential information related to Trump, which includes information, certain still images and/or text messages.

On the Today show, Avenatti was asked whether Daniels still had those images.

Thats a question Ms. Daniels will have to ultimately answer, he said. I do know the answer and Im not at liberty to disclose that this morning.

Read a full copy of the lawsuit filed by Daniels below:

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Stephanie Clifford (aka Stormy Daniels), who claims she had an affair with Donald Trump, is now suing the president.

According to a lawsuit Clifford filed in Los Angeles on Tuesday, a copy of which was obtained by NBC News, Trump didnt sign a nondisclosure agreement with the former adult film star, which blocked her from disclosing their 2006 relationship. According to the suit, Clifford and Trumps lawyer signed the document, but Trump did not, allegedly making the agreement null and void.

According to Tuesdays suit, Clifford and Trumps attorney Michael Cohen both signed what it calls a hush agreement and a side letter agreement on Oct. 28, 2016, just 11 days before the presidential election. The documents are appended to the lawsuit.

The 2016 hush agreement detailed that $130,000 would be paid to Cliffords then-attorney in exchange for Clifford not disclosing any confidential information about Trump or his sexual partners. The suit claims Clifford and Trumps intimate relationship started in the summer of 2006 and went well into the year 2007.

This relationship included, among other things, at least one meeting with Mr. Trump in a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel located within Los Angeles County, the suit claims.

Cliffords attorney, Michael Avenatti, released a copy of the complaint for declaratory relief on Twitter on Tuesday.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

In January, The Wall Street Journal reported that Clifford had an affair with Trump in 2006, the year after he married Melania Knauss on Jan. 22, 2005, and a few months after their son, Barron, was born on March 20.

The suit claims that Trump aggressively sought to silence Ms. Clifford as part of an effort to avoid her telling the truth through the intervention of Cohen. The report said Clifford was paid $130,000 to sign a nondisclosure agreement and not discuss the relationship.

At the time of the Journals report, Cliffords lawyer released a statement from the actress denying the affair. But Tuesdays lawsuit said Clifford was forced into signing that denial by Cohen through intimidation and coercive tactics.

Story continues

Clifford also claims that Cohen had tried to block her from talking about the affair as recently as Feb. 27.

Put simply, considerable steps have been taken by Mr. Cohen in the last week to silence Ms. Clifford, the claim reads. The extent of Mr. Trumps involvement in these efforts is presently unknown, but it strains credibility to conclude that Mr. Cohen is acting on his own accord.

After Cohen told The New York Times last month that he had in fact paid Clifford $130,000 in 2016, Clifford said she was free to tell her story because Cohens discussion of the agreement invalidated it. Cohen at the time did not say what the payment was for and said that neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign reimbursed him for the payment.

The White House has denied the affair.

Attorney Avenatti told HuffPost late Tuesday: We confirm all facts as alleged in the complaint.

HuffPost also reached out to the White House and Cohen for comment but did not receive a response as of this posting.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
(Reuters) - A 23-year-old Utica College student was arrested on Tuesday over threatening calls he is suspected of making that led to a lockdown at the upstate New York school the previous day, police said.

Fahrudin Omerovic, a student at the college who took classes online, was arrested at his home on suspicion of making the calls to the college and police on Monday and Tuesday, Utica Police Chief Mark Williams told a news conference.

The lockdown at the private college about 45 miles (72 km) east of Syracuse came at a time of heightened tension in U.S schools, after a gunman killed 17 people at a Florida high school on Feb. 14.

Omerovic was on the Utica College campus when he made the threats, using a phone app that hid his identity, Walker said. He faces multiple charges, including making a terroristic threat, which carries a sentence of between two and seven years, authorities said.

Police said on Monday they had received a threat from someone who said they were armed. Walker said they found no weapons in Omerovic's possession and declined to comment on a motive for the calls.

The campus was not locked down again on Tuesday as authorities determined Omerovic did not pose a significant threat, police said.

It could not be immediately determined if Omerovic had a lawyer to comment.

(Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico, Additional reporting by Suzannah Gonzales, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) - With the specter of two past summits that failed to blunt North Korea's nuclear ambitions, South Korean officials planning talks next month now face the thorny task of overcoming familiar sticking points with the threat of war looming over any failure. A South Korean delegation returned home on Tuesday from a first-ever meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, to announce the agreement on a North-South summit next month, the first since 2007. Seoul officials see the talks as the starting point of President Moon Jae-in's initiative to denuclearize and build lasting peace on the peninsula, beginning with a freeze in the North's nuclear program and ending in its complete abolishment. "While pursuing a fundamental resolution of the standoff, we need to take some initial denuclearization steps, putting a halt to further testing and returning to dialogue," a senior South Korean government official said on condition of anonymity. "One could argue we would be deceived by the North as we have been for the last 20 years, but that's the past - we have different people and different programs now," the official said. Moon said on Wednesday he had suggested to the North a rough roadmap progressing from a nuclear freeze to denuclearization, an opposition party chair told reporters after meeting with him. But Moon said there won't be "many agreements" to come out of the summit, according to a ruling party lawmaker who took part in the meeting. Moon also called a 2005 deal of six-nation nuclear talks, under which Pyogyang agreed to give up its nuclear program in return for economic and energy aid and an end to its diplomatic isolation, a "failed model", the first politician said. FAMILIAR PATTERN Former officials in Washington and Tokyo reacted with scepticism to the North's offer of talks on denuclearization, seeing a familiar pattern of threats followed by talks that fail to win significant concessions. Chief among the disagreements that have scuttled past efforts to defuse the standoff is North Korea's requests for security guarantees in return for abandoning its nuclear weapons. During talks with Moon's envoys this week, the North expressed its willingness to denuclearize if military threats against it are eliminated, and the security of its regime is guaranteed, without presenting precise conditions. "(North Korea) has never said what they mean by the guarantee of regime security," one former senior South Korean official told Reuters. "That means it's up to them to decide whether the security is guaranteed or not, and that means they have full control." Pyongyang has protested South Korea-U.S. joint military drills as a rehearsal of war. It has also called the roughly 28,000 American troops stationed in South Korea a potential invasion force that can only be countered by a robust nuclear deterrent. The North's official KCNA news agency said on Wednesday the United States is "getting frantic" with the deployment of U.S. troops on the Korean peninsula and their drills to get "familiar with its terrain and arms buildup there". Moon's special advisor Moon Chung-in has raised the possibility for a possible pullout of U.S. forces, saying the president has the right to "let them out". Moon declined to comment on the summit, saying: "We will see." SECURITY GUARANTEE? Any discussion of a U.S. troop withdrawal will be fraught, however, as both Seoul and Washington see them as a bulwark against North Korean provocations. "For the North, a peace treaty and denuclearization means the removal of U.S. forces from not only the peninsula but also Japan and other bases in the Pacific theater," said Kim Young-mok, a former South Korean diplomat who was involved in the making of a 1994 freeze-for-aid framework deal between Pyongyang and Washington. "We responded by pledging non-aggression, but I guess it wasn't enough." South Korean officials expect the issue to arise again, but are hoping Pyongyang won't make impossible demands. Another senior official acknowledged the difficulty in making progress in any peace talks without addressing the issue of eliminating the military threat to North Korea and guaranteeing the security of its regime. "The North bring up disarmament talks and the withdrawal of U.S. forces", the official said. "If they do, things could get ugly quickly despite the summit, and the South Korea-U.S. alliance would face serious problems. But if the North were to move things forward, they would hopefully present something more realistic." Wi Sung-lac, a former South Korean nuclear negotiator, said there needs to be clearer mutual understanding of the definition of denuclearization to facilitate future talks. "It's unlikely to see any tangible outcome on the nuclear issue before the summit," he said. "The United States and North Korea could sit together at the negotiating table in the meantime, which would provide better optics for the summit but probably not in terms of substance." (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Christine Kim; Editing by Josh Smith and Lincoln Feast)


Womens March co-founder Tamika Mallory has come under fire this week. (Photo: Getty Images)

The Womens March organization  decried from the start for being non-inclusive by a variety of critics, including some trans women, women of color, sex workers, and even anti-abortion activists  can now add another rapidly growing group of people to that list: Jewish feminists. Or, more broadly, those who oppose anti-Semitism in general.

The latest controversy stems from Womens March cofounder Tamika Mallory and her recent attendance at a speech given by the incendiary Nation of Islam leader and noted anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan.

Satan is going down. Farrakhan has pulled the cover off the eyes of the Satanic Jew, and Im here to say your time is up, your world is through, the controversial leader said in what was reportedly a three-hour speech given in Chicago on Feb. 26 in honor of Saviours Day, a Nation of Islam holiday celebrating the birth of its founder. You good Jews better separate, because the satanic ones will take you to hell with them, because thats where they are headed.

Mallory posted a quick Instagram video from the event, plus photos, and was mentioned on the stage by Farrakhan, according to a report by the Anti-Defamation League.

He even mentioned the Womens March, saying that while he thought the event was a good thing, women need to learn how to cook, so their husbands dont become obese, the ADL reported. Tamika Mallory, one of the March organizers, was in the audience, and got a special shout-out from Farrakhan. Mallory posted two Instagram photos from the event, which Carmen Perez, another Womens March organizer, commented on with raise the roof emojis.

Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam (Photo: Getty Images)

This is far from the first public calling-out of Mallorys association with Farrakhan (not to mention repeated charges of anti-Semitism aimed at co-founder and pro-Palestinian activist Linda Sarsour), but this one  stoked by Jake Tapper of CNN  appears to be a churning storm that just keeps gaining power, and from which, for many people, there may be no turning back.

Story continues

Tamika Mallory has not just gone to see a man oozing of such hatred speak. She has publicly endorsed him, noted Elad Nehorai in an opinion piece for the Forward. She has refused to back down for her attendance. She has refused to denounce his words. She has composed her own anti-Semitic dog-whistling comment. And she has thanked others for supporting her attendance.

Much of the increasing blowback has indeed been related to Mallorys response tweets (which she chose to do rather than release an official statement immediately). Many critics have criticized the official Womens March response as being too little, too late.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The statement, provided to Yahoo Lifestyle and posted on social media by the Womens March, reads in part: Anti-Semitism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, racism and white supremacy are and always will be indefensible. Womens March is committed to fighting all forms of oppression as outlined in our Unity Principles. We will not tolerate anti-Semitism, racism, misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia and we condemn these expressions of hatred in all forms.

The statement continues: Womens March is an intersectional movement made up of organizers with different backgrounds, who work in different communities. Within the Womens March movement, we are very conscious of the conversations that must be had across the intersections of race, religion and gender. We love and value our sister and co-President Tamika Mallory, who has played a key role in shaping these conversations. Neither we nor she shy away from the fact that intersectional movement building is difficult and often painful.

Womens March co-founders Tamika Mallory, right, and Linda Sarsour, at the Power to the Polls event in Las Vegas. (Photo: Getty Images)

It concludes: Minister Farrakhans statements about Jewish, queer, and trans people are not aligned with the Womens March Unity Principles, which were created by women of color leaders and are grounded in Kingian Nonviolence. Womens March is holding conversations with queer, trans, Jewish and Black members of both our team and larger movement to create space for understanding and healing.

[UPDATE: On Wednesday, Mallory addressed the controversy through an op-ed she wrote for Newsone, a news source for Blacks in America, in which she said, in part: I have heard the pain and concerns of my LGBTQAI siblings, my Jewish friends and Black women (including those who do and those who dont check off either of those other boxes.) I affirm the validity of those feelings, and as I continue to grow and learn as both an activist and as a woman, I will continue to grapple with the complicated nature of working across ideological lines and the question of how to do so without causing harm to vulnerable people.]

Mallory had addressed questions regarding her support of Farrakhan (already known by many who have been following the issue) in a Canadian public television interview on Feb. 16, before she spoke at a New Democratic Party (NDP) Convention in Ottawa.

I think people have to ask Mr. Farrakhan about his views. Im not responsible for Mr. Farrakhan, nor am I a spokesperson for him, Mallory said. What I do know is that Ive worked with him for many years to address some of the ills in the black community where weve transformed lives. Under his guidance, there have been many people who have turned away from drugs, away from crime, to get themselves cleaned up. Many black men have reentered their homes to take care of their families. In those areas, weve been able to work together.

When further pressed by the interviewer about how her support could be troubling to many Womens March supporters, she said, I would be afraid to go into your families and check to see all the people that you have dinner with and break bread with during holidays.  So when we start this moral purity question, it really is a pretty dangerous road to travel.

Mallory then attempted to shift attention to her own activism. If we just look at the Womens March, the most recent action that I was involved with, and something that I led, it was truly intersectional.  Thats the work that we need to be focused on.

As part of that work, at the Womens March Power to the Polls event in Las Vegas on Jan. 21, Mallory gave a rousing speech, calling out many of the white women in the audience. Dont come to this rally today and sit here with your pink hat on, saying that youre with us and youre nowhere to be found when black people ask you to show up in the streets and defend our lives.  Stand up for me, white woman. Come to my aid.

She spoke with Yahoo Lifestyle about that powerful moment recently. It is always very uncomfortable to be the one or to be among the few who are willing to speak truth to power  even when you happen to be speaking to people who are considered to be friends  and no one wants to be that girl, if you will, Mallory said. That youre the one who is constantly removing the veil from some of these really deep, hurtful, and confrontational discussions is not a popular position.  But Im able to sleep better at night with myself, knowing that I am not just sort of existing within the space without being a part of the voices that actually transform the space.

Now, the fact that Mallory has not personally denounced Farrakhans bigoted beliefs has put many other women in that same position of removing the veil, some believing that her silence in this instance makes her  and the other March co-founders  complicit in them.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Some Jewish feminists, in particular, expressed feelings of abandonment and disappointment.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Mallory still has plenty of prominent activists in her corner, including Donna Lieberman of the New York Civil Liberties Union, and writer and Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King, who both tweeted support.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

But a pointed essay in the Medium, An Open Letter to Tamika Mallory, takes the activist to task over a particular phrase  enemies of Jesus  used in one of Mallorys tweets.

Perhaps you truly do not know that the phrase enemies of Jesus is an anti-Semitic dog whistle, writes Ariela Bee, that goes back to when the Romans converted to Christianity and they needed a religious narrative that would suit the political demands of the empire. But in any case, she continues, she is hurt.

Let me be very clear: I am not hurt because you are a black woman who is tweeting these words.  I am hurt because you are a leader who is tweeting these words, Bee writes. You have influence. You have visibility. You do not force anyone involved in the Womens March to follow you. People follow you because you have power. Because you have power, your words have the power to hurt.

Adding to that growing chorus this week was Lily Herman, writing for Refinery 29 and laying out not only the recent Farrakhan situation but past evidence of anti-Semitism on the part of Sarsour and another Womens March co-founder, Carmen Perez.

Understandably, the Jewish community  particularly people who have supported the Womens March and other social justice causes  wanted answers. We also wanted something that most thought would be pretty simple for a bunch of women who spend their days parading around their intersectionality: We wanted them to denounce anti-Semitism and the words Farrakhan said against Jews. This isnt a new thing; after all, we ask public figures to denounce awful people and hate speech all the time, she wrote. To say we didnt get that is an understatement.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
A teacher was suspended from Crystal River Middle School after reports she hosted a white supremacist podcast: Google Maps

A Florida school teacher has been removed from the classroom following reports that she hosted a white supremacist podcast in her spare time.

Dayanna Volitich, a social studies teacher at Crystal River Middle School in Florida, was identified by the Huffington Post as the host of white supremacist podcast Unapologetic, where she argued that some races are smarter than others and bragged about bringing white supremacist views into the classroom under the pseudonym Tiana Dalichov.

Citrus County School District announced shortly after the article was published that the teacher had been barred from the classroom, pending a formal investigation.

The Human Resources department was notified and an investigation was initiated immediately, superintendent Sandra Himmel said in a statement. The teacher has been removed from the classroom and the investigation is ongoing.

But Ms Volitich denied being a white nationalist or white supremacist in a statement to New Channel 8, claiming that the opinions voiced on her podcast were satire.

While operating under the Russian pseudonym Tiana Dalichov on social media and the Unapologetic Podcast, I employed political satire and exaggeration, mainly to the end of attracting listeners and followers, and generating conversation about the content discussed between myself and my guests, she said. The views Tiana Dalichov espouses do not pervade my professional career.

Ms Volitich referred to her podcast as a hobby, and denied bringing her political beliefs into her teaching.

The 25-year-old has since deleted all social media accounts connected to both Dayanna Volitich and Tiana Dalichov. According to the Citrus County Chronicle, she had garnered nearly 1,4000 Twitter followers before removing her account.

The Twitter account for Tiana Dalichov" regularly espoused white supremacist views, according to screenshots published by the Huffington Post. Among other things, she appears to have tweeted that it isnt supremacist or hateful to prefer your own people over others, and argued that systemic racism is not real.

Story continues

In a recent episode of her podcast, obtained by the Chronicle, Dalichov said: "I would pretty much say, yeah, OK, if believing that certain races specialise in certain things makes me racist then I guess thats what I am."

In another episode, she recalled how her school principal once confronted her about complaints that she brought her political bias in the classroom. She said she lied to her principal, claiming she had done no such thing.

She believed me and backed off, "Dalichov" said.
Texas Sen Ted Cruz has been called out for attacking his Democratic opponent for using a nickname, even though he does the same thing.

Mr Cruz was giving an interview on CNN Tuesday night when Chris Cuomo brought up a campaign jingle that mocks Rep Beto O'Rourke for going by Beto instead of his given name, Robert. Mr O'Rourke won the Democratic primary that same night, and will be competing to unseat Mr Cruz this November.

"You go after Beto for his name. Beto is obviously a nickname  why?" Cuomo asked. "First of all, you didn't like that dirty pool when you were running for president and the President called you 'Lyin' Ted', you didn't like that kind of tactic."

"And you know what, your name is Rafael, you go by Ted but your middle name is Edward, that's a more Anglicized version of it," Cuomo continued. "He went the other way and has a more ethnic version of his name  why go after him? You're doing the same thing."

Mr Cruz then agreed  sort of.

"You're absolutely right, my name is Rafael Edward Cruz," he said. "In terms of the jingle, some of it is just have a sense of humour."

Mr O'Rourke has dismissed the jingle, which says that the candidate changed his name to "fit in" with Democrats.

"I just don't think that's what folks in Texas want us to focus on," Mr O'Rourke said in a separate CNN interview. "We can get into name calling or talk about why the other person's such an awful guy, or we can focus on the big things we want to do for the future of our country."

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

What appears to be a strong pro-Democratic sentiment in the United States in response to the presidency of Donald Trump has left some wondering if Mr Cruz might be in danger of losing his seat, even though Texas has historically been a reliably Republican stronghold.

Mr O'Rourke has given some hope to his backers, out-fundraising Mr Cruz last quarter and showing that he plans on aggressively campaigning in the coming months.

Story continues

Still, his chances of winning at this point are still something of a long shot. The likely voter population in Texas leans Republican, according to Gallup polling last year, meaning that the Democrat would have to launch a strong get out the vote effort and inspire a lot of enthusiasm.

There is little polling on the race at this point, but the few surveys that have been conducted so far suggest that Mr Cruz is favoured, even though Texans disapprove of the leader of his party  Mr Trump  about as much as the country as a whole does.
Thousands of sea creatures have perished in the extreme cold weather (SWNS)

This shocking images show tens of thousands of dead starfish washed up on a UK beach following the extreme cold snap.

The bizarre scene in Ramsgate, Kent, was described as like the armageddon by wildlife enthusiast Lara Maiklem, 47, who photographed the phenomenon.

She said thousands and thousands of starfish and other sea creatures were washed ashore following the spell of subzero temperatures.

Lara went to the beach with her five-year-old twins, Edie and Beau.

They also discovered something equally as bizarre among the dead wildlife.

She said: There were starfish as far as the eye could see, there were fish in there and sea urchins.

I think someone found a lobster in there as well  and some false teeth.

The Beast from the East had a devastating impact on marine wildlife (SWNS)

Lara, who is currently working on a book documenting her mudlarking, said the mass of starfish stretched from Ramsgate to neighbouring beaches in Broadstairs.

MOST POPULAR TODAY ON YAHOO

Seagulls and other birds were also among the dead wildlife.

Lara added: The beast killed quite a lot of creatures. We saved as many as we could but it was like the armageddon.

She shared the pictures on her London Mudlark Facebook page, which has more than 30,000 followers.

On the post, others commented describing similar scenes elsewhere.

The mass of starfish stretched from Ramsgate to neighbouring beaches in Broadstairs (SWNS)

Chris Keyworth said: Its a natural phenomenon which happens all around our coast every year without the storms, normally you get one or the other dying off in stages  one day its crabs, the next its sea stars, the next jellyfish.

Lara, who works in publishing and has been mudlarking for 25 years, added: All around the country there seem to be creatures being washed up in huge numbers.

Story continues

A few days ago I went for a walk down there and found a lot of dead seagulls  there seemed to be quite a lot of dead birds.

There must have been thousands and thousands of starfish, and lots of crabs as well.

Some of the crabs were still alive so we took them back to the rockpools.

The children were amazed  and a bit disgusted.
WASHINGTON (AP)  As far as Africa's concerned, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the Trump administration have some explaining to do.

President Donald Trump's description of "shithole countries" in January was greeted with a mix of horror and outrage in Africa, where many don't know what to think about the U.S. president  or what he thinks of them. He's rarely spoken about priorities for the continent, which garnered a mere seven paragraphs on the very last pages of Trump's National Security Strategy.

It falls to Tillerson to mend the damage as he travels to the continent on Tuesday, becoming the most senior U.S. official to set foot there since Trump took office more than a year ago.

Tillerson, in a speech laying out the administration's Africa policy, said the continent's rapid economic growth and fast-rising populations mean its future is increasingly linked to America's. He said the U.S. was committed to helping, but that prosperity and basic stability would be impossible until the security situation is brought under control.

"My firm belief is that there is ample opportunity on the continent for economic growth, for greater prosperity, and for responding to global challenges through mutually respectful partnerships," Tillerson said.

It's a starkly different message from the one Trump delivered in a meeting with U.S. lawmakers this year that soon became public, forcing humiliated U.S. ambassadors to apologize and Trump to send a letter to African leaders affirming his respect.

Making Tillerson's job harder, he's showing up on the continent with few concrete goals or new actions to announce. As one senior State Department official briefing reporters on condition of anonymity put it: "There's really no deliverables."

Trump hasn't announced a signature initiative to help the continent, such as the PEPFAR program for HIV/AIDS that George W. Bush started, and many of his sweeping budget cuts affect overseas programs that disproportionately help Africa. Tillerson did announce Tuesday an additional $533 million in humanitarian assistance to help with famine and conflict-related needs in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria, but it was unclear exactly where the money would come from.

Story continues

For Tillerson, who did not visit Africa during his first year as the top U.S. diplomat, it may be that the best way to show deference to a continent suspicious of Trump is to listen. State Department officials said Tillerson wanted to hear from leaders in Africa in what ways they're most eager to collaborate with the United States.

"It may be a listening tour for him, but it's also a watching tour" for everyone else, said Witney Schneidman, a former Africa official at the State Department now at the Brookings Institution. "When do we get to see the outlines of what the Trump Africa policy is?"

Fueling skepticism that Trump's administration has thought much about Africa is a long list of vacancies that made planning for his visit all the more difficult. Trump has not named an assistant secretary for Africa to oversee the continent, nor an ambassador to key countries like South Africa. It was unclear how many opportunities Tillerson would have to engage substantively with key leaders and African institutions such as the G5 Sahel joint counterterrorism force given the rapid pace and last-minute nature of his trip.

Tillerson plans to arrive Wednesday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, currently under a state of emergency to control anti-government protests. The day before Tillerson's departure, about 100 protesters gathered outside Tillerson's office in Washington chanting against the government.

He will spend about a week on the continent visiting countries that play key roles in addressing Africa's security challenges, including Nigeria, Chad and Djibouti, which houses the only permanent U.S. military base in Africa.

In Djibouti, China's development of its first overseas military base just a few miles away has been cause for concern for the U.S., illustrating the military side of a broader competition between the U.S. and China playing out across the continent. Another top concern is African nations' growing indebtedness to Beijing, which is building infrastructure across the continent.

Tillerson, in his speech, warned that China's approach to development in Africa "encourages dependency" that undermines its sovereignty and risks its stability.

"Chinese investment has the potential to address Africa's infrastructure gap, but its approach has led to mounting debt and few if any jobs in most countries," Tillerson said.

Tillerson will also visit Kenya, where the political system is in turmoil over disputes related to President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election. The government reacted aggressively when opposition leader Raila Odinga held a mock inauguration, shutting down TV stations and arresting opposition politicians, but the U.S. has largely voiced support for Kenyatta.

The trip comes as the Trump administration reverses course  again  on whether to let Americans import the body parts of African elephants shot for recreation. In November, after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it would lift the Obama-era ban, Trump personally intervened to keep it in place. But word emerged Tuesday that the administration would start approving elephant trophy importing on a "case-by-case" basis.

Of the half-billion dollars Tillerson announced, about $184 million will help those affected by conflict in South Sudan and $110 million for those in Somalia, the State Department said. Another $110 million was destined for Ethiopia to help amid a drought. The U.S. planned to direct $128 million to help Nigeria and the Lake Chad region nations.

Though he has yet to visit as diplomat, Tillerson is not a stranger to Africa, which he visited frequently in search of deals in his previous job as CEO of Exxon Mobil. The energy behemoth has significant business dealings in sub-Saharan Africa, including in Chad, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

___

Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP
Dunedin (New Zealand) (AFP) - Injury-hit Ross Taylor played through the pain to score a remarkable unbeaten 181 and seal a series-levelling win for New Zealand in the fourth one-day international against England Wednesday.

Taylor limped through much of his innings in Dunedin after aggravating a thigh injury, but batted on to compile a career-best innings and make it 2-2 in the series with one to play.

New Zealand ended on 339 for five in reply to England's 335 for nine, winning by five wickets and taking the five-match series to a crunch decider in Christchurch on Saturday.

Taylor scored 17 fours and six sixes as New Zealand reached the target with three balls to spare, wincing with pain after every shot in the latter half of his innings.

"It's still sinking in," he said after tearfully leaving the field to a standing ovation, revealing team medics gave him the option of retiring hurt due to the pain.

"I was glad I made the decision to stay out there and swing."

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson rated Taylor's innings as "one of the great one-day knocks" and said he hoped the batsman would be fit for the decider.

"Ross's knock was just sensational, he's kind of been batting like that all year," he said.

"Hopefully his injuries are minor and we can see him in the next game."

- England collapse -

Taylor's heroics in scoring his 19th ODI century overshadowed a fine batting performance from England, marred by a late collapse that cost them dearly.

Jonny Bairstow blazed his way to 138 off 106 balls and Joe Root grafted out a hard-fought 102 before England self-destructed late in their innings.

England captain Eoin Morgan had no explanation for the collapse but was confident his side's deep batting line-up would not fail so spectacularly again.

"It isn't ideal. Normally one of us (batsmen) comes off, so it is a first," he said.

"We won't look into it too much at the moment if he happens consistently we'll have to do something."

Story continues

New Zealand's chase started disastrously when openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro both went for ducks.

Kane Williamson and Taylor rebuilt with an 84-run partnership before England's star all-rounder Ben Stokes dismissed the New Zealand captain at 45 in the 17th over.

Taylor and Tom Latham then combined for a 187-run partnership, with Latham contributing 71.

Taylor's injury came when he was on 109 and had to dive to avoid a run-out, inflaming the thigh strain that forced him out of the previous match in the series.

Unable to run freely, he concentrated on hitting boundaries, taking New Zealand to the position where they needed 80 off the final 10 overs.

- Nervy Nicholls -

England slowed New Zealand's momentum with Latham's dismissal and Colin de Grandhomme's departure on 23.

Henry Nicholls looked nervy when he came to the crease but worked well to give Taylor most of the strike.

With three runs needed off the final over, Nicholls faced two dot balls then smashed Tom Curran for six to seal the win.

England should have put the match beyond reach after Bairstow and Root had them at 267 for 1 in the 38th over.

But Bairstow's departure sparked a collapse that saw six wickets go for 21 runs, ending their hopes of setting a monster total on the small University Oval ground.

A late cameo of 22 off 10 balls from Curran added a degree of difficulty to the target but also showed New Zealand's batsmen that there were runs in the pitch.

Ish Sodhi led the Black Caps' fightback with the ball, taking four for 58, while Colin Munro and Trent Boult took two wickets apiece.
WASHINGTON  In the latest staff shakeup to rattle the White House, President Trumps most senior economic adviser, former investment banker Gary Cohn, will leave his post in a few weeks, it was announced Tuesday. Cohn leaves after scoring a victory with a vast tax-cut law but suffering a defeat with the looming imposition of U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular the passage of historic tax reform, Cohn said in a statement distributed by Trumps press office. I am grateful to the President for giving me this opportunity and wish him and the Administration great success in the future.

It was not immediately clear who would replace Cohn, a free-trade Democrat who served as president and chief operating officer for the Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs for a decade but found himself in frequent clashes with the protectionist forces in Trumps West Wing. Allies of Stephen Bannon, the nationalist former senior strategist purged last year, mockingly referred to him as Globalist Gary.

Cohn also found himself at odds with Trump himself, notably after the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., where one counter-protester was killed. The president said that marchers opposing neo-Nazis and anti-Semites were as responsible for the violence as the far-right demonstrators, leading Cohn to criticize his boss in an interview in the Financial Times.

An administration official said Cohn had been discussing his departure with the president for a few weeks.

Gary has been my chief economic advisor and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again, Trump said in a statement. He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people.

Cohns departure raised questions about ongoing economic issues  like the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) binding the U.S., Canada and Mexico. He was a known supporter of the pact, while U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer and White House trade adviser Peter Navarro both fit in the nationalist wing of the White House.

Story continues

The chances of more bad economic policy coming from the White House dramatically increased, a former White House staffer told Yahoo News, discussing Cohns departure. Hopefully, the president will bring in someone who shares Garys point of view, so there can be robust policy debates, instead of everything being dictated by Navarro and Lighthizer. Also, NAFTA deathwatch begins now.

Cohn at a World Economic Forum meeting Jan. 25 in Davos between President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The former staffer also predicted that Cohns exit could lead to turmoil on Wall Street.

Be interesting to watch market tomorrow, the former staffer said.

A Trump ally who spoke to Yahoo News framed Cohns departure as a defeat for the former Goldman Sachs executive, who, before breaking with Trump after Charlottesville, was said to be in the running to head the Federal Reserve or become White House chief of staff.

The Swamp devours Wall Streets golden boy Gary Cohn, the Trump ally said in a text message. Didnt become fed chair, didnt become CoS, didnt stop tariffs.

Cohns departure came shortly after Trump declared I like conflict among senior aides but defended his White House as a great place to work  despite the unusually high staff turnover, the confusion over major policies and the unexpected salvos from the Twitterer-in-chief.

Its tough, I like conflict, I like having two people with different points of view  and I certainly have that  and then I make a decision, he said at a joint press conference with visiting Prime Minister Stefan Lofven of Sweden. But I like watching it, I like seeing it, and I think its the best way to go.

Earlier in the day, Trump had denied that his West Wing was in chaos, but added cryptically, I still have some people that I want to change. That poured fuel on speculation that he could part ways with Cabinet officials with whom he has had major disagreements, such as Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin or Attorney General Jeff Sessions, or senior aides like national security adviser H.R. McMaster and chief of staff John Kelly.

Asked at the press conference whether his comment might have referred to Sessions, Trump told reporters: I dont really want to talk about that before going on an extended riff about what a great place his West Wing is.

The White House has tremendous energy, it has tremendous spirit. It is a great place to be working. Many, many people want every single job, he said.

You know, I read where Oh, gee, maybe people dont want to work for Trump. And believe me, everyone wants to work in the White House, Trump declared. They all want a piece of that Oval Office, they want a piece of the West Wing. Not only in terms of it looks great on their resume  its just a great place to work.

But he again alluded to possible staffing changes.

Therell be people  Im not going to be specific  but therell be people that change, he said. Sometimes they want to go out and do something else. But they all want to be in the White House. So many people want to come in. I have a choice of anybody. I could take any position in the West Wing, and Ill have a choice of the 10 top people having to do with that position.

In fact, however, the administration has approached Republicans in Congress, at trade associations, think tanks and in the private sector to fill various jobs in the executive branch, only to be rebuffed, according to people who have turned down White House overtures.

And the Trump administration has been slow to nominate candidates to fill important positions. Of 638 key positions requiring Senate confirmation, 218 have no nominee, according to the non-partisan Partnership for Public Service. (To the delight of conservatives, judges have been the exception).

The Trump administration has seen remarkable turnover. According to data from a Brookings Institution report cited by the New York Times, the turnover rate of Trumps staff in his first year  34 percent  was higher than any White House in decades. He is on his second national security adviser (his third if you count a placeholder early last year), his second chief of staff and will be hiring his fifth communications director after the sudden resignation of Hope Hicks.

Just last week, the president surprised some senior aides by announcing tariffs of 25 percent and 10 percent on imports of steel and aluminum, respectively. While not shocking in terms of ideology  Trump has been vocally protectionist for decades  he short-circuited the process for announcing such a major policy. Senior aides told reporters that no announcement was imminent. The White House was unable to give details of the proposal, because none had cleared the complex legal and interagency process that typically precedes a rollout. Lawmakers allied with the administration but caught unawares reached out to reporters for any scraps of information about a decision that, critics warn, could trigger a trade war.

Former chief of staff Reince Priebus says in an upcoming book that the chaos looks even worse from inside 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Take everything youve heard and multiply it by 50, Priebus says, according to an excerpt from the book published last month.

Trumps efforts to deny that his administration is particularly volatile are also nothing new. After a string of departures last year  press secretary Sean Spicer, Priebus and blink-and-you-missed-his-tenure communications director Anthony Scaramucci, Trump took to Twitter on July 31.

His message? No WH chaos!

(Cover tile photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

Read more from Yahoo News:
Wildlife conservationists have condemned the Trump administration's decision to quietly reverse an Obama-era ban on elephant trophy imports.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services reversed the ban at the start of this month, with the agency now expected to approve requests to bring body parts of African Elephants from Zimbabwe to the U.S. on a "case-by-case basis."

The March 1 announcement came just over three months after President Donald Trump put a bid to ease the ban on pause after the move sparked public outrage.

Trending: Hubble: Giant Stellar Debris Disk Reveals a Violent Planet Nursery

The president himself had referred to the relaxation on trophy hunting imports a "horror show" at the time.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

"Big-game trophy decision will be announced next week but will be very hard pressed to change my mind that this horror show in any way helps conservation of Elephants or any other animal," the president tweeted in November.

Now, it appears something has changed his mind, with wildlife conservation groups and researchers hitting out at the U.S. leader over the flip-flop.

Don't miss: Who Is Brandon Thomas Lee? Tommy Lee Claims Son He Shares With Pamela Anderson Physically Assaulted Him

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The National Resources Defense Council vowed to fight the Trump administration on the reversal, launching a petition calling on the president to put the previous protections back in place.

"While Trump is threatening to move us backward, countries like China are marching forward. Effective December 31, 2017, China will close its ivory market," the NRDC said in a statement.

"At least 20,000 African elephants were killed for their ivory tusks in 2015 alone for jewelry, sculptures, trinkets and other items. If brutal elephant poaching continues at this rate, scientists predict that African forest elephants could be extinct in less than a decade," it warned.

Most popular: U.S. Military Wants to Freeze Soldiers in Suspended Animation in Order to Save Their Lives

Story continues

"Sadly but not surprising, the waffling Donald Trump administration has reversed the ban of African big game trophies like endanger elephants and lions. Once we were the big kids in the global sandbox of conservation, now we are down to our last grains of credibility!" wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin wrote on Twitter.

Scientist and congressional candidate for California's 25th Congressional District Jess Phoenix said on Twitter: Elephants still aren't trophies to decorate Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr's walls," calling on the president to "ban trophy hunting imports now."

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Both of Trump's sons are known as avid trophy hunters, with photographs published online in 2012 showing the pair posing with dead animals, including photo that appears to show Donald Trump Jr. holding an elephant tail in one hand and a knife in the other.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The president has previously suggested that he does not support the controversial activity, telling TMZ in 2012 that he is "not a believer in hunting."

Legal action group Citizens For Ethics has said it filed an FOIA request last year for communication between U.S. Fish and Wildlife services and Trump's two sons.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
China advised the Trump administration to abandon its fantasy of defeating North Koreas dictator Kim Jong Un with sanctions and insisted that negotiations were the only way to diffuse the nuclear weapons dispute.

On Tuesday, after a two-day long inter-Korean openhearted talk between the Norths supreme leader and a 10-member South Korean delegation in Pyongyang, the parties reached a satisfactory agreement on improving relations and peace on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea President Moon Jae-ins office said in a statement.

Later that evening, Chinas ruling Communist Partys official newspaper, Global Times, published a report which praised the welcomed and inspiring development while criticizing the U.S. for inflaming the situation by using sanctions to pressure the regime.

Trending: Underwater Search for Legendary 16th-Century Warship Begins in France

RTX2F2VB

Reuters

The US should give up its fantasy of bringing North Korea to its knees. Trump's team may think it is their maximum pressure that caused Pyongyang's change, the Global Times op-ed read.

It added: But the reality is that North Korea now has an intercontinental ballistic missile that can allegedly hit targets in the U.S. No one can intimidate anyone. Negotiation is the only way out.

Don't miss: Winter Storm Quinn Carbon Monoxide Danger: How Snowstorms Bring Poisoning Risk

Following the summit meeting, Chung Eui-yong, Seouls national security chief, announced that Kim has agreed to halt all nuclear missile tests while dialogue is still ongoing with the South. Chung also said Pyongyang were interested in speaking to the U.S. in an "in an open-ended dialogue to discuss the issue of denuclearization and to normalize relations with North Korea."

Story continues

North Korea has agreed to another summit in Panmunjom in late April and will set up a hotline, so the leaders can connect with each other. Pyongyang also stated they will consider denuclearizing if "the military threat to North Korea is resolved" and safety for the regime was secured, Chung said.

The event marked the first time South Korean envoys had visited Pyongyang in over 10 years and the first time Kim conducted a meeting with officials from the South since the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
WASHINGTON  Less than two hours before The New York Times reported Tuesday that White House economic adviser Gary Cohn was resigning, President Donald Trump boasted that everybody wants to work in the White House.

Downplaying reports of chaos and disarray in his administration, Trump told reporters that his staff had tremendous energy and tremendous spirit.

Many, many people want every single job, he said at a joint press conference with Swedens prime minister. You know, I read where, Oh, gee, maybe people dont want to work for Trump. And believe me, everybody wants to work in the White House. They all want a piece of that Oval Office. They want a piece of the West Wing. And not only in terms of it looks great on their resume, its just a great place to work.

So many people want to come in, Trump added. I have a choice of anybody. I could take any position in the White House, and Ill have a choice of the 10 top people having to do with that position.

After the White House confirmed Cohns resignation Tuesday evening, the president bragged  without providing evidence  that there were many people wanting the job.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Cohns departure, which had been rumored for months, capped off several days of White House aides announcing resignations and added to the already dizzying list of departures and firings during Trumps presidency.

Just last week, two communications officials said they planned to leave: Josh Raffel, a spokesman for Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, and longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks, the presidents third permanent communications director in less than 14 months in office. (In addition, Sean Spicer simultaneously served as acting communications director and press secretary for several months last year.)

This turnover rate among top staffers is higher than it has been for any of the last five presidents, according to analysis of Trumps first year from Brookings Institution fellow Kathryn Dunn Tenpas. It was at 34 percent as of Jan. 19 more than triple that of Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama. That rate has since gone up to 43 percent, the think tank announced Wednesday.

Story continues

Tenpas attributed this to Trump prioritizing loyalty over qualifications, as well as a White House that has functioned in a chaotic manner.

There are positions that have been left unfilled for months, leaving some staffers to perform multiple roles at once.

And the vacancies in top positions go beyond the White House  at the State Department, for example, there arent people in roles that have important ramifications for international relations.

On Tuesday, North Korea expressed a willingness to sit down for talks with the U.S., according to South Korean officials. But the U.S. has not had a permanent ambassador to South Korea for more than a year, and the State Departments top diplomat on North Korea policy announced his retirement last week.

Trumps vacancy rate for ambassadors is 22 percent, according to USA Today. It was 11 percent at the same point in Obamas presidency.

Dozens of vacancies at the State Department have led to tensions between Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has accused the White House of stalling the hiring process.

Tillersons own job security has perpetually seemed precarious, yet he has somehow outlasted many other Trump officials  for now.

This article has been updated with the latest figures on turnover rates from the Brookings Institution.

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
When Donald Trump said North Korea called a couple of days ago in a speech to the Gridiron Club Saturday, he was actually referring to a call from South Korea, a White House official told South Korean news agency Yonhap.

In his freewheeling speech, Trump digressed from the customary jests to an apparently serious point about U.S. relations with North Korea.

It was headed for disaster and now were talking, he announced.

Trending: Millennials More Likely to Fall Victim to Online Scams

Of North Korea, he said "they, by the way, called up a couple of days ago."



"'We would like to talk.' And I said, 'So would we, but you have to de-nuke, you have to de-nuke,'" said Trump.

The unnamed National Security Council official on Monday told Yonhap: President Trump did not have a call with the North Koreans.

GettyImages-927681466

Getty Images

Don't miss: NFL National Anthem Controversy: Miami Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross Backs off Comments Suggesting He'd Force Players to Stand

The official said the president was in fact referring to a March 1 phone call with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, during which the two leaders noted their firm position that any dialogue with North Korea must be conducted with the explicit and unwavering goal of complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization.

A White House official confirmed to CNN that Trump was talking about the March 1 conversation with Moon. During that call, Moon "briefed President Trump on developments regarding North Korea and inter-Korean talks," according to the White House.

A call from Pyongyang to the Trump administration would have been the first time North Korea has attempted to reach out to the White House since backing out of a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence during the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February.

Story continues

Most popular: The Russia Investigation Is Costing Mike Flynn His Home

The states remain at diplomatic loggerheads, with North Korea refusing to countenance giving up its nuclear weapons, and the U.S. insisting that denuclearization should be the goal of negotiations.

Trump has previously taunted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Twitter, but has also suggested he would be willing to meet him.

I would not rule out direct talks with Kim Jong Un, Trump said in a lighthearted tone at Saturday's dinner, reported The Washington Post. I just won't. As far as the risk of dealing with a madman is concerned, that's his problem, not mine, he said to laughter. He must be a fine man.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
President Donald Trump has said everybody wants to work in the White House amid a series of high-profile departures.

They all want a piece of that Oval Office; they want a piece of the West Wing, the President said during a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven. So many people want to come in [to the White House]. I have a choice of anybody. I can take any position in the White House and Ill have a choice of the 10 top people.

Hours after Mr Trumps comments, it was announced that his top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, planned to resign, reportedly following a clash with the President over threatened tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

Gary has been my chief economic adviser and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again, Mr Trump said in a statement to the New York Times. He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people.

Mr Cohns resignation adds to a string of recent announced departures by senior White House officials, including communications director Hope Hicks, who was Mr Trumps longest-serving aide. Ms Hicks is expected to leave the White House in the coming weeks.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Trump dismissed reports of chaos in the White House while hinting that the staff shakeup will continue.

The new Fake News narrative is that there is CHAOS in the White House. Wrong! Mr Trump tweeted. People will always come & go, and I want strong dialogue before making a final decision. I still have some people that I want to change (always seeking perfection). There is no Chaos, only great Energy!

While every administration suffers from a revolving door of personnel, Mr Trumps White House has a staff turnover rate of 34 per cent  a level that has not been seen for decades, according to the Brookings Institution think tank.

At the press conference with the Swedish Prime Minister, Mr Trump declined to answer a specific question about whether he would fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whom he has frequently criticised.

Story continues

The president argued his White House operates with tremendous energy and said people in Washington love this White House and want to work there.

PBS reported in January that more than half of key positions Trump administration are unfilled.

Of 630 posts that are filled through presidential nomination, about 240 of them have no nominee. Meanwhile, Another 140 of those jobs have nominees but still need to be confirmed by the Senate.

Many jobs at the White House do not need Senate confirmation, such as chief of staff and communications director.
Kim Jong-un signaled interest in rapprochement after North Korea participated in Winter Games: AP

You may have had a chuckle over recent news that the Nobel Peace Prize Committee had received a forged nomination for Donald Trump. It seemed that the culprit, who allegedly stole someone elses identity to make the pitch and is now under investigation by the Norwegian police, did the same thing a year ago. But at any rate, how utterly preposterous.

This was the man who refused to acknowledge the Nato Treatys provision of mutual self-defense, plunging the Alliance into an existential crisis the likes of which it hasnt experienced in years. Who, while campaigning for president, mused about withdrawing the US military commitments to South Korea and Japan and encouraging them to acquire nuclear weapons.

This is the man whose off-the-reservation rhetoric at the United Nations about North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong-un, sent the rest of the world into paroxysms of anxiety and dread. He would totally destroy North Korea, he said. Rocket man was on a suicide mission as he continued to build and test missiles apparently capable of striking the US with nuclear payloads.

We were beginning to wonder who of the two leaders was more bonkers, Kim or Trump.

But hold up. Top diplomats sent to Pyongyang by Seoul to attempt to carry forward a sudden thaw that began with North Koreas unexpected participation in the Winter Olympics, have reported a stunning breakthrough. Among the highlights: the leaders of the North and South will hold their first summit in more than a decade, the North will agree to talks with the United States on ending their face-off. And throughout the process it will desist from further testing.

That the US intelligence community isnt exactly popping the champagne is to be expected. Scepticism is the order of the day. Hope springs eternal but we need to learn a lot more relative to these talks, Dan Coats, Director of National Intelligence, told members of Congress. And we will.

No less unsurprising was Trump evincing, by contrast, a degree of optimism. Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea, he wrote in a tweet. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!

Story continues

The amateur antics of Trump with respect to the Korea problem have been terrifying. He has watched as expertise on the region and denuclearisation has drained out of a demoralised State Department. He has attached zero urgency to appointing an ambassador to South Korea. His threats against the North have created unprecedented tensions between Seoul and Washington. He sent Ivanka Trump to Seoul to discuss the situation with President Moon Jae-in.

At the annual Gridiron Dinner in Washington on Saturday, Trump astonished experts claiming hed talked to North Korea himself. It was headed for disaster and now were talking, he announced. They, by the way, called up a couple of days ago; they said, We would like to talk. And I said, So would we, but you have to denuke. It turned out it was South Korea hed been talking to. But, you know, one Korea is much like another.

And yet... We don't know what will happen next. But we can say this with some degree of confidence: we wouldnt be where we are now were it not for the extreme pressure applied by Trump, pressure, by the way, which the Obama administration chose, for whatever reasons, not to apply.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

First the rhetoric. Trump has been consistent in signalling a willingness to order unilateral strikes again North Korea if sanctions and diplomacy were failing and the risk of missile strikes on the US was becoming intolerable. (The last scenario was made more vivid by the recent fake incoming-missile alarm that scared the bejesus out of residents of Hawaii.) Nobody was more mortified by the notion of renewed conflict on the peninsula than Seoul. The projections for human casualties are terrifying. No wonder it has worked so hard on rapprochement.

Possibly these threats were part of what also drove Kim to his apparent change of gear. But perhaps even more compelling is the case that US sanctions on his country may actually be pinching. Already, the US measures, further tightened by the administration last month, amount, in Trumps words, to the heaviest sanctions ever imposed on a country.

More importantly, this time the US has striven to ensure they work; that the pain they are designed to deliver on North Korea actually gets through. Nothing is ever airtight  there will always be countries still anxious to trade with the regime  and Washington still hasnt gone as far as it might, for example punishing Chinese banks propping up Pyongyang. But other enforcement steps have been taken, like barring US companies from doing business with a long list of shipping companies and vessels believed to have secretly carried North Korean cargo.

This may yet all fall apart. But if this proves to be the beginning of the end of what was rapidly shaping up to be the most serious international security crisis of our times, then a tremendous amount of credit will be due Trump. Whether or not he always knew what he was doing, his instinct was clear: there will no more pussyfooting around Pyongyang. A dangerous strategy for sure, but one that just may be about to bear fruit.

Obama won the Peace Prize and subsequently got precisely nowhere resolving the North Korea conundrum. Suddenly, Trump getting it down the road doesnt seem so implausible.
Donald Trump is 70s Man. He loves beauty pageants. He puts ketchup on his steak. And he thinks the surest signs of economic might are thriving smokestack industries churning out the raw materials for skyscrapers and locomotives.

Businesses and investors everywhere are on edge as Trump, himself a lifelong builder, is now attempting to translate his industrial-era economic worldview into action. Trump has promised to impose tariffs of 10% on all aluminum imports to the United States, and 25% on all steel imports. The stock market has wobbled on that news, and now Trumps top economic adviser, former Goldman Sachs president Gary Cohn, has quit in frustration over Trumps tariffs. Investors have viewed Cohn as the strongest bulwark against economic nationalism that could trigger damaging trade wars, and his departure will undoubtedly unnerve markets further.

If you dont have steel, you dont have a country! Trump tweeted, in all caps, on March 2. Its also true that you dont have a country, or at least a prosperous country, if you dont have software, data centers, accounting firms and teachers. Yet Trump talks little, if at all, about the segments of the economy that are the biggest source of wealth and power these days. And he seems ready to risk damaging the economy to protect industries that represent a small and declining share of American production.

The U.S. economy is in a long transition from building stuff to generating services, a trend that has been underway since the end of World War II. Goods-producing industries accounted for 41% of total output in 1948. Today, its just 18%. Services, meanwhile, have risen from 47% of gross domestic product in 1948 to 69% today. Heres a breakdown of the changes by industry:

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis

This isnt the result of any policy out of Washington. Its just the way modern economies evolve. As the economy becomes more productive, generating more wealth, capital naturally flows to activities that earn the highest return. Those tend to be innovative new industries that arent easily copied, where the value added by workers is high. So-called commodity products that are easy to duplicatesuch as basic steel products, along with textiles, plastics, toys and many other routine thingsoffer a declining return on investment, and sometimes hardly any return. Thats why they tend to migrate to developing countries where production and labor costs are lower.

Story continues

Trump is right that the United States needs a healthy steel industry. But it already has a $90 billion steel industry, and a $41 billion aluminum industry. The Pentagon says it can get all the steel it needs domestically, and that accounts for just 3% of the total domestic supply. That leaves quite a lot left for all the private-sector products that require steel.

The United States also imports a lot of steel, and its true that cheap foreign competition has caused American job losses. But at the same time, booming industries such as renewable energy, hydraulic fracking, warehousing, data analysis and mostly anything relating to digital technology or health care have created millions of new jobs. Some companies in these industries can barely find workers. Pay is going up in many parts of the country, and workers willing to get new skills, certifications and education often enjoy big income gainsas has almost always been the case in the U.S. economy.

Theres nothing wrong with championing the industries of yore. But there is something wrong with actions to protect those industries at the expense of others, which is what Trumps tariffs would do. Analysis by the nonprofit group Trade Partnership says Trumps protective tariffs would boost steel and aluminum employment by about 33,000 jobs. But theyd kill 179,000 jobs elsewhere in the economy, because of the higher prices manufacturers of cars, appliances, industrial equipment and many other things would face. Thats a net loss of 146,000 jobsbefore accounting for retaliatory measures enacted by other countries that would hurt U.S. exports to other countries and further dent production.

Donald Trump, February 1980 in New York City. (Photo by Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images)

The kind of global trade Trump seems to have a problem with does generate abuses. Chinas communist government subsidizes that countrys enormous steel industry, which has caused a big overcapacity problem worldwide. But the U.S. government has also imposed numerous penalties on Chinese steel importers as a result, and now has more tariffs in place on steel imports from China than from any other country. Chinese steel imports, not surprisingly, plunged 82% from 2006 to 2016. China isnt even among the top 10 steel importers to the United States any more.

Thats not good enough for Trump, apparently. His steel and aluminum tariffs would apply to all countries, and they wouldnt be based on any finding of unfair trade practices. Instead, theyd be based on an obscure law that allows the president to impose tariffs as needed to protect national securitylike, during a war. There is no war, of course. Trade expert Gary Hufbauer of the Peterson institute for International Economics recently told Yahoo Finance that Trumps national-security pretext is a complete sham.

If Trump goes through with his steel and aluminum tariffs, the next step could be dismantling portions of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or withdrawing from it completely. Most economists say there are elements of NAFTA that can be updated and improved. But they also say the 25-year-old trade deal has generally made each of the three trading partners, Canada, Mexico and the United States, better off. Still, Trump wants products purchased in America to be made in America, case closed. He doesnt seem to care about supply-chain efficiencies, low prices for consumers or the second-, third- and fourth-order effects of telling companies how and where to direct their capital.

If Trump really wanted to turbocharge the U.S. economy, hed focus on the industries of the future and shepherd as many American workers as possible into those. That means improving education and making sure kids get schooling that prepares them for the digital economy. The government could make it easier for people to move where the jobs are and get needed technical skills mid-career, or even late-career. If Trump wants to take extraordinary measures to protect vital industries, he should be making sure the United States dominates vehicle electrification, quantum computing and the many revolutions artificial intelligence is likely to spawn. China is investing in all those fields, and not shooting itself in the foot along the way.

Confidential tip line: rickjnewman@yahoo.com. Encrypted communication available.

Read more:

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman

Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn
By Tulay Karadeniz ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey is working to set up camps to settle 170,000 displaced people near the northwestern Syrian city of Idlib and in Turkish-controlled areas to the east of it, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies hold a swathe of land in Idlib, one of the last remaining pockets of the country still in the hands of insurgents seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. Hundreds of thousands of opponents of Assad from other parts of Syria have fled there. "The Turkish Red Crescent and AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) started preparations to set up camps to host 170,000 people near Idlib and the areas of (the) Euphrates Shield Operation," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy told a news conference in Ankara. Turkey completed a previous offensive, dubbed "Euphrates Shield", against Islamic State militants and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) rebels in northwestern Syria in early 2017. The initiative for displaced people around Idlib, in territory Turkish forces entered last year, is separate from an offensive Turkey launched six weeks ago in Afrin, another part of northern Syria held by Kurdish YPG militia. Ankara regards the YPG as associated with Kurdish PKK insurgents fighting in southeastern Turkey since 1984. Turkey has been working to set up military observation points in Idlib as part of a "de-escalation" agreement with Assad's allies Iran and Russia. Under that deal, Ankara is to set up 12 observation posts in Idlib and neighboring areas. Though the deal largely collapsed in December when the Syrian army, along with Iran-backed militias and heavy Russian air power, launched a big offensive to take territory in Idlib province and surrounding areas, the Turkish army said it had so far established six observation posts in the region. (Writing by Ece Toksabay and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by David Dolan and Mark Heinrich)
DUBAI (Reuters) - Air strikes killed a woman and a young girl in northern Yemen on Wednesday in a series of attacks by an Arab coalition fighting the country's Iran-aligned Houthi movement, residents told Reuters. The Saudi-led alliance, which has intervened in Yemen's war since 2015 to try to restore president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power, has conducted frequent air strikes and has sometimes hit civilians, although it denies ever doing so intentionally. On Monday, a panel set up by the coalition to investigate civilian casualties, the Joint Incidents Assessment Team, said air strikes carried out in 2017 "were in accordance with international humanitarian law and many of the alleged strikes were falsely attributed to the Coalition". The Houthis have controlled much of Yemen including the capital Sanaa since driving Hadi out three years ago. Saudi Arabia and its Sunni Muslim allies say the Houthis are armed by Shi'ite Iran and pose a threat to the region. Residents said the attack early on Wednesday morning on the suburbs of the northern city of Saada, the stronghold of the Houthis, killed a woman and a young girl and also wounded several children from the same family, according to a Reuters witness at the local hospital. "There were three [strikes] on our house and one on my father's house," said Helal Ahmed Saleh, one of those of injured during the strike. "When they hit mine, I was running and calling for someone to help us, but then the fourth one hit my father's house and the shrapnel hit me." The war has killed more than 10,000 people, displaced more than two million and driven the country - already the poorest on the Arabian Peninsula - to the verge of widespread famine. In a speech to the U.N. Human Rights Council on Wednesday, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein said Yemeni civilians had suffered indiscriminate shelling and sniper attacks by Houthi and affiliated forces, as well as air strikes conducted by the Saudi-led coalition. On Friday, the U.N. High Commission for Refugees reported that seven displaced Yemeni civilians were killed in Saada on Feb. 28, the first IDP deaths in 2018 the team had verified. The UNHCR did not confirm the nature of the incident, but residents had told Reuters earlier that air strikes killed nine civilians in Yemen on that day, with four of the deaths occurring in Saada's suburbs. "We have seen that as conflict prolongs in Yemen, the protection of civilians continues to rapidly deteriorate," Shabia Mantoo, a spokesperson for the U.N. refugee agency in Yemen, told Reuters, commenting on the Feb 28 incident. "It's especially tragic and deplorable that these civilians who died had tried to flee for safety and protection, only to face danger in the area to which they fled. This shows that nowhere in Yemen is particularly safe." (Additional Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva, Editing by William Maclean)
Abuja (AFP) - A Nigerian court sentenced two men to life imprisonment on Wednesday over deadly twin bomb attacks which killed 12 people during the country's 2010 Independence Day celebrations.

Charles Okah and Obi Nwabueze were convicted for facilitating and financing the blasts during national celebrations in the capital Abuja.

The pair were also sentenced over a second attack earlier the same year in Warri, Delta State that killed two people.

Okah is the brother of oil militant Henry Okah, the suspected mastermind of the two plots who is already serving a 24-year prison sentence in South Africa.

Henry Okah was at the time the presumed leader of the Nigerian militant group Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) which was in conflict with the government over the sharing of oil revenues.

Nigeria was left in shock when 2010 celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the country's independence from Britain, which was attended by then President Goodluck Jonathan and foreign leaders, ended in tragedy when two cars laden with bombs exploded.

"The convicts are hereby sentenced to life imprisonment," Federal High Court Justice Gabriel Kolawole said of Charles Okah and Nwabueze on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the two defendants had tried to "frustrate the trial" and delay the outcome of the proceedings which began in December 2010.

The pair claimed to be innocent and said they were arrested for political reasons.

Two other suspects were also arrested over the bombings, but one died in custody and another was sentenced to life in prison in a separate 2013 trial.
By Daniel Wiessner and Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - A federal law banning sex bias in the workplace prohibits discrimination against transgender workers, a U.S. appeals court said on Wednesday, ruling in favor of a funeral director who was fired after telling her boss she planned to transition to female from male.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said RG & GR Harris Funeral Homes Inc in Detroit unlawfully discriminated against Aimee Stephens, formerly known as Anthony Stephens, based on her sex.

The court also said the funeral home failed to establish that the federal workplace law, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, substantially burdened the ability of funeral home owner Thomas Rost, a devout Christian, to exercise his religious rights in his treatment of Stephens.

Several federal appeals courts have said that discriminating against transgender workers is a form of unlawful sex bias. But the 6th Circuit was the first to consider a religious defense in such a case.

The court decided a lawsuit that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed on behalf of Stephens in 2014.

The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal group that represents the funeral home, said the decision allowed the government to "strong-arm" religious employers.

In a statement, Stephens' lawyers at the American Civil Liberties Union called the decision an important victory for transgender workers.

Rost had claimed that he viewed his work as a religious service for grieving families, and that employing a transgender woman would distract customers.

Rost said he could not be held liable for discriminating against Stephens under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which bars the government from burdening an individual's religious practice.

But Circuit Judge Karen Nelson Moore, writing for the court on Wednesday, said Rost could not use his customers' "presumed biases" as an excuse for firing Stephens.

Story continues

"Tolerating Stephens's understanding of her sex and gender identity is not tantamount to supporting it," Moore wrote.

The decision reversed a 2016 ruling by a federal judge in Detroit who had said that Rost was shielded from the lawsuit because he operated his business "as a ministry."

Rost also said that because his company pays for employees' work clothes, he would be forced to violate his religious beliefs by paying for Stephens to wear women's clothing. But the court said he was not legally required to pay for the clothes, so it would not burden his religious practice.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Daniel Wiessner in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool)
By Scot Paltrow

(Reuters) - The U.S. Army confirmed on Monday that it had mishandled retired bomb-sniffing war dogs and said it would comply with recommendations in a Defense Department Inspector Generals report that called for reforms.

In a report released on Friday, the Inspector General said that canine heroes, which saved the lives of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan while working with brigade combat teams to sniff out roadside bombs, were mistreated by the Army after they returned to the United States.

Army spokesman Major Christopher Ophardt said in a statement emailed to Reuters, The Army concurs with the DoDIG (Defense Inspector General) report and is complying with its recommendations.

The report said that some dogs were left in kennels for up to 11 months, beyond a deadline for giving them away for adoption or re-using them in the military or other government agencies. It said they were mistreated through lack of care and attention, and others may have been put down.

Contrary to military rules, new owners were not screened before the Army allowed them to adopt the dogs. It said that some dogs with histories of biting were given to families with children, and others were given to owners who lacked the ability or resources to care for them.

In some cases, the report said, soldiers who wanted to adopt dogs with which they had worked were not told they had the right to do so. An investigation was started after soldiers who had handled the war dogs complained about their fate.

The recommendations included requiring unit commanders to comply with Army regulations spelling out proper handling of Military Working Dogs. The regulations require that plans be made ahead of time for their retirement and for screening owners who want to adopt dogs.

The recommendations also call for the Army to better track and keep records of all of its working dogs. In addition to the dogs specified in the report, which specialized in detecting roadside improvised explosive devices, the Army also has search dogs and patrol dogs.

(Reporting by Scot Paltrow; Editing by Toni Reinhold)
People wait to apply for visas outside the U.S. Interests Section (background) in Havana on May 22, 2015. (Photo: Enrique de la Osa / Reuters)

Its no secret the Trump administration has been doing all it can to restrict and control immigration, in particular from certain Muslim-majority countries. The conversation thats been covered in the media and played out in the courts has concerned immigration leading to permanent residency, but that is only part of the overall immigration picture. What about the tens of millions who seek to come to the U.S. on a temporary basis for business, study or pleasure each year?

For an administration that wishes to restrict the flow of certain classes of foreigners into the U.S., the issuance of non-immigrant visas is much easier to control and scarcely requires new legal measures. The mechanisms for restricting non-immigrant visas have always been there.

I give you Sections 214(b) and 222(f) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA), the perfect tools for keeping non-immigrant visa decisions out of view of the public and even of the families of those affected by the decisions.

Section 214(b) of the INA instructs consular officers that non-immigrant visa applicants shall be refused as intending immigrants (someone who intends to overstay their visa and remain in the U.S. permanently) ... unless they can convince the consul that they are not. It has always been the most common reason for saying no to anyone hoping to come to the U.S. for a temporary stay. It can also be a thin screen for the biases that consuls bring with them to the visa window, where they conduct dozens and sometimes over a hundred interviews a day, deciding individual fates based not on extreme vetting but on little more than first impressions.

Lets consider a hypothetical scenario in which a woman comes to the visa window after two prior refusals. Lets say the consul who is about to interview her opens up the refusal notes that describe the applicant as young, unmarried and likely a sex worker. What would the interviewing consul do? The likely course would be for the consul just to confirm the earlier refusal unless something significant had changed.

Story continues

Lets say, however, that the young woman implores the consul to have another look. She has with her a CV showing that she is completing her doctorate in philosophy. She is going to the U.S. to complete her dissertation. She has copies of published papers, talks like an academic and is able to describe her dissertation research. Would the interviewing consul override the earlier refusals?

This is a hypothetical scenario, but its not far-fetched. Something rather like this confronted me when I did my time on the visa line as a first tour foreign service officer (FSO) many years ago. I knew well the instruction from ConGen, the crash consular training course that all FSOs go through: When in doubt, 214(b) the applicant. For consuls, 214(b) is a verb, shorthand for just say no. I chafed at that instruction when I first heard it, and I still do. As a woman who herself once worked hard on a dissertation, I leave it to the readers imagination to divine what I did when an applicant similar to the hypothetical one I just described faced me on the other side of the visa window.

I moved off the visa line long ago, but Ive recently had cause to remember that peoples lives are made or destroyed at the visa window. Three cases in particular come to mind from my three years at the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan, where my work included outreach to the LGBT community.

The first was an out gay couple being threatened on social media. The couple went underground for several months but then resurfaced in the U.S. on tourist visas. They applied for and received refugee status in the U.S. If they had said a word during their initial visa interviews about being gay and under threat, the consul very likely would have refused them as 214(b) intending immigrants.

The second case was that of a transgender woman who wanted to visit the U.S. with her common-law husband. She worried what a consul would think when she presented a passport showing her as male. I told her Americans celebrate all letters of the diversity rainbow and that she should go as her genuine self to the interview. She ignored my advice. She cut her hair, put on a suit and tie, lowered her voice and got her visa. She later crossed into Canada, where she applied for and got refugee status.

The third case was that of a 19-year-old transgender woman who had been expelled from high school a year before graduating. Intelligent and with a supportive family, she wanted to complete her education in the U.S.

Ive told this womans story elsewhere, but in brief, she followed my advice and went to the visa interview as her genuine self. Her visa was refused. She tried a second time after an inquiry from Congressman Peter DeFazio. Refused again. She tried once more, this time after inquiries from Sens. Tammy Baldwin, Ben Cardin and Susan Collins. A college acceptance, winning scholarship essay and letters of recommendation made no difference to consuls who didnt give them a glance. Refused a third time.

Later, we learned 14 other Kazakhstani students accepted by the same college had received visas. In fact, this young woman was the first student since 2010 to be accepted by that college and refused a visa.

This raises a disturbing question. What if 14 students had received visas and only the student who is Jewish did not? Or Arab? Or a woman? Or black? Were the 214(b) refusals just cover for the consuls prejudices, a statement that the way to overcome 214(b) is to be someone else (someone who is not Jewish, not a woman, not Arab, not black or not transgender)? Could the prevailing anti-transgender winds from Washington in the summer of 2017  the time of presidential tweets calling for a ban on transgender persons in the military  have affected the refusal decision?

And what happens if anyone questions a 214(b) refusal? Nothing. There is no appeal process. The records of the interview are sealed and declared confidential by Section 222(f) of the INA. Together, Sections 214(b) and 222(f) can serve as cover for any and all visa decisions no matter what the basis for those decisions.

ConGen teaches new officers that being a consul is one of the most powerful positions in the Department of State  powerful in the sense of having a direct, palpable influence on the fate of individuals and families. It is a power invested in entry-level FSOs and their supervisors, a power that very few FSOs again experience in their careers unless they rise to the top of the diplomatic service.

Which brings me back to the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the current administration. Could changing the direction of the prevailing immigration winds coming from Washington be sufficient to change the way in which consuls make visa decisions? Just as with U.S. society at large, consuls reflect the full range of our current polarized political discourse. For those who sympathize with the policies of the Trump administration on immigration, increasing the 214(b) refusal rate would be a simple matter of just saying no in full confidence of never having to answer for that decision. If consuls hold negative views toward any minority group, they can incorporate that prejudice into visa decisions without ever having to justify the decision to anyone.

I remember many consuls from my time on the visa line who were educated and caring citizens of the world, striving to do a difficult job fairly and equitably. Still, for anyone of an authoritarian bent who doesnt have what it takes to become an authoritarian on a larger stage, the role of consul could be an attractive career choice.

One must also wonder about the reverse case, in which a consul inexplicably says yes. In recent days, we are led to ponder the case of the presidents wife, Melania Trump. As reported by The Washington Post, she came to the U.S. on multiple H1-B non-immigrant work visas in the 1990s before receiving immigrant status under the elite EB-1 Einstein visa program.

What was going through the minds of the consuls who said yes to Melania not once but multiple times? Was there nothing in her file hinting she might be an intending immigrant, or did the glamour of a supermodel at the visa window blind them? Did those same consuls say yes as willingly to the less-glamorous applicants who appeared at their windows?

My advice to those who asked me about coming to the U.S. for a temporary stay was always to come as you are to visa interviews, to be completely open and honest. Now, Im just silent, because I remember what happened in Kazakhstan, when the applicant who wanted to study was refused a visa likely just because she is transgender, and what happened to the others who covered up their status and got visas that allowed them to get refugee status once in the U.S.

To all who have received a 214(b) visa refusal from a U.S. consul, I am with you in your grief and in decrying a visa process that is anything but transparent  a process that at times may be little more than cover for the preconceived notions and even prejudices of those charged with implementing it.

In the age of Trump and anti-immigrant rhetoric, I fear those refusals will be even more common with the refusing consuls safe in the knowledge that the reasons for their decisions are protected behind the impregnable 222(f) wall of the INA.

Robyn Alice McCutcheon is a foreign service officer who has served in Washington, D.C.; Astana, Kazakhstan; Bucharest, Romania; Moscow; and Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Today she is a senior watch officer in the State Departments Nuclear Risk Reduction Center. Although McCutcheon is employed by the Department of State, the views expressed in this column are strictly her own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of State or the U.S. government.

ALSO ON HUFFPOST OPINION

The Me Too Moment Is Ballet's Chance For A Turning Point

Emboldened By Trump, Georgia GOP Pushes Anti-LGBTQ Adoption Bill

Why Debates Over Campus Free Speech Miss The Point

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Myanmar civil leader Aung San Suu Kyi has yet to stand up for the rights of the Rohingya Muslims. (Photo: THET AUNG via Getty Images)

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on Tuesday revoked a human rights award it had bestowed on Myanmar civil leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2012, citing the ongoing massacre of Rohingya Muslims under her watch.

The Rohingya, a Muslim minority group from Myanmars northern Rakhine state, have long suffered state-sponsored discrimination and what the United Nations has deemed to be crimes against humanity. Roughly 700,000 of them have fled across the border to Bangladesh amidst waves of violence after insurgent attacks sparked a vicious security crackdown last year.

Suu Kyi, who lived for 15 years under house arrest for challenging the military dictatorship then ruling Myanmar, was just the second person the Holocaust museum had honored with its award. Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, for whom the award is named, was the first.

Suu Kyis opposition to that earlier era of military rule helped foster her image as a human rights advocate. But on the Rohingya crisis, she has been conspicuously quiet.

We had hoped that you  as someone we and many others have celebrated for your commitment to human dignity and universal human rights  would have done something to condemn and stop the militarys brutal campaign and to express solidarity with the targeted Rohingya population, the museum wrote in a March 6 letter to the Myanmar leader.

Suu Kyis political party has instead refused to cooperate with United Nations investigators, promulgated hateful rhetoric against the Rohingya community, and denied access to and cracked down on journalists trying to uncover the scope of the crimes in Rakhine State, the letter continued.

Although Myanmar is home to over a million Rohingyas, the Buddhist-majority country doesnt recognize their rights. Myanmar classifies them as illegal immigrants, not citizens.

In recent years, the violence against the Rohingya carried out by state officials and Buddhist extremists has included rape, arson, shootings, beatings and torture. These acts amount to ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, according to international rights organizations. Some human rights groups argue the violence looks increasingly like genocide.

Story continues

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has denied the damning evidence and dismissed reports as misinformation.

Her government has also blocked U.N. investigators from entering Rakhine to assess the abuses and permits few aid organizations to operate there. Two Reuters journalists were detained after reporting on a mass grave of Rohingya men and charged under the countrys Official Secrets Act. They face 14 years in prison.

The Dalai Lama, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and activist Malala Yousafzai are among the many international figures who have spoken out against the violence and urged Suu Kyi to protect the Rohingya. Three fellow Nobel Peace Prize winners  Irans Shirin Ebadi, Yemens Tawakkol Karman and Northern Irelands Mairead Maguire  have warned that they would take Myanmars government to the International Court of Justice if Suu Kyi did not step in to end the massacre.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Britain has stepped up its investigation into the possible poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, England, with the U.K. government facing the possibility of yet another Russian dissident being assassinated on British soil.

On Sunday, 66-year-old Sergei Skripal, a former colonel in the Russian military intelligence, was found unconscious on a bench at a mall in Salisbury, along with his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia. As of Tuesday, the two were still in critical condition, being treated for suspected exposure to an unknown substance.

Skripal was sentenced to prison by Russia in 2006 for spying for Britain. In 2010 he was given refuge in the U.K. as part of a spy swap with the United States.

Britains counterterrorism unit took over the investigation Tuesday from local law enforcement because of its unusual circumstances. Samples from the scene were being tested at a military research laboratory, The Guardian reported. The police had not declared it a terrorist incident, and law enforcement officials were still investigating whether a crime occurred.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Tuesday that, although it was too early to speculate about what happened to Skripal and his daughter, Britain would respond appropriately and robustly if the Russian government were found to be responsible, the Press Association reported. The Kremlin has denied having any information about the incident.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

If the incident is found to be a poisoning attempt by the Russians, it would join a long history of suspected assassinations of Russian dissidents abroad, and specifically in the U.K.

The incident has recalled the high-profile assassination in 2006 of another Russian spy, former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko, poisoned in London. A 2016 inquiry by the British government found Russian agency FSB (which succeeded the KGB) had Litvinenko killed in an operation probably approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied involvement.

Story continues

Though police said there was no threat to the wider public, nearby restaurant Zizzi and pub The Bishops Mill have been cordoned off by police. Several emergency service personnel who went to the scene were assessed at the hospital, and one remained hospitalized Tuesday, Wiltshire police said.

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
London (AFP) - A secretive British army base, which analysed the nerve gas used to poison a Russian ex-spy this weekend, has for years been fuelling conspiracy theories with its pioneering research into chemical and biological weapons.

Located near Salisbury, the southwestern English city where Sergei Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter were targeted, Porton Down is Britain's most controversial military facility.

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory -- its official name -- employs 3,000 scientists across a sprawling rural site, and has an annual budget of A500 million (560 million euros, $695 million).

It was founded in 1916 to counter German gas attacks in World War I, which initially involved chlorine and then mustard gas and phosgene.

In the 1950s scientists at Porton Down developed non-lethal CS gas, better known as tear gas, as well as the deadly nerve agent VX.

Given international conventions that prohibit the use of chemical weapons, research conducted at Porton Down is defensive in nature, Britain's Ministry of Defence (MoD) says.

The state-of-the-art facility aims only to improve equipment and testing to protect troops and the population, it says.

In recent years, the laboratory has participated in Ebola research, and has been involved in the fight against the epidemic in Sierra Leone since 2013.

It has also analysed the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict, in particular sarin gas, the British government has previously revealed.

The long history of secrecy surrounding the site has fuelled persistent rumours and conspiracies, including accusations of experiments on animals and humans.

In 1999, police opened a probe into testing that may have endangered the life of soldiers without their knowledge.

The investigation did not result in criminal prosecutions, but in 2008 the MoD awarded 360 former members of the armed forces members compensation of A3 million (3.4 million euros, $4.2 million).

Story continues

They claimed to have served against their will as guinea pigs in Cold War era chemical testing, but the ministry did not admit responsibility.

In a June 2016 press release -- entitled "The truth about Porton Down" -- the MoD tried to rebut some of the claims about the site, including that aliens had been taken there and that it had been used to cultivate cannabis.

It outlined the work carried out at the facility, admitting successful testing "could not, currently, be achieved without the use of animals".

The laboratory also elaborated on its volunteer programme, which has seen 20,000 people take part in studies over the decades.

"(It) has always been operated to the highest ethical standards of the day," the MoD said.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will give more than $533 million in humanitarian aid for victims of conflicts and drought in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and the West and Central African countries bordering Lake Chad, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Tuesday. Tillerson made the announcement at a speech in Virginia before departing for a week-long trip to several African countries. He also said the United States supported the creation of a development finance institution for Africa. Tillerson contrasted the United States' work on the African continent, which he said promoted "sustainable growth," with that of China, which recently pledged $124 billion for its Silk Road plan to expand links between Asia, Africa, Europe and other places. Tillerson said China's investment in Africa "encouraged dependency". "Chinese investment does have the potential to address Africa's infrastructure gap, but its approach has led to mounting debt and few, if any, jobs in most countries," said Tillerson. "When coupled with the political and fiscal pressure, this endangers Africa's natural resources and its long-term economic and political stability," Tillerson added. (Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Susan Heavey and James Dalgleish)
(Photo: Youtube/Tammy Penhall)

There are two things you need to know about Australians, from an Australian. One, were an enterprising and ingenious people, and two, we love a drink.

One Aussie man has perfectly exemplified those characteristics by wading through an impressive collection of beer cans in a backyard shed, prompting some social media fans to nickname him the Australian Scrooge McDuck.

In a series of videos posted on Youtube, a woman identified as Tammy Penhall narrates the scene as she pans around the room in all its glory.

At one point, she films an unidentified older gentleman, dressed in a cap and tank top with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, who wades around among the cans.

Some guys actually commented this would actually be their dream ball pit. Well, this is your dream beer pit, guys, Penhall joked, adding, The VB shed at its finest.

The beer pit is located in the Moonta region of the state of South Australia, securely stored behind a rusted Danger, out of bounds sign at the base of a corrugated iron shed.

Penhall said the room contained tens of thousands of cans of Victoria Bitter, one of the most popular Australian beer brands (contrary to popular belief, Australians do not really drink Fosters).

A second clip shows another glimpse of the beer pit as someone tips in a few more empties.

HuffPost was not immediately able to reach Penhall for more details about the VB beer pit.

As the videos rocketed around social media and news websites in Australia, more than a few people remarked on the beer pits resemblance to Scrooge McDucks pile of money.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

While the man with the cigarette isnt swimming around in a bank vault full of gold coins, he still seems pretty happy.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
A West Virginia lawmaker can be seen singing a racial slur in a video obtained Wednesday by HuffPost.

In the video, West Virginia House Delegate Saira Blair (R) and a friend belt out explicit lyrics to Lil Waynes 2010 rap single Gonorrhea, which appear uncensored below.

The lyrics they sang along to are: I call it how I see ya. I wish I never met ya. I wouldnt wanna be ya. Pussy-ass nigga, I dont want your gonorrhea. Pussy-ass nigga 

Blair confirmed the videos authenticity in a statement to HuffPost and said it was filmed in the summer of 2015. Blair was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in November 2014.

This video was taken in the summer of 2015 and shows my roommate and I singing along to a Lil Wayne song, which is clearly heard playing in the background, Blair said. I do not condone the use of racial epithets, and if taken in context, it is clear that singing the lyrics was not meant to offend anyone.

The video was originally posted to the roommates Snapchat, a source close to the matter told HuffPost. While Blair defended her use of the slur as simply singing the lyrics, black activists have repeatedly rejected that argument. During an event in November at a high school in Illinois, author Ta-Nehisi Coates explained why non-black people shouldnt use that epithet while quoting rap lyrics.

Words dont have a meaning without context, Coates said. He explained that even though certain communities can choose to use a derogatory term ironically among themselves, it doesnt make it OK for those outside that community to do so.

For white people, I think the experience of being a hip-hop fan and not being able to use the word nigga will be very insightful, he continued. This will give you just a little peek into the world of what it means to be black. Because to be black is to walk through the world and watch people doing things that you cannot do.

In a December 2014 interview with the Charleston Gazette-Mail, Blair said she believed Americans are past the point of looking at things from a racial perspective and that talking about racial tendencies creates further division.

Story continues

The issue of race is never going to go away unless we stop talking about the issue of race and stop saying black power, white power, Hispanic power, Blair told the Gazette. As long as we keep creating that division its not going to be solved... I think harping on the racial issues, the racial tendencies, that enhances them.

Blair made history in November 2014 when she defeated a two-term incumbent delegate at the age of 18 to become the youngest elected legislator in U.S. history. Blairs father, Craig Blair, is a Republican state senator in West Virginia and served as her 2014 campaign manager. On top of her legislative duties, she is currently studying economics and Spanish at West Virginia University.

Last week, the 21-year-old lawmaker was the only person in the West Virginia House of Delegates to vote against House Bill 4145, which sought to increase teachers pay by 5 percent. Public schools across West Virginia were closed for nearly two weeks as thousands of teachers went on strike to demand higher pay and lower health care premiums.

Weve already voted out a pay raise, one that was fair and within our budget, Blair told West Virginia News last Wednesday about her no vote.

Blair announced in January that she would not seek re-election in 2018, citing plans to attend graduate school outside of West Virginia.

John Isner, a Democrat running for Blairs seat in the 2018 West Virginia House election, called the video extremely disappointing.

It shows a massive lack of maturity, Isner, 25, told HuffPost in an email. This is another example of why we need to make changes here in West Virginia.

This story has been updated with Blairs past comments on race and a comment from John Isner.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
West Virginia lawmakers reached a deal on Tuesday, March 6, that would end the nine-day teachers strike. The deal would give all of the states public employees a 5 percent increase, according to Gov. Jim Justice.

Teachers at the state capitol, where they have been gathering throughout the strike, cheered when the deal was announced to them. Delegate Brent Boggs, a Democrat, announced via a bullhorn the details and the process to finish the deal, saying the legislation should reach the governors desk for his signature by the end of the day.

Teachers union leaders told local news that if the legislation was signed by the governor by the end of the day, teachers would return to work on Wednesday.

Republican lawmakers, though, said the pay increase comes with budget cuts, including $20 million reduction to general services and Medicaid, the news report said. Credit: West Virginia Democratic Party via Storyful
Updated | President Donald Trumps top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, plans to resign in the coming weeks, White House officials reportedly said on Tuesday.

Gary has been my chief economic adviser and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again, Trump told The New York Times in a statement. He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people.

Trending: U.S. Brushes Off Escort's 'Bizarre Story' About Trump-Russia Scoop

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Cohn, who runs the National Economic Council, is not leaving for one particular reason, officials told the Times. However, people familiar with Cohns thinking told the newspaper that the most pressing trigger was Trumps announcement last week that he would levy large tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

Trumps plan would place a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum.

A Democrat, Cohn has long supported free trade and believed the tariffs would put economic growth at risk, the Times reported. He, and others including staff secretary Rob Porter who recently stepped down, for months pushed to get rid of the proposal or postpone or minimize its impact, the Times reported last week based on information from people familiar with the talks.

Don't miss: Cryptcurrency Has Hijacked the Banking System and Will Revolutionize Global Money

Cohn in a statement to the Times on Tuesday said he was satisfied with his contributions on pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular the passage of historic tax reform.

The economic adviser is the latest top official to leave Trumps turbulent West Wing.

One of Trumps longest-serving advisers, communications director Hope Hicks, last Wednesday announced she would depart. Porter, hit with spousal abuse accusations, left his post in early February. Twenty-one officials have stepped down, been fired, dismissed or been reassigned, according to the Times.

Story continues

Most popular: Who is the New Bachelorette? After Being Dumped by Bachelor Arie, Becca Kufrin Will Star in Season 14

This story has been updated with more background on Cohn's resignation, as well as information about recent White House departures.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Newsweek on Tuesday.

This story has been updated with more background on Cohn's resignation, as well as information about recent White House departures.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
A Democratic candidate in Wisconsins gubernatorial race released a campaign ad on Tuesday that includes a shot of her breastfeeding while talking about her political achievements.

Kelda Roys, a former Wisconsin state representative and entrepreneur, spends part of the ad discussing her role in the 2010 BPA Free Kids Act becoming law. As Roys talks about the measure to stop neurotoxin bisphenol A from being added to baby bottles and sippy cups, her husband hands her their 4-month-old child.

Roys holds the fussy baby and begins to breastfeed.

Government should be about helping every person achieve his or her potential  and Wisconsin used to do it so well, Roys said in the video moments later. Democracy only works when we all get involved.

The powerful scene wasnt planned, Roys told HuffPost.

Anybody whos ever had a baby can tell you that they are unpredictable, Roys said. I just did what I have been trained by her to do, which is to immediately grab her and feed her, and I just sort of didnt think about it.

When they sent back the video and it was in there, I just said, What the heck, this is real life, she added. I think, in 2018, people are hungry for candidates who are authentic and speak the truth. I dont want to have to hide a really important part of myself in order to win an election.

Some internet users have attacked her over the ad, but Roys said the feedback has been mostly positive.

Ive had a tremendous amount of support and encouragement from people  even Republican women, she said. Of course, there have been some haters and internet trolls. ... Some men just feel, I guess, entitled to comment on my body. But the story of 2018 isnt about internet trolls. The story of 2018 is about women rising up.

Roys is one of more than a dozen Democratic gubernatorial candidates hoping to unseat two-term incumbent Gov. Scott Walker (R), a climate science skeptic and proponent of controversial school choice programs.

Story continues

I am a mom, and thats a big reason why I am motivated to run for governor. I cannot have my children growing up in a world where we dont value public education and we are destroying natural resources, Roys said. What sets me apart from the rest of the field is not that I have a baby, but I have a track record of getting things done, of accomplishing progressive policies for people of this state.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Passengers on a flight from San Francisco to Boise, Idaho, got a scare on Monday when a delirious woman screaming I am God attempted to pry open the aircraft door midflight. The plane landed safely after passengers intervened, but her actions  shouting that she was a deity while trying to move a door thats humanly impossible to budge while the cabin is pressurized  could signal a grandiose delusion. Despite a lack of discussion on the topic, grandiose delusions are fairly common in the world of mental illness.

Photo: Getty Images

In this particular case, the paranoia happened midflight. According to a passenger named Scott Smith, who was sitting directly behind the woman, she wasnt acting right and had a small outburst as the plane took off. I read it as: One of them is trying to get over the fear of flying, Smith told the Idaho Statesman, referring to another female passenger the woman seemed to be traveling with. I could tell that one or both were uneasy with flying. Smith put on headphones and tuned in to a movie when, the next thing he knew, two men were jumping from their seats to subdue the woman.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

She got up from her seat, started screaming, ran straight to the door, and tried opening it, another passenger, Danny Torres, told local Boise news KTVB. She kept screaming over and over again, I am God, I am God. The pilot came on the loudspeaker and told us to stop her at all costs from opening up the door, he said. In a video of the incident, it appears thats exactly what passengers did, pinning the woman to the ground and tying her feet together so she couldnt run back to the door.

Authorities reportedly took the woman into custody when the flight landed in Boise as scheduled and then transferred her over to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for medical evaluation. A spokesperson from the organization declined to offer Yahoo Lifestyle an update on the womans condition, citing an Idaho law that precludes the department from provid[ing] any confidential medical or personally identifying information for civil commitments.

Story continues

So while the womans condition, both during the flight and after, remains unknown at this point, its worth noting that grandiose delusions are a common occurrence in a variety of mental illnesses  one that can be overlooked if people arent educated about them.

Delusions themselves are defined in the psychology world as fixed, false beliefs that are not shared by people of the same educational and cultural background. The most common delusions are persecutory  meaning the person feels he or she is being persecuted or targeted in some way. This can manifest as someone believing the FBI is following that individual (think, A Beautiful Mind) or that an enemy is attempting to poison him or her (a common one among people with schizophrenia).

Grandiose delusions (GDs), also known as delusions of grandeur, involve the belief that an individual suddenly has superior qualities  this could manifest as fame, wealth, genius, or omnipresence. A person may suddenly believe he or she is the president, or have the IQ of Albert Einstein. No matter what direction it takes, GDs are characterized by a persons immovable conviction that what that individual is saying is true.

According to a 2011 paper on the topic from the Clinical Psychology Review, these delusions occur in a number of psychiatric conditions, including two-third of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder, half of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, and a substantial proportion of patients with substance abuse disorders.

There are typically two schools of thought regarding the cause. One is that GDs are a defense mechanism in direct response to severely damaged self-esteem, a way to more or less counterbalance the self-loathing that someone is experiencing. The other is that GDs are simply overblown emotions that the person was already experiencing.

In one of the most compelling studies on the topic, researchers found evidence that grandiose delusions are simply direct exaggerations of the emotional state of individuals and unrelated to a persons self-esteem. One of the individual cases they looked at in this study echoed what the woman on the plane was reportedly saying, I am God.

Although some have speculated that patients experiencing religious delusions are more difficult to treat, a 2014 study published in the Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology journal discounts this concept. We found no evidence that people with religious delusions would be less likely to engage in any form of help, the researchers concluded. Higher levels of flexibility may make them particularly amenable to cognitive behavioral approaches, but particular care should be taken to preserve self-esteem and valued aspects of beliefs and experiences.

Much like other mental disorders, the best treatment options are those that take a multi-pronged approach. In the case of true psychosis, hospitalization is recommended. But after a person is stabilized, psychotherapy (or other therapies) in combination with medication can have a positive outcome.

Whether or not the woman on the plane bound for Boise was experiencing this phenomenon, its an important reminder that mental health issues such as grandiose delusions can be treated. And when theyre putting other people in danger, they should.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.




A group of black women are honoringHarriet TubmanthisWomens History Monthby taking a 100-mile trek to retrace her escape from slavery to freedom on the Underground Railroad.

The women, who are part of black health and wellness advocacy organizationGirlTrek, began their journey in eastern Maryland on Tuesday and will end after crossing the Mason-Dixon Line into Delaware on Saturday.

The group includes the 10-woman GirlTrek national team, whose members come from cities like Sacramento and New Orleans. Other women have also been joining in and sharing photos of the journey on social media. In just the first day, they walkedmore than 22 miles.

GirlTrek co-founder T. Morgan Dixon hopes the walk will inspire all black women to put themselves and their health first. The women are documenting their journey with the hashtag #HarrietsGreatEscape.

We will show and prove that 2018 is about radical courage and unshakeable sisterhood, Dixon said in a statement. Harriet Tubman saved her own life first and then went back time after time to save the lives of others giving us the blueprint for the work GirlTrek does today.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Each year since the 100th anniversary of Harriet Tubmans death in 2013, GirlTrek has honored Tubman through the hashtag #WeAreHarriet. As part of the groups mission to improve black womens health, the tribute encourages black women to get active by simply walking.

According to the 2017 Institute for Womens Policy Research report The Status of Black Women in United States, 1 in 7 black women has diabetes. Black women also have the highest heart disease mortality rate of any ethnic group in the U.S. These statistics reflect a history of American society neglecting and devaluing black womens health.

Weve learned to be invisible even to ourselves, said GirlTrek member Theresa Thames in avideo. Well take care of everyone else, but we will neglect ourselves because that is the trauma. Its the trauma of history and its the trauma of life.

Story continues

A post shared by GirlTrek (@girltrek)on Mar 6, 2018 at 6:10pm PST

GirlTrek co-founders Dixon and Vanessa Garrison formed the group in 2010, with the goal of learning from this history lesson and empowering black women to get healthy. Eight years later, thousands of women have taken the pledge to improve their health, leading walking groups in their own neighborhoods.

We believe that, as women, we are going to have to also liberate, one, ourselves and then come back and be examples and liberate our family, said Garrison in a press release. If Harriet Tubman could walk herself to freedom, we can certainly walk ourselves to better health.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
The last male northern white rhinoceros is sick.

Sudan, a 45-year-old rhino and the last male of his subspecies (Ceratotherium simum cottoni), is ailing in the wake of two infections on his back right leg, according to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the wildlife sanctuary in Kenya where the last three northern white rhinoceroses on the planet live.

"At the advanced age of 45, his health has begun deteriorating, and his future is not looking bright," Sudan's caregivers posted on Ol Pejeta's Facebook page. Rhinos usually live between about 30 and 40 years, according to a follow-up comment by the caregivers, and Sudan's problems are age-related. [In Photos: The Last 5 Northern White Rhinos]

Last of his kind

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Sudan's problems started with an infection on his back right leg near the end of 2017, according to Ol Pejeta. His veterinary team treated him, and he was back to normal in January. But since mid-February, vets have discovered that there is a deeper infection underlying the original one, and Sudan is not responding as quickly to treatment this time.

"We are very concerned about him  he's extremely old for a rhino and we do not want him to suffer unnecessarily," Ol Pejeta caretakers wrote on Facebook.

Even before this health setback, the chances of Sudan fathering new northern white rhinoceroses in his lifetime were basically nil. This subspecies of rhinoceros used to roam across Uganda, Chad, Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to Ol Pejeta, but poaching and chaos from years of civil war in the region sent the population plummeting. The last time a northern white rhinoceros was seen outside of captivity was 2007, and the subspecies is presumed extinct in the wild.

To save a rhino

Since then, the population of captive white rhinos has been falling one by one, largely due to old age. In 2014, after the deaths of a male named Suni at Ol Pejeta and a male named Angalifu at the San Diego Zoo, Sudan became the sole surviving northern white rhino male.

Story continues

Sudan is one of only three northern white rhinoceroses left in the world, period. A female, Nola, died of old age and infection at the San Diego Zoo in November 2015, leaving only Sudan and two females, named Fatu and Najin, at Ol Pejeta. Najin is Sudan's daughter, and Fatu is his granddaughter; both have conditions that make carrying a pregnancy impossible. What's more, in 2015, Sudan's sperm count was discovered to be very low, making him unlikely to father offspring naturally.

Conservationists are using artificial measures in attempts to save the species. For example, they're using sperm and eggs extracted from northern white rhinoceroses, including Sudan and recently deceased individuals, to try to develop rhinoceros in vitro fertilization (IVF). This strategy depends on managing to fertilize a northern white rhinoceros egg in a lab and successfully implant it in a surrogate mother from the southern white rhinoceros subspecies (Ceratotherium simum simum), which was once at the edge of extinction but made a comeback thanks to intensive conservation efforts.

Original article on Live Science.

Editor's Recommendations
A family in Australia has found what is believed to be the world's oldest message in a bottle, some 132 years after it was thrown overboard.

Tonya Ilman said she found the handwritten note while walking along a beach on Wedge Island, Perth, on the west coast of Australia.

Noticing a gin bottle wedged in a dune, she picked it up thinking that it might look nice on display at her home in Lancelin, Perth.

Trending: Russia's Gas Conflict With Ukraine Forces Schools to Close, Sparks Concern in Europe

It was then she noticed inside the bottle was a damp note that had been tied up with a piece of string.

oldest-message-in-a-bottle-bottle-on-beach

www.kymillman.com

After unravelling the paper safely at home, she found a message dated June 12 1886, said to have been thrown from the German sailing ship Paula.

Surprisingly, the paper was still almost completely intact, with a lot of the German writing still legible.

The family then set out conducting their own extensive research to make sure the message was genuine. Kym Illman, who understands basic German, was able to translate some of the letter before putting the rest through Google Translate.

Don't miss: Israel Is Being Bullied By The U.N., Nikki Haley Claims

The note said the bottle was thrown into the Indian Ocean from Paula while it was travelling from Cardiff, Wales, to Macassar in the Dutch East Indies, now known as Indonesia.

The family then took the message to the Western Australian Museum, where Ross Anderson, assistant curator of maritime archaeology, was tasked with investigating its authenticity.

After further research, Anderson confirmed the message matched the captain's entries in Paula's meteorological journal.

"Extraordinary finds need extraordinary evidence to support them," Anderson told ABC.

"The date and the coordinates correspond exactly with those on the bottle message.

Most popular: Russian Jet Crashes in Syria, All 32 People Onboard Assumed Dead

Story continues

"The handwriting is identical in terms of cursive style, slant, font, spacing, stroke emphasis, capitalisation and numbering style.

oldest-message-in-a-bottle-Ross-McDonald-1024x683

www.kymillman.com

As the bottle was found on the beach near Wedge Island on January 21, 2018, the note remained inside the bottle for a total of 131 years after 223 days after it was thrown from Paula. The previous record for oldest message in a bottle was 108 years.

The bottle was thrown into the water before construction began on the Eiffel Tower, during the presidency of Grover Cleveland.

Between 1864 and 1933, bottles were frequently thrown overboard from German ships as part of an experiment to better understand ocean currents. The notes ask the finder of the message to return it to German Naval Observatory in Hamburg or the nearest German Consulate. Of the thousands of bottles thrown overboard, only 662 have been recovered.

Speaking following confirmation of the messages age, Tonya said: This has been the most remarkable event in my life. To think that this bottle has not been touched for nearly 132 years and is in perfect condition, despite the elements, beggars belief. Im still shaking.

Kym added: It certainly consumed me for the first week. It was like solving a giant puzzle and now that its been confirmed as legitimate, I cant wait to share our excitement with others.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
Sunday's attack in Acre, in which three IDF soldiers and border policemen were wounded, seemed to barely affect business in the city Monday. Although more police cars were on patrol than usual, and businesses in the local marketwhere the attack took placehad fewer customer, residents tried to conduct business as usual.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



At dawn the merchants of the promenade market came to their shops, drank coffee and talked a little about the incident before they started their routine. Jews and Arabs sold and bought goods as if nothing had happened less than a kilometer away.

The attack

X

"It's all baloney, there was no attack (Sunday)," asserted Abu Diab Bilal, owner of a fish shop in the market. "There are no attacks in Acre, we Jews and Arabs live like brothers here."

Bassam, from the shop opposite Bilal's, agreed: "I do not understand what all the noise is about. I and my neighbor, Moshe, have been living next door to each other for 40 years and there is no hostility here. The fact that one person went mad does not mean that there is a new intifada on the way."

Moshe, who runs a candy store, reiterated Bassam's claim.

"As far as we're concerned, nothing happened (Sunday) in the city, we did not hear anything. At most there was an accident there," he said.

Maurice Knafo (Photo: Roi Rubinstein)

In the market, though, there are those who experienced a drop in the number of buyers.

"Traditionally, on Mondays, the market is weaker than in the weekend. Today (Mondayed) it may be a bit weaker than normal because of what happened here (Sunday)," said Joseph Jamil, a candy store owner.

"Believe me, this has screwed both the Jews and the Arabs of the city, and it's a shame that it happened."

The aftermath of the attack (Photo: Gil Nechushtan)

One hundred meters away, in one of the alleyways, we enter the most Jewish-Arab meeting place Acre has to offerSaid's hummus restaurant.

Almost exclusively, Jews who came to enjoy Said's hummus, just before he closes the restaurant at 15:00. can been seen.

Maurice Knafo, who comes once a week from the Krayot to eat Hummus at the restaurant, did not think for a moment of canceling his weekly trip.

Acre market (Photo: Roi Rubinstein)

"I did not hesitate to come even for a moment. I came even during the Lebanon War, so of course I would come now," he stressed. "I personally do not think this is a terrorist attack. What man prepares an attack while walking with his wife. He must have got angry and gone mad, that's all."

Oren, a discharged soldier from Acre, claims that even if this was a terrorist attack, he will not be denied his monthly hummus meal.

"What happened may be unfortunate, and I wish a speedy recovery for all the wounded, but it it not refelective of my city where you grow up alongside Arabs and do not think to hurt them because they are also human beings."

Said Abu Bakram (Photo: Roi Rubinstein)

The owner of the restaurant, Said Abu Bakram, best explained the Arab-Jewish solidarity that continues in the city.

"We are brothers, one family united, but sometimes outsiders like the one that came in (Sunday) come and make a mess," he said.

"I have no idea what happened there, but he was not from here and if he was it just would not have happened. Acre is a city that is an example of co-existence. So yes, every few years there are such incidents here, but these are always incidents caused by people who come from outside."
In light of the influx of reports on the investigations closing in on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it wouldnt hurt to offer some heresy. Let me start with the reports about his son Yairs alleged involvement in security-related issues.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



We know the story, in general terms: In certain cases, Netanyahu heard recommendations from heads of the defense establishment, and made a different decision after consulting his family members.

We are all aware of two of these cases: The decision to install metal detectors at the entrances to the Temple Mount after the terror attack that took place there, and the televised embrace of the security guard who killed two Jordanian nationals at the Israeli Embassy in Amman. In both these incidents, the decisions made by Netanyahu matched the expectations of his political base, but harmed state security. More importantly, they were foolish and childish decisions.

From left to right: Shlomo Filber, Ari Harow and Nir Hefetz (Photos: Motti Kimchi, Shaul Golan)

There may have been other incidents. His conduct in these incidents points to a distorted list of priorities and to weak-mindedness. It calls for a profound public discourse and perhaps, at some point, a commission of inquiry. It doesnt appear criminal, however. A prime minister is allowed to make foolish decisions. Only if it turns out that the son or his mother received envelopes from someone for the advice they gave would it be possible to refer to these incidents in criminal terms.

The growing influx of states witnesses is far from exciting too. There is more than a grain of truth in the statement issued by Netanyahu's bureau, that if you have clear-cut evidence you dont need so many states witnesses.

Past experience calls for some skepticism: The Rabbi Pinto affair became a laughingstock. Pinto ran what the police refer to as an organized crime group. He promised the State Attorneys Office the world if it signed a states witness agreement with him, and it ended with trivialities. Meanwhile, the distinguished rabbi has been released from his symbolic prison term and has denied his admission. The witness fooled the state.

Ari Harow, Netanyahu's former chief of staff, got caught red-handed in his own offenses. The States Attorneys Office basically forgave his crimes in exchange for incriminating information in the Netanyahu cases. We still dont know what Harow gave the investigators, whether the information could have been extracted from him without a deal, and whether the information he provided justified pardoning him.

The same applies to Miki Ganor, the main criminal in the submarine affair. Time will tell whether Ganor is a maritime version of Rabbi Pinto.

Netanyahu. The prime ministers bureau turned lying into a tool, into a norm (Photo: Reuters)

Shlomo Filber, the former Communications Ministry director-general, claimed throughout his term that all his actions were in the states best interest, and were not aimed at benefiting Bezeq or Netanyahu. After being offered a states witness agreement which would exempt him from all charges, he changed direction: Now, he says he operated as part of a secret deal between Shaul Elovitch and Netanyahubenefits worth NIS 1 billion in return for favorable news coverage.

If he provided evidence strengthening the case against the two, so be it, we can accept the status he was given. If the main thing he provided was his testimony, why should we believe him?

This applies even more strongly to Nir Hefetz, the new purchase in the states witnesses pool. As soon as Hefetz was arrested, I confidently assumed he would negotiate his testimony. Hefetz was willing to sit in custody for Sara and Benjamin Netanyahu for a day or two. A week at the most. Theres a limit to his loyalty.

But Hefetz has been lying from every stage in recent years. He believed that his position as a PR agent allowed him to lie: Thats the profession, those are the orders. He wasnt the only one: The prime ministers bureau turned lying into a tool, into a norm. It may not be criminal, but its morally corrupt. I didnt believe a word he said before he turned states witness, and I have no reason to believe him now.

Hefetz was accused of obstruction of evidence and of involvement in deals reeking of bribery. He lied in court and he lied to his lawyer. The question is: Does what he gave the investigators justify the exemption he received from all the offenses he was suspected of? Did he give them new information about criminal acts? Did he provide them with evidence? If all he gave is his willingness to serve as a witness for the prosecution in court, the deal isnt worth much. The defense counsels will destroy his credibility within minutes.

Harow, Filber and Hefetz were high-ranking government workers. Now that they have confessed to offenses, we can ask themand those who came after them: What were you thinking when you did what you did? Didnt you owe anything to the state, which provided for you, which lifted you up? Why did you keep quiet? In the end, it was only the smell of Lysol in prison that broke your silence.

The willingness to sign more and more deals, to forgive more and more criminals, indicates that the attorney general is convinced that at least one case, Case 4000, will end in a bribery trial. But it also points to the attorney generals concerns. He put a lot of eggs in one basket. Unfortunately, theyre all rotten eggs.
North Korea is willing to hold talks with the United States on denuclearization and will suspend nuclear tests while those talks are underway, South Korea said on Tuesday after a delegation returned from its northern neighbor where it met leader Kim Jong Un.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



National Security Office head Chung Eui-yong recounted the North said during the talks it was prepared for "openhearted talks" with the United States on issues relating to denuclearization and normalizing relations between Pyongyang and Washington.

"North Korea made clear its willingness to denuclearize the Korean peninsula and the fact there is no reason for it to have a nuclear program if military threats against the North are resolved and its regime is secure," Eui-yong told a media briefing.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (2nd left) and the South Korean delegation (Photo: Reuters)

He also cited the North as saying it would not carry out nuclear or missile tests while talks with the United States were underway. North Korea has not carried out any such tests since November last year.

Kim Jong Un told the visiting delegation that it is his "firm will to vigorously advance" inter-Korean ties and "write a new history of national reunification," the North's official news agency said on Tuesday.

"Hearing the intention of President Moon Jae In for a summit from the special envoy of the south side, (Kim Jong Un) exchanged views and made a satisfactory agreement," said Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) of the meeting that took place on Monday.

Joint Korean summit slated for April

South Korea said it had agreed with North Korea to hold summit talks in late April. South Korea's presidential office also said Tuesday that the countries have agreed to set up a telephone hotline between their leaders.

Kim ordered 'practical steps' to be undertaken to move forward on the summit (Photo: AP)

Kim Jong Un gave orders for "practical steps" regarding the letter from Moon that was delivered to him by the delegation and that sought to convene the summit, KCNA said without elaborating.

The delegation marked the most senior officials to meet with Kim Jong Un since he inherited leadership from his late father, Kim Jong Il, seven years ago.

US 'cautiously optimistic'

The Pentagon has nevertheless said it was "cautiously optimistic" about the North-South talks, which resumed in January for the first time in two years. The Americans made clear to North Korea that no negotiations could take place without the isolated country's denuclearizationa demand summarily rejected by the communist North.

It appears, however, that in the wake of the South Korean delegation's visit the North has softened its stance on the matter.

President Donald Trump, in the first US response to reports following talks between North and South Korea and possible further negotiations, said on Tuesday, "We will see what happens."

Offering first US comment on possible breakthrough, President Trump tweeted, 'We will see' (Photo: EPA)

The two Koreas relations have warmed considerably recently. Detente between the two countries began with North Korean participation in the Winter Olympics held in South Korea, and continued with Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong, visiting the Pyeongchang games.

The Koreas are to hold working-level talks ahead of the summit between Kim and liberal South Korean President Moon Jae-in. If realized, it would be the third-ever such a meeting since the Koreas' 1945 division.

The two past summits, in 2000 and 2007, were both held in Pyongyang between Kim's late father, Kim Jong Il, and two liberal South Korean presidents. They resulted in a series of cooperative projects that were scuttled during subsequent conservative administrations in South Korea.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Polands Foreign Ministry on Tuesday denied reports that the US is punishing Poland over a controversial new Holocaust law.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Bartosz Cichocki, the deputy foreign minister, conceded that Washington has been expressing concerns and questions about the law, but said reports of sanctions are untrue.

US President Trump (L) with Polish President Duda (Photo: EPA)

Polish news portal Onet.pl reported late Monday that the Polish government was told that President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki cannot count on any meetings with either President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence until Poland changes the law.

Onet said it has seen Polish documents confirming the ultimatum, and reported that the Americans also threatened to block the financing of joint military projects.

The United States has previously warned Poland that there would be negative consequences if it passed the law, which imposes prison sentences of up to three years for falsely and intentionally attributing the crimes of Nazi Germany to Poland.

Polands nationalist government says the law is meant to protect Poland, a victim of Hitlers Germany, from being accused of crimes it did not commit as a nation. Israeli and US officials, however, fear that it could undermine free speech and academic research into the cases of Polish violence against Jews during World War II.

In late January the US State Department said the law could have repercussions ... on Polands strategic interests and relationships.

Polands Constitutional Court is now examining the law, leaving many observers hopeful that it might require lawmakers to change it and end the diplomatic dispute that broke out in late January. Last week Polish officials were in Jerusalem and Washington trying to explain the law and hear the views of Israeli and US partners.

Artur Lompart, director of the press office of Polands Foreign Ministry, told The Associated Press in an emailed statement that the ministry will not comment on media reports about classified or official correspondence.

However, he said that Polish diplomats tried to explain in intensive talks with Americans and others that the proposed changes pose no threat to freedom of speech and research, which is unequivocally enshrined in the Polish Constitution.

It must be strongly noted that the language of ultimatum does not appear in Polish-US talks, Lompart said, adding that strategic bilateral cooperation is not at risk, with diplomatic contacts kept as usual.
A Likud miniser sparked outrage in the Knesset Plenum Tuesday evening after he made disparaging remarks against women, two days before the world marks International Womens Day.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



If you continued to whine, you wont be leaders, Minister of Science, Technology and Space Ofir Akunis said as he launched into a controversial tirade that triggered a commotion in the session.

Should I repeat the list of women who made their mark on international leadership in the 20th century? To be a feminist does not mean constantly saying they did this or that to me. It is to do, he said.

Minister Ofir Akunis (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

According to Akunis, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley was an example of a female leader. Learn from her what leadership is, he told the female MKs.

Turning to Kulanu MK Rachel Azaria, the minister said: Stop it already. Change your old ways.

Other MKs in the plenary session did not shy away from making their contempt for Akunis abundantly clear.

This is terrible and even more unfortunate  Akunis chooses to shirk any semblance of statehood even in a festive and symbolic discussion marking International Womens Day and calls women whiners. What a shame, scathed Yesh Atid MK Aliza Lavie.

Its shameful and disgraceful to call women whiners in Israel in 2018, added MK Yehiel "Hilik" Bar from the Zionist Union.

MK Yehiel Bar (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Its a statement of privilege, a man from Tel Aviv, that is suitable for the Middle Ages or 1950s Israel. Similar terminology was used against the sephardim. Disgrace. I urge you to apologize.

Chairwoman of the Na'amat Israeli women's organization also joined the outcry against Akunis, demonstrating her disdain for the remarsk.

This is how a minister in Israel chooses to speak as we approach International Womens Day, she lamented. Akuniss miserable and ignorant statements are full of hatred toward women. The prime minister must make his voice heard, repudiate his ministers statements and to clarify that this is not a governmental position.
ISLAMABAD  Pakistan's military says it shot down an Indian "spy drone" after it entered Pakistani airspace in the disputed region of Kashmir.

The military said in a statement late Tuesday that the drone violated Pakistan's airspace and was spying when it was shot down in the village of Chirikot along the Line of Control in Kashmir. It said Pakistani troops retrieved the wreckage.

The army said it was the fourth Indian drone it shot down in the past year. India had no immediate comment.
The political crisis surrounding the amendment to the draft law is still rocking Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, and the threat to dissolve the Knesset is becoming more and more real, as the Israeli parliament is scheduled to start its holiday recess on March 18.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Seemingly, none of the coalition partners are interested in elections. In practice, however, things are different and complex.

Who is interested in elections? Who stands to lose from a dissolution of the coalition? And the members of which party are at odds over the issue?

From left to right: Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Education Minister Naftali Bennett

Likud

Some party members are advising Netanyahu to take advantage of the positive momentum that has been created and call elections, as large parts of the public believe the prime minister is being persecuted by the law enforcement authorities and the media.

Other voices in Likud are warning, however, that going to elections in the midst of a legal imbroglio is an adventure that could end badly as far as Netanyahu is concerned.

The prime minister came up with the following formula Tuesday evening: A government that would complete its term until November 2019with an explicit commitment from all partnersor elections.

Netanyahu. Likud members are at odds over the next step he should take (Photo: AFP)

There is no point in the government dismantling in May. Therefore, without an agreement that ensures the government's continued life span, there is no choice but to go to elections, said a senior source in the coalition.

United Torah Judaism

The ultra-Orthodox Knesset members, who started the crisis with their refusal to approve the 2019 state budget before the amendment to the draft law is approved, have two different opinions on the matter.

Members of the Degel HaTorah factionMoshe Gafni, Uri Maklev and Ya'akov Asherwant to reach a solution, are not interested in elections and may even settle for the amendment passing the ministerial committee and its first reading.

UTJ members before signing the coalition agreement with Likud in 2015. The party risks losing its power and influence in the event of elections

The other half of the partyDeputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman and members of the Ger Hasidic secthave adopted a more aggressive approach. At the Ger Rebbes orders, Litzman is demanding that the law pass its three readings before the vote on the budget.

While UTJ isnt interested in elections, polls show the party isnt expected to face any dramatic changes among its electorate. The risk UTJ would be taking is that the elections would be followed by the formation of a government without Haredim, there would be no draft law and the party would lose its current influence and power.

Kulanu

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon put an ultimatum on the table, making it clear that he would not oppose elections if the budget isnt approved.

Kahlon. Put an ultimatum on the table (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

I wont be able to remain finance minister if the budget isnt passed by the end of the Knesset session. The IDF draft has nothing to do with the state budget, he said, warning that the people of Israel will sit down for the Passover Seder with a budget or without a finance minister.

In practice, however, Kahlon needs more time to complete the reforms he is working on and push for a further drop in housing prices.

Yisrael Beytenu

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman isnt willing to give in to the Haredim, knowing he may pay a heavy public price for doing so. While he isnt eager to give up his prestigious portfolio, possible election dynamics wont leave him indifferent. In case of elections, Lieberman will explain to his voters that he gave up a key position in favor of an important principleequality in drafting.

Bayit Yehudi

The religious Zionist party will find it very difficult to regain its current achievements after the elections: The Education portfolio (held by party leader Naftali Bennett), the prestigious Justice portfolio (held by Ayelet Shaked), two representatives in the Political-Security Cabinet and full control of the Knessets Constitution Committee (which is chaired by MK Nissan Slomiansky)

Bennett and Shaked will find it difficult to regain their achievements after elections (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

And like in the 2015 elections, Bennetts party will be most affected by a public momentum in favor of Netanyahu.

Shas

The Haredi partys voice hasnt been heard throughout the crisis. The polls dont bode well for Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, and his legal trouble is affecting the partys general situation as well.

Although Deri keeps fighting for Torah studies, his serious fear of elections has led to the adoption of a more compromising approach.
Conditions in Gaza are difficult, putting aside the argument of whether a humanitarian crisis exists in the strip or not. Inarguably, after more than a decade of blockade, limitation on movement and Palestinian Authority sanctions, the job market is dwindlingand nowhere is it more apparent than among women.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The latest available data, from 2016, show that in excess of 70 percent of the population was in need of humanitarian assistance, while 47 percent suffered from food insecurity. Unemployment rates have also skyrocketed in the past decade, and today stand at 35 percent among men and 66 percent among women.

Simultaneously with the marked, consistent downturn in available jobs in the strip, a dramatic increase of more than 200 percent took place in the number of job-seeking women.





File photo. Palestinian professionals in Gaza (Photo: AFP)

As the scant number of available jobs is usually offered to men, and since Israel no longer allows Gaza laborer to work in Israel, Gazan men turn to Gaza for employment, which limits the number of jobs available to women even more drastically.

Maryam Abu al-Ata of Gaza is a project director for the Aisha Association for Woman and Child Protection. "The unemployment rate among young people, men and women alike, is very high, but even those counted as employed face many hardships," she said.

"Most work contracts have durations of between a month and five months, so workers never enjoy job security. Even those who can find jobs almost never receive social benefits. In addition, many times payment is received many months after the work was carried out," she added.

The current situation, in which educated women are entering the job market in droves, while the number of available jobs only dwindles, is especially problematic considering the fact that many women now find themselves exclusive breadwinners in their families.

As a related trend, many women seek employment in fields previously considered "masculine," such as banking, investments and management.

Changes in Israeli policy regarding Gaza trade focused on goods, such as expanding the varieties of agricultural products allowed to be marketed. No such change, however, was made regarding the movement of people from Gaza.

The new policy therefore skipped much of the job market and prevented manymost of them womenfrom obtaining professional training and development available outside of Gaza.

While Israel approves the exit of women from Gaza to professional training in the West Bank on occasion, it marks a drop in the ocean in relation to the number of women in need of such training.

The Gaza reality, as part of which access to the outside world is possible only through Israeland the Erez Crossingor Egyptand the Rafah Crossing, which is closed almost all year roundmakes it nearly impossible for women to break glass ceilings.

"Overseas job opportunities for women from the strip are rare. Israeli policy at crossings and security directives make it very difficult," Abu al-Ata said. "It's come to not even considering applying for permits for job opportunities abroad, because we know they'll be turned down."

Palestinian activist Maryam Abu al-Ata said overseas job opportunities for women are rare enough, while Israel only exacerbates them by security directives

She added, "The year I graduated from university was the year elections in the Palestinian Authority were held, immediately followed by the Gaza coup. Then a far-reaching Israeli operation took place and it was nearly impossible to find work.

"After years of trying unsuccessfully to find a long-term job in architecture, I considered immigrating to another country. I managed to land a job in the United Arab Emirates, but after much deliberation decided not to take it.

"I wanted to stay in Gaza and contribute to my society and community. It was a very significant decision. I was still looking for a job in architecture years later, but I've been unsuccessful."

Al-Ata attests that she had big dreams and aspirations when she was just starting out her academic career, but they were quickly shattered by reality. "After graduation and coming to realize I had few employment opportunities, my mental state deteriorated. I could barely find it in me to leave home.

Overview of life in Gaza

X

"I realized my diploma will not help me get a job. A lot of engineering companies went out of business in Gaza in the past few years, while infrastructures keep breaking apart.

"As a woman, job hunting in Gaza is very hard. You're up against an immense shortage in jobs and a discriminatory preference of men, considered the primary breadwinners for their families, to begin with."

'Limitations on movement prevent a respectable life'

According to the Aisha project director, the immense hardship so prevalent in Gaza has led to tragic results among academics who can't find a job on graduation. Abu al-Ata also shined a light on a topic considered taboo in Palestinian society.

"The dire economic fortunes has pushed university graduates to drugs, violence, depression and even suicide. They lose hope and feel like there's no point to go on living. The mental duress and trauma life in the strip confronts them with are doubly hard on women," she explained.

The Gisha  Legal Center for Freedom of Movement NGO, which works to defend Gaza Palestinians' freedom of movement, will publish a report Thursday for International Women's Day analyzing the blockade's influence on local women's life.

Freedom of movement was essential to both finding jobs and receiving training (Photo: AFP)

Gisha noted that women are an integral part of any healthy, thriving workforce and have immense potential to contribute to the promotion and development of Gaza's economy.

"Limitations on movement breach women's fundamental rights to freedom of movement, break apart families, delay economic development and prevent a respectable life to all citizens of the strip, men and women alike," the report said.

"Israel must recognize the legitimate needs of business and professional women in the strip, and allow them to go abroad, as well as move between Palestinian territories (subject to specific security checks)."
The Jerusalem District Court released Malka Leifer, sought for extradition to Australia, to house arrest.

Leifer was arrested three weeks ago in the West Bank of suspicion of sexual offenses against three sisters when she served as the principal of a Haredi high school in Melbourne.

Leifer's attorneys said that, "The court determined our client should be trusted, as she did not betray its confidence last time. We're beginning on a new path that will end with proving previous opinions were correct in stating she was unfit to stand trial."
United Torah Judaism (UTJ) MK Moshe Gafni implied Wednesday morning that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might not want to resolve the coalition crisis over the Haredi party's conscription bill proposal, after Netanyahu warned that if no solution is found, elections will be called.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



UTJ has threatened not to support the 2019 state budget unless an IDF conscription bill, which would solicit state recognition of Torah studies to being equal to military service, is brought for a vote and passed in the Knesset first.

"The crisis on the draft law is entirely solvable. There's no reason a solution can't be found. But apparently someone is not interested in that," Gafni said.

Netanyahu and Gafni (Photos: Motti Kimchi)

"There isn't a deep crisis that cannot be resolved. We believe that those who study the Torahanyone for whom 'Torato Umanuto' (Torah study is his job)needs a postponement (of IDF service), we've always said this. The High Court of Justice rejected it. We need to prepare (the amendment to the law). It takes some time," he explained.

"Making this unsolvable is making a mockery of things. I can solve the problem in 10 minutes. I don't know who doesn't want to solve it. We haven't received a proposal, and neither has Aryeh Deri," Gafni added.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett stressed Tuesday that "the heads of all parties in the government are interested in preventing Israel from being dragged to an election campaign that would waste billions of shekels. This is why we're all working in coordination to promote legislation that would allow returning to the gradual drafting of Haredim. I'm very optimistic and believe we can resolve the crisis at the beginning of next week and continue the responsible management of the state."

Economy Minister Eli Cohen (Kulanu) told Ynet his party, which is led by Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, will not compromise on the budget.

"We explicitly said that if the state budget is not approved in the current (Knesset) session, we're going to elections," he said. "You can't turn the budget into a tool for extortion."

Minister Eli Cohen (Photo: Minister's spokesperson)

Cohen added the next three days are critical and would tell whether Israel is heading for elections.

He rejected UTJ leader Yaakov Litzman's demand to pass the draft law amendment in the coming week, saying, "It's not possible to pass the legislation in second and third readings in a week from today. Even Litzman knows this. It's unreasonable and not serious. And I think it's also the wrong move for Israeli society and the Haredi sector."

Cohen was outraged by the Haredi ultimatum. "What are we going to tell the disabled people who need to get their benefits by the end of the month? What are we going to tell families waiting for afternoon child care facilities? We made commitments, and we are passing a budget with important news for Litzman as wellthe nursing care reform, health budgets, things he was part of," he said.

Disagreements within UTJ

But not all ultra-Orthodox MKs are of the same mind. While MKs Gafni, Yaakov Asher and Uri Maklev from the Degel HaTorah faction of UTJ are willing to settle for the draft law amendment to pass in a preliminary reading, Deputy Health Minister Litzman insists on the legislation passing in all three readings and being made into law before supporting the state budget.

Deputy Health Minister Litzman (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Litzman was quoted by Haredi newspaper HaModia on Wednesday morning as saying that "any new proposal submitted to the Haredi representatives about the amendment to the draft law would have to be approved first by the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Council of Torah Sages). We will know how to act based on their decision."

Until UTJ's spiritual leadership decides differently, however, "our demands haven't changed and we're sticking to them," Litzman added.

For lack of a better option, the ruling Likud party is considering the option of promoting the 2019 budget with the more moderate UTJ members. This option remains problematic for Netanyahu, who would rather not start a rift with the Ger Hasidic dynasty, to which Litzman belongs. Either way, all eyes are now on the prime minister, who will return from the US on Friday.

Deputy Minister Meir Porush (UTJ), meanwhile, rejected a compromise to the crisis that entails a more moderate version of the draft law amendment, which does not include a Basic Law that recognizes the value of Torah studies.

Such a compromise, which would help those who oppose the legislation "swallow the bitter bill," will not be enough to guarantee the status of yeshiva students and their immunity from being called up for IDF service.

"The legal advisers who have been accompanying us in recent months have expressed an unequivocal position: only if we tie the draft law to a Basic Law: Torah Studies, we have a chance to deal with the High Court's attempts to cancel the laws passed to recognize the status of yeshiva students," Porush said. "That is why the coalition partners need to hear from us clearly that this is the demand and there is no other option."
There has been further deterioration in relations between Israel's Jewish and Arab citizens over the past two years, according to Index of Arab-Jewish Relations in Israel, complied annually by Haifa University for the past 41 years,

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The index showed, for example, that more than half of Israeli Arabs did not accept Israel having a Jewish majority or recognized it as a Jewish and democratic state.

Among the Jewish public, meanwhile, a downturn was noted in willingness to live next to an Arab neighbor, to have children studying at school alongside Arab students, to enter Arab communities or to work under an Arab supervisor.





File photo. Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel (Photo: George Ginsberg)

The index's 2017 data showed a drop in the legitimacy of Jews and of the state in the eyes of Arabs and a simultaneous drop in legitimacy of Arab citizens in the eyes of Jews.

In 2015, for instance, 65.8% of Arabs recognized Israel's right to exist, compared to only 58.7% in 2017. In addition, recognizing Israel's legitimacy as a Jewish and democratic state dropped from 53.6% to 49.1% over the past two years, with recognition of the legitimacy of maintaining a Jewish majority dropping from 42.7% to 36.2%.

The sharpest drop, however, occurred in the rates of Arabs' acceptance of Israel's character. In 2015, 60.3% of Arabs accepted Israel having a Jewish majority, compared to 44.6% in 2017.

Consequently, two years ago 39% accepted Israel's Law of Return for Jews, compared to 25.2% today. Moreover, 56.2% concurred in 2015 with Israel's unique Hebrew-Israeli culture, compared to 45.6% in 2017. Similarly, only 46% of Israeli Arabs accepted Saturday as the country's day of rest, compared to 60.7% two years ago.

Prof. Sammy Smooha (Photo: Nitzan Dror, Ori Davidovitch and Yogev Attias)

Having said that, 61.9% of Arabs in 2017 thought Israel was a good place to live, compared to 64% in 2015. A growth was also noted in the number of Arabs starting they prefer to live in Israel over anyplace else60% in 2017 compared to 58.8% in 2015.

Another increase was shown in the number of Arabs stating they will not be willing to move to a Palestinian state, should one be created77.4% in 2017 as opposed to 72.2% in 2015.

Examining the Jewish public, a similar downturn in the legitimacy of the Arab minority could be traced. The rate of Jews recognizing Arabs' right to live in Israel as a minority with complete civil rights dropped from 79.7% in 2015 to 73.8% in 2017.

Similarly, the rate of those assenting to Arabs holding full civil rights in a Jewish and democratic state dropped from 74.9% to 68.1%, with the rate of Jews accepting Arabs as full members of Israeli society dropping from 69.5% to 61.1%. Moreover, 28.9% of Jews were not willing to have Arab friends, compared to 24.3% in 2015.

(Photo: Buma Inbar)

The number of Jews supporting a Basic Law proposal enshrining Israel's status as the Nation-State of the Jewish People, meanwhile, held fast at 67.3%. A segmentation of the bill's supporters showed that an absolute majority of Jews in Israelnot including a small left-wing minority"supported a new nationality law subjecting democracy to the country's Jewish character, thereby harming the standing of the Arab minority."

Despite the apparent downturn, data clearly showed the majority of Israel's Jewish public accepted Arabs as citizens with equal rights and an inseparable part of Israeli society. Prof. Smooha cited as proof the fact that 60.7% of Jews in 2017 concurred with the government's decision from late 2015 to undertake a massive five-year plan to develop the country's Arab sector at a cost of NIS 10-15 billion.

Nevertheless, comparing 2015's data with 2017 shows a decrease in willingness to a shared life. In 2015, 66% of Arabs agreed that "it's good for Jewish and Arab citizens to always live together in Israel" compared to 63.1% in 2017. A similar drop was noted among Jews, from 58.9% in 2015 to 52.4% in 2017.

A decrease could be gleaned from the report among Jews willing to have Arab students attend their children's schoolsfrom 57.5% two years ago to 51.6% todayin addition to an increase in the number of Jews reporting aversion from entering Arab communities59.3% to 63.7%. According to Smooha, the reason for the latter statistic was "a mixture of alienation, fear and boycotting."

Another rise was noted in the number of Jews uninterested in Arab neighborsfrom 41% in 2015 to 48% in 2017. Jews objecting to having Arab supervisors at work have also proliferated, from merely 29% to 39.8%.

"Despite the worsening in the willingness to integrate, the data still showed immense opennessboth by Arabs and by Jewsto maintain relations in the deeply split Israeli society," Prof. Smooha said.

(Photo: Ziv Reinstein)

The academic estimated that the reasons for said downturn could be traced to the current right-wing government's actions to curtail democracy, a popular intifada by Palestinian youngsters, the absence of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and a contemporary lack of awareness as to the state's investment in the Arab sector.

He continued, "Despite the deep-seated split between Jews and Arabs, the trend of Arab positions growing more extreme over the years and and Jewish positions doing the same recently, public opinions polls since 1976 show the continued existence of a strong foundation for Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel.

"Most Arabs as well as most Jews believe in a shared society, accept the country within the boundaries of the Green Line as a framework for relations, feel Israel is a good place to live, are committed to democracy as the mechanism of regulating relations and agree that civil quality is the basis to coexistence and an important goal for the country.

"No side wants to walk away from the table. The Arab minority continues hitching its wagon to the State of Israel and is fighting to improve its standing therein. Israeli Arabs do not detach themselves from Israel or from its Jewish majority, nor do they prefer the Palestinian character over the Israeli one or are swept into massive clashes.

(Photo: Tal Raz)

"Jews and the state, likewise, have no interest in fomenting crisis with the Arab minority and realize that it's different to the Palestinians under occupation, will only remain a part of Israel's populace and that there's no choice but to get along with it," Prof. Smooha concluded.

The Index of Arab-Jewish Relations in Israel public opinion polls have been conducted annually since 1976. The current survey, taken in May-August 2017, polled 700 Jews and 700 Arabs comprising a representative sample of each group's adult population.
Ciscos CEO and Chairman Chuck Robbins inaugurated a network of technological hubs across Israel on Tuesday in a festive event attended by President Reuven Rivlin. As many as 100 hubs are expected to open in all parts of Israel by year-end and connect Israels geographic and social periphery to central Israel and the rest of the world.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The inauguration event was held in one of Ciscos new hubs in the Musrara neighborhood in Jerusalem, which was dubbed Q5. The launch signifies strong momentum for Ciscos digital acceleration initiative in Israel and forms a central part of the CDA Program led by Robbins, which was announced in Israel 18 months ago. CDA is gaining new grounds across the globe with agreements on similar programs entered and 10 more countries.

President Reuven Rivlin, center, with Ciscos CEO and chairman Chuck Robbins, right, and General manager of Cisco Israel, Oren Sagi, left. (Photo: Tomer Foltyn)

In the 18 months that elapsed since the MOU signed by Cisco and Israeli government, a pilot program has been implemented, including the establishment of three technological hubs in the Negev. The hubs constitute of space that offers advanced technological infrastructure, Wi-Fi and broadband connectivity, professional training provided by Cisco and communication and remote work tools that allow small business owners, self-employed and startups to work anywhere as well as create a new ecosystem.

The future is here

The event also included key tools for remote communication. Sapir College President Omri Yadlin, talked with the events participants via Ciscos Spark technology directly from the Sderot Conference for Society, describing his vision for a near-term future of technology-enabled learning. What we do here now is the future, the next decade: working on the local level while thinking on the global level. Connecting the hubs from the periphery creates a powerful fabric.

Activists from the tech hubs in east Jerusalem, Dimona and Khoura joined the event from afar as well. They told the participants about the activities and partnerships that have become possible with technological infrastructure and the major projects of the startups using the hubs.

(Photo: Tomer Foltyn)

Chuck Robbins, CEO and chairman of Cisco Corporation, said, Cisco is present in Israel for 20 years already. This is one of my favorite places to visit. We built our company on technological innovation. Aside from Silicon Valley, I dont know of any place in the world that has more innovation than Israel. We are excited to announce this initiative and believe it is the first out of many more future ones. Mr. Robbins concluded by thanking President Rivlin for the opportunity to create this partnership.

Oren Sagi, general manager of Cisco Israel, said, Mr. President, this is a demonstration of technology and vision joining forces. These hubs allow us to connect the periphery with the center so seamlessly that entrepreneurs can become part of a larger community and work with companies in central Israel as well as with global ones. We do nothing alone but with many business partners.

'Cisco is doing for the entire world'

Rivlin addressed Robbins at the end of the event, saying, Between 2001 and 2003, I served as Israels minister of communication. It was then that I met the cisco people for the first time. However, it was in our meeting last year that I grasped the meaning of the song Hes got the whole world in his hands, Mr. Rivlin said and started singing the familiar song with the audience. As I told you this morning, some people talk and some do. The Israel-Palestinian collaboration is becoming possible through technology, a field both parties excel in. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can tell the difference between making promises and acting on them.

(Photo: Tomer Foltyn)

As the 7th generation of a Jerusalem family, I know this city is the microcosm that represents our coexistence. With your work, you help not only Jerusalem or Khoura or Sderot, but the whole world.
A Haredi family participating in a graduation ceremony was attacked Monday evening after leaving the Strauss Campus, the academic arm of the Hadassah Academic College for Haredi students, situated in the heart of Jerusalem's Haredi neighborhoods.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Protesters in the Mea Shearim neighborhood spat on, pushed and chased the family as they left the ceremony, after earlier one of them burst into the hall where the ceremony was taking place and disrupted proceedings.

The beginning of the violent incident

X

Academic studies in the Haredi sector remain an issue of some controversy, with several hard-line factions frowning upon them. During Monday's ceremony celebrating graduates of mass communication, business administration and biotechnology, protesters took it a step further became actively disruptive.

A Haredi family leaving a graduation ceremony was attacked in Mea Shearim

"We thought it ended with that, but when the ceremony was over and we went outside, we found about 60 people standing there and shouting, with the police holding them back from getting into the hall."

Ben Naim, himself a student of the institution, arrived to the event to watch his older brother graduate. He said his family was one of the first to leave, and began moving up the street. "For some reason, they decided we were the event's organizers and the entire group just started chasing us and screaming," he recounted.

Protesters chased Ben Naim's entire family, including his mother, he said. "Later I found out we drew all of the fire, and the others got away quietly," he added.

A crowd congregated outside the Strauss College in Jerusalem

Violent assault against Haredi students

Police remained close to the hall to head off any riled up protesters, and so the hard-line Haredim found other targets. "At first it was shouting, but you know how it works," Ben Naim said, adding that after he attempted to push off a protester who got too close, "someone jumped (him) from the side and began beating me. Everything was out of a control in a second."

Ben Naim, who captured the beginning of the incidentwhich he claimed also included spittinguploaded the video to Facebook along with text describing the evening's events. He wrote, "I was attacked, humiliated, swore at and received bone-chilling wishes.

"One of the things they don't prepare you for when you start a bachelor's degree is the fact that you might be assaulted during your studies. Assaulted by an extremist group of scumbags, which cloaks itself Haredi, observant pretenses that in a moment turns into a display of hate, with you and your family at the very center.

"There's no doubt my arsenal of swear words grew today. When the mess started, I thought they were just assailing anyone leaving the hall, and that the moment I left it would calm down However, the farther I got from the hall, with this despicable bunch at my heels, the more I realized they simply hate me, my parents, my brothers and really anyone who holds different beliefs.

"People who clearly had sons my age stood there, and wished me things I'm horrified to even repeat. An older man approached my father and told him, 'You wicked man, you'll be accompanying your son (on his funeral)' God forbid! A puissant 14-year-old boy called out derogatory remarks to my father, who's 60."

Haredi David Ben Naim was attacked outside his brother's graduation ceremony (Photo: David Marcus)

'An injustice to Judaism'

Ben Naim said he and his family were called "Hitler" and "Nazis" by the rioters, but that those were "peanuts. These harsh words were uttered by people calling themselves Haredim, people you usually come across collecting money in synagogues.

"The thing that bothered me the most about the whole thing was that people who couldn't be further away from academic studies participated. What business do youa rotten, action-loving bunch of 'yeshiva students'have sticking your noses into this kind of protest? In their eyes, you'll always remain third rate Mizrahim/Lithuanians. The moment one of you gets a non-kosher phone near where they live, you'll suffer the same disgrace."

According to Ben Naim, "Being surrounding by a hateful mob that rains swear words down on you and threatens to attack you is not a good feeling. It's not fun absorbing so much hatred in a single evening. It's not fun being attacked by people ostensibly belonging to the same sector as you. It's not fun being in the middle of all of this with your mother shaking in fear and you have to watch over both her and yourself at the same time.

Two religious girls attacked in Mea Shearim earlier this month (: . )

X

"I despise you, you small, wicked bunch. I'm certain that when you go back home, to your wives, you convince yourself that another day has passed in which you brought salvation closer, gave your life for the Torah and its students. Let me break it to youyou're not! You've desecrated the name of God and have done Judaism, the Torah and Haredi beliefs an injustice."

Monday's latest incident joined a series of worrying events where the area's residentsmost of whom are themselves Haredim or religiousencountered violence directed at them from hard-line factions. In the last such attack, two religious girls were set upon by an enraged crowd as they passed through Mea Shearim.
AMSTERDAM  The 2005 bombing that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was a terrorist act, judges at the U.N.-backed tribunal in the Hague set up to investigate it said in a ruling on Wednesday.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon also said that evidence presented by prosecutors "could" lead to the convictions of four suspects. That means lawyers for the four, who remain at large and are being tried in absentia, must present their defenses.

Prosecutors rested their case last month. Lawyers for one of the suspects, Hussein Hassan Oneissi, had asked for early acquittal, saying all evidence against him was circumstantial.

But Judge Janet Nosworthy said that evidence, including cell phone records presented by prosecutors, showed Oneissi may have been involved in an elaborate attempt to blame the attack on a fictional terrorist group. It also could imply he knew the attack itself was being prepared.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to make light of the multiple cases being conducted against him on Wednesday, quipping to an interviewer in Washington that his favorite thing about his job were "the investigations."

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Netanyahu is a suspect in three graft probes.

Speaking at the Economic Club in Washington as part of his five-day trip to the US, Netanyahu mocked the probes being conducted against him, insinuating that Israeli authorities launch graft cases against him over trivia.

PM Netanyahu at the Economic Club in Washington

X

"You met with President Trump and I noticed that you are wearing a red tie that he often wears, is that something that he gave you as a gift?," the prime minister was asked.

"That could be investigated too so I wont answer," Netanyahu replied, to the crowd's amusement.

Netanyahu also echoed his warning issued in a statement Tuesday evening that the government members either find a solution to the ongoing crisis regarding Haredi demands over IDF conscription legislation that has rattled the stability of the coalition, or elections will be called.

I want to continue the term until 2019 and for the partners to agree to this. If they dont agree, well go to elections, he said.

He also attempted to dispel the commonly held belief that his relations with President Obama were severely strained.

Contrary to the general press freed, buzzfeed, I actually had very good personal relations with all three of them," he said in reference to the three US presidents that he has had to work with during his premiership.

Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photo: Reuters)

"But I had agreements and disagreements. For example with President Obama, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding, an MoU for a ten-year military aid package to Israel which I deeply appreciate. I think its great," he said.

Under the current administration, however, Netanyahu said that relations were devoid of any disagreements.

"I would say that with President Trump I had fewer disagreement. In fact I havent found any yet and I dont expect there to be," he said.

Regarding the threat Netanyahu says Iran poses to Israel and the world with its nuclear ambitions, he reiterated what he told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Conference the previous night.

"Without the activities that we did in many many areas I think Iran would have had nuclear weapons long ago. They're not going to get them. Were not going to let them," he said.

He failed, however, to directly answer whether his country would be pleased if US President Donald Trump says he is going to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal or upset if he remains in it.

PM Netanyahu (Photo: AFP)

Well he asked me that question and I said look, you either fully fix this deal or fully nix it because right now its a highway with international approval for Iran to get to massive unlimited enrichment within a few years," Netanyahu warned.

"Iran, since the deal has been signed has been like a tiger unleashed from its case. The deal emboldened it, enriched it and instead of joining the community of nations they're just devouring the nations one after the other  The whole thing is going in a very bad direction," he added.

Iran should know, he continued, that it doesnt have a free pass to a nuclear arsenal and to the conquest of the Middle East.

The peace process between Israel and the Palestinians was also a topic of discussion during the interview, but the prime minister did not endorse a two-state solution to the conflict.

Well I think most Israelis would favor a situation where we could separate from the Palestinians. I dont want the Palestinians as citizens of Israel and I dont want them as subjects of Israel, he said after being asked whether he favored a two-state or one-state solution.

So I want them to have all the powers to govern themselves, but none of the powers to threaten us.

"The answer to your question is, most people would agree to an arrangement of the kind that youre talking about if they thought that the Palestinians wanted a state next to Israel. But theyre convinced more and more that they want a state instead of Israel. And thats not a real peace. People would go for a real peace, not a fake one."
Several dozen residents of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, are demonstrating this week against the Satmar community and its Matzah factory, which they say is causing severe air pollution that harms their health and quality of life.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



With Passover only three weeks away, Satmar's matzah factory is working diligently to provide the ultra-Orthodox community of Brooklyn and the surrounding area with strictly kosher matzah (hand-baked unleavened bread), but the non-Jewish residents of the neighborhood have voiced serious complaints.

Protest against matzah factory

X

The local media is covering the story and residents told local network WPIX that the plant emits what they describe as "toxic coal smoke," especially during the morning hours, and requires them to wear masks on the way to the subway. According to them, they have been complaining about this nuisance for seven years to the authorities, but they have not received any response.

Residents using masks (Photo: PIX11)

"As if our apartment is on fire"

The JBN website explains that while baking the matzah, the plant burns coal and wood, which causes the heavy emission of smoke. "It smells like burnt rubber, a terrible smell," says Marino Ferreras. Being asthmatic, he says he was forced to wear a gas mask.

Another resident of the neighborhood, Rosa Ortiz, told WPIX that the smoke was harming her nine-year-old son who suffers from asthma. "The smoke wakes us up in the middle of the night, and we feel like our apartment is on fire," she says.

Matzah bakery smoke fumes, protest (Photo: PIX11)

The incident has strained relations between the ultra-Orthodox residents and their non-Jewish neighbors. The factory refused to comment, but a neighborhood resident Yidi Warberger claimed that "these demonstrators are here just to make a fuss. There's no problem here, they use only clean wood and coal."

File photo. Matzah baking (Photo: Moti Kimchi)

Some of the demonstrators claimed they have no interest in closing the factory, but only in ensuring that its workers "behave responsibly, like neighbors," as Andrew Rayne says, "so that we can sleep with open windows and not wake up to the apartment shrouded in smoke."

During the demonstration, one of the protesters clarified to the ultra-Orthodox residents who gathered in the area that they took no issue with the community members "It's not because of you, it's not about you, nor about the factory workers."

Residents living near the site presented PIX11 with video clips documenting the smoke emitted from the factory and the ash-filled garbage cans along the street. They also say that about a year ago, the bakery was severely damaged by a fire that broke out after a wood-burning stove that was used for the first time.
India's national carrier has secured permission to begin direct flights between New Delhi and Tel Aviv that will pass through Saudi airspace, an official said Wednesday.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Air India spokesman Pravin Bhatnagar said the airline will start flying the route three times a week from March 22.

The airline's website showed options to book flights to Tel Aviv from New Delhi starting on that date, with fares starting at 24,124 Indian rupees ($371.94).

El Al Israel Airlines, the country's flag carrier, flies four weekly flights to Mumbai but these take seven hours rather than five as they take a route south towards Ethiopia and then east to India, avoiding Saudi airspace.





Air India (Photo: Shutterstock)

The move ends a decades-long ban by Saudi Arabia on the use of its airspace for flights to Israel.

Saudi Arabia and Israel have no formal diplomatic ties. The decision by Saudi Arabia to allow the Indian carrier to fly through its airspace to Tel Aviv reflects what is widely believed to be a warming of behind-the-scenes ties between the two countries.

Both are US allies with a shared concern over Iranian influence in the region.

Currently only the Israeli carrier El Al has flights that connect Mumbai to Tel Aviv.

The Air India flights will save flying time because of their shorter route.

El Al declined to comment on the news. The airline has reportedly objected to the Air India route, saying the shorter flights over Saudi Arabia put it at an unfair disadvantage.

India has been keen to map out speedier flight routes in Saudi skies to reduce the journey duration by around two hours by enabling it to fly west without the need take roundabout routes, thereby slashing costs on fuel and significantly increasing the number of tourists flying between Israel and India.

In addition, the new route would enable the airline to dramatically reduce the price of flight tickets and simultaneously stimulate competition among other airlines.

India and Israel have built close ties over the years away from the public eye, largely centred on arms purchases.

But under Narendra Modi economic ties have flourished and last year he made a first-ever visit to Israel by an Indian prime minister. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited India last month, the first such trip in 15 years.
TEL AVIV - El Al Israel Airlines has appealed to the United Nations over a bid to reroute its services between Tel Aviv and India through Saudi Arabian airspace.

Air India said on Wednesday it planned to begin thrice-weekly non-stop flights from Delhi to Tel Aviv this month via Saudi airspace. This route, shorter than the alternatives, has so far been off limits to all Israel-bound commercial planes.

The Israeli flag carrier's CEO Gonen Usishkin said in a letter to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a UN body, it would be discriminatory for the Saudis to allow Air India to enter its airspace and not El Al.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused authorities heading a series of graft probes against him Wednesday of employing intimidatory techniques to compel suspects into slandering him, regardless of the veracity of the claims.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The latest verbal assault on the investigative teams comes just days after the prime ministers former media advisor, Nir Hefetz , signed a state's witness agreement, joining two other former close Netanyahu associates who have turned state's witnesses recently Ari Harow and Shlomo Filber

I read about a man who was taken for investigation, on whom they exerted masses of pressure and told him, Lie, be a states witness and he refuses. It is difficult to believe that in the State of Israel, in our 2018 democracy, such things occur, Netanyahu said in a video uploaded on his Facebook page as he was flying from Washington to New York.

PM Netanyahu (Photo: Amit Shabi)

So I want to say a few words about the industry of states witnesses. They take people who claim that they carried out some offence, place them under arrest, terrify them and say to them: Your life is over. Your familys lives are over. Were taking practically everything from you, including your freedom. Do you want to be free of this? There is one way outslander Netanyahu. It doesnt matter if you tell hallucinatory lies. The main thing is that you slander Netanyahu, the prime ministers post continued.

When there is something real, you dont need a single states witness, and when there isnt anything, even one thousands states witnesses wont help. This obsessive hunt for one states witness and then another and another is the best proof that there is nothing, he added, sticking to the mantra that has escorted him throughout his public defense since the investigations erupted.

State's witnesses from L-R: Shlomo Filber, Ari Harow and Nir Hefetz (Photos: Motti Kimchi, Shaul Golan)

So they will continue doing their thing and I will continue doing my thing, making history here for the State of Israel. The coming days will tell how important this visit is for Israels security, he went on as he continues his five-day visit to the US.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank so many of you who continue to support me, my wife and my family. It is heartwarming for us especially in these days. Thank you all very much.

As part of Hefetzs agreement, he is expected to incriminate Netanyahu both in the illicit gifts affair (Case 1000) and in the Bezeq affair (Case 4000). He will also testify in Case 1270, an attempt to bribe District Court President judge Hila Gerstl with appointment to attorney general in return for tossing out a case against the prime minister's wife, Sara Netanyahu.

Netanyahus remarks gave rise to an volley of accusations, with law enforcement officials hitting back shortly after the post and scolding him for attacking the attorney general.

Netanyahu has shifted to plan B and is now taking aim at the attorney general, said the officials, who sought to remind the prime minister that it is Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit who approves the states witnesses.

PM Netanyahu and AG Avichai Mandelblit (Photo: Reuters)

States witnesses are a crucial force in investigations of this kind and they cannot be ignored, and yet still the person who approves every witness and the conditions of their signature are the state prosecutor and the attorney general.

Filber and Hefetz are believed to be able to piece together the fragmented pieces of evidence and tie the benefits allegedly received by another Case 4000 central suspect Shaul Elovitchthe controlling shareholder of the Bezeq telecommunications companywith the favorable news coverage believed to have been given to Netanyahu and his family.

Even without states witnesses, this case is strong and we could have gone with an indictment. Two states witnesses stated exactly what they could give, and after the material was examined by the police, the state prosecutor and the attorney general the agreement was approved, the officials continued.

Netanyahu is conducting an organized campaign. He isnt waging a battle against the existing states witnesses. He is conducting a battle against the next states witnesses.

Zionist Union Chairman Avi Gabbay also lashed out at Netanyahu, accusing him of going after the attorney generals head after going after Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh.

Avi Gabbay (Photo: AFP)

There is no states witnesses industry in Israel. There is an industry of government corruption and at the head of it is none other than Netanyahu itself, Gabbay said. The people of Israel deserve leadership that strengthens Israel and doesnt attack its authorities.
An undercover Border Police force staged a dramatic arrest of a student suspected of involvement in terror activities at Bir Zeit University near Ramallah Wednesday.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The arrest, resembling a scene from the popular Fauda TV action series, took place on the campus in broad daylight. No Israeli forces were injured.

Dramatic arrest at Bir Zeit

X

Palestinians say that the man arrested was the head of the universitys student union Omar Kiswani. The arresting force, disguised as Palestinian journalists, surrounded Kiswani near the unions offices while classes were taking place under the pretense of conducting an interview with him.

Undercover Border Police

As soon as the force revealed themselves, they drew pistols, fired into the air and snatched the detainee from the campus to IDF forces waiting nearby who covered their retreat as Palestinian students threw stones at the force.



Kiswani is the head of the Hamas student faction at Bir Zeit University. He recently won elections for president of the student union. He was previously arrested several times by Palestinian security forces.

Bir Zeit has long been known as a center of protest activity for Palestinian activists.

The Union of Journalists in Israel, however, voiced anger over the operation, announcing that it will contact the Commander of the Border Police to demand clarification regarding the forces disguising themselves as journalists.

The organization said: This act endangers real journalists in their work and entails a violation of journalistic freedom. Journalists should not be endangered even for the sake of security operations.
A senior IDF official warned Wednesday evening of "a small group of radical lawless settlers" and called for authorities to condemn them.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



There exists a small group of radical lawless settlers and I am calling for their denouncement, said the outgoing GOC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Roni Numa during his speech at the inauguration ceremony for his replacement, Maj. Gen. Nadav Padan.

The privilege and responsibility of being the GOC Central Commander was handed to me by my friend Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon. This moving moment is an opportunity for me to thank the Chief of Staff for the faith he entrusted in me and for the freedom of action and full support that you gave me," he added. "Continue with your wisdom and determination to strengthen the readiness of the IDF for the challenges of the future.

Generals: (L-R) Nadav Padan, Gadi Eisenkot, Roni Numa (Photo: Hillel Meir)

"During the term I was entrusted to fill, we experienced several violent outbursts during which 63 Israelis, civilians and security forces were killed as a result of terror attacks. Three additional officers died in training exercises. Their pictures and names dance somberly before my eyes," he said as he reflected on his leadership.

(Photo: Hillel Meir)

I do not have a better way of illustrating the responsibility that is imposed on all of us at any given moment. Dear bereaved families, the story of the lives of your loved ones will continue to be our guiding light wherever we go," he continued.

Turning to the Palestinian conflict, Numa praised the combined results of intelligence, technology and soldiers to counter terror.

In the past three years we have dealt with changes in the Palestinian arena, intelligence and operational tools have been developed and unique use has been made of the best technology and people since the outbreak of the wave of terror, and with these tools we have thwarted hundreds of terrorist attacks," he proudly stated.

"We have arrested terror activists and impaired the production of illegal weapons, and we are also working to confiscate terrorist funds and disrupt incitement to violence in Palestinian society."

Eisenkot and incoming commander Maj. Gen. Nadav Padan (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot furnished praised on the achievements of the outgoing commander.

Roni, your long years of achievement as commander at the operational center and your long record of combat and of commanding of the IDFs combat units brought me to appoint you as the Central Commander, my first appointment as Chief of Staff.

During your term, you led the war on terror with determination and creativity. You have worked to preserve the balance between operational considerations and the moral rehabilitation of the delicate fabric of life. You managed to maintain a sense of security even during the difficult hours that the region experienced, Eisenkot said.

In a reality in which our enemies seek to blur the dividing line between combatants and the population, concluded Eizenkot, we have formulated an innovative concept of combat against terrorism and you led it with brave and creative thinking that led to the cessation of terror attacks and the restoration of security.

"I thank you for your partnership and responsibility. Accept my appreciation for years of excellence and accomplishment at the forefront of the IDF for the security of the State of Israel.
- John Dumelo has expressed that he does not think there's any reason to celebrate independence day this year

- He says Ghana needs to get its priorities straight

Popular Ghanaian actor and political activist, John Dumelo, has expressed that he does not believe that Ghanaians should not celebrate independence day this year, raising hell with Ghanaians on social media in the process.

With Ghana's independence being 61 years old today, many Ghanaians have expressed feelings of pride at being able to witness their homeland stand strong 61 years after attaining independence from its colonial powers.

READ ALSO: Juliet Ibrahim lives it up in Sao Tome

This being said, others feel that even though Ghana's democracy has reached its 61st year, there's still nothing to celebrate about, and john Dumelo is one these people.

According to a recent tweet John Dumelo shared, the popular actor believes that this year Ghana should not celebrate its independence because children still lie on their stomachs to study, and teachers still have to teach IT without actual computers.

The actor's tweet seems to have raised hell with Ghanaians on social media, one of whom asked John Dumelo if these children had chairs a few years ago when the NDC - John Dumelo's party - was in political power.

Checkout Dumelo's post along with a few reactions below:

Glad you said it...

Don't complain...

It's going to continue...

Also checkout the most recent edition of YEN TV's Star Gist with rising Ghanaian Musician, Kobla Jnr, and watch the artist speak about his plans of making it big in the music industry.

READ ALSO: Kalybos patriotically celebrates independence day and Kwaku Manu's birthday

Do you have any story to share with YEN? Get featured! We are available on Facebook

Source: Yen.com.gh
Ghana's number one celebrity blogger, Ameyay Debrah, has officially tied the knot with his beautiful bride in a private ceremony that took place on the same day Ghana celebrated its 61st independence anniversary.

As momentous an occasion as Ghana's 61st independence anniversary is, it appears that March 6th, 2018, is important day for anther reason too, one that is closer to home as far as YEN.com.gh is concerned.

READ ALSO: John Dumelo expresses his sentiments on Independence day

Ghanaian celebrity blogger and former Managing Editor of YEN.com.gh, Ameyaw Debrah, revealed that he got married to his new wife and mother of his son, Darkoa.

Checkout a few photos of the event below:

Also checkout the most recent edition of YEN TV's Star Gist with rising Ghanaian Musician, Kobla Jnr, and watch the artist speak about his plans of making it big in the music industry.

READ ALSO: Juliet Ibrahim lives it up in Sao Tome

Do you have any story to share with YEN? Get featured! We are available on Facebook

Source: Yen
-A photo of actor, Lil Win, has left many people wondering if Kumawood is remaking 'Black Panther'

-The photo was shared by the actor who was wearing an elaborate costume and had his face painted

The Akan-language movie industry in Ghana popularly known and referred to by many as Kumawood are noted for recreating viral events and incidents that happen in the country.

In the latest photo seen of popular actor, Kwadwo Nkansah, widely known as Lil Win, it is yet to be ascertained if the movie industry is looking to remake the Ghanaian version of the American movie, 'Black Panther'.

Lil Win

READ ALSO: Prophet Nigel Gaisie opens up on what he said concerning Shatta Wale

Actor and musician, Lil Win, was seen dressed in what seemed like the skin of a hyena and sported a painted yellow and black face.

The actor also had on some claws which were fixed like gloves on his hands. The comic actor was seen beaming with smiles as he shared the photo on a social media platform.

It would be little wonder if in the coming days, Kumawood comes out with the local version of the blockbuster movie, 'Black Panther', which has been premiered and showed countless times the world over.

READ ALSO: New video allegedly showing Ebony Reigns' spirit possessing young lady stirs debate on social media

The Kumawood movie industry is known to have showcased many talents including teen actor, Clara Benson, known by many as Maame Serwaa, Vivian Jill Lawrence, Nana Ama McBrown, Agya Koo, Akrobeto, Bill Asamoah, Benedicta Gafah and Yaw Dabo.

The industry is responsible for thousands of movies which are chiefly acted in the local Twi dialect.

The industry not too long ago protested against the influx of foreign series into the country. According to the outfit, the series were killing the patronage of the locally-generated content and were they appealing for something to be done about it.

They petitioned the authorities to act so as to ensure that the Ghanaian culture was not lost since they depicted same in most of their movies.

READ ALSO: Statue of Ebony Reigns pops up on the internet; upsets many Ghanaians

Star Gist on YEN brings you an exclusive interview with upcoming music star Kobla Jnr:

YEN is building a platform where Ghanaians can share local news and own experiences with each other. Witnessing an incident?

Want to tell about a local problem? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition?

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us a message via YENs official Facebook page.

Source: Yen
President of the republic, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, ended the 61st Independence Day Celebration parade with a fierce message on how best Ghana can remain an independent economy.

The 61st Independence parade, which saw the Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, reiterate his commitment to ensuring the economic partnership between Ghana and Nigeria.

YEN.com.gh has the main and strong parts of Nana Addo's speech that you may want to know especially as the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda still remains on the minds of government.

READ ALSO: Police arrest Shatta Wale, grants him bail

1. Ghanaians are a unified force.

"We might be Dagartes, Sissalas, Dagombas, Mamprusis, Gonjas, Konkombas, Frafras, Grusis, Kusasis, Gas, Krobos, Ewes, Fantes, Denkyiras, Gomoas, Guans, Nzemas, Ahantas, Sefwis, Akyems, Akwamus, Akuapems, Kwahus, Brongs or Ashantis; we might sometimes even lapse into ancient rivalry modes; but, as Ghanaians, we are comfortable in our skin."

2. let us not live in the past

"On a day such as today, our thoughts invariably stray to the past, but we do not intend to live on past memories. To paraphrase Ephraim Amu in Yen araasaaseni, it is now our turn to build upon those past glories. (Adu me one won so-so, seyebeye bi to so). The litmus test is simple: every day must bring some improvement in our lives, today must be an improvement on yesterday and our tomorrow must certainly be better than our yesterday."

3. Ghana can never grow if we continue to beg

"Nobody needs to spell it out to us that the economic transformation we aspire to will not come through Aid. We have been on this trajectory for sixty years and it has not happened. Aid was never meant to be what would bring us to a developed nation status."

4. Corruption is still killing Ghana

"Fellow Ghanaians, corruption, or, more specifically, the stealing of public funds, continues to hold back the development of our nation. Corruption is not a partisan matter and we must all act to protect the public purse. With the office of the Special Prosecutor now in place we can expect more prosecutions for corruption in the coming months and public officials, present, and past, should be on notice that they would be held accountable for their actions."

5. We now have to embrace technology

"Fellow Ghanaians, we now live in a digital world and to be competitive, we have to be a part of and take advantage of digitization."

6. Armed robbery and insecurity will end

"The recent spate of armed robbery incidents is totally unacceptable. I will work to ensure that citizens are able to go about their daily duties in the confidence that they are safe. I want to make this clear: no miscreant will have the space to terrorize citizens and generate a sense of insecurity in our country. The police have the primary responsibility for maintaining peace and keeping law and order in our society, and, in exceptional cases, with the backing of the armed forces."

7. Nana Addo is ready to sacrifice for Ghana

"I urge you all to join in making sure there is no hiding place in our midst for those who would disturb our peace. For my part, I will do whatever is necessary, within the confines of the Constitution and the laws of the land, to ensure the peace of our country."

Star Gist on YEN.com.gh brings you emerging musician Kobla Jnr:

Send us a message via our official Facebook and/or Instagram page to get it published on YEN.com.gh

Source: Yen
- The 6th March celebration parade has seen Nana Addo raise issues on Ghana's development

- The event saw Nigeria's Buhari reiterate his country's move to help Ghana prosper

- Hundreds of school children also showed up for the parade

Ghana's 61st Independence Parade at the iconic Black Stars Square saw thousands of Ghanaians converge to witness the lovely match past and also hear the speeches of Nana Akufo-Addo and Nigeria's Mahammadu Buhari.

The parade, which was under the theme, "Ghana Beyond Aid", saw the president reaffirm his commitment to ensuring that Ghana does not go and borrow money from other countries in the West.

READ ALSO: 7 firm warnings, orders, Nana Addo voiced out in crucial 6th March speech

Nana Addo also stressed the need for Ghanaians to renew their love for the country as he begged for all to pay their taxes.

The event saw various political leaders, including the former presidents, Rawlings and Kufuor, show up to support the president's resolve to achieve this goal.

Hundreds of school children across the junior and senior high schools partook of the parade amidst scattered cases of some of them collapsing.

READ ALSO: Police arrest Shatta Wale, grants him bail

Various issues of national concern were raised by the president including the need to boost security in the country and end the menace of armed robberies.

Star Gist on YEN.com.gh brings you emerging music artiste, Kobla Jnr:

Send us a message via our official Facebook and/or Instagram page to get it published on YEN.com.gh

Source: Yen
On March 6, 2018, Ghana celebrated its 61 years of independence from colonial rule, and people from all walks of life marked the historic event in various ways.

As expected, some celebrities took to social media to express their patriotism to the world, through thought-provoking messages, as well as photos.

YEN.com.gh has sampled a number of lovely photos shared by some celebrities for you:

Popular Ghanaian actor, Vivian Jill, wore a lovely headscarf with the colours of Ghana's flag depicted in it. This was matched with her lovely jewelry and her glowing skin.

READ ALSO: DCE collapses in the middle of his speech on Independence Day

Popular Ghanaian actors, Kalybos and Kwaku Manu, decided to "enlist" in the police force for the purpose of giving their fans a salute on Independence Day.

A photo of them released by Kalybos, was also intended to mark Kwaku Manu's birthday, which also fell on March 6, 2018.

Media personality, Afia Schwar, chose to share a video of her daughter, Pena Geiling, singing the National Anthem.

Pena did justice to the song, to the admiration of Afia Schwar's fans on social media.

Afia also shared a photo of herself in police uniform, as she recited the National Pledge.

Actress and model, Moesha Bodoung, shared a sultry photo of herself standing at the sea shore with the Ghana flag wrapped around her body.

Shatta Wale shared a drawing of himself with Ghana's first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who had lifted his hand as they stood behind a podium. Fans, captured in the drawing continued to scream, "Shatta! Shatta!"

READ ALSO: Doctors protest against an increment of their salaries in Canada

I want people to listen to my music  Kobla Jnr speaks to YEN.com.gh on Star Gist:

Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos

Source: Yen
Once again, one of Ghanas most admired fashion icons, Nana Akua Addo, has released a lovely photo of herself to the delight of her fans.

Unarguably, as one of Ghana's fashion style divas, who continues to redefine the standards in the industry, she certainly did not disappoint with her latest outfit.

READ ALSO: Unknown woman drinks soup with a straw at a fufu party

With her skin radiating and her hair flowing on one side of her head, she steps out with a lovely figure-hugging blue dress.

Without doubt, she has to be the first to approve her and in that respect, she tilts her head downwards to have a good look at her outfit.

As expected, social media fell in love with her clothing

@e.x.o.d.u.z was quick to assert that for Nana Akua, "It's always a walk in d park.. Effortless is a bad habit " and @_xovenda agreed, saying, "Come all the way through! "

@fendylishiesjohnson admitted that "I like your new body; flaunt it"

Nana Akua Addo has consistently rocked the world of fashion with her unique wardrobe.

Overtime, she has gradually cast herself as an authority in a unique niche in the fashion world. She has gradually metamorphosed into an international fashion brand Ghana can be proud of.

READ ALSO: The most captivating photos from the Ghana@61 celebrations

I want people to listen to my music  Kobla Jnr talks with YEN.comgh on Star Gist:

Use the comments section below to share your views on this story. Do you have a story to share or you have information for us? Get featured on YEN.com.gh. Message us on Facebook or Instagram

Source: Yen
-A photo of a street seller has gone viral on social media as she depicted Ghanas colors on her wares

-She was spotted at a lorry station as she sold her goods to passengers in a car

As many people showed their patriotism and pride on Ghanas Independence Day with breathtaking photos on social media, a street hawker managed to win the hearts of many people with her wares while showing off her patriotism.

The egg and pepper seller seemed to have taken the attention off the Instagram celebrities, who were seen clad in expensive clothing showcasing their pride during Ghanas 61st Independence celebration.

READ ALSO: 4 reasons Patapaa, Ebony and Shatta Wale will win big at this year's VGMAs

The picture of the street hawker spotted by YEN.com.gh captured the young seller with her eggs all painted with the colors of Ghanas flag.

The picture was taken by a passenger who could not help but admire the patriotism being exbibited by the petty trader.

The young lady showed off her pride for her homeland Ghana in the simplest of ways, but she managed to make a huge statement with her effort.

The picture has since gone viral on social media with many people also admiring and commending the young street hawker for her matchless love for Ghana.

READ ALSO: Did Samira Bawumia overdress at 61st Independence parade?

Other public figures including Second Lady, Samira Bawumia, were seen looking exquisitely dressed on Ghanas Independence Day.

Some celebrities were also not left out as they took to their Instagram handles to show off their love for mother Ghana.

However, the young street hawkers gesture has shone through all the extravagance that was showcased by the top public figures in all their splendor.

READ ALSO: Men are marrying their dead girlfriends in Cape Coast

Star Gist on YEN brings you an exclusive interview with upcoming music star Kobla Jnr:

YEN is building a platform where Ghanaians can share local news and own experiences with each other. Witnessing an incident?

Want to tell about a local problem? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition?

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us a message via YENs official Facebook page.

Source: Yen
Years ago, Schley Rutherford would pass the elegant, two-story brick house at the corner of Conception and St. Anthony streets every day on his way home from work. "I always admired it," he says. "One day, there was a for-sale sign."

Before he bought the home in the fall of 2011, it had been used as office space for several decades. The house was built in 1857 by Thomas St. John, a cotton broker whose wife's photo appears on an 1862 note issued by Mobile Savings Bank. She was the first woman other than Queen Victoria to be depicted on currency in this hemisphere, says Rutherford, who has one of the bills framed in his den. The St. John family owned the home until the 1950s.

Rutherford's plan to renovate the house was delayed for a while after he moved to Chile for work shortly after purchasing it. "I had lots of time to fine-tune the plans," he says.

When he returned to Mobile in 2013, he hired architect Douglas Kearley to draw the plans to renovate the house from top to bottom. Rutherford moved in to the 5,000-square-foot house a little over two years ago.

"I wanted this kind of house to entertain in, but I wanted to live a modern life," says Rutherford. "The house needed to be relevant."

While the house was "structurally sound and weathertight," Rutherford says, "it was ready for some attention."

Visitors on the upcoming Celebrate Historic Mobile homes tour can see the painstaking renovation on Friday and Saturday, March 9 and 10, when the St. John House will be among the 18 historic residences featured.

'A modern life'

Rutherford and Kearley didn't leave a detail untouched, from the front porch ceiling to the brownstone sills and window heads on the back wing. Even in the attic, they admired the home's structure and used a reflective insulating blanket to provide minimal disruption to the original architecture. The entire house now has new plumbing and wiring and is heated and cooled with geothermal energy.

The home is a Federal side hall townhouse with a wing, according to Kearley. The bracketed eaves are decorated with Italianate flourishes. All of the bricks on the "public" sides of the home are Philadelphia pressed bricks, which have a precise edge, while the bricks on the north-facing wall and the servants' quarters are more common and locally made.

Marble steps lead to the iron-laced porch, with the front door as well as two shutter-lined windows that can raise all the way up from the floor. The impressive entrance hall features an archway framing a curving, cantilevered staircase. Downstairs, the original three main rooms remain intact: double parlors, which Rutherford uses as a living room and dining room, and a den that was originally used as a dining room.

In the impressive downstairs rooms, the ceilings are 14 feet tall (upstairs, they're 12 feet). The floors are random-length and random-width heart pine. The richly detailed original molding is two feet thick. Each room has its own marble fireplace with a different hand-carved design.

The two gasolieres that are now focal points in the living room and dining room were taken down, cleaned and rewired. Originally lit with natural gas, the 160-year-old fixtures were made by Cornelius and Baker in Philadelphia.

Another fixture that was original to the house was returned to Rutherford when it was found inside Government Street Presbyterian Church's Guesnard House. Inside, a piece of paper identified it as belonging to St. John House.

One thing the house needed was a modern, functional kitchen, which Kearley added in the former servant's quarters that were originally separate from the main house. From the dining room, a jib door was created from a floor-to-ceiling window to lead down a brick hallway to the new kitchen and breakfast area.

The downstairs area now flows well and is perfect for entertaining. "I've had several parties since I've been here," says Rutherford, who hosted 110 people comfortably in his home.

The renovation was truly a team effort. "Douglas and I worked so well together," Rutherford says. "Neither of us wanted a perfect restoration. There are many imperfections that make the house unique."

Contractor Darryl Fox and his son, Brandon Fox, were "great craftsmen," Rutherford says. They spent so much time at the house that Rutherford jokes "they lived here," using the now-elegant dining room as the work space where they sawed and planed lumber.

Other members of the renovation team included Theodore Pierre of New Orleans, who restored the masonry; Lucy Barr, who helped design the kitchen and master bathroom; and interior designer Ann Luce of Hawkins-Israel, who decorated the home to Rutherford's taste.

All of the panes in the windows were removed and re-glazed, and the frames were stripped to the frames by hand, which took months of work. "I tried to save as much original glass as I could," Rutherford says.

He liked the look of marbleized walls in the entrance hall and double parlors, so he was delighted to find Julie Cropp, who did a "faux marbre" painting technique. "We picked the veining and the size blocks that were right for the scale of this room," Rutherford says - and she made the walls look just like marble. "She's a true artist," he says.

When he stands in the living room looking out toward the new federal courthouse under construction across the street, Rutherford peers through the wavy, original handmade window panes. "It's like looking through time," he says.

For someone like Rutherford who loves and appreciates history, the house is the perfect place to live. "Only a historian would want to live in this type of house and undergo a renovation of this scale," he says.




Guwahati, March 7 : The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police on Wednesday had arrested three Agriculture department engineers in connection with a multi-crore rupees scam.





A top official of Assam Police CID said that, the engineers of the state Agriculture department were arrested after found their involvement during interrogation them at the office of the investigating agency in Guwahati.





The arrested officials were identified as Jayanta Sarma (Executive Engineer), Bhaskar Jyoti Das (Assistant Executive Engineer) and Mukul Chandra Deb (Junior Engineer).





The CID official said that, investigating officer had arrested them after found their alleged involvement in the Rs 700 crore scam.





Investigation pointed to their involvement in anomalies relating to distribution of tractors, power tillers, other agricultural equipment among beneficiaries, the top CID official said.





CID has registered a case 56/14 under section 120(B)/420/406 of IPC and R/W section 13(1)(C)(2) of PC Act in connection with the scam which was placed

during the previous Congress led state government.





Earlier, the Agriculture department officers were grilled by a CID team for several hours.





Last year, CID had arrested five officials of the state Agriculture department and three contractors in connection with the scam.





The arrested officials and contractors were identified as Dr Birendranath Sarmah (District Agriculture Officer, Jorhat), Lakheswar Gum (Assistant Executive Engineer, Gohpur, Sonitpur), Dilip Baruah (Executive Engineer (WM) Khanapara, Guwahati), Rohit Bharali (Junior Engineer, Nagaon), Ranbir Kakati (Executive Engineer, Nagaon) and three contractors Dipul Barman, Gautam Bhattacharjee and Kamakhya Agarwala.





The investigating agency had also grilled former state Agriculture director Kabindra Borkakty and former Chief Engineer Tibra Baruah for their alleged involvement into the scam.




Guwahati: On the occasion of International Womens Day, a physiotherapy camp exclusively for lady scribes along with the spouses of other journos has been organized on 8 March 2018 at Guwahati Press Club in northeast India, which will be conducted by two female physiotherapists.





Dr Pallabi Goswami (PT) and Dr Pooja Saikia (PT) from the College of Physiotherapy & Medical Sciences, Guwahati will be available for free consultations and preliminary treatments to the participants from 12 noon to 3 pm at the club premises. The participants will also get the opportunity to check their weight and blood pressures The last weekly camp at the press club premises was conducted by a group of Ayurvedic doctors on 28 February, where over 30 media persons received free healthcare consultations from Dr Bhabesh Das (Principal of Government Ayurvedic College, Jalukbari), Dr KC Barman, Dr SK Chakrabarty and Dr Neelakshi Dev Chaudhury.








12 ministers likely to induct in cabinet









Kohima : All speculations that the Nagaland heading toward a constitutional crisis have been ended after incumbent Chief Minister on Tuesday resigned from his post.





After BJP snapped 15-year-old ties with Naga Peoples Front (NPF), TR Zeliang, who earlier refused to quit has submitted his resignation letter to Nagaland governor PB Acharya.





Zeliang had met the Nagaland governor at Raj Bhawan in Kohima and submitted his resignation letter along with all council of ministers.





After coming to know of the decision of BJP severing ties with NPF, I am submitting the resignation of the council of ministers headed by me today with a request to accept the same with immediate effect, TR Zeliang said in his resignation letter.





Zeliang also said that, 27 newly elected NPF MLAs at a meeting on March 4 unanimously choose him to be the Leader of the NPF Legislature Party in newly elected assembly.





I extend my deep sense of gratitude to my cabinet colleagues for their unflinching support and cooperation in both good and difficult times as well as in government for 4 years. I also assure the Naga people here that we will extend full support to the new government wherever the action of the government is in the larger interest of the Naga people apart from playing a constructive role of opposition in furthering the overall cause of the Nagas, Zeliang said.





After TR Zeliang stepped down, Nagaland governor Acharya NDPP-BJP alliance CM designate Neiphiu Rio the chief minister of Nagaland under clause (1) of Article 164 of the Constitution of India.





Acharya also asked Rio to prove his majority on the floor of the house on or before March 16 next.





Meanwhile, NDPP-BJP CM designate candidate Neiphiu Rio will be swearing in as the new Nagaland CM on March 8 in Kohima.





12 ministers from NDPP, BJP and JD (U) would likely to induct in the Rio-led new government.





Sources said that, Y Patton, who already elected as the Leader of BJP Legislature Party would likely to sworn in as Deputy CM.





Sources further said that, besides Chief Minister designate Neiphiu Rio four NDPP MLAs will induct in the cabinet.





Apart from it, 4 BJP MLAs (besides Deputy CM), lone JD (U) and Independent MLA would likely to induct in Rio cabinet.





On the other, BJP president Amit Shah, Union Home minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, Chief Ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and several BJP leaders will present in the sworn in ceremonial function.





On March 4, a delegation team of BJP and NDPP led by Chief Ministerial candidate Neiphiu Rio and senior BJP leader Ram Madhav had met Nagaland governor PB Acharya at the Raj Bhawan in Kohima and staked claim to form new government and claimed support of 32 newly elected MLAs in the 60-member house.





In the final result of the Nagaland assembly poll, BJP has won 12 seats, while NDPP won 18, 26 by NPF, 2 by NPP and one each by JD (U) and Independent.





After the results, lone Independent elected candidate Tongpang Ozukum and lone JD (U) elected candidate G Kaito Aye had supported to the BJP-NDPP alliance.




Kathmandu, Nepal: Nominations for the post of president is going to be held today to elect the third president of the country, which is scheduled for March 13.

As per the election schedule published by the secretariat of the parliament, the final list of candidates will be published on Thursday at 6:00pm. Voters, the member of the federal parliament, will cast their votes between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm on March 13 to elect the third president of the country.





It is likely that incumbent president Bidya Devi Bhandari will be elected again as the president as the CPN-UML has endorsed her candidacy for the next term of Office amid the internal differences.





A meeting of the standing committee held at the Prime Ministers official residence at Baluwatar on Tuesday decided to give continuity to the candidacy of Bhandari for the next term.





Senior leader and former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal was also interested to be candidate for the post of president.





It is likely that incumbent vice president Nanda Bahadur Pun will also continue the post as the CPN Maoist Centre has also decided to nominate him as the candidate for the post of Vice President.




Kathmandu, Nepal: Supreme Court (SC) has paved the way for the swearing-in of three National Assembly (NA) members of Federal Parliament (FP) recommended by incumbent KP Sharma Oli-led government by scrapping its own previous interim order.





With the SC order, Bimala Paudel Rai, Ram Narayan Bidari and Yubraj Khatiwada will be administered the oath of office and secrecy as the NA members.





As the recommendation made by the incumbent government to appoint Rai, Bidari and Khatiwada as NA members was approved by the president overturning the recommendations of the previous Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba led government, a case was filed against of the decision demanding a stay order.




If you're feeling generous and just can't pass up the opportunity to get me a present, some suggestions are listed here
"I would like to say 'This book is written to the glory of God', but nowadays this would be the trick of a cheat, i.e., it would not be correctly understood."--Ludwig Wittgenstein



"Talk to me about the truth of religion, and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively. But don't come talking to me about the consolation of religion or I shall suspect that you don't understand."--C.S. Lewis
If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE).
 "Lethal Rejection: An Empirical Analysis of the Astonishing Plunge in Death Sentences in the United States from Their Post-Furman Peak" | Main | "Plea Bargaining: From Patent Unfairness to Transparent Justice" 

March 7, 2018

Another sad account of how US Bureau of Prisons administers compassionate release program

The Marshall Project and the New York Times have this lengthy new piece about the ugly administration of the federal compassionate release program by the US Bureau of Prisons. At the Marshall Project, the piece has this full headline summarizing its content: "Old, Sick and Dying in Shackles: 'Compassionate release' has bipartisan support as a way to reduce the federal prison population and save taxpayer money. New data shows that its rarely used." Here are excerpts:

Congress created compassionate release as a way to free certain inmates, such as the terminally ill, when it becomes inequitable to keep them in prison any longer. Supporters view the program as a humanitarian measure and a sensible way to reduce health care costs for ailing, elderly inmates who pose little risk to public safety. But despite urging from lawmakers of both parties, numerous advocacy groups and even the Bureau of Prisons own watchdog, prison officials use it only sparingly. Officials deny or delay the vast majority of requests, including that of one of the oldest federal prisoners, who was 94, according to new federal data analyzed by The Marshall Project and The New York Times. From 2013 to 2017, the Bureau of Prisons approved 6 percent of the 5,400 applications received, while 266 inmates who requested compassionate release died in custody. The bureaus denials, a review of dozens of cases shows, often override the opinions of those closest to the prisoners, like their doctors and wardens. Advocates for the program say the bureau, which oversees roughly 183,000 inmates, denies thousands of deserving applicants. About half of those who died after applying were convicted of nonviolent fraud or drug crimes. It makes sense to release prisoners who present very little danger to society. Its the humane thing to do, and its the fiscally responsible thing to do, said Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii, a Democrat. The Bureau of Prisons has the theoretical authority to do this, but they basically do none of it. Case files show that prison officials reject many prisoners applications on the grounds that they pose a risk to public safety or that their crime was too serious to justify early release. In 2013, an inspector general reported that nearly 60 percent of inmates were denied based on the severity of their offense or criminal history. The United States Sentencing Commission has said that such considerations are better left to judges  but judges can rule on compassionate release requests only if the Bureau of Prisons approves them first. Late last month, Schatz introduced legislation  co-sponsored with Senators Mike Lee of Utah, a Republican, and Patrick Leahy of Vermont, a Democrat  that would let prisoners petition the courts directly if the bureau denies or delays their requests. Many are turned down for not meeting medical requirements. [Kevin] Zeich, who was serving 27 years for dealing methamphetamine, requested compassionate release three times, but was repeatedly told he was not sick enough. On his fourth try, his daughter, Kimberly Heraldez, finally received a phone call in March 2016 saying her father would soon be on a plane, headed to her home in California. Early the next morning, she was awakened by another call. Her father had died.... Compassionate release dates back to an overhaul of federal sentencing laws in the 1980s. While abolishing federal parole, Congress supplied a safety valve, giving judges the power to retroactively cut sentences short in extraordinary and compelling circumstances. But a court could do so only if the Bureau of Prisons filed a motion on an inmates behalf. For years, the agency approved only prisoners who were near death or completely debilitated. While nonmedical releases were permitted, an inspector general report found in 2013, not a single one was approved over a six-year period. The report said the program should be expanded beyond terminal illness cases and used more frequently as a low-risk way to reduce overcrowding and health care spending. The Bureau of Prisons widened the criteria to explicitly include inmates over 65 and those who are the sole possible caregiver for a family member. Then Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., promoted the changes as part of his Smart on Crime initiative to use our limited resources to house those who pose the greatest threat. But the bureau, which is part of the Justice Department, has yet to fully embrace those changes. Of those inmates who have applied for nonmedical reasons, 2 percent (50 cases) have been approved since 2013, according to an analysis of federal prison data. And although overall approval numbers increased slightly between 2013 and 2015, they have since fallen. At a 2016 sentencing commission hearing, Bureau of Prisons officials said they believed the program should not be used to reduce overcrowding. And even the principal deputy assistant to Holder, Jonathan Wroblewski, said the program was not an appropriate vehicle for a broad reduction in the prison population. Every administration has taken the position that part of our responsibility is to ensure that public safety is not undermined, he said. After the hearing, the commission released new guidelines encouraging prison officials to determine only whether inmates fit the criteria for release  that is, if they are old enough, sick or disabled enough, or if they are the sole possible caregiver for someone on the outside. Whether the prisoner poses a risk to the public should be left to a judge to decide, the commission said. Mark Inch, who was appointed director of the Bureau of Prisons by Attorney General Jeff Sessions last August, has made no public statements about the program. The bureau declined to make Inch available for an interview and did not respond to emailed questions.

As this article indicates, there are bills now pending in Congress that would in various ways address deficiencies in the current compassionate release mechanisms. This is on of many reasons I am hopeful (but not optimistic) that folks on both sides of the aisle in Congress will try hard in the coming weeks to get at least some form of prison reform legislation to Prez Trump's desk. A revised and expanded compassionate release mechanism could and should help hundreds, perhaps thousands, of federal prisoners, particularly those who have likely already served a very long time in federal prison and who pose little or no risk to public safety.

A few recent of many prior related posts:

March 7, 2018 at 10:43 AM | Permalink

Comments

Every administration has taken the position that part of our responsibility is to ensure that public safety is not undermined,

Public safety is hardly undermined by releasing an 85 year old suffering from cancer, dementia, and incontinence.

The BOP will never give up power because its interest is to keep as many persons imprisoned for as long as possible to justify its budget.

As I (and many others) have argued for years, one practical solution is for Congress to authorize judges to grant early release on motion of defense attorneys or U.S. Attorneys (yes, I've known many U.S. Attorneys who act compassionately). Such motions would have to meet the current, strict statutory criteria. Law clerks could weed out the ones that do not qualify on their face. Those that qualify should go to the judge (or designated magistrate) who could deny or grant it outright, or hold a telephone hearing. Don't tell me about the federal judges being too overloaded to do this. This is their job, and this task is as important as anything else they do.



Posted by: Michael R. Levine | Mar 7, 2018 1:59:47 PM

Michael. You are compassionate. You want to kick out prisoners in prison for decades to the street. Is that compassionate?

In my experience, that is what will happen. There are no case managers in prison, to arrange for responsible placement of disabled prisoners.

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 7, 2018 3:37:51 PM

Mr. Behar, under current rules, folks can be granted compassionate release only if they have home to go to. No one advocates a change in this rule.

Posted by: Michael R. Levine | Mar 7, 2018 7:00:31 PM

Mr. Levine. What fraction of prisoners have a home to go to, with caretakers to provide full personal care, 24 hours a day? Can these caretakers, at least be paid?

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 7, 2018 9:37:35 PM

Post a comment
 Noting the focus on prosecutor elections as new front in criminal justice reform efforts | Main | Another sad account of how US Bureau of Prisons administers compassionate release program 

March 7, 2018

"Lethal Rejection: An Empirical Analysis of the Astonishing Plunge in Death Sentences in the United States from Their Post-Furman Peak"

The title of this post is the title of this interesting new paper by David McCord and Talia Roitberg Harmon now available via SSRN. Here is the abstract:

The authors gathered information on 1665 death-eligible cases nationwide for three years at decade intervals: 1994, 2004, and 2014. In 517 cases death sentences were imposed; in 311 cases sentencers spared the defendants from death sentences, and in 837 cases prosecutors spared defendants from death sentences. The Article proceeds in three Parts. Part I explains the methodology for unearthing relevant data and preparing it for analysis. Part II analyzes declines in death sentences due to decreasing death eligibility, that is, fewer murderers over time meeting the criteria that made death a sentencing option. Four reasons are examined: fewer death-eligible murders, the United States Supreme Courts exemptions of juveniles who were less than eighteen years of age at the time of the commission of the murder, and persons with intellectual disability (known to the law as the mentally retarded); and the abolition of the death penalty in several states. This Part concludes that about half of the decline in death sentences is attributable to decreased death-eligibility, mostly due to the steep decrease in the number of death-eligible murders. Part III examines increasingly narrower perceptions of death-worthiness, that is, the evolution in attitudes among prosecutors and sentencers toward deeming fewer among the many death-eligible defendants worthy of death sentences. This Part requires the most complicated analysis because unlike death-eligibility decisions, which are dictated by law, death-worthiness decisions emerge from an opaque brew of many factors, including, but not limited to, resource differentials among jurisdictions, prosecutorial attitudes, the wishes of the murder victims survivors, defense counsel performance, public opinion, and sentencer reactions. But while death-worthiness decisions are often opaque in individual cases, each case generates empirical data from which patterns may be discerned. Part III uses such data to analyze ten questions and arrive at tentative answers:  Did the advent of life-without-parole (hereinafter LWOP) reduce death sentences in jurisdictions where it was added as an option? (only in Texas)  Did sentencers become more reluctant to return death sentences? (no)  Were death sentences decreasingly imposed in less aggravated cases and increasingly imposed in more aggravated cases? (to some extent)  Did presentation of greater numbers of mitigating factors conduce to fewer death sentences? (no)  Did robbery during a murder became a less powerful aggravator? (yes)  Did 18-to-20 year-olds benefit from a ripple effect from the exemption of juveniles? (yes)  Did death sentences become less common in multiple perpetrator cases? (yes)  Did low population counties increasingly drop out of death sentencing? (yes)  Did low revenue counties increasingly drop out of death sentencing? (no) and  Did a few traditionally high-volume death sentencing counties skew the figures by cutting back on the use of the death penalty due to local political factors? (yes)

March 7, 2018 at 09:18 AM | Permalink

Comments

And as death penalties have decreased, so have mass shootings, to the point where we have almost no people put to death or carrying out mass shootings anymore. Once the death penalty is abolished, like in Norway, mass shootings will disappear, just like in Norway.

Posted by: Anders Breivike | Mar 7, 2018 10:17:14 AM

I too have come to oppose the death penalty as it in the US. The reality is that the obstructionists have won. The Supreme Court decided that lawyer jobs would be the main purpose of the death penalty. They fine tuned it to make it rare, delayed, and a massive generator of lawyer employment. I do not support those purposes. So, it should end, and thousands of lawyers will be immediately laid off.

I support the Italian death penalty. This is a highly effective, cheap, and immediate tool of sentencing. Guard waves a carton of cigarettes. The condemned is stabbed multiple times, even in the back. The investigation concludes he committed suicide.

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 7, 2018 12:27:30 PM

David Behar is and idiot and a liar.

Posted by: Claudio Giusti | Mar 7, 2018 12:33:18 PM

Wow! American Death penalty is only for mass shooters ??? Uack, Uack, Uack 

Posted by: Claudio Giusti | Mar 7, 2018 12:35:48 PM

Claudio. I think I saw a study correlating the risk of suicide in Italian prison with violent behavior. They are not just getting rid of their bad killers, they are getting rid of their disruptive and annoying prisoners, who did not commit murder.

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 7, 2018 1:14:07 PM

"The condemned is stabbed multiple times, even in the back. The investigation concludes he committed suicide"

DB is a liar and an idiot.

Posted by: Claudio Giusti | Mar 7, 2018 2:10:06 PM

Claudio: From the University of Cagliani, all liars and idiots, you are saying:

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1258/rsmmsl.46.2.127?journalCode=msla

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 7, 2018 3:40:57 PM

"Suicides and Self-harming " suicides, NOT homicides, you idiot.

Posted by: Claudio Giusti | Mar 8, 2018 5:15:04 AM

Post a comment
 Federal prosecutors seeking (way-below-guideline) sentence of 15 years for "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli | Main | "Lethal Rejection: An Empirical Analysis of the Astonishing Plunge in Death Sentences in the United States from Their Post-Furman Peak" 

March 6, 2018

Noting the focus on prosecutor elections as new front in criminal justice reform efforts

This new McClatchy article, headlined "Progressive groups investing in district attorney races as path to criminal justice reform," highlights the new focus on DA elections within the broader modern criminal justice reform movement. Here is how the piece starts:

The American Civil Liberties Union, backed by millions in funding from billionaire Democratic donor George Soros, is investing resources and applying organizational muscle in local district attorney races in 2018. The ACLU is among a variety of organizations working to elect prosecutors willing to jumpstart a laundry list of criminal justice reforms, including an overhaul of the pretrial bail bond system. It received a $50 million grant from Soros Open Society Foundations in 2014. Now, in this years elections, the organization is planning voter education and outreach campaigns in district attorney races in California, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Vermont and possibly North Carolina and Missouri. The group hasnt determined which local races will be targeted, but it will focus on contests in big cities with large jail populations that feed the state prison system, said Taylor Pendergrass, senior campaign strategist for the ACLUs Campaign for Smart Justice. More than 1,000 local prosecutors are up for election in November, according to the group. Were just recognizing how powerful district attorneys are in shaping criminal justice policies, both at the local level, but also at the statehouse, Pendergrass said. The lobbying power of prosecutors is really a substantial force almost everywhere we want to see change made in the criminal justice system. The ACLU doesnt endorse political candidates. Instead, it said the objective is to raise awareness about criminal justice issues of concern to the organization, its members and the voting public. But Soros-funded super PACs and advocacy groups have helped elect a growing number of progressive district attorneys who now serve metro areas such as Chicago, Denver, Houston, Philadelphia and Orlando. And its looking to add more in 2018. The Color of Change Political Action Committee, which has also received Soros funding, is urging black voters to support Democratic candidate Elizabeth Frizell for Dallas County District Attorney in Texas. A former state district judge, Frizell has called for special prosecutors to investigate shootings by police. She also supports replacing cash bail bonds with a pretrial release system based on factors such as the type of offense, the facts of the case and the defendants likelihood to re-offend and return to court. An African American, Frizell reflects a new wave of ethnically diverse, activist district attorney candidates, many of whom support policies such as diversion programs for minor drug offenders, reentry programs for people leaving prison and reducing disparities that disproportionately impact poor and minority defendants in the courts.

March 6, 2018 at 08:20 PM | Permalink

Comments

Doug, I note that there has not been a comment from Supremacy Claus in the last four posts. I hope you pulled the plug on him following his over the top remark about Justice Ginsburg.

bruce

Posted by: bruce cunningham | Mar 6, 2018 8:36:34 PM

Don't poke the sleeping Behar bear....

Posted by: Doug B | Mar 7, 2018 9:54:22 AM

I wrote this for C&C regarding this topic. I am re-posting it here.

The ACLU has rolled out a new campaign in California (https://meetyourda.org) to help people learn about the "most powerful elected official you may not know; the elected District Attorneys. Instead, the ACLU has managed to increase misunderstanding rather than enhance any knowledge.

The ACLU states that a California DA has the "sole" power to decide what charges to bring and the severity of those charges. This is not true. Many, perhaps even most of the felony charges that are filed in California, can be charged either as a felony or a misdemeanor and the court has the authority to reduce that type of charge even when the DA chooses a felony charge. This power under section 17 of the Penal Code is not mentioned, but most certainly relates to the severity of a charge.

"They alone decide who is deserving of a jail or prison sentence and who will instead be routed into a diversion program to help rebuild their life, or have charges dismissed." Let me count the ways in which this is false. Odd that the ACLU would not mention that most crimes, including some violent crimes such as robbery, are probation eligible. In those instances, the court gets the final say on who goes to jail or prison, not the DA. Of course, the ACLU does not mention the power of the court to dismiss charges, penalties, or both, under section 1385 of the Penal Code either. A section invoked by the court, over the DA's objection, every single day in trial courts throughout the state.

The website provides four scenarios where the public is invited to "be a DA for a day." The choices are extreme and binary; as a result, they are not particularly realistic. Most outrageous, however, is the ACLU's statement in a drug sales scenario that if the DA chooses the most serious charge, that the defendant will receive a prison sentence, for the maximum term, and with no good time credits to reduce incarceration time. Using a 21-year-old female as the example, which is hardly representative, the ACLU fails to mention the fact that California law grants generous credits for good behavior, and rarely does the court impose the maximum sentence, even if the DA asks for it.

Despite the vigorous use of collateral consequences as advocacy throughout the website, not a single word is dedicated to California's longstanding and generous record clearance procedures that have recently been expanded by the Legislature. It appears that the ACLU has gone out of its way to reduce the public's understanding of California law, not enhance it.

The ACLU lawyers who designed this campaign must know all of this; however, they chose not to mention them. California lawyers have an ethical duty of candor and honesty to the court as well as a jury; it appears the ACLU sees no need to extend the same courtesy to the rest of us. If all they wanted to do was to show that some elected DA's were out of step with the voters of California based upon Props. 36, 47 and 57, the data presented at the website and the public positions of the elected DA's would be sufficient. However, given the rest of the ACLU's presentation, it is no wonder that the public might become misinformed with respect to those very same propositions.



Posted by: David | Mar 7, 2018 10:19:05 AM

Bruce. No matter what I do, I just cannot get banned on Facebook recently. I am getting a dozen libtards and gays banned on Facebook daily. Getting people banned is a good Facebook game. It adds spice to a boring activity. So, I am sorry to have less time for this blog. I did get banned from LGBTQ Nation. The gays were just great. No one responded more than they did. I still get notifications of vicious personal attacks from them, but I cannot reply. They were deniers of reality 10 times more than the lawyers.

If you are on Facebook, send me a Friend request. I will accept it. Many of my posts are about the law, outside of sentencing.

This is how I relax. It is an escape from real world stress. Thanks for helping me relax.

Speaking of getting people banned on Facebook. NY Times: millions of identity thefts on Facebook and on Twitter. These are real profiles. They are stolen and used to sell Followers for one cent each. For $200, I can buy 20,000 followers, with real names, real profiles. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, amended in 1996, prohibits such misuse. The sentence is 10 years, for each theft.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1030

I have complained of the 15 million identity thefts, each netting $5000, not being counted as part of a crime surge. If you include each appropriation of an identity and its reselling, the crime surge is not in the millions, but in the billions.

Doug, you have to address internet sentencing and the CFAA in your next textbook revision. Lower your priority on decarceration bullshit, false propaganda. Raise your priority on internet crime sentencing. Get with the times. I know, I am not your boss, but I am a consumer. Customer Service is where a company gets consulting valued in the $millions for free.

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 7, 2018 12:52:17 PM

Post a comment
The forum attracting more than 3000 Vietnamese and Bangladesh enterprises under the organization of the Bangladesh- Vietnam Business Council.



Speaking at the event, President Tran Dai Quang sent the best wishes to enterprises, businessmen and people of Bangladesh.



2018 is considered as a key year in the Vietnam- Bangladesh friendship relations as the two nations will launch practical activities to mark the 45th establishment anniversary of the diplomatic ties.



The Vietnamese people always memorizes and gives the deepest gratitude to support of Bangladesh in the struggle for national liberation as well as the construction and development of the country.



President Tran Dai Quang expressed the pleasure to Bangladeshs great socio- economic achievements stressing that Vietnam always respects and boosts the traditional friendship and good cooperation with the partner, and is willing to share its experiences to develop the bilateral relations.

After 30 years of innovation, Vietnam achieved great results. Last year, Vietnam achieved a gross domestic product growth rate of 6.81 percent with trade turnover was estimated to reach nearly US$ 425 billion; and foreign investment capital of nearly US$ 37 billion, bringing a total foreign investment capital into the country up to US$ 320 billion.



Currently, Vietnam invests around 1,170 projects in 69 countries and territories worldwide with total capital of over US$ 20 billion in the fields of mine ores, telecommunications, agriculture and forestry, finance and banking, services, IT

Vietnam respects major partners having the traditional friendship relations including Bangladesh; and desired to strengthen further investment activities into Bangladesh, especially in the fields of telecommunications, IT, agriculture, textiles and garments, food processing, oil and gas.



President Tran Dai Quang highly appreciated potentialities and cooperation & investment opportunities of Vietnam in Bangladesh; and he suggested the functional agencies of Bangladesh to continue creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises.



On the same day, the Vietnamese president attended in an opening ceremony of Vietnam Culture Days in Bangladesh.



The Vietnamese delegation left capital of Dhaka to end the official visit to Bangladesh on the same day.





BY HONG LAM- Translated by Huyen Huong
The new service will depart from Cam Ranh Airport in the central coastal city of Nha Trang at 9.35 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, while return flight will leave Seoul at 6.20 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. The carrier will offer four flights per week. The flight takes about 5 hours.



This is the fourth direct flight between Vietnam and South Korea that Vietnam Airlines has put into service, including flights on Hanoi/HCM City/Da Nang-Seoul routes.

The new flight is part of the agreement that signed by the national carrier Vietnam Airlines and the Peoples Committee of the central province of Khanh Hoa, aiming to promote investment, trade and tourism, in October, 2017.

On this occasion, the airlines has launched a promotional program, offering a discount on this route from now until April 30. A return ticket will cost from VND5,290,000 (not including taxes and fees). The program is applied for flights departing from March 25-April 30.

In addition, members of VNA's Golden Lotus Program will receive 1,000-2,000 bonus miles when purchasing tickets on Nha Trang-Seoul route from March 25-April 25.







By HA AN  Translated by Kim Khanh
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on March 7, 2018

2018/03/07

Q: According to reports, the DPRK and the ROK have agreed to hold a summit meeting at the end of April. What's China's comment on this? China said that it will play its part in resolving the Korean Peninsula issue, so what effort will China make in this regard?

A: For a long time, China has stood for and actively promoted the settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue by all relevant parties through dialogue and consultation and maintained that all relevant parties should enhance understanding and build mutual trust through contact. We approve of and support the series of communication and interactions between the DPRK and the ROK during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games and are pleased to see the positive outcomes achieved by the two sides. We believe that this serves the common interests of all the people on the Peninsula as well as relevant parties and is also conducive to regional peace and stability. We hope that the DPRK and the ROK will earnestly act on relevant consensus and continue to advance the process of reconciliation and cooperation.

Meanwhile, we hope that all relevant parties will seize the current opportunity and work for the shared goal to advance the process of denuclearizing the Peninsula and politically resolving the Korean Peninsula issue. China stands ready to play its part to this end.

Q: According to reports, yesterday, the commander of the United States Africa Command said that there will be significant consequences if China takes over a key port in Djibouti where China, the US and some other countries have military facilities. What is your response?

A: I am not aware of the specific situation mentioned by you. China always conducts cooperation with Africa with an open and inclusive attitude, which does not direct at or exclude any third party. We hope that the US can view China's development and China-Africa cooperation in an objective and unbiased manner.

Follow-up: White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn has just announced his resignation, most likely because of his opposition to President Trump's plan to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum products. Is China concerned at all that his leaving the White House may impact the White House's trade policy towards China?

A: The personnel changes in the United States belong to its domestic affairs. You should be quite clear about our position on this.

As to the issue of US imposing tariffs on the imported steel and aluminum products mentioned by you, my colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Commerce have made clear our stance.

Q: According to reports, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on March 6 signed a gazette notification declaring a week-long nationwide state of emergency in response to Sinhalese-Muslim riots in several parts of the country. What is your comment on this?

A: We have noted relevant reports. This belongs to Sri Lanka's internal affairs. China believes that the Sri Lankan government and its people are capable of handling the current situation, and upholding Sri Lanka's social stability and ethnic solidarity. We also hope that Sri Lanka will take concrete measures to protect the security of Chinese citizens in Sri Lanka.

Q: According to reports, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on March 6 that Chinese investment has the potential to address Africa's infrastructure gap, but encourages its dependency, leads to mounting debt, undermines its sovereignty and endangers its long-term independent and sustainable economic growth through vague contracts, predatory loans and corrupt trade. What is your comment on this?

A: I have already stated China's position while taking a similar question at yesterday's press conference and I am not going to repeat it.

I would like to point out that supporting Africa in realizing peace, stability and development serves the common interests and is also the shared responsibility of the international community. China welcomes the diversification of Africa's international partnerships and sincerely hopes that various parties of the international community can increase inputs in Africa. In particular, the developed countries should earnestly deliver on their commitment. Relevant countries should develop relations with Africa with a view to supporting Africa's peace and development and making positive contributions to its prosperity and revitalization, instead of making irresponsible remarks on African countries' efforts to pursue their own development and their ongoing cooperation with other countries. African countries and people know the best and are in the best position to say whether the China-Africa cooperation is good or not.

I would like to add that as agreed by China and Africa, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in September this year. At the moment, China and Africa are in close communication and coordination and making all-out efforts to prepare for the summit. We believe that the summit will surely achieve fruitful outcomes and inject strong impetus into the development of Africa and the China-Africa cooperation.

Q: Can you tell us the main topics for the Summit of FOCAC to be held in September?

A: As I said just now, China and Africa are in close communication and coordination for the preparation of the summit. We will brief you on the preparation, relevant agenda and specific arrangements of the summit in due course.

Q: According to reports, the Center for Global Development, a Washington-based think tank recently issued a study, saying that the loans provided under China's Belt and Road Initiative will significantly elevate debt risks in some countries, including Pakistan, Montenegro and Djibouti. What is your comment on this?

A: In principle, we usually do not make specific comments on the viewpoints of media, think tanks, experts and scholars.

I would like to point out that the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China aims to promote connectivity, advance international cooperation and achieve the common development of all relevant countries. Many participants of the Belt and Road cooperation are developing countries with underdeveloped economies, a huge gap in and a great demand for infrastructure construction. Following the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, the Belt and Road Initiative has provided these countries with new opportunities and possibilities for shoring up weak links, breaking the bottleneck, improving the livelihood and developing their economies. This is one of the important reasons why this initiative is welcomed by a large number of developing countries.

When advancing the international cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, China always follows the market principles and common international practices and attaches importance to debt sustainability. In May last year, the Joint Communique of the Leaders Roundtable and the Belt and Road Financing Guiding Principle released at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation underlined that the Belt and Road projects should give equal consideration to the sustainability of economy, society, finance, environment and debt.

Since its inception five years ago, the Belt and Road Initiative has been echoed and endorsed by over 100 countries and international organizations. Now it has become the largest platform for international cooperation and the most welcomed international public good. If it really would bring about so many risks, as certain people said, then I believe it would have been impossible for this initiative to win widespread popularity and achieve so much progress.

As to whether the Belt and Road Initiative is good and its projects can deliver tangible benefits, no one knows better than the participating countries and their people. I believe that the participating countries will bear their own interests in mind to make the choice and decision that can best meet their own development needs.

Q: You just said that China will play its role in resolving the Korean Peninsula issue. Could you talk more about China's role? Apart from that, some China experts are worried that China will be sidelined in the settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue. What's your comment?

A: Like what I said just now, China has stood for and actively promoted the settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue by all relevant parties through dialogue and consultation and maintained that all relevant parties should enhance understanding and build mutual trust through contact. We always approve of and support the communication and interactions between the DPRK and the ROK during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games and root for them.

For a long time, China has played a positive and constructive role and made relentless efforts on the Korean Peninsula issue and won widespread approval and acclaim of the international community, so to speak. Going forward, China will work with all relevant parties to continuously move forward the process of denuclearizing the Peninsula and politically resolving the Korean Peninsula issue.

Q: Recently, when making comments on the Korean Peninsula issue, the Foreign Ministry seldom mentioned the Six-Party Talks. Does it mean that China no longer stands for the Six-Party Talks?

A: To call for the early resumption of the Six-Party Talks is the clear-cut requirement of the DPRK-related resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council. It reflects the consensus and shared aspiration of the international community. In view of this, the international community should make concerted efforts to promote the early resumption of the Six-Party Talks.

The press center for the first session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) will invite Foreign Minister Wang Yi to hold a press conference on China's foreign policy and foreign relations at Multi-functional Conference Hall, Media Center at 10:00 am on March 8. We welcome your attendance. The regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be adjourned on March 8 and resumed on March 9 (Friday).
The New Zealand government is serious about unifying the region in combatting climate change and enhancing economic prosperity and security.

The message was highlighted by the New Zealand panel speaking at the climate change luncheon at the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum on Monday afternoon.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spearheaded the push describing her governments ambitious agenda in tackling climate change as her generations nuclear free moment.

Ms. Ardern, who was in the country for one and a half days, was the principal speaker. New Zealands Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw, also addressed the gathering.

The New Zealand Prime Minister highlighted her governments focus in working more closely with the Pacific Island nations to strengthen their position on the world front by committing to their shared responsibility in tackling climate change.

Much of our aid in developing countries is focused on building resilience and adaptation because we do not want further harm through these severe weather effects that we see but at the same time and I join your own Prime Minister when I say this, we must meet our own obligations as well because we have the opportunity to halt the trajectory that we are on, she said.

We hope to add to at least our ability on the world stage to say we have done our bit and on behalf of this Pacific, what are you doing? Because that is the voice that we collectively need to share the collective challenge we need to issue.

She added it was time for New Zealand to demonstrate their willingness to stand on an international stage and advocate for what is right for the future of New Zealand and in doing so benefit all of the Pacific.

When you think of that historical nuclear free moment, that moment was as important for our Pacific neighbours as it was for us and that speaks to the importance of us tackling climate change as a region together side by side, she said.

Its fair to say that New Zealand often benefits from international opportunities, but we see it as incumbent on us to use whatever platform we have to enhance and amplify what is the voice of the Pacific.

So not just the New Zealand voice, but the voice of the likes of Samoa, all island nations in the Pacific who will be so critically affected by the impact of climate change. We dont take it as a given that we are on this trajectory that cannot be stopped.

The Prime Minister thanked Samoa for their work and leadership in undertaking the work to combat the threat of climate change in the region and reiterated the urgency in strengthening relations.

When you are nations of our relative size, when our contribution is less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions then yes, we have to do our bit and we are.

But we also have to stand side by side together because there is so much power in our collective voice. I thank you for the work that you are leading here in Samoa, not just undertaking but leading and you can be assured we are a partner alongside you in this global challenge as we take on our next nuclear free moment.

Minister Shaw spoke about the noticeable shift in New Zealands opinion on the issue of climate change that has made it possible for their current government to be more ambitious as a country, in terms of what they do about climate change, including what work they will undertake in the wider Pacific region to bring down greenhouse gas emissions.
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
Officers arrested a man on Wednesday for threatening to kill a user on Grindr and dozens of LGBT people at a gay club.

News came to light when suspect MeShach Israel-Miller spoke to the victim over social networking app Grindr, claiming he would kill him and 85 faggots at a gay club.

The victim posted screenshots of the conversation on Facebook, according to Columbus Division of Police in Ohio. The victims Facebook post went viral, prompting the CPD to investigate the threat. They arrested the 27-year-old at his home on Tuesday, charging him with inducing pain and aggravated menacing.

"The LGBT community asked that I express their appreciation for the extra resources from Zones 4 & 5 that were placed in the Short North this weekend due to the threat," said Sgt. Nick Konves, the departments LGBT Diversity/Inclusion Liaison. He added he will reach out to the prosecutors office to look at the filing of the Columbus hate crime statute, according to the CPD.

Israel-Millers threat calls back to the massacre at the Pulse Nightclub, an LGBT club in Orlando  the deadliest attack against the LGBT community in the U.S. The June 11, 2016 mass shooting took the lives of 49 people and injured 53 others. At the time, it was the deadliest mass shooting by a single shooter in U.S. history, until the Las Vegas Massacre killed 58 people and injured hundreds the following year.
The new MATISSE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) has now successfully made its first observations at the Paranal Observatory in northern Chile.

MATISSE is the most powerful interferometric instrument in the world at mid-infrared wavelengths. It will use high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy to probe the regions around young stars where planets are forming as well as the regions around supermassive black holes in the centres of galaxies. The first MATISSE observations used the VLTI's Auxiliary Telescopes to examine some of the brightest stars in the night sky, including Sirius, Rigel and Betelgeuse, and showed that the instrument is working well.

MATISSE (Multi AperTure mid-Infrared SpectroScopic Experiment) observes infrared light -- light between the visible and microwave wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum, covering wavelengths from 3-13 micrometres (m) [1]. It is a second-generation spectro-interferometer instrument for ESO's Very Large Telescope that can take advantage of multiple telescopes and the wave nature of the light. In this way, it produces more detailed images of celestial objects than can be obtained with any existing or planned single telescope at these wavelengths.

After 12 years of development by a large number of engineers and astronomers in France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and at ESO, and following an extensive period of demanding work installing and testing this very complex instrument, initial observations have now confirmed that MATISSE is working as expected [2].

The initial MATISSE observations of the red supergiant star Betelgeuse, which is expected to explode as a supernova in a few hundred thousand years, showed that it still has secrets to reveal [3]. The new observations show evidence that the star appears to have a different size when seen at different wavelengths. Such data will allow astronomers to further study the huge star's surroundings and how it is shedding material into space.

The principal investigator of MATISSE, Bruno Lopez (Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur (OCA), Nice, France), explains its unique power: "Single telescopes can achieve image sharpness that is limited by the size of their mirrors. To obtain even higher resolution, we combine -- or interfere -- the light from four different VLT telescopes. Doing this enables MATISSE to deliver the sharpest images of any telescope ever in the 3-13 m wavelength range, where it will complement the James Webb Space Telescope's future observations from space."

MATISSE will contribute to several fundamental research areas in astronomy, focusing in particular on the inner regions of discs around young stars where planets are forming, the study of stars at different stages of their lives, and the surroundings of supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies.

Thomas Henning, director at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) in Heidelberg, Germany, and MATISSE co-principal investigator, comments: "By looking at the inner regions of protoplanetary discs with MATISSE, we hope to learn the origin of the various minerals contained in these discs -- minerals that will later go on to form the solid cores of planets like the Earth."

Walter Jaffe, the project scientist and co-principal investigator from University of Leiden in the Netherlands, and Gerd Weigelt, co-principal investigator from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR), Bonn, Germany, add: "MATISSE will give us dramatic images of planet-forming regions, multiple stars, and, when working with the VLT Unit Telescopes, also the dusty discs feeding supermassive black holes. We hope also to observe details of exotic objects in our Solar System, such as volcanoes on Io, and the atmospheres of giant exoplanets."

MATISSE is a four-way beam combiner, meaning it combines the light collected from up to four of the 8.2-metre VLT Unit Telescopes or up to four of the Auxiliary Telescopes (ATs) that make up the VLTI, performing both spectroscopic and imaging observations. In doing so, MATISSE and the VLTI together possess the imaging power of a telescope up to 200 metres in diameter, capable of producing the most detailed images ever at mid-infrared wavelengths.

Initial tests were made with the Auxiliary Telescopes, and further observations with the four VLT Unit Telescopes are planned during the next few months.

MATISSE superimposes the light of an astronomical object from the combined light of multiple telescopes, resulting in an interference pattern that contains information about the appearance of the object, from which an image can then be reconstructed.

MATISSE's first light marks a big step forward in the scope of current optical/infrared interferometers and will allow astronomers to obtain interferometric images with finer detail over a wider wavelength range than currently possible. MATISSE will also complement the instruments planned for ESO's upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), in particular METIS (the Mid-infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph). MATISSE will observe brighter objects than METIS, but with higher spatial resolution.

Andreas Glindemann, MATISSE project manager at ESO, concludes: "Making MATISSE a reality has involved the work of many people over many years and it is wonderful to see the instrument working so well. We are looking forward to the exciting science to come!"

Notes

[1] MATISSE was designed, funded and built in close collaboration with ESO, by a consortium composed of institutes in France (INSU-CNRS in Paris and OCA in Nice hosting the PI team), Germany (MPIA, MPIfR and University of Kiel), the Netherlands (NOVA and University of Leiden), and Austria (University of Vienna). The Konkoly Observatory and Cologne University have also provided some support in the manufacture of the instrument.

[2] With MATISSE, the last of the suite of second generation VLT/VLTI instruments has now arrived at Paranal. For the VLTI this means that 17 years -- almost exactly to the day -- after obtaining first fringes with VINCI and two siderostats, the first generation of instruments has now been replaced by PIONIER, GRAVITY and MATISSE, all of them combining four telescopes (UTs or ATs) and together covering a wide range of infrared wavelengths (from 1.6-13 m). MATISSE is the first mid-infrared interferometer that can be used to reconstruct images.

[3] Betelgeuse was the first star resolved by interferometry by Michelson and Pease in 1920. It was also used as a bright test case by precursor mid-infrared interferometers -- including MIDI on the VLTI.

More information

ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile and by Australia as a strategic partner. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and two survey telescopes. VISTA works in the infrared and is the world's largest survey telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope is the largest telescope designed to exclusively survey the skies in visible light. ESO is a major partner in ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre Extremely Large Telescope, the ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky".

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
The Crew Interactive MObile companioN (CIMON) is able to see, hear, understand, speak - and fly. It is roughly spherical, has a diameter of 32 centimetres and weighs five kilograms.

Its robotic predecessor was Professor Simon Wright's 'flying brain', with sensors, cameras and a speech processor in the 1978 cartoon series, 'Captain Future'. Almost 40 years later, CIMON, the astronaut's flight attendant and assistance system, could turn science fiction into 'science fact'.

From summer 2018, CIMON will become the new 'crew member' on the International Space Station (ISS), in order to demonstrate cooperation between humans and intelligent machines in the form of a technology experiment. The interactive astronaut assistant was developed and built by Airbus in Friedrichshafen and Bremen on behalf of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) Space Administration and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (Bundesministerium fur Wirtschaft und Energie; BMWi). Watson AI technology from the IBM Cloud provides voice-controlled artificial intelligence. The human aspects of the assistance system were co-developed and supervised by scientists at Ludwig-Maximilian University Hospital in Munich (Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen, LMU). An approximately 50-strong DLR, Airbus, IBM and LMU project team has been working on implementing CIMON since August 2016. "CIMON is globally unique in this form," summarises Christian Karrasch, CIMON Project Manager at the DLR Space Administration in Bonn. "We have implemented this experiment in a very short time. It is intended to show to what extent the astronauts' work can be supported in the European Columbus module on the ISS and relieve them, in particular, of routine tasks. Ideally, the astronauts could use their time better and more effectively. With CIMON, we are entering new territory and operating at the threshold of technological feasibility."

Microgravity in parabolic flight

CIMON will enter microgravity on 9 March 2018 during the 31st DLR parabolic flight campaign in Bordeaux. In particular, orientation, navigation and steering will be tested, to ensure that it is optimally prepared for use on the ISS - in permanent microgravity. In June, CIMON will then travel to the ISS on board the US Space-X CRS-15 space transport mission, where it will be greeted by the German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst.

Following a functional test, the German astronaut will perform three experiments with his artificial colleague. On the agenda are experiments with crystals and a Rubik's cube, and a medical experiment in which CIMON will be used as a flying camera.

CIMON allows the astronaut to keep both hands free, with no need to manually operate a computer, for example. Thanks to this fully voice-controlled access to documents and media, the astronaut can conveniently navigate through operating and repair instructions and procedures for experiments and equipment. CIMON will thus serve as a complex database of all the necessary information for working on the ISS, and can also be used as a mobile camera for documentation purposes.

When making its space debut, however, the intelligent artificial assistant will not have all the capabilities envisaged by its developers: "In the medium-term, we want to concentrate on group effects that develop in small teams over a long period of time and can occur during long-term missions to the Moon and Mars. Social interaction between humans and machines, and between astronauts and emotionally intelligent flight attendants could play an important role in the success of these missions," explains Till Eisenberg, CIMON project lead at Airbus Friedrichshafen. The engineers are also interested in processing Big Data and data mining.

"The aim of the CIMON project is to examine the current capabilities of artificial intelligence in a complex environment such as the International Space Station, in order to provide the best possible support to people in such conditions," says Matthias Biniok, IBM's lead Watson architect in Germany, explaining their interest in the project. For example, CIMON uses Watson AI to process text, speech and images, find specific information and knowledge, and interpret moods and feelings. Biniok adds: "These skills can be individually trained and enhanced within the context of their respective application. Artificial intelligence also makes particular use of artificial neural networks."

Scientific background

CIMON also has a scientific background; its advisors are Judith-Irina Buchheim and Alexander Chouker from the Department of Anaesthesiology at the Ludwig-Maximilian University Hospital in Munich. During a variety of research projects, Buchheim and Chouker are investigating the effects of stress on the human immune system. "We not only examine patients in intensive care units, but also people exposed to extreme stress and workload as a result of their environment, such as polar explorers in the Antarctic and astronauts on the International Space Station," reports Buchheim, adding: "Our studies show that being subjected to microgravity for a certain period can significantly affect the functioning of an astronaut's immune system. Stress is a major factor here." For example, strenuous tasks that are performed with a colleague are generally less arduous when people work well together. "As a partner and assistant, CIMON could support astronauts with their high workload of experiments and maintenance and repair work, thereby reducing their exposure to stress." According to Buchheim, possible applications on Earth are the support of engineers, researchers and doctors, AI-based enquiries about medical symptoms and everyday assistance for elderly people living alone.

CIMON - high-tech made in Germany

CIMON's structure was built entirely using a 3D printing process, and is made of metal and plastic. Its 'face' is a display unit intended to hover at the astronaut's eye level. It can present and explain information and instructions for scientific experiments and repairs. Its 'eyes' are two cameras, and it also has an additional camera for face recognition. Two side cameras are used for video documentation and could also be used for additional computer-generated functions (augmented reality). Ultrasonic sensors measure distances for collision detection. Seven microphones act as 'ears' for detecting where sounds are originating, and there is a directional microphone for good voice recognition. Its 'mouth' is a loudspeaker that can be used to talk or play music. The core speech comprehension element of the AI is the IBM Watson system. CIMON is unable to learn independently; a human must actively train it. The AI for autonomous navigation is provided by Airbus and used for motion planning and object recognition. CIMON can freely move and rotate in all spatial directions using 14 internal fans. It can therefore turn towards the astronaut when it is spoken to, nod and shake its head and follow the astronaut - autonomously or on command. In microgravity on the ISS, it can be used for two hours. The dimensions of CIMON's face are modelled on the proportions of a human face. Gestures and facial expressions are also possible, as is a female, male or neutral appearance and voice. CIMON's product design was implemented in collaboration with Reichert Design, a company from Stetten am Bodensee.

Additional partners

Additional partners are: the European Space Agency (ESA), in particular the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk (Netherlands) for technical integration, BIOTESC in Lucerne (Switzerland) for operational experiment preparation and implementation of the experiment within the ISS infrastructure, the Columbus Control Center at DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen for operational mission planning, and the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
The findings will improve understanding of Jupiter's interior structure, core mass and, eventually, its origin.



Other Juno science results released today include that the massive cyclones that surround Jupiter's north and south poles are enduring atmospheric features and unlike anything else encountered in our solar system. The findings are part of a four-article collection on Juno science results being published in the March 8 edition of the journal Nature.



"These astonishing science results are yet another example of Jupiter's curve balls, and a testimony to the value of exploring the unknown from a new perspective with next-generation instruments. Juno's unique orbit and evolutionary high-precision radio science and infrared technologies enabled these paradigm-shifting discoveries," said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno from the Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio. "Juno is only about one third the way through its primary mission, and already we are seeing the beginnings of a new Jupiter."



The depth to which the roots of Jupiter's famous zones and belts extend has been a mystery for decades. Gravity measurements collected by Juno during its close flybys of the planet have now provided an answer.



"Juno's measurement of Jupiter's gravity field indicates a north-south asymmetry, similar to the asymmetry observed in its zones and belts," said Luciano Iess, Juno co-investigator from Sapienza University of Rome, and lead author on a Nature paper on Jupiter's gravity field.



On a gas planet, such an asymmetry can only come from flows deep within the planet; and on Jupiter, the visible eastward and westward jet streams are likewise asymmetric north and south. The deeper the jets, the more mass they contain, leading to a stronger signal expressed in the gravity field. Thus, the magnitude of the asymmetry in gravity determines how deep the jet streams extend.

"Galileo viewed the stripes on Jupiter more than 400 years ago," said Yohai Kaspi, Juno co-investigator from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, and lead author of a Nature paper on Jupiter's deep weather layer. "Until now, we only had a superficial understanding of them and have been able to relate these stripes to cloud features along Jupiter's jets. Now, following the Juno gravity measurements, we know how deep the jets extend and what their structure is beneath the visible clouds. It's like going from a 2-D picture to a 3-D version in high definition."



The result was a surprise for the Juno science team because it indicated that the weather layer of Jupiter was more massive, extending much deeper than previously expected. The Jovian weather layer, from its very top to a depth of 1,900 miles (3,000 kilometers), contains about one percent of Jupiter's mass (about 3 Earth masses).



"By contrast, Earth's atmosphere is less than one millionth of the total mass of Earth," said Kaspi "The fact that Jupiter has such a massive region rotating in separate east-west bands is definitely a surprise."



The finding is important for understanding the nature and possible mechanisms driving these strong jet streams. In addition, the gravity signature of the jets is entangled with the gravity signal of Jupiter's core.



Another Juno result released today suggests that beneath the weather layer, the planet rotates nearly as a rigid body. "This is really an amazing result, and future measurements by Juno will help us understand how the transition works between the weather layer and the rigid body below," said Tristan Guillot, a Juno co-investigator from the Universite Cote d'Azur, Nice, France, and lead author of the paper on Jupiter's deep interior. "Juno's discovery has implications for other worlds in our solar system and beyond. Our results imply that the outer differentially-rotating region should be at least three times deeper in Saturn and shallower in massive giant planets and brown dwarf stars."



A truly striking result released in the Nature papers is the beautiful new imagery of Jupiter's poles captured by Juno's Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument. Imaging in the infrared part of the spectrum, JIRAM captures images of light emerging from deep inside Jupiter equally well, night or day. JIRAM probes the weather layer down to 30 to 45 miles (50 to 70 kilometers) below Jupiter's cloud tops.



"Prior to Juno we did not know what the weather was like near Jupiter's poles. Now, we have been able to observe the polar weather up-close every two months," said Alberto Adriani, Juno co-investigator from the Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, Rome, and lead author of the paper. "Each one of the northern cyclones is almost as wide as the distance between Naples, Italy and New York City -- and the southern ones are even larger than that. They have very violent winds, reaching, in some cases, speeds as great as 220 mph (350 kph). Finally, and perhaps most remarkably, they are very close together and enduring. There is nothing else like it that we know of in the solar system."



Jupiter's poles are a stark contrast to the more familiar orange and white belts and zones encircling the planet at lower latitudes. Its north pole is dominated by a central cyclone surrounded by eight circumpolar cyclones with diameters ranging from 2,500 to 2,900 miles (4,000 to 4,600 kilometers) across. Jupiter's south pole also contains a central cyclone, but it is surrounded by five cyclones with diameters ranging from 3,500 to 4,300 miles (5,600 to 7,000 kilometers) in diameter. Almost all the polar cyclones, at both poles, are so densely packed that their spiral arms come in contact with adjacent cyclones. However, as tightly spaced as the cyclones are, they have remained distinct, with individual morphologies over the seven months of observations detailed in the paper.



"The question is, why do they not merge?" said Adriani. "We know with Cassini data that Saturn has a single cyclonic vortex at each pole. We are beginning to realize that not all gas giants are created equal."



Abstracts of the March 8 Juno papers can be found online:



The measurement of Jupiter's asymmetric gravity field:

http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature25776



Jupiter's atmospheric jet-streams extending thousands of kilometers deep:

http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature25793



A suppression of differential rotation in Jupiter's deep interior:

http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature25775



Clusters of Cyclones Encircling Jupiter's Poles:

http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature25491



To date, Juno has completed 10 science passes over Jupiter and logged almost 122 million miles (200 million kilometers), since entering Jupiter's orbit on July 4, 2016. Juno's 11th science pass will be on April 1.

Juno launched on Aug. 5, 2011, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. During its mission of exploration, Juno soars low over the planet's cloud tops -- as close as about 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers). During these flybys, Juno is probing beneath the obscuring cloud cover of Jupiter and studying its auroras to learn more about the planet's origins, structure, weather layer and magnetosphere.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA's New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. The Italian Space Agency (ASI), contributed two instruments, a Ka-band frequency translator (KaT) and the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM). Lockheed Martin Space, Denver, built the spacecraft.



https://www.nasa.gov/juno

https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu

The public can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at:

https://www.facebook.com/NASAJuno

https://www.twitter.com/NASAJuno

More information on Jupiter can be found at:

https://www.nasa.gov/jupiter

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
We can't seem to find the page you are looking for.

You may have typed the address incorrectly or you may have used an outdated link.
On a cool evening in late January, it took less than two minutes for a relatively unknown North America Cup eligible to become the focus of many eager racehorse owners across the continent.

Suffice it to say, the James MacDonald-driven Larrys Petrock put himself on the map with his flashy 1:54 performance over Woodbine Racetrack on January 25. Now, roughly six weeks later, Adriano Sorella has got his man.

After ongoing negotiations, Sorella has explained to Trot Insider that he has landed the three-year-old son of Pet Rock. The Milton, Ont. resident has teamed with Ancasters Dave Lumsden to acquire the gelded bay. Is the duo excited? You bet.

Larrys Petrock qualified five times last year at two, but didnt face the gate for a pari-mutuel test in his freshman campaign. You wouldnt have known it, though, given the way he snapped necks in his career debut over the suburban Toronto oval.

I kind of came across him by accident, Sorella told Trot Insider. I was watching his January 25th race at Woodbine and was particularly watching McKinley on the lead. I just saw this horse (Larrys Petrock) come by with a great rush. All I kept asking myself was who is that?!? Were only talking about a (1:) 54 mile, but it was just the way in which he did it.

I didnt waste any time in texting my agent, Marc Reynolds, and asked him if he knew anything about the horse. He told me that people had already asked him the exact same question.

Its no secret that people are looking for horses right now, especially live horses with upside, so I knew that if I wanted to get him it would take some real effort. I know that the Tuckers (Larrys Petrock was a homebred of Montreals Gerrie Tucker) received a lot of interest in the horse in the days after that initial race, and understandably so.

Realizing the opportunity that was in front of them, the Tuckers took a step back to assess what they had in Larrys Petrock  all while the phone was going crazy, of course. In the meantime, Larrys Petrock was back in to go at Woodbine once again (on February 15). Although his mile that night was not as dramatic as his debut, he still impressed quite a bit while racing overland. The verdict was a two-length score, timed in 1:54 yet again.

I kept up with the inquiries after his second race, Sorella said. Im certain that the interest from a lot of the buyers was still there as well. It was about a week and a half ago when I decided to partner with Dave Lumsden in an attempt to acquire the horse.

Without delving into the minutia of what it took to seal the deal, it can be said that Sorella invested quite a bit of time and effort  and money  to land Larrys Petrock.

The Tuckers have kept a piece of the horse, which says a lot about what they think of him, said Sorella, who has told Trot Insider that the bay will also be switching barns  from Barry Birds to that of Anthony Beaton, who was formerly a main cog in Casie Colemans outfit.

Just like in the real world, first impressions mean something. And Larrys Petrock sure did leave a lasting imprint when he officially got to know Sorella and Beaton yesterday (Tuesday, March 6) in Puslinch, Ont. Lumsden was the odd man out for the Tuesday intros, but thems the breaks when basking in the Florida sun.

He arrived at Classy Lane yesterday, said Sorella. We got him vetted out and Anthony went a training mile with him, and he liked how the horse handled himself. We were all impressed and happy with everything. It ended up being an expensive Tuesday.

Here are the facts: Larrys Petrock was an unraced two-year-old. He is now a perfect three for three while racing in low conditions at Woodbine Racetrack. There is no proof at this point that he is the second coming of Wiggle It Jiggleit, but he has overcome an injury that he sustained early in his two-year-old season. He is currently very fresh and is currently very sharp.

After having seen his replays and lines, any Standardbred racehorse owner knows that the upside on Larrys Petrock is clear. Prognosticating the future is another kettle of fish altogether, though, and tempering expectations is always the sound course of action. But it is what Larrys Petrock displayed on Tuesday which has Sorella thinking that the bay could be much more than a Woodbine winter dynamo.

Barry (Barry Bird) told us that the horse has a quick turn of foot, which people have definitely seen, and that he has never had a bad training day. More than anything, Barry told us that the horse does his job.

Consider that the horse shipped to brand new surroundings (Classy Lane) yesterday from somewhere east (of the Greater Toronto Area). He got off the truck like it was no big thing at all. We had set up a stall for him and he took to that and started eating like it was nothing. He went out onto the track like it was nothing at all and trained very well. We were all impressed and are really excited.

Sorella is hoping that Larrys Petrocks professionalism, shipping acumen and work-like qualities can help him become a player at the stakes level. The gelding is eligible to the Ohio Sires Stakes, and Sorella is hoping that his new recruit can travel south and earn some coveted points in the Buckeye States lucrative program. That being said, Larrys Petrock has been staked to the Somebeachsomewhere and the Pepsi North America Cup, and the prospect of being right there in the mix for Canadas prestigious glamour boy event is something that Sorella is high on.

Hes going to be with Anthony at Classy Lane, even though he is eligible to the Ohio program. Thats one of the things that I wanted  to be able to pop over and see him. Were excited about the horse and excited about the possibilities that this season holds for him. Watching him race and seeing the way in which he changes gears  you really cant teach that.

In addition to the Somebeachsomewhere and the NA Cup, Larrys Petrock has been staked to the Breeders Crown, Meadowlands Pace, Cane Pace and the Messenger, among other high-profile events  staking which is somewhat similar to one of Sorellas other three-year-olds, Jimmy Freight.

Sorella told Trot Insider that he didnt want to get ahead of himself with either of his charges at this point, though, as he offered a brief glimpse of what the next few weeks may hold for Larrys Petrock.

Its still early, so were still looking at overnights and getting Larrys Petrock to learn about racing a little bit more. Its an exciting process and were really excited about it."
Cammie Haughton was ecstatic as he drove over the George Washington Bridge on his way home from the track around midnight last Monday (February 26). Bettors pumped $927,279 through the windows during that evenings 12-race program, signalling to Haughton that the changes he has made since assuming the role of director of racing at Yonkers Raceway are paying off.

When I go over the G.W. Bridge the other night doing almost $1 million, I was like, yeah man, this is great! Were almost there, Haughton exclaimed. I was so happy, just thrilled to death. Who else does that? Who else is happy to do that for racing? Im happy with the position I got and Im happy to help. Things are working.

In his new role, Haughtons primary mission is to increase handle on the tracks races. His daily routine that involves working with the broadcast department, executive office, race office, and the horsemen before presiding over the scheduling of races in the evening means he has a hand in nearly everything that goes on at the track.

When I leave there at night, my head is spinning. But here it is on my day off and Im thinking about all this, but you have to, Haughton said. Thats the thing, I do care. Im not the guy to just sit around and not do anything. Im on it, Im on it big time.

Thus far, his initiatives are producing results. Domestic and international commingled handle at Yonkers from January 1 through February 28 topped $29.2 million on 424 races, a 64.2 per cent increase from the $17.8 million bet on 419 contests over the same period last year.

Just over two months into his tenure in his new role, Haughton is already making a reputation for himself as someone who gets things done. He cited the drivers room at the track as an example. The room was in disrepair when he found it, but will soon get a needed facelift.

The tiles are coming up off the floor, it needs to be painted, the lockers all need to be emptied and cleaned. So, guess what? I got it done, Haughton said. I got the brand-new floor ordered, I got the painters, I talked to the horseman, were ready to get the lockers emptied and moved. Were going to have a new locker room here in a couple weeks. You have to do those things, you have to.

While it may seem arbitrary to the racing product, completing projects like this are part of Haughtons mission to leave no stone unturned. He describes his strategy as a back-to-basics approach that focuses on making common-sense improvements to deliver the best racing product possible to the gambling public. He formed his strategy in the months leading up to commencing his term as director of rracing when he put himself in the customers shoes.

Before I got my job, I sat and observed the races for two months. I knew I was going to be director of racing, but I didnt have the job yet, Haughton recalled. So, I was observing and writing down all these things that needed to be done on a pad and a piece of paper.

Haughton noted a lack of racing action, poor scheduling of post times, and the live broadcast as areas in need of major improvement. Beyond simply identifying the problems, he began working to solve them immediately. His first stop was a meeting with the drivers where he laid out his plans and sought their support.

I told them the wolves will be at our door if we dont start turning this thing around, Haughton said. I told them basically, look, if you dont like what Im going to be doing, first of all, its for your benefit  the drivers and the trainers and the horsemen, its for everybodys benefit. If you dont like what Im doing here, go race somewhere else. All the drivers are cooperating 100 per cent with whats going on.

Haughton cites the support of the Yonkers horsemen and the Standardbred Owners Association of New York as a critical component of his ability to make changes at the track. He sees them as partners in his mission to improve the racing, not as resistors who want to keep the status quo.

They want change, I can see, and they want a better product, Haughton remarked. I feel that when they see me walk in the paddock and Im dressed in a tie and a jacket, very professional, thats how I was brought up in my family, I think they kind of like that, that somebodys watching the ship now.

Theyre willing to do whatever it takes and its working, he continued. Im very thrilled with the cooperation of the SOA, the cooperation of the management, and everybody around me wants to help.

With the horsemen on his side and aware of his expectations, Haughton stunned the harness racing world when he announced his next move: the removal of the passing lane from Yonkers half-mile racetrack.

They either pull or they get locked in. Its called racing, Haughton said. With the passing lane, the first five horses would go around the track and they would know that when you get to the stretch, its a lot easier. So, they sit, and they sit, and they sit. Thats not racing to me. Theyre racing now.

Without the passing lane, the percentage of winning favourites at Yonkers through the end of February was 37.7 per cent, a 10.2 per cent decrease from the 42 per cent strike rate of favourites over the same period in 2017.

While detractors protested the move, citing concerns that bettors would lose chances to cash if their horses lacked racing room in the stretch, Haughton takes another argument. When he considered the point from the bettors perspective, he saw increased opportunities for trip handicappers to find value.

I saw a horse locked in the other night that had all kinds of pace in the stretch and obviously, he couldnt get through, Haughton said. Heres a gambler whos playing Yonkers Raceway, that puts it in his mind that No. 4 was locked in last week and couldnt get out. Hes going to bet that horse the following week. Hes going to follow that horse and know that he had pace in the stretch and couldnt get out.

Although the removal of the passing lane is the most glaring change Haughton has made, he thinks other initiatives have been just as important in increasing handle. Proper scheduling of post times has had the biggest impact on betting volume than any other change, he claims.

Scheduling the times is very, very important. That is the most important, Haughton said.

The scheduling of post times involves two components. First, he ensures post parades are scheduled to give bettors ample time to evaluate the horses as a physical specimen before placing a wager. Second, Haughton aims to make sure Yonkers races go off between other major racetracks to avoid conflicts.

It was blowing my mind, the horses coming out onto the racetrack for two minutes and going right to the gate, he said. How do you get money in the pools if theyre out there for two minutes and go right to the gate? You cant do it. Its impossible.

Haughtons efforts to coordinate post times has already spurred increased communication and cooperation from other racetracks, the historical lack of which has been a constant gripe of gamblers playing multiple racetracks for years.

The other racetracks, theyre even calling me now. Can you slow down a little bit because we have 15 races, you have 12 and were trying to go in between and its getting late for us. Then I have to make a decision, Haughton said.

Haughtons choice to keep horses on the track longer before the start plays off one of his other initiatives, to improve the quality of Yonkers simulcast presentation. One of his primary areas of focus thus far has been to ensure each horse gets a clear, close up camera shot before the race. Haughton understands the vast majority of his customers arent at the track. Rather than fight this, he is catering to these players needs.

Its not like it was years ago when 20,000 people were coming out for racing. Theres basically nobody at the tracks now, its all coming in from simulcast, he said. I told every operator that runs these cameras, I want close ups on these guys. I dont want these horses looking like ants on a screen. Its better for the people who are sitting home watching the races.

Haughton isnt finished tweaking the product at Yonkers. As the year goes on, he will look to make more changes. He teased increased improvements to the broadcast as one of the changes to look out for.

The good weather is coming. Im going to throw a camera on top of the paddock, on the roof. Weve got that in motion, he explained. As soon as the good weather comes on a Friday or Saturday night, Im going to have a camera up there. Close up shots as they come around the final turn. Like NASCAR, they have cameras everywhere. Youve got to change it up.

Haughton has also been pleased with the initiative of offering free full-card past performances on Monday evenings, an initiative undertaken in cooperation with the SOA of NY. He hopes to see that promotion expanded to include additional nights in the future.

Thats fantastic. Thats another thing that we have to get up on our broadcast and show, he said. Heres the thing, if you dont promote it and get on it and get it out there, nothings going to happen.

Other possible future initiatives include increased field sizes, a reworking of the racing classifications and the racing schedule, and a slanted starting gate to aid the chances of outside horses. While these are still in the early planning phases, Haughton notes he has plenty of time to forge ahead with them.

I love the starting gate idea, I love it, he said. I think its going to happen. Right now, our handle is up, racing is never better, the track seems to be very, very good as far as the surface. Things are good. Now if they keep going in the good way, maybe that starting gate will come.

Heres the thing, he continued. Weve got the eyes on us now at Yonkers Raceway and I want to keep that. Now I just need to keep the interest in what were doing.

Yonkers Raceway races on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday basis with a first-race post time of 6:50 p.m.

(SOANY)
Officials with the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame would like to remind the horse racing community that the deadline to nominate horses or people for the Class of 2018 is March 7, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. (EST).

The public is invited to participate in the nomination of people and horses that have made a significant contribution to Canadian Standardbred or Thoroughbred horse racing, for induction to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2018.

Nominations for the following will be considered:

PERSON : Trainers, drivers, jockeys.

BUILDERS : Includes, but not limited to breeders, owners, officials, and others.

COMMUNICATORS : Includes, but not limited to writers, broadcasters, photographers, announcers, bloggers.

VETERAN PERSON : Trainers, drivers, jockeys whose careers have been concluded for 20 years, but less than 50 years.

MALE HORSE : Stallions or geldings whose contribution to Canadian racing occurred in the past 20 years.

FEMALE HORSE : Mares whose contribution to Canadian racing occurred in the past 20 years.

VETERAN HORSE: Horses whose careers have been concluded for 20 years, but less than 50 years.

All nomination submissions to be made using the form available on the CHRHF website (click here). A copy of the form may also be obtained by contacting [email protected]. Complete eligibility criteria may be found here.

For further information, or to submit a completed nomination form, contact:

Standardbred Nominations:

Darryl Kaplan, Standardbred Nomination Chair,

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame

1-2150 Meadowvale Blvd.,

Mississauga, ON L5N 6R6

P: (905) 858-3060 ext. 241 F: (905) 858-3089

E: [email protected]

Thoroughbred Nominations:

Tom Cosgrove, Thoroughbred Nomination Chair,

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame

555 Rexdale Blvd., P.O. Box 156

Toronto, ON M9W 5L2

P: (416) 213-2113

E: [email protected]

Nominations forms may also be submitted to:

Linda Rainey, Managing Director

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame

P: (416) 417-9404

E: [email protected]

All submissions will be carefully considered by the Nominating Committee of the applicable breed.

A maximum of three finalists in each of five categories for Standardbreds and five categories for Thoroughbreds will be presented to the Election Committee for final voting by secret ballot.

NOMINATION DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018 5:00 p.m. (EST).

The list of nominees selected for consideration by the Election Committee for each breed will be announced Monday, March 26, 2018. The Inductees for the 2018 class of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame will be announced on Tuesday, April 10, 2018.

We invite you to visit the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame located at the West Entrance of Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Additional information about the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame is available at www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame or by contacting [email protected] or 416-417-9404.

(CHRHF)
Post Time with Mike and Mike, presented by BetAmerica, is excited to announce its lineup for Thursday morning (March 8) at 10:30 a.m.

The duo will be joined by Chris Page, one of the leading drivers in Ohio; Matt Rose, handicapper for the Daily Racing Form (Harness Eye) and charter at Yonkers Raceway; Scott Robinson, co-owner of Lost In Time; and Janine Gesek, representing Pacing for the Cure.

Page, one of the top drivers in the Buckeye State, will join the program for the first time to talk about his illustrious career. Page, who has earned just under $30 million in earnings and won just over 4,000 races is coming off a career season where he helped pave the way for Downbytheseaside to Pacer of the Year honours in the US. He will discuss his illustrious career and where he sees things going in his upcoming future.

Robinson, the co-owner of two-year-old pacer of the year Lost In Time, will join the program for the first time as well on Thursday. He will discuss how his champion pacer has been training leading up to his three-year-old season. Robinson attended the Dan Patch Awards in Florida with WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, he will discuss that experience and some of his thoughts about what brought Flair to the awards.

The Inside Handicapping segment continues this week with Matt Rose, who will talk about some of the new handicapping angles at Yonkers Raceway with some of the changes that the track has brought on. Rose will discuss the improving handle and how that can play to the gamblers favour each race night.

March is National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. Gesek, from Pacing for the Cure, will join to discuss some of the things going on with Pacing for the Cure Ambassador Mr. Bill G. She will also highlight some of the events coming up to help support the cause of Multiple Sclerosis.

Post Time with Mike and Mike, presented by BetAmerica, can be heard live every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. via its website (posttimewithmikeandmike.com) or on the archive at betamerica.com/BARN.

(With files from Post Time)
Sunday night, the Oscars will pick the best animated feature. Pixar's

is the favorite. But if the choice were up to Afghans, they'd go for

.





The animated film, produced by actress Angelina Jolie, tells the story of an 11-year-old girl named Parvana and her family, who are struggling to survive in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. She must pretend to be a boy so she can work to support her family. The film is an adaptation of a book by Canadian author Deborah Ellis.





While the movie has been released in the U.S. as well as Canada, China, France, the U.K. and some countries in the Middle East, it has yet to be screened in the few theaters across Afghanistan. But last month, a small group of Afghans had a chance to see the film at the Canadian embassy in Kabul.





For many of the Afghan viewers, it was a deeply emotional experience, bringing back memories of the time when the Taliban ruled, from the late 1990s to 2001. The regime imposed a strict interpretation of Islam and severely restricted women's freedoms.





"After the movie was over and the lights were turned back on, I saw tears in the eyes of many Afghans. I couldn't stop my own tears," says Abdul Rahim Ahmad Parwani, deputy country director of

, an organization that supports education for Afghan women and girls. "There was a short uncalled-for silence at the end of the film. That itself explains how the movie connected with Afghans." - Read More, NPR

CocoThe Breadwinner
Creation Care Gathering Aims to Close Gap Between Evangelism and Environmentalism

Frontier Ventures conference to address 'overlooked need' for Evangelicals' involvement in taking better care of the planet



Contact: Barbara Weldon,

540-905-2558



PASADENA, Calif., March 7, 2018 /Standard Newswire/ -- A gathering of missions leaders aims to help close the long-standing gap between evangelism and environmentalism by calling the church to greater involvement in caring for the planet. Clean air, health, environmental, ethnic and economic justice in polluted environments are some of the topics evangelicals will be discussing.



Bringing the two important emphases together April 6-7 will have two benefits, organizers say: In striving for the wholeness caring for creation brings, God will be honored and people will be drawn to the good news of Jesus.



The two-day event is attracting university professors and students, as well as environmentalists, missionaries, organizational leaders, and American pastors. The Creation Care at the Frontiers of Mission conference (www.creationcaremissions.org) is being held in collaboration with William Carey International University (www.WCIU.edu), and Care of Creation (careofcreation.net), and will be hosted by Frontier Ventures (www.frontierventures.org) on WCIU's Pasadena, Calif., campus.



"With this conference we hope to help awaken evangelicals to the opportunities Creation Care as Mission offers," said Paul Dzubinski, director of innovation for Frontier Ventures. "Caring for creation is our spiritual obligation. Coupling it with missions is an opportunity to share Jesus' love at the borders of world Christianity."



"Environmental stewardship has largely been overlooked in the missions world because we have tended to see missions as being focused primarily on people's spiritual needs," said Ed Brown, Care of Creation CEO. "However, as Christians, we are called not only to go into all the world with the gospel, but to care for the world God created."



Founded in 1976 as the U.S. Center for World Mission and renamed two years ago, Frontier Ventures has a long history of promoting critical thought and creative action in missions efforts among the world's unreached people groups.



The Creation Care at the Frontiers of Mission conference will feature presentations and workshops addressing environmental trends and issues, examples of missions projects that focus on environmental needs and concerns, and ideas for better creation care practices in American churches and overseas.



Keynote speakers will include leading Christian thinkers, such as Katharine Hayhoe, an atmospheric scientist and associate professor of political science at Texas Tech University, where she is director of the Climate Science Center; Ed Brown, director and ceo of Care of Creation and Lausanne Catalyst for Creation Care for the world missions Lausanne Movement; and Ruth Padilla DeBorst, provost of the Centro de Estudios Teologicos Interdisciplinarios in Costa Rica.



Other speakers will include Peter Harris, co-founder of A Rocha International, based in London, England, which promotes community-based conservation projects, and Lowell Bliss founder of Eden Vigil.



"Even when mission organizations began to take poverty and problems like HIV/Aids seriously, they often failed to understand that many of the underlying causes of things like poverty are environmental in nature," said Brown.



"We want to explore how a biblical understanding of the gospel leads to a holistic approach to individuals and communities, and will both improve their lives and create multiple opportunities to share the love of Jesus with people who might otherwise not listen," he added.



More information about Creation Care at the Frontiers of Mission is available at www.creationcaremissions.org.



Frontier Ventures

Based in Pasadena, Calif., Frontier Ventures (www.frontierventures.org) promotes the cause of mission among the world's unreached people groups through research, education, and mobilization. Founded in 1976 as the U.S. Center for World Mission by the late missionary statesman, Dr. Ralph D. Winter, its subsidiary ministries include the acclaimed Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course.


Black and White Teens to March 50 Miles to Memphis to Mark 50th Anniversary of MLK Assassination

'Honor and hope' inspire PEARSON Foundation's commemorative March to Memphis by interracial group of young men



Contact: Jarvis Ward,

601-942-2990,

pearson39208@gmail.com



PEARL, Miss., March 7, 2018 /Standard Newswire/ -- An interracial group of young men will be taking part in a journey of reconciliation to mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights champion Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.



Photo: The PEARSON Foundation President Jarvis Ward (second left) with participants in the organization's mentoring program, some of whom will be taking part in the March to Memphis to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.



Their 50-mile March to Memphis will take them from Dundee, Miss., to the city where Dr. King was killed on April 4, 1968, to join in commemorative events there.



Organized by The PEARSON Foundation (www.pearson39208.org), a faith-based mentoring and community service organization based in Pearl, Miss., the trek aims to teach participants more about civil rights and justice issues, and model reconciliation and healthy racial relations.



"Our hope is to not only honor all that Dr. King achieved, but to be part of continuing his work," said PEARSON Foundation President Jarvis Ward. "We want to show how racial justice, economic justice and racial reconciliation can be advanced in and by the next generation."



Setting out March 31, along the way the young men will discuss issues as they walk and also take part in evening community meetings in places where they stay overnight at schools or churches.



Aged 14 through 19, the teen group will comprise members of PEARSON programs and peers from local schools. They will be accompanied by adult mentors with PEARSON, which stands for People Employing Available Resources to Strengthen Our Neighborhoods.



President of the foundation since 2014, Ward has long been involved in racial reconciliation initiatives. The first Executive Director of Mission Mississippi, he was also founder of the National City Impact Roundtable, and served as National Facilitator of City/Community Ministries for Mission America for 16 years.



A native Memphian, Ward remembers hearing of Dr. King's death on the car radio while riding with his parents, as a boy. "I knew something was seriously wrong by their emotional reaction," he recalls. "But as a four-year-old, I did not fully comprehend what it meant."



The March to Memphis will also feature an "I Am A Man" emphasis discussing issues of adulthood and manhood. It builds on the "I Am A Man" slogan used during the 1968 sanitation workers strike in Memphis, which Dr. King had traveled to support when he was killed.



Joining Ward and the others on the march will be his 91-year-old mother, Alice C. Ward, who will walk the last mile and a half of the march. Ron Forseth, a white colleague with whom Ward has worked on racial justice issues for 15 years, will also be on the march from start to finish.



On the final leg of their march, the PEARSON walkers will also be joined by family, friends and other supporters wishing to participate. Once in the city, they will then join in a larger commemorative march planned there and in activities at the National Civil Rights Museum, at the site of Dr. King's killing. The events are being organized by the city of Memphis and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The death of black AFSCME sanitation workers in February 1968 sparked the protests that drew Dr. King to Memphis that April.



"We will not be walking in anger or protest," said Ward. "We will be walking in honor and in hope, believing that Dr. King's dream of racial justice, economic justice and racial reconciliation can yet one day be realized."



The group will have a police escort over the entirety of their route provided by the Pearl Police Department, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, and municipal and county law enforcement along the way. Real-time updates on the progress of the March will be posted on the March to Memphis Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MarchtoMemphis.



More than 50 volunteers help run The PEARSON Foundation's in-school, after-school and community service programs. They include tutoring, a summer reading institute, leadership retreats, and a State of Mississippi "best practice" in-school and community-based mentoring program.



Anyone wishing to support the March to Memphis and the PEARSON Foundation may contribute at their Go Fund Me page at: www.gofundme.com/MarchtoMemphis.



The PEARSON Foundation (www.pearson39208.org) is a faith-based nonprofit serving communities in Pearl, Miss., through mentoring and discipleship programs. More than 50 volunteers help run a wide range of in-school, after-school and community service programs.


A 77-year-old woman from Florida was attacked by an aggressive otter while on a kayaking trip with her husband. Following the attack, the womans boat overturned. The victim was taken to the hospital where she required a couple of stitches and rabies shots.

Otter Attacks Woman. Victim Tries to Hit it with Paddle

Sue Spector, 77, recalls being on the Braden River with Marty, her husband, and a group of people when the incident occurred. The woman told a news outlet that, on Sunday, she decided to go out with her husband on the kayaking trip, as the weather was perfect.

She recalls the first part of the trip as being something out of a fairytale, with her kayak gently running across the water, as the rest of the group floated away from her. Spector remembers telling her husband, at some point, that she saw an otter sitting on a log.

However, when Spector pointed out the gentle creature, the otter left the log, swam to Spectors boat, jumped in and started bashing her.

The woman remembered that the furry creature bit and scratched her in an aggressive matter as if it was provoked or rapid. Hearing his wifes calls for help, Marty steered towards Sues kayak and attempted to hit the otter with his battle.

The creature fought back and managed to overturn Martys kayak, before diverting its attention towards his wife. Sue also remembers using her paddle in an attempt to drive off the enraged otter, but to no avail.

In the end, the creature managed to overturn Sues kayak as well. With two boats in the bag, the otter returned triumphantly to its nest. Following the incident, the Florida woman and her husband were taken to the hospital. Sue needed several stitches and a couple of rabies shots.

Image source: Pixabay
This Page

has moved to a new address:

Sorry for the inconvenience

Redirection provided by Blogger to WordPress Migration Service
Kishoreganj auditor fails to fall off ACC radar; Tk 92 lakh recovered

Members of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) recovered TK 92 lakh, allegedly embezzled by some government officials in the name of land acquisition, from Kishoreganj district auditor's house on Wednesday.



A special team of ACC, led by Nasim Anwar of Dhaka divisional office, conducted a drive at the house of auditor Md Syeduzzaman in Harua area of the district town around 12am, ACC public relations officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya told UNB.



The team found the money concealed in a shopping bag and deposited it to the government treasury.



On January 16, the ACC arrested Setaful Islam, an ex-land acquisition official of Kishoreganj, from Pirojpur Circuit House in connection with the embezzlement of Tk 5 crore of government money during his tenure as district land acquisition officer in Kishoreganj land office.



ACC Assistant Director Ramprasad Mondol (Mymensingh Coordinated Area) filed a case against him with Kishoreganj Sadar Police Station before conducting the drive to arrest Setaful.--Dhaka, UNB






Dry weather likely

Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country in the next 24 hours till 9 am today, said a met office press release here on Wednesday.

Day and night temperature may fall slightly over the country during the period, it said, adding that light fog may occur at places over the river basins of southern part of the country today's morning.

The maximum temperature was recorded 34.5 degrees celsius on Tuesday at Rangamati in Chittagong division and Wednesday's minimum temperature 13.4 degrees celsius at Rajarhat in Rangpur division.


Women peace laureates condemn inaction on Rohingya genocide

Naimul Haq :

Nobel Laureates Mairead Maguire, Shirin Ebadi and Tawakkol Karman met with more than 100 women refugees in camps in the coastal Cox's Bazar region of Bangladesh this week, as well as travelling to the "no man's land" where thousands of Rohingya have been stranded between Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Mairead Maguire of Northern Ireland and Shirin Ebadi of Iran spoke to IPS correspondent Naimul Haq in the Bangladesh capital Dhaka.

Maguire is a co-founder of Peace People, a movement committed to building a just and peaceful society in Northern Ireland. She and Betty Williams won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976. She is well known for her work with victims of conflict around the world.

Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, former judge and human rights activist and founder of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women's, children's, and refugee rights.

Following are excerpts from the exclusive interviews.

IPS: You have called for trials of the Myanmar leaders in the International Criminal Court (ICC) for committing alleged genocide. How do you intend to seek justice when the world seems to be so divided over the Rohingya issue?

Mairead Maguire: "The leaders in Myanmar have committed genocide and we have all the witnesses for that. We heard women [speak of] being tortured, raped and their homes being burnt."

Maguire related the story of a woman who was raped repeatedly and left for dead.

"The unconscious woman was later picked up by an elderly woman who took her to safety. That story of that woman being raped can be multiplied many times and you can well imagine the situation. So obviously we can understand that this is a policy of the Myanmar government to terrorize and expel the Rohingya people. They don't even recognize them as their citizens. So the international community must take steps to do something. And we must take the Myanmar government to the ICC.

"A lot of people are working on this, like international lawyers, and we will continue until this is fulfilled. The second thing that we want to do is that Aung San Suu Kyi is our sister laureate. We believe that as long as she remains silent about what the Myanmar government is doing she is complacent with the genocide. But we want to go and see Aung San Suu Kyi and we want to ask her to break her silence."

Maguire explained that she and her colleagues wish to speak to envoys of as many countries as possible.

"We would continue to pursue this dialogue with the ambassadors and leaders of the governments. We would also contact the United Nations and the European Parliament until this is taken to the international court.

IPS: What is your opinion on the voices of the global community, especially the influential leaders, remaining silent to a large extent on the Rohingya issue?

"I think many governments have interests in Myanmar, especially economic. In Rakhine state there are lot of resources like diamonds and costly stones. It's all about money and oil. China also has interests in Maynmar because of these reasons. Unfortunately, many governments put profits before people. It should be other way around - governments should be responsible for taking care of their people. But they don't want to say anything on human rights and justice because of political interests. However, we have to say as leaders, as Nobel Laureates, people are important, every person is important and it is wrong because of economic and political ties to allow people to be destroyed like this. We have to speak out and move the world's conscience.

IPS: Do you believe that the United Nations has played its due role?

"No, the UN has not done enough. Human beings have a right to life, right to security and the governments must defend those rights of their people. And we have seen what the Myanmar government has done. I was there as part of a Nobel delegation 18 years ago on the Thai border with Myanmar and witnessed Karen people living in refugee camps who had to flee Burma. I had met many women then who were raped and carrying children of Burmese soldiers. So what we have seen in Cox's Bazar [Rohingyas] the situation is not new. The Burmese military has been doing this for a long, long time."

IPS: How can media coverage help bring justice to the victims?

"Women told us their stories of children being beaten, women being raped and their husbands being killed and houses burnt, which were absolutely horrific. The surviving women wanted us to tell their stories to the world so that their sufferings are known and they can then seek justice. They can have their national identity and go back to where they belong. So IPS can tell the real stories because when people hear these stories they cannot ignore them. We need the media like you. Because people don't believe. It is diabolical what the Burmese soldiers have done to the Rohingya people, thinking nobody will know - but when you bring the truth to the light of day they cannot continue like this."

Asked about the role of Bangladesh in welcoming the Rohingya refugees, she said, "It's a wonderful example to other countries who have refugees on their borders. You have opened doors for a million or more and Europe is closing their doors. It is indeed a contrasting situation. When we went to the camps I was so astonished to see how well-organised they were. It's wonderful to see how the government and the NGOs were working together."

IPS: How can Myanmar be brought before the ICC?

Shirin Ebadi: Unfortunately, Myanmar is not a signatory to the Rome Statute [convention] for the ICC. So the only way this can happen is for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to decide to send the case of Myanmar to the ICC as they did in the case of Sudan.

What has happened to the Rohingya people is indeed a crime of genocide. In fact, the United Nations, the United States, the European Union has all acknowledged that it is genocide. That is why I am very much hopeful that the UNSC will debate this case but my only concern is China as a member of the UNSC may use its right to veto because of its economic interests in Myanmar."

Ebadi also called on the wealthy Muslim countries, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, to do more for the Muslim-minority Rohingya.

"They are not giving any assistance, or they are giving very little. They prefer to spend their money on buying weapons which they use for killing people. So, my message to them is come and see the plight of the fellow Muslims and how they are being treated and my message is also to the Islamic countries - shame on you for not helping."

What message would you give to your fellow Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi? And do you also hold her responsible for the situation?

"I am indeed very sorry Aung San Suu Kyi, a person whom I had campaigned for on many occasions when she was under house arrest to secure her release, has now become complacent in the crime against the Rohingyas. My message to Aung San Suu Kyi is you have to break your silence now. You have to stop the genocide otherwise you would be held responsible and you must answer for your crimes at the international criminal court."

The Nobel Women's Initiative, in partnership with the local Bangladeshi women's organization, Naripokkho, hosted the delegation of the Nobel Laureates to Bangladesh to witness and highlight the situation of the Rohingya refugees and the violence against Rohingya women.

Tawakkol Karman was known as "The Mother of the Revolution" and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 in recognition of her work in nonviolent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peacebuilding work in Yemen.

-IPS.
Rapid loss of soil fertility calls for urgent remedial actions

ACCORDING to our scientists, rapid loss of soil fertility is posing a serious threat to the nation's food security and future plans. The fast erosion of the country's soil fertility has already turned many thousands of hectares of cultivable land barren. Crop production is suffering severely on such land. Additionally, an in-depth study conducted by the Soil Resource and Development Institute in last February revealed that the organic content in about 60 percent of country's arable area have dangerously fell below two percent - which should be five percent in ideal situation. However, under internationally accepted standards 3.4 percent organic content makes soil fertile.



To cut a long story short, the loss of organic matter content means the loss of productivity life of soil. In Bangladesh, non-stop cultivation of land over the years coupled with over-application of chemical fertilizers, removal of top soil for creating new urban centres and excessive withdrawal of ground-water are the main reasons for damaging soil fertility. Sadly, there is no authority to oversee and control rampant destruction of soil fertility in Bangladesh. Not only it is soil - authorities concerned in all areas only become mindful after a shocking disaster occurs. However, ours is a classic case of poor management of soil since we have become accustomed to take everything for granted.



From a technical perspective, soil's organic matter is stored within its top layers within a few centimeters, and it is removed with the removal of the topsoil. Organic matter deficiency hampers the entire soil system, meaning its physical, chemical and biological activities get diminished. In the study our scientists have also, recommended a series of immediate measures for the replenishment of soil.



We draw immediate attention of the agriculture authorities and those responsible for conservation of soil to take the study into serious consideration and implement the recommendations at the soonest. We have over-exploited our country's soil and now the nature is accordingly seeking revenge. It is indisputably a wakeup call for the agriculture sector.



We are afraid continued exploitation of soil top may seriously impact food production at a time when the population growth is exponentially demanding more food to feed millions of new mouths. It is true we can't increase our landmass but we can increase crop productivity. That needs careful conservation of soil and on top of it we stop the continued erosion of soil fertility for reasons such as from salinity, drought and destruction of soil top. We must have dedicated policies for conservation of our soil.
Historic March 7 observed

The Historic March 7, a memorable day in the history of Bangalees' long arduous freedom struggle, was observed on Wednesday in a befitting manner.

This year, the day bears a great significance as Unesco recogonised the historic March 7 Speech as a world documentary heritage.

On this day in 1971, Bangalees' undisputed leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered his epoch-making speech of independence before a mammoth rally at the historic Racecourse Maidan, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in the city. In his 19-minute extempore speech before a million freedom-loving people, Bangabandhu had made a clarion call for a non-cooperation movement asking the nation to prepare for the war of independence to liberate the country from the exploitative Pakistan regime.

"The struggle this time is for freedom, the struggle this time is for independence, Joy Bangla," Bangabandhu declared from the massive rally. In his speech, compared with US President Abraham Lincoln's historic Gettysburg speech, Sheikh Mujib said, "Since we've learnt to give blood, we'll give more blood. Inshallah, the people of this country must be liberated...Turn every house into a fort. Face (the enemy) with whatever you have." Bangabandhu's speech worked like a magic spell inspiring the entire Bangalee nation to join in the struggle for independence from the autocratic and repressive rule of the then Pakistani military junta. On October 30 last, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) recognised the Bangabandhu's historic March 7 Speech as a world documentary heritage.

Awami League and different socio-political and cultural organisations arranged different programmes on the occasion. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi.

Awami League organised a mammoth public rally at historic Suhrawardy Udyan where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina spoke. Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television as well as private television channels and radio stations aired special programmes marking the day.
UN for expediting criminal case

The UN Human Rights Council has decided to ask the General Assembly to establish a new independent and impartial mechanism to prepare and expedite criminal proceedings in courts against those responsible in Myanmar for launching ethnic cleansing.

"The government must take steps towards real accountability for these violations, and must fully respect the rights of the Rohingya, including to citizenship," said High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein. He made the remark at the 37th session of the Human Rights Council on Wednesday while presenting the annual report and oral update on the activities of his office and recent human rights developments.

He said, a recent announcement that seven soldiers and three police officers will be brought to justice for the alleged extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya men is grossly insufficient, according to his speech a copy of which UNB obtained from Geneva. The UN rights boss said any repatriation agreement should lay out a clear pathway to citizenship and put an end to the discrimination and violence inflicted on the Rohingya; these conditions are clearly not in place today. He thanked Bangladesh for hosting almost one million refugees. "I'll continue to call on member states for long-term support for host communities, as well as to uphold the refugees' rights to education and a livelihood." The UN rights chief said the situation of the Rohingya community in Myanmar, and of some 900,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, continue to be of intense concern.

Zeid Ra'ad announced this week, following his mission to Bangladesh, he said his office believes that ethnic cleansing is still going on in Rakhine. While the township of Maungdaw has been essentially emptied of its Rohingya community, people continue to flee to Bangladesh because of systematic - though lower-intensity - persecution and violence in other towns and villages. Victims have reported killings, rape, torture and abductions by the security forces and local militia, as well as apparently deliberate attempts to force the Rohingya to leave the area through starvation, with officials blocking their access to crops and food supplies.

"This Council is aware that my office has strong suspicions that acts of genocide may have taken place in Rakhine since August. I'm therefore not surprised by reports that Rohingya villages which were attacked in recent years, and alleged mass graves of the victims, are being bulldozed," said Hussein.

This appears to be a deliberate attempt by the authorities to destroy potential evidence of international crimes. "I've also received reports of the appropriation of land inhabited by Rohingya and their replacement by members of other ethnic groups," he said.

Access for independent human rights monitoring is practically non-existent across Myanmar, but it appears clear that longstanding discriminatory policies and practices also continue against other groups, said Hussein.

In Shan and Kachin states, civilian casualties continue to be reported as a result of attacks by the security forces.

"I'm also alarmed by a dramatic erosion of freedom of the press; journalists have in recent months faced escalating intimidation, harassment, and death threats," he said.
City dwellers` sufferings mount due to AL rally

Staff Reporter :

Many city residents had to suffer on Wednesday due to poor availability of transports following huge rush towards Suhrawardy Udyan where AL organised massive rally marking historic 7th March.

Many of the sufferers, including commuters, students and patients, waited for transports for hours. A good number of city dwellers stayed at homes fearing a traffic nightmare yesterday.

All the day, traffic snarls were observed through areas around Suhrawardy Udyan, as traffic police closed Shahbagh, Kataban, Bangla Motor, Farmgate, High Court, Mirpur and some other intersections to facilitate the Awami League supporters centering Suhrawardy Udyan.

Haphazard parking of buses and processions caused severe tailbacks along the Manik Mia Avenue, the Mirpur Road, Karwan Bazar, Bijoy Sarani, Paltan, Moghbazar and other adjacent areas.

Severe traffic congestion took place at Mirpur as all transports were diverted to Mirpur Section-1 from Mirpur Section-10 roundabout.

Many started to move on foot after a long stay for buses and other public transports.

Mahmuda Begum, 50, who arrived at Dhaka Medical College Hospital from Narayanganj to attend to her injured leg, told The New Nation that it took for her nearly four hours to get there, whereas it usually takes much less.

Azadur Rahman, a private service holder, said she took three hours to reach Farmgate from 60-Feet Road, Madhya Pirerbagh, whereas it usually takes about half-an-hour.

Arifur Rahman, a bus passenger, said it took him two hours to reach Karwan Bazar from Mohakhali.

Hundreds of people were seen waiting for buses at Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Bangla Motor and Kataban areas.

At Bangla Motor, Mohammad Milon, who was looking for a ride to Sadarghat Launch Terminal, said, "I have been waiting for a bus for nearly an hour. Though few buses came, I could not board them as I was carrying a lot of bags."

Commuters' suffering in this city is nothing new. They suffer almost every day when there is a major political programme at any part of the city.
Khaleda for peaceful movement: Fakhrul

Staff Reporter :

Imprisoned BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has directed her party leaders to continue peaceful movement till success is earned.

"Our Chairperson Khaleda Zia has directed us to continue peaceful movement avoiding all kinds of provocations," said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday.

He said it in front of the gate after meeting Khaleda Zia in the old Central Jail on the Nazimuddin Road in the city. A delegation of BNP standing committee led by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir met Khaleda Zia at 3:00pm.

It was the leaders' first meet with Khaleda Zia after she landed in the jail on February 8.

The members of the delegation included Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Abdul Moyeen Khan and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.

Mirza Fakhrul said, "We found our leader Khaleda Zia with high morale. She is sound in health and strong. She never worried about her own, but is thinking for the country even in jail."

The Secretary General accused the government of sending their leader to jail in a false case.

"The truth must be exposed once. We are fighting both legally and politically to free her from jail," Mirza Fakhrul said.

He said, "Begum Khaleda Zia told us to tell the people that she is well. She is firmly ready for any kind of sacrifice for the country, democracy and the people."

Two of the standing committee members of the team said that the prison officials stood close to them while Khaleda Zia talked with them in jail.

A Dhaka Special Judge's court sentenced Khaleda to five years jail in a graft case.
War criminals, looters must not come to power: PM

Marking the Historic 7th March speech by Bangabandhu, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressing the massive public gathering at Suhrawardy Uddyan on Wednesday. Photo: PMO

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday urged all to remain united so that war criminals, killers, looters and embezzlers of orphans' money can never come to power.

"My urge to you all, war criminals, killers, embezzlers of orphans' money and looters could never come to power and push the country towards of the path of destruction, I'm requesting you all to remain united," she said. The Prime Minister was addressing a big public rally at historic Suhrawardy Udyan. Awami League organised the rally marking the historic March 7, commemorating the historic speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1971. She said those who believe in independence, spirit of the Liberation War, and the development of the country and its people would at least remain aware about it.

Sheikh Hasina said the culprits who were involved in crimes against the humanity, genocide, looting, arson, rape, and handed over the country's women to Pakistani occupational forces must not be in power.

The Prime Minister said those who were involved in embezzling orphans' money, siphoning off public money, killing people through arson attacks, in the murder of 27 law enforcement personnel should be kept out of power forever. "If they come to power, they'll force the country towards the path of destruction," she said.

She also urged the people of the country to remain united for advancing the country imbued with the spirit of the great Liberation War.

AL leaders Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohammad Nasim, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Sahara Khatun, Faruk Khan, Obaidul Kader, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mirza Azam, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, and Dhaka South City Mayor Sayeed Khokan also spoke on the occasion. AL publicity secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud conducted the progamme. The gathering at Suhrawardy Udyan began from the morning. Thousands of Awami League leaders, activists and supporters thronged the venue with banners, placards, festoons and other displays.

Sheikh Hasina, also the AL chief, directed party leaders and activists to showcase the development activities of the government to the mass people. "The continuation of our development has to be maintained because this will help us reach the middle-income country status by 2021 InshahAllah and make the country hunger and poverty free by 2041," she said. The PM also said when Awami League remains in power the country moves towards development and alleged that there had been no development during Ziaur Rahman, Ershad and Khaleda Zia's regimes. "They don't want development as they don't believe in Independence, as they made their own fortunes." Talking about social menaces like militancy, terrorism and drug abuse, she said there is no room for these anti-social elements in Bangladesh. "We have to free the country from terrorism and militancy as the previous government made it a haven for these elements." The Prime Minister urged all to help the law enforcing agencies and people of the administration to keep the youths of the country away from militancy, terrorism and drug abuse and give them a healthy life. Pointing to the recognition of the historic March 7 speech of Bangabandhu by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) she said the appeal of this speech is everlasting. Highlighting the significance of March 7, Hasina said the momentous speech which Bangabandhu delivered on this day in 1971 at Suhrawardy Udyan inspiring people even after 45 years. She said Bangabandhu prepared the nation step by step for the independence and it was reflected in the speech. Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said the March 7 speech of Bangabandhu is an inspiration for the oppressed people of the world who are still fighting for their political and economic freedom.
US greets talk of N Korea`s nuke concessions with hope, skepticism

US President Donald Trump voiced a tentative openness to a \"very positive\" offer of nuclear talks from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

AP, Washington :

President Donald Trump greeted North Korea's reported willingness to negotiate away its atomic weapons with both hope and skepticism Tuesday, insisting a potential diplomatic breakthrough be tested against the North's long history of deception and threats to target U.S. cities with nuclear missiles.

"I really believe they are sincere," Trump said at a White House news conference, sounding more optimistic than his intelligence chief, Dan Coats, who told a Senate hearing he has "very, very low confidence" that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un intends to give up his nuclear arms.

"Maybe this is a breakthrough. I seriously doubt it," Coats said.

A senior South Korean presidential adviser said Tuesday that Kim expressed a willingness to discuss nuclear disarmament and halt nuclear and missile tests during future talks with the United States. The North didn't confirm those concessions, which would amount to a dramatic about-face for a nation that has frequently vowed to preserve its nuclear arsenal at any cost.

Chung Eui-yong, the South Korean official who spoke after participating in talks with Kim in Pyongyang, also said the North Korean dictator had agreed to meet with South Korea's president at a border village in late April.

North Korea didn't announce what South Korea on Tuesday described as agreements between the rivals. But the North's state media earlier reported Kim had "openhearted" talks with South Korean envoys, expressed his willingness to "vigorously advance" North-South relations and made a "satisfactory" agreement on the inter-Korean summit talks.

Trump, who last fall told Secretary of State Rex Tillerson he was "wasting his time" trying to talk with the North, tweeted Tuesday that "possible progress" had been made in North Korea's capital and that all sides were making serious efforts. He added: "May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!"

Later, in an Oval Office photo session with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Trump said the North Koreans "seem to be acting positively," but that the prospects will be clearer when diplomacy moves to the next stage.

"We have come certainly a long way, at least rhetorically, with North Korea," Trump said. Of the possibility for peacefully resolving the nations' deep differences, he said: "It'd be a great thing for the world, would be a great for North Korea, it would be a great thing for the peninsula. But we'll see what happens."

In Chung's account, Kim indicated he would not need to keep nuclear weapons if military threats against North Korea were removed and his nation received a credible security guarantee. That suggests the possibility Kim will insist in any deal that the U.S. withdraw its nearly 28,000 troops from South Korea. The North sees those forces and their periodic exercises with South Korean troops as a threat to invade the North.

The White House issued a brief statement from Vice President Mike Pence suggesting nothing has changed in that area. A U.S. official said there were no plans to scrap the war games envisioned for next month.

"All options are on the table, and our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible, verifiable and concrete steps toward denuclearization," Pence said.

Separately, highlighting a less-discussed dimension of the standoff with North Korea, the Pentagon's military intelligence chief told a Senate hearing that Kim has taken a "far different" approach to military preparedness than his father, Kim Jong Il, by imposing greater rigor and discipline in army training. Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, called it a "big change" and implied the improvements should be taken into account in considering the prospect of war on the Korean peninsula.

North Korea's willingness to hold a "candid dialogue" with the United States to discuss denuclearization and establish diplomatic relations follows a year of increased fears of war, with Kim and Trump exchanging fiery rhetoric and crude insults over Kim's barrage of weapons tests. The Trump administration also pushed through some of the harshest economic sanctions any country has ever faced.

Trump said Kim's apparent willingness to negotiate is likely due to the sanctions, and China's role in applying them.

Still, there is wide skepticism that Tuesday's developments will bring genuine peace between the Koreas, which have a long history of failing to follow through with major rapprochement agreements. The United States has made it clear it doesn't want empty talks with North Korea and that all options, including military measures, are in play until the North actually surrenders its nuclear weapons, believed to number around 30.

"We have seen nothing to indicate ... that he would be willing to give up those weapons," Coats said.

Chung said the two Koreas would hold a summit at a South Korea-controlled facility. He said Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will establish a "hotline" communication channel to lower military tensions, and would speak together before the get-together.

It would be the third such summit since the Koreas' 1945 division. Kim Jong Il met liberal South Korean presidents in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007. They resulted in a series of cooperative projects that were scuttled during subsequent conservative administrations in South Korea.




Housewife's body recovered in Sitakunda

UNB, Chittagong :

Police recovered the body of a housewife from a house at Fakirhat Panthishah Mazar area in Sitakunda upazila on Sunday noon.

The deceased was identified as Jahanara Begum, 35, wife of Mosarraf Hossain, hailing from Muchhapur village in Sandwip upazila.

Confirming the incident, Mozammel Hosssain, officer-in-charge (Investigation) of Sitakiunda Police Station said on information police recovered the body from a house of the area after breaking the door.

Police suspected that she was tortured to death as several injury marks were found on the body, the OC said.

Victim's daughter Morsheda Akhtar, 13, and son Rakib, 12, said their father (Mosarraf Hossain) used to tortured their mother after taking drugs.

On Sunday night, he tortured their mother and left the body inside the house after confirming her death, said her son Rakib.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (Sitakunda Ciircle) Shompa Rani Das and officer-in-charge of the Police Station Iftekhar Hasan visited the spot.

The body was sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital for autopsy, police said.

Locals said Mosarraf Hossain introduced himself as source of Baro Awlia Highway Police.




Call to make jute products popular

Chittagong Bureau :

The National Jute Day-2018 was observed in the city as elsewhere in the country Tuesday last with a call for making jute products popular among the people.

Chittagong District Administration and Directorate of Jute jointly chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day with the theme "Golden Fibre, Golden Country, Jute Goods of Bangladesh".

A colorful procession was brought out from Chittagong Circuit House premises that paraded some important city roads.

Inaugurating the rally as the chief guest, Additional Deputy Commissioner Habibur Rahman said the government has taken various initiatives, including modernization of the state owned jute mills, to bring back the glorious past of the jute sector.

Later, a discussion was held at Chittagong Circuit House conference room with Additional Deputy Commissioner (ICT and Education) Habibur Rahman in the chair.

Hailing the present government for bringing back the golden past of jute, the speakers called for taking steps to continue multidimensional use of jute goods home and abroad.

Officials of the jute directorate, entrepreneurs, businessmen and people from different professions were also present at the event.


German chemical industry warns against trade war

AFP, Frankfurt :

A strong 2017 powered by faster global growth has boosted confidence for this year in Germany's massive chemicals sector, an industry federation said Wednesday, while cautioning against threats of an EU-US trade war.

The chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Europe's largest economy should boost revenues 4.5 percent year-on-year in 2018, according to the Federation of the Chemical Industry (VCI), powered by higher production and a modest increase in prices.

Such a pace would mean a slight slowdown from last year's 6.0-percent sales growth to almost 196 billion euros ($243 billion) across the sector.

A synchronised global economic upturn has fired industrial production and increased demand from manufacturers, making chemical producers' outlook "just as positive as during the last boom phase between 2004 and 2008," VCI director Utz Tillmann told reporters in Frankfurt.

One cloud on the horizon is the looming threat of a transatlantic trade war, which has intensified over the past week as US President Donald Trump vowed to slap tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.

While there is no sign yet that Washington will target chemical makers, "the uncertainty of Trump's trade policy could have a braking effect," Tillmann said.

The European Union has already warned it would respond to US tariffs with levies of its own on politically sensitive goods like motorcycles, orange juice and bourbon.

"Fault lines between such large trading partners as the EU and US could influence the global upturn negatively" and sap demand for chemical makers' wares, Tillmann said.

Chemical and pharmaceutical makers form Germany's third-largest industry by revenues, employing around 450,000 people in firms ranging from global giants like BASF or Bayer to small family companies.




AL doesn't believe in fair polls : Khosru

Staff Reporter :

Ruling Awami League does not believe in free and fair polls, said BNP standing committee member and former Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.

The BNP leader told it on Wednesday at a programme organized by Swadhinata Forum demanding Khaleda Zia's release.

He said, AL are enjoying all kinds of facilities including arranging meeting anywhere in Bangladesh. Prime Minister is taking commitment from the people in her meeting, which is opposite to the spirit of Constitution. Everybody

has right to cast vote secretly. When the BNP wants to hold meeting, permission is not given. The government has not yet responded to the party's letter about arranging meeting at the Suhrawardy Uddyan on March 12. No permission has yet been given in Khulna and Chittagong also.

He said, today in Bangladesh there is no rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of media. All kinds of rights are questionable.

He said, our leader Khaleda Zia spoke for the people. For that she is now imprisoned. She will never surrender.


Documents likely to reach in HC Sunday

A delegation of BNP Standing Committee led by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir coming out from jail after meeting Khaleda Zia on Wednesday for the first time after her one month\'s imprisonment at Dhaka Central Jail.

Court Correspondent :

The documents of the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case are likely to be sent to the High Court Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday.

Mokarram Hossain, a bench assistant (Peskar) of the Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka disclosed this to the newsmen yesterday (Wednesday).

The High Court Division on February 22 accepted the appeal petition filed on behalf of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia challenging the lower court verdict and seeking her acquittal in graft case.

Earlier, on February 19, Khaleda Zia's lawyer received the 1174-page certified copy of the judgement of the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case to file the appeal challenging the verdict.

Later, on February 25, the High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim passed an order saying that it would give its order on Khaleda Zia's bail petition in the case after getting the lower court documents in the case.

Earlier, the High Court asked the lower court to send documents of the case within 15 days. Meanwhile, on February 22, the court stayed the fine of Tk 2.10 crore slapped on Khaleda Zia in the case.

Meanwhile, the file of the lower court is awaited for getting the order of the apex court.

On February 8, Judge Dr Md Aktaruzzaman of the Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka sentenced Khaleda Zia to five years rigorous imprisonment and also fined Tk 2.10 crore in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

Since then, she has been confined in Old Dhaka's central jail. Five others, including her son Tarique Rahman were sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment each. The court also fined them Tk 2.10 crore saying that the six convicts would pay the fine equally.


The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.
Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A clear sky. Low near 75F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
If you are looking for the new Immoral Minority posts, you should know that they can be found here at our new home Please stop by to get caught up on politics, join the conversations, or simply check out the new digs.
Paris, TX (75460)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Posting Policy



This blog may be unique with regard to its degree of transparency about urban ministry. Many people have written to me to say how they cherish the help they have received through this. However, this means that special attention needs to be given to confidentiality in particular. I use the following guidelines for posting on this blog:



I apply the following questions to posts: Are they posted in good faith? Are they balanced? Are they compassionate? Are they informative about ministry? Do they help one better understand a problem or issue?



I consider a post to be unproblematic if a person's identity is unknowable in the post, if the facts are public knowledge, or if a change of particulars (name, place, date, and so on) will truly protect privacy. If I consider that anyone who was not involved in an incident would recognise those who were, then I do not post. If a post could compromise the safety of those I blog about, then I make a post safe, or I do not post.



I believe that these measures should enable me to continue to be "open" about urban ministry while not compromising privacy.



In 2013, ninety percent of the posts on this blog were removed. I then put the question of the freedom of the blog to the South African Human Rights Commission. The position is this: if a post is legal, it is legal. Essentially, all of my posts were OK. There is freedom of expression in South Africa.



Having said this, if any post should even cause discomfort, it will be removed from this blog immediately. This has always been the position. One does need to contact me for that, best through an e-mail or a blog comment, and I prefer to see a name on it. The post will be put back up only if there would seem to be compelling reason for it. It is hoped that there will be the assumption that I wish to address any discomfort satisfactorily, compassionately, and efficiently.
International Women's Day 2018: Adventurous Women

When I was trying to decide on a topic for this year's International Women's Day post, I stumbled across Aloha Wanderwell. I can't believe I was unaware of this Canadian adventurer with the most amazing name ever.

Aloha Wanderwell was born in Winnipeg in 1906. It will not surprise you to learn that her birth name was not Aloha; that came later. She was born Idris Galcia Welsh and became Idris Glacia (sic) Hall upon her mother's remarriage in 1909. At this time Idris and her mother Margaret relocated to Vancouver Island where her stepfather, Herbert Hall was a wealthy rancher. When Hall was stationed in Europe during World War I, his family followed him, living in England, Belgium and France. After Herbert died at Ypres, Margaret sent the high-spirited Idris to boarding schools in the hopes that she would learn to be more ladylike. It did not work.

At 16, Idris responded to an advertisement calling for someone with "brains, beauty, and breeches" to accompany Captain Walter Wanderwell on expeditions. He was looking for a "good-looking, brainy young woman who is as clever a journalist as her appearance is attractive" who should "forswear skirts  and incidentally marriage  for at least two years, and be prepared to rough it in Asia and Africa". Idris fit the bill and Captain Wanderwell immediately changed her name to Aloha Wanderwell. According to Aloha, her mother legally adopted Walter and he became her brother and guardian. Between 1922 and 1927, Walter led an around the world motoring tour. Aloha worked as driver, filmmaker and translator and became the first woman to drive around the world. Walter and Aloha married in 1925  apparently to avoid Walter's arrest for transporting a young woman across state lines for an immoral purpose. They had two children and remained married until Walter's murder in 1932.

Aloha continued to travel and make films which have been preserved by the Academy Film Archive. She died in 1996 at 89.

Learn more about Aloha Wanderwell in this biography:

Aloha Wanderwell: The Border-Smashing, Record-Setting Life of the World's Youngest Explorer by Christian Fink-Jensen and Randolph Eustace-Walden



 ebook

Other books about female adventurers:

Ada Blackjack: A True Story of Survival in the Arctic by Jennifer Niven



 ebook



In 1921, Inupiat Ada Blackjack was a destitute single mother who needed money to care for her ailing son. She was hired as a cook and seamstress by a group of four men heading to remote Wrangle Island to claim the land for Great Britain. The expedition was organized by celebrity adventurer Vilhjalmur Stefansson, who provided the inexperienced team with only six months of rations believing that they would be able find enough game to survive for a year. The ship that was expected to meet them never arrived and in desperation, three of the men left to get help. They were never heard from again. Blackjack and an ailing member of the expedition were left behind. She cared for him for six months until his death. Although she had no previous experience hunting, she taught herself to trap and shoot, keeping herself and the expedition's cat Victoria alive until they were rescued in August 1923.

The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman by Nancy Marie Brown



 ebook



Thought for years to be a fictional creation, archaeologists have recently unearthed evidence that Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir existed. Born in Iceland in 960, she travelled to Greenland with Eirik the Red, then to Vinland (present day Labrador) with her husband Thorstein and his brother Leif Eiriksson. After Thorstein's death, she remarried and led an attempt to establish a settlement in Vinland where she lived for three years and gave birth to the first European child in the New World. Later, after converting to Christianity, she walked from Iceland to Rome for an audience with the Pope to share her experiences.





The Polar Adventures of a Rich American Dame: A Life of Louise Arner Boyd by Joanna Kafarowski



 ebook



This blue-blooded society woman fell in love with the far north in the 1920s and used her wealth to explore and lead expeditions in the Arctic.

A Woman in Arabia: The Writings of the Queen of the Desert by Gertrude Bell



 e-audiobook

 ebook



After becoming the first woman to graduate from Oxford with a first class honours degree in Modern History, Bell began travelling the world, climbing mountains and becoming fluent in multiple languages. Bell spent many years in the Middle East where she participated in archaeological digs, mapped remote areas and guided British soldiers through the desert during World War I. Following the dismantling of the Ottoman Empire, she acted as a liaison between the British government and Arab leaders.





The Woman who Mapped Labrador: The Life and Expedition Diary of Mina Hubbard by Mina Hubbard, diary introduced and edited by Roberta Buchanan and Bryan Greene; biography by Anne Hart



Her husband had died on an expedition to Labrador in 1903. When Hubbard heard that a member of the ill-fated trek (whom she blamed for her husband's death) was organizing a new campaign to complete the journey, she formed her own competing company. Not only did Hubbard's group win the race, she became the first white woman to cross Labrador.

Enjoy International Women's Day!
The Department of Economic Development in Ajman has begun collecting a corporate social responsibility (CSR) fee with effect from March 1 from companies and establishments applying for or renewing their commercial license.



The move is pursuant to Cabinet Resolution No. 02 of 2018 issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in February, reported Emirates news agency Wam.



Ali Issa Al Nuaimi, director-general of the Ajman DED, said that CSR, which plays an important role in nation building, is an integral part of the overall operations of public and private entities. "By steadily adopting and implementing a CSR programme, social responsibility will become part of the UAE lifestyle," he added.



To help spread the CSR culture in the country, the Department is calling on all employees and registered companies and establishments to take up cause-oriented initiatives and projects to help flourish the work environment and contribute to the development of CSR systems and policies in the Emirate of Ajman.



Al Nuaimi said: "CSR contributes to the development and sustainability of various sectors, as well as enhances cooperation between Ajman DED and businesses operating in the emirate. It directly impacts our sustainable development and economic prosperity for the well-being and happiness of our people.



Our latest move is also in line with the directives of H.H. Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, to launch relevant local and international CSR initiatives to highlight their significant role in our society as we move towards a green and sustainable economy for the happiness of our communities."



The CSR fee of Dh1,500 is being collected from companies and establishments in Ajman in compliance with the Cabinet Resolution enacted to establish a framework for CSR contributions in the country.
More than 400 delegates will attend the second Middle East & Africa Fintech Forum, which will be held in Manama, Bahrain, tomorrow (March 8) under the theme Beyond Disruption.



The forum will be held under the patronage of the Central Bank of Bahrain and hosted by Bank ABC and Arab Financial Services (AFS). Representatives from the central banks of Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt will attend the forum.



Rasheed Mohammed Al Maraj, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain will be inaugurating the conference discussions, while the opening address will be presented by Sael Al Waary, chairman of Arab Financial Services and Deputy Group CEO of Bank ABC.



Beyond Disruption brings together leading and well regarded global experts and industry leaders in a highly engaging format of talks and discussions addressing the most pressing issues in the fast evolving FinTech landscape. Representatives attending the forum include the central banks of Jordan, Egypt and Bahrain and 40 banks and financial institutions from the region.



The conference will tackle the biggest disruptors for banks in the near future. From the emergence of challenger banks to the cutting-edge advances in Artificial Intelligence to the rise of cryptocurrencies and the drive for greater financial inclusion across the globe.



Keynote speakers include Anthony Thomson, founder of the first UK digital bank, Atom Bank, and the award winning Metro Bank, Michael Jordaan, co-founder of Bank Zero, and Greg Cross, chief business officer at Soul Machines, in addition to industry experts and leading FinTech commentators.  TradeArabia News Service
Design International, a leader in creative architectural concepts, has opened the latest addition to its office network at Building 4 of Dubai Design District (d3).



Speaking ahead of the office opening, Davide Padoa, CEO of Design International, said: We are delighted to open our new office in Dubai. This is testament to our long-standing connection with the region and reflects our admiration for the way the city of Dubai has chosen to embrace the architecture and design industries. We look forward to working in the Dubai Design District with its stimulating vibe that reflects innovation in a space that educates, entertains and supports creativity.



Recent examples of Design Internationals work include Il Centro in Arese, which skilfully integrates the use of interior and external space through its city street concept; and the Lulu Groups Mall in Silicon Oasis Dubai, which creates a sustainable, dynamic sanctuary where people can meet and share a wealth of different experiences.  TradeArabia News Service
Doosan, a global leader in construction equipment, recently held its Doosan Bobcat Demo Days, marking the double milestones of the 60th anniversary of Bobcat and 40 years in excavator manufacture.



The event was staged at the Doosan Bobcat Campus at Dobris, close to the capital city of Prague in the Czech Republic.



Attended by hundreds of customers from over 20 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Demo Days again provided a unique opportunity to try out the full range of the latest Doosan and Bobcat products in working conditions. The event also provided customers with the opportunity to talk about the machines and solutions for their business applications with product specialists and demonstrators from Doosan Bobcat.



Sixty years on and the Bobcat range has greatly diversified and today, Bobcat is also a leading manufacturer of compact excavators and telehandlers, with full line-ups of both types of product for markets worldwide.



As well as the companys 40 years in excavator manufacture, this year also marks the sale of the 400,000th machine since Doosan entered the construction equipment market



At Demo Days, the external space is maximised to give customers plenty of room to drive and operate even the largest machines from the Doosan range, as well as the complete range of Bobcat machines and attachments. Several of these products are presented in working application scenarios that demonstrate how Doosan and Bobcat machines and attachments are used in customer markets such as quarrying, road maintenance, utilities and forestry.



The Dobris campus is a unique operation among Doosan Bobcats many facilities around the world. It is the home to the Innovation Center and the training centre for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). More than 80 per cent of Doosan Bobcat compact machines destined for markets in EMEA are produced at the site's manufacturing plant..

Opened in 2007 and recently expanded in 2015, the 6000-sq-m training centre provides training for the entire portfolio of Doosan and Bobcat products, with the aim of encouraging business growth through the development of professional skills across the business, offering world-class training of dealer management, sales forces, service staff and aftermarket teams as well as employees at Doosan Bobcat.

The training center is based around a large main building with four training rooms, each capable of holding 25-30 individuals. In addition to the classrooms, the training center also includes offices, five workshops for service training and a total of 15,000 sq m of outdoor area which is devoted to working with Doosan and Bobcat machines at Demo Days.  TradeArabia News Service
Dubai Land Department (DLD) has announced that over 170 entries were submitted by companies operating across various real estate fields in the UAE and other countries for the Gulf Real Estate Awards.

The second edition of the Gulf Real Estate Awards will take place on March 21, when the winners for the programmes 22 categories will be announced.

The Dubai Real Estate Institute (DREI), the educational arm of DLD, is organising the Gulf Real Estate Awards in response to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to inspire industry professionals to achieve greater innovation and have a significant positive impact on the Gulf real estate market.

Mahmoud El Burai, CEO of DREI, said: We are proud to organise the second edition of the Gulf Real Estate Awards, which is the most prestigious regional award to recognise and reward professional excellence in all areas of the regions real estate sector. Although the awards programme is only in its second edition, we have received a record number of over 170 entries submitted by 69 companies in 22 categories from eight countries: the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Bahrain and Kuwait, as well as countries outside the GCC including Egypt, the Maldives and India.

El Burai noted that the second edition of the awards programme will encourage a spirit of competition across its various categories, especially in light of a large number of companies and institutions that are keen to highlight their success stories and achievements on the global stage.

Entries for the awards closed on December 18, 2017 and the list of finalists was announced on December 27. - TradeArabia News Service
Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA) has launched Northumbria University, UK in Qatar to offer degrees in accounting, finance & investments and international banking that have been approved by Qatars Ministry of Education and Higher Education.



The announcement was made during a press conference held today at QFBA premises, in the presence of British Ambassador to Qatar Ajay Sharma, VIP guests, and representatives of the media.



Northumbria University is a public university from the UK, with more than 35,000 students from 140 countries around the world. Founded in 1880, the University has a distinguished academic history for more than 135 years, and its programs are accredited by leading professional institutions around the world. The University has been recognized as one of the top universities in the UK for their successful job placement for graduates within 6 months of graduating.



The university is located at QFBA in West Bay.



Dr Mohamed Abdullah al-Emadi, acting CEO of QFBA, said: We are proud to present to our community in Qatar one of the most renowned British universities that is regarded with providing high level academic education that encompasses a wide range of disciplines.



The University of Northumbria joined the list of top business schools worldwide by gaining double accreditation from AACSB for its business and accounting division, and has a deeply rooted history in the field of education; its curricula and academic programs have also been adopted by academic and professional institutions in many countries of the world.



Accordingly, weve been driven to start a distinguished partnership with the University and establish a branch in the State of Qatar, after we obtained all official approvals from the concerned authorities, especially Qatars Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The University will provide a wide range of scientific and professional programs that meet the needs of the labour market in Qatar, he added.



Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, chief executive officer, QFC Authority stated: In 2009, we established the Qatar Finance and Business Academy to raise the financial services industry standards and help organisations and professionals achieve their learning and business objectives. Today, I stand here with pride as we take this significant step towards providing the highest level of education and preparation for our new generation of leaders and shapers.



At the QFC, we put great importance in the youth and their role in transforming Qatar into a knowledge based economy. Our diversification efforts will be fuelled by todays students as they continue to innovate and find new ways for Qatar to shine.



Professor John Wilson, pro vice-chancellor for the Faculty of Business and Law at Northumbria University, said: The launch of Northumbria University in Qatar is a great occasion to express our pleasure and enthusiasm to contribute to the educational process in Qatar by providing our accumulated academic experience over 135 years of outstanding work with students.



We are pleased to launch this collaboration with QFBA to provide the Academys undergraduate students as well as graduates with excellent courses that will help them develop their knowledge and enable them to compete in the global labour market. Our approach at the University of Northumbria is based on a unique learning experience based on empowerment and motivation for achievement; a simple yet highly effective approach. We will also offer an elite group of academics who will work with students at every level of education to maximize their potential, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
The Board of Directors of the Gulf Navigation (GulfNav) Holding have approved the trading of the rights issued last February to the companys existing shareholders, without publicly offering the remaining shares.



The move is in line with the companys interim strategy to expand its services and gradually increase the size of its fleet to keep up with upcoming contracts and expansion projects, considering its future expansion plans, reported Emirates news agency Wam.



The company's capital now stands at Dh919.2 million ($250 million). Gulf Navigation Holding announced a maximum of Dh488 million in capital increase through trading of the rights issue from 11 February to 1 March 2018 with a total value of Dh367,542,584. The companys capital after increase is Dh919,209,250 distributed to 919,209,250 shares at a nominal value of Dh1 per share.



The UAE nationals have contributed to 95 per cent of the shares, GCC citizens to 2 per cent, and other nationalities to 3 per cent.



Khamis Juma Buamim, board member and MD & Group CEO of Gulf Navigation Holding Group, said, "We have developed our strategic plan, which was approved by the Board of Directors, to be gradual in its growth and assets and is implemented in stages.



Since we started executing our strategic plan in mid-2016, we have succeeded in achieving steady progress in revenues. Our progress has encouraged our major investors to increase their shares in the company through trading rights issue, which has been conducted successfully. Our shareholders who wanted to increase their shares in the capital achieved their goals and we are thankful for their trust on us.



The amount collected in the capital increase is equal to 82 per cent. This is sufficient to cover the company's interim expansion plans and increase its assets over the short term. Therefore, The Board of Directors has decided to settle for the amount collected from existing shareholders and not go for public offering. The objective of the public offering was to fulfil the need of major shareholders to increase their share in the company, he added.
Hensoldt, a leading Germany-based independent sensor house, and Raytheon will provide commercial airports a fully integrated air surveillance radar to enhance air traffic safety and efficiency.



Their cooperation will create the optimum solution for their customers by combining Hensoldts primary radar airport surveillance radar, its monopulse secondary surveillance radar and Raytheons Mode S monopulse secondary surveillance radar, said a statement.



This new offering brings together Hensoldt and Raytheons ATC and sensor portfolios to grow their market presence worldwide and deliver new capabilities to benefit their customers, it said.



Our companies have decades of experience developing air traffic control systems, said Bob Delorge, vice president of transportation and support services at Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services. The system were developing brings together our market-leading products to create an advanced, proven airport surveillance radar.



Working with Raytheon, we will jointly improve flight safety for our citizens, said Erwin Paulus, member of the Hensoldt executive board, head of radar / IFF / Data Link. Our complementary products will enable us to better serve our customers needs.



Hensoldt has been active in the air traffic control (ATC) surveillance market for decades with dedicated primary and secondary surveillance radars, especially for military ATC and identification, friend or foe requirements. The company supplies customers all over the world with ATC and identification systems for military and civilian applications.



Raytheon has more than 65 years of experience providing global air traffic management (ATM) technology, products and services to civil and military customers. Raytheon's ATM solutions operate in more than 60 countries and monitor more than 60 per cent of the world's airspace, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Leaders of the UAE Space Agency showcased the positive impact of partnerships and the strategic importance of developing the UAE space industry at the recent 2nd International Space Exploration Forum (ISEF2), which was held in Tokyo, Japan.



A delegation from the UAE Space Agency was led by Dr Ahmad Bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills and chairman of the UAE Space Agency and Dr Eng. Mohammed Nasser Al Ahbabi, director general of the agency and other senior officials and executives from the UAE space sector, said a statement.



Sponsored by Japans Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the event was a gathering of distinguished governmental ministers and representatives from more than 60 countries, where panellists discussed the significance of international cooperation and collaboration for further advancing space exploration, it said.



Dr Al Falasi participated in a panel discussion focused on the importance and benefits of space exploration. He highlighted the significance of the UAEs investments in space and the scientific, economic and social benefits such investments provide to humankind.



Dr Al Falasi also spoke of how education and human capital development form a key part of the UAE Space Agencys mission and objectives, in line with UAE Vision 2021. He stressed the importance of innovation in the development of enhanced educational systems that inspire the next generation to positively contribute to the advancement of humanity and give them the skills necessary to become future leaders.



He added: Our participation in the forum falls in line with our strategic objectives to support and strengthen the UAEs space sector. This is also part of our commitment to observing best practices and relevant international developments and integrating them into our own sector with a view to further enhancing our own capabilities.



The UAE space sector is an essential part of our countrys ambitious long-term strategic plans to develop a knowledge-based economy, he said.



Dr Al Falasi continued: We are dedicated to developing our capabilities and we recognise the importance of building partnerships with leaders in the global space industry to maximise international cooperation in the space sector, resulting in valuable international contributions to the fields of space technology. It is crucial that we develop the necessary skills needed for our engineers and professionals to lead the space industry in the UAE for years to come.



Along with the ISEF2, the Japanese Cabinet Office, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), MEXT and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) also organised the Industry International Space Exploration Forum (I-ISEF) on the 2nd March 2018, which encouraged discussions on the advancement of space-related business opportunities as well as space exploration.



Dr Al Ahbabi was invited to share his insights on the panel titled Policy Measures for the Expansion of Space Exploration Businesses which focused on the expectations, challenges and expansion prospects faced by space-related businesses in different countries.



Al Ahbabi said: At the forum, I had the opportunity to represent the UAE Space Agency and share our countrys future vision of space exploration. We discussed the viability of space exploration as a business, and its feasibility as it continues to draw interest from commercial and scientific aspects.



During its final day in Japan, the delegation visited the Chiba Institute of Technology and met with executives who escorted them on a tour of the University complete with state-of-the-art equipment and testing facilities, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), the world's leading free zone for commodities trade and enterprise in Dubai, marked International Womens Day 2018 by announcing its commitment to the Womens Empowerment Principles (WEPs)  Equality Means Business network.



Womens Empowerment Principles (WEPs)  Equality Means Business network is an initiative of UN Women, the United Nations organisation dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.



By signing a CEO Statement of Support at Almas Tower in the presence of Mahmoud Hesham El Burai, chairman to the United Nations Global Compact Local Network UAE; and Alice Laugher, chair of the UAE WEPs Taskforce; Gautam Sashittal, chief executive officer, DMCC; officially endorsed the campaign and committed the organisation of over 300 employees to the pursue the empowerment of women in the workplace, marketplace and community, said a statement.



Sashittal said: DMCC is the worlds most interconnected free zone and a market maker for global trade. Its success is driven in no small measure by a diverse and dedicated workforce, in which women play a central role.



We are proud of our inclusive, nurturing and empowering environment and are always looking for ways to improve on the way we do things, he said.



Promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women at all levels of the organisation has always been a key focus for us. Signing this document will further cement our resolve and formally signal our support for the Womens Empowerment Principles, building on our commitment to the wider UN Global Compact initiative, he added.



Adapted from the Calvert Womens Principles, the WEPs encourage business leaders from around the world to adopt a set of seven steps that support the advancement of equality between men and women, in business enterprises and throughout the larger community, it said.



El Burai said: The UAE Government has established itself as a role model for the advancement of women in society. At the UAE Local Network, we are proud to contribute to advancing Global Goal 5: Gender Equality of the Sustainable Development Goals through the Women Empowerment Principles.



We are delighted that DMCC made a commitment to the ten universally accepted principles under the United Nations Global Compact and is further advancing their commitment by signing the Women Empowerment Principles, he said.



During the meeting, Iris Van der Veken, director - international public affairs, DMCC, accepted an invitation to join the UAE WEP Taskforce and help drive the agenda within DMCC and across the country as a whole.



This is the second global initiative that DMCC commits to over a period of ten months. In August 2017, DMCC was the first free zone in the UAE to sign up to the UN Global Compact, the worlds largest corporate sustainability initiative.



DMCC pledged to encourage responsible business practice throughout the entire value chain ranging from its free zone, home to nearly 15,000 companies; its Jumeirah Lakes Towers district, where over 92,500 people live and work; to its unique property developments, including the much-anticipated Uptown Dubai.  TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi boasts the highest number of households earning more than $250,000 in the Middle East with 270,686, said The Wealth Report, launched today, by Knight Frank.

This number is forecast to grow seventh fastest globally to 426,890, overtaking Londons 382,807 by 2027, the report said.

New York topped the table globally in the 2018 City Wealth Index, sweeping the board in every ranking. London is second overall - one of only two non-US cities in the top six along with Singapore, which tied with Chicago for fifth place. North American cities made up 10 of the top 20, with Asian cities occupying five spots.

Although there was an element of expectation that New York and London might be battling it out for top spot, there was a more surprising outcome in the projected growth in the number of households earning $250,000 and above over the next five years. Jakarta was the runaway leader, with over 223,447 set to break through that threshold, followed by Cairo on 152,643.

The number of households earning more than $250 in Dubai currently stands 245,272 and is expected to increase by 36,432 by 2027.

In Saudi Arabia, Riyadh accounts for 198,789 and Jeddah 130,849 households earning more than $250.

Another eye-catching result was that not one of the top five cities in terms of average spend per overnight visitor featured in the overall top 10 ranking. Melbourne and Sydney are in the top three, either side of Dubai while Tel Aviv is fourth. Europes only representative in the top 10 is Madrid in fifth.

Liam Bailey, Global Head of Research at Knight Frank, commented: This years index produced some very interesting results with regard to the projected growth of wealthy households around the world that will be exciting to track. However, North Americas domination of the current household wealth tables is unequivocal. Although the economic powerhouses such as New York and London dominated the overall rankings again, it is interesting to note the power of other US cities.

The 2018 City Wealth Index uses four critical measures to identify the cities that matter to the wealthy  wealth, investment, lifestyle and future. - TradeArabia News Service
The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) has re-elected Yousef Al-Benyan, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), as chairman for a new three-year term.



Al Benyan was elected as GPCA chairman in May 2016, having previously served on GPCAs executive committee, said a statement.



A new board of directors was also announced during GPCAs Annual General Assembly which took place on March 5, at the Address Boulevard, Dubai, UAE.



Dr Abdulrahman Jawahery, president, GPIC, was elected as GPCAs vice chairman effective immediately, while Dr Mohammed Al Mulla, managing director and CEO, Qapco, was re-elected as treasurer, both of whom will serve on GPCAs executive committee, it said.



Abdulaziz Judaimi, senior vice president, downstream, Saudi Aramco; Jamal Malaikah, president and CEO, Natpet; Ahmad Al Ohali, CEO, Sipchem; and Abdulrahman Al Suwaidi, CEO, Qafco, were re-elected as members of GPCAs board.



Said M Bajodah, CEO, Saudi Chevron Philips Company; and Hazeem Al Suwaidi, CEO, Adnoc Fertilizers, joined the board for the first time. Omans seat continues to be represented by Ahmed Saleh Al Jahdhami, CEO, Orpic, it added.



Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, secretary general, GPCA, said: With nearly 30 years of experience spanning the Middle East, the Americas and the Far East, Al Benyan has made significant contributions to the association and by extension  the regional industry  as chairman of GPCA.



I welcome his re-election and take great assurance that he will continue to lead GPCA with unmatched professionalism and dedication, he added.



I would also like to thank the outgoing board members for their valuable contribution to advancing GPCAs strategic vision and welcome the newly elected members to GPCAs board. Together I am confident that we will continue to foster GPCAs key values of advocacy, networking and thought leadership, he concluded.  TradeArabia News Service
I have just taken part an extensive survey on the Future of Work, conducted for a UK government department. Below are my thoughts on what the worst-case outcomes might be for the various scenario elements of the Future of Work explored in the study. The focus is on the implications for people management and human resources (HR), and for the Civil Service (CS).



Clearly, there are many possible paths to the future and a range of scenarios that could play out. As futurists, we often deliberately use these worst-case scenarios to push back on prevailing assumptions, help people think the unthinkable, and prepare for the most challenging of possibilities. Below you can find the Future of Work elements and my responses on the potential worst case scenario HR and Civil Service implications.



A: Uncertainty and Agility



Scenario  The amount of uncertainty in the labour market will increase as a result of business failures such as Carillion, increased automation and economic volatility. The need for organisations to be more agile and flexible will continue due to rapid technological development and increased uncertainty and volatility.



HR Implications  In the best firms, we are likely to see a shift from focus on procedures and administration to developing digital and futures literacy, an emphasis on building new leadership models, and on unlocking human potential. Many are likely to be blindsided by the changes and find themselves ill-equipped to help their organizations adapt.



Civil Service Implications  The most likely outcome if we continue on the current trajectory will be budget cuts to fund Brexit and higher unemployment costs, and more bad and expensive automation. This could result in service cuts, public anger, more chaos, and headcount reduction. This in turn could see the best talent leaving, deadwood rising to higher responsibility, and organizations in permanent crisis mode. The outcome could be constant ridicule from the public and the media, and government being blamed for holding back society, business, and economic development.



B: Employee Attitudes and Expectations



Scenario  Attitudes towards work will continue to change due to factors such as technological advancement, economic changes and globalization. This will lead to increased diversity of attitudes between generational groups. There will be an increased focus on employee well-being and good work. This is as a result of increased media attention to poor working conditions and higher expectations from talented workers.



HR Implications  Some organisations will place more emphasis on enhancing the conditions for workers. However, competitive pressures, cost reductions, and higher redundancies due to technology make it seem likely that in many organisations people management and HR will actually be de-prioritised, particularly in the public sector. Their focus will become more administrative, e.g. handling redundancy processes.



Civil Service Implications  More outsourcing of public sector HR, a decline in HR service standards, headcount reductions in HR, lower standards of performance and poor morale across the service, with more strikes.



C: Diversity and Inclusion



Scenario  The emphasis on diversity and inclusion will continue but will broaden from the current focus on gender, race and age to focus on other aspects of inequality such as geography, education and social class.



HR Implications  We will want to do more on diversity, and initiatives like #metoo and #timesup will have an impact. However, given increased automation, competition, and higher unemployment diversity and inclusion could actually be de-prioritised.



Civil Service Implications  The Civil Service will espouse good intentions, but in practice will slide back on commitments and water them down.



D: Automation and Skills



Scenario  Advances in AI mean that repetitive tasks will be mostly automated leading to a number of skills becoming obsolete and a large proportion of the workforce needing to re-skill. Advances in AI will also lead to the automation of some decision making tasks, particularly those relying on the integration of accurate and detailed data such as medical diagnostics. The automation of repetitive and decision-making tasks will shift the focus away from the need for knowledge to skills such as those in the area of creativity, leadership and managing complexity. The automation of tasks and the increase of complexity generally will mean that people will become more specialized. The use of more specialists and the availability of high quality ICT means that work will require the formation of collaborative teams that may work virtually and will often be self-managed.



There will be an increased need for skills in working with technology and in managing teams made up of both machines and humans. As the skills that organisations require are changing rapidly, there will be a shift to recruit for potential skills development, attitudes, capacity for learning and agility rather than for a particular skillset. Some organisations will rebel against increased technology use and return to more traditional face to face approaches to working. Automation will mean that organisations and jobs will last for less time meaning that people will have to be constantly learning new skills and changing jobs. This extreme uncertainty will lead to increased levels of stress and mental health issues.



HR Implications  People management and HR will be more automated and outsourced, with lower HR budgets. There will be a greater focus on processes and metrics, and less on maximising employee performance, improving their wellbeing, and job fulfilment.



Civil Service Implications  Poor digital literacy and lack of talent will lead to ineffective and expensive automation. Public service standards will fall, dissatisfaction with the Civil Service will rise dramatically because citizens will have less opportunity to challenge and complain about automated decisions made by government agencies.



E: People Management



Scenario  The core elements and practices of HRM will remain the same. There will be an increase in the use of wearable devices to allow individuals to manage their own productivity and wellbeing.



HR Implications  Much more management of people by machines using the data from their wearables. Privacy will be eroded, with employees forced to use the devices. Reward systems will increasingly be based on performance as measured narrowly by these devices. People will be treated more and more like machines, organisations will behave more like machines, and work will become an increasingly unpleasant place.



Civil Service Implications  The Civil Service will use wearables in a relatively dumb way, the application of the technology wont produce better performance  just a lot more data for managers to obsess over.



F: Risk Management



Scenario  Due to the move to a cyber environment and increased uncertainty, focus on risk and reputation management will increase.



HR Implications  More vetting of job candidates, more continuous monitoring of employee activity and greater control over what they have access too. Stricter penalties for staff involved in cybercrime.



Civil Service Implications  More government data breaches, with more budget directed towards cyber-protection, and lower transparency.



G: Organisational Structures



Scenario  The use of partnerships between organisations, including private-public partnerships and networked organisations will become more common.



HR Implications  The best HR functions will be a key part of resourcing the future needs of the business and ensuring a good cultural and ethical fit with potential partners. However, most wont play much part in forming such relationships or designing new organisational forms. A lot of these collaborations will fail because of people and cultural issues.



Civil Service Implications  The Civil Service is likely to make greater use of external partnerships, but wont have the resources to manage them well, and will generally be unhappy with the outcomes, but will paint a positive public story about their value. Lack of oversight skills will see a significant waste of public funds, higher levels of corruption, and a further decline in service quality.



H: Employment Contracts and Working Patterns



Scenario  Globalisation and technological advances mean that hours of work are likely to continue to increase due to the need to communicate globally. This will lead to work intensification and increased problems such as employee burn-out. The existence of a physical workplace that people attend daily will continue to decrease due to advancements in ICT and other forms of technology. Therefore, the number of people working remotely will also increase. The increase in remote working will endanger relationships between workers. This means that organisations will take steps to create physical spaces where employees can interact socially and hold physical meetings, for the purpose of building community and cohesiveness within their workforce.



The increase in digital platforms related to obtaining work will lead to an increase in contingent work and the continued growth of the gig economy, and the shrinking of organizations permanent workforce, as well as an increase in the number of people who are self-employed. The increase in contingent and gig work will lead to an erosion of trust in the relationship between an organisation and its managers and their employees. Job quality and the standard of living will drop due to the number of people working contingently and the lack of protection offered to this segment of the labour market.



HR Implications  HR will spend more time managing contracts with gig workers and automating the process, and they are likely to drive down gig worker rights. Workplace rights will be eroded, and people will be seen to be as replaceable as machines. Firms with a genuine focus on their talent and workers rights will stand out.



Civil Service Implications  A lack of resources in HR and wider management could see the Civil Service becoming a big user of gig workers, but with some of the worst conditions for those on short term contracts.



I: Use of data



Scenario  The emphasis on collecting data from customers and employees will continue to increase. The need for skills in data analytics will increase.



HR Implications  Many will become obsessed with capturing and analysing customer data. However, they will not necessarily use this to enhance the lives of workers. The focus could simply be on driving task based performance through attention to micro-measures.



Civil Service Implications  The Civil Service will seek to gather more employee and customer data, but there will be little evidence of it being used to enhance the performance and wellbeing of the workforce, or the service provided to citizens. We can expect far greater surveillance and intervention in the lives of citizens.



J: Ethical Practice



Scenario  The requirement for organisations to undertake their business in a way that is ethical and socially responsible will increase. Process transparency will increase due to the ability to access company information easily via technology.



HR Implications  Good firms and HR functions will establish and adhere to the highest ethical standards. Many will fall far short of this, and we could see ethical standards slip dramatically in the face of increasing competition and the power to abuse our data offered by technology.



Civil Service Implications  The Civil Service will gradually downgrade its public commitment to ethical standards.





About the author



Rohit Talwar is a global futurist, award-winning keynote speaker, author, and the CEO of Fast Future, a leading publishing house.



Talwar is the co-author of Designing Your Future, lead editor and a contributing author for The Future of Business, and editor of Technology vs. Humanity. He is a co-editor and contributor for the recently published Beyond Genuine Stupidity  Ensuring AI Serves Humanity, and three forthcoming booksFuture Transformations  Reimagining Life, Society, and Business, Unleashing Human Potential  The Future of AI in Business, and 50:50  Scenarios for the Next 50 Years.
Dubais overnight visitors were the biggest spenders, with a total expenditure of $28.5 billion, according to Knight Frank City Wealth findings.

New York was in the second place, with visitors notching up a $17 billion spend.

In terms of average overnight visitor spend, Melbourne was on top with an average of $1,925 per person, followed closely by Dubai at $1,917.

London is top of the hotel rankings in the report with 75 five-star hotels as listed on reservations website Five Star Alliance, comfortably topping Dubais 61.

Meanwhile, New York swept the board in the ranking, coming out on top overall. London takes second place overall and is also runner-up in the investment and future rankings.

San Francisco takes third place overall, but scores the second most desirable lifestyle. Overall, North American cities dominate, taking 10 of the top 20 spots, with Asian cities occupying a further five.

WEALTH: New York is a dominant centre for HNWIs (based on households earning more than $250,000 annually), with almost double the population of Los Angeles in second place. The top nine places on this measure all go to North American cities, with London filling the tenth spot.

Over the next five years, this is expected to change, with Jakarta and Cairo seeing the biggest increase in this bracket, followed by New York, Los Angeles and Delhi.

INVESTMENT: While New York leads in terms of the largest annual average private investment into the property over the two-year period to the end of 2017, London takes top slot for the diversity of demand, measured by the number of different nationalities making investments. European centres compete closely with North American hubs on this measure, with Hong Kong leading the pack in Asia.

FUTURE: In terms of future GDP, measured in constant prices, New York again comes out on top, followed closely by Tokyo and Los Angeles. Looking to the future, North American cities look set to retain their supremacy, accounting for four of the top 10 cities for future GDP. - TradeArabia News Service
Continuing its expansion in the GCC, Swiss-Belhotel International (SBI) has entered into a management agreement with Al Salaam International Hotel to operate a new hotel in Oman.





Expected to open in 2019, the three-star Swiss-Belinn Muscat enjoys an outstanding location in Seeb in close proximity to Muscat International Airport.



Nadhim Said Hamdan Al Rawahi, partner of Al Salaam International Hotel, stated: We believe with its strong global network and experience, the Swiss-Belhotel International will add tremendous value to this project. The Swiss-Belinn Muscat is being equipped with the very best facilities in the upper three-star category and will contribute greatly to the development of tourism in Oman. The project location is across the airport and hence our main concept is blending business, transits and pleasure. We are looking forward to extending our attractive Omani hospitality portfolio with Swiss-Belhotel. Furthermore, we are looking to contribute to the social-economic development of Oman and enable to provide direct and indirect jobs to Omanis in the hospitality sector.



Gavin M. Faull, chairman and president of Swiss-Belhotel International, said: We are thrilled to debut in Oman with a reputed partner like Al Salaam International Hotel. It is an exciting time for us as we continue to strengthen our presence in the GCC. The scale and diversity of our brands allow us to serve any market segment or need. Swiss-Belinn Muscat will be ideal for travellers looking for a comfortable and affordable accommodation.



Swiss-Belinn Muscat, equipped with 120 standard rooms and 10 varieties of suites, is being developed to offer its guests a comprehensive range of facilities including an all-day-dining restaurant, flexible meeting and conference venues, gym, wi-fi access and 24-hours room service. Given its fantastic location near the airport, the hotel will serve as the perfect abode for transit passengers looking for stop-overs and airline crews as well as corporate travellers on a short visit to Oman or those facing unexpected flight halts.



With a strategy focused on expanding in high-growth markets, Swiss-Belhotel International is rapidly growing its footprint across the Middle East. Laurent A. Voivenel, senior vice president, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India for Swiss-Belhotel International, said: We are proud to add the Swiss-Belinn Muscat to our superb portfolio of hotels in the Middle East. Omans tourism industry has experienced strong growth over the past few years, and this is expected to continue. However, the countrys hospitality sector is currently dominated by luxury five-star or four-star hotels leaving an enormous gap and opportunity in the midscale sector. Hence it is the perfect time for us to enter the market and position the hugely successful three-star Swiss-Belinn brand capitalising on the rising demand for high quality affordable accommodation." - TradeArabia News Service


Yas Waterworld in Abu Dhabi is bringing seasonal fun and adventure with its very own Springfest - an event filled with an exciting range of activities and shows for the whole family.

Between March 16 and April 7, beat the onset of summer heat with a variety of shows and activities that offer wave after wave of experiences for guests.



Yas Waterworld will welcome back its exclusive Mermaids Show every weekend during Springfest. Brand new underwater performances will captivate guests, as they watch the mermaids twirl and dance to music. In the spirit of making dreams come true, the interactive journey will be made even more special by the opportunity to meet and greet with the Mermaids, as treasured moments are captured on camera for years to come.



Live music will be just one part of the line-up that puts a little spring in everyones step. This year, the gentle ebb and flow of the Amwaj Wave pool will be home to two giant aquatic trampolines. With one celebratory leap into the water, guests will create a ripple effect of cherished memories that are sure to last a lifetime.



To make the experience even sweeter, the Yas Super Shakea delicious drink combination topped with whipped cream and candieswill be served exclusively during the Springfest season. Families will come together to enjoy a number of games as they sip on the refreshingly cool beverage thats sure to satisfy just about any sweet tooth.



Springfest is a special time for all of us here at Yas Waterworld, said Bianca Sammut, general manager, Yas Waterworld. As a park with an Emirati heart, we look forward to the return of one of our most prized occasions and the opportunity it provides our guests to create new memories. This Spring, were delighted to welcome families back for another colourful season filled with warmth and excitement.



Three weeks of seasonal celebrations will end on a high note, with the biggest egg hunt on Yas Island on April 7. Giveaways and prizes will have families searching high and low to collect thousands of hidden eggs from every corner of the park.



For more information, visit Yas Waterworld's website. - TradeArabia News Service
Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the operator and managing body of Bahrain International Airport (BIA), inaugurated a next-generation Containerised Data Centre (CDC), a portable and scalable facility to host critical airport information systems that can be placed in any location where data capacity is needed.



The CDC was designed, supplied and implemented by Gulf Business Machines (GBM), a leading regional provider of IT solutions and is part of the Airport Modernisation Programme (AMP) currently underway at BIA. It offers several advantages over traditional data centres  including flexibility and speed  as it comes complete with network connections, storage, servers, power lines, monitoring units, fire detection units, software, security, a cooling facility and all other components typically found in a modern data centre. It also has the additional benefit of being portable, which allows branches or remote locations to receive additional capacity by redeploying it where necessary.



The CDC was inaugurated by Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah, chief executive officer of BAC, at an event held under the patronage of the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohamed.



Following a site tour of the facility with senior officials from BAC and GBM, Al Binfalah said: The AMP is much more than just an expansion of the airport passenger capacity. It is a complete modernisation of its operations, facilities and critical infrastructure, aimed at increasing the airports contributions to the growth of our local economy. This makes the CDC an essential component of the ICT infrastructure and disaster recovery plans, as it is based on flexibility in managing hundreds of internal and external processes at the airport, which will enhance the ICT operational efficiency and reliability.



Abdulla Ishaq, Bahrain general manager, GBM said: We are proud to be part of this historic journey in successfully implementing one of the first CDCs in Bahrain. This success was mainly due to the one team spirit approach taken throughout the project between BAC and GBM professional teams. The completed project delivers a state-of-the-art solution built to the highest standards and recognised worldwide. This is crucial as the CDC hosts critical airport operations systems and we are confident that this site will be a showcase to both regional and international communities.



The CDC initiative was launched in 2016, with manufacturing completed by GBM in 17 weeks, civil and electrical projects taking place throughout last year, and BAC systems migrations fully completed in January of this year. - TradeArabia News Service
Preferred Hotels & Resorts has welcomed three executive members to its management team.



Michelle Woodley has been promoted to president; Kristie Goshow has been named chief marketing officer; and Caroline Michaud has been promoted to executive vice president, Corporate Communications & Public Relations.



With a goal of positioning Preferred Hotels & Resorts as the worlds most recognised independent hotel brand globally, we have made the strategic decision to harness the skillset of experts in key functional areas outside of our family, which will allow us to augment our existing strengths and better position our company on a global scale, said Lindsey Ueberroth, chief executive officer of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. I am very proud to have three dynamic, talented women take over vital leadership roles within the company.



As president, a position previously held by Ueberroth, Woodley now oversees multiple departments across the company including sales, marketing, IT, revenue management, and customer relations. She will also work closely with Ueberroth on financial planning and talent management, support the development of other strategic areas of focus within the organisation, and serve as a company spokesperson.



During her 15-year tenure with Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Woodley has held a variety of positions including senior vice president of Global Marketing Strategy, senior vice president of Revenue Management & Distribution and, most recently, executive vice president. In those roles, she helped the company execute on pivotal campaigns including its rebranding from IndeCorp to Preferred Hotel Group in 2005, which marked the debut of the pineapple  the global symbol of hospitality  into the companys logo; launched all aspects of the I Prefer Hotel Rewards programme in 2006, including materials, hotel training and education, website, and back-end technology; and drove various strategic efforts that generated more than $1.35 billion in room reservations revenue to member hotels  a record for the company  in 2017. Prior to joining Preferred Hotels & Resorts in 2002, Woodley spent more than 10 years holding various senior positions in marketing, operations, and distribution for international hotel chains such as Swissotel and Raffles Hotels & Resorts.



Goshow joined Preferred Hotels & Resorts as chief marketing officer, taking over the responsibilities previously held by Casey Ueberroth. In this role, she leads the companys global marketing strategy, responsible for driving revenue, brand awareness, and engagement through the I Prefer Hotel Rewards programme, all brand, regional, and cooperative marketing efforts, and e-commerce and digital marketing initiatives.



With 20 years of vast global experience, Goshow has led teams across the airline, hospitality, and travel technology spaces for companies such as Sabre Hospitality, Jumeirah, and, most recently, Viceroy Hotel Group, where she was responsible for managing the companys brand marketing, digital, distribution, international sales, and technology strategies as senior vice president of commercial.



In her new position as executive vice president, Corporate Communications & Public Relations, Michaud drives the global integrated media relations strategy for Preferred Hotels & Resorts, defines the voice behind messaging campaigns for the companys executive team, with a focus on Ueberroths communications, and is responsible for the companys intranet and extranet channels.



Since joining Preferred Hotels & Resorts in 2012 as senior manager of Public Relations for the Americas, Michaud has orchestrated several extensive media campaigns to elevate the companys global profile among trade and consumer audiences including its rebranding from Preferred Hotel Group to Preferred Hotels & Resorts in 2015 and the introduction of the innovate points-based structure of I Prefer Hotel Rewards in 2013. Previously, she worked at progressive travel and hospitality-focused public relations agencies in New York City and Chicago. - TradeArabia News Service


In honour of International Womens Day, Emirates operated a special flight from Dubai to San Francisco with an all-female crew onboard.



From cockpit crew to cabin crew, check-in staff to ground operators, a team of over 75 women from more than 25 nationalities took charge of every operational aspect of the flight.

The flight, serviced by an A380 aircraft, was piloted by Captain Patricia Bischoff from Canada and First Officer Rebecca Lougheed from the UK with cabin crew led by the purser Weronica Formela from Poland.



In addition to the flight crew, an all-woman team worked on all above wing and below wing activities in the lead up to flight departure. The operational team for EK 225 also included Emirati women working in the Engineering, Flight Dispatch, Security and Cargo operations teams.



A video documenting scened behind the trip showed the operational and technical roles performed by women in the group.



Every flight that we operate needs an entire ecosystem of staff from a number of business units to come together and work seamlessly. Emirates is proud that we have women represented in all these key functions, said Abdulaziz Al Ali, executive vice president of Human Resources at Emirates. Women have been part of the Emirates success story from the start and on International Womens Day we celebrate their extensive contribution to Emirates and to the broader aviation industry.



The Emirates Group employs women from over 150 nationalities. This includes close to 1,150 Emirati women who work in diverse functions across the business, and are represented in senior managerial and executive roles across the group.



Overall, female employees constitute over 40 per cent of the workforce at Emirates with the majority of women working as cabin crew. Over 20 per cent of all supervisorial and managerial roles within Emirates are occupied by women. - TradeArabia News Service
Wake up to the sound of waves crashing and the scent of saltwater breezes as you emerge from a night of tent camping on one of many beaches along the coasts of the United States. The allure of beach camping attracts travelers who want to be close to sandy shores and a place to camp where a fire may be built nearby after a day of beach combing or swimming.

Alaska and Pacific Northwest Head to Homer, Alaska, familiarly known as the End of the Road, to camp overnight on the beach of a 4.5-mile spit at the Homer Spit Campground (alaskacampgrounds.net) or the city-owned Fishing Hole Campground (cityofhomer-ak.gov). Along Washington's Pacific coast, set up camp at 170-acre Ocean City State Park (parks.wa.gov) for close proximity to beaches, dunes and clam digging opportunities. Located 95 miles south near the Oregon border, 1,882-acre Cape Disappointment State Park (parks.wa.gov) has two miles of beaches and camp sites on the Pacific Ocean. Along the 363 miles of Pacific coast in Oregon, camp at Beverly Beach State Park (oregonstateparks.org) near Newport. Reserve one of 128 tent sites at the park and spend the day building sand castles.

California Spend the night camping on one of California's famous coastal beaches and start the day watching the sun rise over the Pacific. At Sonoma Coast State Park (parks.ca.gov), camp on one of 27 sites adjacent to Wright's Beach, 98 sites at Bodega Dunes or 20 sites at Pomo Canyon, which has a three-mile trail from to the beach. In southern California, head to Carpinteria State Beach (parks.ca.gov) to camp on one of 216 sites near a mile of white sandy beaches where tide pools are home to crabs, snails, octopi and starfish. Other beach campgrounds along the coast include Leo Carrillo State Park near Malibu, South Carlsbad State Beach and 15,000-acre Point Mugu State Park in Ventura County.

North and South Carolina On the east coast, take a boat to Cape Lookout National Seashore (nps.gov) for a primitive beach camping experience on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Camping is permitted for up to 14 days, but campers must bring everything required to sleep on the beach -- few amenities are available. Edisto Beach State Park (southcarolinaparks.com) spans 1,255 acres on the coast of South Carolina and features an oceanfront campground and hiking and biking trails. Reserve an ocean-side campsite in advance at Edisto Beach or bring an RV up to 40 feet in length. Other beach campgrounds in South Carolina include 312-acre Myrtle Beach State Park (southcarolinaparks.com), 2500-acre Huntington Beach State Park and 5,000-acre Hunting Island State Park, with five miles of beach access.
A senior American official, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Alice South and Central Asia Alice Wells on Tuesday said Pakistan has a very important role to play in the Afghan peace process.





We believe that Pakistan can certainly help to facilitate talks and to take actions that will put pressure on and encourage the Taliban to move forward towards a politically negotiated settlement, Wells said in response to a question at a briefing on the just concluded Kabul conference in Afghanistan,

reported.





And our engagement with Pakistan is on how we can work together, on how we can address Pakistans legitimate concerns and Afghanistans stability through a negotiated process as well, she said.





Wells however stated that United States has not seen a decisive and sustained change in the behaviour of Pakistan, even after the Trump administration announced a $2 billion security assistance freeze to Islamabad nearly two months ago.





Weve not seen decisive and sustained changes yet in Pakistans behaviour, but certainly we are continuing to engage with Pakistan over areas where we think they can play a helpful role in changing the calculus of the Taliban, said Wells.





Pakistani officials have underscored, they see a variety of issues, whether its border management or refugees or terrorism that emanates from ungoverned space in Afghanistan, as important issues, and we would agree that all of these need to be resolved during the course of a reconciliation process, Wells said.





Pakistan has concerns over border management; over the Tehreek-e-Taliban; Pakistans presence in ungoverned space in Afghanistan; refugee concerns, she said.





Noting that the Afghanistan-Pakistan relationship is quite important, she said the US is supportive of the efforts to improve the bilateral relationship.





The two countries have exchanged visits over the last several months to establish a framework agreement, to enhance the bilateral relationship. -
By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net

Santhali might be the language of over 40 lakh people in four states, but it has rarely received the promotion or attention it deserves. And Shikha Mandi, a 24-year-old Radio Jockey (RJ) is planning to do something towards the same by hosting the first Radio show in the Santhali language.

I wish to see Santhali culture grow more, says Mandi, who is fluent in four languages: Hindi, English, Bengali and most importantly Santhali. Mandi, an RJ with Radio Milan 90.4, was born in Belpahari village of Jhargram village of West Bengal. Speaking with TwoCircles.net, Mandi said, Santhali as always been my first language. I learnt Bengali when I moved to Kolkata from my village, adding the fact that her parents sent her to Kolkata at the age of three for studies.

Support TwoCircles



After schooling, Mandi joined a polytechnic institute hoping to achieve her parents dream. Soon she finished her studies, and started preparing for an exam of apprenticeship. But this was the moment when her career took a different turn. On her exam day, Mandi chose to instead appear for her interview for the position of RJ at Radio Milan and has not looked back since. Shikha appeared for the interview, took specific training, gave a voice test and finally took charge on December 11, 2017.

The radio show in Santhali, which was the idea of the Radio channel, was started with a slot of one hour. But seeing it gain popularity, now it broadcasts for two hours every day from 4 pm to 6 pm. Now the channel is considering adding one more hour. Milan Chakraborty, the editor at Radio Milan, told Hindustan Times, We guessed there was an audience for the language but the response has been much greater than we expected. We are now looking at devoting three hours to Santhali daily.

Shikhas typical day starts with mulling over the idea or theme over which the show might be based. That is my daily routine. But it often happens that I get a new and better idea from my editor or producer when I reach the office, so we start work around that, said Mandi.

Now that Shikha has gained the trust of her bosses, she has been given the sole responsibility to work on the show. Once we settle on an idea, I have to research for it, she said.

Citing the lack of resources and materials on Santhali, Shikha said, Sometimes it is the internet, sometimes it is via books. There is no particular source from where I get information for the show. I search and select the theme, materials, special mentions, and songs everything in Santhali, she added.

I finish the script by 3 pm so that we start the broadcast by 4 pm, said Mandi adding that with time, she has gained the confidence that she does not have to rehearse the script anymore. It is the seat inside the studio on which I sit every day. Often, we didnt get enough time to prepare the script, but that seat kept me speaking. Things come into my mind as I speak, she added.

My parents did not like it at first. They sent me to Kolkata for studies, but I came back to Jhargram leaving my examination, added Shikha, who lives with her maternal grandparent in the Jhargram district. But they are now convinced seeing the progress of my show and the language Santhali.

Mandis show is getting popularity slowly. According to her radio station, about 40,000 people tune into her show every day. The number is not big, but bigger than we expected, said Shikha.

She further said, The channel has very little reach beyond Jhargram. Many of my friends at Kolkata ask me about how they can listen to the show? Hopefully, soon there are going to be some arrangements regarding that.

The theme of her show is based on many things. Mandi talks about Santhali culture, festival, state culture, life, gender and social issues, religion, and even lighter issues like friendship, love and breakups, but everything strictly in Santhali.

I know many people listen to our show, but it makes me a little sad that they dont tell me their response of what I have been doing, said Shikha.

Her memorable day at the work was very recently when she talked about a rape case in her show. There was a rape case just a few days back. I couldnt go there, but I wanted to run the show based on that. I did it and all I can tell you that I was kept talking and crying at the same time on the live show, tells Mandi.

Talking about the future, Mandi said, I havent thought about that. I just want to keep doing this here in Jhargram which is my favourite place. Thinking about the future brings me fear.

If life has other plans for me, I will watch that later, said Shikha Mandi who also wishes to refine her Santhali which currently has a slight Bengali touch in it.
By TCN News

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) plays a special role in Indias development and AMU students have made their mark not only in India but also in the other parts of the world, particularly in Asia and Africa, said the President of India and Visitor of Aligarh Muslim University, Shri Ram Nath Kovind during the 65th Annual Convocation of AMU. He recalled that during his state visit to Ethiopia in 2017, he met with Mrs Roman Tesfaye, wife of the Ethiopian Prime Minister, who was an alumna of AMU.

The President said that there is a very long list of distinguished students of AMU. They have excelled in politics, administration, education, law, science and technology, literature, arts sand sports. He noted that Bharat Ratna awardee Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, anti-apartheid activist Dr Yusuf Mohammad Dadoo, and former President of India Dr Zakir Hussain were students of this university. He also mentioned the contributions of, among others, Dr Syed Zahur Qasim, Professor A. Salahuddin and Dr Shahid Jameel to modern science.

Support TwoCircles



At the Annual Convocation of AMU, female students outshone male counterparts. Out of 218 medal recipients, 122 were female students while 96 were males. A total of 5,381 degrees were awarded to 2,891 graduates, 2,094 postgraduates, 25 M Phil students and 371 PhD candidates. President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind said that it is heartening to see that female students are leading the medals tally in AMU. He added that these students will take the country forward to the path of progress and their voice is a modern India.

AMU students, who are awarded degrees today and the students who will be awarded degrees in future, are Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, and they will take India to new heights with contributions in nation building, said the President.

The President further said that progressive women like Ismat Chughtai and Mumtaz Jahan have added to the lustre of Indian society and of AMU. He referred to commendable example of Khushboo Mirza, a former student of AMU who has played a key role as a scientist in ISROs Chandrayaan Mission. Achievers like her are role models for women in the 21st century, said the President.

The President was happy to note that AMUs work in the field of science and technology is responsive to the needs of our society. The Centre for Advanced Research in Electrified Transportation is helping to develop useful technologies. He said that such efforts need to be enhanced in other departments of the university so that knowledge and innovation can keep pace with changes in society. Along with science and technology, enlightened, modern thinking is necessary to ensure every section moves ahead amid equality and fraternity, said the President.

He added that the pursuit of knowledge and the quest for human dignity are interconnected and the twin goals have been at the centre of the Indian ethos and of our composite civilisation. They have contributed to our diversity, which is our great strength, as well as our open-minded approach as a people. Mutual respect, learning from each other, sharing with each other, and acceptance of alternative ways of thinking and living are not just slogans in our society, but a natural way of life for India, said the President adding that these lessons hold true for us as a country, within and between regions of our country and within and between communities of our country. It is important to constantly renew this spirit, he pointed.

The President said that we live in an age of globalisation  of building a world that does not just accommodate but celebrates diversity and that combines the best of modern technology with the traditions and cultures of our society to build the India of our dreams. Such an India will help every Indian, every boy or girl  irrespective of background or identity  to realise his or her full potential and such an India will be a beacon of hope for a restless world in the early 21st century, he added.

The President said that in todays era, students of AMU are expected to take their place as among the best students of not only our country but the world. This is a period of mobility and we are all part of a global knowledge society and in such a dynamic environment, engaging with teachers and students in other institutions will be helpful in cross-pollination of learning, he further said.

Rector of the University, Shri Ram Naik (Governor, Uttar Pradesh) said that on the eve of International Womens Day (March 8), female students have bagged 56 percent of medals for their academic excellence.

He further said that today women are making their marks in all aspects of life. Women are part of all professions including the elite Air Force and other defence services, said the Shri Naik.

He added that AMU alumni such as Shri Zakir Hussain, Shri Hamid Ansari, Dhyan Chand and Lala Amarnath have made the nation proud.

This university is special as it has made a distinct identity in India and abroad, said Shri Naik adding that AMU students are scattered all over the world and the nation are contributing to the nation.

He urged students to work hard for success. There are no shortcuts to success and it is equally important to appreciate good work and avoid belittling others, said Shri Naik Ji. I pray for AMU students to keep moving on the path of Charaivithi Charaivithi, which means moving forward for progress.

AMU Vice Chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor delivered the welcome address and presented the Annual Report.

AMU is ranked as the sixth best Indian university by Times Higher Education (UK), second best Indian university by US News and World Report, sixth best Indian university by prestigious Q S World University Rankings and sixth best Indian university by CWTS Leiden Ranking (Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, Netherland),said the Vice Chancellor adding that the National Institutional Ranking Framework, Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Government of India has ranked AMU as the 11th best university in the country.

Prof Mansoor added that AMU is making big progress with the establishment of solar plants, generation of clean electricity, District Early Intervention Centre and Paediatric Cardiology under NHM and cath-labs among other achievements. He further said that the university also has a new Olympic size swimming pool.

Addressing the graduating students, the Vice Chancellor said: You deserve accolades for hard work and now it is your duty to represent AMU Tehzeeb (Culture) by becoming loving and caring human beings and the best professionals of your fields.

Prof Mansoor urged students to serve the motherland in the best of ways. Move ahead in life with ideas of nation building and academic excellence, said the Vice Chancellor.

The deans of AMU faculties received undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees of students.

Harsha Gupta, B Tech Mechanical Engineering (five medals) and Sana Saud, BUMS (four medals) also delivered speeches.

Mr Mujeeb Ullah Zuberi (Controller of Examinations, AMU) and Prof Javaid Akhter (Registrar, AMU) conducted the programme.

Nawab Ibne Said Khan of Chattari (Pro Chancellor) and Prof Habibur Rahman Khan (Honorary Treasurer) were present on the occasion. AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof Mansoor hosted a high tea at the Sir Syed House to facilitate degree recipients.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
Exports of Azerbaijani tomatoes to Russia are on the rise, while some exporters are now looking to explore the European market. FruitNews reports in its article Azerbaijan sees tomato growth that last year, exports of tomatoes from Azerbaijan grew to 151,000 tonnes  at a value of US$151m, according to FruitNews. Of this volume, around 99.8 per cent was sent to Russia. This increase reportedly grew Azerbaijans share of the Russian tomato market from 22 per cent to 30 per cent, despite intense competition from China. Although China has increased its shipments of tomatoes to Russia by 26 per cent compared with 2016 to 109,000 tonnes, Morocco has seen its imports drop by 23 per cent to 97,000 tonnes. Aside from these suppliers, Belarus sends around 70,000 tonnes, while Iran ships approximately 9,000 tonnes.

In total, according to the Russian Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat), Russian imports of tomatoes grew by 11 per cent to 516,000 tonnes in 2017. In December, around 57,900 tonnes of tomatoes were imported, a remarkable 35 per cent increase on the previous December.

Azerbaijani exporter GP Alpha Greenhouse, part of Gilan Agriculture, sends its tomatoes to Russia, as well as to Qatar, but now the company wants to explore the European market.

We have all the necessary certifications, says the companys Bogdan Aralov. We are looking at Germany, Latvia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its not so easy, as tomato producers like the Netherlands and Spain are very strong in this market, and they benefit from higher yields.

According to chief sales officer Rashid Aliyev, Azerbaijani tomatoes are the most expensive on the Russian market due to their quality.

Our tomatoes are incredibly tasty, he says. This is because we dont use many chemicals, even if this means our yields are lower. We use polytunnels, since we have enough sun in Azerbaijan and they are cheaper than greenhouses. In Russia, 'From Azerbaijan' is regarded by consumers as a mark of quality, and it is that reputation that we want to develop in Europe.
Iyan Shi, the senior manager of ZTT Group's international business division, announced the company's decision to manufacture high and extra high voltage cables in Turkey. Daily Sabah reports in its article Chinese ZTT Group to invest $110M in Turkey in two years that the ZTT's senior group executive said that it will invest $65 million in Turkey in the first stage with the purchase of three existing cable-producing factories in Bursa, Bilecik and Eskisehir, while totaling $110 million over two years.

Ryan Shi also said that they want to enlarge the capacity of the factory in Bilecik and make new investments in Eskisehir and Gemlik, Bursa from scratch.

He added that the technology investments will cover the next five years and that they want to manufacture submarine power cables used for energy and telecommunications services in Turkey.

Pointing out that commercial relations between China and Turkey have continued to increase in recent years, ZTT's senior manager said that within the scope of "One Belt, One Road" project that aims to boost the historical Silk Road, investments will increase in many fields.

He stressed that despite many regional geopolitical crises, they see Turkey as a safe haven in terms of investment.

"In this context, we do not worry about developing and maintaining investments or investing from scratch. We have taken steps to produce extra high voltage cables used in electricity transmission in Turkey," Ryan Shi said. "We have initiated the projects to make these investments directly with our own financing resources."

"We want to create a competitive environment at the same time. We aim to enter domestic tenders through the network of products accredited at the international level. We have done our planning in this regard," he noted.

Erhan Durmaz, the chairman of SmartGrowth, which consults in the ZTT Group's operations in Turkey, said the Chinese company would contribute to a competitive attitude in the cable market in Turkey.

Indicating that the company also plans to enter cable tenders in Turkey, Durmaz noted that they have allocated $350 million for this.
Mohammad Javad Zarif says Europeans bowing to pressure in order to keep US in nuclear deal. The Guardian reports in its article Iran's foreign minister accuses Europe of appeasing Trump that Irans foreign minister has accused Europe of appeasing Donald Trump as the French foreign minister travelled to Tehran in an effort to salvage the 2015 nuclear agreement.

In an interview with an Iranian newspaper published before his meeting with Jean-Yves Le Drian on Monday, Mohammad Javad Zarif chastised European countries for bowing to pressure from Washington and said concerns about Irans missile programme or its role in the Middle East were hypocritical and dangerous.

In order to keep the US in the Iran nuclear deal, European countries are resorting to extremism  [we] will not remain indifferent, Zarif told the reformist Etemaad daily in a front-page interview printed under the headline Europe will regret.

Trump refused last year to certify Irans compliance to the nuclear accord but he has so far stopped short of cancelling US participation in the deal, which promised to loosen sanctions in exchange for curbs to Tehrans nuclear programme.

In January he reluctantly waived a raft of sanctions against Iran as required by the US Congress every 120 days, but warned this was a last chance and asked European countries to join with the United States in fixing significant flaws in the deal.

Trump has vowed not to waive the sanctions again unless Europeans managed to make radical changes to the nuclear deal, including curbs on Irans missile development. The missile programme is not covered by the deal, and Tehran says it will not bow to pressure to halt it.

At present, two groups have violated the nuclear deal: the United States and Europe. The Americans because of Washingtons policy and the Europeans because of the US policy, Zarif said.

Although all nuclear-related sanctions were lifted in January 2016, Iran is not benefiting, mainly because top European banks, fearful of Washington, remain wary of doing business with the country.

The banking issue is preventing Iran from capitalising on huge foreign investment interest shown in the past few years. The Iranian embassy in London has faced obstacles in opening a bank account in the UK and in a recent example of frustration despite the removal of sanctions, Munich airport companies refused to refuel Zarifs aeroplane while he was attending a prominent security conference last month.

On Monday the International Atomic Energy Agency chief, Yukiya Amano, said Tehran was fulfilling its obligations and warned it would be a great loss for nuclear verification and for multilateralism if the framework of the nuclear deal were to collapse.

Zarifs interview appeared a day after Le Drian gave an interview to a French weekly in which he said Tehran risked exposing itself to new sanctions if it remained reluctant to discuss its missile programme.

A group of hardliners gathered at Tehran airport to protest against his visit, and newspaper front pages in Iran criticised him. French foreign minister insults people of Iran before visit to Tehran, said a headline of the ultra-conservative Keyhan daily. The Javan newspaper carried the headline Trumps Parisian lackey in Tehran.

A poll conducted by IranPoll in collaboration with the University of Maryland, published last month, showed 92% of Iranian respondents believed the US was trying to preventing Iran from normalising its trade and economic relations, with 58% saying Iran should retaliate by restarting the aspects of its nuclear programme it agreed to suspend under the deal.
A new phase in the US-Iranian confrontation was designated yesterday by US Vice President Mike Pence, who said that Washington sees only two options for the nuclear deal between the six negotiators and Tehran: unless the Iran nuclear deal is fixed in the coming months, the US will withdraw from it. A senior research fellow of the Institute for Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladimir Sazhin, told Vestnik Kavkaza what the Americans want and what is the possible development of the conflict between the two countries over the nuclear deal.

- Vladimir Igorevich, first of all, how do Americans want to amend the agreement between the six negotiators and Iran?

- Already during the pre-election campaign, Donald Trump said that the JCPOA is unprofitable for the US and all the countries that signed it, except Iran. He had searched for shortcomings for a long time, and, as he said, found them: international inspectors' inability to monitor absolutely all objects, including military ones; the lack of guarantee in the document that Iran will never be able to acquire nuclear weapons; the JCPOA is too limited in duration - 10-15 years; an absence of a prohibition on Iran's developing of ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Trump wants to compensate these four shortcomings by additional changes to the JCPOA or the replacement of the JCPOA with another document.

- To what extent do these claims against the deal with Iran reflect reality?

- First of all, it is worth paying attention to the fact that Iran is not just a member of the IAEA, but also signed an additional protocol in 2003 to an agreement with the IAEA. This is an optional, voluntarily signed document, under which the signatory countries undertake to accept IAEA inspectors at any time, without lengthy bureaucratic approval processes, and any objects considered nuclear by inspectors are subject to verification, not just those declared as nuclear by the country. The Iranian parliament has not yet ratified this protocol, but had voluntarily complied with its requirements as if it were in effect from 2003 until 2006 and since the signing of the JCPOA. In this regard, Trump's claims are groundless, because they have as much control over Iran's nuclear facilities as possible. Of course, Americans want access to secret military facilities that are not related to the nuclear program, but Tehran will never show them. As for safeguards against the creation of a nuclear bomb, neither documents nor organizations can give them. If a country wants to make a nuclear bomb, it will make it. Suffice it to recall the example of North Korea, which joined the IAEA in 1974, signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1985, built a nuclear infrastructure on this basis, withdrew from the agency in 1994 and created nuclear weapons.

- In your opinion, how has the view on the nuclear deal changed over the past year and a half - has the US succeeded in talking someone over to its side?

- Russia and China immediately opposed any attempts to change this deal. Now the joint commission of the United States, Britain, France and Germany is negotiating the issue in Europe. The US wants to force the three European parties to support Trump's idea of forcing Iran to change the agreement or withdraw from it. But European countries also declared their support for the JCPOA, they needs Iran both politically and economically. Let me remind you that the trade turnover between Iran and the EU doubled in 2017: from almost $5 billion to almost $10 billion, which shows the interest of European companies in the Iranian market. At the same time, Americans have certain leverage. The US controls many banking world systems and other economic infrastructure facilities around the world. If Washington impose certain sanctions on those European companies that will cooperate with Iran, then, of course, in choosing between Iran and the US the companies will choose the US. If the Americans insist inflexibly on it, there is a possibility that, being in a desperate situation, the Europeans will succumb to them.

- In that case, where is this going: will the US really withdraw from the deal and what is the possible impact?

- If the Americans convince UK, France and Germany, the deal will fall apart. Since Iran opposes any changes to the deal and any new negotiations on its nuclear program, the option of accepting additional documents is excluded, which means that the collapse of the JCPOA is the only option. But there is an option that they will not succeed in pressing on the Europeans and the US will be the only one exiting the deal - then the JCPOA can be preserved, since Iran promised to remain committed to its obligations if other parties to the deal, except for the US, adhere to it.

The collapse of the deal is fraught with significant negative consequences both in the international arena and within Iran. The JCPOA is a significant document, the second important document after the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons of the 1970s, which in practice has made a great contribution to the cause of non-proliferation. If the deal collapses, there will be opportunities for about 30 so-called threshold countries to create their own nuclear weapons. In addition, the JCPOA is a great victory for President Hassan Rouhani, the basis of his political activities in the country. Rouhani has many political opponents in the country, very strong ones, who opposed the deal and even negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program from the very beginning, and therefore the collapse of the deal may lead to the departure of Rouhani and his team from leadership in Iran, which may completely reorient both the domestic political and foreign policy of Iran. It is in the interest of neither Middle East, nor the whole world.

- Does this mean that the interests of Washington and the Iranian radicals, currently opposed by the US, unite against the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal?

- Indeed, Trump and his diplomats now act in the interests of Iran's most radical fundamentalist conservative forces. They work together against Rouhani, which can lead to the most unfortunate consequences, because Rouhani is a negotiable person, who managed to open Iran for the whole world. If his soft policy stops, it can lead to big problems. First, Iran will resume the old nuclear program, so there will be no new negotiations, only work to build nuclear weapons. Israel and the US, in turn, like Pence said, will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, but it will be possible solely through the use of force. It would bring the threat of war, causing dire consequences.
Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan sent a condolence letter to Russia's President Vladimir Putin in connection with the crash of Russias An-26 military transport plane in Syria, the press service of the Armenian president said.

"President Sargsyan asked to convey condolences on behalf of himself and the entire Armenian people to the relatives of the victims," RIA Novosti cited the press service as saying.
Azerbaijan 's President Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter of condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin in connection with the crash of Russias An-26 military transport plane in Syria, according to the message posted on the Azerbaijani presidential website.

"I was deeply saddened by the news of a heavy loss of life caused by a crash of a Russian An-26 military transport aircraft in Syria," Aliyev said in his letter.

"On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest condolences to you, families and loved ones of those who died and the whole people of Russia," he added.

A Russian An-26 military transport plane crashed in Syria on March 6, killing 39 people.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his condolences in a phone conversation with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in connection with the crash of Russias An-26 military transport plane in Syria, the Kremlin press service said.

In addition, the two leaders "discussed the situation in Eastern Ghouta in the context of implementing Resolution 2401 of the UN Security council."

The sides also "noted the importance of solving humanitarian problems and the need for further uncompromising struggle against terrorist groups in this region," the statement reads.

During the conversation, the Turkish leader also informed Putin about the Turkish military operation near the Syrian city of Afrin.

The sides also discussed pressing issues of bilateral cooperation, including the implementation of bilateral energy projects of strategic importance and agreed to continue contacts at various levels.
Georgia's President Giorgi Margvelashvili will visit Brussels on March 8-10 to discuss Georgias Euro-Atlantic integration prospects, Georgian reforms and issues connected to the Georgia-EU visa free regime, as well as sectoral cooperation with the EU.



Margvelashvili is scheduled to hold meetings at NATO headquarters and at the European Council and Commission.



On the first day of the visit Margvelashvili will meet with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk and will hold a press conference for the media after the meeting, Agenda.ge reported.



Margvelashvili will also meet with the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and the EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini.



At NATO headquarters Margvelashvili will meet with the Alliances Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.



In addition, Margvelashvili will also deliver a speech at the Brussels Forum and visit the Catholic University of Leuven.
Chairman of the Iranian Parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi held a press conference in Moscow.

Boroujerdi arrived in Russia at the invitation of Russias Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin to take part in an international economic conference titled 'Future of Regions: Development of Cooperation'.

The chairman noted during the conference that today one can say that Turkey's policy in Syria has largely become balanced. "Turkey also suffers from the sinister phenomenon of terrorism that was imposed on Syria," the chairman of the Iranian Parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, adding that Iran condemns the plot developed by the United States and Israel to dismember Iraq, the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza reports.

"The very close cooperation between Iran, Turkey and Iraq led to the fact that this conspiracy was neutralized. The US, desperate to dismember Iraq, has began to impose the same plan on Syria. Sending of hundreds of US military advisers to Syria and training of tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds was done in the framework of such a strategy of the US," the Iranian parliamentarian said.

"Of course, our recommendation to our Turkish counterparts is that they imitate such a model of cooperation that was carried out by Iran, Iraq and the government of Syria, which was undoubtedly supported by Russia. We say that this is the most successful model for neutralizing such plans." Alaeddin Boroujerdi concluded.
Azerbaijan's State Security Service officers have carried out an anti-terrorist operation in the north of the country, killing terrorists, who plotted terrorist attacks, the agencys press service said.

"As a result of operational activities, the so-called 'Khachmaz Jamaat' terrorist group led by Azerbaijani citizen Sabir Arulla oglu Mammadov was identified and rendered harmless.

On March 6, 2018, Jamaat members Sabir Arulla oglu Mammadov and Tarlan Safar oglu Salimov, who were found to be attempting to organize terrorist attacks, offered armed resistance to the DTX task force. In the return fire, terrorists S. Mamedov and T. Salimov were killed, RIA Novosti cited the press release as saying.

According to the press service, improvised explosive devices, as well as weapons and ammunition were found at the crime scene during the operation.
Baku resident, Mohammad Mammadov suspected of committing arson on March 2 in the Republican Drug Rehabilitation Center, has been arrested, the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor General's Office said in a joint statement.

According to the statement, Mammadov diagnosed with "mental disorder as a result of drinking alcohol" was undergoing treatment at the Center.

Confessing to the crime during preliminary interrogation, Mammadov said he decided to commit suicide because of the biased attitude of his family members and the reluctance to be treated at the Center.

On March 2, he wrapped in a blanket and burned the blanket by a cigarette lighter. Then he changed his mind about committing suicide, threw the blanket onto a bed and left the Center, Trend reported.

Mammadov is charged as guilty under articles 120.2.4 (intentional murder committed with special cruelty), 120.2.7 (deliberate killing of two or more people), 120.2.9 (deliberate killing of a person who is in helpless condition) and 186.2.2 (intentional damage of property as a result of arson, explosion) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.
Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon will visit Kazakhstan on March 14, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said at a plenary session of the Kazakh Parliament.

"The visit will revive bilateral cooperation and partnership,"Trend cited cited the minister as saying.

He added that the diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan have always been based on mutual trust and support, and thanks to this, the two countries achieved significant results in a number of important spheres.
Turkey has ratified an agreement with China to open a cultural center in this country, the Turkish official newspaper Resmi Gazete reported.

In turn, the Chinese cultural center will open in Turkey.

The document also envisages mutual holding of cultural events.

The agreement on cultural cooperation between the two countries was signed on May 13, 2017 in Beijing, Trend recalls.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will give Georgia $3.5 million to help in combating the countrys stink bug infestation problem.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between USAIDs Assistant Administrator Brock Bierman and Georgias Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture Levan Davitashvili was signed on March 5.

The USAID will purchase equipment and supplies such as traps, lures, tractors and sprayers for Georgias Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture, Agenda.ge reported.

The brown marmorated stink bug, which damages crops, is widespread in Georgia and a real nuisance to Georgian farmers. The pest was first reported in Georgia in 2015. In 2016, the bugs destroyed a significant portion of the hazelnut harvest in West Georgia. 2017 was even more devastation and struck a wider area.
Russia's Energy Ministry has prepared a draft energy security doctrine of Russia, where it names the US policy and green energy as major threats, Vedomosti business daily reported with a reference to the document.

On March 2, the draft was submitted for approval of state bodies.

"The first in the list of external political threats is the US and its allies discriminatory policy of introducing restrictions on access of oil and gas companies to modern technologies and equipment, restrictions on long-term borrowing, and setting up joint ventures with foreign companies," the daily said.

The document provides the example of a recent withdrawal of Exxon Mobil from joint projects with Russias Rosneft on the Arctic shelf due to the US sanctions.

Another major threat to the countrys energy security is the abandonment of fossil fuels and a switch to green energy, which means slower growth of energy consumption and changes in the structure of worlds demand in line with improvement of energy efficiency.

Other threats include tougher of competition, emergence of new energy exporters, a higher production of liquefied natural gas, a worsening resource base, contraction of the size and quality of fields, and a low degree of geological exploration, Vedomosti reported.

The ministry also listed a high level of financial burden energy companies and a slow upgrade of infrastructure among the economic threats, as well as a critical technological and scientific lag. All the reasons deprive Russian companies of competitiveness, Prime reported citing the business daily.

A senior analyst of 'Uralsib Capital', Alexei Kokin, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that the gas industry is the most affected by the anti-Russian policy of the West in the energy sector. "The Russian oil industry is already quite dependent on cooperation with Western companies. The gas industry is another matter, since gas exports require cooperation with the EU, and there is still dependence on contacts with the West here. Therefore, the problem is that the issue of pipeline gas exports is often purely political. In this regard, Russia's ability to export pipeline gas is limited by the political positions of certain EU countries," he stressed.

The presence of a switch to green energy in the list of threats Alexei Kokin explained by the possibility of replacing oil and gas production with it. "The development of green energy is a potential threat to the entire global oil and gas sector, because it reduces the demand for hydrocarbon fuels. It will manifest itself as a slowdown in demand or even a decrease in demand for petroleum products, especially coal and natural gas. It is a long-term threat, and the industry will be able to adapt to it. In addition, there is such a nuance that part of the trajectory of a switch to green energy includes a complete abandonment of coal fuel with a temporary replacement of it with gas at an intermediate stage. At this stage, Russia will have certain opportunities to expand gas exports to Europe. That is, it means not only risks for us ," the economist drew attention.
HA NOI  Two retail and distribution groups from South Korea - K-holdings and Coupang - will co-operate with Vietnamese partners during their trip to Ha Noi on March 22.

The two groups are keen on importing many kinds of products from Viet Nam, including farm produce such as coffee, cashew nut and pepper, canned food, frozen seafood besides dried food such as dried beef, chicken and cuttlefish as well as some other processed food, reports e-newspaper baodautu.vn.

The trip is part of the activities within the framework of the Viet Nam-South Korea business exchange programme organised by the Trade Promotion Agencys Export Support Centre and the Vietnamese Trade Office in South Korea with the aim of boosting exports to the market.

Twenty-five years after establishing diplomatic ties, Viet Nam and South Korea have become important strategic and economic partners.

Viet Nams exports to the South Korean market experienced a year-on-year rise of 31 per cent to US$15 billion last year. Bilateral trade is expected to reach $100 billion by 2020.

On the other hand, statistics of the Korea International Trade Association show that Korea exported $48 billion worth of goods to Viet Nam last year, accounting for 8 per cent of the countrys total export value.  VNS
BAC LIEU  The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Bac Lieu has rejected the proposed Cai Cung thermal power plant project, saying that it wants to become a national centre of renewable energy and a large producer of shrimp farming.

The Japanese-invested thermal power project was expected to improve Bac Lieus gross domestic product (GDP) rapidly, just as existing Duyen Hai thermal power plant has done in the neighboring province of Tra Vinh, some experts said.

Since the Duyen Hai thermal power plant began operation, Tra Vinhs GDP has increased from 6 per cent to 12 per cent.

Commenting on the rejection of the plant, Duong Thanh Trung, chairman of Bac Lieu Provinces Peoples Committee, said that, even with the latest technology and equipment, the plant would have caused environmental problems as it would require a big area for cinder dumps which would damage shrimp farming, considered key to the provinces economy.

Bac Lieu needs a large area for industrial shrimp farming, including intensive and semi- intensive shrimp farming and organic shrimp farming in submerged forest areas, Trung said. We need to consider either shrimp farming or thermal power, and we have only one option. If we agree with the Cai Cung project, it means we would lose the shrimp economy.

The decision to reject the thermal power plant proposal has received strong support from local residents and enterprises.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc welcomed the decision by Bac Lieu authorities to develop high-tech industrial shrimp farming.

Le Xuan Anh, director of a company in Bac Lieu, said: The biggest strength of the province is shrimp farming, and nearly 50 per cent of the provinces total area is used for shrimp farming. So the decision is right and is in conformity with the practical conditions and local economic environment.

If the thermal power plant project had been chosen, the provinces budget may have received a hundred billion ong annually. However, thousands of local farmers and enterprises would go bankrupt because the plant would have a negative effect on the shrimp farming environment, he added.

High-tech shrimp farming

With the launch last month of construction on a VN3.2 trillion (US$140 million) high-tech agricultural park specialising in shrimp, Bac Lieu is expected to become a national shrimp industry hub.

The high-tech agricultural park will cover 420 ha in Bac Lieu Citys Hiep Thanh Commune and serve as a centre linking institutes, schools and enterprises. The centre will use high technology in shrimp breeding, produce breeder shrimp and other varieties for shrimp farming, exports and processing.

Chairman Trung said: More than 20 enterprises have registered so far to invest in the hi-tech shrimp farming park, with total investment of more than $114million, and many institutes and schools have signed agreements to transfer and apply advanced technologies.

Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the park would help expand high-tech shrimp breeding across the Mekong region and another 28 shrimp-breeding cities and provinces nationwide.

Its operation is expected to help realise the countrys shrimp export target of $10 billion in the 2021-2025 period.

Bac Lieu currently has an aquaculture area of 1,290 square km, while agricultural production makes up 43 per cent of the provinces GDP.

Each year, the province harvests about 210,000 tonnes of aquatic products including 115,000 tonnes of shrimp, of which export turnover exceeds $527 million, or 13.7 per cent of the countrys total.

Renewable energy

Late last year, Bac Lieu authorities and the South Korean SY Panel Group signed an agreement to develop a $450 million solar power plant.

To be built on 400ha in ong Hai District, the plant is designed to have a capacity of 300 MW. When it is completed in mid 2019, the plant will be the countrys largest solar power plant.

Hong Young Don, chairman of the SY Panel Group, said: This renewable energy project is the biggest solar power plant in Bac Lieu. This project and other wind power projects will contribute to the economic development of Bac Lieu as well as Viet Nam.

Bac Lieu firms are now keen on investing VN100 trillion ($4.4 billion) in renewable energy projects, according to local authorities.

The province, with a 56 km-long coastline, has great potential for developing wind power and sun power projects.  VNS
At the ceremony, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc awarded the Third-class Labour Order to the commission.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the National Financial Supervisory Commission (NFS) to enhance the quality of analysis, assessment and forecast of macroeconomic developments and financial markets to complete its task of counseling the Prime Minister.

The PM made this request on his visit to NFS on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the financial supervisory commission yesterday.

NFS was established in 2008 in the back of the global financial crisis which put Viet Nam at risk of a macroeconomic crisis. It supported and provided advice and consultation to the Prime Minister in the co-ordination of the supervisory activities in the banking, securities and insurance areas, which are considered the lifeblood of the economy.

PM Phuc said the commission should focus on analysing and evaluating the situation, especially the potential risks of the financial markets, activities on the banking, securities, insurance and real estate sectors, to have timely and appropriate policy proposal, including risk-detecting tools and criteria for assessing the safety of the financial system in accordance with international standards and practices.

I have heard that many countries in the region are employing early warning systems for the macroeconomy and financial markets which operate rather effectively. I suggest members study and report specific proposals to the Prime Minister, PM Phuc said.

He emphasised the importance of the proactive spirit and timely advising on solutions to stabilise the financial and monetary system, restructure credit institutions in line with bad debt settlement, regularly update and analyse the international and domestic financial developments.

This was especially important in the context of unpredictable developments in the global and domestic economies, he said. Its too late to lock the stable door after the horse is stolen, he added.

Closer collaboration

Financial and monetary markets needed to be reinforced, improved and made more efficient and safer, providing a solid foundation for rapid and sustainable development.

Thus, the Prime Minister said NFS should be more active in coordinating with relevant ministries, agencies, especially the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) and the Ministry of Finance (MOF), to counsel and propose to the Government and the Prime Minister policies on important issues in the economy and financial market supervision.

The Prime Minister assigned the commission in collaboration with relevant authorities to report and propose to the Prime Minister the coordinating mechanism among ministries and functional agencies in performing the function of general supervision and supervision of the financial market.

The commission should proactively cooperate with specialised supervisory ministries and agencies in reviewing, building and completing legal framework for financial and banking groups and the managing mechanism of these corporations.

Especially, it needed to focus on studying and proposing organisational models towards streamlining staff and becoming more effective. Phuc emphasised the excellence of human resources which will determine the counseling quality.

Truong Van Phuoc, acting chairman of the National Financial Supervisory Commission, suggested the Prime Minister strengthen the legal status of the commission in order to facilitate its performance as it helps the commission have timely and sufficient access to database and objects under supervision in many aspects.

Phuoc also said the commission would soon apply and publish early warning models, scientific and practical forecasts, contributing to maintaining the confidence of the market, investors and depositors.

At the ceremony, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc awarded the Third-class Labour Order to the commission.  VNS
HCM CITY  Enhancing trade promotion and market research and providing information to businesses are among the tasks the Viet Nam Food Association will focus on in the next five years.

Speaking at the associations eighth congress in HCM City yesterday, Bui Thi Minh Tam, its deputy chairwoman for 2011-17, said despite a very difficult situation in the last few years, the association had managed to help exporters both buy rice from farmers and export.

The global rice market has witnessed a great change in the last seven years, with production surpassing demand, leading to high inventories, she said.

Viet Nams exports peaked in 2012 and then decreased, and global prices have also declined because of abundant supply and high inventories, she said.

The rice export structure has changed significantly, with shipments of low-value white rice going down from 83.72 per cent in 2011 to 40.74 per cent last year.

Exports of fragrant rice increased from 6.63 per cent to 29.2 per cent while sticky and Japonica rice shipments also increased strongly in the period, she said.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said Viet Nam was among the three largest rice exporters in 2011-17, exporting 5-7 million tonnes a year worth US$2.5-3.5 billion.

Last year exports jumped by 23.2 per cent to $2.66 billion, he said.

Besides producers and exporters, the association has also made great contributions to the sectors achievements by providing information and co-operating with authorities and businesses in building the Vietnamese rice brand, he said.

The food sector, including rice, is expected to face challenges in the coming years, including climate change, importing countries becoming self-sufficient, changes in rice import policies in Viet Nams key markets, and increase in trade barriers and quality requirements, he said.

To sustain growth, the rice sector needs to restructure.

He said the association should co-operate with his ministry and localities to review zoning plans and match areas and popular rice varieties, create linkages in rice production, and persuade members to ensure quality and food safety.

The association should work with localities and members to continue the shift towards high-quality rice and ensure the use of advanced production and processing technologies to maximise value, he said.

It should continue to provide up-to-date production and trading information, strengthen market research and forecast to make timely recommendations to farmers and businesses, help enhance trade promotion, develop Vietnamese rice brands and organise trade fairs in the domestic and overseas markets, he said.

Quality, competitive prices and good brands are the key factors that would enable Vietnamese rice to penetrate more markets, he added.

The congress voted for 27 executive board members, with Nguyen Ngoc Nam, acting general director of the Viet Nam Southern Food Co-operation, becoming the associations chairman for the 2018-23 term.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam is an important part of a new "Asia-centric" strategy which Japans Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) is pursuing to strengthen its business in Asia, said Shosuke Mori, SMBCs Asia Pacific Division.

As the Government of Viet Nam has been restructuring the local banking system, SMBC wants to contribute to the process by sustainably developing Eximbank and supporting other local banks reforms in the coming time, Mori said.

SMBC, one of the largest and oldest banks in Japan, expects its clients worldwide to invest in Viet Nam and hopes to contribute to the development of the countrys banking sector with its new banking management system, he said.

Receiving Mori in Ha Noi on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong inh Hue described the bank as an effective credit channel and gateway for foreign investors, including those from Japan, to enter Viet Nam.

Hue welcomed the presence of SMBC in Viet Nam and the role it was playing to restructure Eximbank.

He said a new scheme for restructuring credit institutions was adopted to improve the capacity of commercial banks and accelerate the resolution of non-performing loans (NLPs).

He, however, noted that even though the restructuring process had harvested some positive outcomes, many challenges remained. The Government was committed to continue improving the local business climate and providing favourable conditions for both domestic and foreign investors, adding it would do its best to support SMBC in Viet Nam.

SMBC has been present in the country since 1994 with a branch each in Ha Noi and HCM City. Last year, both the branches posted zero NLPs and a total net profit of VN291.6 billion (over US$12.8 million). SMBC is also Eximbanks strategic investor and currently holds 15 per cent of the Viet Nam-based banks charter capital.  VNS
In Viet Nam, as in other parts of the world, the private sector has been more receptive to the much-buzzed-about rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), while the public sector and the government have been slow to adopt these technologies. Photo qdnd.vn

HA NOI  In Viet Nam, as in other parts of the world, the private sector has been more receptive to the much-buzzed-about rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), while the public sector and the government have been slow to adopt these technologies.

However, the mounting demands for reforms and innovation to fight backwardness have compelled policymakers to be more open-minded and prepared for the inevitable.

The comment was made by Tran Xuan ich, deputy head of the market and business development department (under the Ministry of Science and Technology) during the launch of the Vietnamese version of report entitled Internet of Things: From hype to reality, the product of collaboration between the World Bank and the science ministry yesterday.

The Internet of Things refers to a state of inter-connectivity between all physical devices, objects, humans and even animals  as long as they are embedded with sensors, actuators, or softwares that can help them communicate and exchange data with each other via internet connection.

ich claimed that currently, all sectors in Viet Nam have a basic understanding of Internet of Things and the massive benefits it can bring about".

Achim Fock, Portfolio & Operations Manager in the World Bank office in Viet Nam , said the IoT report would help people have a better grasp of the trend, which in turn, would lead to more investment into the technologies.

Fock commented that the reports timing was appropriate especially when the Vietnamese government has recognised and is willing to take advantage of the potentials of the fourth industrial revolution.

However, to fully realise their potential, systematic and informed work is required by the Government, private sector and civil society.

Prasanna Lal Das, Lead Knowledge Management Officer at the World Bank, stressed that the report was the starting point to assess the progress of Governments in incorporating IoT in its activities. The toolkit offered in the report would be a stepping stone for Governments to either facilitate their implementation of IoT or building IoT projects.

Some succcessful applications of IoT technologies in other countries of various development levels could be mentioned, such as the control of parking lots and the lighting system in Ludwigsburg City of Germany , or an intelligent general hospital network and smart schools in Kazakhstan .

However, Lal Das commented that at the moment, very few IoT initiatives had gone beyond the pilot stage, writing business models to sustain IoT infrastructure are under-developed, and the policy landscape is woefully inadequate.

IoT-based business models were mostly maintained via limited grants and funding, which didnt guarantee their financial viability in long term, he added.

Business preparedness

According to Nguyen The Trung, director-general of o Thanh Technology (DTT), one of the solution providers for Viet Nam s e-Government programme, businesses in Viet Nam have the capacity to master the technologies but need to follow global standards.

The concept of IoT has become familiar with businesses and thus, they are moving to the phase trial use, payment, and efficiency evaluation of IoT technologies.

Experts also called on businesses to focus on data in the new era.

Citing the examples of Apple, Google or Alibaba  tech giants holding a large amount of data, which earn them the worlds top positions in terms of capitalisation value  Nguyen Thang, Director of the Centre for Analysis and Forecasting, under the Viet Nam Academy of Social Sciences, said, "In the age of Industry 4.0, digital data has now become more important than natural resources or minerals that businesses need to take advantage of and master. This is an important phase of business transformation.  VNS
HA NOI  The worlds leading e-commerce player, Amazon, is planning to enter the Vietnamese market, announced the Viet Nam E-commerce Association (VECOM).



Amazon will also support Vietnamese enterprises in exporting online through the platform, VECOM chairman Nguyen Thanh Hung said.



Accordingly, Amazon will kick off a co-operation programme to support Vietnamese small- and medium-sized enterprises to sell and export goods through its ecosystem at the Viet Nam Online Business Forum 2018, which will be held on March 14.



According to an evaluation of VECOM and prestigious research companies in the world, the growth of Vietnamese e-commerce is at a high rate. VECOM estimates the growth rate of 22 per cent per year.



The Vietnamese e-commerce scale is predicted to reach US$10 billion in the next five years, making Viet Nam a lucrative market to many e-commerce enterprises in the world.



Before Amazon, Lazada entered Viet Nam and dominated some one third of the countrys online shopping market. Later, Alibaba paid $1 billion to buy stakes at Lazada to enter the Southeast Asian market, including Viet nam.  VNS
HA NOI  National carrier Vietnam Airlines will open a new route linking the central province of Khanh Hoas Nha Trang City with Seoul in South Korea.

The route will be officially opened on March 25 with four Airbus A321 flights per week.

The flights will depart at 9.35pm from Cam Ranh Airport every Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday and will return from Incheon Airport at 6.20am every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. The trip will take some five hours.

This will be the fourth route of Vietnam Airlines to link Viet Nam with Seoul. The airline already operates flights from Ha Noi, HCM City and a Nang to Seoul.

The new route is an important step in the implementation of the agreement on trade promotion, tourism and aviation signed between the provincial Peoples Committee and Vietnam Airlines in October 2017.

Nha Trang has many famous beaches and warm weather throughout the year, with convenient transportation. Meanwhile, Incheon International Airport is the largest airport in South Korea and is a major hub for flights, passengers and cargo for the whole of East Asia.

According to statistics of the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, Viet Nam ranks third in average weekly passenger arrivals to Incheon Airport.

To mark the launch of the new route, Vietnam Airlines has launched a promotional programme, with return tickets priced at VN5.29 million (US$231.7), from now until April 30. The booking is valid from March 25 to April 30, 2018.

The price does not include taxes, fees and other charges.  VNS
HCM CITY  Young people are taking part in special projects that replicate traditional Vietnamese clothes worn by royalty of various dynasties.

The project Det Nen Trieu ai (Sewing the Reigns), which makes traditional costumes worn in the later Le Dynasty (1437 to 1471), was created to help Vietnamese students at home and abroad learn more about the countrys history and culture.

It was launched by the Viet Nam Centre, a non-profit organisation established last year by a group of Vietnamese-Australian students.

Our project is not about clothes or hats. Its about culture. Through our work, we hope to introduce Viet Nam, its history and culture to the world, said Le Ngoc Linh, co-founder of the centre.

Linh and her staff have researched many Vietnamese and Asian documentaries, books, paintings and sculptures.

They have also worked with cultural researchers and historians, including literary researcher Tran Quang uc, author of Ngan Nam Ao Mu (Thousands of Years of History of Viet Nams Traditional Costumes), a book on the history of Vietnamese clothes which was released in 2013.

Their first display of their productions, introduced in December in Ha Noi, included dozens of clothes used for the royals.

A showcase of the coronation of the Queen Mother under the later Le Dynasty has also been revived.

We spent two weeks making a dress for a eunuch and four months for a coat for the Queen. Each costume is worth around VN30 million (US$1,300), said Linh.

The performance by Linh and her staff left a very strong impression on audiences, said Nguyen uc Loc, who visited the show.

Loc is a member of the inh Lang Viet (Vietnamese Communal House) Group, a Ha Noi-based community keen on preserving the ancient values of communal houses.

The group was launched in 2014 and has attracted more than 4,000 members. It has organised many exhibitions, showcases, talk shows and art camps featuring traditional Vietnamese culture and lifestyles, aimed at students and young people.

The groups latest event was held early this month as a platform to showcase the traditional customs of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year festival in Ha Noi.

The event included traditional worship and a ceremony to erect cay neu, a tall bamboo tree, in the houses yard.

The bamboo pole is stripped of its leaves, except for a tuft on top so that it can be wrapped or decorated with red paper for good luck. Bows, arrows, bells and gongs are placed on the treetop with the hope that bad luck of the past year is chased away and everyone will have a happy New Year.

The event attracted more than 30 artists in various fields.

In HCM City, Nguyen Thi Kieu Diem, a graduate of Hoa Sen University in the city, has released a book of paper-crafted figures about costumes used in tuong, a Vietnamese classical drama originating in the 12th century.

Her book, Hat Boi Hanh Toi Nguoi Ta (Singing Tuong Fascinates People), contains seven colourful papercrafts and explanations about tuong and its costumes used in various performance styles.

Papercraft uses paper or cards to create three-dimensional objects that can be folded, cut, glued, molded, stitched or layered. They depict tuong artists on stage, who wear make-up and wear beautiful costumes.

I spent four hours and a half making a template. However, writing the explanations was the most difficult job, said Diem.

Diem used information from three books on tuong written by cultural researchers Nguyen Vinh Hue, Ly Tuan Khac Dung, Nguyen Loc and Vo Van Tuong.

I hope young people will improve their knowledge and love for tuong through my book, she said.  VNS
HCM CITY  Around 148 new books by Vietnamese and international authors have been released as part of Thang 3 Sach Tre (Youth Books in March) programme.

The programme has been launched by the Tre (Youth) Publishing House and 26 other major publishers and bookstores around Viet Nam.

The highlights include a book titled Huong Que (Scent of Homeland) consisting of 40 short stories about southern people and their daily life by late Binh Nguyen Loc (1914-1987), which were published in Huong Que magazine in 1962.

Established authors Nguyen Ngoc Thuan, Cao Huy Thuan and Le at have released their new novels, Vi Tinh Yeu Phu Phiem (Superficial Love), Nguoi Khuan a (Man Carrying Stone), and Album Trang (White Album).

There are also new works by young writers such as Chuyen Ben Ria The Gioi (Tales beyond the World) by Bui Cam Linh and Lua Thien Su (Angels Fire) by Vo Dieu Thanh.

The pictorial version of the third book in the Harry Potter series by British author J. K. Rowling will be released after the success of the two earlier ones in the last two years.

The Vietnamese version of Rowlings latest detective novel, Lethal White, will also be published this month.

The High Mountains of Portugal, the latest book by Canadian author Yann Martel, who won the UKs Man Booker Prize for Life of Pi, will also be published in Vietnamese.

Discussions with writers and book introductions will also be held on HCM Citys pedestrian-only Book Street in District 1 during the one-month programme.

Nguyen Minh Nhut, director of the Tre Publishing House, said it has worked hard for a year to identify quality books by both Vietnamese and foreign authors, especially by young local writers.

The publisher has released 410 reprinted editions of famous local and foreign books on this occasion, he said.

Fore the duration of the programme, the publisher is offering a 20 per cent discount on all books at its stores nation-wide.  VNS
By Trong Kien

Theres really no debating the importance of planting trees: the more the better.

In fact, Viet Nam has a whole festival dedicated to this activity reserved for fresh spring days at the beginning of the Lunar New Year, with officials of high rankings usually present to kick off the events and exhorting the public to join.

However, in recent times, it seems that the ceremony has been made unnecessarily pompous with the richness of its original meaning having been lost to many.

The yearly tree growing campaigns traced back to an initiative started by the late President Ho Chi Minh nearly six decades ago, with a now famous pair of verses that nearly every Vietnamese knows by heart: Spring is the time for planting trees // Making the country all the more resplendent as eternal springtime.

In the first article for Nhan Dan (People) newspaper advocating for a "tree-planting festival day," President Ho wrote it doesnt cost much, yet brings enormous benefits.

The call for tree-growing made perfect sense at that time, not just due to a need to beautify the national landscapes, but also because the country had just stepped out of a devastating war to end a hundred years of colonisation by the French, which saw a severe decline in natural forests.

Forest regeneration would also be a very practical solution to provide long-term livelihoods for people when the nascent economy of a newly independent Viet Nam was mired in difficulties and the poverty rate was alarmingly high.

All the surviving photos of President Ho during the various planting occasions show an old, lean, but agile white-bearded man unvarily dressed in a khaki suit or whats best described as farmers attire, not shy to get his hands dirty. He excavates the soil and waters a sprouting seedling himself, which has become an inspiration to many to follow.

In 1969, the year he passed away, despite declining health and staffs caution against such labouring doings, President Ho insisted on carrying on with the tradition he started ten years ago. He chose the mountainous Ba Vi District  now part of Ha Noi  as his (unwittingly last) destination to lead the tree-growing, due to the localitys noted achievements in reforestation efforts.

Thats why, in recent years, anyone with a bit of awareness of this history finds it distasteful watching suit-and-tie clad officials of various ranks half-heartedly pushing a few shovels of soil into what looks like an already well-dug hole, all for what is obviously nothing more than a photo op.

This awful display of a total lack of historical and self-awareness is not new and has attracted scattered criticisms here and there on official news outlets, but mostly on social media. However, earlier last week, in a meeting reviewing the celebration of Tet (Lunar New Year), when General Secretary Party Nguyen Phu Trong himself called out this showpiece behavior, do the floodgates of criticism finally open.

In a mildly caustic tone, the party leader mocked a number of officials that any one who looks on can see that these officials are not there to plant trees, theres a crowd [waiting on them, ready to] hand them towels and water buckets [to clean up].

Of course, one could argue that a ceremony, by definition, is a set of ritualised procedures that doesnt necessarily follow the steps of the actual thing it is meant to representso it might be called silly to ask supposedly busy officials to dress for the occasion just to plant some trees. But arent the practical gains gotten from planting trees the whole point of the ceremony in the first place, at least as President Ho saw it when he wanted to start the tradition? Is a little commitment too hard to exercise?

And then how one could possibly justify the planting of already big trees, yes, I repeat, fully mature trees? There are already reported cases where decades-old ancient-looking trees, seemingly dug right out of a forest, are transported to wherever the stage for the performance is set.

What could possibly be the point of that, aside from stroking the ego of a certain important someone via the shiny nameplate that will honour them as the one that grows that tree, or the successful favour-currying for the underlings that direct the affair?

That, I think, is a laughable farce, or a blasphemy.

It seems the spirit of the old tradition has not translated well to todays ways of doing things. Maybe in this fast-paced era, many do not have any free time to care and wait for a young tree to grow up, or to actually study, understand (and follow) what the founding father of Viet Nam had taught?

As tradition has it, the top leaders usually visit a certain locality to take part in the event. General Secretary Trong himself said he had told the local governments to conduct the event in a practical, not ostentatious or too appearance-focused manner several times but many times it seems his words were fallen on deaf ears, making him the embarrassed central figure of a tackily arranged event. Imagine that, the party leader is being frustrated at the lower subordinates obstinacy.

President Ho said being a leader means leading with examples. And yes, I wont deny the fact that there is a need for a leader in a campaign to galvanise the works. But if this appearance-focused mind-set is any of an indication, amongst several other symptoms of our officials talking the talk, but not walking the walk, how can people have any trust in the governance system?

Interestingly, Tran Quoc Thuan, former vice chairman of the National Assembly Office, compared, through thinly veiled allusions, the showy planting of long grown trees to the plugging of wholly unqualified relatives or acquaintances into high-ranking positions in local governments bureaus, as reported intensively in the media especially in recent times with the crackdowns on corruption and nepotism reaching an all-times high.

The planting of trees in Viet Nam is frequently associated with the cultivation, or the education, of a person. If the previous generation only cares about the shiny but hollow thing, how can we expect the later generations to have a firm base to stand upon, to flourish?

Amidst all this heated controversy, it is a silver lining to know the results of the tree-planting focus have been positive, seeing a whole 3.5 million of new trees planted across the country in this spring alone.

Hopefully, after this year, when the Party leader himself has made such burning criticism, there will be substantial changes to the thinking of officials at the tree-planting festival and actual leadership will prevail, resulting in a greener Viet Nam.

Even greener and more vibrant, that is, if our officials can escape their tendency towards pretense and crass, wooden photo-ops.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse will pay official visits to New Zealand from March 12-14 and Australia from March 14-18. VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse will pay official visits to New Zealand from March 12-14 and Australia from March 14-18.

The visits will be made at the invitation of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

In Australia, Phuc will attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Sydney.

Viet Nam and New Zealand set up diplomatic relations in 1975. Viet Nam is New Zealands 16th largest trade partner with the two-way trade hitting about US$1.2 billion in 2017. The two nations aim to raise bilateral trade to $1.7 billion by 2020, making economic co-operation a pillar of their relationship.

Meanwhile, Viet Nam and Australia celebrated the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic ties early this year.

The two nations are enjoying sound bilateral trade with average annual growth standing at 12.5 per cent and trade value hitting over $9 billion last year. Australia has landed 378 projects valued at $1.7 billion in Viet Nam, focusing on industry and construction, services, education, processing industry and agro-forestry-fisheries sectors.  VNS
Beginning this month, doctors must write the identification number of a parent or supervisor on all prescriptions for outpatients under 72 months old, according to a new decree issued by Ministry of Health (MoH).  Photo sggp.org.vn

HA NOI  Beginning this month, doctors must write the identification number of a parent or supervisor on all prescriptions for outpatients under 72 months old, according to a new decree issued by Ministry of Health (MoH).

Cao Hung Thai, deputy head of Department of Medical Examination Management under MoH, told the Vietnam News Agency that for outpatients under 72 months old, parents or supervisors had to bring along identification cards when taking their children to medical facilities.

Therefore, a prescription fully filled with the information of a child patients parent or supervisor, including address and identification number, allows any of his or her relatives to buy medicines at pharmacies, he said.

According to Thai, the new policy aims to ensure safe use of medicine, help patients track their treatment expenses and uphold legality in medical services.

He also stressed the significance of the decree in managing the processing of giving prescriptions and selling medicines, especially when antibiotic abuse and overuse are still common in Viet Nam .

Most child patients under six years old are taken to hospital by their parents or relative so I think it is possible to include their information in patients prescriptions, he said.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Tien Dung, former head of Bach Mai Hospital Pediatric Department, opined that the policy was not really necessary as the State budget grants free health insurance cards for all children under six years old. Other pediatric doctors told the agency that they would follow the policy but also report to MoH when finding its drawbacks.

Moreover, the new decree on prescription and prescribing for outpatients also asks doctors to accurately fill items in prescriptions or in the medical records of patients and write patients addresses on their prescriptions.  VNS


HA NOI  The cornea donated by 7-year-old girl Nguyen Hai An were transplanted to two people  a 73-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man  on February 26, 2018, four days after the young girls death.

An, the second-youngest person to donate a cornea in the country so far, agreed with her mother Nguyen Tran Thuy Duong to donate her cornea before she died of a brain tumor. Her mother wanted to continue to see her daughters eyes in the coming years.

Duong, 33 years old, from Ha Nois Nam Tu Liem District, on Monday afternoon received two special guests.

I didnt expect the man who received Ans cornea to phone me. The two receivers were discharged from the hospital in the afternoon and they want to visit my house to burn incense sticks for An, Duong said.

After the phone call, I burst into tear. I have mixed feelings, becoming both excited and anxious, Duong said, adding that she was afraid that she was not brave enough to meet the receivers.

Before their visit, Duong said that she went to National Hospital of Ophthalmology to find her daughter eyes again but she could not meet the cornea receivers because the hospital kept relevant information a secret.

The two cornea receivers arrived at Duongs house on Monday afternoon. Seeing an old woman wearing glasses walk unsteadily outside, Duong rushed to hold her arm and led her to the house.

Then, they went to the altar on which there is a portrait of little girl An.

While Duong was burning incense sticks, she was also talking to An:  My dear, these are uncle and grandmother. They come to visit you.

The old woman and the middle-aged man stood before the altar. The woman said that they were very grateful to An for helping them to see light again.

The 73-year-old woman has cornea scarring and had been unable to see since she was 60 years old.

In the last 12 years, her grandchildren were born and growing up but she could not see them, just touch or hear them.

After the cornea transplant, especially when the doctor removed the bandage on right eye, I can see my children who look much older. I also can see my grandchildren for the first time, the woman said.

Im lucky to receive Ans cornea. When I die, I want to donate the cornea, too, she said.

Another cornea receiver  the 42-year-old man born with a cataract  said that he had heard about the cornea donation of a 7-year-old girl.

He also said that he was very happy when his doctor informed that he would be one of two people who get Ans cornea.

Its like I was born for second time, he said, adding that he would take care of the eye carefully and was willing to donate it after death.

Duong, who is also a doctor, checked the eyes of the two special guests, asking them to take medicines on time and strictly follow doctors advice.

More organ donors

Viet Nam s organ transplant center has seen a sharp surge in the number of people registering to donate organs after Ans inspiring story.

Two weeks after Ans cornea donation, the National Coordinating Center for Human Organ Transplantation in Ha Noi and HCM City received more than 420 registrations to donate organs, making the total number of registrations since the beginning of this year up to more than 600. Hundreds of people called the centres phone numbers or sent emails asking for organ donation consultation.

Vice head of the centre Nguyen Hoang Phuc said that there was a sudden surge in the number of registers.

He said that the centre was established in 2013. As of last year, it had received the registration of 11, 835 donors.

Phuc said that there were reasons for the modest number of donors. Among the reasons is the thought that sick people, especially people with cancer, were not qualified to donate organs.

Phuc said that cancer patients could donate cornea after their deaths. In Viet Nam , some cancer patients have done so and their corneas adapted well to transplant recipients.

According to the National Hospital of Ophthalmology, about 1,000 patients are on a list of people waiting for cornea transplant. On average, 300 people are added to the list yearly while just 200 people have the chance to get a cornea transplant each year.

Hanh Phuc, host of Chuyen ong 24h (Moving 24h) Programme on Viet Nam Television (VTV) is one of the donors inspired by little girl An.

He registered to donate his cornea after he dies, Lao ong ( The Labour) newspaper reported.

Phuc said that he was strongly inspired by the life and brave action of An.

He added that he wanted to help change the ideas about death which made people hesitate to donate their organs.

People believe that if some one died without part of their body, they would be disabled in the after-death world, but no evidence has proved it so far, Phuc said.

Phuc said that the law of Cause and Effect in Buddhism states that people will get what they give.

So, lets do good things for others, Phuc said.

On February 27, the National Coordinating Center for Human Organ Transplantation in Ha Noi received Vo Thanh Hai from the Viet Nam Academy of Military Technology and his wife Tran Thi Thanh Huyen who came to register to donate their organs after death.

They had both decided to register to donate organs after reading about Ans cornea donation.

According to the organ transplant centre, communication activities that call for and encourage people to donate organs face a major difficulty as donors dont want their names to be public.

Families of donors even have to suffer notoriety that they sell organs for money.

Meanwhile, the demand for donated organs is very high in Viet Nam . There are about 6,000 people nationwide who need a kidney transplant. Some 3,000 blind people with cornea-related diseases need cornea replacement.

As of last year, over 11,000 people had registered to donate their organs after death or when they are brain dead. This compares to zero donors in 2013. However, this is still a limited number, given the population of more than 90 million.  VNS
HA NOI  Two leading female scientists, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Van Khanh and Assoc. Prof. Dr. inh Thi Bich Lan, received the Kovalevskaya Award yesterday for their contributions to science and society.

A study on gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) by Khanh, which supports the prenatal diagnosis of DMD to prevent genetic disorders, earned her the prestigious award.



Khanh, born in 1973, is head of the Faculty of Molecular Pathology and Deputy Director of the Gene-Protein Research Centre under the Hanoi Medical University. She has attained several achievements in research on gene therapy and prenatal diagnosis of genetic diseases.



The results of her study on gene therapy for DMD won high praise from the Ministry of Science and Technology and were also publicised in foreign science magazines.



To date, her genetic therapy has been carried out on 1,000 patients and their family members to help detect people who carry the genetic diseases and avoid high-risk pregnancies.



DMD is the most common fatal genetic disease that affects approximately one in every 3,500 new-born boys. A steady decline in muscle strength occurs between the ages of 6 and 11, and by 12 years old many children are confined to a wheelchair. People with Duchenne have shorter lives, with most will not survive past the age of 20 due to heart and breathing problems.

Another similar research on Hemophilia A, a genetic deficiency which causes increased bleeding commonly observed among males, is being conducted by Khanh and her team. Not only has their scientific work brought hope to many families with genetic disorders, it will significantly reduce the cost of treatment and procedures. Families who reportedly had to spend up to US$25,000 abroad would have access to the same treatment in domestic hospitals for as low as a third of the amount.

Another winner of the prestigious award this year is Assoc. Prof. Dr. inh Thi Bich Lan, a lecturer from central Hue Universitys biotechnology department.

Lans work has resulted in the creation of vaccines that can prevent a number of diseases including Toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by parasitic alveolate commonly found among livestock, that may cause miscarriages and hydrocephalus in humans. Lans quick test kits also have proven to be an affordable and effective disease diagnosis on the ground, which can be used by anyone.

The Kovalevskaya Award is an annual ceremony to honour the most outstanding female scientists who have gained remarkable achievements in the research and application of science.



The prestigious prize is named after the Russian female mathematician, Sofia Kovalevskaya, and is awarded by the fund of the same name. The fund operates in eight countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.  VNS
HA NOI  When it comes to making use of resources, we are all looking for new ways to organise society. There is no model to duplicate, so we need to develop our own, stressed Swedish Ambassador for Climate Change, Lars Ronnas, at a press conference hosted by the Swedish Embassy in Ha Noi on Tuesday.

At the event, the Swedish delegation to Viet Nam International Water Week 2018 briefed on their experiences and showed their willingness to collaborate with Viet Nam in water resources protection and climate change resistance. Technological innovations were suggested as the most sustainable way to tackle environmental issues. According to the ambassador, smart solutions helped Sweden grow the economy while reducing greenhouse emissions in 2017.

Viet Nam is among Swedens targets in terms of governance and management of water resources for sustainable development as part of a global programme by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. The programme aims to minimise the impacts of climate change and secure livelihoods for vulnerable groups, according to Jakob Granit, the agencys director general.

He also touched upon Source-to-Sea (S2S), a comprehensive approach concerning policy, planning and decision making that considers the entire social, ecological and economic system from source to sea for sustainable development. The approach encourages the stronger engagement of civil society organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders in actions for the environment.

Civil engagement in water resources protection should be encouraged by CSOs, suggested Birgitta Liss Lymer from Stockholm International Water Institute. The Stockholm Water Prize initiated by the organisation has become a hub for environmental innovations which welcomed the participation of the Vietnamese team in 2012.

Therefore, she expressed high hopes for more intensive engagement by Viet Nam in water perseveration in the near future.

Both of our countries are moving from a period of water abundance to more water scarcity as a result of climate change. It is necessary to improve the management of water demand through pricing as Viet Nam has the lowest price on water in ASEAN to promote water use efficiency and water re-use, she said.

On March 4, under the framework of Viet Nam International Water Week, Tran Quy Kien, deputy minister of Natural Resources and Environment, had a meeting with the Swedish delegation led by Ronnas. On the occasion, Kien showed his desire to accelerate the strategic partnerships with Swedish agencies in effectively implementing environmental protection activities.

It is estimated that in 2018, there are about 4.5 million Vietnamese people suffering shortages of clean water.

Tap water access in the context of rapid population growth is one of the crucial issues discussed during the international water week from March 4 to 8.  VNS
BINH DUONG  Police in the southern Binh Duong Province arrested two persons on Wednesday during a car chase, which left two policemen seriously injured.

The incident occurred on Wednesday morning when a traffic patrol team from the provincial traffic police office was patrolling on My Phuoc - Tan Van Street. They noticed suspicious signs in an Innova car and ordered the driver to stop.

As the driver ignored the request and drove away, the patrol officers used two special motorbikes to chase the car.

However, a Ford suddenly crashed into the motorbikes from behind, seriously injuring the two officers who were then transported to the hospital for treatment.

Later, more than 30 policemen and special vehicles were dispatched to pursue the drivers.

The chase lasted for nearly 20km before the driver of the Innova was stopped.

The Fords driver tried to escape towards ong Nai Province. But the car hit a street lamp post when it arrived at an area near Tan Binh Ward, adjacent to ong Nai Province.

The two drivers have been taken into custody.

Thousands of packets of smuggled cigarettes were found inside the cars.

Binh Duong Police said they were investigating the case.  VNS
HCM CITY  A drug dealer of a cocaine ring, who underwent plastic surgery for six years to escape the police, has been arrested.

o Thanh Nam, 30, is believed to be the main suspect in a huge drug smuggling case, which has been investigated by Quang Ninh police since 2012, online newspaper zing.vn reported.

This is the largest ring in the history of drug crimes, led by a woman named Nguyen Bich Ngoc.

So far, the investigation agency has prosecuted 147 defendants and seized 112 cakes of heroin, 115,000 synthetic drugs and more than VN20 billion (US$888,900).

Upon investigation, police identified Ngoc and her ring members transporting more than 32,000 cakes of heroin, 500,000 tablets of synthetic drugs and 40kg of crystal methaphetamine.

Ngoc and other members of the ring were arrested, but Nam managed to flee. Police in Quang Ninh province has been on his trail since the end of 2012.

During his hiding, Nam headed an organisation to transport drugs from the northern province of Son La to Ha Noi and then to Cao Bang Province.

In September 2017, Ha Noi police busted this organisation. They arrested three members and seized 15 cakes of heroin, a gun and a grenade.

Nam, however, managed to escape again, so there was a second special arrest warrant for drug trafficking issued against him.

To avoid being apprehended by the police, Nam changed his name. He took on different names and forged personal identification documents. He even underwent numerous plastic surgeries to avoid arrest.

According to police, Nam was arrested while hiding in a hostel in HCM City.

In the past six years, he had cut off all contact with the outside world. Food, or any other information, was exchanged through his girlfriends driver, a police official said.

Police are further investigating the case.  VNS
Those of us interested in military history, and most particularly the naval battles of WWII, watched in awe on Monday when images of the sunken aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV 2) and a number her aircraft began appearing in the news. An expedition, led by Microsoft co-founder, Paul G. Allen, had discovered their final resting place under nearly two miles of water in the Coral Sea some 500 miles off Australias northeast coast. The mighty carrier went down following the Battle of the Coral Sea in early May, 1942, scuttled by the American fleet due to irreparable damage.

The sight of the ships name LEXINGTON still showing proudly on the warship, was profoundly moving, but for the aviation historians among us, it was the images of three separate Douglas TBD-1 Devastators which was maybe the biggest surprise. There is not one single example of a Devastator in preservation, and to see these substantially intact survivors, with their markings almost perfectly preserved, was truly remarkable. Another image showed a Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat with four victory markings and the famous Felix the Cat emblem of VF-3 on the cockpit sides. Altogether the expedition discovered the remains of seven TBD Devastators, three SBD Dauntless and a single F4F Wildcat.

The following press release is worth reading to learn more about the expedition

Wreckage from the USS Lexington (CV-2) Located in the Coral Sea 76 Years after the Aircraft Carrier was Sunk During World War II

Expedition Led by Microsoft Co-founder and Philanthropist Paul G. Allen is another Historic Success

Seattle, WA, March 5, 2018  Wreckage from the USS Lexington was discovered on March 4, 2018, by the expedition crew of Research Vessel (R/V) Petrel, which is owned by Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul G. Allen. The Lexington was found 3,000 meters (approximately two miles) below the surface, resting on the floor of the Coral Sea more than 500 miles off the eastern coast of Australia.

To pay tribute to the USS Lexington and the brave men that served on her is an honor, Mr. Allen said. As Americans, all of us owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who served and who continue to serve our country for their courage, persistence and sacrifice.

As one of the first U.S. aircraft carriers ever built, the Lexington became known as Lady Lex and went down with 35 aircraft on board.

Lexington was on our priority list because she was one of the capital ships that was lost during WWII, said Robert Kraft, director of subsea operations for Mr. Allen. Based on geography, time of year and other factors, I work together with Paul Allen to determine what missions to pursue. Weve been planning to locate the Lexington for about six months and it came together nicely.

The USS Lexington was originally commissioned as a battlecruiser but was launched as an aircraft carrier in 1925. She took part in the Battle of the Coral Sea (May 4-8, 1942) along with the USS Yorktown against three Japanese carriers. This was the first carrier versus carrier battle in history and was the first time Japanese forces suffered a permanent setback in its advances on New Guinea and Australia. However, the U.S. lost the Lexington and 216 of its distinguished crew.

The Lexington had been hit by multiple torpedoes and bombs on May 8, but it was a secondary explosion causing uncontrolled fires that finally warranted the call to abandon ship. The USS Phelps delivered the final torpedoes that sank the crippled Lady Lex, the first aircraft carrier casualty in [American Ed.] history. With other U.S. ships standing by, 2,770 crewmen and officers were rescued, including the captain and his dog Wags, the ships ever-present mascot.

During the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Japanese navy sank USS Lexington (CV-2), USS Sims (DD-409), and USS Neosho (AO-23), and damaged the USS Yorktown. The Japanese lost one light carrier (Shoho) and suffered significant damage to a fleet carrier (Shokaku).

As we look back on our Navy throughout its history, we see evidence of an incredible amount of heroism and sacrifice. The actions of Sailors from our past inspire us today, said Sam Cox, Director of the Naval History and Heritage Command and retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. So many ships, so many battles, so many acts of valor help inform what we do now.

The Battle of the Coral Sea was notable not only for stopping a Japanese advance but because it was the first naval engagement in history where opposing ships never came within sight of each other. This battle ushered in a new form of naval warfare via carrier-based airplanes. One month later, the U.S. Navy surprised Japanese forces at the Battle of Midway, and turned the tide of the war in the Pacific for good.

Based on some initial success with his M/Y Octopus, Mr. Allen acquired and retrofitted the 250-foot R/V Petrel with state-of-the-art subsea equipment capable of diving to 6,000 meters (or three and a half miles). Since its deployment in early 2017, the ship was active in several missions in the Philippine Sea before its transition to the Coral Sea off the Australian Coast.

Allen-led expeditions have also resulted in the discovery of the USS Indianapolis (August 2017), USS Ward (November 2017), USS Astoria (February 2015), Japanese battleship Musashi (March 2015) and the Italian WWII destroyer Artigliere (March 2017). His team was also responsible for retrieving the ships bell from the HMS Hood for presentation to the British Navy in honor of its heroic service. Mr. Allens expedition team was permanently transferred to the newly acquired and retrofitted R/V Petrel in 2016 with a specific mission around research, exploration and survey of historic warships and other important artifacts.

 press release end.

Seeing such historic aircraft in such excellent condition must make them seem ripe for recovery to some. This was definitely not the intent of the present mission though, which was purely to find and pay tribute to the Lexington and her crew. But if a salvage operation were mounted, we must remember that it would have to take place some 10,000 under water, which would make any such endeavor almost prohibitively challenging, not to mention expensive. And even if the aircraft could be raised, an extensive and complex anticorrosion effort would need to take place as soon as they surfaced, otherwise the exposed metal would soon crumble into dust. Then there is the thorny issue regarding the legality of recovering them. All of these details are going to be nigh on impossible to negotiate, which is why the aircraft will likely remain where they are. So close, and yet so far.

Regardless, the efforts of Paul Allen and his team to locate and document these historic artifacts are magnificent, and justifiably lauded. It is a grand adventure back in time, and we are lucky enough to share some of the ride. Bravo Mr. Allen!

WarbirdsNews wishes to offer our profuse thanks to Cory Graff and Michelle Donoghue of Paul Allens Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum for making these images available to us, and also to Paul Allen himself for making it all possible.

*Note: Some images have been brightened and color-corrected to compensate for the yellow lighting source, and more closely represent the colors of those artifacts depicted.
Tim Gill has an article in today's Washington Post about U.S. meddling in Latin American elections. He notes U.S. officials participating in some manner in Venezuelan, Bolivian, and Nicaraguan elections, pointing out that supporting the military is not the only, or even main, avenue. There are strategy meetings, funding, etc. for opposition parties.



The interesting thing is that the U.S. failed in all three cases.





The failed efforts in these three countries against different popularly elected candidates show that the United States hasnt stopped trying to undermine leftist Latin American leaders. But even failed efforts undoubtedly generate conditions more conducive to a pendulum shift to the right. And indeed, we have recently witnessed leftist governments displaced in Argentina, Brazil and Honduras.

Now, at least part of the conditions for the pendulum shift are also corruption and economic decline, but it would be fascinating to think about how to isolate the effect of meddling itself. It would be tough.I wonder whether, even when looking at the U.S. for comparison, that a broader effect is decreased support for democracy itself. Faced with a flood of negative stories, rumors of manipulation, etc. voters simply see elections themselves as less legitimate.We could also hypothesize that it prompts the targeted leaders to be more authoritarian. We make fun of Nicolas Maduro for paranoia, but he does have reason to be paranoid. As Tim shows, there is ample public evidence of meddling and we do not know what is also being done covertly.His concluding point, though, is important whether or not the meddling succeeds. We are outraged at Russian interference, yet casual about interfering elsewhere . Why? Because we're exceptional and always do things for the right reasons. And that's a big part of the problem.
Stinging rebuke for Biden's "boosters for all" plan
past daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (14) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (10) Jul 22 (11) Jul 19 (16) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (10) Jul 15 (13) Jul 12 (7) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (11) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (8) Jun 28 (7) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (8) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (9) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (9) Jun 18 (8) Jun 15 (9) Jun 13 (13) Jun 11 (11) Jun 09 (19) Jun 06 (10) Jun 04 (10) Jun 03 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (5) May 30 (5) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (7) May 26 (6) May 25 (4) May 23 (6) May 22 (6) May 21 (4) May 20 (7) May 19 (9) May 18 (4) May 17 (6) May 16 (5) May 15 (7) May 14 (3) May 13 (3) May 12 (9) May 10 (3) May 09 (7) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (5) May 05 (8) May 03 (9) May 02 (1) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (8) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (5) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (1) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (2) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (2) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (2) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (7) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (6) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (10) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (5) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (7) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (8) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (12) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (8) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (8) Feb 28 (7) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (6) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (6) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (1) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (6) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (6) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (2) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (8) Jan 30 (2) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (1) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (4) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (2) Jan 20 (2) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (6) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 05 (5) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (1) Dec 31 (5) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (2) Dec 17 (1) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (2) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (2) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (1) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (5) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (5) Nov 29 (10) Nov 28 (6) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (6) Nov 19 (2) Nov 18 (5) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (5) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (9) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (6) Oct 22 (4) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (4) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (1) Oct 06 (10) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (1) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (6) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (6) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (5) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (8) Sep 05 (6) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (5) Aug 31 (8) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (6) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (7) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (7) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (8) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (8) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (8) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (10) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (1) Jul 16 (10) Jul 14 (7) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (7) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (4) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (7) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (2) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (5) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (4) Jun 15 (3) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (8) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (10) Jun 05 (14) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (6) Jun 02 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (7) May 30 (2) May 29 (7) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (4) May 25 (5) May 24 (4) May 23 (5) May 22 (5) May 21 (5) May 20 (3) May 19 (10) May 18 (6) May 17 (3) May 16 (6) May 15 (2) May 14 (3) May 13 (5) May 11 (1) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (4) May 07 (2) May 06 (4) May 05 (6) May 04 (5) May 03 (5) May 02 (1) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (7) Apr 28 (8) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (14) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (1) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (1) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (1) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (2) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (6) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (9) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (9) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (13) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (6) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (9) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (9) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (10) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (2) Feb 03 (8) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (5) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (7) Jan 26 (8) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (6) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (6) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (12) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (8) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (7) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (9) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (8) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (4) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (5) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (1) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (10) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (12) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (6) Dec 08 (7) Dec 07 (12) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (13) Dec 04 (6) Dec 02 (8) Dec 01 (8) Nov 30 (6) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (8) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (11) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (7) Nov 17 (6) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (5) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (14) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (11) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (10) Nov 01 (8) Oct 31 (12) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (5) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (13) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (8) Oct 22 (5) Oct 21 (11) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (10) Oct 12 (11) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (10) Oct 09 (7) Oct 08 (5) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (14) Oct 04 (9) Oct 03 (12) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (9) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (7) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (10) Sep 21 (12) Sep 20 (12) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (11) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (8) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (10) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (9) Sep 07 (8) Sep 06 (11) Sep 05 (2) Sep 04 (8) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (9) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (4) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (2) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (6) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (6) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (7) Aug 06 (7) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (11) Aug 02 (6) Aug 01 (9) Jul 31 (11) Jul 28 (7) Jul 27 (11) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (7) Jul 15 (4) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (5) Jul 06 (6) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (3) Jun 30 (8) Jun 29 (5) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (7) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (6) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (7) Jun 05 (5) Jun 04 (7) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (9) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (8) May 30 (7) May 29 (5) May 28 (5) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (3) May 23 (5) May 22 (2) May 21 (3) May 20 (7) May 19 (11) May 18 (1) May 17 (7) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (4) May 11 (11) May 10 (2) May 09 (6) May 08 (6) May 07 (2) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (5) May 03 (8) May 02 (4) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (13) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (2) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (9) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (2) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (6) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (2) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (6) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (9) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (6) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (8) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (6) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (6) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (9) Feb 24 (11) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (7) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (6) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (2) Feb 12 (5) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (10) Feb 08 (9) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (2) Feb 05 (9) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (7) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (7) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (14) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (10) Jan 18 (11) Jan 17 (9) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (10) Jan 06 (8) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (5) Jan 01 (14) Dec 30 (13) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (5) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (7) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (5) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (9) Dec 16 (8) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (17) Dec 09 (8) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (10) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (7) Nov 30 (9) Nov 29 (6) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (15) Nov 24 (7) Nov 23 (15) Nov 22 (9) Nov 21 (6) Nov 20 (11) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (13) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (7) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (13) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (4) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (8) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (8) Nov 01 (6) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (15) Oct 26 (10) Oct 25 (10) Oct 24 (13) Oct 23 (9) Oct 21 (8) Oct 20 (13) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (8) Oct 16 (14) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (13) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (15) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (11) Oct 05 (18) Oct 04 (14) Oct 03 (1) Oct 02 (10) Sep 30 (11) Sep 29 (11) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (15) Sep 26 (7) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (17) Sep 20 (20) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (11) Sep 16 (10) Sep 15 (12) Sep 14 (9) Sep 13 (12) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (8) Sep 09 (9) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (13) Sep 06 (15) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (10) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (12) Aug 31 (14) Aug 30 (14) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (8) Aug 27 (9) Aug 26 (12) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (6) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (11) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (5) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (9) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (8) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (6) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (6) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (15) Jul 15 (14) Jul 14 (5) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (12) Jul 11 (8) Jul 10 (3) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (10) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (10) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (7) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (11) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (14) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (8) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (11) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (16) Jun 03 (8) Jun 02 (12) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (7) May 30 (15) May 28 (7) May 27 (5) May 26 (21) May 25 (14) May 24 (10) May 23 (7) May 22 (8) May 21 (11) May 20 (5) May 19 (4) May 18 (10) May 17 (11) May 16 (5) May 15 (6) May 14 (7) May 13 (12) May 12 (10) May 11 (7) May 10 (13) May 09 (4) May 08 (7) May 07 (3) May 06 (6) May 05 (9) May 04 (14) May 03 (7) May 02 (10) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (8) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (14) Apr 22 (16) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (16) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (11) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (8) Apr 10 (12) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (13) Apr 07 (9) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (15) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (15) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (11) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (10) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (12) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (8) Mar 24 (7) Mar 23 (15) Mar 22 (17) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (8) Mar 19 (4) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (19) Mar 15 (13) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (20) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (13) Mar 08 (13) Mar 07 (7) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (16) Mar 02 (16) Mar 01 (13) Feb 29 (8) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (16) Feb 26 (10) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (12) Feb 23 (14) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (12) Feb 18 (12) Feb 17 (11) Feb 16 (8) Feb 15 (9) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (10) Feb 12 (11) Feb 11 (13) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (13) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (19) Jan 31 (21) Jan 29 (11) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (13) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (2) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (13) Jan 21 (11) Jan 20 (9) Jan 19 (13) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (11) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (13) Jan 13 (9) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (7) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (7) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (8) Jan 01 (5) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (9) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (1) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (6) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (13) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (10) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (11) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (9) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (10) Dec 08 (13) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (8) Dec 04 (11) Dec 03 (12) Dec 02 (16) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (11) Nov 28 (15) Nov 27 (16) Nov 26 (11) Nov 25 (9) Nov 24 (13) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (1) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (10) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (10) Nov 13 (14) Nov 12 (8) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (12) Nov 05 (17) Nov 04 (12) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (12) Oct 31 (11) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (10) Oct 28 (18) Oct 27 (16) Oct 26 (11) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (12) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (12) Oct 20 (17) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (15) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (10) Oct 14 (16) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (12) Oct 09 (21) Oct 08 (22) Oct 07 (19) Oct 06 (18) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (17) Oct 03 (13) Oct 02 (14) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (14) Sep 29 (15) Sep 28 (12) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (15) Sep 25 (13) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (10) Sep 22 (12) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (4) Sep 19 (12) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (16) Sep 16 (21) Sep 15 (14) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (10) Sep 11 (16) Sep 10 (7) Sep 09 (8) Sep 08 (10) Sep 07 (7) Sep 06 (5) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (9) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (10) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (14) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (13) Aug 20 (9) Aug 19 (13) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (8) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (12) Aug 11 (9) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (14) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (1) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (6) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (2) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (6) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (6) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (9) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (1) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (13) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (7) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (9) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (3) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (7) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (11) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (8) Jun 03 (9) Jun 02 (6) Jun 01 (4) May 30 (7) May 29 (9) May 28 (13) May 26 (8) May 25 (5) May 24 (2) May 23 (8) May 22 (9) May 21 (7) May 20 (4) May 19 (6) May 18 (7) May 17 (8) May 15 (9) May 14 (5) May 13 (8) May 12 (6) May 11 (6) May 09 (7) May 08 (6) May 07 (11) May 06 (7) May 05 (4) May 04 (11) May 03 (5) May 02 (4) May 01 (9) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (9) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (10) Apr 22 (8) Apr 21 (9) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (4) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (6) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (6) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (5) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (2) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (7) Apr 02 (7) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (1) Mar 28 (2) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (2) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (6) Mar 20 (9) Mar 19 (9) Mar 18 (8) Mar 17 (9) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (11) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (12) Mar 11 (9) Mar 10 (12) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (5) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (11) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (8) Feb 27 (9) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (8) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (10) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (7) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (2) Feb 14 (8) Feb 13 (12) Feb 12 (8) Feb 11 (10) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (2) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (12) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (8) Jan 26 (13) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (12) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (10) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (11) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (4) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (3) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (8) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (9) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (10) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (10) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (9) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (10) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (1) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (9) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (7) Nov 25 (12) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (6) Nov 18 (10) Nov 17 (12) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (12) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (7) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (9) Nov 03 (6) Nov 02 (14) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (9) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (8) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (2) Oct 19 (11) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (7) Oct 15 (7) Oct 14 (8) Oct 13 (5) Oct 12 (8) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (5) Oct 09 (11) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (8) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (10) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (7) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (5) Sep 27 (8) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (11) Sep 24 (15) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (10) Sep 17 (10) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (8) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (7) Sep 02 (7) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (5) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (9) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (12) Aug 19 (8) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (8) Aug 11 (7) Aug 10 (12) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (12) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (8) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (8) Jul 20 (6) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (8) Jul 17 (2) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (9) Jul 13 (10) Jul 11 (9) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (7) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (7) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (15) Jun 26 (10) Jun 25 (9) Jun 24 (16) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (12) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (13) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (14) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (16) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (18) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (8) May 31 (3) May 30 (6) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (6) May 23 (4) May 22 (8) May 21 (5) May 20 (6) May 19 (2) May 18 (9) May 17 (1) May 16 (5) May 15 (5) May 14 (7) May 13 (7) May 12 (7) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (5) May 08 (10) May 07 (4) May 06 (13) May 05 (4) May 04 (10) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (9) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (9) Apr 24 (7) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (10) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (7) Apr 14 (11) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (9) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (6) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (10) Apr 03 (9) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (8) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (8) Mar 22 (7) Mar 21 (14) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (11) Mar 17 (12) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (8) Mar 14 (13) Mar 13 (8) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (8) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (3) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (15) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (12) Mar 02 (20) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (11) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (14) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (8) Feb 16 (11) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (7) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (6) Feb 07 (5) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (2) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (2) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (7) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (7) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (4) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (3) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (1) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 27 (1) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (8) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (1) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (7) Dec 09 (5) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (9) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (2) Dec 01 (8) Nov 29 (5) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (5) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (5) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (12) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (12) Nov 11 (6) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (9) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (11) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (7) Oct 26 (7) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (7) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (2) Oct 21 (7) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (7) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (20) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (21) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (34) Oct 04 (24) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (7) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (5) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (5) Sep 26 (6) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (2) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (9) Sep 19 (11) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (6) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (11) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (6) Sep 06 (10) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (5) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (8) Aug 31 (5) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (7) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (8) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (7) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (6) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (7) Jul 23 (10) Jul 22 (8) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (7) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (10) Jul 16 (11) Jul 15 (5) Jul 13 (5) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (12) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (8) Jul 03 (10) Jul 02 (12) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (23) Jun 27 (18) Jun 26 (12) Jun 25 (14) Jun 24 (15) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (15) Jun 20 (9) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (11) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (6) Jun 15 (6) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (9) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (2) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (3) May 30 (5) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (8) May 24 (7) May 23 (6) May 22 (9) May 21 (6) May 20 (5) May 19 (6) May 18 (9) May 17 (10) May 16 (11) May 15 (5) May 14 (11) May 13 (6) May 12 (7) May 11 (7) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (10) May 07 (8) May 06 (11) May 05 (5) May 04 (9) May 03 (3) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (5) Apr 29 (8) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (10) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (10) Apr 16 (8) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (11) Apr 11 (6) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (9) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (6) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (5) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (9) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (10) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (2) Mar 10 (1) Mar 09 (6) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (6) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (9) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (1) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (7) Feb 11 (2) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (5) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (9) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (3) Feb 02 (10) Feb 01 (9) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (5) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (8) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (1) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (1) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (2) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (8) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (6) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (8) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (4) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (7) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (7) Dec 02 (1) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (16) Nov 27 (7) Nov 26 (5) Nov 25 (2) Nov 24 (6) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (15) Nov 19 (8) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (5) Nov 08 (8) Nov 07 (9) Nov 06 (9) Nov 05 (1) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (8) Nov 02 (6) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (8) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (1) Oct 22 (6) Oct 21 (1) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (10) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (15) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (7) Oct 10 (1) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (8) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (8) Sep 24 (8) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (9) Sep 20 (7) Sep 19 (8) Sep 18 (4) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (7) Sep 12 (7) Sep 11 (9) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (10) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (15) Sep 04 (5) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (7) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (11) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (15) Aug 24 (6) Aug 23 (8) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (7) Aug 19 (2) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (9) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (7) Aug 07 (9) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (11) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (5) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (6) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (8) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (14) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (8) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (14) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (12) Jun 15 (12) Jun 14 (10) Jun 13 (10) Jun 12 (9) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (12) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (12) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (3) May 25 (5) May 24 (9) May 23 (16) May 22 (12) May 21 (11) May 20 (7) May 19 (10) May 18 (8) May 17 (8) May 16 (10) May 15 (8) May 14 (5) May 13 (1) May 12 (6) May 11 (9) May 10 (9) May 09 (10) May 08 (9) May 07 (6) May 06 (5) May 05 (7) May 04 (10) May 03 (7) May 02 (9) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (12) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (9) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (2) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (10) Apr 14 (7) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (7) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (8) Apr 05 (8) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (6) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (11) Mar 30 (12) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (9) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (12) Mar 20 (14) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (8) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (12) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (8) Feb 29 (11) Feb 28 (5) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (13) Feb 25 (10) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (10) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (18) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (5) Feb 16 (9) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (8) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (10) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (12) Jan 30 (7) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (7) Jan 27 (12) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (11) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (6) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (12) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (6) Jan 17 (11) Jan 16 (9) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (9) Jan 10 (10) Jan 09 (5) Jan 08 (10) Jan 07 (5) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (10) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (7) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (9) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (8) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (1) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (6) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (13) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (7) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (7) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (9) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (7) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (8) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (10) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (10) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (8) Nov 17 (9) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (12) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (7) Nov 07 (8) Nov 06 (10) Nov 05 (8) Nov 04 (7) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (11) Nov 01 (10) Oct 31 (5) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (8) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (5) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (11) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (7) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (9) Oct 14 (7) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (8) Oct 09 (9) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (12) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (13) Oct 04 (11) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (14) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (12) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (7) Sep 25 (10) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (8) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (7) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (14) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (11) Sep 14 (13) Sep 13 (11) Sep 12 (9) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (13) Sep 08 (11) Sep 07 (11) Sep 06 (16) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (8) Sep 01 (7) Aug 31 (1) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (5) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (7) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (12) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (13) Jul 28 (10) Jul 27 (6) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (12) Jul 22 (14) Jul 21 (6) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (12) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (6) Jul 15 (8) Jul 14 (15) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (6) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (9) Jul 06 (15) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (10) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (11) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (11) Jun 24 (9) Jun 23 (10) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (8) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (15) Jun 17 (8) Jun 16 (13) Jun 15 (15) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (6) Jun 12 (15) Jun 11 (7) Jun 10 (7) Jun 09 (18) Jun 08 (20) Jun 07 (17) Jun 06 (9) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (12) Jun 03 (13) Jun 02 (14) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (13) May 30 (8) May 29 (6) May 28 (8) May 27 (17) May 26 (8) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (9) May 22 (4) May 21 (4) May 20 (11) May 19 (14) May 18 (6) May 17 (10) May 16 (4) May 15 (5) May 14 (28) May 12 (9) May 11 (17) May 10 (15) May 09 (12) May 08 (5) May 07 (4) May 06 (10) May 05 (8) May 04 (10) May 03 (5) May 02 (6) May 01 (8) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (12) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (5) Apr 22 (10) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (13) Apr 19 (11) Apr 18 (11) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (11) Apr 14 (17) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (16) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (1) Apr 09 (18) Apr 08 (14) Apr 07 (6) Apr 06 (10) Apr 05 (21) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (13) Apr 01 (8) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (11) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (10) Mar 23 (12) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (8) Mar 20 (4) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (9) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (14) Mar 11 (13) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (17) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (7) Mar 05 (13) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (14) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (18) Feb 28 (8) Feb 27 (2) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (13) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (13) Feb 22 (12) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (16) Feb 18 (17) Feb 17 (15) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (15) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (8) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (15) Feb 10 (11) Feb 09 (13) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (15) Feb 04 (15) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (14) Feb 01 (15) Jan 31 (11) Jan 30 (9) Jan 29 (19) Jan 28 (9) Jan 27 (9) Jan 26 (16) Jan 25 (19) Jan 24 (17) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (15) Jan 21 (9) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (12) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (14) Jan 12 (11) Jan 11 (13) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (20) Jan 07 (11) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (14) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (14) Dec 30 (15) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (10) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (11) Dec 24 (9) Dec 23 (9) Dec 22 (15) Dec 21 (12) Dec 20 (11) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (6) Dec 16 (12) Dec 15 (14) Dec 14 (11) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (17) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (12) Dec 07 (16) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (5) Dec 04 (12) Dec 03 (15) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (12) Nov 30 (16) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (13) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (15) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (8) Nov 19 (9) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (9) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (10) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (7) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (14) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (13) Nov 01 (9) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (18) Oct 28 (13) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (12) Oct 25 (14) Oct 24 (20) Oct 22 (18) Oct 21 (18) Oct 20 (19) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (18) Oct 15 (8) Oct 14 (11) Oct 13 (9) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (27) Oct 08 (14) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (10) Oct 03 (6) Oct 02 (9) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (13) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (9) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (14) Sep 24 (4) Sep 23 (14) Sep 22 (20) Sep 21 (11) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (14) Sep 17 (8) Sep 16 (17) Sep 15 (6) Sep 14 (11) Sep 13 (9) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (14) Sep 09 (12) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (9) Sep 04 (20) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (16) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (13) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (11) Aug 25 (10) Aug 24 (14) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (13) Aug 21 (10) Aug 20 (13) Aug 19 (15) Aug 18 (8) Aug 17 (10) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (11) Aug 13 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (10) Aug 10 (17) Aug 09 (6) Aug 08 (13) Aug 07 (11) Aug 06 (13) Aug 05 (11) Aug 04 (11) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (10) Jul 30 (21) Jul 29 (14) Jul 28 (13) Jul 27 (16) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (15) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (15) Jul 21 (19) Jul 20 (17) Jul 19 (9) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (26) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (20) Jul 14 (16) Jul 13 (19) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (13) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (16) Jul 05 (9) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (15) Jul 02 (11) Jul 01 (14) Jun 30 (13) Jun 29 (19) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (9) Jun 26 (16) Jun 25 (22) Jun 24 (17) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (15) Jun 21 (14) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (17) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (10) Jun 16 (17) Jun 15 (13) Jun 14 (14) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (13) Jun 11 (15) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (10) Jun 08 (23) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (20) Jun 05 (10) Jun 04 (11) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (21) Jun 01 (14) May 31 (10) May 30 (14) May 29 (8) May 28 (23) May 27 (20) May 26 (16) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (10) May 22 (18) May 21 (14) May 20 (12) May 19 (18) May 18 (14) May 17 (13) May 16 (4) May 15 (7) May 14 (16) May 13 (13) May 12 (8) May 11 (18) May 10 (8) May 09 (7) May 08 (13) May 07 (11) May 06 (15) May 05 (18) May 04 (17) May 03 (7) May 02 (5) May 01 (11) Apr 30 (19) Apr 29 (21) Apr 28 (18) Apr 27 (16) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (20) Apr 22 (23) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (16) Apr 19 (13) Apr 18 (6) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (16) Apr 15 (18) Apr 14 (13) Apr 13 (14) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (14) Apr 08 (12) Apr 07 (18) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (11) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (16) Mar 31 (16) Mar 30 (22) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (19) Mar 26 (31) Mar 25 (25) Mar 24 (26) Mar 23 (27) Mar 22 (22) Mar 21 (22) Mar 20 (13) Mar 19 (21) Mar 18 (20) Mar 17 (24) Mar 16 (18) Mar 15 (9) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (29) Mar 12 (15) Mar 11 (11) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (20) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (6) Mar 06 (21) Mar 05 (22) Mar 04 (19) Mar 03 (9) Mar 02 (20) Mar 01 (11) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (27) Feb 26 (15) Feb 25 (18) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (19) Feb 22 (24) Feb 21 (10) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (25) Feb 18 (16) Feb 17 (19) Feb 16 (23) Feb 15 (8) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (16) Feb 11 (12) Feb 10 (18) Feb 09 (12) Feb 08 (14) Feb 07 (8) Feb 06 (27) Feb 05 (28) Feb 04 (24) Feb 03 (17) Feb 02 (20) Feb 01 (23) Jan 31 (16) Jan 30 (20) Jan 29 (26) Jan 28 (17) Jan 27 (21) Jan 26 (24) Jan 25 (16) Jan 24 (14) Jan 23 (16) Jan 22 (17) Jan 21 (19) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (17) Jan 18 (13) Jan 17 (14) Jan 16 (10) Jan 15 (21) Jan 14 (16) Jan 13 (19) Jan 12 (30) Jan 11 (14) Jan 10 (11) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (23) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (21) Jan 05 (15) Jan 04 (18) Jan 03 (9) Jan 02 (12) Jan 01 (15) Dec 31 (18) Dec 30 (7) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (6) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (28) Dec 23 (12) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (17) Dec 20 (19) Dec 19 (19) Dec 18 (22) Dec 17 (24) Dec 16 (17) Dec 15 (29) Dec 14 (22) Dec 13 (12) Dec 12 (22) Dec 11 (24) Dec 10 (25) Dec 09 (18) Dec 08 (15) Dec 07 (21) Dec 06 (24) Dec 05 (30) Dec 04 (28) Dec 03 (26) Dec 02 (22) Dec 01 (33) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (9) Nov 28 (18) Nov 27 (25) Nov 26 (17) Nov 25 (23) Nov 24 (27) Nov 23 (12) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (15) Nov 20 (23) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (24) Nov 17 (21) Nov 16 (20) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (15) Nov 13 (27) Nov 12 (23) Nov 11 (19) Nov 10 (21) Nov 09 (13) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (16) Nov 06 (32) Nov 05 (24) Nov 04 (20) Nov 03 (29) Nov 02 (12) Nov 01 (15) Oct 31 (20) Oct 30 (22) Oct 29 (27) Oct 28 (20) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (21) Oct 25 (15) Oct 24 (23) Oct 23 (26) Oct 22 (27) Oct 21 (28) Oct 20 (24) Oct 19 (13) Oct 18 (9) Oct 17 (30) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (20) Oct 14 (14) Oct 13 (17) Oct 12 (16) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (19) Oct 09 (22) Oct 08 (16) Oct 07 (18) Oct 06 (23) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (15) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (22) Sep 30 (25) Sep 29 (20) Sep 28 (17) Sep 27 (13) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (15) Sep 24 (24) Sep 23 (23) Sep 22 (18) Sep 21 (20) Sep 20 (11) Sep 19 (24) Sep 18 (25) Sep 17 (25) Sep 16 (19) Sep 15 (21) Sep 14 (15) Sep 13 (10) Sep 12 (23) Sep 11 (23) Sep 10 (25) Sep 09 (25) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (17) Sep 05 (14) Sep 04 (24) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (19) Aug 31 (20) Aug 30 (11) Aug 29 (24) Aug 28 (24) Aug 27 (16) Aug 26 (26) Aug 25 (21) Aug 24 (15) Aug 23 (19) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (25) Aug 20 (27) Aug 19 (19) Aug 18 (24) Aug 17 (14) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (15) Aug 14 (16) Aug 13 (21) Aug 12 (30) Aug 11 (19) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (12) Aug 08 (17) Aug 07 (21) Aug 06 (26) Aug 05 (23) Aug 04 (21) Aug 03 (12) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (19) Jul 31 (21) Jul 30 (25) Jul 29 (29) Jul 28 (23) Jul 27 (17) Jul 26 (11) Jul 25 (21) Jul 24 (14) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (19) Jul 21 (15) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (10) Jul 18 (15) Jul 17 (22) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (21) Jul 14 (20) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (29) Jul 10 (19) Jul 09 (17) Jul 08 (26) Jul 07 (21) Jul 06 (18) Jul 05 (14) Jul 04 (20) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (24) Jul 01 (23) Jun 30 (23) Jun 29 (18) Jun 28 (16) Jun 27 (16) Jun 26 (17) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (32) Jun 23 (29) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (17) Jun 20 (25) Jun 19 (28) Jun 18 (19) Jun 17 (25) Jun 16 (23) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (14) Jun 12 (22) Jun 11 (19) Jun 10 (17) Jun 09 (15) Jun 08 (16) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (29) Jun 05 (27) Jun 04 (24) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (22) Jun 01 (13) May 31 (9) May 30 (26) May 29 (19) May 28 (15) May 27 (15) May 26 (23) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (24) May 22 (13) May 21 (21) May 20 (18) May 19 (16) May 18 (7) May 17 (12) May 16 (25) May 15 (24) May 14 (23) May 13 (19) May 12 (17) May 11 (8) May 10 (6) May 09 (14) May 08 (21) May 07 (26) May 06 (14) May 05 (14) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (24) May 01 (13) Apr 30 (15) Apr 29 (24) Apr 28 (24) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (13) Apr 24 (27) Apr 23 (15) Apr 22 (21) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (17) Apr 19 (8) Apr 18 (20) Apr 17 (27) Apr 16 (27) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (8) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (22) Apr 09 (15) Apr 08 (15) Apr 07 (17) Apr 06 (14) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (19) Mar 31 (25) Mar 30 (13) Mar 29 (9) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (23) Mar 26 (22) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (25) Mar 23 (16) Mar 22 (13) Mar 21 (24) Mar 20 (27) Mar 19 (20) Mar 18 (24) Mar 17 (17) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (20) Mar 13 (28) Mar 12 (30) Mar 11 (20) Mar 10 (21) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (8) Mar 07 (17) Mar 06 (20) Mar 05 (19) Mar 04 (15) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (12) Feb 28 (16) Feb 27 (17) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (23) Feb 24 (15) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (10) Feb 21 (24) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (24) Feb 18 (19) Feb 17 (27) Feb 16 (13) Feb 15 (11) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (13) Feb 12 (13) Feb 11 (21) Feb 10 (16) Feb 09 (15) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (17) Feb 06 (21) Feb 05 (17) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (23) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (8) Jan 31 (17) Jan 30 (22) Jan 29 (23) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (24) Jan 26 (12) Jan 25 (9) Jan 24 (12) Jan 23 (19) Jan 22 (19) Jan 21 (14) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (12) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (20) Jan 16 (14) Jan 15 (23) Jan 14 (8) Jan 13 (20) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (18) Jan 09 (11) Jan 08 (18) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (12) Jan 05 (12) Jan 04 (11) Jan 03 (10) Jan 02 (9) Jan 01 (9) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (13) Dec 26 (15) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (8) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (14) Dec 19 (17) Dec 18 (14) Dec 17 (14) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (9) Dec 14 (9) Dec 13 (11) Dec 12 (16) Dec 11 (18) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (24) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (19) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (26) Dec 04 (15) Dec 03 (20) Dec 02 (17) Dec 01 (11) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (18) Nov 28 (21) Nov 27 (10) Nov 26 (22) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (18) Nov 21 (9) Nov 20 (17) Nov 19 (16) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (21) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (20) Nov 12 (16) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (9) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (15) Nov 06 (18) Nov 05 (19) Nov 04 (16) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (17) Oct 31 (17) Oct 30 (21) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (16) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (16) Oct 24 (18) Oct 23 (14) Oct 22 (17) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (6) Oct 19 (8) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (12) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (19) Oct 14 (15) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (10) Oct 10 (23) Oct 09 (13) Oct 08 (15) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (13) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (16) Oct 03 (17) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (20) Sep 30 (17) Sep 29 (9) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (14) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (19) Sep 24 (13) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (5) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (21) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (20) Sep 16 (16) Sep 15 (10) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (18) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (24) Sep 10 (17) Sep 09 (16) Sep 08 (16) Sep 07 (10) Sep 06 (20) Sep 05 (13) Sep 04 (23) Sep 03 (14) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (11) Aug 31 (11) Aug 30 (13) Aug 29 (18) Aug 28 (14) Aug 27 (21) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (8) Aug 24 (10) Aug 23 (17) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (14) Aug 20 (20) Aug 19 (20) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (9) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (12) Aug 14 (14) Aug 13 (19) Aug 12 (14) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (12) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (18) Aug 07 (16) Aug 06 (16) Aug 05 (20) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (12) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (16) Jul 30 (16) Jul 29 (11) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (9) Jul 26 (17) Jul 25 (20) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (11) Jul 22 (18) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (14) Jul 18 (11) Jul 17 (15) Jul 16 (12) Jul 15 (10) Jul 14 (8) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (17) Jul 11 (18) Jul 10 (16) Jul 09 (13) Jul 08 (10) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (8) Jul 05 (16) Jul 04 (14) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (13) Jul 01 (16) Jun 30 (19) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (19) Jun 27 (21) Jun 26 (27) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (23) Jun 23 (12) Jun 22 (9) Jun 21 (18) Jun 20 (15) Jun 19 (24) Jun 18 (21) Jun 17 (13) Jun 16 (9) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (18) Jun 13 (24) Jun 12 (18) Jun 11 (23) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (24) Jun 08 (27) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (25) Jun 05 (30) Jun 04 (23) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (16) Jun 01 (17) May 31 (18) May 30 (19) May 29 (17) May 28 (23) May 27 (15) May 26 (10) May 25 (19) May 24 (16) May 23 (16) May 22 (27) May 21 (20) May 20 (26) May 19 (6) May 18 (8) May 17 (20) May 16 (8) May 15 (18) May 14 (5) May 13 (21) May 12 (9) May 11 (8) May 10 (12) May 09 (18) May 08 (11) May 07 (27) May 06 (12) May 05 (16) May 04 (19) May 03 (14) May 02 (18) May 01 (18) Apr 30 (25) Apr 29 (27) Apr 28 (11) Apr 27 (10) Apr 26 (18) Apr 25 (10) Apr 24 (29) Apr 23 (29) Apr 22 (14) Apr 21 (15) Apr 20 (20) Apr 19 (22) Apr 18 (16) Apr 17 (32) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (21) Apr 13 (15) Apr 12 (13) Apr 11 (14) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (20) Apr 08 (36) Apr 07 (22) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (28) Apr 04 (20) Apr 03 (29) Apr 02 (32) Apr 01 (18) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (15) Mar 28 (22) Mar 27 (24) Mar 26 (17) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (13) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (15) Mar 20 (18) Mar 19 (19) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (10) Mar 16 (6) Mar 15 (18) Mar 14 (24) Mar 13 (18) Mar 12 (18) Mar 11 (17) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (18) Mar 07 (25) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (16) Mar 04 (22) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (23) Feb 29 (19) Feb 28 (25) Feb 27 (26) Feb 26 (23) Feb 25 (12) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (15) Feb 22 (26) Feb 21 (31) Feb 20 (12) Feb 19 (21) Feb 18 (15) Feb 17 (10) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (19) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (20) Feb 11 (9) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (28) Feb 08 (20) Feb 07 (22) Feb 06 (20) Feb 05 (19) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (16) Feb 02 (28) Feb 01 (37) Jan 31 (27) Jan 30 (31) Jan 29 (18) Jan 28 (14) Jan 27 (10) Jan 26 (18) Jan 25 (26) Jan 24 (34) Jan 23 (21) Jan 22 (21) Jan 21 (18) Jan 20 (18) Jan 19 (18) Jan 18 (26) Jan 17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1)
Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain.

Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred.

For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here.
If you're wishing for a French fix, but a trip just isn't going to happen anytime soon, we've selected 15 exhibitions for you, right here in the US, that have a French twist.
I want to sound the alarm to gas can owners and let them know they shouldn't have to shoulder the costs of their injuries because a manufacturer failed to include a 50-cent arrestor on a gas can.

COLUMBIA, SC, March 07, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Explosions have been a known risk associated with gas cans since the first incarnations of these containers. Yet, South Carolina injury attorney Bert Louthian said that what many gas can owners don't know is that one simple, affordable fix makes gas cans exponentially safer.



"There is a lack of public awareness on this issue," Louthian said. "More importantly, there is clearly a lack of motivation by manufacturers and distributors of gas cans, who could save lives and spare injuries by including flame arrestors on these containers."



As reported by NBC News in 2014, the gas can industry released tests finding that flame arrestors could prevent explosions; their research followed the filing of a large number of lawsuits seeking damages for such injuries. How long the industry had been aware of the problem isn't entirely clear; but as explosions and lawsuits continue, Louthian said that legal action is needed to force change.



"Industries like this aren't always as proactive as they should be," Louthian said. "It takes people willing to act to force their hand. These claims benefit all consumers and they help ensure that an injured victim gets the payment they deserve."



Louthian said that gas can explosions are most common in the winter months and that they have been happening with alarming regularity in the South.



"Attorneys familiar with these cases know when and where they're likely to happen," Louthian said. "I want to sound the alarm to gas can owners and let them know they shouldn't have to shoulder the costs of their injuries because a manufacturer failed to include a 50-cent arrestor on a gas can."



He said that the lack of urgency by manufacturers to alert consumers and ensure their products are safe is beyond irresponsible.



"This is unacceptable," Louthian said. "Consumers place their trust in the makers and sellers of these products. The idea that consumer safety isn't the top priority for the industry is a major concern."



Louthian encouraged all gas can owners to find out whether their containers have arrestors and to be sure that they are kept in a safe place during the coldest months of the year.



"This is a problem that has a solution," Louthian said. "It's time to make sure these incidents stop happening."



About the Louthian Law Firm:

Bert Louthian practices law in Columbia, South Carolina. He and his father, Herb, provide representation to those who have been injured due to someone else's negligence. Learn more about Louthian Law Firm P.A. by visiting https://www.louthianlaw.com/.



# # #
Mar 7, 2018 | By Benedict

Australias Swinburne University of Technology is establishing the worlds first operational Industry 4.0 Testlab for carbon composite manufacturing. The lab will contain a carbon fiber Multilayer 3D printing system from Austrian company Fill.

Want to utilize the latest advanced manufacturing technologies to 3D print some state-of-the-art carbon fiber components? You might just have to visit Melbourne to do so, since thats where Swinburne University of Technology is setting up the worlds first Industry 4.0 Testlab for carbon composite manufacturing.

The opening of the lab is part of the universitys groundbreaking research into digital manufacturing, and could help a huge number of Australian SMEs get ahead of their international rivals.

At the heart of this shiny new facility will be a 3D printing system provided by Fill, an Austrian provider of advanced manufacturing equipment. The Multilayer system will be used to 3D print carbon fiber composite components.

Swinburne's Professor Bronwyn Fox has high hopes for the Industry 4.0 Testlab

3D printing will represent just one area of the new Testlab. Swinburne has partnered with three equipment manufacturers and one supplier to demonstrate the manufacture of actual commercial parts in an integrated pilot line, which will include resin dispensing and curing in addition to the Multilayer additive manufacturing process.

With our industrial partners, we will create a digital twin of the process and push the boundaries of virtual commissioning, commented Professor Bronwyn Fox, Director of Swinburnes Manufacturing Futures Research Institute.

Swinburne University of Technology

All this exciting Industry 4.0 tech wont come cheap, but thats no obstacle for Swinburne thanks to the assistance of one major backer. A few months ago, Swinburne received a massive A$135 million ($105M) grant from Siemens to digitize its Factory of the Future and create Australias first fully immersed Industry 4.0 facility.

The proposed Industry 4.0 Testlab will provide Australian manufacturers with access to state-of-the-art technology, potentially providing a massive boost to the national manufacturing sector.

Swinburne, with our partners, will lead the world in providing digital manufacturing solutions to secure Australias place in the lucrative intermediate product market, Fox said.

Posted in 3D Printing Technology

Maybe you also like:












Should you find yourself in a barbecue joint anywhere in Central Texas, whatever you do, do not ask for sauce.

That sticky goopy stuff you call barbecue is sacrilege in those parts. And in those parts, the perfection of brisketsmoked for interminable hours over oak, at low heat, and finally finished with a basic salt and pepper rubis akin to theology. And now, thanks to trending barbecue pop-ups, Bay Areans are finding religion.

Like prophets spreading the good word, a trio of Texas natives has arrived on our shores, and each is sharing his own brand of Central Texasstyle slow-smoked meats to the delight of eager supplicants. Because truly there's nothing quite like a thick cut of fall-off-the-bone beef, presented simply on a sheet of paper with a side of onions and pickles (don't forget the white bread!), to have us licking our chops. Here's where to get you some.

Native Sons BBQ



It's a thing of beauty when something is born out of true ardor for living. In 2010, Marvin Lau was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), a rare type of cancer in the neck and head. While undergoing years of chemotherapy, he had time to think about what he really wanted to do. And what he really wanted to do was smoke some meat.

Upon finishing treatment, he had a now or never moment, and launched Native Sons BBQ with his foodie friend Eldo Chan, another San Francisco native who had moved back after years of living in Texas. In 2014, they set off on their journey to make the best barbecue; since then, Lau and Chan have garnered comparisons to one of the most famous joints in Texas, Austin's Franklin Barbecue. And the lines of people waiting to indulge in their Central Texasstyle brisket, smoked over oak wood for 12 to 16 hours by Lau himself, at temperatures between 225 and 300 degrees, is testament enough. Native Sons pops up weekly at Triple Voodoo (2245 Third St., Dogpatch) or Speakeasy (1195 Evans Ave., Bayview) breweries. // facebook.com/nsbbq





Horn Barbecue

Like all real pitmasters, Matt Horn got his start in the backyardhis grandmother's backyard. Having developed and refined his meat-smoking techniques in the Central Texas style, Horn took his barbecue to the local farmer's market for a test run and later worked a few festivals. But being a true barbecue snob afionado, he wanted commune with other like-minded obsessives, and thus the underground pop-up Horn Barbecue came to be. But it wasn't until he caught the eye of Robert Jacob Lerma, a prolific Austin-based photographer who specializes in, what else, 'cue. Lerma took him behind the smoker, so to speak, in the promised lands of Texas barbecue: Snow's, in Lexington, TX, whose 82-year-old pitmaster Tootsie Tomanetz earned a James Beard Award nomination in 2018; Lockhart's Kreuz Market and Smitty's; and Louie Mueller's in Taylor.

Back home in San Jose, Horn cooks all-natural, hormone-free meat with an all-wood burning, decommissioned 500-gallon smoker named Lucille, often pulling all-nighters to stoke the fire and maintain a consistent temperature throughout a 14 to 16 hour cookout. Currently, he's hosting a series of pop-ups throughout California and plans to host a whole hog event this summer. Look for Horn to pop up at Triple Voodoo (2245 Third St., Dogpatch) on March 29th. // hornbarbecue.com





Slow and Oak

The traditionally slow and meditative nature of tending a fire is one of the things Jordan Lavaughn missed about his native Texas when he moved to San Francisco in 2013. So in the summer of 2016, he bought an offset smoker, and began to zen out over brisket, barbecued over oak wood and low temps at the speed of molasses, and finished simply with a salt and pepper rub.

What initially began as a way to rid himself of leftover brisket became a regular pop-up at Provender Coffee & Provisions in Potrero Hill, and now you can find him cooking up an array of tasty meats in his smoker and roasting whole suckling pigs. Look for Slow and Oak at Black Hammer Brewing (544 Bryant St., SoMa) on Friday, March 9th (4 to 8pm). // slowandoak.com
(03/06/18) - Crime Stoppers is preparing to profile a cold case from 1971 in hopes of generating new tips that help bring justice to the family of a decorated Vietnam veteran.

Patrick West was just 25 years old when he was shot and killed two days before Christmas during an armed robbery.

It happened at a 7/11 on Flint's northeast side.

He did from complications a few months later in March.

A press conference is planned for Wednesday alongside family to announce details of a new reward.
Pune, India, 7th March 2018: WiseGuyReports announced addition of new report, titled Fuel Cards in Romania 2017: Market and competitor data and insights into the commercial fuel card sector.

Summary

Fuel Cards in Romania 2017, is invaluable for issuers of fleet cards, fuel retailers, fleet leasing companies and other suppliers to the sector. Based on research with issuers and fuel retailers it provides commercial (B2B) fuel card volume (split by fleet and CRT), value and market share forecasts to 2022, key data on independent and oil company card issuers and an analysis of fuel card competition in Romania.

Over 19,000 new fuel cards will be issued between 2017 and 2022, totalling to 239,351 cards in the market.

GET SAMPLE REPORT @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3031222-fuel-cards-in-romania-2017-market-and-competitor

Scope

 Demand for fuel cards from fleets will rise over the next five years as they attempt to reduce transport costs due to heightened competition across Eastern Europe.

 The total number of service stations in Romania increased by 0.4% in 2016 totalling 2,016 service stations.

 Over 19,000 new fuel cards will be issued between 2017 and 2022, totalling to 239,351 cards in the market.

 Total fleet card volumes rose by 8.7% in 2016 continuing the upward trend started in 2011.

 Petrom (OMV) is the largest fleet and CRT card operator in Romania selling 27.7% of fleet volumes and 17.7% of CRT volumes sold in 2016.

Reasons to buy

 Plan effective market entry strategies by uncovering current and future volumes and values of the Romanian fuel card market.

 Assess whether you should increase network acceptance of your card and identify potential new merchants by uncovering the position of competitors.

 Whether you are an issuer, a processor, a leasing company or a fuel retailer, make informed pitches to partners by understanding their business.

 Enhance fuel sales at your service stations by identifying which fuel cards you should accept based on their market shares and network acceptance.

Table of Content: Key Points

Eastern Europe Overview 3

Market Overview 10

Market Size 12

Market Forecast 19

Channel Share 26

Market Shares 30

Major Competitors 35

Competitor Card Analysis 40

Continued

ACCESS REPORT @https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3031222-fuel-cards-in-romania-2017-market-and-competitor

Get in touch:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/4828928

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WiseGuyReports

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wiseguyreports-1009007869213183/?fref=ts

Media Contact

Company Name: Wiseguyreports.com

Contact Person: Norah Trent

Email: sales@wiseguyreports.com

Phone: +1 646 845 9349, +44 208 133 9349

City: Pune

State: Maharashtra

Country: India

Website: www.wiseguyreports.com
Classic Minerals Limited (ASX:CLZ) (the Company or Classic) is pleased to announce that, in accordance with the terms of its Earn In and Joint Venture Agreement (Agreement) with IGO Newsearch Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of IGO Limited (ASX:IGO).


Appointment of Director & Appendix 3X

Sydney, Mar 7, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Mustang Resources ( ASX:MUS ) ( OTCMKTS:GGPLF ) is pleased to announce the appointment of experienced resources executive Dr. Evan Kirby as a Non-Executive Director.Mustang Chairman Ian Daymond said Dr Kirby, who is a metallurgist with more than 40 years' experience, brings a wealth of corporate and technical expertise to Mustang.In particular, over the last couple of years his primary focus has been the development of an African based graphite project. This extensive knowledge and experience working in the graphite sector as well as his previous technical experience with gemstones will be invaluable to Mustang."Evan's graphite skills and knowledge together with extensive processing, plant design and commissioning experience will be very valuable for Mustang," Mr Daymond said.Dr Kirby worked for 16 years in South Africa with Impala Platinum, Rand Mines and then Rustenburg Platinum Mines. In 1992, he moved to Australia and was employed by Minproc Engineers and then Bechtel Corporation, where he had management and technical responsibilities.In 2002, Evan established his own Australian based consulting business, Metallurgical Management Services. He has held leading roles in numerous metals and minerals projects, including many world-class developments, and has been a director of several ASX and AIM-listed mining companies. His hands-on experience includes diamonds, coloured gemstones, graphite, gold and platinum group metals, mineral sands and base metals. Evan is based in Perth, Western Australia.About New Energy Minerals Ltd

New Energy Minerals Ltd (ASX:NXE) (FRA:GGY) is an ASX listed junior mining company, that recently announced the divestment of the Company's Caula vanadium - graphite project and the Montepuez Ruby project in Mozambique.


First European Based Merchant Transacting

Melbourne, Mar 7, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Australian Securities Exchange and Frankfurt Stock Exchange cross listed iSignthis Ltd ( ASX:ISX ) ( FRA:TA8 ), the world leading RegTech for identity verification and payment services, is pleased to provide an update on its European operations.Highlights- 1 of the 4 EU settlement merchants announced on 26th Feb is now live and transacting- Revenue contribution commences immediately (March qtr)- GPTV settlement value from this merchant is anticipated to be in excess of EUR50m (annualised)- Panda platform integrated to Paydentity(TM) & ISXPay.One (1) of the Four (4) merchants announced last week on the 26th February as having been contracted, is now live and transacting, and will be contributing to revenue as of today.This merchant is now accepting payments via ISXPay(R) from Visa, Mastercard, and Sofort, with Trustly and JCB services to follow within coming weeks.Paydentity(TM) has been rolled out as the merchant's customer due diligence platform, which has been integrated via a multi-tenancy solution to the Panda (pandats.com) platform, allowing for rapid future integration of merchants.Gross Processed Turnover Value (GPTV) is anticipated to be in excess of EUR50m annualised for this merchant, based upon trading histories provided by the merchant.The Company will update the market with more accurate forecasts of Merchant Services Fee percentage (MSF%) and annualised GPTV settlement value in the regular 4C quarterly reports, which will be based on merchants actual trading results.The Company will provide a more accurate estimate of the integration timetable of the remaining three merchants mentioned in last weeks announcement, once schedules have been agreed with each of the parties.As announced previously, iSignthis is engaged with a number of merchants across a range of industry verticals in the EU, Australia and other regions and expects a steady but controlled addition of new customers throughout the year.About iSignthis Ltd

iSignthis Ltd (ASX:ISX) (FRA:TA8) is a hybrid monetary financial institution and also a RegTech leader in remote identity verification, payment authentication with deposit taking, transactional banking and payment processing capability. iSignthis provides an end-to-end on-boarding service for merchants, with a unified payment, electronic money and identity service via our Paydentity(TM) and ISXPay(R) solutions.

By converging payments and identity, iSignthis delivers regulatory compliance to an enhanced customer due diligence standard, offering global reach to any of the world's 4.2Bn 'bank verified' card or account holders, that can be remotely on-boarded to meet the Customer Due Diligence requirements of AML regulated merchants in as little as 3 to 5 minutes. Paydentity(TM) has now onboarded and verified more than 1.5m persons to an AML KYC standard.

iSignthis Paydentity(TM) service is the trusted back office solution for regulated entities, allowing merchants to stay ahead of the regulatory curve, and focus on growing their core business. iSignthis' subsidiary, iSignthis eMoney Ltd, trades as ISXPay(R), and is an EEA authorised eMoney Monetary Financial Institution, offering card acquiring in the EEA, and Australia.

ISXPay(R) is a principal member of Mastercard Inc, Diners, Discover, (China) Union Pay International and JCB International, an American Express aggregator, and provides merchants with access to payments via alternative methods including SEPA, Poli Payments, Sofort, PRZ24 and others.

Probanx Solutions Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of iSignthis Ltd, provides API based access to CORE Banking solutions, SEPA Core, SEPA Instant and SEPA business scheme, for neobanks, banks, credit unions and emoney institutions, and provides a bridge to the Eurosystem's Central Bank of Lithuania's CENTROLink service.
Police and firefighters in Massachusetts teamed up to save a choking puppy and the act was all caught on camera.

Just after lunch time Monday, Megan Vitale came rushing into the North Reading Police station, with her puppy, Bodhi.

Little Bodhi was choking and couldn't breathe.

As you can see from this surveillance video, Officer Jorge Hernandez wasted no time: springing into action using a version of the Heimlich maneuver on the nine-week-old Saint Bernard.

"So the first couple of compressions weren't really doing anything and I tried to squeeze a little harder and I kind of heard a puff of air come out," Officer Hernandez said.

Meanwhile, members of the North Reading Fire Department stationed on the other side of the building came rushing over with oxygen for the puppy which they applied with a special mask they use on animals.

"Hooked him up to that and gave him some oxygen to kind of pad him to keep him going," said Chris Hadley, a North Reading Fire Fighter.

Before the incident, Bodhi had been with his new family for less than 24 hours.

A piece of his lunch just went down the wrong pipe.

"You treat everything the same, said Officer Peter Dipietro. You see someone or something that's in distress and you do what you can to help, and that's what we're trained to do. Thats what we did."

Thankfully, the prognosis is good and Bodhi is resting comfortably. Bodhis owner said she is so grateful to the police and fire departments.
SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea's top national security director, the man who met face-to-face with Kim Jong Un, is headed to Washington on Thursday to brief the trump administration on what the North Korean leader is now proposing.

South Korea says North Korea is ready to sit down with the U.S. and talk about denuclearization, talk about normalizing relations that they're willing to put a pause on all the nuclear and missile tests, if those talks go forward, and that they're not concerned about the upcoming military exercises being scaled back, no demands as such, as a precondition for talks.

President Trump has voiced some early optimism about these latest overtures.

"We have come certainly a long way at least rhetorically, with North Korea. It would be a great thing for the world. It would be a great thing for North Korea, it would be a great thing for the peninsula, but we'll see what happens," Trump said.

Japanese government officials on Wednesday said that North Korea's intuitions are unclear right now and that they need to show concrete actions that they're serious about giving up their nuclear weapons.

South Korea's president saying on Wednesday that there will be no easing of international sanctions on North Korea that it's too early for moves like that.
(NBC News) President Donald Trump is doubling down on his promise to place tariffs on steel and aluminum, raising fears of a trade war.

Speaking during in the joint news conference with the Swedish prime minister Tuesday, Mr. Trump was defiant, despite warnings that the European Union may retaliate.

"They can do whatever they like, but if they do that, then we put a big tax of 25 percent on their cars, and believe me they won't be doing it very long," President Trump said.

The president was also asked about Russian election meddling that has targeted not only the U.S., but Sweden and other European nations, but President Trump said he is not worried about future interference.
Alabama is the third largest exporter of automobiles in the United States.

The state ranks behind perennial auto power Michigan and South Carolina. In all, Alabama produced $7.75 billion in motor vehicles destined for markets in 88 countries.

The state exported $21.7 billion in goods in 2017, 6 percent higher than its 2016 tally of $20.5 billion. Its vehicle exports are up more than 11 percent over the last two years.

China was the biggest market in 2017, with more than $2.2 billion in vehicles. That was ahead of Germany, with $2 billion, and Canada, just slightly under $2 billion.

Rounding out the top 10 were Mexico, Belgium, South Korea, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, India and South Africa.

Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said Alabama's "skilled auto workers continue to deliver" what customers around the globe are looking for.

"The success of Alabama exports, and particularly automotive exports, helps create jobs and transform communities here at home," he said.

Alabama's biggest vehicle exporter, and largest exporter overall, is Mercedes-Benz in Tuscaloosa County. MBUSI is responsible for about $5 billion in annual exports. The majority of the plant's annual output is designated for international sales, a fact borne out by the company's decision last year to locate a global logistic hub in nearby Bibb County.

The logistics hub, which broke ground last year, will cover 800,000-square-feet and supply overseas assembly plants with car kits - basically everything to assemble a vehicle. It is expected to open in 2019. The kits will be largely for local markets in Asia.

Honda in Talladega County's Lincoln ships about 8 to 10 percent of its vehicles globally, while Hyundai in Montgomery exports about 5 percent of its output, mostly to Canada.

Hilda Lockhart, director of Commerce's Office of International Trade, said the growth of the Chinese market shows how that country's middle class is growing as its GDP is rising. Down, though, is the UK market, possibly as a consequence of Brexit. Africa is also on the move, as the market has a growing population with many relocating to cities.

"The main transportation is vehicles via the roads," Lockhart said. "If the trend continues, Africa is an emerging market and is home to some of the top fastest-growing economies in the world."
(Courtesy Cracker Barrel)

Opening set for new Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel has set an April 2 opening date for its new Saraland location, and offered a sneak peek at some distinctive decor. The store is just north of Mobile near Exit 13 on I-65, in an area that is seeing rapid development

Don't Edit

AL.com

Livability tech list features Alabama cities

Alabama is home to two cities that made Liveability's list of five up and coming tech spots. Liveability maintains an online presence for researching communities, and monthly and sannual lists of cities, defining the best places to live in America. Among tech hubs, it went looking for communities that are affordable and inclusive enough for entrepreneurs to find a good starting place. Checking in at No. 2 on the list is Huntsville and Birmingham.

Don't Edit

AL.com

Anniston to host summer job fair

The City of Anniston is hosting a summer job fair March 13 at 5 p.m. at Carver Community Center. The event will feature an information session on employment opportunities, tips on how to properly fill out a job application and how to prepare for a job interview.

Don't Edit

(Contributed)

Alexander Shunnarah to speak at 2 national conferences

He's probably on a billboard near you, and he's telling his story in two national legal conferences this spring. Personal injury attorney Alexander Shunnarah will be the featured speaker at two conferences in March and April, speaking on marketing law firms.

Don't Edit

Birmingham News file photo

Southeastern Bible College campus for sale

The campus of the former Southeastern Bible College is for sale. The property in unincorporated Shelby County was placed on the market after the school closed and merged with Piedmont International University in late 2017.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

(Hummingbird Ziplines)

Hummingbird Ziplines Course at the Wharf opens Thursday

Hummingbird Ziplines Course, formerly Gulf Adventure Center located at Gulf State Park, is hosting its grand opening celebration with a ribbon cutting ceremony at its new location at The Wharf Thursday.

Don't Edit

(AL.com file photo/Tamika Moore)

Birmingham's Iron City wins Nightclub & Bar Award

Does Iron City top your list as a concert venue? If so, you're not alone. The Birmingham entertainment complex, 513 22nd St. South, has earned the 2018 Nightclub & Bar Award for Live Music Venue of the Year.

Don't Edit

(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Stocks higher as materials firms, retailers rise

U.S. stocks meandered but finished mostly higher Tuesday as retailers and industrial companies rose. The Associated Press reports a jump in metals prices helped mining and materials companies. Asian markets jumped after the North Korean government said it was open to talks with the U.S. about ending its nuclear program.

Don't Edit

(Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

As Trump weighs tariff, US steelmakers profit

The Trump administration has chosen an odd time to offer special protection to the U.S. steel industry. As President Donald Trump prepares to impose a 25 percent tax on imported steel, America's steelmakers are actually faring pretty well: The U.S. steel industry last year earned more than $2.8 billion, up from $714 million in 2016 and a loss in 2015.

Don't Edit

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump says he'll push tariffs despite pressure from GOP

Congressional Republicans and industry groups pressed President Trump Tuesday to narrow his plan for tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum. Trump appeared unmoved, declaring: "Trade wars aren't so bad."

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Trump economic aide Cohn departs after trade disagreement

Top economic adviser Gary Cohn is leaving the White House after breaking with President Donald Trump on trade policy, the latest in a string of high-level departures from the West Wing.
Rainbow City police are investigating an incident involving an Etowah County Commission candidate who is recovering at Huntsville Hospital after suffering several severe injuries.

Lana Gaskin Bellew, who is seeking a seat on the commission, has a broken arm, knee and elbow abrasions and injuries to her face, said Rainbow City Police Chief Jonathon Horton.

"We are still investigating the incident," Horton said.

According to Rep. Mack Butler, a neighbor who represents District 30 in the Alabama House, Bellew telephoned him and his wife Connie as they were returning from a fish fry at a relative's house Sunday. Bellew was "screaming violently for help and then hung up." Butler's wife called 911.

Butler told AL.com he arrived at Bellew's house before Rainbow City Police, sometime around 6:52 p.m. The couple discovered Bellew in her garage, "covered in blood and screaming in pain." Nearby, her truck was running with the door open.

"I was in the garage with her for maybe one second as she said she was pushed while walking in front of her truck," Butler said. "I immediately ran to the dark backyard looking for a possible suspect while Connie rendered aid to Lana."

But Horton says a camera in the neighborhood doesn't appear to show anyone having driven away at the time. And during what limited questioning police have had with Bellew, she told them she didn't hear or see anyone. She was apparently taking a dog on a runner toward the truck at the time of the incident.

"We don't know if she tripped, and we don't know if someone maybe helped that happen," Horton said. "The injuries to her face, and some makeup on the bumper of the truck, shows her face did strike it. But don't have any evidence yet she had an attacker."

Butler, in Montgomery for legislative action today, said Bellew had someone steal campaign signs out of her garage two weeks ago, something Horton confirmed. "It's not any of her opponents," Butler said. "It's three really good men running against her."

"I'm sure she'll be fine, but she's a beat up gal right now," Butler said. "It was terrifying listening to her. It was just a few seconds of screaming."

On social media, several members of Bellew's family thanked Butler and his wife for their help.

Howard Koplowitz contributed to this report.

This post was corrected at 10:14 a.m. March 14 to clarify that a camera in the neighborhood was not across the road from Bellew's home. Rainbow City Police Chief Jonathon Horton said the camera faced the road in the same neighborhood but did not show Bellew's home.
A homicide investigation is underway after a man was found dead in his Chelsea home earlier this week.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday identified the victim as Tracy Ward Austin. He was 68.

Sheriff's investigators responded Monday night to Austin's home in the 5800 block of Shelby County Highway 39. Ward was found dead inside.

His death initially was unclassified. An autopsy carried out by the Alabama Department of Forensic Science led to the homicide determination. Authorities have not said how he was killed.

Authorities said the Ward died sometime Monday. His home is located close to the intersection of Shelby County Highway 39 and Shelby County Highway 69 which is usually busy.

Investigators are trying to determine what caused Austin's death and who may be responsible. Because of the location of his home, authorities are asking for the public's help. "Someone may be a witness without knowing it,'' according to a sheriff's office press release.

Anyone who traveled either of those roads on Monday, after about 7 a.m., and saw anything suspicious, is asked to call the Shelby County Sheriff's Office directly at 205-669-4181, through the Secret Witness line at 205-669-9116 or through the website at www.ShelbySO.com by clicking on the "Report Criminal Activity" link and choosing the "General Information" category.

Tipsters who want to remain anonymous can Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. A cash reward of up to $5,000 may be possible for information in this case.
A seventh-grader was arrested Tuesday after reportedly threatening to "shoot up" a school.

Lee County sheriff's officials said Beulah High School's administrative staff received a tip Friday about the potential threat, said Capt. Van Jackson. The information was immediately forwarded to the school resource officer, who launched an investigation. The school is grades 7-12.

The probe, Jackson said, did not reveal verifiable information until earlier Tuesday when evidence was obtained that provided the identification of the student, along with facts that established probable cause to make an arrest. The 14-year-old student made specific comments to other students about obtaining a weapon and shooting it while on school property.

Jackson said there was never a gun introduced into the school by the student at any time and there are no indications that any other students were involved in this incident.

Police arrested the student at the high school about 11 a.m. Tuesday. He is charged with making a terroristic threat. His name has not been released.

The case remains under investigation and anyone with information regarding this case is requested to contact the Lee County Sheriff's Office at 334-749-5651 or Lee County Crime Stoppers at 1-888-527-7847.
Birmingham police are investigating after two people were shot on the interstate early Wednesday morning.

According to Sgt. Bryan Shelton, at approximately 1:30 a.m. officers were called to the 4th Avenue North exit on Interstate 59 northbound on a report of a shooting. While officers were on the scene, two people arrived at St. Vincent's East hospital with gunshot wounds.

Shelton said the victims, a man and a woman, were each shot once and had non-life-threatening injuries.

The preliminary investigation showed the victims' vehicle was shot into by another vehicle while both were driving on the interstate. Investigators do not believe the shooting was random.

Police are continuing to investigate the incident.
Several dozen train cars loaded with what appears to be sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants in New York and New Jersey will be pulled back into a rail yard and off the tracks in north Birmingham, according to a statement from Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin's office.

According to photos and video posted to social media (featuring strong language), at least 80 train cars were parked on tracks Tuesday, near Finley Boulevard, between 27th Avenue North and 29th Avenue North.

The posting described a "death smell," emanating from the train cars, and said a local business had been getting calls about a possible dead body in the area due to the odor.

The train cars appear identical to shipments that have caused controversy and court battles in Jefferson and Walker Counties, as containers of sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants in New York and New Jersey are carried by train to the greater Birmingham area for disposal at the Big Sky Environmental landfill in Adamsville.

Personnel at the landfill were not immediately available for comment as to whether the containers sitting on the train in Birmingham were in fact headed for the landfill.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of train cars full of the sewage sludge have been rolling into the landfill since early 2017, generating citizen complaints about odors and legal action from municipalities at every stop.

The landfill received approval in late 2016 from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to begin using sewage sludge -- the solid material left behind after wastewater treatment plants process sewage from municipal and industrial sources -- as an alternative cover to encourage plant growth on the slopes of the landfill cells.

ADEM granted approval for the landfill to use sludge from seven wastewater treatment plants in New York and New Jersey, and the landfill is permitted to bring in up to 398,000 tons per year from plants in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and South Kearny, NJ.

For several months, the containers were loaded onto trucks for transport to the landfill at a small rail yard in unincorporated Jefferson County, near the town of West Jefferson. After numerous complaints from residents in West Jefferson and surrounding communities, Jefferson County zoning authorities determined that loading operation at the rail yard violated the county's zoning ordinance, and a judge allowed them to enforce that ordinance.

The loading and unloading operation then moved to a rail yard in the town of Parrish in Walker County.

Parrish Mayor Heather Hall told AL.com the rail yard there is now "full" of the sludge containers and it's her understanding that the cars in Birmingham were intended to be shipped to Parrish once there was enough room.

Hall said the landfill will no longer be able to use that rail yard, however, as the Parrish Town Council held a special meeting last week regarding complaints about the operation, and determined the landfill did not have a business license to operate in the city. Hall said the landfill was informed they had to cease using the Parrish rail yard and was given three weeks to move the backlog of train cars.

"The smell really started getting bad here," Hall said. "I mean, it was terrible.

"It greatly reduces the quality of life of anybody that this is around. You cannot go outside, you can't sit on your porch, and this stuff, it's here in our town, it's not like it's an industrial area."

Hall was not always opposed to the sludge operation using the rail yard in Parrish. She told AL.com last month she did not think the operation would pose a problem for her town. Now, she says, it does.

"We were hoping things wouldn't be like they were in West Jefferson, that maybe the reactions in West Jefferson were overblown," Hall said Tuesday. "But, we came to realize real quick-like that they were not blowing it out of the water.

"This stuff does not need to be in a populated area, period."

Now, it appears the sludge is in Birmingham.

Councilman John Hilliard raised the issue during a Birmingham City Council meeting on Tuesday (about 2:34:00 into the video), saying he had received complaints about railroad cars that "may be carrying feces from other states," and were causing noxious odors near tracks off of Finley Boulevard and 29th Avenue North.

"When they get stopped on the train tracks in your area, the stench is almost unbearable," Hilliard said.

Don Lupo, director of the city's Office of Citizens Assistance, told the council he had also received complaints and had spoken with Norfolk Southern railroad. Lupo said the plan was to have the train cars moved by the end of the week, but that the railroad had agreed to move the cars back into a rail yard until that happened.

"I don't know that that's going to stop the odor, but it will get it out of the main part of the neighborhood," Lupo said.

Woodfin's office issued with a statement this afternoon saying the city had "requested the cars be moved completely," but that the cars would remain at the rail yard this week.

"Rail safety and the vast majority of other regulation take place at the federal level," said the statement from Rick Journey, Woodfin's communications director. "The City of Birmingham will continue to communicate with Norfolk Southern to express concerns on how the rail cars have frustrated residents.

"The city will also stay in contact with the Alabama Rail Safety Commission and federal representatives as we urge the railroad to seek a long-term solution to this matter."

The Big Sky landfill's general operating permit is currently up for renewal with ADEM. The department held a public hearing on Jan. 25 to take comments on the permit's renewal. About 150 people attended the hearing, with many residents voicing opposition to the sludge import operations.

The department has not announced a decision on whether it will renew the permit. ADEM officials have said, however, that issues relating to the transport of waste do not fall under their jurisdiction.

Many of the complaints about the sludge operation involve transportation issues, either after spills from trucks while in transit, or when the containers have backed up, sitting in rail yards for several days before being hauled to the landfill.
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle is joining the drumbeat started by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin.

Hey Delta, look at us!

Battle, who is also running for governor, toured Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport on Wednesday.

He then chimed in on Twitter, echoing comments by Woodfin urging Delta Airlines to give Birmingham a look after relations between the airline and the Georgia legislature have emerged in recent weeks.

"Hey Delta, I just wrapped up a tour of the Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport," Battle tweeted. "It's a great place that's ready for growth. I'm sure (Woodfin) would love to show you around."

Hey @Delta, I just wrapped up a tour of the Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport. Its a great place thats ready for growth. Im sure @WoodfinForBham would love to show you around. #LetsChat pic.twitter.com/3yEyrr8NSM  Tommy Battle (@TommyBattle) March 7, 2018

He then added the hashtag that Woodfin has used: #Letschat.

The Georgia legislature last month ended a lucrative tax break for Delta after the airline severed ties with the National Rifle Association in fallout over the Florida school shooting on Feb. 14 that killed 17 people, including 14 students.

It's led to speculation that Delta, which is Georgia's top employer with more than 33,000 jobs, would look elsewhere for a new home.

Woodfin first tweeted to Delta on Feb. 27.

Hey @Delta . You know, in mathematics, Delta represents the change in something, e.g. HQ. Lets chat. #BHM  Randall Woodfin (@randallwoodfin) February 27, 2018

Phillip Levine, former mayor of Miami Beach and a Florida gubernatorial candidate, also tweeted to Delta and urged them to come to Florida. He also sent the airline a letter, writing, "I believe this is a unique opportunity to send a loud message as a corporate citizen that you will not stand to be bullied by politicians who will not do the right thing."

Battle is among the first officials in Alabama to back up Woodfin's call for Delta to give Birmingham a look. U.S. Sen. Doug Jones retweeted Woodfin's initial tweet to Delta the same day.
Aziz Sayyed, a college student accused of obtaining bomb making materials to blow up a police building in Huntsville, told an undercover FBI agent about his "desire to assist ISIS," according to authorities.

Sayyed will plead guilty Thursday at the federal court house in Birmingham. He's charged with attempting to provide material support or resources to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Sayyed is accused of obtaining materials to make a triacetone triperoxide (TATP) bomb for use in a terror attack.

Although the FBI has led the investigation into Sayyed, the 22-year-old college student initially was charged in state court. U.S. Attorney Jay Town now also has charged Sayyed.

"This was a very professional, thorough investigation the FBI did in this case," said Sayyed's attorney Bruce Gardner. "I'm glad we came around to this agreement."

Gardner said Sayyed agreed to plead guilty after federal authorities shared their evidence with the defense.

"Once we got access to that evidence, we saw the wisdom of entering a plea," Gardner said. "We don't know for sure but we feel confident the related state charges will be dropped."

Gardner said federal prosecutors have agreed to a 15-year stipulated sentence in exchange for the plea. But, the final sentencing decision is up to U.S. District Judge Abdul K. Kallon, who isn't bound by any deals between lawyers.

The evidence

In federal court records made public today, prosecutors allege Sayyed met with "a person he understood to be an ISIS member." Gardner told AL.com that person was an undercover FBI agent.

"During this meeting, Sayyed and the other person discussed, among other things, the danger of TATP, ISIS's preference or the use of certain explosives, and Sayyed's desire to assist ISIS," federal prosecutors allege in court records. "During this meeting, Sayyed offered himself as personnel to the person he understood to be a member of ISIS."

Two days after that June 2017 meeting, Huntsville police and the feds arrested Sayyed at his Twickenham Village Apartments home. Initially, Sayyed was held without bail, but Madison County District Judge Schuyler Richardson last year set bond at $250,000 cash only. Sayyed never posted bail, remaining in the Madison County Jail.

During a preliminary hearing in state court last year, Huntsville police Investigator Brad Snipes told the judge that Sayyed claimed ISIS would take credit if he carried out the attack. Sayyed did not want to hit civilian targets, according to Snipes, so he planned on bombing a police or military building in Madison County.

The bombing, Snipes testified, would not be a suicide mission, because Sayyed wanted to live and carry out more attacks.

Sayyed is an American citizen, native of North Carolina. He was living in Huntsville to attend Calhoun Community College.

Sayyed will be in federal court on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. to enter a guilty plea. He could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Updated at 1:40 p.m. with new information from Defense Attorney Bruce Gardner about the FBI going undercover.
By comparison with the big plans of Airbus and Bombardier, Mobile-based AeroStar's announcement last week that it will create 28 new jobs may seem small.

But if you're looking for signs that Mobile's aerospace boom has depth and the potential to continue developing for years to come, there's nothing small about Greg Guzman's decision to more than double the size of his seven-year-old company.

Guzman says the move was under consideration for more than a year before AeroStar leadership decided to go big. He knows as well as anyone that the aviation industry has its ups and downs, driven by global economic developments, international politics and acts such as the terrorist attacks of September 2001.

The decision to add nearly 17,000 square feet to its current 6,000, and 28 new employees to a workforce of 22, represents a conviction that there's more in store for Lower Alabama's aerospace sector than the occasional blockbuster announcement.

"I do believe this area will continue to grow," Guzman says. He says he's got a significant new five-year contract in hand, and more under discussion. The expansion represents a "confidence level" the work will be there.

It also serves as a reminder that while juggernauts such Airbus tend to get all the attention, the area also is home to some smaller companies who contribute to its drawing power. And some of them, like AeroStar, are completely home-grown.

Guzman got into aerospace in 2000 working in customer service for component repair company Airinc in Fairhope, a company later acquired by Fokker. Fokker eventually shut down the Fairhope business, consolidating operations at a Georgia site; but before that happened Guzman had reached a turning point.

"I decided when I turned 40 if I was ever going to start a company, it was time," he said. He opened AeroStar in Mobile's Brookley complex in 2011, helped by investment from executives at another home-grown company, Star Aviation. In a Press-Register interview at the time, Guzman said he aimed to employ 10 people in the near term and someday expand to 25.

AeroStar provides a variety of services for aircraft built by Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and other companies. Its specialty is testing and refurbishing hydraulic, electromechanical and pneumatic components. Equipment at its Mobile site includes a 35,000-gallon air reservoir for pneumatic pressure testing, and a hydraulic testing station that Guzman says was locally engineered.

"I know we're the only institution in the world that has this piece of test equipment," he says.

The average person might not appreciate the level of FAA certification required for aircraft repair work. The standards are meticulous, and Guzman says he has no problems with that -- in part because he flies 100,000 miles or more a year.

"I don't like any type of issue on any aircraft I'm flying on, or anyone else is flying on," he says.

Greg Guzman, left, president and managing partner of Mobile-based AeroStar, looks over one of the company's work areas. In need of more space, the company has announced plans to expand its facility and more than double the size of its workforce. (Lawrence Specker/LSpecker@AL.com)

At AeroStar's older facility, offices have been crammed into spaces originally intended as conference rooms and closets. Shelves are tightly arranged in storage areas. It's pretty obvious that AeroStar has been making the most of its small footprint.

The need for more room exemplifies the synergy that many aerospace boosters like to talk about. Every company that brings a new service to the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, or serves a niche, potentially creates work for its neighbors. One example would be VT MAE, the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) company that is one of the biggest operations at Brookley.

When a company sends a jet to VT MAE, Guzman said, it might opt to send certain components over to AeroStar for refurbishment. Being able to do that may add to the appeal of using VT MAE. Another example of such teamwork is the company MAAS Aviation, which came to Brookley to paint jets for Airbus. It opened another paint bay for general customers, meaning that Mobile went from being a city where you could get a jet serviced, to one where you could get it serviced and painted. MAAS and VT MAE subsequently teamed up in a joint marketing campaign based on that selling point.

Guzman says that sort of "rising tide" effect helped keep Aerostar at Brookley. If he'd relocated, he could have owned his land instead of leasing from the Mobile Airport Authority. And that did have a certain attraction. "The price of dirt can keep going up" as demand for Aeroplex property increases, he says.

Btu the fact is that one of his favorite selling tools is a Google Maps view of the Aeroplex, showing how close AeroStar is to VT MAE, Airbus and other companies. That makes an impression both on potential employees and potential customers, he says.

"We believe by being here at the airfield, it's a good recruiting tool," he says.

Aerostar announced last week that the company planned to start construction in March and have its new building in place by year's end. It wasn't kidding: On March 1, earth-moving equipment already was at work.

Despite the fast pace, Guzman said, AeroStar is sticking to some internal values that have given it stability over the years.

"One thing I can say I'm very proud of is our employee retention," he says. The company lost a couple of employees to Airbus, he says, but not many. And the same leadership team has been in place "since Day 1," he says.

He hopes the area will continue to develop aerospace education and training programs, and praised both Baldwin County and Mobile schools for their efforts. "I think that's the best thing you can do, is educate kids," he says.

Guzman says he thinks there will be more blockbuster announcements in Mobile's future. He speculated that it wouldn't be a huge surprise if Airbus someday explores the option of adding a production line for military aircraft.

But aside from such developments, he sees an ongoing positive trend. He credits part of that to area political leaders and the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce for active recruitment efforts. And when he thinks of the potential for aerospace growth in Mobile, he says, he thinks it could eventually have far-reaching impacts that might seem outlandish now.

"I've seen some videos of what Seattle looked like before Boeing," he says.
Alabama can no longer lay claim to the number one spot when it comes to President Donald Trump's approval rating.

The latest Morning Consult poll shows Trump's February approval rating in Alabama was at 61 percent, down from 63 percent in January. Alabama's January numbers gave the president his highest approval rating among all the states; at 64 percent, Wyoming moved into the top spot in February.

Alabama's February numbers were a 1-percentage point drop from the same month the previous year.

Thirty-five percent of Alabamians said they disapproved of the job the president is doing, according to the latest poll.

Here's the complete list of states ranked by presidential approval ratings:
The Alabama House overwhelmingly passed a bill Tuesday that would make murdering a police officer, corrections officer, first responder or child under 14 years old subject to the death penalty.

"If you murder one of them, we're going to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville. He said the bill was inspired by a rash of killings of police officers across the country a few years ago.

The bill passed the House by a vote of 72-20 with six abstentions.

Rep. Tommy Haynes, R-Scottsboro, praised Sells for introducing the bill.

"First responders, police officers - they're born with a servant's heart. Their full intent is to help people, to make a bad situation and hopefully make it a better situation," Haynes said. "It's just not right for these servants to have to worry about somebody bushwhacking them."

Rep. Patricia Todd, D-Birmingham, said that while she supported the bill, she said it reminded her of a double standard after a bill she sponsored to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the hate crimes law was defeated because Republicans argued that "a victim is a victim and [those characteristics] should not matter."

"Do you see how that is unfair?" Todd asked Sells. "And I am aggravated, and one of the reasons I'm not going to be here next year [in the House] is the hypocrisy that I see. ... My bill got killed on an argument that applies to your bill, but we're going to pass it."

The bill goes on to the Senate for consideration.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has dismissed two civil rights complaints filed against the Alabama Department of Environmental Management by residents of Uniontown, Ala., related to the department's permitting of a large landfill near the town.

Attorneys representing several residents of Uniontown filed the first formal complaint with EPA in 2013, arguing that by permitting a landfill to operate just outside Uniontown -- which has a population that is 90 percent African American and reports an average per capita income of $9,000 per year -- ADEM had violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination by entities that receive federal funding.

The EPA's External Civil Rights Compliance Office, announced in a 28-page letter dated March 1, that it found "insufficient evidence" of discrimination by ADEM.

ADEM Director Lance LeFleur told AL.com the findings were "long overdue."

"We wanted those findings because we were very strongly holding the belief that we have gone the extra mile to make sure our non-discrimination program not only meets the requirements of all the federal regulations and laws, but that it goes beyond that," LeFleur said. "EPA issued those findings, and the language they used may not have been as strong as we would have liked, but the bottom line is they found our program to be in compliance."

LeFleur said ADEM provided EPA with more than 30,000 pages of documents relating to the Arrowhead Landfill permitting decisions, in addition to numerous interviews with Uniontown residents and department personnel.

EPA recommendations

The EPA did make some recommendations in the letter, specifically that ADEM work to promote understanding among the interested parties.

"While not legally required, [EPA's civil rights office] believes that ADEM could increase its leadership role by bringing together the Arrowhead community, permittees, as well as other local government entities to share important information, ensure that its citizens and stakeholders understand roles, rights and responsibilities and address issues constructively," the letter states.

LeFleur said the department would consider those recommendations, but noted ADEM has already hosted public meetings involving the landfill owners and Uniontown residents.

"EPA wants to be responsive to people who feel they've been discriminated against," LeFleur said. "One of the ways EPA believes we can be more responsive is to initiate activities that are not normally associated with a regulatory function.

"This is more of a community outreach program, and we have an extensive community outreach program, but they have asked us to be more proactive rather than reactive in our dealings with communities where there is heightened concern."

Long-standing conflict

Conflicts between the landfill operators and local residents have sprung up since the landfill was first permitted in 2005, and intensified in 2009 after the landfill began accepting train loads full of wet coal ash slurry, dredged from the Emory and Clinch Rivers in Tennessee after the massive TVA Kingston Fossil Plant coal ash spill.

According to EPA records, more than 4 million tons of ash was sent to Arrowhead from Tennessee.

The group Black Belt Citizens Fighting for Health and Justice was formed in 2005 to organize opposition to the landfill, and the landfill's owners sued the group in 2016 for libel and slander, seeking $30 million in damages. That lawsuit was withdrawn last year.

Members of the Black Belt Citizens group said they were disappointed in the decision.

"If EPA can't see that what we experience are civil rights violations, then EPA will never protect people from discrimination," Ben Eaton, vice president of Black Belt Citizens group said in a news release. "It is disturbing to see this federal agency do nothing."

Other critics of the EPA's decision, including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), said the problems in Uniontown should be evident.

"This decision is wholly unacceptable," Booker said in a news release. "The EPA has abdicated its responsibility to protect people of color and low-income communities from blatant discrimination.

"I saw with my own eyes how the residents of Uniontown struggle on a daily basis with a massive industrial garbage dump that's been planted in their backyards."

Booker visited Uniontown last summer and the met with the residents who filed the complaint, one of several recent trips to Alabama for the Senator from New Jersey.

"Access to clean air, clean water, and clean soil shouldn't be a privilege - it's a right and the EPA has failed to protect this right for the people of Uniontown," Booker said. "This issue goes to the core of a larger movement for equal justice in this country that we're unfortunately still struggling with."

Uniontown residents also testified in 2016 before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, which noted that the EPA's Civil Rights Office "has never made a formal finding of discrimination."

Marianne Engelman Lado, supervising attorney for the Yale Law Environmental Justice Clinic who helped file the civil rights complaints, said Uniontown was a classic example of environmental injustice.

"If EPA can't reach a finding in this case, where there is such extensive evidence of racially disparate impacts to residents' quality of life, it is hard to imagine that the agency will ever validate a civil rights claim," Engelman Lado said. "EPA is effectively ignoring citizens' firsthand testimony."
The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced a $12.7 million grant that will help add a new feature to the Alabama State Docks in Mobile: A vehicle-friendly loading site that could serve the state's growing automotive industry.

According to information released Tuesday by the DOT, the project being funded by the grant "converts an abandoned bulk handling facility at the Port of Mobile into a roll-on/roll-off mobile vehicle processing facility." It will be able to handle automobiles, military vehicles, trucks, and other rolling stock that can be driven or towed directly onto ships.

The feature could be beneficial to Alabama's growing auto manufacturing sector. In January, when Toyota and Mazda announced that they'd selected the Huntsville area for a new auto manufacturing plant, the Port Authority's chief said that while it was "really a little early to tell," the plant could have an impact on port traffic.

Jimmy Lyons, director and CEO of the Port Authority, speculated that if Toyota and Mazda vehicles made in Huntsville are exported, they might be shipped out of Mobile.

While it's unknown whether the companies intend to do so, the port will be equipped to meet the demand if they do so.

Alabama senators Richard Shelby and Doug Jones were quick to praise the grant announcement. Shelby released a statement saying that the grant would "facilitate the demands of Alabama's booming automotive industry."

Via Twitter, Jones described it as a "huge win" for the port and said the new facility will "serve as an engine of economic opportunity for the Mobile region."

The statement released by Shelby also included comment from Lyons.

"This project will add needed capability to this region of the Gulf of Mexico and greatly enhance the Alabama State Port Authority's ability to serve the automotive and equipment industries," Lyons said. "Including other funds secured by the Port as well as the cost of the land, the total project is valued at approximately $60 million, representing a great value for taxpayers."

TIGER stands for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery. Another multimillion dollar TIGER grant is funding improvements to Mobile's Broad Street corridor.
Tests on deer carcasses collected in Mississippi don't show any signs of the fatal infectious disease that was recently confirmed in a dead buck.

Investigators still don't know where the 41/2-year-old buck contracted chronic wasting disease, Russ Walsh, executive director for wildlife in Mississippi's Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks said in a video posted Tuesday on the department's website.

He said genetic tests show the buck found Jan. 25 was local and therefore was infected by a local source. Testing is continuing on other deer reported sick or dead, including roadkill, he said.

The tests on 64 deer found sick or dead within 5 miles of the buck came back Monday, he said.

"We've sent off multiple other samples," he said.

To avert or delay the infection's spread across state lines, Louisiana has banned supplemental deer feeding in East Carroll, Madison and Tensas parishes -- those nearest to Issaquena County, where the buck was found about 5 miles from the state line.

Hunters in those parishes cannot bait feral hog traps with rice bran, non-fermented or whole cracked corn, soybeans, protein pellets and commercial feeds formulated for deer because of the ban, which took effect Monday. They can still use bait not normally eaten by deer, according to a news release emailed Tuesday.

Alabama forbids importation of deer carcasses from any of the 25 states where the disease has been confirmed. Hunters can still bring in deboned meat, tanned hides, and cleaned skulls with antlers and teeth.

The neurological disease typically causes deer, elk and moose to have tremors and other movement problems and lose weight. It is part of a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and is similar to bovine spongiform encephalopathy -- mad cow disease -- in cattle and scrapie in sheep.

The disease was already present among deer in Arkansas and 23 other states.

Mississippi banned import of dead deer carcasses from affected areas last year in hopes of keeping out the disease.

It banned supplemental feeding in Claiborne, Hinds, Issaquena, Sharkey, Warren and Yazoo counties after the disease was confirmed.
The mayor of Oakland, California, responded to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions by repeating the "How dare you?" phrase he used after she warned of a recent federal immigration raid.

Sessions criticized Mayor Libby Schaaf in a speech Wednesday to law enforcement officials after he sued California over laws that restrict cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities.

Afterward, she said of Sessions: "How dare you" vilify members of the community, distract people from a broken immigration system that breaks up families and distort the reality of declining violent crime in a "sanctuary city" like Oakland.

Schaaf issued an unusual public warning last month about an immigration operation in Northern California.

Sessions said, "How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open borders agenda?"
Rhode Island's general assembly could soon consider a bill that would assess a $20 fee on those wanting to access online pornography.

Democratic state Senators Frank Ciccone and Hanna Gallo introduced "An Act Relating to Public Utilities and Carriers--Internet Digital Blocking" on March 1. The bill would require internet service providers to digitally block sexual content or "patently offensive material" until a user pays a one-time $20 fee. The money from the fee would go to the state to fund the council on human trafficking, sponsors said.

Ciccone said the purpose of the legislation is "first and foremost (to) protect our children from viewing websites that could have possible detrimental effects to their psyches and developmental process.

"Everyone knows the internet can be a harmful and dangerous environment for our children. Our kids now have easy access to materials that no child should be viewing, such as pornography and other highly offensive or disturbing material," he added.

According to Rhode Island law, sexual content would include depictions of any act of sexual intercourse whether "normal, perverted, actual or simulated." It defines "patently offensive material" as anything that is "so offensive on its face as to affront current standards of decency."

The bill would also require internet providers to block child pornography, revenge pornography and websites that facilitate human trafficking and prostitution.

Service providers who fail to block the material could be subject to civil penalties of up to $500 per incident.
Scott Dawson, an evangelist who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, criticized a school safety plan announced Tuesday by Gov. Kay Ivey.

In particular, Dawson took issue with Ivey's establishment of what she described as council to make recommendations to improve school safety in the aftermath of the shooting at Florida school last month where 17 people were killed.

That council, Ivey said, has a deadline of April 30.

Dawson said that's too late because the 2018 legislative session is expected to be over by then.

"Today's announcement (by Ivey) has every appearance of campaign theater, not sound public policy and leadership," Dawson said in a statement released Tuesday night.

The issue of better protecting Alabama's school has emerged as perhaps the hottest political issue so far this election year. State Rep. Will Ainsworth, R-Guntersville and a candidate for lieutenant governor, is pushing a bill that would allow well-trained teachers to carry firearms in schools.

No proposals from legislatures are close to passage at this point.

Dawson said that Ivey's decision to employ a task force is a reversal of her previous position when she disbanded 18 task forces formed by former Gov. Robert Bentley.

"I believe strongly that my role is to make decisions and lead, not kick the can down the road," Ivey said last July in ending the Bentley task forces. "I am choosing to tackle some of the issues that have previously been sent before a task force."

In her announcement Tuesday, Ivey described her advisory group as the Governor's Securing Alabama Facilities of Education (SAFE) Council. Ivey will chair the group, which will also include interim state Superintendent Ed Richardson as well as top state officials for mental health, law enforcement and information technology, among others.

"From arming school personnel, utilizing security teams or controlled access to buildings, all ideas should be considered," Ivey said Tuesday.

Said Dawson, "Task force is government code for doing nothing." He added that "Today's announcement has every appearance of campaign theater, not sound public policy and leadership."

State Sen. Bill Hightower, R-Semmes, is also running for governor. He told AL.com on Tuesday night that he had not yet reviewed Ivey's plan. But he agreed with Dawson that any initiatives from Ivey's SAFE Council that required legislative action would have to wait until next year.

It's possible that the group could bring back suggestions that Ivey could put into action without approval from lawmakers, Hightower said.

"There could be some elements under her executive powers that she does execute," Hightower said. "She does have some discretionary funds and the authority to do that. The law enforcement community and the schools are the ones to talk to. They know where the trouble is. We've just got to connect them with the resources to deal with it."

Hightower also spoke about his plan to establish police precincts within schools similar to what is seen in some shopping malls.

"My plan is to place the office of police in the schools themselves like it's done in some mall areas where there are officers on duty and they use that as a base," he said. "They get to know the students. The students find that there are actually these policemen and women who are there to help them."

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, another GOP gubernatorial hopeful, was not available for comment about Ivey's plan on Tuesday night. During a Q&A with high school students near Huntsville on Tuesday morning, though, Battle was asked about his plans for school safety if elected governor.

Battle outlined policies established in Huntsville City Schools while he was mayor in the aftermath of two campus shootings in Madison County in 2010, which he touted as "probably one of the best plans in the nation."

The mayor outlined how school facilities had been "hardened" by restricting access points once students had arrived for the school day and the assigning of Huntsville police officers to campuses. Law enforcement also watches students' public social media, Battle said, for indications of a planned attack.

"It's a long way of saying we started tackling that problem nine or 10 years ago after a tragedy," Battle told the students at Sparkman High School. "We've been able to come up with a plan that's probably one of the best plans in the nation in making sure our students are safe. We've been proving that over the past nine years."
U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby's expected rise to the chairmanship of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee is good news for Alabama from its NASA and Army centers in Huntsville to its Birmingham research hospitals to its military shipbuilding yard in Mobile.

But as good as it is, the chair is not the key to the federal treasury it might have been 50 years ago, one Alabama political observer said Tuesday.

U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (D-Miss.) said Monday he will retire from the Senate and his post as Appropriations Committee chairman in April. Shelby is next in line by seniority, and he wants the job. He's also widely expected to get it.

"That would be a great honor," Shelby said in Huntsville Feb. 20. "That's a coveted position. No one to my knowledge in state history has ever chaired that committee."

"It's not as powerful as it would have been a generation ago," retired Athens University political science professor Dr. Jess Brown said Tuesday. "The earmarking of funds, that's technically gone. They also, frankly, don't have as much money to spend, and both parties now have to be more concerned about debt issues than they did a generation ago."

"So, while I would argue this role doesn't help Alabama the way it would have 50 years ago," Brown said, "it's still valuable."

One way it's valuable is the knowledge members acquire, Brown said. The committee sees more information about government programs, and that gives members more ways to make deals and find funds.

Shelby agrees that earmarking is finished. That's the practice where senators could add special projects to the budget. "I don't think anything known as an earmark will come back," he said in Huntsville. "It's a pejorative. Bridge to Nowhere. Remember that? Some people abused it. Some people didn't."

The "Bridge to Nowhere" was a planned Alaskan bridge connecting a small town on an island to a mainland airport by way of a $223 million earmark. After the bridge became a symbol for wasteful spending in 2005, the money was pulled and used to rebuild another bridge damaged by a hurricane.

"There might be some way to have directed appropriations," Shelby continued. "It is in the Constitution that the Congress does this. We'll see."

Brown said Shelby is more pragmatist than ideologue and will work with other senators to reach deals where everyone gets something. An example might be the ongoing water waters between Florida, Alabama and Georgia, where some people are already worried.

"One of Georgia's worst Capitol Hill nightmares could very well unfold in the weeks ahead...," read Tuesday's Atlanta Journal Constitution political blog. "It's very possible that one of Georgia's top rivals in its long-running water rights battle with Alabama and Florida could soon end up with much more power to tip the scales."

The blog writer says Georgia lawmakers believe Shelby "has used his position as a senior appropriator to try and give Alabama an edge in the water fight." Shelby says he's just looked out for Alabama's interests, but he wants a three-state compromise.

Something for Georgia, something for Florida and something for Alabama - that's the way spending committees used to function. And that's the way Brown thinks the appropriations committee will function under Shelby.
A state House committee approved a bill Wednesday that would allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed on state property or in public schools.

Arnold Mooney (courtesy photo)

Rep. Arnold Mooney, R-Birmingham, the House sponsor of the bill, said the legislation doesn't compel public property or public schools from displaying the Ten Commandments. He added that the document has to be displayed "in a historical context."

Mooney said the bill also bars state funds from being used to defend the legislation should it be challenged in court.

The bill passed the House State Government Committee by a vote of 9-3, with the committee's three present Democratic members opposing the measure.

Rep. Barbara Boyd, D-Anniston, said she feared that the bill was a step toward legalizing Ten Commandments monuments like the one removed under then-Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore. Mooney denied that was the motivation for the bill.

Rep. Ralph Howard, D-Greensboro, said the bill was a distraction from issues plaguing the state.

"This state has gone through this before. This bill does not solve one problem or any problem that this state has," Howard said, referencing incarceration rates, among other issues.. "We just have so much more real work to be done in this state than for this to be an issue."

But Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, argued that many problems referenced by Howard were caused by a lack of faith that a Ten Commandments display could alleviate.

"I think it can be argued that the root cause of most of the problems that you address ... happen because ... [people] left God," Henry said. "They forgot who Christ is in their life."

Howard responded, "You know who needs to be praying? The president."

The Senate version of the bill, carried by Sen. Gerald Dial, R-Lineville, passed the upper chamber by a vote of 27-3 late last month.
Ten sheriff's deputies were fired upon during a harrowing hours-long standoff and shootout Monday in rural Baldwin County.

The incident ended with the death of 66-year-old Robert Lewis Yates, and occurred a little less than two weeks after a police officer was shot and killed during a shootout in nearby Mobile.

The latest incident, in which none of the deputies were injured or killed, occurred around 1:30 p.m. at a trailer park in the Barnwell community off of U.S. 98 south of Fairhope. Yates was killed during a standoff that started after he shot at two deputies who initially arrived at his trailer to serve him an eviction notice.

Authorities released few details during a Tuesday news conference as to why Yates fired upon law enforcement. The approximately five-hour standoff ended around 6:30 p.m. after an eight-member SWAT team went into the home to get Yates out. Yates shot at the deputies, with bullets hitting their protective body vests and shields.

"In law enforcement, there is no routine or mundane duty that officers and deputies do every day that they can take for granted anymore," said Gulf Shores Police Chief Ed Delmore, and chairman of the board of directors for a major crimes unit in Baldwin County.

"This was a routine situation. It turned deadly in the blink of an eye," Delmore said.

'Recovery'

In Mobile, Police Chief Lawrence Battiste offered his thoughts to the deputies who were involved in the Baldwin County shootout. His department is still reeling from the unrelated Feb. 20 shootout that killed 27-year-old Police Officer Justin Billa.

"I can certainly emphasize with what the deputies are going through right now," Battiste said. "We are in a recovery phase. We are trying to heal."

Said Battiste: "We are trying to work with the families to make sure they have the resources as well and the ability to talk to someone. I would encourage Baldwin County to do likewise. Even though they didn't have anyone injured, the reality is they were fired upon. It brings full circle on what can happen in this job every day."

The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office has made available to all deputies involved in the incident a Critical Incident Debriefing that involves group, family and individual counseling, said Baldwin County Sheriff's Captain Stephen Arthur.

Daphne Police Capt. Jud Beedy, also a member of the Baldwin County major crimes unit, said authorities are analyzing state laws to make sure that deadly force was justified during the standoff.

"There were two incidences in which deputies were fired upon," Beedy said. "We have been collecting evidence for the past 14 to 15 hours. There is still some physical evidence we are collecting (Tuesday). It would take weeks (to fully investigate)."

Authorities knew little about Yates' background on Tuesday. Baldwin County District Attorney Robert Wilters said that Yates had been in a tussle with the property's landlord since late 2016 over a lack of maintenance issues. The complaints, according to Wilters, included not mowing his grass, not keeping shrubbery trimmed and not moving an inoperable vehicle.

Wilters said he was unaware that Yates had any noticeable criminal past.

One employee with the Key Allegro Villas - the trailer park community where Yates resided, and where the standoff occurred - said he was a "mentally off."

"It's scary," said the woman, who requested not to be identified. "These officers were just trying to serve him papers."

'Struggle'

The number of people who have been fatally shot by police has remained relatively stable in the past several years, according to data compiled by The Washington Post. The newspaper accounted for 987 incidents in which someone was shot and killed by police in 2017, up from 963 in 2017.

Police have seen a 150 percent spike in gunfire fatalities involving their own during the first two months of 2018. Six law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty from Jan. 1 to March 6, 2017. During the same period this year, there have been 15 police officer deaths, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Billa is one of them. He was shot and killed while police were setting up a perimeter outside the home of 72-year-old Robert Hollie, who had been a suspect in the murder of his ex-wife, 58-year-old Fonda Poellnitz.

She was found dead a few hours before Billa was shot and killed from an apparent head wound. Hollie was later found dead inside his home from what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"At Officer Billa's funeral, I talked about hearing chatter from officers as to 'why do I do this job?'" Battiste said. "The reality is we are a needed resource for this community. We have work to do and the community depends on us."

Battiste said there have been consequences to having a police officer shot and killed while on duty. He said next year's recruiting class, which had 20 people signed up earlier last month, was now down to 12 in the days following Billa's death.

"Something that traumatic on the heels of starting an academy class can have significant impact on who you bring into the fold," Battiste said. "Right now, we'll struggle for a little while finding those individuals who are willing to put their lives on the line."
Former state Rep. James Fields, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Alabama governor, stopped by Al.com's Reckon room to talk about what he brings to the campaign.

Fields, a United Methodist preacher from Cullman County, spoke of treating people well, no matter their position or condition across the state, and said he would support a lottery to raise money to do it.

But the Fields lottery plan is not like most. It would, he said, include a provision that would pay for parents of pre-kindergarten students to take their child to the movies each week. Because, he says, Alabama needs more family time.

Listen to him describe it, and talk about other issues, in the video.

The interview is a part of a series of discussions with Alabama gubernatorial candidates.

Follow the links to see previous interviews with Democrats Walt Maddox and Sue Bell Cobb, and Republicans Scott Dawson, Tommy Battle and Bill Hightower.
State Rep. Chris England doesn't belong in the Alabama Legislature, and when you hear him speak at the Alabama House podium, you quickly understand why.

He's smart. He's honest. And he's plain spoken.

In short, he doesn't fit in there.

Consider the debate Tuesday over a bill traveling under the banner of economic development -- HB 317.

State Rep. Chris England doesn't fit in Montgomery. He's smart, honest and plain spoken.

Ostensibly the bill would make Alabama more competitive with other states when recruiting business, but threaded though it is something more sinister -- it creates a huge new loophole in the Alabama ethics laws. Specifically, it frees people who call themselves "economic developers" from the reporting requirements imposed on lobbyists.

"What does an economic developer do?" he asked. The bill's sponsor, Ken Johnson, R-Moulton, couldn't reply with a good answer, so England gave one for him. "Don't they lobby?"

And it's really that simple. While "economic development" can mean whatever the business interests behind it want it to, the economic developers you see walking the halls of the Alabama State House, or holding meetings with the governor or other state agency leaders -- they come with their hands out. They come to Montgomery to ask for tax incentives and property. Sometimes they come to ask for cash.

That's money that comes out of your pocket as a taxpayer.

And they aren't there to ask for those things out of some sort of civic duty or calling. They're there with their hands out because someone is paying them to do so.

Under pretty much anyone's definition, that's lobbying.

Anyone's definition except for the definition in Johnson's bill, HB 317.

More than once, Johnson said on the House floor that his bill does not affect the ethics law, but that just isn't true.

"Notwithstanding any provision of law, including, but not limited to, Chapter 25 of Title 36, a person acting as an economic development professional is not a lobbyist," it says.

That Chapter 25 of of Title 36 -- that's Alabama's ethics law.

And by changing the definition of lobbyist, it means that by calling themselves "economic development professionals" won't have to register with the Alabama Ethics Commission before they go beg your elected officials for favors.

And it means that if they ply your elected officials with free food and drinks and trips and whatever else their employers' expense accounts will cover, and they won't have to report any of that spending to the Alabama Ethics Commission, as lobbyists must.

Most importantly it means that, under Alabama's ethics laws, those things won't be crimes.

This bill isn't about economic development. It's a cloaking device for corruption.

But don't take it from me. Take it from Tom Albritton, the director of the Alabama Ethics Commission.

"I think it's a bad bill that weakens the ethics laws considerably," Albritton said in a statement released Wednesday. "Simply saying that anyone involved in economic development isn't a lobbyist approaches the issue from the wrong direction. The better solution, in my view, is to recognize that they are lobbying, but then protect project-sensitive information from public disclosure. We offered that solution, but it was rejected."

Albritton isn't alone. Van Davis who, as acting Attorney General, successfully prosecuted former Alabama Mike Hubbard, has said the bill would weaken the very ethics laws his team used to convict Hubbard.

"These people elected to office - not just legislators - should take office for the right reasons, to represent their community and constituency," Davis told John Archibald recently when talking about HB 317. "They want to parlay it into a way to make money."

However, I have one quibble with Davis's argument. These public officials don't want to make money. They want to take money.

They want to take money from special interests.

Special interests who take money from your government.

Your government that takes money from you.

Which is why HB 317 passed on Tuesday and now heads to the Alabama Senate, from where it will likely go to Gov. Kay Ivey, whose office has been pressuring reluctant lawmakers to support it.

In the end, those few exceptions -- the Chris Englands -- they get crowded out by the guys with their hands out.

But on second thought, I was wrong about one thing I said. England isn't the one who doesn't belong in the Alabama Legislature.

It's all the others that need to go.

Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group. You can follow his work on Facebook through Reckon by AL.com.
Posted on: March 7, 2018 10:02 AM

The two existing primates of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia (ANZP) have announced that the provinces third primate will be Bishop Don Tamihere, currently bishop of Tairawhiti. The Church of ANZP is unique in the Anglican Communion in having three primates of the whole province, but with special responsibility for the three Tikangas, or geographical and cultural streams: Polynesia, Maori, and Pakeha (people of European descent). Bishop Don will succeed the late Archbishop Brown Turei, who died in January 2017 at the age of 92, just two months ahead of his planned retirement.

As part of the planning for Archbishop Browns retirement, Don Tamihere was nominated as Bishop of Tairawhiti  or Te Pihopa o Te Tai Rawhiti  in October 2016. The diocese serves the tribal district on the eastern seaboard of New Zealands North Island. He was consecrated and installed in March 2017.

In September, he was unanimously nominated for the post of Archbishop by the three houses of an electoral college held during Te Runanganui  the biennial synod of Te Pihopatanga, the Maori Tikanga of the Church in ANZP. That nomination has now been ratified by the provinces wider House of Bishops, and approved by a ballot of members of the ANZP General Synod.

In his new role, the Archbishop-elect will become Pihopa o Aotearoa  leader of the Maori Anglican Church. At the age of 45, he will be the youngest primate in the Anglican Communion. He will serve alongside Archbishop Philip Richardson, Bishop of Waikato and Taranaki, and senior bishop of the Pakeha Tikaniga; and Archbishop Winston Halapua, the Bishop of Polynesia.

We rejoice with the people of Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa and look forward to sharing the primacy of our church with Bishop Don, the two serving Archbishops said.

The Archbishop-elect said that he views the Maori church as laden with great potential.

Speaking to Anglican Taonga, he said: All of us who love the Pihopatanga want it to fulfil that potential  to become the thing that our ancestors dreamed it would be.

Ive honestly felt, all through these last few months, that people are just waiting for that opportunity to move into a new future. There's lots of excitement about the possibilities, lots of renewed energy. It's a new season, and we need to step into it  and for me the key is: we move together.

He described his confidence in what lies ahead: For me, its all captured in the phrase: Ko te amorangi ki mua, ko te hapai o ki muri  Put God first, and everything else will fall into place.

The biblical underpinning for that is Matthew 6:33: Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you. God has put a mustard seed of faith within us. And if you put God first, theres no limit to what you will grow and become.

Bishop Don was born in Gisborne in 1972 and grew up on the coast. He obtained a Masters degree in theology at the College of St John the Evangelist in Auckland, before being ordained as a deacon in March 2003 and as a priest in December 2004.

He described the six months between his nomination and todays announcement of his election as a long journey, adding: It was a very thorough process . . . and in many ways, the process has proven itself. The way the sanctioning process has concluded can give us all great confidence that the call of God that we perceived, and discerned, and celebrated at the electoral college, has been thoroughly proven.

The Archbishop-elect is married to Kisa, and they have three children: Tiana, 22; Danielle, 19 and Ethan, 16. The family share their life with their 18-year-old nephew Toka.

Arrangements for his installation will be announced shortly by the Anglican Church of ANZP.
Posted on: March 7, 2018 3:45 PM

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has used his position as a member of the House of Lords  the upper house of Britains Parliament  to ask the British government how they are responding to the escalating violence and suppression of peaceful protests across the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Addressing Government minister the Earl of Courtown yesterday (Tuesday), Archbishop Justin said he had spoken that morning to Archbishop Zacharie Masimango Katanda, Primate of the Province de LEglise Anglicane Du Congo (the Anglican Church of Congo) about the prevailing anarchy across the country which the central Government in Kinshasa seem unable to control. He said that the on-going war had created two million refugees who are now living in conditions of immeasurable suffering and four million casualties over the past 20 years

He said that the UN peacekeeping and stabilisation operation in Congo  MONUSCO  had seen a sad weakening of the already overstretched forces and asked the government to use its influence on UN Security Councils permanent members to seek to reinforce those MONUSCO forces and find ways of serving the poorest and most desperate of that region. And he asked what practical steps . . . can the Government find to ensure that the commitments to elections are undertaken?

The minister, Patrick Courtown, said that the UK remains committed to supporting peaceful elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We repeatedly call on the Government to respect their citizens constitutional right to peaceful protest.

Those responsible for the violence towards civilians, including peaceful protesters, must be brought swiftly to justice. He said that the UKs Minister for Africa, MP Harriett Baldwin, would be meeting with DRC Prime Minister Bruno Tshibala today (7 March) to reiterate the importance of fully implementing the political agreement signed on 31 September 2016.

The minister said that MONUSCOs mandate will be renewed this month, and added: We will work with our partners at the United Nations to ensure that the missions priority remains the protection of civilians. In order to achieve this, we believe that the key lies in making MONUSCO a more effective force.

Our ambassador and his team are working with the newly appointed head of MONUSCO, Leila Zerrougui, and her team to support MONUSCOs work in restoring stability to the country. We will also work directly with a number of provincial governors across the country in order to deliver vital humanitarian and development aid. We will focus even more of our development effort at provincial level in the coming months.

This week, the Bishop of Bogo, Mugenyi William Bahemuka, described the increase in violence in Ituri province of DRC as a planned insurgency and said he feared that it would turn into a civil war or a genocide. Once again we need prayer and advocacy for peace, he said.

Last month, Christians around the world observed a day of prayer and fasting for peace in DRC and South Sudan, following an invitation from Pope Francis that was supported by senior Anglican leaders, including Archbishop Justin.
Louvre Abu Dhabi launches Radio-Guided Highway Art Gallery Along road to Dubai, billboards with works of art

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 7 - The Louvre in Abu Dhabi has launched a project in which 10 billboards display works of art along the E 11 Sheikh Zayed road that connects Dubai to Abu Dhabi.



The project, known as the Radio-Guided Highway Art Gallery, is how the museum has chosen to celebrate UAE Innovation Month.



As motorists approach the billboards, which measure 8 by 6 metres, explanations of the artwork are provided via radio by the UAE's three main radio networks.



The explanations last 30 seconds and are broadcast on stations Radio 1 FM (100.5 FM), Classic FM (91.6 FM) and Emarat FM (95.8 FM). "This exhibition puts Abu Dhabi on the map of global innovation to support its heritage, represented by art, culture, and information," said UAE Culture Minister Noura Al Kaabi.



"The ancient masterpieces on display include the Mari-Cha Lion, an important Islamic work from the Mediterranean region; the exceptional Egyptian sarcophagus of Princess Henuttawy; a coin inspired by Alexander the Great and discovered in the United Arab Emirates, on loan from the Al Ain Museum; and an 8,000-year-old two-headed statue, one of the oldest monumental statues in the history of mankind, on loan from Jordan's Department of Antiquities. Paintings from the Renaissance to modern times will also go on display. Among these, Leonardo Da Vinci's 'La Belle Ferronniere', on loan from the Musee du Louvre; and Van Gogh's Self-Portrait from 1887 and The Fifer by Edouard Manet, both on loan from the Musee d'Orsay".



Abu Dhabi's president of the Department of Culture and Tourism, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, said the exhibition "makes art and culture accessible to people, beyond the walls of the museum" by "highlighting some of the museum's iconic masterpieces through a unique audiovisual experience".



The Highway Gallery will be on display through March 15, along the 100 km between Seih Shuaib and Rahba City.



The first universal museum in the Arab world, the Louvre Abu Dhabi was inaugurated on November 11, 2017.



Alongside its collection of artworks and objects spanning the prehistoric to the modern age, the museum will present four special exhibitions per year, organised by its French museum partners and the Agence France-Museums, as part of a 15-year agreement between the governments of Abu Dhabi and France.(ANSAmed).




AMMAN - The Royal Film Commission (RFC) on Wednesday said it has launched a programme to support filmmakers in Jordan as part of efforts to put the country's film industry on the international map, create jobs and improve cultural climate in the kingdom.

The commission announced the resumption of the Jordan Film Fund (JFF), which aims to enable filmmakers to tell their stories through grants targeting youth and qualified filmmakers.

A total of 250,000 Jordanian dinars (310,000 US dollars) in grants have been allocated to support the development, production and post-production of cinematic feature narratives and documentaries, in addition to funding the production of short and animated films, said RFC on its website. The JFF will also support the development of two TV series by Jordanian writers this year.

Eligible applications in cinema and TV categories will be evaluated by two independent international juries composed of established professionals, directors and producers, said RFC. Their assessment will consider eligible projects' quality, originality, creative merit and feasibility, as well as the filmmakers' credentials and abilities.

"We believe this fund is crucial, as it provides much-needed seed money for filmmakers and will revitalize the local film industry," said RFC Managing Director George David.

"The experience we had with previously funded projects has been very conclusive and we expect to have more productions that give a voice to Jordanians," he said.

In the past two cycles from 2011-2013, JFF supported 27 cinematic projects, granting them a total of 380,000 Jordanian dinars. The majority of the funded projects were well-received in regional and international film festivals.

Blessed Benefit by Mahmoud Al Massad premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016, received Best Film and Best Actor awards at the Warsaw International Film Festival, and was chosen as Jordan's Oscar submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2017 Academy Awards.

The feature documentary Aisha (2016) by Asma Bseiso, supported by JFF in the development stage, received the Best Documentary award at the Malmo Arab Film Festival.

The short film Ismail by Nora al Sharif, which had received a JFF production grant, was selected at the 2013 Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Mai Masri's "3000 Nights" participated in over 80 film festivals and garnered 24 awards. "It was a wonderful opportunity to receive financial support from RFC's Jordan Film Fund, as it pushed the project into production and helped secure additional funds," Masri said.

Submission deadlines in 2018 are April 10 for the TV series category and May 3 for the cinema category.


Lebanon: Palestinian factions clash at Shatila camp 'At least one dead'. Factions in charge of security

(ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, MARCH 7 - At least one person has died and two were injured in gunfire on Wednesday afternoon at the Palestinian camp of Shatila, in the southern outskirts of Beirut, according to Lebanese security sources quoted by local media.



The clashes, in which eye witnesses said RPG rockets were used, occurred between militants from Al Fatah and rival group Al Saaiqa. The website of Lebanese newspaper Daily Star reported that the murdered militant is the brother of the head of the local Al Fatah office.



The causes of the gunfire are still unclear. A resident said that the clashes lasted for about an hour and ended at sunset.



Under an agreement between Lebanese and Palestinian authorities, Beirut's army doesn't walk into the 12 Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, leaving Palestinian factions in charge of security. (ANSAmed)
BEIRUT - Hundreds of Syrian and foreign loyalists have been deployed by the Syrian army around the enclave of eastern Ghouta, held by insurgents, to continue a ground attack that has been ongoing for a few days, the UK-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human rights reports. A new meeting of the UN Security Council is scheduled on Wednesday at the initiative of France and Great Britain.



According to the NGO, ''at least 700 Afghan, Palestinian and Syrian loyalist militants'' were moved last night from the region of Aleppo, in the north, towards Ghouta, at the door of Damascus, and have been deployed on the enclave's western front.



The observatory added that the ground offensive has so far enabled government troops to retake 40% of Ghouta's territory after an escalation in bombings starting on February 18 that killed more than 800 people, including civilians. Raids on Tuesday reportedly killed 24 people.



The Sana government news agency for its part said that Damascus' forces ''have carried out over the past few hours intensive operations against the hiding places of terrorists'', inflicting ''heavy losses'' in several areas, while military units, added the agency, are clearing Hosh al Ashaari from landmines and explosives ''placed in the village by terrorists''.
(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MARCH 7 - Air India will fly to Israel through Saudi Arabia's air space in the carrier's first direct flight to the Jewish State, a company spokesman was quoted as announcing Wednesday by the Times of Israel. The spokesman added that the new connection will start on March 22 with three flights a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.



The statement follows reports on the new connection, which had recently been confirmed by Israeli Premier Benyamin Netanyahu.



Flying through Saudi air space - after the country had not OKed flights to or from Israel, along with other Middle Eastern countries - will cut the flight by about two hours and marks a success for the Israeli campaign to boost connections with the Gulf, the company representative said.



Israeli carrier El Al - whose flight to India takes eight hours - will be helped by the State to confront the economic losses due to the new connection. (ANSAmed)
Israel concerned over Palestinian president's health - media Haaretz reports fears over 'succession fight'

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MARCH 7 - Israeli daily Haaretz on Wednesday said there has been a deterioration in the health of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and that information about his health has been submitted to Israeli political and security officials.



It said Israel fears a "continued worsening of Abbas' health" could cause a succession fight that could destabilise the West Bank.



Abbas turned 83 last month and was briefly admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore while in the US for the UN General Assembly.



The Palestinian National Authority said he was admitted for "routine tests that gave satisfactory results".



However, since that time, various Arab press outlets have raised doubts over Abbas' health.(ANSAmed).




Syria: Ankara urges US to 'stop Afrin-bound Kurds' 1,700 to be allegedly transferred from anti-ISIS front

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, MARCH 7 - Turkey has asked the United States to ''intervene'' to ''stop'' the announced transfer of Kurdish-Syrian militias, so far deployed against ISIS, to the enclave of Afrin to counter Ankara's offensive, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.



Over the past few hours the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish-led coalition backed by the US, announced it was moving some 1,700 militants from Deir ez-Zor and other fronts in the war against ISIS to east of Afrin.



The United States had repeatedly warned against the risk that the Turkish 'Olive Branch' military operation could hinder the fight against the so-called Islamic State, jeopardizing the security of areas already taken from the jihadists.



Pro-Turkish Syrian militias meanwhile have allegedly advanced in the Kurdish-Syrian enclave of Afrin, where since January 20 Turkish forces have engaged in an offensive against the Syrian wing of the PKK, according to sources close to the Syrian armed groups allied with Ankara, who are allegedly some 8 km from Afrin. (ANSAmed).




TUNIS - Ben Guerdane, the last Tunisian city before the border with Libya, commemorates today the resistance of the armed forces and citizens against the attack two years ago carried out by a group of ISIS militants who were trying to gain control of military and civil targets in the city.



The ISIS group had reached Libya with the help of local militants. The attack did not succeed thanks to the quick response of Tunisia's security forces and the military, backed by the local population.



A reported 19 people, including seven civilians, died on one side while 54 terrorists were killed on the other, in clashes that continued until the jihadists surrendered. The population at the time took to the streets to help security forces, reporting the position of militants and often enabling their capture.



The ceremony for the second anniversary of the battle, for which a stamp was coined, was attended by Premier Youssef Chahed and other representatives of the national unity government.



Local authorities and unions proclaimed Wednesday as a festivity in Ben Guerdane to commemorate the events that marked one of the most ambitious attacks carried out by ISIS against Tunisian institutions and, on the other, a firm opposition by the population against jihadism.



The battle of Ben Guerdane marked a turning point in the fight against terrorism and local jihadism in Tunisia, which from that moment focused more on prevention and intelligence.



A total of 72 defendants - including 43 in detention, 20 free and nine who are on the run - are being tried for the attack, according to the spokesman for the anti-terror judicial authority of Tunis, Sofiane Selliti.
Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High around 80F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low around 60F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Pegasus Airlines has announced its financial results for 2017.

According to the results available on the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP), Pegasus has increased its guest numbers by 15.2% in 2017 to 27.82 million, while simultaneously growing its turnover by 44% to TL 5.3 billion. Pegasuss annual net profit for 2017 was TL 501 million.

Pegasus had provided its services to a total of 27.82 million guests in 2017, including 16.89 million on routes within Turkey and 10.45 million on its international routes. Pegasus has increased its guest numbers on routes within Turkey by 10.5% compared to the previous year, while guest numbers on its international routes grew by 21.7% year-on-year.

10 new aircraft will join the fleet

Within the scope of an order placed with Airbus in 2012 for 100 aircraft, of which 75 were firm orders, Pegasus decided to exercise its 25-aircraft option in favour of the A321neo aircraft, thus making headway in its efforts to expand its fleet and flight network. As of March 2018, Pegasus has a total of 75 aircraft in its fleet, and 10 new aircraft will be added during 2018. The first of these 10 new aircraft was delivered in February.



Mehmet T. Nane: In 2018, we aim to increase our guest numbers and capacity by between 11 and 13%.

Pegasus Airlines CEO Mehmet T. Nane said that 2017 had seen a cautious recovery in the aviation sector, adding that since last year, we have been saying that we predict real growth will begin in 2018. The positive trends in the sector and our own company confirm our beliefs. The figures show that we are heading in the right direction. The civil aviation sector is in a much better position generally and has managed to shake off the negative impact of the past few years. We have complete confidence in Turkeys economy, civil aviation and tourism potential. In 2018, Pegasus aims to increase its guest numbers and capacity by between 11 and 13%.

Pegasus's main strategy is a guest-focussed approach and technology

Stating that technology was among the key investment areas for Pegasus in 2018, Mehmet T. Nane said By closely following technological developments and using technology to create added value projects for our guests, we are better prepared for the future. We aim to be ranked among the top 10 airlines globally with regard to technology use.

Since it first began scheduled flights in 2005, Pegasus, as a brand, has remained focused on digital developments and new technologies, with the aim of becoming better acquainted with its guests and providing them with a superior user experience. With its guest-oriented approach, Pegasus is working at full speed to renew all its digital channels in 2018, in order to simplify the travel experiences of its guests.



With the Electronic Flight Bag system it developed in 2016, Pegasus eliminated paper use from the cockpit. Among its investment plans for 2018 is the digitization of the cabin crew and ground staff, so that these teams can perform their work more easily and achieve maximum efficiency.



Pegasus is preparing to restructure all of its systems using cutting-edge technology and will carry out optimisation of all points of contact where guests can be provided with faster and more efficient services, from its website and mobile sales channels to its agency screens and the DCS screens used at check-in desks, with this vision and perspective in mind



With regards to the goal of becoming better acquainted with their guests and providing them with an improved digital experience, Mehmet T. Nane stated We are making firm progress towards our goal of operational efficiency using new technology and digitalisation. We are restructuring all our operations and service points with these systems.



Continued investment in human resources...

Pegasus has identified human resources as another key area of investment and creating new employment in the sector is among its chief targets for 2018.



Mehmet T. Nane claimed that sectoral growth had had a positive impact on the company, saying We view the development of the aviation sector in general and creating employment in Turkey as being among our key goals and responsibilities, and just as important as managing and developing the company to the best of our abilities. Pegasus is planning to recruit approximately 1,400 personnel during 2018.
Qatar Airways is extending its partnership with international bank card network UnionPay to an additional 31 countries and regions.

Customers in countries including Qatar, Kuwait, India, Oman, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil and South Africa, among others, will be able to take advantage of UnionPays secure payment option when booking tickets on the airlines website to more than 150 destinations on Qatar Airways extensive global network.

The expansion of the agreement was signed on 28 February 2018 at a special ceremony held at the UnionPay head office in Shanghai, represented by Mr. Marwan Koleilat, Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Asia Pacific; and Mr. Larry Wang, UnionPay International Vice President.

Under the expanded agreement, Qatar Airways and UnionPay will embark upon greater collaboration for various sales and marketing initiatives. Both parties will also look at creating a new and exclusive co-branded card that will provide UnionPay customers exclusive benefits on selected products by Qatar Airways.

Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Asia Pacific, Marwan Koleilat, said: We always seek to ensure that our passengers journey is smooth and seamless, from the moment they book their tickets until the point at which they reach their final destination. The expansion of our agreement with UnionPay will provide even more customers the opportunity to use UnionPay as their preferred payment option when booking their tickets online, ensuring a convenient and hassle-free booking experience.

UnionPay International Vice President, Larry Wang, said: As more and more travellers prefer to go on free-and-independent travels, UnionPay International continues to deepen our partnerships with international airlines, to provide safe and smooth online flight ticket purchase service to our global customers. Our expanded agreement with Qatar Airways will increase UnionPay card acceptance rate in the airline industry, offering better card-using experiences to UnionPay cardholders outside mainland China. The co-branded card to be issued will enhance the benefits we provide for our cardholders in the aviation industry, and will enhance UnionPays value proposition and boost our overseas expansion.
California Nails is a new nail salon in Barangaroo, Sydney. Designed by Tom Mark Henry, it is a soft, feminine and dreamy design inspired by vintage imagery of Venice Beach.

Our brief was to reinvent the California Nails brand by creating a soft and feminine environment, a far cry from the typical nail salon that tends to lack warmth and soul, says Jade Nottage, Director of Tom Mark Henry. The design also needed to include an extensive list of nail salon requirements, positively contribute to its location and adhere to the strict Barangaroo Green Star requirements.

Having designed the News Essentials at Barangaroo, Tom Mark Henry was experienced with the design standard and level of finish expected by Barangaroo developers Lendlease. As many of the surrounding tenancies are designed with a neutral palette and Scandinavian sensibility, Tom Mark Henry embraced its retro- feminine concept to produce a space distinct from its neighbours.

Inspired by the colours of California imagery, Tom Mark Henry dusted the salon in powder pink with accents of blue-green and burgundy and lush green palm trees to enhance the vintage Golden State vibe. A specialist artisan hand rendered the walls and ceiling with a subtle pink gradient, which is matched with handmade terracotta glazed tiles, timber panelling and gold trim to add gloss, depth and texture. Mirrors have curved corners and rounded bulkheads enhance the softness of the space. Arrangements of circular wall sconces are reminiscent of those that illuminate Hollywood dressing rooms, bringing a sophisticated ambience to the space and enhancing the hand rendered texture of the wall.

Tom Mark Henry customised the chairs and stools to suit the gentle design language of the salon. The graphics applied to the front window are an abstract reference to the geometry of fingernails, and hand-painted acrylic panels evoke the craft of nail painting. These shapes and forms can be seen in custom-designed features throughout California Nails, including the reception desk, bathroom basin and base plates of the door handles.

The design and construction of California Nails meets Barangaroos Green Star rating requirements, minimising the salons carbon footprint and contributing to the developments target to become Australias first large-scale carbon neutral community. The Tom Mark Henry design team also selected materials that balance the chemical component of the manicure process, using an environmentally friendly clay- based render that helps to clean the air and control humidity.

Tom Mark Henry thrives on the creative and collaborative development of unique and exceptional spaces, and its authentic and adaptable approach ensures the dynamic studio continues to push the boundaries of design and expectation with spaces such as California Nails.

CONTACT
The latest development of Steyr sniper rifle SSG M1 chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum is now in service with the Austrian army. The Steyr SSG M1 is modern bolt-action sniper rifle fully developed and produced by Steyr Mannlicher in Austria. The Austrian Company Steyr presents for the first time to the public its sniper rifle SSG M1 at Enforce TAC 2018, the International law enforcement, security and tactical solutions exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany.



Steyr SSG M1 sniper rifle at Enforce TAC 2018, International law enforcement, security and tactical solutions exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany

(Picture source: Army Recognition)

According to Internet military source, 120 of Steyrs SSG bolt-action sniper rifle have been acquired and are going to be introduced to special purpose and infantry units. The weapon is chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum and fitted with a riflescope Kahles K624i.

It is a highly accurate bolt-action sniper rifle, with a folding stock and an adjustable cheek piece and butt plate. It is equipped with a bipod and a "butt spike" monopod for added stability. The pistol grip is customizable by changing the front and back straps. This sniper rifle has a Picatinny rail to the upper part for mounting optics, there is also an additional Picatinny rail in the lower part of the weapon. The rifle also features an improved muzzle brake over the SSG 04, with the ability to attach a suppressor.

The SSG M1 utilises the Safe Bolt System (SBS) action, cold hammer-forged barrels, trigger units and 10 rounds magazines. It features an aluminium alloy stock, with side-folding, fully adjustable butt and additional Picatinny rails on the forend.

The SSG M1 is based on Steyr's SBS rotary bolt action with four frontal locking lugs, arranged in pairs. It also features free-floated, cold hammer-forged heavy barrels, which are available in 508mm (.308 Winchester), 600mm (.243 Winchester, .308 Winchester, .300 Winchester Magnum) and 690mm (.338 Lapua Magnum) lengths.

Feed is from detachable double-column box magazines, which hold ten .243 Winchester or .308 Winchester, eight .300 Winchester Magnum or six .338 Lapua Magnum rounds. The single-stage trigger is factory set for optimum performance, but can be adjusted by the user.

The Kahles K624i is precision riflescope used to shoot on long distances. The elevation adjustment has a second rotation indicator and the most refined zero stop and dial reset available. With 26 Mils of overall elevation adjustment in just two rotations and precise indexing, adjusting for extreme distances and back to zero is incredibly fast and accurate.

The Kahles K624i is fitted with an unique and innovative parallax adjustment, located under the elevation turret, superior to all other designs, for left or right handed shooters. This means less time required to engage multiple targets as you wont have to break your shooting position.
Reports suggest that the two actors will mostly be paired opposite each other in Mohit Suris next racy romantic thriller.

Mumbai: After winning over audiences and critics with her charming performance in Bareilly Ki Barfi, actress Kriti Sanon will be seen in yet another romantic film. According to the latest reports, Kriti has given her verbal nod to director Mohit Suris forthcoming project. The romantic thriller will have Aditya Roy Kapur in the male lead. If things go well, audience will see the fresh paring of Kriti and Aditya sizzling in Mohit Suris upcoming edgy romantic thriller.

They met a couple of times and Kriti and her team have verbally given the nod to the film. But they are yet to lock the dates and sign on the dotted line. Kriti will give her dates once shes back from Chandigarh where shes shooting for another film. Mohits venture should roll in the next few months, revealed the source to the leading daily.

Apart from Kriti and Aditya, the film features another male lead as a source revealed to the daily, Its a love triangle between a girl and two boys. The hunt for the other male lead is on. They have also spoken to a few young actors and once they get a confirmation, they will announce the film.

Speaking of the film, the source further revealed, Its an edgy romantic thriller. It was an idea that Mohit was toying with for quite some time and he has finally cracked the script.

After the success of 'Bareilly Ki Barfi', Kriti is rumoured to be a part of 'Womaniya' along with Taapsee Pannu. She also has Diljit Dosanjh starrer 'Arjun Patiala'. On the other hand, Aditya is speculated to be part of Dharma Productions' 'Shiddat' alongside Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.
The director and the team decided to have Dharmendras friends do a special appearance in a song.

Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se, the latest offering from the Deol family has been in news ever since the film went on floors. While the fans are eagerly waiting to see the father and son trio yet again onscreen, theres another surprise.

After Salman Khan, we now hear that a lot more celebrities will be a part of the song. A source says, Its a fun song. The director and the team decided to have Dharmendras friends do a special appearance in a song. Along with Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Shatrugan Sinha and Rekha agreed to come onboard.

Directed by well-known Punjabi filmmaker, Navaniat Singh, Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se is expected to be similar to the previous releases in terms of genre.
The CO of the unit, Commandant Anup Lal Bhagat, issued an order handing down a 'pay fine of 7 days'.

New Delhi: A BSF jawan was handed down a pay cut as punishment for showing "disrespect" towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a routine drill.

But an intervention by Modi who expressed his displeasure on Wednesday and wanted the punishment to be withdrawn immediately led the force to rescind its order deducting a weeks salary from the jawan.

The prime minister directed the Border Security Force(BSF) on Wednesday to immediately withdraw the order, said a spokesperson of the paramilitary, adding that it had been rescinded.

Constable Sanjeev Kumar, posted in the 15th battalion of the BSF deployed in West Bengal's Nadia district, was found "guilty" by his commanding officer (CO) for using the words "Modi programme" while attending a morning roll call task on February 21.

The CO of the unit, Commandant Anup Lal Bhagat, issued an order handing down a "pay fine of 7 days", which means a salary cut for a week, to the jawan for "showing disrespect towards the PM".

"The prime minister has expressed his displeasure and directed the force to immediately withdraw the punishment. The order has been rescinded and the concerned Commandant has been cautioned for not dealing with the matter judiciously," the BSF spokesperson said.

Officials said the jawan referred to an event that he attended as "Modi programme" during the 'zero parade' or reporting assembly of briefing seniors about their official activities.

They said the CO found this kind of reference to the prime minister by the jawan as improper and ordered an inquiry against him. The inquiry, the officials said, was completed in a day and constable Kumar was held guilty and charged under section 40 of the BSF Act (an act prejudicial to good order and discipline of the force).

"Senior officers of the force have been instructed time and again to display qualities of a good leader, both in letter and spirit, for the personnel under their command. These men and women work in some of the most arduous conditions across the country. Their commanders should ensure discipline in the force but the punishment has to be commensurate to the offence," a senior officer of the force said, underling that handing down a pay cut to the jawan was not a judicious decision.

The 15th battalion of the BSF is deployed to guard the India-Bangladesh international border in West Bengal.
The Narendra Modi govt had appointed a committee of scholars about six months earlier.

The history committee met in the offices of the director general of the Archaeological Survey of India, a federal body that oversees archaeological research. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

New Delhi: During the first week of January last year, a group of Indian scholars gathered in a white bungalow on a leafy boulevard in central New Delhi. The focus of their discussion: how to rewrite the history of the nation.

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had quietly appointed the committee of scholars about six months earlier. Details of its existence are reported here for the first time.

Minutes of the meeting, reviewed by Reuters, and interviews with committee members set out its aims: to use evidence such as archaeological finds and DNA to prove that todays Hindus are directly descended from the lands first inhabitants many thousands of years ago, and make the case that ancient Hindu scriptures are fact not myth.

Interviews with members of the 14-person committee and ministers in Modis government suggest the ambitions of Hindu nationalists extend beyond holding political power in this nation of 1.3 billion people - a kaleidoscope of religions. They want ultimately to shape the national identity to match their religious views, that India is a nation of and for Hindus.

In doing so, they are challenging a more multicultural narrative that has dominated since the time of British rule, that modern-day India is a tapestry born of migrations, invasions and conversions. That view is rooted in demographic fact. While the majority of Indians are Hindus, Muslims and people of other faiths account for some 240 million, or a fifth, of the populace.

The committees chairman, KN Dikshit, told Reuters, I have been asked to present a report that will help the government rewrite certain aspects of ancient history. The committees creator, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, confirmed in an interview that the groups work was part of larger plans to revise Indias history.

For Indias Muslims, who have pointed to incidents of religious violence and discrimination since Modi took office in 2014, the development is ominous. The head of Muslim party All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Asaduddin Owaisi, said his people had never felt so marginalised in the independent history of India.

The government, he said, wants Muslims to live in India as second-class citizens.

Modi did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

Into the Classroom

Helping to drive the debate over Indian history is an ideological, nationalist Hindu group called the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It helped sweep Modis Bharatiya Janata Party to power in 2014 and now counts among its members the ministers in charge of agriculture, highways and internal security.

The RSS asserts that ancestors of all people of Indian origin - including 172 million Muslims - were Hindu and that they must accept their common ancestry as part of Bharat Mata, or Mother India. Modi has been a member of the RSS since childhood. An official biography of Culture Minister Sharma says he too has been a dedicated follower of the RSS for many years.

Referring to the emblematic colour of the Hindu nationalist movement, RSS spokesman Manmohan Vaidya told Reuters that the true colour of Indian history is saffron and to bring about cultural changes we have to rewrite history.

Balmukund Pandey, the head of the historical research wing of the RSS, said he meets regularly with Culture Minister Sharma. The time is now, Pandey said, to restore Indias past glory by establishing that ancient Hindu texts are fact not myth.

Sharma told Reuters he expects the conclusions of the committee to find their way into school textbooks and academic research. The panel is referred to in government documents as the committee for holistic study of origin and evolution of Indian culture since 12,000 years before present and its interface with other cultures of the world.

Sharma said this Hindu first version of Indian history will be added to a school curriculum which has long taught that people from central Asia arrived in India much more recently, some 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, and transformed the population.

Hindu nationalists and senior figures in Modis party reject the idea that India was forged from a mass migration. They believe that todays Hindu population is directly descended from the lands first inhabitants. Historian Romila Thapar said the question of who first stood on the soil was important to nationalists because if the Hindus are to have primacy as citizens in a Hindu Rashtra (kingdom), their foundational religion cannot be an imported one. To assert that primacy, nationalists need to claim descent from ancestors and a religion that were indigenous, said Thapar, 86, who taught at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi for decades and has authored books on ancient Indian history.

The theory of an influx of people from central Asia 3,000 to 4,000 years ago was embraced during British rule.

Indias first post-independence leader, Jawaharlal Nehru, who promoted a secular state and tolerance of Indias Muslims, said it was entirely misleading to refer to Indian culture as Hindu culture. That outlook informed the way India was governed by Nehru and then by his Congress party for more than half a century. The rights of minorities - including the prohibition of discrimination based on religion - are enshrined in Indias constitution, of which Nehru was a signatory in 1950.

Shashi Tharoor, a prominent member of the Congress party, said right wing Hindus are leading a political campaign over Indian history that seeks to reinvent the idea of India itself.

For seven decades after independence, Indianness rested on faith in the countrys pluralism, Tharoor said, but the rise of Hindu nationalism had brought with it a sense of cultural superiority.

A History Founded on Hindu Texts

The history committee met in the offices of the director general of the Archaeological Survey of India, a federal body that oversees archaeological research. Among the committees 14 members are bureaucrats and academics. The chairman, Dikshit, is a former senior official with the Archaeological Survey.

Culture Minister Sharma told Reuters he will present the committees final report to parliament and lobby the nations Ministry of Human Resource Development to write the findings into school textbooks. That ministry, which is responsible for education and literacy programmes, is also headed by an adherent of the RSS, Prakash Javadekar.

We will take every recommendation made by the Culture Ministry seriously, Javadekar said. Our government is the first government to have the courage to even question the existing version of history that is being taught in schools and colleges.

According to the minutes of the history committees first meeting, Dikshit, the chairman, said it was essential to establish a correlation between ancient Hindu scriptures and evidence that Indian civilization stretches back many thousands of years. Doing so would help bolster both conclusions the committee wants to reach: that events described in Hindu texts are real, and todays Hindus are descendants of those times.

The minutes and interviews with committee members lay out a comprehensive campaign to achieve this, including the dating of archaeological sites and DNA testing of human remains.

Culture Minister Sharma told Reuters he wants to establish that Hindu scriptures are factual accounts. Speaking of the Ramayana, the epic that follows the journey of a Hindu deity in human form, Sharma said: I worship Ramayana and I think it is a historical document. People who think it is fiction are absolutely wrong. The epic tells how the god Rama rescues his wife from a demon king. It still informs many Indians sense of gender roles and duty.

Sharma said it was a priority to prove through archaeological research the existence of a mystical river, the Saraswati, that is mentioned in another ancient scripture, the Vedas. Other projects include examining artifacts from locations in scriptures, mapping the dates of astrological events mentioned in these texts and excavating the sites of battles in another epic, the Mahabharata, according to Sharma and minutes of the committees meeting.

In much the same way that some Christians point to evidence of an ancient flood substantiating the Biblical tale of Noah and his ark, if the settings and features of the ancient scriptures in India can be verified, the thinking goes, then the stories are true. If the Koran and Bible are considered as part of history, then what is the problem in accepting our Hindu religious texts as the history of India? said Sharma.

Modi did not order the committees creation - it was instigated by Sharma, government documents show - but its mission is in keeping with his outlook. During the 2014 inauguration of a hospital in Mumbai, Modi pointed to the scientific achievements documented by ancient religious texts and spoke of Ganesha, a Hindu deity with an elephants head: We worship Lord Ganesha, and maybe there was a plastic surgeon at that time who kept the head of an elephant on the torso of a human. There are many areas where our ancestors made large contributions. Modi did not respond to a request from Reuters that he expand on this remark.

Nine of 12 history committee members interviewed by Reuters said they have been tasked with matching archaeological and other evidence with ancient Indian scriptures, or establishing that Indian civilization is much older than is widely known. The others confirmed their membership but declined to discuss the groups activities. The committee includes a geologist, archaeologists, scholars of the ancient Sanskrit language and two bureaucrats.

One of the Sanskrit scholars, Santosh Kumar Shukla, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, told Reuters he believes Indias Hindu culture is millions of years old. Another committee member, Ramesh Chand Sharma, former head of the linguistics department at the University of Delhi, said he would take a strictly scientific approach. I dont subscribe to any ideology, he said.

With an annual budget of about $400 million - an important source of federal funding for historical research, archaeology and the arts - the Culture Ministry is an influential place to start a campaign of historical revision.

After he was named culture minister in 2014 following Modis victory, Sharma, a doctor and chairman of a chain of hospitals, said he received guidance from the RSS. Sharma, a genial man with a wide smile, has a portrait of Bharat Mata, or Mother India, hanging above the doorway of a meeting room in his bungalow in central Delhi. Below it are portraits of past RSS leaders.

During the last three years, Sharma said, his ministry has organized hundreds of workshops and seminars across the country to prove the supremacy of our glorious past. The aim, he said, is to build a fresh narrative to balance the liberal and secular philosophy espoused by Indias first prime minister, Nehru, and furthered by successive governments for most of the nations post-independence history.

The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, now controlled by Sharmas ministry, these days mixes in sessions about right wing Hindu leaders and causes. At one such event in 2016, the president of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Amit Shah, took the opportunity to lambast Nehru as a man influenced by the western world. We have always believed that our policies should have the smell of Indian soil, Shah said. It was time for a history of India that concentrates on facts about our great past.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Karti Chidambaram, said that the CBI just wants to keep him in custody by hook or crook.

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday extended the CBI custody of Karti Chidambaram, an accused in the INX Media corruption case, by three more days even as the Supreme Court rejected his plea for interim protection against arrest by the ED in a related money laundering case.

The CBI, which confronted Karti Chidambaram with Indrani Mukerjea, a former director of the media company, in a Mumbai jail on Sunday, presented former finance minister P. Chidambarams son before special judge Sunil Rana on Tuesday after his five-day custody of the probe agency expired.

The probe agency sought an extension in his custody by nine days to confront him with new facts, but the court allowed only three more days of questioning.

Karti Chidambaram moved a bail application that will be taken up by the court on March 9.

Additional solicitor-general (ASG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, opposed his bail plea, saying the investigation was at a crucial stage and the CBI needs two weeks to file a detailed reply to his bail application.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Karti Chidambaram, said that the CBI just wants to keep him in custody by hook or crook.

I have cooperated. I am not obliged to answer what you (CBI) want to hear. My duty is only to make myself available for questioning, Mr Singhvi said on behalf of 46-year-old Karti Chidambaram.

In the Supreme Court, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra refused to pass any interim order of protection againt arrest or anticipatory bail on Karti Chidambarams petition challenging EDs summons in a money laundering case.

The apex court sought a response from the ED on Karti Chidambarams petition but clarified that issuance of notice in the fresh writ petition will have no bearing on any other proceeding against the petitioner.

Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on February 28 at Chennai airport on his return from Britain, in connection with the FIR lodged on May 15 last year. The FIR alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds worth Rs 305 crore in 2007 when his father was Union finance minister.
Merchant Ship MV Als Cicero reached Maersk Honam at about 11.25 pm and rescued 23 crew members.

The ship was at a distance of 570 kms (340 nautical miles) from Agatti in the Lakshwadeep Islands. (Photo: Twitter/@IndiaCoastGuard)

Mumbai: A Maersk container ship, with 27 crew members on board including 13 Indians, caught fire in the Arabian Sea near Lakshadweep Islands Tuesday night, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said on Wednesday.

Four of the ship's crew members are missing while the others have been rescued, it said. The 330-metre-long Maersk Honam, which was en route to Suez from Singapore caught fire Tuesday night with flames from the main deck of the ship rising up to its bridge (a height of about 25 metres), it said in a statement.

The vessel reported an explosion and fire on board and requested immediate assistance.

The ship was at a distance of 570 kms (340 nautical miles) from Agatti in the Lakshwadeep Islands.

The Coast Guard has pressed into action its assets for the rescue operation, it said.

"The ship had 27 crew members on board, of whom four are missing. Out of the 27 crew members, 13 are Indians including the captain of the ship," the ICG said.

Merchant Ship MV Als Cicero reached Maersk Honam at about 11.25 pm and rescued 23 crew members. The remaining four are missing, the ICG said.

The crew has abandoned the ship as the fire spread beyond control, it said. After getting information about the mishap, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai immediately alerted all the merchant ships near the location through the satellite-based communication network, the International Safety Net (ISN), ICG said.

"The search operations are on and the Coast Guard assets have been pressed into action," said Inspector General KR Nautiyal, the commander of the Coast Guard West region.

"It is our priority to save and rescue the four missing crew and also continue our efforts to salvage the vessel with the assistance of specialised vessels, which are being arranged," he added.
Lawyer of Iqbal Kaskar (Dawood's brother) said the preconditions laid down by Dawood are not acceptable to the Indian government.

Fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim is willing to come to India but with certain preconditions, his brother Iqbal Kaskars lawyer Shyam Keswani told a Mumbai court on Tuesday. (Photo: File)

Thane: Fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim is willing to come to India but with certain preconditions, his brother Iqbal Kaskars lawyer Shyam Keswani told a Mumbai court on Tuesday.

Renowned criminal lawyer Shyam Keswani said Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar had offered to return to India provided the authorities ensure that he is lodged only in the high-secure precincts of Arthur Road Central Jail (ARCJ) in Mumbai and nowhere else during the trial period.

Talking to the media outside the Thane Court, where he represented Iqbal Kaskar (Dawood's brother), the lawyer said the preconditions laid down by Dawood are not acceptable to the Indian government.

In fact, he had expressed his intent very clearly to senior counsel Ram Jethmalani (former union minister and eminent lawyer). But the government refused to accept his conditional return and till this day, Dawood has not been arrested, said lawyer Shyam Keswani.

Kaskar was produced in the court of chief judicial magistrate RV Thamadekar on Tuesday by Thane police for extension of his custody in an extortion case.

The anti-extortion unit of Thane police named Kaskar and his brother Dawood and Anees for threatening a builder at Mumbai's Mira Road.

The ARCJ is the same prison where the Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was lodged for nearly four years till his hanging for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

The statement of lawyer Shyam Keswani on Dawood's desire to return comes a little after six months when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray made a similar revelation in Mumbai.

In his explosive remarks, Raj Thackeray had claimed that not only was Dawood keen to come back but he was reportedly negotiating a 'settlement' with the Narendra Modi-government.

Raj Thackrey also said that Dawood was very sick and wanted to breathe his last in India.

The chief judicial magistrate, on a lighter note, asked Kaskar if he has any kind of fear and knew about the whereabouts of his other family members and that he should share the information with the police. Kaskar response was a terse No.

The chief judicial magistrate then asked Kaskar if he had spoken to Dawood in recent times. The court went silent for a moment. Kaskar replied that he was not aware about his brothers location. Kaskar, however, said he did talk to Dawood on mobile phone, but his number was never displayed and so he was not aware about his whereabouts.

At this moment, Kaskars counsel Keswani stood up and told the court that Dawood wanted to return to India and Jethmalani had conveyed it to the government.

Keswani added that after Kaskar was deported from Dubai in 2003, he brought him in front of court and it was only then that the law enforcement agency came to know of Kaskars identity.

Keswani informed the court that his client is suffering from diabetics and necessary medical treatment should be made available to him. The court directed the investigators to take Kaskar to Thane Civil Hospital.

Kaskar was sent to police custody till Friday by the court on Tuesday in a land-grab and extortion case filed against him by the Thane Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC).

At least two others wanted in this case - Bhavar Kothar and Bharat Jain -- are absconding, said AEC chief Pradeep Sharma.

Opposing the police custody of Kaskar, currently in judicial custody for other cases, lawyer Keswani said it was puzzling when the crime was committed since his client (Iqbal) has been in police and judicial custody in Thane since his arrest on September 19 from Mumbai.

It is the same case in which the police, for the first time, have shown the three Kaskar siblings - Dawood, Anees (both absconding) and Iqbal - as accused.

The case pertains to alleged extortion of Rs 3 crore from a builder in a deal involving a 38-acre plot of land worth crores of rupees in Gorai, a coastal village in south-west Thane.
The NSA teams also communicated that it was dissatisfied with the response it received from Indian agencies which blamed the Indian media.

New Delhi: Latest documents released by whistleblower Edward Snowden on March 3 to a Website The Intercept suggests that in the years after the Mumbai terror attacks of 26 November, 2008, the problem of leaking of US intelligence information classified as Top Secret by Indian authorities that made its way into the public domain threatened to cloud the spy ties between the two biggest democracies. The acute problem led to US NSA teams of officials flying down to New Delhi to plug the leaks. A classified NSA document dated June 15, 2009, says: Regrettably, leaks, unauthorised disclosures of classified information and poor tradecraft by Indian officials have occurred since Mumbai  at times it seemed like a daily occurrence.

DIRNSA (Director of the National Security Agency) sent a letter about the first leak in December 2008. In May 2009, NSA representatives traveled to Delhi to meet with Indian officials to deliver a second letter from DIRNSA that underlined the seriousness of the leaks while applauding the progress made since 2007.

The NSA team pointed out that SIGINT (signals intelligence) sharing would be reduced unless Indias handling procedures were tightened and also made it clear that it holds the Indian intelligence agencies responsible for any leaks.

The team also emphasized that care must be taken at the boundaries between intelligence and law enforcement organizations. Furthermore, the Indian services cannot use shared selectors to contact targeted individuals because such activity leads to permanent loss of access, the document adds.

The NSA teams also communicated that it was dissatisfied with the response it received from Indian agencies which blamed the Indian media.

Subsequently, the US spy agencies communicated on June 3 that they were working together with RAW to create a tearline that more suitable for passing to law enforcement. RAW and US NSA began exchanging information after the 9/11 attacks but the cooperation became much closer from 2002 and then reached unprecedented levels from March 2008 onwards. The document says: The results have been positiveRAW has produced the highest volume of reports for SSPAC (SIGINT Seniors Pacific) next to the US and its information has garnered positive feedback.
PM Modi spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh who has ordered states to take strong action to check such incidents.

Statue of Lenin was razed down in Tripura (L), Periyar statue was defaced in Vellore (C), Syama Prasad Mookerjee's statue was defaced in Kolkata (R). (Photo: Twitter | PTI | ANI)

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his strong disapproval after the vandalism of statues in Tripura and Tamil Nadu. According to a government statement, the Prime Minister spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who has ordered states to take strong action to check such incidents.

On Tuesday night, a statue of Dravidian icon and social reformer EVR Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, was vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Vellore. The incident came hours after BJP leader H Raja suggested it in his Facebook post responding to anger over a statue of Russian communist leader Vladimir Lenin being pulled down in Tripura.

On Wednesday morning, a bust of BJP icon Syama Prasad Mookerjee was blackened and its features smashed with a hammer in Kolkatas Keoratola crematorium. The location is not far from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence.

Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the founder of the BJP's predecessor Jana Sangh.

A hand-written message placed under Syama Prasad Mookerjee's statue which was defaced roughly read: "...We have the strength to recreate, We know we can redesign because we have broken/ Since we have created dreams after dreams, we now are businessmen of dreams."

Kolkata police detained five supporters of a Left-wing group called Radical for the alleged vandalism. Photos from Kolkata showed a part of the bust's damaged as though it had been hit by stones.

West Bengal BJP condemned the barbaric act. "We demand very strong action against culprits," said Sayantan Basu, West Bengal BJPs General Secretary.

The chain of vandalism started after statues of Lenin were demolished in Tripura on Monday evening, allegedly by workers of the BJP, which have defeated the 25-year-long rule of the Left in the northeastern state in the recent assembly election. The results of the polls were announced on Saturday.

Responding to the outrage over the Lenin statues being razed, BJP leader H Raja declared that Periyar statues in Tamil Nadu could be next.

"Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection has India with Communists? Lenin's statue has been removed in Tripura. Today it is Lenin's statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic EVR Ramasamy," said the post, which the BJP leader deleted and later disowned after a huge backlash in Tamil Nadu.

According to reports, H Raja "expressed regret" for his post and said, "Vandalising Periyar statues unacceptable. Facebook administration had posted that message without my permission. My intention was not to hurt anyone."

Two men, who were in inebriated condition, have been arrested for vandalising the statue at a municipal corporation office in Vellore.

"One man is a BJP member and another CPI worker, both drunk," the police said.
The Opposition YSR Congress Party has announced that all its five MPs would resign on April 6 if the demand was not met.

New Delhi: After his return from Italy, Congress president Rahul Gandhi joined the protesting Telugu Desam Party and YSR Congress leaders and said the first thing his party will do if voted to power in 2019 is give a special status to Andhra Pradhesh.

Speaking at Jantar Mantar, Mr Gandhi said, We are for special category status for Andhra Pradesh. The first thing we will do when we come to power in 2019 is give the state special category status. I am confident that if we stand together, we will convince the Centre and PM Modi that what is due to people of state should be given.

He later tweeted that a united Opposition can force the Centre to do justice to the people of Andhra Pradesh.

The demand for a special status category was raised after erstwhile Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated. The protesters claim that the bifurcation caused a huge revenue deficit for the successor Andhra Pradesh.

Both Houses of Parliament have seen repeated adjournments with legislators from the state demanding a special status for Andhra Pradesh.

Though the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is part of the NDA government at the Centre, its leaders are protesting against the Central government for neglecting Andhra Pradesh.

Several other Opposition parties have also supported the demand being raised by legislators from Andhra Pradesh.

The Opposition YSR Congress Party has announced that all its five MPs would resign on April 6 if the demand was not met.

Insiders claim that there have been meetings also between senior ministers of the Central government and legislators from Andhra Pradesh, but till now no breakthrough has been achieved.

The first half of the Budget Session, which ended on February 9, was also marked by similar adjournments after protests by leaders from Andhra Pradesh.
This is the third murder of a Dalit in the last four days.

Ajays death is allegedly linked to 16-year old Neeraj Jatavs alleged murder by a mob on Holi following dispute over the songs that were being played. (Representational Image)

Jaipur: Three days after a youth Dalit Neeraj Jatav was killed, his friends charred body was found near UIT flats in the Phool Bagh police station area on Tuesday. The victim was identified as 18-year old Ajay Jatav who was found unclothed and half burnt.

Ajays death is allegedly linked to 16-year old Neeraj Jatavs alleged murder by a mob on Holi following dispute over the songs that were being played. The killing of two young Dalits over a short period of time has created panic among the locals as both Neeraj and Ajay were close friends.

"Family members have claimed that some unidentified people burnt him alive in connection with clashes that took place in Bhiwadi on March 3. However, preliminary investigation has indicated that the victim was not present at the spot of the clashes, Additional Superintendent of Police, Pushpendra Solanki, said.

A large crowd had gathered outside the hospital while the body was being examined. Heavy police force has been deployed in the area as precautionary measure. Senior police officials rushed to the spot.

Solanki said that an FIR has been registered and the possibility of the two murders being connected will be explored.

We are investigating all the angles. Ajay was known to be close to Neeraj, however, whether this murder is linked with Neerajs murder is yet to be ascertained, said a senior officer.

This is the third murder of a Dalit in the last four days. Apart from these two murders, 26-year-old Jaswant Jatav, a labourer, was beaten to death and his thatched house set ablaze by a group of three to four people in Santa ka Nagla village in Bharatpur district on Friday night.

He was severely beaten up while going to the village to attend a musical programme on Holi. According to his brother Rajesh, a few days ago a bike was stolen from the village. The bike was later found but the accused suspected Jaswant of stealing the bike.
Yogi Adityanath went on to say that the Samajwadi Party indulges in divisive politics which creates an atmosphere of fear in the state.

Lucknow: UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday seemed unduly aggressive in the state Assembly when he warned the Opposition that he would break those who attempt to break the nation.

Bharat akhand tha aur rahega. Usko todne wale ko hum tod denge, the chief minister said in the assembly while BJP members raised slogans Bharat Mata ki Jai to support the chief minister.

The chief minister further said that that the BJP had removed the red flag in Tripura and would now drown the lal topi (Samajwadi cap) in UP. The Samajwadi Party is so desperate that it is now sitting in the lap of the BSP, he said.

This led to uproarious scenes in the state Assembly and an intervention by the leader of opposition which was not allowed by the Speaker.

The chief minister said that the opposition was unable to even accept the good aspects of anything. We have tried to bring changes in the past one year but the opposition does not wish to see this. I pray to God to give good sense to these people, he said. The chief minister said that democracy runs with dignity and throwing paper balls at the governor is not a part of civilised society.

This reflects that character of those who claim to be democratic, he said.

Yogi Adityanath went on to say that the Samajwadi Party indulges in divisive politics which creates an atmosphere of fear in the state.
The university said it had 41 students using the full veil, or burqa, who would be offered counselling sessions.

A womens rights activist decried what she described as a limitation on the freedom of women to wear what they want (Photo: AFP)

Jakarta: An Indonesian state Islamic university faced criticism from Muslim groups and activists on Wednesday after it banned female students from wearing full-face veils citing fears over the spread of radical ideology on the campus.

Indonesia is home to the worlds largest Muslim population, the majority of whom practice a moderate form of Islam.

But the country has seen a recent rise in more conservative interpretations of the religion, which many see as a threat to its long-standing reputation for religious tolerance and diversity.

The State Islamic University (UIN) in Yogyakarta city, on Java island, said it had 41 students using the full veil, or burqa, who would be offered counselling sessions and ultimately be asked to take off the veil if they wanted to graduate.

The Islamic Defenders Front, a conservative group that campaigns against activities it deems un-Islamic, said in a statement the policy did not make sense and was in conflict with the countrys efforts to preserve diversity.

A womens rights activist decried what she described as a limitation on the freedom of women to wear what they want.

Using full-face veils is a choice and we cannot interfere in their choice and their freedom, said the activist, Lathiefah Widuri Retyaningtyas.

University rector Yudian Wahyudi said radicalisation, as exemplified by the burqas, undermined learning.

Female students wearing the burqa, and radical groups, they are disturbing the teaching process, Wahyudhi said.

We are putting moderate Islam forward, he said, adding that the policy was a preventive action to save the students.

Students would be allowed to continue using regular headscarves that do not cover the face, he said.

A recent survey showed that nearly a fifth of high school and university students support the establishment of a caliphate over the current secular government.

The data has alarmed authorities already struggling to contain the growing influence of both peaceful and militant Islamist groups in the worlds third-largest democracy.
The Delhi Commission for Women or DCW had launched the 'Rape Roko' campaign after the brutal rape of an eight-month-old baby in January.

In a letter to DCW chief Swati Maliwal, the IMA had said: 'We strongly support the people's movement 'Rape Roko' launched by DCW chief to demand a robust criminal justice system which ensures cases of sexual crimes against women and children. '(Photo: File)

New Delhi: Male volunteers of the Delhi Commission for Women's 'Rape Roko' campaign on Tuesday walked the streets of the national capital wearing only their boxer shorts to give the message that 'clothes do not cause rape, sick mentality does'.

The Delhi Commission for Women or DCW had launched the 'Rape Roko' campaign after the brutal rape of an eight-month-old baby in January.

The volunteers marched from Mandi House to Central Park carrying boards and placards with slogans like "Her clothes are not short, your mentality is" and "What clothes was the eight-month-old baby wearing?" -- in a bid to challenge the mentality that tends to shame the survivors.

The protesters expressed anger against the silence of society and government on rapes and appealed people to join the movement and reach Central Park, Connaught Place at 9.30 am on March 8 to form a peaceful human chain.

They demanded strong action against rapists and completion of trials in case of sexual assault within six months.

Abhishek, a student of Delhi University said, "I am walking half-naked but society allows me to. If a girl walks in a sleeveless top, men letch at her. This is not right."

Another protester, Jatin, had a placard that read 'I feel safe in these Boxers. How much fabric does she need to feel safe?'

Many girls also attended the rally to extend their support to the cause.

The Indian Medical Association or IMA and the district court bar associations in Delhi have also extended their support to the campaign.

In a letter to DCW chief Swati Maliwal, the IMA had said: "We strongly support the people's movement 'Rape Roko' launched by DCW chief to demand a robust criminal justice system which ensures cases of sexual crimes against women and children are tried by fast-track courts within six months and rapists of children are essentially accorded death penalty as a strong deterrent for others against such crimes".

The IMA has requested their state and local branches in Delhi to join the movement.

The co-ordination committee of all district court bar associations in Delhi have also supported the movement, a senior DCW official said.
Mr Parrikar was rushed to the Goa Medical College and Hospital after he suffered mild dehyd-ration and severe stomachache.

The hospitals officials however mentioned that he is responding well with the treatment and they have no idea about his proposed visit to the US. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbai: With speculation rife about the Goa CM Manohar Parrikars health, the Goa government on Tuesday tweeted that the CM would be leaving for the US on Tuesday night for further treatment. Mr Parrikar has been in and out of hospitals since February. On Monday, Mr Parrikar was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital, Bandra (west). According to an official statement from the CMO, Mr Parrikar is being treated for mild pancreatitis.

The hospitals officials however mentioned that he is responding well with the treatment and they have no idea about his proposed visit to the US. Talking to The Asian Age, Dr V. Sha-nkaran, and CEO of Lila-vati Hospital said, Parrikar is responding well to the treatment here. We have no idea about his departure to the US.

On February 25, Mr Parrikar was rushed to the Goa Medical College and Hospital after he suffered mild dehyd-ration and severe stomachache. He was discharged from the hospital on March 1. In Mr Parrikars absence, the entire administration will be handled through the ministerial committee, while separate ministries are expected to update the CM through video-conferencing, every Wednesday.
Victims brother found dead in Haryana village.

Anita Yadav, the principal of Rachna Public School at Ghuman Hera village, was at her home along with her son when three assailants shot her in the chest at about 10 pm. (Photo: File/Representational)

New Delhi: In an alleged property dispute, a double murder took place in Outer Delhi on Monday night when a 45-year-old principal was shot dead in her house. By the time the police initiated a probe into the same, another murder came to light where the brother of the said principal was allegedly found dead at Badsa village in Jhajjar district of Haryana.

Anita Yadav, the principal of Rachna Public School at Ghuman Hera village, was at her home along with her son when three assailants shot her in the chest at about 10 pm.

Another round of fire was shot at her son. Fortunately, he escaped unhurt. However, Anitas brother, Jai Kishan, was found murdered in Haryana later by the police.

The victim used to run a school from the ground and the first floor of her house. She stayed with her family on the second floor.

Probe revealed that riled over a property matter, the armed assailants, who were purportedly led by her husbands business partner, entered the school building at night.

They then discussed some property matter with Anita before shooting her in the chest. A part of the crime was captured on CCTV.

The police suspects that Jai Kishans death is also related to the case. While an investigation into the murders is currently underway, the police is keen on determining whether the brother was abducted before being killed.

While the suspects continue to remain at large, the Delhi police is in the process of coordinating a joint operation along with its counterpart in Haryana.
Citizens can also avail 3 per cent rebate on an average if they pay both the bills before July 31.

Mumbai: Despite property tax arrears of crore of rupees still pending, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations early bird scheme of offering rebate on bills has failed to evoke encouraging results.

According to the civic officials, the BMC issues two bills of property tax  one for the April-September period and the second for the October-March period.

Under the Early Bird Scheme, the scheme offers a two percent rebate on bill for those who pay half-yearly tax amount (April to September) by June 30 instead of the July 31 deadline. It also provides a four percent rebate for those who pay the next six months bill (October to March) by the same time.

Citizens can also avail 3 per cent rebate on an average if they pay both the bills before July 31. But if only one instalment is paid by July 31, then taxpayers will get 1 per cent rebate on an average. Only those who do not have any outstanding amount against their names are eligible for rebate under this scheme, said a senior civic official from the assessment and collection department.

Civic officials said, while the response to the scheme is somewhat slow, it is increasing gradually. In last three years 53,852; 75,651 and 89,000 people have taken benefit of the scheme as the BMC has collected Rs 273 crore (14-15), Rs 439 crore (15-16) and Rs 1000 crore (16-17).

The purpose of this scheme is to reward citizens who have been paying their taxes on timesaid Devidas Kshirsagar, assistant municipal commissioner (assessment and collection).In last three years; 53,852, 75,651 and 89,000 people have taken benefit of the scheme
The popular TV host has slammed the US President over his Oscars ratings comments on Twitter.

Los Angeles: Popular TV host Jimmy Kimmel has slammed US President Donald Trump over his Oscars ratings comments and called him the "lowest rated President in history".

After the 90th Academy Awards wrapped up this Sunday, Trump took a jibe at the low TV ratings of the ceremony with a tweet that the problem with the Oscars is "we don't have stars anymore", except him.

Kimmel, who hosted the Oscars for the second time, got back at the POTUS tweeting, "Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY."

He later followed up his reply with more potshots on his show 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'.

The presenter said after the rise of the streaming services, rating of every television show had seen a lull.

"... The truth is, every year since Netflix happened, the ratings are down for every big TV event: the Super Bowl, the Grammys, the Emmys, the Golden Globes," he said.

Kimmel added that Trump believes he is responsible for affecting the TRPs, but said he got the last laugh.

"My tweet (in response to Trump) got twice as many likes as his tweet."

"I know that's the thing that will get under his orange skin," he quipped.

Viewership of the Academy Awards broadcast plunged to a record-low viewership of 26.5 million people.

Kimmel also said the US president has often had a beef with the Oscars but he might like this year's Best Picture winner, "The Shape of Water"

"It's about a monster that has sex with a woman who can't talk about it, it's like his life story," he joked.
Some have also said Lenin was a foreigner and therefore not deserving of a statue in this country.

Remains of the five-feet-tall statue of Lenin which was allegedly demolished by a pay-loader at Belonia in South Tripura district on Monday afternoon and was thrown at the nearby jungle. (Photo: PTI)

Here is the latest on the politics of statues in India. This time, its the turn of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known as Lenin. The man  leader of the Bolshevik Revolution, founder of Russias Communist Party, and an icon of the Soviet Union  died in 1924.

This week, hes among the hottest items in Indias increasingly vitriolic political discourse. The reason  the BJPs stunning victory in Tripura in the recent Assembly elections, trouncing the Left. Perhaps the first bit of news out of Tripura in the wake of the Lefts collapse was the razing of a statue of the Communist ideologue with a JCB earth mover in the town of Belonia and reported attacks on CPI(M) activists. At the time of writing, a second statue of Lenin has also been reportedly pulled down, and a hashtag #LeninMustFall is doing the rounds on Twitter.

Now, you dont have to be a Leftist to see the problem here. Though the Central government has belatedly condemned the incident and asked the police to act, saffron sympathisers argue that Lenin was a mass murderer and an angry public has the right to vent its anger, even if it means vandalism. Some have also said Lenin was a foreigner and therefore not deserving of a statue in this country. And so on.

Even as the argument was raging, thousands of miles away in Tirupattur, a statue of E.V.R. Ramasamy  better known as Periyar  was damaged after a Facebook post by BJPs Tamil Nadu leader V. Raja called the Dravidian movement icon a caste fanatic.

But the larger question is should we endorse public sentiment even if it takes a violent turn, cocking a snook at the rule of law? Where does the politics of statues  whether building new ones, or demolishing them  figure in a country with a predominantly young population where jobs and development are the two key issues?

That the Left had lost connect with a huge section of the public despite having won successive elections earlier in Tripura is evident from the results. That Communism has lost its appeal worldwide is also equally obvious.

But after all the smashing of statues, you are left with the central question: what about jobs?

That was the central question even in Eastern Europe, after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. As a student, I travelled through the region at the time, talking to scores of ordinary people, listening to their tales and tirades about life under Communism. The symbols of Communism and the erstwhile Soviet Union were rapidly junked.

But though the battle over Lenin ended, fresh challenges emerged. Except for East Germany, which got huge dollops of money since reunification with West Germany in 1990, the prosperous West offered nothing like the Marshall Plan to help the formerly Communist countries to get back on their feet and move toward a market economy. There was frustration and disappointment over the pace of change and the key issue before people was how to deal with their new freedom alongside economic uncertainty. In short, jobs.

In Tripura, the CPI(M) that ruled the state for 25 years has claimed that demolition of Lenins statues is symptomatic of Communism Phobia. The BJP, the winner in the just-concluded Assembly elections, which campaigned on the slogan of Chalo Paltai (Lets change), claims its the oppressed victims of the Left who were behind the demolition.

But now that the electoral battle is over, the focus in Tripura must be on jobs. The state has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. The victor will have to face the same challenge that confronted the loser  how to generate employment for the young people who are entering the job market every year.

Young people in Tripura and elsewhere who voted for the BJP are seeking jobs, and development that ensures the basic amenities which equip one for a productive role in the job market. In Tripura, located in a part of the country which has been neglected for long, and which suffers poor connectivity, inadequate educational infrastructure, not much of modern industry, generating jobs will be the key test for the new government.

Its not just Tripura. Everywhere in the Northeast, where the BJP has won recent elections, jobs are the key issue. The subject resonates across the country. On that score, the latest data is not encouraging. According to the Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy (CMIE), which tracks business and economic data in the country, there are currently nearly 31 million unemployed Indians seeking jobs. In the week ending February 25, the unemployment rate had shot up to 6.1 per cent as compared to five per cent in January. This is the highest monthly rate in the past 15 months. After falling to a low of 3.4 per cent in July 2017, unemployment rates are shooting up once again.

Its against this backdrop that we must gauge the discourse about statues in the country. Statues are symbols, but smashing symbols doesnt fill bellies. Neither will erection of giant statues address the issue of job-creation. In the Northeast, in the immediate future, Central largesse can and will act as a palliative.

The BJP has shown it can be totally pragmatic, and when it comes to elections, that victory trumps all other issues, including core beliefs. So, BJP leaders have made it clear it wont make beef an incendiary issue in the Northeast as it does elsewhere in the country. It has also proved that when it comes to selling hope and promises of a new and better tomorrow, its leagues ahead of its political rivals.

Now begins the real challenge. How will the BJP deliver on its promise of jobs in Tripura, and everywhere else where it now controls the reins of the administrative machinery?

Lenin is dead. His legacy is disappearing. But the answer to the jobs question will continue to be pivotal in the lives of Indias teeming youthful populace.
Congress needs a total makeover if it has to have any chance in the 2019 elections.

Cong needs to promote able leaders

Devang Dave

The BJP juggernaut continues  it raised the saffron flag for the first time in 25 years in the Northeast. What was considered a strong Left-fortress soon became the land of the rising Sangh! As soon as the election results were out, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took the first flight out of India to meet his granny and celebrate her 90th birthday.

Well, best wishes to her and heres hoping that more years are added to her illustrious life. However, on the other hand, the lifespan of the 133-year old Indian National Congress is getting reduced by the day.

Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura, Meghlaya and Nagaland  all are BJP strongholds now while the Congress fortunes have taken a turn for the worse. The Congress is now reduced to only four states.

The old guard seems to have failed to hold the fort for the party, while the young guns, except for Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia, arent being given any importance. A change in the party leadership hasnt yielded the results as expected.

Mr Gandhis much-talked-about unopposed promotion as Congress president has failed to deliver any concrete results. His not-so-impressive leadership has failed to evoke any confidence among the party cadres. With the 2019 elections just around the corner, it seems unlikely that the Congress will witness a revival or makeover of any sorts. Its overdependence on dynasty politics and continued emphasis on caste-based politics has rendered it ineffective. Ignoring the real issues  development and job creation  in the states it is ruling has also put a huge dent on its already tarnished image.

Further, Congress ministers have repeatedly used their official positions for their own selfish gains. The lack of punitive action against the tainted ministers has further spoilt the image of the Congress Party.

Just when we thought that the UPA scams were over for good, came the PNB-Nirav Modi and Karthi Chidambaram scams; both initiated during the excessively corrupt UPA-2 government.

More than a Congress comeback, what is even more needed is a complete change in the Congress ideology. A morally clean Congress is essential for a constructive and productive Opposition. The Congress culture still reeks of the 130-year old philosophy; it is still dependent on divide and rule politics.

Does the country really need a political party that will lay emphasis on politics over good governance? You know the answer!

Will we see a change in Congress fortunes under Mr Gandhis leadership? Given the political stance of the Gandhi-scion, this seems highly unlikely.

Hence, a complete makeover, amidst crumbling alliances, is much needed for the Congress Party.

The writer is national convenor, BJYM Information Technology Committee

People areunhappy with BJP

Ashish Dua

This assertion itself is misplaced. We have the love and support of the people and we will oust the BJP government that is failing on all fronts in the 2019 elections. I concede we lost Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh but we did extremely well in Punjab. We were the single largest party in Goa but due to the machinations of the ruling dispensation at the Centre we were denied our rightful seat in the government in that state.

Now, lets take a look at Gujarat, the bastion of the BJP and Sangh politics, the home state of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. In Gujarat, the Congress had the strongest performance in the Assembly elections in the last three decades. Our tally improved markedly.

Again, in the recently-concluded Assembly elections, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in Meghalaya but the BJP, with just two seats, used its machinations to form the government there.

Even in the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh byelections, people voted for us, clearly indicating that they are unhappy with the policies of the BJP government.

The problem with the BJP is that it is leaving governance out and adopting machinations. There is a list of questions that the Congress has put up before the Prime Minister ,but he has not yet responded to it. The unemployment rate has reached alarming proportions but this government is not bothered about it. The Congress is raising various issues plaguing the country; issues that have arisen because of sheer incompetence of the BJP government.

Then we have the saga of the PNB-Nirav Modi bank scam. We have been saying that several people had written letters about the scam while it was taking place, but the government made no effort to stop it. The entire banking system is shaken; the list of fugitives under the keen eye of this government is only increasing.

Look at the agriculture sector  small farmers are reeling under debt and the government has done nothing for them. Demonetisation and the hasty implementation of GST have hit small and medium traders hard. The unorganised sector has suffered the most; there has been massive job losses for which only the BJP is to be blamed.

As far as the Congress is concerned it is not a static organisation. In some measure it is always in election mode. Actually, the party machinery is much more election-oriented than most other parties. Congress workers and local leaders are holding their own against the BJP.

The desperation of the BJP is evident in its refusal to engage in assessment of the governments performance, and Mr Modis reliance on traditional and social media, laced with half-truths, untruths and loudspeak.

In the end, I would only say that it is the BJP that needs to go in for a total makeover if it has to have any chance in the 2019 elections.

The writer is a Congress leader and AICC member
The risk of using a compromised PC to mine cryptocurrency is currently much lower than using it for other criminal activities.

Over the past six months, weve seen a major increase in the number of attack campaigns with the ultimate goal of mining cryptocurrency. Its a subject Unit 42 has been tracking in the past year:

Large-scale Monero cryptocurrency mining operation using XMRig Unauthorised coin mining in the browser

So, what is driving a widespread shift from attackers and creating a significant trend in the industry? Ryan Olson derives three factors at work:

The price of many cryptocurrencies has increased dramatically in the last 12 months, making it more profitable to mine coins compared to other criminal business models.

The risk of using a compromised PC to mine cryptocurrency is currently much lower than using it for other criminal activities.

One particular cryptocurrency, Monero, provides its users with very high privacy and can be mined efficiently on a regular desktop or laptop PC. These properties are not true of other cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin.

To answer the question in more detail, its important to put yourself in the criminals shoes and consider what alternative routes they have to monetize infections. In this brief, well share how this trend came to fruition, why its so prevalent, and how security professionals and defenders can keep an eye out for this rising type of threat.

How attacks monetise infections

While targeted attacks gain the most attention from researchers and media, the majority of malware infections are untargeted and even indiscriminate. Instead of seeking out specific targets, many criminals aim to infect as many systems as possible and then turn those infections into cash. This has been true for over a decade, although the mechanisms available to criminals have shifted in that time.

To understand where we are now, it helps to look at how we got here and to look at the evolution of common cybercriminal activities.

Back in the early 2000s, some of the earliest botnet herders made their income by relaying spam emails through infected computers. Over time, that business became less profitable due to anti-spam controls and ISPs preventing infected systems from directly relaying emails.

In the mid-2000s, criminals made great profits from using Banking Trojans to steal credentials for online banking websites and subsequently draining the accounts associated funds. This account takeover activity continues today, but various anti-fraud measures and law enforcement actions have made it less profitable and riskier for criminals.

Another aspect of Banking Trojan infections is that, while the criminal may be infecting hosts indiscriminately, the value of the host greatly depends on the individual who owns it, and the criminals ability to cash out their bank account. Figure 1 is a capture from a book I wrote with some colleagues in 2008, Cyber Fraud: Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures. It shows the price that a criminal enterprise called IFRAME DOLLARS was charging to infect computers in various countries at that time.

In 2007, the infection of a system in Australia went for $0.60, while an infection in Poland was only a fraction of the cost, at $0.096. The difference in price represented the difference in value: criminals were able to make more money through a Banking Trojan account takeover from an Australian infection than they could in Poland. This was due to many factors, but chief among them was that criminals were more successful at cashing out accounts from Australian infections than they were from systems in other parts of the world.

As anti-fraud protections evolved, so did the criminals. Fast forward five years to 2013 and the rise of the Ransomware business model. This new way to generate profit had two major advantages over account takeovers:

Every system that is infected can be held for ransom, not just those belonging to users who also happen to bank online and have their credentials stolen.

Payments using cryptocurrency (primarily Bitcoin) do not require interacting with banks, decreasing the risk and cost for cybercriminals of cashing out.

Put another way, the ransomware model represented both increased efficiency and decreased risk in monetising the infection.

Anyone whos been paying attention to cybercrime since 2013 is aware of the ransomware surge, infecting systems throughout the world and plaguing networks administrators. While only a tiny fraction (possibly 1 in 1000) of systems infected with a banking Trojan pay out for attackers, a much higher portion of ransomware victims pay to get their files back. While US$300 payments are less than a single account takeover could return, ransomware makes greater returns due to the volume and decreased risk in this new business model. Cybercriminals have become good business people: they saw the benefits and embraced the change.

Enter The Bubble  Where We Are Now

In the last two years, but particularly in the last six months, the price of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies experienced a massive price surge with respect to the US dollar and other fiat currencies. Heres the chart for bitcoin over the last two years, showing a rise of 2,000 per cent to 4,000 per cent versus the US dollar.

While botnets mining cryptocurrency is nothing new, the technique was much less profitable than using ransomware. In fact, with the rise of specialised Bitcoin mining hardware, no regular PC can make any significant amount of money for an attacker.

However, there are many other crypto coins in the market today. The one we see mined most by attackers is called Monero. In contrast to bitcoin, Monero was designed to enable private transactions using a closed ledger, and its mining algorithm is still mined effectively by both PC CPUs and GPUs. As the chart below shows, Monero has risen even faster than bitcoin in price in the last two years, with more than a 30,000 per cent gain in US dollars.

A normal PC used to mine Monero can earn around $0.25 per day at the current prices. That number is small, but its important to note that it doesnt matter what country or network a Monero miner is part of: computers in Australia and Poland mine at the same speed. Every infected system is a profit-generating resource when mining Monero, and users are much less likely to identify their infection and remove the mining program than they would be with ransomware. For context, in January, we found a Monero mining campaign that infected around 15 million systems, largely in the developing world. If these systems remained infected for at least 24 hours each, the attackers could have earned well over 3 million US dollars in Monero.

Additionally, the risk of arrest and conviction is significantly lower than with ransomware, as mining cryptocurrency is less likely to generate reports to law enforcement than a data-destroying ransomware infection.

Whats Next?

This wave of attacks will continue as long as it maintains a high level of profitability with a low level of risk for cybercriminals.

For defenders, its important to note that the techniques used to infect systems with coin mining malware are the same as they were for ransomware. Infections typically begin with emails carrying malicious macro documents, drive-by exploit kits targeting browsers, or direct attacks on servers running vulnerable software. There is no single solution to stopping these attacks, but the same technologies and policies you use to prevent other malware infections will be effective.

Across the changing landscape of botnet herders, Banking Trojans, ransomware and coin mining is one constant: the business-savvy drive to maximize profit and reduce risk. Using these as our guide, we can make sense of where we are today, how we got here, and be prepared for what has yet to develop in the future.

Here are three things to watch for:

1. A marked increase in the price of Monero or other cryptocurrencies will draw even more attackers into this business.

For many users, this could actually be a positive development, as the negative impact of having resources sapped from ones computer is much less than paying a ransom or restoring your system from a backup due to ransomware. Conversely, a crash in the price of cryptocurrencies will decrease the profitability and drive criminals back to ransomware.

2. Listen to your fans or keep an eye on your CPU usage.

Many users realise their system is infected with coin mining malware when their laptop fans kick into high-speed mode to keep the overtaxed CPU cool. Listening to fans wont work at the enterprise scale, but implementing widespread CPU performance monitoring could be a good way to find compromised devices. This will also help you identify the coin mining insider threat, as misguided administrators may see their organisations unused CPU time as a way to generate personal income.

3. Criminals will find ways to target these attacks.

Compromising a users browser or a regular home PC will net the criminal an average system for mining coins, but higher-end systems will generate more income. Attackers will soon begin targeting devices with higher specifications to get more bang for their buck. Gaming PCs with high-end GPUs and servers with large numbers of processing cores will be prime targets.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Kuchibhotlas widow, issued a statement saying she hoped the guilty plea would 'send a strong message that hate is never acceptable.'

Olathe, Kansas: A man charged with fatally shooting an Indian immigrant in 2017 at a suburban Kansas City bar pleaded guilty Tuesday to murder in the slaying that fanned fears of anti-immigrant violence following President Donald Trumps election.

Witnesses said Adam Purinton, who is white, yelled Get out of my country! before firing at two men who had stopped for an after-work drink at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe, Kansas.

Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed in the February 22, 2017, attack. His friend Alok Madasani was wounded. The men, both 32, had come from India to the US as students and worked as engineers at nearby GPS-maker Garmin.

Another man, Ian Grillot, was wounded when he tried to intervene.

Purinton faces life in prison with no chance of parole for 50 years when he is sentenced May 4 for premeditated first-degree murder.

At the time of the shooting, officials in India expressed concern about their citizens safety in the United States.

Kuchibhotlas widow, who was not present at the hearing, issued a statement saying she hoped the guilty plea would send a strong message that hate is never acceptable.

We must understand and love one another, Sunayana Dumala said.

According to court documents, Purinton was asked to leave the bar when he made derogatory comments. He returned a short time later with a gun.

Madasani told detectives that the gunman asked the men if their status was legal before he opened fire, according to an affidavit released last year.

After the shooting, Purinton drove 70 miles (110 kilometers) east to Clinton, Missouri, and stopped at a restaurant, where he allegedly confessed to the killings to a bartender, who called police.

Purinton, a 52-year-old Navy veteran, was a regular customer at Austins. Neighbours in the Olathe cul-de-sac where he lived told The Associated Press after the shooting that he became a drunken mess following his fathers death about two years before the shooting and had physically and mentally deteriorated.

He still faces federal hate crime charges in the slaying. Federal prosecutors have not determined whether they will seek the death penalty.
This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of N Korea.

The finding triggered another layer of US economic sanctions against Pyongyang, just as South Korea reported that the regime is ready for talks to end a nuclear standoff. (Photo: File)

Washington: The United States formally concluded Tuesday that North Korea ordered the murder of a half-brother and potential rival to ruler Kim Jong-Un with the banned VX nerve agent.

"This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of North Korea and underscores that we cannot afford to tolerate a North Korean WMD program of any kind," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

The finding triggered another layer of US economic sanctions against Pyongyang, just as South Korea reported that the regime is ready for talks to end a nuclear standoff.

Under US law, when a country or leader violates its ban on chemical and biological weapons, an import ban is imposed on its products, but North Korea is already under severe US and UN sanctions, and Tuesday's decision will have little impact.

But reviving the controversy over 2017's assassination of Kim Jong-Nam, who was sprayed in the face by a chemical agent by two women as he travelled through Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia, could disrupt attempts to start talks.

Kim Jong-Un's older half-brother had once been seen as their father Kim Jong-Il's natural heir, and some reports had suggested that China might be grooming him to replace the younger man in the event of a crisis.

Nauert said that US investigators operating under the 1991 Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act had determined on February 22 that North Korea was to blame for the murder and that VX was used.
Britain has cautioned Russia that if the Kremlin was behind any poisoning then there will be grave consequences.

Counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation and Britain's military research laboratory at Porton Down is trying to identify the substance which caused Skripal, 66, and his daughter to fall ill. (Photo: AP)

Salisbury: British investigators will update an emergency response committee of senior ministers on Wednesday about the mystery illness that struck down a former Russian double agent and his daughter.

Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russia's GRU military intelligence service, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, were found slumped unconscious on a bench outside a shopping centre in the southern English city of Salisbury on Sunday afternoon.

Police said they had been exposed to an unknown substance. More than two days later, both are critically ill in intensive care.

Counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation and Britain's military research laboratory at Porton Down is trying to identify the substance which caused Skripal, 66, and his daughter to fall ill.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd will chair the emergency response meeting.

Britain has cautioned Russia that if the Kremlin was behind any poisoning then there will be grave consequences and British ministers have drawn parallels with the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko who was killed with radioactive polonium-210 in London.

A previous British inquiry said President Vladimir Putin probably approved the murder Litvinenko who died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at London's Millennium Hotel.

Russia, which denied any involvement in the death of Litvinenko, has dismissed claims that it may have had a hand in the poisoning of Skripal.

Moscow says anti-Russian hysteria is being whipped up without any evidence to show its involvement in the Skripal case. Russia holds a presidential election on March 18, which polls show Vladimir Putin should comfortably win.

Skripal, who passed the identity of dozens of spies to the MI6 foreign intelligence agency, was given refuge in Britain after being exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested Skripal in 2004 on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial.
Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and both claim the region in its entirety.

The military said in a statement late Tuesday that the drone violated Pakistan's airspace and was spying when it was shot down in the village of Chirikot along the Line of Control in Kashmir. (Photo: File/ Representational)

Islamabad: Pakistan's military says it shot down an Indian "spy drone" after it entered Pakistani airspace in the disputed region of Kashmir.

The military said in a statement late Tuesday that the drone violated Pakistan's airspace and was spying when it was shot down in the village of Chirikot along the Line of Control in Kashmir. It said Pakistani troops retrieved the wreckage.

The army said it was the fourth Indian drone it shot down in the past year.

India had no immediate comment.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and both claim the region in its entirety.

The two sides also often trade fire there and have fought two wars over it since their independence from British rule in 1947.
The school was not against technology but that the negative results of mobile phones far outweigh its positives.

Pupils in the southeast Bangladesh school were ordered to hand over their phones Sunday to school administrators who then tossed the devices en masse into a fire in a nearby field. (Representational Image)

A hardline Islamic school in Bangladesh confiscated hundreds of mobile phones from students and burnt them down to ashes, hailing the devices unislamic and a distraction for its pupils.

Darul Ulum Moinul Islam madrassa in Hathazari, close to Chittagong, is spearheaded by Ahmad Shafi, the head of extremist Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam which has been campaigning for the return of Islamic rule.

Pupils in the southeast Bangladesh school were ordered to hand over their phones Sunday to school administrators who then tossed the devices en masse into a fire in a nearby field, the Daily Mail reported.

The schools spokesman Azizul Hoque said, These devices are ruining their character. The students use internet (on their phones) throughout the night and then doze during classes the next morning. Their parents are concernedWe are flooded with letters seeking fatwas (Islamic edicts) from Muslims against the use of mobile phones, as many complained that the gadgets were frequently used for extramarital affairs.

He added that the school was not against technology but that the negative results of mobile phones far outweigh its positives.

The 123 year old institution has 14,000 registered students and is run by Muslim clerics who continue to be influential in the Muslim-majority Bangladesh in spite of its secular government.
by Purushottam Nayak

The sculpture of the Virgin is in the grotto of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Aligonda. The religious feelings of the Christian minority in India are hurt." In Partama, more than 15,000 devotees of Mary celebrate the feast dedicated to her. Muslims and Hindus are also present.

Bhubaneswar (AsiaNews) - A statue of Our Lady has been vandalised in Aligonda, Gajapati District, in the Indian state of Odisha (Orissa).

On Sunday, the sculpture of the Virgin was found headless in the grotto dedicated to her in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, which falls under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Berhampur.

"It is very sad to think that the religious feelings of the Christian minority in India are hurt," said Fr Sanjib Biro, the parishs former pastor, speaking to AsiaNews.

The priest, who is currently the pastor at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Dantoling, Odishas main place of pilgrimage, added: "The nature of Christians is to love peace and build unity and brotherhood with one another. It is really depressing that innocent Christians are harassed and threatened."

According to Fr Biro, the attack against the statue of Mary "caused deep sadness in the community. Our Lady is a model and example for every Christian in the region.

Hundreds of believers come to Dantoling each year on 11 February to attend the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and on 11 December in Aligonda for the feast of the Immaculate Conception."

The incident, the clergyman noted, "has knocked out the Christians, as if they had lost a family member. People are crying and praying for the statue of Mary because even if she is headless, she remains very dear to them."

The parish of Aligonda was founded in 1985 by French missionaries. About 10,000 Catholics live in the area.

Meanwhile, on Monday, about 130 km from the scene of the attack, more than 15,000 people took part in the feast of the Our Lady of Partama, Daringbadi Parish, in the archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar.

The large number of believers of every religion shows that the devotion to Mary is strong even among non-Christians. The pilgrimage site is famous, among other things, for the apparitions of Our Lady to a Hindu widow.

According to the story, Ms Kamoladevi, a widow, went up Partama Mountain to collect some wood. It was 5 March 1994.

At one point, a man dressed in white and with a long beard approached her and then disappeared. Soon after, a "beautiful woman" showed up, calling her by name. She asked the widow to build a church right on the spot.

Back in the village, her Hindu neighbours paid no heed to what she told them. A few days later a 12-year-old boy took her back to the mountain and then disappeared.

At that point, the beautiful woman appeared for a second time, revealing who she was. "I am the Mother of Jesus, she said. Pray constantly that peoples life change from evil to good, from hatred to love."
For Mar Sako, the candidacy helps keep alive the focus on the Iraqi people, on the Christian community" and defeat "marginalisation and indifference" towards minorities. Muslim support for his nomination is "important" and represents a "sign of closeness", opening the door to progress and democracy". For the archbishop of Kirkuk, this is a form of recognition" for all Christians in Iraq and the Middle East.

Baghdad (AsiaNews)  Mar Louis Raphael Sako, the primate of the Iraqi Church, has been named for the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize.

For him receiving a prize "is not important", he told AsiaNews. What counts is "the symbolic value of the gesture" because it helps "keep alive the focus on the Iraqi people, on the Christian community", which is still today the victim of attacks. It also helps working "for the future of the country".

"In the recent meeting with Pope Francis, I asked him for moral and spiritual support, the primate said. This is what we need.

Becoming a nominee for the prize flow from this and represents an extraordinary contribution to overcoming marginalisation and indifference towards our suffering and that of other minorities."

In Iraq and around the world, religious leaders, intellectuals and civil society groups back the initiative, as way to acknowledge the Chaldean primates work in favour of peace, coexistence, and reconciliation, first as a bishop and today as patriarch.

This is an essential task in a nation that is still marked by violence, internal conflicts and sectarian divisions.

The Catholic association L'uvre d'Orient put forward his candidacy in late January, which the Norwegian Nobel Committee accepted.

The nomination is backed by a number of people, in Iraq and the world (especially in France, where the Patriarch Sako has developed strong ties of friendship and collaboration with Catholic and non-Catholic prelates and NGOs), including Christians and Muslims who praise his work in favour of peace and coexistence.

In particular, in the Muslim community, a united front has developed between Shias in Najaf (Iraq) and Sunni leaders in Jordan and Lebanon who have strongly supported his candidacy. This too is an additional sign of the work of the Church in Iraq, of its leaders, as a bridge with other religions.

"It's nice to see that even the Muslims have supported my candidacy, Mar Sako said. In fact, I would say that they have done it with greater vigour and this is even more important. It represents a sign of closeness and opens Iraqs doors to progress and democracy."

Last week, the Chaldean patriarchate organised an inter-faith meeting that was "a great source of courage and hope. In the next few days I will go to Najaf to give a speech. This is not for me, but for all of Iraq and for the good of its people." Najaf is one the holiest cities in Shia Islam.

On 31 January 2013 the then archbishop of Kirkuk, Mgr Sako became the new Chaldean patriarch, succeeding Emmanuel Delly III who resigned due to age limitations. Born on 4 July 1948 in Zakho, northern Iraq, he was ordained a priest on 1 June 1974.

As a prelate, then as a primate of the Iraqi Church, he has repeatedly denounced the exodus of Christians from the country and made numerous pleas to the central government and local authorities, to guarantee them a peaceful future in their land of origin.

"Our hope is that this candidacy will run its course, and end in a positive outcome, said Mgr Yousif Thoma Mirkis, the archbishop of Kirkuk.

This award, the prelate added, represents "a recognition not only for him personally, but for all the Christians of Iraq and the Middle East who, in the past few years, have fought hard, stood firm, and yet remained non-violent whilst seeking peace, human rights, coexistence and development in the country."

Giving the Nobel Peace Prize to Mar Sako would also be a way to remember "the martyrs of the Chaldean Church, people like Mgr Rahho and others, priests and lay people, who sacrificed their lives for their faith."

"For us Christians of the Middle East, Mgr Mirkis said, this would be an important and significant gesture, because it would highlight the sacrifices of an ancient community that chose to remain in its own land despite persecution, the latest being that of Daesh (Islamic State) which forced hundreds of thousands of families to flee, convert or be killed."

French Socialist Senator Bernard Cazeau echoes such sentiments. In his view, Patriarch Sako "embodies" the dialogue between faiths and is "respected" by Muslims, Yazidis, Sabeans, religious believers and atheists, for his "honesty, sincerity, simplicity, and generosity".

In France, he notes, the patriarchs candidacy now has the support of 125 senators and 115 Members of the French National Assembly in recognition of his work for the marginalised and the victims of violence, and not just Christians. (DS)
Giovanni Battista Montini was the Pope of the Council and the great reformer of the Church of our time, Abp. Romero is the "martyr of Salvador", killed "in hatred of the faith" for his defense of the poor and the denunciation of repression.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Paul VI and Oscar Arnolfo Romero Galdamez will be saints. Pope Francis has approved the promulgation of the related decrees by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Paul VI, Giovanni Battista Montini was born in Concesio, in the province of Brescia, on 26 September 1897. A man of great culture - he had three degrees in philosophy, canon law and civil law - and of great sensitivity, he was elected Pope on 21 June 1963. He was a great reformer, the Pope who led to the completion of Vatican Council II, of which he personally led the work, with the approval of its principal documents.

Even if only in general terms, he is remembered for his significant gestures, such as the destination of the papal tiara to the poor, the meeting in 1964 with the Orthodox patriarch Athenagora and the subsequent Catholic-Orthodox declaration of 1965, after over nine centuries of mutual excommunications. The meeting took place in Jerusalem, where Paul VI arrived by plane and was the first Pope to go there and take a plane. Furthermore, at the end of the Council he announced the creation of the Synod of Bishops, of which he established the competences; in 1966 he abolished the "Index of forbidden books" and the year after he decided to establish the World Day for Peace. He was the first Pope to celebrate a mass in an industrial plant on Christmas Eve (at Italsider in 1968).

In 1966 he confirmed priestly celibacy in an encyclical and the year after he published Humanae Vitae. That year he abolished all the functions attributed to the nobility in the papal court, with the exception of papal ushers. He also abolished the noble Guard and the Palatine Guard. Instead, he established the Commission for Social Communications, the Council for the Laity, for Justice and Peace Commission, the International Theological Commission and Cor Unum. In 1968 he reformed the Roman Curia, in which he introduced no small amount of non-Italian personalities. In 1969 he approved the reform of the mass, since then called "the vernacular", that is in modern languages, to facilitate the understanding of the faithful.

In 1970, in Manila, he was the first Pope to be victim of an attack, when he was wounded win a knife attack.

Finally, it was he who wanted the metal "pastoral cross" bearing the crucified Christ which was always used by John Paul II and often by his successors.

He died at Castel Gandolfo on 6 August 1978.

Abp. Romero is the martyr of Salvador. Born in 1917. He became a priest in 1942, in 1970 he was appointed auxiliary bishop of San Salvador. In this role he was one of the protagonists of the Latin American Bishops Conference of Medellin (1968), considered a fundamental moment in the history of the Church of the sub-continent.

In 1977 he became archbishop of San Salvador. In a period marked by the bloody repression of the popular movements, he was the bishop of the poor. The army, police and paramilitary movements also attacked priests and faithful called "communists". In Aguilares the church was destroyed and 200 faithful were killed.

The Archbishop opposed all of this, his catechesis transmitted by the diocesan radio had wide ranging audience.

On March 23, 1980, he asked the military not to obey orders contrary to the law of God. The next day he was killed "in hatred of the faith" by a hitman while he was celebrating mass in the chapel of the Divine Providence Hospital, where he lived.

On 24 March, the United Nations declared the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims.
Summit with Moon scheduled for April, after a first telephone call. It would be the first time in 10 years. South Korean Foreign Minister: bring Washington and Pyongyang together. The White House promises new sanctions over the murder of Kim Jong-nam.

Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Kim Jong-un is ready to give up nuclear power, as long as the security of North Korea is guaranteed and threats disappear. The u-turn of the North Korean leader, was announced yesterday by Seoul along with a historic summit in April between the leaders of the two Koreas at the village of Panmunjom, in the nuclear-free area in the 38th parallel that divides the peninsula.

If confirmed, the meeting would be the third in the history of inter-Korean relations, after the precedents in 2000 and 2007, and the first since Kim Jong-un took the leadership of the country. The summit will be anticipated by a telephone conversation between the North Korean leader and South Korean president Moon Jae-in.

The dialogue between the two Koreas was relaunched in the context of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, when the North agreed to send its athletes. This commitment continues today, with the arrival in South Korea of the athletes competing for the Paralympics.

Moon has also assured the leaders of the five major parties to talks that it will not reduce the sanctions imposed on North Korea. "Our aim is denuclearization," said the South Korean president, envisaging a non-immediate timetable for dismantling. " We cannot settle for nonproliferation or a nuclear freeze".

The future of the talks between the socialist regime and the United States is still uncertain. According to Kang Kyung-wha, South Korean Foreign Minister, the two countries are ready for dialogue and "therefore the mission is now to understand how to bring the two parties together". However, despite Trump's defining developments as "positive progress" on twitter, the White House renews its charges against Pyongyang over the death of Kim Jong-un's half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, and promises new sanctions.
by J.B. An Dan

Msgr. Paul Bui Van oc was struck by a stroke yesterday during a concelebration in the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the walls. He had met Pope Francis the day before. Originally from Da Lat, he was consecrated bishop of My Tho by John Paul II. Pope Francis had appointed him coadjutor archbishop of Ho Chi Minh in 2013.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City, Msgr. Paul Bui Van oc died yesterday in Rome during the ad limina visit, just a day after his meeting with Pope Francis along with other Vietnamese prelates.

Msgr Paul Bui Van oc suffered a sudden stroke yesterday at 11 am during the mass that the 32 Vietnamese bishops were celebrating in the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the walls, over which he was presiding. Despite the efforts of the doctors and nurses, he died later at San Camillo hospital. His body is still at the hospital and the Vietnamese community still does not know what to do.

The prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam are in Italy since March 2, after having made a brief visit to the Society for the foreign missions of Paris (the MEPs). During the period of the visit, the bishops had planned several meetings with the Vatican dicasteries.

Msgr. Paul Bui Van oc was president of the Episcopal Conference during the period 2013-2016. He was born on 11 November 1944 in Da Lat, in the mountainous province of the central highlands. In 1956 he began his studies in the seminary in Saigon. Between 1960 and 1970 he then continued his studies in philosophy and theology at the Urbanianum University in Rome and was ordained a priest on December 17, 1970 in Da Lat.

In 1975 he was appointed rector of the major seminary of Minh Hoa, in the diocese, where he remained until his appointment as vicar general in 1995. For this long period he also worked as a professor of theology in the seminaries of Saigon, Ha Noi and Hue (1986-2008).

Pope John Paul II appointed him bishop of My Tho on March 26, 1999. His episcopal consecration took place on March 20 of the following year, through the hands of Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man of Ho Chi Minh City.

On September 28, 2013, Pope Francis appointed him coadjutor archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City and on 22 March 2014, he succeeded Card. Pham Minh Man, as the third pastor of the archdiocese, which was erected in 1960.
by Fady Noun

Killed in 1976 during Lebanons civil war, the philosopher and university professor remained in the country to witness love. His action is proof of "perfect love". He trusted in Providence and the Virgin. The request was made during the extraordinary jubilee in memory of the martyrs of Lebanon.

Beirut (AsiaNews)  Faithful to the guidelines of Saint John Paul IIs apostolic letter Tertio Millenio Adveniente of 10 November 1994, urging local Churches to "ensure that the memory of those who have suffered martyrdom should be safeguarded," the Maronite Church yesterday concluded an extraordinary jubilee dedicated to the memory of its "known and unknown" martyrs with a solemn Mass celebrated by Patriarch al-Rahi at the Patriarchates headquarters in Bkerke.

The jubilee began on the feast day of Saint Maron (9 February 2017) and ended on that of the first patriarch Saint John Maron (2 March 2018). On this occasion, the heirs of Lebanese philosopher, author and university professor Kamal Youssef El Hage, and the Foundation bearing his name, submitted to the Maronite Church authorities an application for the official recognition of his martyrdom, on 2 April 1976, in his village of Chbaniyeh (al-Matn al-Janoubi).

The request  backed by the superior general of the Lebanese Maronite Order, Fr Malek Bou Tanos, as well as Fr Maroun Chamoun, the parish priest in the village of Chbaniye  was submitted to Mgr Camille Zaidan, bishop of Antelias, which includes el Hages native village.

"We thought it was our duty that Kamal Youssef El Hage not only be rightfully acknowledged as a philosopher, but also, and above all, recognised as a true martyr of the faith in Christ," says the letter addressed to the bishop.

A contemporary of philosophers like Charles Malek and Rene Habachi, Kamal El Hage, who taught at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), set up a section of Lebanese philosophy at the Lebanese university. His son, Prof Youssef El Hage oversaw the publication of his complete works. The Kamal El Hage Chair was set up at USEK to ensure the continuity and development of his work.

Perfect charity

"If the Second Vatican Council defines martyrdom as an exceptional gift and as the fullest proof of love (Lumen Gentium 42), then Kamal El Hage showed perfect love," the letter says.

"He could have easily left his village and his region, which had plunged into suffering, but decided [instead] to continue to serve, and therefore to love, even though he was fully aware that he was not safe. Still, he wanted to be a witness to love until the end of his life.

Shortly before his capture and death (ostensibly by Palestinians fighting with Druze militias), he was coming home from a meeting he had presided to reconcile two Druze factions  yes, Druze  in his village. Some witnesses are still alive to confirm this.

To be declared a martyr, it is necessary that the death not been sought. This is the case again. Although he was warned of the dangers he faced, Kamal El Hage put his trust in divine Providence and in the protection of the Blessed Virgin.

We are convinced in our inner self that Kamal El Hage could, over time, be beatified and even canonised. We are also conscious that this requires an official procedure, as well as a lot of time and research. All we can say, with certainty and humility, is that we believe that the life and philosophical writings of Kamal Youssef El Hage meet to the criteria of martyrdom."

The request to the bishop notes that Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, in his patriarchal elegy of 21 March 2006, was the first to greet "the memory of the martyr Kamal Youssef El Hage".

It is also based on the patriarchal proclamation that calls for "a list made of the sons and daughters of our Church who shed their blood for their faith in Christ . . . whose martyrdom goes back to different periods of history, like . . . the last Lebanese war (Proclamation of the opening of the extraordinary jubilee).
Brunei is heavily dependent on its gas and oil reserves, which are set to run out in 20 years. Western banks are leaving the country. So far China has invested US$ 4.1 billion. Chinese capital is behind a new US$ 3.4 billion refinery and petrochemical complex under construction as well as the bridge that will link it to the capital. Some US$ 12 billion in investments are expected in the future.

Bandar Seri Begawan (AsiaNews/Agencies)  As it tries to cope with a recession that is now in its third year, Brunei is increasingly turning to Chinese investments, which can give the sultanate an important place in Beijings Belt and Road initiative (BRI), Chinas new silk road.

In Muara Besar, a small island in the South China Sea off the northern tip of Brunei, thousands of Chinese workers are building a refinery and petrochemical complex, as well as a bridge connecting it to the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

When completed, the first phase of the US$ 3.4 billion complex, run by China's Hengyi Group, will be Brunei's largest-ever foreign investment project.

The project comes at a time when the oil-dependent country needs it the most since its oil and gas reserves are expected to run out within two decades.

As production falls, oil firms will not be investing much into existing facilities, further hampering output, oil analysts say. Thus, the country's oil revenues, which provide virtually all of Brunei's government spending, are in steady decline.

With youth unemployment rising, Brunei's ruler, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, is trying to quickly reform the economy and diversify its sources of income, whilst fighting graft and cracking down on dissent.

Brunei's changing fortunes have been reflected in its financial industry. HSBC pulled out of Brunei last year, whilst Citibank exited in 2014 after 41 years. By contrast, the Bank of China opened its first branch in the sultanate in December 2016.

A US$ 12 billion second phase will expand the refinery capacity to 281,150 barrels per day, and build units to produce 1.5 million tonnes per year (tpy) of ethylene and 2 million tpy of paraxylene.

Total Chinese investment in Brunei is now estimated at US$ 4.1 billion, according to the American Enterprise Institute's China Global investment tracker.

China, the latter noted, has invested about US$ 205 billion in East Asia between 2010 and 2017, mostly in ports, roads, railways, and industrial plants.

At the same time, Beijing has been increasing its investments whilst tussling with four other South-East Asian nations, including Brunei, over competing claims to islets and atolls in the South China Sea.
By Verena Holzl

IRIN contributor

The pale green identity card in Nurul Hoques hands is torn and brittle. Time has faded the image of his grandfather, taken years before, to a ghostly outline.

The worn document is his grandfathers decades-old identity card from Myanmar. Its proof, Nurul says, that he and his family are rightful citizens of a country that now rejects them.

Its all we have left, Nurul says, placing the faded card on a thin sleeping mat in his familys new home: a flimsy tent perched on a hilltop in southern Bangladeshs sprawling Rohingya refugee camps.

The document and those held by other families in the camps are reminders of lives left behind, clung to with the distant hope that they might one day permit a return to Myanmar. But theyre also a record of the bureaucratic and often convoluted ways in which Rohingya in Myanmar have been systematically stripped of citizenship, belonging, and their very identity.

The question of citizenship in Myanmar strikes at the core of successive policies and actions that have disenfranchised, trapped, and now evicted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya.

The Muslim Rohingya may be the best-known example of statelessness in Myanmar, but several other ethnic minorities fall foul of its haphazard and selectively enforced citizenship laws. Created in 1982 by Myanmars then-ruling military junta, the law favours the majority Bamar community and others judged to be among the countrys national races and excludes others from full citizenship.

The government continues to build its stalled citizenship plans on the 1982 law, which stipulates that only members of ethnic groups that settled within Myanmar before the British conquest in 1824 are automatically eligible for full citizenship. But rights groups and the Rohingya themselves see the law more starkly: an attempt to make an unwanted population stateless.

"The Rohingya were made stateless in order to justify excluding them, says Chris Lewa from The Arakan Project, a Southeast Asia-based rights monitoring group.

Myanmars military launched a violent crackdown across northern Rakhine State last August, after a group of Rohingya fighters staged attacks on police and border posts. Nurul and his family joined more than 670,000 people who swept across the border into Bangladesh.

Most Rohingya lost nearly everything in the exodus, escaping on foot with whatever they could carry. One survey in Bangladeshs refugee camps estimated that 94 percent of the new arrivals had no identification whatsoever. But some Rohingya families like Nuruls rushed to save their now-scarce identity cards.

A dizzying array of official identity documents circulate among some Rohingya refugees: worn registration papers like the green card belonging to Nuruls grandfather, frayed and yellowing temporary cards that replaced them, even crumpled up pieces of paper that served as receipts when the last official documents were stripped away.

Over decades in Myanmar, each form of ID was declared invalid or taken from the Rohingya; each replacement carried fewer rights and more restrictions.

The faded green card belonging to Nuruls grandfather, officially called a national registration card, was given to non-foreign male residents of Myanmar, then known as Burma, after 1951. Female residents received a pink equivalent.

Nurul Hoque sealed his familys ID cards and old photos in plastic after arriving in Bangladesh. He keeps them under his pillow when he sleeps.

In 1982, however, Myanmars then-ruling junta enacted its new ethnicity-based citizenship laws. Authorities collected the green and pink registration cards from the Rohingya, later replacing them with white cards  temporary documents that left a generation of Rohingya in legal limbo.

Understanding the importance of their grandfathers green card, Nuruls family buried the document deep in the ground rather than handing it in.

Before his family fled Myanmar last year, Nurul hastily dug up the old ID, taking it to Bangladesh along with a few old photos and his own newer white card. Nurul sealed the tattered cards and photos in plastic casings after he arrived. When he goes to sleep at night, he places all the documents together under his pillow.

His cherished ID cards may be worthless in Myanmar, but for Nurul, theyre the only documents that show he once belonged.

Maybe the day will come that I need the cards to prove where we are from, Nurul says.

"There are no Rohingya in Myanmar" is a slogan heard on a regular basis in teashops, at nationalist rallies, and even in Myanmar's parliament. A lawmaker recently asked the government to officially declare that Myanmar does not have a Rohingya ethnicity. Instead, many in Myanmar call the group Bengali  a derisive nod to their perceived origins, and a label that most Rohingya emphatically reject.

The Rohingya have a long history in the area now known as Rakhine State. But to many in Myanmar, theyre seen as intruders from Bangladesh.

Long before last years exodus, Rohingya in Myanmar faced mounting restrictions that curtailed their everyday movements. Amnesty International calls it a vicious system of state-sponsored, institutionalised discrimination that amounts to apartheid.

Hasina Khatun, 40, reached Bangladesh last September after a 13-day walk from her burnt village in northern Rakhine. In the previous five years, she says, local authorities had barred fishermen from her village from going out to sea, cutting off their main source of food and income.

Hasina Khatun says she ran into her burning home to save her family's ID cards. "They show that we were once a part of Myanmar," she says.

But she also recalls a time when things were different. Her father, she says, was once a citizen of Myanmar, able to travel freely and conduct business. A generation later, Hasina wasn't allowed to leave her home after sunset.

Like Nuruls family, Hasina hid her fathers green card, suspecting that she might not get an equally valuable document in return. Last September, Hasina says, soldiers set fire to her home in Rakhine State. Before she fled, she jumped into the burning home to salvage her familys identity documents.

Her neighbours told her she was crazy to try something so dangerous. But to her, the documents are invaluable.

I lost my money, but at least I could save the ID cards, she says. They are more important to us anyway. They show that we were once a part of Myanmar."

There are 135 officially recognised ethnic groups in Myanmar. The Rohingya arent one of them.

Even with the majority of northern Rakhines Rohingya population now ousted from the country, new forms of identification keep piling up.

Myanmar authorities want the Rohingya to apply for yet another type of ID: national verification cards, part of a highly criticised multi-step citizenship process. While the government says cardholders will eventually be able to apply for citizenship, most Rohingya refused to sign up, fearful that yet another new identification card would leave them even worse off than before.

The process also initially required Rohingya to self-identify as Bengali  a deal-breaker for most Rohingya. As of the end of last year, only about 7,600 of these cards had been issued since 2010, according to government statistics.

In Bangladeshs refugee camps, authorities have registered the incoming refugees using biometric data. The resulting plain cards identify cardholders as Myanmar nationals. For most Rohingya now living in the camps, the cards are the only official ID tying them back to their home.

 IRIN
Guest Commentary

Dominic Barton

Asia Pacific Foundation Canada

What a difference a year makes.

At last years meeting of the Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council (ABLAC), fears about the backlash against globalization and the election of new populist leaders with protectionist tendencies cast a pall over the discussions. Now, as ABLACs Asian and Canadian members prepare to meet in Toronto to discuss ways to strengthen economic connections, concerns remain but we have reason for new optimism. The agreement reached in January to form the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (usually referred to as CPTPP), which is expected to be signed later this month, marks an important milestone in boosting Canadas trade relationship with Asia. In addition, Prime Minister Trudeau announced last summer that Canada intends to double its trade with China by 2025 and initiate talks for a free trade agreement with the country.

But the progress we have made isnt enough. Today, Asia is the core engine of global economic growth, thanks primarily to urbanization and the expansion of its middle class. The region is home to nine of the worlds 15 fastest-growing economies. Of the 2.4 billion people around the world who will become middle class consumers by 2030, two billion will come from Asia. Deepening our relationship with Asia is critical to Canadas future prosperity. The opportunity is vast, and the consequences of missing it are potentially dire for our economy.

2018 represents a watershed moment  an inflection point in Canada  Asia relations that can lead to much closer economic collaboration. There is a strong appetite among Canadians to continue developing our countrys ties with the region. A survey by the Asia Pacific Foundation Canada found that close to half of all Canadians believe strengthening economic and political relations with Asia should be Canadas top foreign policy priority, up from 37% in 2014. This same survey found that 46% of Canadians support a free trade agreement with China, up from 36% in 2014  and a recent study by Paul Evans, research director of University of British Columbias Institute of Asian Research, puts that support even higher, at close to 70%.

Yet when it comes to trade with the region, our country has significantly underperformed our peers over the past 15 years. Canadas exports to China lag behind other developed countries in terms of both growth and absolute value. While the CPTPP is a welcome development, we need to go beyond trade deals and develop a five-to-10-year strategy and commitment to engaging more deeply with our Asian economic partners.

While India, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam all represent tremendous opportunities for Canadian businesses, China is critical to Canadas relationship with Asia. The Chinese economy is projected to overtake that of the U.S. within 15 years. Consider that by 2025, nearly one in four companies with US$1 billion or more in revenue will be headquartered in China. Whats more, the country is poised to take a stronger leadership role in trade, investment, and innovation.

To capture this opportunity, the federal government should shift resources further toward the high-growth regions in Asia. That includes establishing consulates and trade commissioner offices in more of Chinas economic hub cities, such as Jinan and Changchun. Provincial and local governments have important roles to play as well, including building city-to-city connections, creating links between Canadian and Asian universities, fostering cultural exchanges, and encouraging more of our young people to travel to Asia.

With an enviable global brand and a strong economy, Canada is well positioned to play a larger role in shaping future relations between East and West. We largely missed the opening up of China in the 1980s. We also failed to capitalize on the next inflection point when China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. Today however, Canadian companies are well positioned to participate in the growth in Chinas private sector economy, particularly in the boom in innovation around digitization and big data. Additionally, Chinas rapidly growing middle-class will drive accelerating demand for goods and services that Canadian companies, large and small, are primed to meet, notably in agriculture and food. Finally, Chinas aging population will put increasing pressure to revamp its social safety net  an area where Canada is again a global leader. This is Chinas third inflection point  one we cannot afford to miss.

Dominic Barton is Global Managing Partner, McKinsey & Company, Chair of the Canadian Minister of Finance's Advisory Council on Economic Growth, and a Member of the Board of Directors of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
Upcoming Colmar Brunton seminar: Unearthing the China market and its consumer





Colmar Brunton is inviting food industry professionals to attend their upcoming Melbourne Smart Series seminar Unearthing the China market and its consumers.

This special seminar will be presented by Barry Tse, founder of WisdomAsia,a provider of market research on Asian consumers.

Barry is Colmar Bruntons research partner in Asia and was the former head of Qual at Synovaye China.

Barry will be sharing insights on the Chinese market, touching on market trends and the appetite for Australian products.

Hell take attendees on a journey around China to provide an understanding of the unique set of consumers living within the country.

The presentation will also include a Q&A session with Barry so any burning questions about conducting consumer research on Asian consumers can be answered.

Food industry professionals interested in attending this one-off presentation will need to RSVP to Sara Mawhinney through email  sara.mawhinney@colmarbrunton.com

More details on the seminar can be found below:

Date: Tuesday 13th March 2018

Time: 8.30am-10.00am

Venue: Your Source Research Facility, Chadstone

RSVP: 7th March 2018

Reply to: Sara Mawhinney

Email sara.mawhinney@colmarbrunton.com

Mobile: 0488 151 120
Why In-N-Out keeps popping up and never staying



In-N-Out's Melbourne pop-up sold out within 30 minutes

This week popular US burger chain In-N-Out opened a pop-up restaurant in Melbourne, selling out of 300 burgers within 30 minutes of opening.

The sell-out came despite news of the pop-up only becoming public only a couple hours before the store opened. Customers lined up outside and around the corner hoping to get one of the chains famous burgers.

It is not the first time In-N-Out has run a sell-out pop-up restaurant in Australia. In January 2018, the chain opened a store in Perth that attracted a big line. Similar situations have occurred when In-N-Out has popped up in Sydney over the past couple of years.

With a number of pop-ups run, it would perhaps seem like In-N-Out is testing the waters in Australia and are likely to open here soon.

Unfortunately for fans of the chain this is unlikely the case.

In-N-Out is a US West Coast based, family owned business that has built a reputation for its reluctance to expand quickly, or to franchise out of fear of losing control over product quality.

In-N-Out does not even have any restaurants on the East Coast of America, let alone any outside of its home country.

Owned by the Snyder family, In-N-Out has now been passed down through a couple of generations since first establishing as one restaurant in 1948. Current owner, and President of the business since 2010, Lynsi Snyder, has previously said she has no intentions to franchise or sell the business. She hopes to one-day pass the business down to her children.

So why would In-N-Out continue to run pop-up stores in Australia, along with other parts of the world it reportedly has no intentions of setting up business in?

Marketing.

In 2016, a spokesperson told Nine News that its Australian pop-ups are no indication that it will open permanent stores in Australia. The spokesperson said they are instead run to get our name out there and familiarise people with the brand so they know about us when they visit the US.

With In-N-Outs reputation for not wanting to expand at any rapid speed, it is likely the latest pop-ups are just another marketing move for the brand.

Bad luck for Australian In-N-Out fans unfortunately, but perhaps a marketing lesson for other Australian food producers.

Related articles
By Benjy Marks, Lecturer in Geomechanics, University of Sydney

US Geological Survey

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the Southern Highlands region of Papua New Guinea on February 25, 2018. This was followed by a series of aftershocks, producing widespread landslides that have killed dozens and injured hundreds. The same landslides have cut off roads, telecommunications and power to the area.

The PNG government has declared a state of emergency in the region. There is growing concern over several valleys that have been dammed by landslides and are beginning to fill with water - now ready to collapse and surge downstream, directly towards more villages.

Why is Papua New Guinea so susceptible to landslides? Its a combination of factors - steep terrain, earthquakes and aftershocks plus recent seasonal rains have created an environment that is prone to collapse.





Read more:

Five active volcanoes on my Asia Pacific 'Ring of Fire' watch-list right now





How land becomes unstable

The Earth around us is generally pretty stable, but when the ground shakes during an earthquake it can start to move in ways we dont expect.

Pressure changes during an earthquake create an effect in the soil called liquefaction, where the soil itself acts as a fluid.









When lots of water is present in the soil, as is the case now during the monsoon season in Papua New Guinea, liquefaction can happen even more easily.

When liquefaction occurs, the earthquake creates changes due to friction. Imagine a visit to the greengrocer, where an accidental bumping of a carefully stacked pile of apples can cause cause them all to suddenly collapse. What was holding the pile together was friction between the individual apples  and when this disappears, so does the pile.

In an earthquake, two tectonic plates slip past one another deep underground, rubbing together and cracking the nearby rocks. The effects of this movement up at the surface can vary depending on the nature of the earthquake, but one feature is fairly common: small objects bounce around. The sand grains just below the surface do the same thing, but a bit less excitedly. A few metres down, grains could be bouncing around just enough to lose contact with each other, removing the friction, and becoming unstable.









dfataustralianaid/flickr, CC BY





Things are normally stable because theyre sitting on top of something else. When that support suddenly disappears, things tend to fall down  this is the classic dodgy folding chair problem experienced by many.

In engineering, we call this failure  and in the building industry it usually occurs immediately before the responsible engineer receives a call from a lawyer. Mechanically, this failure happens when the available friction isnt enough to support the weight of the material above it.





Read more:

Explainer: after an earthquake, how does a tsunami happen?





When soil acts like fluid

Once a slope fails, it starts to fall downhill. If it really slides, then were back to the same situation of grains bouncing around. Now, none of the grains are resting against each other, and the whole thing is acting like a fluid.

A couple of interesting things happen at this point. First, as the grains are bouncing around, small particles start to fall through all the newly formed holes that have opened up. This occurs for the same reason that you find all the crumbs at the bottom of your cereal box, and all of the unpopped kernels at the bottom of your bowl of popcorn. Once these smaller fragments accumulate at the bottom of the flowing landslide, they can help it slide more easily, accelerating everything and increasing its destructive power.

Second, landslides typically flow faster at the surface than below, so as large particles accumulate at the top they are also the ones moving the fastest, and they start to collect at the front of the landslide. These large particles, often boulders and trees, can be incredibly damaging for any people or structures in their path.









Benjy Marks/USyd





The image above shows a laboratory simulation of a landslide flowing down a slope and hitting a fixed wall. The spherical particles are coloured by size (small is yellow; large is blue). Data from these sorts of studies can help predict the forces that an object will feel if it gets hit by a landslide.

Watching and waiting

These complex dynamics mean that we really need to know a lot about the geography and geology of a particular slope before any kind of reliable prediction could be made about the behaviour of a particular landslide.

In the remote areas of Papua New Guinea, accumulating this data at every point on every slope is a tough challenge. Luckily, huge advancements have recently been made in remote sensing, so that planes and satellites can be used to extract this vital information.

Using sophisticated sensors, they can see past foliage and map the ground surface in high resolution. As satellites orbit quite regularly, small changes in the surface topography can be monitored. Scientists hope that by using this information, unstable regions that havent yet failed can be identified and monitored.





Read more:

Controversial artist Elizabeth Durack gave us a sensitive insight into the lives of Papuan women





Papua New Guinea is located on an active fault line and has had nine major earthquakes in the past five years. Combined with the often remote and steep terrain, together with a monsoon season that delivers repeated heavy rainfall events, it is a particularly active area for landslides to develop.

The dry season in Papua New Guinea will not arrive until June. During the current wet season we may see even more slopes fail due to destabilisation by the recent earthquakes.

Benjy Marks receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Originally published in The Conversation.


(By bleakstar/Shutterstock.com) (By bleakstar/Shutterstock.com)

A new visa initiative pilot programme for South Australia has been announced which is aimed at attracting more foreign entrepreneurs to the state.If it is successful the initiative, which will make it easier and cheaper to establish a new business, it will be rolled out across Australia in 2019.Under the pilot the South Australian State Government will be able to partner with business incubators in attracting foreign entrepreneurs.It means that overseas entrepreneurs and investors with an innovative idea and a supporting business plan will be able to apply for a temporary visa to take forward their venture in Australia.Applicants will not need capital backing, unlike the current entrepreneur visa which requires demonstrated funding of at least $200,000.Instead, applicant's proposals will be vetted by State or Federal Government entities, with these entities able to partner with incubators and accelerators to identify potential applicants for nomination.Entrepreneurs who are successful in establishing their business venture in Australia will become eligible to apply for permanent residence.'The Government is focussed on increasing job opportunities and standards of living for Australians and we are doing this by fostering business growth and investment in Australia,' said Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.'Encouraging seed stage entrepreneurs to take forward innovative ideas in Australia will assist in growing the jobs of the future,' he added.Revealing further details of the proposed visa, the South Australian Liberal leader Steven Marshall said all applicants must be under 45 years of age and have vocational level English which is band 5 in each four components of the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS).'We are confident that this arrangement can lead to participants applying for permanent residence in South Australia as they develop their business plans into successful enterprises creating new companies and jobs in our state,' Stevens explained.'These arrangements will also encourage more investment in those sectors of our economy with the greatest capacity to grow, including advanced manufacturing and defence technology following the Federal Government's decision to centre the naval ship building programme in South Australia,' he added.
I have attempted to obtain some consensus on the following issue and wanted to pose it here...



What is the general consensus and experience of persons who have or know of others who chose between 300 PMV as opposed to 309 PV?



In some cases applicants fit either category and the system allows appropriate flexibility given variable life circumstances, as well as safeguards.



For instance, to prevent people applying for PMV or PV while in Australia as visitors or on other entry streams, there is the 8503 no overstay provision and specific offshore requirements.



But here is the thread question... does anyone have any knowledge or awareness of couples who were married in Australia while one party was on a 600 visitor visa and then at a later stage (say more than a year or two for example) submitted a 309 offshore PV application?



Some have suggested this is a planned breach of being a genuine tourist and is looked unfavorably upon, and has affected subsequent 600 visa applications.



Some may even contend that persons in this situation should have applied for a 300 PMV rather than get married without permission.



However, the system does not require the PMV 300 before considering a PV 309, but it seems this is the departments preferred option and the processing appears to reflect this.



I am particularly interested in examples where there is a genuine history of the relationship prior to the marriage.
Married dependant must provide documents such as a marriage certificate.

75 per cent of successful applications will get their PR granted within 9 months after application date.

Married dependant must provide documents such as a marriage certificate, and substantial proof of relationship.

75 per cent of successful applications will get their PR granted within 42 months after application date. (24 months on the 820 and another 18 months for the 801 application)

Can anyone confirm if these processing times to PR are accurate, for these two groups, or am I missing something?Partner/Spouse ofPartner/Spouse of
Hi. I'm just trying to do a visa application and i've got the bit where it says passport place of issue/authority. On the passport it says Konsul W Londynie which is Polish for Consulate of London. Do I write exactly what it has on the passport, or do I translate it to English and write Embassy of Poland, London?

Thanks!
cathmandu said: My student visa will expire next week (March 15). I'll be applying for the 485. But I will not be able to upload my police certificate on time because it arrives by March 28. Will my application still be accepted if I upload the certificate two weeks late? Click to expand...

The regulations require that at the time of applicationyou provide evidece of having applied for an AFP certificate within the past 12 months. If you provide the AFP receipt when you apply, you can upload the AFP certificate later. Failure to provide evidence at the time of application could result in visa refusal.
Photo courtesy of FCA.

Ram Commercial will offer a comprehensive telematics package from Verizon Connect on select Ram commercial vehicles as part of a partnership with the connected vehicle provider announced at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.

The solution, Ram Telematics powered by Verizon Connect, is a telematics and mobile workforce management software platform. It will help customers save money, increase driving safety, and improve operations by providing critical information businesses of any size can use to optimize their fleets, according to Verizon Connect.

Ram Telematics powered by Verizon Connect will be available this year on new Ram trucks and can also be installed on select 2015 model year and newer light-duty, heavy-duty and chassis cab trucks. Ram Telematics will also be available on Ram ProMaster and ProMaster City commercial vans later this year.

Combining a high-quality, reliable Ram truck experience with improved end-customer and employee experience is a game changer for a fleet business of any size, said Susan Heystee, senior vice president of worldwide OEM sales at Verizon Connect. This technology can give businesses the tools to make a significant impact on their productivity, efficiency and bottom line.
Photo courtesy of Verizon Connect.

Mobile workforce solutions provider Verizon Connect announced the launch of Workforce, a field service product designed specifically for the needs of fleet managers and fleet-based business owners. Workforce will make its industry debut at the Work Truck Show, which is being held this week in Indianapolis.

Verizon Connect is a new entity that unifies the Verizon Telematics, Fleetmatics, and Telogis brands. With Workforce, the company offers four critical features  intelligent dispatch, commercial navigation, customer ETAs, and strategic planning  on a single, platform, said Shaz Shaukat, Verizon Connect's product management leader and innovator.

"We initially offered each of these features as individual solutions," Shaukat said. "Put together, under one platform, Workforce is a great value for our customers."

The four key components of Workforce include:

Intelligent dispatch: This feature enhances dispatch by including such factors as the driver's skillsets, licenses, and security clearances, as well as vehicular capacity. Taking these criteria into consideration should help fleet managers avoid onsite delays, reducing dispatch times and minimizing the need for follow-up visits. Commercial navigation: Consumer-grade navigation systems can get drivers from Point A to Point B, but they don't take into account the limitations placed on commercial trucks. Workforce's commercial navigation feature can help drivers avoid restricted roads, low bridges, and truck-specific speed limits. It can also ensure they access each job site from the correct entrance. Customer ETAs: This feature was designed to allow fleets to keep their customers apprised of each driver's estimated time of arrival, enhancing the customer experience and reducing the need for "check-in" phone calls. Customers can be updated via text or the fleet's customer-facing web portal or mobile app. Strategic planning: Growing businesses need strategic planning to properly plan for expansions and acquisitions. This feature helps fleets create and compare "what-if" scenarios, adding a new layer of insight to such decisions as locations, resource allocation, and revised service-level agreements.

Workforce is available in three plans designed for applications ranging from simple to enterprise-level, according to the provider.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
A collection of photos from The Californian's archives of various neons signs from around Bakersfield  some still standing, some not.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
The Hillsborough County Commission discussed gun legislation on a local level Wednesday afternoon.

Commissioner Les Miller calls for a ban on all assault style weapons; no commissioners backed that

Commissioners voted 4-1 on future discussions on extending gun purchase wait periods

Commissioners voted 5-0 on making it a misdemeanor to threaten a school

While the commission moved forward on a measure to increase the waiting period when buying a firearm, the group declined any measures to reject a local ban on assault weapons.

The topics came up for discussion at the request of Commissioner Les Miller, who had called for a ban on all assault style weapons countywide.

When Miller made a motion for the ban during the commission meeting, it quickly failed.

Miller had more success on his proposal for increasing the waiting period.

Commissioner Al Higginbotham backed Miller on the waiting period, chiming in "I see no problem with increasing from three to five days."

Commissioner Sandy Murman was part of the 4-1 approval on the idea of increasing the waiting period but added she was somewhat torn on the issue. She said she wants to hear more public comments on the matter and wait to see what the legislature decides during the current session.

Commissioner Victor Crist said "bad people will always find a way to find a weapon" but voted to support increasing the waiting period for obtaining a firearm.

Also, the group voted unanimously to create an ordinance to make it a misdemeanor for anyone making an online  or any other type of  threat against a school or daycare center.

The push could have been a tricky one for the commission.

In Florida, it is illegal for any local government official to push gun laws that are tighter than those on the state books.

The group will discuss the measure to extend the firearm purchase waiting period from three to five days at a future meeting.
Whale Sightings Bonkers Along Oregon Coast, Well Before Whale Watch Week

Published 03/06/2018 at 4:55 PM PDT - Updated 03/06/2018 at 5:15 PM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Oregon Coast)  Whale sightings are nearly off the charts in the last week along the Oregon coast, and the areas Whale Watch Week is still more than two weeks away. Whats new and interesting this time is a lot of them are being spotted up north, around Seaside, Astoria, Cannon Beach and Manzanita. (Photo above courtesy Seaside Aquarium).

Parts of social media are lighting up with the sightings, including the Facebook group Clatsop & Pacific County Whale Sightings. Gray whales have been spotted (often with hefty amounts of glee) from Neahkahnie Mountain and even spouting in the Cove area of Seaside.

Normally, heavy sightings of whales happen more along the central Oregon coast.

Luke Parsons, head of the Whale Watch Center in Depoe Bay, said its a combination of the weather, the migrating whales and the whales that have simply lingered in the area.

We had some really good weather lately and thats led to a lot of good whale sightings up and down the coast, Parsons said.

Its not uncommon to see quite a few this early in the month, Parsons said, as their migration northward to feeding grounds in Alaska is beginning right now. What has really helped has been the weather, which has been calmer and less stormy, which simply makes them easier to spot.

Another has been the migration patterns are different for some groups, which have decided to linger along the coastline more than others, or at least not stray as far as Mexico with their compatriots who migrated there in winter.

What were seeing now is a mix of some of the gray whales headed back up north, Parsons said. We also had a fair number of gray whales that didnt fully migrate, which we see from time to time. Researchers are getting better at tracking some of these animals.

For whatever reason, there are always a number of gray whales that dont migrate all the way down to Mexico. They stick around the shorelines of the Pacific Northwest to eat, fatten up and get more energy.

There are always a rotating population of so-called resident whales along the coast, which is actually called the Pacific Feeding Group by scientists.



Most whales were seeing off the coast now are not summertime whales, Parsons said.

One reason that observers know the whales are feeding and fattening right now is their behaviors. They come in closer to shore instead of migrating several miles offshore. When theyre here, Parsons and others have seen them engage in a different diving pattern.

Last month we had a couple of whales within a few hundred yards off the Whale Watch Center, very very close shore, in very predictable feeding areas he said. We know theyre going for a deeper dive when the whales fluke comes up out of the water. Thats a signal theyre heading straight down to the bottom. We had one whale stay in a known feeding area for almost three hours, so obviously that whale was not migrating but feeding.

Parsons said it may seem like a whole lotta whales out there that are the residents, but its really just a small percentage of the population.

Estimates are that one percent of the population stays and doesnt fully migrate, he said. So one percent of 20,000 is like 200. Still, thats a pretty good number of whales but a small percent of the whole population.

Its practically the whole population that will be on display throughout March as some 18,000 gray whales migrate northward  the highlight of which is the 2018 Spring Whale Week from March 24 through 31. There, dozens of high vantage points along the Oregon coast will feature volunteers to help you spot the giant cetaceans wander north, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. Oregon Coast Hotels for whale watching - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

Parsons said there will often be hundreds wandering through these waters every day.. About 2,000 whales of other species will be seen as well, including Humpbacks and Orcas.















Photos above: a mother whale and her calf, courtesy Seaside Aquarium







More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

Coastal Spotlight



LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net

All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted
The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomed the release yesterday of Tony Ezimakor, Abuja bureau chief of the privately owned Daily Independent newspaper.

#FreeTonyEzimakor campaign.

ARRESTING Journalists is the new low. If we remain silent, they will not STOP. #freetonyezimakor pic.twitter.com/tB0z91YNWd  Adeyanju Deji  (@adeyanjudeji) March 6, 2018

Ezimakor was held by Nigeria's Department of State Services (DSS) since February 28. Ezimakor was released unconditionally from DSS custody in Abuja around 10.30pm local time, according to Sahara Reporters, a New York-based news website."Nigeria's intelligence agency, the DSS, should never have detained Tony Ezimakor or tried to force him to reveal his sources," said Angela Quintal, CPJ's Africa program coordinator. "Authorities must now also release Nigerian journalist Jones Abiri , who has been in DSS custody since July 21, 2016."Abiri, the publisher of the Weekly Source tabloid newspaper, was arrested in Nigeria's oil-rich southern state of Bayelsa and accused of being the leader of a separatist group. No charges against him have been disclosed , and his family and lawyer have been unable to see or speak with him.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) kicked off the 'Moving Rwanda' digital mobility concept in Kigali together with key players from the private sector.

 mrivserg via 123RF

"Ambitious plans for smart mobility"

The concept aims at implementing environmentally friendly car-sharing models with plans for the utilisation of electric cars as a further future goal.Germany supports the initiative by establishing a digitisation centre for specialised personnel and know-how transfer in the capital Kigali, together with Rwandan partners. Besides its collaboration with Volkswagen - which will start the production of Volkswagen cars in Kigali in the near future - the BMZ is also partnering with Siemens, SAP, and Inros Lackner to implement the concept.We want to provide modern training opportunities for Rwandas youth, Federal Minister Gerd Muller says. "By doing that, we provide these young people with future prospects in their home country  as mechanics for fleet maintenance or as software developers. This is a further commitment with respect to the concrete implementation of our Marshallplan with Africa.With regard to economic growth, digitisation and urban development Rwanda is one of the leading countries in Africa. The country has ambitious plans for smart mobility: in 2016 Rwanda introduced a bus system with onboard Wi-Fi, bicycle traffic received active support and pedestrian pavements are currently being built.African cities are facing major challenges. Already today half a billion people live there, soon there will be twice as many. We need sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility concepts, otherwise, the cities will drown in traffic jams, air pollution and noise."With the Moving Rwanda project, we want to provide digital solutions. Three in four Africans have a cell phone, but only 4% own a car. The tech-savvy population can now use an app to find a car-sharing opportunity or to rent a car. Such modern mobility concepts provide signal effects for all of Africa, says Muller.
According to online retailer Action Gear, their passion for outdoor technical products is second only to their love for delivering stellar customer service.

Warrick Kernes

1. Hire staff with the right potential

2. Share your team's personality through your website

3. Reward and empower your staff to go above and beyond

4. Under promise and overdeliver

5. Make a fuss about positive experience

The business started its life in 2010 as Action Cameras SA, becoming the first local company to import GoPro and other action cam brands. In 2013 it evolved into Action Gear, stocking a wider range of products and becoming a leader in the drone market.In recognition of Action Gears commitment to customer service, the Johannesburg company scooped first place for Best Customer Service in the 2015 SA eCommerce Awards, going up against industry bigwigs like Takealot.Founder and managing director Warrick Kernes shared his wisdom on providing authentic customer service at the Seamless Africa conference in Cape Town this week, summarising all he's learnt into the following five steps.Kernes said that when starting out in an e-commerce environment, delivering superior customer service is easy when youre a one- or two-person team, and itspassion and belief in the business thats driving the engagement. But the challenge occurs at scale-up phase, when your team grows and new employees step in to fulfil the supportive roles.Customer service can then get diluted  perhaps because your employee isn't as passionate about your brand as you are, or theyre simply there for the paycheque. Kernes works around this challenge by constantly scouting around for talent and hiring staff who have the right "customer service genes" to begin with.Weve found the majority of our sales staff by simply keeping our eyes open at all times. You could either hire people and train them, or find the right potential in the beginning, he said.If the person serving you coffee downstairs gave you an impressive experience, or you go shopping and youre blown away by the sales persons level of enthusiasm and product knowledge, perhaps you should think about hiring them.Kernes noted that in e-commerce, there's a disconnect between the customer and the retail experience. In a physical store, it's simpler for consumers to build relationships with retail staff and have an understanding of who they're buying from, especially in the case of a small business.To bridge this divide, he suggests showcasing your own personality, and that of your teams, through your website. A small business with no personality on their site is not one that's going to get sales. It's important to have 'about us' and 'meet the team' areas on your site so that shoppers can get a feel of who they're talking to. It helps them put a face to the name.He also touched on the importance of a live chat function. Live chat also helps to bridge the divide, especially when customers are struggling to decide between products. Also, a lot of people shopping during the day are sitting in corporate offices and can't spend much time on the phone. Live chat is more important than you imagine.In the first step, we hired people that give good customer service. Now unleash them, stated Kernes.Action Gear staff have the freedom to interact with customers in an informal manner. Conversations are genuine and easy-going, which helps to provide shoppers with a more human experience.He also pointed out that commission structure is important. Your staff who are offering great customer service are inherently driven to be successful in their own right, and offering commission allows them to push themselves even harder.Positive reinforcement is also vital. Give credit where it's due and publicly appreciate the work your employees are doing.Our Monday team meetings are started by pinpointing internal examples of customer experiences that went above and beyond. It's positive reinforcement for the person being recognised, but also shows others in the room the kind of service you desire from them.Kernes spoke about the importance of managing customer expectations and how this can work to ones advantage. When we deal with our customers, instead of promising the world and then potentially failing, we always undersell our own services and then try to impress them later.He referenced Takealot, which many times gives its shoppers a delivery estimate for five days, even if they know they can complete delivery the very next day. It leaves leeway for mistakes and allows you to impress the customer every time.Encourage people to give you feedback and then make a fuss about it. When we receive good feedback, we alert the team and then we request permission to share it on social media. We print good reviews out, frame them and place them on the raving fan wall in our office. Not only does it make people feel good about themselves, but it encourages a culture of quality customer service.
Celebrating human rights this month, Cape Town will play host to the first in a series of Top Women Conferences, providing a platform to address challenges around women empowerment and women-driven economic growth. The regional convention is set for 15 March at the Crystal Towers Hotel.

Spirit of mentorship

Responding to pertinent questions surrounding the barriers to success for women entrepreneurs, the conference will entail a gathering of thought leaders, mentors and change drivers, bringing together veteran businesswomen and newcomer entrepreneurs for a programme of knowledge sharing.Says director of Standard Bank Top Women Karla Fletcher, Our ethos at To Women is a community built around the spirit of mentorship, with successful women uplifting others to pursue success to an equal degree, and collectively sharing knowledge gained through experience to help all community members advance.We are passionate about exemplifying and driving gender empowerment and our regional conferences contribute to driving growth throughout different spheres of the economy by offering the relevant tools needed for women to break down the barriers of access to markets. We look forward to showcasing some of the most successful stories and strategies implemented in the development of leadership roles for women, and connecting entrepreneurs to key influencers who are serious about economy-wide progress.For more information, click here
Food microbiologist and food safety specialist Professor Lucia Anelich of Anelich Consulting is hosting a website to address public concerns about the recent Listeriosis outbreak, and to provide helpful information about food safety in light of the outbreak.

Anelich says the outbreak concerned all South Africans, because it related to the food they buy, store in refrigerators, handle, prepare or eat. She says she was relieved that the source of the disease had been traced.Together with recalls of polony and other processed meat, this will hopefully bring an end to what I stated in early January 2018 is the largest documented Listeriosis outbreak anywhere in the world."After the announcement made by the Minister of Health on the source of the outbreak, members of the public have asked many questions about what they should do to protect themselves and their loved ones.With this in mind, she decided to set up a website where concerned citizens and consumers can find answers to Listeriosis issues. RCL Foods has become the first company to support the website and the publication of factual information about the foodborne disease.Visit the dedicated website at www.listeriosisfacts.co.za
The efficient monitoring and reporting on forest cover and land use is essential in monitoring progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and crucial for countries adapting to and mitigating climate change. FAO's new online platform for reporting on the status and trends of the world's forest resources will enable countries to increase the efficiency of their reporting process and improve the consistency, reliability and transparency of forest data.

Revamped reporting system

Photo by Matthew Kane on Unsplash

Remote sensing component in collaboration with Google

Reporting on progress towards the SDGs

The platform will be used for the next 2020 Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) report. The tool developed by FAO with financial support from the European Union and the Government of Finland was presented at a special high-level ceremony in Toluca, Mexico."Assessing the state of the world's global forest resources requires consistent and reliable data," said FAO Senior Forestry Officer Anssi Pekkarinen. "The new platform allows countries to improve their capacity to compile up-to-date and precise forest data, reduces reporting burden, and allows to better measure progress towards the 2030 Agenda."The new tool contains a number of new features including improved data entry and data visualisation, and review and analysis functions. The platform has a more user-friendly interface, which allows adding data, copying and pasting from existing entry sheets and documenting national data sources.For the first time since FRA 2000, the number of assessment variables has been significantly reduced which eases the reporting burden for countries.To further facilitate the reporting process, especially for countries where forest information is limited or not available, the platform provides the opportunity to access related external information as well as geospatial data from global remote sensing products.The platform uses Google Earth Engine and for the first time will provide all 171 FRA National Correspondents - officially nominated national forest authorities who are responsible for compiling the country reports - as well as their collaborators, free access to vast global data repositories and analytical tools alongside the computing power of Google."This announcement builds on our productive three-year partnership with FAO that we signed at COP 21 in Paris," said Rebecca Moore, director, Google Earth, Earth Engine and Earth Outreach. "We are excited to enable all countries with equal access to the latest technology in support of global climate action and sustainable development."The tool makes it easy even for people without prior remote-sensing experience to access satellite imagery and other geospatial data to monitor national forest cover and land-use changes over time.The scope of the new platform is not limited to forest assessments only. It serves other reporting needs as well, including its significant contribution to the implementation of 2030 Agenda and to the forest-related indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).The FAO's Global Forest Resources Assessment celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. A new publication describes the history of global FRA and summarises the achievements made.The FRA is produced every five years through an inclusive and country-driven process and it is the most comprehensive analysis of the world's forests resources and their changes to date. The scope of FRA has evolved from timber-focused inventories to more holistic assessments responding to increasing information needs related to all aspects of sustainable forest management. Altogether 236 countries and territories 171 of which have nominated their National Correspondents are involved in FRA 2020 process.
The City of Cape Town is currently using 516-million litres of water per day, according to its latest data release. In February 2015, the city was using 1.2-billion litres of water a day. In three years, the city has therefore reduced its consumption by more than half.

Setting a new world-class standard

Good news for investors and visitors

Climate adaptation and resilience building

Diversifying our water supply

Currently, average residential consumption is approximately 87 litres per person per day, down from 209 litres in February 2015; and total consumption (including commercial, industrial, and government) is currently at approximately 124 litres per person per day, down from 298 litres in February 2015. This is a reduction in water use of almost 60%.In comparison, during its Millennium Drought, it took the city of Melbourne 12 years to achieve a similar percentage reduction. However, even at its lowest point, its total municipal water consumption was 246 litres per person per day, in total, 984-million litres per day, and daily residential consumption approximately 147 litres per person.Similarly, the US state of California experienced a severe drought between 2012 and 2017, with the greatest drop in consumption during 2015. According to the California Environmental Protection Agency, between November 2013 and November 2015 (winter months), residential consumption per person per day was reduced by 20.2% from 360 litres per person per day, to 286 litres per person per day. During the summer months, residential water consumption per person per day reduced from 521 litres per person in August 2013 to 387 litres per person per day in August 2015. This was a saving of 27%.Furthermore, according to the International Benchmarking Network for Water and Sanitation Utilities, Sao Paulo reduced its total water consumption from 212.31 litres per person per day in 2012, to 167.5 litres per person per day in 2015. This saving equates to 21%. This after they also experienced a devastating drought.Wesgro CEO Tim Harris says that this data tells a good story about how Cape Town is setting international best practice in reducing water consumption and becoming more water resilient. The very severe drought in the Cape has legitimately been a cause of concern both at home and abroad. But there is another even more compelling story which is starting to emerge on the back of it. This is the story about Cape Towns remarkable reduction in water consumption, which is likely unmatched by any other city in the world during such a short period."This reduction is world-class in its own right, and is now setting the benchmark for countries around the world. This is good news for investors and visitors alike. A resilient destination is one that is more appealing for tourists, and for businesses looking to invest. Wesgro will be sharing this positive story on all our missions, because our peoples character during difficult times is perhaps one of our bestselling points.GreenCape, which is providing technical drought support to businesses and government, has been creating case studies to capture the water resilience journey of businesses and industry across the city. Mike Mulcahy, GreenCapes CEO, says, What we are seeing is climate adaptation and resilience building in action. Businesses and industry across the board are taking big steps to become more water resilient, which are fundamentally transforming the way businesses operate, manufacture and even think about water.For instance, GlaxoSmithKlein in Cape Town has reduced its municipal water consumption by 42% between 2010 and 2016, by reusing wastewater from two reverse osmosis plants. The Rabie Group in Cape Town, one of South Africas largest construction companies, now only uses potable municipal water for hand washing and drinking on construction sites  treated effluent is used for everything else, including for cleaning, mortar and compaction. These are just two of a plethora businesses and industry taking action, which in turn are creating a wide range of opportunities for investors in the water space."Executive deputy mayor of Cape Town Ian Neilson said, In the past year alone, we have seen a reduction in consumption of 400-million litres of water a day. This is as a result of residents savings efforts, as well as the citys interventions to reduce consumption. These include the implementation of more stringent water restrictions, the phased roll-out of pressure management across the city, and the installation of water management devices to limit the consumption of high water users."We are also looking at ways to diversify our water supply in order to be more resilient to drought conditions in future. With climate patterns becoming more unpredictable, we can no longer depend on steady winter rainfall levels to replenish our surface water. We will therefore be augmenting our surface water supply with temporary and longer-term desalinations projects, groundwater abstraction and water re-use. Regardless of these efforts, however, we must accept that we can no longer consume water as we did in the past. Sustaining a significantly reduced level of water consumption must become our new normal.Says Western Cape minister of economic opportunities Alan Winde, I believe in years to come, people will look at the example Cape Town has set in reducing our usage and use the city as an example that they can learn from. As we head into the new normal, we need to create resilient businesses which are able to withstand shocks so that we can continue to grow our economy and create jobs.
About 60 tenants facing eviction, together with supporters of Reclaim the City, picketed outside the home of Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for transport and urban development, early on Tuesday morning, 6 March.

Cape Town Mayco Member Brett Herron discussing emergency housing with picketers outside his home in Newlands early on Tuesday morning. Photo: Barbara Maregele

Tenants facing eviction gathered outside Brett Herrons home from 5am to demand answers to questions about the City of Cape Towns plans for emergency housing. Photo: Barbara Maregele

The group are calling for the City of Cape Town to offer better emergency housing sites for those facing eviction and for its affordable housing projects to be fast tracked. Many of the people attending the picket live near the inner city and are currently opposing their evictions in court.They are refusing the citys offer of alternative accommodation at the transitional housing sites of Blikkiesdorp and Wolwervier.At 5:30am, Herron was asked to join several picketers seated at a breakfast table set up in the street in front of his house in Newlands. The other picketers, holding posters and a large banner, sat in the street around the table.This is not fair. The last time we met in the church at your request, we agreed that you were going to ask your ward councillor to arrange a public meeting and I would attend it. I dont want to be accused wrongly, Herron said.Desiree Ling, who is facing eviction from Albert Road, Woodstock, said people were tired of waiting for the city to provide affordable housing opportunities. The time for housing is now. Housing has always been an issue. This is why people are occupying places like the Woodstock Day Hospital because council really needs to step up and move fast, she said.Maxine Bezuidenhout of Reclaim the City said that the organisation had been monitoring eviction cases at the courts, including the Albert Road matter. The courts are still granting evictions every day and the people are being sent to Wolwerivier. In your speeches you always say that where people live matters, but the courts are saying different things, she told Herron.The citys legal team paints the picture that Blikkiesdorp and Wolwerivier are these wonderful places where there are facilities and schools nearby. When the citys legal counsel says that in front of a court, that is lying under oath  Its very disingenuous and humiliating to the people who stay there and who will have to go there to hear those things in a court that is meant to be a beacon of justice, she said.Herron replied, I have told you many times how uncomfortable I am with Wolwerivier as the only site we have to offer. Since the day I was appointed, I said that we need to do more, but it wont happen overnight. If you get evicted today, there is nothing other than Wolwerivier that the city can offer.Herron said the first transitional housing project, to be built in Pickwick Street, would only be ready for occupation by the end of the year. It is meant to accommodate those in Pine Street so we can unlock that project for development. I dont believe that people who are evicted in one part of the city should have to move far away, but unfortunately its just not ready, he said.The minister has just increased the qualifying threshold for social housing up to R15,000 per household. That means that a lot more people who are actually working in the city but cant afford to live there can now be accommodated at our sites, he said.Many of the picketers thanked Herron for making himself available and said he was one of the only politicians to consider their frustrations by agreeing to address them at his home early on Tuesday.The group also asked Herron to tell the courts not to grant evictions until the city could provide transitional housing other than Wolwerivier and Blikkiesdorp.
OTTAWA, Canada - Canadian telecommunications firm BlackBerry sued Facebook on Tuesday, accusing the American social media company of infringing on its patents for messaging apps.

BlackBerry is claiming infringement on patents it holds for message encryption and notifications, and is seeking an injunction as well as damages for lost profits, although no figure was given.Facebook and its wholly-owned services Instagram and WhatsApp are named as defendants in the lawsuit. The company said it intends to fight the lawsuit."We have a lot of respect for Facebook and the value they've placed on messaging capabilities, some of which were invented by BlackBerry," BlackBerry spokeswoman Sarah McKinney said in a statement.She said BlackBerry would like to partner with Facebook "in our drive toward a securely connected future, and we continue to hold this door open to them.""However, we have a strong claim that Facebook has infringed on our intellectual property, and after several years of dialogue, we also have an obligation to our shareholders to pursue appropriate legal remedies," McKinney added.Facebook shot back by disparaging BlackBerry, saying the lawsuit "sadly reflects the current state of its messaging business.""Having abandoned its efforts to innovate, Blackberry is now looking to tax the innovation of others. We intend to fight," Facebook deputy general counsel Paul Grewal said.BlackBerry, after abandoning the manufacture of its once-popular smartphones, which it also pioneered, has refocused its core business on cybersecurity software and services.
Speaking at the PayProp PropTech event in Cape Town last week, Adriaan Grove from Entregral Technologies said that in 2018, the property industry will have to adapt to cater for the new 'on-demand' environment.

Grove listed five ways in which the industry is drastically changing:

1. Listings

2. Marketing

3. The changing face of clients

4. The nature of an estate agency

5. The requirements from estate agents themselves

Consumers are accustomed to services-on-demand. Services like Netflix, Uber, Airbnb, Takealot and many others are offering instant gratification to South African consumers. The expectation is that all services should adapt, irrespective of the industry, said Grove.He said that Airbnb has had a profound impact on the property industry in South Africa, and in most cases, estate agencies are using the ability to Airbnb a property as a selling point on marketing materials.The time is right for the industry to be disrupted locally  its happening fast internationally. He quoted online home selling platform OpenDoor  a platform that pioneered the new iBuyer model, as a good example of disruption in the United States. "OpenDoor is offering a platform that allows sellers to get an instant cash offer on their home, and choose their own closing date. It removes the uncertainty and stress around the price and selling time of your home."Historically, listings have been kept in physical property files  a completely isolated view of the property in question. The agent was the primary data-keeper, and accessing the information was slow and cumbersome. In this new on-demand environment, listings are virtual, belonging to anyone who chooses to access the information. The listings are far more comprehensive  drawing data from many touch-points. The new role of the agent is that of verifier, confirming facts and taking questions where necessary.If you think about the marketing of properties, you think immediately of the Saturday paper, which lists everything available to rent or buy. The consumer now demands that same information be available online. Where previously a consumer might have looked to the Yellow Pages for estate agency details, that same consumer finds an estate agency via the search-engine optimisation (SEO) of that companys website and listings. Social media reviews are rising in rank in popularity, and fast over-taking the traditional concept of word-of-mouth.Louw Liebenberg, CEO of PayProp, said that while many of the guidelines from Entegral might seem overwhelming, he urges professionals in the property environment to not be intimidated by the opportunities available to them in the technology space. You dont have to look into the development of a bot for your website immediately, rather approach the low hanging fruit first: look at how you could move your listings and marketing online  digital spend as opposed to traditional marketing.Where once a prospective buyer or tenant was willing to wait a required amount of time for a response  the always-on consumer wont sit back and wait patiently. This consumer requires a response almost immediately, on whichever platform he or she has chosen to contact you on  be it social media, your website, or via email. The consumer is far better informed than years gone by, and as such, the agent takes on the role of validator, as opposed to valuator.The traditional brick-and-mortar agency is being challenged by a new breed of virtual agencies operating online. These agencies use technology platforms to automate a lot of the admin processes to achieve higher productivity, resulting in the ability to offer lower or set fees. A good example would be Purple Bricks in the UK.The barrier to entry for estate agents in South Africa will increase  agents will require a good understanding of digital marketing and the online environment to be able to navigate this fast-paced and different landscape.Previously portals that advertised properties on the market were used simply for lead generation i.e. assisting the agent to find possible tenants, which they would then transition to the offline world. In our new reality, these portals are far more integrated into the transaction, ultimately benefitting financially from the transaction, said Grove.In the US, portals like Redfin and Compass are pioneering the concept of technology-led real estate companies. The sites are using automated price valuation models using big data, which fulfils the consumers need to have an immediate response at any time of the day.Grove said that agents in South Africa have the opportunity now to revisit their business models and integrate technologies that will not only help their business evolve, but also satisfy their current consumer base and attract a more technology-savvy audience in the future.
The Injini team will be travelling to Accra, Lagos, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, and Nairobi in search for another eight early-stage tech businesses with innovative, scalable solutions to African education challenges.

These ed-tech businesses will receive five months of specialised business and ed-tech incubation; technical, research and data analysis support; mentorship and access to a broad network of entrepreneurs, government, education and business leaders to support their business.They will also receive $50,000 of direct investment on completion. Applications close 3 April 2018 and the programme will begin in July 2018 in Cape Town.The organisation will also be hosting an Ed-Tech Connect event on Wednesday 28 March 2018 at the Woodstock Barn, where the team will be available for questions.For more, go to the Injini website
Airlink has announced the suspension of air services on its Pretoria-Cape Town route effective 8 May 2018. The new route has not developed as expected after almost three years and had to be suspended to stem losses according to Airlink CEO, Rodger Foster.

Montague Smith via Wikimedia Commons

Since mid-August 2015 the Wonderboom  Cape Town service has provided Tshwane-based government officials, private sector businesses and leisure travellers with a convenient service between Pretoria and the Mother City. Until recently, Airlink operated up to four daily return flights on the route.Sadly, the route has not become profitable, despite our collaborative best efforts  including significant marketing initiatives by the City of Tshwane, to promote the connection. The combination of operational constraints on the size of aircraft that can be used on the route and the poor state of the economy has not helped, explained Foster.A compounding factor has been the governments understandable and commendable belt-tightening efforts, which include cut-backs in government-related travel, he added.We are not closing the door, as we believe the Pretoria-Cape Town connection is important and could potentially be viable in the future. With this in mind, we will continually re-assess the market and the economy so that we can resume the service when the conditions are conducive," said Foster.
Corporate Traveller has revealed a fresh new identity including a re-designed logo, website and marketing material. "We've not only rebranded the logo, we've repositioned the entire brand," says GM Oz Desai.

A more mature attitude

Oz Desai, GM, Corporate Traveller

"The market in South Africa has evolved and grown up and so have we. Our new imagery and logo reflect our values and brand essence: were approachable, focused, dynamic, trusted and best in class.The watermelon colour of the Corporate Traveller brand remains as does the imagery of the handshake. The imagery has however been enhanced to reflect a more mature attitude.The handshake is an important part of our brand. We dont try to lock anyone into a three- or five-year contract: we trust in our service offering and believe that business should be done on a handshake, explains Desai.Desai adds that the key to Corporate Travellers success is a business model that is unique to the South African business travel sector. He says: Most other travel management companies (TMCs) take a one-size-fits-all approach to clients with an SME spend, or they only go after clients with a spend of over R40m. For the traditional TMC model, the client with a R6m spend doesnt require a key account manager and is served through a call centre.Our approach is very different. Small teams of senior travel consultants are based in our six local offices across South Africa, looking after their own client portfolio of locally-based businesses. Each team is personally responsible for booking and managing their clients business travel requirements from quotation through to statement.We also give our clients a level of choice, value and expertise that they wouldnt receive from another TMC because Corporate Traveller is part of Flight Centre Travel Group, adds Desai.Desai sums up: We look forward to continuing to go from strength to strength in the South African market, but we can never be complacent. Our business is built around our customer and will only continue to be successful if we focus on the delivery of a customer service experience that clients will not receive anywhere else."
This year's PPC Imaginarium Awards judges, helping showcase some of South Africa's top rising talent in art and design, are established in a range of disciplines. These include research, design, curation, activism and education. They bring a wealth of skills as well as several decades' worth of collective experience.

Johannesburg

Durban

Port Elizabeth

Bloemfontein

Pretoria

Cape Town

National judges

Daniel Van der Merwe, technical specialist, PPC

Film

Regional judges select finalists from the work submitted in all categories, excluding architecture. Regional judging takes place in Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg. All judging is blind and unbiased.Regional winners and runners-up of the PPC Imaginarium Awards take part in the annual travelling exhibition in late 2018. Finalists work will be featured in a range of shows, including the Turbine Art Fair and 100% Design South Africa. From the regional winners, national judges pick the overall winner of the 2018 PPC Imaginarium Awards.Here are this year's judges:Mhlanga is currently the curatorial project manager of Assemblage Studios in Gauteng. He has curated several large shows, including Fresh Produce (part of the annual Turbine Art Fair). In 2014, he co-founded the Eyethu Gallery in Soweto, of which he is former head curator.Sibande is an awarding-winning sculptor, photographer and visual artist. Her work explores issues of race, class and gender, among others. To date, her work has been featured in France, Italy, South Africa, England and the United States.Hlophe is an award-winning artist whose work frequently explores violence, human rights and communication. In 2018, he received a commendation award at the KZNSA Members Exhibition for his oil-on-canvas piece Whose Heritage?An artist, Ruiters is the recipient of numerous awards including the New Signatures Award (Epsac Community Art Centre NMMU Exhibition) and Best Student Award at the Regional Ceramic Exhibition of Ceramic South Africa. She teaches drawing and ceramics at Lovedale TVET College in Alice, Eastern Cape. In the past, she lectured and worked as the studio masters assistant in the Ceramics Department of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU).Von Maltitz is a PhD candidate at the University of the Free State. She is also a junior lecturer in UFSs Department of Fine Art. She was a runner-up in the Sasol New Signatures art contest in 2014.Professor Gbadamosi is an artist, writer and curator with degrees from Staffordshire University, Slade School of Fine Art and Manchester Metropolitan University. He has published widely on themes such as race, culture and politics. His work has been featured in Europe, Africa and Scandinavia. He currently sits on several boards and is a member of the interdisciplinary research group Afroeuropeans.<>Tumelo Mosaka: Mosaka returned to South Africa in 2017, having spent two decades in the United States, where he worked as a major curator. He is currently the main curator of the annual Investec Cape Town Art Fair.Hobbs is a South African multi-disciplinary artist and co-founder of The Trinity Session, a public art consultancy and artistic collaborative. He curated the Market Theatre Gallery (Johannesburg) from 1994 to 2000 and co-directed the Gallery Premises at Joburg Theatre from 2004 to 2008.The founder of the PPC Imaginarium Awards, Daniel van der Merwe is also the contests lead organiser. He is PPCs technical specialist and a qualified architect. Van der Merwe lectures regularly in architecture departments across South Africa, but mainly at the University of Johannesburg. Van der Merwe judges the national and all regional entries in the 2018 PPC Imaginarium.Van Huyssteen is a filmmaker and visual artist. He is a former education officer at the Katlehong Art Centre and principal of the Visual Arts and Crafts Academy. In 2008, he joined Big Fish School of Film Making as head mentor for the first-year documentary course. His credits include SABC 3s thirteen-part drama series
The Guptas say they have every right to fly their Bombardier jet around the world as the Canadian bank that financed it refuses to take their money.

Photo: Bombardier Business Aircraft

Export Development Canada (EDC) went to court to ground the jet because the Guptas had allegedly defaulted on repayments, and to stop the family from using it to commit crimes or flee from justice.The Hawks consider Ajay Gupta a fugitive.But an aviation newsletter has reported the jet registered in SA as ZS-OAK, which was thought to be missing and hidden from creditors, flew from Dubai to Delhi on Saturday and returned to Dubai on Monday.ZS-OAK's latest flight took place just before Indian authorities reportedly conducted raids on Gupta properties and offices in Saharanpur on Tuesday morning.In February, EDC applied to the High Court in Johannesburg for an urgent order to force the Guptas to return the aircraft or face having it deregistered pending the outcome of legal proceedings in the UK.The case is due to be heard on Friday.The Civil Aviation Authority said it would not oppose the application.But the Guptas argue that EDC lent them $41m to buy the jet despite being aware of the reputational risks involved and it now wanted to seize the plane as a "face-saving exercise", not because the family had defaulted on payments. EDC's complaint that it could not keep tabs on ZS-OAK's movements because its "public tracker" had been disconnected was "of no consequence" because the Guptas' UK lawyers had disclosed the aircraft's location to the bank.This is contained in opposing papers filed by Gupta executive Ronica Ragavan.In an affidavit obtained bydated February 27, Ragavan said the Guptas had defaulted only once, in October 2017, because the Bank of Baroda had delayed effecting a repayment. Once the payment was made, the Canadian bank withdrew its termination notice. In December 2017 EDC cancelled the loan and in February went to court to ground the jet.In its papers, the bank said the Guptas had defaulted on payments "more than a dozen" times between October 2017 and January 2018. The Guptas still owed EDC $27m.But in their responding papers the Guptas said that Westdawn was prevented from paying the bank because it had "unlawfully" ended their lease with Stoneriver, a special-purpose vehicle registered in Ireland. As a result, the Guptas were "entitled to continue the enjoyment of the full spectrum of rights granted under the lease agreement".Westdawn leases the aircraft from Stoneriver, which borrowed $41m for 80% of the aircraft's purchase price from EDC in April 2015.The Guptas paid Bombardier a deposit of $10m for the jet in December 2014 and stand surety for the EDC loan.The Guptas had offered to exercise their right to end the lease and buy the aircraft, but had not received a response from EDC.Their offer would be accepted if EDC was "truly interested in their commercial interests, rather than some unspecified political agenda, which they now seem to harbour" against the Guptas, Ragavan said.Other "contract breaches" EDC cited for cancelling the loan were "minor technical defaults".These included allegations that Westdawn and other Gupta firms had received corrupt payments from the Estina dairy project and from coal contracts with Eskom.These presented a "clear risk of criminal, civil and reputational sanctions" for the Guptas, the bank said.Ragavan appeared in court in connection with the Estina dairy project. She is out on bail.
Nickelodeon's Alexi Wheeler on entering the age of content

Vice president for animation production and development at Nickelodeon Alexi Wheeler represented the company for the third consecutive year at the Cape Town International Animation Festival (CTIAF) that took place from 2 to 4 March 2018 at the River Club in Observatory in Cape Town.

Alexi Wheeler, vice president, animation production and development, Nickelodeon.

Wheeler has produced over 250 hours of content aimed at pre-schoolers and 6-12-year olds both in live-action and animation. He has worked in varying areas of the childrens media industry from creating/developing content, commissioning and producing programming through to the structuring of production budgets and selling in of content. Wheeler has also implemented global schemes including the very successful Nickelodeon International Shorts Program and the International Pre-School Shorts Initiative.



Here he shares more about the talk he presented at the CTIAF this past weekend, touching on the above-mentioned initiatives and upcoming projects, how he feels about the role of women in the animation industry and what he thinks the industry as a whole can still improve on.



CTIAF to showcase local and international animation

Talk us through the talk that you presented at the CTIAF over the weekend. Talk us through the talk that you presented at the CTIAF over the weekend. Wheeler has produced over 250 hours of content aimed at pre-schoolers and 6-12-year olds both in live-action and animation. He has worked in varying areas of the childrens media industry from creating/developing content, commissioning and producing programming through to the structuring of production budgets and selling in of content. Wheeler has also implemented global schemes including the very successful Nickelodeon International Shorts Program and the International Pre-School Shorts Initiative.Here he shares more about the talk he presented at the CTIAF this past weekend, touching on the above-mentioned initiatives and upcoming projects, how he feels about the role of women in the animation industry and what he thinks the industry as a whole can still improve on.

The role of women across all industries is changing but especially in creative industries such as this one. Can you comment on the themes of diversity and inclusion with regards to the animation industry and why this is so important? The role of women across all industries is changing but especially in creative industries such as this one. Can you comment on the themes of diversity and inclusion with regards to the animation industry and why this is so important?

Were just about three months into the new year. With this in mind, can you perhaps share with us some key trends for your industry for 2018 and beyond? Were just about three months into the new year. With this in mind, can you perhaps share with us some key trends for your industry for 2018 and beyond?

What animated film projects are you currently excited about? What animated film projects are you currently excited about?

What are a few pain points you think the industry can improve on? What are a few pain points you think the industry can improve on?

Juanita Pienaar's articles About Juanita Pienaar Juanita is the editor of the marketing & media portal on the Bizcommunity website. She is also a contributing writer.

Juanita is the editor of the marketing & media portal on the Bizcommunity website. She is also a contributing writer.

I took the audience through a little bit of my background and how I sort of arrived at animation production and how this lead to my role at Nickelodeon. I also took them through, in fairly layman's terms, the exact type of projects that we like and also just a one-on-one on how we develop content. How we work with people. What it's like to produce with us. And just to perpetuate the message that we are looking for content on a global scale.We've been working with a lot of female show creators across shows like Shin Chan and Nella, the Princess Knight. And I realise, especially within this industry, that we have to try a lot harder. It's something that we're working on improving across the board and that we're very passionate about. My wife works in film and it's a similar thing for her and she's quite senior where she works for a film company in the UK. And she's sort of in the minority because there aren't a lot of women who do what she does.We're actually entering the age of content. I think we've been in it for a little while but it's just going to get better, especially in the kids space. With the other platforms that they're on now - there's just no more content being created. It's just like a really great time to be a producer or a content developer. So, I'm excited to see what everyone's doing. Even the Netflixes of the world, they might be rivals per se but it is just exciting to see what everyone is coming up with and how much content they produce. It also can be quite hard to find storyboard artists because they're all just being assigned to things and I think that's fantastic. I think the more work there is, the more of an engaging industry we can create.We also have a lot of stuff coming up this year. Right now, we're developing more shorts with Mike Scott, here in South Africa. We are producing a bunch of shorts in Singapore as well and we're really excited about the collection on a global scale. Our whole mantra is about making the world a more playful place. And I think we're literally doing it, by being out in the field producing content everywhere.There's a lot of animated features coming out this year. I'm most excited about new films such as Coco, which is just exploring great and interesting things. The calibre of animated children's films right now is spectacular, especially now, in the last couple of years. Even compared to five or six years ago. Things have just improved and improved even more. Some of the storytelling is fantastic. So, yes, Coco really stands out for me and then I'm still waiting for Toy Story 4. That is one of my favourite franchises, so I am really looking forward to that.And like I said we're working on a bunch of new projects, one of which is a pre-school project which is all about community and how kids fit into the community and how citizenship functions within that. I'm excited to work on projects like that but we're trying to take it in different directions and play with different themes. We're really trying to explore what's real for kids.I think there is always room for improvement. I think there's room for more original content and exclusivity across the industry in terms of hiring. Ultimately, I think what we have to keep striving to do better and we need to celebrate stories. There's always space for brave, new stories and brave, new storytellers. So, yes, I think there's always scope for improvement and that we need to keep on trying new things to improve the industry.
Robyn Farah, chairperson of Women in Tech South Africa, says that the solution for inclusivity in the local tech sector lies in encouraging and supporting women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem). But, global research shows that, from a young age, gender stereotypes lead many women to avoid studying Stem.

 ammentorp via 123RF

Lack of support

Tech communities

Farah says that given South Africas poor levels of math and science education  ranked 128th out of 137 economics in the 2017-2018 World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness Index  many families cannot understand the value of math and science and instead encourage women to pursue more traditional jobs.Young women embarking in Stem often dont have their familys support as a result. This means they need to turn to their fellow students for support, who are often mainly males and also struggle to understand why a woman is studying a Stem subject.This lack of support has proven to limit women participation, says Farah.She points to the 2017 Women in Technology global survey conducted by ISACA which revealed that a lack of female mentors (48%), a lacked female role models in the field (42%) and limited networking opportunities (27%) were some of the top barriers experienced by women in technology.We have witnessed first-hand how these barriers impact their contribution to our local tech communities," says Farah.In 2012 and 2015 respectively, we started two tech communities: Arduino Cape Town, aimed at those who design and create in the world of electronics, and the Modern Alchemists for South Africas Maker community, those into art, coding, gaming, electronics, music or any form of making and incorporating tech into their creations.The meetups offer a chance to interact with like-minded people, skill swap, ask for advice, and build relationships, but we quickly realised that these groups were almost solely attended by men and those women who did attend felt isolated given it was a male-dominated community.Women in Tech Cape Town, which has close to 1,000 women, thus aims to empower gender diversity in the tech sector. This community, however, encourages men and women to participate. We are strong believers that the greater the diversity, the better the solution," she says.Farah concludes, If we are to bridge the gender gap in South Africa, we need to understand that South Africas challenges are unique when compared to Europe and the US, our struggles are broader. We need to start voicing these obstacles and work together to create solutions for the future we want to live in.
Businesses have embraced a multi-channel environment when it comes to communicating with customers. This is driven both by the introduction of new options such as chat and chatbots, as well as by customer preferences.

Live assistance

Many-to-one video

Team time

The old faithful channels of voice and email still remain by far the most popular channels, but video is an additional channel being put to good use within certain contexts. Here are three applications that illustrate its usage:Customers may not always be able to access an in-store environment; in this case, video chat performs the same role as a sales or customer relations consultant. For complex interactions that may need in-depth explanation and the space for customers to ask many questions, video chat can work well. It personalises the interaction, putting a face to the person on the other end of the line and this can lead to an improved interaction. Customers may get frustrated over the phone, speaking to a faceless consultant or contact centre agent, but video gives a better sense of speaking to an individual. According to research done, this can also create a better foundation for a trust-based interaction.Besides personalisation, video can provide an opportunity to include visual elements to customer service or sales, such as taking a client through a document, showcasing product features in real-time or assisting with setting up software. This prevents the customer from having to use more than one channel to successfully conclude an interaction, i.e., the customer may call via phone to make a request or express interest in a product or service, and then have to revert to email to find out more about completing application forms, for example. In a completely integrated multi-channel environment, the agent or consultant can switch seamlessly between channels within the same interaction to avoid the customer having to call back.Video can be combined with other channels such as online chat and chatbots in a single live interaction to boost sales conversion and promote live brand engagement. A chatbot, for example, can engage with and segment audiences automatically during a live video broadcast. This will help prevent viewers from dropping out of the sales funnel  engaged viewers can continue to pose live questions to the person hosting the session, while inactive, passive viewers can also be directed to a static campaign form to book a live interactive session, or to a live salesperson immediately if they express interest. Content, such as images or presentations, can also be shared live with viewers during a broadcast to create a multi-dimensional and fully interactive brand experience.Videos most practical applications in this context include product demonstrations, explaining promotional offers, customer care, online advertising and answering FAQs.One-to-one video interactions are slightly more complex and engaging. They offer flexibility according to the customers connectivity, opportunities for targeted sales campaigns and cross or up-selling, as well as slick customer experience provided by this more intimate form of engagement.A many-to-one video option can allow for seamless intra-company communication, too, including the ability to conduct webinars and tutorials (these could work with customers, too), as well as a channel that can be used for corporate announcements.Video can also be used to conduct performance rating meetings with individuals, strategy sessions or training  a great means of providing access to team members, especially if your company has many branches nationally.Although these applications may not be widely employed in the South African context just yet, a video channel can offer the opportunity for close and multi-faceted engagement, strengthening the brand relationship, increasing sales, as well as potentially offering an enhanced customer experience.
This job expired on 5 May 2018.
BORDERLAND BEAT

The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels.

You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us!





Send information, pictures or videos, you remain 100% anonymous.

Envia fotos, videos, notas, enlaces o informacion todo 100% Anonimo.





General Mail Box: borderlandbeat@gmail.com





Want to be a contributor or citizen reporter for

Borderland Beat?

We love to have you in our team, send us an email!





WARNING:

Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised.





COMMENTS:

We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately.




NMBS has gained independent recognition of its progressive employment practices.

Following an external audit conducted by third party assessors, the buying society for independent merchants has secured Investors in People Gold certification.

Second only to Investors in People Platinum status and surpassing the standards demanded by Accredited and Silver statuses, Investors in People Gold is held by only a select number of employers in the UK.

In order to achieve Investors in People Gold, the business was assessed in a number of areas and using a variety of assessment methods - including employee interviews and observations of the NMBS team at work.

The assessors were keen to explore existing working practices and their subsequent outcomes in relation to three key goals - leading, supporting and improving.

In particular, they were looking for evidence of an approach to people management that met nine different criteria: leading and inspiring people; living an organisation's values; empowering and involving people; managing performance; recognising and rewarding high performance; structuring work; building capability; delivering continuous improvement; and creating sustainable success.

NMBS secured Investors in People Gold by being able to demonstrate established and developed practices in all of these nine areas and advanced practices in at least seven of them.

The gold accreditation reflects NMBS' longstanding recognition of the value of its team and builds on the buying society's previous Investors in People Accredited status which it has held since 1995.

Chris Hayward, Managing Director at NMBS, said: "The entire team at NMBS is absolutely delighted that we have achieved the high standards demanded by Investors in People Gold status.

"As a business, our people and our wider culture set us apart and are instrumental in our success.

"So much of what we do is about the team we employ, their knowledge and their commitment to quality as well as their ability to build strong relationships with both our members and suppliers alike.

"The accreditation reflects our genuine appreciation of our workforce and our dedication to their on-going career satisfaction, well-being and continued professional development."
A new 15,700 motorbike was purchased for a local charity thanks to staff at Russell Roof Tiles.

Shropshire.Staffordshire.Cheshire Blood Bikes (SSBB) latest motorbike is now all set to help the local community, thanks to the amazing fundraising efforts of staff at pioneering roofing manufacturer Russell Roof Tiles.

A volunteer-led charity, SSBB, provides an urgent, free of charge service to NHS foundations, by transporting vital blood products, bone marrow, breast milk for premature babies and other life-critical supplies to local hospitals via motorbike, where every minute counts in helping seriously ill and injured patients.

SSBB undertakes approximately 5,000 jobs a year covering over 200,000 miles which takes its toll on the motorbikes used.

Staff at the manufacturer raised an amazing 32,500 last year  they danced, hiked, ran and quizzed their way to raising the cash. The monies raised was split equally between SSBB and Dumfries and Galloway Blood Bikes.

The SSBB team recently visited one of Russell Roof Tiles Burton sites to show its staff the new motorbike. The new bike has been named Bundy, in recognition of the dedication to the charity by Nigel Bundy, a blood biker, who died last May and was the husband of the charitys then Chair Helen Bundy.

Helen said: My family feel incredibly honoured that an SSBB blood bike has been named in Nigel's

memory. The words 'thank you' don't really express our gratitude enough to Andrew and his team at

Russell Roof Tiles for making this happen. It allows a wonderful legacy for both the family and all the

volunteers in the charity.

Over the last two years Russell Roof Tiles has donated 56,000 to the two blood bikes charities. Most of the companys 100 staff at its two Burton sites, on Wetmore Lane and Nicolson Way and its sister site in Lochmaben participated in the fundraising efforts in some form or other.

Andrew Hayward, Managing Director at Russell Roof Tiles said: The team and I are delighted that the money we raised will go towards the great work SSBB does which operates 24/7 on a totally voluntarily basis and does not receive any government or local authority finance.
Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
will introduce thrice-a-week flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv from March 22, the airline said today.

The national carrier had planned to launch the service in May last year, but it couldn't materialise after some countries denied use of their airspaces for flights to Israel.

The announcement from comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Monday, during his visit to the US, that Saudi Arabia had given permission to the Indian carrier for flying over its territory on its route from New Delhi to Tel Aviv.

Many Arab and Islamic nations do not recognise Israel and, therefore, disallow airlines from using their airspace for flight services to that country.

" will introduce thrice-a-week flight to Tel Aviv from Delhi with effect from March 22," an airline spokesperson said.

The Air India flight will fly over Oman, Saudi Arabia and Jordan to reach Israel, a senior airline official said on condition of anonymity.

The permission to fly over Saudi Arabia will mean Air India will take a shorter route between Delhi and Tel Aviv and cover the distance in 7 hours and 10 minutes.

The permission to fly over Saudi Arabia will save Air India almost 2 hours and 10 minutes as compared to the longer route taken by Israel's national carrier El Al, which has direct flights between Tel Aviv and Mumbai, according to another Air India source.

El Al takes a circuitous route over the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and then enters India and avoids countries that are on the direct flight path such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. This route, too, is covered in 7 hours and 10 minutes.

If Air India were to take this route from New Delhi, it would cover the entire distance in more than nine hours, according to the source.

The official added that the shorter flight duration, combined with Air India's strong domestic network, could give the national carrier an advantage over El Al.

Israeli PM Netanyahu had acknowledged that the Israeli national carrier El Al would be at a disadvantage both in terms of cost and travel time, adding that he is in talks with the national carrier to ensure it doesn't suffer economically.

The Air India flight will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. It will depart from New Delhi at 4.50 pm and arrive in Tel Aviv at 8.25 pm. On its return leg, the plane will depart from Tel Aviv at 10.15 pm and land in Delhi at 9 am the day after, according to a statement from Air India.

Air India will operate a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on the route.

During a visit to Israel in July last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said direct flights would be launched between Delhi, Mumbai and Tel Aviv and the plan gathered steam following Netanyahu's visit to India in January this year.

Israel's tourism ministry has also announced a one-time grant of 750,000 euros to Air India for the flight operations.
American niche bike maker Indian Motorcycle on Wednesday said it has slashed prices of its models in India by up to Rs 300,000 following reduction in customs duty.

The government last month slashed customs duty on imported high-end bikes to 50 per cent.

Earlier, import of motorcycles with engine capacity of 800cc or less used to attract 60 per cent duty, while those with capacity of 800cc or more attracted 75 per cent duty.

"We are glad that the government has rationalised the import duty structure to 50 per cent across the range for imported bikes. The new attractive price of our products available in India will definitely lead to more sales," Polaris India Pvt Ltd MD and Country Head Pankaj Dubey said.

Indian Motorcycle is a wholly-owned division of Polaris Industries Inc, America's first motorcycle company.

While the price of the Chieftain model has been cut by Rs 299,000 to Rs 3.2 million, Vintage model's price has been reduced by Rs 2,67,000 to Rs 2.5 million.

Similarly, price of Roadmaster has been slashed by Rs 201,000 to Rs 3.99 million. Price of Scout Sixty model has been cut by Rs 1,89,000 to Rs 1.09 million. Classic model will now be available at Rs 2.12 million, after reduction of Rs 1.70 million.

The company, which imports all of its products in India from the US, currently has nine models in its line-up.
Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on Wednesday reported 2.6 per cent decline in global sales at 39,911 units in February.

Sales of Jaguar brand of vehicles in February were at 11,565 units, a fall of 5.2 per cent, the company said in a statement.

Land Rover range posted sales of 28,346 units in the month, down 1.5 per cent, it added.

The company said retail sales of 39,911 Jaguars and Land Rovers in February were 2.6 per cent down on "the previous years all-time high".

"Solid demand in China (up 3.3 per cent) and other overseas markets (up 1.5 per cent ) was offset by lower sales in the UK (down 15.2 per cent for the month) and Europe (down 6.9 per cent) , where trading conditions remained challenging.

Jaguar Land Rover Group Sales Operations Director Andy Goss said the company is "continuing to see weaker market conditions in Europe and the UK in particular largely reflecting diesel uncertainty".

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) wants to conduct narco test on Karti Chidambaram, who is in its custody in connection with the

The premier investigation agency on Tuesday moved an application in the Special CBI court and sought permission to conduct narco analysis test, or lie-detector test, on Karti.

He is accused of receiving kickbacks a decade back to clear foreign investment into INX Media group, using the influence of his father P Chidambaram, who was then the Union finance minister.

On Tuesday, the Special CBI court sent Karti to three more days of the CBI custody in the

The CBI also filed applications seeking production warrant of Karti's charted accountant S Bhaskararaman and Indrani Mukerjea.

The Special CBI court on March 9 will hear arguments on Karti's bail plea, his narco test, and on production warrant requests.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested S Bhaskararaman from a hotel in Delhi on February 16 in connection with the INX Media money laundering case.

Indrani Mukerjea, the former chief executive officer of INX Media, is lodged in Mumbai's Byculla prison for murdering her daughter, Sheena Bora.

On Sunday, the CBI took Karti to Byculla prison where he and Indrani were put face-to- face and questioned.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ailing Goa Chief Minister left for the US for further treatment on Tuesday night from Mumbai where he was admitted at Lilavati Hospital.

Parrikar left for the US for his further treatment by a special flight from Mumbai airport, a senior official of the chief minister office told PTI.

The chief minister left for the US in Air India flight at around 1.30 am. He is accompanied by a doctor and his elder son, Utpal, a senior official from CMO said.

Parrikar was admitted at the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on February 15 and discharged on February 22. On the same day, he returned to Goa and presented the Budget in the Assembly, but the session was truncated to only four days owing to his illness.

He was later admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital after he suffered from dehydration.

Before leaving for Mumbai on Tuesday, Parrikar held a series of meetings, including one with senior state ministers.

Earlier in the day, Goa BJP general secretary Sadanand Tanawade said that Parrikar will fly to the US for further treatment.

Parrikar also informed Governor Mridula Sinha earlier in the day about his absence from the country.

In the letter, Parrikar also informed the governor about the interim arrangement of a Cabinet advisory committee to guide the state administration.

The letter says that he would be chairing the meeting of the council of ministers, whenever it is held, through video conferencing from abroad.

I have been also advised by the expert team of doctors in Goa as well as in Mumbai and subsequent consultation with doctors abroad to travel overseas for a specialised treatment of my medical condition, according to the letter.

He said that during his absence in the state, the meeting of council of ministers whenever held shall be presided over by him through video conferencing or by circulation.

If that is not possible for any reason, or I may decide at later point of time, the minister nominated by me shall preside the meeting and I will separately instruct the chief secretary in such exigency, the letter said.

He also informed that a team of three ministers Sudin Dhavalikar (MGP), Francis DSouza (BJP) and Vijai Sardesai (Goa Forward Party) will function as a Cabinet advisory committee.

The committee shall meet at least once a week, at such point of time and place, and is empowered to decide unanimously amongst themselves on certain important financial year ending issues. The committee shall consult the finance department before taking any financial decisions, Parrikar said in the letter.
In a move that could go a long way in strengthening healthcare in Uttar Pradesh, the state Cabinet on Tuesday ratified a proposal mooting two years of government service for medical students studying in government-run medical colleges.

According to a government spokesman, for this, the students will have to now fill a mandatory bond during the medical education course.

This had been necessitated to fill in the yawning gap in the healthcare sector of the state, he added.

The proposal was prepared by the Medical Education Department, under which MBBS pass-outs from government medical colleges will have to serve for two years compulsorily in the community health centres (CHCs) and primary health centers (PHCs), and MD degree holders at big government hospitals or medical colleges.

"In case any student defies the rule, he will have to pay the difference between the government medical college fees and that at a private medical college. The state government has also fixed this fees amount as Rs 1 million for MBBS, Rs 5 million for MD and Rs 10 million for MD-MCH," the spokesman said.

The government has also approved a proposal that calls for withdrawing the degrees if the student fails to adhere to the rules that the state Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, ratified on Tuesday.

As of now only PG students are made to fill this bond who complete their MBBS course from government-run medical colleges. They fill a bond of 10 years' service at government medical facilities. Now this would apply to all students passing out from government medical colleges.
Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Wednesday said that the state does not need police deployment to protect E V Ramasamy Periyar's statue as Tamilians are self-capable of protecting the honour of the social reformer.

"There is no need to deploy police for protection of Periyar Statue. We Tamilians will protect it," Haasan told reporters.

The newly formed Makkal Needhi Maiam party president further stressed that the statue was demolished to divert the attention from the formation of a Cauvery River Management Board.

"I feel that this issue is just to divert attention from Cauvery issue," Haasan said.

A statue of Dravidar Kazhagam founder and social reformer Periyar E V Ramasamy was vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Vellore city on Tuesday evening after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raja in his now-deleted Facebook Post wrote, "Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection has India with Communists? Lenin's statue has been removed in Tripura. Today it is Lenin's statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic EVR Ramasamy."

Following the criticism, the BJP leader has now apologised for the post and blamed his social media team for the comments on Periyar.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 93 million dollars superyacht of liquor baron Vijay Mallya was seized in Malta after he failed to pay more than one million dollars in wages to the crew members.

The 95-meter Indian Empress of Mallya was boarded by the port officials and was blocked from leaving the port as part of the legal action against him, reported the Guardian.

As per reports, more than 40 crew members, which include several Indians, Britons, and eastern European workers, have not been paid since last September.

The Yacht has been seized in a 'maritime lien' giving the crew claim over the vessel to the value of the unpaid wages.

"Our members onboard gave their employer and the shipowner multiple opportunities to pay monthly wages, displaying a loyalty and restraint greater than many would show in such situations," said strategic organiser of the maritime union Nautilus International Danny McGowan.

McGowan informed that the union has recovered secured 615,000 dollars from the vessel's insurers under the International Maritime Labour Convention, but the still a large amount is to be paid.

No comment on the same has been received yet in the matter from Mallya, the Guardian reported.

Mallya's much of the assets in India and elsewhere have been either seized or frozen as he faces charges of money laundering and defrauding a consortium of Indian banks to the tune of more than Rs 90 billion.

The case is currently being heard at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

The trial is aimed at laying out a prima facie case of fraud against the 61-year-old embattled businessman, who has been based in the UK since March 2016.

In April last year, Mallya was arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant. He is out on bail on a bond worth 650,000 pounds.

Apart from this case, the High Court of London on February 12 ordered Mallya to pay an estimated USD 90 million to a Singapore-based aircraft leasing company in claims.

The case involves a number of aircraft leased by Vijay Mallya's now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines from BOC Aviation in 2014.

Mallya is among 53 persons, who are facing prosecution complaints from the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and they are absconding, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said in July last year.
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to explain the provisions under which the civic body had decided to convert 'private toilets' into public ones under the

A division bench of Justices A S Oka and Riyaz Iqbal Chagla was hearing a writ petition filed by owners of various petrol pumps from across Mumbai, along with the petrol pump association.

The petitioners were seeking a stay on a notice issued by the civic body on December 22, 2017, under which the BMC had put up signboards across all such stations informing the public to utilise the toilets at petrol pumps.

"It is your obligation to build toilets (under Swachh Bharat Mission). While you do not do that, instead you make private toilets into public toilets," the bench said.

The petitioners had told the high court that they had been directed by the BMC to make toilets at their stations or premises available for the use of general public free of cost under the

The civic body has also put up signboards to the effect at various petrol pumps, the petitioners said.

"What is the source of power that allows BMC to claim that toilets inside private petrol pumps are public toilets?" questioned the court.

The counsel for the BMC said that the corporation had done so to further the cause of the Centre's

"A meeting was held and the petitioners had allowed us to use these toilets for public purpose during emergency," said the counsel.

Justice A S Oka said that action under the Swachh Bharat Mission or any other scheme of the Union government also had to be in accordance to law.

"Which law can allow you to convert private toilets into public toilets," Justice Oka asked.

He also pointed out that as per the minutes of the meeting submitted by the petitioners, they had never allowed the civic body access to toilets in petrol pumps for general public.

"You cannot put up boards outside their properties saying that the toilets in their premises are public toilets.

How can you do that following the Swachh Bharat Mission. Show us where it says so," said the court.

The court has now asked the civic body to take instruction in the matter by Wednesday.

"You cannot do this. Take instructions that you will not do this in a private property. The Swachh Bharat Mission cannot affect the rights of others like this. You cannot put up boards without consent of the petrol pump owners. You will have to remove the boards wherever it is required. Otherwise we will have to pass relevant orders," the high court said.
India on Wednesday imposed fresh restrictions on trade with North Korea in line with the restrictions imposed by the United Nations, Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said on Wednesday. According to a notification of the DGFT in the commerce ministry, "supply, sale, transfer or export" of crude oil will be subjected to the restrictions imposed by the UN Security Council (UNSC). The trade restrictions on helicopters have now also been extended to new or used vessels. North Korea is facing sanctions for pursuing its nuclear programme from the UN and the ...
Indian tax inspectors raided on Tuesday premises of the Gupta family at the centre of a corruption scandal involving South Africa's former president, Jacob Zuma, on suspicion they were bringing money into their native country, an official said. South Africa's anti-graft watchdog has accused the India-born Gupta brothers of using their friendship with Zuma to influence policy and amass wealth. Zuma and the Gupta brothers deny any wrongdoing. Amrendra Kumar, a senior income tax official in Uttar Pradesh, told Reuters that the Gupta brothers were suspected of finding ...
No one emerges victorious from a trade war, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday, warning that the economic impact of US import tariffs would be serious if other countries respond with their own barriers. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump reiterated his plan to slap big tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, warning the European Union would get hit with a "big tax" for failing to treat the United States well over trade matters. "The macroeconomic impact would be serious, not only if the United States took action, but especially ...
An agreement between North and South Korea to hold a summit and signals about possible talks between North Korea and the United States is stirring concern in Japan about its diplomatic nightmare - being left out in the cold. Signs of easing tension over North Koreas nuclear and missile threats, greeted in Tokyo with scepticism, come as Japan faces a possible trade feud with the United States over steel and rocky ties with South Korea over their bitter history, including Japans 1910-1945 colonization of the peninsula. The main concern is that South Korea may ...
Air India will launch a flight from Delhi to Israel's Tel Aviv nonstop from March 22.

The airline spokesperson confirmed that the flight will be operating thrice a week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday and said the flight to overfly Saudi airspace.

The route over Saudi Arabia will cut down the flying time from some eight hours to about five and a half.

"This will be the fastest nonstop between India and Israel by taking the straight route between the two countries," the spokesperson said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced about a direct nonstop flight between the two countries when he met with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.

Finally, the Saudi authorities, ending a 70-year ban and marking a dramatic diplomatic shift, have allowed the flight to overfly Saudi airspace.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said all statues of Russian Communist icon Vladimir Lenin in India should be demolished.

Welcoming demolition of Lenin's statue in Tripura; Raj Purohit, a BJP MLA from Maharashtra, said all the statues of Lenin should be demolished.

"I am very happy that Lenin's statue has been demolished. Lenin's statues were installed in Tripura for the sake of power. What is Lenin's contribution to India? Lenin's statue is a symbol of insult and his all statues should be demolished," the BJP MLA from Colaba in Mumbai said.

He added that the Russian communist leader cannot be linked to Indian ideology of non-violence, humanity as he killed many people.

"Can Lenin be linked to Indian ideology of non-violence, humanity? Lenin was a cruel leader and killed lakhs of people. He did not provide equality in his rule," Purohit said.

He termed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideology as best for India.

The BJP MLA said unlike Lenin, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay treated every human being as equal

Upadhyay was an eminent Indian thinker, social worker and politician who was one of the leaders of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner of the present day BJP.

After the BJP's victory in Tripura elections on Saturday, a mob with the help of bulldozers uprooted and demolished a five-foot-tall fibre-glass Lenin statue at the College Square in south Tripura's Belonia on Monday.

Lenin's statue demolition has begun a statue vandalisation spree in India.

Recently statues of prominent personalities, like social activist E.V. Ramasamy 'Periyar' in Vellore city of Tamil Nadu, and Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee's statue in Kolkata, have been vandalised.

Purohit's assertion has come at a time when earlier in the day Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh condemned incidents of statue vandalism in several states and called it 'unfortunate and unjustified'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned in strong words the recent incidents of vandalism and spoke with Rajnath Singh regarding the same.

A Ministry of Home Affairs statement said the ministry has taken serious note of such incidents and asked the concerned states to deal sternly with persons responsible for the acts and book them under relevant provisions of law.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 12 policemen were injured after a clash broke out between locals and police forces on Wednesday over garbage dumping in Maharashtra's Aurangabad.

The clash took place after the locals at Padegaon-Mitmita village opposed the dumping of garbage by Aurangabad Municipal Corporation.

The Aurangabad Police later restored to lathi charge and tear gas to disperse the protesting villagers.

The villagers also pelted stones at the trucks dumping garbage and police vehicles. They also set ablaze two vehicles.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took note of the situation and said, "I am concerned about the difficulties that are being faced by the people of Aurangabad and I understand how they feel about it. The situation is having an adverse effect on the lives of the people. Municipal Corporation wants to help the government in this matter."

From last 20 days, the issue of garbage dumping remained unsolved as the villagers are opposing and not allowing any truck for dumping purpose.

The matter is now in Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court which has directed to not dump garbage at Naregaon till further direction.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Baloch Republican Party (BRP), Switzerland has organised a protest rally against state-sponsored atrocities in Balochistan during the ongoing 37th session of United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The BRP Switzerland posted on Twitter about their protest campaign.

"BRP Switzerland organized a campaign during 37th session of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. There will be an awareness camp outside UN, a rally in Geneva city and a protest demo at Broken Chair," The BRP Switzerland tweeted.

The protesters carried out a march from Rive to United Nations office and shouted pro-freedom slogans while demanding Pakistan to stop abducting innocent civilians from Balochistan.

The BRP also held an awareness camp outside UN at the Broken Chair and make the people aware of growing human rights violations in Balochistan.

The campaign aims to highlight the ongoing Event Pakistani war crimes and massive violations of human rights by Pakistani forces in Balochistan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
While taking a walk on the beach, one can find pearls, gemstones and rubbish, but one would not expect to find a 133-year-old gin bottle with a message tucked inside it.

Well, it happened and it happened with a woman, who stumbled upon the bottle on Australia's Wedge Island, according to National Public Radio.

The bottle came off from a German barque called Paula when its sailors, in 1866, tossed the bottle with a message into waters hundreds of miles off the Western coast of Australia.

Tonya Illman, who spotted the bottle in January, said, "I picked it up thinking it might look nice on display in my home."

It could be the oldest-known message in a bottle, in terms of the amount of time that has passed between when it was written and when it was found, according to Australian, German and Dutch researchers, who had received the bottle from Western Australia Museum after Illman gave it to them.

Currently, according to Guinness World Records, the oldest is a 108-year-old bottle, which was found in Germany in 2015.

The researchers said Germany during 1864 to 1933 conducted a naval experiment to learn more about ocean currents and in that regard thousands of bottles were thrown into the world's oceans from German ships.

"Each containing a form on which the captain would write the date it was jettisoned, the exact coordinates at the time, the name of the ship, its home port and travel route," the NPR quoted the researchers as saying.

"On the back, it asked the finder to write when and where the bottle had been found and return it, either to the German Naval Observatory in Hamburg or the nearest German Consulate."

The finding of the bottle is in accordance with the experiment, the museum said in a research report.

The researchers have also identified the gin bottle's brand -- Daniel Visser & Zonen. They said the shape and size of the relic was in consistent with the bottles produced by the Dutch company.

"This has been the most remarkable event in my life," said Illman. "To think this bottle has not been touched for nearly 132 years and is in perfect condition, despite the elements, beggars belief. I'm still shaking.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday slammed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka for the attack on Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty in his office in Bengaluru.

The Karnataka Lokayukta Justice was earlier stabbed inside his office premises in Bengaluru. He was later rushed to the Mallaya Hospital for treatment.

Condemning the incident, the BJP questioned the law and order in the state and also held the Siddaramaiah government responsible for the incident.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "Karnataka Lokayukta being attacked in his office in Bengaluru is a serious issue of law and order."

Union Minister Ananth Kumar also echoed the same and said, "Siddaramaiah and Congress are fully responsible for this. It is time for them to leave Karnataka."

"It is unfortunate that in broad daylight, there has been a murderous attack on the Lokayukta. He is battling for his life in the hospital. This incident shows the deteriorating law and order situation in Karnataka", he added.

Shetty is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital and is out of danger now.

The person, who attacked the Lokayukta has also been taken into custody, confirmed State Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Speaking about the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) commitment to the development of Andhra Pradesh, the party's floor leader in the Assembly, P. Vishnu Kumar Raju, on Wednesday said they will not let any injustice happen to the state.

"Our aim is to develop the state," Raju said in the Assembly.

Further, he assured that the party would bring a separate railway zone with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters.

The political ties between the allies BJP and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have deteriorated over the issue of giving a special status to Andhra Pradesh and granting permission for a separate railway zone at Visakhapatnam.

Raju further said the state would also get metro projects.

"You are asking why metro projects are not being given to Andhra Pradesh, but to Bombay and Bangalore. Why compare with others? For our state, we will get all these projects," he said.

He added, "Dugarajapatnam port, Kadapa steel factory and all other promises in the reorganisation act will definitely be implemented.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a written message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to the organisers of the 26th Convergence India 2018 expo/2nd Internet of Things (IoT) India 2018, which was scheduled to open on March 7 here at Pragati Maidan.

Take advantage of all that the 26th Convergence India 2018 expo, and the co-located Internet of Things India 2018 expo, have to offer, from product launches and conference programming to meetings and knowledge papers and, of course, explore the range of exhibits on the show floor. The three day show will be held from March 7-9.

Conveying his best wishes for the success of the expo, Prime Minister Modi hoped that the expos would offer a productive platform for all the stakeholders to come together, and deliberate on the emerging contours of the convergence of technologies.

The expos that bring together key professionals and decision makers from the telecom, IT, broadcast and digital media sectors, and the IoT, will be inaugurated by Union Minister of Communication (IC) Manoj Sinha. Hosted by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and Exhibitions India Group (EIG), the expos support the Government's vision of transforming India into a digitally empowered economy. NASSCOM Center of Excellence - IoT is co-organising IoT India 2018 expo.

"The IoT Revolution is set to transform and redefine the future of various sectors, like automotive, agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing and many others. The NASSCOM Center of Excellence - IoT is the largest innovation platform bringing together enterprises and startups / SMEs in emerging technologies of IoT, analytics, AI/ML, AR/VR and robotics for digital transformation, and we are pleased to be co-organizing the IoT India 2018 expo to help build and drive a collaborative IoT eco-system," said CEO of NASSCOM Center of Excellence - IoT, Sanjeev Malhotra.

"I am confident, the expos will be immensely useful to further extend Digital India and Make in India campaigns globally, and also enhance India's share of exports through trade in goods and services. The expos are bound to provide huge opportunities to exhibitors to promote Brand India apart from exploring possibilities of entering into joint ventures and collaborations," added CMD of ITPO, LC Goyal.

The expo will witness the release of knowledge papers by Frost & Sullivan and Mazars. The knowledge paper titled, 'Outlook for Indian Telecom and Broadcast Industry', by Frost & Sullivan analyses the latest market trends and captures the industry outlook for the telecom and media industries.

'The Smart Wallet' by Mazars offers an in-depth introduction to the digital wallet and its functions; takes a look at the driving factors, the acceptance landscape amongst consumers and the growing role of fintech; explores consumer willingness to engage in using a smart phone and best practices to counter security threats. It then examines how digital wallets are most likely to evolve.

"IoT is one of the key catalysts that is driving digital transformation. It is the area where information technology and operation technology need to converge to deliver true value. While the IoT industry is battling key challenges such as standardization, monetization, models and security, the impact it can have on business is well understood. Frost & Sullivan believes that within 2-3 years every large enterprise in our country will be using IoT in their organization in some way or the other," said Director of Digital Transformation (ICT) Practice, Benoy CS.

"Mazars is proud to collaborate with the Exhibitions India Group for 'The Smart Wallet' knowledge paper, given that digitization is on the run at a global scale. Mobiles have become a popular payment mechanism, with the worldwide mobile payment revenue to surpass $1 trillion by 2019. This is pertinently important to India, given its drive to become a cashless society very soon, where both consumers and merchants have sound awareness and trust in these "smart" technologies. We believe 26th Convergence India 2018 expo is a dynamic platform to capture this upcoming mobile revolution," said Mazars India Partner Bharat Dhawan.

Pointing out that Frost & Sullivan is proud to be the knowledge partner for the 26th Convergence India 2018 expo, Vidya S Nath, Senior Research Director, Digital Media Practice, said, "For years, the show has brought together several international technology companies as well as end users in India who work together to adapt modern day requirements of digital and connected environments."

The exposare primed to be another ground breaking edition with 684 participants from 28 countries spread over 25,000 sqm of exhibit space. "The show offers plenty of opportunities to see technological advances first hand, from companies both small and large. It is a great networking event and launch platform for all businesses involved in the telecom, IT, broadcast and digital media sectors, and the IoT," said Prem Behl, Chairman, Exhibitions India Group.

.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The death toll of the Russian passenger plane that crashed in Syria on Tuesday, has risen to 39, Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed.

Earlier, the defence ministry said that 32 passengers were killed in the crash.

"Russia's Antonov An-26 transport plane that crashed while landing at Hmeymim airfield in Latakia in Syria was carrying six crew members and 33 passengers. Their families will be provided with the necessary assistance and support," the defence ministry was quoted by TASS as saying.

According to the updated information, there were 33 passengers and six crew members aboard the aircraft. All of them were military servicemen from the Russian Armed Forces, it added.

The plane crashlanded when it was about 500 meters short of the runway. Both the crew members and passengers were killed.

It further said that Russian defence ministry's commission was examining all possible versions of the crash.

Defence ministry officials said that the crash might have occurred due to a "technical fault", adding that neither the plane caught fire nor it came under attack. It added that a major general was among the dead.

Russia's Investigative Committee announced it had opened a criminal case into the crash, saying investigators would look into suggestions that flight-safety rules had been flouted.

Last month, a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft was shot down over the northwestern province of Idlib in Syria, believed to have been hit by a missile.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Canadian multinational company BlackBerry Limited on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against social media giant Facebook, alleging that the platform and its subsidiaries WhatsApp and Instagram infringed on BlackBerry messaging app patents.

BlackBerry claimed that the company's proprietary and patent-protected messaging product BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), was a cornerstone of modern mobile communications.

The company is now contending that its intellectual property has been infringed upon by Facebook's "using a number of the innovative security, user interface, and functionality enhancing features that made BlackBerry's products such a critical and commercial success in the first place," according to The Verge.

In December 2016, the former mobile giant sold the rights to design, manufacture, and sell BlackBerry-branded phones to Chinese multinational TCL, leaving BlackBerry Limited in charge of the latter's software and mobile security products.

BlackBerry said its patents cover cryptographic techniques to protect user privacy, the mixing of mobile gaming and mobile messaging, and now-ubiquitous user interface elements of mobile messaging products.

Some of those interface elements are as broad as notification design, the displaying of message timestamps, and the ability to tag friends and family in photos.

BlackBerry is seeking "redress for the harm caused by Defendants' unlawful use of BlackBerry's intellectual property," which may include injunctive relief and monetary damages, according to the complaint.

In a statement authored by Facebook Deputy General Counsel Paul Grewal, which was given to Cheddar, the social networking company responded by saying that BlackBerry is looking to tax the innovation of others.

"BlackBerry's suit sadly reflects the current state of its messaging business. Having abandoned its efforts to innovate, BlackBerry is now looking to tax the innovation of others. We intend to fight," the statement from Facebook said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council is scheduled to meet on March 10 to discuss matters relating to simplification of tax returns and implementation of the new e-way bill.

Sources from the Finance Ministry told ANI that in the upcoming meeting, the agenda for discussion include the extension of 3B returns, the current position of revenue generated from the GST, and changes in the Anti-Profiteering Rules.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, after the 25th GST Council meeting in January, had said that the implementation of the e-way bill for intra and inter-state movement of goods would start from February 1, with 15 states agreeing to implement it on a trial basis.

However, the trial phase was deferred on account of technical glitches on the official website.

Earlier in February, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister of Bihar, Sushil Modi had suggested that the e-way bill be made mandatory from April 1.

"From April 1, when the new financial year of 2018 - 2019 starts, (GoM) decided to start the inter-state movement of e-way bill system. In the first phase, only the inter-state movement of goods will be mandatorily required to take e-way bill and after a couple of weeks, the roll-out of intra-state movement of goods through e-way bill system will start," Modi said at a press conference here.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chelsea Clinton, the only daughter of former US President Bill Clinton and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, deemed the criticisms that were aimed at Ivanka Trump by the media as 'fair game'.

According to Fox News, the former first daughter appeared on Stephen Colbert's "Late Show" and told the host she hadn't "spoken to [Ivanka] in a long time."

"I think anyone who works for the president, should expect to be scrutinized for whatever decisions not only he or she is making, but whatever decisions the White House is making on any given day," said Clinton.

This comes after Ivanka was questioned by Chelsea's former employers NBC news about the sexual misconduct allegations leveled against her father, to which she responded by saying, "I think it's a pretty inappropriate question to ask a daughter if she believes the accusers of her father when he's affirmatively stated that there's no truth to it. I don't think that's a question you would ask many other daughters."

Ivanka, a senior adviser to the President, had earlier received a lot of flak by the media when she took her father's seat beside UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G-20 summit in Germany in July 2017.

President Trump then took to Twitter to defend his decision of letting his daughter take his place, calling it a 'standard' move.

"When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!" he tweeted.

He also hit back at the media, questioning the double standard of the media between the two first daughters.

"If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!" read another tweet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty was on Wednesday stabbed in his office in Bengaluru.

Shetty was immediately rushed to the Mallaya Hospital for treatment and is out of danger now.

State Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy has, however, confirmed that the person, who stabbed the Lokayukta has been taken into custody.

"A person stabbed the Lokayukta in Bengaluru, the accused has been taken into custody," Reddy said.

"He was a contractor from Tumakuru. He complained to the Lokayukta about some tenders. He assaulted the judge and he was alone. The judge is out of danger now," he added.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reached the hospital to meet Shetty.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday restrained the federal and Punjab governments from arresting Jammat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed until further orders, the Dawn reported.

On January 23, Saeed had reportedly moved to the court against his possible arrest and alleged that the governments are under pressure from the United States and India.

The court had ordered both governments to submit their replies regarding the petitioner's allegations.

After failing to submit their replies in today's hearing, the federal and Punjab governments requested for more time.

Expressing dismay over the respondents' failure to comply with orders, Justice Ameenuddin Khan, who heard the case today, directed the counsel for both governments to file replies in the case by April 4.

Saeed was designated a "terrorist" by the United Nations and has a USD 10 million-bounty placed on him by the United States in 2012.

The US State Department in 2014 had designated the JuD as a "foreign terrorist organisation", a status that freezes the assets of an organisation that falls within its jurisdiction.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena promulgated a state of emergency for a limited period of one week in the country by bringing into force Section 2 of the Public Security Ordinance, Sri Lankan president's media division said.

The state of emergency has been declared due to violent and criminal activities, which have taken place in certain parts of the country during the past two weeks. It also led to the loss of lives and damage to property, owing to the violent activities.

The violence in Kandy caused tensions and discord among ethnic and religious groups arising from those criminal activities and led to attacks on religious places, property, transport facilities and damages caused by them.

According to the Sri Lankan government, the continuity of such criminal activities is affecting the law and order across the country.

"In such circumstances, it has been necessary to bring into force the Section 2 of the Public Security Ordinance as a measure to contain the situation and to restore normalcy", the media division said in a statement.

"President Sirisena has promulgated a state of emergency to restore normalcy and for the protection of the lives of people, maintenance of essential public services without interruption and to restore peace, law and order", it added.

The regulations enacted by the promulgation of the state of emergency provides the Sri Lankan police and tri-forces with powers to bring the prevailing situation under control.

The Sri Lankan President has instructed the police to impartially, comprehensively and promptly deal with those engaged in criminal activities and those causing or attempting to cause ethnic and religious tensions, irrespective of their ethnic or religious identities and political affiliations.

He has also given special instructions to the police and the tri-forces to take action in terms of these regulations, in a lawful manner in good faith, while ensuring minimum disturbance to the life and well-being of people, in conformity with Fundamental Human Rights of people, the statement concluded.

The Sri Lankan government earlier on Tuesday imposed a state of emergency for 10 days to control law and order in the country.

A curfew was reimposed on Monday in two police divisions of Kandy district till Wednesday morning, following the tense situation.

More than two dozen arrests have been made so far, following the violence against the minority Muslim community in Kandy district, which claimed two lives.

Members of the Buddhist community held protests outside a police station in Kandy, demanding the release of its people who were arrested in the riots.

The police have said that the special security arrangements, put in place in the areas, will continue and the country's Special Task Force (STF) has been deployed to maintain peace.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Manish Arora is one of the most celebrated and inspiring contemporary designers in the fashion world today. The Mumbai-born fashion designer has lived between Paris and Delhi since 2007, where he owns an exclusive store, and is the only Indian fashion designer to participate in the prestigious Paris Fashion Week for the last 10 years.

Known for his astute craftsmanship and unique play on colors, Manish has collaborated with eminent brands such as Swarovski, Swatch, Reebok, Monoprix, Nespresso, MAC Cosmetics, Pommery, Amrapali amongst others. His rich and colorful designs have been worn by international stars such as Rihanna, Lady Gaga, M.I.A and Katy Perry. He has also been bestowed upon the highest French civilian honour 'Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur'.

"I am honored to be associated with Pearl Academy as an Ideation Partner and to have the student's intern and travel to Paris with me. The experience will expand their knowledge and horizons on design and aspects of our industry. I hope that together we will be able to give the students and all stakeholders a more in-depth experience on building a brand internationally," said Manish.

This collaboration aims to provide the required learning and international exposure to Pearl Academy students enabling them to create a mark across the world. Students from Fashion Design and Luxury Brands course will get to intern and accompany Manish Arora to the Paris Fashion Week, twice a year. Pearl Academy students will also get an opportunity to design a collection under Manish Arora's ideation guidance, and these would then be retailed at Pearl Academy exclusive pop-up store.

"It is a coming together of one of India's foremost fashion designers and a leading fashion institute in the country. I couldn't have thought of a better alliance. It will be a lifelong learning experience for our students and will make them future ready as well as industry ready. Manish will be an invaluable asset to our students who will have the opportunity to learn from a highly original and creative designer," said Pearl Academy CEO Nandita Abraham.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Madhya Pradesh is frontrunner in India in organic farming, said Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday.

He was addressing reporters after inaugurating organic-spiritual farming mela (fair) here with spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who was the chief guest.

"The goovernment is promoting organic farming through many schemes and 5.5 lakh hectares have been brought under such cultivation. I want to congratulate adivasis for keeping organic farming alive," Chouhan said.

He informed that the state government has made a roadmap for the promotion of organic farming.

"Five villages of a district are selected as 'Bio Village' for promotion of organic farming. The farmers are being apprised of the benefits of organic farming. The government will provide certification facility for organic produce," Chouhan said.

Organic farming practices are being implemented under the guidance and supervision of a team of experts comprising scientists, environmentalists, and food management personals in 1565 villages selected from 313 blocks of 48 districts in the State. Use of agro-chemicals in these selected villages for growing crops is strictly prohibited. Nutrients to the crops are provided through green manuring, composts, phospho-composts, fermented preparations prepared from cow dung and urine etcetera.

Chouhan also informed that the state government is signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the companies which sell organic products so that the state's farmers should get better price of their produce.

The Chief Minister said the state government will make available organic fertilizer to farmers in a phased manner.

The Chief Minister said that farmers would be provided training of organic farming for next three days in the organic-spiritual fair.

"Many scientists and those farmers who have embraced organic farming are participating in the fair," Chouhan said.

The Madhya Pradesh State Organic Certification Agency (MPSOCA) was established on August 10, 2006, to provide the quality certification of organic production.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Strong connections have been found between heart attacks and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a new study has revealed.

As per the study conducted by University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, more than 22 million patients that suggests a strong connection between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and the development of heart disease and heart attacks.

The research was conducted by Muhammad Panhwar and Mahazarin Ginwalla, researchers from the University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute.

Inflammation has long been recognised as playing a key role in the development of heart disease. IBD is an umbrella term for two chronic inflammatory conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract - Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's disease.

While studies have shown a clear increased risk of heart disease in other chronic inflammatory conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, this link is unclear in patients with IBD.

Researchers used myocardial infarction (heart attack) as an indicator for heart disease for their research.

They used IBM's Explorys, which is a large database that aggregates electronic medical records from 26 healthcare systems nationwide.

The three-year study concluded that in the more than 22 million patients who were assessed, heart attacks were almost twice as common in patients with IBD (5.9 percent in patients with IBD compared to 3.5 percent in patients without IBD).

They also found that traditional risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking were also more prevalent in patients with IBD.

After adjusting for age, race, sex, and traditional heart-disease risk factors, Dr. Panhwar and his colleagues found that the patients with IBD had about 23 percent higher odds of having a heart attack.

Researchers also observed that the highest risk was in younger patients (less than 40 years of age), while IBD is commonly diagnosed between the ages of 15-30. Earlier age at diagnosis and female gender is associated with increased levels of inflammation and more aggressive and disabling disease.

"The disproportionately increased levels of inflammation in younger patients who may not otherwise have the traditional heart disease risk factors may explain the increased risk seen in these patients," said Dr. Panhwar.

"Given that over 3 million people (~1.2 percent of the population) in the United States suffer from IBD, a large number of them may have heart disease that has gone under the radar. Our hope is that our study encourages more clinicians to screen these patients more aggressively for heart disease", he continued.

"Our study adds considerably to a growing set of literature highlighting the chronic inflammation in IBD as having a role in the development of cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Ginwalla. "Clinicians who care for patients with traditional cardiovascular risk factors who also have IBD should recognize IBD as a cardiovascular risk factor as well and treat it appropriately."

The findings from the study were presented at this year's year's American College of Cardiology meeting in Orlando, Florida, USA.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's statement on granting 'special status' to Andhra Pradesh, the state's agriculture minister S Chandra Mohan Reddy claimed that even after nearly two years of promising special assistance, nothing has been done for the state.

"After the bifurcation bill was passed in 2016, Jaitley had categorically expressed before media that special assistance measures were earmarked for Andhra Pradesh. However, even after one and a half years, they have done nothing, and that is why people are agitating," Reddy told ANI.

Drawing a parallel between Andhra Pradesh and the North East, Reddy took on the Centre for lack of assistance to the former's state.

"You (Centre) are not implementing special assistance measures or according to special status for Andhra Pradesh, whereas, for the 11 north-eastern states, special category status and benefits are being continued for another 10 years," he said.

Earlier in the day, Jaitley had said that the Centre is committed to offering the monetary equivalent of this status to the state, which will be presented as a 'special package.'

"The Centre stands committed to satisfy every condition. The only variation is that after the 14th Finance Commission report, instead of formally calling it a Special Category state, we are calling it a special package, which gives the same monetary benefits that a special category state gives you," he said at a press conference in the capital.

However, Jaitley ruled out the possibility of political turmoil in the state resulting in an increase in the quantum of funds to be given.

On a related note, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Andhra ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have been sharing a sour relationship following the announcement of the Union Budget 2018-19 after the latter alleged that the Centre had not allotted 'enough fund' to the state in the budget.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Pakistan has responded positively on Wednesday to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's suggestion to work towards the release and repatriation of civilian prisoners incarcerated in both the countries.

"External Affairs Minister of India had, in October 2017, suggested to the High Commissioner of Pakistan that the two sides could progress on humanitarian issues related to elderly, women, children and mentally unsound prisoners," the MEA said in a statement.

The MEA further said that a team of medical experts would also be organised to meet the mentally unsound prisoners so as to facilitate the repatriation of such prisoners.

"It has also been agreed to resume the visits of the Joint Judicial Committee which looks into the issues of fishermen and prisoners in each other's custody," the MEA said.

"The last visit of such a Committee had taken place in October 2013 to India. The officials on both sides would be working on the modalities to implement the understanding reached on these humanitarian issues," it added.

Earlier today, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif approved humanitarian gestures for civilian prisoners incarcerated in both India and his country.

In a statement, the spokesperson of the Pakistan Foreign Office said, "Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has approved the exchange of three categories of prisoners: women, mentally challenged or with special needs and those above 70 years of age."

It added that the Asif also approved the exchange of prisoners above 60 years of age and child prisoners, below 18 years of age.

Asif also approved facilitating the visit of medical experts (from both India and Pakistan) to meet and examine the mentally challenged prisoners for their repatriation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a plea filed by Punjab Bank (PNB) fraud accused Nirav Modi.

Calling the case "sketchy", The Delhi High Court Judge said, "want to wait to see what the ED has to say because Vijay Aggarwal (Nirav Modi's lawyer) himself doesn't seem to be too sure of the facts of the case".

The court further said that it's not clear as to what is the exact amount involved in the case.

"It's not clear under what authority the ED went to search the properties," the High Court said.

Speaking to reporters, Vijay Aggarwal said that the High Court asked the ED to present all documents and said the matter is 'sketchy' since the exact facts are not known.

"Court asked ED to present all documents and said the matter is sketchy since we don't have all the facts. We told them that this is the basis of our petition that there is no information. Court fixed matter for further hearing at 2:15 pm on March 19," he added.

"I can understand search, I can understand seizure. But they have taken away my properties and given them to PNB," Nirav Modi had said in his plea.

Earlier on March 6, Nirav Modi-owned Firestar Diamond International moved to the Delhi High court against the seizure of his properties by the ED.

Firestar Diamond International has sought to quash of the order passed by the ED for the seizure of movable property.

It also challenged the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) that allow the ED to conduct search and seizure of property.

The plea by Firestar Diamond International further claimed that the ED conducted the search without following due process and giving a copy of the search warrant to the company officials.

Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi are accused in the multi-crore scam that has rattled the country and economy.

The scam started in 2011 and was detected in the third week of January this year, after which the PNB officials reported it to the concerned agencies.

Meanwhile, the PNB filed a second complaint with the CBI on February 13.

The CBI had received the complaint from the PNB on January 28 and a case was registered in the case on January 31.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Labour ministry will examine the situation of Gitanjali Group employees who have been rendered jobless after shutdown of companies, on the backdrop of the Punjab Bank scam.

On being asked whether these employees will be covered in the new Wage Code Bill that is likely to be tabled in this Budget Session, Labour Secretary M Sathiyavathy told ANI, "Scam-hit companies are not covered in the new wage bill, I don't think wage code has any provision for that."

Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi were implicated in the multi-crore scam that hit the PNB.

Top officials of the bank, as well as the companies owned by Modi and Choksi were arrested in this connection.

On Tuesday, Vipul Chitalia, the vice-president (banking operations) of Gitanjali Group was also arrested.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday questioned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s silence over the 'needs of its alliance partner Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

While asking BJP to deliver its promise of giving 'special category status' to the state, Naidu said Congress president Rahul Gandhi has also offered to do the same if they come to power.

In his address at the Andhra Pradesh Assembly session, Naidu said, "Rahul Gandhi is saying they will give 'Special Category status' to Andhra Pradesh if they come to power. Why are you (BJP) not responding to the needs of your alliance partner?"

Earlier on Tuesday, the Congress president said if the party emerges victorious in 2019, the first thing he would do is grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

The BJP and its Andhra ally TDP have been sharing a sour relationship following the announcement of the Union Budget 2018-19.

The TDP has been alleging that the Centre has not allotted 'enough fund' to the state in the budget.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least six persons were detained when a bust of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee was vandalised in Kolkata on Wednesday.

The prominent right-wing ideologue's statue came under attack at Kalighat area of south Kolkata.

This comes after a couple of similar incidents -- Lenin's statue razed in south Tripura and social activist Periyar's bust vandalised in Vellore, drawing criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The West Bengal wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the latest "barbaric act of vandalism".

"We demand very strong action against the culprits and want to give away the message that you just can't take away the contribution of Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee in building West Bengal by this shameful act," said WB BJP General Secretary Sayantan Basu.

Basu said the BJP would rebuild the statue with more grace.

The development comes after the Prime Minister earlier in the day disapproved in strong words the incidents of vandalism in Tripura and Tamil Nadu.

The MHA in a statement asked all states to take strong action against vandals.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Taliban local commander, including three others, were killed in a clash on Tuesday with Afghan security forces in Dawlat Abad district of Balkh province in Afghanistan, local officials said on Wednesday.

Abdul Razaq Qaderi, the security officer at Balkh's police chief office said that the local commander named Janat Gul, along with his three fighters were killed in a two-hour clash when they attacked parts of Dawlat Abad district.

Qaderi added that there were no casualties among the security forces and blamed Gul for being reportedly responsible for the deaths of a number of security forces.

The Taliban is yet to react to the latest development.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar on Wednesday condemned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader H. Raja's Facebook comments on social activist Periyar.

"We strongly condemn his comments. This is the land of Periyar, MGR, and Amma, we will not accept his views," Jayakumar said.

The minister asserted that his party would have taken action against Raja, had he not withdrawn his comments.

Periyar's bust was vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Vellore city on Tuesday evening after Raja in his now-deleted Facebook Post wrote, "Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection has India with Communists? Lenin's statue has been removed in Tripura. Today it is Lenin's statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic EVR Ramasamy."

Following the criticism, the BJP leader has now apologised for the post and blamed his social media team for the comments on Periyar.

A statue of 'Lenin' was razed in south Tripura, the first such incident surfacing in the country, after the BJP swept the Left front government out of power in Tripura assembly election.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of Home Affairs have condemned in strong words the incidents in Tamil Nadu and Tripura.

A statue of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee was also vandalised at Kalighat area of south Kolkata on Wednesday, a third such incident within two days.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Turkey, Russia and Iran will participate in what would be a trilateral summit at Istanbul on April 4, according to diplomatic sources.

The summit is planned to be held after the hosting of Turkey-Russia High-Level Cooperation Council (UDIK) on April 3, an intergovernmental cooperation mechanism between the two countries.

The Syrian conflict is expected to be the issue to be discussed during the summit, along with other regional matters.

Separately, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will be heading to Moscow on March 12 to attend the sub-group of UDIK's joint strategic group as well as attend the International Travel and Tourism Fair, Anadolu news agency reported.

Earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke over the phone individually with his Russian and Iranian counterparts, Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rouhani respectively and agreed to hold a summit on the conflict in Syria.

Despite a ceasefire approval by the United Nations (UN), fresh round of airstrikes continued in the strife-torn Eastern Ghouta region in Syria as the death toll touched 800.

At least 24 civilians were killed on Tuesday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The regime forces have intensified their siege of Eastern Ghouta, making it nearly impossible for food or medicine to get into the district and leaving thousands of patients in need of treatment.

Eastern Ghouta, which houses around 400,000 residents, has remained under a crippling regime siege for the last five years with humanitarian access being completely cut off.

In May last year, Russia, Iran and Turkey signed an agreement to set up de-escalation zones, in order to prevent airstrike-related incidents in some parts of Syria.

The de-escalation zones include- Idlib province, some parts of Latakia province, Hama and Aleppo provinces, Homs, Eastern Ghouta, Daraa and al-Quneitra provinces in southern Syria.

Syria has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011. Protesters have been long demanding the resignation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over his autocratic rule.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured after a fellow security personnel opened fire at them in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra on Wednesday.

The incident took place in Etapalli town of the district when the CRPF personnel opened fire amid infighting.

The injured security personnel have been admitted to the Aheri sub-district hospital.

Further details are yet to be ascertained.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
North Korea killed Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother, Kim Jong-nam with the VX nerve agent in February last year, the United States' Department said on Tuesday.

According to the US policy, the chemical is banned under the 'Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991', which was 'openly' used by the North Korean government to kill Jong-nam.

"This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of North Korea and underscores that we cannot afford to tolerate a North Korean WMD (Weapon of Mass Destruction) programme of any kind," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert was quoted by The Hill as saying.

The estranged half-brother of Kim was assassinated after two North Korean women smeared the chemical on his face at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia in February last year. A chemist later determined that traces of the VX nerve agent were found on the two women accused of killing Jong-nam.

The allegations by the US comes as North Korea on Tuesday stated it would be willing to halt its nuclear programme and would engage in a dialogue with the former. It also added that it would not attack South Korea with any nuclear weapons.

Earlier on Tuesday, the two Koreas agreed to hold summit-level talks at the border village of Panmunjom in the heavily guarded Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) in late April.

This comes as South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent his envoys to Pyongyang for two days this week to meet with Kim.

This was the first time South Korean officials met with the North Korean leader in person since he assumed power after his father's death in late 2011.

The move to improve ties between the two Koreas is reportedly aimed at softening or even attempt to convince the US and other countries to withdraw international sanctions and pressure.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Axis Bank fell 0.92% to Rs 512.05 at 11:26 IST on BSE, extending recent losses after the bank issued a clarification on the bourses after market hours yesterday, 6 March 2018.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 137.57 points, or 0.41% to 33,179.63.

On the BSE, 1.07 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far compared with average daily volumes of 2.58 lakh shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 517.25 and a low of Rs 510.55 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 627.50 on 23 January 2018. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 447.80 on 23 October 2017.

Shares of Axis Bank have fallen 7.29% in six trading sessions to its current market price of Rs 512.05, from a close of Rs 552.30 on 26 February 2018.

Regarding a media news captioned, "Axis Bank's Shikha Sharma summoned by SFIO in PNB scam case," Axis Bank clarified that Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) on 6 March 2018 sought information on the accounts of the Nirav Modi & Gitanjali group of companies. Axis Bank's exposure to these entities is about Rs 200 crore, it said. The bank is not the leader of the lending consortium in these groups, it added. Axis Bank further clarified that this does not have any material impact on the bank.

Last month, state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) uncovered fraudulent transactions worth nearly $2 billion from one of its Mumbai branches. The branch staff had given unauthorised, improperly logged letters of understanding to a few select account holders who then used the fake documents to obtain advances abroad from the foreign branches of other Indian banks. Nirav Modi, a diamantaire whose eponymous luxury boutiques span the globe; his uncle Mehul Choksi, owner of Gitanjali Gems, a publicly listed jewellery company; and a third company Chandri Allied Paper & Allied Products, which makes waxes, oil and lubricants, were named alleged beneficiary of the unauthorised transactions.

According to media reports, investigators widened their probe on Tuesday, 6 March 2018, with the government's Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) beginning to call senior executives from Gitanjali's creditor banks for questioning over their loan exposure.

Axis Bank's net profit rose 25.34% to Rs 726.44 crore on 1.29% decline in total income to Rs 14314.63 crore in Q3 December 2017 over Q3 December 2016.

Axis Bank is one of the biggest private sector banks in India.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Asian-listed funds captured 32% of global net inflows during February

Global gold-backed ETFs collectively held 2,393.4 tonnes(t) (US$101.4bn) at the end of February as funds lost 5.1t of gold during the month, says a report by World Gold Council. Flows were negative as the price of gold decreased and its volatility increased. This was reflected by higher trading volumes globally in ETFs and futures.

Global inflows were dominated by Asian-listed funds which added 7.9t (US$318mn, 8.3% AUM) to their holdings during February. Flows across the rest of the globe were negative. European funds, lost 7.3t (US$237.1mn, 57bp AUM), while North American-listed funds had outflows of 5.1t (US$196mn, 37bp AUM). Funds in other regions had marginal outflows of 0.7t (US$28mn, 1.6% AUM).

In Asia, Bosera Gold Exchange Traded Open-End Fund ETF continued its recent growth trend accumulating 7.4t (US$317mn) and growing its assets 207% month-over-month. Its sister funds -the I shares and the D shares - were closed to new money and inflows from investors buying shares through Alipay were directed into the listed fund, which is a reason for the growing inflows*.

In Europe, currency-hedged gold-backed ETFs continue to dominate inflows. Xtrackers Physical Gold ETC EUR added 6.8t (US$290mn, 41% AUM). Gold Bullion Securities, in London, led European outflows, losing 8.1t (US$ 344mn, 8.6% AUM).

iShares Gold Trust led North American inflows as it added 4.7t (US$205mn, 1.8% AUM). SPDR Gold Shares led global outflows, losing 10.3t (US$425mn, 1.2% AUM).

*Holdings for the I and D shares were updated quarterly and were rolled over for the month of February.

Global gold-backed funds added 25.3t of gold over the first two months of the year:

Through the first two months of the year, Asian funds grew assets by 10%, while European-listed funds had outflows, with both regions reversing their 2017 trends. Elsewhere, iShares Gold Trust accounted for 47% of global net inflows.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Minister of State for External Affairs Mr. M J Akbar said today that India is committed to extending every support to Indian industry's focused efforts to increase investments in European countries. Mr. Akbar said that India is assiduously furthering the global goal of shared prosperity.

The radical reforms that were introduced by the Government of India some four years ago under the leadership of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi have delivered robust results, said Mr Akbar, while highlighting the government programmes that contributed to the socio-economic transformation of the country. He cited how interventions in the areas of micro-finance and housing have strengthened the participation of women in development endeavours.

Pointing to the threat of terrorism confronting global societies, Mr. Akbar said that India and Europe have come together to fight the war against terrorism and make the world a peaceful place to live in.

Mr.

Tomas Huner, Minister of Industry and Trade, Czech Republic, said that India is one among ten most important non-European trade partners of Czech Republic. He underlined the immense scope for bilateral partnerships in the area of energy development.

Mr. Huner highlighted the core strengths of the Czech Republic, such as a highly qualified domestic workforce, investment protection laws, among others, as factors that would attract Indian investments to the country.

Mr. Camelo Abela, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion, Malta, urged Indian industry to increase their investments in Malta and enjoy the benefit of easier access to the European and African markets. "Malta is open for business," he said, and referred to pharma manufacturing, education, healthcare, consultancy, renewal energy, financial services, events, biotechnology research, knowledge-based industries among other sectors that would be particularly attractive for investments by Indian companies. Mr Abela also mentioned about Malta being a global film production hub.

Mr. Sandip Somany, Senior Vice President, FICCI, said there is significant scope for increasing the India-Europe 29 bilateral trade flows that stood at $38 billion in 2016-17. Cumulative bi-directional India-E29 investments of $16 billion in 13 years is "miniscule" when viewed against the unexplored opportunities for expanding bilateral trade flows. He also pointed to the need for strengthening India-E29 partnerships involving small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will not insist on Aadhaar-only identification for NEET and other all-India examinations.

A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, said this while referring to an earlier order by which the government had undertaken that it will not insist on Aadhaar-only identification till the top court decides on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar.

The court said that CBSE will upload the necessary information on their website so that students are not affected.

Besides Chief Justice Misra, other judges on the constitution bench are Justice A.K. Sikri, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, Justic D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Ashok Bhushan.

The court order came on a plea by a Gujarat resident Abid Ali Yusuf Bhai Patel who has challenged the CBSE circular mandating Aadhaar-only identity for those appearing for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) examination for undergraduate medical courses: MBBS and Bachelor of Dental Surgery.

Abid Ali Yusuf Bhai Patel's niece is a NEET aspirant and the last date of filing the form is Friday (March 9).

Besides Aadhaar, the candidates for NEET exams can furnish their passport, voter ID or driving licence, or ration card or give their bank account number as proof of identity.

Explaining the rationale behind CBSE asking for identity for enrolment of students appearing for NEET or other all-India examination, Attorney General K.K. Venugopal said it was to curb large-scale impersonation.

However, the Attorney General said the students, who intended to register for NEET examination and any other all-India examination, need not necessarily produce the Aadhar number for the present.

They may be asked to produce any alternative identification number, such as ration card, passport, voter ID, driving licence or bank account, AG said.

The Unique Identification Authority of India told the bench that it has not asked the Central Board of Secondary Education to insist on Aadhaar for student aspiring to appear for under-graduate entrance examinations.

The hearing saw Justice Chandrachud telling the Centre that the deadline on linking of Aadhaar with various schemes including bank accounts, Income Tax Returns concerned the entire financial system and people could not live in uncertainty over extension of deadline.

"You cannot wait till March 27 to extend the deadline," Justice Chandrachud said suggesting that it can be done on March 14.

At this, Justice Sikri said that since "his brother judge (Justice Chandrachud)" has unwittingly mentioned March 14, the extension of deadline would be done on that day only.

Appearing for Congress Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh, who has challenged the introduction of the Aadhaar Bill, 2016 (now an Act), as Money Bill, senior counsel P. Chidambaram told the bench that Article 110 of the constitution defines a Money Bill and spells the category of legislations that can be introduced as Money Bill.

Aadhaar Act, 2016, as it is commonly known as, is 'The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016.

Chidambaram told the court that only those bills meeting the requirements specified under sub-clause (a) to (f) of clause (1) of Article 110 of the constitution can be introduced as Money Bill.

He also referred to Article 110(1)(e) which says that any matter which is incidental to any of the matters specified in sub-clauses (a) to (f) too can be introduced as Money Bill.

Telling the court that Aadhaar Bill does not meet the requirements specified under sub-clause (a) to (f) and is not incidental to them, Chidambaram said that Money Bill derogates the powers of Rajya Sabha to vote on it and can only make recommendation which Lok Sabha may or may not accept.

Addressing the contention that Speaker's decision to allow a bill to be introduced as Money Bill could not be questioned in the courts, Chidambaram took the court through various provisions of the constitution to assert that the top court can always examine the correctness of a decision by the Speaker.

Chidambaram will continue with his arguments on March 13.

--IANS

pk/qd/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Incumbent President Bidhya Devi Bhandari will be re-elected as Nepal's Head of State as the ruling party CPN-UML has decided to back her candidacy for the post.

The election for the post of President will be held on March 13. Bhandari filed her nomination on behalf of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and CPN (Maoist Centre). Nepali Congress's Laxmi Rai also filed candidacy for the top post.

A meeting of the party's standing committee on Tuesday night decided to field Bhandari ahead of another senior leader Jhalanath Khanal as its presidential candidate. Bhandari is considered close to Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.

The election for the presidential post will take place on the basis of the electoral college votes. As per calculations, with the Left alliance having majority at local, provincial and federal levels, Bhandari has support of 33,000 electoral college votes.

Nepali Congress's Rai has backing of 11,000 electoral college votes. Two Madhes-based parties, Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal were likely to vote for Bhandari.

Bhandari was elected to the top post on October 29, 2015, a month after the promulgation of the new Constitution.

The election of the Vice President will take place after the presidential poll.

--IANS

giri/soni/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a setback to the NDA in Bihar, Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan's son-in-law and Dalit Sena President Anil Kumar Sadhu joined the opposition RJD on Wednesday.

Sadhu, who was also a LJP leader, directly attacked his father-in-law and Lok Janshakti Party chief Paswan for compromising with the party's principles and policies and of surrendering to the RSS for personal gains.

After former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) joined the Grand Alliance of RJD and Congress, Sadhu has given a fresh jolt to the BJP-Janata Dal-United alliance.

"Violence against Dalits in Bihar and across the country have increased in the last few months but Paswan and his son Chirag Paswan, who is Working President of LIP, are silent over the issue. Why both have not spoken so far if they are Dalit leaders?" Sadhu asked.

Sadhu unsuccessfully contested the 2015 Bihar Assembly polls. He praised RJD chief Lalu Prasad and described him a hero of social justice.

The LJP is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Leader of the Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, welcomed Sadhu's decision to join his party, the RJD. "NDA leaders committed to the cause of marginalized are joining the RJD now," he said.

--IANS

ik/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a bill that proposes establishment of commercial courts at district level under the jurisdiction of Madras, Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay and Himachal Pradesh high courts.

The proposed bill amends a law on arbitration for speedy settlement of business disputes as part of the government's efforts to further improve India's Ease of Doing Business ranking. It also recommends to bring down the specified value of a commercial dispute to Rs 3 lakh from the present Rs 1 crore.

The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2018 was cleared in a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

The proposed bill will now be introduced in Parliament before being enacted as law.

The original Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Act, 2015 allowed the establishment of commercial courts at district levels in all jurisdictions except under the five high courts.

"The amendment provides for establishment of commercial courts at district Judge level for the territories over which respective High Courts have ordinary original civil jurisdiction in the cities of Madras, Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay and Himachal Pradesh."

These High Courts have original ordinary civil jurisdiction, meaning they can transfer to itself any civil case pending in a subordinate court and try the case by itself. In such territories, there are no commercial courts at district level and instead commercial divisions were constituted in each of these High Courts.

The proposed bill seeks to bring down the time taken (presently 1,445 days) in resolution of commercial disputes and "thus further improve India's ranking in the Ease of Doing Business", an official statement said.

The state governments in such territories may by notification specify such pecuniary value of commercial disputes to be adjudicated at the district level, which shall "not be less than Rs 3 lakh and not more than the pecuniary jurisdiction of the district court", according to objectives of the bill.

The introduction of the pre-institution mediation process in cases where no urgent or interim relief is contemplated will provide an opportunity to the parties to resolve the commercial disputes outside the ambit of the courts.

This "will also help in reinforcing investor's confidence in the resolution of commercial disputes", the statement said.

The statement said the amendments were being introduced in the backdrop of considerable increase in commercial activities and consequent steep rise in number of commercial disputes at domestic and international level.

"Increase of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and overseas commercial transactions have contributed to a significant increase of commercial disputes."

India jumped 30 positions and reached 100th ranked country in terms of Ease of Doing Business amongst 190 countries in the World Bank rating released on October 31, 2017.

--IANS

sar/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday reiterated that the Centre has a moral responsibility to fulfil the promises made to his state in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament.

Naidu was responding to the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address in the assembly.

Amid speculation that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) would break away from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over non-fulfilment of the demand of grant of Special Category Status (SCS), Naidu attacked the Centre but did not announce any major political decision.

Grant of special status to a state brings more central assistance for developmental works along with incentives for its industrial promotion.

In his more than two-and-half-hour statement, he listed all the assurances pending implementation by the Centre and said the state would have progressed more had there been cooperation from the central government as promised.

The Chief Minister asserted that he would not compromise on the interests of the state and that the fight to mount pressure on the Centre would continue.

Naidu denied the charge that Utilisation Certificates (UCs) were not provided for the funds released by the Centre for various schemes and projects.

He said UCs were furnished for all the funds, except for some heads under the Polavaram Multipurpose Irrigation Project, which did not require UCs.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Naidu said: "During the 2014 election campaign, Modi had assured that if voted to power, the BJP would grant special category status to AP for 10 years, as against five years assured by the previous UPA government. Why has he forgotten his promise after becoming Prime Minister?"

He also accused the Congress party of killing the mother (undivided Andhra Pradesh) to give birth to a baby (Telangana).

Naidu explained to the assembly that he had accepted the Centre's offer of special economic assistance package in lieu of Special Category Status in September 2016, as the Centre had promised to extend all the benefits of special status through the package.

"But, we have got virtually nothing under the package in the one-and-half years. On the other hand, the Centre has extended certain benefits to the already existing Special Category States like reimbursement of CGST and IGST, besides 90 per cent grant for externally-aided projects for a period of 10 years," he said.

Interestingly, the BJP legislators adopted a soft approach towards Naidu, assuring him that they would take up with the Centre the pending issues.

Vishnu Kumar Raju of the BJP assured Naidu that he would impress upon the Centre to give the state what is due to it.

"My wife also questions me why the Centre is not granting special status to Andhra," he told the assembly.

Responding to Chandrababu Naidu's mention that the Centre had issued orders for extension of tax reimbursement under the special status clause to northeastern states, Raju said the order pertained to old dues and was not prospective in effect.

--IANS

str/nir/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Wednesday said China's actions on human rights did not match its words and the level of respect for basic liberties remained low in the country.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein presented his annual report on human rights in the world to the UN Human Rights Council, criticising the situation in China in the report, Efe news reported.

"President Xi Jinping has called for 'people-centred development for win-win outcomes as part of a community of shared future for mankind', a commendable ambition. Sadly, China's global ambitions on human rights are seemingly not mirrored by its record at home," Hussein said.

"My office continues to receive urgent appeals regarding arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, ill-treatment and discrimination, emanating from human rights defenders, lawyers, legislators, booksellers, and members of communities such as Tibetans and Uyghurs," he added.

Hussein said many of the cases involved people fighting against economic, social and cultural injustices such as corruption, illegal seizure of land and forced evictions or destruction of cultural sites.

--IANS

soni/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) on Wednesday condemned the attacks on Left activists and offices in Tripura allegedly by rightwing "hooligans" after the BJP took power in the state.

In a statement, the CITU alleged that the BJP had aligned with separatist forces and used money and muscle power to win the Tripura Assembly elections.

It said the ruling party had now "unleashed a reign of terror on members and supporters of the Left parties and CITU, attacking their houses and offices throughout the state".

The statement said hundreds of people were injured in attacks on 1,500 houses and hundreds of offices of Left and Left-affiliated groups.

"These attacks ... again demonstrate the utter contempt of the RSS and the BJP for democracy and democratic institutions. They expose the anti-national character of these organisations which had no qualms in joining the separatist forces to come to power."

--IANS

sar/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mexico's Club America hammered Panama's Tauro FC 4-0 at home at the Azteca Stadium to put one foot in the CONCACAF Champions League semi-finals.

In the first leg of the quarter-final encounter here on Tuesday evening, American Joe Corona opened the scoring in the 19th minute and Henry Martin scored the second goal in the 71st minute before Cecilio Dominguez and Andres Ibarguen extended the lead in the 79th and 81st minutes, reports Efe news agency.

It was a hard-fought match for Club America, although they notched up three goals late in the second half.

Corona got a bounding ball just outside the penalty area and smashed a powerful left-footed shot that sailed inside the net.

Club America had most of the possession throughout the match while Tauro defended in their half, making attacks when they could.

The hosts moved better across the ground and penetrated the Tauro defence on many occasions, but it was Tauro's Jose Tamburelli who had the first shot on goal from outside the area, saved by Club America keeper Agustin Marchesin.

Club America reacted with a spectacular goal by Corona, making Tauro close ranks afterward.

Club America were unable to break through for a long time, with the Panamanian club coming close to equalising towards the end of the first half.

The second half followed the same script until the 70th minute when Ecuadorian Andres Ibarguen crossed from outside the penalty area to Henry Martin, who headed it in.

Soon after, Dominguez and Ibarguen scored from inside the box to stretch the lead.

Club America have a four-goal advantage going into the second leg, to be held on March 14 at the Rommel Fernandez Stadium in Panama City.

--IANS

ajb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The police on Wednesday extended curfew for the third consecutive day in Sri Lanka's central district of Kandy after Buddhists and Muslims clashed on the streets resulting in two deaths and injuries to several people.

Clashes erupted on Sunday in the central part of the country leading to the deaths, torching of around 20 shops and a dozen arrests, after a Buddhist man was reportedly killed by a group of Muslims.

Police spokesman S.P. Ruwan Gunasekera told Xinhua news agency that the curfew, which was imposed on Sunday night, had been extended until further notice as several violent incidents had been reported from across Kandy district.

Eye witnesses on the ground said the police were forced to fire in the air on Tuesday night to disperse mobs who took to the streets, defying the curfew and state of emergency.

Gunasekera said tight security remained in place and special police teams had also been dispatched to Kandy.

"There is a heavy presence of police, special forces and the Army on ground. There have been several incidents which is why the curfew has been re-imposed," Gunasekera said.

So far, police have arrested more than seven individuals involved in triggering the clashes on Tuesday night.

Businesses and schools across the district remained shut.

Due to the escalation of violence, President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday declared a 10-day, nationwide state of emergency, the first since the country ended a civil war in 2009.

In a nationwide address, Sirisena appealed for calm and peace and warned of "stern action" against anyone spreading violence and rumours with the intention of provoking communal violence.

Several ministers also visited Kandy, urging people to refrain from violence and maintain law and order.

Violent clashes erupted in Digana town in Kandy on Sunday night after the death of a Buddhist in Teldeniya, who was killed when he clashed with four Muslims on February 22.

Gunasekara said 24 people had been arrested over the killing so far. Out of the 24, 10 were directly involved in the killing of the victim while 14 people were arrested on suspicion.

The body of a 28-year-old Muslim man was also recovered in Kandy province. His house was allegedly set on fire by Buddhist radicals. The man got trapped inside the house after helping his parents escape the fire.

--IANS

soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday extended till March 18 the deadline for the competition to design a logo and tagline for the Ayushman Bharat programme.

"The competition was launched on February 19 and will now conclude on March 18," the ministry said in a statement.

"This shall be done through a 'digital crowd sourcing campaign' on MyGov portal," it said.

The Ayushman Bharat programme is the world's largest government-funded health programme that includes the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS), under which 10 crore poor families will be provided medical coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year.

Apart from the financial protection for medical emergencies, the Ayushman Bharat programme announced in the General Budget last month aims to strengthen primary, secondary and tertiary health care system in the country.

"The main aim of the competition is to generate awareness among the population about these health sector initiatives and engage them towards ownership in shaping a healthy India," the Ministry said.

The theme of the logo is 'Ayushman Bharat' and guiding principle is 'Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah' (May all be happy, May all be healthy). People can submit either digital logo or a handmade design on the digital platform, it said.

The award prizes are Rs 25,000 and Rs 10,000 for the first and the second positions, respectively. The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare would hand over the prizes in a live streaming event on MyGov and other social media portals, it added.

--IANS

mgu/nks/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday called for patience on the progress of peace talks without any pre-conditions following his proposal to insurgent groups a week ago.

Ghani said it was normal for some people to have doubts over his peace call after four decades of war led to enmity and hatred.

"To reach this goal, we should be patient and not let the enemy take the initiative in their own hands," Ghani said during the Afghan Parliament's opening ceremony.

"Despite efforts by the government for peace, the enemies of peace -- those who seek their interests in prolonging war and crisis -- will oppose it," Ghani was cited as saying by Efe news.

On February 28, Ghani offered the Taliban political recognition and talks without pre-conditions as part of a proposal to start negotiations to end the conflict.

Ghani's announcement came after the insurgent group on February 26 proposed a direct dialogue with the US, the first offer of its kind by the militants, who refused to talk with the Afghan government and the US for years.

A Taliban splinter group led by Mullah Rasul accepted the Ghani proposal with conditions, asking that the negotiations be between Afghans and with no "foreign invaders" present in the country.

Afghanistan is going through one of its bloodiest phases since the end of the NATO combat mission in 2015.

--IANS

soni/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Haryana government has proposed a pension scheme for widowers in the state, it was announced on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Kumar Bedi said the government was contemplating a pension scheme for widowers on the pattern of widow pension.

The matter is with the Finance Department and under consideration, Bedi told the Haryana Assembly.

He said widowers above 45 years of age, who have children and have not remarried, would be eligible under the pension scheme.

--IANS

js/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved several agreements to boost people-to-people contact between India and France, which are likely to be signed during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron from March 9 to 12.

The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved signing of four agreements between India and France on migration of people, recognition of academic qualifications, prevention of illicit consumption and traffic in narcotic drugs, and cooperation on

"The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the signing of Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between India and France," said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement.

The agreement is expected to be signed during the forthcoming visit of the French President to India, it added.

"The Agreement represents a major milestone in enhancing people-to-people contacts, fostering mobility of students, academics, researchers and skilled professionals and strengthening cooperation on issues related to irregular migration and human trafficking between the two sides," said the Ministry.

The agreement, initially valid for seven years with a provision for automatic renewal, is a testimony to India's rapidly expanding multi-faceted relationship with France and symbolizes the increasing trust and confidence between the two sides, said the statement.

The Cabinet also approved the signing of a deal between India and France to facilitate Mutual Recognition of Educational Qualifications and periods of study undertaken by students in recognised and accredited educational institutions in the two countries.

"The signing of the agreement will help in deepening the educational ties between India and France and will go a long way in boosting the educational relationship between the two countries," said an official statement from the Cabinet.

The deal will be instrumental in encouraging mobility of students from both the countries by facilitating possibilities for them to continue their studies in the other country and would also promote excellence in higher education through partnerships and joint research activities.

The Cabinet further approved an agreement between India and France on the Prevention of the Illicit Consumption and Reduction of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Chemical Precursors, and related offences.

This agreement covers exchange of information, expertise and capacity building. Establishment of effective institutional interaction and curbing transnational narcotics trafficking including disruption of terrorist financing structures is also covered in it.

President Macron and Prime Minister Modi are also likely to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of The Cabinet cleared another agreement that aims to establish and promote closer and long-term cooperation between the countries in the field of protection and management of natural resources.

"The Memorandum of Cooperation is expected to bring in the latest technologies and best practices suited to bringing about better environment protection, better conservation, better management of climate change and wildlife protection/conservation," said another official statement.

--IANS

mgu/qd/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The much-loved Jahan-e-Khusrau World Sufi Music Festival is all set to return to the capital for its 13th edition. Founded by film maker and culture aficionado Muzaffar Ali, the festival has universal love at its core and attempts to bridge the gap between varied cultures across the globe.

The festival will be held from March 9 to 11 at Arab Ki Sarai, Humayun Tomb Monuments in the capital.

This year Jahan-e-Khusrau will stage a unique two-part ballet -- "Yamuna: Dariya Prem Ka". The ballet is dedicated to sensitising the world about the ecological damage to our water resources through the moving story of the river Yamuna.

The organisers said that the ballet, directed by Muzaffar Ali, connects our faith with our delicate ecology. "It aims to motivate today's youth and draw their attention to those environmental concerns that have been so integral to our faith and culture since the dawn of civilization," the organisers said.

The festival will witness the ballet on the opening and closing days with a new phase of the Yamuna unfolding its myth, her relevance today and the Sufi tribute to Krishna and his beloved river.

This year the festival will also showcase artists like Malini Awasthi, Shubha Mudgal, Hans Raj Hans and Kailash Kher, among others. They will be joined by an international music ensemble with poetry recitation by Murad Ali and a group from Iran, to name a few.

"When there is harmony in the soul, there is harmony in words and that is the poetry of life. When I dream beauty I see poetry through music," Muzaffar Ali said in a statement.

The festival is patronised and supported by the Government of Delhi and Incredible India, among other partners.

Founded in 2001 as a three-day event in association with the Delhi Government and Ministries of Tourism and Culture, Government of India, ICCR and other sponsors Jahan-e-Khusrau came under the aegis of the Rumi Foundation in 2005. It has become a unique event for the city of Delhi, held in the ruins of Arab Ki Sarai adjacent to Humayun's Tomb.

These three mystical nights bring together musicians from different parts of India, the subcontinent and the world to perform in a seamless cinematic fashion.

--IANS

ss/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Facing threats from ally TDP, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday ruled out granting Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh but said the government was ready to give monetary equivalent of the same in the form of a special package.

The Telugu Desam Party has threatened to quit the NDA alliance if the state is not granted the special status as was promised when the state was bifurcated in 2014.

"Government is ready to give monetary equivalent of the special status to Andhra Pradesh. Instead of calling it special status, we're calling it a special package," Jaitley told media persons.

He said that while special status states as a concept did exist when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated but after the implementation of the 14th Finance Commission recommendations the status was constitutionally restricted to the North-East and three hilly states.

Notwithstanding that, Jaitley said that since Andhra Pradesh "had suffered" after its bifurcation, it needed financial assistance which his government was committed to provide.

He said the state will get monetary equivalent of what they would be entitled to under the special status.

For Special Category States, the expenses for the centrally sponsored schemes are shared in the 90-10 ratio between the Central government and the state government as opposed to 60-40 ratio in case of other states.

Jaitley said the only facility that Special Category States now enjoyed was this 30 per cent advantage which could be calculated in monetary terms and given to the state.

The Finance Minister said that Andhra Pradesh earlier wanted those funds via externally aided programmes mechanism, but now wanted it to be routed through National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard).

"We're open to that as well but a method has to be evolved wherein it doesn't affect the fiscal deficit of either state or Centre," he said.

Jaitley said the government had repeatedly said it was willing to give the monetary equivalent of the special status to the state and was waiting for the Andhra Pradesh government's response.

Asked about meeting revenue-deficit of the state, the Finance Minister said the central government had already paid Rs 4,000 crore.

"Only Rs 138 crore is the balance."

--IANS

vv/vsc/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, Chief of Joint Staff, Japan Self Defence Forces (JSDF), interacted with officers of the Indian Army's Eastern Command during a two-day visit here that ended on Wednesday.

Admiral Kawano, who arrived here on Tuesday along with a delegation of five JSDF officers, met Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Abhay Krishna at the Eastern Command Headquarters Fort William.

The two General officers stressed upon the recognition of bilateral strategic partnership and broad-based cooperation in defence and security fields. They also discussed the current dynamics in South East Asia.

Lt Gen Krishna presented Admiral Kawano a memento to commemorate the first of such visits by the JSDF's Joint Staff chief.

The visit is part of the bilateral tours as agreed during the visit of the Indian Defence Minister to Japan last September under the framework of "India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership".

Admiral Kawano also visited the historic Eastern Command Museum and Library at Fort William.

--IANS

ssp/him/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The CBI special court here on Wednesday discharged Catholic priest Jose Poothrikkayil, one of the accused in the 1992 murder of Sister Abhaya.

The court, however, did not discharge the other two accused -- priest Thomas M. Kottur and a nun, Seffi. Their discharge petitions were dismissed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court.

Sister Abhaya, a resident of Pius X convent in Kottayam in Kerala, was found dead in the well of the convent on March 27, 1992.

Initially, both the Crime Branch and CBI termed the death a suicide but activist Joemon Puthenpurackal formed an Action Council and was pursuing the case.

The turnaround happened after Puthenpurackal, managed to get the case reopenedand and following this, the CBI cracked it.

On November 19, 2008, the CBI arrested the three accused, who included Poothrikkayil, a former Malayalam professor at the Kottayam college where Abhaya studied; Kottor, the Diocesan chancellor of the Catholic Church at Kottayam and Seffi, a resident of the convent when the incident took place.

On January 1, 2009, the three accused got bail.

Puthenpurackal, who was present at the CBI court to hear the verdict said it appears the CBI officials failed to do their job cleanly and managed to give the escape route to Poothrikkayil.

"The onus is now on the CBI to file a revision petition against this verdict. In case they fail to do it, I will be forced to take up that," said Puthenpurackal.

On March 28, the court will read out the chargesheet in the case to the accused and the trial is expected to start soon.

--IANS

sg/pgh/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UN Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman is to visit the Sri Lankan city of Kandy, at the centre of incidents of communal violence. He will meet religious leaders there this week, a UN spokesperson said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is concerned by reports of communal violence in Sri Lanka and is urging dialogue to solve the differences, his Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday while announcing the visit.

The visit by Feltman, who is in-charge of Political Affairs at the UN, starts on Friday and it is "part of ongoing UN engagement with Sri Lanka", Dujarric said.

During the three-day visit, Feltman is also expected to meet Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and representatives of political parties and civil society groups, he said.

"We're obviously concerned over the reports of the ongoing communal violence, and we welcome the government's commitment to addressing the tensions and achieve reconciliation," Dujarric said. "We urge all Sri Lankans to resolve their differences through dialogue."

On Tuesday, Maithripala Sirisena declared a 10-day state of Emergency after communal clashes involving Buddhists and Muslims erupted in Kandy district.

The violence flared up on Sunday after the funeral of a Sinhala Buddhist truck driver who died after a confrontation involving Muslims, according to officials.

One Muslim man was reportedly killed when Sinhala mobs attacked Muslim houses and businesses, setting some on fire.

The government has deployed police and military forces to patrol potential trouble spots to prevent violence.

In February in another incident, five persons were injured and several shops and a mosque damaged in a clash involving the same communities in Ampara in eastern Sri Lanka.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)

--IANS

al/in

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Lok Sabha was adjourned abruptly on Wednesday amid protests by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) over special category status for Andhra Pradesh, among other demands.

Minutes after the House assembled for the day, opposition members holding placards and raising slogans approached Speaker Sumitra Mahajan's podium.

Despite repeated request for them to calm down, when Mahajan was unable to run the proceedings, she adjourned the House.

Earlier, the TDP MPs had staged protests near the Mahatma Gandhi statue.--IANS

umer-mg/in/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The already strong ties between India and France are set to deepen further when French President Emmanuel Macron comes on a four-day visit to India starting on Friday during the course of which he will also co-chair the founding conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral summit with Macron on Saturday following which several agreements across various sectors are expected to be signed.

On Sunday, the two leaders will co-chair the founding conference of the India-initiated ISA which was launched by Modi and then French President Francois Hollande during the Paris climate summit in 2015.

French sources here said on Wednesday said that the two countries' partnership on the climate change front, the Strategic Partnership they share, and people-to-people ties will be the three key aspects in terms of bilateral relations during the visit.

Macron, it is learnt, has been preparing for long for the visit, which will be his first ever to India, and it has been in the works ever since Modi, during his visit to Paris in June 2017, extended an invitation.

Modi's visit itself was unexpected and was planned at very short notice -- he had made a state visit to France in 2015 -- and unusual in terms of the European nation's protocol but was highly appreciated by the French side more so because this meeting, the first between the two leaders, came less than a month after Macron assumed office.

The meeting also came about just 10 days after US President Donald Trump announced that his country would pull out of the Paris climate agreement.

It was under such circumstances that the Indian leader extended his invitation and it was decided that when Macron visits India, it would not be limited to the bilateral aspect but should have a much larger connotation. Hence, the founding conference of the ISA.

According to the sources, France and India are keen to cooperate much more in the areas climate change, solar power and clean and renewable energy.

On Monday, the last the day of his trip, Macron will inaugurate Uttar Pradesh's largest solar power plant at Mirzapur near Varanasi made by the French company, Engie Solar.

Macron's visit also comes on the 20th anniversary of the India-France relationship being elevated to that of a Strategic Partnership. It was in 1998 that this elevation was made and India is France's first Strategic Partnership in the region.

According to the sources, the Strategic Partnership is not just about two key words as France sees India as a global partner and not as a regional partner.

France played a "decisive" role in India's accession to three of the four export control regimes -- the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group -- and is openly supporting India's membership in the fourth, the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

The fight against terrorism and the security challenges the two countries face form an important aspect of the Strategic Partnership and these are expected to come up in Saturday's discussions.

In terms of maritime cooperation, the two countries are working together for peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region.

Though France is not against the recently revived quad of India, the US, Japan and Australia that seeks to work for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, Paris would rather like to work with New Delhi bilaterally in the Indian Ocean region given that there around two million French citizens in its territories in the region.

Space cooperation is another aspect of the Strategic Partnership and Macron's visit is expected to add momentum to this, according to the sources.

People-to-people ties will also be under focus and over 250 academics from the two countries will attend a two-day seminar during the course of the French President's visit.

There are around 5,000 Indian students in French universities and Macron, the sources said, is looking forward to a town hall interaction with Indian youth scheduled for Saturday here.

Trade between the two countries will also come up for discussion. Bilateral trade between the two sides reached $10.95 billion in 2016-17, and, according to the sources, this rose by a further 20 per cent in the last one year.

During the presidential visit, an India-France CEOs Forum will also be held which will be attended by around 40 CEOs each from both sides.

The ISA founding conference on Sunday is expected to be attended by 55 countries of which 25 are expected to be represented at head of state or head of government level.

According to the sources, with access to solar technology being extremely difficult, there will be a clear expression of the needs of the smaller countries during the conference.

--IANS

ab/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the pan-India expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) programme from here on Thursday to mark International Women's Day.

BBBP, which was launched by Modi in 2015 at Panipat in Haryana, currently exists in 161 districts and will be taken to 640 more.

Recently, Jhunjhunu attained a remarkable achievement from having the worst sex ratio at birth among Rajasthan districts to attaining minimum gender gap.

According to the 2011 census, the ratio was 837 girls per 1,000 boys. After seven years, the sex ratio is 955 girls per 1,000 boys.

As Jhujhunu has led from the front in converting BBBP campaign into a revolution, the scheme is being expanded, from this small town which has scripted a success story to nationwide, said Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Wednesday.

Raje, who was here to review final arrangements to accord a warm welcome to Modi, met several girl students and requested them to participate in Thursday's event in big numbers.

A Women and Child Development Ministry statement said: "The Prime Minister will interact with beneficiary mothers and girl children and will distribute certificates to best performing districts under BBBP programme."

It added that Modi will also launch the National Nutrition Mission ICDS Common Application Software nationwide on Thursday.

This mission strives to reduce under-nutrition and low birth weight, bring down anaemia among young children, women and adolescent girls and to reduce the prevalence of stunting among children.

--IANS

som/arc/him/dg

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Pacific Rim Uprising", a sequel to the 2013 film "Pacific Rim", is set to release in India on March 23.

"Pacific Rim Uprising", to be brought to the country by Universal Pictures India, will hit the screens in four languages and multiple formats - English in 2D, 3D, 4DX & IMAX 3D format, and in 2D and 3D format in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, read a statement.

The film, starring John Boyega and Scott Eastwood, is directed by Steven S. DeKnight.

DeKnight said: "I was thrilled when I found out that John was interested. I met with him, and we were both very excited about the possibilities of what we could do with the franchise. He is a classic hero, but can play the hero and the anti-hero at the same time."

"Jake Pentecost (Boyega's character) starts out as a thief and ends up saving the world. John has all the qualities you would want for that type of role; he is charming, smart and funny. He brings a real Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones quality to the character."

Set in 2035, 10 years after Stacker Pentecost (actor Idris Alba from "Pacific Rim") gave his life to secure humanity's victory against the monstrous "Kaiju", his rebellious son Jake Pentecost abandons his training only to become caught up in a criminal underworld.

But when an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to tear through cities and bring the world to its knees, he is given one last chance to live up to his father's legacy by his estranged sister, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) - who is leading a brave new generation of pilots that have grown up in the shadow of war.

As they seek justice for the fallen, their only hope is to unite together in a global uprising against the forces of extinction.

--IANS

nn/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who left from Mumbai in the wee bours of Wednesday for treatment at a US hospital, is reportedly suffering from an advanced stage of pancreatic cancer.

Sources in Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital and outside, and Goa Medical College and Hospital -- the two health facilities where where the former Defence Minister was admitted since February 15 -- have confirmed the cancer.

Meanwhile, both ruling and opposition political parties in the State have demanded that the government should make a formal statement on the health of the Chief Minister, who has landed in New York and has been taken to a specialist health facility there.

"It's at quite an advanced stage", said a source who declined to be identified, adding that there was "probable metastasis", meaning it may have spread.

On February 18, some media reports had mentioned that the chief minister was suffering from advanced stage IV of pancreatic cancer. The hospital had denied this.

Lilavati Hospital had said in a statement: "It has been brought to our notice, various malicious and misleading reports/rumours are floating around in the electronic/print media with regards to the health of the Chief Minister of Goa. We categorically deny all such rumours. We reiterate that Chief Minister of Goa is being treated and is responding well to the treatment."

Parrikar was discharged from Lilavati Hospital late on Tuesday.

"He is diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer of the pancreas... He has already been administered one round of chemotherapy when he was admitted to Lilavati Hospital," sources at the Goa hospital said.

Parrikar had complained of stomach pain on February 14 and was rushed to the GMCH and later flown to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai the following day, which was then attributed to "food-poisoning".

Soon after he was admitted to the Mumbai hospital, the Goa Chief Minister's Office steadfastly maintained that Parrikar was suffering from "mild pancreatitis" and he was expected to be discharged shortly.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken time off to call on Parrikar at the hospital late on February 18, when he was in the city on a daylong visit. Earlier, the Union Home Minister and others had enquired after the chief minister's health and wishing him speedy recovery.

Sighs of relief were heaved when Parrikar returned to Goa on February 22 to deliver a truncated annual budget speech, but alarms bells sounded when he was again hospitalised on February 25 at the GMCH, after officials claimed he suffered a bout of "dehydration" and "blood pressure".

When the state Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Sadanand Shet Tanavade was specifically asked on March 4 if the Chief Minister was suffering from cancer, he said: "...we cannot indulge in detailed speculation. It is not right. It is not done to ask about personal life, (it) is a wrong thing."

The BJP state cadre has been organising "Mahamrutyunjay Japs" (death defying-chants) functions and prayer services in Goa's temples and churches, respectively, for the last couple of weeks, which may indicate the severity of the affliction suffered by Parrikar.

The main opposition party in Goa, the Congress, has demanded that Parrikar should come clean on the nature of his illness because he was a public person elected by the people of Goa.

"We have sympathies for Parrikar, but the chief minister should be transparent about his illness. He should be true to the people of Goa who have elected him," state Congress president Shantaram Naik said.

Goa Forward, a ruling alliance party said that the people of Goa should have a clear picture of their chief minister's health.

"We wish the Goa chief minister good health. The Goa Forward supported this government absolutely trusting Manohar Parrikar's leadership. Therefore we are extremely concerned now. The government should either confirm or deny media reports about his health. The people of Goa also should have a clear picture about the chief minister's health," the party's chief spokesperson Trajano D'Mello said.

Aam Aadmi Party general secretary Pradeep Padgaonkar said that before he left for the United States Parrikar should have been fair and transparent to the people of Goa about his affliction.

"He should have told the Goans about what he is suffering from. By not doing so, he has created an atmosphere of distrust and confusion in Goa," Padgaonkar said.

The chief mnister was discharged on March 1 and was recuperating at home, until he flew to the US on Wednesday morning, after being examined at the Lilavati Hospital.

--IANS

maya/qn/hs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over incidents of toppling of statues in various parts of the country post the BJP's victory in Tripura.

Following the talks, the Home Ministry issued advisories to states asking them to take all necessary precautions to prevent such incidents.

"Incidents of toppling of statues have been reported from certain parts of the country. Union Ministry of Home Affairs has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism," an official statement said.

Singh has expressed strong disapproval over such incidents, it said.

"Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law," the statement added.

Violence erupted in various parts of the country, including Tripura and West Bengal, after two statues of Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin were razed by the BJP activists in southern Tripura.

According to an earlier report, an 11.5-feet fibre statue of Lenin was brought down with a bulldozer by the Bharatiya Janata Party activists in Belonia on Monday.

Rajnath Singh had on Tuesday spoken to Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy and state Police chief Akhil Kumar Shukla, requesting them to take steps to control the violence, ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the new BJP government.

Late on Tuesday, two persons were arrested in Tamil Nadu's Vellore district for vandalising statue of rationalist movement founder E.V. Ramasamy or Periyar.

--IANS

bns/in/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the continuation of a scheme for providing monthly pension to freedom fighters beyond the 12th plan period, up to 2020, an official statement said.

The statement said the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the continuation of Swatantra Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY) during 2017-2020, beyond the 12th Five Year Plan which ended on March 31, 2017.

The approval provides for a monthly Samman Pension to freedom fighters, as a token of respect for their contribution in the national freedom struggle and on their demise, to their eligible dependents -- spouses and thereafter, unmarried and unemployed daughters and dependent parents, as per prescribed eligibility norms and procedure.

The financial implication for continuation of SSSY during 2017-2020 would be Rs 2552.93 crore.

Government had introduced the 'Ex-Andaman Political Prisoners Pension Scheme' in 1969 to honour the freedom fighters who had been incarcerated in the Cellular Jail at Port Blair.

In 1972, to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Independence, a regular scheme for grant of freedom fighters' pension was introduced. Thereafter, with effect from August 1, 1980, a liberalized scheme -- the 'Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980' is being implemented.

From the financial year 2017-18 onwards, the nomenclature of the scheme has been changed as 'Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana'.

Total 1,71,617 freedom fighters and their eligible dependents have been sanctioned the central samman pension so far.

At present 37,356 freedom fighters and their eligible dependent pensioners are covered under this scheme which includes 12,657 freedom fighters and 23,127 dependent spouses and 1,572 daughters.

--IANS

ao/qd/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India pacer Mohammed Shami on Wednesday denied allegations of torturing his wife Hasain Jahan and having extramarital affairs.

"Hi I'm Mohammad Shami. Ye jitna bhi news hamara personal life ke bare may chal raha hai, ye sab sarasar jhut hai, ye koi bahut bada humare khilap sajish hai or ye mujhe badnam karne or mera game kharab karne ka kosis ki ja rahi hai (I deny all that is going on regarding my personal life. This is a conspiracy against me and it is being done to hamper my game)," Shami tweeted.

His wife Hasin Jahan posted screenshots of Shami's alleged WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger conversations with multiple women on her Facebook account.

She also uploaded photos and phone numbers of the women. Hasin Jahan alleged that Shami, 27, and members of his family had even tried to kill her.

"Everyone in their family used to torture me. His mother and brother used to abuse me. The tortures continued till 2-3 a.m. in the morning. They even wanted to kill me," she alleged.

"He even abused me and started beating me. All this continued after he returned from South Africa. He has been doing this for quite some time now and now I have had enough," she said.

"I gave him enough time (to rectify himself) and tried to calm myself down but instead of accepting his own mistakes, he used to vent his anger on me and even threaten me, asking to keep mum for my own goodwill," she added.

Jahan's lawyer Zakir Hussain said she was still hoping Shami would change before taking any legal action.

"She is giving it some time. So we will wait a bit before taking any legal action," Hussain told IANS over phone.

Shami is currently playing in the Deodhar Trophy for India A. The 27-year-old was a vital cog in India's historic victory in Johannesburg, returning with a five-wicket haul.

--IANS

dm/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Shekhar Suman, who featured with Shammi Aunty in the hit sitcom "Dekh Bhai Dekh", says her sudden death has left a void in his life as she was the one who introduced him to Shashi Kapoor who then chose him for "Utsav".

Nargis Rabadi, popularly known as "Shammi Aunty" in the industry, died late on Monday.

"Shammi Aunty passes away and leaves behind a huge void in my life. I don't know what how and where my life would be without her. She is the one who introduced me to Shashi Kapoor who chose me to be the hero of his magnum opus 'Utsav'. I never looked back after that. Goodbye Shammi aunty," Shekhar tweeted.

"I remember Shammi aunty playing my mother-in-law in 'Dekh Bhai Dekh'. Oh we had so much fun. 'Tere moonh me keede tere moonh mein dhool'. Love you. Will miss you forever," he added.

Shammi Aunty's funeral took place at the Oshiwara cemetery, with celebrities like Asha Parekh, Farida Jalal, Boman Irani, Farah Khan, Annu Kapoor and Priya Dutt in attendance.

Even superstar Aamir Khan paid his condolences, saying: "Shammi Aunty's passing away is a sad loss to the film industry and to her fans. My heartfelt condolences to her family and close friends. I have always been a fan of her work and will miss her exuberant presence."

Shammi mostly featured in comic roles. She also starred in films like "Coolie No. 1", "Mardon Wali Baat" and "Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi".

--IANS

dc/rb/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Some top-selling diabetes drugs in India may not be safe for patients, says a team of international experts, according to whom, the country's drug regulatory system allows use of a treatment that has not been found effective or safe.

For their study, published in the British Medical Journal, the researchers used World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for approving metformin fixed-dose combinations (FDC) to assess the efficacy and safety of those top-selling diabetes drugs in India.

"This work is relevant to an active case in the courts in India. We are in the six-month review window ordered by India's Supreme Court right now," lead author Valerie Evans, a biostatistician at University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences in the US, said in a university statement on Tuesday.

The authors pointed out that in March 2016, the Indian government banned more than 300 unapproved FDCs that lacked clinical support or that were found to be potentially harmful.

The ban included different doses of three of the five top-selling metformin FDCs.

But the ban was overturned by the Delhi High Court in December 2016.

The government later appealed this to the Supreme Court and in December 2017 the country's apex court gave the Drugs Technical Advisory Board six months to consider the banned drugs.

"Our examination exposes serious deficiencies in the evidence base for metformin FDCs for Type-2 diabetes and raises questions about the role of multinational corporations in manufacturing these for sale and use," the researchers said in their current paper.

They are urging India's regulatory drug agency, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, to make public its evidence for approving the FDCs now in use, to provide "confidence in their efficacy and safety".

Further, if that evidence does not extend beyond the clinical trials they reviewed, "those FDCs should be banned immediately", the researchers said.

"The Government's 2016 ban on FDCs should be reinstated and a review of FDCs mandated by the Indian Parliament," said senior author Allyson Pollock from Newcastle University in Britain.

FDCs combine two or more drugs in a fixed ratio into a single dose form, usually a tablet or capsule, which is appropriate for some conditions.

FDCs can make medications more convenient and less costly for patients. However, no international treatment guidelines recommend use of FDCs for Type-2 diabetes, because individual monitoring and adjustment of blood sugar is important in the disease, the authors said.

Multinational corporations manufacture all five of India's 500 top-selling FDCs for diabetes, they added.

"We want the medicines that doctors prescribe for their patients to be safe and effective and for that to be supported by sound evidence and by properly conducted, transparent clinical trials," said Evans, who did the research while at the University of Edinburgh in Britain.

--IANS

gb/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Starting and scaling-up a business needs capital. Right capital, be it equity or debt or grant, can often be the critical difference between a successful business and the one that didn't make it. And yet, it looks like too few women are getting this capital.

Reports show that globally, and in India, the percentage of women founders raising venture capital ranges between two and seven per cent. At either end, the number is abysmally low. You might think that for more stable businesses that go for debt funding, things will be better. But even there, the percentage of women getting funded appears to be less than 10 per cent.

Much is being said about the gender biases and the social structures that need to change to ensure more women get funded. All of which helps move the needle. But do you know what really leads to more women getting funded? It is more women getting funded. Success stories are also important because they are the true motivation to the next round of women sitting on the cusp of "should I do this"?

If you are one of those women founders who have decided to take the plunge and are looking to raise funding, Simmi Sareen, CEO and Founder, Loans4SME has some top tips to help you on the journey:

Be optimistic: Study after study has shown that women are too cautious when talking about their future. There are risks to every business but when pitching to investors, focus instead the best-case scenario for your business. Yes, things can and will go wrong but when looking for funding, start with your most optimistic goal. Dream big in your pitch, in your business plan and in your financial model, then figure out the resources to achieve your dreams.

Be prepared: Look beyond the media hype and you will find that most of fundraising is boring stuff like business plans and documents. But this boring stuff is what successful fundings are made of. So even before you head out for that first investor meeting, there is much you can do to set yourself up for success.

The business plan: Create a detailed business plan with a clear understanding of financial data and the revenue/cost/customer numbers you are targeting month on month. I am often surprised by how little understanding entrepreneurs have of their cash flows and how much funding their business actually needs. This is not your accountant's job; understanding the financial data is core to a founder's role.

Research your investors: Just like you are on the lookout for funding, funds need to deploy money they have raised. You just need to find the right ones. After all, there is no point going to a bank for seed funding when they only finance three-year-old companies. Talk to peers, mentors, advisors; get as much information as you can about investors.

Get your documents in order: Because after the investor says yes to the idea, there will be legal and financial diligence. Your financials, tax returns, patents, trademarks, board meeting minutes and a truckload of other documents stand between that termsheet and money in the bank -- so start getting them sorted today.

Be stubborn: Yes, it is hard to hear investors say no or tell you that your idea isn't as great as you think it is. Use all these rejections as an opportunity to get feedback, tweak the idea and get back in there. Eventually, if you can clearly show the investor that your business has the potential for multifold returns, or if you can show a lender that your business has enough cash flows to repay the loan, they will invest in you.

Remember that Lijjat Papad, now a multi-billion enterprise, started with an 80 rupee loan and a lot of guts. Capital helps, but having a great idea and staying the course on execution is what really makes for a successful business.

--IANS

simmi/vm/sac

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seven members of a Left student group were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly damaging a bust of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee at the Keoratola crematorium here, police said.

Six males and a female aged 22-29 years who tried to deface the bust of Mookerjee have been arrested and strong legal action has been initiated against them, police said. "No vandalism will be tolerated," Police Commissioner Rajib Kumar tweeted.

Police said all the seven were members of a far-Left student outfit known as "Radical". Six of them were students of Kolkata's Jadavpur University.

Later, West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Dilip Ghosh condemned the incident.

"Be it people from the Left or any other party, I am warning everyone to refrain from trying to insult leaders and statesmen like Syama Prasad Mookerjee. If anyone tries to do anything like this in future, that would be their last action," he said.

"They will be safe in police custody for now. But when they come out, no one can guarantee what will happen to them," he said.

Ghosh called upon his party workers to gather in front of the vandalized statue at the south Kolkata crematorium on Thursday where the BJP would cleanse Mukherjee's bust with milk.

"We condemn the vandalizing of the statue... Demand very strong action against the culprits," Sayantan Basu, General Secretary of the West Bengal BJP, said in a statement.

The incident came after a statue of Dravidian icon E.V.R. Ramasamy or Periyar was attacked in Tamil Nadu while two statues of Lenin were pulled down in Tripura allegedly by BJP and RSS activists.

--IANS

mgr/nir/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In support of government initiatives like "Make in India", "Digital India", "Smart Cities" and "Start up India", several Taiwan-based Information and Communication Technology (ICT) brands on Wednesday displayed their advanced products at the ongoing Convergence India 2018 expo here.

These products and solutions were felicitated by Taiwan Excellence which honours Taiwan's innovative products that provide value to users worldwide based on outstanding R&D, design, quality, marketing and Made in Taiwan merits.

Taiwan Excellence, which is participating in the three-day expo -- which kicked off at Pragati Maidan on Wednesday -- for the second consecutive time, reiterated its commitment to align with India's digital development mission.

"By participating in Convergence India 2018, we wished to share our expertise in the field of ICT with other Indian as well as global companies. We have been able to build some great partnerships through this expo," Mario Tasi, Deputy Director of the Strategic Marketing Department at Taiwan Excellence, said in a statement.

Among the featured brands during Convergence India 2018 are gaming products manufacturer MSI, laptop maker ASUS, GIGAbyte that supplies motherboards, graphic cards and computer notebooks among others.

Convergence India expo is a platform to showcase the latest trends and technologies related to telecom, broadcast, Cloud and Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT) among others.

--IANS

sku/him/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Wednesday night announced its decision to pull out of the Narendra Modi government in protest against refusal of the Centre to grant Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh, saying the Centre has done injustice to the state.

TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced to the media that the two TDP ministers -- P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju (Civil Aviation) and Y.S. Chowdary (Minister of State for Science and Technology) -- will tender their resignations on Thursday morning.

The TDP is second-largest party after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

In the Lok Sabha, the TDP has 16 members and in the Rajya Sabha six. It is the first pre-poll partner of the BJP to pull out of the Modi government after being part of it for nearly four years.

His announcement came hours after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi told the media that granting of special status to Andhra Pradesh was not possible after the 14th Finance Commission recommendations.

Jaitley did not make any new commitment except for reiterating that the Centre had extended all possible help to the bifurcated state.

Granting special category status was a promise made by the previous UPA government at the time of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and creation of Telangana, which all the parties in the state are seeking now.

Naidu said a decision on TDP's continuation in the NDA would be decided after talking party-to-party (BJP and TDP). "This (quitting the cabinet) is the first step," he said.

"They (the Centre) are predetermined not to help the state. In the interest of our state, we have taken the decision," he said. I tried to inform the PM for courtesy's sake. But, he did not come on line. My OSD informed the PM's OSD."

The drastic decision of the TDP may not have come as a shock to the BJP, which has already conveyed to its two ministers in the Andhra Pradesh cabinet to be ready to quit any moment.

Dr. Kamineni Srinivas (Medical and Health) and P. Manikyala Rao (Endowments) may quit Naidu cabinet on Thursday morning, hours before the budget presentation by Finance Minister Y. Ramakrishnudu in the assembly.

Naidu held consultations with the party's MPs, ministers and important leaders before taking the decision and making it public.

The MPs, including the two ministers, expressed a unanimous opinion that Jaitley's statement on the demands of Andhra Pradesh was disappointing and discouraging.

All parties in the state, including the ruling TDP and the main opposition YSR Congress Party, have been agitating in Delhi demanding grant of special status. Agitations are also going on across the state.

Naidu said at the time of making the alliance, the BJP had said it backed the demand for grant of special category status for Andhra Pradesh but now it was singing a different tune.

He said the promises on statehood and other financial demands of the state have not been honoured by the BJP and he could not make any compromise on the state's interest.

"TDP is not for power but for self-respect. We decided there is no point in continuing in the government," he added.

Naidu said Jaitley's comments suggest that Andhra Pradesh is asking for too much. He also slammed the Finance Minister for saying "sentiments will not decide the quantum of funds".

He said he made 29 trips to Delhi, met the Prime Minister and other ministers and tried to do his best to do justice for the state. "I am not angry with anybody," he added.

--IANS

vsc-str/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hours after a bomb attac on a BJP office, BJP National Secretary H. Raja on Wednesday expressed regret for his Facebook page calling for the razing of statues of iconic Dravidian leader E.V. Ramasamy or Periyar in Tamil Nadu.

As a fallout of Raja's comment and the vandalising of Periyar's statue at Thirupattur in Vellore district late on Tuesday, several Tamil Brahmins were attacked in Triplicane area here on Wednesday morning and their sacred thread were cut by vandals on two wheelers raising pro-Ramasamy slogans.

According to a police official, four persons have surrendered in connection with the assault though no formal complaint was registered by the affected persons.

Early on Wednesday, a petrol bomb was hurled at a BJP office in Coimbatore, around 500 km from here, by unidentified persons.

Later, in a fresh Facebook post, Raja expressed his heartfelt regret for his Tuesday post which he claimed was a message posted by his social media administrator without his permission and hence he had removed it.

Raja expressed regret for the earlier post which sparked outrage. According to him, damaging the statues of Ramasamy could not be condoned.

The message that was posted and later removed said: "Who is Lenin? What is the connection between him (Lenin) and India? What connection between Communism and India?

"Lenin's statue was broken down in Tripura. Today it is Lenin's statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic E.V. Ramasamy."

Barring the ruling AIADMK, all other parties in Tamil Nadu denounced Raja.

Late on Tuesday, two persons - one of them R. Muthuraman, a BJP member - were arrested in Thirupattur in Vellore for vandalizing the statue of Periyar, considered the fatherfigure of the rationalist movement in Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP sacked Muthuraman from its basic membership.

The attackers at the BJP's office in Coimbatore came in a three-wheeler and hurled the petrol bomb inside the office.

Meanwhile, the President of the Makkal Needhi Maiam, Kamal Haasan, said on Wednesday that the Ramasamy statue controversy had been raked up to divert people's attention from the setting up of a Cauvery Management Board as directed by the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, Kamal urged other political leaders not to waste their energy commenting on the issue.

--IANS

vj/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tripura Chief Minister designate Biplab Kumar Deb on Wednesday promised to give proper attention to solve all the problems of Manipuri settlers in the state.

Talking to Bharatiya Janata Party activists from Manipur, he said: "Tripura has had special cordial relations with Manipur.

"After all there were three queens from Manipur who were married to Tripura princes. The government shall pay special attention to the needs of Manipuris in the state."

The system in those days was that when a Manipuri princess was married to a prince in Tripura, hundreds of villagers were forced to migrate and settle in Tripura so that the Manipuri princess did not feel lonely. A large number of Manipuris live in Tripura now.

Some women activists in Agartala said many of the Manipuri settlers were denied old age pension. Deb said he will invite Manipur BJP Chief Minister N. Biren Singh during the swearing in ceremony.

"Our government will work for the welfare of the Manipuri settlers in consultation with Biren Singh."

--IANS

il/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Downplaying what he called the "distractions around the visit of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to India", Indian High Commissioner Vikas Swarup has said the visit was actually an "unqualified success".

Speaking at a reception for Indian Minister for Mines Narendra Singh Tomar, who is leading the Indian delegation for the PDAC International Convention here, Swarup said earlier this week that the language in the joint statement issued after Trudeau's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed their strong resolve to deepen the relationship.

Trudeau was warmly received by Modi and the two leaders had a great meeting, said Swarup at the reception hosted by the Indian consulate and the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC).

Calling Trudeau's visit an "unqualified success", Swarup said Tomar's visit here within a week of Trudeau's India trip was a "manifestation of the seriousness with which India views its relations with Canada".

"This shows how serious we are about developing relations with Canada," said Swarup.

"It is a complementary relationship and the joint statement is the blueprint to bring to fruition the vision that the two Prime Ministers had for the relationship," he said.

Tomar, who met his Canadian counterparts, said: "Just one week after Trudeau's visit, my coming to PDAC International Convention shows India's commitment to its relationship with Canada."

Highlighting the 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) allowed in the mining sector by the Modi government, the Minister said: "India has an area of 800,000 square km with a huge potential for mining. But only very small area has been mined. India has put geological data in public domain to show the potential of mining in the country."

Tomar lauded the role of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce for promoting not only business relations but also people-to-people, political and cultural relations between the two countries.

ICCC president Kanwar Dhanjal, who led a business delegation to India a couple of months ago and was also in India as part of Trudeau's delegation, said the visit of the Indian Minister confirmed the deepening business ties between the two countries.

Indian Consul General Dinesh Bhatia said: "Canada is a world leader in mining and the top source of 13 minerals, including potash, nickle, uranium and tungsten, which are very crucial for India."

(Gurmukh Singh can be contacted at gurmukh100@gmail.com)

--IANS

gurmukh/soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US has announced new, unspecified sanctions against Pyongyang for using a chemical weapon to assassinate Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, in February 2017.

These sanctions, in addition to the numerous existing sanctions, come after the investigation into the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, which occurred on February 13, 2017 at the airport in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, was concluded on February 22, Efe news reported on Tuesday.

The investigation found Kim Jong-nam was murdered with the highly toxic liquid nerve agent VX used as a chemical weapon, resulting in automatic sanctions in compliance with the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991.

Although announced on Tuesday, the sanctions went into effect since Monday, according to the US State Department.

The announcement was made on the same day Kim Jong-un said he was willing to negotiate on denuclearisation with the US, an offer US President Donald Trump cautiously welcomed, hoping that it could bear fruit.

"I think they are sincere, but I think they are sincere also because the sanctions and what we're doing with respect to North Korea, including the great help that we've been given from China," Trump said at a press conference during which he did not commit to a formal negotiation with Pyongyang.

--IANS

pgh/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
What happens to American politics after Do we snap back to normal or do things spin ever more widely out of control?

The best indicator we have so far is the example of Italy since the reign of Silvio Berlusconi. And the main lesson there is that once the norms of acceptable behaviour are violated and once the institutions of government are weakened, it is very hard to re-establish them. Instead, you get this cycle of ever more extreme behaviour, as politicians compete to be the most radical outsider. The political centre collapses, the normal left/right political categories cease to apply and you see the rise of strange new political groups that are crazier than anything you could have imagined before.

If America follows the Italian example, by 2025 well look back at Trump nostalgically as some sort of beacon of relative normalcy. And by the way, if America follows the Italian example, Trump will never go away.

Silvio Berlusconi first came to power for the same reasons Trump and other populists have been coming to power around the world: Voters were disgusted by a governing elite that seemed corrupt and out of touch. They felt swamped by waves of immigrants, frustrated by economic stagnation and disgusted by the cultural values of the cosmopolitan urbanites.



In office, Berlusconi did nothing to address Italys core problems, but he did degrade public discourse with his speech, weaken the structures of government with his corruption and offend basic decency with his Bunga Bunga sex parties and his general priapic lewdness.

In short, Berlusconi, like Trump, did nothing to address the sources of public anger, but he did erase any restraints on the way it could be expressed.



This past weekends elections in Italy were dominated by parties that took many of Berlusconis excesses and turned them up a notch.

The big winner is the populist Five Star Movement, which was started by a comedian and is now led by a 31-year-old who had never held a full-time job. Another winner is the League, led by Matteo Salvini, which declined to effectively distance itself from one of its former candidates who went on a shooting rampage against African immigrants. Berlusconi, who vowed to expel 600,000 immigrants, is back and is now considered a moderating influence. The respectable centre-left party, like centre-left parties across Europe, collapsed.



Italy is now a poster child for the three big trends that are undermining democracies around the world: First, the erasure of the informal norms of behaviour. As Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt argue in How Democracies Die, democracies depend not just on formal constitutions but also on informal codes. You treat your opponents like legitimate adversaries, not illegitimate enemies. You tell the truth as best you can. You dont make naked appeals to bigotry. Berlusconi, like Trump, undermined those norms. And now Berlusconis rivals across the political spectrum have waged a campaign that was rife with conspiracy theories, misinformation and naked appeals to race.

Second, the loss of faith in the democratic system. As Yascha Mounk writes in his book The People vs. Democracy, faith in democratic regimes is declining with every new generation. Seventy-one per cent of Europeans and North Americans born in the 1930s think its essential to live in a democracy, but only 29 per cent of people born in the 1980s think that. In the US, nearly a quarter of millennials think democracy is a bad way to run a country. Nearly half would like a strongman leader. One in six Americans of all ages support military rule.

In the Italian campaign, we see the practical results of that kind of attitude. Voters are no longer particularly bothered if a politician shows dictatorial tendencies. As one voter told Jason Horowitz of The Times: Salvini is a good man. I like him because he puts Italians first. And I guess hes a fascist, too. What can you do?

Third, the deterioration of debate caused by social media. At the dawn of the internet, people hoped free communication would lead to an epoch of peace, understanding and democratic communication. Instead, were seeing polarisation, alternative information universes and the rise of autocracy.

In Italy, the Five Star Movement began not so much as a party but as an online decision-making platform. It pretends to use the internet to create unmediated democracy, but as La Stampas journalist Jacopo Iacoboni told David Broder of Jacobin: In reality, the members have no real power. In reality, there is not any real direct democracy within M5S, but a totally top-down orchestration of the movement.

In Italy, as with Trump and his Facebook campaign, the social media platform seems decentralising, but it actually buttresses authoritarian ends.



The underlying message is clear. As Mounk has argued, the populist wave is still rising. The younger generations are more radical, on left and right. The rising political tendencies combine lavish spending from the left with racially charged immigrant restrictions from the right.

Vladimir Putins admirers are surging. The centre is still hollowing out. Nothing is inevitable in life, but liberal democracy clearly aint going to automatically fix itself.

The author is an op-ed columnist for The New York Times

 The New York Times 2018
Rejecting the Opposition's charge that he appeared to be the leader of only one community, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on Tuesday said while he was a Hindu, and proud of his religion's traditions, his government would provide a conducive atmosphere to those wanting to observe festivals like 'Eid'.

Earlier, opposition leaders raised questions referring to the chief minister's reported response to journalists in Mathura some days back that he did not celebrate 'Eid'.

During his reply to the motion of thanks to the Governor's address in the state Assembly, Adityanath also took pot-shots at rival parties, claiming it was the "frustration and helplessness" of the Samajwadi Party that led it to reach an understanding with bitter opponent Bahujan Samaj Party ahead of the Gorakhpur and Phulpur bypolls.

He also brushed aside opposition charges of fake encounters being staged, of BJP encouraging divisive tendencies, while also asserting that no person would be allowed to stop the march of the tricolour.

Seeking to highlight the bitter differences between the Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati led parties, Adityanath said it was the SP's "frustration and helplessness" that it went and "sat in the lap of the BSP".

He said that BSP leader Lalji Verma had met him in connection with the memorials set up by the Mayawati government. I told him that it was the duty of the government to maintain them as the money spent on them was that of the state, Adityanath said.

"But (SP) has said that they will demolish them...We will however not allow it to happen till we are in power...Ask them if the state guest house incident will not be repeated. Some things do not change, as it is not in their psyche. Why do you try to change those who do not want to change? If the scorpion has to bite it will do so," the chief minister as he sought to press the bitter differences between the UP's long time political opponents.

He said the real answer will be given by the people in the Gorakhpur and Phulpur in the upcoming Lok Sabha bye-election (in which BSP is backing SP candidates).

"The red flag has been drowned in Tripura and now it is the turn of the red cap which will be drowned in UP as today its the time of saffron which is indicative of development," Adityanath said attacking the SP.

Only two kind of people are feeling the heat - those indulging in loot and the others who used to create anarchy, he said.

Replying to a charge levelled by leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary that Adityanath appeared to be the chief minister of only some so called Hindus through his language, work and thinking and that he had ducked a journalist's query on Eid, the chief minister said that he was a Hindu and did not celebrate Eid.

"I am a Hindu and proud of my traditions and there is nothing wrong in it, but the government will extend the help for peaceful Eid celebrations in the state," he said adding that he did not indulge in drama like some others.

I have visited various religious centres, as we want to give momentum to spiritual tourism along with pilgrimage which has vast scope in the state, Adityanath said adding that he had even visited the Taj Mahal.

"You think you have a patent on it," the chief minister said.

He rejected allegations that fake encounters were being staged and said the perception of UP before the country and the world had changed with a successful Investors' Summit.

He attacked SP citing some recent incidents of crime, in which, he claimed men linked with the opposition party were involved and also alleged that a majority of land mafia were also connected with it.

Taking exception to Chaudhary's statement that BJP's wrong policies will be responsible in case of any further partition, the chief minister said that a statement like this from a person who has taken the oath in the name of Constitution cannot be accepted.

"The country is emerging stronger..India will not be divided. However those who talk about it will be smashed...If the SP has such divisive tendencies, it is my appeal to them to keep it limited to themselves and their party," he said.

On the Kasganj violence in which one youth was killed on the Republic Day, Adityanath said his government will deal with such elements sternly.

"The countrymen are committed to upholding the honour of the 'tiranga' and will not let go of any person who forcefully tries to stop tiranga yatra," he said.

Terming his one year in office which he will be completing later this month, as the most successful one, he attacked the previous govermments of the past 15 years for not paying attention to the development of the state.

Earlier in his speech, Chaudhary alleged that the government had failed on all fronts.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ten kg of ganja was seized from a Dubai-bound passenger by the Customs personnel at the international airport here today, a senior official said.

The man, a native of Hyderabad, was found carrying the narcotic substance kept hidden in his checked-in baggage, Customs Commissioner Sumit Kumar said in a release.

The ganja, seized by theAirIntelligence Unit Officersof Customs, was worth about Rs 70,000, he said.

The passenger was being interrogated, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A total of 16 villagers from Umbardegaon in Kalyan were handed down life imprisonment by a district court today for murdering a man in 2012 over a property dispute.

Additional sessions court judge N M Waghmare convicted all the 16 accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for murder and criminal conspiracy.

"The prosecution has proved all the charges against the accused beyond doubt and they all deserved to be convicted and sentenced," the judge said in the order.

The court relied on the eyewitness account and circumstantial evidence while convicting the accused.

According to prosecution, the incident occurred on October 3, 2012, when the 16 men attacked one Vikas Patil outside a country liquor bar with swords following an old property dispute between two families.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seventeen protesters died of pellet gun injuries in Jammu and Kashmir in the past two years, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir also said that two security persons were killed by protesters in the Valley in 2016.

As many as 13 protesters were killed in 2016 when security forces used pellet guns to thwart the agitators while four other protesters were killed in 2017, he said.

The minister in a written reply also said the government has constituted an expert committee on July 26, 2016 to explore other possible alternatives to pellet guns as non-lethal weapons.

"The recommendations of the committee have been taken into account by the government for appropriate implementation.

"Accordingly, various measures such as using PAVA-Chilli (Shells and Grenades), STUN-LAC (Shells and Grenades) and Tear Smoke Shells are used to disperse the unlawful violent protesters before the use of pellet guns," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Twenty-nine Army personnel lost their lives in nine terror attacks on defence stations and Army camps in Jammu and Kashmir since 2015, the government informed the Lok Sabha today.

Twenty terrorists were killed and two civilians lost their lives in the attacks, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said in a written response to a question in the Lower House.

The highest casualty was in 2016, when a group of terrorists stormed an Army camp in Uri, resulting in the death of 26 personnel.

This year, one terror attack was reported on an Army camp in Jammu, claiming the lives of six Army personnel.

"The Army carries out in-depth analysis of the terrorists incidents and security breaches that are identified with various incidents. Perimeter security projects of all the armed forces have been sanctioned by the government," Bhamre said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The CBI had received three complaints from the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, relating to the IFFCO and KRIBHCO, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

The ministry forwarded to the central probe agency a complaint it had received from the Delhi-based Global Wellness Foundation, relating to the Indian Farmers' Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), on November 21, 2017, Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh informed the Lower House of Parliament in a written reply.

Two complaints, related to the Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd (KRIBHCO), were also forwarded to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the ministry on February 12, he added.

Also, the CBI had registered two cases related to the Hindustan Antibiotics Limited, Pune and FACT Limited, Ernakulam, Kerala up to January 31, the minister said.

He added that no definite time-frame could be indicated for the completion of investigation in these matters as the cases involved a scrutiny of voluminous documents, obtaining the opinion of forensic experts and questioning of witnesses and suspects.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
There were 4,799 stone-pelting incidents and 872 terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in past three years, the government today informed the Rajya Sabha.

Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said 730 incidents of stone pelting were reported in 2015. In 2016, he said, 2,808 such incidents were reported, and in 2017, the incidents numbered 1,261.

In a written reply to a question, he said there were 208 incidents of terrorist violence in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015, 322 in 2016 and 342 such incidents in 2017.

The total number of terrorists killed in past three years in the state were 471, the total number of security force personnel killed were 201, and 72 civilians were also killed during the period, he told the Rajya Sabha.

"Jammu and Kashmir has been affected by terrorist violence that is sponsored and supported from across the border. The levels of terrorist violence in the hinterland of Jammu and Kashmir are linked to the infiltration from across the border," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indore police have arrested five men for allegedly duping nearly 100 people by failing to arrange a tour of religious places in the Middle East after collecting lakhs of rupees.

Arrests were made over the last one week, said Narendra Jaiswar, in-charge of Sarafa police station here.

The accused were identified as Khujaima Teenwala, Ibrahim Asgar Ali, Burhanuddin, Ali Hussain and Khujaima Chakkiwala who ran Hatim Tour and Travels firm here.

Jaiswar said they had accepted lakhs of rupees from about 100 members of the Bohra community for a tour covering Karbala in Iraq and Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

They also collected passports, but no tour was ever arranged, the complainants said.

During the probe, police recovered passports of 31 persons -- who were among those allegedly duped -- from a firm in Mumbai which arranged visas, and further probe is on, the officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
There were 777 incidents of infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir in which 94 terrorists were killed by security forces in past two years, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said there were 16 incidents of infiltration into Punjab in which seven terrorists were killed and 11 others were apprehended in past two years.

Replying to a written question, Rijiju said there were 406 cases of infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir in 2017 in which 59 terrorists were killed.

In 2016, there were 371 incidents of infiltration into the state in which 35 militants were killed and three were arrested, he said.

The minister said security forces have been carrying out effective domination through round-the-clock surveillance, patrolling, border ambushes and by deploying observation posts along the international borders of the country.

"The riverine segments of international borders of the country are being patrolled and dominated with the help of water crafts/speed boats/floating Border Out Posts (BOPs) of Border Security Force (BSF) water wings," he said.

Rijiju said introduction of force multipliers and hi-tech surveillance equipment fully-equipped with day and night vision devices have enhanced the border domination.

"Vulnerability mapping of entire border has been made a continuous process based on which sensitive spots are identified and adequate measures are taken to further strengthen security in these spots," he said.

The minister said it has also been decided to deploy technological solutions in the form of Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS), on a pilot basis to begin with, in different terrains on India-Pakistan border and India-Bangladesh border.

The technological solutions are based on integration of sensors and surveillance equipment like radars, day and night vision cameras etc. in a network architecture with command and control system, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
There is a "strong federal force" emerging from Parliament, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said today, after opposition parties and some constituents of the ruling coalition mounted united protest in both Houses over issues such as vandalisation of statues and banking fraud.

Proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were washed out for the third straight day today as opposition parties as well as NDA allies Shiv Sena, TDP and AIADMK stalled business.

"Our understanding is that there is a strong federal force emerging from Parliament. It's a pro-people, pro-states and anti-BJP formation which will evolve both in a structured and unstructured form," O'Brien told PTI.

According to some opposition leaders, with the "resentment against government riding high" amongst them, it would be extremely difficult for it to run the House for the full week.

"It is not only the opposition parties, even the BJP's ally TDP is protesting. TDP's members have informally told us that they would continue their protest beyond the first week of the session if their demands (for special grants from Andhra Pradesh) are not met," O'Brien said.

The TMC is going to chalk out its Parliament strategy for the next week at its core committee meet on March 9 in Kolkata.

The stand of the YSR Congress members, who have reportedly threatened to resign from their parliament membership on April 6 if the government does not fulfil the promise of granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh, has created tremendous pressure for the state's ruling TDP, a constituent of the NDA.

Though the TDP has yet not taken a call on quitting NDA, the opposition parties feel that the southern party is unlikely to break bread with the BJP any more and would soon quit the alliance.

The opposition parties staged protests in Parliament over the Rs 13,000-crore bank fraud allegedly involving diamantaire Nirav Modi and his business partner Mehul Choksi, and damage of statues of Communist icon Vladimir Lenin and Dravidian movement founder E V Ramasamy 'Periyar'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An AAP MLA and an additional deputy commissioner were today involved in a verbal spat in Faridkot district, with the legislator accusing the officer of misbehaviour, but the ADC denied the charge.

A video of the spat purportedly between Kultar Singh Sadhwan, the MLA from Kotkapura seat, and Faridkot additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Keshav Hingonia, an IAS officer, went viral on social media.

The officer could be seen asking Sadhwan to leave the office after asking him not to raise his voice in the video.

The MLA had gone to Hingonia's office to submit a memorandum but the spat started when Sadhwan raised the issue of alleged discrepancies in the payment of MNREGA wages.

I came here to tell you this (MNREGA issue). I have come here not with any demand. The government does not raise any demand from its officers. You are my officer, the MLA said.

Then the officer said, you are not the government, drawing a sharp reply from Sadhwan, I'm the government. Who says I am not the government.

Who says your are the government. You are an MLA. Thats it, the officer said.

Both the MLA and the officer got into a heated exchange.

The officer asked him not to raise his voice in the office. Do not raise your voice.go and raise it outside Behave properly or go outside, Hingonia said.

Then, the officer left in a huff. Later, the MLA and his supporters raise slogans against him.

Talking to media, Sadhwan alleged, We came here to the ADC office to submit a memorandum regarding the discrepancies in payment of wages of MNREGA. During the meeting he did not behave properly."



However, officer while denying the charge and claimed that the MLA had allegedly created disturbance in the meeting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Acceptance of alternative ways of thinking and mutual respect are not just slogans but "India's natural way of life," President Ram Nath Kovind said today as he emphasised that diversity and an open-minded approach were great sources of strength for the country.

In his convocation address at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) here, the president said the pursuit of knowledge and the quest for human dignity are inter-connected.

"These twin goals have been at the centre of the Indian ethos and of our composite civilisation. They have contributed to our diversity, which is our great strength, as well as our open-minded approach as a people," he said.

Emphasising on mutual respect, learning and sharing from each other and acceptance of alternative ways of thinking and living, he said these were not just slogans but India's natural way of life.

"These lessons hold true for us as a country. They hold true within and between regions of our country. And they hold true within and between communities of our country. It is important to constantly renew this spirit", he said.

We live in an age of globalisation - of building a world that does not just accommodate but celebrates diversity, the president said.

"And that combines the best of modern technology with the traditions and cultures of our society to build the India of our dreams. Such an India will help every Indian irrespective of background or identity - to realise his or her full potential," he added.

Hailing the role of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Kovind said the institution, which is going to complete 100 years in 2020, has played a special role and its list of distinguished students is long.

"Students of AMU have made their mark not only in India but also in the other parts of the world, particularly in Asia and Africa. The institution has played a special role in country's development," he said.

He recalled that during a state visit to Ethiopia in 2017, he learnt that the wife of the Ethiopian prime minister was an alumna of the AMU.

The students of AMU have excelled in politics, administration, education, law, science and technology, literature, arts and sports, he said adding that 'Bharat Ratna' Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, anti-apartheid activist Dr Yusuf Mohammad Dadu, and former President Dr Zakir Hussain were students of this university.

"Progressive women like Ismat Chughtai and Mumtaz Jahan have added to the lustre of Indian society and of AMU", he said also pointing to the commendable achievement of Khushboo Mirza, a former student of AMU, who played a key role as a scientist in ISRO's Chandrayaan Mission.

Achievers like her are role models for women in the 21stcentury, he added.

He also mentioned the contributions of Dr Syed Zahur Qasim, Professor A Salahuddin and Dr Shahid Jameel to modern science.

The President said AMU's work in the field of science and technology is responsive to the needs of our society.

The Centre for Advanced Research in Electrified Transportation is helping develop useful technologies, he said emphasising the need to enhance such efforts in other departments of the university so that knowledge and innovation can keep pace with changes in society.

Earlier, addressing the convocation, state Governor Ram Naik, who is also the rector of the University, reminded students that if they were ready to smile at the world and serve society, then no one can stop them from reaching the pinnacle of human achievement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Moroccan accomplice of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind of the deadly 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, is being held in Poland over suspected participation in terrorist activity, Polish prosecutors said today.

"During our investigation we found that between December 2014 and September 2016 Mourad T was involved... with an armed crime organisation -- an international terrorist organisation called Islamic State," prosecutors said in a statement.

Local media said Mourad T was detained 18 months ago. If convicted, he risks six months to eight years in prison.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bollywood actor Jeetendra has been booked by the Shimla Police after he was accused by his cousin of sexually assaulting her 47 years ago, police said.

The woman, in a complaint to the Director General of Police, in February had alleged that the incident took place in Shimla in January, 1971, when she was 18 and the actor was 28.

Superintendent of Police Omapati Jamwal said an FIR had been filed against the star and investigations into the case were underway.

Police officials are likely to summon the complainant in the case as they have only received her complaint on e-mail and are yet to record her version, sources said.

Later, the actor, whose actual name is Ravi Kapoor, may be summoned to record his version in the case, they said.

The woman said that Jeetendra, who is her aunt's son, had "arranged" for her to join him from New Delhi to Shimla on the sets of a film he was shooting for.

She alleged in the complaint that after reaching Shimla at night, the inebriated actor went to her room, joined two twin beds and sexually assaulted her.

The actor denied that any such incident had taken place.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Firmly believing that artificial intelligence can help end social evils like caste system and reduce inequalities in India by 2030, the supporters of B R Ambedkar plan to celebrate 127th birth anniversary of the iconic Dalit leader at the UN headquarters in New York next month with the theme "Artificial Intelligence for Humanity".

The anniversary is expected to be attended by representatives and artificial intelligence (AI) experts from companies like IBM, Google, Facebook and Microsoft who will discuss how the implementation of this latest technology can be used to eliminate caste system and reduce inequality in India by 2030, the event organisers said yesterday.

The event is organised by the Foundation for Human Horizon-USA, in partnership with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

"AI if used properly can be main driver to reduce inequalities as it has ability to create and protect much-needed safe zone ie, the AI predication of caste violence by zipcode, or caste group can provide tools to develop preventive measures to stop caste violence similar to the western world where they are using 'crime maps' or 'diseases map', said Deelip Mhaske of the Foundation for Human Horizon-USA.

There is great research going on AI's use in preventing racial discrimination by IBM's "optimised pre-processing for discrimination", he said.

"Similarly, we can use AI to reduce caste biases and violence," he said, adding that Google had developed a strategy for "equal opportunity by design", an AI-based platform.

Noting that AI diversity foundation has been very active using AI to tackle the discrimination in all aspects of life, Mhaske said the Foundation For Human Horizon was exploring a partnership with Google, IBM, Facebook and Microsoft to use AI to eradicate caste biases and discrimination.

"This is India's first approach to use AI to tackle social inequalities," Mhaske told PTI.

He said the foundation had asked the Indian government to use modern technology to tackle social inequalities in India.

"AI use in reducing social inequalities can bring the second independence for lower caste/class, as AI will replace systemic biases and prejudice of individuals while implementing upliftment policies as well crimes against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe," he said.

"The use of AI in case of atrocities can take away police power of not registering cases, a simple mobile app will not just record the atrocity but it will notify all government machineries at the same time. A use of facial recognition technology can alert not just police about the crime happening but it will identify the perpetrator," he said.

Mhaske started the annual celebration of Ambedkar Jayanti when he was in Geneva in 2006 while working with the UN.

He has been organising the birth anniversary celebration of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar since 2015.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Moroccan accomplice of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind of the deadly 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, is in detention in Poland over suspected terrorist activity, Polish prosecutors said today.

"During our investigation we found that between December 2014 and September 2016 Mourad T. was involved with an armed crime organisation -- an international terrorist organisation called Islamic State," prosecutors said in a statement.

This marks the first Polish investigation of an Islamic State member, which the domestic counter-intelligence agency ABW undertook after receiving information from its EU counterparts.

According to local media, the first intel came from the CIA.

Mourad T., born in Casablanca and now 28 years old, was detained September 5, 2016 in Poland. If the court in the southern city of Katowice convicts him, he could be sentenced to between six months to eight years in prison.

Prosecutors added that Mourad T. was an "accomplice" and "scout" for Abaaoud, who planned the November 2015 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.

Mourad T. notably met with Abaaoud in the Turkish city of Edirne in late 2014, along with Sofiane Amghar and Khalid Ben Larbi, two jihadists who were killed in a terror raid in Belgium in 2015.

He "communicated regularly with these people, met with them and along with them took part in actions linked to terrorist activity," prosecutors said.

Mourad T. used false identities and spent time in several EU countries as well as in Turkey and Serbia.

Prosecutors added that they found instructions on how to make explosive devices and photos of potential targets on his telephone.

In December 2014, he left Turkey "along with other people engaged in terrorist activity" planning to go to Germany.

Instead, he entered Greece illegally, passed through Macedonia and Serbia before reaching Hungary. From there, he entered Austria, then the Czech Republic and finally Poland.

Having left his passport in Turkey, he used false documents in Serbia to pass as an under-age Syrian named Mourad Sultan.

He arrived in Austria in February 2015 and requested a permanent residence permit, which he later used in Vienna and Poland, where he was found in possession of small amounts of hashish, marijuana and MDMA tablets.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Air India will introduce thrice-a-week flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv from March 22, the airline said today.

The official announcement from Air India comes days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters during his visit to the US that Saudi Arabia had given permission to the Indian carrier for flying over its territory on its route from New Delhi to Tel Aviv.

Many Arab and Islamic nations do not recognise Israel and, therefore, disallow airlines from using their airspace for flight services to that country.

The flight will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. It will depart from New Delhi at 4.50 pm and arrive in Tel Aviv at 8.25 pm. On its return leg, the plane will depart from Tel Aviv at 10.15 pm and land in Delhi at 9 am the day after, according to a statement from Air India.

Air India will operate a Boeing 787 aircraft on the route which will be covered in 7 hours and 10 minutes, an airline spokesperson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Markets regulator Sebi is believed to have returned NSE's settlement plea on a high-profile probe into the co-location issue as the probe is at critical position with regard to brokers and former senior executives of the exchange.

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) had filed the application with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) last year.

It had sought a settlement with the regulator in connection with a probe relating to allegations of unfair access to its high frequency trading systems to some brokers.

A consent settlement allows entities to settle charges by paying a penalty without admission or denial of guilt.

"Sebi doesn't appear keen to agree to a settlement plea filed by NSE at the moment as the probe is at a critical position with regard to the role of several people including brokers and some people having held senior positions at the exchange in the past," a regulatory official said.

The queries sent to the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on the status of the settlement plea remained unanswered.

The bourse's Rs 10,000 crore initial public offer has been delayed because of probe in the co-location matter and the regulator had earlier issued show cause notices to several individuals and the exchange, while the role of some brokers is also being probed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government aims to set up all 650 branches by April this year, communications minister Manoj Sinha informed Parliament on Wednesday.

" aims to have a pan-India reach (650 branches co-located at District Headquarter Post Offices) by April 2018," Sinha said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

India Post received a permit from Reserve Bank of India on January 20, 2017, to roll out payments bank. The postal department has already set up two branches on January 30, 2017, in Raipur and Ranchi.

Sinha said that these 650 branches will serve as controlling offices to service and monitor all the approximately 1.55 lakh post offices that will act as last mile access points for the public.

"Branch readiness in identified 650 branches is underway in terms of civil and electrical works, furniture/fixtures and technology setup. Apart from that recruitment of personnel is also being undertaken and so far 528 managers (approximately) have been onboard," he said.

The ministers said (IPPB) is anticipated to acquire approximately 80 million customers in a span of five years from its launch. However, this figure is subject to market forces in the area of digital payments in the country over the next few years.

In a separate reply, Sinha said HPGS renamed as EIT Services India Pvt Ltd has been engaged as System Integrator (SI) for setting up of IPPB on August 14, 2017, and the work for the development of technology platform is in the advanced stage.

"In line with the Cabinet's decision, IPPB intends to rollout 5,000 ATMs over a period of time. At present, IPPB will leverage the DOP ATMs for its banking operations, which are already connected with the network of ATMs of other banks," Sinha said.
A former adult film actress has sued US President Donald Trump, claiming that his lawyer forced her to sign a statement in 2016 to stop her from going public about her alleged relationship with the then Republican-presidential candidate.

Stephanie Clifford, who is known as Stormy Daniels in the adult film industry, filed a lawsuit in a California State court yesterday.

Running into 28 pages, the lawsuit alleges that she was paid USD 130,000 by Michael Cohen, personal lawyer of Trump, to not to go public with her alleged sexual encounters with Trump when he was the then Republican-presidential candidate.

Trump has vehemently denied these allegations.

"Despite Trump's failure to sign the agreement, Cohen proceeded to cause USD 130,000 to be wired to the trust account of Clifford's attorney. He did so even though there was no legal agreement and thus no written nondisclosure agreement whereby Clifford was restricted from disclosing the truth about Trump," the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit has said that Clifford began an intimate relationship with Trump in the summer of 2006 in Lake Tahoe, which continues till 2007.

This relationship included, among other things, at least one meeting with Trump in a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel located within Los Angeles County, the complaint said.

The complaint, released publicly by her attorney Michael Avenatti, said that on October 28, 2016, Clifford and Cohen signed the "Hush Agreement" and it was not signed by Trump.

"To be clear, the attempts to intimidate Clifford into silence and 'shut her up' in order to 'protect Trump' continue unabated," the law suit said. "On or about February 27, 2018, Trump's attorney Cohen surreptitiously initiated a bogus arbitration proceeding against Ms. Clifford in Los Angeles. Remarkably, he did so without even providing Ms. Clifford with notice of the proceeding and basic due process," it alleges.

Previously, Cohen had acknowledged that he paid USD 130,000 to Clifford from his own pocket as he was unable to locale Trump at that time. The Hush Agreement was signed before she was planning to go public with her information and alleged relationship with Trump.

The lawsuit among other things uses an alias name for Trump as David Dennison.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior TDP leader and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju attended a meeting of the Union Cabinet this evening, amid speculations that his party would break its alliance with the NDA over demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh.

A minister present in the meeting said Raju attended the cabinet meeting in which several agreements to be signed with France during its president's visit to the country were finalised.

Virtually putting the Modi government on notice, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu today demanded that the Centre honour the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and come out with a clear stand on the state's demands in the next two-three days.

Naidu may address the media later tonight to spell out his party's stand on its alliance with the BJP. There are speculations that the two TDP ministers could quit the Modi government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Social activist Anna Hazare today expressed displeasure over damage to the statues across the country and said "nobody has the right to do such things".

He also said the war between India and Pakistan would push both the countries three decades back but "the country should go for it if Pakistan fails to understand (the language of peace)."



However, Hazare had an advice for the people of Jammu and Kashmir that peaceful means, and not lathis and guns, would help resolve their issues as "non-violence is more powerful way than violence".

Talking to reporters after addressing his maiden public meeting here, he said the bringing down or vandalisation of statues is not a good thing happening in the country.

"It is not good what is happening in the country. These statues have been built in recognition of their work," the 80-year-old activist said in response to a question about damage caused to statues of various personalities in different parts of the country.

Two statues of communist icon Vladimir Lenin were pulled down in Tripura and a bust of Dravidian leader E V Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, in Tamil Nadu, over the past couple of days while a bust of Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was today vandalised in south Kolkata.

Hazare said that more soldiers are losing their lives in ceasefire violations by Pakistan than in wars.

"More jawans are getting killed nowadays than what used to be the casualty figures during wars...A war is not a good thing to happen for both the countries. It will push both of us 30 years back," he said.

However, he said "if Pakistan is not going to understand, then a war should take place, once for all."



Anna reached here on the invitation of International Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Council chairperson Manjot Singh Kohli to seek support of the people for his upcoming agitation over Jan Lokpal and farmers issues in New Delhi later this month. However, the attendance at the rally was very low, which Kohli attributed to lack of campaign due to busy scheduled of the social activist.

"There is no need to get frustrated over the turnout. I salute your efforts as youth is the power of the country," he said in his address.

Asked about message to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Hazare said the country is faced with a lot of problems but these would not get resolved through "lathis or guns".

"The more we adopt peaceful means, the more the issues will get resolved. Non-violence is more powerful than violent means," he said apparently referring to militants. He said the people of Kashmir are not outsiders but "our own brothers".

Hazare said the whole world praised the 2011 agitation spearheaded by him in the country. "Not a single stone was thrown anywhere during that agitation", he claimed.

Earlier in his address, he lashed out at the BJP-led government at the Centre, saying "it is not moving towards strengthening democracy in the country but adopting a dictatorial approach like the British".

"I kept mum for the last three years. I was hoping for ache din (good days). But three-and-a-half years passed but the good days are nowhere near. Since it is going towards bad days, I was forced to speak out and restart the agitation," he said.

Hazare reiterated that people like Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would not be able to use his platform.

"This time I am very cautious and I am seeking a Rs 100 affidavit from members to pledge that they will not take sides, support any party or ideology and service the society and nation. So far, 5000 people have submitted their pledge and become part of the movement which is getting stronger day by day," he said, urging people to join his agitation that starts in Delhi on March 23.

He said that farmers' issue is the biggest in the country and it would be the focus of his proposed agitation.

"Over the past 22 years, 12 lakh farmers committed suicide in the country. The government is more concerned for corporate sector and have no concern for the farmers," Hazare said.

He said the farmers are compelled to take such extreme steps because the government has failed to ensure fair price to their produce.

He described the steps announced by the government for the farmers as "eye wash" and said "they are doling out carrots with an eye on the next elections".

"What happened to the bill pending in the parliament to give pension to farmers above 60 years having nothing for survival?Why Petrol and diesel was kept outside GST?" he asked in the same breath and answered himself that "they are doing it all to strengthen the party and fill its coffers so that they can buy a vote for Rs one lakh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 33-year old sub-inspector today allegedly shot himself to death, in the second 'suicide' of a police personnel here in the last three days, police said.

SI Satish Kumar, a bachelor, shot himself with a pistol at the Ayanavaram police station, where he was serving, early this morning, they said adding the reason for him taking the extreme step was under investigation.

The incident comes two days after 26-year-old police constable Arunraj allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with a rifle while on duty at the burial site (revered as a memorial) of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa here.

The cause of his 'suicide' was also under investigation.

In today's incident, Kumar came to the police station from his residential quarters in the early hours, got the key of the station armoury from a colleague, took a pistol and wrote a suicide note before killing himself, police said.

According to police, the SI in the note said nobody was to be blamed for his death.

Special sub-inspector Chiranjeevi, from whom Kumar obtained the armoury key, made a vain bid to prevent him from killing himself, they added.

Kumar walked back and forth inside the station for sometime before moving to the entrance and shooting himself dead, police said.

Senior police officials held a preliminary enquiry with the deceased SI's colleagues.

"The post mortem of the SI's body was videographed and the body has been handed over to his family," a senior doctor at the Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital told PTI.

Accompanied by police officials, the body has been taken to Kumar's native village in Thanjavur District for funeral.

Kumar is survived by his father, mother and a brother.

"He is not a coward, we do not know if it was due to work pressure or any intimidation," Raji, a relative of Kumar, told reporters commenting on the incident.

He urged the government to conduct an inquiry to find out the cause of his death.

Father of Arunraj had also demanded an investigation into his son's death.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Are the authorities waiting for the "atom bomb of garbage" to explode, an anguished Supreme Court bench asked today, saying it was "shocking" that the states and union territories were not at all bothered about the "national issue" of solid waste management.

The apex court also took strong exception that lawyers for none of the states and UTs, except for Delhi, were present in the court during the hearing and said it was a clear indication of their lack of concern.

"It is a clear indication that nobody bothers. So all the dump of India can remain here," a three-judge bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur, Kurian Joseph and Deepak Gupta said.

Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, representing the Centre, told the bench that they have filed an affidavit about the details received from 28 out of the 36 states and union territories (UTs) on solid waste management.

When the bench observed that no state or UT was bothered about the issue, Nadkarni said, "it is like we are sitting on atom bomb of garbage".

To this, the bench asked, "What should we do? Wait for the atom bomb of garbage to explode?"



The bench said that besides Delhi, the lawyers for other states and UTs were not present in the court and asked the Centre what should be done now.

"What do we do, you (Centre) tell us. Is this the attitude of states governments about solid waste management? Nobody (lawyers) for the states and UTs, except for Delhi, are present," the bench observed.

Nadkarni said the court could call for a "responsible officer" of each states and UT to appear before it and explain their stand.

The Centre also told the apex court that they have filed the information received from the states, UTs and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as per which State Level Advisory Body (SLABs) have been constituted in some of the states and UTs.

It said that meetings of SLAB have been conducted in 17 states and UTs, out of which there were only three states and UTs which have held two or more meetings.

The court noted in its order that as per the information furnished by the Centre, Delhi has conducted six meetings of the SLAB.

It said that solid waste management was a "national issue" and issued notices to all the states and UTs observing that the authorities were not taking the matter seriously.

The bench then fixed the matter for further hearing on March 19.

The Supreme Court had on February 6 warned the Centre for dumping "junk" before it in an 845-page affidavit containing "incomplete information" about solid waste management across the country and had said that the top court was not a "garbage collector".

The court, which is hearing a matter related to implementation of Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 across the country, had on December 12 last year asked the Centre to follow up on the issue of solid waste management with all states and UTs and furnish details.

It had expressed grave concern over the deaths due to vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya and said that lack of waste management was the cause of several lives being lost across the country.

In 2015, the apex court had on its own taken cognisance of death of a seven-year-old boy here due to dengue. He had been allegedly denied treatment by five private hospitals and his distraught parents had subsequently committed suicide.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The armed forces are "apolitical", the government today asserted in the Lok Sabha, weeks after Army chief Bipin Rawat's comment that the AIUDF was growing faster than the BJP in Assam sparked a row.

"Armed forces in India are apolitical," Subhash Bhamre, Minister of State in the Defence Ministry, said in a written response to a question in Parliament.

BJP MPs Manoj Rajoria and Raghav Lakhanpal had asked the government if it was aware of any "attempts at the politicisation of the armed forces".

Rawat's remarks last month that the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) had been growing faster than the BJP in Assam because of the support of Muslims, with Pakistan and China pushing Bangladeshi migrants into the northeastern part of the country to destabilise India, had stoked a political controversy.

AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal had then tweeted, "By making such a statement, the Army chief has indulged in which is against the constitutional mandate given to him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Army jawan was killed and three others were injured in a bomb explosion in Manipur's Tengnoupal district, police said today.

The bomb, suspected to have been planted by militants, exploded yesterday night at Phaisenjang village near the Myanmar border when the jawans were on patrol, the police said.

There were two other explosions in Kamjong and Imphal West districts yesterday night but there was no report of any casualty, the police added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Eight police personnels were injured in stone-pelting as locals opposed dumping of garbage at Padegaon-Mitmita village on the outskirts of Aurangabad in central Maharashtra today.

The incident was mentioned by a local MLA in the state Assembly, alleging that police lathi-charged the people.

The mob set on fire two garbage trucks of the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) apart from damaging two police vehicles, police said.

To disperse the protesters, police used teargas, Aurangabad police commissioner Yashaswi Yadav told PTI this evening. However, he denied the reports that police lathi-charged the crowd.

Hundreds of villagers from Padegaon-Mitmita village gathered to protest when municipal trucks arrived to offload garbage this morning.

An angry mob set one of the trucks on fire, following which police and fire brigade rushed to the spot.

Protesters then started pelting stones, in which two police inspectors and six constables suffered minor injuries, a police official said, adding that police lobbed teargas shells to disperse the crowd.

According to commissioner Yadav, after the mob was brought under control, garbage was offloaded at the site.

While the owner of the site had given permission to the AMC to use it as a dumping ground, other villagers were opposed to it, the police commissioner said.

The municipal corporation had to look for an alternative dumping site when villagers of Naregaon, where the garbage from the city was being dumped for the last three decades, said they would no longer allow it and launched an agitation.

The AMC selected a site at Padegaon-Mitmita, but on March 1, an angry mob set a garbage truck on fire when it arrived at the new dumping site.

The issue was raised in the Maharashtra Assembly by AIMIM legislator from Aurangabad Imtiaz Jaleel, who alleged that police used lathi-charge and also fired in air to disperse the mob during the protest at Mitmita village today.

Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil said the government had takennotice of the incident, and "appropriatesteps" would be taken.

Jaleel said that the government should understand people's anger over the issue of garbage disposal, and police shouldn't handle the situation high-handedly.

Yesterday, replying to a question about garbage piling up in Aurangabad, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said in the Assembly that a solution would be found soon.

Scientific segregationand disposal of garbage was needed, he said, adding that funds would be provided to the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation for tackling the issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The West Bengal government's motor vehicle revenue target for fiscal 2018-19 has been set at Rs 2,500 crore, state Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari said today.

In the current financial year, revenue generation from motor vehicles is expected to be Rs 2,300 crore as against Rs 1,990 crore achieved in 2016-17, Adhikari said in the state Assembly.

He said the state government will soon commence helicopter services to Purulia and Santiniketan.

The minister said the Coochbehar airport is ready for operations, while other airports in Malda and Balurghat for small fixed-wing aircraft are expected to be functional soon.

Initiative has also been taken for revival of Chharra Airport in Purulia, Adhikari said.

He said that 40 electric buses will be deployed in the near future in and around the city.

The transport department will later today inaugurate night bus services between 10 pm and 5 am connecting Howrah station, Sealdah station, Karunamoyee and Airport.

The minister said 25 such buses equipped with modern tracking gadgets will ply under police monitoring.

Volvo bus services between Kolkata and district head quarters will begin from April onwards.

Adhikari said a new policy is on the anvil for autos which are over three years old, and their routes will be fixed in consultation with police.

Speaking about safety, he said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's call for 'Safe Drive Save Life' was yielding results. Accidents and deaths have reduced by 16 and 14 per cent, respectively, in 2017, the minister claimed.

Within one month, over 800 driving licences have been cancelled for talking on mobile phones while driving, Adhikari said.

Steps are also being taken to issue driving licences and vehicle fitness certificates under CCTV surveillance to make officials concerned accountable.

The West Bengal government has stopped issuing new franchisee bus service licences, and it will deploy state transport buses in those routes when the term of franchisee buses lapse, he said.

Meanwhile, the House cleared the Transport Department Budget of Rs 1,588 crore for 2018-19.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tomorrow inaugurate the pan-India expansion of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' programme in Jhunjunu in Rajasthan where he will also launch the National Nutrition Mission.

The Beti Bachao programme will be expanded from the present 161 districts to 640 districts across the country, an official statement said here.

Modi will also interact with beneficiary mothers and girl children of the programme and distribute certificates to best performing districts under the scheme.

The prime minister will also launch the National Nutrition Mission on a nation-wide basis. The statement said the schemes are being expanded and launched on the International Women's Day.

He will also launch the NNM-ICDS common application software. "The mission strives to reduce under-nutrition and low birth weight, bring down anaemia among young children, women and adolescent girls and to reduce the prevalence of stunting among children," the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Chhattisgarh government's unique initiative for the survivors of human trafficking- 'Beti Zindabad Bakery'-is one of the three women-centric projects from the state that are chosen for Naari Shakti-2017 award.

Besides 'Beti Zindabad', the Raipur-based 'Sakhi One Stop Centre', a Central initiate, and Raigarh district have also been chosen for the award.

President Ram Nath Kovind will present the "Naari Samman" to women associated with the Bakery and the Sakhi Centre projects at a function to be held in Delhi on the occasion of the International Women's Day tomorrow, a state government official said here today.

Raipur-based 'Sakhi One Stop Centre' was chosen for the award for resolving various issues concerning women, he said.

The project, launched in July 2015 with an objective of helping women in distress, was expanded in remaining 26 districts of the state in March last year, he said.

Raigarh district has been chosen for the award under 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' campaign for effective community partnership, said the official.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will felicitate Raigarh district collector Shammi Abidi at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan tomorrow, he said.

'Beti Zindabad Bakery', based at Kansabel in Jashpur, is run by the women survivors of trafficking with the assistance provided by the district administration.

The women were provided bakery training under Chief Minister's Skills Development programme.

Chief Minister Raman Singh has expressed happiness over selection of the state for the awards and congratulated the people of the state, particularly women.

Nari Shakti Samman, instituted by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, carries a cash prize of Rs one lakh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A judicial committee set up to look into violence on the campus of the Banaras Hindu University has given a clean chit to then Vice Chancellor GC Tripathi who was under fire for allegedly mishandling the protests by students, university sources said today.

In its report, the committee pointed out loopholes in the handling of the agitation last September by the state administration and also blamed "anti-social elements" and political parties for provoking the students.

Former Allahabad High Court judge VK Dikshit, who was appointed by Tripathi to conduct an independent enquiry, recently submitted his report to the BHU authorities.

A number of students and two journalists were injured in a baton-charge by the police after a demonstration against an alleged incident of sexual harassment turned violent in BHU, one of the 43 central universities in the country.

The sources said Dixit has given a clean chit to Tripathi and said the university authorities discharged their duty by reaching out to the victim and informing the police immediately about the alleged molestation.

Asserting that the student agitation was politicised, Dikshit is learnt to have stated that the state administration did not take appropriate action to prevent the violence and representatives of the state police and administration did not appear before him despite repeated reminders for their version of the incident.

Tripathi had gone on leave in November last year, two months before his tenure came to an end, following the ruckus on campus.

HRD Ministry sources had indicated that the central government was displeased with the manner in which the then VC had handled the entire episode.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On the eve of International Women's Day, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a USD 170 million project aimed at advancing women's economic empowerment in four countries, including in India.

Announced yesterday, the investments focused in India, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will target four key priorities - advancing gender equality, spreading digital financial inclusion, increasing job opportunities, and supporting the agricultural sector and women's support groups.

"One of the most profound ways a woman can make life better for herself and her family is to take control of her economic future," said Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

"When women have money in their hands and the authority to choose how to spend it, they grow in confidence and power. They change the unwritten rules that say women are lesser than men," she said in a statement.

The investments will build on the foundation's previous financial commitments to advance progress on gender equality, including USD 80 million for gender data, advocacy and accountability, of which USD 20 million was dedicated to supporting women's movements, a statement said.

According to the foundation, the data show that when a woman has the option of working outside the home and access to financial services to participate in the formal economy, families break the cycle of poverty and national GDPs rise.

When women have access to financial resources such as cash or mobile money, the ability to control those resources and the ability to make decisions that affect her, and her family's future, women are empowered in ways beyond economics, it said.

The investments will not only help better understand what works to ensure women are able to fully participate in economies, but also dismantle the barriers that have held women back for far too long, said



Sarah Hendriks, director, gender equality at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

"Our strategy is aimed at giving more women and girls the economic opportunities they need to engage as equals in society," Hendriks said.

International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8 every year. It commemorates the movement for women's rights.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP leader H Raja today blamed staff managing his Facebook account for the controversial post on nationalist leader Periyar and expressed regret for the remarks even as the controversy refused to die down with parties and pro-Tamil outfits holding protests against him.

The state government has warned of action against those "disrupting public peace.

In a Facebook post that was later deleted on Tuesday, Raja had said: "Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection India has with Communists? Today Lenin's statue removed in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of EV Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu".

With the remarks stirring a controversy in Tamil Nadu, Raja initially took to Facebook today to issue a clarification and express regret for his comments.

In his online post, he said his "Facebook admin" had put up a post comparing the razing down of Lenin statue in Tripura to that of Ramaswamy.

"Views should be confronted by views only and not by violence. I have no intentions of hurting anybody. Therefore, if anybody felt hurt by that post, I express my heartfelt regret," he said.

"It is not acceptable to us to damage any statue of Periyar," he further said.

Later, speaking to reporters in Delhi, he claimed that his Facebook admin had put up such a post while he was travelling to the national capital for a party event.

"I later removed the post and have also removed the admin," he said and once again expressed regret.

However, the move failed to cut any ice with political parties and pro-Tamil outfits in Tamil Nadu.

Opposition DMK and various fringe organisations and outfits staged protests in many parts of the state, with Raja's effigies being burnt in Chennai, Cuddalore and Salem among others.

Police detained scores of protesters, including some who tried to lay siege to the state BJP headquarters here.

The protesters wanted the government to initiate legal action against the saffron party leader, known to make controversial remarks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah have also condemned the vandalisation and warned of strong action against those indulging in such acts.

The government warned of action against those affecting public peace.

"Anyone disrupting public peace will be produced before law," senior AIADMK leader and state Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar told reporters here.

Using a Tamil phrase, he indicated that the government will not hesitate to take action against anyone affecting public peace.

Opposition DMK said that following the outcry in Tamil Nadu on this issue, none would make such remarks henceforth.

DMK Working President MK Stalin recalled Ramasamy's contribution in fighting various social evils and striving towards an egalitarian society and said he was a widely respected leader.

Pointing out at the widespread protests and the public outcry against Raja's comments, Stalin said "none even in their dreams will now think of removing statues of Periyar."



"If anyone wanted to do so, let them touch the statues and the DMK, which upholds the Dravidian ideals of Periyar, will show who they are," he said in a letter to partymen.

President of Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM), actor Kamal Haasan, said he wondered if the ongoing controversy was aimed at diverting attention from the Cauvery issue.

He said it came at a time when there were strong demands in the state urging the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Water Management Board (CMB), as per Supreme Court guidelines.

Asked if the BJP should take action against Raja, Haasan said "that would be the proper, decent thing to do."



Following the vandalism of a Periyar statue in Vellore, statues of the leader in different parts of the state were given police protection.

Armed police security was also posted at Raja's residence in Karaikudi.

Meanwhile, in an apparent fallout of the incident, the BJP office in Coimbatore came under attack, after miscreants hurled petrol bombs at it.

The men, who came in an auto-rickshaw, hurled the bombs at the office in Siddapudur at around 4 am, they said, adding that the bombs fell short of the BJP office building.

A special police team has been formed to track down the culprits, based on CCTV camera footage, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP MLA Kalusingh Thakur today told the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly that he has been coming to attend proceedings in a public transport since his security guard was allegedly assaulted by staffers of a toll plaza in 2016 at Mangalia in Indore district.

During Question Hour, Thakur, who represents Dharmpuri in Dhar district, sought to know whether deployment of security guards is considered as part of the government work.

The MLA said he had sat in respective police station for five hours after the January 8, 2016 incident to get the FIR registered against the toll plaza personnel.

Home Minister Bhupendra Singh said the state government has provided security guards to MLAs for their safety.

Singh said he would make all necessary arrangements to ensure that Thakur comes to the Assembly in his private vehicle again.

Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh said MLAs of various parties are worried about their safety in the state.

In the midst of debate, Speaker Sitasharan Sharma said background of the people working with toll plazas across the state should be checked and verified by the police.

A person with a criminal background should not be hired at toll plazas, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A British national has traced the cemeteries of two of her 18th century ancestors while on a tour to pay homage to them at Tarangambadi near here.

Susan Parker, a fifth generation descendant of British businessman William Edward Stevenson, came to know about her family history from the records at National Museum, Denmark.

Tarangambadi in Nagapattinam district remained under Danish rule between 1620 AD and 1845 AD and was administered by Danish Governors.

In 1773, Stevenson, a British merchant, arrived at Tarangambadi and entered into a trading contract with the Danes and started a shipping company.

Stevenson built a palatial bungalow at the seafront, which was later bought by the Danes and converted as the official residence of Danish Governors.

After Stevenson, his descendants looked after the business. Some of them died at Tarangambadi itself and were buried there.

Details about the Danes and other foreign citizens buried at Tarangambadi are being maintained there.

"Many of my ancestors have lived at Tarangambadi and I decided to visit the town, trace their cemeteries and pay homage," Susan said.

Accompanied by her husband Anthony Parker, Susan arrived at Taragambadi from the UK early this week.

"There are two ancient cemeteries at Tarangambadi. With the help ofProf Marialazar, a historian at Tarangambadi and Sankar, administrator of Danish Maritime Museum, Tarangambadi, we started analysing the two cemeteries," she said.

After searching for three days, the cemeteries of two of her ancestors - Willoughby Carpenter, who died on November 15, 1832, and Edward Byod Stevenson, who died on November 19,1872 - were identified.

"I could not believe my eyes when we spotted the two cemeteries," she said.

"It is also heartening to see the bungalow constructed by my fifth great-grandfather beautifully renovated in this coastal town," Susan said.

Marialazar said many Danes were now tracing centuries-old cemeteries of their ancestors at Tarangambadi to pay homage.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A BSF jawan was handed down a pay cut as punishment for showing "disrespect" towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a routine drill.

But an intervention by Modi who expressed his displeasure today and wanted the punishment to be withdrawn immediately led the force to rescind its order deducting a weeks salary from the jawan.

The prime minister directed the Border Security Force(BSF) today to immediately withdraw the order, said a spokesperson of the paramilitary, adding that it had been rescinded.

Constable Sanjeev Kumar, posted in the 15th battalion of the BSF deployed in West Bengal's Nadia district, was found "guilty" by his commanding officer (CO) for using the words "Modi programme" while attending a morning roll call task on February 21.

The CO of the unit, Commandant Anup Lal Bhagat, issued an order handing down a "pay fine of 7 days", which means a salary cut for a week, to the jawan for "showing disrespect towards the PM".

"The prime minister has expressed his displeasure and directed the force to immediately withdraw the punishment. The order has been rescinded and the concerned Commandant has been cautioned for not dealing with the matter judiciously," the BSF spokesperson said.

Officials said the jawan referred to an event that he attended as "Modi programme" during the 'zero parade' or reporting assembly of briefing seniors about their official activities. They said the CO found this kind of reference to the prime minister by the jawan as improper and ordered an inquiry against him.

The inquiry, the officials said, was completed in a day and constable Kumar was held guilty and charged under section 40 of the BSF Act (an act prejudicial to good order and discipline of the force).

"Senior officers of the force have been instructed time and again to display qualities of a good leader, both in letter and spirit, for the personnel under their command.

"These men and women work in some of the most arduous conditions across the country. Their commanders should ensure discipline in the force but the punishment has to be commensurate to the offence," a senior officer of the force said, underling that handing down a pay cut to the jawan was not a judicious decision.

The 15th battalion of the BSF is deployed to guard the India-Bangladesh international border in West Bengal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Budgetary allocations are provided to the armed forces to build up capability and prepare for all kinds of exigencies, the government today informed the Lok Sabha, after it was asked if the defence allocation was done keeping in mind the "collusive threat" from the borders of China and Pakistan.

In a written response to another question, Subhash Bhamre, Minister of State in the Defence Ministry, said the government has also constituted a task force to study the Strategic Implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) application on National Security and defence needs to make appropriate recommendations



"AI has the potential to contribute in national security in various applications like Unmanned Ariel Systems (UASs), Robotics Decision Support Systems and Operational Logistics," the minister said.

On the question of budgetary allocations, he said they are provided to the armed forces to build up capability and prepare for all eventualities.

He was asked whether monetary allocation of the defence ministry has been done keeping in mind the "collusive threat" from the borders of China and Pakistan.

According to a report issued at the opening of China's annual meeting of parliament early this week, the East Asian giant has hiked its 2018 defence budget to USD 175 billion (1.11 trillion yuan).

It is also China's largest defence spending increase in three years, fuelling an ambitious military modernisation programme.

In a response to another question, Bhamre said the government earmarked Rs 1,67,84,679 for 2017-18, which is 2.2 per cent of its GDP.

Asked whether the Army has sounded an alarm about its critical operational deficiency in the field of Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs), Bhamre said the review of security scenario is being done constantly and induction of appropriate defence equipment, technology is done accordingly.

This is done to keep the armed forces in a state of readiness and equipped with modern weapon and protection systems, the minister said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 28-year-old suspected burglar, who aspired to be "more famous" than the notorious "Bunty Chor" and was wanted by the Mumbai Police in connection with burglaries, was arrested here, the police said today.

With the arrest, the police claimed to have solved 41 cases. Three men, including two who used to receive the stolen articles from the accused, were also arrested, the police said.

The police learnt that one Sahib alias Sabu alias Bunty, who was wanted by the Mumbai Police, had become quite active in the Trans-Yamuna area, where he was involved in a number of burglaries.

The accused was arrested on February 23 from near the 7 Block Gurdwara, Geeta Colony.

The police also recovered stolen articles, including laptops, jewellery and three CCTV cameras. A device, along with a CPU, that was used to crack the IMEI code of mobile phones was also recovered.

Three others -- Imran alias Saleem (30), Deep alias Mota (22) and Rajnish Manchanda alias Raju (41) -- were also arrested over the last fortnight, the police said.

Saleem and Mota used to receive the stolen articles from Bunty, while Raju helped him crack the IMEI numbers of stolen mobile phones, they added.

During interrogation, Bunty revealed that he wanted to become "more famous" than "Bunty Chor", said Nupur Prasad, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara).

He was inspired by the Bollywood movie, "Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye", based on the shenanigans of "Bunty Chor". He used to roam around on a stolen motorcycle to zero in on his next target and even greet the people of the area to avoid suspicion, the police said.

He had entered the world of crimes in Mumbai as a teenager when he stole a bicycle to impress his girlfriend. Subsequently, he came to Delhi with a design to commit sensational burglaries like "Bunty Chor", the officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seeking to improve India's ranking in the ease of doing business index, the government today approved amendments to two laws for faster disposal of commercial disputes.

According to the amendments approved to the Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Act, the specified value of a commercial dispute will be brought down to Rs 3 lakh from the present Rs 1 crore.

Now, commercial disputes of a reasonable value can be decided by commercial courts. This would bring down the time taken from the present 1,445 days in resolution of commercial disputes of lesser value.

The amendment also provides for establishment of commercial courts at district judge level for the territories over which respective high courts have ordinary original civil jurisdiction -- the cities of Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and state of Himachal Pradesh.

The introduction of the pre-institution mediation process in cases where no urgent, interim relief is contemplated will provide an opportunity to the parties to resolve the commercial disputes outside the ambit of the courts through the authorities constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act.

It will help in reinforcing investors' confidence in the resolution of commercial disputes, an official statement issued by the law ministry said.

The law, once passed, will be given prospective effect, so that the authority of the judicial forum presently adjudicating the commercial disputes is not affected.

Increase of foreign direct investment and overseas commercial transactions have further contributed to a significant increase of commercial disputes.

Ease of doing business is an index of World Bank which refers to the dispute resolution environment in a country which facilitates the investors in deciding for setting up of and operation of a business.

The Union Cabinet also approved the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2018 to encourage institutional arbitration for settlement of disputes.

The amendments will facilitate speedy appointment of arbitrators through designated arbitral institutions by the Supreme Court or a high court, without having any requirement to approach the court in this regard.

The amendment also provides for creation of an independent body -- the Arbitration Council of India (ACI) which will grade arbitral institution and accredit arbitrators by laying down norms and take all such steps as may be necessary to promote and encourage arbitration, conciliation, mediation and other alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

The ACI chairperson will be a person who has been a judge of the Supreme Court or chief justice or judge of any high court or any eminent person.

It is proposed to provide that the time limit for arbitral award in other arbitrations will be within 12 months from the completion of the pleadings of the parties.

The arbitrator will be protected from suit or other legal proceedings for any action or omission done in good faith in the course of arbitration proceedings.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union Cabinet today approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Hellenic Republic for renewable energy cooperation.

"The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been apprised of the MoU on cooperation in the field of renewable energy between India and Hellenic Republic," an official statement said.

The MoU was signed by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Nikos Kotzias, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, during the latter's visit to New Delhi in November 2017.

Both sides aim to establish the basis for a cooperative institutional relationship to encourage and promote technical bilateral cooperation on new and renewable issues on the basis of mutual benefit equality and reciprocity.

The MoU envisages establishing a joint working group to review, monitor and discuss matters relation to areas of cooperation. The MoU aims for exchange of expertise and networking of information.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union Cabinet today approved a string of agreements, including ones on people-to-people contact and protection, to be signed with France during the visit of its President Emmanuel Macron to India from March 9.

One of the agreements cleared today relates to migration and mobility partnership between India and France and will be initially valid for a period of seven years.

It incorporates provision for automatic renewal and a monitoring mechanism through a joint working group.

"The agreement represents a major milestone in enhancing people-to-people contacts, fostering mobility of students, academics, researchers and skilled professionals and strengthening cooperation on issues related to irregular migration and human trafficking between the two sides," an official statement issued after the Cabinet meeting said.

Another proposed agreement relates to facilitating mutual recognition of educational qualifications and periods of study undertaken by students in duly approved, recognised and accredited educational institutions in the two countries.

The agreement will be instrumental in encouraging mobility of students from both the countries by facilitating possibilities for them to continue their studies in the other country and would also promote excellence in higher education through innovative partnerships and research activities.

The Cabinet also gave its nod to an agreement with France on the prevention of illicit consumption and reduction of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors.

The MoU is aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation between the two countries in prevention of the illicit consumption of and reduction of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors through exchange of information, expertise and capacity building.

On the front, the proposed memorandum of cooperation approved today will enable establishment and promotion of closer and long-term cooperation between the two countries in the field of protection and management of natural resources on the basis of equity, reciprocity and mutual benefits.

The proposed agreement is expected to bring in the latest technologies and best practices suited to bringing about better environment protection, better conservation, better management of climate change and wildlife protection, the statement said.

The Cabinet was also apprised of the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of renewable energy between India and Hellenic.

The MoU was signed by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Nikos Kotzias, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic during the latter's visit to New Delhi in November, 2017.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Reporters Without Borders has said a Cameroonian journalist was stripped, slapped and forced in to a dog's kennel at the house of a former minister.

The journalist visited the home of ex-transport minister Alain Edgard Mebe Ngo'o on Saturday, the day after the politician left the top job.

"After reporting to a guard at the entrance of the residence, the journalist was arrested by the minister's police service, then undressed, violently slapped, put inside a cage for dogs and sprayed with water," the NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said.

Accused of espionage, he was interrogated for several hours, the statement added.

The reporter for the Cameroon daily newspaper Le Jour had been covering President Paul Biya's cabinet reshuffle.

Editor Haman Mana said on Monday that the newspaper reserved the right to take legal action.

The National Union of Journalists of Cameroon "condemned with the utmost energy this heinous act".

The country is ranked 130 out of 180 in RSF's World Press Freedom Index of 2017.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has said that the Centre, the Prasar Bharati and DD are "not serious" about complying with its directions to consider the grievances of contractual employees demanding salary and others benefits at par with regular staffers.

The principal bench of the tribunal, headed by its chairman Justice Permod Kohli, has issued notice to the authorities concerned to decide on various representations of contractual employees and posted the matter for further hearing on March 8.

The tribunal was hearing a plea by 75 contractual employees of DD News, alleging they have been "discriminated and humiliated" when compared to regular employees of the channel.

The doctrine of 'equal pay for equal work' was not being followed, they said.

The principal bench of CAT had on May 19 last year asked the authorities to decide on the representations of contractual employees within 90 days.

"The respondents (authorities) have not taken any decision within 90 days as directed and to the contrary have asked the applicants (employees) to submit the proof of parity in duties etc.," the tribunal said.

It also noted that the employees have even furnished the details about the parity of duties as well but the authorities are yet to take any action.

The petition had demanded improved pay and service conditions for contractual employees.

The tribunal had earlier noted that the employees had submitted representations to the authorities but no order had been passed till date.

The plea stated that these employees worked in "inhuman" conditions and there was "great instability".

The employees had alleged before the tribunal that all leaves except for 15 days in the year were without pay.

There are no benefits such as maternity leave, social security, insurance etc. and no risk cover for the field jobs either to male or female employees, the employees alleged.

They also claimed that they had been working with the channel for around 14 years on consolidated remuneration, without PF, medical facility, social security and annual increments. The absence of pay parity was causing financial hardships to the applicants, the plea said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nearly three-fold jump has been witnessed in the average number of ceasefire violations per day along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

In written reply to a question, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said that in 2017, 860 cases of ceasefire violations were reported along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

This year the figure stands at 209 till January 31, the minister said.

According to the statistics made available in the Rajya Sabha, in 2017, an average violation along the LoC was 2.3 per day whereas the figure stood at 6.7 in 2018 till January 31.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China today urged the Sri Lankan government to take measures to ensure security of its nationals in view of the communal clashes between the Buddhists and Muslims that led to the imposition of an emergency.

Sri Lanka yesterday declared a state of emergency for 10 days to rein in the spread of communal violence between majority Sinhala Buddhists and minority Muslims in the country's scenic Kandy district that left two persons dead and damaged several mosques and homes.

Violence, triggered by the death of a Sinhalese man at the hands of a mob last week, erupted yesterday in the Theldeniya area of the central hill district popular with tourists. The government sent troops and elite police commandoes to Kandy to restore order and enforce the curfew.

Asked about the emergency imposed in Sri Lanka to clampdown on the communal clashes, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said here that China hopes the Sri Lankan government would take measures to protect the safety and security of Chinese nationals.

On the declaration of the emergency by the government, Geng declined to comment on it, saying that it is an internal affair of Sri Lanka.

We believe it is the domestic affair of Sri Lanka. We believe the Sri Lankan government and the people are capable of dealing with the current situations and to ensure the social stability and national solidarity," he said.

China invested billions of dollars in Sri Lanka, including in the development of ports in Hambantota and Colombo. Sri Lanka has also emerged as a popular destination for Chinese tourists.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China is using the strategy of giving credit and loans to countries across the world to become a global power with great influence, a top US intelligence official has said.

Daniel R Coats, Director of National Intelligence, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing said China was using a number of techniques that are far more than just the typical military land grab to increase its influence.

"While China is modernising its military, is increasing its spending, most of it appears to be done for a deterrence purpose, rather than an aggressive purpose. They clearly have a strategy of using credit and loans to countries around the world, particularly in geo-strategic places, then combining it with some military capacity -- South China Sea's -- their new base in Djibouti," Coats said.

"We see that China is seeking, I think, to become a world power with great influence on a global basis. And they're using a number of techniques that are far more than just the typical military land grab that we see more likely with Russia, rather than China," Coats said.

He was responding to a question from Senator Angus King on the intelligence community's assessment of what China wants.

"Are they moving toward military aggression and enlargement of their territory? Or are they looking more toward political and economic influence in the region?" he asked.

"It appears to be the latter," Coats said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China led a group of 18 World Trade Organisation members today that urged US President Donald Trump to scrap his planned tariffs on steel and aluminium.

The pleas from a broad coalition of members including the European Union, Japan, Canada and Russia came at the WTO's General Council meeting, according to a trade official with direct knowledge of the meeting.

The Chinese representative, who spoke first, said Trump's intention to justify the tariffs on national security grounds would pose a systemic threat to the rules-based global trading system safeguarded by the 164-member WTO.

Canada meanwhile expressed concern that "the United States might be opening a Pandora's Box that we would not be able to close," according to the official.

Fears of an all-out trade war have risen since Trump announced the planned tariffs -- 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium -- last week.

The world's major economies have vowed to defend themselves, including through legal action at the WTO.

But the circumstances of the case pose unique challenges for the Geneva-based WTO, which strives to foster a level-playing field in global trade.

The WTO's Dispute Settlement Body has never arbitrated a case filed under its national security clause -- known as Article 21 -- which was first enshrined after World War II in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

GATT was a predecessor to the WTO, which was not established until 1995.

The concern among WTO officials is that if a member-state, especially the world's top economy, justifies protectionist measures on national security grounds, it would trigger a free-for-all, with nations ignoring all trading rules currently on the books.

"Many members said they had fears of tit-for-tat retaliation which could spiral out of control," the trade official told reporters.

Trump's top economic adviser Gary Cohn has resigned in apparent protest over the controversial tariffs.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Washington is not seeking a trade war and the decision to impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminium imports was "thought through.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress today won four of the six zila parishad seats, 12 of the 20 panchayat samiti seats and four of the six municipal seats for which bypolls were held in Rajasthan, officials said.

The strong performance by the opposition party comes days after it scored emphatic victories in the bypolls to two parliamentary and an assembly constituency.

The ruling BJP could win just one zila parishad seat, eight panchayat samiti seats and two municipal body seats for which byelections were held, they said.

Independent candidates won one zila parishad and one panchayat samiti seats.

An upbeat Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said the result indicated a certain ouster of the BJP from the state.

It is a yet another victory of party workers. In the last four years, the BJP has exploited people of the state due to its anti-people policies, Pilot said in a statement.

He said the Congresss voting percentage has increased in all the elections held in last four years whereas the BJP had to face debacles.

He claimed that in the Assembly elections due by the end of this year, a similar result would follow.

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has accepted the defeat in bypolls on parliamentary and assembly constituencies saying that it was a wake-up call and the result of panchayati raj institutions and local bodies declared today has indicated farewell of BJP from the state, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior Congress legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan today created a flutter in the Kerala assembly by producing a stun grenade the kind of which he claimed was used by police to disperse Youth Congress protesters.

Radhakrishnan, a former Home minister, displayed the grenade, that has past its expiry date, during the budget discussion on grants for the home department.

He claimed that similar kind of stun grenade were used by police to disperse Youth Congress agitators in front of the secretariat last week.

Stun grenades are a type of non-lethal weapon used by security forces to disperse protesters by stunning them with its sound and flash.

After attacking the CPI-M-led LDF government's police policy, Radhakrishnan took out the stun grenade from a cover and showed it to other legislators and said it was past its expiry date.

"It is with these kind of arms, the government is facing Youth Congress agitators," he said.

Seizing on the matter, senior CPI-M MLA S Sharma raised a point of order and said bringing arms to the House was not in order.

A senior legislator like Radhakrishnan should not have come with such a material, he said.

Intervening, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asked Radhakrishnan to place the grenade on the table of the House following which the legislator handed it over to the Speaker.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Members of Congress today staged a walkout in the West Bengal Assembly protesting against the Speaker's decision to 'guillotine' budgetary grant demands of several departments.

Owing to paucity of time, Speaker Biman Banerjee put on vote at once the outstanding demands for grants, which is known as 'guillotine'.

The Opposition Congress members, protesting the decision and denial of a chance to discuss the demands for grants, staged a walkout shouting slogans at 4.16 pm.

The Congress members, however, came back to the House during discussion on Appropriation Bill at 4.50 pm, which was presented by Finance Minister Amit Mitra.

The Appropriation bill was passed by the House in voice vote.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A CRPF jawan allegedly opened fire and injured two of his colleagues at a camp in the Naxal-infested district of Gadhchiroli near here, officials said today.

The incident took place last night at the Ettapalli camp, where Head Constable Sandre Sanjay had an altercation with two of his fellow soldiers, following which he allegedly fired at them from his service AK rifle.

Two head constables, C B Maruti and S S Singh, were injured in the incident and were admitted to a hospital here, they said.

Sanjay, they said, was overpowered by other men present in the camp and taken into custody, they said.

While Maruti, hit in the stomach region, was in a critical condition, Singh has a bullet injury in his leg and is stated to be out of danger, they said.

Local police was investigating the case even as the paramilitary force has ordered a Court of Inquiry (CoI) into the incident, they said.

The Ettapalli camp of the Central Reserve Police Force houses a unit of its 119th battalions that is deployed in the area to conduct anti-Maoist operations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said that Anshu Prakash was being harassed by AAP MLAs by "hook or crook" for pursuing his complaint of alleged assault during a meeting at the chief minister's residence and said the "very unfortunate" incident did not reflect the working of a civilised society.

The court made the observations when it was informed by the bureaucrat's counsel that after the February 19 incident, he was served with a notice by the Privileges Committee of the Delhi Assembly asking him to appear before it with regard to a complaint against him.

He was yesterday served with a notice by the Assembly's Question and Reference Committee with a direction that he should present himself before it tomorrow.

"You cannot harass a complainant (chief secretary) like this. The fact remains that if a person makes a complaint and there is an indirect way of harassing him, whether the court should take cognisance of it.

"By hook or crook, the is being harassed (by AAP MLAs). Is it not a ground to reject the bail plea?" Justice Mukta Gupta said while hearing the bail application of AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal, arrested in connection with the assault case.

Describing the incident as "very unfortunate", the court said it did not reflect the working of a civilised society.

The was served a notice by the Privileges Committee for skipping a meeting on February 20, which was scheduled a day after he was allegedly assaulted by two AAP MLAs -- Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal. They are both in jail.

He also did not attend the subsequent meetings on February 21 and 23, following which the notice was issued on March 1.

The court, which reserved its order on the bail plea of Jarwal, issued notice and sought a status report from the Delhi Police on Khan's bail application by March 12.

The judge also questioned the law and order situation in the capital, saying how a "person" could be assaulted at a place where Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was sitting.

Justice Gupta said, "I am concerned that if a person is assaulted in the presence of the chief minister and the deputy chief minister (Manish Sisodia), what will happen at other places? How should I be satisfied that no such incident would take place in future?"



She said, "It is a very unfortunate situation where the State and the officers feel unsafe and are being threatened by each other."



The court said that if this kind of an attitude is followed, there are assaults and counter-assaults and this is not the working of a "civilised society".

It said, "Do you understand the impact of such an incident on the society. The impact is very serious when such an incident happens in the heart of the city where the chief minister was also sitting," and added the issue was whether the complainant was being pressured.

The court noted that it is the third case against Jarwal of allegedly obstructing a public servant in discharge of duties.

While Deoli MLA Jarwal was arrested on February 20, Khan was taken into custody on February 21. Their 14-day judicial custody will end tomorrow. They have moved the high court against the dismissal of their bail pleas by court below.

During the hearing, which saw heated arguments between the advocates for the MLAs, the chief secretary and the Delhi Police, the court was told that it has been decided that from now onwards all the meetings of the Delhi government will be held under CCTV coverage.

Senior advocates Rebecca John and Dayan Krishnan, appearing for Jarwal, sought bail for him saying that he was ready to abide by any condition. He would give an affidavit that if he violated any condition, his bail should be cancelled, they said.

The council claimed that only heated arguments took place between the MLAs and the chief secretary and no assault occurred.

On the allegation that he was putting pressure on the officer through the issuance of notice by an Assembly panel, John said Jarwal, who has been in custody since February 20, had nothing to do with the notice.

Advocates Rahul Mehra and Sanjay Lau, appearing for the police, opposed the bail plea and said there was an issue was of trust deficit.

In this scenario, it was the citizens of Delhi who were suffering, they contended.

"On the one side, it is bureaucrats, on the other it is legislators. We are not in an anarchy. We live in a rule of law and everyone has to abide by the law," Mehra said.

The police counsel also said that according to the medical report of the senior bureaucrat, his injuries were of simple ion nature but two of the provisions invoked on Jarwal were non-bailable.

While opposing the bail plea, they said the police have collected the video recording from the chief minister's residence, where the incident took place.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing the chief secretary, filed an intervention application and opposed Jarwal's bail plea saying the bureaucrat was called into a room where no camera was there. He was made to sit between two persons, he submitted.

However, the presence of Luthra was opposed by Mehra who asked in what capacity was the bureaucrat briefing a private counsel when the State was already in court to argue the case.
The Delhi High Court today said that Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash cannot be harassed through notices by Assembly committees for pursuing his complaint for allegedly being assaulted by AAP MLAs during a meeting.

Justice Mukta Gupta said it is a very "unfortunate situation where the State and the officers feel unsafe and are being threatened by each other".

The court's observations came while hearing the bail plea of AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal, who was arrested on February 20 for allegedly assaulting the chief secretary during a meeting at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence here on the night of Februaru 19.

The court, which reserved its order on Deoli MLA Jarwal's bail application, also issued notice and sought a status report from the Delhi Police by March 12 on the bail plea of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, who is also in custody in the case.

"You cannot harass a complainant like this. By hook or crook, the chief secretary is being harassed. Is it not a ground to reject the bail plea?" the court said when it was informed by the bureaucrat's counsel that he has been served with a notice by the Privileges Committee of the Delhi Assembly asking him to appear before it with regard to a complaint made against him.

The high court had earlier in the day questioned the law and order situation in the capital while hearing the bail plea of one of the MLAs.

The court said it was concerned that if "a person" can be assaulted in the presence of the Delhi chief minister and the deputy chief minister, what will happen at other places.

The court had on March 1 issued notice to the Delhi Police on Jarwal's bail plea and sought a status report in the matter.

Okhla MLA Khan, who was also arrested in the case on February 21, had yesterday moved his bail application in the high court.

Jarwal and Khan are in 14 days judicial custody, which ends tomorrow, in connection with the assault case.

A magisterial court had earlier denied bail to both of them, saying the matter cannot be treated in "a casual and routine manner" while dubbing them as "history-sheeters".

Jarwal had then moved a sessions court and was again denied the relief with the court saying the situation could not be more alarming when lawmakers do not respect the rule of law.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Curfew was re-imposed on Wednesday in Sri Lanka's riot-hit Kandy district with immediate effect until further notice following reports of violence between majority Sinhala Buddhists and minority Muslims in other areas of the multi-ethnic district.

The authorities yesterday imposed curfew till this morning after communal violence erupted in the Theldeniya area of the central hill district that left two persons dead and damaged several mosques and homes.

Government spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne said that the curfew has been extended to prevent further violence.

Police fired teargas shells to disperse rioters in curfew-bound areas hours after a state of emergency was imposed in a bid to quell anti-Muslim violence, an senior police official said.

Following the incidents of violence, President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday declared a state of emergency and deployed the police and military to prevent further violence.

It was the first time since August 2011 that a state of emergency was in force in the Indian Ocean's island nation.

In the incidents of overnight violence in a Kandy suburb, Menikhinna, three policemen were injured while seven people were arrested for breaking the curfew and trying to cause unrest, police spokesman Superintendent of Police (SP) Ruwan Gunasekera said.

The government sent troops and elite police commandos to Kandy, home to famous tea plantations and Buddhist relics, to restore order and enforce the curfew.

The curfew was lifted last morning but was re-imposed soon after several mosques, shops and homes belonging to the minority community were badly damaged in the attacks by the Sinhalese Buddhists.

Sri Lanka has a long history of state of emergency during the LTTE rebellion both in the south and the Tamil minority dominated north and east of the island.

Schools in Kandy, which is about 115 kilometres from Colombo, remained closed today.

The Sri Lanka government also has restricted the access to internet and blocked social media site -- Facebook in the Kandy district.

This has been done to prevent spread of false information, the government spokesperson said.

The government ordered more troops to reinforce police and stop the unrest spreading.

Three special police teams, comprising three Deputy Inspector Generals of Police and three Superintendents of Police, have been deployed in Kandy on the instructions of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara, the police spokesman said.

Meanwhile, following declaration of a state of emergency, foreign governments, including the US and the UK, have asked their nationals visiting the island nation to "exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies, and comply with local security requirements".

UN under-secretary-general for political affairs, Jeffrey Feltman will be visiting Sri Lanka this week.

The UN spokesman said that Feltman will reach Colombo on Friday for a three-day tour and is also expected to visit Kandy.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day after spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar pitched for an out of court settlement of the Ayodhya issue, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said today that only a court order on the matter was acceptable to it.

The board also took exception to a recent reported statement made by the Art of Living founder on the Ayodhya issue.

"Sri Sri's statement that after court's decision situation of the country can become like Syria and Muslims should leave their claim on Ayodhya is threat to Muslims and the court both. This is an attack on the country's well being," AIMPLB General Secretary Maulana Wali Rehmani told PTI.

As far as the board is concerned, we have already said that the decision of court will be acceptable to all, he said.

Asked about a letter written to the AIMPLB by Ravi Shankar yesterday, in which he suggested Muslims gift one acre at Ayodhya site to Hindus who will provide five acres for a mosque, Rehmani said, "he will comment on it only after discussion with board members".

Asked about Rabi Shankar's concerns regarding communal violence, Rehmani said, "If he has any such apprehension, he should find a way out to avoid a situation of communal clashes."



Ravi Shankar had earlier in an interview reportedly said that "if the Ayodhya dispute is not resolved India will have Syria-like situation".'



The spritual guru, who has been making efforts to find an amicable solution to the issue, had yesterday clarified that he cited Syria just as an example.

"It was a point of view, and not threat. There is no point in giving a threat. I cannot imagine it even in my dreams. We want peace, and an atmosphere of harmony...I feel that the situation which is prevailing in other countries, should never arise in our country. We are working in those countries," he told reporters in Bareilly.

Ravi Shankar had also written a letter to AIMPLB yesterday in which he pitched for an out of court settlement on the issue.

"If the court holds the site be given to the Hindus based on the archeological evidence, Muslims would have serious apprehensions about our legal system and their faith in the Indian judiciary may be shaken. This could also lead to Muslim youth taking to violence as one of the many repercussions", he said in the letter.

Even though the Muslim Personal Law Board and other community leaders say that they will accept it, in the long run the feeling that the court has done injustice to the community will prevail for centuries.

"If the Hindus lose the case and the entire land is gifted to the Muslims for reconstruction of the Babri Masjid, it will cause tremendous heartburn in the Hindu community because it is a matter of faith and one for which for they have been fighting for 500 years. This would cause huge communal disturbances all over the country," he added.

"In their victory, however, the Muslims will lose out on the good will and trust of millions of Hindus right from the villages up. Winning this one acre of land, they would however, permanently lose the goodwill of the majority community", the letter said.

"If the government brings about a legislation and builds a temple. In this case again, the Muslim community will feel they have lost", it added.

"All options whether through the court or through the government, the result will be devastating for the nation at large and the Muslim Community, in particular. If the Muslims win, they will celebrate in every village and it will only invite communal tension and violence. Similarly, if the Hindus win, it could invite the wrath of the Muslim community and lead to riots throughout the country, as we have seen in the past," it said.

The best solution, Ravi Shankar suggested, was an out-of-court settlement in which the Muslim bodies come forward and gift one acre of land to the Hindus who in turn will gift five acres of land nearby to the Muslims, to build a better mosque, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the water level in the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada in Gujarat falling, the forest department has started removal of some 1.7 lakh dead trees in the catchment area which now stand above the water.

Not just trees, but old temples which were submerged when the reservoir filled up have now become visible, attracting devotees.

Water level of the dam has gone down below 107 metres due to the scanty rainfall last monsoon in Madhya Pradesh, officials said.

Deputy conservator of forests Sasi Kumar told PTI that the department has deployed 70 labourers in the catchment area for removal of nearly 1.7 lakh dead trees.

The task is expected to be completed by month-end, he said.

"If these trees are not removed, they will decrease the water-holding capacity of the dam. So their removal is justified," Kumar said.

The ancient Hafeshwar temple in neighbouring Narmada district is now visible. People are visiting the temple by taking boats from Kawant town, 15 km away.

Chief secretary of Gujarat, Dr J N Singh, said a high-level committee headed by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is monitoring the water situation, and there is no need to panic.

After approval from the Narmada Control Authority, the state has started using 'dead stock' of water (which can not be drawn out through canals) in the dam for meeting drinking water needs of nearly 10,000 villages and 135 towns, he said.

Due to scanty rainfall in catchment areas, there is about 45 per cent shortage of water in the dam, Singh said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh today said he would approach police and file a defamation case against a Delhi-based person for posting an "objectionable and misleading" post against him on Facebook.

Singh, who is on the 'Narmada parikrama' at present, said one Paramjeet Chandok posted that the Enforcement Directorate unearthed properties worth Rs 4,000 crore from the house of his (Singh's) servant on March 5, stated a release issued by the office of the former chief minister.

According to release, Singh asked his lawyer Ajay Gupta to lodge a complaint with cyber police station and file a defamation case against Chandok.

Singh has also written a letter to Facebook's country head demanding to block Chandok's account.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The electricity should be brought under Goods and Services Tax as it will make power cheaper, the apex industry association of manufacturers of electrical and industrial electronics IEEMA said today.

"We are of the view the electricity should be brought under Goods and Services Tax (GST) because the credit will be available and electricity will be cheaper," Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers' Association (IEEMA) Director General Sunil Misra told reporters here.

He said, that, IEEMA has also made representation to the government, requesting it to bring electricity under the ambit of GST.

"Electricity is considered under energy...Our job is to push the government to get GST and electricity under the GST Act. If the government is able to do it then it is fine," IEEMA said.

IEEMA, the apex industry association of manufacturers of electrical, industrial electronics and allied equipment in India, is organising ELECRAMA 2018 from March 10-14.

ELECRAMA is the flagship showcase of the Indian electrical industry ecosystem. The exhibition covers the entire gamut of electricity including, generation, transmission, distribution, power electronics and renewable.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The president of a government employee body who met with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was suspended by it for alleged breach of trust.

Hours, after the meeting with Kejriwal, the Government of NCT Employees Welfare Association said DN Singh was suspended from the post of president of the association.

"DN Singh has been suspended as president of the association and he is not authorised to issue any statement on the behalf of it," a statement by the body said.

The association in its meeting noted "breach of trust" by Singh for "arbitrarily" meeting the political executives against its decision, it said.

Singh earlier in the day had led a delegation of the Joint Council of All Employee Organisations that met the chief minister.

The Joint Forum of Delhi Government Employees, that includes the IAS cadre, also condemned Singh for meeting the Chief Minister.

"The Joint Forum strongly condemns individuals who have been trying to spread malicious campaign about the Forum having diluted its stance on dignity of government servants," it said in a statement.

The Forum members in a meeting today reiterated its stand to continue the protest by working through only written means of communication, seeking a "specific and public", written apology from the chief minister and deputy chief minister over the alleged assault on the chief secretary Anshu Prakash.

The chief secretary was allegedly assaulted by AAP MLAs at Kejriwal's residence in a meeting called on intervening night of February 19-20. Police has registered a case on complaint of Prakash and arrested two MLAs and seized hard disc of CCTV surveillance system installed at CM residence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Moscow today accused British politicians and journalists of using the suspected poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain to whip up anti-Russian sentiment.

"This story was straight away used to boost an anti-Russian campaign in the media," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

Ex-double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia are in critical condition in hospital after being exposed to an unknown substance, which led them to collapse on a bench in the southwestern English city of Salisbury on Sunday.

Several British outlets have pointed the finger at Russia and Boris Johnson, Britain's Foreign Minister, promised the UK would "take whatever measures we deem necessary" if Moscow was found to be behind the incident.

"It is difficult to see (in the story) anything other than provocations aimed at harming the relations between our two countries," Zakharova said.

"This affair will end up as usual: first, baseless accusations, then it will all be classified and neither journalists nor the people nor the politicians will actually know what happened," she added.

Yesterday, Zakharova called Johnson's statements "wild".

"How can a man charged with foreign affairs, who has no relation to security organs, make such statements?" she said.

Skripal was a former colonel in Russian military intelligence who spied for Britain and moved there in a spy swap in 2010.

Johnson noted "echoes" with the 2006 poisoning in London of former Russian spy and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko, which Britain has blamed on Moscow.

British authorities have yet to publicly identify the source of the Salisbury poisoning, but experts said it was unlikely to be radiation as in Litvinenko's case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP chief Amit Shah today termed the desecration of communist icon Lenin's statues in Tripura and Periyar's statue in Tamil Nadu "extremely unfortunate" and asserted that any party member found involved in destroying a statue will face severe action.

In a series of tweets, Shah distanced the BJP from the vandalism after a few party leaders appeared to be endorsing the attacks on the statues and said his organisation believes a wide range of ideas and ideologies can co-exist in India.

"The recent issue on destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybody's statue. I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party," he said.

Shah's warning to party workers came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his strong disapproval over the vandalism.

Modi also spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the matter, following which the ministry said it has taken serious note of the incidents and directed state governments to take strong action.

Shah said the BJP will always remain committed to ideals of openness and constructive politics, through which it can positively impact people's lives as well as build a 'New India'.

"As a party, we in the BJP believe that a wide range of ideas and ideologies can coexist in India. This is exactly how the makers of our Constitution envisioned our great nation to be. Indias diversity and the vibrant spirit of debate and discussion is what strengthens us," he said.

Their main aim is to bring a transformative change in the lives of the people, he said, adding that they are humbled by the fact that their ethos and work have endeared them to people all across India and the BJP-led NDA is running government in over 20 states.

A row has erupted after two statutes of Lenin were brought down in Tripura following the BJP's emphatic win in the state over the Left, which was in power for more than 25 years.

The Left blamed the BJP for the incidents and some BJP leaders shared the post with comments that appeared to be justifying it. BJP national secretary H Raja later in a Facebook post said the statues Dravidian movement icon E V R Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, will be the next target.

He later deleted the post and offered his regret but not before it had ignited a major controversy in Tamil Nadu.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra have provided protection to a village Patil (headman) after he and his family left their village because of alleged threats by Naxals.

Shankar Achla and his family left Bhatmaryan village in Dhanora tehsil last month, police said in a press release.

He met the Superintendent of Police here on February 23 and said that he and his family would not go back to the village as the Naxals had threatened to kill them.

The Naxals were harassing him, questioning how he amassed his property, he told police.

After verifying the allegations, the SP ordered police protection for the family which has been put up at a safe place.

The district, which borders on Chhattisgarh, has witnessed Naxal activity off and on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nearly 25,000 farmers today continued their "long march" from Nashik to Mumbai to press for their various demands, including a complete loan waiver.

The farmers, who began the 180-km-long march last evening from the CBS chowk in Central Nashik, took a night halt and resumed their journey today on the Mumbai-Agra National Highway.

They plan to 'gherao' the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha after reaching Mumbai on March 12 for resolution of their issues, said Sunil Malusare of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which has organised the march.

The farmers have been demanding a complete waiver of loans and electricity bills, and the implementation of recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.

"We also want the state government to refrain from forceful acquisition of farm lands in the name of development projects like the super highway and the bullet train," AIKS secretary Raju Desle earlier said.

He accused the Centre and the state government of adopting "anti-farmer" policies.

Notably, the government had announced the loan waiver last year following unprecedented protests by farmers in various parts of the state.

Desle claimed that as many as 1,753 farmers have killed themselves since June last year when the BJP-led state government announced a conditional farm loan waiver of Rs 34,000 crore.

AIKS national president Ashok Dhavle, local MLA J P Gavit and other leaders were leading the long march.

Dhavle earlier alleged that the BJP government had betrayed the farmers by not honouring the assurances given to them.

"We will demand a complete change in the river linking scheme proposed to be implemented in Nashik, Thane and Palghar, so as to ensure that tribal villages are not submerged and water is made available to these districts and other drought-prone areas," he said.

Farmers are also demanding the transfer of forest land to those who have been tilling it for years and an increase in the compensation for peasants whose crops were damaged in the recent hailstorms and pink bollworm infestation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It is midnight and south Delhi's Amar Colony is abuzz with activities, except it is not business as usual.

A large number of garment shops in the market, famed for selling salwar suits and other women wear, have still not downed their shutters and workers can be seen packing stuff into boxes for transportation.

"The authorities, conducting the sealing drive in the city, came today. They have told that there will be sealing in Amar Colony Market tomorrow. So, people are removing extra stuff from their shops so that everything looks compliant," a trader from the market, who did not wish to be identified, said.

The street leading to the Amar Colony Market from the Ring Road was lined up with cars and mini trucks till late night, as shopkeepers bundled out their wares, even as neighbouring local residents peeped out of windows from upstairs and passers-by wore quizzical look.

One shopkeeper, who earlier had displayed his wares and mannequins on the first floor, was seen removing them, as a few curious onlookers gathered around.

The Amar Colony is also home to a number of eateries, frequented by youth.

At the instance of a Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee sealing actions have been taken by civic bodies across Delhi. The drive had begun late December with sealing of major shops and eateries in the posh Defence Colony.

The actions are being taken if any violation of civic norms or Master Plan of Delhi 2021 is found, including misuse or encroachment of property, or use of a residential property or unit for commercial purposes.

Several local businessmen led by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) have been protesting against the drive, saying it was "unfair" to them.

The CAIT has been alleging that the municipal corporations are sealing properties in "utter violation" of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, which was passed by Parliament as a statutory Act.
The fees for various services rendered by the Punjab Electrical Inspectorate have been revised by the state government, paving the way for additional revenue generation for the state exchequer.

The revision was approved today by the state Cabinet at its meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.

The Cabinet had given its nod to the revision of inspection/testing and licensing fees for various services rendered by the Punjab Electrical Inspectorate, said an official spokesperson.

With this decision, the state government would mop up additional revenue to the tune of Rs 15.20 crore annually, as the receipts from inspection/testing fee would go up from Rs 15 crore to Rs 30 crore and licensing fee from Rs5 lakh to Rs.25 lakh per year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Eleven 11 cases of "post-poll violence" were reported from different parts of Tripura in the last 24 hours and four people were arrested in this connection, police said today.

The state has been witnessing attacks and arson since the announcement of results of the just-concluded elections on March 3. The BJP has demolished the Left citadel in Tripura, winning a two-third majority with its ally, the IPFT.

SP (Police Control) Pradip De said measures are being taken to "contain violence".

Four people were arrested from Dharmanagar subdivision of North Tripura district yesterday in connection with a clash between the activists of the CPI(M) and the BJP, he said.

"The situation has largely been brought under control now. I can say the violence did not escalate since last night," he said, adding that the 10 other cases reported since yesterday were "minor" ones.

Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Dharmanagar, Dhiman Das Chowdhury, said the clash broke out at Alanbazar area of Dharmanagar subdivision following an altercation between the members of the two political parties.

Six people - two from the CPI(M) and four from the BJP - were hospitalised, he said, adding that paramilitary forces and Tripura State Rifles personnel were deployed in the area.

BJP media in-charge Victor Shom said the party's chief minister designate, Biplab Kumar Deb, has sought "stern actions" against those found indulging in "post-poll violence".

"Deb has asserted that no would be spared if found guilty. There, however, has not been any major clash in the state so far," he said.

CPI(M) party office secretary Haripada Das said the party might issue a press release soon with a "compilation of the incidents of violence".

Two statues of Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin were razed in Tripura recently, allegedly by the BJP supporters.

The CPI(M) top brass, including its general secretary Sitaram Yechury, took out a rally in the city yesterday in protest against the vandalism.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fresh violence today erupted between majority Sinhala Buddhists and minority Muslims in other areas of central Sri Lanka's riot-hit Kandy district, prompting authorities to extend a curfew till tomorrow.

The authorities had imposed curfew yesterday till this morning after communal violence in the Theldeniya area of the central hill district that left two persons dead and damaged several mosques and homes.

Government spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne said that the curfew has been extended in the troubled hill district popular with tourists to prevent further violence.

However, arson attacks continued today and Muslim-owned businesses were targeted by the mobs in spite of deployment of hundreds of security personnel in the district.

Following the incidents of violence, President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday declared a state of emergency and deployed the police and military to prevent further violence.

It was the first time since August 2011 that a state of emergency was in force in the Indian Ocean's island nation.

Police fired teargas shells to disperse rioters in curfew-bound areas hours after a state of emergency was imposed in a bid to quell anti-Muslim violence, an senior police official said.

In the incidents of overnight violence in a Kandy suburb, Menikhinna, three policemen were injured while seven people were arrested for breaking the curfew and trying to cause unrest, police spokesman Superintendent of Police (SP) Ruwan Gunasekera said.

The government sent troops and elite police commandos to Kandy, home to famous tea plantations and Buddhist relics, to restore order and enforce the curfew.

The curfew was lifted last morning but was re-imposed soon after several mosques, shops and homes belonging to the minority community were badly damaged in the attacks by the Sinhalese Buddhists.

Sri Lanka has a long history of state of emergency during the LTTE rebellion both in the south and the Tamil minority dominated north and east of the island.

Schools in Kandy, which is about 115 kilometres from Colombo, remained closed today.

The Sri Lankan government suspended internet services and blocked access to social networking websites and messaging platforms like Whatsapp in the riot-hit areas.

"Access to certain social media sites and messaging platforms will be restricted with immediate effect until further notice," Sri Lanka's largest mobile phone provider Dialog said in a statement.

According to an official, Sri Lanka's Telecommunications and Regulatory Commission had asked the internet service providers to block access to Facebook and other social media platforms in Kandy.

The move also affected the internet users in other parts of the country.

A senior official, on the condition of anonymity, said that it was a "temporary measure" and soon all the restrictions would be removed.

This has been done to prevent spread of false information, the government spokesperson said.

The government ordered more troops to reinforce police and stop the unrest spreading.

Three special police teams, comprising three Deputy Inspector Generals of Police and three Superintendents of Police, have been deployed in Kandy on the instructions of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara, the police spokesman said.

Meanwhile, following declaration of a state of emergency, foreign governments, including the US and the UK, have asked their nationals visiting the island nation to "exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies, and comply with local security requirements".

UN under-secretary-general for political affairs Jeffrey Feltman will be visiting Sri Lanka this week.

The UN spokesman said that Feltman will reach Colombo on Friday for a three-day tour and is also expected to visit Kandy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A five-member gang allegedly hacked a 55-year-old man to death near the government hospital here, police said today.

The deceased Maran is said to be a member of the ruling Congress, they said.

An owner-cum-driver of an ambulance, he had returned to Puducherry from Chennai last night.

The gang members, who had come on three motorcycles, allegedly attacked and killed him when he went to a nearby tea shop, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Jaipur Police today claimed to have busted a gang of foreigners involved in cloning ATM cards and fraudulently withdrawing cash to the tune of Rs. 27.32 lakh by arresting three of its members.

The accused Catanescu (41), Duica Bogdan Nicolae (28) and Ciobanus (44), all Romanian citizens, were held from Delhi, Jaipur police commissioner Sanjay Agrawal said.

He said that the accused used to clone ATM cards and withdraw cash from different ATMs.

Eighty eight victims had registered FIRs in Jaipur recently which involved fraudulent withdrawal of cash to the tune of Rs. 27.32 lakh, he said.

The accused were nabbed following an investigation, Agrawal said, adding that five cloned ATM cards, one multipurpose card reader, one spy camera, microchip, laptop and other items were seized from their possession.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Ghaziabad district administration has identified land for two dumping grounds in the district and plans are in the offing to install electricity generation plant there with the help of the civic bodies including Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam (GNN) and Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA).

Both the developmental bodies are mulling over the possibilities to install electricity generation plant in Galand village.

District Magistrate Ritu Maheshwari said that 35 acres land in Galand and 21 acre land in Mohammadpur Amad Baghpat village in Modinagar tehsil have been identified for setting up dumping grounds. Maheshwari said that land for dumping ground in Galand village of Hapur district was earlier decided where the GDA and GNN will install power generation plant.

In Mohammadpur village, Waste to Energy Plant will be constructed with the financial grant of other civic bodies of the district, which they are getting from state government.

For this, Arcadis company has been given an assignment to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR).

The pollution control board, forest department, GDA, GNN and the advisory company have approved the land for erecting the Waste to Energy Plant in Mohammadpur, the district magistrate added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government today approved the continuation of Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY) till 2020, beyond the 12th Five Year Plan which ended on March 31, 2017.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The cabinet has approved the continuation of Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY) during 2017-2020, according to an official release.

The approval provides for a monthly pension to freedom fighters as a token of respect for their contribution in the national freedom struggle and on their demise, to their eligible dependents like spouses and thereafter, unmarried and unemployed daughters and dependent parents, as per prescribed eligibility norms and process.

The financial implication for continuation of SSSY during 2017-2020 would be Rs 2,552.93 crore, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government today said it had sanctioned a Rs 2,000-crore compensation package for the refugees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) living in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a written statement, Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir told the Rajya Sabha that the financial package was sanctioned on December 22, 2016.

He said 36,384 families were provided Rs 5.5 lakh each.

"The Government of India provided a financial assistance of Rs 5.5 lakh per family to 36,384 displaced families of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) area (1947) and Chhamb (1965 and 1971) living in Jammu and Kashmir," Ahir said.

He added that based on the details provided by the Jammu and Kashmir government, the ministry had disbursed a total amount of Rs 465.5 crore to 9,537 families directly to their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts up to last month.

Asked whether any financial compensation package had been provided to the Hindu refugees who had migrated from Bangladesh, the minister said, "No such proposal is under consideration.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Undeterred by the Opposition protest, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today informed the Kerala assembly that the government has given consent to the public prosecutor to withdraw the case against then six LDF MLAs in the assembly ruckus incident of 2015.

Strongly objecting to the government decision, the opposition members comprising Congress-led UDF, Kerala Congress (M) and the lone BJP legislator staged a walkout.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said they would challenge the matter in court and termed the government decision as a jolt to democracy and "dark chapter.'



Replying to a notice for an adjournment motion sought by the UDF on the matter, Vijayan justified the government's decision and said there was no impropriety in it.

The government has given consent to the public prosecutor to withdraw the case with the court's approval, he said.

Vijayan said it was done to uphold the rights of the House and the government does not want to handover its power to another institution (judiciary).

The incident that happened in the assembly has to be settled in the House itself, Vijayan said.

The constitution has clearly defined rights and powers to the three pillars of democracy -Legislator-Judiciary and Executive.

"It will be not be prudent to take matters that occurred in the House to the court," he said.

The decision was taken upholding the spirit of the constitution.

Vijayan also said there was a precedent of withdrawing criminal cases by government in the past.

The Chief Minister said the previous UDF government acted indiscriminately as they did not file a case on a petition filed by four LDF women MLAs that they were molested and manhandled by UDF members.

The case against the six LDF MLAs was taken based on a complaint filed by the Assembly Secretary without the approval of the House and also its leader, Vijayan said.

Slamming the government over the issue, Chennithala said what the then LDF legislators had done was a criminal offence and "they have to face trial in the court."



"There is no protection or privilege for an MLA who commits a crime in the House under assembly rules," he said.

Seeking notice for the motion, V D Sateeshan (Cong) said the legislators' action was actually an offence against the state. "They have to face trial," he said.

The assembly had witnessed unprecedented and ugly scenes on March 13, 2015 as opposition LDF members tried to prevent then finance minister K M Mani, who was facing charges in the bar bribery scam, from presenting the state budget.

Besides flinging the Speaker's chair from the podium, electronic equipment like computers, keyboard and mikes on the desk of the presiding officer were also damaged by LDF members.

The government had decided to withdraw the case considering a petition by V Sivankutty, CPI(M) leader and former MLA who was among the accused in the case.

Sivankutty last month wrote to the chief minister and assembly speaker P Sreeramakrishnan, seeking withdrawal of the police case against him and five other LDF members, alleging that it was "politically motivated."



Of them K T Jaleel is the state minister for Local Self-government in the present LDF government and E P Jayarajan, an MLA.

The case was registered during the previous UDF rule against the six LDF mlas under relevant sections of Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act and IPC sections 447 (criminal trespass) and 427 (mischief causing damage).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 33-year-old assistant Maoist commander surrendered before the police in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh today, an official said.

Madakam Yerraiah had worked as an assistant commander in Kalimela, Motu and Pappuluru dalams in neighbouring Odisha.

He was allegedly involved in seven violent incidents including the attack on Koraput district police office and also in Balimela boat capsize incident in which 38 police personnel mostly of Grey hounds were killed in 2008, said East Godavari SP Vishal Gunni.

The police officer said Yerraiah had been dormant since 2012 and had stayed in a hideout near his native village Togurukota in Malkangiri district of Odisha state.

However, he fled to Hyderabad after he came to know that police have launched a hunt for him. He started working as a loader there, the officer said.

Meanwhile, the police arrested three naxals, including a dalam member, during checking of vehicles at Yetapaka police station in East Godavari agency last night.

They are identified as Madivi Rama (20), Molumuri Srinivasarao (38), and Payam Jogarao (32).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Gujarat High Court today issued a fresh notice to social activist Teesta Setalvad on a plea of the Gujarat government to cancel her anticipatory bail in connection with a 2011 offence pertaining to alleged fabrication of evidence in the 2002 Naroda Gam riot case.

Justice J B Pardiwala issued the notice as the one issued last week could not be served to Setalvad due to some technical reason.

The state government last week moved the high court after the Supreme Court on December 6 disposed of Setalvad's appeal challenging the decision of the HC upholding a magisterial court order for a probe against her former close aide, Rais Khan Pathan.

While issuing the notice last week, judge Pardiwala observed that "since the proceedings have been concluded by the Supreme Court, the matter is now ripe for hearing".

In August 2011, a city sessions court granted pre-arrest bail to Setalvad in connection with the alleged offence of fabricating evidence and filing false affidavits on behalf of the victims of the 2002 Naroda Gam riot.

Setalvad had filed for anticipatory bail after her former aide Pathan claimed before a special court that victims of the Naroda Gam riot were made to sign false affidavits.

On the basis of Pathan's submissions, the special court ordered filing of an FIR against him in a magisterial court.

Accordingly, the court registrar filed a complaint against Pathan and others in Ahmedabad metropolitan magistrate court, which on January 10, 2011 directed an assistant commissioner of police to investigate the matter and submit a report.

Setalvad moved the high court against the magisterial court's directions for a police probe. However, the high court in July 2011 declined to interfere in police investigation.

Setalvad then applied for pre-arrest bail in a sessions court in August 2011.

A month after she was granted anticipatory bail, the state government approached the high court against the sessions court's order.

Setalvad and her NGO, Citizen for Justice and Peace (CJP), then moved the apex court against the high court decision upholding the order of the magisterial court for a probe against Pathan and others.

At that time, the high court had postponed the hearing till the "final outcome of the Supreme Court proceedings".

Now, as the Supreme Court disposed of Setalvad's plea, the state government re-opened the case and sought cancellation of her bail.

The trial in the Naroda Gam case is at the final stage.

Eleven people belonging to a minority community were killed in Naroda Gam during the 2002 riots, during a bandh called to protest the Godhra train burning incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Opposition Congress led UDF and BJP today said that the Kerala high court's order for a CBI probe into the recent killing of a Youth Congress worker in Kannur district was a setback to the LDF government.

"The High Court, by ordering a CBI probe, has virtually expressed no confidence in the investigation by the state police," Opposition leader in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala said,



The Court, while observing that there should be an impartial and independent investigation, today ordered a CBI probe into the killing of the Youth Congress functionary.

Justice B Kemal Pasha gave the direction while considering a plea by the parents of the slain Youth Congress worker, Shuhaib, seeking a CBI probe into their son's killing.

He directed the state police to hand over the probe to the CBI, besides the case diary and other materials to be handed over to the agency's Thiruvananthapuram unit.

Chennithala said the High Court order had vindicated the UDF's demand that the charges against the accused be framed under provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention (UAPA) Act.

He also alleged that there was outside interference in the investigation by the state police.

BJP State President Kummanom Rajasekharan demanded that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan give up the home portfolio in the wake of the High Court order.

He said a point to be noted was that the court passed the order hours after Vijayan stated in the assembly that there was no need for a CBI probe in the case.

"Vijayan should relinquish the home portfolio as the High Court has criticised the investigation of the case by the state police', Rajasekharan said.

CPI(M) State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that the party was not afraid of a CBI probe.

"Let them hold an impartial probe", he said.

Balakrishnan maintained that the state police probe into the case was progressing in the right direction.

It was not known why the High Court reached such a conclusion to order a CBI probe into the case, he said.

The CPI(M) leader also alleged that both Congress and BJP was trying to make it a political issue.

Shuhaib was hacked to death at a tea stall allegedly by CPI(M) workers on February 12.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Observing that there should be an impartial and independent investigation, the Kerala High Court todayordered a CBI probe into the recent killing of a Youth Congress functionary in Kannur district.

Justice B Kemal Pasha gave the direction while considering a plea filed by the parents of the slain Youth Congress worker, Shuhaib, seeking a CBI probe into their son's killing.

The judge directed the state police to hand over the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), besides the case diary and other materials to be handed over to the agency's Thiruvananthapuram unit.

Earlier, opposing the demand for the CBI probe, the state government argued that an impartial probe was being conducted into the incident.

All the accused were arrested and the investigation was progressing. Hence, there was no need for a CBI probe, the government said.

The petitioners contended that only 11 persons were arrested and there was no effective probe to identify those involved in the "conspiracy behind the murder".

The court held the view that the alleged conspiracy angle in the case should be investigated.

The CBI counsel informed the court that the agency was ready to take over the investigation in the case.

When the petition filed by the parents of Shuhaib, who was the Mattannur block secretary of the Youth Congress, came up for hearing on February 27, Justice Pasha had directed the state government and the CBI to file their replies by March 6.

Seeking a CBI inquiry into the incident, the petitioners had alleged that the current investigation by the state police was totally faulty and mala fide.

They had also alleged that the probe was going on in a manner dictated by the ruling CPI(M) leaders in the state, who "control" the police machinery in the district.

The petitioners had also alleged that the police intentionally omitted to invoke the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention (UAPA) Act in the case.

Since the prime accused, Akash, was close to those in the higher echelons of power, including the CPI(M)'s Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan, it was necessary to have a free-and-fair investigation in the case by the CBI, they had said.

The manner in which the brutal killing was planned and executed showed that there was a larger conspiracy which needed to be probed by an independent agency, without which it would be impossible to book the actual culprits, they had added.

Claiming that the ongoing police investigation was totally faulty and mala fide, the petitioners had sought an independent, free-and-fair probe into the case by a central agency.

No purpose of investigation would be served if the case was probed by the local police, which would be "partial, biased, motivated and prejudicial", they had said.

Shuhaib was hacked to death at a tea stall allegedly by CPI(M) workers on February 12.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court today said that an eviction order passed against the prestigious Delhi Flying Club (DFC) directing it to move out of the Safdarjung Airport here be not enforced till March 19, and sought replies from the Centre and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on the issue.

"You (the authorities) file your reply, whether they (DFC) are entitled for injunction or not. Meanwhile, I am not saying anything, but do not take any precipitative action against the club," Justice Rajiv Shakdher said.

The court issued notices to the authorities seeking their reply to the plea of the DFC, which was established in 1928, against the eviction notice issued by the AAI.

The court has now fixed the matter for further hearing on March 19.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the club, moved the high court after the Supreme Court granted them interim protection of two weeks against an eviction order and had asked it to assail the order before the appropriate forum.

The club sought interim protection from the eviction till the Airport Appellate Tribunal is made functional.

It submitted that since there is no appellate tribunal, therefore, it has moved the high court.

To which, the court posed a query to the club whether it can give them the relief in the absence of the tribunal.

Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, former Orissa chief minister Biju Patnaik and former air chief marshal and Padma Vibhushan awardee P C Lal were some of the alumni of the Delhi Flying Club.

The club had submitted before the apex court that it had licence for operation from Director General of Civil Aviation till 2020 but the rent was enhanced by the AAI.

The DFC challenged the order of Delhi High Court of February 2 in the apex court, in which it has been held that the AAI was clearly the competent authority to determine the amount of rent and collect any dues, and its decision to pursue recovery of dues is valid.

The high court had said the DFC had a right to challenge the eviction order in the appropriate forum and had given four weeks time to assail it.

On October 9, 2012, the civil aviation ministry had requested the AAI chairman to keep DFC's dues in abeyance until the government formulated a policy with respect to private flying clubs.

On November 19, 2012, the AAI had issued a letter to its airport directors informing them that dues from Category 1 flying clubs which include DFC would be kept in abeyance until further notice.

Subsequently, in January 2017, the AAI had made a demand that the DFC clear its dues and a show cause notice was issued on by the eviction officer. The flying club had challenged the eviction notice before the high court which had directed it to assail it before appropriate authority.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a relief to industrialist Ness Wadia, the Madras High Court today stayed further proceedings on two criminal complaints pending in a magistrate court with regard to a tea estate in Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu.

Granting the interim orders on two petitions by Wadia, Justice M S Ramesh also dispensed with his personal appearance before the chief judicial magistrate court in Udhagamandalam.

He posted the matter toApril 4for further hearing.

The criminal complaints pertain to alleged violation of certain provisions of the Factories Act and Rules and failure to inform the authorities about changes in the management of the company owning the tea estate.

Wadia, managing director of the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited, submitted that he was inducted as the managing director of Dunsandle Tea Estate in 2016.

The change in the management was duly notified to the deputy director of the Industrial Safety and Health concerned through an August 30, 2016 communication.

On July 13, 2017, the deputy director conducted an inspection in the tea factory to ensure compliance of statutory provisions.

The deputy director issued a show cause notice on August 28, 2017 along with the inspection report stating that the petitioner had violated certain provisions of the Factories Act and Rules.

It was alleged that company has failed to intimate the change of management to the authorities concerned, and has also breached provisions of the Factories Act, including failure to ensure safety measures to workmen operating machines in the factory.

Wadia submitted that in response to the notice, the company and him had submitted separate replies to the authorities on September 5, 2017.

Subsequently, two separate criminal complaints were filed by the deputy director against the petitioner in November last year in the Udhagamandalam court.

Claiming that the complaint was ex-facie barred by law and in contrary to the settled law established by various decisions of high court, the petitioner moved the present pleas seeking to quash the proceeding before the trial court.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Health Ministry has extended the last date of a competition to design the logo and tagline for the Ayushman Bharat programme announced in the general budget this year.

The date of the digital competition, which was launched on February 19 and scheduled to conclude on March 6, has now been extended till March 18, a statement said.

Its main aim is to generate awareness about these health sector initiatives and engage people in shaping a healthy India, an official statement said.

The winner of the competition will get a prize of Rs 25,000 while the runner up will be awarded Rs 10,000.

The main theme of the logo shall be 'Ayushman Bharat' and the guiding principle will be 'Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah'.

The submission can be either digital logo or a handmade submission which can be submitted as a scanned copy on the digital platform.

The prizes would be handed over by Health Minister J P Nadda in a live streaming event on MyGov and other social media portals.

The government had announced, as a part of 'Ayushman Bharat', two path-breaking initiatives that address health holistically, impacting primary, secondary and tertiary care system as well as prevention and health promotion.

These included opening of 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres to provide people-centric comprehensive primary healthcare including for common non-communicable diseases closer to the homes of people, including providing free essential drugs and diagnostics.

The second initiative under 'Ayushman Bharat' is the National Health Protection Scheme, under which over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approx. 50 crore beneficiaries) will be provided treatment coverage up to Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The I-League title race is down to the most dramatic final day in the competition's history with as many as four contenders, across three matches, seeking a coronation to remember.

The title looked wrapped up a few days ago but leaders Minerva Punjab's shocking defeat to Chennai City once again left the race for the silverware tantalisingly poised.

On the eve of the last round matches, Minerva Punjab FC led the chasing pack with 33 points, even as East Bengal slipped to fourth (30 points) behind Neroca FC (31) and Mohun Bagan (30).

All these four teams are in with a chance and play their respective matches simultaneously.

East Bengal will count on home advantage against Neroca FC in their last-gasp bid to win the elusive trophy. On their part, Neroca, yet another surprise package form the Northeast after Aizawl FC, defied expectations to come this far.

Minerva Punjab host Churchill Brothers in Panchkula and Mohun Bagan face Gokulam Kerala in Kozhikode.

Permutations and combinations are certain to come into the picture.

East Bengal can lift their maiden I-League title if they manage to beat Neroca FC and hope that both Minerva Punjab and Mohun Bagan lose their respective games.

But it's advantage Minerva Punjab who need only a win to seal the deal, failing which they will have to depend on favourable results from the other two matches.

Second-placed Neroca FC can lift the trophy on their debut season in case they manage to earn a win against East Bengal and pray that Minerva Punjab do not pick up three points against Churchill Brothers.

Mohun Bagan shot back into contention thanks to Minerva Punjab's slip-ups lately.

A win on the final day against Gokulam Kerala away could see them being crowned champions, if other results go their way.

If three teams finish on 33 points, then Mohun Bagan will lift their second I-league trophy as cumulative points collected from four fixtures will be taken into account.

Mohun Bagan have seven points with a double over East Bengal and a draw against Minerva.

Minerva have picked up five points (win and draw against Bagan and another draw against East Bengal) whereas East Bengal have managed to gather only four points (win and a draw against Minerva).

East Bengal will rely on their Nigerian ace Dudu Omagbemi, who scored a brace to rescue a point against Lajong FC, while Minerva will look up to Bhutanese ace Chencho Gyeltshen to show them the way.

With relegation looming large, Churchill Brothers will surely go all out and that should make Minerva's task much harder.

However, even if Minerva lose and finish with 32 points they can still be champions, provided all the other results go in their favour.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today that he might be "stubborn" but not "violent", breaking his silence on the alleged attack on chief secretary Anshu Prakash by his party MLAs, and asserted that all officers are "one family".

Observing that "cowards" indulge in physical fight, the Delhi chief minister said the allegations against him that he had called Prakash for a meeting at his residence and got him thrashed at night was "baseless".

"It's a baseless allegation that I called him in the night at my residence and got him thrashed. I am not a fool to to do so," Kejriwal said after meeting a delegation of Joint Council of All Employees Organisations.

"Kejriwal may be stubborn but he is not violent. Cowards indulge in physical fighting. Kejriwal is not a coward," he stated.

The Delhi chief minister also said that he considered all officers and employees of the city government as part of one family, and added that a "conspiracy" was being hatched somewhere else against his government.

"All the officers and employees are part of our family. The conspiracy is being hatched somewhere else. We will deal with it separately and the almighty will help us in this."



In the past 10-15 days "a lie was propagated" and an atmosphere was created by "instigating" the employees as though President's Rule will be imposed in Delhi, he said, referring to the developments following the alleged assault on Prakash.

"There has been no dearth of conspiracies against us since the time of Anna Andolan. The Jan Lokpal movement was cheated but we never lost patience and adopted violence. Ever since our government has been formed, they have been saying President's Rule will be imposed," he said, without naming anyone.

He also shared his anguish with the delegation, saying "the pain and hurt you receive from your own is more. What was our standing - we used to work in the streets and slums and now because of the grace of god and miracle by Delhi people we have been given this responsibility."



The chief minister also credited the officers and staff for the achievements of the AAP government in the past three years. "We cannot do anything without you," he said.

He claimed that his government had solved various issues of officers of different cadres with "greatest sympathy and promptness" in the past three years.

"The sympathy and promptness with which this government addressed the problems and issues of all the cadres of officers and employees, in three years, no other government ever did so," he claimed.

Kejriwal also appealed to the employees' delegation to approach him whenever there is an issue in future.

"One-sided version creates confusion. You should hear both sides. I appeal to you to come to me whenever there is any issue," he said.

The Joint Council in its memorandum to the chief minister said "the dialogues among the public servant at every level should be proper, decent and brotherly. All the pillars of democracy including the political executive should function within the limits of the law."



It also demanded that all the meetings of executives, including political executives and bureaucrats, should be held in office hours except in case of emergency.

Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash was allegedly assaulted at Kejriwal's residence by AAP MLAs on the intervening night of February 19-20.

Police have so far arrested two MLAs and also seized hard disk of the CCTV camera system installed at the chief minister's official residence in its investigation in the case registered on a complaint of Prakash.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has rescued civilians stranded in the recent snow and cold waves in the Jammu region by air lifting 488 passengers from Udhampur to Leh, a public relations officer (Defence) said.

Due to the recent snow and cold waves in the entire northern areas of Jammu and Kashmir, a lot of civilians of the Leh and Kargil sector were stranded in Jammu and Udhampur, he said.

The IAF operated its special aircraft IL-76, popularly known as Gajraj,to airlift the civilians on requisition by the Jammu and Kashmir government, the PRO said.

"The Indian Air Force once again came to the rescue of the stranded civilians of Jammu and Kashmir state by air lifting 239 passengers on March 6, 2018 and 249 passengers on March 7, 2018 from Udhampur to Leh," he said.

Air Force Station, Udhampur was the staging base for this rescue activity.

"Special arrangements were made by Air Force Station Udhampur and District Administration Udhampur for Security and Marshalling of civilians, which included women and children as well, into the technical area of the Air Force," the PRO added.

With this, a total of 955 stranded passengers have been airlifted by the IAF to Leh from Udhampur-based IAF station this year.

On February 27, as many as 234 stranded passengers were airlifted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Udhampur district to Leh in the Ladakh region.

On February 19, about 233 Leh-Kargil-bound passengers were airlifted from Udhampur to Leh, after they were stranded due to turbulent weather in the region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) is carrying out a study on the packaging standards in use for export of bulk tea, following "complaints" from buyers.

"We are carrying out the current practices of packaging used for export of bulk tea. We had been asked by the Tea Board to carry out a study and recommend," IIP deputy director Bidhan Das said here today.

The report is expected to be submitted in April.

The Tea Board has in practice the packaging standard of 2004, and in order to incorporate modern methods, an expert opinion has been sought, he said.

IIP will recommend necessary changes in packaging for improving the standard of bulk tea destined for exports, following "several complaints from tea buyers", Das said.

IIP is also working on honey and 'kasundi' (mustard paste) packaging for the West Bengal government.

The Kolkata Chapter of IIP is scheduled to organise a two-day national conference on packaging technology from March 14.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has projected at 18.6 million in 2018, higher than 18.3 million in 2017 in its report, Parliament was informed today.

"The ILO released a report World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 2018. As per the report, it is projected that the number of unemployed persons in India is expected to rise from 18.3 million in 2017 to 18.6 million in 2018 and 18.9 million by 2019. At the same time, unemployment rate is expected to remain static at 3.5 per cent during the same period," Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha today.

On the fears of increase in unemployment in 2018 and 2019, he explained that no target has been set by the government.

The minister said in a separate reply to the House that an Inter-Ministerial Committee has been constituted to draft the Employment Policy and consultations have been held with various stakeholders like ministries, state governments, trade unions, industry associations, etc. for inputs to the policy.

The proposed policy inter-alia purports to address macro economic policy issues, sectoral policy issues, labour policy, micro and small enterprises issues, skill development issues, issues relating to women and vulnerable workers and incorporate suggestions for improving employment opportunities.

In another reply to the House, he also informed that in order to assess employment generation including self-employed under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Ministry of Labour & Employment has taken a decision to institute a survey for this purpose. Labour Bureau, an attached office of the Ministry of Labour & Employment has already been entrusted with this work.

He told the House that the employment generation and improving employability is the priority for the government.
Expressing concern over the rise in the number of juvenile offenders in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said information related to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 will be included in the school curriculum.

He said the School Education Department will be directed to do so.

Fadnavis said this while replying to supplementary queries on a starred question raised by Vidya Chavan (NCP) and others in the legislative council.

"As per the 'Crime In Maharashtra' report of 2016, 73 per cent juveniles involved in crimes are between the age group of 16 and 18 years," he said.

He further said the Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes committed by juveniles have gone up from 2.02 per cent in 2006 to 2.38 per cent in 2017.

He also said that to stop the children from committing serious crimes, attempts are being made to teach them values.

Fadnavis said that under the 'Operation Muskan', the state government was able to send back 20,112 run-away children to their homes between July 2015 and July 2017.

Referring to the children in orphanages and remand homes, who have to leave these places once they turn 18, Fadnavis said NGOs will be roped in to ensure proper rehabilitation of these children.

He added that the government-run Children's Aid Society is drafting a plan to impart skill-based training to such children so that they do indulge in offences.

Replying to a supplementary query on the pressures of job on the police in tackling crime, Fadnavis told the House that the government has made eight hour duty for police in Mumbai on a pilot basis.

Based on the response, the government will consider implementing it in the rest of the state, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China will build a train line connecting the Iranian port of Bushehr to the rest of the country's railway network under a USD 700 million deal signed today.

The agreement was inked in Tehran in the presence of Iranian Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi and officials from China Machinery Industry Construction Group.

It will see the group build a 400-kilometre railway between the Gulf port and the southern city of Shiraz, IRNA state agency cited officials as saying without specifying when construction would get underway.

This would complete the "North-South Railway Corridor" in line with Iran's goal of becoming a transport hub for goods between the Gulf, the Indian subcontinent, Russia and Central Asia.

Products arriving at Bushehr, Iran's second biggest port after Bandar Abbas, also on the Gulf, currently have to be transported by road.

The Bushehr-Shiraz rail project is one of seven the government is working on totalling 2,300 kilometres in tracks, according to IRNA.

China is Iran's biggest economic and trading partner.

In September, the Asian giant granted lines of credit worth $10 billion for five banks financing infrastructure projects.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Reports of actor Irrfan Khan being admitted to the Kokilaben Hospital here are untrue, sources at the hospital said today.

The denial came after rumours started circulating that the 51-year-old actor has brain cancer and has been admitted to the hospital.

On March 5, Irrfan had issued a statement that he was suffering from "a rare disease" and would share details when there was a conclusive diagnosis.

"It is not true. He is not here at the hospital for treatment," an official at the Kokilaben hospital told PTI.

The actor's team also quashed rumours of him being admitted to the private hospital.

Asked he has cancer, they declined to comment.

"We will comment as soon as possible. No comments at the moment," a spokesperson for the actor told PTI.

In a Twitter post, Irrfan, one of India's most versatile actors, had said he and his family were jolted by the knowledge of his illness, and requested his fans and followers not to "speculate" about his health.

On February 21, the actor's spokesperson released a statement, saying he has been diagnosed with a "severe case of jaundice".

In his almost three-decade career, the actor has established himself as one of the most dependable performers in the Indian film industry as well as in Hollywood.

He made his big screen debut with the Academy Award-nominated 1988 film "Salaam Bombay" and went on to give stellar performances in films such as "Haasil", "Maqbool", "Paan Singh Tomar", "The Lunchbox", "Piku" and "Hindi Medium".

Over the years, Irrfan cemented his position in international cinema with projects such as "Slumdog Millionaire", "The Namesake", "The Amazing Spider-Man", "Jurassic World" and "Life of Pi".

Director Vishal Bhardwaj, who was scheduled to begin the shoot of his next, starring Irrfan and Deepika Padukone, postponed the filming of the project citing health concerns of his lead actors.

Irrfan's last released film was Tanuja Chandra's "Qarib Qarib Singlle". His upcoming films include "Blackmail" and "Karwaan", a sequel to "Hindi Medium".

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
FMCG major ITC will expand its Farmland range of vegetables and fruits, and Master Chef range of frozen products to seven metro in next three years.

Presently, ITC is selling fresh potatoes and apples under the Farmland brand and dehydrated onions and prawns under its Master Chef brand in in Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bangalore.

In the next three years, we would have a complete range in all the seven metro. In a three year time frame, portfolio of Farmland and ITC Masterchef, whatever we want to put, all will be complete," said ITC Agri Business and IT Group Head S Sivakumar.

The company will first develop the infrastructure in the city and consolidate its position and then move to other markets as par of its strategy.

"We would develop our channel and then fill it up and then we would roll out in other markets," he added.

Presently, ITC Master Chef prawns are sold in Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bangalore.

On being asked about the new vegetables or fruits, which will be launched by ITC under its Farmland range, he said: "The work happens in all the products and depending on where we see opportunity of matching with the consumer need, then we decided to roll out".

ITC, which has forayed into the milk segment through its brand Aashirvaad last week in Munger, Bihar has plans to extend it to other neighbouring regions.

"This would also happen in the neighbouring states," he said, adding that it would also depend on availability of milk.

However, he also said that there is no targeted marketing efforts by the company in this segment like other products.

"In case of milk, the focus is elsewhere. In case, we get more milk then, we are selling it. Our focus in the milk segment is on value added products (as ghee and dairy whitener)," Sivakumar said.

ITC, which has also introduced Ghee under its Aashirvaad brand portfolio, has plans to take it on national level. Presently, it is available in Delhi-NCR and Southern state markets.

The company also mulling to introduce variants in the ghee segment according to the regional preferences.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a bid to pacify the sulking ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today promised Andhra Pradesh funds equivalent to what a special category state receives but drew a line saying politics cannot increase the quantum of money.

As the TDP threatened to quit the ruling NDA alliance led by the BJP at the Centre, Jaitley said his government was committed to meeting all promises made to Andhra Pradesh at the time of carving out of Telengana four years back.

But giving special category status, as demanded by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, to any state apart from those in the North East and three hilly provinces is not constitutionally possible after the implementation of the 14th Finance Commission recommendation, he said.

However, to make up for that, the Centre would give Andhra Pradesh funds equivalent to what a special category status state gets, he said.

For special category status category states, the Centre meets 90 per cent of the funds required in a centrally sponsored scheme as against 60 per cent in case of normal category states. The remaining funds are provided by the state governments.

He said the Centre had committed 90 per cent of the funds for centrally sponsored schemes in Andhra Pradesh, equivalent to special category states, through other means like external agencies like World Bank, but the state government wanted funds to be routed through agri-lending bank NABARD.

The Centre is agreeable to even that provided a mechanism is worked out, he told reporters at his office here.

Asked about the threat of TDP to pull out of the NDA if more funds are not allocated, he said "political issue cannot increase the quantum of money because the Centre has no free floating funds".

"Every state in India has the right to the central fund in the same manner. Sentiment does not decide quantum of funds, it is the constitutional award of the Finance Commission which decides on the quantum of funds that the states get," he said.

Asked about Congress President Rahul Gandhi's promise to give the state the special category status if his party is voted to power, Jaitley said, "I still have to follow constitutional award" of the 14th Finance Commission.

He said the Centre is committed to give funds to Andhra Pradesh equivalent to what a special status state gets, he said.

The 14th Finance Commission raised the share of states in taxes collected by the Centre to 42 per cent from 32 per cent but abolished special category states.

"The principal issue relates to what is the implication of a special status. The special status was originally granted to states in North East because they have their own resources which were inadequate and the revenue was inadequate," he said.

Jaitley said while the promise of special category status to Andhra Pradesh was legally possible when the state was bifurcated, there is no such category after constitutional award by the 14 Finance Commission.

"Instead states which are in deficit in terms of revenue, we are compensating them because everyone gets a hike of 10 per cent to 42 per cent plus for a certain period; revenue deficit will be taken care of and a provision for revenue deficit was made in the case of Andhra Pradesh," he said.

For Andhra Pradesh, the 90:10 funding of schemes instead of usual 60:40 would be implemented "notwithstanding the fact that the word special status is not there", he said.

During consultations in 2016, it was proposed that grants given by external agencies like World Bank, ADB and JICA to Andhra Pradesh would be repaid 90 per cent by the Centre and remaining 10 per cent by the state.

However, in January this year, the state government modified the request and demanded the money through NABARD.

"Now if NABARD gives directly to the central government, it gets added to the fiscal deficit. If it gives to the state government, it will get added to the state's fiscal deficit, and therefore reduces the borrowing capacity of the state," he said.

To overcome this, it was proposed last month that a special purpose vehicle be created in the state which deals with the development work. The NABARD fund will come into that corporation and the money wold be repaid to NABARD 90:10 ratio.

"We are awaiting a response, I hope it is a positive response, and the state tells us in what manner they want," he said. "At no stage has the Centre said that we won't give it."



Jaitley hoped for a positive outcome as he believed that the state needs assistance.

On revenue deficit, he said Rs 4,000 crore has already been paid for 2014-15 and only Rs 138 crore remains.

On the demand for tax incentives, he said in his Budget proposals he has already announced measures like investment and depreciation allowance.

"AP has suffered because of bifurcation and whatever support is required because of that (we will give)," he said, adding all issues have to be resolved within the framework of Centre and state relation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today recommended a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the gunning down of JMM MP Sunil Mahato over a decade ago, an official release said.

Mahato was gunned down allegedly by Maoists at Baguria village under Ghatsila sub-division of East Singhbhum district on March 4, 2007. The incident is being probed by the CBI.

Following the incident, police had registered FIR against several Maoists cadres including prime accused Ranjit Pal alias Rahul, who was Bengal-Odisa-Jharkhand Area commander.

The MP's widow, Suman Mahato, an ex-JMM MP, had sought an NIA probe into the killing.

Expressing her gratitude to the Jharkhand government, she hoped that the real culprits involved in her husband's killing will come to fore now.

She also demanded adequate security for her.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three writers -- including bestselling "Wild Swans" author Jung Chang -- will no longer attend the Macau Literary Festival after authorities there said they were likely to be barred, the latest sign of Beijing's hardening line across its territories.

Macau is a semi-autonomous part of China and the move to scupper the writers comes as Beijing ramps up warnings against any challenges to its authority and sovereignty.

London-based Chang has been highly critical of China's political system. Her works, which include an explosive biography of Mao Zedong, have been banned on the mainland.

The two other authors targeted by officials have both written in-depth about North Korea, which counts China as its main ally and diplomatic defender.

"We were informed informally, unofficially, that it was not considered timely that these guests would come to Macau at this moment and that there was a high probability that they would not be allowed to enter Macau," the festival's co-founder and programme director Hlder Beja told AFP.

Beja said the information had come from "the relevant authorities" but did not want to expand further.

He confirmed that the authors had been informed and would now not attend the event which will kick off Monday.

"We advised them not to come because we did not want to put them in that position," Beja told AFP.

Some pro-democracy activists and Hong Kong journalists have in the past been barred from entering Macau, where the partially elected local government is loyal to Beijing.

New York-based author and investigative journalist Suki Kim, who went undercover to write a bestselling book about life in North Korea, was one of the three writers to fall foul of authorities, says Beja.

The third was James Church, a pseudonym used by a former Western intelligence officer who has written a series of novels about a fictional North Korean policeman called Inspector O.

Beja said Church had been set to speak publicly about his work at the festival while Chang and Kim would also have talked about their major titles.

A report from China's rubber-stamp legislature Monday omitted language supporting the political autonomy of Hong Kong and Macau that had featured prominently in previous years, seen as a signal of a hardening stance.

Beja said he had never before experienced interference since the event first started in 2012.

Better-known as a gambling enclave, Macau has a thriving arts scene and the festival pulled in 15,000 visitors last year.

Hong Kong PEN, a literary campaign group which defends freedom of expression, described the author ban as "deplorable".

"We urge the Macau administration not to use access to their city as a covert tool of political control in determining what kind of books are deemed acceptable," it said in a statement.

The Macau government had no immediate response when contacted by AFP for comment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Lokayukta P Vishwanatha Shetty was today stabbed multiple times and left profusely bleeding by a man who went to his office with a complaint only to be told that the case was shut, officials said.

Shetty, in his early 70s, was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors treated him for the stab injuries and said he was in a 'stable' condition in the critical care unit.

He was brought to the hospital around 2 pm with multiple stab injuries and taken to the operation theatre where a team of doctors "tackled all of it," Dr Divakar Bhat of Mallya Hospital told reporters.

There were two to three stab injuries on his chest and one serious wound on stomach, he said adding there was internal bleeding.

"We have managed to stop it and the patient is now in the critical care unit. He is now stable, there is nothing to worry or fear," he added.

While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah rushed to the hospital soon after the incident, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to him later and expressed concern over the attack.

Officials in New Delhi said Siddaramaiah apprised Singh about the incident and the condition of the Lokayukta.

They added that the home minister wished Justice Shetty a speedy recovery.

The Lokayukta collapsed after assailant Tejaraj Sharma attacked him in his chamber in a multi-storeyed building near Vidhana Soudha or the state secretariat, according to officials and eyewitnesses.

Sharma was arrested, Siddaramaiah told reporters after he rushed to the hospital and enquired about Shetty's condition.

He said Sharma, who had filed a complaint with the Lokayukta about not getting a tender for a work he had applied for, went to his chamber and stabbed him at three or four places.

The man was told by the Lokayukta office that the case was shut after investigation.

"I have spoken to doctors regarding his treatment. Doctors who are treating him have said prima facie he is out of danger," the Chief Minister said.

The assailant came to the office saying he wanted to meet Shetty and after entering the chamber, stabbed the Lokayukta with a knife, Siddaramaiah said.

"I was shown the weapon. The knife is big. It looks like he has attempted to murder," he said.

"I wish for his speedy recovery. Such a thing had never happened... I have instructed the DGP to investigate in detail... about his background and other things."



Amid reports of a security breach, Siddaramaiah said he had asked police to look into it and take action.

He said those who come to meet the Lokayukta are normally given a chit before being called in.

"Several people come to meet us also; we won't know who has come with weapon."



The gunman was standing guard outside Shetty's chamber and the CCTV is also installed, Siddaramaiah said, adding, "... He did this inside the chamber."He said Sharma went alone inside the Lokayukta's chamber.

State Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy, citing initial information, had earlier said the assailant had claimed to be an advocate.

Shetty took over as the state Lokayukta in January 2017 succeeding Y Bhaskar Rao, a former high court chief justice.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day after a five-judge constitution bench said it would test the correctness of two separate verdicts given by its benches of similar strength on land acquisition matters, the Supreme Court today deferred hearing on another such matter for three months to await the outcome of deliberations before the larger bench.

A three-judge bench was informed that a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had yesterday decided to deliberate upon all aspects relating to the issue.

A matter relating to land acquisition in Haryana today came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur, Kurian Joseph and Deepak Gupta.

Senior advocate P S Patwalia, representing one of the parties, referred to the five-judge bench order and said it would be appropriate if this matter was referred to the larger bench.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi also suggested to the court that the matter be adjourned for July so that the larger bench could decide on the issue pending there.

The constitution bench would consider the correctness of two separate verdicts passed in Pune Municipal Corporation case and Indore Development Authority case which dealt with the issue of interpretation of Section 24 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

The larger bench had yesterday said it was of the "prima facie view" that a three-judge bench cannot hold the verdict of an earlier three-judge bench 'per incuriam' (without due regard to the law).

A three-judge bench headed by Justice M B Lokur had on February 21 observed that if "judicial discipline" and propriety were not maintained, the institution will "go forever" while referring to the February 8 verdict passed by another three-judge bench which had held that compensation not availed within a stipulated five year period would not be a ground for cancellation of land acquisition.

It had said that perhaps there have been a tinkering with judicial discipline in arriving at a conclusion in the February 8 verdict as the issue should have been referred to a larger bench in case of difference of opinion, as the 2014 judgement had held that non-payment of compensation would be a ground to cancel the land acquisition.

In its February 8 judgement, the apex court with a 2:1 majority view, had held the 2014 verdict of another three-judge bench in Pune Municipal Corporation case was passed without due regard to the law (as per incuriam) and had said that land acquired could not be quashed due to delay on part of land owners in accepting compensation within five years due to litigation or other reasons.

The 2014 verdict was rendered unanimously by a three-judge bench which had held that "the deposit of compensation amount in the government treasury is of no avail and cannot be held to be equivalent to compensation paid to the landowners/persons interested".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A ceasework by lawyers at the Calcutta High Court demanding appointment of judges to fill up vacant posts entered its third week today.

While all the judges sat in the morning, no lawyer appeared to plead for any case called for hearing.

The corridors of the high court as also the court rooms remained almost vacant with neither the advocates nor the litigants coming.

The judges rose to retire to their chambers after no lawyer appeared to plead for the petitions called for argument.

The lawyers associations decided to extend the ceasework alleging lackadaisical attitude by the Union Law Ministry in meeting their demands.

While the High Court Bar Association and Incorporate Law Society extended their ceasework till March 16, the Bar Library Club decided to continue the strike till March 13.

At present there are 30 sitting judges at the high court, while the sanctioned strength is 72. Out of this, two judges preside over the Circuit Bench at Andaman and Nicobar Islands on rotation.

All the three associations representing lawyers at the Calcutta High Court had decided to go for a ceasework from February 19.

The associations, which have extended the ceasework twice, have claimed that the Union Law Ministry has not responded to their joint representation to meet the Law Minister to discuss the issue.

Bar Association president Uttam Majumdar said lack of any response despite the over two week-long ceasework at one of the premier high courts in the country displays the ministry's "lackadaisical attitude and high-handedness".

The lawyers' bodies said despite the Supreme Court having cleared the name of Acting Chief Justice J Bhattacharya for appointment as Chief Justice nearly two months back, there has been no action in this regard on the part of the central government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Liberty House, part of Sanjeev Gupta's global industrial group GFG Alliance, today said it has emerged as the successful highest bidder for Amtek Auto Pvt Ltd, paving the way for the former's entry into the Indian market.

"Liberty House...is set to make a dramatic entry into India after being chosen as preferred H1 bidder for Amtek Auto assets which include 35 automotive component plants across India, Japan, Thailand and Spain, employing some 6,000 people," the company said.

The announcement of Liberty as the successful preferred bidder was made in the committee of creditors meeting held yesterday and confirmed by the insolvency resolution professional today.

This follows the corporate insolvency resolution process of Amtek Auto which began on July 24, 2017.

Commenting on todays announcement GFG Executive Chairman Sanjeev Gupta said, "This is a very proud moment for GFG and for my family. We are very excited about this opportunity to restore a great Indian business to its rightful position and add a major new asset portfolio to our international network. This business will be the cornerstone of our strategy...and expand our footprint in the automotive sector worldwide."



He added, "We look forward to working closely with the high calibre customer base Amtek Auto enjoys. We are very pleased to be able to secure the jobs of 6,000 workers and welcome them to the global GFG family."



Amtek Auto is one of 12 large insolvency cases which the key lenders took to insolvency resolution process under the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

Amtek is one of the largest integrated auto component manufacturers in India with operations across forging, iron and aluminium casting, machining and sub-assemblies.

Douglas Dawson, Chief Executive of Liberty Industries Group, said, "India is one of the most promising markets in auto and we are well poised to bring our expertise and impeccable track record in this sector from the UK to India, focusing on rapid innovation and growth.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were washed out for the third consecutive day today as parties protested on various issues, including vandalisation of statue of Dravidian icon Thanthai Periyar and PNB scam.

While the Congress continued to press for prime minister's reply on the Rs 12,700-crore bank fraud allegedly involving diamantaire Nirav Modi, members from AIADMK and AAP were in the Well, holding photos of Periyar and raising slogans condemning the vandalism in Vellore.

The TRS members raised slogans demanding a hike in Telangana's quota in reservation. While TDP continued to press for special status for Andhra Pradesh, another NDA ally Shiv Sena protested, like yesterday, demanding classical language status for Marathi.

Amid the din, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked Shiv Sena member Anandrao Adsul to speak on his demand. Adsul said that Marathi is an ancient language and fulfills all criteria to be given the classical language status.

He said Telegu, Kannad, Malayalam and Odia have classical language status. "Several of our members have raised this issue repeatedly. We have given our submission to the minister but our demand was not fulfilled till date," Adsul said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was present in the House, assured Adsul that the matter would be looked into.

"The issue does not pertain to the Home Ministry. I will speak to the Culture Ministry on this," Singh said.

Even as Shiv Sena stopped protesting on the issue, AIADMK members continued to raise slogans against the desecration of the statue of Periyar -- the founder of Dravidian movement.

"We strongly condemn vandalisation of statute of Thanthai Periyar by BJP members," read the placards held by AIADMK members.

As soon as the House met for the day, members from various parties, including TDP, Shiv Sena, TRS, YSR Congress, AIADMK and TMC started raising slogans on their respective issues, following which Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the proceedings for an hour.

Most of the protesting members were in the Well before the Speaker took her chair to conduct the proceedings.

The opposition has been protesting over issues like the PNB scam since Monday when Parliament was reconvened after a month-long recess in the Budget session.

The AIADMK, which has been protesting for last two days over demands for creation of Cauvery water management board, today raised the issue of statue vandalisation.

The YSR Congress was demanding implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act.

Mahajan took up the Question Hour but adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon soon after. She was visibly upset and left the House amid the din. A Lok Sabha official had to repeat loudly that the House has been adjourned.

When the House reassembled at noon, protesting members were already in the Well and Mahajan asked Adsul to speak. After Home Minister's reply, the House was adjourned for the day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The ongoing impasse in the Lok Sabha over a spate of thorny issues including the PNB scam is likely to continue this week in Parliament, with a multi-party meeting convened by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to ease the situation making little headway today.

The Speaker, however, expressed the hope the deadlock would be resolved in a day or two and the house would function normally.

At the 90-minute meeting of the leaders of political parties, Mahajan raised the issue of ending the stalemate and urged floor leaders of all parties not to create disruptions or hold up placards, stressing that the actions gave a bad image to the institution.

"Let's see, maybe tomorrow or a day after, some solution will work out. Some result will come out, I am sure," Mahajan told reporters after the meeting.

She said she had requested all the parties to ensure the smooth functioning of the Lok Sabha.

"Everyone wants to raise their issues and the chair will allow them, but everything cannot happen there and then," she said.

Mahajan said she pointed out that Parliament had its own way of resolving issues.

"There are some issues that cannot be resolved the way one wants. Everyone has put forth their own issues and problems. I have said that Parliament has its own way of resolving issues," she said, adding that she had asked the leaders of all parties to talk among themselves.

The disruption in the Lok Sabha did not present a good image of the House to the country and the world, she said, pointing out that people watched the proceedings in Parliament from India and abroad.

Mahajan also told the leaders that members should not carry placards as the act went against House rules.

"Showing placards, coming to the well and creation of disruption are not as per the rules," she said.

The leaders also raised the issues of their respective parties with the Speaker and urged her to allow them to bring them up in the House.

However, she said all issues of states could not be raised unless they were of public importance, sources said.

Among those who attended the meeting were deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar and his deputy Arjun Ram Meghwal, BJP's Rakesh Singh, Congress leaders KC Venugopal and KH Muniyappa, TMC's Saugata Roy and Kalyan Banerjee, Left leaders MB Rajesh and PK Sreemathi Teacher and the Shiv Sena's Anandrao Adsul.

Also present were BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab, TDP's Narasimham Thota, RPI's NK Premchandran, AAP's Bhagwant Mann, Kerala Congress's Jose K Mani and AP Jithender Reddy and M Raju.

Some opposition leaders present at the meet said the issue remained unresolved as there was no unanimity on the rule under which a discussion on the banking scam was to be held. The Opposition has also been insisting that the discussions be held under a rule which entails voting.

After the meeting, Ananth Kumar said, "The ball is in the Opposition's court because they never expected that we will accept (their demand) for a discussion with such transparency and such speed. The Opposition is in the dock."



He said the Speaker urged all party leaders for a smooth transaction of business and running of the Lok Sabha.

Kumar said many issues needed to be discussed, especially the banking scam, but this could only happen when the house was in order.

"We feel that the Congress is running away from the debate. They also have their own opinion and opposition (to discussions) about irregularities happening over the years. They insist that 'over the years' should not be there," he told reporters.

Kumar said the government was ready to discuss the issue, but the Congress now wanted it to be discussed under a different rule.

"We are asking, why? What do you want to hide?...Whatever happened in PNB started in 2011. Therefore, be open. Let the truth come out before the people of India," he said at the meeting.

He said when the government was ready for discussions, they (the Congress) were insisting on another rule after the speaker had accepted the notice and fixed up a date for a debate.

"You suddenly get up because of new-found 'gyan' (wisdom) by the Congress president returning from Italy and you change the entire stand. What is this," he asked.

"They have to take Parliament seriously. Parliament is in session. We have a lot of financial business to do and we are ready to discuss the matter in both the houses of Parliament," Kumar said.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is likely to reply to the debate on financial irregularities.

A discussion on 'Alleged systemic irregularities in the banking sector over the years and its impact on the Indian economy' was listed for discussion on the day's list of business.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's maiden India trip, French sources said today that it would not be a business as usual visit" and asserted that apart from conventional areas of cooperation such as nuclear energy and defence, the thrust would be on boosting ties in maritime and space fields.

While the French sources did not say whether the two countries would ink a pact in the nuclear energy sector, India officials told PTI that an agreement to expedite the Jaitapur nuclear plant was expected to be signed during the presidential visit. France has also been strongly supporting India's bid for membership of the export-control regime Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Special emphasis would be (laid on) cooperation in the Indian Ocean during the talks (between Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi), a French source said, noting that France has strong economic and military interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The remarks by the French side assume significance in the backdrop of India, the US, Japan and Australia coming together and holding discussions on the sidelines of the India-ASEAN Summit in Manila last year on ways to boost cooperation in the IOR.

France has military and naval bases in the IOR, which also has a sizeable French population. The IOR has also been witnessing increasing naval presence of China.

Macrons trip would not be a business as usual visit and the thrust will be on intensifying partnership in other areas, including space and trade, the sources said, and noted that the two leaders (Modi and Macron) will be spending a lot of time together and the visit has been planned that way".

Defence has been one of the key pillars of strategic partnership and the visit will also focus on this aspect, the French source added. India has signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafale jets.

Asked if international issues, including non-proliferation will be discussed, the French source said all issues of mutual interest will be deliberated upon.

The source also noted that there was convergence of views between France and India, a "global power", on several issues such as rule of law and democratic values.

Cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism will also be discussed during the bilateral meeting between Modi and Macron on March 10.

The French President will be accompanied by a business delegation of CEOs of 40 French companies, including those from the defence sector.

The bilateral trade between India and France for the period from April 2016 to March 2017 reached USD 10.95 billion. France is the 9th largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative investment of USD 6.09 billion from April 2000 to October 2017.

Macron arrives here on March 9, his first trip to India. The next day he will hold delegation-level talks with Modi. He will also take part in a Town Hall and have an interactive session, in which nearly 300 students from different levels and institutions are expected to participate on March 10.

On the same day, he will also attend a Knowledge Summit which will be attended by more than 200 academicians from both sides.

On March 11, Macron will attend the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Summit, an initiative mooted by France and India.

The ISA Summit, expected to be attended by several heads of the states and governments, is likely to focus on concrete projects.

Macron will also visit Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Modi, on March 11. He, along with Modi, will inaugurate a solar plant in Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan today accused the BJP-led Maharashtra government of reducing the height of the proposed statue of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji, to be constructed in the Arabian sea, from 160 metres to 126 metres.

The state government has been maintaining that the height of the statue would be 210 metres and that it would be the tallest statue in the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had performed the 'jal pujan' for the Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial project off the Mumbai coast, in December 2016.

Chavan alleged that no work on the project could begin since the 'jal pujan' because the state government secretly altered the project plan.

"The government claims that it has increased the height of the statuefrom 192 metres to 210 metres and that it would be the tallest statue in the world.

"But the fact is that the government reduced the height of the statue while increasing the height of its pedestal," the former chief minister said while addressing a press conference.

He said Union Environment Ministry on February 23, 2015, approved the height of the statue at 160 metres and that of the pedestal at 32 metres, which collectively comes at 192 metres.

"However, the government amended the project plan on December 23, 2016, and brought down the height of the statue to 126 metres while increasing the height of the pedestal to 84 metres. This means the government has reduced the height of the proposed bronze statue by 34 metres," said Chavan.

The Congress leader asked the government to explain why the project plan was altered even after the Environment Ministry had given its final nod.

"Is it true that the clearance for the revised plan has not been received yet? Did the government reduce the height of the bronze statueas a cost cutting measurebecause the financial condition of the state is not good? he asked.

Chavan wondered how could Shivaji's statue would be the tallest in the world at a time when the BJP is claiming that the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, coming up in Gujarat, will be the tallest one.

"IfSardar Patel's Statue of Unityin Gujarat is 157 metre tall then how could Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue would be the tallest one?" Chavan asked.

He accused the state government of playing in the name of the 17th Century Maratha king, who is revered across all sections of society in Maharashtra.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the Legislative Assembly that the government had not amended the project plan.

The proposed memorial is to be built on 6.8 hectares of reclaimed land in the middle of the Arabian sea.

Engineering major L&T recently bagged the Rs 2,500-crore contract for the project.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A major part of the Army's budget was being utilised in developing infrastructure, schools and hospitals in remote areas of the country, Army chief General Bipin Rawat said, adding that the impression that Indian armed forces were capable of securing the borders gave confidence to foreign investors.

General Rawat, who delivered a lecture on Indian Army in Nation Building' at the Jindal Global University (JGU), said the Indian Army was a "humane Army" and had been effectively handling terrorist challenges in a professional manner.

He also said the armed forces personnel needed to keep abreast of latest technological developments in order to take on futuristic challenges with the emergence of artificial intelligence.

He said the armed forces in India had not only been addressing conflicts but also contributing to the nation's growth.

The Indian armed forces not only secure the borders but also provides a cushioning internationally for investors and creating a favourable ambience for investments like FDI.

With this impression that the Indian armed forces are capable of securing the borders, gives confidence to international investors. I can assure you that whatever budget is provided to armed forces, a good part of it is also utilised in developing infrastructure, roads, schools and hospitals in remotest areas of the country, General Rawat said.

C Raj Kumar, the founding vice-chancellor of the JGU, announced special concessions for children of war widows and serving army personnel on the occasion.

The Army chief said that there was a proposal to send some of the officers to universities to exchange ideas and get opportunities for the retired army personnel.

"We have over 1,000 officers aged between 45-55 years who retire every year as they do not get empanelled for promotion. They are experienced, talented and have the practical knowledge. But they do not have the stamp of a degree.

"50,000 of our soldiers also face similar situation and face difficulties in their second career after leaving the armed forces. That is what we are looking at," the general said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police today detained chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as he tried to march towards Shopian town in south Kashmir to protest against the killings in the firing incident on Sunday night.

Mirwaiz and his supporters came out of the Hurriyat leader's Nigeen residence carrying placards and a banner, demanding an end to civilian killings and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

However, a posse of policemen was waiting outside the Mirwaiz residence and took the Hurriyat chairman into preventive custody.

The authorities had placed Mirwaiz under house arrest in order to prevent him from visiting Shopian where six persons including two militants were killed in a firing incident on Sunday night.

While the Army has claimed that the slain youth were overground workers of the militants, the family of the deceased said they had no links with militancy.

Separatists under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), which includes Mirwaiz, Syed Ali Geelani and Mohammad Yasin Malik, had called for a march to Shopian today to express solidarity with the bereaved families.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A bust of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was vandalised in Kolkata today, allegedly by Left supporters, an obvious act of retribution following the razing of statues of Soviet icon Vladimir Illyich Lenin in Triupra, officials said.

As an unseemly fallout of the BJP's historic triumph in the Left bastion of Tripura, suspected right-wing activists had pull down two statues of Lenin at different places in the tiny north-eastern state.

Today, seven people belonging to a Left-leaning group called 'Radical' vandalised the bust of Mookerjee in south Kolkata. All the seven, including a woman, were arrested, Kolkata police commissioner Rajiv Kumar said.

The incident also followed desecration of a bust of Dravidian movement founder E V Ramasamy Periyar in Tamil Nadu's Vellore after a Facebook post by a senior BJP leader. The incident triggered widespread protests across the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the incidents of vandalism of statues and warned of stern action against those found guilty.

The prime minister also spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh about it and expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents, according to an official statement in New Delhi.

"The MHA has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents," a Home Ministry statement said, adding the state governments were told to sternly deal with the offenders.

"I appeal to everyone, all parties, that anyone indulging in such acts should be dealt with strictly. These incidents can never be justified," Home Minister Rajnath Singh told reporters outside Parliament.

BJP chief Amit Shah termed the desecration of Lenin's statues in Tripura and Periyar's bust in Tamil Nadu "extremely unfortunate", and asserted that any party member found involved in destroying a statue will face severe action.

In a series of tweets, Shah distanced the BJP from the vandalism after a few party leaders appeared to be endorsing the incidents, and said his organisation believes a wide range of ideas and ideologies can co-exist in India.

"The recent issue on destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybody's statue. I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party," he said.

He, however, said the BJP will not take action against its national secretary H Raja, whose controversial Facebook post was seen to have incited party activists to vandalise Periyar's bust.

Asked if the BJP will take action against Raja, Shah told reporters outside Parliament, "No, we will not".

However, the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP today expelled party worker R Muthuraman, who was arrested yesterday for damaging Periyar's bust.

Raja, however, blamed the staff managing his Facebook account for the controversial post and voiced regret.

In the Facebook post that was later deleted yesterday, Raja had said: "Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection India has with Communists? Today Lenin's statue removed in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of EV Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu".

He said his "Facebook admin" had put up a post comparing the razing down of Lenin's statue in Tripura to that of Periyar.

"Views should be confronted by views only and not by violence. I have no intentions of hurting anybody. Therefore, if anybody felt hurt by that post, I express my heartfelt regret," he said.

However, his apology failed to smooth the ruffled feathers of political parties and pro-Tamil outfits. Opposition DMK and various fringe organisations staged protests in many parts of the state, with Raja's effigies being burnt in Chennai, Cuddalore and Salem among others.

Police detained scores of protesters, including some who tried to lay siege to the state BJP headquarters in Chennai.

DMK working president MK Stalin recalled Ramasamy's contribution in fighting various social evils.

Referring to the widespread protests against Raja's comments, Stalin said, "None even in their dreams will now think of removing statues of Periyar."



"If anyone wants to do so, let them touch the statues and the DMK, which upholds the Dravidian ideals of Periyar, will show who they are," he said in a letter to partymen.

In an apparent fallout of the desecration of Periyar's bust, unidentified people hurled petrol bombs at the BJP office in Coimbatore.

The men, who came in an auto-rickshaw, hurled the bombs at the office in Siddapudur at around 4 am, police said, adding that the bombs fell short of the BJP office building.

A hunt has been launched to apprehend the attackers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fugitive Dawood Ibrahim's lawyer today said his comments made in court regarding the return of the underworld don have been misinterpreted as he was referring to certain developments which had happened years back.

"I was narrating an incident (in the court) that had happened some six-seven years ago and it was misinterpreted by the media," advocate Shyam Keswani told PTI.

He said he was informing the magistrate yesterday, who was hearing the police's plea on remand of Dawood's younger brother Iqbal Kaskar in an extortion case.

The anti-extortion unit of Thane police named Kaskar and his brothers- Dawood and Anees Ibrahim- for threatening a builder.

"I told the magistrate that it happened that Dawood had expressed his willingness to return to India to a top lawyer," Keswani said.

However, his condition was that he should be kept in high security Arthur Road Jail and his trial is being conducted in the jail premises.

Keswani said his response about Dawood was in reply to the magistrate, who apparently in lighter vein told Kaskar to share with police if he had any information about Dawood's whereabouts.

"Kaskar replied in the negative," Keswani said.

Kaskar told the court that he was not aware of his location.

At this, Keswani narrated the events that happened many years ago.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra Industries Minister Subhash Desai today assured the state Legislative Council that the mega greenfield oil refinery proposed to be set up at Nanar in Ratnagiri district will not be forced on the people against their will.

Desai said he would quit as a minister if the project is forcibly implemented.

He was speaking during a debate on a calling attention notice moved by Husnabano Khalife (Congress) and other members on the proposed refinery project.

"The government will not allow injustice to be meted out to the people of 25 villages in the Konkan region (for the project)," he said.

"If the Centre's (refinery) project is forced on the local population against their will, then I would quit as a minister and instead stand in support of the people," Desai added.

The minister said the survey for land acquisition for the project has been stopped as local people were against it.

"Land acquisition will not be done without the consent of the local people. The chief minister shall study all these aspects and then take a decision on the project," he said.

He added that the chief minister has told the Centre to decide on scrapping of the refinery project.

Desai said that as per the provisions of the state Land Acquisition Act, land cannot be acquired without the consent of the local people.

"The Industries Department's view is that land acquisition is not possible for the project," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Green Tribunal has rapped the Delhi government for not taking action against steel pickling units in residential areas as they fall under the prohibited list of industrial activity according to the Delhi Master Plan (DMP), 2021.

A bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim said the submission of the Delhi government that it could not take action unless the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (DSIIDC) jointly inspected pickling industries was not acceptable.

"The statement of the counsel for the Delhi government that it cannot take any action as Committee comprising Officer of Department of Industries and Delhi Pollution Control Committee have not inspected the industrial areas as the pickling industries are in the negative list in the MPD 2021 cannot be appreciated," it said.

The NCT of Delhi could have taken independent action for immediate steps against the pickling industries, the bench said.

The green panel also directed the Member Secretary of DPCC and Managing Director of DSIIDC to file a statement on action taken by them in pursuance to a resolution of a meeting of the Committee of Secretaries held on December 27 last year.

The matter is posted for a hearing on March 16.

The Delhi government had earlier informed the tribunal that steel pickling units were on the prohibited list of industrial activity according to the Delhi Master Plan (DMP), 2021, and could not operate in residential areas.

The NGT was hearing a plea filed by an NGO, the All India Lokadhikar Sangthan, seeking the execution of its order by which the green panel had directed the DPCC to take action against stainless steel pickling industries.

The plea alleged that such units functioning at Wazirpur discharged effluent in open drains which ultimately met the Yamuna river.

It contended that under the pretext of decision making, "time is being taken by the Delhi government and the environment is made to suffer continuously".

Pickling is the process of removing impurities such as stains and inorganic contaminants from metals.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Diamond trader Nirav Modi, accused of pulling off the country's biggest bank fraud, is no longer a part of India's billionaires' club.

Modi, who had featured in Forbes' 2017 rich list with a fortune of $1.8 billion, could not make the cut in this year's rankings.

"Nirav Modi is among the drop-offs from this year's the list, along with Papa John's Pizza founder John Schnatter, Christoffel Wiese of South Africa, and Saudi Arabia's Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud," Forbes said.

Forbes said India's billionaire count has increased over last year.

According to Forbes, India is home to 119 billionaires, 18 more than last year and the total net worth of this elite club is $440.1 billion, a rise of $114.6 billion over the year-ago period.

This year's list consists of 2,043 of the richest people in the world. The combined net worth of this elite group is a whopping $9.1 trillion, up 18 per cent since last year.

Forbes' website describes Modi as the founder of Firestar Diamond, "which claimed to have more than $2 billion in sales. He later launched his own Nirav Modi Brand with 14 stores in such locations as Mumbai, Hong Kong, London, Macau and New York".

It further noted that "diamond jewellery designer Nirav Modi was accused in February by state-owned Punjab Bank of perpetrating a $1.8 billion fraud. He reportedly left India in January; India's Central Bureau of Investigation is asking Interpol to help locate him".

Modi reportedly said his companies owed much less and denied the fraud charges, it added.

Nirav Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and others are being investigated by multiple probe agencies after the scam recently came to light following a complaint by the PNB that they had allegedly cheated the nationalised bank of over Rs 120 billion, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank.

The CBI and the ED have registered FIRs to probe the case and intensified the crackdown on Modi and Choksi, with the ED seizing jewellery and assets worth thousands of crores of rupees, the I-T department attaching various properties and the CBI grilling several senior executives of his company.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavistoday told the Legislative Assemblythat there was no change in the Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial project which envisages construction of the 210-metre tall statue of the Maratha king off the Arabian sea.

The chief minister's clarification came after Opposition Congress and NCP claimed that the government has reduced the height of the proposed statue, which is supposed to be the tallest in the world.

"The design and plan that has been approvedfor the project is being maintained. We will ensure the statueis the tallest in the world. The plan was prepared with a 60:40 ratio ofthe statue to the pedestal," said Fadnavis.

Taking a swipe at the members of the Congress and NCP, he said they could not even lay a brick for the project in 15 years of their rule.

Earlier in the day, NCP's Jayant Patil said the height of the statue has been decreased by changing the earlier design.

Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said fresh environmental clearance are needed as the design has been changed.

Chavan said as per the earlier plan, the height of the statue was proposed to be 160 meters and that of pedestal at 32 metres.

"However, the government has changed the plan as per which the statue will be 126-metre tall and the height of the pedestal will be 84 metres," he said.

The proposed memorial is to be built on 6.8 hectares of reclaimed land in the middle of the Arabian Sea.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
When two consenting adults get married irrespective of their background, no relative or a third person can interfere or threaten or unleash violence against them, the Supreme Court today said.

The Centre too told the top court that state governments must provide protection to couples fearing for their lives due to inter-caste or inter-faith marriages and such couples should inform the marriage officers of any such threat so that they can be protected.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said it will pass a detailed judgement on a plea filed by NGO Shakti Vahini, which had moved the apex court in 2010 seeking protection of couples from honour killings.

"When two consenting adults get married irrespective of their background, no relative or third person can oppose or interfere with violence or threat to their life," the bench also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said.

In an indication that it would not recognise 'khap' panchayats, the top court said it would refer to them only as an assembly of persons or as a community group.

"I will not refer to a caste or village panchayat as 'khap' but may rather say an assembly of persons or community groups, in the verdict," the Chief Justice said.

The apex court had earlier said incidents of attacks against those going for inter-caste or inter-faith marriages were "absolutely illegal" and no khap panchayat, individual or the society could question any adult woman or man marrying of their own choice.

'Khap' panchayats are caste or community groups, present largely in rural areas of north India which at times act as quasi-judicial bodies and pronounce harsh punishments based on age-old customs. Several cases of women and men falling victim to khap diktats have been reported over the years, particularly in states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, appearing for the Centre, said that couples fearing for their lives from relatives or khap panchayats should inform the marriage officer at the time of registration of their marriages.

"The marriage officer should be intimated by the couple fearing for their lives, so that necessary protection can be given to the people. The state governments must provide police protection to couples who fear for their lives due to inter-faith or inter-caste marriages," she said.

Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, assisting the court as an amicus curiae, told the bench that he had filed his suggestions in the matter, while the Centre too said it has submitted the proposals in compliance of the order of the court.

Earlier, the apex court had asked khap panchayats not to behave like "conscience keepers of society and said that a marriage between two adults was governed by the law.

It had observed that a high-level committee consisting of senior police officers would be set up to deal with issues relating to intervention in marriages by bodies like khap panchayats.

Khap panchayats had earlier told the court that they were encouraging inter-caste and inter-faith marriages and had referred to provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act which prohibit a union between 'sapinda' relationships or close blood relatives among Hindus. They had claimed that they were performing their duties as conscience keeper of society.

The NGO had sought direction to the Central and state governments for taking measures for preventing and controlling of honour crimes.

The court had then pulled up the Centre for not taking the matter seriously and not filing its suggestions on the issue, saying that such panchayats or bodies could threaten adult women and men seeking to get married. It had also sought suggestions from the petitioner, Shakti Vahini, the amicus curiae and khap panchayats on the issue.

Earlier, the court had invited khap panchayats to hear their views before issuing an order to stop them from harassing or killing couples purportedly to protect the honour of a family, caste, community or faith.

The Centre had pleaded with the apex court to put in place a mechanism to monitor crimes against women by khap panchayats, saying that the police was not able to protect such women.

The top court had also said that as a pilot project, it would examine the situation in three districts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh where khap panchayats were active.

In 2007, a Haryana court had awarded death to five people and sentenced one person to life for killing a couple on the orders of a self-styled khap panchayat for marrying against societal norms.

In April, 2015, the khap of Notara Bhopat village ordered a woman from Rajasthan to live with a man whose wife had eloped with her husband.

In 2014, a community panchayat in Uttar Pradesh banned girls from wearing jeans and keeping mobile phones, claiming that these had a "bad" effect on them and were responsible for sexual harassment incidents.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) has presented the second interim dividend of Rs 99.90 crore for the year 2017-18 to the Assam government.

The state government has an equity holding of 12.35 per cent in the company.

A cheque was handed over to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal by NRL Managing Director S K Barua here yesterday, a NRL release said today.

With this, an amount of Rs 145.31 crore has been paid as interim dividend by NRL to the state government for the current fiscal 2017-18.

The first interim dividend of Rs 45.41 crore was handed over in December, 2017.

The interim dividend has been worked out based on the performance of the company during the first nine months of 2017-18, the release added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Odisha Chief Secretary A P Padhi today met entrepreneurs from Iran, Bangladesh, South Korea and Germany, who have "expressed interest" for boosting trade ties with the state.

The delegates, who attended the ongoing MSME international fair here, "expressed their interest for enhancing trade relations with Odisha in various sectors," said Additional Chief Secretary L N Gupta.

Padhi said Odisha has great strength and potential for development of downstream units in aluminium, steel, handloom, apparel, marine and agricultural food processing sectors.

He assured the visiting delegates of all necessary support for setting up manufacturing and processing units in Odisha.

The main areas in which the entrepreneur delegates expressed interest include marine fish, poultry, handloom, food processing, super technology and software, Gupta said.

The MSME trade fair which began here on March 5 will continue till March 10.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) has roped in the Rotary Wing Society of India to probe whether poor maintenance was one of the reasons for a Pawan Hans helicopter crashing in Arabian Sea in January this year which killed all the seven people onboard.

RWSI is a not-for-profit professional body specialising in both civil and military helicopters. It is an affiliate of Helicopter Association International (HAI) and headed by Air Vice Marshall K Sridharan.

"While the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is probing the reasons for the accident, we wanted to ascertain if the talks of poor maintenance at Pawan Hans could be a factor," a senior company official said.

The RWSI report is expected later this month. "The objective behind the exercise is to take corrective measures so as to avoid reoccurrence of such unfortunate accidents," he said. "We are not looking at fault finding. We want to be assured that all is well with Pawan Hans and if there are any areas where things can be tightened or improved."



Improper maintenance, non-adherence to procedures, non-compliance of safety regulations by the operator are some of the common findings in probe reports prepared by the DGCA into 20 of 25 accidents involving Pawan Hans helicopters over the last 30 years. Since 1988, 91 people have been killed in these accidents, including 60 passengers, 27 pilots and four crew.

On January 13 this year, a Dauphin N3 helicopter, operated by Pawan Hans, crashed off the Mumbai coast, killing five ONGC officers it was ferrying to an offshore oil and gas facility as well as the two pilots.

The Dauphin is a medium weight multi-purpose twin-engine helicopter.

"We don't know yet the reasons for the accident. Only after competent authorities examine the black block (flight and cockpit voice recorder) can we know the reasons. We haven't been told anything about the reasons by the aviation authorities so far," the official said.

Both engines of the helicopter were found to be intact, ruling out the possibility of a mid-air explosion.

Pawan Hans operates seven Dauphin N3 Helicopters for ONGC's offshore operations. These helicopters, based at Juhu airport, Mumbai and Rajahmundry, undertake passenger crew change service and production trips on a regular basis to meet the offshore requirements of the state-owned oil and gas producer.

Pawan Hans is a joint venture between the government of India owning 51 per cent stake, and ONGC which holds the remaining 49 per cent interest.

As of January 2017, Pawan Hans has a fleet of 46 helicopters. It was incorporated to provide helicopter support services to the oil sector, services in remote and hilly areas, as well as, for charter services.

In 2015, a Pawan Hans chopper had crashed off Mumbai High, the country's largest offshore oilfield 176 kilometres off the Mumbai coast. The helicopter, which was conducting night landing practice, was carrying two pilots. Only one body was found.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An online repository of religious identity-based hate crimes reported in the country was today launched here that seeks to bring "greater accountability" on part of various justice delivery institutions for victims.

Christened, Documentation of the Oppressed (DOTO), the website, currently has data pertaining to 489 incidents and 2,670 victims, Vipul Kumar, one of the members of the team that executed the project, said.

The baseline for collection of data is 2014, incidentally, the year the NDA government came to power.

"The national database currently draws from secondary data, like reports (in English language), reports of fact-finding panels and various civil societies. But, we want to go for primary data collection as well.

"The data we currently have is neither comprehensive nor truly representative, but it does represent a collation of the most easily accessible information in one place. Also, we seek to bring greater accountability on part of various justice delivery institutions like the National Commission for Minorities, for victims," he said.

The website has been set up by city-based NGO, Quill Foundation, with support from the Jamaat-e-Islami-Hind, Jamiat Ulema Hind, APCR, NCHRO, Citizens Against Hate, United Against Hate, Citizens for Justice and Peace, Jamiat Ahle Hadees, among other organisations, the foundation said.

Among the categories listed in the database are -- physical assault, identity of victims, political orientation of the perpetrator, reason or context behind the violence, it said.

The chairman of the Delhi Minorities Commission, Zafarul-Islam Khan, who was present at the launch, alleged that there was "rise in incidents of violence against the minorities by various right-wing outfits, and how they were being emboldened by lack of action against them".

Incidentally, Amnesty International (India) is also working on a similar database ('Halt the Hate' tracker) which also seeks to "document the motive" behind the alleged hate crimes.

"The database, that we are launching on March 15, records cases of caste violence, lynchings, hate crimes against Dalits, adivasis, transgenders and other minorities, including migrant population," Likhita Banerjee, a researcher from Amnesty India said.

"The cut-off date is September 28, 2015, when Akhlaq was lynched in Dadri, and we will go till 2019. The database would be an interactive website, that would also allow users to submit their own cases, which we would then verify before making it live," she said.

Noted activist Teesta Setalvad, spoke about her project -- Peacemap. The initiative is a seven-stage conflict management platform that aims to warn, predict and prevent violence across India.

"It is a work in progress, and as a pilot, we are launching it in English and Hindustani, but we seek to add seven more Indian languages later," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Pakistani court today extended a stay against the "possible arrest" of the Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed till April 4.

Ahead of the visit of the UN Security Council monitoring team here, the Lahore High Court on January 24 had restrained the federal government from arresting Saeed on his petition.

On January 23, Saeed had moved the court seeking protection from his possible arrest by the federal and the state governments, under the alleged pressure from the US and India.

Lahore High Court Judge Ameenuddin Khan today held the hearing and further extended the stay against Saeed's "possible arrest" after the arguments of his counsel.

Saeed's counsel Advocate A.K Dogar said the government had planned to arrest Saeed on the pressure of the US and India as it had already taken over the movable and immovable assets of the JuD and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) and frozen their bank accounts on the international pressure.

He said the Punjab government had detained Saeed for 10 months. However, a judicial review board comprising judges of the high court ordered his release in November last.

"Hafiz Saeed is a founder/chairman of JuD and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) and also established 142 schools and three universities. For the last many years he has been engaged in public welfare activities across the country," Dogar said.

"All actions the (Pakistani) government has taken against his client so far footprints of the US and Indian lobby are visible on them. The Indian lobby for the last many years have been harbouring an unfounded assumption that Hafiz Saeed was somehow involved in the Mumbai attacks," he added.

He pleaded the court to restrain the government from taking any illegal action against Saeed.

Justice Khan adjourned the hearing till April 4 with a direction not to arrest the JuD chief till then.

Saeed, who founded Lashkar-e-Taiba, is carrying a bounty of USD 10 million placed by the US government on his head.

The judge also expressed his displeasure over the failure of the federal and the state governments in filing their replies on Saeed's allegations.

The US Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack, was placed on the terrorism black list by the United Nations in December 2008.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head was released from the house arrest in November last year after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January last year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistans Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua is set to hold talks here with senior officials of the Trump administration on a host of bilateral and regional issues, a US diplomat has said.

Pakistan's Foreign Secretary would be meeting the Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan at the State Department, said Alice Wells, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State.

The top Pakistani diplomat is also schedule to have some meetings with think tanks and meet officials of the National Security Council.

The Foreign Secretary is visiting tomorrow and she will be holding meetings with counterparts and government, said Wells at a conference here.

The US, she said, is certainly not walking away from Pakistan.

There will be very intensive dialogue through both our military and our civilian channels to discuss how we can work together. I mean, Pakistan has an important role to play in helping to stabilise Afghanistan, Wells said in response to a question.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Beijing is unhappy with the first visit by a US aircraft carrier to a Vietnamese port since the Vietnam War and is monitoring developments, a Communist Party newspaper said today.

However, the Global Times said the USS Carl Vinson's visit was unlikely to alter the balance of power in the South China Sea, which China claims virtually in its entirety and has been fortifying with military structures on man-made islands.

"China's vigilance and unhappiness are inevitable, but we don't think that the USS Carl Vinson's Vietnam trip can stir up troubles in the South China Sea," the paper known for its hard-line nationalist views said in an editorial.

The visit "will not generate any special tools to pressure China," while the U.S. sending warships to the South China Sea will "only waste money," the paper said.

Vietnam and China have extensive overlapping claims to islands and resources in the sea, and U.S. officials say the port call is a sign of the U.S. commitment to the region and U.S.-Vietnam ties.

"Carl Vinson being here, me being here, this is about Vietnam. This is about our relationship with Vietnam, both from a military relationship and from a comprehensive partnership relationship," Vice Adm. Phillip Sawyer, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, told reporters in a conference call Tuesday from the Vietnamese port of Da Nang, where the ship docked Monday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were washed out for the third straight day today, as opposition parties as well as NDA allies Shiv Sena, TDP and AIADMK stalled business vociferously protesting on issues like vandalisation of statues and the banking fraud.

While the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day just after noon, the Rajya Sabha witnessed similar scenes and was first adjourned till 2 PM and then for the day.

The Upper House also saw Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu expressing concern over the vandalisation of statues in different parts of the country and saying "the statues were vandalised. ... It's a shame. It's mad, mad, mad .... whoever does it, whether it is in Tamil Nadu, whether it is West Bengal or Tripura."



When the Lok Sabha met for the day, members of various parties, including TDP, Shiv Sena, TRS, YSR Congress, AIADMK and Trinamool Congress started raising slogans on different issues, forcing Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who had taken up the Question Hour, to adjourn the proceedings for an hour within minutes.

She was visibly upset when she left the House even as the din continued. Amid the ruckus, a Lok Sabha official had to repeat loudly that the House has been adjourned till noon.

While Congress members were pressing for a reply from the Prime Minister on the Rs 13,000 crore bank fraud allegedly involving diamantaire Nirav Modi, members of AIADMK and AAP were in the Well, holding photos of Periyar, and raising slogans condemning the vandalism in Vellore in which the statue of Dravidian icon Thanthai Periyar was defaced.

The TRS members were raising slogans demanding a hike in Telangana's quota in reservation, while TDP pressed for grant of special status for Andhra Pradesh and the Shiv Sena sought classical language status for Marathi.

The AIADMK, which has been protesting for the past two days seeking creation of Cauvery water management board, today also protested against vandalisation of statues, while the YSR Congress demanded implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act.

When the House reassembled at noon, the protesting members were already in the Well.

Mahajan then asked Shiv Sena member Anandrao Adsul to speak on his demand.

Adsul said Marathi was an ancient language and fulfilled all the criteria for grant of the classical language status and added that Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia have already been given the classical language status.

"Several of our members have raised this issue repeatedly. We have given our submission to the minister but our demand has not been fulfilled till date," Adsul said.

In response, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was present in the House, assured Adsul that the matter would be looked into.

"The issue does not pertain to the Home Ministry. I will speak to the Culture Ministry on this," Singh said.

Thereafter, even as Shiv Sena stopped their protest on the issue, AIADMK members continued to raise slogans against the desecration of the statue of Periyar -- the founder of Dravidian movement.

"We strongly condemn vandalisation of statute of Thanthai Periyar by BJP members," read the placards held by AIADMK members.

After the Home Minister's reply, as the uproarious scenes continued, the House was adjourned for the day.

In the Rajya Sabha, the same issues were raised by the opposition parties, which led to the first adjournment till 2 PM soon after 11 AM when it met for the day. The Chair called it a day as similar scenes were witnessed at 2 PM.

In the morning, the House also paid tributes to former Rajya Sabha member Jinendra Kumar Jain, who passed away earlier this month.

But as soon as the listed papers were laid during the Zero Hour and the Chairman expressed concern over vandalisation of statues in different parts of the country, MPs from the Congress, TMC, Left parties, NDA ally TDP and AIADMK among others rushed into the Well shouting slogans.

Congress and Left party members were on their feet protesting the incidents of destroying statues of Periyar in Tripura and Vladimir Illyich Lenin in Tripura.

To this, Naidu said "statues were vandalised in different parts of the country. It is a shame. It's mad, whoever does it, whether it is in Tamil Nadu, whether it is West Bengal or whether it is in Tripura."



He also told the agitating members that the government has agreed and he has given permission to hold debate on all issues being raised by them, including the bank fraud, Cauvery river water issue and matters concerning Andhra Pradesh.

"We are ready to discuss all issues," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said in an attempt to restore order.

Disappointed with the members protesting in the Well and raising slogans, the chairman said such acts were "bad" and "against democracy". However, as the noisy protests continued unabated, Naidu adjourned the House till 2 PM.

When the House reassembled, similar protests continued.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien again told the agitating members that the government has agreed to discuss the issues they were raising.

He urged the protestors to return to their seats and restore order. However, as his appeals went unheeded, Kurien adjourned the House for the day, shortly after it had recommenced.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) here has awarded a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the parents of a class 3 student who was mowed down by a speeding truck in 2016.

MACT member and district judge K D Vadane ordered the truck owner and the vehicle's insurer to jointly and severally make the payment to the boy's parents along with an interest at 8 per cent per annum from the date of filing of the claim.

The claimants, Sunil Sukhdeo Rathod (35) and his wife Bharthi Sunil Rathod (30), residents of Vitawa area in the Kalwa township here, told the tribunal that their son Ajit Rathod, then aged 9, was walking with other children when a speeding truck mowed him down on Vajreshwari-Ambadi road on October 29, 2016.

The boy died of multiple injuries sustained in the mishap.

The parents informed the tribunal that their son was a bright student and his death was a great loss to them.

They filed a claim of Rs 7 lakh from the owner of the truck and its insurance company.

The truck owner and the New India Assurance Company Limited contested the claim.

However, MACT member Vadane observed that the driver drove the truck in high speed, and in a rash and negligent manner, as a result of which the vehicle hit the boy.

He said the opponents have not examined any eyewitness of the accident, including the truck driver.

Therefore, in the absence ofany rebuttal evidence, the contention of applicants which is corroborated by the police papers on record appears to be trustworthy, he said.

Holding the vehicle owner responsible for the tortious act of the driver, the tribunal, in an order issued last week, asked both the opponents to pay Rs 5 lakh to the boy's parents.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar landed in the US this evening for medical treatment, according to his office here.

"The chief minister reached USA at 5.30 PM IST today. He is fine and will undergo further treatment," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement.

Parrikar, 62, left for the US at 1.30 AM today from the Mumbai airport by an Air India flight.

The former defence ministerwas accompanied by his elder son Utpal and a medical practitioner.

Parrikar was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on February 15for pancreatitis and was discharged on February 22.

On the same day he returned to Goa and presented the Budget in the Assembly, but the session was truncated to only four days owing to his illness.

He was again admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital on February 25 after he complained of dehydration. He was discharged four days later.

The chief minister went to Mumbai again on March 5 for his further check up from where he was referred to the USA.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels today said that she had a sexual relationship with Donald Trump and wants to nullify a "hush agreement" so the public can decide "who's telling the truth."



Los Angeles lawyer Michael Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels yesterday seeking to toss out the confidential settlement she signed just days before the November 2016 election.

Avenatti made the rounds of the morning talk shows today to explain the legal move by Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Asked on NBC's "Today" show if Daniels had a sexual relationship with Trump, Avenatti immediately replied "Yes."



"She believes it's important that the public learn the truth about what happened," he said. "I think it's time for her to tell her story and for the public to decide who's telling the truth."The White House has dodged questions about whether allegations of the affair are true, claiming the matter was dealt with during the campaign.

"We've addressed our feelings on that situation and I don't have anything else to add," White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said today.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Ram Nath Kovind will honour individuals and organisations working for women empowerment and present them with 'Nari Shakti Puraskar' on the occasion of International Women's Day tomorrow.

Recipients who will be felicitated come from diverse fields, including sports, arts, social work, science, agriculture, education, security, handicrafts and defence.

This year, 30 individual awardees and nine institutional awardees have been selected, according to a press statement.

Winners include the all-woman crew of Indian Navy's sailing vessel Tarini which circumnavigated the globe, Justice Gita Mittal for the vulnerable witness project for survivors of sexual violence, Thinlas Chorol who founded the Ladakhi Women's Travel Company.

A Chhattisgarh government initiative of setting up a bakery unit for survivors of human trafficking will also receive an award from the President.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The India-China bilateral trade has reached $84.44 billion last year, a historic high notwithstanding bilateral tensions over a host of issues including the Doklam standoff.

A rare novelty of the bilateral trade otherwise dominated by the Chinese exports was about 40 per cent increase of Indian exports to China in 2017 totalling to $16.34 billion, data of the Chinese General Administration of Customs accessed by PTI here showed.

The bilateral trade in 2017 rose by 18.63 per cent year-on-year to reach $84.44 billion. It is regarded as a landmark as the volume of bilateral trade for the first time touched $80 billion, well above the $71.18 billion registered last year.

The trade touched historic high despite bilateral tensions over a number of issues including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, China blocking India's efforts to bring about a UN ban on Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar, Beijing blocking India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as well as the longest military standoff at Doklam lasting 73 days.

The bilateral trade stagnated around $70 billion for several years despite the leaders of both the countries setting $100 billion as target for 2015.

Though it is still about $20 billion short, officials on both sides expect trade and Chinese investments in India to pick up further this year as both the governments are trying to scale down tensions and step-up the normalisation process.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit China in June this year to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Qingdao. Reciprocal visits by Chinese leaders too were expected to take place this year.

There were also expectations that the new Commerce Minister of China to be named later this week in government reshuffle was expected to visit India in the coming weeks for talks to improve bilateral trade.

While the bilateral trade reached a new landmark, the trade deficit too continues to remain high at $51.75 billion- registering a growth of 8.55 per cent year-on-year in 2017.

According to India's trade figures, the deficit had crossed $52 billion last year. India has been pressing China to open the IT and Pharmaceutical sectors for Indian firms to reduce the massive trade deficit.

As per the Chinese trade data, India's exports to China increased by 39.11 per cent year-on-year to $16.34 billion last year. India's imports from China increased by 14.59 per cent to USD 68.10 billion.

India has emerged as the seventh largest export destination for Chinese products, and the 24th largest exporter to China.

Significantly, diamonds along with copper, iron ore, organic chemicals and cotton yarn contributed to the increase Indian exports to China.

India's exports of diamonds grew 4.93 per cent totalling to $2.59 billion. India was the second largest exporter of diamonds to China with a market share of 33.06 per cent after South Africa.

Also, Indian exports of copper registered a significant increase of 115.78 per cent to reach $2.15 billion.

India's cotton including yarn and woven fabric exports to China showed an increase of 1.86 per cent to reach $1.30 billion. India was the second largest exporter of cotton to China with 15.04 per cent market share last year.

India's exports of Zinc to China showed a sharp increase of 802 per cent to reach $240 million.

China's exports on the other hand were dominated by electrical machinery and equipment registering an increase of 28.23 percent to $21.77 billion.

India was the largest destination for China's Fertilizers exports registering 16.98 per cent of its total Fertilizers worth USD 1.03 billion to India.

India was also the largest export destination for Chinese Antibiotics- with exports worth $783 million taking place in 2017.

Chinse exports were also led by organic chemicals, worth $6.56 billion in 2017.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi today began a five-day trip to Singapore and Malaysia during which he will reach out to the Indian diaspora and is also expected to meet the prime ministers of the two countries, party sources said.

Gandhi, who reached Singapore today and was welcomed by a young admirer carrying a poster of his at the airport, is likely to meet Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on March 9 and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on March 10, the sources said.

He will begin the Singapore leg of his visit tomorrow with an address to Indian entrepreneurs in the city state. Next up will be an interaction at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, where he will make a formal address.

He will also meet Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan tomorrow.

On Friday, March 9, Gandhi will meet members of Young Professionals International and later meet the Singaporean prime minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

He will also address members of the Overseas Congress and meet representatives of the Indian community. The Congress chief will be interacting with alumni of the Indian Institutes of Management at the Suntec Convention Centre.

On March 10, the Congress chief will travel to Malaysia where he will address a meeting of Indian entrepreneurs and other business delegates.

He will meet the Malaysian prime minister the same day and then address a meeting of Overseas Congress, sources said.

The five day trip to the Southeast Asian countries -- ahead of the AICC plenary session here from March 16 to 18 -- is being organised by the AICC Overseas cell headed by technocrat Sam Pitroda, who helped former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi lead the IT revolution in India.

Pitroda had earlier successfully organised Rahul Gandhi's visits to the US and West Asia.

Later in the year, the Congress president is also expected to travel to Dubai and Canada.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Debt-ridden telecom firm Reliance Communications today said it has adjourned meeting of holders of its USD 300 million senior secured bonds for "want of quorum" and will now be held on March 20, 2018.

"...the meeting of the holders of US$ 300 million Notes scheduled to be held on March 6, 2018 stands adjourned for want of quorum and will be held on March 20, 2018," RCom said in a regulatory filing.

The company had called a meeting on March 6 of the holders of its USD 300 million senior secured bonds for considering certain proposals, relating to asset monetisation.

The company had issued USD 300 million worth senior secured notes, secured at 6.5 per cent and due in 2020.

A recent order by an Arbitration Tribunal between RCom and Ericsson has added to woe of the Anil Ambani led firm by restraining it from sale or transfer of assets.

RCom has approached Bombay High Court against the interim order of the tribunal.

Early this month, RCom had skipped payment of debentures worth Rs 375 crore which was due on February 7.

"The company has not made payment of 3rd instalment of Rs 375 crore of principal on NCD's (non-convertible debentures) which was due on February 7, 2018," RCom had said in a regulatory filing.

It said the company is in strategic debt restructuring (SDR) invoked by JLF (joint lenders forum comprising holders of Non Convertible Debentures) and that no record date shall be fixed for payment on NCDs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Gujarat Government today said in the legislative Assembly that narco analysis of Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti, who is in CBI custody, could be conducted at the Forensic Sciences Laboratory (FSL) based here if the Centre wanted so.

Karti Chidambaram is in the custody of the CBI after being arrested in the INX Media case.

The issue cropped in the House during the Question Hour when BJP legislator Dushyant Patel sought to know if Narco test can be conducted on Karti Chidambaram at the Forensic Science Laboratory(FSL) here.

The question to Minister of State for Home of Gujarat Pradeepsinh Jadeja came in the context of the CBI approaching a court in Delhi for conducting narco analysis test on Karti.

In his response, Jadeja said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a tough stand against corruption.

"The state government is ready to conduct Narco Analysis test on that accused (Karti) if the Centre asks us to do so," said Jadeja, who then listed many instances where different state governments, such as Himachal Pradesh and Chhatisgarh, had sought FSL's help in solving crimes.

Irked by Jadeja's reply, Congress MLA Dhavalsinh Zala asked him whether the state government plans to conduct such tests on jailed godman Asaram, former IPL boss Lalit Modi or diamond businessman Nirav Modi.

As Zala, at one point, took name of BJP president Amit Shah, Speaker Rajendra Trivedi stopped him from making any further comments, saying the opposition MLA's "intentions" were not good.

Citing Assembly rules, Trivedi said the House can discuss about Karti as he is an accused but "names of those who are not an accused can not be mentioned in the House".

Taking a strong objection, Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani asked the Speaker to stop the treasury benches from making "political observations". He even warned that the BJP will get a fitting answer if "they would try to incite the opposition by such political remarks".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amitabh Mattoo, advisor to J-K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, has been awarded the prestigious Capital Foundation National Award for his contribution to education and academic reform.

Currently advisor to the chief minister with the status of a cabinet minister, Mattoo chairs the Knowledge Initiative, with the Education Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

55-year-old Mattoo had earlier served as Chief Executive Officer and inaugural Director of the Australia India Institute and Professor of International Relations at the University of Melbourne in Australia.

Capital Foundation, a non-governmental voluntary organisation, has a distinguished list of members that includes President Ram Nath Kovind, Former president Pranab Mukherjee along with union ministers, senior civil servants and eminent professionals from all walks of life.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Syria's regime sent reinforcements to Eastern Ghouta today, tightening the noose around the shrinking rebel enclave hours before a top-level UN meeting on the escalating violence.

The blistering onslaught has prompted outrage against the regime, with the United Nations' human rights chief saying the government was orchestrating an "apocalypse" in Syria.

The Russia-backed Syrian army and allied militia launched an offensive on February 18 to retake the last opposition bastion near Damascus.

They have since taken more than 40 per cent of the enclave, waging a devastating bombing campaign that has killed more than 800 civilians.

Heavy air strikes battered several key towns in the zone today, as Syria's government dispatched hundreds of pro-government militiamen to the front.

"At least 700 Afghan, Palestinian, and Syrian loyalist militiamen came from Aleppo and were sent late Tuesday to Ghouta," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based war monitor said the reinforcements were deployed to two main battlefronts on the western side of the enclave, including the town of Harasta.

Government troops were within firing range of the key towns of Misraba and Beit Sawa today, and had taken up positions at the edges of Jisreen and Hammuriyeh.

Three civilians including one child were killed in heavy air strikes on Jisreen today, the Observatory said.

That brought the toll in more than two weeks of bombing to 810 civilians, including 179 children.

Syria's state television this morning showed a live broadcast of farmland adjacent to Misraba, with columns of smoke emerging from the town's skyline.

The bombardment has continued despite a one-month ceasefire demanded by the United Nations Security Council more than a week ago.

The council will meet behind closed doors today to discuss the failed truce, after France and Britain requested urgent talks.

UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the Syrian regime and its foreign allies were already planning their next "apocalypse."



"This month, it is Eastern Ghouta which is, in the words of the Secretary General, hell on earth; next month or the month after, it will be somewhere else where people face an apocalypse -- an apocalypse intended, planned and executed by individuals within the government, apparently with the full backing of some of their foreign supporters," said Hussein.

Eastern Ghouta's roughly 400,000 residents have lived under government siege since 2013, facing severe shortages of food and medicines even before the latest offensive began.

Forty-six aid trucks entered the area on Monday for the first time since the offensive, but had to cut short their deliveries and leave due to heavy bombardment.

Nearly half of the food aid could not be delivered and Syrian authorities removed some medical and health supplies from the trucks, the UN said.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all warring sides to allow aid trucks to return for a planned second delivery to the enclave's main town of Douma tomorrow.

Linda Tom, spokesperson for the UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA in Syria, said the aid would aim to reach 70,000 people in Douma and would include medical supplies not allowed in Monday's delivery.

Inside Eastern Ghouta today, AFP correspondents heard warplanes carrying out a barrage of strikes on the battleground towns.

Residents in Douma were driving frantically through the streets to escape from bombing zones, with cars brushing by each other in close calls.

Today's raids came despite a daily "humanitarian pause" announced by Russia last week that is meant to bring calm to Eastern Ghouta between 9:00 am (0700 GMT) and 2:00 pm each day.

During that pause, Moscow said, it would guarantee safe passage to civilians and rebels wishing to flee the enclave.

No Syrian civilians are known to have used the "humanitarian corridor".

The two main rebel groups in Eastern Ghouta -- Jaish al-Islam and Faylaq al-Rahman -- deny that the exit routes or the pauses have been coordinated with them.

"There is no communication with the Russians, directly or indirectly," said Wael Alwan, spokesman for Faylaq al-Rahman.

More than 340,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in Syria since the civil war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a first, the chief minister and council of ministers of a newly-elected government in Nagaland will take oath in full public view tomorrow at the Kohima Local Ground.

The venue holds significance as the announcement of Nagaland's statehood on December 1, 1963 was made from here by the then president Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), in alliance with the BJP, has taken over the reins of the north-eastern state, following the recently-concluded Assembly election, with the support of 32 MLAs.

The alliance has chosen senior NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio as the chief minister.

Governor P B Acharya would administer the oath of office and secrecy to Rio and the 11 ministers at the main rostrum of the ground, in the presence of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president Amit Shah, official sources said here today.

The state has invited the common people to the ceremony through newspaper advertisements issued by the Department of Information and Public Relations, they added.

The swearing-in ceremonies in the state have so far been high-profile shows at the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan, with VVIPs, VIPs and top bureaucrats in attendance.

The newly-mandated alliance government, comprising 34 elected members of the NDPP, BJP, National People's Party (NPP), JD(U) and an Independent, however, has decided to take oath before the public.

Rio will be assuming the charge of Nagaland chief minister for the fourth time. He had served his three previous terms between 2003 and May, 2014.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was reportedly requested to grace the swearing-in ceremony as this was the first time the BJP had won 12 seats in the state, had expressed his inability to attend it, a source in the Raj Bhavan said.

NDPP secretary general Abu Metha said Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma were also expected to attend the ceremony.

As the swearing-in ceremony would be held at the Kohima Local Ground, the stretch between the Y-junction and the DC office was repaired to ensure a smooth commute, sources said.

The district administration and the police had made adequate security arrangements and traffic had also been streamlined for tomorrow's ceremony, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Assam government today told the National Green Tribunal that it has sanctioned a budget of Rs 11 crore for installation of sensor-operated automated traffic barriers to control the death of animals in road accidents near the Kaziranga National Park.

The state government informed a bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim that the matter was pending approval in the assembly which is currently holding its budget session.

The Assam government also told the tribunal that it would start issuing tenders for the installation of sensor barriers in six areas inside the national park within four weeks from today once the assembly clears it.

"We direct that the undertaking given by the Assam government would be complied and the tenders will be issued within four weeks," the bench said.

During the hearing, the green panel exempted the appearance of Additional Secretary, and Forest and Secretary in-charge, Finance and Planning (Additional Chief Secretary Finance and Planning) after it was informed that he was busy in the budget session.

The matter will now be heard on April 26.

The tribunal had earlier rejected the Assam government's proposal to engage manpower in place of installation of sensor-operated automated traffic barriers to control the death of animals in road accidents near the Kaziranga National Park.

It had rapped the state government over its proposal and said except revealing the budgetary constraints there was no reason to go for the alternative proposal.

The state government had proposed to engage additional manpower to monitor the animal corridor stretch of the NH-37 which passes from Jakhalabandha to Bokakhat along the reserve.

It had last year told the tribunal that it had already spent an amount of Rs 1.45 crore on installation of animal sensor barriers at Malini in the national park stretch to check speeding vehicles on the NH-37.

Another amount of Rs 39 lakh will be required for purchase of two additional thermal cameras for installation in the same place, it had said.

Since the required fund was currently not available in the budget, the state government has decided to submit a supplementary demand in the next session of the assembly, it had said.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by wildlife activist Rohit Choudhury opposing the widening of NH-37 which passes from Jakhalabandha to Bokakhat along the reserve.

The tribunal had earlier said that any vehicle found crossing the 40-km speed limit on the NH-37 will have to pay an compensation of Rs 5,000, besides a fine under the Motor Vehicles Act.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A three-day meeting of the RSS's highest decision-making body -- Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha -- will begin from March 9 in Nagpur.

The meeting assumes significance as it is held every three years and this will be the last annual meeting before the 2019 general election.

In the meeting, major organisational changes in the Sangh and its affiliates are decided and the agenda of its action for next three years is laid down.

There are reports that during the meeting a major oragnisational change can be announced and a new Sarkaryavah (general secretary) of the Sangh can be appointed in place of incumbent Bhaiyyaji Joshi.

The Sarkaryavah is effectively number two in the Sangh and is the executive head of the organisation who looks after day-to-day activities.

While Sarshanghachalak is the top post of the RSS, its incumbent is seen in the role of a philosopher and guide leading the organisation.

All the regional heads of the RSS and its affiliates will attend the meeting. BJP chief Amit Shah is also expected to attend the meeting.

Around 1,500 delegates of the Sangh from across the country are expected to attend the meeting in which a host of issues will be discussed and deliberated upon.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Russian military cargo has plane crashed near an air base in Syria, killing all 39 Russian servicemen on board in a blow to Russian operations in Syria.

The Russian military quickly insisted the plane was not shot down and blamed the crash on a technical error.

Meanwhile, shelling near the rebel-held eastern suburbs of Damascus killed dozens of people over the past 24 hours as President Bashar Assad's government, supported by the Russian military, pushed its assault on the capital's rebel-held suburbs.

International aid workers on a rare humanitarian mission inside the besieged area described dramatic scenes of rescuers trying to pull corpses from the rubble of buildings and children who hadn't seen daylight in 15 days.

The mission on Monday to the area known as eastern Ghouta was cut short after the government shelling escalated while the aid workers were still inside, calling into question future aid shipments to the encircled region, the last major opposition stronghold near the capital.

Opposition activists and a war monitor said 80 people were killed Monday, the deadliest day since the UN Security Council demanded a 30-day cease-fire for Syria and at least nine were killed yesterday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all parties to implement a cease-fire demanded by the Security Council on February 24 and allow "safe and unimpeded access" for convoys to deliver aid to hundreds of thousands of Syrians in desperate need.

Guterres descried that attacks on eastern Ghouta reportedly killed more than 100 people Monday and that 14 of 46 trucks in a convoy trying to deliver supplies to Douma in eastern Ghouta weren't able to fully unload, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

Dujarric said nearly half of the food carried on the convoy could not be delivered.

"People were telling us very desperate stories. They are tired, they are angry. They don't want aid, what they want is the shelling to stop," Pawel Krzysiek, head of communications for the Syrian branch of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said yesterday.

He said thousands of families were huddled in underground shelters, reluctant to eat in front of each other because of the pervasive hunger, and children who watched as aid workers tried to pull corpses from the rubble.

"No child should be witnessing this in their very early state of development. But the children of Douma and the children of eastern Ghouta unfortunately do, and that's what makes the situation very, very dramatic," he said.

Monday's aid shipment was the first to enter eastern Ghouta amid weeks of a crippling siege and a government assault that has killed some 800 civilians since February 18. Aid agencies said Syrian authorities removed basic health supplies, including trauma and surgical kits and insulin, from the convoys before they set off.

The UN said airstrikes and shelling in eastern Ghouta continued for hours while the convoy was unloading supplies.

"After nearly nine hours inside, the decision was made to leave for security reasons and to avoid jeopardizing the safety of humanitarian teams on the ground," said Jens Laerke, deputy spokesperson for the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. As a result, 14 of the 46 trucks in the convoy were not able to fully offload critical humanitarian supplies.

Laerke said the team found a desperate situation for people who have endured months without access to humanitarian aid. "Food for civilians was in short supply or prohibitively expensive and high rates of acute malnutrition were observed," he said.

Krzysiek said there was "no electricity so it was extremely dark and we had to go. But we left with heavy hearts because we knew that we are leaving people behind, we know what they will be going through." The violence called into question future aid deliveries.

Another aid convoy is scheduled to enter eastern Ghouta tomorrow, but Laerke said security measures must be guaranteed for this to happen.

Pro-government forces have made swift gains since launching their offensive, seizing roughly 40 per cent of eastern Ghouta territory in two weeks, according to the Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, and setting off a wave of displacement as civilians flee strikes and advancing forces.

Airstrikes continued Tuesday. The opposition's Syrian Civil Defense search-and-rescue group reported at least nine people were killed in airstrikes on the town of Jisreen. The group, also known as the White Helmets, said two of its volunteers, and 28 others, suffered difficulties breathing following shelling on the town of Hammouriyeh on Monday evening.

It accused the government of using "poison gas." The Observatory reported 18 people suffered breathing difficulties, without attributing a cause.It was the eighth allegation of chlorine gas use reported by the Syrian American Medical Society this year.

The reports could not be independently confirmed, and Russia used its Security Council veto to freeze the work of a U N body investigating such reports earlier this year. The Syrian government, through the SANA state agency, denied using chemical weapons.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The sacred thread of a Brahmin man was cut here today by cadres of a fringe rationalist outfit and four of them were arrested, police said today.

Eight men, who came in four motorbikes, cut the sacred thread (ponool in Tamil and janeu in Hindi) of a man at Triplicane area here, they said.

"Based on the complaint of a witness,an FIR was filed and four activists of Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam were arrested.. They will be remanded," a senior police official told PTI.

To a question, he said the arrest was made after a scrutiny of CCTV footage.

He said police were in the process of identifying the victim and arresting the other attackers.

The incident comes against the backdrop of protests against BJP leader H Raja's comment against rationalist leader Periyar's statues, for which he expressed regret later.

Following Raja's comment in a Facebook post, two men, including one belonging to BJP, allegedly damaged a statue of Periyar at Tirupattur near Vellore in an inebirated state yesterday and were arrested.

The BJP functionary was sacked from the party today.

In a Facebook post that was later deleted on Teusday, Raja had said: "Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection India has with Communists? Today Lenin's statue removed in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of EV Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu".

Condemning the incident, Hindu Makkal Katchi chief Arjun Sampath demanded tough action against the culprits.

He alleged that 'innocent brahmins' were being targetted for wearing sacred thread and said such attacks must be stopped.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Saudi Arabia's crown prince was being greeted by Queen Elizabeth II, and met by protesters against the war in Yemen, as he began a three-day visit to Britain today.

Britain is rolling out the red carpet for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who will have lunch with the queen at Buckingham Palace and dine later with Prince Charles and Prince William.

He is also due to meet with Prime Minister Theresa May, who said she would raise concerns about human rights during talks at 10 Downing St.

Critics say Britain has been slow to condemn rights abuses by Saudi Arabia, a key regional ally and major purchaser of U.K.-made weapons.

A Saudi-led coalition has been battling Iran-allied rebels in Yemen since 2015 in a war that has killed more than 10,000 people and driven the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine.

The kingdom faces wide international criticism for its airstrikes killing civilians and striking markets, hospitals and other civilian targets.

Campaigners against the war rallied near Parliament and said they would protest later outside the gates of Downing St.

Asked by Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn whether she would condemn Saudi Arabia's "shocking abuse of human rights," May defended Britain's close ties with the authoritarian kingdom.

"The link that we have with Saudi Arabia is historic, it is an important one and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country," May said in the House of Commons. The crown prince has shaken up his deeply conservative country since he became heir apparent to King Salman last year.

The 32-year-old royal swiftly consolidated power by sidelining rivals and stepped up Saudi Arabia's rivalry with Iran. He has also has pushed through a number of dramatic social reforms including allowing women to drive and lifting a ban on movie theaters.

Critics say the modernization measures mask continuing rights abuses. Human rights charity Reprieve says the number of executions in Saudi Arabia has doubled since the crown prince took charge.

The three-day visit is also due to include lunch with May on Thursday at the prime minister's rural retreat, Chequers, and talks with Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today sought the Centre's response on a plea of Rohingya refugees seeking education and healthcare on the lines of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who are given such facilities in Tamil Nadu.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud asked Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to file the reply on the interim application on or before March 16.

During the brief hearing, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, said that according to the understanding between the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government, Sri Lankan Tamil refugees get access to education and healthcare facilities but these are denied to Rohingya refugees.

He said that an interim application has been filed seeking such basic facilities.

The bench said that it will take up the matter for further hearing on March 19.

Earlier, both the Rohingya refugees had alleged that the BSF was using "chilli and stun grenades" to stop the refugees from entering India.

The top court had sought response from the Centre to the interim application by the two Rohingya refugees, alleging that Border Security Force (BSF) was forcefully restraining fresh refugees, including children, disabled persons and pregnant women, from entering the Indian side.

Both the refugees had said that the Indian government must be prevented from stopping more Rohingyas from entering India because of the persecution faced by them in Myanmar.

The two refugees, in their interim application, sought protection and welfare of Rohingyas in India against the August 8, 2017 proposal of the MHA directing all states and union territories to expeditiously initiate deportation process against illegal immigrants from Rakhine.

"There is no government intervention to provide shelter and other basic amenities. By dismissing Rohingyas as illegal immigrants, the government has washed its hands off the problem," the plea had said.

It also said that the right to adequate standard of living has been recognised in 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and it must be secured for Rohingyas.

It sought a direction to the BSF to file a compliance report directly through the MHA regarding their strict adherence to not push back policy for Rohingya refugees.

Salimullah and Shaqir had earlier approached the apex court opposing the Centre's decision to deport over 40,000 refugees who came to India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community there.

Various other pleas, including those by ex-RSS ideologue and Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan leader K N Govindacharya, the CPI(M) youth wing Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the West Bengal child rights body have been filed in the apex court on the matter.

The court had suggested to the Centre not to deport these refugees, but the Centre had urged that it should not be written in the order as anything coming on record would have international ramifications.

The Rohingyas, who fled to India after violence in the Western Rakhine State of Myanmar, are settled in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has decided to reduce the cost of dengue and chikungunya diagnostic tests undertaken at its healthcare facilities, officials said today.

Both the tests currently cost Rs 600, as per the capping done by the Delhi government.

South Delhi Mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat, at a press conference held at the Civic Centre said, the SDMC has decided to charge Rs 299 for dengue test and Rs 399 for chikungunya test.

"Also, the corporation has ordered for 900 test kits, in the first phase from the National Institute of Virology, Pune. We had ordered 600 kits last year. With one kit 96 people can be tested for the symptoms of vector-borne diseases," she said.

A senior official said the new rates would apply from the next financial year, maybe 20 days or so from now.

At least nine cases of dengue have been reported in Delhi in the first two months this year, indicating early spread of the virus carrying the vector-borne disease in the national capital.

The SDMC has taken early action for prevention and control of vector-borne disease this year by organising a workshop in February, wherein experts from various agencies exchanged ideas, she said.

The corporation in a statement later said it is going to spray Alpha Cyper Methene for warding off mosquitoes.

"This spray is capable of eliminating breeding of mosquitoes continuously during three months. Under the first phase, it will be completed from May to June, whereas the second phase will be from July to August," it said.

The spray will be especially concentrated in JJ and rehabilitation colonies, she said.

The mayor also said the SDMC will take up testing with the help of Elisa diagnosis kit on a large scale this year.

The corporation has also come up with a special school diary wherein observance of cleanliness habits has been shown pictorially to follow.

"This year, it has been decided to give homework cards to the students of all the schools, including public schools and the Delhi government-run schools, which will go a long way in getting a real time picture about breakout of diseases," the SDMC statement said.

Sehrawat said the SDMC is also soon going to introduce a cashless insurance health facilities for its regular employees.

"Under the scheme, 42,000 regular employees of SDMC will be benefited. The slabs of Rs 3 lakh, 5 lakh and Rs 7 lakh have been proposed, but there will be no capping on the upper limit" she said.

The mayor also said the SDMC will construct 20 'Pink Toilets', meant for women only, five in each of the four zones, in the next financial year.

She also said the present landfill site at Tehkhand is not being used for dumping.

"Another site, nearby, of over 35 acres is being developed which is more or less functional. The present site which is not being used, will be developed as an 'Eco Park' for which a consultant has been selected," she said.

The SDMC has fixed a target of sterilising 90,000 dogs this year, she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi Police has tightened security around key statues in the national capital as a precautionary measure in the wake of desecration of statues of communist icon Vladmir Lenin and Dravidian movement founder E V Ramasamy Periyar.

A senior police officer said the force had taken note of the incidents and SHOs of various police stations had been alerted to keep a vigil.

He said no specific alert had been received about the possibility of such incidents here but the move was a precautionary measure.

The bust of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was damaged by activists of Left-leaning outfit 'Radical' in south Kolkata today.

The incident came close on the heels of the razing of statue of Lenin in Tripura and the desecration of a bust of Periyar in Tamil Nadu's Vellore.

A statue of B R Ambedkar was damaged by unidentified people in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut yesterday, triggering protests by Dalits.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A notorious serial killer who allegedly killed 11 women in Bangladesh has been sentenced to death along with his two accomplices for raping and murdering a woman, according to a media report.

Rashu Khan, Jahirul Islam and Yunus Miah raped and killed the 35-year-old victim in Hasa village of the Chandpur district, bdnews reported.

Chandpur Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal and District and Sessions Judge Abul Mannan handed down the verdict yesterday after examining all records and witnesses, Mir Kashem, sub-inspector of Chandpur Sadar police station, was quoted as saying bdnews.

Earlier on April 22, 2015, the self-confessed killer was sentenced to death for killing a garment worker in Chandpur.

The worker was killed after being raped near Nanupur canal of Faridganj in Chandpur on August 18, 2008.

Rashu was arrested on October 7, 2009 from Nirashpur of Tongi for stealing a fan from a mosque. He later confessed to the killing 11 women after raping them.

He wanted to kill a total of 101 women and then take refuge at the Shahjalal shrine in Sylhet, the report said.

Rashu's first victim was the wife of his brother-in-law in 2007. He used to have relations with women on the pretext of marrying them but instead killed them after raping them in remote areas of Chandpur.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) today recovered seven metric tonnes of red sanders valued at Rs 2.85 crore in Nashik and arrested four persons in this connection, an official said.

"We intercepted two containers carrying red sanders being planned to be exported to Dubai on a false declaration of Indian yellow maize through Inland Container Depot at Janori in Nashik," a DRI official said.

The red sanders was concealed behind the bags of maize and cuddapah stone slabs. The other container was found to contain maize as declared, the official added.

"The mastermind of this syndicate was identified as Sujit Bapu Satam, brother of notorious red sanders smuggler Ajit Bapu Satam," an official said.

Sujit had been arrested by DRI in 2001 for smuggling cigarettes and in 2006 for attempted export of red sanders, he said.

Along with him, his three associates, who were involved in the procurement, transportation and concealment of red sanders, were also identified.

"All the four accused have been arrested and produced before the judicial magistrate," the official added.

According to the official, their modus operandi was that export containers carrying foodgrains would be taken to an isolated factory outside Mumbai, where the foodgrains would be partially destuffed and the red sanders concealed.

"For this, they had engaged an expert, who would remove the rivets/clamps of the door handles of the containers without disturbing the customs seal," the official said.

Red sanders- 'pterocarpus santalinus'- is an endangered species found only in the Seshachalam forests of Andhra Pradesh. It is a protected flora covered under the CITES Convention and prohibited for export.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Several people were killed in a helicopter crash in the mountains of Russia's North Caucasus region of Chechnya on Wednesday, officials said.

"A helicopter of the border guard service crashed. There are dead," the Chechen government said in a statement, adding that officials were verifying the number of casualties.

The accident occurred at high altitude during a routine flight as the Mi-8 helicopter was preparing to land, investigators said in a separate statement.

In a message on social media, Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov sent his "deep condolences" to the families of the victims.

When reached by AFP, a spokesman for military investigators, Sergei Zhukov, said investigators had yet to reach the scene of the crash.

Over the past several years, Chechnya, a mainly Muslim region riven by two separatist wars since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, has been rebuilt thanks to generous subsidies from the federal budget.

While the violence has largely died down, Chechnya and other parts of the Russian Caucasus remain the site of a simmering insurgency by Islamist militants against the pro-Kremlin local authorities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Haryana Assembly today witnessed sharp exchanges between Congress leader Kuldeep Sharma and Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar on farmers' issues, with the opposition leader alleging that the BJP government had taken the peasants for a ride.

Taking part in the debate on the Governor's Address in the state assembly here, Sharma said the BJP government had only made tall promises to them.

"Take the plight of sugarcane farmers from Haryana, many are being forced to sell their produce in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh at cheaper price as the government in their own state has let them down," Sharma, a former Speaker, claimed.

Earlier in the day, Congress legislators including Sharma, held a brief protest near the Assembly complex by holding sugarcane plants in their hands to highlight the plight of cane farmers.

Inside the Assembly, Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar hit back at Sharma and claimed that the opposition leader was trying to create a non-existent issue.

Kuldeep Sharma and Dhankar had heated exchange on sugarcane farmers issue.

Sharma wondered that how the BJP government which had not implemented its poll promise of implementing the Swaminathan Commission report for farmers was going to double the income of the peasants by 2022.

Dhankar hit back, saying Congress was "anti-farmer party" and added it was the BJP government which had made the provision so that peasants could earn profit after meeting input costs.

"We have moved beyond Minimum Support Price," Dhankar said.

Sharma also took a dig at the state government over its 'Mhara Gaon-Jagmag Gaon' scheme, claiming villages were not getting power for more than eight hours as against promised round-the-clock supply.

Sharma also slammed the BJP government on various other issues.

On the law and order front, he alleged incidents of loot, rapes and dacoity have increased.

"Everyone saw how Panchkula burned in August last year (during Dera issue violence) as administration allowed thousands of people to gather...this government only preaches 'Haryana Ek Haryanvi Ek', but in reality the state's brotherhood was spoiled because of the policies they are pursuing," he alleged.

He also claimed that the government is making hollow claims on having reined in corruption "whereas the truth is that it is still rampant in various spheres".

"Regional Transport Offices have become dens of corruption," Sharma alleged.

Another senior Congress leader Karan Singh Dalal also took part in the debate on the Governor's Address.

The legislator from Palwal sought setting up of a Tribunal to decide the share of water between Haryana and Uttar Pradesh from the Agra canal.

He expressed concern over water table going down at alarming level in Faridabad and Palwal and asked the government to take the required steps in this regard.

Dalal claimed that the water table had fallen to alarming levels in 37 Blocks across Haryana



He suggested that government should encourage more and more farmers to opt for crop diversification and help them come out of water-guzzling wheat-paddy crop cycle.

Bahujan Samaj Party's lone MLA in the 90-member Assembly, Tek Chand Sharma, heaped praise on the Khattar government, saying it had undertaken development projects in various spheres and reined-in corruption and put an end to favouritism in jobs.

Haryana BJP President Subhash Barala highlighted various initiatives of the Khattar government taken for welfare of various sections of the society.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shiv Sena candidate for Rajya Sabha Anil Desai today said his party's stand on Narayan Rane hasn't changed.

Desai was speaking to reporters after filing his nomination for the March 23 Rajya Sabha election from Maharashtra.

"Our stand on him is loud and clear. We have voiced it openly several times," Desai said, when asked if Sena members would vote for Rane if its ally, BJP, were to field him.

"If there is to be a change in the stand, the decision will be taken by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray," Desai said.

Earlier, the Sena had opposed the proposal to induct Rane, who quit the Congress last year and declared support for the NDA, into the state cabinet.

Rane started his political career with the Shiv Sena and went on to become the chief minister before leaving and joining the Congress.

Desai, if he gets elected, will enter the Upper House of Parliament for a second time. He is the only candidate fielded by Sena for the Rajya Sabha election.

While he needs votes of 42 MLAs, the Sena has 63 MLAs in the state.

The BJP has decided to field three candidates from Maharashtra while it has 122 MLAs. Which means it would need four extra votes.

Rane quit the Congress last year and floated a new party while declaring support for the NDA.

He claimed earlier this week that the BJP has offered him a Rajya Sabha seat, and decision regarding his candidature will be finalised after a meeting between party chief Amit Shah and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The election for six RS seats from Maharashtra will be held on March 23.

Presently, the Congress and the NCP each hold two of these six seats while the BJP and Shiv Sena share the other two.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lawyers representing a UK-based Sikh group over its demand for a public inquiry into the exact nature of Britain's alleged involvement in 1984's Operation Blue Star have initiated the process for a judicial review in the case.

KRW Law, which is representing Sikh Federation (UK), sent its "pre-action protocol" letter for a judicial review in the case to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) this week. It follows an earlier request by the group for a public inquiry being refused and the process could now end up in the UK High Court.

"The fact that military assistance was provided in the run up to the Amritsar Massacre (sic) is a matter of significant public concern...It is plain that to address public concern about what did or may have happened, a full inquiry needs to take place into the events of 1984," the letter notes.

The move comes as a UK tribunal continues to hear evidence from FCO officials on reasons that prevented them from releasing classified British government files related to the military operation at the Golden Temple in Amritsar into the public domain over 30 years later.

"This remains a highly sensitive issue and release of the information could have a detrimental effect on our relationship with India," said Owen Jenkins, former FCO Director for South Asia and Afghanistan, at the First Tier Tribunal hearing in London today.

Much of his evidence and that of Philip Barton, FCO director-general (consular and security), was given in a closed session due to the "sensitivity" of the material which they said could cause "risk of damage" to international relations.

"The UK government's position is untenable and we will make this argument strongly in our submissions. But granted the unjust advantage given to the government who holds the information with closed justice procedures excluding us from the proceedings, we rely upon the independent tribunal to push the British government to justify its untenable position," said Christopher Stanley of KRW Law, which is representing freelance journalist Phil Miller during the hearing.

Miller is trying to establish that Freedom of Information (FOI) has historical significance to establish if trade and arms deals were a factor in the assistance offered to India by the then Margaret Thatcher-led UK government.

He has claimed that with the then ruling Congress party no longer in charge, the present BJP-led NDA government would welcome the release in the interests of transparency.

The UK government has claimed that the documents cannot be viewed entirely in a historical context as they have real implications on politically sensitive issues of today.

Jenkins told the tribunal that nearly 92 per cent of the material had already been made public under the 30-year declassification rule.

However, Miller's research indicates that this figure refers to a very limited set of documents from the Prime Minister's Office files, whereas a vast set of UK Cabinet Office files dating between 1979 and 1985 remain entirely secret.

"It shows that there is something to hide and that there was probably further British support that is being covered up," said Miller, who had come across information that British military advice was given to Indian forces prior to Operation Blue Star during unrelated research in the UK's National Archives in 2014.

The then prime minister David Cameron had immediately ordered a review into this discovery, which led to a statement in Parliament declaring that Britain's role had been purely "advisory" and advice by the Special Air Service (SAS) had "limited impact".

Miller's FOI request for further documents related to that period was turned down by the UK Cabinet Office, a decision upheld by the UK's Information Commissioner in 2015.

The appeal is set to conclude tomorrow with a judgment in the case expected at a later date.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Sikkim government will issue an executive order to ban supply of non-organic produces from outside from March 31, Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling said today.

"We have decided to ban supply of non-organic produces from outside the state with effect from March 31 and it will be done through an executive order," Chamling informed the Assembly.

The ban on non-organic produces will not only empower the farmers of Sikkim in a big way, but will also set an example to other states to emulate organic path to livelihood, the chief minister said.

Sikkim was declared as the country's first organic state two years ago.

"By promoting cultivation and consumption of organic produces, our people will be contributing to steps to reverse the impact of global warming and climate change in a symbolic manner," Chamling said.

He urged the civil society and the opposition parties to shed negativism and back the state government's decision to ban supply of non-organic produces from outside.

The chief minister's announcement comes over a month after the state government had withdrawn a bill proposing to ban the supply of livestock, non-organic vegetables and other produces in Sikkim from outside with effect from March 31, 2018.

The Horticulture and Cash Crop Development Department Minister Somnath Poudyal had cited technical problems behind withdrawal of the bill in January.

Later, the motion on the governor's speech was passed unanimously.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) would soon clear the air on whether K T Naveen Kumar, who is in police custody, is involved in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said today.

"The SIT will answer it as early as possible," he said, when asked whether the police have picked up the right person in the case.

The SIT, probing the murder of the journalist-activist on September 5 last year, had recently taken Kumar into custody.

His family has said he was innocent and in no way connected to the case.

Reddy said the SIT has been pursuing its investigation and the government does not want to interfere in it.

"The investigation is coming to an end," he said.

Reddy on September 9 claimed that the SIT had gathered "some clues" in connection with the case.

The state government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) B K Singh, has announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the perpetrators of the crime.

The Lankesh family pleaded against giving a political colour to the case.

It has said the investigators should look into all angles, as reports had emerged about a possible Naxal hand in the crime other than the suspected involvement of right-wing extremists.

Lankesh (55), who was known as an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unidentified assailants at her home here.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four more witnesses were today declared hostile in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh alleged fake encounter case, taking the total number to 42.

So far, 59 witnesses have been examined, of whom 42 have been declared hostile by the prosecuting agency, the CBI.

None of the four witnesses examined by the agency before special court judge S J Sharma today supported the statements they had recorded earlier.

Panch witnesses Sali Bharatbai Marathi and Maheshbhai Shah, both auto rickshaw drivers, were present when the police at ATS office in Dafnala in Ahmedabad seized samples of traces of blood from a Maruti car, in which Sheikh was travelling at the time of encounter, in November 2005.

Two other witnesses, loader Prashant Patel and stock market investor Mehul Shah, were present when Sheikh's clothes were seized by the police.

However, during their examination by CBI prosecutor B P Raju, all four witnesses did not stand by their earlier statements, following which they were declared hostile.

The court had October framed charges against 22 accused for murder, abduction and destruction of evidence under the Indian Penal Code and for offences under the Arms Act in connection with the alleged staged encounter of Sheikh near Gandhinagar on November 26, 2005.

All the accused had pleaded innocence.

BJP chief Amit Shah, Rajasthan Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria, Rajasthan-based businessman Vimal Patni, former Gujarat police chief P C Pande, Additional Director General of Police (Gujarat) Geeta Johri and Gujarat police officers Abhay Chudasama and N K Amin have been discharged in the case.

Besides them, Yashpal Chudasama and Ajay Patel (both senior officials at Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank), Gujarat IPS officer Rajkumar Pandiyan and Andhra Pradesh-cadre IPS official N Balasubramanyam, Rajasthan IPS officer Dinesh M N and former senior Gujarat police officer D G Vanzara too were discharged.

Sheikh and his wife Kausar Bi were allegedly abducted by the Gujarat Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad from Hyderabad on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra in November 2005. According to prosecution, Sheikh was allegedly killed in a fake encounter.

Kausar Bi was also allegedly killed later.

Sheikh's aide Tulsi Prajapati, who was said to be a witness to the encounter, was allegedly killed by the police at Chapri village in Banaskantha district in December 2006.

The alleged fake encounter case was transferred to Mumbai in September 2012 on the request of the CBI for ensuring a fair trial. In 2013, the Supreme Court clubbed the Sheikh and Prajapati encounter cases.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Award-winning South Korean director Kim Ki-Duk has been accused of rape by two female actors, a claim he denied.

The two actors, who requested anonymity, opened up about their alleged encounters with the Venice Golden Lion-winning director on "PD Notebook", a South Korean investigative show.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, one of the women, who is a former actor, alleged Ki-Duk sexually harassed her multiple times during the pre-production for a film she was cast in. She claimed the team was staying together during the film's making and the director raped her in her room after repeated attempts.

The actor claimed she was also raped by the now disgraced actor Cho Jae-hyun, and added that Ki-Duk had promised her the lead role in his next project in exchange for sexual favours.

Another alleged victim claimed she was sacked from a leading part in the director's film when she refused to have sex with him.

The actor had already been in headlines after she filed a lawsuit against Ki-Duk last year, saying he slapped her on the sets of the 2013 film "Moebius" and forced her to do an unscripted sex scene.

The filmmaker was ordered to pay a fine of USD 5,000 (approximately) for physical assault by a local court. She said she decided to make an appeal as she felt the ruling did not address the sexual violence she suffered.

The actor said Ki-Duk tried to force her to engage in a threesome with him and another woman two days prior to production of "Moebius".

When she refused, he fired her immediately, telling her, "I cannot work with an actor who cannot trust me."



Ki-Duk denied the claims in an SMS message to the creators of "PD Notebook".

The parts of the text read on the show read, "The #MeToo movement continues to become increasingly drastic... and bury people alive even before the truth has been revealed. I've never fulfilled my personal desires through movies.

"I have stolen a kiss... but never did anything beyond that without a woman's consent. I have been involved in intimate relationships but it was always consensual. I am, however, ashamed of this as a married family man.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SpiceJet on Wednesday said it is conducting a recruitment drive for women pilots as part of International Women's Day celebrations.

The no-frills carrier is looking to increase the strength of its women cockpit crew to one-third of the total number of pilots.

Currently, it has around 800 pilots and out of them, about 140 are women pilots.

In a release, the airline said the recruitment drive for women pilots is for its Boeing 737 and Bombardier Q400 fleet. The recruitment programme is for two days, starting today and more than 175 applications have been received.

"SpiceJet's young lady captains are one of the very few in the world flying to critical airfields like Kabul on a regular basis," the airline's director Shiwani Singh said.

The airline would hire an ever-increasing number of lady pilots in the coming years, she added.

Among others, women pilots are offered special contracts allowing them to fly at their own convenience, the release said.

On the occasion of International Women's Day tomorrow, SpiceJet would operate three special flights with all women cockpit and cabin crew.
A bust of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was vandalised in Kolkata today, close on the heels of desecration of Lenin and Periyar's statues, drawing strong condemnation and warning of stern action from Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the culprits.

Even as a political firestorm raged over desecration of statues of political icons and social reformers over the last couple of days, the bust of Mookerjee was damaged by activists of Left-leaning outfit 'Radical' in south Kolkata, officials said.

The incident was an obvious act of retribution following the razing of statues of Soviet icon Vladimir Lenin in Tripura, one of which was bulldozed by alleged right-wing activists chanting "Bharat Mata Ki Jai".

All seven people involved in the desecration of Mookerjee's bust, including a woman, were arrested, Kolkata police commissioner Rajiv Kumar said.

The unseemly incidents of Tripura were followed by desecration of a bust of revered Dravidian movement founder E V Ramasamy Periyar in Tamil Nadu's Vellore after a Facebook post by a senior BJP leader. The incident triggered widespread protests across the state today.

A statue of B R Ambedkar was damaged by unidentified people in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut yesterday, triggering protests by Dalits. The protests at Mawana were called off after the district authorities assured them a new statue of the Dalit icon will be installed.

The spate of desecration of statues and busts of reformers and political legends prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strongly condemn such incidents. He warned of stern action against those indulging in vandalising the statues.

The prime minister also spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh about it and expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents, according to an official statement in New Delhi.

"The MHA has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents," a Home Ministry statement said, adding the state governments were told to sternly deal with the offenders.

"I appeal to everyone, all parties, that anyone indulging in such acts should be dealt with strictly. These incidents can never be justified," Home Minister Rajnath Singh told reporters outside Parliament.

BJP chief Amit Shah termed the incidents "extremely unfortunate", and asserted that any party member found involved in such acts will face severe action.

In a series of tweets, Shah distanced the BJP from the vandalism after a few party leaders appeared to endorse the incidents, and said his organisation believes a wide range of ideas and ideologies can co-exist in India.

"The recent issue on destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybody's statue. I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party," he said.

He, however, said the BJP will not take action against its secretary H Raja, whose controversial Facebook post was seen to have incited party activists to vandalise Periyar's bust.

However, the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP today expelled party worker R Muthuraman, who was arrested yesterday for damaging Periyar's bust.

An under-fire Raja, however, blamed the staff managing his Facebook account for the controversial post and voiced regret.

In the Facebook post that was later deleted yesterday, Raja had said: "Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection India has with Communists? Today Lenin's statue removed in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of EV Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu".

He said his "Facebook admin" had put up a post comparing the razing down of Lenin's statue in Tripura to that of Periyar.

"Views should be confronted by views only and not by violence. I have no intentions of hurting anybody. Therefore, if anybody felt hurt by that post, I express my heartfelt regret," he said.

However, his apology failed to mollify political parties and pro-Tamil outfits. Opposition DMK and various fringe organisations staged protests in many parts of the state, with Raja's effigies being burnt in Chennai, Cuddalore and Salem among others.

Police detained scores of protesters, including some who tried to lay siege to the state BJP headquarters in Chennai.

The matter echoed in the two chambers of Parliament, with Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu condemning the incidents, saying," Mad...whoever has done it. Mad."



West Bengal's ruling TMC condemned the vandalisation of statues of icons as "an absolute shame". "Next they will demolish the statues of Vivekananda, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi...it's absolute shame," TMC MP Derek O'Brien said, attacking the BJP.

Such acts need to be condemned by all parties, said CPI's D Raja.

In an apparent fallout of the desecration of Periyar's bust, unidentified people hurled petrol bombs at the BJP office in Coimbatore but no harm was done. A hunt has been launched to apprehend the attackers.
Swaraj Tractors, part of the USD 19 billion Mahindra Group, today announced its foray into high power segment by rolling out new products in the 60 horsepower (hp) to 75 hp category.

In the 50,000 units annual market size in over 50 HP segment, the company aims to become a significant player in this category by garnering 11 to 12 per cent market share in a span of one year.

"We are launching a new tractor platform by entering into 60 HP plus category," said the M&M Ltd Managing Director Pawan Goenka while talking to reporters through video conference.

"Today is a big day for Swaraj not only for its brand new platform which is happening after a long time, but also Swaraj is entering a new segment 60 plus hp segment which it did not represent," added Goenka.

The company unveiled the Swaraj 963 FE tractor, which is 60 hp, based on this new platform, with prices starting at Rs 7.40 lakh (ex- showroom). It will be available across its network of 875 dealers.

"The only gap the Swaraj has in its offerings up to now is not having a tractor in 60 plus hp range and today we are filing that gap by launching a brand new tractor in 60 Hp category," said Goenka.

The Swaraj 963 FE has been designed indigenously by Swaraj's in-house research and development team at Mohali, Goenka added.

"Today's launch will further strengthen the brand and help build a much stronger portfolio of tractors that will cater to a wide range of farming applications and geographical markets," he said.

It will be available in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive options, catering to the diverse requirements of its wide farmer base.

Rajesh Jejurikar, President(Farm Equipment), Mahindra & Mahindra said less than Rs 100 crore was spent on developing new tractor platform.

Asked about the market size of 60 hp to 75 hp, company's sales head Rajiv Rellan said, "...the industry size of more than 50 hp capacity is 50,000 units and it is growing at present.

"As the farm mechanization is going and labour shortage is already there, we want to become a significant player across the country in this segment and we want to command around 11-12 per cent market share in the first year in this segment," he further said, adding Punjab was also a focused market for this new product.

Earlier, Goenka said that the company expected to sell 1,10,000 Swaraj tractors in current fiscal.

"This year, we expect to sell 1,10,000 Swaraj tractors. There is a growth of almost 13 per cent CAGR consistently for 13 years," he said adding that Swaraj, which was bought in year 2007, had the second highest market share in the country.

Viren Popli, Chief Operating Officer, Swaraj Division said, "The launch of the 963 FE is based on our new tractor platform in the 60 hp to 75 hp segment.

"This is a brand new platform that is designed to continue and enhance our promise of power, reliability and application suitability. The tractor has been designed especially for farmers who have specialised needs and large farms."



The Swaraj 963 FE will be available in Punjab, Amdhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh to begin with and will be rolled out pan India by the end of 2018 in a phased manner, official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A bust of Jan Sangh founder was on Wednesday vandalised in south Kolkata by seven people, including a woman, allegedly belonging to a left-wing group 'Radical', police said.

All the seven people have been arrested, city police commissioner Rajiv Kumar said.

The incident happened after two statues of communist icon Vladimir Lenin were pulled down in Tripura and a bust of rationalist movement founder EV Ramasamy or Periyar was vandalised in Tamil Nadu.

"Six men and one woman in their early 20s who tried to deface the bust of Dr have been arrested from the spot by Kolkata Police and strong legal action initiated," Kumar said in a statement.

"No vandalism would be tolerated," he said.

A senior officer of the Tollygunge police station said the accused entered the area and suddenly started damaging the bust and then splattered black ink on it.

Locals caught hold of the accused and informed the police. The police said the seven persons were members of the left-wing group called 'Radical'. A poster was also found on the spot with the word "Radicals" written on it, they said.

"A portion on the right side of the bust including its right ear, eye and cheek were damaged," the officer of the Tollygunj police station said.

Restoration of the bust has been initiated, he said.

Adequate police personnel have been deployed in the area to check any other untoward incident.

Local TMC MLA and state power minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay and party councillor Mala Roy rushed to the spot after the incident.

"Such an incident is not at all welcome. We will not allow this to happen in West Bengal. People who are involved in it were arrested," Chattopadhyay said.

"There is no logic behind defacing Syama Prasad Mookerjee's bust because someone has pulled down Lenin's statue," he said.

Commenting on the incident, BJP secretary Rahul Sinha said: "Whenever the Left goes out of power they take up such tricks. This is an anti- act," he alleged.

The BJP said the party will hold agitation outside Tollygunge and Kalighat police stations today against the incident.
A bust of Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was vandalised today in south Kolkata by seven persons, including a woman, allegedly belonging to a left-wing group, "Radical", the police said.

The accused, who were arrested from the spot, told a TV channel that they defaced and vandalised Mookerjee's bust to protest against the pulling down of communist icon Lenin's statues in Tripura.

They also raised slogans against the Tripura incidents, the police said.

"Six men and one woman, in their early 20s, who tried to deface the bust of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, have been arrested from the spot by Kolkata Police and strong legal action (has been) initiated," city Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said in a statement.

"No vandalism would be tolerated," he added.

A senior officer of the Tollygunge police station said the accused entered the area and raised slogans against the pulling down of Lenin's statues in Tripura. Then, they suddenly started damaging the bust and splattered black ink on it. The locals caught hold of the accused and informed the police.

The police said the seven accused were members of a left-wing group called "Radical". A poster was also found from the spot with the word "Radicals" written on it, they added.

"A portion on the right side of the bust, including the right ear, eye and cheek, was damaged," the officer of the Tollygunge police station said.

The restoration work of the bust was initiated, he said, adding that adequate police personnel were deployed in the area to prevent any other untoward incident.

Local Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA and West Bengal Power Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay and party councillor Mala Roy rushed to the spot after the incident.

"Such an incident is not at all welcome. We will not allow this to happen in West Bengal. Those who were involved in it were arrested," Chattopadhyay said.

"There is no logic behind defacing Syama Prasad Mookerjee's bust because someone has pulled down Lenin's statues," he added.

Commenting on the incident, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said, "Whenever the Left goes out of power, they take up such tricks. This is an anti-national act."



State BJP president Dilip Ghosh slammed those responsible for vandalising Mookerjee's bust and alleged that left-wing workers had vandalised statues of many great men in the past as well.

Sounding a warning, he said, "Now they are in police custody. But if they attempt to do such a thing again, no one can give a guarantee what will happen to them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress today said that the TDP's decision to pull out of the NDA government at the Centre was "too little, too late" as it "has done nothing" to protect the interests of Andhra Pradesh in the past four years.

This is too little and too late. The TDP has been an ally of the BJP for four years now and has done nothing to protect the interests of Andhra Pradesh," senior Congress leader from Andhra Pradesh and former union minister M M Pallam Raju said.

His remarks came soon after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu, in a late night press conference, announced that his party's two central ministers -- Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and Technology Y S Chowdary -- would resign from the government tomorrow.

Raju said the TDP has "abandoned" the interests of the state and that this is political posturing in view of the prevailing public mood.

Another Congress leader, when asked if the TDP pull-out of the NDA could create any potential of understanding with the Congress, said there was no such possibility.

For all these years the Congress has been struggling to secure what is rightfully the due of the state and the TDP has "sacrificed" the state's interests and is now indulging in political posturing. "Pulling out ministers from the government means nothing," the party leader said.

Commenting on the development, CPI leader D Raja said, "This clearly shows cracks have appeared in NDA...It needs to be seen what Naidu does after this."



Political parties in Andhra Pradesh have been demanding special category status for the state after Telangana was carved out of it in 2014.

Naidu's announcement came barely hours after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told a press conference in New Delhi this evening that funds equivalent to what a special category state receives would be extended to Andhra Pradesh, but drew a line saying cannot increase the quantum of money.

We have now come out of the NDA. Party-to-party (TDP-BJP ties) issue will be decided later, Naidu added, hinting that their alliance may continue in the future.

"When the intended purpose (of joining the Union Cabinet) has not been served, there is no point in continuing. For me the sole agenda is to safeguard the interests of the state, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Red Granite Pictures, the production company behind Leonardo DiCaprio's "The Wolf of the Wall Street", has agreed to pay USD 60 million to the US government in order to settle the claims that the banner benefited from a massive Malaysian corruption scandal.

The settlement between the company, which was co-founded by a stepson of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, and the US Justice Department also covers forfeiture claims against the producer's rights and interests in two other films, "Daddy's Home" and "Dumb and Dumber To", Variety reported.

According to a filing in a California court, the company denies any wrongdoing.

"We are glad to finally put this matter behind us and look forward to refocusing all of our attention back on our film business," a statement issued by the Red Granite Pictures on the filing read.

US prosecutors, who had filed a civil asset forfeiture action against the production house in July 2016, had claimed the three films were financed using money misappropriated from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund founded in 2009 by Razak.

Financier Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Lo and a close friend of Razak's son-in-law Raza Aziz, is accused of siphoning off USD 4.5 billion from the fund.

The company must pay the USD 60 million forfeiture in three installments: USD 30 million within the first 30 days, USD 20 million 180 days after the first payment, and the rest USD 10 million 180 days after that.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson may be mending fences in Africa as well as explaining Trump administration policies for the continent as he visits Ethiopia and several other countries this week.

Tillerson is the highest-ranking US official to travel to Africa since President Donald Trump took office. His visit comes in the wake of ill feelings generated by Trump's vulgar disparagement of countries there.

Tillerson is scheduled to arrive in Ethiopia today. He is expected to carry the message that the US is committed to assisting Africa, but that prosperity and stability will be impossible until its security is brought under control.

Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, is under a state of emergency amid anti-government protests. About 100 protesters gathered outside Tillerson's Washington office the day before his departure.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"The Room" star Tommy Wiseau has announced a new project titled "Scary Love".

The 62-year-old actor-director said the film has already been shot, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Wiseau plays the lead role of a bounty hunter in search of his long-lost love in the movie set in a bleak Los Angeles.

The film has been directed by Jennifer Juniper Stratford



"Scary Love" is described as "a science fiction tale told in the style of classic B-movies and outfitted with practical special effects, laser beams and lunatic ideas which are guaranteed to make it the next big midnight movie hit."



Details on its release date are currently under wraps.

Wiseau is known for making "The Room" (2003), which is referred to as 'Citizen Kane of bad movies'.

He also starred in "Best F(r)iends" with Greg Sestero, who wrote the book on which James Franco-directed "The Disaster Artist" was based and also appeared in "The Room".

Wiseau was immortalised on the big screen by Franco who played Wiseau in award-winning "The Disaster Artist".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Madras High Court has said the road traffic need not be halted for dignitaries, including the state governor, the chief minister and chief justice, as it suggested that any such stoppage for facilitating the movement of their vehicles should not be more than 5 or 10 minutes.

First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose, also said exceptions may only be made in the case of visits of high-level dignitaries such as the president and the prime minister, who occasionally visit and whose visits were intimated and publicised in advance.

"As far as possible, traffic should not be stopped for more than 5 to 10 minutes or so for the purpose of the movement of vehicles of high dignitaries, be it the governor, the chief minister, the chief justice (for whom the traffic need not at all be kept waiting) or anyone else," it said.

The bench gave the directions in its order while disposing of a public interest litigation (PIL) petition by S Doraisamy, an advocate of the high court, seeking appropriate action against top citytraffic police officials for allegedly restraining him wrongfully on a main road near the high court on March 22 last year following a traffic jam.

"No action is warranted.The petition is disposed of by directing the respondent police authorities to ensure proper traffic regulation and free flow of traffic to the extent possible," the bench said.

It, however, made it clear that the directions will not prevent the police authorities from diverting traffic from certain roads in case of visit to the city of high dignitaries such as the president and the prime minister or in other exigencies.

The petitioner submitted that he missed an appointment with his doctor on that day due to the traffic jam.

He further alleged that on an enquiry with the police, he came to know that the chief minister was supposed to go to R K Nagar in North Chennai for a political meeting, but the meeting had got delayed for some reason.

The court said it appeared that in this case there was a traffic jam, which certain traffic policemen could not control.

No case was made out in the PIL for penal action against the commissioner of police or the deputy commissioners of police, impleaded as respondents.

It was nobody's case that these officers were present at the spot or were even aware of the traffic dislocation.

In any case, no case of misconduct has been made out against them, the bench ruled.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump today suggested paper ballot asa backup system for election amid allegations of external interference or meddling in the electoral process of a country.

"One of the things we're learning is it is always good -- it's old-fashioned, but it's always good to have a paper backup system of voting. It's called paper, not highly complex computers paper," Trump told reporters at a joint conference with the visiting Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven.

A lot of states are doing that, he said.

"They're going to a paper backup and I think that's a great idea. But we're studying it very closely," Trump said.

Various agencies, including Homeland Security, are studying it very carefully, he asserted.

Trump said he is not worried about Russian interference in the US election.

"No, because we'll counter act whatever they do. We'll counteract it very strongly. And we are having strong backup systems," he said.

"We haven't been giving credit for this, but we've actually been working very hard on the '18 election and the '20 election coming up," he said.

Trump said the Russians had no impact on American our votes whatsoever.

"But, certainly there was meddling, and probably there was meddling from other countries, and maybe other individuals," he said.

"One has to be really watching very closely. You don't want your system of votes to be compromised in any way. We won't allow that to happen. We're doing a very, very deep study, and we're coming out with some I think very strong suggestions on the '18 election," he added.

"We are going to do very well in the '18 election, although historically those in the White House have a little bit of a dip. But I think we're going to do well because the economy is so good, and because we're protecting our job, like our jobs are being protected, like with what we are doing with the tariffs," he said.

But the big thing would be the tax cut and the regulations cuts, he added.

Lofven said he and Trump agree that the result of the election in the country should be decided by nobody else but the voters in that country.

"That is also our clear stance, and that is why our intelligence agencies are now also increasing their capacity to detect and counter, whether it's hacker attacks or financing, or producing, or spreading propaganda, whatever it is; we are increasing our capacity to handle that," Trump said.

"We are cooperating with other European union countries. Some of our agencies are also cooperating with American counterparts, and will continue to do. Any foreign power that believes that they can interfere with our election, we will find out, and we will call them out very clearly, loud," the Swedish Prime Minister said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gary Cohn, the top economic adviser to US President Donald Trump, on Wednesday resigned over his differences with him on his controversial trade policies, in yet another jolt to the embattled White House that has seen a series of high-profile departures.

Cohn, 57, who is a former Goldman Sach executive resigned as the White House National Economic Council director, after differences with the decision of Trump to impose a hefty 25 per cent tariff on import of steel and 10 per cent on aluminium.

The White House did not give the reason for Cohn's resignation.

For several weeks, Cohn had been discussing with the President that it was nearing time for him to transition out.

His departure date is to be determined but will be a few weeks from now, a White House official said.

"Gary has been my chief economic advisor and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again. He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people," Trump said in a statement issued by the White House.

Cohn served as Trump's chief economic advisor since the beginning of the Administration.

During his stay at the White House, he led coordination of Trump's pro-growth domestic and global economic policy agenda, including the passage of historic tax cuts and reforms in December 2017, the official said.

His policy portfolio included tax and retirement, infrastructure, the financial system, energy and the environment, health care, agriculture, global economics, trade and development, besides technology, telecommunications and cyber security.

Cohn played a critical role in advancing Trump's deregulatory agenda and organising his successful participation in the World Economic Forum in January 2018, a White House official said.

"It has been an honour to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular the passage of historic tax reform. I am grateful to the President for giving me this opportunity and wish him and the Administration great success in the future," Cohn said in a statement.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly said Cohn served his country with great distinction, dedicating his skill and leadership to grow the US economy and pass historic tax reform.

"I will miss having him as a partner in the White House, but he departs having made a real impact in the lives of the American people," he said.

Cohn's resignation is the latest in the very long list of high-profile White House departures.

Earlier, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who played a key role in the electoral victory of Trump, left the White House in August following months of turmoil and his penchant for talking to reporters.

Sean Spicer, former White House press secretary resigned in July after Anthony Scaramucci was appointed the White House Communications Director.

Michael Flynn, former national security adviser, resigned in February last year amid allegations that he discussed US sanctions against Russia with its envoy before Trump's inauguration.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to slap a 25 per cent tax on import of cars from Europe if the EU retaliated on its decision to impose a 25 per cent import tariff on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium.

The European Union has been particularly tough on the US, Trump told reporters at a joint White House news conference with the visiting Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven.

The Swedish leader during his meeting with Trump had convened the message of the European Union Commission president that if the US put tariffs on steel and aluminium, they will slap back with punitive tariffs on bourbon, and jeans and the motorcycles, that he talks about from Wisconsin.

The EU, Trump rued, makes it almost impossible for the US to do business with them.

And yet they send their cars and everything else back into the US, he said.

"And they can do whatever they'd like, but if they do that, then we put a big tax of 25 per cent on their cars, and believe me, they won't be doing it very long. The EU has not treated us well, and it's been a very, very unfair trade situation," Trump said.

"I'm here to protect, and one of the reasons I was elected is I'm protecting our workers, I'm protecting our companies, and I'm not going to let that happen," Trump asserted.

As such Trump asserted that he is going ahead with his plans to sign the executive order to impose import tariffs on steel and aluminium.

"We're doing tariffs on steel. We cannot lose our steel industry. It's a fraction of what it once was. We can't lose our aluminium industry; also a fraction of what it once was. And our country is doing well. The massive tax cuts, and all of the deregulation has really kicked us into gear," he said.

"But I have to work on trade deals. We're working on NAFTA right now, and if we're able to make a deal with Canada and Mexico in NAFTA, then there will be no reason to do the tariffs with Canada and Mexico. But again, other countries, we won't have that choice, unless they can do something for us," Trump said.

"As an example, if the EU takes off some of the horrible barriers that make it impossible for our product to go into there, then we can start talking. Otherwise, we're going to leave it the way it is," Trump said.

The fact is, the US has been mistreated as a country for many years, and it's just not going to happen any longer, he said.

"The US has been taken advantage of by other countries, both friendly and not so friendly for many, many decades. We have a trade deficit of $800 billion a year. That's not going to happen with me," he said.

"We have been mistreated by many, sometimes fairly but there are really very few instances where that's taken place. And I don't blame the countries. I blame our leadership for allowing it to happen," he said.

Lofven said it is important for them try to find a way to cooperate between the EU and the US.

"I fully understand and respect the president's view that we have to look after his own country, the country that you're leading. I understand that fully. That's my primary task as well," he said.

When it comes to steel, Lofven said there is an overcapacity in the world.

"That's obvious. But at the same time, it is China that is producing about 50 per cent of the steel in the world, so -- and European Union, perhaps 10 per cent, and less than that," he said.

"So to summarise, it's a European Union mandate, but it was a pity also that the TTIP negotiations ended, because perhaps with negotiations and talks we can come into a situation where the European Union and the United States can cooperate. I think that would be a very good solution, the Swedish Prime Minister said.
A Turkish government minister has lashed out at a decision by Saudi-owned broadcaster MBC to stop airing Turkish soap operas, the state-run agency Anadolu reported, amid ongoing tensions between Ankara and some Gulf Arab states.

MBC announced the move on Tuesday, saying it would replace Turkish soaps -- which have long been a hit across the Middle East -- with "premium quality Arabic dramas that embody the values and traditions of the region."



The decision comes against a backdrop of political tension between the countries, with Saudi Arabia and ally the United Arab Emirates accusing Turkey of supporting Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood.

Turkey, for its part, has backed Qatar in Doha's long-running rift with Saudi Arabia and its allies.

Responding to MBC's decision late on Tuesday, Turkish culture minister Numan Kurtulmus was quoted by the agency as saying that it was not up to politicians to "decide... who watches what film. Those times have passed."



Kurtulmus said the foreign ministry would take "necessary initiatives," without elaborating further.

He noted that Turkish soap operas had made "rapid progress" in recent years and were now popular "all over the world."



Despite the tensions, Turkey is keen not to damage relations with regional kingpin Saudi Arabia and its hugely powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Erdogan has carefully worked to improve Ankara's relations with Riyadh, after they were hit by the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi in Egypt, a close ally of Ankara, in 2013.

The Turkish leader has made only very veiled criticism of Saudi Arabia during the crisis.

MBC spokesman Mazen Hayek told AFP Tuesday that the network's decision to stop an average of six hours a day of Turkish programming -- mid-season -- was driven by economic and cultural considerations.

The average production cost for one hour of Arabic drama is between USD 40,000 and USD 100,000 compared to $250,000 for the Turkish soaps, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior British ministers will hold an urgent meeting today to discuss the suspected poisoning of a former Russian spy, as tensions rise with Moscow over his collapse outside a shopping centre.

Interior minister Amber Rudd will chair a meeting of Cobra, which is called to deal with national emergencies, to assess the situation of Sergei Skripal, who moved to Britain in a 2010 spy swap.

He and his daughter Yulia are in critical condition in hospital after being exposed to an unknown substance, which led them to collapse on a bench in the southwestern English city of Salisbury on Sunday.

Police say they are keeping an open mind about what happened, but Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson yesterday pointed the finger at Russia.

He noted the "echoes" with the 2006 poisoning in London of former Russian spy and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko, which Britain has blamed on Moscow.

Authorities have yet to publicly identify the source of the Salisbury poisoning, but experts said it was unlikely to be radiation as in Litvinenko's case.

Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter had lunch at a nearby restaurant before walking to the shopping centre, where witnesses said they appeared "out of it".

"Radiation poisoning tends to take tens of hours to several days to show symptoms after exposure," said Professor Malcolm Sperrin, a medical physics expert with the state-run National Health Service (NHS).

"This may have been chemical, but we can't be sure."



Police reportedly took away the table and chairs where Skripal and his daughter were sitting in Zizzi's restaurant for analysis.

Some emergency services personnel who treated the pair required medical treatment, and The Sun tabloid reported that two police officers had itchy eyes, wheezing and rashes.

Newspaper reports speculated on the use of thallium, which dissolves in water and is odourless and tasteless, or the banned VX nerve agent used on the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The BBC reported that without knowing the cause, the hospital treating Skripal and his daughter could only treat their symptoms, citing one source as saying that he "is not in a good way at all".

Prime Minister Theresa May was updated on the situation at a meeting of her national security council yesterday afternoon, but she has yet to publicly comment.

Her spokesman said it was "important not to prejudge the facts", although she is likely to be asked about the case during today's House of Commons question time.

Counter-terrorism command in London's Metropolitan Police took control of the case yesterday, citing the "unusual circumstances".

The Times newspaper reported that the investigation would look into the 2012 death of Skripal's wife from cancer, and that of his 44-year-old son last year in St Petersburg, reportedly from liver problems.

Moscow responded with anger to suggestions that it was responsible for targeting Skripal, a former colonel in Russian military intelligence who was jailed for betraying agents to Britain's MI6 secret service.

He was pardoned before being flown to Britain as part of a high-profile spy swap involving Russia and the United States in 2010, and has kept a low profile since.

Johnson told MPs that Britain would respond "appropriately and robustly" if a government was found responsible, and made several references to Russia.

"We regret that instead of a proper official clarification on the issue the foreign secretary chose to threaten Russia with retribution," the Russian embassy in London said in a statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
British counter-terrorism officers investigating the circumstances surrounding the suspected poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter believe they were targeted with a deadly nerve agent.

Sergei Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia,were found collapsed on a shopping centre bench in the town of Salisbury in south-west England on Sunday afternoon and remain in critical condition in hospital.

A police officer who was the first to attend the scene is now in a serious condition in hospital, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said today.

The police believe Skripal and his daughter had been "targeted specifically" but have not released further details of the chemical agent used in an apparent attempt to poison them. Some known forms of nerve agents include VX and sarin.

VX was used last year in the murder of Kim Jong-nam the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. It is a tasteless and odourless liquid, which can be fatal to humans on skin contact. Sarin is also an odourless and colourless liquid, which is highly toxic.

Scientists at Porton Down in Wiltshire have been assisting the investigation, which is being led by Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command, SO15, along with help from the country's intelligence agencies.

Earlier today, UK home secretary Amber Rudd chaired a meeting of the government's emergency COBRA committee.

Following the meeting, she indicated that the UK government was trying not to point the finger of blame at the Russian government until more was known.

"We need to keep a cool head and make sure that we collect all the evidence we can and we need to make sure that we respond not to rumour but to all the evidence that they collect and then we will need to decide what action to take," she said.

The Met Police has made a public appeal for information, urging anybody who visited Salisbury town centre on Sunday afternoon or who visited the nearby Zizzi Italian restaurant or the Bishop's Mill pub to comeforward.

"It has not been declared a terrorist incident and we continue to keep an open mind as to what happened," a Met Police statement said.

Skripal, a former Russian colonel in military intelligence, had been jailed in Russia for "high treason" in 2006 but was later given refuge in the UK as part of a spy swap deal in 2010 in exchange for UK-based Russian spy Anna Chapman and around 10 other so-called undercover "sleeper" agents.

Skripal's daughter, who had been visiting her father from Russia, had reportedly been out of contact with her relatives in her native country for a few days.

Moscow has described the incident as "tragic" but denied any knowledge of the attack on Skripal and said that it is "always open to cooperation".

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had issued a strong statement in the House of Commons on Tuesday, warning of a robust response if any Kremlin involvement emerged.

"I say to governments around the world that no attempt to take innocent life on UK soil will go unsanctioned or unpunished," Johnson said, later calling the Russian state "in many respects a malign and disruptive force".

Skripal's mysterious illness has invited comparisons with the poisoning in London in 2006 of another Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. The former KGB agent had been poisoned with the radioactive substance polonium-210 at a central London hotel.

A public inquiry had found that 43-year-old Litvinenko's killing had "probably" been carried out with the approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had denied any Russian involvement and refused to extradite the two Russians accused by British authorities of the murder.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Syrian regime is orchestrating an "apocalypse" that will strike elsewhere following the devastating crisis unfolding in the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, the UN human rights chief said today.

In his annual report to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the government's actions in the area were "legally and morally unsustainable", while warning the next nightmare for Syrian civilians would inevitably arrive soon.

"This month, it is Eastern Ghouta which is, in the words of the Secretary General, hell on earth; next month or the month after, it will be somewhere else where people face an apocalypse - an apocalypse intended, planned and executed by individuals within the government, apparently with the full backing of some of their foreign supporters," Zeid told the council.

"It is urgent to reverse this catastrophic course, and to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court," he added.

The Syrian army and allied militia launched an offensive on February 18 to retake Eastern Ghouta, the last rebel-controlled region near the capital Damascus.

The offensive has been backed by Russia, the government's key military ally.

They have since recaptured more than 40 percent of the area with support from a devastating bombing campaign that has killed more than 800 civilians.

By today, government troops were at the edges of several key towns, including Misraba, Beit Sawa, Jisreen and Hammuriyeh.

Beyond Eastern Ghouta, Zeid said the seven-year-old conflict in Syria was entering "a new phase of horror", noting rising violence in the rebel-held area of Idlib and Turkey's offensive in Afrin.

"When you are prepared to kill your own people so easily, lying is easy too. Claims by the government of Syria that it is taking every measure to protect its civilian population are frankly ridiculous," Zeid said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US and its international partners remain determined to achieve the goal of a de-nuclearised Korean Peninsula, President Donald Trump said today.

"We remain determined to achieve a de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Trump told reporters at a joint White House conference with the Swedish Prime Minister.

"There has been a lot of on that today, he said referring to the coming from the region that North Korea is willing to talk with the US.

"Hopefully it's positive. Hopefully it will lead to a very positive result," he said.

Trump was asked if he thinks that North Korea is sincere this time.

"I think that they are sincere but I think they're sincere also because the sanctions and what we're doing with respect to North Korea, including the great help that we've been given from China, and they can do more, but I think they've done more than certainly they've ever done for our country before, so China has been a big help," the US President said.

"I think that's been a factor, but the sanctions have been very, very strong, and very biting. And we don't want that to happen, so I really believe they are sincere. I hope they're sincere. We're going to soon find out," he said.

Earlier in the day, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the North Koreans seem to be acting positively.

"But we're going to see. We'll know, and I'm willing to go either way. Hopefully, it's going to be the proper way. The proper way is the way that everybody knows and everybody wants. But we are prepared to go either way," he said.

"I think that their statement and the statements coming out of South Korea and North Korea have been very positive. That would be a great thing for the world. A great thing for the world. So we'll see how it all comes about," Trump said.

Trump did not give a definite answer when asked if he would be willing to meet the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

"We'll see what happens. Let's see what happens," he said.

"Would you agree to direct talks if they agree to just suspend any types of tests right now? Would you agree to talks?" Trump was asked.

"We're going to see what happens. I don't want to talk so much about things that we don't know yet. But we have had very good dialogue. I think it was very positive dialogue. You've heard that before. But so far, whether you look at the Clinton administration, or the Bush administration, or the Obama administration, it never worked out," he said.

"That was the time to have settled this problem, not now. But we are settling it. We're going to do something now. One way or the other, we have to do something. We cannot let that situation fester. We cannot let it happen," Trump said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US Justice Department has sued California and two top state officials for interfering with federal immigration activities by passing and enforcing laws that hinder America's operations against undocumented immigrants.

The lawsuit filed yesterday in federal court in Sacramento, California, points out that the Constitution gives the US government sweeping authority over immigration.

Justice Department lawyers argue that California is blocking enforcement efforts by the Department of Homeland Security and imposing other impermissible obligations on the federal government.

The new federal case represents an escalation of the long-running battle between the Trump administration and California, whose Democratic governor Jerry Brown and Attorney General Xavier Becerra have positioned themselves as ideological opponents to the White House on matters from immigration and climate change to criminal justice.

Brown issued a statement last night that called the federal lawsuit "sad!!!" and a political stunt.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a proponent of immigration restrictions, said the Department of Justice and the Trump administration are going to fight these "unjust, unfair and unconstitutional policies that have been imposed."



In his statement, the state's governor took on Sessions.

"At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarise America," Brown said.

"Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they don't work here. SAD!!!," Sessions retaliated.

The Justice Department is also locked in courtroom battles with California and other jurisdictions over its threats to withhold federal law enforcement grant money from sanctuary cities, which refuse to voluntarily share information with immigration agents.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A US Navy veteran today pleaded guilty to the murder of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in a racially motivated hate crime at a bar in Kansas City last year that drew international attention.

Adam Purinton, 52, pleaded guilty before a Kansas court.

He was charged with first-degree murder of Kuchibhotla, 32, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of his friend, Alok Madasani, and a bystander, who chased Purinton after he fled the Austin's Bar and Grill in Olathe city on February 22 last year.

Purinton, yelled, "Get out of my country," before shooting Kuchibhotla, who later died from injuries sustained in the attack.

Kuchibhotla and Madasani worked as engineers at Garmin, a tech company that makes GPS devices.

Puriton had earlier pleaded not guilty on all these charges and waived his preliminary hearing in late November 2017.

Before allowing Purinton's plea, Judge Charles Droege explained to him that changing his plea meant he would face life in prison, as well as a minimum of 146 months, maximum of 653 months in prison for attempted murder, not to mention the sentence he'll face if convicted of a hate crime in federal court.

Purinton told the judge he understood, then he sat down as the State presented the details of the incident last February.

Kuchibhotla's widow Sunayana Dumala welcomed the guilty plea.

"Today's guilty verdict will not bring back my Srinu, but it will send a strong message that hate is never acceptable," she said in a statement.

Purinton sentencing is scheduled for May 4.

According to court documents, Purinton's plea hearing was originally scheduled for May 8 but later it was moved to March 6.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Purinton committed offences after substantial planning and premeditation, attempted to kill more than one person in a single criminal episode, and knowingly created a grave risk of death to others on the scene.

The murder generated immense outrage in India.

The murder also drew international attention and raised fears of growing intolerance in America.

Many blamed US President Donald Trumps tough rhetoric on immigration, but the White House rejected any link between that and the shooting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Telecom service provider Vodafone has added more than 2,750 cell sites to expand its network across Assam and the North East circle, a top company official said today.

"In an effort to reach out to an even larger population, Vodafone has also laid down more than 600 km of fibre network in the last one year, taking the total spread to over 8,000 km across the circle," Vodafone India Business Head - Assam and North East, Nidhi Lauria said here.

There has been a rapid rise in data consumption, both in urban areas as well as in rural pockets and "our network expansion drive has accordingly kept pace fulfilling this growing demand of our millions of customers across the region", she said.

Vodafone has also doubled the 4G bandwidth capacity of more than 840 cell sites in Assam and the North East by adding 5 MHz more spectrum in the existing band, Lauria added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Majority of the district committees of the CPI(M)'s West Bengal unit today favoured adjustment with the Congress to stop the BJP, as sought by the party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, party sources said.

On the third day of the CPI(M)'s state conference here, various district committees submitted their reports and majority of which favoured an alliance with the Congress in order to stop the march of the saffron party in the state.

The sources said, several district committee reports indirectly questioned the draft resolution adopted in the last central committee meeting ruling out any alliance with the Congress.

The district committees said the party's proposal of the broadest possible unity of secular and democratic forces can never be successful without including the Congress in it.

"Those who think that we can make a turn around by strengthening our unity with other Left and secular forces, without the Congress, are not aware of ground realities," said a CPI(M) leader.

The CPI (M) central committee had on January 21 voted against the draft political resolution put forward by Yechury proposing an alliance with the Congress. It adopted a draft resolution ruling out any form of electoral alliance or adjustment with the Congress.

The adopted resolution will be placed before the party congress, the highest decision-making platform of the Left party, at Hyderabad next month.

Yechury, along with a large section of leaders from Bengal, have been vocal about adjustment with the Congress to stop the BJP. Yechury's political line, however, has been opposed by the party's Kerala unit, along with politburo member Prakash Karat, known as a hardliner in the CPI(M).

The four-day long CPI(M) state conference which began on Monday witnessed leaders from various parts referring to the party's dismal performance in Tripura as a wake up call.

According to CPI(M) sources, there are high chances that several leaders above 75 years of age can be axed from the state committee during the formation of the new committee tomorrow to pave way for new and young faces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross today said the United States is not seeking a trade war and the decision to impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports was "thought through."



"We're not looking for a trade war," Ross told the CNBC cable network, speaking a day after President Donald Trump's top economic adviser Gary Cohn resigned in apparent protest over the controversial tariffs.

"We're going to have sensible relations with our allies," he added, arguing that a jump in steel prices could be avoided with increased domestic production of the commodity.

Trump's move on tariffs has infuriated US trade partners, but he says he was elected to protect American workers and industries harmed by trade policies.

Ross played down the Cohn resignation, insisting "this is not some sort of a palace coup." He said the departing economic adviser "has been contemplating some sort of a move for some little while."



The 57-year-old former Goldman Sachs executive lobbied passionately against the tariffs, but lost out to a decidedly more protectionist team that included Ross and White House trade adviser Peter Navarro.

"This is not going to be a big trade war," Ross said Wednesday. "The president would not have indicated flexibility on Canada and Mexico if he just wanted to do very extreme things."



"This is an idea that's been thought through over time."



Trump said Canada and Mexico could be exempted from steel and aluminum tariffs if they showed greater willingness to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to address US interests.

Shortly after Ross delivered his comments US foreign trade figures for the month of January showed a widening of the trade deficit, which reached its highest level in nine years at $56.6 billion in one month.

Trump took to Twitter Wednesday to emphasize that the annual US trade deficit had reached $800 billion last year -- which he blamed on "bad policies & leadership" from his White House predecessors.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday indicated that the Telugu Desam would take a "right decision at the right time", amid speculation that the party may pull out of the Narendra Modi government.

Naidu lashed out at the Centre saying it was "insulting the sentiments" of the people of the state by not honouring the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, and also in Parliament.

"I know what is in your hearts and also the people's hearts. There is no compromise in protecting the state's interests. Let us bear whatever difficulty, but we will take a right decision at the right time," the chief minister told his party MPs during a teleconference this morning.

The Telugu Desam Party chief warned the Centre that it would not bode well if people's sentiments were ignored.

"We have to stand by the people and step up our fight to fulfil their aspirations. We are not asking for anything more than that is enshrined in the Reorganisation Act," he pointed out.

Naidu expressed displeasure over reports that the Centre was not ready to concede the state's demands, particularly the grant of special category status and bridging the revenue deficit (for 2014-15 fiscal).

"You step up your agitation till the Centre specifically addresses all our issues. Let it come clear on the promises made during bifurcation," he told the MPs.

Meanwhile, state finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said the atmosphere in New Delhi did not indicate that the Centre was ready to resolve AP's issues despite such a serious agitation by the state MPs in Parliament.

Ramakrishnudu, who held talks with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the last two days, claimed that no effort was being made to resolve the crisis.

"We are basically pressing for three things - the grant of special category status, an extension of industrial incentives on par with 11 other states and bridging of revenue deficit for 2014-15. The Centre says special category status is not possible," he told reporters during an informal chat in the Assembly lobbies today.

On the industrial incentives, he said the NITI Aayog initially said it would consider the issue, but subsequently, there were reports from New Delhi that it was not possible.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An imposing statue of communist icon Vladimir Lenin, which was pulled down by a group of people in South Tripura's Belonia, was shifted this evening to the premises of the town's municipal body, a top official said.

The nearly 11-ft tall fibre glass statue, which stood on a pedestal at College Square, was brought down on Monday using a bulldozer.

"The statue was badly damaged in the incident, and its head and limbs got severed from the main body, after suffering a fall. We have collected the statue, and its separated body parts, and sent to the Belonia Municipal Council's premises for storage," the Council's Chief Executive Officer, Amit Ghosh, told PTI.

"It weighed nearly 20 tonne so we couldn't transport it using a crane, so an excavator was used to shift it. I have instructed the town supervisor to ensure the statue and other parts, are kept in the Council's store room, wrapped in cloth," he said.

Incidentally in Tripura, a smaller figure of Lenin was razed at Sabroom recently, and acts of vandalism were reported in other parts of the country too.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today strongly condemned the incidents of vandalism of statues in the country and warned of stern action against those found guilty.

Ghosh also said that an "internal inquiry" in underway from the Council's side, and asserted that "no one should take law in their hands".

"Whatever happened is condemnable. Lenin is a world icon," the CEO said, adding that "there is no CCTV camera in the area where the incident took place".

Asked why the statue was not removed earlier, he said, "We initially let the damaged statue lay there, as it was, since we were not sure about the mood of the people. We wanted the situation to subside a bit. We did not want to do something that perhaps would have incited more people."



The statue was erected sometime around 2015 at the cost of nearly Rs 5 lakh and a local artist has sculpted it. The fund had come from the Tripura Urban Employment Programme (TUEP), he said.

"We want to repair the statue but that will also entail expenditure. If any person or any corporate entity wants to contribute any fund for the restoration of the statue, it is welcomed. Also, if any party wants to take the statue, we can also work that out," Ghosh said.

Lenin's statue was brought down at Belonia town, headquarters of South Tripura district, days after the BJP's victory in the Assembly elections in Tripura where a 25-year-long communist government was ousted. Belonia is located about 110 kilometre from Agartala.

The CPI(M) and its arch-rival in Bengal, the Trinamool Congress, have blamed the BJP for the incident.

"We have also shifted bricks and the civil material to the Council's premises. The traffic island on which the statue earlier stood has been damaged too," he said.

Asked if the statue will be reinstalled or another one would replace it, he only said, "At this point of time, nothing has been decided. We are also thinking of holding a town hall to let the local people decide of its fate."



On the situation in and around Collage Square, he said, "Situation now is normal."Asked if there are more statues in the jurisdiction area of the Council, Ghosh said, "There is one of Karl Marx, located a bit far off. Then statues of Gandhi and Netaji are there in the main town.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
All women-staff of a private company will manage a toll plaza near Indore tomorrow on the occasion of the International Women's Day.

"Out of 14 toll booths on Manglia bypass, 10 booths under the toll plaza will be managed only by women on the International Women's Day," Indore-Dewas Tollways Limited's team leader Ajay Pandey told PTI today.

He said they imparted a special week-long training to the women for the purpose.

"After deployment of women at these booths, I hope people will not argue with the staff over the payment of toll as they do with the male staffers and indulge in violence. Such incidents will hopefully come down after this initiative," said Pandey.

The women staffers will be deployed at these booths from 8 AM to 4 PM and if needed more number of women could be hired in these plazas.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The zila panchayat of Rudraprayag district today unanimously passed a resolution making a strong pitch for Gairsain as the permanent capital of Uttarakhand on the plea that without a permanent capital of its own, the dream of people who fought for statehood remained unfulfilled.

In doing so, Rudraprayag zila panchayat became the first to pass a resolution in favour of Gairsain as the permanent capital.

Gairsain, a remote hill town in Chamoli district, was envisioned as the state capital during the statehood agitation and demands were later raised to make it the permanent capital of Uttarakhand.

A resolution to this effect was unanimously passed by the Rudraparayag zila panchayat at a meeting of its board, zila panchayat president Laxmi Rana said.

"All members of the zila panchayat are in favour of Gairsain being made the permanent capital of the state. We extend our total support to the Sthayi Rajdhani Gairsain Sangharsh Samiti which is spearheading the cause. We appeal the state government to soon declare Gairsain as the permanent capital of the state," Rana said.

Zila panchayat vice president Lakhpat Singh Bhandari said development can be brought about in the hills only when Gairsain is made the permanent capital of Uttarakhand.

"Many laid down their lives and many fought all their life for a separate state. It is unfortunate that Uttarakhand is still without a permanent capital even 17 years after its creation," Bhandari said.

Dehradun enjoys the status of being only the temporary capital of Uttarakhand.

Garsain, though infrastructurally underdeveloped, has been an emotive issue in Uttarakhand as many believe that the capital of a predominantly hill state should be located in the hills and not in the plains.

When the state was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000, Dehradun was chosen as its temporary capital because of its infrastructure and proximity to the national capital.

Remaining non-committal about the demand to accord permanent capital status to Gairsain, most of the political parties have rekindled the issue at the time of successive elections in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Sybille de La HamaidePARIS (Reuters) - Rising biodiesel imports from Argentina and an expected surge in shipments from Indonesia threaten to cripple output in the European Union, the world's top producer of the renewable fuel.The European Union slashed import duties on Argentine biodiesel last September after Buenos Aires mounted a successful challenge at the World Trade Organisation, weeks after the United States imposed steep duties on the fuel.The bloc is now considering whether to cut duties on Indonesian biodiesel.Argentine soybean-based fuel is now entering the EU at much lower ...
By Steven ScheerTEL AVIV (Reuters) - El Al Israel Airlines has appealed to the United Nations over a bid to reroute its services between Tel Aviv and India through Saudi Arabian airspace.Air India said on Wednesday it planned to begin thrice-weekly non-stop flights from Delhi to Tel Aviv this month via Saudi airspace. This route, shorter than the alternatives, has so far been off limits to all Israel-bound commercial planes.The Israeli flag carrier's CEO Gonen Usishkin said in a letter to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a U.N. body, it would be discriminatory for the ...
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's competition watchdog on Wednesday fined InterGlobe Airlines, Jet Airways and SpiceJet Ltd, saying the carriers had colluded in fixing and revising fuel surcharge rates on cargo flights. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) levied a penalty of 398 million rupees ($6.13 million) on Jet Airways, 94.5 million rupees on InterGlobe and 51 million rupees on SpiceJet, it said in a statement. The CCI noted in its order that "the airlines acted in a concerted manner" in fixing and revising the fuel surcharge rates, which are a component of freight charges. The ...
By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen(Reuters) - Maersk Line, the world's biggest container shipping company, said the search continued on Wednesday for four missing crew members after one of its new-build container vessels caught fire in the Arabian Sea.It was still unclear how the Maersk Honam container vessel, built in 2017 at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in South Korea, caught fire, Maersk said.Another 23 crew members had been safely evacuated from the vessel after the fire broke out at around 1520 GMT on Tuesday, about 900 nautical miles southeast of Salalah, Oman.The situation is "very ...
By Susan Cornwell and Veronica GomezWASHINGTON/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Republican lawmakers stepped up calls on Tuesday for President Donald Trump to pull back from proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell added to an avalanche of criticism.Critics worry that the measures risk igniting a trade war and damaging the U.S. economy. But the Republican president showed no sign of backing down, reaffirming his belief the United States could win any trade war since it was running such a large trade deficit with so many countries."When we're behind on ...
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP)  The Latest on an Indiana police standoff following the shooting of two people (all times local):

5:40 p.m.

Authorities say a man shot dead by an Indiana State Police tactical team, ending a two-day standoff, was wearing body armor and had told acquaintances that he wanted a shootout with officers.

Terre Haute police spokesman Officer Ryan Adamson says the man was wearing body armor when he was killed shortly after noon Tuesday in the city about 70 miles west of Indianapolis. His name hasnt been released.

Police Chief John Plasse says acquaintances of the man told investigators that this is exactly what he wanted, a shootout with police.

Police say the standoff began about 4:30 p.m. Monday after the man killed 40-year-old Amanda Kerns and seriously wounded a man whose name hasnt been released.



2:10 p.m.

Authorities say an Indiana State Police tactical team has shot and killed a man suspected of killing a woman and wounding someone else, ending a standoff on its second day.

State Police Sgt. Joe Watts says the suspect died at the scene in Terre Haute, a city about 70 miles west of Indianapolis. His name hasnt been released.

The standoff ended shortly after noon Tuesday, or nearly 20 hours after it started.

Police say the man killed a 40-year-old woman and wounded someone else in a Terre Haute home and then fled to another home about 2 miles away where authorities caught up to him.



10:15 a.m.

A police standoff has entered its second day outside of a western Indiana home where a man suspected of shooting two people is holed up.

The standoff began Monday after authorities say the man fled after fatally shooting a 40-year-old woman and seriously wounding another person inside of a home in Terre Haute, which is about 70 miles west of Indianapolis.

Terre Haute officers tracked down the suspect to a home about 2 miles away and surrounded it about 4:30 p.m. Monday. The suspect was still holed up there Tuesday morning.

A police spokesman, Officer Ryan Adamson, says the suspect has fired at police but hasnt hit anyone. He says two SWAT teams that kept watch on the house overnight were being relieved Tuesday morning by State Police.



This story has been corrected throughout to show the slain woman was 40, not 29.
PHILADELPHIA (AP)  The Latest on a noreaster hitting the East Coast (all times local):

11:15 p.m.

The second noreaster in less than a week has shut down several of the New York City metro areas commuter rail lines.

Metro-Norths Harlem, Hudson and New Haven lines, which connect the city to its northern suburbs and Connecticut, were suspended Wednesday night due to downed trees. Its not clear when service will be restored.

The Long Island Rail Road also is experiencing delays and Amtrak has suspended its service between Boston and New York until 10 a.m. Thursday.

More than 70,000 customers were without electricity in Westchester County and on Long Island late Wednesday.

The storm dumped up to 26 inches of snow on parts of Orange and Rockland counties, while New York Citys Central Park saw less than 3 inches.



7:55 p.m.

A womens college basketball team isnt letting a snowstorm thats pounding the Northeast get in its way.

Members of the Northeastern University womens basketball team pushed their bus back on course after it was stuck in the snow outside a practice facility in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

The team posted a video of the feat on its Twitter account.

The Huskies are in the city to compete in the 2018 CAA Womens Basketball Tournament.

A university spokesman says the entire team and some assistant coaches had a blast trying to free the bus after practicing at St. Josephs University. They were headed back to their hotel in downtown Philadelphia.

Northeastern plays Delaware in the quarterfinals on Thursday.



4:25 p.m.

A middle school teacher in southern New Jersey has been struck by lightning during a snowstorm sweeping up the East Coast.

Capt. Todd Malland of the Manchester Township police department says the woman was holding an umbrella while on bus duty outside the Manchester Middle School around 2:30 p.m. when the strike occurred.

Malland says the woman felt tingling but didnt lose consciousness and wasnt knocked to the ground. She was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A second woman who had been standing underneath the umbrella but not holding it escaped injury.

The second major snowstorm to slam the Northeast in a week is producing reports of flashes of lightning and booming thunder.



4:20 p.m.

Evening travelers face major challenges as a noreaster continues to dump a sloshy mix of rain and snow throughout the New York metro area.

Metro-North railroad on Wednesday reduced service north of New York City. The Long Island Rail Road added trains to accommodate commuters leaving work earlier than usual.

New Jersey Transit has suspended all bus service, while trains continue to run on an abbreviated schedule.

Amtrak continues to operate on a modified northeast schedule between Washington, D.C. and Boston.

There have been significant flight cancellations at Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty airports.

Tractor-trailers have been banned on the New York State Thruway from the Syracuse area to New York City.



2 p.m.

The second major snowstorm to slam the Northeast in a week is producing reports of thundersnow.

Meteorologists and residents are reporting flashes of lightning and booming thunder from the Philadelphia area to New York City. Experts say the unusual phenomenon is caused by shallow layers of rising, unstable air.

The noreaster is expected to intensify as it moves up the coast, with snowfall rates up to 3 inches per hour. The National Weather Service is warning of a treacherous evening commute.



11:05 a.m.

Officials in at least two states are banning big rigs from major highways and warning other drivers to stay off the roads as a late-winter storm bears down on the Northeast.

Tractor-trailers have been banned on the New York State Thruway from the Syracuse area to New York City. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo says state troopers will ticket any violators.

In Pennsylvania, all commercial vehicles are banned from interstates 380 and 84, while empty straight trucks, double trailers and other types of commercial carriers have been ordered off several other major interstates including 78, 81 and 80. Officials have also reduced speeds to 45 mph.

Motorists are being urged to avoid travel unless its absolutely necessary.



10:35 a.m.

Massachusetts officials are gearing up for the second potent noreaster in less than week, and anticipating widely different effects around the state.

Gov. Charlie Baker says Wednesdays storm is likely to bring more than a foot of snow to the Berkshires, scattered power outages and minor to moderate coastal flooding in communities still recovering from Fridays damaging noreaster.

State highway officials are warning of treacherous driving conditions in through the afternoon and evening hours, with snow falling at a rate of 2-to-3 inches an hour in some areas and causing whiteout conditions.

Boston and coastal communities are expected to get mostly rain. Baker noted that tides are not as astronomically high as at the height of last weeks storm, but could still bring additional flooding woes.



10 a.m.

Connecticut state employees are being sent home from work early Wednesday ahead of a storm thats forecast to drop as much as a foot of snow in parts of the state.

Nonessential state workers are being dismissed in staggered phases beginning at noon to reduce the risk for traffic problems as commuters head home from Hartford.

Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says the idea is to ensure people are off the roads by rush hour, when the snowfall is expected to be at its heaviest.

Nonessential second-shift state employees are being told not to report to work Wednesday evening.



8:40 a.m.

The latest noreaster to hit the East Coast is already causing some travel headaches.

Hundreds of flights across the region had been cancelled even before the snow started falling Wednesday due to the dire weather forecasts. And more cancellations are expected as conditions deteriorate during the day.

The morning commute was going smoothly in most areas Wednesday, as the storm had not yet kicked in to gear in most spots. But motorists are being urged to avoid travel if possible so crews can treat and clear roadways as needed.

Amtrak canceled some train service Wednesday, and commuter rail trains in Philadelphia are operating on a weekend schedule.



6 a.m.

A wintry mix of snow and rain is falling along the East Coast as another noreaster takes aim at the region.

The new storm is expected to drop more than a foot of snow in some interior areas on Wednesday. Pennsylvanias Poconos Mountains and parts of Massachusetts could see up to 18 inches.

This comes just days after another storm knocked out power to millions, some of whom are still waiting to have their service restored.

A slight consolation is that the storm is not expected to bring the coastal flooding like the one last week. Some coastal New England and New Jersey communities are still feeling the effects of that storm.



12:05 a.m.

Another noreaster is threatening communities up and down the East Coast, closing schools and city offices and causing outage concerns for utility customers still trying to bounce back from last weeks storm.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning that stretched from eastern Pennsylvania to most of New England, from late Tuesday night into Thursday morning.

Heavy, wet snow and gusting winds could take down trees and snap power lines already weakened from last weeks storm.

More than a foot of snow is forecast for some interior areas. Pennsylvanias Poconos Mountains and parts of western Massachusetts could see up to 18 inches.

Damaging winds are in the forecast with gusts of up to 60 mph at Cape Cod and 45 mph at the Jersey shore.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  The Latest on the U.S. Justice Department lawsuit suing California over so-called sanctuary laws (all times local):

12:15 p.m.

The mayor of Oakland, California, responded to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions by repeating the How dare you? phrase he used after she warned of a recent federal immigration raid.

Sessions criticized Mayor Libby Schaaf in a speech Wednesday to law enforcement officials after he sued California over laws that restrict cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities.

Afterward, she said of Sessions: How dare you vilify members of the community, distract people from a broken immigration system that breaks up families and distort the reality of declining violent crime in a sanctuary city like Oakland.

Schaaf issued an unusual public warning last month about an immigration operation in Northern California.

Sessions said, How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open borders agenda?



11:50 a.m.

Demonstrators blocked traffic on a busy street but were peaceful as they protested U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions decision to sue California over laws that restrict cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Sacramento police say nobody was arrested in connection with the protests Wednesday outside a hotel where Sessions spoke to California law enforcement officials.

Several Democratic elected officials joined demonstrators and spoke to the crowd with a bullhorn. They were drowned out sometimes by protesters with louder speakers angling for a more aggressive confrontation with Sessions.

A line of police and private security guards blocked access to the hotel.

Protesters say they wanted to send a message to Sessions that Californians support immigrants and wont cooperate with immigration policies they view as racist.



10 a.m.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has denounced U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions for speaking in the state about a lawsuit over policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Brown told reporters shortly after Sessions speech to law enforcement officials Wednesday that it was unprecedented for him to act more like Fox News than a law enforcement officer.

The Democrat accused Sessions of lying and of trying to appease President Donald Trump. Brown says the actions are about dividing America.

Earlier, Sessions said the Justice Department sued California because state laws are preventing federal immigration agents from doing their jobs.

Sessions strongly criticized Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf for her unusual public warning recently of an operation by federal immigration officers. Brown wouldnt comment on that.



8:35 a.m.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is telling California, We have a problem.

Sessions told law enforcement officers at a conference in Sacramento Wednesday that the Justice Department sued California because state laws are preventing federal immigration agents from doing their jobs.

California leaders strongly deny that claim.

Sessions strongly criticized Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf for her recent unusual public warning that an operation by federal immigration officers was imminent. He claims 800 wanted criminals eluded arrests as a result.

Sessions says Californias laws are unconstitutional and a plain violation of common sense.



8:02 a.m.

Dozens of demonstrators have gathered in Sacramento, California, to protest an appearance by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The protest Wednesday comes a day after Sessions announced the Trump administration is suing the state over several laws that restrict government authorities and private businesses from cooperating with federal immigration agents.

Demonstrators are blocking traffic outside a hotel where Sessions will deliver a speech to law enforcement officials. The protesters are chanting stand up, fight back and no justice no peace.

There is a heavy presence of police on horses and bicycles and a helicopter overhead.



11:07 p.m.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is taking the fight over the nations immigration policy directly to California by suing to block state laws that extend protections to people living in the U.S. illegally.

He is expected to speak to law enforcement officials in the states capital Wednesday, just hours after the U.S. Justice Department filed suit  the most aggressive move yet in the Trump administrations push to force so-called sanctuary cities and states to cooperate with immigration authorities.

The lawsuit challenges California laws that bar police from asking people about their citizenship status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities. The suit filed in federal court in Sacramento says the laws are unconstitutional and have kept federal agents from doing their jobs.

California officials remain defiant and say they are on firm legal footing.
Female brewers worldwide are raising a stein to International Womens Day.

Thousands of women in the beer business and female homebrewers are brewing together around the event, which falls on Thursday, seeing it as a way to raise the profile of women in a male-dominated industry.

Theres a spot for everybody in brewing and especially in learning about brewing, said Emily Engdahl, executive director of the Pink Boots Society, a U.S. nonprofit that supports women in the brewing industry. Its important we all help each other.

British brewer Sophie de Ronde began encouraging women to brew together on March 8 five years ago to promote female brewers and beer drinkers, and to draw others in.

It has grown globally, with about 160 breweries, homebrew clubs and other beer lovers in 12 countries hosting a free International Womens Collaboration Brew Day this year. The theme is exotic ingredients. They call their beer <a target=blank href=https://unitebrew.org/>Unite</a> .

The Pink Boots Society used to collaborate with de Ronde but now runs its own <a target=blank href=https://www.pinkbootssociety.org/pink-boots-brew/>event</a> to raise money for educational scholarships for its members and to comply with rules for nonprofits. More than 200 breweries are participating in the societys collaboration brew day, which is up from 115 last year.

Seeing the number of women getting involved is heartwarming, said de Ronde, head brewer at Burnt Mill Brewery in Suffolk, England.

Having the unity of people brewing on the same day is wonderful, she said. But having people get involved, no matter what the day is, is what the whole event is about, really.

The womens day brewing events are complementary, Engdahl said.

Its a natural way for us to get together, share ideas and have a creative collaboration, she said. And who doesnt want to make a beer that tastes great?

Black Pond Brews in Danielson, Connecticut, hosted homebrewers and beer enthusiasts on Sunday for a Pink Boots event.

The industry benefits from bringing in more people with different ideas, said co-owner Mike Teed.

Its dominated by white men. Theres no question about it, he said. Any way we can encourage any and all diversity, its going to be better for all of us.

Studies in recent years have found that women hold about a quarter of brewery jobs in the United States.

About 20 people attended the Connecticut event. Shannon Jutras, president of the Quiet Corner Homebrew Club, said she is encouraging more women to brew as a hobby, which could eventually lead to more women seeking jobs in the industry and shattering the stereotype that its a manual job for men only.

To have a room full of women, all eager and interested, who were developing a little bit of confidence to maybe try this independently, was not just exciting for me, it was a little emotional, she said. It was the first time weve gotten that many women in the room.

Most of the breweries working with Pink Boots are in the United States, with 40 events in California alone and about 25 more in Massachusetts. There are participants in nine other countries, with the most in Canada and Brazil.

Theyre using a blend of hops created for the brew day to make various beer styles. Both women and men, Pink Boots members and nonmembers, can brew for the day. Many events take place Thursday.
SEATTLE (AP)  Mindy Woods fought her way out of homelessness.

Its a success story state lawmakers and advocacy groups are trying to replicate by targeting perhaps the biggest challenge faced by the homeless: rejection.

Woods, 52, slept on friends couches for eight months and had eight property owners turn her down before she found a landlord willing to accept her Section 8 voucher, a federal subsidy that helps low-income people pay their rent.

I have no criminal record, no evictions, Woods, a Navy veteran, said in an interview from the one-bedroom apartment she finally landed in 2016 in Edmonds, north of Seattle. Theres no reason not to rent to me.

The obstacles she faced may soon be illegal in Washington state, where legislators have passed a bill that prohibits landlords from turning away tenants who rely on Section 8 vouchers, Social Security or veterans benefits.

While Washington boasts one of the countrys fastest-growing economies, the flip side is a housing market where rents have surged and vacancy rates are the countrys lowest. Cities and states along the <a target=blank href=https://apnews.com/tag/HomelessCrisis>West Coast</a> and elsewhere are grappling with a rise in homelessness for the same reasons. In counts conducted in early 2017, the West Coast spike was so high that it raised the nations overall homelessness figure for the first time since 2010, to nearly 554,000 people.

In Washington state, more than 21,000 people lack stable housing, according to a 2017 federal <a target=blank href=https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2017-AHAR-Part-1.pdf>study</a> . Thats 29 homeless people for every 10,000 state residents  fifth-highest in the U.S.  compared with a national average of 17, according to the report.

The measure passed Tuesday establishes a fund to reimburse property owners for any damages or lost rental income caused by tenants who rely on federal housing assistance. It is advancing to Gov. Jay Inslees desk.

Eleven other states and Washington, D.C., have similar laws, although not all allow landlords to recover potential losses, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Federally, the 50 year-old Fair Housing Act protects against discrimination based only on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and the presence of children.

The critical component of this bill is the mitigation fund because if the tenant moves out and leaves damages or doesnt pay rent, the landlord can be made whole, said Sean Martin, interim executive director of the Rental Housing Association of Washington. The group, which supports the measure, represents 5,400 landlords. This bill doesnt create more units, but its a small piece in the housing puzzle.

Perhaps most worrying for Washington is a nation-leading 67 percent jump since 2007 in the number of those classified as chronically homeless, or people with disabilities who have been without a home for extended periods, according to the federal study. That compares with a 27 percent decline nationally.

Karen Eichelberger, 57, has been living out of her car for four years. Shes one of more than 4,000 Washington residents classified as chronically homeless, and she sees no relief.

The $750 Eichelberger receives monthly in Social Security disability income isnt enough for rent, and her attempt to secure a Section 8 voucher failed.

In Seattles eastern suburb of Kirkland, shes parked next to two-dozen other vehicles housing single women in the parking lot of Lake Washington United Methodist Church. Car camps have sprouted on the lots of willing hosts in western Washington.

One of the things the metrics dont account for is the psychological impact of being rejected, said Karina OMalley, a church volunteer who helps manage the camp. There are only so many times you can get rejected and still pick yourself back up.

In the absence of legislation to incentivize the acceptance of Section 8 vouchers, politicians and advocates have been scrambling to keep up with the surge of unsheltered residents.

We have such an incredible housing and homelessness crisis that its finally compelling people to do something about it, said Sharon Lee, executive director of the Low Income Housing Institute, a Seattle-based nonprofit advocacy group.

Lees organization started building so-called tiny houses, portable 120-square-foot (11-square-meter) shacks that can make up villages of 14 to 44 units. Their simple wood construction and relatively cheap $2,200-per-unit price tag has helped scale the project to seven villages with a capacity to house 350 people since its start in 2015.

The houses have earned the endorsements of prominent politicians including Inslee and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan.

In the heart of south Seattles renovated Rainier Valley neighborhood, historically one of the citys lower-income areas, lies a compound of 28 tiny houses and 10 tents. The community of 56 adults and eight children is surrounded by newly erected middle-income and luxury apartment buildings advertising amenities such as on-site gyms and billiards rooms.

Since October, Temu Williams, 42, has lived in the village of colorful shacks, where residents share the use of portable bathrooms and showers, as well as tents for a kitchen and television room.

He believes steps being taken in Olympia fail to address the root of the problem: the lack of rent-setting regulation.

Whats to stop landlords from jacking up rents so high that you cant afford it, even if you have Section 8? Williams said.

Groups defending landlord interests have successfully lobbied for years against proposals to cap rent increases. The Rental Housing Association argues on its website that rent controls discourage the construction of new units, reduce the quality of existing ones and raise borrowing costs.

The association backs the establishment of a voluntary rent-control program where landlords, in exchange for tax breaks, could set aside a portion of units that would be subject to a cap, said Martin, its interim executive director.

Rent controls have failed everywhere theyve been implemented. If you think rent is expensive here, look at San Francisco and New York, he said.

For Woods, the Edmonds resident who overcame homelessness, the Legislatures passage of the bill banning source-of-income discrimination in housing is an accomplishment. Shes been helping rally support for the measure for six years.

Being homeless is traumatic; there is nobody that just forgets about it and moves on and its unicorns and rainbows, she said.
GUATEMALA CITY (AP)  Guatemala said Monday it will transfer its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem the second week of May, in parallel with a similar and widely criticized move by the United States of its own diplomatic mission scheduled for around the same time.

Heinz Heimann, spokesman for President Jimmy Morales, announced the timeline and defended the move against criticism by saying foreign policy decisions are a matter of Guatemalan sovereignty.

Heimann said the move would take place two days after the United States, but did not specify the exact date. He added that for security reasons the location of the new embassy is not being made public for now.

The announcement came a day after Morales met in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The U.S. Embassy is slated to move in mid-May into a temporary location in Jerusalem that is now an annex of the U.S. consulate.

President Donald Trump said Monday that he was looking into the possibility of traveling to the city then.

Guatemala is one of nine nations that sided with the United States in a December U.N. vote condemning Washingtons decision to move its embassy, and Morales government later announced it would do the same.

Morales met in Washington in early February with Trump, who at the time expressed gratitude for his support on the issue.

Trumps announcement in early December upended decades of U.S. policy during which the country, like many other nations, maintained its embassy in Tel Aviv amid rival Israeli and Palestinian claims over Jerusalem.

Israel claims all of the city as its capital while Palestinians claim rights to the eastern sector, which was captured by Israel in 1967 and is home to sensitive religious sites.
BEIRUT (AP)  Syrian government forces seized vast swaths of territory including farmland in the opposition-held suburbs of Damascus on Wednesday, effectively dividing the besieged enclave in two and further squeezing rebels and tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside, state media and a war monitor reported.

The government, determined to wrest the eastern Ghouta suburbs from the control of rebels after seven years of war, has resorted to extreme levels of shelling and bombardment to clear the way for its troops to advance on the ground. Hundreds have been killed in the past two weeks, including dozens reported Wednesday.

Doctors and residents reported intense shelling and cases of suffocation and difficulty breathing, accusing the government of using chlorine gas Wednesday night. Hamza Hassan, a surgeon working at one of the hospitals in eastern Ghouta, said that staff was overwhelmed with chlorine odor and that he had treated 29 children with difficulties breathing.

Such reports, which have been recurrent in the past weeks, could not be independently confirmed. The government has repeatedly denied using chlorine gas.

Earlier on Wednesday, the state-affiliated al-Ikhbariya TV station broadcast live shots from the region, showing dense columns of smoke rising above the town as explosions and rockets could be heard flying overhead. Syrias Central Military Media said troops took control of the town of Beit Sawa and most of Misraba, both rebel-held communities in the heart of the enclave.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that by nightfall, Syrian government troops and allied militias had seized half of the territory held by rebels in eastern Ghouta and split the enclave in two halves  a north and southern part.

By slicing the territory, the Syrian government succeeds in further squeezing rebels, making it more difficult for them to continue to hang on to the territory.

Dramatic videos released by the oppositions Syrian Civil Defense on Wednesday showed rescuers digging away hard-packed rubble to rescue a dust-covered little boy and a baby girl in the town of Arbeen. The Britain-based Observatory, which monitors the war through a network of activists on the ground, said more than 50 people were killed in the bombardment Wednesday.

In Geneva, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein denounced what he said were attempts by Syrias government to justify indiscriminate, brutal attacks on hundreds of thousands of civilians by the need to combat a few hundred fighters in eastern Ghouta, calling it legally and morally unsustainable.

When you are prepared to kill your own people, lying is easy too. Claims by the government of Syria that it is taking every measure to protect its civilian population are frankly ridiculous, he said.

Civilians are not safe anywhere in eastern Ghouta, and aid workers who entered briefly on Monday said some residents hadnt seen sunlight for two weeks because they were sheltering underground.

At least 800 civilians have been killed since the offensive started Feb. 18, according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights monitoring group. Russias military by its own admission is playing a key role supporting the assault.

Russias military announced Monday it was offering safe passage for rebels and their families out of eastern Ghouta, where some 400,000 people have been trapped under a relentless government campaign of shelling and airstrikes.

Rebel spokesman Wael Olwan dismissed the offer on Tuesday, saying it was psychological warfare.

Olwan said Wednesday that rebels had plugged their defensive lines after they crumbled in the early days of the assault.

The opposition generally rejects evacuation agreements, saying they amount to demographic engineering  a tactic through which the government forcibly displaces its opponents.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged all parties to abide by a 30-day cease-fire ordered by the Security Council on Feb. 24 to allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians in desperate need. A rare humanitarian aid convoy made it to eastern Ghouta on Monday but was forced to cut short its mission amid severe bombardment by the government. It was not clear whether another convoy, planned for Thursday, would go through. Aid agencies said they were negotiating security guarantees ahead of the mission.

The Security Council was expected to meet Wednesday to address the stillborn cease-fire.

Meanwhile, Turkey called on the United States to prevent U.S.-backed Kurdish forces from sending fighters deployed against the Islamic State group to shore up Kurdish forces battling a Turkish offensive in an enclave in northwest Syria.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogans spokesman said Turkey wants the United States to step in and prevent the redeployment.

A spokesman for Arab militias within the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Tuesday that as many as 1,700 fighters would be redeployed.

Turkey sent troops into the Afrin enclave on Jan. 20 to drive out Syrian Kurdish fighters it considers to be terrorists.

U.S. officials have warned that Turkeys offensive could undermine the fight against the IS.

Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin rejected that, saying the aim was to clear Syria of all terror groups.

Meanwhile, Russias military said a general was among 39 people killed in the crash of a Russian military transport plane in Syria. Russian military identified him as Maj. Gen. Vladimir Yeremeyev.

The An-26 twin-engine turboprop crashed Tuesday while preparing to land at the Hemeimeem air base in Syria, killing all 33 passengers and six crew on board, the Defense Ministry said. The plane was flying from the Kweires air base near Aleppo in northern Syria to Hemeimeem, which serves as the main hub for the Russian campaign in Syria. It said the plane did not come under fire and that the crash was likely caused by a technical failure.



Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis has cleared the way for Archbishop Oscar Romero to be made a saint, declaring that the churchman murdered by El Salvadors right-wing death squads for standing up for the poor and oppressed should be a model for todays church.

Francis signed a decree confirming a miracle attributed to Romeros intercession on Tuesday, the same day he approved a miracle for another important figure for the 20th century Catholic Church, Pope Paul VI, the Vatican said Wednesday.

No date was set for either canonization. Vatican officials have previously said Paul VI would likely be canonized in October, during a big Vatican meeting of bishops.

The Vatican official who spearheaded Romeros sainthood cause, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, said he hoped the two would be declared saints together in October, saying a joint canonization would give Catholics a burst of energy and example of the need to live ones life for others.

Im in a hurry because theres an urgent need to change the world, Paglia told The Associated Press.

Another option would be to canonize Romero closer to home, such as when Francis travels to Panama in January for World Youth Day. The big Catholic youth rally will unite tens of thousands of young Catholics from across Central and South America, where Romero is considered a hero.

Romero was gunned down by right-wing death squads on March 24, 1980, as he celebrated Mass in a hospital chapel. The countrys military dictatorship had vehemently opposed his preaching against the armys repression of the poor at the start of the countrys 1980-1992 civil war.

News of his pending canonization was met with celebration in San Salvador, where President Salvador Sanchez Ceren tweeted that Francis decision fills us with immense joy.

Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez, a close associate of Romero, called it an answer from God to the outcry of a people who have suffered so much.

Paglia said Romeros example of literally paying with his life for the poorest of the poor was particularly needed today, in a world full of individualism and oppression, where inequality grows rather than diminishes.

Romero biographer Roberto Morozzo della Rocca, who collaborated with Paglia on the saint-making case, said Romeros witness in opposing violence would resonate particularly in Latin America, where violence by youth gangs has brought enormous suffering and created a true nightmare for the population.

Pope Benedict XVI unblocked Romeros stalled sainthood case in December of 2012, and Francis pushed it through, declaring him a martyr for the faith in 2015.

The case had been held up for years by the Vatican, primarily due to opposition from conservative Latin American churchmen who feared Romeros perceived association with liberation theology would embolden the movement that holds that Jesus teachings require followers to fight for social and economic justice.

St. John Paul IIs conservative Vatican had launched a crackdown on liberation theology, and the cause languished in the Vaticans doctrine office while theologians studied his writings to ensure they were doctrinally sound. They were, and both Romero and theologians associated with the movement have been rehabilitated under Francis papacy.

It has been a long, tortuous journey, full of obstacles and opposition, Paglia said. But it has finally reached its conclusion.

In an interview at his Vatican home on Wednesday, as he fielded congratulatory calls from well-wishers in El Salvador, Paglia recalled that the Salvadoran vicar-general had given him Romeros pectoral cross when he was named postulator for the cause some 30 years ago. It was to be a source of help and hope, Paglia said, because everyone involved knew opposition to the cause would be so fierce.

In fact, they were right, because as soon as the cause from San Salvador arrived in Rome at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, it was blocked, Paglia said, fingering the gold cross that he now uses as his own. He credited Benedict, and later Francis with pushing it forward, noting that Francis spoke to him about the cause on March 19, 2013, the first official day of his pontificate.

Paglia said the miracle that cleared the way for Romeros sainthood concerned the medically inexplicable cure of a pregnant, terminally ill Salvadoran woman who was condemned to death by illness but lived, and gave birth to a healthy child.

The womans husband first began praying to Romero on May 24, 2015, the day Romero was beatified in San Salvador, Paglia said. By late August or early September, the womans condition had worsened and her doctors delivered the child fearing that he too would die.

They did the Caesarean and were waiting for her to die, because all the tests indicated she wouldnt survive. Paglia didnt specify the illness. Her friends started praying to Romero and after five days, in an inexplicable way, this woman begins to improve and was completely healed.

Romero was beatified in San Salvador on May 24, 2015, before a quarter-million jubilant Salvadorans, and held up as model of peace and forgiveness for Francis home continent.

For Salvadoran churchgoer Josefa Trejos, the news of his pending canonization only confirmed what she had long believed.

The pope is giving us a blessing with this news, but Saint Romero is already on the altars, she said. He is already miraculous and a saint.



AP writer Marcos Aleman contributed from San Salvador, El Salvador.
From housing economist Tom Lawler: Population Outlook: Uncertainty Not Just Related to Immigration Assumptions, But Also Death Rates



In its latest Tip Sheet Census said that it will release new long-term population projections sometime this month. The last official Census long-term population projections were released at the end of 2014, and since then actual population estimates have fallen way short of those projections. As I documented in a previous report, the population shortfall from that projection was the result of lower births, higher deaths, and (especially) lower net international migration. I also noted that updated net international migration projections going forward are likely to be massively lower than those shown in the 2014 projections, and that analysts should not just look at the overall population projections but also the net international migration assumptions in assessing the reasonableness of the projections.



Another factor that will almost certainly result in lower population projections relative to those from 2014 will be deaths. The 2014 Census population projections assumed that the death rates for most age groups, and especially the young to middle age groups, would gradually decline over time. In fact, however, death rates for young and middle age adults have increased considerably since 2014, for some age groups at an alarming rate. As a result, despite lower overall population counts from lower net international migration, the number of deaths has considerably exceeded the Census 2014 projections.



Annual (calendar year) data on US deaths are compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), though data are only available with a considerable lag. For example, the NCHS released a data brief on mortality in the US for 2016 last December, and detailed data on US deaths for 2015 were released last year. The NCHS data are used by the Census Bureau to estimate and project the overall US population and the characteristics of the population, though Census must make assumptions for the most recent years. Also, Census death estimates are for the 12-month period ending on June 30th, as opposed to the NCHS calendar-year estimates. Below is a table showing annual deaths from the NCHS; death assumptions from the Census 2014 population projections; and the death estimates from the latest Census population estimates (Vintage 2017).





12-month period ending: NCHS

31-Dec CB Vintage 2017

30-Jun CB 2014 Projection

30-Jun 2014 2,626,418 2,582,448 2,582,858 2015 2,712,630 2,699,826 2,619,062 2016 2,744,248 2,728,714 2,649,979 2017 2,744,040 2,680,555

NCHS Data on Deaths by Selected Age Groups (Calendar Year) 2014 2015 2016 2016 vs. 2014 Total 2,626,255 2,712,630 2,744,248 117,993 15-24 28,791 30,494 32,575 3,784 25-34 47,177 51,517 57,616 10,439 35-44 70,996 73,088 77,792 6,796 45-54 175,917 174,494 173,516 -2,401 55-64 348,808 357,785 366,445 17,637 65-74 471,541 495,016 512,080 40,539 75-84 624,504 637,566 636,916 12,412 85+ 826,226 859,701 854,462 28,236

Census 2014 Projections of Deaths by Selected Age Group

(12-month period ending 6/30) 2014 2015 2016 2016 vs. 2014 Total 2,582,858 2,619,062 2,649,979 67,121 15-24 27,542 26,966 26,150 -1,392 25-34 43,783 43,490 43,107 -676 35-44 66,534 64,991 63,159 -3,375 45-54 170,644 165,999 160,879 -9,765 55-64 326,669 328,230 328,830 2,161 65-74 453,167 469,548 485,155 31,988 75-84 621,098 625,385 630,841 9,743 85+ 840,781 861,957 879,520 38,739

Deaths per 100,000 population, Selected 5-year Age Groups, NCHS Age

Group 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 (est) 15-19 49.4 48.9 47.2 44.8 45.5 48.3 49.0 20-24 86.5 86.1 84.6 83.4 83.8 89.3 90.3 25-29 96.0 96.7 98.1 97.6 99.7 106.4 110.2 30-34 110.2 113.0 112.9 114.8 117.3 127.4 129.7 35-39 138.8 140.2 140.5 141.9 147.2 154.2 157.1 40-44 201.1 201.7 198.7 200.3 202.4 206.1 216.0 45-49 324.0 323.5 315.7 315.1 311.3 308.7 312.5 50-54 491.7 494.6 491.5 491.6 491.3 493.0 493.1 55-59 711.7 712.3 717.2 721.8 730.6 731.8 737.7 60-64 1015.8 1005.5 1014.0 1021.7 1032.2 1039.3 1042.2 65-69 1527.6 1502.9 1470.2 1468.4 1454.0 1465.6 1447.4 70-74 2340.9 2306.2 2266.7 2261.7 2246.1 2260.1 2235.8 75-79 3735.4 3685.0 3630.9 3611.9 3560.5 3574.1 3479.3 80-84 6134.1 6116.8 6026.1 6027.4 5944.6 5986.2 5809.1 85+ 13934.3 13779.3 13678.6 13660.4 13407.9 13637.9 13392.1

Drug Overdose Deaths by Selected Age Groups, NCHS 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Total 2012 3,518 8,508 8,948 11,895 6,423 2,094 41,386 2013 3,664 8,947 9,320 12,045 7,551 2,344 43,871 2014 3,798 10,055 10,134 12,263 8,122 2,568 46,940 2015 4,235 11,880 11,505 12,974 8,901 2,760 52,255 2016 5,376 15,443 14,183 14,771 10,632 3,075 63,480

As the table indicates, Census projections for US deaths have been well south of actual deaths. While Census does not release its assumptions about deaths by age group (or other characteristics) in its current estimates report, it does show its assumptions for deaths by age in its periodic long-term population projections. The NCHS also releases data on deaths by age groups. Below is a comparison of NCHS deaths by selected age groups with the death assumptions from the Census 2014 population projections.As the above table show, the Census 2014 population projections assumed that deaths of people aged 15-44 years old would decline from 2014 to 2016  reflecting an assumption of declining death rates in those age groups  while NCHS data indicate that deaths in these age groups rose significantly over this period, reflecting sizable increases in death rates. On the next page is a table showing some historical NCHS data on death rates by selected age groups. Note that these death rates are from past reports using available population estimates at the time of the report, and that death rates using revised population estimates would be slightly different for past years. Note also that for 2016 NCHS has only released death rates for newborns and for 10-year age groups, and I have guesstimated 5-year age group death rates for 2016 based on the 10-year death rate estimates.As the table indicates, death rates for all 5-year age groups under 45 years old increased significantly from 2014 to 2016 (especially for 25-34 year olds), while death rates for the elderly actually declined somewhat. This contrasts sharply with the CB 2014 population projections, which assumed that death rates would decline for all age groups save the very elderly.While it is beyond the scope of this report to discuss why death rates among all but the very old have risen sharply rather than decline as assumed in the CB 2014 population projections (though drug overdose deaths are a significant component  see below), it seems almost certain that the updated population projections will incorporate substantially higher death rates for most of the population  and especially for the prime working age population. And, as discussed in an earlier report, the updated population projections will almost certainly assume much lower net international migration assumptions than was the case in the 2014 population projections. This, too, will have a disproportionate impact on projections for young adults and the prime working age population.
President Paul Biyas Friday night cursory government surgery put two Anglophones in hitherto no-go ministries  Paul Atanga Nji is pioneer minister of Territorial Administration while Prof. Nalova Lyonga becomes the first Anglophone to head the Ministry of Secondary Education report The Sun.

ADS



In an apparent move to appease disgruntled Anglophones, President Biyas March 2, 2018 decree maintains Prime Minister Philemon Yang who now becomes Cameroons longest serving prime minister.



When the Anglophone crisis sparked off in 2016, many are those who wondered why Anglophones have never been allowed to head sovereign ministries like that of Territorial Administration, Defence, External Relations and even Finance and the Economy. They considered this deprivation, stemming from marginalisation to oppression.



Atanga Nji: man of the moment



President Paul Biya chose to make Anglophones smile by swapping Atanga Nji Paul and Rene Emmanuel Sadi. Sadi becomes Minister of Special Duties at the Presidency of the Republic while Atanga Nji takes command of the interior ministry  Territorial Administration.





Atanga Nji was appointed Minister of Special Duties in 2007 and would later cumulate this function with that of Permanent Secretary at the national Security Council.

Cameroons 10 Regional Governors, 58 Senior Divisional Officers and 360 Divisional Officers are under the control of Minister Paul Atanga Nji. When man thinks that it is impossible, President Biyas pen makes it possible.

Accompanying the Head of State at all important summits and meetings out of the country, the 58-year old has built a strong bond with his namesake which has led many to describe him as Paul Biyas secret eyes.

Minister Atanga Nji triumphed over former Bamenda Government Delegate, Abel Ndeh to become Mezam I CPDM Section President. He ran for parliamentary elections that year but was badly bruised by SDFs Hon. Forbi Nchinda Simon.

Shortly after the 2007 twin elections, Atanga Nji was appointed Minister of Special Duties at the Presidency, a position he held until March 2, 2018.

Atanga Nji was appointed Permanent Secretary at the National Security Council a few years back.

In his characteristic daring political nature, the new minister of interior created the first ever CPDM Ntarikon II Sub-section of the ruling party in the stronghold of main opposition leader Ni John Fru Ndi ahead of the 50 anniversary celebrations of the Armed Forces in Bamenda  the first sub-section of its kind to be created around the area since 1990.

In 2013, he launched a spirited CPDM campaigned that finally defeated and ousted the SDF from the Bamenda I council. The current CPDM Coordinator for Mezam Division is fearless and doesnt take no for an answer.

Nalova Lyonga: the pride of Small Soppo

Nalova Lyonga is a familiar name in education circles in Cameroon. Her exploits in higher education earned her the Secondary Education ministerial portfolio in Biyas Friday night government.

Professor Nalova Lyonga, the Small Soppo-born renowned scholar was appointed Board Chair of the Douala General Hospital few weeks after coming to the end of her five year stay as Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea. Close to four months after, she has been catapulted from her retirement to steady the Secondary Education ship.



Prof. Nalova Lyonga: Minister of Secondary Education





Nalova Lyonga, a household name in Cameroons educational cycles and university lecturer was appointed Vice Chancellor of the 24-year-old University of Buea (UB) by a presidential decree on Friday, June 29, 2012 and bowed out on June 27, 2017.

The Professor of African Literature and Feminist Theories is holder of a PhD in Arts from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA). She returned home and began an unbroken teaching career in the Cameroon University system since 1985 at the then University of Yaounde where she had earlier earned a Bachelors Degree in Modern Letters before leaving for a Masters (MA) at Sheffield University (UK).

In addition to her eloquence in public speech-making especially in amphitheatres, Nalova Lyonga has penned many journal articles and books on African literature and feminist theories. They include the famous Socrates in Cameroon.

Nalova believes in dialogue, justice and transparency as therapy for most social problems. This virtue of hers will help in resolving the problems bedevilling the ministry of secondary education and the Anglophone sub-system of education.

She took over the reins of an institution that was plagued with internal strife and high level politicking. Amidst the troubles, Nalova maintained that:

Let us talk to each other and not walk out. Let us keep going into UB like a river and be of good to our community. We welcome comments that will make us grow.

The use of the river metaphor by Nalova who has a literary background was of course, well calculated to involve everyone not just in the flow but in a flow that goes in the same direction. The underlying cushion was, of course, the appeal for comments that will make us grow.

Today, she is called to oversee the affairs of the Ministry of Secondary Education that has in recent times been struggling to redeem its battered image  from the difficulties plaguing Anglo-Saxon education to the recent arrest of striking teachers in Yaounde.

Nalova is expected to put her administrative savvy and tact to transform the Ministry of Secondary Education, turn stumbling blocks to stepping stones and salvage the dwindling fortunes of secondary education teachers and learners.

It is under Prof. Nalovas guided leadership that peace returned to UB. Research was prioritised and after a long time, quality control returned to the academic life of UB, the place to be. It is expected that she will do same at the Ministry of Secondary Education.

She will be expected to give meaning to the presidential degree of March 2, 2018 that bestowed confidence on her.

She was received in audience by Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, Minister, and Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic on March 2, 2018. The meeting lasted from 10am to 10:15am within which time her readiness to manage the ministry of secondary education was ascertained.

When she left the Presidency after the 15-minute-audience, she did not know that President Biya would entrust her with such a high level state assignment. It was in the Douala evening traffic on her way back to Limbe that she followed the appointments on radio.



ATIA TILARIOUS AZOHNWI


| BY Ricki Green |

With only a few weeks until AdFest 2018, the festival has launched an exclusive networking tool called AdFest Connect. Accessible online at www.ADFEST.com (and later through the AdFest app), AdFest Connect is designed to help delegates forge connections before and during AdFest 2018, which runs from 21-24 March 2018 at the Royal Cliff Hotels Group in Pattaya, Thailand.

Says Kem Suraphongchai, festival director at AdFest: We launched AdFest Connect for the first time last year, and it was a huge success. Our beachside venue is ideal for networking but we wanted to make it even easier for people to make introductions and meet potential collaborators.

AdFest Connect allows people to search for AdFest 2018 delegates and get in touch with them to set up meetings or catch up informally.

Registered delegates of AdFest 2018 can already access AdFest Connect online at www.adfest.com/adfest_connect.php or through the AdFest App (iOS, Android), which will launch later this month.

How to use AdFest Connect:

AdFest Connect allows you to search for other delegates by name, company, city or country and send them an email to see if theyd like to meet up. Your Username is simply your Delegate ID, which youll receive as part of your Delegate Confirmation, while your Password is your Last Name. If you have registered, but have not received your Delegate Confirmation, please contact: Noi@ADFEST.com.

All confirmed delegates will be shown in the listing, however you can only send messages to delegates who have opted to join AdFest Connect. Simply click the email icon next to the delegates name and a pop-up window will appear.

AdFest respects the privacy of its delegates, so emails will not be made public. Other delegates will only see the email icon and your name when they send you messages, but never your email address until you reply to a delegates email.

To join our social networking tool, login to AdFest Connect and join (or remove yourself) via the Profile & Setting page.
| BY Ricki Green |

Following Alex Derwins appointment to executive creative director, BMF has strengthened its creative department promoting Jen Speirs (centre) to the newly created role of deputy executive creative director and Dantie van der Merwe (left) and David Fraser (right) to creative directors.

Speirs has been with the agency for over two years and worked across TAL Life Insurance, Department of Social Services Domestic Violence Campaign, BPay, UN Women and Full Stop Foundation. Throughout her career Speirs has been awarded at Cannes, NY Festivals, AWARD, Effies, John Caples, ADMA and Spikes. She has been on many international award juries and has been invited to speak at events including the Australian 3% Conference. Prior to joining BMF, Speirs was a creative director at DDB where she made award-winning work for Carefree, Arnotts, BWS, McDonalds and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.

Associate creative directors Dantie van der Merwe and David Fraser have also been promoted. Theyre now creative directors on ALDI, Dulux and GWF. Since joining BMF in 2014, the duo has created campaigns for various parts of the ALDI business such as Like Brands, Special Buys, Liquor and Christmas. Theyve also picked up at London International Awards, One Show, AWARD Award, Effies, Sirens and Spikes. Prior to BMF, van der Merwe and Fraser were creative group heads at DDB Sydney where they worked on McDonalds, Volkswagen and Eclipse Chewy Mints.

Says Derwin: When youve got talent as good as Jen, David and Dantie under your nose its a given that they were going step up. They know BMF clients and they work their arses off to deliver world-class thinking on every brief.

Dave and Dantie have been responsible for some of the best work BMF has made in the last few years. Somehow they manage to balance being both hugely talented and lovely humans. Theyre going to take to creative direction like ducks to water.

Jen has a natural ability to coax the best out of people, to nurture ideas and deliver great results. Shes passionate about finding and developing the best creative thinkers in the industry.
| BY Ricki Green |

Advocating on behalf of women directors for equal opportunities to bid on jobs in the film, advertising, and TV industries, Free The Bid Australia has launched its Women Directors Database in tandem with the global Free The Bid initiative and has unearthed one of the industrys largest resources to connect with female directors working in Australian broadcast media.

Free The Bid Australias category-searchable database showcasing the work of 100-plus Australian female directors  either signed to a production company or working independently  gives producers unprecedented access to female directors employed in diverse fields from advertising and fashion through to drama and documentary.

To view the Free The Bid Women Directors Database click here.

The database profiles up and coming to established directors and is also helping female directors to boost their international profile due to the sites geo-tags and director portfolio archives. It also encourages women to expand both the style and scope of work they take on.

Says Jasmin Tarasin (pictured above right), director and Free The Bid Australia ambassador: Free the Bid is a practical and effective way to get closer to gender equality.

Having a women-only director database makes it very easy to access a female director with the style and skills base for your project, plus the database is searchable into categories including comedy, VFX and documentary, meaning its proving very user friendly.

I have already seen the benefits of being part of the global initiative and I think having female director in the mix is going to be an exciting chapter in the film industry whereby women can expand the scope and style of their work to create more opportunities.

Says Matthew Deaner (left), CEO, Screen Producers Australia: Free The Bid is a proactive initiative that paves the way for gender equality in the screen industry based on practical business outcomes.

Screen Producers Australia strongly supports this movement and looks forward to seeing the model deployed industry-wide across the screen sector for under-utilised Australian female talent.

Says Samantha Lang (above right), president and filmmaker, Australian Directors Guild: The Women Directors Database is an invaluable asset for female directors and for those seeking access to this immense talent pool.

This specialised database is an awe-inspiring indicator of the sophistication, diversity and richness of our local female directing talent. The Australian Directors Guild, its board and members, wholeheartedly support this brilliant initiative.

Adds M&C Saatchi Sydney creative director Sharon Edmondston: When I first heard about the Free The Bid initiative, I thought it was just the jolt we needed to revitalise our commercial creative industry.

We can now make a formalised and measurable commitment to diverse and emerging talent. Its a bold idea and I believe it has the potential to transform popular culture as we stretch the breadth and depth of ideas we are exposed to in film.

Concludes Free The Bid founder Alma Harel: The most untapped pool of creativity awaits you Australia. Women directors are a secret no more. We are so proud to see the way in which Free The Bid is being embraced by the Australian ad and film industry and how Jasmin is triumphing it. If there is something weve learned from our initiative it is that once producers use our database, they soon realise that gender equality, diversity and parity are business imperatives.
| BY Ricki Green |

Spark Foundry has won Marriott in Australia as well as globally.

Marriott has appointed Spark Foundry as its media partner in Australia, as well as globally.

Marriott kicked off the review last year in an effort to rethink the scale and scope of its global paid media needs after the hotel giant acquired Starwood Hotels and Resorts.

A dedicated Publicis Groupe team  called Marriott One Media  will work with Marriotts internal media teams globally.

Marriott says the company has 30 brands with 6,500 hotels in 127 countries, and has more than 110 million members in its loyalty programs Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest. That scale, the company says, led the company to create a Global Marketing Optimization team to make its marketing and media efforts more effective.

Says Sue Squillace, CEO of Spark Foundry Australia: The global win of Marriott demonstrates the power of collaboration and scale of our global Publicis network and brands. All media will be handled by Spark Foundry and we will work closely with Publicis Sapient in our newly-created Marriott One Media group. This innovative structure will provide Marriott with the best talent, tools and personalised marketing insights to take the hotel group to the cutting edge of guest engagement.
| BY Ricki Green |

Today sees the official launch of GROUND, an integrated social agency co-founded by ex We Are Social Colin Fairley (left), and The Hausmann Group.

Set up to provide an end to end solution for brands wanting to create meaningful connections with their audiences, GROUNDs mission is to create exciting ideas which matter. Drawing deep insights from fan and popular culture, the agency aims to create reasons for people to want to spend time with brands and welcome them into their lives.

As part of The Hausmann Group, GROUND benefits from a central resource of deep specialism as well as the support of an established, multi-discipline, multi-channel agency group.

Says Fairley: Over the past few years weve increasingly seen a change in the opportunity for brands to talk meaningfully to their audiences. Channels evolve, algorithms shift and peoples consumption behaviour varies, but effective communications remains grounded in your ability to be interesting and relevant to the people youre talking to. GROUND is an agency established with a simple mission: to do stuff that matters to people. We back that up with a deep expertise in delivery across multiple channels and disciplines to ensure the right ideas reach the right people to create the right outcomes.

GROUNDs offering will include social research and strategy, content creation, brand consultancy, creative development, partnerships, activations as well as influencer and media engagement.

Says Judi Hausmann, CEO of The Hausmann Group: GROUND is an exciting addition to the Hausmann Group of agencies and recognises an opportunity for our clients and the broader industry to work with a proven team to create work which really creates a difference to their brand communications. This agency is about smashing the mould of conventional, brand-first thinking to make cool shit that people really enjoy and remember. Im very excited to have this already flourishing business under the Hausmann roof.

Fairley comes with over 10 years experience working globally and locally on some of the biggest cultural brands like Nike, Adidas, Sony, Netflix and Activision. In particular helping launch both Optus Sport and Netflix in the Australian market.
| BY Ricki Green |

Saatchi & Saatchi has announced new appointments to the Melbourne creative department.

Lee Sunter has joined in the role of creative director after an illustrious seven-year career at Clemenger BBDO Melbourne.

With over 15 years experience in the UK and Australia, Sunter has worked on a wide range of clients including Snickers, Tourism Victoria, T-Mobile, CUB and The Guardian. Over the years his work has been recognised at all the major creative and effectiveness award shows, including Cannes, The Webbys, Effies and D&AD.

Says Sunter: There is never a good time to leave a great agency, but the vision ECD Simon Bagnasco and the leadership team have for Saatchis Melbourne was damn hard to turn down. Im now looking forward to helping create some iconic work across their great portfolio of clients.

Also, recently joining the department are Helene Colin and Samantha Alexandre from BETC Paris where they worked across Amnesty International, Total, AIDES and the Olympic Games.
| BY Ricki Green |

SevenTwenty in Perth has appointed experienced senior executive Glynn Honey (pictured) to a new role as head of effectiveness.

Honey has been in the marketing industry for 25 years, the last 15 in senior executive roles in the UK, US, Asia and Australia. He has had an extensive career in digital and was previously MD of M&C Saatchis digital agency, Mark. He was also the MD of Isobar in 2009 and has led digital and media strategy for blue-chip clients including Google, Optus, Commonwealth Bank, Red Bull, HSBC and Heineken.

He recently returned to Australia after a successful three-year stint in South East Asia, where he ran media agency Maxus for GroupM.

Honey will work with CEO Allen Smith to steer SevenTwentys pivot into a talent and commercial effectiveness practice. He will also champion SevenTwentys Cognitive Culture, an AI driven platform / dashboard that measures the sentiment and culture of an organisation in real-time.

Smith said Honeys appointment and the companys pivot was a response to the changing business environment, and aimed at providing an even more relevant service for SevenTwentys clients.

Says Smith: The talent market has been disrupted due to automation and AI  none more so than the current industry sectors we service, where a significant percentage of the worlds jobs will be replaced and automated within the next five years. It no longer makes commercial sense for organisations to hire more people when in reality that is sometimes a barrier to success and profitability.

Smith added that many industries still operate on outdated commercial models particularly around hiring and managing talent.

These approaches are no longer relevant in our age of disruption. Some people argue we have evolved with new tools and software but in reality, that is not an evolution of thinking but rather enabling us to do more of the same more efficiently. We will look to offer sourcing the right talent as a free value-add service where possible, and adopt a commercial model where we are held more accountable for cultural effectiveness and improving our clients bottom lines. 2018 is a time for change and we look forward to leading it.

Honey said it was quickly apparent he and SevenTwenty CEO Allen Smith had a shared sense of purpose after their initial meeting.

Says Honey: We both came from industries- recruitment and agencies  that had become synonymous with negative sentiment, lack of perceived value and diminishing relevance for our clients. Both outwardly eulogise the need for change whilst resisting or paying lip service to any change in our own tired models. We both wanted to disrupt those models and bring some pride back into those great services.
| BY Lynchy |

Social media agency PROTOCOL has announced five new business wins in the first quarter of 2018. The new additions to the agencys client list are Starhub, Raffles City and F&N Seasons for the Singapore market, as well as Canon and Club Med for the Asia region.

PROTOCOL Managing Director Kelvin Kao (pictured left) said, We are delighted and would like to thank our clients for entrusting their business to us. Were very much looking forward to earning that vote of confidence by doing world-class work in the months to come.

For Club Med, the agency oversees social media strategy and content creation for 3 resorts  Club Med Tomamu in Hokkaido, Club Med Kani in the Maldives, and Club Med Bali.

We are very excited to be working with PROTOCOL. We selected PROTOCOL for their content creation strengths and the ability to deliver brand stories which bring to life the Club Med DNA. The modern traveler seeks memorable experiences which empower them to build their personal brand. Through our collaboration, Club Med will be able to more deeply engage our consumers through authentic storytelling, said Vincent Ong, Vice President of Marketing, Club Med East and South Asia & Pacific

For Canon, the agency is tasked with social media content creation across 9 regional markets including Thailand, Vietnam and India. The agency had previously won the Canon Singapore account in 2017 for their B2B social media & content marketing work, which continues into 2018.
| BY Lynchy |

AdParlor Asia Pacific has appointed a new Country Director in Thailand, Suppakit Limboonsong. The appointment is part of AdParlor Asia Pacifics wider plans to continue expanding its capabilities and presence in the region.

Limboonsong, former General Manager at Spark Foundry (previously known as MediaVest), joins the team with over 12 years of expertise in market insights and research to better drive strategy and integrated media planning. At AdParlor Thailand, Limboonsong (pictured) will be responsible for driving new business acquisition, in addition to the development of new creative and technology services, to better serve clients in the market.

Thailand is one of the fastest growing markets in Asia, commented Matt Sutton, CEO, AdParlor Asia Pacific. Suppakit brings deep expertise and market knowledge in helping brands drive their business objectives through data, analytics and insights. We are confident he will be able to lead our already impressive team in Thailand to strengthen AdParlors strategic direction and deliver smarter, more efficient and innovative solutions for our clients.

Limboonsong leads a team of over 30 experts providing customised and effective digital marketing solutions for brands and agencies. In addition to building existing data and programmatic buying capabilities, Suppakit will also oversee the establishment of a new creative services offering in Thailand to provide a one-stop solution for marketers in Thailand.
Notice for the Postmedia Network

This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018 at 10:00PM

Google is expanding the language support of Gboard by adding 20 additional new languages. The keyboard app will add in the coming days both traditional and simplified Chinese as well as Korean. These new additions bring over 300 languages supported by Gboard and while there are thousands of languages spoken around the world, this update is said to cover 74 percent of the worlds population. Google has said they are also dedicated to bringing lesser-used languages into the app. An example is the African language Fulani, which didnt have a written alphabet until the 90s. The company is working with the brothers who developed its character set.

Source: Android Police
news, latest-news

A housing affordability expert has branded the ACT government's affordable housing targets as "so small they're almost insignificant", suggesting the government's control of land supply means it should be doing more. The government published last week new targets for affordable, community and public housing across Canberra, revealing it would be only about 3.5 per cent of land to be released this financial year, ahead of new targets from July. University of Sydney's Professor Peter Phibbs, who has more than 20 years of experience in housing research, said the targets should be "much higher" given the current national housing boom, and the targets were "so small they're almost insignificant". Prof Phibbs also said that given the small size of the ACT's housing market compared to other states, and the government's virtual monopoly on land release, "it strikes me that the government isn't really doing the job" when it came to addressing housing affordability. "I'm just surprised they aren't doing more, because there's an opportunity in Canberra, you've got a supposedly progressive Labor government, one that controls the land supply lever and it seems they're not using it," he said. "What the boom has done across the country is generate a lot of revenue for state governments through stamp duty, and while the territory is trying to reform stamp duty, now is the time to act." Prof Phibbs also said the ACT government's relatively high land sales profit margins probably exceeded the industry standard, depending on the nature of the development, but the government did not face the same risk private developers did in other states. "It's another reason the government should be reinvesting that revenue from the profit margins into better addressing housing affordability," he said. "If they're simply taking the revenue from land sales to run various parts of the government, then to me it looks like government is part of the problem." Similarly, Master Builders ACT chief executive Michael Hopkins said the profit margins were a "very healthy return" for the government, which could use the funds to release more discounted land for community housing providers while still maintaining a "strong financial return". He said the government's land release targets had only 692 blocks for detached housing to be released this financial year, or about 24 per cent of all dwellings. Mr Hopkins said that fell "well short of community demand" and would likely lead to increased land prices, "putting the dream of purchasing a family home further out of reach of many Canberrans". Housing Minister Yvette Berry is working on a new housing affordability strategy and has previously said she remains dedicated to the issue, despite the low targets for 2017-18. While no new public housing is touted for the urban renewal precinct in the city and along Northbourne Avenue, a government spokesman has said those areas already had a high proportion of social housing, with 317 sites in Turner, 294 in O'Connor and 185 in Downer. But Prof Phibbs said the territory government should be using its "unique position" among all jurisdictions to perhaps reduce government profit margins, but generate more public housing for the ACT. "It's just worrying because this is a time where households need help because the market is so expensive, and not everyone in Canberra is a wealthy public servant," he said. "It surprised me because not long ago, the ACT had probably the best housing strategy in Australia by a long margin, but now the government just seems to be going through the motions."

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/d8c963d3-a1f4-4202-9d02-da25f1beefcc/r24_0_1980_1105_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
news, latest-news

A series of break-ins at jewellers in Manuka have left business owners feeling shaken and concerned they may be being targeted. Bijoux Jewellers had its front door smashed in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with nine cabinets smashed. Although a small amount of stock was stolen, owner George Bezos said the cost of repairing the damage outweighed the lost jewellery. The robbery was the second time Bijoux Jewellers had been robbed this year, and the fourth break-in at a jeweller in the area since January 6. While there is security footage of the offenders, Mr Bezos said they went to an effort to hide their identities with face coverings and gloves. Bijoux Jewellers was targeted in January, with nearby Village Jewellers suffering a ram raid with a car on February 2. Village Jewellers owner Tony Sofoulis said the attempted robbery wasn't successful, but the offenders "made a god almighty mess everywhere" and that the shopping centre where the store is located was closed for the day. Less than two weeks ago, in the early hours of February 23, a similar incident was reported at Creations Jewellers. Owner Natalie Alegria said that her business had sustained damage to the arcade doors and the windows, but the offenders were again unsuccessful in gaining access to her store. Mr Sofoulis said there was a sense that local jewellers were being targeted. "There's not many of us left who haven't had a bit of a touch up in the past few months," he said. "The damage, the inconvenience, the mess, the loss of trading, it's just a pain in the arse basically," he said. The second break in has been demoralising for Mr Bezos. "It makes you feel like you want to pack up your bags and get out of town. But that's not reality though, the reality is that you have bills to pay and you've got to keep trading," he said. It could take more than a week for the store to be trading again though, with a big clean up job ahead. Police are investigating all four incidents, but would not confirm if there were any suspects for any of the break-ins, or if they were being investigated together. "The incidents are currently being investigated by the responding teams. However, considerations to links to the same offender/s are always part of the investigative process," a spokesperson for ACT Policing said. Asked if they were in contact with all the business owners, the spokesperson said ACT Policing "is always happy to work closely with stakeholders and partners, where possible". "At the moment we're just trying to cooperate with the police and form a good working relationship with them," Ms Alegria said. Mr Bezos said he didn't blame police for the incidents, and that police were doing their best, but resources could be an issue. "We could do with more police on the ground in Canberra and more patrols," he said. Fairfax Media asked ACT Policing what measures the force was taking to prevent these break-ins. In response a spokesperson said that businesses could take a number of measures, including displaying "a sign in your store window that no cash or valuables are kept on the premises" and installing security cameras.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/eab832bd-95fa-41c5-8600-be3385fb9c79/r0_151_2000_1281_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
news, latest-news

The ACT Gambling and Racing Commission tried to place strict conditions on the Raiders Club in Belconnen after investigators found management had a "concerning lack of familiarity" with the signs of problem gambling. The commission also considered fining the club up to $300,000 for its "systemic failure" to record incidents of problem gambling, but believed an overall penalty of $120,000 was "just and appropriate" given the gravity of the breaches. These details were included in the Raiders Group's application to overturn their historic fine for failing to intervene in the case of Professor Laurie Brown, who fed more than $200,000 through gaming machines at Raiders clubs in Canberra. The documents can now be reported on because a suppression order was lifted during Monday's ACAT hearing. The club and the commission attempted mediation last month but failed because the club opposed a condition the commission wanted to place on its licence to force it to engage an independent auditor for two years to oversee its record keeping. The commission also wanted each frontline staff member and manager to undergo face-to-face responsible service of gambling training, even if they've done the course in the last three years. It called for the club to change its procedures so staff knocking off had to pass on any concerns about problem gamblers to staff coming on shift. Those conditions, to be placed on the club on top of the $120,000 fine for a period of two years, were considered necessary because of statements made by the club's chief executive and general manager, the commission said. Raiders Group chief executive Simon Hawkins wrote to Professor Brown's husband, saying repeated cash withdrawals weren't a trigger for a problem gambling report because "staff don't know how wealthy a patron may be". "If a patron was making repeated withdrawals and a staff member became aware funds weren't available then this combination may trigger a gambling incident report," Mr Hawkins wrote. Raiders Belconnen general manager Craig Potts told Access Canberra investigators repeated cash withdrawals were only noted as a sign of problem gambling in combination with other factors. "If there was irrational behaviour occurring, if there was an intoxication or larg amount so alcohol being consumed, if there was bad language, if there was violence in association with this particular patron's use of the ATM then there is definitely an association that we could  we could look at and further  and further investigate," Mr Potts said. Mr Potts added that multiple withdrawals were not included in a brochure on gambling, handed out to patrons on the floor. In a letter to the club's lawyers dated November 3, ACT Gambling and Racing Commission chief executive David Snowden said the brochure was clearly targeted at problem gamblers, not licensees, and there was no excuse for not knowing the rules. "The code and checklist make clear that multiple ATM or EFTPOS cash withdrawals are a 'sign' and that observing a sign a licensee must respond by recording it in the Gambling Incident Register," Mr Snowden said. "The statements by Mr Hawkins and Mr Potts reveal either a concerning lack of familiarity with the signs of a gambling problem identified in S1.6A of the code and the checklist or an equally concerning attitude that signs identified in the code or checklist need only be recorded when they accord with an individual's personal views about what constitutes a sign. "The commission is troubled by the fact these statements were made by people occupying senior management positions who must necessarily set an example for staff and help shape the licensee's approach to compliance with the code." The Raiders Group denies that their staff should have recorded signs of problem gambling for Professor Brown on eight separate days between June 1 2015 and January 30 2017, when she repeatedly drew cash from an EFTPOS terminal at the club's reception. While Professor Brown pulled out a total of $22,000 over those days, and staff had to physically activate the machine and swipe her card, the club maintains staff were not aware of how much she was withdrawing, as users plug the amount in themselves. However the commission says the club should have recorded Professor Brown's actions in their incident register regardless. A staff member told the commission she'd verbally reported Professor Brown's multiple withdrawals to duty managers but the club has produced no proof they recorded the observation anywhere. Raiders Gungahlin also logged instances of repeated EFTPOS cash withdrawals in their problem gambling incident register, the commission said. The matter is set down for hearing from June 12 to 20.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/2c157b17-2d72-41c9-ac51-69e091a24204/r0_120_2000_1250_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
news, latest-news

Australia gained a strong and deserved reputation for public sector reform in the 1980s and 1990s. More recent studies have revealed some backsliding and identified new challenges to be addressed. It's also timely to reflect on the possible downsides from earlier reforms that were perhaps insufficiently appreciated by the reformers at the time. As the Finance Minister's independent review of the operation of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act draws to its conclusion, it's worth exploring not only what we can learn from our experience, but also from others who are focusing anew on how to improve public sector performance and capability. The act builds on the financial management reforms of that earlier era, while taking into account the findings from the Moran review of government administration and the Commonwealth financial accountability review. These reviews suggested the system was "not broken" but could be improved, with two particular messages: Without disagreeing with these messages, my view is that these two largely internal reviews were somewhat complacent, overlooking in particular some of the possible downsides of our reform history that critics warned of at the time. These include: The above two key messages shaped both the Public Service Amendment Act 2013 and the PGPA Act, with their emphasis on cooperation across government (and beyond), "stewardship" and addressing capability, including through mandated corporate plans. The independent review is required under the PGPA Act and is led by Elizabeth Alexander and David Thodey. A key question for them is whether the new legislation is orchestrating the action expected across the Commonwealth public sector and across the Australian Public Service in particular. The answer at this stage seems to be: not yet. Moreover, there is reason to believe some of the positive developments of the past have been forgotten and urgently need to be relearned, and some of the downsides of the past need to be acknowledged and addressed. The problems are not all confined to the public service. As Martin Parkinson suggested before Christmas, there is room for Parliament to show more interest in performance information and place less emphasis on political point-scoring. Departmental submissions to the independent review seem fixated on the excessive and overlapping requirements of the act's mandated corporate plans that are intended to complement portfolio budget statements. There is some basis for this complaint, though it mainly concerns the Finance Department's lack of clarity about the respective roles of corporate plans and PBSs. But the complaints also overlook far more important concerns, such as the weakness of many corporate plans in addressing serious capability issues, and the continued failure to systematically evaluate government programs and policy initiatives. The respective role of PBSs and corporate plans should be clear and simple: PBSs are about "what" the government intends and the associated performance measures and targets; corporate plans are about "how" and "why", setting out the agencies' strategies to ensure capability to deliver the performance set by the government  and the capability to meet likely future performance requirements. The two must complement each other; ministers determining the PBSs and public service chiefs taking responsibility for corporate plans. Agencies' annual reports should address achievements against both: the performance targets in the PBSs and progress on the strategies in the corporate plans. This is not particularly new; the basic framework was set out in a management advisory committee report on performance management back in 1999. Corporate plans were not mandated then, but were widely used. The quality might have been mixed but, nearly two decades later, one might reasonably have expected widespread improvement rather than the reverse. The Public Service Commission's capability review program following the Moran review, and the subsequent requirement for performance improvement plans, should also have sparked a renewed interest in quality corporate planning. Apart from the areas highlighted by the capability reviews for urgent action  strategic policy advising and human resource management in particular  plans should be addressing other weaknesses emerging from three decades of contracting out and reliance on third parties to deliver public services. What strategies are agencies pursuing to retain sufficient technical skills to be informed buyers of support? What are they doing to ensure accurate feedback from clients and to nurture genuine engagement with communities? Non-departmental submissions to the independent review rightly emphasise the importance of a renewed focus on evaluation. For a time in the 1990s, it was a requirement that cabinet submissions identify evaluation information in support of new policy proposals and to include a plan for evaluation of a proposal if agreed and implemented; departments were also expected to schedule evaluations of all programs. These requirements may well have been breached almost as often as they were honoured, but they did impose a discipline on the way policies were developed and reviewed within government. To be really successful, however, evaluation reports need to be made public and be available for scrutiny, including by Parliament. In November last year, the US House of Representatives passed the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policy Making Act, which seems likely to be endorsed by the US Senate. It has three key elements: the strengthening of data available for evidence building, including through data linkage across government; modernising privacy protections (thus addressing the concerns of likely opponents of the first element); and strengthening federal evidence-building capacity, including by requiring all departments to have a chief evaluation officer. The last requirement might seem rather prescriptive, but Australian government departments do need strong strategic policy development and review capability, and to invest more systematically in evaluation. With less clear separation of powers in Australia, and growing political control of public communications within government, requiring public reporting of evaluation may be more difficult here than in the US. But the Australian Parliament could take a more constructive position. For example, it could set aside time for estimates committees to focus on particular annual reports, or particular programs and policy areas, calling on both officials and external experts to explain and comment on performance information and evaluations. The Dutch have introduced an "accountability day" aimed at ensuring the legislature pays special attention to performance data, with a degree of acceptance that political point-scoring is not to get in the way of serious scrutiny and constructive deliberation. An even more recent US development might also provide a useful model for practical ways to address capability and performance issues. The National Academy of Public Administration was commissioned by the Office of Management and Budget to advise on steps the office could take to strengthen the US federal government's efforts to improve performance. The academy's report, Strengthening Organisational Health and Performance in Government, was released in January. Like the Commonwealth financial accountability review and our PGPA Act, this report emphasises capability as well as performance management. But it has a strong bottom-up flavour as well, recommending strengthening unit-level health and performance, and creating a learning-based approach to improving results. It suggests using the annual government-wide employee survey to diagnose the state of unit-level organisational health. The employee engagement index could be used to focus on units exhibiting "health" problems; other data could then be used to further analyse performance and capability, encouraging the units to develop their own plans for improvement and to learn from each other through peer reviews. It may well be possible for the Public Service Commission to develop a specific employee engagement index from its annual employee census, which could be monitored both over time and at sub-agency levels. Such an index is just an indicator of organisational health, and is not a measure of capability, but there is proven correlation between employee engagement and organisational performance, and the index could help start a more careful consideration of capability and performance. I have found value also in each business area of a department having a short document of the skills and knowledge it needs to meet its responsibilities well. This helps to guide, for example, recruitment, staff development including initial orientation, the development and use of administrative data systems, preservation of corporate knowledge, and networking with external experts and stakeholders  all key elements of organisational capability essential for good performance. Andrew Podger is a professor of public policy at the ANU's College of Arts and Social Sciences, a former federal departmental secretary and a former public service commissioner. He made submissions to the independent review of the PGPA Act, and was on the US National Academy of Public Administration's panel that prepared the Strengthening Organisational Health and Performance in Government report. andrew.podger@anu.edu.au

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/b16e2641-9d93-495a-af99-552396a89cb9/r0_101_2000_1231_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
Impact fees will increase in Lee County but in increments, a compromise to satisfy area builders as well as those who say it is time to raise more money for infrastructure in a booming area.

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday agreed to a five-year plan that will raise impact fees sharply the first year by about $2,400, then go up by about 2.5 percent in each of the next four years.

The county is currently collecting 45 percent of a base fee of $13,000 based on the impact the new construction will have on Lee County infrastructure. Under the structure approved Tuesday, the base will be adjusted to nearly $18,000 and the percentage collected will bump up to 47.5 percent, 50 percent and so up to 55 percent in 2023 when the issue is revisited after the five-year period.

It was made clear by much of the public that impact fees adversely affect families and first-time homebuyers more than any other segment, and I want to help make this the place people can achieve the American Dream, Commissioner Brian Hamman said.

Hamman said the philosophy behind the increases is that they will keep pace with the increased costs of construction as building roads gets more expensive annually.

Although the measure passed there were some who thought the fees, first reduced to 20 percent of base when the real estate market collapsed, needed to go up to the original full fee amount.

Growth should pay for growth. We are compromising our drinking water and aquifers, said Stephanie Eller of North Fort Myers. We live in rural area, impact fees have caused communities to explode. You made the commitment to sunset this and building is going on like crazy.

Kitty Green, CEO of Habitat for Humanity in Lee & Hendry counties, though, said raising the impact fees would lessen their ability to provide affordable housing to those who need it.

We would have to pay $300,000 in increased impact fees; that enough for us to build three homes. Show compassion to struggling families, Green said.

Business people added that increased impact fees would affect small businesses, as larger stores like Target all made deals years ago with the county to have the fees waived so they would come here.

Commissioner Frank Mann last week submitted a compromise that would call for a full restoration of the fees over three years, backing away from a proposal to restore the full impact fees immediately. He said if he was in Collier County or in any municipality, he would be in the majority. He just has a different perspective of things.

Commissioner Larry Kiker, who submitted the compromise plan brought forward, said the deal will still result in a sharp increase, but wont do nearly as much as do other taxes, such as for gas.

He cited statistics to support his case.

Homes under $300,000 represent 84 percent of homes in Lee County. At $17,000 over a 30-year mortgage, that would be more than $77,000, Kiker said. In Lehigh Acres, homes under $250,000 represent 99 percent. There are no cash buyers. Thats why first-time buyers have problems qualifying.

Construction leaders were satisfied with the outcome, adding that the original plan, if passed, would have potentially ground new construction to a halt.

Were happy to see the commissioners kept the impact fees where theyre at. It allows for people to buy first-time homes and we want to keep it that way, said Bill Johnson Jr. executive director of the Cape Coral Construction Industry Association. At the end of the day its about putting people in houses. If those fees were brought back to where they were, it would have made first-time home buying almost impossible.

We thought the commissioners would find a middle ground in raising fees to pay for infrastructure, said Richard Durling, president of the Lee Building Industry Association. For every $1,000 of cost approximately 600 families would be unable to qualify for a home loan. If we had gone to 100 percent, it would have put the brakes to the construction industry as a whole.
Credit card skimming at the pumps may become a little more difficult in Cape Coral.

Cape Coral City Council on Monday passed an ordinance requiring more safeguards at gas stations in the city.

The ordinance, presented by Police Chief David Newlan, will require a visible gas pump panel locking device that requires an access key unique to each gas station to restrict the unauthorized access of customer credit or debit card information.

That could mean something as simple as a lock and hasp, or the operator may install a device that renders the pump inoperable if there is unauthorized opening of the gas pump panel.

Whether the measures will actually make a major impact on skimming was subject to debate.

Chris Gilpin, owner of Signal Vault, a company that makes security products that protect consumers from high-tech crime, told City Council that he didnt believe that an ordinance will cut it in the real world.

During public comment on the ordinance, Gilpin said the measure isnt going to do much to solve the problem, that even if the CCPD found 16 skimmers in 13 months, there are likely many more they did not find.

Skimmers in Florida have tripled in the last two years. I dont think that locks are going to stop the crime. If the owners have the key, the employees need access to it and open the pumps if they need to, Gilpin said. This creates an opportunity for an inside job.

Gilpin said the gas stations need to step up and do more for consumers and their security and that his system would stop those type of devices from being installed in the first place by alerting people inside that a skimmer was being installed.

Such a system would cost between $100 and $250 for installation and monitoring, which would start at $50 per month depending on the size of the station.

Council members agreed that with evolving technology, skimming is a difficult crime to control.

This is high-tech crime. Someone can get a text of your credit card number before youre finished pumping gas, Councilmember Jennifer Nelson said.

City Manager John Szerlag suggested Council pass the ordinance, even if it does fall short, then talk about other defenses at a later date.

The ordinance passed unanimously.

As for consumers, Gilpin said the best thing they can do is bypass the convenience of paying at the pump and go inside and pay cash.

Everything that is fast, easy and convenient for us is also the same for criminals. Theyre counting on us to not inconvenience ourselves, Gilpin said. I go inside and pay because I know how big the problem is.
Dentist visits arent cheap. And if you never think of the cost dental care until you have a toothache, youre not alone. Over half of Americans dont get dental care unless they have serious problems, and 1 out of 5 Americans cant afford it.

But this is the wrong approach, as preventative care actually wards off most oral health problems.

Thats why the Florida Dental Association is bringing Floridas Mission of Mercy to Southwest Florida. FLA-MOM is a two-day, public dental health event delivering 150 dental chairs and over 1,000 dental professionals expected to treat over 2,000 dental patients, for free.

The importance of oral health is oftentimes overlooked, yet it can impact a person from employability to their overall quality of life.

For people that cant afford to go to the dentist, or dont go for whatever reason, its going to benefit their overall health, said Dr. Cynthia Deragon, a periodontist in Fort Myers.

Deragon serves as one of the 12 Lee delegates working to bring Floridas annual Mission of Mercy tour to the Lee, Collier, Hendry, Glades and Charlotte county area.

Id like to see the uninsured, and underserved show up. People who are in need of dental care, and dont go to the dentist, she said.

The free FLA-MOM clinic will be held at the Lee County Civic Center from Friday, March 9, to Saturday, March 10. Doors open at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., and patients will be seen on a first-come, first-serve basis. Attendees are advised to arrive early, and no later than 3 p.m., as a huge turn-out is expected. This public health event rotates regionally throughout Florida every year since 2014, and Floridians from all over are expected to travel to Southwest Florida just to receive free care.

Patients are advised to bring blankets, food and water, and any ordinary medications they may take, while on line in the waiting area. All patients will undergo a preliminary health screening to ensure safety before dentists provide free care, and some may be referred to seek medical attention if they are medically unfit for services. One hundred and fifty dental seats will be available at a time, with multiple specialty departments, and dental concierge will be assigned to triage each patient every step of the way.

There is no pre-registration required to receive free dental care at FLA-MOM, and all are welcome. If follow-up care is necessary after receiving treatment at the event, patients will be referred to Project Dentist Care run by Dr. Bill Truax in Fort Myers for a free visit. After the first follow-up, ongoing treatment at Project Dentist Care is only available for those falling in a low-income range.

Services provided at FLA-MOM 2018 will include cleanings, fillings, extractions, and limited root canal therapy. There will also be specific department for pediatrics.

Id love to see families just come. If I had a family of five, I would just show up there with my whole family, said Deragon, The amount of money you can spend in the dentist office on five people for proactive prevention can be thousands of dollars. The event is a great opportunity to save on dental care, and teach your kids how to brush their teeth and practice oral health.

Local dentist offices have donated enormous quantities of medical instruments necessary to treat thousands of patients at the Lee County Civic Center this weekend. Although FLA-MOM will be taking place outside of a conventional medical environment, medical safety, equipment, and procedures will adhere to normal medical standards. Federally regulated sterilization processes will be carried out in accordance with typical in-office dentist practices. The sterilization department includes 50 steam pressure sterilizer machines to clean instruments.

The Mission of Mercy is a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit organization providing public dental health access across America. FLA-MOM partners with private donors to leverage health equity in medically underserved areas. In Americas health care system, dental care is a hot debate for health inequity.

I think in general, dental care and oral health is not covered by medical insurance. It should be, though. Its part of your body, Deragon said. I think it would be wonderful if someday health insurance incorporates the health of the mouth. Somehow insurance companies made this decision and it doesnt make sense anymore.

Over 20 percent of the Florida population receive Medicaid insurance, a joint state and federally funded program insuring those with low income. More than half of all federal funds received by Florida go to Medicaid. However, adults on Floridas Medicaid program are only covered for emergency dental treatment and once-in-a-lifetime dentures. Only children are eligible to receive routine dental care on Medicaid.

But its not just Medicaid lacking in oral health. Medicare doesnt cover most dental care, dental procedures, or supplies, like cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures, dental plates, or other dental devices. In a 2015 data report, Florida had more than 4 million Medicare beneficiaries, the equivalent of 20 percent of Floridas population essentially lacking in dental care.

Dentistry in Florida doesnt meet the demand for Medicaid recipients in Florida. According to a 2014 workforce study of dentistry by the Florida Health Dept., only 15 percent of private-office dentists accept Medicaid, incentivizing use of tax-funded safety nets and emergency room visits. When people lack proper coverage, sometimes the ER is the only oral health option.

According to another study by the Florida Public Health Institute, more than 115,000 hospital emergency room visits in 2010 were for dental care, with charges exceeding $88 million. Much of it may have been avoided with proper preventive care. In 2014, this number reached $193.4 million. Approximately half this amount was billed to Medicaid and Medicare.

Its costing a lot of taxpayer dollars, said Deragon, who says hospitals are too ill-equipped to treat dental problems.

Deragon says that ER visits dont fix the problem, it puts them off.

Temporarily getting rid of infection isnt getting rid of it for good. Sometimes infections take months or years to come back, but it still doesnt solve the problem, she said.

The problem is chronic infection, which can lay dormant in the body, causing immune-system overdrive, bodily fatigue, sinus problems, even heart disease. When the ER treats people with gum infection and tooth aches, they typically prescribe patients with pain reliever and an anti-bacterial, but its not a lasting cure.

In other words, the ER gives them a Band-Aid, and theyre OK for a little while. But, theyll be coming back.

In addition to its health benefit, Floridas Mission of Mercy has a financial benefit as well.

The FDA has partnered with a third-party consultant who is conducting an impact study based off data from the Florida Mission of Mercy combined with research from Floridas hospital data. The research will measure how the FLA-MOM has reduced dental-related ER visits in Florida.

I think taxpayers will be happy once they hear we are saving them money. I know I am, Deragon said.

Funded entirely by private entities, the FDA is hoping the findings will convince legislators to secure public funding for FLA-MOM down the road.

FLA-MOM is still in need of community volunteers to help with registration, parking, interpreting, patient services, and hospitality. To volunteer, contact Dr. Cynthia Deragon at 239-275-5257 or Dr. William Truax at 239-561-1949.

The Lee County Civic Center is at 11831 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers.

For more information, contact floridadental.org/foundation/programs/mission-of-mercy/patients.
#LoUltimo Donald Trump dialogo hoy por telefono con su homologo de Peru, @ppkamigo, respecto a la solida asociacion entre ambos paises. https://t.co/X1xFq0YQOi pic.twitter.com/YH2aLG81Bm
Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved. Map shows where missing plane departed and scheduled to land; 1c x 3 inches; 46.5 mm x 76 mm;

Update -- 8 p.m.

China's state media say Vietnamese authorities have detected signals from the missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

The Xinhua News Agency, citing a local Vietnamese media report, says a Vietnamese search and rescue official reported that the signals have been detected from the plane from about 220 kilometres (120 miles) southwest of Vietnam's southernmost coastal province of Ca Mau.

Malaysia Airlines says its Boeing 777-200 carrying 239 people lost contact over the South China Sea early Saturday morning on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Original story -- 6:45 p.m.

Malaysia Airlines said Saturday it lost contact with a plane carrying 239 people on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and search and rescue teams were trying to locate the aircraft.

Flight MH370 lost contact with the Subang air traffic control near Kuala Lumpur at 2:40 a.m. Saturday (18:40 GMT Friday).

According to China's state news agency, the plane lost communication over Vietnam with control department in Ho Chi Minh City at 1:20 a.m. The radar signal also was lost, Xinhua reported.

The flight was operated on the Boeing 777-200 aircraft. It departed Kuala Lumpur at 12:41 a.m. Saturday (16:41 GMT Friday) and was expected to land in Beijing at 6:30 a.m. Saturday (22:30 GMT Friday).

The plane was carrying 227 passengers, including two infants, and 12 crew members, the airline said.

The airline said it was working with authorities who activated their search and rescue team to locate the aircraft. The route would take the aircraft from Malaysia across to Vietnam and China.

"Our team is currently calling the next-of-kin of passengers and crew. Focus of the airline is to work with the emergency responders and authorities and mobilize its full support," Malaysia Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said in a statement.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all affected passengers and crew and their family members," he added.

Malaysia Airlines has 15 Boeing 777-200 jets in its fleet of about 100 planes. The state-owned carrier last month reported its fourth straight quarterly loss.

The 777 had not had a fatal crash in its 20 year history until the Asiana crash in San Francisco in July 2013.
The government (all of them) took ICBCs surpluses to balance budgets. The government must pay back the funds they took. It is unethical to have vehicle owners pay for that raid on the piggy bank.

That would be like mom and dad breaking open their sons piggy bank, taking his saved coins and then ordering their son to repay the money mom and dad took. The ICBC proceeds benefited all British Columbians so general tax revenues must be used to pay back the absconded funds. Raising rates is wrong, mom and dad telling their son to pay back the money they took is wrong. It is that black and white.

The government and media, need to stop spinning the ICBC story. We the people are not dumb.

Patrick W. Olenick
Photo: Contributed

The lineup of speakers at the upcoming Okanagan Similkameen Healthy Living Fair in Penticton has been announced.

On Saturday March 10, the free event will open its doors at 9 a.m. for an opening ceremony, and then have a variety of scheduled speakers throughout the day in addition to informational and product booths throughout the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre.

The speaker lineup is as follows.

9:15 a.m.: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow Sticker," with acclaimed Canadian LGBTQ activist and author Ivan Coyote.The talk will discuss gender identity, social justice and queer liberation through personal stories

10 a.m.: "Beyond the Scale," with Melanie Beatty, RD and Alisa Senecal, RD, who will speak about the Health at Every Size approach to wellbeing.

10:30 a.m.: "Trauma Informed Practice + You," with SOWINS worker and Penticton Yoga Therapy owner Carrie Few. She will discuss Trauma Informed Practice and how to implement it in all areas of life.

11:30 a.m.: "Mental Fitness for Women," with Liesel Reimer, who will challenge her audience to identify strategies to improve their optimal mental health.

1:30 p.m.: "The Effects of Poverty on Women and their Health," with Katrina McKeown and Tracy Franklin, who will run a poverty-simulation game with their audience to highlight the reality of living in poverty.

2:30 p.m.: "50+ You Matter: Planning your Journey to Women's Wellness," with Bonnie Kooistra, MSW, who willl teach learning tools inspired by the Wellness Wheel guide of the First Nations Health Authority to teach women to empower themselves in their own lives.

All the speakers and workshops are free, and the whole event wraps up at 4 p.m.
Photo: Town of Osoyoos

Staff with the Town of Osoyoos will be bringing a report to council soon to get the ball rolling on building a new town hall.

The current 50-plus-year-old building needs to be replaced, as staff pointed out in a report heard by mayor and council on Monday.

An assessment done by David Nairne and Associates said constructing a new town hall would cost about $3.5 million in a five-year period, and the report pointed out it would be cheaper than renovating the existing structure.

The assessment said there is concerns of rotting in part of the floor framing, water ingress in part of the wall and fire safety hazards, among other risks.

Coun. C.J. Rhodes said the cost of the work makes it a "monumental project" for the town to take on.

Staff had recommended to make room in the 2019 budget to begin planning, but council members said they would rather see planning begin this year based on the condition of the building.

"Is there some way we can speed this up?" Rhodes asked on Monday. "When you read about fire safety, roofs and floors collapsing, these are not things that usually get better. They have a tendency to get a lot worse."

Town manager Barry Romanko said if the project isn't included in this year's budget, planning could still begin if other major jobs are completed under budget.

In its assessment, the consultant said year one of the five-year project would need only about $35,000 for planning.

Year two would need just under $300,000, while years three to five would need about $3.2 million, collectively.
Photo: File photo

The Americans are coming.

The 133rd Army National Guard Band from Camp Murray, Wash. will be adding an international flavour to the fifth annual Okanagan Military Tattoo.

Held at Kal Tire Place July 28-29, the Tattoo features numerous marching bands and attracts thousands of people.

Members of the American band range in age from their late teens to mid 50s and represent a wide cross section of the community.

With music educators and professional musicians, students and other career professionals, the 133 Army Band is diverse in its professional composition.

Typically, the band meets once a month and performs a two-week concert tour around Washington State during the summer.

Additional performances include community concerts, sporting events, Army National Guard ceremonies and state functions.

"We are honoured that the 133rd Army National Guard Band is taking time out of their busy schedule to perform here in Vernon. The Army National Guard also have an excellent working relationship with the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve Regiments in BC including the Okanagan's own local regiment, the British Columbia Dragoons who will also be taking part in the Tattoo, said Norm Crerar, president of the Okanagan Military Tattoo Society.

Other performing groups for the 2018 Tattoo include the band of the 15th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, Highland and ethnic dancers, massed pipes and drums, cadets from the Vernon Cadet Training Centre and a special Tribute to the Veterans featuring the band of the Salvation Army from Vancouver.

Tickets to the Okanagan Military Tattoo are now on sale at TicketSeller in Vernon 250-549-7469, toll free 1-866-311-1011 or online at www.ticketseller.ca

For more information go to the OMT website.

The Okanagan Military Tattoo is Vernon's largest annual indoor event.

All seating is reserved and patrons are encouraged to purchase their tickets early to avoid disappointment.
Alanna Kelly

Millie the Moose was relocated by conservation officers Tuesday afternoon.

A Castanet reader said he watched from his condominium on Old Okanagan Highway as officers darted Millie and took her away.

We wont be seeing anything of Millie anymore, he said.

Conservation officers said this is the best situation for the moose and the public and there is a 25 per cent chance of success.

One of our officers in West Kelowna received reports of her bedding down in a safe area for our Wildlife Biologists to look her over, said Conservation Officer Dave Cox.

Cox said the cow moose was underweight, relatively skinny in her body and hip area but they made the decision that she could be a candidate for short distance relocation.

Obviously she wasn't going anywhere and public safety being the priority and animal safety we figured it was our best option, he said.

She was relocated within West Kelowna where there is good forage, some food habitats and not deep snowpack.

You want to give it the best chance of success, he said.
Photo: Contributed An Armstrong man had a close encounter with a cougar last month.

An Armstrong man had a close encounter with a cougar late last month.

Conservation Officer Ken Owens said on Feb. 28 the homeowner in the Back Enderby Road area had just let his dog out at around 5 a.m. when he heard a commotion.

The man thought his dog was in a fight with the neighbour's dog and charged to the scene wielding a snow shovel.

The man found his dog on the ground with what he thought was another dog on top of it. He smacked the other animal with the shovel only to discover it was a full-grown male cougar.

Fortunately, the big cat took off and the man called the RAPP line (1-877-952-7277, or #7277 on a cellphone) and conservation officers quickly responded.

Conservation officers, with the assistance of agency K-9s, attended the property, determining a cougar had attacked a seven-year-old, 70-pound Anatolian livestock protection dog. The attack had occurred directly next to a private residence, said Owens.

Owens said the dog received bites on the back of its head and claw marks on its side, but is expected to make a full recovery.

He credited the quick action of the homeowner in calling the RAPP Line with conservation officers being able to resolve the situation.

Unfortunately, they had to put the big cat down after it retreated into nearby woods.

Cougars are intelligent animals that learn to hunt through positive experiences. A cougar that has learned to hunt pets and livestock near residences can threaten the safety of other pets and livestock in the neighbourhood. As a result a cougar may attack domestic animals that are similar in shape, size and smell to wild prey, said Owens.

The difficult part of a conservation officers job; the removal of wildlife from the population is never an easy thing to do.

Conservation officers determined the big cat was a high risk to attack pets and livestock in the area, leaving them no choice but to put the cougar down.

It is estimated there are more than 6,000 cougars in British Columbia, but conflicts with humans are rare.

Owens said in the last 100 years only seven people have been killed by a cougar.

In the Vernon area in 2015-16, conservation officers responded to 119 calls regarding cougars and 113 in 2016-17. So far in 2017-18, there have been 94 calls.

On average, there are 2,500 cougar conflict calls annually throughout the province.

Owens said events like the one in Armstrong are rare, and are most likely to happen January to March.

Copies of the Safety GuideTo Cougars are available from local conservation officers or online.
Photo: Google Street View Police continue to investigate a recent threat made at Mount Boucherie Secondary School.

Some students at West Kelowna's Mount Boucherie Secondary School say they won't be going to school Friday, after a student reportedly threatened to carry out a shooting at the school that day.

But, the school says the threat has been dealt with and staff are comfortable with the outcome.

A student (who asked to remain anonymous) says she's among many whose parents aren't letting them attend school Friday, after a student made the threat online.

The tipster says the student who made the threat was given a one-day suspension late last week, but he's been walking around the hallways since then.

He told his friends after his one-day suspension was over to wear red hats so that he doesnt get them, the anonymous student said.

MBSS principal Raquel Steen issued a statement to parents on Friday, saying rumours have created some uncertainty at the school.

Steen says RCMP have been involved in the situation, and staff at the school have completed an assessment.

As a result of a very thorough process, along with the RCMP, we are confident that the situation has been dealt with and are comfortable with the outcome, Steen said.

Kelowna RCMP spokesman Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey says police were contacted on Feb. 22 after a currently-enrolled student had uttered a threat towards students and staff of the school.

O'Donaghey says an investigation was launched, and police continue to work with the school, the student and the student's family, but no charges have been laid.

Regardless, the anonymous student says many students aren't taking any chances.

My parents are not letting me go, as well as my friend's parents are not letting her go, she said. Lots of kids are refusing to go to school and parents are agreeing to let them stay home.
Photo: Colin Dacre

Details of this story may be difficult for some readers.

The trial for a South Okanagan man accused of molesting a sleeping 13-year old girl in Oliver opened in Penticton Supreme Court court Tuesday.

Bradley James Johnson faces one count of sexual assault and one count of sexual interference of a minor stemming from an alleged incident in October 2016.

The trial opened with his teenage accuser on the stand, testifying about a party she was hired to babysit for at a home in Oliver. Around 60 people were invited to the party, including children, and the victim was tasked with entertaining and supervising the kids downstairs while parents attended the party upstairs.

She testified that around 1 a.m., when the party mostly ended, she went to sleep on a sectional in the basement with another young girl.

She awoke to a hand on her backside, rubbing her genitals on top of her clothing. She thought it was a dream and fell back asleep.

She woke again, this time her pants were down and a man was penetrating her with his fingers. The victim testified, through tears, that she stood up and ran to the bedroom of the party host and knocked on the door.

The man initially tried to feign asleep, but then ran up the stairs of the home out of the basement, slamming into the wall on his way.

By then, she had entered the bedroom and awoken the party host and immediately informed her what happened, providing a description of her attacker who she said she had never met before.

In court, the victim identified Bradley Johnson as her attacker, stating she got a clear look at him because the room was illuminated by a very large TV.

The female party host took the stand later in the morning, and testified that the description she received from the victim fit Johnson, most notably a pair of white shorts she noticed he was wearing earlier in the night because it was October.

The host went upstairs around 3 a.m. to search the house, found no one, but noticed the upstairs bathroom door was closed with the light on. She returned to her bedroom to check on the victim, and five minutes later went back upstairs to take a more thorough look.

The host testified that the bathroom was now empty and a grown man was in her sons previously vacant bed. Startled, she ran downstairs and woke her fiance.

The fiance went upstairs while the party host comforted the victim.

She testified that a short while later, she went upstairs to announce that she was calling the police and to ask her fiance to detain Johnson.

She told the courtroom she found her fiance talking to Johnson, who was dishevelled, crying and without shoes. Police arrived that night, took away Johnson and took a statement from the victim.

During cross examination, defence lawyer Don Skogstad focused on minor discrepancies between the victims testimony and what she told police, such as if Johnson was wearing shoes at the time. He also pressed her if she remembered seeing any tattoos on her shirtless attackers, which she denied.

The judge-only trial is expected to wrap up on Wednesday.
Turkish law enforcement agencies have detained 13 people in Adana as part of an anti-ISIS operation. The detained were allegedly plotting to attack the US consulate in the city, Diken reported.

March 7, 2018, 11:21 Turkey detains ISIS suspects plotting to attack US consulate

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 7, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS:All suspects have been taken to the local police station to testify.

Earlier on March 5 the US Embassy in Ankara ceased operations for two days amid intelligence reports on a possible ISIS threat. The Embassy also issued a travel warning to its citizens.
Photo: Contributed

UPDATE: 8:02 a.m.

A Logan Lake man is facing a second-degree murder charge following the death of another man at a motel.

Logan Lake RCMP say they were called to a local motel around 6:40 a.m. Tuesday morning, to find an unresponsive man in one of the rooms.

Despite the efforts of paramedics and fire crews the man died.

The RCMP Southeast District Major Crime Unit are investigating the incident and have confirmed that Gordon Fleming, 66 years old, of Logan Lake, B.C. was arrested at the motel and is now charged with second degree murder in connection to the death of the 55 year-old male resident of Logan Lake, stated Cpl Dan Moskaluk in a press release.

It is believed the two men knew each other.

Fleming will remain in custody and will appear in Provincial Court in Kamloops later today.

Logan Lake has a population of around 2,000 people.

ORIGINAL: March 6, 2018

There are unconfirmed reports of a homicide in Logan Lake.

Castanet has been told up to eight police cars descended upon the Copper Valley Motel earlier Tuesday.

A witness told Castanet an air ambulance was also called to the motel.

There are reports a person was stabbed to death in the community some 40 minutes from Kamloops.

Logan Lake has a population of just 2,000 people and sits on the edge of the Teck Highland Valley Copper mine.

Castanet has reached out to the RCMP and will have more information as soon as it becomes available.
It doesn't get much sweeter than this.

The Valentines for Mexico fundraiser hosted by Sweet Smiles Society and Cotton's Chocolates was another savoury success, raising $41,589 to help orphans in Mexico.

"So many blessings," said Barrita Durward, the driving force behind the popular event.

The ninth annual fundraiser is one of the most anticipated events of the year and was once again sold out.

The money raised will go to the City of Angels orphanage in Cozumel.

This year, they hope to build a childhood development centre.

Durward has been helping build homes in rural Mexico for almost a decade.

Durward said the response from Vernon residents will change the lives of entire families in Mexico.

I'm humbled by the gifts that this community has given to Sweet Smiles and the children and the families, she said. They are changing the course of history for so many families and so many children.

Durward said the homes that will be built with the money raised in Vernon will provide children with safety and security.
Photo: CTV Paramedic Will Rogers posted this photo to Facebook recreating what it looked like when responders discovered an uncapped syringe on an automatic door opener on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

A B.C. paramedic is sounding the alarm after he found a needle placed in an automatic door opener in Vancouver's Downtown East Side.

Will Rogers wrote in a Facebook post that he believes the needle was placed there intentionally to poke anyone who may use the button that opens the door.

"We had a near miss today that I would like to bring to everyone's attention," Will Rogers wrote Monday. "A syringe was intentionally manipulated (bent) so that the exposed sharp was sticking out, with the obvious intention to poke anyone reaching for the button."

Rogers included a photo in the post recreating what the needle looked like.

Paramedics were on a call to the Lux Hotel Monday just before 7:30 p.m. when Rogers saw the needle.

The needle was safely disposed of and police were called.

VPD Const. Jason Doucette said officers investigated but weren't able to find a suspect, video of the incident or any witnesses.

Similar incidents have been reported in other parts of the province.

In January, a toddler was pricked by a syringe at a McDonald's restaurant in downtown Victoria.

The next day, a Victoria woman was pricked by an uncapped syringe sticking out of a planter.
Photo: CTV

A Central Saanich student is in legal trouble after allegedly threatening a school.

According to police the student allegedly posted a threatening photo to social media.

Police say they were alerted to a video posted to Instagram of a Stelly's Secondary student firing a gun into a small target with the caption "practicing for school."

Sgt. Andy Duke said he was told the unidentified teen fired the weapon twice in a wooded area.

The male student was tracked down and arrested without incident Monday.

Investigators say they're recommending charges of uttering threats and mischief.

Police are using the incident to encourage parents to speak with their kids about how and how not to use social media.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Multiple media outlets report that Toronto police had interviewed and released an alleged serial killer years before he was arrested.

The Toronto Star reports that Bruce McArthur was brought in for questioning in 2014, while The Globe and Mail reports that it happened in 2013.

Both newspapers cite anonymous sources and report that McArthur was released without charges.

The 66-year-old self-employed landscaper was arrested in January and now faces six charges of first-degree murder.

Many of his alleged victims were men who disappeared from Toronto's gay village.

Police began investigating the disappearances in 2012, but the force has been criticized for dismissing the community's concerns about a possible serial killer.
Photo: CTV

The B.C. government says they intend to do more about unlicensed daycares in the province and will go so far as to post details online.

Under proposed changes to the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, inspection reports and substantiated complaints about unlicensed daycare providers would be accessible online for a minimum of five years.

Right now parents only have information about licensed daycare facilities, which are limited to routine inspections or follow up visits.

It is absolutely required. It absolutely brings more transparency, said Health Minister Adrian Dix, who introduced the bill in Victoria on Tuesday.

The announcement comes more than a year after the death of Macallan Wayne Saini, or "Baby Mac," the 16-month-old died at an unlicensed daycare in East Vancouver. Charges are still being considered against the operator of that facility.

"For everyone who heard the story of that case, the need for reform, the need for transparency was profound," Dix said.

Katrina Conroy, Minister of Childcare and Family Development called what appeared to be a lack of transparency and lack of enforcement unacceptable, and now promises to make unlicensed daycare records easily accessible to all parents, following Ontario's lead.

The bottom line is we want to make sure child care is safe in this province, Conroy said Tuesday.

If the bill becomes law, it would require local health authorities like Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health to publish summaries of inspections and substantiated complaints online, and include operators names, business names, and addresses.

-with files from CTV
Photo: The Canadian Press Emily Carr

A new poll suggests Canadians have a lot to learn about the accomplishments of some of the country's most famous women.

The survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Historica Canada found the majority of Canadians couldn't name the achievements of such famous women as Emily Carr and Lucy Maud Montgomery.

Only 37 per cent of respondents to the poll could identify Carr's accomplishments as a painter, while only 27 per cent knew that Montgomery's fame sprang from her authorship of such Canadian literary classics as "Anne of Green Gables."

When it comes to notable Indigenous women, recognition levels among respondents tumbled to between three and one per cent.

But the survey suggests Canadians are aware of the knowledge gap, with just 30 per cent of respondents saying the country is doing well at teaching youth about female accomplishment.

Historica Canada says the organization is seeing increasing demand to shine a light on women's issues and successes.

Chief Executive Officer Anthony Wilson-Smith said Historica staff got a clear message from teachers and school boards who were asked where the organization needed to help fill in some key blanks from Canada's past.

"People are saying, 'look, yeah, tell us more about women's history,'" Wilson-Smith said in a telephone interview. "'Tell us more about who are the great Canadian women? What have they done?'"

The survey found 40 per cent of respondents were unfamiliar with any of the women compared to 37 per cent who had heard of Carr, a British Columbia-based painter celebrated for her depictions of Indigenous culture and Canadian nature scenes.

Montgomery, whose books about red-haired orphan Anne Shirley are globally renowned, received the second-highest recognition score of 27 per cent among respondents. Only 16 per cent had heard of suffragette Nellie McClung, who came third in the poll rankings.

Wilson-Smith said he's encouraged by the finding suggesting people want to see more concerted efforts to step up education on women's issues, saying the survey results should not be mistaken for lack of interest in Canada's female icons.

"It's not as though these are deliberate slights by people," he said. "It just shows that ... we have a lot of heroes and just a lot of very accomplished people whose work deserves to be known. We and other places have to continue to do everything we can to put them forward."
Photo: The Canadian Press Tears roll down the cheeks of Thelma Favel, Tina Fontaine's great-aunt.

Thelma Favel woke up every morning before going to the Winnipeg courthouse, looked around her room and wondered what her grand-niece might have thought when she stayed in the same hotel in her final weeks alive.

During the second-degree murder trial for Raymond Cormier  the man acquitted last month of killing Tina Fontaine  Favel wanted to put herself in the teenage girl's shoes.

Favel stayed in the same downtown hotel where the young girl was placed by Child and Family Services and walked the same streets where Tina was last seen alive.

"I just found strength every day to get up and go. I walked the hallways, wondering which room she was in," Favel told The Canadian Press. "I just felt so close to her there."

Tina spent much of her young life living with Favel on the Sagkeeng First Nation, north of Winnipeg. She was a kind girl who liked to study math and science, Favel said. She had a lot of friends and never got into trouble.

But after her father was murdered in 2011, Tina had difficulty coping. She left the First Nation in June 2014 to reconnect with her mother in Winnipeg. When Favel didn't hear from the girl, she called Child and Family Services for help.

In the following weeks, 15-year-old Tina disappeared multiple times, returned to government care and was placed in a hotel.

Her 72-pound body, wrapped in a duvet cover and weighed down by rocks, was pulled from the Red River that August.

Her death renewed calls for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and inspired volunteer groups such as the Bear Clan Patrol to protect the vulnerable on the streets.

Favel said she had faith in the justice system as she sat in court nearly every day throughout the more than three-week trial. She listened to testimony from experts and from people who knew Tina in Winnipeg. She heard audio of Cormier himself, recorded by police during a six-month undercover operation.

When Tina's voice from a 911 call was played in court, Favel said she "just wanted to hear her over and over and over again."

"Tina was with me. She was there with me every single day and I had my rosaries around my hand every day. That's where I got my strength. I had to do it for Tina," said Favel, breaking into tears.

"Her voice was stolen. She was silenced forever so I had to be there to be her pillar of hope, to get justice for her. Even that I failed at."
Photo: The Canadian Press

The federal government has been eyeing changes that would allow authorities to more quickly identify people considered unfit to have guns for reasons such as mental instability or violent behaviour, an internal memo shows.

The Liberals are planning to introduce legislation in coming weeks to fulfil platform promises on firearms  including a requirement for "enhanced background checks" for anyone seeking to buy a handgun or other restricted gun.

The federal memo, released under the Access to Information Act, indicates the government could go further, beefing up screening of those who already have guns "by allowing authorities to reassess licence eligibility in a more timely fashion."

Keeping guns out of the wrong hands is just one of the issues to be debated at a national meeting on gun and gang violence in Ottawa today that will include members of government, law enforcement, academia, community organizations and big-city mayors.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale has convened the meeting as statistics reveal troubling trends.

The number of firearm-related homicides in Canada hit 223 in 2016  up 44 from 2015, and the third consecutive annual increase. There were 141 gang-related homicides in 2016, 45 more than the previous year. Meantime, break-and-enters to steal guns have been rising.

Last year the federal government earmarked more than $327 million over five years, and $100 million a year thereafter, to address criminal gun and gang activities.

It is also preparing legislation to strengthen controls on the movement, licensing and tracing of firearms  measures that would repeal some elements of a bill passed by the previous Conservative government.
Photo: CTV

There has been another threat by a student in B.C. this time on Vancouver Island.

A Stelly's secondary school student has been arrested after allegedly making online threats.

Police say they were alerted to a video posted to Instagram of a Stelly's Secondary student firing a gun into a small target with the caption "practicing for school."

The Central Saanich high school student was arrested Monday.

"What I've been told is that it is a teenager with a long gun in a wooded area who seemed to discharge the firearm twice," said Sgt. Andy Duke. Police initially said the student was seen firing into a snowbank, but later issued a correction saying it was a small target.

Investigators say they're recommending charges of uttering threats and mischief.

-with files from CTV Vancouver Island
There is no acceptable military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while the current status quo is not sustainable over the long term.

March 7, 2018, 12:55 Schofer: Karabakh conflict settlement requires some very tough decisions on all sides

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 7, ARTSAKHPRESS:US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Andrew Schofer, told the aforesaid to Trend news agency of Azerbaijan.

Schofer emphasized that the United States supports a negotiated settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and will continue to engage actively with Armenia and Azerbaijan, as a co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

The United States longstanding policy, shared by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, is that a just settlement must be based on international law, which includes the Helsinki Final Act and the core principles of the non-use of force or threat of force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination [of people], he said. We also agree that the current status quo in the region is not sustainable over the long term, and that there is no acceptable military solution to the conflict. he said.

The Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents commitments in Geneva to intensify negotiations and to take additional measures to reduce tensions reflect this reality, Schofer added.

As co-chairs, we have worked hard with the sides in the months since Geneva to move these commitments towards implementation, and will continue to do so, he noted.

Stressing that as a co-chair country, the United States remains firmly committed to the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair process, Schofer said that the co-chairs are prepared to work with the parties in any way that can help bring a lasting settlement.

We continue to encourage the presidents and foreign ministers to meet at the earliest opportunity to continue discussions on key issues, including the importance of respecting the ceasefire and taking steps towards fully implementing decisions taken in Geneva in 2017, as well as in Vienna and St. Petersburg in 2016, he said.

Touching upon the expansion of the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Schofer noted that this would represent an important signal from the sides regarding their stated commitment to taking steps to calm tensions along the line of contact.

It would also enhance the Missions ability to fulfill its mandate in a timely and efficient manner, he added. The co-chairs will continue to engage the sides toward realizing this important confidence building measure as soon as possible.

Asked about how close Baku and Yerevan are to achieve a sustainable peace, Schofer said there are no simple solutions to the conflict.

I assumed the role of U.S. co-chair to the OSCE Minsk Group in August 2017, he noted. In my time in this position, I have met with a wide range of people focused on all aspects of this conflict. While I have heard many strong views and many good ideas, it is clear that there are no simple solutions to the conflict, and it would be unrealistic to expect that a comprehensive breakthrough will be achieved without a lot more work and preparation, which will take time.

Moving the process forward in a positive direction will require continued good faith efforts on the part of the parties themselves, the co-chairs, and the international community, and will ultimately require some very tough decisions on all sides.

As for the next visit to the region, he said that the Minsk Group co-chairs currently do not have a schedule for the next visit, but will continue to consult with the parties on an appropriate date, taking into account the current electoral period in the region.
Photo: CTV

A project designed to help young British Columbians buy their first home is coming to an end due to lack of interest.



The BC Home Owner Mortgage and Equity Partnership program is coming to an end on March 31, 2018, due to its low participation rate.

Applications received by March 31, 2018, will be considered for approval. Current program recipients are not be affected.

When the program was introduced, it was anticipated it would provide 42,000 loans over a three-year period, that never happened, as of January 31, 2018, there were fewer than 3,000 loans approved.

In its place, the Province is creating a new HousingHub within BC Housing, funded in part by winding down the BC HOME program.

The HousingHub will actively seek out new partnerships to build affordable housing, while also developing innovative models to allow prospective homeowners to purchase homes and build equity.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Nearly one-quarter of Canadians who participated in an online survey say they have personally experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, but more than half decided against reporting it.

Navigator, a major Toronto-based public relations firm, conducted the online survey of 2,000 people countrywide last month.

Just over a third of the women and 12 per cent of the men who took part in the survey said they had personally experienced sexual harassment at work, with another 10 per cent of respondents saying they thought they had, but were not sure whether it met the criteria.

Of those who were willing to answer more questions about their experience, 38 per cent said the harasser had influence over their career.

A third of those who had personally experienced sexual harassment said they reported it to someone in a supervisory position, whereas 57 per cent said they did not report it to anyone at work.

Meanwhile, 81 per cent of respondents suggested allegations must be investigated thoroughly before the person accused of sexual harassment suffers any consequences, given the potential damage to careers and personal lives.
Photo: CTV

A teenage girl died Wednesday after a collision between a school bus and a semi truck north of Edmonton.

Police and paramedics responded to the crash that happened around 8 a.m. in Thorhild County near Redwater.

"EMS pronounced one teenage female deceased at the scene," said Kirsten Goruk, a spokeswoman for Alberta Health Services in Edmonton.

Fourteen patients were assessed by paramedics and no one else was transported to hospital, she said.

An air ambulance was called around 8:15 a.m., but was stood down by emergency crews.

The bus driver was on his way to Thorhild Central School with 13 students at the time of the collision.

We grieve this immeasurable loss with the students family, loved ones and the entire Thorhild Central School community, Aspen View Public Schools Superintendent Mark Francis said in a news release. We pledge our ongoing support to all those affected by todays tragedy."

Counselling services are being made available to all staff and students, said school officials.

Police said they were still investigating the collision at the scene.

"There was some fog that was reported," said Cpl. Ronald Bumbry of the RCMP. "We are still looking at all the factors contributing to this collision. It's very early on."
A charity flight that left Kelowna International Airport on Jan. 2 won't be home until Friday, after an electrical issue caused a delay.

"I lost most of my instrument panel and radios about an hour from Coos Bay, Oregon Tuesday afternoon, " said Give Hope Wings pilot Dave McElroy.

They set down without incident, but they'll have to wait for parts.

The new arrival time is Friday at 5:00 p.m. at the Kelowna Flying Club hanger.

The flight has visited 20 countries and raised over $500,000 dollars for Hope Air. The charity provides flights for disadvantaged Canadians needing medical attention.

"I'm looking forward to getting home to see friends and family, but will have to get used to cooler temperatures as we have been in balmy weather for the past 55 days," McElroy said.
Photo: Facebook Chad Alphonse

UPDATE: 4:30 p.m.

When two RCMP officers first arrived at 115 Gerstmar Rd. for reports of a stabbing, they found a very bloody scene.

Const. Darcy Lawson responded to the complex off Highway 33 and found a woman outside yelling very, very loud and hysterical.

The officer went inside Unit 27 with Const. Danny Lafleur and found another woman, later identified as Naomi Foureyes, screaming and pointing towards the kitchen area," her five-week-old daughter in her arms.

The father of the child, Waylon Jackson, was unresponsive in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor.

Myself and Const. Lafleur went towards the kitchen, where we saw a lot of blood and a male that was hunched up against the cabinets with a lot of blood around him, Lawson testified Wednesday.

Lafleur said there was a massive amount of blood on the kitchen floor when they arrived, and Jackson was lifeless, with no pulse.

He began administering CPR, but blood poured out of a wound under Jackson's left armpit.

Const. Lafleur attempted to stop the flow, while continuing to give chest compressions until paramedics arrived.

Once the paramedics took over, Lawson found Foureyes' four-year-old son in a crib upstairs.

Jackson was pronounced dead at 10:24 p.m. at Kelowna General Hospital.

The trial continues Thursday.

ORIGINAL: 12:45 p.m.

The blood-covered kitchen floor where Waylon Jackson was stabbed to death two years ago was shown to the jury in Kelowna Supreme Court Wednesday morning.

The second day of Chad Alphonse's second-degree murder trial continued with testimony from Sgt. Sherrie Brunelle, an RCMP officer involved in the investigation, after Jackson was stabbed three times on the evening of March 11, 2016 in his home on Gerstmar Road.

A video of the crime scene, taken the day after the killing, was shown in court Wednesday, and included footage of outside the housing complex, and inside Unit 27, where the killing occurred.

The graphic footage showed the unit's kitchen floor, covered in blood, as well as blood stains on the walls and cabinets.

What appears to be a broken chair can be seen in the corner as well.

In his opening statements Tuesday, Crown prosecutor David Grabavac said at one point in the fight between Jackson and Alphonse, Jackson hit Alphonse several times in the head with a chair, before Alphonse allegedly stabbed Jackson.

Sgt. Brunelle also showed the alleged murder weapon to the court Wednesday. The folding knife, with a red and blue handle and 10-centimetre blade, was found in Alphonse's pocket when he was arrested, covered in blood.

The blood on the knife matched the DNA of Jackson.
Madison Erhardt

The Kelowna Women's Shelter was flush with pies Wednesday afternoon, thanks to Joey Kelowna restaurant.

Staff at the local restaurant were hard at work for four hours yesterday, preparing the 248 pot pies.

"It's our company-wide program," said Joey's host Taylor Cope. "It's a great chance for our store to give back to the community. It's just nice to be able to cook for them so they don't have to."

Volunteers from both the shelter and Joey picked up the pies Wednesday morning and delivered them to the Women's Shelter in the afternoon.

"Food is one of our most expensive items that we have to buy," said shelter spokesperson Kathleen Lemieux. "So these pies really help us. It also shows our clients that people in the community care about them."

Lemieaux said staff at the shelter told everyone not to make lunch or dinner Wednesday because of the pie donations.

For more information on the Kelowna Women's Shelter, click here.
Photo: Vernon RCMP

UPDATE: 10:45 a.m.

The Vernon RCMP is pleased to confirm Claudia Fissler has been located and she is safe and sound.

ORIGINAL: Wednesday, 1:22 p.m.

Vernon resident Claudia Fissler, 43, has been reported missing.

Vernon North Okanagan RCMP are asking for the public's help in locating the missing woman, who was last seen on March. 4.

Since Fissler's disappearance, police have followed up on leads and possible sightings, but she still remains missing.

Fissler is described as Caucasian, 5-foot-4, 150 pounds with blonde hair and green eyes.

Anyone with information on the location of Fissler is asked to contact their local police, remain anonymous by calling CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or leave a tip online.
The OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the ceasefire regime on the border of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, in the south direction of the Hadrut region on Wednesday in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh.

March 7, 2018, 13:06 OSCE conducts monitoring on border of Artsakh and Azerbaijan

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 7, ARTSAKHPRESS:From the positions of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh, the monitoring was conducted by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, his Field Assistant Mihail Olaru (Moldova) and Personal Assistant Simon Tiller (Great Britain).

From the opposite side of the border, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant to the Personal Representative of the OSCE CiO Ognjen Jovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and staff member of the Office of the CiO Personal Representative Martin Schuster (Germany).

The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule.

From the Artsakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the Artsakh foreign ministry and defense ministry.
The collegium of five judges of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Tuesday rejected the appeal of the Azerbaijani government to send the Ilgar Mammadov case before the ECHR Grand Chamber.

March 7, 2018, 13:29 ECHR rejects Azerbaijans appeal to bring Mammadovs case before Grand Chamber

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 7, ARTSAKHPRESS:The aforesaid means that the ECHR judgement delivered on 16 November 2017 over Mammadovs case is final, with the court finding that there had been a violation of Article 6 (right to a fair trial) of the European Convention on Human Rights in the Ilgar Mammadov v. Azerbaijan case. The court gave Azerbaijan three months to implement the judgement and release Ilgar Mammadov.

The Azerbaijani government disputed the registered violation. Mammadov also appealed to bring the case before the ECHR Grand Chamber, claiming that apart from the violation of the Conventions Article 6, Azerbaijan also violated other articles, which was also rejected by the ECHR.

To note, Ilgar Mammadov v. Azerbaijan case refers to Azerbaijani opposition figure Ilgar Mammadov, who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan on charges of organizing mass disorder in Azerbaijani town of Ismayilli and being sentenced to seven years in prison.

The 2016 ECHR judgement found that Mammadovs arrest was politically motivated and urged the country to immediately release him. ECHR particularly found that the actual purpose of Mammadovs arrest was to silence or punish him for criticizing the government. However, Azerbaijan refused to implement the court ruling.

With Azerbaijan failing to execute the ECHR judgement on Mammadovs case, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted an unprecedented decision last year, which could lead to Azerbaijans suspension from the Council of Europe.

The CoE Committee of Ministers brought before the ECHR the question whether Azerbaijan had violated the Convention and failed to fulfil its obligation.

To remind, the CoE member States are obliged to implement judgements from the ECHR. Failure to do so is a flagrant violation of the Convention, which, in its turn, is a breach of the CoE Charter, which can serve as a basis for suspension of a member State of the Council of Europe.
Many years later, after much digging, I found a short article entitled Enter a historian in The Bulletin magazine of 6 February 1946. It helped a little but not a lot. It read:

I knew he had been a kiap in New Guinea before World War II but did not know when or where or for how longor, indeed, any of the details of his subsequent career.

McCarthy was one of the Assistant Secretaries of the Department of Territories at the time, and he seemed to have the Ministers ear more than was his due. I wondered why.

SYDNEY - I had met Dudley McCarthy at least three times in New Guinea, but it was the two occasions when he was accompanying then Minister for Territories Paul Hasluckat Wewak in 1962 and at Maprik in 1963that most interested me.

"Towards the end of 1941, a manuscript found its way to The Bulletin from the Middle East. Entitled Retreat to Tobruk and bearing the signature I.O., it was a vivid first-hand account of the muddled nightmare rush from El Agheila to Tobruk. The writer voiced no criticism, placed no blame, he merely described the retreat from the point of one who whirled along with it. His article aroused much interest and brought many letters from Diggers and others eager to read more from the same pen. Dudley McCarthy - official photograph as a senior Australian diplomat The Bulletin would have liked more, too, but I.O. had gone into smoke or perhaps into a Libyan dust storm. "After more than four years he turned up at The Bulletin office last week. He is Dudley McCarthy just appointed to assist Gavin Long in producing the official history of Australias part in World War II. McCarthy went overseas with the 2/17th Battalion in 1940 and was a lieutenant at the time of the Desert Handicap. Retreat from Tobruk did not please the higher-ups, which accounts for the journalistic silence of I.O. for the rest of the war. After Libya and Syria, he came home with the Sixth Div. H.Q. was promoted to major and served on the staff of Generals Herring and Stevens in Darwin, visited New Guinea at the time of Kokoda and returned to Darwin as Brigade Major of the 21st Brigade.... The history is to be a composite job; McCarthy's responsibility will be the volumes dealing with the defence of Australia, and the early New Guinea campaigns up to the Victory at Wau. If he can keep up his I.O. standard, his contribution will be great reading."

From time to time, I continued to seek information of McCarthys two New Guinea years and most recently chanced upon a book he had written which was published in 1979. The Fate of OLoughlin: A Novel was a fascinating read. Where had it been hiding for almost forty years?

McCarthy drew on several incidents that occurred at places on the Sepik River and wove them into the fictional OLoughlins career. Finely drawn characters, headhunters, hangings, sorcery, cargo cults, fevers, mysticism, yesteryear patrolling, reflections and criticism: it is all thereeven one or two whiffs of sex. Perhaps too much coverage for the non-enthusiast.

In an Introduction McCarthy stated that the locale of the novel is not the original great Sepik District of New Guinea but is "a fictional place indicative only of that varied and mysterious country."

Despite that declaration, his descriptions of the big river, floating islands, tamberans [spirit houses], and his three references to Marienberg do place most of the narrative squarely on the river.

The incorporation of the two historical Sepik events, the murder of Assistant District Officer McDonald by Constable Sipei at Ambunti and the incident involving George Ellis at Angoram, only reinforce that opinion.

McCarthys reference to Lutheran missionaries and his description of the river as flowing yellow provide a contrary view. The Lutheran Mission was not in the Sepik and the river did not flow yellow, at least not in my time.

I had seen it with colours ranging from colourless to black but more often a muddy brown. We washed in it; we drank it mixed with alcohol; you could chew the suspended silt and grit; but it never flowed yellow.

The Australian Dictionary of Biography in its entry for Dudley McCarthy states that "The Fate of OLoughlin: A Novel is largely autobiographical. Its an assertion I believe is substantially incorrect.

McCarthy arrived in New Guinea on a two-year appointment in 1933 but was forced by a bond with the NSW Department of Education to return to Australia to take up a teaching role in Sydney at the beginning of 1935.

To travel by sea from Angoram, Ambunti or anywhere else on the Sepik would have required him to have left the Territory by late 1934. He could not have been still a kiap when Edward Colin McDonald, Assistant District Officer at Ambunti, was murdered on 28 February 1935.

McCarthy enlisted in the AIF [Australian Imperial Forfce] in 1940 and was overseas, still serving in the in the Middle East Ellis, when the Ellis affair erupted at Angoram in 1942.

I found that the novel flagged a little towards the end when a plot involved the Papua New Guinea prime minister, OLoughlin, taken hostage by a Popular Anarchist Front quasi-terrorist organisation known as the Spotted Cat - another piece of fiction created by McCarthy's pen.

Papua New Guinea became independent in 1975. At the time, McCarthy was Australian ambassador to Spain and 64 years of age. He retired the following year.

I had not found all that I sought about McCarthy and the Ministers ear. That is a story for another time. But I enjoyed both The Fate of OLoughlin: A Novel and The Bulletin article Retreat from Tobruk. So, for the moment, I felt well satisfied.
The Auburn Rotary Club seeks high school students for the Rotary Youth Leadership Award camp July 6-8 at Cazenovia College.

Sophomores and juniors from the Auburn, Union Springs, Weedsport and Port Byron districts are encouraged to apply. Students will meet and work with other high school students from central New York, learning teamwork and leadership skills.

All camp expenses will be paid for by the Auburn Rotary Club.

Applications are available at auburnrotaryny.org, and due May 1.

For more information, call Mike Davis at (315) 294-0262.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
In a unanimous opinion, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled the surviving spouse of a person killed in a vehicle accident could initiate a wrongful death action on the decedents behalf even though the surviving spouses negligence allegedly contributed to the decedents death.

In March 2012, Sharon Myres was a passenger in her husbands vehicle when they were involved in a multi-vehicle collision in Sumner County. Mrs. Myres was killed, and her husband, Charles Myres, was subsequently charged with vehicular homicide for her death. Mrs. Myres daughter, Brittany Noel Nelson, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Charles Myres and one of the other drivers involved in the collision. Mr. Myres also filed a wrongful death action, and the trial court dismissed Ms. Nelsons complaint because, under the wrongful death statutes, Mr. Myres, as the surviving spouse, has priority to institute the lawsuit.



Ms. Nelson appealed, and the Court of Appeals reversed the trial court. The Court of Appeals concluded that Mr. Myres had a conflict of interest if his claim stood because other parties alleged he caused the accident.



The Tennessee Supreme Court granted Mr. Myres application to appeal. After examining the wrongful death statutes and applicable case law, the Supreme Court concluded that surviving spouses have priority to institute wrongful death actions even when the surviving spouses negligence caused the death in question. The Court also ruled that Mr. Myres did not waive his right to institute the lawsuit by only suing the other driver and that he did not have a conflict of interest.



In an opinion authored by Justice Roger A. Page, the Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals and ruled that based on current wrongful death statutes, the surviving spouse maintained priority to institute the wrongful death action under the circumstances presented in this case. Here, because the surviving spouse filed a wrongful death action, the daughters wrongful death complaint was properly dismissed.



To read the unanimous opinion in Brittany Noel Nelson et al. v. Charles Myres et al., authored by Justice Roger A. Page, visit the opinions section of TNCourts.gov.


In remarks on the Senate floory, Senator Bob Corker joined a number of colleagues to urge passage of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S.2155). The bipartisan legislation, authored by Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and cosponsored by Senator Corker, is targeted toward helping community banks, credit unions, mid-sized banks, regional banks and custody banks. The bill also includes important consumer protections, particularly for veterans, senior citizens and victims of fraud.

Here are excerpts of the senators remarks:.

I was here when Dodd-Frank was passed. I was on the banking committee at that time. I didn't support it, and the reason I didn't support it is for the many things that were doing today to correct it.

And whenever regulation passes, it begins at the targeted group  which was the larger institutions in our country, which failed  but then over time, the regulatory processes seep down to the smaller entities, the smaller banks that are enhoused in the communities all across our respective states. [These are] the members of the Rotary Club, the Kiwanis Club, the Lions Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the people who make things happen in our communities back home.

And so weve ended up in a situation now where our community banks and credit unions that serve our communities, that cause economic growth to occur, now have these large back-office operations that are spread over a smaller asset base.

[It] has made them noncompetitive and has made it very difficult for them to do the jobs that we all cherish that they do back home, which is help to grow those economies. And so this bill is focused on them.

***

But what were doing here is giving relief to those institutions, and its about time. We've had enough time to see what needs to happen.

This was done in a bipartisan way, which Im thankful of. And Senator Crapo I would just like to thank you for your leadership here and working with people on both sides of the aisle to create a responsible bill thats not an overreach.

***

What were doing is taking a very constructive step to make sure that these smaller institutions, which represent a very small amount of the assets in our nation but have such outsized impact on the communities that they are in, have the ability again to flourish and do the things that are necessary for our economies back home to grow.

So, I thank you. Im proud to be a part of this and a cosponsor. I thank you for letting us be a part of it, and I hope that collectively we will ensure this is a very successful effort. Thank you.

U.S. Senator David Perdue urged support for the financial regulatory reform legislation.



Senator Perdue said, "My hometown bank has been bought and sold a few times. My father who was a school superintendent was on that board. It was my first exposure to how banking works. I remember going with my dad, who didn't make a lot of money, when he wanted a loan to buy a car. I remember sitting off to the side and listening to the conversation. I knew the lending officer because he taught me in Sunday school. We saw him every week in church and his children went to the school where my dad was principal. This is a different time today. I understand that. The facts still remain that relationship lending should be at the core of what we consider here. This is a lending institution making a transaction with an individual who will then pay that loan back.

Since Dodd-Frank became law, about 1,700 banks have shut down. Most of these are community banks and regional banks, entities that had nothing to do with the financial situation in 2008. Some in this body may see that as an encouraging sign that big government is now getting more control of the lending principal and the banking industry, I think they're misguided.

Local banks, credit unions, and regional banks, are the banks supporting our local main street, providing small businesses with capital, and sponsoring little league baseball games. For nearly eight years, small-town banks have been hammered by big government regulations enacted by Dodd-Frank.

Compliance costs for community banks have risen by more than four or five percent. I met with a regional bank from Georgia. Their compliance costs have gone up because of Dodd-Frank. That's money that could be in the community in the form of loans. Instead, it's now in the form of higher compliance costs and fines paid to the federal government.

We address government restrictions on reciprocal deposits in this bill. Reciprocal deposits have created uncertainty around the critical lifeline for community banks and especially minority-owned banks that have specialized in serving customers with limited discretionary access to capital. Dodd-Frank has crippled these banks when it comes to serving their communities.

In my state, Citizens Trust Bank, a minority-owned bank in Atlanta, has been forced to drawback it's business because of the regulatory imposed by Dodd-Frank. This is counter intuitive. Thanks to the action we're taking this week, Citizens Trust will be able to grow their business because of safe harbor provisions. They are not alone. Carver State Bank, a minority-owned bank serving Savannah, Georgia, for 90 years, will also benefit.

Small banks often spend too much time and resources dealing with the regulations and compliance costs that Dodd-Frank has created. Put simply, Dodd-Frank is another one-size-fits-all, Washington, bureaucratic policy that hurts the very people it claims to champion, the middle class, working poor, and those communities that have the least access to capital. Fortunately, we have an opportunity to do something today to fix these problems.



"This bill has 12 Democratic cosponsors and I applaud them for the courage it's taken to work with us to get a bill where both sides give and take. People back home want both sides in the Senate to work together to get things done. Here's a shining example. If we can get it across the finish line, this will have a dramatic impact on main street back home.




Supervisors, School Board pitch SRP fix, new schools Five years after a $99 million hole in the county school systems supplemental retirement plan touched off a financial tug-of-war between Chesterfields Board of Supervisors and School Board, an unexpected...

Local groups rally support for Afghan refugees Tens of thousands of Afghan civilians abandoned their homes, families and belongings to flee Taliban rule in Kabul as U.S. troops withdrew from Afghanistan last month. Under Operation Allies Welcome,...

GRTC offers direct bus line from Richmond to Chester Chesterfield County announced Monday that the GRTC Transit System is merging bus Route 111 with Route 3B, which will provide continuous bus service along U.S. Route 1 in Chesterfield to...
Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Pirozzolo said the district is looking into ways it can keep the employees that work at Cayuga Centers on the district's payroll for next year. Krista Martin, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said that under the district's current plans, that the district would be able to retain all but two of the 19 positions.

Lisa Green, the district's business manager, said that the district would lose a minimum of $450,000 to $600,000 if Cayuga Centers staff weren't laid off immediately, as the district bills the counties where the students in the program come from for tuition. Green said that the number will increase the longer staff are kept on. The board opted at that meeting to table voting on the staff cuts.

The workshop also included discussions about the deficit the district is set to face, which would be around $4 million. Green said if the district were to use the $1.3 million from its reserves to reduce the deficit, it would still be left with a shortfall of around $2.6 to $2.7 million.
Guest Commentary Fair maps for our children, for our Hispanic communities, for our futures My son will vote for the first time next year. And for his first time, the state of Indiana will have brand new legislative and congressional districts. It should feel like a clean...

Voice of the People During the 13 years I have called Chesterton my home, there are few small-town activities I have come to enjoy quite like the high schools homecoming parade. It is always a beautiful moment of celebrating our students, gathering for an afternoon of fun and seeing...

Voice of the People I find it hard to believe that the majority of Town employees will put their self-interest over the GREATER GOOD which is, the viability of the Town of Chesterton by not getting vaccinated. Our town tried to save money by self-insuring itself. We could be...

Guest Commentary Local coalition aspires to achieve smokefree air for all More than 1 in 5 Indiana adults smoke cigarettes (21.5%), one of the highest rates in the nation, while the number of youths using vaping products remains a concern for anti-smoking advocates. Secondhand smoke is estimated...
West of Western Avenue, the median household income between 2010 and 2014  the most recent period for which data is available  was $49,700, according to the housing institute. If no more than one-third of ones income is to be spent on housing, some area rents that start at $1,500 for a studio near the trail price current residents out.
The move highlights a trend of big food brands either financing or acquiring small new brands in an effort to keep pace with innovation, especially as consumers increasingly flock to niche products and natural, organic and other health-conscious foods. For Kraft, its also a new avenue to reverse sluggish sales and assuage investors who have grown frustrated over the lack of acquisitions since its failed bid to acquire Unilever for $143 billion almost a year ago.
First, unless a court document is sealed by authority of the court, all court documents are open to the public. So I would go down to the local county court to determine if, in fact, the settlement has been sealed. If it has been, then the board cannot disclose the terms to anyone without getting permission from both the court and the other party to the lawsuit.
Tribune restaurant critic Phil Vettel wrote in his 2013 review about Schaffers desserts: They're all so delightful, it scarcely matters which ones ultimately appear. You might receive lightly poached cranberries with crumbles of toasted meringue and tiny bubbles of pine ice. A chocolate sphere containing liquid caramelized popcorn might follow, dusted with popcorn powder and surrounded by caramel corn. Rolled cones of poached quince filled with tamarind juice with licorice-y strands of bronze fennel; orange puree and concentrated lemon-balm dots supporting roasted pumpkin and white-chocolate yogurt sorbet. And my favorite, noodles of young coconut flesh and transparent coconut-water gelee, contrasted with vivid basil sorbet, basil-laced financier cake and African blue basil.
Chef and owner Tony Anteliz with business partner Seth Hanau will focus on a new beverage program at the West Loop location, which currently serves just a handful of Mexican beers and a classic lime margarita, said director of operations Stephanie Perez. Look for more cocktails, including flavored margaritas, plus mezcal, as well as new Pueblan dishes, along with expanded hours, she added.
Like my moms food processor, the Instant Pot brings complicated dishes within reach. I made paneer (fresh Indian cheese) in minutes, perfectly jiggly flan and a meaty Sunday gravy that tasted as if it had bubbled all day in under 30 minutes each. (Pro tip: Let your simmered dishes sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. The multi-cooker will keep them warm, while the flavors blend and meld.) I visit parts of my supermarket (hello, dried-bean aisle) Ive never considered before, and cook elaborate Indian curries, soups and French classics on a weeknight. Resolve to try offbeat vegetables like beets, artichokes or squash, or tasty (and inexpensive) cuts of meat (on the bone if you dare) that once seemed difficult to conquer but can be easily taken down with a few beeps of an Instant Pot.
Davis highlighted Lake Erie, which used nutrient reduction methods to improve its water quality. When things got better, however, people grew complacent.

"We took our foot off the gas," Davis said. "We took our eye off the ball, and what happened is HABs, the HABs came back. Nature has a way of changing on us when we're not looking, and when it did, our land use changed, and the blooms came back, and we were not prepared."

That's one thing that worries Lloyd Wilson of the state Department of Health. His fear, he said, is that next year blooms may not appear on some of these lakes, and people will think the state's investment is not worthwhile.

"That doesn't mean we don't need to go forward with the lake protection actives we're talking about," he said. "This is a long haul."

Davis also recommended lakes purchase equipment that can track water quality data when scientists aren't in the field.

Boyer, who leads a lab that tests many of the state's HAB samples for toxins, said he hopes the state and others have the courage to do something and get started.
The thing that is interesting about Israel is that it has sort of started over where wine is concerned. It began starting over roughly 30 years ago, sure (and an influx of talent and investment from California followed). But when you consider that the area once known as Canaan (known today as Israel) has a multi-millennial relationship with wine, it is as if the starting gun for the latest race has just been fired. This is the part of the world where wine was born, and for dozens of centuries, it was reserved for religious ceremony.
Gulliver Oldman wrote that while he stopped speaking to his mother seven years ago, he isn't trying to speak ill of her. But "my brother and I both have played the role of pawn on numerous occasions throughout our lives in a big game our mother has been desperately trying to play against our father. ... She has been a very sad and very troubled person most of her life."
The pause lasts two seconds or so. Then: Well, I guess Id want my company to make REAL films, you know? Of course thered be all different kinds, some animation too. And wed delve into different kinds of documentaries, and comedies, all that fun stuff. But Id really want to tell stories that havent been told. The way Hidden Figures did. Things like that. Real stories, representing a lot of different people. And Id like to include a lot of different kinds of people within my company, as well as in our movies.
2018 revision: "I think it is a quintessential insider movie, one that plays in this shrewd way to groupthink. You're either in on it, or you're not in on it," Merkin said by phone. "When I re-watched it, there were things I was more struck by. First of all, it's beautiful to watch with all that cinematography. The Busby Berkeley sequence. I was struck by all that. And think I was more amused by the intense laidback-ness that the film embodies. In some ways, the Dude and his disconnected dudeness has a certain appeal now, maybe because the world has grown more horrendous or reality is less bearable than when the film was made. I still think it's basically more of a guy's flick, than a woman's. And it probably helps to be stoned, which isn't my particular drug. But I did see that it had its virtues."
Opening with the hip-hop influenced Chaika, Tolokonnikova rapped and bobbed back and forth across the stage, kept mostly in the dark as Star Wars-like opening credits ran up a small projection screen. Another member stood to the right to serve as DJ and provide the backing track. That song, along with a few early others sang in Russian, were lost on the crowd  the excitement quickly wearing off for some folks choosing to leave just three or four songs into the nearly hourlong set.
Dipping in and out of groups, volunteering or going to church sporadically -- this really makes you a moving target. And while it's wise to try different things if something isn't working, being consistent will put you on the radar of others who are also consistent. For instance, if you volunteer, take the same shifts for a period of time to see if you click with any other volunteers.
Northern Michigans Glen Arbor, situated in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, isnt far behind Chicago from a cost standpoint. The magazine puts a weeklong vacation for two in this Midwest resort town at $2,689. Good news for Chicagoans who want to check it out: The average airfare for Glen Arbor is a steep $515, but its a roughly 5.5-hour drive from Chicago.
This means there will be no fall budget cuts, and your parents will be able to enter the summer with clarity on who will be teaching their children in the fall, Jackson wrote to principals.
As envisioned by the Walker administration, the water for Foxconn would come from Racine, an industrial city that would add the company to its larger base of residential customers, along with a small number of homes in Mount Pleasant, the community where the factory is to be located. Racine is entirely within the basin and has more than enough capacity from its existing allotment of water from the lake.
A Walmart employee is facing felony charges after stealing over $3,500 worth of electronics from the store's storage room, the Auburn Police Department said Tuesday.

Gary D. Swarthout, 20, of 8728 Wilsey Road, Port Byron, is facing two counts of fourth-degree larceny, Auburn police said.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

One charge stems from Feb. 23 when Swarthout is accused of stealing an iPhone X valued at $1,049 and a pair of headphones valued at $99 at around 2:20 a.m, police said. Swarthout is also accused of stealing another iPhone X valued at $1,199, an Apple Watch valued at $399 and a Samsung Galaxy S8 valued at $899 on March 2 at around 7 a.m., police said.

Swarthout was arrested at 11:30 p.m. March 3, and at that time, police found 6.7 grams of marijuana in his backpack so he was also charged with possession of marijuana, police said.

Swarthout was arraigned in Auburn City Court on March 4.
We share a common goal here, Cangellaris said in a statement. We want to reach an agreement that is fair, equitable and ensures that Illinois continues to be a top choice for the best graduate students in the world. We also need to be sure that our faculty continue to steward the quality and competitiveness of our academic programs.  Were back at the bargaining table today to work together with them to reach common ground and a fair resolution.
Perhaps because the national security excuse is so flimsy, those defending the tariffs offer another one: that China is overproducing steel and unloading it at cut-rate prices on the U.S. market. Trump has made this claim many times, and Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., echoed it in an interview with NPR: When you have a country like China that is dumping steel ... that is not sustainable.
The mother and daughter entered the U.S. together in California in November and turned themselves into U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. Initially, the two were kept together, but about five days after they entered the country the child was taken away "screaming and crying, pleading with guards not to take her away from her mother," according to the lawsuit.
According to the court filing, about two months after the officers arrests, the informant was investigated for allegedly stealing a treadmill from the health club where he worked, and selling it to another alleged drug dealer in Kane County. The informant was fired from his gym manager job and admitted the wrongdoing to Carol Stream police in May 2013 but prosecutors declined to charge him, according to the court document.
But detectives say they uncovered a different story: Rousary, 46, shot himself inside his home in the 1700 block of North Talman Avenue around 2:35 a.m. Police say they found several guns in the home as well as heroin, meth, cocaine, oxycodone, psilocybin and marijuana.
Its an absolutely horrible thing to go through for everybody, he said. We just hope everyone who had contact with these kids is doing OK. This certainly has reached many people and affected many people.
The bill says that legislative and executive inspectors general must give certain information to people filing complaints, including a receipt when a complaint is filed, notification of an investigation, a summary of evidence and a report of decisions made during an investigation. It also gives the accuser the right to testify at hearings and would expedite the process if allegations concern sexual harassment.
We need to have a good conversation about how do we keep our citizens safer, how do we protect our students, our children, our families, Rauner said when asked about his position on gun store licensing. And this should be done on a bipartisan basis. I believe we need to come together and we can come together to do a number of things.
I want to be crystal clear  it is inappropriate for members to make sexual comments or sexual advances to, or engage in sexual relationships with, staff, whether that person is employed directly by you, the Office of the Speaker, or another caucus, Madigan said Tuesday in a statement that later was released to reporters. This applies to both male and female legislators.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told lawmakers Trump was trying to balance protections for beleaguered steel and aluminum producers while "making sure that we don't do undue harm to the economy."

"We are not looking to get into trade wars. We are looking to make sure that U.S. companies can compete fairly around the world," Mnuchin said at a House hearing.

Trump has been keenly aware of how the tariffs may play in a March 13 special House election in western Pennsylvania, part of the nation's steel belt, White House officials have said. The president is headlining a Saturday rally in support of Rick Saccone, who is battling Democrat Conor Lamb in the Republican-leaning district.

The dispute over tariffs has exposed a rift between advocates of free trade, who have long dominated GOP circles, and a president who has railed against China and pushed for more protectionist trade policies.

Internally, White House officials who oppose the blanket tariffs have urged the administration to limit the countries that would be affected and to impose time limits. This would help the president say he delivered on his promise and still try to avoid possible negative consequences, said Stephen Moore, a former campaign adviser and now an economist with the conservative Heritage Foundation.
This Feb. 16, 2018, photo released by Japan's Ministry of Defense shows what it says is North Korean-flagged tanker Yu Jong 2, bottom, and Min Ning De You 078 lying alongside in the East China Sea. The United Nations has imposed sanctions against many types of trading with North Korea. (AP)
The EPA paid a contractor $3,000 to sweep Administrator Scott Pruitt's office for concealed listening devices. (Jabin Botsford / The Washington Post)
In some ways, Donna Brazile's best-seller, "Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House," is like an amicus brief to Phillips' work. Brazile's book, covering her tenure as the interim DNC chair, was explosive on many fronts, but it's her criticism of the failure to fully mobilize communities of color that caught my attention. Trump's campaign, she argued, aimed venom at minorities while Clinton's leadership team focused more on data than it did on people. "For Donald Trump," she wrote, "the grudge was against communities of color. If we didn't find a way to make them see that this was their election too, no amount of clever manipulation of data would bring them out to the polls." Trying to get the resources and people she needed, wrote the Louisiana native, was like having to argue with folks who were debating whether gumbo needed a roux. "You know what? You need a roux."
The Justice Department's suing states over their laws is uncommon but not unheard of. Toward the end of President Barack Obama's tenure, his administration sued North Carolina over what came to be known as the "bathroom bill," which barred transgender people from using restrooms that did not correspond with the sex on their birth certificates. The state ultimately repealed and replaced the measure, and the Trump Justice Department said that meant the case should be dropped.
Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, and Daniels' attorney at the time, Keith Davidson, negotiated what the lawsuit calls a "hush agreement" in which she would be paid $130,000. After delays and even a cancellation of the contract by Daniels on Oct. 17, the payment arrived on Oct. 27, 12 days before the election, according to emails reviewed by The Washington Post. Cohen said recently that he had used his own money to "facilitate" the payment.
Navarro felt his views on trade were being filtered out of the formal presentations Trump would receive, people close to him said, but he persisted and would not leave the White House. During weekly meetings in the Roosevelt Room with Cohn and others, Navarro would allege that others in the meeting had lost touch with Trump's electoral vision and his promises to manufacturing towns that felt left behind in recent decades. These comments often grated at others in the room, intentionally or not, and further polarized Trump's economic team.
He was a hands-on board chairman and fundraiser, Brennan said. He realized there was an opportunity to be much more impactful in curing the needs of people who were in financial crisis and he built an organization to do that, she said. He took the lead in building and strengthening the board and then positioned the Emergency Fund to merge with the Chicago Alliance. He was incredibly energetic and dedicated to fundraising.
An Ithaca woman is facing charges in two counties after being arrested early Monday by New York state troopers.

Samantha M. Townsend, 21, was arrested by state police for an outstanding bench warrant from Cayuga County Court. The warrant was for a second-degree possession of a forged instrument charge, a felony.

When troopers found Townsend in her town of Ithaca apartment, she had drugs in her possession, troopers said. She was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.

Townsend was issued an appearance ticket. She is due to appear March 29 in Ithaca Town Court.

After being issued an appearance ticket on the drug charge, she was turned over to state troopers from Auburn to face her charges in Cayuga County.

Love 5 Funny 12 Wow 1 Sad 12 Angry 8
His projects include a low-income housing development that is said to effectively accommodate 80,000 people in a network of houses, courtyards and internal pathways. His design studio consists of a cluster of buildings, some with vaulted roofs, that are enlivened by grassy terraces and reflecting ponds. The jury singled out his Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, which was built from 1977 to 1992, saying the architect has created spaces to protect from the sun, catch the breezes and provide comfort and enjoyment in and around the buildings.
The bill, which was passed by the General Assembly last fall and is currently on the governors desk, usurps local authority and the rights of municipalities for the economic gain of a thriving industry. Included in the lack of local authority is a cap on how much cities and villages could charge cell companies for the private, commercial use of public property and municipality-owned infrastructure. The legislation conveniently exempts the city of Chicago, whose legislators voted overwhelmingly for it, yet their decision negatively impacts the suburbs and the rest of the state.
McGinnis vacancy: Bar association write-ups reveal an unusual dust-up in this race. The CBA found Brian Terrence Sexton highly qualified based on his extensive experience, knowledge of the law and demeanor. The Council of Lawyers noted all of that, but found the former prosecutor not qualified, citing several occasions when the Illinois Appellate Court reversed convictions because of Sextons conduct. Our endorsement, with an asterisk, goes to Judge Peter Michael Gonzalez, who was appointed to the bench in December. He gets high marks for experience and work ethic, but the Council of Lawyers has twice rated him not qualified because of concerns about his temperament. Also on the ballot is Bradley R. Trowbridge, a former social worker who practices family law. Trowbridge has worked for the city of Chicago Law Department and the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago.
We share the skepticism. Kim and his predecessors have played this game of freeze and thaw before: Pyongyang dangles the promise of denuclearization, only to renege. North Korea agreed to abandon its nuclear weapons in 2005 during the so-called six-party talks, then restarted its program three years later. During the Obama administration, Pyongyang in 2012 agreed to halt nuclear testing. Ten months later, ballistic missile testing resumed, followed by another nuclear test.
Gelernt said the attorney was able to get to the mother and is now going to get her settled in a hotel. Whats not clear yet is when the mother can be reunited with her daughter, who is in Chicago under the care of the Office of Refugee Relocation, which is under the Department of Health and Human Services.
Simply put, Janus doesnt want to support the union, not even with fair-share dues that cover only the costs of representing employees in disputes with management and in collective bargaining. Janus contends that requiring public employees to support the union in any way violates their free-speech rights. And most observers are sure that a majority of the justices will side with him, opening the door for freeloaders to enjoy the benefits of union representation but not share in the organizational costs.
Meanwhile, portions of the mid-Atlantic coast and all of New England prepare for another nor'easter. Intensifying low pressure is expected to move northeast, just off the northeast coast Wednesday into Thursday, dumping 1 to 2 feet of snow just inland over New Jersey, eastern portions of Pennsylvania and New York and all of New England. Northeast winds gusting to 60 mph will cause coastal flooding, while building 20-foot-plus waves just offshore.
Kyren Williams scored two long touchdowns, and No. 12 Notre Dame held off Purdue 27-13 on Saturday for its 26th straight home victory. The win was the 105th in Brian Kellys 12-year career at ND, tying him with Knute Rockne as the winningest coach in program history.
As part of a plan to spend millions of dollars to combat harmful algal blooms in 12 lakes in New York, four regional summits are being held to help gain a better understanding of the problem and come up with various plans of attack.

The second of those meetings was held this week in Syracuse, where scientists and policymakers worked to formulate a strategy for the defense of Cayuga, Owasco and Skaneateles lakes. The idea is to get state and local leadership on the same page as to the specific needs for this specific area.

On the face of it, a meeting focusing on the lakes in our area is a great step that could ultimately be of great benefit for local water quality. Owasco Lake, for example, has an enormous watershed spread over multiple municipalities, so the solutions to its problem may not be the same as lakes elsewhere in the state.

It is terrific to see so many knowledgeable people involved, and it's great to get people to the table to discuss the problem and brainstorm solutions. But government at all levels  from local mayors to Cayuga County officials to the state Department of Environmental Conservation  needs to ensure that this meeting is followed by action, because all of the study and all of the talk will be for naught if it doesn't lead to concrete steps being taken as part of a comprehensive plan to improve water quality.
"The complicated relationships between children and their parents are universal, no matter our heritage or the time period, and everyone can relate to them," Collins Schwartz said. "There are always going to be things that children do that their parents will not understand, and there are always going to be ways that parents will react to things that will drive their children crazy. This play touches on those universal themes, and shows how one man chooses to deal with them."
About 8:30 p.m. Feb. 26, claiming he was armed with a knife, Lumpkins attacked a woman in an apartment complex laundry room on the 900 block of North Avenue, Aurora police said. The 30-year-old woman said she was doing laundry when a man approached and tried to make conversation. She ignored him, and he forced her into an apartment, which he said was his, where he beat her and demanded she perform sex acts for him, police said.
"If the sales tax referendum does fail, we do not want to begin another year-and-a-half to two years worth of debate and struggle. Every year that goes by that we do not address an infrastructure need, the problem compounds," Maladra said.
"We are in the final engineering phase for the Eldamain Road Bridge. It can only be done with state and federal funding. We are also looking at creating more north-south highways which are desperately needed. We only have Route 47 now. We're trying to move people around the county quicker," he said.
He said following the investigation, there is "no reason to believe any harm was intended toward the school, its students, or its employees, nor do we believe that students or employees at YHS were at any time in danger."
Columnist Denise Crosby's granddaughter takes on the task of riding her bike with training wheels in the winter and over challenging terrain because she is strong and brave. (Crosby family/The Beacon-News)
The development agreement with Bradford Real Estate Cos. had called for the firm to pay the village $1 million for a site of just under 2 acres in the Triangle, upon which it would build a two-story, 80,000-square-foot building. The upper level would have been leased to privately held theater operator Cinepolis USA, which planned to open its first location in the Chicago market.
I wrote this article due to the Florida school shooting. It is a total disgrace when we cant send our children to school and be safe. There are so many problems that this country is facing. When Americans cant send their children to school or to see a movie or even to church without being killed there is a serious problem we all have to solve. I suggest the following steps:

1. All 50 states have to pass a law that parents have the right to discipline their kids.

2. Give rights to all schools to discipline the students. The home is the first school ... read to them.

3. Pledge to the flag and put God into the pledge. Teach respect.

4. Have the kids say a prayer if they want to. Teach respect.

5. Parents, have some church structure for the kids. Teach respect.

6. Take the time to have dinner at the table not in the living room or bedroom and discuss your day. Teach respect.

7. Politicians wake up. Pass this legislation. Attorneys are at fault too. They just get rich and dont care.

8. Teachers, dont tell kids that they can have their parents arrested. Teach respect.
Ward filed a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General's office last month over the closed meeting, saying the board violated the state's Open Meetings Act by discussing her social media usage in private and when she was not present. No ruling had been made on the complaint as of Tuesday.
The university and Kroghs family said she was a student at Northwesterns School of Education and Social Policy, where she was studying sociology and its applications to business. She was involved in the Greek system and club sports, and had lined up a summer internship with the consulting firm Deloitte.
"It is really important for us to make sure we support those who are exiting our organization," Schroeder said. "People come into our organization with great enthusiasm. We have enjoyed working with them. These are not people who are (reduced) based on non-performance."
In a county of some 800,000 souls, 25 homeless people doesn't seem like a lot. The number was two fewer than last year's count of those taking part in what mean-spirited persons used to call "urban camping." That was before we became enlightened during the 1980s of the Reagan Revolution and the "Thousand Points of Light" of the first Bush administration, and decided to be kind and help those without shelter and food.
SAIC Group February sales exceed 460,000 units

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- In February, SAIC Group vehicle sales totaled 460,757 units, up 9.2 percent compared with 421,803 units of the same period last year. By the end of February, the group has delivered 1,172,909 vehicles this year, jumping 11.6 percent year on year.

All brands achieved sales growth last month except Sunwin Bus. The sales of SAIC Group Passenger Vehicle surged 42.4 percent from a year earlier and the cumulative sales of the first two months jumped 62.3 percent on an annual basis to 522,036 units.

SAIC VW, the joint venture between SAIC and VW, delivered 121,832 vehicles last month, growing 3 percent from the previous year. The cumulative sales of the joint venture in the past two months reached 335,751 units. It is reported that SAIC VW will introduce 6 new models this year to enrich its product portfolio and enhance the sales growth momentum.

Another joint venture of SAIC Group, SAIC GM, handed over 122,693 vehicles in February, jumping 13.1 percent. The total sales of the first two months this year reached 325,410 units. In order to maintain the sales momentum, GM will introduce several SUV models to the largest auto market in the world, including locally produced Cadillac XT4 and an all-new Chevrolet SUV.

With a total monthly sales volume of 155,008 units, SAIC GM Wuling achieved the most sales volume among all subsidiaries. In the first two months this year, SAIC GM Wuling handed over 355,076 vehicles, up 6.34 percent.
Events occur throughout the day Saturday, and will include staffing a phone bank for Sameena Mustafa, a Democratic candidate for Illinois' 5th Congressional district; attending the Democratic Party of Oak Park meeting or making calls to voters for DPOP; writing post cards to those in Parkland, Fla., and learning more about primary races at Live Cafe; canvassing and making calls for Anthony Clark, a Democratic candidate for Illinois' 7th Congressional district; and attending One Earth Film Fest.
As the number of homebound clients who have food pantry items delivered to them has increased, so too has the need for volunteers to shop for and deliver those goods. The food pantry is looking to local congregations and organizations interested in volunteering their time to "adopt" a month, with the goal of scheduling volunteers ahead of time, Klem said.
Sweeney has also criticized township spending, and the three trustees have sparred with Morask, Jones and the township's other elected officials over how much to levy in property taxes. At the same time, a downstate watchdog group has filed complaints with the Illinois Attorney General's Office, which determined that violations of the open meetings act were committed by the board. One of these violations involved the board's long-standing practice of gathering before board meetings in a small room of Town Hall to review township bills.
The dogs were later beaten and left dead in the 100 South block of County Road 400 West in rural Porter Township the same morning, according to animal control officials. Toni Bianchi, director of the Porter County Animal Shelter, has said that when a neighbor began yelling at the suspect to stop, he took off in his car.
"The most important thing is if you sustained damage, either personal or real property, go to the DHS website and fill out a report," Bolden said. Families without computer access can get help filing out the report at the assistance center. The reports are needed for the state to assess the damage and determine whether it will meet benchmarks for federal disaster assistance.
"It takes years to catch kids up when they come to you below grade level," he said. Walker said Ambassador offers parents a choice as a resource to the community and is showing an ability to move students forward.
The second fire was discovered at 10 a.m. when smoke was located in a second restroom on a different level of the building, Grennes said. A garbage can and the trash in it were burning. Staff members put out the fire but the plastic garbage can was badly damaged; the fire did not cause any additional damage, the release said.
Eight years later: Do you remember the Colorado flood of 2013?
FAW Chairman delays selling H5 until April

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- FAW Group has decided to delay selling the H5, a medium-sized sedan model, until April at Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, according to local media.

The Hongqi H5 was unveiled at the Shanghai International Auto-Expo in April last year and was originally planned to hit the market in December, 2017. The decision of delay was made by Xu Liuping who thought that the sales increase must be backed by a strong dealership network. He postponed the sale of H5 which may result from the lower-than-expected development of the dealership network.

Previously, FAW group planned to expand the dealership network to 100 nationwide by the end of March, 2018.

The H5, based on the Mazda Atenza platform, adopts the design idea of Hongqi B-concept in its exterior. It retains the large-sized straight waterfall type intake grille of Hongqi family and added slim LED headlight clusters. With dynamic fastback lines, the H5 made a fusion of classic feeling and modern designs.

As a luxury medium-sized model, Hongqi H5 measures 4,935mm in length, 1,840mm in width and 1,470mm in height and boasts a wheelbase of 2,870mm.



As to the interior, the H5 features a free-standing liquid crystal display (LCD) and a new-designed steering wheel which deliver a sense of youth. It is reported that the new model will provide 3 color choices of interior, including black, brown and white which is decorated with two types of trims, making of solid wood or painted with piano lacquer.

Hongqi H5 is powered by a 1.8 twin-turbo engine which can deliver a maximum power output of 178hp with a peak torque of 250Nm, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. It is expected to go on sale at Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in April with presale price ranging from RMB 160,000 to RMB 200,000.



Currently, the sales of Hongqi are majorly driven by H7 who serves for the 13th NPC and CPPCC. However, the deliveries of H7 only reached 4,665 units in 2017, decreasing 3.12% compared to 4,800 units handed over in 2016.
By Alexander Chipman Koty

The Chinese government announced its GDP growth target and policy priorities for 2018 at the annual Two Sessions meetings, Chinas largest political event of the year.

This years Two Sessions meetings were overshadowed by Octobers 19th Party Congress, where President Xi Jinping outlined a policy roadmap all the way to 2050, as well as the more recent announcement that the party plans to scrap presidential term limits.

These events precipitated debate over Chinas long-term direction and the path the country will take going forward. However, the Two Sessions  while often broad and opaque  offer businesspeople a glimpse of how the government will carry out its plans in the immediate term, as well as how they fit into the larger economic picture.

RELATED: The New Politburo Standing Committee in China

Economic growth target

In his annual Work Report, Premier Li Keqiang set Chinas 2018 GDP growth target at about 6.5 percent. The goal is similar to last years target, though without the added or higher if possible in practice as stated last year, suggesting that Li is lightly tempering expectations for 2018.

In 2017, Chinas GDP grew at a faster-than-expected 6.9 percent on the back of infrastructure stimulus, consumer spending, and a recovery in overseas demand for Chinese exports. This ended six consecutive years of slowing GDP growth, and brought the government closer to its promise of doubling 2010 GDP and per capita income levels by 2020.

Despite 2017s robust growth, the government appears to be preparing for comparatively slower expansion in 2018, and perhaps beyond. In addition to refraining from mentioning faster growth if possible, Li announced that the budget deficit target would be lowered to 2.6 percent of GDP, down from three percent over the last two years, marking the first cut since 2012.

Although the budget deficit target is being lowered, China has put forward tax cuts and tax code simplifications to remain an attractive to investors. Li said that the government would cut up to RMB 800 billion (US$126 billion) worth of taxes for companies and individuals in 2018, representing the equivalent of 5.2 percent of 2018 receipts, or 5.5 percent of 2017s revenue.

Some analysts attribute the tax cuts to pressure to compete with the massive cuts the US passed at the end of 2017, while other Asian countries have also lowered taxes in recent years. Meanwhile, Chinas tax system remains complex  business should welcome measures to simplify the tax code.

Contextualizing the growth target

The 2018 growth targets come as Chinese leadership pursue a variety of campaigns designed to reform the countrys economy and society, which were reaffirmed in Lis Work Report. Most notably, the government is looking to quell systemic risks in the economy  namely ballooning debt  and deepen its anti-pollution drive, while also pursuing an economic reform agenda.

Recent months have seen an intensification of the de-risking campaign, with corporate giants such as Anbang, CEFC, Dalian Wanda, HNA, and LeEco in the regulatory crosshairs. Meanwhile, local banks are also increasingly being fined and punished for doling out bad loans. With Chinas banking and insurance watchdogs set to merge, and the government committed to cleaning up RMB 16 trillion (US$2.5 trillion) of local government debt, the deleveraging campaign looks set to ratchet up further in 2018.

Concurrently, the battle against air pollution has also accelerated, with the city of Beijing in particular registering huge improvements in air quality in recent months. In the Work Report, Li announced that anti-pollution spending would increase by 19 percent to reach RMB 40.5 billion (US$6.41 billion), with an aim to slash sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions by three percent. While the anti-pollution campaign is undoubtedly positive for the environment, it could impact the economy in the short term due to the tighter regulation of polluting factories and industries.

Additionally, while some economic reforms  like administrative and regulatory streamlining  will encourage investment, other reform efforts may dampen growth in 2018. For instance, though Xi is not expected to liberalize state-owned enterprises (SOEs)  which would likely result in mass layoffs  the government is still seeking to reform SOEs to make them more efficient and less reliant on subsidies, which may result in a measure of short-term economic pain.

Similarly, the establishment of a new centralized anti-corruption body, the National Supervisory Commission, will expand the on-going anti-corruption campaign beyond the Communist Party to all public employees, including employees of SOEs and universities.

In the long run, reducing corruption could have a positive economic effect by reducing the misuse of public funds. But in the immediate term, it might lead to lower spending, and stall local-level investments and partnerships as officials take a wait-and-see approach to spending while they identify best practices.

Beyond these initiatives, China continues to face macroeconomic headwinds, such as its aging population and shift from cheap export-focused manufacturing to an economy defined by high-tech, innovation, and services. The Made in China 2025 industrial policy and possible liberalizations to family planning restrictions are designed to tackle these challenges over the long term, but will become even more pressing in 2018.

The prospect of a trade war with the US is a notable externality that could dampen GDP. Chinas trade policies have often been a rhetorical target of US President Donald Trump, who recently expressed his wish to add tariffs on steel to the tariffs on washing machines and solar panels. If a trade war develops, it could have wide ranging and unpredictable effects on Chinas economy.

Li promised that China would further open its markets to foreign investment  a measure that, if implemented, may defuse China-US tensions. However, he offered little in the way of specific measures, leaving the prospect of increased market access unclear at present.

Business Intelligence from Dezan Shira & Associates

New focus on high quality growth

In his Work Report, Li reiterated the importance of high quality growth, a concept Xi emphasized at the 19th Party Congress. While minimizing the importance of GDP targets is politically convenient as growth slows, the emphasis on high quality growth is also reflective of Chinas development.

As China becomes a wealthier country, with a more mature economy, GDP growth figures and relentless expansion have become less important, while socioeconomic issues such as employment, housing affordability, healthcare, and the environment have become greater concerns.

Indicators such as these are becoming more important for the government to monitor, and local officials have reportedly been instructed accordingly. Regions such as Inner Mongolia and Tianjin have been publically exposed in the media for smudging GDP statistics  a practice that the central government is looking to curb and disincentivize.

A wider array of indicators beyond GDP growth are being considered to assess local government performance, including environmental protection. Some regions in Hainan province have even abolished GDP targets completely in order to prioritize environmental protection.

The government has also set forward sweeping rural revitalization policies to address regional disparities, and potentially lift millions out of poverty. Policies such as these, if successful, may represent a more transformative effect on Chinas economy than would be expressed in simple GDP terms.

Chinas better-than-expected 2017 economic performance has given the government extra room to pursue its wide-ranging domestic policies. These policies are reflective of a new impetus to transform China, which could have positive economic effects in the long term, but may slow growth in 2018.

That being said, most economists expect Chinas GDP to grow at 6.5 to 6.6 percent in 2018, in line with Chinas projected targets. Although Chinas economy is in a transitional phase, and growth may slow slightly compared to 2017, an expansion of about 6.5 percent would be the envy of many other countries around the world, and continue to offer opportunities for foreign investors.
"Frailty, thy name is woman"this widely quoted line from William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is increasingly met with disapproval in the modern days as its discriminatory message becomes severely outdated.

About a week ahead of International Women's Day on Mar. 8, a live webcast entitled "She Leads, She Empowers"  hosted by China Plus, China Radio International and the U.N. Women Beijing Office  clearly demonstrated that women will continue to strive for equal status with men in the workplace, despite the long-existing challenges resulting from women's different roles in society.

Julie Broussard, the Country Program Manager for the U.N. Women China Office, stated that women are often challenged in their initial status as single and childless. Yet after marrying, they must then balance family and work responsibilities.

"For all humans  not just women but also men  most of us want to have families. But how shall we do that with the right person at the right time, and at the same time to build your career? I think that's the challenge everybody faces," she said.

In the debate about the different roles women hold as they climb the social ladder, some agreed that women need to map out a precise schedule for "golden time" when they should focus on career advancement or on children and family life. Others protested that women can work as long and hard as they wish and still have a baby at any age until menopause.

Liu Nan, a businesswoman and founder of China's first imported maternity and infant flash sales platform, said, "For me, there are two periods of golden time' for women. One is after graduation, when you enjoy your single time for two to three years."

"The second golden period for me was when I had my baby," Liu continued. "When she was one-and-a-half, then she could be kind of independent with the baby-sitter, so I had time to do my own things and develop my own skills."

"Although I agree that we can work throughout our lifetime, technically we need golden time to catch up," she explained.

But some panelists argued that the "golden age" for women is a false hypothesis that only goes under the cloak of inequality and unfairness.

Author, blogger, media figure and publisher Hung Huang said, "I think the entire structure of the corporate world is not a structure favorable for women to have children."

"Women don't need a golden time to have children," continued Hung, commenting that her own view may seem a bit contradictory. "Any time after reaching maturity you can have children. Provided that you're a working woman, there are certain facilities and amenities to help you accomplish," she explained.

Her view was echoed by Michael McComb, vice president of S.A.P. China, who believes women can make outstanding achievements regardless of their ticking "biological clocks" or the aging process.

"I would say that you could argue every period is the golden period.' It's just that the contexts are different; every different context may present different opportunities for people in different ways," he explained.

Virginia Tan, co-founder and president of Lean in China, a woman's platform with 100,000 members across the country, called the "golden age" a sign of decline.

"After each golden age of the civilization, there is a decline," Tan explained. "The risk is that women run up against so-called lean back' early in their careers, because the mother has to slow down as her attention is needed at home."

"It is really a mindset. Entrepreneurial women with children can be stronger, better and more mature," Tan said.

More to the point, added Tan, people ignore that men have families too.

Broussard agreed with Tan's point, saying, "Men suffer those insane working hours as much as women do. These corporate men also need that balance, spend more time with their family, want some freedom on the weekend, and don't want to be working until midnight," she added.

The 90-minute workshop also touched on the subjects of women's leadership, female competence in science and engineering and the courage needed for women to become role models of working mothers.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a government work report at the opening meeting of the first session of the 13th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2018. [Photo/China.org.cn]





Premier Li Keqiang Monday delivered the Government Work Report to the 2018 session of the 13th National People's Congress. The report reflects on China's progress in the past year and sets priorities and targets for 2018.





Economic growth





China's economy grew at 6.9 percent last year, surpassing the goal of 6.5 percent. The same target is set for 2018, a figure some argue is unduly conservative given recovery seen in the U.S. and elsewhere. Nevertheless, a conservative approach is wise given continued instability in the global economy and signs of return to trade protectionism by the Trump administration.





Economic emphasis on quality





A major theme of the 2018 report is the need for quality over quantity  for China's economy to shift away from being a leading manufacturer merely by volume towards being a leading producer of higher quality goods and services.





The move goes hand-in-hand with the call for continued growth in the tech sector, building on existing success. China is already a leader in mobile telecommunications, with the greatest number of mobile phones and use of services such as mobile payment in the world.





The global competitiveness of Chinese companies has also increased, with e-commerce companies being welcomed by customers all over the world. The "China" brand is one increasingly associated with quality.





Still, China needs to continue to develop its technological innovation and research, and to reform its finance, education and other systems in order to meet its future goals. Such developments will require capital, including foreign investment.





Managing economic risks





The government report also identifies risks to be managed, chiefly the need to maintain prudent fiscal controls. The report notes that China will focus on conservative investment in the right industries, will remain wary of high levels of debt, especially in local governments, and will resist excessive quantitative easing as seen in the West.





China's conservative approach further involves a serious crackdown on illegal fund raising, financial fraud, corruption and illegal shadow banking. China will strengthen coordination and oversight to improve financial regulation on the whole.





Infrastructure





Continued economic growth also requires investment in infrastructure of all kinds, from internet access to improved education, transport and housing. Relevant legal reforms are also needed, which will continue with a draft revision of China's Constitution. Tax reforms will aim to provide greater business incentives with less bureaucratic red tape. China will also boost its legal protection of intellectual property, recognizing its growing importance in a digital economy. Moreover, in an effort to open up China's industry to increased domestic and foreign competition, enhanced access will be granted in several manufacturing sectors such as telecommunications, medical services, education, green vehicles and provision of services for the elderly.





Rural development and inequality





The report also indicates a commitment to ensuring that the Chinese Dream works for all people in China. It intends to further reduce poverty from 30 million to zero, to further support the poorer rural areas and to advance urbanization.





Environment





Another major issue mentioned in the report is the environment. Notably, in the last five years efficiency has improved, with both energy and water consumption per unit of GDP falling more than 20 percent. China has also significantly reduced the production of major pollutants and heavy air pollution in key cities has fallen substantially. High tech plays an important role here as well, as China redoubles its efforts to become a leader in green technologies, including solar and electric cars.





National defense





China's greater presence on the world stage means its military must adapt to these new and larger roles to ensure peace within the region and national security. In addition to strengthening its own defense, China will take a proactive and collaborative role in developing peaceful relationships to promote stability and economic development, particularly with neighboring countries in the Asian region.





Conclusion





It is significant that 2018 marks the 6th year of Xi's leadership. Under his leadership China's share of the world economy has grown from 11 to 15 percent, and China has accounted for 30 percent of the world's economic growth. China' s GDP has risen from 54 trillion to 82.7 trillion yuan, indicating average annual growth of 7.1 percent. More than 68 million people have been lifted out of poverty, personal income has increased and more than 66 million new urban jobs have been created. This year's Government Work Report shows that China is on track for continued and steady growth as it moves forward towards achieving the "Chinese Dream."





Eugene Clark is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/eugeneclark.htm





Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
The old town of Zhouzhuang is located in the "Golden Triangle" among Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou. The town was included on American news agency CNN's list of the top-10 most beautiful towns in the world. The town's 14 stone bridges, from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, embody a unique structure that mesh well with the old waterway infrastructure for which the town is famous. Also boasting hundreds of old mansions, courtyard dwellings, alleyway boutiques selling traditional wares, Qunqu opera and delicacies such as Xuan rolls and Apo tea, Zhouzhuang is definitely worthy of its moniker, "The best water village in China." [China.org.cn]
 Flash

The fact that the Diaoyu Islands belong to China will not change, no matter what Japan says or does, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Tuesday.





Geng made the remarks at a routine news briefing when asked for comments on the Japanese Education Ministry's decision to add "the Diaoyu Islands are 'inherent' parts of Japan's territory" in its new teaching guidelines for senior high schools.





"Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands have always been an inherent part of Chinese territory," said Geng, adding that no matter what Japan says or does, it cannot change the fact that the Diaoyu Islands belong to China and cannot shake China's determination to safeguard its territorial sovereignty.





China urges Japan to face up to history and reality and to educate younger generations with a correct historical view to avoid making new trouble for China-Japan relations, Geng said.




Mazda China sales surge 32.4% to 54,044 in first two months

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The Japanese automaker Mazda has delivered a total of 54,044 vehicles in China in the first two months this year, jumping 32.4% year on year and reaching a new high of cumulative sales of the first two months in China, according to Mazda Motor (China) Co., Ltd.

Both Sino-Japanese joint ventures, FAW-Mazda and Changan Mazda, achieved year-on-year sales growth in the first two months. Specifically, FAW-Mazda's sales grow 9.0% from a year earlier to 21,535 units. Changan Mazda delivered a total of 32,509 vehicles in January and February, surging 54.4% from the previous year.

In terms of the February sales, Mazda handed over 20,088 vehicles last month, not only jumping 27.3% over the previous year, but also setting a new record of February sales. FAW-Mazda and Changan Mazda sold 8,059 units and 12,029 units respectively, with year-on-year sales growth of 9.7% and 42.6%.

According to Nobuhiko Watabe, Chairman of Mazda Motor (China) Co., Ltd, the automaker aims to achieve a sales target of 310,000 vehicles in this country this year. Mazda obtained an outstanding annual sales performance last year to 309,407 units with a year-on-year growth of 8.3%. This was the first time that the Japanese automaker had delivered over 300,000 vehicles in China annually.

Changan Mazda plans to launch an all-new SUV model CX-8 in China in the second half of this year. Positioned to be a medium-large SUV, the CX-8 measures 4,900mm in length, 1,840mm in width and 1,730mm in height and boasts a wheelbase of 2,930mm. The biggest attraction of the CX-8 is that it will provide two variants of a 6-seat layout and 7-seat layout. Especially, the 6-seat layout version will be equipped with a central armrest which enhances the riding comfort.

In addition, the Mazda MX-5 Z-Sport Limited Edition will go on sale in China this month. The use of gray body and red ceiling offers an impressive visual contrast. Featuring a double-eight-spoke BBS rim, the model looks elegant and sporty.

Meanwhile, the Mazda MX-5 Z-Sport Limited Edition will be powered by a 2.0L naturally aspirated engine which is able to output a maximum power of 117kW. The new model will be imported to China's market by FAW-Mazda.
 Flash

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday decided to declare a 10-day state of emergency following clashes in Kandy in central Sri Lanka.





Minister of National Dialogue, Mano Ganeshan told Xinhua the decision had been taken following a special cabinet meeting held on Tuesday morning.





Ganeshan said the State of Emergency will give the president power to deploy the armed forces across the country.





Sri Lankan Police on Tuesday re-imposed a curfew in parts of Kandy after violent mobs took to the streets on Monday burning houses and businesses in the latest spate of racial violence to hit the island country.





The Sri Lankan government in a statement strongly condemned the violence in Kandy and warned to take stern action against those inciting racism.





The government also condemned the hate and mischievous misinformation campaigns carried out on social media, with the clear objective of creating disharmony among communities and inciting violence.





"The Government urges every citizen of Sri Lanka to desist from falling prey to such hate and misinformation campaigns. As a country that had suffered by acts of violence for nearly three decades, we as a nation should desist from repetition of such," Director General of Government Information Department, Sudarshana Gunawardhana said.





Violence erupted in Kandy on Monday when mobs clashed on the streets causing severe unrest and leading to shops and homes being burnt and damaged.




 Flash

China's top political advisors praised the progress made on the Korean Peninsula in recent weeks and said the complicated issue could only be solved by candid negotiation and exchange among all relevant parties.



"Although there are still many uncertainties, everything is moving in a positive direction," Kong Xuanyou, vice minister of foreign affairs and special representative of the Chinese government on Korean Peninsular affairs, told China.org.cn on Tuesday. He is also a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and is attending the ongoing first session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee which runs from March 3 to 15.

Kong said China will continue playing its part and is still firmly pushing the reopening of the six-party talks. "While we face many difficulties and problems, our fundamental position will not change, because we believe that the peninsula issue can only be solved by reaching out to one another. And the six-party talks are the best platform."

Liu Hongcai, another CPPCC member, agreed. He is the former deputy head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China and a former Chinese ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).



"We need joint efforts from every related party to resolve the nuclear issue and peninsula peace and development issues, and so we also need more mutual and multilateral talks," Liu said to China.org.cn.

The former ambassador admitted the situation is constantly changing, but he said he hoped the relevant parties could all work hard and would not damage each others' efforts. "We could raise and solve problems during the progress of negotiation," Liu said. "No problem can be solved without communication and talks, and only talks can enhance mutual understanding."

The Korean Peninsula situation came to the brink of war over the last year when the DPRK and the United States exchanged rhetoric and engaged in missile tests and military drills.

But after top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un expressed willingness in his New Year's speech earlier this year to participate in the South Korean-hosted 23rd Winter Olympics, the DPRK sent athletes, cheerleaders and high-ranking delegations to the sporting event in Pyeongchang. Amid the mood of emerging dialogue, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to delay the annual South Korea-U.S. joint military drills scheduled during the event.

Chung Eui-yong, the top national security adviser for President Moon, led a 10-member South Korean special delegation and visited Pyongyang in a two-day visit. He also met Kim Jong Un on Monday night.

Chung held a press briefing in the South's presidential Blue House yesterday, saying that the North has shown willingness to talk "candidly" with the U.S. about denuclearization and normalized ties between Pyongyang and Washington. Kim Jong Un has also agreed to refrain from conducting nuclear and missile tests when engaging in dialogue with South Korea.

Chung is set to travel to the U.S., China, Russia and Japan to share the outcome of his talks with the DPRK leader.

The South and North also agreed to hold the third inter-Korean summit talks in late April, and further agreed to set up a hotline between the countries' leaders to closely coordinate and ease military tensions. The first talks through the hotline will be held before the late April summit.

"Any progress that would benefit the peninsula peace, benefit the reconciliation between the DPRK and South Korea and benefit the eventual achievement of denuclearization should have our support and encouragement," CPPCC member Liu said.

Liu also noted that China has been attempting to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula and establish a platform for talks. "The Korean issue cannot be resolved without China," he added.
SAIC, Infineon set up new JV to offer power modules for EVs

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- SAIC Group and Infineon Technologies AG (hereinafter referred to as Infineon) recently announced that they will set up a new JV to manufacture power modules for electric vehicles. SAIC Group and Infineon will hold a respective stake of 51% and 49% of the new JV. Named as SAIC Infineon Automotive Power Modules (Shanghai) Co, Ltd. (SAIPM), the new JV is headquartered in Shanghai, and its production base is located in Wuxi. The new JV is slated to mass produce products in the second half of 2018.

The joint venture SIAPM offers power solutions for electric vehicles in China, aiming to provide more convenient and high-quality service and experience for all customers related to new energy industrial chain in China. In addition, Infineon will continue to independently serve other markets. The joint venture will focus on frame-based HybridPACK modules for the Chinese market. First-generation automotive frame-based IGBT modules within the HybridPACK family were introduced by Infineon in 2006 and are widely used in plug-in hybrid and full electric vehicles worldwide.

"Joining forces with SAIC Motor, the largest automaker in China, will further enhance and expand our position, and also allow us to significantly expand our manufacturing capacities in order to satisfy the ever growing demand from the market. By virtue of the products tailored to the needs of the Chinese electric vehicle industry, we plan to generate more businesses." said Jochen Hanebeck, member of the Management Board of Infineon responsible for operations, at the Grand Opening in Wuxi. "Our joint venture will make us faster to serve the electric vehicle customers in China."

Chen Zhixin, president of SAIC Group spoke highly of the cooperation and also believed that Infineon's cutting-edge power module solutions will be perfectly combined with their expertise in vehicle and system of electric vehicles.

According to the statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), the output of plug-in hybrid and full electric vehicles reached 7,940,000 units in China during 2017. The latest forecast of the market intelligence company IHS Markit* expects the Chinese production of plug-in hybrid and full electric vehicles to reach 2 million units in 2020 and 4.3 million in 2024, taking up about 45% of the expected global demand.
President Xi Jinping on Monday congratulated Armen Sarkissian on being elected president of the Republic of Armenia.

In a congratulatory message, Xi highly appraised the achievements made in the development of bilateral ties since China and Armenia established a diplomatic relationship.

He said China attaches high importance to advancing China-Armenia relations and stands ready to make joint efforts with Armenia to push forward cooperation between the two countries in various fields to a new stage and bring benefits to the two countries and the two peoples.
By Yang Min(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2018-03-06

An intelligent robot called Heping Fabao at the peoples court in Heping district, Shenyang city of Liaoning province on March 1.[Photo/Chinanews.com]

The peoples court in Heping district, Shenyang city of Liaoning province launched an intelligent robot named Heping Fabao on March 1. It is the first of its kind in Liaoning province and can provide 24-hour legal consultancy services for residents who want to file a lawsuit.

People can find the robot at the service hall of Heping peoples court or log in to the WeChat service platform of the court to seek help from a virtual assistant.

The robot can communicate with people by using voice and text. Professional consultancy on criminal law, civil law, administrative law and intellectual property rights is available, which has helped improve efficiency at the court and reduced the demands on staff.
Last week, China announced that it would drop presidency term limits, effectively allowing current president Xi Jinping to serve indefinitely. The leader is currently concluding his first five-year term, one not particularly positive for the countrys Christians.

During his time in office, a provincial government engaged in a multi-year campaign to remove crosses from the tops of churches and Xi suggested that religions that inadequately conformed to Communist ideals threatened the countrys government, and therefore must become more Chinese-oriented. Last fall, the Communist party reportedly visited Christian households in Jiangxi province, forcibly removing dozens of Christian symbols from living rooms and replacing them with pictures of Xi.

In February, the government hit the faith community with another set of restrictions. Under these regulations, religious groups must gain government approval for any sort of religious activity, including using ones personal home for a religious practice, publishing religious materials, calling oneself a pastor, or studying theology.

The government accepted the worst possible version of the restrictions, said Fenggang Yang, the director of the Center on Religion and Chinese Society at Purdue University. The government could have been more pragmatic in its approach and treated this as a social management issue.

But these [restrictions] are not, he said. Its going to be very difficult or impossible to implement or enforce the restrictions.

Yang joined associate digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss the roots of the governments anti-religion attitudes, how Christians are speaking out against the recent term limits, and the fledgling Chinese missions movement.

This episode of Quick to Listen was brought to you by the Christian Standard Bible. To learn more about the Christian Standard Bible, visit CSBible.com/CT.

What is Quick to Listen? Read more

Subscribe to Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts

Follow the podcast on Twitter

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Morgan Lee and Ted Olsen

Learn more about Purdues Center on Religion and Chinese Society

Quick to Listen is produced by Morgan Lee, Richard Clark, and Cray Allred
America's Sorrow is America's Hope



GREENVILLE, S.C., March 7, 2018 /



Statistics show that 800,000 new widows will be created each year in our nation. Teel-Nealis, author of "Grieving by the Numbers," which chronicles her journey after the sudden loss of her husband, shares her insights to coping with this sorrow.



"Grieving is not something you get over, it is something you get through. It is something that becomes woven into the tapestry of who you are becoming," said Teel-Nealis. Grief can cause many physical ailments, such as fatigue, insomnia, headaches, weakness, loss of appetite, aches, pains, and other issues generally related to stress. It can also cause some life-threatening ones as well. Sixty percent of widow(ers) or those who have lost a significant other will experience some form of serious illness within a year of their loss.



"I had many nights with little to no sleep in my first days after the death of my husband, as my mind was filled with torturous thoughts about a future devoid of hope," Teel-Nealis said.



The loss of a loved one can also affect a person spiritually with many questioning life's purpose, why pain and suffering exist, and the meaning of death. Teel-Nealis found solace in writing a weekly entry on social media reflecting on where she was in the process each week as it correlated with her grieving, and she soon gained a significant following. "It was in being intentional about seeking meaning to my loss that I found a path away from that darkness and into a new beginning. I learned that God doesn't waste a single thing. He is the Great Recycler!" The infusion of hope she gained through her journey and the spiritual connection that gave her strength are shared in the telling of her grief journey and her path to new love. These posts and her story are highlighted in "Grieving by the Numbers" which will be released this month.

Contact: AnnaMarie Cantrell, 864-504-5616, Anna@CaptiveInkMedia.com GREENVILLE, S.C., March 7, 2018 / Christian Newswire / -- The death of Billy Graham, the mass shooting in Florida, and the deadly influenza outbreak has left many Americans facing the number one item on the stress index: the death of a loved one. At any time in the United States, 75 percent of Americans are suffering from some form of personal tragedy. Author, Jan Teel-Nealis, addresses this national problem.Statistics show that 800,000 new widows will be created each year in our nation. Teel-Nealis, author of "Grieving by the Numbers," which chronicles her journey after the sudden loss of her husband, shares her insights to coping with this sorrow."Grieving is not something you get over, it is something you get through. It is something that becomes woven into the tapestry of who you are becoming," said Teel-Nealis. Grief can cause many physical ailments, such as fatigue, insomnia, headaches, weakness, loss of appetite, aches, pains, and other issues generally related to stress. It can also cause some life-threatening ones as well. Sixty percent of widow(ers) or those who have lost a significant other will experience some form of serious illness within a year of their loss."I had many nights with little to no sleep in my first days after the death of my husband, as my mind was filled with torturous thoughts about a future devoid of hope," Teel-Nealis said.The loss of a loved one can also affect a person spiritually with many questioning life's purpose, why pain and suffering exist, and the meaning of death. Teel-Nealis found solace in writing a weekly entry on social media reflecting on where she was in the process each week as it correlated with her grieving, and she soon gained a significant following. "It was in being intentional about seeking meaning to my loss that I found a path away from that darkness and into a new beginning. I learned that God doesn't waste a single thing. He is the Great Recycler!" The infusion of hope she gained through her journey and the spiritual connection that gave her strength are shared in the telling of her grief journey and her path to new love. These posts and her story are highlighted in "Grieving by the Numbers" which will be released this month.

Share Tweet
Black and White Teens to March 50 Miles to Memphis to Mark 50th Anniversary of MLK Assassination 'Honor and hope' inspire PEARSON Foundation's commemorative March to Memphis by interracial group of young men



Contact: Jarvis Ward,

601-942-2990,

pearson39208@gmail.com



PEARL, Miss., March 7, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- An interracial group of young men will be taking part in a journey of reconciliation to mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights champion Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.



Photo: The PEARSON Foundation President Jarvis Ward (second left) with participants in the organization's mentoring program, some of whom will be taking part in the March to Memphis to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.



Their 50-mile March to Memphis will take them from Dundee, Miss., to the city where Dr. King was killed on April 4, 1968, to join in commemorative events there.



Organized by The PEARSON Foundation (www.pearson39208.org), a faith-based mentoring and community service organization based in Pearl, Miss., the trek aims to teach participants more about civil rights and justice issues, and model reconciliation and healthy racial relations.



"Our hope is to not only honor all that Dr. King achieved, but to be part of continuing his work," said PEARSON Foundation President Jarvis Ward. "We want to show how racial justice, economic justice and racial reconciliation can be advanced in and by the next generation."



Setting out March 31, along the way the young men will discuss issues as they walk and also take part in evening community meetings in places where they stay overnight at schools or churches.



Aged 14 through 19, the teen group will comprise members of PEARSON programs and peers from local schools. They will be accompanied by adult mentors with PEARSON, which stands for People Employing Available Resources to Strengthen Our Neighborhoods.



President of the foundation since 2014, Ward has long been involved in racial reconciliation initiatives. The first Executive Director of Mission Mississippi, he was also founder of the National City Impact Roundtable, and served as National Facilitator of City/Community Ministries for Mission America for 16 years.



A native Memphian, Ward remembers hearing of Dr. King's death on the car radio while riding with his parents, as a boy. "I knew something was seriously wrong by their emotional reaction," he recalls. "But as a four-year-old, I did not fully comprehend what it meant."



The March to Memphis will also feature an "I Am A Man" emphasis discussing issues of adulthood and manhood. It builds on the "I Am A Man" slogan used during the 1968 sanitation workers strike in Memphis, which Dr. King had traveled to support when he was killed.



Joining Ward and the others on the march will be his 91-year-old mother, Alice C. Ward, who will walk the last mile and a half of the march. Ron Forseth, a white colleague with whom Ward has worked on racial justice issues for 15 years, will also be on the march from start to finish.



On the final leg of their march, the PEARSON walkers will also be joined by family, friends and other supporters wishing to participate. Once in the city, they will then join in a larger commemorative march planned there and in activities at the National Civil Rights Museum, at the site of Dr. King's killing. The events are being organized by the city of Memphis and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The death of black AFSCME sanitation workers in February 1968 sparked the protests that drew Dr. King to Memphis that April.



"We will not be walking in anger or protest," said Ward. "We will be walking in honor and in hope, believing that Dr. King's dream of racial justice, economic justice and racial reconciliation can yet one day be realized."



The group will have a police escort over the entirety of their route provided by the Pearl Police Department, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, and municipal and county law enforcement along the way. Real-time updates on the progress of the March will be posted on the March to Memphis Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MarchtoMemphis.



More than 50 volunteers help run The PEARSON Foundation's in-school, after-school and community service programs. They include tutoring, a summer reading institute, leadership retreats, and a State of Mississippi "best practice" in-school and community-based mentoring program.



Anyone wishing to support the March to Memphis and the PEARSON Foundation may contribute at their Go Fund Me page at: www.gofundme.com/MarchtoMemphis.



The PEARSON Foundation (www.pearson39208.org) is a faith-based nonprofit serving communities in Pearl, Miss., through mentoring and discipleship programs. More than 50 volunteers help run a wide range of in-school, after-school and community service programs.



Share Tweet
Warhol leads record-breaking Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction in London

Six Self-Portraits, a rare masterpiece from Warhols first and only self-portrait exhibition, achieves 22.6 million as two Post-War and Contemporary Art sales total 160.3 million
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message.
APL-urile din sudul tarii au aflat cat de transparente au fost in 2020, dupa ce au fost monitorizate de catre OSC-uri de la nivel local
AKRON, Ohio - Ocius Technologies and the University of Akron's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have received a $1.5 million Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Small Business Technology Transfer Phase II award, in partnership with Case Western Reserve University.

The award will fund research that examines how computationally intensive engineering and physics problems can be solved more quickly using new types of analog computers for electromagnetic, magnetohydrodynamic and fluid mechanic applications. The award will fund three years of research, which began last year.

The award follows a successful, 16-month Phase I research effort, which used resources from Ocius Technologies and the University of Akron. During Phase I the team researched analog co-processors with a focus on simulation and design.

Dr. Arjuna Madanayake

Ocius Technologies and the University of Akron Research Foundation provided entrepreneurial support for the research, which was led by the University of Akron faculty Dr. Arjuna Madanayake and Dr. S.I. Hariharan. Ph.D. student Nilan Udayanga supported Phase I research efforts, and will assist with Phase II efforts, along with Dr. Soumyajit Mandal of Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. S.I. Hariharan

"Ocius Technologies is pleased to be partnered with leading researchers in the field of analog circuit design," said Dr. Dale H. Mugler, chief technology officer of Ocius Technologies in a news release. "This research has the ability to drive revolutionary processes into how simulations and complex models are calculated today, leading to better, faster and safer systems and products."

"As noted on its website, 'DARPA explicitly reaches for transformational change instead of incremental advances' by funding projects that have the potential for disruptive advancements," said Steve Nichols, CEO of Ocius Technologies in a news release. "This team is driving new approaches to tackle hard physics simulations not easily achievable using current technologies. In addition to helping the government adopt these new methods, Ocius is looking for commercial partners that need increased speed in their complex product development."

Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.
BRECKSVILLE, Ohio -- At least two parents have complained of continued bullying at Central Elementary School and say the school's principal has not taken proper action to stop it.

The parents made their comments during a Feb. 26 school board meeting, which cleveland.com did not attend but listened to later through an audio recording on the Brecksville-Broadview Heights schools website.

"At Central, there is a problem, right at the top," one parent, who did not identify himself in the recording, told the board.

The parent said Central has experienced "assault after assault" but the principal "has done nothing." According to the district website, the principal at Central is Chris Hartland.

The parent said one pupil has been responsible for four separate assaults. He said Hartland failed to suspend the pupil or file a police report, and instead assigned the assault victims to different school buses than the pupil, a solution the parent did not find adequate.

"I don't see the kind of discipline and enforcement at Central that I see at Chippewa (Elementary School)," the parent said.

The parent then handed schools Superintendent Joelle Magyar a letter detailing his concerns. Neither Magyar nor board members addressed the parents' concerns during the meeting.

After the meeting, cleveland.com asked for a copy of the letter, but Magyar refused, saying the letter contained the names of minors. Sharing the information publicly would violate the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which protects the privacy of student education records.

Catherine Turcer, policy analyst with Common Cause Ohio, a nonpartisan group that promotes good government, agreed with Magyar.

"It's always a fine line," Turcer told cleveland.com. "There are some things the public might want to know, but we also need to protect the identities of minors."

When asked whether the district would investigate the allegations about bullying at Central, district officials released a statement late Tuesday.

"The comments made at the (Feb. 26) board meeting were in regards to past events," Magyar said in the statement. "All have been investigated and consequences delivered."

Security concerns

The Feb. 26 board meeting was packed with parents and pupils, so many that some had to sit on the floor. They were worried about school safety and security in the aftermath of the deadly mass shooting Feb. 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

At the meeting, district officials reviewed existing security measures in the schools and talked about ways to improve security.

However, some parents were skeptical that existing security measures were working.

Board President Kathleen Mack said the board wants to hear from residents and families and acknowledged that school officials don't have all the answers. She said some residents, even before the board meeting, had suggested ways to beef up security.

"We just have to start that dialogue, and that's what we're doing today," Mack said. "We can always be better than we are, and that's what we're trying to do."

Worried parents

Here are a few security issues parents raised during the board meeting:

Unsecured doors -- During his presentation about school security, Chris Coad, the district's director of business services, said all schools keep their main building entrances locked, identify visitors with security cameras and intercoms before letting them in, and provide visitors with ID badges they must wear inside school buildings.

But one parent said she was able to enter Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School through unlocked doors without having to walk through the main entrance's security system.

"I don't know why they have unlocked the door, and I would have to investigate why that's occurring," Coad said.

Another parent said she has known adults who have been buzzed into one of the schools without having to identify themselves. The visitors signed in and dined with children in the cafeteria.

"I share your concern," Coad said. "I would say that everyone on the board and the superintendent shares your concern."

Lack of police presence -- Coad said the district partners with local police to provide security. Brecksville-Broadview Heights High and Middle schools share a full-time resource police officer. A Safety and Security Team, consisting of school board members, administration officials, police and citizens, meets semiannually.

But one parent said she has never seen a police officer at Chippewa Elementary School, except for the day of the board meeting. Another parent suggested posting police officers in the parking lot.

Coad said the board has spoken to local police about school security, and that police support district security initiatives. He apologized that the one parent didn't see a police presence at Chippewa.

Failure of pupils to buy in -- Coad said the district has "a very strong 'See Something, Say Something' model in place" at the high and middle schools. This approach encourages pupils to tell authorities if they see or hear something suspicious or alarming. Pupils can also call a hotline to report suspicious or alarming activity.

One parent said "See Something, Say Something" isn't taken seriously and pupils don't know what the hotline is for.

"To be frank, a lot of people treat the safe-school hotline as a joke," the parent said.

Another parent agreed, saying her 11-year-old son heard pupils threaten to harm themselves on two occasions, but didn't report it because he didn't know what to do.

"The thought (of 'See Something, Say Something') is nice, but it's not working," the parent said.

Coad said the district has limited control over how people view the hotline, but added that the district needs to "work through that."

Arming teachers and administrators -- One parent asked if the board has considered arming teachers with guns. The board said that in Ohio, local school boards can approve such a policy, but the community would have to support it. The board said it has not discussed that possibility yet.

Another parent opposed the idea, saying it's too easy to wrestle a gun from someone's hands.

Mental health -- A parent asked the board if the district has talked to pupils about their mental health.

Magyar said the district has invited mental health specialists into the schools and trained teachers how to identify pupils who are struggling.

The problem, Magyar said, is that no training exists for this type of security-related mental health issue. She said teachers have advised pupils to see guidance counselors when they are stressed, but pupils say they are too busy.

Magyar said the district will start setting aside one period a week when instruction stops and pupils can talk about how they are feeling. She said the district may add the time-out period to its curriculum.

Mack, after hearing parents' comments, said the board and district must review their security procedures, communicate better and examine their buildings.
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Officials expect that the switch to a new electric aggregation program will cause less interim shock on customers' bills than its natural gas counterpart did.

City Council on Monday (March 5) approved the electric plan following two public hearings hosted by the new provider, the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC).

As with NOPEC's gas aggregation program, which the city joined earlier this year, a 21-day "opt-out" period will ensue, with the aggregated electric fee being incorporated into bills after that.

If customers don't opt out in those 21 days, they will be rolled into the electric aggregation program automatically, said NOPEC Member Development Director Brenda Fargo.

Fargo noted that there will be no cancellation fee if they want to drop out at any point.

"The approach we're taking involves a variable price, which makes a huge difference as we continue to look for better savings," Fargo noted of the energy consortium's bulk buying power.

At least for natural gas, this differs from the city's previous aggregation supplier, Constellation Energy (formerly Integrys) which had a locked-in rate that could remain higher than what was available elsewhere on the utility market.

One of the residents attending the public hearings on Monday prior to council's vote was James Peoples, who had more questions about his gas bills than electricity.

"I was enrolled in the gas aggregation program, and was told that if I was a member, I was not required to do anything else," Peoples said, adding that he received a letter telling him the same thing.

With that in mind, he asked why his gas bill went from $3.28 per MCF to $5.28 per MCF.

The increase resulted from several months' lag time between the city's new agreement with NOPEC kicking in -- including the "opt-out" period.

"I'm still dealing with a deficit, in terms of what my disposable income is," said Peoples, a resident of Cleveland Heights for more than 40 years. "It seems like the homeowners are being penalized unduly."

Dominion Energy Ohio spokesman Neil Durbin said Tuesday (March 6) that it sounded like Peoples had a rate coming from a different "Energy Choice" supplier.

"If it has been more than two months since the original aggregation offer expired, then these customers would have been moved to the Dominion Energy Ohio's Standard Choice Offer," Durbin said.

And while the cold snap in December and January led to high market prices, Dominion's Standard Choice Offer only increased from $2.74 per MCF in January to $3.63 per MCF in February.

"Now that the weather has moderated in February, market prices have decreased to the current $2.64 per MCF for the March 2018 Standard Choice Offer," Durbin added.

Assistant City Manager Susanna Niermann O'Neil said that the transition to the electric aggregation program -- a three-year agreement -- should be relatively "seamless."

Fargo added that the new gas aggregation contract is good for only two years. But at the same time, if the city decides to drop NOPEC for a new supplier, the expiration will be in April, as opposed to the higher-consumption winter months.

Councilman Mike Ungar noted that with the opt-out period wrapping up, there are 12,265 residents enrolled in the new NOPEC gas aggregation program, compared to 590 who have opted out -- or a participation rate of 95.2 percent to 4.8 percent.

Cleveland Heights has the added benefit of a pilot program that allows the city to pick a location for an electric car-charging station, as well as an electric car lease.

"We hope this will serve as a model for our other 200 member communities, to assist them in reducing their carbon footprints," Fargo said.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The thing about excess is you can never get enough. Let's hear it for more, more, more.

At 9 p.m. Saturday, Cleveland Brazilian Carnival will give you another shot at Mardi Gras. The bash brings performers, music and dancing to Shooters on the Water, 1148 Main Avenue, Cleveland.

It also rolls out a Brazilian vibe and verve to the party.

"Brazilians love to party," says event organizer Adriana Matos of TropicalCleveland. "And Carnival is about people celebrating life, their bodies, music."

Matos, a native of Sao Paulo, moved to Northeast Ohio 19 years ago.

"Our Carnival party is a way for Brazilians in the area to celebrate their heritage and connect with back home," she adds. "But there are just as many non-Brazilians who come - because they love the music and, in many ways, it has become part of world music, hip-hop and dance music."

The bash, which has attracted 1,200 people in the past, incorporates aspects of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. The last is the culturally rich state known for its rhythmic music, located on the Atlantic coast of Brazil.



In Brazil, the king of Carnival is traditionally the fattest man in town - since Carnival is seen as one last gasp before Lent.

But wait, aren't we in Lent now?

"Our party attracts a lot of out-of-towners so we decided to push it back a little later to make it easier for them to come," she says.



The party rolls out a costume contest, masks, beads and discounted Caipirinhas. It begins with dancing lessons (9:30 p.m.).

The Paulo Costal Band will perform traditional and modern Brazilian Carnaval Music. The event includes Big Batucada (Brazilian Drum Line), Samba Joia and Brazilian Samba Dancers and DJ Sambucada. Tickets are $15, advance; $20, door. Go to tropicalcleveland.com or call 216-280-0407.
KENT, Ohio - Kent State University has unveiled a $1 billion, 10-year master plan for the 866-acre main campus, including creating a gateway on Main Street, building a new College of Business Administration and adding green space.

"This is a bold transformative plan," President Beverly Warren told the board of trustees on Wednesday. "This is grounded in a student-first philosophy."

Trustees are expected to approve the plan later in the day.

The plan calls for creating an intergenerational village and a Greek village as well as renovating the Student Center and building additions for the School of Music and the Fashion School.

See the proposed plan below or click here if on a mobile device.

The university currently has no plans to issue bonds to finance the projects, including the first phase, which is expected to cost $220.8 million and be completed in 2020.

About $30 million is expected to be provided from the state capital budget. The university plans to fund another $63.4 million from investment earnings realized last year from the strong market, Warren said.

The remaining $127.4 million is to be funded from public/private partnerships with developers and through a capital campaign.

The $72.3 million business administration building is expected to get underway this year, officials said. The building will be owned by a developer and leased by the university, but the funding plan had to include a philanthropic component, Warren said.

Four developers have responded to requests for proposals and will present their designs and financing plans in mid-April. The funding models could including naming rights or donating the building to Kent State, officials said.

Here are other project proposals:

Three parking garages, which will replace surface lots, many which will become green space. The garages will be owned by the developer and leased to the university.

The former Art Building will be transformed into a Design and Innovation Center, including a lecture hall, classrooms, studios and dining.

An addition to Rockwell Hall, which will include a lecture hall, a fashion runway, classrooms and sewing studios.

The esplanade connecting the campus to the city of Kent will be expanded.

One of two entrances to the university from Main Street will be removed to create a signature gateway.

A three-story addition to the Aeronatucs and Technology Building that will include a lecture hall and labs.

Creation of new academic and retail space through a public/private partnership on university-owned land at Lincoln and Main streets.

Renovations of numerous academic buildings.

"This is a combination of foresight and flexibility," said trustee Shawn Riley, who was involved in the 18-month process. "This plan aligns with the university strategy of students first, regional impact and excellence in stewardship."
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Maple Heights man is now charged in the death of his 19-year-old friend whose body was dumped behind a Case Western Reserve University fraternity house.

Quindell Cortez Young, 20, faces a charge of aggravated murder in connection with the death of Maurice Rembert.

Young took Rembert's body to the frat house after the shooting and he and two others dumped it in a parking lot, according to court records.

Ohio law allows for someone to be charged with murder if they commit a felony that leads to an associate's death, even if that person didn't pull the trigger. No one has been arrested or charged as the shooter.

Young, who also goes by "Fatty," is not in police custody and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Young, Rembert and two others got into a street fight with an unidentified man about 2:30 p.m. Feb. 19 on East 105th Street and Superior Avenue, according to police and court records.

The group jumped into their car after the fight and tried to speed away, court records say. But the man pulled out a gun and fired five gunshots at the SUV. Several bullets hit the SUV and one ripped through the side and hit Rembert in the torso as he sat in the backseat, according to court records.

The SUV had been reported stolen early in the day in Cleveland Heights, police reports say.

Young then sped on Superior Avenue to a dead-end on Magnolia Drive near the Beta Nu of Theta Chi fraternity house, police said. The other people riding in the SUV dumped the body onto the ground, according to police.

One of the men inside the SUV later called police and told them their friend was shot while they were at a traffic light at the intersection, police dispatch reports said. The man told them where the body was and asked them to hurry, according to police reports.

Residents of nearby fraternity houses gave Rembert first aid and called 911. He was taken to University Hospitals, where he died, according to police.

The SUV sped from the parking lot and hit a parked car, according to police.

Young has been convicted three times of attempted possession of a stolen car since 2016. He was initially sentenced to probation and to live in a half-way house but was sent to prison for 60 days after he assaulted a fellow inmate at the Judge Nancy R. McDonnell Community Based Correction Facility.

To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland man is accused of fatally shooting a California man and burying him in the backyard of a vacant home in the city's Glenville neighborhood.

Andrew Watkins, 22, is charged with aggravated murder in the 2015 fatal shooting of Nicholas Rowe, 41, of Chula Vista, California.

U.S. Marshals and Atlanta police on Wednesday arrested Watkins in Atlanta.

Rowe and Watkins were staying together at the time of Rowe's death, according to court records. Homicide detectives wrote in court records that Watkins' cellphone location showed he was at the scene Rowe's death at the time he was killed.

Rowe, also known as Joshua Luckey, was found buried Nov. 20, 2015 with several gunshot wounds to the head and back in a shallow grave in the backyard of the home in the 11000 block of Iowa Avenue, according to police and the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner.

Someone had poured 20 pounds of concrete over Rowe while burying him about three feet under ground, according to court records. An account of the aftermath of the shooting was included in an Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals case regarding $20,000 that Cleveland police seized from an associate of Rowe.

The associate knew Rowe, who frequently flew to Cleveland to conduct drug deals with him, according to the appeals decision. The associate owed Rowe $8,500, according to court records.

The associate met with Rowe and paid him. A day or two later, Rowe's family and friends told him that Rowe's whereabouts were unknown. He used a GPS tracking device on Rowe's phone and found Rowe's car on Iowa Avenue with the windows broken out and blood in the car, according to court records.

The associate called police on Nov. 19 then returned home. It is unknown what police did on the day before Rowe's body was found.

The associate worried about Rowe's death and returned home, gathered up his valuables, including the $20,000, according to the appeals court records.

The man returned to the scene the next day and spoke with a woman he saw the day before, according to court records. While they were talking, they noticed a gun in the backyard, court records say.

The associate again called police. This time, a officer noticed a portion of the backyard had recently been disturbed, as if someone dug a hole, according to Cleveland police's account of the incident.

The officer called for a police cadaver dog which uncovered Rowe's body. Police also found a handgun in the backyard, according to police.

Officers also searched the associate's car with his consent and seized the cash. He also voluntarily provided a DNA sample for the homicide investigation. He was never charged with a crime in connection with the case.

County prosecutors argued the cash was drug money because the associate admitted to conducting drug transactions with Rowe.

The man sued to get his money back, and won. The appeals court confirmed the decision.

To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Sen. Charleta Tavares says the General Assembly's sexual harassment policies don't encourage reporting incidents, and she introduced a bill Wednesday to change that.

Tavares, a Columbus Democrat, said the Senate, House and other groups that work on Capitol Square need to establish clear policies that define sexual harassment and discrimination and a path for reporting incidents.

Her bill does not detail what those policies should be, but instead establishes a task force to review the issue and make recommendations.

"This legislation is a step toward changing the approach towards the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace and in the Ohio legislature," Tavares said at a news conference.

Tavares is proposing a few things in Senate Bill 270:

Requiring the Senate, House, Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (which operates the Statehouse), State Highway Patrol (which provides security for the Statehouse) and lobbyists to have sexual harassment policies on the books and available for public view;

A task force with one lawmaker and one staffer from each party's caucus in each chamber to annually review the policies and make recommendations for policy changes;

Complaints would be handled by the legislative inspector general instead of by legislative staff;

Public records exemptions for sexual harassment complaints during an investigation and for the victim's identity in records released after the investigation.

"Too many of the complainants choose not to come forward because of fear of retaliation," Tavares said, noting the General Assembly is comparable in size to a small business.

Both chambers underwent mandatory sexual harassment training following a sexual harassment complaint made last year against former Sen. Cliff Hite, a Findlay Republican. Hite was accused of propositioning a female state employee for sex several times, according to the complaint. He resigned after the allegations were made public.

After attending training sessions administered by the Ohio attorney general's office, two lawmakers reportedly made inappropriate remarks about women colleagues and the Hite incident at a private "roast" for a departing House staff member.

After the roast, House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger convened a bipartisan task force to examine the issue of sexual harassment and sexism at the Statehouse. Rosenberger said Wednesday he expects the group will suggest some changes before the legislature breaks for the summer.

Sen. Cecil Thomas, a Cincinnati Democrat co-sponsoring the bill, said the chamber-sponsored training was inadequate and that he and his male colleagues "must hold ourselves accountable" to support the bill.

Tavares said the training was a good first step, and the task force could examine future training opportunities. No Republicans initially signed on as cosponsors, but Tavares is hopeful her GOP colleagues will support the measure because sexual harassment and ensuring workplace safety are not partisan issues.

Several state legislative bodies have revised or considered changing sexual harassment policies in recent months amid a national debate about sexism in the workplace.

Camille Crary, director of legal services and policy for the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, said the bill's inclusion of lobbyists and other non-legislative staff is innovative. Crary said the bill's approach to the issue could be an example for employers considering changes to their workplace policies.

"This allows the Ohio legislature to lead that charge by example," Cary said.
WASHINGTON - Emergency room visits for suspected opioid overdoses spiked 30 percent nationwide from July 2016 through September 2017 with the most severe problems experienced in the Midwest, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Tuesday.

The report compiled from emergency departments in 45 states found overdoses rose 109 percent in Wisconsin, 66 percent in Illinois, 35 percent in Indiana, 28 percent in Ohio and 21 percent in Missouri.

It also found substantial overdose increases among most demographic groups. Among men, it was 30 percent. Among women, it was 24 percent. Incidents climbed 21 percent among people aged 25 to 34. For those aged 35 to 54 it was 26 percent. There was a 32 percent increase among those 55 and older.

"Long before we receive data from death certificates, emergency department data can point to alarming increases in opioid overdoses," said a press statement from CDC Acting Director Anne Schuchat. "This fast-moving epidemic affects both men and women, and people of every age. It does not respect state or county lines and is still increasing in every region in the United States."

A few areas, including Kentucky, noted decreased overdoses. The report said Kentucky's reduction "might be explained by fluctuations in drug supply and warrant confirmation," and small decreases in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island could be "related to implementation of interventions including expansion of access to medication-assisted treatment."

In 2016, for every one person who died of an opioid overdose, there were 41 people living with a substance use disorder involving prescription opioids. Those impacted by the #opioidcrisis need effective interventions and support.  Dr. Robert R. Redfield (@CDCDirector) March 1, 2018

The report said its findings "suggest a worsening of the epidemic into late 2017 in several states, possibly related to the wide variation in the availability and potency of illicit drug products (e.g., fentanyl sold as or mixed into heroin) that increase overdose risk and drive increases in mortality."

It recommended that emergency departments offer naloxone and training to patients' family and friends to assist if there are future overdoses, and connect patients with follow-up treatment services.

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican, said the report found a 54 percent increase in overdoses from July 2016 to September 2017 in the major metro areas of 16 states, including Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio.

"I meet with those on the frontlines of this opioid crisis in Ohio regularly," said a statement from Portman. "This report confirms what health care providers, treatment specialists, and law enforcement have been telling me -- this crisis is getting worse not better."
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Coast Guard is investigating the report of oil sheen released into the Black River in Lorain on Tuesday morning.

The spill is 20 gallons and contains a mixture of petroleum products, including hydraulic and waste oils, U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release.

Officials were told about the oil sheen about 10 a.m. after a sump pump at Republic Steel manufacturing facility failed and released the chemicals into a nearby creek. The creek is connected to the Black River, authorities said.

The steel company has hired a third party to clean up the spill. Officials have closed off the area.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio EPA are working closely with the Coast Guard to remove the substance from the river.
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas -- A man and woman who claim the 2017 deadly shooting at a church was staged are now facing charges after they were accused of harassing the pastor and other victims.

Robert Ussery, 54, who founded conspiracy website Side Thorn, and his partner Jodi Mann, 56, who is referred to as "Conspiracy Granny" online, were both arrested at First Baptist Church on Monday, the San Antonio Express-News reports.

Ussery and Mann both are charged with trespassing and resisting arrest or search. Ussery also is charged with possessing under 2 ounces of marijuana and making a terroristic threat.

Pastor Frank Pomeroy, whose 14-year-old daughter died in the Nov. 5 shooting, says Ussery and Mann showed up at the church on Monday claiming the shooting never happened and was staged by the U.S. government, CBS DFW reports.

The pair also demanded to see the birth certificate of Pomeroy's slain daughter, Annabelle, saying she never existed.

"He said, 'Your daughter never even existed. Show me her birth certificate. Show me anything to say she was here,'" Pomeroy tells the Express News. "I just told him there was enough evidence already visible, so if he chooses not to see that, how would I know he would believe anything else?"

Pomeroy also says Ussery "continually yelled and screamed and hollered and told me he was gonna hang me from a tree, and pee on me while I'm hanging."

Twenty-six people were killed and 20 others wounded in the shooting at the church. The gunman, Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, took his own life.

The Express-News reports Ussery is known in the community for harassing the families of victims and other residents.

He also reportedly has a long arrest history dating to the 1980s for burglary, driving while intoxicated, assault and evading arrest.

To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
The activist left is arguing after one of the Women's March organizers attended a speech given by Nation of Islam leader and virulent anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan. Farrakhan called out Tamika Mallory by name in his speech, and she posted photos with him on social media afterwards. Critics say Mallory and her fellow organizers Carmen Perez and Linda Sarsour need to disavow Farrakhan, but others say calling them anti-Semites is an unfair smear and an effort to divide allies. What do you think?

PERSPECTIVES

Farrakhan isn't just anti-Semitic: he's homophobic, transphobic and misogynistic as well. What are the leaders of a supposedly inclusive and intersectional feminist movement doing associating themselves with him? Especially given the massive uptick in anti-Semitic violence in America, many argue disavowing Farrakhan should be a no-brainer, and are disturbed that Mallory, Perez and Sarsour refuse to do so.

Why is it so hard for them to say his anti-Semitism and bigotry are wrong and contrary to their movement?

When the Million Man March took place, I was studying abroad in London. A family member asked me whether I would have attended. I said no. My reasoning at the time remains the same today: I never want to associate myself with Louis Farrakhan, in any way. This isnt difficult.  Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) March 4, 2018

Critics are calling the organizers hypocrites for refusing to take a stand.

But some have stood up for Mallory and the other organizers, saying it's unfair to hold audience members responsible for everything that is said by a speaker.

I never said it was. Im saying we cant go around calling folks anti Semitic who are not. Im NO Farrakhan supporter. But Tamika is my friend & I wont sit silently while folks ascribe labels to her that dont apply. I agree she should speak up to address this & believe she will https://t.co/7j5lQIMt2l  Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) March 2, 2018

The lies people tell about us can be hard to handle. Ive been there. @TamikaDMallory is a world class leader and an even better woman and mother and friend to many.



This notion that she is anti-Semitic is not just a lie, its lazy.



Your lies wont work.  Shaun King (@shaunking) March 2, 2018

But many activists say the Women's March leaders need to step up and own their error. Bigotry isn't what you say or think: it's what you do, and it's the choices you make.

I don't think Tamika or Linda hate gays, Jews or trans people. But we criticize conservative leaders when they champion right-wing hatemongers like Falwell etc. I don't see why we can't expect feminist leaders to reject who Farrakhan is and what he stands for.  Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) March 3, 2018

Another Women's March organizer decried Farrakhan and his bigotry, but argued there needs to be more nuance in how the situation is being discussed.

For the last year, I have spent time deeply listening to Black women and communities, particularly those suffering from poverty, addiction or incarceration. I consistently hear stories of the Nation of Islam being there when was no else cared.  Bob Bland (@bobblanddesign) March 5, 2018

.@TamikaDMallory being held directly accountable for the words of any man is misogynistic and doesnt take into account her tireless work over the last 20 years, or her own words in support of Jewish and LGBTIAQ+ communities.  Bob Bland (@bobblanddesign) March 5, 2018

The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.
WESTERVILLE, Ohio - Ohio Gov. John Kasich will give his final State of the State address tonight as his term comes to an end this year.

Kasich, a Republican who may have his eyes on a 2020 run for president, is term-limited and not running for another office in 2018.

The governor's office has been mum on what will be included in his final address to the legislature, but possible topics include gun policy, the economy and technology. Kasich will also likely talk about his eight years as governor, though a spokesman for his office said it would be a "unique kind of speech."

Kasich's speech begins at 7 p.m. To watch Kasich's address, view the livestream below provided by The Ohio Channel.
TOLEDO, Ohio - As the May primary rapidly approaches, Democrats tonight will hold their fourth gubernatorial debate - though it is the first featuring the current lineup of candidates after major shifts on the ballot.

State Sen. Joe Schiavoni, former U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, former federal consumer watchdog Richard Cordray and former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O'Neill will all take the stage beginning at 5 p.m. at Bowsher High School in Toledo.

While other debates have been more staid, Wednesday night's could be more lively. Kucinich and Cordray seem poised for a clash on stage while O'Neill and Schiavoni will look to raise their profile against the two more widely known frontrunners.

To watch the debate live, view the livestream below provided by the Ohio Democratic Party.
Dick Munson is director of Midwest clean energy for the Environmental Defense Fund.

CHICAGO -- The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's January rejection of the U.S. Department of Energy's flawed proposal to prop up coal and nuclear was an important win for American families, competitive markets, and the environment. But it was a setback for two politically powerful Ohio companies - FirstEnergy Corp. and Murray Energy Corp.

Spearheaded by U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, the expensive proposal would have undermined electricity markets and provided guaranteed profits to uneconomic coal and nuclear plants. Shortly before Perry set in motion this plan to throw the coal industry a lifeline last year, the CEOs for both FirstEnergy and Murray Energy met with President Donald Trump and senior White House officials.

FirstEnergy long has been trying to make up for its bad business decisions, and the utility giant now wants taxpayers or ratepayers to cover its mistakes with giant subsidies.

What's less well known is how extensive those lobbying efforts have been. Fortunately, as demonstrated by FERC's rejection of Perry's plan, they've also been largely unsuccessful.

The subsidy-seeker-in-chief is Chuck Jones, FirstEnergy's CEO and an electrical engineer who's spent 40 years with the utility. But despite FirstEnergy's financial ties to state lobbyists and heavy contributions to political campaigns, Jones couldn't find enough votes among Republicans or Democrats to get a nuclear bailout measure out of an Ohio legislative committee last year.

FirstEnergy's cronyism extends to the nation's capital. Jones works with numerous well-connected lobbyists -- including Corey Lewandowski, Trump's former campaign manager and now chairman of the largest pro-Trump political action committee. Lewandowski, unsurprisingly, was a huge proponent of Perry's pro-coal plan and was furious about the outcome.

The deep state is very real. More government officials who dont support the Trump agenda. https://t.co/dWWvyPBFyp  Corey R. Lewandowski (@CLewandowski_) January 9, 2018

FirstEnergy also hired Jeff Miller, a high-earning D.C. lobbyist who ran Perry's 2016 presidential campaign and guided him through the Senate confirmation process.

With the help of Murray Energy, Jones also tried to convince President Trump to identify FirstEnergy's troubled generators as "emergency" units that needed to be paid extra to stay open, but the independent grid manager, PJM, said the plants could close and electric reliability would remain strong.

Jones is well-paid for his efforts, even if his shareholders have seen scant returns and his customers have seen higher bills. The executive's compensation in 2016 totaled $14 million. So far, that pay package has produced few results.

Although, in 2016, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved a $4 billion bailout to keep FirstEnergy's unprofitable power plants operating, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission overturned that decision, saying that only the federal government had the authority to determine if such deals protect consumers. Jones then asked for more than $12 billion through various outlandish requests. The PUCO did not approve them, instead settling for "only" $600 million over three years - essentially paying off some of the utility's debt in order to bolster its credit rating. That decision now is being reviewed by the Ohio Supreme Court.

The well-paid Jones may be paying lots of money to well-heeled lobbyists, but, at least at the moment, politicians are not buying their arguments. And FERC's rejection of Perry's bailout plan leaves FirstEnergy in a tricky spot financially. With Jones admitting bankruptcy is all but certain for its competitive energy services division (FirstEnergy Solutions, which owns most of the company's uneconomic power plants), combined with questions surrounding FirstEnergy Solutions's ability to pay off $515 million in debt due beginning in the second quarter of this year, the company will have a tough sell on Wall Street.

Noting his political setbacks, Jones recently made a $2.5 billion deal with "vulture capitalists," investor groups that typically buy up distressed companies and restructure them. Those hedge funds will push the utility to reorganize itself if FirstEnergy Solutions, as expected, files for bankruptcy protection. Perhaps it's time for investors to call for new management and a new business plan that focuses not on cronyism and expensive lobbying, but on delivering reliable, clean, and affordable electricity in Ohio.

Dick Munson is director of Midwest clean energy for the Environmental Defense Fund.

***********

Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the "Follow" option at the top of the comments, and look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com.
All Ohio courts are legally mandated to submit on a weekly basis the names of convicted felons, domestic abusers and others whose offenses bar them from buying guns.

The obligation is important because federal authorities in turn use this Ohio Bureau of Criminal Information data to keep national databases updated on those legally prevented from possessing firearms. Keeping these gun-purchase databases up-to-date is critical.

Which is why it's so troubling to learn that at least 90 Ohio courts -- from Common Pleas courts to municipal and mayor's courts -- have ignored their gun-database reporting requirements for months at a time in recent years.

That information comes not from state overseers but from an investigation by The Cincinnati Enquirer, based on Ohio Attorney General records.

At a time when the nation's attention is riveted on efforts to stem gun violence, it is outrageous that this most basic effort at oversight and prevention is being treated so irresponsibly by so many of our courts -- and that it takes a newspaper report to uncover it.

The AG's office, which has tried the soft approach in working with local courts to help them overcome technical or other obstacles for uploading the data, needs to take a much harsher line in calling out courts that fail to turn over records in a timely way.

Among the reporting laggards who went months without providing this information were municipal courts in Cleveland and East Cleveland. Attempts to reach municipal court officials in these cities for this editorial were unsuccessful.

In East Cleveland, when state officials offered to go pick up the paperwork themselves, a harried court official told state auditors "it would take too much time to go through the paperwork and her court does not have the money to make that many copies," the Enquirer quoted from the March 2017 state audit.

Cleveland's problem was an expired password that court officials had failed to update, according to a November 2016 audit cited by the newspaper.

Part of the problem is that a new electronic database the state introduced in 2015 to make it easier for courts to upload gun-disability information either isn't compatible with some court computer systems or has encountered other problems at the local level. The Enquirer found that only 47 of the more than 350 courts in Ohio are directly uploading data electronically.

Kudos to the AG's office for trying to work with local courts to solve this problem but it's time to take off the kid gloves.

The Ohio attorney general's office should call out the malingerers publicly with quarterly reports, and also try to come up with some money in the capital budget to help state courts upgrade their systems to make it easier to upload the data.

Gov. John Kasich's recently issued gun policy recommendations highlighted this delinquent gun-disability reporting as something the state needs to address, but without specific suggestions on how to ensure compliance.

Financial penalties are tempting but a bad idea since they would fall on the backs of poor defendants already overburdened by fines.

Let's aim for more blinding sunshine instead. The attorney general's office should put the list of the court's gun-database offenders on the front of its website quarterly. Putting these courts in a bright but uncomfortable spotlight could force them to pay attention to this problem at long last.

About our editorials: Editorials express the view of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer -- the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the news organization.

Have something to say about this topic?

* Use the comments to share your thoughts, and stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the Notification Settings (in blue).

* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.

* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com
PARMA, Ohio -- City Council is expected to award an Economic Development Grant to Pitt Ohio for its proposed 23-acre Chevrolet Boulevard complex.

Parma Mayor Tim DeGeeter

"It's exciting this year we'll be moving forward on the long-anticipated project," Mayor Tim DeGeeter said. "We have a great working relationship with Pitt Ohio. Besides getting shovels in the ground, this grant is the next step that was always anticipated from the beginning, back in 2015."

Pitt Ohio COO James Fields added: "We have been very encouraged to work with the city of Parma on a project of this magnitude. They have been forward-thinking and progressive every step of the way."

Parma Economic Development Officer/Grant Writer Shelley Cullins said the grant is a 15-year agreement with Pitt Ohio, which will receive half of its payroll tax returned as long as it maintains at least $6.8 million in payroll.

"That's the starting point, which is approximately 180 jobs," DeGeeter said. "It's anticipated after two full years of operations they'll add another 60 jobs."

Added Cullins, "If Pitt Ohio falls below $6.8 million in payroll, they get nothing back."

Three years ago, the Parma Planning Commission approved the Pittsburgh-based trucking company's plans for a trucking terminal and complex on a current Chevrolet Boulevard parking lot located in front of the former GM Powertrain building.

"It's a piece of the parcel that was picked up when GM went through bankruptcy," DeGeeter said. "Pitt Ohio has been firmly committed to Parma. It took a little longer than anticipated, but we're excited for this project in so many different ways. They're utilizing solar, wind power, so it will be a LEED-certified facility.

"They're also talking about partnering with the schools regarding STEM education. So we're ready to finally get them going, get them to Parma. It's taken longer than anticipated, but it's a project that's finally coming around," he said.

Cullins said City Council is expected to pass the Pitt Ohio Economic Development Grant on or before April 2. Groundbreaking is expected this spring, with the facility opening in late 2019.

As far as the Economic Development Grant, she noted that the city currently has 10 active agreements with various businesses.

"It's one of the tools we can use for our economic development, because we do not do your traditional property tax abatement like you see in other communities," DeGeeter said.

"Because of our working relationship with the schools, that's never been contemplated by this administration or the previous administration. So this is a good tool in our economic development toolbox."
SOLON, Ohio -- While they're waiting on the possibility of a grant through the Clean Ohio Trails Fund, city officials have received word of $300,000 coming from the state's capital budget.

That in itself goes a long way toward securing funding for the proposed "Solon-to-Chagrin Falls Trail," with an estimated cost of $1 million for what could be a 2-mile recreational path.

"We're probably not going to hear about the Clean Ohio Trails funding until as late as October," Mayor Ed Kraus said, referring to as much as $500,000 available for individual "rails-to-trails" projects.

Kraus thanked State Sen. Matt Dolan and State Rep. Marlene Anielski for their efforts toward securing the funding through the capital budget.

"We're actually talking about two trails -- one extending from the Carter Lumber property next to the Sears site and going into Bentleyville and then into the Metroparks," Kraus said.

The other is the abandoned Norfolk-Southern railroad line, an overgrown set of tracks that runs from Nestle across the SOM Center Road overpass and behind City Hall, into Aurora and Youngstown.

City officials have set up a meeting for 7 p.m. April 23 in the Solon Center for the Arts to discuss the plans with residents, with a guest list that so far includes Chagrin Falls Mayor Bill Tomko.

Both Tomko and Bentleyville Mayor Leonard Spremulli have written letters of support that are part of the nearly 400-page grant application to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which administers the program.

In the meantime, Kraus traveled to New York City to meet Feb. 28 with the owners of the Sears Grand site.

"They asked me why I wanted to meet in person, and I told them I preferred to do things face to face, rather than by phone or email," Kraus said at Monday's City Council meeting. "I think it shows my commitment to the community to try to redevelop that old, aging shopping center and to breathe some new life into it."

Although the store has been closed for several years, Sears has been paying rent to the owners, TMJ, and will continue to do so until the lease expires this summer.

"There has not been an incentive for them to do anything with the property up until then," Kraus said. "It was a great meeting, but it was all very introductory and preliminary, with several to follow."

Asked if he gave the owners of the site some idea of the city's plans for a town center, Kraus said, "they know very well what I'm envisioning there."

Ward Three Councilman Jeremy Zelwin -- who set up a weekend meeting with Kraus and residents of Concord Court, some of whose properties abut the proposed trail -- asked for additional discussions as well, about everything from safety and trash to property values.
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan took part in a City Council Finance Committee meeting Tuesday and, while doing so, went over his "wish list."

Council was amenable to the top thing on that list: hiring an economic development director. But, at least for now, council members are saying no to another item -- hiring a communications/civic engagement coordinator.

In all, the items on the list would cost a combined $635,000 in its first year. Committee chair and Vice Mayor Susan Pardee said council will consider the list as it shapes its final budget.

"A lot of what the economic development director is going to do is talk to people, take meetings, be engaged and be out there," Brennan said of the director he's looking to hire this year at a salary of about $80,000. With benefits and costs of memberships in area development organizations, the figure would stand at about $120,000.

University Heights does not now have an economic development director.

Brennan further said he would like to elevate Community Development Coordinator Patrick Grogan-Myers to a director's position, with a corresponding pay raise, and have him focus on housing issues.

Brennan said he is convinced that increasing economic development and bettering housing will eventually lead to the city recouping the extra money it would spend.

When Councilman Mark Wiseman stated at the meeting that the only real place left for development in the city is across the street from City Hall, at the University Square retail site, Brennan said he disagreed.

"I see a lot of opportunities for development," Brennan said. "There's University Square, there's Cedar-Taylor (roads), all of Warrensville Center Road, the potential to redevelop on Miramar (Boulevard).

"We don't know what the future is of Wiley School (2120 Miramar Blvd.). I've had calls from developers who look at the Wiley site and salivate. They see it as an open field ready to be developed," Brennan said.

For the past two school years, the former Wiley Middle School building was used as the temporary home of Cleveland Heights High School while its building was renovated. It is now in the first of two years in which it is being used as a middle school while the school district renovates its middle schools in Cleveland Heights.

The building's future beyond next school year is not known.

"There are business districts that have yet to be created in the city, and new neighborhoods we can create," continued Brennan, who was elected mayor last fall.

As for focusing on housing, Brennan believes the city can work better with homeowners, helping them to make needed additions, such as fences and rooms, easier to accomplish when working with the city's building department. He also wants to look at creating tax incentives so that homeowners will want to make improvements.

The city is about to review its zoning codes to make home improvements easier.

"If someone thinks their house is too small and they want to move to Solon," Brennan said, "maybe we can work with them so they build an addition and stay in University Heights."

Pardee said it would be best to put off a discussion on hiring a communications/civic engagement employee, for which the mayor had budgeted $93,000, benefits included.

This person would write newsletters and a city magazine, work with the media and the public, and make additions to the city website, among other duties.

The mayor is also seeking a full-time assistant, noting that too often residents' calls to City Hall go unanswered and receive no reply because there isn't always a person present to answer phones and handle administrative business.

Council did agree to allocate up to $75,000 to retrofit the council chambers with cameras to livestream meetings and to better display visual aids used by presenters at council meetings. Currently, when presenters speak, they face their informational boards toward council and away from the audience.

The money would include large screens added to the chambers, which would allow council and the audience to see visual aids at the same time.

"This isn't Hollywood here," Brennan said, "it's simply trying to be transparent and show people what we're doing."

The council committee also agreed to Brennan's proposed hiring of a police officer and a firefighter capable of training personnel.

In summing up his plans for the city, Brennan told council, "When I'm done in University Heights, I want University Heights to be the place to live on the east side."

In backing Brennan, Councilman John Rach said, "I think you have an incredible vision for the city and I fully support (the hiring of an) economic development director."

Said Pardee to Brennan, "You were elected to implement your vision, and it's exciting."

But, speaking of the city's finances, Pardee added, "We don't have much room to maneuver."

Brennan said the items on his wish list, in some cases, are things the city should have added long ago. That includes the ability to better manage housing.

And he said that the city's economic development stance has always been to look at proposals brought to them, rather than being proactive and seeking out projects.

The city carried over from last year a positive balance of $3.4 million.

Rach mentioned to those at the meeting, that he, and some others who recently ran for their council seats, promised voters that the income tax credit would be raised. If that happens, the city would have less money with which to work.

The income tax credit affects those who live in University Heights and work outside the city. A year ago, council discussed increasing the tax credit from 1 percent to 1.25 percent. If voters were to approve the increase, it would put $490,000 back into residents' pockets and take that amount from the city's revenues.

The Finance Committee will continue to meet to hone the city's budget. Council has until April 1 to submit the city's annual budget to the state of Ohio.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - A moisture-laden nor'easter crawling up the East Coast Thursday will take a northwestward turn, enough of a shift to return snow to Northeast Ohio. Some areas could see enough to shovel.

Before the snow, wintry mix showers



Separate from the nor'easter, an upper-level low swinging through the Great Lakes region today will pop up scattered wintry mix showers in the late morning and afternoon. For the evening and overnight, coverage will become more scattered, so chances drop to slight. Most areas will see less than an inch of wet accumulation, with 2 and 3 inches for the snow belt -- 4 inches are possible for areas in the extreme northeast corner of the state.

Here's the chance of accumulating at least 1 and 2 inches of snow by Thursday morning:

Thursday

The accumulating snow will spark up again Thursday afternoon as the nor'easter takes that northwest turn -- could start in the morning for the east-side lake-effect belt. From then until Friday morning, multiple inches of snow are possible across the region, and it's not just targeted at the snow belt.

Much of Northeast Ohio is looking at a possible 3 to 5 inches of sticking snow, warranting a winter weather advisory from the National Weather Service.

Friday

With winds shifting and blowing from the west-northwest on Friday, lake-effect showers could pop up again in Northeast Ohio, this time with the accumulation most likely in the far east-side lake-effect belt. However, with high pressure building in from the west, coverage of snow is much more scattered and accumulation will be much lighter. Most areas will see just a dusting, if that, with an inch possible for areas in the east. By the afternoon, drier air will begin to move in, tapering off the flurries.

The rest of the weekend

Thankfully, that high-pressure area will stall over the weekend, ending the snow and returning some sun. However, with highs in the mid to upper 30s, some of the accumulated snow pack could stick around.

Keep checking cleveland.com/weather for daily weather updates for Northeast Ohio, and don't forget to submit any weather questions you may have!

Kelly Reardon is cleveland.com's meteorologist. Please follow me on Facebook, Twitter @KellyRWeather and Instagram.
In a legal longshot, two Pennsylvania state senators and eight members of Congress are challenging the Pennsylvania Supreme Courts redraw of the states congressional map. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered the map redrawn after finding that the manipulated districts violated the Pennsylvania Constitution. When legislators and the governor failed to agree on a map, the court consulted with a special master to draw new boundaries. A three-judge federal district court panel will hear the legislators challenge this Friday. So, how did we get here?

Pennsylvania has a long and dramatic history with partisan redistricting. In fact, it is an important state in the history of national efforts for redistricting reform. In 2004, in Vieth v. Jublirer, the United States Supreme Court refused to strike down a Pennsylvania congressional map developed entirely by elected Republicans in Pennsylvania, but a majority of the justices agreed that there could be a legal standard demonstrating when federal courts should intervene to overturn a map. Justice Kennedy, in his famous concurrence, challenged the lawyers and federal district courts of America to develop such a standard. This is precisely the motivation behind the congressional redistricting litigation in Wisconsin, Maryland, and North Carolina.

The drama that unfolded in the Pennsylvania capital city of Harrisburg over the past year is a different story, but one that redistricting activists around the country should take note of. It culminated on February 19 in the issuance of a new map for the 2018 midterm elections. This is arguably the first time in Pennsylvania history that citizens will vote in congressional districts not drawn for the purpose of giving one party an advantage.

In January, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court heard the challenge to the 2011 Pennsylvania congressional map, also drawn entirely by elected Republicans in Pennsylvania. The court determined that the map was unconstitutional under a number of clauses in the Pennsylvania Constitution. Common Cause submitted an amicus brief in this case, and the court agreed with the voters. The decision required the state legislature to submit a new map to the governor for approval. If they failed to do so or the governor did not approve the map they submitted, the court itself would draw the map for the 2018 Election.

Governor Wolf rejected the legislatures proposed map, and Nathaniel Persily, a Stanford Law professor who has drawn districts for other states when politicians couldnt agree, drew up a new map that is (finally) constitutional and free of partisan shenanigans.

This map is a total win for the voters of Pennsylvania, regardless of their political party. Under the efficiency gap metric (the subject of the Wisconsin litigation referenced above), the old map had an efficiency gap of 19% in favor of Republicans, making it the second most gerrymandered congressional map in the country. The most gerrymandered map is North Carolina, the state the is the subject of Common Cause v. Rucho.

Estimates of the new Pennsylvania maps efficiency gap hover at around 3% in favor of Republicans. This fairer map will mean that representatives have to work that much harder for votes by actively listening to the people while lessening the influence of big money donors, party leadership, and small, loud, extreme segments of the electorate.

However, this isnt the end of controversial redistricting in Pennsylvania. Unless Pennsylvania passes real reform that permanently takes the duty to redistrict away from the Pennsylvania Legislature, this ordeal could be repeated after the next round of redistricting in 2021.

Fair Districts PA is a coalition of groups working to deliver that permanent reform before redistricting in 2021. You can join them and read about their progress at www.fairdistrictspa.com.
Events

Thank you for your response. We hope you will consider joining us at another NACS event in 2021.

NACS events are designed to help strengthen the convenience and fuel retailing industry with relevant and timely topics that include leadership, legislative advocacy, global markets, the newest products and services and targeted educational programs for participants of every business size. NACS events bring together the industry's retailers and suppliers to establish and build connections, exchange ideas and promising practices and thrive.

Upcoming Events
With 50 years of convenience industry data, analysis and strategic insights behind it, NACS State of the Industry (SOI) Summit provides the data-powered answers you need to help set the course forward for your business. Each spring, we bring together business professors, economists and top-performing c-store retailers to help break down the latest consumer, financial and operational data across the convenience channellive from the stage. Historically held over two fast-paced days, this years virtual event is the industrys only event where convenience retailers gain access to the newest metricsas well as industry trends, opportunities and watch-outsin essential topic areas such as finance, labor, store operations, merchandising and fuel sales.

Leading retailers and industry partners who want to stay ahead of emerging trends and appreciate the value of using data-driven benchmarking to improve their businesses.

Get a first-look at the consumer, financial and operational data months before the SOI Report is released.

The NACS State of the Industry Summit is the only event that delivers insightsnot just factson the latest financial, operational, categorical, regional market, and consumer trends in convenience.

Buy More, Save More: Discounts are available for multiple report licenses and will automatically be applied in your cart  see quantity pricing .

The proprietary information included in the report is a must for retailers and suppliers focused on maximizing the potential of their business operations.

With the data in this report, youll be able to compare your companys metrics against the industrys top performersidentifying what you can do to win more trips and edge out your competition.

Were excited to announce the newest edition of the NACS State of the Industry Report is now available for purchase.

Lessons From 2020: Retailer Perspective (Approx. 45 min.) Henry Armour, President and CEO, NACS Henry will lead a conversation with the six retail leaders featured in the NACS Region performance breakout sessions to learn more about what they see as the most important takeaways from the days sessions and how attendees might use this knowledge to make immediate and lasting impacts to their businesses. You wont want to miss the dialogue of these retailers as they openly discuss how their companies are navigating the future of convenience retail.

Outlook Ahead: Convenience Priorities (Approx. 25 min.) Lori Stillman, Vice President, Research, NACS The playbook for convenience retail was tossed out in 2020. For some, the year represented record sales and earnings. For others, uncertainty and myriad regulations throughout the pandemic required new solutions, strategies and an acceleration of technology that would have otherwise taken years to deploy. Lori will look at the future of convenience retail and the lessons of 2020 as the backdrop for the key priorities that operators must embrace to rebuild and deliver profitable growth in 2021 and beyond.

Future of Fuels in Convenience (Approx. 40 min.) Denton Cinquegrana, Chief Oil Analyst, OPIS/IHS Markit The volatility of the 2020 fuel market was like no othera year marked by historic demand disruption, crude prices that plunged into negative territory and dramatic shifts in mobility that continue to redefine how people travel and commute on multiple fronts. Denton will break down the 2020 energy landscape and give shape to the long-lasting implications we can expect as we move to form new contours of normality in a post-virus fuel marketplace.

State of the Industry Region-Specific Data Returns! (Approx. 50 min. for each region) Regional Performance Breakouts Six leaders from high-performing retail companies will present State of the Industry data at the NACS Region level. In separate, concurrent sessions, retailers will discuss the unique performance metrics and benchmarks that make each geographic region stand out. These sessions will feature live Q&A at the conclusion of the recorded speaker session. Dont miss the opportunity to engage with these leaders as the learnings, opportunities and priorities for your region are discussed live.

Category Deep Dive: 2020 Hidden Gems (Approx. 15 min.) Jake Vogel, Director of Category Management and Procurement, Kwik Trip Inc. In recent years, the heightened demand for immediate consumption in convenience retail resulted in a deemphasized focus on many categories throughout the store. This all changed as shoppers turned to convenience stores during the height of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic to meet their needs in categories routinely shopped in other channels. As retailers quickly responded by expanding product assortment, new perspectives on category roles and contributions emerged. This session zeros in on the performance and staying power of what were identifying as our industrys Hidden Gems. We'll reveal 2020 State of the Industry performance of these categories and explore the potential role and strategies retailers must consider for the future.

Category Deep Dive: Candy & Snacks (Approx. 30 min.) Kelley Gutierrez, Category Manager, Candy & Snacks, MAPCO Express Inc. Candy and snacks have created new challenges and opportunities for the convenience retail marketplace. Changes in shopping patterns, consumption and mobility all collided to impact how convenience shoppers interacted with these categories. At-home behaviors replaced impulse purchases with a preference for larger sizes that sustained multiple occasions. Changes in holiday celebrations and gatherings further clouded performance, making it essential for industry operators to remain agile in their approach to managing and marketing these products. Kelley will break down 2020 State of the Industry data for candy and snacks and share her perspective and insights from the strategies employed at MAPCO Express.

Category Deep Dive: Beer, Wine and Spirits (Approx. 30 min.) Chris Long, Director of Category Management  Age Verified, Kum & Go, LC No doubt 2020 defied all expectations, reinforcing the importance of alcohol sales in our industry. As away-from-home activities sharply declined, on-premise licensed beverage consumption was replaced by at-home opportunities and the convenience industry enjoyed unprecedented growth. Growth was further bolstered by new product innovation and consumer demand for larger package sizes, which also challenged supply chain strategies and in-store merchandising and display activities. We'll recap the category bright spots that drove sales and margin growth, as well as highlight the operational agility required in 2021 for the industry to successfully navigate vaccine effectiveness and the timing of economic recovery.

Category Deep Dive: Packaged Beverages (Approx. 30 min.) Jim Jacko, Category Manager, Coen Markets Inc. The packaged beverage category continues to be one of the most important traffic drivers for convenience retail, and a segment where new product innovation and changing consumer preferences have collided in recent years to reshape and expand the category. Jim will review State of the Industry data for packaged beverages and its subcategories, highlighting not only the trends and changing shopper behaviors retailers successfully navigated in 2020, but what emerging trends and expectations he anticipates in the future.

Category Deep Dive: Cigarettes, Tobacco and OTP (Approx. 20 min.) Laura White, Category Manager, Cigarettes for RaceTrac Petroleum, Inc. Laura will debut industry performance data for the important cigarette, tobacco and OTP categories in what can only be characterized as one of the largest twists in a year full of twists! She will share insights on how regulatory and marketplace volatility is reshaping the role of the back bar at RaceTrac and across the industry, giving you new insights on the outlook ahead for these key in-store categories.

Category Deep Dive: Foodservice (Approx. 40 min.) Heather Davis, Director of Food Service, Parker's Corporation Foodservice has become a driving force of the convenience store offer, with retailers growing and expanding their programs to win trips and increase transactions in a highly competitive landscape. New delivery solutions, heightened sanitation, safe food handling protocols and new opportunities are at play in new dayparts, which are just some of the many curve balls industry foodservice operators faced in 2020and continue to face. Heather will present the NACS State of the Industry foodservice data and share insights on the strategies employed at Parkers Kitchen to remain relevant and top-of-mind with their customers.

Legislative Priorities in a New Administration (Approx. 20 min.) Lyle Beckwith, Sr. V.P., Government Relations, NACS Jon Taets, Director, Government Relations, NACS Jared Scheeler, NACS Vice Chairman. Treasurer and CEO, The Hub Convenience Stores, Inc. Following the swing of the political pendulum, Jared and the NACS Government Relations team share their perspectives on what the convenience retail industry can expect from the Biden Administration and the 117th Congress. Our team of experts will highlight key policy and administrative priorities that will have lasting impact on the convenience retail and fuel marketplace.

Convenience Voices: The Convenience Shopper (Approx. 35 min.) Leroy Kelsey, Director of Research, NACS Leroy will highlight shopper insights from the new NACS Convenience Voices program for the first time. These metrics reveal how the behaviors, motivators and trip drivers play in the shopper path to purchase. Leroy will unlock new perspectives and ideas that connect you with convenience shoppers in this period of widespread retail disruption.

Operational and Financial Lessons from 2020 (Approx. 25 min.) Charlie McIlvaine, Chairman & CEO, Coen Markets, Inc. Charlie will bring to life industry performance benchmarks from the annual NACS State of the Industry Survey through the eyes of an operator who has successfully grown his business during the tumultuous challenges of 2020. He'll also share his perspectives for thriving in the changing landscape ahead.

Featured Speakers

Henry Armour

President & CEO

NACS

Show Bio...

Henry Armour is the president and CEO of NACS. He grew up working in his familys retail businesses, Armour Oil Company, rising to the position of vice president and COO in 1977. In 1980, he joined The Standard Oil Company of Ohio, where he served as manager of development strategies. He later founded West Star Corporation, which grew to include 59 NOW! convenience stores, truck stops and quick-service restaurants in the Pacific Northwest until he sold the company in 2004. In 1988, Armour founded Epoch Corporation, which operated retail enterprises in California. He became president and CEO of NACS in July 2005, having also served as the associations chairman in 2002 and 2003. Armour earned a BA in economics from Stanford University, an MSc in economics from the London School of Economics, and an MBA and PhD in economics from Stanford University.

Lyle Beckwith

Sr. V.P., Government Relations

NACS

Show Bio...

Lyle is the Senior Vice President, Government Relations of NACS in Alexandria, Virginia. Lyle has over 25 years of experience with NACS. He originally joined the NACS team in 1985 where he served as the Government Relations Manager. After leaving NACS in 1986, he held many prestigious positions including Executive Director for the Beverage Retailers Against Driving Drunk and Vice President of Kostmayer Communications. In 1994, he returned to NACS as the Senior Vice President, Government Relations. Lyle is responsible for the design and implementation of strategies to successfully achieve the Associations government relations objectives. Lyle graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture. He and Maureen Flanagan are the proud parents of one son, Aidan.

Paul Casadont

President

ExtraMile Convenience Stores, LLC dba ExtraMile

Show Bio...

Paul is a subject matter expert in convenience store merchandising. He currently has responsibility for Chevron Extra Mile merchandising (including category management and supply chain) as well as Chevron Canada Town Pantry merchandising, in total over 800 locations. He has considerable experience working with franchisees, retailers and company owned-operated networks. He has worked for Chevron for 22 years, having joined Chevron after starting his professional career with Circle K Corporation in 1987. He has significant work experience in both the US and internationally, having previously held work assignments or responsibilities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and Asia. His last 5+ years have been focused on establishing and continuously evolving the Extra Mile consumer offer. He has previously served on the NACS Convention Committee as well as numerous supplier and industry advisory councils.

Denton Cinquegrana

Chief Oil Analyst

Oil Price Information Service | OPIS by IHS Markit

Show Bio...

Denton has been with OPIS since 2001 and serves as the Chief Oil Analyst, responsible for the day to day operations of OPIS news and analysis division. In his role, Denton also provides big picture views to OPIS subscribers on a variety of topics from supply and demand trends to anticipating price moves in the futures, spot and retail markets in North America. During his time at OPIS, Denton has covered a variety of markets from Natural Gas Liquids to U.S. refined spot markets. Before becoming the Chief Oil Analyst, Denton was leading the OPIS refined spots team. He has been widely quoted and interviewed as an expert forecasting the price of oil and retail gasoline and diesel explaining what moves can mean for the consumer as well as the industry as a whole. Denton is a frequent contributor for major media outlets such as Fox Business, CNBC, MSNBC and CBS News. Denton is a graduate of Rutgers University and football letter winner.

Heather Davis

Director of Foodservice

Parkers

Show Bio...

Heather Davis, the Director of Foodservice for Parkers, is responsible for all food service operations across 68 total locations, with 46 Parkers Kitchen locations offering a full foodservice menu. Parkers Kitchen, the popular food-centric brand under the Parkers umbrella, serves world-famous hand-breaded Southern Fried Chicken Tenders as well as made-from-scratch mac n cheese, a breakfast bar and daily specials. Under her leadership, Parkers was named the Foodservice Leader of the Year by Convenience Store News in 2018. Since joining Parkers in 2017, Heather has launched the famous Parkers Fried Chicken Tender Sandwich program and has increased cold grab-and-go offerings to include fresh salads, sandwiches, and desserts. These expanding offerings are in addition to her focus on improved menu efficiencies and recipe enhancements across the foodservice program. Parkers is known for its technologically driven efficiencies, and Heather has worked with the Parkers Technology and Business Intelligence team to implement the innovative SmartKitchen, which allows Parkers Kitchen to predict food demand, keeping food fresh and stocked for customers while reducing waste. Additionally, she served on the team that rolled out customer facing ordering kiosks to Parkers Kitchen locations. Heather has also enhanced the companys focus on food safety since joining the team, expanding her internal team and developing relationships with external partners to ensure a best-in-class program. Prior to joining Parkers, Heather served as Director of Operations for a regional 7-store fast casual restaurant group.

Colin Dornish

Senior Director of Operations

Coen

Show Bio...

Currently, Colin is the Senior Director of Operations, overseeing the entire Operations Department at Coen. Coen directly operates 56 locations today, including those with its CoenKitchen featuring a full breakfast menu; bean to cup coffee; Our Famous Chicken, made from fresh, hand-breaded chicken; JoJos from-scratch pizza and pepperoni rolls; and an assortment of made-to-order sandwiches. Coen Markets was founded in 1923 and has been constantly evolving over the years to meet consumer demands. Currently Coen is underway on a massive rebranding focus on the forecourt to standardize fuel offer while bringing back the iconic Amoco brand in the Pittsburgh Market. Colin has held several roles with Coen, including interim IT Lead, interim Finance Lead, Corporate Development and FP&A Manager and more. Colin has been heavily incorporated in Coen's most recent M&A Activities (Selling Coen Energy 2017, Acquiring CoGo's Co in 2018, and various real estate transactions dating back to 2014). Colin is currently a member of the NACS Political Engagement Committee, and a tech minded individual that loves to explore the art of the possible, while keeping in mind that not everything is applicable. Colin graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in 2011 with a degree in Economics. Born and raised in Pittsburgh and now enjoys the benefit of building out Coen's foot print across the Pittsburgh MSA.

Derek Gaskins

Chief Marketing Officer

Yesway

Show Bio...

Mr. Gaskins primary responsibility is to direct all marketing, merchandising and procurement efforts for the Yesway brand, as well as to develop relationships with Yesways supplier vendors. He leads the efforts to establish a marketing and merchandising playbook to improve the organizations go to market strategic plan. He also helps to further cultivate the growth and stewardship of the fast growing Yesway brand with a keen focus on ensuring the organizations social, mobile, and loyalty initiatives are best in class. Prior to joining Yesway, Mr. Gaskins most recently served as Chief Customer Officer for Rutters convenience stores & Dairy business. He was instrumental in developing their award winning customer engagement programs and positioned the brand as one of the best in the retail industry. Before Rutters, Mr. Gaskins was Senior Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising with Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores (MACS) and led the development of the Circle K brand. Prior to MACS he served as Vice President of Marketing with NACS- The Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailing and positioned the organization for unprecedented digital and global growth. His other prior experiences include leading the brand marketing for Giant Eagle where he led the development of the GetGo chain of convenience stores, and launched the Fuelperks fuel rewards loyalty program. His other prior experiences include a number of major companies including Nabisco Foods, Goldman Sachs, and Procter & Gamble. He is an experienced brand developer, chief marketer, merchant, and innovator that has launched numerous packaged goods, CRM and retail brands and store formats. Mr. Gaskins holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Iowa and an MBA in Finance, Marketing, and Real Estate from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Kelley Gutierrez

Category Manager, Candy & Snacks

MAPCO Express, Inc.

Show Bio...

The MAPCO team of more than 3,200 dedicated employees with a strong commitment to customer service delivers Convenience You Can TRUST at more than 340 company-owned convenience and fuel retailing stores. Operating in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Virginia, Kentucky and Mississippi, MAPCO stores offer a wide array of high-quality products and services. Customers can refresh and recharge with freshly brewed coffee, packaged snacks and drinks, high-quality fuel and special deals through the industry-leading MY Reward$ loyalty program. MAPCO and its subsidiaries also operate a fuel logistics business comprised of more than 100 tankers and a fuel wholesale and fleet group serving more than 125 accounts. MAPCO is a subsidiary of COPEC, a leading South America-based retail company. I enjoy the networking and the sharing of ideas with others in our CPG community. The Network of Executive Womens Nashville group has been highly beneficial and inspiring to me. I greatly enjoy the analytical side of merchandising, so a large portion of my time is spent working through Nielsen trend data, and internal guest trends at MAPCO. I have worked in retail since my teen years and hold a Bachelor's degree in Merchandising. After graduation I worked as a Buyer, Manager and Analyst within e-commerce, small business, Fortune 200 corporate retail and now C-store corporate retail. I moved to the Nashville area 10 years ago as a native of Colorado. I currently enjoy life in beautiful Franklin, Tennessee with a very energetic 5 year old, who reaps the sweet and salty perks of my managing the Snack and Candy categories.

Jim Jacko

Senior Category Manager

Coen Markets, Inc.

Show Bio...

James Jacko is the Senior Category Manager for Coen Markets, Inc. (a convenience retail chain in the Tri-State region of Pittsburgh, PA) where he manages several retail categories for the chain. James previously spent 10 years in the convenience store distribution industry with a regional distribution company in the Pittsburgh market. He held various positions in the company including Category Manager for multiple center store categories from procurement to sale and Space Planning Professional where he learned to hone his capacity for data analytics. James was also a member of an independent data analytics panel that sought to make information more actionable for all levels of the convenience store industry. Currently, James manages all center store and beverage categories for Coen Markets. He brings a perspective and understanding of data that sheds new light on how the industry can dissect and steer categories for the future. James resides in South Park, PA with his wife and 3 beautiful children.

Andy Jones

President and CEO

Sprint Food Stores Inc

Show Bio...

Andy is the third generation in the family business. He began working at the full-service gas station at the age of 10. After graduating college, he worked for Georgia Pacific in Atlanta. In 1991, Andy returned home and began learning all aspects of the family business. In 1997, Sprint Food Stores was formed. Currently, Andy is President and CEO of Sprint Food Stores, MB Jones Oil Company and Town and Country Gas. He also is on the Executive Committee of both Georgia Oilmens Association and Augusta Tomorrow. Andy is on the Board of Governors of Augusta Country Club. He is also Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Episcopal Day School of Augusta.

Leroy Kelsey

Director of Research

NACS

Show Bio...

Leroy Kelsey is the director of research at NACS and is responsible for disseminating key industry metrics that provide NACS retail and supplier members with performance benchmarks, shopper insights and information critical to the industrys advocacy efforts on payment cards, motor fuels and tobacco. Prior to NACS, he spent five years with Intel and Motorola and five years with Safeway in a variety of roles in business analytics, finance and cost control. Kelsey received a BS in industrial engineering from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, an MBA from The Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University and an executive certificate in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He and Tracy Kelsey are the proud parents of two daughters, Avery and Kennedy. He has run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, but more recently enjoys quiet evenings with the family.

Chris Long

Director of Category Management  Age Verified

Kum & Go

Show Bio...

Chris Long has led the Age Verified Category Management team at Kum & Go as the Director over Alcohol, Tobacco, Lottery, and Services since 2019. Prior to that, he worked at Yesway, with responsibilities for both Packaged Beverages and Alcohol. Before shifting to a retail role, he had almost 15 years of experience with Anheuser-Busch and Altria within their Sales and Marketing functions. After growing up and going to school in Texas, Chris has lived in the Des Moines metro area since 2006 with his wife and two young daughters. He is a member of the Winsight/Technomic Operators Advisory Council and was recognized in 2018 by CSD Magazine as one of their 40 under 40.

Chuck Maggelet

Chief Adventure Guide

Maverik Inc.

Show Bio...

Chuck graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1986 in Electrical Engineering and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1991. In 1993, Chuck married Crystal Call, also an HBS 1991 graduate, and moved to Salt Lake City, shortly thereafter opening their first hotel, Crystal Inn. Together, they grew the portfolio to 14 hotels. Since 2011, Chuck served in various roles including Director, Chief Operating Officer and President of FJM Management, also serving its subsidiaries as Board Chairman for Big West Oil and TAB Bank. In 2016, Chuck was named Chief Adventure Guide for Maverik, Inc., the premier regional convenience retailer operating 300 stores across the intermountain west from its base camp in Salt Lake City. Crystal and Chuck enjoy skiing, bicycling, boating and travel with their four children: Drew, 21; Lexi, 18; and twins Hailey and Erica, 16. He is an avid pilot and has been an active member of Young Presidents Organization since 1997.

Charlie McIlvaine

Chairman & CEO

Coen Oil Company, LLC

Show Bio...

Charlie McIlvaine is the Chairman & CEO of Coen Oil Company, LLC, a diversified holding company. Together with his brother Andy, they manage Coen Markets (a convenience retail chain in the Tri-State region of Pittsburgh, PA) and Coen Tire (a retail tire platform). Charlie is also Managing Partner of Thomaston Capital, LLC, a private investment firm that invests in growth or later stage companies primarily in the consumer/retail sector. Charlie was previously a member of Avista Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in New York with $4 billion under management, where he focused on investments in the consumer sector. Prior to working in private equity, Charlie was Co-Global Group Head and Managing Director of the Global Consumer Group for Deutsche Bank. In this capacity, he had responsibility for managing a group of 50+ professionals across three global investment banking offices which generated revenues over $300 million. DBs Global Consumer Group advised on mergers & acquisitions and raised debt and equity capital for clients in the food/beverage, household products/personal care, retail/restaurant and business services sectors. Previous to DB, Charlie was a senior member and Managing Director of J.P. Morgans Global Consumer Group in investment banking. While at J.P. Morgan, he executed financings and mergers and acquisitions for a wide range of consumer companies. He began his career as an investment banking analyst for Merrill Lynch based in New York and London. Charlie holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, attended New College of Oxford University, and earned a BA in economics from Duke University.

Timothy L. Rupp

Senior Vice President, Marketing

Speedway LLC

Show Bio...

Mr. Rupp has more than 30 years experience starting in 1991 with Speedway. He held various Operations and Marketing positions in addition to Commercial positions. Over the last 18 years at Speedway, he held the following positions: 2002-2006 Marketing Category Management

2006-2010 Operations Region Management

2010-2012 Operations Division Director

2012-2014 Commercial and Business Development Director

2014-2018 Vice President Operations Speedway East

2018-Current Senior Vice President Marketing Mr. Rupp graduated from Miami University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and attended the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Executive Development program at UNCs Kenan-Flagler Business School in 2012. In 2014 Mr. Rupp joined the New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association, (NECSEMA) and was appointed a board member in 2015. In 2019 Mr. Rupp attended the Harvard Business School Executive class Leading Change and Organizational Renewal. Additionally, in 2019 Mr. Rupp was appointed to the NACS Research committee and the Coca-Cola/NACS Research Council. Mr. Rupp and his wife are the parents of two children.

Lori Buss Stillman

Vice President, Research

NACS

Show Bio...

Lori Buss Stillman is Vice President of Research for NACS, leading the associations portfolio offerings in support of industry performance benchmarking and analysis, labor and compensation insights, consumer tracking and custom research solutions. Stillman joined NACS in September 2019, following her role as EVP of Analytics, Insights and Intelligence for Advantage Solutions. She has additionally held leadership roles with Nielsen, Information Resources and Webco General Partnership. Her passion for industry disruptive trends and expertise in the FMCG retail landscape have attracted a wide following. Stillman is a sought-after speaker, having shared her deep insights and thought leadership at key industry, trade and supplier events. Lori earned her B.A. in Business Communications from Maryville University of Saint Louis. She is a member of the Path-to-Purchase Faculty and serves on the board of both the Coca-Cola NACS Retail Research Council and Conexxus.

Jared Scheeler

CEO

The Hub Convenience Stores, Inc.

Show Bio...

Scheeler began his career in the convenience industry in 1998 while attending college. He held multiple roles with the Minneapolis-based Bobby & Steves Auto World, most recently as Director of Convenience Store Operations for the 8-store chain. In 2014, Scheeler founded The Hub Convenience Stores in southwest North Dakota. During his industry career, Scheeler has been an active partner with the Minnesota Service Station Association as well as the ND Petroleum Marketers Association on state level industry and political affairs. In 2008, Scheeler was named to the Philip Morris USA Retail Sales Associate Council. In 2013 National Petroleum News named him National Legislative Leader of the Year. He has served on the CSP Fare Advisory Council since 2014. Recently, Scheeler hosted one of the first NACS In Store events with ND Congressman Kevin Cramer. He also testified on behalf of NACS in front of the House Small Business Committee in Washington, D.C. regarding EMV. In 2015, The Hub won the North Dakota Division of Vocational Rehab Regional Employer of the Year under Scheelers leadership. Jared was named one of the Convenience Industrys Top 40 under 40 by Convenience Store Decisions in late 2015. Scheeler is a 5-star NACSPAC member. Scheeler attended the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where he studied business and psychology. He also coaches high school basketball and is an avid volunteer for Dickinson Catholic Schools, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Special Olympics. Scheeler and his wife DeAnn live in Dickinson, North Dakota, with their three children, and are expecting a fourth in the summer of 2016.

Kevin Smartt

CEO

TXB Stores formerly Kwik Chek Food Stores

Show Bio...

Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB Stores formerly Kwik Chek Food Stores, has been involved in the retail business for 18 years. Kevin began his retail / marketing experience with Frito Lay, Inc. out of Plano, Texas. He held various sales and marketing positions while based out their Plano headquarters. Kevin has spent the last 14 years with Kwik Chek / McCraw Oil Company. The first seven years, Kevin held positions of VP of Operations and President of Kwik Chek, the retail division of the company. In 2001, Kevin and a partner bought Kwik Chek / McCraw Oil Company, where Kevin has served as CEO since the acquisition. Kwik Chek and McCraw Oil Company employee 600 employees and serve the Texas & Oklahoma markets. Kevin holds several board positions on local civic and charitable organizations. He is also on the board of Texas Petroleum Convenience Store Association, and the Oklahoma Petroleum Marketers Association. Kevin obtained his degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. Kevin has been married for 17 years, and has three children.

Jon Taets

Director, Government Relations

NACS

Show Bio...

Taets represents NACS before Congress and the administration on issues such as labor issues, taxes, health care, and internet gaming. He joined NACS in March of 2014 after spending over a decade on Capitol Hill. Prior to working for NACS, he worked in the offices of Representatives Leonard Lance and Vito Fossella as well as working on various political campaigns.

Jake Vogel

Director of Category Management

Kwik Trip, Inc.

Show Bio...

Jake is a 21-year veteran of Kwik Trip Inc. holding a variety of positions in Retail Operations, Merchandising and Category Management. Unloading trucks at his hometown Kwik Trip was the first step towards his current role as the Director of Category Management and Procurement. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons. He is an avid bar league softball player and a passionate fan of all Wisconsin collegiate and professional sports.

Laura White

Category Manager of Cigarette

RaceTrac Petroleum

Show Bio...

Category Manager of Cigarette for the past 9 years at RaceTrac Petroleum. RaceTrac operates 500+ stores located in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Texas. I am responsible for the overall strategy, merchandising, and forecasting as well as developing specific growth plans for each market and region. Love thinking outside the box and incorporating digital technology whenever possible. Attended the University of Arkansas and currently serve as VP of the NATO board of directors. I am an advocate for Oceana, JDRF and the Celiac Foundation. Outside of work, I enjoy the beach, running and cycling with my husband, attending my daughters Tennis matches, Visiting Disney and Universal Theme parks and taking Disney Cruises with my family. I am also a new mom to a 15-month-old French bulldog named Gus that never leaves my side.

Joe Zietlow

Industry and Trade Association Manager

Kwik Trip, Inc.

Show Bio...
Election 2018

Medicare privatisation

Despite all the Coalition governments denials to the contrary, it still plans to privatise Medicare. With a federal election to be called later this year, behind the scenes the parasitic private health insurance (PHI) industry is gearing up to take over Medicare. Privatisation of Medicare was a big issue in the 2016 general election and is shaping up to be of concern to voters in the next.

The Prime Minister is deliberately confusing voters on what is meant by privatisation. By limiting the definition of privatisation to selling off Medicare or parts of it, the PM is being less than honest.

At present the PHI funds are prohibited from providing cover for Medicare items. They are pushing hard to get their grubby hands on Medicare and Turnbull is a willing partner. The governments plans to contract out the Medicare payments system to the private sector  in other words its privatisation. When those proposals were leaked, public pressure and an election forced the government to pull its head in for the time being.

The PHI industry has undergone a series of take overs and mergers. HCF and HBF, both not-for-profit funds, are about to merge. The resulting fund hopes to be able to contain premiums using its greater market power to compete with the big for-profit outfits.

It would have around 18.4 percent of the market, in third place behind the for-profit BUPA and Medibank Private, both of which have around 27 percent. Along with NIB, four funds would dominate over 80 percent of the industry, giving them a powerful monopoly.

Takeover of Medicare

The Coalitions policy, a continuation of the Howard governments unfinished agenda, will not only open the way for the private health industry (PHI) to move into areas currently covered by Medicare. It will also normalise co-payments to see the doctor or have blood tests, X-rays and other examinations.

The government with the assistance of the mass media, is feeding the public with a constant barrage of myths about runaway costs of Medicare, unaffordability of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, the importance of price signals to contain costs, how supporting the private system will ease public costs and the need to relieve pressure on the public hospital system.

All the while it can find billions of dollars for corporate tax cuts and an arms race to fight the USs dirty wars.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbotts aborted attempt to introduce a $7 co-payment for Medicare services was to be the thin edge of the wedge to abolishing bulk billing. The $7 would creep up with every budget, just as student fees have risen from an initial $250 administration fee to tens of thousands of dollars.

We have already seen the cost of prescription medications rise with a patient contribution of up to $39.50 per script and $6.40 for commonwealth concession card-holders. This is almost double the amount paid 20 years ago.

When Medicare was set up, the Medicare rebate to general practitioners was 85 percent of the AMA recommended fee. Today it is close to half the recommended fee. Successive governments, Liberal and Labor have starved bulk-billing doctors of income with years of frozen rebates.

Many GPs are reluctantly abandoning bulk billing just to make their practice viable. In other words, the doctors are forced to do the dirty work and take the rap for introducing a co-payment instead of the government.

This is nothing less than a major step in privatisation of our health system as a greater percentage of healthcare spending comes from the pocket of the patient.

Private health insurance con

The Howard government introduced measures to scare people into taking out private health insurance. They were told they could have the doctor of their choice, be treated in the hospital of their choice, get better quality of care and the biggest carrot was no queuing on a long waiting list.

There was also an additional incentive to join before the age of 30 after which there would be a loading on premiums if they did not. The aim was to attract younger members who would be less likely to make claims and hence swell profits.

Of course, the promises did not always live up to expectations. The PHI funds did deals with specific hospitals or hospital chains. If you didnt use one of these hospitals then you might receive a hefty bill of thousands of dollars. And if you did choose one of their favoured hospitals there was the possibility that the surgeon you chose did not practise there.

At the same time, public hospitals are being run into the ground with chronic under-staffing and closure of beds, resulting in longer queues. Underpaid and overworked staff are trying to cope with impossible workloads.

For anyone taking out private cover, the system is a nightmare with literally thousands of possible policy options ranging from junk cover to full cover; from capped to uncapped benefits; varying policy excesses to be paid by the patient; and different premiums.

There are 27 private health insurance companies, including a number of industry funds such as the Railway & Transport, Teachers, Police, Defence, Doctors, and some other small funds linked to corporations. They tend to be not-for-profit mutuals that have lower operating costs, higher benefits and smaller profits. They operate in the interests of their members.

Highway robbery

The total paid in premiums to the private funds in 2016-17 was more than $23 billion. Just over $16.6 billion of this was spent on hospital cover and $6.5 billion on general (extras such as physiotherapy, dental, etc and ambulance) cover. The government contribution through the tax rebate was close to $6.3 billion.

Thus families, workers and other individuals spent a total of $16.7 billion on PHI!

Far from easing the pressure on public hospitals, the private hospital system is draining government coffers of $6.3 billion that could have been spent on the public hospital system.

These are annual, not one-off payments.

Patients received a total of $19.6 billion in benefits. According to the Grattan Institute only 17 percent of policies had no gaps and a quarter of patients had out-of-pocket expenses of more than $5,000.

It would be interesting to know the total out-of-pocket expenses paid. There are cases of people with private cover losing their homes to cover bills. (Statistics from APRA)

Nationalised health care

The Communist Party of Australia supports accessible quality medical and dental treatment for all Australians, bulkbilled under Medicare, centrally funded through progressive forms of taxation and focused on the needs of working Australians and their families, the elderly and the sick.

It also calls for an end to the privatisation of Australias health system and, in the meantime, an immediate end to the wasteful private health insurance rebate which is driving further privatisation of Australias health system and which will lead to rationing of health care for those who need it and means-testing of public hospitals.

A full policy statement is available on the CPA website. Click on Resources and then Policies.
Editorial

IWD: many gains, more to win

This Thursday, March 8, is International Womens Day. It was first celebrated in Europe in 1911 after Clara Zetkin, then leader of the Womens Office of the German Social Democratic Party, raised the idea at the 1910 Copenhagen International Conference of Working Women. Zetkin later played a leading role in the German Communist Party.

IWD was first celebrated in Australia by the Militant Womens Movement, a division of the Communist Party of Australia, in 1928.

According to the Australian Womens Council, International Womens Day is intended to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.

Writing in 1889 about conditions for Australian women, Louisa Lawson, the indomitable fighter for womens rights, asked: Will it be believed a hundred years hence that such a state of affairs existed? After 129 years, and with enormous struggle, much has been achieved. But much, much more remains to be done.

Discrimination in pay levels has been officially banned, but cases of underpayment still continue, especially where women work on contract. Women still have lower income levels. Further, an increasing number of women are now facing homelessness in old age.

Many gains have been won through the militant, organised working class in their trade unions  the eight-hour day, sick leave, annual leave, long service leave, workers compensation, paid overtime, penalty rates, occupational health and safety laws, advances towards pay equity, paid maternity and paternity leave, minimum wage rates, the concept of a living wage, permanent full-time employment, trade union and other rights. Married women gained the right to permanent employment in the public sector, superannuation and unemployment benefits. Some of the biggest gains were made during the years of communist leadership in the trade union movement. Not one was handed to workers on a plate by benevolent employers.

Early childhood education is not regarded as part of the public education system, and with the privatised system single parents, mostly women, face high costs for private childcare, which are financially crippling for women workers in low-paid jobs.

Australias first woman Prime Minister took office in 2009. But her period in that position was notable for vicious misogynistic attacks on her character, with one radio commentator even suggesting she should be drowned at sea.

Historically, under capitalism women have been treated as chattels belonging to men. Fathers gave their daughters away in marriage as property. Discrimination marginalising women is embedded in the system. Married women were not expected to enter the paid workforce and if they did, they were not paid a living wage. A good marriage was promoted as a vehicle to economic security. The historic Harvester case in 1911 awarded women 54 percent of the male wage rate. Sexism prevailed in the trade union movement for much of the 20th century and has still not been completely eliminated.

Domestic and other violence against women was condoned. Rape was not considered a serious crime and it was extremely difficult to obtain a conviction. The lack of respect for and recognition of womens rights in all spheres of life contributes to the culture of violence towards women.

During the 1970s and 80s women made gains towards pay equity and ending sex role stereotyping in the workplace and education, in particular under the Whitlam Labor government. Childcare, abolition of university fees, the development of TAFE and measures to support older women returning to study enabled many women to gain a measure of dignity and economic independence.

It was no longer acceptable to overtly discriminate in job advertisements or appointments or to use women as sex objects in advertising. Some sections of the church were changing and the law was also making advances but there was still a long way to go in changing a culture that condoned domestic violence. But still women are concentrated in lower paid and insecure jobs.

Domestic violence still remains hidden in the home, a taboo that brought shame on the victim. Police were instructed not to intervene. And where they did women had nowhere to go, no way to escape the perpetrators of violence, no shelter, no safe place.

The number of women trapped in situations of domestic violence, who are physically and psychologically brutalised  with two women per week murdered by their current or ex-partner  is increasing. Services set up specifically for women fleeing domestic violence, in many cases with their children, have been defunded.

Legislation on abortion varies between the states, and the law does not fully recognise a womans right to choose. Abortion is still subject to criminal law except in the Australian Capital Territory, but even there, exclusion zones may be set at the discretion of the ACT Health Minister. The only termination clinic in Tasmania recently closed because of a lack of funding and the Hodgman government refused to step in and save it.

Of course, many of the problems that women face are those they share with husbands and partners, including the high costs of housing and early childhood education, and the over-arching problem of corporate greed.

The Communist Party of Australia calls for:

Equal pay for work of equal value

Permanent full or part-time employment with full rights to leave and other entitlements

An end to social security payments based on relationship status, which deny women access to an independent income

The enforcement of anti-discrimination and affirmative action legislation to economically assist Indigenous, migrant and disabled women

Publicly-funded free childcare

Paid parental leave

Legislation to guarantee women the right to abortion, and

The elimination of sexual harassment and violence against women.

Discrimination and domestic violence against women shame and demean the nation and must be dealt with, but the nations political economy is the major problem facing both women and men.

The Communist Party declares: Like men, women should be afforded the real value of their labour, and not simply the same wage as the opposite sex ... Capitalism cannot provide solutions to the problems that women encounter because the system as a whole is driven by the profit ambitions of private companies.

And the Partys policy concludes: Socialism promotes a balance between womens social contribution through their work, their family life and their individual development. Only socialism is capable of restructuring society to achieve this balance.
170th celebrations of the Communist Manifesto

Politics in the Pub  Perth, Western Australia

The Western Australian branch of the Communist Party of Australia held its first Politics in the Pub for 2018 on the topic of the 170th anniversary of the publication of the Communist Manifesto written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. The book was first published in February 1848 and since then the spectre of Marx has been haunting not only Europe but the entire globe.

The first speaker was Dr Christopher Crouch a former professor in cultural history who, drawing from the Manifesto of the Communist Party, said that the advent of capitalism in the late 18th and 19th centuries swept away traditional social relations and replaced them with relations that saw humans and nature generally as means to an economic end  as things to be exploited rather than as ends in themselves.

Consumer items were made for exchange and profit by the capitalist system to be used, as Marx and Engels said, as capitalisms artillery. In a consumer culture, the appropriation of such weapons/commodities can also become manifestations of alienation. The capitalist mode of production created two classes which existed in antagonism to each other  the ruling class or bourgeoisie and the working class or proletariat.

Whereas in previous societal orders there was more or less a place for everyone, under the capitalist system, If you are unable to sell your labour you are excluded from the system. This resulted in traditional relations being swept away by capitalism and workers becoming alienated from the work which had traditionally had given them meaning and the means to live.

Marx and Engels in the Communist Manifesto proposed a list of ten introductory demands to address these circumstances, which included a heavy progressive or graduated income tax, abolition of all rights of inheritance, centralisation of credit in the hands of the state, centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state, factories and agricultural production owned by the state and subject to long term planning, obligation of all to labour (and the abolition of child labour) and the establishment of industrial and agricultural armies and free and public education for all children.

Many of these demands have been met at various times in our history since 1848 and in various places, but as Crouch reminded the audience in central Perth, none of this has been given freely by the capitalist class but achieved through struggle. With the crisis tendency of capital, the capitalist is always trying to erode or claw back these hard-won concessions and conditions in order to maintain and increase profits.

Crouch said the current state of the world economy, which includes Australia, demonstrates the ongoing relevance of Marxs ideas, especially the notion of capitalism being prone to crisis unless it is able to constantly expand its profits and its markets. However, in the finite world we live in Marx foresaw that capitalism would begin to tear at the natural world and humanity.

The second speaker was a senior legal officer at the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (WA), Kevin Sneddon, who suggested that the legacy of Marx and Engels had been undermined by the pursuit of dogma by its adherents rather than a practical application of their ideas of improving the lot of man. Sneddon also believed that Marx had overestimated the ability of the working class to achieve the consciousness of their historical role and this was not helped in many countries including Australia where the left split into many factions which dissipated energy from the struggle against the class enemy.

Sneddon, who hails from Scotland, noted that at least those in the British Isles understood what class was, whereas in Australia with its myth of mateship and egalitarianism the working class was distracted from their historical role  though the struggle at the Eureka Stockade at Ballarat in December 1854 demonstrated that Australian workers were capable of being organised and resisting the demands of the ruling class.

The third speaker was Vlad Bychkov of the Murdoch University Communist and Socialist Club who began his talk by stating, Young people are often misinformed about the politics of the world. This resulted in many young people having bourgeois concepts of what socialism is rather than being educated in the real tenets of socialist principles from foundational texts.

This problem, said Bychkov, comes in part from the structural problems with social media which has been captured by capitalism. There is also a liminal relationship between the world and the individual who uses social media which increased the isolation and alienation experienced by people rather than decreased it. Therefore, concluded Bychkov, It is important to re-establish the fundamental form of human relationships which was the collective, of which the form of Politics in the Pub was a prime example.

The speakers were followed by an extensive Q&A chaired by comrade Elizabeth Hulm in which the many young people in the forum were able to ask questions and express ideas about how the capitalist world was pressing on their world today.

The WA Branch of the Communist Party of Australia is planning further Politics in the Pub for the remainder of the year, with the next being on Thursday March 22, 6pm at 43 Below in Barrack Street Perth subject, the Right to Strike.
Royal green light

The Palace, The Governor-General and The Dismissal of the Whitlam Government

Professor Jenny Hocking is Gough Whitlams biographer. The Dismissal Dossier: Everything You Were Never Meant to Know About November 1975  The Palace Connection has just been published by Melbourne University Press.

Kerr confided in members of the High Court, legal academics, the Opposition and Prince Charles, drawing them into his thinking and planning, and creating a web of support for his action at the most senior levels.

The recent revelation of British involvement in the dismissal of the Whitlam government, demolishes some long-standing historical truths, notably that Buckingham Palace was in any way involved. Despite repeated public and parliamentary denials, it is now clear that British authorities pressed Kerr in person and through intermediaries on his duty to protect the Queen, in a staggering breach of Australian sovereignty.

The dismissal of the Whitlam government by the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, on 11 November 1975 was the culmination of months of political subterfuge, planned in secrecy and executed in deception. It created a deeply polarised history, marked as much by myth as fact, and rent by the same divisions as the dismissal itself. In the 42 years since, even its most basic facts that were once considered settled, have proved to be false.

Kerr always claimed that he acted alone, that the Palace did not know, that the Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Fraser did not know, that this was a solo act taken in solitude. As he wrote in his memoirs: I made up my mind on my own part. Kerrs own archival papers have shown that this was simply untrue. In the months before the dismissal. Kerr confided in members of the High Court, legal academics, the Opposition and Prince Charles, drawing them into his thinking and planning, and creating a web of support for his action at the most senior levels.

In the decades since, the central pillars of the accepted history of the dismissal have crumbled and a different story, of collusion, deception and artifice, has emerged. It is now known that Kerr and Fraser were in secret communication in the weeks before the dismissal; that Kerr conferred for several months with the then High Court justice, Sir Anthony Mason, about his powers and that Mason drafted a letter of dismissal for Kerr; and we know that Kerr attended secret tutorials with senior legal academics at the ANU months before the dismissal, at which the theme for discussion was the Governor-Generals discretionary powers, in particular the power to dismiss a government.

Kerrs 1980 journal in his archives revealed that he told both Prince Charles and the Queens private secretary, Sir Martin Charteris, in September 1975 that he was considering dismissing Whitlam. Charteris then wrote to Kerr about this prospect and Kerr noted in his papers, Charteris advice to me on dismissal.

This communication between Charles, the Queens private secretary and the Governor-General, is politically and constitutionally shocking. It reveals the Palace to be in deep intrigue with Kerr in the weeks before the dismissal  unknown of course to the Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam. It was to Kerr, a royal green light for continued deception of the Prime Minister  after all, the Palace was doing just that  and for the dismissal of the government.

With these documents from Kerrs archives, first revealed in Gough Whitlam: His Time and on the record now for five years, speculation that the Palace was involved in the dismissal could no longer be rejected. Nevertheless, an ever-diminishing coterie  a mix of NewsCorp recidivists, Kerr protectors and monarchists, continue to deny as mere conspiracy what is now undeniable  that the Queen and the Palace were involved in the dismissal.

The files of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). detailed in the latest edition of The Dismissal Dossier: The Palace Connection  Everything You Were Never Meant to Know About November 1975, contain extraordinary evidence of further British involvement, in the name of the Queen, in the Australian electoral process itself. The FCO and the British High Commission in Canberra discussed their intervention in Australian politics in the weeks before the dismissal. That they can intervene is never doubted in these discussions, the only question raised was one of timing:

Any intervention by us (in effect in Australian domestic politics) could have serious implications and both the nature and the timing thereof would need very careful consideration. Mr Whitlam, if he heard of it would inevitably suspect the UKs involvement. We should do nothing for the time being, except to continue to watch developments carefully.

By late October 1975, as Whitlam moved to end the crisis over supply in the Senate by calling the half-Senate election which was due at that time, the FCO discussed a more specific intervention  the question of our possible involvement in the half-Senate election.

British intervention

It is impossible to overstate the significance of these words, as with them the FCO had entered into the manifestly improper domain of British intervention in Australian politics, specifically in the half-Senate election.

Let us just consider the enormity of what is being proposed here. This is not mere contemplation of British involvement in an Australian political matter of mutual national interest, this is the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office discussing British intervention in the Australian electoral process, specifically in the half-Senate election, which they knew that Whitlam was intending to call if supply was not passed since it had been unanimously approved as the governments end-point to the crisis from the outset.

On the day that supply was blocked in the Senate, the most senior bureaucrat in the FCO, the Permanent Under-Secretary (designate). Sir Michael Palliser, visited Kerr and confirmed that the Governor-General could be relied upon to protect the Queen in any action he might take in relation to the supply crisis. Palliser sought and received, from Kerr and Sir Roden Cutler, comforting confirmation that, Sir John Kerr could be relied upon to protect the Queen.

This interest in protecting the Queen, whether from receiving conflicting advice or from becoming involved, is entirely and essentially a British interest. It has no place in, and should have played no role in, any decision by the Governor-General of Australia. Yet there is no doubt that it did. Kerr later wrote that, in dismissing Whitlam, he had met his duty to the Monarch by ensuring that she had not become involved in our crisis. Kerr also told the British High Commissioner, just weeks after the dismissal that a factor which weighed very heavily on his mind had been the need to protect the Queen  what need to protect the Queen?

The Governor-General of Australia has no duty to protect the Queen. The Governor-Generals Oath of Office states that they will do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of the Commonwealth of Australia  in which a duty to the Queen does not feature. The essence of a constitutional monarchy is that the Governor-General acts on the advice of the Prime Minister, not on the advice of or to protect the interests of the former colonial power. It is an unforgiveable breach of our independence and our national sovereignty that British authorities approached the Governor-General at this critical time in our history  in pursuit of their duty, not ours, to protect the Queen.

What this remnant expression of colonial power reflects is the fundamental incompatibility at the heart of Australia as a constitutional monarchy  between independent democratic government and an unarticulated residual power of the Crown. The disjuncture this intervention reveals, between protecting British self-interest and upholding Australian constitutional government, can never be resolved until Australia becomes a fully independent republic  with an Australian head of state. Its time.

The Beacon
Tangle of lies

This past week the web of lies and crimes spun by the White House got more tangled and impossible to unravel than ever, as several major scandals played out on the national television news networks.

Jared Kushner has used his job in the White House to put himself in a position where he could rake in many millions in foreign loans to get his family out of billions in debt.

With the number of Mueller indictments having just grown to over 80 charges against 19 individuals associated with Trump and with four top Trump aides having already plead guilty to crimes including conspiracy against the United States, it was revealed that Jared Kushner, the Presidents son-in-law, has used his job in the White House to put himself in a position where he could rake in many millions in foreign loans to get his family out of billions in debt.

While everyone knew that Kushner was losing his top security clearance, the Washington Post went further with a bombshell report that four countries, at a minimum, have discussed ways they can manipulate Kushner by taking advantage of his debt. He owes US$1.2 billion on one property in New York alone. US intelligence agencies have apparently heard officials of the United Arab Emirates, China, Israel, and Mexico discussing the matter with one another. Chinese officials were heard talking about Kushners desire for a US$200 million loan from that country.

The foreign officials were talking about what they considered both the naivete and financial desperation of Kushner, who is said to have sought the huge loan from a Chinese company just before that company was taken over by its countrys government.

If true, these types of actions by Kushner would constitute major crimes  using his government position to amass millions of dollars to take care of his family business. The degree to which all of this leaves him  and through him, the US  vulnerable to blackmail is also a problem.

To make matters worse, Trumps national security adviser, HR McMaster and his chief of staff, John Kelly, knew these things were happening about Kushner but failed to report them. It is difficult, if not impossible, to imagine that almost everybody else in the White House didnt also know all of this about Kushner.

If these were normal times, Kushner, McMaster, and Kelly would all have already been fired and the President himself would already have been impeached over this Kushner business alone. But the scandals and potential crimes gushing out of the White House daily now turn everything into an almost incomprehensible, unbelievable blur in the publics mind.

News, for example, that Ivanka Trump conducted official business with South Korea and probably used her position to discuss family business there, all while she too lacked proper security clearance, got almost completely lost in less than 24 hours.

As did the news that White House Secretary Hope Hicks refused to answer any questions from the House Intelligence Committee relating to anything that happened during the transition or during the time Trump has been president. Buried too was the news that the GOP majority on the committee let her get away with this despite an attempt by the Democrats to force her to testify with a subpoena. It didnt seem to be troublesome enough to the Republican lawmakers that in the testimony Hicks did give she said that telling white lies was a normal part of her job as White House secretary.

That the White House accepts white lies surprises few these days since it regularly promotes anything white. Presumably Hicks would have a much harder time, however, getting Special Counsel Mueller to accept any lies, regardless of their colour.

Forgotten also was yesterdays news that the Trump International Hotel in Panama was the scene this week of armed battles by teams of men, including Panamanian police. Folks were barricading themselves into rooms and fighting from room to room.

The Trump International in Panama was a brazenly built facility designed for laundering international mafia money. It is operated by the Trump International Company. Panamanian cops were in there investigating claims that Panamanian labour law, already hardly much to speak of as far as labour law is concerned, had been violated at the hotel.

For now it appears that even Panama, partly because of his horrible reputation in Latin America, wants Trump out. The results on that fight are not yet in, however.

Also, almost forgotten a day later is the news that Trump picked Brad Parscale as his campaign manager for 2020, signalling, of course, that the President intends to stay around for a while. Only hours after the announcement it was revealed that Parscale has close ties to a penny stock firm run by notorious fraudsters who regularly swindle buyers on Wall Street out of millions of dollars. The new campaign manager has already been interviewed by the special prosecutor.

Most observers say the move allows Trump to raise money he could use for other things, perhaps the legal defence of the many folks in his administration who face legal peril. Some 80 individuals thus far have either quit or been forced out of the White House since he became president, a record number of such departures from any administration in US history.

The speculation about the money going to places other than the re-election campaign seems reasonable when one considers the under-the-radar establishment in the state of Delaware of an entity called the Patriot Legal Expense Fund LLC. It was incorporated as a non- profit in corporate friendly Delaware. No one has official knowledge yet of who will donate to and fund the entity. One clear thing, however, is that there a lot of folks Trump defines as patriots who are in need these days of legal defence.

Also in the last two days, at least 20 new charges of serious crimes have been filed against Trumps Deputy Campaign Manager Richard Gates who is cooperating with the Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Yet with all these charges of big crimes against Gates, Mueller is going after Gates for only two minor ones. This can only mean that his real targets are Manafort, Kushner, and of course Trump himself.

As good a prosecutor as he may or may not be, however, the ultimate responsibility here lies with all of us, the people. We must remain vigilant. We are dealing with an administration unlike any we have ever had to deal with before. Our democracy is at stake. Vigilance and determination to use the 2018 elections to sweep out of office all the Republicans who condone the criminal Trump administration are required.

Peoples World
Wall-to-wall deception

Fake news may have shot to prominence in 2017, courtesy of Donald Trump, but the power of the corporate media to mislead, misinform and under-inform for political purposes  usually to protect the interests of those who control the media and their powerful allies  has deeper roots. And when deployed in Latin America, it has had serious consequences for ordinary citizens, as a look at three countries reveals.

The private media and right wing labelled President Dilma Rousseff the head of the snake of Brazils corruption, despite her not being implicated or investigated for corruption.

In Brazil, privately owned news media, including O Globo, the second-largest commercial TV network in the world, supplied wall-to-wall coverage of the anti-government rallies in 2016 against President Dilma Rousseff.

The private media and right wing labelled her the head of the snake of Brazils corruption, despite her not being implicated or investigated for corruption. Instead she was accused of budget manipulation.

Large demonstrations helped provide political support for an illegitimate impeachment process which removed Rousseff. Michel Temer became president without being elected and quickly set about implementing hard-line austerity measures for which there was no popular support.

In contrast, when a nationwide general strike against austerity took place in April 2017, supported by millions of workers, the media coverage could not have been more different. What was reported was not the numerically massive strike but rather demonstrations, protests and vandalism, according to one journalist.

A United Workers Centre (Central Unica dos Trabalhadores, CUT) spokesperson also noted that strikers and demonstrators were never interviewed. Our arguments for the general strike were never heard. The mainstream media clearly had an editorial tendency to discredit the strike.

At the same time Brazils privately-owned media ignored Temers acknowledgement in September 2016 of why Dilma was driven from office. While addressing a meeting of US business leaders and foreign policy experts, Temer admitted that it was Rousseffs opposition to privatisation and greater austerity being urged by his party and its big business backers that triggered the impeachment process, not supposed budgetary crimes.

Most recently, some of the media were implicated in the desperate attempts by Brazils right wing to stop former president Luiz Inacio Lula from standing in the next presidential election in October.

According to Lulas defence lawyers, who include British-Australian Geoffrey Robertson QC, constant leaks of baseless information keep on appearing in the press intended to demonise Lula or his group. None of this information can be proven, but it is leaked and appears in the press over and over again until the person is found guilty by the population.

Turning to Honduras, in 2009, a military coup brought down the progressive democratic government of President Manuel Zelaya. The business-owned media aligned itself with the coup, providing favourable publicity and support.

The coup was widely condemned by governments across Latin America, the EU, the Organisation of American States (OAS) and other regional blocs.

In contrast, in the US, Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton refused to call the political crisis a military coup. The subsequent elections included a media blackout and targeted pre-poll assassinations of opposition leaders. No international institutions monitored the elections.

Today in Honduras, news media is still concentrated in the hands of a powerful business elite. Community radio stations have an ambiguous legal status, exposing them to harassment, particularly when they report opposition views.

According to Reporters Without Borders, The level of press freedom is still sinking in Honduras. Journalists continue to be the targets of judicial proceedings, violence and murder, reinforcing a climate of fear and self-censorship that has worsened under Juan Orlando Hernandez, the president since January 2014.

Last December, Donald Trump recognised conservative US ally Hernandez as the winner of a strongly contested election, despite multiple allegations of fraud.

In doing so, he ignored poll observers findings and calls for a new election by members of the US Congress and the opposition Honduran Alliance Against Dictatorship party.

Needless to say, Fox News provided a narrative that supported Hernandez, although even The Economist reported both vote-rigging plans before the election and a vote surge for Hernandez after a lengthy and still unexplained election-night delay in the results being published by the countrys Supreme Electoral Court (TSE).

In Venezuela we see much the same picture where a powerful business elite dominates the countrys news media and sets the agenda actively engaging in politics against the current government led by Nicolas Maduro and perhaps in the hope of creating conditions for a future coup.

Four years after Hugo Chavezs election in 1998, the implacable hostility of the countrys business elite, in alliance with the US, led to the right-wing opposition launching a coup in 2002, which was fully supported by the privately-owned media.

This helped skew media coverage worldwide, since international news agencies typically depended on local journalists and those worked mostly for the private media complicit in the coup.

In Britain, the mainstream media had reported little about Chavezs achievements since 1998 and fell readily for the local narrative of an oppressed people rising up against an authoritarian military leader.

British corporate media reporting included a host of inaccuracies and mischaracterisations, such as labelling Chavez not so much a democrat as an autocrat and a playground bully.

Two days after the coup a popular uprising restored Chavez as the democratically elected president, but the right-wing oppositions narrative has persisted and has been picked up and amplified by international media, particularly in the US.

Violent protests directed by extreme elements of the opposition has led to deaths  40 in 2014 and over 120 in 2017.

Much of the mainstream international media, has, characteristically, ignored the criminal arson, street barricades and attacks on creches and hospitals, which have led to a large number of these deaths.

Every loss of life is a tragedy and those responsible for each death must be held to account. Venezuelas government is pursuing cases where security force members have been suspected or positively identified as perpetrators of unlawful killings and arrests and indictments have already taken place.

Despite this, the overriding impression provided by international media is that violence in Venezuela originates from one side only of the countrys deeply polarised political divide and can be taken as a green light by extreme sections of Venezuelas right wing to use violence without international condemnation.

News stories need careful reading to work out whose interests are being served.

The distorted and repressive narratives of the mainstream media seek to undermine those struggling for social justice in Venezuela, Brazil, Honduras and other Latin American countries and to preserve the privileges of the powerful.

All the more important, therefore, is the building of international solidarity rooted in understanding the actual experiences of those struggles.

Morning Star
Culture & Life

Have a glass of glyphosate!

Capitalism is not a system that thinks small. Its ambition is simply to rule the world, to eliminate any competing non-capitalist system and to make the world an obstacle-free playground for those engaged in the serious pursuit of profit.

The tiny upper strata of capitalist society lead lives of extraordinary luxury while the toiling masses who actually produce the wealth the rich enjoy are begrudged the pitiful fragment they are reluctantly allowed to retain. And they are only allowed to keep that so they can go on producing riches for a greedy minority.

Capitalists begrudge every penny that does not go into their own coffers. There is nothing, in their opinion, that governments do that cannot be done just as well by private corporations. Of course, private corporations will insist on making a profit from providing whatever government service or enterprise they are responsible for, but the public pays for that so wheres the harm, eh? Which is why the politicians they control try so desperately to privatise everything in sight.

However, capitalism has refined its goals over the last half-century or so. In the 20th century, its key goal was to gain control of global energy resources. Today, however, its goal is nothing less than gaining control over not only energy but also over global food and water supplies. If it manages to do that it will have achieved what the American military terms Full Spectrum Dominance. Or we can use the name of the favoured instrument of the worlds first billionaire, John D Rockefeller of Standard Oil and the Chase Manhattan Bank: a monopoly.

For the biggest capitalist corporations, this is no more than the way things should be, the way the world should in fact be organised. In pursuit of this lofty aim, they utilise all the techniques developed by their most useful creation, the advertising industry. To ensure success, they expend substantial sums of money on bribes and hiring PR firms to mould public opinion to accept their tame politicians putting peoples health at risk or jeopardising their future supplies of essential commodities like food and water.

Notorious chemical giant Monsanto uses every trick in the book to persuade farmers  especially in Third World countries  to not only use its ferocious weed killer Roundup, but to also use Roundup-resistant seeds from Monsanto when planting their next crop. That way they can go on spraying their crops with roundup but only the weeds will be killed, not the crop. The catch? These crops will not produce seeds that can be saved for future planting, leaving the unfortunate farmer in the position of having ever after to buy seed from Monsanto or some other chemical giant if he wishes to have any crops. Monsantos bosses must really be laughing all the way to the bank!

Roundup kills weeds but in March 2015 the World Health Organisations International Agency for Research on Cancer classified its active ingredient, glyphosate as probably carcinogenic in humans (category 2A) based on epidemiological studies, animal studies, and in vitro studies. However, in November, 2015, the European Food Safety Authority concluded that the substance is unlikely to be genotoxic (i.e. damaging to DNA) or to pose a carcinogenic threat to humans, later clarifying that while carcinogenic glyphosate-containing formulations may exist, studies that look solely at the active substance glyphosate do not show this effect. The WHO and FAO Joint committee on pesticide residues issued a report in 2016 stating the use of glyphosate formulations does not necessarily constitute a health risk, and giving admissible daily intake limits for chronic toxicity. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) classified glyphosate as causing serious eye damage and toxic to aquatic life, but did not find evidence implicating it to be a carcinogen, a mutagen, toxic to reproduction, nor toxic to specific organs.

However, given the intense commercial pressures on these organisations and on governments implementing their findings, many people in Europe feel that glyphosate is not something one should take chances with. They are understandably dubious about farmers spraying it on the food they eat.

Nevertheless, 18 member states of the European Union have approved the continued use of glyphosate for the next five years, although nine voted against the extension and Portugal abstained. Sixteen votes were needed for the extension to pass; Germany swung the vote after having been on the fence in preceding weeks. About 40 percent of crop-growing land in Germany is treated with Roundup. Monsanto would not want to lose that revenue earner!

Progressive opinion was outraged. Greenpeace EU declared that the European Commissions new approval of the chemical was based on flawed science. The people who are supposed to protect us from dangerous pesticides have failed to do their jobs and betrayed the trust Europeans place in them, said the groups food policy director, Franziska Achterberg.

The European Commission and most governments have chosen to ignore the warnings of independent scientists, the demands of the European Parliament and the petition signed by more than one million people calling for a glyphosate ban.

Friends of the Earth Europe also expressed dismay at the decision. Todays approval, even if only for five years, is a missed opportunity to get rid of this risky weedkiller and start to get farmers off the chemical treadmill, said the groups senior food and agricultural campaigner, Adrian Bebb. Five more years of glyphosate will put our health and environment at risk, and is a major setback to more sustainable farming methods.

It is widely believed that the 18 countries that voted for the license extension did so under pressure from Monsanto. There can be little doubt that Monsanto would move heaven and earth to protect its investment in Roundup, which is used widely in Europe. Monsanto has previously been accused of suppressing information about the potential dangers of Roundup and ghost-writing research that portrayed the herbicide in a positive light, a typical manoeuvre from the playbook of the PR industry.

There were protest demonstrations outside the HQ of the European Commission in Brussels. A typical protesters sign read: Our kids are not Monsantos lab rats!
The Problem:

It's kind of adorable that the Incredibles even bothered to put on their masks in that last scene, because remember, the government knows who they are. They know who every superhero is. So what's gonna happen the next time someone's Lexus turns into a crater during a superpowered battle? Those lawsuits are going to come roaring back with a vengeance. It's not like people are getting less litigious.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

The Parr kids have gotten a taste of the hero life, but they'll inevitably be forced to relocate again. And that's the best-case scenario. At least their parents had a decent amount of time as heroes before being forced to shut it down, and even then, look how Mr. Incredible handled his newfound mediocrity:

Pixar "Can't fire me if you're in a coma."

It's not hard to imagine an adult Dash finding himself in a similar situation as his father, working a crappy day job while moonlighting as a frustrated superhero, ripping up his whole family's roots every time he slips up and tries to help someone. Of course, this is all pure speculation. It's not as if Pixar likes subjecting its characters to unbearably sad situations or anything.
Two of the most crucial components to warfare on the battlefield are 1) camouflage, and 2) The constant need to stay one step ahead of your opponents. The following story contains both elements in spades, as well as a literal horse's ass.

During a World War I battle on a mostly desolate field, the French army noticed that a horse had been killed near the German trenches. From there, after a probably hilarious conversation, they surmised that the Germans would never expect a sniper to be stuffed inside a dead animal (remember that Empire Strikes Back was still decades away). At night, they constructed a papier-mache horse and switched it with the real one, then planted a sniper inside the fake horse with a gun port right where the anus would be.

Popular Mechanics
There was a time when Israel refused to use dogs, particularly German shepherd dogs, against demonstration. Maybe I should correct this. There was a time when Israel refused to use dogs against Jewish demonstrations because it was all too reminiscent of the use of dogs by the Nazi SS against Jews. As far as I'm aware this is still the case. However, as you might be aware, Palestinians are not Jews and the prohibition therefore doesn't apply.





Clearly such inhibitions dont apply to their use against Palestinian civilians. The attack below is particularly outrageous. A dog is sent into a house that is being raided with no other purpose than to attack those inside. The excuse by the Israeli Army that the man they wanted was not coming out is an obvious lie. The soldiers could have gone in without the dog to extract him.





Tony Greenstein









Bursting into a schoolteachers house in the middle of the night, soldiers sicced their dog on him. The dog bit him and held on, as his family looked on, horrified

and

Feb 16, 2018 1:52 AM



Mabruk and Innas Jarrar in the hospital.\ Alex Levac

Its not an easy sight to look at. His wife shows us the photographs on her phone: his wounded arm, battered and bleeding, mauled and mangled, scarred along its entire length. The same with his hip. Its the aftermath of the night of horror he endured, together with his wife and children.





Imagine: The front door is blasted open in the middle of the night, soldiers burst violently into the house and set a dog upon him. He falls to the floor, terrorized, the teeth of the vicious animal gripping his flesh for a quarter of an hour. All the while, both he and his wife and children are emitting bloodcurdling screams. Then, bleeding and wounded, hes handcuffed and taken by the soldiers into custody, and denied medical aid for hours, until hes taken to the hospital, which is where we met him and his wife this week. There, too, he had been under arrest, forced to lie shackled to his bed.





That near-lynching was perpetrated by Israel Defense Forces soldiers on Mabruk Jarrar, a 39-year-old Arabic teacher in the village of Burkin, near Jenin, during their brutal manhunt for the murderer of Rabbi Raziel Shevach from the settlement of Havat Gilad on January 9. And if that wasnt enough, a few days after the night of terror, soldiers returned again in the dead of night. The women in the house were forced to disrobe completely, including Jarrars elderly mother and his mute and disabled sister, apparently in a search for money.





The orthopedics ward in Haemek Hospital in Afula, Monday. A narrow room, three beds. In the middle one is Jarrar, who has been here for about two weeks. On Sunday morning the schoolteacher was still shackled to his bed with iron chains, and soldiers prevented his wife from tending to him. The soldiers left at midday after a military court ordered Jarrars unconditional release.





Its not clear why he was arrested or why the troops set the dog on him.





His left arm and his leg are bandaged, the searing pain that still accompanies every movement is plainly visible on his face. His wife, Innas, 37, is by his side. They were married just 45 days ago, the second marriage for both. His two children from his first marriage  Suheib, whos 9, and 5-year-old Mahmoud  were eyewitnesses to what the soldiers and their dog wrought on their father. The children are now staying with their mother, in Jenin, but their sleep is troubled, Jarrar tells us: They wake up with nightmares, shouting for him, and wetting their beds out of fear.





Jarrar teaches Arabic in Hisham al-Kilani Elementary School in Jenin. On Friday, February 2, he and his wife went to bed about midnight. Asleep in the adjacent room were his two sons, who stay with him on weekends. At about 4 A.M., the family was awakened by an explosion that came from the direction of the front door. Several windows in the house were shattered by the force of the blast. Jarrar leaped out of bed and rushed to be with the children. IDF jeeps were parked outside. A huge dog, apparently from Oketz, the armys canine unit, was brought into the house, followed by at least 20 soldiers, according to the couple. Its not hard to imagine the horror that seized them and the children.

Mabruk Jarrar's injured arm. \ Alex Levac

The dog pounced on Jarrar, fastening its teeth into his left side, knocking him down and dragging him along the floor. At first the soldiers did nothing. His wife rushed to him with a blanket, trying to cover the dog with it and to rescue her husband. The children looked on and cried as their parents shouted for help; their cries were very loud, they say now. Innas was unable to free her husband from the dogs grip.





It took quite a few minutes, they recall, before the soldiers also tried to pull the dog off, but the animal didnt obey them, either. Mabruk was certain that he was going to be ripped to pieces and die; Innas also feared the worst.





The soldiers tore Jarrars clothes off, apparently in an attempt to release him from the dogs clutches and finally succeeded  after about a quarter of an hour, by his estimate. Then one of the soldiers punched him twice in the face. He was wounded and reeling with fright and in that state, the soldiers bound his hands behind his back. They took him downstairs, at which point an officer arrived, asked Jarrar what his name was, released him from the handcuffs and photographed his injuries. The officer, Jarrar says now, also seemed to be appalled by the bleeding wounds, the torn and mangled arm and hip.





After being handcuffed again, the teacher was taken in a military vehicle to the detention facility at Salem, near Jenin, where he says he remained for about three hours with no medical treatment. Finally he was taken to Haemek Hospital, arriving there at about 10:30 A.M. He was now a detainee, though it wasnt clear for what reason.





That same night, his two brothers, Mustafa and Mubarak Jarrar, were also arrested. Mubarak was released; Mustafa remains in custody. They all have the surname of the person who was wanted for the murder of Rabbi Shevach, Ahmed Jarrar , who was subsequently killed by the army.





Also on the same night, a similar incident occurred, involving different IDF forces, in the village of Al-Kfir, near Jenin. At about 4 A.M., soldiers broke into the home of Samr and Nour Adin Awad, the parents of four small children. Along with the soldiers, an Oketz dog was brought into the bedroom, and it bit and wounded both parents.





I held my 2-year-old son Karem, who was crying, to my chest. I opened the door, which the soldiers were banging on, and a dog attacked me, jumping on my chest. Karem fell from my arms. Later I saw that my husband picked him up from the floor. I tried to push the dog away after it bit me in the chest. I managed to move it away but then it grabbed my left hip [with its teeth]. I managed with all my strength to push him away. At that moment, the soldiers looked at the dog, but did nothing. During this whole time my husband was begging the soldiers to release the dog from me. One soldier spoke to the dog in Hebrew and then it grabbed me by the left arm [holding me] for a few minutes, until a soldier arrived from outside the house and removed it. I was bleeding and in great pain. As Nour explained to Abd Al-Karim a-Saadi, a field researcher of the Israeli Btselem human rights organization: 





Soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces' canine unit. Amit Elkayam/IDF Spokesperson's Unit

The second intrusion by troops came a few days later, on February 8. Now only women and children were in the Jarrar house: Innas, her husbands two children and also his mother and sister, who live in the same building. It was 3:30 A.M. According to Innas, about 20 soldiers, male and female, took part in this raid. They told her there was Hamas money in the house and that they had come to confiscate it. They stepped on the beds and ignored Innas pleas to stop. They asked where Mabruk was  seemingly unaware that he was already in army custody at the time, in the hospital.





Then came the body searches. A female soldier took the three women  Jarrars wife, his 75-year-old mother and his 50-year-old disabled sister  into a room and ordered them to undress completely. The search turned up nothing: no money, no Hamas. Afterward, the soldiers gave Innas an entry permit to Israel, to visit her husband in Afula. She says they told her that he was in Megiddo Prison. She went there the next day, only to discover that he wasnt there. She called BTselems Abed Al-Karim a-Saadi, whom she describes as her kind redeemer. He made some calls and discovered that Mabruk was actually hospitalized in Afula. He was still under arrest when she got there, and she was only allowed to visit him for 45 minutes.





In response to a request for comment, the IDF Spokespersons Unit this week told Haaretz: On February 3, 2017, security forces came to the village of Burkin, to the house of Mabruk Jarrar, who is suspected of activities that endanger security in Judea and Samaria. Once they were at his home, the troops called him to come outside. After repeated calls and after he did not come out, the forces acted according to procedure and a dog was sent to search for people inside. The suspect had locked himself in a room on the upper floor of the building together with female members of his family.





When the door opened, the dog bit the suspect, injuring him. He received immediate assistance from the armys medical forces until he was evacuated to the hospital. Thereafter other activities were conducted in search of wanted individuals. We stress that in contrast with what is claimed in the article, the women of the house were not stripped by army forces.





How do you think I felt? he replies in answer to a question about what he felt during the dogs attack. I thought I was going to die. Jarrar is sitting on his hospital bed, his speech strained, every movement an effort. Innas arrives every day from Burkin. he replies in answer to a question about what he felt during the dogs attack. 





Given the ethnic composition of the physicians, patients, nurses and visitors, this is effectively a binational Jewish-Arab hospital  like most of the hospitals in the north of the country. But a Jewish maintenance man suddenly enters the room, seething with anger. Why are you interviewing Arabs? Why not Jews? he demands. The man threatens to summon the hospitals security officer, because wounded, mauled Mabruk Jarrar was talking to us.









A Palestinian from the occupied West Bank is suing the Dutch company that supplied the dogs Israeli soldiers used to attack him when he was a child.
Apparently, not every Starbucks drive-thru is animal friendly as one teen found out.

All 14-year-old Aspen Cline of Anthem, Arizona, wanted for her birthday was to go to the lake and go to Starbucks as that's her favorite place, according to her mother, Tandy Cline.

She told ABC 15: 'She didn't ask for money, she didn't ask for games, she just simply wanted to go to the lake and then go to Starbucks so we figured out a way to make it happen for her and we see it happening with other place and other people.'

Scroll down for video

No service: Teen Aspen Cline was rejected service at a Starbucks drive-thru in Arizona because she showed up on horseback

Simply Starbucks: Aspen's mother, Tandy Cline, said that Aspen didn't want money, she just wanted to go to Starbucks

Before her trip to Starbucks, Aspen had seen internet videos of others riding their horses through the drive-thru and decided to give it a try for her special day.

But unfortunately, when she arrived with the two horses, Scout and Flash, and her friend they were all turned away sans their Starbucks.

Aspen said in an Instagram post: 'We took Flash and Scout to the lake for my birthday party and on our way back we stopped to take them through the Starbucks drive-thru.'

'We got them all unloaded and saddled and such and when we got up to take our order, the lady over the speaker said in the rudest, snarkiest voice, "Actually I cant take your order" and wouldnt say anything when we asked why.'

No reason: When Aspen, her friend and their horses were denied service, the barista didn't tell them why

Tandy was also upset and took to Facebook to share her disappointment in the company. She said: 'We are officially boycotting Starbucks in Anthem. They refused to take her order. Jerks!!'

'We support Starbucks because they're very accepting. So we were kind of disappointed we got thrown to the side from such a great company,' Tandy told ABC 15.

Aspen and her friend were going to get a cup of whipped cream for the horses while they enjoyed frappuccinos for themselves.

A Starbucks spokesperson said, officially, the drive-thru is for cars only as it's policy to help keep animals, riders and employees safe.

Disappointed: Tandy said that her and Aspen were upset that they didn't receive better service

Addressed the issue: Aspen's mom has talked with the Starbucks district manager who said it would get Aspen and the horses through the drive-thru

Horse-lover: Aspen said that her and her friend were going to get whipped cream cups for the horses

The spokesperson added that the horse had just caught the barista off guard and that next time, with some advance notice, it would find a way to serve all creatures.

Tandy has since reached out to Starbucks to see if it can arrange a better experience for Aspen and shared on Facebook an update on the situation.

She wrote: 'Hey all! I spoke to the District Manager for this Starbucks. He assured me that he has addressed the issue of customer service with all of the baristas, in order to ensure better service for all Starbucks patrons.'

'He was very polite and offered to get Aspen, Scout, and Flash through the Drive-Thru. Thank you Starbucks for addressing this issue!'

It looks like Aspen, Scout and Flash will be getting their Starbucks after all.
Australian wildlife warrior Bindi Irwin will feature in a line up of new Barbie dolls being released to mark this year's International Women's Day.

Manufacturers of the doll, Mattel, is launching 17 different dolls honouring women - real and inspiring - from the past and present.

Bindi Irwin has been featured in Barbie collections before, however her latest inclusion as part of the 'Shero' female hero range, which represents Australian feminism, is her most significant.

Australian wildlife warrior Bindi Irwin (pictured) has been included as part of a new range of Barbies honouring inspirational women

Bindi Irwin (centre) stands alongside other inspirational figures including Spanish fashion designer Vicky Martin (far left) and Olympian Chloe Kim (second right)

Women chosen for the 'Shero' collection represent strength and achievement and are innovators in their fields which range from industry to arts to engineering.

Those featured alongside Bindi Irwin include Patty Jenkins, director of Wonder Woman and 17-year-old Chloe Kim, who won an Olympic gold medal in snowboarding last month.

Other 'Sheros' include Spanish fashion designer Vicky Martin, German entrepreneur Leyla Piedayesh and Polish journalist Martyna Wojciechowska.

17-year-old Chloe Kim (pictured) won an Olympic gold medal in snowboarding last month also features among the inspirational line-up

According to Mattel's website the dolls, the range has been designed to inspire young girls.

'Barbie is committed to shining a light on empowering role models past and present in an effort to inspire more girls,' the website states.

The dolls have been created as realistically as possible so they resemble their real-life counterparts.

Polish journalist Martyna Wojciechowska (pictured) has also been honoured by the makers of Barbie

As well as being made in the woman's likeness, the dolls have also been made to be more flexible for ease of movement.

'All the women being honoured by Barbie challenged gender expectations about women's intelligence, roles, capabilities, sexuality and power,' Mattel told Bustle.

Others set to feature as part of the inspiring women range is pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart; celebrated artist Frida Kahlo and Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician who broke race and gender barriers.

International Women's Day is on March 8. The day celebrates women's achievements and also acts as a catalyst for change when it comes to gender equality.
Controversial Australian lingerie label, Honey Birdette, left Australian shores recently to shoot what is described as its most 'provocative campaign yet'.

The label, which has made headlines previously for its eye-popping billboards and racy advertising, flew Russian bombshell Kristina Sheiter and Australian model Sarah Stephens to Los Angeles to shoot in some of the city's most iconic locations.

Titled L.A. Story, the campaign sees the models exploring the Hollywood Sign, the penthouse rooftop of the Hollywood Roosevelt, Mulholland Drive, palm-tree lined streets of Beverly Hills and the clear blue skyline of Downtown L.A.

Scroll down for video

Controversial Australian lingerie label, Honey Birdette, left Australian shores recently to shoot what is described as its most 'provocative' campaign yet

The label, which has made headlines previously for its eye-popping billboards and racy advertising, flew Kristina Sheiter (pictured) and Sarah Stephens to Los Angeles to shoot the new campaign in some of the city's most iconic locations

Titled L.A. Story, the campaign sees the models exploring the Hollywood Sign, the penthouse rooftop of the Hollywood Roosevelt, Mulholland Drive, palm-tree lined streets of Beverly Hills and the clear blue skyline of Downtown L.A

And they don't hold back, with 16 new lingerie collections comprising of bras, suspenders, thongs, briefs, playsuits and corsets dominated by metallic foil lace, crystal tulle and satin all making an appearance as they explore the city.

The high-end pieces also feature glossy gold hardware, seductive cut-out details, draped tassels and Swarovski crystal jewels.

The models featured in a video for the campaign where they were seen donning the risque pieces as they posed on a 1986 red 328 GTS Ferrari, hitchhiked, disembarked a helicopter and lay by the pool in pretty pastels.

The models also featured in a video for the campaign where they were seen donning the risque pieces as they posed on a 1986 red 328 GTS Ferrari on the palm-tree lined streets of Beverly Hills

And they don't hold back, with 16 new lingerie collections comprising of bras, suspenders, thongs, briefs, playsuits and corsets dominated by metallic foil lace, crystal tulle and satin all making an appearance as they explore the city

The models also lay by the pool in pretty pastels - a far cry from the bolder darker pieces in the collection

The luxury lingerie and lifestyle brand, led by Founder and Managing Director Eloise Monaghan, is known for its high-end pieces and the new campaign foreshadows a likely store launch in the US.

Despite a large following, the label hasn't been without controversy and in 2017, Ms Monaghan hit back after one of their campaign images was banned from stores.

One of the ads from Honey Birdette's 'Issy' campaign was deemed 'highly sexual' and banned from stores after a flood of complaints - the image showing two women in lacy black lingerie.

The image, which was reviewed by the Australian Ad Standards Bureau, was one of seven ads displayed on digital billboards in stores around the country and was therefore visible to children in shopping centres.

The luxury lingerie and lifestyle brand, led by Founder and Managing Director Eloise Monaghan, is known for its high-end pieces and the new campaign foreshadows a likely store launch in the US

Despite a large following, the label hasn't been without controversy and in 2017, Ms Monaghan hit back after one of their campaign images was banned from stores

One of the ads from Honey Birdette's 'Issy' campaign was deemed 'highly sexual' and banned from stores after a flood of complaints - the image showing two women in lacy black lingerie

As a result it was found to be in breach of Section 2.4 of the Code which states that 'Advertising or Marketing Communications shall treat sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience'.

The Ad Bureau said that the 'cut of the bras the women are wearing means that their nipples are visible through the lace'.

'Depiction of nipples in an image in a store window is not appropriate and does not treat the issue of sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant broad audience which would include children,' they wrote of the image.

'Overall the Board considered that the image entitled "Issy" did not treat the issue of sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience.'

As a result, the signage was changed.

'What's so threatening about a female nipple as opposed to a male nipple?' Ms Monaghan told FEMAIL

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Monaghan said the image in question was 'beautiful' and they plan to simply 'keep on doing what we're doing'.

We are here to empower women and we are going to continue to advertise lingerie. Eloise Monaghan

'What's so threatening about a female nipple as opposed to a male nipple?' Ms Monaghan told FEMAIL.

'This whole thing is a step backwards for society - this collection is our best-selling collection and the fastest selling collection ever and we sold 2,500 units within the first three hours.

'People have nipples, wow. It's not like there are tassles on them, they are covered and we faded them as much as possible but unfortunately we are a target.'

'People have nipples, wow. It's not like there are tassles on them, they are covered and we faded them as much as possible but unfortunately we are a target,' she said

'Yes, some parents did complain in addition to specific groups but I hardly imagine a four-year-old is walking past saying "look Mum there's a nipple, I'm offended,' Ms Monaghan (pictured) said

Ms Monaghan hit back at any suggestion that the ads 'objectify' women.

'We are here to empower women and we are going to continue to advertise lingerie and empower women moving forward,' she said.

'Yes, some parents did complain in addition to specific groups but I hardly imagine a four-year-old is walking past saying "look Mum there's a nipple, I'm offended".

'I've even had leasing agents say they weren't comfortable with our store because it was too focused on female sexuality - that got me fired up and now we are going to start looking to launch in California as well.

'We need to wake up, it's frightening how conservative society is becoming. I will continue to fight for me and my team.'

'We need to wake up, it's frightening how conservative society is becoming. I will continue to fight for me and my team,' she said

This isn't the first time Ms Monaghan has had to deal with complaints however, with the chain often the centre of angered social media posts and complaint.

In 2015, they were found to have breached the advertising code of ethics in a Christmas advertisement after complaints were made about the suggestive sexual violence in it.

The ad watchdog ruled that one of the two adverts 'featuring a bound and gagged Santa' suggested a sexual scene that was inappropriate to a broader audience.
The owner of a male-only barber shop slammed a female customer on Tuesday after the woman lodged an anti-discriminatory complaint against his salon.

She made the complaint in protest after she was turned away from the barber shop.

News of the situation didn't stay isolated to the Darwin-based salon, with hairdressers across the nation voicing their support for the woman.

And now one Sydney hairdresser, Joe Orlowski of Stanley & Co in Chippendale, is offering free haircuts to women to make a statement against the views, which he claims are not representative of the whole industry.

Sydney hairdresser, Joe Orlowski of Stanley & Co in Chippendale (pictured), is offering free haircuts to women

'The sexist stance we've seen from Star Barber is outdated and absolutely not representative of the modern-day barber industry, which has come a long way in terms of inclusion since its resurgence in recent years,' said Mr Orlowski.

'Stanley & Co has proudly been a unisex barber since we launched back in 2012 and our customer base is now around 50/50.

'I find these views very concerning, especially in the current climate of equality,' he continued.

'Firstly, on behalf of the industry we apologise to the complainants; secondly, we urge our errant Darwin colleagues to join us in the 21st century and lighten up,'he said.

Darwin Star Barber owner Joy Arnott (pictured) said the complaint was lodged after she told a woman she only cut men's hair

'To offer a make good, and in celebration of all the wonderful women that make our world go 'round, Stanley & Co is offering free cuts for women this International Women's Day, Thursday 8 March 2018.'

According to NT News, Star Barber owner Joy Arnott told a woman she only cuts men's hair.

Ms Arnott has stood by her decision saying she is 'pro-men, not anti-women.'

'Women do not have the right to take up space everywhere, just because they are women,' Ms Arnott said.

The owner of a men-only barber shop has slammed a female customer who lodged anti-discriminatory complaint after being turned away

'This is an outrageous sense of entitlement and it does not reflect what I understand the anti-discrimination act is all about or should be used for.'

The business' website describes the shop as 'Darwin's premier Barbershop for men.'

'A place where men can get a great cut and shave, enjoy the conversation, the music and a beverage.

'Inspired by old-school barbering techniques and fashion, and the nostalgia for a place when men could be men, Star Barber strives to deliver impeccable service, distinguished style and an enjoyable relaxed environment.'

'Women do not have the right to take up space everywhere, just because they are women,' Ms Arnott said

Ms Arnott said her business had found success in providing a welcoming environment for men.

'I think (men are) entitled to have a space that's designed for them, and that women don't have the right to just come in and take up space everywhere because they're women,' she told ABC News.

The Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commission is currently investigating the complaint.
Sarah Vine says fat shaming has helped her lose weight

Obesity is a complex and emotive issue. I know this because until very recently I was obese.

But since last October I have lost almost 3st  an act that has required a level of determination I never knew I possessed.

That is why I am convinced that yesterdays headline intervention by Public Health England  ordering the nation to dramatically cut portion sizes  wont have much impact.

Its not that this quangos calorific guidelines  a maximum of 400 for breakfast and 600 each for lunch and dinner  arent sensible. Its that Public Health England is missing the point. Losing weight is as much about what goes on in the mind as what goes into the mouth.

Rationally, we all know an apple is better for you than a Kit Kat.

If you were to ask a random group of people whether they wanted to be fat, most would say no. Yet, statistically, more than half of them would be.

So theres a huge gap between the theory and the practice of how people approach food. And that goes to the heart of the problem.

'Losing weight is as much about what goes on in the mind as what goes into the mouth. Everyone knows an apple is more healthy than a Kit Kat' (file photo)

Nobody sets out to become obese. We get that way for other reasons, ones that have nothing whatsoever to do with complex social and cultural roots.

Food  particularly high-fat, high-sugar food, which triggers the pleasure sensors in the brain  provides comfort; an emotional blanket under which to snuggle when the world all gets too much.

This is the fundamental point that all these professors and politicians miss. You are not dealing with cold hard logic, but peoples weaknesses, emotions and feelings.

Healthy, happy, well-adjusted human beings dont overeat. The fact that Britain is a nation of fatties says as much about our collective mental well-being as it does our overall physical health.

Food, particularly high-fat, high-sugar food, which triggers the pleasure sensors in the brain, provides comfort; an emotional blanket under which to snuggle when the world all gets too much (file photo)

The obesity epidemic is a symptom of the pressure we are all under. Lives where we work too hard, too long and snatch food on the go; where we dont move our bodies enough; where high-calorie processed food is cheap and plentiful, and where people find comfort in small luxuries: a chocolate bar or a tub of ice cream in front of the TV.

All that would be difficult enough to overcome as it is; now you have the added pressure of social media, as ever making things worse.

This week, the charity Cancer Research UK came under fire for daring to use the word obesity in an advertising campaign highlighting the risk of cancer associated with being overweight.

The simple message  that obesity is the second leading cause of cancer after smoking  enraged comedian Sofie Hagen, 29, who encouraged a Twitter backlash.

The fact that Ms Hagen is fairly chunky herself probably explains why she was so upset; nonetheless, there was nothing personal about the nature of the Cancer Research UK advert, merely a bald statement of fact, intended to save lives.

Public Health England yesterday called for Britain to go on a diet and start counting calories. It released guidelines on what to eat for each meal (shown above)

Meanwhile, the new editor of the womens magazine Grazia, Hattie Brett, who on Oscars night used the F word to describe some of the winners, has found herself fighting for her professional life. Absurdly, shes even had to issue an official apology.

Both she and Cancer Research UK stand accused of that most heinous of modern-day crimes: fat shaming. Of course, no one likes hearing unpleasant truths. But hard as it is to accept, sometimes fat shaming works. It certainly worked for me. It might even have saved my life.

It was because of my doctors frank appraisal of my weight that I finally found the determination to tackle a problem that had been dogging me for years.

He told me to my face that I was fat, and I accepted his recommendation that I lose 3st for what it was  a genuine expression of his medical concern.

In so doing I have completely re-thought my attitude towards food. I have had to learn to stop making excuses, stop seeing food as a reward or refuge and view it purely as a source of energy, to be used wisely and sparingly. I will never be thin; but, crucially, I am no longer obese.

You cant begin to tackle a problem until you admit you have one in the first place. And while we continue to walk on eggshells, and words like obese and fat are banned in favour of sops such as plus-sized or curvy, that will never happen.

French Lessons for NHS

Its heartbreaking to think that seven million women in Britain today suffer from incontinence as a result of childbirth  which in many cases is preventable with pelvic floor exercise.

And there is something so very British about the way we seem to shy away from addressing the problem.

The French  who are far more open about such matters  are much more pro-active in this respect, as a friend of mine who had her second child in France was amazed to discover.

Seven million women in Britain today suffer from incontinence as a result of childbirth (file photo)

Within hours of giving birth, she was being pushed into starting her pelvic rehabilitation exercises, something that initially she found rather alarming  but which long-term has been an absolute blessing to her.

Given that urinary incontinence costs the NHS 233 million a year, isnt it time the Department of Health considered a similar approach here?

The striking thing about the supposed poisoning of the former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, is that if Vladimir Putin simply wanted to get rid of them, he could have done so far more discreetly than poisoning them in a shopping centre in Salisbury.

If true, this is a flagrant act of aggression on the part of the Kremlin, and if there are no repercussions for Moscow, Putin will assume Britain is either too scared or too useless to respond.

Cut your own fringe, Emma?

My teenage daughter has recently taken to cutting her own fringe, which I supposed is just about acceptable when you're 14-and-three-quarters. What's 27-year-old actress Emma Watson's excuse?

My teenage daughter has recently taken to cutting her own fringe, which I supposed is just about acceptable when you're 14-and-three-quarters. What's 27-year-old actress Emma Watson's excuse?

Want to impress your know-it-all millennial offpring?

Make them a delicious dish of oasotto, aka oat risotto. Thats salty porridge, to you or me.

Yes, the stuff that Scots grans used for grouting is now the latest hip, cool foodstuff.

Coming soon to an M&S food hall near you, very possibly in the same aisle as the cauliflower steaks.

Pay us on our ability, not what others get

This obsession with pay equality at the BBC  the latest thing is a letter in the Guardian, signed by various luvvies, to director-general Tony Hall demanding more transparency  is ridiculous.

It stifles ambition (whats the point in going that extra mile if you cant be rewarded for it), builds resentment (how come so-and-so gets the same for doing their job half as well as such-and-such) and drains organisations of all the internal competition that is such a driver of success.

I want to be paid according to my ability to do my job  not on the basis of what the woman sitting next to me gets.

Proof some bosses do care

I was immensely touched by the story of the Sainsburys employee diagnosed with dementia who was nevertheless able to carry on working for a further five years.

Staff at the store in Harrow, North London, went out of their way to make her feel valued, changing her shift patterns as necessary and offering the support needed, as her grateful son put it, to preserve her self-worth when she was literally losing everything she once was.

In a world where employees are increasingly seen as disposable, it is truly heartening to see a company putting people before profit for once.

Only the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn could have appointed an equalities adviser who thinks that all white people are racist. It would be a bit like having a Shadow Chancellor who doesnt believe in capitalism.

Oh, hang on . . .

Banker Sarvenaz Fouladi, 38, has won more than 100,000 in damages after a court found that she had been subjected to excess noise levels from the family in the flat above her, principally the sound of children playing and running around.

Sorry, what are parents with small children supposed to do with them? Tie them to a radiator? Needless to say, Ms Fouladi doesnt have children herself. One is tempted to think thats just as well.

How Italy came to back a clown

Unsurprisingly, the powers-that-be in Europe are dismissing the results of the Italian elections  in which the Five Star Movement (a neo-anarchist collective run, literally, by a clown) and the Northern League (anti-immigration Right-wingers) swept the board  as an act of madness by the Italian people.

Which, of course, it is. But if you want to know who is to blame for this fiasco, there is only one place to look: the EU. Brussels rampant federalism has meant that, for years, it hasnt mattered who was nominally in charge in Italy  everything was decided by EU cronies. So no wonder the Italians have voted for Five Star, a party that wants to abolish politics altogether and replace it with the internet (whatever that means).

Its just another example of the disillusionment felt by voters towards over-entitled, establishment politicians all across Europe. And its spreading.
The 16 singletons who signed up to Married at First Sight all said they were looking for love, with many saying they'd had a series of unsuccessful romances in the past. But as the weeks went on, some couples seemed less than willing to try to make it work with their new spouses, with some viewers accusing the contestants of going on the show to find fame, not love. Now FEMAIL can reveal the cast have racked up at least 10 prior reality TV appearances between them. Top row, from left: Morag Crichton on Take Me Out, Nikita Jasmine on True Love or True Lies, Joshua Christie on Ibiza Weekender, Marilyse Corrigan on TOWIE. Bottom row, from left: Joshua Christie on Shipwrecked, Adam Aveling on Back to Mine, Amy Christophers on the Bachelor, Ant Poole on Your Face or Mine
Advertisement

She's week away from giving birth and this morning, the Duchess of Cambridge looked every inch the glowing mother-to-be as she arrived to officially open the new headquarters of children's mental health charity Place2Be.

Kate, 36, recycled a 165 'Marlene' maternity dress by Seraphine for the visit, just weeks after she wore it to lunch with the Norwegian royals at the palace in Oslo.

The brand has been her favourite this pregnancy and she has chosen Seraphine dresses for most of her official engagements in the last few weeks.

The Duchess gave a speech at the opening, saying: 'This new Centre of Excellence is so crucial, not only for Place2Be to continue their outstanding work, but for all the school leaders, teachers and children it helps now, and undoubtedly will help in the future years to come....

'This Centre of Excellence is a new, and significant, step to helping those who will raise the next generation of mentally healthy children.'

Speaking with children from Albion Primary School in Rotherhithe, who have worked with Place2Be for 16 years, Kate asked them: 'What do you think about it?

'What's the best thing about it?' She also said to the children, who were drawing and sticking into the outline of a paper hand: 'I love what you are doing here.

'I should be putting things on that. Maybe I should take one home to do with George and Charlotte.'

The Duchess of Cambridge, 36, who is eight months' pregnant, looked glowing as she opened the new HQ of charity Place2Be in London today

The mother-to-be was all smiles during the visit to the charity which supports child mental health, a cause close to her heart

The Duchess of Cambridge speaks to Ruby, a pupil from Albion Primary School, during a visit to officially open the new headquarters of children's mental health charity Place2Be

The Duchess of Cambridge arriving to open the new headquarters of the children's mental health charity Place2Be in London

The Duchess joined children from Albion Primary school in the replica Place2Be Room where they're able to think, talk and make art on the subject of what makes a good friend with their Place2Be counsellor

The Duchess of Cambridge previously wore her blue Seraphine dress to lunch at Oslo's royal palace in early February with Norway's Crown Princess Mette Marit and Crown Prince Haakon, Prince William and Norway's King Harald and Queen Sonja

Kate, 36, showcased her pregnancy curves in a blue maternity dress by Serpahine

The Duchess of Cambridge speaks to pupils from Albion Primary School, asking them about their opinions of Place2Be

She's eight months pregnant, but Kate was looking glamorous as ever in a blue fitted dress and high heels

In her speech Kate, 36, also praised the work the charity does helping schools 'prioritise the mental health and social development of children' amid 'ever-present focus on academic achievement'.

Kate became patron of Place2Be in 2013. The charity is the UK's leading children's mental health charity and works with primary and secondary schools to help improve children's mental health.

The new HQ will allow more counsellors, teachers and school leaders to be trained and provide a new home for the charity's research and evaluation teams.

Kate, who is expecting her third child in April, has an interest in supporting mothers, teachers and parents in order to ensure children have the best possible start in life.

Pregnant Kate looked blooming in a blue maternity dress as she was welcomed to the new Place2Be headquarters in London

Pregnant Kate looked animated as she chatted to staff and pupils and learned more about how Place2Be is working to support parents and teachers to raise a generation of mentally healthy children

Pregnant Kate carried a small suede clutch bag as she arrived to officially open the new headquarters of Place2Be

Kate unveiled a plaque to mark the official opening of the new Place2Be HQ in London

The Duchess is expecting to give birth to her third child in April and is rumoured to be due around St George's Day

During the visit she took part in a discussion with mental health professionals, who have completed one of Place2Be's accredited child counselling qualifications, and school leaders who have participated in the charity's Mental Health Champions programme.

And joined roundtable meeting with members of Place2Be's research and evaluation team, and the independent Research Advisory Group, to discuss how the charity uses evidence and research to inform and continuously improve practice.

It's been a busy week for the Duchess who yesterday visited Pegasus Primary School in Oxford to see the work of Family Links, a charity which works with schools to support children and parents with their emotional wellbeing.

Kate's speech at the opening of Place2Be's new HQ Thank you so much for your warm welcome and for inviting me to open Place2Bes new home. Through my work with patronages like Place2Be, The Art Room, and other organisations which I support with huge enthusiasm, I've had the opportunity to meet with many school leaders, teachers and school-based mental health professionals. I have always been struck by their commitment to ensuring that children in their care receive the very best possible support. Their dedication to integrating emotional understanding and wellbeing into all areas of the school environment is extraordinary. We know that schools have a vital role to play in creating an emotionally healthy culture for children. In spite of often-challenging circumstances, and the ever-present focus on academic achievement, I have witnessed the determination of many teachers and head teachers, in schools across the country, to prioritise the mental health and social development of children in their care: to help them build social skills; to help them build emotional skills; and ultimately to teach them life skills that will last a lifetime, and be the foundation for becoming mentally healthy adults. Schools, however, cannot and should not have to manage all this alone. School leaders and teachers need expert guidance and training to develop their own approaches to supporting childrens mental wellbeing. They also need access to a pool of experienced, well-trained mental health professionals, who can step in when things are more complex or serious. As its Patron, I am incredibly proud of the contribution that Place2Be is making towards exactly this. They are training and guiding thousands of counsellors, and many hundreds of school leaders, teachers and staff, based on the evidence and experience gathered from their frontline work. In my years of working with all of you at Place2Be, I have seen at first hand the leadership you provide: you are at the forefront of efforts to give every child the very best start in life. That's why this new Centre of Excellence is so crucial, not only for Place2Be to continue their outstanding work, but for all the school leaders, teachers and children it helps now, and undoubtedly will help in the future years to come. I congratulate Benny, Catherine and all of you who have contributed to making it such a success. This Centre of Excellence is a new, and significant, step to helping those who will raise the next generation of mentally healthy children. Thank you. Advertisement

It's been a hectic few months for the expectant mother who has had her busiest start to the year to date - completing 38 official engagements so far despite being weeks from giving birth.

Kate, who is more than seven months pregnant, has had a whirlwind calendar so far - including a jam-packed overseas tour to Sweden and Norway.

During the same period in 2016, Kate had completed seven official engagements, according to the Royal Court Circular.

The Duchess had a busier diary in 2015 - when she was pregnant with Princess Charlotte - completing 13 official engagements.

In the past, she and Prince William have been accused of not pulling their weight, with the couple often completing fewer engagements than older members of the royal family over the course of a year.

Experts say the recent influx of engagements may be due to Kate wanting to help Meghan with her first steps into royal life, as well as the Duchess preparing to take time off after the birth of her third child.

The Duchess was eager to learn how young people are benefitting from the support of Place2Be
WE Day celebrates young people making a difference in their communities

Princess Beatrice and sister Eugenie shared the lessons that have helped them through life as they attended a charity event in London today.

Beatrice, 29, and Eugenie 27, urged others to 'never give up, no matter the obstacles' and 'reach out to others' as they took to the stage at the WE Day event at Wembley Arena.

The royals - who joined close friend and Virgin heiress Holly Branson at the event - also called for people to 'find that tiny flame inside' that 'gives you the belief that you can change the world.'

WE Day is an annual event that celebrates the young people who are making a difference in their communities both locally and around the world.

Scroll down for video

Prince Beatrice and sister Eugenie shared the lessons that have helped them through life as they took to the stage at the WE Day event in London today

The royal was joined by her close friend and Virgin heiress Holly Branson at the event

The sisters also met YouTube sensation Sophia Grace, 14, who attended the event

Beatrice had a busy day, stepping out in the same outfit for an event later in the evening

The young royal's outfit took her from day to night as she headed out for an engagement

Taking to the stage, Beatrice and Eugenie explained: 'We stand here to support not just each other, but all women. Women are working together to impact great change.'

They continued: 'Today we are here to offer three lessons that have helped us that have taught us to be strong and value those around us.

'1. Never give up  no matter the obstacles. 2. Find that tiny flame inside of you that makes you shine brighter than you feel, that gives you the belief that you can change the world.

'3. You dont have to face anything alone  you should reach out to others.'

Beatrice and Eugenie both looked to be in high spirits as they took to the stage together

The royals urged others to 'never give up' and 'reach out to others' as they took to the stage

Beatrice, 29, looked chic in a black blouse and patterned mini skirt as she attended the star-studded charity event

Following an appearance on stage they met YouTube sensation Sophia Grace, 14, who they posed for a snap with.

Beatrice looked chic in a black sweater and patterned mini skirt as she arrived at her star-studded event.

She finished off the stylish ensemble with a grey double-breasted coat over the top, and a pair of black suede boots.

Meanwhile, Eugenie - who announced her engagement to Jack Brooksbank in January - opted for a checked coat paired with black jeans.

The royals were joined by friend and Virgin heiress Holly Branson, who opted for a printed white blouse and jeans.

Beatrice is close friends with Holly, 36, with the pair setting up the charity Big Change together in 2012.

Eugenie opted for a stylish checked coat with black jeans for today's charity event

Both sisters opted for monochrome ensembles as they attended the event today

Beatrice appeared passionate as she gave a speech at the star-studded event today

Other celebrities attending this year's WE Day included Lily Collins, Alexandra Burke and Laura Whitmore.

Beatrice's appearance in London today comes after it was revealed that she may be set to move out of the St Jamess Palace apartment she shares with Princess Eugenie, after her younger sister marries later this year.

Reports suggest that Andrew covers the 20,000 a year rent for the apartment, as only full-time working royals get to live in palaces for free, the Mail On Sunday reported.

Beatrice is currently working in New York, meaning that she will have little need for the apartment.

Beatrice finished off her stylish ensemble with a grey double-breasted coat and black boots

She is currently Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy at computer software company Afiniti.

The royal also spends time over in LA, and was spotted enjoying a dinner date with a mystery man driving a Bentley just over a week ago.

He was later revealed to be British business and fitness guru James Williams, who is originally from Walton on the Hill in Surrey.

Beatrice is expected to play a major role at younger sister Eugenie's wedding, which will take place at St George's Chapel in Windsor in October.

Eugenie announced her engagement to wine merchant Jack Brooksbank, 31, at the end of January.

Beatrice opted for a subtle make-up look as she arrived at the charity event today

The royal, who now works for a computer software company in New York, was back in London for the event

The princess was attending WE Day event, which celebrates young people who are making a difference in their communities both locally and around the world

Beatrice is good friends with Holly, 36, with the pair setting up the Big Change charity together in 2012

Holly opted for a patterned white shirt for the event, along with black jeans and trainers
Prince William returned to familiar territory when he visited an RAF base today.

The Duke of Cambridge, who served as a helicopter pilot, looked perfectly at ease as he climbed into the cockpit of a Eurofighter Typhoon jet at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

William, 35, spent time with 29 Squadron at the airbase, where he is Honorary Air Commandant.

Back in the cockpit: William, 35, sat in the cockpit of a Eurofighter Typhoon jet on Wednesday

Familiar territory: The Duke of Cambridge was on a visit to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire

Experience: William in a RAF Sea King helicopter at RAF Valley in Anglesey, Britain, in 2012

He was on hand to learn more about how schoolchildren are being involved with life at the base as part of a new outreach programme.

The new engagement centre is the first of its kind at an RAF facility and offers facilities to the local community, including classroom to teach science, technology, engineering and maths.

William attended the engagement solo while pregnant Kate, 36,opened the new headquarters of children's mental health charity Place2Be in London.

Tour: William inspected the cockpit of the aircraft and spent time with members of the RAF

Engaged: The royal, 35, looked interested in learning more about the workings of the aircraft

Frequent visitor: William has been to the Lincolnshire base on a number of occasions

The couple are expecting their third child together next month.

The visit to RAF Coningsby is likely to have stirred up feelings of nostalgia for the Duke.

After graduating from Sandhurst military academy in December 2006, William received his RAF wings from his father, the Prince of Wales, in 2008.

Prince William met local schoolchildren taking part in an engineering class at the RAF base

One child presented the prince with this photo of himself with Kate, George and Charlotte

William admires the sweet hand-drawn picture as he leaves the session with the children

Two years later, in 2010, he joined the RAF's Search and Rescue Force.

In 2012, he was deployed for a tour in the Falkland Islands 30 years after Britain fought a war with Argentina to reclaim them.

A year later his active service with the Air Force came to an end.

In March 2015 William took his skills to the East Anglian Air Ambulance, where he worked as a pilot. He carried out his last shift with the charity in July last year.
He may only be fifth in line to the throne now, but Prince Harry revealed today that he is the king of speed.

On a visit to the legendary Silverstone racetrack, he told staff how he used to take on 1995 British Grand Prix winner Johnny Herbert at go-karting - and actually won.

He joked with Silverstone Heritage staff Stephanie Sykes-Dugmore and Sophie Meeks that after retiring from racing the British racing star had got too fat.

He said it tongue in cheek - I think! - but it is true, he did win against him, Stephanie said, after showing Harry a sign-on sheet showing the drivers signature alongside luminaries such as Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher.

Scroll down for video

Prince Harry today paid a visit to Silverstone racetrack on Wednesday in order to mark the construction of the Silverstone Experience of which he is patron

The prince was in Buckinghamshire without his fiancee, Meghan Markle, in his role as Patron of the Silverstone Experience, which will open in Spring 2019.

The project will bring the extensive heritage of Silverstone and British motor racing to life through the creation of a dynamic, interactive and educational visitor experience.

Harry visited the site to officially mark the start of construction - which he did by pressing a button to turn a set of start lights from red to green, which made him laugh and shrug his shoulders.

He also viewed a car that competed in the first British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1948 - it is the 70th anniversary this year - and a 2018 Mercedes show car.

Prince Harry first met with students from Silverstone University Technical College, a college located on the side of the famous racing track, which helps 18-14 year olds into careers in High Performance Engineering and Business & Technical Events

He chatted with female students about changing the stereotypes surrounding women in engineering

The groom-to-be was shown a letter of advice to young racers from Sterling Moss which read: Dont be brave, be sensible. Its easy to drive fast but not so easy to drive well. To drive well is more important than driving fast.

Earlier Harry had listened to a briefing about the success of British motor racing and met with students from Silverstone University Technical College, which is located alongside the circuit.

In the school's engineering workshops, Harry met representatives from the Williams F1 Engineering Academy - so youre living the dream, then! said the prince - and told them to work hard. Youre still young, he said.

He also chatted with female students Tara Vooght and Lauren Bull, both 15, who are studying there with the hope of going on to be engineers.

The royal said that he was 'encouraged' by his visit to the educational facility today

Its a great choice, said Harry, we want to get away from [the idea] that its all men in overalls and oily rags.

Do you think think that girls want to be [in engineering] and there arent opportunities or it is not really considered by them?

There are a lot of stereotypes, said Tara.

What men covered in grease? asked Harry.

Yes, but it's not like that. There was a bit of adjustment at first from being at school but we are loving it.

The Silverstone UTC (University Technical College) opened in September 2013 and is an educational facility for 14-18 year olds that helps those who want to pursue careers in High Performance Engineering and Business and Technical Events Management.

Past pupils have gone on to study engineering at university and on to apprenticeships and employment in companies including Red Bull Racing, Renault F1, Mercedes F1 and Cosworth Engineering.

In a speech later Harry said: It is well known that Great Britain is a world leader in high performance engineering and motor racing engineering in particular - as well as having some great drivers as well but it is no exaggeration to say that, unless we encourage more young people to study science, technology, engineering and maths it will be impossible for us to continue to lead in this field.

I am really encouraged to have seen the state of the art facilities and equipment in the Silverstone University Technical College, but more significantly, to have met the enthusiastic young people currently studying there, as well as those who have gone on to start their careers with leading employers in the motorsport industry.
A Minnesota lawmaker has endeavored to ban Arie Luyendyk Jr. from the state due to the disgraced Bachelor's incredibly callous behavior.

Representative Drew Christensen, 24, took to Twitter on Tuesday to say he would draft a bill banning Arie from Minnesota if his message got at least 1,000 retweets.

Drew, a Republican, tweeted his message in the wake of the Bachelor controversy that saw Arie, 36, propose to Becca Kufrin, a 27-year-old publicist from Prior Lake, Minnesota, before breaking off the engagement on television.

Proposal: Minnesota lawmaker Drew Christensen, 24, took to Twitter on Tuesday to say he would draft a bill banning Arie Luyendyk Jr. if his message got at least 1,000 retweets

Flip-flop: Arie, 36, drew the ire of Bachelor fans by proposing to Minnesota native Becca Kufrin before recanting due to his feelings for runner-up Lauren Burnham (pictured with him)

They're on board: Drew's tweet has now been shared more than 11,000 times, largely topping his goal of 1,000 retweets

Arie originally gave Becca his final rose but later recanted because he had unresolved feelings for runner-up Lauren Burnham, 26, a Virginia native based in Texas.

The break-up, which has since resulted in Lauren and Arie's engagement and Becca's enthronement as the next Bachelorette, has left fans of the show outraged at Arie's flip-flopping.

This is likely why Drew's tweet, which reads: 'If this gets a thousand retweets I'll author a bill banning Arie from Minnesota', has now been retweeted more than 11,000 times, largely topping his goal of 1,000 retweets.

The representative thus shared another update announcing he had started to draft the bill seeking to ban Arie's from the North Star State.

She's doing just fine: Arie originally gave Becca his final rose but later recanted. Becca (pictured in Tuesday) has now become the next Bachelorette

It escalates: The representative thus shared another update announcing he had started to draft the bill seeking to ban Arie's from the North Star State

Chiming in: Some seemed thrilled at the prospect of keeping Arie away from Becca's home state, but others suggested the representative should be focusing on more important matters

Tips: Several Twitter users suggested he might want to devote his time to gun control instead

He is also considering inviting Becca to Minnesota's State Of The State Address next week, and has promised to do so if another one of his tweets gets shared 10,000 times.

That message has so far been retweeted just 1,168 times, suggesting that fans are not catching on as promptly as they did when Drew offered to attempt to ban Arie.

After Drew shared his original tweet, some seemed thrilled at the prospect of keeping Arie away from Becca's home state.

'Please ban him!!!! God he's despicable,' one person wrote in response, while someone else added: 'Arie is the sleaziest ever.'

Others, however, suggested the representative should be focusing on more important matters than the reality show.

Several suggested he might want to devote his time to gun control instead. Advocates for tighter gun legislation have intensified their campaigning in the wake of the high school mass shooting that left 17 dead in Parkland, Florida, last month.

'Your interest in the #bachelor is greater than protecting lives. Too bad you were not so quick to draft a gun control bill,' someone wrote.

'How about using your pen to write something useful like banning assault rifles?' another person responded, reminding Drew and other Twitter users that Minnesota doesn't generally ban assault weapons.

One person pointed out that it is possible to agree with the sentiment behind Drew's tweet against Arie, while still wishing the lawmaker would dedicate his time to gun laws.

'Ban assault weapons instead. They're a threat to more people. But, I do like your thinking,' the Twitter user wrote. 'They aren't mutually exclusive I guess.'
A dad who once weighed 20-stone says he was inspired to lose weight after seeing photos of himself at a friend's wedding - and he's now transformed himself into a svelte-looking lifeguard.

Lloyd Knight, 29, from Leicester, admits he was too lazy to cook and would gorge on chocolates, crisps and late-night takeaway pizza.

The father-of-two got so big he was unable to take daughters Lara-Hope, five, and Eva-Louise, two, to the park without struggling for breath.

Transformation: Lloyd Knight, a father-of-two from Leicester, switched careers after losing seven stone to ensure that he would stay motivated to keep slim

The photo that humiliated Lloyd, pictured with his wife Charley, into slimming down: pictured at his best friend's wedding in Australia

After skipping breakfast completely, Lloyd would start his day with chocolate and crisps

Lloyd joined a slimming club after seeing the snaps and struggling to get on a ride at Alton Towers (pictured above with a pair of shorts he used to fit into)

On another occasion he was too bulky to fit in a ride at Alton Towers.

He finally changed his lifestyle after being 'humiliated' when he saw a picture of himself at his best friend's wedding in Australia in 2016.

On returning to the UK, Lloyd immediately signed up to his local Slimming World group, shedding 12 pounds in his first week.

He has since lost nearly seven stone, and now weighs a trim 15st 4kgs, after undergoing daily cardio sessions at Enderby Leisure Centre.

The amazing weight-loss has prompted him to quit his job stacking shelves at the Co-Op to take up a 'dream role' as a lifeguard at the swimming pool in July last year.

Lloyd, who lives with wife Charley, 29, a full-time mum, now aims to get down to 13 stone before his 30th birthday in May.

He said: 'I've always struggled with my weight, but in the ten years or so leading up the weight-loss, I really piled it on.

'I tried to keep it off a bit when I first met Charley, in order to impress her.

A unhealthy diet of pizzas, curries and Chinese food saw LLoyd's weight balloon - and he admits he relied on takeaways because he was 'too lazy to cook'

The leisure centre duty manager says he now tips the scales at 15st 4kgs (97kgs) but plans to keep going until he weighs 13 stone

'But then, once we started to get comfortable with one another, I went back to my old habits. It would be constant chocolate bars, packets of crisps, and takeaways in front of the telly.

Me and the lads went to Alton Towers eight years ago and I wasn't allowed on one of the rides because the safety harness didn't fit round me... Lloyd Knight

'I'd have at least three or four takeaways a week, I was just too lazy to cook for myself. I loved getting in pizza and Chinese food.

'Even when I was trying to cook for myself, it was be either frozen food or ready meals, nothing with any nutrition in it.

He says that while he was often embarrassed by his size, he never got round to doing anything about it.

He explains: 'Me and the lads went to Alton Towers eight years ago, and I wasn't allowed on one of the rides because the safety harness didn't fit round me.

'They ripped into me because of that, but it was just banter and not something that affected me or made me change my habits.

The gym-bunny says that he can now run around with his daughters, Lara-Hope, five, and Eva-Louise, two, without getting out of breath

The lifeguard said his new fitness has already seen him help two children who were struggling in the pool and had to be rescued

He says his daughters would always try and persuade him to walk to the park but he'd put it off.

'Looking back it was pretty shameful. When we got there, they'd love to rush around on the swings and slides, but I'd be out of breath by the time we arrived and couldn't really play with them.

'When I got back from the wedding in Australia, I looked at a picture of me and saw it as a real wake-up call.

'Of course I wanted to lose weight before, for the kids, but that photo pushed me over the edge.

After signing up to Slimming World, along with his wife Charley, he says he instantly saw a difference and decided to boost his chances of losing weight by also going to the gym.

He explains: 'Going to the gym seemed like a good ways to speed things up, and from there I got hooked on it. You meet so many great people there, and it's now a big social thing for me, as well as a means to weight-loss.'

NO BREAKFAST AND MEAT FEAST PIZZAS: WHAT LLOYD ATE BEFORE... AND HIS DIET NOW Breakfast: Water. Snack: A chocolate bar and two packets of crisps. Lunch: A shop bought sandwich, two chocolate bars and a packet of crisps with fizzy pop. Dinner: Takeaway meat feast pizza WHAT LLOYD EATS NOW Breakfast: Oats with fruit Lunch: Ham omelette Dinner: Salad with beef mince, quark and natural yogurt Advertisement

He adds: 'I'd always dreamed of a job where I'd be able to help people, as I wasn't finding my job in retail particularly fulfilling.

'Out of an idle-chat, one of the guys at the gym suggested that I apply for a job there, because I was going everyday anyway and everybody could see the effect that it had had on me.

'I got a job as a lifeguard, and have now worked my way up to being a duty-manager, which is extremely fulfilling.

The former supermarket worker is convinced that his career change will help him to stay slim

'On two occasions I've had to jump in two save kids, which was a bit terrifying but was a huge adrenaline rush.

'At the end of the day that is my job, but to be able to save people like that when a few years ago I could hardly even walk to the park is an amazing feeling.

'I love the job, it doesn't feel like work most of the time. It's a great environment for me to be in, I think it's only going to help me to keep the weight off.'
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands opted for royal red as she attended the opening of the World Horti Center in Westland, the Netherlands, on Wednesday.

The Dutch royal, 46, dazzled onlookers in her elegant ensemble complete with a wine coloured top and matching hat for the occasion.

Never one to shy away from prints, the mother-of-three stepped out in a bold tartan print skirt in complementary burgundy tones.

Having returned from a trip to Indonesia just weeks ago, the Argentinian-born queen sported a golden glow as she arrived at the horticultural centre this afternoon.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands opted for royal red as she attended the opening of the World Horti Center in Westland, the Netherlands, on Wednesday

The Dutch Queen beamed as she arrived at the opening, taking time to pose for pictures as she admired the stunning floral displays at the centre's entrance.

Maxima's velvet blouse was adorned with a elegant diamond brooch, which she matched with a pair of dazzling bejewelled earrings.

Coordinating with her skirt, she wore a crimson-coloured hat embellished with netting, and matched it with a tartan skirt, similar to one she wore by Givenchy in 2016 in Argentina, worth 2000.

Maxima completed the look with a pair of classic suede pumps, injecting a further splash of colour with coral lipstick and statement eyeliner.

The Dutch royal, 46, dazzled onlookers in her elegant ensemble and tartan skirt, rocking a coordinated look for the occasion

According to its website, the World Horti Center is the leading innovation center of the international greenhouse horticulture sector.

It describes itself as a platform 'where business, education and government jointly innovate, connect, create and inspire', and is visited annually by some 25,000 international professionals.'

Upon her arrival Maxima spent time greeting hundreds of well-wishers who had lined the streets hoping to catch a glimpse of the Queen.

Staff at the centre presented her with an exquisite posy of exotic flowers which the delighted royal could be seen carrying as she took a tour of the new facilities.

She met with the resident florist who could be seen arranging beautiful bouquets of flowers which Maxima took a great interest in.

Just a few weeks ago Maxima returned from a a two-day solo visit to Indonesia in her capacity as the United Nations Secretary-Generals Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development.

According to the Royal Household of the Netherlands, Maxima's visit aimed to boost Indonesias National Strategy for Financial Inclusion, helping locals to access savings accounts, loans, pensions and insurance.

After stopping off at Lampung on the island of Sumatra, she met with the secretariat of the Inclusive Finance National Council before returning home in mid February.

Maxima's velvet blouse was adorned with a pretty diamond brooch, which she matched with a pair of dazzling drop earrings

The mother-of-three beamed as she arrived at the opening, taking the time to pose for pictures as she admired the stunning bouquets on display

Maxima completed the look with a pair of suede classic pumps, injecting a further splash of colour with coral lipstick and statement eyeliner

An international financier by training, Maxima was born in Argentina and married into the Dutch royal family in 2002, three years after meeting her husband-to-be in Seville, Spain.

The King and Queen are parents to three daughters; Catharina-Amalia, 14, Alexia, 12, and Ariane, 10.

Despite reportedly having no inkling that Willem-Alexander was heir to the throne when the pair first met, she eventually became Queen consort when her husband ascended to the throne.

Willem-Alexander became king after his mother, Beatrix, abdicated in April 2013 after 33 years as reigning monarch.

Coordinating her skirt, she wore a crimson-coloured hat embellished with netting, and matched it with a tartan skirt, similar to one she wore by Givenchy in 2016 in Argentina, worth 2000

Having returned from a trip to Indonesia just weeks ago, the Argentinian-born queen sported a golden glow
The Bachelor has won the hearts of millions thanks to its intensely emotional scenes that include everything from hysterical crying to professions of love, but the popular franchise's producers have a disturbing way of ensuring they get the dramatic footage fans love.

In her new tell-all Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Favorite Guilty Pleasure, Los Angeles Times reporter and author Amy Kaufman reveals that producers 'have been known to keep track of when the women in the house are menstruating.'

According to Page Six's coverage of the new book, former Bachelor producer Ben Hatta told Kaufman that following the contestants' menstrual cycles helped producers get the emotional soundbites they were looking for.

Playing dirty: Amy Kaufman reveals in her book Bachelor Nation that producers track the contestants' menstrual cycles to get emotional interviews. Ashley Iaconetti is pictured crying

Drama: Caila Quinn (from Ben Higgins' season) and Bekah Martinez (from Arie Luyendyk's most recent season) are just two of the many women who were caught crying on camera

'When women cycled together in the house, it created a completely different vibe,' Hatta said. 'So a girls now crying mid-interview about nothing, or being reactionary to things that are super small. It helped the producers, because now youve got someone who is emotional  and all you want is emotion.'

Hatta went on to add that a menstruating woman was also more willing to make a declaration of love for the show's star with a little nudging from the producers.

Kaufman's new book gives a behind-the-scenes look at the ABC franchise

'If a girls feeling the butterflies for a guy already, when she gets into that state, her feelings just become more powerful, so shes probably more willing to tell that guy she loves him,' he said.

'And maybe one of the producers knew she was in that emotional state and was like, "You know what? Now's a better time than ever. You should do it, you should do it, you should do it!"'

The beloved show has been a ratings grabber for the past 16 years, leading to numerous spinoffs, including The Bachelorette, Bachelor Pad, Bachelor in Paradise, Bachelor in Paradise: After Paradise, and The Bachelor Winter Games.

Although contestants face an intense range of emotions and are often put in triggering situations while filming the show, psychological issues aren't always a deterrent when it comes to casting.

In her book, Kaufman gives a detailed account of the casting process, including strict background checks and STD tests. However, Bachelor contestant Rozlyn Papa claims the psychological evaluation does little to protect potential contestants.

Papa candidly told producers that she struggled with depression before she was cast on Jake Pavelka's season of the show in 2010.

Hmm: Former Bachelor producer Ben Hatta told Kaufman that a menstruating woman was also more willing to make a declaration of love. Ari is pictured with Lauren Burnham this season

Surprise details: The Bachelor mansion, which is known as Villa de la Vina, is owned by Real estate developer Marshall Haraden, who lives in it about 10 months out of the year

'If they really were trying to protect you, you'd think that would be sort of a red flag and they would say, "Well, maybe this is someone who can't handle this kind of pressure," she said.

'But instead it was almost like, "OK, perfect. Youre going to cry. Youre going to say some screwed up stuff."'

Before being eliminated, Papa was pegged as the 'villain' after being accused of cheating on Jake with a male producer, which she denies.

Everyone working on the show is dedicated to creating the most dramatic season ever, and Kaufman writes that Bachelor executive producer Scott Jeffress 'kept a wad of crisp $100 bills in his pocket' to give to crew members who evoked the best on-screen drama.

To better understand how producers manipulated contestants, Kaufman agreed to a role-playing exercise with former producer Michael Carroll, who boasted that he could get her to say what he wanted her to.

According to USA Today, the hypothetical scenario involved Kaufman being interviewed while on a date with The Bachelor.

Leverage: Contestant Desiree Hartsock had producers pay her rent while she was competing for Sean Lowe's heart on season 17 of The Bachelor

Moving on: After being eliminated, Desiree went on to become The Bachelorette

'Watching you and him is like watching (expletive) paint dry,' Carroll told her. 'I want to kill myself. You are boring me to death, and I know you're way more fun. If you're not into it, you can go home tomorrow if you want. You don't have to be here.'

'The power of suggestion is real,' Kaufman writes in her book, 'especially when someone is berating you and making you feel like a disappointment.'

Carroll also explained to Kaufman that they would pre-categorize the contestants into different roles, often times using offensive language to describe them.

'Mom. Southern Belle. The cheerleader. The (expletive). We all called them ridiculous names. The fat one, the hot one, the crier,' he said.

Even if you still manage to watch your tongue during filming, the show's producers have other ways of getting what they want.

A former editor admitted to 'Frankenbiting,' the process of editing a soundbite to create a different meaning. Kaufman reports it is a 'main technique' the show employs to create story lines.

'There's no allegiance to what happened to reality. I don't care what happens,' he said. 'It's like I'm handed a big bucket of LEGOs and think, "What do I want to build today?"'

Pressure: Season four Bachelorette winner Jesse Csincsak said he didn't feel like he had a choice when it came to proposing to his former fiancee, Bachelorette DeAnna Pappas

Stuck: After splitting with her fiance Andrew Firestone following their Bachelor engagement (pictured), Jen Schefft said she felt pressure to get engaged again as The Bachelorette

Popping the question is another point of contention for the show's stars, who have admitted to feeling pressured to get engaged to people they didn't want to marry.

Kaufman explains in her book that almost every contestant she interviewed said 'they felt they had no choice but to get engaged at the end.'

Season four Bachelorette winner Jesse Csincsak said he didn't feel like he had a choice when it came to proposing to his former fiancee, Bachelorette DeAnna Pappas.

'There is no "What if I don't propose" option," he told Kaufman. 'It's just "Here's the ring. Go give it to her."'

He reportedly started throwing up before he popped the question. Unsurprisingly, he and DeAnna ended up splitting just a few months after the proposal.

Meanwhile, Bachelotte star Jen Schefft revealed that she felt a similar pressure to accept one of the final contestants' proposals on season three of the spinoff  even though she knew she didn't want to marry either of them.

'The producers basically told me that I was coming across as a horrible person on television  a really cold, (expletive) person,' she told Kaufman. 'I always felt like I wanted to give them what they wanted, without being crazy. I was still true to myself, but I didn't want to disappoint anyone.'

Harsh: ABC has come under fire this week for the shocking Bachelor finale that saw Arie Luyendyk Jr. callously dump contestant Becca Kufrin on live TV

Going too far? The Minnesota publicist tried to walk away from the cameras, but she was followed around the apartment

Defense: Ari is now engaged to runner-up Lauren Burnham, 25, and the two have been left to defend their unusual love story

ABC has come under fire this week for the shocking Bachelor finale that saw Arie Luyendyk Jr. callously dump contestant Becca Kufrin on live TV after asking her to marry him just weeks earlier.

The much-hyped season finale saw the 36-year-old former race car sensationally taking back his proposal to Becca, 27, to pursue a relationship with runner-up Lauren Burnham, 25.

The network and show producers have been criticized for filming and airing the excruciating moment Luyendyk broke the news to his completely unaware bride-to-be  after he informed producers and even discussed his plans with the show's host Chris Harrison in a pre-recorded segment.

The footage that follows shows a blindsided Kufrin breaking down and crying while trying to escape the cameras that were pointed on her throughout.

ABC made a point to promote the scene as 'uncut, unedited and unbelievable,' which many fans believed crossed the line.

However, the story has somewhat of a happy ending. Becca has been announced as the new Bachelorette, while Ari and Lauren have been left to defend their relationship following their engagement.
From the window of my cheap hotel I could see, peering out over the rows of terraced houses, the rusty red tip of the famous Blackpool Tower.

Illuminated at night, it dominates the town like a huge glowing torch driven up through the concrete.

But the bright and brassy seafront was the antithesis to this part of town, with its flea-ridden hotels, drunks, cannabis dealers, boarded-up shops and  after dark  prostitutes who loitered next to the cash machines touting for trade.

This was Central Drive, the most deprived area of Blackpool and one of the most disadvantaged places in England.

It was also the base for my mission to find out what it was like to be a worker in Britains minimum-wage economy  by becoming one myself.

Writer James Bloodworth went undercover as a care worker in Blackpool to experience life as part of Britain's minimum-wage-economy (file image)

Id set out from London several months earlier to look for work in the sort of towns that rarely interest politicians unless there is an election in the offing  the sort of places where peoples jobs are increasingly less a source of pride and self-respect, just a lowly paid, insecure and exhausting daily assault on their dignity.

I was in Blackpool because Id landed an interview for a job as a home care worker with a company called Carewatch UK, founded in 1993. It has 150 offices all over Britain, employs 3,500 carers and is supposed to be one of the best, as one of my co-workers put it to me.

My experiences would lead me to a very different conclusion.

Getting a job as a home care worker was extraordinarily easy. I simply phoned the number in the job advert, answered a few rudimentary questions: Do you have a car? (Yes) Do you live in the area? (Ive just moved here) Do you have any experience of working in care? (No, but I looked after a friend of my grandmothers for a while when he had dementia) and was summoned for interview. I had to present a few documents  some ID, the details of a willing referee  and agree to a criminal record check.

At the end of the interview I was offered a job  on a then minimum wage of 7.25-an-hour  and given a date for my induction.

The only tricky moment occurred when I casually mentioned that I wanted the job because I had read good things about the company online. I was simply trying to make small talk and show Id done my homework on my future employer.

But my comments turned out to be a huge mistake. My interviewer sprang to her feet, arms akimbo, shook her head fiercely and said that I didnt ought to pay attention to everything I read online.

A glance at the indeed.co.uk website later made it clear why Id upset her so much. As well as hosting job advertisements, indeed.co.uk allows users to post reviews  giving each company a rating of up to five stars  and write a brief comment.

James Bloodworth (pictured) was given a four-day induction before beginning his care worker role which involved how to lift and move the elderly

After 477 employee reviews, the well-respected John Lewis department store chain had, at the time of writing, an overall rating of 4.2 stars out of five. Even fast-food restaurant McDonalds, which is regularly derided by workers rights activists, achieved a respectable 3.6 stars based on 60,000 reviews.

Carewatch, on the other hand, scored a lowly 2.6 stars based on 157 responses.

Reading through some reviews was like perusing the testimonies of 19th century factory hands.

Office staff absolutely vile, and only slightly civil when they need extra [work] covering. Rubbish company to work for. I was there six weeks before I got a weekend off. Even then they rang. All the management are nothing but liars and overrun you with calls then drop you so your [sic] not earning. You didnt get paid for the time you were travelling between service users homes. And so it went on. All of this might have been highly unfair. But what came across was that the care sector was desperate for staff.

The elderly have been packaged up and sold to the lowest bidder

Today, our ageing population co-exists alongside a stressed-out working population. The pressure to make ends meet by toiling away for longer and longer hours makes it increasingly difficult to take the time out to look after beloved parents and grandparents, who are living for longer.

Which is why Britains elderly often resemble, as one care worker would describe it to me, units parcelled up and sold to the lowest bidder.

My four-day induction began the Monday after my interview.

Aside from being shown how to use a hoist to lift and move an elderly person around, this was a tedious affair largely involving classroom instruction and form filling. There were eight of us  two men and six women. We were quickly taught how to empty and change a catheter, how to administer medication and what to do if we turned up at someones house and discovered them lying on the floor (dial 999 and do not pick them up!) By Friday, two of the women had quit. During the induction period we were given contracts to sign. In bold grey lettering on the front of these were the dreaded words: Zero hours.

James had the opportunity to do home visits several weeks after his induction whilst still waiting on his criminal record check (file image)

Our contracts set out in stark terms exactly what this meant. There may be times when no work is available for you and Carewatch has no duty to provide you with any work at such times, or any payment in respect of such times, it read.

The company could send us out on a job at any given moment, but a brief phone call could just as easily inform us that there was nothing available for that week.

This, increasingly, is what work at the lower end of the pay scale in Britain entails. The insecurity was accepted by my co-workers as just another part of everyday life, like the daily commute.

Thats just how it is, staff said to me fatalistically.

In a similar vein, the contract also informed us that the work was conditional upon our agreement to work flexible hours.

If any of us had got another job as well  because, say, we needed more money  we would have to inform the company and Carewatch would not have to provide you with any work if we reasonably feel . . . that it may conflict with work you should be doing for Carewatch.

It sometimes felt to me like the company owned us

It sometimes felt as though the company owned us.

Of course, care workers form a vital role in any civilised country.

They turn up daily at the homes of the elderly, feeding them, bathing them, giving them medication and doing jobs that nobody else is available, or willing, to do.

They might even have been the last human being a person spoke to before slipping off this mortal coil. Yet as a society we treat carers very badly  or as glorified cleaners, as one care worker put it to me.

Several weeks after my induction, I was given the chance to do some home visits. I was still waiting for my criminal record check, but I could work alongside someone else with one.

James claims staff were lucky if they had the opportunity to take a break as shifts were expected to run like clockwork (file image)

A typical visit was scheduled for 30 minutes. That included all travelling time to and from the customer, which generally took around ten minutes. This left 20 minutes per visit. But some lasted for as little as five.

Appointments typically cost 10-an-hour if the customers income exceeds the average 23,250 threshhold, under which local authorities pick up the tab. They were packed into each carers schedule like sardines in a tin.

If one overran  say, a customer was feeling unwell  it would invariably spill into your next, resulting in you spending the rest of the day racing around cutting visits short in a desperate attempt to make up the time.

If you were unable to play catch-up, you could end up working entire days non-stop  from seven or eight oclock in the morning until 10 or 11 at night  without so much as a tea or coffee break. In my experience, it was not uncommon to get to bed between midnight and one in the morning, before getting up again at six. On an average day, I would meet another carer between six and eight oclock and work through until around 2pm.

I would then go on a break until around four or five oclock in the afternoon until about 10pm.

One woman was paid 62 for working a 24-hour shif t

I was lucky if I got any breaks  the job relied on the shift running like clockwork, which was far from likely when it involved looking after old and, in many cases, extremely poorly individuals.

Hazel, a 52-year-old Edinburgh-based carer who does not work for Carewatch UK, told me: If you overrun at any point thats your two-hour break gone, because youre back on duty at four and working till 10.30 at night. In reality, 10.30 is 11  plus youve got your journey home. Rochelle, 40, a care worker from Newcastle, also did not work for Carewatch UK but another of Britains largest care providers. She had put in 12-day fortnights, working every day from 7.30am until 10pm.

I regularly worked 60 hours a week, she told me. And I worked nine weeks when I first started without a day off. If you kick up a stink they cut your hours down.

James claims some carers would ask loaded questions to try speed up visits (file image)

Rochelle knew one girl who got 62 for a 24-hour shift. This was because sleep-in carers are paid at an overnight rate which excludes hours slept, so often comes in below the minimum wage for total hours on the job. Its not surprising, then, that care working is expected to face a staffing shortfall of a million people in 20 years. As well as the physical side, care visits were often emotionally draining. It would take a heart of stone not to be moved by some of the situations I encountered.

I saw instances of very elderly customers being left on their own by relatives with no food, necessitating in an unscheduled trip to the shops on our part to pick up essentials such as milk or bread.

Due to the sheer speed at which everything had to be done, not all carers would be able to carry out extras like this. On one occasion I gave a blind man a bath, which took more than 20 minutes  the entire length of the visit.

There were other times when it was a case of staying with the customer longer than the allotted 20 minutes, or leave them at risk of neglect. Almost every carer had at least one story of an elderly person being left unfed or uncovered in a cold house. Time was constantly against us.

Id seen the pain etched on their faces as we dashed away

Carers I worked with would sometimes asked loaded questions to speed visits along  You dont need any shopping today, do you, Ethel? or, Youre not hungry, are you, Brian? Not wishing to cause any trouble, the customer would invariably say no.

All of which works against any bond you might form with the person you are caring for.

Often, that was all people wanted once wed taken them to the toilet or made them a cup of tea: a bit of company.

I would see the disappointment etched on their faces as we dashed out of their front door: the realisation that even a brief chat was too much to ask. We were racing against the clock and it was the customer who lost out.

A recent study revealed 90 per cent of residents have been exposed to at least one medication error (file image)

The haste that dominated every aspect of the job could carry graver risks. I saw several instances of Medication Administration Record sheets being left blank when medicine had been given to the customer. This could easily have resulted in a poisoning if another carer turned up later that day, noticed that the column on the sheet was empty, and given the customer a second dose.

Home carer Hazel told me shed once been sent to look after someone who had been given the wrong drugs on so many occasions that its surprising she wasnt poisoned.

She attributed this partly to the poor English-language skills of some care workers. A lot of the carers English wasnt good enough to read what she should be having, and when, she told me.

A growing number from Eastern Europe work in the care sector. Like their British colleagues, the majority are compassionate and hard-working.

Yet I got a sense from speaking to British carers that the companies knew they could demand a greater level of compliance from Eastern European workers than home-grown equivalents.

The threat of being replaced by an acquiescent migrant who is hard up and willing to put up with almost everything thrown at them was, according to care workers from other companies I spoke to, a permanent fear factor  sometimes darkly referenced in a nudge-nudge-wink-wink manner by the companies. The attitude [is]...well, if you dont like it, bog off, because well get other people from other countries who will happily do it, said Hazel. She added: Some migrant workers cant even read the instructions on food to cook it correctly. They should have to take some kind of degree or an English exam at least that shows they can read and write.

Indeed, a 2012 study of care homes in England found that 90 per cent of residents had been exposed to at least one medication error. But, according to Hazel, staff who alert management to medicine errors are not guaranteed to be listened to.

And with zero-hours contracts you dont need to sack people; you just dont give them any work.

As a result, the cared-for face a never-ending carousel of different people looking after them so there is no consistency in their care.

Its so sad, because these [customers] are lovely people, Hazel said. [They] quite often gave so much of themselves through conflicts such as World War II and Korea, and are intelligent, valuable human beings who get treated like dirt.

Adapted from Hired: Six Months Undercover In Low-Wage Britain by James Bloodworth, published by Atlantic Books at 12.99.  James Bloodworth 2018. To order a copy for 10.39 (offer valid to 15/3/18), visit mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640. P&P free on orders over 15
Night-time and a 14-year-old girl climbs into a waiting cab. As the vehicle heads across South London to her suburban family home, she and the 35-year-old driver, Spyros Ntounis, begin chatting.

He offers her chewing gum and asks what she has been up to and how old she is. Next, he gives her his telephone number, saying if she ever needs a lift, she should call him. He gets her to text him there and then, so he can save her number.

Ntounis then tells the girl she is 'hot' and that she has 'nice lips'.

She is alarmed that a man old enough to be her father is talking to her in this way and her unease grows as he slows the car to a 5mph crawl.

'He said he wanted to spend more time with me,' she later recalled.

Finally arriving home, the girl ran inside. But the next morning, she received the first of several messages.

Uber rules outline drivers should not pick up passengers under-18 alone, but many parents have become reliant on the service (file image)

Ntounis asked if she was 'OK' before, creepily, offering to 'give her lessons' in anything she wanted. He lied, saying he was 26, and asked if he had 'passed the age test', then tried to persuade her to meet him. 'I would love it,' he wrote.

Worried, the girl told her parents about the unwanted advances. They called the police, Ntounis was arrested and, following a trial at Kingston Crown Court a few weeks ago, he was convicted of attempting to groom an underage girl. He could face jail when sentenced this month.

A lucky escape, one might conclude. But the details of this case should ring further alarm bells  because Ntounis was a driver for Uber, the controversial company behind the hugely popular taxi-hailing app, even though he had a criminal conviction for dishonesty and had been accused of sexually harassing other passengers.

In the months before the incident with the teenage girl, three other women had separately complained to Uber about his inappropriate behaviour.

It was claimed he told the first he felt 'horny', while starting an 'inappropriate' conversation with the second one, whom he stared at continuously as he drove.

And the day before picking up the 14-year-old, he had asked a third woman if he could 'satisfy her needs'.

What's more, Ntounis's case is not a one-off. On the same day that he was found guilty, Shahid Qureshi, another Uber driver, was convicted at Inner London Crown Court of two counts of sexual assault. The first related to a woman he groped in 2016; the second to a 16-year-old exchange student.

His initial victim had complained to Uber, who had not reported the matter to police  leaving him free to carry on working.

Both of these cases will fuel concerns about how Uber operates.

Uber Driver Spyros Ntounis (pictured) will be sentenced this month for attempting to groom an underage girl

According to a company rule, under-18s should not travel alone in Uber cars. 'Drivers are not supposed to pick up people under 18  but, say they get a job and the fare's under 18. What do they do?' asks Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association and a vocal opponent of Uber. 'Of course, they take it.'

He adds: 'The reason Uber is so popular is because it's so cheap. So, rather than get out of bed in the middle of the night to pick up their daughter from her mate's, parents send an Uber. But people are sacrificing common sense for a pound or two. Why would you put your 16-year-old daughter in a stranger's car?'

Of course, coming from a 'rival' organisation, such words could be sour grapes.

People are sacrificing common sense for a pound or two. Why would you put your 16-year-old daughter in a stranger's car? - Steve McNamara

Because since Uber launched here in 2012, it has proved a huge hit  one that has severely dented the income of other taxi drivers and cab firms. Uber customers download a smartphone app with which they can hail a minicab. A nearby driver is automatically summoned, often making it quicker, easier and cheaper than phoning a minicab or hailing a taxi.

In London, the number of Uber vehicles exceeds the 24,000 black cabs  and Uber now has more than 40,000 drivers across some 40 UK towns and cities.

But the issue of passenger safety remains. Figures last year suggested that sex attacks involving Uber drivers could be running at almost one a week and, last August, it emerged that police had written to Transport for London (TfL), the authority responsible for licensing private hire drivers in the Capital, to express concerns the company was 'covering up' sex attacks to protect its reputation.

There was more drama last September when TfL stripped Uber of its license, for not being a 'fit and proper' company.

Uber is appealing the decision and is allowed to continue operating in London during the appeal process.

Uber driver Shahid Qureshi, was arrested for groping and kissing a Japanese exchange student last year (file image)

Last month, it vowed to proactively report complaints to police and to set up a 24-hour hotline for passengers.

Of course, for some, that may be too little, too late.

The Mail has established that, in the case of Ntounis, female passengers had complained to Uber about him in October and November 2016 and again on April 21 last year. He picked up the 14-year-old girl the day after the third complaint. Asked if they had alerted police to the earlier complaints, an Uber spokesman said they hadn't, but had 'warned' Ntounis. He was suspended only after police alerted them to his arrest for the incident with the 14-year-old.

The Mail can also reveal that Ntounis had been licensed as a private hire driver by TfL in September 2014. The following month, he was convicted of dishonesty and given a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for 24 months. TfL was not informed of this. Had they known, they would have reviewed his licence. A TfL spokesman said they would have expected to learn of the conviction from the police or Uber.

In the case of 42-year-old Shahid Qureshi, he picked up a Japanese exchange student at Heathrow Airport on July 30 last year. While registered as a driver with Uber, on the day in question, he was working for another private cab firm.

The most popular question asked about Uber on social media is, why doesn't their driver look like his picture? - Steve McNamara

The married father-of-four insisted she sat in the front, then groped and kissed her. When she said: 'We don't do this in Japan,' he replied: 'This is England.' The driver continued to pester her for sex on messaging app WhatsApp after he dropped her off.

Reported to police, Qureshi was arrested. Detectives then found out he also worked for Uber and asked the company to reveal any other allegations against him.

It was only then that they learnt of an incident in September 2016, when Qureshi had put his hand on a female passenger's thigh.

The Uber spokesman initially accepted that they had received a complaint from the passenger, but that the driver touched her hand, not her thigh.

As a result, Qureshi was warned about his inappropriate behaviour. The spokesman added that, had they known the full story, 'it is very likely he would have been removed from the app'.

But, pushed for further details, Uber subsequently admitted that the report had related to Qureshi touching the woman's thigh, as well as her hand.

After details of this incident were revealed to police by Uber, Qureshi was arrested and charged with a second count of assault.

General secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association Steve McNamara, claims people question why Uber drivers often don't look like their picture (file image)

The Mail has also established that Qureshi had a previous conviction for harassment in 2011, when he kissed and grabbed a colleague while working as a healthcare professional.

This was flagged up to TfL when he applied for a licence in 2014. While he was warned about his future behaviour, the conviction was considered spent and he was granted the licence.

Qureshi, who has lived in Britain for 15 years, was convicted of two counts of sexual assault and jailed for 12 months.

Commenting on the two cases, Uber said: 'We welcome the convictions of these two drivers. Every driver who uses Uber in the UK has been licensed for private hire by a local authority, which includes going through an enhanced background check.

'Any previous offences would appear in those background checks as part of the licensing process and are only shown to the licensing authority. Every trip on our app is tracked by GPS and we have supported the police in helping to bring these two licensed drivers to justice.'

Siwan Hayward, TfL's head of transport policing, added: 'We take all allegations against licensed taxi and private hire drivers extremely seriously. As soon as we were made aware of these offences, we suspended the drivers' licences immediately.'

Reading the details of these cases, no doubt others will feel uncomfortable.

'For London parents, especially working ones, the appearance of Uber was like the arrival of Ocado  a habit so convenient that now it's difficult to ever imagine life without it,' one mother told the Mail.

'Nearly every parent I know who has teenage kids relies on Uber to ferry them back from fixtures and parties.'

Others said they felt Uber was a safe option as the app automatically tracks the vehicle's journey. But could this be giving people a false sense of security? 'People say that, with Uber, they know who is driving their child home,' says Steve McNamara. 'But the most popular question asked about Uber on social media is, why doesn't their driver look like his picture?'

Mr McNamara's theory is that a licensed driver may allow an acquaintance to drive when they have a day off.

Reservations have also been voiced by Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London. Last year, he revealed that he would not let his two teenage daughters take a cab on their own.

'[They] haven't got an Uber app,' he said in a radio interview. 'We pick them up or drop them off
Do you know him? GoodLife itness case Card cards used

Police have released photos of a man wanted in connection with ongoing thefts from GoodLife Fitness Centres in Etobicoke. One occurred on January 23 at approximately 5 p.m. when a customer left his belongings in a locker in the change room at 3280 Bloor Street West. His credit cards were stolen and used. On February 4 about 4 p.m. a man left his belongings in a locker in the change room at 185 The West Mall He returned to find the lock cut and his wallet and car keys stolen
They say shoes can make (or break!) an outfit and that certainly is the case with the black lace-up heels spotted on multiple celebs recently.

Bella Hadid, Ashley Graham and Anne V are just a few stars that have stepped out in Liudmila's Drury Lane 100 shoe in matte black.

The come-hither design was inspired by the dangerous streets of Victorian London, expressed through a tight (fully adjustable) ankle, laces from all sides, panels and retro silver rings. The brand tags the shoe 'a lace-up straight from a Dickens novel.'

The 'It' shoe: Bella Hadid, Ashley Graham and Anne V are just a few stars that have stepped out in Liudmila's Drury Lane 100 shoe in matte black

Drury Lane 100 (left in matte black, right in patent leather) by Liudmila, $1,320; liudmilafootwear.com

The lace-up booties are available in matte black and glossy patent leather, and retail for over $1, 200.

Bella, 21, is getting the most out of her high-end purchase, as she's been spotted wearing the statement makers on multiple occasions with skirts, jeans and even an evening gown.

In New York City last month, the model hit the pavement in the Drury Lane 100's paired with black leather pants and a matching jacket.

These boots were made for watlking:In New York City last month, the model hit the pavement in the Drury Lane 100's paired with black leather pants and a matching jacket

Street style: Bella paired the shoes with denim and a tweed vest

She wore them on the streets of London with dark denim pants and a tweed vest and then on the same trip with a red sequin Ralph Lauren Collection gown.

Ashley Graham, 30, attended the Cushnie Et Ochs show during New York Fashion Week in an all black look, complete with the Liudmila classic.

Victoria's Secret model Anne V, 31, paired the statement stilettos with a two-tone velvet and leather ensemble while striking a very seductive pose for Instagram.

Evening affair: The lace-up heels added edge to her sequin Ralph Lauren Collection gown

Front row ready; Ashley Graham attended the Cushnie Et Ochs show during New York Fashion Week in an all black look, complete with the Liudmila classic

Bella Thorne, 20, is the most recent celeb to add edge to her look in the shoes.

On Monday (March 5) of this week, the red-haired beauty was spotted leaving her Chicago Hotel while promoting her new movie 'Midnight Sun.'

In a double breasted power suit, the actress appeared to be all business until scanning down at her provocative shoes. Nice touch, Bella!

Just look at my shoes: Victoria's Secret model Anne V donned the statement stilettos while striking a very seductive pose for Instagram in a two-tone velvet and lace ensemble
The Great British Bake Off's move from the BBC to Channel 4 caused outrage amongst fans at the time and the change in channel prompted Mary Berry to leave the show.

But enough time has passed since the furore that comedian Harry Hill felt comfortable cracking a joke about the veteran former judge on a celebrity edition of the baking competition for Stand Up To Cancer on Tuesday night.

For some fans, however, it was still too soon after the show's move to be making jokes about Mary - and some were particularly offended as the gag made fun of the 82-year-old's age.

Sandi Toksvig reading out one of Harry's hidden notes that he inserted into his bald head cupcakes. It read: 'Copy of Mary Berry's birth certificate'

Harry cracked the joke as he presented a batch of cupcakes designed to look like his own bald head to judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.

He had hidden secret notes detailing 'prizes' inside the cakes, and Sandi Toksvig found one that read: 'Copy of Mary Berry's birth certificate'.

The presenters all burst into giggles, while Paul Hollywood - who used to judge the Bake off alongside Mary Berry - visibly squirmed.

Harry cheekily continued: 'I think it was printed on the original vellum' - referring to animal skin parchment that has been used for writing on since Roman times.

A cheeky Harry Hill joked about Mary Berry's age on the celebrity special of Bake Off - and the joke divided fans

Some Twitter users said the reference was almost blasphemous and chastised Harry for the rude gag.

Others however simply found it hilarious, and a few were just happy to hear the national treasure's name mentioned on Bake Off again.

One said: 'Look at them, throwing shade at Mary Berry from the safety of Channel 4.'

BuzzFeed's TV editor Scott Bryan added: 'Like that Bake Off now has the confidence to do Mary Berry jokes now that the BBC/C4 fighting has CALMED DOWN A BIT.'

Another claimed hearing Marry Berry's name was their 'TV highlight of the week' - a reference to a section on Harry Hill's most famous show, TV Burp.

The first episode of the new celebrity mini series of Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer featured comedians Harry Hill and Roisin Conaty, as well as Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp and former newsreader Bill Turnbull - who revealed yesterday he has prostate cancer. They were joined by presenters Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig as well as judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood

Other than the controversial Mary Berry jibe, the special celebrity episode - part of a new mini-series to raise money for Stand Up to Cancer - was well received by Bake Off fans on Twitter and the episode was rated as 'better than the original' by Daily Mail critic Jim Shelley.

One fan, Ben, said it should be a 'legal requirement' to have a Bake Off special on TV every month.

Many were also in hysterics when Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp cooked his buttercream instead of his cake mixture, with one calling the mix-up the 'TV highlight of the year'.

At the end of the episode, former BBC newsreader Bill Turnbull revealed how after filming the show, he found out the devastating news that he has incurable prostate cancer.

He urged people to get any health fears checked out and spoke movingly about his family and his prognosis.

The 62-year-old was diagnosed months ago after aches and pains that he put down to old age were no longer being alleviated with pills.

Specialists have given him between ten and 18 years to live.
Doctors called for safety warnings on the fruit last year when injuries from chopping it open were reported to be on the rise.

But now a plucky group of schoolchildren have invented a solution to the dreaded 'avocado hand' - the term for knife injuries inflicted after incorrectly chopping the trendy green fruit.

Brighton College pupils aged between 13 and 14 have devised the Avogo - a gadget which slices open and de-stones avocados.

Brighton College pupils have invented the 'Avogo' - a gadget that helps slice open and de-stone an avocado without risk of injury

Brighton College pupils (from left to right) Shiven Patel, Matias Paz Linares, Felix Winstanley and Seth Rickard celebrating winning the Design Museum's Ventura competition with their innovative avocado peeler and de-stoner Avogo

How do you use an Avogo to slice and de-stone an avocado? Step 1 Hold fruit sideways and insert hook into top of the avocado piercing the skin and flesh. Step 2 Pull through the flesh around the circumference of the fruit until you have joined both ends. Step 3 Prise the two cut halves apart and spear the hard stone with the hook of the Avogo. Step 4 Pull away from the body to avoid injury, dispose of the stone and enjoy fruits of your labour. Advertisement

They hope it will help cut down the number of avocado hand injuries as it is now set to go on sale to the public after winning first place in a product design competition.

The popularity of avocados has led to a rise in the number of people being treated in hospital after stabbing themselves preparing the fruit - including actress Meryl Streep, who had to have surgery in 2012 after an encounter with one.

But now pupils Pietro Pignatti Morano Campori, Seth Rickard, Felix Winstanley, Shiven Patel, all 14, and Matias Paz Linares, 13, believe they have found an answer to this epidemic.

The group came up with the idea after Shiven became a victim of avocado hand one morning while making breakfast.

Encouraged by their design and technology teacher Sarah Awbery, they worked on a prototype cast from pewter and soon realised they had hit on a winning idea when Shiven's parents started using it at home.

To use the avogo, you use the gadget to first move round the avocado slicing open as you go

As word got around that the innovative utensil could not only save time and energy but also cut down on potential pain, the pupils began to rack up sales of prototypes in their community.

The Avogo has already caught the eye of London's Design Museum which awarded it first place in its Ventura product design competition.

The judges said the product ticked all the boxes - it was totally relevant to today's consumers, addressed a need that did not exist a decade ago and was extremely marketable.

Shiven said: 'We love GCSE DT so it was a real challenge when Ms Awbery told us about the competition. I have cut my hand before trying to get the stone out of an avocado so that helped us with our idea.

'We tried to think about something useful that just wasn't out there already and the idea just popped into our heads.'

Once open you then use the sharp end of the hook to pierce the stone and remove it

After winning the Design Museum competition the team are now setting up a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds to manufacture 250, selling at 10 each. The boys plan to donate all the profits to charity.

Ms Awbery said: 'Brighton College's Design and Technology curriculum is aimed at fostering enthusiasm for design and making and the boys have used everything they have learnt, from laser cutting and pewter casting to computer aided design and product development, to execute their idea. We are really proud of them and hope enough people will back us through Kickstarter to make their product a real success.'

Stardom is no barrier to injury as Meryl Streep suffered a nasty cut which required bandaging in 2012, and Jamie Oliver has warned of the perils of preparing avocados incorrectly.

According to surgeons, A&E departments have seen increasing numbers of people with the injury with St Thomas' Hospital in London reportedly seeing four people every week with avocado hand.
A couple claim experimental sound therapy helped them banish erectile dysfunction once and for all - without having to take a little blue pill.

Jason and Gina have had an active sex life since they began dating three years ago, but up until last year, Jason was secretly taking ED medication before each session.

In November he got tired of the pills he'd been taking on and off for a decade and his doctor introduced him to shockwave therapy, which uses sound vibrations to increase blood flow in the penis.

Jason is now more confident and he and Gina are both enjoying a more spontaneous, intense sex life and stronger orgasms without having to rely on medication.

Scroll down for video

Gina and Jason (right) have regained their sex life after a decade-long struggle with erectile dysfunction thanks to experimental shockwave therapy treatments. They are pictured with Dr Paul Savage (left)

Jason, an exercise therapist, and Gina, a personal investor, got engaged a year ago after having known each other for 23 years.

Jason said he noticed that his sexual performance began to slip around age 40 and continued to decline from there.

'I think everyone feels a physiological change in their libido, the responsiveness, the sensitivity,' he said in an interview on The Doctors in November. My sex life was fine but I wanted better performance.

He took Cialis on and off for about a decade but said they made the experience feel 'unnatural' and wanted a better alternative for himself and Gina.

'I didn't have any other health issues, but our intimate lives were starting to lag behind our active physical lifestyle,' he said. 'I didn't want to lose confidence in our relationship.'

In November Jason visited urologist Paul Savage, founder and lead physician at the Agenix clinic in Chicago, Illinois, who suggested that he may benefit from an experimental form of shockwave therapy, which is not yet FDA-approved.

Shockwave therapy has been used to treat conditions such as kidney stones and heart problems for several decades, but it wasn't until 2012 that the machine used to create the acoustic vibrations was tested on erectile dysfunction.

Hundreds of clinics around the country now offer the treatment that uses sound waves to open small blood vessels in the penis, removing plaque build-up and allowing for more blood flow.

It also encourages new blood vessel and stem cell growth that can restore function.

'It's actually curing the problem rather than just treating it,' Dr Savage told Daily Mail Online.

Jason is pictured during one of his shockwave therapy treatments, which require applying a lubricated probe to the penis and administering acoustic vibrations to different areas

The Agenix clinic treats about 12 men every week with a shockwave therapy protocol called GAINSwave, which is offered in more than 100 clinics across the country.

GAINSwave typically involves six 20- to 30-minute sessions over a period of two weeks, which costs $3,000 total.

During the sessions, a clinician applies a lubricated probe to the penis, targeting different areas.

Each patient receives the same level of intensity initially, but the clinician can decide to increase intensity based on the reactivity of the skin.

Dr Savage said that the clinicians are looking for the skin to turn red, indicating a mild level of irritation.

Erectile dysfunction in America More than half of men in the US have experienced erectile dysfunction, according to a 2012 study from Massachusetts. The study defined erectile dysfunction as: 'the inability to develop and maintain an erection for satisfactory sexual intercourse or activity in the absence of an ejaculatory disorder such as premature ejaculation.' Prevalence rates increased across age groups, affecting 40 percent of those in their 40s, 50 percent in their 50s, 60 percent in their 60s, and so on. Common risk factors for ED include: Older age

Diabetes

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Smoking

Cardiovascular disease The most common way to treat ED is by using medications that produce erections, including Viagra and Cialis. Doctors may also recommend lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and drinking, increasing exercise or visiting a mental health professional. More invasive treatments such as testosterone injections, penile implants or blood vessel surgery may be used in more severe cases. Advertisement

Most men report a tingling sensation in the treated area but rarely complain of pain or require anesthesia.

Since the treatment, Jason said: Im more responsive, it's more sensitive, and the orgasms are more intense.'

Common erectile dysfunction medications act as vasodilators, meaning they increase blood flow to the penis.

Shockwave therapy creates a similar effect, but Dr Savage insists it is better because it doesn't require remembering to take a pill - which can cost nearly $10,000 each year - and hasn't been found to have side effects.

Dr Ranjith Ramasamy at University of Miami is one of the lead researchers in the field who published a review of seven shockwave therapy trials with a total of 602 patients.

The study found that among men with an average age of 60.7 years, erectile function scores were improved more than six times that of men who underwent other forms of therapy.

Dr Ramasamy told Daily Mail Online that he is about to conclude a clinical trial of 80 patients who received shockwave therapy.

Of the more than 60 participants that have already been treated and examined, Dr Ramasamy said that about 65 percent of the men who were unable to have sex before have been able to return to sexual activities.

Most of the study's participants are men who had tried ED medications like Viagra and Cialis and experienced harmful or unpleasant side effects or were unwilling to try the medications at all.

Across the six months that Dr Ramasamy's team has been studying the effects of shockwave therapy, he said that they haven't seen a single negative side effect.

The team is about to start its third phase of testing, which will provide the results they intend to submit to the FDA in 2019 to get approval for the treatment.

If the treatment gets approval, Dr Ramasamy expects that a large proportion of men with ED will seek it out as an alternative to expensive medications.

He says that depending on the severity of the ED, patients will likely need treatments every six to 12 months.

'The longest period that we currently have data on is 12 months, but I'm fairly certain it won't be a one-time thing for most men,' Dr Ramasamy said.

He warned that potential patients should be wary of companies offering the treatment because there is very little standardization in the methods used.

'People definitely need to be well-educated about the treatment they're receiving,' he said.
A couple have described the agony of learning that their three children were diagnosed with a rare terminal disease.

Last summer, Noreen and Lester Jessop's 10-year-old son Daron and four-year-old twin daughters Angela and Aubrey were diagnosed with pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN), a neurological condition that causes involuntary muscle spasms and trouble walking.

The crushing news was made even more painful when they were told their children might not live past 10 or 11 years old.

However, Noreen and Lester, of Saint George, Utah, are hopeful that an upcoming clinical drug trial can give their children a second chance at life.

'Being told that your children won't live to be 10 years old or having [doctors] tell us to enjoy them while they were alive is the most devastating news a parent can have,' Noreen told Daily Mail Online.

Scroll down for video

Daron, left, and his twin sisters Angela and Aubrey, right, were diagnosed with pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN), a rare neurological disorder in June 2017

Noreen, right, and Lester, left, said knew something was wrong when their children were not meeting major developmental milestones, including being able to walk or talk

The family's ordeal began shortly after Daron was born in 2008.

Infants usually learn to crawl between the ages of six and 10 months, but Daron didn't start crawling until he was 13 months old.

However, Noreen didn't know the severity of Daron's condition. She only considered having him see a physical therapist to help give him an 'extra boost.'

But his symptoms became more pronounced as he got older.

Noreen was alarmed when Daron was still unable to walk at two years old, especially since most babies are able to move around on their two legs by the time they are 14 and 15 months old.

Being told that you're children won't make it to 10 years old... is the most devastating news a parent can have

She and Lester, founders of the construction company Prime Excavating, took Daron to get an MRI scan, which revealed he had iron deposits in his brain.

However, doctors didn't tell them what this meant for Daron's future.

'The doctors said that his brain scans definitely weren't normal and suggested that the iron may be the reason he's not able to walk,' she said. 'But they never really gave me an answer.'

Noreen would continue to have Daron undergo a series of MRI scans and genetic testing for the next eight years to figure out what was ailing her son.

She desperately tried to detox her son's brain naturally using herbal tea and a bunch of 'homeopathic stuff,' but gave up after nothing seemed to work.

By the time he was four years old, Daron was still crawling around on the floor until his knees bled.

Noreen also noticed that Daron was starting to regress little by little each day - he was losing his balance more often and wasn't able to catch himself when he fell anymore.

Right after Daron turned five years old in 2013, Noreen gave birth to twin girls Angela and Aubrey.

She and Lester were happy with the two new additions to their family, but it was difficult raising their newborns while Daron's condition continued to worsen.

It wasn't uncommon to see him with bruises on his knees or a bandage on his chin where it had split open from him falling.

When the twins turned two years old, Noreen noticed they showed similar patterns to their older brother and were missing major milestones.

They had difficulty walking and communicating, but their symptoms weren't as extreme as Daron's.

When Daron turned eight years old, his muscles became weaker and he lost the ability to feed himself.

At one point he lost the ability to chew and swallow his food. He currently uses a feeding tube.

Symptoms of PKAN include weakness, involuntary muscle contractions and stiffness in limbs

When Noreen took Daron and the twins to get MRIs, the scans revealed that they all had iron deposits on their brain. However, they still weren't diagnosed.

'It was hard going from doctor's office to doctor's office and never getting an answer,' Noreen said. 'That was the story of our lives for nine and a half years.'

However, she considered those brain scan images to be a piece of a puzzle. She was going to use that information to figure out what's ailing her children.

Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) did come up in some of her research on iron accumulation in the brain, so she wasn't completely shocked when a geneticist finally diagnosed Daron, Aubrey and Angela with the disorder in June 2017.

'I was kind of expecting it,' Noreen said. 'But to have that confirmation was devastating.'

PKAN is a disease characterized by the deterioration of specific regions in the central nervous system caused by the accumulation of iron in the brain.

Symptoms of the disease, which affects approximately one to three million people worldwide, include speech problems, stiffness in limbs, poor balance, and involuntary muscle contractions.

Noreen and Lester were even more devastated when they found out there was no cure for the disease and that their children might not even live long enough to be teenagers.

'It was a very tough time,' she said. 'Me and my husband would just sob and sob... we were a mess for months.'

Twin sisters Angela and Aubrey (pictured) had difficulty walking and communicating, but their symptoms weren't as extreme as Daron's

Upon hearing this devastating news, Noreen wanted to learn more about the disease that is killing her children and whether there was a cure.

She began researching PKAN and came across a group of doctors in Oregon who've been investigating this disorder for the past 25 years.

Noreen was overjoyed when she learned that these doctors may have developed a treatment that could possible stop the progression of the degenerative brain disease as it would give her children a second chance at living a long and healthy life.

'It's incredible that there's a solution for this disease in the works,' Noreen said. 'It gives my children a better outlook on life, it gives them hope.'

The Oregon team announced in November that they were creating a PKAN drug to ensure sufficient amounts for a clinical trial.

However, this doesn't come cheap. The Spoonbill Foundation, an organization created with the goal to discover and develop treatments for PKAN, is seeking $2 million to fund the clinical trial.

A GoFundMe page was set up to help raise funding for the trial. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $18,000 have been raised since the page was created on February 14.
When CC Hart touches the patients that come to her for massage therapy, she feels their knots not just under her hand but in her own body.

CC has a rare neurological trait known as mirror-touch synesthesia, which means she 'feels' the emotional and physical experiences of others.

The unusual sense even helps physicians like neurologist Dr Joel Salinas diagnose patients by feeling their symptoms - even when they can't speak.

Now, scientists have discovered that CC and people with various types of synesthesia share genetic traits that code for differences in their brains that make them feel what others do.

Daily Mail Online spoke to mirror-touch synesthetes who use their unusual wiring to help people, sensing distress or locating pain just by touching, or even seeing, another human.

CC Hart is a mirror-touch synesthete, meaning she can feel the pains of the patients she gives massage therapy to when she touches them

Like many synesthetes, CC had no idea what was happening in her mind and body for most of her life.

CC grew up in a family of nurses - three generations, including her mother.

'My mother wanted me to be physical therapist. She recognized there was something unusual about the way I moved, and I often mirrored other people's movements,' CC says.

'I was captivated watching the Olympics. I couldn't sit still, I mirrored every one of the ice skaters movements,' she recalls.

But her close attention to others had a darker side.

'When I saw other people's wounds or injuries or casts, I would get shocks of electricity down the backs of my legs that felt like I was getting stabbed with a cattle prod,' CC says.

The pain was very real to her, and impossible to ignore.

'By the time I was 11, I knew something was terribly wrong with me. I thought, "everybody has this feeling but I just can't handle it because it was so overwhelming,"' says CC.

That feeling of being overwhelmed is shared by many people with mirror-touch synesthesia (MTS), according to Dr Judith Orloff, a Los Angeles, California psychiatrist whose clients are all empaths - people who are more attuned to the emotions of others than most.

Since discovering her own synesthesia, CC has published research and her own accounts of her experiences and presented them at conferences

For CC, others with MTS and empaths in general 'their neural system is on hyper-alert,' says Dr Orloff.

'They have a lot of care and compassion and tend to over-give, so they burn out and I have to teach them not to...they get over-involved and want to fix things and help but they go overboard,' she says.

The pain CC experiences when she sees others' hurts was too much for her to be in the medical field. But then she discovered massage therapy when it was prescribed to her following a bad car accident in college.

Her introduction to the practice made CC 'realize there is a career in the world of therapy where I can touch people all day long and not be in a hospital where there are all kinds of triggers' for her MTS for pain.

Now, in her practice in San Francisco, California, 'when [clients] tell me they get pain in their shoulders, I also get what feels like a cattle prod in my shoulder,' CC says.

CC discovered her MTS at age 40, when a massage client explained that when people touch her she sees colors - because she had synesthesia.

The description rang true for CC. 'I feel like I've found my neurological family,' says CC, who has since had her own research and experiences with MTS published.

As it turns out, she may have literally done exactly that.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have identified genetic markers for differences between the brains of most people and those of synesthetes, according to a study published yesterday.

Dr Judith Orloff is an empath and a psychiatrist who specializes in caring for people with synesthesia and empaths

They identified six genes in people who have various forms of synesthesia.

The genes are also common in 'people with autism spectrum disorder and savant abilities,' the study authors wrote.

Synesthetes tend to have more connectivity between certain parts parts of their brains responsible for processing sensory information.

These areas of the brain are also larger, while other regions - the ones that help to establish the boundary between 'self' and 'other' are smaller in synesthetes.

Dr Joel Salinas, an assistant professor of behavioral neuroscience at Harvard University explained that these six genes are 'expressed in the hearing and seeing parts of the brain, and are involved in the shape and way these brain cells connect to each other.

'So there's a lot of evidence that synesthetes don't just report this experience, their brains are wired differently and that goes down to the level of genes.'

Dr Salinas knows this first hand. He has multiple forms of synesthesia - including MTS - himself. He experiences synesthesia constantly, has studied it, and has been studied.

He first realized he had synesthesia in medical school, after a friend mentioned that some people who see colors with sounds or numbers could more easily enter a meditative state.

'I wondered why he would mention anything so ordinary,' Dr Salinas says. 'Growing up, I assumed I was different, but just kind of chocked it up to being a weird kid.'

Soon it came apparent that Dr Salinas, now 34, had many forms of synesthesia, which may have been exacerbated by a benign tumor that was removed from his brain when he was in medical school.

Dr Joel Salinas has MTS, among other forms of synesthesia. As a doctor and behavioral neurologist, Dr Salinas's brain wiring has helped him diagnose patients by feeling their pain

But at that point, MTS was unknown. It wasn't identified until 2005, when a professor was teaching a class about synesthesia and asked if anyone thought they had it.

A student stood up and explained that when he saw people being touched, he felt touch on himself, and asked if that was synesthesia.

Similarly, as researchers in San Diego were 'poking and prodding me like a guinnea pig' one of them asked him about MTS.

Dr Salinas assumed he was talking about mirror neurons - brain cells, discovered in 2012, that fire both when we act and when we see others act, helping us to understand one another's thoughts and feelings.

The researcher raised his left finger and drew it down his own cheek, then asked what Dr Salinas felt. He felt the brush of a finger down his right cheek.

'Everybody has that, because everyone has mirror neurons,' Dr Salinas told the researcher, who replied 'that's definitely not normal.'

The standard test to confirm MTS is called a visual tactile congruity test. It essentially shows the subject quick pictures of people touching one cheek, the other or both.

People with MTS 'often confuse the touch as if it is happening on them and end up making a lot of errors,' Dr Salinas says.

'People that fall into this category, when you look at them under an MRI scanner, the parts of the brain that tie to vision and touch are larger as part of the mirroring system,' he explains.

Dr Salinas is now an associate professor at Harvard University. A vascular but benign tumor was removed from his brain when he was in college (right), and he believes it may have exacerbated his MTS

We all have a mental mirroring system, in which 'our brains are creating a 3D virtual reality like the situation we are in, we are just not aware of it.

'But about 1.6 percent of people are conscious of this all the time,' Dr Salinas says.

For those people, like Dr Salinas, 'the boundary between themselves and other people is kind of blurred.'

Dr Salinas considers himself lucky, because he has been able to create his own 'firm, yet thoughtful boundaries,' so he can use his unusual sense in his medical practice.

Due in part to his medical background, and the focus it takes just to cope with his multiple synesthesias, Dr Salinas believes he has 'a better relationship with my brain,' that allows him to cope with his MTS.

Dr Salinas has learned to expect the sensations that accompany seeing others in pain - the same sensation that CC describes.

One of his patients, who had turrets, developed a self-mutilating tic, in which he would force his cheek between his molars with his fist from the outside, grinding his own flesh there 'until it was like shredded beef,' Dr Salinas says.

Watching him, 'I started feeling a buzzing sensation in my left cheek, like a stun gun was pulsing there, Dr Salinas says.

Sometimes, the shared sensations allow Dr Salinas to do more than just empathize.

In one instance, he likely saved the life of a woman whose cerebral palsy had left unable to speak.

'One morning, she woke up angry and agitated. She was screaming and out of control,' he remembers.

Dr Salinas was called in to sedate the woman, but when he walked in the room 'I felt the usual MTS feelings. I could feel her strands of sweat-covered hair on my forehead, the sensation of the rails of the bed on my body as if I was pushing against them.'

But there was more. He felt his chest and shoulders rising out of time with his own breathing. He suspected that they were in time with the patient's body and 'made the decision to trust my body.'

He ordered a test that revealed the woman had blood clots in lungs.

'She wasn't agitated because she was angry, she was literally fighting to breath,' Dr Salinas says.

Every time he has an experience like one of these, Dr Salinas is reminded - and humbled - by 'how the brain is so in control of my perception of reality.'

Some of his MTS moments are 'borderline hallucinations,' but fall just shy enough of that for people like Dr Salinas and CC to 'lean into the intense experiences rather than turn from them,' and use them to help people.

'When I have an experience, I don't necessarily need to freak out, I have the experience to say "that's just another creak in the house,"' Dr Salinas says.
Overwhelmed family doctors should turn away patients once they have seen 35 in a day, GP leaders say, as anything higher is deemed unsafe.

The GPs union wants surgeries to be able to send patients to overspill hubs when doctors hit that limit  similar to how hospitals can issue black alerts to divert ambulances elsewhere when they are under extreme pressure.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has called for the patient cap to be introduced as overworked and undervalued doctors struggle to deal with an average of 41.5 consultations a day.

It claims that 25 is the optimal level, and that anything above 35 is unsafe.

But the idea has been branded dangerously crude by patients groups, which worry it will make the already scarce access to GP services even harder.

Overwhelmed family doctors should turn away patients once they have seen 35 in a day, GP leaders say, as anything higher is deemed unsafe

Patients are finding it increasingly difficult to get a routine appointment, with many already having to wait three to four weeks before they can see a doctor.

But GP surgeries are under huge strain from the rising and ageing population, with many more patients than before having treatment for complex illnesses.

They are also in the grip of a recruitment crisis, with an exodus of family doctors who are retiring or quitting without being replaced by younger trainees.

Dr Richard Vautrey, the BMAs GP committee chairman, said that dealing with too many patients every day has become a major issue in general practice.

GP workloads have become increasingly unmanageable owing to the demands of more complex patient needs, widespread recruitment and retention issues, and years of underinvestment  all of which takes a toll on GPs physical, mental and social health, he said.

Given the clear crisis in general practice, there is an urgent need for cultural shift.

Having a system of overworked and undervalued GPs is unsustainable, and a change to safe working practices is vital to ensure the survival of general practice.

According to a survey by GP magazine Pulse, doctors currently conduct an average 41.5 consultations a day.

The trade union, which represents 160,000 doctors and trainees, wants GPs to agree safe working limits which can then be enforced.

This could see surgeries in an area work together to designate one of them as an overspill centre that would take on patients when others are overstretched.

The BMA claims that following such guidance, which it has set out in its Workload Control In General Practice report, would improve the quality of service that patients receive as well as boost the morale and wellbeing of family doctors.

The report states: It will require a cultural change to remove the current noble but potentially self-destructive urge within general practice to simply work harder and longer to meet patients needs.

But a spokesman for The Patients Association said: Blanket decisions not to see patients above a fixed number would seem dangerously crude, and guarantees cases of people not getting treatment and care at critical times, with serious consequences for their health.

There should not be any move to put these arrangements in place without ensuring that there are alternative services where patients can be seen.

Although the Government has promised to hire an extra 5,000 GPs by 2020, the most recent figures show the workforce is shrinking.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has called for the patient cap to be introduced as overworked and undervalued doctors struggle to deal with an average of 41.5 consultations a day

An NHS report from November showed it had lost 500 GPs in 12 months, with numbers falling to 41,324.

The guidance comes as public satisfaction with GP services has dropped to an all-time low, as patients endure difficulties getting appointments and then rushed consultations.

A national survey found just 65 per cent of people were satisfied with their GP services  the lowest level in 35 years.

The Royal College of GPs said it has been advocating a warning system for some time and that a black alert would be a lifeline to practitioners.

Its chairman, Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, said the workload in general practice has soared by at least 16 per cent over the past seven years, which was not being matched by funding.

She added: Hospitals have black alerts  they dont use them when they dont need to, they only use them when they cant cope, to protect patient safety.

'We dont have an equivalent in general practice, but we need one, as it is not safe for patients to be seen by fatigued doctors and their teams.

A black alert would be a lifeline for practice teams that are overwhelmed by demand, and allow for practices to implement emergency measures to alleviate pressures.

'It is also vital that any black alert system includes implementing alternative options for patients seeking emergency care.

An NHS England spokesman said that setting a cap would not be allowed.

He added: While arbitrary caps on patient appointments would breach GPs contracts, we understand the pressures general practice is facing.

Thats why the NHS is investing 2.4billion extra in GP services, growing the number of new doctors entering general practice and rolling out evening and weekend appointments to patients across England over this coming year.
The UK is the world's biggest producer of medical cannabis, new research reveals.

Britain produced 95 tonnes of legal marijuana in 2016, making up 44.9 per cent of the world's total, according to figures from the UN's International Narcotics Control Board.

This is more than double the UK's 42-tonne cannabis production in 2015, the data adds.

Of the marijuana produced, 2.1 tonnes were exported from the UK in 2016, making up 67.7 per cent of the global total, the figures show.

Despite this, medical cannabis licensed in other countries remains illegal in the UK even if deemed appropriate by a doctor.

Pro-legislation campaigners have described patients' denied access to medical marijuana as 'unethical' and 'a violation of the fundamental right to health'.

Counterarguments state cannabis has no therapeutic value.

The issue of medical marijuana has recently been brought to light again after a six-year-old boy, whose parents want him to be given the drug to treat a rare form of epilepsy, was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment earlier this month.

The UK is the world's biggest producer of medical cannabis, new research reveals (stock)

CAN CANNABIS MAKE YOU FEEL ALIENATED? Cannabis users are more likely to experience negative emotions, particularly feeling alienated from others, research suggested in January 2018. People who use marijuana are significantly more likely to feel that others wish them harm or are deceiving them, a study found. Brain scans also reveal the class-B drug increases signal connectivity in regions of the brain that have previously been linked to psychosis, the research adds, which is associated with severe depression. Teenage cannabis users are particularly affected as their brains are still developing, according to the researchers from the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse in Bethesda. The scientists analyzed 60 people, half of which were cannabis dependent. The study's participants completed a questionnaire that asked them about their feelings of stress, aggression, reactivity and alienation. Brain scans were also taken of all of the participants. In the US, 44 percent of those aged 12 or over have used cannabis at some point in their lives. Around 2.1 million adults in the UK use marijuana every year. Advertisement

'Government's cruel and misguided war on people who use drugs'

Steve Rolles, a senior policy analyst at drug-relation think tank Transform, said: 'It is scandalous and untenable for the UK government to maintain that cannabis has no medical uses, at the same time as licensing the world's biggest government-approved medical-cannabis production and export market.

'It is profoundly unethical, and a violation of the fundamental right to health, to deny people access to medicines that are prescribed by their doctors.

'[The Government] must allow access to cannabis-based medicines that serve patients needs - what they don't need is the government's cruel and misguided war on people who use drugs.'

A significant proportion of the UK's cannabis production goes towards the medicine Sativex, which relieves MS-related spasticity.

Within the UK, this is only available on prescription in Wales.

Six-year-old's mother pleads for medical-cannabis use

Epilepsy patient Alfie Dingle, six, has been hospitalised for the second time since returning from the Netherlands last month, where he was being treated with cannabis oil.

His condition causes him to suffer up to 30 seizures a day, prompting his parents to plead with the UK Government to allow him to use cannabis-based medication to help manage his symptoms.

Following his hospitalisation, Alfie's mother Hannah Deacon appealed directly to the Home Office and Prime Minister Theresa May to 'act to help my beloved son survive and have the best life he can'.

Ms Deacon, 38, from Kenilworth in Warwickshire, added medical-cannabis products are the 'only ones which have worked' to reduce Alfie's seizures in number, duration and severity.

Alfie's seizures, which occur up to 30 times a day, can be gradually controlled in UK hospitals, however, it is likely he will eventually be institutionalised with psychosis and die prematurely.

The Home Office has previously said it would consider a medical-cannabis trial as an option for Alfie.

Britain produced 95 tonnes of legal cannabis in 2016, making up 44.9% of the world's total

Key ingredient in cannabis curbs epilepsy seizures by more than 50%

This comes after research released yesterday suggested a key ingredient in marijuana curbs epilepsy seizures by more than 50 per cent.

Taking the marijuana-derived supplement cannabidiol (CBD), alongside commonly-prescribed medications, can more than halve the frequency of epilepsy patients' seizures, a study review found.

The dual treatment also causes nearly one in 10 patients to be seizure-free, while up to half report an improved quality of life after incorporating the supplement into their drug regimen, the research adds.

This comes after research released last month by Vanderbilt University supported similar outcomes.

CBD is a nutritional supplement that is thought to possess a range of medicinal benefits and has been reported to help people suffering from migraines, psoriasis, acne and depression.

It does not contain any THC, which is the psychoactive component of cannabis that makes users 'high'.
State-of-the art brain-imaging technology distinguishes between normal age-related memory loss and Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.

Brain scans taken while a study's participants performed object-based memory tests suggest Alzheimer's sufferers have a loss of signalling in the region of the brain known as the anterolateral entorhinal cortex.

Such signalling losses do not occur in people suffering normal age-related memory decline, such as forgetting where they left their keys or someone's name, a study found today.

Previous research suggests the anterolateral entorhinal cortex mediates communication between the region of the brain where information is first encoded and where it is stored long term.

Past studies also imply this cortex is one of the first regions in the brain to develop protein plaque tangles, which are associated with dementia's onset.

Alzheimer's disease affects around 5.5 million people in the US and 850,000 in the UK. Most sufferers live just eight-to-10 years after their diagnosis.

The yellow section in the young brain indicates significant activity in the region that mediates communication between where information is first encoded and where it is stored long term. Such activity is absent in the older brain, which may suggest Alzheimer's disease

CAN PEOPLE'S IMMUNE SYSTEMS STOP ALZHEIMER'S? The brain's immune system may be key to treating Alzheimer's disease, research suggested on March 7 2018. Immune cells in the brain interact with protein plaque tangles, which are associated with dementia, to help restore healthy cognitive function. When the cells, known as TREM2, are given to mice with severe Alzheimer's, their condition's progression is halted and their function somewhat restored to that of a disease-free rodent. Study author Dr Huaxi Xu from Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Research Institute, said: 'TREM2 offers a potential new strategy. 'Researchers have known that mutations in TREM2 significantly increase Alzheimer's risk, indicating a fundamental role for this particular receptor in protecting the brain. 'This new research reveals specific details about how TREM2 works, and supports future therapeutic strategies, as well as increasing TREM2 levels in the brain to protect against pathological features of the disease.' The researchers hope their findings may provide new prevention or treatment approaches for human dementia sufferers. Alzheimer's disease affects around 5.5 million people in the US and 850,000 in the UK. Most sufferers live just eight-to-10 years after their diagnosis. Advertisement

'The brain ageing process is selective'

Speaking of the results, study author Dr Michael Yassa, from the University of California, Irvine, said: 'These findings suggest that the brain ageing process is selective.

'Our findings are not a reflection of general brain ageing, but rather specific neural changes that are linked to specific problems in object memory.'

Alzheimer's-related memory loss affects objects more than locations, the research adds.

Lead author Zachariah Reagh, who now works at the University of California, Davis, said: 'This suggests that not all memory changes equally with ageing.

'Object memory is far more vulnerable than spatial memory, at least in the early stages.'

The researchers plan to conduct a similar study on 150 older adults to determine if such scans could accurately diagnose Alzheimer's disease.

Dr Yassa added: 'We hope this comprehensive imaging and cognitive testing will enable us to figure out whether the deficits we saw in the current study are indicative of what is later to come in some of these individuals.'

The findings were published in the journal Neuron.

How the research was carried out

The researchers analysed 20 young adults, aged between 18 and 31, as well as 20 healthy older people, who were 64-to-89.

All of the participants were asked to perform both an object and location memory task while standing in a body-length MRI scanner.

The scanner measures blood flow in the brain, which allows researchers to determine which part of the organ people are using.

In the first task, the participants memorised pictures of everyday objects and then distinguished them from new pictures.

The second assignment required the participants to determine whether objects changed their location.

Dr Yassa said: 'Some of the pictures were identical to ones they've seen before, some were brand new and others were similar to what they've seen before - we may change the colour or the size.

'We call these tricky items the "lures".'

Scans taken while people perform object-based memory tests suggest Alzheimer's disease sufferers have a loss of signalling in a specific region of the brain (stock)

Alzheimer's will be as manageable as HIV within 10 years

This comes after Nobel Prize-winning scientists predicted earlier this month Alzheimer's will be as manageable as HIV within 10 years.

Future dementia treatments will be taken before the condition develops to prevent symptoms rather than attempting to reverse them, according to Professor Michel Goedert, who was involved in discovering the importance of protein plaques in Alzheimer's onset.

Professor Goedert, from the University of Cambridge, added: 'Alzheimer's will become something like HIV.

'It's still there but it has been contained or whittled down by drug treatments.

'It will disappear as a major problem from society.'

Professor Goedert believes drugs under investigation for Alzheimer's often fail due to them being taken too late into the disease's progression.

His colleague Professor Bart De Strooper of University College London, with whom he shares the four-million euro Nobel-Prize money, added: 'The mistakes we have made is the trials is that treatment has been given too late.

'It's like popping a statin to stop a heart attack.

'But when we first started we knew almost nothing about Alzhiemer's and now we understand a huge amount.

'In 10 years we will have a completely different picture.'
US health officials have approved the first at-home genetic test for cancer risk.

Mail-order DNA testing firm 23andMe has been cleared to market a direct-to-consumer test for mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that are associated with higher risk of developing breast, ovarian and prostate cancer.

An estimated one in 300 to one in 800 Americans have BRCA mutations, commonly known as the Angelina Jolie gene because the actress had a double-mastectomy in 2013 after finding out she had inherited the mutation from her mother.

The company has said having access to an affordable, convenient test will be valuable especially for people who are not aware of their family's cancer history, but the FDA warns that there are serious limitations to the results.

Mail-order DNA testing firm 23andMe will offer at-home tests for BRCA gene mutations associated with increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer (stock image)

Specific inherited BRCA mutations have been most closely linked to increased the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers, but have also been associated with increased risks of other types of cancer.

Current clinical guidelines for evaluating a person's genetic risk of having a BRCA mutation are based personal and family history of certain cancers.

However, a study by geneticist and breast cancer researcher Mary Claire-King, PhD, found that 50 percent of families with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations had 'no history of breast or ovarian cancer that would have triggered clinical attention'.

This highlights the need for more accessible testing for everyone, not just those who know they could be at risk for the mutation.

One in eight women in the US will develop breast cancer in their life. About five to 10 percent of breast cancer cases are hereditary and can be attributed to a BRCA mutation.

A recent study by the University of Cambridge estimated that about 72 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 mutation and about 69 percent with a BRCA2 mutation will develop breast cancer by the age of 80.

One in 73 women will develop ovarian cancer, and the same Cambridge study estimated that about 44 percent of women with a BRCA1 mutation and about 17 percent with a BRCA2 mutation will develop ovarian cancer by the age of 80.

In men, BRCA mutations are associated with 40 percent of breast cancer cases which affect one in 1,000 men.

They are also associated with prostate cancer, which affects one in seven men.

What are BRCA gene mutations? Angelina Jolie drew attention to the BRCA gene in 2013 when she had a double-mastectomy after learning she'd inherited a mutation from her mother. BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes produce tumor suppressor proteins that help repair damaged DNA. When either of these genes is mutated, or altered, cells are more likely to develop additional genetic alterations that can lead to cancer. Specific inherited BRCA mutations have been most closely linked to increased the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers, but have also been associated with increased risks of other types of cancer. People with certain BRCA mutations tend to develop breast and ovarian cancers at younger ages than those who do not have these mutations. The mutations can be inherited from either parent, and a child of a parent who carries a mutation in one of these genes has a 50-percent chance of inheriting the mutation. Source: The National Cancer Institute Advertisement

The test is expected to cost $199 and comes with a swab that is inserted in the mouth to collect saliva before being sealed into a container and returned to the company's lab in California.

It can detect three out of more than 1,000 inherited BRCA gene mutations but cannot determine a person's overall risk of developing cancer.

Women with one of these variants have a 45- to 85-percent chance of developing breast cancer by age 70, according to 23andMe.

The FDA said that most cancers are not caused by genetic mutations, and the ones tracked by the test aren't the most common BRCA mutations.

The variants are most prevalent in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, but have been observed at much lower rates in other ethnicities.

The Food and Drug Administration has warned that the test is not a substitute for regular doctors visits and should not be used to make any medical decisions.

23andMe CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki also said: 'It's important to understand that the majority of cancer is not hereditary, our test does not account for all genetic variants that can cause a higher risk of cancer, and people should continue with their recommended cancer screenings.'

23andMe will be required to prominently print warnings about the limitations of the genetic information provided.

'Being the first and only direct-to-consumer genetics company to receive FDA authorization to test for cancer risk without a prescription is a major milestone for 23andMe and for the consumer,' Wojcicki said.

'We believe it's important for consumers to have direct and affordable access to this potentially life-saving information. We will continue pioneering a path for greater access to health information, and promoting a more consumer-driven, preventative approach to health care.'

The Silicon Valley-based firm was the first FDA-approved company to offer mail-order DNA tests beginning in 2007.

The most popular product they offer is a kit that tests for ancestry information and outline's a person's chances of developing diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease or cancer.

The system has been criticized by experts who say the results provided are oversimplified and should be taken with a grain of salt.

The FDA blocked 23andMe from offering genetic health information in 2013, but the company pushed back and in April 2017 was cleared to market 10 genetic tests for diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers.
Tight lipped: Melrose boss Simon Peckham

No one delivered a knock-out punch at the Business Select Committee hearings on the 7.4billion takeover bid by sharp-shooters Melrose Industries for GKN.

But MPs heard two different visions about Britain as a manufacturing champion. GKN's determined finance director Jos Sclater summed it up succinctly saying the battle is about 'short-term capitalism versus long-term capitalism'.

Melrose's claim is that GKN is a great British business that lost its way due to 'bad management'.

There have been mistakes, notably on an aerospace contract in the US. But Melrose is not faultless having made losses in each of the last two years and a hash of running the energy outfit Brush, where the losses keep on piling up.

Melrose boss Simon Peckham argues that GKN is wrong in seeking to run everything from the centre.

The reality is that its Redditch headquarters staff is remarkably thin and bolstered by the fact that its Midland operations are run from there.

Amid the Melrose verbiage and promises to keep on investing in research and development, there was a telling moment.

Asked to commit in writing to a percentage of sales to be spent on R&D each year, Peckham floundered saying it was something 'I am not allowed to'.

That is because any such pledge made during the course of a bid can effectively become legally binding.

This will be monitored by the City referee, the Takeover Panel, on a regular basis. Pharmaceutical group Astrazeneca is still reporting to the panel on revenue projections and research undertakings made in its defiance of Pfizer in 2014.

GKN has confused the political classes with its secretive white-knight talks with US car-making ally Dana, and announced its intention to split itself into GKN automotive and GKN aerospace by 2019.

But in the absence of intervention by a do-nothing Government, it is get-rich-quick shareholders who will decide the engineer's fate.

GKN had to demonstrate it can create value. Disturbingly several long-term investment funds who should know better have already raised the white flag.

FCA bungling

Andrew Bailey was handed a poison chalice when he took on the role of chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority in 2016. There cannot be a more inept and dilatory financial regulator anywhere.

It has taken five long years to discover that the disgraced former chairman of the Co-op Bank, Paul Flowers, lacked the 'fitness and propriety' to work in financial services. After being filmed and found guilty of buying illegal drugs, this was a finding which could have been made in months.

The Government is no better. In 2014 the Treasury Select Committee called for an independent inquiry into the role of regulators in policing the effort of the Co-op to buy 632 Lloyds branches, which were eventually floated off as TSB.

Only now that the trail has gone cold has a senior Bank of Canada official been tasked with the probe. The horse bolted long ago.

Secret sellers

Every quarter the City crawls over Kantar grocery sales data and marks the shares of the quoted supermarkets up or down. What would be worthwhile over the longer haul would be to closely monitor the still growing market share of German interlopers Aldi and Lidl.

When the German 'private' companies began a breakneck expansion at the start of the Great Recession, they were seen by competitors as austerity-era grocers who would lose out when growth returned.

Instead, Aldi and Lidl aimed marketing at the Chelsea tractor crowd and gathered momentum.

In the last year their share of the market has climbed from 11 per cent to 12.1 per cent.

That is not just a threat to Sainsbury's, Asda and the rest, but to the food manufacturers too.

Firms such as Associated British Foods have spent decades building brands including upmarket tea Twinings, with distinctive gold and black packaging, only to find look-a-likes on the shelves of Lidl and Aldi.

Both the no-frills grocers are only too willing to share upbeat developments such as the opening of stores, extra staff and the arrival of chateau bottled Bordeaux.

But there is precious little broader stakeholder information, including ownership, governance, tax status and the supply chain.

As enticing as low prices may be to consumers, the playing field has been tilted in favour of parvenus.
Lidl has raced ahead to boast the highest sales growth of all the major supermarkets

TOP STORE Discounter Lidl raced ahead to boast the highest sales growth of all the major supermarkets in the 12 weeks to February 24 to total 14.8 per cent, according to data from Nielsen.

Lidls market share increased to 5.4 per cent from 4.9 per cent a year earlier, while Sainsburys had the weakest sales growth of 0.8 per cent.

REVENUE HIKE Sales at Co-op have returned to growth for the first time since July 2017.

Kantar Worldpanel revealed Co-ops sales edged up by 0.4 per cent in the 12 weeks to February 24 after selling 300 shops to convenience store chain McColls.

STAFF BOOST Shop workers at Sainsburys have been handed an hourly pay increase from 8 to 9.20 per hour. Employees working in Zones 1 and 2 of London will be paid 9.80 per hour.

But the supermarket is getting rid of staff bonuses and paid breaks for in-store workers.

LOSSES BLOW Miner Sirius Minerals, which is developing a polyhalite mine in North Yorkshire, made a loss of 24million last year as it works to get its Woodsmith Mine up and running by 2021.

The firm went public last year joining the FTSE 250 and has supply agreements signed worth 4.4m per year.

EARNINGS UP Profits at product-tester Intertek rose 9.5 per cent to 438million.

Last year it bought German fuel testing business KJ Tech Services and US security firm Acumen Security. It is recommending a 47.8p per share final dividend, bringing the total pay-out for the year to 71.3p, a 41.3 per cent increase on last year.

GEM SALES Anglo-American-owned diamond firm De Beers sold 399million worth of diamonds during its second sales cycle of 2018, about 1.4million more than last year.

RICH RAIDERS Politicians in Germany are considering a so-called Robin Hood tax on financial transactions in a blow for the countrys financial sector.

As part of a coalition deal, the ruling parties agreed at the weekend to introduce a substantial tax every time a share, bond or other asset is sold.

RED RISING Communist rulers in China are targeting growth of 6.5 per cent again this year and continuing their efforts to make the financial system more stable. Last year, growth exceeded the target to hit 6.9 per cent.

LENDING RUSH Investment firms are lending to businesses as the big banks scale back due to red tape, according research firm Preqin.
The Royal Bank of Scotland has been slapped with a 360million penalty by US authorities for 'deceptive practices' in its selling of toxic mortgage investments in the run up to the global financial crisis.

The bank's mis-selling of mortgage-backed securities added to the problems which eventually culminated in the 2008 financial crash, New York State said as it ordered the fine on Tuesday.

It follows a 3.9billion fine paid by the bank in 2017 to a US regulator for its role in the crisis.

'Deceptive': The latest penalty follows a 3.9billion fine paid by the bank in 2017 to a US regulator for its role in the 2008 financial crash

RBS packaged subprime mortgages into risky financial derivatives it sold to customers, a practice that helped spark the 2008 housing meltdown, New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a statement.

Even after the bank was warned many of the loans fell below legal and regulatory requirements, RBS 'packaged and sold them anyway', the statement said.

Defaults on mortgages led to a cascade of failures by financial institutions that packaged the loans but had no clear idea of which ones were good and which were likely to default, which ultimately led to the 2008 crisis.

Schneiderman, who has so far secured some $3.7billion in cash and consumer relief for New York, said: 'While the financial crisis may be behind us, New Yorkers are still feeling the effects of the housing crash.

'Home values plummeted. Vacant homes consumed neighbourhoods. And for many New Yorkers, affordable housing fell out of reach.

'Today's settlement is another important step in our comprehensive effort to help New Yorkers rebuild their lives and communities.'

The settlement includes $100 million in cash to the state, and $400 million worth of consumer relief for New York homeowners and communities as a result of the damage done by the sale of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS).

RBS has pledged to buy abandoned houses and to lend on favourable terms to the victims of the subprime crisis.

The UK bank is the sixth financial institution to reach an agreement with Schneiderman's agency on RMBS practices.

'For many New Yorkers, affordable housing fell out of reach': Attorney general Eric Schneiderman (pictured) has been responsible for holding banks which contributed to the 2008 crash to account over the past decade

RBS last month announced its first annual post-tax profit since the eve of the financial crisis.

The gain of 752 million ($1.04 billion) for 2017 came after a drop in litigation and other costs which totalled billions of pounds and came largely over its role in the subprime housing meltdown.

Last July the bank agreed to pay $5.5 billion in a settlement with the US Federal Housing Finance Agency to resolve a lawsuit which alleged that RBS sold faulty mortgage bonds between 2005 and 2007.

RBS remains majority-owned by the British government, which bailed it out during the crisis but plans to sell most of its stake over time.
Scam : The gang duped customers into buying passports, driving licences and birth and death certificates at inflated prices

Six people have been jailed for a 37million fraud in which they duped customers into buying passports, driving licences and birth and death certificates at hugely inflated prices.

The verdict is a victory for Money Mail, which has long campaigned against so-called copycat websites that mimic official services but charge eye-watering fees for documents.

The six convictions and sentences follow one of the biggest investigations ever undertaken by National Trading Standards.

The defendants: Peter Hall, 47, and Claire Hall, 41, both of Alton, Hampshire, Syed Bilal Zaidi, 35, who was sentenced in his absence and whose whereabouts are unknown, Collette Ferrow, 50, of Liss, Hampshire, Liam Hincks, 28, of Wrexham, Clwyd, and Kerry Mills, 49, of Camberley in Surrey, were jailed for more than 35 years.

The group set up copycat websites through a firm called Tadservices Ltd, between January 2011 and November 2014, which offered passports, visas and birth and death certificates.

r.lythe@dailymail.co.uk
Today This is Money and Money Mail call for an overhaul of the state pension top-ups offered to millions of savers.

We have received a deluge of complaints from readers who have fallen foul of complex rules and poor advice.

Savers in their 50s and 60s are paying up to 2,000 extra in taxes to boost their weekly retirement payouts.

They say they are being led to believe they have gaps in their National Insurance records and that a one-off payment will give them a higher income for life.

But many are then finding the payment makes no difference to their state pension at all. And, even worse, they are being denied a refund by the taxman.

Worthless top-ups: Savers are paying up to 2,000 extra in taxes to boost their weekly retirement payouts, but some belatedly find they will make no difference

Those affected say they feel misled by staff at both the Department for Work and Pensions, which runs the Class 3 National Insurance top-up scheme, and HM Revenue & Customs, which collects the payments for the Government.

Since This is Money and Money Mail first raised the alarm in November, as more people came forward following our investigations in September, the taxman has started routinely issuing refunds  in some cases to savers it had fobbed off for months.

Our joint investigation today reveals HMRC has been forced to issue new guidance to staff over fears they have been wrongly rejecting refunds.

We also found HMRC has rebuffed customers by saying they acquired 'bereavement benefits' through the payments, even though these have proved worthless.

The official websites detailing the Class 3 NI top-up scheme fail to warn savers when their payments won't make any difference to their payouts.

Have you been refused a state pension top-up refund? If HMRC has turned down your refund request, get in touch with tanya.jefferies@thisismoney.co.uk and r.lythe@dailymail.co.uk.

And, alarmingly, officials say they do not track how many people get a pension boost after paying Class 3 NI.

This raises the prospect that some of the estimated 12,000 people who top-up their state pension every year have lost out without realising, or have given up after repeatedly being denied a refund.

Now, This is Money and Money Mail want HMRC to examine every top-up payment to make sure no saver has been left out of pocket.

And we want the taxman to issue automatic refunds to anyone whose state pension did not increase, or increased by less than they were led to expect.

Both the DWP and HMRC must also give clearer risk warnings online and over the phone when customers apply.

Neil Duncan-Jordan, of campaign group the National Pensioners Convention, says: 'The Government needs to get a grip on this.

The top-up is practically a lottery at the moment and people must be given their money back if it is not going to do any good.'

How the state pension top-ups are meant to work

Retirement boost: An estimated 12,000 people top up their state pension every year

The voluntary Class 3 NI contributions scheme lets you fill in gaps in your NI record from the past six years (in rare cases, ten) by paying a lump sum.

The cost should be a maximum of 741 a year, which buys 237 a year income for life. It is a vital scheme that, in particular, helps women who took time out to look after children.

But a quirk in the system means savers are able to pay into the scheme even if it doesn't boost their state pension.

The confusion has arisen due to the arrival of the single-tier state pension, worth 159.55 a week, in 2016.

To qualify for this amount, savers need 35 years of full NI contributions. By comparison, they only required 30 to get the full basic 122.30-a-week pension under the old scheme.

To ensure no pensioner loses out, the Government works out if you would have been better off on the old scheme. If it finds you would have been, and you already had the full 30 years of NI contributions by April 2016, any attempt to boost your pension will be futile.

However, if you have a gap from April 2016 and anticipate future gaps, such as if you have recently stopped working, it is possible to buy these additional years and boost your state pension. But you should still check before paying.

Savers denied refunds by HMRC

Savers say the risk of payments failing to boost pensions is not being explained by the DWP and HMRC officials or on their websites. Often, they only realise something is wrong when they check their projected state pension and find it has not increased.

In many cases, HMRC is fobbing off savers who try to claim a refund by saying the extra payments help boost their entitlement to bereavement benefits.

These pay a set amount to a spouse or civil partner if you die before state pension age.

Lesley Plater, with husband Roy: Retired office manager is still trying to get a refund

But those who pay for Class 3 NI are typically within a few months of state pension age. Others are beyond it, so their spouse could never claim. Some have no spouse or civil partner at all.

All those denied refunds say they would never have paid in for bereavement benefits alone.

I've been fighting for a refund for almost a year

Retired office manager Lesley Plater, 64, has been battling for a refund since April last year.

After calling the DWP and HMRC, she sent a cheque for 308. Lesley says she was never told the money might not boost her pension.

In April 2017, she discovered her pension had not increased and tried to recover the cash.

HMRC refused, saying the extra NI years would pay for bereavement benefits. But Lesley, who lives in Gosport, Hampshire, had already reached state pension age, so her husband Roy, 58, was ineligible for the money if she died.

'It is not a huge amount, but I can't afford to lose it,' says Lesley. 'It would go towards a holiday or all kinds of things.'

She also voiced great frustration with the bureaucracy of the top-up process.

'The contributions people don't seem to talk to the tax people. There seems to be a breakdown of communications. There is not a whole picture. There is no one person you can contact.

'We need one contact point by email or phone, to look at the whole situation. You have to repeat your story again to no avail.'

Lynne Pilcher, 60, found three years of gaps in her NI record after checking her state pension forecast on the DWP website last July.

Lynne Pilcher: 'The system is a mess'

It said she would get about 120 a week, rather than the 159.55 maximum. The retired customer service manager, who lives in Valencia, Spain, with husband Terence, says she wasn't warned that her 2,067 payment might not improve her income.

When she logged on a few months later, her forecast was unchanged. She spent six months battling with the taxman, before winning a payout in January.

'The system is a mess,' says Lynne. 'It seems as though the right hand does not know what the left is doing.'

She adds: 'Paying over 2,000 to increase your state pension is one thing but paying it for nothing quite another.'

Former teacher Gillian Armstrong, from Tring, Hertfordshire, also tried to recover money from HMRC, and only got a refund after a six-month battle with the taxman.

Gillian says HMRC initially told her the 733 would pay for bereavement benefits even though she was already beyond state pension age.

She claims the DWP and HMRC 'misled' her when she initially asked about making voluntary National Insurance contributions to improve her state pension, after which she fell into the trap of making a wrong payment.

The 64-year-old, who is married to Moore and retired in 2014, says staff gave her 'baffling' and differing information during a number of telephone conversations.

She says: 'I have received contradictory advice at every turn.'

Gillian Armstrong, with husband Moore:' I have received contradictory advice at every turn'

A 66-year-old retired civil servant who did not wish to be named got back 2,700 after a long wrangle with HMRC.

He dismissed HMRC's claim that he qualified for bereavement benefits as 'irrelevant', because he had already passed state pension age when he made his payment.

And he told us: 'I think the whole thing is a disgrace, not to mention the shambolic way they behave. If any other organisation acted in this way they would be held to account by the various regulators, but not HMRC.'

In response to a Freedom of Information request by former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb, now of insurer Royal London, HMRC said it 'does not hold' records of how many refund requests have been made, how many were successful or what the amount refunded was.

A spokesman for HMRC says it has received a 'few dozen' requests for a refund and all but one has been paid.

Rebuffing savers: In many cases, HMRC is fobbing off people who try to claim a refund by saying the extra payments help boost their entitlement to bereavement benefits

New applicants should get a decision within 15 working days and a payment seven to ten working days after that.

HMRC refused to review all payments of Class 3 NI contributions. 'We're sorry some customers had to wait a little longer than we would like to get their money back,' adds the spokesman.

A spokesman for the DWP says: 'Voluntary contributions might not be right for everyone. This is why the online 'Check your State Pension' service signposts anyone with gaps in their record to speak to the Future Pension Centre to find out more about the scheme.'

r.lythe@dailymail.co.uk
Stressful: Jacqueline Letts, pictured in 1970 as a bridesmaid, was forced to visit a branch to access her money

A pensioner with a rare neurological disease was forced to leave hospital to go to a Lloyds branch after her account was suspended by staff who didnt recognise her voice over the phone.

Wheelchair-bound Jacqueline Letts, 65, has a tremor in her voice as a result of multiple system atrophy, an aggressive, rare nervous system disorder similar to Parkinsons disease. She has been too unwell to leave hospital since August.

In November, Jacqueline was told she needed evidence of her savings from the past three months to prove she was eligible for council funding to install a ramp and a stairlift in her house so she could go home.

But Jacqueline hadnt kept track of her statements for the four months shed been in hospital.

She called Lloyds from her hospital bed to request an up-to-date statement, was put through to an adviser and answered the security questions. The adviser said the documents would be posted to her husband, Barry, at their home in Northampton within five days.

When she tried to purchase a 10 hat on eBay for Barry, her debit card was declined.

Knowing there was plenty of money available in her account, Jacqueline thought there must be a fault with her card.

But when she rang Lloyds, she was told the account had been blocked because of suspicious activity. Her account would remain frozen until she could prove who she was.

Staff later told Barry that Jacquelines unsteady speech in the original phone call had aroused suspicions that she was being impersonated by a fraudster. Yet they refused to unblock her account when she explained the request for a new bank statement was genuine.

Lloyds said the only way it would free up the account was if she went to a branch with her passport or driving licence.

Barry took her birth certificate, marriage certificate, pension slips and P45 to the Northampton branch, but staff said that wasnt good enough.

They said if Barry was unable to bring his wife to them, his only other option was to gain power of attorney over Jacquelines finances and access the accounts himself.

Unwilling to do this, he was forced to sign a hospital disclaimer saying he was taking his wife out of the ward against medical advice.

A nurse agreed to accompany the couple in a 50 wheelchair-friendly taxi to the Wellingborough branch on her day off.

Jacqueline has never been in a wheelchair outside the confines of the hospital ward and says that travelling to the bank was stressful and uncomfortable.

The branch manager contacted the fraud team and confirmed that Jacqueline should regain access to her account.

The couple claim they did not receive an apology. I explained over and over again that I was not well enough to leave hospital, and even if I wanted to, the doctors were concerned it would affect my health, says Jacqueline, who is now at home receiving daily visits from carers.

But several staff members said I had no option. If I couldnt come in person, I couldnt use my account. I asked them to take my circumstances into account, but they said they couldnt bend the rules.

I felt really low after speaking to them and dreaded the thought of leaving the ward when I was not fit.

Failing: Lloyds failed to tell Barry and Jacqueline it offers home visits to vulnerable customers at the branch managers discretion

Barry, 66, says: Ive never been so insulted. Staff showed no understanding of our situation. Theyre clearly not as caring as they make out they are.

I pleaded with them to find another way. Surely they could have gone to visit her, or phoned her to confirm her identity.

Under a new code of conduct introduced in 2016, banks must treat vulnerable customers such as Jacqueline fairly.

I pleaded with them to find another way. Surely they could have gone to visit her, or phoned her to confirm her identity Barry Letts

One of the recommendations states that frontline staff should be given the flexibility to take action that may be outside normal procedures where necessary.

But Lloyds failed to tell Barry and Jacqueline it offers home visits to vulnerable customers at the branch managers discretion.

It can also conduct video interviews with customers unable to visit a branch or use online banking.

Lloyds says its branch managers are in charge of deciding which customers qualify for home visits. A customers age, mobility, disability and health issues are all taken into account, the bank adds.

Barclays, HSBC and Santander say they also offer home visits and that it is up to local branch managers to decide who is eligible.

RBS has 110 community bankers across the UK who are able to visit customers in their homes in an emergency.

Any customers who think they need someone to visit them at home should call their local branch and explain their circumstances.

We apologise that the service we provided to Mrs Letts has fallen short of our usual standards, says a Lloyds spokesman.

Our fraud prevention processes are in place for our customers benefit, but on this occasion we acknowledge that the situation created additional challenges at a difficult time for Mrs Letts and apologise for the trouble she has experienced.

If a customers card or account is blocked incorrectly, we treat it as a priority to ensure that the customer is granted access to their account as soon as the appropriate identification can be provided.

As Mrs Letts was unable to provide photographic identification, it took our fraud team longer than normal to verify her identity and unblock her account.

We apologised to Mrs Letts when she visited our branch and gave her a gesture of goodwill following the delay.

Our branch colleagues also made a courtesy call the following day. We are committed to providing the right support to all of our customers to ensure they are treated fairly and sensitively.

s.smyth@dailymail.co.uk
Rival bikie gangs are rapidly bolstering their numbers in country New South Wales as fears increase that a violent 'turf war' is on the verge of breaking out.

In just the first nine weeks of this year there have been seven drive-by shootings and firebombings involving the gangs across the Hunter Valley, leaving locals scared.

The Newcastle chapters of the Finks and Nomads have seen their numbers rise in the first few months of 2018, as the two groups battle for supremacy in the region.

Police sources have told Daily Mail Australia they fear a bikie war could erupt, leading them to initiate a task force specifically to crack down on the local rival gangs before the violence turns deadly.

Scroll down for video

Escalating violence between rival bikie gangs around Newcastle, north of Sydney, has sparked fears of a turf war (Pictured are members of the Newcastle chapter of the Nomads)

There have been seven shootings and two bombings in the area since the start of this year with police believing the violence involves the Nomads and Finks (pictured) chapters in the region

While much focus in recent weeks has been on bikie shootings across Sydney, just a few hours north tensions have been escalating over the past 12 months.

Where two years ago members of rival gangs would leave friendly comments to their rivals on Facebook, the goodwill seems to have dried up.

Despite the power of bikie gangs still residing in capital cities along the east coast, a number of troublemakers have emerged from the Newcastle area in recent times.

Heavily-tattooed Finks member Jesse Johnston found the headlines last year after he was kicked out of Australia by border force officials.

Johnston, 22, was sent back to New Zealand last October leaving his chapter in need of a new Sergeant at Arms.

Just months after his deportation the chapter was rocked again, with Finks president Andrew Russell Manners jailed in late February after assaulting Strike Force Raptor officers.

The feud between the two gangs is believed to have begun last year, around the time Nomad enforcer Blake Kevin Martin bashed a rival Finks member with a crow bar.

Just 24 hours after Martin's incident Nomads again went on the attack, glassing and head-butting two men during a Saturday night out at a bar.

Newcastle-based Finks member Jesse Johnston (pictured) was kicked out of Australia last year by border force officials. He is not alleged to be involved in the recent spate of violence

Blake Kevin Martin (pictured) was last year convicted of violently bashing a rival Finks member at a Newcastle pub. Daily Mail Australia is not alleging Martin is involved in recent incidents

Members of the Newcastle Finks chapter pose in their MC colours. The gang has reportedly undergone a major recruitment drive over the past year

Jesse Johnston (far right) is pictured wearing his club cut alongside fellow members before his deportation

The troubled has spanned across the Hunter Valley region, mainly in Newcastle and Maitland (pictured)

But while tensions momentarily calmed, they have escalated again in recent months with a series of tit-for-tat attacks.

Daily Mail Australia is not alleging all members or associates of the Finks or Nomads are involved in the current spate of violence.

BIKIE VIOLENCE 2018 October 15, 2017: Drive-by shooting of home in Greta Street at Kurri by a man reportedly associated with the Finks January 4, 2018: Nomads clubhouse in Newcastle is firebombed January 15: Drive-by shooting of home on Clarence Street, Maitland February 2: Brazen shooting of home in Paradise Street, Maitland February 13: Shots fired into the same home at Clarence Street, Maitland March 1: Home belonging to Finks boss on Duskdarter St at Chisholm, near Maitland, targeted in drive-by shooting March 4: Man is shot during a drive-by attack on a home in Deschamps Close near Maitland Advertisement

A Nomads clubhouse in Newcastle was the first target, when it was firebombed just four days into January 2018.

It was followed a week later by a drive-by shooting of a nearby home in Clarence St on January 15.

Two weeks later there was another brazen drive-by shooting of a house on Paradise Street at Kurri, on the outskirts of Newcastle.

On February 13, just over a month after the last shooting, the same Clarence St home was shot at again.

Tensions in the apparent feud escalated to seemingly new levels last week, with two shootings in less than 72 hours.

The first saw the home of jailed Finks president Andrew Russell Manners attacked in a drive-by shooting in the early hours of March 1. His partner and daughter who were home at the time escaped uninjured.

On March 4, a man was hit in the leg during a drive-by shooting on Deschamps Close near Maitland.

Since the start of 2018 there have been seven drive-by shootings and two bombings, leading police to warn a tit-for-tat war is on the verge of breaking out

Police have established Task Force Darnay in response to the violence and have shut down a number of bikie clubhouses across the region (pictured)

A raid on the Nomads clubhouse last weekend led to it being declared a restricted premises

Just 24 hours earlier Detective Superintendent Wayne Humphrey issued a warning to the two MCs to stop the violence.

'This is a targeted attack between two groups who are undertaking this criminality,' he told media last week.

'They have a misguided code of silence and we've got to try and break that down.

'I'm always going to be concerned someone innocent might be injured, or worse, and that's why it's essential that we... bring this type of behaviour to an end.

'As a result of this ongoing dispute between these two gangs, Strikeforce Darnay has been commenced to investigate the outlaw gangs in the Greater Hunter area.'
The Quarter Pounder is getting a fresh makeover.

McDonald's said on Tuesday that it has already started serving Quarter Pounders with fresh beef at about 3,500 of its US restaurants, in a change that was announced one year ago.

It will roll out fresh beef Quarter Pounders to most of its 14,000 domestic restaurants by May.

The fast-food giant, which has relied on frozen patties since the 1970s, said workers will cook up the fresh beef on a grill when the burger is ordered instead of the patties sitting under a heat lamp as is done with frozen meat.

Scroll down for video

McDonald's said on Tuesday that it has already started serving Quarter Pounders with fresh beef at about 3,500 of its US restaurants, in a change that was announced one year ago (Pictured, a fresh beef Double Quarter Pounder in Atlanta on Tuesday)

The fast-food giant, which has relied on frozen patties since the 1970s, said workers will cook up the fresh beef on a grill when the burger is ordered instead of the patties sitting under a heat lamp as is done with frozen meat (Pictured, frozen hamburgers sit on a grilling machine before cooking at McDonald's in Moscow in June 2015)

'The result is a hotter, juicier, great tasting burger,' said Chris Kempczinski, who oversees McDonald's Corp's restaurants in the US.

Its pricier 'Signature Crafted' burgers, stuffed with guacamole or bacon, will also be made with fresh beef since they use the same sized patty as the Quarter Pounder.

The Big Mac and its other burgers, however, will still be made with frozen beef, with an eventual transition to fresh meat.

Fresh beef has always been used by rival Wendy's, which aired a Super Bowl commercial last month criticizing the 'flash frozen' beef at McDonald's.

A Wendy's Co representative gave a frosty response on Tuesday, saying that 'it's awesome' that McDonald's 'is recommitting to using frozen beef on the majority of its hamburgers'.

The Golden Arches, however, has signaled that it may use fresh beef in more burgers.

By May, fresh beef Quarter Pounders will hit its 14,000 US restaurants although all other burgers will be cooked with frozen beef (Pictured, a Quarter Pounder, left, and a Double Quarter Pound in Atlanta on Tuesday)

The change at McDonald's is the latest as it seeks to shed its junk food image and to lure consumers who want higher-quality ingredients in their fast food (Pictured, a Quarter Pounder, top right, and a Double Quarter Pound burger with fresh beef on Tuesday in Atlanta)

Earlier this year, the Oak Brook, Illinois-based company confirmed that it was testing a fresh beef burger that used a patty that was slightly smaller than the one in the Quarter Pounder, but larger than the one its hamburgers and cheeseburgers.

The change at McDonald's is the latest as it seeks to shed its junk food image and to lure consumers who want higher-quality ingredients in their fast food.

It has removed artificial preservatives from Chicken McNuggets, and made other tweaks, including ditching high fructose corn syrup and replacing the apple juice in Happy Meals with one with less sugar.

'"Fresh" in the mind of the consumer really has a better-for-you connotation,' said David Henkes, a senior principal at Technomic, a food industry market research firm. 'It certainly has a perception that it's better than frozen.'

The company tested the fresh beef Quarter Pounder for about two years in Dallas, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Eight more cities are serving it now, including some restaurants in Atlanta, Charlotte, Memphis, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh and Salt Lake City.

The fresh beef burgers will come to Denver, Houston and other cities over the next month before the nationwide rollout.

McDonald's said the switch is a major change for the company, and has said the rollout takes time because employees need to be trained to safely handle fresh beef and to cook the patties only when ordered.

To keep service speedy, McDonald's had to make changes to its suppliers and kitchen crews.

'If it slows down the drive-through, that's the critical part of our business. And so we just had to spend a lot of time really making sure that as we were cooking only when someone ordered, we'd figured out a way to do it that wasn't going to slow down service time,' said Kempczinski.
Senior staff at one of Australia's top museums were reportedly seen drunk and swigging champagne 'in the presence of white powder' after a glitzy fundraiser hosted at the venue, Parliament has heard.

Security were originally called to investigate a noise complaint at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, state member Robert Borsak said in parliament on Tuesday.

Questions were asked in Parliament about the alleged conduct of 'several prominent museum staff' during 'drink and drug-fuelled' festivities after the inaugural MAAS Ball on February 1.

The party is now the subject of an investigation, after the allegations were aired in parliament.

Rebecca Vallance-Gasan, Claire Tregoning, Sylvia Jeffreys and Pip Edwards at the Powerhouse Museum

An investigation has now been launched by the New South Wales Arts Minister Don Harwin, who is set to grill the museum's boss Dolla Merrillees.

The issue raised in parliament related to an alleged incident 'observed' by security staff following the ball hosted by the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS).

The main event was attended by several Sydney A-listers including foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop, models Jesinta Franklin and Elyse Taylor and Today Show host Sylvia Jeffreys.

It is estimated around 300 people attended the ball which cost $1,000 per ticket.

Parliament hears senior staff at one of Australia's top museums were reportedly seen drunk and swigging champagne 'in the presence of white powder' after a glitzy fundraiser hosted at the venue

The main event was attended by several Sydney A-listers including foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop, models Jesinta Franklin and Elyse Taylor and Sylvia Jeffreys (pictured)

But it is the alleged shenanigans at the after party - said in Parliament to have been in the museum's executive offices - which has caused concern.

Robert Borsak, from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, questioned in Parliament NSW arts minister Don Harwin about the allegations.

Mr Borsak said: 'My office has been made aware of an incident that occurred at the Powerhouse Museum after the inaugural MAAS Centre for Fashion Ball.

'Security staff observed several prominent museum staff intoxicated, drinking Moet and Chandon in the presence of a white powder.'

He asked if the allegations would be reported to police and if there would be an investigation of museum staff believed to have been present.

Sylvia Jeffreys (left and right) attends the inaugural Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) Centre for Fashion Bal at Powerhouse Museum on February 1, 2018

Phoebe Tonkin (pictured) attends the inaugural Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences

Jesinta Franklin was one of about 300 people who attended the ball which cost $1,000 per ticket

In parliament Mr Harwin said he would take the question on notice.

But his office later told the Daily Telegraph he would be requesting a 'full report into the incident from the MAAS director and chief executive officer'.

Mr Borsak told Parliament he wanted the security guards who reported the incident to be protected for 'blowing the whistle on this debauchery'.

He added: 'Taxpayers want value for money when they fund arts projects, not the sort of self-centred largesse that's alleged here.'

The ball was said to be Sydney's answer to the Met Gala held in New York and was raising money for the Australian Fashion Fund, an initiative to acquire Australian fashion and 'strengthen the museum's collection'.

The fund also aims to 'support the sector' by exchanging knowledge between Australian designers and 'the best international talent'.

Those pictured at the main event were not present at the after-party subject of the allegations.

The main event was attended by several Sydney A-listers including foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop (left)

Julie Bishop and David Panton attend the inaugural Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) Centre for Fashion Bal at Powerhouse Museum on February 1




More than 600 protesters tried to peacefully march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery on March 7, 1965, they did not predict that theyd be beaten by police officers.

That infamous day became known as Bloody Sunday due to the terror unleashed on hundreds who were protesting against the discrimination blacks faced while voting. Police officers acting on orders from state officials waited for the group led by now-Democratic Congressman John Lewis just over the Edmund Pettus Bridge. When the protesters crossed over, officers pounced on them - viciously beating them with batons and whips.

Television cameras captured the horror of the day that later energized the nation into fighting for equal rights and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. along with other leaders issued a plea for people to come to Selma to march with them.

Thousands answered the Nobel Peace Prize winners call, including decorated Army veteran Dr. Gerald Newmark who was inspired to join all the way from Los Angeles after seeing dozens and dozens of men and women injured from the attack on March 7.

Now 91 years old, the married father-of-one recalls going against his white family who feared for his safety to travel from Los Angeles to Selma for the third and final march led by King 53 years ago.

Back in 1965, Army veteran Dr. Gerald Newmark (pictured with his wife Deborah), 91, joined Dr Martin Luther King Jr to participate in the final historic march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery. But in doing so, Newmark went against his family's wishes to join the 'historic fight for equal rights'

Newmark became inspired to travel to Alabama from Los Angeles after hearing Dr. King's plea to people Americans following the police inflicted violence that happened during the first demonstration. Above King leads hundreds across the Edmund Pettus Bridge during the march

King organized the third and final march from Selma to Montgomery to begin on March 21 as it would take five days to walk 54 miles. Above the group crosses over the Edmund Pettus Bridge

I knew this was going to be an important event. Things in the United States were getting worse and I wanted to be at the march, Newmark told DailyMail.

It was important because the country was falling apart. People were lost. I was involved in Civil Rights at the time and this was an important issue.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was guiding the people and I wanted to be helpful. It was an opportunity to make history that does not come along often. I saw how bad people were being treated.

Now, as the anniversary of the marches approaches, Newmark is still proud to say that he stood on the right side of history that helped to pass the Voting Rights Act  which is considered to be one of the most important achievements of the Civil Rights movement.

The series of marches kicked off in Selma partly in response to the deadly violence inflicted again by the police in nearby Perry County who targeted Civil Rights leader C.T. Vivian on February 18, 1965. Troopers, who acted on the orders of state government officials, waited for Vivian, who was leading a group of demonstrators to the Perry County courthouse, when they turned off the street lights and violently attacked them.

Protester Jimmie Lee Jackson fled the chaotic scene with his mother and sought shelter in a nearby cafe. But Trooper corporal James Fowler followed them into the business and shot Jackson, who died days later at a hospital.

Newmark, who went against his mother's wishes to travel to Alabama, told DailyMail.com: I knew this was going to be an important event. Things in the United States were getting worse and I wanted to be at the march.' He is pictured above with his mother, Esther Newmark

Television cameras broadcast the first march attempt on March 7, 1965 that ended with dozens of demonstrators being assaulted by police officers with batons and whips when they crossed over the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Newmark (above) was shocked by the violence

Ten days later, James Bevel, the director of the Selma voting rights movement for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, called a meeting among residents.

Bevel called for a march from Selma to the state capital of Montgomery where he had hoped to speak with then-Gov. George Wallace about Jacksons death. They also wanted to bring attention to the violations of their constitutional rights to vote.

But Wallace ordered authorities to use whatever measures are necessary to prevent their demonstration from happening on March 7.

Being led by Lewis, Reverend Hosea Williams and other leaders, hundreds of peaceful protesters took to the streets that day and everything was going to plan until the large group crossed over the Edmund Pettus Bridge. It was there they were attacked by police who beat them using nightsticks and whips.

Seventeen marchers, including Lewis, were hospitalized and 50 were treated for smaller injuries. The incident shocked the world as President Lyndon B. Johnson called the violence deploring. As a result, he promised to send a voting rights bill to Congress that week, but it actually took him until March 15th.

The horror of Bloody Sunday caused leaders to band together as King called for Americans to join them for a second demonstration on March 9  that was dubbed Turnaround Tuesday.

Acting on orders from government officials, police officers attacked more than 600 protesters who tried to peacefully march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery on March 7, 1965. That day became known as Bloody Sunday due to the terror unleashed on protesters (above)

The nation became energized to fight for not just voting rights, but equal rights after TV cameras captured the horror of the day (above)

The preacher led roughly 2,000 people to the Edmund Pettus Bridge where they prayed before turning back.

The day did not end on a peaceful note: three white Unitarian Universalist ministers who travelled to Selma for the march were beaten with clubs by Ku Klux Klan members. Reverend James Reeb of Boston was severely injured in the attack and died later from his injuries.

Weeks after Reebs death, King organized the third and final march from Selma to Montgomery to begin on March 21 and encouraged Americans to join them on the 54-mile trek.

Newmark, who served during World War II, went against his family who feared for his safety in the south as a white man following Reebs death.

I traveled from Burbank airport on one of three chartered planes with 300 other people to Alabama for the march and to support the movement, Newmark recalls.

As I boarded the plane, the sense of being a part of something vital and momentous was strong.

Besides bringing a few personal items, Newmark was carrying a letter addressed to then-Alabama Gov. George Wallace that called for equal rights, equal protection of the law and end to police brutality.

The series of marches kicked off in response to the violence inflicted by the police in nearby Perry County in February. Above Amelia Robinson is pictured injured from the attack on Bloody Sunday

Besides bringing a few personal items, Newmark was carrying 30 letters written children from his church to give to black children in Selma that talked about their feelings regarding the Civil Rights movement. Above is a newspaper article about the letters and Newmark with the children in 1965

We are all in this together, Governor. When the tear gas is loosed in Selma, we all choke- and so do you, Newmark wrote in the letter addressed to Wallace.

When one mans rights are withheld from him, we are all diminished  and so are you.

If some men are not free, then the freedom of all of us is in danger - and so is yours.

It is the clearest, noblest, most enriching and fundamental idea behind our nation and our Constitution that brings us here  the idea that all of us are equals before the law.

He also brought roughly 30 letters written by children from his churchs Sunday school group to be given to black children in Selma that talked about their feelings about the situation after witnessing the violence on Bloody Sunday.

When Newmark and his group arrived in St. Jude, they joined thousands who found shelter inside of a local schools campus in the city the night before the final march to the Capitol.

Newmark said that along the journey during the final march, demonstrators faced white hecklers who shouted racist obscenities at them and held up confederate flags (above)

Other hecklers made obscene gestures at the thousands of marchers during the 54-mile trek (above)

To ensure the safety of protesters, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the National Guard and the U.S. Army Military Police to guard demonstrators along the way to Selma (above)

Newmark said: Little children dressed in their Sunday best lined the streets with their teachers and ran out to shake our hands and hug us. Pictured above are children waiving to protesters

St. Jude resembled a military camp the day after a battle, Newmark recalled.

Newmark said he was shocked to see dozens of Alabama National Guardsmen wearing confederate flags on their uniforms as they prepared to protect the marchers, who were majority black.

While marching, they sang songs through the black communities along the way to Montgomery and that some residents cheered and waved while others were overcome with emotion and crying.

Little children dressed in their Sunday best lined the streets with their teachers and ran out to shake our hands and hug us, he recalled.

The group of 25,000 people led by King and other prominent Civil Rights leaders like Ralph David Abernathy and Rosa Parks arrived at the state capitol in the afternoon and stood on a platform where they began to give a series of riveting and empowering speeches that called for equality among blacks and whites.

The group of 25,000 people led by King arrived at the state capital on March 25. Leaders, including King, gave a series of riveting and empowering speeches that called for equality among blacks and whites (above)

Following the march, Newmark received a thank you letter from the leader of the Western Christian Leadership Conference for joining the historic event (above)

Months after the last march from Selma to Montgomery, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law aiming to prevent legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevents blacks from exercising their right to vote as guaranteed under the 15 Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Newmark, who went on to earn his doctorate in education from the University of Southern California and later with his wife, Deborah, started The Childrens Project - a non-profit organization aimed at developing emotionally healthy children, families, schools and communities  said that still decades later he is proud of being on the right side of history.

My mom was not particularly for me participating in the march, because she was fearful for me, said Newmark, who is originally from the Bronx, New York and is the author of several books.

But it made me feel I was doing something important. It inspired me to continue to work hard for Civil Fights.

'The march led me to so many other things when I came home.
Pepe the Frog is at the center of a new lawsuit against the right-wing website Infowars

The cartoonist who created Pepe the Frog has sued right-wing news and conspiracy-theory website Infowars for selling a poster copying the character, which became hijacked by racist internet trolls and far-right extremists.

The copyright infringement lawsuit, filed Monday in Los Angeles, is the second that California-based cartoonist Matt Furie has brought as part of a legal campaign to reclaim his creation.

Infowars' website is the online platform for right-wing radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

Furie's lawsuit says he didn't authorize the site to sell a poster that depicts the anthropomorphic frog alongside images of Jones, President Donald Trump, far-right agitator Milo Yiannopoulos and other right-wing figures.

Jones described the lawsuit as a 'publicity stunt.' Although he stressed that Infowars didn't produce the poster, Jones said he views it as an expression of political speech protected by the First Amendment.

Alex Jones, the right-wing star of Infowars, blasts the lawsuit as a 'publicity stunt' and says the 'MAGA' poster is political speech protected under the First Amendement

The poster, which Infowars sells for $29.95, depicts Pepe alongside other conservative figures such as Trump, Ann Coulter, Milo Yiannopoulos, Diamond and Silk, Roger Stone and others

'My listeners understand this is all frivolous,' Jones told The Associated Press. 'We don't have any choice but to fight back, and the law is on our side.'

Infowars is selling the Pepe-adorned 'MAGA' poster for $29.95 and says it was created by 'renowned artist and patriot' Jon Allen.

Jones said Infowars has sold about 1,000 of the posters but added that it's hardly one of the site's most popular items.

'I think the frog is stupid looking. I think it's a dumb meme,' Jones said.

Last June, Furie launched a 'Save Pepe' crowdfunding campaign to raise money for a new comic book.

He also enlisted help from attorneys to pursue legal action against people who appeared to be profiting off Pepe's image without his permission.

'I think there has been progress,' said Louis Tompros, one of Furie's lawyers. 'It is a little bit like whack-a-mole, candidly.'

In October, Furie sued a woman in Kansas City, Missouri, for allegedly selling oil paintings featuring Pepe, including one in which a masked Pepe is holding a rifle in front of what appears to be the White House. That suit is still pending.

Tompros said white nationalist Richard Spencer and other far-right fringe figures have complied with written requests to stop using Pepe's likeness without permission.

However, Tompros said Furie's attorneys didn't email and mail requests for Infowars to remove the poster from its online store until after they filed the lawsuit.

Pepe debuted in Furie's 2006 online comic 'Boys Club'. He became a widespread canvas for memes, and eventually became associated with the far-right during the meme wars

Furie's 'chill frog-dude' debuted in a 2006 comic book called 'Boy's Club' and became a popular canvas for benevolent internet memes.

But the user-generated mutations grew increasingly hateful, as online image board users tried to prevent Pepe from becoming too mainstream.

They increasingly depicted Pepe adorned with Nazi symbols in an attempt to kill off his appeal to 'normies', as they describe mainstream culture. But in time, the line between irony and reality blurred.

As the 2016 presidential election got underway, Pepe was drafted into the 'meme wars' in service of candidate Donald Trump's supporters.

Staging from 4chan and Reddit, Trump supporters launched Pepe-based assaults into Facebook and Twitter, attempting to sway public opinion in their candidate's favor.

Pepe achieved widest renown in September 2016, when he came under direct attack by then-candidate Hillary Clinton, whose campaign website posted an 'explainer' article describing the frog as 'a symbol associated with white supremacy'.

Furie has said he was horrified to see his creation become an online mascot for white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other right-wing extremists.

Jones said he views the 'MAGA' poster as simply a symbol of the 2016 campaign.

'Everybody knows I'm not a white supremacist. I'm not into that crap,' Jones said. 'This is just purely harassment.'

Austin, Texas-based parent companies Infowars LLC and Free Speech Systems LLC are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
Shock jock Kyle Sandilands has criticised no-nonsense cop Raptor 13 as 'too serious' after he allegedly quizzed the owner of a car workshop about his exotic bird.

The controversial police officer - a member of the NSW Police Force's bikie-busting Strike Force Raptor - stormed a south-western Sydney business last Wednesday.

Police were searching for paperwork for a car linked to the Rebels bikie gang that was repaired by the Queen Street Group two years ago.

But the business's owner was left furious when officers then went and defected more than 20 cars and Raptor 13 allegedly asked if he had a permit for his macaw.

Scroll down for video

Kyle Sandilands said Raptor 13 appeared to be taking his job 'too seriously' following Daily Mail Australia's story about his encounter with a car workshop owner's macaw

The macaw: An incredulous Mohamed Ibrahim of Queen Street Customs claimed Raptor 13 asked him if he had a PERMIT for his exotic bird during the police search

'We're not doing anything shonky, we obey the law': Queen Street Customs owner Mohamed Ibrahim (pictured with his customary flash vehicles) slammed the defect notices

Police (top right) are seen crowding close to the macaw in question during last Wednesday's search

Police officers - believed to include Raptor 13 (centre) - are seen inside the business while executing the search warrant and conducting vehicle and business inspections

Broadcaster Jackie O took to the airwaves to speak about the incident, saying the 'hard-arse' cop appeared to 'take his job very seriously.'

'Too serious!' Sandilands replied.

'Organised crime task force! Unless it was the bird of a Don, what are you getting involved for?'

Business owner Mohamed Ibrahim - who supplier hire cars to Salim Mehajer's big wedding a few years ago - this week told Daily Mail Australia: '(He asked) like, "where's the permit for a macaw?'' - deadset.'

Mr Ibrahim was furious police had gone beyond the search warrant to defect a series of cars in the workshop.

'(The police) came in and defected a licensed workshop ... defected cars that were actually going through insurance.

'He's really affected my business. I had three customers pull their cars out of here.

'All the rest of the customers are going 'what's going on, what's going on,' I'm losing business,' he said.

Mr Ibrahim said: 'How dare 20 of them come for a simple USB stick they needed a file off. These guys can't appreciate we work hard.

'We're not doing nothing shonky, we obey the law ... they've got to get off their high horse.'

The panelbeater and businessman said he had never been a member of a bikie club and has never faced criminal charges.

A defect notice inside the Queen Street Customs shop following the search warrant (pictured)

Footage recently published online showed Raptor 13 inspecting motorbikes for defects

Customers: Some of the more prominent patrons of Queen Street Group include Salim Mehajer and wife Aysha (left) and the family of slain bikie Mahmoud Mick Hawi (right)

A Queens Street Rolls Royce led Mick Hawi's shuttled some members of Mick Hawi's family from the funeral service to his burial a fortnight ago

After learning of the context of the story, Sandilands said: 'Surely if you're a cop in the organised crime area you don't want to be seen as a social media star.

He said he believed many people criticising him were saying 'he's a bit over-the-top'.

Meanwhile, over the past two years, officer Raptor 13 has caught attention for a series of incidents caught on camera by members of the public.

Included among them was a confrontation with a group of men travelling in limousines to slain Comanchero president Mick Hawi's funeral a fortnight ago.

Anti-gang enforcer 'Raptor 13' has become the target of vile online abuse after a petition was launched calling for an inquiry into the controversial policeman

He was praised on 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley's program for doing an 'incredible job'.

But many people are more critical, pointing to other incidents. The petition launched on Sunday said: 'Officer Murphy has gone too far and something needs to be done'.

Mr Murphy has previously been seen on camera refusing to show a driver his speed radar and holding a metal pole to a man's head.

Crime author and former NSW police officer Duncan McNab said technology was making it harder for frontline officers to keep a low profile.

'It's a risk to consider when you're the public face of police taking on a mob like the outlaw bikers,' he said.

'Many of who aren't noted for making carefully considered, sensible decisions.'

Queen Street vehicles pictured - as Mehajer arrived near his wedding by helicopter

Raptor 13 seen outside former Comanchero boss Mick Hawi's funeral last month

A State Crime Command spokeswoman said the search warrant related to an investigation into the activities of the Burwood chapter of the Rebels bikie gang.

Officers have been conducting inquiries into the circumstances of a June 19, 2016 car crash and one of the vehicles was repaired at the Revesby smash repairer.

They executed the search warrant about 9am last Wednesday and seized documentation.

The spokeswoman said: 'Police also used their powers under the Motor Dealers and Repairers Act and s76 of the Road Transport Act 2013 to conduct a business inspection and vehicle inspections.

WHAT IS NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE STRIKE FORCE RAPTOR? Raptor 13 is a member of an elite, bikie-busting police Strike Force of the same name When bikies bludgeoned a man to death with a metal bollard at Sydney Airport in front of petrified plane passengers nearly a decade ago, worried NSW police officials made a resolution. The outlaw motorcycle gangs running amok throughout the state could never be allowed to do something so brazen again. Such was the genesis of Strike Force Raptor, an elite unit of specialised cops with the balls and legal brains to bust the bikie clubs. Founded in 2009, the unit has become known for using every available legal means to punish bikies and their associates, from arcane 1800s laws to road violations. It sounds familiar when you consider the case of 'Raptor 13', Senior Constable Andrew Murphy - regularly filmed defecting motorbikes and getting in peoples' faces. '(Strike Force Raptor's) entire motivation is to be as prominent as the bikies are and rattle their cages,' said former police officer and crime author Duncan McNab. 'What they've achieved is to destabilise the facade of the bikies and piss some of the serious players off'. But it's clear they've managed to irritate some punters outside the motorcycle gangs as well. Advertisement

'During the inspections, police issued an infringement for licensee fail to keep register in accordance with s100, and issued 22 defect notices, including four red major grounded defects, on vehicles at the location.

'Officers also seized four number plates, which included fraudulent plates, and expired plates not returned to Roads and Maritime Services.

'A Future Court Attendance Notice for four counts of possess unique identifier will be issued to a 41-year-old man.

'Following further investigations, Strike Force Raptor charged two men yesterday (Monday 5 March 2018), for allegedly submitting a fraudulent insurance claim following the June 2016 crash.

NSW Police did not answer questions directly about Raptor 13 and Mr Ibrahim's claims about the macaw.
A fourth person has died and two more people have contracted listeria after eating rockmelon.

The fruit came from a farm in Nericon near Griffith in New South Wales.

Two new cases include a man from Victoria and a woman from Queensland.

A total of 17 people have been affected by the listeria outbreak due to rockmelons (stock image)

This brings the total people affected nationally to 17.

Victoria and New South Wales have recorded six listeria cases each. There has also been a case recorded in Tasmania and four have been reported in Queensland.

Two of the deaths have been in New South Wales and two have been in Victoria.

Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Brett Sutton told the Herald Sun that the latest case had only just been linked to the fruit due to 'microbiological testing'.

Listeria can be particularly harmful to people who are pregnant, over 70 years of age, have cancer, diabetes or have a suppressed immune system.

There is also an increased risk when buying pre-cut, bruised or damaged fruit.

People are also being told to wash their food and refrigerate two hours after cutting it open.

An unnamed grower was informed of the first listeria illness on January 17.

Dr Vicky Sheppeard, Director Communicable Diseases NSW Health, said in a press release that when the illness toll was at 15: 'All 15 cases are elderly people, and most of them have significant underlying health conditions.'

Victoria and New South Wales have recorded six listeria cases each. There has also been a case recorded in Tasmania and four have been reported in Queensland (stock image)

NSW Health issued a preliminary health warning on February 23 and the NSW Food Authority issued a warning on February 28 about the listeria outbreak.

NSW Health, NSW Food Authority and other state and territory departments are continuing to investigate the outbreak.

People are being urged to throw away the fruit that they have already bought, despite the recall of the affected rockmelons taken off the shelves and out of distribution.

The NSW Food Authority has linked rockmelon to health outbreaks in the past - most notably salmonella in 2016 and listeria.
Australia's Citizenship Minister has warned multiculturalism is failing with almost a quarter of immigrants unable to speak English.

Alan Tudge has also flagged the idea of toughening English-language tests and ensuring new arrivals show a commitment to Australia's democratic and liberal values.

The Turnbull Government Minister said that while Australia was a successful multicultural nation, there were elements of failure when it came to integration.

Scroll down for video

Australia's Citizenship Minister Alan Tudge has warned multiculturalism is failing with almost a quarter of immigrants in some areas unable to speak English

'I want to sound a note of caution: Australian multiculturalism is not God-given and cannot be taken for granted,' he will say in a speech to the Menzies Research Centre in Sydney on Wednesday night.

'Indeed, there is emerging evidence that we are not integrating as well as what we have done in the past.

'Moreover, there are external factors that weren't present even a decade ago that make integration more challenging.'

Mr Tudge, a Melbourne-based Liberal MP, also referenced gang violence in his home city committed by African and Sudanese gangs in his upcoming speech given to The Australian.

He also flagged the idea of toughening English-language tests and ensuring new arrivals show a commitment to Australia's democratic and liberal values (Muslim women in Sydney's west)

The Greater Dandenong region, in the city's east, has experienced a rise in violent crime.

This is an area of Melbourne where 64 per cent of the population was born overseas, figures from the 2016 Census show.

It is also an outer suburban area where 30 per cent of people spoke only English at home, with 24 per cent of immigrants not speaking English at all, compared with 19 per cent in the 2011 Census.

Nationally, the share of Australians who only spoke English at home fell from 77 per cent in 2011 to 73 per cent in 2016.

Mr Tudge, a Melbourne-based Liberal MP, also referenced gang violence in his home city committed by African and Sudanese gangs

The minister has used his speech to call on the Senate to pass the government's amendments to the Citizenship Act so prospective new citizens would have to pass a more rigorous English-language test.

Labor and the Greens are opposed to the Turnbull Government's proposal to make immigrants pass a university level English test and be quizzed on their attitudes to domestic violence, female genital mutilation and child brides.

Race Discrimination Commission Tim Southphommasane, who was born in France to Laotian parents, called on the Citizenship Minister to avoid getting alarmist.

'The Australian model of multiculturalism is a successful one,' he tweeted on Wednesday.

'There is no compelling evidence that Australia is at risk of a failure of integration.'
Jacqui Lambie has stepped out with a fresh look, while opening up about her difficulties searching for a life partner.

Speaking on KIIS 1065 this week, the former Tasmanian Senator said she was probably the only politician who was not sexually active - after news broke of Barnaby Joyce's affair with his staffer.

'I'm so annoyed, I must be the only one that can't get any bonking going on, fair go,' she said.

Jacqui Lambie has stepped out with a fresh look, while opening up about her difficulties searching for a life partner

The former politician, who was forced to resign in November amid the dual citizenship saga, told the radio hosts she was only having a laugh.

She clarified, saying inter-office relationships were 'a big no no for me'.

'I'm very big on that, you don't mix business and pleasure, you've only got a small amount of staff,' she said.

Speaking earlier in the week, Ms Lambie said she completely agreed with Mr Joyce's decision to step down after his relationship with pregnant staffer Vikki Campion went public.

She said she never felt tempted to have an inter-office relationship anyway, because Parliament was devoid of any 'real men'.

'I want a real man, a tradie with calluses on his hands, a big boy,' she said.

Jacqui Lambie is pictured enjoying a KFC meal with Nick Xenophon - as she reveals she is looking for love

Since leaving the Senate in November last year, Ms Lambie said she had time to pursue a romantic relationship

Since resigning from the Senate, Ms Lambie said she had time to pursue a romantic relationship.

While she had the time, she said there was now a new hurdle in her search for love.

'One of my teeth fell out last night, it's just hanging in there,' she said.

'Missing a tooth's probably not going to help my situation.'

In response to her man troubles, Sandilands asked Ms Lambie if she would consider dating women.

After some hesitation, Ms Lambie replied saying she had 'never thought of jumping the fence'.

'One of my teeth fell out last night, it's just hanging in there ... missing a tooth's probably not going to help my situation,' Ms Lambie said

Nearly four months after she resigned from the Senate, the mother-of-two said she still had plans to return

Nearly four months after her resignation from the Senate, the mother-of-two said she was champing at the bit to return.

'I'll be making a come-back, no doubt about that,' she said.

'You can kick me down as far as you like, but I'll be popping back up again.

'You don't think I'll just leave and let those little buggers up there run amok, no way. I'm coming back.'

The mother-of-two is now promoting her new autobiography, Rebel With a Cause.

Nearly four months after her resignation from the Senate, the mother-of-two said she was champing at the bit to return to politics




A Western Australian man is currently being fined $50 a day by his local council for living on a block of land he purchased in 2015.

Roland Gopel, 58, is living in his motor home on the outskirts of Menzies, 700 kilometres north-east of Perth.

But the lack of running water, septic tank and the run-down state of his block has the local council up in arms.

The Shire of Menzies has said Mr Gopel is breaching key regulations and on top of the daily $50 fine they've now slapped him with an extra penalty.

Roland Gopel, 58, is being fined $50 a day by his local council, to live on a block of land he purchased himself

The Shire Menzies has said Mr Gopel is breaching key regulations on his property (pictured) on the outskirts of the shire

The council has said the lack of running water, septic tank and the run-down state of his block needs to change

'Yesterday in court I was fined yet again. $1000 for the fine and $3000 in costs. I refuse to pay a fine for what amounts to me sleeping in my own bed on my own land,' Mr Gopel told the Daily Mail Australia.

'The dispute has been going on since the winter of 2015 when the health and building inspector...came by on a random inspection of the Menzies's failing water supply.'

This is not the first fine Mr Gopel has received. In August last year he was convicted for similar offences and on top of the initial $1000 penalty was slapped with $1,745 in court costs, which he has not payed, the ABC has reported.

This fresh fine is for breaching WA's caravan park and campground act.

Magistrate Sandra De Maio said that while she appreciated the reasons behind his off-grid lifestyle, Mr Gopel was clearly living outside the restrictions.

'Mr Gopel is in a regretful situation where he's living on his land, but in circumstances which are not regulated,' Ms De Maio said.

Mr Gopel has been fighting the council for three years and is no stranger to getting fined

On top of his $50 a day, Mr Gopel has been ordered to pay another $1000 fine and $3000 in court fines

Mr Gopel's hot water system (pictured) isn't what you'd usually find in a home but he says he should be able to live as he pleases

She awarded the fine based off Mr Gople's $550 fortnightly income, saying he had a limited ability to pay a substantial fine, as most of that was going to his rates and debts.

Mr Gople's three year fight has become legendary within his own community. Last year he started a Gofundme and has raised more than half of the $1000 he was asking to help pay for the fine.

'I was hesitant about starting the Gofundme because it probably sends the wrong message. I refuse to pay these fines - I'd rather be dead,' he said.

'The reaction from the community has been overwhelmingly supportive.'

'In court yesterday there was a couple who came out of the courtroom...the husband caught sight of me, recognised me, came back into the lobby to come to shake my hand and wish me good luck.'

Mr Gouple's shower (pictured) might be a little rough-and-ready for most people but he is committed to his lifestyle

'I've had similar encounters from random people who have recognised me. Detractors have been far and few between.'

Andrew Wadham, the lawyer for the Shire, said the council didn't want to kick Mr Gople of his block, they only wanted him to comply with regulations.

'Ultimately, this is not about kicking Mr Gopel off his property, it's about achieving compliance,' he said.

Last year he set up a Gofundme and has raised over half the $1000 goal he is aiming for

'I will keep fighting this': Mr Gopel says he will not pay the fines and will work out a way to fight the court order

'There is no order your honour could make that could force Mr Gopel off his land.'

Mr Gopel said while he wouldn't connect his property to mains water, as he doesn't want to be forced into paying an ongoing bill, he did have intentions of installing a septic tank.

'I will keep fighting this - exactly how I will fight I will have to have a long and hard think about. I'll just say what I told the magistrate,' he said.

'This is Australia - we the people don't just have to do as we're told for sake of simply doing as we're told.'

'We are not obligated to blindly obey for no real reason, that is, while we are going about our peaceful day to day business,' he said.
Supreme Court president Lady Hale (pictured) said it is vital to see expressions and body language when judging whether someone is telling the truth

Women giving evidence in court should not be able to hide their faces behind religious veils, one of Britains most senior judges has suggested.

Supreme Court president Lady Hale said it is vital to see expressions and body language when judging whether someone is telling the truth  something she learned while presiding over a child abuse case.

The intervention from Lady Hale, head of the Supreme Court since last autumn, comes after more than two years since guidance was promised from the Lord Chief Justice on whether or not women in courts should be allowed to cover their faces for religious reasons.

She said in a speech to the Oxford Centre For Islamic Studies: The ingredients of a fair trial should be the same for all, regardless of their religious or other beliefs. We do take it for granted in this country that observing a persons facial expressions, body language and general demeanour are an important part of assessing their credibility.

And our adversarial trial system depends crucially on testing a witnesss evidence through cross-examination. I suspect that most advocates would find it difficult to imagine how one would cross-examine a witness whose face one could not see.

She revealed she had learned how important it is to see the face of a witness giving evidence during a High Court child abuse case in the 1990s.

In the hearing, the wife of a doctor suspected of violence towards a baby was persuaded to remove her face covering when giving evidence, because all the lawyers were women.

This mothers love for her children was quite apparent, Lady Hale said. So too was the fact that, from time to time, she was repeating a rehearsed script.

But she put a question mark over whether the face of a woman needed to be visible all the time while she is on trial.

She said: A rather more difficult question is whether the magistrates, judge or jury should be able to observe a defendants demeanour throughout the trial. I would much have preferred to be able to watch the doctors wifes reactions to what was being said throughout the proceedings. But I think I could weigh up the evidence without doing so.

Equality guidance supplied to judges last week suggested when women remove a religious face covering to give evidence, there should be screens so only the judge and jurors can see them.
A toddler in Georgia reportedly shot himself in the hand after he was left alone in a car by his mother.

The incident occurred on Sunday around 3pm on Herring Street in Cartersville. Police say Vesherica Gainor left her three-year-old alone in a vehicle with a loaded gun.

After shooting himself the boy was transported to the hospital, but was said to not have life-threatening injuries.

A three-year-old boy in Cartersville, Georgia, reportedly shot himself in the hand after he was left alone in a car by his mother, Vesherica Gainor (pictured). She was arrested on Monday for charges unrelated to the shooting

Gainor was arrested in March 2017 (left) for simple battery - family violence; cruelty to children in allowing them to witness a felony, battery or family violence; and criminal damage to private property. She was arrested again November 2017 for failing to appear in court in October (right)

Cartersville police say that four other children were in the car when the shooting occurred but that no one else was injured.

Gainor was arrested on Monday for charges unrelated to the shooting - possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

According to records from the Barlow County Jail, Gainor was arrested in March 2017 for simple battery - family violence; cruelty to children in allowing them to witness a felony, battery or family violence; and criminal damage to private property.

She was released after posting $7,000 bond. However, Gainor was arrested again November 2017 for failing to appear in court in October.

The incident occurred on Sunday around 3pm outside this house on Herring Street in Cartersville (pictured). After shooting himself the boy was transported to the hospital, but was said to not have life-threatening injuries

This time she was in jail for nearly a month before posting her $2,500 bond.

As of Tuesday evening, officials have not yet charged Gainor with anything related to this shooting, according to WXIA-TV.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Cartersville Police Department for further details.
A new NRA ad with spokesperson Dana Loesch was unleashed on Twitter Sunday

NRA mouthpiece Dana Loesch unleashed a bizarre ad targeting Hollywood, the media, athletes, and politicians in a short video clip posted to the gun lobbying group's Twitter account.

The Twitter video, posted Sunday, is accompanied by a caption taken from her strange monologue in which she has an hour glass sitting in front of her, on a black table, with a black background, while she is also sporting black.

The caption reads: 'To every lying member of the media, to every Hollywood phony, to the role model athletes who use their free speech to alter and undermine what our flag representsYour Time is running out. The clock starts now.'

Dana Loesch unleashed her bizarre ad targeting everyone from politicians to athletes while speaking from a black room with an hourglass she flips at the end of the one-minute video

The antagonistic ad was hashtagged with '#Oscars90,' just before Sunday night's Academy Awards ceremony.

In the background is a guitar playing ominously, and it sounds like something out of a Wild West movie.

'We've had enough of the lies,' Loesch says in the clip. 'The sanctimony. The arrogance. The hatred, the pettiness, the fake news. We are done with your agenda to undermine voters' will and individual liberty in America.'

Loesch then addresses every 'lying' member of the media, 'Hollywood phony', and 'role model athlete who uses their free speech to alter and undermine what our flag represents.'

She ranted: 'To the politicians who would rather watch America burn than lose one ounce of their own personal power, to the late night hosts that think their opinion are the only opinions that matter.

'To the Joy-Ann Reids, the Morning Joes, the Mikas. To those who stain honest reporting with partisanship.

'To those who bring bias and propaganda to CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times your time is running out. The clock starts now.'

She then dramatically flips over the hourglass to illustrate the 'clock' starting.

The ad is for Loesch's new show on NRATV which begins in March.

If Loesch wanted to incite those she was targeting in the ad- than mission accomplished.

To those who stain honest reporting with partisanship: Loesch called out Mika Brzezinksi and Joe Scarborough in her commercial

Joy-Ann Reid was also specifically named by Loesch in the strange commercial for her looming NRA TV show

Alec Baldwin struck out on Twitter saying that Loesch 'doesn't care how many dead bodies she has to stop over' to push her agenda.

Montel Williams cited his time in the US military when he struck out at Loesch and her strange NRA ad.

'Let's get one thing clear: I actually bore arms in uniform,' Williams wrote on Twitter. 'Dana poses in cocktail dresses with guns. I'm not interested in a lecture on guns from a damn spokesmodel.'

He then added, 'Oh  and, Dana  girlfriend stop with the stupid. And don't make shadowy threats you can't back up. You're a spokesmodel not a hit man.'

Actor Michael Ian Black also hit out at the ad, sharing it on Twitter with the caption 'Terroristic threats. The NRA is a terrorist organization.'
A father who lashed-out at a 14-year-old boy who he claimed had been 'bullying his step-daughter' has been hailed as a hero online - after the video of the attack went viral.

The 53-year-old man, who tracked the teenager down at a skate park in The Gap, Brisbane on Sunday, has been charged with assault after the boy lodged a complaint.

But that didn't stop parents throwing their support behind the father with one even commenting on the story for someone to 'buy that man a beer'.

Another claimed the father needed to be nominated for 'Australian of the Year'.

Other parents commented they would may have acted the same way if their child was being harmed, even if it meant breaking the law.

'No sympathy whatsoever for the bully... do that to my daughter and I am coming for your a**e gun blazing !!!! I will gladly go to jail for it... the pain from birthing my daughter is worse than a jail treatment... Rubbish,' a mother said.

'I would do the same as schools do nothing about it . We should all do something about it as so many kids have taken their lives because they been bullied,' said a dad.

Some parents applauded the man on his efforts.

'Different story when the tables are turned isn't it. We all know bullies are cowards but they are the first to run crying to the police if anyone calls them out. Good on you dad respect and admiration to you,' said another father.

This is the shocking moment a father savagely attacked a 14-year-old boy who allegedly bullied his stepdaughter

'The torment that some bullies dish out can scar a person for life. They don't stop they just continue to torment their chosen victim. Thank god that Dad stepped in (I would do the same)! Punish the tormentors not the Dad. Sad world we live in,' commented another parent.'

Others blamed the system for the father's need to respond with violence.

'If more was done to these bullies by the justice system and schools then parents wouldn't feel the need to deal with these bullies with extreme measures,' one man said.

'I'd wager he wont bully her again. If the law protected the girl in the first place, the Dad wouldn't have had to step in,' said another man.

Others offered to start fundraising efforts 'for any fines'.

'He acted angrily in response to his step daughter being bullied. I applaud his reaction. When a school tells you bullying is not a problem, when the parent of a bully tells you everyone does it so go away well something has to be done to protect your child. If there is a fine I will donate $10 towards it.'

Mobile phone footage shows the father grab the boy by the throat as he sits down on a ledge.

The man's strength pushes the boy on to his back as he continues to strangle the child who helplessly waves his arms and hits the man in the chest.

The boy's friends then intervene, shouting 'Get the f*** off him, get off him!'

The man tracked the boy down to a skate park in The Gap, Brisbane on Sunday

Eventually they get the man off as the shocking brawl continues before the pair are separated.

The boy complained to police and showed them footage of the attack.

The man has been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and is due to face Brisbane Magistrate's Court on March 20.





'It will be alleged that around 3.20pm on March 3, a man assaulted a 14-year-old boy at a skate park on Glen Affric Street in The Gap,' a spokesman for Queensland Police said.
Washington could see two special counsel investigations running in parallel if a pair of House Republicans can convince Attorney General Jeff Sessions to appoint a second one in the space of a year.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte and House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy wrote Tuesday to Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, asking for a new independent prosecutor to probe the FBI's decision to obtain surveillance warrants covering former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

The applications, first filed in 2016 under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, led to harsh criticism from GOP politicians who smelled partisanship in the waning days of the Obama administration.

Led by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, Republicans have charged that the FBI misrepresented its case for spying on Carter when agents presented facts to a federal judge.

South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy (left) and Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte (right), both powerful Republican committee chairmen, are asking Attorney General Jeff Sessions to appoint a new special counsel to probe surveillance abuses that allegedly targeted a Trump campaign adviser

Carter Page was briefly a Trump foreign policy adviser and raised red flags for his contacts with Russians; The FBI obtained a series of FISA warrants to spy on him, and Republicans contend it was done in bad faith since sloppy, partisan opposition research was presented to judges as part of the agency's rationale

President Trump has complained about the FISA warrants, but also blasted Sessions for saying he'll let the Justice Department's inspector general handle the new investigation

Page's contacts with Russian nationals were a red flag for investigators as they tried to determine whether the Trump campaign was working hand-in-hand with the Kremlin to swing the election away from Hillary Clinton.

Trump and his campaign have steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, although the president declared Tuesday during a White House press conference that Moscow 'certainly' meddled in the election that vaulted him to power.

'We think this is a very serious matter regarding conduct by the FBI and by some in the Department of Justice that calls for the appointment of a special counsel who will have subpoena and prosecutorial powers,' Goodlatte said Tuesday, according to Politico.

Nunes and fellow Republicans on the Intelligence Committee issued a memo in January alleging that in its request for permission to snoop on Page, the FBI relied on the infamous anti-Trump 'dirty dossier' compiled by a former British spy in the service of a Democratic-funded opposition research firm.

Goodlatte and Gowdy wrote in their letter that '[m]atters have arisen  both recently and otherwise  which necessitate the appointment of a Special Counsel. We do not make this observation and attendant request lightly.'

'There is evidence of bias, trending toward animus, among those charged with investigating serious cases,' they added.

'There is evidence political opposition research was used in court filings. There is evidence this political opposition research was neither vetted before it was used nor fully revealed to the relevant tribunal.'

Sessions (pictured) and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, have the authority to appoint a new special counsel

Trump blasted his AG a week ago, saying the inspector general who is now digging into the surveillance applications is a holdover 'Obama guy'

Last month, Sessions directed the Justice Department's Inspector General, Michael Horowitz, to investigate the possibility of FISA abuses in the Page case.

But Republicans have complained that Horowitz doesn't have subpoena power, making him toothless in the face of Democratic naysayers.

And President Trump said on Twitter that Sessions' decision was 'disgraceful,' complaining that Horowitz was 'an Obama guy' held over from his predecessor's time in office.

Gowdy said Tuesday that he knows of at least two dozen people who could testify in a second special counsel probe, but who are 'out of reach' of Horowitz.

He named former Hillary Clinton insiders Sidney Blumenthal, Cody Shearer and Victoria Nuland as potential witnesses.

Gowdy's own committee could conduct oversight hearings, he acknowledged  and both houses of Congress already have Intelligence Committee probes ongoing.

But the South Carolina Republican insisted that lawmakers couldn't conduct a thorough investigation in the fashion of current Special Counsel Robret Mueller because their offices can't keep secrets.

'We leak like the Gossip Girls,' Gowdy said. 'We don't have the ability to impanel a grand jury, we don't have the ability to offer immunity, we should not be offering immunity.'

Robert Mueller is already running a special counsel investigation into the question of whether anyone on Team Trump colluded with Russians to impact the 2016 election, but Gowdy and Goodlatte want a second probe to run in parallel

Last week a group of 13 conservative Republicans  none of them committee chairs  made a request similar to Tuesday's.

But Goodlatte and Gowdy stand a better chance of swaying Sessions.

'Some have been reluctant to call for the appointment of a Special Counsel because such an appointment should be reserved for those unusual cases where existing investigative and prosecutorial entities cannot adequately discharge those duties. We believe this is just such a case,' they wrote.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, fired back Tuesday and said the two Republicans were 'simply off base.'

'Where there is no crime, there is no criminal investigation for a second special counsel to manage,' he said.
A heartbroken mother has gone public with a vile Snapchat message sent to her daughter telling her to commit suicide.

Stefanie Kwong said her child was bullied on the app by a male student from Kirwan State High School in Townsville, north Queensland.

'Ur an ugly fat c***, no one likes u, ur a massive a** s*** go kill urself,' [sic] one message sent to her 14-year-old daughter said.

A heartbroken mother has gone public with a vile Snapchat message (pictured) sent to her daughter telling her to commit suicide

Ms Kwong decided to share the message to make a stand against cyber bullies, and as part of an appeal to other parents for help.

'She [Ms Kwong's daughter] doesn't want to go to school and it breaks my heart,' she told The Townsville Bulletin.

'She's had enough and so have I. If it's getting to the point where children are killing themselves, we have to do something extreme.'

The distraught mother said she does not know what she can do to help, and is desperate for her daughter to stay in school and get a normal education.

She said she is satisfied with the school's response to the incident, and said the student had been severely punished.

Ms Kwong said her post had led to an avalanche of support from other parents, and she in concerned about social media being used for bullying.

Dolly Everett (pictured) took her own life in the Northern Territory in January aged just 14 after being attacked by bullies

'I don't know how kids can get so many accounts and say such horrible things,' she said.

The incident comes just days after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull personally wrote every school principal in Australia to ask them to help tackle the bullying crisis.

Mr Turnbull was inspired to act after being deeply impacted by the death of teenager Dolly Everett, who committed suicide after being targeted by vicious online bullies.

Dolly Everett took her own life in the Northern Territory in January aged just 14 after being attacked by bullies.

Poll Do you think enough is being done to address the bullying crisis? Yes No I don't know Do you think enough is being done to address the bullying crisis? Yes 5 votes

No 251 votes

I don't know 3 votes Now share your opinion





Her father Tick took to Facebook after Dolly's death to say his daughter did what 'she thought she had to do to escape the evil in this world'.

His call to action on bullying garnered support nationwide and prompted state and federal leaders to move to address the crisis.

A spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Education said details of disciplinary actions cannot be released, in order to protect student privacy.

'Bullying is not tolerated in Queensland state schools. Every student has the right to learn in a positive, safe and caring environment,' they said in a statement.

'Any situation that threatens the safety and wellbeing of students is treated extremely seriously, and dealt with as a matter of urgent priority.

'Kirwan State High School is committed to providing a safe, respectful and disciplined learning environment for students and staff, where bullying is not tolerated.

'The school works closely with students and families to address any reported bullying concerns.

'Furthermore, Kirwan State High School is registered to promote the message that bullying is never okay on the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence on Friday 16 March 2018.'
Communist Party members have been ordered to work full tilt to get Jeremy Corbyn into Downing Street after they decided they would no longer stand candidates against Labour.

Susan Michie, of the Communist Party of Britain, said the two parties were in a really good situation to work much more closely than we have in the past.

At a meeting of activists in North London on Monday night, she confirmed the party would campaign for Labour at the next election. Professor Michie said: At the 2017 general election we decided not to contest in the election, and fully support Jeremy Corbyn, and CPB has agreed that supporting Labour is the priority and that it would be inappropriate to stand candidates.

Communist Party Leader Susan Michie (left) said that her party would be working flat out to get Jeremy Corby into Downing Street

Communist Part members are to give their unrestricted backing into getting Mr Corbyn into Downing Stret

Red Len McCluskey and is an old friend of Seumas Milne, Mr Corbyns far-Left chief spokesman

The appointment of Mr Murray has enraged moderates within the party after his defence of Russian tyrant Stalin (above)

We will be out on the doorstep, putting forward the socialist arguments, and putting those forward in the Morning Star wherever possible in support of a Left-led Labour Party.

This electoral policy is a potential springboard for strengthening organic ties with Labour.

We can also use our significant influence in trade unions and campaigning organisations to show that Labour Party policies will be closer to members interests than other electoral parties.

Seamus Milne (left) is one of Mr Corby's closest advisers

She added: Communist Party members should absolutely be involved in electoral work, and working full tilt to get Jeremy elected as leader, and the Labour Party into government.

Prof Michie is the ex-wife of Andrew Murray, a former communist who was last week appointed by Mr Corbyn as a consultant. Mr Murray, who has defended Stalin and North Korea, has joined the Labour leaders office part-time.

He is chief of staff to Unite boss Red Len McCluskey and is an old friend of Seumas Milne, Mr Corbyns far-Left chief spokesman.

Mr Murray used to work for the Morning Star newspaper and was a member of the British Communist Party for 40 years. He quit in 2016 to join Labour when Mr Corbyn was unexpectedly elected leader. He will work for Mr Corbyn for one and a half days a week, according to The Guardian, overseeing the appointment process for senior members of staff and advising on party strategy.

Unite, Labours biggest donor, will continue to pay Mr Murrays salary. The arrangement has been reported to the Electoral Commission, the party said.

The appointment of Mr Murray has enraged moderates within the party after his defence of Russian tyrant Stalin.

He suggested his rule, during which millions died in purges and famines, was better than living in the West. And he has written an article expressing solidarity with Communist North Korea. A Labour spokesman insisted it was normal practice for trades union staff to be seconded to MPs offices. Unite said it makes no apology for supporting and helping Mr Corbyn.

Ahead of last years election, the Communist Party said it would not field any candidates for the first time since 1920  because the Labour leader was so in tune with its extreme Left-wing views.

Communist Party general secretary Robert Griffiths praised Mr Corbyns policy platform of nationalisation and bolstering the trade unions.

He said: Our members will be campaigning for a Labour victory as the essential first step towards the formation of a Left-led government at Westminster.
Its hard to believe this is an ocean paradise where divers go to marvel at majestic manta rays.

Judging by this picture, the main thing theyre likely to see is plastic waste.

In fact you cant even see the surface  which is obscured by ugly flotsam hovering like a murky green cloud above the crystal blue depths.

The beauty spot  near the Indonesian island of Bali  has been utterly choked by a slick consisting of bags, bottles, straws, sachets and cups.

And some of it could even have originated in Britain, say experts.

This beauty spot  near the Indonesian island of Bali  has been utterly choked by a slick consisting of bags, bottles, straws, sachets and cups

The pictures, taken by British diver Richard Horner, shows the global toll of plastic pollution that the Daily Mail is campaigning to end.

Tourists flock from around the world to see the manta rays that give Manta Point Bay its name.

The fish, which measure 22 feet across, leap from the waves when they are playing.

But Mr Horner, from East Sussex, said he had never seen ocean pollution on such a scale in ten years of visiting the spot  located on the tiny islet of Nusa Penida off the main coast of Bali.

And it is not just a pitiful sight for divers, but a serious threat to the rays, turtles and bamboo sharks that inhabit the surrounding oceans.

Mr Horner, a 45-year-old former mechanical design engineer, said: Ive been living and diving in Bali for five years.

But I have been coming here for diving for more than ten years. Its an amazing place and much quieter than mainland Bali, which is quite chaotic.

What we saw in Manta Point Bay was much worse than anything Ive seen before.

Weve seen mantas actively avoiding the plastic entering their mouths and sometimes spitting it out.

Indonesia is one of the worlds worst plastic polluters, believed to be the source of around 10 per cent of plastic waste.

The pictures, taken by British diver Richard Horner, shows the global toll of plastic pollution that the Daily Mail is campaigning to end

The archipelago of more than 17,000 islands is the second biggest contributor to marine debris after China.

Most of the labelling in the plastic slick is Indonesian. But currents known as the Indonesian Throughflow, which connects the Pacific and Indian oceans, means it could have come from anywhere.

The Daily Mail is campaigning hard to reduce plastic waste. Our Banish The Bags drive led to a 5p levy on supermarket carriers. Now our Turn The Tide On Plastic campaign is aiming to cut the pollution spoiling our oceans.

Louise Edge, of Greenpeace, said: What we throw away in the UK can end up in the high Arctic, the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean or the waters off Bali  taken there by ocean currents or container ships. Plastic waste is a truly global problem and well need to work together to solve it.

A video of the plastic pollution in Bali has been shared more than 16,000 times on social media. Brightly coloured wrappers are seen clumped together just below the surface and above a manta ray, while tiny fish swim among the detritus.

Mr Horner, from East Sussex, said he had never seen ocean pollution on such a scale in ten years of visiting the spot  located on the tiny islet of Nusa Penida (above) off the main coast of Bali

Mr Horner is pictured battling through carriers, which can be carried across the globe.

He wrote online: The ocean currents brought us in a lovely gift of a slick of jellyfish, plankton, leaves, branches, fronds, sticks, etc... Oh, and some plastic. Some plastic bags, plastic bottles, plastic cups, plastic sheets, plastic buckets, plastic sachets, plastic straws, plastic baskets, plastic bags, more plastic bags, plastic, plastic, so much plastic!

He said: The plastic come mostly from rivers here in Indonesia we think  the rivers are used as a dumping ground.

'The people dont have the education like weve had, when I was growing up.

The Keep Britain Tidy campaigns brainwashed us very successfully into not dropping litter  they havent had that here yet.

'Hopefully they will, it would be a very cheap start to dealing with it.

The plastic slick drifted further into the Indian Ocean the day after the video was filmed on Saturday.

But Balis rubbish problem, blamed on islanders and holidaymakers, continues.

It is at its worst during the annual monsoon season, when strong winds push marine flotsam on to the beach and swollen rivers wash rubbish from riverbanks to the coast.

In November, amid a garbage emergency, officials were forced to remove close to 100 tons of rubbish a day across a 3.7-mile stretch of coastline.
The son of Vladimir Pasechnik (pictured) claims he was assassinated by Moscow

The son of a Russian defector who died in dubious circumstances in Wiltshire 17 years ago today broke his silence to claim his father was bumped off by Moscow.

Vladimir Pasechnik was a Soviet micro-biologist who defected to Britain in 1989 when he warned that Russia's germ warfare programme was 10 times greater than thought.

He went on to work at the microbiological research centre at Porton Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire, and died in 2001 aged 64.

While Pasechnik's official cause of death was given as a stroke, his son, Nikita, suspected foul play and espionage activities were behind it.

And following the apparent poisoning of Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury last Sunday, Mr Pasechnik is even more certain.

Despite voicing concerns that speaking out might put his own life in danger, the 53-year-old said he is in 'no doubt' that Mr Skripal was targeted by the Russian authorities - like his own father.

While Pasechnik's official cause of death was given as a stroke, his son, Nikita (pictured), suspected foul play and espionage activities were behind it

Mr Pasechnik, who lives in Bridport, Dorset, and works as an IT specialist, said: 'I have never done interviews before but I believe it is time to stop Putin so I need to say something.

'Putin is trying to avenge his opponents, to show his power and show what will happen to those who betray the system.

'In my opinion there is no doubt this man (Skripal) was poisoned by the FSB (the Federal Security Service for Russia) or another specialist force of modern Russia.

'The Russian authorities are very dangerous, they are killing people and they feel absolutely free to do that in the UK.

'They are very arrogant and they believe they can threaten anybody.'

Mr Pasechnik, who followed his late father to Britain in 1997, believes the Russian authorities were involved in his father's death.

He said: 'My father was always scared and told me they might kill him.

'He understood how serious the threat to him was.

'Officially his cause of death was a stroke but I spoke to doctors and they said his brain was severely damaged and they had never seen a stroke like it.

'I spoke to specialists in different countries and they said certain chemical substances could cause a stroke.

Pasechnik (pictured in 1979) was a Soviet micro-biologist who defected to Britain in 1989 when he warned that Russia's germ warfare programme was 10 times greater than thought

'I see similarities between my father and what has happened in Salisbury.

'My father was at home and he had a severe headache and felt dizzy.

'He tried to drive to his office and turned back then smashed his side mirror driving onto the garage before collapsing in the home.

'My step-mother was there and they rushed him to hospital but he died several weeks later.

'There was never a proper investigation into his death but perhaps it is too late now.

'What happened to my father has happened to many Russians who opposed Putin like Litvenenko, Berezovsky and the opposition leader shot in the centre of Moscow.

Russian spy Sergei Skripal (left) and his daughter Yulia (right) are fighting for their lives after being exposed to an unknown substance

'I fear Putin myself but I have to speak out because he must be stopped.'

He went on: : 'My father ruined the whole industry of biological weapons in Russia when he escaped to the UK and told the government and Margaret Thatcher (about Russia's programme).

'She told Gorbachev that Russia, despite the Helsinki convention, was still developing deadly weapons.

'This is the reason the Russian special forces - the KGB/FSB - wanted to kill him.

'There was a decision made within the KGB/FSB to kill my father.

'He was afraid of this and told me several times the story of the Bulgarian diplomat who was killed by an umbrella.

'It was a very difficult decision for my father to make the escape because he thought he would be tortured and imprisoned for life in the West but for him that was better than being a military criminal.
A woman who was raped at knife point in a tunnel by a serial sex offender fears he will strike again after his electronic tag is removed.

Graham Kay, 66, was released on parole in early 2015 after serving 18 years of a 20-year jail term for assaulting eight women, including an underage teenage girl, during the mid-1990s on Sydney's north shore.

After complying with his strict parole conditions, Corrective Services officers in New South Wales have decided to remove his electronic ankle bracelet on March 17.

Graham Kay, 66, was released on parole in early 2015 after serving 18 years of a 20-year jail term for assaulting eight women, during the mid-1990s on Sydney's north shore

One of his victims fears he will strike again - 22 years after dreading she would be killed as the predator dragged her into a tunnel at knife point and raped her.

'I'm still terrified, you learn to live with the horror of what happened, it never leaves you,' she told The Daily Telegraph.

'When he dragged me into a tunnel and pushed the knife hard into my throat, tied me up gagged me and raped me I thought I was going to die.

'It's my greatest fear that he will pursue woman again as he has no remorse.

'I don't believe he is rehabilitated.'

The woman has written to the state's Attorney-General Mark Speakman pleading with him to stop the tag being removed on Saturday next week.

A woman who was raped at knife point in a tunnel by the serial sex offender fears he will strike again after his electronic tag is removed

'I urge you to not stop monitoring Graham James Kay for the safety of the community,' she said in a letter to the Liberal MP.

Kay told a NSW Supreme Court hearing last year he should have his tag removed because it was awkward at the beach.

He had also complied with 42 conditions imposed upon his release from jail in February 2015.

However, forensic psychiatrist Dr Anthony Samuels said he met the criteria of 'sexual sadism' and was 'vulnerable to relapse'.

After complying with his strict parole conditions, Corrective Services officers in New South Wales have decided to remove his electronic ankle bracelet on March 17

When Kay was sentenced in 2000, Justice Robert Shallcross Hulme said his attacks were 'premeditated and planned'.

The assaults took place in Balgowlah, Artarmon, Epping, Eastwood and Wollstonecraft on women aged between 16 and 39 between December 1995 and December 1996.

The sick acts involved him grabbing the women from behind and holding a knife to their necks.

Kay, a former Rural Fire Service volunteer who worked as a graphic artist, was stopped by police in 1997 as he drove around looking for women and following them in Macquarie Park, Glebe and Epping.
Tighter security on internet-connected gadgets is promised by ministers today after fears that millions of us are being spied on in our homes.

A kitemark-style code of practice for the 420million smart devices expected to be in use by 2020 is being launched by the Government.

It comes after a Daily Mail investigation revealed how surveillance cameras costing as little as 25 are unwittingly leaving households, businesses and schools and colleges open to snoopers.

A sinister website, thought to be hosted in Moldova, broadcasts hundreds of thousands of hours of real-time footage that can be viewed by anyone with access to the internet.

A Daily Mail investigation revealed how surveillance cameras costing as little as 25 are unwittingly leaving households, businesses and schools and colleges open to snoopers

The devices, known as IP (internet protocol) cameras, let those worried about home security monitor what is happening when theyre away by logging on via their smartphone. Many cheaper models, however, have default passwords which are widely known by hackers.

Cyber-security experts warn that a new generation of smart products ranging from doorbells which broadcast an image of who is calling to televisions and toys can be exploited in the same way.

A code of practice for manufacturers and retailers launched by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport aims to reassure consumers that the equipment does offer protection from cyber attacks.

Key requirements will include a unique password for every device, encryption of sensitive data when it is transmitted online, and automatic software updates to keep ahead of hackers.
A lucky lotto winner has scooped a massive $15 million but they don't even know it yet.

The Townsville winner has not claimed their life changing prize after being one of two division winners nationally.

The Oz Lotto $30 million jackpot draw 1255 was announced Tuesday night with each winner bagging $15 million.

A lucky lotto winner has scooped a massive $15 million but they don't even know it yet (stock image)

The lotto ticket was bought at newsXpress Garbutt Centre (pictured), west of Townsville, and was registered to a Winners Circle card but officials are yet to get in contact with the winner

The lotto ticket was bought at newsXpress Garbutt Centre, west of Townsville, and was registered to a Winners Circle card according to Cairns Post.

Golden Casket spokesman Matt Hart said the company had attempted to contact the new multi-millionaire a number of times with no luck.

'Let's just say $15 million is worth dropping everything and picking up the phone for,' he told the publication.

'Our winner could be completely unaware that Golden Casket is trying to contact them with the dream-come-true news. I'm sure they'd love to discover they are now a multi-millionaire.'

Queensland locals have been urged to check their lotto tickets.

The winning numbers were 5, 30, 34, 41, 18, 38 and 37 and the supplementary numbers were 28 and 11.
A man has been convicted of animal neglect charges after he and his partner left their pets living in 'revolting' conditions at a Calliope camping ground in Queensland.

Paul John Bougoure, 45, and his partner Ashlee Gina Thackery, 21, kept the animals in cramped cages without access to food or water while they drove to Brisbane in June 2016, News Mail reported.

The couple who had 11 dogs, two cats and three birds, each pleaded guilty to 16 charges of breaching their duty of care to an animal at Gladstone Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning.

Scroll down for video

A chihuahua was found under an upturned milk carton under the couples trailer

Most of the animals were severely underweight and covered with fleas by the time they were recovered

Paul John Bougoure, 45, (left) pleaded guilty to 16 charges of breaching his duty of care to an animal

Most of the animals were severely underweight and covered with fleas by the time they were recovered by the RSPCA on June 9, 2016.

A chihuahua was found under an upturned milk carton under the couples trailer, and a bull mastiff had to be euthanised due to an untreated perineal hernia, according to the publication.

Thackeray was contacted and admitted the animals were in poor condition and some did not have water but was reluctant to surrender the animals.

She eventually agreed to deliver the animals the next day.

The couple who had 11 dogs, two cats and three birds kept their animals in 'revolting' conditions

Thackeray admitted the animals were in poor condition and some did not have water

She was reluctant to surrender the animals to the RSPCA, but eventually agreed

RSPCA lawyer Jordan Ahlstrand told Gladstone Magistrates Court that Bougoure had a history of animal offences, including one conviction of having sex with a horse.

The pair had only intended to leave the animals alone for a few hours but when Bougoure was arrested this resulted in the couple leaving the animals for two days, the court heard.

Thackeray's lawyer Rio Ramos told the court her client was remorseful and 'she could have done better.'

Magistrate Catherine Benson said the woman might consider it an unfortunate incident, but in reality the animals had been on their own for a lengthy period of time.

Bougoure had a history of animal offences, including one conviction of having sex with a horse

Thackeray was sentenced to 18 months probation, and Bougoure was sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for two years

RSPCA Regional Inspector Clare Gordon said the court's decision was a good decision

An RSCPA spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that Thackeray was sentenced to 18 months probation after pleading guilty to 16 animal neglect charges

She was also ordered to pay $1,458.10 in RSPCA vet and boarding costs, $96 costs of summons, and $1,000 in legal costs.

Bougoure was sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to pay $1,458.10 in RSPCA vet and boarding costs; $192 costs of summons, and $1,250 legal professional costs.

RSPCA Regional Inspector Clare Gordon spoke after the conclusion of the case and said the court's decision was a good decision.

'To be given a life prohibition order, the courts don't do that lightly because he has serious offendings prior to this, and he's continued to do it,' Ms Gordon said outside court.
European consumers will pay dearly if Brussels tries to punish the City, Philip Hammond will warn today.

In the last of the Governments Road to Brexit speeches, the Chancellor will tell the EU it is very much in our mutual interest to strike a trade deal giving extensive rights to Britains financial services sector.

Mr Hammond will point out the critical role played by the City as the cornerstone of Europes financial system. And he will warn that European consumers would face higher prices for a wide range of goods, including cars, loans and fuel, if the City is cut out.

Chancellor Philip Hammond has long argued that financial services should be part of the Brexit deal

Philip Hammond in front of a panel of MPs that it was in the interests of both Britain and the EU for an implementation period to be agreed at the March summit of EU leaders

Mr Hammond will stress that the UK and EU markets are deeply interconnected, with the City providing finance for European bank loans and car financing, as well as helping firms cope with fluctuating exchange rates and fuel prices.

In a nutshell, the message is that cutting out the City will mean higher prices for European consumers  people should be very careful, said a Treasury source.

The Chancellor will also take a swipe at the EUs chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, who has warned repeatedly that financial services fall outside the scope of any agreement.

He will point out that Mr Barnier played a key role in trying to include services in an EU-US trade deal. Mr Hammond held talks in London with the French economy minister Bruno Le Maire yesterday.

WHEN WILL BRITAIN BE OUT OF THE EU? Britain triggered Article 50 on March 29, 2017, starting a two year process for leaving the EU: March 2018: Outline transition deal agreed, running for about two years June 2018: EU summit that Brussels says should consider broad principles of a future trade deal. October 2018: Political agreement on the future partnership due to be reached Early 2019: Major votes in Westminster and Brussels to ratify the deal March 29, 2019: Article 50 expires, Britain leaves the EU. Transition is expected to keep everything the same for about two years December 31, 2020: Transition expected to come to an end and the new relationship - if it has been agreed - should kick in Advertisement

Mr Le Maire said that he wanted a fair Brexit deal  but insisted it could not cover financial services. We need a good deal, he said.

But once again we have to avoid any misunderstanding between the British people and the French people, between the UK and the EU.

Financial services cannot be in a free trade agreement, for many reasons  for reasons of stability, for the sake of supervision because there are some very specific rules for financial services.

The European Parliaments chief Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, yesterday warned Britains economy would suffer if it moved away from EU rules.

Speaking after talks in Downing Street, he said: If the UK stays very near to the rules of the European Union that will secure jobs in Britain. That will be the best way forward for the British economy.

My preferential choice would be that Britain still is part of the single market, still is part of the customs union, then most problems would be solved.

MPs will warn today that trade deals with around 70 countries could be put at risk unless the Government obtains legally watertight guarantees that they can continue after Brexit.

MPs cannot block Brexit, says Davis Parliament will not be able to block Brexit at the last minute despite a promise to give MPs a meaningful vote, David Davis insisted yesterday. Tory Remainers sided with Labour last year to win the right to have a say before Britain leaves the EU. But the Brexit Secretary said yesterday that the vote would have no impact on Britains departure, which is scheduled for March next year. Quizzed about the impact of a no vote in the Commons, Mr Davis said: I do not believe in the meaningful vote overruling the referendum. We will leave in all circumstances. His comments will ease Eurosceptic fears that pro-Remain MPs could use the vote  expected at the end of this year  to block Brexit. But his intervention infuriated pro-Remain MPs. Labours Mary Creagh accused Mr Davis of bluster and bravado, adding: The Government may still be smarting from their defeat in the Commons on the meaningful vote. Elected representatives in Parliament should be able to reject the deal if it does not deliver for Britain and send the Government back to the negotiating table. Advertisement
Nikesh Patel, 34, was sentenced by a federal judge in Chicago on Tuesday

A master swindler has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, after prosecutors said he posed as a bank executive in a second swindle to fund an escape to Ecuador while free on bail.

Nikesh Patel, 34, was sentenced by a federal judge in Chicago on Tuesday, after pleading guilty in 2015 to selling $179million worth of sham loans to a Milwaukee investment firm.

'There's a certain diabolical genius to what he did here,' Judge Charles Kocoras said at sentencing, the Chicago Tribune reported. The judge added that it was the largest financial fraud case he'd seen in four decades on the bench.

Patel had convinced the judge to allow him to remain free on bail while awaiting sentencing, saying he would help authorities recover funds to repay his victims.

Instead, prosecutors say he kept on swindling, blowing the cash on lavish trips and a $30,000 birthday bash at the Four Seasons hotel for his one-year-old daughter - all while plotting an escape to Ecuador with a bag full of diamonds.

'It's a little insulting,' Judge Kocoras said of the escape plot. 'His (US) citizenship was the gift of his birth, yet he's so quick to throw it away because he doesn't want to face the piper.'

Prior to his arrest in 2014, Patel (left) was a prominent businessman and influential political donor, hosting Florida Governor Rick Scott (right) for a fundraiser at his $4million home

The case dates back to September of 2015, when Patel was first arrested in Florida for selling 26 sham loans to Milwaukee investment firm Pennant Management for $179 million.

A former banker, Patel had spun the money in to a string of hotel projects in Florida and Illinois.

He owned a Rolls Royce, a Lamborghini and other luxury vehicles, wore custom suits and jewelry, and jetted all over the world, prosecutors said in a recent court filing.

A favorite destination was Panama, where he 'blew off steam' at the brothels, prosecutors said.

Patel was also an influential political donor, hosting Florida Governor Rick Scott for a fundraiser at his $4million home in Windermere and serving as a prominent member of the state's Indian American Chamber of Commerce.

It all came crashing down when the FBI caught on that the loans that Patel's First Farmers Financial company was peddling as USDA-backed were actually bogus, with no actual borrower, no pre-existing loan and no government guarantee.

Caught up in the scheme were hundreds of public school districts, parks departments and other public entities, which had taxpayer dollars invested in Pennant through management funds.

The Illinois Metropolitan Investment Fund, which is popular with municipal bodies, lost more than $50million in the swindle.

When the news of his arrest broke, Governor Scott and Florida's Republican party gave all of Patel's donations to charity.

After Patel admitted to the scam, he convinced the judge to let him remain free on bail before sentencing to help repay the victims.

Instead, he posed as a vice president of Banco do Brasil using the alias 'Ron Elias' and sold more than $19million in bogus loans to investors in Iowa, prosecutors said.

Patel even created a phony web site and email to help convince the victims the loans were legitimate, prosecutors alleged.

According to documents recovered by investigators, Patel was plotting to launder the money from the second scheme by buying $30million in diamonds from Dubai, and then flee to Ecuador to seek asylum.

Patel allegedly had all the plans in place for a new life in Ecuador, including a million-dollar home, luxury vehicles, and English-language school for his four daughters.

'I have got my final asylum approval and need to move things along and cannot just sit around here and wait any longer,' court records quoted Patel as writing in the document, addressed to an unnamed accomplice.

'I managed to get a few more dollars (don't ask how) so as of today, I have a total of $35MM in 'dirty' money.''

Prosecutors say that Patel had plans to flee to Ecuador, where he'd arranged a lavish new life for himself and his wife (pictured) along with their four daughters

Patel said that diamonds would be 'the cleanest way to do the transaction, kill any trace, and cover everyone.'

'Legit stones are being bought and the 'trace' ends there,' he said in the document.

To give him time to escape, Patel planned to tell prosecutors that he was 'going to rehab or a meditation camp for a week, this way they do not suspect anything by my phone being shut off,' he wrote in the document, according to the filings.

On January 6, FBI agents swooped in on Patel at Kissimmee Gateway Airport near Orlando, just as he was preparing to board a private plane to Ecuador.

Prosecutors have hinted that he is likely to face additional charges for his conduct while free on bail.

In court on Tuesday, Patel sobbed in an orange prison jumpsuit as he lamented being separated from his daughters and pleaded for mercy.

'Greed and selfishness may have a short-term benefit,' but in the long run it only hurts those closest to you, he said.

Patel is being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago pending transfer to federal prison. He is inmate number 61337-018.
Four people have been arrested for the murders of two missing friends, whose bodies were discovered in a sunken vehicle nearly a month after they disappeared.

The bodies of Raegan Elizabeth Day, 20, and Dustin Hartline, 28, were recovered on Monday in the East Pearl River Boat Launch on the Mississippi/Louisiana state line.

Jason Landry, 18, Brittney 'Beezy' Savell, 25, Derrion Lemoine, 22, and Steve 'Stevie' Olivieri, 27, have each been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

The bodies of Raegan Elizabeth Day, 20, (left) and Dustin Hartline, 28, (right) were recovered on Monday in the East Pearl River Boat Launch on the Mississippi/Louisiana state line

Landry and Savell, who both live in Slidell, Louisiana, were arrested in Waveland, Mississippi. Lemoine and Olivieri, who is also from Slidell, were arrested in Louisiana.

All four suspects are being held in the St Tammany Parrish Jail, according to WVUE.

The sheriff said the investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are possible.

Day and Hartline were last seen leaving their home in Pearl River, Louisiana, around 12.30pm on February 15 in Day's 2011 dark blue Chevrolet Camaro.

Jason Landry, 18, (left) and Brittney 'Beezy' Savell, 25, (right) were two of the four suspects arrested in the pair's murders

Derrion Lemoine, 22, (left) and Steve 'Stevie' Olivieri, 27, (right) were also arrested. All four have been charged with two counts of first-degree murder

They were expected to visit a family member's home in Kenner before attending a doctor's appointment in Baton Rouge.

But relatives began to worry when Day and Hartline never showed up at the Kenner residence.

Stephanie Heaphy, Hartline's mother, revealed that the signal on her son's phone disappeared around 1pm on the day he went missing.

'The last time the phone went off was shortly after I spoke with him and then about 12.30, 1.00pm, there was no signal on the phone,' she told WWLTV last month.

'And the last signal was somewhere in Slidell.'

Video courtesy of WDSU

Authorities had been searching ponds and waterways for weeks before a tip led them to East Pearl River Boat Launch on Highway 90 (pictured)

A car matching the description for Day's vehicle (pictured) was pulled from the water at 5pm and the pair were identified from their tattoos

Authorities had been searching in ponds and waterways for weeks before a tip led them to East Pearl River Boat Launch on Highway 90.

A car matching the description of Day's vehicle was pulled from the water at 5pm and the pair were identified from their tattoos, according to The Times-Picayune.

Autopsies were scheduled for Tuesday and causes of death have not been released.

Day and Hartline's deaths are being investigated as a double homicide. The St Tammany Parish Office said all four suspects are 'directly involved in the murders'.

The St Tammany Parish Office said all four suspects are 'directly involved in the murders' of Day and Hartline

Autopsies were scheduled for Tuesday and the causes of death have not yet been released

'It's not the outcome we wanted for the family,' Sheriff Randy Smith told WWLTV.

'We are just glad that we can bring some closure to the family.'

The loss has been especially devastating for Hartline's father Russell, who lost his youngest son - Dustin's brother - just last year.

'I fought myself so I could be there for Dustin,' Russell said shortly after his son disappeared.

'He's all I have.'
For years, BAs famous advertising campaign proclaimed the company to be the worlds favourite airline.

But in a move that may test the patience of its loyal fliers, British Airways will now squeeze long-haul passengers into seats that are almost ten per cent smaller.

The airline, which has come under pressure from budget carriers, will squeeze an extra seat into each row.

It announced a makeover this week for the World Traveller section on its Boeing 777 routes from Gatwick to North and South America.

British Airways will now squeeze long-haul passengers into seats that are almost ten per cent smaller in a move that may test the patience of its loyal fliers

However, the UKs largest airline failed to reveal that passengers flying in economy will have to squeeze into smaller seats.

The size of long-haul seats will be reduced by 1.5 inches, but will see 12 more seats added, according to industry experts.

The World Traveller section  the companys full-service economy class on flights beyond Europe  will now have ten seats in every row, instead of nine.

It will move from a 3-3-3 to a 3-4-3 seating layout, The Daily Telegraph reported.

BA insisted its elegant new seats would have TV screens that are 50 per cent larger.

But it is feared that the changes could make passengers feel uncomfortable on flights of up to 11 hours.

The airline, which has come under pressure from budget carriers, will squeeze an extra seat into each row, with ten seats instead of nine

The refurbished aircraft will fly as far away as Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Cancun in Mexico.

The design will be rolled out next year to all BA long-haul flights from Gatwick.

The airline announced on Monday that it was planning to launch no-frills basic economy fares on its long-haul flights.

The tickets are expected to be between ten and 20 per cent cheaper, but do not include seat selection or checked-in luggage.

BA said in a statement: In April 2018, we will be introducing a new long-haul basic economy fare on selected transatlantic routes.

The airline announced on Monday that it was planning to launch no-frills basic economy fares on its long-haul flights

The new fare will give customers a lower price point and more choice.

The airline also promised that within the next two years wireless internet will be accessible on all flights. The changes come after they announced a series of changes due to competition with budget rivals.

BA stopped free food on its short-haul flights in 2017.

The same year it revealed that it was reducing legroom from 30 inches to 20 inches on its A321 and A320 Airbus aircraft.

Fresh flowers in the first class toilets were also scrapped.
Jorge Dominguez, a prominent professor in Harvard's international relations department, has announced his retirement following the semester after three decades of sexual harassment allegations were unveiled

A professor from Harvard, accused of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen students, will retire at the end of the semester.

Jorge Dominguez, 72, moved the retirement up by three days after he was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation of more than 30 years of behavior.

The chairwoman of Harvard's government department shared with the Boston Globe that Dominguez's retirement 'does not change the active review of the facts and circumstances that have recently come to light.'

Dominguez has been accused of inappropriate behavior by 18 undergrad and graduate students from 1976 until 2015.

On Wednesday, he shared that he was not teaching this semester.

Harvard's community has been devastated by the news.

While the professor had a reputation for mentoring students, there were also concerns that plagued his status.

Women graduate and undergraduate students often warned others to keep the door open when meeting with him.

Elena Sokoloski, 20 and a Harvard senior, started #dominguezmustgo on social media campaign, and felt his retirement was a good first step but felt there was still a ways to go.

18 women, including , including students, graduate students, professors and fellow staff members, have now come forward with similar allegations of sexual harassment against Dominguez. The first allegation is from as early as 1979, and the most recent from 2015

'There are a number of places that this fell through the cracks,' Sokoloski said. 'Everybody is pretty horrified about how long this has been going on.'

Jorge Dominguez cultivated a 'creepy older man' reputation for himself during his time working as a government professor at Harvard. The 72-year-old is married and has two daughters.

In 1983 he was found guilty of 'serious misconduct' by the ivy-league university after Terry Karl, a junior professor in the department, alleged he repeatedly groped, kissed and propositioned her.

Now, in light of the #metoo movement, Dr Karl recalled the harassment she suffered to The Chronicle of Higher Education.

After her story was published last month, 17 additional women have come forward with similar stories about Domingez - claiming he touched them inappropriately and that they even dropped classes and abandoned projects to avoid being around him.

When Karl first reported Dominguez to Harvard she said she had never heard of the term 'sexual harassment'.

But she still knew the actions were inappropriate, and wrote to administrators, met with her higher-ups, called for better reporting practices and filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

In 1983, Dominguez was found guilty of 'serious misconduct' by the ivy-league university after Terry Karl (pictured), a junior professor in the department, alleged he repeatedly groped, kissed and propositioned her

After her story was first reported by the Chronicle, 17 additional women came forward with similar stories about Domingez - claiming he touched them inappropriately and that they even dropped classes and abandoned projects to avoid being around him

The alleged harassment began in 1981 when she arrived at the university and was paired with Dominguez, who initially was 'friendly and available'.

But after her first semester things changed, and over the summer she said he wrapped her in his arms and attempted to kiss her. Karl said she pulled away but didn't make a scene, to avoid offending him.

That fall, at a dinner hosted by Harvard, Karl said Dominguez made a comment about her to then-president of Venezuela Rafael Caldera, referring to her as his 'slave.' She said Caldera later warned her to stay away from Dominguez.

Karl gave Dominguez a ride home that night at his request, and while in the car says he attempted to kiss her and slid his hand up her skirt. She says he told her he would be the next department chairman, he would decide her promotion and he would review her book.

Eventually she sought advice from Harvard and then hired a lawyer, going to the EEOC about Dominguez's alleged behavior. She also wrote to the dean, Rosovsky, and described his behavior as 'erratic' and 'an expression of deep hostility'

That was the first time she said she felt she was being propositioned for sexual favors in return for a good review. But after, it continued to happen, and eventually she felt like she was actually in danger when he was around him.

Once, she alleges he made a comment while they were walking outside that 'this would be a nice place for a rape.'

Eventually she sought advice from Harvard and then hired a lawyer, going to the EEOC about Dominguez's alleged behavior. She also wrote to the dean, Rosovsky, and described his behavior as 'erratic' and 'an expression of deep hostility.'

Dominguez was disciplined and removed from administrative conduct for three years, but was allowed to stay on the faculty. In 2006, he was even promoted to vice provost of International Affairs.

Ultimately Karl left the university because she couldn't handle working and learning in his presence. At the time she said she was worried this would permanently stain her academic career, because rumors started to spread about an affair gone wrong or other scandal.

Though numerous women claim similar experiences to what Karl described, many did not feel comfortable filing a complaint because of the way hers had been dealt with.

Dominguez was disciplined and removed from administrative conduct for three years, but was allowed to stay on the faculty. In 2006, he was even promoted to vice provost of International Affairs

The #MeToo movement helped these woman connect and bring their stories to the forefront.

In November 2017 Karl got an email from Nienke Grossman, who she did not know, who told a similar story to what she had experienced. Another woman, Suzanna Challen, also told her story.

Karl said she remembers thinking: 'Oh my god, I knew he was going to keep doing it.'

Grossman, who first reached out to Karl, said Dominguez first made her uncomfortable in fall 1998 when they were at his office discussing a class she'd missed due to a Jewish holiday. She said he touched her arm and back and eventually grabbed her thigh.

Grossman never filed a formal complaint and instead dropped his class, deciding not to pursue a PhD in government.

Suzanna Challen wrote about a similar incident that occurred to her in 2006 with the #MeToo on her Facebook page.

She was a graduate student in Harvard's government department when she said Dominguez asked for a hug and then slid his hand down her back and rested it on her butt.

Nienke Grossman and Suzanna Challen reached out to Karl with their stories in November 2017 after the #MeToo movement gained momentum

Challen wrote about an incident that occurred to her in 2006 with the #MeToo on her Facebook page, alleging Dominguez grabbed her behind in his office while she was a PhD student

Challen said she read about Karl's case, but decided not to pursue a complaint of her own because she didn't want to put herself in that situation again. Instead she avoided him during the rest of her time at Harvard, eventually earning her PhD in 2011.

Ten women, including Karl, initially told the Chronicle they had experiences with Dominguez in which he made them feel uncomfortable. Since the first report that number has increased to 18 women, including students, graduate students, professors and fellow staff members.

The first allegation is from as early as 1979, and the most recent from 2015.

The Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Michael D Smith, announced in an email Sunday that Dominguez was placed 'on administrative leave, pending a full and fair review of the facts and circumstances of the allegations that have come to light.'

All of the women have similar allegations, and say that Dominguez first presents himself like a mentor and then eventually the relationship grows inappropriate.

The Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Michael D Smith, announced in an email Sunday that Dominguez was placed 'on administrative leave, pending a full and fair review of the facts and circumstances of the allegations that have come to light'

One of the women who came forward, Rebekah, worked as an international-advancement coordinator supporting administrators, such as Dominguez, and faculty members with their relationships with donors around the world.

She said while she was working there he made a point to show he appreciated her work and wrote her a 'glowing' recommendation when she applied to Harvard's Graduate School of Education.

'If there was a Jorge Dominguez fan club, I would have been president from 2012 to 2015,' she said.

But when she graduated in May 2015 she said he asked her for a post-work drink to celebrate. Rebekah said as they had a glass of wine he told her he was worried about her because she'd gained weight; a comment that, understandably, infuriated her.

He noticed she was angry and tried to hug her. 'I was trying to pull away and then he cupped my ass,' she told a colleague in an online chat.

The next day Rebekah recounted the evening to a supervisor, who confirmed their conversation to the Chronicle and said he accompanied her to speak to the HR department. She said she was told to file a formal complaint, but said the process was clunky and intimidating and made her worry about retaliation.

Rebekah warned a colleague Kathryn about him, because she regularly worked with Dominguez.

She said she was already wary of him, having learned about his past in Harvard Crimson articles from the 1980s. She expressed that she thought it was odd when he asked her to sit next to him during meetings and thought his emails were inappropriately flirtatious.

Kathryn said she heard another colleague, Alice, was invited to have a glass of wine with Dominguez but she warned her not to, citing Rebekah's alleged experience.

She and Alice then went to HR, but ultimately decided not to file a complaint for fear of the retaliations that could come with alienating a powerful administrator.

Because he is tenured the government department does not have the authority to dismiss Dominguez. He can only be removed from his position at the call of the Harvard Corporation

Another woman spoke to the Chronicle on the condition of anonymity and had a similar story. She also saw him as a mentor when they first met, but was eventually put off by his inappropriate touches and hugs.

Then, at a reception in 2008 he slapped her butt in front of other scholars at a reception. She told at least two people who confirmed her account.

She said she decided not to report his inappropriate behavior after reading Karl's case and realizing he was still widely respected and celebrated at Harvard.

'I'd be perceived as a troublemaker within the department,' she said.

Charna Sherman said in 1979 she thought of him as a mentor and hoped he would read her honors thesis. She was a junior and majoring in government and history at Harvard and was taking one of his classes.

She said he patted her on the butt and touched her 'in an overly friendly manner,' but she was most put off when one day in his office he kissed her on the lips. Sherman told her boyfriend and another friend, who recalled the incident.

Sharna also told her mentor so they could ensure he wouldn't be a reader on her thesis, and the tutor 'assured me it was taken care of,' which she understood to mean he informed the department.

Other women who had similar experiences include a former undergraduate who said he once grabbed her from behind and a former professor who was made uneasy by his comments and long hugs. Another student said he once hugged her and reached inside her jacket, to rub her lower back.

Dominguez did not comment on Karl's allegations, but also did not deny any of the women's claims. He told the Chronicle he 'has sought to behave honorably in all my relationships.'

'I try to communicate both respectfully and effectively,' he told the paper.

'I do not go around making sexual advances. Any behavior like that I would regret it under any circumstances. There may have been a terrible misinterpretation of whatever I might have been doing.

'I can't imagine trying to hurt or injure someone I might have been helping.'

Harvard provost Alan M Garber directly addressed the allegations made in Chronicle article in an email to students and staff members on Friday.

He said it was 'heartbreaking to read the accounts of former students and faculty who report having suffered inappropriate and unwelcome behavior.'

'Harvard takes seriously the concerns recently brought to our attention by former students,' he wrote in the email.

'This is a difficult moment for our community, above all for the individuals who have experienced sexual or gender-based harassment or sexual assault. Within this complexity, working conditions and the frequent power asymmetries in working relationships can make it hard for people to know when and how to speak up.

'And worries that speaking up might have negative repercussions within one's community or field, in the years to come, can also prevent individuals from making a formal complaint, or speaking at all.'

He said the Faculty of Arts and Sciences began contacting students and postdoctoral students in Dominguez's department immediately to ask about their experiences with the professor.

Because he is tenured the government department does not have the authority to dismiss Dominguez.

He can only be removed from his position at the call of the Harvard Corporation if it cited 'grave misconduct or neglect of duty', according to the Harvard Crimson.
Mysterious poisonings exert a peculiar fascination among us. The best crime fiction is full of them.

But when they happen in real life in an English cathedral city, the sensation through society is palpable.

And when it seems possible that silent Russian assassins  with the approval of their countrys President  are responsible, they seem doubly sinister.

Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia are critically ill in hospital, and the case is still wrapped in mystery.

Scroll down for video

Sergei Skripal, 66, (left, in 2006) and his daughter Yulia, 33, (right) are critically ill in hospital after being exposed to an unknown substance

The police investigation centres on Salisbury's Zizzi restaurant, a nearby pub and the park where Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found on Sunday

But one thing is certain that Vladimir Putin is intent on bolstering his status at home while sowing confusion and dissent across the West.

In pursuit of his aims, he is happy to employ anything  cyber war; the spread of false information across the internet; aggressive military incursions into other countries such as Ukraine; financial inducements; poison  as long as it does not involve an all-out confrontation with the West.

In many ways, Putins desire to assert himself on the world stage reflects his history as a child of a Soviet Union in decline.

He was a small boy who was bullied  which explains why he took up judo  and the faded glories of the old imperial buildings, along with the shabby reality of the Soviet streets in the city of St Petersburg where he grew up, left a lasting impression.

Investigators next to a police tent outside the Mill pub at the Maltings in Salisbury near to where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal was found critically ill

It was suggested that Vladimir Putin (pictured yesterday) would never have forgiven Mr Skripal following his treason conviction

A still from footage of Mr Skripal spying for Britain which was used against him in Russia

The inferiority complex has proved a potent driving force. Last week, during his state of Russia speech, he made a revealing admission as he boasted of new, all-powerful nuclear weapons including a cruise missile he said could reach anywhere in the world.

He complained that the West had stopped listening to Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union and then, as the video display showed his hypersonic missiles hurtling towards a Florida-shaped target, he remarked: Theyre listening now.

Sometimes it seems as though Putin wants to make our flesh creep. But then, keeping the West on edge and ensuring that we talk about the Russian threat underpins his support at home, where he faces an election this month, and makes him and his men in the Kremlin feel respected.

Respect in Russia is given to the powerful, and Putin believes his own power needs to be displayed for all to see. Sometimes the display is a parade of weapons. On other occasions it comes in the form of a vengeful stiletto plunged into an unsuspecting victim.

What happened in Salisbury to Sergei Skripal naturally brings back memories of the polonium poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006.

Both men were regarded as renegades by the Kremlin. They were treacherous comrades of the Russian President when he was in the KGB who had turned their backs on the Russian secret service and spilled the beans on its criminal activity after the end of Communism.

Police in Salisbury have widened their cordon beyond the restaurant and pub which were initially closed off, while forensic teams in protective gear investigate the scene

Mr Skripal is a former army colonel who was jailed in Russia for spying for MI6. His daughter is understood to be a 33-year-old businesswoman who has worked for Nike and Pepsico

Putin prizes loyalty above all else  to himself and to the intelligence service that forged him.

An early law of his now 18-year presidency authorised his secret service to assassinate traitors abroad who could not be punished in Russia. This kind of legalised lawlessness explains why Western fingers point immediately at the Kremlin after any sudden death of a dissident abroad.

Many security experts believe it is inconceivable for such a high-profile hit as the one in Salisbury to have taken place without Putins tacit permission. They also believe he will have been encouraged by the British Governments hopelessly inadequate response to the Litvinenko case.

In 2007, after the death, Gordon Browns government expelled four Russian diplomats and suspended ties with the Russian security services. But after the financial crisis in 2008, with Britain facing a massive deficit, trade with the Russians was given priority and relations were restored.

Sir Robert Owen, the judge who chaired the public inquiry into the murder, finally published his report ten years on in 2016. He made clear who he thought responsible, saying that the FSB [secret service] operation to kill Mr Litvinenko was probably approved by [Nikolai] Patrushev [head of the FSB in 2006] and also by President Putin.

Yet nothing happened. Whitehall huffed and puffed about intolerable actions and named the two individuals it held responsible for administering the polonium. And that was that.

Worse than failing to take a stand against Russia was the sense that Britains silence could be bought. For, by encouraging trade with Russia, where money certainly talks, we have encouraged the investment in this country of billions of pounds of gangster money from oligarchs.

Many people here have felt deeply uneasy about the Citys role as the laundromat for dirty money from Russia and her ex-Soviet neighbours. But because of the billions pouring in, a blind eye was turned to the rank corruption.

This has not only tainted our Establishment, but also earned Britain the contempt of Putin and, worse, of many Russians. Putins media emphasise how Russian oligarchs who have fallen foul of the Kremlin are feted in Londongrad, where they have effectively taken up asylum.

Look at how the British profit from money stolen from Russia, the state broadcasters and journalists cry. This all fits Putins media narrative of Western hypocrisy.

Of course, there are dubious deposits and properties belonging to Putins cronies in London. But they dont get flagged up by the Russian media. Putin has distracted Russians from concerns about his regimes corruption by keeping their eyes focused on foreign  and British  collusion in theft from Russia.

Emergency services found Sergei Skripal and a woman, said to be his daughter Yulia, slumped over a bench at The Maltings shopping centre before they were transported to Salisbury District Hospital, where a major incident was declared on Monday

The cordon in Salisbury was extended after a Zizzi restaurant and a pub called The Mill were closed, suggesting Mr Skripal and his daughter visited multiple locations

His slick propaganda machine encourages the Russian people to embrace the Kremlins message that the West is out to get them.

But while hes consolidating power in Russia by promoting nationalism and suspicion of the West, Putin is also doing his best to undermine Western unity by preying on tensions in the EU and in the NATO alliance.

He presents Russia as the champion of traditional values and of the nation-state, and pledges to make common cause with anyone who feels pushed around by Brussels.

Police are seen in protective suits near The Mill pub and hotel as a cordon is extended around the area in Salisbury after the former spy and his daughter were taken ill

The Hungarian government beset by the problems of mass migration; Greece with its massive debt; the anti-euro, anti-migrant parties that dominated this weeks Italian elections?

The Kremlin Bear offers them all a welcoming hug and the promise of support, when in fact all Putin is interested in is boosting his own power at the expense of the West.



But it is not only inside the EU that Putin is seeking partners in mischief-making. Turkeys increasingly authoritarian President Erdogan has moved from being a sharp critic of Putin, when the Russian President invaded the Ukraine in 2014 (and clean got away with it), to becoming a partner of the Russian President in Syria today.

This poses a huge problem for NATO, since Turkey used to be the alliances sheet-anchor on the borders with Russia, Iran and the Middle East  where, following its intervention in the war in Syria, Moscow increasingly has the whip hand.

Elsewhere, Putin is relentlessly wooing potential allies in his attempt to destabilise the big Western institutions  the EU, NATO, the U.S.  and doing so in the full knowledge that the West will shy away from conflict.

And while no one wants to go to war with Russia, it is vital that the West uses the measures available to it to make clear to Putin that he cannot get away with behaving in this murderous way.

Whether it involves sanctions, impounding Russian assets in London or giving up our wide-eyed lust for dirty oligarch money, we have to act.

Because if we do nothing, Putins response will be to carry on with the same gangsterism  and there will be more poisonings to come.

n Mark Almond is director of the Crisis Research Institute, Oxford.
A 'scan and go' mobile phone app that allows people to buy their groceries without going through the till is to go on trial.

The Co-op has signed a partnership with Mastercard that signals a transformation in how people shop and pay.

Waitrose already offers a smartphone app that allows customers to scan purchases as they pick them off the shelf. However, they still need to pay at a till.

The Co-op is going one step further to be the first supermarket in this country where there is no need to queue for the checkout.

It is part of a trend that is expected to be rolled out by all the major retailers over the next five years.

The Co-op is going one step further to be the first supermarket in this country where there is no need to queue for the checkout

Already, Amazon is running trials on a smart hi-tech convenience store which automatically bills shoppers who simply put products in their bag without any scanning.

Sensors and cameras on the shelves and the ceilings track what people pick up and create a virtual bill with money taken automatically from their bank account when they leave.

The shop, scan and go initiative is being trialled at the Co-op's store at the retailer's support centre in Manchester.

A wider roll-out will begin this summer, which is expected to include a further trial at the Co-op's store in UK HQ of Microsoft, in London.

The innovative move, which harnesses the latest technology, allows customers to scan products on their own device as they walk around the store - known as a 'frictionless shopping experience'.

The Co-op has signed a partnership with Mastercard that signals a transformation in how people shop and pay

Co-op said the number of cash transactions in its stores has been falling rapidly - down by 20 per cent in the last five years. This is largely because of a shift to contactless, tap and go, cards.

Its director of retail support, Matthew Speight, said: 'It is all about consumer choices and convenience.

'Our ambition is to harness technology to deliver the shopping experience that our diverse customer-base requires.

'We recognise there are many communities where customers pop in to their local Co-op and enjoy a friendly chat - it is all part of the service.

'Whereas for others, perhaps with a train to catch or on a school run, every second can count as consumers seek increased convenience.'

Head of digital payments at Mastercard UK, Elliott Goldenberg, said: 'Technology is bringing unprecedented change to retailing right before our eyes, however the challenge for all of us who play a part in the retail experience is meeting the needs of all consumers who are moving at different speeds in the adoption of technology.

'With the Co-op we are bringing our online and mobile capability - Masterpass - into the physical store, and offering consumers who want a fast and frictionless buying experience, a secure and reliable way to pay.

'By scanning products using Co-op's mobile app, shoppers can checkout using payment card details securely stored within Masterpass, and leave the store, with both the Co-op and them knowing they have paid.'

Co-op said the number of cash transactions in its stores has been falling rapidly - down by 20 per cent in the last five years. This is largely because of a shift to contactless, tap and go, cards

The technology also link into the Co-op Membership loyalty account system. People who are signed up receive a 5 per cent reward when they buy own brand products and services, with the Co-op donating a further 1 per cent to good causes.

Last year it shared 20m with around 8,000 community groups.

The current version of the app means that, in theory, shoppers would be able to walk out of a shop without scanning or paying for an item.

However, the Co-op says it will be enhancing security to prevent this. A spokesman said: 'We take retail crime very seriously and will be refining this technology as we learn from our trials, while developing new technologies to complement our existing security measures to prevent criminal activity.'

Earlier this year the Co-op unveiled plans to open 100 new food stores in 2018.

It also announced a 50m price investment programme to cut the cost of everyday essentials including fruit, vegetables, bread, fresh meat and ready meals, as well as household brand names.
A white van driver was caught with 5,000 cans of lager in the boot - almost 1.5 tonnes over the legal weight limit.

Traffic officers were stunned when they pulled over the driver and found the cans of super-strength large wrapped up in the back of his van.

The van was stopped at Brampton Hut services on the A14 roundabout in Cambridgeshire.

The driver was transporting the stash of 14.2 per cent Polish lager from Birmingham to Ipswich on Saturday.

Traffic officers were stunned when they pulled over the driver and found the cans of super-strength large wrapped up in the back of his van

The driver was transporting the stash of 14.2 per cent Polish lager from Birmingham to Ipswich on Saturday

Cambridgeshire police said the man will be summoned to appear in court on suspicion of driving a vehicle which was more than 40 per cent over the legal weight limit.

The vehicle was 1.49 tons (1,510kg) over the gross weight limit, they added.
Locklear was arrested on a domestic violence charge last week, and cops want her gun

Police have searched Heather Locklear's home in a search for a handgun, according to a new report.

The police on Tuesday spent several hours searching Locklear's home in Thousand Oaks, California for a handgun that she purchased legally in 1985 and had registered to her name, TMZ reported.

Police sources told the publication that during her arrest last week on a felony domestic violence charge in a dispute with boyfriend Chris Heisser, Locklear yelled at cops: 'If you ever come back to my house I will shoot you.'

California law allows courts to prohibit defendants from possessing firearms while facing domestic violence charges, even when they have not yet been convicted.

After failing to find the handgun in the search of her home, police are said to be considering their next move.

Locklear, currently free on a $20,000 bond, is said to be checked in to a medical treatment facility.

Last week, Locklear was arrested for allegedly nearly biting her boyfriend's nose off in a drunken rage, and then attacking three cops who came to break up the fight.

Police spent several hours searching Locklear's home (pictured) on Tuesday, searching for a handgun that she purchased in 1985 and is registered to her name

Locklear has posted several recent photos with her boyfriend, Chris Heisser

A source in the Ventura police department told DailyMail.com that Locklear 'was wasted' when she and Chris Heisser, the high school sweetheart she recently reconnected with, 'got into a physical fight' at her house.

The former Melrose Place star, 56, 'practically bit the tip off of Heisser's nose,' the source said, before instructing a woman who works with her to call police.

But her plan backfired when cops showed up on her doorstep and tried to put her in handcuffs.

The source said the actress snapped and 'attacked three of' the four officers - all in front of her 'mortified' adult daughter Ava, age 20.

'She punched the lady cop and called her a "c**t", kicked one of the male cops in the balls and punched the third male cop and called them all "f****** assholes" ranting at them,' the source said.

Locklear (standing second from left) is seen with her Melrose Place co-stars in the 1990s

Because she had claimed to have been beaten by Heisser, Locklear was first taken to the hospital for evaluation.

She was booked into the Ventura County Jail around 1am on a felony count of domestic violence and three counts of misdemeanor battery on a peace officer.

Less than an hour later, Heisser himself was arrested, this time for driving under the influence. Captain Garo Kuredjian of the Ventura Sheriffs Office told DailyMail.com that Heissers arrest was for DUI but could not give further details. A spokesman for the California Highway Patrol said the agency was unable to comment until the pending case against Heisser is concluded.

Sources told TMZ that he was spotted driving slowly on Highway 101, blew a 0.19 and a 0.20 blood alcohol level after being pulled over. The legal limit in California is 0.08.

Locklear's first court appearance is scheduled for March 13, while Heisser's DUI hearing is set for April.
The estate belonging to Nikolas Cruz's adoptive mother Lynda likely won't be designated to either party who asked for it.

Audra Simovitch, the attorney for Lynda Cruz's estate, filed a motion Monday requesting the court name a 'capable' administrator to the property, the Palm Beach Post reports.

This could exclude Rocxanne Deschamps, the woman who briefly took in Nikolas and his brother, Zachary, after their mother passed.

Both Rocxanne and Zachary have asked a probate judge to be named the estate administrator.

In a court statement, Simovitch suggested Rocxanne and Zachary are unfit for the title.

Rocxanne Deschamps picture outside her trailor on the Lantana Cascades trailor park where Nikolas Cruz lived briefly with her a former family friend

Audra Simovitch, the attorney for Lynda Cruz's estate, filed a motion Monday requesting the court name a 'capable' administrator to the property, which likely won't include Deschamps

Nikolas Cruz (right) is pictured with his brother, Zachary Cruz. The attorney suggested Zachary was not a 'capable' administrator

'Allegations have been made that Deschamps may not have the best interests of the estate at heart, and therefore may not be an appropriate person to serve as a personal representative,' Simovitch wrote in the statement.

The attorney said Deschamps could be 'attempting to exercise control over assets that may be contained within the estate and which she has no legal claim or entitlement to.'

She also suggested Zachary, who currently lives with Deschamps in Lantana, may not be capable and has been 'unavailable for communication,' the newspaper reports.

Cruz is pictured with his adoptive mother Lynda Cruz. Lynda passed away in November

Zachary (right) was admitted to a mental hospital in Palm Beach shortly after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting

The shooter's younger brother was admitted to a mental hospital in Palm Beach shortly after the Valentine's Day shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School.

The New York Post reported that Zachary was committed involuntarily because of Deschamps.

A friend to Deschamps, Chad Bennett, 37, told DailyMail.com Zachary was hospitalized and investigated after allegations about him surfaced to police that he would 'finish what his older brother started.'

The day after the shooting, Deschamps had already filed documents seeking to be named administrator of the estate.

Nikolas Cruz previously estimated the assets at $800,000.

The estate belonging to Nikolas Cruz's late adoptive mom Lynda is pictured above
Jacob Michael Graham, 18, was arrested after posting a picture of himself holding an AR-15 with the caption: 'Next school shooter'

An 18-year-old Detroit teenager could face up to 20 years in jail after threatening to shoot up a school on Instagram, police said.

Jacob Michael Graham is currently behind bars after he posted a picture of himself holding an AR-15 rifle on the popular social media app.

He wrote 'Next school shooter' in the caption, Clinton Township Police said.

Police discovered that Graham had rented the AR-15 rifle from a gun range last week.

Graham was pulled out of class at Chippewa Valley High School on Friday after a parent saw the post and notified school officials, who alerted the authorities.

School officials said that Graham claimed that the Instagram post was a 'joke'.

Following the teen's arrest, authorities went to Graham's home and his mother allowed them to search the house.

'His mother was very cooperative but obviously upset,' Capt Richard Maierle told MLive.com.

Graham was pulled out of class at Chippewa Valley High School (pictured) in Detroit on Friday after a parent saw the post and notified school officials, who alerted the authorities

Authorities said no guns were discovered in the home and the family does not own any firearms. They also found no evidence he was planning an attack on the school.

Graham was charged on Monday with one count of false report or threat of terrorism, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

He was also charged with misuse of a telecommunications device, a misdemeanor.

Graham is currently being held on a $150,000 cash or surety bond. A preliminary exam to determine if the teen will stand trial is set for March 26.

Chippewa Valley Schools Superintendent Ron Roberts sent a letter following the teen's arrest to remind parents and students that the district had 'zero tolerance for threats, intimidation, harassment, or bullying either in word or deed'.

There have been at least 38 different threats across 20 different states since February 14, when 17 died in a shooting in Parkland, Florida

This was one threat posted by Santa Clara Police in California. It is not known if the girl pictured was ever arrested but it circulated widely. She is pictured posing next to an assault rifle in a social media post which sparked panic in the community

'This incident is a reminder that bad decisions carry serious consequences,' he added.

'I encourage all parents to talk with their children to remind them of the importance of making sound choices whether in the classroom or on social media.'

Just hours after Graham was arraigned, Clinton Township police arrested a 14-year-old student for a similar but unrelated verbal threat, according to Macomb Daily.

The teen is a student at Neil Reid High School, which is just five miles away from Chippewa Valley High School.

Authorities said schools in Macomb County have received more than 20 threats since the Valentine's Day massacre at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 people dead.

An 11-year-old student put this under the door of the assistant principal at Nova Middle School in Florida. It was a girl and she later told police she was told to do it by another child

And DailyMail.com has found reports of at least 38 different incidents or threats in 20 different states since February 14.

In one case, the teenager killed himself in the school bathroom instead of acting out a plan to commit mass murder.

Others have been arrested after police received tips from students revealing they had handguns in their backpacks.

Some said they were merely trying to be 'funny', while one girl even used it as a ruse to shut school for the day so that she could have more time to study for a test.

Thankfully none of the plots have been executed.

Many were foiled because the intended shooters publicized their plans on social media and shared photographs of themselves with guns.
A three-year-old boy who was mauled by a Great Dane has undergone surgery to reattach his ear after it was torn off by the animal in the third dog attack on a child in less than a week.

The boy was riding a bike with his mother and older sister in the Newcastle suburb of Mayfield on Tuesday evening when the dog escaped from a nearby property and charged on to the street.

The animal, which is likely to be put down following a council investigation, bit the back of the boy's neck and ear, which was partially ripped off during the horrific attack.

A three-year-old boy who was mauled by a Great Dane has undergone surgery to have his ear reattached (stock image)

The boy was riding a bike (pictured) with his mother and older sister in the Newcastle suburb of Mayfield on Tuesday evening when the dog escaped from a nearby property

The child suffered serious injuries to his face, neck and back. He remains in John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition

The toddler underwent surgery on Wednesday morning 'to attach part of his ear,' Detective Acting Inspector Jeffrey Little said.

Det Act Insp Little said there was 'no suggestion' the dog involved had attacked anyone before.

'It's not a common theme for us to go to an attack by a Great Dane,' he said in Newcastle.

'But the fact remains... every dog has the potential, large or small, to attack.'

The toddler remains in the John Hunter Children's Hospital in a stable condition.

Tuesday evening's attack came just days after a 12-month-old girl was mauled to death by a Rottweiler.

Tuesday evening's attack came just days after a 12-month-old girl was mauled to death by a Rottweiler. The victim, Kamillah Jones is pictured

The infant, Kamillah, was attacked by the dog at a home in Inverell on Saturday afternoon.

She died on the way to hospital despite the desperate efforts of paramedics to save her.

The dog was seized by council rangers and a NSW Police spokeswoman on Tuesday confirmed it had been put down.

On Sunday, a three-year-old girl was left with shocking injuries after a South African Boerboel attacked her in the Melbourne suburb of Berwick.

She was rushed to hospital and is lucky to be alive, according to neighbours who helped saved her.

The infant was attacked by the Rottweiler at a home in Inverell on Saturday afternoon (stock)

Kamillah Jones was mauled to death by an Rottweiler in Inverell, northern New South Wales on Saturday
An obsessed boyfriend whose cheerleader girlfriend plunged to her death from an 11th floor balcony has broken his silence.

Dan Shearin, who was 40 at the time, bombarded Breeana Robinson with 1,439 text messages in the month before she fell from his luxury Gold Coast apartment.

Shearin spoke out about Ms Robinson's January 2013 death, denying he is a dangerous man.

Scroll down for video

An obsessed boyfriend (pictured, left) whose cheerleader girlfriend (pictured, right) plunged to her death from an 11th floor balcony has broken his silence

Dan Shearin, who was 40 at the time, bombarded Breeana Robinson (pictured) with 1,439 text messages in the month before she fell from his luxury Gold Coast apartment

'I wouldn't say [I am] a dangerous man, I'd say an a***hole,' Shearin said when asked about Ms Robinson's death on Sunday Night.

Ms Robinson, who was legally blind, fell from the balcony of the H20 Broadwater complex at 10.35pm on January 29, 2013, after returning from cheerleading practice.

Just ten minutes earlier she had received her final message from Shearin, who she'd been dating for only 38 days.

No one was ever convicted over Ms Robinson's death, but Shearin spent 10 days in prison after pleading guilty using a carriage device to harass and menace her.

'I wouldn't say [I am] a dangerous man, I'd say an a***hole,' Shearin said when asked about Ms Robinson's death (pictured are Shearin and Ms Robinson)

Ms Robinson, who was legally blind, fell from the balcony of the H20 Broadwater complex at 10.35pm on January 29, 2013, after returning from cheerleading practice (pictured are Shearin and Ms Robinson)

The cruise ship entertainer was jailed and was labeled a 'pig' by a judge for bombarding Breeana with 1,439 text messages in the month before she died.

The court heard evidence that a text message sent to Ms Robinson before she died read: 'You're more interested in TV, food and everything else but your partner.

'That's why everything's ruined. Your priorities are f***ed up'.

No one was ever convicted over Ms Robinson's death (pictured, left, with her aunt, and right), but Shearin spent 10 days in prison after pleading guilty using a carriage device to harass and menace her

In another text message sent to Ms Robinson that was heard in court, Shearin said: 'You're a complete f***ing moron. I don't want a stupid, dumb c***'.

The case was due to be assessed by the coroner in November last year, but a month later he instructed detectives to review evidence connected to Ms Robinson's death.

Speaking through his lawyers at the time, Shearin said he welcomed the review and was looking forward to closure for everyone involved.
More than 2000 animals are struggling to find a home, with an RSPCA Queensland spokesman attributing the spike to hoarders and an increase in property raids.

The rise in homeless 'other' animals including pigeons, ferrets, budgerigars, doves, mice, chickens, rats, guinea pigs and ducks is an 81 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

Michael Beatty told the ABC that in the past the organisation had seen hoarders with hundreds of guinea pigs, mice or rats.

Animals are struggling to find a home as an RSPCA Queensland spokesperson Michael Beatty attributes the spike in 'other' animals to hoarders

The figure is a 81 per cent increase on the previous 12 months, the sudden influx a struggle for the RSPCA to keep up with

'Unfortunately, we have a lot to do with hoarders which is a mental health issue,' said RSPCA Queensland's Mr Beatty

He said: 'Unfortunately, we have a lot to do with hoarders which is a mental health issue.'

He also said it was almost impossible to re-home all of the animals.

Often the animals will have some kind of disease, with Mr Beatty saying 'the sheer numbers defeat you'.

A quarter of the animals between 2016 and 2017 had to be euthanised.

There has also been an increase in birds at the Wacol RSPCA centre, south of Brisbane.

Mr Beatty said to the ABC: 'Rather than actually surrendering a bird [the owner] thinks, "I'll just release it into the wild".'

However because it is a domesticated bird it is unable to survive in the wild and will end up with the RSPCA.
A scrawled and misspelled note could be the key to tracking down a group of Irish 'gypsies' who have been ripping off businesses across Brisbane.

A group of mothers and their unruly children have allegedly been scamming restaurants by planting shards of glass in their food and then refusing to pay for their expensive meals and wine.

One canny restaurant manager convinced the women to leave their details with him after sensing he was being scammed.

Mido Nassif, who works at Wilson's seafood restaurant, asked the women for their contact details on the pretense of wanting to later check if they were OK.

One woman then wrote a note with the name 'Jenny' above a UK address and phone number.

The note said they were staying 'In Birisborin' (Brisbane) at a 'Hilton Hotel'.

A group of Irish mothers (pictured) have allegedly been ripping off Brisbane restaurants by planting shards of glass in their food and refusing to pay for their meals

One of the women gave a note (pictured) to a restaurant after claiming to find glass in a meal

Mr Nassif told Daily Mail Australia that the group of Irish travellers had tried to rip him off three weeks ago when they claimed to 'find a piece of glass in their food' and 'pretended to cry'.

The manager said the two women - who were dressed like they were 'going to a nightclub' - ordered the restaurant's most expensive meals costing $48 and $65 as well as bottles of wine before pulling their glass shard stunt.

When Daily Mail Australia contacted the provided phone number, it was out of range.

Mr Nassif said he had offered to call an ambulance for the women but they weren't interested and instead left without paying their $260 bill.

'I saw the piece of glass, it was thick... I told her we don't use any glass in our kitchen at all and our wine and service glasses are not that thick,' he said.

Queensland Police are now investigating. No charges have been laid so far.

Several other restaurants and even supermarkets across Brisbane have complained about the same group in recent weeks.

One manager, who asked not be named, told Daily Mail Australia: 'They used to come into my work place and order food and drinks. They would let the kids run riot in the restaurant and knock drinks over to get free ones.

'They would leave kids alone in the pub while they played pokies or went for a smoke

'The men would come in late at night to drink and would have a kid sit at the bar with them. When we asked for his id they'd claim he was 27 and had a muscle disorder and that we were offending him by asking for ID, claiming that he had shown ID already.

'Eventually we refused to serve them and haven't seen them since.'

He added: 'The women were glammed up with designer handbags, lots of jewellery and short shorts. The men were usually wearing shorts and polo shirts.'

Pictured is a shard of glass an Irish mother claimed to have found in her meal at Bird's Nest Restaurant

Similarly, a supermarket staff member told Daily Mail Australia Irish women tried to rip off the chain store at least four times in one week.

The worker, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the women came through her register while three children ran around the store, barefoot as they ate chocolates.

'They were extremely rude and claimed they had purchased off meat and demanded we gave them free replacements,' the worker said.

'Whilst this was happening their children were running around, taking chocolate off the shelves and eating it without paying.

'They also came in a separate time and put stuff in the bottom of their pram and walked out without paying for it.'

The owner of the Bird's Nest restaurant, Marie Yokoyama, 33, warned those in the hospitality industry to keep an eye out for the women after they allegedly pulled the scam at her Japanese bar last week, making off with around $200 worth of free food and alcohol.

Owner of Birds Nest Restaurant (pictured) Marie Yokoyama, 33, has warned those in the hospitality industry to keep an eye out for the women

'Warning to all restaurant owners in Brisbane,' Ms Yokoyama posted on Facebook.

'There are a group of fraudster Irish girls going around Brisbane claiming they find glass in their food and then demanding everything for free.'





Ms Yokoyama told Daily Mail Australia four women - holding designer Louis Vuitton handbags - walked into her Japanese restaurant with their children ten minutes before they finished lunch service at 2.50pm on February 26.





'We were about to shut when they [women] walked in the door. They ordered wine and went outside to smoke while their children ran around the restaurant,' she said.

Ms Yokoyama said while the women were eating, one spat her food out into a tissue.

'Half way through the meal one lady started screaming that there was glass in her meal and that her mouth was bleeding. I believed her and then asked to see the glass.'

After claiming to have found glass in their food, Ms Yokoyama said the women became aggressive. 'I was terrified,' she said.

Ms Yokoyama cleared their table and told the women they wouldn't have to pay for anything. But then the group ordered another round of drinks.

At least three restaurants in the area, claim they were scammed by the same group

'Two of them even poured lemonade into their wine and then said it tasted funny,' Ms Yokoyama said.

After the group refused to leave Ms Yokoyama had to call in help from the bar next door.

But Ms Yokoyama said the glass could not have come from her restaurant and at some point there was a 'switcheroo' between the woman who spat out her food and the woman who pulled out the glass.

On Tuesday she took to Facebook for answers.

'Upon inspection I knew that this had not come from our restaurant but they were relentless. We don't have any thick glass of this sort in the restaurant. I was so scared and terrified of them that I made their meals and drinks free,' she said.

Other restaurant claims to have been scammed by the same group of Irish mothers

She was then contacted by at least three restaurants in the area, claiming they were scammed by the same group.

'The same thing happened to us about a month ago. We were going crazy trying to understand how a piece of glass (which also had no resemblance to any of our glasses) could find its way into a pasta,' one restaurateur wrote.

'Then the girls say they have to go to hospital because she's pregnant and worried for the baby although she's had a bottle of wine to herself. So glad to have closure that it was completely a scam.'

Another, who managed to get a picture of the women, said: 'These Irish girls came in, ordered oysters, steaks, prawns and then tried to make out they'd found glass in their meal and refused to pay.

'They had strong Irish accents and lots of makeup, revealing clothes and carried Louis Vuitton handbags.'

Ms Yokoyama informed police of the incident at Bird's Nest Restaurant. Any businesses who have fallen victim of similar offences have been urged to contact police.
A violent cruise ship fight has left a man, 45, with facial fractures after he was punched and kicked in the head.

Anthony Titow, 45, and his family were holidaying on the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas, which departed Sydney on February 25, when a fight broke out between him and another passenger on board.

Anthony's brother David, 42, claimed the fight happened after the other passenger made inappropriate sexual comments towards his wife.

A cruise ship fight has left Anthony Titow (pictured) with facial fractures after he was punched and kicked in the hea

Anthony and David reported the inappropriate comment to Royal Caribbean authorities but did not see the man again until he approached them at the ship's nightclub two days later.

'He pulled up a chair and told my brother he had a knife and was going to kill him,' David told Nine News.

On the back of the threat, David said his brother Anthony threw the first punch, but was quickly overpowered by the other man and severely hurt.

'The gentleman got my brother on the ground and the guy kicked him in the face and kept kicking and punching him,' David said.

David said his brother suffered a broken nose, fractured jaw and severe bruising from the fight.

He claims Anthony was so badly injured he was unable to speak for days.

David said his brother Anthony (pictured) suffered a broken nose, fractured jaw and severe bruising from the fight

Anthony's shirt is pictured after the cruise ship brawl which got him kicked off in Vanuatu

Both Anthony and the other man involved were detained in holding cells, until they were kicked off the ship in Vanuatu.

David said he, his wife and young daughter followed Anthony off the ship, so he wasn't abandoned in the foreign country on his own.

David said his family has since spent thousands of dollars in Vanuatu, on hotels and travel.

They plan to fly home on Friday, but he said travel plans were not easy to make on such late notice.

'It's been a trip from hell. This is not going to go away, we're going to take this further,' he said.

Anthony Titow, 45, and his family were holidaying on the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas (pictured) when the fight broke out

David said they planned to take legal action against Royal Caribbean for leaving them stranded in Vanuatu.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday, a Royal Caribbean spokeswoman stood by the ship's decision to boot both parties from the ship.

'The decision was made to disembark the guests to ensure the safety, security and an enjoyable cruising experience for our guests,' she said.

'The guests were disembarked at the next port of call.

'At Royal Caribbean, the safety and security of our guests and crew is our highest priority. We have a zero tolerance policy to any form of violence or crime onboard our ships.'
A 62-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a group of teenage girls he met at a bus stop.

Sunil Premanath Batagoda's first encounter with the teenage victims happened at a Canberra bus stop in August 2016 where he befriended them before offering them a ride home.

He was charged with four counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 16 and one count of committing an act of indecency on a person under the age of 16 ABC News reported.

The victims are aged between 14 and 15 years old.

Sunil Premanath Batagoda, 62, was sentenced to seven years with a minimum of five in the ACT Supreme Court after pleading to four counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 16 and one count of committing an act of indecency on a person under the age of 16

The court heard that after the first meeting Batagoda cultivated an indecent relationship with the teens by offering to drive them around, buy them alcohol, and drugs.

He would also regularly give the teenagers money.

The court heard that Batagoda had sexually assaulted the victims on a number of occasions.

One victim woke up one night to find the man standing over her masturbating and touching her breasts.

Other occasions of assault included Batagoda forcing one of the victims to have unprotected sex with him and trying to force two others to give him oral sex.

Batagoda'a defence counsel told the court that he was a 'sad and lonely man' and tried to convince the court that the teenage girls were partially complicit in the offences.

Stating to the court that the 'precociousness' of the victims seeking out the favours should be considered.

Sunil Premanath Batagoda befriended the teenage victims, aged between 14 and 15 years, at a bus stop when he offered to drive them home, he then would offer them cash, alcohol and drugs

Justice Michael Elkaim quickly shot down that assessment.

'The evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that the offender made a concerted effort to befriend the victims,' he said.

'Ply them with cash, alcohol and drugs and then effectively extort sexual favours from them.'

Justice Elkaim said the offender was trying to pass the blame onto the victims when in reality he had been taking advantage of them to extort sexual favours.

The court heard that Batagoda would buy the teens drugs and alcohol as well as give them cash

Justice Elkaim sentenced Batagoda to seven years in prison minimum of five years.
The wife of a man charged with allegedly assaulting a teenage boy claimed the teen had bullied their daughter for more than six months - and 'enough is enough'.

Brisbane man Mark Bladen, 53, allegedly confronted the boy at a Brisbane skate park on Saturday.

Footage appears to show the seasoned firefighter and former Army technician grab the teenager by the throat and then scuffle with his three of his mates.

But Mr Bladen has been hailed as hero for taking a stand by some punters - and his wife Jennifer has shed light on the family's awful ordeal.

Accused Mark Bladen was standing up for his step-daughter. Wife Jennifer on right

This is the shocking moment a father allegedly attacked a 14-year-old boy who its claimed had bullied his stepdaughter

'These bullies need to be stopped,' Ms Bladen told Daily Mail Australia.

'My daughter has been bullied by this particular individual since September last year.

'She is now scared and anxious of going to school.

'We have brushed it off thinking it would stop but now enough is enough.

'Kids are committing suicide because of this and it's not on.

'So we are now as a family standing up to them.'

Many punters have written comments supportive of the father - one even calling on him to become Australian of the Year

'We are now as a family standing up to (the bullies),' said Jennifer Bladen

Footage appears to show the father grab the boy by the neck and then push him on to his back.

The boy's friends then intervene, shouting 'Get the f*** off him, get off him!'

Ms Bladen said she is calling on the community to act against bullying.

'I'm going to make sure with the support of our community that we get these bullies,' she said.

Mr Bladen will face Brisbane Magistrates Court on March 20

'I can't imagine life without my daughter.'

She said her message for the public was harsher penalties need to be enforced in schools.

Ms Bladen also said there should be government regulations to stop bullies.

'Why should the innocent kids commit suicide and let the bullies get away.

'Not on,' she said.

She declined to comment on Mr Bladen's charge as it is before the courts.

As did Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES), with a spokeswoman only saying the agency was aware of the incident 'involving a member of the workforce'.

Mr Bladen will face Brisbane Magistrate's Court on March 20.
An Aboriginal town councillor has called on Indigenous people to stop whingeing about being hurt by words like 'settlement'.

Jacinta Price, who is based at Alice Springs in central Australia, said Indigenous people needed to be more resilient when having conversations about the British arriving in Australia in 1788.

'Look, I think sometimes we take steps too far. I mean we were settled, that is a fact,' she told The Drum program on Tuesday night.

Scroll down for video

An Aboriginal town councillor Jacinta Price has called on Indigenous people to stop whingeing about being hurt by words like 'settlement'

ABC host Ellen Fanning had asked her if Qantas airline workers should refrain from using the phrase 'settlement' when discussing Australian history with their colleagues

ABC host Ellen Fanning had asked her if Qantas airline workers should refrain from using the phrase 'settlement' when discussing Australian history with their colleagues.

'Whether they're your co-worker or they're a passenger, if they're an Indigenous person and you start talking ... about settlement a word like 'invasion' might be a better word to use,' she said.

However Ms Price, who is also a Country Liberal Party member in the Northern Territory, said Indigenous people discussing colonialism needed to toughen up.

'Again, offence is something that is taken,' she said.

'Are we not building resilience in us as human beings to not allow words to hurt us?'

The ABC was discussing Diversity Council of Australia chief Lisa Annese's call for Qantas to encourage workers to refrain from saying words like 'chairman' so women weren't offended

The ABC panel program was discussing an information booklet by the Diversity Council of Australia, which called on Qantas to encourage workers to refrain from saying words like 'chairman' so women weren't offended.

It also advised workers to use avoid the phrases 'mum and dad' and 'husband and wife' in a bid to avoid offending gay people.

The council's chief executive Lisa Annese had also called on Qantas to rename its elite Chairman's Lounge for business class passengers at the airport.

A Qantas spokeswoman said the airline would not be forcing staff to change the way they speak to each other, after taking advice from the Diversity Council

However, a Qantas spokeswoman said the airline would not be forcing staff to change the way they speak to each other, after taking advice from the Diversity Council.

'The information packs from Diversity Council Australia were shared with staff as suggestions and conversation starters,' she told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday.

She added the Chairman's Lounge would not be renamed.

'The fact that we're not changing it shows we don't view those materials as a set of rules. It was simply a discussion about language,' she said.
An accused killer has been bashed by a group of inmates behind bars at Lotus Glen Correctional Facility.

Matthew Ross White, 25, was taken to Mareeba Hospital in far north Queensland, after he was attacked on Tuesday afternoon, Cairns Post reported.

White has been charged with the murder of Donna Louise Steel, 42, whose wrapped body was discovered in Endeavour River in Cooktown in August, 2017.

He was also charged with misconduct with a corpse by interfering, and enter dwelling with intent.

Scroll down for video

Matthew Ross White, 25, (pictured) has been bashed by a group of inmates behind bars at Lotus Glen Correctional Facility

White has been charged with the murder of Donna Louise Steel, 42, (pictured) whose wrapped body was discovered in Endeavour River in Cooktown in August, 2017

Police allege White ambushed the mother-of-two in her own home before killing her and dumping her body in the creek.

The father-of-one was arrested at his Cairns home a week after police offered a $250,000 reward for information regarding the alleged murder.

The prison attack happened just days after White appeared at Cairns Magistrates Court on Saturday, where he was remanded in custody until May.

The 25-year-old is believed to be in a serious but stable condition at Mareeba Hospital on Wednesday.

White, a father-of-one, is believed to be in a serious but stable condition at Mareeba Hospital on Wednesday
After a flurry of television interviews that grabbed numerous headlines and left political pundits scratching their heads, Sam Nunberg is getting help.

Trump's former political aide revealed he is considering alcohol abuse treatment after attacking everyone from Special Counsel Robert Mueller to the president himself on Monday night.

'I'm a little worried about me,' Nunberg told the New York Daily News, before promising to reveal more 'next week'.

Nunberg proudly proclaimed on numerous channels that he wouldn't comply with Mueller's probe, but is now backtracking on those declarations as well.

Former Trump campaign aide is photographed leaving CNN's headquarters in New York City Monday night after appearing on Out Front with broadcaster Erin Burnett

Sam Nunberg is seen leaving CNN's New York studios after a marathon day of interviews in which he said he would not cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe

'I got carried away,' he said. 'I'm trying to just get this over with.'

'I made my point, I got my venting out. Let me just give them what they want because there's nothing there anyway.'

Nunberg repeatedly complained during the interviews that he had been asked to comb through emails to top campaign officials for Mueller's probe.

'They wanted every email I had with Roger Stone and with Steve Bannon,' he said, referencing longtime informal adviser Stone and Trump's former chief White House strategist.

'Why should I hand them e-mails from November 1, 2015?' Nunberg added, revealing the timeline Mueller imposed.

'I'm not going to cooperate when they want me to have  when they want me to come in to a grand jury, for them to insinuate that Roger Stone was colluding with Julian Assange. Roger is my mentor. Roger is like family to me. I'm not going to do it.'

Nunberg's defiance could have led to contempt of court charges or jail time, but the former aide said multiple times that he doubted he would ever be sent to prison.

President Trump's ex-political aide Sam Nunberg went on a media blitz yesterday suggesting he planned to ignore Special Counsel Robert Mueller's subpoena to have him testify before a grand jury

Sam Nunberg (pictured) later changed his tune and suggested he would comply with the subpoena, but not before he attacked the White House Press Secretary and suggested that Trump associate Carter Page had 'colluded' with the Russians

But now, Nunberg said he will 'tell the truth' when he appears before Mueller's grand jury on Friday.

Fox Business Network's Charlie Gasparino confirmed Trump's former aide will cooperate with Mueller and then 'seek treatment for what ails him'.

Gasparino, who described Nunberg as a 'friend', said he believes 'drinking...is a big part of it and that's what happened [Monday]'.

The news will come as little surprise to many who had been following Nunberg's outbursts, which even prompted CNN's Erin Burnett to tell the aide on live television that she could smell alcohol on his breath.

Nunberg denied that he had been drinking and, even after admitting he may seek treatment, has still not confirmed whether he was drunk during the interviews.

But the former communications adviser seemed to hint that he has been troubled since getting fired from Trump's campaign in August 2015 for racially-charged Facebook posts.

One of the most eyebrow raising interviews of Sam Nunberg's (left) media blitz happened on the CNN show Erin Burnett (right) Out Front

NOT DRUNK: While CNN's Erin Burnett (right) confronted Sam Nunberg (left) and said she could smell alcohol on his breath, the former Trump aide said he hadn't had a drink on Monday

'I was very close to Donald Trump,' Nunberg told New York Daily News.

'I was heavily invested in that campaign. I wasn't very good after getting fired.'

And it seems those old wounds have hardly healed, as Nunberg told MSNBC's Katy Tur he was 'not a fan' of Trump.

'He treated Roger and me very badly and he screwed us over during the campaign,' Nunberg said.

And while Nunberg said he doesn't believe Trump colluded with the Russians, he does believe the president may indeed have 'done something'.

'I think he may have done something during the election. But I don't know that for sure,' he told Tur.

Watch: Ex-Trump campaign aide Sam Nunberg says he's refusing comply with Mueller subpoena:



"I'm not going to cooperate when they want me to come into a grand jury for them to insinuate that Roger Stone was colluding with Julian Assange. Roger is my mentor. Roger is like family." pic.twitter.com/jUtBCPNiDe  MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 5, 2018

Investigators are also interested in longtime Trump advisor Roger Stone's communications with WikiLeaks and his role advising Trump

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigators have been asking witnesses whether Donald Trump knew about the theft of Democratic emails that rocked the 2016 presidential campaign

When pressed, Nunberg only said: 'I can't explain it unless you were in there.'

Nunberg also revisited the issue of whether Mueller has obtained information that Trump did something wrong.

'They know something on him,' Nunberg told Jake Tapper. 'Perhaps I'm wrong, but he did something.'

Even as he trashed the request for his information, Nunberg said Mueller was an honorable man  and slammed Trump for hosting Russia's former ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak into the Oval Office.

'I shouldn't have to go back down to a grand jury. I'm spending a lot of money on legal fees. A lot of other people are. And granted, because [Trump] decided to give an interview to Lester Holt the day after he fired James Comey, and then he decided to have the Russians in the Oval Office. You'll have to explain that one to me. I'll never understand it,' he said.

Nunberg also said he believed former foreign policy adviser Carter Page 'colluded with the Russians', but said he was just a minor figure in the campaign and is a 'weird dude' and a 'scumbag.'

The former aide also said he spoke to Bannon, who recently met with Mueller's team.

'By the way, Steve Bannon - I spoke to Steve Bannon for the first time last week after I went in there and...Steve and I were discussing about how we both feel, Katy, like I'm telling you, that Trump may have very well done something during the election. I don't know what it is. I could be wrong by the way,' Nunberg said.

In between his complaints, Nunberg revealed the extent of Mueller's inquiries, which ranged from all communications he had with Trump's former campaign manager, press secretary, and Page, who Nunberg said he considered to be a 'moron.'

'They asked for communications with Carter Page. Are you giving me a break? Do you think I would ever talk to that moron?' Nunberg told CNN.

Nunberg's comments seem to comport with an Axios report from Sunday that revealed all the email communications Mueller was seeking from an unnamed official.

It contained the same names of people as subjects of communications that were of interest.

Judges are not known to recognize the personal preferences of witnesses in deciding if they must appear, nor the inconvenience  however substantial  of complying.
The White House said Wednesday that Mexico, Canada and other countries may be spared from President Donald Trump's planned steel and aluminum tariffs under national security 'carve-outs,' a move that could soften the blow amid threats of retaliation by trading partners and dire economic warnings from lawmakers and business groups.

Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters the exemptions would be made on a 'case by case' and 'country by country' basis, a reversal from the policy articulated by the White House just days ago that there would be no exemptions from Trump's plan.

The announcement came as congressional Republicans and business groups braced for the impact of expected tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum, appearing resigned to additional protectionist trade actions as Trump signaled upcoming economic battles with China.

The looming departure of White House economic adviser Gary Cohn, a former Goldman Sachs executive who has opposed the promised tariffs, set off anxiety among business leaders and investors worried about a potential trade war.

President Donald Trump is preparing to impose stiff new import tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, but the nation's North American trading partners could be exempted

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders hinted at 'carve-outs' on Wednesday and said exemptions will be considered on a 'country by country' basis

The White House said Trump was expected to make a final announcement by the end of the week and officials were working to include language in the tariffs that would give Trump the flexibility to approve exemptions for certain countries.

'He's already indicated a degree of flexibility, I think a very sensible, very balanced degree of flexibility,' Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC. 'We're not trying to blow up the world.'

Trump signaled other trade actions could be in the works. In a tweet, he said the 'U.S. is acting swiftly on Intellectual Property theft.'

A White House official said Trump was referencing an ongoing investigation of China in which the U.S. trade representative is studying whether Chinese intellectual property rules are 'unreasonable or discriminatory' to American business.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said an announcement on the findings of the report - and possible retaliatory actions  was expected within the next three weeks.

Business leaders, meanwhile, continued to sound the alarm about the potential economic fallout from tariffs, with the president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce raising the specter of a global trade war.

That scenario, Tom Donohue said, would endanger the economic momentum from the GOP tax cuts and Trump's rollback of regulations.

'We urge the administration to take this risk seriously,' Donohue said.

Trump has 'already indicated a degree of flexibility,' Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC, adding that 'we're not trying to blow up the world'

Presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner was in Mexico on Wednesday for high-level meetings that almost certainly included talk of the coming tariffs

President Donald Trump is seen walking to the Oval Office after speaking at the Latino Coalition Legislative Summit on Wednesday in Washington

The president has said the tariffs are needed to reinforce lagging American steel and aluminum industries and protect national security.

He has tried to use the tariffs as leverage in ongoing talks to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement, suggesting Canada and Mexico might be exempted from tariffs if they offer more favorable terms under NAFTA.

Lawmakers opposed to the tariffs, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have suggested more narrowly focused approaches to target Chinese imports.

But members of Congress have few tools at their disposal to counter the president, who has vowed to fulfill his campaign pledge.

'I don't think the president is going to be easily deterred,' said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who has suggested hearings on the tariffs.

Tennessee Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander said Trump had listened to him and others who disagree with the direction of the trade policies. 'I thank him for that and he's been a good listener. The difficulty is so far I haven't persuaded him,' Alexander said.

Republicans in Congress have lobbied administration officials to reconsider the plan and focus the trade actions on China, warning that allies such as Canada and members of the European Union would retaliate.

The EU said it was prepared to respond to any tariffs with counter-measures against U.S. products such as Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Levi's jeans and bourbon. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said the EU was circulating among member states a list of U.S. goods to target with tariffs so it could respond quickly.

The president plans to rally Republicans in western Pennsylvania on Saturday in support of Rick Saccone, who faces Democrat Conor Lamb in a March 13 special House election. Trump has told associates the tariffs could be helpful to the GOP cause in the election in the heart of steel country.
She has pleaded not guilt by reason of insanity and faces life if convicted

Yoselyn Ortega stabbed Lulu, six, and Leo Krim, two, to death in October 2012

One juror told judge he could no longer be fair and impartial and was dismissed

Jurors saw horrific crime scene photos as Ortega herself averted her eyes

A nanny charged with the stabbing murder of two young children in her care has looked away as gruesome photos of the crime scene were presented in court.

The trial of New York City nanny Yoselyn Ortega, 55, continued on Tuesday, when jurors were shown horrific photos of the Upper West Side apartment where Leo Krim, two and Lucia Krim, six, were slain in October 2012.

Ortega has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and stared straight ahead throughout the presentation without looking at the photos, the New York Post reported.

The photos showed blood smearing the walls, floor and toilet of the bathroom where the bodies of Leo and Lucia were found with their eyes open. The bottom of the tub was almost entirely red.

One bloody knife sat in the sink, inches away from a pink child's toothbrush.

Another sat wrapped in a towel atop a toy refrigerator in the hallway.

At least two jurors wiped away tears as they beheld the horror images, as others gasped and held their faces. By the afternoon, one juror told the judge that he could no longer be fair and impartial and was excused from the case, the New York Times reported.

Ortega is seen in court on Friday. She refused to watch as the jury saw horror photos from the apartment where she stabbed two young children in her care

Oretega stabbed six-year-old Lulu (left) and two-year-old Leo (right) multiple times in the neck and torso in the bathroom of their apartment. Minihan told the court that he avoided look in the direction of the bathroom where the mutilated bodies of Lulu and Leo were lying

The photos were taken roughly seven hours after mother Marina Krim found the children mortally wounded and saw Ortega stabbing herself in the neck.

Leo was stabbed five times, and Lucia, who fought back, was stabbed 30 times, according to prosecutors.

Also on Tuesday, several more first responders were called to testify.

'That's the worst crime scene I've ever seen, other than September 11,' said paramedic Eugene Nicholas.

'I saw blood everywhere,' said Kevin Orr, a second paramedic.

'Mrs. Krim was stunned and hysterical, saying, how am I going to get this out of my head?' said paramedic Reuben Shelton.

Another EMT said that Marina Krim, who was with her three-year-old daughter Nessie when she discovered the gruesome scene, pleaded with paramedics to shield her from photographers as they left the building.

Building superintendent Michael Minihan (pictured) also testified this week

Nessie was spared from seeing the horror scene and didn't seem to understand what had happened, the court heard.

Earlier in the week, building superintendent Michael Minihan offered a chilling account when Ortega's eyes bulging out as she gasped for air and bled from a self-inflicted knife wound in her neck.

Minihan lived directly below the Krim family, whose kids Ortega nannied, and remembered rushing to apartment in October 2012 after hearing mom Marina Krim's blood-curdling cries.

Krim was on the mezzanine 'holding her middle child, Nessie, screaming incoherently,' Minihan said.

Minihan lived directly below the Krim family, whose kids Ortega (pictured, Friday) nannied. When he entered the apartment, he first saw Ortega, 'staring...the eyes of the devil in my face,' he said. 'Her eyes were bulging'

Marina Krim (right) leaving court clutching her husband Kevin Krim's (left) hand. Marina erupted at Ortega on Friday after six hours of heart-wrenching testimony, She screamed at the former nanny: 'You're evil!' and yelled: 'Get me out of here!'

When Minihan entered the apartment, he said he first saw Ortega, 'staring...the eyes of the devil in my face,' he said. 'Her eyes were bulging.'

Ortega had stabbed herself in the neck in an attempted suicide after killing the two young children.

Minihan told the court that he avoided looking in the direction of the bathroom where the mutilated bodies of Lulu and Leo were lying.

'I could see the tub and I could see a body or something. I tried as best as I could not to take my eyes off Ms Ortega but I could see there was a mess,' he said, fighting back tears. 'I just saw red, I just saw red.'

Prosecutors say Ortega grabbed two kitchen knives and butchered the two children while their mother was blocks away at the dance studio where Lulu was supposed to be.

They added that Ortega waited until Marina Krim found the children dead in the bathroom before plunging a knife into her own neck so that she could relish in the devastated woman's pain and horror

Prosecutors suggested that Ortega was jealous of Krim because she was financially stable and had a good relationship with her children.

Allegedly, Ortega and felt she deserved to work less and be paid more, but they have said there isn't a clear motive for the crime.

Ortega said she was angry that the Krims had asked her to clean the house in addition to looking after the children.

The nanny's attorney, Valerie Van Leer-Greenberg, said Ortega heard voices and saw hallucinations in unchecked disorders.

But New York has a high bar for the insanity defense, and it is rarely successful. To win, Ortega's lawyers will have to prove she didn't understand the consequences of her actions and didn't know right from wrong at the time.

On Friday, in court, Marina Krim stormed out of the courtroom, screaming at Ortega following a harrowing six hours of testifying over two days in

'You're evil and you love this! You like this!' she screamed, wailing: 'Get me out of here. Please, get me out of here. Get me out!' as she was escorted out of the courtroom by court officers for a short break.

The judge told jurors to disregard the outburst.

Ortega's lawyer, Valerie Van Leer-Greenberg (pictured), said Ortega heard voices and saw hallucinations in unchecked disorders. But New York has a high bar for the insanity defense, and it is rarely successful

Ortega (pictured, Friday) faces a minimum of 20 years imprisonment if she is convicted and could be jailed for life without parole

Ortega (pictured with Nessie and Lulu) said she was angry that the Krims had asked her to clean the house in addition to looking after the children

On that day in October 2012, Ortega was supposed to pick up Lulu from kindergarten and walk her to dance class then go home to put Leo down for nap (Pictured, from left to right: Nessie, Lulu and Leo)

Jurors on Friday watched on surveillance footage as mom Krim stood in the lobby of a dance studio discovering her six-year-old daughter, Lulu, was not at class.

Ortega was supposed to pick up Lulu from kindergarten and walk her to dance class then go home to put Leo down for nap. Krim would go to swimming with her other daughter, three-year-old Nessie, then and head home to meet Leo and Ortega.

Krim showed up to the studio shortly before 5pm, and panicked when Lulu wasn't there.

As she bends over her phone in the footage, Nessie plays in a bright pink coat in the lobby before Krim grabs her hand and walks out.

She frantically texted Ortega: 'Where's Lulu ... Donde Estas ... Where are you' but Oretga never answered.

In less than an hour, Krim would find Lulu and Leo, dead in the bathroom of her apartment.

Marina Krim (pictured with Leo) showed up to the dance studio where Lulu was supposed to be shortly before 5pm, and panicked when Lulu wasn't there. In less than an hour, Krim would find Lulu and Leo, dead in the bathroom of her apartment

Krim finished her heart-wrenching testimony after about six hours between Thursday and Friday on the stand in the murder trial

Prosecutors say Ortega (pictured, Thursday) waited until Krim found the children dead in the bathroom before plunging a knife into her own neck so that she could relish in the devastated woman's pain and horror

Krim testified that Ortega had just been kicked out of her Bronx apartment at the time of the murders according to the New York Post.

'I would say she was distracted. She was more arrogant...She had that smug look to her, like she has right now. It's disgusting,' she recalled, leading up to her children's brutal murders.

Ortega's defense attorney asked Krim if she ever considered firing Ortega.

'There was nothing to fire her about at that point,' Krim testified. 'I was aware of her strange behaviors but nothing to fire her over.'

Krim finished her heart-wrenching testimony after about six hours between Thursday and Friday on the stand in the murder trial.

The children's father, Kevin Krim(above with Leo and Nessie), was working as a CNBC executive at the time of the murders. He now works at a start up

Prosecutors say Ortega (pictured in 2017) was jealous of Marina Krim because she was financially stable and had a close relationship with her children

The Krims use a Facebook page to post updates on how they are doing, writing about the arrival of two new children, Felix (left) born in 2013 and Linus (right) in 2016.

The couple started the Lulu and Leo Fund, which aims to support innovative art programs for children. Their daughter, Nessie (pictured), was three at the time of the killings. She is now seven or eight

Jurors also saw a booklet of photos Marina Krim made for Ortega after a trip they all took to see Ortega's family in the Dominican Republic.

The three children are beaming. In one photo, Ortega holds them, smiling.

Jurors also heard a doorman place a 911 call, and Krim's anguished screams in the background.

Ortega faces a minimum of 20 years imprisonment if she is convicted and could be jailed for life without parole.

Krim's husband, Kevin, was a CNBC executive at the time of the murders and now works at a startup.

The Krims use a Facebook page to post updates on how they are doing, writing about the arrival of two new children, Felix born in 2013 and Linus in 2016.

The couple started the Lulu and Leo Fund, which aims to support innovative art programs for children.

They recently posted a video message on Facebook asking that people mention the fund as their case becomes news again.
A Texas restaurant owner, a former deputy and a pastor were all arrested on prostitution charges after police raided two massage parlors in Waco.

Daniel Henderson, 64, is the owner of Uncle Dan's Bar-B-Que & Catering in Waco, he was arrested on March 1, as was Stephen Johnson, 44, who was employed as a McLennan County Sheriff deputy, before the establishments had been raided.

Edward Egnacio Espinosa, 41, was also arrested on February 28 on the same charge. Espinosa was a pastor at a local church that had anti-human trafficking initiatives.

The McLennan County Sheriff's office has targeted prostitution in recent months and zeroed in on two massage parlors ran by the same owner, Chun Yan Zhang, 47.

Pastor Edward Egnacio Espinosa, 41 (left) was arrested, and Stephen Johnson, 44 (right) who was employed as a McLennan County Sheriff deputy on prostitution charges

Daniel Henderson, 64 (left) a local resturanat owner was also arrested. Chun Yan Zhang, 47 (right) was the owner of the establishments and was charged with multiple counts of human trafficking

Zhang was arrested once in December and again in February, the Waco Tribune-Herald reported. She is facing multiple human trafficking charges.

Police say through their undercover investigation, they have more than 300 videos of men paying for sex acts.

Men would pay $60 for an hour-long massage and then tack on another $40 for a sex act.

According to police, Henderson and Johnson were seen visiting the parlors multiple times.

Johnson resigned from his position with the sheriff's office following the raid in December.

The police say more arrests are expected in the coming weeks.

Chief Sheriff's Deputy David Kilcrease said 'We've identified several men paying for sex and we've been in contact with several attorneys for these men who are aware of the recordings,' Kilcrease said. 'We will be making additional arrests.'

In addition to the prostitution charges, Kilcrease said detectives may also receive arrest warrants charging sexual assault for some of the sex acts captured on video. He said the investigation remains ongoing.

According to the search warrants on the properties run by Zhang, the women who were working at the establishment were immigrants.

One of the two establishments that were raided was this location where at least three women were working and living at the time of the raid

'Through debriefs with victims, I have learned that they are not told what they will be doing until they arrive at the establishment,' an investigator wrote. 'They are routinely housed in the establishment by traffickers to save money.'

Zhang had at least three women working for her.

'It was learned that they provide the boss with $300 a month to be able to reside within the parlor,' the affidavit states. 'They indicated that they keep 20 percent of all earnings, however the boss makes them give their whole first week as a deposit.'
Australians should expect hot weather well into April before being hit with one of the coldest winters on record, expert weather forecaster David Taylor has revealed.

Mr Taylor told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday that the nation is in for six more weeks of hot summer-like temperatures before a short autumn season.

After this he warns 'winter will kick in viciously' with the coldest temperatures seen for many years.

Australians should expect hot weather well into April, expert weather forecaster David Taylor has revealed

He said Australians will then be hit with one of the coldest winters on record. Pictured: Mount Buller, Victoria

Mr Taylor warns 'winter will kick in viciously' this year. Pictured: Map showing the lowest July temperatures ever recorded for major cities, according to the Bureau of Meteorology

According to Mr Taylor, the reason there will be an unusually cold winter is that there is a calm period in sunspot activity.

'Sunspots will stay at an all-time low for years and not be active again until 2025,' he said.

'There is a big cold front developing in the Southern Coral Sea that will affect us in June and we are also seeing a cold front developing south of Tasmania.'

Rounding out his top three predictions, Mr Taylor expects that sometime during the 2018 or 2019 cyclone season we will see a cyclone hit land between Fraser Island and Rainbow Beach - an unusually southern point for a cyclone to cross the coast.

Mr Taylor predicted months ago that a cyclone would cross the coast near Townsville in the beginning of March.

The Bureau of Meteorology is monitoring two possible areas where cyclones may form north of Queensland.

According to Mr Taylor, the reason there will be an unusually cold winter is that there is a calm period in sunspot activity. Pictured: Falls Creek ski resort

Mr Taylor expects that sometime during the 2018 or 2019 cyclone season we will see a cyclone hit land between Fraser Island and Rainbow Beach. Pictured: heavy rain and strong winds on Queensland's Sunshine Coast

Mr Taylor's interest in weather was first sparked as a teenager living in Park Ridge south of Brisbane.

His parents had gone out when a freak storm barrelled through the area destroying the caravan they were staying in at the time.

He has been running the Brisbane Weather Facebook page, which currently has 45,000 likes, since 2008 and the East Coast Weather Facebook page for two weeks, which has so far gained 5,000 likes.

His predictions are formulated using a range of sources including the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast, the Canadian Meteorological Centre, and the Global Forecast System.
The body of a New York man who had been gruesomely stabbed to death was discovered after a suspect was put on the phone with the victim's devastated father.

James Rackover, 26, and Lawrence 'Larry' Dilione, 29, are accused of killing Joseph Comunale during a party at a luxury Upper East Side apartment in November 2016.

It has previously been alleged that Comunale was stabbed 15 times at the alcohol and cocaine-fueled party inside Rackover's luxury apartment, paid for by famed jeweler Jeffrey Rackover, after an argument over cigarettes.

Three days later police found the Hofstra graduate's burned body buried in a shallow grave in Oceanport, New Jersey, where Dilione lived.

And on Tuesday it was revealed that Comunale's body was discovered only after Dilione had a heart-wrenching phone conversation with the victim's father, Pat.

Lawrence Dilione, 29, (left) revealed where police could find Joseph Comunale's body (right) after a heart-wrenching phone call with the Hofstra graduate's devasated father

Dilione and James Rackover, 26, (pictured behind him) are accused of killing Comunale during a party at a luxury Upper East Side apartment in November 2016

It was NYPD homicide detective Raymond Reuther who came up with the idea to put Dilione on the phone with Comunale's father.

Reuther, now retired, recalled hearing Dilione begin to cry as he spoke to Pat and told him 'everything will be alright', according to the New York Daily News.

'I started asking him if Joey was in New Jersey, and did they take him there,' Reuther said.

The detective believed, due to video surveillance footage, that the pair may have buried Comunale near Dilione's father's house in Oceanport.

It was NYPD homicide detective Raymond Reuther who came up with the idea to put Dilione (pictured together) on the phone with Comunale's father

The detective said Dilione then revealed that Comunale's body was 'behind the florist'

'[Dilione] just started looking at me, and then he said, "He's not far from my father's house"', Reuther recalled.

The detective said Dilione then revealed that Comunale's body was 'behind the florist'.

It's a shocking story that Michael Pappa, Dilione's lawyer, is fighting to keep out of the courtroom - and away from a jury.

Pappa is hoping Justice James Burke will rule the confession inadmissible due to the fact that Dilione had not yet been read his rights before the fateful phone call.

Burke must decide if the both the statement and corresponding crime scene evidence, including the discovery of Comunale's body, will be included in the murder trial.

Dilione and Rackover have been charged with murder, concealment of a human body, hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence.

Both have pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

Dilione and Rackover have been charged with murder, concealment of a human body, hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence

It's a shocking story that Michael Pappa, Dilione's lawyer, is fighting to keep out of the courtroom due to the fact that Dilione had not been read his rights before the confession

Dilione reportedly told police he struck Comunale, 26, inside Rackover's apartment on East 59th Street on the night of November 13, 2016 after a fight about cigarettes.

But he claimed it was Rackover who pummeled, choked, and ultimately stabbed the victim to death.

Court documents filed by co-defendant Max Gemma's attorney, Mark Bederow, allege that Rackover flew into a rage at the party during the fistfight between Comunale and Dilione.

He 'punched and kicked (the victim) in the head and face several times, and smashed the back of his head into the hardwood floor several times,' the June 2017 filings state.

'Rackover's attack left Comunale bleeding profusely and created a bloody mess in the living room floor.'

'Rackover panicked about returning to prison. He ordered Gemma and Dilione to take off their clothes.'

He then allegedly wrapped Dilione's jeans around the victim's neck 'as if he were preparing to choke Comunale', according to the court filings.

Gemma was told to leave the apartment, his lawyer said in the documents.

Dilione has claimed it was Rackover (pictured) who pummeled, choked, and ultimately stabbed Comunale to death

Dilione and Rackover then allegedly cleaned the apartment with bleach and removed Comunale's body with a luggage cart they took from the luxury building.

Police found bloody towels and Comunale's driver's license in trash cans at the building, according to the New York Daily News.

Surveillance footage also caught Rackover leaving the building with three duffel bags and a backpack that he put in the drunk of a black Mercedes-Benz car.

Rackover lived in the building with his 'adoptive' father Jeffrey Rackover.

The famed jeweler has designed baubles for the likes of Jennifer Lopez and was responsible for Melania Trump's $3million engagement ring.

Jeffrey Rackover has since distanced himself from his 'adoptive' son, but was named in a lawsuit filed in June 2017 alleging he helped to cover up the murder.

Pat Comunale claimed Jeffrey provided cleaning supplies to Rackover and alleged that the pair were in a sexual relationship.

The lawsuit also alleged that Jeffrey let Rackover borrow his Mercedes-Benz to dispose of the victim's dismembered remains on the Jersey Shore.
An uninvited wedding guest has stolen $10,000 from a young couple's wishing well after casually walking into the venue, 'chatting to guests', pocketing the cash and walking out.

well-dressed middle-aged man walked into a wedding,

brazen wedding crasher has committed the ultimate wedding faux pas, stealing money from the bride and groom's wishing well during their winery reception.

An unknown and uninvited man allegedly committed the offence during the wedding at the upmarket Jack Rabbit Winery on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula last Saturday.

After a night of drinks and dancing, he stole a 'large quantity of cash' from the padlocked wishing well in the venue's foyer sometime before 11pm.

Police are hoping to speak to a man in venue CCTV footage in relation to the incident

The reception was held at the upmarket Jack Rabbit Winery on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula

In a post on the Eyewatch - Geelong Police Service Area Facebook page, police appealed for information in relation to the incident.

'Police are keen to speak to (the man in the footage) as he was at the reception and it is believed will hold valuable information in regards to the ongoing investigation,' Geelong Police said in the post.

In the CCTV photos released, the middle-aged man is dressed in typical wedding attire.

'Police are keen to speak to (the man in the footage) as he was at the reception and it is believed will hold valuable information in regards to the ongoing investigation,' police said in a Facebook post

Although it is not known if the man in the footage was involved in the theft, police would like to speak to him in relation to the incident

He sported black slacks paired with a white shirt and suspenders, before finishing the outfit off with sunglasses on his head.

Also shown in the footage is a vehicle of interest which was seen in the car park while the offence took place.
Massachusetts State Police Trooper Leigha A. Genduso has been suspended from her $151,000 job, without pay, after an internal affairs investigation into her hiring was opened.

Trooper Genduso, 36, was hired despite admitting to criminal activities in the past. It involved a 2007 federal case in which she testified against her then-boyfriend, Sean P. Bucci.

Genduso participated in a large-scale marijuana business in the early 2000s run by Bucci. Now, not only has her past come into question, her cases could also be reviewed.

In the 2007 case, she testified against Bucci in exchange for avoiding prosecution for her own participation in the marijuana enterprise.

She admitted to helping to package, transport and sell marijuana, and, launder some of the proceeds, according to The Telegram.

Massachusetts State Police Trooper Leigha A. Genduso was suspended last week without pay after an internal affairs investigation was opened into how she was hired

Genduso was hired despite sworn testimony against her boyfriend, in which she admitted her involvement in a marijuana enterprise in exchange for avoiding prosecution

State police spokesman David Procopio said: 'A multifaceted background check was done on Trooper Genduso as on all other recruits.'

She and Bucci's marijuana business was extensive.

She admitted to being present for marijuana deliveries that were typically around 200 pounds.

'A lot of times I helped him break up the bales to be able to put them into pounds,' she testified.

Genduso also delivered the pot as well. 'I would put it in boxes and then wrap them up as presents,' Ms. Genduso said, 'because of the smell, and because it's miles to drive with that in my car.'

She also admitted to smoking pot almost everyday during her relationship with Bucci.

Now defense attorneys say the scandal could lead to convictions being tossed, and new trials ordered, according to the Boston Herald.

'If she made observations that are important to the case then I would think that those convictions, those adverse dispositions, could be in jeopardy,' said Randy Gioia, deputy chief counsel of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, the state's public defender agency.

He said that district attorneys now have an obligation to make any new information available.

Now, some of the cases Genduso was involved in could be tossed out or re-tried

'The prosecution should notify any defendant in a case in which trooper Genduso participated,' said Gioia. 'The prosecution has an obligation to disclose exculpatory evidence that could be helpful to a defendant  that's their constitutional obligation to disclose that... It should be up to the defendant and the defendant's lawyer to decide if there are grounds for a new trial.'

Genduso is also linked to a website aimed to expose 'rats' and agents who help arrest criminals.

She was first hired as a dispatcher, then as a trooper.

David Traub, a spokesman for Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey, who is also the head of the Massachusetts District Attorney Association, said the DAs are aware of the concerns over cases Genduso was involved in.

'We're very mindful of the fair-trial concerns and constitutional concerns that those allegations raise,' said Traub. 'Consistent with what we've done in the past, we're going to be diligent.'

Traub added: 'If defense counsel have motions or evidence they want to submit to cases, the DAs are interested in and encouraging them to bring information forward.'
Police will investigate the deaths of the wife and son of a Russian double agent who was allegedly poisoned along with his daughter, it was claimed today.

Sergei Skripal suffered a triple family tragedy in five years when his wife Lyudmila died aged 59 in 2012, before his older brother passed away in Russia in 2016.

His son Alexandr then died in St Petersburg aged 43 last year - and relatives had held suspicions since the deaths that they were in mysterious circumstances.

The graves of the former spy's wife and son remain well-tended, with fresh flowers in both.

Police are to investigate the deaths of Mr Skripal's wife, Liudmila, who is thought to have died from cancer in 2012

Mr Skripal's son Alexander also died while in Russia last year. The family's cleaner said he died of liver problems, but some family members are said to have had suspicions

Sergei Skripal (left), 66, was found unconscious in Salisbury, Wiltshire, along with his 33-year-old daughter Yulia (right) shortly after 4pm on Sunday

Now, the deaths of his wife and son will be considered by Scotland Yard as they investigate the possible poisoning of Mr Skripal, according to The Times.

Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, remain fighting for their lives in hospital after being exposed to a mystery substance on Sunday in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

And the mystery over Alexandr's death deepened today as St Petersburg's respected Fontanka news agency said it can find no traces of him dying in the city.

It reported: 'According to our research, Alexander Skripal did buy tickets on the Sapsan (high speed) train from Moscow, arriving on 13 July and departing on 15 July.

Police Community Support Officers stand outside the Salisbury home of Mr Skripal yesterday

'He was with a 49-year-old female called Anna. It is not clear if the couple left St Petersburg on the planned date, as the tickets were bought about one and a half months ahead of the trip.'

It is understood Alexander died several days after his planned trip to St Petersburg, which was described as a holiday. The Fontanka report added: 'As of now, we failed to find traces of him dying in St Petersburg.

'And according to our information, Alexander had planned a trip to see his father in England in August 2017. He bought a ticket for a plane leaving early morning on August 8, 2017.'

Lyudmila died on October 23, 2012, with her death certificate recording the cause of death as cancer - specifically disseminated endometrial carcinoma.

Investigators next to a police tent in Salisbury near where Mr Skripal was found critically ill

Yulia reported the death to Wiltshire Council's register office, but also told staff that her father was a retired local government planning officer.

As for Mr Skripal's son, he is said to have been killed in a car crash in St Petersburg last year  but the family's cleaner said he had actually died from liver problems.

The woman who cleans Mr Skripal's home in Salisbury and asked not to be named, said yesterday: 'I saw reports on the news that his wife had died in a car crash.

'That is not true, she died of cancer that she had when they moved to England. And his son died of liver problems, so I don't know where the car crash idea came from.'

The BBC claimed Alexandr died on holiday in Russia with his girlfriend after being taken to hospital with liver failure, and that his family was suspicious about his death.

Meanwhile confusion surrounded Lyudmila's cause of death when neighbour Blake Stephens, 21, suggested she had actually 'died in a car accident a while ago'.

The apparent poisoning has triggered a diplomatic row and prompted crisis talks in Whitehall as the high-profile investigation enters a fourth day.

Scotland Yard said detectives were 'keeping an open mind as to what happened', and that the incident had not been declared a terrorist incident - adding that it would not 'provide a running commentary' on the investigation.

Police secure the area as a tent covers the spot in Salisbury where Mr Skripal was found

But it has forced the Government into calling a meeting of its emergency committee Cobra this morning, to be chaired by Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

It comes as relations between the UK and the Kremlin soured after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson went on the offensive in the House of Commons.

Mr Skripal was convicted in 2006 of passing state secrets to MI6 before being given refuge in the UK as part of a spy swap.

The former colonel in Russian military intelligence, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison, was among four convicts who were given pardons and one of two sent to Britain in 2010 in a deal that was said at the time to be the largest exchange since the Cold War.

He was found along with his daughter on a bench in The Maltings in Salisbury after police were called by a concerned member of the public at around 4.15pm on Sunday.

The pair did not have any visible injuries and were taken to Salisbury District Hospital, where they are being treated in intensive care for 'suspected exposure to an unknown substance'.

Officers subsequently 'secured' a number of scenes - including the Zizzi restaurant on Castle Street and the Bishop's Mill pub in The Maltings.

At least two people left a contamination tent inside the cordon wearing protective suits and gas masks last night. People could also be seen inside Zizzi's restaurant wearing protective gear and masks.
California Governor Jerry Brown accused the Trump administration Wednesday of launching a war over the state's protections for illegal immigrants, after the Justice Department sued to block its sanctuary laws.

'This is basically going to war against the state of California, the engine of the American economy. It's not wise, it's not right, and it will not stand,' said Governor Jerry Brown.

Brown was visibly angry after Attorney General Jeff Sessions, speaking in Sacramento, accused the state of deliberately obstructing enforcement of federal law by offering undocumented immigrants sanctuary protections to dodge arrest and deportation by immigration agents.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Wednesday that he won't back down from a lawsuit aimed at stopping California authorities from flouting federal immigration laws

'Immigration law is the province of the federal government. It's in the Constitution,' he told the California Peace Officers Association.

'I don't want to be in this position of having to challenge these laws. It wasn't something I chose to do, but I can't sit by idly while the lawful authorities of federal officers are being blocked by legislative actions and politicians,' he added.

Sessions is taking the fight over the nation's immigration policy directly to California by suing to block state laws that extend protections to people living in the U.S. illegally.

The Justice Department's legal action is the most aggressive move yet in the Trump administration's push to force so-called sanctuary cities and states to cooperate with immigration authorities.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Wednesday that his new lawsuit will stop California governments from standing in the way of federal immigration enforcement

Protest: California 's Democratic governor Jerry Brown attacked sessions in Sacramento while on the streets protesters accused Jeff Sessions of racism for his threat to use all legal powers to stop sanctuary laws

'How dare you?' Sessions asked of Oakland, California Mayor Libby Schaaf, after she warned illegal immigrants last month about potential ICE raids in her city

California is using 'powers it doesn't have to frustrate federal law enforcement. So you can be sure I'm going to use every power I have to stop them,' Sessions warned.

'We're not going to stop enforcing the law in Alabama or in California either for that matter. We are simply asking California and other sanctuary jurisdictions to stop actively obstructing federal law enforcement.'

The attorney general is challenging three California laws that, among other things, bar police from asking people about their citizenship status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities.

The suit filed in federal court in Sacramento says the laws are unconstitutional and have kept federal agents from doing their jobs.

Sessions said Wednesday that California can't practice 'nullification' or legal 'secession' by choosing which federal laws to obey.

'Federal law is the supreme law of the land. ... This matter has been settled,' he said.

California Gov. Jerry Brown mocked Sessions, employing a Trumpian 'Sad!!!' on Twitter

Sessions filed a lawsuit Tuesday night that challenges 'sanctuary state' and 'sanctuary city' laws in California, claiming they're unconstitutional because they interfere with the federal government's ability to enforce immigration law

'We are fighting to have a lawful system of immigration, one that we can be proud of, one that's consistently applied, fairly applied,' he said, 'and we intend to win this fight.'

Protesters massed outside the speech, marching with anti-Sessions and anti-Trump signs, according to KCRA-TV3.

California officials remained defiant, with Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown mimicking President Trump on Twitter as he criticized Sessions for coming to Sacramento 'to further divide and polarize America. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they don't work here. SAD!!!'

Brown said in a morning press conference after Sessions' speech that 'there is no doubt that the police can do their job,' but 'the federal government ought to do its job and not blame California for its own inability to solve the problem.'

He urged Sessions to 'get off of this current maneuver that you are on, because it is unbecoming, it's based on non-truth, and I hope you'll will shape up before it is too late.'

'They're talking about going to the Supreme Court,' he added. 'This lawsuit is going to last a lot longer than the Trump administration.'

In a personal swipe, the governor said that 'this is pure red meat for the base, I would assume, but this is pure speculation that Jeff thinks Donald [Trump] will be happy with him. And I'm sure Donald will be tweeting his joy with this stunt.'

Brown is named in the lawsuit along with Democratic Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who said the state is on firm legal footing.

'Our track record so far when it comes to any dispute with the federal government has been pretty good,' Becerra said.

California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Wednesday that the lawsuit shows that administration' continues to attack California in an attempt to score points with the president's political base. These attacks are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.'

'California should not be punished for trying to shield immigrants from deportation and keep families together, and I fully support Attorney General Becerra in his efforts to defend our state,' she added.

The lawsuit is the latest salvo in an escalating feud between the Trump administration and the Golden State, which has resisted the president on issues from taxes to marijuana policy and defiantly refuses to help federal agents detain and deport illegal immigrants.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said it will increase its presence in California, and Sessions wants to cut off funding to jurisdictions that won't cooperate.

'I say: Bring it on,' said California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, a Los Angeles Democrat who wrote the so-called sanctuary state bill.

Democratic Assembly Speaker Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon was among those suggesting that Sessions shouldn't come at all.

The lawsuit was filed as the Justice Department also reviews Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf's decision to warn of an immigration sweep in advance, which ICE said allowed hundreds of immigrants to elude detention.

Schaaf said Tuesday the city would 'continue to inform all residents about their constitutional rights.'

But Sessions said Wednesday that she 'has been actively seeking to help illegal aliens avoid apprehension.'

'Her actions support those who flout the law and boldly validate illegality,' he said. 'There's no other way to interpret those remarks.'

'Here's my message to Mayor Schaaf: How dare you? How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement officers to promote your radical open borders agenda?'

The California laws were passed in response to Trump's promises to sharply ramp up the deportation of people living in the U.S. illegally.

One prohibits employers from letting immigration agents enter worksites or view employee files without a subpoena or warrant, an effort to prevent workplace raids. Another stops local governments from contracting with for-profit companies and ICE to hold immigrants.

Justice Department officials said that violates the Constitution's supremacy clause, which renders invalid state laws that conflict with federal ones.

The Supreme Court reinforced the federal government's primacy in enforcing immigration law when it blocked much of Arizona's tough 2010 immigration law on similar grounds.

The high court found several key provisions undermined federal immigration law, though it upheld a provision requiring officers, while enforcing other laws, to question the immigration status of people suspected of being in the country illegally.

In this case, 'California has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and responsibility of Congress to protect our homeland,' Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement. 'I appreciate the efforts of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Department of Justice to uphold the rule of law and protect American communities.'

Sessions, who has blamed sanctuary city policies for crime and gang violence, is set to speak Wednesday to groups representing police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys, narcotics investigators and the California Highway Patrol. Only the California State Sheriffs' Association actively opposed the so-called sanctuary law.

Protesters from labor unions, Democratic Party and immigrant rights organizations planned to rally along with some state and local elected officials outside the hotel where Sessions will speak.

Becerra, who is up for election in November, said sanctuary policies increase public safety by promoting trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, while allowing police resources to be used to fight other crimes.

'We're in the business of public safety, not deportation,' he said.
A father-to-be accused of flashing women jogging on Sydney's Bay Run has been labelled 'unpredictable and brazen' by police, who have successfully opposed bail.

Andrew James Grant has been charged with numerous offences including five counts of stalking and two counts of assault.

Police say Grant, who lives with his pregnant partner, assaulted one victim before exposing himself to her. In a separate attack, he allegedly tried to kiss one of the women.

Detectives last week released an image of the suspected flasher and called for the public to help identify him

A father-to-be accused of flashing women jogging on Sydney's Bay Run has been labelled 'unpredictable and brazen' by police, who have successfully opposed bail

It was revealed in court Grant had previously been convicted of indecently exposing himself at a park in Perth, Western Australia.

Police said a reason they denied his bail was that Grant had been charged and convicted of four separate accounts of indecent acts in a public place in Perth in 2013.

The 28-year-old did not appear at Hornsby Local Court on Wednesday, when his matter was briefly mentioned. '

Six female victims were approached between late January and mid-February, with police saying some incidents happened as early as 7.30am while others occurred at 10pm.

Grant is accused of stalking one victim at 3.30pm before targeting her again three hours later.

In opposing bail, police said his behaviour was escalating and 'becoming increasingly unpredictable and brazen'.

Six female victims were approached between late January and mid-February

'Police fear he may be unable to control his future urges and may sexually assault any future victims,' documents tendered to the court state.

Grant's lawyer, Joseph Nashed, indicated his client would enter a plea and possibly apply for bail when he appears at Central Local Court on Friday. Until then he'll remain behind bars.

Detectives last week released an image of the suspected flasher and called for the public to help identify him.

'The most important thing with this offender is that he has very prominent teeth,' Inspector Ned Gligorevic said at the time.

'Apparently the incisors are sharp - so you're looking at a rather unique set of front teeth.'
As a Sydney couple posed for a romantic beach-side photo Saturday night, a man frantically fought for his life in the waves behind them.

But it wasn't until Jackson Parr glanced down at the snap of himself and girlfriend, Madison McDonald, that he heard chilling screams coming from beyond the shore at Austinmer Beach, 70km south of the city.

Without a second thought, Mr Parr, who had been celebrating his cousin's engagement, sprinted towards the surf and past a woman yelling that her partner was drowning out at sea.

When Jackson Parr (left) glanced down at this snap of himself and girlfriend, Madison McDonald (right), he heard screams coming from beyond the shore and went to the rescue

Mr Parr recalled how he swam for five minutes before reaching David Pelman, who had been caught in a rip, in an emotional Facebook post following the ordeal.

'Every 20 seconds or so I could hear this muffled 'help' so I just kept swimming trying to swim towards the voice,' he wrote.

'I held him up treading water for about 5 minutes until another guy found us out there and we grabbed him by his hair and started swimming for shore.'

Two other guests at the party, Shaun Blair and Ryan Prain, made their way to the troubled duo on Nippers boards and aided them back towards the shore.

Mr Parr (pictured) swam for five minutes before reaching David Pelman, who had been caught in a rip and was panicking as he swallowed mouthfuls of water

Two other rescuers made their way to the troubled duo on Nippers boards and eventually aided them towards the rocks where emergency services were waiting

But Mr Parr said the group's last minute decision to head towards an embankment of rocks was likely what kept the situation going from bad to worse.

'We had drifted out so far away from the beach but the rocks were a lot closer so we said let's swim for the rocks as getting smashed up against them might be our best option and that's what we did,' he said.

'There was a group of guys from the engagement party waiting on the rocks and helped us after the waved picked us up and dumped us on them.'

A fourth rescuer, Scott Kohlhardt, leaped into the water as the three men struggled to keep Mr Pelman's head above water.

Mr Parr said the group's last minute decision to head towards an embankment of rocks at Austinmer Beach (pictured) was likely what kept the situation from going bad to worse

'I jumped in with a board. The guy was so big, I was worried he was going to grab Ryan and pull him under,' he told The Leader.

'He was fighting for his life  we were just telling him 'mate, you've got to try to hold onto the board'.'

Eventually everyone was pulled to safety, with a team of paramedics having arrived in time to treat Mr Pelman.

'I think we all shook hands, and we handed him over to the paramedics, and then we went back to the party because they wanted to get the speeches underway,' Mr Kohlhardt said.

'There was a group of guys from the engagement party waiting on the rocks and helped us after the waved picked us up and dumped us on them,' Mr Parr (pictured) said

Mr Parr pleaded for people not to go swimming at night, saying the situation could have very nearly been fatal.

'If you can swim, if you can't swim, please please please don't go swimming at night.'

'There were a million different ways that story could have had a horrible ending. I'm so grateful I was in the right place at the right time to help.'

Mr Pelman thanked his rescuers in a social media post on Sunday.

'Thanks heaps bro wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you and the boys you were with GOD BLESS YOU,' he wrote.
Advertisement

Alby Davis' heartbroken parents said goodbye to their 'little golden boy' today in a poignant memorial service on a white-sand beach with gentle, lapping waves.

Three-year-old Alby died last Monday in his pregnant mother's arms after choking on a bouncy ball at home in Wynyard, Tasmania, just a week before his fourth birthday.

Today, parents Simon and Anna Davis joined dozens of family and friends under serene blue skies in a send-off that matched the family's nature-based lifestyle.

The pair were seen smiling, hugging and comforting their first-born child Sage as they listened to tributes.

Their brave faces transferred to other mourners who were seen smiling warmly as they remembered Alby. After the tributes, a canoeist paddled flowers out to sea and let them float off in the calm swell.

One moving image showed Mrs Davis being comforted by a friend as she stared longingly at a portrait of her first-born son, which was left on a table on the beach next to a bunch of flowers.

Moving: Alby Davis' heartbroken parents said goodbye to their 'little golden boy' today in a poignant memorial service on a white-sand beach with gentle, lapping waves

Three-year-old Alby died last Monday in his pregnant mother's arms after choking on a bouncy ball at home in Wynyard, Tasmania, just a week before his fourth birthday. Pictured: Mourners at the service

Poignant: One moving image showed Mrs Davis being comforted by a friend as she stared at a portrait of her first-born son which was left on a table on the beach

Today, parents Simon and Anna Davis joined dozens of family and friends under serene blue skies in a send off that matched the family's nature-based lifestyle. Pictured: The parents with their first child, Sage

Anna Davis (pictured) said she was only three feet away from her son Alby when he began choking on the small toy he was gifted as an early fourth birthday present at his home in Wynyard, Tasmania

Alby was playing with a new ball he had just unwrapped as an early fourth birthday present at home on 26 February when the tragedy struck.

The ball became lodged in his windpipe and stopped him from breathing. His desperate mother Anna tried to pull out the ball, which was the size of a 50 cent piece, and started performing CPR during an 'excruciating' wait for paramedics - but Alby died before her eyes.

On Monday, Alby's fourth birthday, his parents visited his corpse to place his birthday watch on his wrist and paint his nails in his favourite polish.

Mrs Davis wrote on Instagram: 'Today, despite the fact you are no longer with us, we celebrate and honour your fourth sunshine journey.

'Your daddy and I visited you this morning, holding your hands and stroking your hair, for what I wish could have been an eternity. We placed your much-longed for gift - a waterproof watch with a light - around your tiny little wrist, and tried not to shower you with too many tears as we painted your fingernails with your favourite gold glitter polish.'

Memories: The parents' brave faces transferred to other mourners who were seen smiling warmly as they remembered Alby

Brave faces: Simon and Anna Davis embrace friends and family and the memorial service for their three-year-old son Alby

Alby was playing with a new ball he had just unwrapped as an early fourth birthday present at home on 26 February when the tragedy struck. Pictured: A woman pays tribute

After the tributes, a canoeist paddled flowers out to sea and let them float off in the gentle swell as mourners watched on

The ball became lodged in his windpipe and stopped him from breathing. His desperate mother Anna tried to pull out the ball, which was the size of a 50 cent piece, and started performing CPR during an 'excruciating' wait for paramedics - but Alby died before her eyes

A man paddles out to sea with flowers packed into a hamper on the back of his kayak as he prepared to release them into the ocean

Simon and Anna Davis embraced each other as they listened to tributes on the white-sand beach in Tasmania on Wednesday

Anna Davis wrote a tribute on Instagram which read: 'We, along with the world, are weeping, but we take solace in the fact that all you ever knew, in your almost-four-years, was nothing but love'

Mrs Davis added: 'We are eternally grateful for the abundant light you bought to our lives and now know that your purpose was so much higher than any of us ever anticipated.' Pictured: A kayaker takes flowers out to sea at the service

'Time spent with you is never enough and leaving without you by our side, summons the most unbearable pain weve ever had to endure.

'Our arms are yearning for the thousands of cuddles yet to be given, our ears are longing for your laughter to once again resound through the walls of our home, and our hearts are shattered for the millions of memories well never have the chance to create.

'We, along with the world, are weeping, but we take solace in the fact that all you ever knew, in your almost-four-years, was nothing but love. We are eternally grateful for the abundant light you bought to our lives and now know that your purpose was so much higher than any of us ever anticipated.

Happy birthday sweetheart. We miss you endlessly '

The mother of Alby Davis (pictured) - who choked to death on a bouncy ball - has revealed she painstakingly tried to resuscitate her child for 16 minutes until paramedics arrived

Alby (pictured with Anna) could not be revived and he died before her eyes on Monday - just days before his fourth birthday

The devastated mother took to Instagram on Saturday to reveal the heartbreaking details surrounding Alby's death and explain how 'incorrect assumptions' about the tragedy are hurting the grieving family further.

'The heartache we are already experiencing is indescribable,' she wrote.

'To very briefly clarify some of the most widely spread misconceptions - yes, I tried to save our beautiful boy (including, but not only, undertaking CPR for 16 excruciating minutes until paramedics arrived).

'I was three feet away from Alby when the incident occurred and was by his side within seconds.'

She explained how the ball - which features the smiling face of a character from animated children's program PJ Masks - was larger than the 50 cent piece recommendation for young children's toys.

Mrs Davis also said her son exceeded the ball's choking hazard warning by almost an entire year.

The devastated mother took to Instagram on Saturday to reveal the heartbreaking details and explain how 'incorrect assumptions' about the tragedy are hurting the grieving family further

The ball - which features the smiling face of a character from animated children's program PJ Masks - was larger than the 50 cent piece recommendation for young children's toys (pictured is the same type of ball supplied to Daily Mail Australia)

A picture of the same type of ball was supplied by Mrs Davis to Daily Mail Australia on Friday, revealing how it fits inside the palm of her hand

The ball came in a six pack of assorted colours, which can be found at department store BIG W and various party supplies stores for less than AUD$15

A picture of the same type of ball was supplied by Mrs Davis to Daily Mail Australia on Friday, revealing how it fits inside the palm of her hand.

The ball came in a six pack of assorted colours, which can be found at department store BIG W and various party supplies stores for less than AUD$15.

The front of the packet features a choking hazard and warns the toy is a 'small ball not suited for children under three years'.

Alby died after choking on the ball just 40 minutes after telling his mother 'I can't wait to go to bed'.

Mrs Davis posted a picture on Instagram on Thursday night of Alby in bed with his new birthday bed linen and captioned it with her 'golden boy's' last words.

She wrote: '''I can't wait to go to bed tonight Mum!'' 'Our precious boy, with his brand new doona cover, 2.49pm on Monday afternoon... exactly 40 minutes before he took his final earthside breath in my arms.'

Alby (pictured) died after choking on the ball just 40 minutes before telling his mother 'I can't wait to go to bed'

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Friday morning, she said the family were very grateful for the 'love and gratitude' they have received 'as we fathom the loss of our golden boy'.

Earlier, Mrs Davis, who runs a small children's toys business called The Small Folk, posted a tribute to her son on her company Instagram account which features dozens of photos of her family and their nature-based lifestyle.

She wrote: 'Yesterday afternoon, our beautiful, beautiful Alby, our darling baby boy, grew wings and flew from this earth.

'Minutes pass like hours and the gaping hole in our lives and hearts is completely incomprehensible. We adore you beyond belief, our sweet little fox. Forever three, forever free.'

Mrs Davis, who runs a small children's toys business called The Small Folk, posted a tribute to her son (pictured) on her company Instagram account which features dozens of photos of her family and their nature-based lifestyle

The tribute read: 'Yesterday afternoon, our beautiful, beautiful Alby, our darling baby boy, grew wings and flew from this earth'

The heartfelt post received more than 45,000 likes and 10,000 sympathetic comments.

A family friend has now set up a Gofundme page to raise money for Mrs Davis and her relief-teacher husband Simon to help them look after their daughter Sage and son Acre as they expect their fourth child.

It has already raised more than $259,000, eclipsing the $100,000 goal.

The page reads: 'On Monday afternoon, the unimaginable for any parent occurred.

'Darling Alby was playing with a bouncy ball that had arrived earlier that morning, in a package filled with party favours for his upcoming 4th birthday celebrations.

'The ball became stuck in his windpipe, preventing his ability to breathe, and in a matter of seconds, despite his mama's frantic attempts to save him, he passed away in her arms.

A neighbour said: 'There has been an outpouring of people, food and kindness. What has happened is unfathomable.' A friend added: 'They are a really beautiful and humble family, and people are sharing their grief.'

The tribute continued: 'Minutes pass like hours and the gaping hole in our lives and hearts is completely incomprehensible. We adore you beyond belief, our sweet little fox. Forever three, forever free.'

A family friend has now set up a Gofundme page to raise money for Mrs Davis and her relief teacher husband Simon to help them look after their daughter Sage and son Acre as they expect their fourth child

'This beautiful family need time to mourn and surround each other in love, without having the financial burdens of daily life and work commitments weighing on their minds.

'As Simon is a relief teacher, he is not entitled to any leave, and as so many of you know, Anna is self-employed with her much-loved business, The Small Folk.'

A neighbour told The Mercury: 'There has been an outpouring of people, food and kindness. What has happened is unfathomable.'

A friend added: 'They are a really beautiful and humble family, and people are sharing their grief.'
Two male adults and a one-year-old baby boy were rushed to hospital following a freak gas explosion inside an apartment complex Wednesday afternoon.

The blast occurred about 3pm in a unit block near Gosford, on the New South Wales Central Coast, leaving an 18-year-old and 24-year-old with serious burns.

The teenager sustained burns to 60 per cent of his body, while burns covered 30 per cent of the older male's body.

Two male adults and a one-year-old baby boy were rushed to hospital following a freak gas explosion inside an apartment complex Wednesday afternoon

The baby boy received minor burns to its face and was fortunately not seriously injured.

Those injured were inside an apartment complex on Albany Street in Point Frederick when the incident unfolded.

Both men are receiving treatment in Royal Northshore Hospital.

'We heard people start screaming and a baby crying. Everyone was just distraught,' a resident from the apartment above said.

Early reports suggested there may have been candles in the room where the explosion occurred.
Sceptics have claimed the 'world's oldest message in a bottle' found buried in the sand of a Western Australian beach is nothing more than an elaborate hoax.

A Perth businessman has been accused of staging the record-breaking historic find of a reported 132-year-old message thrown overboard from a German ship.

Kym Illman claimed his wife Tonya found the 19th century Dutch gin bottle buried in the sand of a beach near Wedge Island, about 180km north of Perth, on January 21.

Scroll down for video

Sceptics have said the 'world's oldest message in a bottle' found buried in the sand of a Western Australian beach, is nothing more than an elaborate hoax. If authentic, the 19th century gin bottle (pictured) would be 132 years old

Mr Illman scoffed at the suggestion he could have faked the find and fooled experts, but accepted most people would expect such old objects to be in worse condition

Kym Illman (pictured) a Perth businessman, has been accused of staging the record-breaking historic find of a reported 132-year-old message thrown overboard from a German ship

The couple claimed the bottle contained a remarkably well-preserved note dated June 12, 1886, written by the captain of the German sailing barque 'Paula'.

The pair brought the items to the Western Australian Museum, which concluded the bottle and its note were genuine.

But sceptics said the coincidental connection between the name of Mr Illman's company, Messages On Hold, and the find was an indication it was nothing more than a publicity stunt.

The businessman is known for his shameless self-promotion and penchant for securing free promotion through 'ambush marketing'.

He founded the company, which creates unique on hold messages including menu prompts, music and voice overs, in 1988.

Some of his most notable ambushing stunts include banners displayed behind reporters during live news filming, and on giant hands during football game coverage.

Mr Illman admitted the unlikley coincidence was both remarkable and fortuitous.

'It couldn't have fallen into better hands,' he said.

The couple claimed the bottle contained a remarkably well-preserved note dated June 12, 1886, written by the captain of the German sailing barque 'Paula'

Kym Illman claimed his wife Tonya (pictured) found the 19th century Dutch gin bottle buried in the sand of a beach near Wedge Island, about 180km north of Perth

'The handwriting is identical in terms of cursive style, slant, font, spacing, stroke emphasis, capitalisation and numbering style', Western Australian Museum assistant curator of maritime archaeology Ross Anderson said

Dr Anderson said the bottle must have come ashore within six to twelve months of being jettisoned and lay buried in a layer of damp sand which helped preserve it, until a storm surge or similar weather event uncovered it more than a century later. The tight rolling of the paper was believed to aid its preservation

Instead, he scoffed at the suggestion he could have faked the find and fooled experts, but accepted most people would expect such old objects to be in worse condition.

'If I've shonky-ed this up, I'm even better than I think I am,' he said.

'To get access to the name of the boat, where it was on a certain day - because it's not online anywhere - you'd have to go into the annals in Germany, get the information, find a bottle of that vintage and put it up there, wrap a note so that the indent of the rope is visible.

That would be the greatest fluke in the world if I managed to pull off a scam like that. If I've done it, I am a genius.'

The museum said between 1864 until 1933 thousands of bottles were thrown overboard into the sea from German ships

It was part of a 69-year-long research project by the German Naval Observatory, which sought information about global ocean currents

The Western Australian Museum assistant curator of maritime archaeology Ross Anderson was tasked with investigating the find.

He and colleagues compared the hand writing form the bottled message with captain entries to the log of Paula and determined the find to be authentic.

'Extraordinary finds need extraordinary evidence to support them,' he said.

'The handwriting is identical in terms of cursive style, slant, font, spacing, stroke emphasis, capitalisation and numbering style.'

The message is dated 12 June 1886 and was jettisoned from the German sailing barque Paula as part of a long-term German oceanographic experiment to better understand global ocean currents and find faster, more efficient shipping routes

Researchers believe the bottle and message probably washed up there within a year of being jettisoned but lay buried in a layer of damp sand which helped preserve it, until a storm surge or similar weather event uncovered it more than a century later

He said he was surprised the bottle and message were in such good condition.

But said there were other rare examples of objects kept intact by a perfect micro-environment.

Dr Anderson said the bottle must have come ashore within six to twelve months of being jettisoned and lay buried in a layer of damp sand which helped preserve it, until a storm surge or similar weather event uncovered it more than a century later. The tight rolling of the paper was believed to aid its preservation.

'We've done as much as we can to corroborate the find,' Dr Anderson said.

The museum said between 1864 until 1933 thousands of bottles were thrown overboard into the sea from German ships.

Sceptics have said the coincidental connection between the name of Mr Illman's company and the find was an indication the find was nothing more than a publicity stunt

The location of where the bottle was found, 180km north of Perth

It was part of a 69-year-long research project by the German Naval Observatory, which sought information about global ocean currents by asking ships to log the date it was dropped, co-ordinates, the name of the ship, its home port and travel route.

Finders were asked on the back of the note to write when and where the bottle had been found and return it, either to the German Naval Observatory in Hamburg or the nearest German Consulate.

Offshoots of the observatory verified the authenticity of the message found by the Illmans, which matched other records written by Paula's captain that were stored in German archives.

From 1864 until 1933, thousands of bottles were thrown into the sea from German ships logging the date it was dropped, co-ordinates, the name of the ship, its home port and travel route

It is now believed to be the world's oldest message in a bottle ever discovered and is being assessed for a Guinness World Record.

To date, only 662 of those messages have been returned but none of the bottles, with the last one found in Denmark in 1934.

The previous record holder was a bottle found 108 years after it had been dropped into the ocean.
North Korea has described the US as 'the sworn enemy to humankind' as the South warned it was 'too early' to be optimistic' over Kim Jong-un's denuclearisation offer.

Pyongyang's Rodong news outlet accused America of being intent on 'pushing the planet into another dreadful nuclear disaster' and 'destroying world peace and security'.

It comes as South Korean President Moon Jae-in sounded a note of caution over the North's offer of denuclearisation talks.

Moon said it was 'too early to be optimistic', even as US leader Donald Trump welcomed the development.

President Trump welcomed Pyongyang's breakthrough declaration - as relayed by Seoul - that it wanted to talk to the US and would not need nuclear weapons if its security was guaranteed as positive and apparently sincere.

South Korea's President Moon and Kim Jong-un (right) will hold a summit next month, Seoul said after its envoys returned from a historic trip to Pyongyang

Kim Jong Un is pictured shaking hands with a member of the special delegation of South Korea's President on March 6. Moon and Kim will sit down for a summit on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone next month

It followed months of tensions, threats and personal insults between him and the North's leader Kim Jong Un, before the Winter Olympics in the South triggered a flurry of diplomacy.

Moon and Kim will sit down for a summit on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone next month, Seoul said after its envoys returned from a historic trip to Pyongyang.

Kim said the North would halt provocative missile and nuclear tests while talks are under way, it added.

But Moon told party leaders: 'We are only at the starting line and it's too early to be optimistic.'

'Inter-Korean talks won't be enough to achieve peace,' he said, stressing the importance of Seoul maintaining close co-operation with its security guarantor Washington and adding there would be no let-up in sanctions or pressure purely as a result of inter-Korean dialogue.

However, the Rodong editorial today appeared to show the animosity between Pyongyang and Washington remained as it pointed to America's own nuclear ambitions.

It said the US had provoked a 'fierce thermo-nuclear weapons development race on the planet.'

President Trump welcomed Pyongyang's breakthrough declaration - as relayed by Seoul - that it wanted to talk to the US and would not need nuclear weapons if its security was guaranteed as positive and apparently sincere. Kim is pictured with a South Korean delegation on March 5

North Korea has described the US as 'the sworn enemy to humankind' as the South warned it was 'too early' to be optimistic' over Kim Jong-un's denuclearisation offer

'The dark clouds of a nuclear war still hang heavily over the earth due to the U.S. invariable aggression ambition and nuclear war moves aimed at putting the world under its domination by force. As a result, humankind is still exposed to the danger.'

It said the US wants to 'is getting keen on nuclear weapons modernization in order to hold an absolute nuclear edge in the world.'

'It is, indeed, the sworn enemy common to humankind as it intends to push the planet into another dreadful nuclear disaster and destroy the world peace and security.'

There have been two previous inter-Korean summits, in 2000 and 2007, both of them in Pyongyang - although it later emerged the North had been paid $500 million ahead of the first meeting, prompting critics to denounce it as a bribe.

Moon denied there had been any behind-the-scenes agreement with Pyongyang in return for it coming to the negotiating table, adding: 'There will be no such a thing as a gift to the North.'

Trump was upbeat on the news from Seoul, crediting Washington's 'very, very strong' sanctions push, as well as 'big help' from China, for the potential diplomatic breakthrough.

'We have come a long way at least rhetorically with North Korea,' Trump said.

'We are going to do something, one way or the other, we are going to do something and not let that situation fester.'

Kim Jong-un said the North would halt provocative missile and nuclear tests while talks are under way, Seoul has said

But he signalled the threat of military action remained on the table should talks fail to make headway, and his administration said it would press ahead with potentially provocative joint war games with South Korea.

China's foreign ministry praised the 'positive outcomes' of the meeting in Pyongyang, urging both sides to 'seize the current opportunity' to promote the denuclearisation of the peninsula.

But Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said there was no change in Tokyo's policy of imposing 'maximum pressure' on the North over its nuclear and missile programmes.

Past talks and deals with the North had failed to result in its denuclearisation, he pointed out, after defence minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters: 'We still don't know clearly North Korea's intention.'

The North's offer divided opinion in the South Wednesday, with newspapers cautiously welcoming it but the main opposition party drawing parallels with the Munich Agreement that allowed Hitler to annex parts of Czechoslovakia.

'There are positive points in this agreement,' the South's conservative Chosun Ilbo daily said in an editorial.

'However, a question mark still hangs over the key issue -- whether the North is genuinely willing to negotiate away its nuclear arsenal,' it said.

Hong Joon-pyo, the head of the conservative main opposition Liberty Korea Party, lambasted the talks as akin to the 1938 deal British prime minister Neville Chamberlain negotiated with Adolf Hitler - and proclaimed as 'peace for our time' - agreeing to Nazi Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia.

'The agreement reminds me of the 1938 Munich Agreement,' Hong wrote on his Facebook page. 'Only fools would be cheated twice,' he added.

The pro-business Joongang Ilbo daily said an inter-Korean summit would be meaningless unless it led to the North's denuclearisation.

The independent Hankyoreh daily was more enthusiastic, welcoming the agreement as 'an achievement with great significance that went beyond all expectations'.

But the North's state media made no mention of the developments, with the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers Party, instead leading on messages of congratulation sent to Kim for the 70th anniversary last month of the founding of the North's military.

In a commentary the paper said that Pyongyang's possession of a nuclear arsenal was justified.

'It was a shining victory for us in our struggle to achieve a parity in power with the US that we have come to develop hydrogen bombs and ICBMs,' it said.

'There was no other alternative for us in the highly confrontational situation where we alone have to face the US, the world's largest nuclear-armed state, with our own means.'
Doyle Lee Hamm was stabbed 11 times in the legs and groin with needles during a botched execution in Alabama last month

A Death Row inmate wished for death during a botched execution that saw him stabbed 11 times in the legs and groin with needles.

Doyle Lee Hamm was due to be executed on February 22 for the murder of Patrick Cunningham, but the procedure had to be called off after doctors were unable to find a vein.

Hamm, who was too weak to stand after the ordeal, was left bleeding from the groin and urinated blood an hour later, a medical examiner's report says.

Bernard Harcourt, Hamm's attorney, had warned ahead of time that cancer treatment had left him with compromised veins and that he was likely to be subjected to 'cruel and needless pain.'

Harcourt has now launched a legal suit against the Alabama Department of Corrections, saying Hamm's treatment amounted to torture.

On Monday a medical examiner's report including new images of Hamm's injuries were filed which give an account of his suffering.

According to an interview with Hamm carried out by Dr Mark Heath, an anesthesiologist from New York, on the night of the execution he was taken into a chamber with around nine people inside and strapped down to a gurney.

Two men dressed in hospital scrubs then took a leg each and worked their way up attempting to find a vein.

A medical examiner's report details how two doctors took a leg each in an attempt to find a vein, with one needle going so deep it hit Hamm's shin bone

After medics were unable to find a vein in Hamm's legs another team with an ultrasound machine attempted to find a vein in his groin, leading to six more puncture wounds

In total he was stabbed five times, three on one leg and two on the other.

Hamm said that each puncture involved multiple 'probing advances' with the needle, during which it was partially withdrawn then reinserted.

'The continued probing was painful,' the report notes. 'One of the probing needle advances was extremely painful and he felt that the shin bone in his right calf was reached by a needle.

'He estimates that the probing in his right calf persisted for about 10 minutes and states that he could feel them rolling and mashing the tissue in his leg.

'Overall he estimates that the two men spent about 30 minutes attempting IV access in his lower extremities.'

After the execution team admitted they could not gain access to a vein in his legs, a second team was brought into the room with an ultrasound device.

The second team, consisting of a man and a woman, then began scanning his groin for a vein before making a mark on his skin.

Hamm (left) was due to be executed for the 1987 murder of Patrick Cunningham (right), a motel clerk who was shot dead during a robbery

The report says each puncture wound included multiple 'probing attempts' as the needle was partially withdrawn and then pushed back in

'The doctor advanced a needle into Mr. Hamms groin,' the report staes.

'Mr. Hamm felt multiple needle insertions, and with each insertion he felt multiple probing advance/withdrawal movements.

'It is not clear whether local anesthetic was administered.

'Mr. Hamm felt the needle penetrating deep into his groin and pelvis. He stated that this probing was extremely painful.

'During this time Mr. Hamm began to hope that the doctor would succeed in obtaining IV access so that Mr. Hamm could get it over with because he preferred to die rather than to continue to experience the ongoing severe pain.'

Doctors had to request several new needles and at one point Hamm began bleeding from the groin. The blood was enough to soak a pad which had to be replaced.

After some time, an official in the room speaking on a cellphone said the execution was being called off, despite doctors protesting that they wanted to continue.

The doctors were told to 'get out' and left the room without applying pressure to the bleeding area, or giving instructions for Hamm's treatment.

Hamm said the ordeal was so painful he just wanted doctors to 'get it over with' because he would rather die than endure the pain

Hamm had to be lifted off the gurney because he was unable to stand and taken back to his holding cell before being escorted to the infirmary, where bandages were applied to his wounds.

Around an hour after the execution he urinated blood, and also later developed a chest cough.

Hamm's botched execution is the latest in a string which have gained controversy for the type of drugs used and the effect they had on the subject.

Clayton Lockett spent 40 minutes writhing in agony before dying of a heart attack after he was given a lethal injection in 2014.

It was the first time Oklahoma used the drug midazolam as the first element in its execution drug combination.

The following year convicted rapist and murderer Charles Warner was given the wrong drug during his execution in the state.

Oklahoma used potassium acetate - not potassium chloride, as required under state protocol - and Warner said his body felt like it was 'on fire'.
This dramatic footage shows the moment the head of a criminal gang with ties to Pablo Escobar was arrested at his 2.45million mansion.

The raid which led to the arrest of Elkin Triana Bustos alias 'El Patron', the alleged leader of the Colombian criminal organisation Los Triana, involved drones and more than 45 armed officers.

Drone footage showed Triana Bustos' luxury home in Amaga, Antioquia, where police found supercars, exotic animals, and voodoo paraphernalia.

Headcam footage shows police on their way to the raid before storming the opulent property and apprehending Triana Bustos.

He is thought to have began gang operations in the 1980s where he was linked to Pablo Escobar, the leader of the Medellin Cartel.

But following Escobar's death he became involved with the Los Pepes, a short-lived vigilante group composed of enemies of Escobar.

This dramatic footage shows the moment the head of a criminal gang Elkin Triana Bustos alias 'El Patron' is apprehended by police

Police officers raided 'El Patron's' 2.45million home in Amaga, Antioquia where he was enjoying celebrations with his family

Trina Bustos was also linked to La Oficina, a drug cartel and criminal organisation founded as an enforcement and collections arm of Escobar's Medellin Cartel, still believed to be active today.

Before this arrest the head of the criminal gang had served time in prison for homicide and illegal possession of weapons between 1999 and 2011.

He was sentenced to 40 years in prison but benefited from 'a redistribution of the sentence' that shortened nine years of sentence.

Just before the arrest Triana Bustos was celebrating with his wife, mother and other relatives at their family home.

Police stormed the property where they found found supercars, exotic animals, and voodoo paraphernalia

When officers raided Triana Bustos' home they found paraphernalia linked to voodoo such as these candles

Local police said that he is considered one of the most important crime bosses in Aburra Valley

The estate boasts a swimming pool, gym and armoured doors at the entrance of the property and living area.

'El Patron' has been charged with drug trafficking, homicide and blackmail - among other offences.

Mayor of Medellin Federico Gutierrez said: 'This is another strong blow against criminal organisations in the area.'

Local police said that he is considered one of the most important crime bosses in Aburra Valley.

He had control over numerous neighbourhoods in the area.

Armed police stood outside the luxury property they raided to arrest Triana Bustos

'El Patron' has been charged with drug trafficking, homicide and blackmail - among other offences

Police also found expensive cars such as this one pictured on Triana Bustos' estate
This is the incredible moment a small tug boat pushes a giant warship into port with expert precision.

The ship, L.E. William Butler Yeats, completely dwarfs its smaller counterpart which can be seen nudging the warship into Haulbowline Naval Base in south Ireland, near Cork.

After smoothly sailing into port the tug boat begins its task of parking the huge boat, which appears to be no small feat.

LE William Bulter Yeats is the third in a series of vessels designed by Vard Marine and builty by Babcock Marine Appledore

L.E. William Butler Yeats was returning to Haulbowline Naval Base, Ireland accompanied by a much smaller tug boat

By gently jabbing the back-end of the ship the tug boat is able to push it eye-wateringly close to another ship which is parked paralell.

It appears that the small boat has done an excellent job of parking up the boat in the Naval Base.

The warship is a Samuel-Beckett-class offshore patrol vessel of the Irish Navel Service.

After smoothly sailing into port the tug boat begins its task of parking the huge boat, which appears to be no small feat

LE William Bulter Yeats is the third in a series of vessels designed by Vard Marine and builty by Babcock Marine Appledore.

After being released from the shipyard in March 2016 it arrived at Haulbowline Naval Base in July 2016.

During a ceremony to commission the ship in Galway it was officially named by the granddaughter of the poet, Caitriona Yeats.

This is the incredible moment a small tug boat pushes a giant warship into port with expert precision and helps it to park

Locator map shows where abouts Haulbowline Naval Base is in Southern Ireland

The vessel is 295ft long and 45ft wide and a displacement of 1,900 tonnes, making tug boats skills even more impressive

The vessel is 295ft long and 45ft wide and a displacement of 1,900 tonnes, making tug boats skills even more impressive.

Last year LE William Butler Yeats set sail for the Mediterranean to relieve the crew of the LE Eithne and continue the Naval Services mission to save lives at sea.

LE Eithne is also a vessel in the Irish Naval fleet.

Last year LE William Butler Yeats set sail for the Mediterranean to relieve the crew of the LE Eithne and continue the Naval Services mission to save lives at sea
Donald Tusk today said Britain cannot take a 'pick and mix approach' to Brexit as he warned trade will become 'more complicated and costly' in the future.

The European Council President said that as Theresa May has ruled out staying in the EU single market and customs union the only option on the table is a free trade deal.

He warned Britain cannot have the 'rights of Norway' - which is in the single market - with only the 'obligations of Canada' - which is outside but has a free trade deal.

Mr Tusk said Brexit will be the first time in history that two partners have decided to loosen economic ties.

But he also said he hopes to negotiate an 'ambitious' free trade deal with Britain which will mean no tariffs are put on goods traded.

He said: 'Our agreement will not make trade between the UK and EU frictionless or smoother.

'It will make it more complicated and costly than today for all of us. This is the essence of Brexit.'

His comments came as officials in Brussels have dismissed Mrs May's major Brexit speech as an attempt by Britain to secure 'double cherry picking'.

Donald Tusk (pictured in Luxembourg today) today warned that Britain cannot take a 'pick and mix approach' to Brexit as he warned that the UK cannot opt in to parts of the single market

Mr Tusk (pictured at a press conference with the Luxembourg PM Xavier Bettel) warned that Britain cannot have the 'rights of Norway' - which is in the EU single market - with only the 'obligations of Canada' - which is outside but has a free trade deal.

Mr Tusk said Mrs May has ruled out membership of the customs union, single market and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

As a result, the only option left on the table is a free trade deal, he told a press conference in Luxembourg,

What is in the EU Council's new negotiating rules on trade talks? The EU Council today adopted negotiating guidelines ahead of planned formal trade talks. It says: The EU wants tariff free trade with Britain after Brexit.

But it warns Britain cannot have 'partial participation' in the EU single market to achieve this. Services - crucial to the UK - will only be included with restrictions.

The document sets out a willingness on the EU side to let Britain stay inside the Single Market and Customs Union if Theresa May dropped her red lines on the issue.

There is common ground on a close defence, security and policing partnership.

The EU wants a deal on aviation to keep planes flying after Brexit Advertisement

He said: 'The EU cannot agree to grant the rights of Norway and the obligations of Canada.

'No member state is free to pick only those sectors of the single market it likes, nor to accept the rule of the ECJ (European Court of Justice) only when it suits their interests.

'By the same token, a pick and mix approach for a non-member state is out of the question.

'We are not going to sacrifice these principles. It is simply not in our interests.'

Mr Tusk said that the EU would aim for an 'ambitious' free trade agreement with the UK, but warned that trade would become more difficult.

He added: 'Our agreement will not make trade between the UK and EU frictionless or smoother.

'It will make it more complicated and costly than today for all of us. This is the essence of Brexit.'

But he also tried to strike a conciliatory tone, insisting that 'we do not want to build a wall between the EU and Britain' after Brexit.

He said: 'On the contrary, the UK will be our closest neighbour and we want to remain friends and partners after Brexit - partners that are as close as possible, just like we have said from the very first day after the referendum.'

In the same press conference the Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel warned there are no winners in Brexit, only losers.

Officials in Brussels have dismissed Theresa May's (pictured in the Commons on today) major Brexit speech as an attempt by Britain to secured 'double cherry picking'

The damning report leaked today as EU Council President Donald Tusk (pictured in No 10 with Mrs May last week) prepares to publish draft negotiating rules for the trade talks phase

He said: 'There will be no winners after Brexit. Both sides will be losing.

MEPs are set to REJECT May's Brexit vision as impossible without the UK following EU rules The European Parliament is poised to reject Theresa May's Brexit vision. A motion about the trade talks warns the EU has binding rules and institutions that countries must stick to. It says countries outside the EU cannot have 'similar benefits or market access as EU member states' without accepting the rules of the bloc - even if it has similar regulations. This is a rejection of Mrs May's Brexit vision of managed divergence - where the UK would get access to the EU's markets and could diverge its laws over time. The 65 clause motion will be put to a vote of MEPs next week and could still be re-written. But in its current form it demands Britain accepts a 'binding convergence mechanism' to keep UK and EU law the same. If this proves unacceptable, the draft says, Britain will only get a more distant 'association agreement'. This could exclude Britain from a range of agencies Mrs May said last week she wants to keep. Senior MEP Guy Verhofstadt also outlined the European Parliament's hopes for a Brexit deal. He said that MEPs are proposing Britain has an 'association agreement' with Brussels after Brexit. He said this will consist of 'four pillars' which will cover Britain's future relationship with the bloc. These will cover trade and economics, international security, domestic security and thematic cooperation - for example the student exchange scheme Erasmus. He told a press conference they are proposing a 'broad, intense and detailed association agreement'. He said: 'The main proposals of this resolution is to try to find a solution for the future relationship. 'A bridge, I should say, between on the one hand the red lines of the UK government - we know these red lines; for example no free movement, no oversight by the ECJ. 'We have to try to make a bridge between the red lines of the UK government and on the other hand the system of the EU.' The motion will be put to a vote of MEPs next Wednesday. Advertisement

'Minimising the losses and limiting the negative impacts as much as possible in respect of the level playing of the international market is the challenge we all face around the table.'

He called for an 'intelligent Brexit' and one 'without cherry picking and especially without giving the impression to other EU citizens that to be outside is more interesting (than) to be inside'.

Mr Bettel, who will meet Mrs May in London next week, said he 'didn't learn that much more than I knew before' from her Mansion House speech.

'It is not clear exactly what they want,' he said of the UK's position.

He added: 'To give the impression that the UK will be the big winner of Brexit, I told you before, there will be no winner - not them, not us.'

The remarks came as officials said that Mrs May's Mansion House speech on Brexit last week was a 'change in tone but not in substance'.

It accused Mrs May of addressing her critics at home and not engaging with the difficulties in the negotiations.

The report emerged today as EU officials published the first draft of negotiating rules for the trade talks phase.

Drafts for earlier phases have triggered major rows.

The document sets out the EU wants tariff free trade with Britain after Brexit.

But it warns Britain cannot have 'partial participation' in the EU single market to achieve this. Services - crucial to the UK - will only be included with restrictions.

The document sets out a willingness on the EU side to let Britain stay inside the Single Market and Customs Union if Mrs May dropped her red lines on the issue.

There is common ground on a close defence, security and policing partnership.

The leaked Brussels paper on the Mansion House speech, revealed in today's Guardian, described Mrs May's vision of the biggest ever trade deal as unworkable and 'double cherry-picking'.

It also claimed there had been 'zero progress' when it came to ideas for customs cooperation.

It said: 'Like with PM May's previous speeches, she addressed more her domestic audience, trying to bridge the gaps between the two poles of the debate on Brexit in the UK,' the paper concluded.

'While the speech was long on aspirations, it was short on workable solutions that would respect the EU27 principles.'

The report does praise Mrs May for acknowledging a trade off between British sovereignty and access to EU markets, including accepting this has costs.

A spokesman for the Brexit department declined to comment on the leak.

A Whitehall source condemned it as a 'highly misleading summary which was clearly prepared at pace, contains very poor analysis, and does not reflect the detailed conversations we are having with European partners'.

Meanwhile, senior MEP Guy Verhofstadt also outlined the European Parliament's hopes for a Brexit deal. He said that MEPs are proposing Britain has an 'association agreement' with Brussels after Brexit

Downing Street stressed that the guidance drawn up by Mr Tusk was a draft text which had not been formally published.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'We look forward to seeing the final guidelines when published and hope they will provide the flexibility to allow the EU to think creatively and imaginatively about our future economic partnership.'

WHAT WERE THE KEY POINTS OF MAY'S MANSION HOUSE SPEECH Theresa May set out her vision for the future of the UK-EU relationship last week. She said: There are five tests for the success of the deal - implementing the referendum, creating an enduring deal, protecting security, a deal that is consistent with the kind of country Britain wants to be and strengthening the United Kingdom

The UK-EU free trade agreement should be biggest and most ambitious ever struck

May said the deal should be the first one ever to cover services, the lynchpin of the British economy

But she accepted publicly that the City of London would not get 'passporting rights' that allow financial services companies to trade directly in Europe

But the deal will also require cherry picking, in defiance of the EU's refusal to consider it. May said every trade deal amounts to cherry picking

The PM said 'life is going to be different' after Brexit and there were 'hard choices' on both sides - and neither the UK or EU will get everything they want

Trade across the Irish border should be a 'frictionless as possible' to avoid a hard border

A border down the Irish Sea would be just as bad as a hard border on the island of Ireland

Britain will not slash and burn regulations and hopes for 'mutual recognition' in many areas

The UK is prepared to pay for access to and follow the rules of European agencies covering medicine, chemicals and flights Advertisement

Meanwhile, senior MEP Guy Verhofstadt also outlined the European Parliament's hopes for a Brexit deal.

He said that MEPs are proposing Britain has an 'association agreement' with Brussels after Brexit.

He said this will consist of 'four pillars' which will cover Britain's future relationship with the bloc.

These will cover trade and economics, international security, domestic security and diplomatic cooperation - for example the student exchange scheme Erasmus.

He told a press conference they are proposing a 'broad, intense and detailed association agreement'.

He said: 'The main proposals of this resolution is to try to find a solution for the future relationship.

'A bridge, I should say, between on the one hand the red lines of the UK government - we know these red lines; for example no free movement, no oversight by the ECJ.

'We have to try to make a bridge between the red lines of the UK government and on the other hand the system of the EU.'

The motion will be put to a vote of MEPs next Wednesday.

The Government was told yesterday France wants a 'fair' Brexit settlement but the economically important financial services sector could not be covered by a free-trade agreement.

French economy minister Bruno Le Maire said there had to be a 'good deal' with the UK, but the City of London and the financial sector would have to rely on an equivalence regime.

And senior MEP Guy Verhofstadt visited Downing Street for talks with Mrs May, David Davis and Amber Rudd.

Mr Verhofstadt has warned the European Parliament will not accept any deal on citizens' rights that involves discrimination against people who come to the UK during the transition period.

But in a sign that he believes the Government may make further concessions, he told reporters in Downing Street: 'I think it is possible that in the coming days and coming weeks we make progress on this, we can conclude on this.'

Senior MEP Guy Verhofstadt (pictured in Downing Street yesterday) has warned the European Parliament will not accept any deal on citizens' rights that involves discrimination against people who come to the UK during the transition period.

Mr Verhofstadt also set out his vision for the future relationship between the UK and EU to be defined within an overall associate agreement rather than a Canada-style trade deal and a series of other pacts.

But he said the best outcome for the UK would be to remain in the single market and customs union, options ruled out by the Prime Minister.

He said: 'If the UK stays very near to the rules of the European Union that will secure jobs in Britain. That will be the best way forward for the British economy.

'My preferential choice would be that Britain still is part of the single market, still is part of the customs union, then most problems would be solved.

'That is not the wish of the UK Government.'
Jared Kushner will meet with Mexico's president on Wednesday amid heightened tensions over the border wall and trade.

The senior White House adviser and presidential son-in-law has been beset with rumors that he has lost influence at the White House since his security clearance was downgraded earlier this month.

But Kushner will be traveling to Mexico City with a delegation that includes staff from the State Department and National Security Council.

They will meet with Mexico's foreign minister and officials are expected to discuss security, immigration, trade and other issues.

Scroll down for video

Jared Kushner is to lead a delegation to Mexico to discuss security, immigration, trade and other issues

Tentative plans for President Enrique Pena Nieto to visit the White House were scrapped last month after a testy telephone call with Donald Trump over the wall the US leader has pledged to build on the border between the two countries.

Pena Nieto also scrapped a planned trip to Washington shortly after Trump took office in January 2017.

The two leaders spoke for about 50 minutes at the end of last month.

But the discussion led to an impasse when Trump would not agree to publicly affirm Mexico's position that it would not fund construction of the wall along the US-Mexico border.

A Mexican official reportedly said Trump lost his temper during the conversation.

Donald Trump and President Enrique Pena Nieto met when the President was running for office but a meeting at the White House was cancelled

Pena Nieto (left), who met Trump in July on the sidelines of a G20 summit, canceled an earlier meeting after Trump threatened to impose a tax on Mexican imports to pay for the wall

US officials described Trump as frustrated and exasperated, because he believed it was unreasonable for Pena Nieto to want him to back off his campaign promise of forcing Mexico to pay for the wall.

The wall has become a sticking point in talks to keep alive a federal program that protects young people who were brought to the United States illegally as children from deportation.

In his latest budget proposal to Congress, Trump requested $23 billion for border security, most of it for building the wall.

Pena Nieto, who met Trump in July on the sidelines of a G20 summit, canceled an earlier meeting after Trump threatened to impose a tax on Mexican imports to pay for the wall.

Meanwhile, Mexico's economy secretary says it might impose retaliatory tariffs on 'politically sensitive' U.S. products if America doesn't exempt Mexico from worldwide duties on steel and aluminum announced by President Trump.

Alfonso Guajardo told the Televisa network on Tuesday that 'what we would have to do is set up a response on those export goods that are the most politically sensitive, and target those goods in particular.

In the past, Mexico has sometimes slapped retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products from states that could influence the U.S. president in turn.
A male escort who sent the Vatican a list of 40 'gay' priests has revealed how some paid hundreds of pounds for sex and sent each other penis pictures on WhatsApp.

Francesco Mangiacapra produced a 1,200-page dossier identifying the priests and seminarians in Italy saying he wanted to end the hypocrisy of 'preaching hatred towards gays'.

He has described how one priest exposed himself in front of a bell and sent him a naked WhatsApp picture asking whether he liked his penis.

The archdiocese of Naples says it has sent the Vatican a 1,200-page dossier compiled by a male escort identifying 40 actively gay priests and seminarians in Italy. File picture shows St Peter's Square in the Vatican city

He said priests often used Telegram to create chat groups and find escorts in their areas.

Some paid 'hundreds of euro' for sexual services and sent images of their penises to each other describing where and how they wanted to have sex, he claimed.

Mangiacapra, who says he is now giving up prostitution to end the 'indignity of selling my body', told Catania Today that his decision to send the dossier was 'not a gesture that goes against the Catholic Church'.

'We are talking about sins, not crimes. I only want this out so that these people will stop preaching hatred towards gays.

'I did it for the health of the church. We are talking about bad apples which, in my opinion, should be reduced to the lay state not to be punished but to have the opportunity to come into contact and reconcile with their own homosexuality.

'As a person who enjoys sexual freedom, I do not condemn the homosexuality of the priests: Homosexuality is not a crime, what is condemned is the incoherence of these priests.'

The archdiocese of Naples says it has forwarded the dossier to the Vatican. In a statement on the diocesan website, Archbishop of Naples Cardinal Cresenzio Sepe said none of the identified priests worked in the city.

But he said he decided to pass on the file because 'there remains the gravity of the cases for which those who have erred must pay the price, and be helped to repent for the harm done.'

None of the 34 priests or six seminarians was accused of having sex with minors, Mangiacapra was quoted as saying in the diocesan statement.

It's the latest sex scandal to convulse the Italian church and the Vatican.

Last month, a Vatican judge pleaded guilty in a Rome tribunal to having child porn on his computer after police were brought in when he allegedly tried to fondle an 18-year-old man.

Monsignor Pietro Amenta was a judge on the Roman Rota, the Holy See tribunal that hears marriage annulment cases, as well as a consulter to various Vatican congregations.

He resigned after the plea deal, the Vatican said.
President Donald Trump has pledged that a replacement for his top economic advisor is coming 'soon' following his resignation.

Gary Cohn, who resigned yesterday afternoon as Trump's chief economic advisor, had been a standard bearer for the Wall Street ethos in an administration propelled to power by popularism.

But having lost a bruising internal battle over Trump's sudden decision last week to impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, Cohn finally threw in the towel, confirming days of speculation that he was on the way out.

But tweeting last night, the president said 'many people' want the job of replacing Cohn - and promised to 'choose wisely'.

President Donald Trump has pledged that a replacement for his top economic advisor is coming 'soon' following his resignation

He wrote: 'Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor'.

In a brief statement, Cohn, 57, said it had been 'an honor to enact pro-growth economic policies' - a reference to the $1.5 trillion tax cuts of December. Trump praised him as 'a rare talent.'

Cohn had always been an uneasy fit, a former president of investment bank Goldman Sachs and long-time Democrat who clung to the traditional centrist, pro-business mindset.

Cohn (pictured) had always been an uneasy fit, a former president of investment bank Goldman Sachs and long-time Democrat who clung to the traditional centrist, pro-business mindset

Tensions with Trump already erupted last year when Cohn, who is Jewish, said he considered resigning after Trump balked at condemning far-right activists who had led a rally in Virginia in August which turned violent.

He also opposed Trump's decision early last year to withdraw from the Paris climate accord.

Trump's far-right supporters derisively dubbed Cohn 'Globalist Gary' and in the end he was outgunned by West Wing protectionists who prevailed on Trump to please his political base of support by imposing tariffs.

Global stock markets fell today after the surprise departure.

Britain's FTSE 100 was flat but France's CAC 40 fell 0.5 per cent while Germany's DAX lost 0.4 per cent.

Futures augured big losses on Wall Street. Dow futures sank 1.3 per cent while S&P futures tumbled 1 per cent.

Cohn had worked on Wall Street since the 1990s and was one the firm's best known public faces, making frequent television appearances to talk about the health of financial markets and the global economy.

Before joining the Wall Street powerhouse, the married father of three - who comes from a humble family background and struggled with dyslexia in his youth - started out selling windows and, in a twist of fate, had even worked in the steel industry.

At Goldman, Cohn was in charge of some of the firm's cash-cow businesses, including the division overseeing fixed income, currency and commodities. As president and chief operating officer, he was heir apparent to CEO Lloyd Blankfein since 2006.

But after it became clear that Blankfein, who said last year he was 'probably cured' of lymphoma, would not hand over the reins any time soon, senior figures in the bank began to consider Cohn's future there, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Even though Trump rallied supporters during his campaign by denouncing Goldman Sachs, Cohn was one of five Goldman alumni to join the White House staff.

The others included Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Steve Bannon former chief strategist in the White House, and Anthony Scaramucci who was a member of Trump's transition team, and spent a very few days on the White House staff before a famously vulgar interview prompted him to resign.

Cohn will be joining Hope Hicks (top pictured), White House director of strategic communications, in leaving the administration

In the campaign's closing moments, Trump went as far as to use Blankfein's face in a TV spot accusing elites of illegitimately holding the 'levers of power,' drawing outraged accusations of anti-Semitism.

The bank's shares soared more than 50 per cent since Trump's shock triumph at the polls in November 2016, but were down two per cent in after-hours trading on Tuesday after the latest staff upheaval.

Cohn was a forceful public advocate for another of Trump's flagship policies: the December tax cuts, which industry and investors have cheered, but opposition Democrats have denounced as a giveaway to the rich that will balloon budget deficits.

'It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people,' Cohn said in a terse statement on his resignation that belied fierce infighting in Trump's tumultuous White House.
Hybrid 'Hinglish' lessons are being taught at a UK college for the first time in a bid to help Britain win business in India.

Portsmouth College has introduced a new course for the language, a mix of English and Hindi, which has been spoken since the 17th Century.

Hinglish is now becoming India's most important language - to the extent that British diplomats posted to the country were told in 2012 they will need to learn it.

While this mixing has occurred since colonial times, it is now maturing and spreading across the country - meaning a diplomat without some understanding of the Hindi words can be left out of the loop in conversations or miss nuances which could affect relationships and business deals.

Hybrid 'Hinglish' lessons are being taught at a UK college for the first time in a bid to help Britain win business in India

Examples of Bollywood films using Hinglish in the titles include 'Ek Tha Tiger' (Once There was a Tiger), 'Love Aaj Kal' (Love Today Tomorrow) and 'Shaadi Ke Side Effects' (The Side Effects of Marriage)

Portsmouth College teacher, Viraj Shah, told The Telegraph: 'Films are being watched a lot of Indian people and right from the titles to the script, everything is in Hinglish.'

James Watters, a department head at the college, added: 'It's great to hear that our future generation of workers are taking into account that things that are happening around us.'

He said the course would make them 'socially aware and better prepared for situations they may be faced with'.

For 200 years, En glish has always been a 'language of choice' for businesses, private schools and the upper classes.

Meanwhile words have always moved freely between the two languages - words used every day in English-speaking countries such as shampoo and pyjamas have their origins in India.

Portsmouth College has introduced a new course for the language, a mix of English and Hindi, which has been spoken since the 17th Century

For 200 years, En glish has always been a 'language of choice' for businesses, private schools and the upper classes

But with many Indian TV channels and movies now freely mixing the two languages, the impact is now spreading into other areas of life.

Examples of Bollywood films using Hinglish in the titles include 'Ek Tha Tiger' (Once There was a Tiger), 'Love Aaj Kal' (Love Today Tomorrow) and 'Shaadi Ke Side Effects' (The Side Effects of Marriage).

It is also spreading across the country - with cheaper televisions and access to the internet spreading across rural areas spreading the influence further than the cities.

Hinglish glossary 'Chuddies' - underpants 'Airdash' - to go somewhere very quickly 'Timepass' - to pass time 'Chaivanist' - a person who is extremely fond of chai tea 'Prepone' - a word used to describe the opposite of postpone, i.e. bringing a meeting forward 'Glassi' - thirsty Advertisement

Ladet year, the BBC hired journalists fluent in Pidgin and English to write for its new Pidgin English for Nigerian readers.

It was funded by a 289m investment by the Government to expand the BBC World Service into countries such as North Korea.

It is the first of 12 new language services as part of its biggest expansion since the 1940s.

Pidgin began when European traders started visiting the West African coastline to barter for slaves in the 15th century.

Similar to Creoles found in the Caribbean, it spread as English became a language of prestige in colonial times.

In a country whose inhabitants speak hundreds of different dialects, it is used as a lingua franca, or bridge language.

It is spoken by more than 75million people across the country.

Pidgin takes inspiration from Portuguese, the first European language to reach Nigeria's shores, English, the enduring colonial-era language, as well as Jamaican patois imported by former slaves returning to the continent.
The art world has been rocked after the FBI indicted a London dealer over claims he offered to use the sale of a Picasso painting to launder money.

Matthew Green, 50, who is the son of famous dealer Richard Green, 81, has been charged by the US Department of Justice after claims he told an undercover agent he could clean up dirty money through the sale of 'Personnages' by the Spanish artist.

Greens art business allegedly sent the agent an invoice for $9.29 million for the painting, with the expectation of receiving a six-figure fee for his services.

Payment was due last week but the deal did not proceed.

Matthew Green, 50, who is the son of famous dealer Richard Green, 81, has been charged by the Department of Justice after claims he told an undercover agent he could clean up dirty money through the sale of 'Personnages' (pictured) by the Spanish artist

The elder Green (right), owner of the The Richard Green Gallery, is one of London's most prominent dealers, with a collection worth an estimated $101 million. Left: Matthew Green

There is no suggestion Green's father, or his company, is in any way connected with the allegations.

The elder Green, owner of the The Richard Green Gallery, is one of London's most prominent dealers, with a collection worth an estimated $101 million.

He owns paintings by greats such as JMW Turner and John Constable.

It is alleged his son was asked by an undercover FBI agent to launder cash acquired through a share manipulation scheme.

The indictment states: 'During the meeting, Matthew Green stated, in part, that it was important for him to make more than a 5 per cent profit on the transaction so he would not be asked why he was "in the money-laundering business".'

His company, Mayfair Fine Art Limited, is alleged to have sent the $9.29 million invoice for the 1965 painting two weeks later.

He is alleged to have written to another defendant in the case that he wanted to 'preserve a certain amount of anonymity' during the deal.

So far Green, one of six people charged in the case, has not commented on the charges and no extradition request has been made to the British government.

There is no suggestion Green's father, or his company, is in any way connected with the allegations. Pictured: One of the elder Green's galleries in Mayfair

His father's gallery emphasized that it has no knowledge of the allegations and was keen to see the truth established.

Richard Green is the son of Jimmy, himself a gallery owner from 1936.

He worked for his father from the age of 15 and set up his own company in 1955.

Now he is the chief of one of the biggest dealerships in the world, counting many masterpieces among his collection.

They include four sculptures by Barbara Hepworth, 'Flatford Lock on the Stour looking towards Bridge Cottage' by Constable and 'Whitstable Oyster Beds' by Turner.
A reckless motorcyclist came within feet of causing an accident while speeding on a busy highway in east China

Footage shared online shows a BMW motorbike is squeezing between cars and lorries, hitting a maximum speed of 185 miles per hour.

The 24-year-old, surnamed Shi, was arrested for dangerous driving and speeding without a driving licence.

Camera footage shows the biker overtaking cars on a busy highway in Nanjing, east China

Jiangsu City Channel reported that the incident took place at a highway that connects to Nanjing Lukou International Airport in Jiangsu Province.

Mr Shi can be seen driving his BMW S1000RR motorbike on a four-lane road and overtaking the cars at 4:25pm on February 26.

The clip, taken from a camera attached to his helmet, shows the speedometer indicating Mr Shi gaining the speed from 130kmh (80 mph) to 299 kmh (185 mph), same as the high-speed Eurostar train.

The speedometer stays at 299kmh as the bike reached its maximum speed before Mr Shi reduced it.

Nanjing traffic police launched an investigation as they saw the video online. Officers arrested Mr Shi on March 1 at his home in Daijia Alley of Nanjing on suspicion of dangerous driving.

The officers also confiscated his BMW motorbike.

The speedometer shows Mr Shi is hitting a speed of 299kmh (185mph), fast as a Eurostar train

Surveillance camera footage also captures Mr Shi speeding on a highway near an airport

Mr Shi, who runs a business selling motorbike accessories, told the police that he has not acquired a driving licence.

He admitted that he had spent 50,000 yuan (5,704) to buy the second-hand BMW S1000RR.

Solicitor Xu Yunzhao, from Nanjing Gaopun Chambers told Liaoshen Evening Post that the motorcyclist had posed danger to other road users.

Mr Xu explained that Mr Shi might have already violated Article 133 of China's Criminal Law in violating regulations governing traffic and transportation.

The 24-year-old was arrested last Thursday on illegal driving and posing danger to road users

He spent 5,704 and bought a second-hand bike before he took it off the road on February 26
Advertisement

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sat down face to face for talks with Theresa May today as Britain rolled out the red carpet for his visit.

The two leaders agreed to set a target for around 65billion of trade and investment between the two countries over the coming years

The PM also raised 'deep concerns at the humanitarian situation in Yemen' where Saudi led forces are raging a bloody war and have been accused of breaching internal humanitarian law.

They met for talks together with senior officials on both sides at the first ever UK-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council - a high-powered meeting will be repeated annually to build ties.

Earlier the Saudi ruler lunched with the Queen and Duke of York at Buckingham Palace as Britain treats the Crown Prince to pomp and ceremony during his three-day visit to Britain.

But the trip looks set to be overshadowed by protests which began today as angry demonstrators descended on Whitehall carrying placards and chanting.

Among the crowd which gathered outside the gates of Downing Street Labour's shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon and Labour's shadow business minister Laura Pidcock joined the protest.

Mr Burgon posted a pictured of the pair at a demonstration opposite Downing Street with the message: 'This evening myself, @LauraPidcockMP and other Labour MPs joined the demonstration outside 10 Downing Street protesting against the Government's red carpet for Saudi Arabia's ruler and bomb buyer in chief.'

Critics have slammed the Government for inviting the royal while his kingdom is accused of war crimes and millions of Yemenis are at risk of famine.

Theresa May (pictured left with ministers including Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, Chancellor Philip Hammond, Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Education Secretary Damian Hinds and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt) sat face to face Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the inaugural UK-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council today

The Crown Prince (pictured addressing the council meeting today) is also due to receive a security briefing from British intelligence while visiting Downing Street

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Amber Rudd and International Trade secretary Liam Fox were among the PM's ministers who attended the talks with Saudi Arabia's leaders today

The two delegations posed for a family photo inside 10 Downing Street tonight to mark the first ever UK-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council

The Prince of Wales with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman before they had dinner at Clarence House

The Saudi delegation poured into No 10 today (pictured) for the inaugural Strategic Partnership Council between London and Riyadh. The meeting is due to be held annually

Theresa May welcomed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to No 10 Downing Street this afternoon (pictured) after he lunched with the Queen at Buckingham Palace

Mrs May has vowed to raise concerns over the conduct of Saudi's war in Yemen during today's talks amid growing anger at the roll of British personnel in advising the Saudi airforce

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with the Queen at Buckingham Palace earlier (pictured) to kick off a three-day trip set to be dominated by protests

Meeting the Queen in a private audience was a signal of the diplomatic importance Britain placed upon the visit by the Crown Prince as the Government scrambles to build closer ties with the Kingdom

The trip looks set to be overshadowed by protests which began today as angry demonstrators descended on Whitehall carrying placards and chanting

Critics have slammed the Government for inviting the royal while his kingdom is accused of war crimes and millions of Yemenis are at risk of famine

Labour's shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon and Labour's shadow business minister Laura Pidcock joined the protest

Human rights demonstrators dressed as Mrs May and the Crown Prince descended on Westminster while red double-decker buses carried protesters through Westminster.

But the PM defended Britain's close ties with the country as she was challenged over it during today's PMQs in the Commons.

Mrs May said: 'The link that we have with Saudi Arabia is historic, it is an important one and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country.'

She added: 'I will be raising concerns abut human rights with the Crown Prince when I meet him.'

Why is Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen going to trigger protests? What is Saudi Arabia's role in the war in Yemen? Yemen has been embroiled in a bloody civil war since 2014 when Houthi rebels took over the capital city of Sanaa. Saudi Arabia feared the rise of the group it says is backed by Iran, the region's key Shia power. Riyadh formed a coalition with other mainly Sunni Arab states to restore the ousted Yemeni government. What action has Saudi Arabia taken? As well as bombing campaigns, the kingdom hit Yemen with naval blockades after a missile was fired towards Riyadh. The ports of Hodeidah and Salif were blocked off for weeks, stopping crucial aid and supplies from reaching the country. How has the conflict affected Yemenis? The UNHCR, the United Nations' refugee agency, says the country is suffering the "world's worst humanitarian crisis". Some 22.2 million people, 75 per cent of the population, are in need of aid as they battle conflict, famine and disease, and thousands have died. Advertisement

The Prime Minister will also call for urgent progress on securing a political resolution in Yemen when she has her first meeting with the Crown Prince later.

Her remarks came after Jeremy Corbyn accused her Government of 'colluding' with war crimes by selling arms to Riyadh while it stands accused of breaching human rights laws in Yemen.

The Labour leader said: 'Germany has suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia but British arms sales have sharply increased and British military advisers are directing war.

'It cannot be right that her government is colluding in what the United Nations says is evidence of war crimes.

'Will the Prime Minister use her meeting today with the crown prince to halt the arms supplies and demand an immediate ceasefire in Yemen?'

Mr Corbyn's spokesman then told reporters: 'British military personnel are in the operations room where these bombing campaigns are being conducted. They are advising directly on the targeting of infrastructure and operations in Yemen.

'If they are trying to avoid civilian casualties, it has been a disastrous failure since the civilian casualties have been extremely high and the targeting of schools and hospitals in Yemen by the Saudi air force is on a very large scale.

'There is clearly evidence of war crimes having been carried out in Yemen by the Saudi air force.

'Targeting of civilian infrastructure, hospitals and schools - which has happened on a large scale in Yemen - is a war crime.

'It is essential that stops.

Hitting back at Mr Corbyn's comments in PMQs today, Mrs May's official spokesman said: 'The suggestion that the British military advisers are directing the war is simply not true.

'The United Kingdom is not a member of the Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen, British personnel are not involved in carrying out strikes, directing or conducting operations in Yemen, and are not involved in the Saudi targeting decision making process.'

In a read-out of the meeting between the two leaders today, the PM's spokesman said the pair had talked about investment, pushing women's rights in Saudi Arabia and the war in Yemen.

He said: 'The meeting agreed a landmark ambition for around 65bn of mutual trade and investment opportunities over the coming years, including direct investment in the UK and new Saudi public procurement with UK companies.

'This is a significant boost for UK prosperity and a clear demonstration of the strong international confidence in our economy as we prepare to leave the European Union.'

He added: 'The Prime Minister raised our deep concerns at the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

'The Prime Minister and Crown Prince agreed on the importance of full and unfettered humanitarian and commercial access, including through the ports, and that a political solution was ultimately the only way to end the conflict and humanitarian suffering in Yemen.'

The Crown Prince's trip also included a dinner with the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge tonight.

He will also see Mrs May again at her country retreat of Chequers tomorrow, and hold talks with Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson on Friday.

Part of the visit will be the first annual Strategic Partnership Council between Britain and Saudi Arabia in Downing Street today.

Ahead of the trip, Mrs May's official spokesman said: 'You can expect them to discuss Yemen and the Prime Minister to raise deep concerns at the humanitarian situation.'

In her meeting today, the PM will 'acknowledge the steps' taken recently by Saudi Arabia to address the crisis.

Theresa May defended Britain's close ties with Saudi Arabia as she was challenged over the Crown Prince's visit during today's PMQs in the Commons

Mrs May and the Crown Prince (pictured today on the steps of Downing Street) will meet again tomorrow at Chequers

The Crown Prince has spent months building his profile abroad, with a series of trips to the United States and Egypt in recent weeks

The summit is the first annual event dedicated to building ties between Britain and Saudi Arabia. It involves business and defence officials on both sides

Members of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's delegation leave 10 Downing Street after holding talks with British ministers in the inaugural summit

Theresa May's spokesman said that in the talks she will also 'stress the importance of full and unfettered humanitarian and commercial access' through the ports of Hodeidah and Salif, which have previously been hit by coalition blockades (pictured, Saudi ministers leaving the meeting)

But in the talks she will also 'stress the importance of full and unfettered humanitarian and commercial access' through the ports of Hodeidah and Salif, which have previously been hit by coalition blockades.

'She will also reiterate how seriously we take allegations of violations against international humanitarian law and emphasise the need to ensure that these are investigated swiftly and thoroughly,' the spokesman added.

Who is in the Saudi delegation? Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman Saudi Ambassador to the UK, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf Al Saud Minister of Commerce and Investment, Dr Majed Bin Abdullah Al Kassabi Minister of Health, Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah Foreign Minister, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Falih Minister of Education, Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Issa Minister of Economy and Planning, Mohammed al-Tuwaijri Head of General Intelligence Presidency, Khalid bin Ali Al Humaidan Advertisement

'She will make clear that we urgently need to see progress on the political track, which is ultimately the only way to end the conflict and humanitarian suffering in Yemen.'

Yemen has been embroiled in a bloody civil war since 2014 when rebels took over the capital city of Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia is the main player in a coalition supporting the Yemeni government against the Houthis in a war which has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.

Britain has been criticised in some quarters for arms sales to the kingdom during the war.

Summoned to the Commons to answer an urgent question on Britain's controversial relationship with Saudi Arabia, Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt defended the visit.,

He questioned how the 'personal comments' made would 'constitute a decent start to such a relationship'.

On Yemen, he said: 'There is not indiscriminate bombing of civilians as has been alleged,' adding that 'there's been no silence from the UK'.

On humanitarian issues, he said there was not a blockade or restriction of goods coming in. The UK he added had been working hard for a diplomatic solution.

He said: 'Calling for a ceasefire is not the same as having one...nor is she giving full credit to the efforts that are being made to try and bring this matter to an end.

'She is not the sole holder of conscience in this place as we deal with the difficulties of trying to deal with the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, that is what we are seeking to do and we will bend all our efforts to that and we will continue to do so with or without her support.'

Commuters along Aspen Way, near Canary Wharf, were tonight met with electronic billboards displaying the Crown Prince's face, captioned: 'He is bringing change to Saudi Arabia'

A protester brandishes a 'Hands off Yemen' sign outside Whitehall in London today as Prince Mohammad Bin Salman met with the Prime Minister

Metropolitan Police officers were on standby outside Downing Street tonight as protesters gathered to condemn the visit of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

demonstrators descended on Whitehall to stage a protest at the visit just across the road from the gates of Downing Street as Saudi and British ministers held talks inside

There was a large police presence outside Downing Street today as Scotland Yard deployed officers in case the protests turned ugly

Critics claim Mohammed Bin Salman is a 'war criminal' because of the Saudi war in Yemen and a large demonstration is expected outside Downing Street

Protesters dressed up as Theresa May and the Crown Prince descended on Parliament today to protest at his visit and the war in Yemen

Campaigners from 'Save the Children' protest against the visit of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to the UK with a statue protest outside Parliament. The protests risk overshadowing the three-day visit by the Crown Prince

The Crown Prince has been the driving force behind a modernisation programme, Vision 2030, in Saudi Arabia, but the reforms have been dismissed as a 'mirage' by campaigners.

It is hoped today's Downing Street summit could lead to Saudi investment in and through the UK of up to 100 billion over the next 10 years.

The crown prince has also been granted rare access to a briefing on foreign policy issues, including Yemen, by national security officials.

The Government has faced criticism over its arms sales to the kingdom but Downing Street insists it 'operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world'.

Human rights campaigners are planning to stage a protest outside Downing Street at 5pm on Wednesday.

According to analysis by human rights charity Reprieve, executions have doubled under the Crown Prince.

The organisation said since his appointment in July 2017, 133 people had been executed compared with 67 in the previous eight months.

Amnesty International said reforms in Saudi Arabia were 'largely a mirage', with 'peaceful critics' of the government thrown in jail and women reliant on permission from men if they want to travel, be educated or get a job.

UK director Kate Allen said: 'We'd like to see Theresa May finally showing some backbone in the UK's relationship with Saudi Arabia.

'Mrs May and her ministers should challenge the Saudi authorities over their atrocious human rights record, not swallow the unconvincing spin from Riyadh.'

Rob Williams, chief executive at War Child UK, a charity for children affected by conflict, said: 'Britain is complicit in the humanitarian crisis in Yemen through providing diplomatic support to Saudi Arabia, as well as selling our most high tech and deadly weapons to a coalition that the United Nations has verified as committing grave violations against children.

'I urge Theresa May to now stand for values that Britain can be proud of, a nation that sets an example to the world, that is principled and compassionate and prioritises children's lives over trade deals.'
Fourteen people were injured and two were taken to hospital after double-decker buses collided in a busy city centre.

The two vehicles crashed at a busy junction near Piccadilly Station in Manchester city centre early this morning.

Police, ambulances and the fire service rushed to the scene just after 7.30am, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Fourteen people have been injured after double-decker buses collided in Manchester today

Two people were taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary but emergency services said there were no serious injuries.

It is believed that one of the bus doors jammed shut and some passengers were initially trapped inside.

The crash involved two Stagecoach buses, with eyewitnesses claiming that one appeared to have gone directly into the back of the other on Aytoun Street, just yards from Minshull Street Crown Court.

They are still currently crushed together with the windscreen of the second bus shattered.

There were two fire engines which have just left the scene.

The crash involved two Stagecoach buses, with eyewitnesses claiming that one appeared to have gone directly into the back of the other on Aytoun Street

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: 'We were called at 7.34am to a road traffic collision involving two double decker buses.

'We are assisting the North West Ambulance Service and treating a number of casualties, as well as making the scene safe.

'There is a cordon in place as well. Fourteen people on the two buses have been injured.

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police said: 'We got a call after 7.30am to Aytoun Street that two buses have collided.

'Ambulances are in attendance, but there are no serious injuries.

'One of the buses doors would not open so some people were inside. There are delays in the area.'

It is believed that one of the bus doors jammed shut and some passengers were initially trapped inside

Stagecoach confirmed two of its buses were involved in the crash, and said the company would carry out its own investigation into the incident.

A Stagecoach spokesperson said: 'Two of our vehicles were involved in a collision just before 8:00 this morning in Manchester city centre.

'We understand that several people may have been injured in the incident and our first thoughts are for the welfare of all those involved.

'Safety is our absolute priority. We will be assisting police with their inquiries into the incident as well as carrying out our own investigation into the circumstances.'

Two huge recovery trucks have arrived at the scene to removed the damaged buses, as the incident continues to disrupt traffic in the area.
A woman died after her husband allegedly used a mortar bomb as a sex aid after they had been drinking in Peru.

Ruben Valera Cornejo, told police in Arequipa, Peru, that his wife, Yubitza Llerena, had asked him to use objects from their home as sex toys after a night out.

But Valera Cornejo, who has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of murder, claimed he could not recall much about the evening.

Yubitza Llerena (left) died after her husband Ruben Valera Cornejo (right) allegedly used a mortar bomb as a sex aid after they had been drinking in Peru

Officers investigating the case said that they found the mortar with blood stains in a handbag among other sex aids

But he said that he fell asleep and only realised what had happened when he woke up to find his wife unresponsive.

Officers investigating the case said that they found the mortar with blood stains in a handbag among other sex aids.

Police chief Javier Arana said that the mortar, believed to be inactive and used as an ornament, was around 15.7 ins long and around 2.3 ins wide.

Police chief Javier Arana said that the mortar, believed to be inactive and used as an ornament, was around 15.7 ins long and around 2.3 ins wide

Valera Cornejo was reportedly arrested on suspicion of murder. Police are pictured investigating the scene

He added: 'Painkillers were also found and it is believed they were used to control the pain.'

Valera Cornejo was reportedly arrested on suspicion of murder.

Llerena's father Washington Llerena said: 'He should be jailed for what he did with my daughter.

'I will keep on fighting until the end.'
Advertisement

Swathes of Britain face up to four inches of snow this morning as some homeowners continue to face problems with water supplies five days after problems with burst mains first emerged.

The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for snow early on Thursday covering central England from Leicestershire up to Yorkshire, along with North and Mid Wales, amid concerns over more travel disruption.

Scotland and Northern Ireland are also facing a severe warning as ground temperatures fall under clearer skies especially where remnants of recent snowfalls have been melting.

It comes as the country gets back on its feet following the blast of severe weather brought by last week's Beast from the East and Storm Emma that saw temperatures drop to -11.7C (11F) and up to 1ft 8in (50cm) of snow fall.

Parts of the UK face up to four inches of snow this morning and one reader, Tracy Leigh, saw her road in the Wirral completely covered on Thursday morning

This quiet street in the Wirral was covered in thick snow on Thursday morning as the Met Office issued a severe weather warning for parts of the UK

People have been warned to avoid Tooting High Street in South London after a burst pipe sent water cascading down the road

Amelia-Faie Weeks enjoys the last remaining snow at Mousehold Heath in Norwich as the weather becomes warmer

Thames Water apologised after the main pipe in Tooting burst, affecting around 20 properties, most of them commercial

The flooding in Tooting yesterday (pictured) comes as around 2,000 homes in the South East still remain without water

Workers clean up displaced gravel and mud as they prepare to dig up the large burst water main in Tooting yesterday

Forecasters said an area of rain would arrive into South West England last night, which will then move north east and turn to snow over high ground of Wales, parts of the Midlands and into southern parts of northern England.

Most lower ground in the warning area will see little if any snow accumulating, but 0.4in (1cm) to 1.2in (3cm) cm is likely in some places, with 2in (5cm) above 650ft (200m) and possibly 4in (10cm) above 1,000ft (300m).

The Met Office snow warning says: 'Sleet and snow for upland areas and some lower ground as well. Some roads and railways are likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services.'

Looking further ahead, forecasters have warned of a low pressure system coming up from the South West and heading towards Britain, which is set to bring some heavy rain, strong winds and further snow by the weekend.

Met Office forecaster Nicky Maxey said: 'At the moment there's great uncertainty about when it will actually arrive and how far north it will travel across the UK and where cold air meeting slightly warmer air will happen.'

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for ice yesterday (left) and today (right), and a snow warning

Forecasters warned of rain affecting parts of Britain yesterday (left) after temperatures fell below freezing overnight (left)

Rain was due to sweep across Scotland yesterday afternoon (left), while it will also affect patches of SE England (right)

Displaced paving stones mark the site of a ruptured water main yesterday in South London, near Tooting Broadway station

Thames Water said the burst water pipe in South London yesterday was not linked to the recent cold weather

Tooting Broadway is closed as workers clean up and prepare to dig up a large burst water main in South London yesterday

She added that any snow is likely to fall in northern England and Scotland over higher ground, while the South will face rain and potentially gale force winds  and there could also be a little hail and thunder.

How Britain enjoyed its second sunniest February on record The UK has enjoyed its second sunniest February on record, provisional figures show. A total of 95.6 hours of sunshine were measured across the country last month, according to the Met Office. This is more than any February since current records began in 1929, save for February 2008. Western parts of the country fared best of all, with only the coast of Yorkshire having less than the full-month average. The cold snap at the end of February helped drive down the average temperature for the month to 2.4C (36F), the lowest February average since 2010 (1.9C, or 35F). The average UK temperature for February has dipped below 2.5C (37F) just four times in the past 25 years. You need to go back to 1986 to find a February cold enough for the average temperature to be below freezing (-1.2C, or 30F). The average minimum temperature in February 2018 is estimated to have been minus 0.6C (31F), the lowest for the month of February since 2010. The lowest ever was recorded in 1947, when the average was minus 4.2C (24F). Advertisement

But the Met Office was keen to insist that the system was 'fairly typical' for the time of year and 'compares in no way shape or form to what we saw last week' when Storm Emma brought chaos to the country.

Temperatures could reach 15C (59F) in the South East by the weekend depending on where the low pressure system sweeps through Britain, with the mercury expected to be closer to 10C (50F) or 11C (52F) elsewhere.

Yesterday, water companies said most customers have had their supplies restored after burst pipes caused shortages, however some lingering issues remain five days after problems first emerged.

Motorists and pedestrians were warned to avoid Tooting High Street in South London after a burst on a 30in main pipe sent water cascading down the road, causing delays to commuters on their way into the city.

Thames Water said the burst pipe was not linked to the recent cold weather. A spokesman said local water supplies had not been affected but around 20 properties - mainly commercial premises - had been flooded.

The firm said it was 'really sorry to customers', adding: 'We worked really quickly to stop the flow of water from the pipe, which is receding, and will have a dedicated team in the area to ensure all customers are looked after.'

The flooding comes as around 2,000 homes in the South East were left without water.

At the peak of the problem, more than 25,000 properties in Kent and Sussex were affected, with some without fresh water for five days.

Overnight about 2,000 homes in Rotherfield, Mayfield and Cousley Wood were still without water, according to BBC News. South East Water said customers would be compensated.

This afternoon the company said 'almost all' of its customers in Kent and Sussex had water again.

Overnight incident manager Douglas Whitfield told MailOnline: 'We'd like to apologise to our customers who have been without water and know this has been a very difficult time.

'Since Saturday we have repaired more than 100 bursts which were caused by the rapid swing in temperature from well below freezing to rapid thaw. On an average day we repair eight to 10 leaks.

'Our 9,000 miles of water mains is a very complex network and it has been a very difficult task to find and fix the leaks and bursts which happened as a result of the extreme weather.

'We are continuing to work around the clock to get everyone back on supply and are putting extra water into the network to refill the storage reservoirs.'

Until the storage reservoirs return to normal levels and while leaks continue to be repaired, customers across the supply area may find they have intermittent supply or low pressure.

Douglas added: 'Our customers have been very patient and understanding while we have dealt with this emergency and we'd like to thank them for that. We understand how frustrating this has been.

'While the picture is improving, we encourage customers to continue using water wisely such as having a shower instead of a bath and only using dishwashers and washing machines on a full load and avoid peak times of 7am to 9am and 4pm to 7pm if possible  further tips can be found on our website.'

Ministers will review how water firms handled last week's bad weather after thousands of homes were left without their supply.

Industry regulator Ofwat has criticised firms for their lack of preparation, support and communication.

Severn Trent said all of its customers in south Birmingham should now have their supplies restored, while Thames Water said most London customers had their supply back, but localised airlocks continued to affect some properties.

Whitley Bay beach in North Tyneside, which appears unusually barren and rocky after losing swathes of sand last week

Whitley Bay beach in North Tyneside lost sand following last week's stormy weather, high tides and the Beast From The East

A man walks along Whitley Bay beach in North Tyneside with a metal detector after it lost swathes of sand last week

The freezing weather has added fresh impetus to the annual 'spring clean' of the huge cliffs at Cheddar Gorge in Somerset

The 400ft high limestone cliffs at Cheddar Gorge have to be scaled by a team to clear them of weeds and loose rocks

Workers clean up and prepare to dig up the burst water main just yards from the entrance to Tooting Broadway station today

Dawn over St Mary's lighthouse at Whitley Bay in Tyne and Wear on the north east coast of England this morning

The sun rises at Whitley Bay in Tyne and Wear this morning ahead of more snow sweeping into the country tomorrow

Welsh Water warned of a risk of leaks and bursts as supplies were reconnected, adding that 1,000 properties in rural areas in parts of east Anglesey, mid-Ceredigion and rural Pembrokeshire were still 'off-supply'.

Big freeze triggers cold weather payments totalling 50million Last week's cold snap triggered an estimated 50 million of cold weather payments - the highest figure of the winter. Nearly two million people across Britain were eligible for the money in the seven days to March 2, new figures show. Some 7.2 million alone went to residents in the area covered by the Coleshill weather station, which includes Birmingham, Coventry and Dudley. A further 4.3 million was triggered for people in Doncaster and Sheffield, while 2.7 million went to residents covered by the Gravesend weather station, including Dartford, Romford and Southend-on-Sea. In total, 90.7 million is estimated to have been paid out across Great Britain since the 2017/18 scheme began, according to the Department for Work and Pensions. This is well above the amount for 2016/17 (3.1 million) and 2015/16 (3.9 million), but still below the 141.7 million paid in 2012/13. The Government's cold weather payment scheme runs each year from November 1 to March 31. Payments are triggered by data collected by the Met Office from 94 weather stations around Britain. A sum of 25 is automatically paid to eligible people in every area where a weather station shows the average temperature has dropped, or is forecast to drop, to zero degrees Celsius or below for seven days in a row. The money is paid to the recipient within 14 days. Advertisement

South East Water also said some people in Sussex remained without water, although teams had reconnected restored supplies to 15,000 customers in 24 hours.

Ofwat chief executive Rachel Fletcher criticised some water companies, saying they lacked readiness and support for customers.

She said: 'When the taps are back on, we will take a long, hard look at what has happened here and we won't hesitate to intervene if we find that companies have not had the right structures and mechanisms in place to be resilient enough.'

Environment Minister Therese Coffey said regulator Ofwat would be encouraged to take action 'to ensure water companies up their game'.

The environment minister said a review would consider whether statutory compensation should be paid, adding that it was for water companies to consider how they can compensate customers on a discretionary basis.

On Tuesday, fresh snowfall caused more transport chaos in Scotland with blocked roads, cancelled trains and grounded flights.

Hundreds of cars ground to a halt on a busy motorway after an HGV slipped on ice and crashed.

Vehicles queued on the M77 near Newton Mearns, Renfrewshire, yesterday afternoon following the accident. The traffic then meant snow ploughs struggled to reach areas in need.

Nearly a foot of snow lay in places, forcing councils to close snow gates. Communities recovering from last week's Beast from the East blizzards that escaped further heavy snowfall were instead hit by rain and flooding.

Some places received a week's worth of rain in three hours. The Met Office said half an inch fell in Leuchars, Fife, between 9am and noon  a quarter of the 2in expected for all of March.

A burn in Rosyth, Fife, burst its banks, covering streets in 2ft of water. Teachers at the local Park Road Primary School had to carry pupils out of the building, while parents were filmed wading inside to rescue youngsters.

On Tuesday, there were weather-related delays on the M90, M8, M9 and Edinburgh City Bypass, while snow gates were closed on the A939 between Cock Bridge and Tomintoul, Banffshire.

Police urged drivers to avoid the A92 between Dundee and Montrose due to snow. The road also flooded at Marykirk, Aberdeenshire. Drumalbin, Lanarkshire, was covered with 10.5in of snow, the Met Office said.

There was rail disruption as flooding between Edinburgh Park and Linlithgow delayed or cancelled 31 Scotrail services. Dozens of flights were also called off or delayed at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports.

Hundreds of plastic sleds are dumped at beauty spots across Britain after being broken in the snow Hundreds of plastic sleds have been dumped at beauty spots all over Britain after being broken while used in the snow. The non-bio degradable sleds were used last week as the Beast from the East swept across the country, leaving behind several inches of snow. But when people were done with them, the broken plastic and even car bonnets and tea trays were dumped in bushes, around bins and by benches at beauty spots across Britain. Abandoned broken sledges have been left on Duncan Down at Whitstable in Kent over the past few days as the snow melts Broken sledges have also been left at Bolton's Bench at Lyndhurst in Hampshire after the snow melted in the area Shocking pictures taken at Richmond Park in London, Mousehold Heath in Norwich, Duncan Down in Whitstable, Kent, and at Bolton's Bench in the New Forest, Hampshire, all show the plastic left behind. Angry residents, who have stepped in to clear the debris from the snow days, have now called for people to be more considerate when they finish with their sleds. Writer Ben Weeks, of Old Catton in Norwich, Norfolk, said he and his wife Emily, 34, had taken their eight-year-old daughter Amelia-Faie sledding in the snow. The 39-year-old said they had been enjoying themselves when they noticed dozens of plastic sleds, tea trays and even a car bonnet had been dumped in bushes at Mousehold Heath in Norwich. Amelia-Faie Weeks, with some of the broken sledges she collected which had been dumped on Mousehold Heath in Norwich Mr Weeks said: 'Mousehold Heath is the only real place to go when it snows in Norwich and it was quite busy. When we reached the bottom of the hill there were just bits of plastic sled everywhere. 'It wasn't just one or two, there were dozens; people had used them, they had broken and just been thrown into the bushes. When we saw it, it was shocking and quite upsetting and, bearing in mind there were lots of kids playing, some of the shards were really sharp. 'Mousehold Heath is a great place, it has some really good views of Norwich, but after the sleds had been dumped it was actually fairly dangerous. We started driving home and I just thought someone had to clear up the mess in the end, why not do it ourselves. 'As we were collecting the plastic from the bushes, others saw us doing it and some people did come and help us. The thing is, there needs to be a focus on taking responsibility. And really, the key thing is that if you take a sled and it breaks or you don't want it anymore just take it home and bin it yourself instead of dumping it.' Hundreds of plastic sleds have been dumped in Britain, including above in Norwich, after being broken while used in the snow Father-of-one Richard Burke was also stunned when he looked out of his window at his home in Lyndhurst in the beautiful New Forest to see broken sleds had been left lying around. The 44-year-old said: 'I live over the road from an area where people were sledding and I went over there as well with my three-year-old daughter Hannah. The atmosphere was great at the time, there were lots of people having fun. But after everyone had gone it was disappointing that there were lots of broken pieces of plastic sled just left behind. 'Many shops sell them quite cheap and it seems people came out, trashed them and just thought they would leave the broken pieces behind. It's a real shame that people did not just think to clear up after themselves, my daughter knows it's a bad thing to litter like this, it's disappointing others do not.' And Ashley Clark, who lives near Duncan Down in Whitstable, Kent, added: 'We get a lot of nature here, but unfortunately some people trash beautiful places. There were beer cans left lying around, which I cleared up, and once the snow melted others came out to tidy up the plastic detritus left behind by people.' Advertisement

What a difference a week makes! Just seven days after the Beast from the East chilled Britain to its bones the sun is out and it's feeling a lot like springtime

Seven days is a long time in British weather, as these photographs show.

In the past week, the country has experienced blizzards, 20ft snow drifts, gale-force winds and flooding.

The Met Office was forced to issue its first red weather warning for the first time in five years as the Beast from the East caused treacherous conditions in Scotland and the South West.

But in the last few days the country has undergone another change, this time with mild Spring-like temperatures.

These images, taken in the south west of England, show how just a mere week ago, boats in St Ives, Cornwall, were frozen and coated in ice while a church was almost hidden among freezing fields of snow.

Less than a week on, the photographer captured the same scenes - which could have been taken months apart.

The same place of worship now stands proudly in a rich field, showing the signs of spring in its green pastures.

In contrast, the boats are now thawed and visibly far away from the coastline, which appears to look seasonably warm.

 Slide me  Green grass surrounds the church in the village of Zennor near St Ives on March 6, 2018 in Cornwall, England (right). Just a week before on February 28, the fields were laden with snow (right)

 Slide me  The sun illuminates fishing boats left at Priest's Cove at Cape Cornwall near Penzance on March 6, 2018 in Cornwall, England (left). On February 28, a photographer captured the moment the sun sets as snow covered fishing boats left on the same spot (right)

 Slide me  Spring-like conditions captured in the harbor in St Ives in Cornwall yesterday (left) less than a week after a wintry scene was caught on camera (right) by a photographer on February 28. In the image on the right, people walk on snow covered sand in the harbor at low tide as heavy snow arrives set in

 Slide me  The rich green grass and sunny weather photographed on the left is typical of what you might expect to see as Spring officially begins in Britain (left). However the image was taken at Cape Cornwall near Penzance just a week after the same spot was covered in snow (right)

 Slide me  People were spotted walking on the beach in Carbis Bay in Cornwall yesterday (left) as temperatures peaked at around 13C. It was a very different picture a week before, with the same stretch of coastline dusted in ice and snow (right)
An unarmed police officer paralysed during the Westminster Bridge terror attack has paid tribute to his colleague Keith Palmer who died in the tragedy.

PC Kris Aves spent eight days in a coma and seven months at Stoke Mandeville Hospital being treated for his life-changing injuries following the attack in March 2017.

The brave officer was able to return to his home in Barnet, north London following extensive work carried out on the property by the BBC show DIY SOS team.

PC Kris Aves was mown down by a car driven by terrorist Khalid Masood in March, leaving him with a devastating spinal chord injury

PC Aves' home in East Barnet was modified by the DIY SOS team so he could be reunited with his family

PC Kris Alves, pictured with his partner Marissa, thanked the DIY SOS team for adapting his home following his horrendous injuries

Speaking to The Mirror ahead of tonight's broadcast, PC Aves, 35, said: 'If I was to think back, Id think about PC Keith Palmer and the numerous people injured. I feel for those people.'

PC Aves was on Westminster bridge when he was run over by Khalid Masood who was driving a rented 4x4.

The father-of-two suffered broken legs as well as head, chest and arm injuries plus devastating damage to his spinal cord.

PC Aves, who was left wheelchair-bound and with no mobility from the chest down, had to stay at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital, in Buckinghamshire, as his north London home was unsuitable for his rehabilitation.

DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles told The Sun: 'We usually need about 250 to 300 builders to take part in a DIY SOS project. This time the response was huge  900 people applied.

'There were so many we had to turn many of them away. In the end about 300 tradespeople worked for nine days without pay so Kris could again spend Daddy time with his children.

'In his job Kris looked after us and kept us safe and so many kind-hearted people wanted to repay the favour.'

His home had a large front step he couldn't negotiate and he struggled to fit through the narrow doorways.

There was no bathroom on the ground floor and the kitchen needed changing. His modified home also required a lift.

But the hero cop is now home again thanks to the 'biggest response ever' to a DIY SOS appeal with builders, electricians and joiners all working on refurbishment plans by designer Gabrielle Blackman.

In just nine days they made vital changes to his East Barnet home which meant he could finally be reunited with his partner Marissa and his son, six, and daughter, four.

Speaking from his hospital bed before leaving hospital the 35-year-old said: 'I'm worried about getting daddy time back. It's just been taken away from you, and it's not fair.

'I need to rebuild a relationship with my family. It's been too long.'

In just nine days the DIY SOS team made vital changes to his home which meant he could finally be reunited with his partner Marissa and his son, six, and daughter, four

DIY SOS host Nick Knowles said the 'amazing' volunteers' worked round the clock to bring PC Aves home to his family

Nick Knowles said the army of 'amazing volunteers' worked round the clock to bring the hero cop back home to his family

DIY SOS host Nick Knowles said: 'I'm not going to pretend we had to find an army, because the moment people knew what we were doing we had the biggest response ever.'

He said the 'amazing volunteers' worked round the clock to bring PC Aves home to his family.

A volunteer added: 'We want to give back to the people that protect us.'

PC Kris Aves was mown down by a car driven by terrorist Khalid Masood in March, leaving him with a devastating spinal chord injury

PC Aves was walking across the bridge with colleagues PC Roger Smith and PC Bradley Bryant on March 22 when they were hit by the 4x4.

The trio were returning from a ceremony to honour officers who deal with public order issues.

Masood killed four people by ramming them with his car on Westminster Bridge before stabbing to death Keith PC Palmer just inside the grounds of Parliament.

Masood was shot dead by police after attacking PC Palmer.

In total Masood's murderous rampage lasted just 82 seconds.

Mother-of-two Aysha Frade, US tourist Kurt Cochran and retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes died after Masood drove his car into people on Westminster Bridge.

Romanian tourist Andreea Cristea was knocked into the Thames from the bridge. She died just over two weeks later.

The refurbishment of PC Aves' home will appear on DIY SOS on BBC One, tonight at 8pm
Brussels is set to hit back at Donald Trump's steel tariffs by hiking charges on a vast array of exports to the US - including the kitchen sink.

The US President has fired off the first salvos of a trade war by laying out plans to impose tariffs on goods heading for America, even from the country's closest allies.

Theresa May has joined political leaders from around the world to urge the US President not to go ahead with his protectionist plan.

But Mr Trump has rejected their plea, prompting the EU to draw up plans to hit back by slapping higher charges on a range of US exports heading to Europe.

This will include new 25 per cent charges on yachts, peanut butter lipstick, bed linen, motorbikes and trousers.

The EU Commission (which is headed by Jean-Claude Juncker, pictured) has dran up plans to hit back at the US with 25% trade tariffs

And it will also slap the charge on goods in the industrial sector - including tubes, pipes and rolled steels.

And it will include appliances such as grills, ventilators, ladders - and even the kitchen sink.

Together the total value of the target is estimated to be 2.83 billion euros - the equivalent of 2.53 billion, according to the Politico website.

EU commissioners are set to discuss the plans for the fleet of tariffs today, and they will be rolled out if Mr Trump goes ahead with the restrictions he announced last week.

The products targeted have been carefully selected so as not to harm EU industries, which do not need the imports.

While some targets appear to clearly target politically sensitive Republican-run states.

The move comes as Mr Trump's top economics adviser, Gary Cohn, quit in protest at the tariff plan.

Mr Cohn, who headed the National Economic Council and worked at Goldman Sachs, was seen as a crucial moderating influence on the President.

And he was a key proponent of free trade - as opposed to the nationalist and protectionist voices in the White House.

Donald Trump, pictured in the White House yesterday, said he is imposing tariffs on EU goods because current trade has been 'very unfair' to the US - but he has face massive opposition from his allies and lost a key adviser in the White House over the plan

His departure will fuel concerns that the US President will stick to his protectionist 'America First' plan - despite the opposition of Britain and other allies.

At a press conference yesterday, Mr Trump said: 'The United States has been taken advantage of by other countries, both friendly and not so friendly, for many, many decades, and we have a trade deficit of $800bn per year, and that's not going to happen with me.'

He said: 'The European Union has been particularly tough on the United States. They make it almost impossible to do business with them, and yet they send their cars and everything else back into the United States.

'They can do whatever they like but if they do that, then we put a big tax of 25 per cent on their cars and believe me, they won't be doing it very long.'

He went on: 'The European Union has not treated us well and it's been a very, very unfair trade situation.

'One of the reasons I was elected is I'm protecting our workers, I'm protecting our companies, and I'm not going to let that happen.'
A retired porn star has revealed how an inventor accused of murdering a Swedish journalist on his submarine had invited her on board the vessel two weeks earlier but she had 'a bad feeling about it'.

Dorthe Damsgaard said she had declined invitations to join Peter Madsen on his sub having met him several times and that he 'made it no secret to me about having sexual fantasies'.

Businessman Madsen stands trial at Copenhagen's City Court on Thursday for the killing of Kim Wall, 30, in his submarine off the northern European country.

He denies killing Wall and says she died accidentally inside the UC3 Nautilus while he was on deck. However, he has admitted cutting her up before he 'buried her at sea.'

Retired adult movie actress Damsgaard, 48, said Madsen had 'two sides', adding: 'He could be a well-spoken and charismatic person who could speak for hours about his submarine. And then ... a much darker side.

Retired porn star Dorthe Damsgaard (pictured) has revealed how an inventor accused of murdering a Swedish journalist on his submarine had invited her on board the vessel two weeks earlier but she had 'a bad feeling about it'

Trial: Peter Madsen is accused of the murder of Swedish journalist Kim Wall in August last year, and has admitted to mutilating her body and 'burying her at sea'

Dorthe Damsgaard said she had declined invitations to join Peter Madsen having met him several times and that he 'made it no secret to me about having sexual fantasies'

Retired adult movie actress Dorthe Damsgaard (pictured), 48, said Peter Madsen had 'two sides'

She told The Associated Press she had declined invitations to join Madsen in his submarine because she has claustrophobia.

'He made it no secret to me about having sexual fantasies,' Damsgaard said, describing him as 'funny, manipulative, serious and scary.'

In another interview with the Danish newspaper BT, she revealed that the last time he invited her on board was 14 days before he left shore with the journalist.

She said she was first contacted by him nine years ago, adding: 'He called me one day and said he would like to get to know me.

'I thought it might be good for me to be surrounded by a knowledgeable person like him.

On one occasion of being asked on board, she said she refused because she had a, 'bad feeling about it'.

It comes as footage emerged showing what is believed to be the final video shot inside the submarine before the inventor allegedly murdered Wall.

Michael Youget, 36, a technology and submarine enthusiast from Norway, had contacted Madsen, 47, about his project and had asked if he could visit the project in Copenhagen, Denmark.

As well as getting a grand tour of the submarine Nautilus, Youget was invited to stay the night in the vessel, just three days before it set sail with Madsen and Miss Wall in August last year.

In July 2017, Mr Youget contacted Madsen on Facebook to ask if he was the man who had built his own submarine and if he could come and help out with the project in anyway.

Madsen invited him to come down to Copenhagen, and on August 7, Mr Youget arrived at the ship yard where Madsen's crew worked.

His former workshop, a low building of corrugated iron, sits on Refshale island, a once-bustling shipyard and industrial area across from downtown Copenhagen.

Speaking to Norwegian media, Mr Youget says he was quite disappointed when got there as he had expected 'advanced technology' but only found a workshop in a low building of rusty corrugated iron.

'I had already had a strange feeling when I shook his hand,' he tells Verdens Gang.

Michael Youget, 36, from Norway, visited inventor Peter Madsen's submarine in Copenhagen, Denmark just days before he is alleged to have murdered Kim Wall

'But that was more about the place than him. It was a kind of 'I don't want to be here'- feeling that I still struggle to explain today.

'I don't know what gave me that feeling. It's that kind of feeling you only get a few times.'

At the end of the day, after a tour of the workshop and the submarine, Youget told Madsen that he would head back into central Copenhagen to find a hostel, at which point Madsen insisted he stay the night in Nautilus.

'He said I just have to sleep in the submarine. No one else was going to sleep there, so it suited him well'.

He filmed the video, published on Aftonbladet, which shows the sleeping compartments and the different areas of the home-made submarine.

The following day Mr Youget had been due to take part in a test launch of one of Madsen's home-made rockets, but after this had been postponed, he ended up returning home to Norway where he leader about the shocking events a few days later.

Madsen is due to stand trial at Copenhagen's City Court on Thursday for the killing of Miss Wall.

After spending the day with Madsen and his team, Youget says Madden insisted he spend the night on Nautilus

'Strange: Mr Youget says the Danish inventor, who is due to stand trial tomorrow, gave him a strange feeling

Madsen denies killing Wall and says she died accidentally inside the UC3 Nautilus while he was on deck. However, he has admitted cutting her up before he 'buried her at sea.'

Some don't want to talk about Madsen or be associated with him anymore. Others do.

Madsen's wife, who reportedly has sought a divorce, has told investigators that he openly spoke about attending fetish parties without her.

On August 10, Miss Wall and her Danish boyfriend, Ole Stobbe Nielsen, threw a goodbye party before moving to China.

That evening, she received a text message from Madsen saying an interview was possible. For months, she had been trying to speak with him and she left the party to join the now 47-year-old Dane.

After Wall left to meet Madsen, her boyfriend received several text messages from her.

He started worrying when the messages stopped coming and eventually alerted authorities, who launched a search for the submarine, which didn't have a satellite tracking system.

This is one of the last images of Kim Wall, as she and Madsen prepared to set off from Copenhagen harbour aboard Nautilus on August 11, 2017

The 33-ton, nearly 18-meter-long submarine sank south of Copenhagen shortly after being spotted afloat. Madsen was picked up unharmed. Initially, he told police he had let Wall off on Refshale island several hours into the trip.

Investigators found dried blood inside the submarine, and divers eventually found Wall's body parts in plastic bags held down on the Baltic Sea bed by metal pieces. Her torso had been stabbed multiple times.

Police believe Madsen sank the submarine on purpose, and found videos of women being tortured and killed on his personal computer in his hangar. He did not make the videos himself, investigators said.

Prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen claims Madsen tied up and tortured Walls before killing her, either by cutting her throat or strangling her. The murder has been called premeditated because he had brought along tools he normally wouldn't take with him on the submarine.

Madsen has undergone a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation and is deemed fit for trial. His defense lawyer, Betina Hald Engmark, won't discuss the case before the trial begins.

Kim Wall grew up in southern Sweden, just across a narrow waterway from Copenhagen. She studied at Paris' Sorbonne university, the London School of Economics and Columbia University in New York, from where she graduated with a master's degree in journalism in 2013.

She wrote for The New York Times, The Guardian and other publications, reporting on topics such as tourism in post-earthquake Haiti and nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands.

Wall's family has declined to comment 'for the time being.'
A notorious contract killer has spoken for the first time about how he murdered dozens of targets as a paid assassin hired by unscrupulous Russian figures.

Andrey Vershinin, 43, is seen as one of the most sought-after hitmen in Russia - active from the wild mafia-ridden 1990s.

He is believed to have assassinated between 30 and 40 victims, all on orders from shady paymasters.

But now he is assisting police, hoping to earn his freedom in about a decade from now.

Andrey Vershinin, 43, is believed to have assassinated between 30 and 40 victims for the Russian mafia until he informed on the gang including driver Ralif 'Tatar' Faizov (pictured)

Recently in a Moscow court, Vershenin unmasked alleged ruthless gangsters, identifying them as part of a plea bargain that has seen him avoid a 'life-means-life' jail sentence for his assassination spree.

The court authorities barred his face from being seen.

His testimony comes amid a flurry of suspicions the Russians ordered an assassination hit by poisoning on former spy Sergei Skripal in Wiltshire.

He has a cold and calculating view about killing and showed little sign of regret over his past life.

'I was just doing my job, finalising a problem with this or that individual - and leaving,' he told state prosecutor Maria Semenenko in chilling testimony.

Unusually, his preferred method of killing was at point blank range, not as a sniper from a distance, because he has poor eyesight.

Vershenin unmasked alleged ruthless gangsters including gang leader Dmitry 'Les' Lesnyakov (right), identifying them as part of a plea bargain to avoid life in prison

He was interrogated during a trial of members of a gang led by mafia king, blue-eyed Dmitry 'Les' Lesnyakov's 'Forest' mafia ring, renowned as one of the bloodiest in Russia, based on controlling markets popular with shoppers.

Of those in the dock, he identified six out of nine as members of the gang.

They had nicknames like 'Little', 'Italian' and 'Lame', he said. One was Ralif 'Tatar' Faizov, the gang's driver.

He confirmed he conducted contract killings for this ruthless gang, based in Pushkino, Moscow region, when contract killings 'were part of daily life'.

His first victim was a mafia boss in Miass, an industrial centre in the Urals, he said, but earlier he had been a killer for another Russian gang.

'When we were around 18, when guys in my hometown Kurgan and I got together and started a gang called Lokomotiv,' he said.

Lesnyakov was sentenced to a 25-year sentence in 2012, but members of his gang have only now come to trial

He graduated to Moscow in 1995 height of the wild rollercoaster Russian capitalism under Boris Yeltsin, when the mafia rule was at its peak.

Later he moved to Perm and Rostov-on-Don, sometimes working as a killer, but taking time out to hide, getting jobs as a debt collector.

He admits working for a mafia godfather called Mikhail Purtov.

Routinely he would observe his victims for several days, reported Kommersant newspaper, owned by Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov, which dubbed him 'one of the most sought-after contract killers' in Russia.

Normally he would kill when the target left a car or building.

'When I had everything ready, I talked to Purtov in detail on how I'd perform the order, and asked for someone 'on the wheel, he said.

'That is - a driver with a car specially purchased in which he'd drive me and then pick me up from the crime scene.'

Court authorities barred his face from being seen during the recent trial (prosecutor Maria Semenenko pictured in court)

Before doing the 'job' the killer disguised himself.

'I created an ordinary look - glasses, hat, scarf. I came close, shot and ran away fast,' he said

'I'd find a residential building nearby, get changed there, throw off my working clothes and run to the car.

'Normally the car would wait for me in a nearby yard, sometimes farther.

'Ideally, leaving should have taken three minutes but it didn't always happen that way, sometimes there were delays.'

Sometimes he had to use his imagination. He once waited in a rubbish skip for his victim, he said.

He was unemotional and said he was simply doing 'a job'.

He confirmed he conducted contract killings for this ruthless gang, based in Pushkino (picture), Moscow region, when contract killings 'were part of daily life

He was paid US$5,000 for a hit in the 1990s, but preferred a second passport as his reward. It is unclear how much he was paid for more recent assassinations.

Vershinin was allowed out of jail to give his court testimony, revealing the tricks of his macabre trade.

He was convicted in 2009 to a 19 year sentence, which means he can expect to be a free man in ten years - but his testimony on former gang friends may not make for an easy life when he comes out of his high security penal colony.

Lesnyakov was sentenced to a 25-year sentence in 2012, but members of his gang have only now come to trial.
Customers at a Melbourne ice creamery have narrowly escaped injury after a four-wheel drive ploughed through the front window as they waited for their sweet treat.

The Cold Rock franchise was left with a destroyed front window and caved in roof after a Mazda CX-5 crashed into the business at Rowville in the city's south-east.

Store manager Emma Langhans was serving her first two customers for the day on Wednesday when the car somehow mounted the curb and drove through the window.

Customers and staff at a Cold Rock ice creamery in Rowville, south-east of Melbourne, narrowly escaped injury after a car ploughed through the front window

She told the Herald Sun of her shock at the sudden collision.

'I heard this noise and thought something had fallen over. Then I started to see the roof cave in and the first thing I thought was earthquake,' said Emma.

'Then, all of sudden, I've got a car in my shop. I was completely numb and just couldn't speak.'

The store's manager was serving her first customers of the day when the Mazda somehow ran through the shop front

Emma quickly moved her customers, a father and daughter, to the back of the store before help arrived.

The person behind the wheel of the vehicle was a 54-year-old woman who, despite being stuck in her car for 40 minutes, also escaped injury.

Coldrock Rowville said in a post on Facebook that although they are thankful no one was hurt in the incident, staff are 'understandably very shaken'.

The outlet will remain closed until further notice.
Most people carry their driver's licence in their wallet.

But have you ever left home without it or misplaced your licence and wondered, do I need my licence on me to drive?

Well that depends on what state of Australia you're in.

Have you ever wondered if you need your licence on you to drive?

According to the law in NSW 'a driver of a motor vehicle must not drive the vehicle unless the driver is carrying his or her driver licence'

VICTORIA

In Victoria if you're a fully qualified driver over the age of 26, the answer is no.

But if stopped by police drivers do need to provide some form of ID, so carrying a licence is recommended.

'If you've committed any offence, you need to be able to prove who you are,' Leading Senior Constable Pat Allan from Bendigo's highway patrol unit told the Bendigo Advertiser.

In Victoria learner drivers must always carry their licence.

The fine for failing to produce ID is $155.

In Victoria if you're a fully qualified driver over the age of 26, the answer is no

NEW SOUTH WALES

All drivers in New South Wales, all drivers must carry their licence while behind the wheel.

According to the law 'a driver of a motor vehicle must not drive the vehicle unless the driver is carrying his or her driver's licence.'

Failing to do so could see you slapped with a $110 fine.

QUEENSLAND

Queensland law is similar to Victorian Law.

According to the Queensland Department of Transport, 'if you are a provisional or learner licence holder, you must carry your licence with you when you are driving and show it to a police officer if asked.

'However, if you hold an open licence and are driving a car or riding a motorcycle, you may be given 48 hours to present your licence at a police station.'

Fines for failing to present a licence can set drivers back up to $150.

Have you ever left home without it or misplaced your licence and wondered, do I need my licence on me to drive?

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Things are a little laxer out west, where drivers do not need to carry their licence on them when behind the wheel.

But if pulled over by WA Police and asked to identify themselves, a driver must show their licence at a police station within a 'reasonable amount of time.'

DO I NEED TO CARRY MY LICENCE? NSW: All drivers must carry a licence at all times. VIC: A fully qualified driver over the age of 26 does not need to carry a licence. WA: Drivers do not need to carry their licence, but must be able to produce it if asked within a 'reasonable amount of time'. SA: Drivers must produce their licence within 48 hours if asked by a police officer. QLD: Drivers must produce their licence within 48 hours if asked by a police officer. Advertisement

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

In South Australia the law is similar to Queensland.

Drivers must produce their licences when requested by a police officer, either immediately or to a specified police station within 48 hours.

However, a person who holds a probationary licence, provisional licence or learners permit must carry that licence at all times.

Beware, failing to produce a licence for a police officer carries a fine of $750. If you're on a probationary licence, provisional licence or learners permit that escalates to a whopping $1,250.

TASMANIA

Drivers in the capital must have their licence with them at all times.

Failing to do so will see you hit with a $50 fine.

However, officers are allowed to give discretion to people who have a good reason for not carrying their licence, such as farmers travelling short distances between fields.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

You must carry your licence at all times while driving in the Northern Territory.

Also, anyone accompanying a learner driver in the front seat must also carry their licence.




This clip of a triangular UFO flying through the air has been dubbed the 'best evidence ever' for proof of extraterrestrial life.

The bizarre object soars through the skies from an unknown location in the US and UFO enthusiasts believe that it could be a TR-3B, the alleged surveillance aircraft of the United States Air Force.

Theorists have been quick to point out that the footage shows a craft with three lights at each point that do not flash.

Planes have to have blinking lights by regulation which has led people to believe that it is something out of this world.

The object appears to be moving left to right at high speed as it is it filmed by a dashcam.

The YouTube description read: 'On the 26 of January this amazing video was shot from a dashboard camera.

'The footage captured a TR-3B UFO in mid-air and it might be the best evidence ever of the TR-3B UFO ever.

'The triangular object is coming in from the left of the screen and you can see that this object doesn't have any blinking lights like a normal airplane should have

This clip of a triangular UFO flying through the air has been dubbed the 'best evidence ever' for proof of extraterrestrial life

'It is flying at a very low altitude which is very strange for a normal airplane.'

The TR-3B was suspected to be developed under a 'black project', which allegedly use money unaccounted for in official government budgets.

Conspiracy theorists conclude that the craft is able to fly into space and report back to the US government.

The allegations suggests that these ships are created at top-secret military bases such as Area 51 in Nevada, by reverse engineering alien technology.

Viewers have claimed that this video is evidence that the 'TR-3B' is being used by the government to monitor aliens.

The bizarre object soars through the skies and UFO enthusiasts believe that it could be a TR-3B, the alleged surveillance aircraft of the United States Air Force

One posted on YouTube: 'I believe this to be reversed engineering from NASA or the Military Industrial Complex.

'Most objects we see in our skies nowadays are human made, but there is a small percentage that are unexplained.'

And another added: 'Of course it's a TR-3B, the US built about 60 of them.

'It's powered by nuclear energy and it's a military spy plane.'

However there is yet to be solid evidence proving that this was a TR-3B.

Founder of ufofinterest.org Scott Brando, told the Express he believes the video is a hoax due to anomalies with the 'motion tracking'.

He added that landing lights of planes can also make a triangle shape when filmed at night.
When John Tyler was born in 1790, George Washington had just given the first State of the Union address and the French Revolution was well underway.

Now, 156 years after the 10th president died, his grandson Harrison is still alive and tending to the Virginia mansion the President renovated for his second wife Julia, 30 years his junior.

Harrison Ruffin Tyler, 89, looks after the estate with his own son William - the former President's great-grandson - and the pair say it is haunted by the ghost of a young woman known as the Gray Lady.

Scroll down for video

Harrison Ruffin Tyler (right), 89, is one of two living grandsons of 10th President John Tyler. He spends his days looking after the former President's Virginia mansion with his son William (left)

The men have told how the Sherwood Forest Plantation is haunted by the ghost of a young woman whose face is visible on one of the walls, despite it being painted over (pictured)

Speaking to CBS, William showed off an image of her face which he says appeared in the paint on one of the walls.

'You can see the curls coming down and a bonnet on top of her head,' he said. 'It's clearly a young girl, there's no doubt.'

William added that the image remained even after the wall was painted over.

Visitors to the plantation has also reported hearing the ghost 'rocking' in an invisible chair in the Gray Room.

The fact that the property is managed by one of Tyler's grandsons is possible thanks to a family tradition of having children late in life.

President Tyler had two wives, marrying a second time after his first wife passed away, making him the first President to marry while in office.

The couple had seven children and Tyler was 63 years old when his son Lyon was born in 1853.

The Sherwood Forest Plantation, Virginia, which is managed by Harrison and son William

John Tyler was 63 when son Lyon was born by his second wife, Julia. Lyon himself was in his 70s when sons Lyon Jr and Harrison were born. Both are alive today

Lyon also had two wives and a total of six children and was in his 70s when Lyon Jr was born in 1925, before Harrison was born in 1928.

Incredibly both Lyon Jr and Harrison are alive, meaning that in three generations their family has spanned almost the total history of the United States.

Harrison, now 89, used to lead historical tours at the Sherwood Forest Plantation and was the keynote speaker for the 250th Jubilee of the settlement of Jamestown.

The three generations have seen a multitude of change. In 1842, the word dinosaur was coined and three years later, Charles Darwin published Voyage of the Beagle.

In Lyon Tyler's era, Theodore Roosevelt held office, the United Postal Service was founded, and a stone was laid to begin construction of the Washington National Cathedral.

His grandsons have seen the advent of airplanes, television, and the internet.
A Chinese father who claims his daughter had spent all his savings to a male vlogger is suing a company who created an app that holds an online-streaming platform.

Mr Zhang was shocked to find out his 12-year-old daughter tipping a host on a live-stream app using his Alipay account, a popular online payment method that linked to bank accounts.

He reported to the police a loss of nearly 100,000 yuan (11,404) and decided to file a lawsuit against Xiaokaxiu, the company who created the app.

A 12-year-old girl in China had spent over 11,000 buying virtual gifts to a vlogger (file photo)

Xiao Chen followed a male vlogger's live videos for three days and gave him tips (file photo)

The 51-year-old father told Beijing News that the incident had come into light when he tried to call a taxi using Alipay on June 17, 2017.

His daughter, nicknamed Xiao Chen, told him there were no money left in the Alipay account.

Xiao Chen explained that she had been using his phone to log in a live-streaming site since June 14. She bought virtual gifts to a male vlogger, as little as one yuan (11p) and as much as 9,998 yuan (1,140) each time, using her father's digital wallet account.

In three days, Xiao Chen spent 99,812 yuan (11,388) from watching live-stream videos and tipping her favourite vlogger.

Mr Zhang requested a refund as he complained to Xiaokaxiu, the company who developed the live-streaming mobile app.

However, he was rejected for failing to prove that the money was sent out by an underage girl.

Xiao Chen's father decided to file a lawsuit against the app developer who host the live-streaming platform and demanded a refund (file photo)

Mr Zhang decided to sue the company and put his daughter as the plaintiff . The case was accepted by Beijing Shijingshan People's Court on March 6.

A company representative said in the court that there were no accurate proof to show Mr Zhang's underage daughter as the sole user on the app.

The defendant added that the money they received will be shared among the vlogger, the company and an association that connects all the vloggers. Therefore, a full refund would be difficult.

Xiaokaxiu requested to put the male vlogger as second defendant.

Zhao Hu, a solicitor from ZhongWen Law Firm told Beijing News that the proof of Xiao Chen using her father's phone and paying the vlogger would be crucial in the case.

From the app developer's side,any payment made under an adult's bank account would consider as legal and rightful.

They would assume that Mr Zhang had agreed to pay, according to Mr Zhao.

The case is being adjourned until further notice.
The leader and deputy leader of Britain First have been jailed for 18 and 36 weeks respectively on charges of religiously-aggravated harassment.

Paul Golding, 36, was found guilty of one charge of religiously-aggravated harassment and Jayda Fransen three counts of the same offence in relation to an incident in Kent.

They were arrested last May as part of a probe into the distribution of leaflets and online videos posted during a trial at Canterbury Crown Court in the same month after which three Muslim men and a teenager were jailed for rape.

Britain First leader Paul Golding (front right), and deputy leader Jayda Fransen (left) at Folkestone Magistrates' Court in Kent today

Judge Justin Barron said the duo's words and actions 'demonstrated hostility' towards Muslims and the faith of Islam.

Fransen shot into the international media spotlight last November when US president Donald Trump retweeted anti-Islamic posts from her Twitter page.

Golding and Fransen, of Penge, South East London, stood trial in January charged with three and four counts respectively of the hate crime.

The judge at Folkestone Magistrates' Court in Kent found Fransen guilty of three charges and Golding guilty of one - but dismissed the other counts against them.

He said: 'I have no doubt it was their joint intention to use the facts of the case (in Canterbury) for their own political ends. It was a campaign to draw attention to the race, religion and immigrant background of the defendants.'

Both Fransen and Golding were convicted on a joint charge of religiously aggravated harassment after an incident on May 5 at 555 Pizza takeaway in Ramsgate, Kent, last year.

Fransen and Golding pose with their supporters outside Folkestone Crown Court today

Fransen and Golding, pictured at a rally in Ramsgate, Kent, have now both been found guilty of religiously aggravated harassment

Fransen banged on the windows and doors of the shop and screamed 'paedophile' and 'foreigner' while two children were playing in the middle of the shop and Jamshed Khesrow, a friend of the owners, was inside.

Judge Barron dismissed a second charge against the pair alleged to have taken place outside Canterbury Crown Court later that day.

Fransen was accused of telling defendant Tamin Rahmani's brother Faiz that 'Muslims are b******s and rapists'.

Judge Barron said that section of the conversation was not recorded and the video that was played to the court did not amount to threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

Fransen and Golding were arrested over alleged campaigning around an ongoing trial of three Muslim men and a teenager

Fransen was convicted of abuse after visiting a house she wrongly believed to be the current address of another defendant, Sershah Muslimyar. But Golding was cleared of uploading a video of this incident.

Fransen was also convicted of visiting the Kent home of Tamin Rahmani, and shouting racist abuse through the front door while his pregnant partner Kelli Best was there.

Jamshed Khesrow told the court about the incident on May 5 last year when he was visiting 555 Pizza takeaway, which his friend owns in Ramsgate.

He said at the time that two children were playing in the middle of the shop, and he went to investigate when he heard banging on the front doors and window.

Mr Khesrow told how he heard Fransen 'screaming' and shouting: 'Come out you paedophile. You're a rapist. Come outside, I want to talk to you.'

He said: 'She was swearing. I was so scared, I thought she was going to start fighting with me. She was very aggressive and angry. I didn't know what was going on.'

There were sniggers from the public gallery - which was packed full of the group's supporters - as Mr Khesrow gave his evidence from behind a screen. Mr Khesrow told the owner to dial 999 and said Golding was filming at the time.

Then he told the court he heard Fransen shouting in the street, saying: 'I'm not scared of the police. I don't care about the police.' Mr Khesrow added: 'I've lived in England for 17 years and I've never been scared like this.'

The judge found Fransen (left) guilty of three charges and Golding (right, both pictured today) guilty of one charge but dismissed the other counts against them

When questioned as to why he had not previously mentioned the specific comments she made, he said: 'Nobody asked me. If nobody asks me, how can I say it?

'You're asking me now and I'm answering you. I don't need to lie to you. You know and I know that she is swearing my religion all the time.'

Fransen and Golding were arrested on May 10 over alleged campaigning around the then-ongoing trial of three Muslim men and a teenager, who were later convicted and jailed for raping a 16-year-old girl in a flat above the takeaway.

The charges against Britain First leaders: How Fransen was guilty of three counts of religiously-aggravated harassment and Golding one Britain First leader Paul Golding, 36, was found guilty of one count of religiously-aggravated harassment.

His deputy, Jayda Fransen, 32, was found guilty of three counts of the same offence. The convictions relate to three incidents last year.

On May 5, Fransen and Golding banged on the windows and doors of a pizza takeaway in Ramsgate, Kent, with Fransen shouting 'paedophile' and 'foreigner'.

Fransen was convicted of abuse after visiting a house she wrongly believed to be the current address of another defendant, Sershah Muslimyar. But Golding was cleared of uploading a video of this incident.

Fransen was also convicted of visiting the Kent home of Tamin Rahmani, and shouting racist abuse through the front door while his pregnant partner Kelli Best was there.

Judge Barron dismissed a second charge against the pair alleged to have taken place outside Canterbury Crown Court later that day. Advertisement

When they were questioned by police over the distribution of leaflets and online videos posted during the trial, they did not comment.

Earlier in the trial, the court watched video footage entitled 'Muslim rapists 2' which showed Faiz Rahmani standing with his brother Tamin Rahmani - one of the defendants - and his barrister outside by the door to Canterbury Crown Court.

Fransen was seen walking up the steps towards the group, asking if they were Muslim and 'what they were in for'.

Giving evidence in court, Mr Rahmani claimed she called Muslims 'b******s' and 'rapists' - comments which did not appear on the footage shown - and branded her 'aggressive and loud'.

The court heard in January, that the two 12 and 13-year-old daughters of Rahmani, one of the men who was convicted of the rape, were at 555 Pizza when Golding and Fransen arrived.

Footage shown to the court saw Fransen banging on the windows of the restaurant and saying the words: 'Using these restaurant to trap young girls, English girls and rape them.

'You dirty monsters. You are all going to be exposed. Come outside and face me.'

One of the children started filming Fransen and Golding when the banging on the door and shouting had started.

The mother of Tamin Rahmani's children told the court that she heard Fransen knocking at the door and said the shop was closed.

She said: 'She was banging and saying 'come out, come out,' it was like someone was attacking you, really, really aggressive. Then I called the police I didn't know who they were.'

The witness said her daughters were left in a worried state by the incident. She said: 'They were crying. They were worried about them coming back.'

A second witness, PC Nicholas Mayo, said the two girls were his main concern when he attended the premises after the police were called.

He said: 'They were very distressed, very shaken up' and that one of the girls 'was clearly in tears.'

Kevin Smallcombe, defending, in examining the mother of Rahmani's children, said: 'The confrontation was very brief. Would you agree with that?'

She disagreed but when asked said it lasted 'a couple of minutes, a maximum of five minutes'.

Fransen (left, pictured with Golding) shot into the international media spotlight last year when Donald Trump retweeted some anti-Islamic posts on her social media page

Protesters hold placards and Union flags during a protest titled 'London march against terrorism' in response to the March 22 Westminster terror attack on April 1, 2017 in London

How Donald Trump was blasted for sharing anti-Muslim videos posted by Jayda Fransen on Twitter Jayda Fransen hit the headlines in November last year when Donald Trump shared anti-Muslim videos she posted on Twitter. The President's decision sparked an immediate backlash, with Theresa May condemning the move and the widow of murdered MP Jo Cox accusing him of 'spreading hatred'. The first video retweeted by Mr Trump was claimed to show a 'Muslim migrant' beating up a Dutch boy on crutches. Donald Trump (pictured on March 7) was blasted for sharing anti-Muslim videos posted by Jayda Fransen on Twitter But Dutch media said the video was 'fake news'. The video features a born and raised Dutch man and no reports have detailed the suspect's religion. Mr Trump also retweeted a video of a Muslim man 'destroy(ing) a statue of Virgin Mary', and another where Ms Fransen wrote: 'Islamist mob pushed teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!' The provenance of the footage is unknown. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said Britain First sought to divide communities through its use of 'hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions'. 'It is wrong for the president to have done this,' the spokesman said. Labour politician Mrs Cox was stabbed and shot outside her constituency office in Birstall, West Yorkshire, in June 2016 by a man who shouted 'Britain First'. Advertisement

Jamshed Khesrow, a friend of the family, was at the restaurant at the time. Giving testimony behind a screen, he said that Fransen shouted at him, calling him a paedophile and told him to come outside.

He said that, out of fear, he hid in the back of the shop. Mr Khesrow said: 'I was so scared, I was worried she was about to start fighting me. She was very angry. I was so afraid and so scared, I did not know what was going to happen.'

Another witness, Ikram Safai, told how he found a video on the Britain First website of Fransen knocking on his door, but identifying it as the home of Sershah Muslimyar - another defendant in the trial who used to live there before him.

Mr Safai, who is originally from Afghanistan, has lived in the UK since 2013 and in that house for around two-and-a-half years, told the court in the video Fransen said: 'Come out dirty Muslim. Rapist Muslim. Come out and speak to me face to face if you're man enough.'

He said a social worker advised him to move house, adding: 'I was upset, scared, angry.'

Leaflets the group allegedly distributed in the street, which were shown in court, purported to feature a picture of Muslimyar. But Mr Safai, who had met him, said this was not him.

The prosecution say Faiz Rahmani was wrongly identified as Muslimyar in these leaflets.

Prosecuting, Madeleine Wolf, said: 'Golding and Fransen demonstrated hostility towards individuals because of their membership of what they viewed as the Muslim faith.

'The defence to the allegations seems to be that they did not intend to cause alarm and distress. They argue they were entitled to act the way they did.'

In one of the videos shown to the court, Paul Golding, addressing the camera talked about being targeted by the police.

In it, he said: 'People like me and Jayda do not have breaking points.'

He added: 'We are in this to the death. We are in this all the way.'

After today's hearing, Jaswant Narwal, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'The prosecution case demonstrated these defendants were not merely exercising their right to free speech but were instead aiming religiously-aggravated abuse at innocent members of the public.

'The victims suffered the distress of the abuse followed by additional stress when the footage was uploaded to the internet. This offending also related to an ongoing criminal trial and the actions taken by Fransen and Golding could easily have derailed the justice process.'

In summarising his findings Judge Barron said: 'This was a deliberate campaign against targeted victims.

He added: 'I have no doubt it was their joint intention to use the facts of the case for their own political ends....this was a campaign not to highlight a terrible rape but a campaign to draw attention to the race, religion and immigrant background of the defendants.'

On hearing the sentence Fransen said: 'I think this is a very sad day for British justice...

She is then cut off by Judge Barron who said he did not want to hear a political slogan.

She added: 'Everything I have done is for the children and they are worth it.'

Upon saying this the public gallery- that was packed with Britain First supporters- erupted in applause.

The supporters then left the court abusing the judge and the press saying they were 'disgraceful' and also shouting 'no surrender'

Golding and Fransen were led down to the cells.
The SNP's Mhairi Black today became the first MP to use the C-word in a Commons debate - and read it out five times as she revealed the scale of abuse against her online.

Ms Black, the youngest member of the Commons, told a debate about misogyny in Britain about the daily tirade of abuse she faced.

The debate also heard Women's Minister Victoria Atkins explain she had left Twitter entirely because of the volume of abuse.

Labour MP Melanie Onn, who called the debate in Westminster Hall this morning, called for a change in the law to make misogyny a hate crime.

Conservative peer Baroness Jenkin became the first parliamentarian to use the C-word in Parliament in January during a House of Lords debate on abuse of political candidates.

The SNP's Mhairi Black (pictured in Westminster Hall today) became the first MP to use the C-word in Parliament - and read it out five times as she revealed the scale of abuse against her online

The debate also heard Women's Minister Victoria Atkins (pictured today responding to the debate) explain she had left Twitter entirely because of the volume of abuse

Ms Black, the Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP, said she is regularly called a 'wee boy' and told she wears her dad's suits, adding her and her pals laugh about this level of insults.

She said: 'I struggle to see any joke in being systematically called a dyke, a rug muncher, a slut, a w****, a scruffy bint.

'I've been told you can't put lipstick on a pig, let the dirty b**** each s*** and die.

'I could soften some of this by talking about the C-word but the reality is there is no softening when you're targeted with these words and you're left reading them on my screen every day, day in, day out - she needs a kick in the c***, guttural c***, ugly c***, wee animal c*** - there is no softening just how sexualised and misogynistic the abuse is.'

Ms Black said she received a comment from a man she had never heard of before which said 'I've pumped some ugly birds in my time but I just wouldn't'.

She added: 'I've been assured multiple times that I don't have to worry because I am so ugly that no-one would want to rape me.

'All of these insults have been tailored to me because I am a woman.'

Ms Black said it is not simply 'a few bad anonymous people on Twitter', adding: 'But it's not. This is every day common language.'

She said she felt uncomfortable reading out the insults, adding: 'Yet there are people who feel comfortable flinging these words around every day.

'When it goes unchallenged it becomes normalised - and when it becomes normalised it creates an environment that allows women to be abused, ranging from a whole spectrum.'

Labour MP Melanie Onn, who called the debate in Westminster Hall this morning, called for a change in the law to make misogyny a hate crime.

Women's Minister Ms Atkins says she came off Twitter because she 'got fed up with the abuse'.

She told women: 'You don't have to be on Twitter if you don't want to be.'

Melanie Onn said catcalling at women should be treated in the same way as racism and homophobia.

Miss Onn, a Labour shadow communities minister and MP for Great Grimsby, will argue that a change in the law would give women the confidence to report misogynistic behaviour.

Ahead of the debate she told the Grimsby Telegraph: 'I've been told by police that women don't necessarily report these incidents, such as men standing far too close to them on public transport.

Ms Black, the youngest member of the Commons, told a debate in Westminster Hall (pictured) about misogyny in Britain about the daily tirade of abuse she faced

'In my experience, the first thing you do in that situation is doubt yourself that it is even happening. And even when you know it is, you don't know if the perpetrator will react aggressively if you do confront them about it.

'This could also include someone who catcalls a woman in the street or follows a woman out of a shop to chat them up when it is unwanted.

'I think these are warning signs and this change would give women the confidence to report these things.

'These things might be considered 'banter' or flirtatious but, if they are received as unwelcome in the way it is delivered, then it can be tantamount to harassment, even in a one-off case.'
The European Union has promised to put tariffs on exports to the US including peanut butter, orange juice and bourbon if President Trump goes ahead with plans to put charges on steel imports.

It comes after Trump fired off the first salvos of a trade war by laying out plans to impose tariffs on goods heading for the US, including from the country's closest allies.

The president has long railed against what he deems unfair trade practices by China and others, and last week declared that his government would levy penalties of 25 per cent on imported steel and 10 per cent on aluminum imports.

The president has long railed against what he deems unfair trade practices by China and others

The European Union has promised to put tariffs on exports to the US including peanut butter, orange juice (left) and bourbon (right)

Cecilia Malmstrom (pictured) said today: 'A trade war has no winners and if it does not happen for the better, then we can work with our American friends and other allies on the core issue of this problem, overcapacity'

The tariffs, he said, would remain for 'a long period of time,' but it was not clear if certain trading partners would be exempt.

But the European Commission's trade chief said it will 'have to take measures to protect European jobs' if the tariffs go ahead.

Cecilia Malmstrom said today: 'A trade war has no winners and if it does not happen for the better, then we can work with our American friends and other allies on the core issue of this problem, overcapacity.'

She added: 'Certain types of bourbon are on the list as are other items such as peanut butter, cranberries, orange juice.'

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker also said that Harley Davidson motorcycles and Levi jeans would also be hit.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker also said that Harley Davidson motorcycles (pictured with President Trump) and Levi jeans would also be hit

The EU Commission (which is headed by Jean-Claude Juncker, pictured) has drawn up plans to hit back at the US with 25% trade tariffs

President Trump has rejected pleas from EU leaders not to go ahead with the plans, prompting the EU to draw up plans to hit back by slapping higher charges on a range of US exports heading to Europe.

This will include new 25 per cent charges on yachts, peanut butter lipstick, bed linen, motorbikes and trousers.

And it will also slap the charge on goods in the industrial sector - including tubes, pipes and rolled steels.

Grills, ventilators, ladders and even kitchen sinks will be among the appliances affected.

Together the total value of the target is estimated to be 2.83 billion euros - the equivalent of 2.53 billion, according to the Politico website.

Trump said the European Union 'has been particularly tough on the United States'.

EU commissioners are discussing the plans for the fleet of tariffs today, and they will be rolled out if Mr Trump goes ahead with the restrictions he announced last week.

The products targeted have been carefully selected so as not to harm EU industries, which do not need the imports.

Some targets, meanwhile, appear to clearly target politically sensitive Republican-run states.

Donald Trump, pictured in the White House yesterday, said he is imposing tariffs on EU goods because current trade has been 'very unfair' to the US - but he has face massive opposition from his allies and lost a key adviser in the White House over the plan

The move comes as Trump's top economics adviser, Gary Cohn, quit in protest at the tariff plan.

Mr Cohn, who headed the National Economic Council and worked at Goldman Sachs, was seen as a crucial moderating influence on the President.

He was a key proponent of free trade - as opposed to the nationalist and protectionist voices in the White House.

His departure will fuel concerns that the US President will stick to his protectionist 'America First' plan - despite the opposition of Britain and other allies.

At a press conference yesterday, Mr Trump said: 'The United States has been taken advantage of by other countries, both friendly and not so friendly, for many, many decades, and we have a trade deficit of $800bn per year, and that's not going to happen with me.'

He said: 'The European Union has been particularly tough on the United States. They make it almost impossible to do business with them, and yet they send their cars and everything else back into the United States.

'They can do whatever they like but if they do that, then we put a big tax of 25 per cent on their cars and believe me, they won't be doing it very long.'

He went on: 'The European Union has not treated us well and it's been a very, very unfair trade situation.

'One of the reasons I was elected is I'm protecting our workers, I'm protecting our companies, and I'm not going to let that happen.'
Iraqi asylum seeker Ahmed Hassan (pictured), 18, injured 30 commuters after detonating the device in the packed District Line carriage, the Old Bailey in London heard

The Parsons Green bucket bomber loaded an explosive device with more than 4lbs of nails, screws and knives to cause 'maximum carnage' on a rush hour Tube train, a court heard.

Iraqi asylum seeker Ahmed Hassan, 18, injured 30 commuters after detonating the device in a Lidl supermarket bag in the packed District Line carriage, the Old Bailey in London was told.

Hassan, who arrived in the UK illegally on the back of a lorry in 2015, allegedly made the bomb using the explosive triacetate triperoxide (TATP) which was packed into a Tupperware container and glass vase inside the white bucket.

When interviewed by the Home Office when claiming asylum in the UK, he said he was fleeing ISIS - who he claimed kidnapped him, threatened to murder his family, made him train 1,000 soldiers to kill and give religious teachings.

The jury was told that some of the ingredients for the device were bought on Amazon and CCTV captured Hassan buying a drill in Aldi and batteries and a screwdriver set in Asda in Feltham.

Hassan allegedly used an Amazon token he was given after winning a school prize to pay for the chemicals.

Ahmed Hassan pictured allegedly using Tesco wifi to order the hydrogen peroxide in Sunbury. The teenage asylum seeker is accused of planting the Parsons Green Tube bomb

Hassan allegedly used an Amazon token he was given after winning a school prize to pay for the chemicals

Ahmed Hassan on a 216 bus allegedly on his way to pick up the hydrogen peroxide from his friend's house in Thornton Heat

He was awarded the 'Student of the Year' prize at Brooklands College for his study of the Level 3 Diploma in media and creativity.

His prize at college was a 20 Amazon voucher and it was used to purchase hydrogen peroxide, the court heard.

He then allegedly took advantage of his foster parents being on holiday to prepare 14oz of TATP explosives, using a friend's address to take delivery of the largest ingredient.

The device exploded in a ball of fire as the train pulled into Parsons Green station at 8.20am on September 15 last year, leaving a number of the 93 passengers in the carriage at the time badly burned.

Hassan allegedly made the bomb using the explosive triacetate triperoxide (TATP) which was packed into a Tupperware container and glass vase inside the white bucket

An injured woman is assisted by a police officer close to Parsons Green station in west London after an explosion on a packed London Underground train

Fortunately, the device did not detonate fully, sparing the lives of those nearest the bomb, the court heard.

Commuters told how they faced 'a furnace engulfed in flames', with some suffering significant burns, while others were injured in the 'stampede' as they fled in fear and panic, the jury was told.

Jelena Semenjuk had noticed a bag on the floor and a man fitting the description of Hassan. She heard a 'loud bang' and noticed her coat was on fire, the court heard.

Parsons Green accused 'told Home Office officials he had been trained to kill by ISIS' Alleged Parsons Green bomber Ahmed Hassan admitted he was 'trained to kill' by Islamic State in an interview with Home Office officials, the Old Bailey has heard. Here are notes of his immigration interview at Lunar House in Croydon in January 2016, taken by Zoe Spencer, who was partly responsible for his care at the time. Question: Have you ever had any training with Isis and what did you do whilst you were with Isis? Hassan said 'they trained us on how to kill. It was all religious-based'. Q: Who did you go there with and how many people were there with you? Hassan explained that he was recruited on his own but shared training with around 1,000 people and that they would spend three or four hours a day in the mosque. Q: How did you get away from Isis and have they sent you to Europe to work for them? Hassan explained that Iraqi soldiers came into Isis territory and told everyone to go. Some children had stayed, some died and some went back to their families, he said, adding that Isis had not sent him to Europe to work for them. The interview continued following the arrival of a solicitor and an interpreter and some of the questions were put again. Q: Have you previously or are you part of any terrorist group i.e. Isis? Hassan replied that he was taken by force by Isis and if he did not go (with them) they would have killed his uncle and brother. Q: Have you had any training with Isis and what did you do whilst you were with Isis? Hassan replied that he was forced to train with them on how to kill and they would teach him about religion and what Allah believed was right. Q: Who did you go there with and how many people were there with you? Hassan's reply was the same as the first interview except 'that he was forced to go on his own otherwise they would kill his family and he shared training with 1,000 people and they would spend three or four hours a day in the mosque'. Q: How did you get away from Isis and have they sent you to Europe to work for them? Hassan replied 'that Iraqi soldiers came into Isis territory and told everyone to go and that some children stayed and some went back to their families'. Advertisement

She suffered burns to her legs, hands, and face, causing her eyebrows and lashes to be singed off, the court heard.

Aimee Colville saw 'shards of glass flying through the air and then flames'.

Jurors heard she could 'smell herself burning and saw her hair was on fire'.

Hassan is accused of using a toilet at Wimbledon station to set the timer on the device.

'Some in the carriage were caught by the flames and sustained significant burns,' said prosecutor Alison Morgan.

'Many ran in fear and panic. They were fortunate. Had the device fully detonated it is inevitable that serious injury and significant damage would have been caused within the carriage.

'Those in close proximity to the device may well have been killed.'

Hassan set a crude timing device and got off the train at Putney Bridge station, the stop before Parsons Green.

The bucket was inside a Lidl carrier bag and been packed with assorted objects including sockets, screw drivers and bolts.

'The bucket containing the device had been loaded with pieces of shrapnel, that is, metal objects designed to be propelled out of the device during the explosion, causing maximum harm and carnage to those in the surrounding area,' Miss Morgan said.

The court heard that after 'calmly' walking away from Putney Bridge station, Hassan boarded a Route 74 bus towards Earl's Court. He sat on the top deck at the front of the bus.

CCTV footage allegedly shows him glancing out of the window as he passes Parsons Green station.

He is then seen to remove the SD card from his mobile phone, chew on it and then stuff it down the side of the seat.

The destroyed SD card was later discovered by police, jurors were told.

Hassan had searched Amazon to buy a five litre bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide one of the key ingredients of the home made explosive which was sent to a friend's address in Thornton Heath.

The ingredients to make the bucket bomb were 'not difficult to acquire', the court heard.

Without a license it is possible to purchase the hydrogen peroxide substance up to a maximum concentration of 12 per cent, Ms Morgan said.

'The ingredients necessary to manufacture a device of this type, with such deadly potential, are not difficult to acquire.

'The explosive triacetone triperoxide, which we will refer to as TATP, during the course of this trial, is made of three ingredients: hydrogen peroxide, acetone, such as you might find in nail polish remover, and sulphuric acid.

'TATP is an extremely volatile explosive. It is not produced in commercial circumstances in this country, so its manufacture is 'improvised' or 'home-made'.

'The very process of making TATP in any amount is inherently dangerous. The maker risks causing accidental harm to himself.

'Once made, it remains volatile, and the process of transferring it from one container to another, or transporting it about, could result in accidental detonation.'

Hassan set up a new gmail account and bought the hydrogen peroxide at 10.51pm on August 26, using the name and address of his friend Ayah Mahmood in Thornton Heath.

Artists impression of Ahmed Hassan, on trial today at the Old Bailey, London, March 7, 2018, after being accused of the Parsons Green terror attack which injured 30 people last year

The device exploded in a ball of fire as the train pulled into Parsons Green station at 8.20am on September 15 last year, leaving passengers badly burned

A forensics officer on the platform at Parsons Green station in west London, examining the scene

It was delivered to him on August 30, and the following day Hassan collected the substance from the Thornton Heath address.

'CCTV footage shows the defendant travelling back from Thornton Heath with a Lidl plastic bag containing what the prosecution alleges to be the hydrogen peroxide,' said Ms Morgan.

Hassan used his phone to search for sulphuric acid on 3 September, and that evening he bought the ingredient at 98 per cent from Amazon, which was delivered to his house three days later.

The third ingredient, acetone, can be obtained through nail varnish remover, so is 'widely available'.

An empty bottle of nail varnish remover was found at Hassan's home address, the court heard.

CCTV of the explosion played in court a crowded rush hour train suddenly engulfed in flames and panicked passengers fleeing in terror.

Clean-shaven and short-haired Hassan hung his head in the dock as the footage was shown to the jury.

Police remove the 'ring of steel' barriers surrounding the house in Sunbury, West London where the Parson's Green terror suspect was living

Hassan had arrived in the UK in the back of a lorry in October 2015 when he was 16 after he was smuggled through the Channel Tunnel without any identity papers.

His asylum claim was pending and he was living with foster parents Penelope Jones, 71, and her husband Ronald, 88, at the time of the attack.

The couple were awarded MBEs in recognition of their services to children and families in 2009.

A Barnados staff member who spoke Arabic allegedly caught him listening to a call to arms song, with words to the effect: 'We are coming with you to the slaughter in your home/country.'

CCTV of the explosion played in court a crowded rush hour train suddenly engulfed in flames and panicked passengers fleeing in terror

One of his supervisors also allegedly saw Hassan watching a video of people in a truck wearing balaclavas and holding machine guns and an IS flag.

In April 2016, the teenager was referred by Surrey social services to Brooklands College where he was given a mentor who helped him find a foster home in Cavendish Road, Sunbury, in Surrey.

At college, he completed a media course in photography and film-making.

As part of the course, he made a film of the destruction of a mobile - which the prosecution alleged rehearsed efforts he made to dispose of his phone following the bombing.

Jurors were told there was no record of how Hassan made his device as the Mac laptop social services gave him for his studies had been completely wiped the day before the alleged attack.

Hassan, from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, denies attempted murder and using the explosive substance TATP (triacetate triperoxide) to endanger life or cause serious injury to property.

The trial continues.
Charlotte Laudat, 31, attacked her husband with a pair of scissors after discovering he was having an affair with a woman in her 70s

A fashion designer who slashed her husband across the face with scissors after discovering he was having an affair is facing jail.

Charlotte Laudat, 31, attacked her partner Simon, 40, just hours after finding naked photos of an older woman in her 70s on his phone.

She pulled a pair of scissors from her robe and inflicted eight wounds to her husband's face, telling him: 'You are going to die tonight', Blackfriars Crown Court heard.

Fearing for his life, Mr Laudat jumped out of a first-floor window to escape for his irate wife.

Laudat, who designs children's clothes under the brand Little Lott London, pleaded guilty on Monday to attacking her husband, on October 26 last year.

Judge Jane Sullivan adjourned sentencing until April 13 but warned a tearful Laudat, who is now pregnant, she could face a spell behind bars. The court was not told who is the baby's father.

The court heard Laudat and her husband, who married in April 2016, had been on a property management course in Milton Keynes when she found naked photos of a woman she believed was in her 70s on his phone.

She said she initially believed it was a 'joke' but her husband admitted to the affair, coming to her flat in Finsbury Park later that evening to try to talk.

Prosecutor Gino Connor said after a phone call to the woman in the pictures, Laudat flew into a rage and pulled out the scissors.

'She was shouting and screaming abuse at him, saying "I can't believe you have done this to me",' he said.

'At this point she attacked her husband with a pair of scissors.

'She held the scissors in her fist with the blade open and started to slash at his face, saying "I will cut your eye open".'

According to the Evening Standard, Mr Laudat, who gave evidence from a wheelchair, told the court: 'At first she held them in her hand. After she hit me the first time with the scissors I backed away because I was in shock at what she had done.

'She then put the scissors inside the knuckles and basically she punched me.'

Ms Laudat, pictured here with her husband Simon in happier times, is facing a prison term

Simon Laudat had to jump out of a first floor window to escape from his wife

Blackfriars Crown Court heard Mr Laudat requires a Zimmer frame when at home in addition to his wheel chair following the attack on October 26

Ms Laudat attacked her husband at their home in Finsbury Park, pictured with a red door

He said he 'pleaded' with his wife to stop the attack, and grabbed her hair in a bid to wrestle free the scissors.

After Laudat told him 'You're suffering tonight, you are going to die tonight', he believed he had no choice but to jump out of the kitchen window and seek help from neighbours.

'I had to get out of there, she threatened my life', he said.

Mr Laudat shattered his ankle in the fall from the first floor flat, and now needs a wheelchair to get around and as well as a Zimmer frame at home.

When pleading guilty, Laudat claimed her husband had come at her first with the scissors, and she had inflicted the wounds during the ensuing struggle.

Laudat is the owner and creator of a two children's clothing brands offering 'alternative edgy London street wear for children'.

One brand is Baby Little Lott Newborn for babies up to two. Then she has a range for children aged between three and twelve and finally Teen Little Lott London for children between 13 and 15.

Laudat, pictured, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and inflicting grievous bodily harm

Blackfriars Crown Court heard Mr Laudat pleaded with his wife to cease her attack

Laudat claimed her husband had first produced the scissors although this was rejected by judge Sullivan who said: 'I have no doubt it was she who produced the scissors and used them to cause the injuries'

But Judge Sullivan rejected her story, saying: 'I have no doubt it was she who produced the scissors and used them to cause the injuries.

'She was angry about his behaviour with another woman.'

Laudat, formerly of Finsbury Park, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Laudat, who is a Women's Aid Campaign Champion, was freed on bail until sentencing next month.

Laudat, pictured, initially thought the naked photographs were a joke until her husband admitted the affair with the elderly woman

Ms Laudat, left, told her husband, right, 'You're suffering tonight, you are going to die tonight'

Laudat, pictured, was released on bail for sentencing at Blackfriars Crown Court next month

A local neighbour who did not want to named said: 'Very bad things happened. I knew that one day he would be killed if things continued.

'He was in and out in October until she threw him out.

'I dont have any interest to be involved in their crazy set up, Im really scared of them.

'Shes moved somewhere else and now theres a man living here who claims to be a relative.

'She was always very dodgy, always very unpredictable, very scary and very aggressive.

'I am concerned about my safety if they found out I spoke to you.

'All of us want them to move out. People have called the police and tenants have threatened to call solicitors.

'He is a victim. He would always protect her, he would tell you she didnt do a thing- this is not the first time.

'Shes a pathological liar, a psychopath, one of those people who can convince anyone she is normal.

'I dont know where he is now.

'If you leave it to Simon he will go back to her again. He will be ridiculed and abused again.

'I dont know how his parents can sit back and watch this happen.

'If anyone saw them they would not believe it, he is a muscly man and she is very petite- but my God, the things she did to him every day, every night, every day, every night.

'She would belittle him and make him lose his personality.

'Her son and daughter are the most affected.'
A first hand account by a pilot of the aircraft that dropped the world's first atomic bomb has emerged for sale along with his rudimentary sketch of its aftermath.

Captain Robert Lewis wrote in his secret report 'my God, what have we done?' after seeing the 50,000ft mushroom cloud rise up over Hiroshima, Japan.

An estimated 150,000 Japanese people died when the bomb obliterated as much as 70 per cent of the city and brought an end to the Second World War.

After Captain Robert Lewis wrote his unofficial account, he hid it from senior officers by disguising it as a letter to his parents

Captain Lewis's eight page letter is now for sale and according to the auctioneers ' it is his first hand, personal account of a mission that changed the world'

The letter is one of six copies made by Captain Lewis and is on sale

Capt Lewis' unofficial contemporary account is the only one from a crew member of the B29 bomber, the Enola Gay, that exists.

So not to arouse suspicion from superior officers back at his base, he disguised his report of the top secret mission as a letter to his mother and father.

Although the crew were aware they were dropping an atomic bomb, none of them had any idea of the sheer death and destruction it would cause, which comes across in the clandestine log.

Upon seeing the giant mushroom cloud following the flash of light explosion, Capt Lewis wrote: 'Just how many Japs did we kill?

'If I live a hundred years, I'll never quite get these few minutes out of my mind.'

Capt Lewis took the account home with him and kept it until he sold it at auction in 1972.

Before he parted with it, the former airmen wrote out by hand six exact copies - one for his wife and one each for their five children.

The original was later sold in 2002 to an anonymous buyer who has never displayed it in public.

Also on sale is the officer's sketch of the bomb's mushroom cloud pictured alongside and official photograph of the actual detonation

Tom Lamb, of auctioneers Bomhams, which is selling 'fair copy number four' of the original account for an estimated 40,000 ($55,000), said: 'These exact copies represent the only viewable first hand evidence of the flight, written out with a clarity and a devastating accuracy, by the man who piloted the Enola Gay.

'Everything about it is as the original, starting in pencil and changing to ink which is what he did during the flight.

'It is his first hand, personal account of a mission that changed the world.

'It runs to eight pages and includes the sketch which is very basic and shows the cloud rising up to more than 40,000ft and is timed at 9.30am on August 6, 1945.'

Capt Lewis was born in New Jersey and joined the US Air Force at the start of the war.

He became one of the lead test pilots for America's new B29 bomber, flying almost daily between 1944 to 1945 practising the bombing runs they were to carry out on Japan.

On August 6, 1945 he was the co-pilot of Enola Gay which left Tinian island in the Pacific at 2.35am to fly north to Japan.

The crew of the Enola Gay pose in front of the aircraft. Captain Lewis said all those on board were 'dumbstruck' by what they saw

In his log, Capt Lewis described the nervousness on board the flight which runs perfectly normal.

At 7.30am he wrote how the weapons expert on board made the bomb live.

He wrote: 'We turned off our I.P. (initional point) and had about a four-minute run on a perfectly open target. Tom Ferebee (the bombardier) synchronized on his brief A.P. [Aiming Point] and let go.

'For the next minute no one knew what would happen. The bombardier and pilot both forgot to put on their dark glasses and therefore witnessed the flash.

'Then in about 15 seconds after the flash, there were two very distinct slaps, then that was all the physical effect that we felt.

'We then turned the ship so we could observe results and there in front of our eyes was without a doubt the greatest explosion man has ever witnessed.

A replica of the atomic bomb nicknamed Little Boy. Captain Lewis said it made 'the greatest explosion man has ever witnessed'

'The city was 50 per cent covered with smoke and a large column of white cloud which in less than three minutes reached 30,000 feet and then went at least 50,000 feet.

'I am certain the entire crew felt this experience was more than any one human had ever thought possible. It just seemed impossible to comprehend.

'Just how many Japs did we kill?...groping for words to explain this or I might say my God, what have we done?

'If I live a hundred years, I'll never quite get these few minutes out of my mind.

'Everyone on the ship is actually dumbstruck even though we had expected something fierce. It was the actual sight that we saw that caused the crew to feel they were part of Buck Rodgers 25th century warriors.'

The bombing raid was followed up three days later with second on the industrial city of Nagasaki, inflicting similar devastating damage.

Japan surrendered six days after the Nagasaki bombing.

Capt Lewis died of a heart attack at his home in Virginia in 1983 aged 65.

The log is being sold on Friday in New York.
Advertisement

A boat-full of unsuspecting tourists got more than they bargained for when a huge whale shark was spotted lurking beneath their whale watching vessel.

The enormous whale shark - the world's largest species of fish - dwarfs the boat as it floats just below the surface in the crystal clear water of Ningaloo Reef about 6km off the coast of Western Australia.

The extraordinary image was taken by Tom Cannon, 26, earlier this week and captured the gaping abyss of the whale shark's giant mouth.

An enormous whale shark dwarfs the boat as it floats just below the surface in the crystal clear water of Ningaloo Reef about 6km off the coast of Western Australia

'It spends most of its time living mysteriously at depths unreachable by humans but from March until July they can be seen off the back of Ningaloo Reef in Coral Bay and Exmouth,' he said.

'I wasn't scared, we swim with these guys quite a lot and people come from across the world to see them. They are a very docile fish and will often shy away from anything they feel threatened by.

'This particular shark was really curious and spent the entire 50 minutes on the surface with us chasing bubbles and checking everybody out.

'This was a rare experience to have such a curious playful shark. They usually swim in straight lines in search of food. The people on board were quite amazed to see the whale shark behaving this way.

The boat-full of unsuspecting tourists got more than they bargained for when the huge animal was spotted lurking beneath their whale watching vessel

The photographer said the curious shark delighted watchers for about 50 minutes on the surface chasing bubbles

'The creature isn't dangerous. We are their biggest threat with the increasing pollution to our oceans they need our help.

Mr Cannon was born in Shoreham, England, and moved to Australia when he was 13. He now lives with his girlfriend in a converted bus in Coral Bay and runs underwater photography company Ocean Collective Media.

Whale sharks are slow-moving, filter feeders which can grow up to 12m in length and weigh 18 tonnes.
The decades-old mystery over the disappearance of Amelia Earhart has been cracked with 99% certainty, according to a top scientist probing the case.

The famous aviator disappeared somewhere over the Pacific Ocean during an attempted round-the-world flight in 1937.

Earhart, her plane and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were never found, and the mystery of what happened to them continues to fascinate to this day.

But now an expert on skeletal biology, Richard Jantz of the University of Tennessee in the US city of Knoxville, believes he has cracked the case - claiming bones found on a Pacific island are '99% likely' to be hers.

In 1940, bones were discovered on Gardner Island  now called Nikumaroro  400 miles south of Earhart's planned stopover on Howland Island.

The decades-old mystery of Amelia Earhart (pictured in 1936, a year before she vanaished) has been cracked with 99% certainty, according to a top scientist probing the case

In 1940, bones were discovered on Gardner Island  now called Nikumaroro (pictured)  400 miles south of Earhart's planned stopover on Howland Island. An expert on skeletal biology now believes the bones are '99% likely' to be Earhart's

The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) has been investigating the theory that Earhart landed on Nikumaroro  now part of Kiribati  since the 1980s and has found a pocket knife (left alongside a completed version) which it says is of the same type inventoried aboard Earhart's plane

They were then sent for analysis in British Fiji, where Dr David Winn Hoodless took measurements before the bones were lost.

Now, using those measurements, Dr Jantz has compared the bones to the probable dimensions of Earhart's and reached a remarkable conclusion.

'What I can say scientifically is that they are 99% likely to be her,' he said.

Dr Jantz estimated the dimensions of comparable bones in Earhart's body by analysing photos where she appeared alongside objects which can still be measured today.

'We had the lengths of three bones that Hoodless reported lengths for,' said the doctor.

'Then we realised there were some ways we could get more information about Amelia Earhart's dimensions that could be compared directly to the bones.

Among the artifacts found on the island is a glass bottle containing traces of mercury. Its design matches that of bottles of Dr CH Berry's freckle ointment  a brand from the 1930s containing mercury

Earhart (left), her plane and her navigator, Fred Noonan (right), were never found, and the mystery of what happened to them continues to fascinate to this day

'We were able to measure her humerus length and her radius length from a photo that had a scaleable object in it.

'Then we also had her a good estimate of her tibia length which we got from her trouser inseam length and from her height.

'We were able to compare the three bone lengths from Nikumaroro island to Amelia Earhart.

'The result is that they are very similar and it's unlikely that just a random person would be that similar.'

An analysis comparing the Nikumaroro bones to those of 2,776 other people found only 17 people with dimensions more similar than Earhart  just two of them women.

'If her position had been in the middle of that distribution, there is no way I could have concluded that it was her,' said Dr Jantz.

'The fact that she is not the closest one is not disqualifying at all, because there are going to be measurement errors on my part from estimating her dimensions, and it could be that Hoodless also made some errors.

'Just a random person would have a very low probability of being that similar to the Nikumaroro bones.'

The famous aviator disappeared somewhere over the Pacific Ocean during an attempted round-the-world flight in 1937

The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) has been investigating the theory that Earhart landed on Nikumaroro  now part of Kiribati  since the 1980s.

Richard Gillespie, its executive director, claims the group has found other artifacts on the island supporting the theory that Earhart crashed there, lived as a castaway and died.

He said: 'We have been doing this for 29 years now and we have built such a huge body of evidence that supports this hypothesis that Earhart landed and died on this island.

'There are many, many different threads of evidence that all reach the same conclusion and there's really no evidence that something else happened.

'We've found artifacts on the island that speak of an American woman of the 1930s and there's no other explanation for how they got there.'

Among the artifacts is a glass bottle containing traces of mercury. Its design matches that of bottles of Dr CH Berry's freckle ointment  a brand from the 1930s containing mercury.

Mr Gillespie said: 'We don't know that she used this freckle cream but Earhart had freckles and she didn't like her freckles.

THE THEORIES ON AMELIA EARHART'S FINAL RESTING PLACE Theory One: Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan crash into the Pacific a few miles short of their intended destination due to visibility and gas problems, and die instantly. Theory Two: Earhart and Noonan crash land on the island of Nikumaroro, where they later die at the hands of coconut crabs, which hunt for food at night and grow up to three-feet long. The name comes from their ability to opened the hardened shells of coconuts. Theory Three: Earhart and Noonan veer drastically off course and crash land near the Mili Atoll in the Marshall Islands. They are rescued but soon taken as prisoners of war by the Japanese and sent to a camp in Saipan. Noonan is beheaded and Earhart dies in 1939 from malaria or dysentery. Theory Four: Earhart and Noonan make it to Howland Island as planned and are eaten by cannibals. Theory Five: Earhart was an American spy sent to gather information on the Japanese ahead of World War II. Advertisement

'And here on this island is this bottle that once contained this stuff and there's no other explanation for why it would be there.'

TIGHAR has also found a pocket knife which it says is of the same type inventoried aboard Earhart's plane.

'We know she had a knife like this,' said Mr Gillespie. 'It's broken and pounded apart  probably with just a rock  to get the blades out.

'If you're a castaway and you need to make a spear, you might need the blades and can't use them without getting them out.

'It makes sense, it's castaway behaviour.'

Mr Gillespie believes Earhart survived on the island for some weeks, even months, before passing away.

'She may have died of thirst, she may have starved to death,' he said.

'It's possible to get into a situation where you're spending more calories to get the food than the food provides.

'It's also a coral atoll and if you fall on the coral  which is very easy to do  you can get an infection and if you don't have access to antibiotics you're eventually going to die of blood poisoning.'
A prisoner suspected of hiding drugs by swallowing them has been sent to hospital after managing not to defecate for nearly seven weeks.

Lamarr Chambers was arrested and detained 47 days ago in Harlow, Essex, as part of a county-wide operation targetting drug trafficking.

He was arrested for failing to stop in Ladyshot along with possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

The 24-year-old from Brixton, South London, was held on January 17 and appeared in court the next day.

Chambers, 24, was arrested by police on Wednesday, January 17, for failing to stop in Ladyshot, Harlow, Essex, along with possession with intent to supply class A drugs

At that hearing, and in seven subsequent hearings, the court authorised the further detention of Mr Chambers under section 152 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 to enable him to pass drugs he was suspected to have inside him.

He has been routinely supplied with food and water, received daily medical visits and comprehensive reports of his state of health have been provided to the court at each hearing.

Police say his health, well-being and dignity have been treated as paramount at all times as Mr Chambers routinely declined medical treatment and the opportunity to visit hospital.

On Monday the decision was taken by Deputy Chief Constable BJ Harrington, following medical and legal advice, to release Mr Chambers from custody.

The Crown Prosecution Service discontinued the charges against Mr Chambers in relation to possession with intent to supply a Class A drug and driving matters.

He was immediately rearrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug and released on bail and then taken by police car, in company with a medical professional, to hospital for treatment.

Essex police have regularly posted on Chambers' progress - or lack of it - on social media

Deputy Chief Constable BJ Harrington said: 'Police forces have a legal and ethical responsibility for the welfare of anyone brought in to police custody. Although an investigation concerning the supply of Class A drugs is routine for our officers, there have in this case been some highly unusual circumstances which have attracted national attention.

'On the basis of all the medical evidence in this case it is most appropriate, both in the interests of Mr Chambers and of justice, to ensure he receives the hospital treatment he needs. Where detainees are suspected of ingesting or concealing drugs inside their body, we must balance overseeing their welfare and ensuring that all evidence is captured to ensure the best possible chance of prosecution.

'In some cases this will involve seeking the continued detention of a suspect, as authorised by the courts, to ensure that drugs are passed, retained and tested. That evidence will then form the basis of subsequent charging decisions and court proceedings.

'Essex Police's Operation Raptor teams spend every day proactively hunting those involved in the supply and sale of drugs on our streets. It is a crime that we are not prepared to tolerate in this county and we will go to every length to capture and prosecute those responsible.

'We will also not shy away from talking about the unpleasant truths that go hand in hand with the drug dealing lifestyle, from the violence often perpetrated by those involved to the expectation on dealers to "plug" drugs to avoid capture.'
Divorced mother-of-two Jacklin McGaan, 50, is pictured outside the High Court in London

A City accountant who fell in love with a married builder 15 years her senior while in Spain has lost a High Court fight with him over a 1million string of properties.

Divorced mother-of-two Jacklin McGaan, 50, of Clerkenwell, Central London, and Essex-based tradesman Brian South, 65, got together while on holiday in 2009.

He was married when they met, but they began a relationship. Miss McGaan and Mr South lived as 'unmarried domestic partners' for five years until 2014, when their relationship 'ended acrimoniously'.

During their time together Miss McGaan bought four houses across Essex, worth more than 1million in total - including a 600,000 three-bedroom detached cottage in Ongar and a 140,000 house near the coast in Walton-on-the-Naze.

But after their bitter breakup, the builder demanded that she split the properties with him. He claimed he had put money and work into the houses, which were meant to be an investment for them both, despite being in her sole name.

But Miss McGaan insisted they were all hers and that her tradesman ex was due nothing and instead owed her 50,000.

However in December last year, Judge Patrick Moloney ordered her to hand over equity in two of the properties to Mr South.

In his ruling, the judge explained that Miss McGaan was a 'divorced woman with two children' when she and Mr South 'met in Spain in 2009'.

During their time together Miss McGaan bought four houses across Essex, worth more than 1million in total - including a 600,000 three-bedroom detached cottage in Ongar (pictured)

'Mr South was appreciably older and was married at the time,' he added. They were 'unmarried domestic partners' for five years, before their love affair 'ended acrimoniously in 2014'.

Mr South took legal action the same year, insisting he was due a stake in each of the four houses. But Miss McGaan denied he was due anything and counter-claimed 50,000 she said she had lent him.

Judge Moloney however found that Mr South was due half the net proceeds from the sale of the 600,000 cottage and all the cash raised from the sale of the house in Walton-on-the-Naze.

He rejected Miss McGaan's counter-claim and ordered her to pay Mr South a balancing payment of just over 115,000.

She was also ordered to shell out 15,000 in interest because Mr South had been 'kept out' of his share in the properties since 2014.

This 140,000 house near the coast in Walton-on-the-Naze was also at the centre of the row

Now, after an appeal to the High Court, Mrs Justice Lang has cut her interest bill to just over 2,500, after ruling that interest was due only from the dates on which the properties were sold, not from when Mr South launched his case.

The judge said: 'Each of them had various businesses and properties which became intertwined with each other. In the course of the relationship, Miss McGaan bought four residential properties, including one from Mr South.'

She added that each 'has sued the other and each has counter-claimed', but Mr South had 'succeeded in establishing a beneficial interest' in two of the properties.

Cutting the accountant's interest bill, she concluded: 'The judge erred in concluding that Mr South was entitled to interest from the date he issued his claim. He only became entitled to a sum of money on which interest could accrue upon the sale of the properties.'

Mr South did not attend the hearing but was legally represented. Miss McGaan was in court to hear her barrister, Winston Jacob, mount the successful appeal.
Disturbing footage has emerged of a dying shark being tied to a car and dragged along a Western Australia road.

The video was initially posted in the Fishing Western Australia Facebook group and shows the animal tied to a rope and hauled behind a vehicle at high speed.

Although barely moving, the shark is clearly alive for part of the video and can be seen bleeding as it is pulled along the quiet stretch of road.

Footage of a dying shark being tied to a car and dragged along a road was posted to a Western Australian fishing Facebook group

The callous recorder of the clip is heard laughing in the background and saying 'he is done' in reference to the shark's welfare.

The Facebook group where post was made markets itself as a space where members can 'ask for help, offer tips and show off their pics'.

Another video in the 30,000-member group shows a young man sit on and punch a small shark in the head several times.

The circulation of both clips led to the Western Australian Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly to condemn the behaviour.

During the shocking footage, a man can be heard saying 'he is done' in reference to the shark's welfare

'Frankly anyone who drags a shark behind a car is an idiot,' Mr Kelly told Western Australian media today.

The video follows a string of similar incidents across the state and has led to animal welfare groups to call for tougher legislation.

'We have to change legislation, they need to protection under the review of the animal act,' RSPCA's Dave Van Ooran told Nine News.

The Western Australia Department of Fisheries is currently investigating the video.
Advertisement

Flames coating a Japanese gun emplacement, shells exploding on a desolate landscape, and bodies strewn across the sand - these were the haunting sights witnessed by US Marines during the Battle of Iwo Jima.

The fight was one of the bloodiest of the Pacific campaign with more than 26,000 American personnel wounded or killed - the only battle where the US total was higher than the Japanese.

Now images of the fighting have been rendered in color by Nicholas Rodriguez who wanted to give people a better idea of the sights those fighting in the battle were confronted with.

'For lack of a better word, these pictures show reality,' he said. 'The reason I put so much emphasis on accuracy in these photos because it's not about making these pictures pretty.

A member of the 5th Marine Division uses a flamethrower to clear out a Japanese bunker during the Battle of Iwo Jima. The 5th Division was one of three that formed part of the invasion force which landed on February 19, 1945, and sustained the heaviest casualties with more than 2,000 killed and 6,000 wounded. Unbeknownst to the attackers, these bunkers were connected by tunnels which allowed them to be reinforced after being cleared out

A Marine watches a a Japanese position is shelled by naval gunfire. Allied bombers and warships launched hundreds of tons of explosives at Iwo Jima before the invasion, but the Japanese defensive tunnels meant they were left unscathed. This turned what was expected to be a single week of fighting into five, inflicting heavy casualties on both sides

Two wiremen of the 5th Marine Division run through an open field and into enemy fire to establish telephone contact with positions on the front lines. In total the Americans saw more than 26,000 of their troops killed or wounded, the only battle of the Pacific campaign where the US total was higher than the Japanese

Two Marines lay dead in the sand amidst the fighting. Japanese defenders fought almost to the last man on Iwo Jima, despite having no prospect of victory because they could not retreat and could not be reinforced. Of 21,000 Japanese troops stationed on the island, just 216 surrendered or were captured, some of whom were unconscious at the time

U.S. Marines, while under fire, carry the first American flag up the side of Mount Suribachi, on February 23. Later the same day troops would raise the flag in a moment captured by AP photographer Joe Rosenthal which would become one of the most iconic images of the Pacific campaign

A Marine, with a primed M2-2 flamethrower strapped to his back, lights a pipe on Iwo Jima. These images were rendered in color by Nicholas Rodriguez, who said he wanted to give people a fresh appreciation for the horrors that confronted the Marines as they fought to take the island

'It's about showing the public what these individuals had to go through and what they saw with their very own eyes. These moments are forever captured with each telling a story in every frame.

'If there's one thing I can say, it's never forget how much history has an impact on our lives. People usually think 'It was so long ago, who cares?' because they see images as black and white and they become out of touch.

'People like what they can relate to and with colourised images they get to see history in the making as if it was done yesterday.'

Marines first landed on the island of February 19, 1945, with the aim of capturing the strategically important airfield on the island in the space of a week, ahead of the expected invasion of the Japanese mainland.

In fact the battle dragged on for five weeks, thanks largely to underground tunnels dug by the Japanese to connect their defensive bunkers.

This meant that hundreds of tons of bombs dropped before the battle, and thousands of rounds of heavy Navy shells, left the Japanese virtually untouched.

Wounded Marines are helped to a medical aid station by Navy Corpsmen and other Marines. The aim of capturing Iwo Jima was to deprive a Japanese of an airfield from which they could target American bombers and provide a staging point for an attack on the Japanese mainland - though whether these aims were worth the cost of capturing it is subject to debate

U.S. Navy Corpsmen carry a wounded Marine away from the front lines on Iwo Jima. While US intelligence had told commanders that the beaches were in good condition and the landing should be easy, in fact they were surrounded by black volcanic ash which drastically slowed the troops and allowed them to be picked off

Riflemen lead the way as crouched Marine Flamethrower units of the Fifth Marine Division proceed along a narrow trench. Flamethrowers and grenades proved the most effective way for the Americans to clear defensive tunnels and bunkers constructed by the Japanese, but the exposed fuel tanks left the men operating the weapons vulnerable

Private Wilson D. Watson, nicknamed 'the one man regiment' (left), was awarded the Medal of Honor for eliminating 90 Japanese soldiers despite being shot seven times, including in the neck. Corporal Hershel W. Williams (right) received the Medal of Honor for his actions as a flamethrower

Private First Class Jacklyn H. Lucas (left), received the Medal of Honor for jumping on a Japanese grenade to save his fellow Marines. Private First Class Douglas T. Jacobson (right), received the Medal of Honor for destroying 16 Japanese positions and ultimately killing 75 Japanese soldiers

It also meant that during the battle the Japanese were able to reinforce bunkers that the Marines had already cleared using flamethrowers and grenades, catching the attackers unawares and causing heavy casualties.

The Japanese also fought almost to the last man. Of 21,000 defenders, just 216 surrendered or were captured - some of whom had been knocked unconscious first.

The defending troops refused to surrender even though they were guaranteed to lose the battle from the start, with no possibility of retreat or reinforcement, and were simply looking to delay the Americans while defenses were prepared on the mainland.

Despite the casualties suffered in taking Iwo Jima, the strategic importance of the island to the future war efforts was questioned early on and remains controversial.

Speaking in 1945, retired Chief of Naval Operations William V. Pratt called Iwo Jima 'a small, God-forsaken island, useless to the Army as a staging base and useless to the Navy as a fleet base'.

The chief objectives in taking the island were to stop Japanese attacks on American bombers heading toward the Japanese mainland, and to be used as a launchpad for its eventual invasion.

But analysis shows that only 11 bombers were shot down by fighters from the island, and the invasion of Japan never took place after the dual nuclear bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima forced the country to surrender.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would destroy the world with nuclear missiles if Russia came under attack.

Putin, who was pictured kissing an enamoured fan on the campaign trail this week, made clear that if Russia was hit by nuclear weapons and faced being wiped out, then the world would not be worth saving.

In a TV documentary he said: 'I want to tell you, and I want this to be known here and abroad.

From Russia, with love: President Vladimir Putin made it clear that if Russia was under attack and faced being wiped out, then the world would not be worth saving

Vladimir Putin showed how much he loves his fellow Russians last week when he kissed a female supporter as she took a selfie at an election campaign meeting

'Our plans for using it (his nuclear arsenal), I am hoping it will never happen, our theoretical plans of using it is a so-called retaliatory, counter strike.

'A decision about using nuclear weapon can be made only if our missile warning system recorded not only the launch of missiles, but also gave an accurate prediction of flight trajectories and the time when the warheads fall on Russia.'

He said: 'This is called a retaliatory, counter strike, when we receive a legal right to respond.

'Yes this will be a global catastrophe for humankind. It will be a global catastrophe for the world.

'But as a citizen of Russia, as a head of the Russian state, I want to ask - why do we need a world if Russia ceases to exist?'

Cake fan: President Putin looked over the moon to be visiting a bakery and confectionery factory in Samara, Russia on Wednesday

Poser: The President joined the staff for a photo opportunity at the factory

Earlier this week, Putin surprised onlookers by kissing a female supporter on when she asked to take a selfie with the president.

The famously dour Russian leader, 65, was photographed kissing fan Larisa Sergukhina at the Luzhniki stadium in the capital Moscow after a concert intended to drum up support for him.

After the March 3 concert, Putin agreed to have some photos taken with his supporters, one of which got more attention in Russian media than the event itself.

Onlookers were gobsmacked when Putin planted a kiss on the forehead of his admirer Ms Sergukhina.

Putin is the hot favourite to win the presidential election on 18th March, though if no candidate gets more than half the votes cast a second round will be held on 8th April, with less popular candidates removed from the ballot slip.

Putin is running as an independent. His opponents include Pavel Grudinin of the Communist Party and Vladimir Zhirinovsky of the liberal LDPR party.
This is the shocking moment a group of students defend themselves from a knife-wielding man by launching backpacks at him.

The knifeman was swinging two blades at the pupils on the grounds of a Dutch college before being chased away.

The clip shows students chasing the assailant and throwing their bags at him so he trips as he tries to make his getaway.

Footage has emerged from the incident that took place at Scala College in Alphen aan den Rijn, in the Netherlands.

After tripping the knifeman picks himself up but the students don't back down, they continue to move towards him, forcing him off school grounds.

Continuing to wave the two knives in the air the man backs away but one vigilante swings his backpack at him again.

The clip shows students chasing the assailant and throwing their bags at him so he trips as he tries to make his getaway

The footage that has emerged from the incident which occurred on Tuesday has surfaced on social media shows him them walk away from the school.

Police later stopped the suspect who was a 44-year-old man known to them, local news reported.

The suspect is being held in custody while care pathways are investigated, they said.

Students continued to push forwards forcing the assailant to leave the school grounds
A pair of artistic and seemingly carefree young women have been revealed as the duo allegedly at the centre of a Mexican cartel's attempt to import 24 kilograms of ice into Australia.

Rose Thomas and Norma Zuniga Frias, both 25, were arrested last Thursday after police intercepted the $21million shipment, which was on its way to a Sydney address concealed inside eight home audio speakers.

They now face maximum sentences of life behind bars after being charged with importing and possessing a commercial quantity of the drug, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Neither Mexican national Frias or Australian Thomas have entered pleas to the charges.

Rose Thomas (left) and Norma Zuniga Frias (right), both 25, were arrested last Thursday after police intercepted a $21million shipment of ice on its way to a Sydney address

The pair (pictured) had spent the years before their arrest travelling together to Disneyland, Berlin and Tasmania

They now face maximum sentences of life behind bars after being charged with importing and possessing a commercial quantity of the drug. Pictured is the ice shipment intercepted by Australian Border Force officers

The pair had spent the years before their arrest travelling together to Disneyland, Berlin and Tasmania.

Thomas and Frias were also part of a revolving group that would share a house in Marrickville, in Sydney's inner-west, and were occasionally heard by neighbours singing at night or seen riding their bikes.

They ran a handmade socks label called Chicken Sox, specialising in colourful and quirky pairs for $10 each.

Meanwhile, Frias produced her artwork that mainly focuses on gay rights and sexual themes.

Thomas (left) and Frias (right) were arrested last Thursday and accused of being at the centre of a Mexican cartel's attempt to import 24 kilograms of ice into Australia

They ran a handmade socks label called Chicken Sox, specialising in colourful and quirky pairs for $10 each (pictured)

Her portfolio is often posted to her Instagram account, revealing her drawings of naked women and bouncing breast animations.

She moved in April last year from Guadalajara, in western Mexico, to Sydney where she was reunited with Thomas, who she has known for several years.

Frias was preparing for her first major art exhibition at the AIRspace gallery in Marrickville, but she was arrested the day before its opening night during police raids of the share house, and another property in nearby Rozelle.

Australian Border Force officers on February 21 intercepted the shipment of ice, which police said has an estimated street value of $20.7million.

Frias (pictured) was preparing for her first major art exhibition but was arrested the day before its opening night during police raids of the share house, and another property in nearby Rozelle

Frias moved in April last year from Guadalajara, in western Mexico, to Sydney where she was reunited with Thomas (pictured, left, right), who she has known for several years

Australian Border Force officers on February 21 intercepted the shipment of ice (pictured), which police said has an estimated street value of $20.7million

The drugs were removed from the speakers and replaced with an inert substance before the delivery went ahead.

Neither Frias or Thomas applied for bail when they faced court last Friday.

Thomas is due to reappear in court later this month, and Frias on May 9.

AFP Commander Justine Gough said investigations suggest the importation was a 'highly organised' attempt at targeting Australia.

'We continue to see overseas drug networks trying to target Australia, because they know there is a high demand in our country and unfortunately, users are willing to pay the price,' Commander Gough said.

'This coordinated, multi-agency investigation has helped us to have great disruptive effect and save 240,000 hits of ice from reaching Sydney's streets.'

The drugs were removed from the speakers and replaced with an inert substance before the delivery went ahead
Murasbek Elchiev, 27, is charged with three felonies, including sexual abuse and kidnapping after he allegedly locked a woman in his cab and demanded she perform oral sex on him

A cab driver in Chicago is facing multiple charges including sexual abuse and kidnapping following an attack on a passenger last weekend.

Murasbek Elchiev, 27, has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, and unlawful restraint. A judge denied him bail.

Elchiev allegedly assaulted a 24-year-old woman who hailed his cab early Saturday morning in the city's River North neighborhood on the 300 block of West Ontario Street.

Noticing she was intoxicated, Elchiev then locked the doors to the car and covered his in-car camera, not allowing the woman to leave, according to police.

Elchiev is then accused of driving the woman around aimlessly, refusing to let the her out of the car when she asked to be released, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune.

The woman then tried to call someone to talk with Elchiev, but he hung the phone up and kept driving, she claimed.

He allegedly demanded she perform oral sex on him multiple times - when she refused, he said he would let her out of the car if she removed her top.

When she partially removed her top, Elchiev is accused of then grabbing her and repeating his demands.

The woman was able to escape in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood, and Elchiev allegedly followed her for two blocks.

Elchiev drove off with the alleged victim's phone. The woman's roommate and another person found her on a street in distress, and managed to track her phone to O'Hare International Airport.

Police tracked the phone there, and found Elchiev asleep in the cab, at which point he was arrested.
A police officer was killed and two others wounded while responding to a 911 call with two women screaming in the background.

Officer Christopher Ryan Morton, 30, was identified as the dead officer, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol.

According to Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe, the incident began when a 911 call came in about 9:20 p.m on Tuesday from a home near downtown Clinton.

Scroll down for video:

The dead officer has been named as Christopher Ryan Morton, former Army and National Guard soldier and University of Central Missouri

Officers were responding to a 911 call with women screaming in the background in Clinton, Missouri

During the call two women were heard screaming in the background, the Kansas City Star reported.

Officers arrived at the home at 9:25 p.m. and were fired on as they entered with the shooter then retreating inside, Lowe said.

The injured officer were taken away from the scene and the Missouri Highway Patrol arrived to help.

The shooter then barricaded himself in the house and highway patrol swat team then stormed the house at 12:10 a.m.

Lowe said it was unclear whether officers killed the suspect or whether he killed himself nor was it clear what happened to the woman who made the call.

According to Morton's Facebook page, the officer graduated from Knob Noster, High School, he attended the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg and served in the National Guard as well as the US Army.

Officer Mortons death is the second to have hit the Clinton Police Department in less than a year.

In August Officer Gary Michael, 37, had pulled over a vehicle for a suspected registration violation when he was shot dead.

The suspect in last year's incident was captured and charged with one count of first-degree murder, and one count of armed criminal action, both felonies.
A British clifftop with amazing views across the English Channel is up for auction for less money than it costs to buy a family car.

The plot of land, in the picturesque village of Capel-Le-Ferne, Kent, is in the perfect spot for unspoilt views across the sea to France.

The guide price for the site perched on top of the White Cliffs of Dover, is between 10,000 and 12,000 when it goes up for auction later this month.

Kevin Gilbert, of Clive Emson auctioneers, said they had been inundated with interest for the site because of its 'remarkable' views across the Channel.

The clifftop site perched on top of the White Cliffs of Dover is up for sale for between 10,000 and 12,000.

He also said he would be 'surprised' if whoever bought the land did decide to build on it, but didn't rule out the possibility that it could be done in the future.

He said: 'So far we have had a fair bit of interest from various parties, and it will be interesting to see what happens with this lot on the day.

'If someone thinks this is for them, and they want to enjoy stunning views across the English Channel, then we would invite them to come and talk to us.

'I would very surprised if the future owner would decide to build on it, but often these type of things do surprise you.

The site in Capel-le-Ferne, Kent, is just half a mile away from the Battle of Britain memorial

'I am not a planner, so I couldn't really say, so they would need to make their own investigations in whether it was appropriate to do so.'

He revealed the spot was being sold by a Trust, but did not reveal any further details as to the current owners.

Mr Gilbert added: On a sunny day the views are quite remarkable over this historic stretch of water.

It will be intriguing to see who bids for it.

The village of Capel-le-Ferne, which lies between Folkestone and Dover, has a population of nearly 2,000 people.

The plot is just half a mile from the village's Battle of Britain memorial.

Opened by the Queen Mother in July 1993, it is dedicated to those that lost their lives during the World War two campaign.

Aerial views of the memorial show it shaped like a three bladed propeller.


Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has described Turkey as part of a 'triangle of evil' along with Iran and hardline Islamist groups.

Egypt's Al-Shorouk newspaper reported on Wednesday that the Saudi prince also accused Turkey of trying to reinstate the Islamic Caliphate, abolished nearly a century ago when the Ottoman Empire collapsed.

The Crown Prince at the same time dismissed his country's long-running dispute with Gulf neighbor Qatar as 'very trivial' - although he conceded that it might drag on for a long time.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (file image) will meet Theresa May in Downing Street tomorrow, before seeing the Queen for a rare audience

The Crown Prince was disparaging about Turkey's President Erdogan (left) and Iran led by Presient Hassan Rouhani

The Crown Prince described his country's long-running dispute with Gulf neighbor Qatar (pictured) as 'very trivial' - although he conceded that it might drag on for a long time

He claimed that Saudi Arabia had been successful in blocking Iran's regional ambitions, according to Egyptian media.

In an interview with newspaper editors in Cairo this week Mohammed Bin Salman accused the Muslim Brotherhood of exploiting democracy in the region and said Turkey, its patron, was trying to revive a caliphate, the Al-Shorouk daily reported. Both Saudi Arabia and Egypt have designated the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.

His reported comments reflect Saudi Arabia's deep suspicion of President Tayyip Erdogan, whose ruling AK Party has its roots in Islamist politics and who has allied his country with Qatar in its dispute with Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf states.

Turkey has also worked with Iran, Saudi Arabia's arch-rival in the Middle East, to try to reduce fighting in northern Syria in recent months, and Iranian and Turkish military chiefs exchanged visits last year.

Al-Shorouk quoted Prince Mohammed as saying 'the contemporary triangle of evil comprises Iran, Turkey and extremist religious groups'.

The prince spoke to Egyptian newspaper editors during a visit to Cairo, on his first foreign trip since becoming heir to the oil exporting giant last year.

He said the dispute with Qatar could be long-lasting, comparing it to the U.S. embargo of Cuba imposed 60 years ago, but played down its impact, dismissing the Gulf emirate as 'smaller than a Cairo street'.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar last June, suspending air and shipping routes with the worlds biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, which is home to the regions biggest U.S. military base.

However, Prince Salman said Qatar would not be barred from attending an Arab summit hosted by Saudi Arabia later this month.
A 12-year-old boy who suffered a major brain haemorrhage after hitting his head in a skateboarding accident has been left with a large permanent reminder of his near-fatal fall.

Sam Seric, from Melbourne, was skating with friends in January when 'he decided he might just jump off' his board - bumping his head in the process.

While he initially thought nothing of it, he woke up later that night in excruciating pain and before help arrived, passed out unconscious, Seven News reported.

Sam Seric (pictured) was left with a giant scar after hitting his head in a skateboarding accident and suffering a major brain haemorrhage

After being airlifted to Royal Children's Hospital, he underwent surgery to remove part of his skull as a small fracture had caused his brain to haemorrhage, pushing it 1.5cm from its regular position.

His parents, Michael and Julie, recalled the moment doctors told them to prepare for the worst.

'I didn't know if I was seeing him for the last time,' Mr Seric said.

But the only reminder of the accident for Sam was the massive scar covering the right sight of his scalp, with him unable to remember anything from his tumble.

The 12-year-old was skating with friends in January when 'he decided he might just jump off' his board - bumping his head in the process

After being airlifted to Royal Children's Hospital, he underwent surgery to remove part of his skull as a small fracture had caused his brain to haemorrhage

'I don't really remember a lot of it,' he said.

Neurosurgeon Juliet Clayton told Sam's parents he may well have died overnight if he hadn't been woken by the pain.

She also noted brain damage was common in his type of injuries, and it was miraculous he had nearly returned to full health after just eight weeks.

His parents, Michael (left) and Julie (right), recalled the moment doctors told them to prepare for the worst

His mother believed the accident had served as a reality check for the whole family.

'I think it's changed the way we all interact,' she said.

Sam, who has returned to school on a part time basis, said he would wear a helmet while riding his skateboard in the future.
Cape Town will not be forced to shut-off normal water supplies in 2018 in response to a three-year-long drought as previously feared, the region's governing party said Wednesday.

It had previously been predicted that authorities would be forced to turn off the Cape Town water supply in July, and restricted use was ordered in the city and surrounding areas.

Mmusi Maimane, who leads the Democratic Alliance which controls both the Cape Town city council and the wider Western Cape province, said that a 60 percent reduction in consumption averted the shut-off.

Safe - for now: It was previously forecast in Cape Town that 'Day Zero' - when normal water supply would be disconnected - would be as soon as July 9, but authorities now say it is likely to be avoided for the rest of the year

'Provided we continue consuming water at current levels, and we receive decent winter rainfall this year, 'Day Zero' will not occur in 2018. This means the taps will stay open in 2018,' he said in a statement.

However, Mr Maimane warned that this did not mean that Cape Town residents could return to frivolous water use as the risk of a Day Zero in future is still very real.

'While it is now unlikely to occur in 2018, Day Zero is still a very real possibility during the 2019 summer months if we do not have significant rainfall this winter,' said Maimane.

'I want to reiterate, and cannot stress enough, that we need to keep at current consumptions levels until at least after the winter rainfall.'

It was previously forecast that 'Day Zero' - when normal water supply would be disconnected and people would have to queue at 200 standpipes for daily rations of 25 litres (6.6 US gallons) - would be as soon as July 9.

'Consumption now sits at between 510 and 520 million litres per day - down from almost 1.2 billion litres in February 2015,' said Maimane.

Warning: Authorities said that Cape Town may have avoided Day Zero for 2018, but that there is a risk of it happening next year

'This 60 percent reduction in consumption is an incredible achievement, and outperforms many other cities across the world which faced severe droughts.'

Cape Town, which attracts millions of tourists every year, has enforced strict waste controls including prosecuting homeowners who use significantly more than the current 50-litre daily limit.

The city has published a name-and-shame list of the worst water offenders in Cape Town, and it says it is issuing fines for the heaviest water users.

But officials have been criticised for failing to implement usage restrictions sooner, and accused of ignoring warnings by experts in the years before the drought.

Strong summer rains saw much of southern Africa recover from a drought induced by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

But Mediterranean-like Cape Town receives most of its rain in the southern hemisphere's winter -- and scientists warn there is no guarantee of a good rainy season.
George P Bush, the next of the political legacy, won a tough Texas GOP Primary on Tuesday night. He is pictured in 2016

The next of the Bush legacy won a tough Texas GOP Primary on Tuesday night.

Texas Land Commissioner George P Bush, the grandson of former President George HW Bush, nephew of former president George W Bush and son of Florida Governor Jeb Bush, won the Republican nomination to keep his post.

Bush, 41, topped his predecessor as land commissioner Jerry Patterson on Tuesday, immediately becoming the overwhelming favorite for re-election in November.

The race was close after Patterson criticized Bush's bungling post-Harvey rebuild and makeover of the Alamo in San Antonio, KHOU reported.

But the political legacy's willingness to cozy up to President Donald Trump, who once called his father a 'pathetic person,' likely helped him take the victory.

Texas Land Commissioner George P Bush, the grandson of former President George HW Bush, nephew of former president George W Bush and son of Florida Governor Jeb Bush, won the Republican nomination to keep his post. George and Jeb are pictured together in 2014

The political legacy's willingness to cozy up to President Donald Trump, who once called his father a 'pathetic person,' likely helped him take the victory

He was endorsed by President Trump and Donald Trump Jr.

Bush raised more than $1.5million in the year before the election, while Patterson raised just $107,588.

That number included a $20,000 loan to himself.

Bush will face energy and natural resources Attorney Miguel Suazo for the post later in 2018. Suazo easily won the Democratic primary.

He wasn't the only Democrat to bring out voters on Tuesday.

Texas has been leaning increasingly left since the 2016 election - when President Trump won the state by just nine points. It was the smallest margin of victory by a Republican presidential candidate in Texas in 20 years.

But Senator Ted Cruz dismissed talk of a Democratic takeover this fall.

'Left-wing rage may raise a bunch of money from people online, but I don't believe it reflects the views of a majority of Texans,' he told reporters after winning the nomination.

Cruz will likely be involved in what will be the most watched matchup in November between he and Democratic Senate hopeful Beto O'Rourke

O'Rourke, a Democratic congressman from El Paso, has proven to be a muscular fundraiser and has touted his candidacy's grassroots appeal for Texas Democrats who haven't had much to cheer about lately

Cruz will likely be involved in what will be the most watched matchup in November between he and Democratic Senate hopeful Beto O'Rourke.

O'Rourke, a Democratic congressman from El Paso, has proven to be a muscular fundraiser and has touted his candidacy's grassroots appeal for Texas Democrats who haven't had much to cheer about lately.

O'Rourke has refused donations from outside political groups and called for banning AR-15-style assault rifles in wake of last month's mass shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 people.

Cruz, a favorite of conservatives, isn't taking O'Rourke lightly. Within minutes of clinching the nomination, Cruz released a radio ad telling voters that O'Rourke 'wants to take our guns.'

Trump's support appeared to help Bush, along with a few other statewide Republican candidates, including Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.
President Donald Trump is down by eight points in a survey testing his reelection chances.

A Politico/Morning Consult poll that pitted the president against a nameless Democrat gave the opposing party the edge in a 2020 battle days after the businessman turned politician announced his reelection bid.

Trump has nearly two years to turn his own prospects around, but Republicans who are on the ballot in November could be hit by a wave of anti-Trump dissent, surveys suggest.

President Donald Trump is down by eight points in a survey testing his reelection chances

Mid-term election are historically brutal for the party that holds the White House, as even Trump has admitted. With Republicans in charge of the legislative branch to boot, the president's party is facing a grueling uphill battle.

Trump's approval rating in the Morning Consult survey had dropped three points from a month prior to 43 percent.

A generic Democrat would beat the Republican president if he were on the ballot, the survey found, 44 percent to 36 percent.

Democrats are favored to pick up seats in this year's elections, which affect every member of the House Representatives and a third of the nation's senators, generally speaking.

With a 44 percent to 37 percent lead there as well, Democrats are up seven points eight months out from Election Day.

Geography, demographics and other variables leave some Republican lawmakers more vulnerable than others this election cycle, especially in the House.

In the Senate, it's Democrats who have the most to lose - 24 seats to be exact, plus two Independents who are part of their caucus. Republicans have just eight Senate seats in 2018 to defend.

Still, Trump's continuously low favorability scores have put the GOP in a tough position it charts out a path to victory in 2018. Even tax cuts, the party's Christmas gift to America, gave the president only a fleeting bump in the polls.

Trump has argued that the country needs to elect more Republicans to the Senate so the party has a super-majority that push through his preferred policies without any help from Democrats.

That would require the GOP to win all of the seats it currently holds plus another eight for a total of 60 - a feat that the political landscape suggests is implausible.

At the scandal-ridden White House where top aides to the president are dropping like flies and a new crisis emerges on an almost daily basis, President Trump's political team will have to decide how much it wants to put the Oval Office occupant on the campaign trail to fight for his agenda.

An appearance by Trump, who enjoys performing at rallies for his supporters, could ultimately hurt Republicans in moderate districts.

In Pennsylvania, Trump's popularity is about to be put to the test as Republican Rick Saccone faces off against Democrat Conor Lamb in a special election on Tuesday.

Trump will hold a rally in support of Saccone on Saturday evening.
A judge has cleared the way for Sydney Holland, the wealthy former fiancee of ailing 94-year-old Sumner Redstone, to take legal action against his daughter Shari for secretly and illegally recording their private conversations, DailyMail.com can reveal.

In a cross-complaint filed in November last year in response to Sumner's nasty multi-million dollar elder abuse lawsuit, Holland, 45, claimed Shari bribed Sumner's nurses to use electronic devices and they illegally, 'eavesdropped on and recorded private and confidential conversations about the most intimate and sensitive aspects of Holland's life, including her sex life.'

The paperwork also stated Shari secretly recorded her media mogul father's conversations with former Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman, 'to obtain damaging information her scheme included paying Sumner Redstone's nursing and household staff to observe, record, and report private and confidential information related to Holland, Redstone, Viacom and CBS executives.'

It added: 'Shari identified the people in his life who posed a threat to her quest for unrelenting power and she set out to turn her father against them.'

In Monday's ruling, obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, Judge Robert L. Hess stated that much of the 'actual eavesdropping' was in fact committed by Sumner's former lead nurse Jeremy Jagiello.

Sydney Holland, the ex-fiancee of Sumner Redstone, (pictured together in 2013) can move forward with her suit against Redstone's daughter Shari and her son, a LA judge ruled Monday. Last November, Holland accused Shari of bribing Redstone's nurses to illegally eavesdrop

Shari (left) and her son Tyler Korff (right) tried to place blame on former lead nurse Jeremy Jagiello because he physically placed and operated the unlawful recording device. But the judge said all three parties were in fact liable, paving the way for Holland's legal action

But Shari and her son Tyler Korff, who was later added to the suit, are accused of paying the nurse to listen in and they argued that the only person who actually physically places and operates the unlawful recording device can be liable.

Judge Hess, however, disagreed and said all three parties were in fact liable, paving the way for Holland's legal action.

'Their argument is that if one person is at the top of a ladder attaching wiretapping equipment to a telephone line, that person can be held civilly liable...but the person at the bottom holding the ladder cannot,' he explained, adding: 'The demurrers are overruled.'

Sumner's former lead nurse Jeremy Jagiello (pictured) is accused of doing most of the 'actual eavesdropping'

In last year's complaint Holland claimed Shari used the illegally gained information to get Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman  whom she blasted as a 'bully'  out of Viacom.

'Shari used the confidential information she obtained about Dauman to coerce Sumner Redstone into removing Dauman from the Viacom Board and from his life altogether.'

Holland also claimed Shari hired private investigator Jim Elroy to follow and find 'damning' information about her.

Then, according to the paperwork, she recruited three of Sumner's nurses to spy and eavesdrop on private conversations at his home.

Shari allegedly recruited Sumner's lead nurse, Jagiello, for 'even more covert tactics to record Holland's private and confidential conversations.

'The nurses secretly eavesdropped and periodically recorded Holland's private and confidential conversations with Sumner and others about finances, family planning, legal affairs personal relationships, marriage, sex life and other daily activities.'

Holland alleges Shari paid the nurses up to $10,000 to spy and even hired an outside contractor to transcribe the recorded conversations. Pictured: Holland (far left) and friends at a birthday dinner in February

It is illegal to record someone in California without their consent.

Holland alleges Shari paid the nurses up to $10,000 to spy and even hired an outside contractor to transcribe the recorded conversations.

Holland was introduced to Sumner in 2010 by 'Millionaire Matchmaker' Patti Stanger, and they were engaged the following year.

She claims Sumner became so fond of her and her daughter that in January 2015 he wrote a letter to Shari asking her to sign a release agreeing not to sue Holland nor his other girlfriend Manuela Herzer after his death.

Shari refused to sign, and included in the legal papers is an email she wrote to her son Tyler which read: 'Why would I ever give Smr (Sumner) his dying wish of peace when he never gave me any peace during my whole life.

'Going after these (sic) will give me peace, they would get what they deserve.'

The legal papers revealed, however, that Shari succeeded in her plan after it emerged Holland had cheated on Sumner, and she was kicked out of his house in 2015, ending their relationship.

Redstone's family (pictured) accused Holland of using tactics to control his life including firing his doctors, nurses, and staff in an attempt to isolate him from his family

Holland (far left) claims Shari's (far right) actions caused her to lose hundreds of millions of dollars she says were previously promised to her by Sumner, who she insists had promised to provide financial support for the rest of her life

Holland alleges Shari then changed all Sumner's phone numbers and blocked any attempts at reconciliation.

She is suing for violation of privacy and breach of contract, as well as punitive damages.

Holland claims Shari's actions caused her to lose hundreds of millions of dollars she says were previously promised to her by Sumner, who she insists had promised to provide financial support for the rest of her life, along with half of his Beverly Park home, half of all his cash, bonds and stocks, as well as pay for her daughter's education and lifelong support. She is demanding a jury trial.

Meanwhile Sumner is also suing Holland and Herzer accusing them of manipulating and emotionally abusing him over the years.

He filed the suit seeking to reclaim $150 million in gifts he had given them during their time together.

The two women claim he freely gave them cash and gifts and Shari was behind the court action.

In Monday's ruling (pictured), obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, Judge Robert L. Hess stated that much of the 'actual eavesdropping' was in fact committed by Sumner's former lead nurse Jeremy Jagiello' but both Shari and her son could be held liable




A police officer who was arrested while hiding in sand dunes on Texas/Mexico border is accused of human smuggling after she told agents that she was trying to help her boyfriend enter the country illegally.

Valerie Rivas, an officer with the Brownsville Police Department, was arrested on February 26 after Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations agents found her and an illegal immigrant hiding in the sand dunes on Padre Island National Seashore.

Rivas told immigration officials that she was in the dunes searching for her boyfriend of 12 years, ValleyCentral.com reports.

Valeria Rivas, an officer with the Brownsville Police Department, was charged with human smuggling for trying to help her boyfriend enter the country illegally

Rivas (center) became an officer with the Brownsville Police Department in July 2016

Rivas (center) is pictured with other officers being sworn in during a January 2017 ceremony

Rivas said she had made arrangements to pick up Alfredo Salazar-Hernandez, an undocumented immigrant, in Victoria after he was smuggled into the US.

When Salazar-Hernandez failed to meet Rivas at the location, she contacted an 'unnamed co-conspirator' who told her that Salazar-Hernandez was at the sand dunes.

When she arrived at Padre Island National Seashore, an immigrant in the area told Rivas that her boyfriend had 'gone up ahead with other subjects'.

Authorities said Rivas began searching the sand dunes for her boyfriend and when she heard a Coast Guard helicopter approaching she tried to hide 'because she knew that it was illegal to transport illegal aliens and did not want to be apprehended doing so'.

The helicopter spotted Rivas and the immigrant hiding in the dunes and alerted border patrol agents, who arrested them both.

Rivas was found hiding in the sand dunes on Padre Island National Seashore in Texas when she was arrested

Rivas was armed when she was arrested and identified herself as a police officer to the border patrol agents, according to the Brownsville Herald.

The officer, who was hired by the Brownsville Police Department in July 2016, was charged with human smuggling. Her boyfriend had been captured by Corpus Christi Border Patrol agents earlier in the day and was already in custody.

A spokesperson for the department told ValleyCentral.com that Rivas been placed on paid administrative leave.
A pedophile has had his conviction overturned because of the brutality of a judge who shocked him repeatedly during his trial.

Terry Lee Morris, 54, was on trial for having his girlfriend's 15-year-old daughter perform a sexual act in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2014 when he was repeatedly shocked at the command of Judge George Gallagher.

Gallagher said it was justified because he was being unruly. Morris argues that the judge was punishing him because he had asked him to recuse himself.

He never explained why he wanted the judge to recuse himself and gave 'rambling' statements about his mental health.

On the day in question - the first day of the guilt or innocence stage of the trial, Morris was stunned three times after refusing to enter a plea.

Afterwards, he said he was afraid to return to court in case it happened again and the trial proceeded in his absence.

He was found guilty and sentenced to 60 years behind bars. It was his second conviction - in 1991, he was convicted of assault on a child.

Despite not contesting with the court's ruling, a court of appeals has overturned the latest conviction, claiming Gallagher was overzealous in his brutality and that the whole trial was unconstitutional.

Pedophile Terry Lee Morris (left) has had his conviction overturned by a court of appeals after complaining that Judge George Gallagher (right) shocked him three times with a stun belt during his trial. Gallagher ordered a bailiff to turn on the stun belt attached to the man's leg when he refused to enter a plea. The appeals court said it was unconstitutional

Judges are allowed to shock defendants at trial if they pose an immediate physical threat to themselves or others.

They are not allowed to administer electric shocks because a defendant is difficult or unruly.

'While the trial courts frustration with an obstreperous defendant is understandable, the judges disproportionate response is not,' said Judge Yvonne T. Rodriguez said in her decision.

'We do not believe that trial judges can use stun belts to enforce decorum.

'A stun belt is a device meant to ensure physical safety; it is not an collar meant to punish a defendant until he obeys a judges whim.

'This Court cannot sit idly by and say nothing when a judge turns a court of law into a electrocuting a defendant until he provides the judge with behavior he likes.

'Because the trial transcript clearly shows that the trial judge, during a heated exchanged with the defendant outside the presence of the jury, ordered his bailiff to electrocute the defendant three times with a stun beltnot for legitimate security purposes, but solely as a show of the court's power as the defendant asked the court to stop torturing himwe harbor grave doubts as to whether Morris' trial comported with basic constitutional mandates.

'As such, we have no choice but to overturn Morris' conviction and remand for a new trial.'

This is the type of stun belt which was strapped to the pedophile's leg. A bailiff turned it on three times during his trial in 2014. Morris said he was scared to return to court afterwards because of it. The court of appeals said his failure to appear afterwards breached his constitutional right to attend the trial

At the time of his trial, Morris was suing Gallagher and his defense attorney Bill Ray.

It is not clear what his complaint was but he did not want either on the case.

On the day he was shocked, Gallagher had asked him for his plea and he refused to give it.

Their exchange was as follows:

Judge: To this charge you may plead guilty or not guilty. What is your plea?

Morris: Sir, before I say that, I have the right to make a defense.

Judge: The...

Morris: It was brought to my attention by the United States district court to do this. And before the Court - for the information of the Court, yesterday you gave this man orders to put a shock rag or a shock collar on my ankle to prevent me from saying anything in my defense. If it happens, it happens. But let me just say for the record -

Judge: No, wait just a minute.

Morris: - lawsuit pending against this judge.

Judge: Jury, go to the jury room.

Morris: I have a lawsuit pending against this attorney. I've asked this judge to recuse himself off my case. It's in relation to the Ken Paxton case, Attorney General Ken Paxton. I've asked this attorney to recuse himself off my case. They both refused to. I have that right.

(Jury leaves courtroom)

Morris: The defendant has a right to object to procedures whereby a party asserts a piece of evidence or other matters 

Judge: Mr. Morris. Mr. Morris. I am -

Morris: That's the law.

The pedophile's lawyer Billy Ray did not argue with the judge's use of the belt, nor did he contest he was guilty of molesting his girlfriend's 15-year-old daughter

Judge: Mr. Morris, I am giving you one warning. You will not make any additional outbursts like that, because two things will happen. Number one, I will either remove you from the courtroom or I will use the shock belt on you.

Morris: All right, sir.

Judge: Now, are you going to follow the rules?

Morris: Sir, I've asked you to recuse yourself.

Judge: Are you going to follow the rules?

Morris: I have a lawsuit pending against you.

Judge: Hit him.

Morris was then shocked by a bailiff through the stun belt which was attached to his leg.

Afterwards, the judge continued: 'Are you going to behave?'

He then complained about his history of mental illness, saying he has 'agoraphobia' and that it meant he should not have been subjected to the treatment.

The judge, according to the record supplied by the appeals court, appeared not to acknowledge what he said.

'Are you going to behave?' he asked.

When Morris said for a third time that he has a 'history of mental illness', the judge said: 'Hit him again.'

After the second shock, he argued that it was unfair to proceed with the trial because he had 'no attorney'.

He said he planned to fire Ray and that it he could represent himself.

At that, the judge asked: 'All right. Let's talk about that. Counsel may be seated.

'How far did you go in school?'

Morris argued that it was irrelevant and that the trial should not go on.

The judge, in response, told the bailiff: 'Hit him again.' After the third hit, he was taken out of the courtroom and refused to come back, telling his lawyer he was afraid.

Morris's lawyer did not object to the court removing him. In his arguments to the jury, he said: 'You may not like Terry Morris. I don't like him. Kind of rude. Smells bad, you know. Is he guilty of this? He might be.

'The question is not to answer any of those things,' he said.

The jury found him guilty after hearing evidence that there were photographs of the girl's exposed breasts and genitals on his phone.

The judge has not commented on the decision. It is not clear if he faces any disciplinary action for his behavior.
An office worker was today hustled out of the building next door to Zizzi which has been sealed off by police investigating the suspected poisoning of Russian spy Sergei Skripal.

The woman walked towards a parked ambulance as emergency services converged in the street while police probe why Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia collapsed in Salisbury.

Employees working in the building were later allowed back in but were forced to duck under a police tape cordon that had been placed across Sarum House.

The three-storey building houses three companies, Rowanmoor, a pension company, Embark Group and savings company Vested.

A woman (centre frame, brown hair) is escorted out of Sarum House - which is next door to the Zizzi's restaurant - and into a waiting ambulance by paramedics and police

The woman was escorted out of the building and driven off on Wednesday afternoon in Salisbury

Police and emergency services suddenly took over an office building next to Zizzi where a former Russian double agent ate before he was found 'catatonic' from suspecting poisoning

Fire engines and ambulances arrived at the scene this afternoon as the investigation expanded

Hazmat crews - who have been searching the Zizzi's restaurant next door - were not called into action.

Wiltshire Police has refused to comment and it is not known if the incident is linked to the suspected poisoning but one staff member said the office would would be closed on Sunday.

Mr Skripal and his daughter are still critically ill in hospital after they collapsed in an incident which has further heightened tensions between Britain and Vladimir Putin's Russia.

Scotland Yard investigators are now frantically trying to work who was behind their suspected poisoning and what toxic substance they were given.

Sergei Skripal, 66, (left, in 2006) and his daughter Yulia, 33, (right) are critically ill in hospital after being exposed to an unknown substance

This CCTV was identified by a witness as Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old companion shortly before they were the victims of a suspected poisoning

As anti-terror police investigate the suspected poisoning, one line of inquiry is that the former Russian army colonel was ambushed by attackers who sprayed him with substance in the street.

Another possibility investigators are looking at is that Mr Skripal's drink was spiked at a pub he and is daughter visited shortly before they collapsed.

Top of the list of possible poisons used is said to be Thallium, a highly toxic but tasteless, colourless and odourless substance.

CCTV is believed to show the father and daughter walking through Salisbury moments before they were found collapsed in a park. However, some witnesses have suggested the blonde woman in the footage may be a third person.

The incident is being treated as an assassination attempt linked to the Kremlin, Whitehall sources confirmed to The Times.

But other theories, including that a rival faction may want to frame Russia for the incident - have yet to be ruled out.

The deaths of Mr Skripal's wife from cancer in 2012 and his son Alexandr's death in St. Petersburg last year will be looked into as part of the investigation.

Authorities in St Petersburg have told local news agencies they have no record of him having died there.

A cordon was widened around a pub and restaurant at the centre of the investigation. Emergency services have also taped off the park where the Skripals were found. His home in the west of the city is being investigated, as is an ambulance station in nearby Amesbury. Salisbury District's hospital declared an incident that day after the pair were found

This letter was posted on Facebook, appearing to be a child's school work criticising Putin

Yulia was among those who responded to the post, commenting 'nice' beneath it

Yulia Skripal is understood to be a businesswoman who has worked for Nike and Pepsico

Instead, he is said to have arrived in the city on a train in July last year and booked a ricked to fly to England in August.

His daughter Yulia, a businesswoman based in Moscow who was visiting her father, is not thought to have been the main target.

It emerged today that she remarked 'nice' on a letter posted on Facebook which said Putin is 'the worst president in the world' and should be jailed.

Firefighters in Hazmat suits have taken over an ambulance base, where the ambulance which carried the pair is thought to have been taken.

Police in Salisbury have widened their cordon to the site where Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter, 33, were taken ill, expanding it beyond the restaurant and pub which were initially closed off, while forensic teams continued to examine the scene.

Detectives are continuing to carrying out an inspection of the Zizzi in Salisbury town centre, with the restaurant closed since Monday morning.

This is the moment the daughter of a Russian who spied for MI6 was airlifted to hospital after she and her father were found collapsed in Salisbury following a suspected poisoning

Police are to investigate the deaths of Mr Skripal's wife, Liudmila, who is thought to have died from cancer in 2012

Mr Skripal's son Alexander also died while in Russia last year. The family's cleaner said he died of liver problems, but some family members are said to have had suspicions

An official at military research centre at Porton Down, which is helping with the case, said medics were treating 'symptoms rather than causes', according to the BBC.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of the Army's chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear regiment, said the comment was 'significant'.

Commenting on the possible poison, he said: 'I don't think it's polonium - the incubation period is too long and the decontamination that's been reported is not the kind you would do for a radioactive isotope.

'If Porton Down are saying they are treating symptoms rather than causes they are doing palliative care.

'If it was a nerve agent they would be given an antidote, which leads me to believe it is probably not a nerve agent.

'Porton Down have no doubt taken blood samples and they should know by now what it is.

'Toxins like ricin - there's no antidote for that. If people are poisoned with ricin or abrin you treat the symptoms.'

Russia president Vladimir Putin, whose country is suspected to be behind the incident, appeared untroubled as he toured a sweet and cake factory in the Samara region today

Russia has said it wasn't involved in Skripal's collapse, with papers loyal to the Kremlin calling accusations 'Russo-phobic'

Former KGB man Putin, pictured today, has not commented on the incident himself

Detectives to probe cancer and 'liver failure' deaths of wife and son Sergei Skripal suffered a triple family tragedy in five years when his wife Lyudmila died aged 59 in 2012, before his older brother passed away in Russia in 2016. His son Alexandr died in St Petersburg aged 43 last year - and relatives held suspicions since the deaths that they were in mysterious circumstances. Now, the deaths of his wife and son will be considered by Scotland Yard as they investigate the possible poisoning of Mr Skripal, according to The Times. Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, remain fighting for their lives in hospital after being exposed to a mystery substance on Sunday in Salisbury, Wiltshire. Lyudmila died in 2012, with her death certificate recording the cause of death as cancer - specifically disseminated endometrial carcinoma. As for Mr Skripal's son, he was said to have been killed in a car crash in St Petersburg last year  but the family's cleaner said he had actually died from liver problems. The BBC claimed Alexandr died on holiday in Russia with his girlfriend after being taken to hospital with liver failure, and that his family was suspicious about his death. Meanwhile confusion surrounded Lyudmila's cause of death when neighbour Blake Stephens, 21, suggested she had actually 'died in a car accident a while ago'. Advertisement

It is not clear when the Skripals were confronted, having left a branch of Italian restaurant chain Zizzi between 2pm and 3pm.

After leaving the restaurant, they are thought to have gone to a nearby a pub called The Mill. They were then seen walking through a shopping precinct and found on a bench overlooking the Avon shortly after 4pm.

Several bystanders went to their aid as Mr Skripal fell into a catatonic state and Yulia appeared to suffer a fit on the ground.

Up to ten emergency service workers were also assessed by medical staff after treating the Skripals, of whom one remains in hospital.

Counter-terror detectives from Scotland Yard have assumed control of the probe, which has taken on political and international significance, and led to a meeting of the National Security Council.

Some emergency workers had complained of suffering itchy eyes and difficulty breathing, suggesting some of the mystery poison may have remained in the air, while their colleagues put on full biohazard suits and respirators. Up to 10 other people suffered symptoms including vomiting.

Tests on the substance involved are being carried out at the defence research centre at Porton Down.

Toxicologists will examine samples of blood, urine and tissue taken from the victims at Salisbury District Hospital.

One former radiation biologist said the 'considerable rapidity' of their decline suggested a chemical source. 'Decontamination at the scene would also suggest that possibility,' he added.

'However, we shouldn't totally ignore biological contamination of food or the environment. However, the latter would have caused a wider response from Public Health England and the authorities.'

Former Metropolitan Police commander Bob Broadhurst said police and health staff will be working in tandem to identify the poison.

'It overlaps in terms of public safety between the investigative police world and the forensic medical world,' he said.

'What was the cause of this illness? Was it a poison, and if so how did he ingest it? Who else is potentially at risk? You will have almost a parallel investigation  detectives and doctors trying to find cause and effect.'

Investigators next to a police tent outside the Mill pub at the Maltings in Salisbury near to where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal was found critically ill

Police appealed for information as a large number of officers remain in Salisbury today

Home Secretary says more is now known about substance Home Secretary Amber Rudd told reporters after this morning's Cobra emergency committee meeting: 'We do know more about the substance, the police will be making a further statement this afternoon in order to share some of that.' She said: 'We must let the police carry on their work, they will share what they can but I'm sure there will be more updates as the investigation continues. 'There is a lot of information about Sergei Skripal in the public domain at the moment but I'm not going to comment any further about that because I do believe the police need to get on with their investigation and finding out more about him will be part of it.' Advertisement

Professor Alastair Hay of Leeds University said it could take some time before the test results are known.

'Individuals cannot provide unlimited amounts of blood for testing so investigations will be guided by the clinical team,' Professor Hay said.

'Some tests are rapid and some [poison] candidates will be looked at quickly. But if the cause is more unusual, body fluids will require significant clean-up preparation before they can be put in an instrument.

'So this could take a day or several days.'

'Police had a good look at the footage and were interested in these two people. It was the only image they took away,' said Cain Prince, 28, the manager of a nearby gym.

'They wanted a list of everyone in the gym between 3pm and 4pm as well.'

Mr Skripal was jailed in Moscow for selling Russian secrets more than a decade ago - but had set up home in the south of England after a Cold War-style 'spy swap' with Russian agents including Anna Chapman.

But a relative of Mr Skripal has said he knew he would not escape his past that easily.

He told BBC Russia: 'From the first day he knew it would end badly, and that he would not be left alone'.

Police seal off the back of The Mill, a Greene King pub where Mr Skripal and his daughter are believed to have attended, as the police cordon is extended in Salisbury

Police in protective suits and gas masks are seen inside Zizzi's restaurant in Salisbury, where Mr Skripal and his daughter visited before being taken ill

Police officers are pictured with a vehicle outside the home of Sergei Skripal yesterday

Home Secretary Amber Rudd will chair a meeting of the Government's emergency committee Cobra on Wednesday morning to discuss the ongoing investigation into the incident in Salisbury.

Two fire engines and a mobile control unit were at the ambulance base at Solstice Park in Amesbury, about seven miles from Salisbury.

It is believed crews who attended the emergency call out on Sunday were among the first responders who later had hospital treatment after coming into contact with Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

The Met Police, whose counter-terrorism unit has taken over the investigation, today appealed for information.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said: 'The focus at this time is to establish what has caused these people to become critically ill.

'We would like to reassure members of the public that this incident is being taken extremely seriously and we currently do not believe there is any risk to the wider public.'

An eyewitness said Skripal and his daughter seemed 'out of it' after she came across the pair slumped on the bench at the shopping centre. Top right: A police tent covers the spot where they were found

Police said the pair, named by media Mr Skripal and his daughter, had been 'exposed to an unknown substance'

The entrance to the accident and emergency department at Salisbury District Hospital where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal was taken for treatment

He added: 'We are appealing for anyone with information about the incident to contact police immediately on 999.

'We would like to hear from anybody who visited the area close to the Maltings shopping centre where these two people were taken ill on Sunday afternoon, and may have seen something that could assist the investigation.

'The two people taken ill were in Salisbury centre from around 13.30hrs. Did you see anything out of the ordinary?

'It may be that at the time, nothing appeared out of place or untoward but with what you now know, you remember something that might be of significance. Your memory of that afternoon and your movements alone could help us with missing pieces of the investigation.'

Who is Russian double agent Sergei Skripal? How 'Spy with the Louis Vuitton bag' narrowly avoided execution after selling secrets to MI6 Sergei Skripal (pictured) unmasked dozens of secret agents and gave information to MI6 Sergei Skripal, a former colonel in Russian military intelligence, was considered by the Kremlin to be one of the most damaging spies of his generation. He was responsible for unmasking dozens of secret agents threatening Western interests by operating undercover in Europe. Col Skripal, 66, allegedly received 78,000 in exchange for taking huge risks to pass classified information to MI6. In 2006, he was sentenced to 13 years in a Russian labour camp after being convicted of passing invaluable Russian secrets to the UK. A senior source in Moscow said at the time: 'This man is a big hero for MI6.' After being convicted of 'high treason in the form of espionage' by Moscow's military court, Col Skripal was stripped of his rank, medals and state awards. He was alleged by Russia's security service, the FSB, to have begun working for the British secret services while serving in the army in the 1990s. He was sentenced to 13 years in a Russian labour camp when he was convicted of passing secrets to Britain He passed information classified as state secrets and was paid for the work by MI6, the FSB claimed. Col Skripal pleaded guilty at the trial and co-operated with investigators, reports said at the time. He admitted his activities and gave a full account of his spying, which led to a reduced sentence. In July 2010, he was pardoned by then Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and was one of four spies exchanged for ten Russian agents deported from the US in an historic swap involving red-headed 'femme fatale' Anna Chapman. Mrs Chapman, then 28, was a Manhattan socialite and diplomat's daughter, who had lived and worked in London during a four-year marriage to British public schoolboy Alex Chapman. After the swap at Vienna airport, Col Skripal was one of two spies who came to Britain and he has kept a low profile for the past eight years. He moved into a 350,000 home in Salisbury and collapsed outside a shopping centre in the city centre He is understood to have been debriefed for months before being given a home and a pension. The former spy was living at an address in Salisbury, Wiltshire, when the suspected poisoning took place in the city centre. Reports in Russia suggested that Mr Skripal was originally recruited by MI6 in Tallinn, Estonia, and may have lectured on the KGB tactics since moving to Britain. He often went to his local shop to buy a particular type of Polish sausage and spent up to 40 a time on lottery scratch cards and was described as a 'polite' and 'kind' customer who often won money. Adam Blake who owns local firm A2B Taxis, said he 'fairly regularly' used to pick up Mr Skripal, who is fighting for his life after being exposed to a mystery substance. Mr Blake told the Daily Mirror: 'He had a black-faced ring with an animal on it, a wolf I think, and would kiss the ring and ask if you wanted to kiss it. 'Then he would look each way, as if joking, and say, "I'm a Russian spy". He would say it to all the drivers and nobody ever believed him. 'I would often see him standing around town in doorways too, looking around suspiciously as if he was really trying to portray the spy image.' He also joined the 10-a-year Railway Social Club in the city and neighbours said they did not know him well, although he organised a house-warming party shortly after moving in, inviting people by dropping notes through doors. It was also revealed how he had suffered two bereavements within just five years when his wife Lyudmila died aged 59 in 2012, before his son Alexandr passed away aged 43 in 2017. This video shows the evidence used to convict Skripal of spying in Russia and his high-profile arrest in Moscow in 2004 His neighbour Blake Stephens, 24, said: 'He used to live with his wife but unfortunately she died in a car accident a while ago.' Col Skripal was turned by MI6 when he was posted abroad as a GRU military intelligence agent in Europe in the mid-1990s. During his years working for MI6, the balding spy unmasked dozens of agents threatening Western interests. Col Skripal was so well-connected that even after his retirement from his spy service in 1999 he continued to pass exceptional secrets to London by staying in touch with his former colleagues as a reservist officer. He was nicknamed 'the spy with the Louis Vuitton bag' after grainy pictures showed him carrying a bag at an airport en route to a meeting with his handlers. He may finally have been snared by the FSB after passing his intelligence to MI6's infamous James Bond-style 'spy rock'  a fake stone packed with receiving equipment in a Moscow park. Russian secret services exposed the ploy in 2006, revealing how British agents transmitted their data to the rock via a hidden hand-held device while walking past it. Russian president Vladimir Putin (pictured yesterday) once hinted at how his country deals with spies by insisting that 'traitors always end in a bad way' After Col Skripal's conviction, one official said: 'His activities caused a significant blow to Russia's external security.' Chief military prosecutor Sergei Fridinsky said: 'It is impossible to measure in roubles or anything else the amount of harm caused by Skripal.' State-run TV in Russia even compared him to the legendary Soviet double agent Oleg Penkovsky, who spied for Britain and the US during the height of the Cold War. Penkovsky was shot by a firing squad in 1963 and is regarded as one of the most effective spies of all time. Advertisement

Who is the daughter of Russian spy Sergei Skripal? 'Ex-Holiday Inn employee' Yulia moved to London seven years ago and was visiting her father when pair were taken ill The critically-ill daughter of Russian double agent Sergei Skripal is a businesswoman who supported jailing Vladimir Putin on Facebook. Yulia Skripal, 33, moved to London in 2010 - the same year her father was granted refuge in Britain - and relocated to Southampton, Hampshire. She has since moved between the UK and Russia, working for Nike in the Russian capital and PepsiCo, according to her social media accounts. According to her Facebook page she went to school and university in Moscow and lived in Malta for some time when she was young. She remains in a critical condition after she collapsed in Salisbury city centre with her father In 2008, she started her role as a Customer Operations Representative at Nike after she graduated from Moscow State Humanities University. Two years later she quit the job and moved to London before relocating to the south coast when she worked for Holiday Inn in Southampton. It is unclear whether she lived with her father or if she had a boyfriend or partner in London. In 2012, her father later moved into a 350,000 four-bedroom home in Salisbury - just 20 miles west of Southampton - and the house was paid for in cash. It was previously owned by Wiltshire Police and neighbours described her father as being a 'happy man' who drove a BMW 3 Series. Yulia (left) reported the death of her father's wife to Wiltshire Police when she died in 2012 And it has now emerged that she wrote 'nice' when a friend said he hoped the Russian President would be jailed in his anti-Putin letter. His letter read: 'I want to put in to jail Vladimir Putin, because I think that he is the worst president in the world. He stole so much money that they can feed a small starving country.' It is understood Yulia had moved back to Russia and was visiting her father when they were taken ill. Mr Skripal's housekeeper said she had been asked to clean Yulia's bedroom before her arrival. In 2012, her mother Liudmilla died and Yulia reported the death to Wiltshire Council. She recorded her father's occupation as a 'retired local government planning officer'. According to her Facebook, Ms Skripal attended Moscow State Humanities University Advertisement

From a row over risotto at an Italian restaurant to collapse on a park bench, how the 'poisoning' unfolded

SUNDAY 2.30PM A seafood lunch that ended with a bust-up over the bill

Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, 33, left his neat, red brick 350,000 semi detached in Salisbury and made their way to Zizzi in the city centre, less than two miles away.

The restaurant, in Castle Street, was busy when they arrived, but they declined the seats offered to them at the front, instead selecting ones at the back, close to the kitchen. They began with a starter of garlic bread to share followed by two glasses of white wine.

They ordered from the menu, choosing the 600 calorie risotto pesce with king prawns, mussels and squid rings in a tomato, chilli and white wine sauce.

The police investigation centres on Salisbury's Zizzi restaurant, a nearby pub and the park where Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found on Sunday

Police officers man a cordon near a forensic tent where Sergei Skripal, 66 and his daughter Yulia Skripal, in her 30s, were found unconscious in Salisbury town centre

Detectives are trying to work out if Skripal was given the mystery substance in the restaurant

But within minutes Mr Skripal had become angry, a witness said. 'I think he was swearing in Russian,' said the man, who did not want to be named.

'She was just sitting there quietly, and didn't really say anything. They were both smartly dressed, she was in a black coat.

'They were speaking to each other in Russian.' He said Mr Skripal appeared annoyed that their main course had taken 20 minutes to arrive - and appeared in a hurry to leave. He was going absolutely crazy, I didn't understand it and I couldn't understand him.

'They had not been seen for a little while by the front of house staff, but I think it was more than that. He just wanted his food and to go. He was just shouting and losing his temper. I would have asked him to leave. He just said 'I want my food and my bill'. The waiter took him the bill at the same time as the main course, which was unusual.

Freya Church, 27, who spotted the pair 'slumped' and 'passed out' on the bench told the Press Association the couple in the CCTV images were '100%' the people she saw on Sunday

Witness Freya Church walks with a policeman near the place in Salisbury where the two people were found unconscious

I don't think they paid all of the bill. I think they were given a discount because he was so angry and agitated. He had to wait about 20 minutes for his main course.

'I think it was easier for the staff just to give him money to leave as he was so angry.

'They were sitting by themselves at the back of the restaurant but I think people were pleased when they left. They were only there for about 45 minutes. It was a quick lunch. He just wanted to get out of there. She was silent, perhaps embarrassed.'

He added: 'He didn't seem to have to wait long for his food. I noticed him first because they were sitting by themselves, and because he was an older man with a younger woman, and because he was losing his temper. He didn't seem ill physically, but perhaps mentally ill with the way he was shouting. The witness said other than appearing angry, there was no sign that either of them were ill.

'They weren't poisoned at Zizzi. I saw the chef prepare the food,' he said. 'No one could have sneaked in and added anything to his food there, the kitchen is open. The drinks are made at the bar which is by the door, but I think it is unlikely. No one could get to him.' Their total food bill - for the risotto, garlic bread and wine, would have been 39.25, or 31.40 with a 20 per cent discount.

A police tent has been put up over the park bench where the pair appeared 'catatonic'

3.47PM Spotted on CCTV holding hands before being found 'looking homeless' on bench

After paying by card the couple left and were later spotted on CCTV walking hurriedly down an alleyway connecting Zizzi and The Maltings and the bench where they were later found.

In the footage, from cameras at a gym, the pair appear to be walking briskly along the street holding hands, and show no signs of any illness.

But just 16 minutes later, personal trainer Freya Church, 27, came across them slumped on a bench. She said they seemed 'out of it' and assumed they were on drugs. 'It was a young, blonde and pretty girl and it was definitely the man that's been pictured in the news - the guy that's a spy. She was passed out and he was looking up to the sky and I tried to get eye contact to see if they were okay.

'They didn't seem with it. To be honest I thought they were just drugged out as they were in a weird state. There are lots of homeless people here so I just thought they were homeless.'

Police also threw a cordon around a nearby pub as they desperately trying to piece together where the father and daughter had been and who else might be affected

4.03PM White-faced and frothing at the mouth

Witness Jamie Paine told the BBC: 'Her eyes were just completely white, they were wide open, but just white and frothing at the mouth. And then the man went stiff, his arms stopped moving and still looking dead straight.'

Georgia Pridham, 25, also saw the couple slumped on the bench. She said: 'He was quite smartly dressed. He had his palms up to the sky as if he was shrugging and was staring at the building in front of him.

He had a woman sat next to him on the bench who was slumped on his shoulder.' She added: 'He was staring dead straight. He was conscious but it was like he was frozen and slightly rocking back and forward.' Two police officers helped the pair before emergency services were called at 4.15pm.

Graham Mulcock said: 'The paramedics seemed to be struggling to keep the two people conscious.

The inside and outside of The Mill pub in Salisbury are pictured after it was sealed off by police

The man was sitting staring into space in a catatonic state.' Destiny Reynolds, 20, who works in Ganesha Handicrafts in the cen-tre, said: 'I saw quite a lot of commotion - there were two people sat on the bench and there was a security guard there.

'They put her on the ground in the recovery position, and she was shaking like she was having a seizure. It was a bit manic. There were a lot of people crowded round them. It was raining, people had umbrellas and were putting them over them.' An air ambulance landed on a nearby shopping centre car park and Miss Skripal was taken to hospital while her father was taken by road.

But it was not until the next day, when hospital staff discovered their identity - and their links to Russia - that a major incident was declared.

The pair were taken to hospital after they collapsed inside The Maltings shopping centre after coming into contact with an unknown substance. Pictured, emergency crews at the centre

The A&E department at Salisbury District Hospital was closed, while two incident response unit ambulances and the fire service were called to the hospital to treat the patients and decontaminate the department.

Zizzi restaurant was also closed and police took away the table and chairs they were sitting at, examined the kitchen and food and interviewed staff. A pub, The Mill, in the Maltings, where Mr Skripal and his daughter are believed to have had a drink on Sunday, was also sealed off and remained so today.

The popular city centre pub, currently part way through its 'British pie week' was being searched while a single police officer stood guard at the entrance.

Was Russian spy taken down by VX?Just 10 milligrams of the nerve agent is enough to kill in minutes Military scientists are desperately trying to identify what was used to strike down Russian spy Sergei Skripal. Poison has typically been Russia's weapon of choice when 'dealing with' perceived traitors. From poison-tipped umbrellas to radioactive tea, a number of deadly toxins have been used in Russia-linked deaths in the UK. VX VX is one of the deadliest chemical weapons created by man. Experts say just 10 milligrams of the nerve agent or a single drop is enough to kill in minutes. With the texture and feel of engine oil, it can cause convulsions, loss of consciousness, paralysis and respiratory failure in minutes. It has the texture and feel of engine oil, but its only known use is as a chemical warfare agent. VX - classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations - was used in the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong UN, at Kuala Lumpur airport on February 13. SARIN Sarin  a volatile nerve agent that was initially developed in Germany as a pesticide  is a liquid that is clear, colourless, tasteless and odourless. People can be exposed to sarin through skin contact, eye contact or by breathing it in through the air or it can be mixed with water or food. Symptoms of severe exposure to sarin include loss of consciousness, convulsions, paralysis and respiratory failure leading to death. Other possible poisons: THALLIUM Dubbed the 'poisoner's poison', Thallium is highly toxic but is tasteless, colourless and odourless and any contact with skin is dangerous. Thallium (pictured) is highly toxic but is tasteless, colourless and odourless and any contact with skin is dangerous Thallium, once known as 'Inheritance Powder' because it could easily kill people, is typically found in electronics and was used by Saddam Hussein on dissidents. It is slow-acting and painful and symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and hair loss. However, it is hard to trace and experts at Porton Down science park in Salisbury may never find out what was used. RICIN Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans, the same substance used to make castor oil. If castor beans are chewed and swallowed, the released ricin can cause injury. It can be found as a powder, mist or pellet or it can be dissolved in water or weak acid. It is very difficult to trace. Ricin works by getting inside the body's cells and preventing them from making the proteins they need  and without them, cells die. Eventually this is harmful to the whole body and can cause death. But the effects of ricin poisoning depend on whether it was inhaled, ingested or injected. Cold War dissident Georgi Markov was assassinated on the streets of London in 1978 by a Bulgarian secret service agent, who used an umbrella that fired a pellet of ricin into his leg. Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans (pictured), the same substance used to make castor oil When inhaled, symptoms include difficulty in breathing, fever, cough, nausea, sweating and tightness in the chest. Death occurs after blood pressure plummets and breathing stops. When swallowed, ricin causes vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, low blood pressure, seizures, and blood in the urine. There is no known antidote but treatment includes use of respirators, fluids, flushing the stomach and treating low blood pressure. POLONIUM-210 The toxin is considered an ideal poison because it is harmless until swallowed with a miniscule amount sufficient to cause a slow, painful and very public death. However, it is almost impossible to acquire without a nuclear reactor - and then decays within a few months. The radioactive substance was used to kill former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006, perhaps the most high-profile case of fatal poisoning. Thallium was the deadly poison that investigators originally thought had killed Alexander Litvinenko (pictured) It was slipped into a cup of green tea at the Millennium Hotel in Mayfair. Polonium-210 also leaves a radioactive trace, which in the Litvinenko case led investigators to Andrei Lugovoy. In 2016 a public inquiry concluded that the killing of Mr Litvinenko had 'probably' been carried out with the approval of Russian president Vladimir Putin. THALLIUM Thallium was the deadly poison that investigators originally thought had killed Alexander Litvinenko. Thallium sulphate is colourless, odourless and tasteless salt that is soluble in water, making it an almost ideal poison to use to kill. Known as the 'poisoner's poison', if ingested, it attacks the nervous system and internal organs and even a dose as small as a gram can cause death. Other symptoms include hair loss, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Within three days, victims can suffer headaches, convulsions, coma, delirium, dementia and even psychosis. It's believed Russian businessman Alexander Perepilichnyy was poisoned after Gelsemium was slipped into his sorrel soup GELSEMIUM Gelsemium is a rare and deadly plant poison which initially causes dizziness, nausea, blurred vision and convulsions. At larger doses, it causes paralysis of the spinal cord leading to an almost loss of muscle power and ultimately asphyxia. It's believed Russian businessman Alexander Perepilichnyy was poisoned after the substance was slipped into his sorrel soup. Police initially thought his death was not suspicious because there was no signs of toxins after he was found dead near his luxury home in Surrey in 2012. But scientists later found chemical traces of gelsemium in his stomach. An inquest into his death has been adjourned pending further inquiries. Former Ukranian President Victor Yushchenko suffered facial disfigurement after being given TCDD CURARE Curare is a plant extract initially used for poison arrows by South American tribes. It causes the respiratory muscles to contract, asphyxiating the victim. Scientists in Russia used curare under Joseph Stalin and American-born Communist spy Isaiah Oggins was executed in 1947 using this drug. TCDD This type of dioxin, an ingredient of Agent Orange, was used in the attempted assassination of Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko in 2004. He survived the attack to become his countrys president, but suffered major facial disfigurements. Advertisement

Boris Johnson says England could boycott the World Cup in Russia over suspected attempt to poison a former spy Britain could boycott the World Cup in Russia this summer if the Kremlin is shown to be responsible for a suspected assassination attempt of an ex-spy, Boris Johnson suggested. The Foreign Secretary said UK representation at the tournament would be 'difficult to see' as he threatened a range of new sanctions over what is suspected to be a bid to kill Sergei Skripal, 66, in Salisbury on Sunday. Mr Johnson said: 'If things turn out to be as many members suspect that they are... I think we will have to have a serious conversation about our engagement with Russia. 'And for my part I think it will be difficult to see how, thinking ahead to the World Cup this summer, I think it would be difficult to imagine that UK representation at that event could go ahead in the normal way. 'We will certainly have to consider that.' Noting that the case has 'echoes' of the death of Alexander Litvinenko, a Russian dissident who was fatally poisoned in London in 2006, Mr Johnson told MPs: 'While it would be wrong to prejudge the investigation, I can reassure the House that should evidence emerge that implies state responsibility, then Her Majesty's Government will respond appropriately and robustly.' Mr Johnson said it was clear that Russia is now 'in many respects a malign and disruptive force and the UK is in the lead across the world in trying to counteract that activity'. Sources close to Mr Johnson later insisted he was referring to officials and dignitaries attending the tournament and not footballers. The World Cup begins in Russia in June. England are the only UK team to have qualified to take part. The Russian Embassy posted a short response to Mr Johnson's address to MPs, saying ironically: 'We are impressed by the statement of the Foreign Secretary in Parliament today. The Foreign Secretary spoke in such a manner as if the investigation was already over and Russia was found responsible for what had happened in Salisbury.' The statement continued: 'We regret that instead of a proper official clarification on the issue the Foreign Secretary chose to threaten Russia with retribution. Looks like the script of yet another anti-Russian campaign has been already written.' Advertisement

Cancer, car crash and liver failure: Mysterious deaths of family of Russian 'Spy with the Louis Vuitton Handbag'

He was jailed for passing on the identities of Russian secret agents in Europe to MI6

The former Russian double agent who is critically ill in hospital after a suspected poison plot was hit by a double family tragedy within five years, it has emerged.

Sergei Skripal, 66, is fighting for his life at Salisbury District Hospital after being found unconscious with his daughter Yulia, 33, in the city on Sunday.

And it was revealed yesterday how Mr Skripal had suffered two bereavements within just five years when his wife Lyudmila died aged 59 in 2012, before his son Alexandr passed away aged 43 in 2017.

Mystery surrounds the cause of death for both, with his wife's death certificate claiming she died of cancer but neighbours saying it was in a car crash.

It has been recorded that Mrs Skripal, died on October 23, 2012, with her death certificate recording the cause of death as disseminated endometrial carcinoma.

Her daughter Yulia reported the death to Wiltshire Council's register office, but told staff that her father was a retired local government planning officer.

As for Mr Skripal's son, he is said to have been killed in a car crash in St Petersburg last year  but the family's cleaner said he had actually died from liver problems.

The Russian security service (FSB) allege that Col Skripal began to sell information in 1990's right up until 1999 - when he left the special services

In Moscow at the time of his arrest he was mocked as 'the spy with the Louis Vuitton bag' after grainy pictures showed him at an airport on route on one meeting with his handlers

Putin has 'hostile intent' towards Britain, warns Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson Vladimir Putin has 'hostile intent' towards Britain, the Defence Secretary said yesterday. Gavin Williamson called for the UK to wake up to the threat posed by Russia. He warned that the Kremlin had developed a much more aggressive posture towards the UK in the past 12 months and the country should not sit submissively by. With relations between Britain and Russia believed to be at an all-time low, Mr Williamson told MPs that the country needed to 'match what Putin is doing with Russian forces'. During defence questions in the Commons, he said: 'Putin has made it quite clear that he has hostile intent towards this country. 'We've been seeing the build-up of his forces across the Eastern Front and in terms of what they're doing over many years now  we have to wake up to that threat and we have to respond to it. 'And it is not just through nuclear weapons  our continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent is absolutely integral to maintaining the peace, but it is also through conventional armed forces. We have to match what Putin is doing with Russian forces.' His comments came after he was asked by Labour's Barry Sheerman about comments the Russian president had made in a state-of-the-nation speech last week. Mr Sheerman pointed out that Mr Putin had basically announced 'a new Cold War'. Mr Putin boasted in his speech that Russia had developed an arsenal of invincible nuclear weapons that are immune to enemy detection. Advertisement

The woman who cleans Mr Skripal's home in Salisbury, who asked not to be named, said yesterday: 'I saw reports on the news that his wife had died in a car crash.

'That is not true, she died of cancer that she had when they moved to England. And his son died of liver problems, so I don't know where the car crash idea came from.'

However, his neighbour Blake Stephens, 21, said earlier of Mr Skripal: 'He used to live with his wife but unfortunately she died in a car accident a while ago.'

But the BBC claimed Alexandr died on holiday in Russia with his girlfriend after being taken to hospital with liver failure, and that his family was suspicious about his death.

Mr Skripal was dramatically exposed as having spied for the British in one of the biggest East-West scandals since the end of the Cold War.

He rose to rank of colonel in the Russian military before becoming a top intelligence officer in the chaotic days after the fall of communism.

But his reputation came crashing down in 2004 when he was accused of passing on the identities of Russian secret agents in Europe to MI6.

By this time he had retired from the military but was said to have used his old contacts to spy for the West.

He was jailed for 13 years in 2006 and was only released in the high-profile spy-swap which involved glamourous Russian agent Anna Chapman, who had been caught spying in the US.

After being debriefed by British security services, he was given a new life living in a 340,000 house in Wiltshire.

At the time of his arrest he was mocked as 'the spy with the Louis Vuitton bag' after grainy pictures showed him with an expensive looking bag at an airport en route on one meeting with his handlers.

The Russian security service (FSB) alleged that Mr Skripal began to sell information in 1990's right up until 1999 - when he left the special services. They say he was paid around $100,000 for his services into his secret account in Spain.

Mr Skripal was turned by British special service until when he was detained for giving the UK top secret information.

The former intelligence officer, now believed to be 66, was convicted of 'high treason in the form of espionage' for his crimes.

He was alleged to have passed intelligence to a so-called 'spy rock' in a Moscow park

Russian authorities claimed agents walked past it transmitting their data via a hand held device

He pleaded guilty at his trial and co-operated with investigators, reports said at the time.

He was stripped of his rank of colonel and his state medals and ordered to spend his prison term in a high-security penal camp.

One of the Russian spies exchanged for Skripal was Anna Chapman (pictured), who was greeted as a hero by the Kremlin

He was sentenced in 2006 and was later pardoned in 2010 when he was one of four prisoners Moscow swapped for spies in the US.

He was released together with the three other individuals serving time in Russian prisons in exchange for ten Russian spies arrested by the FBI.

A year after his release he is believed to have bought a house in Sailsbury.

Ms Chapman was arrested at a New York police department precinct when she turned in a fake passport an undercover FBI agent had given to her.

As the daughter of a Russian diplomat, she became the most recognisable of the ten agents.

Nicknamed 'the spy with the Louis Vuitton bag', Mr Skripal exposed a huge network of Russian military spies working across Europe taking extraordinary risks to pass secrets to MI6.

The FSB caught him passing his intelligence to the infamous MI6 James Bond-style 'spy rock' - a fake stone packed with receiving equipment - in a Moscow park.

Russian secret services exposed the rock in 2006, revealing how agents walked past it transmitting their data to the rock via a hidden hand held device.

One official said after his conviction: 'His activities caused a significant blow to Russia's external security.'

A still from footage of Mr Skripal spying for Britain which was used against him in Russia

Russian loathing for Mr Skripal is highlighted by claims from Russian secret services historian Nikolai Luzan that the double was responsible for disclosing to MI6 the names of around 300 GRU staff members and other 'agents' including those working abroad.

Luzan referred to him Mr Skripal in a 2014 interview as 'this bastard - I'm not scared to use this word'.

'Just imagine what muck this man did to other people' - due to his treachery.

There has been no official confirmation of the 300 figure from the GRU.

State-run TV in Russia even compared him to the legendary Cold War agent Soviet double agent Oleg Penkovsky, who spied for Britain and the United States during the height of the Cold War.

Following his release Col Skripal underwent a debriefing in London following his exchange in the historic spy swap involving femme fatale Anna Chapman

Penvosky was shot by a firing squad in 1963 and is regarded as one of the most effective spies of all time.

Mr Skripal and a woman were found slumped on a bench in a busy shopping centre in Salisbury on Sunday.

He is critically ill along with the woman, 33, after they were both found at The Maltings shopping centre in a case that immediately drew parallels to the poisoning of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko.

Before this he was believed to be living at an address on Christie Miller Road in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

He had been living at the address with his wife Liudmila until she died in recent years.

'Traitors always end in a bad way. Usually from drugs in the street': How ex-KGB chief Putin hinted at the way Russia deals with spies Russian president Vladimir Putin (pictured today) once said 'traitors always end in a bad way' Russian president Vladimir Putin once hinted at how his country deals with spies by insisting that 'traitors always end in a bad way'. The former KGB chief's words are all the more chilling as fears build over a poison plot in Wiltshire against Sergei Skripal, a Russian colonel who spied for MI6. Among the Russian agents exposed was the red-haired 'femme fatale' Anna Chapman, and Mr Putin said at the time: 'It is a result of betrayal. 'Traitors always end in a bad way. Usually from a drinking habit, or from drugs, right in the street.' Mr Skripal was sentenced to 13 years in a high-security prison in 2006, before being freed in a 2010 deal which saw ten Russian sleeper agents expelled from the US. Mr Skripal retired from military intelligence, often known by its Russian-language acronym GRU. He went on to work at the Foreign Ministry until 2003. He was arrested in 2004 in Moscow and admitted he was recruited by British intelligence in 1995 and had provided information about GRU agents in Europe, for which he was paid more than $100,000. Mr Skripal was one of four agents pardoned and released by Moscow in what was said at the time to be the biggest spy swap since the Cold War. He was flown to the UK with another of the men freed by Russia in the exchange - analyst Igor Sutyagin, who was serving a 14-year sentence for spying for the US. Russian spy Anna Chapman pictured on May 21, 2011 The spy swap took place on July 9, 2010 on the tarmac at Vienna's airport and a Boeing 767-200 carrying the four agents was understood to have later touched down at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The returning Russian spies were greeted as heroes in Moscow. Mr Putin, himself a former KGB officer who served in what was then East Germany, sang patriotic songs with them. But Mr Putin predicted a grim future for the man who had betrayed the Russian spies in the US, saying that he knew both his identity and location. He said that a 'Mercader has already been sent after him,' referring to Ramon Mercader, the assassin who was sent to kill Leon Trotsky in 1940 in Mexico. Mr Skripal was cast as a traitor by Moscow at the time of the spy swap. He is thought to have done serious damage to Russian spy networks in Britain and Europe. Advertisement

'It bears all the hallmarks of a Russian attack': Senior MP demands new sanctions to the Kremlin's 'soft war' on Britain after suspected spy attack

A senior MP yesterday said a suspected attempt to kill a Russian ex-spy bears 'all the hallmarks' of a Kremlin attack.

Tom Tugendhat said if proven the possible poisoning of Sergei Skripal, 66, would be a new escalation in a 'soft war' by Russia against the UK.

The chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee said new sanctions should be imposed against Russia if it was proven the Kremlin ordered the attack.

Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Tom Tugendhat said if proven the possible poisoning of Sergei Skripal, 66, would a new escalation in a 'soft war' against the UK

The warning comes after shadow defence secretary Diane Abbott warned ministers not to allow 'London and the Home Counties to become a kind of killing field for the Russian state'.

WHAT SANCTIONS COULD BE IMPOSED ON RUSSIA? Tory MP Tom Tugendhat called for a new range of sanctions if it is proven Russia is behind a suspected assassination attempt in London. He revived calls for a 'Magnitsky List' to be set up in Britain. It would mirror US laws imposing travel bans on senior Kremlin officials responsible for the death of Russian accountant Sergei Magnitsky in a prison in 2009. UK ministers have repeatedly refused to pass a similar law, but has imposed financial sanctions on several senior Russian figures. Further sanctions could see UK assets owned by Kremlin officials seized and travel bans on more individuals imposed. The intent is to stop the ruling elite in Moscow travelling freely and keeping money abroad while Putin operates with little restraint. Advertisement

British relations with Russia have been chilly since President Vladimir Putin was suspected of personally ordering the attack on Litvinenko.

Former cabinet minister John Whittingdale said it was possible the existing sanctions were failing to deter Russia 'from carrying out further assassinations on British soil'.

The comments came as Boris Johnson pledged to speak with Home Secretary Amber Rudd after calls for a fresh police investigation into 14 deaths in the UK that have been linked to Russia.

Mr Whittingdale, the former culture secretary, told MPs: 'It is almost exactly four years since the annexation of the sovereign territory of Ukraine in Crimea by Russia.

'It is two years since the public inquiry concluded that President Putin almost certainly approved the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.

'Is it not clear, therefore, that existing sanctions are failing to deter Russia, possibly even from carrying out further assassinations on British soil.

'And that the time has come to impose far tougher sanctions against targeted individuals associated with President Putin's regime.'

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson yesterday repeated warnings of the military threat from Russia, warning Putin had 'hostile intent' toward Britain.

Skripal who had recently told police he feared for his life, was rushed to hospital after collapsing on a bench outside a shopping centre in Salisbury on Sunday.

He was found with a 33-year-old woman, who is also fighting for her life. She is thought to be a family member.

Health chiefs said the pair had been exposed to an 'unknown substance'.

Mr Tugendhat said that if Russian involvement was proved, the Skripal case would amount to a further salvo in a 'soft war against the UK' conducted by Mr Putin's administration.

'It is too early to say whether it is certain or not, but it certainly bears all the hallmarks of a Russian attack,' Mr Tugendhat said.

'If it is, then I am calling for a whole-of-Government response. Too much of this has been left to the Foreign Office or the Home Office separately.

'What needs to be done is for the whole Government to get involved in responding to what amounts to a soft war against the UK, taking in the cyber-hacking they have done and the various aggressions they have been involved in.'

Mr Tugendhat said that the eventual response to any Russian involvement in the Skripal case could include travel bans, sanctions and the imposition of Magnitsky Sanctions legislation allowing the assets of human rights violators to be frozen in the UK.

Diane Abbott (file image) demanded answers from ministers about an apparent attack on a Russian spy she said had 'striking similarities' to the murder of Alexander Litvinenko

Ms Abbott told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: 'It's important not to speculate without knowing everything it but it does bear a striking similarity to the death of Litvinenko who was poisoned by the Russian state and before that Markov who was killed bizarrely by somebody stabbing him with an umbrella with poison on the tip.

'That was put to the Russian state and the problem with these things is sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.'

Ms Abbott added: 'I don't like defaulting to a red menace analysis but we can't allow London and the Home Counties to become a kind of killing field for the Russian state.'

Ms Abbott's intervention came as the Government remained tight lipped about the circumstances surrounding Skripal.

Julian Lewis, the chairman of the Commons defence committee, told MailOnline: 'If a second Russian former spy has been targeted in the UK, after the reckless use of polonium to kill Mr Litvinenko, it shows that the Kremlin has not the slightest interest in a positive relationship with the West and has learned nothing from the outrage caused by its previous public act of murder.'

Chairman of the Commons defence committee Julian Lewis (left) told MailOnline a proven second case of assassination on British soil would prove Russia had learned nothing from outrage at the Litvinenko murder, while Labour's Chris Bryant (right) called for a Government statement

Labour MP Chris Bryant, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Russia, called for a Government minister to come to the despatch box to update the Commons on what is known about the Skripal case.

Mr Bryant said: 'We have got to be a little careful about establishing the facts - and I very much hope a Government minister will come to the chamber later today to explain what we do know - but we know Putin's record of using excessive violence.

'There is a long list of Putin opponents who have been bumped off around the world. The fact that this happens just before presidential elections, I would suspect, is not circumstantial.

'We can't be having Russian operatives bumping people off in the UK. I was very critical of both David Cameron and Theresa May in the 2010 Parliament because they kept refusing to allow a full investigation of the Litvinenko murder. It was years before Theresa May finally allowed one to happen.

'If something similar has occurred in this situation, then we shouldn't let the grass grow under our feet.'

'Poisoned spy case' echoes fate of Alexander Litvinenko - Putin critic killed by polonium-laced tea Relations between Britain and Russia have been strained since the murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006, a killing which a judge said was probably approved by President Vladimir Putin. The defector died after two agents slipped radioactive polonium 210 into his tea pot at a Mayfair hotel in central London, according to an inquiry headed by former high court judge Sir Robert Owen. The inquiry found two Russian men - Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun - had deliberately poisoned Litvinenko by putting polonium-210 into his drink at a London hotel, leading to an agonising death. Alexander Litvinenko died after two agents slipped radioactive polonium 210 into his tea It said the use of the radioactive substance - which could only have come from a nuclear reactor - was a 'strong indicator' of state involvement and that the two men had probably been acting under the direction of the FSB. Possible motives included Litvinenko's work for British intelligence agencies, his criticism of the FSB, and his association with other Russian dissidents, while it said there was also a 'personal dimension' to the antagonism between him and Putin. International arrest warrants issued for Mr Lugovoi and Mr Kovtun remain in force although Russia continues to refuse their extradition. The Millennium Hotel in Mayfair, where he is said to have been poisoned In a statement to mark the 10th anniversary of his death, Marina Litvinenko said her husband - who she called Sasha - had been an 'extraordinary man' whose courage in speaking out against the Russian security service, the FSB, had left an enduring legacy. While she acknowledged Mr Putin had refused to accept the inquiry's findings, she said it remained open for other world leaders to take action against the Russian state and that she hoped her struggle to find the truth had not been in vain. 'It has taken 10 long years for the truth to be established and for Sasha's dying words that President Putin was responsible for his death to be proved to be true,' she said. 'I know that Mr Putin's Russia does not accept the findings of the British public inquiry and will continue to deny the truth in the face of overwhelming evidence. 'But those findings are now part of history and the rest of the world understands the difference between truth and propaganda. And that is what matters to me. 'What action world leaders will take against the ever vengeful Russian state in these dramatic times remains to be seen. I hope and pray that my struggle has not been in vain.' Last year the scandal took a new twist when Scotland Yard detectives who investigated the Litvinenko case revealed they too had been poisoned by the Russians in an extraordinary attempt to thwart the inquiry. The inquiry found Andrei Lugovoi (left, in 2007) and Dmitri Kovtun (right, in 2006) - had deliberately poisoned Litvinenko Detective Inspector Brian Tarpey, who flew to Moscow to investigate, says: I remember one evening my officer [a colleague who travelled with him] was complaining of stomach cramp and not being very well. Next morning I accompanied him to the general prosecutors office. We were offered tea. I had no hesitation in accepting. After we left, I started to feel a little bit uncomfortable. Not wanting to put too fine a point on it, I had the s***s. I have no doubt in my mind that someone poisoned us with something like gastroenteritis. Advertisement
A lawyer representing adult film actress Stephanie Clifford  who performs under the name Stormy Daniels  confirmed on Wednesday that his client had a sexual relationship with President Donald Trump years ago.

'Yes,' Michael Avenatti said on the 'Today' show, answering the question on every Trump-watcher's mind.

Daniels had previously refused to say out loud what news outlets had reported breathlessly, citing a nondisclosure agreement that she signed in exchange for $130,000 in hush money just days before the 2016 election.

But on Tuesday she sued the president, alleging that while she and both of their attorneys signed it, he never did.

'We look forward to sunlight serving as a disinfectant,' Avenatti told DailyMail.com on Wednesday.

It's unclear whether Trump and his lawyer have a signed copy.

Porn actress Stormy Daniels' lawyer confirmed Wednesday that 'yes,' his client had a sexual relationship with Donald Trump a decade ago

Michael Avenatti said on the 'Today' show what his client had been coy about for months

Daniels sued Trump on Tuesday, saying that he never signed the nondisclosure agreement that had kept her quiet since just before the 2016 election; 'We look forward to sunlight serving as a disinfectant,' Avenatti told DailyMail.com on Wednesday

Daniels says Trump's longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen has continued to try to silence her about her 'intimate' relationship with Trump that ran from 2006 to 2007 and began shortly after first lady Melania gave birth to their son Barron.

Her lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court includes copies of the nondisclosure agreement  in which she and the president are referred to by aliases  and a side letter that identifies her and Trump by name.

Avenatti said Daniels is prepared to return the payment, which Cohen insists he made out of his own pocket.

'I think she may have to,' he said, 'and she is prepared to do that.'

But 'in light of the amount of misinformation thats out there, some of which has been disseminated by Mr. Cohen and others,' he insisted, 'she believes it's important that the public learn the truth about what happened.'

The lawyer also said Daniels 'may have to' refund $130,000 in hush money, 'and she is prepared to do that'

Avenatti also said he doubts that Cohen, and not Trump, paid his client off.

'We think its highly questionable as to whether it came from his personal funds ... there's no question the president knew about it at the time,' he told NBC's audience.

'The idea that an attorney would go off on his own without his clients knowledge and engage in this type of negotiation and enter into this type of agreement, quite honestly I think is ludicrous.'

Avenatti said Tuesday on 'CBS This Morning' that Daniels is 'absolutely not' trying to sell her story to the highest bidder. But he admitted that 'I don't know whether she's going to ultimately seek payment or not.'

Donald Trump and porn Stormy Daniels aka Stephanie Clifford pose together in 2006; she says her agreement with him to stay quiet about their alleged affair should be tossed out

Daniels says because Trump did not sign the NDA, the courts should find the agreement 'invalid'

The lawsuit filed Tuesday lists Donald Trump, as well as an alias he used for the nondisclosure agreement, 'David Dennison'

Attached as exhibits in the suit is the NDA, as well as a side letter from October 28, 2016.; where Trump aka David Dennison would have signed was left blank

All of the papers attached as exhibits in the lawsuit were unsigned by a not-yet-president Trump

The pages were signed however by Trump's attorney Michael Cohen as well as by Clifford's attorney at the time

The agreement at the center of the legal dispute was signed by Clifford  using her professional name  and Cohen on October 28, 2016.

The copy included with Tuesday's lawsuit features a blank space where Trump would have signed.

The suit says that Cohen tried to keep Clifford from talking about her relationship with Trump as recently as Feb. 27, 2018.

'To be clear, the attempts to intimidate Ms. Clifford into silence and "shut her up" in order to "protect Mr. Trump" continue unabated,' according to the suit.

'On or about February 27, 2018, Mr. Trump's attorney Mr. Cohen surreptitiously initiated a bogus arbitration proceeding against Ms. Clifford in Los Angeles.'

Avenatti is asking the court to declare that the 'hush agreement' and the side agreement 'were never formed, and therefore do not exist, because, among other things, Mr. Trump never signed the agreements.'

'In the alternative, Plaintiff seeks an order of this Court declaring that the agreements in the forms set out in Exhibits 1 and 2 are invalid, unenforceable, and/or void under the doctrine of unconscionability.'

The suit also alleges that the president must be aware that Cohen is trying to keep Clifford quiet because, as a member of the New York bar, he is required to keep his client informed at all times.

'[I]t strains credulity to conclude that Mr. Cohen is acting on his own accord and without the express approval and knowledge of his client Mr. Trump.'

The 2016 agreement paid Daniels $130,000, days before the presidential election to keep her from disclosing any confidential information about Trump or his sexual partners to anyone beyond a short list of individuals she'd already told about the relationship.

She was also forbidden to share any texts or photos from Trump.

Avenatti said Tuesday that he was 'not at liberty' to say whether or not Daniels still has them.

Clifford also alleges Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen (pictured), has continued to try to silence her

Clifford's attorney, Michael Avenatti, shared the full complaint with the attached NDA agreement and side letter as exhibits to Twitter on Tuesday

The president has never addressed the alleged relationship publicly, and the White House has side-stepped questions about it with spokesperson Raj Shah telling members of the press he had never asked the president about it.

Cohen has acknowledged the payment, and has previously claimed it came from his own funds  but has never said what the payment was for.

In the suit, Clifford also alleges that in January 2018, Cohen, 'concerned the truth would be disclosed ... through intimidation and coercive tactics, forced Ms. Clifford into signing a false statement wherein she stated that reports of her relationship with Mr. Trump were false.'
The man who allegedly held up two Perth banks has been revealed as the boss of a collapsed contracting company that reportedly owed creditors millions.

Anthony Joseph Sita, 46, allegedly stole 24,000 from NAB's Innaloo branch last Wednesday using only a note.

He also is accused of unsuccessfully attempting to rob the ANZ in Bull Creek two days later.

Scroll down for video

Anthony Joseph Sita, 46 was caught on CCTV robbing two Perth bank branches last week, it is alleged

Despite claiming in a handwritten note that he was armed, police now believe this was not the case

Mr Sita threatened to kill staff if they did not listen to his demands, it was revealed in court.

In both incidents he wore sunglasses and a hat and informed tellers with a note he was armed with a shotgun, it is alleged.

Police arrested Mr Sita at his home on Tuesday.

He did not apply for bail during an appearance at Perth Magistrates Court, Perth Now reported.

Family members wiped away tears as they left court (Mr Sita is pictured being escorted by police)

Due to the high quality of the vision, police are hoping the two-time thief will be identified

The NAB branch at Innaloo (pictured) in Perth's northern suburbs was first targeted by the thief

Family members wiped away tears as they left court.

Mr Sita was the director at Civils WA, a contracting company that collapsed in 2017, owing creditors millions.

He blamed a construction company for the collapse and was pursuing legal action against them, 9 News reported.

Mr Sita is due to face court again on March 14.
The plaintiffs claim they were abused by Gonzalo Campos (pictured)

Two men who say they were sexually abused by a leader at Jehovah's Witnesses congregations in San Diego in the 1980s and 1990s have settled lawsuits against the church's governing body.

Both sides say the settlements, which were finalized last week, cannot be discussed.

A New York state appeals court in November upheld a $4,000-a-day penalty against Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York for failing to comply with a court order to hand over internal documents about knowledge of church leaders who had been accused of sexually abusing children.

Both plaintiffs say church elders knew of the abuse as early as 1982 but covered it up and allowed the leader to keep working with children.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the plaintiffs claim they were abused by Gonzalo Campos.

One of them, Jose Lopez, said he was abused by Campos at the latter's La Jolla home in 1986.

At another congregation, Osbaldo Padron claims to have been molested by Campos in 1994 or 1995 when he was either seven or eight, his lawsuit states.

Both plaintiffs say church elders knew of the abuse as early as 1982 but covered it up and allowed the leader to keep working with children. Pictured: A Jehovah's Witnesses building in San Diego

Campos, who was removed from the church but allowed to return, later confessed to sexually assaulting at least eight children between 1982 and 1995.

Other cases against the church blaming Campos for the abuse of children have been settled in the past.

Campos fled to Mexico about eight years ago.
The body of mass murderer and cult leader Charles Manson may only stay on ice for a few more days, a judge in Bakersfield, California ruled Wednesday.

The notorious killer's corpse has been in cold storage since he died of natural causes at the age of 83 on November 19, 2017.

Kern County Superior Court Commissioner Alisa Knight said Wednesday that she would rule in a few days on petitions to release Manson's remains from the Bakersfield morgue and is minded to move to allow him to be cremated.

But the coroner who is currently storing the serial killer's remains is also minded to allow blood and DNA samples to be taken which may finally solve the mystery of who Manson's children really are.

A total of five would-be heirs are battling it out with two joining forces Wednesday to try to hurry along a cremation.

At Kern County Superior Court, Brian Walters, attorney for the local coroner, asked Commissioner Knight to allow the coroner to cremate the body.

Dale Kiken, attorney for Manson's alleged grandson, Jason Freeman, objected to the coroner's request - while lawyer Daniel Mortensen, representing Michel Brunner and Matthew Roberts, who both claim to be sons of Manson, did not object to the cremation.

Matthew Roberts, 49, who claims to be one of Manson's biological sons, was the only person at the hearing who claimed to be a descendant. He has joined forces with one, Michael Brunner, but the other two - Rebecca Evans and purported grandson Jason Freeman are all at odds with each other

Reclusive: Michael Brunner, 49, whose birth certificate lists Manson and cult member Mary Brunner as his parents, has joined forces with Roberts to properly dispose of their father's body. Born Valentine Manson in 1968, he has stayed out of the public eye after giving a 1993 interview about his infamous father

Claims: Part-time actress Rebecca Evans, 48, was rescued as a baby from Manson's Los Angeles County ranch and told at 15 she was his daughter, while former MMA fighter Jason Freeman 41, of Bradenton, Florrida, has also filed a claim for the remains alleging he is the grandson of Manson and his first wife Rosalie Willis

The notorious cult leader died at the age of 83 on November 19, 2017, but because multiple parties have attempted to claim his remains, his body has been on ice with the Kern County Coroner ever since

Commissioner Knight decided to consider all the legal arguments, and to look over some 'sealed records' submitted by the prison where Manson spent 47 years on death row before issuing her ruling 'in a couple of days'.

Five people have laid claim to the remains, and the estate, of the notorious killer: Roberts; Brunner; Freeman; Rebecca Evans who claims to be his daughter; and memorabilia collector Michael Channels, who claims to have a signed will.

It was decided that the two issues - who gets his body and who gets what he left behind - should be dealt with by separate courts.

The disposal of his remains has been handled by Kern County Superior court, 100 miles north of Los Angeles, because that was where Manson died.

Mary Brunner, now 74, lived with her son and the rest of the Manson Family in Topanga Canyon, California but was later arrested for credit card fraud in August 1969

Who inherits his estate - which could include potentially lucrative rights to the use of his image and songs he wrote, as well as his possessions - will be adjudicated by Los Angeles Superior Court.

Manson's last home was his hippie commune at Spahn Ranch in LA when he was was convicted of being involved in the brutal 1969 murders of seven people, including heavily pregnant Hollywood actress Sharon Tate.

Mason's alleged grandson Freeman was the first to stake a claim by filing birth certificates and death certificates he says prove he is family.

He says that he learned about his relationship with Manson when he was eleven but his grandmother, Rosalie Willis, who was apparently married to Manson in the 1950s, never spoke about his grandfather.

Freeman - a Mixed Martial Arts fighter - says his father was Charles Manson Jr. who couldn't live with his shameful name so changed it to Charles White, and eventually blew his own brains out in 1993.

Musician Roberts claims to have a will from 2017, which proves he is Manson's son and heir.

Roberts says he was adopted as an infant but tracked down his birth mother who told him she got pregnant by Manson at an orgy in 1967.

Brunner also claims to be Manson's son. He has filed a birth certificate that he claims proves he's the product of a relationship between Manson and follower Mary Brunner a year before the killings. It names Manson as his father.

Finally, part-time actress Rebecca Evans was rescued as a baby in 1969 from Spahn Ranch and placed in foster care. At the age of 15, she claims, she discovered that Manson was her biological father.

Memorabilia collector Channels says he was friends with Manson for 30 years and claims to have a document written by him in 2002 which leaves his remains and estate to Channels and reads: 'I have disinherited both known sons and any unknown children in the present and in the future.'

Commissioner Knight, noting that there are several alleged wills circulating among the five players in this case, Commissioner Knight said: 'I don't have the time to litigate all these wills before disposing of the remains.'

Walters, the lawyer for Kern County Coroner told the court that the coroner 'would like authorization to cremate the body as soon as possible.'

He added that most of the parties claiming Manson's corpse 'also want the body cremated.'

Venue: Commissioner Alisa Knight ruled on Wednesday that she would decide what to do with Manson's body and let the Los Angeles Superior Court determine how his will is dealt with

Michael Channels, 51, a memorabilia fanatic and Manson's pen pal of 30 years, is named as a beneficiary in a 2002 will purportedly signed by the cult leader. Roberts has argued against his claim, stating that Channels is intending to 'profit from the body of my father'

Walters said that the coroner would be 'willing to co-operate' with Brunner's motion to have a blood sample taken from the body and tested to see if Brunner is indeed Manson's son.

Mortensen - who admitted Brunner has no original, only a copy of his birth certificate showing he's Manson's son - told Commissioner Knight: 'Mr. Brunner does not desire to claim the body if (it turns out) he's not Manson's biological son.'

Roberts was the only one in court today of the five people battling over Manson's body and estate.

He and Brunner filed file legal paperwork today announcing their joint claim ahead of the hearing.

In documents seen by DailyMail.com, Roberts - who has a final will and testament bearing Manson's signature - transfers one-half of his right and interest in the Manson estate to Brunner.

The legal documents state that for his part Brunner will share the decision making with Roberts over the last remains of the infamous cult leader, including the final disposition of the body.

In other documents Roberts, 49, who goes by Lentz on the paperwork, declares his support for Brunner's petition to control the remains and agrees that Manson's body should be cremated and the ashes scattered in a private ceremony.

key document: Part of Matthew Roberts' case is that he was named as Manson's son in a will

In the paperwork being filed Wednesday ahead of a case management conference in Kern County Court, Bakersfield, California, he states: 'I ask that this Court order the remains to be released to Michael Brunner so that he can dispose of the remains in a private, dignified manner.'

Brunner is the son of Mary Brunner, an early member of Manson's cult and Charles Manson is named as his father on a birth certificate he has presented to the court.

Roberts, however, has no documentary or DNA proof but says that he tracked down his biological mother after the death of his adoptive mother in 2001 and that she told him that Manson had raped and impregnated her during a drug-fueled orgy.

She later partially recanted to claim that it was not rape but vigorous sex. Robert was born in 1968, a year before the Manson 'Family' killing spree.

Los Angeles based musician Roberts also states he opposes the claim on Manson's remains from memorabilia fanatic and Manson pen pal of 30 years Michael Channels and also that of the serial-killer's 'grandson' and former MMA fighter Jason Freeman.

Channels, 51, is named as a beneficiary in a 2002 will which also purportedly carries Manson's signature.

Roberts states: 'I have strong doubts of the authenticity of the will proffered by Mr Channels, and I do not believe my father wished Mr Channels to control disposition of his remains.

He added: 'Mr Channels is an unrelated memorabilia collector who intends to try to profit from the body of my father.'

On Freeman, Roberts said in the filing: 'Mr Freeman never knew my father, and I have serious doubts that he is any biological relation.'

He added that he and Freeman were the subject of a DNA test conducted on CNN years ago which reported no relation between the two.

Freeman, 41, of Bradenton, Florida, who has also filed a claim for Manson's remains, claims to be the grandson of the evil cult leader and his first wife Rosalie Willis.

His father, Charles Manson Jr, died by suicide in 1993.

Freeman has claimed in the past that Channels 'always used my grandfather for a paycheck', and accused Roberts of making up a 'fraudulent will'.

Unfortunately, unlike the others, Freeman doesn't possess any kind of signed will leaving him the estate.

In a final court document, filed by Brunner's probate attorney Daniel R. Mortensen, Roberts agrees to act as a co-administrator on the Manson estate alongside long time Manson confidante Ben Gurecki.

Manson  who was serving a life sentence for the murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others when he died  entrusted his friend Gurecki with a will, naming him executor.

The will, purportedly signed by Manson and leaving his entire estate to Roberts, was mailed to Gurecki in January 2017.

Roberts was adopted as an infant and grew up in Rockford, Illinois, before getting in touch with his birth mother in 1998. She told him that she got pregnant at a 1967 orgy in San Francisco and believes that Manson is his father.

Two DNA tests using Manson's genetic material were inconclusive because the samples were contaminated.

Manson allegedly stated in a 2002 will (pictured) given to Channels that he disinherited his two known children, grandchildren, friends and other family members

Channels said he and Manson last spoke on the phone on October 21, about a month before his death

Brunner, born Valentine Manson in April 1968 and nicknamed 'Pooh Bear,' lived with his mother Mary and the rest of the Manson Family in Topanga Canyon, California and eventually Spahn Ranch before Mary was arrested for credit card fraud in August 1969.

Her parents ended up with custody of her son, which he discussed in a KCBS interview in 1993, his last media appearance.

Both Brunner, 49, and his mother, now 74, deliberately remain out of the public eye.

Manson died at the age of 83 on November 19, 2017, but because multiple parties have attempted to claim his remains, his body has been on ice with the Kern County Coroner ever since.

As well as the legal case to determine who will get his body, there's a second case to decide who is entitled to his estate.

Los Angeles County Court will meet next on March 9 to attempt to move forward with the estate.

Manson orchestrated the murders of seven people in the 1960s by his devoted followers in a bid to start a race war.

On August 8, 1969, he sent Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles 'Tex' Watson  to the Beverly Hills address of movie actress Sharon Tate with the instruction to kill everyone inside.

Less than 24 hours later, the followers  plus Leslie Van Houten and Steve 'Clem' Grogan  savagely tortured, murdered and mutilated wealthy LA couple Rosemary and Leno LaBianca.
Have a dilemma about what to get your mom for Mothers Day? Dont worry, because Amazon is making it a whole lot easier.

The online retail giant is now offering any customer who spends $41.65 (30) on gift cards an $8.33 (6) promo code in return. Those interested can check out Amazons website to see if they qualify. Only those whove received an invitation from Amazon and havent purchased any gift cards within the last 24 months can qualify for the special promotion.

To qualify, customers will have to purchase $41.65 (30) of Amazon gift cards in one transaction sometime between February 27 and March 31. The special promo code will be sent the day after your gift card order has been placed and will be confirmed by email after Amazon automatically applies it to your account.

But when is Mothers Day? Heres all you need to know about when it is as well as some of the best Mothers Day gifts to consider.

Mother's Day will be held on March 11 in the United Kingdom and May 13 in the United States

When is Mothers Day?

Mothers Day 2018 will be held on Sunday, May 13 in the United States.

In the United Kingdom, the holiday, also known as Mothering Sunday, will be held on Sunday, March 11.

China, Australia and many European countries also celebrate Mothers Day in May.

Best Mothers Day gifts

While it may seem hard to think of a great gift for mom for Mothers Day, theres actually plenty of great Mothers Day gift ideas to choose from.

For more affordably-priced Mothers Day gifts, useful items such as mugs, coffee machines, lipstick and candles all work very well. Something fun like a customized balloon or cupcakes are also great ideas.

Looking to up your budget? Help mom relax with a comfortable bathrobe or some delicious macaroons.

If youre really looking to splurge and give mom the gift she deserves, a new smartphone, watch, jewelry or bottle of champagne always works.
Special counsel Robert Mueller has obtained the cooperation of Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, who had a mysterious meeting in the Seychelles with a figure linked to Donald Trump and a Russian days before the inauguration.

Nader has done work advising the United Arab Emirates, and got arrested at Dulles airport in Virginia January 17 on his way to Mar-a-Lago.

Investigators seized his electronic equipment and questioned him, and presented him with a search warrant. Within days he spoke to a grand jury. He is cooperating with Mueller and his investigators, the New York Times reported.

Investigators are interested in a January 2017 meeting he in the Seychelles, the South Pacific island nation, attended by Blackwater founder Erik Prince and crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of the of the United Arab Emirates.

George Nader, a Lebanese-American businessman, has done work advising the United Arab Emirates, and got arrested at Dulles airport in Virginia January 17 on his way to Mar-a-Lago

During the visit, Prince also met with Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian investment manager who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Prince and Dmitriev met at the bar of the Four Seasons, in what Prince has described as a casual encounter. Dmitriev manages the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which steers foreign contributions into projects inside Russia.

According to the Times, Mueller is investigating whether Nader helped steer money to help Trump politically.

The Washington Post reported that U.S. and foreign officials believe the meeting was an effort to set up back-channel communication between Moscow and the new administration.

That was also an apparent objective of a December meeting between Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and Russia's former ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak.

Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates leaves after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron (not seen) at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France on June 21, 2017. He attended a meeting in the Seychelles weeks before Trump took office

Kirill Dmitriev, chief executive officer of Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) also attended the meeting. He is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin

Erik Prince, chairman of Frontier Services Group Ltd., poses for a photograph in Hong Kong, China, on Thursday, March 16, 2017. A former U.S. Navy SEAL, Prince is best known for his role running Blackwater Security. He was an informal advisor to the Trump campaign

Prince met Kirill Dmitriev at the bar of the Four Seasons Hotel in the Seychelles

Crown Prince Mohammad also visited Trump Tower the month before, in December 2016, not long after Trump won the election.

According to the Post's account, Prince told congressional investigators that Mohammed met with then senior campaign advisor Steve Bannon in December, a few weeks before the Seychelles meeting.

It is against the law for foreigners to contribute to U.S. campaigns. It is not clear whether Mueller is probing more indirect uses of foreign money that could have allegedly used to benefit Trump.

Trump has repeatedly branded Mueller's probe a 'witch hunt,' although on Tuesday he said 'certainly there was meddling' by the Russians in the U.S. election, although he said it did not affect the vote.

Erik Prince, former Navy Seal and founder of private military contractor Blackwater USA, arrives to testify during a closed-door House Select Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, November 30, 2017

'The Russians had no impact on our votes whatsoever, but certainly there was meddling and probably there was meddling from other countries and maybe other individuals,' Trump said at a joint news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stephan Lofven.

Prince, the founder of the government security firm formerly known as Blackwater, spoke at the GOP convention and is the brother of Trump Education Secretary Betsy De Vos, and was an informal advisor to Trump's campaign.
The Vatican has announced sainthoods for Pope Paul VI and an archbishop who was shot dead while celebrating mass in El Salvador.

Pope Francis signed decrees giving the go-ahead for the honours on the basis of miracles attributed to each candidate, the Holy See revealed today.

The pope put Paul VI on the path to sainthood by beatifying him in October 2014, while Oscar Romero was likewise elevated to the status of 'blessed' in May 2015.

Paul VI completed the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, or 'Vatican II', during the 1960s which revolutionised the relationship between Catholic believers and priests and opened the Church to dialogue with other religions.

Pope Paul VI (pictured meeting John F Kennedy), who oversaw sweeping reforms of the Catholic Church in the 1960s, will be made a saint along with a Salvadoran archbishop who was shot dead while celebrating mass, the Vatican has revealed

Mass, historically celebrated in Latin, was translated into local languages and priests addressed their congregations face-on instead of facing the altar.

Paul VI is credited with being one of Pope Francis' role models, a humble man to whom the Argentine pope frequently refers in his speeches. At the beatification mass, Francis had hailed him as a 'brave Christian'.

Giovanni Battista Montini, a soft-spoken cardinal from northern Italy, was elected pope in 1963, adopting the name Paul VI. He was pope for 15 tumultuous years, which saw many believers and priests leave the Church as social rebellions swept across the West.

His papacy was marked by growing secularisation and social liberation, and while the polarised politics of the Cold War did little to ease his task he was also hampered by a reputation for being overly cautious.

He reaffirmed the Church's ban on artificial contraception - despite the fact that his own birth control commission, set up to advise the Vatican, voted overwhelming to lift the prohibition.

The decision enraged many Catholics at a time when believers were embracing sexual freedom and women were demanding the right to use the birth control pill.

Salvadorian archbishop Oscar Romero (pictured) was shot dead as he celebrated mass in 1980

Romero, murdered in 1980, was beatified in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador in Central America, in front of 200,000 worshippers.

Cardinal Angelo Amato read out a letter from the pope proclaiming to the frenzied crowd that Romero 'henceforth is called blessed.'

Then US president Barack Obama welcomed the beatification, calling Romero 'a wise pastor and a courageous man who persevered in the face of opposition from extremes on both sides'.

Romero's assassination occurred at the outset of El Salvador's civil war and propelled the country deeper into a brutal conflict that raged until 1992.

No one was ever convicted of Romero's killing, but a UN-sponsored truth commission later concluded it was carried out by a right-wing death squad under the orders of a former army officer who died the year the war ended.

The movement to make Romero a saint was long resisted by conservative Catholics and the Salvadoran right, who saw veiled Marxism in his sermons eulogising the poor and radio broadcasts condemning government repression.

The petition languished for years in the Vatican, finally moving forward in February 2015 when Pope Francis named Romero a martyr of the Church - less than a year after his own election to the papacy.
Disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein has reportedly sold his luxurious seafront estate in Connecticut for $16 million.

He bought the two properties in Westport with his first wife, Eve Chilton, in 1994 and 2000 for a total of $8.24 million.

President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton attended fundraisers at the exclusive estate.

President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton reportedly attended fundraisers at the exclusive estate. Pictured: President Obama's motorcade outside the property in 2012

Earlier this year, Weinstein also sold - along with Chapman (pictured at a fundraiser at their Westport home for Obama in 2012) - a mansion in the Hamptons he bought in 2014 for over $11 million

He bought the two properties in Westport (shown here opposite Greens Farms Academy) with his first wife, Eve Chilton, in 1994 and 2000 for a total of $8.24 million

Last year, Weinstein sold a separate home in Westport, where his mother had lived until her death in 2016, for $1.6 million. Pictured left: Obama landing in Connecticut for a fundraiser at Weinstein's Wesport home. Right: Vogue editor Anna Wintour at a fundraiser in Westport

The property Weinstein and Chilton bought first cost $4.24 million and came with 2.38 acres and a 8,896-square-foot home built in 1909.

It has eight bedrooms and ten bathrooms.

The other property, bought for $4 million, came with 3.33 acres and remains undeveloped.

According to Westport Now, he has sold the combined 5.71-acre estate to his neighbor, Andrew Bentley.

Weinstein was the sole owner of the properties following his divorce from Chilton in 2004.

He also married his second wife, Georgina Chapman, there in 2007.

Last year, he sold a separate home in Westport, where his mother had lived until her death in 2016, for $1.6 million.

Earlier this year, he also sold - along with Chapman - a mansion in the Hamptons he bought in 2014 for over $11 million.

According to Westport Now, he has sold the combined 5.71-acre estate to his neighbor, Andrew Bentley. Pictured: One of the properties shown from above

Weinstein (pictured) was the sole owner of the properties following his divorce from Chilton in 2004

He sold it for around $1 million less than he paid for it.

He still owns a New York City townhouse with Chapman and a cottage in Hollywood.

His firm, Weinstein Co., has been trying to stave off bankruptcy since sexual assault and harassment allegations emerged against him last fall.
Two men found guilty of killing a casino worker as she locked up in Montana could have their convictions overturned after a convicted murderer's DNA was linked to her death.

Freddie Joe Lawrence, 56, and Paul Jenkins, 64, have spent 24 years in prison after a court ruled they had killed Donna Meagher back in 1994 in Montana City.

They have been working on appeals to clear their names for more than two decades and it appears they may have been handed a lifeline.

Relatives of David Wayne Nelson, 55, have told investigators he bragged to them about killing Donna Meagher and tests on a rope found at the murder scene have reportedly turned up traces of his DNA.

Freddie Joe Lawrence (left), 56, and Paul Jenkins (right), 64, have spent 24 years in prison after a court ruled they had killed Donna Meagher back in 1994 in Montana City

Relatives of David Wayne Nelson (pictured), 55, have told investigators he bragged to them about killing Donna Meagher and tests on a rope found at the murder scene have reportedly turned up traces of his DNA

The nephew and former sister-in-law of Nelson claim he openly said he killed Meagher as well as four others in different states, according to CBS.

Nelson himself is serving a life sentece for the 2015 murder of mother and son Bev and Greg Giannonatti in Deer Lodge.

He stole more than $26,000 of sliver belonging to Greg Giannonatti and when he confronted him about the theft, Nelson killed him and his mother before dumping their bodies out of town.

State law which was passed three years ago allowed Lawrence and Jenkins to petition for DNA testing to be carried out on case evidence.

They have been backed by the Montana Innocence Project, who are asking a judge to overturn the men's deliberate homicide convictions in order to release them from prison.

Detectives did not find DNA matching Lawrence nor Jenkins at the scene in the mid-1990s.

A court hearing has been set for Friday.
A BBC reporter claims senior Russian politician Leonid Slutsky sexually harassed her and groped her crotch during an interview.

Farida Rustamova is the third female journalist to accuse Putin's foreign affairs committee chairman of sexual misconduct in the past two weeks.

After she accused him of touching her inappropriately, Mr Slutsky told her: 'I don't feel people up. Well, OK, just a little,' according to the taped conversation.

The 50-year-old vigourously denied the previous allegations, but was yet to comment on the latest one.

A BBC reporter claims senior Russian politician Leonid Slutsky sexually harassed her and groped her crotch during an interview

Rustamova visited Mr Slutsky at his parliamentary office on March 24, 2017, to get a comment about then-French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen's visit to Russia

The divorced father of an adult daughter asked if she would like to come work for him and when she declined he began to proposition her.

'You're trying to get away from me, you don't want to kiss me, you've hurt my feelings,' he said on tape, according to the BBC.

Rustamova told him she had a boyfriend she hoped to marry, to which he replied: 'Great, you'll be his wife, and my mistress.'

Mr Slutsky then approached her and began 'running his hand, the flat of his palm, up against her nether region', she alleged.

'I was just lost for words, muttering funny noises, I just went numb. I blurted out something about not coming to him again, that he had felt me up,' she told the BBC.

Farida Rustamova (pictured) is the third female journalist to accuse the foreign affairs committee chairman of sexual misconduct in the past two weeks

The politician then tried to defend himself, saying: 'I don't feel people up. Well, OK, just a little. 'Feel people up' is an ugly expression.'

Mr Slutsky was previously accused of sexual misconduct by TV channel RTVI deputy editor Yekaterina Kotrikadze and TV Rain producer Daria Zhuk.

The pair first made their allegations anonymously before Zhuk went public in a video appeal to Mr Slutsky last week.

'You tried to force kisses on me, to touch me, you were rude and pushy. You still deny it?' he said of the alleged encounter in the TV Rain studio.

'Are you not ashamed to be working in parliament and stoop to such low behaviour?'

Another female reporter from the parliamentary pool said she approached Slutsky for a comment on a topical matter last year and was then groped.

'He put [his] palm on my crotch and ran his hand up. I haven't communicated with him since and have been avoiding him,' she said.

RTVI deputy editor Yekaterina Kotrikadze was one of the other two journalists to accuse Mr Slutsky

She first made her allegations anonymously but later went public when another journalist spoke out

Another journalist claimed harassment by the politician but said she did not complain because she feared she would be barred from working at parliament.

Mr Slutsky labelled them a political attack ordered by his enemies and even said the scandal 'boosted my gravitas rather than took it away.'

'Attempts to make Slutsky into a Russian Harvey Weinstein look like a cheap and crude provocation... and are bound to fail,' he wrote on his Facebook page.

He proceeded to joke with his colleagues in the comments about dividing up female journalists, as another MP suggested he could also 'take a couple'.

'We'll discuss,' Mr Slutsky replied.

On another occasion he said people were unhappy that his authority and that of the foreign affairs committee had increased.

'This is a typical example, I'm afraid, of made-to-order journalism that, instead of diminishing our authority, has probably strengthened it,' he told the BBC.

Mr Slutsky also threatened to sue the journalists for defamation.

Fellow lawmaker Anton Morozov went as far as to say the women were actors in a conspiracy.

'Perhaps Russian journalists received an order from the West to compromise him,' he told Meduza news website.

Mr Slutsky vigourously denied the previous allegations, but was yet to comment on the latest one

Parliamentary vice speaker Igor Lebevev said the allegations against Mr Slutsky were 'a gross violation of ethics' and an insult.

He vowed to seek to deprive the women journalists of their accreditation to parliament, a move that would stop them from working.

Most female members of the Duma also lashed out at Slutsky's accusers.

Oksana Pushkina, the only lawmaker who stepped up in the journalists' defence, said fellow female MPs warned her that attempting to fight sexual harassment would harm Russia's already low birth rate.

'It's a catastrophe that we speak in such terms,' she said.

Sexual misconduct is often seen as a joke in Russia with even rape victims frequently told they 'brought it on themselves' and there being no laws against sexual harassment.

Ms Pushkina proposed a bill on sexual harassment that would 'make men control their hands and their emotions' in the work environment, but so far she has seen no support from her colleagues.

'I was told it would take me 15 years to make this law a reality,' she said.
Alison Chabloz, 53, arrived at court holding flowers and was supported from the public gallery by her followers

An anti-Semitic song writer told a court today that the holocaust is meaningless and the Germans were unfairly blamed for the Second World War.

Alison Chabloz, 53, laughed as she was read lyrics to her songs mocked Jews being fashioned into lampshades, having their heads shrunk and being turned into bars of soap.

The songs, (((Survivors))), Nemos Anti-Semetic Universe and I Like It How It Is are said to go beyond the right to free speech in that they caused gross offence.

Some were performed live at the London Forum, while others were played for the camera, but all were uploaded to the internet.

In one number she mocks prominent Jewish figures including Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel and Anne and Otto Frank to the tune of a traditional Jewish song.

Chabloz was asked by prosecutor, Karen Robinson, whether she denied the holocaust.

Deny the holocaust? I am sorry I do not understand this term.

Who can deny the holocaust? It is a term that is meaningless in itself.

Chabloz, seen arriving at court, describes herself as a Holocaust 'revisionist' and raises questions about the validity of the Holocaust

Ms Robinson said: In your police interview you made a distinction between holocaust denial and revisionism.

Chabloz said: You can call it holocaust denial but I prefer holocaust revisionism.

I think there should be an official scientific and forensic investigation.

I doubt very much that a murder case would be brought to these courts without forensic investigation.

It is very unlikely to have been more than a million killed - that is my understanding of having researched the information available.

Certainly a million - perhaps more - but until there is an official forensics investigation...

It is impossible to assess that the gas chambers actually existed to kill human beings without evidence it is impossible to affirm that the supposed murder took place.

There is absolutely no doubt that those taken to concentration camps suffered great tragedy, taken away from family and home.

As the war years continued and got harder for everybody and we see the allied bombing of the German infrastructure - why would they not bomb the concentration camps?

A disproportionate amount of blame was put on the Germans by the victors. The victors got to write history. It was a war - everybody suffered.

She arrived at court holding onto flowers and was followed into court by some of her supporters

I would say that the so-called holocaust has been used to sustain the criminal state of Israel - it is used as a foundation myth.

By sending school children on trips to Auschwitz and inculcating them into believing in the gas chambers, the so-called holocaust is used as a weapon to prevent nationalistic feeling amongst European people.

Its about furthering the globalist agenda.

It is certainly a topic worthy of investigation and of intelligent debate and discussion.

Much of the questioning revolved around historical rather than legal argument as Ms Robinson tried to pin down Chabloz on her anti-semitism.

In one of her songs Chabloz jokes that if six million Jews had been killed that would not have been a bad thing.

Ms Robinson questioned Chabloz on her police interview where she said, My grandfather certainly didnt fight for our towns and cities to be taken over by non-whites and non-Christians.

Chabloz told her, Its my right to express those views.

Ms Robinson said: This is not an unqualified right - one cannot send material or matter on the internet which is grossly offensive.

Chabloz retorted, But it depends for whom doesnt it, because there are plenty of parodies of Christian music that say Jesus was gay or that he must have been born by a donkey.

It is concerning that where I live, my people I love, my race, that we will become an ethnic minority.

Ms Robinson told her, The views you have expressed are anti-Semitic and racist.

You said of the white race, It breaks my heart to see that disappearing.

That is nothing more than racism.

At which point there was loud booing from the public gallery and Chablozs barrister, Adrian Davies, rose to speak.

Now the witness is being treated much as a heretic during the inquisition, she is entitled to any political view that she wishes, Mr Davies said.

The example of the well known case of the street preachers who preach in the street that homosexuality is wrong - they are perfectly entitled to express that view so long as they are not being grossly offensive.

Chabloz, seen arriving at court today, denied the charges in October, claiming she was being silenced by the 'UK Jewish lobby'

It is not a crime in England to say that no Jews died at the hands of the Germans - it is a perfectly lawful position - it is therefore, not relevant to interrogate the witness about her opinions.

The Crown must prove that Chabloz has caused gross offence, Mr Davies believes that the statute is poorly set out.

Chabloz says that her songs provoke a range of reactions and although some are close to the bone, it is no fault of hers if someone chooses to be offended.

She cited a recent music video on YouTube by the black rapper Xxxtencion where he is seen to lynch a white child and the disparity in public outrage.

Chabloz is represented by Adrian Davies, who defended infamous historian and holocaust denier David Irving in 2001 at the Court of Appeal following his failed libel case against Deborah Lipstadt.

Chabloz, of Moss Croft, Town Lane, Glossop, Derbyshire, denies five counts of sending obscene material by public communication networks at Westminster Magistrates Court.

The charges centre on whether embedding the hyperlink to the footage constitutes as sending, and if her songs were grossly offensive.

She was bailed ahead of final submissions on 14 May and a verdict will be given on 25 May.
A heartbroken Virginia man is holding a contest to give away the engagement ring he bought for his long term girlfriend who dumped him just as he was about to propose.

Steven Crocker, of Virginia Beach, was planning to pop the question to his girlfriend of almost two years, Carleigh Pappas, towards the end of last year.

The young filmmaker had bought a $1,700 diamond ring and had an elaborate proposal planned for his Harry Potter fan partner at Universal Studios. But just a month before the big moment, he says Pappas dumped him.

Steven Crocker, of Virginia Beach, was planning to pop the question to his girlfriend of almost two years, Carleigh Pappas, towards the end of last year

After Pappas dumped him, Crocker decided to give away the $1,700 engagement ring he bought for her, to a worthy couple

Crocker said he was left 'heartbroken' and spent the next few months with plenty of 'sad music and lots of crying,' The Virginian Pilot reported.

He said his mom, Lori Crocker, had even taken the ring away from him over the holidays because 'she knew it would be too hard on me to look at it.'

But now the WAVY-TV camera operator has find a novel way of dealing with his pain - by holding a contest to try and bring joy to other couples.

Crocker is asking potential grooms or couples to submit a video, telling him how they met and why they deserve to win the ring.

'I don't want to give it away to just anyone,' he explained. 'I want to give it to a guy or girl who is so in love with their significant other and wants to take the next step but cannot afford a ring.

Crocker is asking potential grooms or couples to submit a video, telling him how they met and why they deserved to win the ring

The former couple have posted countless adorable photos of themselves together on social media

Despite the split, Crocker (left) said that he still cares 'deeply' for Pappas (right)

'I don't think that anyone on MY friends list falls in that category, but someone out there does, which is why sharing this post is very much appreciated. I'll send it anywhere in the US where someone is head-over-heels.'

In a lengthy Facebook post, he explained that after finally getting the ring back from his mother, he had tried to sell it but was only offered 'a very disappointing value that I didn't want to take because it's not about the money.'

'For me it's about love.'

'Giving it to a couple that will appreciate it, I figure it's going to make me feel a lot better,' said Crocker, who graduated from Cox High School, and is manages The Change and Lightship Productions companies.

'It's not the fanciest ring in the world but it can potentially make someone very happy for the rest of their life.'

The ring, from Kay Jewelers, is a 1/2 carat diamond, in 14ct white gold, in size-3.5, although could be resized by the recipient.

The former couple, pictured posing with Pappas' husky Caffrey

Crocker (pictured at a painting event with Pappas) said he was left 'heartbroken' after she broke up with him and spent the next few months with plenty of 'sad music and lots of crying'

Crocker (pictured with Pappas) said he has found a novel way of dealing with his pain over the break-up - by holding the contest to bring joy to others

Pappas, who is now dating someone else, has not publicly commented on her ex's decision to sell the ring but Crocker said that he informed her what he was doing and told her that he'd stop the contest 'if anyone says anything malicious to her'.

'Regardless of what happened, I still care for her deeply and she knows I would never do anything to hurt her,' he said. 'She is a phenomenal person and doesn't deserve anything bad to be said about her. Life happens.

'This gesture is bigger than our relationship.'

Crocker, who graduated from Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, where he met his ex, an ODU Campus Ambassador at the university, said that he's been overwhelmed by the nice messages since he first announced the contest on Monday.

'One lady messaged me and wanted to introduce me to her daughter,' Crocker said.

'There have been so many nice comments that have made me feel a lot better already.'

To enter the contest, email stevenmcrocker46@gmail.com.
Britain could reject any Brexit trade deal that excludes financial services because it would not be fair to both sides, Philip Hammond warned today.

The Chancellor, making the last of a series of Government speeches on the 'Road to Brexit', said just because financial services had never been included in a deal before did not mean it could not be done.

Speaking in the heart of London's Canary Wharf financial district, Mr Hammond said every trade deal ever struck by the EU was unique and Britain's would be no different.

The remarks will be seen as a rebuke to EU Council President Donald Tusk who repeated warnings today the UK could only hope to have a basic deal on existing third party terms if it refused to stay inside EU institutions after Brexit.

Chancellor Philip Hammond (pictured today making his speech) has long argued that financial services should be part of the Brexit deal

Speaking at HSBC in the heart of London's Canary Wharf financial district, Mr Hammond (pictured with HSBC CEO John Flint) said every trade deal ever struck by the EU was unique and Britain's would be no different

Mr Hammond said: 'A trade deal will only happen if it is fair and balances the interests of both sides.

'Given the shape of the British economy and our trade balance with the EU27, it is hard to see how any deal which didn't include services could look like a fair and balanced settlement.

'I'm clear not only that it is possible to include financial services in a trade deal, but it is very much in our mutual interests to do so.'

The Chancellor added: 'It is time to address the sceptics who say a trade deal including financial services cannot be done because it has never been done before: to them I say: 'every trade deal the EU has ever done has been unique'.

WHEN WILL BRITAIN BE OUT OF THE EU? Britain triggered Article 50 on March 29, 2017, starting a two year process for leaving the EU: March 2018: Outline transition deal agreed, running for about two years June 2018: EU summit that Brussels says should consider broad principles of a future trade deal. October 2018: Political agreement on the future partnership due to be reached Early 2019: Major votes in Westminster and Brussels to ratify the deal March 29, 2019: Article 50 expires, Britain leaves the EU. Transition is expected to keep everything the same for about two years December 31, 2020: Transition expected to come to an end and the new relationship - if it has been agreed - should kick in Advertisement

'The EU has never negotiated the same arrangement twice.'

In response to the speech, the chief Executive of UK Finance Stephen Jones said: 'Both the EU and UK now agree on the need for an ambitious trade deal that includes services. The focus must now be on achieving the best possible outcome for jobs and prosperity on both sides of the Channel.

'The Chancellor has today set out a credible approach that would preserve many of the benefits of free trade in financial services while giving both sides autonomy.'

In his speech, Mr Hammond also rejected an EU demand for continued access to British fishing waters with nothing in return.

'Fishing is an iconically important British industry and we are very clear that we are taking control of our waters,' he said.

'But of course we would be open to discussing with our EU partners about the appropriate arrangements for reciprocal access for our fishermen to EU waters and for EU fishermen to our waters.

'We would have to negotiate the basis on which such an arrangement could be fair and appropriate for us.'

The remarks will be seen as a rebuke to EU Council President Donald Tusk who repeated warnings today the UK could only hope to have a basic deal

He also used the speech to point out the critical role played by the City as the cornerstone of Europe's financial system.

Tusk warns the UK cannot just choose bits of the single market it likes Donald Tusk today said Britain cannot take a 'pick and mix approach' to Brexit as he warned trade will become 'more complicated and costly' in the future. The European Council President said that as Theresa May has ruled out staying in the EU single market and customs union the only option on the table is a free trade deal. He warned Britain cannot have the 'rights of Norway' - which is in the single market - with only the 'obligations of Canada' - which is outside but has a free trade deal. Mr Tusk said Brexit will be the first time in history that two partners have decided to loosen economic ties. But he also said he hopes to negotiate an 'ambitious' free trade deal with Britain which will mean no tariffs are put on goods traded. He said: 'Our agreement will not make trade between the UK and EU frictionless or smoother. 'It will make it more complicated and costly than today for all of us. This is the essence of Brexit.' Advertisement

And he warned that European consumers would face higher prices for a wide range of goods, including cars, loans and fuel, if the City is cut out.

Mr Hammond stressed that the UK and EU markets are 'deeply interconnected', with the City providing finance for European bank loans and car financing, as well as helping firms cope with fluctuating exchange rates and fuel prices.

'In a nutshell, the message is that cutting out the City will mean higher prices for European consumers  people should be very careful,' said a Treasury source.

The Chancellor also took a swipe at the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, who has warned repeatedly that financial services fall outside the scope of any agreement.

He pointed out that Mr Barnier played a key role in trying to include services in an EU-US trade deal.

Mr Hammond held talks in London with the French economy minister Bruno Le Maire yesterday.

Mr Le Maire said that he wanted a fair Brexit deal  but insisted it could not cover financial services. 'We need a good deal,' he said.

'But once again we have to avoid any misunderstanding between the British people and the French people, between the UK and the EU.

'Financial services cannot be in a free trade agreement, for many reasons  for reasons of stability, for the sake of supervision because there are some very specific rules for financial services.'

The Chancellor told the EU it is 'very much in our mutual interest' to strike a trade deal giving extensive rights to Britain's financial services sector (pictured is the heart of London's financial district)

The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, yesterday warned Britain's economy would suffer if it moved away from EU rules.

Speaking after talks in Downing Street, he said: 'If the UK stays very near to the rules of the European Union that will secure jobs in Britain. That will be the best way forward for the British economy.

'My preferential choice would be that Britain still is part of the single market, still is part of the customs union, then most problems would be solved.'

MPs will warn today that trade deals with around 70 countries could be put at risk unless the Government obtains legally watertight guarantees that they can continue after Brexit.
An RE teacher faces being struck off after being caught in a pub with a female pupil.

Gavin Dunsmuir is accused of forming an 'inappropriate' relationship with the student who he allegedly planned to hire as his daughter's babysitter.

The secondary school tutor allegedly went to a pub with the teenager and a group of former and current pupils from Largs Academy in North Lanarkshire in Scotland, where he taught religious education.

His behaviour raised the alarm of an off-duty teacher who said his body language with the pupil made them 'look like a couple'.

Teacher Gavin Dunsmuir allegedly went to the Lounge bar in Largs (pictured above) with a group of pupils

Mr Dunsmuir is also accused of taking the teen to another colleague's home and claimed he was 'mentoring' her when questioned about their relationship.

The female pupil, who cannot be identified, in her final year at school at the time.

The 'relationship' unfolded between March 2015 and August 2015, and now Mr Dunsmuir's fitness to teach is being questioned by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) in Edinburgh.

Giving evidence this week, Lynsey Muir, a PE teacher at Largs Academy since 2001, told the panel that she ran into Mr Dunsmuir and a group of pupils at the Lounge public house in Largs.

She said: 'Gavin came into the pub with pupil A and several other pupils. There were four or five in total.

Dunsmuir's career is under threat after being accused of striking up an inappropriate relationship with a teenage pupil while teaching at Largs Academy in North Ayrshire (pictured above)

'I was with a group of probationary teachers and I told them I had to leave. I felt really uncomfortable. Their body language was close, turning to each other

'My blood was boiling from the Lounge. It was in the summer of 2015, so she would've been at the end of sixth year.

'She was a sensitive girl with a heart of gold. She lacked self confidence.'

Miss Muir added: 'The way the school is it's common for me to walk past R.E. I recall quite often that pupil A would be in sitting with Gavin alone. On a daily basis.

'I asked Gavin about pupil A and he told me he was a mentor to her.'

Also giving evidence at the hearing was Alan Leishman, a Chemistry teacher at Largs Academy from 2002.

The 'relationship' unfolded between March 2015 and August 2015, and now Mr Dunsmuir's fitness to teach is being questioned by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) in Edinburgh (pictured above)

Alan was best friends with Gavin during their time at the school together, and even attended his wedding.

He said: 'I felt pupil A and Gavin developed a relationship. I saw them on exam day, she had been at his house but I didn't ask why. I recall him saying the pupil went as a surprise for his daughter.

'Pupil A got on well with his daughter. He said he was going to use her as a babysitter. I recall saying to Gavin not to get too close. Gavin said she had issues and he knew not to get too close.

'I asked Gavin if anything was going on and he said 'no'.'

Mr Leishman also told the panel that Mr Dunsmuir's wife had told him the teacher and pupil were having a relationship.

He added that he was 'speechless' when Mr Dunsmuir arrived at his home with Pupil A in his car.

He said: 'I never had a pupil come to my home. Gavin said he'd tell me later why she was in the car, and he said that she was at his house as a surprise. I know his daughter liked pupil A.'

When asked by the panel if he was worried about two male members of staff being in the car with a female pupil.

He replied: 'I suppose. I made sure the two of us were in the front.

Rightly or wrongly I believed everything he said. I thought 'are staff not allowed to use ex-pupils as babysitters?'

'Gavin mentored her as well as another English teacher.'

Mr Dunsmuir did not attend the hearing which began yesterday and did not arrange legal representation on his behalf.

The hearing has been adjourned.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson announced a 'male empowerment' series that will air on his show every Wednesday throughout March - which just so happens to be Women's History Month.

During his program on Tuesday night, the political pundit teased the feature and explained it will focus on the 'crisis' facing American men.

'We hear a lot about female empowerment in this country,' Carlson said.

'But for some reason you almost never hear about how men are doing in America.'

Scroll down for video

Tucker Carlson announced a 'male empowerment' series that will air on his show every Wednesday throughout March - which just so happens to be Women's History Month

During his show on Tuesday night, the Fox News political pundit teased the feature and explained it will focus on the 'crisis' facing American men

Carlson took a moment to note he wasn't against female empowerment, but feels everyone should be empowered - before warning his audience that the situation for men in America is grim.

'We took a close look at the numbers and we found them so shocking that we're devoting the month of March to a special series on men in America,' he explained.

'You'll be stunned by the scope of the crisis. We were. It's a largely ignored disaster. It affects every person in America.'

Carlson wouldn't give details about how exactly what the crisis is, or how it would qualify as a disaster in a country where seven in 10 of the top senior executives in America are men.

The show will air each Wednesday as a new segment.

.@TuckerCarlson announces new recurring segment on "Men in America"



"We hear a lot about female empowerment in this country" pic.twitter.com/4u5kMqA2Ea  Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) March 7, 2018

The first segment will air on Wednesday night, the eve of International Women's Day, as Carlson welcomes the controversial Canadian psychology professor Jordan Peterson (pictured)

He also didn't explicitly say that he was running this segment during Women's History Month, but the point can't have gone amiss on the top-rated primetime pundit.

Women's History Month is designed to commemorate and celebrate the role of women in American History, but Carlson is instead using it as an opportunity to talk about how men are being overlooked.

The first segment will air on Wednesday night, the eve of International Women's Day, as Carlson welcomes the controversial Canadian psychology professor Jordan Peterson.

He didn't explicitly state what he and Peterson will be speaking about, but the psychologist is known for his critique of political correctness - more specifically feminism and the notion of white privilege.

'So during Woman's History Month @TuckerCarlson has a show about men,' Twitter user Tom Greisch wrote, pointing out the irony of hosting such a series during the one month of the year designed to commemorate and celebrate the role of women in American History

'It's women's history month so naturally tucker carlson has a series on men,' Twitter user John Whitehouse commented, pointing out the Fox host's affinity for bringing up controversial topics during his segments

Carlson's announcement raised predictably negative reactions about the new segment on Twitter - with most pointing out the irony of hosting such as series during Women's History Month.

'So during Woman's History Month @TuckerCarlson has a show about men,' Twitter user Tom Greisch wrote.

'Dude looks like he just saw Stormy Daniels #TrumpLiesMatter #FoxNews,' he continued, making a joke about Carlson's signature look of concern.

'It's women's history month so naturally tucker carlson has a series on men,' Twitter user John Whitehouse commented, pointing out the Fox host's affinity for bringing up controversial topics during his segments.
It has been almost a year since TJ Miller revealed he would be leaving the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley, and a new interview with the cast and creator of the show suggests that the move was very much a mutual decision.

'There had been stretches when, multiple show sources say, he looked to have things under control, and others when hed show up seemingly under the influence, if he showed up at all,' creator Mike Judge told The Hollywood Reporter.

Miller was often late and would sometimes fall asleep on set according to sources, meaning that 'schedules would regularly have to be rejiggered' because of the actor.

Showrunner Alec Berg meanwhile compared the four remaining actors to the [NBA champion] Golden State Warriors, before adding: 'TJ wasn't LeBron.'

Miller responded to that by stating: 'Oh, that's great. And it makes me like him more [because] he's so good at being an a**hole.'

Problem child: TJ Miller would 'show up seemingly under the influence, if he showed up at all' while working on Silicon Valley creator Mike Judge tells The Hollywood Reporter (Miller above last month)

Fifth harmony: He was often late and would sometimes fall asleep on set according to sources, meaning that 'schedules would regularly have to be rejiggered' (current cast members Kumail Nanjiani, Zach Woods, Thomas Middleditch and Martin Starr)

Miller did not deny Judge's allegations but did push back on the idea that he was constantly under the influence while on the set.

'In real life, Im not always high like [his character of the show] Erlich is,' said Miller.

'And this will blow your readers minds, but Im not high when I work because it gets in the way of the comedy. I also am not a guy whos blackout drunk, bumping into things on set.'

He went on to blame his tardiness on the fact that he was performing stand-up sets until the early morning hours while still appearing on the show.

'So, the thing I have a problem with? Its pushing myself to do too much,' said Miller.

Judge reveals that Miller was not offered a full-time role in the final season either, with the show's producers instead saying he could appear in three episodes before his character would be written off the series.

Miller declined that offer and left after season four.

'It just wasn't working,' said Judge.

Berg meanwhile addressed some of the criticism the show gets about its lack of diversity.

'Well, if you're doing a movie about Nazi Germany, you can't do that. And if you're doing a TV show about tech that's satire, you can't do it,' he explained.

'I don't think you do any service by pretending [Silicon Valley] is half female or half black.'

He also said the show has tried to take on the topic, but has yet to find the right balance.

'We certainly aren't like, "Oh, let's not talk about that,"' explained Berg.

'We talk about it all the time. The lack of hitting it head-on just comes down to the fact that we haven't done a great job of finding the definitive satirical take on it.'

Camila Cabello: Mike Judge reveals that Miller left after being told he would only appear in three episodes of season five (Miller above on Silicon Valley)

Miller meanwhile is dealing with additional fallout after he was accused of multiple offenses by a former college classmate back in December.

He was accused of beating and sexually assaulting a woman in college, with the alleged victim telling The Daily Beast that he punched her in the face during sex and raped her with a beer bottle.

The comedian and his wife of three years, actress Kate Gorney, both firmly denied the woman's allegations at the time.

Miller's troubles then grew worse when transgender writer Danielle Solzman shared a transphobic and expletive-laden email that was sent to her by the comedian, who wrote: 'You're not a transgender, you're not a tra**y  your [sic] a f*****g a*****e daniel.'

Valley boys: The Silicon valley cast on the cover of The Hollywood Reporter

He and Gorney did respond to the assault claim in a joint statement back in December.

'We met this woman over a decade ago while studying together in college, she attempted to break us up back then by plotting for over a year before making contradictory claims and accusations. She attempted to discredit both of our voices and use us against one another by trying to portray Kate to be a continuous abuse victim of T.J. (further efforts to hurt the two of us),' wrote the couple.

'She was asked to leave our university comedy group because of worrisome and disturbing behavior, which angered her immensely, she then became fixated on our relationship, and began telling people around campus Im going to destroy them & Im going to ruin him.'

The statement then read: 'We are confident that a full consideration of accounts from and since that time will shed light and clarity on the true nature of not only this persons character, but also on the real facts of the matter.'

Miller's statement did not stop Comedy Central from cancelling his planned series The Gorburger Show and his podcast Cashing in With T.J. Miller was removed from the Nerdist network.

He will still appear in the upcoming Steven Spielber film Ready Player One as well as the Deadpool sequel, and has a part in the highly anticipated Kristen Stewart film Underwater.

There are no other projects lined up for the actor at this time however, and so he has embarked on a stand-up tour.

He will be appearing next month in New York for a set of dates.
Edward Gabbai, 30, is accused of raping three women between 2014 and 2016

A Cambridge-educated entrepreneur raped three women by forcing them to take part in rough sex and role-playing fantasies, a court heard yesterday.

Edward Gabbais alleged victims are a 17-year-old escort, a young Swedish woman and a 23-year-old stranger he offered to share a cab with.

The first two agreed to have consensual sex with the 30-year-old but were then raped and the third was attacked at his address, the jury was told.

Gabbai, who has a PhD in microbiology and nanoscience from Cambridge and founded the World Boutique Hotels Awards, is claimed to have bitten, strangled and slapped the women.

Prosecutor Simon Russell Flint QC said: This being rough and violent in the course of sexual activity, we say, is a common and repeating theme.

Edward Gabbai likes to dominate sexually and inflict hurt and violence on those who he engages in sexual activity.

The teenage escort said they were friends who would have sex together and she did not charge Gabbai money. She claimed he revealed liking rape fantasies when they discussed their preferences.

Jurors heard she allowed him to hold her down and have sex with her while she struggled. But on one occasion in 2014, he forced her to take part in a sex act which she had said she did not want to try.

Mr Russell Flint said: She said to him, No Edward, stop, stop, this isnt part of the role-play. She was saying it with so much emotion she says he could tell it was not role-playing.

She was crying from the pain and was in such shock that she says she couldnt remember the safe word and just shouted out, Safe word, safe word, and he stopped. The matter was not reported to police at the time. Gabbai met the Swedish woman through the Tinder dating app in March 2016.

She said she consented to sex but was later raped by him in a bedroom at an address they went to in Stoke Newington, North London.

Mr Russell Flint said: He started giving her orders as to what to do. He pinned down her legs, pushed her down and started to become very aggressive. He started strangling so hard she could not breathe, bit her neck and ear so it left a visible mark, turned her head so he could slap her face and pulled her hair.

Mr Gabbai leaving Kingston Crown Court, Surrey where he denies five counts of rape

He said, Thats my favourite bit. She was screaming out and he continued to have sex with her. Facial injuries were caused by the defendant beating her up, quite frankly.

The woman reported Gabbai to police as she was embarrassed about her parents seeing her injuries, Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court was told.

She also cancelled a passport photo appointment at the Swedish Embassy.

Gabbai told police that the woman liked rough sex. He admitted hitting her about 12 times but claimed at no time did she tell him to stop.

The last alleged victim had been drinking in Angel, North London, and agreed to share Gabbais cab because her phone had run out of power and she could not call her own.

They went to an address in Battersea, South-West London, where he was house-sitting. She claims he told her: Youve got to let me do whatever I want.

Gabbai is accused of pushing her on to a bed, slapping both her cheeks, making her cry, and calling her lots of names, like slut.

She was gasping for breath, trying to get his hands off her - she really thought he was going to suffocate her. Prosecutor Simon Russell Flint

Mr Russell Flint said: He pushed down on her neck, she couldnt breathe, she was gasping for breath and she really thought he was going to suffocate her.

She says she was hysterical, crying and unable to speak and was told, If you cry out or try to go away Ill make it worse for you. He slapped her face, her bottom, her legs.

The woman claims she was raped three times and was found to have 30 injuries when examined, the court was told.

Gabbai was arrested a few days later in December 2016 when police located him using the mobile number he had given the woman.

Checks on the phone revealed footage which showed a girl on her knees who appeared to be distressed and to be being assaulted, the prosecutor said.

None of the women can be named for legal reasons.

Gabbai, of Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, denies five counts of rape. The trial continues.
A former New York City tour bus guide is accused of trying to hire a hitman to murder his two teenage neighbors and a gas station attendant who kept thousands of dollars hidden in a safe.

Joel 'Rick' Rosquette was arrested on Tuesday and charged with three counts of murder-for-hire, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Federal authorities said Rosquette used every penny in his bank account - $200 - to pay for the murders of two teens he said were dealing drugs in his apartment building.

A former New York City tour bus guide was arrested for allegedly trying to hire a hitman to kill his two teenage neighbors and a gas station attendant (stock image)

The former tour bus driver allegedly also wanted the hitman, who was actually an FBI informant, to kill a Staten Island gas station attendant who kept a safe with $12,000 in it.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by NBC, Rosquette first contacted the FBI informant in May 2017. Believing the man was actually a hitman Rosquette asked if he knew someone who could 'take care of' a person in his apartment building, authorities claim.

The informant offered to do the deed for $10,000 with a down payment up front. Rosquette allegedly agreed to the price but said he needed time to come up with the money because he had lost his job as a tour bus guide.

In June, Rosquette and the informant talked over the phone about the alleged hit and Rosquette said he wanted to have his building's superintendent killed because he kept allowing people to have parties in an empty unit, authorities say.

'So if we get rid of the super, everything is calm. They can't have them parties no more,' the informant told Rosquette in a secretly recorded call.

Later in the conversation when the informant asked Rosquette if he was sure he wanted the super murdered he allegedly answered: '110 per cent. Yes'.

The complaint states that Rosquette called the informant multiple times over the next several months about the alleged plan and promised to pay.

In February, the informant told Rosquette about another hitman who could kill the super for less money. The second hitman was actually an FBI agent, NBC reports.

Rosquette met with the informant and agent and told them he had a new plan. Instead of killing the building's super, he allegedly wanted the agent to take out two teenagers living in the building who Rosquette said were drug dealers.

Joel 'Rick' Rosquette was charged with three counts of murder-for-hire, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison

He also allegedly asked the agent to kill a former friend who was a gas station attendant in Staten Island. Rosquette said the man kept $12,000 hidden in a safe and told the agent to keep the money to cover the cost of three killings.

The New York man then allegedly handed over $100 as a down payment for the murders telling the agent he only had another $100 in his bank account.

On Tuesday the agent texted Rosquette and told him that the gas station attendant was dead and he found the safe with the money. Documents state that Rosquette 'expressed excitement about the murder' and asked that the two teenagers in his building be killed next week.

Rosquette also met up with the undercover FBI agent to give him the rest of the money he owed, authorities say.

Rosquette was arrested by the FBI shortly after his meeting with the undercover agent.

'As alleged, Joel Rosquette attempted to hire a hitman to murder two of his neighbors in Manhattan and the owner of a gas station in Staten Island,' Manhattan US Attorney Geoffrey S Berman said in a statement. 'Now, thanks to the dedicated work of our partners at the FBI, Rosquette's plan has been foiled, he is in federal custody, and his intended victims are safe.'
Grisly shredded body parts of a butcher who went through a woodchipper have been found as police investigate his suspicious death.

Bruce Saunders, 54, died after becoming trapped in the machine while helping a woman clear her driveway of trees with two friends on November 12.

His death was initially believed to be an accident but detectives later opened a murder investigation after discovering 'several items of interest' last month.

The horrific death of Bruce Saunders (pictured) who was trapped in an industrial woodchipper may have been caused by a love triangle

Investigations have centred on whether Mr Saunders was caught up in a love triangle involving a woman that led to his death.

The latest gruesome find turned up in a new search of the site on a rural property in Goomboorian near Gympie, southeast Queensland, on Wednesday.

Police found fragments of human remains, clothing, and parts of what police believe was a mobile phone that went into the woodchipper, according to the Courier Mail.

'We're conducting a more thorough search of the area where the woodchipper was,' Detective Inspector Gary Pettiford said.

'All up there's about 160sqm that we're searching. It's methodical, painstaking work.'

The 54-year-old butcher died after becoming trapped in the woodchipper (pictured) on November 17 last year near Gympie, south-east Queensland

About 40 police, SES volunteers, and the state pathologist spent all day scouring the area around the woodchipper.

Police also confirmed two of the 54-year-old's friends who were there at the time of his suspected murder were persons of interest along with a woman.

The men were re-interviewed last month and Inspector Pettiford said detectives expected to lay charges 'in the near future'.

The owner of the property whom Mr Saunders and his friends were helping has been ruled out of having any involvement in the death.

Mr Saunders' former girlfriend said he treated her like 'gold' while his former wife Bernadette Rodgers said he was a 'really good character'.

'Bruce was just very respectful of others, would always be there to help anybody who is in need of help, would trust anybody,' Ms Rodgers said.

In a press conference, Detective Inspector Gary Pettiford refused to comment on the evidence but said: 'We have re-interviewed two friends of the victim who were with him at the time and we have other persons of interest that we will be talking to'

While it is understood Mr Saunders' started another relationship after the marriage breakup, he and Ms Rodgers remained 'good mates' because 'that's the type of person he was'.

The female person of interest has not been identified and it was not clear if she was either of Mr Saunders' ex-wife or girlfriend.

Several items were seized for forensic examination in a raid last month and police said they were confident of determining exactly how Mr Saunders died.

Mr Saunders, who worked as a butcher in his father's shop Saunders Quality Meats, was described as a 'decent fella with a heart of gold' by friends.

Inspector Pettiford said the machine was not faulty and would not pull someone into the machine if they fell, meaning he was likely pushed.

'Nothing was wrong with the machine, including all safety features,' he said.

Police officers executed a search warrant last week and seized items of interest (pictured is the local area)

He revealed that it was one of Mr Saunder's friends who dialled 000. They were believed to be up a nearby road at the time of the tragedy.

The men were on the last day of helping their female friend, who had recently been widowed and was selling her house, clear her driveway of trees.

Talking about the tragedy when it was believed to be accidental in November, Gympie police acting inspector Paul Algie said the circumstances were horrific.

'He was placing a tree into a tree shredder; he's become entangled within the machine and has died as a result of his injuries,' he said.

'He was found by his two friends, they attempted to get him out of the machine and were unable to do so.'

The scene was one of the most harrowing he had come across in 16 years of policing, he said.

'I went out there this morning to speak to officers from Brisbane and I'd have to say it's one of the worst incident scenes I've ever seen.

'There was nothing that could be done to save this gentleman.'
Details of Nikolas Cruz's life behind bars have been revealed for the first time since he was jailed on February 14.

According to new court documents, the teenage gunman is laughing and giggling at Broward County Jail in Parkland, Florida, where he has a cell to himself and is considered polite and well-groomed by guards.

On one occasion, he has asked for a bible to read at night after struggling to get to sleep.

He has been visited by one, unidentified family member but other than that person his only visitors have been doctors and his public defenders.

At first, Cruz was in a cell in the infirmary. He was later moved to his own cell because of the high profile nature of his crime.

The details emerged on Wednesday as a grand jury in Fort Lauderdale indicted him on 17 capital murder charges.

If convicted, he will be could be sentenced do death.

Cruz's public defenders say he will plead guilty to the charges and 17 counts of attempted murder for those he injured but only if the death penalty is taken off the table.

Nikolas Cruz (seen above in an RTCO pictured taken before he left school) has been quiet in jail and is considered well-groomed, responsive and engaged

The records from Broward County Jail begin on February 17, three days after the massacre at Stoneman Douglas High School. On that day, police noted that he was in a single cell in the infirmary. He showered at 1pm and ate his entire meal.

The next morning, he shunned breakfast and drank juice instead. A deputy described him lying on his back, staring at the ceiling and being 'calm'.

He follows commands and talks softly... in bed frequently but does not appear to sleep February 19

During an interview that day with a doctor, another deputy took notes and said he was 'responsive'.

On February 19, he was labeled 'cooperative' by guards who said he would do what they asked of him.

They described him as being 'well-groomed' with a 'quiet demeanor'.

'He follows commands and talks softly,' said one deputy. Another said he appears to 'stare blankly' and often looks like he is lost in thought.

Others remarked that he was 'in bed frequently but does not appear to sleep' and one deputy described his speech as 'slow and slurred'. On February 20, he 'broke out in laughter' after an evening visit from an unknown person.

Cruz's behavior was detailed in logs kept by his prison guards (shown above). Their many observations vary but most paint him as a quiet inmate who speaks only when spoken to, who keeps good hygiene but who struggles to sleep and isn't always hungry

Cruz has his own cell at the Broward County Jail (above). Guards there have described him as 'well-groomed' and 'responsive'

The following day, deputies said he appeared 'restless at night' and 'ate little of his food'.

Later that week, he ate 'most' of his breakfast, a dish of 4 slices of bread, 1 apple, 1 jelly, 1 peanut butter cookies, 1 bag of cookies, juice.

Ate very little of his food... slept most of the time February 21

On February 21, deputies gave the following description of his behavior.

'Seems coherent. Minimal interaction during shift.' Another said: 'Ate very little of his food ... slept most of the time.

'However, appeared restless for part of night.'

On the same day, another deputy said he 'avoided eye contact'.

'Inmate nods his head as a response initially but uses normal speech when prompted,' they noted.

Kimberly and James Snead are pictured leaving court in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday after testifying in front of the grand jury which later indicted Cruz, who they allowed to live with him after his mother died, on 17 capital murder charges

The 19-year-old is struggling to sleep in his bunk and often 'tosses and turns' at night. He is pictured in a social media picture taken before the massacre

Cruz does not speak to other inmates, from whom he is separated, but is cooperative with the guards and is responsive with his lawyers and doctors. He is pictured with his public defender Melissa McNeill

Cruz is also being represented by Jodie Woodward, a British barrister who is volunteering at the district attorney's office

On February 23, he refused to come out of his cell for recreational time but was observed 'laughing and giggling' with his lawyers.

After being unable to sleep for several nights in a row, Cruz (above in a social media picture) asked for a bible to read on February 24

Many described him being unable to sleep at night and 'twisting and turning' in his bunk.

One deputy wrote in their description: 'Twists and turns in bunk, does not sleep, stares at wall in deep thought, eyes closed, appears to be resting, not asleep.'

On February 24, he requested a bible to read after another sleepless night.

The guards noted him taking medication at the beginning of his stint in the infirmary.

It is not clear what type of medication they described.
President Donald Trump boasted Wednesday that his administration has tasked the Chinese government with reducing its U.S. trade surplus by $1 billion this year.

The amount may seem significant, but it's just a small fraction of 1 per cent of the $375.2 billion imbalance, by far the largest one in America's trade portfolio.

'China has been asked to develop a plan for the year of a One Billion Dollar reduction in their massive Trade Deficit with the United States,' the president said on Twitter.

'Our relationship with China has been a very good one, and we look forward to seeing what ideas they come back with. We must act soon!'

President Trump boasted Wednesday that he aimed to persuade China to pare down its U.S. trade surplus by $1 billion

Trump's ask of Beijing would amount to a trade deficit reduction of barely one quarter of 1 per cent; he also tweeted a warning about lax enforcement of intellectual property agreements

The United States has had the world's largest trade deficit in every year since 1975. The combined deficit in goods and services was $566 billion in 2017. Measuring goods alone, as Trump frequently does in public, the deficit stands at $810 billion.

TOP TRADE DEFICITS America's top five trading partners also represented its biggest trade deficits in 2017: China: $375 billion Mexico: $71 billion Japan: $69 billion Germany: $65 billion Canada: $18 billion Advertisement

Trump is expected to formally roll out import tariffs on steel and aluminum this week, a move that could hit China and Russia the hardest.

Separately, he tweeted a signal that his administration is also ready to clamp down on nations that flout the World Trade Organization's global agreement on protecting patents and other intellectual property, like commercial brands and computer technology innovations.

'The U.S. is acting swiftly on Intellectual Property theft. We cannot allow this to happen as it has for many years!' the president wrote in a second tweet.

A Politico reporter tweeted Wednesday that the administration may be 'eyeing tariffs on more than 100 Chinese products as well as investment restrictions.'

Trump built up his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping with a state visit to Beijing in November, but trade tensions have overshadowed their rapport this year

In this 2016 photo, laborers work in the steel market in Yichang in central China's Hubei province; China has expressed 'grave concern' about a U.S. trade policy report that pledges to pressure Beijing

A Chinese enjoy told U.S. business leaders late last week that President Xi Jinping is ready to revive high-level talks on economic disputes, and would name a new liaison to defuse trade tensions with America.

Liu He said he wanted a list of things the administration wanted China to do in order to defuse trade tensions.

Instead of his olive branch making international news, it was overshadowed by Trump's announcement last Thursday of the new tariffs.

After proposing tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum from China and elsewhere, Trump warned in a tweet that 'trade wars are good, and easy to win.'

China's Commerce Ministry shot back on Friday, saying his plan would 'seriously damage multilateral trade mechanisms represented by the World Trade Organization and will surely have huge impact on normal international trade order.'
Cecil the lion lying down in the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe

The death of an endangered black-maned lion back in 2015 at the hands of a trophy hunter sparked months of outrage and protests across the world.

Cecil the lion's death came under intense scrutiny from the international media - and the world was left stunned by the cruelty with which he was killed.

Now though, new details released in a book have revealed that he suffered deliberate and unimaginable torture in the hours before he died.

Walter Palmer, an American dentist, paid 32,000 to his Zimbabwean guides in return for a chance to shoot Cecil.

And he took his chance, shooting the animal with an arrow from inside a walled compound.

New evidence, however, shows that Cecil lived on for 10 to 12 hours after he was shot by Palmer.

During this time he was left by his killers to 'suffer slowly and considerably' until he was eventually finished with a second arrow almost half a day later.

Scroll down for video

Cecil (pictured) was shot in the side with an arrow fired by American dentist Walter Palmer who had paid 32,000 for the chance

The new book, by lion researcher Dr. Andrew Loveridge, delved deeper into the killing - uncovering new and never seen before evidence.

Dr. Loveridge spoke extensively to game staff, researchers and community members in the Hwange National Park area where Cecil lived.

And he published his findings in the work, entitled 'Lion Hearted: The Life and Death of Cecil and the Future of Africa's Iconic Cats.'

'Clearly, although the wound was severe, the arrow had missed the vital organs or arteries that would have caused rapid blood loss and a relatively quick death,' he said.

'Certainly, the lion was so incapacitated that in all those hours he'd been able to move only 350 meters from the place where he was shot.'

Walter Palmer returning to his dental clinic in Bloomington, Minnesota after the shooting (left) He was eventually forced to shut his clinic after continued protests outside its doors

Initial reports suggested that the lion was left for up to 40 hours to die. And while Dr. Loveridge's findings show he died much quicker than that, he said it would have still endured 'intolerable suffering'.

According to Loveridge, Cecil's final death blow came eventually from a second arrow fired from a compound nearby.

Loveridge's findings also corroborate accounts that the lion was deliberately lured outside of the confines of the national park in order to skirt regulations.

Walter Palmer (pictured) with a black bear he killed in Wisconsin in 2006. He was eventually adjudged to have shot this animal illegally

Protests raged around the world in outrage at the killing, with several activists in the US suggesting a total ban on trophy imports

Pieces of meat had been left just outside the boundary of Cecils territory, where no hunting is allowed and anti-poaching patrols operate.

Cecil picked up the scent and followed the trail, leaving his pride of two lionesses and six cubs inside the park - but he never returned.

Walter Palmer was widely shunned and condemned in the media, but ultimately did not face any punishment for the killing.
Jhanvi Kapoor, the daughter of the late Bollywood star Sridevi, celebrated her 21st birthday on Tuesday, March 6, surrounded by her family, including father Boney Kapoor.

Two weeks ago, the accidental death of her mother in Dubai stunned India. A forensic report ruled it death due to accidental drowning after suffering what is thought to be a cardiac arrest.

Everybody from the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan paid tribute to the Bollywood icon.

Sridevi and her husband Boney Kapoor pictured on holiday with daughters: Jhanvi and Khushi

However, it looks as if Sridevis groundbreaking cinematic legacy will live on with her daughter Jhanvi, who is set to make her film debut in Dhadak later in 2018.

On March 6, several Instagram photos and videos appeared, showing Jhanvi celebrating her 21st birthday. Jhanvis uncle and Boney Kapoors brother shared an Instagram post of the Kapoor family celebrating the actresss birthday.

Jhanvis cousin and Sridevis niece Sonam Kapoor, an actress in her own right, shared a throwback photo of Jhanvi with the caption: To one of the strongest girls I know, who became a woman today. Happy birthday jannu.

An Instagram video shows Jhanvi slicing a birthday cake with her father, Boney Kapoor, and cousins.

Three days before her birthday Jhanvi posted on her Instagram account: On my birthday, the only thing I ask of all of you is that you love your parents. Cherish them and devote yourself to making them feel that love. They have made you.

She also mentioned Sridevi, asking everyone to remember her mother fondly, pray for her soul to rest in peace.

Let the love and adulation youll showered on her continue and please know that the biggest part of my mother was the love she shared with papa.

Jhanvi went on to point out that although she lost her mother, her father lost his Jaan, which translates as a term of endearment life from Hindi.

Thousands of mourners attend Sridevi's funeral in Mumbai, after her death in February 2018

Who was Sridevi?

Jhanvi Kapoors mother Sridevi was Bollywoods first true female star, following a succession of hits in the 1980s and 90s that saw her become one of the industrys highest-paid actors.

Such status made Sridevi an important figure to women in India.

Sridevi fronted many Bollywood films without a male co-star and fought for equal pay before the issue began to dominate Bollywood or Hollywood.

In a career spanning over 40 years, Sridevi has appeared in 300 films, including 2017s film Mom, which ultimately became her final role before her death. She also had a cameo in Shah Rukh Khans film Zero.

Sridevi had two children with Boney Kapoor, both daughters: Jhanvi and Khushi.

 A post shared by Sanjay Kapoor (@sanjaykapoor2500) on Mar 6, 2018 at 10:52am PST

Who is Boney Kapoor?

Jhanvis father Boney Kapoor is a film producer who produced many of Sridevis films, including Mom and 1987s Mr. India.

Kapoor met Jhanvis mother while he was still married to his first wife and Sridevi was in a relationship with Mithun Chakraboty.
A woman has been arrested for stealing a boxer's designer bag filled with $155,000 in cash and jewelry while he fought a man at a club owned by Jay-Z.

Professional fighter Jermall Charlo, 27, was partying with his assistant and a group of women when he got into what is described as a 'physical altercation' with someone at 3am on Sunday at the 40/40 club in Manhattan.

Sarah Morin, a nurse from Connecticut, is accused of making off with the Louis Vuitton bag, during the ensuring melee.

Sarah Morin turned herself in after police circulated security footage of her

She is alleged to have taken the bag and ran out of the nightclub. The bag was returned with the jewelry but minus the cash

According to her attorney Gerard Marrone, as the fists began to fly, a bouncer handed his client the bag as she ran away from the fight, the New York Daily News reported.

It had been through several people's hands before it ended up in Morin's possession and she contacted the bouncer an hour after leaving the club offering to hand the bag back, said Marrone.

Morin surrendered with Marrone after police released security footage of a group of women leaving the nightclub and tracked her down.

Marrone said the charges against his client were 'b******t adding: 'She's a good girl. She's never been in trouble.'

Jermall Charlo, 27, from Richmond, Texas, had his bag stolen from Jay-Z's 40/40 club in Manhattan

'One of the bouncers handed the bag to her and she ran for her life. She was the last one that held the bag and that's why she was arrested.'

According to police sources, Morin returned the bag with the stolen jewelry but not the cash when she turned herself in.

It is not clear why the fighter was carrying such a huge amount of cash, though the altercation happened hours after he appeared at Brooklyn's Barclays Center for a bout.

His fight got cancelled due an opponent's injured rib, therefore he could have received a cash payout as part of his contract.

Jermall Charlo throws a left at Austin Trout at The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas, back in May 2016

The boxer, who holds an impressive 26-0 record in the ring, didn't realize his bag was gone until he sat back down after the brawl in the early hours, the New York Post reported.

All five women said to be involved were captured on CCTV leaving the club.

One of the women, thought to be the nurse, was seen getting into a car with Massachusetts plates, it has been claimed.

Although there is a dispute over the exact version of events, Charlo is still out of pocket to the tune of around $155,000 and police are investigating.

Charlo, from Richmond, Texas, has an identical twin brother called Jermell.

Jermell has held the WBC light middleweight title since 2016.
Four Eritrean asylum seekers have claimed they were juveniles when they allegedly gang raped a 56-year-old woman in Germany and filmed the attack.

A woman was collecting bottles in Dessau in the northern German state of Saxony-Anhalt in August when four individuals, who experts say were at least in their 20s, approached her.

They told her that they had seen some bottles she had missed in a remote part of a disused school and attacked her when she went there, it is alleged.

Four Eritreans were later arrested but their exact age is unclear with three of them claiming they were 18 or 19 at the time of the incident and one claiming he was 21.

Age is important in the case because in Germany, defendants under the age of 21 are prosecuted according to juvenile law and receive more lenient punishments.

Four Eritrean asylum seekers have claimed they were juveniles when they allegedly gang raping a 56-year-old woman in Germany and filmed the attack

The woman had a broken beer bottle held to her neck and was warned she would be stabbed if she tried to fight back during the alleged attack which is said to have lasted about an hour.

It was reported that part of it was filmed on a mobile phone.

The woman suffered a stab wound to her cheek, skin abrasions and bruises and was hospitalised for several days.

Four Eritreans were later arrested in three different German states in September 2017 in a coordinated police action. A trial will be held in the regional court in Dessau-Rosslau.

Public prosecutor Frank Pieper made it clear the defendants had to remain in custody.

They are reportedly also uncooperative and have not commented on the allegations since being taken into custody.

According to the court, an age evaluation shows that the given information is highly unlikely to be accurate.
A convicted child rapist who evaded justice for 23 years before his arrest in 2016 heard from his victims in a Boston courtroom on Tuesday, where he was sentenced to between 12 and 14 years in prison.

'When I was a 6-year-old little boy, you took everything from me,' one victim told John Joseph Hartin, 48, on Tuesday.

Fighting tears, the victim said: 'You robbed me of my innocence.'

Hartin's two victims read statements in court at his sentencing on Tuesday, according to the Boston Herald.

John Joseph Hartin, 48, is convicted child rapist who evaded justice for 23 years before his arrest in 2016. He is seen above after his sentencing on Tuesday in a Boston courtroom

Hartin heard from his two victims who were 6 and 9 years of age at the time of his crimes

Fighting tears, one of his victims told him: 'You robbed me of my innocence'

One of the victims thanked the jury for convicting Hartin and '[making sure] one more sicko is off the street.'

In her statements to the judge, Assistant District Attorney Alissa Goldhaber said that two boys ages 6 and 9 at the time were 'brutally raped by this defendant repeatedly at times when they were alone, at times when they were together, having to wait their turn  knowing they were next.'

Hartin, a native of the Dorchester section of Boston, was convicted of five counts of child rape.

He was first indicted for his crimes in 1993, but he fled.

For 23 years, he was living in North Carolina and Florida under an alias - Jay Matthew Carter.

Hartin was arrested by the FBI in North Carolina in 2016.

In 2012, the FBI tried to track Hartin down by running a multi-state media campaign and offering $25,000 for information leading to his arrest.

He was arrested without incident and extradited back to Massachusetts to face trial.

'John Hartin thought by changing his name and moving out of state, he could avoid prosecution,' Harold Shaw, the special agent in charge of the FBI in Boston, said in the statement.

'However, he underestimated our resolve to track him down. The FBI hopes the victims of this alleged crimes will find some comfort in knowing that he will now have to answer for his actions.'

'I never thought he was going to be caught,' one of the victims told the Herald.

'I really didnt...Ive ran from this my whole life.'

The image above shows an FBI notice asking for the public's help in tracking him down. He was arrested by authorities in 2016 after he was found in North Carolina

The victim said that the trauma he suffered at Hartin's hands destroyed his life. Since the rape, the victim said he's been estranged from his mother and he's been wrestling with drug abuse.

'I let it ruin my life for a long time, and I shouldnt have,' he said.

The victim called Hartin a coward for refusing to make eye contact with him in court.
A paratrooper brother of the poisoned Russian spy died in mysterious circumstances almost two years to the day before Sergei Skripal was targeted in Salisbury, MailOnline can reveal.

Valery Skripal died aged 68 after a military career serving in the elite Russian airborne troops. Exclusive pictures show that he suffered extreme weight loss and became painfully thin in the months before his death.

It comes after reports that Scotland Yard will investigate the deaths of the spy's son, Alexander, in 2017, and his wife, Liudmila, in 2012, amid fears that the entire family was targeted by Russia's feared state assassins.

School photograph of Yulia Skripal in the academic year 1992-3, left, and as an adult, right

Valery Skripal, left, who was in the paratroop regiment, with his wife Svetlana, right

Valery Skripal in the months leading up to his death, showing severe and sudden weight loss

Valery Skripal, left, on military drills in an unknown location thought to be in Russia

Viktor Skripal, soldier father of Sergei, who was found 'poisoned' on Sunday, and his brother Valery, a paratrooper on his knee as a baby. Valery died two years ago after sudden weight loss

Valery Skripal, brother of the Russian spy found 'poisoned' in Salisbury, as a young man

Valery Skripal, centre, in his later life posing with some younger soldiers during military drills

Valery Skripal, who left behind a wife, Svetlana, 65, and daughter Elena, passed away on March 6th 2016, two years ago almost to the day that the MI6 double-agent, 66, was mysteriously taken in in Salisbury along with his daughter Yulia, 33, on Sunday.

It adds to the picture of a proud military family suddenly cut down within the space of a few years -- with the tragedy arriving on British soil as Mr Skripal and his daughter were apparently targeted in Salisbury.

The exclusive set of photographs also includes a school photograph of the spy's daughter, Yulia, who is fighting for her life in hospital, and a poignant portrait of the spy's father Viktor, who also served as a Russian soldier in Lithuania, sitting with Valery as a baby on his knee.

Although Sergei Skripal's son Alexander died in St Petersburg last summer at the age of 43, his body was taken to Britain for burial in the same cemetery as his mother.

When MailOnline visited, the graves appeared well-tended and adorned with bright artificial flowers and trinkets.

Alexander reportedly died from liver disease but mystery surrounds the circumstances of his death. The spy's wife, Liudmila, a housewife, died aged 59 from a disseminated endometrial carcinoma on 23 October 2012, in Salisbury.

Valerys widow, who lives in Kazakhstan, has not commented on his death other than to post yesterday: 'Today is the day to remember Valery. It's been two years since he passed away'. Among the comments, one of her friends desperately asked for news of 'poisoned' Sergei and Yulia.

St Petersburg's respected Fontanka news agency said it could find no traces of Alexander dying in the city, adding to the mystery surrounding his demise.

It reported: 'According to our research, Alexander Skripal did buy tickets on the Sapsan (high speed) train from Moscow, arriving on 13 July and departing on 15 July.

'He was with a 49-year-old female called Anna. It is not clear if the couple left St Petersburg on the planned date, as the tickets were bought about one and a half months ahead of the trip.'

Valery Skripal with his wife Svetlana as he lost weight before he died two years ago

Valery Skripal in military uniform examining a weapon before the illness that led to his death

Valery Skripal as a young man posing in his military uniform, where he served in an elite unit

Valery Skripal posing in his uniform and a parachute during exercises with the paratroopers

Valery Skripal collects his parachute after a jump when serving with the paratroopers

Valery Skripal in his military uniform holding his weapon as a young man from an army family

It is understood Alexander died several days after his planned trip to St Petersburg, which was described as a holiday. The Fontanka report added: 'As of now, we failed to find traces of him dying in St Petersburg.

'And according to our information, Alexander had planned a trip to see his father in England in August 2017. He bought a ticket for a plane leaving early morning on August 8, 2017.'

Liudmila's death was reported to Wiltshire Council's register office in 2012 by her daughter Yulia, who told staff that her father was a retired local government planning officer.

The apparent poisoning has triggered a diplomatic row and prompted crisis talks in Whitehall as the high-profile investigation enters a fourth day.

Scotland Yard said detectives were 'keeping an open mind as to what happened', and that the incident had not been declared a terrorist incident - adding that it would not 'provide a running commentary' on the investigation.

But it has forced the Government into calling a meeting of its emergency committee Cobra this morning, to be chaired by Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

The grave of Alexander Skripal, who died in mysterious circumstances in Russia

The grave of Liudmila Skripal who died of cancer in Britain in 2012 and was buried in Salisbury

A screen-grab from CCTV footage showing Sergei Skripal before he was 'poisoned'

Sergei Skripal, left, as a younger man in uniform, and right after he was arrested in Russia

The Zizzi restaurant in Salisbury where the alleged poisoning may have taken place

It comes as relations between the UK and the Kremlin soured after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson went on the offensive in the House of Commons.

Mr Skripal was convicted in 2006 of passing state secrets to MI6 before being given refuge in the UK as part of a spy swap.

The former colonel in Russian military intelligence, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison, was among four convicts who were given pardons and one of two sent to Britain in 2010 in a deal that was said at the time to be the largest exchange since the Cold War.

He was found along with his daughter on a bench in The Maltings in Salisbury after police were called by a concerned member of the public at around 4.15pm on Sunday.

The pair did not have any visible injuries and were taken to Salisbury District Hospital, where they are being treated in intensive care for 'suspected exposure to an unknown substance'.

Officers subsequently 'secured' a number of scenes - including the Zizzi restaurant on Castle Street and the Bishop's Mill pub in The Maltings.

At least two people left a contamination tent inside the cordon wearing protective suits and gas masks last night. People could also be seen inside Zizzi's restaurant wearing protective gear and masks.

The carefully tended British graves of Russian spy's loved ones: Detectives will probe deaths of double-agent's wife and son, 44, as it's revealed his brother also died two years ago

Police will investigate the deaths of the wife and son of a Russian double agent who was allegedly poisoned along with his daughter, it was claimed today.

Sergei Skripal suffered a triple family tragedy in five years when his wife Lyudmila died aged 59 in 2012, before his older brother passed away in Russia in 2016.

His son Alexandr then died in St Petersburg aged 43 last year - and relatives had held suspicions since the deaths that they were in mysterious circumstances.

The graves of the former spy's wife and son remain well-tended, with fresh flowers in both.

Now, the deaths of his wife and son will be considered by Scotland Yard as they investigate the possible poisoning of Mr Skripal, according to The Times.

Police are to investigate the deaths of Mr Skripal's wife, Liudmila, who is thought to have died from cancer in 2012

Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, remain fighting for their lives in hospital after being exposed to a mystery substance on Sunday in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

And the mystery over Alexandr's death deepened today as St Petersburg's respected Fontanka news agency said it can find no traces of him dying in the city.

It reported: 'According to our research, Alexander Skripal did buy tickets on the Sapsan (high speed) train from Moscow, arriving on 13 July and departing on 15 July.

'He was with a 49-year-old female called Anna. It is not clear if the couple left St Petersburg on the planned date, as the tickets were bought about one and a half months ahead of the trip.'

It is understood Alexander died several days after his planned trip to St Petersburg, which was described as a holiday. The Fontanka report added: 'As of now, we failed to find traces of him dying in St Petersburg.

'And according to our information, Alexander had planned a trip to see his father in England in August 2017. He bought a ticket for a plane leaving early morning on August 8, 2017.'

Mr Skripal's son Alexander also died while in Russia last year. The family's cleaner said he died of liver problems, but some family members are said to have had suspicions

Lyudmila died on October 23, 2012, with her death certificate recording the cause of death as cancer - specifically disseminated endometrial carcinoma.

Yulia reported the death to Wiltshire Council's register office, but also told staff that her father was a retired local government planning officer.

As for Mr Skripal's son, he is said to have been killed in a car crash in St Petersburg last year  but the family's cleaner said he had actually died from liver problems.

The woman who cleans Mr Skripal's home in Salisbury and asked not to be named, said yesterday: 'I saw reports on the news that his wife had died in a car crash.

'That is not true, she died of cancer that she had when they moved to England. And his son died of liver problems, so I don't know where the car crash idea came from.'

The BBC claimed Alexandr died on holiday in Russia with his girlfriend after being taken to hospital with liver failure, and that his family was suspicious about his death.

Meanwhile confusion surrounded Lyudmila's cause of death when neighbour Blake Stephens, 21, suggested she had actually 'died in a car accident a while ago'.

Police Community Support Officers stand outside the Salisbury home of Mr Skripal yesterday

The apparent poisoning has triggered a diplomatic row and prompted crisis talks in Whitehall as the high-profile investigation enters a fourth day.

Scotland Yard said detectives were 'keeping an open mind as to what happened', and that the incident had not been declared a terrorist incident - adding that it would not 'provide a running commentary' on the investigation.

But it has forced the Government into calling a meeting of its emergency committee Cobra this morning, to be chaired by Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

It comes as relations between the UK and the Kremlin soured after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson went on the offensive in the House of Commons.

Mr Skripal was convicted in 2006 of passing state secrets to MI6 before being given refuge in the UK as part of a spy swap.

Investigators next to a police tent in Salisbury near where Mr Skripal was found critically ill

The former colonel in Russian military intelligence, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison, was among four convicts who were given pardons and one of two sent to Britain in 2010 in a deal that was said at the time to be the largest exchange since the Cold War.

He was found along with his daughter on a bench in The Maltings in Salisbury after police were called by a concerned member of the public at around 4.15pm on Sunday.

The pair did not have any visible injuries and were taken to Salisbury District Hospital, where they are being treated in intensive care for 'suspected exposure to an unknown substance'.

Officers subsequently 'secured' a number of scenes - including the Zizzi restaurant on Castle Street and the Bishop's Mill pub in The Maltings.

At least two people left a contamination tent inside the cordon wearing protective suits and gas masks last night. People could also be seen inside Zizzi's restaurant wearing protective gear and masks.
Sue Devaney's (pictured outside Flintshire Magistrates) car was caught speeding in Ffordd Morfa Nefyn, Porthmadoc, north Wales, in July last year, a court heard today

An actress who starred in Coronation Street, Dinnerladies and Casualty let her Hollywood actor friend drive her car uninsured because she 'had a panic attack'.

Sue Devaney's car was caught speeding in Porthmadoc, north Wales, in July last year, a court heard today.

When a letter was sent to her house, Devaney, 50, told officials it was her Los-Angeles-based friend Nicholas Newbould driving and not her.

She was further pressed on whether he was insured to drive her Seat, but gave no response, Flintshire Magistrates Court, Mold heard this afternoon.

Representing herself she said she 'had a tough year', suffering a mental break down, being out of work and forced to 'sign on'.

Newbould, of Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, who last appeared on UK TV on Loose Women in 2013, was also in court. He watched as Devaney, who appeared under her real name of Susan Barber, admitted permitting no insurance and was fined 120 with 115 in additional costs.

Devaney, of Market Street Shawforth in Lancashire, denied not responding to the letter sent to her.

When a letter was sent to her house, Devaney (pictured) 50, told officials it was her Los-Angeles-based friend Nicholas Newbould driving and not her

Her friend was driving because she was having panic attacks, she said.

When she had the original letter through she filled it in correctly, but as an actress she worked away a lot and was away for months while she worked in theatre in Bolton, she told the hearing.

She did not return home until January when she found the further correspondence.

'We have his details but that does not matter now,' she said.

Asked about her means, on which to base the fine, she said that she was not working at the moment.

She had finished her last job in Bolton and did not know what her next job would be.

Debbie Webster (played by Sue Devaney, centre) with Bill Webster (Peter Armitage, right) and Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell, left) on Coronation Street in 1984

Representing herself, the former Coronation Street actress (pictured centre with friends) said she 'had a tough year', suffering a mental break down, being out of work and forced to 'sign on

'I will be signing on until I get another acting job,' she explained.

The 50-year-old has appeared in Coronation Street as Debbie Webster, and has also appeared in Jonny Briggs, Casualty and Dinner Ladies.

She also has an extensive stage career with rolls in London productions of When We Were Married, The Wind in the Willows, and The Land or the Living.

She also starred in the Mamma Mia! musical for a summer season in Blackpool Opera House.

In the early 1990s she appeared in a commercial for the Gateway supermarket chain; was in Shameless, and last November appeared on the BBC1 quiz programme 'Pointless Celebrities'.

On the Cobbles: Sue Devaney played Debbie Webster (pictured left alongside Margarette Francis)
Officer Christopher Ryan Morton, 30, who was killed while responding to a 911 call in Missouri had just returned to full-time duty to replace recently fallen Officer Gary Michael

A police officer who was killed while responding to a 911 call in Missouri had just returned to full-time duty to replace a recently fallen officer in his department.

Officer Christopher Ryan Morton, 30, was killed in the line of duty Tuesday night shortly after 9pm, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol.

The patrol tweeted Wednesday morning identifying the suspect as James E Waters, 37, from Clinton.

Morton is the second Clinton police officer in the past year to be killed in the line of duty.

In August 2017, Officer Gary Michael was killed during a traffic stop.

Ian McCarthy was arrested after a two day manhunt and pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the shooting death of Michael.

Morton had returned to full-time duty one month after Michael's death.

'Clinton, MO, Police Officer Christopher Ryan Morton, served with distinction for the citizens of Clinton as a full-time Police Officer from 2/12/2015 until 1/10/2017,' Missouri State Highway Patrol tweeted.

'He stayed with the department as reserve officer until he returned again to full time duty 9/24/2017. #ClintonPD,' the patrol added.

Scroll down for video

In August 2017, Michael (left) was killed during a traffic stop. Morton (right) had returned to full-time duty one month after Michael's death

According to Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt Bill Lowe, Morton was shot after a 911 call came in from a home (pictured) near downtown Clinton

According to Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt Bill Lowe, Morton was shot after a 911 call came in from a home near downtown Clinton.

During the call two women were heard screaming in the background, the Kansas City Star reported.

Officers arrived at the home at 9.25pm and were fired on as they entered with the shooter then retreating inside, Lowe said.

Two other officers were wounded in the attack and were taken away from the scene. That's when the Missouri Highway Patrol arrived to help.

The shooter then barricaded himself in the house and the highway patrol SWAT team then stormed the house at 12.10am.

Lowe said it was unclear whether officers killed the suspect or whether he killed himself.

The women in the house at the time were not injured and were taken into custody.

One of the wounded officers remained hospitalized Wednesday with moderate injuries. The other officer's injuries were minor, the patrol said.

According to Morton's Facebook page, the officer graduated from Knob Noster High School, he attended the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg and served in the National Guard as well as the US Army.

Morton joined the Army in November 2005 and was twice deployed. He returned in May 2014 from Afghanistan, where he served as a bridge crew member and radio communications manager. He was also honored for his military service at a Kansas City Royals game in 2014

The Kansas City Royals tweeted shortly after learning of Morton's death

Morton, who joined the Army in November 2005 and was twice deployed, returned in May 2014 from Afghanistan, where he served as a bridge crew member and radio communications manager.

The Kansas City Royals tweeted shortly after learning of Morton's death.

'We are saddened to hear the news regarding Clinton, Mo Police Officer Chris Morton this morning. He was honored for his military service at #TheK in 2014. Our thoughts are with his family today,' the tweet read.

Morton was seated in the Our Heroes seats, which is now called the Salute to Service seats, on June 5, 2014, at Kauffman Stadium.

MLB pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, who played for the Royals when Morton was honored, also retweeted a photo of them together.

'Very humbled. RT @johnnykaneKMBC: @TheRealJGuts presented with plaque from U.S. Army soldiers back from Afghanistan,' the tweet read.

Morton was a full-time Clinton officer from February 2015 through January 2017, when he temporarily became a reserve officer.
A middle-aged Chinese man was sent into a hospital by his family members after suffering severe headaches and nausea for six months.

Doctors were shocked to find over 30 tapeworm eggs hatched inside Mr Wu's brain with some measuring one centimetre wide (0.39 inches).

Experts believed pork tapeworms had infested in Mr Wu's brain when he had eaten infected pork that was uncooked or under-cooked.

Pictured: Mr Wu, had been suffering seizures and vomiting over six months, was shocked to find out he had over 30 tapeworm eggs hatched inside his brain

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed dozens of sacs filled in the brain. The sacs, which are confirmed to be tapeworm eggs, have been giving Mr Wu hydrocephalus - an excessive accumulation fluid in the brain.

The 46-year-old man, from Guizhou, southwest China, was diagnosed with neurocysticercosis, showing symptoms of headache, vomiting and seizure.

He explained to the doctors that he had previously eaten raw meat.

Mr Wu had to undergo a craniotomy so doctors can get access to the brain and remove the eggs and larvae carefully.

'Some of larvae can be seen moving in the eggs,' Dr Yang Ming from The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University told Guizhou Metropolitan on March 1.

Dr Yang Ming, pictured, had to perform a brain surgery to remove the eggs and larvae

Mr Wu, pictured, still has to receive follow-up treatment at intensive care unit in the hospital

Dr Yang said the eggs were scattered around inside the brain and he had to be cautious not to break the eggs during the surgery.

Mr Wu went sent into intensive care unit after the surgery as he was scheduled to receive follow-up treatments to 'kill the tapeworms'.

Dr Yang explained they had to confirm no dead parasites remained in the brain. Otherwise, it could cause serious damage to the brain tissues when the eggs hatched into worms.
A prosecutor in the Iranian capital Tehran has said that an unnamed woman who removed her obligatory Islamic headscarf in public has been sentenced to 24 months in prison, three months without parole.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency on Wednesday quoted prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi as saying the woman took off her headscarf in Tehran's Enghelab Street to 'encourage corruption through the removal of the hijab in public'.

Dolatabadi, who announced the sentence, said the woman intended to appeal against the verdict, the judiciary's Mizan Online news agency reported.

Scroll down for video

All women in Iran must be fully veiled in public at all times, according to a law in place since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (file photo)

A recent protest against compulsory veil wearing in Iran turned nasty when a police officer climbed onto a podium and pushed a demonstrator onto the pavement, earning jeers from spectators

A university student attends a December 2017 protest inside Tehran University while a smoke grenade is thrown by Iranian police

The woman 'encouraged moral corruption' in public, he said, criticising the light nature of the sentence and saying he would push for the full two-year penalty.

More than 30 Iranian women have been arrested since the end of December for publicly removing their veils in defiance of the law.

Most have been released, but many are being prosecuted.

Iranian law in place since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 stipulates that all women, Iranian or foreign, Muslim or non-Muslim, must be fully veiled in public at all times.

But the zeal of the country's morality police has declined somewhat in the past two decades, and a growing number of Iranian women in Tehran and other large cities often wear loose veils that reveal their hair.

In some areas of the capital, women are regularly seen driving cars with veils draped over their shoulders.

Dolatabadi said he would no longer accept such behaviour, and had ordered the impound of vehicles driven by socially rebellious women.

The prosecutor said some 'tolerance' was possible when it came to women who wear the veil loosely, 'but we must act with force against people who deliberately question the rules on the Islamic veil', according to Mizan Online.

The police say the campaign against the veil is backed by Farsi-language satellite TV networks based abroad and purportedly encouraged women participants to take their white headscarves off on Wednesdays.

Women showing their hair in public in Iran are usually sentenced to far shorter terms of two months or less, and fined $25.

Last month police warned that Iranian women protesting against the compulsory headscarf by taking off their hijab in public could be facing up to a decade in jail for 'inciting prostitution'.

The authorities are eager to stem growing protests across the country against the dress code enforced on women.

The recent wave of defiance started with Vida Movahed, a 31-year-old mother-of-one whose protest and subsequent arrest on December 27 became headline news all over the world.

A video showing her calmly waving her white hijab tied to a stick above the crowds in the Iranian capital, went viral on social media.

Ms Movahed, who became known as The Girl In Enghelab Street, was released over the weekend, after spending a month in custody with her 20-month-daughter.

President Hassan Rouhani came to power in 2013 promising a more moderate stance - he has previously said it is not the job of police to enforce religious rules such as those forcing women to cover their hair

Thousands of social media users shared messages of support after her disappearance, dubbing her the 'Girl of Enghelab Street' after the area in central Tehran where she staged the protest.

Iranian activists started a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #WhereIsShe, demanding that the government reveal what happened to her.

The campaign eventually went global both on and offline, with protesters at the recent Women's March in the U.S. waving placards with the slogan.

President Hassan Rouhani, who came to power in 2013 promising a more moderate stance, has previously said it is not the job of police to enforce religious rules such as those forcing women to cover their hair.

But in April 2016, officials said there were 7,000 undercover morality police reporting on things like 'bad hijab' - a blanket term usually referring to un-Islamic dress by women.


An inmate's grandmother in Memphis has been arrested for trying to smuggle drugs to him in a bag of Doritos in prison.

Sarah Griffin, 68, was arrested after the visit with her 31-year-old grandson Cody Clements, at the Shelby County Division of Corrections in Memphis, Tennessee, on Saturday afternoon.

According to charging documents, she produced the bag of chips and then pulled something out of it to hand to Clements who is in custody on aggravated burglary charges.

Guards noticed the exchange and confiscated the bag which they later discovered contained 28.5g of methamphetamines, 1.1g of heroin, 11.4g of marijuana and 40 bars of prescription Xanax pills.

Sarah Griffin, 68, was arrested after the visit with her 31-year-old grandson Cody Clements on Saturday. Police found 28.5g of methamphetamines, 1.1g of heroin, 11.4g of marijuana and 40 bars of prescription Xanax pills in the bag of Doritos she handed him

When questioned by police, Griffin said she thought she was giving her grandson a cell phone.

The drugs were wrapped up in black tape, according to WREG.

Griffin denied knowingly bringing them in to the prison but she was arrested and taken to the sheriff's office.

It is not clear if she was granted bond or if she remains in custody but police said she faced one contraband charge.

Clements is in custody for aggravated burglary and was sentenced in 2016.

Among other charges on his rap sheet is assault.

Griffin does not have any prior record.

The amount of drugs police found suggest Clements intended to distribute them behind bars.

Details of whether he faced any additional charges were unavailable on Wednesday morning.
Vladimir Putin has denied a bizarre suggestion that he tried to recruit U.S. First Lady Melania Trump at the G20.

The Russian President met Ms Trump at a dinner during the summit in Hamburg, Germany, last July along with her Italian counterpart Emanuela Mauro.

Mr Putin said he discussed Russian maternity benefits with the pair, who he said were 'surprised how large [they] are'.

Vladimir Putin has denied a bizarre suggestion that he tried to recruit U.S. First Lady Melania Trump at the G20 (pictured)

Mr Putin was being interviewed by Vladimir Solovyev for upcoming documentary World Order 2018 (pictured)

Vladimir Solovyev, interviewing the former KGB operative for an upcoming documentary, then asked if he tried to recruit Ms Trump as a Russian asset.

'No, I have not been doing this for a very long time. Although I used to love doing this. That was my job for many years,' Mr Putin replied with a laugh.

Solovyev was likely responding to earlier discussion of Mr Putin's Soviet-era experience as a spy as this theory doesn't appear to have been suggested before.

The spry 65-year-old also bragged to the two high-powered wives of his fishing prowess and the beauty of Russia's Kamchatka bears and Siberian tigers.

'As is expected in such cases, I boasted a bit (about the size of his catch). How can one speak about fishing and not boast a little?' he said.

The Russian President met Ms Trump at a dinner during the summit in Hamburg, Germany, last July along with her Italian counterpart Emanuela Mauro (not pictured)

Mr Putin said he discussed Russian maternity benefits with the pair, who he said were 'surprised how large [they] are'

In the documentary World Order 2018, Mr Putin also discussed Russia's annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine, and Donald Trump's presidency.

'Someone deliberately tipped us to the edge, where, once there, we had to act in the way that we did,' he said of Crimea.

He admitted he 'had no doubt' the West would respond with sanctions but still thought Russia would 'win in the long run'.

Mr Putin said he did it anyway because of the 2 million people who live in the Crimea, claiming many of them wanted to return to Russian control.

'When you consider the fates of millions of people on one side... and difficult relations with other countries on the other, of course, the first is incomparably more important,' he said.

The spry 65-year-old also bragged to the two high-powered wives of his fishing prowess and the beauty of Russia's Kamchatka bears and Siberian tigers

'As is expected in such cases, I boasted a bit (about the size of his catch). How can one speak about fishing and not boast a little?' he said

Mr Putin dodged a question about Russian weapons being used by rebels in eastern Ukraine by implying the West was arming the other side.

'I actually think that everyone there is our people. We should speak about how to end this and how to achieve peace instead of about arms,' he said.

He responded to being asked about how he felt being called a 'global villain' by saying 'ask the villains' as it was only Western sources saying that and 'far from all of them'.

'I've gotten used to it a long time ago My guiding light is the interest of Russia and its people,' he said

'If I feel that I haven't strayed and that I'm going in the right direction, then I don't care about anything else.'

In the documentary World Order 2018, Mr Putin also discussed Russia's annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine, and Donald Trump's presidency

Mr Putin called Mr Trump a 'great communicator' and 'balanced' man who easily understood issues and was able to listen.

'I have no disappointment at all. Moreover, on a personal level he made a very good impression on me,' he said.

'It's possible to negotiate with him, to search for compromises.'

He had less kind words for the U.S. political system and accused the West of trying to contain and weaken Russia.

'[U.S. politics] has demonstrated its inefficiency and has been eating itself up. It's quite difficult to interact with such a system, because it's unpredictable,' he said.

'We are a great power, and no one likes competition.'
Theater Director Carrie Barnhardt-Roberson, who students call BR, hasn't been at her school at Pine Creek High School in Colorado Springs since February 27

Students at a Colorado High School have been protesting the suspension of their theater teacher, who was accused of sexual misconduct.

Theater Director Carrie Barnhardt-Roberson, who students call BR, hasn't been at her school at Pine Creek High School in Colorado Springs since February 27, KOAA reported.

The 47-year-old was suspended when police started investigating accusations she'd had an inappropriate relationship with a student, which was alleged to school administrators in an anonymous tip.

Barnhardt-Roberson is married.

The student, 17-year-old Ryan Maikell, came forward to say he was pulled from his class to the front office on Tuesday, February 27, and asked if the claims were true.

He and his mother wanted to set the record straight and vehemently denied the allegations.

The student, 17-year-old Ryan Maikell (pictured left and right), said he was pulled from his class to the front office on Tuesday, February 27, and asked if the claims were true. He vehemently denies the allegations, and says they are 'malicious' and 'false.'

The 47-year-old was suspended when police started investigating accusations she'd had an inappropriate relationship with a student, which was alleged to school administrators in an anonymous tip. She is a teacher at Pine Creek High School in Colorado Springs

'They brought up that someone had accused BR and me of having an inappropriate sexual relationship,' Maikell said.

'I was appalled that someone would make false and malicious claims against her and against myself.'

Maikell said he has no idea who could have made the accusations.

Another senior theater student, Tatum Graf, called the allegations 'outlandish, outrageous and untrue.'

'I've just been racking my brain like who could be malicious enough to make these allegations that could ruin her life?' she pondered.

Graf and Maikell were supposed to star in the upcoming spring musical, Echo of Love, which was set to open March 15.

But instead they quit on Monday night after a group of student actors protested rehearsal by staging a sit-in and putting black tapes over their mouths.

'We can't just standby and let this happen to our director and our mentor,' Graf told the outlet.

Students and parents believe the theater program is being targeted, and the two stars of the spring musical, Tatum Graf and Maikell, quit in protest of BR's suspension

Parents said they think the theater program is being targeted because the students and BR push the envelope by doing plays with controversial story lines such as domestic violence, suicide and homosexuality.

'She uses creative, artistic expression to bring controversial topics that need to be talked out to an audience that's very, very conservative,' Tatum's mother Vanessa Graf said.

Students are demanding that their teacher come back and that the theater program 'gains respect from the administration.'

Colorado Springs police confirmed to KOAA Tuesday they are investigating allegations, but gave no details.

Academy District 20 issued a statement to the outlet Tuesday, saying: 'We are following the proper protocols, both internally and with local law enforcement, to better understand the facts of this situation.

'We can verify Carrie Barnhardt-Roberson is the theater director at Pine Creek High School. However, because this is both a district personnel matter and an ongoing investigation with the Colorado Springs Police Department, we cannot disclose any details of the situation.'

Barnhardt-Roberson won Colorado Theater Educator of the Year in 2008.
European judges have dismissed a British's couple's 11th-hour bid to stop doctors withdrawing their one-year-old son's life support.

Isaiah Haastrup has been on life support since birth after suffering catastrophic brain caused by a lack of oxygen when he was born.

His parents Lanre Haastrup and Takesha Thomas, both 36, of Peckham, south east London, had two UK judges reject their bid to keep him alive - despite doctor recommendations further care would not be in his best interests.

As a 'last resort' they went to the European Court of Human Rights, but were told yesterday their appeal had been dismissed. Isaiah's life support is due to be withdrawn today.

Scroll down for video

Lanre Haastrup (left) and Takesha Thomas (right), 36, of Peckham, south east London have been told their son Isaiah's life support will be turned off today

The couple say judges in Strasbourg, France, have 'decided to abandon justice' when considering their son's case.

An ECHR spokesman said yesterday three judges had looked at the case and declared the couple's application 'inadmissible'.

But today, hours before his son's life support was due to be turned off, Mr Haastrup insisted judges have not listened to their arguments properly.

He slammed the judge's decision, telling The Guardian: 'Surely, this is not sufficient to say our goodbyes to our son; we would require a reasonable period to spend with Isaiah.'

Isaiah (pictured with his aunt Dahila Thomas) has been on life support since birth after suffering catastrophic brain caused by a lack of oxygen when he was born

He added: 'The ECHR decided to abandon justice and instead prioritised the fierce urgency of killing Isaiah.

'We were not given the opportunity to present our case which we were entitled.'

He said the ECHR had 'demonstrated' that it was 'little more than a figurehead'.

'No thorough reasons for their decision [were given], which suggested that the court was not fair-minded and going by its judgment, does not need to hear us before dismissing our case,' he added.

'Therefore, we are disappointed with the ECHR not for the dismissal but for the failure to hear our argument before the dismissal, particularly as the ECHR is the court of last resort.'

As a 'last resort' Mr Haastrup (left) and Miss Thomas (right) went to the European Court of Human Rights, but were told yesterday their appeal had been dismissed. Isaiah's life support is due to be withdrawn today

The couple (pictured) say judges in Strasbourg, France, have 'decided to abandon justice' when considering their son's case

An ECHR spokesman said judges had treated the case as 'urgent', and added: 'In the light of all the material in its possession and in so far as the matters complained of were within its competence, the court found that they did not disclose any appearance of a violation of the rights and freedoms set out in the convention or its protocols.'

Originally, a High Court judge in London had given doctors permission to provide only palliative care to Isaiah against the wishes of Mr Haastrup and Miss Thomas.

Mr Justice MacDonald analysed evidence at hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in January.

Specialists at King's College Hospital in London had said providing further intensive care treatment was futile and not in Isaiah's best interests.

Following that Mr Haastrup and Miss Thomas then failed to persuade Court of Appeal judges to overturn Mr Justice MacDonald's decision.

They made a written application to the ECHR as a 'last resort'.

Speaking outside court, Isaiah's father Lanre spoke out about his disappointment at the decision

In February, Mr Haastrup shared a video of his son in hospital on Facebook asking people to share it and let the world know about Isaiah.

Kings College hospital in London, where Isaiah has been his whole life, refused to comment on the exact timing of his extubation, due to patient confidentiality.

A letter explaining Isaiah's life support will be turned off today urged the couple to spend time with him beforehand, but their attendance 'was not essential'.

His parents still insist they have not been given enough time to say goodbye to their son and want to arrange plans for end of life care.

A spokesman for the hospital told The Guardian: 'The decision to apply to the court to move Isaiah to palliative care was not taken lightly.

'We consulted five medical experts who unanimously agreed with our application and throughout we have actively sought to involve both parents.

'Now we must focus on doing what is best for Isaiah and will continue to offer every support to both parents.'
President Trump's longtime lawyer Michael Cohen is ensnared in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe, as ex-campaign aide Sam Nunberg's subpoena names Cohen as one of the individuals investigators want correspondence from.

But Cohen's role in the Stormy Daniels affair  he's the one who paid Daniels the lump sum for her silence  has put the lawyer in the cross-hairs of the Federal Election Commission and the Department of Justice as well.

The group Common Cause had already filed a complaint with the FEC and the DOJ in January alleging that the hush money payment violated federal campaign finance law.

Michael Cohen, President Trump's personal lawyer, could face fallout for his payout to porn star Stormy Daniels from the Federal Election Commission and the Department of Justice

The group Common Cause has asked the Federal Election Commission to look into the $130,000 payment made by President Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen to porn star Stormy Daniels

On Wednesday, the organization said that the new lawsuit filed against Trump by Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, only helps Common Cause's case.

Daniels alleges in her legal complaint that the purpose of the $130,000 payment was 'to avoid her telling the truth, thus helping to ensure [Donald Trump] won the Presidential Election.'

Campaign finance law, the group pointed out in a release to reporters, defines 'expenditures' as any funds spent for the 'purpose of influencing' federal elections.

Daniels' lawsuit also claims that Trump was directly involved in negotiating the hush money payout.

'Mr. Trump, with the assistance of his attorney Mr. Cohen, aggressively sought to silence Ms. Clifford,' with Cohen preparing a draft of the non-disclosure agreement and presenting it to the porn star's lawyer.

Trump's involvement is important, Common Cause pointed out, because under campaign finance law any 'expenditures' by a candidate or an agent of a candidate or in coordination with a candidate must be reported by the candidate's committee to the FEC.

The Trump campaign never reported any such payment.

Daniels' new lawsuit alleges that Trump never actually signed the non-disclosure agreement, hoping the argument allows the contract to be invalidated.

Common Cause speculated that Trump didn't sign it so he and Cohen could later avoid prosecution for 'knowing and willful violation of federal campaign finance law.'

Pointing a finger at Cohen the group also noted that the attorney, as part of the New York Rules of Professional Conduct, had a legal responsibility to inform Trump on 'all material information regarding the Stormy hush money agreement.'

The White House tried on Monday to suggest that Trump may not have been in the know with Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders answering, 'not that I'm aware of,' when asked if candidate Trump knew such a payment was being made.

This was the first time that the payment was brought up during a White House press briefing.

On Thursday, when asked about the issue again Huckabee Sanders tried to punt questions about whether the president had knowledge of the payment to outside counsel.

'I've addressed this as far as I can go. Not that I'm aware of,' she said. 'I don't know, I'm not sure,' she answered when asked if Trump had talked to Cohen about the payment.

Common Cause countered and suggested that Trump likely knew about the payment because Cohen wasn't likely to shirk his responsibility to a client.

'There is a strong  and growing  reason to believe that Mr. Trump and his campaign violated federal campaign finance laws by hiding this election-influencing hush money payment,' Common Cause argued. 'Further, depending on the source of the $130,000 paid to Clifford, Mr. Trump and his campaign may have received an illegal campaign contribution.'

Cohen has publicly said that he paid the sum out of his own pocket, though the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the Trump lawyer complained about not getting paid back.

Cohen called the allegations 'fake news.'

As for what happens next, at the Federal Election Commission, Common Cause's complaint will be reviewed by attorneys at the non-partisan Office of General Counsel, and a report will be submitted to the FEC's commissioners stating whether a violation occurred and recommending whether or not there should be an investigation.

The commissioners are the ones who make that call.

However, following the resignation in February of Republican Lee Goodman, an Obama appointee, the FEC is running on just four commissioners.

All four must vote in favor of taking action, with the current make-up of the body being two Republicans, one Democrat and an independent.

Federal law prevents there from being more than three commissioners of the same political party.

President Trump nominated Republican James E. Trainor III for the outstanding GOP slot in September.

Over at the Department of Justice, the case would likely head to the Criminal Divisions Public Integrity Section.

'We don't confirm or deny investigations,' DOJ spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores told DailyMail.com when asked for a status report on the Common Cause complaint.
President Donald Trump ordered a group of conservative Latinos to lobby Democrats to accept his immigration compromise in a Wednesday speech where he put uncertainty over the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program at the opposing party's feet.

Trump said that his administration stands 'ready, willing and able' to help Dreamers, and Democrats are 'nowhere to be found.'

'This is our time. This is our moment. Go get DACA. Go push those Democrats,' he told attendees of the Latino Coalition's legislative conference. 'I'm telling you, it's close. So this is a moment for DACA, for all of us.'

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

President Donald Trump ordered a group of conservative Latinos to lobby Democrats to accept his immigration compromise in a Wednesday speech where he put uncertainty over the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program at the opposing party's feet

The president has given Democrats a take-it-or-leave it offer to fund his border wall and overhaul the immigration system in order to save DACA, an Obama-era program his administration says is unconstitutional.

Proposals from Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill that do not do exactly what Trump is demanding have been smacked down by the White House before they hit the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Monday marked six months since Trump announced that he would be phasing out the program that shields hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants from deportation because they were brought to the U.S. as minors.

Without legislative action, or a change of heart from Trump, participants will begin to lose their work permits and temporary legal status.

Trump crowed Tuesday on Twitter after a federal judge ruled that his administration has the authority to wind down the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that Democrats are the problem.

'Federal Judge in Maryland has just ruled that "President Trump has the right to end DACA",' Trump tweeted.

'President Obama had 8 years to fix this problem, and didnt. I am waiting for the Dems, they are running for the hills!'

Trump also blasted Democrats for 'running for the hills' instead of cutting a deal to save DACA that would involve funding his long-promised border wall

'This decision took control of a pell-mell situation and provided Congress  the branch of government charged with determining immigration policy  an opportunity to remedy it,' Judge Roger W. Titus wrote in his ruling.

'Given the reasonable belief that DACA was unlawful, the decision to wind down DACA in an orderly manner was rational.'

The president had hoped to use the March 5 sunset date as leverage to force congressional Democrats to deliver his other immigration priorities, including funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall and an end to family-based 'chain migration.'

But a separate federal court in California ruled in January that the Department of Homeland Security couldn't stop DACA recipients from renewing their status while it fought to prove the program itself was illegal.

The Supreme Court refused last month to jump into the fray, telling the White House that it would have to fight that ruling in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals before seeking the nation's ultimate legal reilef.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program shields hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants from deportation because they were brought to the U.S. as minors

Activists rallied Monday in support of DACA in Los Angeles as the White House's deadline for saving DACA administratively came and went

On Monday as his six-month deadline came and went, Trump tweeted that 'the Democrats are nowhere to be found on DACA.'

Judge Roger Titus said Trump's anti-immigrant comments were 'disheartening' but had no bearing on his decision that ending DACA is a lawful move

'Gave them 6 months, they just dont care. Where are they? We are ready to make a deal!'

Justice Department spokesman Devin O'Malley said Tuesday that the DOJ 'has long maintained that DHS acted within its lawful authority in making the discretionary decision to wind down DACA in an orderly manner, and we welcome the good news today that the district court in Maryland strongly agrees.'

Monday's ruling 'also highlights a serious problem with the disturbing growth in the use of nationwide injunctions, which causes the Maryland court's correct judgment in favor of the government to be undermined by the over-broad injunctions that have been entered by courts in other states,' OMalley said.

Judge Titus, a George W. Bush appointee, ruled Monday that the president's past inflammatory comments about illegal immigrants shouldn't figure into the legality of his decisions related to DACA.

Trump marked Monday, the six-month mark since he gave Congress a half-year to save DACA, by blasting Democrats

'As disheartening or inappropriate as the president's occasionally disparaging remarks may be, they are not relevant to the larger issues governing the DACA rescission,' Titus wrote.

'The DACA Rescission Memo is clear as to its purpose and reasoning, and its decision is rationally supported by the administrative record.'

'This Court does not like the outcome of this case,' he added, 'but is constrained by its constitutionally limited role to the result that it has reached.'

'Hopefully, the Congress and the President will finally get their job done.'

Trump tweeted on Tuesday: 'Total inaction on DACA by Dems. Where are you? A deal can be made!'
A zebra was struck and killed by a car aon Wednesday after escaping from the grounds of Chandler Ostrich Festival in Phoenix.

Chandler Chamber President CEO Terri Kimble told AZ Family that two zebras escaped around 6am and wandered towards a road on McQueen.

One of the zebras was struck by an SUV. The second runaway zebra was not injured.

Two of the zebras at the Chandler Ostrich Festival in Phoenix escaped Wednesday morning

One of the zebras was killed when it wandered onto McQueen Road and was struck by an SUV. The second animal was not injured

Chandler police Sgt. Daniel Mejia said the zebra died on impact, and the driver of SUV was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The front of the SUV was significantly damaged and had to be towed away from the scene.

'We're obviously very saddened that there was a loss,' Kimble said. 'It's just like you have your own pet at home. Whenever there's a loss it is very tragic.'

The Ostrich Festival, which will be held from March 9 to 11, attracts hundreds of thousands of people. Activities include ostrich races and ostrich-themed activities and a parade.

Attendees can also go on rides, watch dog races, visit a petting zoo, take in a science show and see pig, emu and zebra races.

The Chandler Ostrich Festival opens this weekend, March 9 and runs until March 11

The festival features ostrich-themed attractions and a petting zoo
A 19-year-old student accused of killing his parents inside his Central Michigan University dorm room last week was arraigned from his hospital bed.

Dressed in a blue hospital gown and hooked to machines monitoring his vital signs at McLaren Central Michigan Hospital, James Eric Davis Jr appeared in Isabella County Trial Court via video Tuesday.

He is charged with murder in the Friday slayings of James Davis Sr, 48, and Diva Davis, 47. The family is from the Chicago suburb of Plainfield, where Davis Sr. was a part-time police officer in Bellwood, Illinois.

James Eric Davis Jr, 19, seen on a video, appears in the courtroom of Isabella County Trial Court in Michigan for his arraignment in the killings of his parents at Central Michigan University

Davis Jr (left) is charged with murder for allegedly shooting to death his father, James Davis Sr, and his mother, Diva Davis (pictured together, right)

Frequently during Tuesday afternoon's hearing, Davis Jr softly traced an index finger between his nose and upper lip. He also rubbed his chin often while listening to questions from Judge Paul Chamberlain.

When asked by Chamberlain if he understood the charges or was able to hear the judge, Davis Jr. quietly responded 'yes.'

Davis Jr. did appear confused when asked if he wanted court-appointed defense attorney Joshua Blanchard to represent him. Chamberlain kept Blanchard as his lawyer for the time being.

The judge also lowered Davis Jr.'s initial $3million bond, setting it at $1.25million.

Davis Jr's parents had just picked him up from a hospital Friday morning, where he was brought for suspected drug abuse a day earlier after campus officers said he was acting erratically, according to police. They took him to his room in Campbell Hall to pack up for spring break when they were shot with a gun that belonged to Davis Sr.

The 48-year-old married father-of-three had served for many years in the Illinois Army National Guard was was an Iraq War veteran.

Authorities have not said whether drugs were found in Davis Jr.'s system or if the gun used in the shootings was his father's service weapon.

A day after the double homicide, the 19-year-old's older brother came to his defense on social media, writing that Davis Jr was not a 'villain.'

Davis Jr's older brother Russell Matthew Davis (right), 27, said the 19-year-old (left) is not a 'villain' for killing their parents

Russell took to Facebook on Saturday, saying he still loves his brother

Russell Matthew Davis, 27, a doctoral divinity student and a member of the Church of God in Christ denomination, announced his parents' death on Facebook and said that he still loved his brother, despite the tragedy.

'Never thought Id have to post this type of post... but unfortunately the news is true. My mom and dad both rest from their life of labor and stress in a very tragic event. Its so surreal, Im in shock and even in denial... its a hard pill to swallow, a heavy load to bear,' Russell wrote.

Russell went on to say that he still loved his brother.

'I want him safe, supported and prayed for just like my sister Alexis Davis and I,' Russell said.

The couple were killed about 9am at this dorm on the Central Michigan University campus in Mt Pleasant

He had a special message to 'the media and opinionated people': 'Please don't make a villain out of my brother...that is NOT who he is... and despite the circumstances, he also lost a mother and father...And I LOVE him. Consider that!'.

It's still unclear what caused Davis to kill his parents but campus police revealed at a Friday press conference that they had taken him to the hospital the night before the murders for an 'overdose or bad reaction' to drugs.

He was discharged from the hospital Friday morning, just half an hour before his parents were killed.

Davis Jr fled after the shooting and was the focus of an intense manhunt involving more than 100 officers.

Authorities say Davis Jr (left) used his father's gun to kill his parents. Davis Sr (right) was a police officer in Bellwood, Illinois

News of the shooting has shocked the college student's friends and neighbors, who have have told the Chicago Tribune Davis Jr was a quiet and polite kid from a good and loving family.

'Junior was a very respectful man, raised by upstanding parents, who would do anything to protect him and his siblings,' longtime family friend Jordan Murphy said.

'This is an incredibly tragic event, and I pray for Eric's other children. This is so incredibly out of character, something went wrong somewhere.'

Murphy also said the slain couple, who had another son and a daughter, were 'ever-present parents who doted on their children'.

Police believed the suspect had an 'overdose or bad reaction' and took him to McLaren Central Michigan hospital in Mount Pleasant (pictured) the night before the murders

Davis ran north away from the apartment buildings after the shooting before police arrested him early Saturday morning after a 12-hour manhunt

Friday's shooting caused chaos at the small college town in Michigan.

The school posted to their Facebook on Friday morning about 9.30am, telling students to shelter in place and avoid the area around Campbell Hall while classes were cancelled for the day.

An automated phone message from the school also was sent to students Friday morning.

Friday was the last day of classes for Spring Break, so many parents were headed to the campus to pick students up.

Central Michigan University has about 23,000 students in Mount Pleasant, which is about 70 miles north of Lansing.

Friday was the last day of classes for Spring Break, so many parents were headed to the campus to pick students up.
Jeffrey Tambor's assistant claims that the Emmy Award-winning actor, who has been spotted out in public for the first time this week, boasted to her about watching her sleep naked.

Van Barnes, 42, who worked with Tambor, 73, for two years on the set of Transparent, has spoken out about how the actor subjected her to a campaign of 'sexual harassment, physical harassment and verbal abuse.'

Barnes, whose initial allegations in November led to Amazon shutting down production of the series, told Megyn Kelly how she felt 'violated' after Tambor once admitted he'd watched her sleeping in the middle of the night, while naked.

Jeffrey Tambor's assistant Van Barnes became emotional as she claimed that the Emmy Award-winning actor, who has been spotted out in public for he first time this week, boasted to her about watching her sleep naked

Barnes, whose initial allegations in November led to Amazon shutting down production of the series, told Megyn Kelly how she felt 'violated' after Tambor once admitted he'd watched her sleeping in the middle of the night, while naked

'In the middle of the night, he watched me sleep,' she told the host on Megyn Kelly Today on Wednesday. 'He said, "You were naked". And I said, "oh really?" thinking is he joshing me?

'And he said, "you sleep with one arm over your head".

'Thats violating, its so creepy,' she added. 'This is a man I put my trust in.'

Barnes said the alleged incident occurred while Tambor was staying with her for two weeks, when they first started working together, after the actor claimed he had nowhere else to stay.

Barnes, who said she was attracted to work on Transparent as a transgender woman, also claimed that Tambor would touch her inappropriately - patting her on the butt - and would 'constantly' make sexual comments to her.

Meanwhile, Tambor - who denies all the claims - was spotted out in public for the first time since he was fired from the show. He was photographed grabbing lunch solo at a burger joint in Ridgefield, Connecticut

Wearing a black jacket, blue and green beanie, and thick rimmed glasses, he was photographed grabbing lunch solo at a burger joint in Ridgefield, Connecticut

'He'd make comments like, "Why haven't we slept together?" It wasn't a one-time joke, it was like three times a week.

'After Ive said to him "I'm married", like 100 times. 'It ran the gamut of sexual harassment, physical harassment and verbal abuse, constantly,' she added.

Amazon launched an investigation after a second transgender woman, Trace Lysette,(pictured) also came forward and claimed that she too had been sexually harassed by Tambor on set

She claimed previously that Tambor, who is married to Russian actress Kasia Ostlun, who is more than 20 years his junior, would throw temper tantrums on set and hurl insults at her while on other occasions he would give her - what she refers to as - 'butt pats.'

Meanwhile, Tambor - who denies all the claims - was spotted out in public for the first time since he was fired from the show.

Wearing a black jacket, blue and green beanie, and thick rimmed glasses, he was photographed grabbing lunch solo at a burger joint in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Tambor's wife, Kasia Ostlun was pictured separately on a shopping trip in Cross River, New York.

A representative for Tambor insists he '100 per cent denies the claims' and said the investigation into her allegations by Amazon was 'deeply flawed.'

Amazon launched that investigation after a second transgender woman, Trace Lysette, also came forward and claimed that she too had been sexually harassed by Tambor on set.

Accused: He was accused of groping and lewd remarks by transgender ex-assistant Van Barnes (left and right). The show's writers are now working on the fifth season of the series

Ex-assistant to Jeffrey Tambor, Van Barnes, 42 (pictured), who worked with Tambor for two years said the actor fostered an 'extremely volatile' work environment

The series, in which Tambor played a transgender woman, is now preparing to resume production without their lead actor.

Barnes said that she tried to report Tambor's behavior to his personal management team at the Burstein Company, but nothing ever came of it, so she quit in January 2017.

Amazon's investigation into Tambor's behavior began in November after allegations from Barnes and actress Trace Lysette, who said he got 'physical' with her on set, and once thrust his penis against her body.

Tambor, 73, who played the transgender matriarch of the Pfefferman family on the show, previously dismissed Barnes's allegations as 'baseless.'

He was officially fired earlier this month at the end of the investigation. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter he said he was 'profoundly disappointed' in the way Amazon handled the allegations.

Amazon is in the process of speaking to both members of the 'Transparent' production and Tambor personally, per the studio's policy. Tambor plays the transgender matriarch of the Pfefferman family on the show (pictured), which airs on Amazon

Father-of-five Tambor, is married to his third wife Kasia Ostlun (pictured together in September at the Emmy Awards)

'For Mr Tambor to now characterize this investigation as "biased" and "politicized" is an insult to the numerous people he had worked with through the years who were forced to participate in an investigation created by his own actions,' Barnes said.

'Mr Tambor's lengthy abuse and harassment of me continues to haunt me and is a clear indication of how we got to this point.'

Barnes, who is transgender, said she found no joy in Tambor's firing, though, because 'Transparent' had provided jobs to many transgender people in the industry and his actions put those jobs in jeopardy.

However, she said she found his firing 'just.

'He has done this to himself,' she said. 'It is highly unfortunate that Mr Tambor has chosen to lash out at myself, Jill Soloway, and others, rather than accept accountability for his actions.'

Barnes added that she still felt like more should be done to support victims of abuse and harassment.
She has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and faces life if convicted

Ortega stabbed Lulu, six, and Leo Krim, two, to death in October 2012

Jurors saw horrific crime scene photos as Ortega herself averted her eyes

A juror has been booted off the trial of a Manhattan nanny accused of murdering two children after he admitted he didn't think he could be impartial.

Yoselyn Ortega, 55, allegedly stabbed six-year-old Lulu and two-year-old Leo Krim to death in the bathroom of their Upper West Side apartment in October 2012.

Ortega waited until the children's mother Marina Krim arrived home and found the horrific scene before the nanny plunged the knife into her own neck in a failed suicide attempt. Prosecutors say she wanted to relish in the devastated woman's pain and horror before taking her own life.

Her trial continued this week and on Tuesday, jurors were shown horrific photos of the bloody scene of the murders. One juror told the judge that he could no longer be fair and impartial and was excused from the case, the New York Times reported.

A juror has been booted off the trial of nanny Yoselyn Ortega (pictured in court on Friday) accused of murdering two children after he admitted he didn't think he could be impartial

At least two jurors wiped away tears as they were shown pictures of the blood smeared walls, floor and toilet of the bathroom where the bodies of Leo and Lucia were found with their eyes open. Others gasped and held their faces.

The bottom of the tub was almost entirely red, the New York Times reported.

Pictures showed blood smearing the walls, floor and toilet of the bathroom where the bodies of Leo and Lucia were found with their eyes open. The bottom of the tub was almost entirely red.

One bloody knife sat in the sink, inches away from a pink child's toothbrush. Another sat wrapped in a towel atop a toy refrigerator in the hallway.

At least two jurors wiped away tears as they saw the horror images, while others gasped and held their faces. By the afternoon, one juror told the judge that he could no longer be fair and impartial and was excused from the case, the New York Times reported.

Ortega, 55, allegedly stabbed six-year-old Lulu and two-year-old Leo to death in the the bathroom of their Upper West Side apartment in October 2012 (Pictured, from left to right: Nessie, Lulu and Leo)

Jurors were shown pictures of the blood smeared walls, floor and toilet of the bathroom where the bodies of Lulu (left) and Leo (right) were found with their eyes open

Details about the dismissal of juror number eight, of Hamilton Heights, weren't made public although it appears to be linked to his wife, a former Administration for Children's Services employee who now works at a children's charity.

The father-of-two told the court he could not continue after seeing the gory crime scene photos and hearing the harrowing testimonies.

'You can't will a wife to be quiet and stay out of his head!' Ortega's attorney Valerie Van Leer-Greenberg was overheard to say after a bench conference with the judge and the juror.

Justice Gregory Carro told the juror that, if he couldn't guarantee impartiality, 'the parties have agreed to let you go.'

'I wish you would have thought about this prior to being selected as a juror,' he added.

The man has been replaced with an alternate juror - an investment banker from Harlem.

Ortega has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and stared straight ahead throughout the presentation on Tuesday without looking at the photos, the New York Post reported.

Marina Krim (pictured with Leo) showed up to the dance studio where Lulu was supposed to be shortly before 5pm, and panicked when Lulu wasn't there. In less than an hour, Krim would find Lulu and Leo, dead in the bathroom of her apartment

Ortega (pictured with Lulu) said she was angry that the Krims had asked her to clean the house in addition to looking after the children

Leo was stabbed five times, and Lucia, who fought back, was stabbed 30 times, according to prosecutors.

Also on Tuesday, several more first responders were called to testify.

'That's the worst crime scene I've ever seen, other than September 11,' said paramedic Eugene Nicholas.

'I saw blood everywhere,' said Kevin Orr, a second paramedic.

'Mrs. Krim was stunned and hysterical, saying, how am I going to get this out of my head?' said paramedic Reuben Shelton.

Another EMT said that Marina Krim, who was with her three-year-old daughter Nessie when she discovered the gruesome scene, pleaded with paramedics to shield her from photographers as they left the building.

Nessie was spared from seeing the horror scene and didn't seem to understand what had happened, the court heard.

Earlier in the week, building superintendent Michael Minihan offered a chilling account when Ortega's eyes bulging out as she gasped for air and bled from a self-inflicted knife wound in her neck.

Minihan lived directly below the Krim family, whose kids Ortega nannied, and remembered rushing to apartment in October 2012 after hearing mom Marina Krim's blood-curdling cries.

Marina Krim (right) leaving court clutching her husband Kevin Krim's (left) hand. Marina erupted at Ortega on Friday after six hours of heart-wrenching testimony, She screamed at the former nanny: 'You're evil!' and yelled: 'Get me out of here!'

Krim was on the mezzanine 'holding her middle child, Nessie, screaming incoherently,' Minihan said.

When Minihan entered the apartment, he said he first saw Ortega, 'staring...the eyes of the devil in my face,' he said. 'Her eyes were bulging.'

Ortega had stabbed herself in the neck in an attempted suicide after killing the two young children.

Minihan told the court that he avoided looking in the direction of the bathroom where the mutilated bodies of Lulu and Leo were lying.

'I could see the tub and I could see a body or something. I tried as best as I could not to take my eyes off Ms Ortega but I could see there was a mess,' he said, fighting back tears. 'I just saw red, I just saw red.'

Building superintendent Michael Minihan (pictured) also testified this week

Prosecutors say Ortega grabbed two kitchen knives and butchered the two children while their mother was blocks away at the dance studio where Lulu was supposed to be.

They added that Ortega waited until Marina Krim found the children dead in the bathroom before plunging a knife into her own neck so that she could relish in the devastated woman's pain and horror

Prosecutors suggested that Ortega was jealous of Krim because she was financially stable and had a good relationship with her children.

Ortega is also alleged to have felt she deserved to work less and be paid more, but they have said there isn't a clear motive for the crime.

Ortega said she was angry that the Krims had asked her to clean the house in addition to looking after the children.

The nanny's attorney, Valerie Van Leer-Greenberg, said Ortega heard voices and saw hallucinations in unchecked disorders.

New York has a high bar for the insanity defense, and it is rarely successful. To win, Ortega's lawyers will have to prove she didn't understand the consequences of her actions and didn't know right from wrong at the time.

On Friday, in court, Marina Krim stormed out of the courtroom, screaming at Ortega following a harrowing six hours of testifying over two days in

'You're evil and you love this! You like this!' she screamed, wailing: 'Get me out of here. Please, get me out of here. Get me out!' as she was escorted out of the courtroom by court officers for a short break.

The judge told jurors to disregard the outburst.

Ortega's lawyer, Valerie Van Leer-Greenberg (pictured), said Ortega heard voices and saw hallucinations in unchecked disorders. But New York has a high bar for the insanity defense, and it is rarely successful

Ortega (pictured, Friday) faces a minimum of 20 years imprisonment if she is convicted and could be jailed for life without parole

Jurors on Friday watched on surveillance footage as mom Krim stood in the lobby of a dance studio discovering her six-year-old daughter, Lulu, was not at class.

Ortega was supposed to pick up Lulu from kindergarten and walk her to dance class then go home to put Leo down for nap. Krim would go to swimming with her other daughter, three-year-old Nessie, then and head home to meet Leo and Ortega.

Krim showed up to the studio shortly before 5pm, and panicked when Lulu wasn't there.

As she bends over her phone in the footage, Nessie plays in a bright pink coat in the lobby before Krim grabs her hand and walks out.

She frantically texted Ortega: 'Where's Lulu ... Donde Estas ... Where are you' but Ortega never answered.

In less than an hour, Krim would find Lulu and Leo, dead in the bathroom of her apartment.

Krim finished her heart-wrenching testimony after about six hours between Thursday and Friday on the stand in the murder trial

The children's father, Kevin Krim (above with Leo and Nessie), was working as a CNBC executive at the time of the murders. He now works at a start up

Krim testified that Ortega had just been kicked out of her Bronx apartment at the time of the murders according to the New York Post.

'I would say she was distracted. She was more arrogant...She had that smug look to her, like she has right now. It's disgusting,' she recalled, leading up to her children's brutal murders.

Ortega's defense attorney asked Krim if she ever considered firing Ortega.

'There was nothing to fire her about at that point,' Krim testified. 'I was aware of her strange behaviors but nothing to fire her over.'

Krim finished her heart-wrenching testimony after about six hours between Thursday and Friday on the stand in the murder trial.

The Krims use a Facebook page to post updates on how they are doing, writing about the arrival of two new children, Felix (left) born in 2013 and Linus (right) in 2016.

The couple started the Lulu and Leo Fund, which aims to support innovative art programs for children. Their daughter, Nessie (pictured), was three at the time of the killings. She is now seven or eight

Jurors also saw a booklet of photos Marina Krim made for Ortega after a trip they all took to see Ortega's family in the Dominican Republic.

The three children are beaming. In one photo, Ortega holds them, smiling.

Jurors also heard a doorman place a 911 call, and Krim's anguished screams in the background.

Ortega faces a minimum of 20 years imprisonment if she is convicted and could be jailed for life without parole.

Krim's husband, Kevin, was a CNBC executive at the time of the murders and now works at a startup.

The Krims use a Facebook page to post updates on how they are doing, writing about the arrival of two new children, Felix born in 2013 and Linus in 2016.

The couple started the Lulu and Leo Fund, which aims to support innovative art programs for children.

They recently posted a video message on Facebook asking that people mention the fund as their case becomes news again.
A Russian exile who knew Sergei Skripal has claimed the poisoned spy was still working with military intelligence officers - but insisted that Vladimir Putin wasn't behind the attack in Salisbury.

Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, remain critically ill after they were deliberately poisoned in Salisbury town centre on Sunday, police said.

He was 'specifically targeted' with a nerve agent in an incident that is being treated as an attempted murder, Scotland Yard's head of counter-terrorism Mark Rowley revealed on Wednesday.

It was also revealed that a police officer who was among the first to respond to the incident near The Maltings shopping centre is also in a serious condition in hospital.

On Wednesday night, Mr Skripal's fellow Russian exile Valery Morozov told Channel 4 News that the double agent was not retired, and remained in contact with military intelligence officers at the Russian Embassy.

He claimed he felt the company Mr Skripal was keeping was dangerous and decided to keep clear of him.

Sergei Skripal (left, in 2006) and his daughter Yulia (right) continue to fight for their lives after they were 'targeted' with a deadly substance in the middle of Salisbury town centre

'If you have a military intelligence officer working in the Russian diplomatic service, living after retirement in the UK, working in cyber-security and every month going to the embassy to meet military intelligence officers  for me being political refugee, it is either a certain danger or frankly speaking, I thought that this contact might not be very good for me because it can bring some questions from British officials,' he said.

'What is the meaning political refugee if I have a contact, rather strange especially with cyber-security because cyber-security and his background, they look very strange for me, let us put it like this.

'So that's why I thought it's better not to call him. It will be better to be aside.'

Mr Morozov also said he doesn't think Russian president Vladimir Putin is behind the attack.

'Who is Skripal? He is nobody for Putin, absolutely. Some man who officially betrayed the country. That's all,' he said.

Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Mark Rowley (right) confirmed that a nerve agent was used in an attempt to murder Sergei Skripal

'He's nobody. Putin doesn't think about him. There is nobody in Kremlin who is thinking about former military intelligence officer who was nobody. What is the reason?

'The problem is that immediately British officials, British press, British mass media started blaming Putin himself.

'And frankly speaking, it is not only not true from my point of view and not correct but it puts real refugees in danger, more than anything else.

'Because Putin from my point of view can't be behind this simply because I know how Kremlin functions. I worked in Kremlin. First I work in Soviet time I work in analytical service and then in the main organ of information warfare and I ended as chief editor of analytical service.

Police seen putting on protective suits and gas masks in preparation to carry out further investigation work in Salisbury

'I know how it functions and I know that the only rule, the main rule there is you should not create problem for Kremlin. That's how I survived personally.

'For Putin it is very important not to create scandal around him, to keep situation calm. I can't imagine that somebody has given this task.'

A spokesman for the Russian Embassy said they are not aware of communication between Mr Skripal and staff.

'We are not aware of any contacts between Sergei Skripal and any of the Embassy staff,' they said.

'As we have previously said, Mr Skripal was not on the consular register.'
Canadian actress Taylor Hickson has filed a lawsuit against a production company she claims is responsible for a disfiguring face injury.

Hickson is the star of indie horror film, Ghostland. The 20-year-old was injured in December 2016 while on set in Canada.

The 'Deadpool' actress filed the lawsuit against Incident Productions on Friday.

Canadian actress Taylor Hickson (left, before the injury and right, after the injury) has filed a lawsuit against a production company she claims is responsible for a disfiguring face injury

Hickson was required to shoot an 'emotionally charged scene' with her face near or against the glass in a door and pound it with her fists. The glass then shattered, causing Hickson's head and upper body to fall through the door and shards of glass. Pictured are her injuries

Hickson was required to shoot an 'emotionally charged scene' in which her character was required to, 'with her face near or against the glass in a door, pound it with her fists'.

Ghostland will be released in France next week

The incident occurred just days after her 19th birthday when the director, Pascal Laugier, reportedly asked her to pound harder on the door, according to the lawsuit obtained by Deadline.

Laugier is not named in the suit.

According to the lawsuit, Hickson had asked Laugier and the producer, who was also not named in the suit, if it was safe to keep pounding hard on the glass.

The glass then shattered, causing Hickson's head and upper body to fall through the door and shards of glass.

She was immediately rushed to the hospital and required 70 stitches on the left side of her face.

'The crafts services lady held my face together with napkins in her hands,' Hickson told Deadline. 'She went through so many napkins, there was so much blood.'

Photos of her horrific injury show her face bloodied with a large gaping slash that runs from her chin to her cheek.

The photos also show some bruising but that was actually prosthetics and makeup for the scene.

Since the accident, the actress has had laser and silicone treatments to repair the damage to her face. She told Deadline that she is left with 'mass amounts of insecurity'.

Hickson (left and right after the injury) was immediately rushed to the hospital and required 70 stitches on the left side of her face

In the lawsuit, Hickson, who appeared in Marvel's Deadpool (pictured) in 2016 claims the injury has left her with a loss of income for future projects

'Over one year post-incident, (Hickson) has been left with permanent scarring on the left side of her face,' the suit reads.

'It is unknown at this time if any further treatment, including plastic surgery, would reduce the visual appearance of the injury.'

In the lawsuit, Hickson claims the injury has left her with a loss of income for future projects.

Ironically, the film's poster shows the actress with a disfigured face.

Ghostland will be released in France next week.
A number of White House aides have been fired or reassigned to new duties because they haven't been granted permanent security clearances, including one who was dismissed from the First Lady's office.

ABC News reported Wednesday that there is also a list of 'several other' White House employees whose jobs hang in the balance because they remain in security-clearance purgatory despite serving in the Trump administration for many months.

Chief of Staff John Kelly released a memo last month to senior intelligence and law enforcement officials, saying he had put an end to the practice of awarding 'interim' clearances while the FBI investigates whether employees are fit to read classified materials.

The White House, under Chief of Staff John Kelly, has terminated or reassigned some aides whose security-clearance background checks were taking too long

One of the axed White House staffers worked for first lady Melania Trump but didn't pass a background check

He also said at the time that he was moving to cancel or downgrade such temporary clearances that had been in effect since before June 1, 2017.

Among the Trump advisers who fell into that category was the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

His clearance was slashed from 'top secret' to 'secret' just days ago, raising questions about how he could handle Middle East peace talks and other sensitive issues in his portfolio moving forward.

Kelly, according to ABC, requested a list last week of White House staffers whose background checks were being held up because of issues that required more investigation.

Part of the standard procedure in such cases, in past administrations, has been to evaluate whether those employees are suitable to remain in their jobs  and to terminate or reassign those who aren't.

The process of granting White House security clarances became a national fascination last month after DailyMail.com first reported that the man serving as the president's staff secretary was accused of domestic violence by his two ex-wives.

Rob Porter, who managed the flow of paperwork that reached the Oval Office, had been operating under an interim clearance since Inauguration Day.

The White House's process for granting 'interim' clearances came under a microscope after DailyMail.com reported that then-White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter  who had such a clearance for more than a year  was being accused of spousals abuse by two ex-wives

It's unclear which of first lady Melania Trump's aides was let go, but her office cut ties last month with longtime friend and event planner Stephanie Winston Wolkoff

Porter's former spouses had spoken to the FBI just weeks into the Trump presidency, describing him as an physically abusive husband. Yet both Kelly and former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus kept him on, even though the bureau had alerted the White House several times that he might not ultimately pass muster.

It's unclear which of first lady Melania Trump's aides was let go.

Her office cut ties last month with longtime friend and East Wing adviser Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a New York City event planner whose firm was paid $26 million to help plan President Trump's inauguration.

Like the president's daughter, Ivanka Trump, Winston Wolkoff was working without taking a salary.
Nikolas Cruz, 19, was officially charged with 17 counts of capital murder on Wednesday

Nikolas Cruz is facing the death penalty after being officially charged with 17 counts of capital murder for the February 14 massacre at Stoneman Douglas High School.

The 19-year-old was indicted on Wednesday after one of the couples who took him in after his mother died in November testified before a grand jury about him.

The teenager is currently being held in isolation at Broward County Sheriff's Office.

Cruz is charged with 34 different crimes - 17 first degree premeditated murder charges and 17 first degree attempted murder charges for the others who were injured.

The teenager's public defenders say he will plead guilty if the death penalty is taken off the table. If prosecutors deny their request, the case will go to trial.

State Attorney Michael J. Satz announced the charges in a press release on Wednesday after James and Kimberly Snead spent around 30 minutes speaking before the jury panel behind closed doors in Fort Lauderdale.

Cruz was living with them in Parkland, Florida, when he carried out the attack.

They have spoken about him publicly since and stood by their decision to let him keep guns in the home.

Cruz's public defender has said he'll plead guilty if prosecutors take the death penalty off the table, which would mean a life prison sentence.

Earlier on Wednesday, details of his life behind jail emerged in logs kept by the guards who are monitoring him at Broward County Jail.

Kimberly and James Snead are pictured leaving court in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday after testifying in front of the grand jury which later indicted Cruz, who they allowed to live with him after his mother died, on capital murder charges

Cruz's attorneys, including public defender Melissa McNeill, say he will plead guilty to all counts if the death penalty is taken off the table

They described him as a quiet inmate who has a varied appetite and struggles to sleep.

He is not allowed to have any interaction with other inmates but answers verbal commands well and is responsive to his doctors and lawyers.

During one visit with a lawyer, he was also heard laughing and giggling, they said.

Cruz often tosses and turns at night as he struggles to get to sleep and stares at the ceiling, the guards noted.

On February 24, ten days after the murders, he asked for a bible to read at night.

The teenager's public defender Melissa McNeill previously described him as a 'broken person'.

He has a history of mental illness and unpredictable, violent behavior which appears to have begun after his adoptive mother Lynda died from pneumonia, a side effect of the flu, in November.

Ninety-six inmates have been executed in Florida since 1976. The most recent was Eric Branch who died on February 22.
Jeff Rossen, an investigative journalist for the TODAY show, showed just how easy it is for hackers to steal information by posing as hotel WiFi accounts

As thousands of people across the United States are getting ready to head to a tropical destination on Spring Break, many don't realize they are also putting themselves at risk of being hacked.

A new report demonstrates how easy it is for holidaymakers to have their iPhones hacked and information stolen while they are on vacation.

Jeff Rossen, an investigative journalist for the TODAY show, showed just how easy it is for hackers to steal information by posing as hotel WiFi accounts.

For most people, they get onto the WiFi account that most closely resembles the name of the hotel.

But with the help of cyber security expert Jim Stickley, Rossen demonstrated how easy it is for hackers to pose as a hotel WiFi account to steal information.

The two staked out at the Grand Fiesta Americana hotel in Cancun, Mexico and set up alternate WiFi accounts with similar names to the name of the resort, which tourists blindly joined, assumed it belonged to the hotel.

Once they're on, the person who owns the WiFi can then see all of the user's actions, including if they make any purchases or if they log into their bank accounts.

He explained that the fitst thing most people do when checking into a hotel, particularly one out of the country, is log onto the hotel's wireless internet, but said just because an account looks like it belongs to the hotel does not mean it does

To demonstrate, Rossen logged into one of the accounts and Stickley monitored what he was doing.

Stickley was able to see his credit card information when he bought a pair of gloves, saw him check in for a flight, and saw him enter his email address and password.

Rossen said that though the information is daunting and frightening to people who are about to board planes and head to Spring Break destinations around the world, there are simple tips that can be taken to avoid having information stolen.

To demonstrate, Rossen logged into one of the accounts and Stickley monitored what he was doing

Stickley was able to see his credit card information when he bought a pair of gloves, saw him check in for a flight, and saw him enter his email address and password

One of the easiest tips, he said, is to log off of WiFi networks when making purchases or logging into bank accounts.

Though it might cost more in international phone charges, 3G and 4G networks are much more secure and difficult to hack than WiFi networks.

He said that it is also good for people to regularly disconnect and reconnect to the WiFi accounts, to keep phones from automatically joining a fake accout with an identical name.

Rossen said on an iPhone the user has to hit 'forget this network,' and then log in again, but suggested making sure they were always picking the correct network.

Another way to avoid this, he said, is to ensure the iPhone's 'auto-join' WiFi feature is permanently set to off.

And one way to ensure someone is joining a correct network, he concluded, is to try typing in a real name but fake room number. He said if he does that but it lets him join the network anyway, he knows that is a fake network and not to trust it.
An Oklahoma couple have been arrested on child neglect charges after police say their three-year-old daughter was found walking alone along a highway and her baby sister was discovered covered in several days worth of feces and urine inside their mobile home.

Police were called on Friday after a driver reported picking up a toddler who nearly walked in front of his truck on Highway US 62 in Chicasha.

A neighbor who witnessed the incident said the little girl was crying and telling the Good Samaritan that she wanted to go home, but she could not tell the motorist and police her family's address.

Scroll down for video

Parents jailed: Jazzmine Bennett (left), 27, and Darien Jeffers (right), 23, from Oklahoma, have been charged with endangering and neglecting their two young daughters

Victims: Police said the pair's three-year-old was found wandering alone in the streets, while her one-year-old sister was left crying at home in a days-old diaper overflowing with feces

While the officers were investigating, a man and woman later identified as 27-year-old Jazzmine Bennett and 23-year-old Darien Jeffers drove up to them and said the lost girl was their daughter, reported KFOR.

The parents said they had another child inside their trailer home in the 800 block of Choctow Avenue, prompting the officers to inspect the residence.

According to court documents cited by Chickasha Express-Star, upon entering the trailer police 'noticed a strong odor of feces, urine and other foul odors.'

The officers discovered a one-year-old girl 'shaking and screaming in her crib' while wearing a diaper leaking feces and urine that had not been changed in at least a couple of days.

The three-year-old was rescued by a motorist from Highway Us 62 in Chickasha, Oklahoma

Filthy home: When police entered the family's trailer (pictured), they were struck by a foul odor of feces and urine

Priorities: The parents (seen together left) told police they had left the kids at home to get some food. Bennett also said they were planning to take they eldest daughter to the hospital to be treated for pink eye

The officer could not find a clean diaper to change the baby into, so he held her under the faucet in the kitchen to wash her off 'and noticed small pieces of skin fall from the baby's buttocks because it was stuck to the feces.'

A closer inspection of the crib revealed rodent droppings on the mattress, stains from feces and old food and dried milk in a sippy cup.

The mom-of-two is being held in jail on $100,000 bond and her children are now in protective custody

When police searched the trailer, they also allegedly discovered drug paraphernalia and small pieces of metal that were within the childrens reach.

Bennett and Jeffers reportedly told police they had left their children home alone to get some food. The mother also said they were planning to take their older daughter to the hospital later that day to be treated for an eye infection.

The parents were arrested on charges of child neglect, child endangerment and omitting to provide for a child, and both of their daughters were taken into protective custody and transported to the hospital.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the mother and father were being held in Grady County Jail on $100,000 bond each.

According to Jeffers' Facebook page, he and Bennett are engaged. Photos posted on the woman's page show the couple's smiling daughters trick-or-treating on Halloween and spending time with their grandmother.
President Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen obtained a secret restraining order in a private arbitration proceeding barring porn star Stormy Daniels from disclosing 'confidential information' related to a nondisclosure agreement she signed in October 2016.

On Wednesday NBC News reported on the legal maneuver, which happened in late February, hours after White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders claimed that the president's lawyers had already won a case against Daniels in arbitration.

In the same breath she told reporters that 'there was no knowledge of any payments made from the president and he's denied all of these allegations,' she said.

Scroll down for video

President Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen (pictured) obtained a secret restraining order in a private arbitration proceeding barring porn star Stormy Daniels from disclosing 'confidential information'

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that President Trump had won in arbitration against Stormy Daniels - which her lawyer denies - and that he's denied having an affair with the porn star and had 'no knowledge' she was being paid off

Donald Trump and porn Stormy Daniels aka Stephanie Clifford pose together in 2006; the White House says he already won a case in arbitration against her and that he's denied the accusations of an affair

The president has been accused of having an affair in 2006 and 2007 with the porn star, with sources telling the Wall Street Journal that Cohen paid $130,000 to Daniels so that she'd sign a non-disclosure agreement and keep quiet.

Trump has never spoken publicly of the alleged affair or the hush money, though has denied the former through counsel and his spokespeople.

On Tuesday, Daniels sued the president, pointing out that he never signed the contract, and thus it should be 'null and void.'

Her attorney Michael Avenatti has since said that Cohen is continuing to pressure Daniels for her silence, cautioning her that she's subject to damages if she talks about Trump.

'Earlier today, Mr. Cohen through his attorney, Mr. [Lawrence] Rosen, further threatened by client in an effort to prevent her from telling the truth about what really happened,' Avenatti told NBC News. 'We do not take kindly to these threats, nor [will we] be intimidated.'

During Wednesday's press briefing, Huckabee Sanders was hounded over whether President Trump knew his longtime lawyer was paying off a porn star on his behalf.

'Not that I'm aware of,' Huckabee Sanders answered, delivering the same line that she did on Monday when the subject first came up.

That line prompted the question of whether the press secretary had directly asked the president if he knew about the payment.

'Yeah, I've had conversations with the president about this,' she replied, before giving the more direct answer that Trump had 'no knowledge' of the monetary exchange.

Another reporter asked the press secretary 'when' the president knew about the cash payment.

'I've addressed this as far as I can go,' Huckabee Sanders said.

Huckabee Sanders' main defense was that the case had already been settled in arbitration.

'Look the president has addressed these directly and made very well clear that none of these allegations are true, this case has already been won in arbitration and anything beyond that I would refer you to the president's outside counsel,' Huckabee Sanders said.

At the time, the 'arbitration' that she was referring to was news to the press corps, with Huckabee Sanders saying that the case had been won by the president's personal lawyers, instructing reporters to ask them.

'I can share you that the arbitration was won in the president's favor and I would refer you to the president's outside counsel on any details beyond that,' the press secretary said.

Cohen did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment about the arbitration proceedings. His cell phone voicemail was full on Wednesday afternoon.

Avenatti scoffed at Huckabee Sanders saying that Trump had won the case.

'Yeah, and he won the popular vote,' the lawyer said.

Expanding those comments to NBC News, Daniels' attorney said, 'President Trump hasn't won anything relating to Ms. Clifford.'

Stephanie Clifford is Stormy Daniels' real name.

'First of all, it does not appear as if he was even a party to the arbitration Ms. Sanders was referring to. How can you win something you're not even a part of?' the lawyer asked. 'Secondly, claiming that Mr. Trump "won" at arbitration when there has been no hearing, no notice to Ms. Clifford, no opportunity given to her to respond, and no decision on the merits, is completely bogus.'

Earlier Wednesday, Daniels' lawyer had confirmed that his client had a sexual relationship with the president years ago.

'Yes,' Avenatti said on the 'Today' show, answering the question on every Trump-watcher's mind.

Daniels had previously refused to say out loud what news outlets had reported breathlessly, citing a nondisclosure agreement that she signed in exchange for $130,000 in hush money just days before the 2016 election.

But on Tuesday she sued the president, alleging that while she and both of their attorneys signed it, he never did.

'We look forward to sunlight serving as a disinfectant,' Avenatti told DailyMail.com on Wednesday.

Porn actress Stormy Daniels' lawyer confirmed Wednesday that 'yes,' his client had a sexual relationship with Donald Trump a decade ago

Michael Avenatti said on the 'Today' show what his client had been coy about for months

Daniels sued Trump on Tuesday, saying that he never signed the nondisclosure agreement that had kept her quiet since just before the 2016 election; 'We look forward to sunlight serving as a disinfectant,' Avenatti told DailyMail.com on Wednesday

The lawyer also said Daniels 'may have to' refund $130,000 in hush money, 'and she is prepared to do that'

It's unclear whether Trump and his lawyer have a signed copy.

Daniels said Cohen has continued to try to silence her about her 'intimate' relationship with Trump that ran from 2006 to 2007 and began shortly after first lady Melania gave birth to their son Barron.

Her lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court includes copies of the nondisclosure agreement  in which she and the president are referred to by aliases  and a side letter that identifies her and Trump by name.

Avenatti said Daniels is prepared to return the payment, which Cohen insists he made out of his own pocket.

'I think she may have to,' he said, 'and she is prepared to do that.'

But 'in light of the amount of misinformation thats out there, some of which has been disseminated by Mr. Cohen and others,' he insisted, 'she believes it's important that the public learn the truth about what happened.'

Avenatti also said he doubts that Cohen, and not Trump, paid his client off.

'We think its highly questionable as to whether it came from his personal funds ... there's no question the president knew about it at the time,' he told NBC's audience.

'The idea that an attorney would go off on his own without his clients knowledge and engage in this type of negotiation and enter into this type of agreement, quite honestly I think is ludicrous.'

Avenatti said Tuesday on 'CBS This Morning' that Daniels is 'absolutely not' trying to sell her story to the highest bidder. But he admitted that 'I don't know whether she's going to ultimately seek payment or not.'

Daniels says because Trump did not sign the NDA, the courts should find the agreement 'invalid'

The lawsuit filed Tuesday lists Donald Trump, as well as an alias he used for the nondisclosure agreement, 'David Dennison'

Attached as exhibits in the suit is the NDA, as well as a side letter from October 28, 2016.; where Trump aka David Dennison would have signed was left blank

All of the papers attached as exhibits in the lawsuit were unsigned by a not-yet-president Trump

The pages were signed however by Trump's attorney Michael Cohen as well as by Clifford's attorney at the time

The agreement at the center of the legal dispute was signed by Clifford  using her professional name  and Cohen on October 28, 2016.

The copy included with Tuesday's lawsuit features a blank space where Trump would have signed.

The suit says that Cohen tried to keep Clifford from talking about her relationship with Trump as recently as Feb. 27, 2018.

'To be clear, the attempts to intimidate Ms. Clifford into silence and "shut her up" in order to "protect Mr. Trump" continue unabated,' according to the suit.

'On or about February 27, 2018, Mr. Trump's attorney Mr. Cohen surreptitiously initiated a bogus arbitration proceeding against Ms. Clifford in Los Angeles.'

Avenatti is asking the court to declare that the 'hush agreement' and the side agreement 'were never formed, and therefore do not exist, because, among other things, Mr. Trump never signed the agreements.'

'In the alternative, Plaintiff seeks an order of this Court declaring that the agreements in the forms set out in Exhibits 1 and 2 are invalid, unenforceable, and/or void under the doctrine of unconscionability.'

The suit also alleges that the president must be aware that Cohen is trying to keep Clifford quiet because, as a member of the New York bar, he is required to keep his client informed at all times.

'[I]t strains credulity to conclude that Mr. Cohen is acting on his own accord and without the express approval and knowledge of his client Mr. Trump.'

The 2016 agreement paid Daniels $130,000, days before the presidential election to keep her from disclosing any confidential information about Trump or his sexual partners to anyone beyond a short list of individuals she'd already told about the relationship.

She was also forbidden to share any texts or photos from Trump.

Avenatti said Tuesday that he was 'not at liberty' to say whether or not Daniels still has them.

Clifford also alleges Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen (pictured), has continued to try to silence her

Clifford's attorney, Michael Avenatti, shared the full complaint with the attached NDA agreement and side letter as exhibits to Twitter on Tuesday

The president has never addressed the alleged relationship publicly, and before this week, the White House has side-stepped questions about it with spokesperson Raj Shah telling members of the press he had never asked the president about it.

While Huckabee Sanders said she has talked to Trump about the allegations, she didn't know if the president had been in touch with Cohen.

She also wouldn't answer why President Trump's campaign had been paying Cohen's legal fees.

The firm representing Cohen received $214,467 from the re-election campaign during the final months of 2017.

Cohen has acknowledged the payment, and has previously claimed it came from his own funds  but has never said what the payment was for.

In the suit, Clifford also alleges that in January 2018, Cohen, 'concerned the truth would be disclosed ... through intimidation and coercive tactics, forced Ms. Clifford into signing a false statement wherein she stated that reports of her relationship with Mr. Trump were false.'
Melbourne commuters are facing traffic chaos after a truck jack-knifed across all four lanes of a major freeway early on Thursday morning.

The incident has blocked all four lanes of the WestGate Freeway prior to the Burnley Tunnel after it was hit by a smaller truck.

A spokesman from Vic Traffic told Daily Mail Australia the jackknifed truck also has a flat front steer tyre and would need to be towed.

A semitrailer has jackknifed, blocking all four lanes of the Westgate Freeway

Two lanes of the road reopened about 8.45am, but traffic still extended for 13 kilometres

Two lanes reopened on the road about 8.45am, as workers began to work on towing the truck off the freeway, but two remain closed and heavy traffic is continuing.

A spokesman for Vic Traffic said the line of waiting commuters stretched back about 13 kilometres.

Vic Roads is advising drivers to avoid the area completely, and drivers currently on the freeway are urged to exit as soon as they can.

Anyone using the West Gate Fwy should exit at Princes Hwy/Geelong Rd and head through Footscray. People using Citylink can use Flemington Rd.

The semitrailer has also suffered a flat front steering tyre, making it harder for the truck to move

The blockage has caused commuter chaos and drivers heading to the city are urged to exit the freeway as soon as possible
An FBI agent stabbed his estranged wife to death before shooting himself dead just hours before they were due in court for a divorce hearing.

Donna Fisher, 54, was discovered with multiple stab wounds outside her Arundel Boulevard home, in Crownsville, Maryland on Wednesday morning.

David Raynor, 52, her recently estranged husband, was found nearby with stab wounds and a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The pair, who were due in court Wednesday for a divorce hearing, were pronounced dead by emergency responders on arrival, Capital Gazette reports.

Scroll down for video

Donna Fisher, 54, was found dead with multiple stab wounds, and David Raynor, 52 (both pictured) was found with stab wounds and a self inflicted gun shot wound to the head on Wednesday, just hours before they were due in court for divorce proceedings

An unidentified person called 911 on behalf of Fisher who had said her estranged husband Raynor was threatening her but when police arrived they were both dead. It is unclear if the couple shared any children

David Raynor, 52, and his estranged wife Donna Fisher, 54, were found with stab wounds and a self-inflicted gunshot wound outside a home in the 500 block of Arundel Boulevard in Crownsville, Maryland (pictured)

Police say they received a 911 call at just after 8am Wednesday morning from an unidentified caller, saying that Fisher had asked her to call 911 because Raynor was threatening her.

Officers responded to the domestic abuse call and found the victims outside the $600,000 home.

Homicide detectives have cordoned off the scene and the bodies were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) for autopsy, according to the local CBS affiliate.

The crime scene at the $600,000 Arundel Boulevard home, in Crownsville, Maryland, on Wednesday morning

David Raynor, 52, who worked for the Baltimore Field Office, was found with stab wounds and a self-inflicted gunshot wound

Raynor, of Stone Point Drive in Annapolis, and his wife had filed for divorce in March 2017 and were due to appear in court today, according to court records.

FBI spokesman Dave Fitz confirmed that Raynor, had been a special agent with the bureau since 1996.

The 52-year-old had been stationed at the Baltimore field office since 2003.

Fitz declined to comment on the precise nature of Raynor's role.
Advertisement

The brutal combination of Storm Emma and the Beast from the East has left Whitley Bay's famous sandy beach without any sand.

Rough seas and high winds have swept huge swathes of sand away from the shore on the North Tyneside coastline revealing the hard, rocky terrain beneath.

Before and after pictures show the dramatic contrast between how it usually looks, covered in golden sand, to how it is now.

 Slide me  The brutal combination of Storm Emma and the Beast from the East has left Whitley Bay's famous sandy beach without any sand. Pictured left is the shoreline as it usually is and right today

 Slide me  Before and after pictures show the dramatic contrast between how it usually looks, covered in golden sand, to how it is now

 Slide me  Before and after: There is a dramatic contrast between how Whitley Bay beach looks normally and how it does this week

Rough seas and high winds have swept huge swathes of sand away from the shore at Whitley Bay, North Tyneside revealing the hard, rocky terrain beneath. A man is pictured there today searching between the rocks with a metal detector

Last week brought high-risk weather warnings to large parts of the UK with winds of up to 70mph and feels like temperatures of -15C.

After snow storms eventually subsided and the thick blanket of white started to melt, they were replaced with flood warnings in some parts of the UK and ice ones in others.

A dog walker at Whitley Beach today compared the transformed coastline to the moon.

He said: 'It's like being on the moon. I walk my dog here every day and I have never known anything like it. 'The beach has been totally transformed. I don't even recognise it.'

A dog walker at Whitley Beach today (pictured)compared the transformed coastline to the moon, saying he didn't recognise it

Last week brought high-risk weather warnings to large parts of the UK with winds of up to 70mph and feels like temperatures of -15C. High tides and strong winds during the storms have seen the sand washed away from Whitley Bay beach
Karl Stefanovic has complimented Julie Bishop's jewellery just moments after criticising articles about her appearance.

Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs discussed International Women's Day before the Today co-host made the cringeworthy comment about Ms Bishop's earrings.

'I hope you don't mind me saying but they are lovely earrings,' Mr Stefanovic said.

Karl Stefanovic has complimented Julie Bishop's (pictured) earrings just moments before criticising articles about her appearance on Thursday

Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs discussed International Women's Day and signing agreements before the Today co-host (pictured) made the cringeworthy comment

Sitting in a studio in New York, the foreign minister replied with a 'thank you' before being asked when she was going to be Prime Minister.

Minutes earlier, the co-host took aim at articles written about Ms Bishop's appearance while she has been working overseas.

The TV anchor noted the articles had focused on what Australia's first female foreign minister's was wearing instead of her job.

'Today I addressed the general assembly on the Kimberly Diamonds process, that is the regulation of diamond trade across the world,' Ms Bishop responded.

'Tomorrow I am making a statement in the Security Council about Afghanistan and people want to focus on how I spend my salary?

'I really don't get the connection.'

'I hope you don't mind me saying but they are lovely earrings,' Mr Stefanovic said Thursday (pictured Ms Bishop and David Panton)

Sitting in a studio in New York, the foreign minister replied with a 'thank you' before being asked when she was going to be Prime Minister (pictured together at 2017 Melbourne Cup)

Minutes earlier, the TV anchor noted articles had focused on what Australia's first female foreign minister's was wearing instead of her job (pictured with Mr Panton)

The comments come as Ms Bishop prepares to be on the panel of the United Nations International Women's Day event alongside American ambassadors including Reese Witherspoon.

'I will be talking about Australia's experience in empowering women and girls,' she said.

'No country has actually achieved full gender equality and Australia has a long way to go.'
Iraqi Ahmed Hassan (pictured), 18, is accused of building a deadly explosive device, packed with 5lbs of knives, screwdrivers and nails to inflict 'maximum carnage' on a District Line Tube train at Parsons Green, London on September 15 last year

A teenage asylum seeker set off a bomb on the Tube after coming to Britain in the back of a lorry and telling the Home Office he was trained to kill by Islamic State, a court heard yesterday.

Iraqi Ahmed Hassan, 18, is accused of building a deadly explosive device, packed with 5lbs of knives, screwdrivers and nails for 'maximum carnage', at the foster home where he was given refuge.

The bomb contained 14oz of the explosive TATP, commonly known as 'Mother of Satan', and sent a fireball through a District Line carriage packed with rush-hour commuters  injuring 30  at Parsons Green station in West London on September 15 last year.

The Old Bailey heard that it was a 'matter of luck' the bomb did not fully detonate and no-one was killed. Jurors were also told that:

Hassan sneaked into Britain through the Channel Tunnel aged 15

He openly declared his links to IS when he applied to the Home Office for asylum

The teenager was allegedly seen by staff at a charity-run shelter looking at an IS video and listening to jihadi songs, yet no-one raised the alarm;

While his foster parents were on holiday, Hassan ordered bomb ingredients on Amazon using a 20 gift voucher he won after being named 'student of the year';

He loaded his bucket bomb with shrapnel, including screwdrivers and drill bits bought from Asda and Aldi.

Hassan is captured on CCTV collecting chemicals to make his 'Mother of Satan' bomb

The alleged bomber openly declared his links to IS when he applied for asylum after arriving in Britain as a lone child refugee, the court was told.

In his first interview with immigration officials on January 18, 2016, Hassan said he had been trained to kill by jihadis with 1,000 other people, adding: 'They trained us on how to kill. It was all religious-based.'

But he claimed he went along with it only because he feared the fanatics could kill his family, and said he was claiming asylum in Britain because he was 'in fear of Islamic State', the court heard.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan described what Hassan  who had no identity documents to verify his name or age  said to immigration officials.

She said: 'He was forced to go on his own otherwise they would kill his family and he shared training with 1,000 people and they would spend three to four hours a day in the mosque.'

The bomb (pictured) contained 14oz of the explosive TATP, commonly known as 'Mother of Satan', and sent a fireball through a District Line carriage packed with rush-hour commuters  injuring 30  at Parsons Green station in West London on September 15 last year

Ahmed Hassan being given a 'Student of the Year' award at Brooklands College. He used the 20 Amazon token prize to buy hydrogen peroxide for the Parsons Green bomb, the Old Bailey heard

The 15-year-old denied being a sleeper IS fighter sent to Europe and claimed he fled to Britain after being freed by Iraqi soldiers.

But shortly after his arrival in the UK, Hassan was seen by staff at a shelter in Horley, Surrey, run by children's charity Barnados secretly watching a video featuring masked men with machine guns bearing an IS flag, it was said.

He was also allegedly caught listening to a 'call to arms' song, with the lyrics: 'We are coming with you to the slaughter in your home and country.'

Despite this worrying behaviour, the teenager was referred by social services to Brooklands College, where he was given a mentor who helped him find a foster home in Sunbury, Surrey.

At the college, where he studied media, the jury heard the teenager made a film as part of his course showing a mobile phone being destroyed, in an apparent rehearsal of his efforts to hide his tracks following the bombing.

He also kept on a memory stick a series of disturbing songs known as 'nasheeds' encouraging 'violent military action' in support of IS, it was said.

Barely 18 months after his admission to the Home Office, Hassan shopped for bomb ingredients on Amazon, and at Aldi and Asda, jurors heard.

He allegedly ordered a five-litre bottle of hydrogen peroxide and sulphuric acid from Amazon in August before assembling the bomb while his foster parents were on holiday for a week.

The day before the Parsons Green bombing, Hassan was caught on CCTV in an Asda supermarket shopping for batteries and a screwdriver set before buying drill bits from an Aldi store to add to the bomb, the court was told.

On September 15, Hassan allegedly carried his bomb in a bucket hidden in an Aldi shopping bag through Wimbledon station, calmly walking past school children and commuters.

The Old Bailey heard the teenager loaded his bucket bomb with shrapnel, including screwdrivers and drill bits bought from Asda and Aldi. Pictured: acid Hassan bought

In a toilet on the concourse, Hassan set the modified kitchen timer on the device before boarding the train, the jury heard.

He got off at Putney Bridge station, two minutes before the bomb went off at just before 8.20am  shortly after the train arrived at Parsons Green, the court heard.

The bomb caused a stampede as hundreds rushed to get out of the station.

Miss Morgan said: 'It was rush hour and the train was crowded. There were approximately 93 people in the carriage when the device detonated. The partial explosion created a large fireball.

'Some in the carriage were caught by the flames and sustained significant burns. Many ran in fear and panic. They were fortunate.

'Had the device fully detonated, it is inevitable that serious injury and significant damage would have been caused within the carriage. Those in close proximity to the device may well have been killed.

'It was a matter of luck that the device did not function as intended... The defendant intended to kill people.'

Victims: One of the 30 injured in the Parsons Green Tube attack on a District Line train last year

She added: 'He never intended to be injured by the device himself. Instead he had created a timer system to ensure that it detonated in his absence.'

Hassan, wearing a navy jumper, stared at the ground as the jury were shown the chilling footage of commuters standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a packed train sipping from coffee flasks and reading newspapers, when the carriage was suddenly engulfed in a wall of flame.

Hassan was captured on CCTV walking away from Putney Bridge station without a backward glance, before boarding a bus travelling past his target to see the carnage unfold, Miss Morgan said.

When the bus drove past Parsons Green station, he glanced out of the window before coolly removing the memory card from his mobile phone, chewing it and stuffing it down the side of the seat, she said.

In a bid to avoid detection, Hassan changed his clothes several times and bought a new mobile phone to check BBC News coverage of the blast as he took a series of trains to Richmond, Brighton and finally Ashford in Kent.

He was arrested the next day at 7.52am at the Port of Dover. He was carrying 2,320 in cash, it was said.

The court heard that the defendant's asylum claim was unresolved at the time of his arrest.

Hassan, from Sunbury, denies attempted murder and causing an explosion likely to endanger life or damage property.

The trial continues.
The tiny toddler who made some very big waves when a picture of her staring at Michelle Obama and video of her dancing with the former first lady both went viral has been doing the television rounds.

Parker Curry, 2, made appearances on NBC Nightly News, CNN Tonight and CBS This Morning in a span of just 24 hours, while also managing to squeeze in that aforementioned meeting with Mrs Obama.

And with her mother by her side Parker has revealed that she thinks the former first lady is a 'queen,' she is not certain who Mrs. Obama is married to and she hopes to become president herself one day.

Scroll down for video

Busy girl: Parker Curry, 2, declared that Michelle Obama is a 'queen' in a series of interviews on NBC, CNN and CBS (Parker above on CBS This Morning on Wednesday)

Shake it off: She also revealed that she hopes to one day become president after she got the chance to meet the former first lady at her DC office and dance with her (Parker above on CNN Tonight on Tuesday)

Happy kid: Parker (above on NBC NIghtly News on Monday) is now being represented by a lifestyle PR firm in DC

Parker's first appearance was on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, with the little girl being interviewed at the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown.

That hotel is a client of the firm now representing the young girl, TAA Public Relations.

It was in that interview that Parker was asked for the first time what she saw when she looked at the painting, to which she replied: 'A queen!'

Parker had a bit more trouble remembering the actual name of the woman she had seen at the National Portrait gallery, as any child that age would, especially when quizzed by a stranger on the spot.

Once her mother Jessica gave her the first name however, she was able to get the last name on her own, saying: 'Michelle Obama!'

Jessica then said in that interview, filmed on Monday, that Michelle had seen the photo and commented with heart-eye emojis, which she said was very exciting for her and Parker.

Things got even more exciting however the next day when Parker got to have her dance party with Michelle, followed by interviews with CBS This Morning and CNN Tonight.

The CBS This Morning interview took place at Laduree, another TAA client, and Parker once again declared that Michelle was a 'queen' when she saw the photo.

Parker, who had just come from seeing the first lady, also detailed her time with Michelle, saying: 'We danced.'

Jessica, who writes about her life as a 'millennial mama' on her blog Happy Mama Happy Babies, then jumped in to talk about the Parker's famous friend.

'She told Parker she was beautiful and smart and so happy to meet her,' said the mother.

She also revealed that she is looking forward to when Parker is older and she can understand what a momentous occasion this is, and how much her photo has inspired others.

Parker was then asked: 'Do you know what you want to do when you grow up? Would you rather be first lady or president.'

She quickly replied: 'President.'

Gobsmacked: An photo of Parker staring in awe at the painting of the former first lady that was recently hung at the National Portrait Gallery went viral over the weekend

Parker and Michelle chatting during their meeting on Tuesday (above, with what looks like a Jasper Johns in the background)

There was still one more interview after that, as Parker headed to CNN's DC studio to shoot an interview with Don Lemon.

That interview, shot shortly after 8pm, seemed to be all Parker could take, though the young girl was still remarkably well behaved as she said Michelle was a queen and added: 'I miss her.'

Parker then headed home but her mother shared the exciting moment on Wednesday morning when she finally got to see herself on TV.

'That's me! They're talking about me,' said an excited Parker.

The first lady has yet to comment on her meeting with Parker after sharing video of herself dancing with the toddler on Tuesday.

That is when DailyMail.com first reported that young Parker was being represented by TAA Public Relations, a firm that has worked with The Smithsonian Institution in the past.

TAA has also done events at and benefiting the National Portrait gallery specifically according to their online site.

The actual dance party was at Michelle's office, with what appeared to be a Kara Walker painting hanging in the background of one picture and a Jasper Johns in another.

'Parker, I'm so glad I had the chance to meet you today (and for the dance party)!' wrote Michelle on Twitter.

'Keep on dreaming big for yourself...and maybe one day I'll proudly look up at a portrait of you!'

She also included some video of herself and a very spirited Parker dancing to Taylor Swift's song Shake It Off.

Parker's mother Jessica and little sister Ava could be seen in the background watching as the young girl boogied with the former first lady, who was outfitted in a white blouse and black slacks.

Parker's dance party was also posted by her new PR firm, who revealed they were working with the little girl by writing: 'When our littlest client met the Queen in the portrait - this is ALL OF US!!'

On Monday the firm also posted as a coat rack full of toys was pushed to a room at the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown, ahead of Parker's interview with NBC Nightly News.

And Parker even managed to score some swag on Tuesday, with her mother Jessica posting video as Parker opened up a box of clothing from Tea Collection.

The brand was tagged and thanked in that post, with Parker then wearing one of their dresses in the video where she danced with Michelle.

She also wore the dress on CBS and CNN later in the day.

Swag: Parker, who is now a client of TAA Public Relations, got some toys delivered to a room at the Ritz on Monday (left, with the hotel also a TAA PR client) and on Tuesday opened up some swag (right) from Tea Collection (whose dress she wore in the video with Michelle)

Get down: Michelle Obama had 2-year-old Parker Curry over to her office on Tuesday for a dance party (Michelle and Parker above)

It is unclear when the firm began working with Parker and Jessica.

Parker was visiting the National Portrait Gallery on Thursday when Ben Hines snapped a photo of her looking at the painting.

He then posted the photo on Facebook, writing: 'Donna Hines & I made a pilgrimage today and we were delighted to wait in line behind this fellow art lover & hopeful patriot.'

Hines had been visiting his mother Donna in DC at the time, and within 24 hours the photo had gone viral.

Jessica soon learned the news as well, with Hines evidently posting the photo of the young girl to social media without her mother's permission.

She shared the image on her social media accounts, and on Facebook wrote: 'Parker went viral today thanks to a stranger taking a picture of her admiring Michelle Obamas portrait yesterday!'

In addition to Michelle, the photo also grabbed the attention of painter Amy Sherald.

She responded by posting the image and sharing a poignant story about the first time she saw herself or someone she knew in a piece of art.

'When I look at this picture I think back to my first field trip in elementary school to a museum,' wrote Sherald.

'I had only seen paintings in encyclopedias up to that point in my life. There was a show up of work by painter @thebobartlett whose work still inspires me to this day.'

She then added: 'There was a painting of a black man standing in front of a house. I don't remember a lot about my childhood, but I do have a few emotional memories etched into my mind forever and seeing that painting of a man that looked like he could be my father stopped me dead in my tracks.'

Michelle meanwhile spoke of the power she hoped her portrait would hold during its unveiling last month.

'Im also thinking about all of the young people, particularly girls and girls of color, who, in years ahead, will come to this place and they will look up and they will see an image of someone who looks like them hanging on the wall of this great American institution,' she said.
Ms Markle was baptised at the Chapel Royal during a closely-guarded ceremony at which only a handful of royal aides were in attendance

Meghan Markle has been baptised into the Church of England in a secret ceremony with Prince Harry at her side.

The intimate 45-minute service was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the Chapel Royal on Tuesday evening.

They were joined by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, but neither Prince William nor the Queen were present.

Miss Markles baptism, which formally introduces her into the Anglican faith ahead of her wedding to Harry in two months, marks an important step on her transformation from divorced American actress to future granddaughter-in-law to the Queen.

The ceremony was a closely-guarded secret with only a handful of royal aides involved.

Miss Markle, 36, had asked the 62-year-old Archbishop, Justin Welby, to lead the service after forming a close bond with him in recent weeks as he instructed her on the rites and sacraments of the Church.

Her baptism was followed immediately by her confirmation, which means she will be able to join Harry, 33, at Holy Communion.

Miss Markle did not need to become an Anglican in order to marry Harry in church, but at the time of their engagement last November she made clear she had chosen to be baptised and confirmed out of respect for the Queens role as the head of the Church of England.

The Chapel Royal is where Princess Dianas body lay for a week before her funeral in 1997 and where King Charles I received the Holy Sacrament before his execution in 1649

Insiders also said it was fitting that the Prince of Wales, who will be the next head of the Church, attended the service.

Miss Markle and Harry will marry on May 19 at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle. The marriage service will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor, David Connor, with the Archbishop presiding as the couple make their vows.

Tuesdays service observed the full ritual of the Church with holy water from the River Jordan from the private Royal Family font poured on Miss Markles head.

The Chapel Royal at St Jamess Palace is particularly significant in Harrys life as well as the history of the Royal Family.

It is where Princess Dianas body lay for a week before her funeral in 1997 and where King Charles I received the Holy Sacrament before his execution in 1649.

The chapel also hosted Prince Georges christening in 2013.

Among those assisting with the service was the Crown Jeweller Mark Appleby, who brought the silverware used for Royal Family christenings. This included a silver font, basin and flask of holy oil.

In accordance with tradition Miss Markle had two sponsors, the equivalent of godparents, to support her in the baptism.

It is understood one supporter was a close girlfriend.

Miss Markle was following partly in the footsteps of the Duchess of Cambridge, who was baptised as an infant but had a private confirmation after her engagement to Prince William.

Miss Markle, 36 (right, with Prince Harry), had asked the 62-year-old Archbishop, Justin Welby (left), to lead the service after forming a close bond with him in recent weeks as he instructed her on the rites and sacraments of the Church

The Chapel Royal choir of six Gentlemen-in-Ordinary and ten Children of the Chapel  the oldest continuous musical organisation in the world  performed throughout the service.

It is not thought either Miss Markles mother, Doria Ragland, or her father, Thomas Markle, who are divorced, travelled from the US for the service.

However, it is understood there were 18 guests who after the ceremony walked to Clarence House, where Charles and Camilla hosted a dinner.

Miss Markles multi-faith upbringing is not uncommon in California where she was born in 1981.

The chapel also hosted Prince Georges christening in 2013. The young royal is pictured arriving for his first day at school at Thomas's School in Battersea

Her father, a retired Hollywood lighting director, was Episcopalian  the main US offshoot of the Anglican Church  while her mother belonged to another Protestant denomination.

After her parents split, Miss Markle attended the Roman Catholic Immaculate Heart girls high school in Los Angeles, although she was not Catholic.

Her first husband Trevor Engelson was Jewish but she did not convert to his faith. The couple met in 2004 and married in 2011 but were divorced two years later.

Church guidelines suggest that Miss Markle may be interviewed about her divorce from Engelson, a film producer.

If such a conversation were to occur, the minister would ask if there had been sufficient healing of the personal and social wounds from the divorce.

The Church of England conducted 111,500 baptisms last year, of which 9 per cent were for those aged over 13.

Guidance from one church notes: If you are an adult and want to be baptised and/or confirmed, you must undertake a course of preparation called catechesis.

'This takes place over several months in order to give you a thorough grounding in knowledge of the Christian faith.

Kensington Palace declined to comment.
Police believe they have discovered the remains of a Christina Allen, the 23-year-old who was kidnapped in 2014 in a field in Texas

Police believe they have discovered the remains of a young woman who was kidnapped in 2014 in a field in Texas.

The remains could belong to Christina Morris, the 23-year-old who disappeared at the Shops at Legacy in Plano on August 30, 2014.

The discovery was made around 10am Wednesday by a crew clearing trees on private land in Anna, Texas, according to Dallas News.

As soon as it was discovered they were human remains a team of law enforcement officers were called into the scene.

Police said it is too early to be sure if the partial remains might belong to Morris, and they have been sent to the Collin County medical examiner's office for identification.

It's not clear what the remains consist of, or why police believe they might belong to Morris.

Scroll down for video

The discovery was made around 10am Wednesday by a crew clearing trees on private land in Anna, Texas, according to Dallas News

As soon as it was discovered they were human remains a team of law enforcement officers were called into the scene. The remains have been sent to the medical examiner's office for positive identification

Plano police detectives and a crime scene unit were sent to the scene where the remains were found, indicating they could be linked to the young woman.

Enrique Arochi was convicted of kidnapping her in 2016 and sentenced to life in prison.

The 27-year-old was acquaintances with Morris, and agreed to walk her back to the car at the in the shopping center after a party near there.

Arochi was seen in surveillance video that night with Morris at about 4am in a parking garage near the shopping mall. The same footage never showed her drive out of the garage.

He was arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping after her DNA was found in the trunk of his car.

Enrique Arochi was convicted of kidnapping her in 2016 and sentenced to life in prison

The 27-year-old was acquaintances with Morris, and agreed to walk her back to the car at the in the shopping center after a party near there. Surveillance video shows him walking her back to her car, but she was never seen leaving the lot

Arochi said Morris was never in his car, but police believe she might have been inside when he was pulling away from the garage in the early hours of that morning.

The last 15 calls on her cell phone, which was either turned off of dead, were to her boyfriend and police said there was no sign of foul play or a struggle near her car.

Police also had a video of him examining strange parts of his car at a grocery store in Allen just hours after Morris was last ween.

Evidence at his trial, which started after he was arrested in December, 2014, showed he was in Anna a day after Morris went missing.

Since then her family and other volunteers, who have not given up hope of finding their daughter, have honed in their search on the area.

They return nearly every week to conduct a new sweep of the town.
The woman accused of firing the fatal bullet that killed Indian Head ranch victim Jacob Millison was his own cancer-ridden, 70 lb, 68-year-old mother, DailyMail.com has learned.

And the seriously ill, 5ft tall woman claims she dragged her son's body through the house and dumped it in a pile of manure, she told police.

'I had come-alongs on him and I got him outside and I put him in a bucket and I took it over and I moved a bunch of manure and I put him in the manure pile,' Deborah Rudibaugh said, according to court papers obtained by DailyMail.com.

She hid the body, because she knew 'I'd go to jail for the rest of my life and I wanted at least some time to live.' She said she had less than five years to live.

But investigators now believe she is covering for her daughter Stephanie Jackson, 33, who is believed to have helped in the murder since Rudibaugh would not have been strong enough to move the body.

Jacob Millison, 29, was shot and killed while he slept at the family ranch in Parlin, Colorado in 2015

Millison's mother, Deborah Rudibaugh, 68, who was arrested on Friday, confessed to police that she killed her own son, dragged his body through the house, and then dumped it in a pile of manure. She said she planned to leave a note in a lock box explaining how she had killed her son, so it could be discovered after her death

Rudibaugh's daughter, Stephanie Jackson, 33, was also arrested because police believe she helped in the murder because her mother would not have been strong enough to move the body. Jackson's husband David (right) 34, has been charged with being an accessory to murder

The alleged murder has come to light nearly three years after Millison, 29, went missing from his home in the tiny town of Parlin in Gunnison County, Colorado. His family did not report him missing for months. But friends told cops they thought he had been killed, leading to an investigation that has lasted nearly three years and consumed hundreds of police manhours.

Rudibaugh had told authorities that Stephanie and her husband were in Denver the day of the murder, but cellphone records show her daughter was in Gunnison.

Now Millison's mother, sister and brother-in-law have all been charged in connection with his death.

More than two years after the shooting, Rudibaugh finally confessed to shooting her son in the top of his head as he slept at the family ranch  which contains the locally famous Indian Head Rock, a natural formation that resembles the head of a native American  early in the morning of May 16, 2015.

She says she had suffered years of abuse at his hands, but police believe fights about who would inherit the 700-acre ranch worth $3 million were behind the killing.

She told authorities she wrapped her son's body in plastic, rolled him in a carpet, and then used a front-end roller to bury him in a pit of horse manure and sheep heads, the Denver Post reported. She admitted she later moved the body in fear that animals would dig up the corpse.

In her interviews with police, Rudibaugh claimed she had thrown the murder weapon, a .357 Ladysmith revolver into the Blue Mesa Reservoir  but police actually found it in her bedroom.

Rudibaugh and daughter Jackson are both charged with first degree murder in the case that has rocked remote city high up in the Rockies, a four-hour drive southwest of Denver.

Jackson's husband, David, 34, has been charged with being an accessory to murder and was due to make his first appearance in court on Wednesday afternoon. All three face additional charges of tampering with a body, concealing death, and abusing a corpse.

They are being held in Gunnison County Jail. Rudibaugh is held without bond, her daughter on $500,000 bond and her son-in-law on $100,000 bond.

The seriously ill, 5ft tall woman who weighed only 70 pounds claims she dragged her son's body through the house and dumped it in a pile of manure, she told police

Rudibaugh claimed she suffered years of abuse at the hands of her son but police believe fights about who would inherit the 700-acre ranch worth millions of dollars were behind the killing

Rudibaugh inherited the ranch when her second husband Rudy Rudibaugh died in 2009. In her will she planned to leave the ranch to her son and stepson Shane Rudibaugh after her daughter and son-in-law moved away to live in Denver

Rudibaugh and daughter Jackson are both charged with first degree murder in the case that has rocked remote Gunnison County, high up in the Rockies, a four-hour drive southwest of Denver

Stephanie Jackson was arrested on Wednesday last week, her mother on Friday as she drove to Grand Junction, Colorado, and David Jackson on Tuesday. Gunnison County Sheriff Rick Besecker told DailyMail.com they had arrested them separately in a strategic move.

He said the case has taken so long to come to court because of problems identifying the body they discovered buried seven feet deep beneath a corral close to the ranch house.

The reason was that Millison had apparently never been to a dentist in his entire life and so they could not check dental records, Besecker revealed exclusively to DailyMail.com. Police checked not only throughout Colorado but also in New Mexico where his father Ray Millison now lives.

'It was months before we could get a positive identification,' Besecker said. 'We did not anticipate that.'

Rudibaugh inherited the ranch when her second husband Rudy Rudibaugh died in 2009. In her will she planned to leave the ranch to her son and stepson Shane Rudibaugh as the Jacksons had moved away to live in Denver and her husband had given them $30,000 to buy a house.

However, the couple rented out their home years later and then returned to the ranch. Rudibaugh later amended the will to include Stephanie.

But when Millison told her he wanted to go on a trip to California and Nevada to pursue his martial arts she snapped. She said she also got angry because he borrowed her books  including How to Disappear Without Trace, The Anarchist's Cookbook and How to Build Bombs. She did not explain why she owned those books.

Gunnison County Sheriff said the case had taken so long to come to court because of problems identifying Millison's body they discovered buried seven feet deep beneath a corral close to the ranch house. He is pictured above

Millison's friend Max Matheny (left) told DailyMail.com that it is 'completely absurd' to suggest that Millison (pictured center) took drugs or was violent

The mother admitted to shooting her son at the family ranch  which contains the locally famous Indian Head Rock, a natural formation that resembles the head of a native American  early in the morning of May 16, 2015

When he disappeared, Rudibaugh claimed her son had gone on a motorcycle trip to California or had left town to work as a martial arts dojo, local reports said.

She also had told police her son used cocaine and magic mushrooms and grew marijuana before it was legal in Colorado. 'I figure he got in over his head with something and is either in witness protection or in hiding or dead.'

Rudibaugh said Millison demanded a 'princess-like relationship' with her. 'In other words, Mom's supposed to do all the work and do all the laundry and do all this and he's supposed to do whatever he dang well pleases  and I wasn't good with that kind of relationship.

'I wanted him to grow up,' she said.

But her stories kept changing. In her second interview she claimed her son had a temper and she had 'holes in the walls' to prove it, but she added: 'We never got physical. The most he ever did was throw things.'

But in a third interview she claimed her son had sat on her chest with his arm and fingers round her throat threatening to kill her. It got so bad, she said, that she had weapons under her mattress.

'I wrote up the will different and then he found the will and then he hit me and held me under water in the irrigation ditch and then he told me I was going to change the will and he was going to get everything and then he didn't come home for a couple of daysand I thought, yeah, I hope he never, never comes back.'

She later told police she hoped they didn't find the body because then she would have to pay to have it cremated.

When she finally admitted to shooting him as he slept at 2am, she added: 'But if I shot him in self-defense while he was asleep because I was afraid what would happen when he woke up again, that's not self-defense.'

She said her son had changed when he started doing mixed martial arts. He 'was becoming extremely aggressive towards me. He wanted the ranch. He wanted the ranch himself, only his ranch.

County Sheriff Rick Besecker told DailyMail.com that the case took so long to come to court because of problems identifying the body since Millison did not have dental records

'He did not want to share anything with anybody else, not with Shane, not with Stephanie. He hated Stephanie. Sibling rivalry had gone beyond everything. He went berserk and there's a hole in the wall where he put his fist through it.'

Two days before she killed him, Rudibaugh claimed her son had again sat on her until she passed out. 'And then I woke up, he was sitting there with a club, a stick, a piece of wood. It was for the fire. He said that nobody would ever miss me.'

After she put the body in the manure, Rudibaugh, who worked at an assisted living facility, claimed she washed it with bleach and burned his mattress and blankets.

She said she planned to leave a note in a lock box explaining how she had killed her son, so it could be discovered after her death.

Police found evidence of friction in the family. In 2013 Millison took out a restraining order against David Jackson after a fight about where he had dumped a pile of snow. 'He threatened to kill me,' Millison said at the time.

Police found evidence of friction in the family, particularly between Millison and his sister Stephanie (pictured) who claimed her younger brother was 'trying to ruin my life'

The following year Stephanie Jackson posted online a short essay entitled 'My younger brother is trying to ruin my life.'

In it, she wrote: 'My younger brother and I have never really gotten along. We fought like crazy people as children and have kept our distance from each other in adulthood.' She said that for two years they all lived at the ranch and she and her brother 'never spoke.'

'Every now and then he would mess with one of my vehicles or do something to intentionally make my husband angry.'

And then in 2015 she sent an instant message to a friend saying her brother had threatened to burn her possessions.

And two days after her brother was killed, Jackson posted on Facebook: 'Big things are happening for the Jackson family this year.' When a friend asked her if she was expecting a second child, she replied: I'm going to go ahead and sau ,uch better things than being pregnant.'

The following day she posted: Have you ever been woken up with such awesome news you wanted to run out screaming.' her closest friend Sheane Sparks replied: No more jake??? Only news wirth (sic) screaming.'

Millison's friend Max Matheny told DailyMail.com that it is 'completely absurd' to suggest that he took drugs or was violent. 'He looked after himself. He would go to the gym regularly and then come round to my house and hang out.

'He did not have a temper,' added Matheny, 28. 'The Jake I knew was very calm and collected, a very nice guy. He was not a violent person at all and never was.'

Matheny was one of a group of friends who got concerned when Millison went missing. 'He suddenly wasn't showing up any more. For the first few days it wasn't a huge concern but then it started to become pretty out of the ordinary and we thought maybe something was up.'

'He had told me that if anything ever happened to him it would be his family that did it. It was a bit of a joke but there was definitely something behind it. I know he wasn't fond of any of them.'

Eventually the friends went to the police to report their suspicions. Matheny said initially local cops did not appear to take the case too seriously and believes it has taken too long for arrests to be made.

'I realize nothing can bring Jake back, but I certainly hope justice is done,' he said.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos made a morning visit to the site of the Florida school shooting, where she hastily walked out a press conference and got slammed by students online for failing to meet with them.

DeVos visited Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School three weeks after the shootings that killed 17 there.

She laid a wreath outside the fence of the building, in a tightly-scripted appearance that had her accompanied by a trio of students from the school paper, a broadcast student, and one from the school yearbook.

Near the end of her press availability, she called for elevating ideas that are 'done well.'

'Like what?' asked a reporter. 'Any specific things?' asked another.

'Thank you, press,' said an aide off camera, shortly before DeVos walked away. 'Five questions, that's it?' said a reporter as she avoided a follow-up about arming teachers.

Scroll down for video

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks to the news during a press conference held at the Heron Bay Marriott about her visit to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on March 7, 2018 in Coral Springs, Florida. She ended the brief press conference, and was criticized by students for failing to meet with them

Students motivated by the '#NeverAgain' movement blasted her for not making herself available to take their questions  and she abruptly ended a brief press conference after 10 minutes.

She defended President Trump's call to arm teachers, but quickly walked away from the podium when pressed about it, the New York Daily News reported.

'I think to say 'arming teachers' is oversimplification and a mischaracterization really,' DeVos said.

'I think that the concept is to, for those schools and those communities that opt to do this ... to have people who are expert in being able to defend and having lots and lots of training to do so,' she added, CNN reported.

She added: 'I think that's a model that can be adopted and should be an option for schools, for states, for communities,' DeVos said. Then she added: 'But it's certainly not one that needs to be required or mandated for every community.'

Trump in the days after the Feb. 14 shooting Trump called for arming up to 20 per cent of teachers, saying they would get training and some of the armed teachers could be former Marines and other ex-military.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks to the news during a press conference held at the Heron Bay Marriott about her visit to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on March 7, 2018 in Coral Springs, Florida

DeVos placed a wreath on a fence at the school and was trailed by three students, but failed to meet with those calling for gun control and other responses

DeVos didn't take questions from students who organized a national movement calling for regulation of assault weapons and other issues.

Student Carly Novell, an editor for the school paper who survived the shooting, wrote on Twitter: 'I thought she would at least give us her 'thoughts and prayers,' but she refused to even meet/speak with students. I don't understand the point of her being here.'

DeVos explained: 'I told the newspaper reporters that I would love to come back in an appropriate amount of time and just sit down and talk with them.'

Another student, Kyra Parrow, tweeted: 'Secretary of education Betsy Devos spoke to me and only a hand full of students. She did not properly answer my only question. She did not sit down with any students and asked what we wanted. Douglas has 3,000 students. None of them were invited.'

Another student, Emma Gonzalez, who is promoting the March For Our Lives march, wrote mockingly on advance news of the visit: 'Good thing I was already planning on sleeping in tomorrow.'
Police are investigating after a woman running for an Alabama County Commission was found screaming, severely injured and covered in blood in her driveway.

Lana Gaskin Bellew, a Republican candidate for the Etowah County Commission, is recovering in hospital with a broken arm, knee and elbow abrasions and injuries to her face following the incident outside her home on Sunday.

Investigators are trying to determine if Bellew was attacked or if she tripped and fell after blood stains were found on the front bumper of her pickup truck.

Lana Gaskin Bellew, a Republican candidate for the Etowah County Commission, is recovering in hospital following the incident outside her Alabama home on Sunday night

Bellew had tried calling her ex-husband and 911 before getting in contact with family friend and state representative Mack Butler.

Butler said he and his wife Connie rushed to her home and found Bellew screaming and bleeding in the garage.

He said Bellew had told him that someone had pushed her while she was walking in front of her truck.

Rainbow City Police Chief Jonathon Horton told WBRC that Bellew had just returned home from putting up campaign signs when the incident occurred Sunday night.

'We talked to some neighbors who had heard a scream, at somewhere around 6.48pm to 6.50pm, but they'd seen nothing or heard anything other than that scream,' Horton said.

'There was some blood stains that appeared to be on the concrete in front of the bumper of the truck where the makeup was found on the bumper.

'There was a small trail of blood that led to the garage where she was found.'

Investigators are trying to determine if Bellew was attacked or if she tripped and fell after blood stains were found on the front bumper of her pickup truck outside her home (above)

Bellew suffered a broken arm, knee and elbow abrasions and injuries to her face in the incident

Butler, who is a reserve deputy in Etowah County, posted about the incident on Facebook saying Bellew had called him 'screaming violently' before hanging up.

He said his wife called 911 from her phone while he called Bellew back.

'She answered briefly with screams for help and then hung up again. Connie called a friend who lives across the street in hopes he could run check on her. We drove extremely fast and passed multiple vehicles on the way as I believed it to be a home invasion. We reached her home in maybe 2 minutes after the first call,' he wrote.

'I located Lana in her garage covered in blood and screaming in pain. I was in the garage with her for maybe one second as she said she was pushed while walking in front of her truck. I immediately ran to the dark backyard looking for a possible suspect while Connie rendered aid to Lana.'

He said when police arrived they all searched the neighborhood but failed to find a suspect.

A police report filed two weeks ago indicated that Bellew's home had been broken into recently and that campaign signs were stolen.

The incident in Bellew's driveway occurred a week before her daughter's wedding. She is expected to be released from hospital in time.
The critically-ill daughter of Russian double agent Sergei Skripal is a businesswoman who supported jailing Vladimir Putin on Facebook.

Yulia Skripal, 33, moved to London in 2010 - the same year her father was granted refuge in Britain - and relocated to Southampton, Hampshire.

She also worked for Nike in the Russian capital and is currently employed by PepsiCo.

According to her Facebook page she lived in Malta in 1985 and started high school in Moscow six years later.

Yulia Skripal (pictured) moved to London in 2010 after she left her job working for Nike in Moscow

She also lived in Malta in 1985 and started high school in the Russian capital six years later

This letter was posted on Facebook, appearing to be a child's school work criticising Putin

Yulia was among those who responded to the post, commenting 'nice' beneath it

In 2008, she started her role as a Customer Operations Representative at Nike after she graduated from Moscow State Humanities University.

Two years later she quit the job and moved to London before relocating to the south coast when she worked for Holiday Inn in Southampton.

It is unclear whether she lived with her father or if she had a boyfriend or partner in London.

In 2012, her father later moved into a 350,000 four-bedroom home in Salisbury - just 20 miles west of Southampton - and the house was paid for in cash.

It was previously owned by Wiltshire Police and neighbours described her father as being a 'happy man' who drove a BMW 3 Series.

And it has now emerged that she wrote 'nice' when a friend said he hoped the Russian President would be jailed in his anti-Putin letter.

Yulia (left) reported the death of her father's wife to Wiltshire Police when she died in 2012

She remains in a critical condition after she collapsed in Salisbury city centre with her father

His letter read: 'I want to put in to jail Vladimir Putin, because I think that he is the worst president in the world. He stole so much money that they can feed a small starving country.'

It is understood Yulia had moved back to Russia and was visiting her father when they were taken ill.

Mr Skripal's housekeeper said she had been asked to clean Yulia's bedroom before her arrival.

In 2012, her mother Liudmilla died and Yulia reported the death to Wiltshire Council.

She recorded her father's occupation as a 'retired local government planning officer'.
Military scientists are desperately trying to identify what was used to strike down Russian spy Sergei Skripal.

Poison has typically been Russia's weapon of choice when 'dealing with' perceived traitors.

From poison-tipped umbrellas to radioactive tea, a number of deadly toxins have been used in Russia-linked deaths in the UK.

VX

VX is one of the deadliest chemical weapons created by man. Experts say just 10 milligrams of the nerve agent or a single drop is enough to kill in minutes.

With the texture and feel of engine oil, it can cause convulsions, loss of consciousness, paralysis and respiratory failure in minutes.

It has the texture and feel of engine oil, but its only known use is as a chemical warfare agent.

VX - classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations - was used in the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong UN, at Kuala Lumpur airport on February 13.

SARIN

Sarin  a volatile nerve agent that was initially developed in Germany as a pesticide  is a liquid that is clear, colourless, tasteless and odourless.

People can be exposed to sarin through skin contact, eye contact or by breathing it in through the air or it can be mixed with water or food.

Symptoms of severe exposure to sarin include loss of consciousness, convulsions, paralysis and respiratory failure leading to death.

Other possible poisons:

THALLIUM

Dubbed the 'poisoner's poison', Thallium is highly toxic but is tasteless, colourless and odourless and any contact with skin is dangerous.

Thallium (pictured) is highly toxic but is tasteless, colourless and odourless and any contact with skin is dangerous

Thallium, once known as 'Inheritance Powder' because it could easily kill people, is typically found in electronics and was used by Saddam Hussein on dissidents.

It is slow-acting and painful and symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and hair loss. However, it is hard to trace and experts at Porton Down science park in Salisbury may never find out what was used.

RICIN

Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans, the same substance used to make castor oil.

If castor beans are chewed and swallowed, the released ricin can cause injury.

It can be found as a powder, mist or pellet or it can be dissolved in water or weak acid. It is very difficult to trace.

Ricin works by getting inside the body's cells and preventing them from making the proteins they need  and without them, cells die.

Eventually this is harmful to the whole body and can cause death. But the effects of ricin poisoning depend on whether it was inhaled, ingested or injected.

Cold War dissident Georgi Markov was assassinated on the streets of London in 1978 by a Bulgarian secret service agent, who used an umbrella that fired a pellet of ricin into his leg.

Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans (pictured), the same substance used to make castor oil

When inhaled, symptoms include difficulty in breathing, fever, cough, nausea, sweating and tightness in the chest. Death occurs after blood pressure plummets and breathing stops.

When swallowed, ricin causes vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, low blood pressure, seizures, and blood in the urine.

There is no known antidote but treatment includes use of respirators, fluids, flushing the stomach and treating low blood pressure.

POLONIUM-210

The toxin is considered an ideal poison because it is harmless until swallowed with a miniscule amount sufficient to cause a slow, painful and very public death.

However, it is almost impossible to acquire without a nuclear reactor - and then decays within a few months.

The radioactive substance was used to kill former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006, perhaps the most high-profile case of fatal poisoning.

Thallium was the deadly poison that investigators originally thought had killed Alexander Litvinenko (pictured)

It was slipped into a cup of green tea at the Millennium Hotel in Mayfair.

Polonium-210 also leaves a radioactive trace, which in the Litvinenko case led investigators to Andrei Lugovoy.

In 2016 a public inquiry concluded that the killing of Mr Litvinenko had 'probably' been carried out with the approval of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

THALLIUM

Thallium was the deadly poison that investigators originally thought had killed Alexander Litvinenko.

Thallium sulphate is colourless, odourless and tasteless salt that is soluble in water, making it an almost ideal poison to use to kill.

Known as the 'poisoner's poison', if ingested, it attacks the nervous system and internal organs and even a dose as small as a gram can cause death.

Other symptoms include hair loss, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Within three days, victims can suffer headaches, convulsions, coma, delirium, dementia and even psychosis.

It's believed Russian businessman Alexander Perepilichnyy was poisoned after Gelsemium was slipped into his sorrel soup

GELSEMIUM

Gelsemium is a rare and deadly plant poison which initially causes dizziness, nausea, blurred vision and convulsions.

At larger doses, it causes paralysis of the spinal cord leading to an almost loss of muscle power and ultimately asphyxia.

It's believed Russian businessman Alexander Perepilichnyy was poisoned after the substance was slipped into his sorrel soup.

Police initially thought his death was not suspicious because there was no signs of toxins after he was found dead near his luxury home in Surrey in 2012.

But scientists later found chemical traces of gelsemium in his stomach. An inquest into his death has been adjourned pending further inquiries.

Former Ukranian President Victor Yushchenko suffered facial disfigurement after being given TCDD

CURARE

Curare is a plant extract initially used for poison arrows by South American tribes.

It causes the respiratory muscles to contract, asphyxiating the victim.

Scientists in Russia used curare under Joseph Stalin and American-born Communist spy Isaiah Oggins was executed in 1947 using this drug.

TCDD

This type of dioxin, an ingredient of Agent Orange, was used in the attempted assassination of Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko in 2004.

He survived the attack to become his countrys president, but suffered major facial disfigurements.
Uber's autonomous trucks are finally hitting the road.

The ride-hailing startup said on Tuesday that its self-driving big rigs have been ferrying cargo on highways in Arizona over the past few months.

For each trip, human drivers work in tandem with the autonomous trucks.

Humans pick up cargo from Uber Freight customers and drive it in trailers to transfer hubs.

Scroll down for video

For each trip, human drivers work in tandem with the autonomous trucks. Humans pick up cargo from Uber Freight customers and drive it in trailers to transfer hubs

Uber Freight is a free app that lets shippers book truckers with ease similar to how people can summon Uber car rides.

At the transfer hubs, trailers are hitched onto self-driving trucks for long highway hauls.

The self-driving vehicles head to transfer hubs close to their destinations, where the trailers are hitched back onto human-steered rigs to complete their journeys.

Each autonomous big rig has a licensed truck driver at the wheel that can take over in emergency situations.

Pictured is what it looks like inside the cab of Uber's autonomous trucks. Each self-driving truck is still manned by a human passenger that can take over in case of emergencies

But Uber also hopes to eliminate human drivers inside the cab eventually, according to the New York Times.

'This a big step forward in self-driving truck technology, and the future of the freight industry at large,' Uber said in a release.

'This paints a picture of the progress being made towards our vision for the future of trucking; now hauling real loads in Arizona,' the firm added.

Uber didn't elaborate on how many trucks are operating in Arizona or what kinds of goods the vehicles are delivering.

The firm has been testing self-driving truck technology since 2016, and began using autonomous rigs for hauls late last year.

Uber claims to have made the first commercial shipment ever by self-driving truck when it hauled a trailer full of Budweiser beer some 120 miles of highway in Colorado.

WHAT IS UBER FREIGHT? Uber launched a standalone app called Uber Freight in May 2017. Uber Freight is a version of its on-demand ride application that lets truckers book cargo hauls with simple taps on a smartphone. Available in the U.S., the app was touted by the company as an app that matches truckers or trucking companies with loads, and streamlines payments. The company says it pays within seven days of each trip. Pictured is the Uber Freight app. Uber launched the standalone application for iOS and Android users in May 2017, billing it as a faster way for drivers to secure loads Uber Freight 'take[s] guesswork out of finding and booking freight, which is often the most stressful part of a drivers day.' Usually, this can take 'several hours and multiple phone calls,' the firm said. Truckers signing onto the service are vetted, so that only licensed drivers can operate vehicles. Uber acquired commercial transport-focused tech startup Otto in late 2016 as the company pressed ahead with its pursuit of self-driving technology. Advertisement

Uber said on Tuesday that its autonomous big rigs have begun carrying goods in Arizona. The firm didn't elaborate as to how many vehicles are on the road or what's being delivered

The ride-hailing startup has been exploring a self-driving truck fleet ever since it acquired autonomous trucking firm Otto in 2016.

The Otto acquisition was a key part to Uber's contentious lawsuit with Alphabet's self-driving car company, Waymo, which concerned allegedly stolen trade secrets.

The companies eventually reached a settlement last month and are said to be exploring some kind of business partnership in the future.

Newcomer Embark last year began using self-driving trucks to haul refrigerators from a warehouse in Texas to a distribution center in southern California.

'Much like what we do with our self-driving Ubers in Pittsburgh and Phoenix, we are developing our self-driving truck product by deploying it to the Uber Freight network and fulfilling hauls for real customers,' the company said.

Uber's announcement comes as the market for self-driving trucks continues to heat up.

Tesla and Waymo are among the other tech and auto industry companies pursuing autonomous trucking.

Late last year, Elon Musk's electric car company unveiled its all-electric Tesla Semi big rig.

The Tesla Semi (pictured) can reach 60 miles an hour in five seconds if it is unloaded. That time jumps to 20 seconds if the truck is carrying its maximum weight, 80,000 pounds

It's since been spotted performing test drives across the Bay Area in California.

Package and shipping company UPS announced in December that it will buy 125 of Tesla's all-electric semi trucks, the largest such order since the vehicle was unveiled a month earlier.

The order by UPS, one of the biggest operators of commercial trucking fleets, came on the heels of a PepsiCo announcement two weeks ago to buy 100 of the Tesla trucks.

Waymo also has plans to release a semi-autonomous truck, equipped with ultrasonic sensors and radar.
The vegetables you eat with your Sunday roast may soon be picked by a robot.

Farmers in Cornwall are testing a machine invented using European funding that picks cauliflowers from the field without bruising them.

It works in a similar way to the human hand by squeezing each cauliflower before deciding whether it is ready to be harvested.

The GummiArm robot is believed to be a answer to any migrant staff shortages that may arise when the UK leaves the EU.

Scroll down for video

A cauliflower picking robot has been developed which can tell when the vegetable is ready for harvest and pull it out of the ground without damaging it. Vegetable harvesting can be difficult and is often inefficient, time-consuming and expensive

The robotic cauliflower-picking arm is the work of Dr Martin Stoelen at the University of Plymouth.

'A lot of producers are very worried about where they will get their reasonably priced manual labour from  and rightly so,' says Dr Stoelen.

'Manual harvesting also represents a large portion of their total costs, often it can be up to 50 per cent, so looking at addressing that, especially against a backdrop of Brexit, is very important.'

Harvesting cauliflower can be difficult because the vegetable can be bruised easily.

The robot first assesses each cauliflower to make sure its head is firm and white using cameras and sensors on its 'fingers'.

It then gently removes it from the stem with just a few leaves attached.

Currently, farmers harvest fields all at once, in a practice known as slaughter harvesting.

But this method leads to up to 60 per cent of the crop being wasted, because it is either wonky or inedible.

Many other robotic approaches in farming focus on machinery advances but the scientists from the University of Plymouth looked to replicate the human hand.

The robotic cauliflower-picking arm has been developed by the University of Plymouth. Currently, the robot is being tested on the fields of Cornwall

The project has been named the ABC (Automated Brassica harvest in Cornwall).

David Simmons is Managing Director of Riviera Produce, which is a partner in the ABC project, and has been working in the industry for 30 years.

His family has farmed at Hayle in Cornwall since the 1870s.

Harvesting cauliflower can be a difficult task. The head must be firm and white and then it must be gently removed from the stem with a few leaves attached. This process must be done gently as the vegetable can bruise easily

Harvest time on farms is often dominated by migrant workers, and the impeding Brexit has raised concerns about a shortage of workers to pick the crops.

Mr Simmons said: 'Harvesting costs can be up to 40 per cent of the costs of production of brassicas and skilled labour to do the harvesting is getting increasingly difficult to obtain, especially with Brexit fast approaching.

'In a very competitive market place where our customers demand cheap food, the cost of harvesting is continually rising.

'Robotic harvesting has the potential to increase productivity and control the costs.'

WHEN WILL ROBOT FARMERS BE A REALITY? Leading agricultural minds are working on developing robots to increase the efficiency of plant harvesting. Harper Adams University in Shropshire are developing a robot that don't harvest crops until they are perfect, eradicating wonky and inedible vegetable. Farmers currently harvest fields all at once, in a practice known as slaughter harvesting. But this method leads to up to 60 per cent of the crop being wasted, because it is either wonky or inedible. Engineers are working on machines that can autonomously plant seeds, weed, water and spray without a farmer. The robots can also be programmed to only pick crops where they are perfectly ripe. Developer of the autonomous veg pickers, Professor Simon Blackmore, said: 'I am trying to develop a completely new agricultural mechanisation system based on small smart machines. 'We are developing laser weeding, droplet application where only 100 per cent of the chemical goes onto the target leaf, selective harvesting where we can grade the product at the point of harvest.' Advertisement

Harvest time on farms is often dominated by migrant workers, and the impeding Brexit has raised concerns about a shortage of workers to pick the crops. Researchers claim that following Brexit, robots will replace the migrant workers that currently pick crop

Dr Stoelen claims the use of robotics will make life 'easier and simpler' for farmers.

He said: 'Machines could even be 'repurposed' throughout the growing season, allowing the core technology to be rolled out to other operations  such as weeding or the application of pesticides.

'If the robot is reconfigurable, it could be relevant to other brassicas and indeed other crops. It's also cool technology which might encourage more young people to choose a career in agriculture.'

As well as reducing costs for farmers and the agriculture industry, the robots would also reduce the risk of incidents where humans are wounded by heavy machinery.

The technology is still in a developmental phase but is expected to be available in two to three years for a variety of different crops.

The technology is still in a developmental phase but is expected to be available in two to three years for a variety of different crops

The robots are expected to be able to move independently and gather crops, but there is scope for even more tech to be included in them.

As they record data moving through the fields, there is a possibility they could provide detailed analysis of soil quality and other factors to improve a farmer's yield long-term.

'These robots are going to be a massive big-data application,' added Dr Stoelen

'This technology is evolving rapidly, costs are coming down and developments can happen fast which means it's not too long before technology like this becomes a practical and commercially viable reality.

The automated farmer is fitted with cameras and sensors in its fingers to asses crop growth. It processes this information to determine if the plant is ready for harvest or should be left

'A lot of producers are very worried about where they will get their reasonably priced manual labour from  and rightly so.

'Manual harvesting also represents a large portion of their total costs, so looking at addressing that, is very important.'

The project is supported by the Agri-tech Cornwall Project, a 10 million ($13.8 million) fund from the European Union.

Robin Jackson, director of the Agri-tech Cornwall Project said:'Farmers have always been pioneers as far as technology is concerned, but the scale of the current challenges we face means we now need a step-change in terms of the rate at which the whole land-based sector develops and applies new technology.

'It will help address global issues, such as feeding the growing population and mitigating climate change, but it will also boost profit and efficiency at an individual farm level.'
Advertisement

Cities of the near future could be home to driverless taxis that you order from an app on your smartphone or from designated pickup points, according to a French car-maker.

Renault has unveiled an electric concept vehicle, called EZ-GO, that aims to blur the lines between private and public transportation.

The six-seater vehicle, which could hit the streets by 2022, features a rooftop opening that allows passengers to enter by a ramp for easy access.

Scroll down for video

Cities of the near future could be home to driverless taxis that you order from an app on your smartphone or from designated pickup points, according to a French car-maker Renault. The six-seater vehicle, which could hit the streets by 2022, features a rooftop opening that allows passengers to enter by a ramp for easy access

Renault launched its futuristic car at a press preview, held as part of the Geneva International Motor Show taking place in Switzerland between March 8 and 18.

It's expected that 70 per cent of the world's population will live in urban areas by 2050 and people will be looking to improve the way they move from place to place, the firm says.

Renault believes on-demand, shared vehicles will complement privately0owned cars and the EZ-GO aims to bridge these differing transportation needs.

EZ-GO will arrive, open its wide front door, lower its suspension and deploy its lighted ramp, before transporting passengers, at a top speed of 30 mph (50 kmh), to their destination.

Head of design Laurens van den Acker floated the prospect that the vehicle might one day become 'part of a city's calling card, like the yellow cabs in New York or the black cabs in London.'

In a written statement, a spokesman for Renault added: 'The future of mobility is electric, connected and autonomous.

'People will choose whether they want to drive or be driven, with or without a driver on board; with vehicles that are more and more integrated into the surrounding environment, in cities that have become "smart" through sensors, connectivity and other innovations are designed to make urban life more pleasant for people.'

EZ-GO is (5.2 m) long, (2.2 m) wide and is (1.6 m) tall. It weighs 3.7000 lbs (1,700 kg), including 660 lbs (300 kg) for a wireless induction battery charging system.

Renault unveiled an electric concept vehicle, called EZ-GO, that aims to blur the lines between private and public transportation, at a press preview held as part of the Geneva International Motor Show. EZ-GO's level four automation means the vehicle is able to manage its distance from the vehicle in front, stay in lane, change lanes and turn by itself

It's expected that 70 per cent of the world's population will live in urban areas by 2050 and people will be looking to improve the way they move from place to place, Renault says. The firm believes on-demand, shared vehicles will complement privately owned cars and the EZ-GO aims to bridge these differing transportation needs

A large screen located in front of the rear door provides information to occupants, including time to arrival and planned stops for picking up and dropping off passengers, as well as information about tourist destinations

It has a numeric display on the front and back, a bit like on a bus.

It was designed to provide the widest possible field of vision for the autonomous system's sensors and for bringing in light from above through a glass panorama roof.

Passengers sit around its windows in U-shaped seating. The vehicle's limited height ensures it doesnt spoil outside views of the city.

The floor is covered in herringbone-patterned sustainable wood and an LED light strip crosses the floor to guide the passengers to the exit.

EZ-GO is ( 5.2 m) long, (2.2 m) wide and is (1.6 m) tall. It weighs 3.7000 lbs ( 1,700 kg), including 660 lbs (300 kg) for a wireless induction battery charging system. It arrives, open its wide front door, lower its suspension and deploy its lighted ramp, before transporting passengers, at a top speed of 30 mph (50 kmh), to their destination

All of the sensors required for autonomous driving - including radars, lidars, ultrasound and cameras - are grouped in a removable antenna located on the roof's rear spoiler, which is automatically deployed when the vehicle starts. It also has a numeric display on the front and back, a bit like on a bus

It was designed to provide the widest possible field of vision for the autonomous system's sensors and for bringing in light from above through a glass panorama roof. Passengers sit around its windows in U-shaped seating. The vehicle's limited height ensures it doesnt spoil outside views of the city

A large screen located in front of the door provides information to occupants, including time to arrival and planned stops for picking up and dropping off passengers, as well as information about tourist destinations.

Wireless chargers are provided for passengers' smartphones and other electronic devices and each vehicle will have a Wi-fi connection as standard.

Appearing almost symmetrical from the side, the tail lights and the opening hatch are the main ways of telling front from back.

All of the sensors required for autonomous driving - including radars, lidars, ultrasound and cameras - are grouped in a removable antenna located on the roof's rear spoiler, which is automatically deployed when the vehicle starts.

Appearing almost symmetrical from the side, the tail lights and the opening hatch are the main ways of telling front from back. The floor of EZ-GO is covered in herringbone-patterned sustainable wood and an LED light strip crosses the floor to guide the passengers to the exit

A large screen located in front of the door provides information to occupants, including time to arrival and planned stops for picking up and dropping off passengers, as well as information about tourist destinations. Wireless chargers are provided for passengers' smartphones and other electronic devices and each vehicle will have Wi-fi connections as standard

Wireless chargers are provided for passengers' smartphones and other electronic devices and each vehicle will have Wi-fi connections as standard.

The rear spoiler also features the vehicle's third brake light, suspended in its edge, while white front and red rear light strips function as a welcome sequence for passengers and indicators for other road users.

EZ-GO's level four automation means the vehicle is able to manage its distance from the vehicle in front, stay in lane, change lanes and turn all by itself at a junction.

It can also move into a safe position in cases of exceptional incidents in its vicinity, either by itself or through its connectivity with a monitoring centre  a technology currently being developed under the Renault Alliance's umbrella.
A leaked e-mail has revealed that Apple is making some major changes to iTunes.

The source claims the Cupertino-based company will stop taking new iTunes LP submissions as of this month.

Launched in 2009, LPs (long plays) were a way for users to buy albums with additional elements such as bonus tracks and videos.

LPs could be the first of several major changes from iTunes to keep up with subscription-based streaming platform Spotify, industry experts say.

Scroll down for video

A leaked e-mail has revealed that Apple is making some major changes to iTunes. The source claims the company will stop taking new iTunes LP submissions as of this month

An internal e-mail, titled 'The End of iTunes LPs' was leaked to the Metro, the publication reports.

The email was sent two weeks ago from an address at 'The iTunes Store,' and was signed by 'The Apple Music Team.'

The email states that 'Apple will no longer accept new submissions of iTunes LPs after March 2018.

'Existing LPs will be deprecated from the store during the remainder of 2018.

'Customers who have previously purchased an album containing an iTunes LP will still be able to download the additional content using iTunes Match', the email read.

LPs allow users to view multimedia elements as they play music. They often include lyrics, band photos and performance videos.

The anonymous source who leaked the email to Metro told the publication: 'It's clear that streaming is the future. Apple wants to push people to take out subscriptions.'

An LP is an interactive album format that allows users to view multimedia elements as they play music. It includes lyrics, band photos and performance videos according to Apple

Industry experts believe this could indicate Apple will pursue a subscription-based outlet similar to the business model of Spotify (pictured), the largest online music streaming platform in the world

While Metro reported that LPs would be removed from iTunes, Apple confirmed to tech site The Verge that existing LPs will continue to be available.

Despite much initial fanfare, LPs never became a major avenue of income for Apple.

Industry experts believe this could indicate Apple will pursue a subscription-based outlet similar to the business model of Spotify, the largest online music streaming platform in the world.

Mark Mulligan, an analyst at MIDiA Research and music industry blogger, told the Metro that the announcement was 'potential evidence' of Apple's future plans.

'This could show Apple will turn off its download store at some point,' he said.

'At some stage in the future, Apple having an iTunes music store will be as incongruous as Currys selling black and white TVs.'
We could find advanced alien life by monitoring for signs of 'space junk' orbiting distant worlds, a scientist has claimed.

Astronomers often use the 'transit method' - where light from a star observably dips as a planet travels in front of it - to find exoplanets.

One expert has now suggested we could use this same method to spot space junk such as satellites, solar panels and other objects in geostationary orbit.

If another planet has as much space junk as Earth is predicted to have by 2200 then this method could already be used to spot distant alien civilisations.

Scroll down for video

We could find advanced alien life by monitoring signs of 'space junk' (artist's impression), a scientist has claimed. Astronomers often use the 'transit method' - where light from a star observably dips as a planet travels in front of it - to find exoplanets

Using the transit method, experts can already make estimates about features of other planets based on their orbits and the time taken for each transit, according to New Scientist.

Writing in arXiv preprint article, astrophysicist Hector Socas-Navarro from the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics in Spain claims this same method could indicate how technologically advanced an alien life is.

He says this is because collective junk - which he termed a 'Clarke Exobelt' (CEB) - might block out some of the star's light.

In order for a dip to be visible from tens of light years away, there would need to be between ten billion and one trillion satellites.

Currently on Earth there are only a few thousand. However, over the past 15 years, the opacity of the Earth's Clarke belt has increased exponentially.

Although it might be very difficult to spot such minimal dimming of light, if there was enough junk it would show up with current telescopes.

He calculated that if TRAPPIST-1 exoplanets had as much clutter as Earth will have in 2200 we might be able to see its CEB now, writes Real Clear Science.

Pictured is an illustrative sketch of a planet with a CEB transiting its parent star. The size and surface density of the individual objects has been exaggerated for better visualisation

He calculated that if TRAPPIST-1 exoplanets (artist's impression) had as much clutter as Earth will have in 2200 we might be able to see its CEB now

If scientists know the mass and rotation period of a planet they will be able to determine the radius of the Clarke belt.

'The idea is to examine the region of space around a planet where potential geostationary or geosynchronous satellites would orbit (herafter, the Clarke exobelt)', wrote Dr Socas-Navarro in his paper.

'Civilisations with a high density of devices and/or space junk in that region, but otherwise similar to ours in terms of space technology (our working definition of 'moderately advanced'), may leave a noticeable imprint on the light curve of the parent star', he said.

One problem with this method is that space junk might be difficult to distinguish from natural debris.

Rings and moons around other planets would probably also give similar signals, although experts have not found any on exoplanets yet.

'The nice thing is that looking for Clarke exobelts comes for free with the search for moons and rings,' Socas-Navarro told New Scientist.

'It's as if someone gives you a free lottery ticket. You know it's utterly unlikely that you'll win the prize but wouldn't you check, just in case?'
Google is allowing UK users to make phone calls to mobile numbers and landlines on its Home smart speakers, free of charge.

Itw Home and Home Mini smart speakers will be able to place hand-free calls to ordinary UK numbers using Wi-Fi.

The latest update will be rolled out across the UK this week.

Users in the US have been able to make phone calls using the device since August last year.

Scroll down for video

Google Home users will soon be able to make phone calls to mobile numbers and landlines, free of charge. The latest update will be rolled out to customers across the UK later this week

To start a call users need to say, 'Hey Google, call', followed by the recipients name.

Google Assistant will be able to call any number in Google Contacts, as well as millions of businesses.

The AI can recognise the voice of up to six different users, and call the right contact based on that user's address book.

When making the first call on a Home speaker, it will show up to the recipient as an unknown number.

After the initial call though, users can set up caller ID so their own mobile phone number will appear in all future calls.

Google Assistant has also been able to place calls on an Android smartphone via voice, but using the smartphones mobile phone contract rather than Googles free calling service.

The hands-free voice calling feature also works for businesses as well as personal contacts. The feature only needs a Wi-Fi connection and can call mobile numbers and landlines

HOW DOES GOOGLE HOME CHOOSE ITS ANSWERS? The Google Assistant relies on a variety of sources including what Google 'thinks' will satisfy users' queries. To do this it uses an algorithm and machine learning to give each user results tailored for them, based on a history of their search results and the most popular, factual websites . It sometimes extracts 'quick answers' from third-party pages. These are displayed as 'Featured snippets' at the top of the search results. Google determines pages to be considered featured snippets, so not all sites are included. Certain features are prioritised for certain people as they are deemed more relevant to their interests. However, there are some issues with the system. According to searchengineland, if you ask Google Home 'Who is Steve Jobs?' it says 'Steven Paul 'Steve' Jobs was an American businessman, inventor, and industrial designer.' However, it does not mention that he worked for Apple. This appears to be because Apple is not mentioned in the first sentence of Job's biographical information on Wikipedia. Advertisement

This update is the latest move in a battle to dominate the voice-controlled smart speaker market.

Last month Google announced its digital assistant software would be available in more than 30 languages by the end of 2018 as it steps up its artificial intelligence efforts against Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri and others.

'Android users are all around the world, so from the start, our goal has been to bring the Assistant to as many people, languages and locations as possible,' said Nick Fox, Google's vice president of Product, in a blog post.

'...By the end of the year (Google Assistant) will be available in more than 30 languages, reaching 95 percent of all eligible Android phones worldwide,' he added.

Amazon's Alexa has been able to make calls for several months, but only to a specific pre-installed app on a smartphone - not to phone numbers or landlines.

Apple HomePod is, at least for the time being, incapable of making voice calls.
Samsung has figured out a way to almost make your TV magically disappear.

The Korean tech giant unveiled its new line of futuristic smart TVs on Wednesday and one model can blend in with your wall -- just like a chameleon.

Its next generation QLED TVs include a feature called Ambient Mode, which enables the TV to blend in to the background whenever it's turned off.

Scroll down for videos

Samsung uses a color and pattern matching technology to mimic the QLED TV's background, making it appear nearly invisible. The firm unveiled the new TVs at an event on Wednesday

To turn on Ambient Mode, open Samsung's SmartThings app, which is its connected home hub.

From there, you take a picture of your wall -- even if it's patterned wallpaper, brick, wood or a plain white surface.

The feature attempts to make the TV look transparent by using a color and brightness matching process, displaying the same color or pattern shown on the wall behind it, CNN noted.

In order to use Ambient Mode, the TV has to be mounted onto your wall.

'Ambient mode can mimic the pattern on the wall behind the TV to create an astonishing visual effect in which the TV blends seamlessly into the wall,' Samsung explained.

In short, Samsung's clever new Ambient Mode tries to prevent the TV from looking like an ugly black box.

The feature also displays information on the TV screen even when people aren't watching movies or TV.

It can play music and display the time, news headlines, traffic reports or weather updates.

The new QLED TVs can also be configured to display useful information like the time of day, weather alerts, traffic updates and news headlines. Users control this on the SmartThings app

The TVs have a built-in timer for Ambient Mode so that the devices don't eat up your electricity.

QLED TVs actually use less electricity because they don't require a backlight system.

Samsung released five new QLED models on Wednesday, which range in size from 49 inches and 82 inches.

All the models have Ambient Mode.

It's unclear what the TVs will be priced at, but Samsung says they'll become available for purchase in the next few weeks.

Samsung's clever new Ambient Mode tries to prevent the TV from looking like an ugly black box. Users can upload their own photos and set them as the TV's background

Samsung's new Ambient Mode echoes many of the same features used in its Frame TV, which was released last year.

The Frame is meant to look like a picture frame that's hung on a wall.

The TVs are also packed with a few other nifty features, such as thin cables.

Samsung says it's 'one invisible connection' that combines both power and AV data to the TV.

The thin cord then connects to an external input box.

'It frees consumers from having to place their TV near data or power outlets,' the company said.

WHAT IS QLED TECHNOLOGY? QLED, or quantum dot display, is a new type of technology used in screens. It's made of quantum dots, or tiny particles that emit sharp colors based on their particular size. Because the size can be finely tuned, the colors can be very accurate. QLED, or quantum dot display, is a new type of technology used in screens. Pictured is one of Samsung's QLED TV models, of which it released five new versions this week Also, because they five off color, there's no more need for filters - at least that's the promise. Today's quantum dot sets still do use filters, though because of fine-tuning, they represent reds and greens better than other sets and reduce the amount of power wasted when light gets filtered out. The technology differs from other screen technologies, such as OLED, HDR10+, HDR, LCD, MicroLED, HD, 4K or 8K. Advertisement

Like many other Samsung TVs, the newest QLED models can be used to control compatible smart devices, like voice-activated speakers, smart security systems, as well as other internet-of-things devices like light bulbs and thermostats.

To do this, users speak into the TV's remote, which is equipped with Samsung's Bixby digital assistant.

Additionally, Samsung said its massive 'The Wall' TV will become available in August.

First unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year, the Wall is a radical TV that's 12 feet wide.

The TV is the first to use a new technology called 'MicroLED', which are much smaller than current LEDs in TVs.

The MicroLED technology featured in The Wall eliminates the need for color filters or backlight, yet allows the screen to offer consumers the ultimate viewing experience.
The Tesla Semi is about to embark on its first delivery.

Elon Musk shared a photo today showing two of the electric big rigs side-by-side in the Gigafactory parking lot in Nevada, gearing up for their first production cargo trip.

The black and silver trucks are towing battery packs to the firms California factory.

It comes just weeks after one of the prototype Semis was spotted on the street in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Scroll down for video

Elon Musk shared a photo today showing two of the electric big rigs side-by-side in the Gigafactory parking lot in Nevada, gearing up for their first production cargo trip. The black and silver trucks are towing battery packs to the firms California factory

The move marks a major milestone toward the eventual release of the highly anticipated electric truck.

First production cargo trip of the Tesla Semi heavy duty truck, carrying battery packs from the Gigafactory in the Nevada mountains to the car factor in California, Musk wrote alongside the photo.

The Tesla Semi is said to be capable of traveling 500 miles on a charge when moving at highway speed with its maximum weight load, 80,000 pounds.

Diesel trucks, on the other hand, can go about 1,000 miles on a tank of fuel.

It can hit 60 miles per hour in five seconds without cargo, and 20 seconds towing a full load.

Musk first unveiled the electric Semi at an event last November, during which he rode one into an airport hangar outside of Los Angeles.

Theyre expected to roll out next year  but already, there have been several major orders, including PepsiCo, UPS, and Budweiser-maker Anheuser-Busch.

The Tesla Semi is said to be capable of traveling 500 miles on a charge when moving at highway speed with its maximum weight load, 80,000 pounds. Diesel trucks, on the other hand, can go about 1,000 miles on a tank of fuel

WHAT IS TESLA'S 'GIGAFACTORY'? Tesla's 'Gigafactory' is located on Electric Avenue in Sparks, Nevada. The factory's name stems from 'giga,' a unit of measurement that represents billions. One gigawatt hour is the equivalent of generating one billion watts for one hour  one million times that of one kilowatt hour. Tesla says the factory will be producing 35 gigawatt hours of batteries by 2018. The current structure has a footprint of 1.9 million square feet, which houses 4.9 million square feet of operational space across several floors It's currently about 30 percent finished - and once complete, it will be the biggest building in the world That's the equivalent to the entire world's production in 2014. New York City uses around 52 gigawatt hours of energy per year. Once completed in 2020, the factory is set to become one of the biggest buildings in the world, with a final size of 10 million square feet. Already, the current structure has a footprint of 1.9 million square feet, which houses 4.9 million square feet of operational space across several floors. 'Once complete, we expect the Gigafactory to be the biggest building in the world,' Tesla said. Advertisement

A video of the big rigs stirred fresh excitement last month over the all-electric truck.

The rare glimpse of the prototype was captured by YouTube user Richard Fielder in the Bay Area where Tesla Semis are being tested.

The clip shows just how quickly the massive electric vehicle can accelerate.

So far, only those in the San Francisco area have a chance at getting a sneak peak at the vehicle.
According to a recent study, modern-day Britons are barely related to the ingenious Neolithic farmers who built Stone Henge 5,000 years ago.

Instead the British are related to the 'Beaker people' who travelled from modern-day Holland and all but wiped out Stonehenge's creators.

The findings are 'absolutely sort of mind-blowing,' said archaeologist Barry Cunliffe, a professor emeritus at the University of Oxford.

'They are going to upset people, but that is part of the excitement of it.'

Many experts believed it was just Beaker pottery-making and culture which was exported to Britain between 4,400 and 4,700 years ago - not the people themselves.

But the new evidence comes from DNA analysis of 400 prehistoric skeletons, some from after Stonehenge and others born before it was created.

The genes of these ancient people provide enough clues to determine that Beakers travelled here from Holland and took over in a few centuries.

They replaced 90 per cent of the Neolithic farmers who built the monument and had lived here for 1,500 years.

The creators of Stonehenge appeared Mediterranean, with olive-hued skin, dark hair and eyes.

But the Beaker people were more like white modern British people, with fair skin, lighter hair and eyes.

The Beaker people may have killed off the ancient engineers behind Stonehenge by bringing the bubonic plague to Britain.

Dr Mike Parker Pearson, co-author of the study and professor of British later prehistory at University College London, said: 'Most of us have thought the people who built Stonehenge were our direct ancestors, but actually this study shows that they are only distantly related to us, if at all.

'We now realise these people had totally disappeared from the British population within 1,000 years.'
With the exception of perhaps St Patricks Day, theres no bigger party in the Irish capital than New Years Eve. Every pub, club, museum, public space and venue in the city seems to be doing something on the 31 December, so we have pulled together some of our favourite events for our guide to ringing in the new year in Dublin.

Here's all you need to know ahead of your getaway to the Irish capital for New Year's Eve

New Years Festival Dublin

The centrepiece of New Years Eve celebrations in the Irish capital is the two-day New Years Festival Dublin, starting early evening on 31 December and finishing in the afternoon of 1 January. The focal point of the main events is Custom House Quay in the city centre, where you can watch the spectacular Procession of Light through the city streets, sing your way through the New Years Eve concert and join in the traditional countdown to midnight. The following day, the early-to-bed crew can join the revellers at the New Years Day Family Event, with live music, performances and displays for visitors of all ages.

Beyond the concerts and light-shows, Dublins museums get in on the New Year action, too. Dublin Zoo, Dublin Castle, the Guinness Storehouse and the Irish Museum of Modern Art all put on events and exhibitions over the two days to celebrate  take a look at the festival website to plan your party attack.

Pints and parties

Most pubs, bars and clubs in the city host a New Years Eve event, so many locals and visitors will head to the pub. You might fancy welcoming in the New Year at the Brazen Head  reputedly the oldest in the country, so very well-practiced at this sort of thing. Or ODonoghues, famous for its traditional live music. Throughout Temple Bar in the city centre, most places will be packed with revellers. As its such a busy night, many pubs will be ticket-only on the 31 December, so its a good idea to plan your night and get everything sorted before heading out.

But there is life beyond the pubs. Each year, legendary live-music venue Whelans hosts a New Years Eve concert, as does the Smock Alley Theatre, where the acts are kept secret for their annual Ruby Sessions at the New Years Festival. Or perhaps New Years Eve is a night to really push the boat out. In recent years, the upmarket Mansion House has hosted a series of glamourous events, including a black-tie Masquerade Ball and a Carnival Experience, with acrobats, live music, a four-course meal and complimentary drinks.

Let the church bells ring

If all this hedonism is not your idea of a good time, head to Christ Church cathedral in Dublin 8, which, while being so close to the pubs and bars of the city centre, is a world away when it comes to celebrating the New Year. Every year, the cathedral is full for the traditional bell ringing that marks the stroke of midnight. Another option for a slightly different 31 December would be to jump on the DART to Howth, Malahide or one of the other towns along Dublin Bay for a truly local celebration. The fresh air and wide sandy beaches are fantastic for a head-clearing walk the following morning.

New Year's Eve i Dublin is an unmissable event

The morning after the night before

The fun continues throughout the city on the 1 January. For live classical music, head to the National Concert Hall or stay with the New Year Festival for a second day of celebrations with pints and live music at the Guinness Storehouse. If your first resolution of the new year is to get more active, you could do worse than a run in Phoenix Park or along the banks of the River Liffey. Or for something a little more organised, a number of Dublin's Parkruns host a free, timed 5km run on the morning of 1 January. If that all sounds a little energetic, make your way into town for a full Irish breakfast the perfect way to soak up the excesses of the night before.

Good to know

The New Years Eve concert and Liffey Lights Midnight Moment, as part of the New Years Festival, are for over 18s only. There is a family event on the 31 December at 1830, known as the Liffey Lights Midnight Moment Matinee, which is open to all. The streets will be extremely busy on New Years Eve, so leave the car and make the most of public transport. The Luas runs a night service until 0300, and there are Dublin Bus Nitelink routes available based on a normal weekend schedule.
Romes cobbled streets are known for their architectural big-hitters  but there are also reminders of the citys colourful past below them. From the miles of ancient catacombs dating back to the second century to the many ornate crypts that lie beneath the citys churches, theres plenty to discover when you explore Rome underground.

Ruins of the Colosseums dungeons

The Capuchin Crypt

Perhaps the most famous and fascinating underground site in Rome is the Capuchin Crypt. Located underneath the Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini on Via Veneto, it dates back to the 17th century, when a group of Capuchin monks moved into the church above and buried hundreds of friars underneath. Eerily known as the Bone Chapel, the crypt is made up of six rooms that feature some unusual (and rather grisly) decor.

Thought to now hold a staggering 3,700 bodies, the Capuchin Crypt is famous for the human bones set intricately in the walls around Christian murals and other religious artefacts. Its an eerie place to visit and is best taken in slowly to really appreciate the level of detail and care that was put into building it. It costs 6 to enter and that includes access to the museum above, which is well worth a visit to fully understand the significance and history of the crypt.

The Catacombs of Domitilla

If you want to experience Romes largest underground burial site, the Catacombs of Domitilla are a must. Stretching for 11 miles below the city and built across four levels, these impressive catacombs date back to the second century. Named after the noblewoman who originally owned the land, they house the bodies of around 150,000 early Christians and Catholics.

A visit to the Catacombs of Domitilla usually takes about an hour and gives an insight into the lives of the early Christians who lived side-by-side with imperial Romans. One of the highlights is a second century fresco of the Last Supper, but there are also many other beautiful murals to see on the domed ceilings, as well as pagan symbols and intricately decorated tombs. The entrance to the catacombs is a little out of the city centre on Via delle Sette Chiese, and its best to pay for a tour to learn as much as you can about their detailed and rich history.

Basilica San Clementes underground ruins

While 12th century Basilica San Clemente is well worth a visit in itself, with its stunning mosaic and 15th century frescoes, the real highlights lie beneath the impressive church. Spreading across multiple levels, the ground-level church sits just a short walk to the east of the Colosseum, with each layer below taking you on a journey further back in time. On the lower level are the remains of an earlier fourth century basilica, but its after this that history takes a dramatic turn.

Just beneath lies the remains of a second century Roman house, an ancient Mithraic temple and other intriguing pagan ruins. The many layers illustrate Romes vibrant past and are worth the 10 entrance fee to access the areas beyond the main basilica. Truly a hidden gem, its not as busy as Romes other underground sites  but be aware that its not open all day, so check times before you set off.

Virgin Mary in San Clemente church

The Colosseums dungeons

If you dont fancy going completely underground, a tour of the Colosseums dungeons will still give you an insight into the Eternal Citys morbid yet fascinating history. The dungeons set beneath the iconic landmark were the backstage area for Roman Gladiators to rest, eat and pray, as well as being the holding pen of a menagerie of exotic animals.

The dungeons were filled in during the fifth century but were recently excavated in 2010 in remarkable condition. To access the dungeons, you have to go on an organised tour. While sometimes pricey, these tours usually offer shorter entrance queues, small groups, English-speaking tour guides and access to the main structure, as well as the underground dungeons and arena floor.

Vatican grottos

If youre short on time but still want a taster of Romes underground history, the grottos at the Vatican are a good option. Situated underneath St Peters Basilica, the series of small chapels are the resting places of many of the citys popes and also contain ancient shrines to royals and saints (including St Peter).

Dating from medieval times to the present day, the grottos are a popular pilgrimage site and house the remains of the previous two popes. Its free to visit but only a certain number of people are allowed in each day, and just a small portion of the tombs are open to the public. Its best to visit in the morning to avoid queueing, and make sure youre wearing respectable clothing to avoid being turned away at the door.
Its not hard to book yourself onto a walking tour in Rome  you have to walk through a hailstorm of tour touts to get to any of the citys main paid-for attractions. To make sure you secure a reputable one, its probably best to book in advance. That way you can make sure you get the fullest, fleshiest itineraries delivered by tried and tested guides. Here are a few walking tours that come highly rated by tourists.

Group of tourists looking out over Rome

Rome Free Tour

Every day, Rome Free runs a free walking tour in the capital. History heavy, the tours delve into the roots of Rome. Tours of the Vatican area take place MondaySaturday at 1000. The experience begins at the Spanish Steps and ends at Castel SantAngelo overlooking Saint Peters Square. Free tours of the Colosseum take place MondaySaturday at 1600. This route also begins at the Spanish Steps and takes in sights like the Trevi Fountain en-route to Romes ancient amphitheatre. Finally, a piazza tour takes place every Sunday at 1000. The route of this tour explains the history behind some of the citys most famous squares. All you have to do is tip your guide at the end  if youre happy with your experience that is.

Personal Shopping Tour

The website With Locals offers a three-hour private shopping tour in Rome with a journalist fromVogue Italia. The itinerary can be tailored to include everything from time in big brand designer stores to introductions to lesser-known boutiques. Other options include visits to local artisans and meet-ups with Rome-based designers. The tour can be taken by three people at a time and also includes personal style advice and a coffee break. Tours are available every day except Monday mornings.

Rome as a Local

Offered by Walks of Italy, Rome as a Local shows off the citys less touristy sites and gives you an insight into what its like to live amongst these as a local today. The tour is led by a resident in the city and takes in places such as the Jewish Ghetto, the Appian Way and Janiculum Hill, where the view overlooks the skyline of Rome, from the Vatican to the twin chariots of the National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II. The majority of the tour is on foot, but a shuttle is included to drive you between stops. This tour is a good option for returning visitors to Rome, as it shows off a different side to the city.

Lighthouse of Gianicolo hill (or Janiculum)

Cocktail bar tour

In certain parts of Rome the streets are a huge tangle and finding your way around them in search of specific guide book-recommended cocktail bars can be harder you think. Tour company The Roman Guy offers a walking tour that does the logistics for you. It lasts three hours and takes you to four different bars in three neighbourhoods. Three cocktails are also included in the cost. During the course of the evening youll learn about Romes aperitivo culture and sip drinks in all sorts of kooky bars, such as one in a converted car garage. The trail of the tour will also take you past some of the citys landmarks so you can see them lit up at night. Cocktail tours are available every day (except for Sundays) and take place at 1730.

Historical Centre food tour

The name is a bit of a giveaway with Secret Food Tours. Unsurprisingly, the company runs a walking tour of Romes Historical Centre, which focuses purely on the areas food and drink. Typical tours start with a fresh espresso or cappuccino in a cafe in Piazza Navona and continue on to eight more stops where youll eat and drink the next three and a half hours away. Youll get to try three different types of pizza, sample fried risotto balls called suppli, and mooch around the vegetable market at Campo de Fiori. Youll taste two different types of pasta in the Jewish Quarter, learn about the history of carbonara, and wash a few tasters of Italian cheese down with a glass of local wine before ending with dessert.

Wooden crates of carrots, garlic and other fruit and veg at Campo de Fiori

Art tour

Through With Locals you can book a guided walking tour led by a local art expert. The guide  Valentina  has a PHD in contemporary art and works at the National Art Academy of Rome. She speaks Italian, French and English. The itinerary of the tour can be tailored to suit your interests but options range from a street art tour to an experience that includes a visit to the MAXXI or Macro Museums, which showcase contemporary Roman art from both the 20th and 21st centuries. Tours are available every day 09301930.
When Michelangelo first saw the Pantheon he proclaimed it was the work of angels, not humans. And it's easy to see why. One of Romes most iconic sights, this magnificent stone edifice is the best-preserved Roman building in the world. Built in 118 AD, this former Roman temple and now Catholic church is one of Romes most popular visitor attractions. Check out our short guide on how to get the best out of your visit.

View of the exterior of the Pantheon

Visiting the Pantheon

The Pantheon is a massive circular church topped by 141ft (43m) wide dome. Visitors enter through its grand portico, which has 16 granite Corinthian columns each standing nearly 39ft (12m) high. A pair of huge bronze doors opens out under the famous ornate dome. The opening at the very top of the dome is known as the oculus, or the eye of the Pantheon, and is almost 29ft (9m) in diameter. Apart from the doors, it's also the only source of light in the church. The vast marble floor, which features a geometrical design, is the original 2,000-year-old floor.

How to get there? The Pantheon overlooks Piazza della Rotunda, a beautiful cobblestone square between Via del Corso and Piazza Navona. Its a six-minute walk from the buses on Via del Corso, while the nearest metro is Colosseum, which is a 20-minute stroll.

Opening times: The Pantheon is open to the public from 0830 to 1715 Monday to Saturday, and from 0900 to 1745 on Sundays.

Tickets: Entry into the Pantheon is free. There are several guided tours on offer, which can be booked and paid for at the visitors desk. These vary in prices but are worthwhile to get the most out of your visit.

Attend Mass at the Pantheon: Since the year 609 CE, the Pantheon has been a working Catholic Church and holds a regular mass. Every Saturday, the 1700 mass is celebrated in several European languages. Visitors to the services are welcome, but silence and appropriate dress is appreciated.

Getting around: Download the Pantheon app ($0.99c/0.75p) on your smartphone for additional history and information. It includes a 30-minute audio guide available in eight different languages, which guides you around 15 different listening points. It features the same information as the audio guide available at the visitors desk and benefits from an interactive map.

Best time to visit: The Pantheon is very busy during the day and inside can get uncomfortably crowded. The most popular time to visit is between 1100 and 1300 when the midday sun streams through the oculus illuminating the interior. To avoid the crowds, visit either early in the morning or after 1600. Visitors can spend anything from a few minutes up to an hour inside.

Interior of Rome Pantheon with the famous dome

History of the Pantheon

The name Pantheon means to honour all gods. It was built as a Roman temple during the reign of Emperor Hadrian and dedicated to the 12 pagan gods of Rome and Greece.

It was actually the third temple built on the site, the first two were constructed under rule of Roman consul, Marcus Agrippa. Look out for the Latin inscription on the portico, which says, M.AGRIPPA.L.F.COS.TERTIVM.FECIT, which translates as 'It was built by Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time'. However, it has since been proved that it was actually built during the reign of Emperor Hadrian a decade later, who just so happened to keep Agrippas original inscription.

In the 7th century, the Byzantine Emperor Phocus gave the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV who converted it into a Catholic Church, the Basilica di Santa Maria ad Martyres. The pope then had the remains of hundreds of holy martyrs moved from the catacombs to temples above the altar. Historians say this is a big part of the reason the Pantheon still stands today.

The Pantheon is also the final resting place for several famous Rome residents. King Vittorio Emanuele II, King Umberto 1 and Queen Margherita are all entombed in the Pantheon, as well as the artist, Raphael and composer, Arcangelo Corelli.

Did you know?

The Pantheon still has its original Roman dome and still, after two millennia, is the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.

Until the 20th century, the Pantheon was the largest concrete structure in the world.

The great artist and architect Michelangelo studied the Pantheons magnificent dome before starting work on St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City.

Each of the Pantheons 16 granite columns weigh 60 tons and were transported to Rome all the way from Egypt.
Advertisement

They are, of course, part of London's tourist appeal.

And the iconic Beefeaters are rewarded for their service with a top perk: their very own secret pub.

After the hordes of tourists with their cameras and selfie sticks depart from the Tower of London every evening, a private drinking hole for Beefeaters (and their guests) comes to life within the walls of the royal fortress.

Secret space: Yeoman Warder John Donald poses for a portrait inside the Yeoman Warders Club, Tower of London

Officially called Yeoman Warders and instantly recognisable with their distinctive hats and uniforms, the 37 Beefeaters live with their families inside the fortified complex, which houses the Crown Jewels, a glittering symbol of the British monarchy.

While living in a castle on the bank of the Thames has a unique cachet, Beefeaters share their home with close to three million visitors a year and spend much of their time conducting tours, answering questions and posing for photographs.

After the daily hubbub fades, they can change out of their uniforms and head for a quiet drink at the Yeoman Warders' Club, their own private bar in a discreet corner of the sprawling fortress - a much-needed respite.

'There are certainly two sides to life here at the Tower,' club chairman John Donald, who has been a Beefeater for more than four years, said. 'When we are here looking after the general public, we're very much in the public domain, very, very busy answering lots of questions.

'And then come six o'clock it becomes our own little village again, where as a community we can relax and enjoy ourselves.'

Sign of the times: A black-and-white name plate is proudly displayed on the green door of the castle's little-known bar

Fancy a pint in private? A formally-dressed Yeoman Warder passes the exterior of the club, which has 37 members

No need to queue for drinks! The restricted access means patrons will rarely have to wait long for their order

That relaxation could take the form of a pint of Beefeater Bitter, a beer made by Marston's Brewery in Staffordshire, central England, and available only in the Yeoman Warders' Club.

The brewery also produces a craft lager called Yeoman 1485, also only available in the private bar. Both drinks are 'very lovely', Donald said.

In keeping with the history of the Tower of London, which has served many purposes over the centuries from royal residence to the prison where two of King Henry VIII's wives were beheaded, the club is decorated with unusual objects.

Among them is a plaque that reads 'SITE OF SCAFFOLD' - kept as a souvenir after it was removed from the site where executions took place. For good measure, the Yeoman Gaoler's axe hangs just above it, a ghoulish reminder of the gruesome past.

History: In keeping with the Tower of London's heritage, the club is decorated with unusual objects - many in glass cabinets

Cheers to that! Naturally, a collection of Beefeater gin bottles are prominently displayed at the Yeoman Warders Club

'Come six o'clock it becomes our own village again, where as a community we can relax and enjoy ourselves,' says Yeoman Warder John Donald

Other memorabilia includes a framed document bearing the signature of Rudolf Hess. The Nazi politician was briefly imprisoned at the Tower in 1941 after being caught in Scotland during a failed secret peace mission. He was one of the last prominent people to be held prisoner there.

On a more cheerful note, the bar also boasts glass cases displaying objects linked to the Beefeaters' colourful traditions.

There are silver tankards used by new Beefeaters to have a drink of port after their formal swearing-in ceremonies while their colleagues proffer the toast: 'May you never die a Yeoman Warder.'

That dates back to a time when if they retired from the corps, Beefeaters could sell the job to someone else, but if they died while in office the Constable of the Tower would pocket the money instead. That system no longer exists.

Back in the day: Memorabilia - including portraits of The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh - are displayed on the walls

A ghoulish reminder of the past: The Yeoman Gaoler's axe hangs just above a sign that defined the castle's execution area

Never off duty: A pair of Beefeater ornaments are displayed side-by-side at the Yeoman Warders Club, where they keep watch

Another glass case displays one of the Beefeaters' scarlet state dress uniforms, known to gin lovers around the world from the labels on bottles of Beefeater Gin, but now worn only on special occasions such as Queen Elizabeth's birthday.

In their day-to-day duties, Beefeaters now wear a dark blue-and-red 'undress' uniform, while at the private club they can relax in everyday clothes.

Donald appeared content for the elaborate state dress uniform, with its heavy tunic, knee-breeches and tight white neck ruff, to be in a glass case.

'The state dress, we only wear for a couple of days a year and only for a couple of hours at a time, so we kind of grin and bear it,' he said.
Advertisement

There are bad reviews, and those that label a hotel as being quite possibly the very worst in the world.

Here, complete with accusations of 'blood-stained sheets', 'cockroaches' and 'entirely abandoned floors', we present some of the biggest contenders for that unwelcome title .

But do they really deserve it? You decide...

The Grand Hotel, Pristina

Relic: The Grand Hotel in Kosovo's capital, Pristina, was once a stunning local landmark, but is now a shadow of its former self

Situated on Mother Theresa Boulevard in downtown Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, The Grand Hotel was once owned by the Yugoslav government.

Originally built in 1978, it was swiftly adorned with a five-star rating and became a local landmark.

These days, however, the thirteen-storey structure is a shadow of its former self - and operates with an average occupancy rate of just one per cent.

Barely functional: These days, the 13-storey structure operates with an average occupancy rate of just one per cent. Probably for a reason

That's according to a recent report by the New York Times, which described it as 'a maze of dimly lit corridors that are littered with pigeon feathers, strung with cobwebs, lined with doors of dark wood and haunted by even darker memories of Kosovos past'.

It also noted that several floors are 'completely abandoned' and some are littered with pigeon feathers.

Back in 2009, Lonely Planet also slated it, telling readers: 'Reviewed only so you don't get lured here, the poor old Grand Hotel is mocked by the irony of its name. Rooms are adequately furnished but scream for an upgrade, starting with the carpets.'

Two years later, it went one better, urging tourists: 'In three words: dont stay here. It really should have lost four of its five stars years ago.'

Perhaps unsurprisingly, more recent guests have been no more complimentary about this faded socialist glory.

One TripAdvisor reviewer, Globetrottericeland, said: 'Bad smoke smell in room and very cold - door missing on closet, curtains did not cover the window. Rude personnel.'

Another, Koshotti, said: 'We stayed on the 8th floor and two of us had to get medical treatment because of bugs in the mattress. I can't recommend the rooms, nor the breakfast.'

A third, A_Priscan, claimed that 'the hotel has no central heating for months due to cash flow problems' and inside 'the temperature is so low that you can see your breath'.

The New World Hotel, NYC

While it offers respite from 56 per night, the New World Hotel in New York has near-legendary status for its bad feedback.

Out of 380 reviews, 138 people ranked it as 'terrible'. In contrast, just two people rated it 'excellent'.

Located in the Chinatown district, it remains one of the cheapest options in NYC - but, inside, people report bed bugs, paper-thin walls, windowless rooms and filthy shared bathrooms.

Tourist trap: While it offers respite from 56 per night, NYC'S New World Hotel has near-legendary status for its bad feedback

One TripAdvisor user, Nadezda33, said: 'I could not even ever imagine that there can be a place this dirty, noisy and tiny to call itself a hotel. The walls were all stained. The smell was nasty. Bathroom was the same. Towels that they provide were with brown stains. Floors dirty. AWFUL!!!'

Another, Sunflowe8, added: 'This place was awful. I've stayed in hostels before but this was way worse than imagined. The bed was freakishly hard, it was cold and dirty. The walls are so thin you can hear everything your neighbours do. There were kids screaming down the halls at 2:00am and Chinese television playing all day so you could never sleep. Trust me, stay away there are much better for just as cheap.'

A third user, Chefaltoon, quipped: 'BEDBUGS BEDBUGS BEDBUGS. Just sharing my experience with everyone!!!!

'Completely infected in less than 24 hours. Very scary experience, a waste of money and too much stress. Please consider all [other] options available.'

Aspinals Hotel, Singapore

Singapore is an island city-state known for its immaculate, litter-free streets.

Sadly, the same can't always be said for its hotels, which range from five-star luxury to the downright disgusting - at least according to many of its tourists.

Specifically, the Aspinals Hotel comes under fire for its rather underwhelming customer experience, which sees it ranked #307 of TripAdvisor's 319 hotels in Singapore.

Causes of displeasure include everything from insects to dirty towels, not to mention 'rude' staff.

Underwhelming: The much-maligned Aspinals Hotel is ranked #307 in TripAdvisor's list of 319 hotels in Singapore

One ex-guest, wwadventurer, said: 'Very small room with cockroaches crawling on the bed and walls and the miserable cupboard is only for show - it can't be used. I was awake killing cockroaches and the previous guest had left wall marks.

'Very thin see-through curtains, had no privacy. Bathroom stinks. DO NOT BOOK A ROOM IN THIS HOTEL.'

Another, Sina2011, said: 'This is by far the worst hotel I have ever seen and that is quite surprising regarding that it is located in Singapore, one of the cleanest places in the world.

'The room was so small that our luggage didn't even fit in. It had no window and reminded me a bit of jail. It smelled awful, everything was dirty, the TV wasn't working, the A/C wasn't working, the bathroom was a hole in the wall with a toilet seat that was moldy.

'After looking at the room, we left instantly, there is no way anyone should have to sleep in a room like that!'

The Lonsdale Hotel, London

Although some of its hospitality venues are world-famous, including The Ritz, The Savoy and The Grosvenor, not all of London's hotels impress. Especially when it comes to The Lonsdale.

Although it's billed as an 'old Georgian townhouse in Bloomsbury' with a 'homey, friendly atmosphere', most of their clientele disagree with its positive description.

In fact, its TripAdvisor page has 538 impassioned reviews - and, while a mysterious one per cent describe it as 'excellent', a staggering 72 per cent beg to differ, deriding it as 'terrible'.

Looks OK from the outside! However, guests say the interior of The Lonsdale is a rather different story...

Basic amenities: One reviewer even implored people to boycott the venue in a bid to close it down

Detailing their unhappiness, former guests cite a familiar roll-call of grievances, including: dirty beds, filthy bathrooms and smelly carpets.

One user, BabaGalsgow, wrote: 'Most horrible hotel in the world, can't believe it's in central London. So uncomfortable and filthy, toilet was absolutely disgusting. Wouldn't go near again.'

Another, Sean L, said: 'Do not stay here under any circumstances. The people who operate this place are astonishingly incompetent and apathetic. Please do your part to shut this place down: stay away.'

A third, CraigWBrown, mused: 'This place is dirty, smelly and the staff are incredibly rude. I am surprised that places like this still trade. Please spend an extra 20 per night and stay somewhere else. Please, please , please do not stay here!'

Centaur Hotel, New Delhi

Panned: Although close to Indira Gandhi International Airport, The Centaur regularly attracts damning reviews

Nestled close to Indira Gandhi International Airport, The Centaur manages to attract a relatively steady stream of guests thanks to its location.

This means airlines regularly host needy passengers here if a flight has been delayed or cancelled. Yet few are ever grateful for the offer of stay-over hospitality - even if it is complimentary.

Seventy per cent of the venue's 246 TripAdvisor reviews slate it as dire, with many describing borderline dangerous conditions due to blood-stained sheets and 'brown' water.

One user, XOcarebearXX, wrote: 'I can not even begin to describe how DISGUSTING the bathrooms were.

'They even gave us half-used lotions and the towels were not washed and brown. That isn't even the worst part. I was "thinking" about taking a shower but not only was the tub dirty but the water was brown and yellow.

'It was a frightening experience. I felt cleaner not taking a shower.'

Another, going by the username FrequentFlyer123, said: 'Previous reviewers have said it all. This hotel is a nightmare. Like others, I was dumped in a taxi and sent here after my delayed flight from Sydney meant I missed the connecting flight to Bangalore.

'The hotel is filthy, falling apart, smelly... unbelievable. My room was so dirty it was unbearable to touch anything let alone sleep in the bed or use the bathroom. I arrived at 10pm was due to check out at 4am, so with no real alternative (apart from crying) I took a sleeping pill and passed out.

'There was no other way I could've slept in that room. This hotel should be shut down.'

MailOnline has contacted each of the hotels listed in this article, but is yet to receive any responses.
Advertisement

He designs luxury ballgowns and has dressed a string of Hollywood stars, as well as former first lady Michelle Obama.

But Zac Posen's latest project has seen him swap dressing celebrities for the red carpet for kitting out over 60,000 Delta Air Lines employees across the world with new uniforms - and one fashion designer said that they are 'a testament to his incredible design artistry'.

The US-based carrier is changing its employee workwear for the first time in 10 years, and after three years in the making, fittings are taking place before the uniforms are used for the first time in May.

Some of the new Delta uniforms designed for female cabin crew and customer service agents by Zac Posen

Male cabin crew and customer service agents will be given three-piece suits in new 'graphite grey' with jumpers in 'passport plum'

To design the new uniforms, Posen, who has dressed Naomi Campbell, Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez among others, spent time working with the airline - as a flight attendant, gate agent and in the Sky Club concierge - to guage how practical the outfits should be.

He then worked with over 1,000 Delta staff, who tested the items to identify any issues. More than 165 changes were made before the designs were finalised.

The new uniforms have seen Delta's traditional red, white and blue infused with new hues, which have been dubbed 'passport plum' (purple), 'cruising cardinal' (red) and 'ground speed graphite' (grey).

The outfits for female flight attendants and customer service agents include a V-neck dress, peplum sweater, ottoman skirt suit and a swing jacket.

As well as the two new colours, Delta will be retaining its traditional red in its new uniform palette. The uniforms will be worn from May 29

For men, the pieces include a grey three-piece suit, a crew neck sweater and a widget printed tie.

Meanwhile staff working on the airport ramp or in the tech ops division will be given a mid-layer sweater, a jacket and rapid dry polo shirts.

Fittings for the new uniforms have started in 14 cities across the US as well as at Delta's European hubs in London, Paris and Amsterdam.

Staff will begin to wear the new uniforms on May 29 at all of Delta's locations.

Posen said: 'We wanted Delta employees to look glamorous on the job without sacrificing functionality and style.

Staff working on the airport ramp or in the tech ops division will be given mid-layer sweaters, jackets and rapid dry polo shirts

Fittings for the new uniforms have started in 14 cities across the US as well as at Delta's European hubs in London, Paris and Amsterdam

'I worked alongside employees to understand how they interact with the clothes they wear and developed a look that empowers and excites, because we want Deltas global workforce to exude the confidence and thoughtfulness that reflects the airlines brand.'

Delta's CEO Ed Bastian added: 'The worlds best employees deserve the best uniforms and this new collection is classically influenced, yet modern.

'Zac and the Delta team worked closely with our people to create timeless and fashionable pieces that reflect the thoughtful and innovative spirit of Delta.'

Zac Posen at the Vanity Fair Oscar party earlier this week. He has designed dresses for a host of Hollywood stars as well as former first lady Michelle Obama

Fashion expert and blogger Simon Glazin told MailOnline Travel that he is impressed with the new uniforms, especially the colours.

He explained: 'He just dressed a whole host of stars for the Oscars red carpet, but it's clear that Zac Posen's talents aren't confined to just big stunning gowns.

'It's reported that Zac actually spent time on lots of Delta flights, even serving people food and drinks, to really research what would make the perfect uniform.

'It turns out super structured dresses - a signature of his - and smart tailoring, something the designer has turned to of late, is the way to go.

'And that Passport Plum Pantone colour (not official!) is a nice departure (mind the pun) from the Delta red, although the two colours compliment each other amazingly.

'More than anything though, I imagine the people wearing the uniforms feel fabulous in them, testament to Posen's incredible design artistry.'

While Hannah Eichler, a senior stylist with UK high street brand Oasis, told MailOnline Travel: 'Following in the footsteps of Christian Lacroix and Vivienne Westwood, designer and Project Runway judge Zac Posen is the latest to join the mile high club - sartorially speaking of course!

'Off-set in this seasons hottest hue, purple, as predicted by Pantone Color Institute and having been seen all over the spring/summer runways, the uniforms feature sleek gold buttons and punchy red trims. Not forgetting that obligatory neck tie.

'Waistcoats and asymmetric details are a departure from the frumpy skirt suits usually provided for female attendants, whilst the Passport Plum theme ties in with the men's sleek suits with modern shirting, ties and pocket squares that wouldnt look out of place at a wedding!'
Commercial aviation is a competitive industry - and every airline wants your money.

But, according to one expert, the quality of customer experience can vary greatly between big-name carriers, despite the incentives to please.

Miami-based travel expert The Points Guy, AKA Brian Kelly, has ranked America's airlines from best to worst - with surprising results.

Winner: Alaska Airlines is named best-performing carrier for second consecutive year

Runner-up: Southwest Airlines ranked in second place - four places higher than last year

Based on ten different categories, his analysis covers everything from cabin comfort to ticket cost and quality of airport lounges.

Partially using data submitted to the Department of Transportation, punctuality and customer satisfaction were also assessed, as were bag fees, lost luggage and cases of passengers being bumped.

Meanwhile, extra priority was given to airfare, route network and frequent flier programs because they matter most to passengers, Kelly says.

So what are the results? Interestingly, Alaska Airlines was named the best-performing carrier for the second consecutive year.

'The airline continues to be a favorite of its customers, and ranked in the top three across half of our criteria  airfare, on-time arrivals, baggage handling, customer satisfaction and its best-in-the-industry frequent flyer program,' Kelly explains.

Improvement: Despite a difficult year, which saw a number of PR disasters for the airline, Delta jumped from seventh place to third

United Airlines slipped from second to fourth place due to air fare and airport lounge quality

Less than one point behind it is Southwest Airlines, which followed suit in second place - four rankings higher than the previous year.

'The carrier saw gains in two key areas  lower airfare and an increase in the size of its already substantial route network  while continuing to rate at the top of customer satisfaction and baggage and change fees,' Kelly adds.

Despite a difficult year, which saw a number of PR disasters for the airline, Delta jumped from seventh place to third. This is credited with slight improvements across several areas, such as airfare and bumps, while over-performing on punctuality, lost baggage and network size.

Slipping from second to fourth place is United, largely due to air fare and unimpressive airport lounges, while Frontier Airlines came fifth.

This, Kelly adds, is thanks to 'noticeable improvements in mishandled baggage while continuing to aggressively expand its route network'.

Last: Hawaiian Airlines was ranked bottom of the index - largely due to price and restricted route plan, meaning customers had fewer places to travel from and to

THE TOP 9 1. Alaska Airlines 2. Southwest Airlines 3. Delta Airlines 4. United Airlines 5. Frontier Airlines 6. American Airlines 7. Spirit Airlines 8. JetBlue 9. Hawaiian Airlines Source: The Points Guy Advertisement

American Airlines ranked sixth because it continues 'to put up mediocre numbers in on-time arrivals, lost baggage, fees and customer satisfaction', while Spirit Airlines stalled at seventh place due to costly fees for checked bags.

JetBlue suffered a much worse fate, however - witnessing the biggest drop in this years study, down from fourth place, last year, to eighth.

Finally, Hawaiian Airlines was ranked bottom of the index.

This, Kelly explained, was largely down to price and its comparatively restricted route plan (which covers North America, Asia and the South Pacific, as well as every major Hawaiian island), meaning customers had fewer places to travel from/to.

However, Kelly insists the lower-ranked airlines shouldn't lose faith.

'They can take solace in the fact that just a few small adjustments in their operations could drastically alter their performance next year,' he states.

'And on the flip side, while Alaska Airlines should take great pride in the consistency of its top-ranked performance, it cant rest on its laurels.

'Instead, the airline should be looking over its shoulder, because there are some eager competitors charging right up behind it'.
Some music fans will shudder at the thought of a music festival on a tropical island.

But the organizers of KAABOO Cayman have insisted: 'Fyre Fest this is not.'

KAABOO  which has run the popular Del Mar festival for the past four years  have revealed they will hold the inaugural sister event in the Cayman Islands in February of next year.

'Fyre Fest this is not': KAABOO has launched its own music festival in the Cayman Islands... one year after rival Bahamas disaster

Although it might look like a cash in on the genuine momentum and spectacular failure that was Fyre Fest, KAABOO Cayman has actually been in the planning stages long before the Bahamas disaster.

'We don't want anybody to fail, we don't take joy in other people's pain,' said KAABOO Chief Brand Officer Jason Felts told DailyMail.com. 'A healthy business is a successful business.'

'That being said... what they were promoting was a reclusive, desert island with no infrastructure.... who wants to go to a festival on a desert island??'

In April of last year, hundreds of festival goers arrived on Great Exuma expecting to find luxury accommodation, gourmet food and A-list acts, but were instead greeted by leaky tents, cheese sandwiches and not much else.

Up and fleaing: KAABOO  which has run the popular Del Mar festival for the past four years  have revealed the will hold the inaugural sister event in the Cayman Islands in February of next year (Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers pictured at last year's KAABOO Del Mar)

Party started: Pink was one of the headlines at KAABOO Del Mar last year, which has been running for for years

Bliss: The Cayman Islands festival will run every February, starting next year (Muse pictured playing Del Mar in September)

'Fyre Fest this is not,' Felts insisted.

For example the Cayman Islands, he pointed out, is the fifth largest financial center in the world; it boasts excellent infrastructure, a range of accommodation options, and  while it doesn't have Lyft or Uber yet  a regulated taxi industry.

'The only thing the two festivals really have in common is that they both have palm trees!' he joked.

And while one of Fyre's bizarre pitching points was that it once belonged to Pablo Escobar, the Caymans' crime connection  that all villains have off-shore bank accounts there  is a trope dreamed up for Hollywood movies.

All I really want: Similar to its older San Diego sister, KAABOO Cayman will host two days of music, comedy, art, food, drink  with internationally renowned and the best of local artists covering all five categories (Alanis Morissette playing last September)

'Fyre Fest this is not': KAABOO Chief Brand Officer Jason Felts told DailyMail.com 'The only thing the two festivals really have in common is that they both have palm trees!'

Similar to its older San Diego sister, KAABOO Cayman will host two days of music, comedy, art, food, drink  with internationally renowned and the best of local artists covering all five categories.

And like Kaboo Del Mar the range of musical and comedy tastes and eras served will be hugely diverse; the most recent festival hosted Muse, Pink, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alanis Morissette, Kesha, Weezer, Garbage, Ice Cube, David Guetta, Patton Oswalt, David Spade, Nick Swardson, Arsenio Hall, and  heart-breakingly  one of the final ever performances by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, just days before the frontman passed away.

As for food, the Caribbean haven is already host to one of the biggest culinary events going  the Cayman Cookout  which attracts Michelin star chefs from all over the world every year, so the island is no stranger to gourmet.

Bra-vo: And like Kaboo Del Mar the range of musical and comedy tastes and eras served will be hugely diverse (Kesha pictured playing last September)

'We are very conscious of doing this right versus doing it fast,' Felts said, insisting that, again unlike Fyre, this was not being pitched on the back of celebrity influence; infamously, the likes of Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski all promoted last year's 'dumpster Fyre' on social media.

'We run this like a business, not like a party, with customer service and hospitality at the heart of it,' he said.

Blind sale passes for the two day fest have already gone on sale; artists line-up will not be unveiled until May.

'We are very conscious of doing this right versus doing it fast,' Felts insisted that, unlike Fyre, this was not being pitched on the back of celebrity influence; infamously, the likes of Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski all promoted last year's 'dumpster Fyre' on social media

Dumpster Fyre: In April of last year, hundreds of festival goers arrived on Great Exuma expecting to find luxury accommodation and A-list acts, but were instead greeted by leaky tents and not much else

Yum! Instead of the gourmet food they were promised, they arrived to this cheese sandwich

There are eight US cities that fly there directly including Atlanta, Detroit and New York, Boston, Houston, Chicago and Washington, and is only an hour flight from Miami.

There are also direct flights from London; Felts insists Brits will feel very comfortable there, as it is an overseas British Territory.

'The first thing you see when you get off the plane is a portrait of the Queen!' he smiled.
Real Housewives of Melbourne star and clairvoyant Jackie Gillies has revealed she connected to Princess Diana while giving her former butler Paul Burrell a psychic reading.

The reading took place when Jackie and Paul were in the jungle on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!

Jackie, 37, said she connected so deeply with Diana she told Paul information that no one else knows, and the information was written down on paper so that the Australian public would not hear it.

Scroll down for video

'She did come through and she did give information nobody knew except for him': Jackie Gillies reveals she connected with Princess Diana as she gave a psychic reading to her former butler Paul Burrell

'The information I gave Paul, nobody knew, and because I'm so aware with my connection, I had to write things down so the Australian public wouldn't hear it,' Jackie told HIT's Stav, Abby and Matt.

She revealed she was told that she was 'so accurate, there are no ways you could of known these things because they're not public knowledge.'

'She did come through and she did give information nobody knew except for Paul,' she added.

Private: Jackie, 37, revealed she connected so deeply with Diana that the information coming through had to be written down on paper so that the Australian public wouldn't hear it

Another reading: The admission comes after Paul, 59, broke down in tears over his emotional psychic reading with celebrity medium John Edward while on the show

The admission comes after Paul, 59, broke down in tears over his emotional psychic reading with celebrity medium John Edward while on the show.

Paul admitted that he is now finally ready to let go of Diana.

The father-of-two was clearly shaken by the encounter, confessing he would be leaving the South African jungle a changed man.

'I'm here and the people are wonderful,' a tearful Paul said. 'I'm leaving the jungle as Paul Burrell, not Diana's butler. I'm leaving that behind.'

Paul was quick to thank John for his supposed spiritual insights, admitting it was now time for him to 'move on.'

Moving on: Paul admitted that he is now finally ready to let go of Diana after the reading

'I'm leaving that behind': The father-of-two was clearly still shaken by the encounter, confessing he would be leaving the South African jungle a changed man

'Now, it's about letting go. Thank you, Mr Edward, it's about moving on,' he said in a jungle confessional.

He continued: 'It's about moving on into the autumn of my life and being happy and not having guilt. You've got to let go.'

Confiding in campmate Danny Green, Paul said: 'Once you've been involved with someone like that, someone so iconic and someone so beautiful and you've loved someone so much, it's very difficult to let go.'

John revealed supposed details about Diana life - the most notable being that the Princess was involved in a previously unreported vehicle accident before her fatal car crash in Paris in 1997.

'You had a friend who passed in a vehicle accident,' John asked Paul during his psychic reading.

Paul's interest was piqued when John asked the follow-up question: 'Were there two car accidents?'

'One was foreshadowing and one was tragic': John (seen) revealed supposed details about Diana life - the most notable being that the Princess was involved in a previously unreported vehicle accident before her fatal car crash in Paris in 1997

He continued: 'I'm feeling like there were two car accidents - almost like one was foreshadowing and one was tragic.'

After muttering a quick, 'No', Paul's head suddenly shot up in recognition and he replied emphatically: 'Yes! You couldn't possibly know that.'

Paul was clearly shaken by John's alleged knowledge of Diana's second accident, telling campmate Jackie that the reading was an 'incredible experience'.

Looking back: 'She was frightened that night,' Paul said, referring to the previously undisclosed vehicle accident

'She was frightened that night,' Paul said, referring to the previously undisclosed vehicle accident.

'She crashed her car. She couldn't drive it. She was in the middle of nowhere. She said: "What do I do?"'

He continued: 'I said, "You go and lock yourself in the ladies loo in the nearest hotel and I'll come and get you." And I did. I went down at midnight and collected her and then rang the police and the Palace to say they can go and tow the car.'
He plays Sonny Quinn on the hit CBS show Seal Team.

And on Monday, AJ Buckley welcomed twin sons Ranger Joseph and Bodhi Robert with his fiance Abigail Ochse.

The 40-year-old actor and Abigail are also parents to daughter Willow, who turned four in January.

Scroll down for video

Happy family: AJ Buckley welcomed twin sons Ranger Joseph and Bodhi Robert with his fiance Abigail Ochse; pictured with their daughter Willow, four

A spokesperson confirmed the arrival to DailyMail.com.

They paid tribute to their fathers with the middle names for their twins; Joseph was AJ's late father's name and Robert is her dad.

Ranger was born at 5:45 pm weighing four pounds, six ounces; Bodhi was born 5:47 pm, weighing five pounds.

AJ is also the co-founder of Paperclip, a apparel company that sells diaper bags with fold-out changing stations.

Expanding family: The 40-year-old actor and Abigail are also parents to daughter Willow, who turned four in January.

Abigail revealed on her Instagram page that Ranger and Bodhi are both in the NICU.

She wrote: 'The twins have to be in the NICU. Which has been hard since we can't even touch them yet. Please send any good thoughts and prayers our way for our new little boys recovery.'

AJ shared an Instagram story as he and his fiance prepped for labor.

Dressed in hospital scrubs, the duo did a dance together in the brief clip; he captioned it: 'BuckleyBoys 3/5/18.'

Go time: AJ shared an Instagram story as he and his fiance prepped for labor

Ready: The actor shared another clip, this time with the captioned 'It's going down'

One day after their arrival, AJ shared another video to his Instagram stories while back on the set of Seal Team.

The show follows Bravo Team, a tight knit sub-unit of the Navy SEALs.

AJ stars alongside David Boreanaz, Max Thieriot, Jessica Pare and Neil Brown Jr.

The drama premiered on September 27; the show airs on CBS on Wednesday nights.

Back to work: One day after Abigail gave birth, AJ shared another video to his Instagram stories while back on the set of Seal Team

The show follows Bravo Team, a tight knit sub-unit of the Navy SEALs
Nicky Hilton proved she's just like any other New Yorker as she hailed a taxi on Tuesday in the Big Apple.

The 34-year-old Hilton heiress looked cozy yet chic in a fuzzy beige coat and hiking boots that she teamed with a pair of skinny jeans.

The working mom-of-two looked to be multi-tasking as she was seen on her cell phone.

So normal! Nicky Hilton proved she's just like any other New Yorker as she hailed a taxi on Tuesday in the Big Apple

Winter wears! The 34-year-old Hilton heiress looked cozy yet chic in a fuzzy beige coat and hiking boots that she teamed with a pair of skinny jeans

Hilton recently collaborated with resort wear brand Tolani to create a collection of match-able adult and child sized pieces.



'I came up with the idea when I was pregnant with my first daughter and I came to them about this mommy-and-me idea,' she told WWD. 'They had never done children and they loved the idea.'

The collection's prints are inspired primarily by Nicky's one-year-old daughter Lily Grace, but also by her travels around the globe.

So fancy! The Hilton heiress carried a monogrammed Goyard St. Louis purse

Growing family! The NYC native recently welcomed her second daughter into the worldTeddy Marilyn Rothschild, born on December 20

The NYC native recently welcomed another daughter into the worldTeddy Marilyn Rothschild, born on December 20.

She and husband James Rothschild decided to name their second child after Nicky's paternal grandmother Marilyn June Hawley.

In an interview with ET, the new mom gushed briefly about her little one: 'She's good, she is very tiny.'

Working mom! Hilton recently collaborated with resort wear brand Tolani to create a collection of match-able adult and child sized pieces

Despite her busy schedule, Nicky is still making time for older sister Paris Hilton as she plans her upcoming wedding to fiance Chris Zylka.

The youngest Hilton assured Extra that she would serve as the maid of honor.

She will also be planning a girls getaway for the bride-to-be.

'Definitely Vegas or something,' Nicky said.
It's safe to say Sunday was a night Ryan Seacrest would just rather forget.

Nielsen ratings for his coverage of red carpet proceedings for the Academy Awards for E! tumbled about 35 percent from a year ago - and 43 percent in key demographics.

On a night the 43-year-old TV and radio personality was snubbed by many of his Tinseltown colleagues - amid claims he sexual harassed his former stylist - Seacrest delivered a meager 1.3 million viewers, with a 0.4 rating in adults 18-49.

Scroll below for video

In decline: Ryan Seacrest's coverage of red carpet proceedings for the Academy Awards for E! tumbled about 35 percent from a year ago and 43 percent in key demographics, according to Nielsen ratings

Seacrest's ratings swoon outpaced the tepid numbers of the entire ABC broadcast, which dropped 19 percent from its 2017 numbers with 26.5 million viewers.

The only silver lining to the mediocre performance was that his morning TV program Live With Kelly and Ryan, recapping Hollywood's biggest night, won Monday's talk show numbers with a 3.0 rating.

While the media mogul got positive interviews with Tiffany Haddish and Mary J. Blige, his chat with Taraji P. Henson had social media abuzz with people saying she shaded him in saying, 'The universe has a way of taking care of taking care of good people' while touching his chin.

Seacrest did not get to chat with many of the other major stars at the event - including Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, Jennifer Garner and Margot Robbie - as well as Mira Sorvino and Ashley Judd, who are among the dozens of actresses who said they were sexually harassed by producer Harvey Weinstein.

Awkward: Seacrest's discussion with Taraji P. Henson had a different tone to it than the usual light-hearted exchanges

Snubbed? While Seacrest did snag an interview his Live With Kelly and Ryan co-host Kelly Ripa, a number of huge names - including Sandra Bullock and Margot Robbie - did not stop to chat with him

Seacrest last month was cleared of accusations by sexual harassment by the E! network after his former stylist from 2006 to 2013, Suzie Hardy, claimed in November that he had subjected her to numerous instances of sexual harassment and assault while she was working for him.

An investigation 'conducted by outside counsel, found insufficient evidence to support the claims against Seacrest and therefore could not be substantiated,' a rep for the network said.

Seacrest later penned a piece for The Hollywood Reporter in which he called the accusations against him 'gut-wrenching.'

The Georgia native said in his essay that he's always 'always aimed to treat all of [his] colleagues with honesty, respect, kindness and compassion,' but was skeptical that the allegations would not tarnish his clean-cut image.

'I knew, regardless of the confidence I had that there was no merit to the allegations, my name would likely soon appear on the lists of those suspected of despicable words and deeds,' he said. 'The pressures of our overflowing newsfeeds would insist on it.'

Seacrest is set to host the American Idol reboot that premieres Sunday at 8/7c on ABC.
The former Bachelor winner was born in the 90s.

And Alex Nation proudly reminisced about the era she grew up in by opting for a retro fashion look while attending the Melbourne Fashion Festival on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old proudly posed in a matching white bolero and pencil skirt with a polka-dot bandanna and bright red bandeau bra.

Scroll down for video

Bring it all back? The Bachelor's Alex Nation channels the 90s in a S Club 7 inspired ensemble for Melbourne Fashion Festival

Speaking about her inspiration for the outfit, she told her followers: 'Saw an old S Club 7 poster and was inspired.'

She paired the mostly-white number with bright red heels, a black blazer and small black clutch.

Alex covered her short locks with a blue and white polka-dot bandanna, claiming: 'Bandannas are back baby.'

'Saw an old S Club 7 poster and was inspired': The single mother, 26, claimed she attempted to replicate the 90s band's style as she attended the fashion festival

Looking all white! The front-tied crop showed off her taut stomach, while the high-waisted skirt highlighted her svelte figure

The front-tied crop showed off her taut stomach, while the high-waisted skirt highlighted her svelte figure.

Alex, who is engaged to girlfriend Maegan Luxa, accessorised minimally with a focus on her large double-hooped earrings.

While her makeup was flawlessly applied, Alex revealed she had arranged for it to be done professionally on the day after panicking about doing it herself.

'Bandannas are back baby': Alex covered her short locks with a blue and white polka-dot bandanna, and accessorized minimally with double-hoop earrings

Pout-fection! Alex's flawless makeup application included a bold red lipstick, a light brown eye-shadow and contouring around the cheeks

The single mother told her followers: 'I had decided I was just going to do my own makeup for VAMFF, had a slight female/panic moment and changed my mind at the very last minute.'

She praised her makeup artist Maryanne Koklas for being a 'gem' in creating her look for the runway event.

Alex's cheekbones were countrified to perfection, while her eyes were highlighted by a light brown eye-shadow, and her pout dressed with a bold red lipstick.

Before leaving for the Melbourne Fashion Festival show, she modeled her black jacket from behind, which featured The Rolling Stones logo.

Edgy! Before leaving for the Melbourne Fashion Festival show, she modeled her black jacket from behind, which featured The Rolling Stones logo

En route! Alex was seen popping champagne bottles in a limo as she headed to the fashion festival with female friends

Richie Strahan's ex appeared to get ready and travel to the event with MAFS 'villian' Davina Rankin and former MAFS star Nadia Stamp.

Alex was seen popping Champagne bottled within a limo as they head to the fashion festival together.

They were pictured sitting side by side in the front row in high spirits.
As an official ambassador for the nation, he is one of Australia's most recognisable faces.

And the stunning details of Chris Hemsworth's contract with Tourism Australia were revealed on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old was paid $1.25million in 2016 and he has generated an Estimated Advertising Value (EAV) of $170.97million so far, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Scroll down for video

Worth every penny! Chris Hemsworth was paid $1.25 million in 2016 and he has generated an Estimated Advertising Value (EAV) of $170.97 million so far

The Hollywood star is one of six celebrities who have signed with Tourism Australia to promote the country as a tourist destination.

According to the report, tabled papers show Chris was paid just over $1million, but since 2016 has delivered an Estimated Advertising Value (EAV) of $170.97million.

This does not include earnings from the Crocodile Dundee 'trailer' aired during the Super Bowl, with Chris' appearance projected to be worth $800 million by 2020.

Busy: The Hollywood star is one of six celebrities who have signed with Tourism Australia to promote their beloved homeland

Massive: Chris' appearance in the Crocodile Dundee re-boot is worth a reported $800 million by 2020

The reported value figure is 'based on 5,000 media articles with a readership of 16 billion worldwide' in which Chris is mentioned.

During promotional interviews for 'Dundee', the action star joked that more people had seen the ad than his films.

A Tourism Australia spokesman described Chris' worth as an ambassador as having delivered 'exceptional results' for Australia.

Beloved: As an official ambassador, he is one of the country's most recognisable faces

Aussies: A Tourism Australia spokesman described Chris's worth as an ambassador as having delivered 'exceptional results'. Pictured: Curtis Stone, Hon. Julie Bishop and Chris in 2016

The father-of-three and his actress wife Elsa Pataky, who have over 10 million social media followers combined, post frequent updates from their Australian travels.

The famous couple have enjoyed surfing getaways, camping trips and wildlife adventures, with all featured snaps using the @Australia official Instagram handle.

The various Instagram and Facebook posts Chris shared during a recent jaunt to Kangaroo Island last month alone attracted two million 'likes'.
Friends worried they werent invited to Meghan Markles reported hen do earlier this week have no need to fret.

I hear Prince Harrys fiancee has yet to stage her all-girl bash, despite claims that she held the event at a glamorous five-star spa retreat on Sunday.

A royal source tells me: The hen do wont be until Meghans mother, Doria Radlan, and her best friend, Jessica Mulroney, fly over for the church service where she will be baptised and confirmed into the Church of England.

The hen do wont be until Meghans mother, Doria Radlan (pictured left) flies over for the church service where Meghan will be baptised and confirmed into the Church of England

The hen party will be held around the same time. Meghan wants Jessica and her mum to be there. The spa visit was just a trip with a few friends.

The service, to be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and held at Kensington Palaces 19th-century chapel, is expected to take place imminently.

Doria  who divorced Meghans father, Tom Markle, when her daughter was six years old  lives in California, while Mrs Mulroney, the daughter-in-law of Canadas former prime minister Brian Mulroney, is a fashion stylist in Toronto. Meghan lived in Canada while filming the legal drama Suits.

Its not known where Meghans hen party, or bachelorette bash as the 36-year-old American actress calls it, will be held.

The Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will take place on the 19 May at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle

Last month, she told well-wishers during a visit to Edinburgh that her hen do was all sorted.

We asked them what they were doing for their stag and hen dos, one fan, Tom Martin, reported at the time. Meghan said: Im not sure  its sorted but it will be fun. Harry said he didnt know. Im sure Williams got something up his sleeve.

Kate Middleton celebrated her last days as a single woman with a private party attended by a small group of close friends.

Nigella Lawson appears to have lost even more weight as she steps out in London

Domestic Goddess Nigella Lawson is famous for her curvaceous figure and glossy mane. But the TV chef cut a different figure when she stepped out in London this week.

Fresh from a trip to Australia, the 58-year-old ex-wife of moneybags art dealer Charles Saatchi was barely recognisable in minimal make-up with tousled hair and her svelte figure swamped by a loose black coat.

Domestic Goddess Nigella Lawson is famous for her curvaceous figure and glossy mane. But the TV chef cut a different figure when she stepped out in London this week

In 2015, she insisted that she has never dieted and had no intention to in the future.

I have never been on a diet to try to lose weight, she said. I feel like I havent lost weight, but Im possibly in better shape.

Jacob Rees-Mogg offers an alternative way to end the Cabinets Brexit battles.

He told guests at a Parliamentary Review bash how, in 1809, ministers Viscount Castlereagh and George Canning duelled at dawn to settle their political rivalry. Shots were fired, but both survived. Rees-Mogg said: It would be like Philip Hammond and Boris Johnson deciding the only way to settle their differences over Brexit was to have a duel.

That said, it all worked out as Castlereagh went on to be Foreign Secretary and Canning went on to be PM.

Viewers might be surprised to see Clare Balding present Channel 4s Paralympic Winter Games from an indoor ski centre in Hemel Hempstead.

Busy Balding will broadcast from an apres ski bar at the centre, 5,500 miles from Pyeongchang, because the games clash with Crufts, which she also fronts for Channel 4. We couldnt send her to South Korea so shell dash from the Birmingham NEC to Hertfordshire to join the Winter Games team next Monday, says a C4 insider. Perhaps Clare could arrive pulled by a team of huskies.
She's best known as a bubbly E! correspondent.

But in a clip for a forthcoming episode of Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry, Giuliana Rancic breaks down when host Tyler Henry reveals an obscure fact about her deceased father-in-law Ed's cancer treatment.

'I could tell my husband that [Ed] came through and that he's looking over him,' said the 43-year-old TV personality, tearfully admitting she believes they've made contact with the afterlife.

Scroll down for video

Teary: In a clip for a forthcoming episode of Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry, Giuliana Rancic, 43, breaks down during the emotional episode

The 22-year-old clairvoyant medium appeared to prove he had somehow connected with Ed, who died from cancer-related complications, by specifying his condition had something to do with 'bone marrow'.

The stunned Fashion Police co-host revealed that Ed had undergone a bone marrow transplant before passing away.

'"When Ed got sick, they needed a match for him and my husband went and found his brother and it was not easy and he found him and he convinced him to come back and to give him the bone marrow.'

Surprise: Clairvoyant medium Tyler Henry, 22, revealed an obscure fact about Rancic's deceased father-in-law Ed's cancer treatment

Shocker: The stunned Fashion Police co-host revealed that Ed had undergone a bone marrow transplant before passing away

Father-in-law: Ed Rancic is pictured here

The mother-of-one was relieved she could give the good news to her husband, former The Apprentice contestant Bill Rancic.

'You wanna know that a parent or whoever has passed is watching over you and proud of you.'

The entrepreneur wept openly during the emotional interview.

Relief: 'I could tell my husband that [Ed] came through and that he's looking over him,' said the 43-year-old TV personality

Reality TV star: The mother-of-one is relieved she can give good news to her husband, former The Apprentice contestant Bill Rancic [pictured above]

Emotional scenes: The entrepreneur weeps openly during the powerful interview

Afterlife: 'You wanna know that a parent or whoever has passed is watching over you and proud of you'

The Italian-born TV host recently celebrated six years of being cancer-free.

She underwent a double mastectomy in 2011 after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

On December 18, she wrote on her Instagram: 'Now that I've reached this critical milestone, the odds of the breast cancer coming back are not gone but exponentially lower. Breast cancer is more of my history, less of my present, but that doesn't mean I am leaving this battlefield.

'To those we have lost, I will keep your spirit alive by continuing your fight. And for those who are fighting now, I will pray for you and hope that the same words that helped pull me through the darkest hours will give you some comfort, too. That you will have faith that everything will be okay in the end.'

Giuliana wed husband Bill in 2007 and they share a five-year-old son Duke.
Yolanda Hadid is so stylish, it's easy to see where her daughters Bella and Gigi Hadid get their fashion sense from.

On Tuesday, the 54-year-old reality TV star was spotted wearing a chic taupe ensemble while making her way out for coffee with a friend in New York City.

Hadid looked to be in a good mood as she smiled throughout her outing.

Fashion-forward! On Tuesday, Yolanda Hadid was spotted wearing a chic beige ensemble while making her way out for coffee with a friend in New York City

The retired model proved that even though she passed the fashion torch on to her famous daughters, she's still as stylish as ever.

The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star wore an all-beige outfit that consisted of a turtleneck tucked into high-waited creased slacks adorned with a dotted pattern.

She wore suede boots, lightly-tinted aviator sunglasses, and a large coat over her top.

Classy beauty! The retired model proved that even though she passed on the fashion torch to her famous daughters, she's still as stylish as ever

Coffee run: The reality TV star stepped out to grab some coffee while accompanied by a friend

Color-coordinated: Hadid wore suede boots, lightly-tinted aviator sunglasses, and a large coat over her top

Coffee run! The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star wore an all-beige outfit that consisted of a turtleneck tucked into high-waited creased slacks adorned with dotted pattern

The reality TV star recently made headlines after finalizing her divorce from David Foster, 68, in 2017.

Despite her recent split, the Dutch star seems to have bounced back quickly, as she took to Instagram on Monday to show off her positive mood.

She shared an image that flaunted homemade wood decorations that displayed the word 'love' as she captioned: 'To Love and be Loved..... #IsHappiness #HomeMade.'

'Love': Despite recently ending her marriage, Hadid seems to be doing well as she took to Instagram on Monday to post a positive image centering on the word 'Love'

The socialite married David Foster in 2011, but they split in late 2015.

Yolanda later changed her surname again to Hadid to match her daughters - who she had with first husband Mohamed Hadid, 69.

Her new show Making A Model With Yolanda Hadid premiered last month on Lifetime.
Jennifer Lawrence smoldered in a plunging black Versace gown while promoting her new film Red Sparrow in freezing London temperatures last month.

The ultra-sexy dress gave some fashion fanatics deju vu, for its striking resemblance to a sizzling Versace look worn by bombshell Elizabeth Hurley back in 1994.

The British beauty, 52, was asked for her take on JLaw's look during an appearing on E!'s Daily Pop Tuesday where she gushed about the dress, saying: 'I thought she looked amazing in it! Really hot and sexy.'

Imitation as flattery! After Jennifer Lawrence (left) turned heads in a Versace number that looked strikingly similar to Elizabeth Hurley's iconic 'safety pin' dress (right) from the designer in 1994, the British talent heaped praise on the look, calling JLaw 'really hot and sexy'

The The Royals actress continued to praise the Italian designer: 'I mean Versace, they still make phenomenal dresses 20 years on from me wearing that one. So yes, I was a little thrilled to see her in that.'

Miss Hurley sported the original look while accompanying ex Hugh Grant at the premiere of Four Weddings And A Funeral, making instant fashion history.

The garment is considered one of Versace's best known creations and even has an entire Wikipedia entry dedicated to it.

Jennifer also caused a bit of a stir when she sported her hot, hot look during a chill of 3F in London while doing press for her spy thriller Red Sparrow.

Versace, Versace: The Hunger Game's actress's ultra-sexy dress gave some fashion fanatics deju vu, for its striking resemblance to a sizzling Versace look worn by bombshell Elizabeth Hurley back in 1994

A classic: The The Royals actress praised the Italian designer for the timeless apparel, saying: 'I mean Versace, they still make phenomenal dresses 20 years on from me wearing that one'

On social media, many suggested the images show how women in Hollywood still feel pressure to glam up, even if it means compromising their own comfort

But after a fevered response to the images, the star responded with a lengthy Facebook.

'Wow. I don't really know where to get started on this "Jennifer Lawrence wearing a revealing dress in the cold" controversy.

'This is not only utterly ridiculous, I am extremely offended. That Versace dress was fabulous, you think I'm going to cover that gorgeous dress up with a coat and a scarf? I was outside for 5 minutes. I would have stood in the snow for that dress because I love fashion and that was my choice.'

'Get a grip people. Everything you see me wear is my choice. And if I want to be cold THATS MY CHOICE TOO!'

Wear what you want! Jennifer caused a bit of a stir when she sported the hot, hot look during a chill of 3F in London during press for her spy thriller Red Sparrow, but snapped back at critics as 'sexist' in a lengthy Facebook post

Old flame: In addition to talking fashion, Hurley remarked on ex Hugh Grant (above together in 1994) opening up about their relationship and calling himself an 'idiot' for his behavior

In addition to talking fashion, Hurley remarked on ex Hugh Grant opening up about their relationship and calling himself an 'idiot' for his behavior.

'I didn't know he said that, I mean he is of course an idiot,' she said.

The Bedazzled stunner continued, explaining that the former lovers are still friends: 'I'm very lucky that 31 years into our friendship, he's still my best friend in the world. He's a really great guy.'

'Yeah, I see him a lot, I speak to him a lot. You know, he's now a father of five, he has five kids and he's a great dad. Yeah, he'll remain my best friend for life.'
He's one of the Married At First Sight relationship experts that is responsible for matching the 11 couples on the controversial social experiment.

And clinical psychologist John Aiken has broken his silence about Tuesday's boozy boys' night that saw the grooms discuss wife swapping and their desire to sleep with other brides.

John told Today Extra that Dean Wells 'really stirred the pot' and 'crossed boundaries' when offering up 'wife' Tracey Jewel to his co-stars, later pleading for them to say they wanted 'to bang' her.

Scroll down for video

'He thinks it's not really as bad as it actually is': MAFS relationship expert John Aiken claims Dean Wells 'crossed boundaries' when offering up 'wife' Tracey Jewel to his co-stars during boozy boys' night

'These guys only have a couple of weeks to go. They are weighing up "are we going to be able to make it into the real world with our partner?" This is a very vulnerable conversation to have,' he suggested of the banter shared between grooms.

'It was hurtful. You can see some of the guys immediately when he starts talking like that, they really recoil. They feel like that's a boundary that's been crossed here,' John said of the awkward conversation topic.

He continued that the experiment 'challenges your ability to say no to the group.'

'It was hurtful': John said Dean 'really stirred the pot' and 'crossed boundaries' when offering up 'wife' Tracey Jewel to his co-stars, later pleading for them to say they wanted 'to bang' her

However, host Sonia Kruger appeared to defend 'alpha male' Dean, saying: 'I can actually forgive him for that. If there is an attraction to someone else, there is an attraction, but when he offered up Tracey, that's the thing that I think would incense a lot of people, because it's hurtful.'

Co-host David Campbell questioned why they'd have the conversation when they know cameras are rolling, but John responded: 'I think they forget about the fact that these cameras are on them or they think it's not really as bad as it actually is.'

In a preview for an upcoming episode, Tracey can be seen exploding at the news of his betrayal, shouting: 'Excuse me, Dean?!'

'Excuse me, Dean?!' In a preview for an upcoming episode, Tracey can be seen exploding at the news of his betrayal, shouting at her 'husband' when co-star Charlene reveals he offered her to the other guys at the dinner table behind her back

The controversial show has already been rocked by one cheating scandal behind Dean Wells and Instagram model Davina Rankin.

And amid reports of wife swapping and wild behind-the-scenes parties, Tuesday night's episode saw the grooms openly discuss which brides they would like to sleep with.

During a boozy boys' night out, Dean admitted to being attracted to Justin Fischer's wife Carly Bowyer, while Troy Delmege appeared to have eyes for 'wife' Ashley Irvin's mother Stephanie.

Is this where the wife swapping began? MAFS grooms reveal which brides they would like to sleep with during boozy boys night

After Justin admitted to finding Troy's wife Ashley attractive, Dean asked the millionaire whether he would like to swap partners.

'I would not disrespect the girls, but I'd be open to it,' Justin replied.

Meanwhile, Troy confessed to feeling a special connection with Ashley's 'attractive' mother Stephanie after the pair had lunch together.

After Justin admitted to finding Troy's wife Ashley attractive, Dean asked the millionaire whether he would like to swap partners

'I would not disrespect the girls, but I'd be open to it': Justin admitted he was interested in the idea

'She's actually supposedly a redhead, and her hair's changed colour, and it now looks like she's got highlights,' he gushed.

'She's quite pretty.'

Earlier in the evening, Dean admitted to finding Carly the most appealing, adding: 'Judging solely on looks. I don't know her that well as a person.'

While appearing somewhat shocked by Dean's revelation, soft serve millionaire Justin explained he wasn't entirely surprised.

Feeling smitten? Troy confessed to feeling a special connection with Ashley's 'attractive' mother Stephanie after the pair had lunch together

'She's actually supposedly a redhead, and her hair's changed colour, and it now looks like she's got highlights': Troy and Stephanie had bonded during a lunch earlier that day

'Her type of guy is Deano and Troy': Justin claimed Carly was interested in two other grooms

'Carly's like a little sister to me. ... Carly's running around telling everybody she wants Dean as well,' Justin said.

'Carly's honest, and she fancies... Her type of guy is Deano and Troy.'

Not satisfied with Justin's answer, Dean asked whether any of the other male contestants wanted to 'bang' his 'wife' Tracey.

Not sure Tracey will approve! Dean asked whether any of the other male contestants wanted to 'bang' his 'wife' Tracey

Claims: The explosive dinner party comes amid reports of wild parties between contestants when the camera wasn't rolling

'What about Tracey, guys? She's hot,' he asked. 'Could someone just say they want to bang Tracey? Please!'

The explosive dinner party comes amid reports of wild parties between contestants when the camera aren't rolling.

All I'll say is a lot of stuff happens in the hotel rooms that no-one really knows about,' Dean told the Kyle and Jackie O Show last month.

Hinting there was wife swapping behind the scenes, Dean claimed some of the cast had raunchy parties 'every night' in one of their hotel rooms.

What will the girls think? Dean, Justin and Troy's confessions are sure to be met with anger by the female contestants

'20 extrovert nymphomaniacs in a hotel room together. That was a bad idea,' Dean revealed.

Meanwhile Woman's Day reported previously that MAFS producers were forced to step in and take action over one incident - which involved a 'wild night of sex, booze and brawling' and was deemed 'too X-rated' for television.

An unnamed contestant claimed one bride was caught in bed with another male who was not her groom.
Camille Grammer tried on sexy lingerie during Tuesday's episode of The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills despite insisting she was insecure about her body.

Kelsey Grammer's ex-wife looked sensational in a series of different outfits - including one with bunny ears - as she spent $1,319 in sexy get-ups to impress her new lawyer boyfriend David Meyer.

Camille, 49, who is in remission from stage two endometrial cancer cancer, told Lisa Rinna as they arrived for the shopping spree: 'I'm nervous about trying on certain things because I don't feel so secure about my body right now.'

Lingerie shopping: Camille Grammer shopped for lingerie during Tuesday's episode of The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills

But Lisa could not hide her admiration for how hot her friend looked, telling her as she tried on one blue and black lace number: 'You're getting that! You are so getting that. Are you kidding me? Oh my God, this body - it is gonna open up like a flower! Gorgeous!'

She then joked as they paid: 'Your boyfriend is going to have a really good time this weekend. So are you.'

'I know a way to a man's heart - and it's not through his heart,' Lisa joked later in a confessional. 'Camille just needs to see how beautiful she is. She's a stripper at heart, for sure.'

Camille, however, insisted the compliment deserved to go the other way, saying: 'Lisa has sexy down, so she's helping me feel comfortable in my new body.'

Black and blue: The 49-year-old reality star looked stunning in a black and white lace outfit

Good times: Lisa Rinna went lingerie shopping with Camille

She was graphic in the store about her issues, telling Lisa: 'It's been hard for me, when you have a hysterectomy they remove the top part of your cervix and the top part of your vajayjay also. My body's changed since then.'

But she shocked Lisa even more when she told the actress: 'I now have a vagina of a 16-year-old. I have a rejuvenated hymen, basically.'

'Well isn't that every guy's dream?' Lisa screeched back in response.

Candid conversation: Camille told Lisa about her hysterectomy

New love: The ex-wife of Kelsey Grammer has a new boyfriend David

Camille was not the only one to get sexy gifts.

Lisa Vanderpump for her 57th birthday was given a pair of sexy bunny ears.

Camille also got a ball gag for Dorit Kemsley in response for her saying Camille should get a strap-on.

Sex toy: Dorit Kemsley received a ball gag as a gift from Camille at Lisa Vanderpump's birthday

Dorit was clearly unimpressed while receiving the gift at Lisa's birthday party held at her Villa Rosa estate.

Camille admitted that there was another hidden message, too, saying later to camera: 'Hopefully she'll get the message - which is "shut your mouth, bitch!"'

The women later went to a perfume selling party hosted by Camille with bottles going for more than $1,500 to raise money for the Foundation For Women's Cancer.

Good one: Camille was getting back at Dorit for her strap-on comments at an earlier party

Camille toasted everyone: 'Here's to tingling vaginas - and a cure for cancer.'

But she turned more serious as she spoke of how her mother has stage 3 Ovarian cancer, saying: 'Unfortunately it runs in my family and it's very near and dear to my heart. My mom's still here but she's suffering through her battle, she's in the hospital.

'Tonight this is for my mom and for all those ladies out there fighting the good fight to survive this horrible and awful disease.'

Cancer survivor: The cancer survivor also held a jewelry sale fundraiser to fight cancer

Dorit went to that party hellbent on repairing her relationship with Lisa Vanderpump, after their recent falling out, saying: 'I'm going to inject her with so much Dorit love she's gonna explode.'

She proved true to her words as she literally pinned Lisa down and straddled her as she tried to leave early, telling the British restaurateur repeatedly: 'I love you too much!'

'You might get what you want by straddling your husband but straddling me is not an option right now,' Lisa replied. 'Can you get the f*** off me?'

Making up: Dorit was on a mission to repair her relationship with Vanderpump

On top: Vanderpump was straddled by Dorit as she tried to make up with her

Dorit seemed to think the falling out from her bad mouthing Lisa behind her back would be easily repaired, but Lisa insisted to camera: 'For me, a good friend doesn't talk s*** about you the moment you leave.'

When Dorit arrived at Lisa's birthday party, she was instantly teased about her falling out with Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave over wine being served in the wrong glass at a party by giving her champagne in a yellow water cup.

Dorit laughed, but soon got angry at Lisa's constant digs, eventually walking out early.

Strained relationship: The British restaurateur was doubting her friendship with Dorit

'I didn't expect to come to Lisa's birthday celebration and be the punching bag,' she complained later. 'This is a side of Lisa I've never seen before.'

But Lisa admitted it was deliberate, smiling as she explained to camera: 'I'm sending the message that the relationship has taken on a slightly different meaning for me.'

The episode ended with another blow as Lisa did a replacement photoshoot highlighting her jewelry line that Dorit posed for and complained about.

Birthday girl: Lisa invited the ladies over to celebrate her 57th birthday

Early exit: Dorit left early after being subjected to constant digs from Vanderpump

'Dorit made such a big deal about not looking great at the photoshoot - it's not worth the battle,' she said.

'So it's a shame that they're never really going to see the light of day,' Lisa said.

Erika Girardi, meanwhile, got tearful when she saw the design for her character for the Kim Kardashian Hollywood game, saying: 'I love it! It's just so cute. Is it bad I want to cry?'

'Kim is so excited to have you part of her game,' one of the developers told her.

New shoot: Vanderpump also did a replacement photoshoot after Dorit modeled for her

Hollywood avatar: Erika Girardi was excited to be joining Kim Kardashian Hollywood
Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell has reportedly been declared bankrupt, after allegedly being slapped with a six-figure tax bill and 200,000 in legal fees.

The 53-year-old actor, who is said to earn 250,000 a year as Kevin Webster on the ITV soap, has struggled to keep up with his mounting bills, according to The Mirror.

According to the newspaper, the screen star was declared bankrupt earlier this year under his real name Michael Robert Turner - but the news only came to light when the papers in question were adjusted to include his stage name and profession.

Bankrupt? Michael Le Vell has reportedly been declared bankrupt, following the financial burdens of successfully fighting his child sex charges and a hefty tax bill. Pictured in 2013

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Michael Le Vell for comment.

Michael spent 200,000 fighting child sex charges before being found 'not guilty' of all 12 counts by a jury at Manchester Crown Court in 2013.

Ministry of Justice rules prevent people who can afford their defence from receiving tax-funded paybacks after the case, meaning all of the funding came out of the star's own pocket.

In December, The Sun on Sunday reported that the actor had been contacted the Bankruptcy Unit of the Land Registry about taking action.

Huge bills: The 53-year-old actor's tax bill is said to be in the six figures, while his legal fees totalled an estimated 200,000

A source told the paper: 'He had false accusations hanging over him for years and couldnt work.'

His marriage to his wife Janette broke down in the midst of the allegations and the actor has since had to sell their 750,000 home in Cheshire.

The letter was sent to the actor's girlfriend's home in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.

Unable to work: The veteran soap star was unable to work as he battled the allegations in court

The news comes after it emerged earlier last year that Michael had been offered a new 250,000 contract from Coronation Street bosses.

When asked about bankruptcy, the star said: 'I've not heard anything yet.'

Michael is one of Coronation Street's longest-serving cast members, having first taken on the role of mechanic Kevin back in 1983.
This season of My Kitchen Rules is one of the most cattiest yet.

And on the show on Wednesday, the claws certainly came out.

Botox sisters Jess and Emma slammed rivals Sonya and Hadil, telling them: 'Game on molls!'

Scroll down for video

'Game on molls!' My Kitchen Rules stars Jess (L) and Emma (R) fire up at rivals Hadil and Sonya...before the Botox sisters drink wine at the challenge and get slammed by the judges

The swipe came after Sonya and Hadil refused to give advice to group one, ahead of the cooking challenge.

'I don't want to give anything away,' Hadil said with a laugh.

She added: 'I don't want to help anybody.'

Ouch: The swipe came after Sonya (L) and Hadil (R) refused to give advice to group one, ahead of the cooking challenge

Feuling up: Emma and Jess decided to make steak sandwiches and were feeling confident, so decided to enjoy a glass of white wine while cooking

On the day, group one had to cook in the BBQ challenge at a bowling club, and had to whip up a meal for 100 guests.

Emma and Jess decided to make steak sandwiches and were feeling confident, so decided to enjoy a glass of white wine while cooking.

They were soon told their meal was average.

'I'd expect more from you guys today,' judge Colin Fassnidge told the girls.

Better luck next time? They were soon told their meal was average

Unimpressed: 'I'd expect more from you guys today,' judge Colin Fassnidge (pictured) told the girls

Judge Pete Evans told the duo that their dish was very simple and said they took the challenge too easily.

'I felt like you were taking this challenge too easy,' Pete said.

'Push yourselves a little bit harder.'

Being sent to elimination after the challenge was Josh and Nic, for serving a seafood box with most ingredients being deep fried, rather than cooked on the BBQ.
As the founder of her own successful PR empire, Roxy Jacenko is known for her lavish lifestyle.

And it appears that even her pet dog is afforded extravagant treatment as part of the Jacenko clan.

The 37-year-old took to her Instagram Story on Wednesday to share footage of new family addition Oreo being 'christened' in an adorable ceremony.

'Welcome the family!' PR queen Roxy Jacenko 'christens' new family puppy Oreo in cute ceremony, posting the footage to her Instagram Story on Wednesday

Joined by several friends, Roxy can be seen in fits of laughter as she sprinkled water over the pup.

A male attendee made the signs of the cross and stated: 'In the name of the son and the Holy Spirit, amen.'

'He's christened! Welcome the family!' Roxy declared at the end of the video.

The Sweaty Betty then captioned the video 'The official blessing', adding the hashtag 'Oreo Curtis'.

'The official blessing' Oreo was welcomed into the family with a lavish event

Any excuse for a party! Roxy Jacenko has sent out exclusive invitations for the 'christening'

Last Wednesday Roxy shared snaps of the invitations sent out for the Pomeranian puppy's 'christening'.

The invite, which was sent to Roxy's family and friends, features a Middle Eastern-inspired design to reflect the evening's theme.

In the caption, Roxy wrote: 'When @Hawk_Creative does family dinner Tuesday invites which will double as Oreo's christening.'

Roxy clarified to Daily Mail Australia at the time: 'The christening thing is just a bit of a laugh.'

Stylish: The invite, which was sent to Roxy's family and friends, features a Middle Eastern-inspired design to reflect the evening's theme. Pictured: Roxy with her children and Oreo

Roxy clarified to Daily Mail on Wednesday: 'The christening thing is just a bit of a laugh'

She added: 'Holly Asser, my friend, has named herself godmother so suggested I put on a spread to officially welcome him!'

Roxy, who is well-known for enjoying the finer things in life, has recently showered her family puppy with luxury accessories.

So far, she has purchased Oreo a personalised Louis Vuitton collar valued at $380.

'OC': Roxy, who is well-known for enjoying the finer things in life, has recently showered her family puppy with luxury accessories, including a $380 personalised Louis Vuitton collar

Living the luxe life! The Instagram-famous pooch has also been enjoying some first-class travel perks in the front seat of Roxy's Bentley

Roxy also bought Oreo a matching leash worth $460, in addition to a supply of puppy must-haves from Pet Barn.

The Instagram-famous pooch has also been enjoying some first-class travel perks in the front seat of Roxy's Bentley.

Oreo Curtis joined the family on Valentine's Day after Roxy surprised her children Pixie, six, and Hunter, three, with the new arrival.
Helen Mirren wrapped up warm as she headed to an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday.

The actress, 72, wore a gray herringbone winter coat with a gray fur stole wrapped around her neck.

Underneath she had on a long black dress and stepped out in practical black shoes as she made her way into the CBS studio.

Big Apple chill: Helen Mirren wrapped up warm in a herringbone coat and a gray fur stole as she headed to an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday

Mirren was accompanied by an assistant who carried a very large boutique carrier bag no doubt containing a change of footwear and other items for her on camera interview.

The Queen Oscar winner wore a little brown liner around her eyes as well as a touch of blush on her cheeks.

She added bright red lip color and accessorized with emerald earrings.

The veteran star made time to greet fans waiting to catch a glimpse of her and posed for some selfies.

Beautiful: The actress, 72, wore a little brown liner around her eyes as well as a touch of blush on her cheeks. She added bright red lip color and accessorized with emerald earrings

On TV: Mirren was accompanied by an assistant who carried a very large boutique carrier bag no doubt containing a change of footwear and other items for her on camera interview

Gracious: The veteran star, who won an Oscar in 2007 for The Queen, made time to greet fans waiting to catch a glimpse of her and posed for some selfies

Bi-coastal: Mirren, who is married to director Taylor Hackford, had arrived in the Big Apple after attending the Academy Awards in Hollywood on Sunday

Mirren, who is married to director Taylor Hackford, had arrived in the Big Apple after attending the Academy Awards in Hollywood on Sunday.

While in Los Angeles, she boldly revealed what she looks like without makeup sharing a before and after selfie to her Instagram with a shout out to her glam squad.

She also had her loosely-tousled pixie crop styled to add the finishing touches to her red carpet look.

She walked the red carpet at the Oscars looking stunning in a bodycon blue dress.

Real life: Mirren boldly posted before and after selfies to her Instagram Sunday ahead of the Academy Awards showing her glamorous transformation
He's the fiery groom who has been ruffling more than a few feathers on Married At First Sight this season.

And it seems Nasser Sultan, 50, lost his cool yet again this week, lashing out at his detractors on social media.

On Wednesday, the moisturiser-loving reality star took to Instagram to reflect upon the wife-swapping conversation he shared with his male co-stars during the show's most recent episode.

Talk to the hand! Nasser Sultan, 50, lashed out at online fans this Wednesday after receiving criticism for his debaucherous wife-swapping conversation on Married At First Sight

Well that settles that matter! The moisturiser-loving reality star hit out at his detractors by writing 'Good don't watch'

'A toast to married life guys', he wrote next to an image of himself enjoying the fateful boys' night.

He was promptly slammed by several Instagram followers for participating in the controversial discussion, however, prompting him to hit back with: 'Good don't watch.'

It's not the first time Nasser has lost his cool, with the pint-sized personal trainer famously suffering a bizarre meltdown during his home-stay with wife Gabrielle Bartlett.

'A toast to married life guys', he wrote next to an image of himself enjoying the fateful boys' night

The reality star was convinced the couple's apartment was filled with spiritual entities, dramatically telling the cameras: 'This place is possessed. The windows were crackling. The door opened by itself!'

Nasser also found issue with the location, complaining: 'I'm way over this stuff! I'm nowhere near a shop, I'm nowhere near anything. I don't have a vibe.'

After Gabrielle expressed her frustration that he didn't want to spend time with her in the house, Nasser lost his cool and stormed out.

Controversial: It's not the first time Nasser has lost his cool, with the pint-sized personal trainer famously suffering a bizarre meltdown during his home-stay with wife Gabrielle Bartlett

Not happy! After Gabrielle expressed her frustration that he didn't want to spend time with her in the house, Nasser lost his cool and stormed out

'See ya!' he said.'I'm not gonna stay here and deal with this s**t!'

On Tuesday night's episode, fans watched as the men cheekily discussing wife swapping during a beer-fueled 'bro time' session.

'Would you swap right now?' Dean mischievously asked the other men in the group,

Not holding back, Justin boldly admitted: 'I'm more attracted to girls like Ashley.'

However, John and Patrick both seemed disgusted by the debaucherous discussion.

Speaking privately to the camera in his one-on-one, Patrick said: 'The conversations are really over the line. I don't want any part of it.'

'Would you swap right now?' On Tuesday night's episode, fans watched as the men cheekily discussing wife swapping during a beer-fueled 'bro time' session
She overlooked dating apps loaded on her TV husband's phone last month, but became furious at his Snapchat habit this week.

And after Sarah Roza threatened to leave Telv over the ordeal, his other social media activity has raised eyebrows.

The FIFO worker, 33, was caught 'liking' busty bikini photos on Instagram AGAIN on Wednesday.

Scroll down for video

Is this what made Sarah so angry? Married At First Sights Telv Williams is caught 'liking' busty bikini photos on Instagram AGAIN... after the exes' furious row over Snapchat

Telv's account has been seen following a number of bikini-clad women and socialites over the past week, after his split from 'wife' Sarah was exposed last Thursday through leaked emails that were published.

A picture on busty Melbourne model Kyra Rayne's Instagram page caught the attention of the reality star, Telv 'liking' the photo in its first hour.

While Kyra has also recently posted photos in her underwear, Telv is yet to like those.

Like what you see, Telv? A picture on busty Melbourne model Kyra Rayne's Instagram page caught the attention of the reality star, Telv 'liking' the photo in its first hour

Does Sarah know? Only a few days earlier, Telv was busted 'double tapping' former Bachelor star Zilda William' sizzling shots

Only a few days earlier, Telv was busted 'double tapping' former Bachelor star Zilda William' sizzling shots.

And it appears Telv has since unliked the snap on busty blonde's account.

This week Sarah and Telv fought to save their 'marriage' following a string of explosive fights that aired on Monday's installment.

'I'd rather be single than feel like this,' says Sarah in front of a shocked Telv as the pair engage in what appears to be a couples counselling session.

Is this the end? This week Sarah and Telv fought to save their 'marriage' following a string of explosive fights that aired on Monday's installment

'If you wanna walk out the door I'll hold it open for you,' she continued.

The twosome clashed multiple times, with their first fight over the social media app Snapchat.

'We were in the Taxi and I was trying to tell you what's wrong and you were paying attention to Snapchat,' Sarah said through tears.

'I'd rather be single than feel like this': 'I'd rather be single than feel like this,' says Sarah in front of a shocked Telv as the pair engage in what appears to be a couples counselling session

'If you wanna walk out the door I'll hold it open for you,' spat Sarah as Telv looked on in shock

A defensive Telv shot back: 'You said something to me and I didn't hear what you said because I was laughing out loud.'

'I was telling you about how I feel!' cried Sarah. 'And instead of being attentive to me you thought it was more important to have a laugh and watch funny videos.'

The pair continued to bicker back and forth until Sarah snapped and said: 'You're so engrossed in what you're doing, you're not engrossed in what's happening with us!'

'We were in the Taxi and I was trying to tell you what's wrong and you were paying attention to Snapchat,' Sarah screamed through tears on Monday's episode

Later that episode, the pair had another fight in the bathroom after Sarah stormed off from the dinner table because Telv didn't want to discuss their problems in front of their family members.

'I feel so far away from you now,' she sobbed as she sat on the toilet.

'I feel the same,' responded Telv. 'We haven't talked for 24 hours.'

'I was telling you about how I feel!' cried Sarah. 'And instead of being attentive to me you thought it was more important to have a laugh and watch funny videos'

Sarah then expressed that she was annoyed that Telv was still going to the gym when they were supposed to be doing an 'experiment' and spending all their time together.

'I don't understand how me going to the gym is a problem,' said a frustrated Telv. 'It's an hour of the day.'

'It's not just about how you feel,' he continued. 'It's also about how I feel.'

Nagging? Sarah expressed that she was annoyed that Telv was still going to the gym when they were supposed to be doing an 'experiment' and spending all their time together
She bid farewell to her role on Home And Away late last year.

But Pia Miller, 33, proved that she will always be a Summer Bay girl at heart when she stripped down to a cleavage-baring swimsuit for a sultry morning selfie this Wednesday.

Taking to her Instagram Stories, Pia shared a makeup-free selfie while posing on a sea-side rock ledge.

Summer babe! Home And Away's Pia Miller revealed her flawless complexion and a glimpse of cleavage as she posed for a swimsuit selfie on Wednesday morning

Beaming into the camera while offering a glimpse of cleavage, Pia simply wrote in the caption: 'Morning swims'.

Hours later, Pia once again took to her Instagram Stories, this time sharing a Boomerang video of a bundle of fabric burning in front of a large amethyst geode.

While it's unclear what exactly Pia was doing in the short clip, it's likely that she was performing a traditional sage-burning ritual.

Cleansing? Hours later, Pia once again took to her Instagram Stories, this time sharing a Boomerang video of a bundle of fabric burning in front of a large amethyst geode

'Not every scene, but definitely in the morning when I'd have time': Pia has spoken openly about her belief in the power of rituals, having recently told Popsugar that she would meditate before her scenes on Home And Away

Pia has spoken openly about her belief in the power of rituals, having recently told Popsugar that she would meditate before her scenes on Home And Away.

'When I was on Home And Away and I had my own sort of dressing room, I would definitely meditate before scenes,' she said.

'Not every scene, but definitely in the morning when I'd have time... If I had 10 minutes then I'd use that 10 minutes very wisely,' she explained.

'It was obviously really sad to say goodbye': Pia has also revealed to the publication that she had mixed feelings about her decision to leave Home And Away at the end of last year

Pia also revealed to the publication that she had mixed feelings about her decision to leave Home And Away at the end of last year.

'[Leaving Home And Away] was bittersweet. It was obviously really sad to say goodbye to that character and to people that I've worked with for so long,' she said.

'But it was also really exciting to see what else is out there,' she admitted.

These days Pia is focusing on her new role in the Channel Nine mini-series Bite Club alongside Dominic Monaghan, Deborah Mailman and Todd Lasance.

The thriller follows the tale of two detectives who survive a shark attack, before joining forces to hunt down a serial killer who is stalking them.

'With its international all-star cast, stunning locations and gripping crime stories, Bite Club is set to be the freshest and most thrilling new drama of 2018,' said Nine's Heads of Drama Andy Ryan and Jo Rooney.
She's familiar with staying up late and working long hours on renovation projects with her boyfriend Josh Barker.

But on Tuesday night, Elyse Knowles was forced to stay awake into the late hours of after firefighters were called to her hotel in Sydney.

The 25-year-old took to Instagram to document the emergency, showing short clips of the rescue team arriving.

Scroll down for video

No beauty sleep tonight! The Block's Elyse Knowles was forced to evacuate her hotel after firefighters were called to her hotel late at night on Tuesday

In her clip, a fire truck could be seen pulling up in front of the hotel with people waiting out side.

The Myer ambassador, who was in Sydney for a quick photo shoot, captioned the post: 'When you get woken up by "emergency get evacuated" (sic),' before showing her frustrated and tired face in the video.

The stunner followed up the snap with another photo, showing people waiting outside once again, with the caption: 'And again 11.50pm. Awesome sleep tonight.'

The next morning, Elyse shared a selfie looking slightly tired and ready to fly back to her home back in Melbourne.

Help is here: The 25-year-old took to Instagram to document the emergency, showing short clips of the rescue team arriving

Heading home: The next morning, Elyse shared a selfie looking slightly tired and ready to fly back to her home back in Melbourne

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Elyse's management for comment.

The drama comes after she and boyfriend Josh finally got the keys to their new home.

In a post to their Instagram account last week the pair announced they had 'got the keys to their new home'.

'Joshy paints EVERYTHING white!,' she wrote in the post. 'Feels fresh and ready for our butts to move in YAY'.

'Ready for our butts to move in!': The Block winners Elyse and her boyfriend Josh recently purchased their new home, which they've already started renovating

Here they go again: The couple are ready to flex again for their fixer-upper skills after buying their new home in Melbourne

Josh and Elyse were the youngest couple to ever appear on the show and ended up pocketing a whopping $547,000.

Australian radio star Dave Hughes later purchased their stunning house at auction for $3,067,000.

The fan-favourites also pocketed an extra $100,000, for getting the highest amount at auction out of all of the contestants.

Elyse and Josh cheered when they heard how much they had made at the auction, with the blonde beauty calling the experience 'life-changing.'
While Ryan Seacrest was vying for the attention of stars during Sunday's Oscars, his girlfriend Shayna Taylor was enjoying a relaxing weekend with the girls in Tulum, Mexico.

The Wilhelmina Models beauty, 25, soaked in the sun wearing a flirty knit bikini while offered up an eyeful of her full chest and taut tummy.

Elsewhere, beau Ryan, 43, was likely reeling from a sour experience at Sunday's Academy Awards, where celebs steered clear of the presenter following news of sexual harassment allegations against him that emerged last February.

Fun in the sun: Ryan Seacrest's girlfriend Shayna Taylor enjoyed a relaxing weekend with the girls in Tulum, Mexico while her beau covered the red carpet of Sunday's Oscars in LA

Shayna enjoyed her solo time South of the border, seen sunning and splashing with friends while donning a white, green and orange suit that showcased her flat middle.

She tied her dishwater blonde locks up into a messy bun, later capping things off with a brimmed straw hat.

Taylor added some shine to her look with a necklace, gold mirrored sunnies and some eclectic bracelets.

After taking some time in the water, she headed back to the sand where she was seen sipping from a fresh young coconut.

Beach beauty! Shayna enjoyed her solo time South of the border, seen sunning and splashing with friends while donning a white, green and orange suit that showcased her flat middle

Accessorize! Taylor added some shine to her look with a necklace, gold mirrored sunnies and some eclectic bracelets

During Sunday's Oscars, Ryan appeared like a pariah on the red carpet amid claims he sexual harassed his former stylist.

In addition to being snubbed by many of his Tinseltown colleagues, Seacrest delivered a meager 1.3 million viewers, with a 0.4 rating in adults 18-49, according to stars from Nielsen.

Ratings for his coverage of red carpet ahead of the 90th annual Academy Awards for E! tumbled about 35 percent from a year ago - and 43 percent in key demographics.

The only silver lining to the mediocre performance was that his morning TV program Live With Kelly and Ryan, recapping Hollywood's biggest night, won Monday's talk show numbers with a 3.0 rating.

Off limits: During Sunday's Oscars, Ryan appeared like a pariah on the red carpet amid claims he sexual harassed his former stylist

Show offs! Ratings for Ryan's Oscar pre-show on E! tumbled about 35 percent from a year ago, but he and AM co-host Kelly Ripa saw strong ratings the following day on their talk show

Seacrest last month was cleared of accusations of sexual harassment by the E! network after his former stylist from 2006 to 2013, Suzie Hardy, claimed in November that he had subjected her to numerous instances of sexual harassment and assault while she was working for him.

An investigation 'conducted by outside counsel, found insufficient evidence to support the claims against Seacrest and therefore could not be substantiated,' a rep for the network said.

Seacrest later penned a piece for The Hollywood Reporter in which he called the accusations against him 'gut-wrenching.
She's the model and television presenter who welcomed her second child into the world in September.

And Megan Gale was very much in doting mother mode on Wednesday when she took to social media to share a slew of photos of cherubic bub Rosie May.

The 42-year-old hit Instagram with gusto to flaunt her gorgeous progeny, with Rosie May bearing a striking resemblance to her famous mother.

Gushing: Megan Gale was very much in doting mother mode on Wednesday when she took to social media to share a slew of photos of cherubic bub Rosie May

Both mum and bub share the same dramatic eyes and Rosie May's shock of jet black hair was eerily similar to mum's.

The 5-month-old looked as though there was no place she's rather be than siting for a series of snaps, happily grinning up at mum as she lay content on a bed.

She looked adorable in a rainbow-adorned top and a cute light blue skirt with colourful piping.

Happy snaps: The 42-year-old hit Instagram with gusto to flaunt her gorgeous progeny, with Rosie May bearing a striking resemblance to her famous mother

In captioning the images, Megan posted part of her comment on each image, with the final sentiment reading: 'Pure joy never stops smiling.'

Rosie May is Megan's second child with fiance and AFL star Shaun Hampson, in 2014 the couple welcomed their first son River Alan Thomas.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph recently, Megan revealed that she and Shaun were in no hurry to walk down the aisle.

Adorable: In captioning the images, Megan posted part of her comment on each image, with the final sentiment reading: 'Pure joy never stops smiling'

'I've never been that girl who wants her big day and dream wedding and dress,' she told the publication.

Megan added that she considered parenthood a far greater commitment than marriage.

''If anything I think, 'Geez, that's a lot of work' and I think us creating human life is the biggest commitment you can make to someone because that's forever,' she said.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

But Kurt Coleman isn't happy about being imitated on Tinder, taking to his Instagram Story on Wednesday to slam those who used his photos on the dating app.

The selfie king shared a screenshot of a profile which featured his pictures, blasting the 'randoms' who took the images.

'Are you serious?' Selfie king Kurt Coleman slams 'randoms' for using his old photos as Tinder dating app profile pictures

Kurt shared a screenshot of a Tinder profile purporting to show Chris, 19, but instead featured old photos of the social media sensation.

'More randoms using my old photos on tinder are u serious,' the 21-year-old captioned the photo.

Kurt's exposure of those using his photos on dating apps comes as he opened up about getting botox at age 18.

Not happy: Kurt shared a screenshot of a Tinder profile purporting to show Chris, 19, but instead featured old photos of the social media sensation

In an interview with ABC's Hack on Tuesday, the selfie king revealed how getting so much botox and fillers in the past has left him with permanent facial changes.

'I didnt look like a normal person. I just didnt look like myself. I always loved myself, so why did I change it for no reason?' Kurt said.

He decided to stop when 'I realised, what the hell. My face is f**ked.'

Regrets getting botox at 18: The selfie king revealed how getting so much botox and fillers in the past has left him with permanent facial changes

That's hot! The sun-kissed gent has often been likened to his idol, former reality TV star Paris Hilton

Kurt first rose to a fame as a teenager thanks to his very confident social media posts.

The sun-kissed gent has often been likened to his idol, former reality TV star Paris Hilton.

Last year Kurt moved from his native Gold Coast to Melbourne, where he has dabbled in DJing at nightclubs.
He's the Married At First Sight star, who is constantly in work mode as he juggles various businesses.

And on Wednesday, Justin Fischer showed his emotional side when he bid a sad farewell to his faithful pooch, Benji.

The 41-year-old took to Instagram to share a series of videos at Sydney Airport, showing Justin saying goodbye to the adorable Golden Retriever.

emotional; Married At first Sight star Justin Fischer showed his emotional side on Wednesday when he bid a sad farewell to his faithful pooch, Benji

Justin is visibly upset in one video, breaking down as he kneels over Benj's cage.

He gives the dog a loving scratch on the head before standing up and making a tearful exit.

A second video, showing Benj's cage being secured by airport staff was just as emotional with Justin offering words of support to his four-legged friend.

Tearful: The 41-year-old took to Instagram to share a series of videos, shot at Sydney Airport, showing Justin saying goodbye to the adorable Golden Retriever

Heartbreak: Justin is visibly upset in one video, breaking down as he kneels over Benj's cage

'Hey Benj, daddy loves you, you'll be okay,' Justin said before placing a hand lovingly on the dog's cage.

'Oh f**k that's hard,' he added in the emotional clip.

A third video, showed Benj, sitting faithfully at Justin's feet as the entrepreneur petted the pooch's head.

'Hey Benj, daddy loves you, you'll be okay,' Justin said before placing a hand lovingly on the dog's cage

This video was shared to Justin's profile numeous times with various emotionally-charged captions.

'Saying goodbye is never easy,'he captioned one clip, while he wrote: 'my best mate in the world! Love you Benji,' on another.

'Always hard to lose someone. Especially when its your best friend,' he wrote on another posting, while he issued a warning to 'haters' on another that suggested he wasn't in the 'mood' to deal with keyboard warriors.

Good mate: 'Always hard to lose someone. Especially when its your best friend,' he wrote

'My best mate,'the post started. 'Haters, cyber bullies and trolls, you know I love you guys, however for your own personal safety, stay away from me for at least 24 hours.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Justin Fischer for comment.
Didier Cohen has revealed his battle with Lyme disease.

The Australian media personality and celebrity DJ took to Instagram on Tuesday to share the devastating news with fans.

In a lengthy post, the 29-year-old said his health started declining five years ago but it wasn't until last month that he was forced to seek medical attention after his body shut down.

Devastating: Didier Cohen has revealed his battle with Lyme disease in a post shared to Instagram on Tuesday. He was pictured with an IV drip

'A month ago my body gave out on me so my loved ones brought me to the doc,' he captioned a snap showing the star with an IV drip.

'I found out that I have Lyme disease and it has attacked my body in a few ways.

'5 years ago my health started declining but I ignored it ... I'm gonna go quiet again... while I fight it. I'll be back when I'm all good. I WILL be back and better with all new music.'

Shock diagnosis: 'I found out that I have Lyme disease and it has attacked my body in a few ways,' he wrote on Instagram

The former Australia's Next Top model mentor previously touched on his weight struggles, telling The Fix that while he now makes a living off of his looks as a model, he was once overweight.

'I was really overweight, and I was just embarrassed sometimes to take off my shirt at the beach,' he said.

He decided to take action when he was 19.

Ignored warning signs: '5 years ago my health started declining but I ignored it ... I'm gonna go quiet again... while I fight it. I'll be back when I'm all good. I WILL be back and better with all new music,' he added

'I started running, doing a little bit of cardio, looking at what I was eating, not being super strict but just knowing what was healthier,' he said.

Having lived in Australia for many years, Didier has carved a successful modelling and music career, and was signed to Sony Music in 2015.

He's also had stints on reality TV, including Celebrity Apprentice Australia and Australia's Next Top Model.

In 2016, he announced his engagement to long-term girlfriend Jade Cara.

Rise to stardom: Having lived in Australia for many years, Didier has carved a successful modelling and music career, and was signed to Sony Music in 2015. He's also had stints on reality TV, including Celebrity Apprentice Australia and Australia's Next Top Model

At the time, he tweeted: 'I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend and soul mate.'

However, it is unclear if they are still romantically involved as neither has been featured on the other's Instagram page since last year.
She has not been seen on screen since 2016.

But EastEnders star Mo Harris will be making a shock return to Albert Square next week, as she announces a death that will leave the residents devastated.

Mo (Laila Morse) will inform her family that Kat Moon [Jessie Wallace] is dead, but all is not as it seems as fans already know that she will be returning to the soap soon.

She's BACK! Eastenders Big Mo Harris (Laila Morse) will be making a shock return to Albert Square next week to announce the death of Kat Slater, (Jessie Wallace)

In scenes set to air next week, Big Mo will try and get in touch with Kat's cousin Stacey Slater to tell her that that the feisty Moon has died, eventually returning in person to share the sad news.

Never one to miss a money-making opportunity, Big Mo plans a wake in the Queen Vic with a 10 entry fee, with a sign on the door saying:

'RIP Kat Slater. Tonight at the Queen Vic. Meat Raffle, Auction, Walford's Got Talent. Entry only if you're wearing leopard print!'

Returning: All is not as it seems as 'dead' Kat is actually set to return to Albert Square in the near future, following the cliffhanger end to her spin-off Kat and Alfie: Redwater

Fans were left on tenterhooks over Kat's fate last year in the final scenes of her Irish spin-off Kat and Alfie: Redwater.

Kat was pulled from the icy ocean unconscious, just as Alfie flat-lined during an operation for a brain tumour.

But they need not worry, as Kat's return to the BBC soap was confirmed in December, with a source telling The Sun her latest story-line will be nothing short of a rollercoaster.

Sad: Stacey Slater will be left devastated by the news of cousin Kat's death, during a difficult time for the fan favourite character

They said: 'Kats return has caused a lot of excitement, but it wont be quite what everyones expecting.

'Rather than her friends and family rolling out the red carpet the residents are told she has died. Its set to be a very emotional story-line  but thats probably fitting for Kat.

'It wont all be quite as it seems and the writers have some further twists and turns planned.'

Sadly it seems Kat's husband Alfie will not be joining her back in Walford, as actor Shane Richie has confirmed he has no plans to return.


She isn't afraid to showcase her envy-inducing figure.

And Louisa Johnson once again paraded her washboard abs in a sizzling ensemble as she attended the launch of InterTalent Rights Group at the BAFTA headquarters in London on Tuesday night.

The former X Factor winner, 20, showed off her impossibly tiny waist in a figure-hugging top with cross straps highlighting the rest of her slim physique.

Abs-tastic! Louisa Johnson, 20, paraded her washboard abs as she attended the launch of InterTalent Rights Group at the BAFTA headquarters in London on Tuesday night

Louisa looked in her element as she flaunted her stylish chops in the barely-there ensemble which consisted of the abs-flashing statement red top.

The turtleneck number proved to be backless in design, with strategically placed side cut-outs.

Clearly a lover of the cut-out trend, the songstress also opted for slim-leg high-waisted blue denims which boasted the same design.

Sexy: The former X Factor winner showed off her impossibly tiny waist in a figure-hugging top with cross straps highlighting the rest of her slim physique

Babe: Louisa looked in her element as she flaunted her stylish chops in the barely-there ensemble which consisted of the abs-flashing statement red top

Stylish: The turtleneck number proved to be backless in design, with strategically placed side cut-outs

The trendy bottoms skimmed her long, lean legs and she boosted her height with a pair of towering pointed white stilettos.

The blonde bombshell relied on her naturally striking features with a simple contoured make-up look, complete with lashings of mascara and a glossy pout.

Louisa's tresses were immaculately styled in a poker straight style, framing her pretty features as she enjoyed the night at the star-studded extravaganza.

The star's appearance comes after she sparked rumours she and her ex Daniel Elliott had rekindled their relationship.

Racy details: Clearly a lover of the cut-out trend, the songstress also opted for slim-leg high-waisted blue denims which boasted the same design

Fashionista: The trendy bottoms skimmed her long, lean legs and she boosted her height with a pair of towering pointed white stilettos

Beauty: The blonde bombshell relied on her naturally striking features with a simple contoured make-up look, complete with lashings of mascara and a glossy pout

The pair began dating in 2015 while she was competing in the X Factor live shows and just weeks after she split from her school boyfriend Ellis Stevens.

Recalling their first meeting in a restaurant, Louisa said she wasn't 'discreet' about her attraction to him and said she 'kept staring'.

She told Fabulous magazine: 'We caught each other's eyes and it went from there. I kept staring at him. I'm not discreet!'

Mane attraction: Louisa's tresses were immaculately styled in a poker straight style, framing her pretty features as she enjoyed the night at the star-studded extravaganza

Two peas in a pod: Louisa looked thrilled as she posed alongside Myleene Klass, who put on a chic display in an all-black ensemble complete with red heels

Happy: A beaming Louisa also posed alongside Jonathan Shalit

Louisa also hinted that Daniel could be 'The One' adding: 'I would like to say so, definitely. We've got so much in common and let each other do whatever. He's great, I love him.'

Louisa's ex Ellis said he was 'shocked' at her and Daniel's new relationship so soon after their split.

He told The Sun: 'We split up because she wants to follow her dream. It was only recent, like the last couple of months. I didn't want to get in the way of her career and what she wants to do.'

Back together? The star's appearance comes after she sparked rumours she and her ex Daniel Elliott had rekindled their relationship
She's a doting mother to two children - son Jackson and daughter August.

And while Charlize Theron is known for her head-turning and striking displays on the red carpet as one of the most well known actresses in the world, the star cuts a completely different figure in the newest trailer of her upcoming movie, Tully.

The Oscar winning star, 42, takes on the role of an exhausted mum of three in the comedy flick - including a newborn - and the latest clip shows her struggle with motherhood, as well as the idea of hiring a night nanny.

Scroll down for video

Transformation: A normal glamorous Charlize Theron, 42, cuts a completely different figure in the newest trailer of her upcoming movie, Tully

Showstopper: The star is known for her head-turning and striking displays on the red carpet as one of the most well known actresses in the world

In the film, which will be released on April 20, Charlize takes on the role of Marlo, who has her hands full with three young children.

The two minute trailer sees her struggling with her motherhood duties, no matter how hard she tries.

While Charlize is known for her glamorous red carpet displays on the red carpet, in the trailer she is seen casually clad with a barely-there coat of make-up to emulate the true realities of parenthood.

She is then recommended the use of a night nanny by her brother to help her rest at night.

Tired: The Oscar winning star takes on the role of an exhausted mum of three in the comedy flick - including a newborn

Trailer: The latest clip shows her struggle with motherhood, as well as the idea of hiring a night nanny

Exhausted: The two minute trailer sees her struggling with her motherhood duties, no matter how hard she tries

'I don't want a stranger in my house. That's like a Lifetime movie where the nanny tries to kill the family!' she humours the idea, before giving in.

The trailer then goes on to see the arrival of nanny Mackenzie Davis and by the look of the rest of the clip - the pair go on to forge a fabulous relationship which helps Marlo re-gain control of her life.

As well as Mackenzie, Charlize stars alongside Ron Livingston and Mark Duplass in the Jason Reitman directed film.

Low-key: In the trailer she is seen casually clad with a barely-there coat of make-up to emulate the true realities of parenthood

Helping hand: She is then recommended the use of a night nanny by her brother to help her rest at night

Charlize famously gained 35lbs for her role in the film but quickly shed the weight after production wrapped.

The South African star, a known method actor, previously gained 30 pounds for the 2003 film Monster, in which she portrayed serial killer Aileen Wuornos.

Her dramatic transformation and stunning performance led her to win 17 awards for the role, including the 2004 Academy Award for Best Actress.

New arrival: The trailer then goes on to see the arrival of nanny Mackenzie Davis and the pair go on to forge a fabulous relationship which helps Marlo re-gain control of her life

Method: Charlize famously gained 35lbs for her role in the film but quickly shed the weight after production wrapped

In April 2016, she told British GQ that beauty can work against an actress when it comes to landing strong roles.

'Jobs with real gravitas go to people that are physically right for them and thats the end of the story,' she said.

'How many roles are out there for the gorgeous, f***ing, gown-wearing eight-foot model? When meaty roles come through, Ive been in the room and pretty people get turned away first.'
Farrah Abraham has broken her silence, after three men were arrested for stealing her car, after she left the keys inside the vehicle.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, the former Teen Mom star, 26, also hit back at critics who suggested that she was careless with the car, as she revealed that it was parked in a secure garage at the time that it was stolen.

The mother-of-one said on Wednesday afternoon: 'Im happy justice was served for the criminals who only directly went to my rental car to steal it, the car was parked in a secured garage and they snuck in at 4am.'

They didn't get Far-rah: 'Three men have been arrested for stealing Abraham's rental car after she left the keys inside the vehicle' (stock photo)

Law enforcers had previously told TMZ of the incident: 'Someone made off with with a Hyundai on Saturday that Farrah had rented.

'We're told she accidentally left her car keys in the vehicle, which she'd parked in a garage at a private residence in Beverly Hills.'

While it was unclear whether or not the keys were left in the ignition, it appears as though the thieves made an easy getaway.

However, the site reports that police found the car on Monday night and arrested the three men.

Reports stated: 'We're told she accidentally left her car keys in the vehicle, which she'd parked in a garage at a private residence in Beverly Hills'

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Farrah has called it quits with stuntman Aden Stay, merely days after confirming they were dating.

The former Teen Mom star revealed to Radar Online on Wednesday that she and Aden, 40, had split, insisting she tends to attract men who target her for her success.

'I need to watch whom I date as many men target me for my success,' she told the website. 'I'm focused on work right now, between TV and film projects.'

'I wish him well, but I'm not rushing into relationships,' she added.

Split: Meanwhile, it has been reported that Farrah has called it quits with stuntman Aden Stay, merely days after confirming they were dating

Farrah said being a mother to nine-year-old daughter Sophia Laurent Abraham is her top priority.

The reality star has since deleted a photo she posted of Aden onto social media last week, in which she made their relationship Instagram official.

The photo was off Farrah on the 'best date ever' with Aden at Il Pastaio.

Farrah confirmed she was dating Aden just six days ago, telling Us Weekly at the time that her new beau is 'amazing.'

'I'm a lucky woman and feel blessed. We have just started our relationship and I feel like I met someone who is amazing.'
He's the frozen yoghurt Czar trying his luck with bride Carly Bowyer on Married At First Sight.

And 'millionaire groom' Justin Fischer has hit back at suggestions that he's been fudging his financial status while likening naysayers to 'cockroaches' and 'bottom feeders.'

Justin's invective was issued after a follower took serious umbrage with the reality star after he posted a pre-dinner party photo of him and Carly on Sunday.

Richie Rich? 'Millionaire MAFS groom' Justin Fischer has hit back at suggestions that he hes been fudging his financial status, likening naysayers to 'cockroaches' and 'bottom feeders'

Posting a long-winded screed, fan surfergirl_renaitre pulled no punches, calling Justin a 'douchebag' and an 'idiot' while questioning the size of his bank balance.

'Where do I start with this douchebag,'they wrote. '1. he is NOT a millionaire...he leases his BMW...and hmm when he took carly to his business where were his staff at 'global headquarters...' or the furniture for that matter.'

The post continued: '2. took her for a walk to the dock to look at his super yacht...but it wasn't there...he had sold it (hmmm heard that one before).'

No quarter; Posting a long-winded screed, fan surfergirl_renaitre pulled no punches, calling Justin a 'douchebag' and an 'idiot' while questioning the size of his bank balance.

The dressing down didn't end there though with the follower also calling in to question Justin's coiffure, the 'gross tattoo on his arm and his 'appalling personality.'

'Hello, he lives in a a crap apartment with NO furniture..cos he is decorating'...another line...your [sic] a joke mate,' they continued. 'This idiot 'leads' with money so he will only attract women who are gold diggers and once they find out he has no money they ditch him.'

Taking issue with the 'crap apartment' Justin insisted that he really was living the life of Riley.

Yoghurt money: Taking issue with the 'crap apartment' Justin insisted that he really was living the life of Riley, boating about new expensive digs in Sydney's Rose Bay

Lap of luxury: 'My removalists just finished moving my stuff into new place in Rose Bay. Amazing place. FYI my crappy Dover Heights house was 4 stories and 6 bedrooms. Probably out of your price range. I Imagine,' he wrote

Calling the poster a 'joke' Justin continued, boating that he did in fact, life a live that most would be envious of.

'My removalists just finished moving my stuff into new place in Rose Bay. Amazing place. FYI my crappy Dover Heights house was 4 stories and 6 bedrooms. Probably out of your price range. I Imagine,' he wrote.

When another fan reminded Justin he was being trolled, he replied with: 'Trolls remind me of cockroaches and bottom feeders. Saying that in the nicest possible way.'

According to a source in February the 41-year-old self-described entrepreneur is listed on a couch surfing website and may have rented the luxury yacht he traveled on to his decadent wedding to 'wife' Carly Bower.

Not so cashed up? A new source claims Married At First Sight groom Justin Fischer may not have it all, after unearthing his Couchsurfing profile and alleging he may have rented the yacht on which he sailed to his wedding

Justin, who owns three companies according to his LinkedIn profile, is listed on Couchsurfing.com, a popular website that allows its members to stay on one another's sofas.

Although his last log-in was four years ago, the divorced father-of-two wrote that his mission was to 'to meet new people and make new friends!'.

Further raising eyebrows about his status as a 'millionaire' is the claim the star may have rented the luxury Murcielago yacht that he and his groomsmen were seen sailing on around Sydney prior to his wedding.

Rented? Justin and his groomsmen were seen boarding a luxury Murcielago yacht prior to his wedding

A taste for the finer things: During his time on Married At First Sight, the star has been portrayed as a successful businessman with a taste for the finer things in life

The website Sydney Harbour Escapes offers a similar looking Murcielago yacht for hire, at the price of $2000 an hour.

While Justin did not specifically state he was the owner of the yacht, just before boarding the vessel he stated: 'I feel like I've got it all. I'm a successful entrepreneur, I have all the material things I want.'

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Justin regarding his Couchsurfing website and the claim he may have rented the yacht. Daily Mail Australia has also reached out to Channel Nine representatives for comment.

High-powered: The businessman is the founder and CEO of Brullen, which makes the soft-serve ice cream and frozen yoghurt machines

The businessman is the founder and CEO of Brullen, which makes the soft-serve ice cream and frozen yoghurt machines.

He established the business in 1998 and works on it with his brother, Scott.

He also owns Ruggito Coffee, a coffee supplier with clients purportedly including McDonald's, and Cafequip, which provides equipment for hospitality businesses.
To all intents and purposes it was supposed to be a relaxing girls holiday, but Lauren Harries insists her recent trip to Benidorm with Lisa Appleton turned into a nightmare because the former Big Brother star liked to see her partially naked.

The transgender TV personality, 39, lashed out at Lisa during an appearance on Wednesday mornings edition of The Jeremy Kyle Show after their trip toSpain unravelled over series of issues  amongst them lost shoes, missing pain medication and an avocado salad.

But Lauren admitted she took greater exception to the 49-year old reality stars general behaviour shortly after arriving in the popular coastal resort city.

Furious: Lauren Harries told The Jeremy Kyle Show that a recent trip to Benidorm with Lisa Appleton turned into a nightmare because the former Big Brother star liked to see her partially naked

She always wanted to see me with my top off all the time, she told Kyle. Shes a very flamboyant person, but I soon realised she wasnt nice.

Events took a turn after pain medication prescribed to treat a long standing issue with Laurens spine mysteriously vanished from the bottle shes brought along for the trip.

But the final straw came when Lauren decided to call time on the holiday and fly back to the United Kingdom.

Not happy: Joining her onstage, Lisa had a different take on the sunshine break - during which she clams Lauren almost landed them in trouble with the Spanish police after kicking off with waiters over the state of her lunch

'Her friends were supposed to take me to the airport but they never came,' she explained. 'My feet get swollen in the heat and I had to run run run to the airport to catch my Easy Jet flight.

'I lost my shoes on the way there and they said best put your shoes on or you wont get on the plane. I want a public apology from Lisa Appleton!'

Joining her onstage, Lisa had a different take on the sunshine break - during which she clams Lauren almost landed them in trouble with the Spanish police after kicking off with waiters over the state of her lunch.

Straight talking: 'Weve gone through a lot of depression and hard times,' she said. 'We were just supporting each other and having a girly holiday'

'Weve gone through a lot of depression and hard times,' she said. 'We were just supporting each other and having a girly holiday.

'As soon as we got there Lauren nearly got us arrested. We ordered an avocado salad. She kicked off.'

Visibly bristling, Lauren snapped: Because the avocados had pips in them and they said they were going to call the police. They nearly called the police on my salad. I had the right to complain about my salad.

They were olives which had pips in them in a salad. You do not put pipped olives in a salad, my father was a cook.

According to Lisa the holiday took an immediate downward spiral thanks to Lauren - who has since found love with new boyfriend Bruce - 'pulling husbands' during a raucous appearance at a local nightclub.

bemused: Jeremy Kyle looked stunned as the two friends reflected on their calamitous holiday

'I had to protect her in case she got attacked,' she added. 'She was lifting her dress up and getting all provocative. She was drunk.'

Reflecting on the repercussions from their disastrous trip, she said: 'On Twitter everyones saying whats Lisa done to Lauren? Shes slandered my name.'

Despite their differences the pair eventually made up, before making their way back stage for private counselling with resident therapist Graham Stainer.
She's the glamorous Sydney model, who is often hailed for her doll-like features and seemingly endless legs.

And Samantha Harris looked every inch the star while attending Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old showed off her trim pins and statuesque frame in a cleavage-baring dress as she posed for snaps at the exclusive event.

Model behaviour: Samantha Harris looked every inch the star while attending Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival on Wednesday

The flirty frock featured a black and white plaid pattern and a keyhole cutout, which highlighted her ample chest.

She paired the chic look with orange pumps, which added a pop of colour and a pink chain link designer purse.

She opted for flawlessly applied makeup and her hair was swept up in a neat ponytail.

Preened to perfection: She opted for flawlessly applied makeup and her hair was swept up in a neat ponytail

Earlier this year, the Aboriginal beauty spoke about baby plans with her husband Luke Husband.

While promoting her role as a Priceline sister at the Pharmacy's Kooyong Classic,she gushed: 'I'm very happy!'

Samantha opened up on her marriage to Luke, telling Daily Mail Australia: 'No (plans for) babies at the moment, but things are going really well, so (I'm) very happy.'

'I'm very happy!' Earlier this year, the Aboriginal beauty spoke about baby plans with her husband Luke Husband

The Indigenous model secretly married Luke in 2014, two months before he began serving a a prison sentence for his involvement in a fatal car crash that killed a 78-year-old man.

Luke was behind the wheel in a tragic accident that killed grandfather Kenneth Lay in May 2012.

Content: Samantha opened up on her marriage to Luke, telling Daily Mail Australia: 'No (plans for) babies at the moment, but things are going really well, so (I'm) very happy'

Private: The brunette beauty secretly married Luke in 2014, two months before he began serving a a prison sentence for his involvement in a fatal car crash that killed a 78-year-old man

The couple's Commodore crashed into Kenneth's Hyundai Lantra in Narraweena, on the Northern Beaches, when Luke was driving above the speed limit and changing lanes.

Samantha only revealed they were wed in April 2016, after her husband had finished serving his term out of respect for the crash victim's family.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time that the brunette beauty has shared details on life with Luke, following his release.

Respectful: Samantha only revealed they were wed in April 2016, after her husband had finished serving his term out of respect for the crash victim's family

In August last year, Samantha told Daily Mail Australia at the Myer Spring Social that she couldn't be any happier with married life, gushing 'It's great!'

She added: '[We will have kids] one day, not anytime soon, [there's] no rush.'

Samantha rose to fame after placing second in Girlfriend magazine's model search in 2004.

She has since gone on to feature in campaigns for David Jones and Miu Miu, along with her ambassador role for Priceline Pharmacy.
Gary Oldman's son Gulliver has defended him against allegations of domestic abuse from his third ex-wife, Donya Fiorentino.

The British star, 59, who won the Best Actor Academy Award for Darkest Hour on Sunday, was recently shamed by his former wife, who labelled their four-year marriage 'a nightmare' and also claimed he 'beat her face with a telephone in front of their children'.

The former couple's son Gulliver, 20, has now penned an open letter defending his father - referencing the allegations against him as 'troubling and painful', while also labelling the actor as 'his hero' and 'the man he aspires to be.'

Open letter: Gary Oldman's son Gulliver, 20, (R) has defended him against allegations of domestic abuse from his third ex-wife, Donya Fiorentino

Donya, who was married to Gary from 1997-2001, wasn't too thrilled when he picked up the coveted golden accolade at the Oscars on Sunday evening.

Her disappointment, which she made clear in a tweet aimed at The Academy for 'awarding an abuser' comes after she spoke to DailyMail.com in February about her marital breakdown.

Gary Oldman has since called the 2001 claims against him by Fiorentino, 50, 'lies, innuendoes and half-truths.'

And now the the former pair's son Gulliver has come forth with an open letter, in which he began: 'It has been troubling and painful to see that these false allegations against my father being written about again, especially after this was all settled years ago...

'Custody of children is not given to a wife beater, and under most circumstances, hardly ever a man. My having lived, full time with my father should be in itself, proof enough.'

Claims: Gary was recently shamed by his former wife, who labelled their four-year marriage 'a nightmare' and also claimed he 'beat her face with a telephone in front of their children'

The truth: Their son Gulliver (second from R) has now penned an open letter defending dad Gary, 59 - referencing the domestic abuse allegations against him as 'troubling and painful

In Donya's legal filings in 2001, she claimed that Gary hit her in the face with a telephone receiver three or hour times, leaving her children in tears as they witnessed the turn of events.

Speaking of the moment, Gulliver revealed: 'I can see how coming out with a statement to combat an allegation must look.

'However, I was there at the time of the "incident," so I'd like to make this radiantly clear: it didn't happen. Anyone who says it did is lying...'

Clearly siding with his father in the intense parental situation, Gulliver continued: 'In the case of my father, there is only innocence. There never has been any guilt.'

His tone also suggested that he felt sorry for his mother: 'She has been a sad and very troubled person most of her life. Yes, she brought me into this world. She didn't however, teach me how to be a part of it.'

'Custody of children is not given to a wife beater': Gulliver clearly sided with his father in the intense parental situation, which he admitted should have been resolved 'years ago'

In comparison, Gulliver sang the praises of his dad, admitting: 'My Father is my one and true guiding light. My only hero. He is the man I aspire one day to become. If I could only become even half as great and half as pure.

'I was granted the good graces of his fatherhood as a child to be raised by him and only him. For that I am eternally grateful every hour of every day. I owe him the world and I owe him my life...

'I want only to protect my father's character, as a person and as an actor. I know he is a wonderfully kind man, gifted beyond belief, a man who wouldn't trade anything for the love and happiness of his family.'

In his final words, Gulliver continued: 'This torment should have ended 16 years ago. In such a momentous year for his career, my father should finally be able to enjoy himself. I hope that we can please make that a possibility.'

Gulliver's open letter comes after his mum Fiorentina revealed: He stole my children and ruined my life, in an interview published on February 3, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

'She has been a sad and very troubled person most of her life': The tone of his open letter also suggested that he felt sorry for his mother

'I want to protect my father': Read Gulliver's full open letter in defence of his dad Gary

The truth needs to be told. I would like Gary to stand up and take responsibility for his actions. Will he? Who knows? He has always denied everything.

Emboldened by the #MeToo movement, Fiorentino said, He is a great actor. Was he a great husband? No.'

Our marriage was a giant car crash in which demented things happened. I lost my self-esteem, I was broken,' she added.

Ive been empowered by hearing other women speak up. When a woman gets her voice back, she gets her power back.

I want our sons and the world to know the truth. I would rather get eaten by a great white shark than go through that marriage again,' she said.

I have $20 in my purse. Ive got nothing else he can take from me. Im not speaking out to hurt Gary.

'Our marriage was a car crash': Emboldened by the #MeToo movement, Fiorentino said, He is a great actor. Was he a great husband? No'

'In fact, I wish him well. Hes a brilliant actor and he fully deserves his Oscar. But when you are nominated for an Academy Award you have to be held to a higher standard.

Fiorentino added: The kids were held hostage in the war between us.

'I eventually ran out of money and was representing myself in court. Money, power and fame won. I will take blame, I played a big part in destroying my life and that is something I have to live with. I am sorry I was not the mother I should have been.

I dont blame Gary for everything. But it takes two to destroy something. The perpetrators of domestic abuse have to live with it too.

In legal documents filed in 2001, Ms Fiorentino said the actor spent thousands on alcohol and prostitutes during drug-fuelled weekends.

Oldman hit back by calling her a 'fantastist' who tore apart their marriage because she was addicted to pills and alcohol and an unfit mother.

Firing back: Oldman hit back by calling her Donya a 'fantastist' who tore apart their marriage because she was addicted to pills and alcohol and an unfit mother

The judge sided with Oldman and gave him custody of the couple's young sons.

Oldman has been married a total of five times and has three children.

The actor tied the knot with British actress Lesley Manville - who publicly congratulated him on his Oscar win - in 1987 but left her in 1989, three months after their son, Alfie, was born.

Oldman met Hollywood megastar Uma Thurman on the set of State of Grace, and they tied the knot in 1990, but the marriage ended just two years later.

After Fiorentino, his fourth wife came in the form of British singer and actress Alexandra Edenborough, who he married on New Year's Eve in 2008. His spouse filed for divorce in January 2015.

Oldman is currently married to writer and art curator Gisele Schmidt, who he tied the knot with in September 2017.
Paris Fashion Week was left behind as Rose McGowan enjoyed a trip to Rome on Tuesday afternoon.

The actress, who has been at the vanguard of a drastic culture change in Hollywood after detailing her alleged assault at the hands of disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein, was in high spirits as she soaked up the sights in the historic Italian city.

Sporting a deep red winter coat over a vibrant yellow hoodie, Rose, 44, ate an ice-cream while visiting popular landmarks the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain.

Stepping out: Rose McGowan was in high spirits as she soaked up the sights in Rome on Tuesday afternoon

The American actress added to her look with a pair of simple black leggings, while distinctively heeled white shoes rounded things off.

Keeping her eyes shielded behind a pair of tinted Aviator sunglasses, Rose immersed herself in the city's incredible architecture after making her way to Italy from France, where she attended Vivienne Westwood's Paris Fashion Week womenswear show on Saturday.

Taking her place on the front row, she cut a chic figure in a silky black trench coat and matching trousers.

Colourful: Sporting a deep red winter coat over a vibrant yellow hoodie, Rose, 44, visited popular landmarks the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain

She teamed the look with a pink and quilted khaki jumper and toughened up the feminine outfit with chunky black boots.

Earlier this week, The New York Times published excerpts from her memoir Brave, in which she recounted the alleged assault she suffered at the hands of the disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival.

In the book she claims she had an appointment with Weinstein on the day of the incident but arrived to learn her breakfast meeting had been moved to his hotel suite.

Here she comes: Her outing comes after she attended Vivienne Westwood's Paris Fashion Week womenswear show on Saturday

Once she got to the suite, she claims that Weinstein tore off her clothing, made her sit on the edge of the Jacuzzi in his suite and proceeded to perform oral sex on the actress while masturbating himself to completion.

Soon after this alleged assault, McGowan received a $100,000 settlement from the disgraced mogul.

Through his lawyers, Weinstein denied the incident.

It's been an emotional time for McGowan, who recently spoke out following the death of her former manager Jill Messick, who took her own life last month.

Rose said, 'For Jill: May your family find some measure of solace during this pain.'
She's a successful model, television host and devoted mother to eight-month-old son Jett.

And Nikki Phillips enjoyed a rare night off from parenting duties as she made an dazzling appearance at the launch of Bar Patron by Rockpool in Sydney on Wednesday.

The blonde beauty, 33, teased at her taut midriff in a stylish black polka dot top, with semi sheer sections across the sleeves, waist and neckline.

Dazzling: Nikki Phillips enjoyed a rare night off from parenting duties as she made an dazzling appearance at the launch of Bar Patron by Rockpool in Sydney on Wednesday

Highlighting her slender midriff, she slipped her toned frame into a high waisted black and pink floral brocade midi skirt which shimmered in the spotlight.

The New Zealand born star added height to her statuesque frame with strappy stiletto sandals.

Her blonde bob was styled sleek and straight and parted on the side while her sparkling peepers were enhanced with metallic shadow, feline flicks of liner and fluttery lashes.

Strike a pose: The blonde beauty, 33, teased at her taut midriff in a stylish black polka dot top, with semi sheer sections across the sleeves, waist and neckline

The star's glowing make-up look was completed with peachy blush and a slick of rose pink lipstick and she accessorised with gold chandelier earrings.

Nikki has been devoting herself to motherhood after she and husband Dane Rumble welcomed Jett into the world in July.

The birth of the couple's son comes as somewhat of a miracle for Nikki and Dane after her battle with stage three cervical cancer and suffering three miscarriages.

Doctors discovered cancerous cells in 2009 after Nikki had a routine pap smear and they were later removed.

Style: Highlighting her slender midriff, she slipped her toned frame into a high waisted black and pink floral brocade midi skirt which shimmered in the spotlight

Nikki met Dane while undergoing post-operative testing for the cancer and has said he was 'amazing' throughout the ordeal.

Speaking to Daily Telegraph earlier in the year, Nikki said: 'The moment he came out and I put him on my chest, you have this little life on top of you,' she said.

'The fear and worry doesn't go anywhere because now you have this amazing little human being and how do you look after him.'
She's been selected as the inspiration for one of 17 dolls made especially for International Women's Day.

And Bindi Irwin, 19, couldn't be more pleased with her likeness being made into a Barbie doll for the occasion.

'I am honoured to be part of the Barbie family,' Bindi told the Herald-Sun in a statement on Wednesday.

'It is so important to empower girls': Bindi Irwin says she is 'honoured' to have Barbie doll of her released to commemorate International Women's Day

She continued: 'It is so important to empower girls and women to believe in their strength to make positive change in the world.

'Together we can make a difference.'

Bindi has been selected to represent Australian feminism as part of Mattel's 'Shero' female hero range.

Singled out: Bindi was selected as the inspiration for one of 17 dolls made especially for International Women's Day

Honoured: Bindi has been selected to represent Australian feminism as part of Mattel's 'Shero' female hero range

Also featured in the collection for International Women's Day are Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins, Winter Olympian Chloe Kim and Spanish fashion designer Vicky Martin.

Bindi is the daughter of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, who tragically died when a stringray barb pierced his heart in 2006.

Since his death Bindi, her brother Robert and their mother Terri have remained dedicated to animal conservation.

Animal loving family: Bindi is the daughter of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, who tragically died when a stringray barb pierced his heart in 2006

The Irwin family run Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast and have purchased almost half a million acres of land in Queensland for conservation purposes.

In 2015, Bindi also competed in the US version of Dancing With The Stars, taking home first prize alongside partner Derek Hough.

Recently, Bindi has been forced to deny rumours she is engaged to longtime boyfriend, Chandler Powell.
She gave birth to her fourth child just three months ago.

And Lindy Klim flaunted her phenomenal post-baby body as she made a stylish appearance at the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival on Wednesday.

The former model, 40, flaunted her slender figure and teased at her toned abs in a sparkling white cropped suit jacket, paired with an edgy peplum corset, which revealed her enviably taut midriff as she posed.

Strike a pose: Lindy Klim flaunted her phenomenal post-baby body as she made a stylish appearance at the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival on Wednesday

She paired the couture jacket with matching flared trousers which clung to her endless legs and finished her ensemble with pink flower adorned brogues.

Her raven tresses were styled in a chic updo, and parted on the side, while her pretty features were enhanced with smoky eyeshadow, fluttery lashes, rose blush and a slick of clear lipgloss.

Fashion finesse: The former model, 40, flaunted her slender figure and teased at her toned abs in a sparkling white cropped suit jacket, paired with an edgy peplum corset, which revealed her enviably taut midriff as she posed

Wow factor: Her raven tresses were styled in a chic updo, and parted on the side, while her pretty features were enhanced with smoky eyeshadow, fluttery lashes, rose blush and a slick of clear lipgloss

New mother: Oozing confidence as she posed the star showed she had bounced back to her toned pre-baby body

Oozing confidence as she posed the star showed she had bounced back to her toned pre-baby body.

She slipped on a pair of cat-eye shades to give her outfit an additional glamorous touch.

Last month Lindy island hopped across South East Asia with her newborn, three other children Stella, 11, Rocco, 9 and Frankie, 6 and her fiance Adam Ellis.

While deep in Thailand's tropical rainforest region, the beauty took to social media to mark the new family's precious overseas moments.

Precious moments! SLast month Lindy island hopped across South East Asia with her newborn Goldie, three other children Stella, 11, Rocco, 9 and Frankie, 6 and her fiance Adam Ellis

In what will surely become a framed treasured moment, Lindy posted a candid photograph holding her sweet baby daughter while standing in one of Thailand's monsoonal rainforests.

Capturing the precious candid moment, the beauty captioned the picture: 'Butterflies and fireflies for jungle baby.'

Fans were quick to comment on the cherished moment, with the post rallying nearly 1,500 likes in just two hours of being uploaded.

Sister bond! Lindy, who bounced back into phenomenal shape just weeks after giving birth to Goldie late last year, has taken to Instagram a series of pictures to cement her family escape as a truly valuable time and meaningful time

Myer's newly announced ambassador Elyse Knowles commented: 'Nawww adorable!'

'What a beautiful photo, so sweet!' another fan wrote.

Lindy, who bounced back into phenomenal shape just weeks after giving birth to Goldie late last year, has taken to Instagram a series of pictures to cement her family escape as a truly valuable time and bonding experience.

Soon to wed! In one picture, Lindy posted a picture relaxing pool-side with her beau, marking the moment with the caption: 'Us time'

Sweet memories! 'What a beautiful photo, so sweet!' A fan wrote

In one picture, Lindy posted a picture relaxing poolside with her beau, marking the moment with the caption: 'Us time'

From relaxing in beach hammocks to jumping in the ocean and sharing sweet downtime moments as a family, it seems the doting mum has mastered the art of memory making.

According to Lindy's Instagram, the family will be creating more precious moments with yet another tropical oasis destination, the Maldives, next up on their list.
She's the former Home And Away star who is set to appear in Foxtel's hotly-anticipated drama Picnic At Hanging Rock.

And Samara Weaving looked every inch the Hollywood superstar as she arrived at the glittering Louis Vuitton Paris Fashion Week show on Tuesday.

The talented actress, 25, oozed 60s chic as she sported a sleek beehive hairstyle for her dazzling entrance, paired with smoky eyeshadow, fluttery lashes, and a slick of rose lipstick.

Retro glamour: Samara Weaving looked every inch the Hollywood superstar as she arrived at the glittering Louis Vuitton Paris Fashion Week show on Tuesday

She showcased her sartorial prowess and her toned legs in a thigh-skimming mini-skirt, adorned with silver zips, paired with a matching navy jacket.

The star layered a blush pink rollneck jumper underneath and added height to her frame with black, white and blue strappy stilettos.

This comes after the jet-setting star dazzled on the red carpet at her first Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday.

In an interview with Confidential on Wednesday, the star revealed she used Princess Diana and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis as inspiration for her latest role in Picnic At Hanging Rock.

Leggy display: The talented actress, 25, oozed 60s chic as she sported a sleek beehive hairstyle for her dazzling entrance, paired with smoky eyeshadow, fluttery lashes, and a slick of rose lipstick

Royal inspiration!In an interview with Confidential on Wednesday, the star revealed she used Princess Diana and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis as inspiration for her latest role in Picnic At Hanging Rock

'Irma has the stresses of being known as the wealthy one from England,' Samara explained to the publication.

'I was looking at women that had to deal with that atmosphere,' she added.

'I researched Princess Diana and Jackie Onassis. I saw them as women born into wealth who had that [pressure] put upon them.

'I was looking at women that had to deal with that atmosphere' Samara said she research Diana (left) and Jackie (right) because they were born into wealth, similar to her character

Based on a book by Joan Lindsay and set in 1900, Picnic At Hanging Rock follows three schoolgirls and their governess who vanish without a trace.

Joining Samara as part of the cast is a number of high-profile stars, including Game Of Thrones' Natalie Dormer and Orange Is The New Black's Yael Stone.

Also starring is: Lily Sullivan, Anna McGahan and Madeleine Madden.

Period drama: Based on a book by Joan Lindsay and set in 1900, Picnic At Hanging Rock follows three schoolgirls and their governess who vanish without a trace

Samara, who is the niece of actor Hugo Weaving, has gone from strength to strength in her career after leaving iconic soap Home And Away in 2013.

Now based in Los Angeles, Samara was part of the Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri cast, who won Best Acting Ensemble gong at the SAG Awards last month.

The actress has also scored international gigs in projects such as SMILF, Ash vs Evil Dead and Out of the Blue.
Dean Wells sparked outrage after 'offering up' his wife for the other grooms to 'bang' during the Married At First Sight boys' night, leading to a furious confrontation with Charlene Perera.

And fans have slammed his 'wife' Tracey Jewel for choosing to stay with the MAFs lothario, with social media followers urging her to 'think of her daughter' and end her relationship with Dean.

The social media backlash began after Tracey, 34, shared a confrontational photo of the couple at the dinner party, with the caption: 'Well that was an explosive dinner party to say the least!

Backlash: MAFS fans have slammed Dean Wells' 'wife' Tracey Jewel for choosing to stay with the lothario, with social media followers urging her to 'think of her daughter' and end her relationship

Scandalous: Dean sparked outrage after 'offering up' his wife for the other grooms to 'bang' during the Married At First Sight boys' night, leading to a furious confrontation with Charlene Perera, which he later apologised for

'Everyones entitled to their opinions and as I wasnt at the boys night Im guessing the truth is somewhere in the middle.'

But it wasn't long before fans of the hit show began berating her for staying with the hunk, with one writing 'wake up and smell the coffee love!'.

Another fan wrote: 'stop waiting your time with this d*** head you deserve so much better . Use youre brain girl.' (sic)'

One follower said: ' I hope you dont pass on such stupid advice to your daughter. Please work on your self esteem, this was sad to watch.'

Explosive: The social media backlash began after Tracey, 34, shared a confrontational photo of the couple at the dinner party, with the caption: 'Well that was an explosive dinner party to say the least!'

One unimpressed fan wrote: 'I'm sure you've watched the show back to see where the truth is at! I think your all just wasting each other's time and air time.'

Another irate viewer wrote: 'Any believe you are falling for his s**t! Really! '

While another wrote: 'I hope your daughter never sees this show and realises her mother kept around an egotistical, lying, pathetic man.

'Set your standards higher, if not for you, than for your daughter.'

Fury: But it wasn't long before fans of the hit show began berating her for staying with the hunk, with one writing 'wake up and smell the coffee love!'

One concerned fan wrote: 'I think there is just a different word to be used with this. There is compassionate as a person and I consider myself a forgiving person and compassionate. But, how Dean behaved, was wrong and disrespectful.

'Yes editing is done, but, we heard the words from his own mouth and he started the whole conversation on swapping again. Tracey, you will be hurt if you stay with him. He has no respect for women really.

'You are so beyond better then that. You must think of your daughter. I have 2, I could not allow any man in their lives that disrespect women with men and use the boys code or boys night. No real man, behaves like hun. Only a boy. You need to be careful.'

However some fans praised the 'strong' mother-of-one for being compassionate and giving Dean another chance.

Support: However some fans praised the 'strong' mother-of-one for being compassionate and giving Dean another chance

Response: Tracey then took to social media to respond to the comments, saying she was confident in her decision

One wrote: 'its a great quality to see the good in people and give a second chance... youre a strong woman for it...much easier to walk away!!

'Also this situation was blown way out of proportion and i thought dean was making a point to the boys that youre a hotty! People can be so nasty...just ignore them!!'

Tracey then took to social media to respond to the comments, saying she was confident in her decision.

She wrote: 'Guys wow so many comments flying around here.. all I can say is I was true to myself and doing the best I could under the circumstances of this experiment #judgeaway #thanksforthelove #strongwomen.'

This comes after Dean has returned fire at Charlene Perera in aInstagram post, hinting that her relationship with Patrick Miller was far from perfect.

'How's Patrick going?' Married At First Sight's Dean throws shade at Charlene's relationship on Instagram ... after the feisty bride slammed him for 'offering' Tracey to the other men

Sharing a photo of their heated confrontation at the dinner party, Dean appeared to allude to not all being well in Charlene and Patrick's relationship.

'Sensitive times apparently. @thisischarlenep we both know the truth hows [sic] @pattymiller_mafs goin? [sic] @traceyjewel_ify happy birthday babe. Your [sic] a real woman,' Dean captioned the photo.

Perhaps trying to drive his point home even further and prove his feminist credentials, Dean also added the hashtag '#chill' and tagged '@internationalwomensdaymarch8th'.

Making a statement: Perhaps trying to drive his point home even further and prove his feminist credentials, Dean also added the hashtag '#chill' and tagged '@internationalwomensdaymarch8th

Not happy: Dean decided to attack Charlene after she had exposed his wife swapping plans at the dinner party

What is he trying to say? In response Dean appeared to allude to not all being well in Charlene and Patrick's relationship

During Wednesday night's episode Charlene confronted Dean over his comments at the boys' night.

Her husband Patrick had revealed how Dean had asked the other grooms if they wanted to 'bang' Tracey and discussed wife swapping with millionaire Justin Fischer.

'Im a woman and speaking on behalf of all women, I wouldnt be comfortable if someone was offering my wife around to the rest of the men at the table,' Charlene yelled at Dean.

Facing the music: During Wednesday night's episode Charlene confronted Dean over his comments at the boys' night

'Im a woman and speaking on behalf of all women': Charlene slammed Dean for asking the other grooms if they wanted to 'bang' Tracey

Denying he had made the comments, Dean blasted Charlene, saying she had put 'women and feminism backwards' for attacking him.

'I've been a feminist my whole life,' he argued.

'But I'm also a man, and I don't apologise for being a man. I don't apologise for being attracted to women. Why is that a bad thing?'

Dean has sensationally come out swinging against Channel Nine, claiming scenes from the 'boys' night' were edited out and accusing the show's producers of manipulating the conversation.

Beginning his post he wrote: 'Ah boys' night. Fun was had by all, except @pattymiller__mafs (Patrick), who said he would like to swap for @davvyxx (Davina) but for some reason they didn't show that?!?

'But they did show me asking the question about other wives mums which the producers forced me to say cos the night was too boring for @taramcwilliam75 Oh well . Hopefully most people don't take it too seriously'.

Dean then issued an apology if he had offended anyone, claiming he meant no disrespect to his female co-stars or women in general.
Chrissy Teigen has uploaded a heartrending Instagram tribute to her beloved bulldog Puddy, who died this Wednesday.

The 32-year-old, who is currently traveling in China, posted a social media album showing herself and her husband John Legend with their dearly departed pet.

In a moving caption, she wrote: 'I will love you forever, my boy. My heart aches. Thank you so much for everything, everything.'

She had revealed on Twitter that Puddy 'does have a tumor on his heart' in November, after the dog suffered a health scare and was briefly hospitalized.

'My heart aches': Chrissy Teigen has posted a heartrending Instagram tribute to her beloved bulldog Puddy, who died this Wednesday

Chrissy, who is pregnant with her second child by John, began her eulogy caption Wednesday: 'Today our baby, Puddy, has gone on to the pup heavens.

'John and I got Puddy in our first year of dating, when I convinced him half-birthday presents were a real thing. 10 years ago, on May 30th, I found the dog that would be there for us through every up, down, new house, new city, new tour, new travel.'

She recounted: 'He welcomed new pups and loved on new babies and new bellies. He was there for everything. Every time I needed a taste tester, someone to kiss or needed to sob into his stinky rolls, he was there.'

Chrissy wrote touchingly: 'Its true what they say. We are their entire lives and it is the greatest shame that they can only bless us with a short spark of time in ours. I always knew I would lose a piece of me when he left us. I feel the hole now.'

Chrissy and Puddy: The 32-year-old posted an album to social media showing herself and her husband John Legend with their dearly departed pet

'My heart aches': In a moving caption, she wrote: 'I will love you forever, my boy'

Family history: Chrissy shared that 'John and I got Puddy in our first year of dating, when I convinced him half-birthday presents were a real thing'

Tracing it back: She recounted: '10 years ago, on May 30th, I found the dog that would be there for us through every up, down, new house, new city, new tour, new travel'

The album includes photos of Puddy in multiple costumes, such as those of a leprechaun, a medieval jouster and a bunny.

She followed that Instagram post with another album showing John with Puddy and the family's smaller French bulldog Pippa.

Chrissy revealed in the caption: 'not many people know this but puddy is survived by his wife, Pippa. yes, they were married.'

'He was there for everything': Chrissy remembered that ''He welcomed new pups and loved on new babies and new bellies'

Old faithful: Chrissy praised Puddy, saying: 'Every time I needed a taste tester, someone to kiss or needed to sob into his stinky rolls, he was there'

Sparkly baby: The album includes photos of Puddy in multiple costumes, such as those of a leprechaun, a medieval jouster and a bunny

In this album, Puddy is indeed wearing a little doggy suit, while Pippa is all decked out in a canine version of a wedding dress.

Chrissy and John share a one-year-old daughter called Luna, and Chrissy has also posted an album depicting the baby's warm rapport with Puddy.

One sweet video included in the album shows the bulldog affectionately licking Luna's foot while the toddler relaxes on a blanket.

'It's true what they say': Chrissy wrote touchingly of dogs that 'We are their entire lives and it is the greatest shame that they can only bless us with a short spark of time in ours'

'yes, they were married': She followed that Instagram post with another album showing John with Puddy and the family's smaller French bulldog Pippa

Canine nuptials: Chrissy revealed in the caption: 'not many people know this but puddy is survived by his wife, Pippa'

'I love you. I will miss you every day,' wrote Chrissy simply in the caption.

On Twitter this Wednesday, Chrissy noted that 'puddy was named after david puddy, from seinfeld, as they both shared a love of sitting and staring at nothing'.

David Puddy, a recurring guest character played by Patrick Warburton, was a boyfriend of the show's leading lady, Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Elaine Benes.

Quality time: Chrissy and John share a one-year-old daughter called Luna, and Chrissy has also posted an album depicting the baby's warm rapport with Puddy

'I will miss you every day': One sweet video included in the album shows the bulldog affectionately licking Luna's foot while the toddler relaxes on a blanket

'I love you': John and Chrissy welcomed their firstborn in 2016

Inaction in action: On Twitter this Wednesday, Chrissy noted that 'puddy was named after david puddy, from seinfeld, as they both shared a love of sitting and staring at nothing'
He's gone from Made In Chelsea to The Island to MasterMind to Celebs Go Dating.

And seasoned TV personality Ollie Locke has now turned his attentions to acting.

The 30-year-old - who has always had a flair for the dramatic as it is - has landed a role in ITV2's comedy series Plebs.

Ollie-wood calling? Made In Chelsea's Locke gives ACTING a go as he takes on a cameo in comedy Plebs... playing 'an Ancient Roman East-End hipster'

Comedy calling: The 30-year-old - who has always had a flair for the dramatic as it is - has landed a role in ITV2's comedy series Plebs

Returning for a fourth season, Ollie joins a host of other guests stars gracing the cast such as Maureen Lipman, Doon Mackichan, Robert Lindsay and Aisling Bea.

A source told MailOnline: 'Ollie will be playing a sort of Ancient Roman East-End hipster. Which is, of course, a far cry from his normal style.

'Up til now, Ollie's appeared on TV as himself, but he's got a flair for acting. You might not think it but he makes for an excellent hipster.'

The source added: 'He's always been very naturally funny, so being in Plebs seems like a perfect fit for him.'

Indeed, Ollie has shown he has a knack for dramatics in Made In Chelsea skits in the past - such as the Ollie Locke Stock skit he did when he played a 'Diamond Geezer'.

Off piste: 'Ollie will be playing a sort of Ancient Roman East-End hipster. Which is, of course, a far cry from his normal style,' a source told MailOnline

Round four: Returning for a fourth season, Ollie joins a host of other guests stars gracing the comedy such as Maureen Lipman, Doon Mackichan, Robert Lindsay and Aisling Bea

Plebs has featured Hollywood actress Miriam Margolyes in the past - and season four seems to have an equally impressive roster of stars, meaning Ollie is in good company.

The fan favourite shot to fame on Made In Chelsea in 2011. He left after five seasons but returned a couple of years later. He was last seen on the show last year before he took another break from the series.

He has recently appeared on the fourth season of Celebs Go Dating, with the likes of Gemma Collins and Sam Thompson, on the search for love.

He has also launched an extremely successful gay dating app, called Chappy, which is off to a flying start.

Up for a laugh: He has recently appeared on the fourth season of Celebs Go Dating, with the likes of Gemma Collins and Sam Thompson

In good company: Plebs has featured Hollywood actress Miriam Margolyes in the past - and season four seems to have an equally impressive roster of stars

Aiming to provide a 'safer' environment for gay men to meet other gay men, Chappy launched Zero Discrimination Day last month - a campaign in London's Soho in conjunction with the UN's annual day of the same ilk.

Projected on various buildings around Soho, the campaign highlighted the diversity of Chappys users and the prejudice they may receive online whilst educating viewers on how prevalent discrimination is today.

Taking place on March 1, Ollie's face was projected around Soho, showing his support for the movement.

Meanwhile, Plebs returns next month, featuring Ollie's debut.

The show's success has seen Hollywood develop a US version, featuring Seth Rogen.
Journalist and Harvard alumnus Philip F. Lawler is no stranger to spotting inconsistencies in the Catholic Church. After the Catholic Churchs sex-abuse crisis unveiled in 2002, Lawler released his highly researched book, The Faithful Departed, tracing the Churchs history of corruption while maintaining an attention to facts and a calm tone. Lawlers latest book addressing the Catholic Church tackles problems starting in the papacy.

In an article written for The Catholic World Report, Samuel Gregg, Actons Director of Research, unpacks Lawlers book, Lost Shepherd: How Pope Francis is Misleading His Flock. Lawler begins by stating that he, like millions of other Catholics, prays for the pope every day. He also mentions that, like millions of other Catholics, he was initially full of optimism about Franciss pontificate, explains Gregg. Lawlers concern does not stem from bitter bias, but rather a healthy concern for the Church. And who better than a Vatican outsider to come in and clean out the Augean stables of the Holy Sees financial affairs?

As the books title suggests however, optimism soon turned to disillusionment, revealing that the Popes leadership was leading the Church in a precarious direction. As strange incident piled upon strange incident and one incoherent statement followed another, Lawler found that there were aspects of Franciss pontificate which he couldnt dismiss as the type of mistakes any pope could make, writes Gregg.

Read Greggs full article, A Papacy of Contradictions.

(Featured image by Nacho Arteaga on Unsplash)
Tommy Lee's fiancee Brittany Furlan was 'freaked out' her partner's son Brandon had guns in his room according to her 911 call obtained by TMZ on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old internet personality gold the emergency dispatcher that she had locked a door after the father-son fight because 'my stepson has guns in his room.'

Brittany was obviously shaken during the call as she helped her 55-year-old rockstar partner to gain consciousness.

When the Motley Crue drummer began to become more aware, he told her he did not want an ambulance and sheriffs to come to their home but the dispatcher insisted that they still come.

Tough situation: Tommy Lee's fiancee Brittany Furlan was 'freaked out' her partner's son Brandon had guns in his room according to her 911 call obtained by TMZ on Wednesday

This comes just hours after the revelation that son Brandon was defending his mother Pamela Anderson when his father Tommy lunged at him in the ugly family incident according to TMZ.

Police told the publication that the 21-year-old and his rockstar father had gotten into an argument over a social media post.

A family source for TMZ said that Brandon has been living with Tommy part-time to help him overcome his issues with alcohol.

Troubles: Tommy took to social media to claim he was assaulted by his son, Brandon, who knocked him 'unconscious'

Strong bond: The 21-year-old was defending his mother Pamela Anderson (pictured in LA back in June) when his father Tommy lunged at him according to TMZ on Wednesday

However the two got into an altercation due to the musician taking to Twitter to bash the 50-year-old actress for talking about their relationship in a recent interview with Piers Morgan according to the publication.

Tommy had tweeted: 'Think she'd find something new to discuss instead of rehashing old s*** but I guess she has nothing else going on & needs attention. Signed, 'The Abuser' (who she texts everyday & asks for me back).'

After the DailyMail.com Editor-At-Large responded to the musician telling him that he is not responsible for what Pamela said and to take it up with her, Lee had yet another fiery post.

Ouch: However it is claimed the two got into an altercation due to the musician taking to Twitter to bash the 50-year-old actress for talking about their relationship in a recent interview with Piers Morgan

Hitting back: Tommy and DailyMail.com Editor-At-Large Morgan exchanged jabs on social media

He wrote: 'I suggest you dont interview her. Are you that desperate for people to interview? She literally has NOTHING going on so she brings up old drama for attention. Im sure theres some people better worth your time. Lovely to hear from you too ha.'

Lee is still pressing charges against his son and the police report has no mention of alcohol according to TMZ.

As if that wasn't already enough drama, TMZ later reported on Wednesday that a source close to Tommy said that Brandon had knocked his father out so violently that his fiancee Brittany Furlan thought he was dead.

Drama: TMZ later reported on Wednesday that a source close to Tommy said that Brandon had knocked his father out so violently that his fiancee Brittany Furlan thought he was dead, as the couple are pictured together in Calabasas in October

According to the insider the son burst into the room and challenged his father to a fight but Tommy had refused and told Brandon to leave.

When the Motley Crue member got up to open the door for his son Brandon sucker punched him which knocked him out cold.

The publication's source said he was unconscious for several minutes and had blood pouring from his mouth leading Furlan to believe that he was dead.

News came out of the incident after Tommy took to social media on Tuesday night to claim he was assaulted by his son, Brandon Thomas Lee, who he says knocked him 'unconscious.'

Happier times: Tommy and Pamela with Brandon back in May 1997

The rock star, 55, wrote on Twitter, 'My fiance and I were in bed when my son busted into the room and assaulted me. I asked him to leave the house and he knocked me unconscious. He ran away from the police. THAT'S the truth.'

Tommy even posted an image - which has since been deleted - of his busted, bloody lip, implying it was his son who dealt him the injury.

The Blast reports police were called after Tommy got into a fight with his son on Monday night at around 10:49PM.

Tough times: On Tuesday night Tommy posted this giving his side of the story

Thoughtful: The Motley Crue drummer has posted many cryptic tweets seemingly about the situation

The website reports Tommy had been assaulted and his injury was bad enough he was sent to the hospital.

A source told TMZ Brandon was actually acting in self-defense and that Tommy was drunk - but the rock star denied that report on Twitter.

The Blast reports Brandon is now under investigation for battery.

Tommy allegedly told police he feared his son would pull a gun on him, according to the site.

Counterpoint: Brandon, seen here in a recent social media shot, was defending himself from his father in the incident that led up to the bloodied lip, a source told TMZ

The rock star is reported to have told cops Brandon had access to firearms, but the drummer was unaware of their exact location at that time.

The Motley Crue drummer wrote on social media in a now-deleted photo of his lip: 'My heart is broken. You can give your kids everything they could ever want in their entire lives and they can still turn against you.

'Good job Brandon! Great son!'

The drummer subsequently got into an argument with Texas-based broadcaster David Goins, who responded to Lee's social media post that he was 'confusing wants and needs,' as 'all kids want stable, supportive parents who offer unconditional love (which would include not posting a photo to seek sympathy from sycophant burnouts).'

Combative: The drummer of songs such as Home Sweet Home and Shout at the Devil fired back when criticized over his public call-out of his son

Tommy responded, 'Aint nobody seeking sympathy jack a** just telling the truth,' to which Goins replied, 'Your truth - albeit one sided - at the very public expense of your son.'

Tommy, who's also father to a 20-year-old with Baywatch beauty Pamela Anderson named Dylan Jagger Lee, served six months in custody in connection with domestic violence after he pleaded no contest to felony spousal battery in 1998.

Prosecutors in the case said that the rock star had attacked her as she was holding a then-infant Dylan.

Tommy was also married to actress Heather Locklear from 1986 thru 1993, and Elaine Bergen from 1984 thru 1985.

He is now engaged to Vine star Brittany Furlan.
Put on your dancing shoes, folks, because it's time for an all new season of Strictly Come Dancing.

Almost, anyway. The show generally returns to BBC One in autumn, but fans are already speculating about what's to come in the 2018 season of Strictly Come Dancing.

Last year's season was won by Holby City actor Joe McFadden, who was partnered with professional dancer Katya Jones. Debbie McGee and X Factor star Alexandra Burke were not far behind the duo.

Strictly Come Dancing won't be back on for a while, but fans are dying to know who'll be cast

The network has yet to confirm anything about the 2018 season of Strictly Come Dancing, but sources are talking and fans are excited.

So what's the scoop on Strictly Come Dancing Season 15?

When is Strictly Come Dancing 2018 on?

Strictly Come Dancing will likely return for season 16 in September, as it has in the past. It will run until December or so.

Strictly Come Dancing 2018 judges

Strictly Come Dancing has been judged by Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli, Arlene Phillips, Alesha Dixon, Darcey Bussell and Shirley Ballas in the past. In May 2017, the network confirmed Len would not appear on Season 15. He was replaced by Shirley.

Len and Bruno both appear as judges on the American equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing, titled Dancing With the Stars.

Craig Revel Horwood told Express in June each of the judges would be returning for the coming season.

'I think it is a great team and it was really good last year, I can't wait to get back into it,' he said.

Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly will present the show. Speaking with Digital Spy about appearing together, Claudia said: 'We do everything together. We text I go, "Tess are you in?" She goes, "I'm in". Fine. She's the kindest girl I know and it is a joy to go into work.'

Strictly Come Dancing 2018 cast

Rumors have been swirling about who will appear on Strictly Come Dancing Season 16, set to air later in 2018. Those currently being buzzed about include Michelle Keegan, Mark Labbett, Cheryl, Nadiya Hussain and more.

Michelle, who appeared on Coronation Street, is rumored to be signing a major deal with BBC for her participation in Strictly come Dancing, according to The Daily Star.

What a gent  @pharrell A post shared by michkeegan (@michkeegan) on Jan 22, 2018 at 12:40am PST

'Everyone knows that having Michelle Keegan on the Strictly dance floor would be ratings gold,' a source told the outlet.

'It's now a matter of convincing her to sign up.'

Her former co-star Les Dennis is also thought to be in the running. Asked about Strictly Come Dancing during Sunday Brunch, he said: 'When I was doing Coronation Street I was approached but we weren't allowed to do it, we had a policy. I wouldn't mind doing it, I always like a challenge.'

Shayne Ward, another former Coronation Street actor, is also rumored to be in consideration now that he's off the drama series.

Coronation Street stars aren't the only soap actors thought to be making the jump to dance. Bonnie Langford, who appeared on Eastenders, is said to be high on bookers' lists.

Davood Ghadmi, who played her son on Eastenders, said to Radio Times of her participation: 'I think it'd be wonderful  she'd be brilliant. She's not got experience of ballroom so much, but she loves dance and she's so capable and she's taught me a few stretches.

'But she's just a great personality as well and I think the public would love her. She knows her onions when it comes to the dances as well and she knows how to perform. She's a great entertainer.'

Mark, known for appearing on The Chase, has also been highly favored to appear on Season 16 of Strictly Come Dancing. Betting odds from Coral give him 2/1 odds of joining the cast.

The Chase star has hinted at a Strictly Come Dancing role. In 2017 he was asked about the show, admitting that he'd 'love to' be on it.

'Have they got anyone tall enough for me to dance with?' He questioned.

Former X Factor judge Cheryl may also be considering making her foray into the ballroom in Season 16 of Strictly Come Dancing. Diana Vickers, an X Factor Contestant, is also thought to be a potential candidate.

Coral betting odds have her at an 8/1 chance of appearing. Cheryl has dance experience, which may be a cause of contention among other people on the cast if she agrees to do the show.

Bookies are betting on House of Commons Speaker John Bercow appearing, too. They've got him at 16/1 chances of being cast on Strictly Come Dancing this coming season.

British diver Tom Daly's favored at 7/4 odds to appear on Strictly Come Dancing. Sources have said he's a big fan of the show.

Great British Bake Off winner and Netflix's Big Family Cooking Showdown host Nadiya Hussain is also rumored to be hitting the ballroom in season 16 along with TOWIE star Gemma Collins, Maya Jama, Coleen Rooney, Anneka Rice, Piers Morgan, Joe Sugg, Dr Ranj Singh, and Great British Bake Off alum, Liam Charles.

Liam has said it 'would be so sick' to be a part of the Strictly Come Dancing cast.

'My mum and my nan love that show, that would be hilarious,' he added during Bake Off: The professionals.

Of Dr Ranj's alleged casting, a source told The Mirror: 'He's a housewives' favorite on ITV daytime so he's sure to have big support when he takes to the dance floor.'

Scarlett Moffatt, who joined the BBC for Royal Wedding coverage, teased her appearance on the show in a questions and answers session with The Mirror.

'I can't announce anything yet but let's just say the end of the year is going to be great fun,' she said at the time.

It's unclear if she was alluding to a Strictly Come Dancing appearance or another show.

She may be joined by BBC Breakfast presenter Steph McGovern. The show is known to pick people off the morning show.

Alex Scott may be trading the pitch for the ballroom in the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing. She's previously appeared on Strictly Come Dancing for Sport Relief, so she's plenty experienced.

She's not the only female athlete considering the role.

As previously reported, Lizzy Yarnold is free and ready to finally appear on Strictly Come Dancing.

A source close to the athlete said: 'She has always admired the show but has never had a chance to consider it because of training. She has just made history in becoming the first Briton to win back-to-back Winter Olympic golds.

'She likes making history and being the first Winter Olympian on Strictly would be another great accolade.

'She has met the show's bosses and looks to be lined up. She is a secret boogier and would love to learn to dance.'

Footballer Wayne Rooney's wife Coleen Rooney is said to be high on Strictly Come Dancing bookers' list as well. She was reportedly meant to appear on the 2017 series, but was replaced last minute.

An insider told The Mirror: 'This would be one of Strictly's biggest signings ever. And it would be a ratings sensation.'

Brendan Sheerin of The Coach Trip hinted at his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in March. He responded to a tweet from fans about wanting him on the show with: 'Glitter Ball ready, slow-slow-quick-quick'.

Casualty star Chelsea Halfpenny may follow in aunt Jill Halfpenny's footsteps, appearing on Strictly Come Dancing this fall.

Asked about the rumors, she told Radio Times: 'I mean, I always say "never say never" but I just have to mention that I am not as light on my feet as my auntie  I don't think I would have the success that she had!'

Ex Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts is another serious contender for the upcoming Strictly Come Dancing series. The Sun reports that she's signed on and is ready to go.

An insider alleged: 'Ashley was a no brainer for the bookers. She's sexy and sassy and has a bit about her.

'She has danced previously but there's a difference between dancing in a girl band and doing ballroom.

'She definitely has rhythm but sometimes having prior dancing experience can be a hindrance as you have bad habits. But she will definitely look great in the sequins and is a solid signing.'

The same outlet alleged that Faye Tozer has also been confirmed as part of the Strictly Come Dancing cast.

'Few in the past have had quite so much professional performance time as Faye,' a source told The Sun.

'Everyone expects her to be a strong contender but it will raise more questions over whether it's fair for someone who has danced professionally to be up against people with no experience.'

Chris Kamara, who's participated in the Strictly Come Dancing Sport Relief charity special, seemingly confirmed his participation on the 2018 series.

Asked by Ben Shepherd whether he'd caught the itch to appear on the show, Chris said: 'I think I have.

'Sky have given me time off and I'm going to do the show.'

Strictly Come Dancing viewers may see former Love Island castaway Montana Brown on the upcoming series. She told Superdrug magazine: 'The only other one [show] I'd do is Strictly, as I'm a terrible dancer and I'd love to learn properly.'

According to The Sun, BBC newscaster Kate Silverton is currently 'at the top of producers' wish list' and has been for some time.

A source told the outlet: 'She has always put her career and family above everything.

'Now she's polishing off her dancing shoes and can't wait to get started. She was asked previously but was reporting on the front line in Iraq and Afghanistan so couldn't do it.

'Kate has made no secret of how much she loves Strictly so being able to take part is a dream come true.'

Professor Alice Roberts previously said that she was in the running for past series' of Strictly Come Dancing, but was never chosen. She's expressed an interest in appearing still, though.

Asked during a Radio Times interview if she'd heard anything about the 2018 show, she said: 'Oh my God, I don't know.

'I haven't heard anything. I'll keep my fingers crossed!'

Jessica Ennis-Hill has been asked more than once, too. She previously said of being on Strictly Come Dancing: 'I love watching it, I really love the program, but I'm not sure.

'I would be terrible. I'm not ready for Strictly. I'll stick to my cycle and a bit of running here and there, I think.'

Vick Hope is rumored to be coming out of the Capital FM booth to dancing on Strictly Come Dancing. The 28-year-old has appeared on a number of TV projects as a presenter, but hasn't yet had a starring role.

Josh Cuthbert, of Union J, is said to be in consideration for the part. A source told The Sun he 'caught the eyes of producers' and 'could easily be a fan favorite'.

'He's young, in good shape and can dance. He's be a strong signing,' the source said.

Amanda Holden, who currently hosts Britain's Got Talent, is rumored to be in consideration. Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig is crossing his finger's she'll appear.

He asked her about it, according to Radio Times, but she said: 'It's too much hard work and I'd never see my children.'

Lee Ryan is another top contender, according to The Mirror. Sources have said: 'Lee will make great TV.

'He's naturally charismatic and very funny.'

None of the aforementioned celebrities has weighed in on casting rumors at this point. The network has also been quiet about the rumors.

As for the pros, Strictly Come Dancing executives revealed on Twitter in May that the upcoming series will have the biggest lineup of professional dancers yet. Johannes Radebe, Graziano Di Prima and Luba Mushtuk will join the show's roster.

Past pros AJ Pritchard, Aljaz Skorjanec, Amy Dowden, Anton Du Beke, Dianne Buswell, Giovanni Pernice, Gorka Marquez, Janette Manrara, Karen Clifton, Katya Jones, Kevin Clifton, Nadiya Bychkova, Neil Jones, Oti Mabuse and Pasha Kovalev will return.

Brendan Cole will be out for the season.

Asked why during an appearance on ITV's Lorraine, he said: 'The BBC haven't renewed my contract  we get renewed year on year  and they made an editorial decision not to have me back on the show.'
Most musicians would never think of asking the public for money to help them quit their chosen profession. Then again, most musicians arent Vince Staples.

The Long Beach-based rapper recently launched a GoFundMe page to raise money so he can quit making music, according to NME. Staples has set his target at $2 million (1.4 million).

Rapper Vince Staples is asking the public to fund his early retirement via GoFundMe

In a video posted on top of the GoFundMe page, Staples says: First and foremost, I hope youre having a great day. I really do. Second, weve gotten a lot of complaints about our recent show performances, energy on stage, production choice. I think one person said it sounds like were rapping on robot video game beats. Wed like to apologize for that.

The rapper then proposes an alternative: donating to his campaign to fund his early retirement.

If he reaches his goal, Staples promises that 'you will never hear from me again. No songs, interviews, no anything'. On the page, he also states that he will move to Palmdale, California and buy a Honda, puppy and a 'year supply of soups for the homies locked down'.

So far, the rapper is very short of his goal, pulling in just $601 (432).

Despite this, Staples probably shouldnt be too worried about his future. His latest album, Big Fish Theory, was released to critical acclaim in June 2017. He also contributed to the soundtrack of Hollywoods latest blockbuster, Black Panther, and launched his own sneaker line collaboration with Converse.

Link in cio. A post shared by @ vincestaples on Mar 7, 2018 at 6:01am PST

Who is Vince Staples?

Vince Staples is a rapper from Long Beach, California.

He was born on July 2, 1993 in Compton, California. He relocated to Long Beach, California and soon got involved in the music industry after befriending several members of the Odd Future hip-hop collective.

Staples released his debut album, Summertime 06, in June 2015 to great acclaim from critics and soon followed up with his most recent album, Big Fish Theory, in June 2017, which also received widespread acclaim from critics and fans. It debuted at number 16 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart.

Staples also received international notoriety when a viral video circulated in October 2016 of a Christian mother tearfully breaking down on camera after she discovered her daughter listened to Stapless song Norf Norf on the radio.

What is Vince Staples's net worth?

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Vince Staples's net worth is approximately $4 million (2.87 million).
Despite the fact his ex Kylie Jenner just gave birth to another man's child, Tyga is clearly still Keeping Up With the Kardashians due to some recent social media behavior.

The rapper was clearly perusing Kim Kardashian's recent Instagram posts, so much so that he even spotted a spelling mistake.

Unclear if he's throwing shade Kim's way or just looking out for her best interests, he quickly pointed the typo out to the star in the comments  though he could have easily sent her a direct message telling her the same.

Regardless, the reality star clearly took heed because she quickly edited the caption to the correct spelling.

Tyga was clearly closely perusing Kim Kardashian's recent Instagram posts, so much so that he even spotted a spelling mistake and corrected her in a comment on the picture

Kim and sisters Kourtney and Khloe recently enjoyed a trip to Japan, which of course they documented heavily on their social media accounts. Yesterday, Kim posted the picture of her standing in front of a train and captioned it: 'Train station in Keyoto.' Not long after, Tyga commented: 'KYOTO*.'

Kyoto also happens to be the name of the rapper's latest album so perhaps he's just out for some free publicity for his recent work. Whatever the reason, it worked. Kim then removed the post and replaced it with the same picture, only this time she spelled Kyoto the correct way.

TYGA OUT OF LEFT FIELD. #CommentsByCelebs A post shared by @ commentsbycelebs on Mar 6, 2018 at 12:10pm PST

It is the only known interaction between Kim and her sister's ex since Tyga and Kylie broke up last year. Meanwhile, Kylie has been playing happy families with rapper Travis Scott after the pair welcomed daughter Stormi Webster last month.

During the makeup mogul's pregnancy, and again after she gave birth, it was reported that Tyga believed he was Stormi's real father and wanted a DNA test performed.

The former couple dated from 2014 to 2017 and it is believed they broke up over infidelity rumors. Kylie took up with Travis Scott just a few weeks after they split, with many believing it to be just a rebound fling. However Kylie soon fell pregnant and she and Travis are believed to be happily co-parenting their daughter.

They were recently spotted cuddling up together on a boat in Miami with friends, where 20-year-old Kylie was supposedly drinking beer.
Sofia Richie supported her father Lionel at his Hand and Footprint Ceremony in Hollywood on Wednesday.

The 68-year-old music icon left his imprints in cement outside of the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood surrounded by family.

Notably missing from the event was Sofia's boyfriend Scott Disick, 34, as she sat on the front row as her famous father was honored.

Scroll down for video

Family time: Sofia Richie supported dad Lionel Richie at his Hand and Footprint Ceremony in Hollywood along with her sister Nicole on Wednesday

Family affair: Sofia sat beside Lionel's girlfriend Lisa Parisa, brother Miles, 23 and sister Nicole, 36

Sat beside Sofia was her father's girlfriend Lisa Parisa, her brother Miles, 23 and sister Nicole, 36.

Nicole also brought musician husband Joel Madden, 38, along to the event.

Lionel said of the honor: 'Oh my God, this is absolutely incredible! This is my Hollywood dream come true. Of all the Hollywood awards, this is the one I can share with the public forever.'

The handprints ceremony is a Hollywood tradition that has seen the likes of Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Quentin Tarantino, Jennifer Lawrence and Jane Fonda leave their mark on the sidewalk.

Fashionista: Sofia, 19, looked stylish black crop top and blazer

Famous family: Sofia flashed her midriff in a crop top and faux leather pants and metallic heels

Significant other: Nicole was joined by husband Joel, 38 at the event

Lionel said of the honor: 'This is my Hollywood dream come true'

Celebrated: The longtime tradition has Hollywood icons put their hand and footprints in cement outside the TCL Chinese Theater

Meanwhile, it was reported last week that Scott is still insanely jealous of ex-girlfriend Kourtney Kardashian's boyfriend Younes Bendjima, 24.

'He just can't come to terms with the fact that Kourtney has found true happiness with someone else.' a source told E!.

'Kourtney never knows when he is going to fly off the handle or go nuts about something,' the source said. 'Scott just never thought it would last this long with Younes or become so serious. Nobody really did.'

Cool couple: Nicole donned a floral maxi dress and fur jacket for the occasion while Joel was dressed in all black

Loved up: Lisa looked chic in a white jumpsuit with gold detail

By his side: The music icon was surrounded by family at the ceremony

The insider claimed it was difficult for Scott to keep his emotions in check regarding the matter.

'He can't control his emotions about it and lets it all out.'

Kourtney and Scott were together for nine years and have sons Mason, eight, Reign, three, and daughter Penelope, five, together.

All smiles: TV host Jimmy Kimmel, fresh from hosting the Oscars, was there to support

Cheering: Sofia declared her pride via Instagram
He was spotted looking rather excited in the company of a mystery blonde last week, as she left his apartment building in the early hours of the morning.

And now it has been reported that Married At First Sight's Dean Wells has officially split with his on-screen wife Tracey Jewel.

'It's common knowledge that Tracey and Dean are no longer together,' a source told OK! magazine on Thursday.

Scroll down for video

'It's common knowledge they are no longer together': Married At First Sight couple Tracey Jewel and Dean Wells officially SPLIT after his late-night rendezvous with a mystery blonde

Pictured: He was spotted looking rather excited in the company of a mystery blonde last Friday, as she left his Manly apartment building in the early hours of the morning

Dean, who became notorious for his 'affair' with Davina Rankin on MAFS, was seen holding open the door for a blonde guest as she left his apartment last Friday.

The pair reportedly met at Steyne Hotel in the Sydney suburb of Manly earlier in the evening and sneaked out of the pub separately before meeting in the street.

From there, they walked together to Dean's nearby residence, arriving at the location at around 12.30am, before she was seen leaving at 1:45am.

Controversial: This week on MAFS, Dean sparked outrage after 'offering up' his wife (left) for the other grooms to 'bang' during the boys' night

Support: Fans have slammed Tracey for choosing to stay with the lothario, with social media followers urging her to 'think of her daughter' and end her relationship with Dean

This week on MAFS, Dean sparked outrage after 'offering up' his wife for the other grooms to 'bang' during the boys' night, leading to a furious confrontation with Charlene Perera.

Viewers slammed Tracey on social media for choosing to stay with the lothario, with fans urging her to 'think of her daughter' and end her relationship with Dean.

The backlash began after Tracey, 34, shared a photo of the couple to Instagram, with the caption: 'Well that was an explosive dinner party to say the least!

Unimpressed: One fan commented: 'Wake up and smell the coffee love!'

'Wake up and smell the coffee love!' raged one of Tracey's fans.

Another wrote: 'Stop waiting your time with this d**k head, you deserve so much better. Use youre brain girl.'

An additional follower commented: 'I hope you don't pass on such stupid advice to your daughter. Please work on your self esteem, this was sad to watch.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Tracey and Dean for comment.

Ouch: One follower said: ' I hope you dont pass on such stupid advice to your daughter. Please work on your self esteem, this was sad to watch'
Sir Bruce Forsyth's widow Lady Wilnelia has opened up about the first time she met the showbiz legend, revealing that she instantly found him charming.

The 60-year-old Puerto Rican beauty, who was crowned Miss World in 1975, met the beloved entertainer in 1980 and was immediately taken in by his gregarious nature and sense of humour, for which he had become famous.

Speaking during an appearance on BBC One's The One Show on Wednesday evening, she recalled: 'I met him in 1980 - I was living in Paris, working there, and I was invited to be in the Miss World competition as a judge.

Scroll down for video

Memories: Sir Bruce Forsyth's widow Lady Wilnelia has spoken fondly of the first time she met the legendary entertainer before they would go on to marry. Pictured in October 2011

'We met - he was one of the judges as well - and I thought [he was] very kind. He was making the girls so relaxed and so at ease. Especially when it was Miss Turkey's turn he turned around and said, "What do you eat at Christmas?"'

Recounting how everybody present laughed at his one-liner, Wilnelia noted during her interview: 'But then, you know, I can see he was so wonderful. After the competition finished they have a gala and we danced - we danced all night.

'[He] took a little bit of time to ask me to dance. I had a friend of mine, who wasn't my boyfriend and he thought he was my boyfriend, and then after that he asked me for a dance and I never went back.'

Fond: She spoke fondly of the star during an appearance on The One Show on Wednesday

Charmed: The 60-year-old Puerto Rican beauty, who was crowned Miss World in 1975, met the beloved entertainer in 1980 and was immediately taken in by his gregarious nature

Appearance: She made an appearance on the BBC One show alongside TV star Catherine Tate

As the enchanting night came to an end, Wilnelia said that the man she would go on to marry made a surprising - yet 'special' - revelation to her.

She told her interviewers Alex Jones and Matt Baker: 'He kissed my hand and he said goodbye and he said, "By the way, I have five daughters." So I thought, "Why is he telling me this? Maybe he doesn't want to see me again."

'But these girls, they've been amazing in my life and I want to wish them a wonderful Mothers' Day to everyone - to all the mothers. They've been incredible and they've been my rock. And my boy JJ... It's been a very difficult time.'

Never looked back: As she recalled meeting Sir Bruce on a fateful night in 1980 while she was living in Paris, she said that the pair danced and she never looked back

Stepping out in style: She looked typically stylish for her appearance on the show, arriving in a black top with large sparkling buttons and high-waisted white trousers

Lady Wilnelia spoke ahead of a tribute show - Sir Bruce: A Celebration - dedicated to her late husband that is scheduled to air on Sunday, featuring performances from Dame Shirley Bassey, Alexandra Burke, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe.

Presented by his former Strictly Come Dancing co-host Tess Daly, the show also features two of the beloved entertainer's six children - Laura and Julie, from his marriage to his first wife Penny Calvert - singing in tribute.

Lady Wilnelia's appearance on The One Show comes several weeks after she sat down for her first interview since Sir Bruce's August death on ITV's This Morning.

She spoke of her joy of marrying the iconic entertainer, who passed away aged 89 at his home, while surrounded by his family.

Let's hug it out: Lady Wilnelia was seen sharing a hug with The One Show co-host Alex Jones

Special tribute: During her time on the show, Lady Wilnelia spoke about an upcoming televised tribute to her late husband, which is set to air on BBC One on Sunday

The former beauty queen said: 'I was so lucky to be married to him for 34 years. It was a very happy marriage.'

Wilnelia said she is thankful that she was able to make some special memories with Bruce before he passed away.

She said: 'He retired from Strictly, and he didnt manage to do the last show; the Christmas show. He was planning to do some travelling and continuing and being in showbiz somehow. He wanted to be with his family.

'He was like that until the last year. He was still doing exercise at home. I was so lucky to have his daughters, they've been my angels, my strength and my son. They stayed. They entertained him, it was wonderful.'

First interview: Lady Wilnelia sat down for her first interview since Sir Bruce's August death in January, when she made an appearance on ITV's This Morning

Bruce was in showbusiness for 75 years - and discussing his fall, which was seen as the beginning of his major health problems, Lady Wilnelia said:

'That was the beginning. There was a few other complications, there was the operation. But, we always had the hope that he was going to recuperate, until he had that chest infection.

'We were able to be there and the last week and all the girls came to the house and stayed, we watched movies. It was a special time. We were lucky to say our goodbyes.'

Wilnelia spoke about visiting Puerto Rico for her first Christmas without Bruce.

She said: 'It was very special and this occasion I was able to have Bruce's daughters, I call them my five angels. We had a religious service there, it was special.'

Love: The couple made a number of appearances at glitzy showbiz events over the course of their long marriage. Pictured together at the Pride Of Britain Awards in October 2014

'After Bruce passed away I decided to go to Puerto Rico with my family and there was a lot of friends there as well, I thought it would be a healing process being there. The last thing I thought was there would be a hurricane.

'It was terrifying, when we knew it was coming, I had my mother with me, we stayed in a friend's building. I saw the roof tiles hitting the windows. I was completely distraught being there.'

She continued: 'After the hurricane passed, the next night and the section my father lives was under water. I was completely destroyed waiting to see if my family, my son was completely destroyed saying, "Mum you must come home."

'His father had just died. And you never know what would happen in this situation, the spirit of the people was brilliant.'

Coming soon: The tribute, Sir Bruce: A Celebration, is set to air on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday




They fell in love on the set of Vicky Cristina Barcelona ten years ago.

And Penelope Cruz, 43, and her husband Javier Bardem, 49, were back on the red carpet to promote their new joint venture, Loving Pablo, in Madrid on Tuesday.

The striking actress looked incredible in a glittering black gown with an asymmetric neckline as she strutted along the red carpet at the film's Spanish premiere.

Gorgeous: Penelope Cruz stunned on the red carpet at the Loving Pablo premiere in Madrid on Tuesday

Penelope's gorgeous gown highlighted her incredible figure and showed off a hint of cleavage.

The brunette beauty's dress boasted a split mullet hemline, displaying her toned legs in the dazzling gown.

She completed her attire with a pair of drop crystal earrings and a simple pair of black stilettos.

Cool and casual: Javier looked suave, adding a casual touch to his suit with a pair of trainers

Leggy: The striking actress looked incredible in a glittering black gown with an asymmetric neckline as she strutted along the red carpet at the film's Spanish premiere

Happy couple: Javier and Penelope walked the red carpet arm-in-arm

New film: Loving Pablo tells the controversial true romance of married drug lord Pablo Escobar (Javier) and journalist Virginia Vallejo (Penelope)

Javier and Penelope walked the red carpet arm-in-arm, gazing lovingly into each other's eyes.

Penelope previously spoke out about working with her husband in the film, admitting they had to 'protect one another' from their unpredictable characters off-screen in a candid interview with Porter Edit.

She said: 'The characters were very difficult, and they had lots of dark, uncomfortable scenes where this woman is having emotional and psychological terror inflicted on her by her partner.

'I never like to bring my characters home with me, but it was especially important in this case for us to protect one another.'

Glamorous: Hiba Abouk looked lovely in a semi-sheer jumpsuit on the red carpet

Volatile: Penelope previously spoke out about working with her husband in the film, admitting they had to 'protect one another' from their unpredictable characters

Glamorous: Penelope wore her hair in tousled curls and accessorised with beautiful earrings

All together: The cast posed for a group shot ahead of the screening

Loving Pablo tells the controversial true romance of married drug lord Pablo Escobar (Javier) and journalist Virginia Vallejo (Penelope).

As for their own romance story, the couple fell madly in love with each other when they starred in the Woody Allen-directed Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2008.

Penelope scooped an Academy Award for playing Javier's emotionally unstable love interest in the movie.

The married lovers tied the knot during the summer of 2010 in a private ceremony at a friend's home in the Bahamas. They are the proud parents to daughter Luna, four, and son Leo, seven.

Pictures or it didn't happen: The gang posed for selfies before heading inside

Keeping the party going! The pair headed on to an after-party at the Loving Pablo premiere at Le Boutique Club

Posing up a storm: Javier posed with Julieth Restrepo as the bash got underway
Tracey Jewel had just started to forgive Dean Wells for his affair when a boys' night scandal on Wednesday's Married At First Sight rocked their relationship yet again.

And in a preview for Sunday night's final commitment ceremony, it appears Dean and Tracey reach breaking point over his 'disrespectful' behaviour towards her.

'Did you say anything that you wouldn't say in front of me?' asks Tracey, confronting her husband in a teaser trailer aired on 9Life after-show Talking Married.

'Did you say anything you wouldn't say in front of me?' In a preview for Sunday's Married At First Sight, it appears Dean and Tracey reach breaking point over his 'disrespectful' behaviour

Defending his 'wife swapping' banter with the other husbands, Dean replies: 'As far as I'm concerned, it's a boys' night. Crazy stuff's going to get said.

'You know what boys are like. That's what we're like.'

Later, in an on-camera confessional, Tracey reveals that Dean's behaviour is giving her doubts ahead of the all-important commitment ceremony.

Not impressed! Tracey Jewel had just started to forgive Dean Wells for his affair when a boys' night scandal on Wednesday's Married At First Sight rocked their relationship yet again

'He just keeps stuffing up. And it's like we can't move forward because we have to deal with this c**p. And it's just p**sing me off,' she says.

'Like, I'm trying to make the right final decision for me. And when this stuff keeps happening, I'm just two steps back again.

'So, it's a lot to get my head around and I'm just worried it's too overwhelming at this point in time.'

Under fire: On Wednesday's Married At First Sight, Dean was criticised by Charlene (right) at the group dinner party for comments he had made about his wife Tracey at the boys' night

On Wednesday's episode of Married At First Sight, Dean was criticised at the group dinner party for comments he had made about his wife Tracey at the boys' night.

Dean had jokingly offered Tracey up to the other husbands during a bawdy discussion about 'wife swapping'.

It comes after the 39-year-old had an affair with model Davina Rankin behind his wife Tracey's back - but she eventually decided to forgive him.

Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine
He's ruffled more than a few feathers on Married At First Sight this season.

And fans were quick to skewer Dean Wells on social media once again thanks to his less-than-elegant table etiquette during Wednedsay night's dinner party.

During his explosive argument with Charlene Perera, Dean was filmed banging his fists on the table and yelling with food in his mouth.

Faux pas: MAFS fans were quick to skewer Dean Wells on social media thanks to his less-than-elegant table etiquette during Wednedsay night's dinner party

Fans flocked to Twitter to air their disapproval, with one Tweeting: 'Dean keeps saying 'disgusting' but he won't stop talking with his mouth full of food.'

'Dean needs to stop talking while he has food in his mouth- disgusting,' another concurred.

Other fans used Dean's poor table manners as an excuse to take a stab at his personality in general, with one Tweeting: 'Dean needs to shut his mouth in general, but more so when he has food in it.'

'Dean keeps saying 'disgusting' but he won't stop talking with his mouth full of food': Fans flocked to Twitter to air their disapproval,

Not impressed: 'Dean needs to stop talking while he has food in his mouth- disgusting,' another concurred.

Manners please! In many cultures, it is considered especially rude to speak with a mouth full of food

'Dean needs to shut his mouth': One fan took aim at Dean's oft feather-ruffling commentary

'Not only is Dean a complete douche, he talks with food in his mouth,' griped another.

During Wednesday's episode, Charlene confronted Dean over his comments at the boys' night.

Her husband Patrick had revealed how Dean had asked the other grooms if they wanted to 'bang' Tracey and discussed wife swapping with millionaire Justin Fischer.

'Not only is Dean a complete douche': Other fans used Dean's poor table manners as an excuse to take a stab at his personality in general

During Wednesday's episode, Charlene confronted Dean over his comments at the boys' night

'Im a woman and speaking on behalf of all women, I wouldnt be comfortable if someone was offering my wife around to the rest of the men at the table,' Charlene yelled at Dean.

Denying he had made the comments, Dean blasted Charlene, saying she had put 'women and feminism backwards' for attacking him.

'I've been a feminist my whole life,' he argued.

'But I'm also a man, and I don't apologise for being a man. I don't apologise for being attracted to women. Why is that a bad thing?'
South Africas institutionalized national sin of radical and often violent racial segregation, officially known as Apartheid, ended in the early 1990s. Changes in law, however, do not necessarily mean that there is immediate social transformation, says Trey Dimsdale in this weeks Acton Commentary. The deep civic wounds that this dark period inflicted on the nation still fester, as evidenced in a March 1 vote by the National Assembly to confiscate white-owned land without compensation.

A national policy as thorough and systematic as Apartheid was always bound to create social problems without easy solutions, but this resolution is nothing short of thuggery and legalized vigilantism. The once violently oppressed South African majority that was once victimized by those who held the reins of state power, now liberated and democratically placed in control of those reins, have simply turned the same tools of oppression into weapons of vengeance. The National Assembly, led by opposition leader Julius Malema, will likely alter the South African Constitution so that this becomes national policy with no legal recourse. Malema is notable for saying to his supporters in 2016, We are not calling for the slaughter of white people  at least for now.

The full text of the essay can be found here.
She's the Married At First Sight bride who spoke out against the male contestants following their bawdy 'wife swap' chat during the boys' night.

And Charlene Perera told OK! on Thursday that she has no regrets about standing up to the self-professed 'feminist alpha male' Dean Wells.

The 33-year-old said: 'His comments about women and the way he's treated Tracey throughout the experiment have been disgusting, so I had to speak up. He's disrespectful.'

'He's disgusting!' Married At First Sight's Charlene Perera told OK! on Thursday that she has no regrets about standing up to the self-professed 'feminist alpha male' Dean Wells

'I'm not scared of him. He should be scared of me!' she added.

Charlene divided opinion on Wednesday's episode Married At First Sight when she confronted Dean about his controversial comments at the boys' night.

While fans praised Charlene and her husband Patrick for exposing the 'disrespectful' language, others claimed she was 'meddling in other people's relationships'.

'He's disrespectful': The 33-year-old spoke out against Dean (pictured) and the other male MAFS contestants following their bawdy 'wife swap' chat during the boys' night

Disappointed: Dean had jokingly asked the other grooms if they wanted to 'bang' his wife Tracey Jewel (pictured) as they discussed 'wife swapping' at the boys' night

Earlier in the episode, Patrick told his wife that Dean had asked the other grooms if they wanted to 'bang' Tracey as they discussed 'wife swapping' at the boys' night.

Charlene unleashed her fury on the men during the subsequent dinner party.

She said: 'Speaking on behalf of all women, I wouldn't be comfortable if someone was offering my wife around to the rest of the men at the table.'

Dean defended himself, saying: 'I'm about gender equality.'

Whose side are you on? Charlene divided opinion on Wednesday's episode Married At First Sight when she confronted Dean about his controversial comments at the boys' night

'I think everyone needs to be treated completely equally, and I've said nothing disrespectful about women,' he continued.

Charlene replied: 'That might just be a very big difference in what I think is okay to talk about, and what you think is okay to talk about.'

Remaining defiant, Dean then said: 'I've been a feminist my whole life.'

Dividing opinion: While fans praised Charlene and her husband Patrick for exposing the 'disrespectful' language, others claimed she was 'meddling in other people's relationships'

He added: 'But I'm also a man, and I don't apologise for being a man. I don't apologise for being attracted to women. Why is that a bad thing?'

Dean later explained: 'All the men in this experiment, we're all sexual beings. We have feelings, we're attracted to some women, we're attracted to other women, there's nothing wrong with that.'

But Charlene continued to challenge Dean, saying the way Dean and the other husbands had spoken about the female contestants was 'not okay'.

Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine
He's the Married At First Sight husband who takes pride in his appearance, admitting to moisturising for almost an hour a day to stay youthful in his 50s.

But on Wednesday night, Nasser Sultan failed to properly address why his nose appeared swollen and cut, laughing off claims he was involved in a 'punch on'.

Fans of the popular Nine social experiment took to Twitter, asking: 'Why is Nasser's nose broken?'

Scroll down for video

'Why is Nassers nose broken? Fans question why MAFS husband had injured nose at dinner party... after co-star Telv jokes they had a 'punch on' after he said he 'fancied' his wife Sarah

Other viewer speculated, writing: 'What's up with Nasser's nose? Gab (his wife Gabrielle Bartlett) bop him one?'

Another suggested: 'Did he run into a wall or Gabrielle's sister?'

His injured nose appeared for the first time on screen after the boozy boys' night during the group dinner party.

Conversation flowed around the table, without a mention of his nose until a heated discussion about the boys' night came to light.

'What's up with Nasser's nose?' Nasser Sultan failed to properly address why his nose appeared swollen and cut, laughing off claims he was involved in a 'punch on'

Ouch! The bridge of Nasser's nose was noticeably sore, with his injured nose debuting in the dinner party one episode after the infamous boozy boys' night

Guessing game: Viewers made suggestions that he was 'bopped' by wife Gabrielle Bartlett, ran into a wall or had a run in with Gabrielle's sister

The drama kicked off when Charlene attacked Dean, Troy Delmege and Justin Fischer over comments they'd made during a boys' night about the other women.

Charlene labeled Dean a 'douchebag' for 'offering up' wife Tracey to the other grooms, and suggested how the other men spoke about the women at the boys' night was 'not okay.'

The truth revealed? Conversation flowed around the table, without a mention of his nose until a heated discussion about the boys' night came to light

Nasser was then asked to weigh in, where he honestly disclosed that they had discussed 'who fancied who' and that he had mentioned co-star Sarah Roza's name.

Sarah's TV 'husband' Telv Williams then joked: 'And then we punched on. That's why his nose is busted. I won.'

Nasser awkwardly laughed, saying 'it's true', before returning to the conversation.

'We punched on. That's why his nose is busted. I won': Co-star Telv Williams (R) suggested he had busted Nasser's nose after he said he 'fancied' his wife Sarah Roza (L)

Nasser told Daily Mail Australia that the injury was the result of crashing his scooter.

The ageless Egyptian was paired with Gabrielle Bartlett on the series, who are still attempting to make their TV marriage work.

Married At First Sight continues Sunday night at 7pm on Channel Nine
Ballet dancer Wayne Sleep, a former friend of Princess Diana, joked around with EastEnders actress Kierston Wareing, before lamenting his 5ft 1in frame.

'This jacket is Dior. I can't really afford it. I don't get freebies because I'm too small.'

The exchange took place at the VIP launch of Professor Jonathan Shalit's showbiz agency InterTalent in London this week.

Ballet dancer Wayne Sleep (right), a former friend of Princess Diana, joked around with EastEnders actress Kierston Wareing (left), before lamenting his 5ft 1in frame at the VIP launch of InterTalent in London this week

Other highlights from this week's parties include:

LOVED UP: Cabinet Minister Esther McVey hinted at marriage to Tory MP Philip Davies. 'We're partners but we haven't done any official commitment stuff . . . yet.'

SENTIMENTAL: Ronnie Wood's wife Sally teamed her pink Whistles dress with the heart-shaped ruby pendant she wore on her wedding day in 2012. 'Ronnie made it for me and it's one of my favourites.'

CONFESSION: TV's Judge Rinder, recently single, told ex-Strictly judge Arlene Phillips: 'You are the only woman who could make me a heterosexual. We should move in with each other  as long as there's a room for our Botox artist.'

AGE GAP: Sky News' Kay Burley, 57, was inseparable from pilot Jonny Knowlson, 30. 'We're not a couple,' he told me. 'Lots of people have asked us that this evening.' They left together to have dinner at The Wolseley.

Sky News' Kay Burley, 57, was inseparable from pilot Jonny Knowlson, 30 (pictured together left) but insisted they weren't a couple. Meanwhile Cabinet Minister Esther McVey hinted at marriage to Tory MP Philip Davies (pictured together right)

Ronnie Wood's wife Sally (pictured) teamed her pink Whistles dress with the heart-shaped ruby pendant she wore on her wedding day in 2012
Malcolm Turnbull says the laws of economic common sense appear to have been suspended among his political opponents when it comes to his government's proposed tax cuts.

The prime minister used a business conference on Wednesday to reiterate the benefits of reducing the corporate tax rate to 25 per cent for all businesses, a cut that looks set to be blocked in the Senate.

"The laws of supply and demand have not been suspended ... but the laws of economic common sense have been suspended among our political opponents," Mr Turnbull told the Australian Financial Review Business Summit in Sydney.

He said reducing the tax rate from 30 per cent will return more investment, more employment, better-paid jobs and productivity.

During his recent trip to the US, Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin told Mr Turnbull 70 per cent of its business tax cuts will be passed on to workers.

Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe told the conference a form of international tax competition is going on.

"If we do respond, and I can understand why we would, it needs to be in the constraints of running a sustained period of fiscal discipline," Dr Lowe said.

He found it "quite troubling" that with the US economy already at full employment, it is implementing a big fiscal stimulus and going to have budget deficits of five per cent of GDP for the indefinite future.

"I think it would be a problem if we were to go down that route," he said.

Dr Lowe added investment is not just driven by tax.

"People invest in Australia because of our fantastic natural resources, our workers and our ability to innovate and tap markets," he said.
Assistant Agriculture Minister Anne Ruston has described an outbreak of oyster disease in South Australia as "very concerning".

But the SA senator insists swift responses to biosecurity breaches like the Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome found in her home state last week and fruit fly in Tasmania have protected export markets.

"Australia has a great reputation for its responses to biosecurity, but it is of a concern and something that should be taken very seriously," Senator Ruston told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says the resignation of US President Donald Trump's top economic adviser Gary Cohn "will be a loss to the White House".

Ms Bishop, in New York on Tuesday, said she is scheduling a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to raise Australia's concerns about Mr Trump's plan to impose a global 25 per cent tariff on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminium.

"I am scheduling a discussion with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson," Ms Bishop told reporters.

"I'll try and do it while I'm here in New York.

"We will be urging the United States to not proceed down this path."

Mr Cohn resigned on Tuesday after clashing with Mr Trump over the president's plan to introduce protectionist trade policies.

"I believe he will be a loss to the White House," Ms Bishop said.

"I don't know the circumstances of his resignation other than differences over policy.

"I believe we will be closer to his view in terms of benefits of open liberalised trade."
A Sydney man allegedly had "graphic online discussions about child abuse" with an undercover officer he thought was a father who had access to young children.

The 33-year-old was arrested on Tuesday following a 12-month investigation by Strikeforce Trawler, police said on Wednesday.

Detectives allege the man thought he was speaking online to a father when he engaged in sexually-explicit conversations about children and discussed the possibility of meeting with them for sexual activity.

He was arrested at a Sydney CBD business and later charged with using a carriage service for child pornography, a police statement says.

Investigators subsequently searched a Potts Point home and seized electronic storage devices.

The man is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on March 28.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has cautiously welcomed North Korea's announcement that it is willing to negotiate with the US on abandoning its nuclear weapons.

"Whether it leads to something, time will tell," Ms Bishop told reporters at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday.

"But North Korea has shown ability to walk away from agreements and to ignore negotiated outcomes in the past."

South Korean officials who met with North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, said on Tuesday he would suspend all nuclear and missile tests while talks with the US are underway.

Ms Bishop said Australia welcomed any genuine attempts at the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula "given what is at stake".

"Undoubtedly," Ms Bishop responded when asked if she believed the crippling sanctions imposed on North Korea by Australia, the US and other nations were behind North Korea's announcement.
Sam Thaiday will start at hooker with recovering rake Andrew McCullough on the bench for Brisbane in Thursday night's NRL season opener against St George Illawarra at Jubilee Oval.

Despite not playing a trial, McCullough had been named to start in his return from a knee injury that has sidelined him since round 21 in August last year.

But Wayne Bennett said regular backrower Thaiday would start at No.9 with Tevita Pangai joining controversial signing Matt Lodge in the starting front row against the Dragons.
NSW has scrapped a law that effectively allowed employers to fire or refuse to hire a woman because she was pregnant.

The changes, passed by parliament on Wednesday, will bring NSW in line with other states, where women who face sex discrimination in the private sector can make a complaint to the Human Rights Commission.

A loophole previously prevented women in NSW from taking that course of action, Attorney-General Mark Speakman said.

"In this day and age, it's unacceptable that a woman could be overlooked for a role or dismissed from a new position once it becomes apparent that she is pregnant," Mr Speakman said in a statement.

Minister for Women Tanya Davies described the old laws as "outdated," saying they discriminated against pregnant women who were job hunting.

The government acknowledged the work of Greens MP Dr Mehreen Faruqi in advocating for the change.
On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Rev. Ben Johnson, Senior Editor at Acton, speaks with Philip Booth, Professor at St. Marys University in the UK about whats missing from the 2015 Papal Encyclical: Laudato Si. Then, on the Upstream segment, Bruce Edward Walker talks to British jazz legend Norma Winstone about her contribution to Jazz and her newly released album: Descansado  Songs For Films.

Check out these additional resources on this weeks podcast topics:

Read Property rights and conservation: The missing theme of Laudato Si' by Philip Booth

Read the full winter 2018 issue of Religion & Liberty

Register here for Actons next lecture series event on Communism in Cuba

Visit the official site of Norma Winstone

Do you have questions for the Radio Free Acton team that you would like answered in future podcast segments? Leave a message at 888-705-4180 or email [email protected]
There are limitless opportunities for women in Australia's Defence Force, Defence Minister Marise Payne says.

On the eve of International Women's Day, Senator Payne told a Brisbane business luncheon there was a huge pool of talent waiting to be tapped for the wider defence industry.

While much attention has been given to a push for more women in frontline service roles, the minister focused more on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) jobs.

"Whether it's in terms of the number of engineers, of naval architects, technicians, electricians, people who can weld submarines," Senator Payne said on Wednesday.

"I think the opportunity for us in terms of developing a workforce, both within the ADF and the defence industry more broadly, is limitless about how we can go about engaging women."

Senator Payne said she had met with the senior female leadership of all three branches of the defence force, but conceded much more needed to be done to get the ADF up to an acceptable level of female representation.
Three people including a one-year-old boy have been taken to hospital after an explosion at a unit on the NSW Central Coast.

One of the patients suffered burns to 70 per cent of their body after the explosion at an apartment block in Point Frederick around 3pm on Wednesday, NSW Ambulance said.

Another patient suffered burns to 30 per cent of their body. The pair took themselves to Gosford Hospital before the most seriously injured patient was flown to Sydney.

The one-year-old was taken to Gosford Hospital with minor burns to his face.

Fire and Rescue NSW attended to check the property and said the occupants had been using a gas burner which had leaked.
A father-to-be accused of flashing women jogging on Sydney's Bay Run has been labelled "unpredictable and brazen" by police, who have successfully opposed bail.

Andrew James Grant has been charged with numerous offences including five counts of stalking and two counts of assault.

The 28-year-old did not appear at Hornsby Local Court on Wednesday, when his matter was briefly mentioned.

Six female victims were approached between late January and mid-February, with police saying some incidents happened as early as 7.30am while others occurred at 10pm.

Grant is accused of stalking one victim at 3.30pm before targeting her again three hours later.

Police say Grant, who lives with his pregnant partner, assaulted one victim before exposing himself to her. In a separate attack, he allegedly tried to kiss one of the women.

In opposing bail, police said his behaviour was escalating and "becoming increasingly unpredictable and brazen".

"Police fear he may be unable to control his future urges and may sexually assault any future victims," documents tendered to the court state.

Grant's lawyer, Joseph Nashed, indicated his client would enter a plea and possibly apply for bail when he appears at Central Local Court on Friday. Until then he'll remain behind bars.

Detectives last week released an image of the suspected flasher and called for the public to help identify him.

"The most important thing with this offender is that he has very prominent teeth," Inspector Ned Gligorevic said at the time.

"Apparently the incisors are sharp - so you're looking at a rather unique set of front teeth."
An Israeli court ruling that former Melbourne school principal Malka Leifer, who is accused of child sex crimes, could be freed from custody into home detention has angered her alleged victims.

Dassi Erlich, who has accused Leifer of abusing her, told AAP on Wednesday night she was "absolutely outraged" at the ruling as relayed to her by friends in the courtroom in Jerusalem.

Victorian police are seeking Leifer's extradition to Australia on 74 charges of child sexual abuse.

"The judge has ordered she be released on bail at 10am on Friday morning and at this moment the judge's order has absolutely no restrictions on her freedom. Nothing," Ms Erlich said in Melbourne.

She said Leifer's lawyer, Yehuda Fried, brought in Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman who said he would take care of the former educator.

"The rabbi who is guaranteeing he will take care of her, he has said in court that it is humiliating for her to be held under custody," she said.

"We now understand that the prosecutors are going to appeal this decision but at the moment the judge's standing rules that she will be let out on bail.

"If this bail is upheld and the prosecutor loses the appeal on this, there are absolutely no restrictions on her movements. She is free to do whatever she pleases," Ms Erlich said..

"So basically we are back to square one."

Ms Erlich said the greatest fear was that Leifer would reoffend and continue to evade justice.

"We are close to losing hope, we will never give up."

The 54-year-old former principal has been in custody since February 12 after Israeli police rearrested her, accusing her of faking mental illness to avoid extradition to Australia.

Jewish community leader Manny Waks, an advocate for Kol v'Oz, a Jewish organisation combatting child sex abuse, said it was "outrageous" that Leifer had been allowed to "continue her charade".

"It seems, once again, that Leifer's interests have been placed well ahead of her alleged victims," he said in an email to AAP.

A spokesman for federal Attorney-General Christian Porter told AAP on Wednesday night: "These are matters for the local courts."
A new Women in Science Ambassador will visit schools across Australia to encourage girls to choose careers in science and technology.

A woman recognised for her work in science will be chosen for the role later this year, the prime minister revealed on International Women's Day.

"It is vital that we encourage and equip girls and women to take big strides in science and technology, so all Australians can benefit from the contribution their discoveries will make to our lives, our wellbeing and our futures," Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday.

He said the new role would build on the momentum created by Australian of the Year, Professor Michelle Simmons, whose expertise is in quantum computing.

Ms Simmons said there were enormous opportunities in science but girls need to see where it leads.

"Seeing and hearing from successful female leaders who have made it work, I hope will open their eyes," she said.

But the message is just as important for boys.

"Leadership is not a function of your gender, but of your mind-set, imagination, vision and work ethic," she said.

The government has also announced $3.6 million to help girls, teachers and parents match their skills and interests with career opportunities in science and technology.
A Gold Coast grandmother who fired shots at her son-in-law, then told police she would get her eyes fixed before attempting to finish the job, will be sentenced next week.

Miriam Annette Eason pleaded guilty at the Southport District Court on Wednesday to two counts of dangerous conduct with a weapon and one count of unlawful possession of weapon.

The 53-year-old's matter has been adjourned until March 15 for Judge Catherine Muir to consider a legal issue before delivering her sentence.

Eason fired several shots at her daughter's Nerang home in March 2016.

The court heard Eason had feared for the safety of her granddaughter.

Upon arriving at the home, Eason fired at her son-in-law when he was approximately two-and-a-half metres from her.

Unharmed, he fled inside the home and Eason fired four more shots at the house as her daughter came outside before fleeing the scene.

A handgun used by Eason was later found by police dumped under an overpass of the Nerang River.

Eason told police following the shooting she couldn't believe she'd missed and should have gone to an optometrist first.

The court heard Eason had a history of mental health issues and drug abuse.

She has been remanded in custody.
Police believe they're a step closer to solving the suspected murder of Brisbane man Sam Price-Purcell after finding guns at a property west of Brisbane.

Detectives, scientific officers and SES volunteers spent Wednesday searching a private property at Leyburn, southwest of Toowoomba.

The search was sparked after police received a tip-off, with officers expected to continue searching the property on Thursday.

Mr Price-Purcell was last seen in the Brisbane suburb of Mitchelton on February 16, 2015 as he got into a bright yellow 2010 Holden Commodore SS sedan.

It is believed he then travelled to the Toowoomba area where he was murdered.

The tip-off followed an appeal last month by his mother Leoni Price, on the third anniversary of her 25-year-old son's disappearance.
Women are leading the way in NSW jobs growth, representing more than 60 per cent of new workers over the past three years, according to Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

In a speech to be delivered to the NSW Women of the Year Awards in Sydney on Thursday, Ms Berejiklian says 152,000 women have been employed in NSW over the past three years.

More than 60 per cent of those jobs are full time, Ms Berejiklian says, adding 67,000 jobs have been created in regional NSW.

"At a time when NSW is one of the strongest, fastest-growing economies in the developed world, women are leading the way," Ms Berejiklian says.

Ms Berejiklian says the unemployment rate for women in her state was 4.2 per cent at the end of 2017, the lowest since records began, and NSW is closing the gender pay gap faster than any other state.

"Women are entering or re-entering the workforce in NSW in record numbers," she says.

"It means more choices, greater opportunities and a better quality of life for families in every community across our state."

Ms Berejiklian will also announce the state government will double its annual funding to the NSW Investing in Women Program.

The project, which will now receive $400,000 a year in NSW government funding, gives grants to projects that create jobs in male-dominated industries such as science and engineering.
I am woman.

That's today's resounding message to be celebrated on International Women's Day with hundreds of women expected to attend events running across Melbourne.

Women will be able to take part in festivities at Melbourne Central from 10am on Thursday and join the conversation about equality.

Three mobile billboards will be stationed near Minister for Women Kelly O 'Dwyer's office to advocate for stopping violence against women in their homes and workplaces.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions has organised the protest at 2.30pm against the Turnbull government's decision not to commit to 10 days paid domestic violence leave under the National Employment Standards.

Hundreds of women will have their voices heard at a march and rally at the State Library of Victoria from 5.30pm.

The rally will demand a liveable income for all women, affordable housing, an end to racism, sexual liberation and free, accessible education.

Some famous faces of media, Bazaar's editor-in-chief Kellie Hush, Pacific Magazines general manager Jackie Frank, Who What Wear's Alison Rice and Studio 10 co-host Ita Buttrose will be panellists discussing working in media from 5pm at the Immigration Museum.
The Libertarian Party of Alabama has condemned Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin for his authoritarian actions and abuse of power related to the arrest of Matthew Qualls.

Delegates voted unanimously for condemnation at the LPA's annual convention on March 3.

As reported by AL.com, Qualls told AL.com that Entrekin used Prisoner Food Provision funds to pay Qualls for lawn services. Four days later, Entrekin had Qualls arrested - clearly a use of authoritarian power to punish Qualls for reporting Entrekin's abuse of public funds. Sheriff Entrekin has admitted to using public funds for personal purposes and maintains that such use is legal. The LPA stalwartly opposes abuse of power, misappropriation of public funds, and the oppression of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The LPA is coordinating a fund to support Qualls' legal defense.

Whereas, "no law shall ever be passed to curtail or restrain the liberty of speech or of the press; and any person may speak, write, and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty."

Alabama Constitution, Article I, SS4

Whereas, "the people shall be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and possessions from unreasonable seizure or searches, and that no warrants shall issue to search any place or to seize any person or thing without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation."

Alabama Constitution, Article I, SS5

Whereas, "all persons shall, before conviction, be bailable by sufficient sureties, except for capital offenses, when the proof is evident or the presumption great; and that excessive bail shall not in any case be required."

Alabama Constitution, Article I, SS16

Whereas, "the sole object and only legitimate end of government is to protect the citizen in the enjoyment of life, liberty, and property, and when the government assumes other functions it is usurpation and oppression."

Alabama Constitution, Article I, SS35

Be it resolved that, we, the Libertarian Party of Alabama in Convention of Delegates, condemns Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin for the arrest of Matthew Qualls of Rainbow City, AL.

Contact Shane Cornutt, Chair Etowah County Affiliate, rscornutt@gmail.com
Controversial Sydney businessman Salim Mehajer will spend at least another three weeks behind bars after he failed to convince a magistrate his release on bail was warranted.

The 31-year-old, who's in custody over allegations he staged a car crash to get out of going to court last year, raised claims of bikie gang threats and looming bankruptcy when he took a third shot at freedom on Wednesday.

The former Auburn deputy mayor was on his way to face court on charges of assaulting a taxi driver in October when his Mercedes slammed into another vehicle at Lidcombe.

During Wednesday's hearing, he represented himself and admitted his current situation was "an absolute mess", with frozen bank accounts affecting his business, family, employees and investors.

Magistrate Jacqueline Trad said the points Mehajer raised were already well ventilated and ruled he would remain behind bars until his matter was heard on March 28.

Mehajer was last month found guilty of assaulting a television reporter and is also awaiting a verdict next month on electoral fraud matters.
St George Illawarra halves Ben Hunt and Gareth Widdop revealed how Benji Marshall played a match-making role between the pair last season.

Widdop and Marshall combined for the Dragons for two-and-a-half seasons on the latter's return to the NRL from rugby union.

He then shifted to Brisbane last season, where he played alongside Hunt at the Broncos as Wayne Bennett rotated his halves around the pair, along with Anthony Milford and Kodi Nikorima.

Hunt will on Thursday night play his first match for the Dragons, kicking off a $6 million deal which could last for as long as six seasons.

But he said he made of talking to Marshall, in particular about how he would combine with Widdop, before signing the deal.

"I had little chats with Benji about it. He had nothing but good things to say about the place," Hunt told AAP.

"I mainly asked him about the players. What different guys were like.

"I definitely asked him about Gareth.

"He's one of the biggest players in the team. He's the captain and he leads the boys around.

"He only had good things to say."

Hunt's arrival should be a boost to Widdop, given he has been without a recognised high-profile halfback since he arrived at the Dragons in 2014.

Since then, he's played with seven No.7s, however, the majority of which have been five-eighths wearing the halfback's jersey.

And the England international said he too had made contact with Marshall, who will play his first game back at the Wests Tigers this weekend, to find out what Hunt was like before his arrival.

"... he said he's going to be good for the team," Widdop said.

"He said he's pretty laid back, not too much affects him.

"Obviously he's coming to a big club as a halfback coming to the Dragons, I don't think that'll bother him.

"He'll just let his football do the talking."
Malcolm Turnbull is promising "very intense private engagement" with the United States as well as a public push against proposed steel tariff hikes.

Thousands of Australian and US jobs could be affected if US President Donald Trump keeps his promise to hike steel tariffs, which Mr Turnbull wants an exemption from.

"I think what I'll do is continue to make our case, both publicly as I have in the United States ... but also we'll continue the very intense private engagement," Mr Turnbull told the Financial Review Business Summit on Wednesday.

"There is literally nothing to be gained in the United States at all, from imposing a tariff on Australian steel exports."

Mr Turnbull recently visited Washington in a bid to encourage trade, but Australia is not exempt from US plans to impose a global 25 per cent tariff on steel imports and a 10 per cent tariff on aluminium imports.

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop is in New York urgently seeking a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to raise concerns about the tariff hike.

Vice President Mike Pence said in a speech in Iowa the US was cracking down on "unfair trade practices".

"The United States has been taken advantage of for too long, by too many countries, when it comes to trade," Mr Pence said.

But Treasurer Scott Morrison said Mr Turnbull's work at building a trade relationship with the US would pay off.

""Right now our prime minister is one of, if not the best-placed leader in the world today to understand how best to respond to what's happening," Mr Morrison said.

Mr Turnbull said hiking prices on Australian steel would make it more expensive to build houses in the US.

BlueScope ships Australian steel to the US west coast to make into roofing products because of the high cost of freight from the east coast.

"The consequence of imposing a tariff on Australian steel to the west coast would be simply putting up the price of building in California," Mr Turnbull said.
Melbourne radio personality Kate Langbroek has suffered bruising in a violent attack at her St Kilda home.

"It really was fight or flight. I couldn't flee, so I guess I had to be prepared to fight ... I don't even know what that means. What is going on in our houses and our towns and our cities? What the hell is going on?" the Nine Network reports Langbroek saying from her studio.

"Following a crazed, violent, terrifying attack on our family home on Friday night, I would like to speak with @MartinFoleyMP about his plans to stop the degradation of St Kilda hill. Thank you," Langbroek tweeted in the days following the attack."

On Wedesday she tweeted, "@MartinFoleyMP Thanks for your call yesterday. This is the bruise I sustained trying to keep that "vulnerable" resident from kicking our front door in on Friday night. Children inside. The real vulnerable are the decent citizens of St Kilda. We await your action."

Foley said in a statement on Wednesday what had happened was "unacceptable" and an arrest had been made.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop warns there have been false starts before in negotiations with North Korea over nuclear weapons.

South Korean officials who met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this week said he expressed his willingness to denuclearise the Korean peninsula if his country's security is assured.

"While we welcome any efforts to bring North Korea to the negotiating table... of course, we wait to see real action," Ms Bishop told Sky News on Thursday.

"There have seen so many false starts before that it's hard not to be sceptical."

Next month, North Korea and South Korea will have the first meeting between their leaders since 2007 at the border village of Panmunjom.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces a corruption probe at home, delivered a hawkish speech to the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) one day after talks with US President Donald Trump

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put aside his domestic legal woes on Tuesday to find a warm welcome in Washington at a meeting of the pro-Israeli lobby.

On the home front the veteran Israeli right-winger faces an intensifying corruption probe that could see the 68-year-old forced to stand down in ignominy after a total of 12 years in office.

But Netanyahu and his wife Sara, who has also faced police questioning over alleged bribery, were given a standing ovation at a meeting of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which styles itself "America's pro-Israel Lobby."

And this came a day after a visit with President Donald Trump to further cement an alliance that has helped Israel achieve its longstanding goal of winning US recognition of the divided city of Jerusalem as its capital.

The pair also bonded over shared antipathy to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal -- hailed by Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, five more world powers and Tehran as a diplomatic landmark, but now hanging by a thread.

Netanyahu thanked Trump for his vow to tear up the accord if it is not strengthened to prevent Tehran from resuming its alleged quest for atomic weapons, and said Israel and its Arab neighbors would back such a move.

To bolster his case he presented an ominous map with the countries of the Middle East that he accuses Iran of seeking to dominate -- such as war-torn Syria and Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq and Gaza -- colored in black.

"Darkness is descending on our region. Iran is building an aggressive empire," he declared, accusing Tehran of exploiting its role supporting Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war to set up permanent bases on Israel's border.

- Breach the deal -

"The force behind so much of what is bad is this radical tyranny in Iran. I have a message for you today, it's a very simple one: we must stop Iran, we will stop Iran," he said.

Trump has withdrawn Washington's endorsement of the deal, which America's European allies regard as essential to restrain Tehran's path to nuclear breakout capacity.

Iran insists it never intended to build a nuclear weapon, but has warned it could rapidly restore its enrichment capacity if the United States breaches the deal by restoring crippling economic sanctions.

Israel and Trump see the deal's time limits as tantamount to providing Tehran with a path to the bomb, and argue that Iran has not moderated its behavior, but instead is playing an ever more dangerous game in its region.

Netanyahu's longstanding concerns about the Iran nuclear deal have found a sympathetic ear in the White House and at AIPAC, but the left-leaning Washington lobby group J Street -- which supports a two state solution to Israel's conflict with the Palestinians -- denounced him

"Prime Minister Netanyahu offered nothing new or substantive in his speech, only fear-mongering and empty rhetoric," J Street president Jeremy Ben-Ami said.

"He lavished praise on the Trump administration's incoherent and reckless threats to dismantle the Iran deal, which endangers Israel and American interests, and bring us closer to another war in the Middle East."

Netanyahu stuck to familiar themes -- the close US-Israel bond, his country's high-tech expertise and the perfidy of Iran -- and touched on briefly on the Palestinian issue.

He failed to endorse a two-state solution, and instead demanded that Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas halt welfare payments to the families of dead or detained Palestinian militants, which he argues encourage the terrorist "murder of Jews."

Trump's White House has promised a new plan for Middle East peace, but has yet to unveil it and has appointed a US ambassador sympathetic to the cause of Jewish settlement of occupied land -- and of moving the US embassy to Jerusalem.

This has taken the pressure off Netanyahu to compromise, and he has instead been trying to change the diplomatic conversation by reaching out to Israel's former Arab foes and building economic partnerships with friends like India.

Netanyahu used his AIPAC speech to argue that Washington and Israel would not be alone when they choose to confront Iran, saying many Arab countries would side with the Jewish state over their common enemy.

"Most of the states in our region know, they know very well, believe me, that Israel is not their enemy but their indispensable ally in confronting our common challenges and seizing our common opportunities," he said.

"That is true for Egypt and Jordan, Israel's long time peace partners, but it is also true for many other Arab countries in the Middle East."
Donald Trump's chief economic adviser Gary Cohn is the latest in a long string of senior White House figures to resign or be fired

Donald Trump's White House was rocked by another high-profile resignation Tuesday, as top economic advisor Gary Cohn quit in protest at the president's decision to levy global steel tariffs.

"It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people," Cohn said in a terse statement that belied fierce infighting in Trump's tumultuous White House.

Cohn is just the latest in a long string of senior Trump advisors to resign or be fired, a virtually unprecedented turnover of administration staff.

The 57-year-old had strongly opposed Trump's decision to levy tariffs on steel and aluminum, which has sparked fears of a trade war.

"For several weeks Gary had been discussing with the president that it was nearing time for him to transition out. His departure date is to be determined but will be a few weeks from now," a White House official said.

A former Goldman Sachs executive, his departure prompted concerned murmurs on Wall Street and could portend a rocky trading session on Wednesday.

A chair marked for Gary Cohn, Director of the National Economic Council, is empty ahead of a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump and Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven at the White House, shortly before Cohn resigned

The aide, who is Jewish, had threatened to resign after Trump refused to condemn neo-Nazi groups who protested in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Then, like now, allies had tried to keep Cohn on board with the prospect of a future cabinet-level position or passing tax reform -- which he helped usher through Congress.

A long-time Democrat, he was seen as a moderating influence that curbed Trump's nationalist economic instincts and those of advisors like Peter Navarro.

In a statement, Trump praised Cohn's as a "rare talent."

"Gary has been my chief economic advisor and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again," Trump said.

"He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people."

- 'No chaos' -

Cohn's departure presents a political problem for Trump, as he wrestles Congressional Republicans who share the aide's concern about tariffs and a looming trade war.

It also blows a hole in Trump's claim, made just hours earlier, that his White House is running smoothly, despite a wave of resignations and FBI investigators circling his top aides.

In an early morning tweet, Trump said there was no "CHAOS in the White House" describing it as a "Fake News narrative" as he tried to reassure supporters that his administration has not careened off the rails.

"Wrong! People will always come & go," he said after his closest aide Hope Hicks and staff secretary Rob Porter stepped down amid interwoven scandals.

Trump's first year in office has been a frenzy of departures and infighting, which insiders put down to clashing interests, inexperience and the president's unique management style.

"I want strong dialogue before making a final decision," Trump said, defending his method of promoting staff argument.

But the former real estate developer also hinted that things were not perfect.

"I still have some people that I want to change (always seeking perfection). There is no Chaos, only great Energy!" he said.
Syrian child Hossam Hawari, 8, is treated for a shrapnel wound at a makeshift clinic in Kafr Batna following Syrian government air strikes on rebel-held areas in the Eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of the capital Damascus

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Tuesday for aid convoys to have immediate access in Syria a day after air strikes cut short deliveries of food and medicine to Eastern Ghouta.

Guterres urged all warring sides to allow aid trucks to return Thursday to the main town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta to complete the delivery of humanitarian supplies "as previously agreed with the Syrian authorities," a UN statement read.

As air strikes and artillery fire continued, aid workers on Monday decided to pull out of Eastern Ghouta after offloading 32 of the 46 trucks in the convoy.

Nearly half of the food carried on the convoy could not be delivered and part of the medical and health supplies were removed from the trucks by the Syrian authorities, the UN said.

Guterres "calls on all parties to immediately allow safe and unimpeded access for further convoys to deliver critical supplies to hundreds of thousands of people in desperate need," said the statement.

His appeal came ahead of a Security Council meeting called by Britain and France to discuss the failure of a ceasefire in Syria to take hold, 10 days after the top UN body demanded the truce.

Backed by Russia, Syria's ally, the council unanimously adopted on February 24 a resolution demanding the 30-day cessation of hostilities to allow deliveries of humanitarian aid and evacuations of the sick and wounded.

Air strikes, and artillery and rocket fire on the rebel-held enclave near the capital Damascus have killed hundreds and devastated residential areas since they began on February 18.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 800 civilians -- including at least 177 children -- have been killed since Russia-backed Syrian forces launched an assault on the besieged enclave on February 18.
Critical relief supplies are finally flowing into areas of Papua New Guinea devastated by a strong earthquake although the rugged terrain has made delivering relief supplies difficult

Critical relief supplies are finally flowing into areas of Papua New Guinea devastated by a strong earthquake, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said, as another 6.7-magnitude tremor rocked the region Wednesday.

At least 67 people were killed by the initial quake in the Pacific nation's mountainous interior on February 26, according to the Red Cross, with 500 injured and 17,000 displaced.

Aid has yet to reach isolated parts of the Southern Highlands, Western, Enga and Hela provinces, with landslides, ruined roads and dozens of aftershocks hampering efforts.

But O'Neill told reporters food, water and medicine was starting to get through, with aircraft ferrying supplies to Moro and Mendi airports in the Southern Highlands.

"We are now in the process of delivering emergency supplies," he said late Tuesday.

"Over the last few days, we've been working with the Australian government, with Exxon(Mobil), with Oil Search and Ok Tedi in particular, in making sure that immediate assistance required by the communities is delivered."

Australia and New Zealand have pledged aid, while Israel has delivered 40 generators to help restore power.

The rugged terrain has made delivering relief supplies difficult with the Red Cross working to reach the Nipa-Kutubu district near the epicentre to assess damage and needs, said the group's PNG secretary general Uvenama Rova.

"Red Cross teams have been able to assess and support communities in other parts of the country, but access to parts of Nipa-Kutubu has been impossible because lines of communication have been severed and roads damaged," said Rova.

At least 67 people were killed by an earthquake that devastated Papua New Guinea's remote highlands last week and there have been more than 50 aftershocks so far, with people too scared to sleep in their homes, fearing they will collapse

International Red Cross PNG country head Udaya Regmi added: "We are anxious to reach communities while there is a lull in what is usually a season of heavy rain.

"A big downpour could bring landslides in hillsides already destabilised by the earthquake, cause floods and contaminate water."

Local MP James Marape told The National newspaper there had been more than 50 aftershocks so far, with people too scared to sleep in their homes, fearing they will collapse. Instead they are spending the nights outside.

There were no immediate reports of any fresh damage from the 6.7-magnitude earthquake -- the strongest aftershock so far -- that rattled the region early Wednesday morning.

"The effects of the continual tremors are both physical and psychological," said Marape, speaking from Tari, adding that at least 11 people had died in landslides in the area.

"For the last two nights, I have been witnessing people out in the cold and rain, fearing to go into their houses in case the earthquake strikes again."

Accounts of last week's disaster continue to emerge with local media reporting on a nine-year-old girl, Jerina Peter, who was thrown to safety by her father from a cascading landslide before he was swept away.

The girl's mother and two sisters also vanished in the torrent of mud in Puinj village.

Australian officials based in the country have said it was the biggest earthquake to hit the highland region in a century. No official government death toll has been released.
Aluminum ingots, produced by the Maaden Aluminum Factory in Saudi Arabia, pictured in 2016 before US President Donald Trump's threat to place a 10 percent duty on the metal from friendly countries as well as foes

White House economic advisor Gary Cohn became the latest casualty of President Donald Trump's tumultuous administration,resigning in protest Tuesday as Trump stepped up his threats of steep tariffs on steel, aluminum and European cars.

Cohn led the charge on a tax cut proposal approved by Congress in December, but lost the internal struggle against more protectionist voices over trade tariffs.

"Gary has been my chief economic advisor and did a superb job in driving our agenda," Trump said in a statement. "He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service."

The White House downplayed the idea Cohn resigned over more aggressive trade policies, but only moments before the announcement Trump showed no signs of backing down even in the face of opposition from his own party.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said he was elected to protect American workers and industries that had been harmed by years of unfair trade policies.

"Our country has been taken advantage of by everybody. By everybody. And we cannot let that happen any longer," Trump said during a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven.

But Trump's aggressive plan to punish abusers by imposing 25 percent tariffs on steel and 10 percent on aluminum, against friend and foe alike, angered US trading partners.

It also startled US automakers and firms that rely on those metals and the free flow of trade.

Even administration officials were caught off guard by the announcement late last week, since the legal review had not been completed.

Reports of Cohn's likely resignation began to circulate almost immediately.

It appears the 57-year-old former Goldman Sachs executive was drowned out by a decidedly more protectionist team including trade adviser Peter Navarro and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

- Republican opposition -

Brazilian trade union members protest US President Donald Trump's plan to impose a 25 percent tariff on imported steel

Cohn is the latest in a long string of senior advisors to resign or be fired, a virtually unprecedented turnover of administration staff.

Hope Hicks, perhaps Trump's most trusted confidante, announced last Wednesday that she would resign as communications director.

Her move followed the departures of chief of staff Reince Priebus, national security advisor Michael Flynn, and others.

Markets became convinced Tuesday that the tariffs might not be that bad and a trade war could be averted, but Cohn's departure could portend a rocky trading session on Wednesday.

The tariff plan -- which Trump followed up with a threat to impose "reciprocal taxes" on all imports from countries that charge duties on US exports -- also sent shivers through Republican leaders, whose party has traditionally embraced free trade.

House Speaker Paul Ryan was in the vanguard, calling on Trump to have a "smarter" plan that was "more surgical and more targeted."

While there was "clearly abuse occurring" regarding overcapacity and dumping particularly by China, protectionist measures could have the "unintended consequences" of a trade war, Ryan told reporters.

But Trump once again dismissed the concerns about sparking a global confrontation, saying "trade wars aren't so bad... the trade war hurts them. It doesn't hurt us."

- Retaliation and counter-retaliation -

Earlier Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Trump understands "the potential impact" of the measures on the economy.

Mnuchin noted that he has been working on the specifics of the tariff plan, which will be announced this week, "and I think we have a way of managing through this."

Trump himself said, somewhat cryptically, that the measures will be imposed "in a long, loving way."

Despite those apparent assurances, the EU already has threatened to retaliate against American blue jeans, bourbon and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Mexico's Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo vowed Tuesday to fight back against US tariffs and target "the things they export that are most politically sensitive."

Trump again hit out at the threats of countermeasures, saying if the EU reacts, "then we put a big tax of 25 percent on their cars and believe me, they won't be doing it very long."

He also criticized Europe for making it "almost impossible for us do business with them."

It is just that kind of tit-for-tat confrontation that has economists fearing a real chance of a trade war that could do serious global economic damage.

Mexican Economy Minister Idelfonso Guajardo vowed to fight back against protectionis US trade measures

Economist Ian Shepherdson of High Frequency economics said Trump is "playing with fire."

"While the steel and aluminum industries are tiny relative to the overall economy, tariffs on those sectors are likely to lead to retaliation from other countries, with the Trump administration then potentially retaliating against the retaliation," he said in a research note.
University of Mobile Associate Professor of Music Kenn Hughes traveled to Havana, Cuba, to perform with the Metro Big Band in the 33rd Annual Havana International Jazz Festival in January.

The Metro Big Band is a classic jazz band with the size and style of the big bands from the '50s to today. The Metro Big Band, directed by Camp Kirkland, has performed worldwide, including Brazil, Finland, Scotland, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Portugal, Cuba, Austria and Guatemala.

This was not the first time Hughes has traveled to Cuba. Though the Global Missions Project, Hughes has coordinated many musical mission projects to Cuba.

The Metro Big Band previously worked with a church in Cuba through Global Missions Project, where it was heard by Cubans associated with the jazz festival. Soon, the band received a formal letter of invitation to participate in the Havana International Jazz Festival.

"The Havana Jazz Festival was a wonderful experience. The culture, the event, the people were all incredible. We were blessed to have many opportunities to engage with the Cuban people as well as jazz artists from all over the world," said Hughes, who also directs RamCorps which traveled to Cuba in May 2017. RamCorps is one of 19 performing ensembles in UM's Alabama School of the Arts.

Global Missions Project leads Christian musicians in sharing Christ with the world while ministering through music. In the past 13 years, Global Missions Project has taken nearly 10,000 individuals to over 28 countries around the world to share the Gospel.

About University of Mobile:

University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's and master's degree programs in over 40 areas of study. Founded in 1961, University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres. For more information about University of Mobile, visit the website at www.umobile.edu or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
East Timorese protesters hold a rally demanding a permanent maritime border between East Timor and Australia, in Dili on March 22, 2016; the boundary issue has now been resolved Protesters rallied on March 22 outside the Australian embassy in the East Timor capital Dili, demanding Canberra come to the table "in good faith" to end a long-running dispute over major oil and gasfields in the Timor Sea.

East Timor signed a treaty with Australia at the United Nations on Tuesday to end a decade-old dispute over their maritime border and potentially unlock billions of dollars in offshore gas revenue.

The treaty is expected to provide a major boost to East Timor, one of Asia's poorest countries, by establishing special arrangements for sharing revenue from the Greater Sunrise offshore gas fields in the Timor Sea.

After signing the treaty during a UN ceremony, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters that East Timor stood to gain "substantial benefits" from the deal.

"We are talking billions of dollars over the life of such a resource project," Bishop said.

Discovered in 1974, Greater Sunrise has an estimated worth of between $40 and $50 billion. The offshore fields are located 150 kilometers (93 miles) southeast of East Timor and 450 kilometers northwest of Darwin.

East Timor's minister for delimitations said development of the gas fields through a pipeline that would reach the south coast of his country would be a "game-changer."

Such a project would have a "transformational impact" on the socioeconomics of the country, where 65 percent of the population of 1.5 million are "young people looking for jobs," said Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira.

A commission that oversaw negotiations on the treaty will soon release a report on the various options to develop the Greater Sunrise fields.

- Reassure investors -

East Timor, one of Asia's poorest countries, has been in dispute with Australia over the sea border since its independence from Indonesia in 2002.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres witnessed the signing of the treaty, which was the first-ever reached under a special conciliation mechanism of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

While details of the revenue-sharing arrangement have not been finalized, Bishop said East Timor would receive the lion's share of revenue -- 70 or 80 percent -- from the development of Greater Sunrise.

The project could also help East Timor boost its standing among foreign investors, said Pereira.

"If foreign investors can see that Timor can manage successfully a complex industry downstream, building a platform, a pipeline and an energy plant, they will trust that we can do much more," he said.

In 2016, East Timor dragged Australia before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the world's oldest arbitration tribunal, based in The Hague, after contesting a previous deal signed in 2006.

Dili wanted that treaty, which also covered the vast Greater Sunrise fields, torn up after accusing Australia of spying to gain commercial advantage during the negotiations.

As the dispute escalated, a group of energy companies including Australia's Woodside, ConocoPhillips, Shell and Osaka Gas decided to mothball plans to develop the Greater Sunrise fields.

In January last year, the two neighbors announced that a new pact would be negotiated through the arbitration court.

East Timor was invaded by Indonesia in 1975 before it gained independence in 2002 after a UN-sponsored referendum.
The Hashed al-Shaabi was set up as a paramilitary umbrella organisation to fight IS, but its members have now put their skills to civilian use

Three months ago, Ibrahim Ali was using his digger to smash down defensive embankments built by Islamic State group jihadists in northern Iraq.

But after years of digging for victory, he and his comrades have now turned their skills to civilian use: gouging out irrigation channels for farmers in the southern province of Basra.

"What I'm doing makes me happy," he said, gelled hair glimmering above his sun-browned face.

In 2014, Ali and tens of thousands of others mobilised against IS, in response to a call by Iraq's top Shiite authority, Ayatollah Ali Sistani.

They joined the Hashed al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilisation Units, a paramilitary umbrella organisation set up to fight IS.

Aged 23 at the time, Ali left his parents and his work as a day labourer in the province of Babylon, south of Baghdad.

No caption

As he knew how to operate bulldozers and other heavy equipment, he was assigned to the Hashed's engineering corps, with its slogan: "build and fight".

In December, Iraq announced victory over the Sunni extremists of IS, but the Shiite-dominated Hashed was not disbanded.

Having proved itself as a formidable force on the battlefield, the coalition has become popular across the country, including among many Sunnis.

It now seeks to become a key political player, putting forward candidates in May elections and playing more of a role in the country's civilian affairs.

- 'Continuing the fight' -

Ali joined other Hashed engineers and drivers heading to Basra -- an overwhelmingly Shiite province with more oil resources but poorer infrastructure than any other province.

"We started fighting, now we're building, which is also a way to continue the fight," said Kazem Akram, the engineer in charge of Ibrahim's team in the Al-Qurnah district.

Further east, along the Iranian border, other Hashed teams are clearing mines, while elsewhere their excavators are building or grading roads.

Basra was the first province to see the Hashed launch such projects, but senior officials have said others may be rolled out across the country soon.

"The Hashed has a long-term strategy, relying on its personnel: engineers like me, but also doctors, lawyers, all the professionals who joined it," Akram, a father of three, told AFP.

Ibrahim Ali was assigned to the Hashed's engineering corps, with its slogan: "build and fight"

Mohammad Karim, 24, joined the Hashed in 2015 after graduating as an engineer in Baghdad in 2015.

Unlike many young Iraqis suffering high unemployment, he says he received job offers. But he preferred to enlist in the Hashed.

After more than two years on the front, he is now overseeing the renovation of the edges of a school in Basra, a port city with more than two million residents.

"With the rain, the dirt road was muddy, there was no sewage system and the children had to wade to get to class," he said.

The Hashed has stepped into the breach, agreeing with the municipality to take over the job of rebuilding.

- Hashed 'here for us' -

From his workshop in front of the school, Abou Raed, in his 40s and in charge of 11 people, observes the machines in action.

"Basra is Iraq's cash cow: we call it the Mother of Oil, but we don't even get the most basic services," he said.

"The authorities never come here, but the Hashed, which has already spilled its blood for Iraq, is here for us."

Basra prides itself on having given up more "martyrs" in the fight against IS than any other province. Posters line the roads and monuments stand in the villages to commemorate those who have fallen in battle.

Hashed al-Shaabi fighters ride on infantry fighting vehicles during the advance towards villages between the northern Iraqi cities of Hawija and Kirkuk on October 6, 2017

And despite the fact that the battle is over, the Hashed still has tens of thousands of members.

"All they have done and all these people, can't simply disappear," Karim said.

Hashed engineers take home around 750,000 dinars a month (a little more than $600, 480 euros), a good salary in Iraq and higher than they would earn in the public sector. They also enjoy some level of job security.

Others, Karim said, are there "because it is a humanitarian job".

"The Hashed will remain," he said.

That suits Khalil Fahd, head of the Al-Qurnah water authority. In the past two months, Hashed workers have dug about 40 kilometres (25 miles) of irrigation canals in his district.

"It's a rescue operation, the farmers are threatened by drought," he said. State authorities have neither the means, the equipment nor the men to deal with it.
Lowe (L) has described the US plan as "highly regrettable and bad policy"

Australia's central bank chief Wednesday slammed Donald Trump's decision to levy steel tariffs as "bad policy" and warned of "a very big shock" to the global economy if it sparks retaliation.

The US president plans to impose a 25 percent tax on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminium in a move that has raised fears of a trade war.

It led to the White House's top economic advisor, Gary Cohn, to quit in protest.

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe described the US plan as "highly regrettable and bad policy".

"History is very clear here. Protectionism is costly. It's costly to the country that implements the protectionism, and it's costly to everyone else. It's just not the right thing to do," he told a business summit in Sydney.

"How damaging will this be remains open. If it's just confined to the current higher tariffs on steel and aluminium, then I think it's manageable for the world economy.

"This could turn very badly, though, if it escalates."

Canada, Germany, Britain, France and other US allies have all sounded the alarm over the potential impact of Trump's aggressive agenda on their trade relationships with the United States.

Lowe said if the move triggered retaliation and counter-retaliation, "this could turn into a very big shock for the global economy".

"The best thing to do -- perhaps the hardest thing, but the best thing to do -- is just to sit still and do nothing, to not respond and to continue advocating for open trade."

He acknowledged this would not be easy because "there's a political imperative in some countries to respond to an unjust action".

Canberra has sought to be exempt from the hefty tariffs, citing an understanding reached with the US at G20 meetings last year.

It has not commented on whether it would retaliate directly if the US moved forward with its plans.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is in New York and said Wednesday she planned to meet US counterpart Rex Tillerson to "urge the United States to not proceed down this path".
Kim told visiting South Korean presidential envoy Chung Eui-yong he was willing to discuss denuclearisation with the US

South Korean newspapers on Wednesday cautiously welcomed Pyongyang's offer to discuss denuclearisation, but the main opposition party drew parallels with the Munich Agreement that allowed Hitler to annex parts of Czechoslovakia.

Leader Kim Jong Un told visiting South Korean presidential envoy Chung Eui-yong there was "no reason" for Pyongyang to hold on to its nuclear weapons "if military threats towards the North are cleared and the security of its regime is guaranteed".

Kim was willing to discuss denuclearisation with the US and said Pyongyang would stop nuclear and missile tests while talks are under way, Chung told a briefing, and the North and South agreed to hold a summit next month.

Pyongyang has long said its nuclear arsenal is firmly off the negotiating table.

Seoul newspapers expressed a guarded welcome but warned that major questions remained over the North's sincerity.

"There are positive points in this agreement," the South's conservative Chosun Ilbo daily said in an editorial.

"However, a question mark still hangs over the key issue -- whether the North is genuinely willing to negotiate away its nuclear arsenal," it said.

It noted the North promised "verifiable, irreversible and complete" denuclearisation in a 2005 agreement, but went ahead with a nuclear test a year later.

It warned Pyongyang might attempt to weaken international sanctions through a rapprochement with the South, while playing for time to further develop its nuclear arsenal.

"If this scenario unfolds, South Korea and the international community would again play into the North's hands," it said in an editorial headlined: "Are we going to end the nuclear hostage situation or be cheated again?"

Hong Joon-pyo, the head of the conservative main opposition Liberty Korea Party, lambasted the talks as akin to the 1938 deal British prime minister Neville Chamberlain negotiated with Adolf Hitler -- and proclaimed as "peace for our time" -- agreeing to Nazi Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia.

"The agreement reminds me of the 1938 Munich Agreement," Hong wrote on his Facebook page. "Only fools would be cheated twice," he added.

- 'Shining victory' -

The pro-business Joongang Ilbo daily said that an inter-Korean summit -- which would be the third of its kind -- would be meaningless unless it led to the North's denuclearisation.

The North had carried out 12 missile and nuclear tests since the South's President Moon Jae-in took office in May last year, it pointed out, saying Pyongyang's overtures were aimed at avoiding sanctions.

"If the North really wants to have peace take root on the Korean peninsula, it should take concrete steps for denuclearisation", Joongang said.

The independent Hankyoreh daily was more enthusiastic, welcoming the agreement as "an achievement with great significance that went beyond all expectations".

The agreement "paves the way for a complete denuclearisation in the future", Hankyoreh said.

The North's state media made no mention of the offer in its coverage on Wednesday, with the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers Party, instead leading on messages of congratulation sent to Kim for the 70th anniversary last month of the founding of the North's military.

In a commentary the paper said that Pyongyang's possession of a nuclear arsenal was justified.

"It was a shining victory for us in our struggle to achieve a parity in power with the US that we have come to develop hydrogen bombs and ICBMs," it said.

"There was no other alternative for us in the highly confrontational situation where we alone have to face the US, the world's largest nuclear-armed state, with our own means."
Illegal fishing, piracy and hostage-taking haunt the vast Gulf of Guinea off West Africa, whose coastline runs from Liberia in the west to Gabon in the south

"Sir, we're going to handcuff you," a coast guard from Sao Tome tells a man accused of fishing illegally in the archipelago's waters.

But the "fisherman" is really a French navy seaman disguised in a T-shirt, cap and sunglasses -- a member of an unusual multinational training exercise to combat crime in the Gulf of Guinea.

Illegal fishing, piracy and hostage-taking haunt the vast bay lying off West Africa, whose coastline runs from Liberia in the west to Gabon in the south.

According to the European Union, the Gulf of Guinea is the "worst-affected region" in the world for unauthorised fishing. In 2016, around a third of all catches, a haul worth about 1.5 billion euros ($1.8 billion), were illegal, it says.

In a survey of sea piracy in 2017, the International Maritime Bureau found that of 16 incidents around the world when a vessel came under fire, seven occurred in the Gulf.

In late February, the French patrol boat Lavallee took part in exercises with naval vessels from central African countries over five days, an operation dubbed "African Nemo".

These exercises, held several times a year, are designed to be realistic.

In one, not far off the Sao Tome and Principe archipelago, sailors from Sao Tome were ordered to arrest the crew of a Chinese fishing boat, in the shape of the Lavallee.

A Sao Tome naval officer led his men in boarding the foreign vessel for an inspection and thorough search, which resulted in the arrest of the pretend fisherman for pillaging local fish stocks.

- 'Real-life' training -

The "fishermen" put up a fuss, rowdily complaining of the heat and doing their best to make life more difficult for their captors.

One Sao Tome sailor carefully treated a make-believe injury sustained by a fisherman, setting his arm in a sling.

Once the exercise was over, it was time for an assessment -- the Sao Tome sailors realised they need to beef up safety precautions while boarding a vessel and improve ways of searching a suspect.

Another scenario envisaged an operation against pirates. Aboard a Gabonese patrol boat that sailed from Gabon's coastal capital Libreville, participants practised how to conduct the mission without breaching international maritime law.

"This type of exercise is informative and places us in real-life situations," said the vessel's commander, Sub-Lieutenant Gael Mbanda.

"They enable us to pinpoint our weaknesses in equipment and personnel."

Rules for terms of intervention and sharing tasks were signed in June 2013 by leaders from the 15-nation Ecomomic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and from the 10-nation Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

This accord -- signed in Cameroon and known as the "Yaounde Process" -- has led to stronger cooperation over some 6,000 kilometres (3,700 miles) of African coasts and the adjacent waters, Maritime Security Review reported in June 2017, when EU logistical support began.

Despite the political steps forward, huge practical challenges remain, given the sheer volume of fish stocks stolen in a vast area of water.

"Illegal fishing amounts to a quarter of the value of African exports," said Lionel Kinadjian, the representative of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Gabon.

Senior French naval officer Captain Emmanuel, whose second name was withheld for security reasons, also pointed to a shift in tactics by pirates.

"(They) have moved on from 'bunkering' -- the theft of goods stored aboard a vessel -- to an increase in the taking of hostages for ransom," he said.
Hundreds of young west African men have trudged over the Alps from Italy in the past two years, using one of the lesser known routes on Europe's migrant trail

For many migrants arriving in Europe, it's difficult to talk about the toll taken by the journey. But Ibrahim Soumahoro is unusually frank: the four years spent getting to France have been "lost years".

"I wouldn't make this journey again for anything in the world," the 20-year-old Ivorian said, struggling to control his emotions as he tells his story.

"It's not worthy of a human being, all this humiliation."

After a trip that saw him go through hell in Libya and lose his best friend in the Mediterranean, Soumahoro wound up in Briancon, a town perched high in the French Alps.

In jeans and a hoodie, his hair in short dreadlocks, Soumahoro looks like any other young man, but he has seen enough horror for a lifetime.

"I don't know how many times I've flirted with death. Frankly, I've lost four years of my life."

Soumahoro is one of hundreds of young west African men who have trudged over the Alps from Italy in the past two years, using one of the lesser known routes on Europe's migrant trail.

Born to poor parents in a remote village in Ivory Coast, he was raised by an uncle in the economic capital Abidjan.

But the uncle died in the fighting that followed Ivory Coast's disputed 2011 election, and Ibrahim was left to fend for himself at 13.

He ended up hanging out with street gangs in the city.

Ibrahim's perilous four-year journey to Europe took him through Libya, Italy and finally to France through the Alps

"I had a friend who was like a big brother to me, and we said to ourselves that this wasn't a life," he related.

The pair packed their bags and set off on an international adventure when Soumahoro was just 15.

At first they scraped by in neighbouring Burkina Faso, but that country was also soon plunged into crisis, when anti-government protesters forced out a long-sitting president in 2014.

So the two youths moved on, first to Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, and then to Libya, where they heard there was work to be had rebuilding after the war that toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

They had no idea of the horrors that awaited them there.

They ended up in the desert town of Sabha, where African migrants were kept in slave houses as forced labour -- "one for the Gambians, one for the Guineans, one for the Ivorians", as Soumahoro recalls it.

- Filmed fighting for bread -

At first the boys tried to stay inside, terrified of being kidnapped. But eventually they ran out of money, and went looking for work.

Before they knew it Dosso had been kidnapped.

After his family finally managed to scrape together the money for a ransom, the two Ivorians decided to leave Libya.

Migrants choose the Echelle pass in the Alps because there is no border crossing, but at 1,762 metres high it can be a dangerous journey

They headed to the capital Tripoli, where Soumahoro found odd jobs as a labourer, but his employers were often abusive, warning him off at gunpoint when he demanded his wages.

In 2016, he himself was abducted and spent several weeks in a prison. Every day was filled with appalling humiliations, fed on scraps of bread, detained in filth.

"There were a hundred of us and the guy would throw in 70 pieces of bread. People would fight for them and the prison guards would film us. It made them laugh," he recalled.

People smugglers, meanwhile, painted Europe as an easy escape.

"They tell you the crossing will last 30 minutes and then you'll be in Italy.

"Your friends are already there, and you say to yourself, why don't you take your chance too? This idea gets sold to you, to come to Europe whatever the cost."

In late 2016, Soumahoro and Dosso set sail for Italy in two inflatable boats packed with 120 people.

Dosso drowned after his boat capsized leaving a shaken Soumahoro to plough on alone.

- 'Family to family' -

Soumahoro ploughed on, moving up through Italy, sleeping seven to a tent in the middle of winter.

Eventually he heard that west Africans like him were heading to France through the Echelle pass in the Alps -- perilous, at 1,762 metres (5,780 feet), but with no border crossing.

He entered France in January 2017, taking two days to cross the mountain.

With the help of local volunteers, he has finally been accepted onto a training course as a carer while still waiting for his asylum claim to be processed.

But his days are lonely and full of uncertainty.

"I don't have a fixed place where I can stay, I go from family to family," he said.

"You ask yourself what you're doing here. You tell yourself you're good for nothing. A man's life shouldn't be about staying put and doing nothing; you want to feel useful.

"You want to feel like you're contributing something positive to society."
US President Donald Trump voiced a tentative openness to a "very positive" offer of nuclear talks from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R)

North Korea's surprise offer of nuclear talks has thrown Donald Trump the biggest global challenge of his administration -- and prompted a rare show of restraint from the usually outspoken president.

Perched in the Oval Office, the 71-year-old president was uncharacteristically cautious.

"I don't want to talk so much about things that we don't know yet," he said, holding out for clarity about a seemingly enticing offer from Pyongyang.

Details are still sketchy, but North Korea gave word it may be willing to freeze provocative weapons tests in return for talks with the United States.

Kim Jong Un, the North's leader, may even be willing to scrap nuclear weapons if Washington takes regime change and military action off the table.

Later this week officials from South Korea, who brought the message from Kim, as well as officials from Japan and the United States, will huddle in Washington to compare notes.

But until then, Trump voiced a tentative openness to North Korea's "very positive" offer, even if his administration retains deep doubts.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats was reticent, telling Congress "I'm quite skeptical about all of this."

"Maybe this is a breakthrough. I seriously doubt it," he said. "Hope springs eternal."

One senior administration official, who requested anonymity, suggested "it's a good idea for everybody to keep some perspective, take a deep breath."

"We have a long history, 27 years, of talking to North Korea. There is also a 27-year history of them breaking every agreement they've ever made with the United States," the official said.

- Options open -

Trump's willingness -- at least for now -- to drop his confrontational talk of wars and "little rocket men," is part opportunity and part necessity.

Evan Medeiros, a National Security Council director for Asia under Barack Obama, said it was likely Pyongyang -- which has not yet spoken about the offer itself publicly -- was trying to drive a wedge between South Korea and Washington.

"I'm deeply skeptical" he told AFP. "Pyongyang will use talks to play for time and advantage."

The two treaty allies have not seen eye-to-eye, with the more dovish government of President Moon Jae-in favoring carrot over Washington's stick.

The US president being seen to prematurely slam the door on talks would put a massive strain on relations with Seoul and would likely spell the end of rigorously enforced international sanctions.

It could also fuel divisions within Trump's own administration, where National Security Advisor HR McMaster has reportedly taken a harder line in favor of military action than Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Having lost a string of his most senior aides, including economic advisor Gary Cohn, Trump can hardly afford more resignations in protest.

Even if North Korea is serious, according to Medeiros it is not clear that Trump, who is without an ambassador to Seoul, lost his nuclear special envoy and has hollowed out the State Department, has the wherewithal to engage in real talks and simultaneously keep the coalition pressing North Korea intact.

Most analysts said Pyongyang won a decisive public relations victory over the United States at the Olympics last month, when Vice President Mike Pence appeared open to talks but North Koreans and South Koreans actually met.

- Military options -

Trump's other options are stark.

US officials privately admit that a "bloody nose" strike -- mooted to chasten Kim away from nukes or ballistic missile tests -- was never under serious consideration.

In reality, they say, any strike against North Korea would require overwhelming military force and would almost certainly put 30,000 US personnel and millions of other allied civilians in South Korea at immediate risk.

Diplomacy would seem a better option, but Trump has made clear that unlike his predecessors, he will not let the situation "fester."

On Tuesday, he reportedly held talks with former UN ambassador John Bolton, who is tipped to replace McMaster and recently advocated a "first strike" against North Korea.

During Trump's first visit to the Oval Office in November 2016, then-president Obama warned him he may have to make a fateful decision about North Korea, according to those familiar with the talks.

What he does now in the Oval Office could help decide whether this decades-long nuclear standoff ends on the battlefield or at the negotiating table.

But as George W. Bush found in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as Richard Nixon found in Vietnam, wars have a way of defining presidencies.
US adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2006, the year she alleges her affair with Donald Trump began

A porn star sued President Donald Trump on Tuesday to declare a "hush agreement" over their alleged affair invalid because he never signed it, documents say.

Los Angeles lawyer Michael Avenatti posted on his Twitter account a copy of what appears to be the suit filed on behalf of the porn star who goes by the name Stormy Daniels. Her real name is Stephanie Clifford.

The hush agreement does "not exist, because, among other things, Mr Trump never signed" the document with a Superior Court of California stamp, the suit says.

It alleges she had an intimate relationship with Trump from 2006 to 2007, which she sought to reveal after Trump won the Republican Party nomination for president and other women claimed to have had sexual encounters with him.

With help from his lawyer Michael Cohen, Trump then sought to "aggressively... silence Ms Clifford as part of an effort to avoid her telling the truth, thus helping to ensure he won the presidential election," the document says.

Cohen prepared a non-disclosure agreement, a copy of which is attached to the lawsuit and which required a $130,000 payment to be wired from a company known as Essential Consultants LLC to Clifford in return for her silence, according to the documents.

Using the pseudonyms Peggy Peterson and David Dennison, Clifford and Trump were to sign the agreement, along with Essential Consultants.

Days before the November 2016 presidential election which Trump won, Clifford put her name to the document, as did Cohen for Essential Consultants, it says.

"Mr. Trump, however, did not sign the agreement, thus rendering it legally null and void and of no consequence," the document adds.

Cohen told US media last month that he paid Clifford $130,000, prompting her manager to suggest a non-disclosure agreement had been broken.

Cohen declined to give details such as why he made the payment, or if Trump was aware of it at the time.

"Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly," Cohen said, according to the New York Times.

Trump declined to comment on the issue. The White House has dodged questions about whether allegations of an affair are true, claiming the matter was dealt with during the campaign.

Cohen's comments came after the watchdog group Common Cause filed a federal complaint in January arguing that the payout may have violated campaign finance rules.
Sri Lankan police commandos patrol next to debris of from a damaged shop in the central district of Kandy on March 6, 2018, after a state of emergency was declared

Police fired teargas to disperse rioters in curfew-bound central Sri Lanka hours after a state of emergency was imposed in a bid to quell anti-Muslim violence, an official said Wednesday.

At least three police were wounded in the overnight clashes at Menikhinna, a suburb of Kandy, which has been a focus of the new trouble, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Seven people were arrested for breaking the curfew and trying to cause unrest in the multi-ethnic district, which is a popular tourist destination.

Schools across Kandy, 115 kilometres (72 miles) east of Colombo, remained closed Wednesday as the government ordered more troops to reinforce police and stop the unrest spreading.

Foreign governments issued travel warnings following Tuesday's declaration of a state of emergency which gives sweeping powers to police and security forces to arrest and detain suspects.

"The state of emergency may include curfews in specific locations," the British government said. "You should exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies, and comply with local security requirements."

The US State department told its citizens that further incidents were possible and advised those visiting the island to monitor local media for updates.

More than 150 homes, shops and vehicles were set ablaze during two days of rioting. Two people were also killed in the unrest.

Tensions rose on Tuesday as the body of a 24-year-old Muslim man was pulled out of a burnt building.

Sri Lanka's parliament Tuesday issued an apology to the Muslim minority, which constitutes 10 percent of the country's population of 21 million.

"We want to apologise to the Muslim community for the inhuman acts that have taken place," state enterprise development minister Lakshman Kiriella said in parliament.

Sri Lankan police commandos patrol on the streets of Pallekele, a suburb of Kandy, on March 6, 2018, following anti-Muslim riots that has prompted the government to declare a state of emergency

City planning minister Rauff Hakeem described the riots as a "monumental security lapse" and recommended disciplinary action against those responsible.

Riots erupted on Monday after a man from the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese majority died at the hands of a Muslim mob last week.

Mobs set fire to Muslim-owned businesses and attacked a mosque in the east of the country last week after a Muslim chef was accused of adding contraceptives to food sold to Sinhalese customers.

Last November riots in the south of the island left one man dead and homes and vehicles damaged.

In June 2014 riots between Buddhists and Muslims left four dead and many injured. That bout of violence was instigated by a Buddhist extremist group whose leaders are on trial, accused of spurring religious conflict.
Pro-Taiwan indepedence activists hold banners on the 70th anniversary of the "228 Incident", a violent mainland crackdown

President Xi Jinping's vision of a resurgent Chinese nation raises a huge red flag for democratic rival Taiwan, with the pressure set to rise now Xi has a lifetime to realise his ambitions.

China sees Taiwan as a renegade province and has long stated its desire for reunification, an ambition strongly opposed by the self-ruling island, which has an elected government, freedom of speech and a deep-seated sense of its own identity.

But with plans to abolish China's presidential term limits, paving the way for a decades-long rule by Xi and making him the most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, analysts predict Taiwan will face a squeeze on multiple fronts, from the economy to defence and diplomatic ties.

"Taiwan is Xi Jinping's major ambition. He is obsessed by reunification because it will be his place in history, his claim to immortality," said Hong Kong-based political analyst Willy Lam.

Bringing Taiwan back into the fold is key to Xi's vision of China as a global superpower and by doing so he would achieve something even Mao had not, Lam added, describing the island as a symbol of colonial humiliation for China.

Taiwan was ruled for 50 years by the Japanese until the end of World War II and is protected by the United States, its major ally.

- Carrot and stick -

China's rubber-stamp parliament is expected to approve a constitutional amendment to scrap the two-term limit for the presidency on Sunday.

In a report to the opening session of the annual National People's Congress in Beijing on Monday, Premier Li Keqiang warned China would not tolerate any "separatist schemes" in Taiwan and would "advance China's peaceful reunification".

Solving what he calls the "Taiwan issue" is every Chinese leader's wish, said Beijing-based political commentator Hua Po, although he believes Xi will turn his attentions to domestic issues first.

The abolition of China's presidential term limits paves the way for a decades-long rule by Xi Jinping

"After he has achieved internal stability, he will take more tough and efficient measures against Taiwan," said Hua, who said those could include armed force.

However, most observers believe China will stop short of military intervention, which would prompt a reaction from the US and damage its international image.

Instead they predict Beijing will continue its aggressive military posturing -- in the past year it has upped drills around the island and Taiwan has pledged to boost its defence force against the rising threat.

There will also be renewed diplomatic and economic pressure. China has wooed more of Taiwan's dwindling number of global allies in the past two years.

Jonathan Sullivan, director of the China Policy Institute at Nottingham University, says Beijing will combine tough measures with a charm offensive, nurturing relationships with Taiwanese politicians and businesses, as well as launching an "information campaign" to show Taiwanese people their vulnerabilities.

"China has more leverage than it has thus far chosen to use -- although Taiwan is by no means helpless and simply waiting to be annexed," Sullivan said.

"It will continue to be carrot and stick."

- Entrenched divide -

Xi's rhetoric against challenges to Chinese sovereignty has also targeted semi-autonomous Hong Kong, where the emergence of activists calling for independence from the mainland has incensed Beijing.

Monday's NPC report skipped key phrases on the extent to which Hong Kong governs itself, terms which have traditionally been included.

Political freedoms are increasingly under threat in the city with candidates linked to calls for independence or self-determination barred from standing for office.

President Tsai Ing-wen stands in front of a slogan calling for Taiwan to build its own submarines, at a navy base in the island's south

Taiwan has never formally declared independence from the mainland despite being self-ruling since 1949 and China has said it would respond with force to any attempted split.

Relations have soured in the past two years under President Tsai Ing-wen, who has refused to acknowledge the island is part of "one China" and whose party traditionally supports independence.

Beijing unilaterally cut off official communications with Taiwan shortly after she took office in 2016.

Taiwan will continue to look to its traditional partner the US for backing, but analysts characterise President Donald Trump's policymaking as unpredictable.

Some on the island are concerned it will be used as a pawn as he negotiates with Beijing on issues from trade to North Korea.

But there are signs of moves towards further support -- the US Senate last week passed a bill to encourage visits between Washington and Taipei "at all levels", angering Beijing.

Washington cut formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1979 in favour of Beijing, but maintains trade relations with the island and sells it weapons.

Analysts see no end to the cross-strait impasse, with little prospect Taiwan will come round to Beijing's way of thinking.

"Xi needs something concrete to justify the extension of his term," says Chang Ya-chung, political analyst at National Taiwan University.

"Taiwan will feel the increasing pressure."

burs-lm/mtp/sls
It took weeks of sleuthing to verify the unusual find as the world's oldest known message in a bottle

A message in a bottle written 132 years ago and found on an Australian beach by a group of walkers including the parents of Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo has been verified as the world's oldest known missive of its kind.

The rectangular bottle was discovered half-buried in sand dunes near Wedge Island, some 160 kilometres (99 miles) north of Perth, in January.

It took weeks of sleuthing using Google Translate, online research and archival digging before the unusual find was confirmed as an authentic bottle thrown from a German ship into the Indian Ocean.

The group of six had been driving through the remote west-coast dunes when Grace Ricciardo suggested they stop to take a walk, Kym Illman told AFP Wednesday.

The group thought they might have picked up something special when they shook the bottle and a damp, rolled-up parchment that looked like a cigarette fell out

His wife Tonya accompanied her and spotted the object, thinking it was rubbish.

"She thought, 'That looks nice, that'll look good on my bookshelf'," he said.

The group thought they might have picked up something special when they shook the bottle and a damp, rolled-up parchment that looked like a cigarette fell out.

Returning to their nearby holiday home, they opened the note after warming it briefly in an oven.

Illman used his knowledge of basic German to decipher instructions asking the finder to send details of where and when the bottle was found.

The discovery led Kym Illman to plunge into weeks of research and discussions with museums

Using Google Translate to understand the rest of the text, Illman realised they might be the first people to read the note -- if it was authentic -- since June 12, 1886, according to the date written on it.

The discovery led Illman to plunge into weeks of research and discussions with museums, before settling on the theory it might be a 19th century Dutch gin bottle thrown from the German sailing barque Paula some 950 kilometres from the West Australian coast.

It was one of thousands of bottles used in a long-term German oceanographic experiment to better understand global ocean currents and find faster, more efficient shipping routes, the Western Australian Museum said.

The bottle was one of thousands used in a long-term German oceanographic experiment, the Western Australian Museum said

"Extraordinary finds need extraordinary evidence to support them, so we contacted colleagues in the Netherlands and Germany for help to find more information," the museum's assistant curator for maritime archaeology Ross Anderson said in a statement.

"Incredibly, an archival search in Germany found Paula's original Meteorological Journal and there was an entry for 12 June 1886 made by the captain, recording a drift bottle having been thrown overboard.

"The date and the coordinates correspond exactly with those on the bottle message."

The museum said Germany's Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency and National Meteorological Service had verified the find as authentic, with the bottle to go on display at the WA Maritime Museum in Fremantle.

The previous oldest known message in a bottle was found in Germany 108 years and 138 days after it was thrown into the North Sea by a marine biologist in 1906.
Aye Maung (C) leaves after his trial

A Rakhine Buddhist politician facing treason charges linked to deadly riots appeared in a Myanmar court on Wednesday, a case that has aggravated ethnic tensions in a region also roiled by the crackdown on Rohingya Muslims.

Rakhine state has seethed with ethnic hatreds for years, with persecution of the Rohingya minority culminating in a ruthless army campaign against them that started last August and sparked a mass exodus.

Yet the Buddhist Rakhine community, some of whom are accused of aiding soldiers in the crackdown, has also frequently clashed with the central government and tensions have soared since riots rocked a Rakhine town in January.

Aye Maung, an MP and former chairman of a Rakhine political party known for hardline anti-Rohingya views, was charged for allegedly making an inflammatory speech against the central government on January 15, a day before the unrest.

State-backed media said he railed against the government for treating Rakhine people as "slaves" and said it was the "right time" for the community to launch an armed struggle.

The following evening ethnic Rakhine protesters briefly seized a government building in Mrauk U, an ethnic Rakhine town.

Police opened fire on the mob and killed seven people, souring already bitter relations between the community and local authorities.

Aye Maung, who was arrested later that week and faces charges of high treason, incitement and unlawful association, has insisted on his innocence and accused local authorities of a politicised witch-hunt.

"We think that the administrative side wants to charge us. That's why the judicial pillar must stand firmly," he told AFP at the heavily guarded court in state capital Sittwe.

The deadly riots exposed the bitter and complex ethnic fault-lines in Rakhine, where some 700,000 Rohingya Muslims based further north have fled over the border into Bangladesh since a brutal military campaign began in August.

Members of the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population are accused of assisting the military in a campaign of murder, rape and arson against the Rohingya -- violence the UN brands "ethnic cleansing".

Myanmar staunchly denies the charges.

Unlike the Rohingya Muslims, the Rakhine are recognised by the government as an ethnic minority but are often marginalised under a system that favours the nationally dominant Bamar (Burmese).

Some 100 protesters rallied outside the courthouse in support of both Aye Maung and fellow detainee and writer Wai Hin Aung, who faces the same charges for a speech at the same event.

"We feel very sorry to see Dr Aye Maung and Wai Hin Aung like this. They are working for the people," 53-year-old Tin Phyu said.

Gabrielle Aron, an independent analyst in Myanmar, said a guilty verdict would be widely interpreted as a move to "politically oppress the Rakhine people".

The proceedings "have the potential to further destabilise an already tense situation", she added.
Alleged serial killer Rosu Khan appears in court in Chandpur district

An alleged serial killer sentenced to death by a Bangladesh court Wednesday for torturing and murdering a woman may have claimed at least seven other victims, authorities said.

It was the second time Rosu Khan had been condemned to death after a separate court in 2015 ordered his hanging for murdering another woman.

Prosecutors in the latest case said Khan and two accomplices lured a 35-year-old woman to a deserted area where she was raped, tortured and murdered.

"It was a gruesome killing," said prosecutor Habibul Islam Talukder from Chandpur, the southern district where a special tribunal heard the case.

Khan, 46, could appeal against Wednesday's verdict in a higher court. The 2015 verdict is currently under appeal.

Talukder said Khan also faces charges of murdering seven other women whose bodies have been found, and had told a magistrate during the investigative process that he was behind the death of at least 11 women.

Most of his victims worked in garment factories and were lured to remote rural areas before being killed, the prosecutor said.

Police investigators previously said Khan would build trust with victims by pretending to be romantically interested in them.

"He told us he wanted to kill at least 101 women as revenge against a woman who refused his advances some 15 years ago," Ranjit Kumar Palit, a Chandpur police inspector, told AFP after Khan's arrest in 2009.

Police believe Khan may have started his murder spree in 2007.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde warned Wednesday a trade war will have a fearsome impact on global growth

The head of the International Monetary Fund warned Wednesday that a trade war US President Donald Trump apparently intends to provoke with tariffs on steel and aluminium would snuff out global growth.

"If international trade is called into question by these types of measures, it will be a transmission channel for a drop in growth, a drop in trade and it will be fearsome," Christine Lagarde said on RTL radio.

"In a trade war that will be fed by reciprocal increases of customs tariffs, no one wins," she added.

Trump boasted last week on Twitter that trade wars are "easy to win" after his initial announcement of 10 percent tariffs on imports of aluminium and a 25 percent levy on steel brought into the United States provoked a global outcry.

US allies have threatened to retaliate by slapping tariffs on US goods entering their markets. The EU is expected to detail its retaliatory measures on Wednesday.

"We are anxious that these are not triggered, we are urging the sides to reach agreements, hold negotiations, consultations," said Lagarde.

The IMF chief said that to a certain extent she understood the US president's frustration with the global trade system.

Trump "has good reasons to protest against the current situation. There are countries that don't always respect WTO agreements, which have technology transfer requirements, one thinks naturally of China, but China isn't the only country to have such practices," said Lagarde.

The Trump administration has made the World Trade Organization (WTO) a preferred target of its "America First" policy, threatening to pull the US out of the trade body it says is hampering its ability to compete.
Now that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has offered to discuss denuclearisation, what next?

North Korea has offered to discuss denuclearisation with the United States and consider abandoning its weapons programmes in exchange for security guarantees, according to Seoul, the latest chapter in a rapid Olympics-driven rapprochement on the Korean peninsula.

- Have we been here before? -

Decades of Western attempts to persuade Pyongyang to abandon nuclear weapons have failed.

The 1994 Agreed Framework offered the North civilian nuclear reactors and other assistance in exchange for denuclearisation.

It fell apart after the US accused the isolated state of covertly restarting its weapons programme and aid delays angered Pyongyang, which eventually stormed out.

In 2003 the Beijing-led Six Party Talks began, bringing together the US, both Koreas, Russia, Japan and China in a tortuous process.

North Korea pledged to give up its nuclear programmes in 2005, but carried out its first atomic blast the following year.

It walked out three years later, detonating its second device soon afterwards.

Pyongyang has since continued its weapons drive, accelerating it after Kim inherited power in 2011 from his father Kim Jong Il.

Last year it carried out its sixth nuclear blast and launched missiles it said were capable of reaching the US mainland.

- What happens next?

Two top ranking South Korean officials will travel to Washington on Thursday to brief officials on details of their Pyongyang trip.

National security advisor Chung Eui-yong and spy chief Suh Hoon will meet with President Donald Trump, according to Yonhap news agency.

"We can't reveal everything to the press but we have a separate message from North Korea for the US," Chung told reporters.

More cross-border exchanges are expected between the two Koreas as they prepare for a summit between the North's Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in next month.

The two leaders will meet on the southern side of the fortified border village of Panmunjom for what would be only the third inter-Korean summit since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

- What will be the sticking points?

North Korea has yet to confirm the concessions Seoul says Pyongyang has offered so its motives are open to interpretation.

What it means by security guarantees and the elimination of military threats against it -- which it says it needs to consider giving up nuclear weapons -- will be crucial.

Previously it has demanded the withdrawal of US troops based in the South and the end of the security alliance between Seoul and Washington, pointed out Go Myong-Hyun of the Asan Institute of Policy Studies.

"If North Koreans again brought this up as a condition for denuclearisation, its just the same way as saying that North Korea is not willing to give up their nuclear weapons," he said.

Pyongyang and Washington may also have diverging views on denuclearisation.

The North could seek "a dialogue for peaceful coexistence" with the US, said Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Dongguk University.

"That's far from the complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation that the US expects," Koh added.

- What happens to the joint exercises?

Both Seoul and Washington say they will press ahead with joint war games after the the Paralympics end on March 18 -- which means they could coincide with the inter-Korean summit.

The Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises -- which usually begin in late Feburary or early March -- were postponed as part of Seoul's efforts to draw the North to attend the Winter Games in the South.

Military tensions often run high during the exercises, with the North carrying out its own counter-drills against what it condemns as rehearsals for a war.

But according to a senior official at the South's presidential office, Kim said during Monday's meeting he would "understand" if Seoul goes ahead with the delayed exercises.

- How will it play internally in the North? -

Kim has made atomic weapons a core part of North Korea's political identity.

In his New Year's address -- which began the diplomatic dance -- he declared the development of the state nuclear force "complete".

The North's media made no mention of its new position on Wednesday, but analysts dismissed the possibility of any internal conflict over Kim's offer to put its "treasured sword" up for negotiation.

"It is something only the Dear Leader can say," said Professor Koo Kab-woo of the University of North Korean Studies, adding that it was a "typical" example of Kim's "autonomy".

In his meeting with the South's delegation, Kim referred to denuclearisation as the dying wish of the previous North Korean leaders -- his grandfather Kim Il Sung and father Kim Jong Il -- according to Seoul officials.

"By referring to the wishes of the forefathers, all internal conflict has been eliminated," Koo said, adding: "That's the best card Kim Jong Un can use."
A Syrian army tank rolls into the formerly rebel-held area of Beit Nayem in Eastern Ghouta on March 6, 2018

Hundreds more pro-regime fighters have been deployed to front lines in Syria's Eastern Ghouta, a monitor said on Wednesday, tightening the noose around the shrinking rebel enclave.

"At least 700 Afghan, Palestinian, and Syrian loyalist militiamen came from Aleppo and were sent late Tuesday to Ghouta," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based monitor said the reinforcements were deployed to two main battlefronts on the western side of the enclave, including the town of Harasta.

The Syrian army and allied militia launched an offensive on February 18 to retake Eastern Ghouta, the last rebel-controlled region near the capital Damascus.

They have since recaptured more than 40 percent of the enclave with support from a devastating bombing campaign that has killed more than 800 civilians.

By Wednesday, government troops were at the edges of several key towns, including Misraba, Beit Sawa, Jisreen and Hammuriyeh.

AFP correspondents in Eastern Ghouta heard warplanes overhead carrying all out strikes on the battleground towns.

Two barrel bombs hit Al-Rihan, near the enclave's largest town of Douma.

Syrian regime forces enter the formerly rebel-held village of Utaya in Eastern Ghouta on March 5, 2018

The raids came despite a daily "humanitarian pause" announced by Russia last week that is meant to bring calm to Eastern Ghouta between 9:00 am (0700 GMT) and 2:00 pm each day.

Moscow's initiative has fallen short of the UN Security Council's demand more than a week ago for an immediate ceasefire for Eastern Ghouta.

The council is to meet at 1500 GMT on Wednesday to discuss the failure of the truce to take hold.
Myanmar and Bangladesh have blamed each other for delays to the repatriation of Rohingya refugees

A senior Bangladesh cabinet minister has accused Myanmar of obstructing efforts to repatriate roughly 750,000 Rohingya refugees, saying it was unlikely the displaced Muslims would ever return to their homeland.

Finance minister A.M.A Muhith said the repatriation deal signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh in November would likely fail despite his government's official stance that the refugees must eventually go back.

"I do not believe the Rohingya can be sent back," Muhith, an outspoken minister from the ruling party, told reporters late Tuesday in Dhaka after meeting with a British charity.

"You can speculate that very few will return to Burma. The first reason is that Burma will only take a few and secondly is that the refugees will never return if they fear persecution," he added, using another name for Myanmar.

Bangladesh insists the repatriation process will go ahead, last month submitting to Myanmar the names of 8,000 refugees expected to return to Rakhine state where the Muslim minority has been persecuted for generations.

But the plan has courted controversy from the outset.

Rights groups and the UN have warned that conditions for their return are not close to being in place.

Refugees living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh have also resisted the idea, fearing they will not be safe if they return to Rakhine.

Close to one million refugees from the persecuted Muslim minority live in squalid camps in Cox's Bazar, having fled successive waves of violence in Myanmar's westernmost region.

Under the agreement, the first of a proposed 750,000 returnees were scheduled to begin crossing the border in late January.

But the process stalled, with Myanmar and Bangladesh blaming the other for a lack of preparedness for the huge undertaking.

Muhith said Myanmar would "take 15 a day when there is one million", referring to the Rohingya in camps strung along the border.

"They (Myanmar) are absolute evil," he added.

A UN human rights envoy said Tuesday that Myanmar was continuing its "ethnic cleansing" of the Rohingya with a "campaign of terror and forced starvation" in Rakhine state.

Rohingya are still streaming across the border from Rakhine state more than six months after a Myanmar army crackdown sparked a massive refugee crisis.
'Wild Swans' author Jung Chang is among those Macau's literary festival organisers have been told will not be welcomed by authorities

Three writers -- including bestselling "Wild Swans" author Jung Chang -- will no longer attend the Macau Literary Festival after authorities there said they were likely to be barred, the latest sign of Beijing's hardening line across its territories.

Macau is a semi-autonomous part of China and the move to scupper the writers comes as Beijing ramps up warnings against any challenges to its authority and sovereignty.

London-based Chang has been highly critical of China's political system. Her works, which include an explosive biography of Mao Zedong, have been banned on the mainland.

The two other authors targeted by officials have both written in-depth about North Korea, which counts China as its main ally and diplomatic defender.

"We were informed informally, unofficially, that it was not considered timely that these guests would come to Macau at this moment and that there was a high probability that they would not be allowed to enter Macau," the festival's co-founder and programme director Helder Beja told AFP.

Beja said the information had come from "the relevant authorities" but did not want to expand further.

He confirmed that the authors had been informed and would now not attend the event which will kick off Monday.

"We advised them not to come because we did not want to put them in that position," Beja told AFP.

Some pro-democracy activists and Hong Kong journalists have in the past been barred from entering Macau, where the partially elected local government is loyal to Beijing.

New York-based author and investigative journalist Suki Kim, who went undercover to write a bestselling book about life in North Korea, was one of the three writers to fall foul of authorities, says Beja.

The third was James Church, a pseudonym used by a former Western intelligence officer who has written a series of novels about a fictional North Korean policeman called Inspector O.

Beja said Church had been set to speak publicly about his work at the festival while Chang and Kim would also have talked about their major titles.

A report from China's rubber-stamp legislature Monday omitted language supporting the political autonomy of Hong Kong and Macau that had featured prominently in previous years, seen as a signal of a hardening stance.

Beja said he had never before experienced interference since the event first started in 2012.

Better-known as a gambling enclave, Macau has a thriving arts scene and the festival pulled in 15,000 visitors last year.

Hong Kong PEN, a literary campaign group which defends freedom of expression, described the author ban as "deplorable".

"We urge the Macau administration not to use access to their city as a covert tool of political control in determining what kind of books are deemed acceptable," it said in a statement.

The Macau government had no immediate response when contacted by AFP for comment.
Many residents who returned to Dikwa after fleeing jihadist attacks now live in a camp for the displaced

Boko Haram killed 10 people in three separate attacks in northeast Nigeria, in the latest violence against civilians in the restive region, local militia said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, four loggers were killed when they stepped on a landmine left by the jihadists near Dikwa, 90 kilometres (55 miles) east of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri.

The four had gone to retrieve a vehicle abandoned the previous day following a Boko Haram ambush that left three dead.

"Four people died yesterday (Tuesday) just outside Dikwa as a result of an explosion from a mine planted by Boko Haram," Babakura Kolo, a militia leader in Maiduguri, told AFP.

"They were among a team of loggers who were attacked by Boko Haram on Monday while on their way to the bush to collect firewood under security escort.

"Three loggers were killed in the attack while the rest fled to Dikwa and left behind a pickup van."

Another militia leader, Ibrahim Liman, gave a similar account of the incident.

Also on Tuesday, three people were killed in Gamboru on the border with Cameroon, said Umar Kachalla, a militia leader who is based in the town.

He said the attackers sneaked into the town on foot at about 2:00 am (0100 GMT).

"They slaughtered their first victim in the Kasuwar Shanu area and looted his provision store before moving to Fulatari area where they shot dead two residents," he said.

The motive for the killings were unclear, he added.

In August 2014 Boko Haram seized Dikwa, forcing residents to flee to Maiduguri.

Chadian troops retook it from the insurgents the following March, allowing residents to return, but sporadic attacks persist from the jihadists hiding in remote areas.

Most of the returnees to Dikwa live in a camp for the displaced where they rely on food handouts from aid agencies.

Many have turned to felling trees from the surrounding bushland to sell as firewood to make money to buy extra provisions.

Boko Haram have increasingly targeted loggers in their armed campaign, accusing them of spying and passing information to the military and the local militia fighting them.

In January five loggers were killed in Ajeri village near Dikwa in an attack that left four others injured.

The Islamist militants' nearly nine-year insurgency has killed at least 20,000 and forced some 2.6 million others to flee their homes, sparking a dire humanitarian crisis.
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- An Ocean Springs business owner will represent her city when she competes for the Mrs. Mississippi crown this weekend.

Karen Horn, who co-owns The Love Shack Bar & Grill with her husband, Dr. Greg Horn, will seek to succeed the reigning Mrs. Mississippi, Tiffany Stone of Belden, who competed in the 2018 Mrs. America pageant in Las Vegas.

Horn is retired from Kessler Air Force Base, where she worked as a Medical Lab Tech in the Armed Services Blood Program. Together, she and her husband are the parents of eight children and are active in their community.

As her pageant platform, Horn is actively trying to educated and prevent bullying and cyber bullying in schools. She recently spoke to students at Ocean Springs Middle School on the subject.

The Mrs. Mississippi America Pageant begins Friday and runs through Sunday in Spring Hill, Tenn., where it is being held in conjunction with the Mrs. Tennessee America Pageant in the auditorium of Spring Hill Middle School.

To qualify for the pageant, contestants must be at least 18 years of age, married, a resident of the state in which she is competing for at least three months, and of good moral character.

Contestants will be judged in four categories: personal interview, beauty, swimsuit and evening gown, with each comprising 25 percent of the total score. Addition awards are presented, including Mrs. Fitness, Best Smile, Mrs. Photogenic, Mrs. Congeniality, and Top Ad Sales.

The winner will receive an all-expense paid trip to the Mrs. America pageant in Las Vegas in August, as well as prizes in excess of $16,000.
EU firms fear tech giants like Google will have even more power once the new rules come into force

Dozens of European media, telecom and internet firms criticised Wednesday the EU's new online privacy rules, saying they will effectively hand US tech giants even greater power over user data.

On May 25, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force.

It is designed to protect users' online privacy, but in an open letter titled "Europe cannot afford to miss the data revolution", the companies said it will "reinforce already dominant players in the data economy".

In their view, the rules "would threaten the development of European startups and innovative companies, online advertising, telecom operators, and other sectors alike; and would undermine the essential role of press and media in European democratic life".

The European Parliament has adopted the regulation but European governments have yet to approve the text.

Under the new regulation, users will be asked once and for all whether to accept cookies, rather than every time they visit a new website.

Users will have the option of going invisible online, while the rules enshrine the so-called "right to be forgotten" legislation.

But the European Commission is concerned over the lack of awareness among both users and small firms of the imminent change.

- Who says no to cookies? -

Furthermore, it is unclear whether the bulk of users would ever opt out of allowing cookies while browsing -- leaving them at the mercy of targeted advertising from the very tech giants that power their browsing and social media experiences.

While Google, Apple and Facebook are based in the United States, they will also have to apply the new regulations to their European users.

Nonetheless, the European firms fear they will bear the brunt of the changes, potentially depriving EU advertisers of user information they need to connect to consumers.

Among the signatories of the letter is a leading French media association, the SPQN -- of which AFP is a member.

Other signatories include French telecom giants Orange and SFR, German group Deutsche Startups and the European Magazine Media Association.

Speaking to AFP, data company France Digitale's co-chair Jean-David Chamboredon said: "We risk handing over the total monopoly to some operators, which will always find a way to collect user data."

The US tech giants already an outsize role in the French online advertising market, capturing a whopping 92 percent of the sector's growth in 2017.
The 3,000 legislators of the National People's Congress fill a mostly ceremonial role

China is set to pass its first constitutional amendments in 14 years this weekend, but at Wednesday's public discussion on the changes, delegates seemed more interested in talking about beef noodles and taking naps.

No one expected dissent as legislators from the northwest provinces of Gansu and Qinghai gathered in Beijing's cavernous Great Hall of the People Wednesday to deliberate changes to the nation's most important legal document.

There is little suspense about the outcome of Sunday's momentous vote to institute a number of major constitutional revisions including a decision to remove presidential term limits, opening a path for the current leader Xi Jinping to rule for life.

A delegate wears a traditional ethnic Yugur conical white hat sprouting a tuft of red fringe

The 3,000 legislators of the National People's Congress fill a mostly ceremonial role. The real decisions have already been made by the ruling Communist Party.

But even so, Wednesday's two open sessions seemed remarkably free of substantive discussion about the consequential legal reform.

At the Qinghai meeting, delegates sat in a horseshoe as men in grey suits droned on about the work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang to kick off the parliamentary session on Monday.

Half the session was spent reading off prepared speeches about issues such as environmental protection and clean energy

Ethnic minority representatives in the colourful robes of Tibet and Mongolia looked on. A couple of men wore the white skull caps typical of the region's Hui Muslims.

They were nominally there to discuss the constitutional revisions, which include the rollout of a national anti-graft body, a larger role for the Communist Party and the addition of Xi's eponymous political philosophy.

His "thought is extremely close to the public's will, the public's hearts, and is suitable for the totality of the undertakings of the Party and the nation", said delegate Zhang Yongli, in comments that were echoed by everyone around him.

Constitutional revisions include the rollout of a national anti-graft body and the addition of Xi's eponymous political philosophy

Half the session was spent reading out prepared speeches about issues such as environmental protection and clean energy. One delegate reached over and gently pinched a neighbour who had fallen asleep.

In the ochre marble room hosting the Gansu meeting, the "deliberations" were more about reading prepared remarks than debating the constitutional amendments.

"The changes are people-centred and full of warmth," gushed Yang Hairong, president of a women's association in her village and an ethnic Yugur dressed in a traditional conical white hat sprouting a tuft of red fringe.

Fan Peng, a member of Gansu's local legislature, said he had listened to the advice of regular people, intellectuals and relatives after the constitutional amendment was proposed.

When journalists were allowed to ask questions, Chinese reporters focused their queries on development, poverty, tourism and food

"Everyone I saw, without exception, completely supports the Communist Party proposal," Fan said.

His words echo the party's claim that "the masses" unanimously approve the amendment, even though many Chinese people have expressed their disapproval on social media, prompting censors to block their views.

When journalists were allowed to ask questions, Chinese reporters focused their queries on development, poverty, tourism and food, prompting a discussion about Gansu's famous Lanzhou noodles.

None of the questions were about the constitutional amendments.
Thailand, one of the world's largest seafood exporters, has a notoriously abusive fishing industry

Abysmal labour conditions in Thailand's seafood industry have started to improve, according to a new UN study describing rare bright spots in a multi-billion dollar sector notorious for its abuses.

Thailand is the world's fourth largest seafood exporter but its supplier status has been badly tainted by reports of slave labour and trafficking among the mainly migrant work force staffing the kingdom's fleets.

In 2015 the EU threatened to ban Thai seafood products over labour violations and rampant illegal fishing, sending the ruling junta scrambling to clean-up the lucrative industry's image.

A new report by the EU and the UN's International Labor Organization (ILO) published Wednesday said progress had been made in some areas but cautioned that labour abuses persist.

"A lot has been done, but more needs to be done," Luisa Ragher, charge d'affaires with the EU delegation to Thailand, said at a presentation of the findings in Bangkok.

The study surveyed 434 workers in 11 provinces in March and April 2017, split almost evenly between fishing crews and those who work in onshore processing plants.

On the plus side, it found that there were fewer reports of physical violence compared to a survey about four years ago.

The survey also showed that average wages had increased and that 43 percent of employees reported having written contracts.

But marring the progress were findings that other "unsatisfactory labour practices" and abuses continued.

In the fishing sector almost two-thirds of respondents said they had no day off per week, while roughly a quarter had pay withheld by boat owners, sometimes having to wait more than 12 months to receive it.

There also appeared to be a large wage gap between genders, with 52 percent of women interviewees saying they were paid below the legal minimum wage.

More than half of those surveyed reported experiencing at least one aspect of forced labour, which the study defined as including intimidation and threats, retention of identity documents, abusive working conditions and excessive overtime.

The report is part of a three-year project to assess progress and make recommendations to the Thai government.

Thailand's ruling junta has trumpeted a slew of crackdowns and reforms of the industry since its 2014 power grab.

But rights groups have warned that much of the efforts are superficial or short-lived.

In January, Human Rights Watch said reforms have focused on tackling illegal fishing but done little to curb worker exploitation, with ship inspections for labour abuses "largely a theatrical exercise for international consumption".
Days of anti-Muslim rioting has killed at least two and destroyed homes and businesses in Kandy

Sri Lanka on Wednesday blocked access to Facebook and suspended internet services in a troubled central district after police warned that rioters were using social media to spread anti-Muslim sentiment.

The government declared an island-wide state of emergency Tuesday and imposed curfews across Kandy after days of rioting claimed at least two lives and left Muslim homes and businesses in ruins.

Schools were shut across Kandy, a hill station popular with tourists, as rioters defied curfews and clashed with police who used teargas to disperse the mobs.

A senior government source said Sri Lanka's telecoms regulator had asked internet providers to block access to Facebook and other social media platforms to stop the unrest spreading.

"This is a temporary measure and we will have the restrictions removed soon," a top official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

He said police had already identified anti-Muslim messages being shared on social networks, including a video posted by a hardline Buddhist monk urging violence against Muslims.

Authorities suspended internet access entirely to curfew-bound Kandy after discovering rioters were using online messaging services like WhatsApp to coordinate attacks on Muslim properties.

Sri Lankan telecoms providers said they would be blocking certain social networks following an order from the island's regulator.

"Access to certain social media sites and messaging platforms will be restricted with immediate effect until further notice," Sri Lanka's largest mobile phone provider Dialog said in a statement.

The internet blackout in Kandy, 115 kilometres (72 miles) east of Colombo, has also affected media organisations to get pictures and video footage from the region.

Censorship and media oppression was used widely by strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse, who for a decade in power ordered local internet providers to block anti-government sentiment online.

His successor President Maithripala Sirisena was elected in 2015 promising an end to draconian government restrictions, but some websites critical of the government remain blocked.
ICAN was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017

Global nuclear tensions helped boost investments in atomic weapons production by around $81 billion last year, campaigners said Wednesday, urging investors to blacklist the companies that stock the world's nuclear arsenals.

"If you have been wondering who benefits from (US President) Donald Trump's threat of nuclear war, this report has the answer," said Beatrice Fihn, who heads the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).

ICAN won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.

In a report, ICAN and another anti-nuclear campaign group PAX detailed a "massive increase" in investments in the top 20 companies involved in producing key components for the nuclear arsenals of Britain, France, India and the United States.

The report, titled "Don't Bank on the Bomb", found that a total of $525 billion (422 billion euros) was made available last year to such companies -- an increase of $81 billion from 2016.

"A new nuclear arms race has moved the Doomsday Clock closer to Armageddon, but it has also started a new nuclear gold rush for those wanting to cash in on mass destruction," Fihn said in a statement.

The report authors said the selection of the top 20 companies that have benefitted from the boon, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Airbus and BAE Systems, was "not exhaustive".

The list, they said, was "an attempt to identify the privately owned companies that are most heavily involved in the nuclear weapon industrial complex."

They also explained that suppliers to the other five nuclear weapons states -- Russia, China, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea -- were not included because they mainly relied on government agencies.

- Name and shame -

With the current standoff between the United States and North Korea creating the world's most acute nuclear threat in decades, Fihn urged investors to divest from nuclear weapons producers.

Trump has also ratcheted up global tensions over Iran, by criticising a landmark 2015 agreement to restrict Tehran's nuclear programme.

"Producing, possessing and modernising nuclear weapons is not something to be proud of," Fihn said, vowing to "shame" whoever tried to profit from nuclear weapons production.

Other companies listed in the report included Honeywell International, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Aecom, BWX Technologies, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Jacobs Engineering.

The report authors also listed the investment companies that pumped most money into nuclear weapons producers last year, with three -- BlackRock, Vanguard and Capital Group -- alone accounting for around $110 billion.

While the report criticised the "massive increase of investments in mass destruction", it also hailed 63 financial institutions that are limiting or refusing to make such investments.

Among them was Norway's massive pension fund, which is valued at nearly $1.0 trillion.

"Investments are not neutral. These companies should be congratulated for standing on the side of humanity," Sue Snyder of PAX said.
Yemeni men line the streets of the rebel-held capital Sanaa waiting alongside empty propane gas canisters they are desperate to replace so they have fuel to cook

Long queues of men line the streets of Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa waiting alongside empty propane gas canisters they are desperate to replace so they have fuel to cook.

Three years of war accompanied by a crippling Saudi-led blockade has led to chronic shortages and with them prices that are skyrocketing.

The price for a refill of cooking gas has more than doubled in recent weeks from $12 (10 euros) to $26 (21 euros).

Longtime Sanaa resident Mohammed Khaled Hussein said he had been waiting three days for a replacement canister to take back to his family with the hope of at least making tea and rice.

But each time he went home with the empty one.

"I've still not been able to get a replacement canister and today I found out that prices have soared again," Hussein said.

"We even heard petrol shortages could be next," he added. "So I headed to the nearest petrol station and used the money I had put aside for propane gas to fill my car a bit."

Supporters of the Huthi rebels accuse the Yemeni army and its Saudi-led allies of blocking fuel supplies to the capital and other rebel-held areas across the north.

Other Sanaa residents, however, say the rebels are to blame for imposing a hefty fuel tax.

Restaurateur Talal Sharaf al-Qudsi said he had been forced to close his doors after the shortages left him unable to run his ovens.

"I can't raise the prices on these poor people," Qudsi said. "It's better to just close the restaurant."

- Parked without fuel -

Bus driver Shihab al-Hashidi, whose vehicle is his sole source of income, says he struggled for days to fill up his tank.

"One day you manage to fill your tank, then the next two or three days you're stuck parked without fuel," said Hashidi.

"There are a lot of buses out of service and parked."

Residents of the rebel-held Yemeni capital buy firewood for cooking as propane gas becomes unobtainable

The crisis has seen residents turn to other forms of fuel, including firewood, as they attempt to adjust.

"The crisis is suffocating us," said Ahmed Ali Mohammed, who sells wood for household use.

"There's a big rush to buy firewood now, because people don't have gas," he said. "We're trying to provide as much as we can."

Outside the capital, the shortages are even more devastating.

The United Nations says 22.2 million people are dependent on food aid, of whom more than eight million people are at risk of famine.

The war has hit food production and the Saudi-led blockade has halted all but very limited commercial imports of basic foodstuffs.

Lack of access to safe drinking water has seen cholera infect 1.1 million people since April 2017 in the world's worst outbreak.

Saudi Arabia and its allies say their blockade is vital to prevent arms shipments reaching rebel-held areas, particularly missiles like those the rebels have launched multiple times into the kingdom.

strs-ny/atm/kir
A video showing an orangutan smoking a cigarette in a zoo in Indonesia has prompted condemnation from animal rights activists.

The clip shows Ozon the orangutan picking up a cigarette butt that was flicked into its zoo enclosure by a visitor and then puffing away on it like a pro.

The images of the 22-year-old Bornean orangutan at the zoo in Bandung, about 93 miles southeast of Jakarta, promptly went viral.

Scroll down for video

I wanna be like you: Ozon the orangutan is seen smoking a cigarette in his zoo enclosure in Bandung, Indonesia

A Bandung zoo spokesman on Wednesday said that while the incident was regrettable, it has staff to guard the animal enclosures.

But the officer responsible may have been in the bathroom at the time, he added.

'There's actually a sign at the location which says visitors are not allowed to give food and cigarettes to the animals,' said spokesman Sulhan, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

Bandung Zoo has repeatedly made headlines for starving and sick animals, and a change.org petition calling for Bandung Zoo to be closed has nearly 1 million signatures.

Animal activists condemned the visitor's actions, and said it underlined the poor state of Indonesia's zoos.

Monkey business: Ozon the orangutan had picked up a cigarette butt that was flicked into his enclosure by a zoo visitor

'Weak control by zoo management also needs to be addressed,' said Marison Guciano, founder of the Indonesia Animal Welfare Society.

'But the root of the problem is that we do not have animal welfare standards at zoos. Almost all zoos are in poor condition... from the cages and feeding needs to the animals' health.'

Last year, activists demanded the closure of Bandung zoo after skeletal sun bears were pictured begging for food from visitors and eating their own dung.

Ozon not the first that a zoo orangutan has been caught sneaking a smoke in Indonesia, which has an abysmal record of animal protection and one of the world's highest smoking rates.

In 2002, another orangutan in Indonesia became a nicotine addict after picking up butts thrown by visitors.

Toria at Taru Jurug Zoo in the central Javanese city of Solo, had to be isolated in order to get her to kick the habit, and she finally stopped in 2012.
Girls make up a majority of the refugee children missing out on school, a new UN report found

Refugee girls are only half as likely as their male peers to go to secondary school, the UN said Wednesday, urging efforts to break down barriers to education for girls in exile.

Refugees in general have far less access to schooling than other children, and a report by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) revealed that exiled girls are particularly hard-hit.

"There are formidable barriers to overcome. We are calling for an international effort to turn the tide," UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said in a statement.

In a report published last year, the agency warned that half of the world's some 3.5 million refugee children do not attend school, with attendance particularly lacklustre in secondary school and higher.

While some 84 percent of children worldwide are in secondary school, only 23 percent of refugee kids are, the September report found.

Wednesday's report, titled "Her Turn", meanwhile indicated that girls make up a majority of the refugee children missing out on school.

"Refugee girls at secondary level are only half as likely to enrol as their male peers" on a global level, the report said.

In some countries, like Kenya and Ethiopia, the share is even more lopsided, with only four refugees girls enrolled in secondary school for every 10 boys, the report found.

It said the cost of things like books and uniforms was a major barrier to both boy and girl refugees attending school. But it pointed out that social and cultural norms often mean boys are prioritised over girls to get an education.

Refugee families often rely heavily on girls for domestic duties like collecting water or fuel and taking care of younger sibling, the report said.

Another factor keeping older girls out of school was a lack of appropriate toilet facilities and menstrual supplies, as well as fears of sexual assault.

"No girl should miss school because the journey to school is too far or too dangerous. Refugee girls need better protection from harassment, sexual assault and kidnap on the way to school," the report said.

It stressed that receiving an education empowers girls and can also be protective, reducing vulnerability to exploitation, sexual and gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy and child marriage.

"If we continue to neglect refugee girls' education, it is evident that the consequences will be felt for generations," Grandi warned.
Mount Shinmoedake, pictured in 2017, spewed ash thousands of metres into the air

Powerful eruptions at a volcano in southern Japan spewed ash thousands of metres into the air Wednesday, as authorities warned locals not to approach the mountain.

"The plume reached the height of 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) for the first time since April 3, 2011" following a total of 29 eruptions at Mount Shinmoedake, Japan's weather agency said in a statement.

The volcano, which featured in the 1967 James Bond film "You Only Live Twice", has been grumbling since Thursday.

But on Wednesday and the previous day, the volcano produced so-called "explosive" eruptions, which also feature air blasts.

Footage captured by the Meteorological Agency showed lava and thick grey smoke rising from the mountain around midnight Wednesday.

People were ordered to stay away from the volcano as major ash deposits spread from the crater, the agency said.

There have been no injuries reported as a result of the volcanic activity.

Japan, with scores of active volcanoes, sits on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire" where a large proportion of the world's earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are recorded.

In January, a soldier from the country's Self-Defense Forces was killed and several other people injured after an eruption near a popular ski resort in northwest of Tokyo.

On September 27, 2014, Japan suffered its deadliest eruption in almost 90 years when Mount Ontake, in central Nagano prefecture, burst unexpectedly to life.

An estimated 63 people were killed in the shock eruption which occurred as the peak was packed with hikers out to see the region's spectacular autumn colours.
An estimated 400,000 Syrian civilians are trapped in Eastern Ghouta

A second aid convoy will attempt to reach desperate residents of Syria's Eastern Ghouta rebel enclave later Thursday after weeks of pummeling by government forces and Russian warplanes in defiance of UN calls for a halt to violence.

The blistering Syrian government onslaught, backed by Moscow, has prompted international outrage, including accusations by the United Nations that the government was orchestrating an "apocalypse".

The Syrian army and its allied militias began a fierce bombing campaign on February 18 on Eastern Ghouta -- the last opposition bastion near Damascus -- then launched a ground offensive a week later.

The campaign has so far left at least 867 civilians dead, including dozens of children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Eastern Ghouta

Towns and villages have fallen in quick succession in recent days with troops taking back half the enclave.

The UN has been pushing for aid convoys to alleviate appalling conditions for the estimated 400,000 civilians trapped there.

But they have had little success.

Forty-six aid trucks entered the area on Monday for the first time since the offensive, but had to cut short their deliveries and leave due to heavy bombardment.

Nearly half of the food aid could not be delivered while the US said Syrian authorities removed some medical and health supplies from the trucks.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all warring sides to allow aid trucks to return for a planned second delivery to the enclave's main town of Douma on Thursday.

Linda Tom, spokesperson for the UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA in Syria, said the aid would aim to reach 70,000 people in Douma and would include medical supplies not allowed in Monday's delivery.

- Buried under rubble -

Wednesday saw renewed heavy fighting break out as government forces captured Beit Sawa, Al-Ashaari, and nearby farmland, the Britain-based Observatory said.

Smoke rises after Syrian regime strikes on the village of Mesraba in Eastern Ghouta on March 7, 2018

Heavy air strikes, mostly by Russian warplanes, left at least 62 civilians dead including four children across the enclave, said the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground.

An AFP correspondent in the battered town of Hammuriyeh saw the bodies of two men engulfed in flames lying near an overturned motorcycle, as a rescue worker tried frantically to put out the fire.

More than 50 air strikes pummelled the town on Wednesday. A wounded woman could be seen stuck under the rubble of a collapsed building.

The advance came after hundreds of Afghan, Palestinian, and Syrian loyalist militiamen arrived in Eastern Ghouta to bolster the ground push, according to the Observatory.

Government troops in military vehicles were seen on Wednesday patrolling Al-Mohammadiyeh, an agricultural zone in the southern part of Ghouta recently retaken by the regime.

Across some green farmland, columns of thick smoke rose from an urban skyline.

The bombardment has continued despite a one-month ceasefire demanded by the UN Security Council more than a week ago.

- 'Apocalypse' -

The council met behind closed doors for three hours on Wednesday to discuss the failed truce, after France and Britain requested urgent talks.

Regime shelling has left vast swathes of the rebel enclave in ruins

UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura briefed the meeting and offered to help broker a deal with Russia to allow fighters in Eastern Ghouta to leave, a diplomat said, adding that diplomats supported the idea as a way to halt the violence.

UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the Syrian regime and its foreign allies were already planning their next "apocalypse".

"This month, it is Eastern Ghouta which is, in the words of the Secretary General, hell on earth," he said.

"Next month or the month after, it will be somewhere else where people face an apocalypse -- an apocalypse intended, planned and executed by individuals within the government, apparently with the full backing of some of their foreign supporters."

- Thousands scrambling for cover -

The offensive has displaced more than 10,000 people in Eastern Ghouta, according to the Observatory.

Outside of Douma on Wednesday, dozens of residents could be seen pushing wheelbarrows and carts piled high with mattresses, rugs, and cardboard boxes.

They have opted to flee deeper into the rebel-controlled enclave, despite a so-called "humanitarian corridor" announced by Moscow last week.

Russia said it would guarantee safe passage to civilians and rebels wishing to flee the enclave during a "pause" that is meant to bring calm to Eastern Ghouta between 9:00 am (0700 GMT) and 2:00 pm.

No Syrian civilians are known to have used the "corridor".

The two main rebel groups in Eastern Ghouta -- Jaish al-Islam and Faylaq al-Rahman -- deny the exit routes or the pauses have been coordinated with them.

"There is no communication with the Russians, directly or indirectly," said Wael Alwan, spokesman for Faylaq al-Rahman.

More than 340,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in Syria since the civil war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- A convicted felon from Gautier is accused of physically and sexually assaulting a woman at gunpoint in a wooded area of Ocean Springs in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell said his department received a 911 call about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday reporting a woman screaming in a wooded area near Old CCC Camp Road off Ocean Springs Road.

Deputies responding to the call located the victim, who told them she had been physically and sexually assaulted at gunpoint by a male suspect, who fled the area on foot afterward. The victim was taken to Ocean Springs Hospital, where she was treated and later released.

A few hours later, Ezell said, 41-year-old Dion Mario Neal of Gautier turned himself in to Mississippi Probation and Parole.

Neal is charged with one count each of aggravated assault, sexual battery and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

The case remains under investigation.
Hundreds of people died when torrential rains caused a hillside to collapse, burying flimsy homes

Francis Kanu's face darkens as he remembers the day of Sierra Leone's deadly mudslide last August, and the months that followed waiting for government assistance that never came.

Now is his moment of revenge against the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC). He waits quietly in line at the ballot box to deliver his vote for an opposition party.

"The way they treated me... that did not go down well with me," he said, echoing a common sentiment in Sierra Leone's Regent community, where more than 400 people were suffocated or crushed in the disaster.

The APC is hoping for another five years in power, but pockets of the country are fed up with successive mismanagement of crises including the Ebola outbreak, and the alleged corruption that diverts away funds intended to stop them.

"There was heavy rock lying on top of my brother. He was dead," Kanu recalls, adding his wife and child only escaped a similar fate because the baby had needed medical attention.

The 28-year-old security guard speaks with controlled anger about the failure to help him recover his possessions or provide housing after waters and debris swept away the family home.

He now lives with a friend to save costs, while his wife and baby are back upcountry where daily necessities are cheaper.

The disaster, he said, "changed my mind." He is voting for the main opposition SLPP.

- Beautiful promises -

This community was initially held together by the rush of humanitarian workers that arrived after the partial collapse of a mountain onto houses illegally constructed below.

But, several interviewees said, but that aid soon dried up.

Father Joseph Emmanuel Bangura said he had observed a sea change in Regent as politicians made their rounds during the campaign.

"The problem in this country is that when it is campaign time they say all these beautiful things, but when it comes to the reality whether they do it is a whole other ball game," he said, his white gown flapping in the breeze.

"We hope that this election will make a bit of a difference. People are gaining consciousness now; people are aware of the issues," he added.

His church has continued to provide help where it can.

"Many of them when they left the camp were not housed so we had to provide rent, in some cases for a year in advance," he explained.

Distrust in the APC does not mean it will not win this election: well resourced and still popular in its northern strongholds, well away from the Freetown disaster zone, continuity candidate Samura Kamara has strong appeal.

But the APC and SLPP cannot rely on ethnic and regional vote blocs alone in the capital, which has a more diverse and educated population.

Two new parties, the National Grand Coalition (NGC) and Coalition For Change (C4C) hope the economic mismanagement of the last 10 years under outgoing President Ernest Bai Koroma will give them a chance to break into the mainstream.

- Scarred mountain -

Diggers were brought in to look for bodies after the mudslide -- the hillside today still bears the scar of the collapse

A deep orange scar on the mountainside is still visible on the horizon as Mohammed Kargbo, a first-time voter, stands in line. Experts say a repeat is almost inevitable without immediate attention.

"We need changes. I am not a kid anymore, I know what is good and what is bad," he told AFP, adding a friend in the community had taken him in after his home was destroyed.

Also pledging his vote for the main opposition SLPP, Kargbo said he had "never received anything" from the government.

He shrugs. "I have no problem with that. Thank God my life was saved."

Fatmata Kamara remembers "a loud noise, trees uprooting, stones falling everywhere. There was a lot of confusion," before her home was submerged.

She is living back in the danger zone despite warnings it is unsafe, and has managed to scrape enough money together to rent a place for herself and five children.

Kamara represents another issue for the upstart movements attempting to elbow their way into the Sierra Leone political scene.

She is voting for whichever party the local chiefs tell her to, she said, "or there will be problems".
Sri Lankan police commandos patrol next to debris of from a damaged shop in the central district of Kandy on March 6, 2018, after a state of emergency was declared

Mobs torched Muslim-owned businesses in a central Sri Lanka district on Wednesday as hundreds of police and troops struggled to restore order after days of rioting.

The soldiers poured into Kandy to reinforce police but arson attacks persisted even though the government has imposed a nationwide state of emergency and suspended the internet locally to quell attacks by mobs from the majority Sinhalese community.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said several arson attacks were reported from Kandy on Wednesday, and internet access curbed to prevent the spread of hate speech.

"We have temporarily blocked several social media websites to prevent them from being used to instigate violence," Wickremesinghe said in a statement.

He said a hand grenade carried by a member of a mob had exploded at the Kandy suburb of Ambatenna, but did not give further details. Police sources said the Sinhalese man who carried the explosive device was killed and 11 others were injured.

President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday toured Kandy, where rioters defied curfews and clashed with police who used tear gas to disperse them.

"I have ordered that the full force of the law be used against trouble makers," Sirisena said.

Schools were shut across Kandy, a hill resort famed for its tea plantations and Buddhist relics.

A curfew was extended until Thursday evening in the troubled district popular with tourists, officials said.

Telecommunication providers were instructed to block Facebook nationwide and suspend internet services in the area after police warned that rioters were using social media to urge violence against Muslims.

At least three police officers were wounded overnight at Menikhinna in the district of Kandy, which has been a focus of the new trouble, said police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera.

- Travel warning -

Foreign governments issued travel warnings after Sri Lankan authorities granted sweeping powers to police and troops to arrest and detain suspects.

"The state of emergency may include curfews in specific locations," the UK government said on its website.

"You should exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies and comply with local security requirements."

The US State Department said further violence was possible and advised visitors to monitor local media for updates.

The United Nations condemned the violence and urged Colombo "to ensure that appropriate measures are swiftly taken to restore normalcy in affected areas".

More than 150 homes, shops and vehicles belonging to Muslims were set ablaze by mobs of Sinhalese rioters Monday and Tuesday.

The violence began after a man from the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese majority died at the hands of a Muslim mob last week.

The trouble escalated when a Muslim man was found dead in a burned building on Tuesday.

The Sinhalese are the majority ethnic group in Sri Lanka, making up 75 percent of its 21 million people. Muslims make up 10 percent.

There was no immediate estimate of the damage from Wednesday's arson attacks.

Police commandos patrol Pallekele, a suburb of Kandy, following anti-Muslim riots

Parliament Tuesday issued an apology to the Muslim minority for the violence.

City planning minister Rauff Hakeem described the riots as a "monumental security lapse" and recommended disciplinary action against those responsible.

But the trouble in Kandy is just the latest violence targeting Muslims in the Indian Ocean island.

Mobs set fire to Muslim-owned businesses and attacked a mosque in the east of the country last week after a Muslim chef was accused of adding contraceptives to food sold to Sinhalese customers.

Last November riots in the south of the island left one man dead and homes and vehicles damaged.

In June 2014 riots between Buddhists and Muslims left four dead and many injured. That bout of violence was instigated by a Buddhist extremist group whose leaders are on trial, accused of fostering religious conflict.
Afghan security forces inspect the site of an attack by Islamic State militants at the British charity Save the Children compound in Jalalabad in January

The Islamic State group in Afghanistan is inviting Muslims worldwide to come to the war-torn country if they cannot reach Syria or Iraq, as it seeks to expand its foothold.

A 25-minute propaganda film released by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K) on March 4 promotes IS strongholds in Afghanistan's north and east as an "option for immigration", the SITE Intelligence Group said Tuesday.

"O you Muslims in every corner of the world! Immigrate to Khorasan! If you are incapable of immigrating to Iraq and Sham (Syria), come to Khorasan," a fighter said on the video.

The name Khorasan refers to a historic region which includes parts of modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and neighbouring countries.

The video comes amid growing concerns that IS fighters fleeing battlefields in Syria and Iraq are finding their way to Afghanistan, where the group has a small but potent presence.

AFP recently reported that French and Algerian fighters, some arriving from Syria, had joined IS in the northern Afghan province of Jowzjan.

A German national was also recently arrested with the Taliban in the restive southern province of Helmand, Afghan officials said last week. He is one of the only Europeans found among the militants throughout the 16-year war.

The IS video published with an Arabic narration showed some fighters delivering messages in Pashto, Persian and Uzbek languages.

It opens with a narration mocking US President Donald Trump's vow to destroy the group in Afghanistan and goes on to show executions of prisoners and the training of child soldiers.

IS-K was attempting to turn "rumours" of foreign fighters moving to Afghanistan from Syria "into reality", Borhan Osman, a senior analyst at International Crisis Group, told AFP.

But the group would struggle to persuade fighters to travel as far as Afghanistan, said Emily Winterbotham, a senior research fellow at the UK-based Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies.

"It's trying to keep IS-K viable and the IS-K brand going, but the reality is Afghanistan is still a long way away from Syria and Iraq -- its not an easy journey," she said.

The Islamic State group, or Daesh as it is locally known, first emerged in Afghanistan in 2014 as NATO combat troops withdrew from the country and handed over responsibility to Afghan security forces.

Since then, the group has carried out multiple attacks mostly in urban areas, killing hundreds of people across the country despite a US-led bombing campaign against their known hideouts.

Since 2016 it has dramatically escalated its attacks in Kabul, adding to the dangers already faced by civilians, with the UN citing the capital as one of the deadliest places in the country.
Malka Leifer (C), a former Australian teacher accused of dozens of cases of sexual abuse of girls at a school, is escorted by police as she arrives for a hearing at the District Court in Jerusalem on February 27, 2018

A Jerusalem court on Wednesday ordered house arrest for an Israeli woman sought by Australia over accusations of sexually abusing schoolgirls under her care there, a court transcript said.

The magistrates court ruled that Malka Leifer should be released from the closed psychiatric ward where she has been held for the past week but delayed implementation of the order for 48 hours to allow prosecutors seeking her extradition to appeal.

Leifer is accused of child sex abuse while she was a teacher and principal at an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Melbourne, where she had relocated from her native Israel.

According to Australian media, Leifer is facing 74 counts of child sex abuse.

After allegations surfaced against her in 2008, Leifer and her family left for Israel and have been living in the West Bank settlement of Emmanuel.

A previous extradition attempt between 2014 and 2016 failed after Leifer was hospitalised in mental institutions and expert opinions determined she was not fit to stand trial.

But undercover private investigators filmed Leifer depositing a cheque at the bank and shopping, prompting Israeli authorities to launch an investigation to see if she was faking mental illness to avoid extradition, leading to her February 12 arrest.

Wednesday's court ruling, seen by AFP, said that psychiatrists who examined her in custody found her to be suffering emotional distress, "but not due to the mental illness she was claiming."

It said that she would be confined to a house in the town of Migdal Haemek, in the Galilee district of northern Israel, where she would be under the 24-hour supervision of the local rabbi and other court-approved monitors.

Leifer's case has drawn attention from Australian media since her arrest last month, with Victoria state premier Daniel Andrews saying he has lobbied Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly on the issue.
Judges at a UN-backed tribunal threw out a bid to acquit an alleged Hezbollah member of any role in the 2005 assassination of ex-Lebanese prime minister Rafi Hariri

Judges at a UN-backed tribunal Wednesday threw out a bid to acquit an alleged Hezbollah member of any role in the 2005 assassination of ex-Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

The chamber at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon "finds that the prosecution has provided a sufficiency of evidence upon which it could convict" Hussein Oneissi, presiding judge David Re said.

"Application for his acquittal is therefore dismissed," Re added.

The judge stressed however the court "could still acquit Mr Oneissi at the end of the trial" if the prosecution has not proved the charges "beyond reasonable doubt".

The prosecution last month concluded its case against Oneissi, and three other suspected Hezbollah members, all being tried in absentia in the court in the Netherlands.

Before opening the defence case, lawyers for Oneissi, 44, argued the five charges should be dropped as the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence.

The judges agreed much of the evidence against Oneissi, largely based on mobile phone records and SIM cards used in the attack, was circumstantial.

But "the number of coincidental actions is such that the trial chamber has sufficient evidence from which it could convict Mr Oneissi of his involvement in the attack on Mr Hariri," judge Janet Nosworthy said.

"There is sufficient evidence from which the trial chamber could conclude that Mr Oneissi ... must have been aware in advance of the nature of the plot to assassinate Mr Hariri, namely by using an explosive device in a public place," added Re.

Hariri, who was Lebanon's Sunni Muslim prime minister until his resignation in October 2004, was killed in February 2005, when a suicide bomber detonated a van packed with tonnes of explosives next to his armoured convoy on the Beirut seafront.

Another 21 people were killed and 226 injured in the assassination, with fingers pointing at Syria which had long been a power-broker in the country.

A statue of Lebanon's late premier Rafiq Hariri stands in central Beirut in this picture taken on January 16, 2014 at the site where he was assassinated by a massive car bomb in 2005

"The assassination of Mr. Hariri was obviously a carefully planned and rehearsed event requiring... military precision," said Re.

- Decoy to shield attackers -

Oneissi is notably accused of having recruited Lebanese Islamist Ahmed Abu Adass and helping him to make a videotape falsely claiming the assassination.

Within minutes of the attack, the claim was made in several phone calls to Reuters news agency. Shortly afterwards a tape of Abu Adass's "confession" was left in a tree outside the Beirut offices of broadcaster Al-Jazeera.

The court agreed that since the trial opened in January 2014 no evidence had been found that Abu Adass was the suicide bomber. His DNA was not found at the scene.

Rather Abu Adass had been used as a decoy "to divert attention from the attackers" to a "fictional fundamentalist group", Nosworthy said.

Co-defendant Salim Ayyash is accused of masterminding the plot, with Oneissi, Assad Sabra and Hassan Habib Merhi as accomplices.
The US trade deficit was the biggest in nearly a decade in January amid falling exports of aircraft and oil

The US trade deficit swelled in January to its largest level in nearly a decade as the world's biggest economy exported less fuel and sold fewer aircraft, government data showed Wednesday.

The news comes amid White House furor over trade policy, with President Donald Trump's top economic advisor Gary Cohn announcing his resignation late Tuesday after losing a bruising internal battle over whether to impose punishing tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Cohn's resignation and the fear Trump will press ahead with restraints on trade have roiled global markets in recent days. While economists say a growing trade deficit can be a sign of economic recovery, Trump has attributed them to "cheating" by US trade partners.

Word of a broadening trade gap could add to fears of a stronger White House reaction. Aircraft giant Boeing and oil producers like Chevron, industries which saw falling exports, have objected to Trump's planned tariffs on the crucial metals.

The January figures follow official reporting last month showing that the US trade deficit over all of 2017, Trump's first year in office, also hit its highest level since the global crisis in 2008.

In the first month of the year, the US trade gap rose five percent over an upward-revised December to $56.6 billion, its highest level since October of 2008, overshooting analyst expectations of a two percent increase.

Year over year, this left the monthly deficit for goods and services up 16.2 percent over January of 2017, with exports trailing imports.

Exports fell 1.3 percent to $200.9 billion, the largest decrease in 16 months, as aircraft exports decreased in value by $1.8 billion and international sales of industrial supplies like crude oil and other chemicals fell by $1.3 billion.

Imports were unchanged at $257.5 billion.

US exports of services, including charges for the use of intellectual property, were the highest on record at $66.7 billion.

But the goods deficit with Canada reached its highest level in three years at $4.1 billion for the month.

Canada is the largest US supplier of steel and has strenuously objected to the tariffs, which Trump has tied to pending efforts to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

With China, the goods deficit rose 16.7 percent to its highest level in more than two years at $36.3 billion.

But the trade gap with the European Union, which Trump has accused of unfairly blocking US exports, narrowed in January, falling 13.9 percent for the month to $13.9 billion.

The deficit with Germany fell 7.5 percent to $5.4 billion while the surplus with the Britain doubled to $200 million.
The German far-right politicians met Syria's pro-regime Grand Mufti Ahmed Badredding Hassoun (C)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman on Wednesday condemned a visit by politicians of the far-right AfD party to the "inhumane" Syrian regime.

"People who court this regime disqualify themselves," said Steffen Seibert on the Damascus trip by six members of the Alternative for Germany party.

"The Syrian regime demonstrates on a daily basis how inhumane its actions are," he said, noting that the suffering of civilians in Idlib, Aleppo and East Ghouta is "suffering that President (Bashar al) Assad ordered or condones".

The German foreign ministry was not informed about the AfD lawmakers' trip ahead of time, a spokeswoman said.

The group of six, comprised of four members from Germany's national parliament and two state lawmakers, arrived in Damascus on Monday for talks with pro-regime officials and a tour they said aimed at getting a real idea of the situation on the ground.

They said they were "surprised" at scenes of normal life in Damascus as they push their bid for Berlin to start sending refugees back to the war-torn country.

The group is being led by Christian Blex, a member of North Rhine-Westphalia's regional parliament, who posted pictures on Facebook of his Monday meeting with Syria's pro-regime Grand Mufti Ahmed Badreddin Hassoun.

Hassoun often appears alongside Assad for religious occasions and has in the past warned against Western interference in his country, threatening terror attacks in Europe.

The anti-Islam, anti-immigrant AfD entered the Bundestag for the first time last year, capitalising on anger over an influx of more than a million asylum seekers in Germany since 2015.

Justice Minister Heiko Maas said Wednesday that parts of the AfD may warrant surveillance by Germany's domestic intelligence agency.

"At least some groups within the AfD appear to have set themselves up to become a new political home for neo-Nazis," Maas told Der Spiegel weekly.

"Parts of the AfD have long been on the path to becoming a case for the domestic intelligence service."

As one of its first acts in parliament, the party proposed striking a deal with Assad to repatriate Syrian refugees, who make up the largest number of newcomers in Germany. The motion was rejected.

More than 340,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in Syria since the civil war started in 2011.
President Donald Trump's planned tariffs on steel and aluminum have triggered fears of a trade war

The White House signaled Wednesday it would water down plans for contentious tariffs, in the face of threats from trade partners, financial market jitters and a revolt within Donald Trump's own Republican party.

The US administration said the president still plans to sign off on global steel and aluminum tariffs as early as Thursday, but indicated there could yet be exemptions for infuriated allies.

"There are potential carve-outs for Mexico and Canada, based on national security. And possibly other countries as well," press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at the White House.

The Washington Post, citing administration officials, later reported the two countries would get a "temporary exemption" of 30 days.

From shortly after dawn, administration big guns rushed to the cameras, trying to limit the fallout from a Trump policy that has already sparked fears of a global trade war, rattled stock markets and prompted the top White House economic advisor to quit.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross insisted the tariffs were "thought through" and not the caprice of a president running a White House that appears to be careering off the rails.

"We're going to have sensible relations with our allies," he told CNBC, "we're not looking for a trade war."

But Trump's impromptu move has already set Washington on a collision course with its largest trading partner the European Union, which sounded a stern warning Wednesday as it readied to retaliate with targeted tariffs of its own on everything from steel to denim to peanut butter.

"Trade wars are bad and easy to lose," EU President Donald Tusk told a news conference Wednesday, directly rebuffing Trump's assertion last week that they were "good and easy to win."

Warning of "a serious trade dispute" between Washington and the rest of the world, Tusk said leaders of the bloc would hold emergency talks on the issue on March 22-23.

Europe - US trade

Markets sold-off early morning on news that Wall Street favorite Gary Cohn had resigned from the White House in protest at Trump's decision.

Global stocks ended mixed on Wednesday and then opened higher in Asia on Thursday, boosted partly by easing fears of a trade war.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin joined the damage limitation effort, claiming that the tariffs, although still in flux, would not hurt the administration's projections for three percent growth.

"We're comfortable that we're going to manage through this so that it is not detrimental to our growth projections," he told Fox Business.

In Washington, a fierce battle over Trump's proposals raged behind the scenes.

Trump's move has surprised and angered allied lawmakers and the Republican-controlled Congress has whispered about legislation that would block their own president from acting.

More than a hundred Republican congressmen sent him a letter expressing their "deep concern" about the consequences of tariffs and recommending more targeted measures.

- Stormy waters -

Even Trump's most accommodating allies have begun to speak out against what amounts to a major break with Republican orthodoxy.

"There is a lot of concern among Republican senators that this could sort of metastasize into a larger trade war," Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell told reporters.

"Many of our members are discussing with the administration just how broad, how sweeping this might be," he added. "There's a high level of concern about interfering with what appears to be an economy that's taking off in every respect."

Donald Trump's chief economic adviser Gary Cohn is the latest in a long string of senior White House figures to resign or be fired

Sanders also tried to soothe unease at Cohn's departure, saying a decision on his replacement would come soon.

"The president's got a number of people that could potentially fill that role," she said.

"What I can assure you obviously is he's going to make a good pick that can help him continue to further building a strong economy and continue creating jobs and continue focusing on long-term economic success."

Despite Republican agitation, it is far from clear what the final tariffs will look like.

Cohn's departure has given the president's "nationalist" advisors like arch China skeptic Peter Navarro and Commerce boss Ross the whip hand.

Cohn, a 57-year-old former Goldman Sachs executive, had lobbied passionately against the tariffs before losing out.

Data released Wednesday showed US foreign trade deficit widened in January to its highest level in nine years, heaping pressure on Trump, who had campaigned on a promise to reverse that trend.

Trump took to Twitter to blame the deficit on "bad policies & leadership" from his White House predecessors.

He also took aim at perennial trade bogeyman, Beijing.

"China has been asked to develop a plan for the year of a One Billion Dollar reduction in their massive Trade Deficit with the United States," he tweeted.

"Our relationship with China has been a very good one, and we look forward to seeing what ideas they come back with. We must act soon!"

There could be more turmoil ahead, with a pending administration report on intellectual property theft expected to hammer China and possibly provoke further tariffs.
An oil platform sits in the distance in May 2015 north of Goleta, California

President Donald Trump's plans to allow offshore oil drilling along virtually the entire US coastline threaten millions of jobs and billions in economic output, according to a report published Wednesday.

The report could buttress the arguments of local governments which oppose the proposed new drilling, fearful of losses to tourism, fishing and the potential for environmental disasters.

To encourage domestic energy production, the Trump administration said in January it would undo restrictions put in place by the prior administration and allow drilling on more than a billion acres of coastal waters off California, the Eastern Seaboard, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic.

The proposal was welcomed by industry but is fiercely opposed by governors of coastal states, including the Republican governors of Florida and South Carolina. The plan also faces legal challenges.

According to the marine conservation group Oceana, the offshore drilling proposal would endanger more than 2.6 million jobs and nearly $180 billion in economic output for the chance to develop two years' worth of oil and a year's worth of natural gas.

"Coastal communities and states are outraged by this radical plan that threatens to destroy our clean coast economies," Oceana campaign director Diane Hoskins said in a statement.

The report said it derived its figures by analyzing Commerce and Interior Department data on ocean-related employment and GDP as well as estimates of undiscovered oil and gas reserves that are economically recoverable.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced in January that Florida waters would be excluded but analysts say this will strengthen arguments by other states which are also seeking exemptions.

Another senior Interior official testifying before Congress less than two weeks later said no final decision on Florida had in fact been made.

BP's 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the largest-ever oil spill in ocean waters, drove former president Barack Obama to ban oil drilling across large areas of the Arctic and Atlantic coasts -- a legacy Trump is seeking to undo.
There are fears over access to education for girls in northeast Nigeria following the latest Boko Haram abduction in Dapchi

Boko Haram's abduction of 110 girls in northeast Nigeria has prompted fresh fears about safety at schools, nearly four years after a similar kidnapping led to promises of better security.

The disappearance of the students from Dapchi, in Yobe state, on February 19, also threatens access to education for girls in a region already plagued by low levels of school attendance.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said last weekend it had sent 250 "armed operatives" to provide security in the 30 public secondary schools in Yobe.

Five hundred others were sent to neighbouring Borno state and a further 400 to Adamawa state, according to the head of the paramilitary group, Abdullahi Muhammadu.

But Alhaji Deri, whose daughter, Aisha, is among the missing, and students who escaped the kidnapping said the increased security came too late for Dapchi.

"No parent will send his daughter back to that school, even those whose daughters escaped abduction. If there is any other school that is secure they will go," said Deri.

"But not that school because we are not guaranteed their security."

Fatima Bukar, 13, said: "If I'm taken to a safe school, I'll go. But I'm certainly not going back to that school.

"The thought of my abducted schoolmates won't allow me to have peace and study. My elder sister and 10 classmates are among the kidnapped students.

"I can't go back to that school even if it is reopened."

- 'Dereliction of duty' -

A policeman stands on guard at the empty Government Girls Technical College in northern Nigerian, where 110 girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamists last month

The last mass kidnapping, which saw more than 200 girls kidnapped from their school in the Borno town of Chibok in April 2014, led to numerous pledges to improve security.

Among them was the "Safe Schools Initiative", launched in May 2014 by the UN special envoy on education, Britain's former prime minister Gordon Brown.

The scheme helped nearly 50,000 children affected by the conflict, including moving vulnerable students in high-risk areas to safer parts of the country.

When President Muhammadu Buhari took office in 2015, it became part of the Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiative, which seeks to coordinate humanitarian and development activities.

But the PCNI said on its website the Safe Schools Initiative and others like it "have now been wound down", despite calls from campaigners to revive the scheme.

Committee spokesman Alkasim Abdulkadir said that 2,000 students from hard-to-reach areas and danger zones were transferred from the northeast to 43 schools elsewhere in the country.

The transfers pre-dated the inauguration of the PCNI in October 2016, he added.

Teachers in Yobe, particularly those at girls schools, have reported seeing no change in safety measures on the ground.

Sesugh Akame, from the #BringBackOurGirls campaign group set up after Chibok, said there had been "absolutely no improvement" in school security.

"Schools remain vulnerable. Successive administrations have not prioritised it. Why, no-one can explain," Akame added, calling it a "dereliction of duty".

- Girls affected -

Boko Haram's quest to establish a hardline Islamic state has left at least 20,000 people dead and more than 2.6 million homeless since 2009.

The group's name translates roughly from Hausa as "Western education is forbidden" and schools teaching a so-called secular curriculum have been repeatedly targeted.

According to the UN children's fund Unicef, nearly 1,400 schools have been destroyed and more than 2,295 teachers have been killed in the last nine years.

Some of the most high-profile attacks have been against schoolchildren, including in February 2014, when at least 43 boys were killed in the Yobe town of Buni Yadi.

Such attacks, the fear they cause and lengthy school closures that follow, have done little to improve low levels of education in the northeast.

The Africa Health, Human and Social Development Information Service said in 2015 that more than half (52.4 percent) of men and boys aged six and above in the northeast had no education.

For girls and women, it neared two-thirds (61.1 percent). In Yobe, the figures rose to 83.3 percent for males, indicating an even higher score for females.

In Nigeria as a whole, Unicef has said some 8.7 million children aged six to 11 are not in school.

Of those, about five million are estimated to be girls -- possibly the highest number in the world.

Yagana Mustapha, 15, who escaped the kidnapping in Dapchi, said: "The number of girls that go to school in this region is not much.

"Parents will be more unwilling to allow their daughters to go to school. They will be afraid Boko Haram will kidnap them."
File photo from the set of the Turkish soap opera "Foreign Bridgegroom". Criticism is mounting in Turkey over a decision by Saudi-owned broadcaster MBC to stop airing Turkish soap operas, stoking tensions between Ankara and Riyadh

Criticism mounted in Turkey on Wednesday over a decision by Saudi-owned broadcaster MBC to stop airing Turkish soap operas, stoking tensions between Ankara and Riyadh.

Viewers in the Arab world have in recent years become voracious consumers of Turkish soaps ranging from modern romances to historic dramas, enthralled by cliff-hanger plots and strong production values.

But the move by the Dubai-based MBC comes with tensions between Turkey and Saudi Arabia and Riyadh's chief regional ally the United Arab Emirates soaring over issues ranging from Qatar to Israel.

MBC said it would replace Turkish soaps with "premium quality Arabic dramas that embody the values and traditions of the region."

Turkish Culture Minister Numan Kurtulmus replied it was not up to politicians to "decide... who watches what film. Those times have passed."

He was quoted by the state-run Anadolu news agency as saying that Turkish soap operas had made "rapid progress" in recent years and were now popular "all over the world".

- 'Blow to Turkey's soft power' -

Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) head Ozturk Oran said Turkey would look for private alternatives to defy the satellite network's ban because Turkish soaps were "making serious business".

"As long as Turkish series keep their good quality, nobody can bar Turkish productions," he said, quoted by Anadolu, adding that producers could use carriers other than MBC to promote Turkish series.

Portrait of Turkish soap opera actor Kivanc Tatlitug performing in the Gumus show later released in the Arab world as "Noor" (meaning light)

Mevlut Tezel, columnist in the pro-government daily Sabah, called the ban a "blow to Turkey's soft power" as well as its influence and popularity in the Middle East.

MBC spokesman Mazen Hayek told AFP Tuesday that the network's decision to stop an average of six hours a day of Turkish programming -- mid-season -- was driven by economic and cultural considerations.

Some Turkish soap operas have achieved phenomenal success in the Arab world, turning star like actress Serenay Sarikaya and actor Kivanc Tatlitug into household names.

Actor Engin Altan, who stars in Ertugrul, a hit series on the earliest period of Ottoman history, told Al-Jazeera the decision would "surely have an impact on the Turkish series industry" although viewers could find other means to watch shows.

- 'Anti-Turkey attitude' -

Turkey has repeatedly bickered with the United Arab Emirates over the last months, even to the point of naming the street where Abu Dhabi's embassy is located in Ankara after an Ottoman governor.

It has also been the key backer of Qatar since Saudi and the UAE led sanctions over the gas-rich emirate for allegedly supporting extremist groups and proximity to Iran.

While Turkish officials have taken the gloves off in verbal onslaughts against Abu Dhabi -- in particular Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed -- Ankara has been more circumspect in comments on Saudi Arabia.

Turkey has been keen not to damage relations with the regional kingpin and its hugely powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

But pro-government media have adopted an increasingly strident tone against Riyadh in recent weeks, reaching a new peak with an angry editorial Wednesday by a columnist close to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Yeni Safak daily editor in chief Ibrahim Karagul warned Mohammed bin Salman against any alliance with the UAE and, in particular, its pro-Washington crown prince.

"Standing against Turkey, taking an anti-Turkey attitude on behalf of the US and Israel, targeting Turkey on behalf of Mohammed bin Zayed is going to win you nothing, but it will make you lose a lot," said Karagul.

The Hurriyet daily linked the soap ban on MBC to Mohammad bin Salman, with a headline daying: "The prince's trouble -- Turkish soap operas."

MBC is controlled by Saudi businessman Walid al-Ibrahim, who was held for nearly three months in a sweeping anti-corruption drive targeting Saudi Arabia's elite.

The Financial Times reported that authorities ordered him to hand over his controlling stake in MBC to secure his release.

Hurriyet claimed al-Ibrahim's "first job" after his release was to impose the ban on the Turkish soaps.
Kheirollah Khademi (L), Iran's deputy minister for roads and urban development shakes hands with Yang Chuanliang (R), executive president of China Machinery Industry Construction Group Inc. in the capital Tehran on March 7, 2018

China will build a train line connecting the Iranian port of Bushehr to the rest of the country's railway network under a $700 million deal signed on Wednesday.

The agreement was inked in Tehran in the presence of Iranian Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi and officials from China Machinery Industry Construction Group.

It will see the group build a 400-kilometre (250-mile) railway between the Gulf port and the southern city of Shiraz, IRNA state news agency cited officials as saying without specifying when construction would get underway.

This would complete the "North-South Railway Corridor" in line with Iran's goal of becoming a transport hub for goods between the Gulf, the Indian subcontinent, Russia and Central Asia.

Products arriving at Bushehr, Iran's second biggest port after Bandar Abbas, also on the Gulf, currently have to be transported by road.

The Bushehr-Shiraz rail project is one of seven the government is working on totalling 2,300 kilometres in tracks, according to IRNA.

China is Iran's biggest economic and trading partner.

In September, the Asian giant granted lines of credit worth $10 billion for five banks financing infrastructure projects.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greeted Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Buckingham Palace

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday at the start of a controversial state visit where he faces questions over Riyadh's involvement in the Yemen war.

The crown prince lunched with the queen at Buckingham Palace ahead of talks with Prime Minister Theresa May, but his arrival drew protests on the streets of London over the brutal Yemen conflict.

May defended the invitation when she was grilled in parliament over why Prince Mohammed was being afforded the red carpet treatment during his three-day visit.

"The link with Saudi Arabia we have is historic, it is an important one and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country" due to anti-terrorism cooperation, she told MPs.

"Their involvement in Yemen came at the request of the legitimate government of the Yemen, it is backed by the UN Security Council and as such we support it."

The three-year conflict, which began with the Saudi-led intervention to fight Iran-backed Huthi rebels, has left 22.2 million people dependent on food aid, according to UN figures.

The Save the Children charity protested the visit by installing a statue of a child near parliament "to draw attention to the violence that is being fuelled, in part, by British-made bombs".

Around 200 demonstrators also lined up outside Downing Street, where the crown prince visited May.

"He's not welcome here and they shouldn't be rolling out the red carpet to people like him while people of Yemen suffer a brutal siege," said Mayer Wakefield, of the Stop the War Coalition which organised the protest.

- UK 'collusion' in war crimes -

Demonstrators wearing masks depicting Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman protested outside the Houses of Parliament

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused May's government of "colluding" in war crimes by selling arms to Saudi Arabia, and even suggested that British military advisers were "directing the war".

May responded that her relationship with Prince Mohammed had already helped alleviate the humanitarian crisis by convincing him to ease Saudi blockades of ports in Yemen during a meeting in December.

"This vindicates the engagement that we have with Saudi Arabia, to be able to sit down with them," she said.

The pair met at Downing Street for talks on reforms in Saudi Arabia, trade and investment relations and defence and security cooperation.

The crown prince noted there were now "huge opportunities" to boost trade ties post-Brexit.

"I have no doubt that it's a very deep relationship," he added. "And it's different and it's not only about politics, or military, or intelligence, but also socially and economically."

Following the talks, a Downing Street spokeswoman said May "welcomed recent reforms in Saudi Arabia, including on women" and had raised Britain's "deep concerns" at the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

"The prime minister and crown prince agreed on the importance of full and unfettered humanitarian and commercial access, including through the ports, and that a political solution was ultimately the only way to end the conflict and humanitarian suffering in Yemen."

The spokeswoman said the summit yielded "a landmark ambition" for around 65 billion (73 billion euros, $90 billion) of mutual trade and investment opportunities in coming years in areas ranging from education to defence.

She added this would include direct investment in Britain and "new Saudi public procurement with UK companies."

- Courting investors -

Later Wednesday Prince Mohammed was due to be hosted for dinner by heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, with Prince William among the guests.

Earlier, junior foreign minister Alistair Burt responded to an emergency question in parliament about the visit by defending Britain's arms deals with Saudi, saying the regulations were "as strict as anywhere in the world".

He also praised the crown prince's reform measures, saying: "The engagement of women in business and government makes a real difference.

"In a Saudi context, these changes have immense significance."

The crown prince's trips to Egypt, Britain and later this month the United States are aimed partly at courting investors.

They follow a tumultuous period that saw a major military shake-up and a royal purge, part of a sweeping power play by the prince.
Lemurs, a highly endangered species, are emblematic of Madagascar and its tropical forests

Madagascar's authorities said Wednesday they had arrested a suspected poacher after 12 lemurs, a highly endangered species, were found dead.

The bodies of the rare primates were found on February 28 in the forest of Antavolobe Iaroka, in the eastern district of Andasibe.

"We have placed in custody one person who was arrested and have identified the hideout of two other hunters," Environment Minister Johanita Ndahimananjara told a press conference in Antananarivo, the capital.

Lemurs "aren't just tourist objects or factors in the equilibrium of our ecosystem, they are animals which contribute to the preservation of our forest," Ndahimananjara said, speaking ahead of a meeting on how to combat poaching of the animals.

Lemurs are emblematic of Madagascar and its tropical forests.

Their numbers, now estimated to be just 10,000, have fallen because of habitat loss and poaching -- their meat is eaten by forest-dwellers and sold clandestinely to restaurants.

Arrests of those involved in the illegal trade are rare.
Smoke plumes rise March 7, 2018 following Syrian regime strikes on the village of Mesraba in the besieged Eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of the capital Damascus

The UN Security Council on Wednesday met behind closed doors to step up pressure on Russia and Syria to abide by a ceasefire and allow deliveries of humanitarian aid and evacuations from Eastern Ghouta.

France and Britain requested the urgent meeting as the Syrian government sent militias as reinforcements to the rebel enclave and heavy airstrikes battered key towns.

Dutch Ambassador Karel van Oosterom, who holds the council presidency, told reporters after the three-hour meeting that council members "expressed concern about the humanitarian situation" and "reiterated its call for implementation" of the ceasefire resolution.

The council heard a briefing via videoconference from UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura who offered to help broker a deal with Russia to allow fighters in Eastern Ghouta to leave, according to a diplomat.

The council diplomat who attended the meeting said there was strong support for the envoy's offer to help negotiate the departure of the fighters in a bid to halt the violence.

Three armed groups fighting President Bashar al-Assad's forces have written to the Security Council offering to dissassociate themselves from jihadists and help organize their expulsion from Eastern Ghouta.

Council members also discussed plans for a new aid convoy to travel to the main town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta on Thursday to complete the delivery of aid that was cut short during shelling on Monday.

Nearly half of the food carried on the 46-truck convoy which had been approved by the Syrian government could not be delivered and part of the medical and health supplies were removed from trucks by Syrian authorities, the UN said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for the aid convoy to have safe access to Eastern Ghouta.

Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog, who negotiated the ceasefire resolution along with Kuwait, said ahead of the meeting that implementation of the truce remains "totally and completely inadequate."

"So far we see minimal signs only from the Syrian authorities to implement the resolution and we are very, very disappointed about that," Skoog told reporters.

Backed by Russia, the council unanimously adopted on February 24 a resolution demanding the 30-day cessation of hostilities to allow deliveries of humanitarian aid and evacuations of the sick and wounded.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 800 civilians -- including at least 177 children -- have been killed since Russia-backed Syrian forces launched an assault on the besieged enclave outside Damascus on February 18.
US adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2006, the year she alleges her affair with Donald Trump began

The lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels said Wednesday that she had a sexual relationship with Donald Trump and wants to nullify a "hush agreement" so the public can decide "who's telling the truth."

Los Angeles lawyer Michael Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels on Tuesday seeking to toss out the confidential settlement she signed just days before the November 2016 election.

Avenatti made the rounds of the morning talk shows on Wednesday to explain the legal move by Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Asked on NBC's "Today" show if Daniels had a sexual relationship with Trump, Avenatti immediately replied "Yes."

"She believes it's important that the public learn the truth about what happened," he said. "I think it's time for her to tell her story and for the public to decide who's telling the truth."

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked about the allegations at the daily press briefing and noted that Trump has denied them.

"The president has denied the allegations against him," Sanders told reporters.

"The president has addressed these directly and made very well clear that none of these allegations are true," Sanders said. "Anything beyond that I would refer you to the president's outside counsel."

As part of the lawsuit filed with a California court seeking to declare the non-disclosure agreement null and void, Avenatti released a copy of the settlement.

It shows that Daniels received a $130,000 payment from a company known as Essential Consultants LLC in return for her silence.

- Peggy Peterson and David Dennison -

Using the pseudonyms Peggy Peterson and David Dennison, Daniels and Trump were to sign the agreement, along with Essential Consultants.

Porn star Stormy Daniels claims she had an "intimate relationship" with Donald Trump in 2006 and 2007

But Trump never signed it, providing the basis for Avenatti's attempt to have it thrown out and release Daniels from her obligations.

"It's our position that the entire agreement is null and void because he did not sign it," the lawyer told the "Today" show.

He said Daniels would return the $130,000 if need be.

"I think she may have to and she's prepared to do that," Avenatti said.

The lawsuit alleges that Daniels began an "intimate relationship" with Trump in the summer of 2006 and that it continued well into 2007.

After Trump won the Republican Party nomination for president in 2016, Daniels sought to share details of their relationship with the media, it said.

Trump's attorney Michael Cohen "aggressively" sought to "silence Ms Clifford as part of an effort to avoid her telling the truth, thus helping to ensure he won the presidential election," the document says.

On October 28, 2016 -- two weeks before the November 8 presidential election -- Daniels and Essential Consultants signed the confidential settlement agreement but not Trump.

Cohen claimed last month he had paid Daniels $130,000 from his personal funds but declined to explain why he made the payment or if Trump was aware of it.

Avenatti said Wednesday he was convinced Trump was aware of the payment.

"There's no question the president knew about it at the time," he said.

"The idea that an attorney would go off on his own without his client's knowledge and engage in this type of negotiation and enter into this type of agreement quite honestly I think is ludicrous," he said.

Cohen's comments came after the watchdog group Common Cause filed a federal complaint in January arguing that the payout may have violated campaign finance rules.
An estimated 700,000 Rohingya have fled over the Myanmar's border to Bangladesh since an army crackdown was launched last year

The UN human rights chief on Wednesday called for a new body tasked with preparing criminal indictments over atrocities committed in Myanmar, after a similar panel was created for the Syrian conflict.

The Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council has set up multiple investigations and fact-finding missions into major trouble spots, including an active one for Myanmar.

But some have expressed concern over the limitations of those probes, which focus on gathering a broad range of evidence about alleged atrocities, rather than assembling specific legal cases against individuals that can be taken to court.

In the Syrian case, the UN General Assembly voted in 2016 to set up an "independent and impartial mechanism" to prepare prosecutorial files.

UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said Wednesday that a similar body was needed for Myanmar, where senior UN officials have said the military is continuing to wage a campaign against the Rohingya Muslim ethnic group that amounts to "ethnic cleansing".

Zeid called on the rights council to "ask the General Assembly to establish a new independent and impartial mechanism to prepare and expedite criminal proceedings in courts."

In his annual report to the council, Zeid restated his concern that "acts of genocide may have taken place" in the Rohingya homeland of Rakhine state.

An estimated 700,000 Rohingya have fled over the border to Bangladesh since an army crackdown was launched in Rakhine in August.
President Donald Trump's planned tariffs on steel and aluminum have triggered fears of a trade war

Washington and the European Union -- the world's two largest economies -- were on an accelerating collision course Wednesday as Donald Trump's administration vowed to unveil new tariffs on steel and aluminum within days, and Brussels readied to retaliate.

As the White House forged ahead with Trump's nationalist economic agenda -- triggering howls of protest from fellow Republicans, a walkout by a top presidential aide and a market sell-off -- European leaders warned the US president against starting a trade war.

The sparring came just six weeks after Trump's conciliatory words at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he pledged that his "America First" vision did not mean "America alone."

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders sought to calm nerves, saying a detailed decision would come by the end of the week on the tariffs -- whose sudden announcement by Trump last week opened a chasm among his staff, with economic advisor Gary Cohn quitting Tuesday following a pitched internal battle.

With Cohn's exit reverberating through global markets fearful the world could backslide on trade, Trump Cabinet members appeared on television to make the president's case, with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross insisting the US was not "looking for a trade war."

"We're going to have sensible relations with our allies," Ross told CNBC, claiming Trump's policy was well "thought through."

But in Brussels, the bloc wasted no time in outlining planned retaliatory measures on targeted American exports -- from steel, industrial and agricultural items to flagship products such as jeans and motorbikes, peanut butter and bourbon -- to be rolled out if the US makes good on its threat.

Nobody wins in trade wars, the EU's Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem warns

"Trade wars are bad and easy to lose," EU President Donald Tusk told a news conference Wednesday, directly rebuffing Trump's assertion last week they were "good and easy to win."

Warning of "a serious trade dispute" between Washington and the rest of the world, Tusk said leaders of the bloc would hold emergency talks on the issue on March 22-23.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem doubled down, saying a full-on transatlantic trade war was "not in anybody's interests."

"A trade war has no winners," Sweden's Malmstroem told reporters after the European Commission discussed the tariffs.

"We should be very careful with that word... there are only losers in that, and that's why we will respond in a proportionate and balanced way."

- 'Thousands' of jobs at risk -

The EU is holding fire on its reprisals for now -- as Trump has yet to sign into effect his aggressive plan, having floated 25 percent tariffs on steel and 10 percent on aluminum to correct what he calls unfair competition for US industry.

But a hit list of targeted US exports has been drawn up.

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker had threatened to hit big-name US brands such as Harley Davidson motorbikes and Levi's jeans with import duties, prompting Trump to fire back a threat to tax cars from the EU.

Europe - US trade

Despite Juncker's headline-grabbing threat to iconic brands, the EU's list, written in the dry language of customs regulations, does not mention specific businesses.

Obtained by AFP, the list includes "men's or boys' trousers and breeches of cotton denim" and "motorcycles including mopeds" with engines of 500 cc capacity and above -- which includes Harley Davidson models.

Sweetcorn, cranberry juice and peanut butter are all featured along with cigarettes, cigars and playing cards.

Malmstroem said the EU was still trying to persuade Washington not to go ahead with the tariffs, which she said would threaten "thousands of European jobs".

The EU is also looking at "safeguard" measures to protect its own industry -- restricting the bloc's imports of steel and aluminum to stop foreign supplies flooding the European market, which is allowed under World Trade Organization rules.

Juncker, who on Wednesday met Lakshmi Mittal, the boss of the world's top steelmaker ArcelorMittal, said last week the EU would "react firmly" to protect European industry.

Europe exports around five billion euros' ($4 billion) worth of steel and a billion euros' worth of aluminum to the US each year, and the commission estimates Trump's tariffs could cost some 2.8 billion euros.

burs-dg/ec
Islamic law in Iran prohibits public dancing, and women are forbidden from singing in front of men if their voices are not covered by male voices

Iran's top legal authority wants to prosecute organisers of a party arranged by Tehran City Hall commemorating Iranian Women's Day, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

A video of Tuesday's event, during which young girls danced in front of a mixed audience in the Iranian capital, was widely broadcast on social media networks and criticised by conservatives.

It shows a group of girls dressed in tight jeans and a type of tutu performing a choreographed dance set to music played by a traditional orchestra and a choir composed mostly of women.

Among the men in attendance at the event largely dominated by women wearing the all-encompassing black chador was Tehran's reformist mayor, Mohammad Ali Najafi.

According to ISNA, Iran's attorney general Mohammad Jafar Montazeri felt the event had included "acts against public morality" and Islamic tradition.

Montazeri ordered Tehran's prosecutor to "quickly examine the issue and launch legal proceedings against those responsible".

Islamic law in Iran prohibits public dancing. Similarly, women are forbidden from singing in front of men if their voices are not covered by male voices.

Najafi tried Wednesday to disarm critics with a decree demanding that Islamic traditions are respected in ceremonies organised by the town hall.

He also said that one could have "criticisms" for this part of the ceremony, but that it should not be questioned as a whole.

Party organiser Fatemeh Rakeii, the mayor's adviser on women's affairs, said she did not understand critics of a show starring girls under the age of nine.

Iran is not officially celebrating the annual International Women's Day, marked by the United Nations on March 8.

The country celebrates its own women's day on March 9, marking the birthday of Fatima, the Prophet Mohammed's daughter.
Immigration activists protest in Washington on March 5 in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program

Protections against deportation for some 700,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children remain in place two days after the DACA program was to expire, the Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday.

DHA spokesman Tyler Houlton said that people under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals can continue to renew their registrations with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, earning a two-year extension of protection.

"In compliance with court injunctions, USCIS is accepting and adjudicating DACA requests for renewals as they are submitted," Houlton said in a statement.

"This process is in accordance with the longstanding DACA policies on renewals."

Last September President Donald Trump ordered DACA to be shut down on March 5, threatening the status in the United States of 690,000 people registered under the program, so-called "Dreamers."

But a federal judge issued a nationwide injunction ordering the government to continue offering DACA protection. With the government's appeal of that injunction unlikely to be ruled on for months, DHS said DACA recipients could continue to renew their protections, though no one outside the program would be able to join.

Trump, along with a majority of Democrats and Republicans in Congress, has repeatedly pledged to pass legislation that would offer paths to citizenship for DACA registrants and possibly more than a million other people who entered the country illegally as youths and grew up in the United States.

Trump has offered a plan for eventual citizenship to a total of 1.8 million of these Dreamers.

But a series of bills on the issue have failed to pass Congress, with Democrats rejecting Trump's proposal to tie DACA legislation to a sharp cutback in legal immigration and to funding for a wall along the Mexico border.

On Wednesday, Trump said he still hopes for legislation to replace DACA.

"We're trying to have a DACA victory," he said in a speech to the Latino Coalition, a conservative business group.

"The Democrats are nowhere to be found... We're ready, willing and able," he said.
Air India's move would effectively end a decades-long Saudi ban on the use of its airspace for flights to Israel

India's state-run carrier Wednesday confirmed the launch of flights between New Delhi and Tel Aviv later this month which are expected to use Saudi airspace.

The move would effectively end a decades-long Saudi ban on the use of its airspace for flights to Israel.

The new route was announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last July, with Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu first suggesting in January the route could pass over Saudi Arabia.

An Air India spokesman told AFP Wednesday the airline had received permission and a timetable for the route from India's regulator, the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA), which appeared to confirm that route.

"The route time given by the DGCA to us is seven hours and five minutes, and looking at that schedule we believe it must be flying over the Saudi airspace," the spokesman said.

Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority did not respond to AFP's request for comment.

Saudi Arabia has no official ties with Israel, with Israel's national carrier El Al currently taking a detour over the Red Sea on its India service to avoid flying over Saudi Arabia as well as Iran.

Netanyahu told reporters in Washington earlier this week that Air India had reached an agreement with Saudi Arabia to use their airspace.

But Wednesday's statement was the first official confirmation by the airline about operationalising the new air route, after weeks of speculation and reports in local media.

Flying over Saudi Arabia significantly shortens the route's flight time.

The thrice-a-week flight to Tel Aviv from Delhi will begin March 22, the company said in its statement to the media.

Riyadh has maintained its public silence on Israeli hints of covert ties with the Sunni-ruled kingdom.
Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, addresses journalists in Baghdad on March 7, 2018

The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross warned Iraq on Wednesday of resentment among relatives of detainees suspected of fighting for the Islamic State group.

The ICRC's Peter Maurer called for reconciliation in the country three months after the Iraqi government declared victory over the IS jihadists.

"This is a critical moment in Iraq and Iraqi politics," Maurer told a news conference in Baghdad after visiting the country's Sunni Muslim heartland of Anbar province.

The ICRC president cautioned against depriving the families of suspected jihadists of "regular access to brothers, fathers, husbands".

Many were worried about "where they are detained and by who, what is the future of their bread-giver," he told journalists.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in December declared victory over the Sunni extremist group after a years-long battle in which Shiite-dominated paramilitaries played a central role.

Pro-government forces detained some 20,000 suspected IS fighters, researchers say, but Iraqi authorities have not confirmed how many prisoners they are holding.

Maurer said some suspected jihadists' relatives had been confined to camps and were barred from moving freely.

Hundreds of women and children, both Iraqi and foreign, had been detained in Iraq, he added.

"The issue of foreign fighters is particularly complex," he said, adding the ICRC had been able to deliver assistance to some families in need.

Less than a month after world powers pledged $30 billion (24 billion euros) at a donors' conference on Iraq's reconstruction, Maurer said there were "still a lot of humanitarian needs".

Iraq remains the ICRC's second most important theatre of operations, he said, after war-ravaged Syria.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been questioned eight times in relation to corruption investigations

Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used a video posted online Wednesday to accuse police of pressuring witnesses to "smear" him as corruption investigations against him intensify.

In his first direct reaction since the announcement that his ex-aide Nir Hefetz would testify against him, Netanyahu said the "manufacture of witnesses" aims to "smear me, even at the price of lies".

Israeli media reported Monday that Hefetz, a former spokesman for the Netanyahu family, had signed a state witness deal in a graft probe linked to himself and his former boss.

In exchange, he would not be tried, go to prison or be fined, according to Israeli media, which have reported the deal may be a turning point in probes into Netanyahu.

The premier, in power for almost 12 years, slammed the use of state witnesses in the video published Wednesday on his Facebook page.

"When there is something, there is no need for this kind of witness," he said. "When there is nothing, even 1,000 state witnesses will not help."

"They will continue what they do and I will continue my historic action for the sake of the State of Israel," he added.

Israeli media reports say Hefetz is alleged to have acted as a messenger between Netanyahu, telecoms group Bezeq and a news website it owns.

Police suspect Bezeq was given regulatory breaks in return for Netanyahu receiving positive coverage on the Walla! news site.

Shlomo Filber, once one of the prime minister's closest confidants, has also agreed to testify in the case, while Ari Harow, a former chief of staff for the premier, signed a state witness deal in a separate case.

Netanyahu has been questioned eight times in relation to at least six ongoing cases.

Although he has not been formally charged, the police on February 13 recommended he be indicted in two of the cases.

The successive blows have called into question the future of the premier, the head of a coalition that is seen as the most right-wing government in Israel's history.

Even if charged, Netanyahu would not be legally required to resign.
On February 14, 2018, Nikolas Cruz (C) massacred students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school with a semi-automatic AR-15 assault rifle

Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz was indicted Wednesday on 17 counts of murder and 17 more of attempted murder, the state attorney's office said.

On February 14 Cruz entered the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, just north of Miami, and opened fire with a semi-automatic AR-15 assault rifle, killing 14 students and three staff members.

A Broward County grand jury charged Cruz -- who has confessed to the killings -- with 17 counts of first degree premeditated murder and 17 counts of first degree attempted murder.

The attempted murder charges relate to those wounded in the attack, state attorney Michael Satz said in a statement.

After the shooting, police said that 19 year-old Cruz, a former Stoneman Douglas student, stopped at a Walmart and then McDonald's before officers detained him 40 minutes after the rampage.

After the shooting the Parkland students launched a movement dubbed "Never Again" to pressure politicians to address the issues of gun violence and mass shootings in the United States.

Florida alone has seen three mass shootings in under two years -- 49 were killed at an Orlando nightclub in 2016, five at Fort Lauderdale's international airport in 2017, and now 17 in Parkland.

On Wednesday Florida's House of Representatives debated a measure that proposes some restrictions on access to firearms and arming teachers to defend students in the event of an attack.
President Joseph Kabila, seen here last month, agreed to free political prisoners and respect the rights of the opposition under a political deal reached in 2016, but has fallen short of those commitments, according to a UN envoy

The UN envoy for the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday warned of a risk of violence as the country heads toward elections in December.

DR Congo is in the grip of a "shocking" humanitarian crisis with 4.5 million people in need of aid, the highest number in Africa, Leila Zerrougui told the Security Council.

President Joseph Kabila agreed to free political prisoners and respect the rights of the opposition under a political deal reached in 2016, but Zerrougui said the government had fallen short of those commitments.

"A failure to generate confidence in the full and faithful implementation of the December 31 agreement will only serve to heighten political tensions, and to fuel the risks of inciting violence for political ends," said Zerrougui.

After much delay, authorities in the vast mineral-rich African country set a date of December 23 for elections that are expected to pave the way to a historic transfer of power.

But Kabila, who took over from his father Laurent after he was assassinated in 2001, has not yet clearly stated whether he will step aside.

Anti-government protests have turned deadly over the past months, despite UN appeals to Kabila to rein in his security forces.

Zerrougui said the "disproportionate use of force by security services" during protests in December and January were a "major concern" after 16 people were killed, more than 100 were wounded and dozens more arrested.

Security has deteriorated in eastern DR Congo, where rebel groups have attacked Congolese forces and UN peacekeepers, while militias in the Kasai region are increasing their activities, said Zerrougui.

The Security Council was meeting as it prepares to renew the mandate of its 17,500-strong peacekeeping mission in the DR Congo, known as MONUSCO.

Zerrougui urged the top UN body to ensure that MONUSCO supports the political and electoral process in the country and help stabilize the security situation.
Aung San Suu Kyi was for decades Myanmar's symbol of democracy but has come under heavy criticism for her refusal to stand up for the Muslim Rohingya

The US Holocaust Memorial Museum said Wednesday it was stripping Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi of a prestigious human rights award, accusing her of doing little to halt the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims.

Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her long campaign against the country's military dictatorship, was awarded the Holocaust Museum's Elie Wiesel award six years ago "for her courageous leadership and great personal sacrifice in resisting tyranny and advancing the freedom and dignity of the Burmese people."

But the Museum said it was rescinding the award due to her inaction over what it called "mounting evidence of genocide" committed by the Myanmar military against civilians from the Rohingya minority in Rakhine state.

About 700,000 Rohingya have fled over the border to Bangladesh since August, with horrifying testimony of murder, rape and arson by soldiers and vigilante mobs

"As the military's attacks against the Rohingya unfolded in 2016 and 2017, we had hoped that you -- as someone we and many others have celebrated for your commitment to human dignity and universal human rights -- would have done something to condemn and stop the military's brutal campaign and to express solidarity with the targeted Rohingya population," the museum said in a letter to Suu Kyi.

Instead, it said, her political party, the National League for Democracy, has refused to cooperate with UN investigators and added to the anti-Rohingya rhetoric.

The party has also obstructed journalists trying to report on the mass murder and expulsion to Bangladesh of the Rohingya.

"The military's orchestration of the crimes against Rohingya and the severity of the atrocities in recent months demand that you use your moral authority to address this situation," they said.

In November a joint report by the Museum and Southeast Asia-based watchdog Fortify Rights -- based on testimony they gathered in the field -- documented "widespread and systematic attacks" on Rohingya civilians.

The award was named after Elie Wiesel, a survivor of the Nazi genocide against Jews who spent much of his life campaigning for human rights, himself winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.

- Moral leadership -

Suu Kyi, the country's symbol of democracy for decades, has come under heavy criticism for her refusal to stand up for the Rohingya.

About 700,000 Rohingya have fled over the border to Bangladesh since August, with horrifying testimony of murder, rape and arson by soldiers and vigilante mobs.

In January US diplomat Bill Richardson resigned from a Suu Kyi-appointed panel set up to ease tensions with the Rohingya, assailing her for an "absence of moral leadership."

Various organizations have taken back honours bestowed on the onetime human rights icon, but Myanmar has rarely responded to the moves.

In a statement posted by a government spokesman on Wednesday, however, Myanmar's embassy in Washington said it regretted that the Museum had been "misled and exploited by people who failed to see the true situation" in Rakhine.

It added that the decision will have no bearing on local support for Suu Kyi but that it would "redouble its efforts in finding a lasting solution" to the crisis.

In Geneva on Wednesday the UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called for a new body tasked with preparing criminal indictments over the Myanmar atrocities.
Equatorial Guinean illustrator and comics artist Ramon Esono Ebale was held for five months

A cartoonist who was held in custody for more than five months in Equatorial Guinea was released on Wednesday, an NGO said.

Ramon Esono Ebale, who works under the pseudonym "Ham and Cheese", was arrested for works "that regularly criticise the government of Equatorial Guinea", the African Union previously said.

Confirming his release, director of the US-based rights group EG Justice, Tutu Alicante, said in a statement: "The release of Ramon is proof of the power of the collective work of hundreds of artists, concerned citizens and NGOs."

On February 27 at the start of his trial in capital Malabo public prosecutor Rafael Ondo Nguema asked for the release of Ebale, saying there was a "lack of clear evidence".

Ebale was arrested in mid-September with the government announcing his detention was for "money laundering and forgery". They alleged a million CFA francs in counterfeit money (1,500 euros) was found at his home.

"They stuck on this motive... so that I spent five months in jail," said Ebale at the time.

"I do not know anything about money, but I know they arrested me for my cartoons," he said.

Originally from Equatorial Guinea, Ebale had been living in Paraguay before he returned to renew his passport and was arrested.

According to EG Justice, the arrest of Ebale was linked to the publication of a graphic novel in May 2016 called "Obi's nightmare" after President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

The publication portrays Obiang as an ordinary Guinean citizen, and highlights the lack of access to electricity, healthcare and education and restriction of freedom of expression in Equatorial Guinea.

Obiang has ruled the oil-rich central African nation since he seized power in 1979.

Despite the discovery of considerable oil reserves in 1996, most of Equatorial Guinea's 1.2 million inhabitants still live in poverty.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi's Republican governor took himself out of the mix Tuesday for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Thad Cochran, saying he'll find another strong contender to keep the seat firmly in GOP hands for decades, as Cochran did.

"There's something nefarious about the idea of a governor appointing himself. Washington's not where I want to be just now," Gov. Phil Bryant told reporters.

Cochran, 80, announced Monday that he is stepping down because of poor health. Bryant said he will choose a temporary successor for Cochran after the senator's April 1 resignation.

Arriving for a vote in this photo taken Feb. 15, 2018, at the Capitol in Washington, Sen. Thad Cochran, a Republican from Mississippi who serves as chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, announced Monday that he is resigning from the Senate on April 1, saying in a statement, "I regret my health has become an ongoing challenge." With Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., already up for re-election in the deeply conservative state, the GOP will be defending two seats in Mississippi as they try to preserve their slim majority in the U.S. Senate. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

A special election will be held in November to fill the rest of Cochran's term, which ends in January 2021.

With Republicans trying to hold onto their slim Senate majority, pressure is building on Bryant to appoint someone who can keep the GOP's historical lock on the seat. Some senators have said President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky encouraged Bryant to move himself to the Senate. Bryant, however, said he wants to finish his second and final term as governor, which ends in January 2020.

Democrats achieved a rare victory in the solid Republican South in December, when Doug Jones defeated the GOP's Roy Moore in a special election in Alabama. Moore was dogged by accusations of sexual impropriety against young women - circumstances that are unlikely to be replicated in the Mississippi race.

Bryant said he will choose someone who will run in the special election, which could attract multiple candidates across party lines.

"What I want is someone that can serve for 20, 25 years - someone that can go there and be the next Thad Cochran, Trent Lott," Bryant said.

Cochran and fellow Republican Lott were both elected to the U.S. House in 1972. Cochran won a Senate seat in 1978 and Lott won one in 1988, becoming the Senate's Republican leader before resigning abruptly in late 2007.

With Cochran's departure, Mississippi has two U.S. Senate seats on the ballot this year. Republican Sen. Roger Wicker is already up for re-election in the deeply conservative state.

Republicans are worried that one or both of Mississippi's Senate seats could be in jeopardy unless a top replacement is named for Cochran. Cochran's chief of staff, Brad White, said the appointment Bryant makes "will be remembered for decades to come."

"The control of the U.S. Senate may ride on it," White said.

Bryant has not released names of people he will consider appointing, though there has been widespread speculation that he might appoint Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves or Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, both Republicans. The special election will be same day as the regular election for the seat Wicker now holds.

The head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, said his party will have "good candidates" in both Senate races in Mississippi. Six Democrats, including two state lawmakers, qualified to run in the Wicker seat.

"This is a year where anything can happen," Van Hollen said. "We've seen that."

Democrat Mike Espy, President Bill Clinton's first agriculture secretary, says he has a "strong intention" to run for the seat Cochran is leaving. In 1986 he became the first African-American in modern times to win a congressional seat in Mississippi.

Cochran's departure set off a scramble within a state Republican Party already struggling to manage a disaffected conservative faction. Chris McDaniel, the outspoken, tea party-backed state senator who came close to defeating Cochran in a bitter 2014 Republican primary, qualified last week to challenge Wicker but said he might jump to the special election if the Cochran seat is open. McDaniel said Monday it is "premature" to say what he will do.

Republicans in Washington are hoping to prevent a rough and costly primary season as they struggle to defend their 51-49 hold on the Senate. Some Republicans have doubts about McDaniel's ability to win a general election. And after Republicans' loss in Alabama, party leaders are eager to block any risky candidates.

In 2014, Cochran struggled to win a Republican primary over McDaniel, who received financial support from libertarian-leaning groups that criticized Cochran as a big spender. That race grabbed national attention after a McDaniel supporter entered a nursing home without permission and photographed Cochran's wife, Rose, who was bedridden with dementia. Images of her appeared briefly online. McDaniel said he had no connection to the incident. Rose Cochran died in December 2014, and the senator married one of his longtime staff members, Kay Webber, in May 2015.

____

Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed from Washington and photographer Rogelio V. Solis contributed from Pearl, Mississippi.

____

Follow Emily Wagster Pettus on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus .

Arriving for a vote in this photo taken Feb. 15, 2018, at the Capitol in Washington, Sen. Thad Cochran, a Republican from Mississippi who serves as chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, announced Monday that he is resigning from the Senate on April 1, saying in a statement, "I regret my health has become an ongoing challenge." With Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., already up for re-election in the deeply conservative state, the GOP will be defending two seats in Mississippi as they try to preserve their slim majority in the U.S. Senate. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
ROME (AP) - The Senegalese community in Florence, Italy is demanding justice after an Italian man shot and killed one of their own, apparently just because he was there.

Police have excluded a racial motive in Monday's slaying of Idy Diene. But the killing has heightened tensions after a bitter election campaign saw an explosion of racial violence and anti-migrant sentiment.

The 65-year-old suspect, Roberto Pirrone, turned himself in to police. Investigators say Pirrone intended to kill himself over financial problems, but lost his courage and instead shot randomly Diene.

Senegalese demonstrators face police during a demonstration at Vespucci bridge in Florence, Tuesday, March 6, 2018. The Senegalese community in Florence is demanding justice after an Italian man shot and killed one of their own, apparently just because he was there. (Claudio Giovannini/ANSA via AP)

About 300 members of Florence's Senegalese community staged a protest late Monday, at times overturning street planters, to denounce the slaying. Another more peaceful protest was held Tuesday. Senegalese residents demanded justice and denounced the discrimination they said they face in Italy.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Former Oakland Raiders player Aldon Smith on Tuesday surrendered to police who said he is a suspect in a domestic violence incident reported three days earlier.

Smith was booked on four misdemeanor charges of domestic violence and related counts and released on $30,000 bail from San Francisco County Jail.

San Francisco police had been looking for Smith since he fled a home Saturday night after someone called 911 to report a domestic violence incident.

This booking photo provided Tuesday, March 6, 2018, by the San Francisco Police Department, shows Aldon Smith. The former Oakland Raiders NFL football player turned himself into police on Tuesday and was booked into San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence and three related misdemeanors. (San Francisco Police Department via AP)

Jail records don't show if he is represented by an attorney.

The Raiders released Smith on Monday.

He had been on the suspended list since late 2015 for violating the NFL's policy on substance abuse.
Parents want schools to communicate with them via email, and that is why schools more recent focus on using social media platforms to get their messages out may be misguided.

Thats the takeway from new survey findings released Tuesday by nonprofit research group Project Tomorrow and ed-tech company Blackboard Inc.

The data shows that parents value having information pushed to them rather than having to search and find it on their own, Julie Evans, CEO of Project Tomorrow, said in a statement. Given the time pressures faced by most parents, this is not surprising. What is surprising is the disconnect we see between what parents and administrators say are the best communications tools.

Among the surveys key findings:



A third of parents arent satisfied with teacher-to-home communication, and a quarter of parents arent satisfied with district-to-home communication.

Parents overwhelmingly prefer email for both district- and teacher-level communications. They prize timeliness and personalization, especially for communications about their childs academic progress.

Just 16 percent of parents say Facebook is an effective way to communicate school and district information, compared with 78 percent of district communications officers.

Nearly half of parents want school and district information texted directly to them, while just 19 percent want to go to a website to find the information.

The survey results are part of Project Tomorrows annual Speak Up Research Project for Digital Learning. They include responses from more than 514,000 K-12 students, parents, and educators from October 2016 to January 2017.

The report found that overall, school principals describe communications with parents as a significant challenge. Thats particularly true with the advent of new instructional approaches, such as blended-learning models that mix face-to-face with online instruction.

Parents who responded to the survey said they would like to receive more information about the technology their children are using at school, as well as recommendations about apps they can use at home to support their childrens learning. Parents also reported generally low levels of information about student achievement in their childs school and district.

There were meaningful differences by age and grade level; parents of elementary-aged children, for example, were generally more satisfied with communications from their childs teacher, and were also more likely to favor face-to-face meetings and handwritten notes than parents of older children.

Among social media platforms, Facebook appears to be the most popular among school districts for communicating general information, good news, and crisis alerts. Twitter is emerging, but still less popular.

The full report, Trends in Community Engagement: Text, Twitter, Email, CallNew Expectations for School-to-Home Communications , is available online.

See also:

for the latest news on ed-tech policies, practices, and trends.
CHICAGO (AP) - A Florida businessman who tried to flee to South America after pleading guilty to a $179 million fraud scheme has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

At his sentencing Tuesday in Chicago, U.S. District Judge Charles Kocoras called Nikesh Patel a "diabolical genius" for the scale and brazenness of his fraud.

Days before a January sentencing date, FBI agents arrested the 34-year-old in Florida trying to board a private jet to Ecuador. Patel was free on bond, ostensibly to help recover victims' money.

Prosecutors say Patel launched new scams in 2017 while awaiting sentencing, spending $30,000 on his infant daughter's birthday and $28,000 on a ski trip.

Patel pleaded guilty in 2016 to selling bogus loans to a Wisconsin investment firm. The fraud also hurt several Chicago-area school districts financially.
Investigators say failure of an engine fan blade caused a United Airlines jet to lose power in one of its two engines over the Pacific last month.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday that a fan blade separated and led to the loss of the cover on the right-side engine of the Boeing 777 on Feb. 13.

The engine failure occurred as the plane with 363 passengers and 15 crew members approached Hawaii from San Francisco. The pilots shut down the engine after getting a warning of a compressor failure. They made a safe emergency landing in Honolulu.

The preliminary report from investigators did not identify what caused the initial failure of the blade in the Pratt & Whitney engine.
BEIJING (AP) - Beijing is unhappy with the first visit by a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier to a Vietnamese port since the Vietnam War and is monitoring developments, a Communist Party newspaper said Wednesday.

However, the Global Times said the USS Carl Vinson's visit was unlikely to alter the balance of power in the South China Sea, which China claims virtually in its entirety and has been fortifying with military structures on man-made islands.

"China's vigilance and unhappiness are inevitable, but we don't think that the USS Carl Vinson's Vietnam trip can stir up troubles in the South China Sea," the paper, known for its hard-line nationalist views, said in an editorial.

American navy officers walk aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson as it docks in Danang bay, Vietnam on Monday, March 5, 2018. For the first time since the Vietnam War, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier is paying a visit to a Vietnamese port, seeking to bolster both countries' efforts to stem expansionism by China in the South China Sea. (AP Photo/ Hau Dinh)

The visit "will not generate any special tools to pressure China," while the U.S. sending warships to the South China Sea will "only waste money," the paper said.

Vietnam and China have extensive overlapping claims to islands and resources in the sea, and U.S. officials say the port call is a sign of the U.S. commitment to the region and U.S.-Vietnam ties.

"Carl Vinson being here, me being here, this is about Vietnam," Vice Adm. Phillip Sawyer, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, told reporters in a conference call Tuesday from the Vietnamese port of Danang, where the ship docked Monday. "This is about our relationship with Vietnam, both from a military relationship and from a comprehensive partnership relationship."

Sawyer and other officials have not linked the ship's visit to China's activities in the South China Sea, but he did note Washington's concerns over China's moves to put teeth behind its territorial claims and unanswered questions about China's purpose in its rapid military expansion and upgrading.

"My view on that is both those, land reclamation and the militarization, cause angst within the region. And the angst that it causes is really because of lack of transparency," Sawyer said.

"It's not quite clear what's going to happen down there. And I think that angst and that lack of transparency is potentially disruptive to the security and stability of the region. And that, that causes concern," he said.

The visit by the USS Carl Vinson with more than 5,000 crew members marks the largest U.S. military presence in Vietnam since the Southeast Asian nation was unified under Communist leadership after the war ended in 1975.

Accompanied by a cruiser and a destroyer, the ship is visiting as China completes work on air bases, radar stations and other infrastructure that could prove key in a military conflict in the Paracel islands and seven artificial islands in the Spratlys in maritime territory also claimed by Vietnam.

The ship's mission includes technical exchanges, sports matches and visits to an orphanage and a center for victims of Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant sprayed by U.S. forces to deny cover for Communist fighters during the war. It marks a fine-tuning, rather than a turning point, in relations. The U.S. Navy has staged activities in Vietnam for its Pacific Partnership humanitarian and civic missions in nine of the past 12 years.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan also claim waters and islands in the South China Sea that China says belong to it.

American navy officers talk to each other aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson as it docks in Danang bay, Vietnam on Monday, March 5, 2018. For the first time since the Vietnam War, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier is paying a visit to a Vietnamese port, seeking to bolster both countries' efforts to stem expansionism by China in the South China Sea. (AP Photo/ Hau Dinh)

A Vietnamese passenger boat sails past U.S aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson as it docks in Danang bay, Vietnam on Monday, March 5, 2018. For the first time since the Vietnam War, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier is paying a visit to a Vietnamese port, seeking to bolster both countries' efforts to stem expansionism by China in the South China Sea. (AP Photo/ Hau Dinh)

An American navy officer walks aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson as it docks in Danang bay Vietnam on Monday, March 5, 2018. For the first time since the Vietnam War, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier is paying a visit to a Vietnamese port, seeking to bolster both countries' efforts to stem expansionism by China in the South China Sea. (AP Photo/ Hau Dinh)
DALLAS (AP) - A Congolese woman at the center of a lawsuit accusing the U.S. government of unlawfully separating her from her 7-year-old daughter after they crossed the California-Mexico border seeking asylum was released Tuesday, an official with the American Civil Liberties Union said.

The woman was released from a detention center in San Diego under orders coming "from up top" in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project. The child, however, remains about 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) away from her mother in a Chicago facility, he said.

Efforts on Wednesday will shift toward obtaining the girl's release and reuniting her with her mother, Gelernt said. The ACLU also will continue to litigate the lawsuit filed Feb. 26 in federal court in San Diego seeking relief for other immigrant parents separated from their minor children, he said.

"There remain many other families who have been separated, and we will continue to attack this horrific family separation practice," Gelernt said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the woman's release and the status of her child. However, Homeland Security spokesman Tyler Houlton said in a social media post Sunday that the public should be skeptical of advocacy group claims that parents and their children are being separated for reasons other than protecting the child.

The woman is from a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and speaks little English. She passed the initial screening to determine if she had a "credible fear" of returning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the lawsuit said. The ACLU has withheld the identities of the woman and child citing potential danger if they are denied asylum and returned to Congo.

The mother and daughter entered the U.S. together in California in November and turned themselves into U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. Initially, the two were kept together, but about five days after they entered the country the child was taken away "screaming and crying, pleading with guards not to take her away from her mother," according to the lawsuit.

The ACLU said the family's case is one example of the practice of President Donald Trump's administration to target immigrant families who are seeking asylum through processes established under U.S. law. Trump has not announced a formal policy to hold adult asylum seekers separately from their children, but top administration officials have said they believe the asylum process is overwhelmed and challenged by people making frivolous claims.

The U.S. government is bound to release immigrant children from custody if possible and otherwise hold children in the "least restrictive setting" available, according to a 1997 settlement that ended a long-running lawsuit over the treatment of immigrant children. It was reiterated in later court rulings as well.

The Trump administration has called for ending the settlement as part of its demands for changes to immigration laws.

Under previous administrations, immigration authorities charged thousands of people with illegally entering or re-entering the U.S., holding them in jail and at times separating them from their children. But Gelernt and other immigrant advocates say the Trump administration is detaining more adults seeking asylum and separating them from their children than in previous years.

Advocates have also accused border agents of unlawfully turning away people who are seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border.
ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's military says it shot down an Indian "spy drone" after it entered Pakistani airspace in the disputed region of Kashmir.

The military said in a statement late Tuesday that the drone violated Pakistan's airspace and was spying when it was shot down in the village of Chirikot along the Line of Control in Kashmir. It said Pakistani troops retrieved the wreckage.

The army said it was the fourth Indian drone it shot down in the past year.

India had no immediate comment.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and both claim the region in its entirety.

The two sides also often trade fire there and have fought two wars over it since their independence from British rule in 1947.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - At Stonewall Jackson Middle School in West Virginia, students filed past a sign that read: "Welcome back, let's roll."

It's been nine school days without class. Students returned Wednesday to Stonewall Jackson and other schools across West Virginia, a day after the state's teachers wangled a 5 percent pay increase from their elected leaders. Their victory came after walking off the job in all 55 counties of this poor Appalachian mountain state to protest some of the lowest pay for their profession in the country.

Stonewall Jackson teacher Hannah Silverman said she was "pumped" to be back at work.

Students arrive as classes resume on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in Charleston, W.Va. West Virginia's teachers and students are reuniting in their classrooms after a walkout that closed schools statewide. State teachers celebrated on Tuesday after they won a 5 percent salary increase. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)

"I was like a kid on the first day of school last night, I literally couldn't sleep," Silverman said. "So, I was really excited, this is my passion. I want to be here and I've been excited since we found out yesterday."

After the long layoff, Stonewall Jackson student Angel Davis said she tried to persuade her sister that getting back to school was a good thing.

"I was happy," said Davis. "I said I want my education."

Despite losing the school days, the teachers had support from parents and students. Never mind the difficulties some parents had arranging for child care and finding activities for their idle children.

Nannette Higginbotham had mixed feelings as she said goodbye to her daughter on her first day back at Andrew Jackson Middle School in Cross Lanes.

"I love having her home, but I'm glad they're getting back to school and getting it over with," she said.

At the Village of Barboursville Elementary School, teachers traded holding picket signs for ones such as "I Missed You" to welcome students back. The teachers stood outside as their charges arrived Wednesday.

"I'm sure not only was it stressful for us as educators, (but for) parents and the students," special education teacher Jamie Robinette told WSAZ-TV. "The students want to be here. We want to be here. I'm so glad that it's over."

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has asked county superintendents to be flexible as they decide how to meet the requirement of having 180 days of school, saying students "have suffered enough." He wants families to have time for summer vacation and doesn't want summer feeding programs placed in jeopardy if classes go too far into June.

Some superintendents are mulling whether to cut short spring break, typically in late March, although families often have vacations already scheduled during that time.

The paralyzing walkout shut 277,000 students out of classrooms, forced their parents to scramble for child care and cast a national spotlight on government dysfunction in West Virginia. These 35,000 public school employees had gone four years without a salary increase.

From outside the state, GoFundMe campaigns bought pizza for the striking teachers and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for their immediate needs such as lost pay and child care.

Embracing the hashtag "55strong" in a nod to the number of counties in the state, teachers and school service personnel gathered at the Capitol daily in the thousands, waiting in long lines in the cold and rain as they remained steadfast in their demandsd.

Their euphoria after winning the fight carried over with them into the schools on Wednesday.

At Robert C. Byrd High School in Clarksburg, teachers lined up to greet students heading to their lockers.

"We were giving them high fives and chanting 'You matter to us!'" teacher Connie Buffey told The Exponent Telegram.

___

Associated Press writers Robert Ray in Charleston, West Virginia, and Michael Virtanen in Morgantown, West Virginia, contributed to this report.

Students have breakfast at Stonewall Jackson Middle School on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in Charleston, W.Va. West Virginia's teachers and students are reuniting in their classrooms after a walkout that closed schools statewide. State teachers celebrated on Tuesday as they won a 5 percent salary increase. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)

Students arrive as classes resume on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in Charleston, W.Va. West Virginia's teachers and students are reuniting in their classrooms after a walkout that closed schools statewide. State teachers celebrated on Tuesday after they won a 5 percent salary increase. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)

Teachers and school personnel celebrate after the state Senate approved a bill to increase state employee pay by 5 percent at the capitol in Charleston, W.Va., on Tuesday, March 6, 2018. The lawmakers unanimously approved the pay raises for teachers and troopers, after the governor reached a deal to end a teacher walkout that shuttered the state's schools for nine days. (Craig Hudson/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

State senators acknowledge the cheers of teachers and school personnel after the passage of a bill to increase pay of state employee by 5 percent at the capitol in Charleston, W.Va., on Tuesday, March 6, 2018. The lawmakers unanimously approved the pay raises for teachers and troopers, after the governor reached a deal to end a teacher walkout that shuttered the state's schools for nine days. (Craig Hudson/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

Gov. Jim Justice signs a bill increasing state workers salaries by 5 percent during a news conference at the Culture Center after the House and Senate passed the bill earlier in the day in Charleston, W.V., on Tuesday, March 6, 2018. The settlement came on the ninth day of a crippling strike that idled hundreds of thousands of students, forced parents to scramble for child care and cast a spotlight on government dysfunction in one of the poorest states in the country. (Craig Hudson /Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

Gov. Jim Justice signs a bill increasing state workers salaries by 5 percent during a news conference at the Culture Center after the House and Senate passed the bill earlier in the day in Charleston, W.V., on Tuesday, March 6, 2018. The settlement came on the ninth day of a crippling strike that idled hundreds of thousands of students, forced parents to scramble for child care and cast a spotlight on government dysfunction in one of the poorest states in the country. (Craig Hudson /Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

Teachers and school personnel celebrate after the state Senate approved a bill to increase state employee pay by 5 percent at the capitol in Charleston, W.Va., on Tuesday, March 6, 2018. The lawmakers unanimously approved the pay raises for teachers and troopers, after the governor reached a deal to end a teacher walkout that shuttered the state's schools for nine days. (Craig Hudson/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

Senate President Mitch Carmichael stands as the Senate approves a bill to increase state employee pay by 5 percent at the capitol in Charleston, W.Va., on Tuesday, March 6, 2018. The lawmakers unanimously approved the pay raises for teachers and troopers, after the governor reached a deal to end a teacher walkout that shuttered the state's schools for nine days. (Craig Hudson/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

Teachers celebrate after West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Senate Republicans announced they reached a tentative deal to end a statewide teachers' strike by giving them 5 percent raises in Charleston, W.Va., Tuesday, March 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)

West Virginia Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns, R-Ohio, left, and House Education Chairman Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson, discuss an agreement reached by a legislative conference committee for a 5 percent pay increase for striking teachers Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at the Capitol in Charleston, W.Va. Gov. Jim Justice and West Virginia's Republican leaders tentatively agreed Tuesday to end the state's nine-day teachers' walkout by giving 5 percent raises to not just teachers, but all state workers. (AP Photo/John Raby)

West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee, left, and American Federation of Teachers' West Virginia chapter President Christine Campbell talk to reporters as an agreement was reached by a legislative conference committee for a 5 percent pay increase for striking teachers Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at the Capitol in Charleston, W.Va. Gov. Jim Justice and West Virginia's Republican leaders tentatively agreed Tuesday to end the state's nine-day teachers' walkout by giving 5 percent raises to not just teachers, but all state workers. (AP Photo/John Raby)

Surrounded by Union leaders, Gov. Jim Justice signs a bill increasing state workers salaries by 5 percent during a news conference at the Culture Center after the House and Senate passed the bill earlier in the day in Charleston, W.V., on Tuesday, March 6, 2018. The settlement came on the ninth day of a crippling strike that idled hundreds of thousands of students, forced parents to scramble for child care and cast a spotlight on government dysfunction in one of the poorest states in the country. (Craig Hudson /Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

Gov. Jim Justice signs a bill increasing state workers salaries by 5 percent during a news conference at the Culture Center after the House and Senate passed the bill earlier in the day in Charleston, W.V., on Tuesday, March 6, 2018. The settlement came on the ninth day of a crippling strike that idled hundreds of thousands of students, forced parents to scramble for child care and cast a spotlight on government dysfunction in one of the poorest states in the country. (Craig Hudson /Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

Special education teacher Melinda Monks walks outside the state Capitol Tuesday, March 6, 2018, in Charleston, W.Va., after the governor signed a 5 percent pay raise for teachers. As teachers in West Virginia noisily celebrated the raise that ended their nine-day walkout, momentum was building elsewhere for similar protests over pay and benefits for the nation's public school teachers. (AP Photo/John Raby)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Prosecutors say a dual citizen of Israel and Russia has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in an international fraud scheme.

A U.S. Department of Justice statement says 46-year-old Stanislav Nazarov was sentenced on Monday. He pleaded guilty on Dec. 12 in the U.S District Court for the District of Columbia to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Nazarov was among 19 people indicted last year in the case.

The statement says in December 2016, Nazarov received $50,000 from a 2015 cyber-phishing scam that tricked a company's director into wiring $1.4 million to a bank account in the U.S. He was arrested in March 2017 in Israel.

Nazarov will be subject to deportation proceedings after completing his sentence.
CAIRO (AP) - Saudi Arabia's crown prince says Qatar will not be barred from an Arab summit in Riyadh later this month, but predicted the standoff with Doha could last a long time.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman's comments were made to local editors during a visit to Egypt this week and published Wednesday in the independent Al-Shorouk newspaper.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar in June, accusing the tiny but super-rich Gulf state of supporting militant groups and forging close ties with Shiite Iran.

In this photo provided by Egypt's state news agency, MENA, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, left, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tour the Suez canal near Ismailia, 120 kilometers (75 miles) east of Cairo, Egypt. Egypt gave a warm welcome to Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, with military fanfare and a trip to the Suez Canal meant to underline a growing strategic partnership. (Mohammed Samaha/MENA via AP)

The prince described Iran, Turkey and militant groups as the "contemporary triangle of evil."

He said Saudi Arabia was seeking to end the close relations between Iran on the one hand and Russia and Syria on the other.
ERIE, Pa. (AP) - With the abandoned smokestacks off the bay and ramshackle factories along 12th Street, it's easy to pin the blame for this industrial city's plight on the loss of manufacturing jobs to China and Mexico.

Many, including President Donald Trump, hold the belief that shuttered factories are what primarily ails Erie and other aging blue-collar company towns.

Yet since 2008, Erie has suffered a less-known and potentially more devastating exodus of well-paying white-collar jobs. Half its CEOs - 220 jobs - have disappeared. The city has shed 8 percent of its accountants, 10 percent of its computer workers, 40 percent of its engineers and 20 percent of its lawyers, according to government data analyzed by The Associated Press.

In this Oct. 24, 2017, photo, pedestrians pass under a freight train overpass as they walk up Peach Street in Erie, Pa. Since 2008, Erie has suffered a hidden and potentially more devastating exodus: The loss of well-paid white-collar jobs. Half its CEOs have disappeared. The city has shed 8 percent of its accountants, 10 percent of its computer workers, 40 percent of its engineers and 20 percent of its lawyers, according to government occupational data analyzed by The Associated Press. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

They are the professional class jobs that buttressed Erie's manufacturing might. And they are the type of work that has increasingly become the backbone of the U.S. economy.

After reviewing Labor Department figures dating to 2008, the AP found that a third of major metro areas - nearly 80 communities - are shedding a greater percentage of white-collar than blue-collar jobs.

In Ohio, such cities as Toledo and Canton have had a harder time retaining jobs in offices than on factory floors. It's a similar story in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. And in Wichita and Topeka, Kansas. And Birmingham, Alabama. And Decatur, Illinois.

"That's one of the most painful aspects of the economic decline of these manufacturing centers: They get hit twice," said Enrico Moretti, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley. "First, they lose the factories. But second, and most importantly, they lose everyone who was supportive of those factories."

It's that second hit that increasingly matters nearly four decades since U.S. manufacturing employment peaked. Without a foundation of white collar jobs, it becomes difficult for these areas to reinvent themselves in an era when the economy more and more requires specialized knowledge and technological skill.

"It's painful because it makes it even harder for the community to recover," Moretti said.

Trump had rallied voters on the promise that he would restore factory jobs to revive areas that had lost them. But the data show how higher-paying occupations are abandoning smaller cities, taking with them a generation of workers who could otherwise start new companies or serve existing businesses.

The AP reviewed data on employment by occupations from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and compared metro area figures with national averages. Jobs that were categorized as white collar include managerial, administrative and sales positions. Blue-collar occupations include production, craft, machine operation and transportation positions.

White-collar workers are increasingly shifting from smaller cities and settling in such thriving metro areas as Seattle, Nashville, Chicago and Silicon Valley. As those higher-paying occupations become more highly concentrated, the wealth they generate is less likely to filter through the rest of the country to areas with a long-standing legacy of manufacturing. And while Trump and other political leaders vow to boost businesses with tax cuts, lower taxes may do little for communities with fewer white collar workers who could plow them into new businesses.

In Erie, many business leaders say the city mainly needs to keep and attract more white-collar workers.

Its largest for-profit employer, Erie Insurance, recently restored an old armory and has been renovating old homes nearby, gradually turning part of the city into a corporate campus. Out of a headquarters built as a replica of Independence Hall, with hand-blocked French wallpaper depicting an American Revolution battle, the insurer is leading a private $40 million effort to fill the downtown with apartments and retail, in hopes that a friendlier streetscape will draw more employers and college graduates.

For the company's CEO, the mission is personal. Tim NeCastro has five adult children; only one has chosen to stay local.

"If this is successful, 10 years from now, two more of my kids will move to Erie," he said. "They will find a reason to get back here."

It's the same high-stakes gamble many small- and mid-size cities face. Children who left for college aren't returning home as they once did. Many are choosing to live in metro areas or communities anchored by a major university, like Pittsburgh, 130 miles south of Erie.

In these larger cities, it's easier for white-collar workers to quit their jobs to join employers that offer more money or opportunities for advancement. This trend has turned certain larger cities into magnets that draw employers and better-paid workers away from smaller cities.

"Size matters, and I think, this dynamic is accelerating," said Mark Muro, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Census Bureau data show, for example, that Chicago added nearly 40,000 college graduates under age 35 since the Great Recession began in late 2007. Boston gained about 10,000, Denver 25,000. Compare that with Toledo, which lost 1,600 young college graduates.

In a 2016 campaign speech in Erie, Trump didn't touch on this brain drain. Rather, he blamed unfair trade - from the North American Free Trade Agreement to the entrance of China into the World Trade Organization - for the struggles in those communities.

"We will stop these countries from taking our companies," Trump said. "You can't do well when you have a government that is so stupid, that is so incompetent."

This argument helped win him Erie County, which had twice voted for Barack Obama. But in the 12 months since Trump's election, Erie has shed about 800 jobs. The number of people seeking jobs declined by more than 2,000. Trump has announced taxes on steel and aluminum imports in hopes of bolstering U.S. industry.

Community leaders in Erie note that manufacturing remains a strength for northwest Pennsylvania. But it seems impossible to restore a long-gone era of prosperity that was built on factory work.

Erie's General Electric locomotive plant peaked with roughly 20,000 workers just after World War II, when whirling assembly lines had helped to secure an Allied victory and an economic boom that followed helped propel growth. Hammermill Paper relied on trucks stacked with logs that rumbled through downtown to its paper mill. Lord Corp. made industrial coatings. Zurn made plumbing equipment.

But as the market for locomotives declined, the GE plant steadily downsized. It will soon have a headcount closer to 3,000. Hammermill was bought by International Paper in 1986. Its jobs went to Memphis.

Lord recently replaced its old plant in Erie with a new factory nearby, but its headquarters remains in North Carolina. Zurn decided in 2015 to move its base to Milwaukee because it saw Wisconsin as a hub for "global water industry leaders."

Many of the factory buildings are decades old, too dilapidated and maze-like to efficiently run an assembly line that needs wide-open spaces. Some long-standing factory workers in Erie earn a healthy $35 an hour. But that's more than many companies are now willing to pay for factory work, thereby limiting how much manufacturing can fuel prosperity in cities like Erie.

Bob Glowacki, who heads a real estate management company and once served on Erie's city council, said the city must look beyond manufacturing.

"It's fine that Donald Trump says he's going to get all the companies that moved to China to come back to the United States," he said. "But if that happened, you're only going to get 20 percent of those jobs back. Technology has replaced them. How do you change that in Erie?"

What people are truly nostalgic for, Glowacki said, isn't merely the grind of factory jobs but the community fostered by the old ethnic neighborhoods, with their churches and clubs where residents once gathered. Chain restaurants in strip malls outside the city proper have supplanted many of these institutions. Housing vacancies have risen around the downtown core.

So instead, Erie's goal is now more to recapture some of those lost white-collar jobs by renovating the downtown. Business leaders see a model to replicate in the Cincinnati neighborhood of "Over the Rhine" with its charming Italianate brick buildings and hipster restaurants.

After taking a tour through Erie's neighborhoods and industrial sites, Glowacki, 66, said he feels hopeful that the city now has a plan of action.

"I've never felt more positive about what is happening in Erie than I do right now," he said.

Yet the clouds remain as the fates of white-collar and blue-collar workers remain entwined.

In October, GE Transportation announced layoffs for 570 unionized workers at the locomotive plant. The move accompanied the loss of 200 management jobs at the same plant, said Scott Slawson, who represents the GE workers as the president of the local union.

Ripple effects from previous layoffs hit more than 40 Erie companies that helped supply the factory. The company is also seeking to divest its transportation division, which is spreading uncertainty for every class of workers in Erie.

"When that corporate jet leaves Erie, there's not room for everyone on that jet - there's very few seats," Slawson said.

___

AP writers Christopher Rugaber and Larry Fenn contributed to this report.

In this Oct. 24, 2017, photo, vehicles travel along State Street, the main thoroughfare through town, as seen from the Bicentennial Tower in Erie, Pa. Since 2008, Erie has suffered a hidden and potentially more devastating exodus: The loss of well-paid white-collar jobs. City leaders in Erie say it needs to retain those white-collar workers, more than it needs a return to a blue-collar past where the factories covered the east side of town in brown soot and Lake Erie was reserved for shipping instead of swimming and tourism. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 24, 2017, photo, workers pass along industrial machines at Lord Corporation, a manufacturer of industrial coatings, adhesives, bearings, and sensing equipment for range of commercial markets, including United States military contracts in Erie, Pa. After reviewing Labor Department data going back to 2008, the AP found that a third of major U.S. metro areas communities are shedding a greater percentage of white-collar than blue-collar jobs. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 23, 2017, photo, laboratory personnel work at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hamot in Erie, Pa. City leaders in Erie say it needs to retain those white-collar workers, more than it needs a return to a blue-collar past. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 23, 2017, photo, Timothy NeCastro, president and chief executive officer of Erie Insurance, is interviewed at their offices in Erie, Pa. Erie's largest for-profit employer, Erie Insurance, has been restoring the aging brick homes and the armory near the downtown, gradually turning the city into a corporate campus. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 23, 2017, photo, David Gibbons, president of University of Pennsylvania Medical Center Hamot, tours the facilities as a decommissioned smokestack is seen on the banks of Lake Erie in Erie, Pa. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 23, 2017, photo, laboratory personnel work at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hamot in Erie, Pa. City leaders in Erie say it needs to retain those white-collar workers, more than it needs a return to a blue-collar past where the factories covered the east side of town in brown soot and Lake Erie was reserved for shipping instead of swimming and tourism. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 24, 2017, photo, an employee works beside helicopter rotors at Lord Corporation, a manufacturer of industrial coatings, adhesives, bearings, and sensing equipment for range of commercial markets, including United States military contracts in Erie, Pa. Lord keeps some of its plants in Western Pennsylvania, but the headquarters has been in North Carolina since the 1980s. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 24, 2017, photo, an employee wears his laboratory coat at his workstation at Lord Corporation, a manufacturer of industrial coatings, adhesives, bearings, and sensing equipment for range of commercial markets, including United States military contracts in Erie, Pa. Without white collar jobs, it becomes increasingly difficult for places to reinvent themselves at a moment when the global economy has prized brains over brawn. What can start as factory layoffs has snowballed into companies shifting their executive headquarters to cities with better airports, not just cheaper costs of doing business. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 24, 2017, photo, a worker operates a Computer Numerical Control (CMC) machine at Lord Corporation, a manufacturer of industrial coatings, adhesives, bearings, and sensing equipment for range of commercial markets, including United States military contracts in Erie, Pa. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 24, 2017, photo, luxury housing developments stretch out along piers into Lake Erie as rain clouds pass overhead in Erie, Pa. City leaders in Erie say it needs to retain those white-collar workers, more than it needs a return to a blue-collar past where the factories covered the east side of town in brown soot and Lake Erie was reserved for shipping instead of swimming and tourism. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 25, 2017, photo, a pedestrian passes a home for sale on State Street in Erie, Pa. Since 2008, Erie has suffered a hidden and potentially more devastating exodus: The loss of well-paid white-collar jobs. Half its CEOs have disappeared. The city has shed 8 percent of its accountants, 10 percent of its computer workers, 40 percent of its engineers and 20 percent of its lawyers, according to government occupational data analyzed by The Associated Press. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 24, 2017, photo, a pedestrian crosses believe a graffiti covered freight-train overpass on Peach Street in Erie, Pa. Since 2008, Erie has suffered a hidden and potentially more devastating exodus: The loss of well-paid white-collar jobs. Half its CEOs have disappeared. The city has shed 8 percent of its accountants, 10 percent of its computer workers, 40 percent of its engineers and 20 percent of its lawyers, according to government occupational data analyzed by The Associated Press. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 25, 2017, photo, Bob Glowacki, who heads a local real estate management company and once served on Erie's city council, stands for a portrait on State Street, in Erie, Pa. Glowacki said Erie must look beyond manufacturing jobs. "I've never felt more positive about what is happening in Erie than I do right now," said Glowacki. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 25, 2017, photo, construction workers build the foundation of the newest Erie Insurance building on French Street in Erie, Pa. Erie's largest for-profit employer, Erie Insurance, has been restoring the aging brick homes and the armory near the downtown, gradually turning the city into a corporate campus. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 23, 2017, photo, Brenda Sandberg, the executive director of the Erie Port Authority, looks out onto the banks of Lake Erie where construction of entertainment venues and tourism businesses on formally industrial piers continue below in Erie, Pa. City leaders in Erie say it needs to retain those white-collar workers, more than it needs a return to a blue-collar past where the factories covered the east side of town in brown soot and Lake Erie was reserved for shipping instead of swimming and tourism. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Oct. 25, 2017, photo, pedestrians and motorists pass along State Street, the main thoroughfare through town in Erie, Pa. In the 12 months since Donald Trump's election, Erie has shed over 800 jobs. The number of people seeking jobs declined by more than 2,000. Trump has announced taxes on steel and aluminum imports in hopes of bolstering U.S. industry, but the measures could also create costs for companies across northwest Pennsylvania that fashion those metals into finished goods. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The 2018 midterm election cycle kicked off with a surge in voter enthusiasm for both parties in Texas, although the gains were bigger for Democrats. It boosted a slew of women candidate and helped Republicans who had drawn direct support from President Donald Trump. The primary set up Democrats to make inroads in November although they are unlikely to overturn two decades of Republican dominance in Texas politics. Here are some things to know from the first state primary in the nation.

___

TEXAS-SIZED TURNOUT

Supporters watch results on a screen during a Democratic watch party following the Texas primary election, Tuesday, March 6, 2018, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Trump's first term produced a wave of voters Texas hasn't seen in years. Spurred by big numbers in early voting, Democratic voters topped the 1 million mark, a total not seen since the 2002 primary. Republicans responded in even larger numbers, passing 1.5 million, breaking the party record of 1.48 million set in 2010.

There is at least one Democratic candidate in every congressional district - 36 of them - for the first time since 1992. Democrats have 25 contested congressional primaries, and Senate nominee Beto O'Rourke raised $2.4 million in the final three months of 2017, more than U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's $1.9 million haul. O'Rourke and Cruz both easily secured their nominations, setting up a brawl in November's general election.

The Democratic turnout in a deep-red state like Texas will be studied for whether it's a sign of nationwide momentum for the left since Trump's election in 2016. Democrats still face long odds at ousting Republicans in the nation's largest conservative state, where they've not won statewide office since 1994. Republican Congressional candidates across the state had pledged fealty to Trump.

Trump's support appeared to help a couple of statewide Republican officeholders. Land Commissioner George P. Bush, the nephew of former President George W. Bush, and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Both were endorsed by Trump and avoided runoffs in bitter primary fights.

Miller won easily despite being known for tweeting a derogatory term to refer to Hillary Clinton, sharing a Facebook post advocating bombing the "Muslim world" and other misleading reports that claimed to be factual news.

___

WINNING WOMEN

A tide of anti-Trump activism helped propel nearly 50 women to run for Congress in Texas and more than half of them won nominations or advanced to runoffs. Many were running in a record eight open congressional races this year in Texas - two of which are up for grabs after longtime GOP incumbents abandoned plans for re-election amid scandal.

At least three Democratic primary runoffs will pit women candidates against each other. One of those races will include Laura Moser, who advanced to a runoff despite being attacked by her own party establishment as being too liberal to win a general election.

Veronica Escobar of El Paso and state Sen. Sylvia Garcia of Houston won their primaries and are poised to become the first two Latina congresswomen in a state where a population boom has been driven by Hispanic growth. Lupe Valdez, the former sheriff of Dallas County, advanced to a runoff for Democratic nomination for governor against Andrew White, the son for former Gov. Mark White. Valdez won more than 42 percent of votes cast.

"I think that a Congress that is only 20 percent women is not where we need to be," said Gina Ortiz-Jones, who finished in the top-two vote getters in a sprawling border district that runs from El Paso to San Antonio.

Republicans rejected a well-funded woman candidate who had been a major party donor and endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott. Kathaleen Wall had pumped nearly $6 million of her own money into her Houston-area congressional race, but couldn't make it into a runoff. Wall had embraced the president in her campaign but failed to break through.

___

BETO O'ROURKE vs. TED CRUZ

The most watched matchup in Texas in November will be the Senate race between O'Rourke and Cruz.

The Democratic congressman from El Paso has proven to be a muscular fundraiser and has touted his candidacy's grassroots appeal for Texas Democrats who haven't had much to cheer about lately. O'Rourke has refused donations from outside political groups and called for banning AR-15-style assault rifles in wake of last month's mass shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 people.

Cruz, a favorite of conservatives, isn't taking O'Rourke lightly. Within minutes of clinching the nomination, Cruz released a radio ad telling voters that O'Rourke "wants to take our guns."

"Left-wing rage may raise a bunch of money from people online, but I don't believe it reflects the views of a majority of Texans," Cruz said.

___

EASY PATH

In other statewide offices, Abbott easily won the Republican nomination for a second term as governor, and so did Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, as both faced only token opposition. Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is under felony indictment on charges of securities fraud, was unopposed in the primary.

Andrew White, front left, a Democratic candidate for governor, talks to a television reporter before an election watch party at Raven Tower in Houston on Tuesday, March 6, 2018. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)
Editors Note: In this post, Jordan Shapiro , senior fellow at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, explains how digital play can prepare our students for a world that is economically, politically, and technologically connected.

My ten- and twelve-year-old boys both keep track of multiple time zones on their smartphones and laptops. Id like to think that the hour in faraway places is important to them because Im often traveling, and they want to know when to video chat with Dad. But the truth is, it has very little to do with my schedule. Instead, its because they recognize that if they want to play in a global sandbox, they need to pay attention to when their friends in other countries are sleeping or awake.

When will kids in Mumbai log on to Minecraft? When can they call Greece with Skype? What time will folks in the UK connect to Discord? I barely understood the concept of time zones when I was their age. But in the 21st century, childrens understanding of time is different. They approach time from what I call a macro-minded perspective.

The prefix macro- comes from the ancient Greek -, which originally meant long or large. In the 20th century, it was often used to mean comprehensive. People spoke of things being macroscopic. And macroeconomics became a general term describing the field of scholarship which looks at large-scale economic factors. I use the term macro-minded to denote the habits of mind that are associated with a worldwide outlook. Tomorrows global citizens will need to be macro-minded, inclined to consider how extensive international factors shape and contribute to a broad set of issues.

Nowadays, we are all living, learning, and teaching in a connected world. And its not just the technology. Yes, digital tools bring us together: they allow us to communicate in spectacular ways. But they represent only one example of the networked phenomenon. Theres also globalization, worldwide economic interdependence, faster transportation, migration, urbanization, and more. We have all become global citizens of a connected world. To live and thrive in this new world, todays children will need to develop a capacity for macro-mindedness.

Another popular term for this is global competence. And as Anthony Jackson, Director of the Center for Global Education at the Asia Society, writes , At the end of the day, it is globally competent individuals who will be able to solve the worlds seemingly intractable problems. And its up to our worlds educators to prepare those individuals for their global futures.

This is why the OECD recently developed a new two-part PISA assessment to evaluate global competence. Their framework has four dimensions:



Examine local, global, and intercultural issues. The ability to combine knowledge about the world with critical reasoning whenever people form their own opinions about a global issue.

The ability to combine knowledge about the world with critical reasoning whenever people form their own opinions about a global issue. Understand and appreciate the perspectives and world views of others.  A willingness and capacity to consider global problems from multiple viewpoints.

A willingness and capacity to consider global problems from multiple viewpoints. Engage in open, appropriate, and effective interactions across cultures. Engage in respectful dialogue, want to understand the other, and try to include marginalized groups.

Engage in respectful dialogue, want to understand the other, and try to include marginalized groups. Take action for collective well-being and sustainable development. Individuals readiness to respond to a given local, global, or intercultural issue or situation.

These four dimensions adeptly express what I had in mind when writing the Guide to Digital Play for Global Citizens. I wanted to help grownups prepare kids for a world thats governed by new technological, economic, and geopolitical paradigms. I wanted to introduce educators, youth development leaders, and parents to innovative tools that can help kids learn about, understand, and engage with our connected world.

I focused on digital play because whenever todays children are playing in todays online global sandboxes, they are also learning to be comfortable with a specific technological worldview. Theyre developing the confidence to easily operate and experiment with networked tools. They are applying higher order thinking skills within virtual environments. They are also becoming acclimated to subtle social cues and nuanced behaviors. Theyre procuring habits of mind for a connected world.

Child development and education experts are always concerned with how young people learn to make use of language, knowledge, and academic content within the context of lived experience. Although we often think of context as if it were some sort of abstract cultural or historical zeitgeist, the reality is much simpler. For humans, context is all about how we use specific sets of tools to intellectually, emotionally, economically, and materially fabricate our world.

Digital tools are the new context and they can be used to 1) help students build awareness of themselves and the world around them, 2) recognize and investigate the history, as well as the complex, systemic causes of contemporary issues ranging from economic inequality to global conflict to cultural diversity and inclusion, and 3) explore questions about climate change and our relationship with the natural world.

The Joan Ganz Cooney Center Guide to Digital Play for Global Citizens shows adults how they can leverage connected tools to create opportunities for macro-minded digital play in a world where were all paying a lot more attention to time zones.

Connect with Jordan , Cooney Center , Heather , and Center for Global Education on Twitter.



Image created on Pablo .
MIAMI (AP) - Officials say one person was killed and 16 others injured after a car accident in southeast Florida.

WSVN reports that the Florida Highway Patrol says the wreck happened Tuesday afternoon on Alligator Alley in West Broward County.

Lt. Alvaro Feola says a pickup truck rear-ended a passenger van in the southbound lanes, causing the van's driver to lose control and crash through the median. It then came to rest on its side in the northbound lanes. Several occupants were ejected. The truck also flipped on its side.

One victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Good Samaritans used a car jack to extricate a woman pinned underneath the van.

Paramedics airlifted five victims to a Fort Lauderdale hospital. Others were transported by ground to a Weston medical center. Their conditions weren't immediately known. Some were treated at the scene.

The crash is being investigated.
MADRID (AP) - An alleged racist attack on an actor of African descent has sparked outrage in Spain.

Marius Makon, a 34-year-old theater and television actor born in Cameroon and raised in Spain, was treated for injuries near his right eye after the Sunday early morning incident in a bar in Mostoles, a town near Madrid.

According to Makon, the female attacker said: "I don't want blacks in this place or in front of me," followed by "I'm white. I can kill you and nothing will happen to me." She then struck him with a beer bottle.

Spain's Migration Network, which groups NGOs and organizations fighting discrimination, is pressing charges and asking for prosecutors to investigate the incident as a hate crime.

Police have arrested a 32-year-old woman originally from El Salvador.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey on Wednesday demanded that Greece arrest and start legal proceedings against far-right demonstrators who burned a Turkish flag during a protest in Athens.

Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told reporters that Turkey "strongly condemns" Monday's flag-burning incident, which he said amounted to a hate crime.

"It is our expectation that the Greek authorities find the perpetrators and bring them before justice," he said.

Separately, the Turkish Foreign Ministry criticized Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos for saying that Greece did not possess all the lands that it was "historically entitled to."

A ministry statement called on Pavlopoulos "to respect international law and our borders" and refrain from comments that would increase tensions.

The two NATO allies have longstanding disputes over maritime boundaries and commercial rights.

The recent arrest in Turkey of two Greek soldiers for allegedly entering a military zone and espionage has further strained ties.

Greece, which says the soldiers accidently strayed into Turkey, has sought assistance from the European Union, NATO and the United Nations in securing the soldiers' release.
BERLIN (AP) - The German city of Krefeld is opening an investigation into disputed works by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian that have been part of the city's Kaiser Wilhelm Museum collection for decades.

City spokesman Christoph Elles said Wednesday the museum rejects allegations by lawyers for Mondrian's heirs that the works' presence at the museum had been deliberately concealed. He said the museum assumes the artist himself donated eight works in 1929, though there is no clear proof for that.

A lawyer for the heirs, Gunnar Schnabel, questioned whether the artist ever donated the works to the museum and said it illegally sold four of them.

Mondrian is most famous for his abstract compositions of black lines and rectangles filled with bright colors.

The New York Times first reported about the dispute Sunday.
LONDON (AP) - Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was welcomed by Queen Elizabeth II - and criticized by protesters against the war in Yemen - as he began a three-day visit to Britain on Wednesday.

Britain is rolling out the red carpet for Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, who had lunch with the queen at Buckingham Palace and will dine later with Prince Charles and Prince William.

He is also due to meet with Prime Minister Theresa May, who said she would raise concerns about human rights during talks at 10 Downing St.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman, during a private audience at Buckingham Palace in London, Wednesday March 7, 2018. (Dominic Lipinski/pool via AP)

Critics say Britain has been slow to condemn rights abuses by Saudi Arabia, a key regional ally and major purchaser of U.K.-made weapons.

A Saudi-led coalition has been battling Iran-allied rebels in Yemen since 2015 in a war that has killed more than 10,000 people and driven the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine. The kingdom faces wide international criticism for its airstrikes killing civilians and striking markets, hospitals and other civilian targets.

Campaigners against the war rallied near Parliament and said they would protest later outside the gates of Downing St.

Asked by Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn whether she would condemn Saudi Arabia's "shocking abuse of human rights," May defended Britain's close ties with the authoritarian kingdom.

"The link that we have with Saudi Arabia is historic, it is an important one and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country," May said in the House of Commons.

"We're all concerned about the appalling humanitarian situation in Yemen," May said, adding: "I will be raising concerns about human rights when I meet him."

The crown prince has shaken up his deeply conservative country since he became heir apparent to King Salman last year.

The 32-year-old royal swiftly consolidated power by sidelining rivals and stepped up Saudi Arabia's rivalry with Iran. He has also has pushed through a number of dramatic social reforms, including allowing women to drive and lifting a ban on movie theaters.

Critics say the modernization measures mask continuing rights abuses. Human rights charity Reprieve says the number of executions in Saudi Arabia has doubled since the crown prince took charge.

The three-day visit is also due to include lunch with May on Thursday at the prime minister's rural retreat, Chequers, and talks with Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman, during a private audience at Buckingham Palace in London, Wednesday March 7, 2018. (Dominic Lipinski/pool via AP)

A protester wears a mask of Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May outside the Palace of Westminster in London, Wednesday, March 7, 2018, to demonstrate against Britain's role as an arms supplier to Saudi Arabia, and to protest against the war in Yemen. Saudia Arabia's crown prince is beginning a visit to Britain, where he will be greeted by Queen Elizabeth II - and met by protesters against the war in Yemen. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Two protesters wearing masks with photographs of Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman outside the Palace of Westminster in London, Wednesday, March 7, 2018, to demonstrate against Britain's role as an arms supplier to Saudi Arabia, and to protest against the war in Yemen. Saudia Arabia's crown prince is beginning a visit to Britain, where he will be greeted by Queen Elizabeth II - and met by protesters against the war in Yemen. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
CAIRO (AP) - The Committee to Protect Journalists is urging Yemeni authorities to investigate an arson attack on the offices of a media foundation in the southern port city of Aden.

The CPJ says armed men raided the offices of al-Shomou Foundation on March 1, setting fire to the printing presses used for the Al-Shomou weekly and the Akhbar al-Youm daily paper.

CPJ's Mideast coordinator Sherif Mansour said "the attack ... shows that journalists are being targeted with impunity across every inch of Yemen."

He urged local authorities in Aden "to ensure the safety of journalists operating in areas they purport to control."

The CPJ says the attack came more than a week after Yemeni forces, trained and funded by the United Arab Emirates, detained a Yemeni journalist in southern Hadramawt province.
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Romanian and German officials raided homes and hotels in both countries Wednesday to smash an illegal migrant trafficking ring they said was one of the biggest of its kind in Europe.

Romanian prosecutors from the organized crime and terrorism agency said police conducted 12 searches in western Romania, including in the city of Timisoara, which has become a hub for migrants after Hungary tightened border controls with Serbia.

A statement said the group located and guided migrants and organized their accommodation and transport through Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Hungary, Austria and Germany aided by guides of Arab origin. They said migrants paid between 4,000 to 5,000 euros ($4,960-$6,200).

Local news website Pressalert.ro quoted local authorities saying the group had trafficked 2,000 migrants through Timisoara. The report said traffickers and migrants used applications such as WhatsApp or Viber, and turned off their mobile phones when they were crossing the border so that their locations were not saved on their devices.

German judicial authorities and Europol helped the probe which allegedly involved suspects who "were part of a vast European network of migrants."

Prosecutors said migrants entered Romania illegally from Serbia and were later taken to Hungary and then Germany.

Romania's organized crime chief prosecutor, Daniel Horodniceanu, said the raids were part of a larger Europol investigation in several European countries, including Britain.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey's prime minister on Wednesday renewed a threat against the government of Cyprus' efforts to search for offshore gas around the ethnically divided island.

Turkey opposes what it says are Greek Cypriots' "unilateral" efforts to search for gas, saying they infringe on the rights of breakaway Turkish Cypriots to the island's resources.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said during a joint news conference with Tufan Erhurman, the prime minister of the self-declared Turkish Cypriot state, that "provocative activities will be met with the appropriate response."

Tufan Erhurman, the prime minister of the self-declared Turkish Cypriot state in the north of the divided island, reviews a military honour guard with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim during a ceremony at the Cankaya Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, March 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

Cyprus was split into a Greek Cypriot south - where it's internationally recognized government is seated - and a Turkish Cypriot north in 1974 when Turkey sent in troops after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence.

Last month, Turkish warships prevented a rig from reaching an area southeast of Cyprus where Italian company Eni was scheduled to carry out exploratory drilling. Turkey's blockade came shortly after Cyprus said that Eni had discovered a potentially sizeable gas deposit southeast of the island.

Yildirim's comments were in response to reports that an ExxonMobil vessel was heading toward the Mediterranean, coinciding with exercises in the area involving the U.S. Navy.

ExxonMobil and French company Total are among several firms that Cyprus has licensed to search for gas off its southern coast. ExxonMobil and partner Qatar Petroleum are scheduled to drill southwest of Cyprus in the autumn.

Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides rebuffed media reports suggesting that ExxonMobil vessels under U.S. Navy escort where on their way to the area.

He said the reports "either don't correspond with reality" or are trying to serve political aims which he didn't specify.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, right, and Tufan Erhurman, the prime minister of the self-declared Turkish Cypriot state in the north of the divided island, shake hands during a ceremony at the Cankaya Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, March 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, right, and Tufan Erhurman, the prime minister of the self-declared Turkish Cypriot state in the north of the divided island, shake hands during a ceremony at the Cankaya Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, March 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, left, and Tufan Erhurman, the prime minister of the self-declared Turkish Cypriot state in the north of the divided island, review a military honour guard during a ceremony at the Cankaya Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, March 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)
JERUSALEM (AP) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Israel may face early elections due to a coalition crisis.

Speaking at the Economic Club in Washington, Netanyahu said Wednesday that he wants his government to complete its term in November 2019. He said "if all parties in this coalition ... agree that's what we do, and if not then we will go to elections now."

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon has said his Kulanu party will bolt the coalition if the budget doesn't pass in the next few weeks. Coalition partners are feuding over whether to include military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Economic Club of Washington, Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Netanyahu also made light of the slew of corruption investigations against him back home.

When asked what the pleasure of his job is, Netanyahu jokingly replied "investigations."
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on the U.S. Justice Department lawsuit suing California over so-called sanctuary laws (all times local):

8:35 a.m.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is telling California, "We have a problem."

FILE -- In this Tuesday Feb. 27, 2018 file photo is Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaking at the National Association of Attorneys General Winter Meeting in Washington. Sessions will speak before the California Peace Officers Association, Wednesday, March 7, to make what's being billed as a major announcement about sanctuary policy. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, file)

Sessions told law enforcement officers at a conference in Sacramento Wednesday that the Justice Department sued California because state laws are preventing federal immigration agents from doing their jobs.

California leaders strongly deny that claim.

Sessions strongly criticized Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf for her recent unusual public warning that an operation by federal immigration officers was imminent. He claims 800 "wanted criminals" eluded arrests as a result.

Sessions says California's laws are unconstitutional and a "plain violation of common sense."

___

8:02 a.m.

Dozens of demonstrators have gathered in Sacramento, California, to protest an appearance by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The protest Wednesday comes a day after Sessions announced the Trump administration is suing the state over several laws that restrict government authorities and private businesses from cooperating with federal immigration agents.

Demonstrators are blocking traffic outside a hotel where Sessions will deliver a speech to law enforcement officials. The protesters are chanting "stand up, fight back" and "no justice no peace."

There is a heavy presence of police on horses and bicycles and a helicopter overhead.

___

11:07 p.m.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is taking the fight over the nation's immigration policy directly to California by suing to block state laws that extend protections to people living in the U.S. illegally.

He is expected to speak to law enforcement officials in the state's capital Wednesday, just hours after the U.S. Justice Department filed suit - the most aggressive move yet in the Trump administration's push to force so-called sanctuary cities and states to cooperate with immigration authorities.

The lawsuit challenges California laws that bar police from asking people about their citizenship status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities. The suit filed in federal court in Sacramento says the laws are unconstitutional and have kept federal agents from doing their jobs.

California officials remain defiant and say they are on firm legal footing.
In the first move of its kind, the U.S. Department of Education has granted North Dakota permission to use a new kind of testing flexibility in federal law: the right to let school districts substitute the ACT for the states own required high school assessment.

North Dakota officials announced the decision Wednesday, after receiving a permission-granting letter from the U.S. Department of Education.

With permission in hand, 17 school districts in North Dakotawhich together enroll 3,735 11th grade students, half of the states high school juniorswill administer the ACT to all 11th graders this spring, and use it to report achievement for accountability. Students in those districts will not have to take the states required high school exam.



In all other North Dakota districts, students in grades 3-8 and 10 will be required to take the North Dakota State Assessment, a new suite of tests making their debut this spring. Eleventh grade students in those districts will also take the ACT, which is required of all students in the state.

That additional testing burden is what led North Dakota to ask for U.S. Education Department permission to take advantage of a provision of the Every Student Succeeds Act, the new federal education law. The law says that if states allow it, districts can stop giving their states required high school test, and give a nationally recognized high school test insteadmeaning the SAT or ACT.

Any time we can take fewer tests in high school, that means our students are spending more time learning in our classrooms, rather than being tested, Kirsten Baesler, North Dakotas state superintendent of education, said in a statement Wednesday.

First Denial, Then Approval

A few states have been exploring the option, but until North Dakota, none had cemented an agreement to do it. Georgia has an assessment task force thats exploring the option, and is awaiting results of two studies to inform its thinking. Floridas plans are up in the air after a study it commissioned found that letting districts use the SAT or ACT instead of state tests might not produce comparable test results .

Getting the plan approved in North Dakota was a bumpy road. Despite high-profile rhetoric from federal policymakers that ESSA provided new testing flexibility to states, the U.S. Department of Education turned down North Dakotas request for a waiver to give its districts the choice of using the ACT this spring.

In a Jan. 29 letter to Baesler, Jason Botel, the federal departments point man on ESSA, cited that law and related regulations that require states to undergo a detailed technical review before giving districts the choice of using the SAT or ACT instead of state-mandated high school tests.

That review would evaluate whether a college-admission exam yields valid and reliable achievement data that are also comparable to the state tests other districts would be using. The review would also examine whether all students who need accommodations have access to them on both kinds of tests.

Though its enshrined in federal law, the requirement that a state like North Dakota undergo technical review before giving a new test for the first time is the opposite of current practice. Currently, when a state adopts a new test, it administers the test for one year in order to gather the evidence it needs to submit in the federal peer review process. The U.S. Department of Education then informs the state whether it has been fully approved to use the test.

Full approval is rare, however; typically, states are told their tests substantially or partially meet federal requirements, and must submit more evidence to satisfy peer reviewers. During that approval processwhich can take months, and sometimes yearsstates get to keep using their assessments.

Excessive Testing Argument

North Dakota was aware of the laws prior-review requirement, so officials there knew they would need a waiver from the U.S. Department of Education in order to give the ACT this spring, along with the new suite of state tests.

In a Nov. 29 letter applying for that waiver, North Dakota Assistant Superintendent Laurie Matzke noted the conflict between common peer-review practice and the requirements in ESSA and related regulations, saying that its been common and accepted practice for states to use a new test, and then undergo review.

She argued that if North Dakota had to wait another year to let districts opt for the ACT, it would disrupt the continuity of testing data, since half the states high school students would have to take the new 10th grade test this spring, and then switch to the ACT in 2019.

Matzke pointed out that refusing the waiver would extend the excessive testing thats been the target of nationwide debate. And she argued that denying the waiver would contradict the spirit of ESSA, which was created with emphasis on state and local control. "[I]t should be within the authority of the state to make this decision, Matzke said in her letter.

In an interview with Education Week late last month, Baesler noted the baffling irony in the law and regulations. If a state wants to adopt the SAT or ACT as its statewide high school exam, it can do so without submitting the test to review before its administered for the first time. The prior review is required only if a state wants to let districts substitute one of those tests for its statewide test.

If we just told all our districts that the ACT was our statewide test, we would have been able to do peer review after the first administration [of the test], she said. But we surveyed districts, and they wanted the choice, and we felt it was important for them to have that choice.

Baesler kept up conversations with Botel, and eventually, they settled on another way to get North Dakotas plan approved: a little-noticed provision in federal law that allows top officials to use their transitional authority to ensure an orderly transition to a new law.

In his letter, Botel said that since 2017-18 is the first year ESSA is being fully implemented, it is reasonable that North Dakota had not had time to fully complete the technical review of its plan. He approved its plan to let districts choose their high school tests for 2017-18, but said the state must submit to full technical review before the next testing cycle in the spring of 2019.

It wasnt immediately clear whether a reluctance to use waivers played a role in the U.S. Education Departments decision. The department did not respond to repeated requests for interviews on North Dakotas waiver application.

But the Education Department under President Barack Obama was criticized in some quarters for over-using waivers to advance its policy agenda. Education Secretary Arne Duncan allowed states to bypass key provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act if they embraced specific department policies, including adopting college and career ready academic standards, and evaluating teachers in part on student test scores.

For more stories about federal review of states tests, see:

PARCC Common-Core Test Gets Federal Approval

U.S. Ed. Dept. Defers Approval of ACT for Accountability in Wyoming, Wisconsin

State Tests Due Fresh Scrutiny as Peer Review Relaunches

Photo: North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler announces a task force to look into assessment options in 2015 at the state Capitol in Bismarck. --Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP-File

Get High School & Beyond posts delivered to your inbox as soon as theyre published. Sign up here . Also, for news and analysis of issues that shape adolescents preparation for work and higher education.
NEW YORK (AP) - When Michael Dwan starts interviewing job candidates, he doesn't use the phone or an in-person meeting - he texts with them.

"It's a real-world test of how we actually work," says Dwan, chief technology officer at Highrise, a business software company where employees including programmers and design engineers work remotely.

The changing dynamics of the U.S. workforce - its shrinking pool of available workers and ever-increasing use of technology - have led some small business owners and managers to be more creative when recruiting staffers. Some like Dwan use messaging or chatting programs to make that first significant contact with a candidate, or social media to lure potential hires. Others go low-tech: They offer free training to prospective hires because of a shortage of skilled workers, or meet with candidates in casual atmospheres away from the office.

In this, Monday, March 5, 2018 photo, Idalia Gastelum, owner of Translation Direct, a translation and interpretation service based in Miami, poses for a photo in Miami Beach, Fla. When Gastelum needs full-time staffers or freelancers for specific projects, she visits TranslatorsCafe.com, a forum where translators and interpreters connect with one another. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

A look at the strategies of five small companies:

RECRUITING STRATEGY: A two-month, tuition-free course in caregiving at a senior care company.

OWNER, COMPANY: Carrie Bianco, Always Best Care Senior Services, Los Angeles.

HOW THE STRATEGY WORKS: Bianco hires a nurse to teach a course in caregiving for seniors to prospective employees. The course includes lectures, homework, videos and exams. Before it begins, prospective students are interviewed to see if they have the compassion to be caregivers. When they've completed the course, they agree to work for Bianco with pay for 60 days.

WHY BIANCO USES IT: "I saw the demand for caregiving rising and the supply of caregivers dwindling rapidly. And the standard way of recruiting was falling short," Bianco says. She also advertises online, asks staffers and clients and their families to refer potential hires, and she seeks recruits from schools that train nurses' aides.

WHY IT'S SUCCESSFUL: Bianco has gotten 15 staffers from four courses during the past year. The courses also help with a necessary winnowing-out process - some people realize they don't want to be caregivers to seniors, and Bianco finds this out before trying to schedule them with clients.

RECRUITING STRATEGY: Spending time in a coffee shop with prospective hires.

OWNER, COMPANY: Tim Gerst, Thinkswell, online marketing company based in Nashville, Tennessee.

HOW THE STRATEGY WORKS: After looking at resumes of people he finds via LinkedIn and recruiting software, Gerst invites prospective staffers to meet him at his favorite coffee shop. He sets up appointments with the first 10 who respond, then chats with them individually. If he feels there's chemistry with candidates, he'll invite them for more formal meetings at his office.

WHY GERST USES IT: Talking at a coffee shop takes away some of the intimidation an initial meeting in an office can create, and that helps Gerst get a sense of whether a candidate is someone he and his staffers would be comfortable working with. "I know your personality pretty quickly," Gerst says.

WHY IT'S SUCCESSFUL: Gerst gets to see how a candidate interacts with people - because it's his regular hangout, people he knows often come say hello, and he always includes the candidate in the conversation. "When hiring, personality and how the candidate will meld with our team is most important," Gerst says.

RECRUITING STRATEGY: Visiting online forums where prospective employees network, and using websites that cater to a specific profession.

OWNER, COMPANY: Idalia Gastelum, Translation Direct, translation and interpretation service based in Miami.

HOW THE STRATEGY WORKS: When Gastelum needs full-time staffers or freelancers for specific projects, she visits TranslatorsCafe.com, a forum where translators and interpreters connect with one another. People often post about their work, so Gastelum gets a sense of their experience. She also searches the website of the American Translators Association, which has a directory of people offering translation and interpretation services.

WHY GASTELUM USES IT: She finds that websites focused on translation and interpretation have many more qualified people than more general job sites. That focus is especially helpful when Gastelum gets a project with a tight deadline. "We go into the chat rooms to try to pull out people," she says.

WHY IT'S SUCCESSFUL: Recruiting within a community of people has helped Gastelum build a network of staffers and freelancers she can call on for a project. And if a specific translator can't help, "they'll usually give you someone else in their own circle," she says.

RECRUITING STRATEGY: Using an online text chat for a first introduction and screening for a job candidate.

MANAGER, COMPANY: Jennifer Orozco, recruiting manager for Braden Business Systems, office equipment and information technology company based in Fishers, Indiana.

HOW THE STRATEGY WORKS: When Orozco finds promising candidates on job search sites like LinkedIn or Indeed, she texts them through the online service Canvas. She'll start a chat, sharing details about the position she's trying to fill, and asking about their experience and what they want in a job. The back-and-forth can be immediate, or the chat might extend over a few days; Orozco understands candidates are at work, and she gives them time to answer a question thoughtfully. If candidates seem like they could be a good fit, Orozco requests an in-person interview.

WHY OROZCO USES IT: "We thought, this would be great for capturing talent in the millennial generation," Orozco says. She wants to communicate with prospective hires in a way that will be comfortable for them.

WHY IT'S SUCCESSFUL: Orozco has found online text chats to be a good way to easily find possible hires or rule out people who clearly wouldn't be a match with the company. And she has found that candidates of all ages like this form of initial contact.

RECRUITING STRATEGY: Using social media to build relationships with potential hires.

OWNER, COMPANY: Rob Janicke, SoundEvolution Music, record label in New York.

HOW THE STRATEGY WORKS: Janicke discovered by accident that his posts on social media about the music business and other topics can be a recruiting tool. His followers respond to his posts, and he's gotten to know several, including one who asked how he could get involved with SoundEvolution. "That person eventually did come on board, a couple of months ago." Janicke is also considering another follower, who said, "I want to learn more about what you're doing."

WHY JANICKE USES IT: Online exchanges give Janicke a good introduction to people and allow him to see whether they might be a good fit. Later on, in-person interviews are part of the process.

WHY IT'S SUCCESSFUL: Janicke expects to hire younger workers who are technology-focused. "I need to go where they are," he says.

_____

Follow Joyce Rosenberg at www.twitter.com/JoyceMRosenberg . Her work can be found here: https://apnews.com/search/joyce%20rosenberg

In this, Monday, March 5, 2018 photo, Idalia Gastelum, owner of Translation Direct, a translation and interpretation service based in Miami, poses for a photo in Miami Beach, Fla. When Gastelum needs full-time staffers or freelancers for specific projects, she visits TranslatorsCafe.com, a forum where translators and interpreters connect with one another. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
NEW DELHI (AP) - Architect and educator Balkrishna Doshi, best-known for his innovative work designing low-cost housing, has been awarded the 2018 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the first Indian to win architecture's highest honor in its 40-year history.

The award was announced Wednesday by Tom Pritzker of the Chicago-based Hyatt Foundation.

Doshi has been an architect, urban planner, and educator for 70 years. The foundation called the 90-year-old's work "poetic and functional," and noted his ability to create works that both respect eastern culture and enhance quality of life in India.

India's Balkrishna Doshi who won the 2018 Pritzker Architecture Prize poses for the Associated Press at his home in Ahmadabad, India, Wednesday, March 7, 2018. He is the first from India to win architecture's highest honor in the prize's 40-year history. The award was announced Wednesday by Tom Pritzker of the Chicago-based Hyatt Foundation. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Among Doshi's achievements: the Aranya low-cost housing project in Indore, which accommodates over 80,000 people, many of them poor, through a system of houses, courtyards and internal pathways.

Reached at home in the western city of Ahmedabad, Doshi said his life's work has been "to empower the have-nots, the people who have nothing."

The housing itself, he said, can transform how residents see their world. "Now, their life has changed. They feel hopeful," he said. "They have ownership of something."

He called the prize an honor both for himself and for India.

"What I have done for close to the last 60 years, working in rural areas, working in low-cost housing, worrying about India's future. Now all this comes together and gives me a chance to say "Here we are!" he said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his congratulations.

"This honour is a fitting recognition of his outstanding work, which has spanned decades and made a notable contribution to society," He said.

Doshi was influenced early by two of the great 20th-century architects, Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, and Louis Kahn.

The prize citation noted how their influence "can be seen in the robust forms of concrete which he employed."

But he grew into his own. "With an understanding and appreciation of the deep traditions of India's architecture, he united prefabrication and local craft and developed a vocabulary in harmony with the history, culture, local traditions and the changing times of his home country India," the citation read.

Doshi's work ranges from the blocky, concrete Life Insurance Corporation Housing buildings in Ahmedabad to the naturalist curves of that city's Amdavad ni Gufa underground art gallery.

"My work is the story of my life, continuously evolving, changing and searching . searching to take away the role of architecture, and look only at life," the prize announcement quoted him as saying.

While the work of Pritzker winners are often scattered across the globe, Doshi is known for working almost completely in his homeland, designing buildings for government offices, companies and universities.

Born in 1927 in the city of Pune, Doshi studied architecture in Mumbai and later worked under Le Corbusier, overseeing his projects in the cities of Chandigarh and Ahmedabad. He was the founding director of Ahmedabad's School of Architecture and Planning, which is now known as CEPT University.

He founded his own practice in 1956, and lives and works in Ahmedabad.

Doshi will be formally awarded the prize in a May ceremony at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.

___

Associated Press National Writer Jocelyn Noveck in New York contributed to this report.

India's Balkrishna Doshi who won the 2018 Pritzker Architecture Prize poses for the Associated Press at his home in Ahmadabad, India, Wednesday, March 7, 2018. He is the first from India to win architecture's highest honor in the prize's 40-year history. The award was announced Wednesday by Tom Pritzker of the Chicago-based Hyatt Foundation. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's Balkrishna Doshi who won the 2018 Pritzker Architecture Prize poses for the Associated Press at his home in Ahmadabad, India, Wednesday, March 7, 2018. He is the first from India to win architecture's highest honor in the prize's 40-year history. The award was announced Wednesday by Tom Pritzker of the Chicago-based Hyatt Foundation. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

This photo provided by The Pritzker Architecture Prize shows Balkrishna Doshi of India winner of the 2018 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the highest honor in the field, announced Wednesday, March 7, 2018. Among Doshi's achievements: the Aranya low-cost housing project in Indore, which accommodates over 80,000 people through a system of houses, courtyards and internal pathways. (Courtesy of The Pritzker Architecture Prize/Vastushilpa Foundation via AP)
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Officials in western Mexico say eight hacked-up bodies have been found in a pickup truck abandoned in the city of Guadalajara.

A state official who was not authorized to be quoted by name said Wednesday that experts were still trying to identify some of the bodies.

The cadavers had been hacked into headless torsos and piles of limbs.

Local media report that a hand-lettered sign had been left with the bodies in the bed of the truck.

Such signs are often used by drug gangs to send threatening messages.

Guadalajara is dominated by the Jalisco drug cartel.
NEW YORK (AP) - Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica are getting very far away from Riverdale. They're going to Bollywood.

Archie Comics and Graphic India say they're teaming up to create a Bollywood-style live-action film that reimagines the American suburban perpetual teens as Indian characters.

The companies are touting the film as the first international comic to be translated for Indian screens. No release date was announced.

Graphic India leader Sharad Devarajan says Archie comics have long been embraced by Indians and "now it's time to take them fully into Bollywood in an exciting new twist of a story."

The freckle-faced Archie first appeared in comic form in 1941 and went on to become an icon of wholesomeness. The characters are currently part of The CW's series "Riverdale."
IRBIL, Iraq (AP) - Dozens of bodies of alleged Islamic State group fighters continue to litter a neighborhood in Mosul's Old City some eight months after Iraq declared victory over the extremists there.

Local authorities lack the resources to dispose of the bodies that lie in the Mosul neighborhood where IS fighters made their last stand against Iraqi forces in the summer of 2017, according to the Nineveh governor's office.

An Associated Press journalist saw the bodies Wednesday.

In this frame grab from video, a body lies in a room full of rubble in the Maydan district of Mosul's Old City, Iraq, Wednesday, March 7, 2018. Dozens of bodies of alleged Islamic State group fighters continue to litter Mosul's Old City some eight months after Iraq declared victory over the extremists there. The Nineveh governor's office said they lack the resources to dispose of the bodies where IS fighters made their last stand against Iraqi forces in the summer of 2017. (AP Photo/Balint Szlanko)

Mosul lacks the equipment and money needed to pay salaries to teams of workers, according to Qusey Assaf, the Nineveh governor's assistant for reconstruction affairs.

"Look, I'm telling you, this is wrong," said Faris Abdulrazzaq Dhannoon, a senior local official, referring to the bodies left unburied for months.

Dhannoon said there were many more IS fighters than civilians in the Old City neighborhood where the decaying bodies now lie.

"There were few civilians in the area because Daesh had evacuated them from this area and taken their houses," he said, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

Iraq is struggling to remove debris and rebuild nationwide after more than three years of grueling war against the militants.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over IS in Mosul in early July, but clashes with the militants continued for weeks afterward. Al-Abadi declared victory in all of Iraq in December.

The military fight against IS has cost Iraq more than $1 billion in destroyed infrastructure, a sum beyond the country's means, according to the prime minister's office.

Iraq is also in the midst of an economic crisis sparked by a global downturn in oil prices and exasperated by years of corruption and waste.

In this frame grab from video, a body lies under the Iraqi flag in the Maydan district of Mosul's Old City, Iraq, Wednesday, March 7, 2018. Dozens of bodies of alleged Islamic State group fighters continue to litter Mosul's Old City some eight months after Iraq declared victory over the extremists there. The Nineveh governor's office said they lack the resources to dispose of the bodies where IS fighters made their last stand against Iraqi forces in the summer of 2017. (AP Photo/Balint Szlanko)

In this frame grab from video, the bodies lie among the rubble in the Maydan district of Mosul's Old City, Iraq, Wednesday, March 7, 2018. Dozens of bodies of alleged Islamic State group fighters continue to litter Mosul's Old City some eight months after Iraq declared victory over the extremists there. The Nineveh governor's office said they lack the resources to dispose of the bodies where IS fighters made their last stand against Iraqi forces in the summer of 2017. (AP Photo/Balint Szlanko)
BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian government forces seized vast swaths of territory including farmland in the opposition-held suburbs of Damascus on Wednesday, effectively dividing the besieged enclave in two and further squeezing rebels and tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside, state media and a war monitor reported.

The government, determined to wrest the eastern Ghouta suburbs from the control of rebels after seven years of war, has resorted to extreme levels of shelling and bombardment to clear the way for its troops to advance on the ground. Hundreds have been killed in the past two weeks, including dozens reported Wednesday.

Doctors and residents reported intense shelling and cases of suffocation and difficulty breathing, accusing the government of using chlorine gas Wednesday night. Hamza Hassan, a surgeon working at one of the hospitals in eastern Ghouta, said that staff was overwhelmed with chlorine odor and that he had treated 29 children with difficulties breathing.

This photo released by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a member of the Syrian Civil Defense group helping a man who was wounded after airstrikes and shelling hit in Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, March. 7, 2018. Government forces carried out punishing airstrikes against an opposition-held suburb of Damascus, seeking to divide the besieged enclave in two and further squeeze rebels and tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside, state-run media and opposition activists reported. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)

Such reports, which have been recurrent in the past weeks, could not be independently confirmed. The government has repeatedly denied using chlorine gas.

Earlier on Wednesday, the state-affiliated al-Ikhbariya TV station broadcast live shots from the region, showing dense columns of smoke rising above the town as explosions and rockets could be heard flying overhead. Syria's Central Military Media said troops took control of the town of Beit Sawa and most of Misraba, both rebel-held communities in the heart of the enclave.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that by nightfall, Syrian government troops and allied militias had seized half of the territory held by rebels in eastern Ghouta and split the enclave in two halves - a north and southern part.

By slicing the territory, the Syrian government succeeds in further squeezing rebels, making it more difficult for them to continue to hang on to the territory.

Dramatic videos released by the opposition's Syrian Civil Defense on Wednesday showed rescuers digging away hard-packed rubble to rescue a dust-covered little boy and a baby girl in the town of Arbeen. The Britain-based Observatory, which monitors the war through a network of activists on the ground, said more than 50 people were killed in the bombardment Wednesday.

In Geneva, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein denounced what he said were attempts by Syria's government to justify indiscriminate, brutal attacks on hundreds of thousands of civilians by the need to combat a few hundred fighters in eastern Ghouta, calling it "legally and morally unsustainable."

"When you are prepared to kill your own people, lying is easy too. Claims by the government of Syria that it is taking every measure to protect its civilian population are frankly ridiculous," he said.

Civilians are not safe anywhere in eastern Ghouta, and aid workers who entered briefly on Monday said some residents hadn't seen sunlight for two weeks because they were sheltering underground.

At least 800 civilians have been killed since the offensive started Feb. 18, according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights monitoring group. Russia's military by its own admission is playing a key role supporting the assault.

Russia's military announced Monday it was offering safe passage for rebels and their families out of eastern Ghouta, where some 400,000 people have been trapped under a relentless government campaign of shelling and airstrikes.

Rebel spokesman Wael Olwan dismissed the offer on Tuesday, saying it was "psychological warfare."

Olwan said Wednesday that rebels had plugged their defensive lines after they crumbled in the early days of the assault.

The opposition generally rejects evacuation agreements, saying they amount to demographic engineering - a tactic through which the government forcibly displaces its opponents.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged all parties to abide by a 30-day cease-fire ordered by the Security Council on Feb. 24 to allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians in desperate need. A rare humanitarian aid convoy made it to eastern Ghouta on Monday but was forced to cut short its mission amid severe bombardment by the government. It was not clear whether another convoy, planned for Thursday, would go through. Aid agencies said they were negotiating security guarantees ahead of the mission.

The Security Council was expected to meet Wednesday to address the stillborn cease-fire.

Meanwhile, Turkey called on the United States to prevent U.S.-backed Kurdish forces from sending fighters deployed against the Islamic State group to shore up Kurdish forces battling a Turkish offensive in an enclave in northwest Syria.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said Turkey wants the United States to "step in and prevent" the redeployment.

A spokesman for Arab militias within the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Tuesday that as many as 1,700 fighters would be redeployed.

Turkey sent troops into the Afrin enclave on Jan. 20 to drive out Syrian Kurdish fighters it considers to be terrorists.

U.S. officials have warned that Turkey's offensive could undermine the fight against the IS.

Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin rejected that, saying the aim was to clear Syria of all terror groups.

Meanwhile, Russia's military said a general was among 39 people killed in the crash of a Russian military transport plane in Syria. Russian military identified him as Maj. Gen. Vladimir Yeremeyev.

The An-26 twin-engine turboprop crashed Tuesday while preparing to land at the Hemeimeem air base in Syria, killing all 33 passengers and six crew on board, the Defense Ministry said. The plane was flying from the Kweires air base near Aleppo in northern Syria to Hemeimeem, which serves as the main hub for the Russian campaign in Syria. It said the plane did not come under fire and that the crash was likely caused by a technical failure.

___

Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.

This photo released by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a member of the Syrian Civil Defense group carrying a man who was wounded after airstrikes and shelling hit in Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, March. 7, 2018. Government forces carried out punishing airstrikes against an opposition-held suburb of Damascus, seeking to divide the besieged enclave in two and further squeeze rebels and tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside, state-run media and opposition activists reported. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)

This photo released by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows members of the Syrian Civil Defense group carrying a victim after airstrikes and shelling hit in Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, March. 7, 2018. Government forces carried out punishing airstrikes against an opposition-held suburb of Damascus, seeking to divide the besieged enclave in two and further squeeze rebels and tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside, state-run media and opposition activists reported. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)

This photo released by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a member of the Syrian Civil Defense group searching for victims under the rubble of a destroyed building after airstrikes and shelling hit in Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, March. 7, 2018. Government forces carried out punishing airstrikes against an opposition-held suburb of Damascus, seeking to divide the besieged enclave in two and further squeeze rebels and tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside, state-run media and opposition activists reported. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Even though Twitter didn't exist during the Civil War, government officials could still find ways to express strong feelings.

In the days leading up to the conflict in 1861, John Adams Dix, the nation's 24th Treasury secretary, wrote a letter ordering officials not to let a Union ship docked in New Orleans fall into Confederate hands, saying, "If anyone attempts to haul down the American flag, shoot him on the spot."

The phrase "shoot him on the spot" became a rallying cry in Northern states during the Civil War.

Bay Buchanan, with the National Collector's Mint, left, hands a letter from 1861 to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, right, as he accepts the Civil War-era document written by the 24th Treasury Secretary John Adams Dix on behalf of the Treasury Department, during a ceremony at the Treasury, Wednesday, March 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Dix's original letter was presented to the Treasury Department in a ceremony Wednesday. The nation's 77th Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, expressed admiration for Dix's leadership at a "pivotal time" time in U.S. history.

Dix served as Treasury secretary for only three months, a period that spanned the end of President James Buchanan's term and the beginning of Abraham Lincoln's term. Dix would go on to win election later as governor of New York.

The letter was donated by the National Collector's Mint to the Treasury Department's library, which is celebrating its 200th year in operation.
ASHLAND, Ohio (AP) - A woman who returned to work after discovering her 8-year-old son repeatedly shot and wounded his 4-year-old sister has pleaded not guilty to child endangerment charges.

Twenty-seven-year-old Alyssa Edwards pleaded not guilty Wednesday via video in an Ashland, Ohio court.

Prosecutors say Edwards was notified of the shooting at her home in Hayesville, roughly 70 miles (110 kilometers) southwest of Cleveland, on Saturday and went home. Prosecutors say she checked the girl's injuries and headed back to work on a horse farm, not taking the girl to a hospital until hours after the shooting.

A message seeking comment was left Wednesday at the office of Edwards' attorney.

The girl remains hospitalized in stable condition.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A former Florida police officer has been charged with sexually assaulting a female driver during a traffic stop.

Tallahassee police announced Wednesday that 43-year-old Vincent Crump faces three charges of sexual battery by a law enforcement officer. Police spokesman Damon Miller says Crump has turned himself in. Leon County jail records show he has not yet been officially booked.

The department fired Crump on Feb. 25, a day after receiving a call about an alleged assault during a traffic stop. Court documents say Crump pulled the woman over because she was driving without headlights.

Crump was hired by the police department in January 2017 after working 12 years as a captain with sheriff's office in Gadsden County, which is northwest of Tallahassee.
Emeli Sande, Professor Green and Naughty Boy will all perform at the first Global Citizen event in the UK.

Gabrielle Aplin, Luisa Omielan and Hussain Manawer will also perform at Global Citizen Live London, which will be held on April 17 at the O2 Academy in Brixton.

It always seems impossible until its done. Today we launch #GlobalCitizenLive  bringing the fight against extreme poverty to @O2AcademyBrix on 17.04.18. Get ready to take action to earn tickets!  #BeTheGeneration



Sign up now to learn more: https://t.co/QcvWn2Xagz pic.twitter.com/W5gyyH81pk  Global Citizen UK (@GlblCtznUK) March 6, 2018

The event will coincide with the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and will mark what would have been the year of Nelson Mandelas 100th birthday.

Emeli Sande said she `cant wait to take the stage with Global Citizen to honour Nelson Mandela (Ian West/PA)

It will call on world leaders to honour Mr Mandelas legacy and make major investments towards ending extreme poverty by 2030.

Sande said: Music has given me a great platform to speak up for millions of people around the world who are living in extreme poverty.

I cant wait to take the stage with Global Citizen to honour Nelson Mandela and make a difference for the people we have a duty to uplift and empower.

Amy Agnew, Europe director of Global Citizen, added: We share Nelson Mandelas belief that extreme poverty is a man-made condition and that we can be the generation to overcome it.

We are thrilled to have this incredible line-up of artists  and their fans across the United Kingdom  join the Global Citizen movement and make their voices heard.

Now more than ever, we need to work together and demand that our leaders take concrete action for the worlds poor.

The first Global Citizen festival was held in New York in 2012 and it has since held events in Australia, Canada, India and Germany.

The event will be free and fans can get tickets by signing up at gclive.london and demanding world leaders make major investments to support women and girls, ensure legal gender equality, provide education for children in crises, and eradicate diseases including polio, malaria and neglected tropical diseases.
The benefits of even high-quality preschool programs tend to fade over time, but extracurricular programs in early grades may help boost the good effects of early education after students start school, according to a new longitudinal study by the research firm MDRC.

Low-income students who participated in both a math-focused preschool curriculum and extracurricular math clubs during their first year of school closed nearly 30 percent of the math achievement gap between themselves and their wealthier peers by the end of kindergarten, the study showed.

As part of an ongoing evaluation partnership between MDRC and Robin Hood, a New York City-based antipoverty organization, researchers tracked students entering New York City public schools during the citys Making Pre-K Count initiative in 2013. Some of those students participated in Building Blocks, a 30-hour curriculum focused on helping students learn numbers, shapes, and basic geometry.

The core part of the Building Blocks philosophy is to ask children questions like, how do you know? to really get them to elucidate their thinking and get them to expand on mathematical thinking, rather than just fact-based information, Mattera said. It is intended to move children toward problem-solving and a deeper understanding of math across a number of math domains.

The Building Blocks curriculum showed some benefits, but at a time when most Big Apple preschools were moving to become more academically rigorous, Shira Mattera, a research associate and project director at MDRC, said students in control group schools saw a big jump in their own math instructional time. For example, prior studies had found that students in a typical preschool program received a little more than an hour of math instruction a week, but during the ramp-up for Building Blocks, students in the control group of schools were receiving three times that much math content. Students in the Building Blocks program had an hour more math than the students in control schools, she found.

And a year after they completed the program, students who had participated in Building Blocks had better working memory and attitudes toward math, and slightly higher math scores than students in the control group, but the last result was minimal.

That isnt surprising: A 2015 analysis of 39 different early-childhood-education programs found that most intelligence-related boosts from preschool faded within a year or two. In large part, University of Santa Barbara researcher John Protzko found those fade-outs came because students who had gotten a developmental boost from a strong early education program adapted to less-enriched academic environments in later grades, and students in the control groups simply caught up. Talking about that analysis, Protzko explained : Its easy to think of this in terms of lossyou raised intelligence, and now these kids have lost it. But adaptation is a better way to think about it. When you remove the more challenging environment [of the intervention], the students adapt to the level of cognitive challenge they have.

And thats where the High 5s extracurricular clubs came in. Some of the students who had participated in the Building Blocks program in preschool also participated in High 5s, small math clubs held before or after school or at lunch, in which four to five students played math games and hands-on activities with a teacher. Combined, the two programs closed 29 percent of the math achievement gap between low-income children and their wealthier peers at the end of kindergarten.

Researchers plan to continue to follow the students through 3rd grade to gauge whether supplemental clubs can continue to bolster the benefits of preschool for low-income children.

Longitudinal studies of early-childhood programs suggest that high-quality preschool experiences lay the foundation for lasting educational benefits, said Barbara Chow, director of the education program at the Heising-Simons Foundation, which helped fund the study, in a statement. The encouraging, statistically significant results from the Making Pre-K Count program and the High 5s supplement suggest a path forward to boost early math skills and, potentially, longer-term academic achievement of children from low-income families.

Related:

Want more research news? Get the latest studies and join the conversation.
A widely used treatment for male infertility infringes the basic human rights and dignity of women, experts have claimed.

ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) involves injecting a single sperm directly into an egg in the hope of creating a viable embryo and baby.

Since its introduction in 1992, use of the procedure has soared and in 2014 it accounted for more than half of all assisted fertility treatments in the UK.

The scientists called for a "detailed road map" for male infertility research (PA)

But over-reliance on ICSI, even when a male infertility problem has not been confirmed, has now been strongly criticised by three leading fertility scientists.

Setting out their case in the journal Human Reproduction, the experts  two British and one American  stressed that ICSI was an invasive procedure suffered by women, not men.

They wrote: In a world in which we claim to be addressing the inequalities between men and women, this is a stand-out example of the infringement of basic human rights and dignity.

Maybe women undergoing treatment during ICSI can begin to apply pressure at the point of delivery of (their) treatment, asking why cant you treat him rather than me?'

The authors of the report, entitled Man Up: The Importance and Strategy for Placing Male Reproductive Health Centre Stage in the Political and Research Agenda, highlight the lack of knowledge about the causes of male infertility despite decades of research.

One of the scientists, Professor Richard Sharpe, from the Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh, argues that ICSI is a crude method of by-passing a problem instead of treating it.

Speaking at a news briefing in London he said: The treatments, and theyre quite invasive, are to the female partner.

So the female is having to bear the burden of the males sub-fertility.

Prior to ICSI treatment, the woman has to be prepared by having her ovaries stimulated with hormone injections.

The next step is to collect her eggs using a probe inserted into the vagina.

After successful ICSI fertilisation, the resulting early stage embryo is inserted through the vagina and implanted into the womans womb, or frozen for later transfer.

In contrast, the mans role is a lot more straightforward  he merely has to produce a sperm sample.

Prof Sharpe said there was still no good term data on the long-term health impact of ICSI on the children it produced.

However the report points out that sperm counts of young men conceived through ICSI are half of those conceived naturally.

It adds that sperm counts may be a barometer of overall health and longevity.

Prof Sharpe said: We still dont know what causes most cases of male infertility and so of course we dont have the tools to correct it, because we dont understand it.

The flip side of that coin is that we cant induce infertility for contraceptive purposes. We havent developed a new effective acceptable (male) contraceptive since the condom.

Apart from its dependency on high levels of testosterone, the mechanism of sperm production remained a big black box, said Prof Sharpe.

We should know how that works, he said. We still dont.

Similarly, the reason for falling sperm counts, which had dropped by 50% in the UK between 1973 and 2011, largely remained a mystery.

The finger of suspicion pointed to events that occurred in the womb, before a boy was born, Prof Sharpe added.

The scientists called for a detailed road map for male infertility research aimed at highlighting key unanswered questions and delivering necessary funding.

Prof Sharpes co-authors were Professor Christopher Barratt, from the University of Dundee, and Dr Christopher De Jonge, from the University of Minnesota.
The North Korean government was behind the assassination of leader Kim Jong Uns half-brother with the chemical weapon VX, the US has said, imposing fresh sanctions on Pyongyang.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert warned that the killing of Kim Jong Nam made it clear that the reckless regime cannot be allowed to pursue a weapons programme.

The sanctions were announced hours after President Donald Trump had said possible progress was being made in talks with North Korea, but added that it may be false hope.

The latest sanctions were announced amid an uplift in diplomacy with North Korea (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

An increase in diplomatic efforts with North Korea has seen a delegation attend the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in February and on Tuesday Mr Kim met an envoy from Seoul.

South Korea said North Korea had offered to put its nuclear ambitions on hold, with a possibility of giving up its arsenal entirely, if the US agrees to enter a negotiation.

On Wednesday the UN said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was encouraged by the developments and stresses the need to protect the momentum and seize the opportunities available to find a peaceful path forward.

However Ms Nauerts statement illustrated the USs desire to keep applying pressure on Pyongyang over its pursuit of weapons on mass destruction (WMD).

She said: On February 22 2018 the United States determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 that the Government of North Korea used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Nam in the Kuala Lumpur Airport.

The United States strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons to conduct an assassination.

This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of North Korea and underscores that we cannot afford to tolerate a North Korean WMD (weapons of mass destruction) programme of any kind.

The latest sanctions against the shadowy regime took effect on March 5, following the USs finding in February that Pyongyang was behind the assassination.

The 45-year-old died after two suspects rubbed the VX nerve agent in his face as he waited for a flight home to Macau, where he lived with his family, on February 13 2017.

Two women are on currently on trial for his murder in Malaysia.
A suspected Oscar thief is due in court charged with stealing Frances McDormands award from an after-party.

Terry Bryant, 47, will appear at Los Angeles Foltz Criminal Justice Centre on Wednesday charged with grand theft of property.

He allegedly swiped McDormands best actress Academy Award as she celebrated at the Governors Ball on Sunday night.

Frances McDormand flaunts her award with Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney and Gary Oldman (Ian West/PA)

Prosecutors said Bryant was witnessed taking the statuette before being detained near an exit.

A since-removed video selfie on Bryants Facebook appeared to show him dressed in a tuxedo having praise lavished on him after courting congratulations while clutching the award and dressed in a tuxedo.

Look it, baby. My team got this tonight. This is mine, he said, before planting a kiss on the Oscars head.

Bryant was also captured on video leaving the ball while brandishing the award to photographers, one of whom confronted him after not recognising him as a winner.

Police said he handed the bronze statue back without a struggle and was arrested.

Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said he faces up to three years in jail if convicted and that a 20,000-dollar (14,400) bail had been requested.

McDormand, 60, won her second best actress Oscar with Martin McDonaghs Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Her publicist said she celebrated being happily reunited with the bronze statuette with a double cheeseburger from Californias In-N-Out Burger chain.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists it should surprise no one his side are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

A goalless draw at home to Porto confirmed Liverpools place in the last eight  their first for nine years  which was already virtually guaranteed after their 5-0 first-leg victory last month.

Heading into this round of matches Klopps side were the competitions top scorers with 28 goals and he believes that has already proved they can compete on their return after a three-year absence.

Jurgen Klopp insists it should not be a surprise to see Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals (Peter Byrne/PA)

It should not be a big surprise, he said.

I never had a time schedule in my mind where I thought we have to be there and then have to be there.

Actually, I dont want to make it smaller than it is, but on the other side I dont want to make it bigger than it is.

This year we belong there, to be honest. Next round will be very difficult, that is clear. There will be seven other very good teams, maybe another four from England which does not make it easier.

 RESULTS 



Real Madrid & Liverpool reach the quarter-finals! 



Who are you backing to win the #UCL this season?  pic.twitter.com/0gBCZcZ9n3  UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 6, 2018

I think we will have a chance, for sure, to get through to the semis and that of course is the target.

Take it step by step. It is cool absolutely. This is our first year when we had the opportunity to do it so I think we are in time.

We are a little bit satisfied, to be honest. There is a good development in Liverpool, a nice moment.

It is good, it is done and now lets carry on.

Klopp made five changes for the match but played two of his front three in Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane for 62 and 74 minutes respectively while 32-goal forward Mohamed Salah was sent on for the last 20 minutes.

Critics will question the Red boss wisdom in doing so with Manchester United at Old Trafford up next at the weekend, but the German insists he was doing his Egypt international a favour.

Everyone thinks about injuries but that can happen all the time, he added.

Amazing feeling to have made it to the quarterfinals. Looking forward to the next opponent! #UCL #YNWA  pic.twitter.com/hM9ZFeVAoX  Gini Wijnaldum (@GWijnaldum) March 6, 2018

Now we thought we give him, if possible, the last 20. If it is 15 he trains again on Wednesday.

I told him if he really runs a lot he does not have to train so I thought he was quite lively.

Of the other changes Klopp said: (Andrew) Robertson had an issue but not big. It was not about rotation, only about the next line-up.

"I would like to thank the Liverpool fans for that lovely detail"@IkerCasillas expressed his gratitude to #LFC's supporters for the reception he was given by the Kop.  pic.twitter.com/9qTVTNicBM  Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 6, 2018

It was not too intense for Sadio even though he was lively. It was very important for Adam (Lallana), getting used to the rhythm, and for Ingsy (Danny Ings) a few minutes.

Joe Gomez playing after a few weeks was important. Now we can prepare the Manchester game and I am looking forward to it.
Australia and East Timor have signed a historic treaty drawing their maritime boundary, ending years of bitter wrangling over billions of dollars of oil and gas riches lying beneath the Timor Sea and opening a new chapter in relations.

The agreement was doubly historic because it also marked the successful conclusion of the first-ever negotiations to settle maritime differences under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea  a process that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged other countries to use to peacefully resolve such disagreements.

Before a crowd of cameras, diplomats and officials, two copies of the treaty were signed by Australias foreign minister, Julie Bishop, and East Timors minister for delimitation of borders, Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira.

East Timors Deputy Minister of the Prime Minister for the Delimitation of Borders Agio Pereira and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop signed a treaty during a ceremony at United Nations headquarters (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

The chairman of the independent Conciliation Commission that led negotiations, Danish Ambassador Peter Taksoe-Jensen, then signed as a witness.

It is a landmark event for our two nations, but also for international law, Ms Bishop said. Both our governments have deemed this to be a just and equitable outcome.

Mr Pereira agreed, saying: Today is indeed a momentous day that will be recorded in East Timors history and be remembered and celebrated.  With the signing of this treaty today, we write a new chapter in the friendship between our two countries.

For East Timor, a half-island nation of 1.5 million people who are among the poorest in the world, the treaty is crucial to economic development and employment opportunities.

Mr Pereira said 65%, mostly young people, are looking for jobs.

Ms Bishop told reporters that under the treaty East Timor will get the biggest share of revenue from exploiting the oil and gas.

It will be split either 80-20 if gas is piped to Australia for processing or 70-30 if it is piped to East Timor, she said.

We are talking billions of dollars over the life of such a resource project, Ms Bishop said.

Mr Pereira said companies have told East Timor that it is feasible to build a pipeline to the country.

We believe seriously that a successful pipeline to the south coast of Timor would be a game changer and have a transformational impact on the socio-economic status of the country, he said.

The dispute has dominated and soured relations since 2002, when East Timor emerged as a fledgling nation independent of Indonesia.

The terms of the deal negotiated under the Conciliation Commission in The Hague, Netherlands, through the Permanent Court of Arbitration are expected to be made public shortly, Australian diplomats said.

East Timor achieving its ambition of a border midway between the two countries could encourage Indonesia to renegotiate its own much longer maritime boundary with Australia, agreed in 1971 under outdated international law.

The Indonesian border with Australia extends east and west of the new East Timor-Australia boundary and the vast expanse Indonesia allowed Australia is a source of increasing irritation for the Indonesian government.
A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the body of a female was found at a property in a small town in West Wales.

Dyfed-Powys Police said they were called to an address in St Clears, Carmarthenshire, at approximately 5.47pm on Tuesday.

A spokeswoman said: A 16-year-old male has been arrested on suspicion of murder and currently remains in police custody.

Police outside an address in St Clears, Carmarthenshire. A 16-year-old has been arrested after a woman was found dead on Tuesday (Johanna Carr/PA Wire)

Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

The force said the females next of kin had been informed and were being supported by specialist officers.

An incident room has been set up at Carmarthen police station and the coroner has also been informed.
At least 55 people have been confirmed dead and authorities fear the toll from last weeks powerful earthquake in Papua New Guinea could exceed 100, as survivors faced more shaking from the strongest aftershock so far early on Wednesday.

Southern Highlands governor William Powi told the Associated Press that people were feeling traumatised from the disaster and ongoing aftershocks.

The latest large was a magnitude 6.7 quake that struck just after midnight local time, the strongest shake since last Mondays deadly magnitude 7.5 quake that destroyed homes, triggered landslides and halted work at four oil and gas fields.

A damaged building following last Mondays earthquake in Mendi, Papua New Guinea (Australia Broadcasting Corporation/AP)

The central region where the quake struck is remote and undeveloped, and assessments about the scale of the damage and injuries have been slow to filter out.

Mr Powi said he did not know if the latest aftershock had caused more damage or injuries, but he said it had added to the distress people were feeling.

It is beyond the capacity of the provincial government to cope with the magnitude of destruction and devastation, he said. Our people are traumatised and finding it difficult to cope.

He said provincial authorities were trying to prioritise the greatest needs by getting people with severe injuries to medical centres and providing water and medicine. He said help from abroad and from local aid agencies was slowly coming in.

People look at the damage caused by the earthquake (Australia Broadcasting Corporation/AP)

Its a mammoth task. Most of the feeder roads are washed away or covered with landslips, he said. Peoples livelihoods are devastated, their personal property is gone.

Mr Powi said 39 people had died in his province after families were crushed by their collapsing homes or buried by landslides during last weeks earthquake. He said death reports were still coming in from remote places, and he feared the death toll would rise to more than 100.

A spokeswoman at the National Disaster Centre said the official death toll is currently estimated at between 55 and 75 although they do not yet have firm numbers.

A landslide in Mendi, Papua New Guinea, following last Mondays deadly 7.5 magnitude earthquake(Australia Broadcasting Corporation/AP)

The US Geological Survey said Wednesdays quake was centred 70 miles (112km) south-west of Porgera at a shallow depth of 6 miles (10km). Ten aftershocks in the hours afterwards ranged between magnitude 4.7 and magnitude 5.2.

Papua New Guinea is home to seven million people on the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, to the east of Indonesia. It sits on the Pacifics Ring of Fire, the arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the worlds earthquakes and volcanic activity occur.
Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson has said the SNP-run Scottish Government actively wants a row with Westminster over where devolved powers should be held post-Brexit.

The Conservative claimed the dispute between Edinburgh and London on this issue now boils down to a disagreement over what should happen to a small number of powers in the period immediately after the UK quits the European Union.

Talks have been taking place between the UK Government and the devolved administrations  who accuse Westminster of mounting a power grab on devolution.

And Ms Davidson accused Scottish nationalists of constitutional gamesmanship as the stand-off continues.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson (Andrew Milligan/PA)

After the UK Government failed to make changes to the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill  which will transpose EU law into domestic law in time for Brexit  the Scottish Government introduced its own emergency legislation at Holyrood.

The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill is being rushed through the Scottish Parliament, despite Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh ruling it to be outside of Holyroods legislative competence.

Ahead of more talks between the UK and Scottish governments on the issue, and with Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon due to meet next week, Ms Davidson branded the proposed legislation a massive political power play from this SNP government.

Writing in the Scotsman newspaper, the Scottish Conservative leader said: The only conclusion I can reach from the last week is that the SNP now actively wants a row.

Ms Davidson stated: As things stand, the Scottish Government has no influence over these EU powers and never has, because they are held in Brussels. The SNP has never previously complained about this and Nicola Sturgeons position, apparently, is that they should stay there.

But because the UK Government now proposes to be able to keep consistency for a temporary period before a joint UK-wide framework is agreed, all hell kicks off.

While she said the SNP will cast itself as the dogged defender of devolution in the dispute, portraying Westminster as some sort of post-colonial administrator, determined to grab power, she insisted this was not the case.

Its the SNP, not Westminster, who are failing to respect the devolution settlement in fast-tracking unconstitutional legislation through Holyrood with minimum scrutiny, Ms Davidson said.
Annual house price growth slowed to a five-year low in February, according to an index.

Property values saw a 1.8% annual uplift  the smallest increase since a 1.1% rise in March 2013  Halifax said.

Economists suggested the figures show that a modest rise in mortgage rates in recent months has hit the housing market hard.

Annual house price growth slowed to a five-year low in February, Halifax has said (Lauren Hurley/PA)

Further increases in new mortgage rates are expected in the coming months.

Year-on-year house price growth is now less than half the rate seen just a few months ago. In November, a 3.9% annual increase was recorded.

House prices increased by 0.4% month-on-month in February, following falls in December and January.

The average UK house price in February was 224,353, down slightly from Novembers high of 226,408.

On a quarterly basis, house prices between December and February were 0.7% lower than in the preceding three months  the first decline on the quarterly measure since May last year.

Russell Galley, managing director at Halifax, said: House prices continue to remain broadly flat, as they have since the end of last year.

The annual rate of growth has slowed from 2.2% in January to 1.8% in February, the lowest rate of growth since March 2013.

He continued: While we expect price growth to remain low, the low mortgage rate environment, combined with an ongoing shortage of properties for sale, should continue to support house prices over the coming months.

#Halifax reports #UK #house #prices rose 0.4% m/m in Feb marking a tepid pick-up after drops in Jan (0.5%) & Dec (0.8%). Annual growth slowed to 1.8% in 3 months to Feb, weakest since March 2013. Prices down 0.7% in 3 months to Feb vs 3 months to November  Howard Archer (@HowardArcherUK) March 7, 2018

Howard Archer, chief economic adviser at EY ITEM Club, said: The Halifax data fuel our belief that 2018 will be a difficult year for the housing market and price gains over the year will be limited to a modest 2%.

Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the slowdown in annual house price growth demonstrates that even the modest rise in mortgage rates over the last few months has hit the market hard.

Mr Tombs said new mortgage rates remain on course to rise sharply over the coming months, given that wholesale funding costs have increased since the start of the year.

He said: New buyers will have to devote a much larger share of their annual incomes to monthly loan repayments in order to borrow as much as their predecessors.

Admittedly, a slight uptick in wage growth and a continued lengthening of mortgage terms will provide some counterbalancing support to prices.

But the rise in mortgage rates will be the dominant influence on the market, depressing demand and ensuring that house prices merely hold steady this year.
A teenage asylum seeker packed a bomb with screwdrivers, knives and nails to cause maximum carnage on a rush hour Tube at Parsons Green, a court heard.

Commuters fled in fear and panic when the carriage containing 93 people was engulfed by a large fireball at the west London station, jurors were told.

Iraqi Ahmed Hassan, 18, is accused of planting the homemade device containing 400g of explosives on the District Line carriage on September 15 last year.

Ahmed Hassan is charged with attempted murder and using the chemical compound TATP (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

The Old Bailey heard the passengers were fortunate because it only partially exploded.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan told jurors: On Friday 15 September shortly before 8.20am an improvised explosive device partially detonated on a District Line Tube train very shortly after it had arrived into Parsons Green Station. It was a rush hour and the train was crowded.

There were approximately 93 people in the carriage when the device detonated. The partial explosion created a large fireball.

Some in the carriage were caught by the flames and sustained significant burns.

Many ran in fear and panic. They were fortunate . Had the device fully detonated, it is inevitable that serious injury and significant damage would have been caused within the carriage.

Those in close proximity to the device may well have been killed.

A bucket on fire inside the train at Parsons Green station (Sylvain Pennec/PA)

The jury was shown CCTV footage of the explosion from inside the Tube.

It showed a fireball engulfing the carriage, as people ducked from the flames.

The court heard how hundreds of people tried to get down the narrow staircase and out of the station following the explosion.

But Hassan had got off the carriage at Putney Bridge Station before the bomb went off on a timer, the court heard.

Ms Morgan said the device was made from the volatile chemical explosive TATP and contained a large amount of shrapnel to cause maximum harm and carnage.

The 2.2kg of sockets, screws, bolts, nails, knives and screwdrivers had been put inside a white bucket, and an improvised initiator and explosives placed inside a Lidl bag.

Hassan arrived in Britain in the back of a lorry via the Channel Tunnel in October 2015. He had no identity documents and claimed asylum, saying he was born in June 1999.

From 2016, he was living with foster parents in Sunbury, Surrey.

A forensic tent on the platform at Parsons Green station (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Hassan denies attempted murder and using the chemical compound TATP to cause an explosion that was likely to endanger life on September 15 last year.

The court heard how Hassan researched the ingredients for TATP explosives and bought sulphuric acid on Amazon.

To avoid suspicion, he allegedly used a friends address for the delivery of the largest component  hydrogen peroxide.

Ms Morgan said some of the preparations were done while Hassans foster parents were on holiday in early September.

The court heard Hassan bought shrapnel from Asda and Aldi the day before the bombing.

On September 15, the defendant left his home shortly before 7am and took the train from Sunbury to Wimbledon, walking through schoolchildren and commuters carrying his bomb, jurors heard.

In the privacy of the toilet on the concourse, he set the timer on the device before boarding the District Line, four stops from Parsons Green.

CCCTV stills showed Hassan spent 13 minutes in the station toilet.

Ms Morgan told jurors: At any point, should he have wanted to, he could have stopped the timer. He could have pulled the wires out of the device. He could have stopped the detonation.

The CCTV footage from inside the carriage shows that at no stage did the defendant reach inside the bag to do anything.
Updated.

Obama-era civil rights guidance that calls on schools not to rely on school police officers to administer routine student discipline may have contributed to systemic failures to report [Parkland school shooting suspect] Nikolas Cruzs dangerous behaviors to local law enforcement, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio wrote in a letter to U.S. Secretary or Education Betsy DeVos and Attorney General Jeff Sessions Monday.

That guidance calls upon schools to drive down disproportionately high discipline rates for students of color by examining whether penalties such as suspensions are applied consistently and fairly. It also urges schools to limit the role of school-based police in routine and non-violent disciplinary issues.

This policy allowed the Departments to initiate an investigation into schools and, if found to be noncompliant, could be at risk of losing federal funding, Rubio, a Republican, wrote to DeVos and Sessions. Further, the 2014 directive and subsequent guidance included onerous requirements and harsh penalties that arguably made it easier for schools to not report students to law enforcement than deal with the potential consequences.

Discipline records

Police say Cruz killed 17 people and injured 15 others in a Feb. 14 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

The 19-year-old former student had been moved out of Stoneman Douglas after a string of disciplinary problems , according to records obtained by the Washington Post and other outlets. That has led some conservative media outlets to question whether an agreement between the Broward County district and law enforcement agencies did too much to limit the discretion of officers working in its schools. If Cruz had been arrested for a behavior incident, they argue, it may have been flagged in a background check when he purchased his guns.

That agreement set up a discipline matrix that restricted the use of suspensions and school-based arrests for student misbehavior. The effort, launched in 2013, includes a diversionary program that steers students away from criminal referrals for non-violent misdemeanors. Broward County Superintendent Robert Runcie has refused to discuss the specifics of Cruzs disciplinary history, citing federal privacy laws. At a news conference last week he called criticisms of the districts program extremely false and I think disrespectful. Cruz was not a participant in the diversionary program, he said.

Its not clear whether any of Cruzs behaviors would have warranted an arrest at school. Runcie has recommended an outside review of the students disciplinary and educational history.

On Monday, Runcie said that while he was still waiting on information, he hasnt seen any evidence that the district failed to contact law enforcement when it had information of possible criminal behavior involving Cruz, the Sun-Sentinel reports .

He said the district has been criticized by some who feel the districts zero tolerance for weapons policy is too extreme in the other direction, the paper reports. A student at Silver Trail Middle in Pembroke Pines was suspended for six days and referred to police in 2016 after she brought a butter knife to school to cut a peach, according to WPLG-Channel 10.

Criticisms of Broward Countys discipline program are ridiculous, Chris Burbank, the vice president for strategic relationships at the Center for Policing Equity and a former Salt Lake City police chief, said in an interview last week. The organization has worked with Broward County to study the relationships between police and schools. That is just another ploy to not address the underlying issue, which is access to firearms.

The most effective intervention that we know of [for student misbehavior] is not the criminal justice system, Burbank said. We far too often rely on that ... and once theyre in it, they do not come back.

Broward County revised its disciplinary policies on its own a year before the Obama administration released its discipline guidance, in part in response to calls from state lawmakers to tackle the so-called school-to-prison pipeline. But some districts around the country have re-examined their discipline methods as the result of federal civil rights investigations into racially disparate discipline rates.

Supporters of the Obama-era guidance say it has put appropriate pressure on schools to examine issues like implicit bias and a lack of student supports that lead some students to be disciplined more than others. But critics say discipline rates that are higher for some groups may be caused by differences in student behavior, and that its unfair to force schools to change their policies with a high-stakes mandate.

What does the guidance say about school police and student arrests?

The guidance is mostly known for what it says about suspensions and expulsions, but it also addresses school-based arrests.

A routine school disciplinary infraction should land a student in the principals office, not in a police precinct, former Attorney General Eric Holder said when the Justice and Education departments released the guidance in 2014.

While black students were 15.5 percent of U.S. enrollment in 2013-14, they made up 33.4 percent of school-based arrests and 25.8 percent of referrals to law enforcement, an Education Week Research Center analysis found .

Civil rights groups point to research that found students in schools with on-site police are more likely to be arrested for the same behaviors as their peers at schools without them. In their call for reform, they point to incidents like a 2015 viral video that showed a South Carolina school-based officer violently dragging a student from her desk when she refused to surrender her cell phone to a teacher. The student who recorded the arrest on her cell phone was also arrested on charges of disturbing a school.

Heres what the civil rights guidance says about school police:



Schools are responsible for ensuring that police who work in their buildings administer discipline fairly, even if they are directly employed by an outside law enforcement agency. They should do this by creating formal agreements with law enforcement agencies that clearly define and formalize roles and areas of responsibility to govern student and school interaction with school resource officers and other security or law enforcement personnel.

Schools should ensure that school personnel understand that they, rather than school resource officers and other security or law enforcement personnel, are responsible for administering routine student discipline. The National Association of School Resource Officers, which trains school police, has also said police should not be involved in routine disciplinary issues.

Schools should establish procedures and train school personnel and school volunteers on how to distinguish between disciplinary infractions appropriately handled by school officials versus major threats to school safety or serious school-based criminal conduct that cannot be safely and appropriately handled by the schools internal disciplinary procedures, and how to contact law enforcement when warranted.

Rubio wants DeVos and Sessions to revise the guidance.

The overarching goals of the 2014 directive to mitigate the school-to-prison pipeline, reduce suspensions and expulsions, and to prevent racially biased discipline are laudable and should be explored, Rubio wrote. However, any policy seeking to achieve these goals requires basic common sense and an understanding that failure to report troubled students, like Cruz, to law enforcement can have dangerous repercussions. The 2014 directive lacked such common sense, but the guidance can be revised to strike an appropriate balance that marries school safety with student discipline and counseling.

Related reading on the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School:

Follow @evieblad on Twitter or subscribe to Rules for Engagement to get blog posts delivered directly to your inbox.
Wales boss Warren Gatland has hailed Taulupe Faletaus world-class quality as he prepares to captain his country for the first time.

Bath number eight Faletau will lead Wales in Sundays NatWest 6 Nations clash against Italy at the Principality Stadium, with regular skipper Alun Wyn Jones rested.

And Scarlets flanker James Davies makes his Test debut in a team showing 10 changes from the one beaten 37-27 by Ireland last time out.

"We've made changes, with some quality players coming in" | Hear from Warren Gatland as he talks us through selection for #WALvITA. pic.twitter.com/zq6BxJeCWm  Welsh Rugby Union  (@WelshRugbyUnion) March 7, 2018

Davies, 27, was an integral part of the Scarlets PRO12 title triumph last term, in addition to helping them reach this seasons European Champions Cup quarter-finals.

He also featured for the Great Britain Olympic silver medal-winning rugby sevens squad at Rio 2016 and is the younger brother of Wales and British and Irish Lions centre Jonathan Davies.

Wing George Norths selection comes four days on from him missing Northamptons Aviva Premiership game against Sale, after which interim Saints boss Alan Gaffney suggested the 25-year-old had not wanted to play for his club.

North had been released by Wales as it was a Six Nations fallow week, but he did not feature for Northampton amid reports he had an arrangement with former Saints rugby director Jim Mallinder that he would not play club rugby on rest weekends.

Llongyfarchiadau @taulupe  Many congratulations to Taulupe Faletau, who leads his country for the first time this weekend at @principalitysta. #WALvITA pic.twitter.com/tGCf8h2yrL  Welsh Rugby Union  (@WelshRugbyUnion) March 7, 2018

Gatland said: It is a great opportunity for Taulupe.

He is a world-class player, hugely experienced and this will be great for his development and we are looking forward to seeing those leadership qualities come through.

We have made some changes, but we are bringing in a lot of quality and a lot of experience with the likes of Bradley Davies, Justin Tipuric, George North and Taulupe.

Add into that James Davies, who gets his first cap, and Elliot Dee, who gets his first start  this is a great opportunity for them to play tournament rugby.

Taulupe Faletau will lead a much-chnaged Wales side this weekend (Joe Giddens/PA)

It is challenging, making changes, but we have picked a really exciting team, and Sunday is their chance.

Faletau has recovered from injury to make a first appearance in this seasons tournament, and he takes charge of a team that also includes the likes of North, hooker Dee, centre Owen Watkin and fly-half Gareth Anscombe.

The five starting XV survivors from Dublin are Liam Williams, who moves from wing to full-back instead of Leigh Halfpenny, wing Steff Evans, centre Hadleigh Parkes, scrum-half Gareth Davies and lock Cory Hill.

TEAM NEWS  @taulupe returns to lead Wales against @Federugby. Croeso nol i'r wythwr profiadol Taulupe Faletau, sydd yn arwain Cymru dydd Sul: https://t.co/9Z0uPrdlFx #WALvITA pic.twitter.com/oZc2uOnSEv  Welsh Rugby Union  (@WelshRugbyUnion) March 7, 2018

Gatland has opted for a new-look back row of Davies, Justin Tipuric in the number six shirt, and Faletau.

But centre Scott Williams, fly-half Dan Biggar, flankers Aaron Shingler and Josh Navidi, plus number eight Ross Moriarty, are among those not involved in the match-day 23.

Wales are effectively out of the title running following successive losses at Twickenham and the Aviva Stadium, but Gatlland has still made more changes than many might have expected.

The replacements bench, meanwhile, includes Wales entire first-choice front row of Rob Evans, Ken Owens and Samson Lee, while there are also chances for highly rated Cardiff Blues forwards Seb Davies and Ellis Jenkins.
The Duchess of Cambridge praised a childrens mental health charity for leading efforts to give every child the very best start in life as she opened its headquarters.

In a speech to mark the launch of the new building, Kate highlighted the work Place2Be has been doing in training and guiding counsellors based on the evidence and experience gathered from the organisations frontline work.

Speaking to officially open their new centre today, The Duchess, who is Patron of @Place2Be, praised everyone for their work to support school leaders and parents, and for being at the forefront of efforts to give every child the best start in life. pic.twitter.com/xaziIjInG1  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 7, 2018

Speaking at the refurbished premises in Clerkenwell, central London, the duchess said: School leaders and teachers need expert guidance and training to develop their own approaches to supporting childrens mental well-being.

They also need access to a pool of experienced, well-trained mental health professionals, who can step in when things are more complex or serious. As its patron, I am incredibly proud of the contribution that Place2Be is making towards exactly this.

The Duchess of Cambridge arrives to officially open the new headquarters of childrens mental health charity Place2Be in central London (Victoria Jones/PA)

The Duchess of Cambridge on a visit to open the new @Place2Be headquarters in central London. Pics: @VictoriaJonesPA pic.twitter.com/1UfF9xWSbC  PA Royal Reporters (@PARoyal) March 7, 2018

Kate became patron of Place2Be  the leading UK provider of school-based mental health support  in 2013 and is passionate about the cause.

She has become closely involved with its attempts to provide early intervention for children before problems escalate.

The Duchess of Cambridge has visited the new HQ of childrens mental health charity @Place2Be to officially open their centre of excellence, and meet staff, counsellors, teachers and school leaders who'll be using the centre. pic.twitter.com/nvoYphL1Nl  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 7, 2018

She added: In my years of working with all of you at Place2Be, I have seen at first hand the leadership you provide: you are at the forefront of efforts to give every child the very best start in life.

Thats why this new centre of excellence is so crucial, not only for Place2Be to continue their outstanding work, but for all the school leaders, teachers and children it helps now, and undoubtedly will help in the future years to come.

Kate speaks to pupils from Albion Primary School in Rotherhithe, who were invited to the launch (Victoria Jones/PA)

Earlier, Kate, who is expecting her third child in April, joined three pupils from Albion Primary School in Rotherhithe, south-east London, where Place2Be has been providing mental health support for pupils, families and staff for 16 years.

The Duchess got chance to join pupils from nearby Albion Primary School who were taking part in an exercise on friendship which is part of the latest training for school-based counselling. pic.twitter.com/yvI0UWSFHI  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 7, 2018

The youngsters, who were invited to the launch event, had been given a simple drawing of a hand and had been writing the qualities of good friendship along the fingers.

(Victoria Jones/PA)

The duchess was dressed in a Marlene maternity cocktail dress by Seraphine, an outfit she wore during a recent visit to Norway with William.

Catherine Roache, chief executive of Place2Be, highlighted the benefits the charitys new space will provide over its old offices in Islington, north London.

She said in a brief speech to invited guests: We already train over 1,000 counsellors each year and with this space  our fantastic, brilliant, wonderful new space  we have the potential, along with the new technologies, to train many, many more as many as 6,000 each year by 2025.

Before leaving, Kate unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of the building, which staff will be moving into around mid-April.
The mystery substance which struck down Sergei Skripal and his daughter is unlikely to be radioactive and could be a biologicial toxin such as ricin, according to a chemical expert.

The 66-year-old former Russian colonel and his daughter Yulia, 33, are fighting for their lives in hospital as scientists race to determine the substance they have been exposed to.

Reports questioned whether the suspected poison was radioactive, such as the polonium used to kill Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko, a nerve agent or a toxin.

But Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of the Armys chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear regiment, said reports of the incident pointed away from radiation poisoning.

Referring to the comments made by one official to BBCs Newsnight that the pair were being treated for symptoms rather than causes, Mr De Bretton-Gordon said that was quite significant.

Its obviously some sort of poisonous substance, he said.

I dont think its polonium  the incubation period is too long and the decontamination thats been reported is not the kind you would do for a radioactive isotope.

If Porton Down are saying they are treating symptoms rather than causes they are doing palliative care.

If it was a nerve agent they would be given an antidote, which leads me to believe it is probably not a nerve agent.

Porton Down have no doubt taken blood samples and they should know by now what it is.

Toxins like ricin  theres no antidote for that. If people are poisoned with ricin or abrin you treat the symptoms.

Bulgarian defector Georgi Markov was killed with ricin (PA)

Ricin has been used in assassinations before, notably in September 1978, when Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov was killed in London using a poison-loaded umbrella.

The murder involved a minuscule dose of ricin, which is produced naturally by the castor bean plant.

But Mr de Bretton-Gordon said weaponising ricin was a complex process that would probably need a professional laboratory to do it properly.

Ricin can kill you very quickly  the longer they survive the better chance they have got.

Poison does not get worse, you either die or you survive.

Ricin was easier to get hold of and could be planted in food or drink, Mr de Bretton-Gordon said.

He added the use of nerve agents such as Sarin or VX, which was used to kill Kim Jong Uns half-brother Kim Jong Nam, would likely have killed the pair quickly, while reports of thallium, a highly toxic odourless and tasteless heavy metal, were also possible but would require a relatively large dose which was an imprecise science.

And he said: If you were going to be poisoned anywhere in the world you would want to be near Porton Down.

Mr de Bretton-Gordon said the facility, around eight miles from Salisbury, was the leading toxicology lab in the world which hold the supplies for the military.

They have all the counter measures, he said.
A landmark Supreme Court ruling on the rights of the unborn will allow the Government to press ahead with a planned abortion referendum, Health Minister Simon Harris has said.

In a tweet the minister said: Now we can get on with allowing the people of Ireland have their say in a referendum this May. I will now bring the Referendum Bill to Cabinet.

Now we can get on with allowing the people of Ireland have their say in a referendum this May. I will now bring the Referendum Bill to Cabinet  Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) March 7, 2018

Children and Youth Affairs Minister Katherine Zappone said the courts ruling had provided clarity.

She tweeted: I welcome the clarity offered by todays Supreme Court decision and look forward to continuing the process of putting the 8th amendment before the Irish people by way of referendum.

I welcome the clarity offered by today's Supreme Court decision and look forward to continuing the process of putting the 8th amendment before the Irish people by way of referendum.  Katherine Zappone (@k_zappone) March 7, 2018

Fine Gael party colleague Senator Catherine Noone said she welcomed the clear and unanimous Supreme Court decision regarding the rights of the unborn.

Ms Noone chaired the all-party parliamentary committee on the Eighth Amendment, which recommended the Eighth Amendment of the Irish Constitution be repealed.

Currently, terminations are only allowed in the Irish Republic when the life of the mother is at risk, including from suicide, and the maximum penalty for accessing an illegal abortion is 14 years in prison.

Campaigners are seeking to liberalise the regime to allow for unrestricted abortion up to 12 weeks into pregnancy.

If the referendum goes ahead, voters will be asked whether they want to remove the section of the Constitution which gives equal right to life to the mother and the unborn, and replace it with wording to allow parliament to regulate for the termination of pregnancy.

Health minister Simon Harris intends to introduce the referendum bill (Brian Lawless/PA)

Senator Noone said: Today the Supreme Court made a landmark decision.

This judgment will allow us to move forward to a May referendum on the 8th Amendment.

She added: It is my belief that the only rights afforded to the unborn under the current constitutional status, is the right to life provided for in the Eighth Amendment and this does not extend to other areas of the constitution.

I urge us all to accept the Courts judgment in good faith and move forward in a civilised and respectful manner, as has been the case for the most part so far.

Labour Party TD Jan OSullivan said she welcomed the clarity provided by the ruling.

Ms OSullivan said: The decision paves the way for the Oireachtas to debate with clarity the wording of the proposed Government referendum, which is coming before the Dail this week.

I look forward to engaging in the debate with my Oireachtas colleagues, and would again call on the Government to ensure it keeps to its timetable of a May referendum on the Eighth Amendment so that the maximum number of people will be available to vote on the issue, many for the first time.

The government in January formally agreed to hold a referendum on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution.

The move came after the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment published its report recommending repeal of Article 40.3.3, which recognises the equal right to life of the mother and the unborn.

The report stated that Constitutional provision prohibiting the termination of pregnancy in Ireland was unfit for purpose and in need of reform.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said he welcomed the unanimous ruling. [It] offers real clarity, and paves the way for a referendum on the 8th Amendment in May, he said.

We look forward to seeing the Governments legislation later this week, and to the debate in the Dail on Friday.
The crown prince of Saudi Arabia has arrived for a historic meeting with the Queen at Buckingham Palace amid widespread protests over the Middle Eastern countrys human rights record.

Mohammed bin Salman was received by the monarch at the start of a trip that has brought Saudi Arabias role in the bloody civil war in Yemen into sharp focus.

The issue was raised twice by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn at Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday lunchtime, when he urged Theresa May to push the crown prince on securing a political resolution to the crisis during her own private meeting with Prince Salman, 32.

Questioning the desert kingdoms treatment of dissidents, human rights defenders  as well as accusing the Government of colluding in what the United Nations says is evidence of war crimes  Mr Corbyn said: As she makes her arms sales pitch, will she also call on the crown prince to halt the shocking abuse of human rights in Saudi Arabia?

The Prime Minister said: The link we have with Saudi Arabia is historic, it is an important one, and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country.

I will be raising concerns about human rights when I meet him.

She said the UK was the third largest humanitarian donor to the stricken country, and added: Were all concerned about the appalling humanitarian situation in Yemen and the affect it is having on people, particularly women and children. Thats why, as a Government, we have increased our funding for Yemen.

Yemen has been embroiled in a bloody civil war since 2014 when rebels took over the capital city of Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia is the main player in a coalition supporting the Yemeni government against the Houthis in a war which has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.

Prime Minister Theresa May was asked about her meeting with the Saudi crown prince during PMQs on Wednesday (PA)

A spokesman for the PM said she will acknowledge the steps taken recently by Saudi Arabia to address the crisis, but will stress the importance of full and unfettered humanitarian and commercial access through the ports of Hodeidah and Salif, which have previously been hit by coalition blockades.

She will also reiterate how seriously we take allegations of violations against international humanitarian law and emphasise the need to ensure that these are investigated swiftly and thoroughly, the spokesman added.

She will make clear that we urgently need to see progress on the political track, which is ultimately the only way to end the conflict and humanitarian suffering in Yemen.

The crown prince has been the driving force behind a modernisation programme, Vision 2030, in Saudi Arabia  but the reforms have been dismissed as a mirage by campaigners.

The Queen greets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a private audience at Buckingham Palace. Pics @domlipinski pic.twitter.com/PSuLNtv6iY  PA Royal Reporters (@PARoyal) March 7, 2018

On Wednesday, he had lunch with the Queen and the Duke of York and was to have dinner with the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge as the UK rolls out the red carpet for the controversial figure.

The inaugural meeting of a UK-Saudi strategic partnership council, which will meet annually to discuss bilateral and international issues, will be held at No 10 and attended by UK and Saudi ministers.

It is hoped the forum could lead to Saudi investment in and through the UK of up to 100 billion over the next 10 years.

The crown prince has also been granted rare access to a briefing on foreign policy issues, including Yemen, by national security officials.

On Thursday, the crown prince will head to Chequers for talks and a private dinner with the PM that will focus on foreign policy issues, including Yemen and Iran.

On Friday, he will meet Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson for talks.

The Government has faced criticism over its arms sales to the kingdom, but Downing Street insists it operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world.

Human rights campaigners are planning to stage a protest outside Downing Street at 5pm on Wednesday, while a life-size statue of a child was placed by Save the Children next to the Houses of Parliament to draw attention to the war in Yemen.

As #MbS arrives in the UK for the #Crownprincevisit, @BorisJohnson must urge him to end attacks on children in Yemen. Share if you agree #dontbombchildren. https://t.co/AKa3Z3ymqF pic.twitter.com/yoZaprzS9n  Save the Children UK (@savechildrenuk) March 7, 2018

According to analysis by human rights charity Reprieve, executions have doubled under the Crown Prince.

The organisation said since his appointment in July 2017, 133 people had been executed compared with 67 in the previous eight months.

Amnesty International said reforms in Saudi Arabia were largely a mirage, with peaceful critics of the government thrown in jail and women reliant on permission from men if they want to travel, be educated or get a job.

UK director Kate Allen said: Wed like to see Theresa May finally showing some backbone in the UKs relationship with Saudi Arabia.

Mrs May and her ministers should challenge the Saudi authorities over their atrocious human rights record, not swallow the unconvincing spin from Riyadh.

Rob Williams, chief executive at War Child UK  a charity for children affected by conflict, said: Britain is complicit in the humanitarian crisis in Yemen through providing diplomatic support to Saudi Arabia, as well as selling our most high tech and deadly weapons to a coalition that the United Nations has verified as committing grave violations against children.

I urge Theresa May to now stand for values that Britain can be proud of, a nation that sets an example to the world, that is principled and compassionate and prioritises childrens lives over trade deals.
Theresa May accused Jeremy Corbyn of mansplaining as the pair clashed over Saudi Arabia and homelessness at Prime Ministers Questions.

Labour leader Mr Corbyn noted that International Womens Day takes place on March 8 during his remarks at the weekly session, adding that it is a chance to celebrate how far weve come on equality for women but also reflect on how far we have to go in the UK and elsewhere.

It prompted the PM to reply: I thank the right honourable gentleman for telling me it is International Womens Day tomorrow  I think thats whats called mansplaining.

Labour eader Jeremy Corbyn speaks during Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons (PA)

Mr Corbyn had also challenged Mrs May over the UKs relationship with Saudi Arabia ahead of a three-day visit by the countrys Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

Theresa May in her response accuses Corbyn of mansplaining after he told her it was international womens day tomorrow  cries of shame on you from Labour backbenchers #PMQs  Dan O'Donoghue (@MrDanDonoghue) March 7, 2018

The PM noted: Can I just say as (Mr Corbyn) started on the issue of International Womens Day, I welcome the fact the Crown Prince will be sitting down with and the guest of a female Prime Minister.

Mr Corbyn devoted the majority of his questions to homelessness and warned that the growing number of homeless people on Britains streets is a mark of national shame as he urged the PM to tackle the crisis.

Mrs May defended the Governments actions, despite MPs hearing that it took four months for a homelessness taskforce to meet after it was first announced by Chancellor Philip Hammond.

Jeremy Corbyn says a rough sleeping task force has not yet met and not a penny has been spent on that programme. He asks: Doesnt the PM think its a little unambitious to say were going to tackle it by 2027.  Harriet Line (@HarriLine) March 7, 2018

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Corbyn said Mr Hammond announced last November details of the taskforce plus 28 million for three pilot schemes to tackle homelessness  although he said he understood it had not met and no cash had been spent.

Mrs May replied: The taskforce he referred to has in fact met  it met today.

But more importantly  this isnt the only group of people we bring together to look at rough sleeping.

She said around half of rough sleepers have a mental health problem, with money offered to support such services.

Mrs May went on: If he really cares hell look at the complexity of this issue and recognise its more than just giving people a roof over their head, its about dealing with the underlying problems that lead to them rough sleeping in the first place.

Mr Corbyn noted: Im glad the Government showed such urgency in setting up this taskforce that it took four months to have a meeting of it  and it still hasnt actually achieved anything.

Mrs May says that nobody in this House wants to see anybody sleeping rough in this county  she then details the steps the Government is taking to end rough sleeping #PMQS  Dan O'Donoghue (@MrDanDonoghue) March 7, 2018

Mr Corbyn, in his final remarks, said some of Mrs Mays words would not offer much comfort to the rough sleepers that I meet that are begging every day just to find enough money to get into a night shelter.

He warned of cuts to council budgets, adding: After this deathly cold winter we have more than twice as many people sleeping rough on our streets. Just one step away from that fate are 60,000 homeless households in temporary accommodation.

We are the fifth richest country in the world. The growing number of people on our streets is a mark of national shame.

With fewer social homes being built, less support for the homeless and a taskforce which has barely met, just how does the Prime Minister really propose to tackle the homelessness crisis?

Mr Corbyn says the growing number of people sleeping on the streets is a mark of national shame #PMQs  Harriet Line (@HarriLine) March 7, 2018

Mrs May, in her reply, said: Who said the last Labour governments record was bringing misery and despair? The right honourable gentleman, the Leader of the Opposition.

He said Labour didnt have a good record on housing. I agree.
A couple whose 12-month-old son has been at the centre of a life-support treatment dispute have criticised European judges after their last resort appeal was dismissed.

Lanre Haastrup and Takesha Thomas say the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, France, has decided to abandon justice when considering their son Isaiahs case.

The couple had asked the ECHR to intervene after losing two legal battles in England.

Lanre Haastrup and Takesha Thomas, whose son Isaiah has been at the centre of a life-support treatment dispute, have criticised European judges after their "last resort" appeal was dismissed.

An ECHR spokesman on Tuesday said three judges had examined issues and declared the couples application inadmissible.

Mr Haastrup on Wednesday said judges had not listened to arguments.

A High Court judge has given doctors permission to provide only palliative care to Isaiah against the wishes of Mr Haastrup and Miss Thomas.

Mr Justice MacDonald analysed evidence at hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in January.

Specialists at Kings College Hospital in London had said providing further intensive care treatment was futile and not in Isaiahs best interests.

Mr Haastrup and Miss Thomas, who are both in their 30s and from Peckham, south-east London, subsequently failed to persuade Court of Appeal judges to overturn Mr Justice MacDonalds decision.

They then made a written application to the ECHR as a last resort.

An ECHR spokesman said judges had treated the case as urgent, and added: In the light of all the material in its possession and in so far as the matters complained of were within its competence, the court found that they did not disclose any appearance of a violation of the rights and freedoms set out in the convention or its protocols.

But Mr Haastrup said: The ECHR decided to abandon justice and instead prioritised the fierce urgency of killing Isaiah. We were not given the opportunity to present our case which we were entitled.

He said the ECHR had demonstrated that it was little more than a figurehead.

No thorough reasons for their decision (were given), which suggested that the court was not fair- minded and going by its judgment, does not need to hear us before dismissing our case, he added.

Therefore, we are disappointed with the ECHR not for the dismissal but for the failure to hear our argument before the dismissal, particularly as the ECHR is the court of last resort.
The Duke of Cambridge has climbed into the cockpit of an RAF Typhoon jet as he visited one of the bases at the forefront of the UKs air defence.

(Phil Noble/PA)

William accepted an invitation to sit in the pilots seat of the multi-role combat aircraft at RAF Coningsby  a decade after he flew in the back seat of the fighter from the same station.

(Phil Noble/PA)

The Lincolnshire base is one of two which provide 24 hour-a-day, seven days-a-week fighter cover to intercept threats ranging from Russian bombers to commercial airliners suspected to have been hijacked.

(Phil Noble/PA)

Wearing a suit, the duke spent 10 minutes in the cockpit discussing the controls and the aircrafts capabilities with Wing Commander Andy Chisholm.

His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge is visiting @RAFCGY today in his role as the Honorary Air Commandant to the Station. pic.twitter.com/hkX575FNEI  Royal Air Force (@RoyalAirForce) March 7, 2018

Meanwhile, Prince Harry has visited the Silverstone motor racing circuit to officially mark the start of construction of a British motorsport visitor experience.

(Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA)

Harry, who urged more youngsters to study science, technology and engineering in order to keep Britain a world-leader in the sport, was greeted by staff working on the Silverstone Experience, which is due to be launched in 2019.

As Patron of the Silverstone Experience, Prince Harry is visiting @SilverstoneUK today to officially mark the start of the construction of the new educational centre. pic.twitter.com/XXE2DTK1aX  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 7, 2018

He first met with students of Silverstone University Technical College and its alumni who are now successfully working in the motorsport industry, before visiting the hangar where the experience will be installed.

Prince Harry first met @SilverstoneUTC students, a college located on the side of the famous racing track, which helps 18-14 year olds into careers in High Performance Engineering and Business & Technical Events. pic.twitter.com/RWuN5rh2gS  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 7, 2018

The project, of which Harry is a patron, is due to open in spring 2019 and is designed to bring the extensive heritage of Silverstone and British motor racing to life.

Prince Harry has made several visits to @SilverstoneUK before. In 1994, he accompanied his mother Diana, Princess of Wales to present the trophy at the Grand Prix. pic.twitter.com/9b2tbGOZ1q  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 7, 2018

And Kensington Palace could not resist tweeting a picture of Harry when he visited Silverstone as a youngster with his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

Prince Harry talks to Lord Baker during the visit (Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA)

Harry getting animated as his passion shines through (Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA)
A teenage asylum seeker told British authorities he had been trained by Islamic State to kill before he allegedly planted a bomb on the Tube at Parsons Green, a court has heard.

Iraqi Ahmed Hassan, 18, is accused of packing shrapnel into a device containing 400g of TATP then leaving it to go off on a timer at the west London station during rush hour on September 15 last year.

There were 93 commuters on board when the District Line carriage turned into a furnace engulfed in flames, leaving many with serious burns or crushed in the stampede to get away.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan told jurors: Had the device fully detonated, it is inevitable that serious injury and significant damage would have been caused within the carriage.

Ahmed Hassan denies the charges (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

Hassan had arrived in Britain in the back of a lorry via the Channel Tunnel in October 2015 and claimed asylum, saying he was in fear of Islamic State because of what happened to him in his home country.

Asked by Home Office officials in 2016 if he ever had any training with IS, he said: They trained us on how to kill. It was all religious-based.

He said he was recruited on his own and trained with 1,000 people until Iraqi soldiers came into IS territory and told everyone to go.

He denied he had been sent to Europe to work for IS, the court heard.

Jurors were told that while in the care of Barnados, a member of staff who spoke Arabic caught him listening to a call to arms song with lyrics along the lines of: We are coming with you to the slaughter in your home/country.

The court heard how Hassan seized a window of opportunity to prepare a home-made bomb while his foster parents were on holiday in early September last year.

He researched online how to make explosives, ordering an ingredient on Amazon and using a friends address to take delivery of the largest component.

A bucket on fire in the carriage after the blast (Sylvain Pennec/PA)

The day before he set off from his home in Sunbury, Surrey, he bought metal items for shrapnel from Asda and Aldi in Feltham.

The court heard Hassan that had packed the bomb with 2.2kg of screwdrivers, knives and nails to cause maximum carnage.

On September 15, the defendant left his home shortly before 7am and took the train from Sunbury to Wimbledon, walking by schoolchildren and commuters carrying his bomb, jurors heard.

In the privacy of the toilet in the concourse, he set the timer before boarding the District Line and getting off at Putney Bridge, one stop before Parsons Green.

Ms Morgan told jurors: At any point, should he have wanted to, he could have stopped the timer. He could have pulled the wires out of the device. He could have stopped the detonation.

The CCTV footage from inside the carriage shows that at no stage did the defendant reach inside the bag to do anything.

An expert concluded it was a matter of luck that the bomb did not fully explode.

The initiator could have come loose when it was transported or the device may not have been well constructed, the court heard.

Passenger Jelena Semenjuk had noticed a bag on the floor and a man fitting the description of Hassan before she heard a loud bang and noticed her coat was on fire, the court heard.

She suffered burns to her legs, hands, and face, causing her eyebrows and lashes to be singed off, the court heard.

Aimee Colville saw shards of glass flying through the air and then flames.

Then she could smell herself burning and saw her hair was on fire.

Stephen Nash noticed a blinding light and the feeling that he was in a furnace engulfed in flames, the court was told.

Hassan searched the BBC website for news of the bombing as he fled to Dover after changing into a Chelsea shirt.

When he was arrested at the Kent port, he had 2,320 in cash and told police he was responsible for the device.

Hassan denies attempted murder and using the chemical compound TATP to cause an explosion that was likely to endanger life on September 15 last year.
Jeremy Corbyn has accused the Government of colluding in war crimes by Saudi forces engaged in Yemens bitter civil war.

As Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman began a three-day visit to the UK, the Labour leader said British military personnel were directing Saudi military operations responsible for large-scale civilian casualties.

During heated exchanges at Prime Ministers Questions, he called on Theresa May to halt British arms sales to Saudi Arabia and to demand an immediate ceasefire in Yemen.

Jeremy Corbyn speaks during Prime Ministers Questions (PA)

"The link that we have with Saudi Arabia is historic. It is an important one." PM tells Jeremy Corbyn she will be raising concerns about human rights with Saudi Crown Prince https://t.co/M0oDTPMuiB #PMQs pic.twitter.com/tEMhit6RfG  BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) March 7, 2018

A spokesman for the Labour leader said he had been referring to the presence of British military personnel to advise on targeting by the Saudi air force attacking the Houthi rebels.

He said that if their role was  as the Government has stated  to prevent collateral damage, they had proved to be a disastrous failure.

In the Commons, Mrs May strongly defended the UKs historic ties with the Saudis, saying they had saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country  a reference to UK-Saudi counter-terror co-operation.

"It has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country"



.@theresa_may calls link with Saudi Arabia "historic" saying it's saved British lives at #PMQs. pic.twitter.com/6EvM5Z313N  RT UK (@RTUKnews) March 7, 2018

However Mr Corbyn said a humanitarian disaster was taking place in Yemen as a result of the Saudi-led aerial bombing campaign and its blockade of Yemeni ports.

Germany has suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia but British arms sales have sharply increased and British military advisers are directing the war, he said.

It cannot be right that her Government is colluding in what the United Nations says is evidence of war crimes.

Mr Corbyns spokesman told reporters: British military advisers advise the Saudi military on targeting and so there is a direct involvement in the conduct of the war.

British military personnel are in the operations room where these bombing campaigns are being conducted. They are advising directly on the targeting of infrastructure and operations in Yemen.

If they are trying to avoid civilian casualties, it has been a disastrous failure since the civilian casualties have been extremely high and the targeting of schools and hospitals in Yemen by the Saudi air force is on a very large scale.

There is clearly evidence of war crimes having been carried out in Yemen by the Saudi air force. Targeting of civilian infrastructure, hospitals and schools  which has happened on a large scale in Yemen  is a war crime. It is essential that stops.

The British Government is colluding with this military campaign and that includes the disastrous humanitarian effects of the aerial operations.

Mrs Mays official spokesman said: The suggestion that British military advisers are directing the war is simply not true.

The UK is not a member of the Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen. British personnel are not involved in carrying out strikes, directing or conducting operations in Yemen and are not involved in the Saudi targeting and decision-making process.

We have a long-standing relationship with Saudi Arabia in terms of supporting Saudi compliance with international humanitarian law and in armed forces training.
Could an upcoming decision by the U.S. Supreme Court justices lead to more labor unrest?

West Virginiawhere a statewide teachers strike just finished after nine days and Oklahomawhere discussions of an impending statewide strike are happening now are two of 28 right-to-work states. That means teachers there are not required to pay dues to their union unless they choose to become members. In the other 22 states, public-employee unions are allowed to charge agency or fair-share fees to workers who choose not to join. The idea is that they are still represented in collective bargaining and should have to pay something for that.



Agency fees are the issue at stake in the U.S. Supreme Court case, Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 31. If the justices deliver an unfavorable ruling toward the unionssomething that onlookers largely expect to happen, given the high courts conservative bentthese agency fees will be no more. And union supporters say that could hurt unions ability to engage in collective bargaining, which could lead to a lot more strikes and work stoppages like the one in West Virginia.

A loss of collective bargaining would lead to more activism and political action, not less, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten told the Washington Post . Collective bargaining exists as [a] way for workers and employers to peacefully solve labor relations.

She pointed to West Virginia, which recently became a right-to-work state, saying that that kind of activism will be multiplied and magnified across the country if collective bargaining is struck down.

And David Frederick, the attorney representing the state employee association in the Janus case, told the Supreme Court justices during oral arguments that most unions that receive agency fees will add a no-strike clause in their collective-bargaining agreements.

The fees are the tradeoff. Union security is the tradeoff for no strikes, he said. And so if you were to overrule Abood [the precedent allowing agency fees], you can raise an untold specter of labor unrest throughout the country.

But Jake Rosenfeld, an associate professor of sociology at Washington University in St. Louis, called that line of argument pretty far-fetched.

In right-to-work states and non-right-to-work states, strikes are incredibly rare, said Rosenfeld, who studies public-sector labor unions. Large strikes, like the one in West Virginia, are even rarer, he added.

In 2017, there were seven strikes counted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, he said. In the 1950s, there were hundreds of strikes a yearin 1952 alone, there were 470 strikes.

According to an Education Week analysis of teachers strikes from 2010 to the present day, there have been at least 76 union-backed strikes in the past eight years. Just two happened in right-to-work states (Missouri and West Virginia).

Here are the numbers of teachers strikes between 2010-18, by state:



Pennsylvania: 33

Illinois: 18

California: 7

Washington: 6

Oregon: 4

Ohio: 3

Vermont: 3

Missouri: 1

West Virginia: 1

(These do not include sick-outs, where enough teachers purposefully call in sick to close schools.)

Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California, the states where the most teachers strikes occurred, are non-right-to-work states.

In an essay for the Washington Post , Shaun Richman, a union organizing director, wrote that if no-strike clauses in union contracts disappear, employers will have chaos and discord on their hands. Workers would be able to engage in wildcat strikes (which are unauthorized by union officials), he wrote.

But at this point, the majority of states have right-to-work laws, and strikes are still rare, said Bradley Marianno, a doctoral candidate at the Rossier School of Education in the University of Southern California.

If the union supporters argument panned out, he said, it certainly would be a change of pace.

Corrected: A previous version of this post misstated the amount of strikes in Missouri and Pennsylvania. The total has been updated to reflect the correct data.

Education Week Librarian Maya Riser-Kositsky contributed research to this post.

Image: Wyoming Countys Mullens Elementary school teachers Kara Brown, from right, Katherine Dudley and Nina Tunstalle, along with Lois Casto of Central Elementary school in St. Albans, react to news that West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Senate Republicans have reached a tentative deal to end a strike by giving them 5 percent raises in Charleston, W.Va., on March 6.

Craig Hudson/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP
The Irish Government intends to publish the legislation for the planned abortion referendum on Thursday paving the way for the voters to decide whether to liberalise the countrys abortion laws.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Cabinet will meet on Thursday morning to discuss the wording of the referendum bill.

If ministers give it approval it could be debated in the Dail as early as that evening.

Leo Varadkar said Cabinet will meet on Thursday morning to discuss the wording of the referendum bill

Mr Varadkar said he had agreed to a request from the Attorney General for a day to consider the written judgment by the Supreme Court.

His advice will be considered at the Cabinet meeting.

Statement from the Minister for Health, @SimonHarrisTD on today's Supreme Court ruling https://t.co/cH38aMdtyS pic.twitter.com/iBXZ3uuNTo  Department of Health (@roinnslainte) March 7, 2018

Its important that we get this right, Mr Varadkar said.

Its important that we dot the Is and cross the Ts.

We dont want to make any unforced errors when it comes to a referendum on changing our constitution.

The Taoiseach said the introduction of the bill into the Dail would allow the Government to formally establish a referendum commission and its work would begin almost immediately.

That is certainly what I wish to do, Mr Varadkar said.

The Referendum Commission is an independent statutory body that must be set up in advance of any referendum in Ireland.

Mr Varadkar said: This is going to be a profoundly deep and difficult debate for many people in this country.

It is my strong wish that it be a respectful debate and one that is never personalised.

He added: Above all, the referendum will be about asking the Irish public to change our Constitution  our basic and most fundamental law  to say that we, as a country, people and state, trust women to make these decisions for themselves and to decide in the early weeks of pregnancy whether they want to be pregnant and whether they are able and willing to be mothers.

It is also a question of trusting our doctors to determine later in pregnancy when it is medically appropriate for a termination to occur.

That is fundamentally the question we will ask the Irish people to answer, ideally with the co-operation of the House, before the end of May this year.
The leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First have been found guilty of religiously aggravated harassment.

Paul Golding, 36, and Jayda Fransen, 32, both of Penge, south-east London, stood trial in January at Folkestone Magistrates Court charged with three and four counts respectively of the hate crime.

They were arrested in May last year as part of an investigation into the distribution of leaflets and online videos which were posted during a trial at Canterbury Crown Court in the same month, after which three Muslim men and a teenager were convicted of rape and jailed.

Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen arrive at Folkestone Magistrates Court (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Judge Justin Barron, handing down his verdict at the court on Wednesday, said their words and actions demonstrated hostility towards Muslims and the Muslim faith.

He said: I have no doubt it was their joint intention to use the facts of the case [in Canterbury] for their own political ends.

It was a campaign to draw attention to the race, religion and immigrant background of the defendants.

He found Fransen guilty of three charges and Golding guilty of one charge.

Both Fransen and Golding were convicted on a joint charge of religiously aggravated harassment after an incident on May 5 at 555 Pizza takeaway in Ramsgate, Kent, last year.

Fransen banged on the windows and doors of the shop and screamed paedophile and foreigner while two children were playing in the middle of the shop and Jamshed Khesrow, a friend of the owners, was inside.

Judge Barron dismissed a second charge against the pair alleged to have taken place outside Canterbury Crown Court later that day.

Fransen was accused of telling defendant Tamin Rahmanis brother Faiz that Muslims are bastards and rapists.

Judge Barron said that section of the conversation was not recorded and the video that was played to the court did not amount to threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

Fransen was convicted of abuse after visiting a house she wrongly believed to be the current address of another defendant, Sershah Muslimyar. But Golding was cleared of uploading a video of this incident.

Fransen was also convicted of visiting the Kent home of Tamin Rahmani, and shouting racist abuse through the front door while his pregnant partner Kelli Best was there.

Jaswant Narwal, Chief Crown Prosecutor in the South East for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: The prosecution case demonstrated these defendants were not merely exercising their right to free speech but were instead aiming religiously aggravated abuse at innocent members of the public.

The victims suffered the distress of the abuse followed by additional stress when the footage was uploaded to the internet.

This offending also related to an ongoing criminal trial and the actions taken by Fransen and Golding could easily have derailed the justice process.

The pair are due to be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon.
Revealed: Prince Charles' last words to Prince Philip on the eve of his death were 'we're talking about your 100th birthday', before his father replied: 'Well I've got to be alive for it, haven't I?'
The teenage asylum seeker behind the Parsons Green Tube bomb told British authorities he was trained to kill by Islamic State (IS), a court heard.

Iraqi Ahmed Hassan, 18, is accused of packing shrapnel into a plastic bucket containing 400g of explosives then leaving it to go off on a timer at the west London station during rush hour on September 15 last year.

There were 93 commuters on board when the District Line carriage turned into a furnace engulfed in flames, leaving many with serious burns or crushed in the stampede.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan told jurors it was just a matter of luck that the bomb did not fully detonate and people were not killed.

Hassan had arrived in Britain in the back of a lorry via the Channel Tunnel in October 2015.

In January 2016, he claimed asylum, saying he was in fear of Islamic State because of what happened to him in his home country.

Ahmed Hassan denies the charges (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

Asked by Home Office officials if he ever had any training with IS, he said: They trained us on how to kill. It was all religious-based.

He said he was recruited on his own and trained with 1,000 people until Iraqi soldiers came into IS territory and told everyone to go.

He denied he had been sent to Europe to work for IS, the court heard.

Jurors were told that while in the care of Barnados charity, a member of staff who spoke Arabic caught him listening to a call to arms song with lyrics along the lines of: We are coming with you to the slaughter in your home/country.

He was also observed watching a video on his phone showing people in a truck wearing balaclavas, holding machine guns and waving the IS flag, jurors heard.

In June last year, the Brooklands College media pupil was awarded student of the year.

But during the summer holidays, he used his 20 Amazon voucher prize to buy 15.99 of hydrogen peroxide, a key component of the bomb, the court heard.

In early September 2017, Hassan allegedly seized a window of opportunity to prepare the device while his foster parents were on holiday in Blackpool.

To distract attention from himself, he got the hydrogen peroxide delivered to a friends address in Thornton Heath, jurors were told.

A bucket on fire in the carriage after the blast (Sylvain Pennec/PA)

The day before he set off from his home in Sunbury, Surrey, he bought metal items for shrapnel from Asda and Aldi in Feltham.

The court heard Hassan had packed the bomb with 2.2kg of screwdrivers, knives and nails to cause maximum carnage.

On September 15, he left his home shortly before 7am and took the train from Sunbury to Wimbledon, carrying his bomb past schoolchildren and commuters, jurors heard.

He spent 13 minutes in the station toilet setting the timer before boarding the District Line carrying the bomb inside a Lidl bag.

He got off at Putney Bridge empty-handed, one stop before Parsons Green.

Ms Morgan told jurors: At any point, should he have wanted to, he could have stopped the timer. He could have pulled the wires out of the device. He could have stopped the detonation.

The CCTV footage from inside the carriage shows that at no stage did the defendant reach inside the bag to do anything.

Passenger Jelena Semenjuk had noticed a bag on the floor and a man fitting the description of Hassan before she heard a loud bang and noticed her coat was on fire, the court heard.

She suffered burns to her legs, hands and face, causing her eyebrows and lashes to be singed off, the court heard.

Aimee Colville saw shards of glass flying through the air and then flames.

Then she could smell herself burning and saw her hair was on fire.

Stephen Nash noticed a blinding light and the feeling that he was in a furnace engulfed in flames, the court was told.

Hassan searched the BBC website for news of the bombing as he fled to Dover after changing into a Chelsea shirt.

When he was arrested at the Kent port, he had 2,320 in cash and admitted to police that he was responsible for the device.

An expert concluded there were several reasons why the bomb only partially exploded.

They included the initiator coming loose when it was transported or poor construction, the court heard.

Hassan denies attempted murder and using the chemical compound TATP to cause an explosion that was likely to endanger life on September 15 last year.

The trial, which is due to go on for two weeks, was adjourned until Thursday.
A man who smuggled cocaine worth more than 100,000 into the UK has been jailed for five years and three months.

Vincent Dolan was arrested following an investigation launched after Border Force officers working at Coventry International Postal Hub intercepted two packages addressed to him in October 2017.

An investigation was passed to the National Crime Agency (NCA) after the packages were found to contain cocaine which had been impregnated into cardboard.

#Clydebank trafficker jailed for 5 years for smuggling #cocaine impregnated in cardboard into the UK. Read the full story - https://t.co/0qy29PJXad pic.twitter.com/tjBPdUcOPe  National Crime Agency (NCA) (@NCA_UK) March 7, 2018

With support from Police Scotland, NCA officers subsequently arrested Dolan, 42, at his home in Clydebank.

Dolan pleaded guilty to drug importation and supply offences and on Wednesday was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow to five years and three months in prison, the NCA said.

Ian Thomas, NCA Scotland branch commander, said: Vincent Dolan is a career drug trafficker, having previously served prison sentences in Scotland, Italy and Spain for similar offences. It appears that he is yet to learn his lesson.

Working with our law enforcement colleagues in Border Force and Police Scotland we are determined to disrupt the criminal networks responsible for bringing class A drugs into Scotland and fuelling further crime, exploitation and violence.

Two packages were found to contain cocaine which had been impregnated into cardboard (National Crime Agency/PA)

Pauline Hastings, Border Force Assistant Director at Coventry International Postal Hub, said: The professionalism and vigilance of our officers prevented this seizure of Class A drugs entering the UK and ending up on our streets where they would have caused significant harm to vulnerable individuals and wider communities.

The detection by our officers at Coventry was the crucial first step in bringing this inveterate offender to justice.

Working with the National Crime Agency and other law enforcement partners, we will continue to tackle drug smuggling and the criminals involved.
Supporters of far-right group Britain First hurled abuse at a left-wing press and justice system as their leaders were jailed for launching a political campaign in which Muslims were branded paedophiles and rapists.

Leader and deputy leader Paul Golding, 36, and Jayda Fransen, 32, both of Penge, south east London, were found guilty at Folkestone Magistrates Court on Wednesday of religiously-aggravated harassment.

They were arrested on May 10 last year in an investigation into the distribution of leaflets and online videos during an on-going trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen with Britain First supporters (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Three Muslim men and a teenager were later jailed for raping a 16-year-old girl in a flat above the 555 Pizza takeaway in Ramsgate, Kent.

Judge Justin Barron, jailing Fransen for 36 weeks for three charges and Golding for 18 weeks for one charge, said the crimes were deliberately planned against targeted victims.

The court descended into chaos as he attempted to continue, but Fransen, dressed in a black suit, spoke over him and said: This is a very sad day for British justice. Everything I did was for the children of this country and they are worth it.

This caused cheers and applause to erupt from the public gallery as the pair were led away and Judge Barron temporarily left the court room before concluding his directions.

As supporters left the court room, they hurled abuse at court staff and members of the press, branding the proceedings a shambles and shouting: Left-wing twats, scumbags, no surrender and adding: If we say anything these days we get sent to prison.

The pair visited the 555 Pizza takeaway on May 5. Golding was filming while Fransen banged on the windows and doors, screaming paedophile and a foreigner as two children played in the middle of the shop and Jamshed Khesrow, a friend of the owners, was inside.

Mr Khesrow said Fransen was shouting: Come out you paedophile. Youre a rapist. Come outside, I want to talk to you.

He said he was so scared and she was aggressive and angry.

Later, she shouted out: Im not scared of the police. I dont care about the police.

Mother-of-two Kelli Best blamed Fransen for her daughter being stillborn after she was subjected to racist abuse in her home.

Fransen shouted through the front door of defendant Tamin Rahmanis home when Miss Best, who was pregnant, was alone with their two children  aged three and 18-months-old  on May 9.

Giving evidence from behind a screen, she said: She (Fransen) was making racist remarks: Dirty Muslim rapist, come out, were not going to leave until youre gone, come out. Dirty scumbags.

It was directed at Tamin because she thought he was in there but he wasnt.

She said two days later she started to bleed heavily and her daughter was stillborn, adding: I blame Jayda Fransen because there was no other reason for it to happen.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Miss Best said she was traumatised by the ordeal and had panic attacks. She said her three-year-old son was still scared when someone came to the door and would follow her around the house.

Judge Barron said it was impossible to find Britain First responsible for the stillbirth based on the evidence he saw, but accepted their actions caused further stress to those associated with the defendants who had been on trial at the time.

Ikram Safai was told to move house by social services after Fransen mistakenly targeted his home, believing it to be that of Sershah Muslimyar  another defendant in the trial.

Mr Safai, originally from Afghanistan, found a video on the Britain First website which showed Fransen knocking on his door, identifying it as the home of Muslimyar  but he had moved out some two years earlier.

In the video she shouted: Come out dirty Muslim. Rapist Muslim. Come out and speak to me face-to-face if youre man enough.

The group distributed leaflets wrongly identifying Faiz Rahmani, the brother of defendant Tamin Rahmani, as Muslimyar.

Golding was cleared of his involvement in this incident.

Judge Barron said their words and actions demonstrated hostility towards Muslims and the Muslim faith, adding: I have no doubt it was their joint intention to use the facts of the case [in Canterbury] for their own political ends.

It was a campaign to draw attention to the race, religion and immigrant background of the defendants.

Restraining orders were granted to stop the pair contacting victims and witnesses in the case. Fransen was ordered to pay 2,000 in compensation to those affected and Golding was told to pay 500.

Another charge against the pair, based on allegations Fransen told Faiz Rahmani that Muslims were bastards and rapists when approaching him outside Canterbury Crown Court, was dismissed.
Slovak President Andrej Kiska says the countrys government ignored warnings from intelligence services about activities of an Italian criminal syndicate in the nation.

Members of the Ndrangheta syndicate are suspected of possible involvement in the slayings of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova last month.

Mr Kiska said on Wednesday the head of the SIS spy agency, Anton Safarik, told him some government ministers had been long been informed about the group.

Light tributes placed during a silent protest in memory of murdered journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova (Bundas Engler/AP)

The president gave no further details.

Seven Italians linked to the group were detained last week as suspects, and later released.

In his last unfinished story, Mr Kuciak reported on the influence of Ndrangheta in eastern Slovakia and its ties to people close to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Italian authorities said they had warned their Slovak counterparts about the group.
A man accused of stealing Frances McDormands Oscar from an after party will deny a charge of grand theft of property, his lawyer has said.

Terry Bryant, 47, allegedly swiped McDormands best actress Academy Award for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, as she celebrated at the Governors Ball on Sunday night.

Lawyer Daniel Brookman said: We intend to forcefully resist the charges and defend our client very aggressively.

The lawyer was flanked by Bryants rabbi, Naomi Levy, who described him as a sweet, gentle man of faith.

Frances McDormand celebrates with fellow winners Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney and Gary Oldman (Ian West/PA)

Mr Brookman made the comment at a press conference at Los Angeles Foltz Criminal Justice Centre where Bryant was due to appear.

Prosecutors have said Bryant was witnessed taking the statuette before being detained near an exit.

In a since-deleted video selfie posted to Facebook, Bryant was seen dressed in a tuxedo being lavished with praise while clutching the award and courting congratulations.

Look it, baby. My team got this tonight. This is mine, he said, before planting a kiss on the Oscars head.

Bryant was also captured on video leaving the ball while brandishing the award to photographers, one of whom confronted him after not recognising him as a winner.

Mr Brookman addressed the footage, saying: Theres a difference between holding an Oscar and what he is charged with, so that will play out in court.

The lawyer said that Bryants behaviour was out of character for anyone, but would not comment on his mental state.

Ms Levy, who said she has known Bryant for seven years, added: I think we are living in an unusual time in America.

I believe that maybe perhaps his story is a commentary on our whole society and its obsession with its 15 minutes of fame.

Police said he handed the bronze statue back without a struggle and was arrested.

Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said he faces up to three years in jail if convicted and that a 20,000-dollar (14,400) bail had been requested.

McDormand, 60, won her second best actress Oscar for Martin McDonaghs Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Her publicist said she celebrated being happily reunited with the bronze statuette with a double cheeseburger from Californias In-N-Out Burger chain.

Bryants case has been adjourned until the afternoon.
Nerve agents have been used to deadly effect in assassinations and conflicts of the past.

The toxic substance disrupts signals in the nerves, causing debilitating side effects which can be fatal.

Vladimir Putin  now in the frame following the attempted murder plot in Salisbury  drew international condemnation for defending the Syrian regime after it launched a suspected Sarin gas attack on its own people last year.

Earlier this week the United States said North Korea used the toxin VX to assassinate leader Kim Jong Uns half-brother in Malaysia in 2017.

Here, the Press Association answers questions about the lethal substances.

 What are nerve agents?

Vladimir Putin is in the frame following the attempted murder plot in Salisbury (Matt Cardy/PA)

Nerve agents take different forms. Contrary to popular belief, they are a liquid, rather than a gas, and can seep through the skin.

They were first discovered by accident in the 1930s, when scientists were attempting to find a more cost-effective pesticide.

It proved to be incredibly toxic and posed a risk to mammals, leading it into the hands of the German military, which crafted a weapon of war.

Russia came across such chemical agents for the first time when they swept into East Germany following World War Two and took control of the plants where they were made.

 How do they work?

The toxins interfere with the central nervous system, causing the body to become overstimulated.

Different forms of it have evolved, including Sarin, VX and Tabun, all of which have very similar structures and appear to work in the same way.

Dr Simon Cotton from the University of Birmingham said: They interfere with the transmitting of nerve impulses.

Our bodies use a molecule called acetylcholine that migrates the gaps between cells  it goes from one cell and slots into the second and triggers a nerve impulse.

The body has to get rid of acetylcholine that is docked in the receptor because it builds up and you keep getting nerve impulses and become overstimulated.

Our bodies have got an enzyme that breaks up acetylcholine called acetylcholinesterase  what a nerve agent does is bind to the acetylcholinesterase and stops it from working.

 What are the symptoms?

Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, centre, is one of the women suspected of killing Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur airport last year (Sadiq Asyraf/AP)

If you have ever sprayed insect repellent at a fly, you might have seen it drop to the ground and lie on its back, legs twitching.

This is the result of nerve agents taking hold.

Dr Cotton added: It is basically overstimulated to death because of the build-up of acetylcholine.

Twitching, spasms, heart failure and respiratory arrest are among the more common side effects.

 How much is needed to make an impact and how long does it take?

Part of the allure a nerve agent holds for assassins is that only tiny amounts are required for it to take effect.

It is so toxic that it would usually be transported in something tightly sealed and those who apply it will need protective clothing.

A drop would be needed, that is all, it is that sort of scale  a tiny scale, Dr Cotton said.

Victims will not have to wait long until they realise something is wrong, as was demonstrated in a Sarin attack on the Tokyo subway which left 12 dead in 1995.

People would start feeling funny within a few seconds, but it would depend on the dose, Dr Cotton added.

 How is it applied?

On February 22, the United States determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 that the Government of #NorthKorea used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Nam, in the Kuala Lumpur airport. pic.twitter.com/sxsjeUxTFJ  Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) March 7, 2018

Again, this can vary. Doses might be turned into an aerosol can spray, for example.

In the Tokyo attack, liquid sarin was placed in plastic bags which were pierced by umbrellas with sharpened tips.

When Kim Jong Nam was killed at Kuala Lumpur airport last year, a cloth doused with VX was smeared on his face.

 Can victims be treated?

Antidotes do exist, including a medication called atropine  which works by blocking the receptor that acetylcholine usually binds to.

 How easy is it to procure?

In the UK, the ingredients required to create a nerve agent are carefully regulated.

Scientists can access some of the components for perfectly legitimate purposes, but will have to explain what their intentions are with it.

Overseas regulation can be less stringent.

Dr Cotton said: Sarin and VX arent that difficult to make if you have access to the chemicals you need.
Tottenhams Champions League dream was ended by a second-half sucker-punch from Italian champions Juventus.

Spurs, leading 1-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate through Son Heung-mins goal, were half an hour from reaching the quarter-finals and proving that finally they belong among Europes heavyweights.

But two goals in three minutes from Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala floored Mauricio Pochettinos side as their European run finally came to a halt with a 4-3 aggregate defeat.

Paulo Dybala scores the winning goal (Nick Potts/PA)

It was a brave display from Spurs, who came agonisingly close to forcing extra time when Harry Kane hit a post with a minute to play, but Champions League glory will have to wait for another year at least.

Having battled back from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Turin last month, Tottenham knew a clean sheet would be enough to finish the job and add Juve to the scalps of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.

Yet Spurs were never likely to sit back and in a breakneck start from the hosts, Son had a snap-shot palmed out by veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon with the rebound just evading Kane and Dele Alli.

Kane then surged past Giorgio Chiellini and rounded Buffon only to uncharacteristically find the sidenetting, albeit from an admittedly tight angle.

Tottenham had a major let-off when Douglas Costa raced past Jan Vertonghen and was clearly tripped by the Spurs defender, but to the disbelief of the Juve players Polish referee Szymon Marciniak gave nothing.

Meanwhile, Son had been riled by a tangle with Andrea Barzagli, who trod on the forward twice as he lay on the floor following a barge in the back.

He exacted revenge six minutes before half-time, moments after drilling a shot across goal and wide after being sent through by Alli.

That looked a big miss, but barely 30 seconds later the South Korean made amends, arriving at the far post to convert a low cross from Kieran Trippier.

It was not the cleanest of strikes, Son scuffing the ball into the turf before it spun and looped in between Chiellini and Buffon, but it elicited the almighiest of roars around Wembley.

Juve now had 45 minutes to save their European season  and in the 64th minute they gave themselves a chance.

Higuain, the man who should probably have put the first leg out of Tottenhams reach but for some poor misses, this time made no mistake when he hooked in Sami Khediras header at the far post.

And barely three minutes later Juve had turned the tie on its head, Dybala  who missed the first leg through injury  racing through onto Higuains pass and dispatching his shot across the exposed Hugo Lloris into the net.

Spurs tried to rouse themselves again but found Chiellini in their way, the defender whipping the ball from Kanes foot as he went to tap in Sons cross.

Son was inches wide with a curler before Kanes header came back off a post and bounced on the line, only to be hacked clear by Barzagli in a dramatic finale which spelled heartbreak for Spurs.
Arizona teachers are wearing red today to protest the low wages they say are forcing them out of the state and exacerbating the teacher shortage .

The Red for Ed effort sprang up over the weekend, according to the Associated Press , after Phoenix teacher Noah Karvelis started the Facebook group Arizona Teachers United. The closed group, which had nearly 8,000 members on Tuesday, called on teachers to dress in red clothes today. And thats what thousands of teachers across the state did, according to Vox .



BREAKING: #REDforED is taking the state by storm! I am thrilled by the momentum this is gathering. Tag me in your photos tomorrow! Ill be retweeting some of the best pics! Follow me to stay up to date on this teacher-powered movement, RT RT RT! https://t.co/c7ycaYgJSM  Noah Karvelis (@Noah__Karvelis) March 7, 2018

The initiative is a chance to gauge teachers feelings about a potential statewide strike. Joe Thomas, the president of the Arizona Education Association, came up with the idea.

Its a great indicator. If two wear red, people probably arent upset, people probably arent agitated, Thomas told the Associated Press. If everybody shows up in red, that may be a good indicator that people are ready to take a larger action.

The average starting teacher salary in Arizona is just $31,874, according to the National Education Association. Low pay is one of the reasons for the states teacher shortage. According to a survey by the Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association , 866 teachers have left their jobs as of December 8. There are more than 1,900 unfilled teacher jobs in the state, while 963 classroom positions are held by teachers with emergency credentials.

Exacerbating the shortage is Arizonas teacher turnover rate, which, at 18.8 percent, is one of the highest in the country, according to a 2016 report by the Learning Policy Institute on the nationwide teacher shortage .

Diane Douglas, the state superintendent of public instruction, has pushed for a sales-tax increase to fund an 11 percent teacher salary hike , but that proposal has received opposition from Gov. Doug Ducey.

Last years budget included a 1 percent salary increase for teachers, with the same amount promised for the upcoming fiscal year. But educators in the state ranked No. 43 in teacher pay want more.

Arizona is just one of several states among the bottom rung of teacher salaries that has seen teacher protest and activism. A nine-day teacher strike over low wages in West Virginia ended on Tuesday with a deal that includes a 5-percent salary increase and a promise from the governor to find a solution for skyrocketing healthcare costs.

And now Oklahoma appears headed for a statewide strike as well. Last night, the Oklahoma Education Association announced that schools would shut down across the state if the state legislature does not pass a $10,000 pay raise for teachers and increased funding for schools by April 23. (That date may change after an outcry from teachers who called for a strike date of April 2.)

Momentum for the Oklahoma strike began building in much the same way it did in Arizonawith teachers connecting and organizing on Facebook groups dedicated to drumming up support for a statewide walkout. About 80 percent of OEA members support a strike , according to an online survey conducted by the union.

See also:
The Betel leaf bigwigs have reportedly invited a dainty fair Green party Diyawanna member elected from the Colombo district to join their ranks.



A gabby purohita from the central hills and a tie-coat politico from the Colombo district had already discussed the matter with the fair member, they say.



After making a positive response to the proposition, the fair member had asked for a place in the top team in yahapalanaya as an incentive for her crossover.



However, the purohita from the hills had pointed out that it was not fair for her as a newcomer to Diyawanna to expect a place in the top team adding that they could arrange a deputy office for her.

However, she had put her foot down saying, You have to consider the fact that I will have to sacrifice a chief organizer post. Besides, I will be taking a big political risk if I decide to quit my party.



The purohita had told her that they would try to accommodate her request and the discussion had ended on this tentative note. On being briefed on the outcome of the discussion with the fair one, the big boss had told the purohita, You just ask her not to be too big for shoes!
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary Minister Champika Ranawaka today requested President Maithripala Sirisena to call for all-party and multi-religious conventions in the wake of the tense situation in the country.

The minister said an isolated incident triggered communal violence and that such incidents take place in the country regularly.

While stating that effective measures should be taken to prevent such events from aggravating further, the minister recommended establishing a Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) unit in every police station to respond to such situations.

He suggested that intelligence reports be analysed and evaluated on time to identify such threats.

Furthermore, the minister encouraged the participation of religious leaders in taking decisions regarding such conventions.

Effective steps should be taken to prevent politicians from gaining cheap mileage over the tense situation in the country. The dissemination of false news on war heroes should also stop forthwith. The law should be equally enforced on all ethnicities. I hereby request the public not to clash with security personnel and religious leaders not to influence any community against another. Also, the media have a crucial role of reporting incidents responsibly, he said. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)

- Pics by Waruna Wanniaarachchi
President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in recent statements have alluded to people fishing in troubled waters for political gain. Its an its not us kind of position to take. Safe.

We dont know how things will unfold. We do know that this government scored a resounding F on law and order

Fear is a powerful impetus and it is clear that both Muslims and Sinhala Buddhists are fearful, for reasons that are real as well as imagined

Dangerous too. We all know how the United National Party of J.R. Jayewardene used that line to proscribe the JVP and clamp down on the entire Old Left after deploying the partys trade union arm, the JSS, to attack Tamils in July 1983. An unpopular government whose incompetency on all counts is no longer a secret typically loves communal conflagration. All other issues get sidelined, the public gets distracted and in the melee those in power have the best opportunity to pick up the biggest flag that emerges and wave it.

We dont know how things will unfold. We do know that this government scored a resounding F on law and order. The first official statement came from the Government Information Department and it was vague and full of tendentious claims. Wickremesinghe did much better when in Parliament he described fully what happened, that disclosure only marred by the insinuations he scripted in.

Wickremesinghe admitted that in Ampara the law enforcement authorities erred. He has not passed judgment on the men under his wing as the Minister of Law and Order in terms of their professional conduct in Teldeniya, Digana, Madawala, Ambatenne and elsewhere.

Things have come to such a pass that it is unfair to expect him to work miracles in terms of recruitment and training. However, when a delegation of DIGs make representations to the President about who should be their minister and he doesnt show them the door it indicates a poor political culture.

We cannot expect Wickremesinghe to correct all the flaws of the recruitment and training process. The British whose systems this country has followed suspended the practice of recruiting graduates as senior officers of the Police way back in 1948. The incompetence thats evident among the senior officers of the Police including DIGs goes to show, in part, the virtues of moving people up from the lowest of ranks depending solely on experience and demonstrated competence tested in multiple ways.

In short the Government has to make do with what they have. Theres a maximum possible and the tragedy is that we are not even close to that. The Government was so slow off the blocks that people will and should wonder if the sloth was deliberate, less on account of preferences along communal lines than for calculated political gain.

The Government has played Ostrich for a long time now. One thing it cannot do is to force the people to play along. They just wont bury their heads in the sand. Denied one source of information, they will find others. When the word is out, whatever it may be and whether or not it is the truth, its distortion or a lie, things cannot be expected to turn out pretty.

Wickremesinghe has claimed that anti-Muslim sentiment has been deliberately nurtured over a period of nine months. This is not true. That nurturing has been happening for much longer. However, just as Prabhakaran and the LTTE didnt fall from the sky, just as the bheeshanaya cannot be reduced to the lunacy of the chief protagonists, these sentiments also didnt sprout in a swayanjatha manner. There is the fertilizing of the soil and there is soil already fertile. Finger-pointing only distracts and detracts from the ability to resolve. Fear is a powerful impetus and it is clear that both Muslims and Sinhala Buddhists are fearful, for reasons that are real as well as imagined. Not talking about things, not naming things for what they are, mis-naming things, and even keeping things shrouded in the vague and indeterminate will not help.

The Government has essentially held up a canvas. It assumes that whatever was written on it is already forgotten.

What are you hiding and why? This question will be asked. Indeed whatever is said in a climate where information is state-filtered will not be trusted. Interestingly the freedom-of-expression champions are yet to break their silence on these matters. What would they have done if the previous regime took similar measures when Aluthgama and Dambulla happened, we dont have to guess. We know. Shrill cries of protest. Loyalties outweigh principles, obviously. They are peripheral though.

There are several blanks sheets we are seeing right now. The first is called ideas. Theres another: competence. The third is governability, and its blank. It is the final one that we are contending with here. Its called narratives.

The Government has essentially held up a canvas. It assumes that whatever was written on it is already forgotten. The Government will own this canvas. It will paint whatever its preferred narrative on it. However, when incompetency has been established and the penchant for double-speak known, the reader will naturally be inclined to disregard it all.

What then? Fresh canvases. Fresh narratives. Most dangerously, a narrative free-for-all. Guess who benefits; the mischievous. Guess who suffers; the innocent. And the price? Heavy and not pretty.

Malinda Seneviratne is a freelance writer.

malindasenevi@gmail.com

www.malindawords.blogspot.com
East West Properties PLC has signed a letter of intent to sell the entire stake it owns in its subsidiary, Weligama Hotel Properties Ltd, the property owners of recently opened Weligama Bay Marriot Resort & Spa, to Singapores HPL Hotels & Resorts Pte. Ltd. However, the stock market disclosure filed by the company yesterday did not give any indication of the possible sale price.



Businessman Nahil Wijesuriya and his children own about 85 percent of East West Properties. Sri Lankas Employees Provident Fund also holds a stake in Weligama Hotel Properties Ltd.



HPL Hotels & Resorts has 12 properties in Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean, with a total of 2,886 rooms, including resorts like Gili Lankanfushi  Maldives and The Boathouse  Phuket.



HPL Hotels & Resorts has also made an offer to invest in and upgrade the colonial-era Grand Oriental Hotel (GOH) that overlooks the Colombo port and belongs to Bank of Ceylon.



A cabinet spokesperson recently said they are studying HPL Hotels & Resorts proposal in this regard.

For the nine months ended December 31, 2017, East West Properties made a net loss of Rs.258 million on revenue of Rs.445 million, up over 100 percent, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

The companys net asset value per share on the same date stood at Rs.8.76.

The East West Properties share yesterday closed at Rs.15.80, down 20 cents or 1.25 percent.
More than half the working population in Sri Lanka consists of women. But out of the total working age population, the share of employed women is only 18 percent. At the same time, around 80 percent of the economically active women of Sri Lanka are from the rural sector.



The rural sector also records the highest unemployment rate for women, compared to other sectors. The unemployment rate among rural women is 7.3 percent, which is higher than the unemployment rates for both urban women (6.2 percent) and estate women (4.1 percent).



When empowering women economically, it is important to look at the differences in womens needs and priorities from different settings in order to introduce more effective development efforts. For example, most of the rural women tend to engage in agricultural activities whereas the urban women are employed in the non-agricultural sector. Thus, rural and urban women need to be considered separately.



As part of an Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) recent study, women from both rural and urban communities were consulted to identify the factors that hinder them from being economically empowered.



Barriers to economic empowerment

Limited job opportunities for rural women; no flexibility for urban women: Even though there are scores of unemployed women who are willing to work in rural areas, there are only a few job opportunities for them at their villages. Many of them engage in agricultural activities as contributing family members (involved in a family business or farming without payment), as they have no other choice. Men from the rural communities overcome this problem relatively easily by migrating to urban areas, where jobs are available. However, limitations in mobility, familial responsibilities and safety concerns prevent women, particularly married women and those with young children, from leaving their villages to search for jobs.



On the contrary, when it comes to urban women, finding a job is not a difficult task, especially for young and unmarried women. But, married women with children from urban areas are concerned about the lack of flexibility in available job opportunities and their difficulties in balancing the job requirements and familial responsibilities.



Padmini from Padaviya said, Even though there are many women who are looking for jobs at our villages, there are no opportunities for them; not even a garment factory is nearby. Earlier, there were few garment factories but now they are

not functioning.



Rural women lack physical access to markets; all women need better negotiating skills: The community consultations carried out by the IPS during the study revealed that regardless of gender, those in rural areas have difficulty accessing markets. They find it challenging to sell their products at a fair price due to the heavy dependency on intermediaries and failure to establish reliable channels in accessing markets. That being said, women in these communities are even more disadvantaged than their male counterparts. Women find it more difficult to transport their produce to the urban areas (including loading and unloading, finding a suitable vehicle) and are pushed around more when it comes to negotiating. Comparatively, women from urban communities do not face such difficulties in accessing markets but they also lack negotiation skills, which is essential for effective market access.

Both rural and urban women lack financial literacy: There are many loan schemes operated by various parties (state banks, private banks, financial institutes and microfinance organisations), in all parts of Sri Lanka. However, due to tight procedural requirements of banks and other financial organisations (e.g., providing collaterals, finding state employees as guarantors), microfinance organisations are preferred; most of them target women with special loan schemes.



However, most of the community members from rural as well as urban sectors are of the opinion that these loan schemes are not helping women improve their economic status but are traps that weaken womens economic advancement.



This situation has arisen due to the lack of financial literacy and financial management skills of women. Nusra from Eravur said, There are so many microfinance companies operating within villages and so many loan schemes are available

for villagers.



One loan is taken to settle another loan and another loan is taken to settle the second one. People have to work hard just to pay the interest. With this, women of these villages are more in debt than ever before. Relevant authorities should be informed about the disaster done by the micro credit companies in our communities. Shanthi from Kaduwela said.



Rural women lack access to training opportunities, urban women lack knowledge on training opportunities: Acquiring a recognized vocational training qualification is an important starting point in obtaining a good job or in starting a business. However, rural women find it difficult to attend such programmes, owing to lengthy travel times and transport costs as most of the vocational training programmes are conducted in urban areas. On the other hand, urban women lack knowledge and information about such programmes.



Breaking down barriers

It is important to use different strategies when addressing the issues faced by women from different settings. A blanket approach will not be effective in this regard.



More opportunities, more flexibility: For women in rural areas, the availability of job opportunities is the priority. Women who participated in the community consultations from rural areas suggested setting up industries in close proximity, using resources available in the villages, to create more job opportunities especially for women. Work options such as flexible working hours and working from home can be introduced for women from urban areas.



Better access, smarter negotiation: Rural women are mostly engaged in agriculture and self-employment and therefore, effective market access is crucial to selling their products at a

reasonable price.



The community members proposed establishing collecting centres at village levels and directly involving the government to buy the produce to facilitate market access. Attention should be given in developing negotiation skills of both rural and urban women as it has been shown that men tend to achieve better economic results in negotiation than women.



Better management and understanding of finances: Though microfinance institutes and loan schemes offered by various institutions have widened credit access opportunities for women, womens naivety about financial and credit management has prevented the effective use of these schemes. Awareness creation, tight regulation and more scrutiny can ensure the effective usage of such loan schemes.

Better reach for vocational training: If the authorities can make arrangements to offer vocational training programmes at village level or at close proximity, it would increase rural womens participation in such programmes.



For urban women, effective communication and information sharing is more important. Use of modern technology (mobile phones) and social media would give more effective results in sharing information with urban women.



(Sunimalee Madurawala is a Research Economist at the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). To share your comments with the author, please write to sunimalee@ips.lk. This article is based on the research findings of A Desk Review to Assess Sri Lankan Girls and Young Womens Economic and Social Empowerment for Leadership done by the IPS, with the guidance of the Women and Child Affairs Ministry and funding from Plan International Sri Lanka. For more articles, visit the blog

http://www.ips.lk/talkingeconomics/)
Mr. Ajai VirSIngh - Founder President, Colombo Fashion Week

A movement that fathered the fashion development in Sri Lanka, celebrates 15 years this season. Having impacted every aspect of the fashion design industry, it now looks to take the Sri Lankan fashion design industry to the next level. HSBC Colombo Fashion Week expands the boundaries of the fashion industry by launching new creative initiatives with multiple initiatives, keeping in line with its vision that aims to develop and showcase Sri Lanka's fashion design industry to the world and to the fashion consumers of Sri Lanka.

Last year CFW celebrated another important milestone with their title partner HSBC, that saw a celebration of 10 years of their partnership that saw this beautiful story of fashion development unfold in front of everyone. This partnership has grown from strength to strength and supported the development of the local fashion design industry by supporting this development focused program. This year they look to the next decade.

For the past 15 years CFW has contributed immensely to the growth and expansion of the Sri Lankan fashion industry by providing local designers with a solid platform and international exposure while contributing to a multitude of facets that makes up the industry including fashion education, fashion retail and designer development.

Mr.Mark Prothero - Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives

Mark Prothero, CEO of HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives, commented We are happy to partner Colombo Fashion Week as the title sponsor for the 11th consecutive year. As a leading International bank that has been here for over 125 years, we believe in creating opportunities, fostering growth and supporting the countrys development through such events that raise the profile of Sri Lanka. This event is one that is keenly anticipated by our customers as one of the biggest lifestyle events in Sri Lanka, and we hope that this year will live up to all their expectations through a colorful display of fashion and creativity by local and renowned international fashion designers.

Hosted by Hilton Colombo, its base for the last few years, it celebrates 9 years with Hilton, a partnership that has evolved and become synonymous with fashion and its development. General Manager Manesh Fernando says, its been a great partnership that has benefitted all of us throughout the years, which has placed Sri Lanka on the global map as being a must visit destination not only for sun, sea, culture and adventure, but for fashion too. Hilton Colombo is also committed to the development of youth and such events as CFW provides opportunities for emerging designers and we fully endorse it.

CFW brings the city of Colombo alive through the eyes of fashion and related industries, under the theme Celebrate Colombo. This also aims to showcase Colombo as a hub of tourism and as a city that is vibrant and creative. The week of CFW will start from the 19th of March and will go on till the 25th and will be filled with collaborations with art, film, food and even music and would include knowledge workshops, ethical fashion, designer showcases and the emerging designer showcase.

Mr.Manesh Fernando - General Manager, Hilton Colombo

Each partner has been an important stakeholder and contributed in a significant and a relevant way to make this journey important and effective with their support and efforts. Ponds BB+ provide the make-up beauty looks for the last few seasons as the Official Beauty Partner, they understood the needs of the fashion industry and individual personalities.

Audi is the Official Automobile of Colombo Fashion Week, their strength in design led performance is what makes them a brand that fashions performance globally.

Hydration partner, OLU, is a pure and distinct natural mineral water sourced from the cloud forests of Sri Lanka. Wineworld.lk continues to be the official Lifestyle Beverage Partner, providing the widest range of internationally renowned wines and spirits.

The iconic Ramani Fernando has been part of this journey since inception as the Official Hair and Make-up Partner, Vision Care as the Official Eyewear Partner, Hameedia, Leo Burnett Sri Lanka and MSLGROUP Sri Lanka as the Official PR Partner, We Are Designers as the Website Development Partner and Emerging Media as the Outdoor Digital Media Partner  all who share and extend their support towards the vision and aspirations of CFW.

Its a good milestone for the fashion design industry of Sri Lanka, by gods grace and support of all the stakeholders we have consistently climbed the steps. Today when we look back the humble step that was taken in 2003 has created and revived the fashion design industry of Sri Lanka, it has built pride in Sri Lankan labels, opened the way for young Sri Lankans to become designers and created commerce. This year we look to next 15.said Ajai Vir Singh  Founder and President of Colombo Fashion Week.

(L  R) Mr. Dasantha Fonseka- Chairman & Managing Director - Vision Care, Ms. Ramani Fernando  Founder - Ramani Fernando Salons, Mr. Dirk Flamer Caldera  Director - Colombo Fashion Week, Mr. Hiran De Silva - Managing Director - Drive One (Pvt) Ltd (Authorized Dealer for Audi in Sri Lanka), Mr. Mark Prothero - Chief Executive Officer - HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives, Mr. AjaiVir Singh - Founder President - Colombo Fashion Week, Manesh Fernando - General Manager - Hilton Colombo, Ms. Nilushi Jayatileke - Marketing Manager - Skin Care & Hair Care Unilever Sri Lanka, Shalindra Fernando - Chief Executive Officer - Olu Tropical Water and Wine World.

More than 30 designers, both local and international are set to showcase over a period of four days. Some of the international designers include Bibi Russell, Eymeric Francois, Urvashi Kaur and TarunTahiliani. The Sri Lankan designers list will feature Darshi Keerthisena, Upeksha Hager, Charini Suriyage,Maus, Dimuthu Sahabandu, Conscience, Meraki, Sonali Dharmawardena, Fouzul Hameed, Jaishree, Amilani Perera, Catherine Rawson, Lovi Ceylon, Nilanka Silva, Aslam Hussein, Indeevari Yapa Abeyagunawardene and Gihan Ediriweera among others.

Emerging Designer Showcase

The Emerging Designer Showcase will see 12 high potential designers take the ramp, this is an exciting part of the week, where the next generation of designers showcase their talent. The designers have been mentored in honing their skills and guided through the CFW creative process, the shows will take place at a new location at the Hilton Colombo. This will be Day 4 of the shows, on the 25th of March.

Art Connect

5th Edition of Art connect showcases compositions by 6 renowned Sri Lankan artists. It will bring together the two aesthetic streams of Fashion and art under the theme Co-liberate via the featured artwork, where the artists will also gather inspiration from a CFW Designer to create one of their artworks. The opening on the 19th of March, will gather a number of invitees along with a cocktail night, and will be open to the public to view the next day.

The Responsible Fashion Summit

The responsible Fashion movement is a value system founded based on the founders vision of Fashion-For-Good or Good Fashion that brings about goodness in the society and to the environment. Initiated in 2010 as a part of the Fashion week, this year, the first Responsible Fashion Summit is scheduled to take place with a panel of local and international experts addressing the subject on the 19th of March.

Music Designed

Colombo Fashion Week launches the collaboration of Music with fashion this season, as music in an important element of presenting fashion. Independent artistes are picked for this segment to create original tracks for selected CFW designers for their runway segment. Technical support by Hit Factory and Sooriya Village. Radio partner TNL Radio.

Fashion Films

This is the third season of Fashion Films which creates a platform for aspiring film directors. It's a unique collaboration between designers and film directors to produce a 1-minute-Fashion-Films shot on a smartphone. It's a film presentation of their ideation of Summer collections and the inspiration behind it, to bring the designers inspirations to life through film. These films will be revealed before each collection takes the runway.

Knowledge Workshops

Colombo Fashion Week aims to enhance the knowledge base of young designers in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan fashion industrys most sought after experts are invited to conduct workshops to provide the events attendees with useful insights. This year a workshop under the topic Fashion and Lifestyle in Social Media and Blogging on the 21st of March.

Fashion + Food

Every season CFW partners with some of Colombos leading restaurants to create limited edition menus expected to give participants an unparalleled gastronomical adventure, exclusively during the fashion week from the 19th to 25th of March. This season fashion and food events are designed around the fashion capitals of the world, London, New York, Tokyo, Milan and Paris. CFW partners with Il Ponte, LAB, IkoiTei at Hilton Colombo, rare by Uga Residence and Cafe Francais to create a series of themed events during the week.
Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe rings the bell at the Colombo Stock Exchange trading floor in the presence of IFC County Manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Amena Arif, CSE Chairman Ray Abeywardena and other dignitaries

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, yesterday partnered with the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) for the third consecutive year to ring the opening bell for trading to celebrate International Womens Day 2018a partnership that highlights how the private sector can spur womens participation in the global economy and promote

sustainable development.



Studies show that female talent is among the least utilised economic and business resources around the world. Making even small inroads in closing the global gender gap could quickly yield strong results, with the potential to increase global gross domestic product by US $ 5.3 trillion over the next seven years, according to a 2017 report from the World Economic Forum.

For listed companies, failure to capitalize on these resourcesfor example, by adding more women to their boards and ranks of senior leadershiprepresents a substantial opportunity cost.



Making the keynote speech at the ceremony, Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe said, Equality involves accepting commonality  considering the common rights of men and women. It involves ensuring equal employment, promotion and opportunities for men and women, equal access to credit, resources, concessions, markets and benefits and so on.



CSE CEO Rajeeva Bandaranaike said, At the Colombo Stock Exchange, we encourage companies to prioritize diversity in their own corporate structures by implementing gender-friendly workplace policies, developing female-oriented investment products, reporting on diversity objectives, policies and practices and increasing the number of women holding board and senior leadership positions,

In Sri Lanka, the latest research indicates that about 8 percent of listed company board directors are women. While this compares well with the rest of Asia, more can be done.



To generate a conversation on womens leadership, this years event in Sri Lanka debuted a film celebrating the diversity of female leadership amongst the CSE-listed companies and a women-on-boards directory.



Women across emerging markets like Sri Lanka are making vital contributions to private sector growth through strong corporate leadership, IFC County Manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Amena Arif said.



We are excited to work with our partaners though the DFAT-IFC Women in Work programme to expand the discussion on board diversity and help more companies retain and attract senior women to serve on their boards, she added.



This years Ring the Bell events took place at 59 stock exchanges globally.
When Kamal Addararachchi struts or strolls into a sequence of a film, he is deliberately flamboyant, because he wants to let us know he is THERE. But his flamboyance is not what vindicates him, because for a career spanning 35 years 35 films and roles are all he got, and if flamboyance figured in there he would have got more, much more, than what he ended up with. Within a limited canvas Kamal thus gives the best hes got. He is choosy, more than a little selective and picky, so the few performances we remember with almost sensuous excitement  the hero of Saptha Kanya and Julietge Boomikawa, the prodigal son of Loku Duwa and Awaragira  we remember quite well. Kamals face in this sense has been his biggest strength, or at least one of his biggest strengths, because it can convey infatuation and dislike. That he has teetered between two broad kinds of roles  as mentioned before, the lover and the prodigal son  and variations thereof speaks volumes about the fact that to be a flamboyant performer isnt necessarily to have a diverse range.

And being flamboyant has its pitfalls, moreover: if you dont evoke enough interest in the audience, you will fail them, no matter how many charades and pageants you summon with your physique. Thats why his lesser supporting performances dont stand out  whether as Chandrasoma in Kaliyugaya or as the political son in his debut film, Sagarayak Meda  not because he doesnt try or retain enough conviction, but because hes so apparent and outlandish that we need him to be the star of the vehicle he is in, and in these two films he is not that kind of star. We dont care whether we root for him or oppose him  and he has acted in many movies which have him as a dislikeable son or sister or wayward womaniser  but we do care whether he stands out. By standing out, he defines himself, not in relation to his other characters and how they regard him, but by himself. He operates from a world of his own.

Kamals debut as a thespian was aboard a satirical play titled Ane Ablick, first performed in Colombo in 1978. What happened next was in one sense inevitable: a film producer, having seen him act, got him to meet another Fonseka, no less a figure than Gamini Fonseka, over a film that the two of them were planning on doing

Kamal is serious about his standards and the roles they land him. Apart from one film (each) by Roy de Silva, Sunil Soma Peiris, and Anton Gregory, he hasnt exactly moved into the mainstream cinema. All he wants, in that sense, is to be and to remain pure and pristine, a tough enterprise in a country and industry where popular audiences tend to shirk the halls if those halls arent screening a product from that mainstream cinema. The fact that we endear ourselves to him, no matter what kind of movie hes in, attests to the fact that he is indifferent to this reality in our industry, yet triumphs. We need to see him, and in the end, we measure him up by the strut, the tones, the accent, the inflections, and everything else that he has nurtured and built for himself.

Addararachchige Gunendra Kamal was born on February 5, 1962 to a gem merchant family in Ratnapura. He was sent to Wesley College, Colombo, where he developed an interest in the arts: among other activities, he had been the drummer in a five-piece schoolboy band called Cats Eyes. By his own confession though, neither the theatre nor the cinema held much promise for him. By the time he entered Grade Five, he began acting in dialogues-driven, serious productions, but for his shift to the performing arts, he had to have a guiding figure, a figure of destiny. That figure of destiny was Gamini Samarakoon, who taught him drama in Grade Nine. As Kamal told me around two years ago, More than drama, he taught me miming. That marked my first brush with the medium. With Samarakoon came a horde of other influences: Nimal Fernando, a primary class teacher, Heig Karunaratne, who taught him not just drama but also music as he went up, and Shelton Weerasinghe, the Principal at Wesley who did much to uplift the arts.

The liaison between his school and the outside world, incidentally, was Karunaratne, who advised Kamal to apply for an acting course he had come across in the newspapers. That course was to be conducted by a leading theatre practitioner named Dr. Nobert J. Mayar, from Germany, and was sponsored and organised by the International Theatre for Children and Youth (ITCY). It would span three months and some workshops, almost all of which Kamal enthusiastically took part in. I never regretted Mr. Karunaratnes request. I obliged and I have since looked back with unyielding gratitude. The three-month course got him to meet three people who would figure in his career, as colleagues: Jayantha Chandrasiri and Sriyantha Mendis. All three had, moreover, been tutored by another leading figure: Dr Salamon Fonseka, according to Kamal the first Sri Lankan to have a PhD in drama and theatre.

We need to see him, and in the end, we measure him up by the strut, the tones, the accent, the inflections, and everything else that he has nurtured and built for himself

All that remains in my mind of Fonseka, regrettably, is the image of him as the manservant to the hamu mahaththaya in Parakrama Niriellas Siri Medura, but the truth of the matter is that he was more, much more, than a supporting player in the occasional film. Fonseka, those who studied under him (and there were quite a few: Sriyantha, Prageeth Ratnayake, Palitha Silva, and an acquaintance of mine who doesnt act but knows the field well) will attest, did what no one, not even Gunasena Galappaththy or Dhamma Jagoda before him did: bring method acting to Sri Lanka through a series of structured, academic courses designed to evince Stanislawskys founding principles. While Jagoda and Galappaththy had learnt of the Method in America, Fonseka had gone to Europe itself. No doubt Kamal was enriched by his encounters with the man.

Kamals debut as a thespian was aboard a satirical play titled Ane Ablick, first performed in Colombo in 1978. What happened next was in one sense inevitable: a film producer, having seen him act, got him to meet another Fonseka, no less a figure than Gamini Fonseka, over a film that the two of them were planning on doing. The film, which would mark Gaminis fourth foray into the world of directing, was Sagarayak Meda, and in it the young Kamal would be featured as the Marxist, sloganeering son to the apolitical hero (played by Gamini himself). He was, needless to say, perturbed but also excited: perturbed, because he hadnt opened himself to the cinema and because he knew that his parents would not allow him there; excited, because the next step after stage dramas for a budding actor was the film industry.

In the end, he lied to his mother and father. By the time he was caught, red-handed, and reprimanded, Sagarayak Meda was already being screened in the theatres. From that point on, he revelled in playing out two distinct kinds of characters: the everyman bewildered by fortuitous circumstances (Saptha Kanya, Guerrilla Marketing), and, as I pointed out at the beginning of this piece, the thoughtless, callous, cruel prodigal son. As the former, he compels our empathy and makes us want to win; as the latter, he gets us to envision his own end, as with both Loku Duwa (where hes beaten to a pulp by Gamini Fonseka) and Awaragira (where he is stabbed to death in the end). No matter what his performance is, I sense a subtle intermingling of goodness and badness, so much so that even when he teeters to one side of that big divide, he retains enough from the other side to keep himself from sliding down that forever easy path of being a stereotyped character actor.
A loyal customer is presented with the first Mobitel and Commercial Bank Data + Credit Card

Sri Lankas National Mobile Service Provider, Mobitel has partnered with one of the leading banks in Sri Lanka, Commercial Bank to offer a first of its kind credit card . It is the first time in Sri Lanka that a telecom service provider has partnered with a financial institution to offer its customers an exclusive COMBANK Data + Credit Card with benefits from both entities. This is the beginning of the evolution of technology in both the telecom and banking sector to offer a superior service to its customers. This is the first Data + Credit Card of its kind by a mobile telecom operator and a bank in which the credit card operation is handled by the Commercial Bank while the data offering will be ensured by Mobitel.

Mobitel has always been in the forefront of Information and Communication Technology and has demonstrated the same through the development of innovative and customized ICT solutions in order to improve the livelihoods of Sri Lankans in line with its brand promise, We Care. Always. Ensuring customer satisfaction and also providing products and services to improve lifestyles and productivity is at the core of all its operations.

This credit card goes beyond the traditional service offering but also offers Mobitel customers an exclusive benefit of earning free data on their Mobitel connection with every swipe of the credit card. For every Rs. 1,000/- swipe on the credit card, customers will receive 50MB of data free with a validity of 30 days. The more you swipe, the more you can surf the internet!

(L-R) Mr. S. Renganathan - Chief Operating Officer / Executive Director - Commercial Bank, Mr. Jegan Durairatnam - Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer  Commercial Bank, Mr. K. G. D. D. Dheerasinghe  Chairman - Commercial Bank, Mr. P. G. Kumarasinghe Sirisena - Chairman - Sri Lanka Telecom and Mobitel, Mr. Sudharshana Geeganage - Chief Finance Officer  Mobitel and Mr. Isuru Dissanayake - Senior General Manager Marketing  Mobitel launching the Mobitel  Commercial Bank Data + Credit Card

Mobitel Chief Executive Officer Nalin Perera elaborated, In Keeping with Mobitels tradition to pioneer new innovation in the industry, we are delighted to announce this exciting Data + Credit Card in partnership with Commercial Bank. As one of the leading banks in the country, it has a large customer base and this credit card is a novel way in which to reward its customers for their loyalty with free data from Mobitel and other offers. We are confident that this will become a highly sought after credit card!

Adding further, Commercial Bank Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Jegan Durairatnam said, Commercial Bank cards have launched many industry firsts, and this is another significant step in our journey. This special loyalty card offers all the multifaceted benefits enjoyed by Commercial Bank cardholders plus a unique offer of free data, which is a first in the country.

The only Sri Lankan bank to be ranked among the Top 1000 banks of the world for seven years consecutively, Commercial Bank operates a network of 261 branches and 756 ATMs in Sri Lanka. Commercial Bank Cards have established its status as the Best Value Cards in the market, owing to its round the year lifestyle offerings.

Mobitel and Commercial Bank customers can look forward to exciting discount offers on air tickets, channeling, mobile devices, Commercial Bank Year-end promotions and more. Determined to extend extras to its cardholders, Mobitel customers can earn Commercial Bank Max Loyalty Rewards and avail of MasterCard international offers by using the card frequently, along with mCash integrations. Airport Lounge access and other services, free roaming offers for customers who use the card to purchase tickets via Mobitel 365, and Zero Interest Scheme availability are some of the other amazing offers. The cardholders can also expect to enjoy offers by Commercial Bank such as Special Bank Account offers, Card Payment Options etc.

Mobitel continually breaks new ground in meeting customer expectations and this first of its kind Credit Card between Mobitel and Commercial Bank rewards customers for their loyalty and confidence in their brands.
We commemorate International Womens Day with a heavy heart. We have fought for the setting up of the Office on Missing Persons and securing 25% reservation for women in the Local Government Elections part from engaging in a myriad of other struggles. While we continue these struggles with a lot of hope, we are witnessing a rise in communal violence which erupted in our neighborhood.

On March 6, Sri Lanka came under a state of emergency for the first time since it was removed in 2011. It was after 28 years that the state of emergency was lifted, then. On 30th November 2017, as tensions were rising among Muslim and Tamil communities in the East, and online hate speech was rampant, we as women of Batticaloa issued a strong public statement condemning communal violence. As representatives of Muslim and Tamil women we stood together at the sites where tensions had erupted and called for an end to the violence and hate speech.

Now, in March 2018, the communal tensions are spreading like wildfire.

In Ampara, On the 26th and 27th of February four shops and a Mosque and other properties were damaged and at least three persons were injured. The violence is said to have erupted after a group of Sinhala youth, alleged that sterilization pills were added to a meal served by a Muslim-owned restaurant to a Sinhala customer. On 3rd March 2018, M.G. Kumarasinghe from Moragahamulla, succumbed to his injuries at the Kandy Hospital after being beaten allegedly by a gang of Muslim men in Theldeniya. This incident happened on the 22nd of February. It is widely believed that the violence resulted due to a conflict that took place following a traffic incident. Four suspects were remanded by the Police until 7th of March. Following his death, on the 5th of March, hundreds of Sinhala persons stormed Moragahamulla village and burned down several Muslim shops. A Buddhist monk from a temple in Batticaloa town was seen in photographs alongside the mobs in Theldeniya. Abdul Fazith, from Digana, Kandy, died when his house/shop was set on fire on the 6th of March.

We stand in sorrow with the families of both M.G. Kumarasinghe and Abdul Fazith.

We, as women of Sri Lanka, of diverse ethnic and religious identities, call upon our Government and the opposition parties to respond in a responsible manner.

We, as women of Sri Lanka, of diverse ethnic and religious identities, call for our government and opposition parties to respond in a responsible and urgent manner. We urge them to maintain law and order without further curtailing democratic rights of citizens. We have learnt many a lesson that to curtail peaceful democratic voices only further deepens social rifts and escalate violence leading to tragic loss.

We call on our brothers and sisters, to reach out across these divisions with love and trust. We call on them to make public symbolic acts of solidarity and support, and to speak out against hate speech online and in everyday life.

This International Womens Day, we want no more violence, no more grief, no more tears. We are Sri Lankan and this violence is not in our name.
The Oklahoma Education Association announced on Tuesday night that schools would shut down across the state if the state legislature does not pass a $10,000 pay raise for teachers and increased funding for schools by April 23.

But that announcement sparked outcry among Oklahoma teachers, who called for a much earlier strike date of April 2. The teachers said April 23 was too late and wouldnt be as effective as striking before state testing dates. Other teachers have floated a March 26 strike date, which is the Monday after spring break. Union leaders said they wanted to give the legislature time to pass a bill that addresses their issues and that superintendents across the state supported the April 23 date.

Update, 3/7, 5:30 pm: Wednesday afternoon, OEA president Alicia Priest posted a video message acknowledging the frustration and anger of teachers across the state. She said the union has set a new deadline for the state legislature to pass a bill with a significant teacher pay raise and increased education fundingApril 1. If the legislature does not pass one, OEA will call for a statewide schools shutdown beginning April 2.

We will be at the capitol until a solution is passed and signed by the governor, she said.

On Tuesday night, following outrage from teachers, the union deleted the post calling for an April 23 strike date and posted on Facebook: We hear you. We are putting together more information for you about the strategic reasoning of proposed school closure dates. We all have the same goal: pay raises for education employees and fully funded education. #TogetherWeAreStronger.

The union plans to hold a press conference on Thursday to unveil its plan.

Momentum for a strike in Oklahoma has been building over the last few weeks . Teachers, who havent received a pay raise in 10 years, were outraged after the legislative defeat of the Step Up Oklahoma plan last month, which would have imposed additional taxes on cigarettes, diesel fuel, wind energy, and oil wells to give teachers a $5,000 annual pay raise. News of the West Virginia strike, which lasted nine school days before legislators agreed to give teachers a 5 percent pay raise , invigorated many teachers.

An Oklahoma Education Association survey found that nearly 80 percent of respondentsOEA members, nonmember education employees, parents, retirees, community members, and studentssupported a strike .

One teacher started a Facebook group last week called Oklahoma Teacher WalkoutThe Time Is Now! , which has garnered almost 60,000 members. A poll on the Facebook page asked teachers which date they would support for a strike: Nearly 7,000 people voted for April 2, while only about 250 people voted for the later date.

On that group, many teachers voiced their displeasure with the statewide union. Unless they change their plan, the OEA needs to understand the irony that this walkout is about teachers feeling like theyre not being listened to, one person wrote.

The major school boards in Oklahoma have already thrown their support behind teachers. The Oklahoma City school board passed a resolution this week urging the state legislature to pass pay raises for teachers. We are confident our community ... will gracefully fill the gap and make the sacrifices it will take while our teachers advocate for what they need to educate our children and secure the future of Oklahoma in ways they see fit, the resolution read.

The Tulsa school board also introduced a resolution saying it supports teachers activism toward the state legislature. On March 12, the district will support teachers in a work the contract protest, meaning that teachers will only work the seven hours and 50 minutes per school day stipulated in their contractand will take on no additional responsibilities or take-home work. The district will support escalating actions in later months , including coordinated, short-term walkouts in early April and a district-wide shutdown in early May, according to the Tulsa World.

The Bartlesville school district superintendent announced he would be urging the school board to adopt a resolution at its Monday meeting to support teachers in whatever collective statewide action they agree upon. That might mean lengthening the school day at the districts high school beginning on March 15 to make sure students receive the state-mandated minutes of instructional time, even in the event of an April schools shutdown.
Grabs healthy market share of 21.3% for 2017

Grows at a much higher pace than industry growth

Both motor and non-motor segments see remarkable growth

Total general insurance GWP for 2017 tops Rs.18.9bn

State-owned insurance giant Sri Lanka Insurance (SLI) has once again consolidated its position as the market leader in the general insurance sector in the island.

The company has emerged as the No.1 in general insurance with a healthy market share of 21.3 percent as at December 31, 2017.



The company commands a market share of 22.69 percent in the non-motor sector and a 20.5 percent share in motor, leading both sectors of the general Insurance market. SLIs general insurance business reported a market growth of 20.5 percent during the above period over the corresponding period of 2016a remarkable achievement considering the general insurance industry growth rate of 15.8 percent during the year under review.



The total gross written premium (GWP) of the general insurance market for the year was Rs.88.9 billion while the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the period from 2013 to 2017 was 7.89 percent. The companys motor insurance segment reported a growth of 10.85 percent over 2016 with a CAGR of 9.53 percent. The GWP for the year 2017 was Rs. 11.56 billion. Meanwhile, the growth in non-motor segment of SLI was reported at 39.68 percent.

The sector achieved a GWP of Rs.7.3 billion for the year, which compares to an industry growth of 19.44 percent in this segment.



Accordingly, the total general category GWP reported for the year stood at of Rs.18.9 billion.



This is a commendable performance in a market where there is intense competition among 28 insurance companies of which 16 are involved in general insurance.

There are also 56 insurance brokers in the market. The number of insurance agents in the industry could be placed at 43,800.



However, according to insurance industry analysts, this is a market with enormous potential as the general insurance penetration as a percentage of GDP is at 0.67 percent.



SLIs performance in the general insurance sector has been consistent throughout history. It has always come to the support of the communities that it works with and has honoured its claims.



In fact, the largest ever insurance claim in the islands history, worth around Rs.36.9 billion had also been paid by SLI in 2001 to SriLankan Airlines.



During the year 2017, SLI honoured general insurance claims worth Rs.9.3 billion of which Rs.6.9 billion was related to motor and Rs.2.4 billion was in non-motor.

Rs.350 million was paid as claims in the aftermath of the 2017 floods. The company settled over Rs.600 million in claims during the floods of 2016.



SLI recently introduced the Bee Express service as a means of expediting motor claim settlements.



Securing the insurance partnership of the Suraksha free medical and personal accident cover introduced by the Education Ministry for all Sri Lankan schoolchildren in October 2017 is another feather in the cap of SLI, which has already settled over 1,500 claims under this scheme.
While claiming that there is no immediate impact on tourism sector from the declaration of State of Emergency, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) yesterday said it has backup plans for any tour plan disruptions.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, SLTDA Communication Consultant Rasika Jayakody said that there would be no harm to tourists from the situation but there is a possibility of their tour plans being interrupted.

The SLTDA and the Tourist Police are equipped with backup plans in case of any disruptions to transport or any other issues, he said.

Mr. Jayakody said soon after the Government declared the State of Emergency SLTDA had special discussion with the relevant authorities to take necessary actions.

He said the police confirmed that State of Emergency was declared only to facilitate police actions.

The Authority with the Tourism Police is closely monitoring the situation in Kandy which is a popular tourist destination. However, no grave incident was reported yesterday in the area posing any threat to tourists, he said.

He said the SLTDA had informed the embassies and travel agents to give the right picture over the situation to the international community as it could badly affect the tourism sector if unnecessary panic was created among the tourists.

Meanwhile, SLTDA hotline 1912 would be open for more information or to report any inconvenience situation to the tourists. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)
Communal violence, sparked by the death of a 41-year-old man, overshadowed the political developments that were to unfold this week. A motion for the vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, a political rally by the Joint Opposition and a decision on the appointment of a Law and Order Minister were the likely events that were eclipsed by violence that raged in Kandy and neighbouring areas since Monday.

Unable to defuse tension, the government ran into turmoil receiving brickbats not only from outside but also from within.

While the affected areas in the central hills still remained engulfed in violence, the Ministers hurried to the Presidential Secretariat for the weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning. Taken aback by the rising flames of communal tension, the President immediately summoned the Ministers to a separate conference room upstairs.

There is an emergency situation developing in the country. We cannot have the usual Cabinet meeting now. We can have it in the evening. Lets discuss what is to be done to arrest the trend! he told the Ministers.

The Ministers, present, fell in line with the President.

Rishad Bathiudeen lashed out at the police calling them inept in bringing the situation under control. He opined the police could have acted in time to prevent escalation of violence

Rishad Criticizes Police

No sooner had the meeting kicked off, Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen lashed out at the police calling them inept in bringing the situation under control. He opined out that the police could have acted in time to prevent the escalation of violence.

Urban Development and Water Supply Minister Rauff Hakeem viewed that the law enforcement and peace maintaining were different. He said one had to be careful in the enforcement of law because arrests of some persons would also trigger reaction from others for inflammatory actions.

Along with them, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka also viewed that stringent action should be taken to restore order at this time.

Next came the discussion on the introduction of the State of Emergency for the first time after 2011. Sri Lanka had been in a state of emergency from 1971 till the regulations were relaxed on August 31, 2011 after the end of the war.

There were exceptions of very brief periods during this time.

Amunuguma has Reservations About State of Emergency

Minister of Special Assignments Dr. Sarath Amunugama expressed his reservation about the re-introduction of the state of emergency by a presidential proclamation as it would affect the image of Sri Lanka in the international arena.

Already, the foreign missions, resident in Colombo, closely observe the unfolding developments regarding the communal tension in the central hills.

Probably, they want to ascertain whether such emergency regulations, in force, they would hamper the lives of people. Under normal circumstances, these regulations are considered repressive. After the end of war in 2009, Sri Lanka came under immense pressure from a section of the international community to revoke the emergency regulations after the war was over. The then government lifted the state of emergency in 2011, two years after the end of the war after weighing pros and cons.

Dr. Amunugamas argument holds water in such a context. Let alone the communal tension it stirred further and further. As such, the other Ministers insisted on the need to have the state of emergency to deal with the situation.

The President declared the state of emergency afterwards. After that, some ministers opined that social media activities should be controlled at this time to prevent the spread of ideas, video and audio files that could instigate violence between the communities. The President said he once tried to enforce regulations to this effect, but could not proceed due to objections from the Ministers themselves.

Once I wanted to do something in this regard. Then, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe worked out a mechanism for it. I had to shelve it as other Ministers were not in favour, he said. The Ministers like Dayasiri Jayasekara vowed to strengthen the hands of the President at this time. They said they would cooperate fully this time. Accordingly, the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission [TRC] blocked internet connection making it unable to use the social media and other internet applications on Wednesday in the Kandy area where violence was flaring up.

The government believes the use of the hate campaign inflamed tension taking it to the level beyond control. The government ministers - both Muslim and non-Muslim - were critical of the police over the escalation of violence and spreading it like bushfire.

Communal harmony is not something that can solely be achieved through law enforcement

Kiriella Blackguards Police Officer

Highways and Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella, at a meeting with the area police, blackguarded the officers in charge of Kandy. He said he sensed seeds of communal discord being sown by some and alerted the police.

I told you about it. But, you simply ignored it and said everything could be controlled. What happened now, he asked a top police officer assigned for Kandy.

Mr. Kiriella, Leader of the House, cut short his parliamentary business scheduled for Tuesday and rushed to his constituency in Kandy to coordinate with the law enforcement authorities to subdue communal flames taking their toll on people.

After the war in 2009, SL came under immense pressure from a section of the international community to revoke emergency regulations after the war was over

Rauff Hakeem Seeks Reinforcements

Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem was in the Madawala area on Tuesday night. From there, he phoned the Prime Minister and asked him to send reinforcements to maintain the law and order.

Communal tension, build over a time, remained like a tinder box to explode at any time. Once it is sparked, it keeps smouldering. The police are singled out in the blame game over what happened, but tension can be dissipated and communal harmony can be built through a long drawn process.

Communal harmony is not something that can solely be achieved through law enforcement.

Muslim leaders meet MR

A group of Muslim community leaders had a discussion with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday evening on the current developments in Kandy. They sought his support to curb tension in whatever way possible. They sounded disappointed with the government over its inability to arrest the trend.
The United Nations in Sri Lanka today urged authorities to take immediate action against perpetrators who ignite violence and requested the government to ensure that appropriate measures are swiftly taken to restore normalcy in affected areas.

The UN is concerned about the recent incidents of communal violence and condemns these acts in the strongest possible terms. The UN also urges authorities, and all citizens to ensure that the rule of law is upheld, human rights are protected, and security and safety is ensured for all, it said.
WASHINGTON AFP March6, 2018

Despite President Donald Trumps public statements appearing to oppose sanctions against Russia, the steps ordered by Congress will be imposed in coming weeks, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday.



In testimony before a House subcommittee, Mnuchin pushed back against the idea that Trump is trying to block the sanctions in response to Russias meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, saying Trump is fully supportive. We will implement them, Mnuchin said. I expect in next several weeks well be going forward with sanctions on Russia. Trumps vocal opposition to the package -- which entered into law earlier this year -- and his regular praise of Vladimir Putin has raised questions about whether the administration is dragging its feet, which has angered some lawmakers.



Several members of Trumps campaign have been charged or admitted to lying to the FBI about their contacts with Kremlin-linked officials accused of trying to sway the 2016 vote in Trumps favor.



Mnuchin assured the legislators that in recent conversations with the president he is fully supportive of the work we are doing, and that the sanctions will be enforced.
The United States, Britain and Australia had issued travel advisories regarding Sri Lanka, following the violence in the Kandy District and the declaration of State of Emergency for a period of one week.

The US State Department advised US citizens to monitor local media updates as further incidents could occur in the next few days.

The Sri Lankan Government declared a State of Emergency and curfews have been imposed in some regions, including Kandy Administrative District, due to communal unrest. Further incidents possible over the next few days. Monitor local media for updates, the US State Department tweeted.

The UK Foreign Office advised British citizens to exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies and comply with local security requirements.

The Sri Lankan government announced a nationwide state of emergency in response to recent incidents of inter-communal violence in Ampara and Kandy. The state of emergency may include curfews in specific locations across the country. You should exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies, and comply with local security requirements, the foreign office stated.

The Australian Foreign Ministry requested the Australian travellers to avoid protests and large public gatherings as they have the potential to turn violent and exercise normal safety precautions while in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan Government declared a nationwide State of Emergency for 10 days due to incidents of communal unrest. Avoid protests and large public gatherings as they have the potential to turn violent.

Monitor local media and follow instructions issued by local authorities. The level of our advice has not changed. Exercise normal safety precautions in Sri Lanka, it said.
Following are the excerpts from an interview with Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) Vice Chancellor Prof. Lalith Gamage.



Professor Gamage, lets first talk about your vision in general for education in this country, especially since we celebrate 70 years of independence. What are your thoughts on the education system?



As you probably know, we were only second to Japan in terms of per capita at the time we got independence. We talk about various resources we have in our country but today it is difficult for us to convert these resources into valuable competitive exportable products and services that can contribute to the economy.

I think the biggest resource we have in this country is our human resource. And how we can create economic value through this human resource is to educate and sharpen their skills, so they can create sellable products and services that would have a competitive advantage in world markets. The only paths to that are education and research and development.



Today, out of more than 250,000 of students who do A levels, over 150,000 are eligible to enter a local university; last year alone, 163,000 qualified. Yet, how many can be accommodated within the state university system  only about 25,000 (15 percent).



We are a middle-income country now (no longer poor) and our average enrolment for universities should be more than 40 percent, which translates to maybe 65,000 or so. If you really aim to use this resource, at least a 100,000 (60-65 percent) need to get tertiary level education.



You say universities are important for any country from an overall strategy and planning perspective, hence, the need for quality universities. Do you think that has happened in the last 20 years i.e. the private sector taking more initiative?



The private sector takes about 10-12 thousand students. My vision for this sector is to produce a talented highly skilled professional workforce, in the areas we can participate. As a small country, it is very difficult initially to build talent or have products in a multitude of areas.



We must identify our strengths and develop human resources to support it. Information technology is a very good area, electronics another. There are industries that require huge capital infusion, which is why we need to identify them and selectively produce human resources to fit into the relevant industries.



I am a firm believer that the only way to becoming a developed nation is through top-notch human resource development.



To get a little off track, tell me about your PhD. What is your specialty?



I did electronics and telecommunication engineering at the Moratuwa University and my PhD research is in artificial intelligence, computer vision, image processing and industrial automation. My school education was at St. Aloysius College in Galle.



Youre a good example of someone from an out of Colombo area that saw opportunity and rose to the level of being a respected educator. From that perspective, how do you see the way education is run in this country  especially the division of dushkara palath and non-dushkara palath?



The only way for me to elevate myself to what I am today was through education. I knew that it was very difficult to enter the Moratuwa University. It was like a dream to get selected to do electronics and telecom engineering as they took only 25 students from the entire country.



But today, its not like that and we dont have to limit ourselves to that number and there are so many opportunities in the non-state higher education sector. Also, there are so many jobs out there.



I remember it was in the early 80s when I was a student at the Moratuwa University that Motorola came to Sri Lanka. They came and asked our professors how many electronic engineers you can produce because they needed thousands but the answer was only 25.



Motorola said thank you and departed  it was opportunity lost. We talk about GSP Plus and so on but the size of our export basket is so limited. How do we expand it? By developing innovative products and services around what we already have  rather than starting a different cluster altogether.



What were your aspirations? Was it to come to Colombo and shine? What was going on in your mind at the time?



My father was a school principal but I wanted to be an engineer right from the beginning. We were told engineers are socially high up, respectable people and thats what I wanted to be initially.



What do you think of todays education system?



Most students are so focused on doing exams that its a case of students going from one tuition class to another. They dont do any sport or have any other life than preparing for this O level and A level from the day they are born. In that process, their mindset becomes totally different  tunnel vision  thinking that they have to get ahead of others.



As a result, there is a lack of discipline, which can be seen when youre driving, going to a bank or anywhere; people want to go first and that is because of the mindset created early on.



It doesnt have to be this way because of the initiatives and opportunities available today. It is no longer necessary to get 3As to become an engineer or a doctor.



This is a very interesting factor. People are of the opinion that grades and performance are what matter. But isnt it the market forces that decide how good or bad one is in any profession? What do you have to say?



Definitely, they know how to do exams well because they are taught how to do them by their teachers and tuition masters. Thousands of questions are worked on with the expectation of those being on the exam paper. But this does not mean they have acquired knowledge or would be able to apply what is learnt to a real-life situation. If you give these students a completely unknown problem, they will fail.



Most students dont have the flexibility, thinking ability, social integration and other aspects needed to become a good professional or even a good citizen because they are on a single track. When they come to universities, it is difficult to make them unlearn some of these bad habits and transform them into professionals.



So you think a more holistic approach is needed to becoming better professionals than scoring straight As.?



Let me give you an example. We had a student who didnt even have full A level results and according to the Sri Lankan system, we could not get him into one of our local programmes, So, he did one of our foreign courses. This student came second in a world IT competition by Verizon for a NASA-sponsored project. The prize money was about Rs.75 million. If he did not have access to the kind of education we offer, where would he be now?



So, what are we saying  restrict opportunities so you cant even have a non-state education? Do we want everyone to be poor and do menial jobs?



Are Sri Lankan standards higher than those of foreign universities? Is there a disparity?



We have learnt a lot about academic standards from these other universities and one thing different is that they change with the changing world trends. Changing the local university systems requires a massive effort.



There is talk about us being a hub for education. How far or close are we to this plan?



In order for us to be a hub, we need to have multiple providers and diversity in our offerings. Multiple disciplines should be available, whether its in healthcare, nursing, whatever, without restrictions but of high quality.



In my opinion, there should be a single body to monitor quality assurance. All universities, including the state, must be given more autonomy. They should be allowed to compete with each other and private universities should be recognized. With proper quality assurance and accreditation, private education institutions should have the freedom to call themselves universities.



Foreign universities should be given the opportunity to set up branches here. The living environment in Sri Lanka is much better than other places and we can easily develop ourselves as an education hub.



In the late 1980s, Malaysia was struggling to find good quality lecturers. They took people from Sri Lanka. You go to any developed university  there are Sri Lankan professors, students, researchers. Therefore, we are literally sitting on a goldmine.



You are one of the founders of SLIIT. What is your vision for the university?



Yes, I wrote the proposal for it when I was Director of Computing at the Moratuwa University because I saw that it was not possible to produce a sufficient number of information technology professionals to meet the industry demand through the prevailing university system. We did it for one industry segment  that is IT and proved it is possible to develop an industry by producing sufficient numbers.



Today, we are proud to say that the IT industry is the fifth largest export earner for the country, making more than US $ 1 billion worth of software exports. We can do this for other industries.



My vision for SLIIT is to make it an internationally high-ranked university. This is to be achieved by offering a multitude of diverse programmes, having foreign student population of about 10-15 percent, having an endowment fund that can provide scholarships to about 50 percent of students and advanced research programmes that develop new technology, knowledge, products, services and innovative companies.



In order to stay competitive, you have to have innovation, research and development. You have to be able to develop new products and new services. When there is one university of international standard others will follow and then you have your education hub.
The quality of data used in every business is more important in todays global business landscape.

Our world is changing at a rapid pace as organizations and societies are digitizing faster and moving online and mobile to conduct business. We have more people doing their day to day shopping from home via a smartphone and cutting unnecessary costs and saving time to get involve in many other activities. However whilst they are more online, they indirectly generate millions of data in their day-to-day life that both online sellers and buyers could study to be more effective in sourcing and selling the products. A recent Microsoft study has pointed out that in the next five years, well generate more data as humankind than we generated in the previous 5,000 years.



So the next famous author of coming 5,000 years may be the person who writes a book titled first 5,000 years of Data which may highlight how world was built using data as key driver of development.



Hence the trend is clear  in todays world consumers are moving online and shopping from the comfort of their homes, while organizations are digitizing their assets rapidly to gain competitive advantage. The global digitization trends have dramatically increased the power of the data, and necessary steps have to be taken to manage this phenomenon. Organizations that capture data and make sense of it will be going ahead in the coming years.



The number of mobile-connected devices exceeded Sri Lankas population 6 years ago and similarly the worlds population after 2 years since then, in 2014. By 2019, it is forecasted that there will be 11.5 billion mobile-connected devices exceeding the worlds projected population at that time of 7.6 billion. In a virtual environment, not all sources where data is derived from are created equal. As such derived data itself come with unique risk, security, and privacy issues which should ideally have a framework in place for its governance.



Data governance

Thus Organizations that harness data to gain insights of their customers will position themselves for better success in the long-haul. However, realizing these insights to become a data driven organization requires a

disciplined approach.



If any of the organizations want to deliver good business results, that companys data must be accurate, and the use of that data must be governed through policy and monitoring.



Data governance is about decision-making, management, and accountability related to data in an organization. Often, in any organization a data governance team is built to ensure data will be handled smoothly and effectively and to instill data quality. Data governance programs are designed to prepare rules and regulations for an organization and to handle any issues that may come up regarding data. They also ensure compliance to policies. They tell a corporation who the owner of the data is and who can perform certain functions with it.



As far is data is concerned, it is evident that the strongest sector of the Sri Lankas economy is the Banking and Financial Sector, a sector that boasts about several trillions of Balance sheets and Millions of customers. Banks, Finance companies, Leasing companies, Insurance companies and Investment firms are the domestic financial services organizations that are already penetrating to mobile transactions landscape. However they are yet to identify consumer behavior on their platforms to come up with effective services and products that sell faster than usual. Financial Services are built on data, whilst data governance of the industry is a critical concern. The emergence of a new normal means a need for innovation in terms of how financial institutions meet the needs of their clients. Thus the pace of change in the financial services industry has accelerated with disruptive technologies, regulations, and business models. As a result Asset Managers in the country and across the globe have undergone a drastic change due to the advancement of disruptive technologies. Right now a huge wave of technology disruption is heading toward the asset servicing industry. Over the next few years, Sri Lankas Financial Industry too will enter into Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Blockchain and Cognitive Systems that will drive dramatic change and have a profound, lasting impact on service providers operations.



The above disruptive technologies will offer enormous potential for asset servicers in creating efficiency, reducing risk and improving quality of service to clients. It has been suggested that automation alone could reduce headcount in the asset servicing industry by 60-70 percent while also achieving a cost savings of approximately 30-40 percent.



The asset management sector employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. Many providers even domestically are still constrained by the legacy of acquisitions, poor integration, multiple technology platforms, and a high level of customized manual activity. Some of the technology platforms still in widespread use date back twenty years or more. So much on, Stressed Assets of the financial sector of the economy had been in the spotlight during recent past. The quality of assets has emerged as one of the key risk factors in the Sri Lankan banking sector, as well as the economy. Generally, Stressed Assets comprise of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) and Restructured Loans. A loan whose principal and/or interest remain overdue for a period 90 days is considered as an NPA.

Prudent Data Governance will help asset management firms stay one step ahead of the regulators when it comes to proving the trustworthiness of their data and reducing the potential liabilities that can arise form data leakage. Over the past few years, financial services firms have been under increasing pressure to comply with complex regulations, and without data governance, reporting on and complying with new regulations is a major headache. Therefore it is high time that Sri Lankas financial services organizations put data governance in place now, so youre not caught unprepared when the regulators come around.



Necessity for data protection

With the explosive growth of data, where data is doubling in size every two years, a shift in to data protection paradigm is a must and vital. Especially, based on demographics and for national reasons perhaps securing data from a country perspective is also vital.



One such example is the news that came to light mid - last year which highlighted that Sri Lanka is getting ready to create a National Payment Platform (NPP) that would funnel through almost all nationwide transactions via a single platform. However things turned into a U-Turn when reports revealed that the NPP was trying to reach hands beyond the countrys financial regulator - Central Bank, and it was coming into the hands of a private company that could have sold all the national payment data or consumer behavior including the privacy details of citizens to any other third party or perhaps any other country. Thanks to reports and vigilance and intelligence news organizations it was somehow prevented with the intervention of Central Bank and the relevant authorities.



The use of data to get insights into customers buying habits to location monitoring to identify patterns or habits is now a norm. Another such example from recent news is STRAVA which bills itself as the social network for athletes, who has been collecting data from its users (who happen to be primarily US Military) of their training routes. Imagine the threat worldwide if this data is used by terrorist and para military to target US military bases, operations and locations. Good Governance of Data does not solely lie with the IT but the C Suit level management of an organization. Another case that came to light is in the recent accidental divulgence of confidential information by a leading bank in Sri Lanka; The resulting backlash generated by the public due to it shows, that even in a resilient culture such as ours in Sri Lanka, data governance and protection of especially customer information is of absolute importance.



Hence, the Chief Information Technology Officer (CIO) in any organization today must progress from simply aligning Information Technology (IT) to its business which was the model followed, to becoming the heart of the organization, like the symphony of an orchestra. This should be done in an effort in ensuring proper governance and aligning of IT specially to ensure that its data is generated with trust, utilized with care and most importantly, disposed of responsibly.



(The writer is an expert in data analytics with a special focus on Sri Lankas future direction, and in the fields of financial journalism, investment banking and telecommunications)



BLURBS

Good Governance of Data does not solely lie with the IT but the C Suit level management of an organization

Prudent Data Governance will help asset management firms stay one step ahead of the regulators when it comes to proving the trustworthiness of their data

The global digitization trends have dramatically increased the power of the data, and necessary steps have to be taken to manage this phenomenon
By Zahara Zuhair

Tourism is an industry that is filled with endless opportunities. For example, being an experienced hotelier can guide a person to be an entrepreneur  to move into their own ventures such as to have five-star venues, boutique hotels and many more.



Although globally the negativity towards the profession is starting to diminish, in Sri Lanka, still its considered as an inappropriate profession for women, which makes them to hesitate to take up jobs linked to the industry.



To enlighten on this, the Tourism Development and Christian Affairs Ministry, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, together with the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, organised a panel discussion, commemorating the International Womens Day.



The discussion raised the concerns over the negative perception related to the tourism and hospitality industry and how to get more women involved to the sector.

With women comprising more than half of Sri Lankas population, getting them engaged in the tourism industry, which is one of the largest industries in the world and the fourth largest in Sri Lanka, will help the countrys economy with Sri Lanka expecting 4.5 million tourists by 2020.



The industry already offers a vast number of opportunities with so many local and international hospitality brands are yet to embrace the shores.



Careers in tourism and hospitality offer many diverse roles, which provide the workers with an enjoyable atmosphere, flexible hours and an opportunity to meet new people.



Apart from hotel-related jobs (concierge, receptionist, public area attendant, room attendant, stewards, etc.) tourism jobs range from airline, holiday consulting, tour operating, tour guides, expanding up to diving deep sea, trekking guide training, etc.



A success story



Jetwing Colombo Seven General Manager Rookmanie Fernandos is a success story of a woman in an industry where there is a negative perception of women choosing tourism and hospitality as a profession.



Starting off her career from being a hotel receptionist, Fernando today has reached the pinnacle of her career as she holds the position of General Manager at Jetwing Colombo Seven.



Im a people lover and I had a vision to serve people and I focused on it. I joined as a trainee receptionist at a hotel, thats how I started my career. I was there for 22 years. Then I educated myself in Vienna to improve my German language. I made the correct decision then by moving to Sri Lanka. So many opportunities were there for me and I made the best decision by joining Jetwing as Public Relations Manager, she said.



One of the main reasons for her success, according to her, is the support given to her by the heads of Jetwing, which encouraged her to do more as she was determined to contribute to the hotel and industry.



I was thinking what I can contribute to Jetwing and the tourism industry.



Then I had the idea about Ayurveda, I learnt Ayurveda from a professional doctor. I thought why not introduce it to Jetwing, she said.



Though it was initially a negative aspect, she said that she did not give up on her idea and finally she was happy when she got the green light from the hotel.

I started the centre with two rooms. Today we have ended up with a purpose-built hotel with 35 rooms, she said.



Her Ayurveda pavilion bagged the World Travel Mart (WTM) award for Best Ayurveda Spa in 2003 and 2006.



The reason women wont engage is the negative perception of the industry and in schools tourism is not shown as a profession. So, we have to change the mindset. Even in rural areas there is a negative understanding than positive understanding with regard to this profession.



We have to have awareness programmes to change the mindset. The mindset is very negative when it comes to the tourism industry, Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism of Hospitality Director General Buddhika Hewawasam said.



He said through awareness programmes, it is needed to show that tourism is also a profession like healthcare, lawyering, engineering, etc.



We plan to have celebrity endorsements to make awareness on this industry, he said.



The primary and secondary school curriculum in Sri Lanka has nothing to support the tourism sector. However, degrees are being offered by a few government and private institutions in order to provide the required skills to the hospitality industry. It is estimated that the tourism industry can create 300,000 new jobs by 2020. However, concerns are being raised if Sri Lanka could meet this demand.



Need for support system



Sharing similar views, Tourism Development and Christian Affairs Minister John Amaratunga said that although today women are the majority in Sri Lanka, with around 10.9 million females, as opposed to 10.1 million males, the tourism industry is dominated by males.



The main reason cited for this is the negative perception related to this industry. This perception has to be destroyed, which is baseless.



(We need to encourage more women to join local tourism, which has the potential to boost the economy. Countries like the Philippine, women have overtaken the industry, he said.



Some of the reasons shown with regard to the social stigma surrounded with this profession are: women having to deal with a lot of people and shift work, which sometimes come with inherent risks (structural and cultural issues).



William Angliness Institute Academic and Consultant Kasun Abeynanayaka said that the negative perception is mainly of traditional barriers, citing that there are instances where marriages are refused when known to be a hotelier.



People say hotels are not a good place to work, he said.



Talking about other barriers, he said that the lack of female trainers to train the young women is another barrier faced by

the industry.



And working hours have to be worked on. Pay rates are low; you get peanuts compared to what you earn outside the country, he said.



Work harassment is another aspect he talked of. When a girl is working, its very sad, they are harassed. Some girls dont like to go to operational-level jobs. Thats the fact. They are touched and harassed, he said.



He also said that women should be recruited to top level jobs as well such as human resource and finance sectors.



In general, the female employees are mostly concentrated in the reception, guest room, cleaning and catering services and similar posts, whereas other hotel jobs, such as security, maintenance, etc. are mostly male dominated.



Though some of the hotels high level positions are occupied by women, in most cases, women are mostly employed in low-paid unskilled jobs.



Hence, Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake stressed that it is important to engage women in every level.



Sharing one of her experiences related to the industry, she said that being the judge of Rising Star Awards 2017, organised by the Hotel Association of Sri Lanka, she saw a lot of enthusiasm in women engaged in this profession, noting that there are instances where women come forward breaking traditional norms.



I was a judge. There were very enthusiastic women working out of normal conventional jobs. For example, the best bartender was a woman. She was working in a rural guest house and then moved to Colombo to work in a five-star hotel. Now she is the best bartender, she said.



She also said that while encouraging them to join the industry, it is important to bring in polices and laws to protect them in the workplace.



A proper support system, encouraging and guiding them and bringing in strict laws to secure them from harassments will motivate women to take up jobs linked to tourism.
Oops....! We couldn't find that...

404 error

Unfortunately the page you were looking for could not be found. It may be temporarily unavailable, moved or no longer exist.

Check the URL you entered for any mistakes and try again. Alternatively, search for whatever is missing or take a look around the rest of our site.
Could not establish database connection.

DB: bostonimc and SQL: -->

The administrator has been notified and will resolve the problem ASAP.
At present, IPPB will leverage the DOP ATMs for its banking operations, which are already connected with network of ATMs of other banks.

New Delhi: Government aims to set up all 650 India Post Payments Bank branches by April this year, communications minister Manoj Sinha informed Parliament on Wednesday.

"India Post Payments Bank aims to have a pan-India reach (650 branches co-located at District Headquarter Post Offices) by April 2018," Sinha said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

India Post received permit from Reserve Bank of India on January 20, 2017 to roll out payments bank.

The postal department has already set up two branches on January 30, 2017 in Raipur and Ranchi. Sinha said that these 650 branches will serve as controlling offices to service and monitor all the approximately 1.55 lakh post offices that will act as last mile access points for the public.

"Branch readiness in identified 650 branches is underway in terms of civil and electrical works, furniture/fixtures and technology setup. Apart from that recruitment of personnel is also being undertaken and so far 528 managers (approximately) have been onboarded," he said.

The ministers said India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) is anticipated to acquire approximately 8 crore customers in a span of five years from its launch. However, this figure is subject to market forces in the area of digital payments in the country over the next few years.

In a separate reply, Sinha said HPGS renamed as EIT Services India Pvt Ltd has been engaged as System Integrator (SI) for setting up of IPPB on August 14, 2017 and the work for development of technology platform is in advanced stage.

"In line with the Cabinet's decision, IPPB intends to rollout 5,000 ATMs over a period of time. At present, IPPB will leverage the DOP ATMs for its banking operations, which are already connected with network of ATMs of other banks," Sinha said.
Minister of State for Finance clarified that as per an earlier decision of GST Council, states may choose any date before June 1 to implement e-way bill. (Photo: File/PTI)

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday reiterated that states must implement the national e-way bill system for intra-state movement of goods, latest by June 1.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State (MoS) for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla clarified that as per an earlier decision of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, states may choose any date before June 1 to implement the e-way bill, by exercising the powers under Rule 138A(5) of CGST/SGST Rules, 2017 jointly by the central and respective state governments.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, after the 25th GST Council meeting in January, had said that the implementation of the e-way bill would start from February 1, with 15 states agreeing to implement it on a trial basis.

However, the trial phase for the generation of the new e-way bill was deferred on account of technical glitches.
New Delhi: Diamond trader Nirav Modi, accused of pulling off the country's biggest bank fraud, is no longer a part of India's billionaires club. Modi, who had featured in Forbes' 2017 rich list with a fortune of USD 1.8 billion, could not make the cut in this year's rankings.

"Nirav Modi is among the drop-offs from this year's the list, along with Papa John's Pizza founder John Schnatter, Christoffel Wiese of South Africa, and Saudi Arabias Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud," Forbes said. Forbes said India's billionaire count has increased over last year.

According to Forbes, India is home to 119 billionaires, 18 more than last year and the total net worth of this elite club is USD 440.1 billion, a rise of USD 114.6 billion over the year ago period. This year's list consists of 2,043 of the richest people in the world. The combined net worth of this elite group is a whopping USD 9.1 trillion, up 18 per cent since last year.

Forbes' website describes Modi as the founder of Firestar Diamond, "which claimed to have more than USD 2 billion in sales. He later launched his own Nirav Modi Brand with 14 stores in such locations as Mumbai, Hong Kong, London, Macau and New York".

It further noted that "diamond jewellery designer Nirav Modi was accused in February by state-owned Punjab National Bank of perpetrating a USD 1.8 billion fraud. He reportedly left India in January; India's Central Bureau of Investigation is asking Interpol to help locate him".

Modi reportedly said his companies owed much less and denied the fraud charges, it added. Nirav Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and others are being investigated by multiple probe agencies after the scam recently came to light following a complaint by the PNB that they had allegedly cheated the nationalised bank of over Rs 12,000 crore, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank.

The CBI and the ED have registered FIRs to probe the case and intensified the crackdown on Modi and Choksi, with the ED seizing jewellery and assets worth thousands of crores of rupees, the I-T department attaching various properties and the CBI grilling several senior executives of his company.
New Delhi: Over 22,000 Indian websites, including 114 government portals were hacked between April 2017 and January 2018, Parliament was informed on Monday.

"As per information reported to and tracked by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), a total of 22,207 Indian websites including 114 government websites were hacked during April 2017 to January 2018. A total number of 493 affected websites were used for malware propagation," Minister of State for Electronics and IT K J Alphons said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

Besides, as per the information reported to and tracked by National Informatics Centre (NIC), a total number of 74 and six government websites hosted on NICNET were hacked during 2017 and 2018 (till February), respectively, he added.

The minister said 301 security alerts regarding potential vulnerabilities and threats to multiple systems and applications were issued by CERT-In during April 2017-January 2018. In addition, various tailored alerts were sent to key organisations to enable them to detect and prevent cyber attacks.

In response to a separate query, Alphons said all the new government websites and applications are to be audited with respect to cyber security prior to their hosting along with audit on a regular basis after hosting.

"Organisations use servers to host websites and applications for dissemination of information and providing services to users. The servers not configured properly and having vulnerable software are prone to hacking and could be misused by cyber criminals," he said.

He added that continuous efforts are required to be made by owners to protect servers by way of hardening and deploying appropriate security controls. To a question on whether fake news had pervaded all spheres of life and had led to serious repercussions, Alphons said the government does not maintain specific information on people booked in isolated incidents for circulation of fake news on messaging and social media platforms.

Alphons, in response to another question, said in order to work towards strategic interventions to promote artificial intelligence applications, the government has set up four committees of experts from academia, industry and government.

These committees will look into areas like platforms and data for AI, leveraging AI for identifying national missions in key sectors, skilling and re-skilling, and cybersecurity, safety, legal and ethical issues.

The minister noted that the investment in STPI (Software Technology Parks of India) units in 2016-17 stood at Rs 14,099 crore, while that in IT/ITeS units in Special Economic Zones (SEZ) was at Rs 1,36,781 crore.
Mumbai: With three big films in a row, Ileana Dcruz seems to have a crazy time. The actress is gearing up for her next big release Raid with Ajay Devgn yet again and looking forward to a break at the movies. In a chat with Deccan Chronicle, Ileana talks about her short length of the role in the film, her equation with Ajay, her choice for being a private person and more. Excerpts:

You have been busy with three big films one after the other

It has been good for me so far. I did Mubarakan and Baadshaho and now Raid, I feel I should take a little bit of break now and get back to work after Raid releases on March 16th. I am not going to sign anything soon as I want to go little bit easy now.

How did Raid happen to you?

Ajay was the one who recommended me for the film when we were promoting Baadshaho. He told me to hear the narration and assured me that Raid has an amazing story. I heard it and I loved it. Though, it was not a very long role but a good role. And also Rajkumar Gupta was directing this whom I consider one of the most sensible directors we have in the country. Raid has a story which needs to be told.

Do you believe the length of a female actor matters in a film like Raid?

I think what matters is whatever you do on screen should be good irrespective of the time you have on screen. Until you do a good job, you will be noticed. I really liked my character. She is an interesting wife and not those typical ones. She is at par with her husband. I am like a quite strength behind my husband in the film.

So the Barfi look is back

Barfi was very knive, innocent, a child like romance. I think Malini and Ameyas equation is far more mature. It wasnt a conscious effort in terms of having a saree look in Raid. In fact, we decided the look keeping Rekha Ji in mind since the film is set in mid 70s.

Any fond memories of Lucknow cuisines while shooting there?

I am a massive foodie. I had every possible kebabs out there. I have lost the count even. It was a great experience working with Raj and Ajay yet again.

How is your camaraderie with Ajay Devgn?

He is a very chilled out guy! We are pretty much like friends. We clicked from the day one. There is so much ease shooting with him. I consider him like a buddy! There is no formality with him of a big star.

What keeps you so private about your personal life with the media?

I dont want my personal life to become a part of public domain. It is something that is sacred and means a lot to me. I dont want it to become some frivolous gossip column. It matters to me and to the person involved with me. I feel if you answer one question, it will become a barrage of questions. Media is too insensitive and they dont put any consideration to the fact that what will happen to the families of the people involved. The less I say, its better and social media is a great platform to put your things across.
Mumbai: The Shimla Police on Wednesday booked veteran actor Jeetendra after his cousin lodged a complaint accusing him of sexual assault.

On the complaint of the victim, the police registered a sexual molestation case under section 354 (assault on woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), in New Shimla.

As per the complainant, Jeetendra sexually assaulted her in Shimla, in January 1971. At that time the actor was 28 years old and the complainant was 18.

She said that the actor "arranged" for her to join him on a film shooting schedule in Shimla where he later assaulted her in an inebriated state.

Jeetendra, a well-known name in the Hindi film industry, is also a film producer and has daughter Ekta and son Tusshar with wife Shobhaa.
Bhubaneswar: The authorities of Sri Lingaraj Temple here on Tuesday lodged an FIR against Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon for allegedly shooting an advertisement in the 'No Camera Zone' inside the premises of the 11th century and ASI protected lord Shiva shrine.

The incident come to the fore after a video surfaced on social media featuring Tandon offering beauty tips inside the temple premises, and it is recorded by a person with a mobile phone. She had visited the temple on Sunday.

Also read: 'Will I be termed Sanghi': Raveena Tandon trolled for 'saree' tweet, apologises

"The temple administration has filed a complaint against Raveena Tandon at Lingaraj Police Station for shooting an advertisement film in the no camera zone," said Rajiv Lochan Parida, the management-in-charge of the temple administration.

Confirming that such an FIR has been lodged, Bhubaneswar DCP Satybrat Bhoi said the police are examining the allegations.

Only servitors are allowed to carry mobile phones inside the temple, Parida said adding it is a clear case of violation of the security norms.

Also read: Baahubali stars Prabhas, Anushka, Rana reunite, party with Raveena 'Hyderabad style'

The incident has also hurt sentiments of the devotees, he said.

The Archaeological Survey of India has also launched an investigation into the matter.
Mumbai: Very few actors can dare to take up roles which go on to becoming one of the most memorable ones in their lifetime.

Vidya Balan once took such a chance with a film titled Dirty Picture and reaped incredible benefits of it.

The film back then became a roaring success in a time when a film with a leading woman wasnt such a common phenomenon.

Now joining this club is Richa Chadha who is all set to helm the biopic of Shakeela, one of the 90s biggest actresses from Kerala who acted in several adult films in languages spanning Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.

The biopic with Richa at the centre of it will tell the tale of Shakeela from when she entered the film business at the age of 16. The movie will also trace her life journey from there on.

Soon after Shakeela became a raging success in cinema halls making history like and fanfare like never before.

Her films werent only dubbed in languages across India but also were dubbed languages Chinese, Nepalese and several others.

Shakeela became a popular figure in the film business at a time popularity was only for the men in the industry dominated by them.

Interestingly, Shakeela also entered the film industry as a 22-23 year old as Silk Smithas younger sister in the Tamil film Play Girls.

It is also being reported that Shakeela is all set to make a comeback with the Telugu movie Kobbari Matta.

Richa's spokesperson stated, "The film is the story of Shakeela, one of the most famous actors from Malayalam cinema from the 90s who rose to a spectacular amount of fame. Her fans were spread across Asia and she earned fanfare as a woman which back then was unheard of. The film's script was exciting and is a great story to tell and the story will make for a great watch for the audience. The preparations will begin soon and the film should be going on floors in end April or May."

The film, directed by Luv U Alia helmer Indrajit Lankesh, will go on floors this April and release in early 2019.
Like many, she too was focused on academics. And, she too pursued engineering (in electronics and communication) at Acharya Institute of Technology. However, her interest in music eventually led her to the small screen. Now, Anusha Rai, is an actress who has made a mark playing various lead characters in several television soaps and in a handful of Kannada movies too.

Currently, Anusha essays a special role in the serial Naagakannike as Hitha, and has wrapped up the shooting for the Kannada movie titled BMW after her previous movie Mahanubhavaru was released. She has even signed up for a new movie titled Karshanam where she plays the role of a journalist. Anusha shares with Bengaluru Chronicle how engineering turned toward acting even as she was pursuing a professional academic course, and how it has now become her full-time profession. The actress wants to achieve more within the shelf life of an actress, which is very limited.

Acting is one big surprise in my life. I was a normal girl with normal dreams  studying hard and becoming an engineer and may be even pursue an M. Tech later. But, destiny had something else in store for me. I had been practising music and was a student at the renowned composer Hamsalekha Sirs music school. It was one of my friends at school who told me of an acting opportunity in a Kannada movie which would suit me. I gave it a try, and after a few rounds of audition, I was playing the heroine for Mahanubhavaru, says Anusha.

The actress eventually followed her debut with teleserials Annayya, Vani Rani in Tamil and now Naagakannike. While she initially felt that she was heading towards a different path, she realised that she was fortunate enough to have been offered work without even trying. I have never gone seeking work, neither in movies or television. It has always been through references. Though I did feel that I could have stuck to engineering, I realised the power of performing arts. It is not just about fame but a platform to prove his or her talent. I know that the shelf life of an actor, especially an actress is very short. I wish to utilise the opportunities, and do good work before I head back to my other passion in life, she says.

In Naagakannike, she is the new attraction as the protagonist falls in love with her during the absence of the snake woman essayed by Aditi Prabhudeva.

Anusha recently completed her engineering degree, and shares that most of her college mates would tease her, calling her by her characters names from various serials, but she has started to enjoy all the attention.

In BMW (meaning Bengaluru Mens and Womens College), she plays a youthful character, and in Karshanam, a journalist in search of truth. Her parents have been very supportive, and a huge pillar of strength in her life. The girl who loves to cook, especially non-vegetarian often tries out new recipes. You can also catch her in action for a tele-film titled Prarthana which is schedule to release in the coming days.
Posted 3/6/18

Buffalo woman injuredA Buffalo woman was injured Saturday, March 3, in a two-vehicle crash west of Lebanon, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.Daniel R. Durkee, 27, of Lebanon was 
They had reportedly been engaged for some time before marrying in the United Arab Emirates. (Photo: Pixabay)

In a bizarre incident, a man filed for divorce just a week into his honeymoon after complaining that his wife refused to have sex with him and spent money 'extravagantly'.

The couple, Muslims from an Arab country, had flown to Europe to celebrate their Dubai marriage. But things turned sour soon for the newlyweds.

The couple appealed to a sharia court in Dubai, where the man said his new wife did not allow him to touch her or have sex with her during the honeymoon.

Meanwhile, the woman accused her husband of being 'tight-fisted and stingy in terms of spending money on her,' a source close to the case told Gulf News.

According to reports, the couple separated from one another as soon as their plane landed in Dubai, the husband wasting no time in heading to court.

They had reportedly been engaged for some time before marrying in the United Arab Emirates.

The husband's case was sent to a reconciliation department but the couple reportedly refused to resolve the dispute amicably.

Now the case has been sent to a sharia court, where both husband and wife will be required to submit their cases.
A womens rights activist decried what she described as a limitation on the freedom of women to wear what they want (Photo: AFP)

Jakarta: An Indonesian state Islamic university faced criticism from Muslim groups and activists on Wednesday after it banned female students from wearing full-face veils citing fears over the spread of radical ideology on the campus.

Indonesia is home to the worlds largest Muslim population, the majority of whom practice a moderate form of Islam.

But the country has seen a recent rise in more conservative interpretations of the religion, which many see as a threat to its long-standing reputation for religious tolerance and diversity.

The State Islamic University (UIN) in Yogyakarta city, on Java island, said it had 41 students using the full veil, or burqa, who would be offered counselling sessions and ultimately be asked to take off the veil if they wanted to graduate.

The Islamic Defenders Front, a conservative group that campaigns against activities it deems un-Islamic, said in a statement the policy did not make sense and was in conflict with the countrys efforts to preserve diversity.

A womens rights activist decried what she described as a limitation on the freedom of women to wear what they want.

Using full-face veils is a choice and we cannot interfere in their choice and their freedom, said the activist, Lathiefah Widuri Retyaningtyas.

University rector Yudian Wahyudi said radicalisation, as exemplified by the burqas, undermined learning.

Female students wearing the burqa, and radical groups, they are disturbing the teaching process, Wahyudhi said.

We are putting moderate Islam forward, he said, adding that the policy was a preventive action to save the students.

Students would be allowed to continue using regular headscarves that do not cover the face, he said.

A recent survey showed that nearly a fifth of high school and university students support the establishment of a caliphate over the current secular government.

The data has alarmed authorities already struggling to contain the growing influence of both peaceful and militant Islamist groups in the worlds third-largest democracy.
The latest rumour giving everybody an itch is the cost of Meghan Markle's wedding dress. (Photo: DC File)

The British Royal wedding of Prince Harry and his fiancee, Meghan Markle, has created a flurry of speculations ever since it was announced.

The latest rumour giving everybody an itch is the cost of Meghan Markle's wedding dress.

Speculation was rife regarding who could possibly design the dress, from Israeli designer Inbal Dror to Meghan's designer friend Roland Mouret.

While we don't know who is designing the outfit, a source close to Meghan told Look magazine that the wedding dress has been the biggest expense, and the budget has now doubled from what it originally was.

Which will come up to a whopping 400,000.

The same source added that Meghan is gifting Prince Harry the honeymoon, the budget for which has also gone up and will now cost an estimated 120,000.

Well, let's hope Meghan like's her dress!

The couple have also invited 2,640 people from the public to the grounds of Windsor Castle to celebrate their wedding, Kensington Palace said Friday.

The guests, who will come from all corners of the United Kingdom, will be able to watch the arrival of the bride and groom and be in a prime location to see their carriage procession after the May 19 ceremony.

Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have said they want their Wedding Day to be shaped so as to allow members of the public to feel part of the celebrations too, the palace said in a statement.

This wedding, like all weddings, will be a moment of fun and joy that will reflect the characters and values of the Bride and Groom.

About 1,200 of those invited will be members of the general public. Around 200 will represent charities and other organizations supported by the couple, with local school children, residents of the Windsor community and members of the Royal Household making up the balance.

Prince Harry and Markle, an American actress, will marry at noon in St. Georges Chapel, the 15th century church on the grounds of Windsor Castle  long the backdrop of choice for royal occasions.

The couple have said they were hugely grateful for the many good wishes they have received and that they wanted to have the public join in to enjoy their special day.
The accused was going to his house when he noticed the elderly woman alone in her house. He then entered her house and sexually assaulted her. (Representational Image)

Hyderabad: A case has been registered against a man who had allegedly sexually assaulted a 77-year-old woman at her residence in Mailardevpally area of Hyderabad and attempted to kill her.

The accused has been identified as 22-year-old P Vamshi, a daily wage labourer, according to the Mailardevpally Police Station.

The police said the incident took place on Tuesday afternoon when the accused was going to his house when he noticed the elderly woman alone in her house. He then entered her house and sexually assaulted her.

"Before leaving the house, he tried to kill her by attacking the woman with an axe on her head but the victim screamed loudly, which is when the accused fled from the spot," said the police.

The woman was immediately shifted to the local hospital for treatment.

The victim's family later lodged a complaint, while the accused was identified with the help of the footage obtained from the CCTV cameras installed in the locality, said the police.

The investigation is on in the matter.
Angered over this, he poured kerosene over her and set herself on fire.

Chennai: The VII Additional Sessions Court, Chennai, has sentenced a 46-year-old person to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 10 years on a charge of murdering his wife five years ago. He set herself on fire after pouring kerosene over her in 2013.

According to the prosecution, Saravanan, 41, of Kasimedu was working in a fast food restaurant. Unable to withstand his torture, his first wife, Dharshini, deserted him more than 10 years ago. Concealing his first marriage, he married Mahadevi of Pudukuppam, Cuddalore in 2008.

After consuming alcohol he used to harass Mahadevi regularly. All efforts to change his behaviour failed. On October 5, 2012, at 10.20 am he came home in an inebriated condition and developed heated altercation with Mahadevi.

Angered over this, he poured kerosene over her and set herself on fire. She sustained grievous injuries and admitted to a hospital. Later, she died on October 10. Kasimedu police registered a case and arrested him.

On completion of the trial, Judge N. Vasanthaleela said the prosecution proved the charge. The judge sentenced him to undergo RI for 10 years and imposed a fine of `1,000 on him.
Bengaluru: A six-member armed gang struck a jewellery shop on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Monday night. While five of them escaped with the jewellery, one ran out of his luck and was caught by the public.

The dacoity took place at the jewellery shop at Machohalli Gate in Madanayakanahalli police limits. The shop owner, Chanaram, was about to close the shop when the gang, which came on bikes, barged in and assaulted him with lethal weapons. Two shop employees, who came to his help, too were attacked.

Chanaram sustained a deep cut in his hands, while the two staffers received multiple injuries and collapsed. While three gang members assaulted Chanaram and his staff members, the other three smashed counter glass tops and put jewellery into a bag.

When Chanaram shouted for help, the gang ran out of the shop towards their bikes. While five of them managed to escape, Madhu was chased and caught by the public. He was beaten up black and blue before he he was handed over to the Madanayakanahalli police.

The gang members were wearing full-face helmets and jackets to hide their identity, Chanaram told the police, who rushed to the spot after they were informed about the incident.

Chanaram and staff members were taken to a private hospital. The police have taken up a case of dacoity and are questioning Madhu.
Bengaluru: Mystery shrouds the death of a 34-year-old KSRTC bus conductor and his 51-year-old mother, who reportedly fell from the fifth floor of an apartment belonging to a police inspector, in Belathur in Kadugodi police limits early on Tuesday morning.

The two had been summoned to the flat by Inspector Chandrappa of District Crime Bureau, Kolar, four days ago to help him find his missing sister. The deceased has been identified as Maunesh, a KSRTC bus conductor from Yadgir, and his mother Sundaramma, who were from Chikkanahalli in Shahapura taluk of Yadgir district.

Though the police are still unclear if it was a suicide or murder, they have sensed a foul play in the incident.

The police said that Maunesh and Sundaramma were staying with Chandrappa for the last four days to help him find his missing sister. Preliminary investigations revealed that Maunesh who was already married had an affair with Chandrappa's sister and had eloped with her. Chandrappa had tracked her down recently and brought her back home, with a stern warning that she should stay away from Maunesh.

It was all fine till Chandrappas sister went missing from home last week. The inspector, who suspected Mauneshs involvement, had summoned him to the city.

When Maunesh told his mother about Chandrappas call, she insisted that she accompany him to sort out the issue. But around 4.30 on Tuesday morning, the security guard at the apartment complex found the mother and son lying in a pool of blood and informed the police.

The Kadugodi police rushed to the spot and shifted the mother and son to a nearby hospital where they were declared brought dead. Chandrappa who was at the flat at the time of incident was detained by the police for questioning.

Suicide or murder?

While the Kadugodi police said that the case is being investigated as it was still unclear whether its a case of suicide or murder, Chandrappa told the police that the two had jumped on their own from the open utility space of the kitchen.

The police, however, suspect that the duo may have committed suicide because of harassment from Chandrappa. The inspector is the only suspect in the case as there was no one else at the flat when the incident occurred.
HYDERABAD: Siddipet police solved the murder mystery of a 17-year-old girl whose charred body was found in a maize field on Saturday. Police said that the suspect G Ashok, 27, the girl's brother-in-law had molested her and when she resisted, he throttled her to death, set her body ablaze and fled away.

Siddipet Additional DCP Narsimha Reddy said during a press meet that the girl's elder sister had got married to Ashok one year ago. But when he came for the proposal first, he saw the younger girl and wished to marry her. But as he had come to see the elder girl for the marriage, family members did not agree and convinced him to marry the elder girl.

With no other go, Ashok had to marry the elder girl. Though the couple were living together in a neighbouring village, Ashok wished to marry the younger one and started harassing his wife. He was also waiting for an opportunity as the deceased girl was residing alone with her father.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the girl's father had gone to Siddipet town with his younger brother for a medical check up, leaving the girl at the field to keep a watch on the crop.

Taking this as an opportunity, Ashok came to the field and molested her. When she resisted him, he throttled her to death and later emptied a kerosene can from the field on the body and set it ablaze. Ashok was arrested and sent to remand on Tuesday.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has listed the criminal petition filed by Mohammed Nalapad Haris, son of Shantinagar MLA N.A. Haris, before the single-judge bench of Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar for Wednesday. The petition is listed under supplementary cause list (mostly urgent matters).

Nalapad, who is the prime accused in thrashing Vidwath, has moved the High Court seeking bail along with the other accused in the case.

Their advocate Usman has sought an interim bail on the grounds that Vidwath has been discharged from hospital. He has opposed slapping Section 307 (attempt to murder) charges against the accused.
The violence erupted following the BJP-IPFT alliances victory over the CPI-M, ousting the Manik Sarkar led government in the just concluded Assembly elections. (Photo: Screengrab | ANI)

New Delhi: Amid reports of sporadic violence in Tripura, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday spoke to the state governor and the DGP and asked them to ensure peace till a new government is installed, an official said.

During the telephonic calls, Governor Tathagata Roy and DGP A K Shukla apprised the Union home minister about the prevailing situation in Tripura and steps taken to control the violence, which erupted following the BJP-IPFT alliances victory over the CPI-M, ousting the Manik Sarkar led government in the just concluded Assembly elections.

Singh asked the governor and the DGP to check all kinds of violence and ensure peace till a new government is installed in Tripura, the home ministry official said. There have been reports of sporadic violence and clashes between rival political groups in different parts of Tripura after the election results were declared on Saturday.

A statue of Left icon Lenin was also demolished at Belonia town in South Tripura on Monday with the help of a bulldozer. Tripura witnessed a change in rule after 25 years in the recently concluded Assembly elections. The BJP demolished the Left citadel in Tripura, winning a two-third majority with its ally, the IPFT.
Posted 3/7/18

A Buffalo woman pleaded guilty in federal court Feb. 28 to using Twitter to transmit threatening communications against several people, including two FBI employees and two former members of the 
The prominent right-wing ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee 's statue came under attack at Kalighat area of south Kolkata. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Kolkata: At least six persons were detained when a bust of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was vandalised in Kolkata on Wednesday.

The prominent right-wing ideologue's statue came under attack at Kalighat area of south Kolkata.

This comes after a couple of similar incidents -- Lenin's statue razed in south Tripura and social activist Periyar's bust vandalised in Vellore, drawing criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The West Bengal wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the latest "barbaric act of vandalism".

"We demand very strong action against the culprits and want to give away the message that you just can't take away the contribution of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee in building West Bengal by this shameful act," said WB BJP General Secretary Sayantan Basu.

Basu said the BJP would rebuild the statue with more grace.

The development comes after the Prime Minister earlier in the day disapproved in strong words the incidents of vandalism in Tripura and Tamil Nadu.

Also read: PM condemns vandalism of statues, Home asks states to take action
Attorney General KK Venugopal informed the Supreme Court that the government had not given any instruction to the CBSE to insist on Aadhaar as the students can produce any other form of identity. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday made it clear that Aadhaar card is not mandatory for students appearing in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (for medical and dental admissions) in the country and they can produce other means of identity, viz ration card, voter identity card, driving licence, passport and bank passbook.

A five-judge constitution bench comprising the Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AK Sikri, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan passed this order after senior counsel Arvind P Datar brought to the notice of the court that the CBSE was insisting on production of Aadhaar card for students to appear in the NEET examination and this would deprive many students from taking the exam.

The Attorney General KK Venugopal informed the court that the government had not given any instruction to the CBSE to insist on Aadhaar as the students can produce any other form of identity.

On extending the linkage of Aadhaar for various services beyond March 31, the AG said though the government was willing to extend, it would argue on this point.

In a brief order, the bench said students appearing for NEET or any other all India competitive examination need not necessarily produce Aadhaar as they can produce any other identity for taking the examination.

The bench asked the counsel to inform the CBSE about this order so that the CBSE could upload this order in its website.

Datar also drew the courts attention to the fact that despite an order passed by the constitution bench in December 2015 that Aadhaar should not be insisted upon except for availing six social security benefits, the government in violation of the order had been insisting on linking Aadhaar with bank accounts, telephones, insurance policies, mutual funds and these authorities are warning the subscribers that their accounts would be frozen if the linkage is not done. He urged the court to pass an order to extend the time limit for linking aadhaar with various services.

Justice Chandrachud questioned the Attorney General for not taking permission of the court for giving directions to extend Aadhaar for various services and said, Is the Centre not bound to apply for variation of the order. Further time limit for linkages should be extended beyond March 31 as it is creating uncertainty in the minds of the banks and other institutions, which have to comply with the directions.

Justice Sikri also wondered whether the government could have blindly extended Aadhaar for various services without seeking modification of the order.

The CJI told the counsel, We would pass appropriate orders next week if the government does not extend the time limit on its own in the meantime.
The incident came to light hours after Home Ministry issued a statement ordering states to to take strong action against such incidents. (Photo: ANI/PTI/Twitter)

Meerut: Dalit icon BR Ambedkar's statue was vandalised by unidentified people in Meerut's Mawana late Tuesday night.

This comes right on the heels of a series of incidents where statues of various luminaries were destroyed across the nation in the last four days.

Following the act, the Dalit community in Meerut held protests and blocked traffic on Wednesday morning. The protest was called off after assurance from the administration on the installation of a new statue.

The incident came to light hours after Home Ministry issued a statement ordering states to to take strong action against such incidents. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his strong disapproval after the vandalism of statues in various states.

Also Read: PM condemns vandalism of statues, Home asks states to take action

On Wednesday morning, a bust of BJP icon Syama Prasad Mookerjee was blackened and its features smashed with a hammer in Kolkatas Keoratola crematorium. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the founder of the BJP's predecessor Jana Sangh.

On Tuesday, a statue of Dravidian icon and social reformer EVR Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, was vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Vellore. The incident came hours after BJP leader H Raja suggested it in his Facebook post responding to anger over a statue of Russian communist leader Vladimir Lenin being pulled down in Tripura.

The chain of vandalism started after two statues of Lenin were knocked down in Tripura, allegedly by BJP workers, after the Left was defeated in Assembly polls by the BJP and its ally IPFT, which together won a two-third majority in the House in a state where the CPI(M) was in power for 25 years.

A five-foot high fibre glass statue of Lenin was toppled at Belonia on Monday, while a smaller figure was razed at Sabroom on Sunday.
New Delhi: The BSF on Wednesday withdrew an order deducting a weeks salary from a jawan for showing "disrespect" towards the prime minister during a routine drill after Narendra Modi expressed his displeasure over the punishment, the force said.

Modi directed the BSF on Wednesday to immediately withdraw the order, a spokesperson of the paramilitary said, adding that it had been rescinded.

Constable Sanjeev Kumar, posted in the 15th battalion of the Border Security Force deployed in West Bengal's Nadia district, was found "guilty" by his commanding officer (CO) for using the words "Modi programme" while attending a morning roll call task on February 21.

The CO of the unit, Commandant Anup Lal Bhagat, issued an order handing down a "pay fine of 7 days", which means a salary cut for a week, to the jawan for "showing disrespect towards the PM".

"The Prime Minister has expressed his displeasure and directed the force to immediately withdraw the punishment. The order has been rescinded and the concerned Commandant has been cautioned for not dealing with the matter judiciously," the BSF spokesperson said.

Officials said the jawan referred to an event that he attended as "Modi programme" during the 'zero parade' or reporting assembly of briefing seniors about their official activities.

They said the CO found this reference by the jawan to the PM as improper and ordered an inquiry against him. The inquiry, the officials said, was completed in a day and constable Kumar was held guilty and charged under section 40 of the BSF Act (an act prejudicial to good order and discipline of the force).

"Senior officers of the force have been instructed time and again to display qualities of a good leader, both in letter and spirit, for the personnel under their command. These men and women work in some of the most arduous conditions across the country. Their commanders should ensure discipline in the force but the punishment has to be commensurate to the offence," a senior officer of the force said, underlining that handing down a pay cut to the jawan was not a judicious decision.

The 15th battalion of the BSF is deployed to guard the India-Bangladesh international border in West Bengal.
Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, was sent to CBI custody till March 9 in the INX Media case. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) moved Delhi court on Wednesday seeking permission to conduct narco analysis test on Karti Chidambaram.

Special judge Sunil Rana said that the court would take the matter on March 9 along with two other applications seeking production warrants of Karti Chidambaram's chartered accountant S Bhaskaraman, arrested in the money laundering case, and co-accused Indrani Mukerjea.

Karti, son of former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, was sent to CBI custody by a Delhi court till March 9 in the INX Media case.

Also read: Two setbacks in a day: Karti sent to CBI custody for 3 more days

The CBI had told the court that Karti Chidambaram has refused to share the passwords of his phones that the agency has seized, choosing only to say that he is a victim of political vendetta when asked "relevant questions"

Saying that it has "concrete credible evidence collected recently" against Karti Chidambaram in a corruption case, the probe agency had asked the court to extend his custody by nine days.

Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on February 28 at Chennai airport on his return from Britain, in connection with the FIR lodged on May 15 last year.

The FIR alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds worth Rs 305 crore in 2007 when his father, P Chidambaram was the Union finance minister.

(With inputs from agencies)
After a gap of nearly four decades, over 8.63 lakh students in the state will write plus-1 board exams from Wednesday.

CHENNAI: After a gap of nearly four decades, over 8.63 lakh students in the state will write plus-1 board exams from Wednesday.

In order to help students to cope with the exams like Neet and JEE which have more than 50 per cent of questions from plus-1 the state government converted the annual plus-1 exam as board exam from this year.

There were allegations that due to the omission of plus-1e subjects by private schools, students from Tamil Nadu are not faring well in the entrance exams.

The plus-1 exam will be conducted in the same exam centres where plus-2 exams are being held. Totally, 8,61,915 students from 7,070 schools appear for the exam. Apart from the regular students, 1,753 private candidates also appearing for the exam, a release from the Directorate of Government Examinations said.

Of the candidates 4,60,406 are girls and 4,01,509 are boys. Compared to boys 58,897 more girls are writing the exam.

Over 5.28 lakh students are appearing in science stream. From Puzhal central prison 62 prisoners are writing the plus-1 exam.

The DGE has warned that the recognition of schools which indulge in malpractices will be canceled.

To reduce the burden of students the school education department has reduced the total marks from 1,200 marks to 600 marks and the individual subject marks from 200 to 100 this year. The total exam time also reduced from 3 hours to 2.30 hours.
SIT would soon clear the air on whether KT Naveen Kumar, who is in police custody, is involved in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh. (Photo: File)

Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) would soon clear the air on whether KT Naveen Kumar, who is in police custody, is involved in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said on Wednesday.

"The SIT will answer it as early as possible," he said, when asked whether the police have picked up the right person in the case.

Also read: Breakthrough in Gauri Lankesh murder case: SIT arrests 37-yr-old man

The SIT, probing the murder of the journalist-activist on September 5, 2017, had recently taken Kumar into custody. His family has said he was innocent and in no way connected to the case.

Reddy said the SIT has been pursuing its investigation and the government does not want to interfere in it.

"The investigation is coming to an end," he said.

Reddy on September 9 claimed that the SIT had gathered "some clues" in connection with the case. The state government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) BK Singh, has announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the perpetrators of the crime. The Lankesh family pleaded against giving a political colour to the case.

Also read: Gauri Lankesh murder case: SIT has got clues, reiterates Ramalinga Reddy

It has said the investigators should look into all angles, as reports had emerged about a possible Naxal hand in the crime other than the suspected involvement of right-wing extremists.

Lankesh (55), who was known as an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unidentified assailants at her home in Bengaluru.
In the letter to the Governor, Goa CM Manohar Parrikar also informed about the interim arrangement of a Cabinet advisory committee to guide the state administration. (Photo: AP)

Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who has been keeping unwell for somedays now, left for the USA late on Tuesday night to undergo treatment for his "medical condition".

Parrikar, 62, wrote a letter to state Governor Mridula Sinha earlier on Tuesday informing her that he has been advised to travel abroad for further treatment.

"I have been advised by an expert team of doctors in Goa as well as in Mumbai ... to travel overseas for specialist expert treatment of my medical condition. As such, I am likely to leave for the US," Parrikar wrote to the Governor in his letter, dated March 5.

The Chief Minister has been in and out of hospitals since February 15. On Monday evening, he left for Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital where he is being treated for "mild pancreatitis", according to an official statement.

In the letter, Parrikar also informed the governor about the interim arrangement of a Cabinet advisory committee to guide the state administration.

The letter says that he would be chairing the meeting of the council of ministers, whenever it is held, through video conferencing from abroad.

"I have been also advised by the expert team of doctors in Goa as well as in Mumbai and subsequent consultation with doctors abroad to travel overseas for a specialised treatment of my medical condition," reads the letter.

He said that during his absence in the state, the meeting of council of ministers whenever held shall be presided over by him through video conferencing or by circulation.

"If that is not possible for any reason, or I may decide at later point of time, the minister nominated by me shall preside the meeting and I will separately instruct the chief secretary in such exigency," the letter adds.

He also informed that a team of three ministers - Sudin Dhavalikar (MGP), Francis D'Souza (BJP) and Vijai Sardesai (Goa Forward Party) - will function as a Cabinet advisory committee.

"The committee shall meet at least once a week, at such point of time and place, and is empowered to decide unanimously among themselves on certain important financial year ending issues.

"The committee shall consult the finance department before taking any financial decisions," Parrikar said in the letter.

Parrikar was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on February 15 and discharged on February 22. On the same day he returned to Goa and presented the state Budget in the Assembly, but the session was truncated to only four days owing to his illness.

He was later admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital after he suffered from dehydration.

In a video message Parrikar has thanked people for praying for his health. He said, "I am thankful for all. In the last 15 days you have been praying for me and you have blessed me because of which I got well and to get fully cured I may go abroad."

"The way you have prayed for me and blessed me, I hope to get the same thing during my treatment there. I expect that you all will allow me a leave for some days from the state for the treatment," he said.

Before leaving the Goa capital, he held a meeting with his senior ministers at his private residence in Dona Paula and formed a Cabinet advisory committee to take administrative decisions in his absence.

Parrikar had also met Goa chief secretary and the director general of police, before leaving the coastal state.
Vellore: Hours after BJP leader H Raja threatened that statues of Dravidian icon and social reformer EVR Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, too would be pulled down, two drunk men vandalised a Periyar statue in Tamil Nadu's Vellore district on Tuesday night.

The incident follows the razing of a statue of Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin in Tripura

According to reports, the statue of Periyar, social reformer and founder of Dravidian movement, located inside the Tirupattur corporation office, was targeted around 9 pm. The glasses and nose of the statue were damaged in the attack.

A senior district police officer said that two people, identified as Muthuraman and Francis, damaged the bust at Tirupattur in an inebriated state.

The duo have been arrested, the police said, adding that while Muthuraman was suspected to be a BJP worker, Francis is believed to be a CPI activist.

It was in Tripura, where BJP won the recent assembly elections, that the first incident of a statue being razed surfaced.

Following BJPs win where the patyu ended the 25-year-long rule of the Left in the northeastern state, two statues of Lenin were found demolished, allegedly by workers of the BJP.

Also Read: Poll aftermath: Lenin statue knocked down in Tripura, Rajnath intervenes

BJP leader H Raja said in a Facebook post in Tamil said, "Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection India has with Communists? Today Lenin's statue removed in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of EV Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu."

Also Read: BJP leader H Raja deletes post warning Periyar statue will be pulled down too

While the post was subsequently deleted by H Raja, it drew condemnation from several political parties in the state. Political parties including DMK, MDMK and the Left lashed out at Raja, a BJP National Secretary, with DMK Working President M K Stalin leading the charge seeking his detention under the 'Goondas Act'.

BJP's Raja was referring to the pulling down of a statue of communist icon Lenin by some persons using an excavator machine at Belonia in South Tripura district, days after the BJP defeated CPI (M) in the closely fought assembly polls.

The CPI(M) has held BJP workers responsible for pulling down the statue of Lenin.

Raja has reportedly said someone else had inadvertently posted it on his page.

BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan had distanced the party from the controversial remarks.

Statues of Communist icons like Lenin, the Chinese revolutionary Mao, and German revolutionary socialist Marx, were installed in states like West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura, where the Left was in power.

(With inputs from PTI)
'We were the original founders of the Non-Aligned Movement. Instead of going for alliances, we have had engagement with various countries,' said General Rawat. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The coming together of United States, Australia, Japan and India is not an alliance, but an engagement for the sake of freedom of navigation, said army chief General Bipin Rawat in New Delhi on Tuesday.

We were the original founders of the Non-Aligned Movement. Instead of going for alliances, we have had engagement with various countries, said General Rawat, while addressing students of Government Law Institute-Mumbai, at the South Block of the Central Secretariat.

We are getting into an engagement with them, to ensure there is freedom of navigation in the oceans, the Indian Ocean, where 70 percent of the world trade passes through," General Rawat told visiting students who queried the army chief on the strategic partnership with the Pacific powers.

The engagement came after an informal dialogue -- Quadrilateral Security Dialogue -- was initiated in 2007 by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, US Vice President Dick Cheney, Australia Prime Minister John Howard and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

There was a temporary fall out following Australias withdrawal during Kevin Rudds tenure as Prime Minister but was re-established when the four countries met on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in November 2017 in Manila, Malaysia. The meeting was seen as a move to counter China.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has appealed to political parties to ensure that those found desecrating statues are dealt with strictly. (Photo: ANI/PTI/Twitter)

New Delhi: Taking a serious view of the desecration of statues in various parts of the country, the Home Ministry on Wednesday issued a second advisory, its second in the day, holding district magistrates and superintendents of police "personally responsible" for such incidents of vandalism.

The fresh advisory came a few hours after the ministry, in its first advisory, told all states and union territories that incidents of toppling and damaging of statues must be checked immediately and stern action should be taken to prevent such incidents.

"The DMs and SPs will be personally held responsible for any such incidents of vandalism of statues," a home ministry official said, quoting the second advisory.

The state governments and union territories were told to ensure that DMs and SPs take all possible action to control the law and order situation in their areas of jurisdiction. They were advised to monitor the situation closely and take stringent action like arrests, prompt investigation and prosecution of the accused.

The DMs and SPs were told that they must ensure that the police keep strict vigil on anti-social elements, social media and rumour-mongers and take strong action against anyone indulging in any kind of violence or inciting violence, the official said.

The home ministry, in its second advisory, also reiterated the earlier directions on damage of statues and advised preventive action, including patrolling and firm control over anti-social elements.

The official said no state government has sought additional paramilitary forces.

Prime Narendra Modi has also expressed his strong disapproval of incidents of vandalism of statues and spoken to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the matter. The home minister has appealed to political parties to ensure that those found desecrating statues are dealt with strictly.

Also read: PM condemns vandalism of statues, Home asks states to take action

Two statues of Communist icon Lenin were brought down in Tripura following the BJP's emphatic win in the state over the Left, which was in power for more than 25 years. A statue of social reformer and founder of Dravidian movement EV Ramasamy Periyar was also allegedly vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Vellore district on Tuesday night.

On Tuesday, the home minister called up Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy and DGP AK Shukla and asked them to ensure peace and check incidents of violence till a new government is installed in the state.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba had also spoken to the DGP and said all possible steps must be taken to maintain law and order, check violence and restore peace and public order. The ministry said enough central and state forces were available at the disposal of the state government to tackle the situation.
Statue of Lenin was razed down in Tripura (L), Periyar statue was defaced in Vellore (C), Syama Prasad Mookerjee's statue was defaced in Kolkata (R). (Photo: Twitter | PTI | ANI)

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his strong disapproval after the vandalism of statues in Tripura and Tamil Nadu. According to a government statement, the Prime Minister spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who has ordered states to take strong action to check such incidents.

On Tuesday night, a statue of Dravidian icon and social reformer EVR Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, was vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Vellore. The incident came hours after BJP leader H Raja suggested it in his Facebook post responding to anger over a statue of Russian communist leader Vladimir Lenin being pulled down in Tripura.

Also Read: Hours after BJP leader's Facebook post, Periyar statue vandalised in Vellore

On Wednesday morning, a bust of BJP icon Syama Prasad Mookerjee was blackened and its features smashed with a hammer in Kolkatas Keoratola crematorium. The location is not far from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence.

Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the founder of the BJP's predecessor Jana Sangh.

Also read: 6 detained for vandalising BJP icon Syama Prasad Mookerjees bust in Kolkata

A hand-written message placed under Syama Prasad Mookerjee's statue which was defaced roughly read: "...We have the strength to recreate, We know we can redesign because we have broken/ Since we have created dreams after dreams, we now are businessmen of dreams."

Kolkata police detained five supporters of a Left-wing group called Radical for the alleged vandalism. Photos from Kolkata showed a part of the bust's damaged as though it had been hit by stones.

West Bengal BJP condemned the barbaric act. "We demand very strong action against culprits," said Sayantan Basu, West Bengal BJPs General Secretary.

The chain of vandalism started after statues of Lenin were demolished in Tripura on Monday evening, allegedly by workers of the BJP, which have defeated the 25-year-long rule of the Left in the northeastern state in the recent assembly election. The results of the polls were announced on Saturday.

Responding to the outrage over the Lenin statues being razed, BJP leader H Raja declared that Periyar statues in Tamil Nadu could be next.

"Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection has India with Communists? Lenin's statue has been removed in Tripura. Today it is Lenin's statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic EVR Ramasamy," said the post, which the BJP leader deleted and later disowned after a huge backlash in Tamil Nadu.

According to reports, H Raja "expressed regret" for his post and said, "Vandalising Periyar statues unacceptable. Facebook administration had posted that message without my permission. My intention was not to hurt anyone."

Two men, who were in inebriated condition, have been arrested for vandalising the statue at a municipal corporation office in Vellore.

"One man is a BJP member and another CPI worker, both drunk," the police said.
Referring to the emblematic colour of the Hindu nationalist movement, RSS said, 'the true colour of Indian history is saffron and to bring about cultural changes we have to rewrite history.' (Representational Image | PTI)

New Delhi: During the first week of January 2017, a group of Indian scholars gathered in a white bungalow on a leafy boulevard in central New Delhi. The focus of their discussion: how to rewrite the history of the nation.

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had quietly appointed the committee of scholars about six months earlier. Details of its existence are reported here for the first time.

Minutes of the meeting, reviewed by Reuters, and interviews with committee members set out its aims: to use evidence such as archaeological finds and DNA to prove that todays Hindus are directly descended from the lands first inhabitants many thousands of years ago, and make the case that ancient Hindu scriptures are fact not myth.

Interviews with members of the 14-person committee and ministers in Modis government suggest the ambitions of Hindu nationalists extend beyond holding political power in this nation of 1.3 billion people - a kaleidoscope of religions. They want ultimately to shape the national identity to match their religious views, that India is a nation of and for Hindus.

In doing so, they are challenging a more multicultural narrative that has dominated since the time of British rule, that modern-day India is a tapestry born of migrations, invasions and conversions. That view is rooted in demographic fact. While the majority of Indians are Hindus, Muslims and people of other faiths account for some 240 million, or a fifth, of the populace.

The committees chairman, KN Dikshit, told Reuters, I have been asked to present a report that will help the government rewrite certain aspects of ancient history. The committees creator, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, confirmed in an interview that the groups work was part of larger plans to revise Indias history.

For Indias Muslims, who have pointed to incidents of religious violence and discrimination since Narendra Modi took office in 2014, the development is ominous. The head of Muslim party All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Asaduddin Owaisi, said his people had never felt so marginalised in the independent history of India.

The government, he said, wants Muslims to live in India as second-class citizens.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

Into the classroom

Helping to drive the debate over Indian history is an ideological, nationalist Hindu group called the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It helped sweep Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party to power in 2014 and now counts among its members the ministers in charge of agriculture, highways and internal security.

The RSS asserts that ancestors of all people of Indian origin - including 172 million Muslims - were Hindu and that they must accept their common ancestry as part of Bharat Mata, or Mother India. Narendra Modi has been a member of the RSS since childhood. An official biography of Culture Minister Sharma says he too has been a dedicated follower of the RSS for many years.

Referring to the emblematic colour of the Hindu nationalist movement, RSS spokesman Manmohan Vaidya told Reuters that the true colour of Indian history is saffron and to bring about cultural changes we have to rewrite history.

Balmukund Pandey, the head of the historical research wing of the RSS, said he meets regularly with Culture Minister Sharma. The time is now, Pandey said, to restore Indias past glory by establishing that ancient Hindu texts are fact not myth.

Sharma told Reuters he expects the conclusions of the committee to find their way into school textbooks and academic research. The panel is referred to in government documents as the committee for holistic study of origin and evolution of Indian culture since 12,000 years before present and its interface with other cultures of the world.

Sharma said this Hindu first version of Indian history will be added to a school curriculum which has long taught that people from central Asia arrived in India much more recently, some 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, and transformed the population.

Hindu nationalists and senior figures in Modis party reject the idea that India was forged from a mass migration. They believe that todays Hindu population is directly descended from the lands first inhabitants. Historian Romila Thapar said the question of who first stood on the soil was important to nationalists because if the Hindus are to have primacy as citizens in a Hindu Rashtra (kingdom), their foundational religion cannot be an imported one. To assert that primacy, nationalists need to claim descent from ancestors and a religion that were indigenous, said Thapar, 86, who taught at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi for decades and has authored books on ancient Indian history.

The theory of an influx of people from central Asia 3,000 to 4,000 years ago was embraced during British rule.

Indias first post-independence leader, Jawaharlal Nehru, who promoted a secular state and tolerance of Indias Muslims, said it was entirely misleading to refer to Indian culture as Hindu culture. That outlook informed the way India was governed by Nehru and then by his Congress party for more than half a century. The rights of minorities - including the prohibition of discrimination based on religion - are enshrined in Indias constitution, of which Nehru was a signatory in 1950.

Shashi Tharoor, a prominent member of the Congress party, said right wing Hindus are leading a political campaign over Indian history that seeks to reinvent the idea of India itself.

For seven decades after independence, Indianness rested on faith in the countrys pluralism, Tharoor said, but the rise of Hindu nationalism had brought with it a sense of cultural superiority.

A history founded on Hindu texts

The history committee met in the offices of the director general of the Archaeological Survey of India, a federal body that oversees archaeological research. Among the committees 14 members are bureaucrats and academics. The chairman, Dikshit, is a former senior official with the Archaeological Survey.

Culture Minister Sharma told Reuters he will present the committees final report to parliament and lobby the nations Ministry of Human Resource Development to write the findings into school textbooks. That ministry, which is responsible for education and literacy programmes, is also headed by an adherent of the RSS, Prakash Javadekar.

We will take every recommendation made by the Culture Ministry seriously, Javadekar said. Our government is the first government to have the courage to even question the existing version of history that is being taught in schools and colleges.

According to the minutes of the history committees first meeting, Dikshit, the chairman, said it was essential to establish a correlation between ancient Hindu scriptures and evidence that Indian civilisation stretches back many thousands of years. Doing so would help bolster both conclusions the committee wants to reach: that events described in Hindu texts are real, and todays Hindus are descendants of those times.

The minutes and interviews with committee members lay out a comprehensive campaign to achieve this, including the dating of archaeological sites and DNA testing of human remains.

Culture Minister Sharma told Reuters he wants to establish that Hindu scriptures are factual accounts. Speaking of the Ramayana, the epic that follows the journey of a Hindu deity in human form, Sharma said: I worship Ramayana and I think it is a historical document. People who think it is fiction are absolutely wrong. The epic tells how the god Rama rescues his wife from a demon king. It still informs many Indians sense of gender roles and duty.

Sharma said it was a priority to prove through archaeological research the existence of a mystical river, the Saraswati, that is mentioned in another ancient scripture, the Vedas. Other projects include examining artifacts from locations in scriptures, mapping the dates of astrological events mentioned in these texts and excavating the sites of battles in another epic, the Mahabharata, according to Sharma and minutes of the committees meeting.

In much the same way that some Christians point to evidence of an ancient flood substantiating the Biblical tale of Noah and his ark, if the settings and features of the ancient scriptures in India can be verified, the thinking goes, then the stories are true. If the Koran and Bible are considered as part of history, then what is the problem in accepting our Hindu religious texts as the history of India? said Sharma.

Modi did not order the committees creation - it was instigated by Sharma, government documents show - but its mission is in keeping with his outlook. During the 2014 inauguration of a hospital in Mumbai, Modi pointed to the scientific achievements documented by ancient religious texts and spoke of Ganesha, a Hindu deity with an elephants head: We worship Lord Ganesha, and maybe there was a plastic surgeon at that time who kept the head of an elephant on the torso of a human. There are many areas where our ancestors made large contributions. Modi did not respond to a request from Reuters that he expand on this remark.

Nine of 12 history committee members interviewed by Reuters said they have been tasked with matching archaeological and other evidence with ancient Indian scriptures, or establishing that Indian civilization is much older than is widely known. The others confirmed their membership but declined to discuss the groups activities. The committee includes a geologist, archaeologists, scholars of the ancient Sanskrit language and two bureaucrats.

One of the Sanskrit scholars, Santosh Kumar Shukla, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, told Reuters he believes Indias Hindu culture is millions of years old. Another committee member, Ramesh Chand Sharma, former head of the linguistics department at the University of Delhi, said he would take a strictly scientific approach. I dont subscribe to any ideology, he said.

With an annual budget of about USD 400 million - an important source of federal funding for historical research, archaeology and the arts - the Culture Ministry is an influential place to start a campaign of historical revision.

After he was named culture minister in 2014 following Modis victory, Sharma, a doctor and chairman of a chain of hospitals, said he received guidance from the RSS. Sharma, a genial man with a wide smile, has a portrait of Bharat Mata, or Mother India, hanging above the doorway of a meeting room in his bungalow in central Delhi. Below it are portraits of past RSS leaders.

During the last three years, Sharma said, his ministry has organized hundreds of workshops and seminars across the country to prove the supremacy of our glorious past. The aim, he said, is to build a fresh narrative to balance the liberal and secular philosophy espoused by Indias first prime minister, Nehru, and furthered by successive governments for most of the nations post-independence history.

The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, now controlled by Sharmas ministry, these days mixes in sessions about right wing Hindu leaders and causes. At one such event in 2016, the president of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Amit Shah, took the opportunity to lambast Nehru as a man influenced by the western world. We have always believed that our policies should have the smell of Indian soil, Shah said. It was time for a history of India that concentrates on facts about our great past.
Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said India demanded that the 'Prime Minister switch from Neerav (silent) Modi i.e. 'Silent Modi' to 'Bol Modi'. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Stepping up attack against the BJP government, the Congress on Tuesday alleged that bank frauds to the tune of Rs 54,317 crore had taken place under its watch and asked when Prime Minister Narendra Modi would speak up on the issue.

"Fleece, flee and fly is the new mantra of fraudster under the Modi-led government's watch. Fraud, malfeasance, bank loot, cheating, swindling of banks and common people are getting unraveled every day," party communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged.

He said India demanded that the "prime minister switch from Neerav (silent) Modi i.e. 'Silent Modi' to 'Bol Modi'.

He claimed that information available through RTI on February 9, reflected that under the BJP government's watch, frauds and scams of Rs 19,317 crore were reported in India's economic capital-- Mumbai -- alone in last 3 years.

The RTI reply stated that in 2015, scams worth Rs 5,560.66 crore were reported, in 2016, scams worth Rs 4,273.87 crore and in 2017, scams worth Rs 9,838.66 crore, he said.

"What is even more astonishing is that 184 accused in these scams and frauds have escaped. Modi/Fadnavis governments appear to have given a one-way ticket to 'cheat and scoot'," he alleged.

"Time to tell the people as to how many fraudsters have already left for foreign shores and tax heavens. Even more inexcusable is the fact that out of Rs 19,317 crore, a pittance of Rs 2.50 crore could be recovered," he claimed.

The BJP, however, rejected the charge saying the frauds were committed during the Congress' regime and it could not absolve itself of "direct culpability, collusion and connivance in perpetrating these frauds".

BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said, "This is a classic case of a thief making noise in the hope that no one notices the real thief."

Seeking to turn the tables on the Congress, he alleged that some senior Congress leaders were either in jail or on bail and they could not mislead people with its lies.

"The eight bank fraud cases totalling Rs 54,318 crore which the party referred to at a press conference were perpetrated by the Congress government," Rao alleged.

"The manner in which procedures were flouted and the bank frauds were perpetrated clearly show the Congress' hand in these scandals," he claimed.

Earlier, Surjewala had alleged, "Accused abscond, banks and people are 'abandoned' and complicit BJP government 'looks on'!"

"'Fraud, malfeasance, bank loot, cheating and swindling of banks and common people are getting unravelled every day, as PM and FM are on an indefinite 'Maun Vrat' (vow of silence)," he alleged.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP chief N Chandrabau Naidu warned Centre that it would not bode well if people's sentiments were ignored. (Photo: PTI)

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday indicated that the Telugu Desam would take a "right decision at the right time", amid speculation that the party may pull out of the Narendra Modi government.

Naidu lashed out at the Centre saying it was "insulting the sentiments" of the people of the state by not honouring the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, and also in Parliament.

"I know what is in your hearts and also the people's hearts. There is no compromise in protecting the state's interests. Let us bear whatever difficulty, but we will take a right decision at the right time," the chief minister told his party MPs during a teleconference on Wendesday morning.

The Telugu Desam Party chief warned the Centre that it would not bode well if people's sentiments were ignored.

"We have to stand by the people and step up our fight to fulfil their aspirations. We are not asking for anything more than that is enshrined in the Reorganisation Act," he pointed out.

Naidu expressed displeasure over reports that the Centre was not ready to concede the state's demands, particularly the grant of special category status and bridging the revenue deficit (for 2014-15 fiscal).

"You step up your agitation till the Centre specifically addresses all our issues. Let it come clear on the promises made during bifurcation," he told the MPs.

Meanwhile, state finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said the atmosphere in New Delhi did not indicate that the Centre was ready to resolve AP's issues despite such a serious agitation by the state MPs in Parliament.

Ramakrishnudu, who held talks with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the last two days, claimed that no effort was being made to resolve the crisis.

"We are basically pressing for three things - the grant of special category status, extension of industrial incentives on par with 11 other states and bridging of revenue deficit for 2014-15. The Centre says special category status is not possible," he told reporters during an informal chat in the Assembly lobbies on Wednesday.

On the industrial incentives, he said the NITI Aayog initially said it would consider the issue, but subsequently there were reports from New Delhi that it was not possible.
Veeranna (2nd R) walks out of Parappana Agrahara along with his younger brother Ajay and other family members on Wednesday

Bengaluru: It was an emotional farewell to Veeranna, one of the popular prisoners of Bellary Central Prison Veeranna, who walked out of Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara on Wednesday. His brother Ajay, who had come along with his family, became emotional after seeing Veeranna walk out of the iron gate. With folded hands and tears rolling down his eyes Veeranna thanked prison officials wholeheartedly.

Veeranna was suffering from schizophrenia. Ranganath P., Superintendent of Police, Bellary Central Prison told Deccan Chronicle that he was lodged there since 2003, after he had committed a murder in a fit of rage.

"He needed special care in the prison and once in every two months, he was brought to NIMHANS for treatment. He used to cry suddenly and behave weirdly all of a sudden," Ranganath said.

"We had let him free and he always wanted to accompany our men at work. He used to follow our men at the jail and used to get relieved doing so. Even other prisoners too looked after him with great care and affection," Ranganath said, after he waved a goodbye to Veeranna and accepted a salute from him with a smile. Ajay said he will set up a provision store for his brother at their village at Davangere.

92 prisoners released

Ninety-two prisoners lodged at various prisons across the state were brought to the Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara and were set free after Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy issued release letters to them. Addressing the prisoners, Mr Reddy said, In a fit of rage people commit crimes and lament their whole life in jail for that mistake. But once they regret and reform they need not be kept in the prison.

Karnataka is the only state in the country to prematurely release prisoners for their good character. From 2015 we have released 1,255 prisoners prematurely, he said.

Biometric phone kiosk

Prison department introduced three phone kiosks at Parappana Agrahara, where prisoners will be able to make calls to using biometrics to three numbers of their choice belonging to their family, friends and advocates.

Every prisoner (both undertrial and convicts) will be given chance of making calls up to 100 minutes every month with a limit of 9-minute call per day, after which the call will automatically get disconnected, said M. Somashekar, Chief Superintendent of Police (Prisons).

ACB doing their duty: HM

When asked about the revelation by former DIG H.N. Sathyanarayana Rao that he had provided cot, bed and pillow to AIADMK leader Sasikala Natrajan, jailed in Parappana Agrahara prison, on the advice of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Home Minister quipped that the prison officials had provisions to provide the same and he sees no irregularity in it.

And commenting on the ACB case against Mr Rao, he said they are doing their duty. Asked about the health of Sasikala, he said she is fine and requested not to believe in rumours being spread on social media.

CM: No such instruction given

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters that the former DGP Rao had made false accusations against him because Anti-Corruption Bureau had filed a FIR against him in connection with a corruption case. Rao said that he had adhered to jail manual and provided a cot and a pillow. The Chief Minister said a delegation from Tamil Nadu had met him and complained that no basic amenities were being provided to Ms Sasikala and hence Rao was instructed to provide the same as per the jail manual. "I did not instruct any one to provide VVIP treatment to anyone. I was surprised to see Rao's statement," Mr Siddaramaiah said.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday made it clear that Aadhaar is not mandatory for students appearing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test and they can produce other means of identity, viz ration card, voter identity card, driving licence, passport and bank passbook.

A five-judge Constitution Bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.K. Sikri, A.M. Khanwilkar, D.Y. Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan passed this order after senior counsel Arvind P. Datar brought to the notice of the court that the CBSE was insisting on production of Aadhaar card for students to appear in the Neet and this would deprive many students from taking the exam.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal informed the court that the government had not given any instruction to the CBSE to insist on Aadhaar as the students can produce any other form of identity.
Are we on the way to achieving real gender parity at the workplace and in other areas of life?

As another International Womens Day dawns on Thursday the city has several activities planned to honour its women achievers in different fields, be they entrepreneurs or professionals. But is this merely a token gesture or are we on the way to achieving real gender parity at the workplace and in other areas of life? Ayushee Chaudhary, Pragna L. Krupa and Aknisree Karthik report.

While giving finishing touches to the Industrial Policy 2014-19 as ACS (Industries and Commerce) in April 2014, I found to my dismay that the earlier policy did not particularly focus on women entrepreneurs and instead clubbed them along with ex-servicemen, the physically handicapped and so on. I felt there should be a separate chapter for every category because the needs and requirements of each are different.

So special care was taken to work out a package for women entrepreneurs with a host of incentives, concessions and facilities with exclusive women's parks. After the policy was launched on October 14, 2014, I felt we needed to discuss with women entrepreneurs whether iy needed any changes and so all the women's associations were called to discuss the "Way Forward". To my surprise nearly 200 to 250 women entrepreneurs turned up although we had invited only around 50. Seeing the response, I was filled with confidence and enthusiasm.

During this time, I came to know of several associations of women entrepreneurs like AWAKE, Emerge, COWE, KASSIA, WEKAS, and LAMP that worked independently of each other and felt they needed to come together for better results. The thought excited me and I started working towards bringing them together.

Read | Guest column: Legal framework has ushered in many changes

The first opportunity came with Invest Karnataka 2016. A Whatsapp Group called IK-WE was formed of bureaucrats, engineers in charge of women's parks, and presidents of women's associations, among others and we began to discuss the progress of Invest Karnataka, a global investors' platform. The meet, held from Feburary 3 to 5, attracted more than 10,000 delegates from all over the world and for the first time we had a women entrepreneurs' seminar and an exclusive vendor development meeting with top MNCs. The event attracted more than 400 women entrepreneurs.

As the women entrepreneurs started getting together someone in the group suggested we should change its name to Ubuntu, which refers to the Ubuntu culture of Africa that is based on the joy of sharing and giving. It is said that an anthropologist researching an African tribe proposed a game to its children. Placing a basket of sweets near a tree , he announced that whoever reached it first would get all the sweets. But to his surprise, the children held hands and ran together towards the tree, shouting "UBUNTU" meaning one could not be happy while others were sad.

We also felt that Ubuntu was closer to the Kannada word "Oggattu" which also means together. That is how Ubuntu was launched and one saw a new enthusiasm and unity emerging among the women, who no longer felt alone in their struggles. Seeing the success of Invest Karnataka, the women entrepreneurs proposed that a delegation should visit the WEConnect Conference in Orlando and so for the first time a delegation of 21 women attended this conference.

Again in 2016, a similar delegation participated in a conference in Austin.

This is how the idea of organising the world's largest women entrepreneurship summit called ThinkBig was born and it was hosted in Bengaluru on November 14 and 15, 2016. Then on June 13, 2017 a delegation of women entrepreneurs left for Las Vegas to participate in the conference hosted by We Connect.

This year on the occasion of International's Women's Day, the government of Karnataka, in association with the Karnataka Udyog Mitra, knowledge partner

TTC, and event curator MM Activ, along with a host of other partners and associates, organised a unique and celebratory event called Women of Worth to salute women achievers from different fields. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, distributed special WoW awards to women from all walks of life, recognising their worthy contribution in developing the state.

In the West a movement has begun for MNCs and major companies to procure aminimum percentage of their requirements from women entrepreneurs. Karnataka is a forerunner in this and we hope more and more women benefit from it and move from being housewives to employees and finally, employers. As a result of our endeavours, women entrepreneurs are now able to position themselves more clearly in the marketplace, have easy access to government schemes and information and are more accepted by financial institutions, the government and society.

Karnataka is now seen all over the world as the capital of women entrepreneurship and our aim is to involve more and more women entrepreneurs in the economic development of the state. Recently We Connect International gave Karnataka an award for being the "Most Supportive Government" for women entrepreneurs. This has motivated us to further boost women empowerment.

 K. Ratnaprabha, Chief Secretary, Government Of Karnataka

Sahaya Hastha Trust honoured BBMP Paurakarmikas on the eve of International Womens Day at Ulsoor in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Roopa Mouli (centre) , Mrs. Global Interna tional Classic award winner and Bhavana Durgam, Femina Miss India Karnataka-2018 and others were present on the occasion.

Women power on the right track

On the occasion of Womens Day that falls on Thursday the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will honour 55 of its women employees, who are working as conductors, drivers and even technicians and organise various activities.

The Bengaluru division of South Western Railway has decided to have an all- women crew on the Benga- luru-Patna Sanga mitra Express on Thursday. The crew will include an assistant loco pilot, a trainee guard, three security personnel and six ticket checking staff, who will work from the KSR Benga luru and Chennai Central stations.

Starting from Thursday the Bengaluru Metro politan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will drop the last woman passenger to the stop nearest her home in the interest of womens safety, for no extra charge.

A Jailor who overcame many odds

Her path has been far from easy. Ms R Latha, 37, Assistant SP of the Central Prison for Women at Tumakuru recalls her struggles as the first Superin tendent of Prisons at Tumakuru in 2007 .

"Even the male prisoners at the prison did not want a woman as SP. In my initial days I was made to cry and felt like quitting, but I took my job as a challenge and started to crack down on illegal activities, she recounts. There was no turning back after that. Today she is helping the 81 women prisoners lodged at the Central Prison for Women to learn to write and gain confidence in their abilities.

Ms R Latha, 37, Assistant SP of the Central Prison for Women at Tumakuru

It all began when we went shopping for a school bag for our daughter, but could not find a suitable good quality, reasonably priced one. Then we thought of creating our own brand. However, marketing was a major challenge. With no advertising and marketing budget, we strategized and differentiated our products by giving the best of quality and excellent designs without overcharging. This created a craze for our products in comparison to the bigger names. When Metro Wholesale launched its outlet in Bengaluru we saw a window of opportunity for our brand. Today, we are one of the top five backpack brands.

 Ruchi Jindal, Founder, F Gear

It was never easy for me. But I never lost hope and faith, I believed in myself and strived hard to be the better person I am today. - Roopa Moudgil , former deputy inspector general of police (DIG) (Prisons), who was the first woman superintendent of police to head the cyber crime division in Karnataka. As superintendent of police, she arrested the then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Uma Bharati , forcing her resignation. She has taken a firm stand against many politicians from the state too. Most recently, she exposed the VIP treatment given to Tamil Nadu politician, Sasikala at the Parapanna Agrahara prison.

 Roopa Moudgil, Former deputy inspector general of police (DIG) (Prisons)

All of society loses when women don't get the roles they deserve. At Grow Fit we work hard to ensure that good people level up. I think that's all women are asking for, a level playing field to do their best. I'm delighted to see women of all ages re-inventing themselves. The glass ceiling will be conquered, it's just a matter of time and all of us - not just women- lose while it's still around.

 Jyotsna Pattabiraman, CEO & Founder of Grow Fit

I think Indian women are slowly shattering the glass ceiling. The banking industry is one such example and I am sure we will see similar trends in other industries. There is currently a lot of attention being given to encourage more women in the workplace. At Brigade for instance, we have created an all-womens engineering team that is working on constructing a commercial and retail arcade of about 3 lakh sq.ft. We have women lawyers, architects and civil and mechanical engineers working on the project from start to finish. However, there are still a few gender biases when it comes to women. For instance, if a woman is a bit aggressive she is called bossy, but if a male is aggressive he is seen as assertive. It will take more than one generation to eradicate these biases.

 Nirupa Shankar, Director, Brigade Hospitality and Founder, Brigade REAP

I am a mother to a two-year-old and a novice zumba instructor and the choices dont come easy. I was married early and used to give in to the decisions made for me by others. But thankfully we are evolving as a society and with the correct exposure we know what is right for us. But the acceptance takes a while for the family.

 Shefali Yadav, 25-year-old zumba instructor

I wont deny that while growing up there was a difference between the conditioning of boys and girls. I was blessed to be in a family where I learnt to stand up for myself and thats what each woman needs to be made aware of.

 Neha Sachdeva, 28-year-old HR Consultant

No pain no gain is a saying I often use with my eight-year-old. Struggles have been at every step we have taken. Hailing from a conservative family, late hours of work was looked down upon. Funds were sanctioned by my father and that needed me to prove myself in a small way first. Competitors and slow growth due to lack of marketing expertise were our major challenges. Looking at the brighter side, our partnering with Metro Wholesale empowered us with more avenues and opportunities without having to deal with so many different companies individually, which helped us focus on our next step to success.

 Mahalakshmi Jayakumar, Masterchefs Food Ventures

I dont believe in keeping just one day aside for women. What about the rest of the days in a year? Every day should equally belong to all, men, women and children and everyone should enjoy equal rights. Its time to stop calling it a mans world. It is equally ours.

 Neelamani N. Raju, Director General & Inspector General of Police

It is not easy for women to shine in politics as not all parties willingly give them seats. They get an opportunity only when a seat is reserved for them. But once they win, they must prove their abilities and not just be puppets in the hands of their husbands or fathers.

 G. Padmavathi, former Bengaluru Mayor

I would advise every woman out there to live life with confidence. She should just be herself and stop expecting people to treat her in a certain way. As long as we are true to ourselves and stand our ground, we require nobody's empathy. I hope that every woman out there believes in herself and reaches great heights.

 Kalpana Kar, member of SWM Expert Committee, Government of Karnataka and co- founder, Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF)
Vijayawada: Bureaucrats felt the state government should not take a confrontational stand against the Centre at this juncture as many of the ongoing projects might face difficulties in due course.

A total Rs 12,892 crore funds had been received from the Centre so far, they said adding that the revenue deficit was a compensation and did not need any utility certificate (UC). Already the UC for Rs 1,508 crore had been submitted under the head of capital construction.

Confrontation certainly at this juncture was not proper, as the Centre always had an upper hand over administrative developments, they pointed out. There were certain departments and ministries where they would not maintain the discipline and order of the things to be addressed, said a senior bureaucrat and added that projects related to National Highways and water resources would face difficulties. We are experiencing a turbulent political weather in Delhi and there is a possibility that the projects may get stalled in case of a confrontation, he added.

Now, we are building a world class capital at Amaravati and Polavaram works are in progress, he said, adding that there were instances of such rifts earlier in other states. The bureaucrat, who had worked in the Union government, said some ministries simply sit on the file for more than three months and neither denied not addressed them.

He said the State had received Rs 12,892 crore in the form of 2014-15 revenue deficit Rs 3,979.5 crore, Polavaram Rs 5,362 crore, Amaravatai construction Rs 1,500 crore, underground drainage works to be taken up in Guntur and Vijayawada Rs 1,000 crore and for backward districts Rs 1,050 crore. He said UCs had been submitted for backward districts and for works worth Rs 1,508 crore taken up for the capital.
The House State Government Committee and Senate State and Local Government Committee day both approved a bill to give local retailers the opportunity to be open and to sell wine and spirits seven days a week. The legislation, HB1540/SB2518, is sponsored by Rep. Gerald McCormick (R-Chattanooga) and Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) and includes the following key provisions:

It allows retail liquor stores the option of being open seven days a week upon enactment.

Retail food stores can begin selling wine seven days a week beginning Jan. 1, 2019.

It allows wine and spirits to be sold on holidays such as New Years Day, Independence Day, etc., which currently is not permitted.

Officials said the legislation aims to update the inconsistency of current state law. For example, today beer, wine and spirits can be sold any day of the week for on-premises consumption at a number of places including restaurants, sporting events, hotels, theaters, convention centers, airports, retirement centers, tourist resorts and many others, and distilleries can sell up to five gallons any day of the week. Tennesseans can buy beer in grocery stores any day of the week, but retail liquor stores cant choose when they are open.

According to the Distilled Spirits Council, in states that have passed seven-day-sales since 2002, retailers have seen an increase in sales, between 4 and 11.5 percent, even after adjusting for diversion from other days of the week. In Tennessee it is estimated that allowing seven-day-sales would generate $20 to $28 million each year for retailers, said officials.

The bill sets consistent hours for the sale of wine and spirits from 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-11 p.m. on Sunday.
The shatterred bus after it fell off the bridge at Sanathnagar on Wednesday.  DC

Hyderabad: A bus carrying 50 passengers, all employees of Cyient, veered off the road, hit a bridge railing and later fell off it, by which time all except the driver got out of the vehicle. The bus later fell into the water along with the driver who suffered injuries. According to police, the incident occurred on early on Wednesday when the driver dozed off.

Though all passengers onboard the bus were safe, the driver sustained injuries. The incident took place around 1:10 am on Wednesday said Sanathnagar inspector E.Venkat Reddy. The Chityal-bound bus was carrying company employees, he added.

The police said that the driver, identified as Jaffar, fell asleep at the wheel and hit the vehicle onto the bridge railing. He was probably not well and so dozed off.

The bus veered off to the right after the driver lost control. Luckily, there was no vehicle from the opposite side," Mr Reddy added.

The bus clung on to the edge of the bridge for a few minutes during which time passengers jumped out, before it fell down along with the driver.

"As the height from where the bus fell was just a few metres, Jaffar escaped with injuries. He was rushed to a hospital where he is undergoing treatment. He appeared fatigued," the official added.

Police booked a case against the driver under Section 279 of IPC for rash driving.
Hyderabad: The Secunderabad Cantonment road closure issue was mentioned in the budget session of the Rajya Sabha. However, locals are unhappy with the question raised by MP M.A. Khan.

The MP asked whether the government had decided to close Gough Road and whether it was aware that many citizens were facing hardships because of it. Dr Subhash Bhamre, Union Minister of State for Defence, responded to the question by saying that the army had decided to close Gough Road, on grounds of security, from December 1, 2015. However, the decision was being deferred taking into consideration the inconvenience caused to the public, he said.

Members of the Federation of North Eastern Colonies of Secunderabad appreciated the MP for raising a question about the issue in Parliament but said that his question was irrelevant.

Pankaj Sethi, a member of the Federation, said that he wished the Parliament could have been enlightened about the problems that one-sixth of the population of the state capital was suffering from because of the Cantonment Boards unilateral decision.

Pavan Kumar, an advocate from Yapral, said that the closure of roads had greatly affected people. Before, it took us just five minutes to go from Yapral to the Cantonment Hospital in Bollarum. Since the closure of roads, we have to travel nearly 10 km to get there. People in several areas are facing similar problems, he said.
Hyderabad: Directing the state governments of AP and Telangana to explain the steps taken for strengthening public healthcare, Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday asked the Telangana government as to why Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) at Bibinagar, built almost seven years ago spending over Rs 125 crore, was still not operational.

A division bench comprising Justices V. Ramasubramanian and T. Amarnath Goud was hearing a PIL by K. Narender seeking regulation of the private corporate health sector and strengthening public health system in both States.

The bench said, Around 40 years ago, it was common for Chief Ministers and important public personalities to undergo treatment in government hospitals. But sadly today everyone is forced to go to private hospitals as the infrastructure in government hospitals has deteriorated.

Counsel for petitioner cited various irregularities and corrupt practices adopted by private hospitals under the Arogyasri health scheme, particularly about young women being subjected to unnecessary removal of uterus through operations. This, he said, was owing to the `greed for profit of the hospitals.

He told the court that the CAG report of 2015 castigated the Government for not making NIMS Hospital operational even after seven years of completion of the building at a cost of Rs 125 crore.

Special counsel for government S. Sharath Kumar submitted that the government was willing to act for strengthening the public health system, if the court so ordered.

The bench directed the Principal Secretary of Health to file an affidavit explaining the NIMS issue and posted the case to March 21.
Bengaluru: In a major security lapse at the Lokayukta building on Wednesday, the Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanath Shetty (74) was repeatedly stabbed inside his office by a frustrated complainant after Justice Shetty told him that his corruption complaint against some government officials had been closed.

Justice Shetty who collapsed after sustaining injuries on his stomach and chest was rushed to Mallya Hospital while his attacker identified as Tejraj Sharma, a furniture contractor, was pinned down by the security officials and handed over to the Vidhana Soudha police who took him into custody.

The doctors at the Mallya Hospital said that Justice Shetty has been moved to the Intensive Care Unit from the operation theatre and he is out of danger. The incident which has shaken the state, for Justice Shetty was attacked in broad daylight inside his chamber while several police officials were guarding his office is being seen as a security lapse as the building with its faulty metal detectors and lax policeing was an open invitation to the attacker who was a frequent visitor to the building and was well aware that the metal detector did not function and there was no security staff to frisk the visitors and check their bags. The situation was reported multiple times to the deputy registrar Lokayukta, a top official said.

The attacker, with knife, managed to bypass the metal detector as it was defunct. There was no security check or frisking either, which further helped the attacker reach Justice Shettys office and attack him. Its a clear case of a security lapse, a senior police officer said.

Quick medical aid saved Shetty

When Tejaraj went to the AR-Es office on the third floor, the Lokayukta's personal assistant told him that his complaint has been closed after it was found to be invalid. Tejaraj lost his cool and reportedly shouted at the PA. She asked him to approach the Lokayukta. He went down to the Lokayuktas office on the first floor, barged inside his office and asked Justice Shetty why his inquiry was closed. The Lokayukta initially didnt respond but later told Tejaraj not to waste his time by filing bogus complaints.

An enraged Tejaraj took out the knife from his pocket and stabbed the Lokayukta multiple times on his face, hand, chest, stomach and left shoulder. The incident took place around 1.50pm, said an official source, on condition of anonymity.

Other visitors inside the office heard the Lokayukta and shouted for help.

The 33-year-old attacker Tejraj in police custody at Lokayuktas office, in Bengaluru on Wednesday. (Photo: DC)

Immediately, police personnel, who were standing outside as well as the Lokayuktas gunman and officials from the Lokayuktas secretariat, rushed to the spot and found Justice Shetty lying in a pool of blood. They immediately rushed him to nearby Mallya Hospital," the source said. The office of the Lokayukta didnt waste time in reaching him to the nearest hospital. That probably saved his life, the source added.

Police grill attacker, obtain CCTV footage

At the time of going to the press, the police were still interrogating Tejraj at the Vidhan Soudha police station to ascertain the exact reason for the attack. The attacker was also taken to the Bowring Hospital for a check-up. Given the lack of security at the Vidhana Soudha police station, the accused maybe lodged at Cubbon Park police station overnight, sources said.

The police have obtained the CCTV footage from inside the building and inside the office of the Lokayukta and are examining the footage to ascertain what happened inside the room. A loner, abandoned by his family, Tejaraj has shown no sign of remorse. He was sent for a medical examination later and was produced in court.

The Vidhan Soudha police have registered a case against Tejaraj under Sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from his duty), 341 (wrongful restraint), 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

Tejraj signed in as Advocate, targeted ayukta during lunch

In a major security breach, Tejaraj Sharma arrived at the Lokayukta office at around 12.45 pm, bypassed the metal detector at the entrance, signed in as Advocate Tejaraj in the visitors book placed just inside the entrance without stating the purpose of the visit, and then walked into the corridor manned by police and into Justice P. Vishwanath Shetty's chambers without being stopped or questioned even once. Justice Shetty was having lunch when Sharma barged in, argued with him and then attacked him.

The City Armed Reserve (CAR) Police are in charge of the security of the Lokayuktas office on the first floor of the building in MS Building. At any given time there are two to three policemen standing outside the office of the Lokayukta, who stop and question every visitor, who wishes to meet the Lokayukta before he is allowed to take permission from his secretariat to meet him. Then there are two personal attendants/chaperons to the Lokayukta, who are posted outside his office along with his gunman. Not one of them stopped or questioned the accused, Tejaraj Sharma when he headed towards the Lokayukta office.

Regular visitor

Tejaraj Sharma is no newcomer to the Lokayukta's offices. A contractor from Tumkaru, he supplies furniture to government offices. However, after losing out on a recent contract, he became a regular complainant and a frequent visitor to the Lokayukta office. Sources said he has lodged nearly eight to 10 complaints of corruption against several government officers accusing them of alleged malpractice in government tenders. Out of the ten complaints, five to six were closed after they were found to be bogus.

Many alarms were raised earlier regarding the poor security in the building but in vain. There has definitely been a security breach

 Justice santosh Hegde, former Lokayukta

Metal detector hasnt been functional for four years!

That there was a security lapse was established in a report submitted by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) N Sateesh Kumar and his team to the city police commissioner T Suneel Kumar on Wednesday, hours after the knifing.

Mr. Kumar had formed a team under Mr. Sateesh to investigate the security lapse in the Lokayukta building and Mr. Sateesh in his report has written that the metal detector at the entrance was defunct since four years.
Police said the victim was Maran, an owner-cum-driver of an ambulance, of Vaithikuppam in Puducherry.

Puducherry: A 55-year-old man was hacked to death by an armed gang on Ginjee Salai near Government hospital here on Wednesday. Police said the victim was Maran, an owner-cum-driver of an ambulance, of Vaithikuppam in Puducherry.

Maran, an active worker of Congress party, returned to Puducherry from Chennai around 10 pm on Tuesday. He was sitting at a tea shop when a five-member gang attacked him with sickles and other weapons resulting in his instantant death. The accused later fled the scene.

On information, police rushed to the spot and sent the body for post-mortem to the Puducherry Government medical college hospital. Grand Bazaar police have registered a case and also started probe.

The relatives of the deceased, who belongs to the fisher men community, along with people of the area thronged to Raj Nivas to meet the Lt Governor Kiran Bedi saying that they wont receive the body until culprits are arrested.

Lt Governor met the protesting people and ensured them of strong action against the culprits. The protesters also sought the intervention of the Lt Governor to prevent any such incident in future.

Ms Bedi discussed the matter with chief secretary Ashwani Kumar and asked him to seek assistance of State Human Rights Committe chaired by Justice JAK Sampathkumar to examine existing police arrangements for the safety of fishermen community and suggest a permanent solution to prevent any untoward incident in future in the fishermen village.

"Follow up action can be taken based on the report of the said committee", an official communication from the Raj Nivas said.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Rajiv Ranjan also met the relatives of Maran , consoled them and assured the immediate arrest of the culprits.
They resumed search on Wednesday morning and traced the remaining two bodies. (Representational image)

Mysuru: The bodies of the remaining two of the four SSLC students, who had drowned on Tuesday in a lake in Hyrige village in Hunsur rural police station limits in Mysuru district, was fished out on Wednesday morning.

Four SSLC students of St Joseph School, Jai Bharath, Dhananjay, Yeshwanth, Akshay, all 16 years of age, had accidentally drowned and died when they had been to swim in a lake after finishing their Maths preparatory exams on Wednesday afternoon.

While two of the bodies were fished out on Tuesday, fire and emergency services staff had to halt the operation due to poor light. They resumed search on Wednesday morning and traced the remaining two bodies of Jai Bharath and Dhananjay on Wednesday morning.

The bodies were handed over to the families after autopsy at K.R. hospital here on Wednesday. Hunsur rural police have registered the case.
Pointing out that the vehicles going through the park cause pollution and disturb its wildlife , Mr Badhushah says the night ban particularly helps the slow moving and ground dwelling species such as the mouse deer, striped neck mongoose, ruddy mongoose, porcupines, small Indian civet, brown palm civet as well as larger animals like the elephant, tiger and leopard.

Chamarajnagar: While traders in Kerala are keen on lifting the night traffic ban through the Bandipur National Park, an NGO from Wayanad has come out in its support, arguing that it is in the interest of the wildlife it protects.

In a memorandum to the Supreme Court constituted committee to look into the demand for lifting of the night traffic ban, Mr N Badhushah of the Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samiti says the man-animal conflict in the Wayand region has drastically fallen after its imposition in February, 2009.

Pointing out that the vehicles going through the park cause pollution and disturb its wildlife, Mr Badhushah says the night ban particularly helps the slow moving and ground dwelling species such as the mouse deer, striped neck mongoose, ruddy mongoose, porcupines, small Indian civet, brown palm civet as well as larger animals like the elephant, tiger and leopard.

He also notes that the people of Wayanad have become accustomed to the night ban and there is no reason for them to travel to Karnataka via Bandipur National Park because they can easily go to Kozhikode and Ernakulam for emergency medical care. Besides, the people have access to quality education in Wayanad and surrounding districts. Arguing that the wild animals too are now used to the night traffic ban, he warns that any changes could result in even more road kills than before.
New Delhi: In a dramatic twist in the ongoing PNB-Nirav Modi scam tale, it has now been revealed that the Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association had forewarned the RBI governor of the time  Raghuram Rajan  of an epic swindle in the works as far back as July 26, 2014.

According to IBJA president Mohit Kamboj, Finance minister P. Chidambaram ostensibly brought the 20:80 gold policy at that time to control the burgeoning current account deficit which had shot into the stratosphere due to rampant gold import. In this policy the jewellers had to export 20 per cent of the gold that they got from banks. In reality, this was done by the finance minister to benefit a handful of cronies going under the nomenclature of Star Trading Houses and Premier Trading Houses (which included both Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi groups) since scarce gold was sold at a mark up of approximately 10 to 15 per cent per kg.

We made several representations not just to the RBI governor but to finance ministry mandarins including P. Chidambaram himself but all to no avail. It is only in July 2014 after the NDA government had come to power was cognisance taken of the clutch of continuing representations and FM Arun Jaitley acted and clamped down in November on this dubious and even suspicious scheme, he claimed.

In his capacity as IBJA president, he wrote to RBI governor Raghuram Rajan on July 26, 2014 accusing the UPA government of deliberately yielding to the cronies

By changing the gold policy days before demitting office. A decision was taken on May 21, 2014, five days before the UPA government officially demitted office, which allowed 13 Star Trading Houses (STH) and Premier Trading Houses (PTH) including Choksi-led Gitanjali Gems to import gold and sell about 80 per cent of their total bullion shipment in local markets under the so-called 80:20 scheme.

IBJA said that the RBI circular on May 21, 2014 had sidestepped nationalised banks, which have been the backbone support of our bullion importing and jewellery exporting members, by allowing certain private sector export houses to import gold up to two tonnes at one time, even for those who are not in the business of bullion and gold jewellery. Further, the association also asked Dr Rajan to make a prudent appraisal of the decision and check the loopholes before it was too late.
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is following in the footsteps of Telugu Desam TD founder-president and former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao, in trying to put together a Third Front.

Before floating the National Front in 1988-89, NTR called national leaders of several parties to Mahanadu, the biennial conclave of the TD, and brought all political leaders under one roof.

Similarly, Mr Rao is planning to invite all national and regional party leaders to the plenary of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, scheduled for April, before launching a Third Front. Mr Rao has great personal admiration for NTR and even named his son Taraka Rama Rao.

While NTR formed the National Front as an alternative to the Congress, Mr Rao is planning a non-Congress, non-BJP alternative at the national level.

Mr Rao is likely to announce the Third Front on the TRS foundation day, April 27. Since floating such a front signals his entry into national politics, TRS leaders from Nalgonda district have invited him to contest the Nalgonda Lok Sabha seat in the next general election. If he intends to do so, he may well hold the TRS foundation day in Nalgonda.

When the National Front was formed, the late P. Upendra, a Union minister, had played a key role in assisting NTR in national politics. Major irrigation minister and a relative of Mr Rao, T. Harish Rao, is likely to play a similar role in the Third Front. Mr Rao has often called Harish Rao his lucky mascot.
Hyderabad: All India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi has declared that the first thing he will sign if his party comes to power at the Centre in the 2019 general election, will be on granting special category status to AP.

All these days the TD has been demanding implementation of the special package announced in lieu of special status. But on Tuesday, TD MPs carried placards in Parliament demanding special status.

AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has also changed his tune and is demanding special status for AP if the Centre extends special status to any state.

Reacting to Mr Gandhis statement, the Bharatiya Janata Partys P.V.N. Madhav said the party and the person responsible for the present chaos in the state is now trying to make political mileage out of the present prevailing situation. If the Congress is really so committed to the development of Andhra Pradesh and concerned about the state, it should have included special category status in the AP Reorganisation Act.

He said the Congress is trying to make fools out of the public after the grand old party has been decimated across the country except in Punjab and Karnataka.

YSRC spokesperson Vasireddy Padma said though AP had stood for and with Congress during its most difficult times in the past, the grand old party is not at all concerned ab-out the state.
HYDERABAD: Despite Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao clarifying his remarks against PM Narendra Modi, the state BJP is going overboard by trying to get political mile-age out of a non-issue. The ruling TRS on Monday criticised the saffron partys protest and to lay siege on Pragati Bhavan.

Addressing the media here on Tuesday, party MLC Karne Prabhakar gave a new name to BJP by term-ing it as Bharatiya Jhoota Party. He recalled how the BJP national president Amit Shah tried to mislead public in Telangana about funds given by Centre to Telangana. It was left to KCR to sensitise the people of Telangana on the issue, which he did successfully and after that Mr Shah did not dare visit the state, until now, said the MLC.

Mr Prabhakar was highly critical of the national pa-rty for clinging on to a non-issue for several days, and the people of the state were shocked at their behavior and lop-sided priorities.

The BJPs cheap tricks in Telangana will not work out because people in the state are well aware of what Mr Rao and Mr Modi did for them. Mr Prabhakar sought to know from the rival party as to why they did not feel like holding a protest in front of PM Modis house when seven mandals in Khammam district were merged with AP without the proper protocol.

The BJP's graph is sliding in Telangana after the big drubbing in the GHMC elections and he felt that the performance of the divisions falling under their party MLAs was a reflection of that.
Mangaluru: Attacking the Congress government in the state for compromising on the security of people and on development, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called on voters to ensure a 'Congress mukt Karnatak.'

Alleging that Karnataka was just an ATM for the Congress party, he blamed the Congress government for supporting Jehadi elements and declared that only the BJP could ensure development and safety to the people of Karnataka.

Yogi Adityanath was in Mangaluru for the valedictory of the 'Jana Suraksha Yatra,' that had started on March 3 simultaneously at Ankola and Kushalnagar. Mr Adityanath criticised the state government but also tried to highlight the Hindutva factor. "The Congress has become the problem. There is no development under Congress rule. In addition to this, there is no safety for people. When BJP workers are being murdered, the safety of the common man can only be imagined," he said.

He said the development,' and 'good governance,' mantra of Prime Minister Modi has helped the BJP come to power in 21 states in the country. "The government here seems to be supporting anti-national, jehadi elements. If not, Jehadi elements would not have so much courage to carry out such attacks. The state government's move to withdraw the cases filed against them shows there is something fishy (dal me kuch kala hai)," he said.

"The Congress government is anti-farmer and anti-Hindu. Development related activity in Karnataka has come down with the Congress government turning the state into its ATM. Only BJP can save the state from its problems," he said. "Where does the money sent for the development of the state go? Why are government officials and employees scared? Why are women concerned about their safety? The Congress should explain why farmer suicides are maximum here?"

The Uttar Pradesh government had waived farmer loans up to 1 lakh. "We had done it without increasing the tax and without seeking help from the Union government. We had just stopped unnecessary expenses. The Karnataka government too could have come to the rescue of farmers in a similar way. But the Congress government here is anti-farmer and anti Hindu," he alleged.

He asked people to support the BJP and throw out the government that supports Jehadis. "In UP too the situation was similar. We had gone to election with two slogans- crime free and corruption free UP. After coming to power, in 11 months, the crime rate has decreased," he said.

BSY, Ananth meet RSS leaders to debate polls

Top BJP leaders, including B S Yeddyurappa and Union Minister Ananth Kumar, held a meeting with RSS leaders to chalk out the Sangh Parivaar's plan for the upcoming Assembly polls in Karnataka. "On March 3, the Sangh Parivaar held its annual coordination meeting at our state headquarters. Core BJP leaders, including Yeddyurappa, Ananth Kumar, Sadananada Gowda and others participated and sought the Sangh's help for the state elections," a senior RSS leader told PTI here.

The Sangh, however, said it would not directly involve itself in giving electoral help to BJP, but have given freedom for its Swayamsevaks (volunteers) to do so, he said. "The Sangh will not directly involve in helping BJP but Swayamsevaks are free to render services to any party that seeks help and it is quite natural that swayamsevaks will work for BJP," he added.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other Congress leaders at the residence of the Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Photo: DC)

Bengaluru: Senior Congress leaders are likely to insist on fielding former Knowledge Commission chairman, Sam Pitroda or party veteran Janardhan Diwedi from Karnataka for one of the three seats from the state which the party is aiming to win in the forthcoming Rajya Sabha polls on March 23.

However, Chief Minister, Siddarmaiah was quick to dismiss this soon after his meeting with Congress president, Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi stating that the party state unit has recommended names from the state itself.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader on the condition of anonymity disclosed that Mr Gandhi is learnt to have insisted the party state unit consider the name of Mr Sam Pitroda for fielding in one of the three seats.

The source explained that a long-time associate of the Nehru-Gandhi family, Pitroda had ushered in the telecom revolution in India working closely with then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the late 1980s. And in his home state, Gujarat, he worked closely with Rahul Gandhi to help the Congress in the Assembly polls. The source added that Mr Gandhi had subtly placed his demand to field Mr Pitroda from one of the seats.

The source said that Mr Pitroda's name has cropped up in the discussions only to strengthen the Congress talent pool in the Rajya Sabha, where the party's strength will decline from the present tally of 58 seats.

According to the source, the state unit has broadly arrived at a consensus on five leaders during the preliminary round of discussions and based on this, All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha president, Shamanoor Shivashankarappa or former minister Rani Satish may be fielded for the first seat while Saleem Ahmed or Urban Development minister, R. Roshan Baig may get the the second seat and businessman and a close aide of the CM, Channa Reddy may bag the third seat which will however depend on rebel MLAs supporting him.

However, this has not deterred four-time Rajya Sabha MP, K. Rehman Khan from lobbying hard to secure a fifth term in a row as Rajya Sabha MP with leaders in New Delhi. "Mr Khan met CM Siddaramiah twice in the day which proves how hard he has been lobbying for the fifth term. He has been a veteran in New Delhi and he can pull off surprises any time as there is still one more week left to finalise the choices though the state unit is batting for a younger Muslim face," the source explained while heaping praise on Mr Khan's connections in political circles in New Delhi.

Sankeshwar, Rao BJP's frontrunners for poll

With elections to four Rajya Sabha seats scheduled for April 24, there is heavy lobbying for the tickets in both the Congress and the BJP in the state. Going by their present strength in the state Assembly, the ruling Congress can comfortably win three seats and the BJP one.

Incumbent independent MP, Rajiv Chandrashekar, who is backed by the BJP, is already lobbying hard for a chance at winning a second term to the Rajya Sabha on its ticket. The recent core committee meeting of the state BJP left it to its central leadership to take a call on the candidate for the Rajya Sabha poll and its parliamentary board is expected to meet within a week to take a decision.

Mr. Chandrashekar may not find it easy to get a BJP ticket as netizens have started a campaign on social media urging the party to opt for a local candidate instead of an outsider. Software professionals and pro- Kannada activists are campaigning on Facebook and Whatsapp groups, urging the Congress too to select local candidates for the poll.

Currently, the names of media baron, Vijay Sankeshwar and BJP leader in charge of its affairs in Karnataka, Muralidhar Rao's are doing the rounds as BJP candidates. Most party legislators and state BJP chief, B S Yeddyurappa are reportedly backing Mr. Sankeshwar. But even party Central leaders are said to be clueless about the choice PM Modi and party national president, Amit Shah are likely to make.
Hyderabad: Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan did a complete U-turn on Wednesday when he announced earlier in the day that the proposed no-confidence motion against the Centre has been scrapped. The no-confidence motion was planned as a strong mark of protest against the Centres apathy at according Special Status to AP state.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Mr Pawan Kalyan said there would be no use going ahead with the proposed no-confidence motion by YSRC against the Central government. The Jana Sena said he did not have the confidence to go to Delhi and fight for AP issues as he and his party had no representation in Parliament yet.

A few days ago, Mr Pawan Kalyan demanded that YSRC and TD should move a no-confidence motion against the Central government and had said he would go to Delhi to discuss the issues with various other national parties to get support from their MPs. He had also said it was the responsibility of the Central government to resolve the disputes between TS and AP.

Mr Pawan Kalyan also passed a comment that the mafia was better th-an the political leaders. He said the mafia would keep its word once it gives it, but political leaders were not keeping their promises.

Reacting on the statement of AICC president Mr Rahul Gandhi on according special status to AP, Mr Pawan Kalyan said to rectify the mistake done at the time of the states bifurcation, Mr Gandhi had annou-nced first signature on Special Status after coming to power post elections in 2019.
BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav and Tripura BJP chief Biplab Kumar Deb display victory sign as they celebrate with supporters after party's victory in Tripura Assembly elections results in Agartala on Saturday. BJP's win marks an end to 25 years of CPI-M government rule in the state. (Photo: PTI)

Results from the remote, predominantly tribal, Tripura Assembly elections have set off a false alarm and, predictably, a false debate within the Left. On the other hand, the outcome comes as a pyrrhic victory for the BJP for Tripura negates its project of Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan.

The BJP has formed an alliance with a separatist tribal group, which is neither for a Hindi-speaking state, nor for banning cow slaughter, nor does it conform to anyones idea of a Hindu rashtra. In fact, the tribal allies are already demanding their lions share in the pie, eyeing the chief ministers job.

As for the holy cow, whose spuriously touted protection has led to the lynching of Muslims and dalits in some BJP-ruled states, what are its chances in the voraciously beef-eating Northeast? The same holds true for Goa and other southern states. Ban on cow slaughter like the one in UP wont take effect in Nagaland if our party comes to power, said the BJPs state spokesperson in Kohima last year. The reality here is very different and our central leaders are aware of that.

Masked in the comment was a challenge to the BJPs idea of a unitarian India, an idea initiated by the Congress and, in a nuanced way, pursued by the Left. No one has ever ruled India from Attock to Cape Comorin, not even the British, not Ashoka, not Aurangzeb, not the Marathas though they came closest to it. The picture of Bharat Mata with her head in Kashmir and feet in Tamil Nadu came with the advent of the printing press.

The British tried to connect India, before dividing it into two, with railways and telegraphs but they could not assemble a single revenue system, which the nationwide general sales tax is controversially seeking to fix. The British left princely states numbering 555 and they covered 48 per cent of the area of pre-independent India and constituted 28 per cent of its population. Pompously, Indias Communists and all their breakaway groups pretend to have a pan-India revolutionary vision, which the better-placed Britain had to abandon.

Some terrified partisans are ready to see the defeat of the CPM at the hands of the BJP as a triumph of the Right over the Left with worse to follow. Others accuse the so-called Kerala line for the debacle. There are those too who see the outcome as linked to the partys quarrelling leaders, which has impacted adversely on the cadres morale and their zest to challenge the BJP. Beyond the riveting chessboard is a complex reality from where the party took leave long ago. Revolutionary poetry in Urdu and Hindi tells of a time when the partisan dream gripped the Hindi heartland too.

A little acknowledged fact remains that Indian states have a history of doing fine without the BJP or the Congress. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Delhi have all shown the ability to do well without the Congress or the BJP. They beckoned the Left, which responded with an attention deficit because it was preoccupied with its pompous all-India project, euphemism for Kerala and West Bengal.

Several northeastern states have similarly experimented well without Unitarian parties and with peculiarly local appeal and issues. The Communists, however, will not have any of that; they will not rest without staging a nationwide upheaval. They forget that even their grand fight against Indira Gandhis Emergency stopped at the Vindhyas and she remained invincible in the south. Thats the nature of India.

Why does the Left not consider the obvious reality that there are more ideological and tactical variations possible in a complex country like India than the simplistic, single, India-wide perspective that frames the Lefts choice as being with Congress or without the Congress? The irony is that the biggest party office in Indias most populous state belongs to the CPM, and it is situated bang opposite the imposing Assembly building in Lucknow but with no MLA to account for its presence. Why cant the party dissolve its unit and hand the building over to a Communist Party of Uttar Pradesh-Marxist?

The CPM in Kerala and West Bengal are two different parties, after all, pretending to be one. It is the unwieldy all-India identity that stops at the Bengal-Kerala binary. The impressive all-India signboard did not allow Jyoti Basu to become Prime Minister. Who gained?

How was it a superior idea to make Gowda or Gujral Prime Minister? The result was that within months Vajpayee took power for six critical years, winning two elections. Before that remember the CPI(M) carrying Vishwanath Pratap Singh on one shoulder and the BJP lending him the other shoulder. The BJP gained from two seats it had to become a major force. What did the CPI(M) get, if even a good lesson?



By arrangement with Dawn
A week ago the BBCs former Pakistan correspondent Owen Bennett-Jones concluded his intermittently fascinating podcast The Assassination, relating to the events that led up to the murder of Benazir Bhutto 10 years ago last December, with the opinion that the primary motivation was probably grounded in the so-called deep states suspicion that, if returned to office, she might compromise the nations nuclear status.

Thats certainly a possibility. But its also just one more conjecture in an incredibly sordid saga. Benazir and the Pakistan Peoples Party had, after all, seldom been reticent about highlighting her dads status as the father of Pakistans nuclear bomb. We will eat grass if necessary, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had declared after Indias 1974 nuclear test, but we will obtain a nuclear bomb. A.Q. Khan was the key instrument in fulfilling this ambition.

By 2007, A.Q. Khan had been officially outed as a serial nuclear proliferator. But foreign powers were not permitted to question him. Benazir, during her sojourn in the United States months before her projected return to Pakistan after eight years in exile, deviated marginally from that mantra by suggesting that the IAEA should be allowed access to Khan.

Did that seal her fate? According to Indian journalist Shyam Bhatia, a friend since her Oxford days, she had told him that that she was the mother of her nations missile programme. In the podcast, Bennett-Jones mentions that during her first stint as PM, Benazir was prevented from visiting the nations nuclear sites.

On the whole, concerns about her intentions in this regard lie in the realm of pure speculation. There can be little doubt, though, that Benazirs planned return to the fray was indelibly wedded to Western interests. The deal with military dictator Pervez Musharraf was apparently brokered by the Blair and Bush administrations, the architects of the Afghanistan and Iraq disasters. A freedom-of-information request from Bennett-Jones to the UK foreign office in this regard was approved by the minister but thwarted by bureaucrats  he cant reveal his source for this insight.

Fair enough. But this echoes one of the more intriguing revelations in the podcast, namely that Gen. Nadeem Taj, a close colleague of Musharrafs then recently appointed as head of the ISI, visited Benazir around midnight on the night before she was killed and advised her not to attend the Liaquat Bagh rally in Rawalpindi, on the basis that there was intelligence about an assassination attempt.

Taj was among the many military/intelligence personnel who refused to speak on the record with Bennett-Jones, but the latter gathers from sources whom Taj reportedly briefed that when Benazir asked why the purported culprits could not be arrested, he responded that this would compromise intelligence sources. She declared that she would go ahead. In that case, we will do our best to protect you, Taj is said to have replied.

In the event, it clearly wasnt enough. There were 1,300 police at the site, but few were visible after the deadly blast. There were metal detectors at entrances to the venue, as well as sniffer dogs and personnel who checked the stage. But the teenage assassin, Bilal, had determined that the target would be most vulnerable when she emerged from the rally and, as was her wont, raised her head above the parapet from her vehicle.

One of the doctors who tried in vain to resuscitate her, within an hour of the attack, was the son of a doctor who had attended to Liaquat Ali Khan after he was shot at almost the same spot in 1951.

One of the key controversies in the podcast relates to a phone call Benazir purportedly received from Musharraf while on a mission to secure US security backing. She perceived it as a threat. He denies making the call. Nothing can be verified. Benazir subsequently persisted in her efforts to obtain US protection, even at the obvious cost of being perceived as a Western puppet. Her conversation with US journalist Ron Suskind is revelatory. Blackwater never got involved, though.

The podcast might as well have been titled The Chronicle of a Death Foretold. It ended in a monumental tragedy, but was the idiotic Anglo-American plot that led to this carnage really worth it? Had Benazir been sensible enough to turn down the absurd proposition, she would have lived to tell the tale herself.

By arrangement with Dawn
The country is paying a very heavy price in Kashmir due to the Centres inability or unwillingness to find a political solution in the Valley and for its tactics of firing from the shoulder of the Army, in a manner of speaking. If the Narendra Modi government, in the nearly four years that it has been in office, had sought to prise open the political path and build on the goodwill it had when it came to office, it would have discovered that the people of Kashmir, by and large, dont harbour sympathy for Pakistan.

Kashmiri Muslim equals Pakistan is simply not true, even if its part of the RSS-BJP mindset. Instead of seeking to consolidate the considerable majority that desires peace with Pakistan but no political truck with it, and isolate the tiny sliver of pro-Pakistan opinion through the deft use of politics, the Centre has played a provocative game that has made clashes between young civilians and the security forces, specially the Army, an everyday affair.

This, in turn, has provided room to the pro-extremist and pro-Pakistan elements to expand the scope of their activity and spread their influence, specially among the educated unemployed who have taken to stone-throwing as a means of protest. The considerable turmoil the Valley has been in for the past two and a half years is due to the Centres no-reconciliation policy. Young Army officers, and in order to protect themselves and the men under their command, have frequently been obliged to order troops to open fire on provocative crowds, leading to deaths.

The latest incident in a series of unfortunate episodes took place on Sunday night when at a checkpoint in Shopian district the Army retaliated when miscreants opened fire. A militant and several civilians were killed. Seizing the opportunity, separatist leaders gave a call for a shutdown the next day and incidents of violence were reported throughout the Valley. This is a matter of deep worry. Evidently, the Kashmir policy is to not take any pre-emptive political steps, and force soldiers into situations where they have no option but to open fire, letting the Valley remain on the boil. Only that would allow for the optics that our men in uniform are hyperactive against militants or presumed militants under this government. In the process we are alienating an entire generation, but that is evidently of no consequence.

The Supreme Court was right to say on Monday that the J&K authorities and state police shouldnt treat Army personnel like ordinary criminals and take coercive steps against them. The court is clearly appreciative that the Army is placed in an impossible situation, which terrorists and their sympathisers easily exploit. Only the Centre can now break the pattern.
BMW has relied on its research and development facilities in Germany to produce the current Mini.

Research and development of the next electric Mini will take place in China, BMW board member Peter Schwarzenbauer said on Tuesday, as the British brand awaits a new alliance with Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motor Co.

BMW announced last month that it had signed a letter of intent with Great Wall, potentially giving the Chinese company its first foreign manufacturing partner and the German groups first Mini assembly site outside Europe.

It will be developed in China and it will be produced in China, but we dont know where yet, Schwarzenbauer told reporters ahead of the Geneva auto show. The car could also be exported. So far BMW has relied on its research and development facilities in Germany to produce the current Mini. More stringent local regulations, however, are forcing a shift of intellectual property to China.

You have to have certain components localised. In the new energy vehicles regulation, the drivetrain and the battery technology needs to be sourced locally, Schwarzenbauer said, adding that BMW Group would rely on its existing sales partnerships to sell the vehicle.

BMWs own electric car, which is built and developed in Germany, is not eligible for local subsidies because it does not have components sourced in China, Schwarzenbaer said.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Qualcomm has been in a dispute with two major patent license customers: Apple and an unnamed licensee that stopped paying royalties in April 2017. Analysts believed that licensee was Huawei.

Chipmaker Qualcomm is in talks to settle a patent dispute with Chinas Huawei Technologies and could reach an agreement in the coming weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The negotiations between Qualcomm and Huawei are well along, according to the report.

Qualcomm declined to comment, while Huawei did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Qualcomm is fending off a $117 billion hostile takeover bid from Broadcom. Broadcom has said it would smooth Qualcomms rocky relations with customers if it took over the San Diego mobile chipmaker, which has prompted Qualcomm to try to pre-empt those efforts by patching up customer disputes on its own.

Qualcomm has been in a dispute with two major patent license customers: Apple and an unnamed licensee that stopped paying royalties in April 2017. Analysts believed that licensee was Huawei.

That belief grew stronger in January when Qualcomm announced it had reached a set of agreements licensing and research agreements with Samsung Electronics. That ruled out the South Korean Android handset maker as the mystery non-paying customer.

During a January earnings call with investors, Qualcomm general counsel Don Rosenberg said the company was still in talks with the mystery customer, as it had been since the dispute was first disclosed.

So on the unnamed another licensee, our practice is ... its productive to continue with negotiations and that we dont name the licensee in the dispute. Its only when we get to the point where we feel like weve exhausted all practical activities there (that Qualcomm would name the customer), and so you should take that as were still negotiating to see if we can resolve the dispute, Rosenberg told investors.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
In 2012, Zicom launched Mission Make Your City Safe A Zicom SaaS initiative to make housing societies, schools and hospitals more secure by equipping them with high quality CCTVs that require Zero investment, Zero management.

Zicom SaaS Pvt. Ltd. recently signed MoU to launch the Citizen safety mission for Telangana in the honorable presence of Home Minister Shri Naini Narshimha Reddy and other influential stalwarts. The company plans to expand this initiative to other states in India.

Zicom is expanding its citizen-safety initiative Make Your City Safe (MYCS) to the state of Telangana towards making Telangana safe. The company has recently signed an MoU to launch the citizen safety mission for Telangana in the honorable presence of Home Minister Shri Naini Narshimha Reddy and other influential stalwarts by the name of MakeTelangana Safe.

In 2012, Zicom launched Mission Make Your City Safe A Zicom SaaS initiative to make housing societies, schools and hospitals more secure by equipping them with high quality CCTVs that require Zero investment, Zero management. Apart from providing hardware, the company also undertakes the responsibly of monitoring the health of their security systems and offering free-of-cost services to ensure the smooth functioning of their products.

With currently over 4500 buildings coming under the MYCS banner, Zicom looks forward to a safer, better urban lifestyle becoming a reality. Taking this initiative to another level by extending the mission to cities across the country, Zicom SaaS recently partnered with TITA and Digithon to create a robust digital ecosystem that not only monitors but also prevents crime in Telangana. Currently the initiative encompasses the cities of Hyderabad, Varangal, Karimnagar, Adilabad and Nalgonda.

Cities from Telangana are chosen as a part of the first phase of Zicom towards safe city mission. Currently Zicoms initiative has its presence across 7 cities, 8th being Telangana, by the names of Make Mumbai Safe, Make Pune Safe, Make Navi Mumbai Safe, Make Thane Safe, Make Hyderabad Safe and Make Ahmedabad Safe.

As the part of the upcoming phase Zicom plans to cover the whole of Telangana followed by other states as well. The company is exploring possible associations as well. Under the Make Your City Safe initiative, Zicom will offer a broad spectrum of security solutions on Security as a Service model. Additionally, the company is also exploring the idea of establishing their local Command center to support Make Telangana Safe initiative and to help citizens connect all buildings for monitoring and proactive prevention of crimes.

The key benefits of Make Your City Safe are:

 The Hardware & Software cost is on Zicom - You only have to pay for the Services

 No worries about functioning of the system, Zicom assures you that the system will function24 x 7, 365 days a year

 No Financial Burden - Easy Payment option that doesnt need your society to block any funds for buying CCTV system

 No Annual Maintenance Contract - It is Zicom who maintains the CCTV system and also takes care of Repairs and Replacements

 No Confusion on What Is Best for You - Free Security Assessment by Experts that helps you choose the right security solution

 Always Accessible - 24 x 7 Technical/After Sales Support enables you to stay connected

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
First Things First will host Moms Night Out with Kerri Pomarolli on Thursday, March 22. The evening is a chance for the moms of Chattanooga to treat themselves to a night of laughter.

Ms. Pomarolli is a well-known comedian, actress and author of Moms' Night Out... and Other Things I Miss. She's also a working mom in Hollywood who does her best to balance being present with her kids while pursuing her career. Ms. Pomarolli has made several notable television show appearances, including Good Morning America, CNN and The Tonight Show.

Tickets are now available for $15 at FirstThings.org. Desserts and warm beverages will be provided.
The finding triggered another layer of US economic sanctions against Pyongyang, just as South Korea reported that the regime is ready for talks to end a nuclear standoff. (Photo: File)

Washington: The United States formally concluded Tuesday that North Korea ordered the murder of a half-brother and potential rival to ruler Kim Jong-Un with the banned VX nerve agent.

"This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of North Korea and underscores that we cannot afford to tolerate a North Korean WMD program of any kind," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

The finding triggered another layer of US economic sanctions against Pyongyang, just as South Korea reported that the regime is ready for talks to end a nuclear standoff.

Under US law, when a country or leader violates its ban on chemical and biological weapons, an import ban is imposed on its products, but North Korea is already under severe US and UN sanctions, and Tuesday's decision will have little impact.

But reviving the controversy over 2017's assassination of Kim Jong-Nam, who was sprayed in the face by a chemical agent by two women as he travelled through Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia, could disrupt attempts to start talks.

Kim Jong-Un's older half-brother had once been seen as their father Kim Jong-Il's natural heir, and some reports had suggested that China might be grooming him to replace the younger man in the event of a crisis.

Nauert said that US investigators operating under the 1991 Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act had determined on February 22 that North Korea was to blame for the murder and that VX was used.
Washington: A US Navy veteran on Wednesday pleaded guilty to the murder of engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in a racially motivated hate crime at a bar in Kansas City last year that raised fears of growing intolerance in America following President Donald Trumps tough rhetoric on immigration.

Adam Purinton, 52, pleaded guilty before a Kansas court.

He was charged with first-degree murder of Kuchibhotla, 32, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of his friend, Alok Madasani, and a bystander, who chased Purinton after he fled the Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe city on February 22 last year.

Purinton, yelled, Get out of my country, before shooting Kuchibhotla, who later died from injuries sustained in the attack. Kuchibhotla and Madasani worked as engineers at Garmin, a tech company that makes GPS devices. Puriton had earlier pleaded not guilty on all these charges and waived his preliminary hearing in late November 2017.

Before allowing Puri-ntons plea, Judge Charles Droege explained to him that changing his plea meant he would face life in prison, as well as a minimum of 146 months, maximum of 653 months in prison for attempted murder, not to mention the sentence hell face if convicted of a hate crime in federal court.

Purinton told the judge he understood, then he sat down as the State presented the details of the incident last February.

Kuchibhotlas widow Sunayana Dumala welcomed the guilty plea. Todays guilty verdict will not bring back my Srinu, but it will send a strong message that hate is never acceptable, she said in a statement.
Counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation and Britain's military research laboratory at Porton Down is trying to identify the substance which caused Skripal, 66, and his daughter to fall ill. (Photo: AP)

Salisbury: British investigators will update an emergency response committee of senior ministers on Wednesday about the mystery illness that struck down a former Russian double agent and his daughter.

Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russia's GRU military intelligence service, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, were found slumped unconscious on a bench outside a shopping centre in the southern English city of Salisbury on Sunday afternoon.

Police said they had been exposed to an unknown substance. More than two days later, both are critically ill in intensive care.

Counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation and Britain's military research laboratory at Porton Down is trying to identify the substance which caused Skripal, 66, and his daughter to fall ill.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd will chair the emergency response meeting.

Britain has cautioned Russia that if the Kremlin was behind any poisoning then there will be grave consequences and British ministers have drawn parallels with the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko who was killed with radioactive polonium-210 in London.

A previous British inquiry said President Vladimir Putin probably approved the murder Litvinenko who died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at London's Millennium Hotel.

Russia, which denied any involvement in the death of Litvinenko, has dismissed claims that it may have had a hand in the poisoning of Skripal.

Moscow says anti-Russian hysteria is being whipped up without any evidence to show its involvement in the Skripal case. Russia holds a presidential election on March 18, which polls show Vladimir Putin should comfortably win.

Skripal, who passed the identity of dozens of spies to the MI6 foreign intelligence agency, was given refuge in Britain after being exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested Skripal in 2004 on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial.
US President Donald Trump welcomed North Korea's breakthrough offer of denuclearization talks as positive -- and apparently sincere -- saying Tuesday the standoff over Pyongyang's weapons drive would not be allowed to "fester."



Seoul had earlier announced the two Koreas would hold a historic summit in the Demilitarized Zone next month -- and that the North's leader Kim Jong Un was ready to halt provocative missile and nuclear tests and sit down with its old enemies.

North Korea's reclusive leader was further said to be willing to consider the dramatic step of abandoning costly and controversial weapons of mass destruction programs if the United States agrees not to attack or overthrow the regime.

Although Trump's response was positive, his administration followed it up with another sharp rebuke when it declared that it had formally concluded that Kim's regime had last year murdered his half-brother in a Malaysian airport with the banned VX nerve agent.

Trump also sounded a note of warning, signaling the threat of military action remains on the table should talks fail to make headway, and his administration said it would press ahead with potentially provocative joint war games with South Korea.

But the US leader was upbeat on the news from Seoul, crediting Washington's "very, very strong" sanctions push, as well as "big help" from China, for the potential diplomatic breakthrough.

Calling the statements coming out of both Seoul and Pyongyang "very positive," Trump refused to rule out a historic meeting with Kim.

"We have come a long way at least rhetorically with North Korea," Trump said.

"We are going to do something, one way or the other, we are going to do something and not let that situation fester."

North Korea's talks offer appeared to be "sincere," he said, adding: "We'll soon find out."

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all sides to seize the opportunity presented by the talks to move toward "sustainable peace and denuclearization."

The United States says Pyongyang is testing -- and will soon complete -- an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuke to the continental United States.

That ominous technological breakthrough would put cities like Los Angeles and even New York in striking distance of a hostile regime, something that is unthinkable to many in the West Wing.

And Washington said its finding that Pyongyang was responsible for the February 2017 assassination of Kim Jong Nam, Kim's elder half-brother and a potential rival, by spraying VX in his face at a busy Malaysian airport underlined the danger.

"This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of North Korea and underscores that we cannot afford to tolerate a North Korean WMD program of any kind," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

Under the US legal ban on chemical weapons, the formal finding triggers a new layer of US economic sanctions, but in practical terms these duplicate those already in place.

The apparent offer of talks, not yet publicly confirmed by North Korea, is a tantalizing one for the White House -- offering a possible off-ramp from the road to a bloody war. But it is also fraught with risks.

On multiple occasions, Kim's father Kim Jong Il dangled the prospect of talks and denuclearization as a means of buying time, easing sanctions and dividing South Korea from its allies.

South Korea has been deeply worried by the bellicose rhetoric coming from both Kim and Trump, and has jumped at an Olympic-fueled diplomatic opening.

Next month's summit -- the result of a series of meetings on either side of the contested border -- would follow a year of high tensions during which Pyongyang carried out its most powerful nuclear test to date, along with launches of rockets capable of reaching the US mainland.

Trump has dubbed Kim "Little Rocket Man" and boasted about the size of his nuclear button, while the North Korean leader called the American president a "mentally deranged US dotard."

But the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in the South triggered an apparent transformation, with Kim sending his sister to the opening ceremony, sparking a flurry of cross-border trips as South Korean President Moon Jae-in moved to broker talks between Pyongyang and Washington.

Kim Yo Jong's visit to the South was the first by a member of the North's ruling dynasty since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

North and South agreed to hold a summit in late April in Panmunjom, the truce village in the DMZ, South Korea's national security adviser Chung Eui-yong said after leading the most senior delegation to travel North for more than a decade.

It will be the third meeting between the leaders of the two Koreas, but the first to take place in the DMZ after summits in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007.

The North "made clear that there is no reason to own nuclear (weapons) if military threats toward the North are cleared and the safety of its regime is guaranteed," Chung said.

Pyongyang "expressed willingness to have frank dialogue with the US to discuss the denuclearization issue and to normalize North-US relations," he added and said there would be no provocations such as nuclear or ballistic missile tests while dialogue was underway.

"Also, the North promised not to use atomic weapons or conventional weapons towards the South," he told reporters, adding that Seoul and Pyongyang would set up a hotline between the leaders.

Kim also said he would "understand" if the South goes ahead with delayed joint military exercises with the US that usually infuriate Pyongyang, a senior official at the South's presidential office added.

Previous negotiations with Pyongyang have ultimately foundered. Six-party talks, grouping the two Koreas, Russia, China, Japan and the US, and offering the North security and economic benefits in exchange for denuclearization, broke down almost a decade ago.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today came down heavily on the BJP for its alleged involvement in the pulling down of a statue of communist icon Lenin in Tripura, where the Left Front has been overthrown by the saffron party in the recent Assembly election.



''I am against the CPI(M) and Marx or Lenin are not my leaders. I have always protested against the atrocities of the CPI(M). Similarly, I will also not accept the BJP's atrocities.

''Nobody is protesting. But somebody has to bell the cat. I will protest. We will protest...Always remember this,'' the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said at a public review meeting here.

The five-foot-tall fibre-glass statue of Vladimir Lenin, which was unveiled by CPI(M) politburo member Prakash Karat a few months ago, was yesterday pulled down allegedly by BJP workers at the College Square in Belonia in South Tripura district.

Banerjee, a known critic of the BJP, said, ''If you (BJP) think that because you have come to power in a state (Tripura), you will destroy statues of Marx, Lenin or Gandhiji, we will not accept it.

''It is not somebody's job to kill people or pull down the statue of an icon after coming to power in a state. We (TMC) have respect for Gandhiji, Netaji, Vivekananda, Ambedkar, and Nazrul. We respect everybody because we believe in communal harmony just like the way we believe in a holistic approach in politics.''

Banerjee recollected her protests against the forcible acquisition of farmlands in Singur and Nandigram and the massacre at Netai, where nine villagers were killed in firing allegedly from a CPI(M) activist's house during the erstwhile Left rule in West Bengal.

''I do not forget such things so easily...But my partymen never took revenge against the CPI(M) after the TMC came to power in West Bengal.

''We came to power (in Bengal) after 34 years of atrocities by the Left. Our slogan was 'Bodla noi, bodol chai' (we want to change, not revenge). That is why even after the CPI(M)'s atrocities for so many years, we have not followed the path of revenge. That is not our nature and that is not democracy,'' she said.

The TMC chief was also critical of the media's role in reporting the pulling down of the Lenin statue.

"I would like to know why are you (media) mum now. Can't you see now? They (BJP) are up to vandalizing everything there (Tripura),'' she said.

In the recently held Tripura Assembly polls, the CPI(M)-led Left Front, which had been in power in the north-eastern state for the last 25 years, was overthrown by the BJP-IPFT alliance, which won 43 seats in the 60-member House.
White House economic advisor Gary Cohn became the latest casualty of President Donald Trump's tumultuous administration, resigning in protest Tuesday as Trump stepped up his threats of steep tariffs on steel, aluminum, and European cars.



Asian stocks opened lower Wednesday amid fears the American president would embark on a more protectionist drive, despite US stocks finishing higher partly due to expectations for a detente in the Korean peninsula but with investors still struggling to discern whether Trump would follow through on restrictive trade measures.

Cohn led the charge on a tax cut proposal approved by Congress in December but lost the internal struggle against more protectionist voices over trade tariffs.

"Gary has been my chief economic advisor and did a superb job in driving our agenda," Trump said in a statement. "He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service."

The White House downplayed the idea Cohn resigned over more aggressive trade policies, but only moments before the announcement, Trump showed no signs of backing down even in the face of opposition from his own party.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said he was elected to protect American workers and industries that had been harmed by years of unfair trade policies.

"Our country has been taken advantage of by everybody. By everybody. And we cannot let that happen any longer," Trump said during a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven.

But Trump's aggressive plan to punish abusers by imposing 25 percent tariffs on steel and 10 percent on aluminum, against friend and foe alike, angered US trading partners.

It also startled US automakers and firms that rely on those metals and the free flow of trade.

Even administration officials were caught off guard by the announcement late last week since the legal review had not been completed.

Reports of Cohn's likely resignation began to circulate almost immediately.

It appears the 57-year-old former Goldman Sachs executive was drowned out by a decidedly more protectionist team including trade adviser Peter Navarro and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

Trump, in a tweet, said he would "soon" appoint a replacement.

"Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely!" he wrote.

Cohn is the latest in a long string of senior advisors to resign or be fired, a virtually unprecedented turnover of administration staff.

Hope Hicks, perhaps Trump's most trusted confidante, announced last Wednesday that she would resign as communications director.

Her move followed the departures of chief of staff Reince Priebus, national security advisor Michael Flynn, and others.

Markets became convinced Tuesday that the tariffs might not be that bad and a trade war could be averted, but Cohn's departure could portend a rocky trading session on Wednesday.

The tariff plan -- which Trump followed up with a threat to impose "reciprocal taxes" on all imports from countries that charge duties on US exports -- also sent shivers through Republican leaders, whose party has traditionally embraced free trade.

House Speaker Paul Ryan was in the vanguard, calling on Trump to have a "smarter" plan that was "more surgical and more targeted."

While there was "clearly abuse occurring" regarding overcapacity and dumping particularly by China, protectionist measures could have the "unintended consequences" of a trade war, Ryan told reporters.

But Trump once again dismissed the concerns about sparking a global confrontation, saying "trade wars aren't so bad... the trade war hurts them. It doesn't hurt us."

Earlier Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Trump understands "the potential impact" of the measures on the economy.

Mnuchin noted that he has been working on the specifics of the tariff plan, which will be announced this week, "and I think we have a way of managing through this."

Trump himself said, somewhat cryptically, that the measures will be imposed "in a long, loving way."

Despite those apparent assurances, the EU already has threatened to retaliate against American blue jeans, bourbon and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Mexico's Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo vowed Tuesday to fight back against US tariffs and target "the things they export that are most politically sensitive."

Trump again hit out at the threats of countermeasures, saying if the EU reacts, "then we put a big tax of 25 percent on their cars and believe me, they won't be doing it very long."

He also criticized Europe for making it "almost impossible for us do business with them."

It is just that kind of tit-for-tat confrontation that has economists fearing a real chance of a trade war that could do serious global economic damage.

Economist Ian Shepherdson of High-Frequency economics said Trump is "playing with fire."

"While the steel and aluminum industries are tiny relative to the overall economy, tariffs on those sectors are likely to lead to retaliation from other countries, with the Trump administration then potentially retaliating against the retaliation," he said in a research note.
The government and the BJP on Wednesday rushed to douse the fire over rising incidents of statue vandalisation and post-poll violence with Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemning such incidents and party president Amit Shah warning strong action against cadre.

However, Shah said no action will be taken against H Raja, who made a controversial social media post about Dravidian icon Periyar that led to vandalisation of the icon's statue.

Modi spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who also expressed his "strong disapproval" of such incidents, directing him to take "stern action" against those involved in such incidents as well as necessary actions to prevent such incidents.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sent a communique to all states asking them to take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents.

"Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law," it said.

The action comes two days after a statue of Lenin was toppled in Tripura, where the BJP trounced the CPM in the recent elections, and desecration of Periyar's statue in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday following a controversial social media post by BJP national secretary H Raja.

However, the Opposition did not buy the arguments with CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury saying, "Destruction of statues by the Sangh only demonstrates its real intentions and its hollowness: to demolish ideas of progress and enlightenment. They won't succeed. Mobs can vandalise statues but not demolish ideas."

Referring to Modi's condemnation, he said it was a "hypocritical statement" and it "means nothing when a Governor (Tathagata Roy) appointed by him continues to justify vandalism. As does his party MLA and a general secretary."

The Opposition has accused Roy and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav of justifying the vandalisation of Lenin's statue.

Union Minister Hansraj Ahir and Giriraj Kishore also have justified these incidents.

Terming these incidents "extremely unfortunate", Shah said he has spoken to the party units in Tamil Nadu and Tripura and warned that "any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action".

In a series of tweets, he said, "As a party, we in the BJP believe that a wide range of ideas and ideologies can coexist in India. This is exactly how the makers of our Constitution envisioned our great nation to be...The recent issue on destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybody's statue."

"The BJP will always remain committed to ideals of openness and constructive politics through which we can positively impact people's lives as well as build a New India," he said.
Miscreants hurled petrol bombs at the BJP office in Coimbatore early today but no one was injured, police said.



The miscreants, who came in an auto-rickshaw, hurled the bombs at the office in Siddapudur at around 4 am, they said, adding that the bombs fell short of the BJP office building.

A special police team has been formed to track down the culprits, based on CCTV camera footage, they added.

The attack comes after the reported remarks of BJP national secretary H Raja on Dravidian leader E V Ramaswamy, known as Periyar, and also the removal of communist icon Vladimir Lenin's statue in Tripura.

Visuals of the incident have gone viral on social media.

The local unit of the BJP has convened an emergency meeting following the incident, party sources said.

Meanwhile, additional forces have been deployed near Periyar's statues in and around the city, police said.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) Mumbai of the Indian Coast Guard received a distress message at 9.45 pm on Tuesday from a Singapore flagged container ship Maersk Honam.

The ship had left Singapore on March 1 and was heading to Suez. The ship has 27 crew, of which 13 are Indians, including the captain of the ship.

Of the 27, 23 were rescued. The remaining four are missing.

The vessel reported an explosion and fire onboard and requested immediate assistance. The ship was at a distance of 570 km (340 nautical miles) from Agatti in Lakshwadeep Islands.

The MRCC immediately alerted all the merchant ships near the location, through the satellite-based communication network, the International Safety Net (ISN).

Simultaneously, Indian Coast Guard ship Shoor patrolling near the Lakshadweep Islands was diverted for assisting the distressed vessel.

ICGS Shoor is an offshore patrol vessel and has specialised firefighting equipment on board.

IG KR Nautiyal, Coast Guard Commander(West) said, "Search operations are on and Coast Guard assets have been pressed into action, It is our priority to save and rescue the four missing crew and also continue our efforts to salvage the vessel with assistance of specialised vessels which is being arranged in coordination with a ship agency."
A US Navy veteran on Wednesday pleaded guilty to the murder of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in a racially motivated hate crime at a bar in Kansas City last year that raised fears of growing intolerance in America following President Donald Trumps tough rhetoric on immigration.



Adam Purinton, 52, pleaded guilty before a Kansas court.

He was charged with first-degree murder of Kuchibhotla, 32, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of his friend, Alok Madasani, and a bystander, who chased Purinton after he fled the Austin's Bar and Grill in Olathe city on February 22 last year.

Purinton, yelled, "Get out of my country," before shooting Kuchibhotla, who later died from injuries sustained in the attack.

Kuchibhotla and Madasani worked as engineers at Garmin, a tech company that makes GPS devices.

Puriton had earlier pleaded not guilty on all these charges and waived his preliminary hearing in late November 2017.

Before allowing Purinton's plea, Judge Charles Droege explained to him that changing his plea meant he would face life in prison, as well as a minimum of 146 months, maximum of 653 months in prison for attempted murder, not to mention the sentence he will face if convicted of a hate crime in federal court.

Purinton told the judge he understood, then he sat down as the State presented the details of the incident last February.

Kuchibhotla's widow Sunayana Dumala welcomed the guilty plea.

"Today's guilty verdict will not bring back my Srinu, but it will send a strong message that hate is never acceptable," she said in a statement.

Purinton sentencing is scheduled for May 4.

According to court documents, Purinton's plea hearing was originally scheduled for May 8 but later it was moved to March 6.

Federal prosecutors claimed that Purinton committed offences after substantial planning and premeditation, attempted to kill more than one person in a single criminal episode, and knowingly created a grave risk of death to others on the scene.

The incident happened after a Purinton reportedly became agitated with the two Indians who were having a drink after work.

Grillot, a regular at the bar, approached the man and asked him to leave.

The suspect left the bar and drove away, according to Grillot. He reportedly returned later and opened fire in the bar, according to prosecutors.

The murder generated immense outrage in India.

The murder also drew international attention and raised fears of growing intolerance in America.

Many blamed US President Trumps tough rhetoric on immigration, but the White House rejected any link between that and the shooting.

At the time of the incident, former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton tweeted a link to an article on the shooting and called on Trump to "step up and speak out" against "threats and hate crimes."
VHP leader Pravin Togadia had a close shave on Wednesday when his car was hit by a truck.



Togadia, who had reached Kamrej in Surat on Wednesday morning, saw a speeding truck hit the car he was seated in from behind and drag his vehicle over some distance.

The leader has sought an independent probe into the accident stating that it could be a conspiracy of attack on his life.

"Normally when a vehicle meets with an accident, they immediately apply brakes but here the truck driver after hitting the car, dragged it for few feet and stopped only when my car hit the divider and got stuck. He kept on coming over and did not apply brakes," Togadia later told mediapersons, hinting that there appeared to be a conspiracy of an attempt on his life.

Togadia, who has Z+ security, generally travels with a pilot car in front of his vehicle and an escort vehicle behind and besides his vehicle.

However, the escort cars were not present on Wednesday when Togadia met with the accident.

"It seems someone in the administrative hierarchy issued incomplete instructions to local administration. The written instructions for providing only a pilot car and not the other escort cars. My question is that who issued such an incomplete instructions and why? This has never happened till date," Togadia said.

"Today's (Wednesday's) incident also proves that it is wrong to believe that there is no danger to lives of people with Z+ security," he added.

Togadia had been claiming a threat to his life for some time now.

He had gone missing from Ahmedabad on the morning of January 15 this year, after receiving an anonymous call informing him that a team of police personnel from Rajasthan was in the city to arrest him.

Even then, he had expressed apprehension that he would be killed in a fake encounter.

The VHP leader was later found in Kotarpur area en route to Ahmedabad airport late in the evening from where he was taken to a private hospital in a semi-conscious state, with doctors attending on him stating that he was suffering from hypoglycaemia.

Togadia has now sought an independent probe in to the accident. However, there has been no word from the state government or local authorities as yet.
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of Mohammed Nalapad Harris to Friday as special public prosecutor Shyam Sunday sought two more days to file his statement of objections.



Mohammed, son of MLA N A Haris has filed a criminal petition in the Karnataka High Court seeking bail.

The petitioner's advocate Usman, has sought an interim bail mainly on the grounds that Vidwath has recovered and has been discharged from hospital; also opposing the IPC section 307 (Attempt to murder).

The court stated that it will hear the main petition seeking bail on Friday.

Mohammed and his six friends were arrested after they brutally assaulted 24-year-old Vidwath, son of a businessman, in an uptown cafe in the city on February 17.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the CBSE not to make Aadhaar number mandatory for enrolment of students appearing in NEET 2018 and other all India exams.



A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief justice Dipak Misra directed the CBSE to upload the information on their website.

Earlier in the day, UIDAI had told the apex court that it has not authorised CBSE to mandatorily take Aadhaar number of students to get themselves enroled for appearing in NEET 2018 examination.

Attorney General K K Venugopal had said he has instructions from Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) that like in Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya and Assam other identity proofs like passport, voter card and ration card can be used by the CBSE for enroling the students in the examination.

The UIDAI's remarks came on a plea challenging the decision of CBSE seeking mandatorily the Aadhaar number or Aadhaar enrolment number from students who are aspiring to take up the NEET 2018 examination.

The Gujarat High Court had dismissed the plea on February 27.

The appeal in Supreme Court challenges the order of Gujarat High Court
The BSF on Wednesday withdrew an order deducting a weeks salary from a jawan for showing "disrespect" towards the prime minister during a routine drill after Narendra Modi expressed his displeasure over the punishment, the force said.



Modi directed the BSF on Wednesday to immediately withdraw the order, a spokesperson of the paramilitary said, adding that it had been rescinded.

Constable Sanjeev Kumar, posted in the 15th battalion of the Border Security Force deployed in West Bengal's Nadia district, was found "guilty" by his commanding officer (CO) for using the words "Modi programme" while attending a morning roll call task on February 21.

The CO of the unit, Commandant Anup Lal Bhagat, issued an order handing down a "pay fine of seven days", which means a salary cut for a week, to the jawan for "showing disrespect towards the prime minister".

"The prime minister has expressed his displeasure and directed the force to immediately withdraw the punishment. The order has been rescinded and the concerned Commandant has been cautioned for not dealing with the matter judiciously," the BSF spokesperson said.

Officials said the jawan referred to an event that he attended as "Modi programme" during the 'zero parade' or reporting assembly of briefing seniors about their official activities.

They said the CO found this reference by the jawan to the prime minister as improper and ordered an inquiry against him.

The inquiry, the officials said, was completed in a day and constable Kumar was held guilty and charged under section 40 of the BSF Act (an act prejudicial to good order and discipline of the force).

"Senior officers of the force have been instructed time and again to display qualities of a good leader, both in letter and spirit, for the personnel under their command.

"These men and women work in some of the most arduous conditions across the country. Their commanders should ensure discipline in the force but the punishment has to be commensurate to the offence," a senior officer of the force said, underling that handing down a pay cut to the jawan was not a judicious decision.

The 15th battalion of the BSF is deployed to guard the India-Bangladesh international border in West Bengal.
Three railway stations under the South Central Railway (SCR) zone will be fully-managed by women from Thursday March 8, which is celebrated as 'International Women's Day'.



An SCR official said on Wednesday that the move is aimed at boosting the morale of women employees.

"The SCR has taken the initiative to make Chandragiri railway station in Guntakal division, Begumpet station in Secunderabad division and Phirangipuram station in Guntur division all-women stations with a view to empower the women work force in Railways and to boost their morale and self confidence," the official said.

SCR chief public relations officer M Umashankar Kumar said that as part of the exercise, the women staff will be deployed to handle all day-to-day activities, including train operations, ticketing, security and other duties.

At Chandragiri station, the women staff consists of four assistant station masters and three points-women, he said.

According to Kumar, at Begumpet railway station, SCR is planning to deploy eight women commercial clerks, four enquiry-cum-reservation clerks, six constables and one sub-inspector of Railway Protection Force (RPF) to handle day-to-day operations and to provide smooth and hassle-free service to passengers.

"At Phirangipuram railway station, there is a plan to deploy total 11 women staff members, including three assistant station masters, six points-women and two RPF constables, Kumar said.
Congress MLA and former home minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan on Wednesday set off a row after he brought a used tear-gas canister to the Kerala legislative Assembly.



During a discussion on the functioning of the Home Department, the veteran leader pointed out how grenades and tear-gas were being used to counter protests in the state.



He surprised the House by pulling out the shell from a bag as he went on to highlight police atrocities.



"This was thrown at Youth Congress workers (during a recent protest in Thiruvananthapuram). Even these are past their expiry date," Radhakrishnan said.



The initial round of amused laughter gave way for concerned voices as legislators of the CPM-led ruling front questioned methods used by Radhakrishnan to make his point.



Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan pointed out that bringing fire-arms to the House was a violation of its rules.



"If what Thiruvanchoor has brought here is an actual grenade, it has to be handed over to the Speaker," the chief minister said. Later, Radhakrishnan handed over the shell to security personnel.



On February 26, clashes broke out between members of the Youth Congress and the police in the capital city after the chief minister turned down demands for a CBI investigation on the killing of Youth Congress leader S P Shuhaib, in Kannur.



The protesters hurled stones and bottles at the police near the State Secretariat and the police fired tear-gas canisters at them.



Shuhaib, Youth Congress Block Secretary in Mattannur, died on February 13 after being attacked by an armed gang near a road-side eatery. Police have arrested 11 people in connection with the killing, many of themare CPM activists or supporters.



CBI PROBE ON



The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the CBI to take over investigation in the case. The court was hearing a petition by Shuhaib's family seeking an investigation by the central agency.



The CPM-led Left government had maintained that police investigation in the case was on course and a CBI probe was not required.
Women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormons) in the greater Chattanooga area will hold a conference on Saturday, March 10, 2018 on being converted unto the Lord (3 Nephi 28:23). In the spirit of serving as the Savior would serve, they will also make and donate cancer treatment bags. All women, no matter religious affiliation, are invited to attend. The conference will be held at 3067 Ooltewah-Ringgold Road, Ooltewah.

This year, we plan to distribute cancer treatment bags to several different cancer centers, hospitals and patients in the Chattanooga area, Mrs.

Celeste Ward said. Mrs. Ward heads up the womens organization for the Chattanooga Stake (area) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bags will include unscented lotion, puzzle books, warm socks, chap stick, hard candies, fleece or flannel lap size blankets and plastic silver ware.

We will also focus on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world, Mrs. Ward continued. As our theme, we are using a scripture from the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is another witness of Jesus Christ, a record of Gods dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, a companion not a replacement to the Holy Bible. According to lds.org, in its more than 6,000 verses, the Book of Mormon refers to Jesus Christ almost 4,000 times and by 100 different names: Jehovah, Immanuel, Holy Messiah, Lamb of God, Redeemer of Israel, and so on.

In 3 Nephi 28:23, we read:

And it came to pass that thus they did go forth among all the peopleand did preach the gospel of Christ unto all people upon the face of the land; and they were converted unto the Lord, and were united unto the church of Christ, and thus the people of that generation were blessed, according to the word of Jesus.

Being converted unto the Lord means following Him, keeping His commandments, serving others. The scriptures are filled with many stories of conversion which can uplift us as we face todays challenges, which are many, Mrs. Ward emphasized. We live in difficult times that threaten our safety  spiritually, physically and economically. And so, we will have featured speakers who will discuss practical applications of conversion and discipleship, including what it means to give The Lord equal time, how to manage anxiety and stress, how to live safely and happily within a budget, how to govern our spending by our earnings and not our yearnings, how to set personal boundaries, what it means to be a covenant-keeping woman, intentional parenting, building confidence and self-worth, the joy of the fast, the blessing of spiritual gifts, and understanding and living the doctrine of Christ. We will also talk about the angels that are all around us as we strive to do and be good.

Guest speakers include Mr. Judd Rambo, Seminary and Institute Coordinator for the LDS Church Educational System (CES) in East Tennessee; Dr. Julia Ann Krogel, clinical psychologist with a private practice in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Ryan and Liz Adams from Decatur, Tennessee; Amiee Silvenis, CPA, of McDonald, Tennessee; Dr. Jim Barrott, Executive Vice President at Chattanooga State and Counselor in the Presidency of the Chattanooga Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife, Sue; Nori Batman, LDS convert from Hungary; Aprile Nielsen, Primary (children) president for the LDS Chattanooga Stake; Josselyn Nielsen, former U.S. Navy service member now of Signal Mountain, Tennessee; Dr. Mark Mendenhall, UTC professor and business consultant; Mama Rine Clark of East Ridge, Tennessee; and Phil Smartt, BYU Education Week Lecturer.

Officials said, "We invite all women in the greater Chattanooga area to join us on Saturday, March 10, from 9 a.m.1 p.m. Lunch will be served. The event is free."
As many as 7,850 Indians are lodged in jails abroad, with the highest number of over 2,000 nationals in prisons in Saudi Arabia, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said today.



In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, he said due to strong privacy laws prevailing in many countries, the local authorities do not share information on prisoners unless the person concerned consents to the disclosure of such information.

"As per the information available with the ministry, the number of Indian prisoners in foreign jails is 7,850 and the number of Indians who have completed their jail terms is 360 as of 28.02.2018," he said.

Saudi Arabia has the maximum number of 2,181 Indian prisoners followed by the UAE with 1,628.

Singh also said that after the enactment of the Repatriation of Prisoners Act in 2003, 170 applications for repatriation have been received and 63 Indian prisoners have been repatriated from foreign prisons.

Replying to a separate written question on whether the government has initiated and completed the DNA testing of the families of 39 Indian workers that are missing since June 2014 from Mosul in Iraq, Singh replied in the affirmative.

"DNA samples, as received from our respective state governments, have been forwarded to the Iraqi authorities for inclusion in their database for matching with the DNA from the human remains being retrieved by them from mass graves. The report of the test is awaited," the minister added.
One never stops learning in fighter-aircraft flying as every take-off and landing brings in new experience, feels India's first woman fighter pilot Avani Chaturvedi.



In a brief interview to DH on the eve of the International Women's Day, Avani said her unit (21 Squadron) didn't distinguish between male and female combat pilots as both were allotted similar tasks and same workload every week.

More than a fortnight ago, Avani created history as she became the first Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo when she took off in a MiG-21 Bison at Jamnagar air base. The 30-minute sortie broke a glass ceiling.

Before Avani and two of her batch mates Bhawna Kanth and Mohana Singh became the IAF's first three women fighter pilots, at least one previous IAF chief and a vice chief rejected the idea of women entering the male-dominated sphere of combat flying.

There were two arguments against the fairer sex. First women were not strong enough to fly a mean machine and secondly if they get married and became pregnant, the money invested on them for training (nearly Rs 15 crore) would not be recovered.

In December 2015, the defence ministry changed its policy to allow women in combat flying on an experimental basis for five years. Within a year, the trio was selected.

A year later another batch of three girls Rashi Raina, Shivangi Singh and Pratibha were picked up for the second batch of women fighter pilots.

In fact, soon after Avani, Bhawna and Mohana began their training, IAF issued an advisory to the young cadets asking them to put off the motherhood by at least four years from the date of their commissioning.

The trio got their wings in June 2016.

Asked to comment on the advisory, Avani said she was not aware of any such advisory from the IAF headquarters.

"I am lucky that IAF showed confidence in me and given a free hand to fly the MiG-21 Bison," said Avani, whose brother is in the Army and father works for the irrigation department in Madhya Pradesh.

Her training period would continue for another one and half years as she would have to master the art of flying solo as well as flying in moonless night.

Avani's batch mate Bhawna too began flying the MiG-21 at Ambala.

Combat flying by women in the IAF happened 25 years after the service commissioned first batch of 10 women officers.

Currently IAF has as many as 1,598 women officers including 104 pilots for fighter, transport and helicopter operations. The service also has women trained for flying helicopters in Siachen glacier, which is equally arduous and challenging task.

In comparison, the 13 lakh strong Indian Army has 1,548 women officers whereas there are 469 women officers in the Navy- India's smallest military arm.
The Shimla police on Wednesday registered a case against yesteryear Bollywood actor Jeetendra for sexually assaulting his cousin in a hotel room in the hill town 47-years ago.



The actor's cousin, who is the complainant in the case, said she was sexually assaulted by Jeetendra in 1971 when she was just 18-years old.

Jeetendra, whose real name was Ravi Kapoor, was then about 28-years old. The complainant said Jeetendra is her father's sister son.

The 65-year old women claimed that Jeetendra had arranged for her to join him from New Delhi to Shimla on the sets of a film he was then shooting.

A hotel was booked where she stayed. The woman claimed that one night during their stay in the hotel, Jeetendra came to her room in an inebriated state.

He joined the twin beds and sexually assaulted her that night. The next morning, she said, the actor did not speak to her and asked his staff to buy her some clothes and send her back to Delhi.

Jeetendra's advocate has rubbished the allegations terming them frivolous and baseless.

The police will now ask the woman to record her statement before the local magistrate.

In fact, it was in February this year that the women had sent an email to Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police seeking registration of an FIR against Jeetendra for sexually assaulting her.

An FIR under section 354 of the IPC was registered on Wednesday at the Chotta Shimla police station.

The police said the woman has been asked to provide any evidence that she may have to establish her stay in the hotel.

The case against the actor will be probed as per the old provisions of the section 354 IPC in view of the law that was in existence in the year 1971 when the alleged crime took place.

The new amendments, which are far more stringent, will not come into effect.

The victim said it took her years to reveal her trauma and share the crime with the police after her parents passed away.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will contest the Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh while his Cabinet colleague Dharmendra Pradhan will fight from Madhya Pradesh.



Jaitley, a three-term MP, is currently a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat while Petroleum Minister Pradhan represents Bihar in the Upper House.

Except for this two, the BJP central election committee decided to field five serving ministers and a party general secretary from the states which they are representing now.

While Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Tawarchand Gehlot is fighting from Madhya Pradesh, Health Minister J P Nadda will contest from his home state Himachal Pradesh.

Law Minister Ravishankar Prasad will be fielded from Bihar in the elections to vacancies arising from April 2 to 58 for Rajya Sabha seats in 17 states.

BJP general secretary will contest from from Rajasthan while two ministers of state Parshottam Rupala and Manusukh Mandaviya will contest from Gujarat.

There are four seats getting vacant in Gujarat and all are BJP MPs.

However, this time, BJP cannot return all of them from Gujarat as Congress is likely to win two seats owing to its improved numbers in the Assembly.

Party leaders said this was the reason why Jaitley was shifted to UP where it can manage victory in at least eight seats.

Similarly in Bihar where BJP is in alliance with JD(U), coalition compulsions may not allow it a spare seat for Pradhan, who hails from Odisha.

This round of Rajya Sabha elections would bring cheers to the saffron camp as their numbers will go up and bringing down the Opposition seats.
The Opposition Congress and NCP in Maharashtra on Wednesday accused the BJP-Shiv Sena saffron alliance government of reducing the height of grand statue of legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj proposed in the Arabian Sea.



However, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured that the statue would be the tallest in the world. "I can assure you that the statue of Shivaji Maharaj would be the tallest in the world....we are starting the work now. In the last 15 years, you (Congress and NCP) could not lay a single brick," Fadnavis told the Legislative Assembly.

Fadnavis's statement came after former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (both from Congress), former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and former Finance Minister Jayant Patil (both from NCP) charged the government with reducing the height of the statue.

Patil said that the statue's height has been shrunk from "160 metres to 126 metres", including the pedestal.

"The statue will be and remain 210 metres high. There is no need to create doubts. The issue is of our state's pride and identity," Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said.

This led to Opposition MLAs shouting slogans, demanding a discussion on the issue, and the House was adjourned for ten minutes.

Oppn walkout

When the House reassembled, Cultural Affairs Minister Vinod Tawde said that the height has not been reduced. However, Opposition members staged a walkout.

Later, Fadnavis issued a clarification and said that there was no question of reducing the height. "What height was approved has been retained," he said.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 2,500 crore and the contract has been awarded to construction and engineering major L&T.

In December 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the jal-poojan and bhoomi-poojan for the grand Shiv Smarak project.
The Centre on Wednesday said no to special category status for Andhra Pradesh but promised to pay the monetary equivalent of the status for the state.



Briefing reporters here, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said special status is nothing but a 90:10 ratio of fund-sharing between the Centre and the state where the Centre is committed to 90% of funds required for a centrally sponsored scheme.

"We are ready for 90:10 fund-sharing. In fact, it is almost me waiting to know the bank accounts where the money has to be deposited," Jaitley said at a special press conference called to brief on Andhra Pradesh issue.

He said the state had asked for loans through NABARD instead of external agencies such as the World Bank or Asian Development Bank.

"We are ready even for that so long as it does not impact the Centre's or the state's fiscal deficit. Let the state come up with a proposal and we are ready to give the funds as required," he said, adding he himself believed that the state needed assistance after Telangana was carved out of it.

He, however, said, "political issues cannot increase the quantum of funds, nor can sentiments decide the issue of money."

Jaitley's comments come in the wake of Chandrababu Naidu, the chief of Telugu Desam Party - BJP's biggest ally in South India - threatening to break the alliance if the Centre did not move forward on the special status issue.

Jaitley said every state in India had the right to same central funds after the 14th Finance Commission revoked special category status for states. "But I have been sympathetic to Andhra Pradesh because I know it suffered due to bifurcation," Jaitley said. To a further nudge from reporters about special status, Jaitley quipped, "...then why not Bihar".

Special package

"The only variation is that after the Finance Commission's report, instead of formally calling it a special category state, we are calling it a special package which gives the same monetary benefits as that of a special category state.

To a question on Congress President Rahul Gandhi's promise to give the state special category status if his party came to power, Jaitley said, "I still have to follow constitutional award of the 14th Finance Commission."

On meeting the revenue deficit of the state, Jaitley said, "the Centre has already paid Rs 4,000 crore and only Rs 138 crore remains."

The demand for special status was raised after Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated. The Centre announced a "special package" in 2016 for Andhra Pradesh but the TDP said no funds were given to the state. Jaitley, however, said that under the 90:10 scheme, the Centre has already paid for three years out of the promised five.
Normal life was affected in Kashmir on Wednesday due to the strike called by separatists against the recent killing of civilians and shifting of political prisoners from the Valley to outside jails.



Separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik had called for a march to south Kashmir's Shopian to offer condolences to families of four youth killed in army firing at Pahnoo village in the district on Sunday night.

They had also called for a shutdown in protest of the shifting of prisoners to jails outside the Valley.

Pertinently, following the dramatic escape of Lashker-e-Taiba commander Naveed Jatt alias Abu Hanzulla last month, nearly 40 prisoners were shifted from the Central Jail, Srinagar to prisons outside the Valley.

Fearing trouble, authorities had deployed police and paramilitary CRPF troopers in full riot gear in the sensitive areas of old city Srinagar and south Kashmir areas to ensure peace.

The police and CRPF had laid razor wires and erected barricades at some road junctions. Armoured vehicles were also seen at some road junctions in old Srinagar.

All the shops, commercial establishments and educational institutions remained closed while public transport was off the roads in Srinagar city while attendance in government offices was thin. However, skeletal movement of private vehicles was reported from various areas.

Similar reports were received from other parts of the Valley.

The government had on March 5 ordered the closure of all educational institutions till March 7 which also led to the cancellation of various examinations.

Intra-Kashmir train services also remained suspended for the third consecutive day.

Police issued an advisory seeking cooperation from the people to maintain "order and peace" in wake of the protest march towards Shopian.

While Yasin Malik was detained and lodged in Central Jail Srinagar, Mirwaiz and Geelani were put under house arrest to prevent them from leading protest rallies.



A police spokesperson said situation in Valley remained peaceful with no untoward incident reported from anywhere.
Two days after the Ministry of Defence informed the Rajya Sabha that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China built helipads, trenches and sentry posts in Doklam, the Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday stated that status quo prevailed in the area of the 2017 face-off between the soldiers of the two neighbouring nations.



"Since the disengagement of Indian and Chinese border personnel in the Doklam area on August 28, 2017, there have been no new developments at the face-off site and its vicinity. The status quo prevails in this area," V K Singh, Minister of State (External Affairs), said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

His reply came just two days after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Rajya Sabha that China's PLA had built sentry posts, trenches and helipads in Doklam.

The Indian Army and Chinese PLA had a face-off in Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan from June 18 to August 28, 2017. It ended with both sides withdrawing troops on August 28, 2017.





"Post disengagement from the face-off in 2017, the troops of both sides have redeployed themselves away from their respective positions at the site. The strengths of both sides have been reduced. In order to maintain these troops during winter, the PLA has undertaken construction of some infrastructure, including sentry posts, trenches and helipads," Nirmala said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Crye-Leike Real Estate Services announced that Realtor Stacey Groover has become a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS). Ms. Groover works out of the Crye-Leike Hixson office at 5870 Highway 153.

To earn this recognition, Ms. Groover had to complete advanced professional training and demonstrate outstanding achievement in her professional residential real estate career. There are only 29,000 realtors who have earned this credential out of 1.2 million realtors nationwide. Having a CRS designation, home buyers and sellers can trust that she is well versed in the latest tactics and technologies to better assist clients in maximizing profits and minimizing costs.

I am proud to have earned the CRS designation, said Ms. Groover. This is a reflection of all the years of education, professionalism, and success representing clients during my career in real estate.

With over nine years experience in real estate, she is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), Greater Chattanooga and Tennessee Association of Realtors. In addition to her recent designation, she is also nationally recognized as Graduate, Realtor Institute (GRI), awarded by the NAR for completion of a series of comprehensive educational courses for real estate professionals.

Ms. Groover serves the real estate needs of home-buyers and sellers in Hamilton County, specializing in residential and first-time home buyers. I am dedicated to not just being a top real estate agent, but providing the best possible service and care to all of my clients, she said.

For further information about real estate in and around Hamilton County, contact Ms. Groover at (423) 838-8831, or by email at stacey.groover@crye-leike.com.
Growers, who were expecting good returns, are struck by panic as the market rate of pepper is falling.



Pepper, nicknamed as 'Black Gold' was earlier considered as a profitable crop for the growers. Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and parts of Hassan district grow pepper along with coffee. Kodagu is known for the production of best quality pepper, with an annual production of 15,000 tonnes.

But owing to the sale of adulterated pepper imported from Vietnam, the Central government had passed an order in last December fixing the minimum price of pepper to Rs 500 per kg.

The growers usually pluck the pepper raw and then store it after drying it. This measure is unavoidable as the growers are apprehensive about the availability of labourers during the harvesting season.

After the Central government fixed the minimum price, the buyers paid an amount to growers in advance considering the minimum price. But now, the market rate for pepper has plunged to Rs 320-340 per kg.

Growers and buyers say that the minimum price fixing has not been effectively implemented.

Foul play alleged

The growers association has alleged foul play by officials.

Several hundred tonnes of poor quality pepper has been imported from Sri Lanka. There is a possibility of officials mingling with wrongdoers, the growers alleged and have urged authorities to conduct an in-depth probe in this regard.
Opposition parties, the BJP and the JD(S) on Wednesday came down heavily on the state government for the attack on Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanth Shetty, saying that law and order had completely collapsed in the state.



BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa said the incident was yet another example of "lawlessness" in the state. "That one gets the courage to attack the Lokayukta itself shows how bad the situation is in the state," he stated.

Expressing shock over the attack on Shetty, JD(S) national president and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda said that Karnataka had become a 'goonda raj' under the Siddaramaiah government.

"If a judge can be stabbed in broad daylight like this, one wonders where we are living. Is this a goonda raj? On one hand the government weakened the Lokayukta - now this. When the government can't even protect the Lokayukta, how can it protect the people of the state," he stated.

Later, Gowda visited Justice Shetty at the hospital where he is being treated upon.

BJP leader R Ashoka demanded that the Centre should impose President's rule in the state.JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy said the President's rule should have been imposed five to six months ago itself. "If that had happened, we wouldn't be in such a situation today. Both the BJP and the Congress are responsible for such lawlessness in the state today," he said.

He also said that ever since the Congress came to power, there had been continued attacks on bureaucrats and police officials. "Now a judge has been attacked. CM should take complete responsibility for this.
With many of the senior party leaders keeping themselves away from the electioneering, the ruling Congress' campaign for the upcoming Assembly polls is seen as a one-man show of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.



Siddaramaiah appears to be waging a lone battle ever since the launch of his Navakarnataka Nirmana Yatra on December 13, 2017. Top leaders from the state, including senior Cabinet ministers, have so far not taken any initiative to give the much-needed boost to the party's campaign.

These senior leaders were seen only when AICC president Rahul Gandhi held Janaashirvaada Yatra in Hyderabad-Karnataka and Mumbai-Karnataka regions recently.

Though Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara, too, had launched a parallel yatra along with that of the chief minister, he subsequently abandoned it, leaving the Congress campaign incomplete. Siddaramaiah was to cover 124 constituencies, while the KPCC chief would tour the remaining 100 seats.

The two leaders were asked to take out separate campaigns owing to differences between them.

In contrast, the BJP has launched a high-decibel campaign, involving both the state and the Central leaders. Union Ministers from the state - Ananth Kumar, D V Sadananda Gowda and Anantkumar Hegde a are devoting much of their time for the campaign. Though the state unit of the BJP is riddled with many factions, the Central leadership has ensured that all of them are involved in the campaign being conducted at multiple locations across the state simultaneously.

Sources in the Congress said many of the senior leaders are upset with the party for giving prominence to Siddaramaiah.

The high command maintaining silence over Siddaramaiah's efforts to project himself as the chief minister candidate for a second term, and him unilaterally announcing candidates in over 80 constituencies, has also irked the leaders.

As far as the state Congress leaders are concerned, majority of them, including those close to Siddaramaiah, are busy preparing for their own contest in the coming polls. Even Parameshwara is keeping himself busy in Koratagere constituency, from where he is likely to contest. He lost the 2013 Assembly polls from the constituency.

The KPCC campaign committee led by Energy Minister D K Shivakumar recently gave a detailed power-point presentation on countering the BJP in the campaign. But the plan has, so far, remained only on papers, the sources pointed out.
Around 50 top BJP functionaries, Union ministers, party morcha heads will descend on Bengaluru this weekend and visit various parts of the state for a grassroots assessment of the poll preparedness of the Karnataka unit of the party.



The team includes party national president Amit Shah's trusted lieutenants, who will be touring the state for three days. Shah himself may visit Bengaluru, but the state unit is yet to get a confirmation.

The visiting team will be assessing the party's poll campaigns, formation of booth committees, functioning of various morchas, organisational machinery among others. Each functionary will have to monitor four Assembly segments.

Party sources said Shah, during the last three months, has put in place a mechanism to gain command over details. A number of party functionaries report to him on the developments in the state unit on a day-to-day basis. Some of his key strategists including Bhupendra Yadav, Arun Singh and Om Mathur have made multiple visits to the state without any prior intimation to the state unit.

Yadav, a Rajya Sabha member, is monitoring the "Page Pramukh" initiative of the party. BJP national general secretary Arun Singh is known for his organisational skills while Om Mathur, who likes working in the party's election war room is said to have prepared the groundwork for a 25-0 clean sweep in the Lok Sabha elections in his home state - Rajasthan.

Some of the Union ministers scheduled to visit Karnataka this weekend include Prakash Javadekar, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Bupendra Hooda. The state unit has requested Shah to address the conclusion of the party's "Save Bengaluru" padayatra on March 15.
A Congress screening committee headed by senior leader Madhusudan Mistry will camp in Bengaluru for two days starting Thursday.



Mistry, along with committee members Tamradhwaj Sahu and Gaurav Gogoi (both Members of Parliament) are slated to assess the party's situation ahead of the polls and go over reports from observers on candidates who deserve to be given tickets. The committee will also hold meetings with presidents of the party's district units as part of the stock-taking exercise.

The party has issued over 3,000 ticket applications since February 26, when the process started.
The managing director of the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation Limited allegedly received a death threat from a subordinate who was angry at being transferred.



In a police complaint, Islauddin Jalaluddin Gadyal said N G Chennigaraya, the corporation's Mandya district manager, barged into his office on the 12th floor of VV Tower on Ambedkar Veedhi, central Bengaluru, on February 27 and threatened to kill him.

Chennigaraya was transferred recently but had failed to report for work. Gadyal then issued him a notice. Chennigaraya requested him to revoke the transfer, but the KAS officer refused to do so.

Following Gadyal's complaint, the Vidhana Soudha police rushed some of their men to VV Tower but Chennigaraya had left by then. He has been booked under IPC sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
The ruling Congress will come out with a charge sheet to highlight the way the BJP mishandled Bengaluru, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said here on Wednesday.



This will be a counter to the BJP, which has already released a 20-page booklet to showcase the "misrule" of Bengaluru under the Congress regime, which the saffron party followed up with a Bengaluru Rakshisi (Protect Bengaluru) padayatra covering all 28 Assembly segments in the city.

"In fact, it was the Congress that protected Bengaluru from the BJP," Reddy told reporters. "By the time we came to power, the BBMP had loans worth Rs 3,500 crore, Rs 2,500 crore of pending bills and six public properties were pledged. We have taken steps to remedy these mistakes," he said.

A committee under retired high court Justice H N Nagamohan Das was looking into the irregularities in the BBMP from 2008 to 2012, Reddy said.

"Our charge sheet will highlight the mistakes committed by the BJP. Once the BJP is done with its padayatra, we will also cover all the 28 constituencies and take the message to the people," Reddy said, adding that KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao had been tasked with the job of preparing the charge sheet against the BJP.
Amidst a grand ceremony on Wednesday, the newly formed Bengaluru Central University was inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Its website, logo and a vision document were also launched on the occasion.



Chief minister inaugurated the university by unveiling a plaque at the Central College premises. He also inaugurated the restored clock tower.

Founding Vice-Chancellor Prof S Japhet said addressing the chief minister. "We will need at least Rs 1,000 crore to build this university but to begin with please give us a sum of Rs 500 crore. Then, we will be able to bring it to the standards you have dreamed of."

He requested the chief minister to grant an additional land of 40 to 50 acres and to sanction additional teaching and non-teaching faculty posts.

In response, Siddaramaiah said,"We will give you the land and money but you should ensure quality education first."

Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy said the state's Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education is 26.5%, higher than the national average of 25.2%. "In the next five years, we want to increase it to 40%," he said.

Laptops will be distributed to first-year students of BE, BA, BCom, BSc and polytechnic in government colleges for free at a cost of Rs 300 crore, he said.

Nine old students of Central College were felicitated by the CM at the ceremony: Scientist Dr Roddam Narasimha, film director M S Sathyu, poet S Nissar Ahmed, former editor of Deccan Herald and Prajavani K N Hari Kumar, freedom fighter H S Doreswamy, former chief justice of the Supreme Court Justice M N Venkatachalaiah, educator Dr Geetha Narayanan, scientist Dr Vasudev Aatre, and poet Dr Siddalingaiah.

Poet Nadoja K S Nissar Ahmed reminisced about his time as a student and later, as a teacher. Ahmed poked fun at transport minister H M Revanna, who was also a student of Central College and present at the event. "I am not sure if he has the right to sit here because he did not come for a single class. He used to sit on the compound wall of the college," Ahmed said.

Two universities without VCs

Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy said that the names proposed for the post of vice-chancellor of Bangalore University (BU) had been sent to the Governor. The names recommended for Mysore University will also be sent in two days, he said. The two universities have been without vice-chancellors for more than a year.

Late beginnings

Students were irked that the programme began two hours late since the chief minister arrived at the venue only at 1 pm. Many left the venue even before the chief minister delivered his address.
Police inspector Chandrappa, attached with the District Special Branch (DSB) Kolar, has been arrested for abetting the suicide of a KSRTC conductor and his mother.



Maunesh and Sundaramma, the mother-son duo, plunged to death from the fifth floor of the MSC Empress apartment in Belathur in Kadugodi in east Bengaluru on Tuesday. Both were residents of Chikkanahalli in Shahpur, Yadgir district.

Maunesh's wife Sridevi lodged a complaint with the Whitefield police on the same night. The police probe, which focused on circumstantial and scientific evidence, indicate that the deaths were suicide.

The police also recovered a suicide note written by Maunesh, accusing Chandrappa of causing enormous mental torture.

Taking the note as evidence, the police booked Chandrappa under IPC Sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 343 (illegal confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

"We are also writing to the superintendent of police, Kolar to place Chandrappa under suspension, and to initiate a departmental inquiry," said an official.

The police are also searching for Chandrappa's sister Manjula, who went missing recently, to ascertain if she had a marital relationship with Maunesh.

Inspector's version

In his statement to the police, Chandrappa had said he suspected Maunesh for his sister's disappearance as the conductor had an affair with her. He also alleged that Maunesh eloped with Manjula and married her.

Chandrappa traced the couple, annulled their marriage and brought Manjula home. But his sister went missing for a second time.

Chandrappa then invited Maunesh to his flat to search for Manjula. Fearing that the inspector would harm Maunesh, his mother Sundaramma also came with him to Bengaluru.

On Tuesday morning, the duo jumped from the kitchen utility area of the fifth-floor flat and committed suicide.
In these troubled times, we need to honor those who have endured significant struggling, suffering, and sacrifice to keep our federal government functional. A moment of prayerful pause, please, as I present a paean for the pitiable printing presses of the United States, who have been printing money non-stop since around January 2009 onwards to monetize the federal debt. They supply ... (click for more)

It is no secret the Delta variant of the COVID pandemic has all but crippled our bulging hospitals. There isnt a room to be found in any nearby hospital and the ravaging consequences are best detailed in our ever-rising death rates. But it could be worse. As of Friday, there were 3,422 patients hospitalized in Tennessee with 1,033 in intensive care, 747 so sick they are on ventilators. ... (click for more)
The Karnataka State Pharmacy Council has released a 30-minute video to educate the public on the need to buy medicines from a registered pharmacist.



Despite claims by the Karnataka State Drug Comptroller of cancelling several licences and raiding drug stores, unregistered pharmacists remain a serious threat to the public as they continue to issue drugs across the counter.

"A registered pharmacist never really runs a drug store. He simply hands over his/her certification to another person who runs the store," said vice president of the state drug council, D A Gundu Rao. "Although the drug store does have a licence hung in the shop, the actual registered pharmacist is never available there."

The message

Rao said the video would educate consumers to be wary of unregistered pharmacists, who act against the provisions of the Pharmacy Act, 1948.

"Beware consumers," says the video. "Why are you showing negligence while buying medicines?"

Drugs must be issued by a registered pharmacist since they can read the doctors' prescriptions properly and issue the medicines in the right dosage, the video says. "Drugs save lives, so ensure that drugs are bought through a registered pharmacist only. Don't risk your lives," it warns.

Council president Gangadhar V Yavagal said the video will be officially launched on March 11. "We want the public to know the dangers of buying drugs from unregistered pharmacists," he said.

Yavagal said the council has been instructing all pharmacists to renew their licences paying just Rs 200 per year. But only a few pay heed. Among the 55,000 registered pharmacists in the state, the council has removed over 20,000 for not renewing their licences.
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday adjourned the bail plea of Mohammed Nalapad Haris, arrested for his involvement in assaulting a man in a pub.



Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar adjourned the petition, saying he will hear the main bail plea and not the interim application after Special Public Prosecutor M S Shyamsundar sought two days to file objections on allowing Nalapad on bail.

Justice Kumar also allowed Alam Pasha, who runs an NGO, to assist the prosecution in the case.

Senior council C A Nagesh, representing Nalapad, raised no objections on Pasha assisting the prosecution.

Advocate Usman P, who filed Nalapad's bail application, said the son of the Shantinagar MLA was falsely implicated in the case and that dented his reputation. The complaint does not indicate that Nalapad committed any overt act that could be considered a non-bailable offence.

The petition also states that the rejection of bail by the sessions court caused serious prejudice in view of subsequent revelations by the doctors.

The victim feigned illness and was not cooperating with the doctors and the investigating agency to record his statement. Doctors treating him have certified that it was a clear case of malingering since February 25.

While the statements of the accused were recorded soon after they surrendered, the victim did not cooperate with the investigating agencies and he attempted to manipulate medical records to create false and imaginary grounds for rejection of Nalapad's bail, the petition said.

The assault was a spontaneous incident spurred by a drunken brawl and the victim did not sustain injuries to the vital parts of his body that could have caused death, the bail plea said.

The incident was blown out of proportion and Nalapad was unjustly subjected to media trial because he happens to be the son of an MLA, said the petition.

It also said the victim is the son of an influential businessman and there are no apprehensions about his safety, except for the SPP's claims that he is facing threats.

It conveyed Nalapad's submissions that he will cooperate with the probe and abide by the conditions the court may impose on him.
Several events are organised in the city to mark the International Women's Day on March 8.



Aside from the usual discounts at spas, pubs and restaurants, many talks and discussions on women's issues are being organised.

Bangalore University will organise a talk on this year's theme 'Time is Now: Rural and Urban activists transforming women's lives'. The keynote address will be delivered by Sunanda Jayaram, leader of the Karnataka State Farmers Association.

Ramaiah Institute of Technology is organising a two-day seminar on 'Women in Engineering' with Dr Shubha V, Head of Airport Instrumentation at National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) as one of the key speakers.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will celebrate the day with the announcement of schemes for the benefit of women employees and passengers. Transport Minister H M Revanna will be honouring women achievers Padmashree Sulagatti Narasamma, the 97-year-old midwife and Anitha Meri, a government school teacher from Bhadravathi.

K Ratnaprabha, chief secretary of the state, and the state's first woman Director-General and Inspector General of Police Neelamani S Raju will be taking part in the celebrations organised by the Karnataka Media Journalists Union in Nayana Sabhangana.

The New India Charitable Trust will mark the day with a silent protest march from Mysore Bank circle to Freedom Park to urge judiciary to fast-track rape cases.
The state government will sign a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the government of France on March 10 to set up waste energy plants in the city.



The proposal was presented by the government of France to the state government in 2017.

French President Emmanuel Macron will be signing the MoA with Karnataka in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, city Mayor R Sampath Raj and BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad on Saturday in Delhi.

The waste plant will be coming up at a Chikkanagamangala site near Anekal in Bengaluru Urban where the civic body is processing waste as of now.

With the introduction of the technology provided by France - which is on a public-private partnership model - about 7-8 MW of power can be generated.According to the revenue model, the Chikkanagamangala facility will be taken for a 3-year lease by the company. "There were a lot of procedures which we had to go through and we have completed all formalities for the process," said Prasad.
Despite the forest department rejuvenating the Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake, it would take longer to fully restore the city's only bird conservation reserve due to a rundown sewage treatment plant.



Home to over 127 bird species, the lake was declared a bird conservation reserve in August 2015. But its catchment area has been built over and is mired with sewage. The forest department began rejuvenating the lake in September 2017.

Forest officials wrote to the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Department to restore the 5-MLD sewage treatment plant and make sure it pumps cleaner water into the lake.

"Besides rainwater, treated water is the only source of rejuvenation for the lake in the dry months," Deputy Conservator of Forest, Bengaluru Rural, Dipika Bajpai told DH. "The existing STP is being used to supply water to the Attur Lake and Allalsandra STP. Now, the BWSSB has a greater responsibility to ensure the Puttenahalli Lake also gets water from this STP."

The lake wears a barren look as the forest department has drained it for desilting. "It was slushy. Water was barely up to the waist level (three feet). We've cleared the silt up to 10 feet and are slanting the base from 0-10 feet, mindful of all the bird species visiting the lake," said an official, in-charge of the lake. The natural depth of the sprawling 37-feet lake would be roughly 12 feet. Its catchment area has been completely constructed. The state government has sanctioned Rs 12 crore for its rejuvenation. The department, however, invited tenders for Rs 9 crore.

"We'll use the remaining funds for beautification at a later stage. Our priority is to rejuvenate the lake, for which we're seeking the BWSSB's help as the dry spell after the monsoon season will be very tough," Dipika said.

Nityanand Kumar, BWSSB chief engineer for waste water management, said estimates are being prepared for the STP, which is getting delayed due to technical issues. The target is to complete it by 2020.

The BWSSB is also building underground sewage lines to ensure dirty water does not enter the lake.
One never stops learning while flying a fighter aircraft since every take-off and landing brings in a new experience, feels India's first woman fighter pilot Avani Chaturvedi.



In a brief interview to DH on the eve of International Women's Day, Avani said her unit (21 Squadron) didn't distinguish between male and female combat pilots as both were allotted similar tasks and the same workload every week.

More than a fortnight ago, Avani created history as she became the first Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo when she took off in a MiG-21 Bison at Jamnagar air base. The 30-minute sortie broke a glass ceiling.

Before Avani and two of her batchmates Bhawna Kanth and Mohana Singh became the IAF's first three women fighter pilots, at least one previous IAF Chief and a Vice Chief rejected the idea of women entering the male-dominated sphere of combat flying.

There were two arguments against the fairer sex. First, women were not strong enough to fly a mean machine and secondly, if they get married and became pregnant, the money invested on them for training (nearly Rs 15 crore) would not be recovered.

Policy change

In December 2015, the defence ministry changed its policy to allow women in combat flying on an experimental basis for five years. Within a year, the trio was selected.
A group of eight senators and two representatives today introduced a bipartisan, bicameral bill that will use revenues from energy production on federal lands to help pay for the over $11 billion maintenance backlog at national parks.

The senators  Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tn.), Angus King (I-Me.), Steve Daines (R-Mt.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) Joe Manchin (D- W.V.), Cory Gardner (R-Co.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Representatives Mike Simpson (R-Id.) and Kurt Schrader (D-Or.) have been working with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on the National Park Restoration Act, which will help restore and rebuild roads, buildings, campgrounds, trails and water systems in the countrys national parks for the next generation of visitors.



This legislation will help address the over $11billion maintenance backlog at our national parks, including the $215 million backlog of projects in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Senator Alexander said. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of Americas greatest treasures  and it has a tremendous economic impact in East Tennessee, attracting nearly twice the visitors of any other national park. Addressing the maintenance backlog will help attract even more visitors and create more jobs for Tennesseans. We must continue to work together to find solutions to the many challenges facing our public lands, and this legislation takes an important step toward doing that.



For more than a century, our national parks have inspired and amazed countless visitors, said Senator King. Unfortunately, these parks dont take care of themselves  they need maintenance to ensure that future generations can experience the same wonder that so many Americans already have. This bill is a practical step to help clear the existing maintenance backlog, and protect these treasured lands for years to come.



Montanans are blessed to have Americas most beautiful national parks right outside our front doors, said Senator Daines. These critical economic drivers must be maintained and protected so that our outdoor economy can continue to grow and our parks remain accessible to all Montanans. This bipartisan bill is a commonsense step forward to ensure that the challenges facing our national parks are finally addressed.



From the ancient wonders in Chaco Culture National Historical Park and caves in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, our national parks in New Mexico offer endless opportunities to explore our nation's natural and historical treasures and fuel our thriving outdoor recreation economy, said Senator Heinrich. This legislation will address the maintenance backlog and invest in our Park Service infrastructure to ensure our national parks are safe and accessible to the millions of visitors from near and far who pass through their gates each year.



West Virginia is full of so much natural beauty, and its important that we continue to care for and preserve the incredible natural resources and attractions across the state. Unfortunately, West Virginias national parks have $52 million worth of backlogged maintenance, Senator Capito said. This bill will provide funding to help preserve the culture and history of parks like Harpers Ferry and the New River Gorge National River, and it will help ensure West Virginians and visitors from across the country can enjoy them for generations to come. I appreciate President Trump and Secretary Zinke making this issue a priority and will continue working with the administration, Senator Alexander, and our colleagues resolve the national parks backlog. This bill is the first step in doing that.



Our National Parks have been a source of pride for more than a century, however this has come at a cost and today the Park Service Deferred Maintenance backlog is more than $10 billion dollars, including $64 million in West Virginia, said Senator Manchin. This impacts visitor services at some of the most spectacular places in our state. I look forward to working with the Administration, Senator Alexander, and all of the cosponsors to pass this bipartisan bill so our grandchildren can enjoy these treasured places for another one hundred years.

Coloradans know firsthand how important it is to make timely investments and infrastructure upgrades to our parks, said Senator Gardner. This bipartisan legislation provides the funding necessary to help address the billions of dollars in deferred maintenance that the park system is currently facing in Colorado and across the country. Its time to show our love to our beloved national parks.

America was blessed with stunning landscapes that attract visitors from all over the world and add substantial economic and cultural value in regions like Western North Carolina, said Senator Tillis. We must actively work to rebuild and improve our National Parks, including the $215 million backlog in the Great Smoky Mountains and $35 million outstanding obligations to rebuild a road in Swain County that was destroyed in 1943. I want to thank Senator Alexander for taking an active lead to tackle deferred maintenance projects across the country and in the National Park our states share.



As someone who loves public lands and our National Parks, I am thrilled to be standing here today with Senator Alexander, Senator King, Congressman Schrader, and Secretary Zinke to propose a solution to fixing the backlog maintenance, said Representative Simpson. Growing up in Yellowstones backyard, it is important that we pay it forward to future visitors that deserve the same quality experience as past generations. There are many people who deserve credit for bringing this issue to the forefront and I look forward to working with them to advance legislation that fixes our Parks.



Oregonians have a genuine appreciation for the outdoors and our National Parks and recreation areas, said Rep. Kurt Schrader. Our ability to enjoy and appreciate that natural beauty is limited when upkeep on our federal lands isnt sufficiently funded allowing critical maintenance to fall by the wayside. Not only does that impact our enjoyment of the land, but it poses serious risks to the protection of these areas and hurts our communities that rely on the economic benefit from visitors. Currently, our national parks are in dire need of maintenance with a more than ten billion dollar backlog. Our bill provides an innovative solution by creating the National Park Restoration Fund which will provide mandatory funding from unutilized resources already available to us, to bring that backlog down and ensure our National Park System is well and safely kept for generations to come.

The National Park Restoration Act:

Creates the National Park Restoration Fund to provide mandatory funding for the high-priority deferred maintenance needs that support critical infrastructure and visitor services at our national parks.

Provides mandatory funding for the maintenance backlog on top of annual appropriations for operations and construction at the National Park Service.

The fund receives 50 percent of onshore and offshore revenues from energy production on federal lands over expected amounts that are not already allocated to other purposes.

Protects payments to states, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Reclamation Fund, and all other existing uses of onshore and offshore revenues. These existing uses will receive all of their funding before the National Park Restoration Fund receives any funding.

The backlog of infrastructure projects at our national parks can limit access and impair visitor experiences and recreation opportunities, and without additional funding, the backlog could continue to grow. The National Park Service (NPS) maintenance backlog is nearly four times what NPS receives in annual appropriations. In Fiscal Year 2017 the NPS deferred maintenance needs were $11.6 billion  that same fiscal year, NPS received $2.9 million in annual appropriations.

President Trump and Secretary Zinke have made addressing the growing maintenance backlog a top priority.
From the Bay Areas Silicon Valley to San Diegos Carmel Valley, a growing number of women are embracing an approach toward leading fulfilling lives that was developed by Stanford University educators.

Carmel Valley resident Allie Hayase, a member of the San Diego Stanford Alumni Association, attended a workshop in 2016 based on the book Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived Joyful Life.

Written by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, the book is an elaboration of strategies they have been teaching on the Palo Alto campus. Their life design concept was inspired by the ways designers develop innovative structures, systems and products.

I attended the workshop and, once I heard about the approach and concept, it really resonated with me, Hayase said.

She and dozens of other women in San Diego communities, including coastal North County, began convening in late 2016 to explore the books ideas and go through the techniques prescribed by the authors.

Meanwhile, Kathy Davies, who is the managing director of Stanfords Life Design Lab and a life design instructor, and colleague Susan Burnett, who is co-author Burnetts sister, came up with the idea of Designing Your Life for Women workshops.

The idea stemmed from their observations that women in Stanfords mixed gender classes expressed different issues and challenges than their male cohorts.

As an example, Davies said, women with both professional careers and families face the double bind of pressures in their workplaces and expectations about managing their households.

Women are facing a different set of societal issues, Davies said. Theres just a lot of things women are thinking about that men dont have to think about and vice versa.

Davies and Burnett launched a Designing Your Life workshop specifically aimed at women on campus. Yet, it was the advent of the Trump administration that pushed them to ramp up their efforts on behalf of women.

We started with a pilot in 2016 and that went well, Davies said. We did that here at Stanford, but neither Susan nor I had a ton of time to pursue it further.

Then the election happened and that really galvanized us to expand our efforts. We said, We cant wait. We need to do that now. We have an opportunity to empower women to take control of their lives.

They developed The Designing Your Life for Women Retreats format consisting of intensive two-day workshops.A San Diego resort in Mission Bay served as the site for two of the events in January and February, both of which were sold out.

Many of the maximum 48 participants came from outside of California and from foreign countries as well, Davies and Hayase said.

Another San Diego workshop is scheduled May 5-6, while other California retreats are scheduled at Pacific Grove near Monterey in March and June. The organizers will take their program to New York City in October.

We have quite a mix coming from all over the world, Davies said. It has been quite a surprise and really quite humbling. ... It seems locally (in San Diego) theres a lot of people thinking about these things and weve just had a wonderful turnout. The people weve met in San Diego have been really wonderful and thoughtful and really bought into this idea of designing your life.

She gives much of the credit for this regions strong response to Hayase, who has been actively promoting the movement.

Allie really has spearheaded a local community and its quite amazing, and thats what were hoping for, she said.

From a personal standpoint, Hayase said, the Designing Your Life process helped her come to the realization that she is on the right track with her life, including working at home for her own business.

One of the exercises in the program is for students to create a series of divergent odyssey plans  adventurous visions of what they dream of doing in the future.

I actually created three different odyssey plans  a five-year plan for three different trajectories about how your life could go, Hayase said. What I realized was I really kind of like my status-quo life.

On the other hand, the experience of the workshops and community group meetings led fellow Carmel Valley resident and Stanford alumna Mary Abad in other directions. Those included obtaining a more professionally rewarding banking job, the side benefit of being awarded a fellowship, and the decision of Abad and her partner to have a child. The 42-year-old woman expects to deliver a girl in May.

A year later, Im in a new job, Ive got a fellowship on the side, and Im pregnant, Abad said. Personally and professionally it was great. I enjoyed meeting people on the same journey and going through the exercises, helping each other break out of our boxes and talking about the different choices we have.

One of the most valuable things I got from the book is learning to choose and not look back. Its about committing to something and taking it as far as you can until you need to redesign your life again. You never feel unstuck.

Among the books many points, emphasis is placed on the idea of getting unstuck and reframing problems to overcome perceived dead-ends, whether in careers, relationships or life enjoyment.

The authors provide various examples with break-out boxes such as Dysfunctional Belief: To be happy, I have to make the right choice. Reframe: There is no right choice  only good choosing.

Part of the book is about learning that things change, and its good to know that you never have to get stuck. Theres plenty of ways to design your way out of it, Abad said.
As the acting captain for the San Diego Police Departments Northwestern Division, it is a significant challenge to effectively police the large and ever-growing area that is our jurisdiction. An often overlooked but critical aspect of crime fighting and quality of life concerns is that of shared responsibility. In a broad context, this means that we, in law enforcement, cant fight crime alone. We need help from our community. If you see something, hear something, or know something, please contact us.

The City of San Diego values and actively supports community policing programs. In addition to helping fight crime, these programs establish a rapport and build trust among the residents of the numerous diverse and vibrant neighborhoods that make up Americas Finest City. Capitalizing on the idea of shared responsibility, the San Diego Police Department made a wise decision in 1992 to utilize groups of trained volunteers to augment community policing efforts. San Diegos Volunteers In Policing Program is one of the largest in the nation with 300-plus active members contributing over 9,000 service hours per month. One of the most visible groups in the community is known as the Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol or R.S.V.P.

With minimum staffing of only four patrol officers per shift, SDPDs Northwestern Division is fortunate to be augmented by a strong group of R.S.V.P.s that provide a wealth of volunteer hours, talent, and life-experiences. Their educational backgrounds span a variety of alma maters, including the Ivy League, and each has excelled in Real Life. Many R.S.V.P.s have had successful careers in business, education, the military, as homemakers, and law enforcement  the list goes on. Im constantly impressed by the acumen and excellent service these men and women bring to our command and their desire to give back to the community.

Northwesterns R.S.V.P.s perform a variety of important duties for the San Diego Police Department. First and foremost, they help police our community in marked patrol vehicles, providing additional sets of eyes and ears. R.S.V.P.s also conduct pre-arranged checks on vacation houses and those tented for fumigation; deliver important documents throughout the city; assist with traffic control at accident and road hazard scenes; scan for stolen vehicles using license-plate-reader technology; and enforce parking violations. In the past year, this means the following for residents of Carmel Valley:

 Logged 5,000-plus patrol hours covering neighborhoods, schools, banks, parks, churches, and homeland security targets.

 Assisted hundreds of motorists involved in vehicle collisions, some with life-threatening injuries.

 Performed 1,000-plus vacation/fumigation house checks. Many times R.S.V.P. has been the first to identify issues such as burglaries, water/gas leaks, and flooded yards due to blocked drains.

 Assisted detectives in locating stolen vehicles and with other special assignments.

 Issued 425-plus parking citations, focusing primarily on handicapped parking violations.

Additionally, one of the most unique and rewarding duties performed by R.S.V.P.s is the YANA Program. YANA stands for You Are Not Alone. This is a free service that provides contact, and necessary referrals, for the elderly who live alone in our community. R.S.V.P.s also assist Northwesterns Investigations Unit with locating video cameras in areas where a crime has been committed. Video footage and photos are invaluable tools for detectives and patrol officers in their efforts to identify and capture suspects.

R.S.V.P. volunteers generally patrol 3-5 days per month and attend a monthly in-service training meeting. Meeting topics cover crime statistics and procedural issues and there is always time for questions and open discussion. The monthly in-service meeting is always followed by a catered luncheon that further serves to bond the members of the R.S.V.P. Team together.

The San Diego Police Departments Northwestern Division is extremely fortunate to partner with the outstanding volunteers that make up our R.S.V.P. Team. Its impossible to say which I appreciate more, the exemplary and invaluable work the R.S.V.P.s do for our community or the opportunities Ive personally had to get to know some of the most gracious and giving people one could ever meet. Northwesterns R.S.V.P.s truly understand and personify the idea of shared responsibility.

On behalf of the officers assigned to the San Diego Police Departments Northwestern Division, it is our honor to protect and serve the residents of Carmel Valley. Together we can fight crime and address quality of life concerns that impact our community. General questions or concerns may be directed to Northwesterns Community Relations Officer, Trevor Philips, at (858) 523-7031 or by email at: ttphilips@pd.sandiego.gov.

For those interested in learning more about the San Diego Police Department Northwestern Divisions R.S.V.P. Program, please contact the R.S.V.P. Office at: (858) 523-7021. You are also welcome to email R.S.V.P Captain Steve Eisold at: seisold@pd.sandiego.gov or R.S.V.P Lieutenant Armand Olvera at: aolvera@pd.sandiego.gov. R.S.V.P. is not all work and no play! Participation on this team is a great opportunity to talk one-on-one with officers, detectives and command staff; attend gatherings and holiday celebrations; make lasting friendships; and win awards such as the Presidential Award for 500-plus hours of service or R.S.V.P. of the Year! Join us today and help make a positive difference in our community!

Philip Phillips,

Acting Captain SDPD

Northwest Division
By Rinchen Norbu Wangchuk 1 March 2018 (The Better India)  Even though the month of March has just begun, parts of this country are already experiencing a taste of what promises to be a scorching summer. On Wednesday, the Indian Meteorological Department warned the districts of Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Mumbai in Maharashtra that the heatwave-like conditions they are experiencing today are likely to persist. Temperatures in these districts are expected to touch 38 degrees Celsiussix degrees above normal for this time of the year.The heatwave conditions are for isolated parts of the Konkan coast, including Mumbai, due to a lower-level anti-cyclonic circulation over Gujarat and parts of Maharashtra, which is bringing warm easterly to north-easterly winds over Mumbai and the surrounding areas, said KS Hosalikar, the deputy director of IMD (West), to the Hindustan Times . The easterly winds are also not allowing the sea breeze [cool westerly winds] to settle over the city fast enough.The weather body has requested citizens from these districts to hydrate themselves regularly and avoid stepping out at day. On a pan-India scale, this summer is likely to be warmer than usual. Seasonal [March to May] average temperatures over many of the subdivisions from northwest and neighbouring central India are likely to be above normal by more than one degree Celsius.According to data presented by Ministry of Home Affairs, 2400 people had died as a result of heat waves in 2015. This figure (2400) was more than the number of deaths caused by any other natural disaster. Above normal moderate and severe heat wave conditions are likely in the core heat wave zone during the season, the weather agency added.Here are some basic measures we could take to mitigate any suffering the summer heat is likely to bring. [ more ]

IMD Predicts Severe Heat Waves This Summer: These Steps Can Keep You Safe

By Malavika Vyawahare

28 February 2018

NEW DELHI (Hindustan Times)  Summer seems to arrived early across India with maximum temperatures already hovering around 2-5 degrees Celsius above normal in many parts of the country on February 28  the day the IMD picked to predict an intense summer across India, implying a greater threat to human and crop health.The early onset of summer also means a higher probability of heat waves developing earlier than expected, IMD said. On Wednesday, the agency issued a heat wave warning for Mumbai, Raigad and Ratnagiri for Wednesday and Thursday.Heat waves dont just impact human health; they also affect crops, deplete water resources and put pressure on the power system because of the spike in demand for cooling. The above-average temperatures could affect winter crops, including staple wheat, in the absence of precautionary measures, experts warned. Wheat is susceptible to a condition called terminal heat if, during maturing and harvesting stage, temperatures rise abnormally, said Dr R Nagesh, a retired scientist from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute.There is a danger of productivity losses.A sustained heat wave is bad news for farmers across the country who are already battling an agricultural crisis.The National Disaster Management Authority describes a heat wave as a period of abnormally high temperature. IMFs own criteria says a heat wave need not be considered till the maximum temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius or, if it is lower than that, when the maximum temperature is 5-6 degrees Celsius more than the normal temperature. On Wednesday, Mumbai recorded a maximum temperature of 37.4 degrees Celsius, 5.5 degrees above normal. This was the third successive day of heat-wave conditions in the city (the maximum temperature was higher at 37.8 degrees on 27 February 2018), which perhaps explains IMDs move. Other parts of Maharashtra were hotter. The highest temperature in the state was recorded at Bhira (41 degrees Celsius, 5 degrees above normal). []In Delhi, heat wave conditions normally develop in the beginning of May, when maximum temperatures breach the 40 degrees Celsius threshold. That looks likely to happen earlier this year with the northern plains already heating up. The maximum temperature in the northern region has already touched 36.2 degrees C on February 27, Kuldeep Srivastava, a senior IMD scientist said. The maximum and minimum temperatures in February were about 3 degrees C above normal.It is likely that heat wave conditions will hit the region earlier than expected, he added. [more]
Save my User ID and Password

Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site.

Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site.
Subscriber content preview

CHICAGO (AP)  A Florida businessman who tried to flee to South America after pleading guilty to a $179 million fraud scheme has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

At his sentencing Tuesday in Chicago, U.S. District Judge Charles Kocoras called Nikesh Patel a diabolical genius for the scale and brazenness of his fraud.





. . .
La Paz Chattanooga announces Angela Garcia as the director of Marketing and Business Development. Ms. Garcia comes to La Paz from her position as key account manager, Latino Market for the Tennessee Valley division for Coca-Cola Bottling United.Previously, Ms. Garcia served as the vice chair for the board of directors at La Paz for 2017, and has been involved with La Paz since its inception in 2004."Ms. Garcia is passionate about working for the community, especially engaging and empowering the Latino population," officials said.I am super excited to be part of the La Paz team.I am looking forward to making a difference within our community, and to follow and strengthen our mission to empower and engage Chattanoogas Latino population," Ms. Garcia said. "There are many opportunities we have to build a stronger Latino and professional business community. I am passionate about marketing and community service, I believe this is an open door that will take us far. La Paz has a special place in my heart."Ms. Garcia moved to Chattanooga in 2002 from her native Colombia, where she received her B.A. in journalism and mass communication from the University of La Sabana.Ms. Garcia has worked in the past as managing editor for Noticias Libres, the Spanish language publication of the Chattanooga Times Free Press and help sales management positions in the advertising industry.Ms. Garcia resides in Chattanooga with her husband Carlos and their three children; she enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.1402 Bailey Ave.Chattanooga, TN 37404
India and Vietnam have agreed on enhancing an already strong trade and economic engagement as a strategic objective and a core element of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which is essential for strengthening bilateral ties. A meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on Tuesday decided to explore substantive and practical measures to increase bilateral trade volume and diversify its composition so as to achieve the trade target of $15 billion by 2020, Both sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the Joint Sub-Commission on Trade in Hanoi in 2018 at the earliest. Both countries urged leaders of business and industry to explore new trade and investment opportunities in identified priority areas of cooperation, including hydrocarbons, power generation, renewable energy, energy, conservation, infrastructure, textiles, footwear, pharmaceuticals, machine tools, agriculture and agro-products, tourism, chemicals, ICT and other service sector industries. The two sides agreed to intensify cooperation to increase productivity, quantum and content of science and technology in agricultural products. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Vietnamese companies to avail of the favourable investment climate in India under the Make in India programme while President Tran Dai Quang welcomed Indian companies to invest in Vietnam and affirmed Vietnam's commitment to create favourable conditions and facilitation for Indian investments in accordance with Vietnamese laws. President Tran Dai Quang highly appreciated India's long standing and continued grants-in-aid and lines of credit for Vietnam. He thanked India for increasing scholarships to Vietnamese students, researchers, academic professionals and government officials, especially through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) framework, as well as the projects under the fund of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) etc. Prime Minister Modi offered to organise customised courses in areas of interest to Vietnam through the ITEC programme. President Tran Dai Quang appreciated Modi's announcement at the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in January 2018 of undertaking a pilot project on rural connectivity in the CLMV countries which would create digital villages and for offering 1,000 fellowships to students and researchers from the ASEAN member states for studying integrated PhD programmes in Indian Institutes of Technology. The two countries noted the remarkable progress made in joint exploration of oil and gas and in thermal and hydroelectric power and renewable energy and energy conservation. President Tran Dai Quang welcomed Indian businesses to expand their oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities on land and in the continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Viet Nam and to this effect suggested that relevant Indian companies file concrete proposals for the blocks offered by the Vietnamese side. Both sides agreed to actively pursue the signing of a memorandum of understanding on collaboration in oil and gas exploration projects in third countries. The Vietnamese side also welcomed Indian oil and gas companies to avail of opportunities in the midstream and downstream sectors in Vietnam. President Tran Dai Quang welcomed Indian companies to invest in renewable energy and energy conservation projects in Vietnam and thanked India for extending support to Vietnam in building a research reactor for the purpose of peaceful uses of atomic energy. The Vietnamese side took note of the request by the Indian side on actively considering signing the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance with a view to strengthening the cooperation in the renewable energy space. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Economic and Trade Cooperation aimed at establishing a framework for enhancing economic and trade promotion. The two sides also agreed on a work plan for cooperation between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and ministry of agriculture and rural development of Vietnam for promotion of cooperation in transfer of technology and exchange of visits of technical experts in the fields of agriculture and allied fields for the years 2018-2022. India and Vietnam also signed an MoU on cooperation between the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, India (GCNEP) and the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (VINATOM) in order to strengthen technical cooperation in the field of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. The two leaders also agreed to hold the next Joint Committee meeting led by the foreign ministers of the two countries in 2018 in order to review the areas of cooperation and the implementation of the Action Plan of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the period of 2017-2020. Defence cooperation

Both sides agreed that defence and security cooperation is an important and effective pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and expressed satisfaction at the progress being made in this domain. The two countries welcomed the ongoing exchange of senior level delegations, meetings of consultation mechanisms, stronger cooperation between their armed forces and enhanced cooperation in areas of cyber security, combating terrorism and violent extremism in all their forms and manifestations, transnational crimes, human and drug trafficking, maritime security, climate change and food security. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to an open, free, secure, stable, peaceful and accessible cyber space under the auspices of the United Nations and called for greater cooperation and effective implementation of the agreements signed between the two sides on cyber security. They also agreed to operationalise of the MoU signed between the National Security Council Secretariat of India and the ministry of public security of Vietnam and initiate the deputy ministerial level dialogue to enhance cooperation in traditional and non-traditional security matters and undertake training and capacity building programmes. The Indian side affirmed its continued willingness to partner with Vietnam in defence cooperation and in building capabilities and capacities for Vietnam. Both sides agreed to expedite the implementation of the $100 million line of credit for building of high-speed patrol boats for the Vietnam Border Guards and urged an early signing of a framework agreement on the $500-million line of credit for the defence industry. Both sides agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation in the maritime domain, including anti-piracy, security of sea lanes, exchange of white shipping information, etc. In the spirit of the proposal for an ASEAN-India Strategic Dialogue on Maritime Cooperation made at the Commemorative Summit held in New Delhi in January 2018, the two sides agreed to further promote Vietnam-India bilateral consultation on maritime issues. The two sides unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. They called upon all nations to adopt a comprehensive approach in combating terrorism, which should include countering radicalisation, recruitment, training and movement of terrorists including foreign terrorist fighters, blocking sources of financing terrorism, including through organised crimes, money-laundering, smuggling of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), drug trafficking and other criminal activities. Culture and education

Vietnam has proposed to establish a Vietnam Cultural Centre in India as part of intensifying cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism and people-to-people exchange as also widening and deepening cultural and historical ties by cooperating further in the areas of archaeology, conservation and museums to revive and reconnect the civilizational and historic cultural heritage between the two countries. Both leaders appreciated the effective implementation of the project of preserving and renovating the Unesco World Cultural Heritage Site of My Son, Quang Nam province, Viet Nam. The Vietnamese side welcomed Indian line of credit for the restoration and preservation of Hoa Lai Tower and Po KlongGarai Cham Tower and grants-in-aid assistance of the Cham community in NinhThuan Province, as well as the efforts of the Government of India and the Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayta Samiti (BMVSS) to provide rehabilitation services and the prosthetic Jaipur Foot to around 500 Vietnamese in the provinces of PhuTho, VinhPhuc and other provinces. Connectivity

Both sides agreed on the importance of stronger connectivity between Vietnam and India as well as between ASEAN and India. The Indian side urged Vietnam to utilise various initiatives of India for CLMV countries, including the $1 billion line of credit for physical and digital connectivity projects. The two sides agreed to explore the possibility of extending the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway further to Viet Nam through Cambodia and Lao PDR. The two sides stressed the importance of the early signing of an ASEAN-India Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement. They sought acceleration of the establishment of direct shipping routes between the sea ports of India and Vietnam. They also welcomed the commencement of direct flights between New Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City during the visit and urged the airlines of both countries to soon open more direct flights between major cities of the two countries. During their talks, Prime Minister Modi and President Tran Dai Quang reiterated the importance of achieving a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law, freedom of navigation and overflight, sustainable development and a free, fair and open trade and investment system are respected. Underscoring the significance of sub-regional frameworks in strengthening bilateral cooperation and complementing regional cooperation through ASEAN frameworks, they agreed to optimally develop and utilise existing sub-regional frameworks, especially the Mekong-Ganga Economic Corridor. The two sides appreciated their coordination at regional and international fora and agreed to continue this tradition. Both sides reaffirmed their mutual support for each other's candidatures as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council-Vietnam for the term 2020-2021, and India for the term 2021-2022. The Vietnamese side reiterated its consistent support for permanent membership of India in a reformed Security Council. Both leaders welcomed the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and reiterated their commitment to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They agreed that the Global Partnership remains key to the achievement of the SDGs.








Panama hotel evicts Trump executives, removes his name over standoff for control

Workers took down President Donald Trump's name outside his family company's luxury hotel in Panama yesterday, and evicted Trump executives from their management offices in a business dispute under orders from Panamanian officials.

The dramatic development in a 12-day dispute over control of the property came early yesterday when a Panamanian judicial official and police officers backed the hotel's majority owner, Orestes Fintiklis, as he took possession of the 70-floor, waterfront high-rise.

"This was purely a commercial dispute that just spun out of control," Chicago Tribune quoted Fintiklis, a Miami-based private equity investor and head of the hotel owners' association, as saying. "And today this dispute has been settled by the authorities and the judges of this country."

But according to lawyers of the Trump Organization, the underlying dispute had not be settled by the Panamanian courts. The management contract held by the Trump group is still valid, it claims, and the courts had only appointed an interim management until an international arbitration panel rules on the issue.

"Trump Hotels is totally convinced it will not only prevail, but that it should also be paid damages, costs and other charges related to today's actions," the lawyers said in a statement.

The dispute had spilled out into the open last week with Fintiklis, the majority owner of the hotel, arriving at the lobby of the building with associates. Their intention was to oust the Trump Organization, which has managed the hotel since its 2011 opening.

At one point in the days following the incident, matters took such an ugly turn that Trump Organization security and hotel officials were seen fighting within the building in leaked footage.

According to ethics experts, the standoff presents Trump with one of his most consequential conflicts of interest as president.

"As long as President Trump refuses to divest from his businesses, his presidency will be followed by the shadow of conflict of interest," Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told Business Insider yesterday.
The Salvation Army food pantry workers alerted administration it is barely capable of putting together complete food boxes for a family. "We have odds and ends, but barely enough to put together a food box," said Sara Bennett of Social Services for The Salvation Army. "We desperately need the community to donate food."



The Salvation Army is asking the community to step forward and donate non-perishable food items.

Items most needed are:

Canned meat of any type: tuna, chicken, spam, etc.

Tuna/Chicken Helper/Hamburger Helper

Hearty canned soup: chili, ravioli, beef stew, chicken noodle, etc.

Peanut butter and jelly

Macaroni and cheese

Instant potatoes and/or rice side dishes

Dry milk, evaporated milk

Grits or oatmeal

Pancake mix and syrup



For a full list of items, visit: http://csarmy.org/donate_drives.asp. All items can be brought to The Salvation Army, 822 McCallie Ave., or to the Social Services Office, 2140 East 28th St., from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday  Friday.






Marriage and fatherhood fuelled the desire of Intact Group MD, Scot Pittaway, to ensure his building maintenance services company isnt the last frontier for women.

[Related: Entrepreneur Kate Middleton on rescuing a company in free fall, shaking up the status quo]

Pittaway recently took home the Leader in Gender Diversity in Industry Award at the Facility Management Industry Awards* for his active role advocating for gender diversity in the construction industry, including an emphasis on attracting and retaining more women to the male-dominated sector.

Gender diversity has always been a passion of mine and was reinforced when I met my wife, he told Dynamic Business. She opened up my eyes further to the challenges women face every day in the workforce. My passion was further reinforced when I found out that I was going to be a father. I wanted my child, regardless of gender, to be treated equally, and to live in a world where others were too.

Noting that female representation in the construction workforce declined from 17% in 2006 to 12% in 2016 (ABS 2006, ABS 2016), and that women hold a mere 14% of professional managerial roles in the sector (ABS 2012), Pittaway stated: Construction has been described as the last frontier for female professionals, which is a sad reality.

He continued, There is a real stigma surrounding women entering male-dominated industries like construction. In addition, the roles for women are just not there and overall, women do not feel welcomed.

It is important to, and I believe the responsibility of, our industry to work together to help try and remove the stigma and make roles more welcoming and attractive to women.

There needs to be an overall industry realisation around the value women bring to our industry; The all-important mix of perspective, better decision making and increased bottom line of the business as well as Australias economy in its entirety.

Under Pittaways leadership, Intact Group has made headway when it comes to increasing female representation. The senior management board has a 50:50 gender split, as does the accounts team and there is a 40:60 split of men to women in data entry and reception. Meanwhile, 25% of the companys workforce is female, with 12 trade service management and coordination positions filled by women.

We believe this gender diversity has provided Intact Group with more balance and a greater of variety of skills, Pittaway said. All managers have been very supportive of it and we hope this will help us attract more talent, both male and female.

Asked how Intact Group is breaking down barriers to women seeking to enter the industry, Pittaway said general conversations around equality and diversity, are encouraged and that old stereotypes that can cause unconscious damage are not accepted. He added, For me personally, gender does not come to mind when recruiting. My focus is and always has been on talent and qualifications and ability. As a leader of the business I hope my influence can filter down. I also recognise the role I must play, as a male working in a male dominated industry, in creating awareness and improving the statistics.

Pittaway said that while Gender equality needs to start from the top, its important to secure buy-in from everyone, which begins with attracting the type of individuals who feel responsible for gender equality. He concluded, The results are very fulfilling and benefit your workforce and the entire company. Different people with different life experiences will always offer your business a greater skill base and approach which we can all learn from.

The Facility Management (FM) Industry Awards were presented by the Facility Management Association of Australia, and took place on Thursday 16 November 2017, where winners and finalists were recognised across 10 categories of excellence.
Here is the upcoming Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission for March 12:



I. Opening Comments & Announcements (Chairman)



II. Subdivision Plats & Variances



Variances



**From Feb 1. SD 2018-008 Stribling S/D, Lots 1 & 2, 4914 Swan Road

(City of Chattanooga District 5, Hamilton County District 5)

STAFF: Deny



2. SD 2018-024 Arbor Lane Resub.





#3, Lots 2 & 3, 4100 block Webb Road(City of Chattanooga District 3, Hamilton County District 9)STAFF:ApprovePreliminary Plat3.SD 2018-020 Grasshopper Estates, Phase 2, Lots 22-69, 7620 Grasshopper Road(Hamilton County District 9)STAFF:Approve, subject toconditions4.SD 2018-021 Lake Breeze, Phase II, Lots 1-29, 10329 Birchwood Pike(Hamilton County District 9)STAFF:Approve, subject toconditions5. SD 2018-023 Hidden Woods S/D, Lots 1-24, 700 block Worlick Way(City of Chattanooga District 4, Hamilton County District 7)STAFF:Approve, subject toconditions6.SD 2018-025 Swan Cove S/D, Lots 1-54, 5026 Swan Road(City of Chattanooga District 5, Hamilton County District 5)STAFF:Approve7.SD 2018-026 Westview Crossing, Lots 1-75, 9646, 9548 East Brainerd Road (Hamilton County District 7)STAFF:Approve, subject toconditionsPreliminary and/or Final Plats8.SD 2018-014 Bramlett S/D, Lots 1-6, 8900 Bramlett Road(Hamilton County District 9)STAFF:Approve, subject toconditions9.SD 2018-016 Lyerly Tiny House Village S/D, Lots 1-6, 1206 S. Lyerly Street(City of Chattanooga District 8, Hamilton County District 4)STAFF:Approve10.SD 2018-019 Boulder Pass at the Canyons, Lots 10-30, 64-67, 500 block Deer Valley Drive(Hamilton County District 1)STAFF: Approve, subject toconditionsFinal Plats11. SD 2018-015 Oakhaven Fields S/D, Phase 1, Lots 1-16, 59-107, 2333 Ooltewah-Ringgold Road(Hamilton County District 7)STAFF:Approve12.SD 2018-017 Hamilton on Hunter, Lots 1448-1528, 6400 block Hunter Road(Hamilton County District 9)STAFF:Approve, subject toconditions13.SD 2018-018 Camber Hill, P.U.D., Lots 1-22, 3200 block Hixson Pike(City of Chattanooga District 2, Hamilton County District 2)STAFF: Approve14.SD 2018-022 Magnolia Farms P.U.D., Phase 1, Lots 1-13, 112-170, 10300 East Brainerd Road(Hamilton County District 7)STAFF: ApproveIII.Old Business**From Jan1.2018-003  Davidson Living LLC, John Wise  7605 Davidson Road  City of Chattanooga  Special Exceptions Permit: Residential Planned Unit Development(City of Chattanooga District 4, Hamilton County District 7)STAFF:Approve with conditions**From Jan2.2018-004  ALC Holdings LLC  700-800 blocks of Franklin Street & two unopened streets  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Zone Residential Townhouse Zero/Lot line(City of Chattanooga District 2, Hamilton County District 6)STAFF: Deny**From Jan3.2018-020  Adamson Developers LLC  1002 East 10th Street & 1006 Fairview Avenue  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from U-RD-2 Urban Residential Detached 2 Stories to U-RA-3 Urban Residential Attached 3 Stories(City of Chattanooga District 8, Hamilton County District 4)STAFF: DenyIV.New BusinessA.Rezonings, Closures/Abandonments, Special Permits, Condition Amendments1.2018-035  Ronnie Rothwell  500 block of May Street - City of Chattanooga Rezone from R-1 Residential Zone to E-RA-3 Residential Attached Zone 3 Stories(City of Chattanooga District 1, Hamilton County District 6)STAFF:Deny Applicant Request;Approve Other2.2018-036  Windward Cove Homeowners Association  4400 block of Webb Road, 4200-4500 blocks of Sailmaker Circle  City of Chattanooga  Abandon Special Exceptions Permit for a Residential Planned Unit Development(City of Chattanooga District 3, Hamilton County District 4)STAFF:Approve3.2018-037  Windward Cove Homeowners Association  4400 block of Webb Road, 4200-4500 blocks of Sailmaker Circle  City of Chattanooga  Special Exceptions Permit: Residential Planned Unit Development(City of Chattanooga District 3, Hamilton County District 4)STAFF: Approve4.2018-038  Nancy S. Hayes  3807 17th Avenue  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-1 Residential Zone to R-2 Residential Zone(City of Chattanooga District 7, Hamilton County District 4)STAFF: Deny5.2018-039  Todd Lansden Trustee  3407 Plumwood Road  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-1 Residential Zone to R-2 Residential Zone(City of Chattanooga District 5, Hamilton County District 5)STAFF:Deny6.2018-040  Joseph Ingram  1820 Madison Street  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from M-1 Manufacturing Zone to U-RD-2 Residential Detached Zone 2 Stories(City of Chattanooga District 7, Hamilton County District 4)STAFF:Deny Applicant Request;Approve Other7.2018-041  Joseph Ingram  1942 Madison Street  City of Chattanooga Rezone from M-1 Manufacturing Zone to U-RD-2 Residential Detached Zone 2 Stories(City of Chattanooga District 7, Hamilton County District 4)STAFF:Deny Applicant Request;Approve Other8.2018-042  Jason Geraci and 14th Street Partners 906 & 912 East 14th Street  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-3 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone(City of Chattanooga District 8, Hamilton County District 4)STAFF:ApproveB.Land Use Plan1.The South Broad District Study, A Vision for Revitalization(City of Chattanooga District 7, Hamilton County District 4 and 6)C.Amendments1.A RESOLUTION TO AMEND CHATTANOOGA CITY CODE, PART II, CHAPTER 38, ZONINGORDINANCE, ARTICLE V. ZONE REGULATIONS, DIVISION 3. RT-1 RESIDENTIALTOWNHOUSE ZONE, SECTION 38-64 HEIGHT AND AREA EXCEPTIONS, AND DIVISION5. R-T/Z RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOUSE/ZERO LOT LINE ZONE, SECTION 38-84 HEIGHT,AREA, AND BUILDING REGULATIONS, (1) FOR AREAS OUTSIDE THE URBAN OVERLAYZONEV.Public Comments on Non-Agenda ItemsVI.Approval of Planning Commission Minutes of February 12, 2018VII.Adjourn
Lee Universitys School of Music will present the third annual Composers Forum Showcase on Friday, March 16, at 7:30 p.m. in Squires Recital Hall in the Humanities Center.

This concert will feature works composed entirely by Lee University students. Since 2015, Composers Forum has been a place for student composers to workshop and present their works within a creative community.

This unique concert is a good opportunity for both beginning and advanced students to hear their works performed live, said Dr. John Wykoff, concert organizer and associate professor of music at Lee. Its also a good opportunity for performers to learn the value of playing original works and collaborating with composers.

This is a free, non-ticketed event, and is open to the public.

For more information about the concert or Lees School of Music, call 614-8240 or visit http://www.leeuniversity.edu/academics/music.
The Hixson Kiwanis Clubs Spring Scholarship Dinner is scheduled for Sunday, March 25, at Hixson Middle School from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

The menu is a choice of baked ham or fried chicken, veggies, bread, dessert and drink. Take-out plates will be available.

The proceeds of the fundraiser are used for Hixson Kiwanis community projects and scholarships at Hixson High School.

The cost of the meal is $10 per person and no charge for children six-years-old and younger. Tickets may be purchased from Hixson Kiwanis members or at the door.

For more information call Geoff Holden at 710-3933.
Khristy Wilkinson, chair of the Hamilton County Democratic Party, and Victor Miller, candidate for the office of county sheriff, will address the JFK Club on Tuesday, March 20, at the monthly luncheon at noon. The JFK Club will meet at The Feed Table at 201 W. Main St.

The cost of the lunch is $15, including tax and tip. Parking is available on the street and in a lot across the street.

JFK President Jane Elmore announced a plan to form a nominating committee for officers to be elected in April.

Those interested in being on the committee should email her at 51jelmore@gamail.com. They should also indicate if they plan to attend the March 20 lunch.
Your honeymoon trip is sure to be one of the most memorable trips that you take with your spouse. Plus, it sets the tone for your marriage relationship in general. While you should be working within some type of budget so that you know how much you are actually spending, this is not the time to cut corners. Instead, save up so that you can afford one of these four amazing big budget trips that are sure to be different from any vacation you have ever experienced.

Europe

Europe is a fabulous place to travel even if you have visited there previously. You can hit many historical spots here, and find plenty to match every personality. If you enjoy the Old World feel, head to Vienna or Budapest. For pure romance, try the Ritz in Paris. If you have plenty of time to spare, try a long European tour custom-designed for your interests.

African Safari

While a safari may not have made it onto your initial list of honeymoon options, do not dismiss the idea simply because the two of you are not adventure lovers. You have a variety of options of where to travel for a safari, including Kenya, the Shaba National Reserve and Masai Mara. While you will enjoy seeing native wildlife and gorgeous vistas, you may be surprised at some of the romantic rooms where you and your love can get comfortable overnight.

Bora Bora

Bora Bora is perfect if you love to relax by the ocean. With ultra-private rooms located right on the water, you will have plenty of time to spend with your spouse enjoying the quiet and watching sea creatures. Many hotels offer private butlers and extravagant dining options.

Dubai

Dubai is the current hotspot of popular culture in the Middle East. Known for its pure extravagance, Dubai is a great option for your honeymoon if you want to relax in the lap of luxury, enjoy amazing spa services and get in some great shopping. Such places as the Armani Hotel Dubai and Atlantis, the Palm offer the most in elegance and exclusive beaches.

Make sure to set aside time to relax on your honeymoon, and remember that this trip is all about the two of you. Be sure to plan activities, dining and travel that matches both of your personalities. For example, you may love adventure and want to do a lot of exploring during your trip. On the other hand, if you prefer restful relaxation, you may want to invest more money in a high-end hotel than you do into a travel guide. Treat your love to something special, and start your marriage out on the right foot.

Sharing is caring ! Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

LinkedIn

Telegram

WhatsApp

Skype

Reddit

Tumblr

Print

Email


ClinSearch, Clinical Research Specialists announces a transition in leadership at the 25-year-old clinical research site. Dr. Mark M. McKenzie is succeeding ClinSearch founder Dr. Richard A. Krause as medical director.

I have a passion for medical care and the difference it makes in the lives of individuals, said Dr. McKenzie. Clinical research is essential to that effort, and as an investigator, I am committed to carrying on the mission of ClinSearch as we partner with sponsors in providing reliable data in the development of new therapies.

Dr. McKenzie assumed leadership at ClinSearch in 2017. Dr. Krause will remain with the organization as a consultant.

Dr. McKenzie is a physician who completed medical school and residency at the Medical College of Ohio / University of Toledo. His undergraduate degrees are from Southern Adventist University. He practiced internal medicine in the Chattanooga area for the last 15 years and has experience as a sub-investigator in nearly 100 clinical research studies.






Latest News

British Council invites applications from Indian education institutions for Going Global Partnerships grants The partnership is aimed to create joint bachelors, masters, diploma or certificate courses on themes of

Alert: REET admit card released; check details here REET 2021 recruitment is conducted to fulfil the requirement of 32000 Grade 3 teacher posts

UPSC CISF Interview Schedule 2020 released A total of 85 candidates have been selected to appear for the interview round


By Clarion Ledger , Mar. 06, 2018





After a heated floor debate, the Senate on Tuesday passed a bill 35-14 to ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, bringing the state one step closer to enacting the most restrictive abortion ban in the country.





In a statement Gov. Phil Bryant reiterated his support for the measure....

Read More:



Join us - become an Elderado today at: LarryElder.com

Follow Larry Elder on Follow Larry Elder on Twitter

"Like" Larry Elder on Facebook






By The Gateway Pundit , Mar. 06, 2018





In 2011 South Africa youth leader Julius Malema told his supporters that the white farmers land must be sharedby all black Africans.





He was arrested for playing Kill the Boer (white man) song at his rallies.





Julius Malema later founded the Economic Freedom Fighters, a South African political party.





Malema recently called for new law to confiscate land from white farmers.

Read More:



Join us - become an Elderado today at: LarryElder.com

Follow Larry Elder on Follow Larry Elder on Twitter

"Like" Larry Elder on Facebook




The Southern Adventist University Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Laurie Redmer Minner, will be joined by organist Kimberly Marshall for a concert on March 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists.

The performance will open with Dialogues for Organ and Strings by Margaret Vardell Sandresky, an award-winning composer, organist, and teacher who, at 96, is still active in the field. This will be followed by Toccata Festiva for Organ and Orchestra, op. 36 by Samuel Barber. The evening will conclude with a performance of Sergei Rachmaninoffs Symphony No. 2 in E minor, op. 27.

Ms. Marshall is an accomplished organist and teacher who currently holds the Patricia and Leonard Goldman Endowed Professorship in Organ at Arizona State University. Internationally recognized, she is frequently invited to perform at conventions and festivals around the world. Among her many accomplishments, Ms. Marshall has been a recitalist, workshop leader, and adjudicator at seven National Conventions of the American Guild of Organists and served as project leader for the Goteborg Organ Research Center in Sweden for four years.

This event is free and open to the public.

The Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists is at 4829 College Dr. East in Collegedale.
Michael Rice (owner of Mad Priest Coffee) started Mad Priest Events last year in an effort to Bring the world to Chattanooga and hosted cultural events focused on India, Iraq, World Refugee Day, and Venezuela, three of which sold out. And now they are back at it in 2018 with a celebration of Scotland.

Everyone is invited to experience the land of Braveheart, haggis and thistles at An Evening in Scotland on April 6, Tartan Day. Festivities at Chattanooga Brewing Company will include Celtic Folk band Raven & Red, bagpipes by a Chattanooga Pipe and Drums member, storytelling to commemorate Tartan Day, Scottish fish and chips, beer and more.

For those who want a real taste of Scotland, there will be an exclusive VIP experience upstairs with a single malt Scotch tasting from three different regions, and heavy hors d'oeuvrs including meat pies and Scottish eggs.

General admission tickets are $15 advance in advance and $18 at the door. VIP tickets are $48, in a advance only.

More information can be found at www.madpriestevents.com, or madpriestevents.ticketleap.com/scotland.
Middle Valley Church of God announces that Pastor Mitch McClure will speak on the topic, 'He Gave Us Victory And Deliverance' in the 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday. This sermon is part of a sermon series titled 'Moving Towards Victory.' This series focuses attention to the reality that God wants to provide victory in the life of each and every believer, said Pastor McClure.

Pastor McClure will lead the church in a time of prayer and worship on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.

A child dedication service will be observed during the 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday with Pastor McClure leading the parents of children to commit their children to God.

Each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Sunday school classes are available for all age groupings.

Pastor McClure will continue a new interactive Bible study on Wednesday, March 14. This Bible study will be interactive and based on the book 'Paradigm' by Jonathan Cahn. The study will compare Biblical events and their patterns to patterns in society today. The study will be held in the Administrative office building each Wednesday at 7 p.m.

All are invited and encouraged to participate in any or all of these services.

Middle Valley Church of God is at 1703 Thrasher Pike in Hixson. For more information call the church office at 843-1539.
PKK continues to use fake pictures on social media

PKK/YPG terror organization uses fake pictures for black propaganda against ongoing Operation Olive Branch in Syria's Afrin.

Twitter accounts backing the terrorist group are using old and irrelevant pictures without hesitation; they even tried to portray an award-winning photo from 1983 about the earthquake in Turkey's eastern Erzurum province as if it was taken during the ongoing operation in Afrin.

The quake picture by Mustafa Bozdemir -- World Press Photo award-winning photojournalist -- shows the desperation of a mother who lost her four children during the 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Erzurum's Narman Village in 1983.

Another photo that was used to smear the operation turned out to be a picture of post-Assad regime attack in Eastern Ghouta from January this year.

Another photo that was used several times with hashtags on Twitter "TurkeyWarCrimes", was actually from Sept. 26, 2016 for a story on France blaming the Assad regime for its war crimes in Aleppo.

All the claims made by such terror groups and their backers are false since the pictures have been proved to be taken before the Operation Olive Branch began. Some social media accounts which posted false images of different events later were shut down and their posts were removed.


Turkeys operation precluded Afrin from becoming Qandil

Turkey's Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said that PKK/YPG forces have tried to turn Afrin into Qandil but they have failed.

Speaking to reporters at the presidential complex in capital Ankara on Wednesday, Turkish Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kaln said that by dint of Operation Olive Branch, Afrin was precluded becoming a second Qandil.

Kalin also expressed that Turkey expects the US to stop "shifting" YPG/PKK terrorists from Manbij to Afrin in Syria.

With this regard, we [Turkey] took the necessary steps via official channels, and we will continue to take [such steps]. It is particularly expected [by Turkey] that the U.S. must certainly step in and halt the shifting of YPG/PYD forces, which moves under its control, in Manbij to Afrin. This is our natural right. he said.
Turkish soldiers were welcomed with cheers in Afrin

Moments of civilians live in the liberated areas from terrorists within the scope of Operation Olive Branch in Afrin welcoming Turkish soldiers were taped.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to clear PKK/YPG and Daesh terrorists from Afrin and to establish security and stability along Turkeys borders and the region as well as to protect Syrians from terrorist oppression and cruelty.

Civilians were rescued from PKK terrorists feel joyful over Turkish soldiers coming to the villages.

Moments were captured a Turkish soldier giving water to an elderly woman to calm her down. It is being heard that soldier says I am also Kurdish and old lady answers May God bless you child.
Nothing beats watching a show than watching it in your favorite place. For Michael Shannon, who stars in Shape of Water, that means witnessing Oscars at a Chicago dive bar.

Far from Sunday's Oscars where celebrities dressed to impress, the star of the lauded Shape of Water chose to watch the event at a small-screen television in Old Town Ale House. What's more is that the idiot box had no sound, so Shannon had to read subtitles in order to know what's happening.

A photo was taken by Bruce Elliott, the bar's owner, and was uploaded on Twitter. It showed Shannon cozy in a black jacket sitting in front of the TV and holding a glass of beer.

"Michael Shannon watching the film he starred in, Shape of Water, win best picture while sitting in the Old Town Ale House. No sound on the TV, just sub-titles," Elliott wrote.

Nonetheless, his film Shape of Water had won big in the Oscars, nabbing the Best Picture award, beating Get Out, Lady Bird, Darkest Hour, Call Me By Your Name, Phantom Thread, Dunkirk, The Post, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. As Shannon's colleagues rise to their sits to rush to the stage to get the coveted award, he was sitting comfortably in one of his favorite bar in his hometown.

Understandable Reason?

Of course, missing out on the Oscars was not intentional. After all, he is one of the major cast, playing the antagonist Strickland. Shannon simply had a fair and justifiable reason on why he wasn't able to attend the glamorous awards night.

He was in Chicago for a directing stint for the play Traitor, which closed coincidentally on Sunday at A Red Orchid Theatre. The place is just a walk away from the Old Town Ale House. Additionally, Shannon is a member of the theatre since its start in 1993 and has been coming back, getting involved in the theater every now and then.

It should be noted that he had attended last year's Oscars when he was nominated for Best Supporting actor for Nocturnal Animals. This year, apart from Best Picture, Shape of Water won Best Director for Guillermo del Toro and Best Original Music Score.

For his action, Shannon was lauded. Some cited the 43-year-old did not let the fame change him throughout the years. Others hailed the actor for upholding his humble beginnings and staying low-key despite his status.

"I don't recall ever seeing a picture that so vividly expresses acting in Chicago, and refusing to let Hollywood change you," penned Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune writer, about the photo.
Michael B. Jordan's topless scene in Black Panther was too much to handle for a fan, who accidentally broke her retainers while watching the actor strip off his shirt.

Steel Breaker

The hilarious incident was revealed over the weekend when the fan's orthodontist took to his Tumblr to recall what happened. At the time he only mentioned that one of his patients came to his clinic asking for her retainers to be fixed because she broke it from watching Black Panther.

The orthodontist said his patient snapped the wire on her retainer after watching Jordan take off his shirt. She clenched her teeth so hard she snapped it.

"That is the f**king funniest s**t ever to me this tiny 17-year-old girl thirsting so goddamn hard she busted steel," the orthodontist wrote along with two gifs of Jordan.

On Monday, Twitter user @pixyrue identified herself as the patient mentioned in the post. The fan expressed her embarrassment over the situation and admitted that she is a little mad at her orthodontist for exposing her on social media.

Wait. That girl is me. That is my orthodontists tumblr. This is a post about me? Im going to kill myself https://t.co/ErDqESPrWj  Sophia (@pixyrue) March 5, 2018

However, she also used the situation to get Jordan's attention.

"Can we get @michaelb4jordan to see this please," she wrote. Luckily, the Creed star saw her tweet. The 31-year-old Jordan felt slightly responsible for the incident so offered to help replace her retainers. The orthodontist, on the other hand, managed to glue the wire together during her visit.

.@pixyrue since I feel partly responsible for breaking your retainers  let me know if I can replace them  Michael B. Jordan (@michaelb4jordan) March 6, 2018

Fan Reaction

The fan, named Sophia, talked about her orthodontist and the hilarious incident in an interview with Teen Vogue. She took credit for making her dentist laugh.

"I always thought he was the coolest person, so to see that I had the honor of making him laugh was great," she said.

Sophia admitted that the social media attention is a first for her so she is still trying hard to keep up with the responses. She said the reactions have been "overwhelming."

"Now I'm just worried that I'll never say anything as funny as that story," she said.

At the time when the interview happened, Jordan has not yet responded to his fan's tweet. Sophia said she would not really know how to react if he does reply. She admitted that the idea of the Fahrenheit 451 actor seeing her post is already insane.

However, Sophia admitted that if Jordan does reply then she would take the opportunity to thank the actor and the rest of the Black Panther cast.

"If anything, I would want to tell him and the rest of the cast thank you for their impact, not only are they all incredible actors, but this movie is so important in terms of representation that I think that's all I could say," Sophia said.
Kanye West might be in a hiatus from social media, but that won't stop Kim Kardashian from setting the record straight for the Yeezy Season 7.

Kardashian simply won't let anyone get away with nasty speculations about the Yeezy Season 7. In a series of tweets, the 37-year-old KKW Beauty owner lashed out at a Twitter account named Yeezy Mafia, which was believed to consist of people in the know of the rapper's line.

In a now-deleted post, Yeezy Mafia said West's Yeezy Season 7 would not include any clothes nor accessories, but only shoes, as he "couldn't do what he wanted to achieve with this collection." Guests were allegedly invited to see West's line but were only made aware of the changes during the event.

While the designer himself seemed to have not released any statement on the matter, his wife is rushing to his side, certainly not taking things lightly. Aside from lashing out at the verified account, Kardashian also made some announcement about the Yeezy Season 7.

"How can a verified account represent Yeezy with false information," Kardashian wrote in a tweet.

This was followed by Kardashian slamming the account which she said was not at all affiliated with Yeezy. Furthermore, she alleged the account of sharing fake colorways.

While she called the issue off, Kardashian revealed that Yeezy Season 7 is pretty much about to be released anytime soon. She substantiated this when she cited her recent trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.

During her escapade with her sisters, Kardashian sported numerous pieces that she said would be available "online soon" as part of the Yeezy Season 7. In their getaway, she wore a blue spandex and was also spotted wearing a knee-length snake-skin boots.

"Yeezy does not play by fashion rules. The show room was strictly shoes & always intended for that," Kardashian stressed.

Finally, Kardashian followed up her fans and said she "made calls." This was a reply to a fan who asked her how can the account have "Yeezy" in it while a fan page "TeamKanye" could not be allowed to use the rapper's name.

Reliable?

However, GQ pointed out that Yeezy Mafia had been accurate in its foretelling of the line. They provide details like colors and release dates even before these get announced by the brands themselves, only to be confirmed later.

The small blue check beside Yeezy Mafia's name also proves that it has gotten a huge following, though that is no way to measure it's posts' veracity. However, it should be taken into account that a huge fan base might mean a lot of people trust the insiders for inklings for the brand's line.
Dwayne Johnson gave props to first responders on Instagram after an emergency situation with his daughter Jasmine gave his family a scare over the weekend.

The Rock Gives A Shout-Out To First Responders

The Baywatch star, 45, went on Instagram on Tuesday to share his terrifying experience after an emergency concerning his 2-year-old child. Fortunately, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) did their job impeccably.



Johnson did not divulge the exact emergency that took place, but in a video clip on Instagram, he revealed that it happened on Saturday night.

"We were up all night in the emergency room," he tells the camera in the video. "We had something scary happen with our little baby girl, Jasmine. She's okay now, thank God."

The A-list actor went on to express his gratitude to all of the first responders who played huge roles in keeping the family calm and taking care of his baby.

"I just want to say thank you so much to everyone who was involved  so caring and compassionate and responsive," he continues, adding that the 911 operators, LAFD, and the UCLA medical team helped his family out remarkably.

Finally, Johnson encouraged parents to stay calm and focused during emergency situations involving their children. After all, he points out, babies take their cues from the moms and dads, and it's best to keep them as stress-free as possible.

It's a good thing the father-of-two is so experienced under pressure as the brood is set to get bigger in the next few months. Johnson is expecting his second daughter with girlfriend, Lauren Hashian.

Eldest Daughter Following In His Footsteps

His 16-year-old daughter from first wife Dany Garcia is carving out her own path in the industry. Simone Garcia Johnson was the first-ever Golden Globes Ambassador in the prestigious awards show, a position that used to be called Miss Golden Globes.

As the budding star shared in an interview with Refinery29 earlier this year, her parents broke the news of her position on her 16th birthday, a pleasant surprise that's even more meaningful because of the Time's Up movement that swept the Golden Globes.

Another surprise is Garcia Johnson's potential choice of career path when asked if she wants to pursue a career in the spotlight like her father.

"I'm not sure, but something that comes to mind is wrestling," she answers.

Spoken like a true daughter of The Rock!
Meghan Markle is becoming the most talked-about royal of all time. A study revealed that the soon-to-be princess is the most relatable royal.

Woman Of The People

Markle, who is due to marry Prince Harry in May, is considered to be even more relatable than Kate Middleton partly due to her feminist leanings. The public also voted Markle and her husband-to-be as the most in tune with the people.

Markle has been the subject of a huge amount of public attention, for being an American and a woman of color. She's gone against royal traditions by speaking her mind and hugging a charity worker, among other things.

The recent data, commissioned by UK website VoucherCodesPro.co.uk from over 2,000 Britons aged 18 and up, found that Markle was the most relatable female royal. Prince Harry nabbed the top place in the poll. Kate Middleton, on the other hand, ranked fifth, with only 13 percent of the votes.

Of those who voted for Markle, the reason 11 percent gave as to why relied on her vocal and proud feminism. The majority of respondents chose Markle due to her being a regular person prior to the engagement, while others felt the incumbent princess seemed very normal.

Middleton, on the other hand, did not fare well in the public's estimation.

"She's been molded into someone else since marrying into the family," respondents claimed in relation to Middleton being less relatable.

"She never seems to do or say anything," claimed others.

George Charles, the spokesperson for VoucherCodesPro.co.uk, suggested that the fascination with the royal family is a guilty pleasure for most people.

"I bet most people confess that they'll find themselves glued to the TV when there's a Royal Wedding or something similar. Love or hate them, we're all a little bit obsessed with them, even if it's a guilty pleasure of ours," he said.

Fairest Of Them All

On another note, a scientific study reportedly found that Markle is more beautiful than Middleton. A mathematical method once used by the ancient Greeks found the Suits actress has a more perfect and symmetrical face than Middleton's, or indeed any other British royal of her generation.

According to the Golden Ratio of Beauty Phi, Markle's face is 87.4 percent accurate. The study measured her eyes, nose, lips, chin, jaw, eyebrows, and overall facial shape. They were found to be the closest to the Greeks' idea of physical perfection.

Harley Street surgeon Dr. Julian De Silva used facial mapping techniques to gauge the beauty of female royals.

"Meghan and Kate both really stood out and got significantly higher marks... Meghan has beautiful facial symmetry and gets closer than any other princess to having what the Greeks considered the perfect face," he explained.

Markle is set to tie the knot with her beau on May 19 in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Chapel. The venue holds just 800 people, in comparison to Westminster Abbey, where Prince William married Kate Middleton back in 2011, which has a capacity of 2,000 people.
The idea of fans regarding the character of Sex and the City's Miranda is about to change drastically. Cynthia Nixon has set her eyes on becoming New York's next governor.

Switching Lanes

The actress and activist, still most well-known for playing the super cynical lawyer on the hit series Sex and the City, is looking to change careers and enter the world of politics.

Reportedly, Nixon has been holding meetings with two prominent Democratic political operatives. It is believed that she will challenge Andrew Cuomo, incumbent New York governor, in the upcoming gubernatorial election later this year.

Nixon has been openly and vocally critical of Cuomo and his policies over the past few years. Now, she is seeking to launch a primary challenge against the incumbent Democrat.

Her main policy concerns education, which she has been campaigning for many years and also transportation. Ongoing issues with the New York subway system are viewed as some of Cuomo's greatest political weaknesses.

Rebecca Katz and Bill Hyers, veteran political consultants, and former advisors to Bill de Blasio have reportedly been advising Nixon. The New York City mayor has been at odds with Cuomo on several occasions.

"Many concerned New Yorkers have been encouraging Cynthia to run for office, and as she has said previously, she will continue to explore it. If and when such a decision is made, Cynthia will be sure to make her plans public," Nixon's publicist said in a statement.

A Good Fit

The 51-year-old actress is a vocal proponent of the rights of women and people of color. She also campaigns for more political action from minority groups in general.

She has urged her social media followers to take charge of their own political destiny, particularly in the wake of President Trump's election.

Nixon's victory would make her the first lesbian governor of New York. However, she's not the only TV alum looking to make her voice heard.

Law & Order: SVU star Diane Neal recently announced her own bid for Congress. She even shared her very first campaign slogan and poster on Twitter.

As to whether or not Cuomo is worried about the possible threat from Nixon, he brushed off such concerns, referring to the nature of the political game. He was first elected in 2010 and is running for a third term. Cuomo retains a strong loyalty to the Democrats but there is a section of liberal activists fighting against him simultaneously.

Although he claims he is not worried about Nixon's interest in the position, Cuomo would be going up against a significant media push for the actress. Nixon has amassed a huge amount of Twitter followers over a short period of time. She is well-known and much liked for being both a vocal activist and a beloved screen presence.
For those who were hoping Kourtney Kardashian and Younes Bendjima didn't call it quits, they will be happy to know that the two are still together.

As previously reported, Kardashian and Bendjima sent social media into a frenzy when they both unfollowed each other and deactivated their Instagram accounts.

Well, Kardashian's fans can breathe again. It was just a false alarm, as things are reportedly good between the two. As of Tuesday, March 6, the two are following each other and their accounts are accessible to the public again.

"Everything is fine," a source told People.

Kourtney And Younes Prompt Split Rumors

After Bendjima posted two cryptic messages via his Instagram story, which seemed to imply that he wanted to disconnect from social media, and then the couple choosing to deactive their accounts, fans can't be blamed for their accusations.

"Feels good to stop looking at your phone and start looking at the world. Try. Even for a day," Bendjima wrote, but it has been deleted.

Then fans thought the 24-year-old was throwing shade at Kardashian when he posted another message quoting one of Denzel Washington's tweets.

The quote explains the life of an introvert and extrovert, loving people, but also wanting personal space.

"If I don't find the valuable alone time to recharge, I cannot be my highest self," the quote read.

Anyone that has been in a relationship knows that the biggest hint to a breakup is when both parties unfollow each other on social media, but it appears that the two lovebirds might have just been taking a break from their social networks.

Kourtney And Younes

In October 2016, Kardashian and Bendjima met during Paris Fashion Week. On an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Kardashian told her sister, Khloe Kardashian, that Bendjima helped translate during Kim Kardashian's robbery incident.

After meeting in Paris, France, the mother of three has continued to keep mum about her beau. The two finally went public with their relationship when they were spotted in Cannes in May 2017.

The two have been inseparable ever since and have continued to go on several romantic excursions such as in Egypt and St. Tropez, which was also revealed during season 14 of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

Despite fueling rumors that they have parted ways, the two have been happily together.

In December 2017, a source told People that things were getting serious between the pair.

"Younes has met her kids. Kourtney's family really likes him," the source stated.
It looks like Sofia Richie has caught the love bug and doesn't want anything to interfere with her relationship with Scott Disick.

According to Hollywood Life, Richie fears that if ever Kourtney Kardashian and her beau, Younes Bendjima, break up, Disick won't hesitate to go back to his baby mother.

"As much fun as Scott has been having with Sofia, he still loves Kourt very much and would love to put his family back together," a source of a similar report had explained.

The insider also revealed that Richie and Disick have a great relationship, so as long as Bendjima and Kardashian stay together, the latter poses no threat to her happiness.

"She would hate to see Kourtney and Younes split and then Scott try to reconcile with Kourtney on a rebound," the insider stated.

Sofia And Scott

As previously reported, rumors surfaced that Richie and Disick were dating when they were spotted together at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2017, but neither of the two confirmed nor denied their relationship.

Months later, in December 2017, the pair officially made their first public appearance while in Miami at Art Basel. Ever since, the two have not been shy about their love for each other.

Both Disick and Richie continuously post photos of each other on their Instagram accounts.

On Valentine's Day, the 19-year-old took to Instagram to share a black and white photo of her and Disick snuggled up.

"Happy Valentines babe," Richie wrote.

Disick has also shared a photo of the two on social media. In January, the father of three posted a photo of him and Richie posing alongside a helicopter.

"The boat is way 2 long we had 2 chop it," Disick captioned the photo.

Kourtney And Scott's Unstable Relationship

It makes sense why Richie would feel threatened by Kardashian as she and Disick share children together -- Mason, Penelope and Reign.

However, the former couple continues to coparent, which means they still remain connected for the sake of their children.

Kardashian and Disick's rocky relationship lasted 10 years until in July 2015 when they decided to call it quits.

In season 14 of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Disick seemed to still have feelings for Kourtney. In one particular episode, Kourtney stated that Disick threatened to beat up Younes Bendjima.
Another man is seeking to romance Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence. Her family appears to like her Red Sparrow co-star, Joel Edgerton, just as she does.

According to Woman's Day, Edgerton has met the American Hustle and The Hunger Games franchise actress' family. The Daily Mail elaborated that Lawrence's parents, Karen and Gary, along with her brother, Blaine, were all impressed when they met the Bright actor at Lawrence's favorite New York City restaurant. According to an insider to the Lawrence camp, the dinner was very successful.

"She gushed to friends the next day they all liked Joel as much as she does," a source told the Daily Mail.

The 'Red Sparrow' Experience

Jennifer Lawrence and Joel Edgerton's relationship may have begun when the two of them were shooting Red Sparrow. In an interview with People Magazine, both Edgerton and Lawrence fended off romance rumors as they opened up about their experience filming the spy thriller in Budapest, Vienna, Bratislava, and London.

"We all needed friends! We were all alone in Eastern Europe," said Lawrence to People Magazine.

However, Lawrence was surrounded by many colleagues that she worked with before in previous films. She mentioned that a bulk of the crew members was from several of The Hunger Games movies. During the first weeks of filming, Edgerton revealed that he felt like he was visiting a friend's Thanksgiving dinner. Thankfully, Lawrence added that the crew accepted him.

Revisiting Nicolas Hoult

Edgerton is not the only man that Lawrence has eyes on. Several rumors have been spreading that The Silver Linings Playbook actress has been hoping to rekindle her romance with her ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Hoult. The pair reconnected when Lawrence was in the United Kingdom promoting Red Sparrow.

While Lawrence and Hoult broke up in 2014, the duo continued to work together on several X-Men franchise films such as 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse and the upcoming X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

Headline-Making Moments

In addition to her love life, Lawrence continues to create headlines. Reality TV star Lala Kent clapped back at the Winter's Bone star recently after Lawrence called the Vanderpump Rules star a "c**t." In a now-deleted tweet, Kent threatened that she would knock down the actress if they ever met.

During last Sunday's Oscars ceremony, Lawrence was caught climbing over the Dolby Theatre seats in a metallic Dior dress. At the awards show, she poked fun at her friend, Emma Stone, and also kept a glass of white wine in her hands.

Before the Oscars, Lawrence appeared on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. Andy Cohen made one of her wishes come true as she had a Real Housewives dinner party with The Real Housewives of New York stars LuAnn de Lesseps and Bethenny Frankel alongside a cardboard cutout of Scott Disick.
Letters

COVID It is ironic the Federal Government appointees are blaming the unvaccinated U.S. citizens for the new COVID-19 explosion. When at the same time, people  900,000 so far and going up  are crossing the southern border, coming in hot with COVID in their body. Government appointees sprinkle these people into the interior of the U.S.

Safety At Rural Road Intersections Crawford County Farm Bureau Board of Directors wants to remind everyone when traveling on rural roads to slow down at intersections, especially where there is tall corn.

A plea for a plea To the Editor, Mr. Schauer and Ms. Creasman wrote a pitiful plea to their followers (Times News July 14) to be Silent No More. Their call to action for support of 

In response to the July 14 Letter to the Editor by Harrison County Chair and Vice-Chair. It was a relief to read the recent Letter to the Editor submitted by Benjamin Schauer and Jan Creasman. Their letter strongly outlined our current political climate, but did so in a respectful manner. They asked the reader to think, rather than telling the reader what to think.

Dig Deeper After my last editorial in this paper on the extreme property tax increases being forced on Harrison County taxpayers, I was tipped off to dig deeper into what really is going on with our County Assessor and Boards.

Read more letters
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that there was progress on the Korean Peninsula issue after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) expressed willingness to denuclearize the peninsula.

"They seem to be acting positively. We're going to see," said Trump before meeting at White House with visiting Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven.

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) meets with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on March 6, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua/Ting Shen]

The South Korean presidency said earlier on Tuesday that Pyongyang showed willingness to talk "candidly" with the United States on issues including denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and normalization of ties with Washington.

The DPRK also agreed with South Korea to hold the third inter-Korean summit talks in late April.

The positive moves came as a result of the two-day visit to Pyongyang by South Korean President Moon Jae-in's special delegation led by Chung Eui-yong, Moon's top national security adviser.

"It would be a great thing for the world. It would be a great thing for North Korea (DPRK)," said Trump of the positive momentum on the Korean Peninsula issue.

"We have made progress, there's no question about it," he added. "I'd like to be optimistic."

When asked by reporters if the United States was ready for direct talks with the DPRK, Trump just cautiously said: "We're going to see what happens."

In a tweet on Tuesday morning, Trump recognized "possible progress" made on the Korean Peninsula issue with a reserved attitude.

"May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction," he added in the tweet.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence kept a harsh rhetoric on the DPRK, saying that the U.S. "maximum pressure" strategy against Pyongyang to seek an end to its nuclear program will continue.

"All options are on the table and our posture toward the regime (the DPRK) will not change until we see credible, verifiable, and concrete steps toward denuclearization," Pence said in a statement on Tuesday.
U.S. Rep. Steve King said it might take another election cycle before Congress passes an immigration reform law. King said, Theres not a level of urgency I think exists.

King said the U.S. Department of Justice and the Senate Judiciary Committee were two of five to seven committees conducting investigations into activities of the federal government besides those conducted by Robert Mueller, head of the FBI.

Its so complex. Muellers investigation seems to be expanding his authority, King said.

King had praise for attorney general Jeff Sessions. He is a noble individual. He will restore respect for the rule of law, King said.

A farm bill might move more quickly, King said. The end of the month will be the end of the first quarter, and I expect to see a farm bill.

King said a lot of the cuts in the farm bill can come from the SNAP food assistance program.

King said, Were still trying to figure out whats going on with the Trump administration.

Iowa did a good job of getting its values to DC on its caucus platforms in 2016, King said.

Trump had a lot of Iowa values; the planks in the Donald Trump platform are Iowas, King said.

King said, If America is going to be held together its us in the heartland who will accomplish it.

King addressed the question of the deficit.

I pushed as hard as I could, and we came close to having a balanced budget after my first five years [with the House Republicans] bringing it to the floor, King said.

It was impossible, and we went into the red ink. We have tax cuts now, which will create economic stimulus, King said.

State Senator Dennis Guth serves at the state capitol on the Appropriations, Commerce, Labor/Business, Local Government, and Amendment committees, the latter as co-chair. He is also vice-chair of the Ethics committee.

We dont do much, Guth said.

Guth said 45 bills have come up during funnel week, including the budget and tax reform.

Guth said aid to K-12 public schools is up $32 million.

Tax reform would cause the average family to have its taxes reduced such that they will save $1,000 on their tax bill, Guth said.

We have the fourth highest state tax rate in the whole country. We will bring three-quarters of that down in tax credits and one-quarter in reducing the size of government, Guth said.

One way to accomplish the reduction is self-reliance, Guth said.

Its time people depended upon themselves and God instead of the government.

Guth and Rep. Tedd Gassman discussed the heartbeat bill, which prohibits abortion once a heartbeat can be detected in an unborn fetus on ultrasound.

The bill was approved 30-20 in the Senate. It requires a physician to not perform an abortion unless a pregnant woman has been tested to determine if a fetal heartbeat can be detected. This can happen as early as six weeks into pregnancy. There is an exception for a life threatening medical emergency in the mothers case, but not for rape or incest. A doctor who performs an abortion outside the parameters could be charged with a Class D felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.

Guth said, This is the most important piece of legislation I have been part of in my six years in the Iowa Senate.

Guth pointed out all Senate Democrats voted against the bill, while all Republican and the Independent Senator voted in favor of it.

Rep. Tedd Gassman added, Wed like to get a law passed that prohibits abortion all the way to the moment of conception. You can help us get there by calling and emailing other representatives.

Gassman also brought up an incident that happened in Swea City. The Department of Transportation told a bank located on the highway that they cannot use their marquee sign for a religious message. The bank had put a scrolling message about local Lenten worship services on its sign.

Last month, Sen. Guth, the chief sponsor of the bill, read part of a speech from President Bill Clinton on the signing of the federal Act in 1993: What this law basically says is that the government should be held to a very high standard of proof before it interfered with someones free exercise of religion.

The bill comes at a time the owners of a wedding venue in the Des Moines area lost their bid with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission for the right to refuse to allow a same-sex wedding to be held in their premises on religious conscience grounds. The state fined them, they decided to stop renting the facility for weddings, and ultimately went out of business.

Guth and Gassman also addressed the state budget cuts for the Iowa Judicial Department.

Guth said, Education of public K-12 students is over 50 percent of the budget. Healthcare brings it to 75 percent. Judiciary is next at nine percent. We have to take it out of something, and theres nowhere else to take it from. I feel the justices are politicizing the budget cuts and talking about things like closing courthouses to scare us.

Gassman said, Theres no support for the idea of closing courthouses.

The town hall was part of the Farm, Home and Living Show at the Regional Wellness Center in Estherville.
Hi Bev!,



Thanks so much for replying. If it ever came up, would you be able to discuss the circumstances and factors surrounding an incident with immigration? It's just when you read the horror stories of places like the USA that can bar people because of sometimes something so minor. I don't think France is quite as strict as the USA though if I understand it correctly. Also, would I be right in assuming that they would be far more interested in things that actually resulted in a conviction and jail time?
EverHopeful said: This is not always the case, there are many GPs and group medical practices in France that don't accept walk-ins, especially is you're not a registered patient. Vest to phone and check first. Click to expand...

Well obviously you can only walk straight in to the waiting room if that's the system. I said you can "go to any", not that you can walk straight in to any! Some clinics hold open surgery at certain times and appointment only at other times, and a lot of doctors are appointment only, so you do need to read what it says on the door and probably ring to make an appointment. But the OP's concern seemed to be whether he could see a doctor without a carte vitale, and I've never ever come across a doctor that's refused to see a patient or treated a patient any differently whether they're registered there, or don't have a carte vitale, or what. They're all people who need medical attention, and he gets the same fee for all of them.Thinking about it, the only walk in medical centre I've ever taken someone to, there was no receptionist at all, you did literally walk in and sit down to wait your turn, so the doctor had no idea who was going to come into his surgery next.
It won't help post-Brexit, I guess, but there is some sort of EU directive or something that says that you can get medications from other EU countries if they aren't available in your country of residence. Not sure exactly how that works, but as DejW has indicated, sometimes French doctors simply have different ideas about things - and in France, for prescription items, the prescription has to be written by a French doctor.



For your 2 week stay, there should be no problem just bringing a supply of whatever you need for that period of time. When you're here for a full year, bring a couple of months' supply and your medical records. Go see a French doctor to see about getting the appropriate prescriptions (and for the follow-up appointments - normally prescriptions are only valid for 3 months or so).

Cheers,

Bev
NEW Agriculture and Water Resources Minister David Littleproud has revealed Australian Wool Innovations (AWI) performance and governance processes will be placed under the microscope and scrutinised via a new independent investigation.

Its understood Mr Littleprouds Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has been requested to engage an independent reviewer to look into AWI performance and governance issues that have been questioned by woolgrowers, in the wake of recent controversies; including concerns about extremely generous severance payments made to ex-staff during a restructure process, which raised the ire of New South Wales Nationals senator John Wacka Williams.

Mr Littleproud said the review would be conducted over the next six months, ahead of WoolPoll 2018, to examine AWIs performance and additional matters of public interest raised over the past year.

The 42,000 wool levy payers have the right to expect their industry body to work hard in the interests of woolgrowers, Mr Littleproud said.

This review gives all parties the ability to be fully informed.

To keep this at arms-length my department will engage an independent reviewer.

AWI stakeholders, including woolgrower representative groups, will have the opportunity to participate in the review.

The findings will be made available to levy payers ahead of the industrys WoolPoll this year to inform their vote.

WoolPoll voting will take place over a six-week period between September 17 and November 2, 2018.

AWI chief executive officer Stuart McCullough said, in a statement supplied by Mr Littleprouds office, the group welcomed the independent review of performance as a normal part of our business cycle.

He said it was an opportunity for its stakeholders to see the benefits delivered for woolgrowers.

At AWI we are always striving to deliver best performance for our woolgrowers and we believe that our governance procedures and operations are appropriate for our funding and business model, however we are more than happy to have this tested through our triennial performance review process, Mr McCullough said.

WoolProducers said the review appeared to be an enhanced part of normal statutory reporting requirements for AWI, aligning with its business cycle.

WoolProducers chief executive officer Jo Hall said after last years AWI Annual General Meeting, the group said it expected the AWI board to improve its governance practices which had been demonstrated to be lacking in recent times - but the review would enable stakeholders to have input into the researchers operations.

WoolProducers has been calling for more accountability and transparency to woolgrowers from the industrys research, development and market body, Ms Hall said.

As the representative of the single largest body of woolgrowers in the country, we will certainly be taking the opportunity have input into this process.

AWI has also provided answers to an extensive range of questions taken on notice at the last estimates hearings; including about the allocation of proxy votes at director elections; AWIs links with industry representation and consultation; and how much levy and government money is spent on research into mulesing alternatives and solutions.

Victorian Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie also asked questions about whether AWI paid for Mr McCullough to attend Stanford University, California, United States, in 2013 and the nature of any study he undertook and if he attended any yoga instruction sessions while there.

In AWIs response, it was confirmed Mr McCullough attended the Stanford Executive Program - a general management program, designed for senior-level executives who will use this opportunity to make an even greater difference in their legacies, their careers, and their organisations future.

It was a six week course that ran from June 23 to August 3, 2013 and cost $64,654.

The course related to the business of AWI through challenging and stretching Mr McCulloughs thinking, helping to shape the companys future by pushing his conventionally held tolerances, in turn allowing support for improved innovation across all the companys portfolios, the response said.

The course was also designed to progress and fine-tune his business administration skillset and broaden his strategic and creative thinking via exposure, problem solving and debate with attending peers, all of which has resulted in him being a stronger leader for AWI and its shareholders.

Mr McCullough attended all guest speaker sessions that were offered as part of the Stanford Executive Program and were included in the tuition fees.

Mr McCullough did not attend any of the exercise or yoga classes however these activities were included as part of the tuition cost.

Upon completion of the course Mr McCullough returned directly to Australia - at the time Mr McCullough was remunerated a base salary of $350,000 per annum (superannuation was paid on top of this amount).

AWI also agreed that a budget figure, including expenses, of $100,000 was agreed to and reflected in Mr McCulloughs long term incentive contract.

A copy of AWIs investigation into the focus group meeting on genetics with stud breeders conducted by Axiom Consulting - where Mr Merriman observed proceedings through a one way mirror which triggered outrage and calls for an overhaul of governance practices - is also part of the raft of responses provided to the committee.

In one response, AWI said it contracted Axiom to conduct the focus group which sub-contracted the work to Qualitative Research Group, with the contract between AWI and Axiom valued at $86,995.

AWI said since 2005, it had also fast-tracked its research, development and extension (RD&E) program into flystrike prevention and invested $59 million in animal health and welfare in this time, including $35m in flystrike prevention alone.
WE do not need a Bill Shorten government.

Thats how Riverina, New South Wales, politician Michael McCormack opened his attack on the opposition after taking over from Barnaby Joyce as leader of The Nationals, following a meeting of 21 Federal members in Canberra on Monday.

I want people to know that in me we have a fighter, Mr McCormack said after defeating Queensland colleague George Christensen in an unexpected vote, Mr McCormack said.

I have a huge challenge ahead of me.

There is a huge challenge ahead of us as a government.

(Opposition leader) Bill Shorten would be the worst outcome for Australia.

He is aligned to militant trade unions, aligned to the Greens.

He says one thing when hes campaigning in Queensland and he will certainly be saying another thing when hes campaigning in Batman (by-election in Victoria).

We do not need a Bill Shorten government and we are committed, as Nationals, along with the Liberals, to do everything in our power to make sure that we stay in government, so that those jobs can continue, so that those opportunities for Australians can continue.

Mr McCormack promised to fight and never be silent.

I realise the challenge and responsibility ahead of me, he said.

I will fight.

I certainly have never shirked from any tough decision and I will never be silent when I ought to speak.

I want to also pay tribute to Bridget McKenzie who has done great work as the deputy leader for Barnaby Joyce, following on from the good work and the great work by Fiona Nash.

We are very, very lucky in the National Party.

We have diversified people, we have versatile people, we have people from all walks of life and together, united, going forward, we will serve the rural and regional areas to the very best of our ability, in the best interest of nation.

Mr McCormack said The Nationals also represented more than farmers, in Canberra.

He is now expected to meet with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for preliminary talks to decide what the new ministry allocations will be within the Coalition, with a chance he could take over Mr Joyces previous portfolio of Infrastructure and Transport.

Mr Turnbull said he was delighted to welcome the appointment of Mr McCormack as the new leader of The Nationals and deputy Prime Minister.

Michael McCormack is a strong advocate for rural Australia  he will continue his partys long tradition of standing up for farmers and all those living in regional Australia, Mr Turnbull said.

The Liberal Party has been in coalition with The Nationals for more than 70 years and our enduring and successful political partnership will continue under Michaels leadership of The Nationals.

I congratulate Michael McCormack on his appointment and I look forward to working closely with him and the entire coalition team in the interests of all Australians.

Mr McCormack said he looked forward to having a good discussion with Mr Turnbull.

I will be having a careful consideration of portfolio areas, he said.

I will have a close discussion with my deputy and we will make those announcements in due course.
SURVIVAL, reproduction and carcase were highlighted as three critical factors affecting profitability in a beef cattle enterprise by Santa Gertrudis Breeders Australia Association (SGBAA) classifier Russell Gray, Queensland, at a beef cattle field day at Gingin last Friday.

Speaking to a crowd of about 70 people, Mr Gray said this had led him to formulating his three Cs of constitution, conformation and carcase.

Animals have to survive and thrive, they need to get calves on the ground and then good calves on the ground, Mr Gray said.

If we are looking at bulls, they need to be able to walk to feed, serve cows and produce progeny with the ability to lay down beef, while cows need to get in calf, raise that calf well and get in calf again quickly.

In the case of pastoral environments Mr Gray added a fourth C  coat type.

We want a finer coat type because hair takes energy to grow and energy to shed, he said.

In his role with SGBAA Mr Gray classifies thousands of cattle a year and in some cases several hundred in a day, allowing him only one to two minutes to assess an animal, so it was important he had a quick method of appraisal (SGBAA is the only breed society in Australia which annually classifies all nominated progeny recorded young animals here and in New Zealand to determine if they meet the breed standard).

Mr Gray said he adopted a nose-to-tail checklist for assessment which he routinely applied to each animal, taking in ears, eyes, nose, jaw, front legs, shoulders, topline, navel, testes, udder, thurls, vulva, thickness and walking ability.

The feet will tell you a lot about the structure above, as will any lumps, bumps or swellings in the joints, he said.

In the case of bulls the back feet and legs are more important than the front as they need to support 100 per cent of that bulls weight when he serves a cow, whereas the front feet and legs only need to support the front end of the animal.

Width in the hindquarter and thurls (hip joint) allowed for more beef to be packed on and related to pelvic area for ease of calving in females.

When producing steers, it was important to note that the muscle score in a bull would generally be reduced by one in its steer progeny because they lacked testosterone.

Mr Gray said producers needed to be critical at home assessing where their herd was at and what they needed to improve it.

Bulls are the cheapest part of your operation and the price versus the number of calves will give you return on outlay, he said.

Buying better bulls pays off, as does turning your bulls over regularly and semen testing them annually.

Old bulls can get lazy and can intimidate younger bulls, keeping them away from doing the job, while not doing the job themselves.

Cows on the other hand will likely be on your place for 10 years or more so they too have influence.

They are your factory and the bulls are your inputs.

Its important to keep a clean tidy factory, then introduce good bulls and quality progeny will follow.

And this is where consistency comes in (for the processor) because you are not just breeding a four-legged beef animal you are breeding boxes of beef.

And like in a biscuit factory you want the biscuits to come out the same size to pack in the boxes, similarly for beef, or be an even line to sell in the saleyards.

A question from the crowd about hump height in Santa Gertrudis cattle and market acceptance was answered by fellow SGBAA classifier Nigel Ferguson.

He said of 120 registered feedlots he called (on the east coast) not one said they would not accept Santa Gertrudis cattle and in fact most said they loved them and the majority of Santa crosses for their weight gaining ability.

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) MSA business development officer Jarrod Lees, provided insights into new technology in the meat industry including DEXA (dual energy X-ray) and gave an update on Meat Standards Australia (MSA).

Mr Lees said DEXA was a medical industry product which had been found to have great application in the meat industry for measuring the amount of meat, bone and fat in a carcase, plus ossification, where previously eye muscle area (EMA) had been the only measure.

For our purposes DEXA is proving to be as good and as accurate as a CT scanner, but is far cheaper than CT and can do much larger numbers more readily, Mr Lees said.

In lambs DEXA is showing 90 per cent accuracy compared to CT and is also being used to determine cutting lines on carcases on the kill chain which is far more accurate than the human eye.

Other technology available utilised infrared to measure eye temperature in animals which gave a good indication of their stress level.

This means we can potentially hold over any animals showing high stress levels and kill at a later date, which could potentially help to alleviate problems of dark cutters, Mr Lees said.

Cameras were also being used within MSA to determine meat colour and marbling.

Meat colour is no longer an MSA requirement but where once MSA graders used their set of grading chips to score colour and marbling subjectively it can now be done using a camera which fits in the palm of your hand, linked to a phone app, he said.

This technology was actually devised by a couple of uni mates.

Ones mother was an interior decorator and she was ruing the difficulty in being able to accurately match paint colours so they devised this colour reading app for her.

In 2016-17, 40pc of the Australian cattle slaughter was MSA graded, accounting for 2.8million cattle from 42 licensed processors and the aim was to increase this to 50pc of the kill by 2020.

In WA 60pc of the annual kill was MSA graded, behind Tasmania at 69pc and ahead of South Australia, 58pc, New South Wales, 54pc, Queensland, 36pc and Victoria, 17pc.

Mr Lees said the MSA grading index had increased 0.16 year on year showing eating quality was on the rise.

The national MSA index average was 57.56 with WA ahead of the quality curve at an average of 60.25.

The benefit of producing MSA cattle is clear with non-feedlot cattle across the board attracting a premium of $0.23/kg, equating to $65/head and grainfed cattle attracting a $0.11/kg premium or $34/head more, totalling $130 million of added value delivered back to the farmgate.

Mr Lees said in its 20th anniversary year MSA continued to be a world leader in meat eating quality and it underpinned 163 Australian beef brands.

But there is always room for improvement and our vision for the future is that by 2020 all cattle in Australia will be eligible for MSA, 50pc of the national cattle slaughter will be MSA graded, we will be able to accurately predict the fitness for purpose (cooking/utilisation method) of every cut in the carcase, identify on-farm practices that improve eating quality and increasingly utilise quality and yield technologies which will deliver greater accuracy and transparency.

The field day, held at Mark and Chloe Madews Cundarra stud, Gingin, was run by WA Santa Gertrudis breeders, who thanked major sponsor SGBAA and Primaries, Elders, Landmark, S & C Livestock, Zoetis and Allflex.

See more stories in next weeks Farm Weekly.
VINTAGE items provided a blast from the past for farmers at the Landmark clearing sale at Gabbin last Tuesday.

Robert Clare and his wife Bev had their sentimental items up for grabs on their Purlieu Farms property, which they have sold.

Their next move is enjoying retired life in York  Roberts son Stuart lives in the town, where his parents plan to live there on a small town block.

York is hopefully somewhere it rains a bit more than here, Mr Clare said.

Mr Clare, who is in his seventies, said it took two people to run the 8750 hectare farm and with Stuart away from the farm, the time had come to give it up.

Rusted vintage items such as a GL 250 Grister which went for $150 and a six inch (15cm) Grister that sold for $225 were some items that attracted bidding from vintage aficionados.

Other items that had a dark brown rust to their cast iron body included a set of Sunshine combine cast enders which sold for $340 and a ASCO scale with a nailed-on wooden frame, which sold for $10.

The history on this farm was enough to make any collector envious.

A wooden trolley, that resembled two wood railway sleepers with rusted metal wheels, sold for $300; a vintage sewing machine with a foot pedal stand went for $140 and an antique International grader that Mr Clares father used to maintain roads in and around Gabbin, sold for $900.

Landmark auctioneer Grant Lupton threw the hammer down on a 2003 Isuzu 385 tandem drive truck (150,000km), with a six metre (20ft) tray, hydraulics and a ring feeder, for $90,000, which was the top sale price.

Other machinery sold included a Nissan 2.5 tonne diesel Forklift ($5750); a New Holland TR88 header (3867 rotor hours, $3000); a Wespray R3650 36m (120ft) boomsprayer with a 5000 litre tank and twin lines ($70,000); a Morris 370 Eight Series XL air cart with a 3800L liquid injection tank ($74,000) and a 820 Flexi-Coil bar on 30 centimetre (12in) spacing and press wheels ($15,000).

A DE Engineers seed cleaner with attached storage and screens, went for $40,000 while a 5 metre (17ft) 35 tine International scarifier with finger harrows, in good condition, sold for $200.

Two unlicensed vehicles that had seen better days  a Daihatsu ute and a Triton ute  sold for $100 each.

Another big item of the day, and the last item in the machinery section, was an Ennor 28 series 96 plate offset disc that sold for $48,000.

A large ute sheep crate sold for $100 and a smaller crate, in an older condition, sold for $10.

A total of 10 tonnes of spreadable urea sold for $260/t, with 12,000 litres of Hitech black liquid urea selling for $1000 and 25t of DAP attracting $13,500 at $540/t.

Grain left in storage was also up for grabs with 12t of Mandalup lupins selling for $370/t and 20t of Durack/Williams oats selling at $150/t.

A graded 4t of wheat seconds sold for $50/t and 25t of graded Mace wheat sold for $200/t.

A pallet of 150cm (6in) new black steel posts, sold for $380, while a pallet of 165cm (6.5in) galvanised posts sold for $750.

A box of Ez-Steer equipment sold for $4600, with most GPS equipment topping the sundries sales.

Lambing cradles are hot property for anyone running sheep, and a five station lamb cradle, near new, was knocked down for $1700.

A small lambing cradle with a three station lambing cradle went for $100.

A TPW wool press went for $8000 with an AJAX press sold for $200.

Out of the 265 lots, 23 were passed-in and 50 per cent of those were household items such as ironing boards, old tins, apple glassware and a punch bowl.
The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike.

We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve.
Like all EU states, Portugal is seeking to manage the thorny question of managing and recording Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) information, as part of its obligations under Chapter III of EU Directive 2015/849.

The Directive seeks to tackle the use of financial systems by those bent on money laundering and terrorist financing. To this end, Portugal has drawn up Law 89/2017, which was enacted on August 2017 and came into force on November 19 last year.

The new legislation is comprehensive. For example, companies that do not exercise an activity or perform an act or business in Portuguese territory are not required to obtain a Portuguese tax number. However, if a foreign company acquires shares in the share capital of a Portuguese company, it will be required to obtain a Portuguese tax number. If so, then there is a school of thought that the foreign company would (whether itself carrying out any activity or not) also be required to register.

Interestingly, the law appears to deal with an act of omission leniently. Should a company fail to provide UBO identification information, then no offenses are committed. However, if UBO information is supplied and found to be false, then an offense is committed. So, it is better to remain silent than to lie.

The types of entities required to register are also far ranging: for example, associations, cooperatives, foundations, civil and commercial companies, Madeira Offshore Trusts, as well as any other entities with legal personality, subject to Portuguese or foreign law, that exercise an activity or perform an act or business in Portuguese territory that requires them to obtain a Portuguese tax number.

In addition, there is now a requirement for commercial companies to keep and maintain an internal share ownership register. This should record sufficient, accurate and updated information on:

Their shareholder(s) and respective share participation(s)

The person(s) that hold(s) directly or indirectly the ownership of the shares

The person(s) that has/have the actual control over the company

Their tax representative (when applicable).

Failure by the company to comply with any of the above obligations constitutes an administrative offense that may be punished with a penalty ranging from 1,000 to 50,000 (about $1,200 to $62,000).

Where a shareholder, without justification, fails to provide or update the information required within 10 days following service of a notice requiring such information, the company is entitled to redeem the non-compliant shareholders shares pursuant to the terms of the Portuguese Companies Code.

As highlighted above, the addition of a Central UBO Register has also been implemented. Effectively, all obligated entities are required to declare to the Central UBO register, as of the effective date (i.e. a date yet to be determined by ministerial order), sufficient, accurate and updated information on their UBO(s), as well as all circumstances that indicate that they are such and details of the economic interest held in the company.

Where the entity in questions fails to comply (in the sense of not providing the information as opposed to supplying false information), during the time in which it is in breach it may not:

Distribute dividends (including interim dividends) Enter into agreements for the supply, public civil construction, or acquisition of services or assets with the Portuguese State, the Insular Regions, public institutes, local authorities and social care private institutions that are financed mainly by the State Budget or renew existing contracts Tender for public service concessions Be permitted to trade in regulated market financial instruments representing its share capital or that may be converted into its share capital Launch public offerings to distribute any financial instruments issued by it Benefit from EU fund structural supports or from public investments.

So, on the one hand, refusing to be compliant and maintaining silence, thereby declining UBO information is not a criminal act. However, on the other hand, when one visits the rules impacting the entity when UBO information is not forthcoming, the limitations triggered can impact the operation of a company significantly.

As with all UBO and central company registers, they are only as good as the information provided to them. It is still a relatively straightforward process to mislead those collecting the information. This said, at first glance the new Portuguese law/regulations appear to cover many of the bases. Time will tell if they will be successful.

____

Martin Kenney is Managing Partner of Martin Kenney & Co., Solicitors, a specialist investigative and asset recovery practice based in the BVI and focused on multi-jurisdictional fraud and grand corruption cases www.martinkenney.com |@MKSolicitors. He was selected as one of the Top 40 Thought Leaders of the Legal Profession in 2017 by Whos Who Legal International and as the number one offshore lawyer for asset recovery.
In one of the most high profile corruption stories around, reports in the Financial Times said BSGR filed for receivership, and on Tuesday entered into voluntary administration in Guernsey, where the company is registered.

It will now be run by independent administrators.

The matter began in the middle of the past decade when the company swooped in and obtained the mining rights to half of the vast Simandou iron-ore prospect. The other half went to BSGRs joint venture partner Vale. The rights were awarded to them after they were striped from the Australian entity Rio Tinto by the Guinean dictator Lansana Conte, some eight days before his death in 2008.

This story was told by Patrick Radden Keefe, in a piece in the New Yorker in 2013.

There were allegations of payments to one of Contes wives (No. 4) and then attempts to reclaim original copies of contracts allegedly specifying the bribe payment scheduled in Florida, which led to the arrest and conviction of Frederic Cilins, a former BSGR representative in Guinea, for trying to obstruct the U.S. investigation into the matter.

Subsequent Guinean governments stripped BSRG of the concession, finding the company obtained the rights through bribery and corruption. BSRG is in an international legal dispute with the country over this act. Vale sued BSRG over the joint venture. The company is reportedly subject to corruption investigations in the United States, Switzerland and Israel. It has denied the allegations.

At this point, the liabilities of the company are greater than the assets, hence the receivership filing.

Given all the criminal and civil actions literally flying across the globe, one can only wonder if the receivership is a litigation tactic to shield assets from potential creditors.

Malcolm Cohen, a partner at the accountancy firm BDO, which will be handling the administration, was quoted in the FT as saying that BSGR will now enjoy a moratorium on the enforcement of any legal judgments that might be made against it.

He added, Its a complicated situation. Theres litigation thats under way and obviously the administrators will work very closely with legal advisers to take these matters forward.

_____

Tom Fox is the Compliance Evangelist. He leads the social media discussion on compliance with his award-winning blog, The FCPA Compliance and Ethics Blog and eight podcasts; The FCPA Compliance Report, Compliance into the Weeds, Everything Compliance, This Week in FCPA, 12 Oclock High-a Podcast on Business Leadership, Compliance Report-International Edition, Countdown to GDPR and Across the Board.

Hes the author of 12 books on compliance, ethics and leadership, including the international best-selling Lessons Learned on Compliance and Ethics and Best Practices Under the FCPA and Bribery Act and his series Fox on Compliance. His book The Complete Compliance Handbook will be published by Compliance Week in April 2018. It is available for PreSale by clicking here.
Frequent visitors to Turkey will have come across examples of how patriotic the Turkish people are. The Turkish flag, for example, is absolutely everywhere and is treated with such high regard and respect that there are even rules and laws that protect this respect. For example, it is not allowed to burn the Turkish flag.

Another thing that highlights their patriotism is the Turkish National Anthem, Istiklal Mars.

It is regularly heard during state and military events, as well as during national festivals, Bayram holidays, sporting events, and school ceremonies.

The Turks love it and sing along at the top of their voices. Passers-by stop and join in  in fact, where possible, everything stops for the National Anthem.

Fethi Bey 104th Commemorative Ceremony  Istiklal Mars from Lyn Ward on Vimeo.

Istiklal Mars

The Istiklal Mars (Independence March), was officially adopted as Turkeys national anthem on 12 March 1921, two-and-a-half years before the 29 October 1923 establishment of the nation, both as a motivational musical saga for the troops fighting in the Turkish War of Independence, and as an aspirational anthem for a Republic that was yet to be established.

The present-day anthem is a collective effort by several prominent poets, musicians, and composers that took form over several years due to the relatively tumultuous nature of the period in which it was crafted.

Even before the full official dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, a nationwide competition was organized in 1921 by the Turkish National Movement, an independent and self-organized militia force led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

The goal of the competition was to select an original composition suitable for a National March, intended to both motivate the militia forces fighting for independence across the country and to provide inspiration and pride for a new homeland that would be established once victory was achieved.

Lyrics & Music

724 poems were submitted to the competition organised for this March, and a poem written by the poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy was adopted unanimously by the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

Mehmet Akif Ersoy was an Ottoman-born Turkish poet, writer, academic, politician, and the author of the Turkish National Anthem

Twenty-four composers participated in another competition arranged for the selection of a musical composition for the National Anthem. The Council, which was only able to convene in 1924 due to the War of Independence, adopted the music composed by Ali Rifat Cagatay. The words of the National Anthem were sung to this music for six years. The music of the National Anthem was then changed to an arrangement written by Zeki Ungor, conductor of the Presidental Symphonic Orchestra, and the words of the National Anthem have been sung to this musical accompaniment ever since.

Osman Zeki Ungor was a Turkish composer, violin virtuoso and lyricist, who served as the first conductor of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Turkey, wrote the final musical arrangement fo the Istikbal Mars.

The lyrics of the Turkish National Anthem consist of a long poem with 41 lines of verse. Only the first 8 lines are performed in official ceremonies.

Korkma! Sonmez bu safaklarda yuzen al sancak,

Sonmeden yurdumun ustunde tuten en son ocak.

O benim milletimin yldzdr, parlayacak;

O benimdir, o benim milletimindir ancak.

Catma, kurban olaym, cehreni ey nazl hilal!

Kahraman rkma bir gul; ne bu siddet, bu celal?

Sana olmaz dokulen kanlarmz sonra helal

Hakkdr, Hakka tapan milletimin istiklal.

Fear not; For the crimson banner that proudly ripples in this glorious dawn, shall not fade,

Before the last fiery hearth that is ablaze within my homeland is extinguished.

For that is the star of my people, and it will forever shine;

It is mine and solely belongs to my valiant nation.

Frown not, I beseech you, oh thou coy crescent!

Smile upon my heroic nation! Why the anger, why the rage?

Our blood which we shed for you shall not be worthy otherwise;

For freedom is the absolute right of my God-worshipping nation!

Next time youre in Fethiye and you hear the Istiklal Mars, stop, listen and let the patriotism of the Turkish people flow through you

Sources: nationalanthems.info/Wikipedia
Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release

SubCategory Select Sub-Category
-- First major investment by Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to advance vaccine development and manufacturing on two of CEPI's highest priority infectious diseases --

Today Themis Bioscience and CEPI the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations announce a partnership under which Themis will provide advanced vaccine development and manufacturing for Lassa fever and MERS.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180306005125/en/

This is the first company agreement that CEPI has signed since it was established in 2017 as a coalition to finance and coordinate the development of new vaccines to prevent and contain infectious disease epidemics.

The investment of up to $37,500,000 represents an innovative approach to funding vaccine development, unlocking research and development potential so that vaccines are ready for efficacy studies during an outbreak. The agreement will enable funding for Themis' development efforts over a five-year period. Additional financial details were not disclosed.

Lassa fever is a disease endemic in West Africa associated with annual outbreaks. An ongoing outbreak in Nigeria is believed to have infected nearly a thousand people and caused 90 deaths this year alone. MERS, first identified in 2012, causes a severe respiratory illness and has been associated with a number of outbreaks in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries.

Individuals acquiring these diseases in the regions of origin occasionally travel to other locations, becoming ill in areas outside the endemic regions. In 2015, for example, an individual returning to South Korea from the Middle East caused a large outbreak there that resulted in 186 cases and 36 deaths. The outbreak affected 24 hospitals, led to the temporary closure of more than 2000 schools, and had a significant impact on the South Korean economy.

Dr Richard Hatchett CEO of CEPI said:

"Establishing our partnership with Themis represents not only an important step in our journey towards tackling these diseases, but also a breakthrough in how we can partner and work with vaccine developers when traditional market incentives for development have failed."

"As we can see with the current outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria, these diseases devastate lives and have far reaching economic consequences. Vaccines are a vital part of our fight against them but their development is costly, complex and challenging."

Themis has established a versatile technology platform for the discovery, development and production of vaccines as well as other immune system activation approaches. The company will apply its platform technology to discoveries made by Institut Pasteur and the Paul Ehrlich Institut on Lassa fever and MERS, respectively, and will advance those vaccine candidates up to human proof-of-concept and safety studies.

Dr. Erich Tauber, CEO and founder of Themis said:

"This agreement is a substantial validation of our technology and capabilities. It also allows us to move several programs forward as part of CEPI's initiative and in collaboration with leading institutions worldwide, which is an honor."

"CEPI's support will enable us to drive the development of these vaccines while we continue our own clinical and preclinical development programs."

The investment with Themis is the first in CEPI's planned portfolio programme. CEPI's investments will support development up to the end of Phase II, providing clinical safety and immunological data, and the establishment of investigational stockpiles that will be ready for clinical efficacy trial testing during outbreaks. CEPI's investments will also provide additional benefits to the wider vaccine community through the development of assays, reference standards and associated knowledge that may accelerate the development of other vaccines and medical counter measures against Lassa fever and MERS.

Themis' most advanced proprietary development program is a vaccine against chikungunya virus, a mosquito-transmitted disease that can have serious debilitating long-term effects. The disease causes fever, joint pain and muscle pain, among other symptoms, and has no current treatment or prevention options. Themis' chikungunya vaccine is in Phase 2 clinical studies in 600 patients across the US, EU and South and Central America. With its broadly applicable technology platform, Themis is also developing vaccines against Zika virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), norovirus and Cytomegalovirus (CMV), as well as other applications of harnessing the immune system to treat disease.

About MERS

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome is caused by the MERS-Corona virus, part of the same family of viruses that causes the common cold and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). It is transmitted from animals to humans and can be further transmitted by person to person contact. Symptoms include severe acute respiratory illness with fever, cough and shortness of breath as well as gastrointestinal symptoms, which can lead to death.

About Lassa Fever

Lassa fever is also known as Lassa haemorrhagic fever. The Lassa virus is transferred to humans from animals, most commonly by the Mastomys rodent. The virus can spread from person to person via bodily fluids and causes a range of symptoms including vomiting, swelling of the face, bleeding, and pain in the chest, back and abdomen.

About CEPI

CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic and civil organizations. It was founded in 2017 by the governments of Norway, Germany, India and Japan, the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome and the World Economic Forum. To date, CEPI has also received investment from the governments of Australia, Belgium, and Canada. It has reached $630m of its target $1bn funding. The European Commission has announced a contribution in kind of 250M that will support relevant projects through EC mechanisms. Since its launch in January 2017, CEPI has announced two Calls for Proposals. The first was for candidate vaccines against MERS, Nipah and Lassa viruses. The second was for the development of platforms that can be used for rapid vaccine development against unknown pathogens.

About Themis Bioscience

Themis is developing urgently needed vaccines to prevent death and disability around the world. We lead in the development of a vaccine against chikungunya, a serious debilitating disease with global outbreak potential. Our innovation in vaccine and immune activation technology has created a powerful platform and a growing pipeline addressing a broad range of infectious diseases. Together with industrial and academic leaders we work to prevent illness across the globe. For more information, visit http://www.themisbio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180306005125/en/

Contacts:

For CEPI:

Rachel Grant

Phone: +44(0)7891249190

Email:

Rachel.Grant@cepi.net

or

For Themis:

Dr. Erich Tauber, CEO

Phone: +43 1 236 7151

erich.tauber@themisbio.com

or

Media requests for Themis:

Gretchen Schweitzer or Dr. Stephanie May

Trophic Communications

Phone: +49 89 2388 7730 or +49 171 185 56 82

May@trophic.eu
Shaped just like a circular cup holder, the wireless charger generates and maintains a constant and uniform magnetic field. (Copyright: ETRI)



Daejeon, KOREA, Mar 7, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - A cup holder that wirelessly charges electronic devices in a 3D space has been developed by ETRI in South Korea. It is dubbed as 'E-Cup' and can charge multiple devices placed inside the 10 cm-wide holder at the same time, at the same rate as wired chargers, regardless of orientation or position of the devices.Shaped just like a circular cup holder, the wireless charger generates and maintains a constant and uniform magnetic field. The electric current wirelessly flows to the batteries inside the electronic devices based on the magnetic resonance."The newly developed technology has a wide range of potential applications including phones, although it is still in infancy. But at the same time it has a great potential to be improved," says Dr. Ho-Jin Lee, the AVP of the Radio & Satellite Research Division of ETRI.The team debuted the E-Cup at the Consumer Electronics Show 2017 (CES2017) held in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. While it matches the speed of wired chargers, it is less efficient; its power conversion reaches to about 60% when calculated in terms of DC-to-DC conversion systemwise. The team is working on raising that to 70% before the product can be commercialized. When this technology comes to market, people can easily and freely charge the cellular phone wirelessly.ETRI has been working on wireless charging for several years. From 2015, ETRI developed a 3D wireless charging technology based on magnetic resonance for electric bikes, drones and smart devices. They succeeded to overcome the limitations of its 2D design and expand to 3D design to accelerate the freedom of charge without a loss of efficiency.The research team considers this a 'generic' technology that can be applied to all areas of industry. The market for wireless charging devices is expected to grow to nearly 1 billion USD in 2022, according to the U.S.-based firm Markets and Markets. Besides smartphone chargers, ETRI is focused on developing highly efficient and safe wireless energy transfer technologies applicable to charge multiple devices in huge spaces, such as living rooms.Enquiries:ETRIDr. In-Kui ChoE: cho303@etri.re.krT: +82-42-860-1242About ETRI - the Electronics and Telecommunications Research InstituteEstablished in 1976, ETRI is a non-profit Korean government-funded research organization that has been at the forefront of technological excellence for 40 years. In the 1980s, ETRI developed TDX (Time Division Exchange) and 4M DRAM. In the 1990s, ETRI commercialized CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). In the 2000s, ETRI developed Terrestrial DMB, WiBro, and 4G LTE Advanced, which became the foundation of mobile communications. As a global ICT leader, ETRI has been advancing communication and convergence by developing SAN (Ship Area Network) technology, Genie Talk (world class portable automatic interpretation; Korean-English/Japanese/Chinese), and automated valet parking technology. ETRI has about 2,000 employees where about 1,800 are researchers. Please visit https://www.etri.re.kr/eng/main/main.etriSource: ETRICopyright 2018 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Regulatory News:

United Company RUSAL Plc (Paris:RUSAL) (Paris:RUAL):

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement.

UNITED COMPANY RUSAL PLC

(Incorporated under the laws of Jersey with limited liability)

(Stock Code: 486)

UPDATE ON THE ANNUAL RESULTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2017

Reference is made to the annual results announcement for the year ended 31 December 2017 ("Annual Results Announcement") dated 23 February 2018 of United Company RUSAL Plc (the "Company"). Unless otherwise specified, capitalized terms in this announcement shall have the same meanings as the defined terms in the Annual Results Announcement.

As mentioned in the Annual Results Announcement, as at 22 February 2018, the Company was unable to obtain consolidated financial statements of Norilsk Nickel as at and for the year ended 31 December 2017 and accordingly has estimated its share in the profit, currency translation and other comprehensive income of its associate based on the publicly available information. As a result, the Company's auditor, JSC KPMG, has provided a qualified opinion on its audit of the consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2017.

On 06 March 2018, Norilsk Nickel published its audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2017, prepared in accordance with IFRS ("Norilsk Nickel Financial Statements") on its own website. The management of the Company is reviewing the Norilsk Nickel Financial Statements and is of the preliminary view that they may have no material adverse impact on the Company's published consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2017 (as disclosed in the Annual Results Announcement).

As soon as the Company has updated its consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2017 and the auditor has performed the relevant audit procedures with respect to the Norilsk Nickel Financial Statements, the Company will make further announcement which, if required, may contain the Company's updated consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2017.

By Order of the Board of Directors of

United Company RUSAL Plc

Aby Wong Po Ying

Company Secretary

07 March 2018As at the date of this announcement, the executive Directors are Mr. Oleg Deripaska, Mr. Vladislav Soloviev and Mr. Siegfried Wolf, the non-executive Directors are Mr. Maxim Sokov, Mr. Dmitry Afanasiev, Mr. Ivan Glasenberg, Mr. Maksim Goldman, Ms. Gulzhan Moldazhanova, Mr. Daniel Lesin Wolfe, Ms. Olga Mashkovskaya, Ms. Ekaterina Nikitina and Mr. Marco Musetti, and the independent non-executive Directors are Mr. Matthias Warnig (Chairman), Mr. Philip Lader, Dr. Elsie Leung Oi-sie, Mr. Mark Garber, Mr. Bernard Zonneveld and Mr. Dmitry Vasiliev.

All announcements and press releases published by the Company are available on its website under the links http://www.rusal.ru/en/investors/info.aspx, http://rusal.ru/investors/info/moex/ and http://www.rusal.ru/en/press-center/press-releases.aspx, respectively.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180306006205/en/

Contacts:

United Company RUSAL Plc
Regulatory News:

United Company RUSAL Plc (Paris:RUSAL) (Paris:RUAL):

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement.

UNITED COMPANY RUSAL PLC

(Incorporated under the laws of Jersey with limited liability)

(Stock Code: 486)

CONTINUING CONNECTED TRANSACTIONS

TRANSPORT LOGISTICS SERVICES CONTRACT

Reference is made to the announcements of the Company dated 13 November 2017, 29 December 2017, 12 January 2018, 7 February 2018, 2 March 2018 and 5 March 2018 in relation to the Previously Disclosed Transport Logistics Services Contracts. The Company announces that the member of the Group and an associate of En+ entered into the additional agreement to the original contract dated 10 November 2017 pursuant to which the associate of En+ agreed to provide transport logistics services to the member of the Group.

THE ADDITIONAL AGREEMENT TO THE TRANSPORT LOGISTICS SERVICES CONTRACT

Reference is made to the announcements of the Company dated 13 November 2017, 29 December 2017, 12 January 2018, 7 February 2018, 2 March 2018 and 5 March 2018 in relation to the Previously Disclosed Transport Logistics Services Contracts.

The Company announces that the member of the Group and an associate of En+ entered into the additional agreement to the original contract dated 10 November 2017 pursuant to which the associate of En+ agreed to provide transport logistics services to the member of the Group (the "Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistics Services Contract") with major terms set out below:

No. Date of additional agreement Customer (member of the Group) Service provider (associate of En+) Services Estimated consideration payable for the year ending 31 December 2018 excluding VAT

(USD) Scheduled termination date Payment terms 1 6 March 2018 (Additional agreement to the contract dated 10 November 2017) RTI Limited "Russian Transport Company" LLC Forwarding services 15,700,000 31 December 2018 Payment to be made within 5 days from the date of drawing of the account. Total estimated consideration payable for the year 15,700,000

The consideration under the Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistics Services Contract is to be paid in cash via bank transfer.

THE ANNUAL AGGREGATE TRANSACTION AMOUNT

The contract price payable under the Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistics Services Contract has been determined with reference to the market price and on terms no less favourable than those prevailing in the Russian market for transport logistics services of the same type and quality and those offered by the associate of En+ to independent third parties. In accordance with the Company's procurement policies and using tools such as the Company's procurement portal, the Company invited several organizations to take part in the tender in relation to the required transport logistics services. The Company's procurement managers, in line with the best-in-class experience and know-how of the Company's procurement policies, with approval from the Company's bidding committee chose the service provider offering the best terms and conditions (the chosen service provider offered competitive rates with rolling stock guarantee and was able to provide the services required).

Pursuant to Rule 14A.81 of the Listing Rules, the Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistics Services Contract is required to be aggregated with the Previously Disclosed Transport Logistics Services Contracts as they were each entered into by the Group with the associates of En+ and the subject matter of each contract relates to the provision of transport logistics services by the associates of En+ to the Group.

The annual aggregate transaction amount that is payable by the Group to the associates of En+ under the Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistics Services Contract and the Previously Disclosed Transport Logistics Services Contracts for the financial year ending 31 December 2018 is estimated to be up to approximately USD40.029 million. This annual aggregate transaction amount is estimated by the Directors based on the need for the transport logistics services by the Group and the contract price.

REASONS FOR AND BENEFITS OF THE TRANSACTIONS

The Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistics Services Contract was entered into for the purpose of obtaining logistics services. The Company considers that the transactions contemplated under the Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistics Services Contract are for the benefit of the Company as the services provided are required in the production process of the Group.

The Directors (including the independent non-executive Directors) consider that the Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistics Services Contract is on normal commercial terms which are fair and reasonable and the transactions contemplated under the Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistics Services Contract are in the ordinary and usual course of business of the Group and in the interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole.

None of the Directors has a material interest in the transactions contemplated under the Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistics Services Contract save for Mr. Deripaska, Mr. Vladislav Soloviev, Mr. Maxim Sokov, Ms. Olga Mashkovskaya and Ms. Gulzhan Moldazhanova, who are directors of En+, being the holding company of "Russian Transport Company" LLC. Mr. Deripaska is also indirectly interested in more than 50% of the issued share capital of En+. Accordingly, Mr. Deripaska, Mr. Vladislav Soloviev, Mr. Maxim Sokov, Ms. Olga Mashkovskaya and Ms. Gulzhan Moldazhanova did not vote on the Board resolution approving the Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistics Services Contract.

LISTING RULES IMPLICATIONS

"Russian Transport Company" LLC is an indirect subsidiary of En+ and is therefore an associate of En+ which is a substantial shareholder of the Company. Therefore "Russian Transport Company" LLC is a connected person of the Company under the Listing Rules.

The estimated annual aggregate transaction amount of the continuing connected transactions under the Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistic Services Contract and the Previously Disclosed Transport Logistics Services Contracts for the financial year ending 31 December 2018 is more than 0.1% but less than 5% under the applicable percentage ratios. Accordingly, pursuant to Rule 14A.76 of the Listing Rules, the transactions contemplated under these contracts are only subject to the announcement requirements set out in Rules 14A.35 and 14A.68, the annual review requirements set out in Rules 14A.49, 14A.55 to 14A.59, 14A.71 and 14A.72 and the requirements set out in Rules 14A.34 and 14A.50 to 14A.54 of the Listing Rules. These transactions are exempt from the circular and shareholders' approval requirements under Chapter 14A of the Listing Rules.

Details of the Additional Agreement to the Transport Logistic Services Contract will be included in the relevant annual report and accounts of the Company in accordance with Rule 14A.71 of the Listing Rules where appropriate.

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

The Company is principally engaged in the production and sale of aluminium, including alloys and value-added products, and alumina.

"Russian Transport Company" LLC is principally engaged in the organization of different kinds of transportation services.

DEFINITIONS

In this announcement, the following expressions have the following meanings, unless the context otherwise requires:

"associate(s)" has the same meaning ascribed thereto under the Listing Rules. "Board" the board of Directors. "Company" United Company RUSAL Plc, a limited liability company incorporated in Jersey, the shares of which are listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. "connected person(s)" has the same meaning ascribed thereto under the Listing Rules. "continuing connected transactions" has the same meaning ascribed thereto under the Listing Rules. "Director(s)" the director(s) of the Company. "En+" En+ Group Plc, formerly En+ Group Limited, a company incorporated in Jersey, a substantial shareholder of the Company. "Group" the Company and its subsidiaries. "Listing Rules" the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. "Mr. Deripaska" Mr. Oleg Deripaska, an executive Director. "percentage ratios" the percentage ratios under Rule 14.07 of the Listing Rules. "Previously Disclosed Transport Logistics Services Contracts" the contracts entered into between the members of the Group and the associates of En+ as disclosed in the Company's announcements dated 13 November 2017, 29 December 2017, 12 January 2018, 7 February 2018, 2 March 2018 and 5 March 2018 in relation to the receipt of transport logistics services by the members of the Group for the year ending 31 December 2018. "substantial shareholder" has the same meaning ascribed thereto under the Listing Rules. "USD" United States dollars, the lawful currency of the United States of America. "VAT" value added tax.

By Order of the Board of Directors of

United Company RUSAL Plc

Aby Wong Po Ying

Company Secretary

7 March 2018

As at the date of this announcement, the executive Directors are Mr. Oleg Deripaska, Mr. Vladislav Soloviev and Mr. Siegfried Wolf, the non-executive Directors are Mr. Maxim Sokov, Mr. Dmitry Afanasiev, Mr. Ivan Glasenberg, Mr. Maksim Goldman, Ms. Gulzhan Moldazhanova, Mr. Daniel Lesin Wolfe, Ms. Olga Mashkovskaya, Ms. Ekaterina Nikitina and Mr. Marco Musetti, and the independent non-executive Directors are Mr. Matthias Warnig (Chairman), Mr. Philip Lader, Dr. Elsie Leung Oi-sie, Mr. Mark Garber, Mr. Dmitry Vasiliev and Mr. Bernard Zonneveld.

All announcements and press releases published by the Company are available on its website under the links http://www.rusal.ru/en/investors/info.aspxhttp://rusal.ru/investors/info/moex/ and http://www.rusal.ru/en/press-center/press-releases.aspx, respectively.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180306006492/en/

Contacts:

United Company RUSAL Plc
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2018) - Blackrock Gold Corp. (TSXV: BRC) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that is has increased its non-brokered private placement previously announced on February 2, 2018 (the "Private Placement") from up to 8,000,000 units to up to 13,000,000 units (the "Units") for gross proceeds of up to $ 1,300,000.

Assuming the Private Placement is fully subscribed, the Company plans to allocate the gross proceeds of the Private Placement as to: (i) mineral exploration work and option payment ($800,000) on the Silver Cloud Project (if and when the Company receives final acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") for the property transaction) and (ii) general working capital ($500,000). If the Private Placement is not fully subscribed and the Company does not receive final acceptance from the Exchange for the property transaction, all proceeds from the Private Placement will be allocated to general working capital.

All other terms and conditions of the Private Placement, as previously announced, will remain the same.

The Private Placement is subject to the approval of the Exchange.

The Private Placement securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), or under any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, or delivered within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy such securities in the United States.

For further information, please contact:

Greg Schifrin, Chief Executive Officer

Blackrock Gold Corp.

Email: gschifrin@blackrockgoldcorp.com

Phone: 1 - 208-290-1180

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute "forward-looking statements" and include any information that addresses activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including the Company's strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance and other statements that express management's expectations or estimates of future performance.

Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. These statements, however, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed, implied by or projected in the forward-looking information or statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the ability of the Company to attract financing and the general market conditions of the industry in which the Company operates and the other factors discussed in the sections relating to risk factors discussed in the Company's continuous disclosure filings on SEDAR.

There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date of this document or to revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES

OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES


SEATTLE (dpa-AFX) - Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) plans to grow its Seattle headquarters to almost 14 million square feet of office space, an addition of more than 2 million square feet from the last time the company updated its local real estate plans, the Seattle Times reported.



As Amazon continues its search for a second headquarters, the retail giant has increased its forecast for the size of its campus in Seattle by about 2 million square feet, the equivalent of three additional skyscrapers.



Amazon now occupies more than 10 million square feet of office space in Seattle, according to a tally the Downtown Seattle Association released in a report Monday and the company confirmed. The retail giant plans to have almost 14 million square feet upon the completion of current and planned construction.



Back in September, when Amazon started its search for its so-called HQ2, the company's footprint stood at 8.1 million square feet, with plans to grow to about 12 million square feet. At the time, Amazon's was already the largest presence of any company in a major U.S. city. The company, with more than 40,000 employees in Seattle, is the city's largest employer.



Amazon has continued to scoop up real estate since, leasing all of the office space planned for a downtown skyscraper called Rainier Square, most of the Macy's building, and two mid-sized buildings in South Lake Union.



Amazon's voracious appetite for real estate, taken for granted in Seattle for most of the decade since the company announced its South Lake Union campus, has taken on a new importance after the announcement that it planned to build a second, 'equal' headquarters somewhere else.



The company has said it plans to staff that campus with up to 50,000 workers, in a campus of up to 8 million square feet. Amazon hopes to staff HQ2 with its first employees next year.



The real-estate listing company Zillow surveyed dozens of housing experts and economists on what city they believe could land Amazon HQ2, the company's $5 billion headquarters.



Atlanta, Georgia and Northern Virginia are their top picks.



The survey's conclusions are similar to other HQ2 analyses, many of which have also pointed toward the Washington, DC area and Atlanta as top contenders.



Earlier this year, Amazon said that it selected the 20 metropolitan areas to move to the next phase of the selection process for the company's second headquarters. The company planned to invest over $5 billion and grow the second headquarters to accommodate as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
LONDON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Luxury brands dominate inaugural ranking, accounting for 34% of total Brand Value at $28.9 billion

Gucci leads the first BrandZTM Top 30 Most Valuable Italian 2018 Brands ranking released today by WPP and Kantar Millward Brown. It is one of the seven luxury brands to feature in this ground-breaking study, which tracks and addresses the changing environment for brands in Italy and charts the fortunes of the country's most successful brands.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/513554/Kantar_Millward_Brown_Logo.jpg )



Gucci tops the ranking with a brand value of $16.3 billion, followed by telecom provider brand TIM at $9.3 billion and energy company Enel in third place at $7.4 billion. Coming in at number four is food and dairy brand Kinder at $6.9 billion, with Prada taking the final spot in the Top 5 at $4.0 billion.

"Italian engineering, design and creativity are powering world-class Italian brands, both young and old," says David Roth, CEO EMEA and Asia, The Store WPP. "The BrandZTM Italian Top 30 reflects Italy's tradition of businesses built by craftspeople and experts with great vision and determination; whether it's applied to everyday items such as Barilla pasta, the finest clothes and accessories, or the quality engineering needed to create the latest Ferrari or a new yacht."

There are seven leading luxury brands in the Italian Top 30. Together, Gucci, Prada, Armani, Bottega Veneta, Bulgari, Fendi and Ferragamo contribute $28.9 billion to the total brand value of the ranking. Within the automotive industry, Ferrari revs ahead with its brand representation of performance driving. The concentration of premium brands is in contrast with Spain's focus on affordable fashion and Germany's concentration on technology and engineering.

"Italy's skill at developing premium luxury brands lends the ranking a distinctive feel, but the country has many more strong names in sectors that are less celebrated, from Oil & Gas to Financial Services to Cruise operators," says Massimo Costa, WPP Italy Country Manager.

Food and dairy brands are the next dominant category, making up 15% of total brand value at $13.1 billion. Amongst the six brands ranked, three were from the Ferrero Group, namely Kinder, Nutella and Ferrero Rocher. The total value of the brands in the BrandZ Top 30 is $85.3 billion.

Italian brands are typically rated very Healthy, meaning they score highly across the five brand indicators of Health, which comprises Purpose, Innovation, Communications, Experience and Love. Brands in the BrandZ Italy Top 30 scored particularly well for Purpose and Communications. However, as with other European markets, innovation is a challenge that brands need to act upon. Only 17% of the BrandZTM Italy Top 30 are perceived as Innovative by consumers. Innovation, when value is created in new and different ways, is one of the hardest measures to build but the one that creates the most value. On average, Italian brands that are perceived as Innovative are nearly twice as valuable versus others, with an average brand value of$3.4 billion versus $1.8 billion.

The BrandZ Top 10 Most Valuable Italian Brands 2018

Rank 2018 Brand Category Brand Value 2018 (USD mil) 1 Gucci Luxury 16,273 2 TIM Telecom Providers 9,259 3 Enel Energy 7,355 4 Kinder Food & Dairy 6,904 5 Prada Luxury 4,082 6 Ferrari Cars 3,488 7 Eni Oil & Gas 3,131 8 Nutella Food & Dairy 2,840 9 Generali Insurance 2,526 10 Armani Luxury 2,460 11 Ferrero Rocher Food & Dairy 2,372 12 Intesa Sanpaolo Banks 2,210 13 Bottega Veneta Luxury 1,948 14 Costa Cruises Cruises 1,877 15 UniCredit Banks 1,869

"While Italian brands are some of the best in the world at communicating their message to consumers, there is an area in which they may improve: they are still not perceived as Innovative and Creative. To build stronger brands and generate value and growth, Innovation is an important driver. Game changers are shaking things up and always coming up with new ways to promote their brands' experiences" says Federico Capeci, Chief Digital Officer & CEO Italy, Kantar, Insights Division.

Key trends highlighted in the BrandZ Italian Top 30 study include:

Brands with purpose . Buyers of everything from coffee to couture now expect goods that are produced in an ethical, socially and environmentally responsible way and brands have responded. Italian brands are amongst the most Purposeful in Europe and even globally, significantly outperforming brands in Spain and the UK. For Purpose, Italy is ranked 4 th - outpaced only by the BrandZ Top 30 Global, USA and Germany rankings.

Buyers of everything from coffee to couture now expect goods that are produced in an ethical, socially and environmentally responsible way and brands have responded. Italian brands are amongst the most Purposeful in and even globally, significantly outperforming brands in and the UK. For Purpose, is ranked 4 - outpaced only by the BrandZ Top 30 Global, and rankings. The power of ' Brand Italy ' . Italian products are highly regarded around the world, particularly when linked to food, wine and fashion. Italian brands that want to leverage this reputation will need to think not just about how to promote their Italian heritage, but also how to establish their authenticity.

Italian products are highly regarded around the world, particularly when linked to food, wine and fashion. Italian brands that want to leverage this reputation will need to think not just about how to promote their Italian heritage, but also how to establish their authenticity. Adapting to new markets. Some Italian brands have mastered the art of staying true to their beliefs while also adapting for export. Bakery brand Corsini, founded in Tuscany in 1921, for example, makes oversized cantuccini biscuits for Starbucks to go with coffee chain's extra-large coffee servings.

The BrandZ Italian Top 30 report also includes new research from Y&R's BAV Group in partnership with U.S. News & World Report and the Wharton School, which examines what it takes to build powerful nation brands. According to BAV Group's 2018 Best Countries report, Italy ranks 15th out of 80 major markets around the world across all measures. Italy stands out for being culturally influential, rich in heritage, friendly and scenic, it also ranks highly on being connected to the rest of the world, having an educated population, being safe, and promoting gender equality. These attributes contribute to "soft power" - an increasingly important source of international influence that helps build positive consumer attitudes towards Italian brands.

The BrandZ Top 30 Most Valuable Italian Brands report and ranking and extensive analysis are available onlinehere. The reports, rankings, charts, articles and more can also be accessed through the BrandZ app, which isfree to download for Apple IOS and all Android devices fromhttp://www.brandz.com/mobileor by searching for BrandZ in the iTunes or Google Play app stores.

About the BrandZ' Top 30 Most Valuable Italian Brands Ranking

The valuation behind the BrandZ' Top 30 Most Valuable Italian Brands was conducted by Kantar Millward Brown, which specializes in brand equity research and brand valuation. The methodology mirrors that used to calculate the annual BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking, which is now in its 12th year.

Commissioned by Kantar, the ranking combines rigorously analysed financial data from Bloomberg with the opinions of over 55,000 Italian consumers since 2006, gathered for nearly 800 brands in over 50 categories. The BrandZ Top 30 Most Valuable Italian Brands is the most definitive and robust ranking of the country's brands available, and the brands ranked all meet these eligibility criteria:

the brand was originally created by an Italian enterprise;

the brand is owned by a publicly traded enterprise, or its financials are published in the public domain

This approach produced a carefully conceived ranking of brands in 14 categories.

The suite of BrandZ brand valuation rankings and reports are also available for China, India, Indonesia, Latin America, Brazil, Spain, France, Germany the UK, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.

About Kantar Millward Brown

Kantar Millward Brown is a leading global research agency specialising in advertising effectiveness, strategic communication, media and digital, and brand equity research. The company helps clients grow great brands through comprehensive research-based qualitative and quantitative solutions. Kantar Millward Brown operates in more than 55 countries and is part of WPP's Kantar group, one of the world's leading data, insight and consultancy companies. Learn more at www.millwardbrown.com.

About WPP

WPP is the world's largest communications services group with billings of US$74 billion and revenues of over US$19 billion. Through its operating companies, the Group provides a comprehensive range of advertising and marketing services including advertising & media investment management; data investment management; public relations & public affairs; branding & identity; healthcare communications; digital, eCommerce and shopper marketing and specialist communications. The company employs over 200,000 people (including associates and investments) in over 3,000 offices across 112 countries. For more information, visitwww.wpp.com.



WPP was named Holding Company of the Year at the 2017 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for the seventh year running. WPP was also named, for the sixth consecutive year, the World's Most Effective Holding Company in the 2017 Effie Effectiveness Index, which recognizes the effectiveness of marketing communications. In 2017 WPP was recognised by Warc 100 as the World's Top Holding Company (third year running).



Media Contacts:

Local contacts

Gabriella Bergaglio

Kantar, Insights Division

Gabriella.Bergaglio@kantartns.com

+39-334-6091720



Valeria Lama

Hill & Knowlton

Valeria.Lama@hkstrategies.com

+39-335-6621018



Global contacts

Lisa Parente

Kantar Millward Brown

Lisa.parente@kantarmillwardbrown.com

+1-203-219-6976



Alastair Ray

Eureka Communications

alastair@eurekacomms.co.uk

+44-(0)-1600-713987




DGAP-Ad-hoc: Airbus SE / Key word(s): Share Buyback Airbus SE: Airbus discloses share buyback transactions 06-March-2018 / 18:00 CET/CEST Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. *Ad-hoc release, 6 March 2018* *Airbus discloses share buyback transactions* Airbus SE (stock exchange symbol: AIR) started implementing a share buyback programme on 28 February 2018 for the sole purpose of covering its long-term incentive plan in shares. The repurchased shares will be redistributed to the beneficiaries of long-term incentive plans according to the relevant plan rules. The share buyback programme is expected to be completed by 2 May 2018. The share buyback is undertaken pursuant to the general authority conferred on the Airbus SE Board of Directors by the 13th resolution to repurchase up to 10% of Airbus SE's issued share capital by the Annual General Meeting of shareholders of Airbus SE on 12 April 2017. Airbus SE reports the following share buyback transactions from 28 February 2018 to 2 March 2018 under Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on market abuse ("EU Market Abuse Regulation"). *Aggregate presentation (per day and market)* *Issuer's *Issuer's *Transaction *Identifying *Total *Daily *Market name* identifying code* date* code of daily weighte (MIC financial volume d code)* instrument* (in average number purchas of e price shares of )* shares* Airbus SE MINO79WLOO247M1IL051 2018.02.28 NL0000235190 13,900 98.4805 XPAR Airbus SE MINO79WLOO247M1IL051 2018.03.01 NL0000235190 19,400 97.3093 XPAR Airbus SE MINO79WLOO247M1IL051 2018.03.02 NL0000235190 19,400 94.3268 XPAR TOTAL 52,700 96.5203 Detailed reporting of share buyback transactions is available on the Airbus website at: http://company.airbus.com/investors/Share-information.htmlchapter-02 [1] This update on share buybacks contains inside information within the meaning of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. *About Airbus * Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2017 it generated revenues of EUR 67 billion and employed a workforce of around 129,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world's leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide. *Contacts for the media* Martin Aguera +49 (0) 175 227 4369 martin.aguera@airbus.com Rod Stone +33 (0) 6 3052 1993 rod.stone@airbus.com 06-March-2018 CET/CEST The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de Language: English Company: Airbus SE P.O. Box 32008 2303 DA Leiden Netherlands Phone: 00 800 00 02 2002 Fax: +49 (0)89 607 - 26481 Internet: www.airbusgroup.com ISIN: NL0000235190 WKN: 938914 Indices: MDAX Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange End of Announcement DGAP News Service 661041 06-March-2018 CET/CEST 1: http://public-cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=bf59e993e8094666d469eb83ccb9c4ed&application_id=661041&site_id=vwd&application_name=news

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 06, 2018 12:00 ET (17:00 GMT)
SHENZHEN, China, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Debuted at CES 2018, ILIFE A8 - the new 360-degreePanoView navigation assisted robot vacuum - has recently had its first worldwide launch on AliExpress. The latest model in ILIFE's premium collection, ILIFE A8 marks a great stride in panoramic navigation assisted robotic cleaning technology. Embodying pioneering artificial intelligence (AI), the new self-navigating robot vacuum demonstrates ILIFE's mission of sharing the latest technological breakthroughs with the smart home industry so that the general public will benefit from the wider application of progressive AI.

"ILIFE A8 combines our latest achievements in AI and self-navigating robotic technology," says Chen Guanliang, VP of R&D of ILIFE. "The PanoView navigation system consists of a360-degree live-vision camera and CV-SLAM graphics algorithm and three processors. These features combined give ILIFE A8's cleaning effectiveness a significant boost, presenting cleaning of the future and leading-edge AI to the consumers."

Key Features of ILIFE A8:

PanoView Navigation: Comprised of a360-degree live-vision camera and the advanced CV-SLAM graphics algorithm and three processors, this groundbreaking navigation system enables ILIFE A8 to clean methodically, deeply and thoroughly in less time.

The Gen 3 CyclonePower Cleaning System: With the Gen 3 CyclonePower cleaning system, A8 cleans thoroughly with side brushes,a rolling brush and powerful suction in a single operation.

Ultra-Thin Design: At 72mm thick, ILIFE A8 can nimbly reach and catch dust and dirt in hard-to-reach areas.

Versatile Brushes: Interchangeable bristle brush and rubber brush clean all types of floor including carpet and hard floors.

PanoView Navigation: Clean with a Vision

Robot vacuum cleaners have been introduced into homes and offices as a cleaning tool requiring no human assistance.In general, robot vacuums perform random or planned cleaning. Random cleaning models have dominated the market with their competitive price range. Although planned cleaning robots are more intelligent and cover a larger area with higher cleaning effectiveness, high technological requirements and development costs have made them a relatively costly option to the consumers.

The all-new A8 is a self-navigating robot vacuum enabled by PanoView navigation system, which navigates spaces precisely with a360-degree live-vision camera. This high-definition camera scans the ceiling to generate real-time panoramic images and perspective of its surroundings. Through the CV-SLAM graphics algorithm, visual information collected will be immediately transmitted to the three processors. Facilitating high-speed map data processing, the processor computes accurate orientation and renders a plan of the entire home.

The navigation system also gives ILIFE A8 a memory through the pause/resume function. ILIFE A8 automatically returns to its charging base for recharge when its battery runs low. When recharge is done, it resumes cleaning where its task was interrupted by following the original coordinates generated by the PanoView navigation system.

Enhanced Cleaning Effectiveness: The Gen 3 CyclonePower Cleaning System

With the Gen 3 CyclonePower Cleaning System, A8 cleans thoroughly with side brushes, a main brush and suction in a single operation: the side brushes effectively remove dirt and debris at corners or edges; the main brush rolls up debris on carpet and hard floors, and the powerful suction collects dirt and debris into the dustbin.

Intelligent Automation: i-Voice Alerts and Customized Scheduling

The i-Voice technology gives ILIFE A8 the ability to communicate with the users by reporting work progress or giving alerts in case of malfunction. ILIFE A8 also features customized scheduling which enablesa preset cleaning schedule for any time.

Design Optimization: Simplistic and Sleek Design

At only 72mm thick, ILIFE A8 features a seamless and durable glass top cover finished in piano black with a matching black base, making it a sophisticated, minimalistic decor in itself. The piano black finish is precisely engineered to achieve a pure dark tone and opacity, and the special coating allows easy smudge and fingerprint removal.

To maintain its minimalist design, there is only an AUTO button on the top cover to meet functional needs. The top cover also serves as a release button for the dustbin - just one press on it and the dustbin will gently pop out. The design prevents dust from lodging in the dustbin slot and recirculating into the air.

For Different Cleaning Purposes: Versatile Brushes

ILIFE A8 has two interchangeable main brushes: the bristle brush is a powerful deep cleaning tool for dirt pickup and carpet cleaning, and the anti-tangle rubber brush works best on hard floors and pet hair. Literally, there are no dead corners or impossible cleaning tasks for ILIFE A8.

ILIFE A8 on AliExpress

ILIFE A8 is being launched in March on AliExpress, reaching consumers in over 14 countries including the US, Canada, Russia, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Singapore and the Netherlands.

ILIFE A8 will be the highlighted product at the AliExpress global shopping festival from March28-30. Other new and classic ILIFE robot vacuum models, including the award-winning ILIFE V5s Pro 2-in-1 robot vacuum, will join ILIFE A8 on AliExpress to offer the consumers special deals on leading-edge robotic cleaning solutions.

About ILIFE

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, ILIFE is a high technology company specializing in robotic cleaning technology. ILIFE's global sales network reaches over 30 countries and regions, offering technological advanced, high-quality and cost-effective automated products to the consumers.

Formoreinformation,visitwww.iliferobot.com.

Formediaenquiry:media@iliferobot.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650455/ILIFE_A8.jpg
Redefinition of the Group Executive Committee to reflect the execution strategy of the Hybrid TwinTM

Structured around three business pillars, aligned with the challenges of the Industry of the Future (Industry 4.0)

Promotion of Christian Matzen as Executive Vice-President "Sales and Marketing", Group Executive Committee (GEC) member

Promotion of Dominique Lefebvre as Director of Product Operations, and integration within the Group Executive Committee (GEC)

Regulatory News:

ESI Group (FR0004110310 ESI) (Paris:ESI), leader and pioneer in Virtual Prototyping solutions, today announced the transformation of its management and operational organization, in line with the adaptation of its new Hybrid TwinTM solutions, representing the industrial Product in its development phase (traditional PLM), but also in its 'in-service' operational conditions (Product Performance LifecycleTM, "PPL"), as part of its global "Objective 2020" strategy. This transformation aims to bring the Group's business and executive management in line with ESI's new value proposition, based on the pace and disruptive evolution needs of its industrial customers. The Group's organization is now structured, in alignment with the challenges of the Industry 4.0 and Smart Factory and the Outcome Economy, around three business pillars: "Engineering" (design and development of industrial Products), "Manufacturing" (manufacturing of Products) and "In-Service" (usage, control and maintenance of Products, from launch to withdrawal).

In this context and to support this fundamental reorganization, Christian Matzen, GEC member, is promoted to Executive Vice-President "Sales and Marketing" (EVP S&M), and Dominique Lefebvre is appointed Director of Edition Product Operations and joins the GEC.

These executive corporate management changes follow the recent appointment of Angelita Reyes as the Group Human Resources Director, GEC member, who is already actively involved in the Group's structural reorganization plan.

The constitution of ESI's Group Executive Committee is now fully aligned with the Group's new strategic vision from Virtual Prototype to Hybrid TwinTM, and now gathers the following members (from left to right):

Christian Matzen Executive Vice-President Sales and Marketing

Corinne Romefort-Regnier Corporate Governance Director

Christopher St.John COO, Distribution and Support Operations

Alain de Rouvray Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer

Vincent Chaillou Board member, COO and President Edition Operations

Dominique Lefebvre Edition Product Operations Director

Angelita Reyes Group Human Resources Director

Mike Salari Executive Vice-President Engineering Services

Christian Matzen Executive Vice-President Sales and Marketing

Christian Matzen is a graduate of the Technical University of Braunschweig (Germany) and received an Executive MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago. Christian joined the Group as Managing Director of IC.IDO in 2011, when ESI acquired this virtual reality technology pioneer. He will draw on his operational and strategic expertise of industrial requirements to devise a new sales and marketing policy for developing large accounts and their supply chains, and also growing the customer base around the Group's three recently defined business pillars. Christian was previously Executive Vice-President Immersive Virtual Engineering and Group Executive Committee (GEC) member.

Dominique Lefebvre Director of Product Operations

Dominique Lefebvre holds an engineering degree from Ecole Centrale de Nantes (formerly Ecole Nationale Superieure de Mecanique) and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Swansea, UK (1989). Dominique joined ESI Group in 1991 after a period as a lecturer-researcher in the Aeronautics Department at Imperial College, London. He has occupied many different roles within ESI, first in software development and then as production processes product manager, before being appointed Head of Product Management and now of Product Operations. Dominique's deep knowledge and long experience of ESI and its numerous innovative technologies will help keep the Group's R&D in line with its new value propositions. Dominique joins the Group Executive Committee (GEC).

Read all of our Group Executive Committee members' biographies.

Read all of our press releases at: www.esi-group.com/presse

Next events:

FY2017 revenues: March 15, 2018 FY2017 results April 18, 2018 SFAF April 19, 2018

About ESI Group

ESI Group is a leading innovator in Virtual Prototyping software and services. Specialist in material physics, ESI has developed a unique proficiency in helping industrial manufacturers replace physical prototypes by virtual prototypes, allowing them to virtually manufacture, assemble, test and pre-certify their future products. Coupled with the latest technologies, Virtual Prototyping is now anchored in the wider concept of the Product Performance Lifecycle, which addresses the operational performance of a product during its entire lifecycle, from launch to disposal. The creation of Hybrid TwinTM, leveraging simulation, physics and data analysis, enables manufacturers to deliver smarter and connected products, to predict product performance and to anticipate maintenance needs.

ESI is a French company listed in compartment B of Euronext Paris. Present in more than 40 countries, and addressing every major industrial sector, ESI Group employs about 1200 high-level specialists around the world and reported annual sales of 141 million in 2016.

For further information, go to www.esi-group.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180306006868/en/

Contacts:

Investor Relations

ESI Group Europe/Asia

Florence Barre

Justine Brosset

+33 1 53 65 14 41

or

ESI Group Americas

Corinne Romefort-Regnier

+1 415 994 3570

or

NewCap

Emmanuel Huynh

Louis-Victor Delouvrier

+33 1 44 71 98 53
LINKOPING, Sweden, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

International medical imaging IT and cybersecurity companySectra(STO: SECT B) has signed a contract with Dalarna County Council in Sweden for digital pathology. Dalarna County Council is already using Sectra's solution for breast imaging. The two departments work particularly closely together in cancer care. Working within the same system will allow for convenient sharing of images and information, enabling efficient integrated diagnostics and patient-centric care.

"By digitizing pathology, we will enable a closer collaboration between pathologists as well as with other departments, thereby increasing efficiency in cancer care," says Tibor Tot, operation manager for laboratory medicine at Dalarna County Council. "For example, it will make the preparation of multidisciplinary team meetings easier as well as the actual meetings. In addition, Sectra's vendor-neutral solution lets us use different scanners from various vendors depending on which is most suitable for a certain type of pathology image. This will be very important for us moving forward."

The contract also comprises Sectra's solution for sharing pathology images and collaborating with others. Pathologists at Dalarna County Council will be able to share images and collaborate with pathologists working from elsewhere, both in and outside the country. It provides efficient use of resources and an ability to easily discuss cases with subspecialized pathologists.

Sectra digital pathology

Sectra's digital pathology solution includes digital tools which enable the pathologists to make their diagnoses and carry out reporting with higher precision and less time spent per case. The pathology solution isbuilt on the same platform as Sectra's solution for handling radiology images (Sectra PACS). This enables in-depth collaboration and easier sharing of medical images and patient informationbetween radiologists and pathologists as well as with other medical disciplines involved in cancer care-so called integrated diagnostics. In addition, using a common platform leads to reduced maintenance and operating costs. Sectra offers a complete, vendor-neutral solution for primary diagnostics that includes storage solutions and an advanced review workstation. In the US, digital pathology for primary diagnostics is still pending FDA approval.

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Torbjorn Kronander,

CEO and President Sectra AB,

+46(0)705-23-52-27

Marie Ekstrom Tragardh,

Executive Vice President Sectra AB and President Sectra Imaging IT Solutions,

+46(0)708-23-56-10

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/sectra/r/swedish-healthcare-provider-digitizes-pathology-for-primary-diagnostics-with-sectra,c2466662

The following files are available for download:
BROOKLYN PARK, Minnesota, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --4C Medical Technologies, Inc. (4C Medical), a developer of minimally invasive technologies for structural heart disease, today announced that AltaValve', its medical device for mitral regurgitation (MR), was awarded first place in the Cardiovascular Research Technologies (CRT) competition held March 3-6, 2018 in Washington, DC.

"AltaValve will answer a real unmet clinical need," said Philippe Genereux, MD, Co-Director of the Structural Heart Program at the Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute of Morristown Medical Center (Morristown, NJ) and a practicing Interventional Cardiologist at Hopital du Sacre-Coeur de Montreal (Montreal, Canada). "Delivered transseptally, this device will provide a treatment option for a broad MR patient population. This includes patients that can be treated by other transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) devices, patients that cannot be treated by other TMVR devices, and even patients with previously failed mitral repair."

Dr. Genereux highlighted AltaValve in the presentation titled "A Novel Transcatheter MR Treatment Technology" which was part of the CRT Cardiovascular Innovations session.

"Despite the fact that the TMVR market is crowded with many devices trying to fit into the irregular and dynamic native mitral valve annulus, AltaValve is the only device that is truly differentiated - with supra-annular positioning and atrial-only fixation - and agnostic to the etiology of mitral regurgitation," said Jeffrey Chambers, MD, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of 4C Medical and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Metropolitan Heart and Vascular Institute in Minneapolis, MN.

At the CRT meeting, Dr. Chambers presented "4C Solutions that Preserve the Native Mitral Valve" in the Pulmonic, Tricuspid & Mitral Innovations session.

Designed to eliminate the known issues of current TMVR technologies, AltaValve is positioned supra annular to the native mitral valve, and its atrial-only placement ensures that critical cardiac structures within the left ventricle, including the chordae tendineae and the left ventricular outflow tract, are preserved. Moreover, AltaValve avoids issues related to the complexity and variability of the mitral annulus, making the device suitable for a broader patient population.

"The uniqueness of the device concept combined with our exceptional and unified team continue to lead to tremendous progress," said Robert Thatcher, CEO of 4C Medical. "This award is a testament to our continued momentum toward the ultimate goal of delivering new treatment options to patients who may not have options today."

About 4C Medical Technologies, Inc.

4C Medical is a medical device company developing minimally invasive technologies for structural heart disease, focusing initially on mitral regurgitation (MR) therapy and subsequently on tricuspid regurgitation therapy. The company's AltaValve is the first MR treatment with supra-annular positioning and atrial-only fixation. It preserves the native mitral valve and left ventricle, eliminating known issues associated with transcatheter mitral valve replacement technologies which rely on placement and fixation in the native mitral annulus and left ventricle.

Media Contacts

Robert Thatcher

Chief Executive Officer

(612) 600-8951

rthatcher@4CMed.com

Jim Flaherty

Chief Financial Officer

(612) 599-0650

jflaherty@4CMed.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/521129/4C_Medical_Technologies_Inc___Logo.jpg
BRUSSELS and MUNICH, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

European patent applications filed by UK businesses and inventors up again in 2017 , for the fourth year in a row

Rolls Royce remain s top UK patent applicant at the EPO

Medical technology overtak es T ransport as biggest technology field

Patent applications in the areas of M echanical elements, B iotech nology and C ivil engineering with largest increases

Greater London and North East England are the UK region s with strongest growth in patent applications

Greater London climbs to no. 8 in European regional ranking

UK businesses continued to file a large and growing number of patent applications with the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2017. Published today, the EPO's Annual Report 2017 shows that with 5313 patent applications, the UK posted an increase of 2.4%, the fourth consecutive year of growth, and an upward trend on a par with the EU28 average growth of 2.6%. (Fig.: Growth of UK patent applications at the EPO). The UK maintained its 3% share of total European patent applications and ranks ninth in all (Fig.: Origin of applications). The number of European patents granted to British companies and inventors by the EPO also increased last year by 6.3% to 3 116 (Fig.: Growth of patents granted by the EPO to UK applicants). (Patents are granted by the EPO after a detailed examination process of the patent application ensuring it fulfils all the requirements of patent protection.)

Overall, the EPO received some 166 000 European patent applications in 2017, an increase of 3.9% and an all-time high (Fig.: Growth of European patent applications). The five most active countries of origin were the US, Germany, Japan, France and China, which posted another double-digit increase (+16.6%) and overtook Switzerland to make it into the top 5 for the first time. Growth was back from Japan, with 3.5% more applications in 2017 after several years of declining figures, and also from the US, which saw a 5.8% increase in 2017 after a drop the previous year. The main exception to the upward trend among the largest patent filing countries was South Korea, which saw applications drop by 8.2% in 2017 after two consecutive years of growth.

"In terms of patents, 2017 was a positive year for Europe," said EPO President BenoAt Battistelli. "The growing demand for European patents confirms Europe's attractiveness as a leading technology market. European companies, too, filed for more patents than ever before - evidence of their strength in innovation, and of their confidence in the EPO's services."

Rolls Royce no.1 UK patent applicant for the third consecutive year

With 372 applications, Rolls Royce was the UK's most active patent applicant at the EPO in 2017 for the third year in a row, followed by Unilever with 222 applications, BAE Systems and British Telecom, both with 170 applications, and Glaxo Smith Kline with 110. The University of Oxford was once again the highest-ranked academic institution, climbing to tenth position with 49 patent applications (up from 12th in 2016 and 15th in 2015). Vodafone dropped out of the top ten of the UK's most active patent applicants to number 15 with 34 applications, while British American Tobacco climbed from number 16 to a top ten spot at number 9 with 51 patent applications (Fig. Top UK applicants at the EPO in 2017).

Medical technology and Measurement biggest UK technology fields

Medical technology took over from Transport as the UK's main technology field with 364 patent applications at the EPO in 2017, an increase of 7.1% over 2016. Measurement, with 325 patent applications (+2.2%), moved up from third to second place. Transport saw a decrease of 9.3% in 2017 and is now the UK's third most important technology field at the EPO. Within the ten most active technology fields, Mechanical elements (+50%), Biotechnology (+25.3%), Civil engineering (+20.2%), Pharmaceuticals (+15.7%) and Organic fine chemistry (+14.4%) all saw a double-digit increase in applications.

Greater London and North East England with strongest growth

Greater London leads the regional ranking with a 32.6% share of all UK patent applications at the EPO (Fig.: Leading UK regions for European patent applications) and also climbed up one place to number 8 in the ranking of leading European regions for patent applications (Fig.: Leading European regions for patent applications at the EPO). It is followed by East of England (11.8% share), North West England (10.9% share), South East England (9.6% share) and West Midlands (9.1% share). North East England (+15.8%), Greater London (+10.6%), Scotland (+9.7%) and Wales (+7.4%) recorded the strongest growth at the EPO among all UK regions. Applications from South East England fell by 12.4% in 2017.

Most European countries filing more

Most European countries filed more patent applications at the EPO in 2017 than in the previous year (Fig.: Top 50 countries for applications). Besides the UK, among the countries with larger volumes, Italy (+4.3%), the Netherlands (+2.7%) and Germany (+1.9%), Europe's largest patent filing country, all showed growth. After a drop of 2.4% in the previous year, applications from France were up again slightly (+0.5%) in 2017. Belgium (-1.9%) was the only one of the larger European economies to have fewer patent applications in 2017 after its strong increase in 2016 (+7%).

Among the economies with lower patenting volumes, Denmark (+13.1%), Austria (+8.2%), Spain (+7.4%), and Sweden (+4.9%) led the board. There was also significant growth in European patent applications from Turkey (+74.9%), Poland (+14.1%) and the Czech Republic (+7.9%), albeit from a smaller base.

Most patents at the EPO filed in Medical technology

Medical technology remained the field with the greatest number of patent applications at the EPO overall in 2017 and was up by 6.2%, again followed by Digital communication and Computer technology (Fig.: Technical fields with most applications). The strongest growth (of the top ten fields) was recorded in Biotechnology (+14.5%), followed by Pharmaceuticals (+8.1%) and Measurement (+6.6%).

Europeans with a wide diversity of technologies

The analysis of the origin of patent applications in the largest fields of technologies shows that some countries such as China and South Korea are progressing strongly in specialised areas, in particular in the ICT field. Other economies, such as most EPO member states and the US and Japan, showed a greater diversity in applications across technical fields. This pattern is clearly reflected in a dedicated EPO patent landscaping study of technologies related to the fourth industrial revolution: European companies were found to be particularly well represented in key areas with a greater diversity, such as artificial intelligence and smart applications in vehicles, while Asian companies dominate in the ICT field. The study also established that within Europe, the UK is one of the foremost countries in 4IR innovation. Up to 2016, the UK posted 2000 4IR patent applications, coming in behind board leader Germany (with approximately 4000 applications and Europe's largest share) and France (with more than 2400). The study further reveals that the UK is relatively strong in power supply, position determination and artificial intelligence.

Huawei first Chinese company to head EPO company ranking

For the first time in the history of the EPO, a Chinese company - Huawei - ranks first for filing the most European patent applications last year. Siemens moved up from sixth to second place, followed by LG, Samsung and Qualcomm. The top ten list of applicants is made up of four companies from Europe, three from the US, two from South Korea and one from China (Fig.: Top ten applicants in 2017).

For detailed statistics, and a review of our activities in 2017, see the EPO's Annual Report at: http://www.epo.org/annual-report2017

About the EPO

With more than 7000 staff, the European Patent Office (EPO) is one of the largest public service institutions in Europe. Its headquarters are in Munich and it also has offices in Berlin, Brussels, The Hague and Vienna. The EPO was founded with the aim of strengthening co-operation on patents in Europe. Through the EPO's centralised patent granting procedure, inventors are able to obtain high-quality patent protection in the 38 member states of the European Patent Organisation. The EPO is also considered the world's leading authority in patent information and patent searching.

Media contacts European Patent Office

Jana Mittermaier, Director External Communication

Rainer Osterwalder, Press spokesperson

EPO press desk: Tel.: +49-89-2399-1820, mobile: +49-163-8399527, press@epo.org

UK media contact

echolot public relations

Barbara Geier

Tel.: +44-7983-242-195

barbara@bconnects.net
Hub brings together specialized transformation capabilities from Accenture Studios in collaborative workspaces designed to foster co-creation with clients

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) will open an Innovation Hub in Zurich today, accompanied by an evening event for clients. The hub focuses on the creation of new customer experiences, spanning a range of design, innovation and technology capabilities in one location. It allows clients to tap into the full spectrum of skills needed to co-create innovative digital solutions with speed and agility all in a creative, inspiring space.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005374/en/

Employees collaborate in the new Accenture Innovation Hub Zurich, opening today at St. Annagasse (Photo: Business Wire)

Customers today are no longer satisfied with passively consuming products; they demand engaging, interactive brand experiences. The Innovation Hub in Zurich helps clients meet that demand through the Accenture Studios, where they can envision, design and create products and services that enable real impact and transform the end-to-end customer journey.

In the Accenture Interactive Studio,clients can get hands on with and apply the latest digital technologies to reimagine customer experiences. The innovative workspace is equipped with all the tools needed to rapidly build and test prototypes. Contained within is a Fjord Studio, focused on design-led strategy, service design and product creation. Here, Fjord designers and creative technologists apply design thinking methodologies to create engaging digital services and mobile apps with a human-centered focus that aims to make the complex simple.

The Hub also features a Liquid Studio,where Accenture helps clients accelerate innovation and software deployment cycles. At the Liquid Studio, clients work side-by-side with highly skilled Accenture professionals, building innovative solutions with speed and agility through disruptive technologies including artificial intelligence, blockchain and cloud.

Accenture Extended Reality (XR) capabilities will also be offered as part of the Innovation Hub. This group helps clients take advantage of augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality technologies to create immersive experiences that bring products and services to life. The XR capability is headed by the newly hired Marco Tempest, who has worked as Creative Technologist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is a Director's Fellow at the MIT Media Lab in Boston, Massachusetts.

"Our clients expect us to guide them through their digital transformation journeys, and this starts with reimagining the customer experience," said Thomas Meyer, country managing director, Accenture Switzerland and Digital Lead for Accenture in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. "By setting up the Innovation Hub as a co-location and bringing diverse teams together, we enable easy collaboration and rapid ideation across a variety of Accenture's disciplines and skill sets from which our clients will benefit as they seek to drive customer-centric innovation."

The Innovation Hub brings to life an integral part of the Accenture Innovation Architecture, which draws together capabilities from research, ventures and labs to studios, innovation centers and delivery centers to develop and deliver disruptive innovations for clients, and to scale them faster.

The Innovation Hub in Zurich further expands Accenture's presence in Switzerland, becoming the new permanent home of the Fjord Zurich studio launched in October 2016. The hub is located at St. Annagasse 9, a seven-minute walk from Accenture's main location in Fraumunsterstrasse. For images of the new facilities and the opening event, follow Accenture Switzerland on Instagram.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions underpinned by the world's largest delivery network Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 435,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

This document makes descriptive reference to trademarks that may be owned by others. The use of such trademarks herein is not an assertion of ownership of such trademarks by Accenture and is not intended to represent or imply the existence of an association between Accenture and the lawful owners of such trademarks.

Copyright 2018 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture, its logo, High Performance Delivered, and Fjord are trademarks of Accenture.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005374/en/

Contacts:

Accenture

Renata Cavegn, +41 44 219 5097

renata.cavegn@accenture.com
ABN AMRO, the third largest bank in the Netherlands with more than 22,000 employees, has chosen Wolters Kluwer and SAS to provide a truly integrated finance, risk and regulatory reporting software solution. The implementation of the software is part of the bank's major transformation project, the Finance and Risk Architecture Alignment Initiative (FRAAI), which is designed to better meet increasing requests internally as well as from regulatory bodies for ever more granular or different data within shorter time lines.

Better management of high-quality data and improved risk analytics are key pillars to meet the increasing need for control, intelligence and insight in the bank's performance. At the same time the bank aims to optimize its IT maintenance costs, promote automation and increase the efficiency and agility of the finance and risk processes.

Together, Wolters Kluwer and SAS will provide the software component ABN AMRO needs to achieve these goals.

"Following a thorough evaluation of a wide range of available solutions, ABN AMRO opted for a truly integrated approach that will complement the FRAAI objectives," commented Kees Visser, Finance Director of ABN AMRO. "The partnership of Wolters Kluwer, with its excellent reputation in regulatory reporting, ALM and finance, along with SAS and its strength in credit risk and stress testing, means we will have a powerful software solution to comply with current and future reporting requirements. We will be well positioned to ensure increased data granularity and transparent data lineage."

As part of integrated application landscape, ABN AMRO will use SAS risk and finance capabilities including

Data management and visualization : This will ensure that all risk and finance data is properly sourced, processed, governed and available for self-service analysis and reporting. Maintaining end-to-end data lineage across the entire FRAAI landscape will be crucial.

: This will ensure that all risk and finance data is properly sourced, processed, governed and available for self-service analysis and reporting. Maintaining end-to-end data lineage across the entire FRAAI landscape will be crucial. Finance and risk analytics: Whether it is estimation of risk parameters, or handling all FRAAI forecasting activities for scenario-based capital planning, IFRS 9, stress testing and Pillar 2 capital requirements, SAS risk solutions will make these processes more efficient and more valuable to the Bank.

Whether it is estimation of risk parameters, or handling all FRAAI forecasting activities for scenario-based capital planning, IFRS 9, stress testing and Pillar 2 capital requirements, SAS risk solutions will make these processes more efficient and more valuable to the Bank. Enterprise model risk management and process orchestration: SAS risk governance capabilities will be used across the bank, promoting transparency, traceability, and automation of the various FRAAI processes.

ABN AMRO will also use Wolters Kluwer's OneSumX for Regulatory Reporting, along with OneSumX for Finance and OneSumX Asset and Liability Management (ALM), ensuring an integrated approach to all finance, risk and reporting processes at the bank.

OneSumX for Regulatory Reporting uses a single source of data to ensure consistency, reconciliation and accuracy and includes the firm's Regulatory Update Service which actively monitors regulation in approximately 50 countries.

uses a single source of data to ensure consistency, reconciliation and accuracy and includes the firm's Regulatory Update Service which actively monitors regulation in approximately 50 countries. OneSumX for Finance , meanwhile, provides financial institutions with fully integrated finance functionality, from event to disclosure, with built-in content and expert support to flexibly address the finance challenges in this fast-moving business and regulatory environment.

, meanwhile, provides financial institutions with fully integrated finance functionality, from event to disclosure, with built-in content and expert support to flexibly address the finance challenges in this fast-moving business and regulatory environment. OneSumX ALM is a centralized data repository combining contract data, balance sheet structures, counterparty and market data complements the ALM solution and is an integral part of the overall system.

To ensure seamless integration and efficient integration of information,SAS and Wolters Kluwer will create an Exchange Layer to connect their respective software components.

Troy Haines, Senior Vice President and head of the Risk Management division at SAS is committed to the success of the FRAAI project. "We recognize the importance of strategically combining our data management, visualization and finance and risk analytics capabilities with the finance and regulatory reporting strengths of Wolters Kluwer. Together, we are uniquely positioned to provide a truly integrated finance and risk application ecosystem that will help ABN AMRO to effectively tackle the increasing regulations, promote automation, as well as become more agile and cost-efficient. A true win-win across the board."

Clive Pedder, Executive Vice President and General Manager, for Wolters Kluwer's Finance, Risk and Reporting business, adds: "ABN AMRO, like all major banks, is acutely aware of the trend for increased data granularity and transparent data lineage. Its FRAAI project seeks to ensure one central data storage, based on a truly integrated regulatory compliance and reporting solution. ABN AMRO rightly has exacting standards and, following a robust competitive tender process, I am delighted our team of experts has been chosen to work with the bank and our partners at SAS to provide ABN AMRO with a transformational software solution. Implementation of this platform will be crucial for ensuring the bank's finance, risk and reporting obligations are achieved."

About Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk Compliance

Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk Compliance (GRC) is a division of Wolters Kluwer which provides legal, finance, risk and compliance professionals and small business owners with a broad spectrum of solutions, services and expertise needed to help manage myriad governance, risk and compliance needs in dynamic markets and regulatory environments.

Wolters Kluwer N.V. (AEX: WKL) is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. Wolters Kluwer reported 2017 annual revenues of 4.4 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide.

About SAS

SAS is the leader in analytics. Through innovative software and services, SAS empowers and inspires customers around the world to transform data into intelligence. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright 2018 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005095/en/

Contacts:

Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk Compliance

Paul Lyon, +44 20 3197 6586

Director of International Corporate Communications

Mobile +44 77 6539 1824

Paul.Lyon@wolterskluwer.com

or

SAS

Lisa Bistreich-Wolfe, 919-531-3323

External Communications

Lisa.Bistreich-Wolfe@sas.com
ARLINGTON, Virginia, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Bloomberg Tax and Baker McKenzie today announced that they will be hosting their sixth annual Global Transfer Pricing Conference, in association with the Tax Management Education Institute, in Paris on April 12-13 at The Westin Paris - Vendome. The conference will focus on the European Union and OECD tax policy agendas for 2018, the implications of U.S. tax reform for non U.S. multinational corporations, the new OECD discussion drafts on profit splits and attributing profit to permanent establishments, and taxation of the digital economy. For registration information, visit https://www.bna.com/globaltransferpricing-paris/.

The Global Transfer Pricing Conference Series brings together top government and regulatory officials, senior practitioners from large multinational corporations, and leading transfer pricing professionals. OECD and EU representatives will provide insights on their tax agendas for 2018, with keynote addresses from Stephen Quest, Director General for Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission and Pascal Saint-Amans, Director of the Centre for Tax Policy and Administration at the OECD. Corporate representatives will share lessons learned from filing their first country-by-country reports and insights on the future implications of BEPS Action 13.

"Bloomberg Tax is delighted to be back in Paris with Baker McKenzie convening the premier conference for global transfer pricing professionals," said Darren McKewen, President, Bloomberg Tax. "With top representatives from the OECD, EU, multinational corporations and governments from around the globe, this year's conference is sure to be another must-attend event."

Additional featured speakers include:

Melinda Brown , Senior Transfer Pricing Advisor, Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, OECD

, Senior Transfer Pricing Advisor, Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, OECD Beatrice Deshayes, Group Tax Director, LVMH

Catherine Harlow , Head of Transfer Pricing, Astra Zeneca

, Head of Transfer Pricing, Astra Zeneca Sandra Knaepen , Head of Mutual Agreement Procedure Unit, Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, OECD

, Head of Mutual Agreement Procedure Unit, Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, OECD Jonathan Peacock QC , Queen's Counsel, 11 New Square

, Queen's Counsel, 11 New Square Carlos Perez Gomez Serrano , Head of Transfer Pricing, Mexican Tax Administration

, Head of Transfer Pricing, Mexican Tax Administration Stephane Mamou, Head of Global M&A, Tax & Transfer Pricing, Safran

Gael Perraud , Directorate of Tax Legislation, Ministry of Finance, France

, Directorate of Tax Legislation, Ministry of Finance, Timothy Power , Deputy Director, Business and International Tax Group, HMRC United Kingdom

, Deputy Director, Business and International Tax Group, HMRC United Kingdom Irene Ros , Global Transfer Pricing Manager, Shell International BV

, Global Transfer Pricing Manager, Shell International BV Arnaud Sage , French Competent Authority, Ministry of Finance, France

, French Competent Authority, Ministry of Finance, Stig Sollund , Director, Ministry of Finance, Norway ; co-Chair of United Nations Sub-Committee on Transfer Pricing

, Director, Ministry of Finance, ; co-Chair of United Nations Sub-Committee on Transfer Pricing Jefferson VanderWolk , Head of Tax Treaty, Transfer Pricing & Financial Transactions Division, Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, OECD

, Head of Tax Treaty, Transfer Pricing & Financial Transactions Division, Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, OECD Ingela Willfors,Director, International Tax Issues, Sweden , co-Chair of United Nations Sub-Committee on Transfer Pricing

About Bloomberg Tax

Bloomberg Tax provides comprehensive global research, news and technology services enabling tax professionals to get the timely, accurate, and in-depth information they need to plan and comply with confidence. Our flagship Bloomberg Tax platform combines the proven expertise and perspectives of leading tax practitioners in our renownedTax Management Portfolios'with integrated news from the industry-leading Daily Tax Report, authoritative analysis and insights, primary sources, and time-saving practice tools. Bloomberg Tax technology solutions on our proprietary Advantage platform help practitioners simplify complex processes to better control risk and maximize profitability. For more information, visit https://www.bna.com/tax/.

About Baker McKenzie

Baker McKenzie helps clients overcome the challenges of competing in the global economy. We solve complex legal and tax problems across borders and practice areas. Our unique culture, developed over 65 years, enables our 13,000 people to understand local markets and navigate multiple jurisdictions, working together as trusted colleagues and friends to instill confidence in our clients. Our Global Transfer Pricing practice includes over 200 lawyers and economists who deliver innovative and commercially pragmatic advice and assistance in design, implementation and defense across markets. For more information, visit www.bakermckenzie.com.

About Tax Management Educational Institute

Tax Management Educational Institute (TMEI) is an independent educational organization founded by Tax Management, Inc., a subsidiary of The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. TMEI is devoted solely to the conduct of responsible, professional seminars and conferences of the highest quality dedicated to issues of tax policy and practice, and to the funding of related scholarly endeavors.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/591597/Bloomberg_Tax_Logo.jpg
SINGAPORE, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Food&HotelAsia (FHA) announced the launch of an Industry White Paper in collaboration with Euromonitor International, to celebrate the event's 40th anniversary. Titled: Smart Innovations Transforming the Food and Hospitality Landscape by 2020, this 20-page milestone report provides a unique insight into major disruptors impacting the industry.

The White Paper is the result of a research study conducted by UBM and Euromonitor which surveyed over 1,000 suppliers and manufacturers covering major food, hotel and foodservice equipment sectors across Asia. The White Paper dives into questions such as where these manufacturers and suppliers expect their import and export business to take shape in the next one to three years, as well as how technology such as Internet of Things (IoT) and automation will shape their future markets and affect business decisions.

"This bespoke study on Smart Innovations for the food and hospitality industry is demonstrative of FHA's commitment to drive our industry forward," said Mr. Rodolphe Laymese, Project Director, Food & Hospitality, UBM, organiser of FHA. "It provides invaluable insight into the Asian and Global Food market which we proudly share with all members of the community at our 40th anniversary milestone event."

"The food and hospitality sector is undergoing rapid transformation in business and production processes because of technological changes. The White Paper focuses on how technology impacts and changes how the industry conducts its business, the processes and how it will help the industry improve operational and work efficiencies, as well as productivity," said Ivan Uzunov, Research Manager, Euromonitor.

The paper will only be available to pre-registered attendees of FHA. It will also be made available to all delegates attending Euromonitor's highly interactive session on "Smart Innovations Transforming the Food & Hospitality Landscape by 2020" at the FHA2018 International Conference. The three-day conference, held in two venues from 24 to 26 April, will feature industry experts and business thought-leaders, sharing perspectives, tips and strategies across five key tracks: Hotels & Resorts, Food Manufacturing and Bakery at Singapore Expo; Central Kitchen and Food Services at Suntec Singapore.

Celebrating 40 years of business excellence, FHA is the preferred choice for industry professionals to access an international showcase of food and hospitality products, equipment and solutions needed to drive business inspiration today and tomorrow. The four-day mega food and hospitality showcase will return from 24 to 27 April 2018 to two venues - Singapore Expo and Suntec Singapore.

The event will host its biggest-ever industry congregation with 4,000 international exhibitors from more than 70 countries and regions, spanning vertical sectors from food & drink, foodservice and hospitality equipment to hospitality technology service providers. FHA offers many experiential networking and learning opportunities through new and improved speciality zones and industry-renowned competitions such as the FHA Culinary Challenge 2018, the Asian Pastry Cup 2018 and the inaugural Asian Gelato Cup. 78,000 trade professionals from over 100 countries and regions are expected to attend.

For more information, please visit www.foodnhotelasia.com.

Join in the social chatter:

FHA - Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube - FHA2018

Media Enquiries:

Juliet Tseng / June Seah

UBM

Tel: +65 6233 6635 / +65 6233 6621

Email: juliet.tseng@ubm.com / june.seah@ubm.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650411/Rodolphe_Lameyse.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650383/Ivan_Uzunov.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650419/Busy_exhibition_grounds_at_FHA2016.jpg


TOKYO, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Four companies , Nuts and Legumes Co. ( Pakistan ), Plantation Industries Limited ( Nigeria ), Fuji Foods Co. Ltd. ( Japan ) and ASOCIACIONES AGROINDUSTRIALES SERRANAS S.A DE C.V ( Mexico ), recognised for application of the GFSI Global Markets Programme on their journey towards GFSI certification

Nuts and Legumes Co. ( ), Plantation Industries Limited ( ), Fuji Foods Co. Ltd. ( ) and ASOCIACIONES AGROINDUSTRIALES SERRANAS S.A DE C.V ( ), recognised for application of the GFSI Global Markets Programme on their journey towards GFSI certification The GFSI Global Markets Programme sets out how small and medium-size companies can provide safe food, reduce hazards in supply chains and work towards greater market access

The GFSI boards of directors, the Global Markets Awards Selection Committee and greenfence, the award sponsors are happy to announce the recognition of four companies from across the globe for the exemplary way they have leveraged the GFSI Global Markets Programme on their journey towards GFSI certification and a world-class food safety system. Four companies have been recognised for excellence in advancing food safety as part of the Global Market Awards 2018.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160614/379055LOGO )



Nuts and Legumes Co. (Pakistan), Plantation Industries Limited (Nigeria), Fuji Foods Co. Ltd (Japan) and ASOCIACIONES AGROINDUSTRIALES SERRANAS S.A DE C.V (Mexico) were praised for their application of the GFSI Global Markets Programme, setting out how small- and medium-sized companies can provide safe food, reduce supply chain hazards and work towards greater market access. The awards followed this year's Global Food Safety Conference, which is taking place in Tokyo and is bringing industry leaders together to discuss the key food safety trends in the FMCG sector. The award recipients at GFSC 2018 in Tokyo represent four small- and medium-size enterprises from Mexico, Pakistan, Nigeria and Japan.

The Global Market Awards recognise organisational success in applying the GFSI Global Markets Programme, a framework for building food safety capacity within production and manufacturing operations, as well as encouraging continuous improvement. It has been adopted by companies around the world as an entry-level food safety solution for small, developing businesses in local markets. It's part of the GFSI's vision to provide safe food for consumers everywhere.

The GFSI Global Markets Programme functions through a series of phases and tools and builds on elements of the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements, which in turn is based on the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene Code of Practice. It is designed as a non-certification assessment process that is carried out within a defined period. The programme functions through a series of phases and tools and builds on elements of the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements, which in turn is based on the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene Code of Practice. It is designed as a non-certification assessment process that is carried out within a defined period.

At a ceremony led by Mike Robach, the Chairman of the GFSI Board, Mike Taylor, Chairman of the awards selection committee and Mitch Chait, the CEO of the sponsor, greenfence, award recipients had the opportunity to highlight their journey during the plenary session at the Global Food Safety Conference 2018.

"The Global Markets Awards 2018 reflect the diversity of the Global Markets Programme around the world today as a pathway to certification and a programme for small companies to build robust food safety management systems. With these awards, GFSI wants to recognise the commitment of companies all over the world to their food safety journey," said Mike Robach.

"The four Global Markets Awards recipients were chosen from a strong pool of applicants who had benefitted in their food safety journey by using the Global Markets Programme. The GFSI Awards Selection Committee focused on the effort and the size of the steps the companies have made in creating an enabling environment for food safety and a culture of continuous improvement. We thank all of the companies that participated," said Mike Taylor, Chairman of the Global Markets Awards selection committee.

"greenfence is honoured to sponsor this prestigious award that recognises companies across the global food supply chain for their efforts to become trusted trading partners. The award is fully aligned with greenfence's objective to provide the food industry with a trusted, effective way to identify and authenticate suppliers of products and services," added Mitch Chait, CEO of greenfence.
The White House's top economic adviser stepped down from his role in protest over the US president's plans to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports and amid news that the Office of the US Trade Representative was investigating China's practices with regards to intellectual property. In a statement published by the White House, Gary Cohn only said it had been an honour to serve his country and to enact pro-growth policies for the benefit of Americans, including the recently approved tax ...

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
AMSTERDAM, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Remco Dewaerheijt joins VATBOX as VP Tax & Product Strategy and heads up VATBox's new European headquarters in The Netherlands

VATBox, the recognized leader in automated VAT recovery & compliance announced today, the joining of Remco Dewaerheijt to its executive team.

Mr. Dewaerheijt is joining the company as Vice President Tax & Product Strategy, heading the new European Headquarter in the Netherlands. The move reflects VATBox's continuing growth and expansion in the Europe region.

Mr. Dewaerheijt is a well-known expert in a wide range of international Indirect Tax matters. Having previously served as the EMEA VAT Manager at PPG Industries, Mr. Dewaerheijt set-up a centralized internal VAT Compliance and Advisory team for the EMEA region and developed their in-house automated compliance solution. Mr. Dewaerheijt also obtained a favorable ruling at the European Court of Justice for PPG[1]. Prior to working at PPG, Mr. Dewaerheijt was an Indirect Tax advisor at Baker & McKenzie.

Mr. Dewaerheijt has been collaborating with VATBox this past year on developing new technological solutions. Now, with Mr. Dewaerheijt fully joining the team, he will further accelerate, develop and expand VATBox's offering of new VAT solutions.

VATBox is an automated, enterprise-wide, cloud-based VAT recovery solution that has successfully streamlined the global VAT recovery process, providing businesses with unrivaled visibility, compliance, and data integrity, and ultimately boosting its bottom line. VATBox's powerful technology has been proven to deliver added value to the many enterprises and Fortune 500 organizations it serves.

"We welcome Remco and wish him a lot of success in joining the VATBox family and executive team," said Isaac Saft, CEO of VATBox. "We believe, Remco's vast experience, innovation skills and strong leadership will bring significant value to our clients. We position the "Market Needs" as a leading element in our planning and execution. Together with Remco, the VATBox innovation team will keep bringing state of the art solutions to the TAX environment."

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the VATBox management team and use my experience to develop a new generation of technology solutions which will seamlessly interact with existing business processes. We aim to improve compliance, decrease inefficiencies and bring savings to businesses," said Mr. Dewaerheijt. "VATBox is a unique, Innovative and promising company and I look forward to being part of the exponential growth and build a new generation business solutions."

About VATBox

VATBox is a global cloud-based technology company focused on simplifying the laborious VAT recovery process through intelligent knowledge-based automation. Trusted by fortune 500 companies, VATBox's state-of-the-art patented technology puts companies in control, providing total transparency, compliance and insight into all VAT spent. VATBox has offices all over the world including London, New York, Paris, Munich, Amsterdam and Tel Aviv.

References:

1. Case C-26/12

For more information please contact:

Liat Arbesman

Liata@vatbox.com
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LONDON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --This year CleanEquity Monaco, 8th & 9th March, will host over 170 delegates and 27 young companies from across the sustainable technologies spectrum. In all, 29 countries are represented this year.

Presenters will meet specialist financial investors, corporate venturers, potential partners & acquirers, policy makers, end users and media. Here is the list of companies:

AgriProtein ZA Aqaix US ASI Solutions UK Aurelia Turbines FI BBOXX UK BOCO Technology CA boostHeat FR ECORGlobal US Exergyn/span> IE Greyrock US Inocucor Technologies CA Invenia UK Li-Cycle' CA Lightbridge US MagneGas US NanoSpun Technologies IL Perma-Fix US Persistent Energy Capital DE Plant Response ES Recircle UK REDAVIA DE SAMAD Aerospace UK Scoot Networks US Sheetak US Silicon Fuel UK Superdielectrics UK Terra Modena IT

Innovator Capital announces two new collaborations for 2018, Cohesion Investments and STRATIS Impact.

Spike Hughes, Founder & CEO, Cohesion Investments commented: "Cohesion Investments is delighted to be involved with CleanEquity Monaco 2018. Cohesion has identifiedWateras a theme that has the potential to create significant wealth for investors over time via a concentrated 20 stock portfolio only available to the UHNW community. We look forward to building relationships at CleanEquity Monaco 2018."

John Rhee, Founder and Managing Partner of STRATIS Impact said: "No matter which way our STRATIS Impact team looks at any global challenge, we find a lack of community at the heart of most of them. This is why we feel privileged to be partnering with CleanEquity Monaco; this community of innovators and industry leaders inspires our team. CleanEquity Monaco proves to us that the solutions we seek are rising up through the gauntlet of innovation and will emerge on the other side ready for global scale."

For further information about CleanEquityMonaco 2018, please use the contact details below or visit the conference website: www.cleanequitymonaco.com.

Contact:

Conor Barrett

Innovator Capital

conor.barrett@innovator-capital.com

Follow us on twitter: @CleanEquity

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/621823/CleanEquity_Monaco_2018_Logo.jpg
"The Role of Responsible Business Practice in the Future of the Jewellery Industry" panel discussion was held on the first day (1 March) of the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show.



HKTDC Comms & Public Affairs Agnes Wat T: +852 2584 4554, E: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org Sunny Ng T: +852 2584 4357, E: sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.org

HONG KONG, Mar 7, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Among the events staged during the recently concluded HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem and Pearl Show (27 Feb - 3 Mar) and Hong Kong International Jewellery Show (1-5 Mar) was a panel discussion on the future of ethical business practices in the jewellery industry, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).Moderated by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), an international not-for-profit standards and certification organisation, "The Role of Responsible Business Practice in the Future of the Jewellery Industry" featured moderator Edward Joyce, RJC's Business Development Director, along with Victor Chan, Hong Kong Jewellery & Jade Manufacturers Association Vice Chairman and Chairman of Continental Holdings Ltd; Dr Guido Grohmann, BV Schmuck + Uhren Managing Director; and Jonathan Kendall, Forevermark Senior Vice president and CIBJO Marketing and Education Commission President.Introducing RJC's work around the world, Mr Joyce said RJC is setting standards in the jewellery supply chain, from mining to retail, to strengthen consumer confidence in the jewellery trade. To date, RJC counts more than 1,000 members, 726 of which are certified, covering 455,136 employees, 8,887 business premises in 75 countries.In his welcoming remarks, Ken Lo, Chairman of the Hong Kong Jewellery & Jade Manufacturers Association noted that the Hong Kong body established links with the RJC in 2013, and became a member in 2015.- Synthetic and Simulant Gems are the Biggest Threat to the IndustryThe panellists began discussions by identifying what they considered the biggest challenges in the industry. Mr Kendall said that synthetic and simulant gems are the biggest threat and will remain so in the future. He said that synthetic and simulant stones can infiltrate any part of the supply chain, that even one sale would be one too many. The industry has sought to tackle the problem, particularly during the last year, including by distributing testing machines to both manufacturers and retailers.Dr Gohmann said the biggest challenge for Germany's jewellery and watch industry is keeping up with European legislation and around the world that have a direct impact on their business. Dr Gohmann noted that the vast majority of jewellery businesses in Germany were small to medium-sized and lacked the manpower to keep abreast of legislation, particularly in the areas of data privacy and money-laundering. Dr Gohmann added that membership in a body such as RJC, which offers legal support, helps smaller companies to mitigate the problem.Mr Chan said that corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the jewellery industry in China was a challenge as the country still lacked formalised CSR initiatives that are found in the West. However, he added that CSR is becoming an important issue in China and is moving in the right direction, largely driven by consumers who want more sustainable suppliers. Mr Chan said that the environment is becoming a bigger policy concern for the Chinese government, but that given the country's size, it would be more effective for local industry bodies, with the help of RJC, to start their own initiatives.- Employees are the Key Communication Bridge to Consumer on Responsible JewelleryThe panel also discussed promoting the importance of responsible jewellery manufacturing and retail to consumers, with Mr Chan noting that employees serve as the key communication channel. He said that when his company joined RJC, employees initially questioned the wisdom of the membership, but eventually saw the value of RJC's work after seeing improvements in standards and product quality. Mr Chan said that employees then started relaying directly to consumers their own experience with supply chain integrity.Mr Kendall said communicating responsible business practices is paramount amid greater consumer scrutiny of jewellery products. Mr Kendall added that consumers today want to know where stones are mined, cut and polished, a trend that the industry must embrace. Mobile phones have dramatically changed consumer behaviour, Mr Kendall said, creating a relationship between the consumer and the production pipeline that did not exist 10 or 15 years ago. To allay consumer concerns, cameras may eventually be brought into mines to document the process, allowing buyers to check on the gem's provenance and obtain immediate answers.- Radical Transparency Becomes a Defining Issue in the Jewellery BusinessThe discussion wrapped up with a look towards the future and the most pressing challenges facing the jewellery industry, particularly as responsible business practices increasingly come to the fore. All of the panellists agreed that transparency, even radical transparency, would become a defining issue in the jewellery business.Mr Kendall said that the industry needs to start considering the purchasing behaviour of Generation Z, the post-millennial generation, who are currently aged 15 to 20 years old. Citing research by Forevermark, Mr Kendall said Generation Z exhibit a strong affinity to social media, are technologically sophisticated, strong communicators, risk-averse and have an interest in the environment, ethical business practices and the "greater good." These traits make it vitally important for the jewellery industry to adopt more ethical and transparent practices to satisfy the next generation of consumers, Mr Kendall said.Mr Chan echoed similar sentiments, adding that the world has become smaller with rapid improvements in the Internet and technology, which will lead consumers to seek more information, not only on jewellery but on all the products they buy.Dr Gohmann also agreed that the next generation of consumers will be more interested and invested in responsible business practices. He added that language and distance were no longer barriers to checking the supply chain. Dr Gohmann added that the industry need to be mindful that the dominance of social media meant that companies that fall foul of ethical behaviour will face huge problems within minutes due to viral boycotts on Twitter and Facebook.Fair Websites:Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem and Pearl Show: http://hkdgp.hktdc.com/Hong Kong International Jewellery Show: http://hkjewelleryshow.hktdc.com/Enhanced Security Measures for Buyers: http://bit.ly/2EIxhJaPhoto download: http://bit.ly/2oULBYAAbout HKTDCEstablished in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.- Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdc- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdc- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2018 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 7, 2018 / GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA Sponsored ADR Pfd (NYSE: GOL) will be discussing their earnings results in their Q4 Earnings Call to be held on March 7, 2018 at 9:00 AM Eastern Time.

To listen to the event live or access a replay of the call - visit https://www.investornetwork.com/company/1734.

To receive updates for this company you can register by emailing info@investornetwork.com or by clicking get investment info from the company's profile.

About Investor Network

Investor Network (IN) is a financial content community, serving millions of unique investors market information, earnings, commentary and news on the what's trending. Dedicated to both the professional and the average traders, IN offers timely, trusted and relevant financial information for virtually every investor. IN is an Issuer Direct brand, to learn more or for the latest financial news and market information, visit www.investornetwork.com. Follow us on Twitter @investornetwork.

SOURCE: Investor Network
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 7, 2018 / NCI Building Systems, Inc. (NYSE: NCS) will be discussing their earnings results in their Q1 Earnings Call to be held on March 7, 2018, at 9:00 AM Eastern Time.

To listen to the event live or access a replay of the call - visit https://www.investornetwork.com/company/1254.

To receive updates for this company you can register by emailing info@investornetwork.com or by clicking get investment info from the company's profile.

About Investor Network

Investor Network (IN) is a financial content community, serving millions of unique investors market information, earnings, commentary and news on the what's trending. Dedicated to both the professional and the average traders, IN offers timely, trusted and relevant financial information for virtually every investor. IN is an Issuer Direct brand, to learn more or for the latest financial news and market information, visit www.investornetwork.com. Follow us on Twitter @investornetwork.

SOURCE: Investor Network
The company's innovative technologies help customers reduce their total cost of ownership, while enhancing device uptime and productivity of business processes

SANTA CLARA, California, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Based on its recent analysis of the magnetic flowmeters market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Endress+Hauser with the 2017 Global Market Leadership Award for its comprehensive range of magnetic flowmeters, including its new-generation series of Proline Promag and Dosimag devices.

Click here for the full multimedia experience of this release - http://bit.ly/2aDz7ft

"Endress+Hauser's success can be attributed to its customer-centric approach and its drive for continuous product innovation," said Dr. Rajender Thusu, Research Analyst.

Endress+Hauser designs its electromagnetic flowmeters in its certified, global manufacturing facilities, with quality management systems in place to comply with both standard certifications and customers' specific needs. For example, Endress+Hauser's Dosimag is focused on sanitary applications and is used for dosing and high-speed conductive liquid filling and bottling applications for the food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries. It guarantees unprecedented repeatability and precisely measures volume flow in the shortest filling time. Furthermore, this product has no movable parts, significantly reducing maintenance costs.

In addition, Endress+Hauser's new-generation series of Proline flowmeters features advanced platforms, such as the Heartbeat Technology, that can verify device performance at any time. This technology ensures greater than 95% test coverage, which brings down the possibility of device failure, while reducing the need for calibration. The company has developed a wide range of flowmeters to meet hygienic applications as well as water/wastewater, chemical, primaries, and metal applications.

Endress+Hauser engages with customers from the initial stage of product design to the operation phase, allowing the company to develop technologies that enhance device uptime and productivity of business processes, create savings on operating expenses, and lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) for customers, while still meeting their process and performance monitoring needs. In addition, the company offers on-site calibration, diagnostics, repair, engineering, commissioning, and maintenance services to optimize customers' performance processes and ensure top-quality production outcomes.

"With a market share of over 18% and a strategy dedicated to constant innovation supported by heavy R&D investments, Endress+Hauser has achieved a leadership position in the global magnetic flowmeters market," said Dr. Thusu.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan recognizes the company that demonstrates excellence in growth and customer value. Attaining loyal customers who became brand advocates has allowed Endress+Hauser to grow and achieve a market leadership position. By committing to the customer at each stage of the buying cycle and by continuing to nurture relationships, Endress+Hauser is recognized for its product excellence and increased its installed base of electromagnetic flowmeter and market share over time.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Endress+Hauser

Endress+Hauser is a global leader in measurement instrumentation, services and solutions for industrial process engineering. The Group employs more than 13,000 personnel across the globe, generating net sales of over 2.2 billion euros in 2017.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Contact:

Ana Arriaga

P: 210.247-3823

F: 210.348.1003

E: Ana.Arriaga@frost.com

Contact Endress+Hauser:

Martin Raab

Group Media Spokesperson

Endress+Hauser AG

Kagenstrasse 2

4153 Reinach BL

Switzerland

martin.raab@holding.endress.com

+41 61 715 7722
Best Practices Awards are presented to companies for game-changing products, continued innovation, and strong leadership

SANTA CLARA, California, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Frost & Sullivan honored recipients of its Best Practices Awards at a gala held Tuesday, March 6th at the Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa. The event brought together top executives to celebrate their success and recognize their achievements in various industries.

"The mission of our Best Practices Awards is to identify companies that demonstrate unique excellence in fields such as product innovation, business strategy, and customer value," said Art Robbins, Americas President, Consulting, and Senior Partner, Frost & Sullivan. "Our Awards are the result of hundreds of hours of work by our team to identify the best. We recognize those who are paving the way for new areas of growth in industries, society, and the world at large."

The Best Practices Awards are presented each year to companies that are predicted to encourage significant growth in their industries, have identified emerging trends before they became the standard in the marketplace, and have created advanced technologies that will catalyze and transform industries in the near future.

Awarded companies included:

ABB-2018 North American Digital Grid Communication Company of the Year Award

AddEnergie Technologies-2017 North AmericanElectric Vehicle Charging Competitive Strategy Innovation and Leadership Award

AMI Global-2018 North American Integrated IIoT Solutions for Process Equipment Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Award

Applied Robotics-2017 North American Robotic End of Arm Tooling Product Line Strategy Leadership Award

Axalta Coating Systems-2017 Global Automotive Refinish Coatings Market Leadership Award

Cadenza Innovation, Inc.-2018 North American Lithium-ion Industrial and Electric Vehicle Battery Technology Innovation Award

CarePassport-2017 North American Patient Engagement Solutions Visionary Innovation Leadership Award

Centrify Corporation-2017 North American IDaaS and Privileged Identity Management Product Leadership Award

CenturyLink-2018 North American Hybrid Cloud Management PlatformProduct Leadership Award

CLEARink Displays-2018 North American Reflective Display Technology Innovation Award

Covalon Technologies Ltd.-2018 North American Surgical Site Infection Prevention New Product Innovation Award

Digital Defense, Inc.-2017 North American Security Risk Assessment Solutions Customer Value Leadership Award

Dolby Laboratories-2018 GlobalConferencing Services Customer Value Leadership Award

Eastech Corporation-2017 North American Smart Water Monitoring and Analytics Technology Innovation Award

Emerson Automation Solutions-2017 Global Oil & Gas and Custody Transfer New Product Innovation Award

Endress+Hauser-2017 Global Magnetic Flowmeters Market Leadership Award

Fluence Corporation-2018 GlobalDecentralized Water & Wastewater Treatment Company of the Year Award

Fybr-2017 North American Smart Water & Smart Cities Product Leadership Award

HealthPrize Technologies-2018 North American Medication Adherence Solution Technology Leadership Award

IBEX-2017 Central American & Caribbean Contact Center Outsourcing ServicesGrowth Excellence Leadership Award

IBM-2017 Global Integrated Commerce Order ManagementCustomer Value Leadership Award

Intel Corporation-2018 North American Internet of Things Enabling Technology Leadership Award

Mapbox-2018 North American Location-based Services Enabling Technology Leadership Award

Mitel-2017 North American Unified Communications Growth Excellence Leadership Award

Nanalysis Corp.-2018 Global Portable NMR Spectroscopy Company of the Year Award

Reduxio Systems-2017 North American Data Storage & Management Technology Innovation Award

Saama Technologies-2018 Global Real-world Evidence IT Solutions Enabling Technology Leadership Award

Sarcos-2017 North American Dexterous Mobile Robots Technology Innovation Award

StreetSmart, a division of ClickSoftware-2017 North American SMB Mobile Workforce Applications Customer Value Leadership Award

Sunpreme Inc.-2018 North American Bifacial Smart Solar New Product Innovation Award

TEOCO AIRCOM LABS-2017 North American Cellular IoT Device Testing ServicesCustomer Value Leadership Award

Wasabi-2017 North American Hot Cloud Storage Technology Innovation Award

Wave Computing-2018 North AmericanMachine Learning Technology Innovation Award

Zephyr Health-2018 North American Commercial Analytics Solutions for Life Sciences Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Award

Frost & Sullivan's Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research in order to identify best practices.

For further information about the Awards Gala, please contact a member of the Best Practices Team.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that could make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Andrea Steinman

P: 210.477.8425

F: 210.348.1003

E: andrea.steinman@frost.com
SAN FRANCISCO, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The Global Copper Sulfate Market is estimated to develop at a substantial CAGR in the years to come. Copper sulfate is a precise significant chemical taking a wide-ranging band of uses. The demand for this chemical is projected to upsurge successively in the years to come.

The agronomic manufacturing is responsible for more than half of the copper sulfate ingestion internationally. In agro manufacturing, copper sulfate is largely utilized as insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide. Copper sulfate penta-hydrate is a fungicide. However, it is mixed by lime to make Bordeaux and Burgundy combinations that are extra-operative fungicides. Paris gas, mass-produced as copper sulfate, is a pesticide. It is utilized such as a raw material for the manufacture of Chromated Copper Arsenate; which is an extensively utilized wood preserving chemical.

Paris gas delivers wood with fungicidal, insecticidal, and UV light replicating physical characteristics. Additional essential use of copper sulfate is by way of a logical substance that is utilized for the preparation of numerous substances for example Biuret reagent, Benedict's solution, and Fehling's solution. Demand for copper sulfate by means of a chemical addition in animal feedstuff is also growing. As such, copper is very important for appropriate working of the body.

On the other hand, copper sulfate is reasonably poisonous on being kept uncovered for an extended period. Mainstream of the copper sulfate is manufactured from scrap copper. It comprises poisons. Poisons for example Dioxin are not at all preferred by maximum purchaser nations.

The growing amount of agronomic actions in Asia-Pacific has triggered the demand for agro chemicals for example herbicides and insecticides. Due to this, demand for copper sulfate in India and China has successively augmented. Demand for the chemical composite is likewise estimated to increase in North America such as the agrarian manufacture in U.S. and Canada is also very high. Most of the European nations are these days importing copper sulfate in bulky amounts from the third world nations similar to Serbia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Macedonia, Russia, and China. Majority of Europe's current manufacturers are centered in France, Spain, and Italy. Russia and maximum of the previous Soviet Union nations are the country's leading copper sulfate producers such as mainstream of the copper mines are situated in the Eurasian area. In additional states, for example Columbia, Peru, Brazil, and Chile, demand for feed-rating copper sulfate is also growing owing to development in the animal feedstuff manufacturing.

Access 118 page research report with TOC on "Copper Sulfate Market" available with Radiant Insights, Inc. @ https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-copper-sulfate-2016

The statement divides international market into a number of important Areas. The division is done with respect to Trades in terms of intake, Profits, Market stake, and Development percentage of Copper Sulfate in these areas, for the duration of the prediction period. The area wise division of the international market spans North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World.

The statement revises Trades in terms of intake of Copper Sulfate in the international market. Particularly in the areas of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World. It concentrates on the topmost companies in these areas and the nations. With reference to Trades, Price, Profits and Market stake for respective competitor in these areas. Some of the important companies operating in the Copper Sulfate Market on the international basis are Allan Chemical Corporation, ATOTECH, NOAH Technologies Corporation, and WEGO Chemical & Mineral Corp.

Market Segmentation:

This report studies Copper Sulfate in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering

 Lustros

 Uralelektromed

 Xintai Copper Industrial

 Jiangxi Copper

 Dongjiang Environment

 Jien Nickel

 Yunnan Copper

 XinXingDa Mineral

 Yishun Environmental

 Xiongfeng Technology

 Huating Chemicals

 Xinbao Fine Chemical

Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Copper Sulfate in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), like

 North America

 Europe

 China

 Japan

 Southeast Asia

 India

Split by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided into

 Type I

 Type II

 Type III

Split by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Copper Sulfate in each application, can be divided into

 Application 1

 Application 2

 Application 3

Browse reports of similar category available with Radiant Insights, Inc.:



U.S. Snail Baits Industry

U.S. Industrial Coil Coatings Industry

U.S. Egg Cartons Industry

U.S. Compostable Foodservice Packaging Industry

About Radiant Insights, Inc.:

At Radiant Insights, we work with the aim to reach the highest levels of customer satisfaction. Our representatives strive to understand diverse client requirements and cater to the same with the most innovative and functional solutions.

Contact:

Michelle Thoras.

Corporate Sales Specialist

Radiant Insights, Inc.

Phone: +1-415-349-0054

Toll Free: 1-888-928-9744

Email: sales@radiantinsights.com

Web: https://www.radiantinsights.com/
DUBLIN, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Cisco recently completed a new Industry Project in partnership with Digital Skills Academy.

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/651053/Cisco_Digital_Skills_Academy.jpg )



The largest IT and networking company in the world, Cisco, is the latest major multinational tech company to join Digital Skills Academy's impressive list of Industry Partners.

Digital Skills Academy's unique International BSc Degrees, Professional Diplomas and Online Short Courses provide working professionals with experience of developing real digital solutions to real business challenges. These challenges are provided by Industry Partners, a network of organisations that have placed digital at the heart of business strategy. They range from developing websites and mobile apps to launching digital marketing campaigns and using digital solutions to make existing processes far more efficient.

Digital Skills Academy's unique approach to experiential learning enables graduates to apply their new skills immediately.

Cisco provided real-world challenges for participants to develop their digital skills. Participants were provided with access to digital technologies and tools to address the given challenge and were required to share the outcome with Cisco.

"Digital opens up a world of opportunity, but it also introduces extensive complexity. To be successful in any industry, we now need a world of problem solvers who think digitally", said Kathryn Baddeley, Head of CSR and Skills, Cisco UK & Ireland.

"We were delighted to work with Digital Skills Academy to help their participants develop expertise through real-world challenges," she added.

"This was another exciting Industry Partnership for Digital Skills Academy and more importantly, it provided programme participants with hands-on experience of working with one of the biggest names in technology and innovation", said Paul Dunne, Founder and CEO at Digital Skills Academy. "They gained invaluable experience by working in a cross-functional team, combining the functions of application development, design, research, social media integration and big data - and learned how to apply and perform their learning in real-world situations."

Christos Koutsiaris, a Senior JavaScript Developer at SAP Ireland, originally from Greece, completed Digital Skills Academy's BSc Honours Degree in Digital Technology, Design and Innovation, and was part of the Cisco Industry Project team. Commenting on the project, Christos highlighted that "working with a tech giant such as Cisco during a four-month project was very enriching. Not only did I apply key skills learned during the programme in a very hands-on business environment, but the project also enabled me to develop other competencies around digital collaboration and agile project development."

About Industry Partner Agreements

Industry Partnerships are symbiotic relationships developed by Digital Skills Academy with various major private and public organisations across the globe. Each Industry Partner is provided with a cross-functional project team that addresses the Industry Partner's specific requirements by exploiting the latest tools and techniques learned on the programme. The team typically comprises a tightly knit team, which includes a project manager, developers, data analysts, digital marketers and content/UX designers. This enables the Industry Partner to address digital innovation opportunities whilst playing a central role in expanding the digital talent pool.

For further information on Digital Skills Academy's Industry Partners visit: https://digitalskillsacademy.com/industry-partners

About Digital Skills Academy - Founded in 2008 by CEO Paul Dunne, Digital Skills Academy is a premier industry provider of online BSc Degrees, Professional Diplomas and short courses in digital skills and has produced over 2,500 talents to date. Participants on Digital Skills Academy programmes come from respected international companies that include Barclays, EY, Deloitte, Credit Suisse, Dell, SAP, Google and Oracle.

Contact: Rebecca Beaty, Corporate Marketing Manager, Digital Skills Academy, Tel: +353(0)15-111-261, Email: Rebecca.Beaty@DigitalSkillsAcademy.com
HANGZHOU, China, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Dahua Technology, a leading solution provider in the global video surveillance industry, releases consumer products with the brand Lechange, to serve families desiring better safety and greater convenience as well as SMB (small and median business) owners globally.

Lechange's core lies in technology and design. Armed with Dahua's technology in video surveillance industry, Lechange enables consumers to better enjoy technological advancements including high definition, facial recognition, voice recognition, artificial intelligence and cloud storage. With good design applied in hardware and software, Lechange assures excellent user experience during installations and daily uses.

Lechange Products

Lechange introduces altogether 7 products to the international users, including Cue/Cue 1080P Wi-Fi Cameras, Ranger/Ranger 1080P Wi-Fi Pan & Tilt Cameras, Bullet 1080P H.265 Wi-Fi Camera, Ranger Pro G 1080P H.265 Wi-Fi Pan & Tilt Camera with Airfly and DB10 Wi-Fi Video Doorbell. The first batch of Lechange products delivers multiple functions including surveillance, remote monitoring, smart appliances and advanced analysis.

Family members, for example parents and kids, can be safeguarded by Lechange system which is easy to set up and compatible with Smart Home systems, with round-the-clock safety and more flexible access control as well as HD video surveillance for the family members. You can also interact much more and easier with them, including pets, using Lechange products.

SMB store managers can now monitor the conditions in their shops more conveniently and comprehensively. There is an additional benefit for Lechange users, as they can record the video of funny or precious moments and share them on the social network.

"We first launched the brand in 2014 in China and it quickly became a beloved home security brand highly regarded by customers," Li Jiang, product manager for Lechange, said, "and now, with experience accumulated and technologies updated, we'd love to bring our advanced and proven products and solutions to global users."

With true values delivered to families and SMBs, Lechange is perfecting daily life.

*Currently Lechange has been applied for release in the following countries and areas: EU, UK, Russia, India, Brazil, Mexico, US, Ukraine, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey, Iran, Columbia, Peru, Chile, South Africa, Canada, Serbia, Swiss

Visit http://www.dahuasecurity.comto learn more and follow us on social media.

Facebook: @DahuaHQ Twitter: @DahuaHQ

YouTube: Dahua Technology Channel LinkedIn:Dahua Technology Co. LTD

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/651011/Dahua_Technology_Lechange_Products.jpg
VANCOUVER, BC and BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - March 07, 2018) - Imagin Medical (CSE: IME) (OTC PINK: IMEXF) (FRANKFURT: DPD2) (STUT: DPD2) (the "Company"), announced today that the Company expects the Proof of Concept phase of the prototype re-design for manufacturing to be completed on schedule for this coming May.

As reported, Optel, Inc., Imagin's opto-electronic design firm, is working against three phases of development: Proof of Concept, Functional Unit and Verified Unit. The Proof of Concept effort is intended to benchmark the performance metrics of the i/Blue System's two key components -- the high-power LED based illumination module and the multi-channel imaging module -- against the performance of the i/Blue prototype currently being used in a research study at the University of Rochester, and the performance of various FDA approved light-based products.

Jay Eastman, Optel's CEO stated, "The prototype high current LED controller for the i/Blue illumination module has been tested and performs well above expectations. We will build the pre-production version of the prototype board and have it ready for the Proof of Concept testing in May. The prototype optical mechanical is nearing design completion and should be out for fabrication later this month."

The next step in the proof of concept effort will address the design and prototyping of the i/Blue imaging module which provides separate imaging channels for white light viewing of the interior of the bladder through a traditional cystoscope and near infrared imaging of the Protoporphyrin IX fluorescence emitted by a tumor in the bladder. The imaging module will utilize state-of-the-art optics, filters and cameras to simultaneously image and display both the white light and near infrared imaging channels. Optel has substantial experience in the design of similar miniaturized optical systems and has high confidence the imaging module will also be ready to meet the May Proof of Concept milestone.

"We're excited to reach this first phase in the redesign which keeps us on track as the research study at the university of Rochester Medical Center progresses," said Jim Hutchens, Imagin's President and CEO.

The University of Rochester Medical Center's research study using the Company's i/Blue Imaging System continues to recruit patients, refine the prototype per procedure, work to validate bench-testing results and prove human feasibility.

About Imagin Medical

Imagin Medical is developing imaging solutions for the early detection of cancer during minimally invasive surgeries. The Company believes it will radically improve the way physicians detect cancer where endoscopes are used. Imagin's initial target market is bladder cancer, a major cancer worldwide, the sixth most prevalent in the U.S., and the most costly cancer to treat due to a greater than 50% recurrence rate. Developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, this advanced, ultrasensitive imaging technology is based upon improved optical designs and advanced light sensors. Learn more at www.imaginmedical.com.

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Specifically, there is no assurance the Company's imaging system will work in the manner expected, except as required under applicable securities legislation; the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

For further information, contact:

Jim Hutchens

President & CEO

Telephone: 617-571-6006

Email: jhutchens@imaginmedical.com



U.S. HQ:

69 Longwood Avenue

Hyannis Port, MA 02647

USA

617-571-6006



CA HQ:

890 West Pender Street,

Suite 600 Vancouver, British Columbia

Canada V6C 1J9

778-998-5000; 604-687-1327 (fax)



NR-2018-IME-#013
HARRISON (dpa-AFX) - Mastercard Inc. (MA) said that it will integrate its physical and digital payments teams under one organization, effective April 2, 2018. The change comes as Garry Lyons departs the company to launch a new technology initiative closely aligned with Mastercard. Lyons will leave on June 1 to launch a new outside venture that will provide services to Mastercard, its partners and its customers. He will remain a senior advisor to the company's Management Committee. Mastercard noted that Michael Miebach, chief product officer, will lead the newly-formed Products and Innovation team, bringing core products, digital payments, Mastercard Labs and processing activities together. The company noted that the integrated team will accelerate efforts to create the best solutions for consumers and businesses by securing every transaction and simplifying access to the company's digital assets. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Panevezio statybos trestas AB (hereinafter - the Company) received the resolution No. 214-40 dated 5 March 2018 by the Director of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania on application of measures to Panevezio statybos trestas AB. Following the obligations indicated in the decision, the Company is publishing the information included in item 2 of the operative part of the resolution by the Director of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania: 1. Panevezio statybos trestas AB has been fined 40,000 (forty thousand) Euros for violation of Article 17(1) of Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on market abuse; 2. The Company, failing to ensure confidentiality of information related to the investigation carried out by the Competition Council, has not disclosed immediately this unpublished information related to the investigation in progress and imminent measures, the maximum limit of which amounted to 21 per cents of the equity capital of the Company and was nearly 5 times higher than the net profit of the Company for the year 2016 and therefore could significantly prejudice the financial situation of the Company; 3. The violation resulted in asymmetry of information available for investors and infringement of investors' interests; 4. The violation lasted for 5 days of trading in the regulated market; 5. The identified violation is not compatible with fair and transparent market of financial instruments and protection of investors' interests, and prejudices reliability and stability of the financial market of the Republic of Lithuania; 6. The Company did not accept the identified violation and took no measures to terminate the violation despite the fact that the Bank of Lithuania had drawn the Company's attention to the violations. The Company takes a position that public notification about the investigation carried out by the Competition Council would have possibly done more harm to the investors' interests and the investigation in progress than failure of such notification because: 1) The Company treated the investigation by the Competition Council as confidential following the instructions of the Competition Council itself, 2) The Company has not performed any acts limiting competition, therefore had no ground to expect any fining, in particular in the maximum amount. Knowing all the circumstances of the investigation by the Competition Council in respect of the Company, the Company considered fining in the maximum amount an unreal event, which is only theoretically possible. In that context, publication of such information was considered to be harmful to the shareholders of the Company, as that would be prejudicial to the reputation of the Company and more misleading to investors than helpful to them in taking investment related decisions. The fact that the decision of the Competition Council to fine the Company is unfair and unreasonable is argued by the Company at the court. The Company published information about the decision taken by the Competition Council immediately after it had been received following the procedure prescribed by the law. The resolution dated 5 March 2018 by the Director of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania may be appealed within one month from its service following the procedure prescribed by the Law on Administrative Proceedings of the Republic of Lithuania. The decision on appealing the resolution by the Director of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania Company will be taken by the Company after the reasons for fining are analysed in detail. Contact person: Dalius Gesevicius Managing Director Tel. (+370 45) 505 503
LONDON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

This Mother's Day, Paperchase are celebrating fiercefemales at Oscar Wilde's statue and honouring the revolutionary mother that raised him.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/651100/Paperchase_Logo.jpg )



Of the 925 public statues in the UK, only 158 are women and 25 of these are historical non-royal women. So when it comes to history, women didn't get the attention they deserved.

You've probably heard of Oscar Wilde, but did you know his mum refused to conform to Victorian society by using her wit to rally against the status quo? She was also an early advocate of women's rights and known for her progressive views championing females.

So this year, to mark International Women's Day and Mother's Day, Paperchase took matters into their own hands and are unearthing the real stories of the fierce, sassy and powerful mother's behind historic figures in society.

On Wednesday morning, a crowd gathered around Oscar Wilde's statue (London, WC2N 4HZ), just outside Charing Cross station in Central London, to share Lady Jane Wilde's story and wish her a very 'Happy Mother's Day'.

The campaign continues on social media, with a series of animations showing more iconic mothers who deserve to be recognised and celebrated including; Richard the Lionheart's mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Martin Luther King Jr's mother, Alberta Williams King.

Let's celebrate fiercefemales everywhere. This Mother's Day, find your mum a card as fierce as she is.

For further information please email pr@paperchase.co.uk

High-res imagery can be downloaded via https://we.tl/wW8l0R97db

Notes to Editors
Something occurred to me the other day: Anchors don't prevent ships from getting knocked around by waves.

The first half of Hebrews chapter 6, verse 19, reads:

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."

Stitched into your great aunt's decorative pillows, declared from many a pulpit, typed up in whimsical font over an "inspiring" image - this verse is familiar because it's easy to follow.

Even if you know nothing about sailing, you know that anchors are heavy and meant to keep ships in one place. Hope = an anchor. Anchors = steadiness. Therefore, hope = steadiness. Simple word math, equaling an encouraging sentiment.

But encouraging sentiments are flimsy, and rather ineffective in the midst of struggle.

I recently found myself scrambling for steadiness; I was experiencing things I had no grid for, encountering emotions I couldn't quite articulate, and I felt entirely unsettled. I needed something solid I could actually cling to while the waves were sloshing around and the cargo was knocking and rolling across the ship deck. And I know that God offers us much more than "encouraging sentiments" when He sees us flailing. So I ventured to ask: What is He actually saying in Hebrews 6:19?

Let's break it down like this:

Anchors

Anchors aren't cushions, or safe havens. They don't keep wind from getting caught up in the sails. They don't hold the ship deck steady, preventing it from rocking this way and that.

What anchors do is ensure that a ship will not aimlessly drift out to sea. They offer the comfort of keeping the ship "grounded" and provide you with the ability to know where you are, even if you're being pushed by winds or pulled by currents. Anchors allow you to orient yourself, regardless of what's going on around your "ship."

The soul

I have heard "the soul" defined as the mind, will, and emotions of a person; these are the things that feel most unsettled when our circumstances start to change, and they're the things that feel most difficult to address because they're pretty much intangible. But in this verse, God is saying that we have actually been provided with a grounding point for our heart, a grounding point for our thoughts, a grounding point for our ability to decide.

This hope

Our grounding point for all of those things is "this hope" - which begs the question, "What hope?"

If you're a Christian, your hope isn't an encouraging sentiment, or a powerful wish. Your hope is actually a person, with character you can be strengthened to know: Your hope is kind. He doesn't force Himself on people, He doesn't mow over people's feelings in the name of religion... He sees and He values the individual, exactly where they're at.

He is passionate. He initiates, He comes for His people. He does not tolerate injustice, so He willingly gave His only Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice to pay the price of sin... so that He can readily and completely forgive you, every time you ask.

He is always, only, ever, GOOD. Not just in a "the opposite of bad" way, but "good" in a sense of the word that we can't fully grasp here on earth. Good in a wholesome, peaceful, inarguably-wonderful kind of way. He does not lie, He does not manipulate. He is abounding in steadfast love.

We can trust His heart, and we can trust His intentions.

And the hope we have is that, if you have accepted His son Jesus into your heart, He's on your side! It's not hope like "Ah, I really hope this happens." It's hope like: "Look what has happened!!! Therefore, whatever I'm facing actually has to collide with the reality of God's heart for me. And that gives whatever I'm facing some HOPE - even if I don't see change, I know something will, because God's love for me is a fact I can stand upon."

He sees your heart and He is actively defending it, advocating for it, lovingly mindful of it as He walks alongside you.

Part of our hope is knowing that He will not let us down: Romans chapter 8, verse 32 says "He who did not spare His own son, but willingly gave Him up for us - how will He not also, along with Him, give us all things?" If you think God is in the business of withholding from His children, I would encourage you to really meditate on what the sacrifice of His Son must have been like for Him.

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."

Who God is allows us to ground our feelings, thoughts and willpower, and orient ourselves despite whatever is happening. For He is "the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews chapter 13, verse 8) and the only true source of hope. And that is anchoring.

Mayce is a young writer from The States who loves the adventure of living life alongside Jesus. She is currently living in Australia, where she works as a full-time volunteer with Youth With A Mission, Brisbane.
-WuXi NextCODE's massively scalable genomics database management system and clinical and research applications will be available to Google Cloud Platform users

-Google Cloud BigQuery, the open source DeepVariant and other tools will be integrated for use with the WuXi NextCODE platform

-The companies plan to work on additional tools, capabilities and APIs going forward, to serve the global genomics community for the benefit of people worldwide

SHANGHAI;CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts;REYKJAVIK, Iceland, March 7,2018 /PRNewswire/ --WuXi NextCODE, the emerging global standard platform for genomic data, today announced a partnership with Google Cloud that aims to deliver comprehensive genomics capabilities to partners and customers worldwide.

The partnership, announced today at the HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition being held this week in Las Vegas, includes hosting WuXi NextCODE's core suite of capabilities on Google Cloud and its availability on the Google Cloud Launcher marketplace. These include GORdb, WuXi NextCODE secondary analysis, the Sequence Miner case-control research application, and the Clinical Sequence Analyzer clinical interpretation system. At the same time, key Google genomics and research tools will be integrated and deployable in tandem with the WuXi NextCODE platform, beginning with the DeepVariant secondary analysis pipeline, alongside other open-source analysis pipelines and tools available through Google Cloud Platform. The companies plan to launch the first phase of the offering - at the BioIT World Conference & Expo in Boston in May.

"WuXi NextCODE has been a pioneer of large-scale genomics, and we are thrilled to welcome them as a Google Cloud Partner," said Jonathan Sheffi, Product Manager, Genomics & Life Sciences at Google. "Our collaboration aims to create a powerful interoperable suite of capabilities to derive insight from sequence data."

"This partnership is an important step towards realizing our vision to provide people and organizations with the best tools for using genomic data, anywhere and at any scale," said Hannes Smarason, CEO of WuXi NextCODE. "We are excited to see our platform launch on Google Cloud this spring, and to explore collaborative projects that require the combined horsepower of our own and Google's tools and teams. Together, I expect we will find innovative ways to make more data more useful to more people, advancing the genomics field as well as serving our customers."

About WuXi NextCODE

WuXi NextCODE is a fully integrated contract genomics organization (CGO) building the global standard platform for genomic data. With offices in Shanghai; Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Reykjavik, Iceland, we serve the leading population genomics, precision medicine, diagnostics and wellness initiatives and enterprises using the genome to improve health around the world. Our capabilities span study design, sequencing, secondary analysis, storage, interpretation, scalable analytics, and AI and deep learning - all backed by the most proven and widely used technology for organizing, mining and sharing genome sequence data. We are also applying the same capabilities to advance a growing range of sequence-based tests and scans in China. Visit us on the web at wuxinextcode.com.

Contacts:

Edward Farmer, PhD JiaWei Wang efarmer@wuxinextcode.com jw_wang@wuxinextcode.com +1 781-775-6206 +86 21 5046 5558

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/511624/WuXi_NextCODE_Logo.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650718/Google_Cloud_Platform_Logo.jpg
PUNE, India, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to a new market research "Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Marketby Product (EVH systems, Endoscope, Accessories), Usability (Disposable, Reusable), Vessel (Saphenous Vein, Radial Artery), Application (Coronary Artery Disease, Peripheral Artery Disease) - Global Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets', the global market is projected to reach USD 504.8 Million by 2022 from an estimated USD 420.5 Million in 2017, at a CAGR of 3.7% during the forecast period.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 69 tables and31 figures spread through 113 pages and in-depth TOC on"Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/endoscopic-vessel-harvesting-market-52677973.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

The key factors driving the growth of this market include the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, growing preference for minimally invasive harvesting owing to advantages it offers over conventional methods, and rising geriatric population. However, the availability of alternative treatment methods for CADs and poor reimbursement scenario for EVH may hinder the growth of this market to a certain extent.

By product, the EVH systems segment accounted for the largest share of the market in 2017

On the basis of product, the Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market is segmented into EVH systems, endoscopes, and accessories. In 2017, the EVH systems segment accounted for the largest share of the global market. The large share of this segment can be primarily attributed to the rising adoption of minimally invasive procedures for vessel harvesting and disposable nature of these products.

Download PDF Brochure@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=52677973

By usability, the disposable segment held the largest market share in 2017

Based on usability, the market is segmented into disposable and reusable products. The disposable segment commanded the largest share of the Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market in 2017. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the rising preference for disposable devices over reusable owing to the advantages offered.

By vessel type, the saphenous vein segment held the largest market share in 2017

Based on vessel type, the market is segmented into saphenous vein and radial artery. The saphenous vein segment commanded the largest share of the Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market in 2017. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the significant advantages offered by the saphenous vein in terms of wound complications, reduced pain, and aesthetics.

By application, the coronary artery disease segment held the largest market share in 2017

Based on application, the market is segmented into coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease. The coronary artery disease segment commanded the largest share of the Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market in 2017. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the rising prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and increasing geriatric population.

North America dominated the market in 2017

In 2017, North America accounted for the largest share of the Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market, followed by Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and the Rest of the World (Latin America and the Middle East & Africa). Factors such as high burden of cardiac diseases in the US and Canada, the launch of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) and Episode-based Payment Models (EPMs) in the US, and growing preference for minimally invasive harvesting procedures in Canada are contributing to the large share of North America.

The Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market in Europe is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the rising number of CABG procedures and growth in the geriatric population in the region.

The key players in the global Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market are Getinge (Sweden), Terumo (Japan), LivaNova (UK), Saphena Medical (US), KARL STORZ (Germany), Cardio Medical (Germany), and Medical Instruments Spa (Italy).

Know more about Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/endoscopic-vessel-harvesting-market-52677973.html

About MarketsandMarkets'

MarketsandMarkets' provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets' for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets' are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets' now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets' is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.



Contact:

Mr. Salgarkar

MarketsandMarkets' INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com



Connect with us on LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets
Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government organization responsible for development of Irish enterprise worldwide, continues to build on their U.S. Investments

The well-told story of Ireland's contribution to North America business has acquired a new chapter that reflects the global economy and Ireland's role as an international force of innovation, entrepreneurship and investment. Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government agency for international development of Irish businesses, reports record employment and job growth among Irish businesses operating in America.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005805/en/

(Graphic: Business Wire)

In the past year, Enterprise Ireland-supported companies opened 59 new offices in the US, an 18% increase over 2016. Locations included New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Texas, Missouri, Colorado, Washington. Additionally, 2017 saw a total of 181 Irish start-up organizations receive support from Enterprise Ireland.

As of January 2018, almost 800 Irish-owned companies operate across all 50 states employing over 100,000 people. The companies cross a broad range of industries including construction, education, energy, environmental, medical devices and software. According to the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2017 the value of Ireland's foreign direct investment (FDI) was calculated at over 85 billion USD, ranking Ireland the 9th largest source of FDI.

"The strong employment figures of Irish businesses operating in the United States show depth of engagement and confidence in this market," said Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland. "Irish businesses are partnering with U.S. business and putting feet on the ground to support those partnerships. I am especially encouraged by the diverse range of businesses and the high rate of innovation common to those partnerships."

Today, Enterprise Ireland operates from New York; Boston; Austin, TX, Chicago, Il and Mountain View, CA. The organization is the third largest venture capitalist in Europe by deal count. In addition to funding support, Enterprise Ireland also provide services including export assistance, assistance with research and development as well as a broad network of key global industry-specific contacts.

"Ireland and the United States enjoy a very successful trade relationship that stretches back for many decades and brings significant benefits to both countries. Hundreds of Irish owned companies support more than 100,000 jobs across the United States in firms ranging from start-ups to major corporations. During my St. Patrick's Week trip to the U.S., I intend to meet with a number of these companies as well as discussing the importance of the Irish-American relationship with senior US decision makers." added Leo Varadkar, Ireland's Taoiseach (Prime Minister).

The organization has strong expertise in the medical technology, pharmaceutical, construction and software markets among others. Globally, Ireland is the second largest exporter of software products and accounts for over 60 billion dollars in annual exports.

For Irish firms currently looking to export into the U.S. market, Enterprise Ireland has launched a new Market Discovery Fund for client companies. The fund is designed to provide financial support for a physical presence in-market including offices, participation in trade events and market research.

About Enterprise Ireland

Enterprise Ireland is the Irish State agency that works with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets. Enterprise Ireland partners with entrepreneurs, Irish businesses, and the research and investment communities to develop Ireland's international trade, innovation, leadership and competitiveness. In this way, we support sustainable economic growth and regional development, and help create and sustain employment in Ireland.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005805/en/

Contacts:

Brand Definition

Daniel O'Connell, 212-660-2555 Ext. 12

Daniel@brand-definition.com
Final Delivery of the 20th GE Jenbacher Flextra Gas Engines is Another Milestone in the Reliable, Sustainable and Efficient Power and Heat Generation for Kiel

Complementary Solution to Renewable Energies and a Key Contribution to Securing the Power Supply and Grid Stability in Northern Germany

Planned and Implemented by General Contractor Kraftanlagen Munchen Gmbh and GE

Delivery of the 20th and final gas engine completes the centerpiece of one of the most modern and flexible gas engine-based combined heat and power (CHP) plants in Europe-the K.I.E.L. coastal power plant. Today, representatives of Stadtwerke Kiel, Kraftanlagen Munchen GmbH (KAM) and GE (NYSE: GE) unveiled one of the 20 Jenbacher* J920 FleXtra gas engines-marking another step towards securing the district heating supply in Kiel after the coal-fired power plant is decommissioned on March 31, 2019.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005845/en/

Construction site of the new K.I.E.L. coastal power plant.

The coastal power plant makes an important contribution to the energy transition and environmental protection in the region, and with its power generation concept based on gas engines, heat storage and an electrode boiler, this gas-fired cogeneration plant sets new standards in terms of flexibility, efficiency and ecological sustainability.

After commissioning, the new large-scale gas engine-based CHP plant will supply over 73,000 households and facilities in Kiel with environmentally friendly district heating. Additionally, the electric power generated will be fed into Kiel's 110-kilovolt power grid, which supplies electricity both to households in the state capital and some of the surrounding municipalities. Excess energy is passed on to the upstream power grid.

"Our K.I.E.L. coastal power plant is unique in Europe," explains Frank Meier, managing director of Stadtwerke Kiel. "Installing the 20 Jenbacher FleXtra gas engines in the engine cells is another milestone for Kiel's reliable, sustainable and efficient heating supply."

Dr. Jorg Teupen, director of technology and human resources, adds: "The modular generation concept allows the coastal power plant to react to all requirements of the energy market with great flexibility. Every one of the 20 gas engines ramps up to full load in less than five minutes. That allows us to react to changing grid situations at any time."

The new gas-fired cogeneration facility replaces the electricity and heat previously generated by the coal-fired power plant on the Kieler Forde, which has been in operation since 1970. Thanks to its high overall efficiency of about 91 percent and the environmental benefits of natural gas as an energy source, the new facility will emit over 70 percent less carbon dioxide than the previous power plant.

The percentage of renewable energy sources in power production is growing both in terms of the power installed and the amount of power generated. Flexible, environmentally sustainable and future-proof methods of power generation-such as gas engine power plants-will be expanded in the future as an essential addition.

"In the coastal city of Kiel, fluctuations in renewable energy production range from storm to calm," explains Carlos Lange, president of GE's Distributed Power business. "These significant fluctuations require supplementary energy solutions that can start quickly and reliably when required-such as the new K.I.E.L. coastal power plant."

A 60-meter high heat storage unit (30,000 m3 storage volume) and a powerful 35-megawatt electrode boiler (power-to-heat technology) further increase the flexibility of the CHP plant.

The gas engine-powered plant is being engineered and implemented by KAM and GE. KAM is the general contractor responsible for engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning the turnkey power plant, including the auxiliary buildings and integrating the heat storage and electrode boiler.

"We are celebrating the delivery of all of the gas engines with this final 20th engine, which marks an important milestone in this flagship project for energy and heat transition. We are proud to be building one of Europe's largest, most modern and most flexible gas engine-based cogeneration facilities with Stadtwerke Kiel and GE," explains Reinhold Frank, chairman of the general management of Kraftanlagen Munchen GmbH.

The K.I.E.L. coastal power plant is a good example for excellent operational flexibility, and it makes a key contribution to ensuring sufficient performance in the German power grid. The schedule of the consortium, made up of KAM and GE, expects that Kiel's intelligent energy solution (K.I.E.L) will begin providing power to the grid during the first quarter of 2019.

Jenbacher is a trademark of the General Electric Company

About Stadtwerke Kiel

Stadtwerke Kiel supplies the region with electricity, gas, water and heat. The energy supplier delivers its products to where private households and businesses need them, and offers its customers security and reliability every day. The company is increasingly focusing on sustainable energy generation and expanding and upgrading its district heating network to supply the region securely and cost-effectively with energy and heat. By building the K.I.E.L. coastal power plant, Stadtwerke Kiel is ensuring the supply and expansion of district heating energy efficiently in the long term. www.stadtwerke-kiel.de

About the Kraftanlagen Group

The Kraftanlagen Group stands for efficient power plant engineering. As a versatile partner for industry and the energy sector, we are utilising state-of-the-art processes and technologies all across Europe. We provide the industry, public utility companies and energy providers with everything from a single source: power plant engineering from concept definition, project planning and scheduling, construction, commissioning, through servicing and maintenance, right up to dismantling and disposal.

With its affiliates and joint ventures at numerous locations, the Kraftanlagen Group with more than 2,200 employees offers an extensive service network. Working closely with its customers, the Group manages both large-scale projects as general contractor as well as individual projects in the following product ranges: energy and power plant technology, decentralized power generation, underground piping systems, nuclear technology, industrial plants, utility services, engineering, fabrication, welding and testing technology. More information is available at our website: www.kraftanlagen.com

About GE Power

GE Power is a leading company worldwide in the energy sector, offering technologies and services and thus covering the entire value chain from power generation to consumption. As a global digital industrial company, we pool resources and capacities to transform the energy industry fundamentally. Together with our customers in over 150 countries, we meet more than one third of the global electricity demand, power cities, build infrastructures and network the world with digital solutions.

You can find more information at our website www.gepower.com. Follow GE Power on Twitter @GE_Power and LinkedIn at GE Power.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) is the world's digital industrial company and changes the industry with connected, responsive and predictive software-controlled machines and solutions. GE is organized around a global knowledge sharing system, "GE Store", which allows all business units to access the same technologies, markets, structures and intellectual property and share them with one another. Every invention promotes other innovations and applications across multiple business units. With people, services, technology and scale, GE offers customers better results, as we speak the language of the industry. www.ge.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005845/en/

Contacts:

Sonke Schuster

Stadtwerke Kiel

+49 (0) 170 5711 450

soenke.schuster@stadtwerke-kiel.de

or

Dr. Karsten Werth

Kraftanlagen Munchen

+49 (0) 172 8170826

karsten.werth@kraftanlagen.com

or

Susanne Reichelt

GE Distributed Power business

+43 (0) 664 80833 2382

susanne.reichelt@ge.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

MYM Nutraceuticals Inc., (CSE: MYM) (CSE: MYM.CN) (MYM.CN) (the "Company" or "MYM") is pleased to announce Dr. Charith Adkar has joined MYM as its new Chief Science Officer (CFO) effective immediately.

Dr. Adkar completed his PhD in Plant Biology and Crop Production from the University of Milano, Italy with the specialization in Molecular Plant Pathology. He completed his postdoctoral studies at Hirosaki University, Japan and Universite de Sherbrooke, Canada. His areas of expertise include Plant Science, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Molecular host-pathogen interactions and Bioinformatics.

Dr. Adkar will manage MYM's scientific, research and technological operations. He will work primarily at the Laval and Weedon production facilities.

"We're extremely pleased to welcome Dr. Charith Adkar to the MYM team," said Rob Gietl, CEO of MYM. "Dr. Adkar will be instrumental in leading MYM to be a global innovator in the science and technology of medicinal cannabis. His proven track record and research in plant biology and crop production will ensure that MYM will be on the cutting edge of cannabis plant discovery and research."

Subject to the terms of the Company's stock option plan Dr. Adkar will received 75,000 options to purchase common shares of the company priced at $3.18. The options will vest as follows: 25,000 of the Stock Options will vest on the six (6) month anniversary of the Start Date; 25,000 of the Stock Options will vest on the twelve (12) month anniversary of the Start Date; and 25,000 of the Stock Options will vest on the eighteen (18) month anniversary of the Start Date. The options will expire (1) year after each vesting date.

About MYM Nutraceuticals Inc.

MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. is an innovative company focused on acquiring Health Canada licenses to produce and sell high-end organic medicinal cannabis supplements and topical products. MYM has two production projects in Quebec that when completed will have over 1.5 million sf of production space. MYM is also a partner in a 1.2 million sf production project (Northern Rivers Project) in New South Wales, Australia. Australia is an exciting new market that has recently legalized medicinal cannabis. To ensure a strong presence and growth potential within the industry, MYM is actively looking to acquire complementary businesses and assets in the technology, nutraceuticals and CBD sectors. MYM shares trade in Canada, Germany and the USA under the following symbols: (CSE: MYM) (OTC:MYMMF) (FRA:0MY) (DEU:0MY) (MUN:0MY) (STU:0MY).

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Rob Gietl, CEO

MYM Nutraceuticals Inc.

http://www.mymarijuana.ca

Keep up to date with MYM on our social media channels:

Twitter: @MYM_Nutra

Facebook: @mymcanada

Instagram: @MYM_Nutra

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results. Such statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise or update such statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on http://www.sedar.com.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE or CNSX Markets), nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the CSE), accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the "United States", as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

Investor Relations

Terry Brown

+1-855-696-2261

terry@mymarijuana.ca
LONDON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

London-based online payment solutions provider is amongst 2018's 26 new entrants

Checkout.com, a leading international online payment solutions provider, has been included in Tech City's renowned Future Fifty programme for 2018.

Future Fifty is a government-backed initiative, introduced in 2014 to support the UK's pioneering tech businesses. Previous Future Fifty alumni include peer to peer lending platform, RateSetter, and online fast food delivery service, Just Eat. Since the programme's launch, previous years' cohorts have gone on to make significant contributions to the UK's thriving tech scene: employing 27,000 people in total, and successfully completing five IPOs and 23 mergers and acquisitions.

Guillaume Pousaz, Founder and CEO of Checkout.com says, "Being included in this year's Future Fifty is testament to our commitment to meeting the payment needs of high-tech businesses with our solution-oriented approach. The Future Fifty companies represent some of the most exciting businesses in the UK tech ecosystem and we are delighted to join their ranks. We're very much looking forward to working with the fantastic network of peers to continue to change and improve the payments sector and the wider UK tech industry."

Parveen Dhanda, Programme Lead for Future Fifty at Tech City UK, says, "We're delighted to welcome 26 new exceptional high-growth companies onto the Future Fifty programme for 2018. The Future Fifty class of 2018 includes companies from right across the UK. All these companies face common challenges in scaling their teams and operations, and share an ambition to build world-beating global digital businesses."

Checkout.com works directly with businesses to handle payments in any country, via a single integration. Checkout.com solutions connect e-commerce businesses seamlessly with all credit and debit cards, and major alternative payment methods, via entirely proprietary technology. Removing all third-party intermediaries eliminates the need for multiple service providers and consolidates the entire payment process. We currently process over 150 currencies for companies including Samsung, Simba Sleep, Virgin, and Adidas.

About Checkout.com

Launched in 2012, Checkout.com is a leading provider of international online payment solutions. Checkout.com is built on 100% proprietary technology and handles every part of the payment process, providing complete transparency across the entire payment value chain.

We currently process 150+ currencies. In addition, we give you the ability to accept all international cards, plus popular alternative and local payments through one integration.

With customers like Samsung, Simba Sleep, Virgin, and Adidas, we're proud of the company we keep. Our mission is to partner with smart businesses of all sizes to optimize their payments, increase revenues, and meet the dynamic needs of their customers.

For more information, comment or interview opportunities, please contact:

TopLine Comms

checkout@toplinecomms.com

+44(0)207-580-6502
Corero active defence countermeasure benignly "suppresses" Memcached DDoS attack threat while leaving compromised servers online;

Corero researchers reveal that Memcached can be exploited by attackers to steal or modify data from vulnerable Memcached servers;

'Kill switch' is available to Corero customers to defend themselves. Corero Smartwall can issue this command in response to incoming attacks. Corero has also disclosed the fix to national security agencies;

Memcached DDoS attacks or Memcached data theft is currently a potential issue for up to 95,000 vulnerable servers worldwide.

Corero Network Security has today disclosed the existence of a practical "kill switch" countermeasure for the Memcached vulnerability, responsible for some of the largest DDoS attacks ever recorded, to national security agencies. At the same time, the company has revealed that the vulnerability is more extensive than originally reported and can also be used by attackers to steal or modify data from the vulnerable Memcached servers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005884/en/

Memcached global spread (Shodan).

Memcached is an open source memory caching system that stores data in RAM to speed up access times. It was not originally designed to be accessible from the Internet, as access does not require authentication. The exploit works by allowing attackers to generate spoof requests and amplify DDoS attacks by up to 50,000 times to create an unprecedented flood of attack traffic. In the last week, these massive attacks have overwhelmed specific targets such as GitHub, and flooded service providers to degrade service availability.

There are currently over 95,000 servers worldwide answering on TCP or UDP port 11211 from the internet, which could potentially be used by attackers to launch DDoS attacks or expose customer data.

Ashley Stephenson, CEO at Corero Network Security, explains: "Memcached represents a new chapter in DDoS attack executions. Previously, the most recent record-breaking attacks were being orchestrated from relatively low bandwidth Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In contrast, these Memcached servers are typically connected to higher bandwidth networks and, as a result of high amplification factors, are delivering data avalanches to crippling effect. Unless operators of Memcached servers take action, these attacks will continue

More Complex Capabilities

Any Memcached server that can be forced into participating in a DDoS attack towards the Internet can also be coaxed into divulging user data it has cached from its local network or host. This may include confidential database records, website customer information, emails, API data, Hadoop information and more.

The Memcached protocol was designed to be used without logins or passwords, meaning that anything you add to a vulnerable Memcached server can be stolen by anyone on the internet, without a login, password or audit trail. By using a simple debug command, hackers can reveal the 'keys' to your data and retrieve the owner's data from the other side of the world. Additionally, it is also possible to maliciously modify the data and reinsert it into the cache without the knowledge of the Memcached owner.

Despite repeated warnings by the Memcached developer community and large IT vendors about security risks, default configurations for some of the latest operating systems and cloud computer services still allow ubiquitous access to the Memcached service and customers' private data.

Ashley Stephenson explains: "While this blatant lapse of security is relatively clear to the accomplished security practitioner or hacker, it is not known to the increasingly business-oriented, non-technical user who is clicking a button to set up a new server in the cloud. There are dozens of US-CERT CVE and obscure security warnings related to Memcached but few of them address the clearly obvious issue of leaving the front door open on the internet for anyone to come in and take your data."

The Kill Switch

This week, Corero discovered an effective 'kill switch' to the Memcached vulnerability that sends a command back to an attacking server to suppress the current DDoS exploitation. The "flush_all" countermeasure has been disclosed to national security agencies for action. It invalidates a vulnerable servers' cache, including the large, potentially malicious payload planted there by attackers.

The countermeasure quench packet has been tested on live attacking servers and appears to be 100% effective. It has not been observed to cause any collateral damage.

Ashley Stephenson continues: "Ironically, the Memcached utility was intended to cache frequently-used web pages and data to boost legitimate performance. But this utility has now been weaponized to exploit its performance boosting potential for illegitimate purposes."

About Corero Network Security

Corero Network Security is the leader in real-time, high-performance DDoS defense solutions. Service providers, hosting providers and digital enterprises rely on Corero's award winning technology to eliminate the DDoS threat to their environment through automatic attack detection and mitigation, coupled with complete network visibility, analytics and reporting. This industry leading technology provides cost effective, scalable protection capabilities against DDoS attacks in the most complex environments while enabling a more cost effective economic model than previously available. For more information, visit www.corero.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005884/en/

Contacts:

UK:

Eskenzi PR

Julia Langsman, +44 207 1832 838

Julia@eskenzipr.com

or

Elizabeth Nikolova, +44 7879 495159

Elizabeth@eskenzipr.com

or

US:

Jan Wiedrick-Kozlowski, 525-392-7878

jan@eskenzipr.com

or

Maureen MacGregor, 978-473-1016

Maureen@eskenzipr.com


BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The European Union has set out plans to retaliate against the US plan to impose a 25 per cent import tariff on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum.



The College of Commissioners discussed Wednesday the EU's response to the possible US import restrictions for steel and aluminum that President Donald Trump announced on March 1.



The European Commission said in a statement that it 'stands ready to react proportionately and fully in line with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules in case the US measures are formalised and affect EU's economic interests'.



The College gave its political endorsement to the proposal presented by President Jean-Claude Juncker, Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom.



Speaking after the College meeting, Commissioner Malmstrom expressed hope that as a security partner of the US, the EU would be excluded from the new tariff. She said the European Union has made it clear that if a move like this is taken, it will hurt the European Union. It will put thousands of European jobs in jeopardy and it has to be met by firm and proportionate response.



Malmstorm warned that 'Unlike these proposed US duties, our three tracks of work are in line with our obligations in the WTO. They will be carried out by the book'.



According to her, the root cause of the problem in the steel and aluminium sector is global overcapacity. It is rooted in the fact that a lot of steel and aluminium production takes place under massive state subsidies, and under non-market conditions.



The EU trade chief offered an olive branch to Washington to continue working on this together with the United States.



Earlier, at a joint White House news conference with the visiting Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tax on import of cars from Europe if the European bloc retaliates on its decision to impose a 25 per cent import tariff on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
New Vice President of Product Lori Van Deloo Brings Decades of Product Management Experience to Leading Mobility Services Provider

SAN FRANCISCO, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Ridecell Inc., the leading platform forcarsharing and ridesharingoperators, today announced the addition of Lori Van Deloo to its senior leadership team as the company's new Vice President of Product.In her new position, Loriwill be responsible for leading Ridecell's productstrategy, vision, and roadmap.

Lori brings more than 20 years of successful global product innovation and operational experience to Ridecell. Most recently, she was the Founder and CEO ofBancSpace, a Fintech SaaSstartup, providing enterprise-grade secure, real-time communications and collaboration services. Prior to that, Lori held senior leadership roles at Visa, BEA Systems (acquired by Oracle), Openwave Systems and Accenture.

"Lori is an operational leader and product visionary with deep experience in high volume secure transaction markets,"said, Aarjav Trivedi, Ridecell CEO."Lori's insight and energy will be critical to Ridecell as we grow our ridesharing, carsharing, and autonomous vehicle solution offerings. I look forward to her leadership as we leverage our success with new products, and build even stronger relationships withourpartners and their customers."

As a recognized leader in technology and innovation, Lori also served as a Distinguished Visitor (visiting professor) at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She was responsible for creating and teaching the Global Payments Technology & Innovation course for MBA students, offered as part of UCLA Anderson's Easton Technology Management Center.

"Ridecellhas enjoyed remarkable growth in the last two years. It is uniquelypositioned as the leading platform provider for new mobility services today, and for the self-driving future of tomorrow,"saidLori Van Deloo."I am incredibly excited by this new challenge and look forward to working with the team to enhance Ridecell's product offerings and deliver greater value for our customers."

About Ridecell

Headquartered in San Francisco, the company provides an intelligent software platform that empowers mobility operators, including OEMs, car rental companies, auto clubs, cities, transit agencies, dealer groups, and private fleets to launch, expand, and maximize the utilization of their own ridesharing, carsharing, and autonomous fleet services. End-to-end integration and automation accelerate time to market, enabling Ridecell customers to launch mobility services quickly, operate efficiently, and scale revenues as business grows.

Founded in 2009 with a team of more than 100 professionals in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia, Ridecell is backed by investment funding from BMW i Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Khosla Ventures and Y Combinator. The company has already processed over 20 million rides and rentals for new mobility offerings, including ReachNow, mobility service from the BMW Group, OMNI by Volkswagen, and GIG Carsharing service by AAA. In addition, Ridecell powers dynamic shuttle services for campuses such as Georgia Tech, UC Berkeley, UCSF, 3M, and transit agencies like SouthWest Transit.

2018 Ridecell, Inc. All rights reserved.

RIDECELL is a registered trademark of Ridecell, Inc. All company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.Informationprovided in this press release is accurate at the time of publication and is subject to change without notice.

Media Contact:

Alexis Daswick

415.294.9857i

ridecell@allisonpr.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/431959/RideCell_Logo.jpg
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD NOT BE DISTRIBUTED, FORWARDED TO OR TRANSMITTED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE SECURITIES LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION

BLACKROCK FRONTIERS INVESTMENT TRUST PLC

LEI: 5493003K5E043LHLO706

PUBLICATION OF A CIRCULAR TO CONVENE A GENERAL MEETING

7 March 2018

BlackRock Frontiers Investment Trust plc (the "Company") has today published a circular (the "Circular") convening a general meeting (the "General Meeting") at which holders of the Company's ordinary shares ("Shareholders") will be asked to approve changes to the Company's investment objective and policy.

Background

Under the Company's current investment policy the Company may invest in the securities of companies domiciled or listed in, or exercising the predominant part of their economic activity in, 'Frontier Markets'. A 'Frontier Market' is defined as: (i) any country that was not a constituent of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index or the MSCI World Index as at 1 December 2015 (save for those countries specified in (ii)); or (ii) any of Colombia, Egypt, Peru or the Philippines, each of which was a member of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index as at 1 December 2015, but which share similar characteristics to those of less developed markets (such as low per capita GDP, high growth potential and less developed capital markets). Investment in the securities of companies domiciled or listed in, or exercising the predominant part of their economic activity in, those countries specified in (ii) above is limited to a maximum of 20 per cent. of the Gross Asset Value of the portfolio on an ongoing basis.

Since the launch of the Company in 2010, the UAE and Qatar and more recently Pakistan have been promoted from the MSCI Frontier Markets Index to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, whilst only Morocco has been demoted. The Board believes, as advised by the Investment Manager, that the promotion of countries to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index will continue, with Argentina currently under review by MSCI. Irrespective of the index classification applied by MSCI, many countries in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index typically exhibit the characteristics of markets which are fast growing and frontier in nature, show low correlations to more developed markets and are inefficient, such that they remain relevant for the Company's mandate. Consequently, the Board, as advised by the Investment Manager, does not believe that the current limit on exposure to countries in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index is appropriate.

Proposal to amend the Company's investment objective and policy

In light of the above, the Board, as advised by the Investment Manager, believes that it is advisable to broaden the scope of the Company's investible universe.

Currently, the eight largest countries in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index have a combined market capitalisation equal to approximately 85 per cent. of the index: being Brazil, China, India, Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Taiwan (the "Selected Countries"). The other 16 countries represent approximately 15 per cent. of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. These 16 countries share many characteristics with the markets which are defined in the Company's current investment policy as 'Frontier Markets', and are often overlooked by investors in emerging markets. Therefore, the Board is seeking Shareholder approval to amend the Company's investment objective and policy such that its investible universe will be those countries which are neither part of the MSCI World Index of developed countries nor one of the Selected Countries. Given the proposed expansion of the investible universe, it is also proposed that the limit in the Company's existing investment policy that applies to specified countries in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index be removed.

The Board is also using the opportunity to make additional non-substantive changes to the investment objective and policy, primarily in relation to the presentation of gearing limits. This follows a full review of the investment objective and policy and the changes are intended to add clarity around the investment process and to ensure consistency within the investment policy. Whilst the Board acknowledges that this has resulted in redrafting a substantial amount of the text of the investment policy, save as set out in the paragraph above there have not been any changes to the underlying limits applying to the investment policy, including in relation to the use of gearing and derivatives, and the only material change is the change to the investible universe.

In compliance with the Listing Rules, the proposed changes to the Company's investment objective and policy have been considered and approved by the FCA. The full text of the Company's current, and the proposed amended, investment objective and policy are set out in the Circular.

General Meeting

At the General Meeting, which will be held at 12 Throgmorton Avenue, London EC2N 2DL at 12.00 p.m. on 27 March 2018, a resolution (the "Resolution") to amend the Company's investment objective and policy, which will be proposed as an ordinary resolution, is to be considered. If the Resolution is approved, the changes will take effect from 1 April 2018, being the day immediately following the Company's half-year end.

Expected timetable

Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy or transmission of CREST Proxy Instructions for the General Meeting

12.00 p.m. on 23 March 2018 General Meeting 12.00 p.m. on 27 March 2018 All references to timings in this document are to London time unless otherwise stated.

Terms used and not defined in this announcement shall have the meanings given to them in the Circular.

A copy of the Circular has been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/NSM.

The Circular will also shortly be available on the Company's website at: www.blackrock.com/uk/brfi/gmcircular.

For further information, please contact:

Kevin Mayger

for and on behalf of BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited

Company Secretary



Tel: 020 7743 1098



Neil Morgan

Winterflood Securities Limited

Corporate Broker



Tel: 020 3100 0000

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The content of this announcement has been prepared by, and is the sole responsibility of, BlackRock Frontiers Investment Trust plc. The information contained in this announcement is given at the date of its publication (unless otherwise marked) and is subject to updating, revision and amendment from time to time. Neither the content of the Company's website nor any website accessible by hyperlinks to the Company's website is incorporated in, or forms part of, this announcement. The distribution of this announcement into jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by law. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws or regulations of any such jurisdiction. In particular, this announcement should not be distributed, forwarded to or transmitted, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in, into or from the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or any other jurisdiction where to do so may constitute a violation of the securities laws or regulations of any such jurisdiction. Winterflood Securities Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting only for the Company in connection with the matters described in this announcement and is not acting for or advising any other person, or treating any other person as its client, in relation thereto and will not be responsible for providing the regulatory protection afforded to clients of Winterflood Securities Limited or advice to any other person in relation to the matters contained herein.

None of BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, BlackRock Fund Managers Limited or Winterflood Securities Limited, or any of their respective affiliates, accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to this announcement, including the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of the announcement or its contents. BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, BlackRock Fund Managers Limited, Winterflood Securities Limited, and their respective affiliates, accordingly disclaim all and any liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise which they might otherwise have in respect of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith.

No offer or invitation to subscribe for or acquire shares in the Company is being made by or in connection with this announcement.

This announcement does not constitute and may not be construed as, an invitation to purchase, investments of any description, or a recommendation regarding the issue or the provision of investment advice by any party. No information set out in this announcement or referred to in other written or oral form is intended to form the basis of any contract of sale, investment decision or any decision to purchase shares in the Company.

This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute a financial promotion, marketing communication or an offer or invitation to anyone to invest and/or acquire shares in the Company. This has also not been prepared in connection with any such offer. Accordingly, this announcement does not constitute an offer or solicitation by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not lawful or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. It is your responsibility to be aware of the applicable laws and regulations of your country of residence.

Winterflood Securities Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited and BlackRock Fund Managers Limited are authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - March 07, 2018) - Liberty Bank announced that Kristin Ditlevsen has joined its team as Senior Vice President, Managing Director of Business Development. She has been selected to replace the retiring Wanda Alfaro and reports directly to Bruce K. Farrell, President and CEO. She will be responsible for managing, developing, and expanding the bank's business sector.

In the industry for nearly 30 years, Ditlevsen is an accomplished business banking professional with a proven track record in commercial, construction, and SBA lending. She also brings leadership experience to Liberty Bank, making her an ideal asset to expand the bank's profitability while meeting the needs of its communities.

Ditlevsen comes to Liberty Bank from Lighthouse Bank, in Santa Cruz, where she was a Senior Vice President Lending Group Manager. Prior to that, she was a Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager at Focus Business Bank, in Santa Clara.

"Kristin believes in our communities and emphasizes a consultative approach when addressing clients' overall needs -- from improving cash flow to fraud prevention," says Farrell. "She also approaches challenges with creative solutions, offering Liberty Bank a fresh perspective. I'm excited to welcome her to the Liberty Bank family, and wish Wanda the very best as she enters the next stage of her journey."

About Liberty Bank

Founded in 1982 by a group of local businesspeople, Liberty Bank is an independent, community bank. The bank's focus is to provide a range of financial services to its friends, neighbors, and businesses in Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and San Francisco counties. Liberty Bank prides itself on building relationships with customers and contributing to their local communities. Information on the bank is available at www.libertybk.com. Liberty Bank is a member of the FDIC.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2018/3/6/11G150117/Images/Kristin_Ditlevsen_Photo-86fca3c400d9bd0eb58ffd0b74a6d3b3.jpg

Contact:

Bruce K. Farrell

650-871-2400

bfarrel@libertybk.com
ATHENS, Greece, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

- New donation will help the HOME Project bring more children to safety in its eleventh shelter

- Existing shelters currently house 200+ children and have created over 120 jobs

- 11,050 unaccompanied minors have been officially registered in Greece since the beginning of 2016

The HOME Project, the international humanitarian non-profit organization (www.homeproject.org) which houses and employs refugee children and youth stranded in Greece during the current crisis, has received a generous donation from The Shapiro Foundation (www.theshapirofoundation.org). This valuable contribution to the HOME Project's work will fund a new shelter in Athens for 20 more children and create a further 11 jobs.

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/651147/Shapiro_HOME_Project.jpg )



The Shapiro Foundation, launched in 2001, has a mission to serve the world's most vulnerable population of over 66,000,000 refugees, internally displaced people, and asylum-seekers.Through meaningful partnerships across five continents, it is trying to ameliorate suffering in extreme situations and actively pilot creative resettlement opportunities.Based in Boston, it is the philanthropic foundation of the Shapiro family, headed by Ed and Barbara Shapiro.

"We are deeply grateful to the Shapiro family for their generosity through this Foundation donation," said Sofia Kouvelaki, Executive Director of the HOME Project. "Funding a new shelter makes a huge difference to the lives of children stranded in Greece, ensuring their safety and wellbeing. We welcome them as a partner in our mission to prevent further suffering and to provide stability through this humanitarian crisis."

Ed Shapiro, Trustee for The Shapiro Foundation, added: "It is our honor to support the critical work the HOME Project is doing for refugee children, which are among the most vulnerable populations in the world. This past summer, I saw first-hand the HOME Project's work and appreciate the opportunity to help them continue their mission of providing shelter to the growing number of refugee children in Greece."

The new shelter will be the HOME Project's eleventh building. Last year it received a 1 million donation from the IKEA Foundation to fund and open new shelters, building on the initial support from its founding sponsor, the Libra Group. The ten dedicated shelters already in existence establish a structure of care and support where none existed before and bring lone refugee children to safety. The HOME Project provides on-the-ground intervention for refugees enduring harsh conditions in camps and at processing points throughout Greece, meeting real human need with specialist support, funding, and private-sector partnerships.

Already caring for over 200 children in secure environments, and now creating over 130 jobs, the HOME Project ethos of support, protection, education, and social integration services has never been more vital.

More than 2,300 unaccompanied minors are currently homeless in Greece, in real danger, at risk of violence, sexual abuse, exploitation, and organ trafficking.

The HOME Project is actively seeking donations and support to help combat this refugee crisis which is the largest humanitarian disaster since the Second World War. More than 1 million refugees have arrived in Greece since the start of 2015 who are in desperate need of aid and shelter, the majority coming from three countries: Syria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Targeted intervention in camps covers a number of basic needs, from milk for babies through to medical, educational, legal and language support.

All donations to the HOME Project go directly to refugees, helping them to be safe, fed, clothed, sheltered, and integrated into society. The HOME Project continues to seek and enlist all forms of donation, assistance, and giving-in-kind to benefit the cause and have a direct impact on the lives of refugees.

About The HOME Project

Standing for 'Help, Overcome, Motivate, and Empower', the HOME Project's mission is threefold. First, to bring unaccompanied minors to safety in dedicated shelters where they will be clothed, fed, and supported. Second, to source, refurbish, and convert unused buildings throughout Greece into shelters, bringing them back to life and into good use. Third, through the conversion, refurbishment, and ongoing operation of these shelters it is creating employment, including for refugees - 130 new jobs were created in its first year of operation. At the moment, the HOME Project is housing 200 children in ten homes and creating more than 130 jobs. The founding sponsor of the HOME Project is the Libra Group, a privately owned international business.

www.homeproject.org

About The Shapiro Foundation

The Shapiro Foundation, founded by Barbara and Ed Shapiro in 2001, is focused on improving the lives of the world's most vulnerable populations. The foundation's primary focus is on children, refugees, and immigrants, as well as education, global health, and humanitarian aid. Support is provided for organizations in Boston and throughout the US, as well as Israel, Greece, Rwanda, Bangladesh and Liberia.

www.theshapirofoundation.org
PYONGYANG (dpa-AFX) - The threat of war is greater now than at any time since the end of the Cold War, the director of National Intelligence told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday. Dan Coats and Army Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley Jr., the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, gave the committee their assessments of the threats facing America. 'We have entered a period that can best be described as a race for technological superiority against our adversaries, who seek to sow division in the United States and weaken U.S. leadership,' Coats said. Russia will pursue even more aggressive cyberattacks with the intent of degrading U.S. democratic values and weakening American alliances. 'Persistent and disruptive cyber and influence operations will continue against United States and European countries and other allies, . using elections . as opportunities to undermine democracy and sow discord and undermine our values,' he said. North Korea will be the most volatile and confrontational threat this year in termsd of weapons of mass destruction, the director said. 'And Russia will remain the most capable WMD power and is currently expanding its nuclear weapons capabilities,' he added. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 7, 2018 / The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of BRF S.A. ("BRF" or the "Company") (NYSE: BRFS) for violations of 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investors who purchased the Company's shares are encouraged to contact the firm.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.

We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall, or Sherin Mahdavian, of the Schall Law Firm, 1880 Century Park East, Suite 404, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 424-303-1964, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at brian@schallfirm.com.

The class in this case has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.

The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. On March 5, 2018, Reuters reported that Brazilian federal police arrested BRF's former chief executive officer on charges that he and other executives were aware that BRF committed fraud by trying to avoid food safety checks. When the truth was revealed to the investing public, shares of BRF fell $1.83 or over 19% to close at $7.59 per share on March 5, 2018, causing shareholders harm.

The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world, and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.

CONTACT:

The Schall Law Firm

Brian Schall, Esq.

Sherin Mahdavian, Esq.

Schallfirm.com

SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm
POXEL S.A. (Euronext POXEL FR0012432516), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative treatments for metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), announced today that it will be featured as a presenting company at the Cowen 38th Annual Healthcare Conference and the Oppenheimer 28th Annual Healthcare Conference.

The Cowen 38th Annual Healthcare Conference is being held March 12-14th at the Boston Marriott Copley Place Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts. Poxel will present a corporate overview on Tuesday, March 13th from 9:20-9:50 AM ET in Vineyard 4th Floor and will host a breakout session from 10:00-10:30 AM ET in Yarmouth, 4th Floor. Poxel management will be available to participate in one-on-one meetings with investors. The presentation at the Cowen 38th Annual Healthcare Conference will be webcast live. To access the webcast, please visit the following link http://wsw.com/webcast/cowen46/poxel.pa/.

The webcast replay will remain available for 90 days following the live presentation.

The Oppenheimer 28th Annual Healthcare Conference is being held March 20-21st at the Westin New York Grand Central Hotel, New York City, New York. The Company will present a corporate overview on Tuesday, March 20th from 1:00-1:30 PM ET in the Track 61 room and will be available to participate in one-on-one meetings with investors. The presentation at the Oppenheimer 28th Annual Healthcare Conference will be webcast live. To access the webcast, please visit the following link https://www.veracast.com/webcasts/opco/healthcare2018/68110470858.cfm.

The webcast replay will remain available for 90 days following the live presentation.

About Poxel SA

Poxel is a listed company on the French market that uses its development expertise in metabolism to advance a pipeline of drug candidates focused on the treatment of metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We have successfully completed the Phase 2 clinical program for our first-in-class lead product, Imeglimin, which targets mitochondrial dysfunction, in the U.S., EU and Japan. Together, with our partner Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, we are conducting the Phase 3 TIMES program for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Japan.Our partnerRoivant Sciences will be responsible for Imeglimin's development and commercialization in countries outside of Poxel's partnership with Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, including the U.S. and Europe. Our second program, PXL770, a first in class direct adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, is in Phase 1 and we plan on developing it for the treatment of NASH. We intend to generate further growth through strategic partnerships and pipeline development. (Euronext: POXEL, www.poxelpharma.com)

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005897/en/

Contacts:

Poxel SA

Jonae R. Barnes, +1 617-818-2985

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Public Relations

jonae.barnes@poxelpharma.com

or

Investor relations Media EU/US

Trophic Communications

Gretchen Schweitzer or Stephanie May

+49 89 238 877 34 or +49 171 185 56 82

may@trophic.eu

or

Investor relations Media France

NewCap

Florent Alba/Nicolas Merigeau, +33 1 44 71 98 55

poxel@newcap.fr
WILMINGTON, DE / ACCESSWIRE / March 7, 2018 / Apex Farms Corp. is pleased to announce it has signed a non-binding LOI with the President of Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors of Ghana (ABCECG)/CEO of Malkna. Ambassador Williams Amoah had contacted Apex Farms Corp. sometime in Feb. 2018 with interest to collaborate and help renovate up to 70 acres in Ghana to be retrofitted with Apex Vertical systems.

Currently, Apex Farms Corp. is working closely with Mr. Williams Amoah and the President of ABCECG to prepare a definitive agreement for this joint venture. If this joint venture becomes definitive it would represent 3,500 Apex Rows to be installed on the property in Ghana, which we believe will increase the production of the land up to 10x compared to conventional farming methods. The land already has working electricity and running water, so prefabrication of the Apex Vertical systems and Installation could begin immediately after the parties agree upon terms in a definitive agreement. We expect that the terms of the joint venture will include a profit-sharing arrangement where Apex Farms would receive a percentage of the revenues from produce that is sold. Furthermore, we expect that the terms of the joint venture will include the granting to the president at ABCECG of exclusive resale rights to any country in Africa. We are calling our "Gateway to Africa" deal.

Alexander M. Woods-Leo the Founder and CEO of Apex Farms Corp. went on to say, "This letter of intent represents the potential entry into a market that has severe mechanizing agricultural issues and food pricing problems. Our system could help satisfy the significant demand for food in a region that desperately needs agricultural change."

Amb. Williams Amoah goes on to state, "Apex Farms Corporation's coming to Africa(Ghana) should be both imperative and indispensable in present circumstances where agriculture and agribusiness has been sighted as major economic emancipation issue required as Filip towards national stability and cohesion for benign purposefulness. The inadequacy in food sufficiency is prime factor beckoning for modern high-tech machinery for the production of high yield and spontaneous market incentive harvests. Thus, Ghana and in a wider vein Africa is ripe for such intervention which Apex Farms could fill. Mind you the rampant hunger and deprivation that have gingered dangerous mass migration in many quarters could be stemmed with firm food security and abundance. The popular African adage simplifies it; 'a hungry man is an angry man.'"

You can learn more about our company and invest in our equity crowdfunding campaign by visiting the micro ventures offering page at:

https://app.microventures.com/crowdfunding/apex-farms

About Apex Farms Corp.

Apex Farms Corp. designs highly practical vertical growing systems that even the little guy can afford! We have analyzed, challenged, and worked out a system for growing food that can be accessible to everyone at the lowest possible price! We see our community as the world at large, standardizing our farming method to create jobs, cultivate healthier eating opportunities, and reducing the carbon footprint is our main focus.

With global hunger on the rise, many farms face challenges in meeting demand due to the high costs of water, land, energy, and labor. Apex Farms Corp. has developed a Vertical Farming System to address this need. Using patent-pending technology, the hydroponic system can grow a wide variety of plants, including vine plants, root plants, flowers, and greens. The planting rows are stacked to reduce overall resource use but are fully accessible for harvesting from the ground - no need for conveyor belts, scaffolding, or complex machinery. Ultimately, the company wants to achieve near-perfect efficiency and allow clients to fully customize their farm.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

The information set forth above includes statements, estimates, projections with respect to our anticipated future performance and other forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may", "might", "will", "should", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "potential", "future" or "continue", the negative of these terms and other comparable terminology. The forward-looking statements include statements about our ability to enter into a definitive agreement with the president at ABCECG, our ability to generate revenues in Ghana or anywhere else in Africa, our ability to prefabricate and deliver our systems to Ghana or other international locations, and similar statements about potential future operations in Ghana or elsewhere in Africa. Such forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and expectations and are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, estimates and projections are based upon various assumptions that we made concerning our anticipated results and industry trends, which may or may not occur. We are not making any representations as to the accuracy of these statements, estimates or projections. Our actual performance may be materially different from the statements, estimates or projections set forth above as a result of various risks applicable to our company as discussed in our Form C Offering Statement that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such risks include, but are not limited to the possibility that (1) we may experience delays in the commercial operations of our Apex Vertical System; and (2) we are in the process of securing our intellectual property; and (3) sales expectations may not be realized. We undertake no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results.

Apex Farms Corp.

501 silverside rd. PMB#342

Wilmington, DE 19809

302-307-3668

www.apexfarming.com

SOURCE: Apex Farms Corp.
Scope and breadth of coverage varies by policy and specific details

KANSAS CITY, MO / ACCESSWIRE / March 7, 2018 / Allegations of sexual misconduct in both the private and public sector are dominating headlines. These sexual harassment claims can impact not only a company's reputation but also its bottom line. Marie-France Gelot, senior vice president and insurance and claims counsel in Lockton's Northeast operation, explains that this risk is typically covered under an employment practices liability insurance policy (EPLI) or a hybrid private company directors and officers liability (D&O)policy.

"As with any claim, the specific factual circumstances surrounding the matter will be critical in determining whether coverage is ultimately triggered," Gelot writes in her white paper "Sexual Harassment: Is Your Company Exposed?"

The term sexual harassment is used widely today, but Gelot reminds companies that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has a legal definition for this phrase. She outlines the legal procedures for filing a sexual harassment claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and explains specific claim scenarios where the line between insured versus uninsured acts can be confusing.

For example, a customer of a retail chain alleges that he or she was sexually harassed by a store employee while in the store and that he or she suffered damages. This would likely constitute a covered claim under the company's EPLI policy, assuming that policy had third-party coverage. Many, but not all, EPLI policies cover claims brought by third parties, like clients, customers or vendors. Such a policy would provide defense costs coverage and indemnity coverage for the company and employee.

Insurers also look at where the sexual harassment took place and if the employee was acting in the course and scope of their employment. For example, an employee alleges that her manager sexually harassed her in a bar on a Saturday evening during a social event. The insurance carrier would undoubtedly question whether the manager was "on the job" during the social event to determine whether coverage applied.

Employers should also be aware of frequent exclusions like the conduct exclusions for intentional acts and the bodily injury exclusion, which may broadly exclude coverage for assault and battery. Since the definition of 'battery' means unwanted or unpermitted touching, this limits sexual harassment coverage to nonphysical sexual harassment only, even if that is not explicitly stated in the policy wording. However, EPLI policies that do exclude bodily injury typically contain an exception for claims alleging emotional distress, mental anguish and humiliation.

Due to the coverage of recent sexual harassment cases, employees and employers are paying more attention to such claims. For now, corporations should examine their own policies to ensure they have the right coverage. Read Gelot's white paper "Sexual Harassment: Is Your Company Exposed?" to understand coverage should such a claim arise.

About Lockton

Lockton is a global professional services firm with 6,500 Associates who advise clients on protecting their people, property and reputations. Lockton has grown to become the world's largest privately held, independent insurance broker by helping clients achieve their objectives. For nine consecutive years, Business Insurance magazine has recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance."

media contact:

Yara Klimchak

816-960-9000

yklimchak@lockton.com

SOURCE: Lockton
Regulatory News:

Gecina (Paris:GFC) has today successfully placed a 500m bond issue with a 12-year maturity (March 2030) and 63 bp credit spread, offering a 1.625% coupon.

This operation is in line with the Group's financing strategy and will notably be used to repay some of Eurosic's financing facilities with shorter maturities and higher credit spreads. It will help extend the average maturity of debt and achieve the financial synergies announced for the business combination with Eurosic, while securing an attractive cost of financing over the long term.

In a more volatile market environment over the past few weeks, this bond issue was almost two times oversubscribed by a top-tier base of international investors, confirming the market's confidence in Gecina's credit rating.

Gecina is rated BBB+ outlook positive by Standard Poor's and A3 outlook negative by Moody's.

Not for distribution in the United States, Australia, Canada or Japan. This press release does not constitute an offer of securities in the United States or in any other country. The bonds may not be offered or sold in the United States of America unless they are registered or exempt from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Gecina does not intend to register all or part of the offering in the United States or to conduct a public offering in the United States.

Gecina, living the city in a different way

Gecina owns, manages and develops property holdings worth 19.6 billion euros at end-2017, with nearly 93% located in the Paris Region. The Group is building its business around France's leading office portfolio and a diversification division with residential assets and student residences. Gecina has put sustainable innovation at the heart of its strategy to create value, anticipate its customers' expectations and invest while respecting the environment, thanks to the dedication and expertise of its staff.

Gecina is a French real estate investment trust (SIIC) listed on Euronext Paris, and is part of the SBF 120, Euronext 100, FTSE4Good, DJSI Europe and World, Stoxx Global ESG Leaders and Vigeo indices. In line with its community commitments, Gecina has created a company foundation, which is focused on protecting the environment and supporting all forms of disability.

www.gecina.fr

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307006047/en/

Contacts:

GECINA

Financial communications

Samuel Henry-Diesbach

Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 52 22

samuelhenry-diesbach@gecina.fr

or

Virginie Sterling

Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 62 48

virginiesterling@gecina.fr

or

Press relations

Julien Landfried

Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 65 74

julienlandfried@gecina.fr

or

Armelle Miclo

Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 51 98

armellemiclo@gecina.fr
ATLANTA (dpa-AFX) - Coca-Cola Co.'s (KO) Japan unit plans to launch a alcoholic drink in the country, which will be the first alcoholic product the beverage giant has ever developed. 'We're also going to experiment with a product in a category known in Japan as Chu-Hi. This is a canned drink that includes alcohol; traditionally, it is made with a distilled beverage called shochu and sparkling water, plus some flavoring. We haven't experimented in the low alcohol category before, but it's an example of how we continue to explore opportunities outside our core areas,' said Jorge Garduno, president of Coca-Cola's Japan unit. Chu-Hai is an alcoholic drink originating from Japan. Traditional chuhai is made with shochu, a distilled grain-based alcohol, and carbonated water flavored with lemon. However, it is available in wide range of flavors including lime, grapefruit, apple, orange, pineapple, grape, kyoho grape, kiwi, ume, yuzu, lychee, peach, strawberry cream, and cream soda. 'This is unique in our history. Coca-Cola has always focused entirely on non-alcoholic beverages, and this is a modest experiment for a specific slice of our market,' Garduno said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump revealed in a post on Twitter on Wednesday that China has been asked to develop a plan to reduce the trade deficit between the U.S. and China by $1 billion. 'China has been asked to develop a plan for the year of a One Billion Dollar reduction in their massive Trade Deficit with the United States,' Trump tweeted. He added, 'Our relationship with China has been a very good one, and we look forward to seeing what ideas they come back with. We must act soon!' The tweet from Trump comes after a report from the Commerce Department showed the U.S. trade deficit with China widened to $36.0 billion in January from $30.8 billion in December. The total U.S. trade deficit widened to $56.6 billion in January from $53.9 billion in December, reaching its highest level since October of 2008. Trump also indicated that the U.S. would take swift action to address intellectual property theft, a practice that China has frequently been accused of engaging in. 'The U.S. is acting swiftly on Intellectual Property theft,' Trump tweeted. 'We cannot allow this to happen as it has for many years!' The president's comments come amid concerns his planned tariffs on steel and aluminum imports could spark a global trade war. Trump has shrugged off concerns about retaliation by the European Union and China, claiming trade wars are 'good' and 'easy to win.' A dispute over the tariffs reportedly contributed to White House chief economic advisor Gary Cohn's decision to resign from the Trump administration on Tuesday. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft).

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
OKLAHOMA CITY (dpa-AFX) - Devon Energy Corp. (DVN) announced the company has entered into a definitive agreement to sell the southern portion of its Barnett Shale position for $553 million. Net production from the southern Barnett divestiture assets, which reside primarily in Johnson County, are currently averaging 200 million cubic feet of gas-equivalent per day. 'Combined with other recent asset sales, divestiture proceeds associated with our 2020 Vision have now reached $1.0 billion,' said Dave Hager, CEO. Separately, Devon Energy announced that its board approved a 33 percent increase in its quarterly common stock dividend beginning in the second quarter of 2018. The new quarterly dividend rate will be $0.08 per share. The increased dividend is payable on June 29, 2018 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 15, 2018. Devon also announced its board authorized a $1.0 billion share-repurchase program of the company's common stock over the next year. At the current share price, the program covers approximately 6 percent of the company's outstanding common stock. The company separately announced a tender offer to purchase certain of its debt securities up to a maximum repurchase amount of $1.0 billion. The tender offers are being made to reduce the company's outstanding debt, including the debt of its subsidiaries. Devon Energy expects to fund the tender offers with cash flow generated from operations and the net proceeds from previously completed asset sales and financing transactions. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.


BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Japan is scheduled to release a raft of data on Thursday, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.



On tap are final Q4 numbers for gross domestic product, as well as January figures for current account and February data for bank lending, bankruptcies and the eco watchers survey.



GDP is expected to be revised up to 0.2 percent on quarter and 1.0 percent on year from the Feb. 13 preliminary reading that suggested an increase of 0.1 percent on quarter and 0.5 percent on year. In Q3, GDP was up 0.6 percent on quarter and 2.2 percent on year.



The current account is expected to show a surplus of 368.5 billion yen, down from 797.2 billion yen in December.



In January, overall bank lending was up 2.4 percent on year, while bankruptcies gained an annual 4.95 percent.



The eco watcher survey for current conditions is expected to see a score of 50.5, up from 49.9 in January, while the outlook is called at 51.7 - down from 52.4.



China will see February numbers for imports, exports and trade balance. Imports are expected to rise 6.5 percent on year, slowing from 36.9 percent in January. Exports are called higher by an annual 10.0 percent, slowing from 11.1 percent in the previous month. The trade balance is expected to swing to a deficit of 8.45 billion from the $20.34 billion surplus a month earlier.



Australia will see January trade data, with forecasts suggesting a surplus of A$200 million - up from the A$1.358 billion deficit in December.



The Philippines will release January data for imports, exports and trade balance. In December, imports were worth $8.74 billion and exports were at $4.72 billion for a trade deficit of $4.02 billion.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Aisin Group, a Japan-based automotive components and systems manufacturer, is launching a $50m venture fund with US Silicon Valley-based Fenox Venture Capital.

Led by Anis Uzzaman, General Partner and CEO, Fenox VC will manage the strategic fund as a General Partner, and Aisin Group will be investing as a corporate venture capital limited partner.

This partnership will serve as a gateway for Aisin to access the top technology startups through Fenox VCs global network, collaborate with automotive related technology startups, and provide the startups with access to the greater Asian and global markets.

The new fund will target startups in the areas of automotive related technologies, such as autonomous driving, zero-emission, connected vehicle, artificial intelligence, IoT, AR/VR, and more that require hardware-software collaboration.

Established in 1965, Aisin is dedicated to creating products for automotive (drivetrain, body, brake and chassis, engine, information technology-related) and lifestyle (sewing machines, beds, gas heat pump products, etc.).

FinSMEs

06/03/2018
Atom bank, a Durham, UK-based customer- driven mobile bank, raised 149m in funding round.

The round was led by BBVA and Toscafund. As part of this fundraising round, BBVA will invest a further 85.4m in the bank, increasing its ownership to around 39% subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. Toscafund will invest 54.4m and is also increasing its stake in the bank. A number of Atoms

other existing shareholders are also supporting this raise.

The company will use the funds for continued growth as a lender and for investment in technology and business capabilities.

Created in 2015 and led by CEO Mark Mullen, Atom secured its banking license in June 2015 and launched operations in April 2016, offering market-leading Fixed Saver accounts and secured business lending for small and medium-sized enterprises. The bank launched its first mobile mortgage product a year ago and has recently announced it has taken 1.3bn of deposits and has now lent 1.2bn to small businesses and homeowners.

The team of 300 employees is supported by a nonexec board, which includes newly appointed Chair, Bridget Rosewell.

The company has raised almost 400m of equity capital through the support of private and institutional investors, including BBVA, Woodford Investment Management and Toscafund Asset Management. Atom is authorized by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the PRA.

FinSMEs

07/03/2018
Kelly Klee, Inc., an Aspen, CO-based digital insurance broker, raised $4.5m in Seed funding across two closings.

Backers included:

 Gary Tolman, the former CEO of Esurance;

 David Fitzgerald, former head of business development for Google Compare Insurance;

 David Wong, former General Partner at Brentwood Associates;

 Matt Coffin, LowerMyBills founder;

 Jon Kelly, Kelly Klee CEO; and

 Langdell Investments.

The company intends to use the funds to continue to expand its business reach.

Kelly Klee has just released a hybrid human-robo advisor for personal insurance, providing coverage for homes, cars, valuables, and personal liability. The firm now provides coverage for over $1.2 Billion in assets, underwritten by the very best affluent-focused insurers, such as Chubb, AIG Private Client Group, PURE, Nationwide Private Client, Encompass, and Cincinnati Financial. Kelly Klee is licensed in all 50 states.

FinSMEs

07/03/2018
Venture capital firm Ventech has launched its 200m fifth fund.

Ventech Capital V has held its first close, at 140m, with limited partners including European institutional investors and family offices, founders of portfolio companies and other new investors.

The fund will focus on making Seed and Series A investments ranging from 500k to 15m, in European tech companies with technological added value and global expansion capacity. The firm will support the companies in growing globally via its Paris, Munich and Helsinki in Europe, its network in the USA, and Shanghai-based Ventech China.

The new fund plans to make 25 to 30 investments in new companies.

Ventechs investment team includes:

 Jean Bourcereau, General Partner

 Alain Caffi, General Partner

 Claire Houry, General Partner

 Christian Claussen, General Partner

 Tero Mennander, General Partner

 Audrey Soussan, General Partner

 Stephan Wirries, Principal

 Romain Minaud, Associate

 Nicolas Barthalon, Analyst

FinSMEs

07/03/2018
Wingly, a Paris, France-based flight sharing platform, closed a 2m seed funding round.

Backers included Howzat Partners, and angels Philipp Rosler, and Stephane Mayer.

The company intends to use the funds to grow the team and expand internationally.

Founded in 2015, Wingly is a flight sharing platform connecting pilots and passengers. Private pilots can add flights they have planned on the website, then potential passengers can book via the system. Besides flights to a destination, there is also a huge range of short and long discovery flights.

The company is currently active in England, France & Germany and already hosts more than 150,000 users. Over 60,000 flights are currently available on the platform.

FinSMEs

07/03/2018
In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome!
The head of the IMF warned that a trade war Donald Trump apparently intends to provoke with tariffs on steel and aluminium would snuff out global growth

Paris: The head of the International Monetary Fund warned on Wednesday that a trade war US president Donald Trump apparently intends to provoke with tariffs on steel and aluminium would snuff out global growth.

"If international trade is called into question by these types of measures, it will be a transmission channel for a drop in growth, a drop in trade and it will be fearsome," Christine Lagarde said on RTL radio.

"In a trade war that will be fed by reciprocal increases of customs tariffs, no one wins," she added.

Trump boasted last week on Twitter that trade wars are "easy to win" after his initial announcement of 10 percent tariffs on imports of aluminium and a 25 percent levy on steel brought into the United States provoked a global outcry.

US allies have threatened to retaliate by slapping tariffs on US goods entering their markets. The EU is expected to detail its retaliatory measures on Wednesday.

"We are anxious that these are not triggered, we are urging the sides to reach agreements, hold negotiations, consultations," said Lagarde.

The IMF chief said that to a certain extent she understood the US president's frustration with the global trade system.

Trump "has good reasons to protest against the current situation. There are countries that don't always respect WTO agreements, which have technology transfer requirements, one thinks naturally of China, but China isn't the only country to have such practices," said Lagarde.

The Trump administration has made the World Trade Organisation (WTO) a preferred target of its "America First" policy, threatening to pull the US out of the trade body it says is hampering its ability to compete.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has projected unemployment in India at 18.6 million in 2018, higher than 18.3 million in 2017 in its report, Parliament was informed on Wednesday

New Delhi: The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has projected unemployment in India at 18.6 million in 2018, higher than 18.3 million in 2017 in its report, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

"The ILO released a report World Employment and Social Outlook Trends  2018. As per the report, it is projected that the number of unemployed persons in India is expected to rise from 18.3 million in 2017 to 18.6 million in 2018 and 18.9 million by 2019. At the same time, unemployment rate is expected to remain static at 3.5 percent during the same period," Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

On the fears of increase in unemployment in 2018 and 2019, he explained that no target has been set by the government.

The minister said in a separate reply to the House that an Inter-Ministerial Committee has been constituted to draft the National Employment Policy and consultations have been held with various stakeholders like ministries, state governments, trade unions, industry associations, etc. for inputs to the policy.

The proposed policy inter-alia purports to address macro economic policy issues, sectoral policy issues, labour policy, micro and small enterprises issues, skill development issues, issues relating to women and vulnerable workers and incorporate suggestions for improving employment opportunities.

In another reply to the House, he also informed that in order to assess employment generation including self-employed under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Ministry of Labour & Employment has taken a decision to institute a survey for this purpose. Labour Bureau, an attached office of the Ministry of Labour & Employment has already been entrusted with this work.

He told the House that the employment generation and improving employability is the priority for the government.
ED would be sending the LRs to countries like the United States, the UK, the UAE, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa and others.

New Delhi/Mumbai: A Mumbai court on Tuesday sent the Vice President of Banking Operations of Mehul Choksi's Gitanjali Group, Vipul Chitalia -- who was arrested in connection with CBI's ongoing probe into the multi-crore PNB fraud case -- to police custody till March 17, officials said.

In a related development, the Enforcement Directorate, which is also probing the Rs 12,600-crore Punjab National bank (PNB) fraud case, has decided to send Letters Rogatory (LRs) to over 15 countries against diamond jeweller Nirav Modi and Choksi.

"Vipul Chitalia was arrested by the agency officials after a brief questioning. He was produced before a court which sent him to police custody till March 17," a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official told IANS in Delhi.

Earlier in the morning, he was taken away from the Mumbai airport by the CBI, soon after he landed in the city.

The CBI official also said that Chitalia had fled the country along with Nirav Modi in January this year.

According to CBI officials, he was allegedly responsible for handling unauthorised letters of undertaking (LoUs) and letters of credit and maintaining contact with bank officials.

The agency official also said that they have questioned four more treasury department officials of General Manager and Assistant General Manager rank of the bank.

Choksi, along with Nirav Modi, has been accused of defrauding the PNB of Rs 12,600 crore, with Rs 1,300 crore being added to the fraud kitty on February 26.

The CBI had filed the first FIR in the scam on February 14 against Nirav Modi, his wife Ami, brother Nishal, uncle Choksi and his firms Diamond R US, Solar Exports and Stellar Diamond.

Modi, his family and Choksi had left the country in early January.

The CBI filed a second FIR on February 15 over a Rs 4,886.72-crore fraud against Choksi's Gitanjali Group.

An ED officials said that the Directorate will issue LRs to over 15 countries against Nirav Modi and Choksi.

He said that the agency would be sending the LRs to countries like the United States, the UK, the UAE, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa and others where their companies had spread their businesses.

On Saturday, an anti-money laundering court in Mumbai had issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against absconder diamantaires Nirav Modi and Choksi.

Meanwhile, a Mumbai special court on Monday permitted the ED to issue LRs to six countries for identifying and seizing properties of the absconding diamond traders.

To date, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has carried out searches at over 198 locations across the country and seized properties worth nearly Rs 6,000 crore, while the CBI has arrested at least 19 persons in the case so far.
Nearly 25,000 farmers on Wednesday continued their 'long march' from Nashik to Mumbai to press for their various demands, including a complete loan waiver.

Nashik: Nearly 25,000 farmers on Wednesday continued their "long march" from Nashik to Mumbai to press for their various demands, including a complete loan waiver.

The farmers, who began the 180-km-long march on Tuesday evening from the CBS chowk in central Nashik, took a night halt and resumed their journey on Wednesday on the Mumbai-Agra National Highway.

They plan to 'gherao' the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha after reaching Mumbai on 12 March for resolution of their issues, said Sunil Malusare of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which has organised the march.

The farmers have been demanding a complete waiver of loans and electricity bills, and the implementation of recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.

"We also want the state government to refrain from forceful acquisition of farm lands in the name of development projects like the super highway and the bullet train," AIKS secretary Raju Desle earlier said.

He accused the Centre and the state government of adopting "anti-farmer" policies.

Notably, the government had announced the loan waiver in 2017 following unprecedented protests by farmers in various parts of the state.

Desle claimed that as many as 1,753 farmers have killed themselves since June, 2017 when the BJP-led state government announced a conditional farm loan waiver of Rs 34,000 crore.

AIKS national president Ashok Dhavle, local MLA JP Gavit and other leaders were leading the long march.

Dhavle earlier alleged that the BJP government had betrayed the farmers by not honouring the assurances given to them.

"We will demand a complete change in the river linking scheme proposed to be implemented in Nashik, Thane and Palghar, so as to ensure that tribal villages are not submerged and water is made available to these districts and other drought-prone areas," he said.

Farmers are also demanding the transfer of forest land to those who have been tilling it for years and an increase in the compensation for peasants whose crops were damaged in the recent hailstorms and pink bollworm infestation.
Arun Jaitley on Wednesday reached out to Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu and said that the government will stand by all its commitments

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday reached out to Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu and said that the government will stand by all its commitments regarding the funds that were promised to the state after the bifurcation. However, he also added that sentiments do not define the quantum of funds as the Centre has to look at a number of things.

Arun Jaitley said that the Narendra Modi government is ready to give the monetary equivalent of special status as a special package to Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference, the finance minister said that Andhra Pradesh had suffered a lot the time of creation of Telangana. The state was unwilling for bifurcation, and Telangana wanted the division. Andhra was suffering in terms of resources. Therefore some help had to be given to Andhra Pradesh. So, one of the promises was, the should be given special category status.

What is the implication of special status? The special status used to be originally granted to states in the North East because they have their own resources that were inadequate, Jaitley said.

At that time, special category state concept did exist. But, according to the 14th Finance Commission, there is no special category status now to be given.

So, a special package for the state was announced, and we stand committed to it, he said.

We have paid Rs 4,000 crore towards revenue deficit to Andhra Pradesh, only Rs 138 crore remains. We are committed to giving the monetary equivalent to special status to Andhra Pradesh, said Jaitley.

The finance minister said that they are willing to satisfy every condition of Andhra Pradesh, but the only variation is that after Finance Commission report instead of formally calling it a special category state, we are calling it a special package, which gives same monetary benefits that a special category state gives you.

The only benefit that remained for a special category state was the benefit of assistance for externally aided projects (90 percent grant from Centre).

The government is ready for the 90-10 formula. The state has to tell us what manner it wants it in. At no stage has the Centre said that we will not give it, he added.

Jaitleys statement comes close on the heels of TDP hinting at severing its ties with the NDA. TDP is an alliance partner in both the Centre and Andhra Pradesh. On Monday, MPs from Andhra Pradesh had met Jaitley, however, the deadlock continued as the meeting failed to make a breakthrough.

With inputs from PTI
The new Israel-India route was announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Israel in July.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saudi Arabia has agreed to allow Air India to use its airspace in flights to and from Israel in what could indicate a warming of ties.

But Air India said on Tuesday that while it had issued such a request, the regulator had yet to give it a positive answer.

The new Israel-India route was announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Israel in July.

In his January reciprocal visit to India, Netanyahu implied the route could pass over Saudi Arabia, which beyond significantly shortening flight time would be a public indication of a warming of ties with Israel.

Saudi Arabia and Israel have no official diplomatic ties, like much of the Arab world. Riyadh has consistently kept mum on Israeli hints of covert ties with the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

Speaking to reporters accompanying him in Washington on Monday, Netanyahu said that Air India had reached an agreement with Saudi Arabia to use their airspace.

Israel's national carrier El Al currently operates an India service that takes a detour over the Red Sea to avoid flying over Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Air India meanwhile said it was still waiting for an answer on its request.

"We have applied for the route with (India's) directorate general of civil aviation," a spokesman told AFP.

"It is for the them to decide on our request, but we haven't yet received any communication about it from the regulator."

Air India has not published when it would begin its flights to Tel Aviv, with media speculating they were due to start later in March.

A spokesman for the Israel Airports Authority confirmed Air India has received permission to land at Israel's Ben Gurion airport, but could provide no further details.
Two days after a Lenin Lenin was toppled in Tripura, a BJP office in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore was attacked on Wednesday

A BJP office in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore was attacked and Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee's bust was vandalised in Kolkata's Kalighat on Wednesday, two days after a statue of Vladimir Lenin was toppled in Tripura's Belonia town, allegedly by Bharatiya Janata Party workers, according to media reports.

#BREAKING -- BJP office attacked by miscreants in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu; Petrol bombs hurled early morning | @RevathiRajeevan with more details pic.twitter.com/SAT4NPKgAn  News18 (@CNNnews18) March 7, 2018

The CCTV footage, as reported by CNN-News18, shows unidentified miscreants throwing petrol bombs at the building.

Coimbatore: A petrol bomb was hurled at BJP office earlier today #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/79x0FrjAZo  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

Reports say that the police is currently investigating the incident, while a Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam worker named Balu surrendered before the police on Wednesday.

In Kolkata, the BJP condemned the "barbaric act" where a statue of Mookherjee was defaced in the city. "We demand very strong action against culprits," Sayantan Basu, general secretary of West bengal BJP, said.

#Correction West Bengal: Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee's bust was vandalized in Kolkata's Kalighat pic.twitter.com/BENhueIgiK  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

BJP #WestBengal condemns barbaric act of vandalising statue of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh Bharat Keshri's founder Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee at Keoratola Mohasoshan, Kolkata. We demand very strong action against culprits: Sayantan Basu, General Secretary, WB BJP pic.twitter.com/3B8UTsA3oI  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

In another incident in the state's Vellore district, a statue of Dravidian activist Periyar inside the Tirupattur corporation office was vandalised on Tuesday. The police has arrested two people in relation to the crime.The incident comes hours after Tamil Nadu BJP leader H Raja said that EV Ramasamy, commonly known as 'Periyar', would meet a fate similar to Lenin in Tamil Nadu. Raja slammed Periyar in a post he put up on Facebook, which was later deleted. "Who is Lenin? What is his connection with India? What is the connection between Communism and India? Lenin's statue was broken down in Tripura. Today, it is Lenin's statue in Tripura. Tomorrow, it will be the caste zealot EV Ramasamy's (Periyar) statue in Tamil Nadu," he had written.

#TamilNadu : Periyar statue inside Tirupattur corporation office vandalised in Vellore district. Two persons arrested by Police. pic.twitter.com/F8ufRU121e  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

On Monday, the Lenin statue's vandalism was part of large-scale violence reported from Tripura, as CPM offices in different parts of the state were defaced.

A report on The Indian Express said the Lenin's statue had stood in Belonia's College Square for the last five years before it was brought down by BJP workers to the cries of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai".

The CPM has decried the violence and termed it "Communism phobia".

BJP national secretary Ram Madhav tweeted out a post saying people are taking down Lenin's statue and used the party's slogan for the Tripura elections, 'Chalo Paltai' with it. However, he later deleted it.

MHA responds

The Ministry of Home Affairs took "serious note" of these instances of vandalism and said the perpetrators will be dealt with according to the law. The official statement read:

"Incidents of toppling of statutes have been reported from certain parts of the country. MHA has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism. The home minister has expressed his strong disproval of such incidents. MHA has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with, and booked under relevant provisions of law. Honourable prime minister also spoke to the home minister in this regard."

Follow LIVE updates on the incidents here

With inputs from agencies
Ailing Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar left for the US on Tuesday night for further treatment from Mumbai where he was admitted at Lilavati Hospital.

Panaji: Ailing Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar left for the US on Tuesday night for further treatment from Mumbai where he was admitted at Lilavati Hospital. Parrikar left for the US for his further treatment by a special flight from Mumbai airport, a senior official of the chief minister office told PTI.

The chief minister left for the US in Air India flight at around 1.30 am. He is accompanied by a doctor and his elder son, Utpal, a senior official from CMO said. Parrikar was admitted at the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on 15 February and discharged on 22 February.

On the same day he returned to Goa and presented the Budget in the Assembly, but the session was truncated to only four days owing to his illness. He was later admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital after he suffered from dehydration.

Before leaving for Mumbai on Tuesday, Parrikar held a series of meetings, including one with senior state ministers.

Earlier in the day, Goa BJP general secretary Sadanand Tanawade said that Parrikar will fly to the US for further treatment. Parrikar also informed Governor Mridula Sinha earlier during the day about his absence from the country.

In the letter, Parrikar also informed the governor about the interim arrangement of a Cabinet advisory committee to guide the state administration.

The letter says that he would be chairing the meeting of the council of ministers, whenever it is held, through video conferencing from abroad. I have been also advised by the expert team of doctors in Goa as well as in Mumbai and subsequent consultation with doctors abroad to travel overseas for a specialised treatment of my medical condition, according to the letter.

He said that during his absence in the state, the meeting of council of ministers whenever held shall be presided over by him through video conferencing or by circulation.

If that is not possible for any reason, or I may decide at later point of time, the minister nominated by me shall preside the meeting and I will separately instruct the chief secretary in such exigency, the letter said.

He also informed that a team of three ministers  Sudin Dhavalikar (MGP), Francis DSouza (BJP) and Vijai Sardesai (Goa Forward Party)  will function as a Cabinet advisory committee.

The committee shall meet at least once a week, at such point of time and place, and is empowered to decide unanimously amongst themselves on certain important financial year ending issues. The committee shall consult the finance department before taking any financial decisions, Parrikar said in the letter.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has rescued civilians stranded in the recent snow and cold waves in the Jammu region by airlifting 488 passengers from Udhampur to Leh, a public relations officer (Defence) said.

Jammu: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has rescued civilians stranded in the recent snow and cold waves in the Jammu region by airlifting 488 passengers from Udhampur to Leh, a public relations officer (Defence) said.

Due to the recent snow and cold waves in the entire northern areas of Jammu and Kashmir, a lot of civilians of the Leh and Kargil sector were stranded in Jammu and Udhampur, he said.

The IAF operated its special aircraft IL-76, popularly known as Gajraj, to airlift the civilians on requisition by the Jammu and Kashmir government, the PRO said.

"The Indian Air Force once again came to the rescue of the stranded civilians of Jammu and Kashmir state by airlifting 239 passengers on 6 March, 2018 and 249 passengers on 7 March, 2018 from Udhampur to Leh," he said.

Air Force Station, Udhampur was the staging base for this rescue activity. "Special arrangements were made by Air Force Station Udhampur and District Administration Udhampur for Security and Marshalling of civilians, which included women and children as well, into the technical area of the Air Force," the PRO added.

With this, a total of 955 stranded passengers have been airlifted by the IAF to Leh from Udhampur-based IAF station this year.

On 27 February, as many as 234 stranded passengers were airlifted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Udhampur district to Leh in the Ladakh region.

On 19 February, about 233 Leh-Kargil-bound passengers were airlifted from Udhampur to Leh, after they were stranded due to turbulent weather in the region.
On the issue of Northern Ireland, she argued that it was possible to use technology to help keep the border relatively open, without the province remaining inside the Customs Union or creating a border in the Irish Sea.

Last Friday, then, she reiterated her support for the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process, ensuring that there would be no hard border on the island of Ireland.

"[One of the] greatest issues is uncertainty...we want to maintain regulatory alignment at the very least", she said.

"That's not in our interest and not the way that this can be concluded", Varadkar told Ireland's RTE radio.

He said: "There won't be tripartite or three-way talks".

"The UK can not be allowed to walk away from its commitment in the Joint Report of last December to avoid a hard border".

"That's not in our interest and not the way that this can be concluded".

After updating MPs in the House of Commons on her latest Brexit speech last Friday at the Mansion House in London, May faced questions from MPs.

Speaking to RTE's Morning Ireland programme, he said more detail was now needed from the UK Government.

Senior DUP members have concluded a "constructive" meeting with the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.

May said she expected the European Union to agree to financial services as part of a new trade deal as access to British financial services "matters to them as well".

However, Minister Coveney told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show he was "not sure that the European Union will be able to support" the plan, as it would be anxious about protecting the integrity of the single market.

Mrs Foster also accused the European Union of "overreach" in relation to a suggestion that the North-South Ministerial Council, set up under the Good Friday Agreement (GFA), could play a role in terms of the single market continuing to apply where north south co-operation was concerned.

She added: "We can not escape from complexity of the task ahead".

"We must build a new and lasting relationship while preparing for every scenario". But I also accept there are trade-offs with that because we wouldn't have the freedom to make our own trade deals with the rest of the world.

But the fact that the United Kingdom has not come up with a legal text of its own for the Withdrawal Treaty, to reflect the agreement Mrs May made in December, but is still criticising the European Union version virulently, shows that we have long way to go on this unproductive, time wasting and tragic road to Brexit.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs May's Brexit speech had "barely papered over the cracks" within her party and accused the PM of presiding over "20 wasted months" since the June 2016 referendum.

Facing MPs in the Commons, the Prime Minister said that while there would be "ups and downs" on the horizon, the Government would pay no heed to the "counsels of despair that this simply can not be done".
A Delhi court on Wednesday said it will pronounce on 12 March the order on a bail plea of Karti Chidambaram's chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman, arrested in the INX Media money laundering case.

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday said it will pronounce on 12 March the order on a bail plea of Karti Chidambaram's chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman, arrested in the INX Media money laundering case.

Special judge Sunil Rana, who was scheduled to pronounce the order today, deferred it for the next date of hearing, saying the order was not ready.

Bhaskararaman sought bail on the ground that he was not required for custodial interrogation and no purpose would be served by keeping him in custody.

The CA was sent to jail on 26 February after his custodial interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had arrested him on 16 February from a five-star hotel in the heart of the national capital.

Karti's name had cropped up in the case relating to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board's (FIPB) approval granted in 2007 for receipt of funds by INX Media when his father and Congress leader P Chidambaram was the finance minister during the previous UPA regime.

The ED's special public prosecutor Nitesh Rana had earlier told the court that during the course of an investigation, it was revealed that Bhaskararaman had been assisting Karti to manage his "ill-gotten wealth" in India and abroad.

He had alleged that INX Media had deliberately and in violation of the conditions of approval made a downstream investment of 26 percent in the capital of INX News Pvt Ltd without the specific approval of FIPB, which included indirect foreign investment by some foreign investors, and generated Rs 305 crore foreign direct investment in INX Media Pvt Ltd against the approved foreign inflow of Rs 4.62 crore.

To wriggle out of the situation without any punitive action, INX Media entered into a criminal conspiracy with Karti, the ED had alleged.

The FIPB unit of the finance ministry had not only granted illegal approval but also misinformed the investigation wing of the Income Tax Department, it had alleged.
Police on Wednesday detained chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as he tried to march towards Shopian town in south Kashmir

Srinagar: Police on Wednesday detained chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as he tried to march towards Shopian town in south Kashmir to protest against the killings in the firing incident on Sunday night.

Mirwaiz and his supporters came out of the Hurriyat leader's Nigeen residence carrying placards and a banner, demanding an end to civilian killings and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

However, a posse of policemen was waiting outside the Mirwaiz residence and took the Hurriyat chairman into preventive custody.

The authorities had placed Mirwaiz under house arrest in order to prevent him from visiting Shopian where six persons including two militants were killed in a firing incident on Sunday night.

While the army has claimed that the slain youth were overground workers of the militants, the family of the deceased said they had no links with militancy.

Separatists under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), which includes Mirwaiz, Syed Ali Geelani and Mohammad Yasin Malik, had called for a march to Shopian on Wednesday to express solidarity with the bereaved families.
Karnataka Lokayukta P Vishwanatha Shetty was on Wednesday stabbed multiple times and left profusely bleeding by a man who went to his office with a complaint only to be told that the case was shut, officials said.

Karnataka Lokayukta P Vishwanatha Shetty was stabbed multiple times in his Bengaluru office on Wednesday, laying bare a major security loophole in the ombudsman's office. Shetty, in his early 70s, was rushed to Mallya Hospital and is prima facie stated to be out of danger.

The perpetrator was a man named Tejas Sharma, who went to his office with a complaint only to be told that the case was shut, officials said. Sharma was arrested, after he rushed to the hospital to enquire about Shetty's condition.

Sharma, who had filed a complaint with the Lokayukta about not getting a tender for a work he had applied for, went to his chamber and stabbed him at three or four places. He was told by the Lokayukta office that the case was shut after an investigation.

Shetty suffered serious injury on his abdomen, but was reportedly out of danger. "I have spoken to doctors regarding his treatment. Doctors who are treating him have said prima facie he is out of danger," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters.

The assailant came to the office saying he wanted to meet Shetty and after entering the chamber, stabbed the Lokayukta with a knife, Siddaramaiah said. "I was shown the weapon. The knife is big. It looks like he has attempted murder," he said. "I wish for his speedy recovery. Such a thing had never happened... I have instructed the DGP to investigate in detail... about his background and other things."

The chief minister said those who come to meet the Lokayukta are normally given a chit before being called in. "Several people come to meet us also; we won't know who has come with a weapon."

A gunman was standing guard outside Shetty's chamber and the CCTV is also installed, Siddaramaiah said, adding, "... He did this inside the chamber." He said Sharma went alone inside the Lokayukta's chamber.

Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy, citing initial information, had earlier said the assailant had claimed to be an advocate. Shetty took over as the state Lokayukta in January 2017 succeeding Y Bhaskar Rao, a former high court chief justice.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar said, "The accused has been taken into police custody and is being interrogated. It has been found that the accused had complained against 15-17 public servants in connection with supply of furniture. His allegations were not proved."

Meanwhile, forensic department officials also inspected the car in which Justice Shetty was taken to Mallya Hospital while the Bengaluru Police cordoned off the Lokayukta office.The metal detector which was dysfunctional was switched off and no one is allowed to enter the premise, according to a ground report by 101 Reporters.

BJP slams Congress

Initially, Congress made an insensitive remark that Shetty should have been more careful and in reaction, the BJP had tweeted:

This doesn't surprise us one bit! Citizen safety has never been a priority for this #GoondaSidduSarkara. Is Congress suggesting citizens to just assume threat and prepare their own defences? @RLR_BTM has repeatedly failed in his duties. CM must ask him to step down immediately. pic.twitter.com/KiR6SDlrNv  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) March 7, 2018

While BJP MP BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje said Congress has weakened the Lokayukta, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad called the attack a serious issue of law and order. Eyewitness Jay Anna called out to Siddaramaiah government and said you can see what security the government has provided us. Union minister Prakash Javadekar wished the Lokayukta a speedy recovering while saying that no one is safe in Congress-ruled Karnataka.

With inputs from PTI
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanath Shetty, the anti-corruption watchdog, was stabbed in his Bengaluru office on Wednesday.

Karnataka Lokayukta, Justice P Vishwanath Shetty, an anti-corruption watchdog, was stabbed in his Bengaluru office on Wednesday.

Shetty, a former high court judge, took over as the Karnataka Lokayukta in January 2017, according to an India Today report.

Shetty took over after his predecessor Y Bhaskar Rao, a former high court chief justice, stepped down in December 2015 amid public pressure to quit over an alleged bribery scandal involving his office and son, according to a report in Hindustan Times.

According to a report in Livemint, however, Shetty too has faced accusations of encroachment by him and his family. However, he has dismissed them and said he is not worried, and that he has every record and transaction regarding properties owned by him and his family.

The Livemint report said Shetty could quote from memory every single property, the day and date they were purchased and for what cost, and in some cases, even details of the previous owners, adding that most properties were bought before he was appointed judge in 1995.

The 73-year-old first enrolled as an advocate on 1 January, 1966, practiced in the Karnataka High Court, and was designated a senior advocate in 1993. According to a report in The Times of India, Shetty hails from Udupi district and previously served as chairman of the Karnataka State Bar Council.

He was appointed a Karnataka High Court judge on 18 December, 1995, and was the first president of the Karnataka Judicial Academy, according to The Times of India report.

Shetty was chairman of the High Court Legal Services Committee and executive chairman of Karnataka State Legal Services Authority.

Shetty was stabbed multiple times and is reportedly in a critical situation, media reports said.

The accused, Tejas Sharma, has been arrested, CNN-News 18 reported. Shetty was rushed to Mallya Hospital near the Lokayukta office and is in the intensive care unit. Police have begun interrogating Sharma.
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty was stabbed in his Bengaluru office on Wednesday morning and is reportedly in a critical situation, media reports said.

Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty was stabbed multiple times in his Bengaluru office on Wednesday morning and is reportedly in a critical situation, media reports said. Accused Tejas Sharma, who hails from Tumkur, has been arrested, CNN-News 18 reported.Justice Shetty was rushed to Mallya Hospital near the Lokayukta office and is in the intensive care unit. Police have begun interrogation of Sharma.

According to 101 reporter Elizabeth Mani, Sharma came to the Lokayukta office and wrote in the registry that he is an advocate. The metal detector on the ground floor was not working and nobody saw a knife or anything with him.An eyewitness told News 18 that his condition is very bad. According to him, the police arrived at the spot 10 minutes after the incident.

A person stabbed the Lokayukta in Bengaluru, the accused has been taken into custody: Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/4CAqrokufX  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

#BREAKING -- Karnataka Lokayukta Stabbed: Karnataka CM @siddaramaiah and Home Minister headed to the hospital where the Lokayukta is admitted pic.twitter.com/Ir7pnMwTOZ  News18 (@CNNnews18) March 7, 2018

Bengaluru: Visual of the person who stabbed the Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty at his office in Bengaluru. He has been taken into custody by the police. pic.twitter.com/QeaVd9QL6y  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018
17:04 (ist)

Bengaluru police have cordoned off the Lokayukta office and are investigating the case

Bengaluru police have cordoned off the Lokayukta office.The metal detector has now been switched off and no one is allowed to enter the premise. Photos by Gangadhar Patil/101Reporters
Two statues of communist icon Vladimir Lenin were brought down in South Tripura, the police said, as the CPM and its arch-rival in Bengal, the Trinamool Congress, blamed the BJP for the incidents.

Auto refresh feeds

Section 144 imposed across 13 police stations in West Tripura district between 8 pm and 6 am on 5 and 6 March.

A statue of communist icon Lenin has been pulled down by some people with an excavator machine at Belonia in South Tripura district, the police said, with the CPM holding BJP workers responsible for it. Days after the Left Front was voted out of power in the state, Tripura CPM district secretary Tapas Datta said the five-feet-tall fibre glass statue, which was unveiled by the party's politburo member Prakash Karat a few months ago, was pulled down allegedly by BJP workers on Monday at College Square in Belonia, about 110 kilometres from Agartala.

"After pulling down the statue, 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan was raised," Datta said. Superintendent of Police of South Tripura district, Monchak Ipper said the driver of the JCB excavator machine was arrested and later released on bail. The statue would be handed over to the authorities of Belonia Municipal Corporation, the SP said.

The CPM accused the BJP and the IPFT of unleashing an "unprecedented reign of terror" throughout the state after the election results were announced on 3 March. CPM state secretary Bijan Dhar claimed that 514 party activists were assaulted, 1,539 houses of the party activists were attacked and 196 houses set on fire since the announcement of results. He also claimed that 134 CPM offices were attacked and looted, 64 party offices were set on fire and at least 90 offices of different mass organisations had been occupied allegedly by BJP-IPFT supporters.

The true face of BJP and RSS is anti-democratic and fascistic. It is our responsibility to fight them and we will do that," Yechury said.

Speaking to the press after vandalism was reported in Tripura, CPM general secretary said that the BJP is an opportunist party who rode to power on the shoulders of parties who had gained strength in the region by fanning separatist sentiments. He said that they have shown there streak for opportunism in other state as well but we will reorganize e ourselves and fight their divisive ideology.

CPM General Secretary said that the BJP was merely a political mask of the deeply "fascistic" RSS ideology. He said that the RSS was banned in the past, and the condition to remove the ban was that they will never enter politics. That's why they needed a political front and that's how the BJP was born. Yechury also said that BJP thrives on political violence.

The comment outraged the Left party, which called it "shameful". "It is shameful that Governor is celebrating the attack."

Tripura governor Tathagata Roy tweeted out the picture of the Lenin statue being felled by the so-called BJP workers and commented on the fact that how a diplomatically elected government can undo things done by there predecessors.

" I am not responsible for it. What I tweeted was of abstract position. A new government has not been sworn in yet; reading the tweet in its own way," Tathagata Roy told CNN-News 18.

My tweet was of abstract position: Tripura governor defends tweet on felling of Lenin's statue

Speaking to NDTV, BJP leader Sunil Deodhar who was in charge of electioneering in Tripura, said that the BJP believes that others have the freedom of holding there own ideology, which can be in contrast with our own. But there is no space for violence. Unfortunately this happened when there was no government there."

During the telephonic calls, Governor Tathagata Roy and DGP A.K. Shukla apprised the Union Home Minister about the prevailing situation in Tripura, PTI reported.

Amid reports of sporadic violence in Tripura, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday spoke to the State governor and the DGP and asked them to ensure peace till a new government is installed, an official said.

Meanwhile, state gears up to get new chief minister

IPFT may get post of Deputy CM but party mum possible names

He also claimed that 134 CPI(M) offices were attacked and looted, 64 party offices were set on fire and at least 90 offices of different mass organisations had been occupied allegedly by BJP-IPFT supporters.

CPM state secretary Bijan Dhar claimed that 514 party activists were assaulted, 1,539 houses of the party activists were attacked and 196 houses set on fire since the announcement of results.

"Sitaram Yechury can go on making charges. I am not going to respond to that. These skirmishes happen after elections across every state from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. These are some overzealous supporters who will be dealt with according to the law," Roy told CNN-News18.

"People of the area wanted to erect statues of national heroes like Swami Vivekananda, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Mother Teresa instead of Lenin since long. Whatever happened in Belonia is the outcome of public fury," BJP spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty said. The party has, however, denied its workers were involved in the incident and blamed it in 'massive anger' amid common people.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party or its ideology does not propagate violence but the Left does," the BJP leader asserted, a day after a five-feet fibreglass statue of the former Soviet leader was pulled down by suspected BJP workers

Union minister Giriraj Singh today said people who were "oppressed" during the 25-year Left rule in Tripura might have brought down a statue of communist icon Lenin in the state.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has also called up Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy and the DGP and asked them to ensure peace and check violence till a new government is installed in the state.

"Adequate central security forces and state police are available in Tripura for maintaining law and order and restoring peace," a home ministry spokesperson told PTI.

Deputy Speaker and senior CPM leader Pabitra Kar speaks on demolition of Lenin statue and post-poll violence allegedly perpetrated by BJP workers. He compares there act to Taliban's razing of Buddha statue in Bamiyan, Afghanistan.

In 1979, then prime minister Morarji Desai was on a state visit to Russia and Atal Bihari Vajpayee as foreign minister of India, accompanied him. In the course of his visit, Vajpayee had to visit Lenin's mausoleum in Moscow for a wreath laying ceremony. PK Budhwar, in his book A Diplomat Reveals refers to the incident and said that Vajpayee responded in his own style, when he was asked how he felt about the whole thing. "Hum mein aur Rossion me antar kya hai, hum Shiv ki pooja karte hain ye shav ki (What is the difference between us and the Russians. We worship Shiva, they worship dead body)"

"After the election results were out, goons of the BJP have unleashed a reign of terror and all-round attacks on members and supporters of the CPI(M), their houses, party offices and mass organisation offices throughout the state," said the memorandum which was submitted to Modi in Parliament

The party also gave a list of the alleged violent incidents and said 514 people were injured and 196 houses set on fire.

"We request your immediate intervention to stop these attacks and violence and to maintain peace and normalcy in the state" before the situation "worsened", the party said in the memorandum addressed to the prime minister.

Days after several statues of political thinkers (most of them Communist of Left theologists) across the nation were toppled, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and has expressed strong disapproval of such incident.

MHA has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with & booked under relevant provisions of law:

Have taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism, tweets Home Ministry

MHA has asked the States that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law. The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi also spoke to the Union Home Minister in this regard."

"Incidents of toppling of statues have been reported from certain parts of the country. Union Ministry of Home Affairs has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism. Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents.

Union Ministry of Home Affairs released a statement which was an advisory to states to prevent incidents of vandalism:

In a series of tweets, the BJP chief also said that he had spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. "Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party."

Soon after the MHA released a statement on the recent toppling of statues across the country, BJP chief Amit Shah tweeted and said that as a party BJP believes that "a wide range of ideas and ideologies can coexist in India. This is exactly how the makers of our Constitution envisioned our great nation to be. Indias diversity and the vibrant spirit of debate and discussion is what strengthens us."

BJP will always remain committed to ideals of openness and constructive politics...: Amit Shah

"Demand very strong action against the culprits and also want to give away the message that you just can't take away the contribution of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee in building West Bengal by this shameful act. We will rebuild it with more grace," Ghosh was quoted as saying.

BJP's West Bengal unit condemns the barbaric act of vandalising the statue of Syama Prasad Mookerjee at Keoratola Mohasoshan, the party general secretary Sayantan Ghosh was quoted as saying by News18.

Reports said that the bust is located at Keoratala crematorium, at the heart of South Kolkata. "BJP condemns barbaric act of vandalising statue of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh Bharat Keshri's founder Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee at Keoratola Mohasoshan, Kolkata. We demand very strong action against culprits", said Sayantan Ghosh.

Prominent right-wing ideologue's statue has come under attack. Syama Prasad Mukherjee's statue has been vandalised in Kalighat area of South Kolkata. Mukherjee was founder of Jan Sangh, predecessor of Bharatiya Janata party. Five people have been detained in connection with the incident by Kolkata Police.

A PIL has been filed in Madras High Court by advocate Surya Prakasam in wake of H Rajas Facebook post on desecration of Periyar's statue. The High Court has agreed to hear the case this afternoon, News18 reports.

"I have removed that admin who posted the comment about #Periyar and have deleted the post. I totally condemn vandalising statues and violence. I express heartfelt regret for my Facebook post," says H Raja.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has also called for an all-party meet to discuss the stalemate in Parliament.

Politics surrounding statue desecration reached the Rajya Sabha today when Chairman Venkaiah Naidu had to adjourn the Upper House till 2 pm soon after it began at 11 am.

Those who vandalised Shyama Prasad's bust must be arrested, says BJP

Hours after a BJP office in Tamil Nadu was attacked, party National Secretary H. Raja on Wednesday expressed regret for his Facebook post that said statues of rationalist movement founder E.V.Ramasamy or Periyar would be razed to the ground in the state. Early on Wednesday a petrol bomb was hurled at a BJP office around 500 km from here in Coimbatore by unidentified persons. Later in a fresh Facebook post on Wednesday, Raja expressed his heartfelt regret for his Tuesday's post, which he claimed was a message posted by his social media administrator without his permission and hence he had removed it. Raja expressed regret if his post had hurt anybody's feelings. According to him, damaging the statues of Ramasamy is not agreeable.

After H Raja's controversial Facebook post calling for vandalising of Periyar's statue, DMK working president M K Stalin demanded the arrest of Raja under Goondas Act. Nobody has the right to touch Periyars statue. He has been doing this for long time to incite violence. He should be arrested under Goondas Act and put behind bars, Stalin was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilsai Soundarajan issued a statement on Wedneday saying R Muthuraman, a party functionary who was arrested for damaging a Periyar statue in Tiruppattur in Vellore district on Tuesday, has been expelled from the party.

Tamil Nadu BJP general secretary Vanathi Srinivasan spoke to Firstpost and said, "H Raja has explained himself on the issue. This explanation should be accepted and protests should be dropped. This matter should not be politicised any further."

Periyar is not a mere mortal, name or place. Periya is a philosophy. He is an ideology created for the freedom of working classes, for womens freedom, to abolish superstitious beliefs. He does not merely live as a statue, he live in our hearts. You cannot remove him from our hearts no matter what power you possess. If you tell us the time date and time, Periyar supporters will be ready take up the challenge. H Raja should apologies and government should initiate action against him, Sathyaraj said.

Actor Sathyaraj condemned the attack on revolutionary Lenin statue in Tripura. He asked the Tamil Nadu government to take action against BJP member H Raja who had said that Periyar statues will be demolished in the state.

Periyar is not a mere mortal, name or place, Periyar is philiosophy: Sathyaraj

Speaking on the issue of statue vandalisation across the country, newly-turned politician, Kamal Haasan slammed BJP leader H Raja for his comments on Periyar. "If the government is serious, it should take criminal action against all involved," says Haasan.

If the government is serious it should take criminal action against all involved in violence: Kamal Haasan

The actor was referring to the formation of Cauvery management board.

"There is no need to deploy police for protection of Periyar Statue. We, Tamilians, will protect it. I feel that this issue is just to divert attention from the Cauvery issue," says Haasan.

"H Raja is continuing to speak about Periyar and Karunanidhi in a defamatory manner. Raja, who is involved in these anti-national activities should arrested under the Goonda Act. To vandalise Anna and Periyar statues during AIADMK's rule is brazen. This shows that the state government is under the control of BJP," says M Subramanium, former mayor of Chennai and member of DMK.

Minister for Fisheries and Personnel and Administrative Reforms D Jayakumar addressed a press meet in Chennai and said that H Raja's opinion on Periyar issue is not acceptable and must be condemned. "This is Periyar's land. On this soil, AIADMK will never allow jealousy-driven poisonous rumours and malicious actions to spread. Tamil Nadu is a state of peace. Actions like these will be destroyed from their roots. The government has taken action to protect the statues."

"...What are you teaching our children... please stop this statue politics," Raj tweeted on Wednesday.

Surveillance has been heightened at 27 major locations in Chennai which have Periyar statues and police has been deployed to protect these statues.

DMK's MK Stalin took to Twitter and said that those who imagine to destroy Dravidian thoughts will not succeed. "Even in dreams, or imagination, these statues should not be destroyed again," Stalin said.

Those who dream to destroy Dravidian thoughts will not succeed, says MK Stalin

It is still unclear as to who were behind damaging Ambedkar's statue.

BR Ambedkar's statue in Meerut was added to the list of statues of prominent political thinkers which have been damaged across the country in the last 48 hours. However, according to News18, city administration acted fast and avoided any further deterioration in the law and order situation by replacing the damaged statue with a new one.

Speaking to reporters in Alwarpet, Chennai, Makkal Needhi Maiam president and founder Kamal Hassan, said, "These recorded views on Periyar are very low and punishable by law, according to legal experts. Periyar statues don't require protection, the Tamils will protect them. Those who speak scandalously about Periyar should be the ones given security because they'll need it. We can't accept these expressions of regret."

Zilla Panchayat officials in Meerut's Mawana said that an Ambedkar statue was vandalised in the city on Monday. However, the officials have assured that action will be taken and the statue will be replaced with a new one.

Thamizhnadu Brahmin Association President N Narayana condemned H Raja's remarks against Periyar statues in the strongest possible terms. "In the future he should refrain from making such careless statements", he insisted.

Speaking to reporters after this meeting, he said, "Any violence by anyone is condemnable. BJP would never support these actions. Action must be taken against those who are involved in violent actions. Last week, when Pon Radhakrishnan said that extremism isn't dead in Tamil Nadu, he was condemned by the deputy chief minister. But then this petrol bomb incident has happened today. Vote bank politics prevents Tamil Nadu government from taking any action against the culprits."

TN BJP advisory committee met under party leader CB Radhakrishnan on discuss the incident early morning today when a petrol bomb was hurled at the BJP office in Coimbatore.

Earlier in the day, a petrol bomb was hurled at the BJP office in Coimbatore.

Perhaps in retaliation to the derogatory comments made against Periyar and the subsequent vandalism at his statue, members Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam claimed they forcibly cut poonals (Janeyu or sacred thread) of 8 Brahmins. They have surrendered at a police station in Chennai's Mylapore, The Times of India reported.

According to Times Now, Jeeva Nanthan and Gautam, both workers of the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TDPK), have been arrested in connection with the attack on BJP office.

"Views can be debated only by countering it and not through violence. I don't want to hurt anyone. Therefore, if anyone has been hurt due to the post, I really regret the action," wrote Raja. He claimed he was travelling at the time and did not know about the post. He said he has deleted the post and removed the person responsible for it.

'My admin did it': H Raja's defence on derogatory Facebook post on Periyar

Muthuraman was one of the two persons arrested by police for allegedly vandalising a bust-size statue of Ramasamy, in an inebriated condition, the other was identified as Francis.

The BJPs Tamil Nadu unit sacked a party functionary for allegedly vandalising a Periyar statue. R. Muthuraman is being expelled from the party, BJP state chief Tamilisai Soundarrajan said in a brief statement.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday described as shameful and mad incidents of attacks on statues of iconic leaders in Tripura, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

"Trinamool government in West Bengal acted swiftly to arrest six people in the case of desecration of Syama Prasad Mookerjees bust. But, the BJP leaders are only engaging in unnecessary mudslinging while their workers engage in mob violence across states," she added.

"At least now, when they have come to power, BJP and RSS should give up political violence as an instrument to achieve their goals. We demand constitutional guarantee for the safety of people from BJP governments in states and Centre," BSP supremo Mayawati said.

"We initially let the damaged statue lay there as it was since we were not sure about the mood of the people. We wanted to things to subside a bit. But, now, as per instructions from higher authorities, we have decided to take the statue and store it in our office premises," Belonia Municipal Council's CEO, Amit Ghosh told PTI.

An imposing statue of communist icon Vladimir Lenin, which was pulled down by a group of people in South Tripura's Belonia, will be kept at the premises of the municipal body here, a top official today said.

With head severed, 'Lenin' to be kept at civic body premises

Bhim Army of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, demanded that National Security Act be enacted against those involved in vandalising statues of Lenin, Periyar and Ambedkar

The issue of demolition of statues echoed in the Rajya Sabha today as DMK and AIADMK sought to move motion of adjournment. Chairman Vemkaiah Naidu and Union minister Ananth Kumar also condemned the incidents.

The Madras high court on Wednesday directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure maintenance of law and order and peace across the state in view of the Periyar statue controversy caused by BJP leader H Rajas message on social media.

The two parties that swear by Periyar's ideology are the DMK and AIADMK, apart from a host of smaller Dravidian outfits. But the late Jayalalithaa visited temples, participated in religious prayers and offerings, even though this was completely against what Periyar propagated. But even while practising her religious beliefs, Jayalalithaa never spoke against Periyar.

But was it indeed a case of overreach by the duo or is there more than what meets the eye? At a Tamil Nadu BJP level, this seems to be a case of intra-BJP rivalry between Raja and those who preside over the state unit  an attempt to score brownie points. But at a macro level, this could well be an effort to test the waters  to see if Periyarism is relevant and has currency in 2018.

By late evening, Raja and Suryah's provocative comments translated into reality when a couple of drunk men, one of them a BJP activist, vandalised a bust of Periyar in Vellore.

Raja was playing with fire and he realised it when the sharp reactions scorched him. DMK leader MK Stalin asked for Raja to be booked under the Goondas Act, Vaiko and Khushbu dared him to touch one Periyar statue. But Raja was not the only offender. SG Suryah, the vice-president of the BJP Youth Wing also tweeted: "BJP successfully completed the fall of Lenin in Tripura! Can't wait for the fall of EV Ramasamy statues in Tamil Nadu.''

After an MHA advisory was sent out to all states advising preventive action against incidents of vandalism, SHOs have been briefed to increase security in their areas in the National Capital. Police is making a list of sensitive and highly sensitive areas, and adequate number of personnel have been deployed around statues, a NDTV report said.

Massive protests broke out in Chennai's Anna Salai area as workers of various political parties protested against the BJP leader's comments.

Raja has apologised for the post, blaming it on his social media manager. However, Dravidin parties, including Kamal Haasan's newly formed Makkal Needhi Maiam have refused to accept the apology.

The BJP worker who defiled the Periyar statue in an inebriated state has been expelled by the party. However, it is mum on its national secretary H Raja, whose Facebook post added fuel to the whole controversy.

Pon Radhakrishnan, MoS Finance and Shipping, while addressing a press conference said, "Following vandalism of statues in Tripura and Tamil Nadu, PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah have issued clear and strict guidelines that while the party is ready to fight any political differences, it will only be done in a democratic fashion, not by acting against the principles of democracy which have been upheld by the party since the beginning. BJP workers in Tripura and Tamil Nadu will follow these guidelines as laid out by party higher-ups. Amit Shah-led ideological guidelines have helped the BJP establish majority governments in more than 20 states and BJP workers must remember this proudly."

Several AIADMK MLAs including Thamimun Ansari, Karunas and U Thaniyarasu have issued a joint statement demanding H Raja's arrest under the National Security Act. Earlier, Bhim Army in Uttar Pradesh also raised a similar request urging authorities to arrest all those responsible for defacing the statues under teh NSA act.

According to The Times of India , the men arrested for allegedly defiling a Periyar statue were not drunk and they had damaged it deliberately with a hammer, the police has said.

Jignesh Mevani takes to twitter on statue politics, says BJP men must demolish Manu statues not Lenin's or Priyar's

"I call upon the Tamil Nadu government to deal with his open call to violence peacefully but with uncompromising deployment of the laws of the land. A mere regret or belated statements from BJP leaders do not wash away their uncivil, and unconstitutional, support to the public challenge by their cadres to law and order both in Tripura and Tamil Nadu," he added.

"Vandalizing Periyar's statue is an insult to Tamil culture and challenge to the idea of India.The celebratory approvals from BJP leaders and constitutional authorities to the toppling of Lenin statues in Tripura and the defacement of Periyars statue in Tamil Nadu capture two stunning realities of the Modi era: A complete contempt for Constitutional values and the mainstreaming of violence against all ideologies and ideas that do not subscribe to the narrow sectarian views of Hindutva," Mevani said.

"H Raja had said earlier that he will hit Periyar with his slippers. If he is a real man, he will accept that he said this. It was wrong to let him live in this country after he made that statement," Vaiko added.

Speaking to journalists at Chennai airport, he said, "It is the truth that H Raja made a statement saying Periyar statues will be removed in TN. When Lenin's statue was removed yesterday in Tripura was Rajnath Singh in coma? Was Modi unconscious? Neither Modi's military might nor the police force of the Tamil Nady government that supports him, will be able to go near a Periyar statue without getting their hands chopped off first," he warned.

"Why hasn't H Raja, who is the reason behind the demolition of Periyar statue, been arrested yet," MDMK chief Vaiko questioned.

After an MHA advisory was sent out to all states advising preventive action against incidents of vandalism, SHOs have been briefed to increase security in their areas in the National Capital. Police is making a list of sensitive and highly sensitive areas, and adequate number of personnel have been deployed around statues, a NDTV report said.

Massive protests broke out in Chennai's Anna Salai area as workers of various political parties protested against the BJP leader's comments.

Raja has apologised for the post, blaming it on his social media manager. However, Dravidin parties, including Kamal Haasan's newly formed Makkal Needhi Maiam have refused to accept the apology.

The BJP worker who defiled the Periyar statue in an inebriated state has been expelled by the party. However, it is mum on its national secretary H Raja, whose Facebook post added fuel to the whole controversy.

Pon Radhakrishnan, MoS Finance and Shipping, while addressing a press conference said, "Following vandalism of statues in Tripura and Tamil Nadu, PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah have issued clear and strict guidelines that while the party is ready to fight any political differences, it will only be done in a democratic fashion, not by acting against the principles of democracy which have been upheld by the party since the beginning. BJP workers in Tripura and Tamil Nadu will follow these guidelines as laid out by party higher-ups. Amit Shah-led ideological guidelines have helped the BJP establish majority governments in more than 20 states and BJP workers must remember this proudly."

Several AIADMK MLAs including Thamimun Ansari, Karunas and U Thaniyarasu have issued a joint statement demanding H Raja's arrest under the National Security Act. Earlier, Bhim Army in Uttar Pradesh also raised a similar request urging authorities to arrest all those responsible for defacing the statues under teh NSA act.

According to The Times of India , the men arrested for allegedly defiling a Periyar statue were not drunk and they had damaged it deliberately with a hammer, the police has said.

Modi ji tell your boys to destroy the statue of manu, not lenin or Periyar. Mind well, exploited dalits will always cherish the legacy of aambedkar, lenin, periyar, Phule and some day they will definitely destroy the manu-murti at Rajasthan high court. pic.twitter.com/7r3F8KzlYn

Jignesh Mevani takes to twitter on statue politics, says BJP men must demolish Manu statues not Lenin's or Priyar's

"I call upon the Tamil Nadu government to deal with his open call to violence peacefully but with uncompromising deployment of the laws of the land. A mere regret or belated statements from BJP leaders do not wash away their uncivil, and unconstitutional, support to the public challenge by their cadres to law and order both in Tripura and Tamil Nadu," he added.

"Vandalizing Periyar's statue is an insult to Tamil culture and challenge to the idea of India.The celebratory approvals from BJP leaders and constitutional authorities to the toppling of Lenin statues in Tripura and the defacement of Periyars statue in Tamil Nadu capture two stunning realities of the Modi era: A complete contempt for Constitutional values and the mainstreaming of violence against all ideologies and ideas that do not subscribe to the narrow sectarian views of Hindutva," Mevani said.

"H Raja had said earlier that he will hit Periyar with his slippers. If he is a real man, he will accept that he said this. It was wrong to let him live in this country after he made that statement," Vaiko added.

Speaking to journalists at Chennai airport, he said, "It is the truth that H Raja made a statement saying Periyar statues will be removed in TN. When Lenin's statue was removed yesterday in Tripura was Rajnath Singh in coma? Was Modi unconscious? Neither Modi's military might nor the police force of the Tamil Nady government that supports him, will be able to go near a Periyar statue without getting their hands chopped off first," he warned.

"Why hasn't H Raja, who is the reason behind the demolition of Periyar statue, been arrested yet," MDMK chief Vaiko questioned.

Tripura violence Latest updates: MHA has asked states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law. The Home Ministry advisory also asked states to make District Magistrates and SSPs personally accountable for upholding law and order in their respective regions.

As reports of statue vandalism filtered in from various parts of the country, West Bengal police said that seven people have been arrested for defiling the Syama Prasad Mookerjee's statue. Reports suggested that the incident was apparently a tit-for-tat attack at BJP ideologue after party workers allegedly uprooted two Lenin statues in Tripura. Media reports also claimed that the miscreants were students of Jadhavpur university.

Latest reports say that a statue of BR Ambedkar in western Uttar Pradesh's Meerut was demolished by protesters on Monday. News18, however, reports that the administration in Meerut reacted swiftly and replaced the desecrated statue with a new one, ensuring that the law and order situation didn't go out of hand.

The news comes in the wake of several such incidents where statues of prominent political thinkers were defaced or desecrated. Speaking to reporters in Chennai, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan said that no police is required to protect the statue of Periyar. "We, Tamilians, will protect Periyar," Haasan said in Chennai.

After Lenin's statue in Tripura and Periyar's statue in Tamil Nadu, bust of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was damaged in Kolkata's Chittaranjan Das Park inside Kalighat Crematorium on Wednesday morning.

The incident took place around 7am when a group of six students, claiming to be from the Jadavpur Universitys Radical students organisation, gathered in front of the park with placards condemning the vandalisation of Lenin statues in Tripura. Police said the six students have been detained.

Six people have been detained in Kolkata for vandalising the statue. The arrest comes at a time when the issue of vandalism of Periyar and Lenin's statue has reached the Parliament. An all-party meeting has been called at 1 pm to break the deadlock arising out of the issue.

After a BJP office in Tamil Nadu was attacked, party national secretary H Raja expressed regret for his Facebook post that said statues of rationalist movement founder EVRamasamy or Periyar would be razed to the ground in the state. Early on Wednesday a petrol bomb was hurled at a BJP office around 500 km from here in Coimbatore by unidentified persons.

Later in a fresh Facebook post on Wednesday, Raja expressed his heartfelt regret for his Tuesday's post, which he claimed was a message posted by his social media administrator without his permission and hence he had removed it.

Prominent right-wing ideologue's statue has come under attack. Syama Prasad Mukherjee's statue has been vandalised in Kalighat area of South Kolkata. Mukherjee was founder of Jan Sangh, predecessor of Bharatiya Janata party. Five people have been detained in connection with the incident by Kolkata Police.

The Union Home Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday and said that the ministry has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism. Rajnath Singh has expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents, the statement further added. "MHA has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly disapproved incidents of vandalism reported from certain parts of the country, ANI reports. Incidents of toppling statues have been reported from certain parts of the country.

Two statues of communist icon Vladimir Lenin were brought down in South Tripura, the police said, as the CPM and its arch-rival in Bengal, the Trinamool Congress, blamed the BJP for the incidents.

The statues were pulled down just days after the Left was defeated in Assembly polls by the BJP and its ally IPFT, which together won a two-third majority in the House in a state where the CPI(M) was in power for 25 years.

A five-foot high fibre glass statue of Lenin was toppled at Belonia yesterday, while a smaller figure was razed at Sabroom two days ago, district superintendent of police Monchak Ipper said.

Tripura chief minister-designate Biplab Deb has urged the people of the state to maintain peace and said anybody indulging in violence would be punished.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to state Governor Tathagatha Roy and the director general of police, asking them to ensure peace till a new government was installed, an official said in New Delhi.

The demolition at Belonia evoked a sharp reaction from Trinamool Congress chief and Mamata Banerjee, who blamed the BJP and the RSS for the incidents.

Tripura CPI(M) district secretary Tapas Datta alleged that the statue, unveiled by the party's Politburo member and former general secretary Prakash Karat a few months ago, was razed by BJP workers yesterday at College Square in Belonia, about 110km from here.

"After pulling down the statue, slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' were raised,'' Datta told PTI.

Ipper said the driver of the JCB excavator machine allegedly used to bring down the Lenin figure at Belonia was arrested and a notice sent to its owner.

The statue would be handed over to the authorities of the Belonia Municipal Corporation, he said.

The incidents took a controversial turn with a tweet posted by Governor Roy.

''What one democratically elected government can do another democratically elected government can undo. And vice versa'', he tweeted.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who criticised the incidents, described the tweet as "unfortunate".

''The tweet by the governor is unfortunate ... This shows how constitutional posts are being undermined," he said.

Asked by a TV news channel for his comment, Roy said, "'Yechury may go on making charges. It is not my duty to reply.''

Prohibitory orders were clamped on several areas of West Tripura district including - Srinagar, Lefunga, Mandai, Amtali, Radhapur, Arundhatinagar, Jirania, Mohanpur following post-poll violence, district magistrate Milind Ramteke said.

The CPI(M) accused the BJP and the IPFT of unleashing an "unprecedented reign of terror" across the state after the election results were announced on March 3.

Yechury alleged in Kolkata that 514 party activists have been assaulted, 1,539 houses of party activists attacked and 196 houses set ablaze in the last few days.

He also claimed 134 CPI(M) offices were attacked and looted, 64 party offices set on fire and 90 offices of mass organisations occupied by BJP-IPFT supporters.

The party top brass including Yechury and Politburo members Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat and Surjya Kanta Mishra led a rally in Kolkata, which ended in front of a statue of Lenin at Dharmatalla in the heart of the city.

Tripura CPI(M) state secretary Bijan Dhar appealed to the state administration and the BJP to "stop the violence".

''In a democratic system a change of government is usual, but violence in such a grave form is not acceptable," he said.

The police today said it had received complaints of post-poll violence from various parts of the state since Sunday night.

Senior CPI leader D Raja said while one party may win and another party lose an election, it did not mean either could indulge in vandalism.

''Lenin is considered one of the tallest leaders of the world. We should have that respect,'' he told a TV news channel.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the RSS-BJP for their alleged involvement in the pulling down of Lenin's statues.

"It is not one's job to pull down the statue of an icon after coming to power in a state," she said at a public meeting in Bankura in West Bengal.

Tripura's BJP vice-president Subal Bhowmick had alleged yesterday that CPI(M) activists assaulted 49 BJP supporters, 17 of whom had to be hospitalised.
The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were disrupted for the third consecutive day amid protests by various parties, including NDA allies TDP and Shiv Sena over various issues.

New Delhi: The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were disrupted for the third consecutive day amid protests by various parties, including NDA allies TDP and Shiv Sena over various issues.

As soon as the House met for the day, members from various parties, including TDP, Shiv Sena, TRS, YSR Congress, AIADMK and TMC started raising slogans over various issues, following which Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the proceedings for an hour this morning

Most of the protesting members were in the Well before the Speaker took her chair to conduct the proceedings. Members from the Left and the Congress were seen raising slogans from their benches.

The opposition has been protesting over various issues, including the PNB scam, since Monday when Parliament had reconvened after a month-long recess in the Budget session.

While the TDP has been demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh, the TRS was seeking a higher quota for Telangana. The YSR Congress was demanding implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act.

The AIADMK was demanding establishment of the Cauvery river board to settle water disputes with neighbouring states. The Shiv Sena, like yesterday, was demanding classical language status for Marathi.

Mahajan took up the Question Hour but adjourned the proceedings soon after. She was visibly upset and left the House amid the din. A Lok Sabha official had to repeat loudly that the House has been adjourned.
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday told the Legislative Council that sale of gutka, banned in the state, would be made a non-bailable offence.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday told the Legislative Council that sale of gutka, banned in the state, would be made a non-bailable offence.

Punishment for the offence would be enhanced to three years in prison, the government said.

Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde alleged through a calling attention motion that though anti-gutka laws are in place, gutkaa scented tobacco mixis smuggled from neighbouring states.

Smuggling happens with the connivance of corrupt officials in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the NCP leader alleged, demanding an inquiry by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

In response, Minister of State for FDA Madan Yerawar said gutka is manufactured in other states where it is not banned, and the Maharashtra FDA, since 2012-13, has seized gutka worth Rs 114.2 crore.

Munde said Maharashtra has the highest number of youth falling prey to cancer due to chewing of gutka. He demanded an inquiry into continuing sale of gutka despite the ban.

FDA minister Girish Bapat said that currently, the sale of gutka is a bailable offence with a punishment of a maximum of six months in prison.

The government has held discussions with the Director General of Police and the Law and Judiciary Department, and will make the offence non-bailable, he said.

"The Centre has given us the permission to do so. Once the technicalities are sorted out (and the amendment made), those found guilty will have to face a rigorous imprisonment for three years," the senior minister said.

An inquiry by the vigilance squad of the FDA is underway into the illegal sale of gutka, and the government will order a CID probe if the Leader of Opposition is still not satisfied with its report when it comes out, Bapat assured.
A CRPF jawan allegedly opened fire and injured two of his colleagues at a camp in the Naxal-infested district of Gadhchiroli, officials said on Wednesday.

Nagpur: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan allegedly opened fire and injured two of his colleagues at a camp in the Naxal-infested district of Gadhchiroli, officials said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Tuesday night at the Ettapalli camp, where head constable Sandre Sanjay had an altercation with two of his fellow soldiers, following which he allegedly fired at them from his service AK rifle.

Two head constables, CB Maruti and SS Singh, were injured in the incident and were admitted to a hospital here, they said.

Sanjay, they said, was overpowered by other men present in the camp and taken into custody, they said.

While Maruti, hit in the stomach region, was in a critical condition, Singh has a bullet injury in his leg and is stated to be out of danger, they said.

Local police was investigating the case even as the paramilitary force has ordered a court of inquiry into the incident, they said.

The Ettapalli camp of the CRPF houses a unit of its 119th battalions that is deployed in the area to conduct anti-Maoist operations.
Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.
According to officials probing the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, Nirav Modi's uncle Mehul Choksi had pledged his Sangini brand of diamonds  that was endorsed by top Bollywood stars  as collateral while collecting loans for his two different companies

New Delhi: The fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi had done his homework before fleeing the country along with a huge sum of money skimmed from public and private sector banks. He pledged the same brands and same flats as collateral to various banks in his meticulous con job. According to officials probing the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, Nirav Modi's uncle had pledged his Sangini brand of diamonds  that was endorsed by top Bollywood stars  as collateral while collecting loans for his two different companies  Gili India Limited and Gitanjali Gems Limited. Exclusive details accessed by Firstpost reveal that the Sangini brand was pledged to ICICI Bank as collateral for the two companies. Additionally, Choksi had also pledged the Asmi and Gili brands as collateral to ICICI Bank while raising a loan on behalf of Gitanjali Gems Limited.

"Brand value becomes zero the moment an account is declared fraud. We have seen that in the case of Vijay Mallya. He had pledged the Kingfisher trademarks as collateral with banks, and they found them impossible to sell after he defaulted," officials in the investigating agencies said.

Choksi also conned AllBank Finance Limited by pledging the same flat for two different sets of loans he managed to procure for Gili India Limited and Gitanjali Gems Limited. AllBank Finance Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allahabad Bank, that began to give loans to Choksi-owned Gili India Limited in March 2013 and subsequently modified the loan in March 2016, has an exposure of Rs 375 crore. AllBank Finance Limited gave another Rs 750 crore to Choksi-owned flagship Gitanjali Gems Limited. For a total of Rs 1,125 crore, the government-owned bank in return has received the same property  a 7,510-square foot residential flat in Kalina, Mumbai comprising flats numbered 101, 201, 203, 301 and 303  as collateral for two companies, Gili India Limited and Gitanjali Gems.

The investigators found this collateral bizarre since it appeared to be premeditated and not seen as a larger part of continuing security, a tradition prevalent with many banks. "Both companies applied for the loan on the very same day in 2013 and the file was moved for modification on the same day in 2016. This kind of collateral has no meaning and is in fact, a violation of the continuing security norm. We dont know the value of the property yet, but it is peanuts against the loan amount. It's like like pledging your motorcycle against a brand new imported car," the investigators further added.

Interestingly, flat number 203 measuring 940 square feet that has been pledged to AllBank Finance Limited has been pledged to two other banks  PNB and Axis Bank. PNB  involved in loans worth over Rs 12,000 crore in the Nirav Modi case  gave around Rs 175 crore to Choksi-owned Gitanjali Gems while considering flat number 203 at Kalina as collateral. This flat was already pledged to the subsidiary of Allahabad Bank. Moreover, the same flat (number 203) has been pledged to Axis Bank by Gitanjali Gems. PNB gave Rs 75 crore to Gili India Limited on 12 December, 2012.

It accepted the same flat (number 203) as collateral security. This loan was approved by the same Brady House branch of PNB that is under the scanner for issuing fake Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) and Foreign Letters of Credit (FLCs). The approval was given despite the fact that the PNB-led consortium already had an exposure of Rs 225 crore against Gili India Limited and the company had defaulted in repayment in May 2011.

The story doesnt end here. Choksi also pledged flat number 201 at Kalina to PNB and Axis Bank on behalf of Gitanjali Gems. This flat was already pledged to AllBank Finance Limited. He did the same with flat number 303 and it was pledged to three banks  PNB, Axis and AllBank Finance Limited. However, Choksi pledged flat number 101 as collateral on behalf of Gitanjali Gems to only two banks  Axis and AllBank Finance Limited in his well-planned loan scam. While securing loans from AllBank Finance Limited, Choksi also pledged the entire current assets of Gili India Limited, a personal guarantee from himself and a corporate guarantee from Gitanjali Gems Limited. Another collateral to the bank was described as "all present and future of the movable fixed assets including plant and machinery, furniture, computer hardware and software, machinery spares, tools and accessories and other movables". For other loans of Gitanjali Gems, Choksi pledged stocks (inventory) as collateral and in another case it was receivables  roughly means proceeds from the business.

As far as his nephew Nirav Modi is concerned, surprisingly, PNB did not receive any collateral, investigators said. Niravs Firestar International Limited in August 2012 had secured a Rs 2,480-crore loan from PNB Investment Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Punjab National Bank. The loan was modified on 11 December, 2017, less than a month before he fled India. In February 2015, Firestar International Limited secured another loan amounting to Rs 846 crore from PNB Investment Services Limited without pledging any collateral. Seven months later, PNB's Brady House branch approved another loan amounting to Rs 400 crore on 11 September, 2015 to Niravs company. The Choksi-owned Nakshtra World Limited too secured over Rs 440 crore from various public and private sector banks without pledging any collateral. Some top Bollywood stars, who had endorsed the Nakshtra brand of jewellery had recently accused Choksi of not paying dues, alleging breach of contract.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently attached 41 properties owned by Choksi worth Rs 1,217 and companies controlled by him. The assets includes 15 flats and 17 office premises in Mumbai, Hyderabad Gems SEZ in Andhra Pradesh, a shopping mall in Kolkata, farmhouse in Alibaug and 231 acres of land in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing former finance minister P Chidambaram of tweaking rule to allegedly benefit Mehul Choksis company

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party and former finance minister P Chidambaram for allegedly opening 'all doors' for the favourable companies including Mehul Choksi's Geetanjali Gems in Gold Scheme.

Addressing a press conference at BJP headquarters in Delhi, Prasad said, On 15 May, 2014, P Chidambaram announced a new policy in which Star Trade Operators were attached to premium trading houses which included Gitanjali Jewelers. They opened all doors for favourable companies. Those who have been prohibited from participating 80/20 scheme were brought in.

"These trading houses were allowed to import gold up to 2,000 kg from any port of India. There was no control or verification. This is a downright racket," the Union law minister alleged.

He also alleged that the scheme, which was introduced in August 2013 and then repealed in November 2014, was passed on 15 May, 2014.

Why was such a big step taken by the then UPA govt just one day before the General Elections results? Prasad asked.

"We charge with the full sense of responsibility that under extraordinary pressure of vested interests P Chidambaram took the decision a day before the election results", he added.

He called this move as the textbook case of massive irregularity under the UPA government.

On Monday, Prasad had alleged that Chidambaram had granted ranted seven private firms, including scam-accused Gitanjali Gems, gold import benefits asking the Congress how much "cut" was given to whom for the decision.

With inputs from PTI
The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were washed out for the third consecutive day on Wednesday as parties protested on various issues, including vandalisation of statue of Dravidian icon Thanthai Periyar and PNB scam.

New Delhi: The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were washed out for the third consecutive day on Wednesday as parties protested on various issues, including vandalisation of statue of Dravidian icon Thanthai Periyar and PNB scam.

While the Congress continued to press for prime minister's reply on the Rs 12,700-crore bank fraud allegedly involving diamantaire Nirav Modi, members from AIADMK and AAP were in the Well, holding photos of Periyar and raising slogans condemning the vandalism in Vellore.

The TRS members raised slogans demanding a hike in Telangana's quota in reservation. While TDP continued to press for special status for Andhra Pradesh, another NDA ally Shiv Sena protested, as on Tuesday, demanding classical language status for Marathi. Amid the din, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked Shiv Sena member Anandrao Adsul to speak on his demand.

Adsul said that Marathi is an ancient language and fulfills all criteria to be given the classical language status. He said Telugu, Kannad, Malayalam and Odia have classical language status. "Several of our members have raised this issue repeatedly. We have given our submission to the minister but our demand was not fulfilled till date," Adsul said. Home minister Rajnath Singh, who was present in the House, assured Adsul that the matter would be looked into. "The issue does not pertain to the Home Ministry. I will speak to the Culture Ministry on this," Singh said.

Even as Shiv Sena stopped protesting on the issue, AIADMK members continued to raise slogans against the desecration of the statue of Periyar the founder of Dravidian movement. "We strongly condemn vandalisation of statute of Thanthai Periyar by BJP members," read the placards held by AIADMK members. As soon as the House met for the day, members from various parties, including TDP, Shiv Sena, TRS, YSR Congress, AIADMK and TMC started raising slogans on their respective issues, following which Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the proceedings for an hour. Most of the protesting members were in the Well before the Speaker took her chair to conduct the proceedings.

The opposition has been protesting over issues like the PNB scam since Monday when Parliament was reconvened after a month-long recess in the Budget session. The AIADMK, which has been protesting for last two days over demands for creation of Cauvery water management board, on Wednesday, raised the issue of statue vandalisation. The YSR Congress was demanding implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act. Mahajan took up the Question Hour but adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon soon after. She was visibly upset and left the House amid the din. A Lok Sabha official had to repeat loudly that the House has been adjourned.

When the House reassembled at noon, protesting members were already in the Well and Mahajan asked Adsul to speak. After the home minister's reply, the House was adjourned for the day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday strongly disapproved incidents of vandalism of statues that have been reported in various parts of the country

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday "strongly disapproved" incidents of vandalism of statues that have been reported from various parts of the country, and spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh about dealing with the perpetrators.

A statue of Vladimir Lenin was toppled in Tripura's Belonia town on Monday, following which a statue of Dravidian activist Periyar was vandalised on Tuesday. On Wednesday, a BJP office in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore was attacked and Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee's bust was vandalised in Kolkata's Kalighat.

Here's how various political parties and leaders have reacted to the incidents of vandalism:

H Raja, BJP national secretary



Tuesday's incident came hours after BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, H Raja, said that EV Ramasamy, commonly known as 'Periyar', would meet a fate similar to Lenin. Raja slammed Periyar in a post he put up on Facebook, which was later deleted. "Who is Lenin? What is his connection with India? What is the connection between Communism and India? Lenin's statue was broken down in Tripura. Today, it is Lenin's statue in Tripura. Tomorrow, it will be the caste zealot EV Ramasamy's (Periyar) statue in Tamil Nadu," he had written.

On Wednesday, Raja said the Facebook post was not written by him, but by an another administrator.

The post on my facebook page was done by one of the admins without my permission. As soon as I came to know about it, I deleted the post.We have to respond through statements and opinions not through violence. It is not correct to deface statue of Periyar: H Raja,BJP (file pic) pic.twitter.com/pIF2BzJqhm  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

I have removed that admin who posted the comment about #Periyar and have deleted the post. I totally condemn vandalizing statues and violence. I express heartfelt regret for my Facebook post: H Raja,BJP pic.twitter.com/e8FTPHUFEm  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

D Jayakumar, Tamil Nadu minister

Jayakumar said the state government "strongly condemned" Raja's comments. "This is the land of Periyar, MGR and Amma; we will not accept his views. If he (Raja) had not withdrawn his comments, we would have taken action," Jayakumar said.

We strongly condemn his comments. This is land of Periyar, MGR & Amma, we will not accept his views. If he had not withdrawn his comments, we would have taken action: #TamilNadu Minister D Jayakumar on BJP leader H Raja's comments on Periyar pic.twitter.com/mgiq0KscLP  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

Amit Shah, BJP president In a series of tweets, the BJP chief distanced the party away from the acts of vandalism, and said "severe" action will be taken against perpetrators found to be associated with the BJP.

As a party, we in the BJP believe that a wide range of ideas and ideologies can coexist in India. This is exactly how the makers of our Constitution envisioned our great nation to be. Indias diversity and the vibrant spirit of debate and discussion is what strengthens us.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 7, 2018

The recent issue on destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybodys statue.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 7, 2018

The recent issue on destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybodys statue.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 7, 2018

I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 7, 2018

Siddharth Nath Singh, BJP BJP's West Bengal in-charge Siddharth Nath Singh said that those guilty should be arrested immediately.

Syama Prasad Mukherjee is a patriot who laid his life for the nation. He is son of #WestBengal. Those guilty should be arrested immediately. CM Mamata Banerjee should punish those who vandalised his statue. We strongly condemn this incident: Sidharth Nath Singh, WB BJP In-charge pic.twitter.com/4lA9vr00nk  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, West Bengal minister

Chattopadhyay said six people have been arrested so far and that the government will repair the broken statue.

One incident of vandalism cannot be replied with another similar incident, we condemn both. We have arrested six people and we will repair it(SP Mukherjee's bust in Kalighat) as well: Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, West Bengal Minister pic.twitter.com/80hD8PDAay  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

Union Ministry of Home Affairs The Union Ministry of Home Affairs took "serious note" of these instances of vandalism and said the perpetrators will be dealt with according to the law. The official statement read: "Incidents of toppling of statutes have been reported from certain parts of the country. MHA has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism. The home minister has expressed his strong disproval of such incidents. MHA has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with, and booked under relevant provisions of law. Honourable prime minister also spoke to the home minister in this regard." Kamal Haasan, Makkal Needhi Maiam Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan said there is no need for police protection around the Periyar statue, as "we Tamilians" can protect it, adding that the incident is being used to divert attention from the Cauvery water-sharing issue. "If the government is serious, it should take criminal action against all involved in violence," he said.
The culture of intolerance shown in bringing down Lenin's statue is contrary to argumentative Indian tradition & tantamounts to society's Talibanisation.

The pulling down of Lenin's statues in Tripura is not just an attack on left ideology. It is an assault on the plurality of ideas and diversity of thought that has been a characteristic of Indian civilization. This is evident from the fact that a BJP leader in Tamil Nadu declared that Periyar's statues would face a similar fate.

The culture of intolerance goes contrary to the argumentative Indian tradition and tantamounts to Talibanisation of Indian society and polity. Left or Right, none have a right to derail constitutional values and rule of law by indulging in politics of violence and revenge.

While claiming that the BJP workers had nothing to do with the vandalism, the party spokespersons are seen busy defending the act on national television. The obvious defence of the saffron brigade is that such acts of revenge are a reaction to the political violence allegedly perpetuated by the Left in Tripura. But, how do we see the outbursts of Tamil Nadu BJP leader on none other than Periyar, the widely acclaimed social reformer and the pioneer of Dravidian movement?

"Lenin's statues were destroyed in Tripura, tomorrow, in Tamil Nadu, casteist Periyar's (EV Ramasamy or EVR) statues will be destroyed," BJP general secretary H Raja posted on his Facebook page. Raja subsequently deleted the post.

Several other party members, as vice-president of the BJP's youth wing SG Suryah, echoed Raja's remarks. He wrote in a tweet (now deleted): "BJP successfully completed the fall of Lenin in Tripura! Can't wait for the fall of EV Ramasamy statues in Tamil Nadu."

BJP spokesperson Narayanan Tirupathi told News18: "More than 99.9 percent of the people in Tamil Nadu are spiritual. EVRs statue carries the message that whoever worships God are barbarians, whoever preaches God are rascals and whosoever keep faith in God are fools. Hindu outfits have for long demanded the removal of these statues but this has not been done till date. Hence, H Rajas outburst. The words may have been harsh but the intention is keeping in mind the majority of the population."

Therefore, the wild threats to pull down Periyar's statues are not angry outbursts of an individual leader. It is an orchestrated campaign of the BJP pariwar.

If the alleged political violence by the CPM is the justification for the obnoxious behaviour of BJP activists in Tripura, how should one understand the comments to pull down the statues of Periyar, the man who fought against untouchability and caste oppression?

There were no incidents of any such political violence by the DMK or any other Dravidian groups on BJP or RSS activists in Tamil Nadu. Thus, the unprovoked statements by a number of BJP functionaries only indicate that the deplorable behaviour in Tripura has nothing to do with the political violence of the past and will not stop with Lenin only.

Such acts of vandalism reflect the extreme levels of intolerance and are contrary to the argumentative tradition embedded in the Indian civilizational values.

Conflicting philosophical thoughts thrived in this ancient land only enriching Indian philosophical tradition. Several great texts like Sarva-Darsana-Samgraha of Madhavacharya, document this glorious tradition of Indian culture.

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, defending pulling down of the statue of the communist icon, said that the late Russian leader was "a terrorist". Similarly, speaking on Republic TV, Shubrastha, a BJP strategist likened Lenin to Afzal Guru, an accused in the Parliament attack case. Such remarks by BJP leaders do not just reflect their antipathy towards communist ideology but demonstrate an utter lack of understanding of history.

Several leaders of the Indian freedom struggle got inspired by Lenin and his thoughts though they did not associate with the communist movement. "The devotion of such titans of spirit as Lenin to an Ideal must bear fruit. The nobility of his selflessness will be an example through centuries to come, and his Ideal will reach perfection," Mahatma Gandhi had said.

The All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) founded by Subhas Chandra Bose still remains a part of the Left Front. He was deeply influenced by the teachings of Lenin. Jayaprakash Narayan, who led the historic anti-Emergency struggle in which the previous incarnation of BJP, the Jan Sangh, was also part, said that he learnt lessons from Gandhiji and Lenin.

The BJP leaders, by calling Lenin a terrorist and comparing him with Afzal Guru, have only insulted the leaders of the Indian national movement.

Indian revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and Chandra Shekhar Azad believed in the teachings of Lenin. Dr Deol, the biographer of Bhagat, refers to the great Indian revolutionary studying the life of Lenin. Gopal Tagore, another biographer, retells that a few days before his death, when asked what was his last wish, Bhagat replied that he was studying the life of Lenin and wanted to finish it before his death.

In one of his letters written to his friend Joydeb, Bhagat requested him to send books like Civil War in France by Karl Marx and Left Wing Communism and Collapse of the Second International by Lenin. Incidentally, the British colonial rulers also described Bhagat and his associates as terrorists.

The iconic Left thinker has much wider acceptability across the political spectrum. This is evident from how West Bengal chief minister and the most bitter critic of CPM, Mamata Banerjee responded to the issue. She said, the kind of "divisive politics" that is vandalising Lenin's statue today, will soon target those of Gandhi, Bose and Swami Vivekananda.

Yet another justification given for such acts of defacement is that Lenin was a foreigner. Raja had further said,"Who is Lenin? What relevance he holds for India?"

Indians celebrated Britain installing the statue of Gandhiji in Parliament Square. Indians felt proud of it. Gandhiji is a foreigner to the British. Symbols of colonial rule still exist in our country. Should we also repudiate great inventions by scientists from abroad?

Defending the pulling down of the statue on the ground that Lenin is a foreigner goes against the Indian philosophical doctrine of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam".

Violence of any kind has no place in a democracy. Democratic societies thrive and advance on the basis of conflict of ideas. Indian Constitution itself borrows constructs from constitutions worldwide. Should we dismantle the Constitution for having these so-called foreign ideas?

Opposing any ideology is different from any physical assault on individuals who espouse it or symbols which reflects it. Such assaults are unacceptable in any civilized society.
Four more witnesses were on Wednesday declared hostile in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh alleged fake encounter case, taking the total number to 42.

Mumbai: Four more witnesses were on Wednesday declared hostile in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh alleged fake encounter case, taking the total number to 42.

So far, 59 witnesses have been examined, of whom 42 have been declared hostile by the prosecuting agency, the CBI.

None of the four witnesses examined by the agency before special court judge S J Sharma on Wednesday supported the statements they had recorded earlier.

Panch witnesses Sali Bharatbai Marathi and Maheshbhai Shah, both autorickshaw drivers, were present when the police at ATS office in Dafnala in Ahmedabad seized samples of traces of blood from a Maruti car, in which Sheikh was travelling at the time of the encounter, in November 2005.

Two other witnesses, loader Prashant Patel and stock market investor Mehul Shah, were present when Sheikh's clothes were seized by the police.

However, during their examination by CBI prosecutor B P Raju, all four witnesses did not stand by their earlier statements, following which they were declared hostile.

The court had October framed charges against 22 accused for murder, abduction and destruction of evidence under the Indian Penal Code and for offences under the Arms Act in connection with the alleged staged encounter of Sheikh near Gandhinagar on 26 November, 2005.

All the accused had pleaded innocence.

BJP chief Amit Shah, Rajasthan Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria, Rajasthan-based businessman Vimal Patni, former Gujarat police chief P C Pande, Additional Director General of Police (Gujarat) Geeta Johri and Gujarat police officers Abhay Chudasama and N K Amin have been discharged in the case.

Besides them, Yashpal Chudasama and Ajay Patel (both senior officials at Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank), Gujarat IPS officer Rajkumar Pandiyan and Andhra Pradesh-cadre IPS official N Balasubramanyam, Rajasthan IPS officer Dinesh M N and former senior Gujarat police officer D G Vanzara too were discharged.

Sheikh and his wife Kausar Bi were allegedly abducted by the Gujarat Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad from Hyderabad on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra in November 2005. According to prosecution, Sheikh was allegedly killed in a fake encounter.

Kausar Bi was also allegedly killed later.

Sheikh's aide Tulsi Prajapati, who was said to be a witness to the encounter, was allegedly killed by the police at Chapri village in Banaskantha district in December 2006.

The alleged fake encounter case was transferred to Mumbai in September 2012 on the request of the CBI for ensuring a fair trial. In 2013, the Supreme Court clubbed the Sheikh and Prajapati encounter cases.
Sri Lanka's Buddhists often accuse Muslims of desecrating the Buddhist structures and forcibly converting 'the Buddha's devotees' to Islam.

Sri Lanka has declared state of emergency for 10 days amid fears that 'anti-Muslim' attacks could increase in several central hill towns of the country. Reportedly, a spate of violence, aggression and systemic attacks on the Muslim minority has been on the rise in Sri Lanka for decades. But the situation has turned worse, as the government imposed a nationwide state of emergency on Tuesday after mob attacks against the minority group in a central district of Kandy.

In fact, the unrest in central Kandy began on Sunday when an angry mob of the majority Sinhalese ethnic group attacked dozens of the minority group's homes and even vandalised a mosque in Digana. Triggered by the killing of a Sinhalese Buddhist driver supposedly at the hands of a Muslim mob, the violence erupted in Kandy resulting in several racially-motivated incidents targeting Muslims, their houses, business and mosques. Nevertheless, many local sources have confirmed that it was an incident of road rage that led to a full-scale communal violence in Kandy.

Tellingly, the fresh attack comes just weeks after similar anti-Muslim riots broke out in Ampara where a Muslim restaurant was accused by locals of mixing sterilisation pills in the food, as Colombo Gazette reported.

Regrettably, the communal clash between Muslims and Buddhists in Sri Lanka is not an isolated incident. They have been at the loggerheads for decades due to a variety of ulterior religious and socio-political motives. But since 2012, the radical Buddhist groups have been targeting Muslims with a significant degree of regularity. In 2014, Muslims were systematically targeted by the Sinhalese Buddhists in south-western Sri Lanka, after a Buddhist monk was reportedly attacked by a Muslim group. The consequent riots displaced 8,000 Muslims and 2,000 Sinhalese Buddhists. Several mosques and Muslim shops have been vandalised.

Sri Lanka's Buddhists often accuse Muslims of desecrating the Buddhist structures and forcibly converting "the Buddha's devotees" to Islam. Part of the reason behind the communal clash in the region is the Muslim refugees from Myanmar entering the Buddhist-majority country. Many observers often cite the nationalist fervor of the majority Sinhalese Buddhists as the key to fanning the fire of this tension.

But in the latest clash, as the police states, it was not clear why the initial altercation occurred. "Only after the Buddhist driver's funeral on Monday, a Sinhalese mob attacked Muslim shops," the police said.

However, the unrest in Kandy has highlighted the vulnerability of the country which still tries to recover from the civil war. It has witnessed decades of aggression and human rights violations against the religious minorities. A look at the report submitted by the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights shows a gloomy past of the country where grave minority rights violations continue unabated.

Going by this report, at least 241 anti-Muslim attacks and 69 anti-Christian attacks occurred in Sri Lanka only between January and December in 2013. Fifty-one of the anti-Muslim incidents were violent, involving physical violence against individuals and destruction of their property. Surprisingly, at least 118 of these attacks were perpetrated by politicians. But more shocking is the finding that in almost all these anti-minority attacks, the police and law enforcement officers who were often present at the sites, failed to carry out their duties. They were silent onlookers while basic constitutional and human rights were brazenly violated. They were terribly complicit in limiting the religious freedom of the minority groups' victims. This is what has happened in the latest incident in Kandy.

On 14 February, 2013, it was perhaps the first time when an 'anti-Muslim' wave erupted in the Kandy area. A gang known as 'Keppattipola Parapuyra' in Kandy distributed 'anti-halal' handouts that stated: "You have full freedom to oppose the Halal process". The handout advised Sinhalese people not to consume certain products until the Halal logo is removed from its packaging.

Muslims along with Tamils  the minorities in Sri Lanka  form around 30 percent of the country's population. An earlier Firstpost article stated that after the defeat of the LTTE and marginalisation of the Tamils in the north, the Rajapaksas had overtly encouraged the Sinhala-Buddhists to target Muslims, and even Christians, in a bid to further polarise the country's electorate.

But surprisingly enough, the BBS has distanced itself from the fresh attack against Muslims in Sri Lanka. Speaking to News18, the chief of the BBS and a Buddhist monk Galagoda Aththe Jnanasara said, "The BBS has nothing to do with it. But we are certainly worried about the violence." However, he added that the "BBS advocates the one nation, one religion and one language theory" and that it was committed to Sinhala primacy in every aspect of the life and that "a Buddhist nation Sri Lanka should be run like a Buddhist nation".

However, Hafiz Ehsan Qadri, a leading Sunni Muslim cleric and president of the local Islamic group in Colombo, As-Sunnah Trust, gives a historical background for this unrest. He considers it an indirect result of increasing 'cultural disintegration' of the Wahhabi hardliners in Sri Lanka. Speaking to Firstpost, he recounted: "We have substantial evidence that traditionally Muslims in Sri Lanka were culture-friendly. It is recorded in an [Islamic] book that Sahaba (companions of the Prophet) came to Sri Lanka and they were not opposed to the local people or their cultural ethos. Even when Sufi saints came in Sri Lanka and built 360 mosques, they had no problem with other communities and there was no religious disharmony at all. Sufis actually mingled with everyone in Sri Lanka and did not reject anyone else. Thus, Muslims were very peaceful until lately when they concerned themselves with 'Arab concerns'."

Qadri says that many things have suddenly changed as result of roles played by the Wahhabi ulema. He asks: "Now, if you buy only 'halal' products in Colombo because of a certain logo promoted by these people, won't it worry the non-Muslims? They wonder why Muslims are now segregating themselves even when they go shopping."

The co-founder of the As-Sunnah Trust and a college teacher, Intikhab Zufer told Firstpost: "One of the many reasons for this inter-community tension is that when compared to Buddhists, Muslims in Sri Lanka are better off. They also receive huge wealth from the Gulf and other Arab nations. This is precisely why Muslim shops and businesses, rather than their lives, are particularly targeted by the extremist Buddhists."

He continues: "Now there are hardly normal banks for Muslims in Colombo. They choose to go for 'Islamic banking'. Similarly, they are going to shops only where the halal products are sold. Such things segregate them from others. This segregation of Muslims in Sri Lanka has worried the majority community which fears that Muslims will rule the roost in the future. As for the government in Sri Lanka, it is unlikely to overlook the atrocities being perpetrated against the Muslims, as a large section of the community has voted for it. The governments imposition of the curfew has been greatly welcomed in the Muslim community. Sri Lankan Muslim politician and state minister, MLAM Hizbullah says that he has discussed the issue with the high authorities, the police and the army. Even though mosques and Muslim houses have been targeted, the government will make sure that the no more damage is done."

In contrast to the Rohingya Muslims' persecution that human rights leaders called 'genocide', the anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka is not the handiwork of mainstream Buddhists or the government as in Myanmar. Even Buddhist monks in Myanmar defendedthe persecution of Muslims and supported the government, calling the Muslim minority a threat to the Buddhist community. But this does not seem the case in Sri Lanka. This is evident from the state of smergency for 10 days. More to the point, President Maithripala Sirisena has made a special statement on the communal clashes. He assured that the government is taking measures to establish political stability, peace among communities and reconciliation in the country. "Stern action would be taken against those who breach peace," he said.
Narendra Modi strongly condemned incidents of vandalism of statues in certain parts of the country and warned of stern action against those found guilty.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday strongly condemned incidents of vandalism of statues in certain parts of the country and warned of stern action against those found guilty.

The prime minister also spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the matter and expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents, according to an official statement. The prime minister has strongly condemned the reported incidents of vandalism in certain parts of country and said stern action will be taken against those found guilty, the statement said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has said it has taken serious note of such incidents and directed state governments to take strong action. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law, the ministry said.

In an advisory to all states and union territories, the Home Ministry said incidents of toppling of statues have been reported from certain parts of the country. "The MHA has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents," it said.

The ministry said the state governments were told that persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law. "Honourable Prime Minister has also spoken to the Home Minister in this regard," the advisory said.

The advisory did not specifically mention Tripura but sporadic violence and clashes have been reported between rival political groups in the state after election results were declared on Saturday.

A statue of Lenin was brought down at Belonia town in South Tripura on Monday with the help of a bulldozer after the BJP's victory in the Assembly elections in Tripura where a 25-year-long communist government was ousted. A statue of social reformer and founder of Dravidian movement E V Ramasamy 'Periyar' was also allegedly vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Vellore district last night.

On Tuesday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh called up Tripura governor Tathagata Roy and DGP AK Shukla and asked them to ensure peace and check violence till a new government is installed in the state.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba had also spoken to the DGP and asked them to take all possible steps to maintain law and order, check violence and restore peace and public order. The ministry said enough central and state forces were available at the disposal of the state government to tackle the situation.
Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao plans to launch a 'federal front'a non-Congress, non-BJP alternative at the national levelon the Telangana Rashtra Samiti's foundation day on 27 April.

Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao plans to launch a "federal front"a non-Congress, non-BJP alternative at the national levelon the Telangana Rashtra Samiti's foundation day on 27 April.

Rao over the weekend said he was keen to pro-actively engage himself in national politics to bring a "qualitative change", and was in talks with others to form a platform of like-minded parties.

"KCR (as the chief minister is popularly known in Telangana) is trying to launch the federal front on 27 April, the party's foundation day. He is trying to bring national leaders on that day," a senior TRS leader told PTI.

The launch event would "most likely" take place here, he said.

Sources in the TRS declined to comment, when asked if the party would reach out to the TDP, headed by Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the SP and the BSP to get them on board.

When contacted, TRS floor leader in the Lok Sabha, AP Jithender Reddy, rejected suggestions from some quarters that Chandrasekhar Rao's move is aimed at countering the Congress-anchored efforts to forge a broad anti-BJP front.

"How can that be? Everybody (all parties) can do. People are vexed up with the Congress as well as the BJP," Reddy said.

The TRS has claimed that several leaders, including West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, have extended support to Rao's proposal.
Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  Here in the Philippines, where catcalling is a daily occurrence, and where politicians still think its acceptable to make misogynistic jokes in public, sexism seems to be a norm that Filipinas still have to contend with today.

Despite being named as one of the most gender-equal countries in the world, the Philippines still has a long way to go in dismantling socialized gender roles. Tradition dictates that to be a babae is to be the ilaw ng tahanan; while the man is expected to provide for his family, the womans primary role is in the home. And while some may argue that Filipinas today have come a long way because they are now able to carve their own career paths, this doesnt change the fact that they are still expected to step into the role of homemaker after work hours. (Add the fact that when we say yaya, we imagine a woman and never a male nanny.)

For many Filipinos, this is the norm weve grown up with. However, what we do not understand is that these institutionalized expectations of women, plus all the value judgements we attach to them, lie at the root of our continued poverty.

The burden of motherhood

Because poverty is in essence a deprivation of our basic needs, this exclusion from resources often begins with the existence of inequality. For many Filipinas, this inequality begins with their identity as women, where the discourse at home and in school is governed by traditional myths and the powerful tool of shame.

Many young Filipinas, therefore, form incomplete and erroneous perceptions of their bodies, with the lack of proper discussions on sex and childbirth. Some problematic notions that still make their way among Filipinas are the beliefs that jumping after sex will prevent pregnancy, and that taking a bath during your period leads to infertility. Society, especially in the Philippines, also still holds the notion of virginity in high regard, and girls who are sexually deviant are labelled as immoral, and therefore to be excluded from respectable company.

These traditional gender roles also affect the future of young Filipinas with regards to their education. The stark difference is exemplified by this 2017 survey on out-of-school youth done by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). According to the survey, almost 60 percent of the girls who dropped out of school had to do so because of marriage or family matters. And for the boys who dropped out? The reason cited the most was a "lack of interest" in school (36.5 percent).

How then will young Filipina mothers rise above the poverty line if their chances at stable employment are endangered not only by the lack of a diploma, but also by the costs of child-rearing and other healthcare problems unique to women? And even greater than the threat of destitution is the threat to the young mothers life. For Filipinas impregnated before the age of 18, maternal mortality poses a greater risk than for their older counterparts.

The homemakers unpaid labor

For many Filipino families, the burden of parenthood is still viewed as a womans job. This ties into the concept of poverty because of womens position in our countrys capitalist system. For the system to function, workers  who form the backbone of our economy  have to be birthed and cared for. And who performs this duty, for free at home? Our women. Essentially, the hours Filipinas spend on housework constitute unpaid labor, saving employers a load of money, but keeping women in poverty.

It also doesnt help that 31 percent of working age women reported to the Department of Labor and Employment that family duties were preventing them from engaging in work. And if they do manage to find employment, they are offered unstable jobs in the informal sector, often contractual. A relatively large number of women in the informal sector are also household heads, and are the main source of income for their families.

Sexism does not end once a woman enters the workplace. According to a survey by the job search site Monster, Filipinas are asked about their plans to start their own families during job interviews, demonstrating that employers use this to decide whether to hire women or not. Many women also felt that they werent being offered promotions because of their gender, that their bosses used patronizing language or talked down to them, and that they were labelled negatively (e.g. bossy).

Beyond discrimination, the gender pay gap is apparently still a reality in our country. According to the 2017 World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report, wage equality in the Philippines has worsened compared to 2016, causing us to lose our footing by three spots in ranking.

Addressing both sexism and poverty

But like majority of deep-rooted societal issues, sexism and poverty exist not in a linear sequence but in a cycle. The existence of poverty likewise exacerbates sexism in the Philippines, as proven by statistics from the Philippine Commission on Women. If a woman comes from a poor household or with lower educational attainment, there is a higher possibility of her bearing more children than a wealthier, college-educated woman.

Likewise, poverty is also seen in the lack of access to education, including education on women's rights and gender equality. When the youth fail to receive proper gender education from their schools or mentors, harmful sexist stereotypes or perceptions continue to be inculcated. This includes textbooks that still label fathers' and mothers' roles in the household, as well as the persistence of local myths on womanhood and childbirth.

To therefore uplift the lives of Filipinas, sexism and poverty have to be simultaneously addressed, and we are fortunately seeing active efforts from the government. We have the Philippine Magna Carta of Women, in which our government acknowledges the need to abolish unequal structures that perpetuate inequality. We also have the Philippine Commission on Women, which is our government's primary policy-making and coordinating body for women's rights. They are responsible for ensuring that the rights of Filipinas are always included in national development plans, and for running pilot projects for women. Last year, the Senate also approved a bill granting a 120-day paid leave for expectant mothers.

However, there is still a need to strengthen the implementation of the law, including easier access to reproductive health services and stronger anti-sexual harassment campaigns. Also, programs have to be further cascaded into local institutions, so that Filipinas get direct services in their own barangays, such as legal and security services for victims of violence and livelihood programs for mothers.

Sexism and poverty exist not in a linear sequence but in a cycle. The existence of poverty exacerbates sexism in the Philippines, as proven by statistics from the Philippine Commission on Women.

The private sector can also do its part by recognizing the overall welfare of their female employees not only as workers but as human beings. This starts with demolishing and replacing sexist policies in the workplace with structures that ensure safety and equal opportunity for all genders.

Furthermore, companies should do well to be more sensitive towards the double shift of their female employees who also fulfill the role of homemaker after hours. Companies should take this into consideration when assessing employee performance, and should also take a more compassionate stance by ensuring proper work-life balance instead of maximizing workers' hours for profit.

And beyond recognizing the double shift, we also have to challenge this very assumption. More modern gender education has to be taught in our schools, to recognize the changing roles of men and women, and to free our girls from the idea that their careers are only possible because men allow them to work on top of their responsibilities at home. Today, we also see individuals coming together to challenge this status quo: by demanding men share in the burden of housework, by changing the gender ratio in high office, and by encouraging young girls who want to pursue careers in male-dominated fields.

So there is still hope for women in the Philippines; we just need to institutionalize it using the concerted efforts of all sectors. For if we are to realize a Philippines free from poverty and sexism, we have to not only help women get equal opportunities as men inside the system; we also have to change the system itself into one that is based on the foundation that all Juans and Juanas are created equal.
If India wishes to safeguard its status in South Asia and ascend globally to rival China, it is high time that it engages in active water diplomacy.

Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina's fresh assertion that India "must not worry" over increasing China-Bangladesh camaraderie at a three-day Bangladesh-India media dialogue in Dhaka in late February 2018 throws light yet again on India's equations with its neighbours as China  led by the ambitious Xi Jinping, whose presidency might get extended infinitely  deepens its presence in South Asia.

Citing the failure to signing a bilateral Teesta river water sharing agreement as the only point of dissatisfaction in India-Bangladeshi relations during her rule, Hasina has rapped India to have good relations with its neighbours, including Bangladesh.

The Teesta flows for 414 kilometres through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal, and the Bangladeshi division of Rangpur, before emptying into the Brahmaputra. She supports the livelihoods and survival of 30 million people. Perennial, rain-and-snow-fed, and with extremely variable flows throughout the year, the Teesta has been a bone of contention between two countries.

Indias unilateral dam building in the upper reaches of the Teesta combined with climate change effects has adversely affected the river's flow downstream, especially in the dry season, affecting thousands of farmers, fishermen and boatmen in both countries.

Bangladesh, the downstream riparian, has demanded a fair share of the Teesta waters in the dry season and minimum guaranteed flows throughout the year in the form of a treaty signed and ratified by both countries.

China is just four kilometres away from Tso Lamo, the Sikkimese lake from which the Teesta originates. Sikkim, the uppermost riparian of the Teesta, was an independent kingdom under the protection of India until 1975 when it merged into India as a state. It served as a buffer between Indias vulnerable Chickens Neck* and an assertive China.

With the merger of Sikkim, India lost the buffer but gained strategic territory and the uppermost reaches of the Teesta river basin. China is not a riparian of the Teesta, but its proximity to the Teesta river basin and its increasingly distorted equations with India against the backdrop of its increasing global assertiveness give it a unique leverage over the Teesta.

It is also one of the reasons why India should accelerate signing the Teesta treaty, especially before Bangladesh holds national elections at the end of this year.

Chinese influence in the Teesta river basin and South Asia

Chinas influence in South Asia is on a steady and strategic rise. Through initiatives such as (to name a few) the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with Pakistan, the Hambantota Port deal in July 2017 with Sri Lanka and multiple partnerships, including collaboration over the Maritime Silk Road with Maldives, China is swooping into South Asia, repeatedly undermining Indias influence and hegemony in its own neighbourhood.

On this background, Bangladeshs steadfast friendship is increasingly crucial to India. However, Bangladesh has not been able to resist Chinese economic strength and support. In November 2016, China and Bangladesh signed defence deals worth USD 25 billion, but less than a year later, Bangladesh hesitated to enter a defence purchase deal worth $500 million with India.

This is a telling indicator of China's growing hold on Bangladesh. In addition, since 2006, the two countries have also been cooperating on the Brahmaputra basin; China provides hydrological data on the Brahmaputra to Bangladesh for free, while India is required to pay for it.

India lags in establishing meaningful and comprehensive joint water cooperation on the Teesta and other transboundary rivers it shares with Bangladesh. This fact gives China an edge over India and can certainly dim, if not offset, India-Bangladeshi relations. China is increasing its investments in Bangladesh, and with the latters participation in the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, the possibility of China buying out Bangladeshi alliance in the foreseeable future cannot be ruled out.

Indias relationship with China totters on many fronts, but few are as visible as border disputes. The stare-down at the Bhutanese Doka La plateau near east Sikkim in 2017 was peppered with aggressive rhetoric from both sides; at one point, Chinese state-controlled media called upon Chinese citizens to support a pro-independence movement in Sikkim.

However, this thread of rhetoric did not gather steam and two months later, the tension ended  temporarily  with both countries pulling back their troops. However, Doka La is simmering again. While it is neither the first nor the last flashpoint on the 4000 kilometre-long China-Indian border, its geopolitical importance to India must extend beyond its proximity to the Chickens Neck and to the fact that it is located so close to the Teesta river basin, a resource that is at once vital and disputed.

China is known to wield hydro-hegemony much more effectively than India, and it will not forsake the chance to use or manipulate the Teesta issue in deepening its footprint in South Asia.

Water cooperation, an innovative diplomatic tool

India might be the South Asian hydro-hegemon and the upper riparian on the Teesta, but it cannot sustain classic upper riparian dominance for long. India needs Bangladesh as much as, if not more than, Bangladesh needs India. Under an increasingly powerful Chinese gaze, India must do what it can to maintain its stronghold and expand its soft power in South Asia.

Indias democracy, secularism and non-expansionist image can come to its rescue. Ian Bremmer, American political scientist and foreign policy expert, characterises Chinese influence as a Beijing consensus which is not multilateral but rather hub and spoke; its a whole bunch of smaller countries that arent serving a common ideology or worldview. They are instead becoming increasingly reliant on, and supplicants to, Beijing."

While most South Asian countries are aware of this fact, they hesitate in turning to India as a viable contender to China due to Chinas economic and technological superiority. Further, China has recently been hailed as the only country... with a clear geostrategic vision, while India continues to struggle with the non-aggressive, pacifist identity it has conventionally propagated at the global level and the formidable world power it aspires to be. This dearth of clarity also contributes to its neighbours' confusion and consequent hesitation.

As a country that aspires to be a global power, India needs to build a clear vision of what it wants to be in the eyes of South Asia and the rest of the world. It can fashion water into an effective diplomacy tool which is non-autocratic and non-aggressive, but at the same time, conducive to Indias natural hegemony by vesting India with soft power.

Comprehensive water cooperation yields multi-faceted benefits for all riparians which extend to inclusive economic development, climate change resilience, improved bilateral relations, and greater cultural bonding. By taking a lead in diffusing these benefits in its neighbourhood, India can go a long way in expanding its socio-economic and political influence in a manner that is both subtle and more permeating than can be achieved with conventional hard power.

A stable, climate resilient, economically sound and politically friendly South Asia is in India's interest; track-one diplomacy and conventional economic and military hegemony have often failed or yielded limited results, hence the innovative use of water as a diplomatic tool is worth a shot.

Bangladesh's geostrategic location for connecting India to its North East and South East Asia, support in fighting South Asian terrorism, shared cultural linkages and developmental challenges with India, and steadfast friendship are excellent reasons why India should take the initiative in establishing meaningful transboundary water cooperation with Bangladesh. And what better to start with than the Teesta?

The Teesta is the fourth-largest but only one among 54 transboundary rivers flowing from India to Bangladesh. While the India-Bangladeshi Joint Rivers Commission is already functioning and the two countries have been cooperating over the Ganga River for more than two decades, neither of the two can be deemed as holistic and effective.

The Teesta could be a good start  to revamp the JRC and turn it into an effective River Basin Agency embracing all the developmental, environmental and cultural aspects of shared water resources, to extend water cooperation to all 54 rivers, and to transform the bilateral initiative to a multilateral mechanism involving Nepal, Bhutan and even China.

India must seriously reconsider the traditional viewpoint it has had towards transboundary water resources. In water lies the opportunity to generate and wield soft power while collaborating to enable equitable and sustainable development. It can help India establish a regional hegemony which is more acceptable to its neighbours and capable of resisting Chinese dominance while accruing all-round and sustainable development for its people.

If India wishes to safeguard its status in South Asia and ascend globally to rival China, it is high time that it engages in active transboundary water diplomacy. The Teesta can be a good, fresh start.

The author is a trans-boundary water conflicts researcher. She has recently worked on water conflicts in the Teesta River basin.
Illustrator Kaveri Gopalakrishnan is one of the 12 artists whose work has been featured on today's Google Doodle which marks International Women's Day 2018

The first observance of International Women's Day was held in February 1909 in New York. The event has since then metamorphosed into an important celebration of women's achievements while still being a reminder of the struggle and challenges ahead.

As most of us must have already realised, the Google Doodle for 8 March celebrates International Women's Day 2018 with an anthology of visual narratives. Twelve artists from 12 different countries bring forth unheard stories of womanhood and women in their lives. Kaveri Gopalakrishnan, an independent comics maker and illustrator from Bengaluru is one of the artists whose work has been featured in the Women's Day 2018 Google Doodle.

Her work is a comic about a young girl who reads books on her rooftop, becoming feather-ier with every page and takes flight. Kaveri tells Firstpost that the rooftop was her hideout where she would laze about with a summer drink and of course, a big pile of books. She describes her work as "shots from an animated film that are multi-sensorial". When she is drawing, she likes to feel the temperature, touch and bring back physical memories, which sometimes, come through on paper. She opens up on the thought process behind her Google Doodle, her influences and what womanhood means to her and her art. Excerpts:

How was your Google Doodle conceived?

Ive been wanting to make more stories based on things I felt as a child, and perhaps carry with me today. When the Google team sent in the brief for Growth, I had an immediate picture of a small creature growing into a large, strong and mysterious being after feeding off books. My earlier drawings have literal books being chomped on while the characters feathers sprouted in excitement!

Ive been drawing this memory over and over again over the past year, because the roof was my favourite place to hide away as a child, in the hot Madras summer, when I was really shy and constantly scared of the world and surrounded myself with all my books and cold Tang and just wanted summer to never end. Reading makes me feel comfortable with myself and my emotions, and excited about discovering new worlds and people in my own nest.

What is your earliest memory of drawing/doodling?

My earliest memories of drawing was during playtime with my friends, about 5 years old maybe? Id insist that we all sit down for drawing time, and wed fill up so many sketchbooks with all kinds of made-up animal/human characters and dramatic conversations that they would all have together. I still have these books, and these friends, and its one of my favourite memories from childhood.

How central is womanhood to your art? Would you imagine your art devoid of it?

I have never seen womanhood as central to my art. I feel divorced from my gender on some days (and conflicted that its a privilege to say so!) Honestly, I feel very strongly about public spaces being safe for women and that comes from my own experience which is personal. As I said earlier, I just want to be a good storyteller while staying personal and relatable in my approach, and get better at learning how to do so, to anyone who comes across content that I create.

Whose literary works has influenced you and in what ways?

There are so many! Books that have taken me to other worlds or felt multi-sensorial, probably. I think off the top of my head, and in random order: The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton, a lot of the translated Katha Inner Courtyard stories, select poems by Ted Hughes/WH Auden, the graphic novel version of The Fountain, Lord of the Rings and just a few years ago it was the Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula LeGuin.

I usually have about 2-3 books on hand to alternate between. Im currently reading mostly POC fiction and autobiographical content: A bit afraid of falling into the danger of a single story as Chinua Achebe says.

Your 'New Age Wisdom Etc' series received a greater response than your other artwork. What do you think makes it different?

At the time (a few years ago), this series suddenly got a fair bit of response. I feel like it connected with some people, as it was personal or rather private. It was about small or seemingly unimportant moments of spending time with yourself and appreciating things that pass in a flash; rain breaking during a power cut, the awe of being around a large, ancient tree. The title of the series is also breezy as I didnt want to advise anyone on how to lead their life.

On Women's Day, is there anything about women artists that you'd want people to view differently?

I just want good art to be seen as good art, and comics to be written well, and gender to be a subtext and not the sole context. This is the ideal that we should and can push for.
Hindu belief is a particularly contentious topic today, but Devdutt Pattanaik has navigated his way skilfully through this minefield, annoying neither the liberal Left, nor the hot-headed Right | #FirstCulture

Devdutt Pattanaik describes himself as a mythologist, writing and speaking extensively on Hindu mythology and trying to relate it to contemporary life. He may be largely regarded as having the same cultural agenda as Amish Tripathi  helping glorify Indias past in the eyes of Hindus  although he tackles the issue at a much higher intellectual level and is truly well-informed on the most esoteric aspects of myth. While Tripathi appeals to younger people at junctures when they have to wait for a flight or between appointments, Pattanaik is consulted by the likes of Shashi Tharoor when they need to make a case for Hinduism. Hindu belief is a particularly contentious topic today, but Pattanaik has navigated his way skilfully through this minefield, annoying neither the liberal Left, nor the hot-headed Right wing. His method is to not stick to the essay as a form but to also employ tables, diagrams and comic-book style illustrations; his writing is akin to a PowerPoint presentation, which is reader-friendly.

A PowerPoint presentation has evident advantages when it comes to communication, but does not allow for rigour. This strategy is not quite suitable for the pursuit of an argument in the manner of the essay. Rather than inquiry, therefore, Pattanaiks books have the appearance of self-assured pronouncements on issues already ruminated upon. The absence of footnotes means that one has to take the writers assertions on trust, but Pattanaiks erudition is generally convincing. Hinduism is a religion that favours the inward gaze rather than the outward one, and the fact that its goal is self-improvement makes Pattanaiks managerial approach useful: Management is also directed towards improving efficiency in all kinds of activity and applying its strategies to one's own life seems like the next logical step. What better way to show Hinduism's pertinence than to relate its teachings to managerial experience and know-how? The limitations of this method become conspicuous only when one looks at his writing through the prism of societal change.

Devdutt Pattanaik has been exceptionally prolific and it would be impossible to do complete justice to his books in an essay of this length. I have therefore considered only three works: Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (Penguin, 2010), My Gita (Rupa, 2015) and The Leadership Sutra: An Indian Approach to Power (Aleph, 2016), looking only at the ideas in them and their pertinence to Indian society. Religion as self-improvement is acceptable, but what it means to society has evidently gained more importance in todays context and it is increasingly difficult to elude the outward gaze. A few key ideas recur in all three books and my attention will be entirely directed towards them.

The first idea of importance has to do with right and wrong actions: Actions that yield positive results are punya; in narratives they take the shape of boons. Actions that yield negative results are paap; they take the form of curses. Punya is spiritual merit that generates fortune and paap is spiritual demerit that generates misfortune. The concept of paap and punya is meant to explain why bad and good things happen in the world. I find it significant that the word dharma is not in copious evidence in Pattanaiks writing, because the notion would imply a social ethic which goes beyond self-improvement.

What Pattanaik is doing in the above passage  and repeating time and again  is to reduce social ethics to the personal benefits to be gained from them rather than see them as something that binds society together as a whole. We are also stuck in a quandary: if good actions are simply those which help accumulate punya we need to know why they are good, that is, the purposes they serve in society need to be defined. Acts can be labelled right and wrong acts only in social contexts. This being the case, how are we to decide upon our conduct in specific circumstances?

Pattanaik casually describes cruelty as paap but does not pay enough attention to dharma as an ethical notion. He notes that on the subject of the Mahabharata, 20th century scholars tried to make rational sense of its moral ambiguity, but he does not question whether the moral ambiguity could have arisen because of the complexity of dharma as a social ethic, since it is contextual. Conduct which is correct for a person of one station may not be right for another of a different station; what is right for a butcher would not be right for a Brahmin. Other writers (like Gurcharan Das) have based their exploration of the Mahabharata on the notion of dharma, but Pattanaik with self-improvement as his only objective, declines to address the issue. He sticks doggedly to the benefits to be derived by individuals from the right kind of conduct.

Also read  On Amish Tripathi's attempt to connect India's past, present, and the Brahminism of his Ram Chandra series

The second idea of importance in Pattanaiks books pertains to the notion of karma that is intimately tied to the belief in rebirth. At a metaphysical level, rebirth helps us explain the inexplicable, and replace conflict with acceptance and peace. Why are some people born into rich families and some into poor families, some to loving parents and some to cruel parents, some with talent and some without? Who is to be blamed? Here again it is the psychological benefit of the notion that engages Pattanaik. As may be expected, the notion eventually gets on to sticky ground when the caste system becomes implicated: But when one delves deeper (into caste), one notices something very significant. The sages who discussed the caste system were also firm believers in rebirth. Studying caste in isolation, without considering rebirth, creates a myopic understanding of the subject A newborn then is an old soul wrapped in a new flesh, its caste being determined by karmic baggage. In the absence of the rebirth lens, the caste system gives unfair advantages to one set of children over another. For believers of the one-life paradigm, all children are born equal, either in sin (if one believes in the fall from Eden) or with genetic differences (if one believes in science). Appreciating this difference is critical. The basic building block on which Pattanaiks argument is constructed is belief in the all-knowing sages of old and the acceptance of their wisdom as superior to the wisdom of the founders of other religions. If one inverts the argument and proposes that rebirth as a notion was invented to perpetuate hierarchy, Pattanaik gets into serious trouble, and I believe there are other assertions made by him which conflict with it, pointing to rebirth being an untenable proposition.

Even while upholding karma as the principle governing human existence and individual destinies, Pattanaik tries to accommodate social change as a constituent element: Ambas tale draws attention to the gradual deterioration in the status of women in Vedic society. Unlike Urvashi, Ganga and Satyavati who could make demands of the men who sought to marry them, Amba and her sisters were chattelsto be claimed as trophies in tournaments. Iravati Karves collection of essays, Yuganta, elaborates on the changing times reflected in the epic. Social explanations sit uncomfortably in Pattanaiks books. If the life of every individual is determined entirely by his/her action in his/her past life, what are social factors which bring about change in attitudes and how would they be accommodated? Elsewhere Pattanaik talks about Ekalavyas story being indicative of social prejudice but would not the experience of such prejudice (as well as its exhibition) be the consequence of a past life? Another instance is Karna being described in terms of his merit and effort, notions which cannot have value if one believes that what one is owes to ones past life. Torn between laissez-faire convictions and a belief in karma, Pattanaik is apparently explaining the caste system away as a meritocracy! Only the merit accumulated over several lives takes one to its summit.

Pattanaik works as Chief Belief Officer and his ideas are evidently grounded in belief: What the world is depends on the beliefs of its numerous inhabitants taken collectively, is the apparent approach his writing takes. Since mythology is the backbone of individual belief, studying it helps understand the world. But the issue here is whether beliefs themselves are not constructed socially since different societies foster different beliefs, and if the anthropological approach to myth  of which Pattanaik seems oblivious  would not be more appropriate to social engineering. Mythology does not pertain only to the ancient past. Myths have been constructed even after the Independence era around the freedom struggle, figures like Gandhi and Ambedkar, which are contrary to known fact. As Roland Barthes puts it, myth gives eternal justification to the exigencies of the historical moment, and these myths around history helped the young nation-state define itself as a liberal democracy. Returning to Hindu belief, if it was necessary to preserve the social hierarchy and give it stability, configuring it as a timeless truth  the karmic doctrine would reduce resistance to hierarchical society, making it palatable.

Grounding everything in belief is a problematic approach, because while beliefs are culturally learnt, there are aspects of humankind which are not culture-driven: The psychoanalyst Freud proposed the theory of the Oedipus complex based on Greek myths to explain the human need to compete with the father for the mothers affections. The son always triumphs over the father and is consequently consumed by guilt. Indian psychoanalysts believe that this concept is inadequate in the Indian context, where the tendency is for the son to submit to the father and be revered for it. They have proposed the theory of the Yayati complex instead where the father demands and secures a sacrifice from the son. The Oedipus complex uses Greek mythology only as a metaphor and Freud tried to show that it was universal. It refers to a child's unconscious desire for the opposite-sex parent, thought of as a necessary stage of psychosexual development. I am not sure about the Yayati complex or Indian psychoanalytical theory, since Pattanaik does not provide references but competing for the mothers affection is not identical to desiring her sexually, which is what the Oedipus complex is about.

Pattanaiks HRD-driven approach with self-improvement as the agenda consistently sidesteps what seems to me to be the most interesting aspects of mythology, which would be better presented by someone with a background in anthropology. Take for example how the presents the institution of marriage: In Vedic times, men were allowed to marry women who belonged to their station in life or to those who belonged to lower stations. Yayatis marriage to Devayani is a departure; she is the daughter of a priest, and hence, of higher station. This was a pratiloma marriageinappropriate according to the scriptures. Although the debate is far from settled, recently accessed DNA data suggests migration into India during the Bronze Age (circa 3000 - 1500BCE) with the infusion of genes into the male lineage, lending support to the Aryan influx theory. If the migrants were predominantly male (as is suggested), and the Aryans were regarded as superior, the rule prohibiting men from marrying women of higher station might be explained.

Devdutt Pattanaik, unlike many other popular writers, has an enormous readership among the well-educated, but this could be worrisome. If one were to name the single predominant blemish in his approach, it is its indifference to sociological speculation because of its emphasis on self-improvement. All his arguments are directed towards where mythology and belief take us in our lives, and he hardly speculates on how Indian society as a whole developed. To regard society as a mere collection of atomised individuals with individual desires/beliefs is untenable; that there are independent social forces at work (like class interest) is a truism. The popularity of his approach suggests a grave self-absorption among the intelligentsia: less interest in social engineering than in personal advantage. Knowing mythology, it would seem, only helps one navigate ones way to success.

MK Raghavendra is a film scholar and author of seven books including The Oxford India Short Introduction to Bollywood (2016)
Losing their bastion of Tripura is a setback for the Communist Party of India (Marxist), but the larger humiliation lies in being routed by a BJP-led Right-wing alliance

Agartala: Losing their bastion of Tripura is a setback for the Communist Party of India (Marxist), but the larger humiliation lies in being routed by a BJP-led Right-wing alliance. And the demolition of a Vladimir Lenin statue in a south Tripura town, allegedly by supporters of the winning coalition party, has left the CPM fuming, as it has undermined decades of their political hegemony in the northeastern state.

Citizens of the state weren't expecting a peaceful situation following the Assembly election results on 3 March, as post-poll violence has been a common political phenomenon in the state. But the current hostility and unrest witnessed across different constituencies has changed the narrative of political vendetta in Tripura.

Razing down the 15-foot fibre statue of Russian revolutionary Lenin at College Square in southern Tripura's Belonia town, barely 100 metres from the office of the superintendent of police, exhibited how irate mobs are going berserk against political opponents.

SP (control room) Pradip Dey, said that incidents of skirmishes were reported from some parts of the state on Monday, but additional staff were deployed on Tuesday to rein in the situation.

District magistrate of West Tripura district, Dr Milind Ramteke, has ordered imposition of Section 144 (Criminal Procedure Code) upon request from the West Tripura superintendent of police across 13 police stations in the district, between 8 pm and 6 am.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday called upon the state DGP AK Shukla and Governor Tathagata Roy to take all steps to maintain law and order until the new government takes charge.

Dey informed that the driver of the excavator seen razing down the Lenin statue in a widely circulated video has been arrested and investigations were on. Reports, however, claimed he was set free, as the offence was not non-bailable.

"The statue of Lenin at Belonia was built three years ago. The Belonia Municipal Council funded the installation," said Pabitra Kar, CPM leader and deputy speaker of state Assembly.

However, nobody from the Belonia Municipal Council was ready to throw additional light on how was the statue went from sanction to installation.

The 74th Amendment to the Indian Constitution, also known as 'Nagarpalika Act', entrusts urban local bodies with 18 tasks in their functional domain. Beautification projects involving erection of statues of political personalities do not figure among these tasks, which are chiefly aimed at maintenance and provision of services.

Resurgence of ABVP

Belonia, or south Tripura as a whole, was a stronghold of the CPM for decades under the stewardship of Badal Choudhury. In the recent elections, CPM won three out of four seats in Belonia sub-division, failing only in the town constituency. However, it lost all seats in the neighbouring Santirbazar and Sabroom sub-divisions.

The elections have proven to be a huge blow to the CPM. Apart from facing post-poll violence, the party is also losing institutions like college councils, with most of their office bearers switching over to RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

"After (BJP's) massive victory, our supporters are now able to open branches in education institutions, which was unofficially barred for the last 25 years. Students are switching sides without fear," ABVP leader Vicky Prasad claimed.

But violence, attacks, arson, targeted assault and forceful seizure of offices over the past three days, which culminated in the toppling of Lenin's statue, are glaring examples of the disruptive attitude that plagues the saffron party, which is promising a "new India".

CPM offices captured

"There can be no doubt that the police failed to discharge its duty to check the incident," Kar alleged.

But it was a spontaneous assembly of crowds in various parts of the state, including in Belonia, that left the police and security forces puzzled, said a retired police officer, seeking anonymity. "This happens in a riot situation," he added.

The retired cop, however, admired the police and the administration for containing the situation. "Deployment of paramilitary forces, round the clock patrol, arresting hooligans and surveillance through gadgets are measures taken for maintaining law and order," informed Dey.

CPM conceded "reduction of violence", but complained of capture of offices of the party and its frontal organisations. Listing out the incidents since election results were declared, state CPM secretary Bijan Dhar said, "In all, 514 workers and supporters have been attacked, 1,539 houses have been raided and 196 houses burnt in these incidents."

Dhar added that 64 party offices were either demolished or burnt, while 208 offices of the party and its affiliated organisations have been forcefully occupied by the BJP.

The CPM complained that numerous shops were reduced to rubble by frenzied mobs in attacks backed by "top leaders of BJP". It also alleged many incidents of attacks on transport union workers, although the police did not confirm the allegation.

Meanwhile, the BJP has alleged a CPM-led conspiracy. Denying any connection with the incidents, BJP vice-president Subal Bhowmik claimed that 49 BJP supporters were injured in attacks by CPM cadre. Bhowmik said 17 of those injured are in hospitals, while one critically injured person has been shifted to a private hospital in Kolkata.

"Nobody is occupying any CPM office. Rather, motor syndicate offices, set up with government funds, are being rescued by common labourers," said BJP spokesperson Mrinal Kanti Deb. "CPM activists are actually being termed BJP supporters, while they indulge in disturbing law and order in every corner of the state. Our party members are also being attacked by unknown persons. This is a traditional CPM-led conspiracy."

The author is a freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters

Follow Tripura violence LIVE updates here
The BJP's near-impossible task of finding traction with the people of Tamil Nadu could only be done within the framework of Dravidian politics

The destruction of a Vladimir Lenin statue in Tripura, allegedly by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers following the party's landslide victory in the state, didn't evoke much outrage in other parts of the country, except from the CPM and Left circles, but carrying the same misplaced triumphalism to Tamil Nadu to target Dravidian icon EV Ramasamy, commonly known as 'Periyar', is like playing with fire.

Lenin is not an Indian national or an icon of a native ideology, but the face of a imported political system that has miserably failed across the world. Bringing down his statues has been symptomatic of a global anti-communist sentiment triggered by the fall of the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc. In comparison, Periyar is an eternal socio-political sentiment of Tamilians that symbolises their self-respect and resistance to any form of suzerainty; the embodiment of Dravidian ideology that inspires people from not only Tamil Nadu, but across all the southern states. Particularly when it comes to resisting the "hegemony of north India".

Although his iconoclastic political ideology, rebellious nature, and pathbreaking ideas on vital issues ranging from religious faith to women's rights  which appear radical even by today's standards  have been diluted by his followers in their pursuit of parliamentary democracy, as an icon, he is owned by everyone. In Tamil Nadu, it's impossible to dabble in politics without evoking his memories  be it Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi or the latest entrant Kamal Haasan  because Periyar was the quintessential rebel who taught them self-respect and sowed the seeds of a new political thought that made national parties irrelevant in the state.

The fall of the Lenin statue in Tripura may be construed as a result of reckless mob-frenzy aimed at intimidating the CPM, but following it up with a threat to the statues of Periyar smacks of a design, however premature it may be, because both icons had their rejection of fascist ideologies in common.

If the European fascists considered the communists their principal enemy, their Indian counterparts may have similar reasons to dislike Periyar, because he believed that faith and faith-based discrimination was fundamental to all forms of inequality. He was against Hinduism because he believed that it inherently fostered social discrimination. He asked people to reject God, respect themselves and believe only in humanity. He also asked them to be rational and believe in science. And more importantly, he burned the Manusmriti and Periyapuranam (a sacred text of Saivites), broke Hindu idols and stood up for women's rights that incidentally also conflicted with faith-based social norms.

So, the annoyance of H Raja, the BJP leader from Tamil Nadu who wanted to bring down Periyar's statues, is not without motive, but going public with it betrays the BJP's proclivity to electoral triumphalism manifesting as socio-political immaturity.

As a Tamilian, if he had any idea of the depth of Periyar's ideology and the influence it has on Tamil Nadu's regional nationalism, he wouldn't even have brooked the thought  because it's suicidal to do so. The BJP's near-impossible task of finding traction with the people of Tamil Nadu could only be done within the framework of Dravidian politics.

The "spiritual politics" of Rajinikanth, which he later clarified as "honest and secular", or proxy ideas to promote Hindutva, will not work in Tamil Nadu because its regional nationalism is stronger than the Hindu nationalism. And Periyar was the founding father of this nationalism. Thanks to him, for most Tamilians, their socio-cultural identity and self-respect come first.

Therefore, it was not surprising that all Tamil political leaders spoke in one voice against Raja's statement, with MK Stalin even demanding his incarceration under the 'Goonda Act'. Probably, the BJP or Raja may have been testing the waters for a different type of polarisation (people with religious beliefs versus those without; Arun Shourie had once made a feeble attempt at pitting Periyar against Kerala reformer Narayana Guru in his Worshipping False Gods on the grounds of belief), but clearly it failed and it will continue to fail because Periyar was also a man who rationally contested Gandhi's thoughts on Hinduism, rejected Ambedkar's call for conversion to escape the perils of caste, and even shunned his initial fascination for Communism because in India, caste was more important than class.

Probably, Raja's ill-informed enthusiasm is a blessing in disguise because Periyar's thoughts and methodology cannot be more relevant than they are today. While his socio-political thought emerged from uncompromisable ideas of equality and self-respect, his style of propagating it was unequivocal and untiring. An average of 250 blunt, provocative, and sometimes even raw, speeches in a year and prolific writing that were aimed simultaneously to educate, emancipate and mobilise people is unavoidable as a political practice if one is looking for breakthroughs. His careerist political followers may have compromised on the essence of his rational eradication of caste-based discrimination, but whenever they are in trouble, they fall back on his philosophy, even as a short-cut to regain their ideological legitimacy.

As political historian K Kannan notes in Anna, his biography of CN Annadurai, the first chief minister of Tami Nadu and the most famous disciple of Periyar, "his work covered almost the entire gamut of human asymmetry".

For instance, his clarity on women's equality a century ago is an astonishing testimony to his fundamental belief in equality. As Kannan summarises in his book, "EVR said the concept of chastity applied to bother sexes: Women needed to be independent and not to bear children. They should hold 50 percent of the jobs. As early as 1926, his self respect marriages without priests or ceremony, sanctioned divorce and property rights for women. He married off his young widow niece in 1909 against much opposition. He saw nuptials as interim and sought to end the institution of marriage for the true liberalism of women."

The razing down of the Lenin's statue might soon fade from public memory as an instance of political vandalism, but using it as an opportunity to revile Periyar will backfire and resurrect his legend.

Follow LIVE updates on the incidents here
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday strongly condemned the vandalism of statues of Lenin, Periyar and BR Ambedkar and warned of stern action against those found guilty.

The war of ideological icons peaked on Wednesday, with reports of statues being defiled filtered in from various parts of the country. Latest in series was a BR Ambedkar statue which was demolished by "unknown miscreants" in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut district, the authorities said, as they assured a swift probe and restoration of the Dalit icon's statue. Firstpost compiled the developments on the issue so far:

Incidents of vandalism report from different parts of country

Initially, the felling of two statues of communist ideologue Vladimir Lenin in Tripura, allegedly by celebrating BJP workers, had opened a can of worms in the war of political ideologies. A five-foot high fibre glass statue of Lenin was toppled at Belonia on Monday, while a smaller figure was razed at Sabroom on Sunday. However, both incidents gathered attention on Tuesday.

Then, apparently, inspired by the Tripura incident, a BJP youth-wing leader in Tamil Nadu and party's national secretary H Raja took to social media on Tuesday and posted derogatory posts about Dravidian movement icon Periyar EV Ramasamy suggesting that his statues and busts will suffer the same fate.

Subsequently, late on Tuesday night it was reported that a Periyar statue was smashed with a hammer by two men, one of whom was a BJP worker. The police has arrested two people in the incident.

Besides, a Syama Prasad Mookerjee statue in West Bengal's Kolkata too was smashed as retaliatory action, but seven Jadavpur University students were arrested immediately after the incident. Mukerjee was the founder of Jana Sangh that was the precursor of the Bharatiya Janata Party. A petrol bomb was also hurled at BJP's Coimbatore office in retaliation of the party leaders' statements against Periyar.

Narendra Modi , Amit Shah condemn attacks on statues

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday strongly condemned the vandalism of statues in many states and warned of stern action against those found guilty. Meanwhile, BJP president Amit Shah also termed the desecration of communist icon Lenin's statues in Tripura and Periyar's statue in Tamil Nadu "extremely unfortunate" as he warned party workers of stern action.

The recent issue on destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybodys statue.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 7, 2018

"The recent issue on destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybody's statue. I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party," he said.

Home ministry issues advisory to states, wants stern action, preventive measure to maintain law and order

Taking a serious view of the desecration of statues, the home ministry issued two advisories within one day, asking states to hold district magistrates and superintendents of police "personally responsible" for such incidents of vandalism. The MHA in its earlier advisory had told all states and Union Territories that incidents of toppling and damaging of statues must be checked immediately and stern action should be taken to prevent such incidents.

Dravidian parties protest in Chennai

Angered DMK workers took to streets in Chennai and burned effigies of Raja. The party MLAs were seen protesting at various spots including Anna Salai and RK Nagar. Politician-turned-actor Kamal Hassan, said, "These recorded views on Periyar are very low and punishable by law, according to legal experts. Periyar statues don't require protection, the Tamils will protect them. Those who speak scandalously about Periyar should be the ones given security because they'll need it. We can't accept these expressions of regret."

Several AIADMK MLAs including Thamimun Ansari, Karunas and U Thaniyarasu have issued a joint statement demanding H Raja's arrest under the National Security Act, while MDMK chief Vaiko questioned why BJP top leadership did not take action against Raja.

BJP sacks worker who defaced Periyar statue but no action against Raja

Shah said the party will not take action against Raja, who is facing flak for his controversial remarks on Periyar. Facing backlash, Raja deleted the post said that it was posted by his social media manager without his knowledge or consent. He tendered an apology while claiming he has sacked the person responsible for the incident. "Views should be confronted by views only and not by violence. I have no intentions of hurting anybody. Therefore, if anybody felt hurt by that post, I express my heartfelt regret," he said.

Opposition flays BJP in Parliament

Opposition parties condemned the "shameful" incidents of damage to statues, and hit out at the BJP, alleging that its members were becoming "intolerant" and were "insulting" the people, especially the poor. While Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge condemned insult of rationalist icons, TMC leader Derek OBrien dubbed the incidents an "absolute shame" and "third class". CPI leader D Raja said Periyar was not just a great leader of Tamil Nadu but a global leader. He was the founder of self-respect and rationalist movement and fought against the caste system.

With inputs from agencies
There is a 'strong federal force' emerging from Parliament, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said on Wednesday, after opposition parties and some constituents of the ruling coalition mounted a united protest in both Houses over issues such as vandalisation of statues and banking fraud.

New Delhi: There is a "strong federal force" emerging from Parliament, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said on Wednesday, after Opposition parties and some constituents of the ruling coalition mounted a united protest in both Houses over issues such as vandalisation of statues and banking fraud.

Proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were washed out for the third straight day on Wednesday as Opposition parties, as well as NDA allies Shiv Sena, TDP and AIADMK, stalled business.

"Our understanding is that there is a strong federal force emerging from Parliament. It's a pro-people, pro-states and anti-BJP formation which will evolve both in a structured and unstructured form," O'Brien told PTI.

According to some opposition leaders, with the "resentment against government riding high" amongst them, it would be extremely difficult for it to run the House for the full week.

"It is not only the opposition parties, even the BJP's ally TDP is protesting. TDP's members have informally told us that they would continue their protest beyond the first week of the session if their demands (for special grants from Andhra Pradesh) are not met," O'Brien said.

The TMC is going to chalk out its Parliament strategy for the next week at its core committee meeting on 9 March in Kolkata.

The stand of the YSR Congress members, who have reportedly threatened to resign from their parliament membership on 6 April if the government does not fulfil the promise of granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh, has created tremendous pressure for the state's ruling TDP, a constituent of the NDA.

Though the TDP has yet not taken a call on quitting NDA, the opposition parties feel that the southern party is unlikely to break bread with the BJP any more and would soon quit the alliance.

The Opposition parties staged protests in Parliament over the Rs 13,000-crore bank fraud allegedly involving diamantaire Nirav Modi and his business partner Mehul Choksi, and damage of statues of Communist icon Vladimir Lenin and Dravidian movement founder EV Ramasamy 'Periyar'.
Amit Shah on Wednesday termed the desecration of communist icon Lenin's statues in Tripura and Periyar's statue in Tamil Nadu 'extremely unfortunate'.

New Delhi: BJP chief Amit Shah on Wednesday termed the desecration of communist icon Lenin's statues in Tripura and Periyar's statue in Tamil Nadu "extremely unfortunate" and asserted that any party member found involved in destroying a statue will face severe action.

In a series of tweets, Shah distanced the BJP from the vandalism after a few party leaders appeared to be endorsing the attacks on the statues and said his organisation believes a wide range of ideas and ideologies can co-exist in India.

"The recent issue of destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybody's statue. I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party," he said.

Shah's warning to party workers came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his strong disapproval over the vandalism.

Modi also spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the matter, following which the ministry said it has taken serious note of the incidents and directed state governments to take strong action.

Shah said the BJP will always remain committed to ideals of openness and constructive politics, through which it can positively impact peoples lives as well as build a New India.

"As a party, we in the BJP believe that a wide range of ideas and ideologies can coexist in India. This is exactly how the makers of our Constitution envisioned our great nation to be. India?s diversity and the vibrant spirit of debate and discussion is what strengthens us," he said.

Their main aim is to bring a transformative change in the lives of the people, he said, adding that they are humbled by the fact that their ethos and work have endeared them to people all across India and the BJP-led NDA is running the government in over 20 states.

A row has erupted after two statutes of Lenin were brought down in Tripura following the BJPs emphatic win in the state over the Left, which was in power for more than 25 years.

The Left blamed the BJP for the incidents and some BJP leaders shared the post with comments that appeared to be justifying it. BJP national secretary H Raja later in a Facebook post said the statues Dravidian movement icon EVR Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, will be the next target.

He later deleted the post and offered his regret but not before it had ignited a major controversy in Tamil Nadu.
Ramasamy alias Periyar was a rationalist, social reformer and an atheist who famously said, 'There is no god, there is no god, there is no god at all.''

When national secretary of the BJP, H Raja  or one of the admins of his Facebook page, as he would like the world to believe  posted "Today Lenin's statue, tomorrow Tamil Nadu's EV Ramasamy's statue", he was giving vent to the anti-Periyar sentiment in many a right-winger. Ramasamy alias Periyar was a rationalist, social reformer and an atheist who famously said, "There is no god, there is no god, there is no god at all.''

Periyar did not stop with that. He ridiculed believers saying, "He who invented god is a fool. He who propagates god is a scoundrel. He who worships god is a barbarian.'' Interestingly, among other places in Tamil Nadu, a bust of Periyar expressing some of these thoughts is also erected right outside the Kanchi Mutt in Kanchipuram, a defiance of sorts against the Hindu brahminical order.

Periyar's idea of a nation also is completely opposite that of the BJP's idea of nationalism. Periyar was seen as an enfant terrible, often clashing with Mahatma Gandhi on the idea of a nation. In Periyar's world view, a society where religious and caste discrimination thrives, cannot be a progressive nation. Wearing his irreverence on his sleeve, he believed that nationalism was just another deceptive name for political Brahminism, with the power structure dominated by the Brahmin and baniya castes. He therefore even supported the idea of a separate nation called Dravida Nadu. It is no surprise then that many in the BJP have a hate-hate equation with Periyar and Periyarism.

Raja was playing with fire and he realised it when the sharp reactions scorched him. DMK leader MK Stalin asked for Raja to be booked under the Goondas Act, Vaiko and Khushbu dared him to touch one Periyar statue. But Raja was not the only offender. SG Suryah, the vice-president of the BJP Youth Wing also tweeted: "BJP successfully completed the fall of Lenin in Tripura! Can't wait for the fall of EV Ramasamy statues in Tamil Nadu.''

By late evening, Raja and Suryah's provocative comments translated into reality when a couple of drunk men, one of them a BJP activist, vandalised a bust of Periyar in Vellore. In retaliation, in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, a petrol bomb was thrown at a BJP office in Coimbatore.

With the BJP distancing itself from the comments, Raja took down his post and apologised. Suryah made a quick exit from the microblogging site, deactivating his Twitter account.

But was it indeed a case of overreach by the duo or is there more than what meets the eye? At a Tamil Nadu BJP level, this seems to be a case of intra-BJP rivalry between Raja and those who preside over the state unit  an attempt to score brownie points. But at a macro level, this could well be an effort to test the waters  to see if Periyarism is relevant and has currency in 2018.

The two parties that swear by Periyar's ideology are the DMK and AIADMK, apart from a host of smaller Dravidian outfits. But the late Jayalalithaa visited temples, participated in religious prayers and offerings, even though this was completely against what Periyar propagated. But even while practising her religious beliefs, Jayalalithaa never spoke against Periyar. Those in the present-day AIADMK are known to be extremely religious and superstitious. Even the family members of some DMK leaders are known to privately participate in religious rituals. Would they accept Periyar's definition of being "scoundrels" and "barbarians"?

The reaction of the ruling AIADMK also suggests a reluctance to offend the God-fearing Tamilian. The fisheries minister D Jayakumar ruled out any action against Raja because he had apologised for his anti-Periyar remarks.

The BJP obviously has no hope of getting any part of the hardcore Dravidian follower vote. This seems like Raja's attempt to tap into the religiously inclined non-brahmin Hindu, who is not wedded to the rather iron-cast school of atheism propagated by Periyar. The problem with the BJP however, is its approach. It believes vandalising or defacing a statue is good enough to annihilate an idea that has held roots for decades. The reaction to its hope of seeing Periyar's statues brought down, would have given the BJP a harsh reality check.

While the BJP has given Raja a rap on the knuckles this time, it should have done it much earlier. Raja is a repeat offender. He is to the BJP in Tamil Nadu what Mani Shankar Aiyar was to the Congress in 2014 and during the Gujarat elections. In October last year, he took on Tamil superstar Vijay whose movie Mersal contained one dialogue that was critical of the GST. In a pathetic attempt at divisive politics, Raja brought in Vijay's religion into it, insinuating that he is anti-BJP because his full name is Joseph Vijay.

What this episode has done is to further damage the BJP's image in Tamil Nadu. The party is already under fire for not acting on the Supreme Court's 16 February order on constituting the Cauvery Management Board within six weeks. The BJP fears doing so will harm its electoral prospects in Karnataka that goes to polls in May as the upper riparian state has always opposed such an authority.

At the BJP parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday, Narendra Modi told his MPs that the match was going fine. "Just don't bowl a no-ball," he said. Raja has done precisely that, giving the Opposition in Tamil Nadu a much-needed free hit.

Click here to follow LIVE updates
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 6)  Some opposition lawmakers said there may be a possible collusion between the House leadership and some of the Supreme Court (SC) justices to remove Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno from her post.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said Tuesday House Justice Committee Chairman Reynaldo Umali was in touch with SC justices after the en banc hearing last week, where 13 Justices urged Sereno to go on indefinite leave.

"Most probably, no less than the Committee on Justice, realizes that their articles of impeachment cannot hold water in the Senate," Lagman said in a press conference with Caloocan Representative Edgar Erice and Magdalo Party-list Representative Gary Alejano.

Umali, however, refuted Lagman's claims.

"Nakakatawa ang mga ganoong paratang. Sana pag-isipan nila nang mabuti before they accuse me of anything," Umali said.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said he believes there is basis to invalidate Sereno's appointment over her failure to submit her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.

"Yung impeachment, exclusive yun sa Congress, but it presupposes a valid appointment. Ngayon yung quo warranto, kinukwestyon mismo yung appointment itself, yung validity. So tama yun, kasi yun naman ay palagay ko talagang exclusive ng judicial branch of government," Alvarez said.

Alvarez said, however, he will yield to the Supreme Court should it decide to remove Sereno over the petition.

Solicitor General Jose Calida on Monday asked the SC through a quo warranto petition to declare Sereno's appointment invalid over an alleged failure to fully disclose her wealth.

A quo warranto is an extraordinary legal proceeding where an individual's right to hold office is challenged.

On the other hand, the impeachment process is a way to remove impeachable officers for culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, and betrayal of public trust.

Sereno's spokesperson lawyer Jojo Lacanilao said a sitting justice can only be removed through impeachment, citing a 1988 case against then Justice Marcelo Fernan.

The Chief Justice earlier called for respect for the impeachment process "by allowing it to take the only allowed course under the Constitution."

She urged Congress to finally begin an impeachment trial and hit her critics for resorting to various actions to malign her.

Once the panel finds probable cause to impeach her, the House plenary will vote. If at least one-third of the members of the House of Representatives vote to impeach Sereno, the complaint would go to trial at the Senate.

Sereno is accused of violating the Constitution, corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes which are grounds for impeachment under the Constitution. She repeatedly denied the allegations and asked for the complaint to be junked.
The Congress is likely to announce its list of candidates for Karnataka Assembly polls by the end of March, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah.

New Delhi: The Congress is likely to announce its list of candidates for Karnataka Assembly polls by the end of March, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said Tuesday.

There is no 'Modi wave' in the state and the Congress is confident of winning the Assembly polls due in April-May, he added.

"The ticket distribution process is on. By the end of March, we will announce our list of candidates," Siddarmaiah told reporters.

Already, a state election committee has been constituted, which will soon hold a meeting and recommend names to the screening committee which will further suggest the names to the central committee, he said.

Asked if the BJP's victory in northeast will have an impact in Karnataka, he said "there is no anti-incumbency in the state. "That's why we are confident and we will come back." "It is not going to be 'Modi versus the CM' but 'communalism versus secularism," he said.

Asked if frequent tour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah to the state will dent the party prospects, he said, "More and more Modi and Shah visit the state, it will benefit Congress. We are not afraid."

"Congress President Rahul Gandhi's poll campaign in the state will definitely yield results," he added.

Siddaramaiah was here in the national capital to discuss with Rahul Gandhi about the Rajya Sabha polls. He also met Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh with regard to tur dal procurement.
Ponder the real lesson of the Tripura election: The sun always sets on every empire. What is saffron in the morning, always turns red or some other colour. So, beware. The arc of history spares nobody.

Goons and vandals of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your sense of history. Join hands in Tripura, get together in West Bengal, swamp Uttar Pradesh, invade Tamil Nadu, and once your ranks grow, march on Ayodhya, and turn India, as peace hawk Sri Sri Ravishankar said, into Syria.

Unite because hell hath no fury like majoritarian triumphalism, or the revenge of the victorious. When the Taliban had the numbers, they demolished the Bamiyan Buddhas. When Nadir Shah had power, he ravaged Delhi. When the kar sevaks had the spades, they demolished a mosque. Now, may the force be with you, you despicable, atavistic, medieval goons.

Fortunately for you, there is a lot to demolish and destroy in India. We are an ancient civilisation that has thrived on multiculturalism, syncretism and tolerance. Here, every ideology, every faith, every phase of history has found adequate space to thrive for hundreds of years. We have monuments to Buddhism, Jainism, Sikkhism, Islamism, communism, capitalism, socialism, secularism, colonialism, Dravadianism, Gandhianism, Ambedkarism, Nehruvianism... There is so much history to destroy and demolish. There are so many icons to be felled. So, unite and go to war. For additional help, invite the Taliban.

But, before you turn India into a battleground for maniacs shedding blood for statues and ideologies they don't understand, think about that old saying: Sometimes you are the bird, sometimes you are the statue. (Apt, no?) One day, you will be the statue again. Also, ponder the real lesson of the Tripura election: The sun always sets on every empire. What is saffron in the morning, always turns red or some other colour. So, beware. The arc of history spares nobody.

The other problem with this vandalism, of course, is that the goons may believe they are bringing glory to India. They might think pulling down Lenin and Periyar statues is a cue for the world to chant Bharat mata ki jai. In truth, it's Bharat mata ki shame. The statues could be rebuilt one day. But the real victim of this vandalism is the image of Bharat mata, which suffers great damage. The argument that Lenin has no place in India is an encore of the Taliban question: What is Buddha doing in Bamiyan?

Countries with a large heart, with liberal ethos have a culture of respecting their history, and that of the world around them. They retain monuments as a reminder of the past, both to learn from and cherish. Go, for instance, to Malaysia, to see how a Muslim country showcases its Buddhist culture and its Indian roots in the heart of capitalism, Genting Highlands near Kuala Lumpur: Here, in the den of vice and pleasure, when you climb the hills, you find nestled the Chin Swee Caves Temple. The temple not just revers Buddha but also his Indian disciples (Bhardwaj the Brahmin) with gigantic statues and colourful tableaux.

Just a few kilometres away are the Batu Caves that house the Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Murugan. So, what are Buddha, Bhardwaj and Murugan doing in Muslim Malaysia? What's Gandhi doing in several other countries, including South Africa? Why do our prime ministers compete with each other for more foreign investments?

Lenin asked for the unity of the working class across the world. He supported India's freedom struggle against British colonisers. Communism inspired Indian revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh. But, perhaps the goons running amok in Tripura do not know this. Those controlling the strings of these mad puppets do not seem to know either. The competitive culling of history and its icons would lead to nothing but chaos and conflict, further divisions and hatred. We can already see it happen. First they came as gau rakshaks, then they came as slayers of communism, then as enemies of Dravadianism. Soon, they will come for everything that doesn't agree with their world view.

No, it is not the goons, but the liberals of the world that must unite against this ideology of revenge and vandalism. Because they stand to lose everything Bharat mata stands for.
Rajinikanth was never part of the Dravidian movement and in fact even today does not espouse the ideals of the Dravidian movement.

Political parties like to thrive on the rich legacy of iconic leaders. Even as the Telugu Desam Party continues to assert thaint it is the true heir of NT Rama Rao's legacy, the Congress in the past and YSR Congress through Lakshmi Parvathi would like to claim a share of NTR's legacy. Similarly, the BJP through NTR's daughter D Purandeswari, would like to compete for the legacy of the late leader.

In the neighbouring Tamil Nadu, a similar mad rush is seen with Rajinikanth trying hard to appropriate MGR's legacy even as AIADMK still claims to be the true successor of MGR.

The BJP seems to be the choreographer behind Rajini's crusade.

But, parties and leaders play legacy politics while the people respond to the current political context  evident in the fact that people rallied behind Chandrababu Naidu even when NTR himself challenged his son-in-law. Vijayakanth was far too desperate to be called the inheritor of MGR's legacy. He was even sometimes called Karupu MGR (black MGR). MGR carefully constructed a film and real life persona for political purposes. But, barring an instance, Rajinikanth has never shown a firm political stance. He has refrained from taking a position on a host of issues concerning Tamil Nadu and the nation.

More strikingly, MGR was steeled in the fiery furnace of the Dravidian movement, while Rajinikanth still professes an abstract idea called spiritual politics. The idea of spiritual politics is often interpreted to be close to the BJP's ideological predilections. The saffron brigade's remarkable alacrity in welcoming Rajini into the political fray gives further credence to the speculation that Rajini may be the BJP's trump card in political terrain hostile to its ideology.

Rajinikanth suffers from a basic limitation that he is a non-Tamil. Though this may not matter to his fans and following , but, his commitment to Dravidian culture and politics is certainly questionable. Given this fact, Rajinikanth may be desperate to establish a Dravidian connect by appropriating the legacy of iconic MGR. Yet another possible explanation could be that it is an attempt to take away the AIADMK vote that is expected to be splintered after the demise of J Jayalalithaa. With different factions of the AIADMK staking claim to Jaya's legacy, there exists no charismatic leader to galvanise this legacy into popular support. Rajinikanth was earlier seen to identify more with DMK. But, his attempts to portray himself as a follower of MGR is a political ploy to win the AIADMK split vote as the DMK vote is relatively unassailable.

But, Rajinikanth should learn from the experience in the Andhra Pradesh where there is a similar rush to claim the legacy of NTR. But, ultimately, it is the people who decide and not the leaders.

NTR was the celebrated leader of Telugu pride and still enjoys a prime place in the hearts of Telugu people. The TDP founded by him is now under the leadership of his son-in-law, N Chandrababu Naidu. NTR's widow, Lakshmi Parvathi is now in the YSR Congress and she claims that YS Rajasekhara Reddy has carried forward the welfare agenda of NTR and that the YSR Congress is the real inheritor of the politics of NTR.

Similarly, the BJP roped in NTR's daughter, D Purandeswari, and is expected to present her as the successor to the NTR legacy to counter Naidu in case TDP cuts short its relationship with the saffron party. Meanwhile, word on the political grapevine suggests that the YSR Congress is luring Purandeswari's family to consolidate its claims to NTR's legacy even though the party is primarily built around the image of YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

But, it may be recalled here that Naidu revolted against NTR when Lakshmi Parvathi tried to meddle in the affairs of the party. Naidu could successfully rally the entire TDP behind him considering the NTR TDP  launched by Lakshmi Parvathi after the demise of NTR  came a cropper. It is interesting to note that even NTR failed to challenge Naidu. The party and its electoral base more or less remained with Naidu even when NTR was alive. This indicates that legacy politics cannot be exaggerated. The image and charisma of leaders certainly matter. But, what matters is the political context. Vijayakanth failed despite calling himself 'black MGR'. In fact, although Jayalalithaa entered politics as a true heir of MGR, she actually constructed a cult image around herself  only using MGR portraits during elections.

Rajinikanth was never part of the Dravidian movement and in fact even today does not espouse the ideals of the Dravidian movement.

On the contrary, he talks about spiritual politics while Dravidian politics largely comprise non-believers. Kamal Haasan who has been categorical in demarcating himself from saffron politics, seems to be closer to Dravidian identity politics. But, yet, Rajini is more keen to claim MGR's legacy. This only shows his desperation rather than his strength to carve out an identity for himself despite having an unparalleled fan following.

The BJP tried to resurrect local cultural symbols and icons to get a firm hold in North Eastern politics that were antithetical to its Hindi-Hindu politics. The saffron brigade knows fully well that its image is unpalatable to Tamil identity politics. Speculation is rife in political circles that by remaining in the background, the BJP is trying to steer through Tamil politics by combining the charisma of Rajinikanth and the legacy of MGR. But, it is certainly not so easy for either BJP or Rajinikanth to play such politics in a state like Tamil Nadu known for its vibrant politics. Rajini would perhaps be more successful if he could effectively market his own brand of politics rather than seeking refuge under some or other identities.

The writer is former MLC in Telangana, former editor at The Hans India and professor of journalism at Osmania University
The alacrity with which Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to instances of vandalism in parts of the country by BJP workers and retaliatory action by political rivals and groups is noteworthy.

The alacrity with which Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to instances of vandalism in parts of the country by BJP workers and retaliatory action by political rivals and groups is noteworthy.

On earlier occasions, such as when self-proclaimed gau rakshaks indulged in violence and even murdered some Muslims in the name of cow protection, Modi came out with the strongest condemnation and asked state law enforcement agencies to come down heavily against those goons.

Although he initially took his own sweet time to make his party and government stance clear.

Modis tough stance had an impact, but in the intervening time the damage was done, political discourse heated up and the social fabric was disturbed. Apparently, Modi has learnt lessons from the past.

This time around, the issue was slightly different. Instances of vandalism, which could potentially lead to political violence in different parts of the country, emerged from the celebratory mood in the BJP after its astounding performance in Tripura, a red bastion since 1978 (barring the period 1988-1992 when a Congress-led coalition held power).

In Vajpayee-Advani era, the BJP prided itself as the party with a difference. The party still boasts of discipline. Acts of vandalism in the aftermath of victory was the hallmark of certain other parties. The BJP, which rules at the Centre and 21 states along with its allies, cant afford to be placed in that category, particularly when it prides itself on strong leadership from Modi and party chief Amit Shah.

It should be noted that soon after Modi reviewed the situation and gave necessary directions to the Union home ministry, government sources informed sections of media. Which is indicative of how Modi views the entire situation and its possible implications.

A source said, Prime Minister has strongly condemned the reported incidents of vandalism in certain parts of country and said stern action will be taken against those found guilty. Incidents of toppling of statues have been reported from certain parts of the country. The prime minister spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh in this regard and expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents. Home ministry has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism and has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law.

Its true that the BJP fights against the Left in Tripura was a bitter one, so much so, that to some extent, party workers and sympathisers' emotional overflow in removing statue of Lenin, the symbol of Left, is understandable.

After all, Lenin is no Indian icon. He has no appeal in India beyond a limited circle of die-hard believers in Marxist philosophy. After Lenin assumed power in 1917 and by the time he died in 1924, he left behind a post-Russian revolution state which had blood on its hands.

In any case, the miscreants were booked under relevant provisions of the law. But then overenthusiastic BJP leader H Raja erred by lumping Dravidian icon EV Ramasamy, commonly known as Periyar, with Lenin, suggesting his statue could also be brought down in Tamil Nadu.

Raja's argument was beyond comprehension of the BJP leadership and the saner elements in the party. Though the popular outrage and anger of BJP leadership forced Raja to apologise and delete his post, once again, the damage had been done. Two persons: A BJP supporter and a CPI activist vandalised a Periyar statue. Both have been booked. Raja's apology notwithstanding, the incident has become a major political flashpoint in Tamil Nadu, one the BJP can ill-afford to let escalate.

Amit Shah tweeted:

I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 7, 2018

The BJP will always remain committed to ideals of openness and constructive politics through which we can positively impact peoples lives as well as build a New India.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 7, 2018

What also alarmed BJP leadership was the retaliatory action by workers of rival political formations: The statue of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee being vandalised in Kolkata's Kalighat and the lobbing of a petrol bomb at party headquarters in Coimbatore. And that too at a time when the BJP is trying to expand its footprint in West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where its presence  except Karnataka  has been marginal. Fresh off its victories in North East, particularly the mandate it received in Christian-dominated Nagaland and Bengali-dominated Tripura, the BJP was hopeful of opening new frontiers in east and south India.

Remember, Modi paused during his speech on the BJP's performance in North East polls at party headquarters for a few minutes so that azaan (prayers) from a nearby mosque could be completed. And by doing so, while he was live on television all across the nation, sent the message that he respects the beliefs and practices of all communities. Modi can't allow some hooligans from the ranks of the BJP to undo his attempts at outreach to the country's minority communities and ethnic groups.

Beyond political wins and losses, as prime minister, Modi was expected to take a position and let everyone know that the law of the land reigns supreme, irrespective of the political affiliation of the miscreants or the colours they wear. He's done exactly that.
Amid the ongoing deadlock over the issue of granting 'special category' status to Andhra Pradesh, TDP lawmakers urged Chandrababu Naidu to snap ties with the BJP.

Amid the ongoing deadlock over the issue of granting 'special category' status to Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party MLAs and MLCs on Tuesday urged Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to snap ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party, media reports said.

In the TDP legislature party meeting in Vijayawada, all 125 MLAs and 34 MLCs, barring six absentees, backed Naidu to break ties with BJP for not granting 'special category' status to Andhra Pradesh, reported The Times of India.

According to the report, the process of separating from the national ally may begin on 10 March, when the two TDP ministers in the Union Cabinet, Ashok Gajapathi Raju and YS Chowdhury, are likely to resign. Notably, TDP had previously given outside support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance between 1998 and 2004.

The Indian Express reported that Naidu told the legislators at the meeting that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley cold shouldered Andhra Pradesh finance minister Y Ramakrishnudu during a meeting in New Delhi on Monday. Jaitley not only refused to acknowledge any of demands put forward, including the request to release funds to bridge the revenue deficit gap of over Rs 16,000 crore, but also said there was no question of granting Special Category Status and that there was very little fund left to give under the special package announced in 2017. This attitude is very disparaging and unacceptable," Naidu was quoted as saying.

Naidu also told his state lawmakers that the party is not seeking any favour but only urging the Union government to fulfil its 2014 promise of helping the bifurcated state, the report noted.

On Wednesday, speaking to CNN-News18, TDP MP TG Venkatesh said that Jaitley's blunt refusal to grant 'special category' status for Andhra Pradesh is likely to force Naidu to take the final call on separation. "Jaitley didn't show any flexibility over the issue. We are left with no option but to leave the alliance. The decision will be announced by Naidu," he said.

Congress, AAP back TDP's demand

Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that his party will grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh if voted to power in 2019. Even the Aam Aadmi Party has extended its support to the demand. "We will give special category status to Andhra Pradesh. It's the first thing we will do after coming to power in 2019," he told a group of party workers who protested at Jantar Mantar demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh.

"I am confident that if we stand together we will convince the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi that what is due to the people of Andhra Pradesh should be given to them," he added. He later tweeted: This afternoon I joined the protests at Jantar Mantar demanding "Special Status" for Andhra Pradesh.

It is my belief that if the opposition stands united on this issue, we can force the BJP Govt to do justice to the people of Andhra.#INCStandsWithAndhra pic.twitter.com/sbNqHcEeTW  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) March 6, 2018

AAP MLA Somnath Bharti, who also joined the protest, said he had come to extend support on "behalf" of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. "I have come with the Delhi chief minister's message of support. The AAP will support the Congress wherever they raise this demand, be it inside or outside Parliament," he said.

Significance of Naidu's 'cold shoulder' comment

Naidu's statement came a day after the meeting with Jaitley failed to produce a breakthrough. TDP, a partner in the BJP-led NDA government, then decided to continue with the protest in Parliament over its demands.

Ramakrishnudu, who led the TDP delegation, told reporters after the meeting that they stuck to their demand for special status. The party also insisted that the Centre should bridge Rs 16,000-crore revenue deficit and extend industrial incentives at par with other states. He said Jaitley assured them that he would discuss the issue with other ministers. It was decided to have another meeting. He, however, said the TDP would continue its protest in Parliament.

Surprisingly, BJP national president Amit Shah did not attend the meeting, which was held at his insistence. He had a telephonic talk with Naidu last week after the TDP decided to step up its protest.

BJP's Andhra Pradesh unit president K Haribabu, who attended the meeting, said Jaitley assured the TDP delegation that if the Centre could not bridge the state's revenue deficit or could not grant the special status, it would ensure equal benefits. The TDP has been demanding the Centre to fulfil all commitments made in at the time of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. Naidu had alleged that the Centre's attitude was causing unrest among people. He had even threatened to move the Supreme Court over the Centre not fulfilling the commitments.

Although the TDP had in 2017 given up its demand of special category status in lieu of the special package announced by Jaitley, in recent days it once again raised the issue.

The party leaders said since Jaitley's promise that the state would get the same financial benefits under the package which it would have got with the special status remained unfulfilled, they were demanding the special status.

With inputs from agencies
Telugu Desam Party is likely to withdraw from the Union government with Cabinet Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State YS Chowdhary submitting their resignations on Thursday, media reports said.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a key ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Wednesday night decided to pull out of the Narendra Modi government after the Centre ruled out special category Status for Andhra Pradesh, among other demands.

"We have decided to pull out of the Union government, because the Centre has failed to meet the demands of the TDP on special status for Andhra Pradesh, which was promised at the time of bifurcation, and other demands relating to state's finances," Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu told the media late in the night on Wednesday after holding consultations with the party colleagues.

The decision comes amid the ongoing deadlock over the granting of 'special category' status to Andhra Pradesh. TDP MLAs and MLCs had urged Naidu to snap ties with the BJP-led NDA.

Naidu has also asked two of its Members of Parliament, Cabinet Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State YS Chowdhary, to submit their resignations on Thursday.

He, however, said that even though his party was pulling out of the NDA "but party-to-party issue (of ties with the BJP) will be decided later.

"We wanted to convey the information about pulling out from the government to Prime Minister Narendra Modi out of courtesy, but he could not be contacted... My OSD has conveyed it to the PM's OSD," Naidu said.

"Arun Jaitley's statement was the last straw. They are apparently predetermined. They don't appear to help the state," he added.

Earlier in the day, Jaitley said that the government will stand by all its commitments regarding the funds that were promised to Andhra Pradesh after the bifurcation. However, he also added that "sentiments do not define the quantum of funds" as the Centre has to look at a number of things.

Earlier, TDP MP Naramalli Sivaprasad, who has been protesting inside the Parliament demanding special-category status for the state, said the issue between the BJP and his party has come to a "climax" and Chief Minister Naidu would soon take a call on the alliance.

The party had earlier set a deadline of 10 March for BJP to come out and make concrete announcements about the Andhra special package in Parliament, India Today reported. But as Naidu said, Jaitley's press conference in the morning "was the last straw."

Meanwhile, Congress has termed the party's decision to pull out of the NDA "too little, too late" as it "has done nothing" to protect the interests of Andhra Pradesh in the past four years. Congress leader from Andhra Pradesh and former union minister MM Pallam Raju said the TDP has "abandoned" the interests of the state and that this is political posturing in view of the prevailing public mood .

Another Congress leader, speaking to PTI, ruled out possibility of any potential of understanding between the Congress and TDP.

For all these years the Congress has been struggling to secure what is rightfully the due of the state and the TDP has "sacrificed" the state's interests and is now indulging in political posturing. "Pulling out ministers from the government means nothing," the party leader said.

Earlier, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had appeared supportive of the TDP's demand as he had said that his party will grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh if voted to power in the general elections in 2019. Even the Aam Aadmi Party has decided to support the demand.

With inputs from agencies
As Chandrababu Naidu remained indecisive, KCR was swift in his action.

The TRS chief and the Telangana chief minister putting forth the idea of Third Front comprising of non-Congress and non-BJP parties has led to intense political speculation. Everyone expected Chandrababu Naidu to take the initiative as the state is sulking over the indifferent treatment by Centre to the genuine demands of Andhra Pradesh. But, even as Naidu is waiting for an appropriate moment to call it a day, Kalvakuntla Chandrashekhar Rao who has been a more vocal supporter of Narendra Modi came out with his sudden salvo.

In fact, the TRS was a non-NDA ally although the state BJP occasionally take cudgels against the KCR regime. KCR has unequivocally supported Modi government's controversial policy measures like demonetisation and the GST though he had no compulsions like Naidu has.

Naidu is known for his extensive contacts with the national leaders though he has never operated from Delhi. KCR, on the other hand, was in the UPA-I ministry. His interaction with the leaders of various political parties at the national level was more or less confined to his lobbying for the separate state of Telangana. However, KCR enjoys the appreciation of many leaders for his commitment and the manner in which he could attain statehood to Telangana. This was evident from the statements of RJD, JMM leaders too. Beyond this, KCR never got an opportunity to steer national politics. On the contrary, Naidu was one of the architects of United Front that ran the government at the Centre with the support of Congress. He was, in fact, the convenor of United Front too. He was even offered the prime ministership. But, he could not accept it due to his compulsions at the state level. Later, Naidu was instrumental in heralding the first NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. However, he no longer enjoys the similar political clout with the NDA regime in Delhi as the BJP on its own has comfortable majority.

Now, it is almost certain that the Telugu Desam Party would sever its ties with the BJP as Naidu perhaps has come to conclusion that any tie-up with the saffron party in 2019 would only be a political liability as there is a simmering discontent against the Modi regime's refusal to accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh. In fact, the TDP kept its ally BJP away from campaigning in Nandyal by-poll fearing a loss of minority vote. The TDP seems to have arrived at a firm opinion that Modi's popularity is declining and would continue further.

In fact, Naidu could well be active in national politics as the succession process has no irritants. His son Lokesh is all set to take over if Naidu enters national politics. But, somehow Naidu is still hesitant. The possible exploitation for this could be Naidu might not be confident that Lokesh could successfully take on YS Jaganmohan Reddy given the marginal difference in the vote share between TDP and YSR Congress in 2014.

As Naidu remained indecisive, KCR was swift in his action. KCR might have read Naidu's mind as he earlier worked with the TDP supremo. KCR should have thought that his national odyssey could be a successful instrument of succession in the state politics. KCR has to hand over the mantle of power to his son only when he is still politically reckoning. Any adverse result in 2019 would make this transition really difficult. Given the fact that there are competitors for KCR's successor, the TRS supremo may be more proactive.

KCR has nothing to lose as he cannot anyhow ally with the Congress as the latter is his principal political adversary at the state level. But, the Congress is not a force in Andhra Pradesh. The narrative of helplessness assiduously promoted by Naidu makes it imperative for the TDP to be in some or other national coalition. As the Third Front is elusive, TDP cannot afford to rule out possible support to a Congress-led coalition at the Centre albeit with a condition to granting special category status. The Congress president has already clarified that his party would accord such a status to Andhra Pradesh once it comes to power at the Centre. However, any decision to join hands with the Congress would be a difficult one for Naidu to take as he portrayed the party to be the villain of bifurcation. Hence is the dilemma for Naidu to sever ties with BJP.

Calculating all these reservations for Naidu and fully realising the rather indecisive nature of Naidu, KCR was forthright in calling for a non-Congress and non-BJP national coalition and thus could outsmart his mentor Naidu.

Thus, the effort to form the Third Front may turn into a personality tussle between two Telugu chief ministers. Will they collaborate to galvanise the anti-Congress and anti-BJP forces or they will they compete for political space at the national level still remain a point of speculation. However, KCR has begun his national innings though, in a modest way, Naidu is yet to enter the crease.

The writer is former MLC in Telangana, former editor, The Hans India and Professor, Journalism, Osmania University.
Women voters contributed in a large way to help the BJP get around 43 percent of the vote share in Tripura from getting 1.3 percent in the 2013 election.

Following the BJPs spectacular win in Tripura, psephologists are pouring the late night oil going into the nitty-gritty details of which groups and factions contributed to such a major swing.

The BJP got around 43 percent of the vote share from getting 1.3 percent in the 2013 election. How did they succeed in such a major turnaround?

Women voters and the youth have contributed in a large way to this victory. Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted this fact when he pointed out on 4 March in a speech at Tumakuru that the two pillars of victory in Tripura were women and youth.

"This is a historic verdict in democratic India and the strong fort built by the Left has now been blown away by these two forces, which have brought down the (state) government," Modi had said.

Tripura's deputy chief election officer Taposh Roy of the Election Commission had statistics to confirm that women had voted in larger numbers than their male counterparts in a large number of constituencies.

"In Unakoti district Assembly constituency no 53, over 90.60 percent women cast their vote as against 81.72 percent men. In south Tripura district constituency 35, 94.33 percent women voted against 93.81 male voters,"

"In south Tripura district Assembly constituency 34, female voters were 93.81 percent against 88.40 percent male," said Roy.

Interestingly, in Dhanpur, the constituency of former chief minister Manik Sarkar, Roy pointed out: "Female voters averaged 95.26 percent against male voters who averaged 90.09 percent."

"In the chief minister-designate Biplap Kumar Deb's Banamalipur, women voters crossed 86.09 percentage as against male voting percentage of 86.30," Roy added.

Tripura Congress vice-president Tapas Dey admitted as much when he said that women played a crucial role in helping BJP sweep these elections. Dey attributed their success to four main groups: "Women, who have a three percent higher vote share than men in this election, voted against the CPM." The other groups were the youth, government employees and the tribal population.

Of course, Dey attributed the BJP winning the women vote to the lack of safety in the state with Tripura having the highest rate of crime after Uttar Pradesh with one of the lowest conviction rates, according to the National Crime Record Bureau.

Agartala-based Geeta Debnath, a retired teacher from an undergraduate college, pointed out: "After 20 years of CPM rule, people were fed up. Women had supported the CPM and formed a key part of their cadre but they too wanted a change. The CPM party was trying to control every aspect of our lives in urban areas, whether it be in schools, offices and in colleges. It was not the diktat of the state government that ran but that of the party. The situation in rural Bengal was different."

Agartala-based Rita Chakma is even more blunt in her assessment of the situation. Chakma is a housewife whose husband is a retired government employee. Chakma feels, "the BJP promise of implementing the Seventh Pay Commission for government employees has been one of the major catalysts for their win. They have implemented the same in the neighbouring state of Assam and naturally, we also feel this is our due and should come to us."

Chakma is equally critical of the CPM style of functioning: "Modis slogan of 'Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas appealed to the women-folk. We were not happy with the way the CPM party had become too strong for its boots. If a family member dies, we have to go to the party office and wrap the party flag around his body. Then only sab kaam ho jate hain (only then does the work gets done). If you fail to attend a party meeting, then you will get targeted. Un ki marzi se chalna padta tha (we had to operate as per the will of the party)," said Chakma.

"The Congress and BJP parties do not try and wreak this kind of over control. This constant genuflecting before CPM leaders needed to come to an end. That is why the 'Chalo Paltai' slogan won our hearts," Chakma added.

Not all women agree with these remarks though. A leading woman sociologist in a college in Agartala, on condition of anonymity, said: "Of course there is the anti-incumbency issue and the cancellation of the 10,333 government jobs in a decision by the Supreme Court but we cannot overlook the amount of money that was pumped into these elections by the BJP. The state needed resources which were denied to it by the Centre."

The BJP alliance with the IPFT has also cost the CPM dearly. "I understand that the BJP reportedly has gifted 12,000 bikes to tribals who have been holding these bike rallies on a regular basis, in order to build up a momentum for the elections," she said.

She also believed, and this viewpoint is being supported by a cross-section of women. "A large population of the Bengalis are refugees from Bangladesh and the Hindutva ideology appeals to this Hindu cross-section of the population. The fact that it has an anti-Muslim undercurrent is also something that goes down well with them," she said.

Aparna De, secretary of the Tripura State Commission for Women expressed satisfaction at the large numbers of women who have participated in the election. "It is significant that such large numbers of women have come forward to cast their vote. The main reason for this is that levels of political awareness are very high and women understand that their vote counts," De said.

Another housewife, Ritupriya Barman, regrets how the Congress has allowed its vote bank to be usurped by the BJP. "Forty-four out of sixty BJP candidates who fought the elections are from the Congress. Why did the party allow this to happen? It is a disgrace," she said.

The Lokniti Centre post-poll survey for Centre for Study of Developing Societies found that while the BJP-IPFT alliance bagged nearly 55 percent of the votes among voters aged between 18 and 45, it netted about 45 percent of the votes among the older voters. For the Left, it was the other way around, thereby pointing to how the male voters helped clinch the BJP victory.

As per the post-poll survey, the BJP-IPFT led the Left parties among male voters by 12 percentage points in terms of the votes polled but trailed the Left among female voters by two points. The gender gap is more pronounced amongst non-tribals than among tribals so while the tribal women voted for the BJP alliance in greater proportion than for the Left, they did so with a much lower intensity as they were not enthused by the BJP coming to power.

But this, and most other elections in our country only serve to highlight how under-represented women are in the Assembly. Tripura enjoys a much better sex ration than other states as also higher levels of education amongst its women and yet, despite 25 years of Left rule, only twenty-four women contested the Assembly elections in this state.

That is two women lesser than in 2013. And from these, only Bijina Nath won a third consecutive term on a CPM ticket. So much for womens liberation. Political power continues to escape the majority of women in our country even 70 years after Independence.
By exploiting a decisive public mandate to bulldoze a statue, the BJP has only made a complete mockery of the very ethos of electoral democracy.

On 6 March, just days after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power in the Tripura state Assembly elections, a mob of saffron party workers bulldozed a statue of Vladimir Lenin in Belonia. The celebratory act was undertaken with much fervor to mark the right-wing partys decisive victory over the 25 years-long left-wing government in the state, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Within Indias postcolonial polity, the dismantling of the statue in Belonia was a public spectacle unlike any other. Not that statues of political leaders havent been vandalised in the past, but such festive destructions in the wake of a sweeping election victory have been rare. Not many mainstream political parties have dared to ride majority public mandates to swiftly vandalise statues.

It is not hard to comprehend the motivation behind Lenins Tripura fall: the BJPs foot soldiers rode the victory wave to do what theyve probably been wanting to do since the very idea of re-capturing Tripura from the communists took shape in the partys high command i.e. raze CPMs legacy to the ground and start afresh. A standard part of this design is to erase public memory of Tripuras Communist past, and statues are a convenient place to start. What more, Lenins controversial (and somewhat disturbing) political legacy makes him the perfect game meat.

In an objective sense, the Belonia destruction represents an all-too-familiar project of political iconoclasm. History is replete with ample instances of legacy destructions across the board: from Bamiyan to Kiev. These were often done in contravention of the law, straddling the broader framework of resistance politics. After all, in a democracy, erecting a certain statue is as legitimate or illegitimate as bringing it down. Toppling statues, kicking police barricades: no big deal in the restive milieu of democratic struggles.

As American journalist and current dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Steve Coll, wrote last year in an article on New Delhis attempts to reconcile with colonial stone relics: "One difference between democracies and dictatorships is that the constructing and revising of public spaces is not a propaganda opportunity for the ruler but a realm of democratic discourse, influenced by popular opinion and competitive electoral politics."

But, history cannot be a veneer on political disruptions when it comes to partisan offensives. It is imperative to call out the Belonia act for what it was: violent. It is also important to note what the BJP did and did not do. The BJP did destroy the statue. The BJP did not relocate it out of public view when it had the option of doing so.

Thus, Lenins nth fall in a far-flung corner of India had a peculiar tenor to it. The statue was bulldozed not in active resistancelike in the cases of American Confederate statues being brought down to protest against Trumps racismbut as an aggressive mark of all-encompassing victory. BJP did not need to bring Lenin down - they had already won the popular mandate. In that sense, Belonia 2018 mirrors Baghdad 2003 where US forces brought down Saddam Husseins statue simply to mark a wildly successful invasion and usher in a new era. The parallel drawn here isnt really between Lenin and Saddam (thats for the jury to decide), but between the aggressors warlike pathologies.

The critical difference here, though, is that while Baghdad 2003 happened in the thick of a full-blown military invasion, Belonia 2003 unraveled in the immediate aftermath of a free, fair, and peaceful election. Herein lies the menacing quality of Lenins Tripura fall.

By exploiting a decisive public mandate to bulldoze a statue, the BJP has only made a complete mockery of the very ethos of electoral democracy. Its leaders would do well to note that poll victories in a democracy are not free passes to take unilateral action, especially when that action directly impacts a publicly-owned space. Any belief otherwise is taking the electorate for granted.

If the BJP does actually believe that the Tripura victory carries a de facto public tender to destroy statues, then it might want to wash the murk off its eyes. Communism did not come to the state just the other day: it was the political status quo for 25 long years, a large part of which saw socio-economic stability and peace. To tinker with this entrenched legacy, in a particularly dramatic fashion, would be to push the fresh election mandate over the edge.

The BJP should also remember that the quest to erase history is a futile one, and more often than not, an endeavour at self-destruction. A better template for revisionist politicssomething that the saffronites seem to be doping on at the momentis to permit problematic relics to remain as they are and contextualise them within democratic values of debate and dissent.

On this, the Director of the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture, Lonnie G. Bunch III, offers a blunt take: I am loath to erase history. For me its less about whether they [statues] come down or not, and more about what the debate is stimulating.

Fact remains that the BJPs bulldozing of Lenins statue will go down as the partys reckless attempt to violently insert itself into Tripuras rich history. Not unlike the destruction of the Babri Masjid by Karsevaks in 1992, the Belonia bulldozing will also go down as a patent marker of right-wing exclusionist politics in this country, which banks upon total homogenisation of political belief systems to ensure its own survival.

The author is researcher and coordinator, South East Asia Research Programme at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.
After statues of Lenin, Periyar, Shyama Prasad Mookherjee were vandalised in separate incidents across India, a staute of Dalit icon Bababsaheb Ambedkar has been vandalised by unknown miscreants, say TV reports.

After statues of Lenin, Periyar, Shyama Prasad Mookherjee were vandalised in separate incidents across India, a statue of Dalit icon Bababsaheb Ambedkar has been vandalised by unknown miscreants, say TV reports.

According to India Today, a statue of Ambedkar was damaged by unidentified miscreants in Meerut. The report added that the incident might have taken place at night.

CNN-News18 reported that the local administration immediately swung into action to curb any tensions in the area. According to the report, the administration quickly replaced the statue with a new one.

Politics around vandalism of prominent statues have escalated in the last two days ever since a group of alleged BJP supporters brought down the statue of Soviet Russia's founder Vladimir Lenin in Tripura. The incident took place just two days after the BJP defeated the Left Front to emerge victorious in the Tripura Assembly elections.

However, even before the issue could settle in, controversy erupted in distant Tamil Nadu, where BJP leader H Raja said that Dravidian social reformer Periyar could be next target.

"Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection India has with Communists? Today Lenin's statue removed in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of EV Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu", Raja had said in the Tamil post in facebook that had been deleted.

As Raja's Facebook post against late Ramasamy, founder of the Dravidian movement, drew condemnation from several political parties in the state, Raja deleted it while BJP's state unit distanced itself from the issue, saying it was his personal view.

Political parties including DMK, MDMK and the Left lashed out at Raja, a BJP National Secretary, with DMK Working President MK Stalin leading the charge seeking his detention under the 'Goondas Act'.

Just hours after the post, two persons were arrested at Tirupattur in the district for allegedly vandalising a statue of Periyar. A senior district police official said the two vandalised a bust-size statue of the Dravidian rationalist in an inebriated state. Police identified the arrested as Muthuraman and Francis.

The vandalism of Lenin's statue in Tripura came under fire from West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday. ''I am against the CPI(M) and Marx or Lenin are not my leaders. I have always protested against the atrocities of the CPM. Similarly, I will also not accept the BJP's atrocities."

A day later, a statue of Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was vandalised by unidentified men in south Kolkata. The statue was found partially damaged and its face blackened. A poster was also found from the spot with the word "radicals" written on it.

Click here to follow LIVE updates
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 6)  Senate Majority leader Tito Sotto in Tuesday's plenary session presented documents on alleged irregularities in the 2016 general elections.

Two points were raised - early transmission of votes and a foreign entry into the election system.

Sotto said he got the documents from a concerned, reliable source.

One document shows a transmission activity as early as May 8, a day before the May 9 election day. As per en banc resolution the Board of Canvassers shall only convene starting at 3 in the afternoon of May 9, 2016.

Another document showed the transmission came from an IP (internet protocol) address of a clustered Vote Counting Machine or Precinct Count Optical Scan to the canvassing system in the municipality of Libon, Albay province.

Sotto presented another document showing the transmission activity continued until the morning of May 9 in the canvassing system in the municipality of Angono, Rizal province. This was before the official conduct of election.

Sotto said there is no way Smartmatic can justify these as 'testing transmissions' because "as far as I can remember the last official testing was made on April 23, 2016."

On the foreign intrusion into the election system, Sotto presented documents showing a username in the system that was later on identified as a server in amazonaws.com. Sotto said this is a cloud computing service in the United States.

Although Sotto did not name names as to who benefited and who were affected among candidates, his informant would say he has colleagues in the Senate who had zero votes in hundreds of precincts in some areas.

In his privilege speech, Sotto said, "These issues cannot be ignored as it weakens the propriety of our automated election system. We must ascertain the accuracy of these allegations as to either make the responsible officials accountable or finally put to rest questions clouding the results of the 2016 election. In any case, I believe that the outcome of any investigation on this matter will surely lead to a more accurate and transparent system and results for the coming 219 elections."

Senator Ping Lacson was first to interpellate. He asked Sotto, "Nagtatanong kami ng aking seatmate (Sen. Grace Poe) sino po ba ang nawalan at sino ang nakinabang, ilang prisinto po ba?"

Lacson asked further in a jokingly manner, "kanino po ba napunta ang aming boto, kay Joel Villanueva po ba?" Villanueva ended at the top 2 post during the last senatorial elections. Senator Frank Drilon led the race.

Senator Joel Villanueva asked for clarification. He said, "I just want to put on record what Senator Lacson would joke around during the campaign that he will make a 'pasa vote' to me. I'd like to know if that indeed happened?"

Sotto responded, "If we subpoena COMELEC (Commission on Elections) and (technology provider) Smartmatic malalaman natin kung sino ang nakinabang."

Senator Grace Poe was next to interpellate. Recognizing that "she definitely lost in the election," she would rather that the results on other positions should also be looked into. Poe ranked third in the last presidential elections.

Senator Migs Zubiri urged the COMELEC to suspend Smartmatic and call for a review of documents that were provided by Sotto.

Just recently, COMELEC commissioners unanimously voted to exercise their option to purchase Smartmatic's voting counting machines for the 2019 midterm elections.

Sotto said if such allegations were true then we risk the accuracy of next year's election.
Asheeta Regidi

On Day 14 of the Aadhaar hearings, senior counsel Arvind Datar commenced his arguments on behalf of the petitioners. His main argument was on the Aadhaar bank account linkage under Rule 9 of the Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules. On the petitioners requesting an interim order to extend the 31 March deadline, the Court declined it for the moment, indicating that it would be considered at a later stage. The State suggested that the extension be considered in the last week of March.

Additional arguments are on the Aadhaar PAN linkage under Section 139AA of the IT Act, and the Aadhaar PAN verdict was sought to be revisited in view of the right to privacy verdict. It was also argued that Aadhaar could not be a money bill. Even if the Aadhaar project is upheld, its use should not extend beyond subsidies.

RBI recognises six documents for bank accounts

Commencing the argument on Rule 9 of the PMLA Rules, the petitioners started with comparing this to the Reserve Bank of Indias Master Direction on KYC, 2016. These RBI Directions allow the identity of a person for the purposes of KYC, and therefore opening a bank account, to be established via an officially valid document (OVDs). This includes any of six documents, which includes a passport, driving license, PAN card, Voters card, NREGA job card or the Aadhaar card. In fact, for low risk persons who dont possess any of these documents, the KYC directions also recognise six alternate documents, which include utility bills, municipal tax receipts and even bank account statements.

Amended Rule 9 mandates Aadhaar and PAN

The new Rule 9 of the PMLA Rules, however, mandate Aadhaar along with PAN, for the purpose of identification for opening or having a bank account. Moreover, as per Clause 17(c) of this rule, for those failing to submit their Aadhaar cards with PAN, their bank accounts will cease to be operational until they do so.

This rule thus contradicts the previous rules issued by the RBI.

The petitioners argued that the RBI Directions covered all matters with respect to identification in bank accounts. The RBI Directions, for instance, contain provisions for due diligence both at the time of opening bank accounts as well as subsequently. Suspicious transactions are also to be flagged and reported. The RBI Directions, in particular, also allow a customer to provide any one of the prescribed OVDs, and thus stood in direct conflict with the PMLA rules.

Which rule will prevail?

This thus leads to the issue of which of these contradictory rules will prevail over the other. The Bench initially suggested that the PMLA rule should prevail over the RBI Directions. The petitioners, however, denied this, arguing that there was no hierarchy between the two. The RBI Directions have a statutory flavour, and thus they stood on the same footing as the PMLA rules. The Bench agreed to this point.

The petitioners also raised the issue of requiring Aadhaar cards from the managerial personnel of a company. They argued that there was no question of using Aadhaar to establish the identity of a company.

Blocking bank accounts is draconian

The petitioners went on to argue that the rule requiring bank accounts to be made non-operational was draconian. This is also due to the fact that the Aadhaar Act itself makes Aadhaar a voluntary scheme, which makes this rule ultra vires the Aadhaar Act. The petitioners pointed to the Aadhaar enrolment forms, which had stated that enrolment was free and voluntary, and to the interim orders of the Supreme Court, which had restricted the mandatory use of Aadhaar to 6 schemes only.

The petitioners argued that the Aadhaar Act thus gives the people a choice to have Aadhaar. The PMLA rule, on the other hand, unfairly classifies people based on this choice, and discriminates between them. A person exercising his legitimate choice not to have Aadhaar, unfairly runs the risk of having his bank account made non-operational. Rule 9 thus violates Article 14  the right to equality, under the Constitution.

The petitioners further argued that this violated the peoples right to property under Article 300A of the Constitution. The Bench, here, pointed that the money in the bank accounts was not being forfeited, but was only being made unavailable temporarily. To this, the petitioners argued that so long as there was a deprivation of property, it was immaterial whether it was temporary or permanent.

Lal Babu Hussein case on en masse identification

The petitioners went on to quote the Supreme Courts judgment in Lal Babu Hussein v. Electoral Registration Officer, a case having direct relevance to Aadhaar based identification.

Here several people in various regions were en masse declared to be suspected of being foreigners, and were asked to prove their identity as citizens within a limited period of time, and via specific documents only. Those failing to do so would have their names struck off from the electoral rolls. The fact that the persons were previously enrolled in the electoral rolls, indicating that procedures had been undertaken previously to establish their identity before so enrolling them, had been completely disregarded.

The Supreme Court had ruled that this was unconstitutional and quashed the proceedings. The Election Commission was asked to commence fresh proceedings, if it so desired, through suitable notices as well as by informing the people of the basis of its suspicions that they were foreigners. The Court directed that adequate value be given to the fact if such persons had previously been enrolled in the electoral rolls, and that any form of identification or other evidence provided by the people be taken into consideration for establishing their identity.

Drawing an analogy with the call drops case

Lastly, the petitioners also sought to draw an analogy between the Rule 9 and Master Direction conflict, and the Supreme Courts verdict in COAI v. TRAI, the call drops case. Here, the SC had struck down the regulation imposing penalties for call drops, on the grounds of its contradiction with a previous regulation, which identified an acceptable call drop parameter of 2 percent.

The current regulation found the regulation imposing the penalty to be in violation of the TRAI Act as well as violative of Article 14 and 19(1)(g). The Bench, however, drew a distinction between this case and the current one, stating that the call drops case dealt with two delegated legislations under the same power, whereas the current case deals with legislations issued under separate powers.

The arguments for the petitioners will continue today.

Sources of the arguments include live-tweeting of the case by @prasanna_s, @SFLC.in and @gautambhatia88, and LiveLaw Reports.

Read our past coverage of the on-going Aadhaar Supreme court hearing:

Why SC needs to look into technical evidence of Aadhaars surveillance capabilities

Lack of governmental ownership of CIDRs source code can have serious consequences

Will State give citizens rights only if they agree to be tracked forever, asks lawyer Shyam Divan

Coalition for Aadhaar: A collective of private companies wants to ensure that Aadhaar ID and related services continue to be offered

Petitioners argue on centralisation of data and challenge Aadhaars claims on savings

Petitioners argue for a voluntary ID card system that does not collect user data

Petitioners argue that receipt of govt benefits cannot be at the cost of compromising fundamental rights

Aadhaar is architecturally unconstitutional, argue the petitioners

Petitioners seek compensation for starvation deaths and extension of March 31st deadline

The author is a lawyer and author specializing in technology laws. She is also a certified information privacy professional.
tech2 News Staff

It seems like Apple may be working towards a launch OF cheaper versions of four of its major products.

According to a report by Economic Daily News from Taiwan, the technology giant is likely to launch cheaper versions of the iPhone, MacBook Air, iPad and the HomePod sometime this year.

The translated report adds that Apple is likely to launch a 9.7-inch iPad for a price of about $259 to target its rivals in an attempt to increase its market share. This is in line with a report from back in December 2017 that said the same thing. This could revive the tablet market, especially since Apple is the tablet market.

The company may also be looking at a 6.1-inch iPhone in the $649 to $749 range. The cheaper MacBook Air may be priced anywhere between $799 and $899. According to a recent report, this affordable variant of the MacBook Air should boost the MacBook shipments by 10-15 percent in a year. Last but not the least, the company may also launch a $150-$200 HomePod to compete in a market already dominated by Amazons Echo devices and Googles Google Home devices.

One thing to note here is that all the prices in the report by Economic Daily News are mere estimates.
Reuters

BlackBerry Ltd on 6 March filed a patent infringement lawsuit against social media platforms Facebook Inc and its units WhatsApp and Instagram.

BlackBerry said Facebook and its companies developed competing applications that improperly used BlackBerrys mobile messaging intellectual property.

We have a strong claim that Facebook has infringed on our intellectual property, and after several years of dialogue, we also have an obligation to our shareholders to pursue appropriate legal remedies, BlackBerry spokeswoman Sarah McKinney said in a statement.

Facebook was not immediately available for comment.
IANS

Aiming to celebrate women's voices and uncover their inspiring stories of trials, hopes, and success in everyday life, Google India on 7 March launched #HerStoryOurStory campaign ahead of International Women's Day.

As part of the campaign, Google will be sharing heroic stories of women through online videos, putting spotlight on women who have not just fought societal, cultural and economic barriers to achieve their dreams but are also redefining women's role in the society and business through technology.

The campaign will showcase stories of trials, hope and success of women across India.

"Many studies show that one of the major barriers that prevent women in India from growing is the lack of relatable and realistic role models from a similar background.

Women who achieve, do so because of the characteristics that define them. Which of these do you identify with and why? Tell us, using #HerStoryOurStory pic.twitter.com/5NiQb6YNxn  Google India (@GoogleIndia) March 6, 2018

"We are committed to empowering women, across both urban and rural India, by investing in providing access to tools and skill sets required to grow and succeed," Sapna Chadha, Director Marketing (SEA and India) Google, said in a statement.

"On International Women's Day, we want to bring forward stories and voices of women who are not just transforming their lives but also their communities along the way. We are celebrating the success of women from all walks of life, who can inspire many more women to follow their dreams," Chadha said.

Women, both in urban and rural India, who are overcoming barriers and succeeding, can post their inspiring stories across social platforms using #HerStoryOurStory, the statement said.
IANS

Indonesia's government on Tuesday blocked online blogging service Tumblr over "inappropriate content" in more than 360 of its accounts, authorities said.

"Tumblr had no mechanisms or tools to report inappropriate content", said the Indonesian Ministry of Technology and Information in a statement.

The web content monitoring team sent a letter to the Tumblr platform on 28 February, giving the American company 48 hours to remove the pornographic content, Efe news reported.

According to the Ministry, Tumblr which hosts more than 400 million blogs through its service globally did not respond to the letter within the stipulated deadline.

Late 5 March, Tumblr users criticised on other media platforms, the failure to access the service, a second time for the same reason after a ban of less than a day in February 2016.

Indonesia has temporarily blocked access to messaging applications and social media platforms on several occasions to pressure companies to remove radical and pornographic content.

In January, Google pulled Blued  one of the most popular gay dating apps  from the Indonesian version of its online store after the government denounced its inappropriate content.

Also at the beginning of the year, the government announced the National Cyberspace and Encryption Agency would begin searching for online cybercrime, hoaxes and defamations.

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, with nearly 88 percent of its population of 261 million following Islam.
tech2 News Staff

HMD Global's Nokia announced as many as five new phones at MWC this year. This includes the Nokia 1, the Nokia 8110 4G, the Nokia 6 (2018), the Nokia 7 Plus and the Nokia 8 Sirocco. A new report now claims that Nokia may go on to announce two new smartphones with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 845 chipset inside.

A report by popular Nokia news tracking website NokiaPowerUser states that both the upcoming Nokia 8 Pro and the Nokia 9 will both be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chip. The report also adds that the Nokia 9 may come with what is being claimed to be the "best in class" smartphone camera. The camera setup on the Nokia 9 is expected to even trump the quality of the Penta-lens camera module which we've heard will make its way to the Nokia 8 Pro.

The Nokia 9 is also expected to come with a more premium display and may also likely pack an in-display fingerprint scanner. The display spoken of in this case is also expected to be marginally larger than the one on the Nokia 8 Pro. The publication also states the price of the Nokia 9 will be considerably higher than that of the 8 Pro.

Based on an earlier report, we had also seen leaked images of the supposed Nokia 8 Pro alongside another phone which may be the Nokia 9.

As for price and availability details, we do not know when the devices will arrive but the Nokia 9 is expected to come in later this year, most likely in September, while the 8 Pro may arrive earlier.
Reuters

itsIndias Reliance Communications Ltd (RCom) said on 6 March that it had appealed at the Bombay High Court against a ruling by an arbitration tribunal that barred the indebted firm from selling assets without the tribunals permission.

The tribunals ruling threatens RComs plans to reduce its $7 billion debt to Indian and foreign banks by selling assets such as airwaves, mobile masts and fibre optic investments.

RCom said it aimed to safeguard the interests of secured creditors by appealing against the tribunals interim order, which was issued on 5 March after Swedish telecom gearmaker Ericsson filed a case seeking payment of unpaid dues.

The tribunals interim ruling, a copy of which was seen by Reuters, did not say when final decision would be issued.

Ericsson, which signed a seven-year deal in 2014 to operate and manage RComs nationwide network, has said it is owed 11.55 billion rupees ($177.82 million) by RCom and two of its units.

The Indian unit of the Swedish firm had launched a separate case at Indias National Company Law Tribunal in September seeking to push RCom and its units into insolvency proceedings.

RCom Chairman Anil Ambani aims to cut his firms debt by selling most of its wireless assets to Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd in a deal sources said was worth about $3.8 billion. RCom had said it aimed to close the deal March.

Jio is the telecom's firm owned by Anil Ambanis elder brother Mukesh Ambani, Indias richest man.

Jio did not respond to requests for comment on 6 March. Ericsson declined to comment on the case.

China Development Bank (CDB), RComs biggest foreign lender and which had sought to push RCom into insolvency, withdrew its petition after the firm announced its debt reduction plans.
tech2 News Staff

Taking cues from the 2016 US presidential elections, the Indian government has asked Twitter to ensure that there are no 'foreign elements' misusing the platform during the upcoming 2019 general elections.

The union minister of electronics and IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad flagged his concerns to Twitters global head of policy Colin Crowell in New Delhi. Speaking to the Economic Times, he said that Twitter must beware of foreign elements as it might contradict the essence of democracy which is fairness.

He reportedly suggested them to have an internal regulatory mechanism.

Meanwhile, Crowell assured Prasad that the microblogging website has increased its efforts to curb the problem of fake news, misinformation and malicious content.

Involvement of 'foreign elements' in influencing the vote bank became quite crucial when Russian involvement was discovered during the 2016 US presidential elections.

Apart from Twitter, Facebook was also targetted with a plethora of fake news, social media posts with extremist content related to racism. This lead to speculation that a similar meddling could have happened in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Facebook, Google and Twitter were among the social media giants that were pulled up by the Senate for questioning on the alleged Russian meddling on their platforms during the 2016 US presidential elections.
Reuters

A US government national security panel has identified potential risks that warrant a full investigation of Singapore-based Broadcom Ltds $117 billion bid for chipmaker Qualcomm Inc , a senior US Treasury official said in a letter to the companies on 5 March.

Shares of Qualcomm slid 3 percent on growing investor concern that such government scrutiny, unusual for a deal that has not yet been agreed, would scupper any takeover by Broadcom.

Some of the US governments concerns relate to risks associated with Broadcoms relationships with foreign entities, Aimen Mir, the Treasurys deputy assistant secretary for investment security, said in the letter, without identifying who those parties might be.

The letter, dated 5 March, was made public by Qualcomm on 6 March.

The US governments Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) ordered a national security review of Broadcoms proposed deal on 4 March in an unusual move that prompted Qualcomm to delay a March 6 shareholder meeting.

The letter said that, as with every investigation, the review will consider the potential risk of an unnamed actor working through Broadcom to hurt US national security, adding that the bulk of CFIUS concerns were classified.

CFIUS, made up of representatives from the Departments of Defense, State, Justice, Treasury, Commerce, Energy and Homeland Security, assesses proposed foreign deals to purchase US assets to ensure they do not harm national security.

The inter-agency body, led by the Treasury, rarely looks at mergers before companies have clinched an agreement, highlighting the urgency of US concerns about safeguarding semiconductor technology.

The review of the Broadcom deal illustrates the US governments expanding focus on the competitiveness of the national semiconductor industry as China advances, regulatory experts said.

The US government is concerned that Chinese companies, including the big network equipment and mobile phone maker Huawei Technologies, will take advantage of any openings to take the lead in the next generation mobile phone networks known as 5G.

A shift to Chinese dominance in 5G would have substantial negative security consequences for the United States, Mirs letter said.

Broadcom said in a statement it was cooperating with CFIUS. There can be no question that an American Broadcom-Qualcomm combination will provide far more resources for investments and development to that end. Broadcom said last year it plans to move its headquarters to the United States from Singapore.

A source familiar with CFIUS thinking told Reuters on 5 March that if Broadcom acquired Qualcomm, the US military had concerns that within 10 years there would essentially be a dominant player in all of these technologies and thats essentially Huawei.

Huawei has been forging closer commercial ties with big telecom operators across Europe and Asia, putting the company in prime position to lead the global race for 5G networks despite US concerns.

Its has a dominant position in China, which is set to become the worlds biggest 5G market by far, but has also made inroads in the rest of world to compete with rivals such as Ericsson and Nokia in several lucrative markets, including countries that are longstanding US allies.
Heavy air strikes and clashes shook the Syrian rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, as France and Britain called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting.

Douma, Syria: Heavy air strikes and clashes shook the Syrian rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta on Tuesday, as France and Britain called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting on the escalating violence.

Eight hundred civilians  including at least 177 children  have been killed since Russia-backed regime forces launched an assault on the besieged enclave outside Damascus on 18 February, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in its latest death toll.

Russia suffered its own heavy losses on Tuesday as the defence ministry said a Russian transport plane crashlanded at an airbase in western Syria, killing all 32 people on board.

Bombardment and clashes in Eastern Ghouta, the last major rebel stronghold near Damascus have persisted despite a month-long ceasefire demanded by the Security Council more than a week ago. At least 19 civilians were killed on Tuesday, according to the Syrian Observatory, a Britain-based monitor.

The relentless attacks prompted France and Britain to request an emergency meeting of the top UN body, expected to gather on Wednesday, to discuss the ceasefire's failure to take hold.

Government troops have advanced rapidly across farmland in Eastern Ghouta in the past week and had wrested control of 40 percent of the enclave as of early on Tuesday. In the enclave's main town of Douma, air strikes have reduced homes to piles of rubble on both sides of the road, an AFP correspondent reported.

Exhausted civil defence workers on Tuesday took advantage of a few hours of calm to dislodge the body of a resident, killed in bombardment several days ago, from a collapsed building. Other civilians used the lull in air strikes to venture out from cellars to gather a few necessities from what was left of their homes. Some gathered the pieces of furniture smashed in the raids to use as fuel or sell to their neighbours.

An AFP reporter in Hammuriyeh said air strikes were continuing to pummel the town. The raids came after around 18 people suffered breathing difficulties in the town following a strike there late Monday, the Observatory reported. It had no firm word on the cause.

Eastern Ghouta's around 400,000 residents have lived under government siege since 2013, facing severe shortages of food and medicines even before the latest offensive began. Forty-six aid trucks entered Eastern Ghouta on Monday for the first time since the offensive started, but had to cut short their deliveries and leave due to heavy bombardment.

"The people we've met here have been through unimaginable things. They looked exhausted," Pawel Krzysiek of the International Committee of the Red Cross said afterwards. "And the aid we've delivered today is by no means enough," he said on Twitter, ahead of another aid delivery planned for Thursday.

The UN Human Rights Council on Monday ordered investigators to examine the latest violence in the enclave. It condemned "the indiscriminate use of heavy weapons and aerial bombardments against civilians, and the alleged use of chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta".

Eastern Ghouta is the last opposition bastion on the Syrian capital's doorsteps, and the regime is keen to retake it to secure Damascus. Rebels there have fired waves of rockets and mortars onto eastern Damascus neighbourhoods.

On Tuesday, three civilians were killed and eight wounded in mortar fire on the neighbourhood of Jarmana, according to state news agency SANA.

Regime ally Russia last week announced a five-hour daily "humanitarian pause" in the region, during which it said it would guarantee safe passage to civilians wishing to flee the enclave. No Syrian civilians are known to have used the "humanitarian corridor".

Russia on Tuesday announced that the exit route had been expanded to allow rebels, not just civilians, to leave the enclave. Russia's air force intervened in Syria in 2015 on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad, helping his troops retake key cities across the country.

Moscow's defence ministry said that a Russian transport plane crashed on landing at the Hmeimim airbase, killing its 26 passengers and six crew members. "The reason for the crash according to preliminary information could have been a technical fault," the ministry said, adding that the plane had not come under fire according to a report from the ground.

More than 340,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday belied claims made by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Joma Sison that the surrender of some rebels were staged.

"Alam mo, kay Joma lang, sinasabi lang niya yan eh, sa taas lang yon, the problem is, controlled ba nila yung tao nila dito sa baba?" AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bienvenido Datuin said.

The AFP earlier claimed about 2,000 communist rebels and supporters have surrendered to the government since December 2017. It added about 600 of these were New People's Army (NPA) combatants.

The NPA is the armed wing of the CPP, while the National Democratic Front (NDF) is its political arm.

On Tuesday, Sison called the surrenders a joke, branding it as mere government propaganda.

"The Duterte regime looks ridiculous and even funny by staging the fake surrenders of NPA fighters and their supporters," Sison said.

NDF Legal Counsel Edre Olalia also questioned why the government is so keen on destroying the rebel group.

"Kung irrelevant sila, why are you bothered about it, so why don't you just let them be, and they become irrelevant on their own. It only proves it's just a mirage," Olalia said.

The military, however, said it will continue carrying out its anti-insurgency campaign as more rebels have expressed willingness to surrender.

President Rodrigo Duterte has previously tagged the CPP and NPA as terrorist organizations.

Under the law, a person found guilty of terrorism will be sentenced to jail for 40 years without parole. Terrorism under the law, includes rebellion, insurrection, murder, and arson, among others.

Duterte ended the on-off negotiations with communist rebels in November 2017, citing a rash of violent attacks by the NPA. It was the first time in 18 years that peace talks had been terminated.

The President previously said he is consulting the military on the possibility of reviving the peace negotiations.

The Duterte government is the sixth administration to try to end the rebels' 48-year-old armed insurgency, the longest-running in Asia.

CNN Philippines' Senior Correspondent David Santos contributed to this report.
Donald Trump is ready to drag US into a trade war with the world. But winning one might not be as easy as he thinks.

Since President Donald Trump's announcement that he would raise tariffs on steel and aluminium, there have been rumblings that chief economic advisor Gary Cohn, who has clashed with Trump over trade policy, would leave the administration. That news broke on Tuesday, after Cohn, who tried to orchestrate an eleventh-hour effort to push Trump to reverse course, failed.

Trump, who was elected on his promise to the American people to put 'America First', has experienced his share of setbacks in domestic policy even as the economy has continued to hum (jobless claims have plunged to a 49-year-low and the US labour department added 200,000 jobs in January under his presidency).

The US president has now turned his gaze and his 'America First' rhetoric to foreign trade. By planning to impose 25 percent tariffs on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminium, Trump is attempting to roll back the effects of globalisation on the US economy.

The move has met with warnings of economic fallout as congressional Republicans and industry groups pressed Trump to narrow his plan for across-the-board tariffs. Trump has said the tariffs are needed to preserve the American industries and protect national security.

It is worth noting that despite Trump's claims, trade wars are not exactly easy to win. The president's argument, in essence, is that high tariffs will force other countries to relent quickly on what he sees as unfair trading practices, and that will wipe out the trade gap and create factory jobs. But the record shows that tariffs, while they may help certain domestic manufacturers, can come at a broad cost. They can raise prices for consumers and businesses because companies pass on at least some of the higher costs of imports and imported materials to their customers. A trade war is also bound to mean that other countries will erect higher barriers of their own against US goods and services, thereby punishing American exporters.

EU countries react swiftly, harshly

The European Union nations reacted swiftly, threatening tariffs on flagship US products. European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday threatened to hit big-name US brands such as Harley Davidson motorbikes, Levi's jeans and bourbon whiskey with import duties. This prompted Trump to fire back a threat to tax cars from the EU, further fuelling fears of a full-on transatlantic trade war erupting.

"We are looking at possibilities to retaliate, meaning that we will also put taxes or tariffs on US imports to the European Union," EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem told the BBC on Monday. Despite Juncker's headline-grabbing threat to iconic US brands, the hit list the EU is working on does not mention specific businesses, using instead the dry language of customs regulations.

Europe exports around five billion euros' worth of steel and a billion euros' worth of aluminium to the US each year, and the commission estimates Trump's tariffs could cost some 2.8 billion euros. As well as making it harder for European metal to find buyers in the US, tariffs could also mean other foreign producers redirect their output to the EU, pushing the market there down.

The first option envisaged by Brussels consists of "rebalancing" measures to compensate the value of the damage suffered, which it says would be in line with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. This would mean taxing certain specific US products to send a political message to Trump  possibly targeting businesses located in states favourable to the president. It would take around three months for these measures to come into effect. Brussels wants to maximise the political impact of its reprisals on the US while minimising the impact of a trade war on European consumers.

European Commission vice-president Jyrki Katainen said on Friday the bloc could form a "coalition of like-minded countries" to file a complaint at the WTO, though this procedure usually takes around two years. Katainen said he understood the US tariffs were more aimed at China, the world's biggest producer, which has flooded the globe with cheap steel, than the EU. "We don't talk about it enough but overcapacity in the steel sector is largely due to China," the senior EU official said.

The United States first became a net importer of steel in 1959, when steelworkers staged a 116-day strike, according to research by Michael O. Moore, a George Washington University economist. After that, US administrations imposed protectionist policies, only to see global competitors adapt and the US share of global steel production decline.

With inputs from agencies
Imposition of a nationwide state of Emergency for 10 days in Sri Lanka following violent clashes between the minority Muslims and the majority Buddhists has underlined the fragility and volatility of the country in its post-war phase

Imposition of a nationwide state of Emergency for 10 days in Sri Lanka following violent clashes between the minority Muslims and the majority Buddhists has underlined the fragility and volatility of the country in its post-war phase. Amidst new political and ethnic dynamics, there has been an upsurge in anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka even as the political leadership has been finding it extremely difficult to control the radical nationalist passions of the majority Sinhalese Buddhists.

The recent communal clashes in the Kandy district were triggered when angry mob of Sinhalese group attacked businesses and houses belonging to Muslims. There have been reports of some radical Buddhist leaders being present in the areas of violent clashes; these extremist elements have a track record of inciting Buddhists against Muslims.

There was a similar violence in late February when Muslim-owned businesses and a mosque were set ablaze. President Maithripala Sirisenas government has failed to hold the radical majority groups inciting hatred to account. Lakshman Kiriella, a lawmaker from Kandy, had to say in parliament: I am ashamed as a Buddhist and we must apologise to the Muslims.

Muslims in Sri Lanka make up 10 percent of Sri Lankan population. Buddhist population stands at 75 percent and the estimates of ethnic Tamils range between 11 to 13 percent. Sri Lankan Muslims, who speak Tamil, are mostly businessmen or traders.

This is the first time that Emergency has been reimposed in Sri Lanka after it was withdrawn in 2011 following the termination of the three-decade long ethnic conflict in 2009. Although the Tamil insurgency led by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was successfully crushed, some underlying causes of the conflict are yet to be resolved. There is a strong sense among many Sinhalese that Sri Lanka is a Sinhalese-Buddhist island, where Muslim and Tamil minorities should behave like second-grade citizens.

Observers feel that Sri Lankan government has failed to win the trust of the Tamil groups as they are desperately waiting for justice and reconciliation. Thousands of Tamil families are still searching for their relatives who'd disappeared during the war years. Their lands, taken by the Sri Lankan Army, are yet to be returned to them. The United Nations has been critical of Sri Lankas inexplicably slow progress in addressing war crimes and human rights abuses, particularly during the last weeks of the war.

As the devastating civil war between the government and the LTTE came to an end, Muslims seem to have emerged as the new enemy of Sinhalese Buddhist extremists in Sri Lanka. The domino effect of the rise of Islamist terrorism and the continuing conflict in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been felt in those countries with sizeable Muslim population, providing a convenient context in which the Muslims are demonised by the majority community. Sri Lanka is no exception to this trend.

While there have been multifaceted socio-cultural exchanges and ties between the Sinhalese and Muslims, economic tension has increased in recent years on account of politicisation of ethnic identities, increased competition for resources as well as demographic imbalance. Although there have been many instances where ethnic tensions produced in politico-economic domains were brought under control by strong socio-cultural bridges between the two communities, things have taken turn for the worse now.

In June 2014, bloody riots took place between Buddhists and Muslims in towns of southwestern Sri Lanka. The riots followed a protest march by a hardline Buddhist group, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), whose name roughly translates as Buddhist Power Force and which enjoyed the patronage of Rajapakse clan. Muslims and their property were attacked by unruly mobs shouting anti-Muslim slogans and hurling gas bombs and stones.

Police inaction led then Sri Lankan justice minister, Rauff Hakeem, to denounce his own governments ineptitude. Hakeem, the leader of the Sri Lankas largest Muslim party, lamented: I am ashamed. I couldnt protect my people. It was during the regime of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was a staunch Sinhala nationalist and often condoned instances of anti-Muslim violence.

The latest anti-Muslim riots are therefore a direct outcome of the majoritarianism that took roots in sections of the Buddhist groups during the fight with LTTE and after its defeat. When Rajapakse was trounced in the 2015 presidential elections, it led to a de-escalation of Buddhist-Muslim tensions. The last few years, however, have witnessed extreme hate campaigns and violence against Muslims in different parts of the country.

For instance, in September 2017, there was an attack by Buddhist monks on Rohingya Muslims near the capital Colombo. The Rohingya group was kept in a safe house under the protection of the United Nations, following their attempt to enter the Sri Lankan coast. They were eventually resettled in a third country. Hardline Buddhists have been accusing Muslims of forcing Sinhalese people to convert to Islam and destroying Buddhist archaeological sites. It may be mentioned that Sri Lankas many religious sites are places where different religions meet and interact, which results in both confrontation and cooperation.

Religious syncretism in Sri Lanka has mostly stressed on the Buddhism-Hinduism interface, which is understandable because of cultural connections between these two religious traditions. The conflicts between Buddhists and Hindus have resulted in increased ethnic polarisation among Sinhalese. Moreover, it need not be forgotten that the Sinhala-Tamil conflicts were not essentially a Buddhist-Hindu confrontation per se. Despite many Buddhist monks supporting the Sinhala army, the Hindu priests decided to remain aloof from the conflict in spite of the LTTEs persistent efforts to co-opt them in their struggle to create an independent homeland for Tamils.

However, the LTTE did not lose any opportunity to antagonise the Sinhala majority by attacking many Buddhist sacred places, further contributing to their extreme hostility towards the Tamil separatist movement. Generally speaking, Buddhist religion is perceived to be a peace-loving and non-violent.

However, it is ironic that anti-minority violence occurred frequently in some Buddhist-majority countries of Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Sri Lanka, presenting an entirely different image of Buddhism. Most of Sri Lankas extremist Buddhist groups have close links with their counterparts in Myanmar as both have been accused of inciting violence against minority Muslims in their countries.

Formed in 2012, the BBS is far more organised than a traditional Buddhist organisation in Sri Lanka, and makes full use of modern information technology, particularly social networking sites, in mobilising sentiment and supporters. The anti-minority violence must not be allowed to spiral out of control. It remains to be seen what stern action will be taken by Sri Lanka against the racist and violent acts, as promised by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. He tweeted:

As a nation that endured a brutal war we are all aware of the values of peace, respect, unity & freedom. The Govt condemns the racist & violent acts that have taken place over the last few days. A state of emergency has been declared & we will not hesitate to take further action.  Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP) March 6, 2018

However, these comforting words must not remain mere political rhetoric. Failure to take action against radical Buddhist groups will only serve to embolden them further, while exacerbating the sense of fear, insecurity and victimhood among the minority communities: a fertile ground for insurgency.

Therefore, it is the responsibility of the Sirisena government to deploy professionally-trained peace keepers in all communally sensitive districts in order to control further attacks against Muslims while also ensuring that district administration, including law enforcement agencies, maintain peace without any religious discrimination and bias.
The State of Emergency in Sri Lanka entered the second day on Wednesday, with the Opposition slamming President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe for alleged inaction in the Buddhist-Muslim communal clashes in Kandy district.

The state of emergency in Sri Lanka entered the second day on Wednesday, with the Opposition slamming President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe for alleged inaction in the Buddhist-Muslim communal clashes in Kandy district.

Former president and MP Mahinda Rajapaksa alleged that the Wickremesinghe-led UNP was not interested in resolving the communal problem in Kandy. This is not a political conspiracy. It reflects the inaction of the UNP. The government has deviated from its responsibilities. There is no one to turn to, Rajapaksa was quoted by Daily Mirror as saying.

Another Opposition party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, hit out the government for cultivating "racism" across the country.

Claiming that the government was using the Emergency as a tool to divert attention from its failures, party MP Anura Dissanayake told the parliament, "We will not be able to create national harmony among the different communities as long as racism was cultivated in the minds of the people. We as a country will not have a good future if racism prevailed in the country."

Talking on the same lines as Dissanayake, another Opposition leader Wimal Weerawansa alleged that the government deliberately neglected providing security to the riot-affected area in order to "suppress burning isssues" in the country.

In the Sri Lankan Parliament, 11 Muslim MPs led bu a Cabinet minister Rishard Bathiudeen sat the Well of the House, seeking government's assurance on protecting Muslims across the country, The Island reported.

Sri Lanka on Tuesday declared a state of Emergency for 10 days to rein in the spread of communal violence between majority Sinhala Buddhists and minority Muslims in the country's scenic Kandy district that left two persons dead and damaged several mosques and homes.

More powers given to police, tri-forces

Police fired teargas to disperse rioters in curfew-bound central Sri Lanka hours after a state of emergency was imposed in a bid to quell anti-Muslim violence, an official said Wednesday.

At least three police were wounded in the overnight clashes at Menikhinna, a suburb of Kandy, which has been a focus of the new trouble, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Seven people were arrested for breaking the curfew and trying to cause unrest in the multi-ethnic district, which is a popular tourist destination.

Daily Mirror reported on Wednesday that police and the tri-forces (army, navy and the air force) have been empowered to arrest anyone who creates violence or communal disharmony and sentence him or her to 20 years imprisonment or life imprisonment.

The police also imposed curfew in Kandy, a central Sri Lankan district from 8 pm on Tuesday to 6 am on Wednesday. The police had also imposed indefinite curfew in Pallekele and Teldeniya areas of Kandy on Monday, The Island reported.

Leave of all policemen in the country have been cancelled with immediate effect, Daily Mirror reported.

No immediate impact on tourism

The Sri Lanka Tourism Devlopment Authority on Tuesday claimed there will be no immediate impact on tourism sector due to the ongoing tensions in Kandy.

Expressing confidence over the security situation, SLTDA Communication Consultant Rasika Jayakody told Daily Mirror, "The SLTDA and the tourist police are equipped with backup plans in case of any disruptions to transport or any other issues."

On the directive of Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) in the interest of national security, access to certain Social Media sites and messaging platforms will be restricted with immediate effect until further notice

Sri Lankan stock market drops to three-week low

Sri Lankan shares dropped to their lowest close in nearly three weeks on Tuesday amid investors concerns about communal violence.

The country declared a nationwide state of emergency for 10 days on Tuesday to stop the spread of violence, after clashes erupted between majority Buddhists and members of the minority Muslim community.

Market came down with investors worried over the government declaring state of emergency, said Atchuthan Srirangan, a senior research analyst at First Capital Holdings PLC. Investors are waiting to see how foreign investors will react to this state of emergency," he added.

UN leader to visit Sri Lanka this week

UN political chief Jeffrey Feltman will visit Sri Lanka this week, the UN spokesman said on Tuesday. Feltman, the UN under-secretary-general for political affairs, will arrive on Friday for three days of talks with Sri Lankan leaders and is expected to visit Kandy where two people were killed in the violence.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the visit was planned before the state of emergency was imposed. "We are obviously concerned over reports of the ongoing communal violence and we welcome the government's commitment to addressing the tensions and achieve reconciliation," he said. "We urge all Sri Lankans to resolve their difference through dialogue," he added.

United States denounces communal violence

The United States issued a statement on Tuesday denouncing the communal violence and said that human rights and rule of law are essential for peaceful co-existence. "Rule of law, human rights, and equality are essential for peaceful coexistence. It is important that the Government of Sri Lanka act quickly against perpetrators of sectarian violence, protect religious minorities and their places of worship, and conclude the State of Emergency swiftly, while protecting human rights and basic freedoms for all," the US statement read.

Death of Sinhalese man led to rioting

Violence, triggered by the death of a Sinhalese man at the hands of a mob last week, erupted on Monday in the Theldeniya area of the central hill district popular with tourists. The government sent troops and elite police commandos to Kandy to restore order and enforce the curfew.

Sirisena and the Cabinet decided to declare a state of emergency for 10 days following the violence prevailed in some parts of the country, Minister of Social Empowerment SB Dissanayake told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.

Muslims claimed that around 10 mosques, 75 shops and 32 houses belonging to the minority community were badly damaged in the attacks by the Sinhalese Buddhists, forcing police to fire tear gas shells and impose an overnight curfew to prevent clashes between the two communities.

The situation, however, remained tense in part of Kandy, home to famous tea plantations and Buddhist relics, after charred remains of a Muslim man were recovered on Tuesday from a burnt building.

Sirisena issues statement, warns of strict action against miscreants

Sirisena said stern action would be taken against anyone who spreads violence in the country. Making a special statement over the inter-communal clashes, he assured action against the elements which spread violence at a time when the government was taking measures to establish political stability, peace among communities and reconciliation in the country.

He also said stern action would be taken against those who breach peace and provoke citizens by spreading rumours and false news by various means, including social media platforms. He said necessary action has been taken after convening the National Security Council to discuss the prevailing situation.

With inputs from agencies
Police fired teargas to disperse rioters in curfew-bound central Sri Lanka after a state of emergency was imposed in a bid to quell anti-Muslim violence.

Colombo: Police fired teargas to disperse rioters in curfew-bound central Sri Lanka hours after a state of emergency was imposed in a bid to quell anti-Muslim violence, an official said on Wednesday.

At least three police were wounded in the overnight clashes at Menikhinna, a suburb of Kandy, which has been a focus of the new trouble, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Seven people were arrested for breaking the curfew and trying to cause unrest in the multi-ethnic district, which is a popular tourist destination.

Schools across Kandy, 115 kilometres (72 miles) east of Colombo, remained closed on Wednesday as the government ordered more troops to reinforce police and stop the unrest spreading.

Foreign governments issued travel warnings following Tuesday's declaration of a state of emergency which gives sweeping powers to police and security forces to arrest and detain suspects.

"The state of emergency may include curfews in specific locations," the British government said. "You should exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies, and comply with local security requirements."

The US State Department told its citizens that further incidents were possible and advised those visiting the island to monitor local media for updates.

More than 150 homes, shops and vehicles were set ablaze during two days of rioting. Two people were also killed in the unrest.

Tensions rose on Tuesday as the body of a 24-year-old Muslim man was pulled out of a burnt building.

Sri Lanka's Parliament on Tuesday issued an apology to the Muslim minority, which constitutes 10 percent of the country's population of 21 million.

"We want to apologise to the Muslim community for the inhuman acts that have taken place," state enterprise development minister Lakshman Kiriella said in parliament.

City planning minister Rauff Hakeem described the riots as a "monumental security lapse" and recommended disciplinary action against those responsible.

Riots erupted on Monday after a man from the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese majority died at the hands of a Muslim mob last week.

Mobs set fire to Muslim-owned businesses and attacked a mosque in the east of the country last week after a Muslim chef was accused of adding contraceptives to food sold to Sinhalese customers.

Last November riots in the south of the island left one man dead and homes and vehicles damaged.

In June 2014 riots between Buddhists and Muslims left four dead and many injured. That bout of violence was instigated by a Buddhist extremist group whose leaders are on trial, accused of spurring religious conflict.
The communal violence in Sri Lanka's Teldeniya area that left two persons dead and forced the government to impose Emergency has prompted human rights groups to urge the authorities to ensure safety for all.

The communal violence in Sri Lanka's Teldeniya area that left two persons dead and forced the government to impose Emergency has prompted human rights groups to urge the authorities to ensure safety for all.

In a statement, the United Nations in Sri Lanka condemned the acts of violence "in the strongest possible terms". "The United Nations urges authorities to take immediate action against perpetrators and to ensure that appropriate measures are swiftly taken to restore normalcy in affected areas," the organisation said.

It further urged the authorities and citizens to ensure that "the rule of law is upheld, human rights are protected, and security and safety is ensured for all".

A regional network of human rights defenders, South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), condemned the co-ordinated attacks on the Muslim community in Kandy district. "This follows an attack against Muslims in Ampara on 27 February, 2018, which injured several people and damaged shops and a mosque," it said in a statement.

SAHR noted that the civil society and international observers had repeatedly warned of a recurrence of racially-motivated violence "if strong steps are not taken to condemn ethno-religious hate groups." It said, "The pursuit of justice and accountability are non-negotiable if Sri Lanka is to end its vicious long cycle of ethno-religious violence and impunity."

Expressing disappointment over the lack of decisive leadership shown by both local and central government authorities, SAHR said that it was initial police inaction which allowed the escalation of violence.

"It took the heads of state over two days to publicly acknowledge and denounce the violence, by which time severe damage to property and the death of an innocent Muslim man had already occurred," the network said.

It also urged the leaders to maintain a "line of communication" with the public, to comfort vulnerable communities and call for inter-communal harmony, in the face of divisive rhetoric.

The SAHR further demanded that the police and security forces take swift measures to apprehend the perpetrators of the violence and defend innocent civilian lives and property. "(The) civil society must take necessary steps towards assisting the victims and suppress fear among the minorities. At this crucial moment, it is essential to tackle hate campaigns, false narratives, and rumours provoking racial sentiments at the grassroots and promote dialogue on peace, tolerance and coexistence," it said.

Following communal violence in the Buddhist-majority island nation, the government declared a 10-day state of Emergency on Tuesday.

Incidents of violence between Muslims and Buddhists continued for the third consecutive day, prompting the government to block popular social networking websites across the country and deploy around 600 troops in the central district of Kandy.

On Tuesday, Amnesty International had said that the authorities must respect human rights despite the state of Emergency.

"It is important that the authorities take action against mobs who have incited hatred and carried out acts of violence against religious minorities. They have a duty to protect vulnerable groups and hold the perpetrators accountable. But a state of emergency must not become a pretext for further human rights abuses," Amnesty Internationals South Asia director Biraj Patnaik had said.

In the wake of the Emergency, foreign governments, including the US and the UK, have asked their nationals visiting the island nation to "exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies, and comply with local security requirements".

UN under-secretary-general for political affairs Jeffrey Feltman will be visiting Sri Lanka this week. The UN spokesman said that Feltman will reach Colombo on Friday for a three-day tour and is also expected to visit Kandy.

With inputs from agencies
Myanmar has not stopped its ethnic cleansing of the Rohingyas in Rakhine state, a United Nations human rights official said on Tuesday.

United Nations: Myanmar has not stopped its ethnic cleansing of the Rohingyas in Rakhine state, a United Nations human rights official said on Tuesday.

The UN envoy's assessment of a continued "campaign of terror and forced starvation" comes six months after a military crackdown caused a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims. Some 7,00,000 people have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh since August, BBC reported.

Myanmar's military says it is fighting Rohingya militants and denies targeting civilians in Rakhine state. "The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya from Myanmar continues," said the UN's assistant secretary-general for human rights, Andrew Gilmour. "I don't think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Cox's Bazar," he added, referring to a district in southern Bangladesh which is home to most of the refugees.

Bangladesh and Myanmar authorities had held talks over repatriating refugees in the coming months, but a build up of Myanmar military on the border last week sparked concern. The UN envoy said it was "inconceivable" for any Rohingya to return to Rakhine state in the near future in a "safe, dignified and sustainable" way.
The Gambia on Tuesday apologised to Thailand after its foreign minister said the Asian country was a haven for sex tourists, sparking a strongly worded protest from Bangkok

Banjul: The Gambia on Tuesday apologised to Thailand after its foreign minister said the Asian country was a haven for sex tourists, sparking a strongly worded protest from Bangkok.

Hamat Bah said on state television in January that The Gambia, a sunny beach destination favoured by Western tourists especially from Scandinavia, was losing out to the nearby archipelago nation of Cape Verde after gaining a reputation as a sex haven.

"The fact is that this country's image has been battered heavily... I was trying to find out why we are not getting Scandinavian tourists anymore, and I discovered that this country has been considered a sex destination," he had said.

"We are not a sex destination. If you want a sex destination, you go to Thailand," he added.

The Thai government last week lodged a formal protest in a strongly worded letter.

Its culture minister Veera Rojpojchanarat separately said sex tourism had declined due to measures taken by the government.

"Thailand has improved a lot in this issue. After the ministry of culture worked on promoting morality, this issue has improved a lot," Veera told reporters, according to Thai media.

A Gambian foreign ministry statement said it "regrets the unfortunate comments made by the Minister of Tourism and Culture."

It said "measures will be put in place to prevent the occurrence of such an unfortunate incident," adding that the minister's comments should not be "construed as a reflection of the government's view on the tourism sector of Thailand."
Marking International Women's Day 2018, Google Doodle has brought together 12 artists from 12 different countries to create a visual anthology that brings forth unheard stories of womanhood

The very first International Women's Day was observed in February 1909 in New York. The event has since then metamorphosed into an important celebration of women's achievements while still being a reminder of the struggle and challenges ahead.

Marking International Women's Day 2018, Google Doodle has brought together 12 artists from 12 different countries to create a visual anthology that brings forth unheard stories of womanhood.

Lydia Nichols and Alyssa Winans, Doodlers and project leads on the IWD 2018 Project explained that they wanted to come up with a concept that would truly "celebrate the stories and voices of another group of extraordinary women  the everyday women living all over the world".

To do so, they reached out to 12 female artists of all backgrounds to share their personal stories in a series of visual narratives. "Each story represents a moment, person, or event that has impacted their lives as women. While each artist tells a unique story, the themes are universal, reminding us of how much we often have in common. We hope that the combined power of words and images help bring these stories to life in a way that invokes feelings of understanding, empathy, and spirit of the day," Nichols and Winans said, in a statement.

Nichols and Winans added that the project had been an incredible journey for them, saying they'd been "moved by the candour, intimacy, and bravery of our contributors stories".

Kaveri Gopalakrishnan, an independent comics maker and illustrator from Bengaluru is one of the artists whose work has been featured in the International Women's Day 2018 Google Doodle. Her work is a comic about a young girl who reads books on her rooftop, growing feathers with every page she reads, until she finally takes flight.

"When the Google team sent in the brief  which was 'Growth'  I had an immediate picture of a small creature growing into a large, strong and mysterious being after feeding off books," Gopalakrishnan told Firstpost.

The Google Doodle project also issued an open call to all storytellers to share their own personal accounts of moment, individuals or events that impacted their lives as women, along with the hashtag #HerStoryOurStory.

Here's a look at panels from each of the 12 artists' stories:

Happy International Womens Day 2018!
Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday. She alleges that the agreement she signed days before the 2016 presidential election, which prevented her from discussing the alleged sexual encounters, is 'null and void and of no consequence' because Trump didn't personally sign it.

An adult film actress who has said she had sex with Donald Trump filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement and "set the record straight," her lawyer said Wednesday.

Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday. She alleges that the agreement she signed days before the 2016 presidential election, which prevented her from discussing the alleged sexual encounters, is "null and void and of no consequence" because Trump didn't personally sign it.

Her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said on morning news shows Wednesday that she wants "to set the record straight." He said on NBC there was "no question" Trump knew about the agreement, though he did not offer any proof.

Avenatti said Daniels wasn't looking to profit from her story. But he told CBS: "I don't know whether she's going to ultimately seek payment or not."

Asked about Avenatti's claims Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: "We've addressed our feelings on that situation, and I don't have anything else to add."

Clifford alleges that she began an "intimate relationship" with Trump in 2006 and that it continued "well into the year 2007," according to the lawsuit . She said the relationship included encounters in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and Beverly Hills, California. Trump married his current wife, Melania Trump, in 2005.

Clifford claims she had sex with Trump once and then carried on a subsequent yearslong platonic relationship.

Previously, through a lawyer, Clifford denied the two had an affair, but Avenatti said Wednesday that was to meet the terms of the nondisclosure agreement. Trump's attorney Michael Cohen has denied there was ever an affair.

Cohen has said he paid the porn actress $130,000 out of his own pocket as part of the agreement. He has also said that "neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly."

The lawsuit charges that the Oct. 28, 2016 "hush agreement" is legally invalid because it was only signed by Clifford and Cohen. The agreement refers to Trump as David Dennison and Clifford as Peggy Peterson, but an attached exhibit details their true identities.

Clifford's lawsuit also alleges that Trump and Cohen "aggressively sought to silence Ms. Clifford as part of an effort to avoid her telling the truth, thus helping to ensure he won the Presidential Election."

"To be clear, the attempts to intimidate Ms. Clifford into silence and 'shut her up' in order to 'protect Mr. Trump' continue unabated," the lawsuit said. Clifford alleges that as recently as last week, Trump's attorney tried to initiate an arbitration proceeding against her.

Cohen did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  Late for work? Actress-host Anne Curtis went the extra mile to make it in time for her noontime show.

In a series of Instagram stories, which expire after 24 hours, the "It's Showtime" host posted how she avoided the Metro Manila traffic on Tuesday  by taking a helicopter.

"When you have to beat the traffic to make it for Showtime!" Curtis wrote.

The 32-year-old actress said she came from Go Negosyo's 10th Filipina Entrepreneurship Summit at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, where she was one of the speakers.

She then had to hurry to get to the ABS-CBN studio in Quezon City, about 15 kilometers away, to host the noontime variety show.

The chopper ride, courtesy of Go Negosyo, paid off, as one of Curtis' posts showed the host taking in the view of the Manila skyline at 11:07 a.m., well ahead of the 12:15 p.m. airtime of her show.

"Made it to Showtime!" Curtis said, adding her supposed one and a half hours of travel was reduced to 10 minutes.

This was not the first time Curtis had to rush to work. She had been spotted taking the MRT several times, with her most recent trip being in January 2017.
Sri Lanka's Regulatory Commission first directed all internet service providers to block internet access in Kandy district. Later instructions were issued to block access to social media sites and communications apps like Whatsapp and Viber in the entire country as a temporary measure.

The Sri Lankan government on Wednesday blocked a number of social media sites and communication apps in a bid to curtail the communal violence, which rocked the country's hill-capital Kandy for the third day in a row, despite a declared state of Emergency and curfew orders.

Internet services blocked

Sri Lanka's Regulatory Commission first directed all internet service providers to block internet access in Kandy district. Later instructions were issued to block access to social media sites and communications apps like Whatsapp and Viber in the entire country as a temporary measure.

President Maithripala Sirisena had on Tuesday announced a state of Emergency for ten days in a bid to control the situation.

On Wednesday morning, the government imposed curfew in Kandy, until further notice, as incidents of mobs attacks on places of worship, homes and businesses continued for the third day in a row.

Two incidents were reported from Kandy last night, where a mob of over 300 individuals attacked shops and houses in a locality called Thennekubura, police said. The attacks were triggered by the death of a Sinhala who was injured in a group clash on 2 March.

The victim, identified as HD Karunasinghe, was beaten by three Muslim men in a case of road rage on 22 February. News of his death in hospital was widely shared on social media, which gave it a communal twist.

Several extremist groups, using social media posts, urged people to come to Digana on Sunday to attend the funeral. By Monday a large crowd had gathered in the area, and people were posting live feeds of the situation on the streets. As situation worsened, mobs attacked Muslim-owned shops and homes in Teldeniya- Kandy area when news of the death of the road-rage victim spread.

The incident came hot on the heels of another communal clash in Ampara, in eastern Sri Lanka, when extremist groups accused the Muslim owner of an eatery of mixing so-called 'sterilization pills' in food served to Sinahala customers. A mob torched several shops in Ampara, but the police has been accused of ignoring the rampage.

The police arrested 24 men in connections with the 2 March riots but no arrests have been made in connection with the attacks that have unfolded this week.

Violence continues despite curfew

Mobs set fire to rows of Muslim-owned shops in Teldeniya and Digana area in Kandy on Monday. On Tuesday morning, the police uncovered the charred remains of Abdul Baslith, a 24-year-old resident of Digana town inside his house. A mob had set fire to Basliths house and he was unable to get out before the ceiling caved in, his father Fayaz Samsudeen said. Basliths brother is now being treated for burn injuries in Kandy Hospital.

"They came during the curfew hours. We did not know what to do. I had to carry my wife out as she is unable to walk. My son screamed for help but was unable to get out in time," Samsudeen recalled.

The front side of the house had been converted into a small shop and Baslith had just found a job as a regional correspondent for a radio channel. Grief-stricken Samsudeen can't recall what his son had told him about his new job.

Similar attacks have continued in different locations all over Kandy district since Monday night. Incidents also occurred on Tuesday night despite the curfew. Law- enforcement authorities are struggling to keep the situation under control. A special Criminal Investigation Division team has been dispatched to investigate Basliths death. Over 600 army troops have now been deployed in the area to bring the situation under control.

"This is communal violence, very different from a war situation. The groups that are causing violence are not armed. We are using minimum force to control the situation. The extremist elements are provoking us to shoot and take lives," Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne said at a special media briefing on 7 March.

Government admits to lapses

Government spokesperson and minister, Dr Rajitha Senaratne said that investigations have revealed that political forces are behind the attacks. "There is a particular group behind this. It is evident that they are working towards a political agenda. Arrests will be made in the future in this regard," Senaratne said on Wednesday.

He also said that the attacks are being carried out in a very organised and systematic manner with instructions being given from remote locations.

Responding to allegations that the situation got out of hand because the government failed to set precedence by taking stern action after the first-ever incident of communal violence in the coastal town of Aluthgama in 2014, Senaratne admitted that action on the matter has been slow. In that incident, a mob lead by the radical Buddhist monk Galagoda Atte Gnanasara had attacked Muslim residents of the town. "Investigations are still ongoing," he insisted.

The Sri Lankan government also admitted to lapses in law enforcement in both Ampara and Kandy incidents. "We admit there is a delay in response. For instance, the police was not able to take action in time as the assistant superintendent of police in the area was not available to give the orders to take action. The junior officers therefore were not able to respond in time without orders from higher ranks. The Ampara incident is also being investigated," Senaratne told reporters on Wednesday.

The coalition government that was elected to power with a large minority support base came under severe criticism in parliament this week, for its inability to control the situation. Addressing the parliament on Tuesday, Tamil National Alliance member and Jaffna district representative MA Sumanthiran accused the government of being "spineless" in the face of extremist violence directed at "numerically inferior communities".

"If you can't stand up for what is right, if you can't stand for numerically inferior communities in your country, then you have no right to govern," Sumanthiran thundered.

Chathuri Dissanayake is a Colombo-based journalist and a member of 101Reporters.com, a network of grassroots reporters
US Navy veteran Adam Purinton charged with killing Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla and injuring two others at a Kansas City bar last year, pleaded guilty to premeditated first-degree murder on Wednesday.

Washington: A US Navy veteran charged with killing Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla and injuring two others at a suburban Kansas City bar last year, pleaded guilty to premeditated first-degree murder on Wednesday. Adam Purinton, 52, pleaded guilty before a Kansas court.

He was charged with the first-degree murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of Kuchibhotla's friend, Alok Madasani, and a bystander, who chased Purinton after he fled the Austin's Bar and Grill in Olathe city on 22 February, 2017. Purinton had pleaded not guilty on all these charges and waived his preliminary hearing in late November 2017. Kuchibhotla's widow welcomed the guilty plea.

"Today's guilty verdict will not bring back my Srinu, but it will send a strong message that hate is never acceptable," she said in a statement.

According to court documents, Purinton's plea hearing was originally scheduled for 8 May, but was moved to March 6 later.

Witnesses said Purinton yelled at the two Indian men to "get out of my country" before pulling the trigger. Federal prosecutors alleged that Purinton committed offences after substantial planning and premeditation, attempted to kill more than one person in a single criminal episode, and knowingly created a grave risk of death to others on the scene. Purinton faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday urged all sides to seize the opportunities of a planned summit between North and South Korea

United Nations: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday urged all sides to seize the opportunities of a planned summit between North and South Korea, as well as future talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons drive.

Guterres said he was encouraged by the advances made to hold the summit and discuss future talks on the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

"The latest developments are further steps forward in laying the foundation for the resumption of sincere dialogue, leading to sustainable peace and denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula," his office said in a statement.

Guterres "is encouraged by the advances made during the latest inter-Korean talks, particularly the agreement to hold a summit meeting soon, to further reduce military tensions, and to discuss denuclearization in future talks with all relevant parties," it added.

"He stresses the need to protect the momentum and seize the opportunities available to find a peaceful path forward."

The leaders of North and South Korea will next month hold a historic summit at the truce village of Panmunjom, said an envoy from the Seoul government following talks in Pyongyang with leader Kim Jong-un.

South Korea's national security adviser, Chung Eui-yong, said Pyongyang was open to discuss getting rid of its nuclear program with the United States in exchange for security guarantees.

Guterres offered UN help to the governments concerned to address the crisis.

In December, Guterres dispatched his political chief, Jeffrey Feltman, to Pyongyang to urge North Korea to open a dialogue on ending the crisis.

Feltman, however, was then told by Pyongyang that "now was not the time" for dialogue, even if the North Korean officials agreed it was important to avoid war.

The UN Security Council has imposed tough economic sanctions aimed at choking off revenue to Pyongyang's military programs after Kim's regime carried out a sixth nuclear test and a series of advanced missile launches.

China  Pyongyang's sole ally  and Russia argue that sanctions alone will not push North Korea to change course and have repeatedly called for stepping up diplomatic efforts to achieve a solution.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) says a lawmaker's claim of election irregularities is too soon to tell

In a privilege speech Tuesday, Senate majority leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III claims the results of the 2016 elections may have been manipulated by technology provider Smartmatic.

He questioned the Commission on Elections' (COMELEC) decision to tap Smartmatic for the 2019 polls, saying a source gave him information about the alleged irregularities that happened in the previous elections.

READ: Sotto alleges 2016 election irregularity

"What I am about to present to you may or may not be gospel truth, but very accurate information. And if these allegations are serious enough and are proven to be true after due investigation, then we have a case of electoral sabotage for the conduct of the 2016 elections," he said.

Sotto added that in the information relayed to him, two points were alleged: that there was an early transmission of votes, and there was remote access of the election server.

The COMELEC, however, said it's too early to say whether irregularities marred the 2016 elections, especially since they have yet to obtain the data Sotto mentioned in his speech.

COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez reacted to Sotto's claim of early transmissions, saying it's possible that the data recorded came from the final testing and sealing of the vote counting machines (VCM).

He noted, the VCMs were tested for recording and transmitting votes  using dummy results  even up to the wee hours of the morning before the 2016 elections.

Jimenez said, "The allegation of early transmissions was simply that: merong [there were] early transmissions...So, is it impossible that there were transmissions from the final testing and sealing? At this point, it's really hard to say. Final testing and sealing, the protocol is to try out everything that the machine is able to do."

As to Sotto's claim that information gathered from the election servers were submitted to a cloud services provider based in the U.S., Jimenez said the Senator might just be referring to data posted on the COMELEC's own election results website.

Jimenez also admitted the election results from the election servers passed through a server overseas before it was uploaded to the website.

He said, "We had a results website and where was that hosted? That was hosted abroad. Remember at that time, there were also concerns about security...that passes through a foreign server. I don't know if that's the same server identified, but again this is possible.]

As for the zero votes that some senatorial and presidential candidates allegedly had, Jimenez says such events do happen.

"Merong [There are] zero votes everywhere. I think every candidate had a zero vote experience," he said."

Jimenez said it's premature to speculate whether results were manipulated in the 2016 elections, however the COMELEC will be conducting its own investigation on the matter.

In the absence of solid proof of the alleged cheating, Jimenez said the COMELEC would continue its preparations for the 2019 polls where Smartmatic will still be the technology provider.
.    ,           ,   .   .      ,     "". "     ,  ,             ,    .  ,...
Working from home? Switch to the DIGITAL edition of CLICK HERE to signup now!
Google today announced that it is adding 20 more languages including Chinese and Korean for Gboard to Android. With this new addition, a total number of languages that Gboard supports reached over 300 covering 74% of the worlds population.

With Gboard you can search for Maps and YouTube directly, quick looping selfie GIFs and much more. China and Korea are two of the largest Android markets and are also two of the most requested languages for Gboard. With Swype offering Chinese and Korean already since 2012, Google is pretty late to the party, though it has support for these languages on iOS for some time.

In addition to Chinese and Korean, Google is also adding few lesser-known languages, like Manx and Maori that are being requested by users. Google also worked with brothers Abdoulaye and Ibrahima Barry to bring the Fulani alphabet, Adlam, to Gboard. For lesser-known languages, Google-like Fulani, it worked alongside Abdoulaye and Ibrahima to design and test an Adlam layout on the keyboard which is live on Gboard today.

The new update with more languages will be rolled over the next few days through Google Play.

Source
Google at the annual American Physical Society meeting in Los Angeles has introduced the Bristlecone quantum computing processor with an aim to provide its researchers a testbed for into system error rates and scalability of its qubit technology. It is also expected to bring applications in quantum simulation, optimization, and machine learning.

Googles Bristlecone chip features 72 qubits and uses the same technology as companys previous 9-qubit linear array technology which demonstrated low error rates for readout at 1%, single-qubit gates at 0.1% and lastly two-qubit gates 0.6%. In order to investigate the applications and most importantly quantify a quantum processors capabilities, Googles theory team designed a tool which can be used to assign a single system error by applying random quantum circuits to the device and checking the sampled output distribution against a classical simulation.

If the quantum processor can be operated with low enough error, then it can easily outperform a classical supercomputer on a well-defined computer science problem, which is an achievement known as quantum supremacy. It is believed in the industry that it takes 49 qubits to achieve quantum supremacy, but Google cautions that a quantum computer isnt just about qubits.

In order to run a device like Bristlecone at low system error, it requires an understanding of technologies ranging from software and control electronics to the processor. Google adds that it is optimistic that quantum supremacy can be achieved with Bristlecone, and said that it will be sharing the results and allowing collaborators to run experiments in the future.

Source
Thanksgiving is different this year as the F&B industry is adapting its approach to tackle the hurdles COVID-19 presents. Meal kits and ready meals are more popular... Read More
Microplastics: Threatened Waters, Threatened Food Chain

Fifth in a Series

Keep Lee County Beautiful Tip of the Week

In our last article, we looked at simple ways we can change our water bottle habits and have a large impact on the environment by REDUCING the waste stream of plastics that are entering our waters and making their way to us through the food chain. Today, we will focus on the other big offender: Plastic Bags.

Its easier to recycle cardboard than plastic, and paper products biodegrade easily without adding significant weight to products. So, when you have the choice, pick pasta in the box instead of pasta in a bag, or detergent in the box instead of the bottle.

But the largest offender in our lives is the thin plastic bags provided us by most markets. The usefulness of them is extremely limited, yet billions of them are used each year around the world. Although free to shoppers, these bags have a high environmental cost to all of us and are one of the most visible forms of litter.

Bringing your own reusable bag is good environmental advice, in fact such good advice that some governments have implemented policies to encourage more people to do it. The Bangladesh government was the first to do so in 2002, imposing a total ban on the bag, and such a ban has also been applied in countries such as Rwanda, China, Taiwan, Macedonia and most recently Kenya. Although the US Federal government has yet to address the issue, disposable shopping bags have been banned in a number of cities, such as San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Sadly, with all of its coastline, no city in Florida has enacted any such legislation that a similar state such as Hawaii has done. In fact, thanks to Fort Myers Beach Observer reader Shannon, I learned that communities are prohibited to do so under SB 348, 403.7033 which reads no local government, local governmental agency, or state government agency may enact any rule, regulation, or ordinance regarding use, disposition, sale, prohibition, restriction, or tax of such auxiliary containers, wrappings, or disposable plastic bags.

I am now following SB348 section 403.70325, introduced by Senator Jose Javier Rodriguez of District 37 (Miami-Dade). It reads in part Notwithstanding s. 403.7033, a coastal community with a population of less than 100,000 may establish a pilot program to regulate or ban disposable plastic bags. A municipality establishing such a pilot program is required to file a report showing the effect on the environment no later than April 2021.

This bill seems like a wonderful way to test reducing the microplastic threat, its highly visible litter, and the need for organizations such as KLCB to organize environmental cleanups. Sadly, it has been submitted the past 2 years, but has died in subcommittee. We can write or call our representatives to let our feelings be know, but until change comes it is ever more important that we take the initiative ourselves to bring reusable bags to stores. We keep ours conveniently in our car so they are always near when needed.

As always, the best rule to follow is first reduce, secondly reuse, and finally recycle.

This sustainability tip is courtesy of Keep Lee County Beautiful Inc. For more information, visit www.klcb.org, email info@klcb.org, or call (239) 334-3488.

By Norman Turiano for Keep Lee County Beautiful
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  President Rodrigo Duterte said he will declare a state of calamity in one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.

"Sabi ko na, "Sir, inutusan kita six months. Tapusin mo 'yang problema sa Boracay,"" Duterte said in a Tuesday speech in Malacanang, pertaining to his marching orders to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) officer-in-charge Eduardo Ano.

[Translation: I said, "Sir, you have six months. Finish the problem in Boracay."]

"I know (the) hardships and that is why I would be declaring a state of calamity," he added.

Duterte said a state of calamity would allow the quick release of funds for those who would be financially displaced by the island's clean-up.

The DILG on Thursday eyed declaring a six-month state of calamity to speed up rehabilitation efforts, although the President did not mention a specific period.

READ: DILG eyes 6-month state of calamity in Boracay

6 months to clean 'cesspool'

On Feb. 10, Duterte called Boracay a "cesspool" and ordered the DENR to clean up the island within six months.

READ: Duterte orders DENR to clean up Boracay in 6 months

On Feb. 20, the DENR deployed a "mission team" to address the island's environmental issues, with at least 81 estabishments receiving notices of violation.

READ: DENR issues notices of violation to 81 erring Boracay establishments

Meanwhile, the DILG said on Friday that over 800 establishments in Boracay are facing various violations.

READ: DILG: Over 800 Boracay establishments have violations

"In the meantime, if I were from Boracay or you guys there, the best thing for you to do is to cooperate with the government and hasten the cleanup," Duterte said. "For as long as there are s*** coming out of those pipes draining to the sea, I will never give you the time of the day na bumalik diyan [to return there]."

Duterte also warned the judiciary not to interfere in the rehabilitation efforts.

"I would caution the courts not to interfere by issuing TRO (temporary restraining order) because you would just exacerbate the situation," he said.
This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.
Chevrolet has a surprise for commercial truck customers.

After teasing the introduction of the first Silverado-branded Class 4 and 5 medium duty chassis cab trucks a couple of months ago, Chevy showed up at The Work Truck Show in Indianapolis on Wednesday with a Class 6 version in tow. That puts the automaker head-to-head with Ford in every truck segment under Class 7.

The all-new Silverado 4500, 5500 and 6500 were developed in partnership with Navistar, and mark Chevrolet's return to the medium-duty segment with an in-house designed model after a 10-year absence. It's been filling the gap in recent years with rebranded low cab forward-style trucks from Isuzu.

The Silverados are powered by a version of Chevys existing 6.6-liter Duramax V8 thats been engineered to produce 350 hp and 700 pound feet of torque in this application. Thats 50 more horsepower than the F-Series trucks have and the same amount of torque, but the Silverado 6500 maxes out with a 22,500-pound gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) while the F-650 is available in a version with a top GVWR of 29,000 pounds.

Chevy is touting other design features that it hopes will help its trucks stand apart, including a factory painted flat-top frame with the wiring tucked inside of it to simplify upfits, an available rear air suspension system and a lightweight composite tilt-front hood. Interior amenities include Chevys Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-equipped infotainment system and a built-in 4G Wi-Fi hotspot.

ARE YOU FOLLOWING FOX NEWS AUTOS ON FACEBOOK YET?

The Silverados will be built by Navistar in Springfield, Ohio, starting later this year. Pricing has not been announced, but will likely start in the $40,000 range. Automotive News reports that GMC will not be getting a Sierra version of the trucks, but Navistar will unveil its own model based on the platform that it will reveal before production begins.

2019 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 REVEALED:
The man accused of stealing Frances McDormands Best Actress Academy Award at a post-show party over the weekend has officially been charged with theft, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office announced Tuesday.

The suspect, Terry Bryant, 47, faces a felony charge of grand theft of property exceeding $950 in value and is due in court on Wednesday, the DAs office said.

McDormand, 60, scored the award on Sunday for her role as Mildred Hayes in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The coveted statue was stolen from the actress table at the Governors Ball, TMZ reported, and security began looking for it. Her name was reportedly engraved on the award.

FRANCES MCDORMAND REUNITED WITH OSCAR AFTER ITS STOLEN DURING AFTER-PARTY; SUSPECT IN CUSTODY

The Los Angeles Police Department said they arrested Bryant late Sunday night after he was nabbed by security. The suspect had his picture taken while holding the Oscar, police said, and the photographer did not recognize Bryant as a recipient from the awards show and believed he was in possession of a trophy which did not belong to him.

Wolfgang Pucks photographer, according to The New York Times, was able to stop him before he could leave and got the Oscar statue back. McDormand allegedly said to let the thief go but security turned him in to Los Angeles police.

FRANCES MCDORMAND INVITES ALL FEMALE OSCARS NOMINEES TO STAND DURING BEST ACTRESS SPEECH

As noted by ABC News, Bryant posted a video to Facebook Sunday night -- with the caption "My Oscar baby" -- in which he proudly holds the Oscar in his hand, kisses it and claims his "team got this tonight. This is mine. We got it tonight, baby." The video, according to The Hollywood Reporter, was taken down.

The Academy Award was returned to McDormand, police said.

If convicted of his charge, Bryant could face up to three years in jail, the district attorneys office said.

Fox News Kathleen Joyce contributed to this report.
An ABC-affiliated television station in Detroit and its morning news anchor are facing a $100 million lawsuit in which a former reporter alleges years of sexual harassment against her.

WXYZ-TV responded Tuesday by removing anchor Malcom Maddox from its news broadcasts, Detroits Fox 2 reported.

The lawsuit, filed in a U.S. District Court in Detroit by lawyers representing former reporter Tara Edwards, alleges that Maddox frequently asked Edwards to engage in sex acts, and tricked her into viewing sexually explicit videos and photos.

According to the lawsuit, Edwards claims that she repeatedly asked Maddox to stop targeting her and that she was offended by his behavior.

Imagine how difficult it has been to have felt so helpless, hopeless and voiceless in my own nightmare for so long, Edwards said at a news conference Tuesday. I am finally in a place where I feel strong enough to stand up."

Edwards said she filed a complaint with WXYZ management in January 2015 that resulted in Maddox admitting to misconduct against Edwards and other staffers. But Edwards says Maddox was allowed to remain on the job and was even promoted to morning news anchor while she was moved to a different shift.

Maddox was also placed on administrative leave in December 2017 while WXYZ investigated allegations against him. He was reinstated Dec. 22, 2017, Fox 2 reported.

In a statement, WXYZ noted that Maddox was suspended for two weeks without pay after an investigation into the 2015 complaint, the Detroit Free Press reported.

WXYZ said Tuesday that Maddox would be off the air for the time being to avoid any further distraction from its core mission of providing quality local journalism.

Read the lawsuit here.
At the height of her fame as one of fashions most sought-after models, Agyness Deyn said goodbye to the runway to embark on her journey in Hollywood  and this time, shes trying to save her loved ones before the world comes to an end.

The 35-year-old British cover girl-turned-actress, along with fellow British actor Jim Sturgess, are the stars of Hulus Hard Sun, which explores how two detectives cope with the apocalypse occurring in five years. Deyn insisted she has never felt so good fighting back before humanity slips away for good.

Fox News spoke with the two stars about Hard Sun, as well as Deyn's newfound love for acting.

Fox News: What drew the both of you to your roles in Hard Sun?"

Agyness Deyn: You know it's a page turner when you're reading a script and you gasp. You know you're onto a winner when you're actually being shocked by reading the material and you're not even making it yet and you just hope that you'll be given the chance to play this... For me, I was like, "I need to play this woman."

Jim Sturgess: I sort of wanted to get on board just off the characters alone and that was before I even realized that the whole concept of Hard Sun and the end of the world was even a part of the story. So when you're reading it going, "Wow, this is amazing." And then you get to that point in the story where you think, "Oh wow, this is actually a sort of pre-apocalyptic story about the world coming to an end." Then I was 100 percent excited about that concept.

Fox News: Agyness, many viewers of course will recognize you from the fashion world. How has it been for you to leave behind the industry and pursue acting?

Deyn: It's been an amazing journey actually. I modeled for maybe 12 years from being really, really young. I got spotted on the street. And then about eight years ago, I decided that I really wanted to find a vocation that I could learn and get excited about.

I started slowly doing short films and things and then, slowly learning and growing with generous directors and actors. You know, I think eight, nine years later, here I am. Jim and I are really excited about the show, you know there was blood, sweat and tears went into it and it feels really, really good. Not only coming from a different career, but also just completing something that you feel really proud of.

Fox News: As you know, Hollywood has been experiencing the #MeToo movement. Has this inspired you in any way?

Deyn: I think it's great that people can now have a voice I think change is always a good thing. I've never experienced anything like that I feel really blessed to have worked with men and women who have been champions of individuality and creativity, but I feel for the people that have gone through that stuff and I hope they feel empowered.

Fox News: How was it fighting each other in the show?

Deyn: It was great, we loved fighting.

Sturgess:  Me in particular because I get my arse kicked. No, it was funny because I think me and Agyness met for the very first time at the read through, when we did the first read through of the first episode.

Straight after that read through, they had us in a room rolling around on stunt mats learning how to beat each other up. So we kind of were like, "Right, it's gonna be like this, is it? So this is how we're gonna do it?" It was actually a really good way of sort of getting to know each other very quickly.

Deyn: Yeah and we had a great team behind us, you rehearse these fights so much that you could do them in your sleep, hopefully. It's like a dark ballet we were kind of doing. The way that Neil wrote the fights are exactly how they were portrayed. So every punch and kick that's in the scripts is exactly how it ended up which is, for him, his experience of writing was a revelation and very important, the physicality of the characters and how they interact.

Fox News: The show focuses on how the world will end in five years. How did the both of you cope with such a physically and emotionally demanding subject?

Deyn: Well for us, because our relationship in the show is so complicated and so intense, it was a blessing that we got on so well. And as soon as they shouted, "Cut," I mean, it sounds very English, but we were just like, "Do you want a cup of tea? It was my duty to have the tea olive branch And it's fun working with someone that you trust, like implicitly, because you can go to the dark places together and the physical places and hopefully have a great deal of trust and collaboration together.

Fox News: Jim, you previously worked with many recognizable actresses. What surprised you the most about Agyness?

Sturgess: She makes a good cup of tea. No, honestly when I find out it was going to be Agyness, I was genuinely really excited I was blessed because we have a very similar approach to our work.

Kind of like the characters in the story, me and Agyness were sort of holding on to each other for dear life to get through the experience. It was six months of grueling work and there was only one other person on the planet that knew what I was going through, and that was Agyness and vice versa. So we sort of held on to each other, we were bound together by that experience.

Deyn: Yeah, we had to pick each other up.

Sturgess: Hence the tea.

Hard Sun premieres March 7 on Hulu.
Police searched Heather Locklear's home after she threatened to "shoot" police if they returned to her home during her arrest last week on charges of domestic violence and assault on three police officers.

Police obtained a search warrant to the former "Melrose Place" star's home to address "specific threats" she made to Ventura County Sheriff's deputies at the time of her Feb. 25 arrest.

Locklear told deputies she would "shoot them if they ever came to her house again." However, police did not find the gun registered in Locklear's name at her residence. She is due in court on March 13.

The actress is seeking treatment at a rehabilitation center, according to E! News.

A rep for Locklear did not return Fox News' request for comment.

Locklear has struggled with substance abuse in the past and most recently had entered rehab last year.

She was arrested in 2008 on suspicion of driving under the influence but the charges were later dismissed. She was sentenced to three years of informal probation and ordered to pay a $700 fine and take a driver safety class.

In the same year, authorities were called to Locklear's home following a 911 call from her doctor, who feared she overdosed on prescription medication but the warning turned out to be a false alarm.

According to TMZ, police went to the home of Locklear's then-boyfriend Jack Wagner in 2011 after a fight turned physical between the couple. A law enforcement source told TMZ at the time that Locklear "lost it on him and he retaliated."

Locklear's troubles continued in 2012 when her sister called 911 after fearing Locklear "was going to harm herself."

TMZ reported at the time that the actress had ingested a "dangerous mix" of a prescription drug, said to be Xanax, and alcohol.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  President Rodrigo Duterte puts his foot down on the issue of cleaning up Boracay.

Following his orders to resolve Boracay's environmental problems in 6 months, the President had a message to local officials who refuse to cooperate with the government's efforts to restore and preserve the island's beauty.

Speaking at Tarlac province's 145th founding anniversary celebration and 2nd Kanlahi festival, Duterte warned that he would have them arrested if they oppose efforts to fix Boracay.

He said, "Kung ayaw nila mag-cooperate and they begin to protest, eh kayo naman may kasalanan dyan, pati yung mga local officialsaarestuhin ko kayo lahat. If you put up a fight then I'll charge you for sedition, preventing government to do what is good for the Filipino."

[Translation: If they don't want to cooperate and they begin to protest, well you're the one at fault in this, even the local officials...I will arrest all of you. If you put up a fight, then I'll charge you for sedition, preventing government to do what is good for the Filipino.]

On Tuesday, the president said that he would place Boracay under a state of calamity to allow the quicker disbursement of funds needed to fix the island which he earlier called a "cesspool."

RELATED: Duterte to declare state of calamity in Boracay

The president cited three reasons why the government must intervene in fixing the tourist spot: first, he said it's a public health issue; second, he said it's in the best interest of the public to preserve the island's beauty for the next generations to enjoy; and third, he said he saw it as an issue of law and order because the local government - who he said is to blame for the island's current state, may protest efforts to fix it.

Duterte ordered Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano to fix Boracay's woes in six months, or else, it could face closure.

RELATED: DILG: Six-month ultimatum on Boracay still stands

"Malinaw ang instruction ng Presidente na pag walang improvement after six months ay ipapasara nya permanently ang Boracay," DILG Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Ano told CNN Philippines in a text message Tuesday.

[Translation: The President's instruction to permanently close Boracay if there was no improvement after six months is clear.]
Nashville Mayor Megan Barry pleaded guilty to felony theft and resigned in disgrace Tuesday, but NBC Nightly News left out one key detail  the one-time rising Democratic star's party affiliation.

In Nashville tonight, a bitter public farewell from the city's now-former mayor after an extramarital affair with her bodyguard led to a swift fall from grace. Megan Barry resigning from office hours after pleading guilty in court to theft of property, accused of taking city funds, anchor Lester Holt said before tossing it to correspondent Kerry Sanders.

Sanders never mentioned the fact that Barry is a Democrat, but did point out that she smiled in her mug shot and was once popular.

Barrys political demise came more than a month after she admitted to having an affair with Sgt. Rob Forrest, the former head of her security detail. Forrest, who was also married, resigned in January. As first reported by the Media Research Center, Barrys party affiliation wasnt mentioned in the Nightly News segment that lasted over two minutes.

Reliably liberal news outlets like NBC have a habit of leaving out the party affiliation when a Democrat is under fire, and inserting it prominently when the troubles involve a Republican.

After going through a timeline of Barrys affair and the things both she and Forrest spent taxpayer funds on, Sanders appeared to make an attempt at getting viewers to sympathize with her by noting the death of her son last summer, MRC analyst Nicholas Fondacaro wrote.

The MRC pointed out that Holt mentioned the party affiliation of former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens during a scandal earlier this year, referring to him as a GOP rising star.

Its just another example of a liberal news outlet defending the Democratic Party brand from blemishes, Fondacaro wrote.

Barry pleaded guilty March 6 to felony theft of property over $10,000. She was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to reimburse the city.

In court, District Attorney General Glenn Funk said had the case gone to trial, witnesses would have testified that between March 2016 and February 2018 Barry caused as much as $60,000 of Metro Nashville city funds to be expended unlawfully.

Metro Nashville Police records show Forrest's overtime more than doubled in the budget year after Barry was elected in September 2015. Barry said the affair began in spring 2016, according to an affidavit.

CBS and ABC both reported that Barry is a Democrat when covering the story on their newscasts.

NBC News did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Fox News Kaitlyn Schallhorn contributed to this report
Movie star and Southern belle Reese Witherspoon knows a thing or two about on-trend womens wear, so its only natural the Wrinkle in Time actress has teamed up with a plus-size retailer for a spring fashion collection for her Draper James lifestyle brand.

Confirming the news to Womens Wear Daily, Witherspoon said the exciting collaboration with Eloquii has been a long time coming.

At Draper James, we care deeply about our customers feedback and theyve consistently asked for expanded sizing. We were determined to set out to find the right partner to better serve her, which led us to Eloquii, said the Oscar winner, who serves as creative director of Draper James.

We love the fashion and fit, she added.

WOMAN ENJOYS 'NEW LIFE' AFTER LEG AMPUTATION

Beloved for its ladylike silhouettes and colorful prints, People reports that the limited edition collection features 30 items in sizes 12 to 28, expanding Draper James typical 0 to 14 size offerings.

We have been fans of Draper James from afar, but we didnt know them when they reached out to us, Mariah Chase, chief executive officer of Eloquii, told WWD. They had consistent callouts from customers who wanted larger sizing. They looked at a few potential partners, but we had instant chemistry.

BEAUTY BLOGGER DROPPED FROM LOREAL CAMPAIGN FOR ACNE

From gingham print wrap tops to flirty floral jumpsuits, flouncy lace dresses and Southern slogan stamped tees, looks from the Draper James for Eloquii collection retails between $55 and $225, WWD reports. Items are available for purchase online at Eloquii.com and DraperJames.com as well as the three Eloquii stores and four Draper James locations via trunk shows.

With a summer collection already in the works for an April release, Chase confirmed that extending the Draper James for Eloquii partnership for future seasons is a possibility, depending on the performance of the initial run.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

For her part, Witherspoon says that she launched Draper James three years ago to honor her Southern heritage and her grandparents, who are the greatest influences in my life.

From them I learned to dress and act like a lady, to take pride in my home, to reach out to help a neighbor, and to always invite everyone in for a visit, the mother of three writes on her Draper James website of her style and homeware line.
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Speaking to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was right to call on the Trump administration to join with Israel to stand up to the dangerous Islamic extremist government of Iran.

Its in our mutual self-interest for America and Israel to join together against Iran, which seeks regional dominance and is an avowed enemy of both our nations. Our first step should be to effectively eliminate the Iranian threat from war-ravaged Syria.

President Trumps recent comments that our mission in Syria is getting rid of ISIS and going home risk creating a power vacuum that Iran will exploit. If that happens, the Trump administration will be making the same mistakes President Obama made in allowing the Syrian conflict to escalate  creating the conditions that allowed ISIS to rise in the first place.

A recent incident that encapsulates the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran that are playing out in the Syrian civil war. As Fox News exclusively reported, new satellite photos reveal that Iran has established another permanent military base in Syria that houses hangers used to store missiles capable of hitting all of Israel.

Earlier this year, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) shot down an Iranian drone that was sent by Iran from Syria into Israeli airspace. The IDF then undertook a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria, losing an F-16 fighter jet to Syrian fire in the process.

Many fear that this incident is only the beginning of an inevitable escalation of hostilities between major players in the region, which could eventually have implications for American involvement. Some military experts worry that Israels strong response will open up a new front between Iran and Israel, and indirectly the U.S.  especially as Tehran increases its military presence in Syria.

The reality is, though, that the United States is already involved by means of our existing military assistance agreement with Israel, our closest ally in the region. The question becomes: How do we ensure that our military qualitative-edge is protected in the proxy conflicts roiling the Middle East, while giving strong support to our Israeli ally in the region?

The loss of the F-16 fighter jet took place during Israels most extensive bombing of Syria since 1982 and it was the first loss of an Israeli aircraft in more than 30 years. This incident was an outlier, to be sure, but as a former intelligence officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve, I believe its important and possible to simultaneously protect our intelligence while supporting our allies.

The United States is under a 10-year military assistance agreement with Israel that promises $38 billion in aid to equip Israel with the necessary tools to defend itself. The White House has called on Iran to stop its provocative actions, while reiterating its support of Israels right to defend itself.

With growing conflict in the Middle East, Israel will be looking to the U.S. for more aid than ever before. And as a reliable ally, the U.S. should readily back Israel in its efforts to dispel the increasing tensions.

While Israel had been relatively silent in Syrias civil war, it has increasingly hit military sites as of late in fear of an expanded Iranian presence at its border. Israeli officials have accused Iran of exploiting the chaos of the Syrian civil war to build up its military assets, including building precision weapons factories in Lebanon and Syria, and creating an infrastructure that threatens Israel by training and equipping fighters.

Iran has adamantly denied setting up military bases in Syria, but intelligence shows tactical advisers from Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps are deployed at military bases across the country and frequently appear on the front lines to lead battles. Additionally, in response to Israel, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist group said the confrontation has marked the beginning of a new strategic phase.

The loss of the F-16 fighter jet is worrisome because the Iranian drone that was shot down was found by Israeli officials to be a direct copy of a U.S. military stealth craft that Iran had captured in 2011 and had unveiled its own version of in 2016. In only a short amount of time, Iran has managed to crudely copy and reverse-engineer American military technology to be used against the U.S. and its allies. Iranian intelligence was able to make a copy of a drone. Is the F-16 next?

U.S. military forces have also supplied Israel with several F-35s, one of the most advanced stealth fighters in the world. Israel declared its F-35s operational in December 2017. With nine already in hand and a total of 50 expected by 2024, these fighters will be critical in providing Israeli air dominance in the region for the next four decades.

Moscow has already deployed a prototype of its advanced stealth aircraft, the Su-57, to its Khmeimim air base in Syria. This aircraft attempts to rival the F-35 in its capabilities. If even one F-35 goes down, the wreckage instantly becomes some of the most valuable military intelligence prizes in the world  and could easily be packed up and sent to Iran, or even Russia and China, and copied just like the drone was.

The best way to secure our intelligence and military capabilities is to continue replacing Israeli combat losses. It sends an important symbolic message that Israel is backed by the strongest military in the world and that the U.S. stands with its allies. But we need to do so in a way that does not compromise U.S. and Israeli military advantages.
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

President Trump is right to call for tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Tariffs are often used as a last resort, but the domestic steel industry has reached that point. Rather than attacking the president for his proposal, all Americans should applaud him for beginning to end our nations wholesale surrender on trade.

The presidents action is already producing results, as U.S. Steel announced Wednesday that it will restart one of its idled blast furnaces in Granite City, Illinois and create approximately 500 jobs.

I have visited communities deeply affected by steel imports.

Coatesville, Pennsylvania is home to the oldest continuously operating steel mill in the country, and is among the last places in America capable of supplying the military with steel armor plate that meets exacting defense specifications.

In 2007, when the Pentagon escalated the war effort in Iraq, Coatesvilles sister mill in nearby Conshohocken turned its production on a dime to fulfill military orders for the steel needed in mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles.

Today, both mills teeter on the brink of collapse. So workers there listened intently when candidate Trump promised to rearrange trade agreements and bring factory jobs back to this country.

The presidents announcement last week of a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum is precisely what he promised. Enacting these tariffs will restore some needed sanity to the global trade in the metals markets, which is in imbalance because of the actions of Chinas government.

Beijing has followed a state-led policy with a goal of dominating the global steel industry. This has been so successful that China now makes half the worlds steel. Big government subsidies enable Chinese steel mills to dump steel on world markets at prices below the cost of production, creating unfair competition for steel mills in the U.S. and other nations. There is no end in sight to the overcapacity China has created.

Chinese steel has consequentially flooded outside of its borders and roiled the global market, affecting mills and workers everywhere.

In the United States  the most open steel market in the world  10 blast furnaces have closed since 2000, and our remaining mills only operate at roughly 75 percent of their capacity.

More than a quarter of our market is serviced by imports. During a decade of slow but steady economic expansion, the American steel industry has instead remained in a malaise, its workers plagued by the threat of layoffs.

This is the reality in steelmaking communities like Lorain, Ohio, or along the lakeshore in Northwest Indiana. Yet in the face of these facts, many of the presidents fellow Republicans are lashing out at his attempt to address these problems.

Despite that, President Trump beat an almost entirely free-trading field in the 2016 GOP primaries. Though he continues to enjoy support of the conservative base, some Republicans will apparently not stomach even this slightest break from trade policy dogma.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and many House Republicans are seeking to block or water down President Trumps plans, though last year Ryan himself proposed a 20 percent border adjustment tax on all imports.

National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn (before his resignation in protest Tuesday) was marshalling Wall Street collaborators and global companies to attack the tariffs proposal, even though taken to their maximum extent the tariffs would mean a $9 billion cost spread through a $20 trillion economy.

That same crowd completely misjudged Americas years-long economic embrace of the Chinese government, which is currently using this influx of wealth to fortify an enormous mercantilist police state.

These same critics argue tariffs will raise consumer costs and hurt steel communities far more than they help. But the only credible review of former President George W. Bushs comparable tariffs in 2002 showed most steel consumers didnt see a significant price hike, and that American steel prices rose even more slowly than global prices did.

Those tariffs allowed a domestic industry staggered by more than 30 bankruptcies time to recover  and even recapture market share before Chinas steel juggernaut emerged.

The critics also claim there is no national security basis for protecting American steel. But they conveniently ignore the fact that you cant build a steel mill quickly in an emergency, and that our steelmaking redundancies are already becoming thin.

The Navys Virginia-class submarines rely on specialty armor plate forged in places like Coatesville. There is only domestic producer of electrical steel necessary to build power transformers  the kind of infrastructure needed after a natural disaster in Texas or Puerto Rico.

An economics textbook wouldnt see anything wrong with America offshoring its entire steel industry, but most Americans would be unnerved to be defended by tanks made with Chinese steel, nor would they support them rolling down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington in a military parade.

Instead of attacking the president, the critics should instead show us their own plans to stop the economic bleeding in Americas industrial belt.

Because too often, its all about President Trump. Hes regularly accused of looking to the past when he speaks of industry, and specifically of steel.

But the people in our steel mill towns know their communities wont ever again look like they did in the 1950s. Thats not what theyre asking for; theyre simply asking to be included in Americas future.

This tariff will give them a chance at that  and set the tone for how we should now approach China and its state-led capitalism.

Already, China is well on its way toward dominating the markets for future-oriented technologies like semiconductors and artificial intelligence, and it has used trade as a tool to achieve that objective. China forces technology transfers upon foreign firms operating in its borders. It rampantly abuses intellectual property protections.

And its even unsurprising then that the only time Chinese military officers have been indicted in the United States for cyber espionage was for spying on private businesses. What kind? American steel and aluminum industries, among other heavy manufacturing targets.

Those military officers will likely never face trial, but we have a chance now to defend Americas economic interests. Tariffs are a dirty word inside the Beltway. But I suspect that people who live elsewhere, in places like Coatesville, want to defend American jobs.
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

WASHINGTON -- President Trump's announcement that he will impose stiff tariffs on American companies that purchase imported steel and aluminum should have come as no surprise. From moving our embassy to Jerusalem to pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, Trump is a president who does what he promises. Unfortunately, his proposed tariffs undermine his ability to deliver on many other important promises he made in the 2016 campaign.

Trump promised to champion forgotten Americans, but imposing a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum will hurt more of the forgotten Americans than it helps. The American steel industry employs about 140,000 people, while steel-consuming industries employ 6.5 million. This means Trump is imposing a tax -- tariffs are taxes -- that will hurt the 6.5 million in order to help the 140,000.

During the campaign, Trump promised to make the auto industry in states such as Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania "bigger and better and stronger than ever before." But raising taxes, and thus prices, on steel and aluminum will hurt those states' automobile workers, whose jobs depend on steel and aluminum. According to one independent study, the 2002 steel tariffs imposed by President George W. Bush cost 200,000 jobs because of higher steel prices, including 10,553 jobs lost in Ohio, 9,829 lost in Michigan and 8,400 in Pennsylvania. Total lost wages were about $5.5 billion in today's dollars.

The same group now estimates that Trump's proposed tariffs will cost 179,334 jobs -- which is more people than the total number of people working in the steel industry today -- and will result in a loss of five jobs for every job gained. The losses will hit auto manufacturers, but other industries as well. One of the largest manufacturing employers in Ohio is GE Aviation, which produces jet engines for commercial aircraft. Tariffs will increase their costs compared with those of European rivals such as Rolls-Royce, leading to lost business and lost jobs.

Another promise Trump made in 2016 was to discourage American manufacturers from moving abroad. But in states such as Wisconsin and Michigan, Trump's actions will have the opposite effect, creating incentives for manufacturers to move across the border to Canada in order to avoid the tariffs.

Trump also pledged to help create jobs for American workers with new investments to "rebuild our crumbling infrastructure." But the tariffs will drive up the cost of virtually every infrastructure project, reducing both the number of new projects and the number of jobs created, while making the state, local and private-sector investments he wants to leverage far less likely.

Trump also guaranteed a new era of American energy independence. Since steel and aluminum are used in virtually every oil and gas project, though, including drilling, export terminals and the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines Trump approved, the tariffs could lead to delays and even the cancellation of energy projects America needs.

Finally, Trump vowed to rebuild the military. Raising the price of steel and aluminum will increase the cost of new ships, planes and other military hardware -- which means we can afford to procure fewer of them, harming our national security.

And all this does not take into account the costs when our trading partners retaliate. Last year, Trump hosted Harley-Davidson executives at the White House and thanked them "for building things in America." Now the European Union is threatening to impose 25 percent retaliatory tariffs on Harley-Davidson motorcycles and other American-made products. Other industries, such as agriculture, in critical swing states could be targeted for retaliation as well.

There is no doubt that China is dumping aluminum and steel into the U.S. market and that American workers are not competing on a level playing field. But Trump's own Commerce Department gave him other, more targeted country-specific options to address these anticompetitive practices. Imposing massive tariffs is not the answer.

Yes, Trump assured voters he would protect the steel and aluminum industries. But he also promised to revive our automobile industry, keep manufacturing jobs from leaving America, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, unleash a new era of energy independence and restore our military strength. His proposed tariffs undermine all of those promises. They will hurt many of the very people Trump came to Washington to help. Fortunately, the president can still decide not to go ahead with the tariffs. For the sake of the forgotten Americans, let's hope he chooses wisely.
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

The sign was not very hard to miss: ANY AND ALL CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS BANNED.

That message was posted on an organ located in a commons area of Cambridge House, a condo building in Port Charlotte, Florida.

Residents could belt out the theme song to Frozen or Kelly Clarksons Stronger, but they were not permitted to sing Amazing Grace.

Residents were also allegedly told they could no longer host a weekly Bible study in the commons area, according to a Fair Housing complaint filed with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

On Feb. 6 Cambridge House passed a resolution regarding religious observances on the common elements.

Prayers and other religious services, observations, or meetings of any nature shall not occur at meetings of the Association (Owner meetings, member meetings, committee meetings, or, otherwise) and shall not occur in or upon any of the common elements, the resolution read.

According to First Liberty Institute, a law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases, the resolution led to a religious cleansing of the entire condo association. Residents removed decorative crosses from their doors and a decorative angel fountain was removed from a courtyard  along with a statue of St. Francis of Assisi.

The statue had been donated by a resident in memory of a dead family member, First Liberty Institute noted.

But perhaps the most egregious allegation involves Donna Dunbar, a devout Christian and a lay minister in the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

First Liberty Institute filed the Fair Housing Act complaint on her behalf. They tell me residents were not given a reason for the crackdown.

Dunbar hosted a weekly Bible study for ladies in the condos social room. They sang songs, prayed and most recently were studying a book called, Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby.

Other groups of similar size used the room for thrice-weekly card games and movie nights.

However, Dunbar was ordered by the condo associations treasurer to obtain insurance in order to continue her meetings, the complaint alleges.

Nevertheless, Dunbar obtained the insurance policy and continued the Bible study meetings.

But all that changed in early February when the condo association passed what First Liberty Institute called a discriminatory resolution without prior notice.

If true, that would constitute a violation of Florida law.

On Feb. 7, Dunbar and her husband received a letter from Gateway Management ordering them to cease and desist the Bible study.

The result of this resolution prohibits Bible Study meetings in the Social Room effective February 16, 2018, the letter read.

So why not just host the Bible study in her home?

According to First Liberty Institute, the participants would not be able to fit comfortably in Mrs. Dunbars 919 square-foot condo.

Regardless, First Liberty Institute and Greenberg Traurig, P.A. contend the Bible study group has every right to use the social room for their weekly gathering.

The Cambridge House Resolution, both in text and in application, is discriminatory and violates the Fair Housing Act because it prohibits Mrs. Dunbar and other Christian residents from accessing common condominium areas for any religious activity, while allowing other residents to use those same facilities for similar non-secular purposes, attorney Adam Foslid wrote in the complaint.

Neither the condo association nor its management company responded to my telephone calls.

It seems like a slam dunk case for the religious residents. If management allows residents to play poker in the social room, they should also allow folks to hold a Bible study.

Im putting my money on the church ladies.
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

The resignation Tuesday of National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn is just one of many bad consequences we can expect if President Trump follows through on his plan to impose tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on imported aluminum.

The president has fired the first shot in a trade war that will hurt Americas relationships with allied nations, harm our national security, weaken our economy and take money out of the wallets of consumers.

According to President Trump, the tariffs he announced last week will be instrumental in rebuilding the American steel and aluminum industries. But many economists and elected officials from both political parties agree that this is a wrongheaded move by the president.

Cohn stepped down as President Trumps top economic adviser because he understands that while tariffs may help a particular industry for a time, they will harm far more Americans than they will help. He knows that free trade is essential for strong economic growth.

A trade war will hurt Americas relationships with allied nations, harm our national security, weaken our economy and take money out of the wallets of consumers.

Following President Trumps announcement of his plans to impose tariffs, the negative impact was immediate. The stock market sustained a direct hit and dipped sharply, with especially steep losses in the industrial sector.

American automakers  both U.S. firms and foreign firms that operate U.S. factories  will be especially hard hit if the Trump tariffs take effect, because cars and trucks are built with a lot of steel and aluminum. That means vehicle prices will rise, imported cars will be more competitively price, exports of U.S.-made autos are likely to fall, and American autoworkers will lose their jobs.

A Goldman Sachs analysis found that the added tariffs will cost Ford and General Motors an estimated $1 billion a year, which represents 7 percent of GMs annual profits and a whopping 12 percent of Fords.

These losses will counteract the tariffs goal of strengthening the domestic economy and will limit the automakers ability to create more American jobs.

In a statement, Ford alluded to such concerns, saying that the tariffs, "could result in an increase in domestic commodity prices harming the competitiveness of American manufacturers."

Even Republican lawmakers agree that President Trumps tariffs will ultimately harm the American economy and negate growth encouraged by the recently enacted tax cut.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., denounced the Trump tariffs, saying: Let's be clear: The President is proposing a massive tax increase on American families.

Sasse, a member of the Senate Joint Economic Committee, went on to say: This is leftist economic policy and we've tried it a whole bunch of times over the last two centuries and every time, American families have suffered.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, echoed those warnings, calling the tariffs "a tax hike the American people don't need and can't afford."

These tariffs will also affect our relationship with foreign countries, including historic allies. The same Goldman Sachs report noted above said that by imposing across-the-board tariffs  the larger economic impact is on Canada, Mexico and the EU (European Union), and it ironically eases the economic impact to China and Russia.

Most distressingly  but predictably  countries that would harmed by the steel and aluminum tariffs have already started discussing retaliatory action.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said: Should restrictions be imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum products, Canada will take responsive measures to defend its trade interests and workers.

The European Union, meanwhile, has proposed a 25 percent tariff on American goods such a blue jeans, motorcycles and bourbon whiskey.

Responses like this further amplify the tariffs negative consequences. Not only does this policy place financial stress on manufacturers dependent on imported metals; the reaction from other countries will pressure all American exporters and reduce job creation.

For example, American farmers will be hit especially hard if other nations retaliate for our tariffs on steel and aluminum by imposing their own tariffs on American crops.

There is also the threat that Brazil will decrease imports of U.S. metallurgical coal, a key ingredient in the production of steel.

At their current rate of 5.2 million metric tons of metallurgical coal imported each year, the Brazilians are by far the largest foreign consumer of U.S. coal. President Trumps new tariffs put this critical relationship for American coal producers at risk, even though he has pledged to revive the coal industry.

The president has emphasized that trade wars are good and easy to win. However, the risks to our economy, American workers and American consumers are far too great.

A spokeswoman for House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., admitted: We are extremely worried about the consequences of a trade war and are urging the White House to not advance with this plan.

If President Trump goes ahead with plans to impose the tariffs, he runs the risk of congressional Republicans blocking the renewal of trade promotion authority, which gives the power to negotiate trade agreements to the executive branch. The authority expires later this year.

A failure to renew trade promotion authority would be emblematic of serious tension between Republicans in Congress and the White House  a relationship that President Trump must be mindful to maintain if he wants to get legislation passed.

It is imperative then that President Trump heed the advice of Speaker Ryan and Republicans in Congress, as well as economic experts, and abandon his unwise tariff plan. Otherwise, all Americans will pay the price and our nations economy will suffer greatly.
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Almost out of the blue, North Korea seems to want to talk to everyone  including the United States. The so-called Hermit Kingdom, which almost brought the world to the brink of war last year, is now suddenly singing a different tune.

Thanks to a pressure campaign by President Trump and his administration, heres what North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has agreed to:

There will be a summit of North and South Korean leaders, the first of its kind in many years.

North Korea has agreed to halt any nuclear and missile testing while talks are ongoing. This is a huge development, considering it was such testing that could have very well spawned a downward spiral leading to a second Korean War, possibly costing millions of people their lives.

In a big win for the Trump administration, Kim Jong Un put on the table the idea that North Korea would be willing to talk about denuclearization  actually dismantling its atomic arsenal.

The North Koreans have also said they would be willing to negotiate with the Trump administration directly. This seems very possible now because the North is no longer insisting that it will never  under any circumstances  give up its nukes.

So, is the North Korean crisis is over? Is peace at hand? Will the North give up its nuclear weapons, conclude a long sought peace treaty with the U.S. and South Korea and eventually reunify with the South into a single nation? Is the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula finally coming to an end?

No  imagining all these things will now happen would be wildly optimistic. In fact, if one thing is certain, it is that we are entering a more dangerous dance with Pyongyang than ever before.

As they say, talk is cheap, and the Trump administration must move quickly to probe North Koreas intentions  to see if Kim and his regime are truly committed to the promises they have made.

If not, we are doomed to another round of months, maybe years, of fruitless talks with the Kim regime that go nowhere  and buy Pyongyang time to perfect the very nuclear weapons we are desperately trying to rid from our world.

My advice to the Trump administration: take your victory lap while you can, because the North Korean crisis is far from over. In fact, it most likely is just getting started.

Thankfully, a quick look at the calendar tells us current events will soon test this detente to see if it is actually real or just fake news being put out by Kim.

On March 18, the Paralympics in South Korea will come to an end. Soon after that, America and South Korea will announce the dates for their annual military exercises.

The biggest of the U.S.-South Korean military exercise is known as Foal Eagle. It will include 300,000 South Korean troops and something that North Korea has objected to strenuously in the past.

Seoul and Washington should make one thing crystal clear: these exercises will not be canceled under any circumstances. North Korea trains its forces all winter long, and while the Communist nation did scale back its training cycle, it did not cancel military exercises. South Korea and America could do the same, but North Korea should never, ever, be rewarded for coming to the negotiating table.

If  and it's a really big if  North Korea does not throw a fit and start testing missiles or nuclear weapons immediately before the exercises begin, Washington and Seoul must continue to probe North Koreas intentions, this time in direct talks.

But Kim could demand a bribe before we even begin negotiations. We must be leery and walk away from the bargaining table if Kim demands payments, sanctions relief, food or fuel supplies for simply talking.

Our maximum pressure campaign on North Korea must continue. No rogue regime should be rewarded for doing the right thing  and we should back away if North Korea looks for concessions right at the outset.

If talks press forward after several standard getting to know you meetings, America and its allies must see what North Korea is really willing to barter away when it comes to its missile and nuclear programs.

In the past, Pyongyang would string along U.S. and South Korean negotiators in meeting after meeting after meeting that never achieved any results. All the while, the Kim family would continue to refine its nuclear and missile technology. We simply cannot make the same mistake and go through this again.

If we follow the above approach, we should know very quickly what North Koreas strategy is  most likely a play for time to ensure it has a viable nuclear weapon that can hit the U.S. homeland.

My advice to the Trump administration: take your victory lap while you can, because the North Korean crisis is far from over. In fact, it most likely is just getting started.
The stepdaughter of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has lost her bid to become mayor of Vermonts largest city, the same city where her stepfather launched his political career.

Carina Driscoll, a former state legislator, lost Tuesdays election for Burlington mayor to the incumbent, Miro Weinberger. This will be Weinbergers third three-year term as mayor.

Driscoll, who ran as an independent, claimed on the campaign trail that Weinberger, a Democrat, catered private investors instead of advocating for the voters.

However, Driscolls campaign was surrounded by controversy early on.

She was slammed for payments her business received from a college her mother used to run.

According to a report, Driscolls Vermont Woodworking School received $500,000 from Burlington College between 2009 and 2012. Her mother, Jane OMeara Sanders, was president of the college from 2004-2011.

Driscoll was endorsed by Vermonts Progressive Party.

Fox News Fred Lucas and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
George P. Bush, Texas land commissioner, won the states GOP primary on Tuesday, getting the outright majority of votes against a challenger from a former office holder and avoiding a runoff election.

Bush, the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, won against former land commissioner Jerry Patterson in the wake of an endorsement from President Donald Trump. His win was projected late Tuesday night when he had 58 percent of the vote.

The stakes were high for Bush. His loss would have meant that no one from his familys political dynasty, which includes two presidents, would be in elected office.

The name is definitely an asset here in the state, Bush told Fox News on Tuesday morning. Along with the presidents endorsement, I think it shows we are able to get support from many different types of Republicans, he added.

Deep-red Texas kicked off the nation's 2018 midterm primary elections Tuesday with a surge in turnout among Democrats, dozens of women seeking office and signs of disapproval of Trump.

In another closely-watched primary, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott also easily cruised to his party's nomination for re-election. Equipped with a massive $43 million war chest, he is not expected to face a serious challenge from Democrats.

The biggest challenge for Democrats following the primary elections is whether their little-known candidates will be able gather traction with the general public and to win against top Republicans in a deep-red state even with the supposed Trump effect that drove the surge in turnout on Tuesday.

Six Texas Republicans and two Democrats are leaving Congress, but none of the seats are expected to flip.

The Democratic Party has a better shot at unseating three Republican congressional incumbents  Rep. Pete Sessions in Dallas, Rep. John Culberson of Houston and Rep. Will Hurd in a district stretching hundreds of miles from San Antonio to El Paso. Hillary Clinton beat Trump in the three districts in 2016.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  A media group slammed the Duterte administration for banning Rappler from covering the President's events outside Malacanang.

The National Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) on Tuesday said the expanded ban is a new low for President Rodrigo Duterte's pettiness.

"This show of vindictiveness is not just pathetically childish. More worrisome is it shows Duterte's penchant for taking shortcuts in a case that is still pending before the courts," it said in a statement.

Rappler reported its Palace correspondent, Pia Ranada, was not allowed to enter the Go Negosyo event  where Duterte was speaking  at the World Trade Center in Pasay City Thursday.

The online news agency reported Ranada was not on the list of Malacanang Press Corps members provided to the organizers. The Malacanang Accreditation and Relations Office apparently also told Ranada she was not allowed to cover Duterte's events outside Malacanang.

Ranada was first banned from covering presidential events on February 20, when she was barred from entering the Palace during the regular media briefing of Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

Later in the day, she was told she could not cover all presidential events as her Malacanang Press Corps accreditation has ceased.

Related: Rappler barred from covering Malacanang events

But MPC on the same day said the online news agency will remain a member of the group until the court decides against Rappler.

"Rappler will remain a member of the Malacanang Press Corps (MPC) unless the Court of Appeals upholds the decision of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revoking its registration," the MPC said in a statement.

Palace officials said Rappler was banned because its license to do business was revoked on January 11, after the SEC said it breached the constitutional ban on foreign ownership in mass media. They said the news agency remains banned as the Court of Appeals has yet to decide if it will invalidate the SEC's decision.

Rappler reported Roque told Ranada in a text message that SEC decision and their "fake news" were the reasons why she was not allowed to cover the Go Negosyo event.

Related: Pia Ranada's defense of Rappler 'fake news' offended Duterte - Roque

The President branded as fake news Rappler's report on Special Assistant to the President Bong Go's alleged involvement in the controversial frigate deal.

Related: Roque: Palace done 'investigating' SAP Bong Go, no evidence seen in 24 hours
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Rep. Trey Gowdy on Tuesday demanded the appointment of a special counsel to investigate conflicts of interest and decisions made and not made by current and former Justice Department officials in 2016 and 2017, noting that the public interest requires the action.

Gowdy, R-S.C., and Goodlatte, R-Va., penned a letter Tuesday to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

Matters have arisenboth recently and otherwisewhich necessitate the appointment of a Special Counsel. We do not make this observation and attendant request lightly, Gowdy and Goodlatte wrote.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Gowdy and Goodlatte spoke about the discovery of new information as their reasoning behind calling for a second independent counsel.

What changed for me was the knowledge that there are two dozen witnesses that Michael Horowitz, the [DOJ] Inspector General, would not have access to, Gowdy said. When I counted up 24 witnesses that he would not be able to access were he to investigate it, yeah only one conclusion, thats special counsel.

That list of witnesses included former FBI director James Comey, Gowdy confirmed.

Last week, Sessions announced that Horowitz would investigate allegations of government surveillance abuse in light of memos released on Capitol Hill by the House Intelligence Committee which suggested, at least on the Republican side, that the dossier compiled by ex-U.K. intelligence officer Christopher Steele was used to obtain a FISA warrant to surveil former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

Absolutely, this whole FISA warrant was on Carter Page, Gowdy told Fox News.

Goodlatte agreed stating that the case on which the warrant was built was highly suspect.

The lawmakers wrote, There is evidence of bias, trending toward animus, among those charged with investigating serious cases.

They added, There is evidence political opposition research was used in court filings. There is evidence this political opposition research was neither vetted before it was used nor fully revealed to the relevant tribunal.

Both lawmakers said they didnt know when or if a second counsel would be appointed at all.

This fact pattern is unique and compelling and I think he really ought to consider it, Gowdy said.

Asked why a special counsel was needed, Gowdy told Fox News earlier, Congress doesnt have the tools to investigate this... We leak like the Gossip Girls.

Gowdy and Goodlatte wrote that because the decisions of both former and current Department of Justice and FBI officials are at issue, they did not believe the DOJ was capable of investigating the fact patterns in a fashion likely to garner public confidence.

Both Gowdy and Goodlatte have announced in recent months they would not seek re-election this year.

President Trump blasted Sessions' decision to use Horowitz, saying he appointed an Obama guy to investigate potentially massive FISA abuse.

Horowitz also is investigating former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, and whether he wanted to avoid taking action on new Clinton emails found on disgraced Democratic New York Rep. Anthony Weiners laptop, reports said. According to records, McCabe knew about the emails belonging to Hillary Clinton in September 2016, but did not choose to brief former FBI Director James Comey until October 26, 2016  prompting the re-opening of the Clinton email investigation just one week before the presidential election.

While we have confidence in the Inspector General for the Department of Justice, the DOJ IG does not have the authority to investigate other governmental entities or former employees of the Department, the Bureau, or other agencies, Gowdy and Goodlatte wrote. Gowdy also serves as chairman of the House Oversight Committee.

GOP LAWMAKERS RENEW CALLS FOR SECOND SPECIAL COUNSEL, SAY IT MAY BE 'UNAVOIDABLE'

They added: Some have been reluctant to call for the appointment of a Special Counsel because such an appointment should be reserved for those unusual cases where existing investigative and prosecutorial entities cannot adequately discharge those duties. We believe this is just such a case.

Goodlatte, who penned a letter to Sessions in July 2017 and September 2017 calling for the appointment of a second special counsel, received only one response from the Justice Department, suggesting that Sessions had directed senior federal prosecutors to investigate matters involving the Clinton Foundation and the sale of Uranium One  leaving the door open to consider whether the matters merit the appointment of a Special Counsel.

House Intel ranking member Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who recenlty released the Democrats' response memo, said the call for a second counsel was a way for Republicans to investigate everything but what is most important: Russias interference in our election.

House Oversight ranking member Elijah Cummings, D-Md., also called the letter an attempt by Republicans to protect Trump.

Cummings aded, The Departments Inspector General is fully capable of conducting an independent review. Here in Congress, our attention should be on investigating how Russia attacked our electoral processnot trying to protect President Trump.

Goodlatte and Gowdys letter came just days after more than a dozen other House Republicans penned a similar note, requesting the appointment of an independent counsel to investigate the same issues.

The 13 lawmakers signed onto the letter that stated: Evidence has come to light that raises serious concerns about decisions and activities by leadership at the highest levels of the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding how and why the Clinton probe ended and how and why the Trump-Russia probe began.

Fox News' Chad Pergram and Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
Gary Cohn, President Trump's chief economic adviser, will resign from his post, the White House confirmed Tuesday.

Cohn has reportedly been discussing his transition out of the administration with Trump for the past several weeks, and he apparently tried getting the president to change course regarding his planned tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum.

His resignation is the latest in a series of high-profile departures from the Trump administration.

FORMER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS, FROM COMEY TO COHN

Trump, in a statement to The New York Times, said Cohn "did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again."

"He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people," Trump said.

Garys as good as they come," Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said of Cohn's imminent departure. "He was a heavy weight during the tax debate, helping to successfully deliver pro-growth tax reform to the American people. His keen instincts, wisdom and talent will be sorely missed in this administration.

Texas Republican Rep. Kevin Brady, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said "Gary Cohn served the President for all the right reasons  to change the direction of America for the better. He succeeded."

"Gary was pivotal in getting President Trumps tax cuts across the finish line and energizing Americas economy. With his partnership and leadership, Congress and the Administration delivered historic tax relief that is helping bring jobs back home and increasing paychecks for families across the country," Brady said. "I am deeply thankful for his service and wish him the best of luck.

Cohn, according to Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, "has been a strong voice for free markets and one that will be missed."

"His hard work on many of the Administration's biggest pro-growth policy initiatives  particularly tax reform and financial regulatory reform, which I had the opportunity to work with him on  have improved the lives of all Americans and set the stage for even greater economic growth in the future," Hensarling added.

Fox News' Mike Emanuel, Adam Shapiro, Laquasha Banks and Kaitlyn Schallhorn contributed to this report.
The State Department announced Tuesday new sanctions against North Korea in response to their findings of the use of the illegal nerve agent VX in the 2017 death of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged brother of the countrys leader, Kim Jong Un.

Under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, the U.S. concluded in February "that the Government of North Korea used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jon Nam, in the Kuala Lumpur airport, the department said.

Kim Jong Nam died on Feb. 13, 2017 after two women allegedly wiped VX on his face before fleeing the Malaysia airport. He stumbled around before eventually falling. CCTV footage also showed the two women accused of carrying out the attack walking in the airport and going into the restroom before the incident. They were both charged with murder. Four other North Korean men who fled the country on the same day were believed to be involved in the plot.

KIM JONG UNS BROTHER FEARED HIS LIFE WAS IN DANGER MONTHS BEFORE HE WAS POISONED

The sanctions, which reportedly took effect Monday, top a mounting list already levied against the hermit kingdom.

The United States strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons to conduct an assassination, the State Department said. This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of North Korea and underscores that we cannot afford to tolerate a North Korean WMD program of any kind.

TRUMP WARNS WORLD IS WATCHING AFTER NORTH KOREA SAYS ITS WILLING TO GIVE UP NUCLEAR WEAPONS

The announcement from the State Department follows earlier comments on Tuesday from President Trump, who said the world is watching, in response to North Koreas promise not to use nuclear or conventional weapons against Seoul. The country also reportedly expressed a willingness to hold talks with the U.S. on denuclearization, a South Korea official said in a statement after meeting with the neighboring country.

Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea, Trump tweeted. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!

Fox News Katherine Lam contributed to this report.
Adult film star Stormy Daniels sued President Trump on Tuesday, claiming the nondisclosure agreement she signed isnt valid because it lacks Trumps signature.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court. The complaint, which was posted online by her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, alleges the Hush Agreement  as its referred to in the lawsuit  Daniels signed regarding her relationship with Trump is invalid because he never signed it himself.

Daniels and Trumps personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, signed the non-disclosure agreement on Oct. 28, 2016, the suit said. Trump was elected president less than two weeks later.

A copy of the agreement shows Daniels, identified as Peggy Peterson, signed the paperwork, but Trump, identified as David Dennison, did not.

STORMY DANIELS CLAIMS SHE'S FREE TO TALK ABOUT TRUMP AFTER PAYMENT ADMISSION

The lawsuit claims the two had an intimate relationship during the summer of 2006 in Lake Tahoe, and it continued well into the year 2007. Daniels and Trump reportedly met at least once in a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel during this time.

Cohen admitted last month that he paid Daniels $130,000 out of his own pocket in October 2016 to keep mum about her relationship with Trump. He said the payment was lawful and not a campaign contribution or campaign expenditure by anyone.

Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly, a statement from Cohen read.

After Cohen released that statement, Daniels said the hush agreement was invalid.

Everything is off now, and Stormy is going to tell her story, Daniels manager, Gina Rodriguez, said.

Trump vehemently denies the affair, Cohen has said. A recent statement attributed to Daniels also denied the encounter, though she later seemed to challenge whether the statement originated from her.

TRUMP'S LAWYER'S PAYMENT TO PORN STAR STORMY DANIELS WAS REPORTED AS SUSPICIOUS BY BANK

The adult film actress first detailed her account of an alleged extramarital affair with Trump in 2011 on the celebrity website The Dirty, and it was picked up before the 2016 election by The Smoking Gun.

In Touch Weekly published a 2011 interview last month in which the actress  whom the magazine said passed a polygraph exam  claimed the two had sex on one occasion and described subsequent in-person meetings, phone calls and discussions about a possible TV appearance.
The Trump Justice Department filed a lawsuit Tuesday night against California, saying three recently-passed state laws were deliberately interfering with federal immigration policies.

It marked the latest legal and political confrontation with the nation's most populous state, which the federal government says has repeatedly stood in the way of its plans to step up enforcement actions in the workplace and against criminal aliens.

"The Department of Justice and the Trump Administration are going to fight these unjust, unfair, and unconstitutional policies," Attorney General Jeff Sessions was expected to tell California law enforcement officers on Wednesday. "We are fighting to make your jobs safer and to help you reduce crime in America."

The state's Democratic governor, Jerry Brown, fired back: At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they dont work here. SAD!!!

Federal officials are seeking an injunction to immediately block enforcement of the three California laws, each enacted within the past year.

One of those laws offers additional worker protections against federal immigration enforcement actions. Senior Justice Department officials have said it's prevented companies from voluntarily cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.

Employers are mandated under the law to demand ICE agents present a warrant or subpoena before entering certain areas of the premises, or when accessing some employee records.

Some companies have complained they've felt torn between trying to comply with seemingly contradictory state and federal statutes, since penalties for non-compliance can be steep from both entities.

Another state law dubbed known by critics as the "sanctuary state" bill protects immigrants without legal residency by limiting state and municipal cooperation with the feds, including what information can be shared about illegal-immigrant inmates.

A third law gives state officials the power to monitor and inspect immigrant detention facilities either run directly by, or contracted through, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The Justice Department has said it's confident the Constitution's Supremacy Clause gives it broad authority to supersede state laws that it says interfere with its immigration enforcement obligations.

Still, state officials in the past have cited the 10th Amendments guarantee of states not being compelled to enforce federal laws.

Weve seen this B-rated movie before. So were not totally surprised, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in response to the new lawsuit.

The Justice Department is also reviewing Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf's decision to warn of an immigration sweep in advance, which ICE said allowed hundreds of immigrants to escape detention. Oakland is a city of immigrants. We will continue to exercise our legal right to exist as a sanctuary city. We will continue to inform all residents about their Constitutional rights, and we will continue to support Californias sanctuary status, the Democratic mayor responded.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH SEX, ROBBERY CONVICTIONS AMONG THOSE WHO EVADED CAPTURE AFTER OAKLAND MAYOR'S WARNING

An estimated 2.5 million immigrants are believed to be in California illegally. In the most recent figures, ICE has reported about 16 percent of its enforcement apprehensions take place in that state.

The latest legal action by the Trump administration is part of an aggressive push to enforce existing immigration laws, with Sessions in previous remarks citing a porous U.S. border with Mexico, and the threat of criminal activity by immigrant gangs.

Federal officials repeatedly have cited the case of Kate Steinle, shot to death by an illegal alien and seven-time felon in San Francisco, one of 35 communities in the state declaring itself a "sanctuary city."

The Justice Department in January threatened California and other states with subpoenas and a loss of grant money for repeatedly failing to respond to requests for immigration compliance under a federal law known as Section 1373.

Federal officials would not say whether other states were at risk of similar lawsuits over their alleged non-compliance with immigration laws.

A coordinated ICE enforcement action last month on businesses in the Los Angeles area netted 212 people arrested for violating federal immigration laws, 88 percent of whom were convicted criminals, officials said.

Fox News' Melissa Chrise, Jake Gibson, Lee Ross and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
It doesn't come as a complete shock that Gary Cohn, President Trump's top economic adviser, is resigning from his post. After all, the former investment banker has been one of the strongest opponents of Trump's plan to place tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

However, White House officials told The New York Times Tuesday there was "no single factor" behind Cohn's sudden exit. The announcement of his departure comes just six days after Hope Hicks announced she would be leaving her role as White House communications director to explore new opportunities.

Gary has been my chief economic advisor and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again," President Trump said in a statement. "He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly credited Cohn with helping grow the economy and passing a historic tax reform.

"I will miss having him as a partner in the White House, but he departs having made a real impact in the lives of the American people," Kelly added in a statement.

Cohn thanked Trump and his colleagues, adding that he is "grateful" to the president for the opportunity to serve his country and enact pro-growth economic policies.

Here's what you need to know about Cohn as he prepares to leave the White House in the coming weeks.

Growing up

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cohn didn't have the easiest childhood. He was dyslexic and had trouble in school.

[It was your] typical Midwestern upbringing. Had dyslexia. It was the early to mid-'60s. Dyslexia wasnt as well-known or understood as it is today. So clearly went through the formative part of my youth suffering with dyslexia," Cohn told Jake Siewert, head of corporate communications for Goldman Sachs, during a December 2016 podcast.

Feeling misunderstood, Cohn said he "bounced around from school to school" until he found his home at Gilmour Academy, a Catholic, co-ed boarding school in Gates Mills, Ohio.

A couple of the brothers, Brother Lavelle and Brother Carl, really took an interest into me," he explained. "Not because I was the best student in the class...because I might have been the hardest-working kid in the class."

With help from his instructors and a lot of hard work, Cohn graduated high school and looked forward to his future at American University in Washington, D.C., where he graduated with a business degree in 1982.

Cohn didn't have a job waiting for him after graduation, so he did what most college kids do and moved back into his parents' home, according to a speech he gave at his alma mater.

His first official gig outside of college was at U.S. Steel in Okron, Ohio, to appease his father. Enchanted by the idea of Wall Street, Cohn eventually pivoted within a few months to investment banking, landing a role of a lifetime at Goldman Sachs.

Pre-White House

Cohn was president and COO at Goldman Sachs -- second-in-command -- before he left the company after nearly 30 years to join Trump's team.

He was recruited by the bank in 1990. Within his first four years on the job, he made partner, according to Business Insider.

"That first year as partner, you know, I got to the point where I was trying to be a trader and trying to be a manager and trying to manage the business," Cohn told the online news outlet.

But Cohn reportedly "grew tired of waiting" for Lloyd Blankfein, Goldmans chairman and C.E.O., to leave his position, so he jumped at the opportunity to join Trump's team in December 2016, Vanity Fair reported in an August 2017 profile of Cohn.

Steven Mnuchin, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, and Steve Bannon, Trump's former chief strategist and senior counselor, also worked at Goldman Sachs.

Cohn's role: From Goldman to the White House

The 57-year-old businessman was a surprise pick for Trump, who vilified Goldman on the campaign trail. But he quickly changed his tone after winning the election, choosing several bank alumni to fill senior roles on his staff.

It was also a big risk for Cohn, who was making $21 million a year as president and COO at Goldman Sachs. But it was a risk he was willing to take.

"Becoming the director of the National Economic Council gave Cohn a graceful exit from Goldman and allowed him to follow in the footsteps of two illustrious Goldman senior partners: Robert Rubin and Stephen Friedman. (Leaving also allowed Cohn the not insignificant economic benefit of being able to convert his roughly $250 million of Goldman Sachs stock into Treasury securities on a tax-deferred basis)," Vanity Fair reported in 2017.

Cohn touted the success of his "pro-growth economic policies" while serving in Trump's White House.

His policy portfolio included tax and retirement, infrastructure, the financial system, energy and environment, healthcare, agriculture, global economics, international trade and development, and technology, telecommunications and cybersecurity.

Cohn also helped advance the presidents deregulatory agenda, and organized his participation in the World Economic Forum in January 2018.

However, Cohn recently broke with Trump on trade policy.

He's been the leading internal opponent to Trump's planned tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, trying to orchestrate an eleventh-hour effort to push Trump to reverse course.

Trump has been resistant to those efforts, and reiterated Tuesday he will be imposing the tariffs in the coming days.

Fox News' John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Washington Democrats and Republicans are bringing big money and A-list party leaders into southwest Pennsylvania for the final days of a tight congressional race that both parties are eager to win -- ahead of the large battle this year to control Congress.

Former Vice President Joe Biden arrived Tuesday to work a double-shift for Democratic candidate Conor Lamb, first telling a group of union workers: If there is going to be a fight, Im betting on the guy and girl working construction, not on the fat cat writing a check.

He later tried to stir up an overflow crowd at Robert Morris University by saying that the GOP has spent so much money attacking Lamb that before this is over, Republicans might have been able to pay for their tax cuts, instead of slashing entitlements like Medicare or Social Security, as House Speaker Paul Ryan intends.

President Trump visited the district in January to tout his recent tax cuts and Republican candidate Rick Saccone, a four-term state representative. Hes scheduled to campaign in the district Saturday for Saccone, with voters going to the polls Tuesday.

In 2016, Trump won the states 18th congressional district by nearly 20 points over rival Hillary Clinton. He remains popular among the districts voters, especially in outer boroughs like Canonsburg, where for generations most residents worked in the surrounding coal mines and steel plants that Trump has promised to revive.

I'm voting for Rick Saccone because hes Republican. Im voting straight ticket, said Dale Dexter, who was having breakfast Tuesday at Suzie Bs diner in Canonsburg, about 20 miles southwest of Pittsburgh.

Vice President Pence and Ivanka Trump, the presidents daughter and a White House adviser, have already campaigned with Saccone in the district.

Trump this weekend will likely tout his plan to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum -- an idea, like the tax cuts, that is expected to resonate with voters, particularly those who lost jobs in part because of cheaper imported steel from China and elsewhere.

PENNSYLVANIA SPECIAL HOUSE ELECTION PITTS RICK SACCCONE AGAINST CONOR LAMB.

So-called outside groups aligned with Trump and Ryan and other Washington Republicans have spent roughly $9 million on the race, compared to about $1 million from similar Democratic groups, according to the latest Federal Election Commission filings.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, tasked with getting party members elected and re-elected to the chamber, reportedly just spent an additional $619,644 to help Saccone.

Meanwhile, Lamb has raised more than $3.3 million since the start of 2018, compared to $703,000 for Saccone, FEC records also show.

Hes a fresh face, Nancy Barsotti, of Roslyn Farms, Pa., said at the second rally. Hes got a great background. Hes said all of the right things.

The district, which stretches south from the well-to-do Pittsburgh suburbs to the West Virginia border, has been a GOP strong-hold since long before Trump won in 2016, despite having more registered Democrats than Republicans.

The 33-year-old Lamb and Saccone, 60, are competing for the seat left open by GOP Rep. Tim Murphy, who held it for eight terms before resigning in October. Murphy stepped down following news reports that he suggested a woman with whom he was having an extra-marital affair get an abortion.

Democrats will need to win a total of 24 seats this year to take control of the House.

The party that doesnt control the White House historically picks up roughly 30 seats in midterm races and the voter turnout by Democrats in the Texas primaries Tuesday is considered yet another sign that the party has the enthusiasm edge.

However, recent so-called generic ballots, in which voters must pick either a Democrat or Republican for Congress, show Democrats have lost their early lead.

An Emerson College poll of likely district voters released Monday shows Lamb leading Saccone 48-to-45 percent, essentially a tie and consistent with other recent polls showing a close race.

Were not surprised this is tight. Democrats enthusiasm is a little higher. Its always that way for the party not in the White House, Val DiGiorgio, chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, recently told Fox News.

Still, DiGiorgio and the Saccone campaign sound undaunted by the hype around Lamb -- a former Marine, Ivy League graduate and federal prosecutor in Pennsylvania -- arguing hes an extension of the Democratic establishment led by Biden and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and that he lacks support from working-class voters, particularly in coal country.

Tonight, Rick Saccone showed why he is the choice of coal-mining families across southwestern Pennsylvania, campaign spokesman Patrick McCann said after a rally Monday night in the Waynesburg borough, where an abandoned mine sits on the southern edge of the downtown. Rick is ready to utilize his experience in Washington to continue revitalizing the coal industry.

DiGiorgio also called Pelosi very unpopular in the district.

Theyve tried to reinvent (Lamb) to run away from their message of higher taxes, sanctuary cities and socialism," he said. "But voters know that, at the end of the day, hes going to vote with the left-leaning leadership in Washington.

Saccone has tried to run on his record and reputation as a legislator, while distancing himself from another attack line on Lamb -- that as a prosecutor he was soft on crime.

People in the 18th district know Ive kept my word, Saccone, who served 18 years as an Air Force officer, said in a debate last weekend with Lamb.

Lamb said in the debate that ads suggesting that as a prosecutor he let off criminals by accepting plea bargains were garbage.

Theyve lied about my record, he said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon on Wednesday said the government will strengthen its patrolling activities in the Benham Rise, locally known as the Philippine Rise.

He said satellite monitoring systems will be installed and unmanned aerial vehicles will be deployed to guard the area.

Benham Rise, located 135 miles off the coast of Aurora province, is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Philippines has the sole right to explore for and exploit oil, gas and other mineral resources in Benham Rise.

The national security adviser added the government, through the Department of Energy, plans to buy another research vessel worth P2.5-billion.

War vs. countries who violate PH sovereignty

Esperon also said the Philippines will wage war against any country that will meddle with the sovereign rights of the Philippines over the Benham Rise, locally known as the Philippine Rise.

"We will go to war....Sabi ng presidente, if they insist on going there and claim the area, ibang usapan na yun," Esperon said.

After the Cabinet meeting on Monday, Esperon said all foreign marine scientific researches in the Philippine Rise will not be allowed, meaning only Filipino researchers will be allowed to carry-out scientific explorations in the area.

"It's an assertion of sovereignty. Tsaka kung pasasamahin pa natin ang iba, baka magkaroon pa sila ng ibang hangarin diyan," Esperon said.

On March 2, President Rodrigo Duterte likewise said he will wage war against those who explore and experiment in the Benham Rise without permit.

On January 19, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said China was allowed to conduct research in the area. This drew criticism since China has a pending maritime dispute with the Philippines over areas in the South China Sea. The President then ordered to cancel all pending research activities in Benham Rise.

Maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal said on February 13 that China successfully named four undersea mountains and a hill in the area in 2014. The International Hydrographic Organization approved the names in 2016 and 2017.

However, Malacanang said on February 14 it will not recognize the Chinese names. The DFA said on Tuesday they would contest the names through the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism with China.
Republican congressional candidate Rick Saccone conceded the special election to Democrat Conor Lamb more than a week after the close election ended.

Lamb, who had already declared victory in the race, revealed Saccones call in a tweet on March 21. Lamb offered congratulations to his opponent for a close, hard-fought race and said he wished him the best.

Lamb won the seat by a margin of about 750 votes. Republicans considered seeking a recount request or a lawsuit to contest the result, even as vote-counting over the past week continued to pad Lamb's lead. But officials said those efforts have been dropped since Saccone conceded.

Ahead of the election, Democrats had hoped to stir up enough enthusiasm  especially among union members  to increase voter turnout and change the party representing a district that has recently been red.

The one fact that has remained the same this year  whether Democrats have won or lost [recent special elections]  is Democrats are doing better in terms of turnout and enthusiasm, Kevan Yenerall, a social sciences professor at Clarion University, told Fox News before the election.

The congressional seat opened after Republican Rep. Tim Murphy, who in public was staunchly anti-abortion, resigned in 2017 amid reports that he asked his mistress to get an abortion when he believed she was pregnant.

Here's a look at the candidates and what is unique about Pennsylvania's 18th district.

Conor Lamb

A Marine Corps captain, Conor Lamb, 33, said on his campaign website the biggest issues facing the 18th congressional district arent partisan.

My only bias is the one they taught us in the Marines: a bias for action, Lamb said on his website.

His congressional to-do list includes: battling the nations heroin epidemic, modern energy development and creating jobs.

In Pennsylvania, Lamb already worked towards ending the growing heroin crisis; as an assistant U.S. attorney, Lamb worked to make the Justice Departments Pittsburgh office a national leader in the fight, according to his campaign website.

Lamb has advocated for new leadership in the House and said he would not vote for Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as Minority Leader again  a politically astute move that could garner him the support of more moderate or independent voters, said Yenerall.

Most Democrats in the district may not dislike Pelosi, per se, but would like to shake up the status quo, Yenerall explained.

He added that Lambs background as a veteran and U.S. attorney as well as his temperament does fit the district more so than other Democrats have.

Lamb spoke out about gun control in the wake of the Parkland, Fla., high school massacre. He said he doesnt believe additional gun laws are needed to prevent mass shootings.

"The broad agreement already is that we're not doing a good enough job keeping guns out of the hands of people with mental health conditions and with criminals," Lamb said at a campaign event.

He told the Weekly Standard he would not have voted for legislation that would have prohibited abortions after 20 weeks, adding that he doesnt label himself as pro-life because its a political term.

Former Vice President Joe Biden campaigned for Lamb a week ahead of the election, comparing the candidate to his late son Beau and praising him for his dedication to unions.

Lamb will never ever stop, will never ever play a game, Biden said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Thats this guy. This guy gets it.

Rick Saccone

A longtime state representative, Rick Saccone, 60, is a conservative Republican who more embodies the policies of President Trump.

Saccone is more known for his religious conservatism as opposed to Murphy, who is a more mainstream Republican, Robert Speel, an associate professor of political science at Pennsylvania State University in Erie, told Fox News.

He was one of the lawmakers who championed Pennsylvanias Castle Doctrine, or stand your ground law, which allows law-abiding people to protect themselves, their families and others from intruders and attackers without fear of prosecution or civil action for acting in defense of themselves and others.

Saccone also sponsored a bill that would require public school buildings to bear the motto In God We Trust. Additionally, he pushed for a National Fast Day in the state to mirror President Lincolns proclamation of a national day of humiliation, fasting and prayer.

PARTY LEADERS SENDING BIG MONEY, TOP STARS TO RIGHT PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE RACE

Saccone is a retired Air Force officer with vast experience in counter-terrorism efforts, including working on task forces for two Olympic Games, according to his campaign website.

Ive got a resume that my opponent doesnt have, Saccone told Fox News.

Trump often tweeted his support of Saccone, including ahead of a January visit to the Keystone state.

Rick is a great guy. We need more Republicans to continue our already successful agenda, the president said.

Trump again traveled to western Pennsylvania the weekend before the election, urging voters to elect Saccone to advance the White House agenda.

We need our Congressman Saccone, Trump said.

Aside from Trump, Saccone also received support from Vice President Mike Pence and Ivanka, the president's daughter and adviser.

But not all Republicans were happy with Saccone, Politico reported just before the election. Strategists and national GOP officials described Saccone to the publication as deeply underwhelming as a candidate and complained about his fundraising ability. Saccone told Fox News the reported friction was nonsense peddled by his opponents.

Saccone is married with two sons. He studied in Africa, visited 75 countries, authored multiple books on North Korea and earned a Ph.D. in international affairs.

The district

Pennsylvanias 18th congressional district is located in the western part of the state near Pittsburgh. It includes parts of Allegheny, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland Counties and is made up of many rural, blue-collar voters.

There are actually more registered Democrats than Republicans in the district  a result of strong organized labor in the area.

Union workers are a key demographic for the special election, although Trump made inroads with the more than 80,000 members in the district with his candidacy, Yenerall said.

But Saccones anti-union voting record in the state legislature ultimately hurt him.

Due to redistricting in the state, both Lamb and Saccone are expected to run again later this year  in what will now be separate districts.

What shaped the election

Bellwether election: Pennsylvanias 18th district overwhelmingly voted for Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. The election shaped up as the next test of Democrats enthusiasm and GOP resilience in the Trump era and an early indicator of whether a midterm wave could be coming later this year.

Political activists are certainly looking at this race as an indicator of Pennsylvania and national trends, Speel said.

Lambs win could spell major trouble for Republicans in similar districts across the country, Yenerall said ahead of the election.

Both parties have a great deal at stake here. If a Democrat can win this type of district with the right type of candidate  it would mean the Democrats would do better than expected in the midterms," he had predicted.

Spending: This race was expensive. Lamb raised more than $3.3 million this year, compared to just $703,000 for Saccone, according to FEC records.

Ending Spending Inc., a super PAC founded by billionaire Joe Ricketts, was the first to hit the airwaves with a $1 million ad buy in support of Saccone.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC tied to Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, announced earlier this year that it would open two field offices in the district with 50 full-time canvassers.

In Lambs first television spot, he noted that he has refused corporate PAC money.

Tim Murphy fallout: The reasoning behind Murphys decision to leave office could have an effect on voters, some politicos in the state warned ahead of election night.

Itll be interesting to see if voters turn against the Republican Party, seeing them as hypocritical, Speel said.

Lamb has already painted Republicans as the party of hypocrisy. When he was selected as the Democrats nominee, Lamb said he planned to expose Republicans public hypocrisy fully equal to the private hypocrisy of Tim Murphy, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported in November.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump has promised to crack down on so-called sanctuary cities, signing an executive order in January 2017 that moved to strip federal grant money from towns that harbor illegal immigrants.

A federal judge permanently blocked it in November 2017, saying the Trump administration lacks the authority to impose new conditions on spending that has already been approved by Congress.

But the Justice Department has taken legal action against California, the first sanctuary state. Its designation means the nations most populous state will limit just how much local law enforcement will cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

What are sanctuary cities?

While the exact specifications can vary, sanctuary city policies overall limit how much local law enforcement officials can comply with federal immigration authorities.

San Francisco, for example, passed an ordinance in 1989 that prohibits city employees, funds or resources from assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in enforcing federal immigration law unless its required by state or federal law.

It also passed an ordinance that limits when law enforcement officials can give ICE notice that an immigrant has been released from a local jail and prohibits law enforcement officials from cooperating with detainer requests from ICE.

Berkeley, near San Francisco, is reportedly the original sanctuary city. It passed a resolution in 1971 that protected sailors who wanted to resist the Vietnam War.

Its difficult to nail down a concrete number of just how many cities are considered to be a sanctuary for illegal immigrants  some cities have an ordinance or policy in place; others do not.

What about states?

Aside from cities, five states  California, Oregon, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont  have enacted laws that limit how much police can contribute assistance to federal immigration agents, according to The New York Times.

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the law that went into effect this year designating California as a sanctuary state. The law, in part, bars police from asking people about their immigration status or participating in some federal immigration enforcement activities.

How are they viewed?

The debate about sanctuary cities intensified in July 2015 when Kate Steinle, 32, was killed as she strolled along the San Francisco waterfront with her father. Steinle was shot by a man with a criminal record who had slipped into the U.S. multiple times illegally.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions addressed a roomful of federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials last year and criticized cities, like Philadelphia, that are giving sanctuary to criminals. He asked them to reconsider the harm they are doing to their residents.

And in suing California, Sessions told Fox News that its federal law [that] determines immigration policy.

The state of California is not entitled to block that activity, he said. Somebody needs to stand up and say no, youve gone too far, you cannot do this, this is not reasonable. Its radical, really.

Not every city in The Golden State is on board with the states sanctuary policies, however. The Los Alamitos Council voted to opt out of the sanctuary policies, and other municipalities are reportedly exploring similar options.

But the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) argues that local law enforcement jurisdictions do not have a legal obligation to assist with civil immigration enforcement, which is the responsibility of the federal government.

A local decision to offer resources to federal immigration enforcement authorities is completely voluntary, the legal organization said in a 2016 report.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday unloaded on California Democrats who push a radical, open borders agenda, as his Justice Department sued the state over its immigration policies -- warning that there will be no secession.

Sessions spoke at an event for California law enforcement and a day after the Justice Department announced it was filing a lawsuit against the sanctuary city state over three pieces of legislation that it said interferes with federal immigration policy.

TRUMP DOJ SUES CALIFORNIA OVER 'INTERFERENCE' WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT



In his remarks, Sessions noted worrisome trends as violent crime increased in 2014 and 2015, particularly a surge in homicide and drug availability. He said that a lawful immigration system was part of tackling such trends.

Sessions said that while America admits the highest number of legal immigrants in the world, the American people deserve a legal, rational immigration system that protects the nation and preserves the national interest.



It cannot be the policy of a great nation to reward those who unlawfully enter its country with legal status, Social Security, welfare, food stamps, and work permits and so forth. How can this be a sound policy? he asked.

Meanwhile, those who engage in this process lawfully and patiently and wait their turn are discriminated against, it seems, at every turn.



Turning to California, he described "open borders" policies that refuse to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants as a radical, irrational idea that cannot be accepted and rejected the right of states to obstruct federal immigration law.



There is no nullification. There is no secession, he said. Federal law is the supreme law of the land. I would invite any doubters to go to Gettysburg, or to the tombstones of John C. Calhoun and Abraham Lincoln."



He then tore into Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who tipped off the public to an immigration raid in the San Francisco Bay Area last week -- a move he said led to as many 800 illegal immigrants evading capture and put both residents and law enforcement at risk.



How dare you! he said, addressing Schaaf. How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of our law enforcement officers to promote a radical, open borders agenda.



In defending the lawsuit, he accused California lawmakers of passing laws that are not only unconstitutional, but also a plain violation of federal statute and common sense.



Importantly, these laws are harmful to Californians, and theyre especially harmful to our law enforcement, he said.



"I did what I believe was right for my community as well as to protect public safety," Schaaf said Friday, according to NBC Bay Area. "People should be able to live without fear or panic and know their rights and responsibilities as well as their recourses."

Democrats have pushed back against the Trump administration's crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities where officials are ordered not to cooperate with federal authorities.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Wednesday that the lawsuit marked a new low from the Trump administration and said the president was abusing the legal system to push his mass deportation agenda.

PELOSI SLAMS CALIFORNIA ICE RAID AS 'UNJUST AND CRUEL' AMID OUTCRY OVER MAYOR'S TIPOFF TO IMMIGRANTS

"The people of California will not be bowed by the Trump administration's brazen aggression and intimidation tactics, Pelosi said. Californians will continue to proudly keep our doors open to the immigrants who make America more American. We will fight this sham lawsuit and will fight all cowardly attacks on our immigrant communities."

But in his remarks, Sessions appeared to be happy to fight, promising that the administration will win the fight and protect law enforcement in doing their jobs.

California is using every power it has, and some it does not, to frustrate federal law enforcement, he said. So you can be sure Im going to use every power I have to stop them.



Sessions has been a longtime favorite of Trumps base due to his fight against illegal immigration as an Alabama senator. In a 2015 handbook to fellow GOP lawmakers, he called immigration reform a legislative honorific almost exclusively reserved for proposals which benefit everyone but actual American citizens.



But Sessions quickly fell out of favor with President Trump, particularly over his decision to recuse himself from investigations related to alleged ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.



Trump has lashed out against Sessions on a number of occasions, and has even said he would not have appointed Sessions if he knew what he was going to do.



Last week Trump blasted Sessions over his decision to ask the inspector general to review alleged surveillance abuse by intelligence agencies.

Trump complained that the IG is an Obama guy and such an investigation will take forever (though the inspector general has served under presidents of both parties).



"Why not use Justice Department lawyers? DISGRACEFUL!" Trump tweeted.

Fox News Bill Mears contributed to this report.
Cynthia Nixon, who played Miranda Hobbes on HBO's Sex and the City, is reportedly considering challenging New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his bid for re-election this year.

Cuomo, a Democrat, is still popular, but is viewed as vulnerable because of his his frayed relationship with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and because of the city's constant transit issues.

The New York Times reported Tuesday that Cuomo brushed off the possible challenge from Nixon in September's Democratic primary, saying, "You cant let these things bother you. Otherwise you wont last long."

"You cant let these things bother you. Otherwise you wont last long."  New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Nixon, an education activist, has been openly critical of Cuomo. The paper reported that she once said the Cuomo was shortchanging the children of New York.

Nixon told NBC's Today show in August that there were a lot of people who would like me to run.

NY1 reported that Nixon has started to build a campaign staff, which includes two people who worked on de Blasios first mayoral campaign.

Many concerned New Yorkers have been encouraging Cynthia to run for office, and as she has said previously, she will continue to explore it, Rebecca Capellan, Nixons publicist, told the Times in a statement. If and when such a decision is made, Cynthia will be sure to make her plans public.

Cuomo has already announced he will seek a third term in November and is a potential 2020 presidential candidate. Nixon would be the states first female and openly gay governor, the Times reported.

A recent poll suggests a growing dissatisfaction with Cuomo among liberals. The Siena College poll released last month found 53 percent of voters view Cuomo favorably, while 40 percent said they don't. That compares to 62-30 percent in January's Siena poll.

Arthur Schwartz, an organizer for the New York Progressive Action Network, told the Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester that he hopes someone comes forward to challenge Cuomo.

He said, "Were hoping that either Stephanie or Cynthia Nixon run, but neither one has indicated to us that they are near a decision."

Schwartz was referring to former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Cynthia Nixon, known as Miranda Hobbes by fans of HBOs Sex and the City series, officially is challenging incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo in New York's Democratic primary.

New York is my home. Ive never lived anywhere else, Nixon said in a campaign video. New York is where I was raised and where Im raising my kids. Im a proud public school graduate and a prouder public school parent.

I love New York. Ive never wanted to live anywhere else, but something has to change, Nixon said, adding that the government should fix the states problems with healthcare, mass incarceration and the subway system.

Nixon, 52, is no stranger to politics. Shes often butted heads with Cuomo over issues pertaining to public education. Shes advocated for an increase in funding for public schools, breast cancer awareness and gay rights, among other things. Shes protested President Trump and campaigned for former President Barack Obama.

Nixon also received the endorsement of the Working Families Party (WFP), an influential, progressive third party in New York.

In the primary, Nixon has been credited with pushing Cuomo to the left on some issues, including his executive order granting paroled felons the right to vote in the state.

Heres a look at Nixons political advocacy and some of the issues shes passionate about.

Public schools

Along with her wife, Nixon has championed causes related to New York Citys public schools, including an effort to reduce public school classroom sizes. It was during this campaign that Nixon met her future spouse Christine Marinoni, according to a profile in The Advocate.

Nixon was once arrested during a protest at City Hall aimed at increasing funding to public schools.

We marched on up, sat down and blocked the entrance, she told The New York Times. The police very politely asked us to move, and we declined. They pulled up the police van and put us in.

The Tony Award winner is also a spokeswoman for the Alliance for Quality Education, a New York-based organization that advocates for high quality academic opportunities.

Cynthia is a public school mom who is extremely sincere and knowledgeable and has consistently been outspoken on the need for fair and adequate funding for our public schools.  Billy Easton, executive director of Alliance for Quality Education

Cynthia is a public school mom who is extremely sincere and knowledgeable and has consistently been outspoken on the need for fair and adequate funding for our public schools, Billy Easton, executive director of AQE, told Fox News.

Shes been a very clear advocate, not just in a sort of self-interested, Im just trying to take care of my kids [way], but more from the standpoint of every kid deserves a great opportunity, he said.

In an op-ed for The Journal News, a New York newspaper, Nixon criticized the Trump administrations support for charter schools and implored New York to put more resources into public schools.

Gay rights

Nixon was honored with the Human Rights Campaigns Visibility Award in February 2018 because she is a fearless and outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people, HRC President Chad Griffin said.

Cynthia uses her talent and public platform to speak out for equality in this country and around the globe, and in the process, she is changing countless hearts and minds, Griffin said in a statement.

CYNTHIA NIXON RELEASES MIRANDA-THEMED CAMPAIGN GEAR ON SHOW'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY

A year before she was awarded the honor, Nixon protested Trumps immigration ban at a rally held outside New York Citys Stonewall Inn, an important historical site for gay rights. She criticized Vice President Mike Pence, calling him the poster boy for anti-LGBT rhetoric, legislation and conversion therapy.

As LGBT people, we know how important coming out is, but I would argue that our coming out has never been more important than it is right now, Nixon said.

Nixon has been married to activist Marinoni since 2012. The pair lobbied to legalize gay marriage in Washington, where Marinoni is from.

Breast cancer awareness

After battling breast cancer herself, Nixon became a spokeswoman for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.

Nixon kept her own diagnosis quiet while she received treatment, telling ABC News she didnt want paparazzi at the hospital. After hearing the news from her doctor, she said she felt scared and didnt want this to be happening.

The cancer was found early, in 2006, and Nixon was able to beat it. She also had some prior experience with breast cancer; her mother successfully battled it when Nixon was a child, according to ABC News.

To treat it, Nixon had a lumpectomy and underwent more than six weeks of radiation, Fox News previously reported.

Access to abortion

Nixon has long been a supporter of Planned Parenthood and abortion rights, attending protests in Washington, D.C., and penning editorials in support of the reproductive health organization.

I am convinced that abortion rights are human rights not only because of compassion for my mother but also because I am a mother of three, Nixon wrote in an op-ed for Time, detailing her mothers own abortion. Many of us who made the decision to become parents have experienced a unique desire for parenthood. But that in no way mutes our desire for abortion to be safe, legal and available.

Women must have the right to determine whether and when to have children. That is what reproductive rights are all about, she continued. Abortion, like parenthood, is a deeply personal and sometimes complex decision for a woman, and no one can make that decision for her. Decisions about whether to choose adoption, end a pregnancy or raise a child must be left to the woman and her family to determine based on their faith with the counsel of their medical provider.

CYNTHIA NIXON EMBRACES 'UNQUALIFIED LESBIAN' LABEL IN NEW YORK GUBERNATORIAL RUN

Nixon was a keynote speaker at Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas awards luncheon in Dallas in March. And shes also participated in the Womens March, a nationwide women-led rally that advocates for women's rights, as well as other hot button issues such as immigration reform and LGBTQ rights

Mayor de Blasios campaign

Nixon was able to get another big-name celebrity to endorse Bill de Blasio in the Democratic primary when he ran for mayor in 2013: Alec Baldwin.

According to a New York Times profile, Nixon sent Baldwin an email, encouraging him to publicly pick de Blasio over Christine Quinn, then the speaker of the City Council.

Baldwin responded to Nixons email, ensuring her that he would support de Blasio and apologizing for lamely assuming that she was supporting Quinn as both women are lesbians, according to The Times.

She would also get other celebrities on board with de Blasio  including fellow Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker  and organized a fundraiser for him.

She is listed as one of de Blasios advisors. And for her own campaign, she's assembled a staff that includes veteran operatives who have worked for de Blasio, according to NY1.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and the Democrat congressman who wants his job wasted no time celebrating their primary victories Tuesday night, taking aim at each other as soon as polls closed to set the stage for one of the most closely watched contests of the midterm elections.

Rep. Beto ORourke, D-Texas, has already managed to energize Democrats in the traditionally red state, while Republican incumbent Cruz looks to maintain support from the conservative GOP base by blasting his opponent as a left-wing liberal.

In a statement following his primary win Tuesday night, Cruz said voters would have a clear and stark choice in November, painting ORourke as a Texas-style Bernie Sanders.

Congressman ORourke is a left-wing, liberal Democrat  he is running like Bernie Sanders across the state, and the voters of Texas will have a decision of what policies and values reflect their own values, Cruz said after easily securing the GOP nomination with 85 percent of the vote.

Cruz then released an ad targeting ORourke with a country jingle that warned voters, If youre going to run in Texas, you cant be a liberal, man. Cruz tweeted the clip, which played to the tune of Alabamas If Youre Gonna Play in Texas.

TED CRUZ GOES ON A JINGLE OFFENSIVE AGAINST NEW DEMOCRATIC OPPONENT

The tweet came shortly after ORourke secured the Democratic nomination with 65 percent of the vote.

The ad says ORourke wants to take our guns and calls him liberal Robert, referring to his given first name, and says he changed his name to Beto.

But despite Beto ORourkes uphill battle to seize Cruzs Senate seat, he has energized Democratic voters for the first time in more than a decade, signaling a tight race come November.

For the first time since 2008, more Texas Democrats voted in the primary than Republicans, according to early voting numbers. Ahead of Tuesdays primary, the Texas secretary of states office noted that 465,000 people voted in the Democratic primary, compared with about 420,000 Republicans.

When the voting booths closed, ORourke released a statement saying that the polls show him within striking distance of the junior senator from Texas." And his fundraising cant be ignored.

Weve already outraised Cruz multiple times with grass-roots donations alone, without taking a dollar from PACs, ORourke said.

According to reports, ORourke raised nearly three times more than Cruz over the first 45 days of 2018  with $2.3 million to Cruzs $803,000. While Cruz does have a cash-on-hand advantage over ORourke, the Democratic challenger is only wavering by $1 million.

ORourke could have a challenge in Texas, though, when it comes to Second Amendment rights.

In an interview on CNNs New Day Wednesday, ORourke defended his gun control stance, noting that Texas has a great tradition and culture of gun ownership, but that the state should take leadership on the issue.

Ive got to face my kids and my conscience and do the right thing when we have the opportunity to do the right thing, ORourke said.

Cruz has already seized on ORourkes gun control policy, saying he is undermining our Second Amendment.

Those are wonderfully popular positions if youre running for the Senate in New York or Massachusetts or California, Cruz said on CNNs New Day. But this is Texas. Those are not the views of the vast majority of Texans.

Fox News' Andrew O'Reilly and Lukas Mikelionis contributed to this report.
The Justice Department said Wednesday it will turn over documents withheld by former Attorney General Eric Holder related to the Operation Fast and Furious scandal during the Obama administration.

The Justice Department entered into a conditional settlement agreement with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The settlement agreement was filed in federal court in Washington D.C., and ends six years of litigation arising out of the previous administrations refusal to produce records requested by the committee.

The Department of Justice under my watch is committed to transparency and the rule of law, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement Wednesday. This settlement agreement is an important step to make sure that the public finally receives all the facts related to Operation Fast and Furious.

The Obama-era operation was a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) operation in which the federal government allowed criminals to buy guns in Phoenix-area shops with the intention of tracking them as they were transported into Mexico. But the agency lost track of more than 1,400 of the 2,000 guns they allowed smugglers to buy.

For over six years, the House Oversight Committee has fought for additional documents related to Operation Fast and Furious. Today, the Committee finally reached a conditional settlement with the Department of Justice, Amanda Gonzalez, spokeswoman for the House Oversight Committee, said in a statement to Fox News. The Committee seeks all relevant facts so we can learn from the mistakes made by the Justice Department. We have a responsibility to uncover why they worked so hard to hide this information from the Committee, the family of [slain border patrol agent] Brian Terry, and the American people.

The Trump administrations decision came just one day after Terry's brother urged President Trump to reopen the books and get to the bottom of the scandal.

Brian Terry was killed in 2010 by an illegal immigrant with a weapon used in the botched Operation Fast and Furious. Terry died in a gunfight between Border Patrol agents and members of a six-man cartel rip crew, which patrolled the desert along the U.S.-Mexico border looking for drug dealers to rob. The cartel member suspected of killing Terry was apprehended in 2017.

We need to find out the truth, exactly what happened, how it happened, why it happened, Kent Terry said on Fox & Friends Tuesday. We need Mr. Trump, President Trump, to unseal the documents, reverse executive privilege so that we know what happened, and that we can hold the people accountable that are responsible.

Terry, who met Trump on the campaign trail, said the president was very apologetic for the actions that the previous administration did.

He was very sincere about getting answers, Terry said. He said it was shameful and that I think Mr. Sessions should step up and re-open the case, re-investigate it and hold those accountable.

The White House has yet to release an official statement on the Justice Departments settlement.
Throughout the first year of his presidency  and even as he campaigned for the office  President Trumps rhetoric regarding North Korea has been harsh.

He warned earlier this year that Americas nuclear capabilities were much bigger [and] more powerful than that of the Asian nation. And at the end of 2017, Trump designated North Korea a state sponsor of terror again  a classification that came with additional sanctions.

On the heels of a planned, historic summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trumps tone softened, saying great progress has been made. But Trump ultimately cancelled that meeting, citing "open hostility" from North Korea.

From agreeing to meet with Kim to dubbing him Little Rocket Man, heres a look at what Trump has said about North Korea and its leader over time.

Back together again

After meeting with a North Korean official in the White House for more than an hour, Trump announced the June summit with North Korea is back on.

We'll be meeting on June 12 in Singapore," the president told reporters after the meeting.

Let's call the whole thing off

Trump announced on May 24 that he has decided to pull out of the June summit with North Korea.

"We were informed that the meeting was requested by North Korea, but that to us is totally irrelevant," Trump said in a letter to Kim. "I was very much looking forward to being there with you. Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting."

"You talk about your nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never have to be used," Trump said.

"I felt a wonderful dialogue was building up between you and me, and ultimately, it is only that dialogue that matters. Some day, I look very much forward to meeting you," he added. "In the meantime, I want to thank you for the release of the hostages who are now home with their families. That was a beautiful gesture and was very much appreciated."

Deal or no deal?

After speaking with the South Korean president amid threats from the rogue regime to cancel talks, Trump suggested the historic summit between him and Kim might not happen after all.

If it doesnt happen, maybe it will happen later. You never know about deals. Ive made a lot of deals, Trump said on May 22. You never really know. It may not work out for June 12.

Trump said he wants the Korean peninsula to be denuclearized in an all in one manner.

I can guarantee Kims safety. He will be safe. He will be happy, Trump said. His country will be rich.

Trump also said hes noticed a change in Kims attitude recently.

I cant say that Im happy about it, he added.

Save the date

Trump officially announced that he would meet with Kim in Singapore on June 12.

We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace! Trump said in a tweet.

The announcement came hours after Trump and the first lady welcomed the three Americans freed from detention in North Korea at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland early on May 10.

After Trump met with the three men, he publicly thanked Kim for releasing the prisoners.

Were starting off on a new footing, Trump said.

Positive gesture of goodwill

In announcing that a date and place has been set for his much-anticipated meeting with Kim, Trump also confirmed three American prisoners have been released.

The three Americans  Kim Dong Chul, Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song  are returning to the U.S. with newly-confirmed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump said in a tweet. The president confirmed the three men are also in good health.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORIC SUMMIT BETWEEN TRUMP, KIM JONG UN

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump appreciates Kim Jong Uns action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill.

Another American detainee, Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017 after he was released back to the U.S. with severe brain damage.

Good relationship formed

Trump has confirmed that CIA Director Mike Pompeo  his pick to lead the State Department  secretly met with Kim in April and a good relationship was formed. He said the meeting went very smoothly.

The president also disclosed that the U.S. and North Korea have held direct talks at extremely high levels in preparation for the summit.

Kim will do what is right

After Kims first reported visit to China, Trump said there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity.

For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility, Trump said in a March tweet, adding that he is looking forward to his upcoming meeting with the North Korean leader.

He also gave North Korea the benefit of the doubt earlier that month, saying he believes the country will abide by its pledge to suspend missile tests.

When Trump delivered a speech in Pennsylvania, the crowd booed the mention of Kim, but the president stopped them.

No, it's very positive ... no, after the meeting you may do that, but now we have to be very nice because let's see what happens, let's see what happens, Trump said.

Invitation accepted

Trump accepted an invitation from Kim to meet, the White House said. While a time and place has yet to be determined, the two leaders are expected to meet by June.

The invitation to convene was extended by Kim.

Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached, Trump said on social media. Meeting being planned!

The deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined, he later said.

Possible progress

As North Korea is reportedly willing to negotiate its nuclear weapons, Trump cautiously acknowledged possible progress.

For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned, Trump said on Twitter. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!

At a later White House news conference, Trump said he believed North Korea, which has a long history of deception and threats to target U.S. cities with nuclear missiles, is sincere.

We have come certainly a long way, at least rhetorically, with North Korea, Trump said. Of the possibility for peacefully resolving the nations deep differences, he said: Itd be a great thing for the world, would be great for North Korea, it would be a great thing for the peninsula.

But well see what happens, Trump said.

Spirit of the Olympics

At the conclusion of the 2018 Winter Olympics, North Korea sent the U.S. a message through South Korea, saying it has ample intentions of holding talks with America.

During a meeting with the nations governors at the White House in February, Trump said those talks will only occur under the right conditions.

The administrations position has been that North Korea must get rid of its nuclear and missile programs first before any talks can take place.

Relationship status: Its complicated

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump reportedly said he probably has a very good relationship with North Korea.

Trump also suggested that he is open to diplomacy with the country hes spent years criticizing, the newspaper reported.

I have relationships with people. I think you people are surprised, Trump said.

The Wall Street Journal released the audio and transcript of the interview after Trump denied making the comments.

'Success for the world'

Trump told South Korea that he would be open to talks with its northern neighbor under the right circumstances, the White House said.

Trump also took credit for the talks between North and South Korea ahead of next months Winter Olympics. At a January Cabinet meeting, Trump said it was his administrations pressure on North Korea that caused the rogue nation to negotiate with the South.

"Without our attitude that would have never happened," Trump said of the inter-Korean dialogue. "Who knows where it leads. Hopefully it will lead to success for the world  not just for our country but for the world, and we'll be seeing over the next number of weeks and months what happens."

Whose button is bigger?

After Kim warned Trump about North Koreas nuclear capabilities, Trump hit back on social media, arguing that his Nuclear Button is bigger [and] more powerful.

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the 'Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times,' the president tweeted. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!

Kim previously warned the U.S. should know that the button for nuclear war is on my table.

The entire area of the U.S. mainland is within our nuclear strike range, he said. The United States can never start a war against me and our country.

Good news or bad news?

Trump insinuated at the start of the new year that sanctions and additional pressures are having a big impact on North Korea.

Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea, Trump said. Kim now wants to talk to South Korea for the first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not  we will see!

In his tweet, Trump was seemingly referring to the recent, dramatic escape of at least two North Korean soldiers across the heavily militarized border into the southern country He also alluded to Kims recent comments indicating he would send a delegation to the Winter Olympics to be hosted in South Korea.

Trump also took credit for the talks between North and South Korean leaders.

With all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasnt firm, strong and willing to commit our total might against the North, Trump said in a Jan. 4 tweet. Fools, but talks are a good thing!

'Sick puppy'

While giving a speech on tax reform at a Missouri event in November, 2017, Trump digressed from the topic to call the North Korean leader a "sick puppy."

His comments drew hoots from the crowd.

State sponsor of terror

Trump re-designated North Korea a state sponsor of terror on Nov. 20, 2017, citing its support of international terrorism, including assassinations on foreign soil.

During a Cabinet meeting, Trump announced the designation came along with new sanctions on the murderous regime as part of the administrations maximum pressure campaign in dealing with North Korea. He said these sanctions will be the highest level of sanctions on the North.

North Korea was on the list but was taken off by the Bush administration in 2008.

Why can't we be friends?

In a series of tweets while in Vietnam, Trump said he doesn't know why the North Korean dictator would "insult" him.

Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me old, when I would NEVER call him short and fat? Trump said. Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!

The comment came after Kim referred to Trump's speech in South Korea as reckless remarks by an old lunatic.

'Dont try us'

In Asia, Trump issued a stern warning to North Korea, saying it would be a fatal miscalculation for the country to attack the U.S. or an ally.

This is a very different administration than the United States has had in the past. Do not underestimate us. And do not try us, Trump said during an address at South Koreas National Assembly.

North Korea has interpreted Americas past restraint as weakness, Trump said.

'Lets make a deal'

While on his Asia trip, Trump implored North Korea to come to the table for talks on its nuclear weapons program. Trumps request for North Korea to make a deal was in stark contrast to his previous hardline rhetoric when it comes to the rogue nation.

"It makes sense for North Korea to come to the table and make a deal that is good for the people of North Korea and for the world," Trump said during a news conference alongside South Korean president Moon Jae-in in November 2017.

Trump also said hes seen a lot of progress in dealing with North Korea but still called the country a worldwide threat.

In a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo the day before, Trump repeated his assertion that the era of strategic patience with North Korea was finished.

Some people say my rhetoric is very strong but look what has happened with very weak rhetoric in the last 25 years, Trump said then.

'Rocket Man' is on a 'suicide mission'

After dubbing him Rocket Man in a tweet, Trump eventually tried out the new nickname for Kim during his inaugural address to the U.N. General Assembly.

During his speech, Trump vowed to totally destroy North Korea if the country so provokes him. He also said Kim was on a suicide mission.

No more talking

After North Korea said it successfully launched a missile over Japan, a U.S. ally, and into the Pacific Ocean, Trump initially had a subdued response.

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," Trump said in a written statement after North Koreas missile soared almost 1,700 miles into the Pacific Ocean, triggering alert warnings in northern Japan and shudders throughout Northeast Asia. "All options are on the table."

The missile launch was said to be a precursor to North Koreas containment of the U.S. territory of Guam by Kim, according to state-run media.

But in a tweet, the president suggested the U.S. is finished talking to North Korea.

The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer, Trump tweeted.

The U.S. is 'locked and loaded'

Trump took to social media in August 2017 to proclaim that the U.S. military is locked and loaded in case North Korea act[s] unwisely.

'Fire [and] fury' isn't 'tough enough'

With the threat of nuclear violence growing, Trump warned North Korea on Aug. 8, 2017 that he would unleash fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.

But when tensions continued to rise and North Korea threatened to attack Guam, Trump said maybe that comment wasnt "tough enough."

"Lets see what [Kim] does with Guam. He does something in Guam, it will be an event the likes of which nobody has seen before  what will happen in North Korea," Trump said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Trump was "sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un can understand, because he doesnt seem to understand diplomatic language."

Kim Jong Un is 'not getting away with it'

Trump said Kim has disrespected our country greatly.

He has said things that are horrific. And with me, hes not getting away with it, Trump said. He got away with it for a long time, between him and his family. Hes not getting away with it. Its a whole new ball game.

'Strategic patience  is over'

After meeting with the South Korean president in Washington, D.C., in June 2017, Trump said that the era of strategic patience with the North Korean regime has failed.

Frankly, that patience is over, he said.

As Trump made these comments, the U.S. was rocked with the death of Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old American college student who suffered extensive brain damage while being held captive in North Korea for more than a year.

There are 'worse things' than assassinating Kim Jong Un

In an interview with CBS News during the presidential campaign, Trump said he could get China to make [Kim Jong Un] disappear in one form or another very quickly.

When asked if he was talking about assassinating the North Korean dictator, Trump shrugged.

Well, you know, Ive heard of worse things, frankly. I mean, this guys a bad dude  and dont underestimate him, Trump said. Any young guy that can take over from his father with all those generals and everybody else that probably wants the position, this is not somebody to be underestimated.

'What the hell is wrong with speaking?'

Trump told supporters at a campaign rally in Atlanta that should Kim want to come to the U.S., he would be accept[ed].

I wouldnt go there, that I can tell you. If he came here, Id accept him, but I wouldnt give him a state dinner like we do for China and all these other people that rip us off when we give them these big state dinners, Trump said in June 2016.

What the hell is wrong with speaking? Trump said, referencing the criticism he received for being willing to talk with North Korea. Its called opening a dialogue.

'Maniac'

During a GOP presidential debate in September 2015, Trump railed on the maniac in North Korea while answering a question about Planned Parenthood and womens health issues.

Nobody ever mentions North Korea, where you have this maniac sitting there, and he actually has nuclear weapons and somebody better start thinking about North Korea and perhaps a couple of other places. But certainly North Korea, Trump said.

You have somebody right now in North Korea who has got nuclear weapons and who is saying almost every other week, Im ready to use them, and we dont even mention it, he continued.

China needs to solve the problem

Even before he was president, Trump urged China to step in and help alleviate problems with North Korea.

North Korea is reliant on China. China could solve this problem easily if they wanted to but they have no respect for our leaders, Trump tweeted in March 2013.

In April 2013, Trump continued that line of thinking, adding that North Korea cant survive, or even eat, without the help of China. He then accused China of taunting the U.S.

As president, Trump has said he is very disappointed in actions China has taken regarding North Korea, particularly allowing oil to go into the nation. He also said a Chinese envoy to North Korea had no impact on Kim.

Additionally, Trump has said hes spoken to Chinas President Xi Jinping regarding the provocative actions of North Korea as well as the planned meeting between Trump and Kim.

President Xi told me he appreciates that the U.S. is working to solve the problem diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative, Trump said in March 2018. China continues to be helpful!

'Wack job'

In April 2013, Trump urged then-President Barack Obama to be very careful with the 28-year-old wack job in North Korea.

At some point we may have to get very tough, he tweeted.

'Negotiate like crazy'

Trump warned that the U.S. needed to do something to stop North Korea in 1999 during an interview with the late Tim Russert on Meet the Press.

"Do you want to do it in five years when they have warheads all over the place, every one of them pointing to New York City, to Washington and every one of us, is that when you want to do it, or do you want to do something now? Trump said. You'd better do it now. And if they think you're serious  they'll negotiate and it'll never come to that.

He said then that if he ever became president, the first step he would take would be to negotiate like crazy to make sure that the country would get the best deal possible. Trump also predicted then that in three or four years, North Korea would have weapons aimed all over the world, including at the U.S.

Fox News' Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump told a Latino group Wednesday he is ready, willing and able to strike a deal with Congress over the illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, but said Democrats are nowhere to be found.

We are trying to have a DACA victory for everybody, the president said during a Wednesday speech to the Latino Coalition Legislative Summit in Washington. And the Democrats are nowhere to be found. They are nowhere to be found.

In September, Trump said he was ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, but gave Congress six months to develop a legislative fix. But court orders have forced the Trump administration to keep issuing renewals.

Added Trump: It's really terrible. We are ready. The expression ready, willing and able. They are nowhere to be found.

TRUMP TAUNTS DEMS ON DACA: 'WHERE ARE YOU?'

The Obama-era program shields hundreds of thousands of young people from deportation. Republicans have argued then-President Barack Obama exceeded his constitutional authority through the executive order. Trump has called on Congress to pass its own law.

Multiple attempts to get a deal have stalled, particularly as lawmakers look to fix DACA as part of a broader comprehensive immigration reform bills.

Go get DACA, Trump said Wednesday. Go push those Democrats. I'm telling you This is a moment for DACA and for all of us, but this is a very special moment.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. said last week that members are moving forward with a plan that would address DACA and the presidents other priorities of building a southern border wall, ending so-called chain migration and changing a federal immigration program from a lottery to a merit-based system.

". . . this is a very special moment.  President Trump

A nationwide injunction in January by a federal judge in San Francisco requires the Trump administration to resume renewing the legal status of the hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants -- brought to the U.S. by their parents and protected under DACA. However, that order does not apply to first-time applicants.

Senate Democrats forced a three-day government shutdown in January when they refused to pass a temporary spending bill that did not include a DACA fix. Ultimately, they voted for the bill in exchange for a Republican promise to allow an open process on immigration reform.

That process has so far yielded a number of proposals, all of which have failed to gain enough support in the Senate to pick up the 60 votes needed. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accused Trump last month of trying to spike a deal when he rejected one of the bipartisan proposals as a "total catastrophe."

Fox News Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Trump administration announced last year its plan to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA)  which provides a level of amnesty to certain undocumented immigrants, many of whom came to the U.S. as children  with a six-month delay for recipients. But a federal appeals court ruled against the proposal in early November, declaring the government couldn't immediately end the program.

The Executive wields awesome power in the enforcement of our nations immigration laws, the ruling said. Our decision today does not curb that power, but rather enables its exercise in a manner that is free from legal misconceptions and is democratically accountable to the public.

Trump had initially set a March 5 deadline for the program and called on Congress to pass legislation pertaining to the young immigrants. But the deadline came and went, with no congressional action but several lawsuits challenging the administration's decision to end the program.

FEDERAL APPEALS COURT RULES AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ON DACA

Federal judges in New York and Washington also have ruled against President Trump on DACA.

President Trump has repeatedly blamed Democrats for inaction.

Heres a look at the DACA program and why the Trump administration wants to dismantle it.

What is the DACA program?

The DACA program was formed through executive action by former President Barack Obama in 2012 and allowed certain people who came to the U.S. illegally as minors to be protected from immediate deportation. Recipients, called Dreamers, were able to request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, which was subject to renewal.

Deferred action is a use of prosecutorial discretion to defer removal action against an individual for a certain period of time, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services stated. Deferred action does not provide lawful status.

Individuals were able to request DACA status if they were under the age of 31 on June 15, 2012, came to the U.S. before turning 16 and continuously lived in the country since June 15, 2007.

Individuals also had to have a high school diploma, GED certification, been honorably discharged from the military or still be in school. Recipients could not have a criminal record.

It did not provide legal status.

How many people are affected by DACA?

Nearly 800,000 youth, called Dreamers, are under the program's umbrella.

Daniel Garza, president of the conservative immigration nonprofit Libre Initiative, told Fox News that DACA offers a reprieve from a life of uncertainty for innocent kids who didnt break the law.

Its rather disappointing to think they could return to a state of anxiety and fear, he said.

What did the Trump administration do?

The Trump administration announced in September 2017 that it planned to phase out DACA for current recipients, and no new requests would be granted. But a lower court order required the administration to continue accepting renewal applications for those under the DACA program, and the Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's request to intervene.

Since the announcement, Trump had offered to work with lawmakers on a solution for the hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. who fell under DACAs umbrella of protections. But at the same time, he has repeatedly blamed Democrats on social media for lack of a solution.

Earlier this year, Trump released his four pillars of immigration reform, which included a provision for legal status for DACA recipients and others who would be eligible for DACA status. The White House estimated that total to be 1.8 million people. The Senate rejected the plan.

Republicans  and some Democrats  opposed Obamas directive establishing DACA from the start as a perceived overreach of executive power.

Obama spoke out on social media after the Trump administration announced a plan to dismantle the program, stating that it's "self-defeating ... and it is cruel" to end DACA and questioned the motive behind the decision.

Do any DACA recipients serve in the military?

Despite some rumors circulating online to the contrary, Dreamers were eligible to serve in the U.S. military since 2014 when the Pentagon adopted a policy to allow a certain amount of illegal immigrants to join.

In fiscal year 2016, 359 DACA recipients had enlisted in the Army  which is the only branch to accept immigrants of this category.

Fox News' John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  A day before the House panel votes on whether there is probable cause to impeach Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Justice Committee chair Rey Umali said she should just resign.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Source Wednesday, Umali said it was the easy way out between a looming vote for impeachment at the House of Representatives and a quo warranto petition questioning her appointment at the Supreme Court.

"Gusto ko magresign na lang siya [I just want her to resign]. This will spare the country the trouble, the aggravation," said Umali. "Wala nang may gusto sa kanya e [Nobody likes her anyway]."

About eight associate justices of the Supreme Court testified in the House impeachment hearings, namely, Justices Lucas Bersamin, Teresita de Castro, Mariano del Castillo, Francis Jardaleza, Samuel Martires, Diosdado Peralta, Andres Reyes, and Noel Tijam.

The Supreme Court announced on Thursday 13 out of 14 justices urged Sereno to take an indefinite leave. While the high court attributed the move to "various reasons," some of her detractors took this to mean members of the court wanted her out.

Related: SC: 13 justices wanted Sereno to go on indefinite leave

"I cannot imagine a situation where she will go back there for the next 12 years and deal with the same members of the Supreme Court, or majority of them," said Umali. "That will just bring the [SC]... the whole judiciary... and the whole government down."

However, Sereno's spokesperson Jojo Lacanilao told The Source on Monday that the justices could still "work through these differences" if she returned to work.

"They're adult people, they can take care of any differences as long as they're professional," he said.

Sereno, who is also the youngest member of the Supreme Court, is set to serve until 2030 if she is not removed from office.

Umali denies collusion with SC

Umali also denied allegations that congressmen were in cahoots with some justices oust Sereno.

"Kung iyon ang sinasabi nila  ang galing ko naman [If that's what they say, I must be very good]. I can collude with 13 magistrates... How can I collude with all of them?" said Umali, referring to the justices who voted for Sereno to take an indefinite leave.

Related: Opposition: House leaders, some SC justices colluding to oust CJ Sereno

The congressman earlier said it was "the end of the road" for the Chief Justice, as the Solicitor General wants the validity of her appointment voided, on top of the impeachment vote.

Related: Umali: Quo warranto petition, impeachment mark 'end of the road' for CJ Sereno

Umali believes the actions against her could happen "simultaneously," as his colleagues in the Senate said impeachment was the only way to unseat Sereno. He also said that the Judicial and Bar Council, which approved Sereno's appointment, "should be made accountable."

Umali is expecting congressmen to vote in favor of her impeachment, and put vote in the plenary by the end of the month.

"Walang basis ang mga members [The members have no basis] to rule otherwise," he said.

Related: House justice panel to find probable cause to impeach Sereno on Thursday, chair says

Sereno's camp has maintained her innocence from the charges against her, which include violation of the Constitution, corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes which are grounds for impeachment.

The Chief Justice is also critical of President Rodrigo Duterte's administration and its bloody war on drugs. She voted against his controversial decisions, including the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani and the extended declaration of martial law across Mindanao.

Watch The Source's full interview with Umali here.
A scientific study claims to shed new light on the decades-long mystery of what happened to Amelia Earhart.

Richard Jantz, an emeritus anthropology professor at the University of Tennessee, argues that bones discovered on the Pacific Island of Nikumaroro in 1940 were likely Earharts remains. The research contradicts a forensic analysis of the remains in 1941 that described the bones as belonging to a male. The bones, which were subsequently lost, continue to be a source of debate.

Earhart, who was attempting to fly around the world, disappeared with navigator Fred Noonan on July 2, 1937, during a flight from Papua New Guinea to Howland Island in the Pacific.

BOGUS EARHART PHOTO? JAPANESE BLOGGER QUESTIONS NEW THEORY ABOUT AMELIA'S FATE

The first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, Earhart was one of the most famous people in the world at the time of her disappearance. Thus, a number of theories have emerged about her fate.

One well-publicized theory is that Earhart died a castaway after landing her plane on the remote island of Nikumaroro, a coral atoll 1,200 miles from the Marshall Islands. Some 13 human bones were found on Nikumaroro, also known as Gardner Island, three years after Earharts disappearance.

In 1941, the bones were analyzed by Dr. David Hoodless, principal of the Central Medical School, Fiji. However, Jantz says that modern analysis techniques may have delivered a different result, particularly with regard to gender.

When Hoodless conducted his analysis, forensic osteology was not yet a well-developed discipline, he explains in a paper published in the journal Forensic Anthropology. Evaluating his methods with reference to modern data and methods suggests that they were inadequate to his task; this is particularly the case with his sexing method. Therefore his sex assessment of the Nikumaroro bones cannot be assumed to be correct.

Hoodless used 19th-century forensic science and described the bones as possibly belonging to a short, stocky muscular European, according to Jantz. The 1941 analysis described the remains belonged to a male around 5'5.5".

AMELIA EARHART'S PLANE DISCOVERED ... IN OLD MOVIE

Earharts pilots license, however, recorded her height as 5'8" and her drivers license as 5'7". Photos also show Earharts slender frame. Noonan was 6'."

Jantz says that the methods used by Hoodless underestimated height compared to modern techniques.

Hoodless used three criteria in his research  the ratio of the femurs circumference to length, the angle of the femur and pelvis, and the subpubic angle, which is formed between two pelvis bones. The subpubic angle is wider in women than in men.

Jantz says that the subpubic angle is the most reliable of Hoodless criteria, but even that is subject to considerable variation, much of which was little understood in 1941.

AMELIA EARHART MYSTERY CONTINUES WITH CLAIMS OF HER GRAVE

The scientist also compared Hoodless measurements to data from 2,776 other people, as well as studying photos of Earhart and her clothing measurements. This analysis reveals that Earhart is more similar to the Nikumaroro bones than 99 percent of individuals in a large reference sample, said Jantz. This strongly supports the conclusion that the Nikumaroro bones belonged to Amelia Earhart.

Jantz told Fox News that that 2,776 individuals used in the reference group were all Americans of European ancestry. They lived during the last half of the 19th century and most of the 20th century, he added.

Despite Jantzs skepticism about the 1941 analysis of the bones, some modern scientists have backed up the Hoodless results.

While some people are convinced that Nikumaroro is Earharts final resting place, another theory suggests that she met her end on Mili Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Last year, controversy swirled around a photo that was touted as providing a vital clue as to Earharts fate.

The Associated Press contributed to this article. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
Former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly says that he owes his storied space career to Tom Wolfes book The Right Stuff, which he read when he was 18.

Kelly, who read the novel while studying at State University of New York Maritime College in the Bronx, admits that he was a poor student until finding inspiration in the famous book about the early U.S. space program.

It inspired me to become a fighter pilot in the Navy and, later, a test pilot, and, after that, an astronaut, he told Fox News. It just shows that with some inspiration and some hard work you can later achieve some pretty significant things.

ASTRONAUT SCOTT KELLY BACK ON EARTH AFTER YEARLONG SPACE MISSION

After his selection by NASA in 1996, and over the next 20 years, Kelly served as a Space Shuttle pilot and commander and spent two stints on the International Space Station. In March 2016, at the end of an epic 340-day stay on the ISS, he became the first American to spend 12 consecutive months in space.

The former astronaut is a spokesman for a global study commissioned by 3M that examines peoples attitudes toward science. The State of Science Index found that more than half of the respondents are skeptical or indifferent to science.

This study shows that, despite overall interest in science, there are still people out there that have challenging views, Kelly told Fox News. For example, 38 percent of respondents said that their everyday life would not be much different if science did not exist, a finding that Kelly described as shocking.

Kelly was compensated for his participation in the State of Science Index.

ASTRONAUT SCOTT KELLY: I COULD HAVE SPENT LONGER IN SPACE

Research firm Ipsos surveyed 14,036 adults in 14 countries between June 14, 2017 and August 26, 2017. Approximately 1,000 people were surveyed in each country, which included the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, India, Japan and Brazil.

Sixty-six percent respondents to the survey said that they think about the impact of science on their everyday lives a little to never.

The study also found that more than one third of people are intimidated by science. Some 36 percent of respondents agreed that only geniuses can have careers in science, a statistic that Kelly finds particularly alarming.

A lot of people think [that] to be a scientist you have to be a genius  I am here to tell you that that is not the case, he said. I was not a genius growing up  I was the kid that couldnt do his homework, but I found this inspiration  18 years later I was flying in space.

SCOTT KELLY: YEAR IN SPACE PAVES THE WAY FOR EVEN LONGER MISSIONS

In total, Kelly spent 520 days in space during his NASA career and retired from the space agency in 2016.

The study reveals that science is underappreciated, with more than half of the respondents skeptical or indifferent to science.

Set against this backdrop, Kelly urged the next generation of scientists to find their niche. The most important thing is to find the thing that interests you, that excites you, because if youre interested and excited in something, you do better at it, he explained. Its also important for kids out there to know that science is what is going to allow us to accomplish the challenges that we all are going to experience in the future with a growing population on the planet.

SPACE FLIGHT CHANGES ASTRONAUTS' BRAINS, RESEARCH REVEALS

Despite some skepticism and indifference toward science, there is excitement about future scientific advancements, according to the study.

When asked what science will achieve in their lifetime, 64 percent of respondents said robots will be in every workplace. Some 55 percent of those surveyed said that they expect to see robots in every home and 51 percent anticipate flying cars. Additionally, 41 percent cited their expectations for undersea living and 35 percent for inhabiting Mars during their lifetime.

The research also highlighted a gender gap in science, with women less engaged with and interested in science than men. Women are more likely than men to say that they know nothing about science (21 percent vs. 15 percent) and are much less likely to see a career in engineering as satisfying (9 percent vs. 25 percent).

However, women expressed more interest in medicine (20 percent vs. 14 percent) and life science (15 percent vs. 10 percent) than men.

SOLAR ECLIPSE, CRASHING SPACECRAFT, VOLCANOES AND MORE: BIGGEST SCIENCE STORIES OF 2017

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
Cecil the lion, who was killed with a bow and arrow in Zimbabwe in 2015 by an American dentist and trophy hunter, was clinging to life for 10 to 12 hours before dying, a researcher who studied the animal claims in a new book.

According to an excerpt printed Saturday in National Geographic, Oxford University biologist Dr. Andrew Loveridge spent years tracking the lion and recounted details he uncovered about the animals death, which sparked widespread outrage.

The book, Lion Hearted: The Life and Death of Cecil and the Future of Africas Iconic Cats, will reportedly be published in April.

In the July 2015 hunt, Walter Palmer of Minnesota was joined by local professional hunter Theo Bronkhorst who, with the help of tracker Cornelius Ncube, positioned elephant remains that would be used to coax Cecil out of Hwange National Park, Loveridge said.

MINNESOTA DENTIST WHO KILLED CECIL THE LION BROKE NO RULES, ZIMBABWE SAYS

At some time between nine and 11 p.m. was likely when the animal was shot, according to data the researcher said he retrieved from Cecils tracking collar.

Around 9 a.m. the following day, as Cecil was still reportedly suffering from his wounds, Bronkhorst advised Palmer to finish the lion off with an additional bow and arrow shot, Loveridge said, citing a recount from Ncube.

Loveridge said that the injured lion most likely was killed 10 to 12 hours after being wounded.

The researcher debunked a theory he said was previously reported claiming the lion suffered for 40 hours, arguing that it was unlikely Cecil could have survived that long. However, he most definitely did not die instantly and almost certainly suffered considerably, he said.

Cecil suffered incredible cruelty for at least 10 hours, severely wounded and slowly dying. Cornelius recalled hearing the animal struggling to breathe, Loveridge said. Clearly, although the wound was severe, the arrow had missed the vital organs or arteries that would have caused rapid blood loss and a relatively quick death.

US DENTIST IN LION HUNT THAT PROMPTED OUTRAGE SAYS HE ACTED LEGALLY, WILL RETURN TO WORK

Loveridge mused that maybe Palmer was hoping to submit this obviously large trophy to a hunting record book as a bow-hunted specimen, which would prevent him from using a gun to finish killing the animal, he said.

If this was the case, Cecil the lion died slowly and painfully to allow a hunter the ultimate vanity of claiming he had killed a huge lion with a bow and arrow, Loveridge said.

Palmer, who was the target of significant backlash following the condemned hunt, previously told The Associated Press and the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he believed he acted legally and was stunned to find out that his hunting party had killed one of Zimbabwes treasured animals.

If I had known this lion had a name and was important to the country or a study obviously I wouldnt have taken it, he told the outlets. Nobody in our hunting party knew before or after the name of this lion.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Friendly reminder: daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. (local time) on Sunday, Nov. 4, which means it's almost time to turn those clocks back.

Theoretically, we'll gain an hour of sleep. But we'll also be losing an hour of evening light through March 10, 2019  when it's time to "spring" forward.

Daylight saving time was extra special this year, as it marked the 100th anniversary of the event. The tradition of changing clocks officially began in the U.S. on March 19, 1918.

Here's what you need to know about the century-old tradition.

When did daylight saving time start?

It was established during World War I as "a way of conserving fuel needed for war industries and of extending the working day," the Library of Congress explained in a post online.

But it was only temporary. The law was repealed about a year later, on August 20, 1919, as soon as the war was over.

"However, the sections of the 1918 law, which had established standard time zones for the country, remained in effect," the library said. "In 1921, Congress readjusted the western boundary of the standard central time zone, shifting parts of Texas and Oklahoma into this zone."

The topic of daylight saving surfaced again during World War II. On Jan. 20, 1942 Congress re-established daylight saving time.

More than two decades later, in 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Uniform Time Act, declaring daylight saving time a policy of the U.S. and establishing uniform start and end times within standard time zones.

What are the rules?

Daylight saving time and time zones are regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) under the Uniform Time Act. Daylight saving begins each year on the second Sunday in March, starting at 2 a.m.

"If a state chooses to observe Daylight Saving Time, it must begin and end on federally mandated dates," the DOT says.

Does everyone change their clocks?

No. Hawaii, most of Arizona, and a handful of U.S. territories  including American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands  do not observe daylight saving time.

A bill called the "Sunshine Protection Act," which allows Florida to remain on daylight saving time year-round, was passed in the state House and Senate in March. Gov. Rick Scott then signed the bill into law. However, Congress still needs to amend existing federal law to allow the change.

If approved by the federal government, this will effectively move Floridas residents one time zone to the east, aligning cities from Jacksonville to Miami with Nova Scotia rather than New York and Washington, D.C.

Why does it matter?

There are several reasons why officials believe daylight saving time is beneficial.

Some say it saves energy because people tend to spend more time outside when it's lighter out. The DOT claims it also "saves lives and prevents traffic injuries," because visibility is better.

However, some believe the process is a "hassle."

Proponents of scrapping daylight saving time argue it's generally unnecessary, disturbs sleep patterns and has recently become even more complicated. In 1986, Congress extended daylight saving from a six- to seven-month period and extended it again in 2005 to eight months  mid-March to mid-November.

"Congress really gave us a wise compromise in 1966 with six months of standard time, but because of the lobbies on behalf of daylight we now spring forward in the middle of the winter," Michael Downing, author of "Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving," told Fox News in 2015.

Disagreements over daylight saving aren't new. In 1965, before the Uniform Act was passed, 71 major cities in the U.S. with a population of over 100,000 were using daylight saving, while 59 others were not.

"People do not like the hassle of adjusting their clocks twice a year," Downing added.

Fox News' Matt Finn and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A United Kingdom-based researcher claims he's seen evidence of ancient animal tracks on Mars, but don't get too excited. The features he's talking about are widely documented by NASA as interesting crystal shapes that likely formed in water long ago.

A media frenzy ensued after the scientist said he saw evidence of branching, twisting features in pictures from NASA's Mars Curiosity rover. "If you look at the images more closely ... this actually has features in it that are reminiscent of trace fossils," said Barry DiGregorio, a research fellow at the University of Buckingham, in an interview with the Daily Star published Sunday (March 4).

DiGregorio wrote the books "Mars: The Living Planet" (Frog Books, 1997) and "The Microbes of Mars" (Amazon Digital Services LLC, 2011), both of which claim to show evidence of Mars life. It's not the first time he's made these claims. He told Space.com in January that some of Curiosity's pictures of the structures remind him of Ordovician trace fossils. At the time, Curiosity was looking at strange tubular structures. Some people claimed these formations came from burrowing creatures.

NASA, however, attributed the shapes to crystal growth. [The Search for Life on Mars (A Photo Timeline)]

Curiosity found the features on Mount Sharp, in a zone more than 1,000 vertical feet (300 meters) above the rover's landing site on the floor of Gale Crater.

"When we looked at these things close up, they're linear, but they're not tubular in the sense of being cylinders; they're actually quite angular," said Curiosity mission scientist Ashwin Vasavada, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, in a Space.com interview in January.

"They have kind of a square or a parallelogram sort of cross section and form at angles to each other when there's multiple of them together," he added. "And all of that's pretty reminiscent of crystalline growth."

The crystals' history likely does include liquid water, Vasavada said. He added that the team was considering two scenarios, both of which require water. The first suggests that the tubes are crystals themselves, and the second says that the crystals created a mold in the rock that sedimentary materials later filled.

In a separate interview in January, Vasavada added that it is difficult to definitively say if the features are biological in origin, but that is not a conclusion NASA would jump to quickly. "That's pretty challenging on Earth to distinguish those two things without being able to put these things into a lab to look for the presence of organics," Vasavada said. "We have a very limited capability overall to understand whether something is biological or not."

In mid-February, NASA said Curiosity discovered tiny, dark bumps that look similar to features that form around gypsum crystals in drying lakes on Earth. "These [types of features] can form when salts become concentrated in water, such as in an evaporating lake," Sanjeev Gupta, a Curiosity science team member at Imperial College London, said in a statement from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

NASA is still trying to learn when the crystal features formed, in relation to when sediments around them piled up. The crystals might have formed underground (after the sediments were hard rock) or in wet sediment, while the lake was drying.

It's unclear if life exists on Mars today or if it ever did. Some researchers are excited about features such as recurring slope lineae, which are dark streaks that appear on the sides of craters  predominantly during warmer months. But it's unclear if the streaks are due to briny water or dry soil flow.

There are several missions at Mars trying to determine how habitable the planet was in the ancient past. Pictures from orbit clearly show ancient water channels, while rovers on the ground have seen many types of rocks altered by water. But eons ago, the extensive running water diminished and Mars became a dusty, windy planet.

Some investigators suggest that Mars had a thicker atmosphere in the ancient past and that the atmosphere thinned as the sun pushed lighter particles out into space, drying up the surface. NASA's MAVEN mission is investigating atmospheric loss on Mars.

The Curiosity rover is on a hunt for ancient habitable environments. NASA and the European Space Agency also have newer Mars rovers on the way to seek signs of habitability; NASA's Mars 2020 will cache promising samples, while ESA's ExoMars rover can drill below the surface.

Originally published on Space.com.
Residents of a Texas neighborhood recently discovered something unusual: For years, unbeknownst to them, they were living a few feet away from an ancient tunnel believed to be millions of years old.

They feel that this is a closed cave and that it has never had an exterior expression so that an animal or people could go in and out of the cave. They found no evidence of life inside this cave, and it couldve been here at 10 million years, said Williamson County Public Affairs Manager Connie Odom.

The tunnel, underneath a roadway, was discovered after residents one day complained about a lack of water. Recently, the cave unexpectedly collapsed, causing the water pipe to break. It also exposed part of the cave.

The homeowners in the area had called the utility district saying that they were having water issues. And so, when Municipal utility district workers first came out, they discovered that a water pipe had broken. And there was a cave underneath the street, Odom said.

Barriers, traffic cones, and road closure signs now dot the residential neighborhood on Cambria Drive in Round Rock.

Its kind of quiet now. But, its not normally like this, said resident Tim Kelley, whose house sits adjacent to the site. He and his neighbors have congregated on the street for the past several weeks, watching drilling rigs, engineers, and cave experts working at the cave.

Odom said the cave stretches underneath two homes, has four chambers, and is about 20 to 22 feet high, at its tallest, by the cave entrance. The cave ceiling is about 6 to 8 feet underneath the roadway.

Caves in Central Texas are common. In fact, the Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District, where the cave is located, maintains 40 caves.

But Odom said this is the first time the county has found one under an existing roadway, providing unique complications.

Its been a new experience for us and then working very closely with the neighborhood to determine how we can repair the roadway and working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on approving those plans, said Odom.

Some residents said theyre worried that the cave could decrease the resale value of their homes.

People feel like a lot of people will be nervous to buy house thats that close to the cave because they think its not safe, said Kelley.

However, the county hasnt dug that far into the issue just yet.

Engineers had gathered core samples by the entrance of the cave in an attempt to test the strength of the soil and limestone. They are expecting to receive the core analysis reports by the end of the week.

Upon receiving the engineering report, the county says it will come up with remediation options and work with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to choose the best plan of action to repair the roadway.
A Saturn-size gas giant exoplanet orbiting close to its star has three times as much water in its atmosphere as Saturn itself, researchers have found. The surprising find will improve our understanding of where planets form around a star, NASA officials said in a statement.

No one expected to see so much water on the planet, called WASP-39b, because it is a "hot Saturn"  a Saturn-size planet that is extremely close to its parent star. WASP-39b is roasting away at 0.05 Earth-sun distances (astronomical units) from its sun-like star. That's about eight times closer than Mercury is to our own sun in the solar system, or 20 times closer than the Earth is to the sun.

WASP-39b is so close to its star that the planet is tidally locked, meaning that one side of the planet is always facing the star. That daytime side is a blazing 1,430 degrees Fahrenheit (777 degrees Celsius), NASA officials said. However, winds transport much of that heat to the nightside of the planet, meaning that WASP-39b is almost as hot on the nightside as it is on the dayside. (Despite its "hot Saturn" moniker WASP-39b does not have rings like Saturn does. [The Most Intriguing Alien Planet Discoveries of 2017]

Despite these challenging conditions, water does persist on the planet, according to new data from the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. The water in WASP-39b's atmosphere suggests that the planet must have formed farther away from its parent star that it currently is located, where a greater amount of icy material was available. It has "an interesting evolutionary history," NASA officials said  as it moved closer to its star, it could have disturbed (or even destroyed) other planetary objects.

"We need to look outward so we can understand our own solar system," Hannah Wakeford, lead author on the new work, said in the statement. "But exoplanets are showing us that planet formation is more complicated and more confusing than we thought it was. And that's fantastic." Wakeford has joint appointments as a fellow with the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore and as an astrophysicist with the University of Exeter in Devon, United Kingdom.

Wakeford's team used the two space telescopes to gaze at WASP-39b, which is about 700 light-years away from Earth. They discovered the water by looking at the starlight filtering through the planet's atmosphere and identifying water vapor's signature spectrum.

"WASP-39b shows [that] exoplanets can have much different compositions than those of our solar system," David Sing, co-author on the new work and an associate professor in astrophysics at the University of Exeter, said in the statement. "Hopefully, this diversity we see in exoplanets will give us clues in figuring out all the different ways a planet can form and evolve."

The scientists hope to use the James Webb Space Telescope, which is slated to launch in 2019, to get more data about carbon in the planet's atmosphere. (Hubble cannot spot the carbon, because that element absorbs light at longer, infrared wavelengths, beyond Hubble's capabilities.) When scientists know the amount of carbon and oxygen in the planet's atmosphere, this will yield more information about WASP-39b's origins, the scientists said.

The new work was detailed in The Astronomical Journal.

Original article on Space.com.
A group of Stanford University student protesters are urging Apple to do more to curb iPhone addiction.

As the school's student-run newspaper The Stanford Daily reports, the group  Stanford Students Against Addictive Devices  held a protest at the Palo Alto, Calif. Apple Store over the weekend demanding the Cupertino tech giant take iPhone addiction seriously.

"iPhones are our gateway to addictive services (read: Facebook and company), so Apple is uniquely capable of helping us curb our dependence," the group wrote in a flyer they handed out during the demonstration. "Even though Apple's business model does not rely on device addiction, they fail to take common sense steps to address the issue."

The students are urging Apple to "include an app with every iPhone that tracks phone usage and clearly reports patterns," offer users "more fine-grained control over their notifications," and "give users the option to use their phones in simpler ways." Elaborating on that last idea, they say Apple should add an "Essential Mode" to iPhones similar to Airplane Mode or Low Power Mode that would offer "just calls, texts, and photos."

Apple did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.

The students aren't the only ones worried about this problem. A recent survey from nonprofit Common Sense and SurveyMonkey found that 47 percent of parents feel their child is "addicted" to their mobile device. Thirty-two percent of those parents said the same about themselves.

Meanwhile, a group of former Apple, Facebook, and Google employees recently formed an anti-tech addiction coalition called the Center for Humane Technology, which plans to launch an ad campaign targeted at 55,000 US public schools.

Stanford Students Against Addictive Devices is advising iPhone-addicted users to track their screen time via the third-party app Moment and enable grayscale mode on their device to "reduce dopamine hits." You can do that by navigating to Settings > General > Accessibility > Display Accommodations > Color Filters. From there just switch Color Filters on and select Grayscale.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.
The FBI has been in cahoots with Best Buy's Geek Squad for at least the past decade, new documents obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit reveal.

An FBI memo obtained by the nonprofit digital rights group reveals that Best Buy in September 2008 hosted a meeting of the law enforcement agency's Cyber Working Group at a Geek Squad repair facility in Kentucky. The memo indicates that the local FBI division "has maintained close liaison with the Geek Squad's management in an effort to glean case initiations and to support the division's Computer Intrusion and Cyber Crime programs."

Revelations about the FBI's relationship with Best Buy first surfaced last year during the prosecution of Mark Rettenmaier, a California doctor who was charged with possession of child porn after bringing his computer to Geek Squad for a repair. The relationship, according to the EFF, "potentially circumvents computer owners' Fourth Amendment rights."

In a Wednesday statement to PCMag, Best Buy said that four of its Geek Squad employees "may have" received payment by the FBI after turning over alleged child porn to the agency.

"Any decision to accept payment was in very poor judgement and inconsistent with our training and policies," Best Buy wrote. "Three of these employees are no longer with the company and the fourth has been reprimanded and reassigned."

The FBI declined to comment when contacted by PCMag.

Best Buy said its Geek Squad repair employees don't specifically search for child porn on people's machines, but "inadvertently discover it" nearly 100 times a year.

"We have a moral and, in more than 20 states, a legal obligation to report these findings to law enforcement," the company wrote. "We share this policy with our customers in writing before we begin any repair."

Best Buy went on to say that it has "not sought or received training from law enforcement in how to search for child pornography."

"Our policies prohibit employees from doing anything other than what is necessary to solve the customer's problem," the company wrote. "In the wake of these allegations, we have redoubled our efforts to train employees on what to do  and not do  in these circumstances."

Documents obtained by the EFF, however, indicate that "Geek Squad employees did make an affirmative effort to identify illegal material," the EFF wrote in a blog post.

"For example, the image found on Rettenmaier's hard drive was in an unallocated space, which typically requires forensic software to find," the EFF wrote. "Geek Squad employees were financially rewarded for finding child pornography. Such a bounty would likely encourage Geek Squad employees to actively sweep for suspicious content."

The EFF is currently seeking additional documents from the FBI to find out whether the agency has similar relationships with other computer repair businesses.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.
Googles artificial intelligence technologies are being used by the U.S. military for one of its drone projects, causing a stir both inside and outside the company.

The pilot project with the Defense Departments Project Maven, an effort to identify objects in drone footage, has apparently been discussed within the company over the last week when information about it was shared on an internal mailing list, according to Gizmodo.

Sources told the tech news site that employees at Google were outraged the company would offer its expertise to the military for surveillance technology. Some critics said the project raised broader ethical questions about artificial intelligence and its usage.

GOOGLE GETS SUED OVER RAMPANT BRO CULTURE

Last fall, former Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt addressed the tech industrys concerns about collaborating with the Pentagon during a keynote talk at the Center for a New American Security.

Theres a general concern in the tech community of somehow the military-industrial complex using their stuff to kill people incorrectly, Schmidt said. While Google says its involvement in Project Maven is not related to combat uses, the issue has still sparked concern among employees, sources told Gizmodo.

Project Maven, also known as the Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team (AWCFT), was established in April 2017. In total, the Defense Department spent $7.4 billion on artificial intelligence-related areas in 2017, The Wall Street Journal reports.

As numerous studies have made clear, the department of defense must integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning more effectively across operations to maintain advantages over increasingly capable adversaries and competitors, former Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work wrote in a memo, according to a Pentagon press release.

The projects first assignment was to help the Pentagon efficiently process the deluge of video footage collected daily by its aerial drones. The amount of footage was so vast that human analysts cant keep up, according to Greg Allen, an adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security, who co-authored a lengthy July 2017 report on the militarys use of artificial intelligence.

The press release claims that Mavens first focus was to detect 38 classes of objects that represent the kinds of things the department needs to detect, especially in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The program now provides the military the ability to track people as they come and go from various locations, Gizmodo added.

GOOGLE GETS 2.4M REQUESTS FROM EUROPEANS TO BE 'FORGOTTEN'

Google has a mixed history with defense contracts. When it purchased robotics firm Shaft, it pulled the companys systems from a Pentagon competition. When it owned robotics firm Boston Dynamics, the company was attempting to make a robotic horse for ground troops, which was ultimately rejected by the U.S. Marines.

A spokesperson for the Defense Department declined to tell Gizmodo whether Google was its only private industry partner on Project Maven or to clarify Googles role in the project.

Similar to other DOD programs, Project Maven does not comment on the specifics of contract details, including the names and identities of program contractors and subcontractors, the spokesperson said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  The government sets the tone on pronouncements about the rice situation: Only the National Food Authority (NFA) Council can speak publicly about it.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte gave the directive during Monday's Cabinet meeting.

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco chairs the council with NFA Administrator Jason Aquino as vice chairman. It has a number of members including Bangko Sentral Governor Nestor Espenilla, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

Roque said the Cabinet discussed Aquino's announcement that the country only has two days of rice buffer stock, way below the required 15 days.

He said this is "misleading" as it gave the impression of a rice shortage, causing prices of affordable and commercial rice to go up.

Roque said the limited supply of government-subsidized rice would only be considered a shortage if the NFA is the only rice supplier in the country, which is not the case.

"There was an acknowledgment that statements made by the NFA Administrator caused panic, which probably caused prices to rise. There was some disagreement on the figures presented yesterday by the NFA Council. But ultimately, it was agreed that there is no rice shortage because the figure of 'only 1.5 days worth of supply of rice' was misleading," he said on Tuesday.

Aquino was not in the Cabinet meeting, but Roque said the NFA Chief was asked to attend a two-hour cluster Cabinet meeting on rice in April.

The NFA Administrator also received a tongue-lashing from Senator Cynthia Villar during the Senate probe on the rice situation on February 27.

Villar confronted Aquino for sowing panic and confusion when the agency announced a shortage of affordable rice.

CNN Philippines Senior Correspondent Ina Andolong contributed to this report.
A mother traveling alone with her 6-month-old son was removed from a Spirit Airlines flight to Boston because a flight attendant told crew the baby was sick.

Evelyn Circeo was traveling home to Boston from Orlando International Airport on Friday, News 6 reported. Shortly before boarding, Circeo said her baby was spitting up on her in the restroom, prompting her to request an aisle seat from the attendant.

WOMAN CLAIMS SHE WAS KICKED OFF FLIGHT FOR MENSTRUAL CRAMPS

"I asked one of the flight attendants, if possible, if I could have an aisle seat because he had spit up," she said. "Its just more convenient to be on the outside with a baby."

Circeo said another flight attendant told her she needed to exit the aircraft because her baby was too sick to fly.

"I said, 'What are you talking about?'" Circeo said. "Somebody said that 'your baby is too sick to fly?' I said, 'What is wrong with my baby? Nothing's wrong with my baby. He spit up. Hes a baby being a baby.'"

Other passengers tried to intervene, urging the flight attendant to let the mom and her baby remain on board, News 6 reported.

Once Circeo deplaned she said she went to the ticket counter and discovered her luggage was still on its way to Boston.

"I let them know I only had two bottles on me and three diapers, which I needed for the duration of the flight. I wasnt planning for anything more," she said, noting her bag was packed with all her son's items.

Spirit offered to place her on the next flight, but Circeo refused the flight and ended up not returning home until early Monday morning.

Spirit Airlines said the decision to remove Circeo from the flight was based on the safety of other passengers.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

"(The flight crew) made the tough decision to remove the guest and her baby for the health and safety of all on board," spokesman Derek Dombrowski said to News 6. "We are sorry for the inconvenience this caused. We are working directly with the guest to resolve any concerns."

The airline refunded Circeos flight and requested receipts for her incidentals while she was stranded in Orlando. Spirit also offered her two roundtrip plane tickets for her troubles, but airline officials said they were unsure if she was going to accept them.
United Airlines has not received high marks for customer service in recent years, but now the airliner is trying to change that.

The major carrier has rolled out a new program called Core4 aimed at teaching employees how to be caring, safe, dependable and efficient.

The new system will require roughly 30,000 customer-facing employees to go through a four-hour training session to make their employees more efficient and ensure all safety standards are met  with a smile, KMOV reports.

THE BEST, WORST US AIRLINES FOR 2018

"Core4 puts a value on emotional intelligence," said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, which represents United's flight attendants.

The Core4 training will include role-playing exercises that will help employees solve issues on the fly. The program also teaches employees good listening skills, open body language, smiling, speaking with a positive tone, making eye contact and being mindful and compassionate, CNBC reported.

United Airlines knows better than most other carriers about the severe backlash from consumers when onboard incidents go viral after the dragging incident in 2017 of Doctor David Dao.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Since Dao, United has given its employees more power to solve issues on their own to keep travelers calm, including authorization to directly compensate a passenger, rebook passengers and change seats.

Though the airline scored below Alaska Airlines and American Airlines in the J.D. Power airline satisfaction survey, United has still made strides in recent years. According to the Department of Transportation, only 2,030 complaints were made about the airliner in 2017, down from 2,277 in 2016.
An Alabama man that was arrested on drug charges just days after he publicly criticized a local sheriff over the suspicious use of prison funds was released from jail on Friday after signing a plea deal.

Matthew Qualls, 20, pleaded guilty to first-degree marijuana possession, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia as a part of a plea deal, which dropped a felony drug trafficking charge that he was facing after his February 22 arrest, AL.com reported citing court documents.

Qualls was arrested after police responded to an anonymous tip that the smell of marijuana was coming from an apartment where he and a friend were found inside.

The young man, who never has been arrested before, was featured in a report just four days before his arrest, questioning Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekins use of funds meant to feed county jail inmates.

Etowah County Drug Enforcement responded to the call along with the Rainbow City Police Department.

Qualls was charged by both, despite there being a difference in reports over the weight of the drugs found inside the apartment.

The plea deal, prompted by public outcry over the suspicion behind his arrest, requires Qualls to participate in the Etowah County Drug Court program, where he will be subject to random drug screenings, and must complete substance abuse classes instead of facing prison time, his attorney Sam Bone told AL.com.

Qualls original drug trafficking charge carried a mandatory minimum prison sentence.

A February 18 report published by AL.com revealed that some Alabama sheriffs were keeping thousands of dollars of public funds that were meant to feed inmates because of a law that allowed them to keep any surplus not spent on provisions. Some sheriffs refusal to show spending records has stirred up controversy.

Qualls, who was paid to mow Entrekins lawn in 2015, was quoted in the story asking why he was receiving checks for his services with checks paid for via a Sheriff Todd Entrekin Food Provision Account, when he knew of individuals in jail who had gone without meals.

"I saw that in the corner of the checks it said Food Provision, and a couple people I knew came through the jail, and they say they got meat maybe once a month and every other day it was just beans and vegetables," Qualls told AL.com.

Qualls was released from custody on Friday.
More than a week after Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan delivered a blistering speech in Chicago in which he said powerful Jews are my enemy and white folks are going down, calls are growing louder for Democratic leaders and Womens March founders with ties to denounce him or step down.

Among those in the line of fire are several members of Congress and Womens March co-chairwoman Tamika Mallory, who attended the Nation of Islams national convention late last month, There, Farrakhan delivered the controversial address and Mallory, who has expressed admiration for him in the past, posted Instagram photos from the Chicago event.

Heres the problem: Farrakhan does have an audience and still has widespread popularity among his devoted followers, Jonathan Greenblatt, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League, wrote in a blog published on Thursday. Because of Farrakhans reach and influence and his broad name recognition and something like celebrity status, some public officials, politicians and hip-hop entertainers are still willing to meet with him, still willing to have their pictures taken with him.

"They seemingly have a blind spot when it comes to his anti-Semitism, he added.

President Obama was recently criticized when a photograph of him with Farrakhan, taken before his 2008 election, surfaced. The photographer said he buried the picture on orders from tthe Congressional Black Caucus, which believed it would hurt Obama's election chances.

Seven members of the Congressional Black Caucus have had ties with Farrakhan, according to The Daily Caller, which said it had reviewed videos and witness accounts to create the tally.

California Reps. Maxine Waters and Barbara Lee, Illinois Rep. Danny Davis, Indiana Rep. Andre Carson, Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, New York Rep. Gregory Meeks and Texas Rep. Al Green have all attended meetings with Farrakhan while in Congress, according to photos, videos and witness accounts of the meetings reviewed by the news outlet.

The report prompted the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) to call on all seven House Democrats to resign.

In an effort to defuse the outrage, Mallory defended herself on social media as being against all types of bigotry.

This is a thread. It seems I am not being clear, she tweeted. I am and always have been against all forms of racism. I am committed to ending anti-black racism, antisemitism, homophobia & transphobia. This is why I helped create an intersectional movement to bring groups together.

But Mallory continues to face criticism from conservatives and liberals alike, some of whom are calling out her and members of the Congressional Black Caucus who have participated in functions featuring Farrakhan over the years.

Farrakhan has long expressed controversial views about Jews and whites, and has spoken of black separatism. In an interview featured on the Final Call website, which is run by the Nation of Islam, Farrakhan said, "This is the time in history for the separation of black people in America, indigenous people, from the whites of that nation."



Rep. Keith Ellison, deputy director of the Democratic National Committee, has said that at one time he saw the Nation of Islam as an organization that did positive things, like promote African-American self-sufficiency, personal responsibility and community economic development. Ellison, a Minnesota Democrat, has said he had erroneously dismissed concerns that Farrakhan was anti-Semitic, and said he never shared the "hateful views of Jews, gays or any other group.

Ellison recently came under fire after The Wall Street Journal reported he had attended a 2013 meeting with Muslim leaders where Farrakhan was present. Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, said he did not know who would be at the meeting, and said his decision to attend was not an endorsement of the political views of other attendees.

On Tuesday, Ellison spokesman Karthik Ganapathy told Fox News that the lawmaker "has repeatedly disavowed anti-Semitism and bigotry, since his first campaign for Congress in 2006.

Rep. Danny Davis, a Democrat from Illinois, said in an interview with The Daily Caller on Sunday that Farrakhan is an outstanding human being, and that he sees the minister on a regular basis.

Davis office later released a statement denouncing anti-Semitism as being antithetical to everything I believe and everything that I work for on a daily basis.

Apart from Ellison, others either have said they do not share Farrakhans anti-Semitic views but have stopped short of denouncing the Nation of Islam leader. Some have remained silent altogether.

In a statement to Fox News, the ADL said, "We are deeply disappointed with Congressman Davis statements about Farrakhan, an avowed anti-Semite who leads a group that traffics in hate not just towards Jews but also the LGBTQ community.

It is unfortunate that the congressman apparently cant muster up the courage to denounce Farrakhans blatant anti-Semitism and instead chose to praise him instead. Hate should not be difficult to denounce. Once again were calling on the congressman to denounce anti-Semitism and all forms of hate.

Calls and emails to the Nation of Islam, the Congressional Black Caucus and Mallory received no response.
A South Carolina man accused of wanting to physically cannibalize a child and to engage in sex acts with animals has been freed from jail on bond.

According to arrest warrants, Justin Teeter Bensing of Myrtle Beach had desires to turn a child into a full time baby maker and sex slave and make his intended victim drink her own urine. Authorities also said he expressed passions for cannibalism and bestiality.

Depravity doesnt even begin to describe this, Sheriff Will Lewis said during a news conference announcing the arrests last month.

Bensing, 36, was released from jail last month after posting a $20,000 bond, according to court records.

He was arrested in Greenville County in early February on charges of criminal solicitation of a minor.

Bensing is accused of soliciting an undercover officer he thought was a child.

Fox Carolina reported investigators said Bensing used the alias Rebel Deese online.

According to The State, investigators charged 14 child predators, two human traffickers, 10 prostitutes and 17 johns in the two-week-long child sex trafficking sting, Operation Millstone, which is rooted in the New Testament book of Matthew.

If anyone causes one of these little ones  those who believe in me  to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea, the verse reads.

Court records listed no attorney for Bensing, and no further court appearances have been scheduled.

According to state police, Bensing had no prior arrest record in South Carolina.

Reached at his home in Myrtle Beach, Bensings father said Tuesday that his son wasnt available and allegations that he had wanted to eat a child were not true.

The only thing I have to say on Justins behalf is that any charges of cannibalism are not correct, Donald Bensing told a reporter for The Associated Press, before disconnecting the call.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A police officer in Texas has been placed on administrative leave following her arrest on human trafficking charges.

Brownsville police Officer Valerie Rivas was among a group of people spotted by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter Feb. 26, hiding in the sand dunes of Padre Island National Seashore, the Dallas Morning News reported.

Rivas told immigration officers that she had gone to the area to pick up her boyfriend, who had planned to enter the U.S. illegally. But when she arrived, she learned that Salazar-Hernandez had crossed the border earlier, the Morning News reported.

Border Patrol agents in Corpus Christi found the boyfriend and another man in the sand dunes earlier in the day, Fox 29 San Antonio reported.

According to authorities: Rivas freely stated that when they heard the helicopter flying overhead, she attempted to hide from it because she knew that it was illegal to transport illegal aliens and did not want to be apprehended doing so.

Rivas has been on the Brownsville force since July 2016, a police spokesman told Fox 29.
A Virginia man who was attempting to outrun police Sunday was captured on video getting hit by his own car during the chase.

Fairfax County Police Department shared video Tuesday of the incident before the eventual arrest of Isaac C. Bonsu, 30, of Alexandria.

WEST VIRGINIA RAISES TEACHER PAY TO END STATEWIDE STRIKE

Around 1 a.m. Sunday morning, police said they tried to pull over a car that appeared to have an equipment violation. After turning on their flashing lights and sirens, Bonsu reportedly didnt stop, sparking a chase.

The video shows the driver at one point attempting to get out of his car and run from officers on foot. But he forgot to put it in park, police said, and got knocked over as the vehicle hit him.

Our officers tried to pull a man over. He sped off, then got out of his car to escape, but forgot to put it in park, the department said in the Facebook post. Oops. He got hit by his own car.

PAIR GET PRISON FOR DRAGGING KITTEN BEHIND JEEP, KILLING IT WITH ROCK, POSTING VIDEO ONLINE

In the video, Bonsu appeared to get up and run from an approaching officer before he was eventually caught.

The suspect was okay physically, police said, but he now faces a slew of charges, including DWI  third offense, hit and run, disregarding an officers signal to stop, driving while revoked  DWI related, driving with an open container, possession of marijuana and illegal window tint.
A Washington woman was charged Monday with attempted murder, suspected of trying to use a samurai sword on a boyfriend she thought was being unfaithful.

Police say the woman, Emily Javier, 30, bought the sword and had been plotting to kill the boyfriend, Alex Lovell, for over a week after reportedly finding hair (not her own) in the shower and discovering the popular dating app Tinder on his phone, Fox 12 reported, citing a probable cause affidavit.

According to police, Lovell came home Friday evening and ignored Javier, which led her to stab him after he fell asleep.

Javier called 911 when she thought Lovell was dead, and as police arrived around 2 a.m., she was seen covered in blood and reportedly called out: I just stabbed him. You guys need to help him, The Columbian newspaper reported, citing court records and the affidavit.

Lovell was reportedly found in the bedroom with multiple stab wounds, and blood was spattered on the walls. He remains in critical condition, Fox 12 reported.

Police seized a sword and some knives from the home.

Javiers bail was set at $350,000; she is to be arraigned on March 13.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Missouri police officer who was killed while responding to a 911 call Tuesday night had just returned to full-time duty to replace a recently fallen officer in his department, officials said.

Clinton Police Officer Christopher Ryan Morton's death comes after at least 20 officers have died in the line of the duty since the start of 2018.

Morton, 30, was shot and killed when he and two other officers responded to a 911 call at a home located 75 miles outside of Kansas City, Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

Morton joined the Army National Guard in November 2005. He had been with the Clinton Police Department from February 2015 to January 2017. He stayed on as a reserve officer, but returned to full-time duty in the summer after fellow Officer Gary Michael was shot and killed during a traffic stop in August, FOX4 KC reported.

"Clinton, MO, Police Officer Christopher Ryan Morton, served with distinction for the citizens of Clinton as a full-time Police Officer from 2/12/2015 until 1/10/2017. He stayed with the department as reserve officer until he returned again to full time duty 9/24/2017. #ClintonPD," Missouri State Highway Patrol tweeted.



Sgt. Bill Lowe said early Wednesday that the three officers responded to a call where two women were heard screaming in the background late Tuesday night.

The suspected shooter, identified as James E. Waters, 37, opened fire from inside the home while the officers attempted to apprehend the individual. Morton was fatally shot, while the two other officers were wounded and taken to the hospital. The officers were identified by police as Nathan Bettencourt and Nicholas Kasper. Bettencourt was said to be in stable condition as he recovers from surgery for his injuries, while Kasper has already been released from the hospital.

Its a small department, Lowe said. Its small enough that you know each individual officer and the community knows each individual officer, and its hard to put into words when youre talking about an agency of this size, a community of this size where something tragic like this happened just seven months ago.

A SWAT team entered the home at 12:10 a.m. Wednesday and found Waters dead. Its unclear how he died. Waters was arrested in November 2017 for unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

The women in the house at the time were not injured and were taken into custody.

OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY IN 2018

Mortons death marks the second Clinton police officer to die in the line of duty in the last seven months, FOX4 KC reported.

"It's just another tragic event for this community and especially this police department. They've endured a lot. They're going to endure more," Lowe told FOX4 KC.

Missouri Rep. Vicky Hartzler tweeted her condolences to the Morton family.

"Grieving for the families & the officers of the Clinton Police Dept who lost another one of their own last night in the line of duty. Officer Christopher Ryan Morton gave the #UltimateSacrifice," Hartzler tweeted.

The Republican congresswoman added: "Two others injured. It's 7 mo to the day from when Clinton Officer Gary Michael was killed. I met with the dept last year after that incident; they're an amazing, professional, dedicated, caring unit. My prayers are with them all. #thinblueline #nogreaterlove"

At least 20 officers across the United States have died while on duty this year, with at least 14 of the deaths caused by gunfire. In 2016, about 135 police officers were killed, making it the deadliest year for cops in at least five years. The number of officers killed in 2017 dipped, though not by much.

The Officer Down Memorial Page has 25 officers killed so far in 2018. This number includes accidental deaths and 9/11-related illnesses.

The number of cops killed has prompted President Trump to call for more protection for law enforcement officers. He said in December that those who kill police officers should receive the death penalty.

Anti-police sentiment is wrong and its dangerous, Trump said during a speech at FBI National Academy. Anyone who kills a police officer should get the death penalty.

Trump also previously tweeted in 2016: Shooting deaths of police officers up 78% this year. We must restore law and order and protect our great law enforcement officers!

Ian McCarthy was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Clinton Police Officer Gary Michael. Prosecutors are now seeking the death penalty in the deadly shooting case.

Fox News' Madeline Farber and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An inmate in a Los Angeles County jail will reportedly receive a $5.9 million settlement after suffering a permanent brain injury while behind bars.

Juan Isaac Garza, now 27, was jailed in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in May 2012 after being charged with attempted murder. But even though supervisors were told he'd been diagnosed with schizophrenia years earlier, he received no medication.

While behind bars, he tried to commit suicide by repeatedly falling backward and striking his head against the floor.

Eventually, when he was taken to a hospital, swelling in his brain required doctors to open his skull to relieve pressure, City News Service reported.

Garzas father, Juan Garza, filed a negligence lawsuit on behalf of his son in 2014, claiming sheriffs deputies failed to perform routine wellness checks every 15 minutes on an inmate who showed signs of harming himself, per department policy, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The injuries Garza suffered left him rendered to a wheelchair, and also made it difficult for him to take care of himself, said Hermez Moreno, an attorney who represented Garza.

Its hard to find justice in an amount of money when your entire life has been taken from you, Moreno, told the Los Angeles Daily News. Its hard to say, Yay, we won, when everybody over here would rather he be walking, talking, running and laughing with no money than with this money and to live the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

"Its hard to find justice in an amount of money when your entire life has been taken from you."  Hermez Moreno, attorney representing Juan Isaac Garza

The Los Angeles Sheriffs Department blamed a lack of video cameras and an insufficient plan for deputies on how to respond to inmates who are unresponsive, the Times reported, citing a court summary.

The settlement, approved Tuesday by the county's Board of Supervisors, will be paid from the budgets of the Sheriff's Department and Department of Mental Health, the Times reported.

The Sheriffs Department is responsible for the most judgments and settlement payouts among any department county, with $68.6 million paid out in the 2016-17 fiscal year, according to a county report the Times reported.

Garza did not stand trial on the initial attempted murder charge, the Daily News reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  The House Committee on Justice is expected to find probable cause in the impeachment case against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Thursday, the panel's chairperson said.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali said this with certainty in an interview with CNN Philippines' The Source on Wednesday.

"The writing is on the wall," Umali said. "Walang basis ang mga members to rule otherwise [There's no basis for the members to rule otherwise.]."

Umali said he expects all 50 committee members, along with ex-officio members, to be present on Thursday to vote on probable cause in the impeachment case against Sereno.

There are 27 allegations against the chief magistrate, which fall under four grounds of impeachment: culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.

Umali said Thursday's voting, which starts at 9:30 a.m., will not take long.

"This will just be a recital of the charge, the answer, the findings, and then the vote," he said. Charges will be identified one by one, then the members will vote.

Based on the results, the committee will then put together the articles of impeachment.

Umali said he plans to submit a report to the plenary on the third week of March.

He hopes the plenary can vote on Sereno's impeachment before Congress takes a break on March 21.

If at least one-third of the members of the House of Representatives vote to impeach Sereno, the complaint would go to trial at the Senate.

House Majority Leader Rudy Farinas however eyes a later timeline, probably May, as he wants to wait for the Supreme Court's decision on the Solicitor General's petition for quo warranto  which seeks to void Sereno's appointment. The high court on Tuesday gave Sereno 10 days to respond to the case.

WATCH: What is a Quo Warranto petition?

With a quo warranto petition and a looming impeachment trial, Umali said the only "honorable thing" for Sereno to do is to resign.

He noted how Sereno is strongly disliked by her associate justices, who earlier asked her to go on an indefinite leave starting March 1.

READ: SC: 13 justices wanted Sereno to go on indefinite leave

Sereno has denied all allegations against her but refused to step down.

"I ask only one thing from the political leaders. Only one thing. Give me my day in the Senate impeachment court or admit that there is no probable cause," Sereno said in a March 2 speech.

In a statement on Monday, Sereno's camp said she is ready to face Senate trial and disprove all charges against her.

A two-thirds vote (16 out of 23 senators) is needed to convict Sereno.
Vermont voters on Tuesday approved a ballot initiative that seeks to prevent F-35 fighter jets from being based at the Burlington International Airport, WCAX-TV reported.

Save Our Skies, a group who opposes the warplanes base location, obtained 3,000 signatures to "get a nonbinding question" on the ballot, the station reported. The group spent an estimated $15,000 advocating for the ballot initiative, SevenDaysVT.com reported.

Supporters of the F-35s basing said the ballot question was "deceptive" and "caused confusion" at the polls, the station reported.

The ballot question reportedly asked whether voters "as part of our strong support for the men and women of the Vermont National Guard," would advise the council to request the cancellation of the F-35 basing and request planes with "low noise level equipment," SevenDaysVT.com reported.

"They knew that they could not get it across the goal line with just asking the voters to take away the F-35, because that is not what this community wants," Nicole Citro, a member of an F-35 advocacy group, told the channel.

The ballot vote might not have an impact. Local officials do not have a formal say in military decisions, SevenDaysVT.com reported. Even so, all three members of Vermont's congressional delegation supported the F-35s at the airport, the report said.

The Vermont National Guard issued a statement through 1st Lt. Mike Arcovitch, WCAX-TV reported.

"There is a lot of work to be done, and rest assured the Vermont Air National Guard will be ready when the F35 arrives in the fall of 2019," Arcovitch said. "We are proud to serve Vermonters and excited to receive the F35."
The lawyer representing an Alabama death-row inmate argued in court filings on Monday his client should not appear for a second time in a death chamber because the first botched" execution was an "excruciating experience."

Attorney Bernard Harcourt wrote in state and federal court filings that another attempt to execute 61-year-old Doyle Lee Hamm would violate the U.S. Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

"What was inflicted on Doyle Hamm was a form of torture," Hartcourt wrote in his filing.

Hamm, who has battled lymphoma, was set to be executed Feb. 22 for the 1987 killing of motel clerk Patrick Cunningham. State officials called off the execution shortly after 11 p.m. because of problems getting the intravenous line connected.

Harcourt, a Columbia University law professor, has argued in court filings since July that lethal injection would be difficult and painful because Hamm's veins have been severely compromised by lymphoma, hepatitis and prior drug use.

A doctor hired by Hamm's legal team, Dr. Mark Heath, wrote in a report included with the court filing that Hamm had 11 puncture sites, bled heavily from his groin, and sustained injuries including a possible punctured bladder during the attempts to connect the line.

WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS BELOW

The doctor said that Hamm had to be carried back to his cell by correctional officers after the execution was called off for the night.

Photos submitted to the court showed Hamm's feet were bruised and blackened, presumably from pooling blood.

The graphic photos also showed bruising from what the doctor said was a groin injury.

The filing Monday included Hamm's recounting of the event to Heath. Hamm indicated he had begun bleeding heavily from his groin, enough to soak through a pad or drape, during the attempt to connect the line, Heath wrote.

He added that Hamm said a man who had been on a cellphone watching the attempts announced to the team that the execution was over.

'BOTCHED' EXECUTION WAS 'TORTURE' THAT MAY HAVE PUNCTURED ALABAMA INMATE'S BLADDER, LAWYER SAYS

In his filing, Harcourt wrote the "excruciating experience," exceeds what the U.S. Constitution tolerates as permissible punishment, and that his client had "unbearable physical and psychological pain."

"Physically, as he was strapped down to the lethal injection gurney in the execution chamber knowing that he was about to die. Doyle Hamm was jabbed multiple times with needles and catheters in his ankles, shin and right groin," Harcourt wrote.

"Psychologically, once again strapped to his death gurney, Doyle Hamm was so injured that he hoped the execution team would succeed so that it would be over with and he would be dead," Harcourt continued. "Doyle Hamm watched as the execution team wiped blood off his legs and right groin, even replacing a blood-soaked pad covering his groin. Doyle Hamm experienced a constitutionally prohibited cruel, unnecessarily painful, slow, and lingering process to death."

Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn has said the execution was stopped because of a "time issue" and concerns of getting the line connected before the midnight deadline.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Florida businessman who attempted to flee to Ecuador after pleading guilty to a $179 million fraud scheme was sentenced to 25 years in prison Tuesday.

In a Chicago courtroom, U.S. District Judge Charles Kocoras called convicted conman Nikesh Patel, 34, a "diabolical genius" for the scale and brazenness of the fraud he perpetrated.

The judge said Patels scam was the largest fraud case he had overseen in nearly four decades. He was impressed by the boldness of the fraud that involved numerous fake documents, lies and other moving parts that most mere mortals could not even think of, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Theres a certain diabolical genius to what he did here, Kocoras said Tuesday.

"Theres a certain diabolical genius to what he did here."  U.S. District Judge Charles Kocoras, referring to convicted conman Nikesh Patel

The businessman pleaded guilty in 2016 to selling sham loans to a Wisconsin investment firm and consequently financially damaging several Chicago-area school districts and hundreds of small banks.

In a bid to reduce the possible amount of prison time, Patel convinced the judge last year to allow him to remain free on bond while he awaits sentencing and cooperate with authorities to recover money for the victims of his crimes.

But despite the generosity of the court, Patel used his freedom to plan his escape and even launched new scams that involved him masquerading as a bank executive to con millions of dollars more through shoddy loans.

Prosecutors said Patel spent the new tainted money on lavish celebrations, including a $30,000 party at a luxurious Four Seasons Hotel for his infant daughter's birthday and $28,000 on a ski trip.

Knowing what was coming for him, on the day he was to be sentenced in January, Patel tried to pull off an even greater scam. He was arrested at a Florida airport trying to board a jet to Ecuador, where he planned to seek political asylum and set up a new luxurious life for himself and his family, the Tribune reported.

FBI agents, according to court records, found documents after the arrest that detailed Patels plans to start over in the South American country, including buying luxury vehicles, a $1 million home in Ecuador, a private chef and an English-language school for his four daughters.

Patel speculated in one acquired document that if he fled the U.S. by a private plane, authorities would have no way to stop him. He planned to tell his attorney and federal prosecutors that he was going to rehab or a meditation camp for a week, this way they do not suspect anything by my phone being shut off.

I may even use a different name to leave, Patel added, according to the Tribune. The only people I have to tell is the pilot so he can document his flight log.

"The only people I have to tell is the pilot so he can document his flight log."  Nikesh Patel, planning an escape to Ecuador, according to court documents

The judge slammed Patel for his attempted escape from the U.S., calling it insulting and saying that he turned his back on his native country by requesting the asylum because he did not want to face responsibility for his crimes.

Its a little insulting, Kocoras said. His [U.S.] citizenship was the gift of his birth, yet hes so quick to throw it away because he doesnt want to face the piper.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Firefighters have been battling dozens of wildfires in Kansas and Nebraska that erupted since the weekend, but calmer winds on Wednesday helped crews extinguish nearly all of them.

In Nebraska, a burned man was found crawling in a McCook farm field Tuesday afternoon as 50 mph wind gusts whipped flames down a ravine toward the Red Willow County community of 7,500 people. The man, who had camped out in the area, has been transferred to a burn center.

Kansas authorities said 50 fires have burned about 40 square miles (103.6 square kilometers). Improving weather conditions Wednesday left crews in 13 Kansas counties fighting blazes that were contained or almost out. But by late afternoon, Kansas had just two fires burning in Wabaunsee and Greeley counties.

"Things are looking pretty good," said Katie Horner, spokeswoman for the Kansas Adjutant General's Office.

A blaze that broke out earlier Wednesday near Hamilton in Greenwood County prompted the Kansas Army National Guard to send Black Hawk helicopters to assist with the firefighting operations, helping to bring extinguish that blaze. By late Wednesday afternoon, two Black Hawks were still deployed to Wabaunsee County to help with tamp down that blaze.

This year's wildfire outbreak in Kansas pales in comparison to March 2017 when some 2,000 firefighters battled a series of blazes that consumed more than 1,000 square miles, killed a truck driver, forced thousands to evacuate, and damaged or destroyed dozens of structures. Thousands of cattle also died.

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer said the state has learned a lot in the last couple years.

"This is something that can get out of control very easily, so we're quite concerned still," Colyer said. "But we're dealing with it."

The governor attributed the successful efforts this year to improvements in coordination between state and local emergency responders.

"They've experienced a lot together after the last couple of years," Colyer said. "They know each other by name now. They're closer."

In southwest Nebraska, crews were dispatched to eliminate dangerous hot spots left by a wildfire that destroyed a house and blackened hundreds of acres as it threatened McCook.

As officials called for evacuations, students and staff at McCook Elementary School were taken to McCook Senior High School several blocks away.

People at the state prisons' Work Ethic Camp spotted the fire and reported it to local officials around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday, but camp spokeswoman Cristy Schwartz said the 189 inmates and nearly 50 staffers didn't have to leave the grounds.

Chief Bill Elliott of the Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department said wind gusts knocked a power line into a shed about 2 miles (3 kilometers) from town, and sparks from the resulting short ignited dry brush below.

The blaze never entered the city proper, but the flames did destroy a house on the edge of town while the residents weren't home, Elliott said.

"The house right beside it  only 30 feet away  was not damaged," he said.
A Florida police officer who has appeared on a popular reality show was recently fired after allegedly performing a lewd sexual act in front of a woman and then touching her, according to officials.

The Pasco County Sheriff's Police told the Tampa Bay Times that Joseph Mercado, 25, was charged with misdemeanor battery and fired on Feb. 28 after the incident last month.

Mercado had gone to the woman's home on Feb. 15 and said he needed to discuss a serious incident that he witnessed," then he masturbated in front of her, according to arrest documents obtained by the newspaper.

The 25-year-old then used his finger to put semen on the woman above the neckline of her shirt, in addition to trying to put it on the victim's lips before she pulled away, WFLA reported, citing arrest records. He was arrested on Feb. 28 and then later fired, according to the sheriff's office.

"The Pasco Sheriffs Office ensures discipline is paramount in our organization," Sheriff Chris Nocco said in a statement to the Times about the incident. "The allegations were investigated, he was arrested and terminated."

Mercado had previously appeared on the popular A&E show Live PD, which follows police officers about their daily routine in the field, according to WFLA.

In a video posted on the Pasco County Sheriff's Twitter page, the 25-year-old said he loved "his community."

"I'm Deputy Mercado, and the reason I protect my community is because I love my community. I wear the badge because I love my community," he said in the video.

Mercado was freed from the Pasco County jail on Feb. 28 after posting $500 bail, according to the newspaper.
Welcome to Fox News First. Not signed up yet? Click here.

Developing now, Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Attorney General Jeff Sessions expected to outline Justice Department lawsuit against California, alleging interference with enforcement of federal immigration policies

White House chief economic adviser Gary Cohn resigns after refusing to back President Trump's tariffs plan; Trump hopes to name a replacement soon

Texas primary elections show a surge in Democratic voter turnout - a possible warning sign for Republicans seeking to retain control of Congress in the fall

Adult film star Stormy Daniels sues President Trump over the validity of their purported 'Hush Agreement'

The East Coast is bracing for another nor'easter Wednesday just as some residents had their power restored following last week's storm

THE LEAD STORY - TRUMP JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FED UP WITH CALIFORNIA'S 'INTERFERENCE': The Trump Justice Department filed a lawsuit Tuesday night against California, saying three recently passed state laws were deliberately interfering with federal immigration policies ... It marked the latest legal and political confrontation with the nation's most populous state, which the federal government says has repeatedly stood in the way of its plans to step up enforcement actions in the workplace and against criminal aliens. Federal officials are seeking an injunction to immediately block enforcement of the three California laws, each enacted within the past year.

Illegal immigrants with sex, robbery convictions among those who evaded capture after Dem mayor's warning

Attorney General Jeff Sessions sits down with Shannon Bream for an exclusive interview Wednesday on Fox News @ Night at 11 p.m. ET

TRUMP DRAWS 'LINE IN THE SAND' ON COHN: White House economic adviser Gary Cohn will resign from his post, the White House confirmed Tuesday, in another high-profile departure from the Trump administration in recent weeks ... Cohn opposed Trump's planned tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, and reportedly tried to convince the president to change course. Hours before his resignation was announced, Trump set a line in the sand asking Cohn if he would support the tariffs -- and Cohn did not answer, a White House official and an outside adviser to the president told Fox News. Cohn had been discussing with the president his transition out of the White House for several weeks. Cohn's official departure is expected to be in a few weeks. Trump hopes to find Cohn's replacement soon. Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor," Trump tweeted Tuesday. "Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely!

TEXAS A HARBINGER FOR NOVEMBER?: Democrats in deep-red Texas kicked off the nation's 2018 midterm primary elections Tuesday with a surge in turnout, dozens of women seeking office and early signs of midterm anger toward President Trump ... The biggest question as polls closed was whether Texas is just the start of what's to come nationwide. Sen. Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, easily clinched their party nominations for the Senate, while several congressional races packed with candidates were expected to head to May runoffs. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott also cruised to his party's nomination for re-election. But in perhaps an uneasy sign for the GOP with control of Congress on the line this fall, Democrats turned out in force in Texas  one of the safest turfs for Republicans, who've dominated the nation's biggest conservative state for a quarter-century.

STORM CLOUDS OVER 'HUSH' AGREEMENT: Adult film star Stormy Daniels sued President Trump on Tuesday, claiming the nondisclosure agreement she signed isnt valid because it lacks Trumps signature ... Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court. The complaint, which was posted online by her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, alleges the Hush Agreement  as its referred to in the lawsuit  Daniels signed regarding her relationship with Trump is invalid because he never signed it himself. Daniels and Trumps personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, signed the non-disclosure agreement on Oct. 28, 2016, the suit said. Trump was elected president less than two weeks later. A copy of the agreement shows Daniels, identified as Peggy Peterson, signed the paperwork, but Trump, identified as David Dennison, did not. The lawsuit claims the two had an intimate relationship during the summer of 2006 in Lake Tahoe, and it continued well into the year 2007. Cohen admitted last month that he paid Daniels $130,000 out of his own pocket in October 2016 to keep mum about her relationship with Trump.

Trump lawyer's payment to porn star Stormy Daniels was reported as suspicious by bank

MARCH'S WINTER MADNESS: Another snowy nor'easter threatened a new round of power outages as it swirled ashore early Wednesday, causing officials to close schools and city offices and raising concerns for utility customers still trying to bounce back from an earlier storm ... The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning that stretched from eastern Pennsylvania to most of New England, from late Tuesday night into Thursday morning. Heavy, wet snow and gusting winds could take down trees already weakened from last week's storm and snap power lines, adding to stress for customers who've gone days without power.

AS SEEN ON FOX NEWS

'CARNIVAL BARKER IN THE PRESS ROOM': "[CNN's Jim Acosta] is both clueless and classless. Because Jim Acosta didn't get in his precious question, which I'm sure would've amounted to screaming and yelling at something absurd, he feels as though [White House press secretary Sarah Sanders] showed a lack of courage."  Sean Spicer, on "Hannity," blasting CNN correspondent Jim Acosta for complaining about White House press secretary Sarah Sanders not calling him at three consecutive briefings. WATCH

CONSERVATIVE PARKLAND MASSACRE SURVIVOR SPEAKS OUT: "The president calls [David Hogg] and it shows he wants to make a change, and you're talking about bipartisan change and the one man who leads our nation comes to you and says lets do something, lets make it happen. And you hang up on him? You hang up on him and brag about it on national television? Its extremely counterproductive,"  Kyle Kashuv, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on "The Story with Martha MacCallum," criticizing a classmate who has been making media rounds in the wake of the shooting. WATCH

THE SWAMP

Gowdy, Goodlatte demand appointment of special counsel, citing FISA abuses.

Kellyanne Conway violated Hatch Act on two occasions, federal agency determines.

Dem leaders, Women's March founders under fire over Farrakhan connections.

Washington becomes first state to approve net-neutrality rules.

ACROSS THE NATION

Man on 'jihad' admits to killing four in cross-country binge in surprise guilty plea.

Two states saw opioid ER trips double in just one year.

Tax-free Florida is home to 51 billionaires: Forbes.

Army pledges reform after inspector general finds hundreds of war dogs mishandled.

MINDING YOUR BUSINESS

EXCLUSIVE: SEC chairman fires this warning on cryptocurrencies.

ADP jobs report seen showing increase of 195,000 jobs.

Broadcom-Qualcomm deal: Why U.S.is intervening.

Weinstein Co. sale to investor group collapses.

FOX NEWS OPINION

Joseph Curl: Sam Nunberg -- The very sad story of an instant media darling.

Peter Morici: Trump wants to cut the trade deficit. If he does, hell create a lot of U.S. jobs.

Harry Kazianis: Trump needs to test North Korea's intentions -- now.

HOLLYWOOD SQUARED

'Sex and the City' star considers run against New York's Cuomo.

Oscars ratings are down, and ABC's lack of control over the Academy may be to blame.

Word invented by 'The Simpsons' makes it into Webster's dictionary.

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS?

Tens of thousands of dead sea creatures wash up on beach.

Barbie releases 17 new dolls for International Women's Day, including Amelia Earhart, Chloe Kim, Patty Jenkins.

World's oldest message in a bottle discovered.

STAY TUNED

On Fox News:

Fox & Friends, 6 a.m. ET: A longtime private attorney for President Trump weighs in on the Mueller investigation. Rep. Kevin Brady opens up on NAFTA negotiations. And meet the Marine who donated his kidney to a fellow Marine.

The Story with Martha MacCallum, 7 p.m. ET: School shooting survivor John Sawchuk on why the solution to mass shootings begin at home.

Tucker Carlson Tonight, 8 p.m. ET: Tucker kicks off a special series on the crisis facing "Men in America" with guest, psychology professor Jordan Peterson.

Hannity, 9 p.m. ET: Michelle Malkin sounds off on sanctuary state California's defiance of the federal government on illegal immigration.

Fox News @ Night, 11 p.m. ET: An exclusive interview with Attorney General Jeff Sessions on the Justice Department's lawsuit against California and more.

On Fox Business:

Mornings with Maria, 6 a.m. ET: Guests include: Sebastian Gorka, former deputy assistant to President Trump; David Stockman, former Reagan budget director; Stephen Auth, Federated Investors chief investment officer; Sen. James Inhofe; Howard Lance, Maxar Technologies CEO; Val Ackerman, Big East Conference commissioner.

Varney & Co., 9 a.m. ET: Rep. Duncan Hunter; Rep. Tim Ryan; Dan Eberhart, policy adviser to America First Policies; Barry Zekelman: Zekelman Steel CEO; Tim Donnelly, 2018 Calif. congressional candidate.

Cavuto: Coast to Coast, Noon ET: Rep. Diane Black.

The Intelligence Report, 2 p.m. ET: John Ferriola, CEO of Nucor; Rep Sean Duffy.

On Fox News Radio:

The Fox News Rundown podcast: Sam Nunberg, a former Trump campaign staffer, went on a cable news tirade Monday on the Russia probe. Judge Andrew Napolitano discusses Nunberg's remarks and admitted problems with alcohol. West Virginia teachers got a victory in what could be a last-gasp effort to beat an upcoming Supreme Court decision on public sector workers. State Republican Delegate Paul Espinosa and Garrett Ballengee, executive director of Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, weigh in. Plus, commentary from Fox News talk radio host Tom Shillue.

Want the Fox News Rundown sent straight to your mobile device? Subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Stitcher.

The Brian Kilmeade Show, 9 a.m. ET: Bill Bennett, Karl Rove, Dana Perino, and Axios co-founder Mike Allen weigh in on Gary Cohn's resignation and President Trump's tariffs plan; Jason Chaffetz on new calls for a second special counsel; Amb. Alexander Vershbow on the latest developments on North Korea.

#OnThisDay

1967: The musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," based on the "Peanuts" comic strips by Charles M. Schulz, opens in New York's Greenwich Village, beginning an off-Broadway run of 1,597 performances.

1965: A march by civil rights demonstrators is violently broken up at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., by state troopers and a sheriff's posse in what came to be known as "Bloody Sunday."

1926: The first successful trans-Atlantic radio-telephone conversations takes place between New York and London.

Fox News First is compiled by Fox News' Bryan Robinson. Thank you for joining us! Enjoy your day! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Thursday morning.
A married couple who were both shot in the legs during a suspected targeted home invasion Tuesday outside of Chicago managed to drive to a hospital afterwards to seek treatment, an official says.

The man and woman, both 29 years old, were struck with gunfire around 3 p.m. at their home in Harvey after three men entered and ransacked the property, Sean Howard, spokesman for the city of Harvey, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Howard said investigators believe the incident was an isolated, targeted one, and are looking at theories including gangs and drugs to try to determine the cause.

Police told WGN-TV that the victims knew the suspects, who have not yet been found.

The woman was shot once in the leg and once in the arm, while the man was shot in the leg, he said. Howard said the couple  whose names have not been made public  drove themselves to a hospital after the shooting. The husband is currently being treated for non-life threatening injuries while the wife is in good condition, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Officers responding to the scene found several shell cases littered around the property, Howard said.
A Utah teenager on Monday tried to blow up his high school with a homemade bomb, police said.

The same student, police said, hoisted a flag supporting the terror group ISIS last month.

"Based on our investigation we can confirm this was a failed attempt to detonate a homemade explosive," St. George police said in a statement. "It was also determined that the male had been researching information and expressing interest in ISIS and promoting the organization."

Police arrested and charged the teenager with manufacturing and possessing a weapon of mass destruction. More charges are expected for the vandalism at Hurricane High School, where he destroyed an Americans flag and spray painted "ISIS is coming" on the school's exterior, police said.

Because he is a minor, police did not release his identity.

The latest incident occurred Monday at Pine View High School in southwestern Utah, when an alert student noticed a backpack emitting smoke in a common area. The student alerted teachers, who evacuated the building. After a bomb-sniffing canine confirmed the explosive was real, bomb techs disarmed the device, which police said could have caused "significant injury or death."

"I saw them looking through the bag, and then they picked it up and ran it outside," said student Tavien Hancock told St. George News. "It's pretty scary knowing I was around a bomb and walked by a bomb three times. Just, kind of, make me more aware of my surroundings."

After obtaining a search warrant, police found materials in the teens home matching those found in the bomb. They also found materials sympathetic to the terror group ISIS.

"I was just really scared," said one student. "Like, all this is serious."

On Tuesday, police confirmed the teen is connected to the earlier incident at Hurricane High. He is currently in a detention center awaiting arraignment.
The Latest on the shooting of three Missouri police officers (all times local):

6:20 p.m.

Authorities say three Missouri police officers were sent to the wrong house when responding to a 911 call, which led to one officer being killed and two others being wounded.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe says the 911 call Tuesday night was from Windsor, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) from Clinton. Lowe says it's unclear why they were sent instead to a home in Clinton but when they arrived officers went inside to check if any criminal activity was occurring and were shot.

Lowe says investigators are still trying to determine how the mistake occurred.

A woman who was at the home, 37-year-old Tammy Widget, was charged Wednesday with possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and maintaining a public nuisance.

Henry County Prosecutor Richard Shields says it's too early to tell if the drug charges are directly connected to the fatal shooting of 30-year-old Clinton police officer Christopher Ryan Morton and the wounding of two others.

___

1:40 p.m.

The suspect in a shooting that killed a Missouri police officer and wounded two other officers had been in and out of prison since 2000 for drug and resisting arrest convictions.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the suspect in a tweet Wednesday as James Waters, of Clinton. He was found dead early Wednesday in a Clinton home where the officers were shot hours earlier while trying to apprehend him.

The Missouri Department of Corrections says he served stints in prison from October 2000 through November 2002, May 2003 through April 2008, July 2008 through October 2012 and May 2014 through last July.

Waters was charged in November in Missouri's Cass County with unlawful possession of a firearm and drug possession. The case was pending when he died.

____

11:10 a.m.

Authorities say a 37-year-old man is the suspect in a shooting that killed one Missouri police officer and wounded two other officers.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the suspect in a tweet Wednesday as James Waters, of Clinton. He was found dead early Wednesday in a Clinton home where the officers were shot hours earlier while trying to apprehend him.

The slain Clinton officer was identified as 30-year-old Christopher Ryan Morton. One of the wounded officers is hospitalized with moderate injuries, and the other has minor injuries.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Collin Stosberg says the officers went to the home in Clinton on Tuesday night in response to a 911 call in which a disturbance could be heard. Clinton is about 70 miles (110 kilometers) east of Kansas City.

___

8:30 a.m.

Authorities say a Missouri police officer killed in a shooting that wounded two other officers served with "distinction."

The Missouri State Highway Patrol tweet ed Wednesday that Christopher Ryan Morton was a full-time Clinton police officer from February 2015 through January 2017, when he temporarily became a reserve officer. He returned to full-time duty last September, one month after another Clinton officer was shot and killed.

Morton was fatally shot Tuesday night while trying to apprehend a suspect at a home. One of the wounded officers is hospitalized with moderate injuries and the other has minor injuries. The patrol says a SWAT team entered the home early Wednesday but found the suspect dead.

Clinton, with about 8,800 residents, is about 70 miles (110 kilometers) east of Kansas City.

___

7 a.m.

Authorities say a man shot and killed a police officer and wounded two others at a home in Missouri.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Collin Stosberg says the officers went to the home in Clinton on Tuesday night in response to a 911 call in which a disturbance could be heard.

The patrol says shots were fired at the officers soon after they arrived at the home at around 9:20 p.m. Tuesday.

Clinton Officer Christopher Ryan Morton was fatally shot while trying to apprehend the suspect. One of the wounded officers is hospitalized with moderate injuries and the other has minor injuries.

The patrol says a SWAT team entered the home at 12:10 a.m. Wednesday but found the suspect dead.

Stosberg says the cause of the suspect's death is under investigation. A woman also was taken into custody at the home.

Clinton is about 70 miles (110 kilometers) east of Kansas City.

____

2:57 a.m.

Officials say a police officer was killed and two other officers injured after responding to a Missouri residence.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said during a news conference that the Clinton County 911 center received a call Tuesday evening at 9:20 where two women could be heard screaming in the background. Clinton Police officers responded.

Shortly after their arrival Lowe says the officers were shot at by the suspect from inside the residence. Lowe says officers went inside in an attempt to apprehend the suspect who then fatally shot one officer and wounded the others. They were transported to a hospital for treatment. Their conditions weren't immediately known.

Lowe says a SWAT team entered the residence but found the suspect dead at 12:10 a.m.

No further details were released.
Four people were arrested on Tuesday after the bodies of two people were found in a submerged vehicle at a boat launch in Louisiana in what authorities described as a "carjacking gone bad."

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office said the bodies of Raegan Elizabeth Day, 20, and Dustin R. Hartline, 28, were found by a dive team on Monday in a vehicle at the East Pearl River Boat Launch in Slidell, about 40 miles east of New Orleans.

The pair were last seen leaving their home on Feb. 15 in Day's dark blue Chevrolet Camaro, and were expected to head to the Baton Rouge area after stopping at a family member's home in nearby Kenner, officials said.

The two never showed up at the home, prompting family members to contact police, according to FOX8.

Investigators announced on Tuesday that four suspects -- Jason Landry, Brittney "Beezy" Savell, Derrion Lemoine, and Steven "Stevie" Oliviere -- were arrested on two counts each of first-degree murder.

Sheriff Randy Smith said at a news conference on Wednesday that the pair traveled under "false pretense" to a home in Slidell, where they were supposed to discuss selling a car to Savell.

"It's a very sad situation and it's unfortunate that two people lost their lives and that four others are facing life in prison over a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro," he said at a news conference.

Smith said the two died of gunshot wounds to the head, and that the bodies were driven to the boat launch area after the killings. Due to the amount of time the bodies were underwater, the bodies were significantly decomposed, but the coroner was able to identify them off their tattoos, according to Smith.

We learned during this investigation that this was a carjacking gone bad, Smith said. These four individuals that were arrested for first-degree homicide had planned this, premeditated this.

The sheriff told reporters the suspects were hiding in Mississippi after the killings, and that three weapons were recovered during the investigation. Two of those weapons are believed to be the murder weapons, according to Smith.

"It's not the ending we had hoped for, but at least now we can bring some closure to the families," he said.

SEARCH FOR FLORIDA SLAYING SUSPECT LEADS TO BODY NEAR MALL

The families of the pair were "devastated" after the bodies were recovered, Day's uncle, James Madison, told NOLA.com.

"The family, this is just so hard for us,'' Madison told the news outlet. Her mom is devastated. This is her only daughter."

He said the two, who were described as good friends, were not people who would disappear without telling anyone.

"We kind of suspected foul play from the first day," he told NOLA.com. "It was just so out of character for both of them. It raised a lot of red flags."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  In light of International Women's Day on March 8, an embattled Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno had nothing but strong words for her detractors.

"The current state of the nation is one where perceived enemies of the dominant order are considered fair game for harassment, intimidation, and persecution; where shortcuts are preferred over adherence to constitutional guarantees of human rights, including denial of due process," Sereno said in a forum at the St. Scholastica's College in Manila Thursday.

Sereno then called out the exclusion of women in power, and urged government to embody the highest level of nobility.

"The time will come when our people will realize that impromptu, extemporized, unprepared, unthought out plans of action, that run contrary to the structured way the Constitution designed accountability hams our nations long term future," Sereno said.

She added the public must not be "passive spectators" to the "game of thrones among political forces."

"We cannot content ourselves with second rate, half-effort, and less than the best and most responsive methods. We cannot be content with anything less than best because the future of our nation is at stake," the Chief Justice said.

Sereno also said the judiciary maintains independence as it is a part of the Constitutional Fiscal Autonomy Group (CFAG), a group of agencies mandated to seek transparency and accountability from government officials.

"If the CFAG agencies are fully functional, we have the blueprint for a working democracy. The Constitution in a sense is quite substantial in this area and we do not have to re-invent the wheel," she added.

In February, Sereno's lawyers spoke against "coordinated" efforts to oust the Chief Justice from her post.

Apart from the impeachment case, Sereno is facing a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court. Solicitor General Jose Calida seeks to void Sereno's appointment, saying Sereno has been "unlawfully holding" her post since she allegedly failed to submit her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) for 10 years before she applied for the post in 2012.

The House Committee on Justice is expected to vote Thursday if there is probable cause to impeach Sereno. After which, the panel will send a committee report to the plenary. If at least one-third of the members of the House vote to impeach Sereno, the complaint would go to trial at the Senate.
A Christian student group is suing a Michigan college after being stripped of its official recognition solely because it required its religious leaders to embrace Christianity.

After 75 years on campus, Wayne State University unconstitutionally de-recognized InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in October, because the group requires its leaders to be Christians, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court yesterday.

I believe they were unfair and discriminatory, Lori Windham, senior legal counsel at Becket, representing InterVarsity, told Fox News. The university let dozens of other student groups choose student leaders according to their beliefs. Theres no reason to single out InterVarsity because of its Christian beliefs.

The issue arose in 2017, when the Detroit-based public college started a new online registration system for its some 400 student organizations. After InterVarsity filled out the form, the group was de-recognized because of the constitutions requirement that leaders share the chapters faith was inconsistent with the schools nondiscrimination code.

Like many other student groups at Wayne State, anyone  regardless of religious beliefs  can join InterVarsity, but if they want to become a leader, they have to profess the faith requirement consistent with the groups mission.

InterVarsitys purpose is to establish and advance at colleges and universities witnessing communities of students and faculty who follow Jesus as Savior and Lord. The group has been active in the community for decades: volunteering at food pantries, helping clean up rundown neighborhoods in Detroit, and raising awareness on the plague of human trafficking and holding discussions on campus about the intersection of Christianity, race, and social justice.

Since getting stripped of recognition, InterVarsity has been unable to reserve free meeting rooms, host free tables for interested students, appear on the schools website, apply for student group funds, or receive any other benefits granted to other official student organizations.

Its a strange case, Windham said. It should be obvious that religious groups at schools should get to choose who gets to lead their Bible studies.

But Windham notes, this isnt the only case of Christians being targeted on campus.

UNIVERSITY EVICTS CHRISTIAN CLUB OVER LEADERSHIP FAITH REQUIREMENT

We have seen other examples in recent years where schools have tried to keep out religious student groups because of their faith, Windham said. Im hopeful that the court will make it clear that this kind of behavior is unlawful.

A Wayne State spokesman said the school was not singling out the Christian group.

The university is obliged and committed to protecting the constitutional and religious rights of everyone on our campus. Attaining official student organization status is a privilege rather than a right, and is conditional on compliance with our policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity, the university told Fox News. We have taken every step possible to minimize the impact of the decertification on the group, and we approached InterVarsity last December with an offer to work on a resolution to this matter. Our offer still stands.
When news of the Parkland school shooting first broke, it resonated with 17-year-old Naomi Giancola.

A junior at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York  some 1,200 miles away from Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the Florida high school where a gunman murdered 17 students and faculty on Feb. 14  Giancola immediately thought the tragedy could have easily happened at her own school.

It really hit home because Im in high school. That could have been my school, that could have been my friends, that could have been me that was shot or running away, Giancola told Fox News.

So along with 16-year-old Madeline Paterna, Giancola arranged for her school to participate in the National School Walkout, a protest led by students demanding action against gun violence, on March 14  one month after the Parkland school shooting.

It was really scary to think that could have been us, and I just wanted to do something because I dont want it to happen again," Giancola said.

What is the National School Walkout?

For at least 17 minutes at 10 a.m. across each time zone on March 14, students, school faculty and supporters around the world will walk out of their schools to honor those killed in the massacre at the Parkland high school earlier this year and to protest gun violence.

Those participating are encouraged to wear orange  the color used by many who support gun control. And some schools will even have featured speakers who are calling on Congress to pass gun control measures.

Those at Midwood High will gather at a nearby park to have a moment of silence as the names of the 17 Parkland victims are read aloud. There will also be an opportunity for those to share a poem, song or words of encouragement.

"All we want to do is honor these peoples lives."  Naomi Giancola

Its important for everyone to realize that although it is about guns and its political, its more to commemorate the lives lost, Giancola said. At this point  all we want to do is honor these peoples lives.

Paterna added that she wanted to speak out for all the people who died in the shooting.

Us as students have to speak out about it and try to get our voices heard because I personally cant imagine losing 17 people that I know in a school community, Paterna told Fox News.

Students at Midwood High School and Packer Collegiate Institute, also in Brooklyn, have expressed concern that a gunman could enter a school at any time. And those students have also lamented a lack of protection.

As school shootings have become more common, if a shooter, God forbid, got into the school, theres really no protection for students, Sarah Desouza, a 17-year-old senior at Packer Collegiate, told Fox News.

Her peer, Drew Myers, noted that the school has lockdown drills about three times a semester. And its in those drills that he said he feels helpless.

Theres really nothing we can do if a shooter enters the building, he told Fox News. I find that the most chilling aspect of the whole thing: Theres really nothing you can do.

Seeing school shootings happen over and over again just really drives home the point that it seems so easy for these people to commit these acts, and you feel helpless in the drills because theres nothing you can do, Myers said, adding that he does not support arming teachers, a proposal put forth by the White House.

Who organized the walkout?

Womens March Youth EMPOWER, the organizers of the March 14 demonstration, say the walkout is to protest Congress inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods.

Students and staff have the right to teach and learn in an environment free from the worry of being gunned down in their classrooms or on their way home from school, the event page said.

Cate Whitman, a 17-year-old student at New York Citys LaGuardia High School, partnered with the Womens March to help plan the walkout. She said she hopes the protest will shed light on the issue of gun violence in general.

Im hoping it will bring more focus to the larger issue of gun violence as a whole because gun violence is something that affects people from all walks of life, all over the country, and disproportionately black and brown communities," Whitman told Fox News. These things happen all the time in tons of communities, and Im hoping that people start talking about it in an intersectional way.

The Womens March has asked that all actions be inclusive & non-violent during the walkouts.

How many schools are participating?

More than 185,000 students are expected to participate in the walkout, according to the latest numbers provided by a Womens March spokesperson. And a map of participating schools on the events website shows the walkout has gone international  with schools in Ireland, Israel and Mexico participating.

Multiple colleges and universities have said they will not reject students who participate in the protests and walkouts, Reuters reported.

Yale will NOT be rescinding anyones admission decision for participating in peaceful walkouts for this or other causes, regardless of any high schools disciplinary policy, Hannah Mendlowitz, the senior assistant director of admissions and director of recruitment for Yale University, said in a blog post. I, for one, will be cheering these students on from New Haven.

Students at Packer Collegiate Institute, an independent college preparatory school in Brooklyn Heights, credited the survivors of the Parkland shooting for their own activism and involvement in the walkout.

Myers said the survivors immediate advocacy, including meeting face-to-face with lawmakers and participating in town halls, was truly inspirational.

Its really inspiring that theyre taking action especially after something so tragic happened, Desouza added. It makes me want to contribute any way I can.

College students at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., also plan to participate in the walkout. Additionally, Students of Georgetown Inc. ("The Corp"), a student-run non-profit, will close its businesses for 17 minutes, Ricardo Mondolfi, a junior international politics major and chairman of "The Corp," told Fox News.

But some students dont plan to participate in the walkout. Will Walker, a 16-year-old sophomore at Cadillac High School in Michigan, told HuffPost he will continue with his school work  even if the teacher leaves the classroom.

I dont think were going to solve anything by walking out of the classroom, Walker told HuffPost. I am in full support of stopping school shootings, but thats not what the people are going out there [for]  Theyre trying to stop people from being able to have guns.

How are non-students showing support?

Congressional leaders and pastors are among those who will participate or show solidarity with students during the walkout.

Pastor Toure Roberts of The Potters House plans to join students at East High School in Denver for a moment of silence. He is also dedicating a Palm Sunday service to hear from students and give them an opportunity to speak to law enforcement personnel, local politicians and public school officials.

We want to encourage them and let them know we hear them. We dont want them to live in fear and literally be terrorized, Roberts told Fox News. We want [students] to know that they matter.

Additionally, congressional Democrats  including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California  plan to gather in front of the Capitol to join students rallying for more gun control.

MTV also plans to go dark for 17 minutes on March 14 at 10 am to pay tribute to the 17 lives lost in the Parkland shooting and honor young victims of gun violence, the station said in a statement to Fox News. Between March 14 and March 24, when the "March For Our Lives" rallies will be held, MTV also plans to change its logos across its platforms to orange.

How do I know if my school is participating?

To find out if your school is participating, plug in your zip code and check out the map on the Womens March website.

Another nationwide school walkout is scheduled for April 20, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre. A spokesperson for this walkout confirmed to Fox News that it is not directly affiliated with the March event.

And on March 24, "March for Our Lives" rallies are scheduled nationwide for demonstrators to protest gun violence.
Colorado authorities have arrested the second suspect involved in an attack on a man who was viciously beaten while holding his 4-year-old daughter in a restaurant.

Devon Lee Premer, 22, was arrested Wednesday without incident, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office said.

Police sought Premer, and had previously arrested Joel Michael Wilson, 31, for allegedly attacking Richard Warry Brown, 39.

The attack, which took place just after 10 p.m. on Jan. 25 at Crossroads Pizza and Wings in Pine Junction, was captured on surveillance footage.

BRUTAL VIDEO SHOWS MAN HOLDING 4-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AS HE'S VICIOUSLY ATTACKED

Brown was holding his 4-year-old daughter when he was punched in the face several times by two men. A bystander eventually removes the child from his arms.

The brutal fight continued as Brown was punched to the ground and held by the men, who continued to beat him and kick him in the face.

Brown was airlifted to a nearby hospital and sustained serious bodily injuries, police said.

The daughter was not injured in the quarrel. Browns family said he didnt have time to put her down before being attacked, Fox 31 Denver reported.

He was issued a summons for misdemeanor child abuse following the incident, the sheriffs office said.

Premer is being held on a $50,000 bond in the county jail on charges of first-degree assault  extreme indifference, second-degree assault  serious bodily injury, and child abuse.

Fox News' Katherine Lam contributed to this report.
A New Mexico woman attempted to trick a probation officer by blaming her failed drug test on a prescription for medical meth, a local website reported.

Ginger Sharpe, 34, was arrested after she violated her probation when she failed her drug test in late February, the Albuquerque Journal reported. Sharpe attempted to fool the probation officer by claiming her doctor prescribed her methamphetamine, the newspaper said.

To make her claim more legitimate, Sharpe allegedly placed a fake label on a prescription bottle reading methamphetamine 5 mg tablets.

But the officer wasnt fooled by Sharpes attempt to pass the illegal drug as medical meth. Officials said the label even appeared fake  without a glossy appearance and slightly fuzzy lettering, according to the report.

The probation officer called Sharpes doctor who denied prescribing the medication.

I have never prescribed methamphetamine, the complaint said, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Sharpe later admitted trying to blame the drug test on prescribed meth and said her friend was convinced she would get away with it.

Sharpe was on probation after pleading guilty to forgery charges last year. She faces additional forgery and identify theft charges after the latest incident.
Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, whose jail records show was unapologetic and behaved oddly in the days following the massacre, was formally charged Wednesday with 17 counts each of premeditated murder and attempted murder.

The Broward County grand jury announced on Wednesday the 34-count indictment for Cruz, who police say opened fire inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, killing 17 people. The attempted murder charges were for the 17 other people injured in the mass shooting on Valentines Day.

Fox News earlier obtained jail records released by the Broward Sheriffs Office that detailed officers observation of Cruz in solitary confinement. The observations, taken between Feb. 17 and Feb. 24, illustrated the 19-year-old's seemingly odd behavior in the days after the shooting.

In an entry on Feb. 17  three days after the Parkland massacre  Cruz was noted as relaxed, cooperative, logical and coherent with normal speech, jail records showed. The reports for the following days showed roughly the same details. At times, Cruz is observed lying on his back staring at the ceiling and avoiding eye contact. Cruz appeared restless and in deep thought other times.

NIKOLAS CRUZ INVESTIGATED AFTER SNAPCHAT CUTTING VIDEO, BUT NOT CONSIDERED A THREAT, REPORT SHOWS

The accused gunman has been visited by his attorney, his brother, and Rocxanne Dechamps, the woman with whom Cruz was believed to have first lived with after his mother died.

Cruz's brother, Zachary, visited on Feb. 22, and again on Feb. 24. Dechamps, a family friend of the Cruz's, also visited on Feb. 24.

During a visit from his attorney six days after the deadly shooting, Cruz appeared to break out in laughter both during and immediately following his professional visit. Though he appeared engaged with the attorney, Cruz responded in a calm and slow manner when speaking to a doctor and nurse, records show.

On Feb. 24, the last entry of the records, Cruz requested a Bible. He doesnt sleep at night, according to the records, and instead twists and turns in bunk. He stares at wall in deep thought, eyes closed, appears to be resting [but] not asleep.

The 19-year-old isnt allowed to interact with inmates for his safety.

ALLEGED FLORIDA SCHOOL SHOOTER NIKOLAS CRUZ WAS REPORTED TO FBI, COPS, SCHOOL -- BUT WARNING SIGNS MISSED

The jail records come weeks after details of Cruzs troubled past were released. Cruz was investigated by social services and mental health professionals in 2016 after disturbing Snapchat videos belonging to him were uncovered  but the teen avoided hospitalization and was deemed not to be a threat to himself or others.

James and Kimberly Snead, the couple who took in Cruz after his mothers death, testified before a grand jury on Wednesday.

Grand jurors heard testimony from witnesses before issuing the formal indictment against Cruz.

I'll simply tell you that they were very cooperative. The grand jurors asked some very insightful questions and they answered them to the best of their ability, the Snead familys attorney, Jim Lewis, told reporters after the couple testified. "They still dont know what happened, why this happened. They still dont have any answers. They feel very badly for everybody.

They tried to do the right thing. They tried to provide a home to this young man who lost his mother and didnt have a home and nobody saw this coming. Nobody could predict this.

Broward County grand jury announced the 17 counts of premeditated murder charges were for the deaths of Alyssa Alhadeff, Martin Duque-Anquiano, Scott Biegel, Nicholas Dworet, Aaron Feis, Jaime Guttenberg, Christopher Hixon, Luke Hoyer, Cara Loughran, Gina Mantalto, Joaquin Oliver-Padauy, Alaina Petty, Meadow Pollack, Helena Ramsay, Alexander Schachter, Carmen Schentrup and Peter Wang.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Heavy snow is falling across the Northeast on Wednesday as another nor'easter slammed into the region in less than a week, creating travel headaches as thousands of flights have been canceled and several governors have declared a state of emergency.

The noreaster dumped snow at a rate of 2 or 3 inches an hour and knocked out electricity to hundreds of thousands of customers while producing a rare weather phenomenon known as thundersnow as it made its way up the coast.

The storm was expected to drop more than a foot of snow in interior locations throughout the day, especially in locations from northern New Jersey, the lower Hudson River Valley and into northern Connecticut and western Massachusetts, according to Fox News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean.

"This is a tough forecast as there is a sharp gradient of snowfall accumulation to the north and west where over a foot is expected," Dean said.

"This is a tough forecast as there is a sharp gradient of snowfall accumulation to the north and west where over a foot is expected."  Fox News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean

By evening the storm dumped snow at a rate of 2 or 3 inches an hour, with some places in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut getting well over a foot. Butler, New Jersey, got 22 inches, Sloatsburg, New York, 23 inches and Newtown, Connecticut, 14 inches.

Major cities along the Interstate 95 corridor saw much less. Philadelphia International Airport recorded about 6 inches and New York City received a little over 2.

Wind gusts up to 60 mph were forecast on Cape Cod, 45 mph at the Jersey shore and 30 mph around suburban Philadelphia but not as severe as from the previous storm, in which 9 people died.

SECOND NOR'EASTER STRIKES THE NORTHEAST IN LESS THAN A WEEK

The governors of New Jersey and Pennsylvania declared states of emergency before the flakes started to fall, and as school districts and municipal operations around the region closed for the day.

Utility workers took advantage of milder temperatures and sunshine Tuesday in their scramble to restore electricity to thousands of customers around the Northeast.

The outages turned to outrage for a New Jersey man whose home had been without electricity since Friday. Robert Winter, 63, threatened to kidnap a utility company employee and blow up a substation, according to police in Vernon. He was charged with making terroristic threats.

Power customers in New Jersey also took to social media to share their frustration of still being in the dark.

PECO, Pennsylvania's largest electric utility, reported 120,000 outages by evening, about 6,000 of which were left over from last week.

Airlines canceled close to 2,400 flights in the U.S. on Wednesday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. Newark Liberty International Airport was the most impacted so far, with over 650 flights canceled due to the storm. The airport temporarily suspended flight activity due to "intensified weather conditions" but resumed operations later in the afternoon.

In the New York area, John F. Kennedy International Airport reported 467 cancellations as of 2 p.m. while LaGuardia reported 587 cancellations, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

"The Port Authority strongly urges travelers to check with their carriers to make sure their flight will be taking off before going to the airport. If warranted, the Port Authority also is prepared to partner with airlines and terminal operators to accommodate ticketed passengers who may become stranded at the airports," the agency said.

Officials in at least two states banned big rigs from major highways and warned other drivers to stay off the roads as the storm ramps up.

Tractor-trailers have been banned on the New York State Thruway from the Syracuse area to New York City, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo said state troopers will ticket any violators.

In Pennsylvania, all commercial vehicles are banned from interstates 380 and 84, while empty straight trucks, double trailers and other types of commercial carriers have been ordered off several other major interstates including 78, 81 and 80. Officials have also reduced speeds to 45 mph.

WINTER DRIVING TIPS AND PRECAUTIONS

Amtrak canceled some train service, and commuter trains in Philadelphia and New Jersey were put on an abbreviated schedule. New York City's Metro-North commuter railroad suspended service on lines connecting the city to the suburbs and Connecticut because of downed trees, and the Long Island Rail Road also was experiencing delays.

In New York City's Penn Station, weary commuters were faced with power outages that forced west bound Amtrack and New Jersey Transit trains to be held during the evening rush hour.

A middle school teacher in southern New Jersey was struck by lightning during the Nor'easter which brought "thunderstorms" to the east coast.

Capt. Todd Malland of the Manchester Township police department said the woman was holding an umbrella while on bus duty outside the Manchester Middle School around 2:30 p.m. when the strike occurred.

Malland says the woman felt tingling but didnt lose consciousness and wasnt knocked to the ground. She was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A second woman who had been standing underneath the umbrella but not holding it escaped injury.

Ten people were taken to hospitals with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning after running a generator inside a home in North White Plains, New York, police said. All were expected to survive.

The National Weather Service urged people to stay off the roads to allow emergency and road crews to do their jobs, as some areas will get as much as 2 to 3 inches of snow an hour. Officials also advised homeowners to be careful while shoveling, saying the weight of it has been known cause heart attacks.

Fox News' Shira Bush and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7)  The country will soon have its first public library that will be open for 24 hours, and it will be in Cebu City.

It comes with no entrance fees, there's free WiFi access, and what's more, coffee will be allowed inside.

On Friday, the city government announced it will open the almost century-old Cebu City Public Library, initially from 8 a.m. until midnight for seven days a week. Presently, the library operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It will then run on a 24-hour operation as soon as the necessary upgrades are in place like the installation of CCTV cameras, WiFi routers, better air conditioners, and the hiring of additional staff and guards.

Mayor Tomas Osmena made the move to open the library on a 24-hour basis, in response to a request posted on his Facebook page from a resident, a certain Mitch Roldan.

In her message to the mayor, Roldan said students like her "need to study in a library setting." She even said students would be willing to pay a little amount for the services rather than spending at a burger chain for study sessions.

In response, Osmena said: "I did not know how important this was to students until you brought it up. You made it happen. Thank you."

While the library is open to all, students are priority, he said.

The library will also soon open the Sinulog hall on the third floor of the building to accommodate more students.

The Rizal Memorial Library and Museum Building on Osmena Boulevard is home to the city's public library for decades. It is commonly called the Rizal Public Library.

The library first opened in April 13, 1919 as a branch of the Philippine Library and Museum, now the National Library of the Philippines.

It is managed by its chief librarian Rosario Chua.
Officials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey prepared for the worst on Wednesday as a second noreaster ripped through the East Coast just days after a deadly storm left several dead and millions in the dark.

In preparation for the storm, the National Weather Service issued winter warnings in a number of states, including Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy fears that power outages will be widespread throughout the state, and declared a state of emergency Tuesday evening in anticipation.

"Just like we did with last week's nor'easter we are engaging all levels of government to be ready to act and protect our residents and businesses," said Murphy.

Likewise in Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf declared a state of emergency and urged residents to stay inside. He added that additional emergency response personnel would be on duty throughout the storm.

"Take care of your neighbors; that's what we ask," Wolf said during a Wednesday morning press briefing.

Wolf said 450 National Guard members are on standby to assist with storm preparations and aftermath.

All of us owe a deep debt of gratitude to those who have worked around the clock, said Wolf. Its been a really tough week for our first responders, emergency managers, transportation, utility workers, and state and local officials.

As heavy, wet snow fell throughout the Philadelphia region, one of the hardest hit areas in last week's storm, much of the city took heed to the governors request closing all public and parochial schools, as well as municipal buildings.

Yet workers like Tymire Gould who had to brave the treacherous commute into the city to ensure the sidewalks and streets were cleared for pedestrians, the winter storm is just a part of the job.

Let it snow, chuckled Gould. The more it snows the more money I earn.

But the anticipated six to eight inches of snow didnt stop out-of-towners from enjoying their visit to the city of Brotherly Love.

College students Ben Prevost and Dalton Bowman from Georgia said they wanted a different type of spring break and flew up to see what all the fuss was about.

We dont get much snow in Rome, Georgia, said Dalton.

Bowman added that "seeing the historic city was on my bucket list and the snow is just an added bonus."

Chris and Sonja Smith, a couple from Connecticut, said there is no where better to be in snow than Philadelphia.

We had an 18-inch prediction at our house so we thought it would be wiser to come to Philadelphia, Chris joked.

City Officials, however, are still urging residents to proceed with caution even as the storm begins to move out of the region.
Two siblings on a private flying lesson were injured after a small plane on approach to an airport on Florida's Atlantic Coast crashed into a house on Tuesday, officials said.

The crash happened around 10 a.m. as the aircraft attempted to land at Massey Ranch Airport in Edgewater, located 17 miles south of Daytona Beach.

"I heard this terrible terrible noise, like a big crash," Dorothy O'Brien told FOX35. "I looked out my window, and I seen my carport, one of the pieces."

O'Brien said she was getting ready for a lunch date when the plane hit part of her home, but didn't sustain any injuries.

"It's just my carport, that can be replaced. I prayed, and I thank God every day, and I pray for the two kids that were in there," she said.

Friends of the pilot, 23-year-old Amrit Ramnarine, told FOX 35 that he was taking his 21-year-old sister Asha for a flying lesson.

UNITED EXPRESS FIRST-CLASS PASSENGER DECLARES 'I AM GOD,' TRIES OPENING PLANE DOOR MID-FLIGHT

The owner of Daytona Aviation, Ken Ali, told FOX35 that Ramnarine teaches at their flight school.

On Tuesday, he decided to take his younger sister for a private lesson, not involved with the flight school, and rented a single-engine Piper.

Ali told the television station he is asking for prayers and hoping the siblings they will make a full recovery.

Authorities said Amrit is in serious but stable condition, while Asha is in critical condition at an area hospital.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
A new report shows Southern Poverty Law Center, a liberal group that claims to track hate groups, is ignoring rising left-wing anti-Semitism on college campuses.

The Family Research Council  a conservative group targeted by a domestic terrorist who used SPLCs hate map in 2012  released a report on SPLCs activity, claiming the group is ignoring anti-Semitic incidents on campus, especially from the Left.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins says the media and other organizations that use SPLC as a resource need to realize SPLC is a discredited left-wing political group and stop pretending theyre not biased.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which aims to establish itself as the preeminent authority on hate, has virtually ignored the growing anti-Semitism on college campuses. This is no surprise. Its deafening silence on incidents outside its preferred targets on the religious right cannot be ignored, Perkins told Fox News. While the SPLC wants to be viewed as a referee on the field of political debate, their demonization of mainstream conservatives and predictable silence on anti-Semitic incidents can only lead to one conclusion: the SPLC wants to be both referee and player.

The report says that while SPLC targets white supremacist groups, they cant point to a single college or university that is teaching that kind of propaganda  a far cry from the new form of anti-Semitism embedded in higher education.

The report titled Left-Wing Anti-Semitism: The Greatest Campus Threat Is Ignored by the SPLC says SPLC has turned a blind eye to this emerging Jew-hatred in the form of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Movement which has devolved into a full-bore attack on Israels existence, Zionism, and on Jews themselves on campuses through student groups like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and universities leftist, anti-Israel, anti-Zionist ideology and propaganda.

This comes as SPLC recently announced student chapters on more than 100 colleges and universities nationwide.

SOUTHER POVERTY LAW CENTER, UNDER FIRE FROM CONSERVATIVES, IS BRANCHING OUT TO COLLEGE CAMPUSES

According to the AMCHA Initiative, an anti-Semitism higher ed watchdog group, there is a strong correlation between anti-Zionist groups, such as [SJP], and acts of anti-Jewish hostility. Schools with an SJP or similar student group were seven times more likely to host incidents that targeted Jewish students for harm.

Renowned Holocaust scholar Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld from Indiana University in Bloomington told The Algemeiner in 2016 that more people need to be aware of the role that hostility to Israel plays in generating contemporary anti-Semitism.

The report points out SPLC President Richard Cohen said I dont know about [SJP] when asked about why the group, which has advocated for violence against Jews, is not on their hate list.

SPLC declined to comment, referring Fox News to its website.

The organizations on our hate group list vilify others because of their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity  prejudices that strike at the heart of our democratic values and fracture society along its most fragile fault lines, SPLC writes on its site.

The group adds it is extremely difficult to track hate group activity and membership, and in general, hate crimes are more prevalent on the far right than it is on the far left.
A homeless man rejoiced after a Seattle judge ruled last week that his car is his home.

Steven Long has been living in a pickup truck he has been loaning from his friend since 2014. He works in construction and also uses the truck to hold his tools, Q13 FOX reported.

Long sued Seattle after his truck was towed for being parked in a spot for longer than 72 hours. Last week, the judge ruled Longs car was his home and the citys impoundment of the vehicle violated the Homestead Act.

The act protects properties from forced sale  because Long was using it as a home, the Seattle Times reported.

If I paid rent, Id be broke all the time and Id be depressed, Long said.

USS LEXINGTON DISCOVERED BY BILLIONAIRE PAUL ALLENS CREW 76 YEARS AFTER WWII SINKING

The decision could impact how Washington state enforces parking rules when individuals reside in their vehicles. It could also pose a problem for officers to determine which vehicles are being used as homes or not before impounding.

According to the Seattle Times, more than 2,300 people in the city are living in their cars.

Longs car problems started in 2016 when the pickup truck he was using as a home was impounded for being parked illegally. He was forced to live on the streets where he became ill.

Vehicles where people actually live and have to live, the city should show home humanity and respect for civil rights, the Constitution and should manage the situation thats fair and lawful for the people living in the vehicles, Ann LoGerfo, Longs attorney said.

MAN ACCUSED OF TERRORISM PLEADS GUILTY TO KILLING STUDENT

Long said he likes living in his truck and it helps him save money. He is living in a 1982 Chevy that runs so he can move it. He has not said what the future holds.

I dont really like to pay rent anymore, he said.

The Seattle City Attorneys Office told Q13 FOX: The city disagrees with the trial courts ruling and is evaluating its options.
A Special Forces soldier stationed at Fort Bragg received the Armys highest honor for heroism outside of combat this week.

The service member, identified only as Staff Sgt. Adams, received the Soldiers Medal after saving the lives of two people who were involved in a fiery crash in North Carolina in October 2016, the Fayetteville Observer reported.

"It takes a special person to do what he did," said Army Maj. Crocker, acting commander of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group.

Adams, part of that group, was not identified by his first name because of the nature of his job.

"Staff Sgt. Adams saw four of his fellow human beings in desperate need of help," Crocker said. And in trying to save them, proved that the Army's "capacity to do good in this world is not limited to the battlefield."

"Staff Sgt. Adams saw four of his fellow human beings in desperate need of help. And in trying to save them, proved that the Army's capacity to do good in this world is not limited to the battlefield."  Maj. Crocker, acting commander of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group

Officials said the Soldier's Medal requires that a soldier must also voluntarily risk his own life to save others, the Observer reported.

Adams was traveling on the U.S. 64 highway near Asheboro, N.C., when he saw a truck with two women and two children veer down a hill and collide with several trees, the report said.

He ran to vehicle, losing his shoes on the way, and didnt stop even as glass pierced and stuck to the soles of his feet, the Observer reported.

Adams freed and saved two of the victims, Lillie Mingin, 33, and her son Eric Mason Mingin, 7, the report said.

Brittany Goodman, 26, was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene, while Colby Springle, 12, the other son of Mingin, was trapped in the vehicle and died shortly after he was extracted, the newspaper reported.

Many people say they would risk their lives to save others, but Brig. Gen. Richard Angle said Adams is one of the few who proved that he would, the Observer reported.

"My challenge to all of you ... use (Staff Sgt. Adams) and his actions as an example," Angle said. "Make that decision to do the right thing. No matter how big or how small the act."

Meanwhile, about 250 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Divisions 1st Brigade Combat Team arrived home Tuesday from Afghanistan, the Observer reported.

"Job well done," Col. Brett Funck, chief of staff for the 82nd Airborne Division, told the troops, according to the newspaper.

As you come back, take a deep breath, relax, look after your paratrooper, your buddy, your jump buddy, but spend some well-deserved time with your family.

Click here for more from the Fayetteville Observer.
A suspended Yale University student from Afghanistan accused of raping a female undergraduate student in 2015 has been acquitted of all charges, and his lawyer is calling on the school to reinstate him.

A state jury in New Haven on Wednesday found Saifullah Khan not guilty of four sexual assault charges in less than four hours.

According to the New Haven Register, Khan testified that he has no real home. Last week he told the papers reporter: I am alone in America.

The 25-year-old  who gave his home address as his attorneys office in New Haven, according to the Register  was charged with raping a female student in her dorm room on Halloween night amid rowdy partying and a campus orchestra concert.

The woman told police Khan took advantage of her when she was drunk and raped her, but Khan testified Tuesday that she was the aggressor and invited him into her room.

The trial, according to The New York Times, took on political significance over whether campus assault cases ought to be conducted by universities or law enforcement.

The Times reported that during the trial Khans defense lawyers accused the Ivy League university of making their client a scapegoat for its own previous poor handling of sexual assault claims.

These are dangerous times for everyone on campus, Norm Pattis said in his closing arguments, according to The Times.

Khans case is one of the few campus rape cases to go to trial, according to The Yale Daily News.

Were grateful to six courageous jurors who were able to understand that campus life isnt the real world, Pattis said via email after the verdict, according to the Yale paper. Kids experiment with identity and sexuality. When an experiment goes awry, its not a crime.

Yale suspended Khan, who was studying cognitive science, after his arrest more than two years ago.

His attorneys told the Register, Now that Mr. Khan has been acquitted, were calling for Yale to readmit him. He was suspended in 2015 without a hearing. Its time to right that wrong.

Tom Conroy, director of the Office of Public Affairs and Communications, told Fox News via email: Yale doesnt have a comment on the verdict.

Conroy didnt comment on whether Khan will be allowed to return to school.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
People were feeling the thunder in New York City on Wednesday, as the Big Apple was hit with snow amid a nor'easter.

Thundersnow was reported in Lower Manhattan, the National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed in a tweet Wednesday.

People along the storm's path took to Twitter to report the rare weather phenomenon and indicate they had heard it in different parts of the city. Some users say thundersnow also reached New Jersey.

"Flash of light then big boom. #thundersnow I thought it was a truck ... but NOPE. Saw/heard for first time. Pretty cool," one Twitter user wrote.

"Got thundersnow in Woodbridge, New Jersey! Big flash followed by a loud boom," another added.

NWS Boston confirmed people at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey also heard loud booms.

What is thundersnow?

Although thunderstorms are less common in the winter, sometimes lightning can occur within snowstorms and is called thundersnow, the National Oceanic and Atmsopheric Administration's National Severe Storms Laboratory says online. Thundersnow can be found where there is relatively strong instability and abundant moisture above the surface, such as above a warm front.

NWS meteorologist Faye Morrone told amNewYork it's a "rare treat" for New Yorkers, but it's also a sign that the storm is strong.

Its the exact same thing that we experience in the summer with a thunder storm, Morrone told the newspaper. Its just that because its winter and theres snow, we get thundersnow.

NOR'EASTER BRINGS HEAVY SNOW, CREATES TRAVEL HEADACHES ACROSS NORTHEAST

How does it work?

The NWS tweeted an infographic about thundersnow on Wednesday.

Shallow layers of unstable air lead to enhanced upward motion, increasing snow growth and causing enough electric charge separation for lightning, it explained.

People were quick to report the rare phenomenon
Two conspiracy theorists were arrested Monday after harassing a Texas pastor at a church where more than two dozen worshippers were killed.

Pastor Frank Pomeroy of First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs told the San Antonio Express-News that Robert Ussery, 54, and Jodie Mann, 56, showed up and claimed the massacre was a hoax conducted by the Department of Homeland Security.

Pomeroy, whose 14-year-old daughter was killed in the November attack, said Ussery yelled at him and told me he was gonna hang me from a tree. The pastor said the pair have repeatedly harassed churchgoers.

He said, Your daughter never even existed. Show me her birth certificate. Show me anything to say she was here, Pomeroy told the Express-News. I just told him there was enough evidence already visible, so if he chooses not to see that, how would I know he would believe anything else?

Ussery was charged with making a terroristic threat and Mann was charged with obstructing a deputy.

Ussery and Mann make videos accusing the U.S. government of staging mass murders, according to The Hill. The pair have reportedly denied several mass shootings, including the Feb. 14 Florida high school shooting that left 17 people dead.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A 77-year-old woman received stitches and treatments for rabies after a wild otter viciously attacked her while she was kayaking down a Florida river.

Sue Spector and her husband, Marty, were kayaking down Braden River early Sunday morning with a group of 10 people when they spotted an otter. Spector told FOX13 the animal suddenly jumped on her and began clawing at her.

"It was very pristine and very nice and I heard someone make a comment that, 'Oh, there's an otter!'" Spector told FOX13. "And then all of a sudden he jumped on the kayak and two seconds later he jumped on me."

LION FATALLY MAULS WOMAN AT REFUGE OF SOUTH AFRICAN 'LION WHISPERER'

Spector recalled the animal clawing, scratching and biting her arms, nose and ear. Marty Spector, 78, said he was in front of his wifes kayak when he heard the screams.

"I heard someone behind me say, 'Oh, look, there's an otter,' then I heard somebody screaming and I realized it was my wife," the husband said. "My boat turned over and so I was in the water with a paddle, just trying to beat the otter off her back. It didn't want to come off!"

Sue Spector said she, too, attempted fend off the otter by beating him with a paddle.

"When you're [in the middle of] it you don't have a lot of thought except you hope you survive, she said.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG ON SOUTHWEST FLIGHT INJURES CHILD, FURTHER FUELING DEBATE OVER AIRLINE RULES

Sue Spectors kayak also flipped during the attack. She was left neck-deep in water while battling the otter. The animal eventually released its claws from her body and went back in the river. The 77-year-old said her hat was shredded, but added she was fortunate to be wearing a life jacket that protected her back.

"By some miracle, I don't have any injuries on the top of my head," Spector said.

The groups guide, Marsha Wikle, helped Spector out of the cold water and back into the kayak. Spector was taken to the hospital to be treated for her injuries, according to FOX13. She was also given rabies treatments.

Florida Fish and Wildlife posted a sign at the entrance of the river to warn other kayakers and boaters about aggressive otters.
Four crew members are missing Tuesday after a fire broke out on a Maersk container vessel in the Arabian Sea, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The fire was reportedly ignited in one of the ship's cargo holds while it was en route to the Suez Canal from Singapore-- about 1,000 miles off Oman.

According to A.P. Moller-Maeresk A/S, the 15,000-container ship had 27 crew members, none from the U.S. Twenty-three crew members were evacuated to another vessel after sending out a distress signal.

The Indian Coast Guard and Maritime Rescue Coordination Center received the signal and evacuated the crew members.

The MRCC alerted several other ships nearby who altered their routes and were expected to reach the burning vessel by early Wednesday.

The fire onboard the Maersk Honam continues and the situation on the vessel is very critical, the company said.

Following the evacuation, the company informed the relatives of the crew members.

The evacuated crew is obviously distressed, with two crew members currently receiving medical first aid onboard the ALS Ceres, said Maersks chief operating officer.

According to The Journal, A.P. Moller-Maersk is the worlds largest container operator. The cause of fire is unknown.
(CNN)  France's government has proposed setting a formal age of sexual consent after two-high profile cases involving 11-year-old girls, according to the country's Equality Minister.

Equality Minister Marlene Schiappa said the government "has decided to set the age at 15," after consultations with the public and an expert panel. She said a new law would be presented to Council of Ministers  France's equivalent of a cabinet  on March 21.

In France, current laws criminalize sex with children under the age of 15 but prosecutors must prove that the sexual act was forced.

Two cases involving the 11-year-old girls provoked outrage in France after the alleged perpetrators were acquitted of rape.

In November a 30-year-old man was cleared of rape after the court found that the victim had not been subjected to "constraint, threat, violence or surprise."

In the other case, charges against a 28-year-old man, also accused of raping an 11-year-old girl, were downgraded to "sexual relations with a minor," according to French news agency AFP.

Schiappa said that the French President wanted to set the age of consent at 15 and she "had expressed the same preference on many occasions."

In October 2017, she told CNN that she wanted to address rape culture.

"We want to fix an age in the law below which it's always forbidden to have sex with children, with young girls. Below which it's always considered as a rape," she said in an interview.

The law, once implemented, will set the age at which a person cannot agree to any sexual intercourse at 15 and will criminalize any sexual activity with any minor younger than that age.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "France to set age of sexual consent at 15 after rape outcry."
Authorities in Austria have detained a 23-year-old suspect Thursday in connection with knife attacks in Vienna in which four people were injured, Vienna police confirmed online.

Patrick Maierhofer, a police spokesman, said in a statement that the male suspect was detained shortly after a 20-year-old man was brought to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Police say they are still investigating whether the suspect is also responsible for the stabbing of a family of three an hour earlier, also in Vienna.

All three family members, the 67-year-old father, the 56-year-old mother and their 17-year-old daughter, suffered life-threatening injuries and were taken to the hospital. The names of the victims were not given.

Further details regarding the attack and a possible motive were not immediately clear.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Beijing is unhappy with the first visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier to a Vietnamese port since the Vietnam War and said, in general, the U.S. only wastes money sending warships in the region, a Communist Party newspaper said Wednesday.

The Global Times said the USS Carl Vinson's visit was unlikely to alter the balance of power in the South China Sea, which China claims virtually in its entirety and has been fortifying with military structures on man-made islands.

"China's vigilance and unhappiness are inevitable, but we don't think that the USS Carl Vinson's Vietnam trip can stir up troubles in the South China Sea," the paper known for its hard-line nationalist views said in an editorial.

The visit "will not generate any special tools to pressure China," while the U.S. sending warships to the South China Sea will "only waste money," the paper said.

Chinas comments come after the U.S. Navy also announced it successfully landed an F-35B Lighting II on on an amphibious assault ship at an undisclosed location in the Pacific, an event the Navy touted as a new era of up-gunned air-sea capability, Stars and Stripes reported.

The F-35B was assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Okinawa, Japan, and will provide support to Navy-Marine Corps expeditionary operations and help strengthen alliances in the region, the Navy Times reported citing a press release.

Vietnam and China have extensive overlapping claims to islands and resources in the sea, and U.S. officials say the port call is a sign of the U.S. commitment to the region and U.S.-Vietnam ties.

Accompanied by a cruiser and a destroyer, the ship is visiting as China completes work on air bases, radar stations and other infrastructure that could prove key in a military conflict in the Paracel islands and seven artificial islands in the Spratlys in maritime territory also claimed by Vietnam.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Malfunctioning bugging devices planted by the Cuban government may be to blame for the illnesses that struck 24 U.S. Embassy employees last year in Havana, according to The Daily Beast.

The theory about what could have caused the so-called sonic attacks arose from a study by three computer scientists at the University of Michigan, who analyzed an Associated Press video of a high-pitched sound that an embassy victim had recorded.

Some of the victims reported hearing the sound before falling ill. The illnesses ranged from dizziness and headaches to hearing losses and cognitive impairment. U.S. officials have said they believe the Cuban government either launched sonic attacks, or was aware of them if another party was involved.

The Cuban government has denied involvement.

The matter grew so grave that the U.S. State Department recalled 21 employees from the embassy, and recently said it would not restore full-staffing because of a lack of trust in Cuban authorities and concern for the health of its workers.

But the theory by the Michigan computer scientists holds that the Cuban government may have placed bugging devices whose transmissions got tangled, creating the tone that some victims reported hearing.

It doesnt prove that this is what happened in Cuba, said Michigan professor Kevin Fu, a co-author of the report on the study, to The Daily Beast. Its a correlation. But to us, it seems like a strong correlation.

Its an alternative hypothesis to the sonic-weapon theory, of someone trying to cause harm. Its a theory that seems a little more practical in that it could be bad engineering. It seems like a reasonable hypothesis.

Complicating matters, the victims were not all in one place when they heard the sounds and fell ill. Some were at the embassy, others were in hotels or homes.

Doctors who have examined the victims are perplexed.

Some of the doctors attributed the cause to a novel mechanism that triggered neurological damage.

The medical journal JAMA published a report on the Cuba situation said a high-intensity ultrasound could cause heating and damage of brain tissue. The report was inconclusive, however.
The North Koreans have a term that the regime tells them how to characterize Americans.

It is: "American bastards."

"When we are describing American people, they never spoken the word, 'American people.' It's American bastards," said Seongmin Lee, a 31-year-old North Korean escapee who has found a new home in the United States.

"We understood it as one word," he says. "It is very, very negative and because you grow up hearing that kind of word throughout your lifetime, it becomes very familiar, it is not strange at all."

Today, when Seongmin walks along the Ivy League walkways of Columbia University in New York City, he looks like any American college student. But he savors the new-found freedoms of our nation, perhaps more than any of his other classmates. As a political science major in the School of General Studies, he has a new life and fresh perspective on our nation.

While the possibility of talks between the Trump administration and the regime of Kim Jong Un has sparked optimism, he fears the long history of anti-U.S. propaganda that has indoctrinated generations of North Koreans and could prove to be an obstacle.

"When I was 5 or 6 years old, I went to kindergarten," Seongmin remembers. "One of the significant activities was to have hatred towards America, but we didn't know necessarily what it was.

For example, he said, when playing games instructors would give the kids a wooden stick, and there was a mannequin of an American soldier.

Our game was to hit that mannequin of the American soldier and then hand over the stick to another kid, he said. That kind of thing is a pretty normal activity as a kid in North Korea."

He told Fox News that while growing up, North Korean students are also taught that the U.S. planned to invade his country, but that North Korea would always win.

"America is waiting for the chance to enslave or invade our country, so as a kid what you are hearing is, that you have to be ready to be the next generation to protect our country and basically be ready to fight hostile forces," he recalled. "The brainwashing and indoctrination is kind of a scary thing."

Seongmin was able to escape to South Korea in 2010, and he made his way to our shores as a student in 2016. He learned that everything he was taught about the U.S. all of this life, was actually disinformation and not true. Living here may have shattered his misconceptions, but the process of changing his view about America took some time.

"I had been taught to believe really bad, for my entire lifetime there and it was hard to change my mindset quickly," he explained. "But that type of perception started changing when I had a chance to interact with American students."

He said that he is astounded at the simple freedoms that American routinely enjoy, and take for granted.

"It is a great country," he says "I am very thankful to be allowed to study at such a great university and sometimes I cannot even imagine when I am taking classes with students who are born and grew up here, that they have discussions about political issues and I cannot simply imagine. I am really grateful. This country allows me to see what I learned in North Korea and I see it with a different perspective and wider scope. Why did they teach me like that?

He said the most surprising part of American life is the country's diversity, and our freedom to criticize our elected leaders.

In North Korea, "there is no debate, or criticism of any government policy. That type of thing is unfathomable. But here you are taught critical thinking, which is amazing!"

He was stunned at the countrys free flow of ideas and our ability to disagree with each other, which we take for granted.

"Here in America, you see a lot of demonstrations, criticisms, seminars and activists going against certain government policies. That kind of thing was hard to understand for the first time, but now I am learning in school that that is the dynamic aspect of a democracy. I'm still learning."

Despite President Trump's demands of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Seongmin does not believe that Kim Jong Un will ever surrendered his nuclear weapons program. He says the regime sees its nuclear force as the key to its survival, but he does believe that the U.S. and North Korea need to meet to try to resolve the nuclear issue.

"You have to talk, you have to sit down to talk to another side, what you really need, why do you really need and are obsessed with these nuclear weapons? There must be some compromise from both sides.

As a person who grew up in North Korea, he believes in dialogue and diplomatic engagement.

If you think about me as an individual, in a span of a few years I was an official DPRK citizen, but now I am talking here with you, sitting with the American media, being able to communicate with each other, being able to understand each other, he said, this probably would not have happened if we hadn't had this type of opportunity to sit down together. So if you just block and don't see each other, you remain the main enemy forever."

Seongmin says the most powerful weapon in the U.S. arsenal to confront the regime, is simply deploying American ideals, such as distributing Hollywood films. He said the Trump administration should embark on an information campaign, sending DVD's and USB sticks of American movies into the country, so that North Koreans can learn about the world beyond their borders.

"North Korean people, 25 million citizens, have been truly isolated from the international community. They have been segregated. They don't have the internet. They are not allowed to make any international phone calls, he said. But they are just taught America is bad, North Korea is the best, that type of propaganda is still working because they are so isolated."

"My belief is you have to target the North Korean people. I truly believe that eventually, the key is in the hands of the North Korean people," and they way to reach them he says, is to "send information in the form of USB sticks and DVD's. I endorse it."

He said American movies, which are illegally smuggled in, are popular.

"Some people are watching movies like Titanic, it's very popular. Some of my friends watched it in North Korea. It's really fascinating," he said. "Its unthinkable."

"If you watch a North Korean movie, or if you hear a North Korean song it mostly, 70 to 90 percent, is designed to praise the leader...or the system," he explained. "There is no movie to describe the true aspects of human life, for instance dating, all kind of family aspects, they are still connecting it to the propaganda message."

Seongmin's dream is for North Koreans to one day live freely, and enjoy the same liberties that he does now. He hopes that he will be able to return to a liberated homeland one day.

"The country should be open. The regime should allow its people to live freely," he said. "I truly believe it is virtually a prison."

He said the dictatorship rules with such an unforgiving iron hand, because the regime actually fears its own citizens.

"They are scared. They are scared of people knowing the reality. That is why they block their eyes, that is why they block their ears, and even if they think what they are doing is the right thing, the righteous thing for your people, why are they so scared?

"There is no reason to execute people for duplicating or selling foreign DVD's," he says of the regime. "There is nothing to be scared of, but you are scared because what you are doing is not right."

Even though Seongmin is now living here, he says he still has nightmares that North Korean border guards are chasing him. But when he wakes up and opens his eyes, he is so thankful to be in America.

Marta Dhanis contributed to this report.


Polish prosecutors say they have indicted a Moroccan man for alleged participation in the Islamic State group, the first such case in Poland.

The national prosecutor's office said Wednesday the man, identified only as Mourad T., was active in Poland, some other European Union countries, Serbia and Turkey from December 2014 until his arrest in southern Poland in September 2016.

It said the man had cooperated with a leading IS activist in Europe, Abdelhamid Abbaoud, the ringleader of the November 2015 Paris attacks who was killed in France shortly after them.

Prosecutors of the antiterror department in the southern city of Katowice have sent the indictment to the city's provincial court, the statement said.
next Image 1 of 2

prev Image 2 of 2

Saudi Arabia's crown prince was being greeted Wednesday in Britain by Queen Elizabeth II  and met by protesters against the war in Yemen.

Theresa May's office said the prime minister will "raise deep concerns at the humanitarian situation" in Yemen when she meets Mohammed bin Salman at her office at 10 Downing Street. Human rights campaigners rallied near Parliament and said they would protest later outside the gates of Downing St.

A Saudi-led coalition has been battling Iran-allied rebels in Yemen since 2015 in a war that has killed more than 10,000 people and driven the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine. The kingdom faces wide international criticism for its airstrikes killing civilians and striking markets, hospitals and other civilian targets.

Critics say Britain has been slow to condemn abuses by Saudi Arabia, a key regional ally and major purchaser of U.K.-made weapons.

Britain is rolling out the red carpet for the 32-year-old crown prince, who will have lunch Wednesday with the queen at Buckingham Palace and dine later with Prince Charles and Prince William.

The Saudi royal has shaken up his deeply conservative country since he became heir apparent to King Salman last year.

The crown prince swiftly consolidated power by sidelining rivals and stepped up Saudi Arabia's rivalry with Iran. He has also has pushed through a number of dramatic social reforms including allowing women to drive and lifting a ban on movie theaters.

Critics say the modernization measures mask continuing rights abuses. Human rights charity Reprieve says the number of executions in Saudi Arabia has doubled since the crown prince took charge.

The three-day visit is also due to include lunch with May at the prime minister's rural retreat, Chequers, and talks with Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson.
Turkey's prime minister has renewed a threat against efforts to search for offshore gas around Cyprus.

Turkey opposes what it says are "unilateral" efforts to search for gas, saying they infringe the rights of Turkish Cypriots to the ethnically split island's resources.

Binali Yildirim said Wednesday during a joint news conference with Tufan Erhurman, the prime minister of the self-declared Turkish Cypriot state, that "provocative activities will be met with the appropriate response."

Yildirim's comments were in response to reports that an ExxonMobil vessel was heading toward the Mediterranean, coinciding with exercises in the area involving the U.S. Navy.

Last month, Turkish warships prevented a rig from reaching an area southeast of Cyprus where Italian company Eni was scheduled to drill for gas.
The Committee to Protect Journalists is urging Yemeni authorities to investigate an arson attack on the offices of a media foundation in the southern port city of Aden.

The CPJ says armed men raided the offices of al-Shomou Foundation on March 1, setting fire to the printing presses used for the Al-Shomou weekly and the Akhbar al-Youm daily paper.

CPJ's Mideast coordinator Sherif Mansour said "the attack ... shows that journalists are being targeted with impunity across every inch of Yemen."

He urged local authorities in Aden "to ensure the safety of journalists operating in areas they purport to control."

The CPJ says the attack came more than a week after Yemeni forces, trained and funded by the United Arab Emirates, detained a Yemeni journalist in southern Hadramawt province.
By Judi Rever*

"A stunning work of investigative reporting by a Canadian journalist who has risked her own life to bring us a deeply disturbing history of the Rwandan genocide that takes the true measure of Rwandan head of state Paul Kagame (Amazon)" https://www.amazon.ca/Praise- Blood-Judi-Rever/dp/ 0345812093/ref=sr_1_2_det?ie= UTF8&qid=1520243666&sr=8-2# productPromotions

Review

In Praise of Blood is compulsory reading for a world that has acknowledged only half the story of the Rwandan genocide. We owe a debt of gratitude to Judi Rever for risking her life to bring us the whole truth of that genocide in this great work of investigative journalism. Terry Gould, winner of the CJFE Tara Singh Hayer Press Freedom Award and author of Worth Dying For and Murder Without Borders



This is an unflinching account of one of the most ruthlessly executed and cynically exploited human catastrophes of the twentieth century. If you thought you understood the genesis of the Rwandan genocide, think again. If you are confused by the origins of the ongoing carnage in the Congo and Zaire, mysterious murders in Uganda and South Africa, start reading now. Linden MacIntyre, award-winning broadcast journalist and Scotiabank Giller award-winning author of The Bishops Man



In Praise of Blood will remain a work of reference on Rwanda for decades to come. Judi Rever exposes and meticulously documents a litany of crimes against Rwandans that forces loyal to the Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, have killed many people to conceal. We are indebted to Revers courageous reporting in the face of great personal risk. Anjan Sundaram, journalist and author of Bad News and Stringer

*About the Author

JUDI REVER is a freelance print and broadcast journalist who started her career with Radio France Internationale before working for the wire service Agence France-Presse, reporting from Africa and the Middle East. Her reporting on Rwanda has been featured in seven front-page stories in the Globe and Mail over the past three years, and she has been named a country of origin information expert on Rwanda by the Rights in Exile Programme, which promotes the legal protection of refugees. Her work has also appeared in Foreign Policy Journal, Le Monde Diplomatique, Humanosphere, Digital Journal and the Africa Report.
(CNN)  As the dust settles on Italy's national election, there are clear winners and losers, but no clear outcome after a divisive campaign dominated by anti-immigrant rhetoric and promises that will be hard to keep.

As the first exit polls were released shortly before midnight Sunday, a wave of disbelief turned to unbridled enthusiasm at the headquarters of the Five Star Movement (M5S) in the green-carpeted basement of the luxury Parco dei Principi hotel in central Rome. The party was on the top of every exit poll and looked set to claim almost a third of votes, the largest of any single party, and some 14 percentage points more than anyone else.

Luigi di Maio, the young leader of the anti-establishment party founded by former comedian Beppe Grillo, didn't speak publicly on Sunday, but he was photographed by party faithful with an ear-to-ear grin hugging everyone who came anywhere near him.

Di Maio, at just 31, has come to symbolize youth discontent in Italy, campaigning along a fine line between hope and fear, using words like "us" and "them," and referring to potential voters as "my generation." In a blog post before the vote, he wrote, "They look at us because we are the future of the country, but they still do not trust us completely."

M5S may have very well won the hearts of young and disgruntled voters, but it is still a long way from winning power in Italy if the movement stays true to its grassroots. Because M5S campaigned on a promise of independence and transparency, it is unlikely to join a coalition. Di Maio has flirted with the idea of forming a coalition before, but the "Grillini," as Five Star supporters are called, have so far balked at the idea.

"The Five Star's new mantra should be that it is impossible and unlawful [to form] any majority without us," said Jacopo Iacoboni, a leading political analyst with La Stampa newspaper. "That is to say, nobody can try to exclude [them] from the big game now."

League ascendant

M5S isn't the only party celebrating. Matteo Salvini, the 44-year-old leader of the populist and xenophobic League -- formerly known as the Northern League -- tweeted "Grazie" to his voters just before midnight as he watched his party climb to the second rung in early exit polls. The latest tally on Monday morning put the League at around 17.5% of the vote, but there are still uncounted ballots.

The League went into the election as a junior partner in a center-right coalition that also includes Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party and the neo-fascist Brothers of Italy party. But as the votes were counted, Salvini looked likely to emerge in the driver's seat. Forza Italia underperformed, and is set to come in several points behind the League at around 14%, according to the Interior Ministry.

Berlusconi, once a kingmaker, is now something of a political pauper. The former Prime Minister told voters that the reason his party fell short was that he was not the actual candidate, having been banned from office until 2019 for tax fraud. Berlusconi had hoped to guide the center-right coalition, installing Antonio Tajani as Prime Minister until sweeping back into power next year.

Now, Berlusconi has been relegated to Salvini's whims. On Monday, Salvini told reporters that he himself would lead the center-right coalition. "Millions of Italians asked us to lead them out of uncertainty," he said. "We will lead them. I see this as a vote for the future, not the past."

Salvini, who once took a bulldozer to a Roma camp and introduced legislation for "Italian only" segregated buses, reinvented himself in this electoral campaign. He has lately steered his party toward a more centrist approach.

Salvini is a staunch supporter of US President Donald Trump, traveling to a campaign rally in Philadelphia in 2016 and posing with the then-presidential candidate. Salvini campaigned under an "Italy First" banner, clearly borrowing from one of Trump's favorite catchphrases.

Late campaigning by the Five Star Movement in the southern regions of Italy borrowed a page from the American film "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" and used three red billboards to remind voters there how Salvini used to refer to them. "I said you stink," said one. "Now I want your vote," said another. The third simply stated, "Why not, peasants?"

The center-left Democratic Party under the joint stewardship of former premier Matteo Renzi and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni was the undisputed loser in Sunday's polling. The party appeared to have gained only around 19% of the overall vote, and its center-left coalition around 23% in total. They will win a few more points based on a new electoral law that gives leading coalition members the percentage points of those parties that win less than 3%, but it won't be enough to make a difference.

Berlusconi and Renzi reportedly met late Sunday for what now seem like desperation talks. Even if they cobbled together some sort of new centrist compromise coalition, they surely would never be able to solidify enough percentage points to form a majority.

Now the ball is in President Sergio Mattarella's court. Once the votes are certified, likely late Monday, he will start meeting with the winners to begin what are expected to be tense and tedious negotiations after such a vitriolic campaign. Italians are watching to see who he meets with first.

"Will italian president Sergio Mattarella give responsibility to form a government to Mr Salvini (first coalition) or Mr Di Maio (first party)?" tweeted La Stampa's Iacoboni. "In any case, it will be very tough to avoid a populist, more or less eurosceptic, and more or less anti-migrant leader."

That sentiment is one everyone seems to agree on. Writing in the widely respected newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano, political commentator and author Marco Travaglio summed it up: "The Italians braved cold temperatures to vote under a demented electoral law to scream a giant, supersonic 'F...You' to the ancient regime."

Change, it seems, is the only certainty.

This story was first published on CNN.com, Italy strikes massive blow to status quo with election result."
(CNN)  North Korea has agreed to refrain from conducting nuclear and missile tests while engaging in dialogue with South Korea, Seoul's national security chief Chung Eui-yong said Tuesday after returning from a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Chung added that Pyongyang also expressed willingness to talk to the United States "in an open-ended dialogue to discuss the issue of denuclearization and to normalize relations with North Korea."

Chung said that as part of the dialogue, the two Koreas would hold a summit next month, the first of its kind in more than a decade.

The last inter-Korean summit was in 2007, when South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun met Kim's father, late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

The meeting will be held at the Panmunjom Peace House on the South Korean side of the demilitarized zone that divides the two countries, Chung said.

Pyongyang and Seoul will also open a communication hotline that will enable Kim and South korean President Moon Jae-in to speak directly.

Moon sent Chung and four other top government officials to Pyongyang Monday, when they met with Kim and some of his top aides.

It's believed to be the first time the young North Korean leader has ever met with any officials from South Korea since taking power in 2011.

Developing story - more to come

This story was first published on CNN.com, "North Korea agrees to freeze missile tests, hold summit, Seoul says."
(CNN)  President Donald Trump hailed "possible progress" Tuesday in talks between North Korea and South Korea, hours after the U.S. ally said that North Korea is willing to talk to the United States about giving up its nuclear program.

"Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction," Trump tweeted.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has also agreed to refrain from conducting nuclear and missile tests while engaging in dialogue with the United States, Seoul's national security chief Chung Eui-yong said after returning from talks with Kim.

Chung said Pyongyang expressed willingness to talk to the United States "in an open-ended dialogue to discuss the issue of denuclearization and to normalize relations with North Korea."

Chung will travel to the United States "sometime this week," a spokesperson for the South Korean presidential office tells CNN.

The Trump administration, which has aggressively pursued sanctions against North Korea, has said it won't meet with the regime unless it abandons its nuclear program.

Moon has previously called on the U.S. to ease its position on preconditions for talks.

Last month, it was revealed Vice President Mike Pence was set to meet with North Korean officials, including Kim Jong Un's sister, during their visits to the Winter Olympics in South Korea. But the North Koreans pulled out of the planned session before it could happen.

Latest U.S. intelligence assessments about North Korea's nuclear ballistic missile program show that Kim's regime has continued to make progress during the last few months on improving the guidance of their missiles that would allow them to hit specific targets, an administration official with knowledge of the information told CNN's Barbara Starr.

This story was first published on cnn.com, "Trump hails 'possible progress' in North Korea talks."
(CNN)  South Africa's health ministry is warning consumers to avoid "all processed meat products that are sold as ready-to-eat" after tracing the source of deadly listeria outbreak to a sausage meat product.

"As of 02 March 2018, a total of laboratory-confirmed cases have risen to 948, still counting from January 2017," Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi said Sunday in remarks published on the website for South Africa's National Institute of Communicable Diseases. "Of these 948, a total 659 patients have been traced and 180 of them have unfortunately died."

Officials have identified a meat product known as "polony" from the Enterprise Food-Production facility in Polokwane in South Africa as the source of the outbreak, Motsoaledi said.

In a statement on posted to its Twitter account, Enterprise said it was working with all relevant authorities to recall its products.

"We have suspended operations at both Enterprise manufacturing facilities (Polokwane and Germiston) and have stopped supply to retailers," the company said.

Sick children

Motsoaledi said the listeria had been traced to the product after nine children under the age of 5 presented at a hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg, on January 12 with febrile gastroenteritis.

Samples of polony manufactured by Enterprise as well as another company were taken from their daycare center. Products manufactured at Enterprise's Polokwane factory subsequently tested positive for the strain that was later found to be responsible for almost all of the cases, Motsoaledi said.

Potential cross-contamination

The minister advised "members of the public to avoid all processed meat products that are sold as ready-to-eat. "

"While we know that polony is definitely implicated, there is a risk of cross-contamination of other ready-to-eat processed meat products, either at production, distribution or retail.

"This is because Listeria on the exterior casing (packaging) of polony can be transferred to other products it comes into contact with, including viennas, russians, frankfurters, other sausages, and other 'cold meat' products that are typically not cooked before eating," he said.

Listeria risks

Listeria bacteria may cause fever and diarrhea -- just like other foodborne bugs -- but certain people are at greatly increased risk: the elderly, people with a weak immune system, pregnant women and their newborns.

Pregnant women are 10 times more likely than other people to become infected, and the bacteria can be passed on to the developing fetus, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. The infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths and premature labor.

This story was first published on CNN.com, South Africa traces deadly listeria outbreak to meat product."
According to Berger, previous genetic studies of lung cancer have focused mainly on tumors from people with a history of smoking; the largest study of never-smokers to date has included only 33 participants.

In the small number of tumors from never-smokers who have been profiled, we can see that the genetic changes in never-smokers are very different from that of smokers, said Berger, a researcher in the Hutchs Human Biology and Public Health Sciences divisions.

The goal of this project is to identify new potential drug targets in lung cancer and to better understand the etiology of lung cancer in patients without a smoking history, she said.

Over the course of the WHI study, more than 3,600 women developed lung cancer, including 583 who had never smoked. By studying genetic alterations in lung-tumor tissue from 110 never-smokers in the WHI cohort, Berger aims to increase the number of such sequenced tumors more than three-fold.

The WHI provides an uncommon and possibly unique opportunity to study the genetic determinants of lung cancer among never-smokers, Anderson said. The size of the resource and the strength of the WHI database, which includes detailed information about smoking history and other exposures, offer an opportunity for the WHI to make a timely and significant contribution to our knowledge of lung cancer in the subset of individuals for whom the cause is often a mystery.

The rate of lung cancer in never-smokers is on the rise; from 1990 through 2013, the percentage of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who never smoked spiked from 8 percent to 14.9 percent. In 2016 in the U.S., 24 percent of lung cancer cases in women and 17 percent of lung cancer cases in men were in those who never smoked, which is defined as smoking 100 or fewer cigarettes in ones lifetime.

Bergers scholarship is named in honor of registered nurse and patient advocate Lorraine Lori Gail Monroe, co-founder of the Lung Cancer Foundation of America, who passed away from the disease in 2013 at age 55.
Free Freightnet Membership

List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours.
PREVIOUS POST

Big Diamonds Each one wants big diamonds! Diamonds are a symbol of the State. They demonstrate to others who have enough money. Follow others, such as John Mclaughlin, and add to your knowledge base. These jewels are exhibited with pride and are kept more often in safes where nobody can steal them or ruin. Rarely the large diamonds come in the light of the d? a. It's a shame really, these diamonds must be seen! Choose the perfect large diamond find a good jeweler is the first step to buy any jewelry. It is also a good idea doing research on diamonds who choose. Choose a perfect diamond is based on what Jewelers call the 4 c's brackets for the cut, color, clarity, and carat. Each of these has its own importance in qualifying all the diamonds and they are especially important to choose big diamonds. When big money is going to spend to make a purchase, necessary to know that diamonds is look and what are the best. The first consideration is the cut. The cut of the diamond goes beyond the physical form. An intricate diamond cuts based on mathematical algorithms. Between better be cut greater quality and more shine. You can also hide imperfections that are in each diamond, large or small. The consideration next to buy a large diamond is color. There is color, such as yellow and Pink diamonds, while the majority of diamonds are classified as white. Most diamonds have a yellow or brown dye on them. Each is scored on a scale from D to Z. The D classification is going to be the best quality and have the purest color. Clarity also weighs to qualify the stone. As stated previously, each diamond has imperfections, including cloudy points and even small black dots. This is common, but it can be hidden by an experienced jeweler and proper cut. Carat is the size of the diamond. Obviously, large diamonds will be several carats. The majority of the people feel that the larger is diamond, best quality, this idea is false. A large diamond can be cloudy and evil while a diamond cut smaller you can have a perfect cut and color and excellent clarity. The total Diamond Grade determines the price, not the total size of the diamond.




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
Free

Middleton defeats Faircloth in GOP primary for HD23

JENNIFER REYNOLDS/ The Daily News Mayes Middleton, candidate for Wayne Faircloths seat in the Texas House of Representatives District 23, talks with Joan McLeod on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, as he campaigns outside the polling location at Moody Memorial Methodist Church in Galveston. JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Mayes Middleton, who is trying to unseat state Rep. Wayne Faircloth, and his wife, Macy, talk with Armin Cantini on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, as he campaigns outside the polling location at Moody Memorial Methodist Church in Galveston. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Rep. Wayne Faircloth speaks with Isra Allison, who was campaigning for Adrienne Bell, outside of the Nessler Center on Election Day in Texas City on Tuesday, March 7, 2018. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Rep. Wayne Faircloth campaigns for votes outside of the Nessler Center on election day in Texas City on Tuesday, March 7, 2018. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Rep. Wayne Faircloth speaks with supporters outside of the Nessler Center on Election Day in Texas City on Tuesday, March 7, 2018.

Chambers County oilman Mayes Middleton, who promised to bring Galveston Countys representation in Austin further to the political right, completed an upset bid against incumbent state Rep. Wayne Faircloth during the GOP primary election Tuesday night.

Middleton received about 7,981 votes, 57 percent of total ballots cast in both Galveston and Chambers counties, according to complete but unofficial results.

It was the hard work that we all put into it, Middleton said. It was being willing to meet every single voter individually and talk to them and listen to what they care about.

Faircloth could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.

Middleton mostly self-funded his campaign, and outspent Faircloth by a large margin on advertising.

His campaign also received a boost in January with an endorsement from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who spent weeks during primary campaigning attacking Republican members of the Texas House of Representatives who the governor said helped block his conservative agenda during the 2016 legislative session.

Faircloth had the support of outgoing Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus, and several large business-oriented political action committees.

In addition to being backed by the governor, Middleton is a major donor and close ally of Empower Texans, an organization pushing for some of the most conservative pieces of legislation presented to lawmakers.

Middleton supports private school vouchers and has promised to work with Abbott on tax reforms that would limit cities ability to raise property tax revenue.

In the late days of the campaign, Faircloth received a bevy of support from Galveston-area civic and business groups.

Faircloth carried Galveston County, but by only 92 votes, according to complete but unofficial results. He trailed in Chambers County by nearly 1,300 votes after early results, however, and was never able to make up that margin.

Were giving the people that actually own the seat, the voters and the citizens and the taxpayers a voice, and they really havent had one, Middleton said. Austin lobbyists and career politicians are the ones that have had the voice.

Faircloth was first elected to his seat in 2014. He was the first Republican elected to represent Galveston Island in Austin since Reconstruction.

Middleton will face Galveston Democrat Amanda Jamrok in Nov. 6 general election. Jamrok is a 25-year-old first-time candidate who ran unopposed in the primary.

Texas state representatives serve two-year terms. State representatives earn $600 a month, plus $190 a day when the legislature is in session.
Galveston, TX (77553)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low around 80F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
The quake was reportedly felt as far north as Oxnard and as far south as Carlsbad, officials said.
If you recall early last year, Fyre Festival, the supposed brand new A-list luxury music festival held in the Bahamas, turned into utter and complete shit leaving thousands of stranded rich kids in the middle of the Caribbean ocean, with no food and barely any shelter, trying to get back home through a closed airport.

Organiser's reveal why Fyre Fest was a tragic cesspit

As well as the wire fraud, he has been charged with providing false financial information to at least two investors, and generally mishandling the entire event, McFarland also allegedly misrepresented the companys revenue to be in the millions when it actually earned less than $60,000, according to Consequence of Sound.



Thank God there is some justice for the idiot who organised it (or didn't.... because it was a total shit show...).
felicilin at 7-03-2018 10:32 AM (3 years ago) (f)

A 50-year-old man faked his own kidnap and demanded ransom of about KSh 54,000 (N18,000) from his family in a bid to clear debts.

A 50-year-old man faked his own kidnap and demanded ransom of about KSh 54,000 (N18,000) from his family in a bid to clear debts. According to Tuko.co.ke, the unidentified man from Mparo Division in Uganda called his unsuspecting wife on Friday, March 2, 2018 and told her that he had been picked up by some unknown people.

According to regions police spokesperson, Julius Hakiza, the suspect claimed his kidnappers demanded KSh 54,000, which is about N18,000 in Nigerian currency, before they could let him go.

Terrified by the news, the wife alerted police, other family members and friends to help in rescuing her husband. It was then gathered that the family rallied round and began sourcing for the ransom that was requested by the kidnappers.

The amount of money requested for was eventually raised and immediately wired into the phone of the kidnapper via mobile money transfer.

Meanwhile, as the family did what they could to save the relative in trouble, investigators carried on their work by making attempts to trace the location and movements of the mobile device that was used in receiving the ransom paid by the family

The detectives said they were able to trace him to a place called Butebere village in Hoima District.

They found the kidnapped man celebrating and feasting with friends. He claimed he was celebrating his release, but the officers suspected he was spending part of the cash he had received as ransom.

Further investigation revealed the man actually faked his disappearance in order to obtain cash from his wife and family.

The man was eventually reported to have taken a loan from a financial institution and they were already on his neck asking for refund of the loan.

He was eventually arrested and charged with obtaining money by false pretense.

According to Tuko.co.ke, the unidentified man from Mparo Division in Uganda called his unsuspecting wife on Friday, March 2, 2018 and told her that he had been picked up by some unknown people.According to regions police spokesperson, Julius Hakiza, the suspect claimed his kidnappers demanded KSh 54,000, which is about N18,000 in Nigerian currency, before they could let him go.Terrified by the news, the wife alerted police, other family members and friends to help in rescuing her husband. It was then gathered that the family rallied round and began sourcing for the ransom that was requested by the kidnappers.The amount of money requested for was eventually raised and immediately wired into the phone of the kidnapper via mobile money transfer.Meanwhile, as the family did what they could to save the relative in trouble, investigators carried on their work by making attempts to trace the location and movements of the mobile device that was used in receiving the ransom paid by the familyThe detectives said they were able to trace him to a place called Butebere village in Hoima District.They found the kidnapped man celebrating and feasting with friends. He claimed he was celebrating his release, but the officers suspected he was spending part of the cash he had received as ransom.Further investigation revealed the man actually faked his disappearance in order to obtain cash from his wife and family.The man was eventually reported to have taken a loan from a financial institution and they were already on his neck asking for refund of the loan.He was eventually arrested and charged with obtaining money by false pretense.

Post Reply Posted: at 7-03-2018 10:32 AM (3 years ago) | Hero
clarajancita at 7-03-2018 03:12 PM (3 years ago) (f)

A dancer who was serving sentence inside Kirikiri Prison after she was caught at the Lagos international airport for drug trafficking, has died two month to completing her term. A Kenyan woman dancer identified as Susan Samira Odhiambo Johnson, who had been serving a sentence after being arrested on April 2015 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in possession of narcotics, has died last month inside Kirikiri. It was gathered that a memorial service was held for her on February 20, at the Chapel in Kirikiri Female Prison in Lagos.

A dancer who was serving sentence inside Kirikiri Prison after she was caught at the Lagos international airport for drug trafficking, has died two month to completing her term. A Kenyan woman dancer identified as Susan Samira Odhiambo Johnson, who had been serving a sentence after being arrested on April 2015 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in possession of narcotics, has died last month inside Kirikiri. It was gathered that a memorial service was held for her on February 20, at the Chapel in Kirikiri Female Prison in Lagos.

The 42-year-old Kenyan, was caught with 5.345kg of drugs concealed in a school bags. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said the four blue parcel of white powdery substance found in her possession tested positive for cocaine.



The deceased, who was born in Mombasa travelled with Kenyan International passport with number A1536020. She departed Bujumbura in Burundi en-route Nairobi to Lagos on a Kenyan Airways flight.



During routine screening, she was found with four parcels of cocaine concealed in school bags. Susan said she is a professional dancer in Kenya, and in her defence, she argued that the bags were given to her by a friend to carry to Lagos and she had no idea what they contained.

The 42-year-old Kenyan, was caught with 5.345kg of drugs concealed in a school bags. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said the four blue parcel of white powdery substance found in her possession tested positive for cocaine.The deceased, who was born in Mombasa travelled with Kenyan International passport with number A1536020. She departed Bujumbura in Burundi en-route Nairobi to Lagos on a Kenyan Airways flight.During routine screening, she was found with four parcels of cocaine concealed in school bags. Susan said she is a professional dancer in Kenya, and in her defence, she argued that the bags were given to her by a friend to carry to Lagos and she had no idea what they contained. Quote I was given the school bags in Bujumbura by a friend to deliver in Nigeria. When I got to the airport in Lagos, they searched my luggage and found the drugs, she had said.



On December 7, 2015, she was sentenced at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, and on the same day, began her incarceration at Kirikiri. Susan ailed in prison for a few months and died on February 16 on her way to hospital.



According to reports, Susan was two months away from completing her term.



Fellow inmates, observed by the female guards, came to the chapel to pay their respects. Some wept openly while others sat pensively through the liturgy. Her immediate family knew about the mass, having been informed of her death and of the chaplains plans by the Kenyan Embassy. she had said.On December 7, 2015, she was sentenced at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, and on the same day, began her incarceration at Kirikiri. Susan ailed in prison for a few months and died on February 16 on her way to hospital.According to reports, Susan was two months away from completing her term.Fellow inmates, observed by the female guards, came to the chapel to pay their respects. Some wept openly while others sat pensively through the liturgy. Her immediate family knew about the mass, having been informed of her death and of the chaplains plans by the Kenyan Embassy.

Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 7-03-2018 03:12 PM (3 years ago) | Hero
English German

Sika is laying the foundation for further growth in Central America by establishing a national subsidiary in Honduras. With the new subsidiary customers will benefit from faster supply of Sika products and solutions as well as an expanding product range.

The new national subsidiary will enable Sika to broaden its range of solutions for the private and commercial construction sectors in Honduras and expand its position in the fast-growing market. Both segments are growing rapidly and several major projects are at the planning or implementation stages.

Christoph Ganz, Regional Manager Americas: "The new national subsidiary will enable us to optimize the way we procure and import products from the Sika network and continue to efficiently develop the market by providing competitive prices and greater customer proximity. Sika is already number one in Latin America and the new subsidiary in Honduras will consolidate this position."

INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS STIMULATE GROWTH

Honduras is the second-largest country in Central America, with a population of more than 9 million. Medium-term forecasts predict annual economic growth in excess of 4%. The country is investing heavily in its booming textiles sector, tourism, and infrastructure projects such as freeways, a new airport near its capital and new port facilities for container transshipment at Puerto Cortez on the north coast.

CONTACT

Dominik Slappnig

Corporate Communications &

Investor Relations

+41 58 436 68 21

slappnig.dominik@ch.sika.com

SIKA CORPORATE PROFILE

Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the world and manufactures in over 200 factories. Its more than 18,000 employees generated annual sales of CHF 6.25 billion in 2017.

The media release can be downloaded from the following link:
a chicken that knew much about the U.S. Constitution, but over the years chickens have managed to get themselves mixed up in more than their fair share of debates over what the Constitution says and means.Back in the 1930s, it was a case involving the sale of diseased chickens in Brooklyn that led the U.S. Supreme Court to invalidate the most important parts of Franklin D. Roosevelts early New Deal. More recently, there have been disputes in every region of the country over the constitutional rights of homeowners to keep poultry in their backyards against neighbors wishes. Now theres a full-dress constitutional debate about the conditions under which chickens and other animals are raised and the authority of states to decide when those conditions should be considered inhumane.The current legal debate actually goes back a decade, to a ballot measure in California mandating that any chicken raised commercially in the state had to have enough room to lie down, stand up, turn around and extend its limbs. It was an easy winner at the polls. California poultry farmers didnt like it, but most of them accepted it. What really made the industry mad was a law passed by the legislature two years later, in 2010. This law took the whole issue national: It prohibited the sale in California of eggs produced anywhere in the country under conditions that didnt meet its humaneness test.Although the law was phased in gradually, it hit growers hard in states such as Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska, which produce a majority of the eggs that California stores sell. Iowa alone was the source of nearly a third of the eggs imported into California each year. So six of the egg-producing states got together and sued California, using an old warhorse of an argument. They invoked Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the Constitution: the Commerce Clause.Thats the part of the Constitution that basically says that Congress possesses the power to regulate commerce among the states. The egg-producing states argued that only Congress had the right to do this -- no state had any business telling another state what its farmers could sell across state lines.It was an intriguing argument, but the court didnt buy it. A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled in 2016 that it wasnt the states that were being harmed by the California laws -- it was individual farmers. The farmers could bring suit if they wanted to. Until then, there was nothing to talk about.But that decision has emboldened animal rights activists in other parts of the country. In November 2016, voters in Massachusetts were presented with a ballot measure tougher than Californias. It banned the sale of eggs from animals in any state confined in a cruel manner. That could be read to mean no chickens in cages, which is where most farmers in this country still raise them. And it applied the strict rules not just to poultry, but to pigs and calves as well. This broadened the scope of the opposition. Opponents of this measure said it would not only raise prices but also deprive Massachusetts consumers of badly needed protein. They said farmers knew better than activists what was best for the animals. That argument got them nowhere. The measure passed.This brings us to the present, and to the challenge to both the California and Massachusetts laws that critics hope to take to the U.S. Supreme Court. Thirteen states are parties to the challenge. They claim that the California laws have cost consumers in the state $350 million in higher egg prices and that the Massachusetts law will have a similar effect.In the end, its the same approach that didnt work the first time around. The Supreme Court declined to take up the appeal of that decision. Still, its always possible that a more conservative Supreme Court might be more congenial to the argument than a liberal appeals panel in San Francisco was. Well see.While this moves forward, animal rights activists are taking another shot at California. Spearheaded by the Humane Society of the United States, they have launched an initiative for this Novembers state ballot that bars cruelty to any farm animals, including chickens, pigs and calves. At the moment, its legal in California to keep these animals in a crate or cage as long as it meets minimum size standards. This measure would end that practice everywhere in the state by 2021., its the return of the Commerce Clause thats the most striking element in all this maneuvering. The clause is a piece of constitutional India rubber that can be stretched as far as any clever litigant in any particular decade is willing to stretch it to please the justices of the moment.In the early years of the republic, the Supreme Court read the clause as a broad grant of power to the federal government. The power of Congress, Chief Justice John Marshall wrote, does not stop at the jurisdictional lines of the several states. Later in the 19th century, the tide turned. Conservative Supreme Court majorities blocked the federal government from intruding on state commerce jurisdiction.In those days, and well into the 20th century, it was conservatives who wanted to keep the federal commerce power on a short leash. They achieved that in Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, with the Supreme Court holding in 1935 that the Roosevelt administration lacked the legal authority to regulate the price of chickens raised and sold in New York state or to punish poultry dealers who sold inferior chickens. None of the Schechter animals were marketed outside the state, and the court decreed that the Commerce Clause, plainly written to govern commerce among the several states, simply didnt apply. The decision knocked out the whole scheme of price and wage regulation that had been the core of New Deal policy up until then.That state of affairs didnt last long, however. Within a couple of years, a more liberal Supreme Court was giving the federal government carte blanche to use the Commerce Clause any way it wanted: to regulate economic activity even if the interstate connection was flimsy and even if the activity barely constituted commerce in any meaningful sense.And so we went through about half a century in which the Commerce Clause was essentially a loophole for liberal activism. Conservatives didnt like that, but there was little they could do about it. That changed slightly in 1995, when the court surprised legal scholars by actually finding something the clause didnt permit: federal regulation of guns on school property. Gun ownership, according to Chief Justice William Rehnquist, didnt fall within the sphere of commerce. Congress couldnt use the Commerce Clause to deal with it.The clause was breathing again -- but not all that lustily. In 2005, the court found that while guns in schoolyards might not be part of interstate commerce, marijuana grown in someones backyard was, even when it was grown entirely for local use. It was held to be fair game for the feds.Justice Clarence Thomas was the most vocal dissenter in the marijuana case, and has been the most insistent voice arguing that the anti-New Deal justices had it right all along. The Commerce Clause wasnt supposed to be a free pass for federal activism. If Congress can regulate this under the Commerce Clause, Thomas wrote, then it can regulate virtually anything  quilting bees, clothes drives and potluck suppers.Thats about where we stand as the chickens return to the stage -- except for one rather intriguing irony. For just about all of the past century, conservatives have wanted to rein in the Commerce Clause to control the excesses of the federal government. Now the egg plaintiffs want to use the feds to counter the liberal initiatives of the states. They want the Supreme Court to rule that the federal government not only has the authority to regulate commerce among the states -- it has the exclusive authority. No state has the right to dictate how other states choose to regulate business opportunities and manufacturing processes within their own borders, says Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, a Republican who is one of the leaders on the plaintiffs side.The Humane Society dismisses the current challenge to the California and Massachusetts laws as a legal Hail Mary, even if it has 13 states behind it. But a number of nonpartisan observers are beginning to take the challenge more seriously. If you read what the Commerce Clause actually says, Purdue University economist Jayson Lusk told me, this could be a violation of it.But if the legal technicalities of egg regulation are a bit abstruse, the politics of the issue are not. Given an opportunity to vote for almost any proposition that promotes humane treatment of animals, the public will buy it. The original egg regulation initiative, in California in 2008, got 63 percent of the vote. The one in Massachusetts in 2016 got 78 percent. Voters tend to look at them favorably if they are framed as anti-cruelty, Lusk says. I dont know if ones ever been defeated.The courts may not be a high-percentage option for the chicken-and-egg people at this point. But they may be the only option.
Since President Trump released his long-awaited infrastructure proposal last month, much of the focus has been on the relatively small amount of federal funding -- $200 billion -- that the White House believes will jump-start $1.5 trillion in total investments from state and local governments and the private sector.Another piece of the puzzle, however, is one that's not getting as much attention but is just as vital: why building infrastructure costs so much in the U.S.The United States is one of the most expensive -- if not the priciest -- countries in the world for infrastructure projects. One analysis by the Urban Institute, which ranked the cost of the worlds major rail projects, found that four of the 12 priciest rail projects are based in U.S. cities: Boston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Often, costs are 10 or even 20 times higher than similar projects in foreign cities.Part of the higher price tags are explained by stricter permitting regulations and liability standards that can drag out construction projects and increase their cost. Trump's plan calls for reduced red tape and regulations to help speed projects along.But there's only so much the feds can do, says Urban Institute senior fellow Tracy Gordon.The federal government plays a relatively small role in dragging down the process, she says. Its the local governments that can really prolong construction times. The federal government can do what it wants, but at some point you need to get local approvals, she says. And I just havent really seen that idea of better coordination fully addressed.New York is one of the most expensive places in the world to build, but policymakers at the state and federal level are trying to change that.Lawmakers in the state Assembly are pushing a bill that would allow cities to use the design-build procurement methodon government projects, something proponents say would lower project costs.Meanwhile in Congress, a bill is being considered that would require New York'sfederally funded projects to adhere to the same liability standards found in all other states. New York has the nation's highest liability standard for property owners, a fact that several reports and groups have cited as something that drives up construction costs and causes delays. If approved, the bill could have a dramatic impact as New York received nearly $3.3 billion in federal transportation grants in 2016 alone, according to the state comptroller's office.New York Citys East Side Access project, which will connect the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Terminal, is expected to cost $1.8 billion per mile by the time its finished in 2023. And a recent report by New Yorks Regional Plan Association found that the Second Avenue Subway is the worlds most expensive subway extension, at a cost of $807 million per track mile.The federal legislation targets New Yorks 1885 Scaffold Act, which imposes absolute liability on a property owner or construction employer in any case of a work-related fall. According to a 2013 Rockefeller Institute report, the law has the effect of increasing construction costs by about 7 percent. Although most states had such a law on the books a century ago, federal health and safety protections and state workers compensation laws have supplanted scaffold laws everywhere except New York.Its important to note the bill were advocating for doesnt alter safety provisions, says Tom Stebbins, executive director of the tort reform group Lawsuit Reform Alliance New York. It just applies liability for these injuries the way its done elsewhere.The design-build state legislation, which came close to passing last year, would allow portions of projects to be bundled in the same bid rather than going through separate procurement processes. Legislation in 2011 authorized the method for only five state agencies. According to New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, design-build could have shaved about two years off the construction time of an upcoming reconstruction on a section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.But stricter regulations and added construction costs dont fully explain why it's so expensive to build infrastructure in the U.S.As Gordon and her Urban Institute co-author David Schleicher note in their analysis, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, like the United States, are also home to common law systems that provide legal protectionsfor property holders and allow more lawsuits, which similarly drives up costs in those countries. Yet costs in the U.S. still tend to run much higher.And, Gordon and Schleicher point out, some non-common law countries, including Germany, also have strong legal protections yet low rail construction costs.Stebbins offers up one reason for the gap. In the United States, weve really monetized our justice system more than any other country, he says. Weve turned it into a business. You dont need to go far in any American city to see a billboard or bus spattered with the words, Injured? Get cash today.Political fragmentation and electoral politics are other potential culprits. For instance, elected officials compete with each other to bring more federal and private spending home to their districts. And large projects spanning multiple jurisdictions can get tied up amid conflicting political priorities within one region. Still, no one has really been able to pinpoint why exactly infrastructure costs so much more in the U.S.But its worth realizing that costly mega-projects make people distrustful that good projects will come to the fore, write Gordon and Schleicher. Figuring out why costs are so high may be crucial not only to bringing those costs down but to getting a real consensus on infrastructure and a reliable source of funds for the nations roads, bridges and transit.
Treatment Coercion

Detention Orders

Nowhere to Go

Why Tampa?

TAMPA, Fla.  In an opioid epidemic that is killing more than a hundred Americans every day, many families of overdose victims feel helpless when it comes to convincing their loved ones to seek treatment.Police and other first responders  who often rescue the same people again and again  are similarly frustrated about their lack of authority to detain users long enough for their heads to clear so they can consider treatment.But here in Tampa, police, health care professionals and families have a powerful legal tool not available in many other places: the 1993 Marchman Act. Families and health care professionals can use the state law to marchman, or involuntarily commit people into substance abuse treatment when they are deemed a danger to themselves or others.Although the statute applies to all jurisdictions in the state, court records show that it has been employed in Tampa and surrounding Hillsborough County far more than anywhere else. Hillsborough County accounts for less than 7 percent of the states population and more than 40 percent of its Marchman commitments.Police use the Marchman Act to pick up people without a court order and take them to a designated stabilization and assessment center. Addiction professionals use the law when a patient fails to show up for treatment. And parents and friends use it when they fear a loved ones life is at risk.Across the country, state lawmakers are grappling with how to give first responders and medical professionals the same kind of legal leeway  without violating drug users civil liberties.Its been one of the most hotly debated opioid issues of the past year, said Sherry Green, a consultant and former legal analyst with the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws.Tampas success with the Marchman Act could be a model.More than 400 people in Tampa and surrounding Hillsborough County were involuntarily committed into addiction assessment and treatment last year, according to circuit court records. More than two-thirds completed their court-ordered programs.Thats a success rate that substantially exceeds the 50 percent threshold most researchers use in determining whether an addiction treatment is effective, said David Gastfriend, senior research scientist at the Public Health Management Corporation in Philadelphia.Nearly 12 million Americans have an addiction to opioid painkillers and heroin, according to the most recent survey from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Only 1 in 5 are receiving treatment.A shortage of treatment capacity is part of the problem, addiction experts say, but denial and refusal to seek treatment is the primary reason. The vast majority of Americans with a drug addiction do not receive treatment because they say they do not need it.Research also shows that people who are coerced into treatment either through criminal courts or employer or family intervention are just as successful at beating their addictions as those who voluntarily enter treatment.Thats why governors and lawmakers want to find legal methods to push people into treatment in the vulnerable moments after theyve been rescued from an overdose and are in contact with police and medical professionals who can help.At least 33 states have laws that technically allow loved ones and others to involuntarily commit people who put their lives at risk by using drugs, according to the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws. But since they can only be implemented with a judges approval, typically during business hours, commitment laws have been largely ineffective at preventing people who are rescued from an overdose from walking away, using drugs again and overdosing.Florida has the oldest law authorizing emergency detention for drug and alcohol users without court involvement. Colorado and Minnesota have similar emergency commitment statutes, and a handful of other states have emergency provisions on the books that are seldom used, according to Green.Theres a great deal of frustration among first responders who revive or resuscitate individuals and then watch them get up and walk away, said Kentucky state Rep. Kimberly Moser, a Republican.Under a bill Moser proposed last month along with four other Republican House members, first responders would have the authority to sign a 72-hour noncriminal detention order, requiring an overdose victim to be transported to a hospital or treatment facility to be held until an addiction assessment is completed and a treatment plan developed.Mosers bill would complement, but not amend, an existing civil commitment law in Kentucky. Caseys Law has been used successfully by hundreds of families for more than a decade to coerce loved ones with dangerous drug addictions into treatment. That law requires a court proceeding, which can take days or weeks.In Massachusetts, a similar emergency commitment bill, which Republican Gov. Charlie Baker first proposed in 2015, would allow medical professionals and first responders to detain patients who have been revived from a drug overdose and transport them to a specialized addiction facility for emergency assessment and treatment.Bakers proposal would amend the states existing court-involved civil commitment law (known as Section 35), and give designated receiving facilities up to 72 hours to engage patients in treatment.Opposed by major medical groups as well as the American Civil Liberties Union, the Massachusetts bill is part of the governors comprehensive plan to stem the states raging opioid epidemic.Last year, Indiana enacted a law calling for limited use of emergency commitment in three counties for people who are revived from a drug overdose. The program, still in the development phase, requires counties to keep records on how many patients are committed, what type of treatment they receive, and how many are completing treatment.Critics in Indiana, Kentucky and Massachusetts argue that a shortage of treatment slots would make it difficult to find a facility capable of emergency care.One of the frustrations is that people who voluntarily seek treatment often cant access care when they need it, said Dr. Sarah Wakeman, who heads addiction services at Massachusetts General Hospital. I wouldnt suggest that involuntary treatment is the way to go.Florida has long had a disproportionate share of the nations rehabilitation centers and residential addiction treatment facilities, but as the opioid epidemic worsens, the states treatment capacity has been stretched thin.Still, the state has designated a handful of treatment facilities to accept Marchman Act patients in Hillsborough County. Professionals at those places say they rarely have to turn away a patient because of a lack of capacity.We may not be able to give them the level of service they need, particularly if they need a bed, said Mary Lynn Ulrey, CEO of DACCO, a community-based treatment service provider here in Tampa. But we immediately engage them in an appropriate level of service and move them into a more intensive level of service within a few days.Tampa is one of only four places in Florida with a locked central receiving facility where police can take adults and children with mental illness and addiction and have them evaluated for treatment.Elsewhere in Florida and in much of the country, hospital emergency departments, crisis centers and addiction treatment centers serve as the first stop for police who rescue opioid users from an overdose. Many of those places are unlocked and ill-equipped to perform an emergency addiction assessment on an unwilling drug user.In Kentucky, Moser said the state plans to use federal and state grants to create secure triage centers in rural areas where there are no hospitals or addiction treatment centers within 50 miles.And in Massachusetts, at legislative hearings on Bakers emergency commitmentproposal, physician groups and hospitals argued that in many parts of the state there would not be enough room at local hospitals and treatment facilities.Here in Tampa theres little mystery why the Marchman Act is more widely used than anywhere else in Florida. A circuit judge here, infamous among some drug users who werent quite ready to quit, has dedicated his career to helping people with addictions find treatment and turn their lives around, whether they want to or not.When hes not hearing Marchman cases, Judge Jack Espinosa Jr. is presiding over drug courts, family courts and juvenile cases. And he does everything in his power, addiction professionals say, to ensure that people who are ordered into treatment stay there.Marchman Act orders are civil proceedings. Police dont arrest the people they pick up under the laws emergency powers. Instead, they bring them to health care professionals who stabilize and assess them to determine the nature and severity of their addiction.Once a health care professional has recommended a treatment plan  which can range from six months of outpatient counseling with medication to three days of detox and 30 days of residential treatment at an average cost of $5,500 to $7,000  Espinosa is then asked to order the person to complete it.If a patient doesnt show up for treatment on any given day, a sheriffs deputy is sent to pick the person up. I use the common law powers of contempt of court to enforce the order, Espinosa explained.We have better outcomes with our Marchman Act patients than with any of our other patients, said Linda Mann, an addiction specialist at DACCO. They know Espinosa will send the sheriff around. That gives us leverage we dont have with our other patients.
In the election season's first primary of 2018,populists continued to gain ground in their Texas Republican civil war with moderates.Most of the moderate or establishment Republicans who were targeted in primaries on Tuesday managed to hold on to their seats, but the faction of more populist conservatives, who take a hard line on taxes and social issues, made further advances and could pick up additional seats in May's runoff elections."There's been a gradual shift toward the more conservative wing of the party, and that continued in Tuesday's primary," says Brandon Rottinghaus, a political scientist at the University of Houston. "Little by little, they chip away at the support of moderates."Around the country, there's been a longstanding battle within the GOP over the party's "soul." Different generations of conservatives under banners such as the Tea Party have led insurgent campaigns against old guard Republicans thought to be insufficiently conservative for the times. The party continues to evolve under President Trump.The results in Texas suggest that the populist wing's power is rising against conservatives who are mainly concerned with issues such as business or education.Texas has long been firmly under GOP control, with every statewide office held by a Republican. The party currently holds more than 60 percent of the seats in both legislative chambers. But there has been real tension within the party.Last year, House Speaker Joe Straus blocked several priority bills pushed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the conservative wing in the state Senate, including an effort to defund Planned Parenthood, a lower cap on local property tax increases and a so-called bathroom bill to regulate use of public facilities by transgender individuals.Straus didn't seek reelection, but various conservative groups -- such as Empower Texans, Texas Eagle Forum and Texas Right to Life -- sought to oust incumbents associated with him. Their backing from wealthy individuals in the oil and gas industries has erased the traditional financial advantage enjoyed by the establishment wing.Although 14 of the 21 candidates endorsed by Empower Texans were defeated on Tuesday, they managed to knock off a couple of incumbents and take advantage of open seats to expand the ranks of lawmakers who share their points of view."Since the establishment is on the defensive, any loss is significant for them," says Mark P. Jones, a Rice University political scientist. "They're a group that's shrinking, and they didn't add any House seats."Lt. Gov. Patrick, who easily won nomination to a second term, solidified his dominance in the Senate. State Rep. Patrick Fallon soundly defeated veteran state Sen. Craig Estes, making centrists even more of an endangered species in the chamber. Kel Seliger, who narrowly avoided a runoff by taking 50.5 percent of the vote, will be the last moderate left in the state Senate."Everybody else will be in lockstep with Lt. Gov. Patrick," says Jones.The outcome wasn't as dire for establishment conservatives in the House, where several Straus allies managed to hold on. However, some populist conservatives who were targeted also beat back primary challenges. All told, the Tea Party wing could see a net gain of three to six House seats once the runoff results come in, according to Jones.Scott Braddock, editor of the Quorum Report, says that the establishment wing of the party could remain strong enough in the House to act as a bulwark against the more conservative Senate. Straus may be out, he says, but someone with his temperament may still take over as speaker."The most important vote these members will take in 2019 is for speaker of the House," he says. "That could be someone like Joe Straus who is willing to tell the governor and the lieutenant governor 'no' on occasion."Not every race came down to loyalty to a particular party wing, says James Riddlesberger, a political scientist at Texas Christian University. For example, moderate GOP Rep. Charlie Geren from Fort Worth, whose brother represented the area in Congress as a Democrat, withstood a well-funded challenge from Bo French, an activist and investor."Geren is a well-known candidate and the result may have had more to do with that, rather than whether Empower Texans was behind Bo French," Riddlesberger says.Gov. Greg Abbott, who trounced two primary opponents on Tuesday to win nomination for a second term, sought to unseat three House Republicans who had questioned the way he raises campaign cash.Two of them won anyway. The third, state Rep. Wayne Faircloth, lost to Mayes Middleton, an oil businessman who put more than $1 million of his own money into the race."I will not be told by anyone in Austin whether I am a Republican," state Rep. Sarah Davis, who was hit with more than $200,000 worth of attack ads sponsored by Abbott, said at her victory celebration. As the sole supporter of abortion rights among House Republicans, she says her win "was about ... the right of a representative to vote her conscience and her district."It's always dicey for governors to challenge incumbents in primaries. They risk reducing their own stature when they don't prevail. In Abbott's case, the results suggest that while he polls as the most popular politician in the state, that popularity may not be transferable to others."If he's going to involve himself in primary fights, he needs to win," says Rottinghaus, the Houston political scientist. "The fact that he lost shows that his political brand is not what he hopes it would be and what a lot of people would assume it would be."Abbott, who has raised more than $40 million for his reelection campaign, will be a strong favorite over his eventual Democratic challenger. That will be either Lupe Valdez, the former sheriff of Dallas County, or Andrew White, an entrepreneur and son of former Gov. Mark White. The two will square off in a May runoff.If he wins, Abbott will find himself working with a Senate even more to his liking and a House that may be growing more cooperative."The movement conservatives view this not as a single battle but as a war with a long time horizon," says Jones of Rice University. "They never expect to flip 12 or 15 seats in any given cycle. Instead, a net pickup of a few seats means an already weakened establishment is weaker in 2019. Over time, the movement conservative wing [will be] predominant in the House, just like it is now in the Senate."
As polls opened in the Texas primaries on Tuesday, The Texas Tribune laid out seven key questions for election night. Now that the smoke is clearing, here are the answers:In short: No.Before Election Day, a snapshot of the 10 counties in Texas with the highest number of registered voters showed motivated Democrats casting ballots early. But totals in the primaries for U.S. Senate told a different story: More than 1.5 million people voted in the Republican primary, with close to 100 percent reporting, compared to about 1 million Democrats, also with a near 100 percent reporting.State Reps. Sarah Davis of West University Place and Lyle Larson of San Antonio are one step closer to returning to the Texas House in 2019  despite Abbott making an extraordinary effort to unseat them. Both Republicans won their primaries Tuesday night but face general election challengers.But the governor did prevail in one race: Abbott-backed Mayes Middleton unseated state Rep. Wayne Faircloth of Galveston on Tuesday, edging out the incumbent by roughly 15 percentage points.Abbott went to particular great lengths to unseat Davis, dumping around a quarter million of his own dollars on the race. Davis led Susanna Dokupil by more than 10 percentage points with almost all precincts reporting Tuesday night.The governors 1-for-3 record  and Davis explicit shots at Abbott during her victory speech  could color the next legislative session in 2019.Laura Moser secured a slot in the partys primary runoff Tuesday, despite rare attempts by national Democrats to end her bid over concerns she is too liberal for the district.Moser, a journalist and activist, will face attorney Lizzie Pannill Fletcher in the May 22 runoff  which will likely be a brutal intra-party fight and could divide west Houston and the national Democratic Party.Fletcher on Tuesday led the crowded Democratic field with 30 percent of the vote, and Moser placed second with 24 percent of the vote.Whoever makes it out of the runoff will face U.S. Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, in the fall. This race is one of three in Texas where Democrats are expected to target in hopes of gaining a majority in the U.S. House in 2019.Land Commissioner George P. Bush took a giant step toward serving a second term Tuesday night, winning outright a four-way Republican primary race for the statewide office.Bush  who kept a low profile during the campaign  raked in nearly 58 percent of the vote with around 93 percent of precincts reporting, avoiding a runoff against his predecessor, Jerry Patterson. Patterson came in second with around 30 percent of the vote, with Davey Edwards and Rick Range coming in third and fourth place, respectively.Bush, the nephew of President George W. Bush and son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, will face Democrat Miguel Suazo in a November general election thats not expected to be competitive.Five of the eight open-seat congressional primary races are headed to runoffs  the other three were decided Tuesday night.State Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano, easily won the nomination to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Richardson, and is expected to win the seat in Novembers general election.State Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, also won her partys nomination Tuesday for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, placing her on track to win in the fall.Veronica Escobar edged out other Democrats in a crowded race for the seat currently occupied by U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, who is leaving to run for the U.S. Senate.Heres whos set for a one-on-one matchup in the remaining races:2nd Congressional District  Republicans Kevin Roberts, a Houston state representative, and Dan Crenshaw5th Congressional District  Republicans Lance Gooden and Bunni Pounds6th Congressional District  Republicans Ron Wright and Jake Ellzey21st Congressional District  Republicans Chip Roy and Matt McCall27th Congressional District  Republicans Bech Bruun and Michael CloudPaxton beat Huffines on Tuesday by about 10 percentage points in their race for an open state Senate seat.The contest between Paxton, wife of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Huffines, twin brother of state Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas, was the most expensive primary for a state office this year.Lupe Valdez, the former Dallas County sheriff, and Andrew White, son of late Gov. Mark White, will duke it out this spring over who will be on the November ballot against Abbott.Both Valdez and White have long been considered likely frontrunners for the nomination. The two stayed far ahead of the other seven Democrats who had lined up to challenge Abbott on Tuesday night, with Valdez leading with around 42 percent and White placing second with roughly 28 percent.Whoever wins the May 22 runoff will face an uphill climb in their efforts to unseat Abbott. Hes the most popular statewide elected official, and he has $41 million in the bank for his re-election bid.
In Connecticut, the state that heavily cracked down on guns in the wake of a 2012 mass shooting at an elementary school, there's a new push to cut the National Rifle Association out of the gun-permitting equation.On Monday, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin sent a letter to Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy and top state lawmakers, calling for the state to develop its own curriculum for training instructorsand gun-holders. The only other jurisdictions that run their own training programs are California and Washington, D.C. -- for instructors -- and Rhode Island -- for gun-holders.Bronin, a Democrat running to replace Malloy, said language in the states gun permitting statute acts as inadvertent, indirect support for the NRA and works to legitimize the group.Connecticut is one of seven states that requires gun-holders to take a gun safety training, and like Maryland and Massachusetts,requires that training to be with instructors certified by the NRA or U.S. Concealed Carry Association. Hawaii goes further and requires gun applicants to take an NRA-certified safety class.It is both unnecessary and unacceptable for the NRA to have such status in Connecticut law. As a result, residents are effectively required to subsidize the NRA and its agenda, Bronin wrote.Malloy commended the mayor for his letter and said the state legislature -- which is controlled by Democrats -- would take his proposal into consideration. He went on to say that the NRA acts like a "terrorist organization.""The NRA today is a far cry from the NRA that in 1999 said that teachers shouldn't carry weapons in schools, said Malloy. Or in the 90s said we should have universal background checks. They have in essence become a terrorist organization."In its defense, the NRA reportedly said, Public safety isnt improved by eliminating the NRA training and standards for Connecticuts permit holders or by calling people who disagree with you terrorists."Bronin's letter comes as the nation is swept by a student-led push to make schools safer, guns harder to get and the NRA less influential in politics. In the last month, for instance, city leaders in Dallas urged the NRA to find a new location for its convention in May. And the state of Georgia locked itself in a battle with Delta Airlines. After the company ended discounts for NRA members, the state revoked a $40 milllion tax break for Delta.The debate sparked after a mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., left 17 people dead last month. It's a kind of tragedy that Connecticut knows all too well.In 2012, Adam Lanza killed 28 people, including 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Soon thereafter, the state expanded its assault weapons ban, banned high-capacity magazines and created immediate universal background checks.
With more than 100 orange-clad gun control advocates in the Capitol demanding action, Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday signed a bill banning a device that can make a semi-automatic rifle fire so fast it mimics a machine gun.But those advocates weren't enough to push the Senate into voting on a bill that would put new restrictions on the sale of semi-automatic rifles and establish new school safety programs.The bump stock bill, which contains money for a buy-back program for devices that are turned into the Washington State Patrol, got its final vote in the Legislature last week. Inslee noted the signing was occurring 156 days after the Las Vegas massacre in which the gunman used the devices, and that the parents of one of the victims, Carrie Parsons, were there to witness it."This is a common sense piece of legislation," he said. "It will help save lives from acts of massive gun violence."Inslee called for the Legislature to take even more action in the three days it has left in the regular session by passing a bill that would raise the age for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21, and require the more extensive background check required in Washington for the purchase of a handgun.Although that bill has been stripped of its references to tactical features or assault weapons, it would cover the AR-15 and similar semi-automatic weapons like the one used in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting.Inslee urged lawmakers to "step up to the plate ... throw off the shackles of the NRA."Later Tuesday evening, however, the Senate adjourned without taking up the legislation that covered semi-automatic rifles and had other measures to improve school safety. A vote on the bill was originally scheduled for last Saturday, then delayed until Monday and again Tuesday. It also had 23 proposed amendments, signaling the likelihood of a protracted debate with only two days left in the session.Sen. David Frockt, D-Seattle, initially said the bill would have to pass the Senate Tuesday to have a chance to go to the House and pass that chamber before the regular session ends by midnight Thursday. Tuesday evening, he said he was "discouraged" but had not completely given up."A bunch of us are trying to find a way forward, but we're down to the wire," Frockt said. "We tried to be responsive to the public outcry."In the morning, Frockt told more than 100 activists wearing orange hats, scarves or T-shirts signifying the Alliance for Gun Responsibility that they should speak up to let legislators know they supported gun safety measures."Be loud," he told them. "Be respectful."A few hours later, a couple dozen activists in orange gathered outside the doors to the Senate, chanting "Take the vote! Take the vote!" But the Senate had gone on a break for lunch, and few lawmakers were in the chamber.
Gov. Jim Justice signed into law a 5 percent pay raise for public school teachers and school service personnel Tuesday that appears to mark the end of the nine-school-day statewide strike.By 7 p.m., multiple county school systems, including Kanawha's, announced that they're reopening schools Wednesday. None said they'd be closed, although Fayette and Logan counties announced 2-hour delays.Before a meeting of a conference committee composed of Senators and members of the House of Delegates, Justice announced that all state employees, along with teachers, school service personnel (a category including bus drivers and cooks) and State Police would receive a 5 percent raise. The raises will take effect next fiscal year, which starts July 1, and equal $2,020 for teachers.Both houses of the Legislature voted unanimously Tuesday, except for Delegate Frank Dean, R-Wood, who was absent, to accept the conference committee report and pass the bill."We have reached a deal," Justice said on Twitter. "I stood rock solid on the 5 percent teacher pay raise and delivered. Not only this, but my staff and I made additional cuts which will give all state employees 5 percent as well. All the focus should have always been on fairness and getting the kids back in school."The legislation (House Bill 4145) that Justice signed Tuesday includes only the teachers, school service workers and West Virginia State Police. Other state employees are planned to receive raises via the budget bill.H.B. 4145 will replace a previous, lower pay raise bill that Justice already signed into law.Although Justice broke the news, a cadre of legislative leaders erupted in laughter when asked whether Justice was present for the 1 a.m. Tuesday negotiation that led to the compromise. They said his chief of staff, Mike Hall, was present, but not the governor himself, which Justice later confirmed.At the conference committee hearing, Senate Finance Chairman Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, said the deal comes with a caveat -- the Senate only agreed to fund the raises via "very deep" cuts to the budget, including a $20 million slash to general services and Medicaid.These cuts go beyond already planned fiscal reductions to the Department of Commerce and Division of Tourism. Senate Republicans maintained throughout negotiations that they were skeptical of Justice's revenue estimates."There's going to be some pain because, with this, we have not agreed, or we will not be using any of the $58 million of the governor's [new] revenue estimates," Blair said.At a meeting Monday evening, Blair and Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns, R-Ohio, said Senate Republicans didn't believe Justice's revenue figures were accurate, claiming they were made out of emotion, not economic forecasting.The improved estimate came on the heels of a series of town hall events in which school employees criticized Justice for his handling of the strike.Hall and State Budget Office Director Mike McKown told the conference committee the executive office had been receiving phone calls from concerned bond rating agencies, such as Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's.While Hall and McKown said the calls were regarding the strike, not the new revenue figures, Ferns said he is skeptical the agencies were not concerned about the estimates.Around 10 a.m. Tuesday, Justice appeared amid the crowd of hundreds that, for many strike days, has been gathered in front of the Senate chamber.Before Justice's arrival, the crowd was chanting "We made a deal; pass that bill!"When he appeared, they were chanting for him to sign the legislation, but then a hush fell over the crowd and people held their phones up to record the governor."It's solid; it's rock solid on 5 percent," Justice said, eliciting cheers."At the end of the day, the main thing we need to do is to get our kids back into school," the governor said. "I believed in your purpose, I believed in you and I love our kids, and so now we've got our state moving in the right direction. It was time to do the right thing, it took a lot of pulling, it took a lot of pulling from me, it took a lot of pulling from our House leaders and everything, it took a lot of pulling from everybody to get there, but we're there."On Tuesday of last week, when Justice announced a proposal that he said would end the strike, Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, wasn't on board. Justice said this Tuesday morning that Carmichael supported the new deal.When Justice left the crowd, its members started chanting: "55 strong!"All 55 counties have participated in this strike, unlike the last strike, in 1990, which included 47 at its peak.Then the crowd sang John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Strikers had sung it earlier that morning and, by 11:30 a.m., they were singing it again, and they sang it again after the bill passed the Senate, and again just before Justice signed the bill.Shortly after Justice announced a deal had been reached, a group of Democratic lawmakers appeared before the crowd, urging the audience to show up for the November election, when all 100 House members, among other lawmakers, have their seats up for grabs."If you do not come back this November, they're going to come back with vengeance," said Delegate Isaac Sponaugle, D-Pendleton.He noted that Public Employees Insurance Agency health coverage, which has been the primary concern among many striking employees, isn't "fixed." Lawmakers are planning to provide enough funding to keep any premium increases and benefit cuts at bay through at least mid-2019, and the governor has established a task force to study long-term solutions."It's not going to get fixed with the makeup of this current Legislature," Sponaugle said.Sen. Mike Romano, D-Harrison, also brought up PEIA."Remember who made you come here the last two weeks," Romano said, "and remember in November."At about 11:50 a.m., the crowd was doing a call-and-response chant: "We're not leaving!" some chanted, while others responded "Until you sign it!"At one point, members of the crowd outside the Senate chamber did something rarely seen before -- they sat down."Just tired," Parry Casto said.He's a teacher at Cabell County's Explorer Academy and a member of the band MFB who, decked out in his "Funkle Sam" stars and stripes outfit, complete with top hat, has been somewhat of a crowd emcee."Plus, it was kind of a premature celebration," Casto said of the earlier adulation. The Senate had not yet passed the bill.House Clerk Steve Harrison was cheered as a hero as he transported the bill from the House to the Senate.Huntington Middle School teacher Adam Culver -- the man who'd returned the day after last week's "deal" was announced wearing a hat shaped like the end of a banana, mostly black clothes otherwise and a sign containing profanity -- was back Tuesday, but in a yellow banana suit."Things were a little darker," Culver said of last week. But while he said last week that the "No. 1 issue was a fix for PEIA," he said employees seem to be happier now that Justice had provided details about the task force and established it through an executive order.By about 1:11 p.m., following repeats of past strike days' chants and songs of "We will remember in November!" and "Na, na, na, na, hey, hey, goodbye!" there was a new chant: "Back to school!"Sen. Greg Boso, R-Nicholas, likened the factors driving the bill to those that make precious stones."It's like the process of making diamonds -- little bit of dust, a lot of pressure, under time, it comes out with the best," he said. "Obviously, there's pain associated with change. I'm just thankful we're able to pay all of our public employees."Justice said at the news conference/bill signing that he'd be asking state schools Superintendent Steve Paine "to work with county superintendents to create flexibility with respect to satisfying the calendar-day requirements." Several people in the audience whispered "yes" in response."Our children have suffered enough," Justice said. This elicited cheers and applause."We need to return some sense of normalcy to the education process," he said. "Families should and will have the time for their summer vacations."Justice was asked if, by "flexibility," he meant not having to make up classroom days missed because of the strike, as well as if that wouldn't be even more academically damaging to students. He said Paine and the state Board of Education have "educational wisdom beyond me.""Surely to goodness, they, with you, can catch our kids up, and do any and everything we possibly can to have academic excellence and consideration of families and consideration of kids and programs that may not be able to get fed, and on and on and on," he said. "So those people are our experts, and I'm requesting they come up with solutions."The audience clapped at this, and Justice said, "Now I'm going to sign.""At the direction of Governor Justice, I will immediately begin working with our State Board of Education to explore all possible avenues for local districts to make up the instructional time that has been lost throughout the last nine days," Paine said in a news release after Justice's comments."My staff and I will work with each of our counties to identify every opportunity to maximize meaningful instruction while also minimizing disruption to students and families," Paine said. "We are committed to providing timely technical assistance to each individual county to innovatively restructure their calendars and to find additional flexibility within their local attendance policies to better accommodate the needs of families."Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association union, said of the strike that "teachers and service professionals across the state have put their lives on the line and put them on hold to make sure democracy was upheld and that their voices were heard. This allows teachers to come back to West Virginia and stay. We're turning the corner, folks; it's time to come back home."I think we've awakened a sleeping giant," Lee said. "Now we've learned that, if we open our eyes and unite collectively and watch the process and make sure that we're following the process, that we have strength, far more than we ever believed."He said he isn't concerned about the possibility of not having 180 separate school days, saying teachers "know that they will be able to get [students] to the point they need to be."Before the crowd dispersed Tuesday, it chanted "West Virginia first; Oklahoma next!" Oklahoma school employees have been mulling a strike, according to news reports.Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers union, which has state and county arms here, said "right-wing" attacks on public education are occurring in West Virginia and other states."As West Virginia proves, the people will become even more political and take their case directly to the Statehouse," she said of the response to these alleged attacks. "This is a great moment for West Virginia and a great moment for the country."
Governor's Program

The Governors Official Program is comprised of a wide range of constitutional and legal duties and ceremonial and community engagements. Each year, the Governor hosts thousands of visitors to Government House to take part in investiture and award ceremonies, Open Days, receptions and meetings, and travels widely throughout Queensland to support the activities of Patron groups. View a chronological record of the Governors daily program below.
DPA 2017), which repealed the Data Protection Act 2004, was the focus of a one-day workshop yesterday at the Intercontinental Mauritius Resort, in Balaclava. The aim was to educate and sensitise stakeholders on the new legislation which came into force on 15 January 2018 to further protect the rights to privacy of individuals.

( DPA 2017), which repealed the Data Protection Act 2004, was the focus of a one-day workshop yesterday at the Intercontinental Mauritius Resort, in Balaclava. The aim was to educate and sensitise stakeholders on the new legislation which came into force on 15 January 2018 to further protect the rights to privacy of individuals.

The Data Protection Act 2017 ( DPA 2017), which repealed the Data Protection Act 2004, was the focus of a one-day workshop yesterday at the Intercontinental Mauritius Resort, in Balaclava. The aim was to educate and sensitise stakeholders on the new legislation which came into force on 15 January 2018 to further protect the rights to privacy of individuals.

In his opening address, the Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Yogida Sawmynaden, underlined that it is no surprise that Mauritius chose to adopt appropriate data protection legislations and is among one of the first countries in Africa to do so since the ICT sector has gained tremendous importance, island-wide, as the third pillar of the economy. The increased sophistication of information technology in its capacity to collect, analyse and disseminate information of individuals has introduced a sense of urgency to the demand for legislation, he added.

According to the Minister, it is beyond doubt that technological innovation is having transformational impact on the way business is conducted and the way people interact among themselves as well as with Government and other stakeholders.

Speaking about privacy, Mr Sawmynaden underpinned that population throughout the world express fears about its infringement. With the rapid proliferation of cloud computing and internet of things, amongst others, individuals both in Mauritius and beyond want to feel confident that their privacy is being strongly protected, he emphasised. As the global economy shifts more into a computer information space, the relevance of data protection and the mean for controlling privacy increases further, he observed.

Moreover, the Minister highlighted that while information technologies are indispensable source of economic growth, they also raise the need for more effective protection of citizens. The starting point of an effective system of data protection is that the use of personal data should be relevant, fair, lawful, accurate, and adequate and appropriate organisational and security measures should be taken to prevent unlawful disclosure or unauthorised access, he pointed out.

For her part, the Data Protection Commissioner, Mrs Drudeisha Madhub, underscored that privacy is considered to be an international fundamental human right and it has become imperative for us to protect privacy given its vulnerable nature. The Data Protection Office, in collaboration with several Ministries and the State Law Office came up with a new law DPA 2017 to cement Mauritiuss position in Africa at the forefront of technological innovation international data sharing and the protection of personal data, she emphasised.

The DPA 2017, said Mrs Madhub, increases accountability of Data Controllers and Processors resulting in better administration, greater productivity and efficiency and high levels of security across organisations. Those organisations who will succeed under the new law will be those who recognise that the key feature of the Act is to put the individual at the heart of their data protection policies, she added.

Participants attending the workshop are those responsible for data protection issues within their respective organisations namely legal advisors, data protection officers and compliance officers. A Guide and a video clip Introductory Guide to the Data Protection Act 2017 were launched on that occasion.

DPA 2017

The Data Protection Act 2017 has as objective to strengthen the control and personal autonomy of data subjects (individuals) over their personal data. It is in line with current relevant international standards, in particular the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data.

Major changes brought in the new Act

Some of the main changes brought to the new Data Protection Act 2017 include:

Modernisation of existing data protection principles and key definitions such as consent and personal data;

Introduction of new concepts namely: Data Protection Impact Assessments; Notification by controllers of personal data breaches to the Data Protection Office and data subjects; Voluntary certification mechanisms and data protection seals & marks for controllers; and, Rights to object to automated individual decision-making including profiling);

Simplifying: the registration/renewal process of controllers and processors; the complaints mechanism and the procedures related to hearings conducted by the Data Protection Office; the ease of business, in particular in terms of free flow of data from EU or other parts of the world to Mauritius.
hree Mobile Applications, namely the Smart Traffic, Smart Police and Consumer Protection were launched yesterday in Ebene by the Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Yogida Sawmynaden, in the context of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Independence of Mauritius.

In his address, Minister Sawmynaden underpinned the indispensable role of the smart phone in the daily life of people. Its usage cuts across all walks of life and help to make life more comfortable, easier and more productive, he said. More importantly, he added, the availability of Mobile Applications has undoubtedly brought forth a whole level of new and innovative experience that has considerably changed the way smart phone users lead their lives.

On that note, the Minister highlighted that this initiative is in line with the 2017-2018 budgetary measure of developing Mobile Applications to provide information on Government services as part of Governments strategy to move towards a fully-fledged digital society. The conceptualisation of the Mobile Applications, he said, forms part of Governments aim of moulding Mauritius into a modern country by harnessing a digital economy and society. He emphasised that as Mauritius is celebrating its 50th anniversary of Independence, Government seeks to promote a new mindset so that the country marches towards a new era of development.

Minister Sawmynaden further pointed out that multiple endeavours are being undertaken to yield significant advances in the technological landscape for the betterment of both the country and the population. In this regard, he announced that the Info Highway Project conceptualised by the Ministry has been selected among the top 5 by the International Telecommunication Union in the E-Government category of the World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2018.

He listed out other measures which include: the installation of more than 353 Wi-Fi spots and 250 more that will be added shortly; launching of several E-services, among which the Citizen Support Unit Portal and the My.t Weather Application; and a better internet connection system in Rodrigues. Mr Sawmynaden announced that his Ministry is working on other Mobile Applications namely for reporting child abuse and for emergencies and alerts.

Also present on this occasion, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection, Mr Ashit Gungah, underscored the pivotal need of a country to innovate and adapt to the evolution of technology. He pointed out that the conceptualisation of these Mobile Applications demonstrates Governments intent of harnessing digitalised services to provide a more customised and efficient service to the population.

According to him, the Mauritius Consumer Rights Mobile Application is an important milestone for his Ministrys interaction with the population. This will enable to learn about the core needs of consumers and help to constantly enhance services offered to them.

The Mobile Applications

The Smart Traffic Application serves to inform the public about traffic information, including police notifications of congested and closed roads as well as accidents. It also supports visual representations of the road, using Google maps.

The Smart Police Application gives access to emergency numbers and a list and phone numbers of police stations, hospitals and fire stations, private clinics nearest to your location.

The Consumer Protection Application allows consumers to report to the Consumer Affairs Unit any complaints such as defective products and poor service from suppliers and goods. They will receive updates regarding their complaints
March 2018: GIS  7March 2018: As the Golden Jubilee of Mauritius's independence gets under way, we have to further strengthen the macroeconomic fundamentals of the country, both at the infrastructural and social level. We should join forces in this great march towards its modernisation and promote a fair and equitable society to better face the upcoming challenges.

The Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth made this statement yesterday in Port Louis at the official launching of activities on the theme, lame dans lame to mark the 50th anniversary of the Independence of Mauritius. The Minister of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport, Mr Nandcoomar Bodha, the Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, and other eminent personalities, were also present.

On the same occasion, the Prime Minister launched a Mobile App, NouMoris, so that citizens can access the complete calendar of all national events and activities for the National Day celebrations directly on their smartphones. He invited the population to participate with great fervor in this landmark event. According to him, the golden jubilee is a day of pride for the nation and brings together all citizens to celebrate the Independence Day in all its diversity.

The day, he added, also marks the sacrifices of our ancestors who have laid the very foundation of the countrys economic development. On this score, Prime Minister Jugnauth appealed to the nation to pay a special homage to our forebears and called for a concerted effort from each and every one to contribute in sustaining the economic growth of the country while at the same time maintaining understanding, respect and national unity.

For his part, Minister Roopun highlighted that the country has emerged from an underdeveloped country to a developing one and that this transformation has been possible with great synergy at all levels cemented by peace, harmony and unity that have prevailed in the country for the past 50 years.

He also spoke on the new version of the song lame dans lame which has been re-worked with the participation of some 25 local artists.A live performance of the song is scheduled on 12 March at Champ de Mars, he added.

On the other hand, Minister Bodha, emphasised that we should pay tribute to all those individuals who had an exceptional vision towards the progress of the country. Today, we have come a long way and the past 50 years has been a journey of hard work, sacrifices and determination, he underlined. He invited the nation for greater participation in the various activities to mark the 50th Independence Day celebrations so as to create a sense of belonging while at the same consolidating the spirit of patriotism, unity and solidarity.
Blockchain, known mostly for its relationship to cryptocurrencies, could offer public entities safety, efficiency and speed, which explains why so many IT leaders are actively exploring its use in government. Some examples include: finance, contracts, election systems, land/property ownership, autonomous car ownership and even medical records, all of which depend on security and assured reliance on identity.A blockchain facilitates secure online transactions; it is a decentralized and distributed digital ledger that is used to record transactions across many computers so that the record cannot be altered retroactively without the alteration of all subsequent blocks and the cooperation of the network.Last week, several business consultants and several leaders from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) discussed blockchain and its uses.(Blockchain) is more widely adopted in developing countries, said Bertrand Sirodot, an advisory system engineer at Dell EMC. Many developing countries have an incentive to develop these technologies because they do not have a stable, financial infrastructure in place. Governments that have mature financial infrastructure and trust institutions, such as the United States, are lagging on this technology, he added.Currently, the state of Delaware is piloting a blockchain-based corporate registry system in addition to exploring share issuance, a use affirmed by the July 2017 passage of state legislation approving the trade and maintenance of corporate stock on a blockchain. Several federal agencies  including the General Services Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Health and Human Services Department  have announced blockchain pilot programs. Also, New York, Illinois and Texas are among states that are piloting and testing blockchain applications. California currently is not pilot testing the technology.Other countries  Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil, China, India, the United Arab Emirates and Estonia  are running pilots, tests and trials to examine both the architectures broad utility as a basis for government service provision and procurement, and developing individual blockchain-based applications for internal use.Blockchain records are seen as secure because the data is held across several sources in a chain with no third-party intermediary involved. However, the technology still faces some hurdles. There are several issues for blockchain that must be worked out, said Karl Kopper, chief information security officer at Caltrans. There are some security challenges that must be looked at.Kopper referred to issues with the DAO, a digital, decentralized autonomous organization and a form of investor-directed venture capital fund that is built on Ethereum, a system designed for building decentralized applications. In 2016, the DAO triggered a crisis that has sparked doubts about the security of blockchain data.In 2016, the DAO , using a set of smart contracts developed on the platform, raised a record $150 million in a token sale to fund the project. Users of the DAO exploited a vulnerability in the organizations code to enable them to siphon off one-third of the DAOs funds into a subsidiary account.After much controversy over the theft, the Ethereum community decided to hard-fork the Ethereum blockchain to restore virtually all funds to the original contract. This was controversial and led to a fork in Ethereum, where the original unforked blockchain was maintained as Ethereum Classic, thus breaking Ethereum into two separate active blockchains, each with its own cryptocurrency.A hard fork is a rule change to the blockchain software that will see old rules as invalid. To prevent a blockchain split, all nodes running the old software upgrade to the new rules.The fact that you can make the blockchain go in a different direction is a failure of the system, said Kopper. This issue must be worked out before it is applied in the government sector.Currently there are no agreed on standards in blockchain, said David Law, principal solutions architect at Dimension Data. Blockchain is currently like the wild west and it will take a while for the ecosystem to be standardized, he said. But there is tremendous potential for the technology.Eventually, most government agencies will use a private blockchain to house vital data like voting records and real-estate transactions, according to Sirodot. Private blockchain will have a finite number of nodes, and they will be housed within your department, so you will not need the same security as a public node.Once government sees how it can transform its business processes by using blockchain to house records, there will be wider adoption by government bodies in the United States. This is beta tech, he said. We all need to keep learning about it. Eventually, vendors may be able to build use cases that are very attractive for government agencies.
(TNS) - County officials are looking into adopting a community paramedics program to serve residents who have recently been discharged from the hospital, with the goal of keeping them from becoming return visitors.Kevin Mulholland, Brunswick County EMS operations manager, said the program would benefit the county in a number of ways. He said community paramedics would meet the unmet medical needs of citizens who are recent hospital and nursing home discharges.Mulholland said county EMS would work with Novant Health to reach recent discharges.We would go out there and help them try and avoid repeat trips to the emergency room and repeat admissions to the hospital, he said.A community paramedic would visit the discharged patients home and medically monitor them by checking their vitals, teaching family members how to use medical equipment the patient needs, and more, Mulholland said.The community paramedic program also would be able to provide assistance to residents on the countys medically fragile registry who might need help in situations such as an evacuation due to a hurricane.Mulholland said the program would also work with opiate response by conducting follow-up visits with people who have recently overdosed.We would have follow-ups with recent overdoses so we could reduce the response, resuscitate, relapse situation plaguing our area, he said.Mulholland said the program would cost $278,113 to get off the ground and have a recurring yearly cost of $215,000. County Manager Ann Hardy said the program will be taken into consideration as part of the regular budget planning process of the upcoming 2018-19 fiscal year, which starts July 1.Other counties, including New Hanover, already run community paramedic programs.New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) has had a community paramedicine program for the past four years, said Sarah Rivenbark, NHRMC community paramedic.According to a 2016 report on community paramedicine pilot programs, NHRMC community paramedicine patients had a 5-7 percent reduction in readmission rates compared to all NHRMC hospital patients.Additionally, the hospital enrolled 20 of the most frequent users of EMS services into the program and compared their use of EMS services one year before their enrollment in the program to one year after. The study found a $558,000 decrease in expenses. The median charge per patient before their enrollment in the program was $123,046 -- a figure that dropped to $44,425 after joining the program.This program originally was in response to how we could possibly decrease readmission rates for the hospital  that was our focus, Rivenbark said. We worked to be able to fill gaps within the community and not duplicate services, but focus on services that were not currently provided to patients or patients that did not qualify for the services offered.Reporter Makenzie Holland can be reached at 910-343-2371 or Makenzie.Holland@StarNewsOnline.com.2018 the Star-News (Wilmington, N.C.)Visit the Star-News (Wilmington, N.C.) at www.starnewsonline.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS) - Stafford Countys real estate tax rate would drop from 99 cents to 96.5 cents per $100 of taxable value under the county administrators proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year.But residents should not expect lower tax bills in light of the 2018 reassessment, which increased the average home value from $279,000 to $301,300. The average tax bill would be $2,907 under the proposed rate, or $145 more than last year.County Administrator Tom Foley unveiled his recommended $301.1 million budget in a presentation Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors. It represents a 4.6 percent increase over the current spending plan, with more money for schools, additional deputies and firefighters, and a 2 percent pay raise for all county government employees.Foley said he crafted the budget with the countys steady growth in mind, both in the overall population and public school enrollment.Addressing growth is what we feel like we have to do, said Foley, adding that Stafford is the fifth fastest-growing locality in Virginia. This budget makes some strides, but it doesnt get us all the way there.The Board of Supervisors was scheduled to adopt a ceiling for next fiscal years real estate tax rate, but deferred that decision by a 61 vote. Supervisor Cindy Shelton, who cast the dissenting vote, suggested advertising the current 99-cent rate, saying they could always reduce it after a public hearing.Supervisor Wendy Maurer said she thinks county officials need more time to debate the advertised rate, which can only be lowered when supervisors set tax rates next month. Im not saying that I am going to vote for an increase in the tax rate, but I think  we need to consider opening up that conversation to the community, Maurer said.The budget proposal maintains the current car tax rate of $6.46 per $100 of assessed value.Public hearings on the budget and tax rates have been scheduled for April 3, though supervisors may push back that date.Foleys budget includes $151.4 million for schools, a $3.7 million increase over the current fiscal year. Still, that amount is about $9 million shy of the School Boards request, which includes money for pay increases and dozens of additional positions.Its fairly far short because of some of the other demands of this budget, Foley said. The School Board and supervisors will hold a joint meeting March 20.Foley is also proposing a $1.2 million increase in county tax dollars for a state-mandated program that places some students with special needs into private schools. The county expects to put 93 students with disabilities in private schools next year at an average annual cost of $72,000 per student.Foleys proposed contribution to schools does include $285,000 to expand Staffords public day school for students with disabilities, with the hope of decreasing the more expensive private-school placements.The additional positions in Foleys budget proposal include five deputies and 12 firefighters, part of the countys effort to limit response times to 8 minutes or less for most emergency calls. The spending plan also includes six additional social services employees, one Finance Department employee, one information technology worker, and two full-time Department of Economic Development positions.The number of proposed social services employees would drop from six to four if the General Assembly does not expand Medicaid, a health insurance program for low-income Virginians. The federal government would pay 85 percent toward the cost of the Medicaid-related positions, Foley said.On top of the across-the-board 2 percent pay raise, Foleys budget earmarks $625,000 for raises to select employees whose salaries fall below the market rate. That includes employees with the Department of Social Services and 911 dispatchers.Get the headlines newsletter in your inbox each day with the top stories.2018 The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, Va.)Visit The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, Va.) at www.fredericksburg.com/flshomeDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS) - A group of about 20 teachers new to the Highland, Ill., School District were sitting quietly last Friday in the Highland Middle School library undergoing Active Killer/Shooter Awareness Training when the day's lesson suddenly got real. The unmistakable sound of gunshots shattered the silence.Some ducked under desks. Others took up positions behind bookcases. Luckily, this time it was a drill.Highland officer Chris Clewis had passed through the back of the room, shooting blank rounds from an AR-15 rifle."Is everyone okay?" asked Highland Police Sgt. Damian Feeny.Startled eyes stared back at Feeny as the educators began to move shakily back into their seats."Obviously, this is not something that they ever expect to have to go through," Feeny said.But these days, it's a must. Almost every Highland School District employee has been through this training, which is provided on an annual basis, according to Feeny."We want to make sure our school district is as safe as it possibly can be," Feeny said.The class was first curated by the Highland Police Department about five years ago for the school district, though HPD now also provides similar instruction to organizations and churches. The training is taught by specially certified officers and is designed to help develop situational awareness for highly stressful emergencies and active threats.The class starts with a classroom-like discussion. The officers go over the tactics for handling emergencies, including managing students, 911 calls, being a good witness, what to expect when officers arrive on scene, and how to handle weapons they find. Teachers are also given a list of other active shooter resources, and have the opportunity to ask questions.At one point, the class moves out into hallways and classrooms, where employees are taught how to use their surroundings to help protect themselves and their students. Officers demonstrate how to make effective door barricades, give tips on strategically planning for furniture placement, and routes of escape."Sometimes it does get heated. We make them move. We make them barricade doors. We make them run away. We make them fight back," Feeny said.The teachers are also warned that they will hear live gun fire several times."We use an actual patrol rifle with a blank adapter, and we fire blank rounds through it," Feeny said.Each scenario plays out a different active shooter situation. The teachers are moved to different locations within the school, and the perpetrator comes from an unknown location. In some instances, there are multiple shooters. But in each case, the scenario comes as a surprise.Though it might be stressful, Feeny said it shows the trainees how they react in emergency situations. He said the scenarios also give teachers a chance to apply what they have learned to a real-time situation, and have a plan if that situation becomes real."Our biggest training point that we try to get across to them is that when you hear that gunfire, you need to take action," Feeny said.The department also tries to be realistic, so teachers can understand what gunfire sounds and smells like inside of a school."School buildings are notorious for long hallways and sound travels very oddly through those hallways," Feeny said.But even during the mock situations, Feeny said the officers always see impromptu acts of heroism, and teachers always take it very seriously."It's amazing, from the first time they hear gunfire during this training to the last scenario, how their reaction time and how their actions change," Feeny said.During this round, a Highland Middle School sixth-grade social studies teacher Chris Frey instinctively reached out and grabbed the arm of one of the fake attackers. He said that, even though he reacted this way, and he knew what was coming, the sound still frightened him into shock.But overall, Frey said the training was necessary and useful."It's quite enlightening. It's scary. But at the same time, unfortunately, it is something that we kind of need to know," Frey said.2018 the Belleville News-Democrat (Belleville, Ill.)Visit the Belleville News-Democrat (Belleville, Ill.) at www.bnd.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS)  A drone to apply insecticide for mosquito control was approved by Montana's Flathead County commissioners on Monday with a 2-1 vote.The City-County Health Department had asked for a second time for a capital improvement budget amendment to pay for the remote-control piloted aircraft.The $25,000 amendment will pay for the drone and related costs such as an HD camera and granular applicator. The county has been using all-terrain vehicles to get to hard-to-reach areas to apply insecticide.An earlier request for a drone was turned down when Commissioner Gary Krueger wanted to review the countys policies for aerial application.County Health Officer Hillary Hanson said the countys mosquito discharge plan has been updated. It was approved by the County Attorneys Office and recently passed by the Board of Health.Krueger voted against the capital improvement expenditure this time because he wanted to delay a decision until the Health Department has submitted its proposed budget for the coming year.Commissioners Phil Mitchell and Pam Holmquist expressed their desire to move forward with the request.Weve delayed it once; I wanted to move forward earlier, Holmquist said.The county used drone technology for mosquito surveillance for the first time last summer. The device was used to monitor flood-prone areas to gauge the amount of standing water. Hanson said the surveillance of larval habitats during the 2017 season using a drone was very successful in monitoring flooding and pinpointing sites that required physical inspection.Because there is a 90-day testing period, the county wont be able to fully use the drone this summer, but will be ready to use it during the summer of 2019.Flathead County Mosquito Control is registered with the Federal Aviation Administration and has a licensed drone pilot on staff.The drone will not fly over private land without permission. Target sites include areas of large open tracts, along with areas that are difficult to access from the ground and exert excessive wear on the countys current equipment.
(TNS)  BOSTON, Mass.  As schools and employers increasingly dig into the cyberspace lives of their students and workers, privacy advocates and policymakers are pushing back against social media snooping.State lawmakers are considering a proposal  which could come up for vote in the Senate on Thursday  to limit access to workers' Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media accounts by employers, as well as public and private schools and colleges.The privacy law  co-sponsored by Sen. Barbara L'Italien, D-Andover, and Rep. Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead  would make it illegal for school officials or bosses to demand access to the social media passwords of students, job applicants or workers, so that their accounts can be monitored.Most social media websites allow users to keep their profiles and posts private, or visible only to a circle of friends or connections. The proposed law does not cover public social media posts, which presumably could be seen by anyone.Civil liberties groups, which back limits on social media snooping, say monitoring online interactions amounts to an invasion of privacy."Whether you work at McDonald's or a corporate law firm, your boss doesn't have the legal authority to come inside your house and rifle around in your desk looking for your diary or other private information," said Kade Crawford, director of the Technology for Liberty project with the Massachusetts chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. "There's no reason that those same rules shouldn't apply in the digital era."Chris Geehern, a spokesman for Associated Industries of Massachusetts, said the group hasn't taken a position on the bill but has sought to ensure that it doesnt prevent securities companies from policing the activities of their employees."Our biggest concern was making sure that any changes to state law doesn't impede their ability to do that," he said.Geehern said most private corporations are not trolling Facebook or other social media websites for dirt on their workers, because most of what people post has nothing to do with work."Contrary to many urban legends, employers are not sitting around looking at the social media posts of their employees," he said.A 2017 CareerBuilder.com survey found 70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates before hiring.More than a dozen states  including New Hampshire, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan and New Jersey  have banned corporations from demanding social-media passwords. Similar laws have been proposed in 28 other states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.School administrators say there is a need to monitor students' online interactions, following a spate of recent school shootings  including the massacre in Parkland, Florida  that followed threats posted by the teenage gunmen.Supporters of the bill say it includes exemptions for schools to deal with potential security risks or police investigations tied to social networks.It also includes exemptions for financial and securities firms protecting information, which might require social media access.Under the proposed legislation, students who believe their privacy has been violated could bring a civil action.
Lewis Hamilton helped bring a new sponsor to Mercedes.

Bild newspaper reports that the quadruple world champion, a fashion aficionado, was involved in connecting New York label Tommy Hilfiger with his F1 team.

"Lewis made contact last summer," Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed.

"It's a brand he likes. We then managed to put the partnership together."

The multi-year Tommy Hilfiger news could make it even more likely that Hamilton will stay at Mercedes for the foreseeable future.

When asked about a 2019 deal for Hamilton, Wolff told Sky Italia: "We are working on a few missing details, as we want to do it well.

"It also depends on how many years we want to extend it for, but I hope to close the contract before Australia."

(GMM)
Toto Wolff thinks F1 is heading for a three-team battle in 2018.

While some think Mercedes is clearly still in the lead, Ferrari is notably confident and Red Bull is keeping its cards very close to its chest.

"Red Bull is the fastest car at the moment but we, Ferrari and them are very close," Mercedes boss Wolff told Sky Italia in Barcelona.

"There is no big difference."

When asked about Wolff's prediction, Verstappen smiled in Barcelona: "We'll find out in Melbourne.

"It's too early and I don't want to talk about it."

The Dutchman would only say that his good impression formed in the freezing test conditions last week was "confirmed" now that the weather is better.

"The question mark is about the others," Verstappen said.

As for whether Red Bull is planning big car upgrades before Melbourne, he said: "I can only advise you to keep your eyes open."

Carlos Sainz admitted that while Renault might be 'best of the rest', the gap to the top three teams is still significant.

"I would not be surprised," said the Spaniard.

"Because the cars are an evolution and it is very difficult to recover a gap to Ferrari and Mercedes since they are the ones with the most resources," he added.

"As for the rest we'll see, but I think the battle in the middle group will be incredibly dense," said Sainz.

(GMM)
Toro Rosso says it is giving Honda "freedom" to thrive in formula one.

After three years of perseverance, McLaren finally called time on its works collaboration with the Japanese carmaker at the end of last season.

But the British team is still struggling after switching to Renault power.

At the same time, Toro Rosso is happy to have left the Renault camp and just as happy to now be working as Honda's works partner.

So far in winter testing, the Faenza based team's package has been very reliable and not notably slow.

One theory is that Toro Rosso is being far more accommodating to Honda, with McLaren having imposed certain technical requirements on its partner in 2015-2017.

Toro Rosso boss James Key is quoted by Corriere dello Sport: "We wanted to work with Honda.

"Our team principal knows them well so we felt that we could establish a very friendly relationship and good understanding. So far it's been that way.

"We are trying to give Honda the freedom it needs to get back to the level of performance that it deserves. Basically we felt a responsibility to provide them a car that will allow them to express their full potential.

"I think they appreciated it," Key added.

As for the question of power, Key said the difference between the Renault and Honda power units is quite small.

"As long as things continue like this, there is no reason to think that they will not be able to fight with Renault by the middle of the year," he said.

Key also said the Honda deal continues into 2019, whether or not sister team Red Bull also makes the switch from Renault.

"We have a separate agreement. If Red Bull comes in it will be in addition to us," he revealed.

(GMM)
Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI), a developer of advanced hybrid and electric vehicle drivetrain solutions, has completed its California Energy Commission (CEC) program to build six plug-in-hybrid electric International-brand armored vehicles for end user fleet Sectran Security.

The fleet of six 26,000 pound, Class-6 medium duty armored truck operates with the same expected OEM performance while reducing emissions by up to 99.9% in certain duty cycles.

Fleet end user Sectran Security armored vehicles make frequent stops as part of their highly congested city routes in Southern California. At each stop, engines are kept idling for security purposes, but now risk violating Californias strict diesel idling regulations, which prohibit idling the engine for more than five minutes.

With the modernized PHEV trucks, engine idling is eliminated entirely, by operating in all-electric mode during stop-and-go operations, and in hybrid mode using renewable natural gas (RNG) during highway operations.

By deploying the full fleet of six, the vehicles enable Sectran to reduce annual diesel consumption by 31,000+ gallons, significantly reducing annual fuel costs, and emissions by up to 99.9%.

Efficient Drivetrains used its EDI PowerDrive 6000 system, including vehicle management and telematics capabilities with the integrated EDI PowerSuite.

The EDI PowerDrive 6000 has been durability tested over 3.8 million miles in a commercial fleet setting of city buses, and has been deployed across major North American OEMs including International, Freightliner, and Peterbilt platforms.

The vehicle program is a collaboration between Efficient Drivetrains and North American Repower, and includes funding from the California Energy Commission, which approved a $3-million grant award from its Energy Research and Development Division.
Its time to get IDd for Coke. Photo: George Frey/Getty Images

To keep its head above water, the Coca-Cola Company over the years has experimented with energy drinks, seltzers, fruit juices, bottled coffees, and even milks (as well as milk flavored products, such as Fanta Lactic). But until now, Coke has steered clear of booze. That seems to be ending: The Financial Times reports that the company will break that 126-year streak by entering the thriving market for alcopops.

That is, of course, a category Americans know thanks to the newfound glut of spiked seltzers and hard root beers. But Coca-Cola is rolling out its first spiked soda in Japan because, well, the Japanese market for alcopop is much more evolved, in large part because of a drink known as chuhai thats become very popular. The carbonated beverage is easy-drinking, usually citrus-flavored, and typically involves shochu, so Coca-Cola is ready to start selling its own version to the masses.

Details on Cokes chuhai are scarce: Its unclear what the name is, where Coke will get the alcohol, which flavors it will come in, or what the alcohol content of these canned drinks will be. But Japans biggest alcohol companies  Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo, and Suntory  have been selling chuhais at corner stores for ages, sometimes in co-branded cans with 7-Eleven. Their ABV is typically on par with beer (3 to 8 percent), sometimes theyll swap the shochu for vodka, and in recent years theres been a barrage of less conventional flavors, things like yogurt, West Indian cherry, and wild basil.

Early rumors of Cokes leap into chuhai started last year, after analysts speculated that Coke could expand into alcohol or at least cocktail mixers to drive growth, and CEO James Quincey coyly said that they philosophically never say never to ideas like that. Last month, Cokes Japan president Jorge Garduno spilled the beans that they did plan to introduce a drink with alcohol as a modest experiment for a specific slice of our market, and turns out that specific slice is Japans boozy-seltzer drinkers. Garduno warns the Financial Times that people outside this group shouldnt expect to see this kind of thing at their local bodega anytime soon, but never say never, right?
The Lobster Clubs chicken wing, Vini e Frittis rib, Bar Mogas ramen, Loring Places pizza, and Cafe Altro Paradisos burger. Gloves by We Love Colors. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine

This years list of all the best new things to eat in New York includes a hippie-grandma pizza, sous-vide Roman ribs, and an inexplicably delicious whole head of cauliflower. Of course, if its just chicken wings, burgers, and the best new Brooklyn brunch youre interested in, weve got those too.

Pizza

Loring Place

21 W. 8th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-388-1831

We know. An entire Loring Place grandma pizza served in a mini sheet pan is about the size of a Di Fara Sicilian slice. And it costs $17. Yet Dan Klugers foray into the world of the square has resulted in something unique and wonderful. Yes, its topped with the customary tomatoes, fresh mozz, garlic, basil, dried chiles, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. But its the crust, made from a blend of house-milled flours including heirloom emmer and whole wheat, that sets the thing apart from your local slice joint. The edges are crisp, the crumb is springy, and most impressive of all, the flavor is unusually pronounced  toasty, tangy, wheaty, fresh. Its a grandma pie that reminds you that pizza is first and foremost about the bread.

Ribs

Vini e Fritti

30 E. 30th St., nr. Madison Ave.; no phone

Of all the snacks you expect to find in a Roman wine bar (or Danny Meyers fantasy of one), pork ribs do not spring to mind. But what distinguishes these baby backs from the ones at Meyers nearby BBQ joint, Blue Smoke, is seasoning as much as setting. Very few things are more Roman than porchetta, says chef Joe Tarasco, who applies a rub of fennel fronds, rosemary, and garlic. Then, he bypasses the southern smoker ritual for an overnight sous-vide followed by a quick deep-fry. After a toss in a sticky mix of Calabrian chiles, honey, vinegar, and the Italian fish sauce colatura, they emerge tender with just enough bite, sweet and sour, and as elegant a plate of finger food as youll encounter in the Eternal City or a Nomad hotel.

Burger

Cafe Altro Paradiso and Flora Bar

234 Spring St., at Sixth Ave.; 646-952-0828

945 Madison Ave., at 75th St..; 646-558-5383

No chef of Ignacio Mattoss caliber wants to be known for his burger, but judging by his first professional attempt, served in slightly different guises at Flora Bar and Cafe Altro Paradiso, that could be his fate. Though they share basic DNA (Wagyu blend, fish-sauce-and-chile lacquer, raw onion, compressible milk bun), the fully accessorized burgers vary in cheese and condiment (Gorgonzola and radicchio mostarda downtown, Taleggio cream and pepper marmalade uptown) and are as painstakingly conceived as anything in his repertoire. Altros fat fries have the edge, but Flora Bars kitchen hides housemade potato chips under the bun for extra crunch. And dont overlook the uptown plates palate-cleansing ramp-vinegar-dressed lettuce wedge. Anywhere else it would be a throwaway; here, says detail-oriented Mattos, it might be the best part.

Chicken Wings

The Lobster Club

98 E. 53rd St., nr. Park Ave.; 212-375-9001

How do you take a tired, populist recipe and update it with a sense of style and panache without losing the qualities that make it popular in the first place? For Tasuku Murakami, who runs the kitchen at the Major Food Groups competent new midtown fusion joint, the answer is to take seven kinds of curry powders and spices, dust them over a batch of chicken wings, and sizzle the results to a perfect crisp. But the key, we could respectfully argue, is the dipping sauce, which has a lighter, more confectionary quality than what you get with Buffalo wings, thanks to Kewpie mayo with a dash of mirin.

Ramen

Bar Moga

128 W. Houston St., at Sullivan St.; 929-399-5853

New Yorks ramen scene has diversified since the heady tonkotsu era, but there still arent a ton of vegetarian options. With few exceptions, meatless broths are afterthoughts. That isnt the case at this downtown cocktail bar, where the sole bowl contains nary a drop of pork juice. The rich soup gets its snow-white color from soy milk, atop which floats a bramblebush of delicately fried vegetables. They resemble veggie chips, only theyre tastier, crunchier, snappier, and cut into strands that run parallel to (and are a great companion for) the chewy noodles. Who needs pork fat?

Atla. Photo: Jed Egan/New York Magazine

Taco

Atla

371 Lafayette St., at Great Jones St.; no phone

Brussels sprouts, fish sauce, and peanut butter: These ingredients are not the contents of a Chopped mystery box but the makings of a fantastic new taco recently launched at Enrique Olveras Atla. Why it took the Mexican super-chef so long to put a taco on one of his New York restaurant menus, we dont know, but it was worth the wait. Cilantro leaves get pressed into the fresh tortilla, which makes an earthy, supple foundation for a double dose of sprouts (deep-fried and dressed in caramelized fish sauce; shaved raw and mingled with cilantro, avocado, and serrano chiles). There are pops of texture in the form of toasted sesame seeds and crushed peanuts. The clincher, though, is the swipe of Aleppo-pepper-peanut-butter salsa that, as it turns out, goes with fish-sauced Brussels sprouts the way that bacon goes with eggs.

Miznon. Photo: @dgach/Instagram

Vegetable

Miznon

435 W. 15th St., nr. Tenth Ave.; 646-490-5871

Just when you thought cauliflowers steakification had rendered the humble vegetable a cruciferous cliche, this Israeli pita-pocket outlet rides into town on the strength of its inscrutable signature dish, an entire head thats boiled in Dead Sea salty water, assiduously massaged with olive oil, then roasted to a golden brown. Though the recipes origins are murky  showman chef-owner Eyal Shani does a YouTube shtick reluctantly crediting his business partner, Shahar Segal, who credits his own mother  the result is inexplicably great: charred on the outside, almost custardy within, packed with unadulterated cauliflower flavor and tender enough to be devoured by hand. No steak knife required.

Crab Cake

The Grill

99 E. 52nd St., nr. Park Ave.; 212-375-9001

Why do we choose to celebrate Mario Carbones perhaps overly celebrated (and, at $38, also possibly overpriced) crab cake? Because of the mix of Dungeness and peekytoe crab, first of all, which, unlike its famous predecessor at the old Four Seasons Grill Room, is conspicuous for its freshness, proportion, and general lack of bread crumbs. Because of the old-school artistry (the mustard aioli, the pommes-Anna top). And because sometimes, in the crowded annals of food fandom, a highly touted, endlessly publicized It dish actually lives up to the bloviating cloud of hype that precedes it.

Uni

The Pool

99 E. 52nd St., nr. Park Ave.; 212-375-9001

Given the status of sushi in the citys power-dining circles, it was only a matter of time before this classic Japanese delicacy was given the kind of gilded, plutocrat service reserved for the finest caviar. At this seafood palace in the Seagram Building, a small mountain of the finest sea-urchin roe is tastefully arranged on the bottom of a pearly shell and presented on a bed of crushed ice. Theres fresh lemon to go with it, although the glory is in the flotilla of carefully arranged caviar-style trimmings like warm blini, neatly sliced boiled eggs, triangles of toast, and, if you wish, just a touch of sour cream.

Comfort Food

Don Angie

103 Greenwich Ave., at 12th St.; 212-889-8884

If you grew up in an Italian-American household and during that time suffered an upset stomach, low spirits, heartbreak, a rough day at school, or a case of the sniffles, you probably know pastina. If not, pastina are the tiniest specks of pasta imaginable and, when served in chicken broth or with gobs of butter and loads of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, considered by mammas and nonnas to be the ultimate cure-all. The only problem with this Italian penicillin is that its hard to find in grocery stores, let alone restaurants. Which is why were indebted to Don Angies Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito for putting pastina on their menu as a side dish. Unlike Mammas, their version (mascarpone and Pecorino, black pepper, and sauteed garlic chives) eats like an upscale Italian mac-and-cheese or cacio e pepe, but its just as good at alleviating whatever it is that ails you.

New YorkChinese Nostalgia

Hwa Yuan Szechuan

42 E. Broadway, nr. Catherine St.; 212-966-6002

The iconic sesame noodles get all the press at the Shorty Tang clans cavernous new Chinatown venture, but the dish we cant stop thinking about is this retro confection, which youll find listed on the menu as Dry Sauteed Tangy Crispy Beef. Like the sesame noodles, the recipe here (cornstarch, sugar, threads of delicately crunchy beef tossed with a sprinkling of sesame seeds) is reproduced with a kind of scholarly care, and it packs the same magical, revelatory punch, especially if youve been subsisting for decades, like we have, on the soggy carryout version.

Congee

abcV

38 E. 19th St., nr. Broadway; 212-475-5829

Lord knows there are more economical bowls of this ancient, suddenly trendy breakfast staple on the market, and if youre a connoisseur of the more radical non-vegetarian garnishes favored by downtown traditionalists (pig intestines, frog legs, etc.), youll want to give Jean-Georgess clean, all-veggie version a wide berth. But for those of us who are willing to stretch our congee horizons, this ingenious recipe, which uses a soothing blend of millet and black rice as the base for numerous umami-forward condiments (fermented-chile paste, strips of nori, a poached egg, if you wish), is a happy revelation.

Chez Ma Tantes brunch pancakes. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine

Brunch

Chez Ma Tante

90 Calyer St., at Franklin St., Greenpoint; 718-389-3606

You cant talk about brunch at Chez Ma Tante without talking about the nearly burnt, meltingly rich destination pancakes. But you can try: Theres the perfect Caesar, springy-leafed and somehow refreshing under its mantle of shaved Piave cheese and oil-roasted croutons; the creamy, curry-laced Anglo-Indian kedgeree; the fluffy tortilla espanola with its jaunty guindilla-pepper garnish; the lavish sausage-egg-and-cheese. Factor in the lovely afternoon light, daytime cocktails like a dandelion-wine martini, and the laid-back, civilized vibe, and what more do you need? Nothing. But get the pancakes anyway.

Memes Diner. Photo: Courtesy of Memes DIner/ Noah Fecks

Pickle Plate

MeMes Diner

657 Washington Ave., nr. St. Marks Ave., Prospect Heights

718-636-2900

Its a cliche because its true: Pickles are big in Brooklyn. People who have grown weary of standard pickle plates should head to MeMes Diner in Prospect Heights, where the idea of crisp-fried pickled vegetables is reinvigorated with a decidedly Italian sense of sprezzatura. Co-owners Libby Willis and Bill Clark quick-pickle peppers, cauliflower, carrots, and olives in a garlicky rice-vinegar brine, dredge them in a light tempura batter, drop them in hot oil, and send them out for a very reasonable $9. They are lightly acidic, delicately fried, and impossible not to enjoy  preferably with one of Clarks no-nonsense Negronis.

Tamales

Factory Tamal

34 Ludlow St., nr. Hester St.; 917-691-5524

Delicious, soulful tamales can be procured throughout New York, from makeshift street carts and secret subway vendors and the massive menus of multitasking Mexican restaurants. But Fernando Lopez has carved out a unique niche for his tamale operation, a tiny Lower East Side kitchen where he goes to the considerable but worthwhile trouble of nixtamalizing corn on-site. The ensuing masa (corn dough) makes fluffy, crumbly, fragrant insulation for zesty fillings like mole poblano and bacon-and-cheese. Theyre $2.50 a pop, and youll want one of each.

Fuku Wall Streets chimek. Photo: Melissa Hom/New York Magazine

Fast-Casual Feast

Fuku Wall Street

110 Wall St., entrance on Front St.; no phone

Dave Changs quick-service democratization of the large-format feast is like a $42 Happy Meal for two to four. He calls it a chimek (a portmanteau for chicken and the Korean word for beer), and it consists of a whole bird fried two ways: habanero-buttermilk-battered and spicy-sweet Korean style. The accompanying North African flatbread called msmen (think paratha crossed with croissant) comes from Hot Bread Kitchen uptown, and the rest of the fixings come from the Momofuku mans fervid imagination. These include kimchee, daikon, cottage fries, pickle chips and fried pickle chips, onion petals, and a slew of dipping sauces. The idea is to taco it all together in the flaky flatbread, and once you do, you may never want to eat fried chicken any other way.

The Office. Photo: Miachel Breton

Mussels

The Office

80 Columbus Cir., at 60th St.; 212-805-8800

Leave it to the great Chicago maestro Grant Achatz to take a dish like steamed mussels, which jaded New Yorkers exiled to the trash heap of tired dining trends long ago, and imbue it with a new sense of grandeur and style. The mussels are fresh and bountifully sized, theyre flavored with a satisfying combination of aromatics (fennel, leeks, garlic) and old-fashioned fatso goodness (bacon, butter), and although the $35 luxury-hotel sticker price isnt cheap, theyre served in an elegant porcelain tureen big enough for a jolly-size drinking party of four.

Pasta Flyers garlic dots. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine

Garlic Bread

Pasta Flyer

510 Sixth Ave., nr. 13th St.; no phone

Mark Ladners fast-food-pasta-joint version of a bread course: Little lumps of eggy choux pastry the chef calls dots are flash-frozen, tossed in the deep fryer, then left to cool on a baking rack. Next, theyre coated in garlic butter, popped in the oven for a minute, and finished with a dusting of well-aged Parmigiano-Reggiano. They come three to a $2 order in a wax-paper bag not unlike the ones into which street-food vendors shovel sugar-roasted peanuts, and taste like a slice-joint garlic knot crossed with a Feast of San Gennaro zeppole and a French gougere.

Sausage

Ferris

44 W. 29th St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-213-4420

The talented bistro chef Greg Proechel has a way of taking slightly challenging nose-to-tail parts and making them presentable for polite company in all sorts of inventive and unexpected ways. Several of these fresser specialties dot the menu at this fine new Flower District gastropub (were still thinking about the whipped chicken livers with chicharron chips), but the blue ribbon goes to this dainty version of blood sausage, which is deconstructed on the plate in little bite-size nuggets and scattered with a mix of grilled dates and bits of puffed rice for a sweet candy crunch.

Flushing-Food-Court Find

Joes Steam Rice Roll

136-21 Roosevelt Ave., nr. Main St., Flushing; 646-203-7380

In this Instagram age of over-the-top novelty foods, the dim-sum staple Guangzhou-style rice rolls arent splashy. Theyre pale, pearly white, and steamed. Joe Rong mills his rice flour daily and steams his rolls to order, which might account for their subtly sweet flavor and smooth, springy texture. You can opt for fillings like pork liver and fish balls, but these slippery snacks are also worth savoring on their own, spiked only with seasoned soy sauce. The simplicity tastes twice as good these days.

Cote. Photo: Melissa Hom/New York Magazine

Korean BBQ

Cote

16 W. 22nd St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-401-7986

Sure, the wines are fancy and expensive and the prime beef is top drawer, but the dirty little secret about Simon Kims hit fusion steakhouse is that its the best classic Korean barbecue in town. Were thinking of the tender, sizzled short rib galbi (in addition to soy sauce and ginger, its soaked in a mix of fruit juices), the traditional condiments and fixings (housemade or foraged from Greenmarket stands), and the fluffy, delicately rendered gyeran-jjim egg dish, which is about as different from the gyeran-jjim youll find in the old warhorse establishments along 32nd Street as 70s-era frozen quiche is from a perfectly raised Parisian souffle.

Fish

Guan Fu Sichuan

39-16 Prince St.; G-01 Flushing; 347-610-6999

Theres an aquariums worth of unusual sea creatures to eat at this Flushing restaurant, but one of the best dishes uses more common catch. The Sichuan classic boiled fish with pickled cabbage and chile sounds ho-hum, but its a case study in underpromising and overdelivering. Tender sliced tilapia (or, for a recommended upgrade, the fish of the day, like striped bass) swims in a sea of bobbing chiles, both dried red and fresh green, lending vibrancy and a double dose of heat. The spunky pickled cabbage is electrically acidic, and the broth more flavorful from fish bones. When a wiser friend starts drinking it, you might be surprised, but youll want to slurp it yourselfand then wonder when theyre opening a fish-bone-broth window out front.

Pinch Chinese. Photo: Liz Clayman/2017 Liz Clayman

Soup Dumplings

Pinch Chinese

177 Prince St., nr. Thompson St.; 212-328-7880

In the annual cutthroat competition for the citys finest xiao long bao, it helps to have a certain amount of street cred, and no one has more of it than the head chef of this Soho restaurant, Charlie Chen, who can trace his lineage all the way back to the seminal Taiwanese soup-dumpling mecca Din Tai Fung. Just like at the mother ship back home, the dumplings here are handmade and thin-skinned and timed to arrive in their bamboo steamers when theyre perfectly done. Their modest size means the soup doesnt overwhelm the other finely tuned components, and makes it more or less impossible to eat just one.

Club Sandwich

Studio

23 Lexington Ave., at 24th St.; 212-475-1924

Hotels must have club sandwiches; the new Freehand hotel has a game-changer. The 23 Lex Chicken Club starts with three slices of baker Zoe Kanans Pullman loaf, as soft as youd hope and sweetened with a touch of orange-blossom honey. Spice-rubbed rotisserie-chicken breasts are next, along with crisp bacon made from the chickens skin. Lettuce and tomato are joined by a carrot-raisin slaw, bound by a lemon-poppy-seed mayonnaise. Yes, there is a toothpick  a nonnegotiable accessory, frankly  and yes, the sandwich will soon be available for room service. In the meantime, find it at the hotels restaurant, Studio.

Martina. Photo: Melissa Hom/New York Magazine

Sundae

Martina

198 E. 11th St., nr. Third Ave.; 646-747-6635

Just as Nick Anderer has interpreted Romes round, thin, crackly-crusted pizza tonda for New Yorks fast-casual market, hes converted chewy, dense gelato into a soft-serve sundae thats somewhere between a serious Carvel upgrade and Shake Shack custard on a Roman holiday. Its no coincidence that the only flavor is fior di latte, or flower of the milk  the same name as the creamy mozzarella that adorns the pies. The hazelnuts are candied; the chocolate syrup is spiked with amaro; and on top, instead of the jejune proverbial cherry, youll find a much more sophisticated drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of sea salt.

*A version of this article appears in the March 5, 2018, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now!
Korean Additional Peace Keeping Batch To Join Rest Of Troops In S. Sudan

An addition peacekeeping batch from South Korea arrived Juba on Monday to join the rest of the UN Peacekeeping troops in South Sudan.

By James Deng Dimo



WAU, 06 March 2018 [Gurtong] According to a news website in Korea the army held a send-off ceremony on Monday in the capital Soul sending its mission troops of 280 rotational to South Sudan.



They are the ninth batch of troops to serve at the Hanbit unit for eight months.

The contingent has been stationed in the country capital soul since March 2013 to support its recovery from a destructive civil war that broke out in South Sudan.



The peacekeeping officers in Korea were selected from among roughly 2,000 applicants, the troops had eight weeks of training to prepare for their mission in Africa, including education on local culture and language, said an army official.



They will focus on helping repair the 200-kilometer (124-mile) road linking Bor, Mangela and Pibor, called Peace Road.



The service personnel, mostly engineers and medics, plan to carry out a variety of missions including the construction of infrastructure, providing humanitarian aid, supporting social and economic development by opening vocational schools and a research institute for agriculture, and holding various cultural events.






Feeling of SERIP

When I first saw the Portuguese brand SERIP lamps, their spiral and irregular shapes rooted from the nature remind me of the fantasy world in the movie Alice in Wonderland. Getting rid of traditional rules, the lamp design perfectly integrates styles like minimalism, modern and classical. I love SERIP, it gives me a kind of fantastic, romantic and stunning feeling.

Space Temperament

Each space has its own temperament, designers should go inside and feel the space before starting design. Exhibition hall design is a sort of display design, which combines the best space relation between people, exhibits and space. When I was commissioned by SERIP to do the design, all I wanted to do is create a different form of the exhibition hall. This difference should have its own temperament, so we went to the space to feel it.

Encounter a beam of light

The house stands in a spacious plant area. It is in color steel tile structure with low cost and rough construction, and integrates with surrounding buildings as a whole. All in all, it lacks conditions of being an independent brand store. Although this first impression disappoints us, when we walked into this space, a beam of light shone into the space through the only skylight, it was like a very clean line drawn in the air dividing the space into two parts.

So we use this beam of light cutting the space into black and white spaces, where the two extreme colors are both contradictory and united. After some combination, the borders of the two colors align with the border of that beam of light, thus a perfect state was achieved which enables SERIP lamps show their lighting effect and charm both in daytime and at night.

Methodology  Black and White

In the black area and white area, we created some artificial light according to SERIP products. In the black area, a number of crystal lamps were displayed to show the value and light of lamp to the most extent; while in the white area, lamps with good-looking shapes were displayed and these unique handblown glass lamps is shown perfectly.

Building with a Hidden Door

As to the facade, we used the form of slices in the facade to hide the whole building, instead of strengthening the building itself. The white slices formed the main point of view of the hall. Under sun light, the shadows of slices change with time. Whats more, as no obvious entrance is design, so the independence of the whole exhibition hall is formed.

Transition Wall

We have added some gray walls in the space, which helps to form separate independent areas in black and white spaces. These areas are used to show the lamps, acting as the background of the display.

Let dream shine into reality

SERIP lamps are so beautiful and romantic that they should appeared in fairy tale world. Thus, we found animal images with matching temperament and put them inside the gray wall to create a fantastic field.

Value

When the SERIP fixture is finished, the space looks very unique. In my opinion, a good commercial design is to cater for business, not for the eyes, nor the expression desire of designer. So I think, only when lamps and lanterns in this space are bought by customers, the space design was proved to be a good one.

Conclusion

Good design creates a good space, good space creates good value. Lets meet next year in March, when the beam of light returns to this space and once again divides the space into two parts, we will hold a party in this fantastic forest. Source by CUN Design,
Left to right: Abel Nako, Peter Napuat, Peter Colmar and Jonathan Naupa (second last) at meeting




Haiti - FLASH : Chile deports 239 Haitians !





Between March 2 and 5, 2018, Chile's Investigative Police (IDP) refused entry to Chilean territory to 239 Haitian citizens for false statements and false documents.



The IDP banned the entry of 169 Haitians at Santiago Airport who provided false information about their stay and their hotel reservations. 90 had traveled on the airline ONE; 62 on Latin American Wings (LAW) and 17 on Copa Airlines. Tuesdaythey have been deported to Haiti.



Past weekend another group of 70 Haitians from Port-au-Prince was also refused and returned to Haiti for the same reasons, according to the police.



The IDP explained that "these people all had reservations in the same hotel", which forced them to check the information on accommodation of foreigners that was not confirmed. the IDP stated that the deportation in this case meets "a normal procedure when a person does not meet the requirements to enter the country in accordance with the Immigration Act."



According to official data, there would be just over 500,000 immigrants in Chile, Peruvians, Bolivians, Colombians, Argentineans and Ecuadorians and in recent years Dominicans, Haitians and Venezuelans. According to available figures more than 150,000 Haitians have arrived in Chile since 2016 as "tourists", 80% of whom have remained illegally in Chilean territory after the 90 days allowed.



Note that a Haitian does not need a visa to visit Chile as a tourist as long as his stay does not exceed 90 days. However, he must prove that he has sufficient financial resources for his stay and proof of the address where he will stay.



Recall that in the summer of 2017 the President of the External Relations Commission of the Chamber of Deputies had filed an application to require a visa to Haitians wishing to travel to Chile. So far, the Chilean authorities concerned have made no decision on the migratory requirements for Haitian citizens while leaving open this possibility in the future. The Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Heraldo Munoz Valenzuela said at the time following this visa application "Chile, like many other countries, constantly assesses the requirements for the entry of foreigners into its territory, this is part of Sovereign allocations from each State and new measures are regularly adopted for the entry of nationals of different countries according to the situation."



Given the growing number of Haitians declared illegal or ineligible by the Chilean authorities https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23733-haiti-flash-law-airline-temporarily-suspends-its-flights-haiti-chile.html it would not be surprising that they will soon make the decision to impose a visa on Haitian nationals ...



Remember for our countrymen that to work in Chile requires a work visa. To obtain this visa you must have : a work contract, an extract of a criminal record, a medical certificate, a valid passport and an interview with the consul, to then be able to request the authorization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, in Santiago.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23733-haiti-flash-law-airline-temporarily-suspends-its-flights-haiti-chile.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23723-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23276-haiti-flash-nearly-105-000-haitians-arrived-in-chile-in-2017.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-22289-icihaiti-flash-chilean-airline-law-resumes-flights.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22252-haiti-flash-haiti-and-chile-very-close-to-a-diplomatic-incident.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21970-haiti-flash-equivalence-of-haitian-studies-in-chile.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21709-haiti-social-mass-arrival-of-haitian-migrants-chile-preoccupied.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20490-haiti-chile-president-bachelet-addresses-the-issue-of-illegal-haitians-in-her-country.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18331-haiti-social-stampede-of-thousands-of-illegal-haitians-in-chile.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - RD : Nearly 7,500 Haitians deported to Haiti or turned back





The Directorate General of Migration (DGM) revealed that during the month of February 2018, 7,598 foreigners (mostly Haitians) were repatriated or not admitted to the Dominican territory because of their irregular migratory situation in the Dominican Republic.



According to the DGM report, of this number, 3,140 were not admitted or turned back during their attempt to enter the country at the border, while 4,458 migrants in an irregular migration situation were arrested during dozens of operations n various provinces of the country, on the orders of the Director General of the DGM, Lieutenant General Maximo William Munoz Delgado and deported most of them to Haiti.



According to the DGM in addition to Haitians, other foreigners whose number has not been specified, from Afghanistan, Albania, China, Colombia, Cuba, Great Britain, Honduras, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Turkey and Venezuela were also reportedly deported.



Recall that for the first 2 months of 2018, more than 23,000 Haitians have been repatriated to Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23510-haiti-flash-nearly-16-000-haitians-deported-or-expelled-from-the-dominican-territory-in-january.html



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23724-haiti-flash-dr-new-military-reinforcements-long-range-uavs-and-cameras-on-the-border.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23510-haiti-flash-nearly-16-000-haitians-deported-or-expelled-from-the-dominican-territory-in-january.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23365-haiti-flash-increases-in-attempts-dr-send-reinforcements.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23344-haiti-dr-930-haitians-arrested-in-24-hours-in-the-province-of-samana.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23206-haiti-flash-in-2017-more-than-110-000-haitians-expelled-or-turned-back-from-dr.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22672-haiti-flash-nearly-1-4-millions-haitians-deported-from-dr-in-28-months.html



S/ HaitiLibre


















Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
We are thrilled to announce even more wonderful programming for this years festival. We will be presenting some of the best films from all over the world, which will transport our audiences to different places, perspectives and stories and help...
Call for greater clarity on low and no alcohol labelling reaches House of Commons

By Jo Gilbert

MPs are gathering in the House of Commons today to tackle the confusing labelling of low alcohol and alcohol-free drinks.

Hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Alcohol Harm, the meeting seeks to broach the subject of low alcohol and alcohol-free labels, with APPG calling for clearer regulation around the labelling of alcohol-free, low alcohol, dealcoholised and non-alcoholic  all of which currently have different legal definitions.

Some products also use the term light or lite to mean low alcohol, where others use it to refer to calories.

With more producers entering this growing category, Alcohol Research UK and Club Soda  who are also attending the meeting - carried out research which they say shows that labelling continues to remain unclear to the majority of an increasingly mindful drinking public.

According to the research carried out in February, 56% of respondents expected low-alcohol beer to contain up to 0.5% alcohol, whereas current regulation states that low alcohol products can contain up to 1.2% alcohol.

Alcohol alternatives continue to rise in popularity.

UK sales of low alcohol and alcohol-free beers increased by 17% in 2017 according to Nielsen; and during Dry January 2018 Tesco reported that demand for low alcohol beer, wine and spirits increased by more than 100% compared to January 2017.

Fiona Bruce MP, chair of the APPG on Alcohol Harm, said: An increasing number of us are choosing to drink low alcohol and alcohol-free alternatives. But labelling is lagging behind consumer demand. The Department of Health must give us common-sense regulations around the labelling of alcohol alternative drinks, so that we can make informed choices about our health.

Laura Willoughby MBE, co-founder of Club Soda UK, said the current labelling of alcohol-free drinks was next to useless, pointing to the current disparity between UK bottlers and those outside the UK who are able to follow different labelling regulations, further confusing consumers.

She said: Non-UK producers are allowed to use terms that UK producers cant use for the same drink. There are foods on the supermarket shelf with more alcohol than a 0.5% ABV beer. Club Soda and our members are clear: 0.5% and below should be called alcohol-free.








Jonas Cullwick, a former General Manager of VBTC is now a Senior Journalist with the Daily Post. Contact: [email protected]. Cell # 678 5460922
Orpo on Tuesday revealed that the country has found seven fellow member states who share its views on the EMU: Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and the Netherlands.

Finland believes over-indebtedness, the lack of market discipline, and the fateful ties between banks and nation states to be the key problems of the Economic and Monetary Union of the EU (EMU), says Petteri Orpo (NCP), the Minister of Finance.

Finland has drawn and continues to draw attention to the importance of market discipline and member states responsibility for their own economies in its statements on the development of the EMU, he tells in a press release from the Ministry of Finance.

The eight member states issued a joint, six-item statement on the architecture of the EMU on Tuesday, underscoring that the monetary union should be developed in an inclusive way as unity is a key asset for the EU27.

New EMU initiatives should be open on a voluntary basis to non-euro area countries on equivalent terms, they stated.

The member states stressed that it is crucial to focus on initiatives that have public support in member states if the bloc is to regain the trust of the public.

Priority should be given to areas with the greatest convergence of views between member states, notably the completion of the banking union and the transformation of the ESM [European Stability Mechanism] into a European Monetary Fund (EMF).

The octad also urged all member states to implement structural reforms and abide by the stability and growth pact in order to build up fiscal buffers in their national budgets and prepare for economic downturns.

Recent growth rates in member states that implemented reforms during and after the crisis illustrate that reform efforts pay off, they highlighted. Potential for further reforms remains. Better focus of the EU budget on structural reform could support their implementation, while targeted investments financed by the EU budget could also complement the efforts of structural reforms.

The EU, they added, should utilise the strengthened fiscal, economic and financial frameworks in place to deliver concrete results for citizens across the bloc in terms of stability, jobs and growth.

Finland and its like-minded member states additionally re-affirmed their commitment to completing the banking union and developing the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) towards a European Monetary Fund (EMF).

The EMF, they said, should have greater responsibility for the development and monitoring of financial assistance programmes while ensuring that decision making remains firmly in the hands of member states.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Roni Rekomaa  Lehtikuva
Minister of Finance Petteri Orpo (NCP) and his counterparts from seven member states issued a joint statement on the architecture of the EMU on Tuesday, placing particular emphasis on the importance of market discipline and the readiness of member states to take responsibility for their own economies.

Piia-Noora Kauppi, the managing director of Finance Finland (FFI), has welcomed the alliance annunced yesterday by eight EU member states to develop the Economic and Monetary Union of the EU (EMU).

The Finnish financial sector views that the Finnish government has taken a rational approach to developing the EMU, Kauppi stated to journalists in Brussels on Tuesday.

She drew attention especially to the commitment of the member states to completing the banking union. The finance ministers yesterday expressed their willingness to continue their negotiations for a common fiscal backstop and technical discussions concerning the European Deposit Insurance Scheme (EDIS).

Kauppi estimated that the ministers have rightly recognised the importance of public support for initiatives launched by the European Union.

Citizens will certainly appreciate the rational and moderate position of the ministers on the EUs deposit insurance scheme, because the rapid expansion of joint liability would increase moral hazard-related problems and could result in uneven burden sharing, she explained.

Those who have taken good care of their affairs, such as Finnish banks and their customers, could easily end up having to foot the bill.

She also emphasised that all banks and banking systems in the banking union should be deemed healthy before increasing joint liability. Each country is responsible for seeing to this and shouldering the costs. The banks must also be tested before increasing joint liability, said Kauppi.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Daniel Roland  AFP/Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
YLE on Monday reported that the municipalities have a gentlemans agreement not to raise the wages despite a considerable shortage of competent applicants for open positions.

Pia Pakarinen, the Deputy Mayor of Helsinki for Education, has rejected reports that municipalities in the capital region have agreed not to offer higher wages to attract competent nursery school teachers.

Helsinki is not aware of such a gentlemans agreement, not in the field of education or in the citys central administration, stated Pakarinen.

The city complies with the collective bargaining agreement. I also deeply regret that such reports will certainly and  if the situation indeed was as described  deservedly arouse discontent among nursery school teachers, whose work I truly appreciate, she added.

Helsinkis City Executive Office has similarly assured that municipalities in the capital region make decisions on the wages of different occupational groups independently. Helsinki does not have an agreement with other other municipalities, said a spokesperson for the human resources department.

Liisa Pohjolainen, the head of the education department at the City of Helsinki, told YLE earlier that the municipalities are striving for uniform wage developments but firmly rejected the claim that they have a wage agreement in place.

The public broadcasting company highlights in its report that the monthly wages of nursery school teachers have stagnated at around 2,300 euros in three municipalities in the capital region, a level that is equivalent to the minimum wage prescribed in the collective agreement.

Virpi Mattila, the head of early-childhood education at the City of Espoo, says she regrets using the term gentlemans agreement when discussing the issue with YLE on Monday. Also Espoo has since asserted that each municipality is responsible for its wage policy and that there is no agreement in regards to early-childhood education.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Roni Lehti  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
OLYMPIC silver medallist Zoe de Toledo has undergone surgery to remove a brain tumour.

The 30-year-old, who is a member of Henleys Leander Club and coxed for Team GB at Rio in 2016, discovered the growth by in December while taking part in a research study.

Doctors said the tumour, known as a haemangioblastoma, had probably been there for some years. It was not causing any symptoms but could eventually have interfered with her movement and co-ordination.

De Toledo underwent a 12-hour procedure at the John Radcliffe Hospital on Friday. In a blog post in which she nicknamed the growth Steve, she thanked doctors, nurses and her friends and family including her partner Alex Woods, a former rower and registrar at the hospital.

She said: The surgery that was supposed to last three to four hours ended up lasting well into Saturday morning. Steve turned out to have not one or two blood vessels feeding him but a huge blood supply, each part of which had to be individually dealt with.

Whilst this was slow and complex, the operation was pretty successful, and I managed to get discharged home feeling pretty good for someone who just had brain surgery!

I am so hugely grateful to everyone who looked after me, from the surgeons and anaesthetists who stood there staring at my brain for most of the day, to the amazing nurses who were just phenomenal, every single one.

I of course had my incredible family and friends there, not least Alex who called in some favours to get me a bed when I needed it on Friday. Everyone has been so wonderful and supportive, its totally overwhelming, especially given how (reasonably) well I feel.

Admittedly I get quite dizzy when I stand up and have a good going headache but given how recently I had this surgery, and how much worse it all could have been, I really do feel incredibly lucky.
Tim Scallon is a registered dietitian nutritionist with many years experience practicing nutrition therapy in local hospitals and clinics, teaching nutrition and developing healthy recipes. He is a Nacogdoches resident and he helped create the popular TV show Memorial Cooking Innovations celebrating the world of food and health. Memorial Cooking Innovations currently runs in 62 cities and is locally available on Sudden Link cable channel 2 in Nacogdoches.
I'm going to make a few points here. First of all, being demonstrative--loving, warm, and affectionate is not abnormal. In fact, most people think it's a sign of friendship, caring and fondness. Studies show that HUGGING is good for our health. Embracing people--reaching out and touching someone is a GOOD THING. That's what Joe Biden does.

MY personal basic human instinct includes touching--a handshake, a pat on the back, an arm around a shoulder--because it shows I care about them.That includes men, women and children. Sorry if you haven't had that in your life.



Second, I notice that you've been pretty careful about your political stance...but I'm afraid your rep precedes you. You seem to be very well known in the forum circles--were you aware?

AND third, you, my friend, were "OUTED" in January in your DTT conversation with Quigley (NOT my favorite person--mostly on ignore). Good ol' Quigley was more than happy to kick your tires so you might as well fess up and get off the fence.

Google is a wonderful thing.
AMERICANS TEND TO LOOK BACK at World War II as a time of heroes and heroism. Ike and Patton and Audie Murphy. Guadalcanal and Omaha Beach and the Bulge. Americans came together and stood tall when it counted, and the world was a better place for it. Today, we lionize the Americans who fought the war as the greatest generation. We build memorials and museums to the conflict, and they tend to be big, bold, and upbeat. In short: we enjoy remembering World War II.

But what if the war was something we just wanted to forget? Something best buried? Welcome to Italy.

Italys role in World War II does not make a particularly edifying tale. Mussolini unwisely dragged his country into a conflict for which it was completely unready, and Italian forces lurched from defeat to defeat, some against better-armed adversaries like Great Britain and the United States, but some also against poorer, weaker states like Greece. War weariness soon set in, and when war reached Italian soil in 1943, Mussolinis government collapsed and the country surrendered to the Allies.

But even the surrender didnt go well. The king and his high command fled Rome without broadcasting any sort of appeal to the armed forces, and the Germans took advantage of the confusion, occupying the entire Italian boot. The Wehrmacht forced the surrender of one Italian unit after the other, slaughtered those who refused to give up, and carted hundreds of thousands of Italians off to slave in German war factories as military interneesa new designation intended to rob them of even the rudimentary protection afforded to POWs. The last two years of the war in Italy saw Allied forces carrying out a slow northward grind against fierce German opposition, raking every inch of the ancient peninsula with modern firepower and wreaking shocking levels of destruction. One group is noticeably absent in this epic act of carnage: the Italians themselves. Small Italian forces did join the fight (on both sides), but essentially the so-called Italian Campaign was not their fight.

Why would the Italians want to remember any of that?

By and large, they dont, and they havent. I recently visited battle sites in Sicily and Italy, and one thing about the memorials struck me above all: their tiny size. A small plaque near Licata commemorating the landing of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division during Operation Husky. A modest obelisk at Salerno dedicated to the U.S. 36th Infantry Division. An unassuming statue in Rome honoring the Sardinian Grenadiers, one of the few Italian units to contest the German takeover of their homeland. There is a monument at Gela, in the center of the U.S. landing on Sicily: or at least there was. Its been allowed to deteriorate and is today a broken-down hulk. It possesses a certain dark dignity, I suppose, but isnt a remembrance. It looks more like a deliberate attempt to forget.

Now, this act of collective amnesia may upset some visitors from the U.S., for whom World War IIand Americas role in itexist squarely in the realm of the heroic. But thats the funny thing about memory: everybody has one, and no one can tell another person what to remember and what to forget.

When it comes to World War II, we tend to build memorials to honor our heroes, and sometimes to remember the horrific crimes of the perpetrators. But building a monument to bystandersthe way many Italians view their role in the last two years of World War II? Thats always going to be a problem. 

This column was originally published in the April 2018 issue of World War II magazine. Subscribe here.
Half Moon Bay, CA (94019)

Today

Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 64F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 54F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content.

When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to.

After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS!

OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK

The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those.
Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.
CHESHIRE, Mass.  Officials are grappling with the downsizing of the Adams-Chesire Regional School District  but talk of another new school building may be a step too far for Adams.

The conversation turned to the future of the school district after last week's budget review for fiscal 2019. The group made up of members of the School Committee, Adams and Cheshire Selectmen and Adams and Cheshire Finance Committees discussed consolidating to a one-campus district.

With the closing of Cheshire Elementary School last year, an aging C.T. Plunkett school building, and a steadily declining population, the School committee has set its sights on soliciting the Massachusetts School Building Authority for funds to build a new elementary school on the Hoosac Valley High School campus.

Superintendent Robert Putnam plans to submit a statement of interest to the MSBA. Even though he does not think it will be initially successful, he urged the district to submit one annually.

"I would be amazed if our initial statement of interest is approved and ... I assume this is something that would be resubmitted every year," he said.

Adams Finance Committee member Craig Corrigan referred to the University of Massachusetts' Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management report on district's options and noted the agency did not mention building a new school. He felt with the steady decline of population in the region, Hoosac Valley may be plenty big enough.

"The idea was that we were going to close one elementary school this past year and in five to seven years through attrition, our total enrollment would be enough to move everybody up here," he said. "Then we close the second school without building a new school."

Putnam said the district's enrollment in the past decade has roughly decreased by 300 students. He said the MSBA process could take up to five to seven years and even by then, enrollment probably would not be low enough to be housed entirely at Hoosac Valley alone.

Hoosac Valley was renovated in 2012 at a cost of $40 million to hold a little over 800 students and even if another 200 students was lost, total enrollment would still be nearly 1,000.

Putnam added that C.T. Plunkett (now known as Hoosac Valley Elementary) has some looming costs: the middle section roof is more than 25 years old and out of warranty and the slate roof is leaking.

He added that the brick building will also need to be repointed, which will be expensive.

"Pointing the brick is a considerable job and I asked the engineer about it and he pointed across the street to the church," Putnam said. "He said that church is a $1 million project for the masonry work that had to be done."

The retiring superintendent said he wants to keep multiple options open in the event Plunkett will not last another 10 years or becomes too expensive just to minimally maintain.

"This school is relatively new, but the Plunkett is about the same age as my mom who hasn't been with us for a long time," he said. "So, it is going to cost us. My way of thinking is to plan for multiple contingencies."

The conversation then switched to the condition of Plunkett and Corrigan likened the situation to the younger Memorial Building.

"We rebuilt Plunkett in the '90s and that was the last time the windows were painted," he said. "I don't want to get to the point where we are with the Memorial Building. That was a beautiful building when I went to school there and it was left to fall apart."

Adams Selectman John Duval said the school can't afford to educate its students and maintain the building and pledged that the town of Adams will add the school to its capital plan and take a leading role in its maintenance.

"I think the town of Adams has to make a commitment to that building because we could be here for another 10 years and we don't know what is going to happen," he said. "We as a community need to understand that that is our elementary school and we need to make sure that the maintenance is done."

School Committee member Stephan Vigna said this committee has already started meeting with both towns in order to make them aware of future capital projects.

Adams Finance Committee member Jeff Lefebvre said he'd rather start the discussions about the inevitable closing of C.T. Plunkett now.

"We need to ... start talking about possibly closing that school," he said. "We don't need another situation like we had with the last one."

Corrigan said he was still hesitant about building new and warned the School Committee that money spent on "brick and mortar" typically just means fewer resources in the classroom.

"What you do in the building is more important than the building," he said. "I would rather see a school in a 50-year-old build with the number of teachers that you need to give a rounded education than have a beautiful monument to nothing."

Putnam added that if the project is accepted it would not necessarily mean the project is a go. He said there are benchmarks the communities must hit and if there is no will from the towns to go forward the project would die.

Before cloing, Adams Selectman Joseph Nowak said it was concerning that the MSBA keeps building more schools in the region when the state is pushing for consolidation.

"I think that makes it much harder because who is going to want to give up a beautiful new building?" he said. "Population is dropping, and I don't understand why the MSBA is allowing this to go on."
The Angel in White

The Fellowship | March 7, 2018 The Angel in White

Queen Esther. Golda Meir. Gal Gadot. All strong and wonderful Israeli women. And as we celebrate the strong and wonderful women in our own lives this International Womens Day, wed also like to introduce you to the story of the only female recipient of the Medal of Distinguished Service, Esther Arditi:

The night of the 29th of November, 1954 was dark and rainy. The lights of the takeoff runway at Hatzor Airbase had shut off as a result of the turbulent weather, and the combat pilot Yaakov Salomon and navigator Shlomo Hertzman realized that there was no other choicethey would have to land the plane without seeing the runway underneath them.

Within a short while, young paramedic Esther Arditiwho had become certified only a week priorwas called to tend to the fallen plane that had burst into flames. The rain, inexperience and stress didnt stop her. Even when the ambulance that she was steering (without a license) had sunk in mud, Esther continued toward the burning plane. The desperate calls of the rescue crew members, who instructed her to steer clear of the area, did nothing to instill fear in her. Out of the flames of plane remnants she rescued Hertzman, who was badly injured. He told her that the pilot, Yaakov, was lying unconscious in the cockpit.

Arditi ran back to the plane and rescued him as well. Moments after, the fire reached the fuel tanks of the plane and it exploded. Fortunately, Arditi managed to get the injured pilot and navigator into a canal in the area and they were evacuated to a hospital. Navigator Hertzman succumbed to his wounds, and pilot Salomon eventually recovered. For her heroic actions that night Private Esther Arditi received an honorary citation from the Chief of Staff of the IDF, Moshe Dayan, which was subsequently converted into a Medal of Distinguished Service.

[O]n February 20th 2003, Esther passed away while visiting relatives in Italy. She left a legacy of a life in which she moved to Israel at 16, enlisted in the IDF, received the Medal of Distinguished Service, accompanied the Paratroopers division to the Western Wall in the Six Day War and raised a family in Israel.

And The Jerusalem Posts Anna Ahronheim tells us a bit more about Esther, including the recent discovery of a letter she once sent to Israels first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion:

In addition, the archive has revealed a letter written by Esther Arditi, nicknamed the Angel in White for her work as a paramedic, rescuing and treating injured IDF pilots and soldiers on the battlefield

During the Six Day War, Arditi volunteered to serve as a medic at the casualty unit of the Paratroop Brigade in Jerusalem, and later accompanied the paratroopers as a combat medic during the conquest of the Western Wall. A few years later, during the Yom Kippur War, she volunteered to serve as a medic in a field hospital near the Suez Canal. In 1975, she received a special letter of gratitude for her volunteerism from president Ephraim Katzir.

After completing her military service, she studied nursing at the Carmel Hospital in Haifa.

Fifteen years later, Arditi, who had become a tour guide, asked to bring her family to meet Ben-Gurion. In a modest letter, Arditi wrote to the prime minister, telling him a bit about herself and her familys wish: A family with Italian citizenship, whose greatest dream is to shake hands with the honorable Mr. David Ben-Gurion! I, too, would be very happy to shake hands with Mr. Ben-Gurion, she wrote

A street in the Givat Hananya neighborhood of Jerusalem was named The Angel in White in her honor.
Imperial Valley News Center

Ultra Electronics Abandons its Proposed Acquisition of Sparton Corp. After Department of Justice Expresses Concerns

Washington, DC - The Department of Justice announced today that Ultra Electronics Holdings plc and Sparton Corporation have abandoned their merger, originally valued at more than $234 million. The transaction threatened to permanently combine the only two qualified suppliers of sonobuoys to the U.S. Navy. Sonobuoys are used in support of multiple underwater missions for detection, classification, and localization of adversary submarines during peacetime and combat operations. Ultra Electronics and Sparton Corporation have in recent years supplied this critical equipment to the U.S. Navy through their joint venture, ERAPSCO.

Ultra Electronics Holdings Inc. is a British company headquartered in London, England, that is comprised of 19 separate businesses. Ultra Electronics core markets are in North America and the United Kingdom. In 2016, Ultra reported annual worldwide revenues of 785.8. Ultra Electronics provides a wide range of products to the defense, aerospace, security, transport and energy industries.

Sparton Corporation is a publicly-held company incorporated in Ohio and headquartered in Schaumberg, Illinois; it reported $397.6 million in net sales for the fiscal year 2017. Sparton primarily designs and builds electromechanical devices for medical, military, aerospace and industrial applications. Sparton currently has thirteen manufacturing locations and engineering design centers worldwide.
Imperial Valley News Center

Former Employee of U.S. Government Contractor in Afghanistan Pleads Guilty to Accepting Kickbacks From Subcontractor

Atlanta, Georgia - A former employee of a U.S. government contractor in Afghanistan pleaded guilty today to accepting illegal kickbacks from an Afghan subcontractor in return for his assistance in obtaining subcontracts on U.S. government contracts.

Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Departments Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak of the Northern District of Georgia; Special Agent in Charge John Khin of the Defense Criminal Investigative Services (DCIS) Southeast Field Office, Atlanta Resident Agency; Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John F. Sopko; Director Frank Robey of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Commands (CID) Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU); Special Agent in Charge David J. LeValley of the FBI Atlanta Resident Agency and Special Agent in Charge Wendell W. Palmer of Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), made the announcement.

Christopher McCray, 55, of Jonesboro, Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to one count of accepting illegal kickbacks before U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen of the Northern District of Georgia. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Cohen on June 14 at 10:00 a.m. EST. McCray was charged in an indictment filed on April 25, 2017 in the Northern District of Georgia with one count of conspiracy to accept kickbacks and 14 counts of accepting illegal kickbacks.

As part of his plea, McCray admitted that he was employed as the country manager for a subcontractor of an American company that was moving cargo for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service from Bagram Airfield to military bases through Afghanistan. When the prime contractor needed McCrays employer to take a much bigger role in the distribution, McCray had the chance to influence the choice of the necessary Afghan trucking company as a subcontractor to his employer. McCrays employer entered into a subcontract with an Afghan company but before the choice of the subcontractor was made, the Afghan trucking company secretly agreed to kick back to McCray 15 percent of the revenues it would receive on the contract, he admitted. McCray thereafter remained as the only representative of his employer in Afghanistan for the duration of the subcontract and was responsible for checking the accuracy of the invoices submitted to McCrays employer and the quality of the Afghan companys work, all while secretly receiving the kickbacks, he admitted.

McCray received the secret payments from December 2012 to May 2014. He and the Afghan trucking company also maintained a separate set of invoices, which showed the amounts charged to McCrays employer and the amounts kept by the Afghan company and the amounts sent to McCray. McCray was first paid in cash, then by wires sent to his bank in Atlanta and then by Western Union payments sent to his mother, who would deposit the funds, mostly in cash, into McCrays bank accounts, he admitted.

DCIS, SIGAR, Army CID-MPFU, the FBI and Air Force OSI investigated this matter. Trial Attorney James Gelber of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Pearce of the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
Saying farewell to a friend of agriculture Ton Akkerman

Sacramento, California - One person can make a difference and sometimes we dont have the time to say goodbye. It is with great sadness we say goodbye to our dear colleague and friend from the Netherlands, Mr. Ton Akkerman who passed away suddenly last month.

Ton was Dutch Counselor for Agriculture at the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington D.C. He was instrumental in our first Climate Smart Agriculture mission, which was to the Netherlands in 2015. This mission was important to further our understanding of how agriculture is adapting to climate change in other regions of the world. Ton sat beside the Netherlands Minister of Agriculture during our discussions and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, and he guided us through every stage of our visit in the Netherlands.

We remember Tons warm smile, his intellectual thinking, and how he made the delegation feel comfortable and welcome through every aspect of our trip. Since then he had continued to work with us closely to further our relationship.

Ton opened other key collaborations at the Dutch Consulate in San Francisco that we continue to develop very closely. He will be greatly missed but we know he has left us in good hands, and we will always remember him in the years to come as we continue our work to build our international collaboration. He certainly made a big difference in our lives.
President Donald J. Trump Announces Fifth Wave of United States Marshal Nominees

Washington, DC - Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate a fifth wave of United States Marshals. The United States Marshal performs essential functions of protecting the Federal judiciary by apprehending fugitives, transporting prisoners, and protecting witnesses. These candidates share the Presidents vision for Making America Safe Again. Accordingly, the President today announced his intent to nominate these individuals to serve their respective jurisdictions:

If confirmed, Dallas L. Carlson of North Dakota will serve as the United States Marshal for the District of North Dakota. Mr. Carlson has served as the Director of the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation since 2011. Mr. Carlson began his law enforcement career in 1977 as a Deputy Sheriff with the Ramsey County, North Dakota Sheriffs Office. He went on to serve the Devils Lake, North Dakota and Mandan, North Dakota Police Departments before joining the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation in 1989. He holds a Bachelor of University Studies degree from Dickinson State University and an Associate of Arts degree from Lake Region State College.

If confirmed, Sonya K. Chavez of New Mexico will serve as the United States Marshal for the District of New Mexico. Sonya K. Chavez is currently a Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), where she has served since 1996. In her nearly 22-year career with the FBI, she has supported the Albuquerque and Chicago field offices. As a Supervisory Special Agent from 2010 to 2017, Ms. Chavez led the Albuquerque Safe Streets Gang Task Force. Prior to joining the FBI, she served as a lead marketing account manager, press aide to the Office of the Governor of New Mexico, marketing director for the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, and television news anchor and reporter for KLST-TV in San Angelo, Texas. Ms. Chavez holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and mass communication from New Mexico State University, a Master of Arts degree in public administration from the University of New Mexico, and has completed postgraduate work in Intercultural Communication at the University of New Mexico.

If confirmed, Gregory Allyn Forest of North Carolina will serve as the United States Marshal for the Western District of North Carolina. Mr. Forest is currently the Deputy Director of International Trade Compliance for IOMAX USA, Inc. He began his law enforcement career with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, where he served from 1986 to 1995. Mr. Forest then joined the U.S. Probation Office in the Western District of North Carolina, rising to the rank of Senior U.S. Probation Officer, Drug and Alcohol Treatment Specialist. In 2002, he was appointed United States Marshal for the Western District of North Carolina by President George W. Bush. He served in this capacity until 2004, when he returned to the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office as Chief U.S. Probation Officer until his retirement in 2015. Mr. Forest holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

If confirmed, Brendan O. Heffner of Illinois will serve as the United States Marshal for the Central District of Illinois. Mr. Heffner is currently the Chief of the Bloomington, Illinois Police Department. He began his law enforcement career as a patrolman with the Normal, Illinois Police Department in 1985. In 1989, Mr. Heffner became a state trooper with the Illinois State Police, where he worked in drug interdiction, internal investigations, labor relations, and counterterrorism; he also supervised a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force. He rose through the ranks of the State Police, serving in command posts as Lieutenant, Captain, Commander, and, finally retiring in 2010, as Lieutenant Colonel. In retirement, he served as a Safety/Security Specialist for the State Farm Insurance Companies and as an instructor with the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System. He was hired as Chief of the Bloomington Police Department in 2013. Mr. Heffner holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mass communications from Illinois State University.

If confirmed, Bradley A. Maxwell of Illinois will serve as the United States Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois. Mr. Maxwell is currently the St. Louis Manager and Chief of Uniform Security for the Boeing Company. He joined Boeing in 2011 after a 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force. Mr. Maxwell began his career with the Air Force as a Quality Assurance Evaluator/Electro-Mechanical Minuteman Team Chief at Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. In 2003, he graduated from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and became a Special Agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI). As a Special Agent, and later as Superintendent/Director of Operations for OSI at Scott Air Force Base (AFB), IL, he was deployed twice to Iraq, where he conducted insurgent and fugitive apprehensions and prisoner transports. Before his retirement, he returned to the Scott AF B as the Deputy Chief of Counterintelligence from 2010 to 2011. He holds two Associates of Applied Science degrees in criminal justice and electronic systems technology from the Community College of the Air Force and a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from Park University.

If confirmed, Theodor G. Short of Maine will serve as the United States Marshal for the District of Maine. Mr. Short is currently the Director of Security for Professional Security Consultants, Inc. in South Portland, Maine. He retired as Chief of Police for the towns of Kittery and Eliot in Maine in 2016, after 40 years in law enforcement. He served the Maine State Police from 1982 to 2004, retiring as the Troop Commander of Troop A; he served the Fairfield, Maine Police Department from 1977 to 1982. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Justice Administration from Norwich University, a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Husson College, and an Associate of Science degree in law enforcement technology from Southern Maine Community College.
Vice Presidents Call with President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine

Washington, DC - In a phone call today with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Vice President Mike Pence reaffirmed the United States steadfast support for Ukraines efforts to combat Russian aggression, improve governance, and reform its economy. The leaders agreed on the importance of expanding bilateral trade and investment, and the Vice President underscored the need for continued reforms to fight corruption, increase transparency, and improve the business climate.

The Vice President reiterated that the United States will continue to hold Russia accountable until it fulfills its commitments under the Minsk agreements, returns the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine, and ceases its destabilizing activities.
Thirteen cities worldwide are projected to see alarming rises in temperature that could exceed 2C over the next decade or so, according to a new report.

Moscow, the Russian capital, faces the highest potential increase among a hundred cities that were included in the report by the Urban Climate Change Research Network, based at Columbia University.

Cities that could see the steep temperature increases by the 2020s include Helsinki in Finland (2.5C), Ottawa in Canada (2.3C) and Trondheim in Norway (2.3C), the study showed.

"It's all alarming," William Solecki, one of the study's editors, said on Tuesday at a United Nations-backed climate summit.

All predictions included a lower limit too. Moscow, for instance, could increase by as little as 1.1C.

The new data provides "foundation knowledge" for cities at the forefront of efforts to rein in the effects of global warming, said Cynthia Rosenzweig, an editor of the report and a researcher with Nasa.

 Donald Trump on climate change: 'There is a cooling and there is a heating'

The new findings follow a UN draft report already causing alarm with projections that the global temperature rise is on track to exceed a 1.5C target included in the Paris pact to curb global warming.

Experts say storms, floods and other extreme weather events related to climate change are hitting cities much harder than scientists predicted.

"How will the cities know how they should develop their resilience plans unless they know what temperature projections, how the climate is supposed to change in their cities?" said Ms Rosenzweig during a press conference.

10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke  filled with the carbon that is driving climate change  drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan

The findings' variability (projected increases do not exceed 1C in a handful of cases) offer a reminder that cities need to develop tailored plans to mitigate the effects of climate change, said Mr Solecki, a professor at Hunter College in New York.

Planning is particularly crucial given growing pressures from urbanisation, he said.

About half the world's population lives in urban areas, and that figure is expected to reach 66 per cent by 2050, according to the UN.

Additional reporting by Reuters
The rainforests in Perus remote north-west corner are vast  so vast that the clouds that form above them can influence rainfall in the western United States. The region contains species, especially unusual fish, that are unlike any found elsewhere on Earth. Scientists studying the areas flora and fauna may gain insights into evolutionary processes and into the ecological health and geological history of the Amazon.

Now the region has become home to one of the Western Hemispheres newest national parks. Yaguas National Park will protect millions of acres of roadless wilderness  and the indigenous people who rely on it  from development and deforestation.

This is a place where the forest stretches to the horizon, says Corine Vriesendorp, a conservation ecologist at the Field Museum in Chicago, one of many organisations that worked to win the national park designation, Perus highest level of protection. This is one of the last great intact forests on the globe.

The designation stands in contrast to moves in the United States that may weaken protections for wilderness. President Donald Trump has made a priority of scaling back national monuments like Bears Ears in Utah, and many advisers to the National Park System recently quit, citing concerns about the administrations commitment to environmental protections.

Perus new park, on the other hand, joins a network of parks and reserves recently created to preserve territory in South American countries, including Ecuador, Chile and Colombia.

Nowadays were trying to think big, says Avecita Chicchon, who leads the Andes-Amazon Initiative, part of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. You need these large areas to be connected.

In Peru and elsewhere, political leaders, bolstered by strong civil society initiatives, are recognising the effects of climate change and their role in mitigating it. They are setting aside large parcels of land in part to fulfil commitments made as part of the Paris climate agreement. And local and indigenous groups, finally getting a legal say in the process, have also provided critical support.

Local indigenous people, such as the Yagua tribe, who rely on the land, have been given a legal say and critical support during the process (Alamy)

More than 1,000 people, belonging to at least six indigenous groups, live along a 125-mile stretch of the Yaguas and Putumayo rivers. To them, this place is sachamama, a Quechua word roughly meaning mother jungle, the sacred heart of the area that produces the flora and fauna on which the groups depend.

These indigenous people are part of a larger community scattered by tragedy during the rubber boom at the turn of 20th century. They are the descendants of the few who survived slavery, torture and genocide, which took tens of thousands of lives.

During the past two decades, indigenous federations living around Yaguas have been working to protect the land. They educated scientists and conservationists about its geography and biology, and convinced the government that the land was worth saving.

In the Amazonian lowlands of Yaguas National Park, different types of rivers that contain distinct forms of aquatic life mix during the rainy season as forests flood. This unusual cocktail of river waters produces unique diversity; more than 300 species of fish have adapted to forest life.

Imagine you were a fish and you were in a river, and you could pass to another river, not flowing, not swimming down river, instead crossing the forest, says Max Hidalgo, an ichthyologist at the Museum of Natural History in Lima.

The fish feed on fruits, disperse seeds and find homes in submerged branches. To find these rare species, youd have better luck cracking open a log than using a fishing line, says Hidalgo, who has been studying fish in the area for years.

One species, not yet named, grows no bigger than your thumb and has only been found dwelling in subterranean tunnels. Hidalgo hopes to return to the park soon to confirm whether it is new to science.

But with some 3,000 plant, 600 bird and more than 150 mammal species, there are far more than fish in Yaguas.

Often elusive in heavily hunted areas, tapirs in Yaguas seem to remain more visible. Ive never seen this many tapirs in one place, says Vriesendorp. They are sometimes found in the forest, eating salty mud to extract its minerals.

Endangered giant otters, which can grow to 6 feet long, have also been reported in the park. As their habitats become fragmented by deforestation and development, these oversized weasels face local extinctions.

The river is home to endangered giant otters, and a new team is hoping to study the population and determine any potential human-otter conflicts (Reuters) (REUTERS)

But their presence in Yaguas suggests that the aquatic ecosystem is still healthy, which is important given that the park contains the headwaters of a tributary to the Amazon.

A team led by the Frankfurt Zoological Society is hoping to get an estimate of the otter population, determine if there are any otter-human conflicts, and eventually assess whether mercury from small gold mining operations has entered the food chain.

If future proposals are successful, three-quarters of the Putumayo River will become a vast, unfragmented corridor for wildlife across northern Peru. And it could also be important as the world aims to reduce carbon emissions.

Looking over the rainforest from above, predictable linear patterns of another Yaguas jewel emerge: peat bogs, only recently discovered. They are part of a network of peat bogs across northern Peru that together store massive amounts of carbon.

Keeping the carbon in the ground is critical, although it will prove challenging in remote Yaguas and surrounding areas with fewer restrictions.

For now, Yaguas is safe, but in the 20 years Ive been working in the Amazon, Ive learned the hard way that todays remoteness is tomorrows access, says Gregory Asner, an ecologist at the Carnegie Institution for Science.

But for now, many are celebrating.

People dont create national parks everyday, says Vriesendorp. It really is a big deal.

 New York Times
This year marks a century since the first women in society were given the right to vote in UK elections. Suffrage was granted to females over the age of 30 who were property owners (it wasnt until 1928 that women were able to vote on the same grounds as men).

Many books about the suffragettes plight have followed. Most focus on the famed Pankhursts, but others have delved into the stories of lesser-known activists and the wider impact of their campaign. To mark this years milestone and International Womens Day, weve picked eight of the best.

The below are selected for their insights into the long fight for the vote, their historic detail, or their comment on the broader experience of women since 1918. While some volumes follow only the suffragettes, others celebrate the suffragists: peaceful campaigners who avoided militant tactics but were no less instrumental in the battle. Most are very recent releases, with a couple of older titles included for their sheer staying power.

Deeds Not Words: The Story of Womens Rights, Then And Now by Helen Pankhurst: 25, Sceptre

Penned by Helen Pankhurst, great granddaughter of suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst (and granddaughter of Sylvia), this is a frank and unflinching study of the female experience over 100 years.

Divided into six sections (politics, money, identity, violence, culture and power), the volume is concise given the ground covered. It sits somewhere between a reference book on gender issues through the ages, and an impassioned cry for change. Pankhurst celebrates victories  womens rising political profile, increased economic opportunity  but laments the barriers that she feels remain: the continued violence at the hands of men, the objectification of female bodies, and the patriarchal power that still dominates in politics and many work places. Each chapter ends with a score out of five, indicating the progress made under that particular umbrella of social history.

Theres a lengthy list of footnotes, but Pankhursts own word counts for a lot, too. More than the successor of great activists, she is one herself: a doctor of the social sciences and a fierce campaigner for womens rights internationally.

In 300 pages Pankhurst encapsulates just how far women have come since achieving suffrage  but also how much more there is to be done.

Buy now

Rise Up Women!: The Remarkable Lives of the Suffragettes by Diane Atkinson: 30, Bloomsbury

This near 700-page book is quite a tome, but its exacting history warrants the space. Diane Atkinson, the author of numerous well-received books on women in history, chronicles the militant struggle of the suffragettes in impressive and colourful detail.

In an early chapter, she muses that the campaign was a defiant panorama of first nights, long runs, tragedies, comedies and coup de theatre. And, written as a narrative history, the book succeeds in laying bare the suffragettes toils  but also in celebrating the flair and flamboyance of their controversial campaign.

The plot pushes on chronologically, spending ample time on key moments of the crusade. A moving chapter is that which documents Black Friday: a day in November 1910 when 150 women suffered police brutality during a protest. Generous extracts from the biographies of those women involved bring this and other events into sharp focus, and the black and white photographs throughout add further historic richness. A vivid and meticulous account.

Buy now

Hearts And Minds: The Untold Story of the Great Pilgrimage and How Women Won the Vote by Jane Robinson: 20, Doubleday

While the combative Pankhursts and their cohort made the headlines in the early 1900s, the vote was not won by this handful of women alone. It was the effort of a much greater collective.

In this account, historian and writer Jane Robinson sews together the stories of the suffragists, or non-militant campaigners, most of whom did not find themselves in prison or on a front-page splash.

Robinsons experience as an archivist put her in great stead to bring together this shared biography. She documents the many organisations, the failed petitions, the peaceful protests, and in doing so demonstrates the broad spectrum of women involved in the campaign: factory workers, teachers, mothers, grandmothers, aristocrats, servants.

The narrative thrust is focused on the Great Pilgrimage  a mammoth march of more than 50,000 people, which culminated in a peaceful rally in Londons Hyde Park. Anecdotal and rich in detail, Robinsons account moves effortlessly from suffragist to suffragist, using letters, journals and autobiographies to bring personal histories to life. Its clearly a passion project for Robinson, and she manages to hold a fresh lens to this otherwise well-documented portion of history.

Buy now

Sylvia Pankhurst: Rebellious Suffragette by Shirley Harrison: 9.99, Sapere Books

Once united in their quest for suffrage, the Pankhursts would eventually become estranged. While Christabel remained close to her mother, both Adela and Sylvia went their separate ways. Politically, at least, the gulf was perhaps largest between Sylvia and Emmeline  Sylvia was a staunch socialist and a pacifist who disapproved of her mothers efforts in support of the war.

Rebellious suffragette, then, is a fitting title for her stirring story. The foreword is written by Sylvias son, academic Richard Pankhurst  he muses on what his mother would make of the issues of the day, from the state of the UN, to the British welfare system. The rest of her story is recounted by author Shirley Harrison (whose other biographies include Jack the Ripper and Winnie the Pooh, no less).

The biography spans Sylvias formative years, which were shaped by the socialist movement, her love of art and painting, her apathy towards domestic chores, her fight for Ethiopias independence from Italy, and her birth of a child out of wedlock (much to her mothers abhorrence). Using Sylvias own journals and letters as a reference, Harrison succeeds in bringing her to life.

Buy now

Death in Ten Minutes: Kitty Marion: Activist. Arsonist. Suffragette by Fern Riddell: 25, Hodder & Stoughton

The tale this book tells is as explosive as its title. It focuses on the life of Kitty Marion, a militant suffragette and eccentric who made her living as an actor in music halls.

Historian Fern Riddell has said that she became obsessed by Marion when completing her PhD, and her fixation shines through in this dogged record of Marions movements during the battle for suffrage and beyond.

Riddells aim is to showcase the women and events in history that have been deleted by the process of PR and simplified storytelling. Punctuated with liberal extracts from Marions own unpublished autobiography, Riddells vivid prose follows this unsung heroine in her fight for birth control (she was an early founder of Planned Parenthood) and suffrage  but also her controversial bombing and arson campaign. Our heroes are flawed, says Riddell, but we should not distort or dilute their stories.

In this honest, unshrinking story of Marions life, Riddell practices what she preaches.

Pre-order now (released 19 April)

Suffragette: My Own Story by Emmeline Pankhurst: 7.99, Vintage

A list of this kind would not be complete without a word from the grande dame herself. Here, Emmeline Pankhurst recounts her own tale in 300 pages of staunch, sobering prose.

First published in 1914, its an accessible if not intimate view into the psyche of the best-known suffragette in history. This latest reprint (2015) is fronted by a pensive Carey Mulligan, who stars in the 2015 film Suffragette, inspired by this autobiography.

Pankhurst starts from the beginning. She writes early on of her frustration at her brothers education being valued more than her own, and her fathers wish that she was born a boy. The account stretches up to 1914, still four years short of suffrage for women, as she covers such ordeals as force feeding passionately yet plainly. Had I remained there much longer, I should have been a dead woman, she says of one stint in prison in 1913. The finished product rests somewhere between a gripping novel and a painstaking historical record. No view of the suffragette story is complete without this comprehensive puzzle piece.

Buy now

Sally Heathcote: Suffragette by Mary Talbot, Kate Charlesworth, Bryan Talbot: 18.99, Jonathan Cape

This book has been on our shelves since 2014, but it warrants a place on this list for its ingenuity. A graphic novel, it follows the story of its namesake, a fictional servant girl who finds herself swept up in the full furore of the suffragette campaign. A seamless blend of historical fact and fiction, the novel allows both the Pankhursts and the Pethick-Lawrences (a married couple who were key players in the appeal for suffrage) starring roles.

The illustrations are full of energy and expression, black and white for the most part but with carefully placed pops of purple and green, and orange for the protagonists fiery ginger hair. To continue its historical clout, the book finishes with a timeline relating to womens suffrage and other significant milestones, as well as notes that breathe further real-life significance into moments of the plot.

Its a collaboration between writer and scholar Mary Talbot, and talented artists and cartoonists Bryan Talbot and Kate Charlesworth.

Buy now

The Century Girls: The Final Word from the Women Whove Lived the Past Hundred Years of British History by Tessa Dunlop: 20, Simon & Schuster

This book does not follow the troubles and triumphs of the Pankhursts, but it is intrinsically linked to their plight. The leading ladies here are six special women, each of whom were born towards the end, or in the immediate wake, of the suffrage campaign.

Historian and broadcaster Tessa Dunlop (best known for her work on the BBC) made pains to select women from broad walks of life, and succeeds in weaving a rich tapestry of experiences. Ann, Olive, Helena, Phyllis, Joyce and Edna all reflect on their long lives and the changing lot of women over time. Dunlops line-up runs the gamut from a Lincolnshire lass and servant girl (Edna), to a Cambridge fellow born into relative privilege (Joyce).

But despite their differences these women share a common stoicism and charm. References to the suffragettes are laced throughout: Londoner Ann called her childhood doll Panky after her suffragette neighbour, while Joyce remembers her mother sobbing as she voted for the very first time.

Dunlop is playful and probing in her questioning, covering everything from sex and relationships to feminism  and its clear she formed a lasting friendship with each of the women interviewed.

Buy now

The Verdict: Suffragette books

For a blanket history of the suffragette movement, Diane Atkinsons Rise Up, Women! should be your pick. This hefty volume leaves few stones unturned, chronicling the campaign in scrupulous detail. But for a broader perspective that captures not only the drive for suffrage itself but its impact on todays society and the broader experience of women since, Helen Pankhursts Deeds not Words truly delivers. Youll lay the book down feeling not only informed, but galvanised to take action yourself.

IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.
See ya Gary Cohn. Its tempting to add that old schoolyard jibe wouldn't wanna be ya but Donald Trumps outgoing economic advisor is filthy rich and will probably get more lucrative job offers than Lionel Messi at the end of a contract after he has cleared his desk.

All the more so because of the tax cut he played a leading role in getting through, a package that hugely benefits wealthy people like him and the corporates gagging to employ him at the expense of a monster future deficit and the probable torching of programmes to help the millions of Americans to whom the Trump Bump has brought nothing but pain.

Publicly Mr Cohn and Mr Trump followed the form and made nice. Theyre great pals. Hell be around for a while, and will still provide advice after hes gone, like was said of Steve Bannon before the latter became the White Houses devil incarnate.

The spin from anonymous sources quoted in the US media is that his resignation was sparked by his disagreement with Americas trade policy, specifically Mr Trumps steel tariffs and what might be coming in their wake, which includes the very real possibility of a trade war.

The President is re-heating his aggressive America First agenda that his base loves ahead of the US mid term elections. Despite frequently being at odds with his party, he needs as many Republicans elected as possible and that is what fires up the partys base.

But the policy is anathema to Mr Cohn, a convinced free trader who served as the president of investment bank Goldman Sachs before, like so many others from that institution, moving into public life.

A lifelong Democrat, from the wing of the party whose members would probably be most comfortable as part of the Conservative Party of David Cameron were they in Britain, he is socially liberal, is said to have pushed for the employment rights of LGBT people to be preserved, and to have advocated for the US remaining in the Paris Climate Accords, while offering sound practical advice to his mercurial boss.

Guilt by an association with protectionist policies he believes to be antithetical to Americas long term best interests, pushed by the hardliners in Trumps circle, was, we are told, the straw that broke the camels back leading to his joining a revolving door of advisors that has been spinning at a dizzying rate of late.

There is a lot to be said for the medias favoured explanation.

But it is also true that Mr Cohn, in delivering the tax package, may well feel hes done the job he intended to do. Americas rich are getting richer, its corporations more bloated. Its economy has enjoyed a short term boost.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

That being the case, there is scant upside for him in sticking around in a place that, by all accounts, is as much fun to work at as having your teeth pulled out with a pair of rusty pliers.

Through this lens, Trumps angling for a trade war simply provided him with the excuse he needed. It makes Mr Cohn look good. It portrays him as a man making a principled decision when that decision could easily have been motivated by a careful consideration by Mr Cohn of what lies in his best interests.

Leaving now means he can point to the tax cut as his legacy, while avoiding any chance of an association with the troubles that lie ahead. Plus it leaves him free to pick up a lucrative new job somewhere. For Mr Cohn, quitting now is a no brainer.
The advertising regulator has cracked down on four of the biggest operators in the secondary ticketing sector, accusing StubHub UK, Viagogo, Seatwave and GetMeIn of misleading customers when trying to sell tickets for music concerts and other events.

The Advertising Standards Authority said on Wednesday that it had conducted formal investigations as part of a sector-wide sweep and had found that the four companies had not been upfront and transparent with consumers about ticket fees and charges added at the end of the booking process.

As a result, it said that it had banned the operators from using certain terms and claims in its adverts.

Recommended CMA takes aim at secondary ticketing sites

Viagogo, for example, will have to stop using the term official site when advertising, because it misleadingly implies that it is an official primary ticket outlet rather than a second-hand ticket website.

The company will also no longer be allowed to make the claim 100 per cent guarantee when trying to sell tickets. The ASA said that this statement suggests that consumers are guaranteed entry to a particular venue when there is in fact a reasonable risk that buyers might not be able to gain entry.

The ASA said that UK advertising rules require quoted prices to include non-optional taxes and fees that apply to all or at least most buyers, and that all operators must comply with this.

Secondary ticketing companies must ensure that their pricing is transparent by including clear and relevant information about additional fees at the beginning of the customer journey  so before a potential buyer makes a decision about whether to go ahead with a purchase, the ASA said.

Many of us will recognise the frustration of being happy with the initial price of tickets on a secondary website only to be stung by hefty fees when we come to book, said ASA chief executive Guy Parker.

The message from our rulings is simple and its clear: the price you see at the start should be the price you pay at the end.

Secondary ticketing websites have been the subject of investigation and scrutiny for months and several artists, including Ed Sheeran, Radiohead and Amy Macdonald, have in the past urged concertgoers to refrain from using certain sites.

In a report published in November last year, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that it had identified widespread concerns about the information people are given on the websites when considering whether to buy tickets.

It said that it was raising its concerns with a number of these websites and would be requiring them to take action where necessary.

Secondary ticketing websites can offer an important service  by allowing people the chance to buy tickets at the last minute or giving them a chance to re-sell tickets they can no longer use, the CMAs chief executive, Andrea Coscelli, said at the time. But our investigation has identified concerns that the law protecting consumers is being broken.

In response to the ASA announcement on Wednesday, a spokesperson for StubHub said that the company supports any measures which make ticket buying easier, more convenient and more transparent for fans.

We welcome this opportunity to work closely with the ASA and we will be fully compliant with its decision. We hope that other players in the ticketing industry, including primary issuers, follow suit, the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for Ticketmaster, which owns Seatwave and GetMeIn, said: Our ticket resale sites already ensure fans know exactly what they will pay at every stage of the buying process, displaying all fees as soon as the customer selects and submits the number of tickets they are looking to buy.

We will continue to work with both the ASA and the CMA to further develop levels of transparency and consumer protection within the UK ticketing sector.

Viagogo was not immediately available for comment when contacted by The Independent.
Multinational companies shifted profits through Ireland  an accounting technique designed to avoid corporation tax - equivalent to almost a quarter of the countrys GDP between 2010 and 2015.

Profits diverted through Ireland far exceeded those diverted through other EU states, according to a report published by the European Commission on Wednesday, which examines tax rules in Belgium, Cyprus, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands.

The Commission said that some businesses have exploited loopholes and different tax regulations across member states.

It pledged to fight aggressive tax planning that has conferred unfair competitive advantages.

In 2016 the EU Commission ruled that Ireland had given the US multinational Apple illegal state aid by allowing it to pay an effective 1 per cent corporation tax.

These practices undermine fairness and the level playing field in our internal market, and they increase the burden on EU taxpayers, said EU tax commissioner Pierre Moscovici.

While we recognise the steps some of these member states have taken to adapt their tax model recently, clearly more needs to be done.

He added: We must ensure that fair taxation becomes the rule without exceptions.

Companies operating in one country can make royalty payments to parent companies overseas, enabling them to shift profits out of countries with higher corporation tax rates.

According to the Financial Times, representatives of Google, Amazon, Spotify, Netflix and travel site Booking.com met with Mr Moscovici on Wednesday to discuss taxation in EU member states.

The Paradise Papers in November also revealed Apple had used the Channel Islands to avoid billions in corporation taxes after the rules in Ireland were tightened five years ago.

In the UK, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced in his Autumn Budget speech that he intends to crack down further on profit shifting.

From 2019, companies will have to pay income tax on any royalties relating to UK sales that they funnel through tax havens.
Engine maker Rolls-Royce has signalled further job cuts amid plans to slash costs significantly as it bounced back from record losses with a 4.9bn annual profit haul.

The group confirmed it had hired advisers Alvarez & Marsal to help it move to a considerably simplified staff structure as part of the wide-ranging restructure announced in January, which has sparked fears about fresh job cuts.

Rolls-Royce made the comments as the company revealed it swung out of the red last year with pre-tax profits of 4.9bn, thanks to a 2.6bn accounting boost from the pounds recent bounce-back.

Recommended UK car registrations slide in February as demand for diesel bites

This marked a recovery from a dire 2016 when it fell into the red by 4.6bn in what was its largest ever loss, and one of the biggest in UK corporate history, after being hit by the pounds plunge and a corruption scandal.

On an underlying basis, Rolls-Royce saw annual pre-tax profits rise 25 per cent to 1.1bn in 2017.

Chief executive Warren East said the company had made good progress in 2017.

He said it was too early to say how many jobs will be affected under the restructure, but confirmed the shake-up will lead to a slimmed down corporate centre and will cut out duplication in its support and management functions.

The latest restructure comes as around 600 managers have left the group since 2015 under a previous overhaul.

But Mr East stressed the revamp was not set to affect engineers, with plans to invest 1.4bn in research and development and to hire engineers and technology experts.

He said: The business unit simplification and restructuring programme that we announced this January will drive further rationalisation and is a fundamental step in the journey started two years ago to bring Rolls-Royce closer to its full potential both operationally and financially.

The engine maker plans to update people on the overhaul in the middle of the year.

Rolls-Royce said this years results would be hit by costs relating to repairs on some of its engines.

The company revealed a hit of around 340m in 2018 for the cost of repairs on existing engines, following a 170m charge in 2017, with around another 240m due in 2019 to cover the issue.

Up to 500 Trent 1000 engines  used on Boeing 787 planes  and some Trent 900 engines are affected by the issues, which see components wear out earlier than expected.

Rolls-Royce said underlying operating profits are expected at around 400m for 2018 but could fall to 300m at the lower end of forecasts, which would be a drop from 321m reported for 2017.

Despite the warning, Rolls-Royce shares rose more than 8 per cent after the results.

PA
Royal Bank of Scotland has reached a $500m (360m) settlement with New York State to resolve charges it misled investors by selling risky mortgage securities that contributed to the 2008 global financial crisis.

The settlement announced on Tuesday by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman calls for the bank to pay $100m in cash to the state and provide $400m of relief to homeowners and communities, including funds to build affordable housing.

RBS is the sixth bank to settle similar claims by New York, resulting in roughly $3.7bn of settlements.

JPMorgan, Bank of America, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group have also settled, with JPMorgans roughly $1bn accord in November 2013 the largest, the attorney generals office said.

RBS admitted to having in 2006 and 2007 misled investors into believing the residential mortgage-backed securities it sold were properly underwritten and complied with applicable laws and regulations.

The New York probe had focussed on 44 securities offerings worth more than $52bn, including many that plummeted in value as housing and financial markets fell into distress.

While the financial crisis may be behind us, New Yorkers are still feeling the effects of the housing crash, Schneiderman said in a statement. Todays settlement is another important step in our comprehensive effort to help New Yorkers rebuild their lives and communities.

RBS last month said it has set aside 3.2bn to cover potential settlements with the US Department of Justice and other regulators over RMBS sales.

Putting our remaining legacy issues behind us is a key part of our strategy, Chief Executive Ross McEwan said in a statement. Settling these issues is a stark reminder of the heavy price we continue to pay for the global ambitions pursued by the bank in the run up to the crisis.

The lack of a settlement with the Justice Department has impeded the UK Governments ability to reduce its recent 71 per cent stake in RBS. It had taken a larger stake during the financial crisis, but has sold down part of it.

Reuters
The biggest stock market flotation in history will be a key topic of discussion as Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman jets into the UK for a much talked about three-day visit.

London is vying with New York and Hong Kong to be the venue of the initial public offering of Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil behemoth that could be valued at up to $2 trillion. That would be enough to buy Amazon and Apple with a few hundred billion to spare.

But how significant is it for London to attract the deal and why has it been so controversial?

What is the Saudi Aramco deal?

The Saudi royal family is seeking a stock market listing for the kingdoms oil company which has been under complete state control for 38 years.

Just 5 per cent of shares in the company are to be put up for sale but that could net up to $100bn, dwarfing the record for largest company float ever: Chinese e-commerce firm Alibabas $26bn share sale in 2014.

It is the first time that stock market investors will have had the opportunity to buy directly into Saudi Arabias vast oil wealth. Despite the crown princes aim of diversifying Saudi Arabias economy, oil will remain at its heart for some time.

The kingdom says Aramco has reserves of more than 260 billion barrels - in excess of ten times those of Exxon Mobil, the worlds largest non-state oil company. Aramco is responsible for one in every nine barrels of oil pumped in the world each day.

Why is it so significant to the UK?

These huge numbers also mean big fees for any investment banks, lawyers, brokers and other advisors that assist on a potential sale. Such a vast deal would also bestow a healthy dose of prestige upon the financial hub that facilitates it, in an era where jurisdictions are increasingly competing with each other to be the most attractive to multinationals.

Persuading the Saudis to list in London would be a major tonic for the City, which has been battered by a seemingly never-ending stream of bad news as financial services firms announce their plans to move staff to Europe as a result of Brexit.

Why has the Saudi Aramco IPO been controversial?

Proposals to relax strict stock market rules in order to lure the Aramco listing have concerned many in the financial world.

Under the Financial Conduct Authority's proposals, a company in which a recognised government holds 30 per cent or more of the stock would be exempt from certain listing rules.

A sovereign shareholder would not have to seek approval from minority shareholders for transactions with the state, nor would they have to give them a vote on who should serve as independent directors.

Analysts have argued that these weakened governance protections put investors at risk and could damage the reputation of the City of London.

FCA chief Andrew Bailey confirmed that regulators held discussions with Aramco officials in early 2017, just months before the rule-change plans were unveiled.

Beyond the financial world, some critics find it distasteful that the UK and US are effectively partaking in a beauty contest to attract the eye of a regime they see as repressive and that has been linked to war crimes in Yemen.

The UK is not alone in its attempts to woo Saudi oil money. In November, Donald Trump tweeted: "Would very much appreciate Saudi Arabia doing their IPO of Aramco with the New York Stock Exchange. Important to the United States!

The US president chose the middle-eastern kingdom as the venue for his first state visit and would likely see the winning the Aramco listing as major coup.

In recent weeks, the possibility of an Asian listing also appears to have increased. A senior Saudi source told Reuters this week that New York and London were just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to a deal. Asian economies are increasingly important markets for oil.

What happens next?

After MBS has met the Queen and Theresa May among others, the 32-year-old prince will fly to the US to speak with the president and other key figures in the administration. It is not known when an announcement on Aramco listing will take place but it is understood that the the Saudis are looking to take key decisions this month so that the $100bn share sale can take place as soon as October or November.
A hospital trusts ban on men entering a breast screening waiting room has been called dated and sexist.

Gentlemen are kindly asked to wait outside, reads a sign in capital letters, which is posted on the reception door of the Park Centre for Breast Care in Brighton.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, claimed it was there to make women feel safe, secure and dignified, but it has now been asked to rethink the rule.

When Sue Jones, 52, attended the clinic for a scan after finding a lump that she was worried about, she took her friend Liam Hackett along with her for support.

She said the waiting area is separate from the changing rooms, which had locks, adding that she saw no topless women in the waiting area.

It made me quite angry. They wouldnt even discuss it with me, she said. "The scan makes you really anxious; this policy doesnt make things better for you. We should be open because it reduces taboo and they should be encouraging people to be clear about their health.

She added: This decision can only be based on sexism. The implication is that you can only bring a female. It implies that men are there for the wrong reasons. The point is there is no reason for it.

Im the kind of women who never asks for help. The one time that I did, this happens, it just validates why I do not bother asking for it.

Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests  but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty

Mr Hackett, who waited for Ms Jones outside in the corridor, said: It just seems very strange. I cant begin to imagine to think what it would be like to have to go on your own. Pain and fear are ever-present in healthcare, the NHS should consider the patients,

He urged the hospital on to immediately review and revoke the dated, sexist & disgusting policy, which he said had caused offence, upset and embarrassment, in a post on Twitter

Am I not allowed to comfort a friend when she is feeling vulnerable? he added.

A spokeswoman for the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS said it was not a case of men not being allowed into the breast centre, but very specifically one interior waiting room.

Men are welcome in the outside area but women have to take their tops off, just put one layer back on and walk through that small waiting room to go through for their scan, she told The Independent.

In feedback, patients said it makes them feel uncomfortable when there are men in that waiting room, so we instigated the policy to protect the women who are using that facility. It is to make them feel safe secure and dignified and that they are treated in a place where there interests are put first.

She said the clinic was aimed at women who have been invited as part of national screening programme and are generally those who are not presenting symptoms.

The appointment lasts around 20 minutes and around 50 women are seen each day.

The policy has been in place for 10 years or more and we have not had that many complaints in that time, she said. Patients who have been referred by a GP who do have symptoms would be seen at a different outpatients clinic and they are encouraged to bring support with them.

Those who wanted to be accompanied by a man were also able to attend the outpatients clinic.

SWNS contributed to this report.
A man suspected of swallowing a stash of drugs has won his freedom  and a stand-off with police - after refusing to go to the toilet for 47 days.

Lamarr Chambers was arrested in Harlow, Essex on 17 January and charged with two counts of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

The 24-year-old refused to take laxatives or be X-rayed during his time in custody, but continued to eat and drink. Essex Police tweeted daily updates of what they described as poo watch.

But officers decided to release Mr Chambers from custody on Monday following medical and legal advice, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the charge.

Although Mr Chambers was rearrested on a separate charge of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug, he was released on bail and taken by police car to hospital for medical treatment.

On the basis of all the medical evidence in this case it is most appropriate, both in the interests of Mr Chambers and of justice, to ensure he receives the hospital treatment he needs, said Deputy Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington, who took the decision to release the suspect.

 Police fight drugs-by-post trade across UK which circumvents border checks

Where detainees are suspected of ingesting or concealing drugs inside their body, we must balance overseeing their welfare and ensuring that all evidence is captured to ensure the best possible chance of prosecution.

Mr Chambers allegedly swallowed a package of crack cocaine and heroin while being chased by officers from Essex Polices Operation Raptor West; the gangs and urban street crime unit for Harlow, Epping Forest, Brentwood and Thurrock.

Police had applied to keep Mr Chambers in custody at seven separate court hearings as they waited for him to empty his bowels or allow doctors to retrieve the package he was suspected of swallowing.

On day 19 of his arrest, officers tweeted: Male doesnt seem to understand that eventually he will need/have to go.

Chelmsford Magistrates Court was told Mr Chambers was being kept in a normal prison cell with two police officers with him at all times, and had not been given the privacy to use a toilet. Officers said Mr Chambers was delaying the inevitable.

His defence lawyers argued he was at risk of death.

Upon Mr Chambers release, Essex Police released a statement defending the decision.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA

During this time [in custody] he was routinely supplied with food and water, received medical visits every day and comprehensive reports of his state of health were provided to the court at each hearing, the statement said.

His health, wellbeing and dignity were paramount at all times. Despite this, nothing was passed by Mr Chambers, who also routinely declined medical treatment and the opportunity to visit hospital.
The alleged Parsons Green bomber told Home Office officials when he arrived in Britain that he had been trained as an Isis child soldier, a court has heard.

Iraqi teenager Ahmed Hassan was taken into foster care and interviewed by authorities in 2016 and claimed he had not been sent by the terrorist group to launch an attack.

He denies building a homemade bomb that partially exploded on the London Underground in September last year, and attempting to kill commuters in the height of morning rush-hour.

The Old Bailey heard that the 18-year-old bought the necessary chemicals online using a 20 Amazon voucher awarded for being named student of the year at Brooklands College in Surrey.

Mr Hassan allegedly seized a window of opportunity to prepare the device while his foster parents were on holiday in early September last year.

While the elderly couple, who were made MBEs for their decades of service to children, were away he allegedly researched explosives, ordered the ingredients online and collected them from a friends home.

Mr Hassan was placed with the couple after arriving in Britain in the back of a lorry via the Channel Tunnel in October 2015.

He had no identity documents, but gave his full name as Ahmed Hassan Mohammed Ali to Home Office officials who interviewed him the following January at Lunar House in Croydon.

(PA)

Mr Hassan told them he was claiming asylum in Britain as he was in fear of Isis as a result of what had happened to him in Iraq, the court heard.

He told officials he had been trained to kill by the terrorist group and indoctrinated in what Allah believed was right.

The teenager denied he had come to Europe on their behalf and said militants forced him to go with them as they advanced through Iraq and threatened to kill his family if he refused.

Mr Hassan described training alongside around 1,000 people and said he only escaped after the territory was retaken by Iraqi government forces, who told the children to flee.

Recommended Isis releases video of child soldiers training for jihad in Syria camp

Months after the interview, a Barnados staff member who spoke Arabic allegedly caught him listening to an Islamic nasheed [song], with words to the effect of: We are coming with you to the slaughter in your home/country.

One of his supervisors also allegedly saw Mr Hassan watching what appeared to be an Isis propaganda video video of people in a truck wearing balaclavas, holding machine guns and the groups flag.

In April 2016, the teenager was referred by Surrey social services to Brooklands College where he was given a mentor who helped him find his foster home in Cavendish Road, Sunbury, in Surrey.

At the time Mr Hassan allegedly set about causing carnage on the Tube at Parsons Green, his asylum claim was still outstanding.

The jury was told that the day before the attack on 15 September, Mr Hassan set off bought metal items for shrapnel from Asda and Aldi in Feltham, west London.

Police outside a property in Thornton Heath, south London, after a teenager was arrested by detectives investigating the Parsons Green terrorist attack, (PA)

The device he allegedly created contained Isis signature explosive TATP [triacetone triperoxide] and 2.2kg of sockets, screws, bolts, nails, knives, screwdrivers and other shrapnel aimed to cause maximum harm and carnage.

Prosecutors said Mr Hassan put the device inside a white bucket, with an improvised detonator and timer, inside a Lidl bag.

The defendant allegedly left his home shortly before 7am and took the overground train from Sunbury to Wimbledon, passing schoolchildren and commuters on his way to the District Line interchange.

In a toilet in Wimbledon station, he set the timer and boarded the Tube before getting off at Putney Bridge, one stop before Parsons Green, jurors heard.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan: At any point, should he have wanted to, he could have stopped the timer. He could have pulled the wires out of the device. He could have stopped the detonation.

"The CCTV footage from inside the carriage shows that at no stage did the defendant reach inside the bag to do anything."

There were 93 people in the packed Tube carriage when the device partially exploded in at 8.20am, sending a fireball into the air and severely burning commuters.

One passenger, Jelena Semenjuk, said she noticed a bag on the floor and a man fitting Mr Hassans before she heard a loud bang and noticed her coat was on fire.

She suffered burns to her legs, hands, and face, causing her eyebrows and lashes to be singed off, the court heard.

Aimee Colville saw "shards of glass flying through the air and then flames" and "smell herself burning and saw her hair was on fire".

Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion A bucket with flames and wires coming out of it was photographed in the carriage after the explosion  apparently the source of the blast AFP Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion An explosion on a packed Tube train has injured a number of people in west London AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion The blast triggered a stampede as commuters panicked AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion Click through for more pictures from the scene Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosioN Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion PA Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green  in pictures AFP/Getty

Stephen Nash noticed a blinding light and the feeling that he was in a furnace engulfed in flames, the court was told.

An expert concluded it was a matter of luck that the bomb did not fully explode, saying the initiator could have come loose or the device may not have been well constructed.

As the bucket continued to burn, hundreds of passengers fled the train and several were injured in the crush to escape Parsons Green station up a single staircase.

The court heard that after calmly walking away from Putney Bridge station, Mr Hassan boarded a bus where he was caught on CCTV removing the SD card from his phone and chewing it to destroy it.

He then boarded a train to Richmond and onwards to Brighton, changing clothes several time to switch from a grey jumper, to maroon one, to a Chelsea shirt bought alongside other supplies in Ashford.

The jury heard Mr Hassan arrived in Dover at around 2.30pm, and bought a new mobile phone that he used to read BBC news coverage of his own bombing.

When he was arrested at the Kent port, he had 2,320 in cash and told police he was responsible for the device, the court was told.

Investigators recovered the destroyed SD card from Mr Hassans phone but said there was no record of how the bomb was built because the Mac laptop social services gave him for his studies had been completely wiped the day before the attack.

Mr Hassan denies attempted murder and using the chemical compound TATP to cause an explosion that was likely to endanger life.

Additional reporting by PA
The leaders of far-right extremist group Britain First have been jailed for anti-Muslim hate crimes after targeting people they incorrectly believed were involved in an ongoing rape trial.

Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, both of Beeches Close in Penge, were convicted on several counts of religiously-aggravated harassment following a trial at Folkestone Magistrates Court, which heard their actions could have caused rapists to walk free.

Fransen was sentenced to 36 weeks imprisonment and Golding for 18 weeks by a judge who said their crimes were "deliberately planned against targeted victims".

Judge Justin Barron said their words and actions demonstrated hostility towards Muslims and Islam, adding: I have no doubt it was their joint intention to use the facts of the case for their own political ends.

"It was a campaign to draw attention to the race, religion and immigrant background of the defendants."

The judge said the court had received a number of emails both in the defendants support and against them, but the verdict was based solely on admissible evidence heard in court.

Golding, 36, was convicted of one count of religiously aggravated harassment and acquitted on two others.

His deputy, 31-year-old Fransen, was found guilty of three counts of the same offence and cleared of one.

They were arrested in May after distributing leaflets and posting of videos during a rape trial at Canterbury Crown Court, where three Muslim men and a teenager were later convicted and jailed.

 Donald Trump criticised for Britain First retweets

In one incident, Fransen went to the home of one of the defendants, Tamin Rahmani, and shouted racist abuse through the front door.

His pregnant partner Kelli Best was alone with their two children, aged three years and 18 months, at the time of the incident on 9 May.

In a video played in court, Fransen could be seen banging on the door and shouting: Come out and face me you disgusting rapist, come on.

Prosecutors said it was one of several incidents of Fransen and Golding filming and harassing people they incorrectly believed were involved in the trial.

In each case, they instead targeted innocent members of the public, a spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

They filmed the abuse and then released it on social media and through the Britain First website.

They also posted offensive leaflets through the letterboxes of houses in the area where the rape trial defendants lived.

Fransen denied all charges and claimed she did not use the phrase Muslim bastards, or say that all Muslims are rapists.

Golding also denied the charges and said he was only acting as Fransen's cameraman.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA

Their actions endangered the trial of three men and a 17-year-old boy who were jailed in September for raping a drunk 16-year-old girl who had asked them for directions, after taking her to a flat above a kebab and pizza restaurant in Ramsgate.

Jaswant Narwal, from the CPS, said: The prosecution case demonstrated these defendants were not merely exercising their right to free speech but were instead aiming religiously-aggravated abuse at innocent members of the public.

The victims suffered the distress of the abuse followed by additional stress when the footage was uploaded to the internet.

This offending also related to an ongoing criminal trial and the actions taken by Fransen and Golding could easily have derailed the justice process.

The campaign was one of a series of similar stunts by Britain First, which selectively highlights crimes it believes to be convicted by defendants from Muslim backgrounds.

The group gained international notoriety when Donald Trump shared several of Fransens Twitter posts last year, sparking a diplomatic row after Theresa May condemned the action.

Both Fransen and Golding have since been banned from Twitter in a crackdown on extremism and hate speech, but Britain First continues to have a large following on Facebook, were its official page is liked by more than 2 million people.

Britain First leader Paul Golding leaves Belfast Magisrates' Court alongside Jayda Fransen and supporters after a hearing on 10 January (PA)

They are due to stand trial in Northern Ireland next month over separate allegations of inciting hatred at the Northern Ireland Against Terrorism rally in Belfast.

Britain First was attempting to use their imprisonment to recruit supporters and further its narrative of being victimised by authorities for "free speech".

The group quoted Fransen as calling Wednesday a "sad day for British justice", with a spokesperson claiming her and Golding's only crime is "loyalty".

Britain First, which started as a splinter group from the British National Party, is believed to have fewer than a hundred active members.

It has forged links with extreme nationalist movements across Europe, seeing Fransen attend a march in Poland where she called Islam a cancer moving through Europe, adding: Our children are being bombed, our children are being groomed and our government does nothing.

The Finsbury Park terror attacker, Darren Osborne, read Britain First posts before his attempted massacre of Muslim worshippers, while neo-Nazi Thomas Mair repeatedly shouted the groups name while murdering Labour MP Jo Cox.

Britain First is among the organisations perpetuating the idea of a cultural war against Islam, a report found last week after police revealed that four far-right and 10 Islamist terror plots have been foiled in the last year.

Fascist organisations are growing, particularly when mainstream politicians such as Trump and others in Europe ape far right rhetoric, said Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of Unite Against Fascism. It is high time that they be held responsible for hate speech."

Additional reporting by PA
A 15-year-old schoolboy has been called a credit to his community after he rescued a baby and an elderly woman from a burning house before putting out the fire.

Jack Wood was on his way to school when he noticed smoke billowing out of the house across the road from his family's home in Carshalton, South London.

The teenager told his mother, Emma, to call the fire brigade before racing inside the house to rescue the one-year-old and the woman.

I just wanted to get the baby and the gran out and make sure the fire was out, Jack told The Croydon Advertiser. I know the people who live there so I knew that there was a baby inside and that the gran might not be able to get out very quickly.

"So I ran in, got the baby out first, and then went back in to save the gran.

Ms Wood said after Jack handed her the baby, he ran back inside to put the fire out with a bucket of water.

A fundraising web page set up after his effort, raised 600 for the teenager in under 18 hours  200 per cent over target.

This page is to raise some money for the young lad Jack that rescued a lady and one-year-old baby from a house fire and put it out, it reads. Not many 15 year olds would have the bravery to do this and we think that he should be rewarded and also be able to treat himself.

The page calls on the local community to donate so Jack can buy himself the latest games console, clothes, bike, or whatever it is he is into.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA UK news in pictures 20 July 2021 People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London PA UK news in pictures 19 July 2021 Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England PA UK news in pictures 18 July 2021 A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 July 2021 Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave Getty UK news in pictures 16 July 2021 The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 15 July 2021 Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a 7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport's Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe PA UK news in pictures 14 July 2021 Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the worlds first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the Mary Shelleys House of Frankenstein experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July PA UK news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford PA

Tributes to the teenager poured in alongside the donations, with one woman saying: What an amazing young lad.

Another wrote: Well done Jack what a credit to your parents and the community. A very brave, selfless act.

A spokesperson from the London Fire Brigade said: One man, one woman, and one child were taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service with smoke inhalation."
Emergency services have descended on an office building next to the Zizzi restaurant at the centre of investigations over the poisoning of a Russian spy.

Police, paramedics and firefighters surrounded Sarum House shortly after 1pm, blocking the road.

At least one woman was seen being walked to an ambulance by paramedics and driven away.

Unconfirmed local reports suggested she may have suffered a panic attack but officials did not immediately confirm the reason for the call.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said she could not say whether the incident was linked to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia.

They remain in intensive care in Salisbury District Hospital after being found unconscious on a bench in the city centre on Sunday.

 Boris Johnson threatens fresh sanctions against Russia after poisoning of Russian double agent

The pair had no visible injuries and had been exposed to an "unknown substance", which has not yet been publicly named by authorities.

Amber Rudd said investigators "know more" about the chemical following a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra meeting this morning.

The Home Secretary would not comment on speculation that Mr Skripal and his daughter were targeted by Russia, adding: We've taken all the action necessary to ensure the public are safe and I'd like to reassure them.

Police have cordoned off a new area linked to the case at a business park in Amesbury, around a 20-minute drive from where they were found collapsed on a bench in Salisbury.

Investigators are still working inside a Zizzi restaurant and The Mill pub nearby, where the pair are believed to have eaten and drank before falling ill.

The Russian foreign ministry said allegations were being used to whip up an anti-Russian campaign in Britain, amid comparisons to the assassination of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 Arsenals Takehiro Tomiyasu attempts to control the ball during the Premier League match at The Emirates Stadium PA UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA

He was poisoned using radioactive polonium put in a cup of tea in 2006, but experts told The Independent that symptoms for Mr Skripal and his daughter match those caused by toxins including ricin, sarin and the synthetic opiod fentanyl.

Suspicion has turned to the Russian government, which jailed Mr Skripal for treason in 2006, or former spies he betrayed while working for MI6 during his time a colonel in the GRU military intelligence service.

He was given refuge in Britain after being exchanged in 2010 for Russian agents caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style swap in Vienna.

Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, told MPs that although no culprit has yet been found, if suspicions of Russian state involvement are proven, this Government will take whatever measures we deem necessary to protect the lives of people in this country, our values and our freedoms.

Branding Vladimir Putins government a malign and disruptive force, Mr Johnson said harsher international sanctions could be imposed if it is found to have had a hand in the attack on Mr Skripal.

The Russian Embassy characterised the reaction as a new phase of the anti-Russian campaign in Britain and denied involvement by the Kremlins security services.
Sergei Skripal, the double agent attacked with nerve agent in Salisbury, was in regular contact with the Russian embassy, a former Kremlin official has claimed.

Valery Morozov, who was an associate of Mr Skripal after he too was exiled to the UK, said that he believes that while living in retirement the former spy was still working in cyber security.

He also claimed Mr Skripal was keeping dangerous company, which is why he later chose to distance himself.

Every month [he was] going to the embassy to meet military intelligence officers, Mr Morozov told Channel 4 News.

For me being political refugee it is either certain danger or, frankly speaking, I thought that this concept is not very good for me. It can be bring some questions from British officials.

The Russian embassy said it was not aware of any meetings.

Mr Morozov also said he was sure that Russian President Vladimir Putin had nothing to do with the alleged poisoning.

Putin cant be behind this. I know how the Kremlin works, I worked there. Who is Skripal? He is nothing for Putin. Putin doesnt think about him, he said.

There is nobody in Kremlin talking about former intelligence officer who is nobody. There is no reason for this. It is more dangerous for them for such things to happen.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia were found on a bench in Salisbury after being falling ill.

They are currently fighting for their lives in hospital.

A police officer, who was one of the first at the scene, is also in hospital and is believed to be in intensive care.
As a transgender woman, Rona Howard "used to try to avoid young people if I passed them in the street" because they were her "biggest nightmare".

But after she became a foster carer 17-years ago, she said her attitude towards young people transformed.

Spending time with them, Ive now seen they are the loveliest people you come across," she told The Independent. "They think for themselves and the fact that Im transgender has never been an issue with them."

Ms Howard, from Hemel Hempstead, is currently caring for two teenage girls. She has had eight young people with her on a long-term basis and dozens of others needing emergency foster care.

A mechanical engineer by trade, the 67-year-old had a flourishing career in the sector.

But she decided she needed a change after transitioning to a woman at the age of 40, after years of feeling oppressed.

I wanted a different lifestyle," she explained. "I thought I would like looking after young people, but didnt expect to qualify as a foster carer. I live alone; I dont have kids; Im transgender".

She added: So I was very surprised and thrilled when, after a year of going through the motions to be a foster carer, they accepted me. It felt great.

Ms Howard is now keen to use LGBT Fostering Week (5-9 March) as a time to change the narrative among many LGBT people that their gender identity or sexuality could present a barrier to them becoming foster carers or adopters.

With a record 72,600 children in care in England last year and more than 7,000 new foster families required, she said the need for foster carers and adopters was greater than ever.

Ive never had a problem with any of my young people," she said. "Theyve always been incredibly supportive. Im very open and I let them know about myself."

She added: Ive even had young people in my care having a go at someone else because theyve looked at me in the wrong way.

While she had to hide a lot in the past, Ms Howard explained that she is now able to be open and herself.

Im really happy with life and engage with people much better now," she said, "Its fantastic. Its changed my life for the better.

Weve got a lot to give as LGBT people. Not everyone in society is that way inclined, but people shouldnt hold back just because theyre LGBT. If youre the right person it doesnt matter what your background is, its the future that counts.

Tor Docherty, chief executive of New Family Social, a charity that supports LGBT adopters and foster carers across the UK, said: One in 10 adoptions in 2017 were to same-sex couples in England.

Adoption and foster care agencies are extremely keen to talk with LGBT people who could either adopt or foster. If youre LGBT and think adoption or fostering may be for you, theres never been a better time to find out more.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA

Teresa Heritage, cabinet member for childrens services at Hertfordshire Council, meanwhile said that anyone who is able to provide a "loving, nurturing and secure environment" for children can apply to be a foster carer or adopter.

We know from experience that LGBT potential parents or carers are enthusiastic about considering if they can add to their family by choosing to adopt or foster a child in need," she said.

As a local authority, we encourage people from all backgrounds and communities to foster with us and we are urging our local LGBT community to come and speak to us about the options available."
The leadership of the European Parliament has said it will not accept discrimination against EU citizens who come to Britain during the Brexit transition period by UK immigration authorities.

A motion backed by the leaderships of the main pro-EU political groups warns that the UK must keep freedom of movement in full effect until the end of the Brexit transition period  at least 2021.

The motion will be discussed in the Parliament on Tuesday next week, and then MEPs will vote on it on Wednesday  but it has already been backed by the Conference of Presidents, leaders of the political groups in the parliament.

Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt told reporters on Wednesday that he had invited Home Office civil servants to Brussels so that MEPs could scrutinise the UKs plans for the post-Brexit immigration system.

Antonio Tajani, the president of the European Parliament said: Parliament will not accept discrimination against European Citizens who arrive during the transition.

The 3.5 million living now, but also we want to defend the citizens arriving in the UK during the transition.

Mr Verhofstadt, who met with civil servants, ministers, and Theresa May in London earlier this week, said: We look forward to receiving some further clarifications from the British Government regarding citizen's rights, as a number of outstanding issues remain unresolved.

We do not accept the United Kingdom's negotiating position that maintains discriminations between EU citizens arriving before and after the start of the transition period. I have invited the British Home Office to come to Brussels to present their proposal for a registration system for EU citizens in the UK, in the search for a solution.

The European Parliament has vote and ultimate veto on the final deal between the EU and the UK, meaning the European Commission, which conducts day-to-day negotiations, has kept in close contact with its leadership.

The motion, published on Wednesday afternoon, also includes proposals for the deals struck between the EU and UK to be embedded in a so-called association agreement similar to that signed with Ukraine.

Mr Verhofstadt (right) and Antonio Tajani, the European Parliament's president, gave a joint statement in Brussels (EbS)

It argues that such a legal approach would provide a flexible framework allowing for varying degrees of cooperation across a wide variety of policy areas and would prevent a mess of different agreements from having to be signed, as is the case with Switzerland.

The agreement would cover four areas: trade, foreign policy and security, internal security, and so-called thematic cooperation, such as on research.

The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Show all 8 1 /8 The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Post-Brexit immigration workers sorting radishes on a production line at a farm in Norfolk. One possible post-Brexit immigration scheme could struggle to channel workers towards less attractive roles - while another may heighten the risk of labour exploitation, a new report warns. PA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Customs union A key point in the negotiations remains Britain's access to, or withdrawal from, the EU customs union. Since the referendum there has been hot debate over the meaning of Brexit: would it entail a full withdrawal from the existing agreement, known as hard Brexit, or the soft version in which we would remain part of a common customs area for most goods, as Turkey does? No 10 has so far insisted that Brexit means Brexit and that Britain will be leaving the customs union, but may be inclined to change its position once the potential risks to the UKs economic outlook become clearer. Alamy The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Northern Ireland-Irish border Though progress was made last year, there has still been no solid agreement on whether there should be a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To ensure borderless travel on the island, the countries must be in regulatory alignment and therefore adhere to the same rules as the customs union. In December, the Conservative Partys coalition partners, the DUP, refused a draft agreement that would place the UK/EU border in the Irish Sea due to its potential to undermine the union. May has promised that would not be the case and has suggested that a specific solution would need to be found. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Transition period Despite protests from a small number of Conservative MPs, the Government and the EU are largely in agreement that a transitional period is needed after Brexit. The talks, however, have reached an impasse. Though May has agreed that the UK will continue to contribute to the EU budget until 2021, the PM wants to be able to select which laws made during this time the UK will have to adhere to. Chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said the UK must adopt all of the laws passed during the transition, without any input from British ministers or MEPs. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Rights of EU citizens living the UK The Prime Minister has promised EU citizens already living in the UK the right to live and work here after Brexit, but the rights of those who arrive after Brexit day remains unclear. May insists that those who arrive during the transition period should not be allowed to stay, whereas the EU believe the cut-off point should be later. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreement (with the EU) Despite this being a key issue in negotiations, the Government has yet to lay out exactly what it wants from a trade deal with the EU. Infighting within the Cabinet has prevented a solid position from being reached, with some MPs content that "no deal is better than a bad deal" while others rally behind single market access. The EU has already confirmed that access to the single market would be impossible without the UK remaining in the customs union. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreements (internationally) The Government has already begun trying to woo foreign leaders into prospective trade agreements, with various high profile state visits to China, India and Canada for May, and the now infamous invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit London. However the UK cannot make trade agreements with another country while it is still a member of the EU, and the potential loss of trade with the world's major powers is a source of anxiety for the PM. The EU has said the UK cannot secure trade deals during the transition period. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Financial services Banks in the UK will be hit hard regardless of the Brexit outcome. The EU has refused to give British banks passporting rights to trade within the EU, dashing hopes of a special City deal. However according to new reports Germany has suggested allowing trade on the condition that the UK continues paying into the EU budget even after the transition period. Getty

The row over the extension of full freedom of movement centres around whether EU citizens who come to the UK during the transition will get the same protections as those who are already living in the UK before March 2019  or whether they will face other legal obstacles.

The UK says the cut-off date should be the date of Brexit, but the EU says full EU law applies to the UK during the transition and that this must include freedom of movement.
The UKs trade with more than 70 countries will fall off a cliff after Brexit, causing significant economic problems, unless the Government takes urgent action, MPs have warned.

The International Trade Committee said ministers need to urgently clarify how they will roll over trade deals with other countries that the UK currently has access to via the EU.

The Governments failure to provide key details of this process will work is disturbing and risks causing a major hit to the economy when Britain leaves the EU, it said.

Ministers have said they intend to transfer the deals the EU has with more than 70 countries into new, bilateral deals between the UK and those countries after Brexit.

This would ensure Britain retains access to these countries markets even though it will no longer be a member of the EU.

However, the International Trade Committee said the Government must provide a legally watertight and practically viable strategy, warning there is an urgent need for clarity on the matter.

The Independent has previously revealed MPs concern that trade deals being rolled over will require significant amendment because the countries involved are likely to offer less favourable terms to the UK than the agreements they have with EU.

Conservative MP Jonathan Djanogly has tabled amendments to the Trade Bill that seek to ensure any changes must be approved by Parliament. Under current government proposals, ministers would be able to amend and agree deals without parliamentary scrutiny.

The International Trade Committee agreed that substantive amendments to the existing deals are likely to be required and said there was a disturbing lack of precision and clarity about how the Government plans to replicate them. Ministers should take steps to increase parliamentary scrutiny of trade agreements, it added.

SNP MP Angus Brendan MacNeil, the chair of the committee, said: The Government is making much of the trade agreements it plans to make after Brexit, but first it needs to give us confidence that the existing agreements, on which businesses, consumers and trading partners alike rely, can be rolled over so the UK can benefit in its own right. Unless an agreement is reached with our trading partners in the coming months, a significant economic price will have to be paid.

The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Show all 8 1 /8 The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Post-Brexit immigration workers sorting radishes on a production line at a farm in Norfolk. One possible post-Brexit immigration scheme could struggle to channel workers towards less attractive roles - while another may heighten the risk of labour exploitation, a new report warns. PA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Customs union A key point in the negotiations remains Britain's access to, or withdrawal from, the EU customs union. Since the referendum there has been hot debate over the meaning of Brexit: would it entail a full withdrawal from the existing agreement, known as hard Brexit, or the soft version in which we would remain part of a common customs area for most goods, as Turkey does? No 10 has so far insisted that Brexit means Brexit and that Britain will be leaving the customs union, but may be inclined to change its position once the potential risks to the UKs economic outlook become clearer. Alamy The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Northern Ireland-Irish border Though progress was made last year, there has still been no solid agreement on whether there should be a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To ensure borderless travel on the island, the countries must be in regulatory alignment and therefore adhere to the same rules as the customs union. In December, the Conservative Partys coalition partners, the DUP, refused a draft agreement that would place the UK/EU border in the Irish Sea due to its potential to undermine the union. May has promised that would not be the case and has suggested that a specific solution would need to be found. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Transition period Despite protests from a small number of Conservative MPs, the Government and the EU are largely in agreement that a transitional period is needed after Brexit. The talks, however, have reached an impasse. Though May has agreed that the UK will continue to contribute to the EU budget until 2021, the PM wants to be able to select which laws made during this time the UK will have to adhere to. Chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said the UK must adopt all of the laws passed during the transition, without any input from British ministers or MEPs. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Rights of EU citizens living the UK The Prime Minister has promised EU citizens already living in the UK the right to live and work here after Brexit, but the rights of those who arrive after Brexit day remains unclear. May insists that those who arrive during the transition period should not be allowed to stay, whereas the EU believe the cut-off point should be later. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreement (with the EU) Despite this being a key issue in negotiations, the Government has yet to lay out exactly what it wants from a trade deal with the EU. Infighting within the Cabinet has prevented a solid position from being reached, with some MPs content that "no deal is better than a bad deal" while others rally behind single market access. The EU has already confirmed that access to the single market would be impossible without the UK remaining in the customs union. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreements (internationally) The Government has already begun trying to woo foreign leaders into prospective trade agreements, with various high profile state visits to China, India and Canada for May, and the now infamous invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit London. However the UK cannot make trade agreements with another country while it is still a member of the EU, and the potential loss of trade with the world's major powers is a source of anxiety for the PM. The EU has said the UK cannot secure trade deals during the transition period. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Financial services Banks in the UK will be hit hard regardless of the Brexit outcome. The EU has refused to give British banks passporting rights to trade within the EU, dashing hopes of a special City deal. However according to new reports Germany has suggested allowing trade on the condition that the UK continues paying into the EU budget even after the transition period. Getty

The Government is therefore correct to have identified maintaining our rights under these agreements as a priority. However, as the Committee has found over the course of our inquiry, a number of thorny issues and significant risks remain unaddressed. The Government must not be naive enough to assume that a verbal agreement to maintain the status quo constitutes a watertight guarantee  contingency plans are required.

He called on ministers to publish a detailed timetable for avoiding a cliff-edge and adopt a fully transparent, cross-departmental approach to building a long-term trade policy.

The Government had previously said it would have the new deals in place by March 2019, but has since asked that the UK continue to be considered part of the EUs existing deals during the post-Brexit transition period  suggesting, the International Trade Committee said, that ministers initial approach was overly ambitious.

The committee praised the Government for having made contact with the 70 countries quickly but warned that ministers still need to work out a number of important details...as a matter of urgency, including that exact number of trade deals that will need to be rolled over.

Greg Hands, the trade minister, said: The report recognises the priority that the Government has given to ensuring continuity of our trade arrangements as we leave the EU, including in providing certainty to businesses, consumers and investors. We have always been clear that this work would take into account the terms and timing of any implementation period currently being negotiated with the EU.

This is a technical exercise, not an opportunity to renegotiate terms. We have already held discussions with more than 70 countries, unlike the Committee, and none have displayed any interest in disrupting trade flows, or in erecting barriers to trade that do not currently exist.
The EU has rejected Theresa Mays vision for a post-Brexit trade relationship, laying out its own plans and warning that her choices will have negative economic consequences for Britain.

In draft negotiating guidelines unveiled on Wednesday, the bloc ruled out the mutual recognition of standards between the UK and EU as proposed by the Prime Minister in her Mansion House speech last week.

The six-page document, which will instruct EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier on how to deal with the UK in the next phase of talks, also rules out British membership of EU regulators such as the European Medicines Agency after Brexit  directly rebuffing the Prime Minister.

Presenting the guidelines at a press conference in Luxembourg, Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, warned that the future relationship will only be a trade agreement because Ms May had refused to stay in the customs union and single market.

One thing must be absolutely clear, and Im not sure that we are on the same position here: there is no possibility to have some sort of exclusive form of single market for some part of our economies, he said.

I hope that during our negotiations and debates among the 27 EU leaders that we will make my position more clear for our partners in London.

I fully understand and respect Theresa Mays political objective: to demonstrate, at any price, that Brexit could be a success and is the right choice. But sorry, it is not our objective.

He added: This will be the first FTA in history that loosens economic ties instead of strengthening them. Our FTA will not make trade between the UK and EU frictionless or smoother  this is the essence of Brexit.

Other provisions in the draft include a stipulation that the future relationship should be overseen by the European Court of Justice, a red line for many Brexiteers. Ms May has previously suggested an independent regulator made up of representatives from both parties with a neutral chair.

The EU expects there to be no tariffs and quotas on goods traded between the UK and EU, but customs checks for rules of origin are likely to apply  adding "friction" to trade. The EU says it wants to limit this, but that "checks and controls" are "inevitable". The EU also envisions continued cooperation on fishing policy and access to each others' waters.

The text states that if the UK position should evolve  likely to refer to membership of the single market and customs union  then the EU would reconsider its offer.

 What could the sticking points be in the Brexit trade deal?

The guidelines say: The European Council has to take into account the repeatedly stated positions of the UK, which limit the depth of such a future partnership. Being outside the customs union and the single market will inevitably lead to frictions.

Divergence in external tariffs and internal rules as well as absence of common institutions and a shared legal system, necessitates checks and controls to uphold the integrity of the EU Single Market as well as of the UK market. This unfortunately will have negative economic consequences.

The guidelines are subject to approval by the EU27 at the March summit of the European Council, but previous similar guidelines have been approved in literally minutes with very little discussion by member states, in a show of EU unity. A senior EU official however said the document will change in some way before its adoption, after scrutiny from EU27 ambassadors.

The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Show all 8 1 /8 The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Post-Brexit immigration workers sorting radishes on a production line at a farm in Norfolk. One possible post-Brexit immigration scheme could struggle to channel workers towards less attractive roles - while another may heighten the risk of labour exploitation, a new report warns. PA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Customs union A key point in the negotiations remains Britain's access to, or withdrawal from, the EU customs union. Since the referendum there has been hot debate over the meaning of Brexit: would it entail a full withdrawal from the existing agreement, known as hard Brexit, or the soft version in which we would remain part of a common customs area for most goods, as Turkey does? No 10 has so far insisted that Brexit means Brexit and that Britain will be leaving the customs union, but may be inclined to change its position once the potential risks to the UKs economic outlook become clearer. Alamy The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Northern Ireland-Irish border Though progress was made last year, there has still been no solid agreement on whether there should be a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To ensure borderless travel on the island, the countries must be in regulatory alignment and therefore adhere to the same rules as the customs union. In December, the Conservative Partys coalition partners, the DUP, refused a draft agreement that would place the UK/EU border in the Irish Sea due to its potential to undermine the union. May has promised that would not be the case and has suggested that a specific solution would need to be found. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Transition period Despite protests from a small number of Conservative MPs, the Government and the EU are largely in agreement that a transitional period is needed after Brexit. The talks, however, have reached an impasse. Though May has agreed that the UK will continue to contribute to the EU budget until 2021, the PM wants to be able to select which laws made during this time the UK will have to adhere to. Chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said the UK must adopt all of the laws passed during the transition, without any input from British ministers or MEPs. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Rights of EU citizens living the UK The Prime Minister has promised EU citizens already living in the UK the right to live and work here after Brexit, but the rights of those who arrive after Brexit day remains unclear. May insists that those who arrive during the transition period should not be allowed to stay, whereas the EU believe the cut-off point should be later. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreement (with the EU) Despite this being a key issue in negotiations, the Government has yet to lay out exactly what it wants from a trade deal with the EU. Infighting within the Cabinet has prevented a solid position from being reached, with some MPs content that "no deal is better than a bad deal" while others rally behind single market access. The EU has already confirmed that access to the single market would be impossible without the UK remaining in the customs union. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreements (internationally) The Government has already begun trying to woo foreign leaders into prospective trade agreements, with various high profile state visits to China, India and Canada for May, and the now infamous invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit London. However the UK cannot make trade agreements with another country while it is still a member of the EU, and the potential loss of trade with the world's major powers is a source of anxiety for the PM. The EU has said the UK cannot secure trade deals during the transition period. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Financial services Banks in the UK will be hit hard regardless of the Brexit outcome. The EU has refused to give British banks passporting rights to trade within the EU, dashing hopes of a special City deal. However according to new reports Germany has suggested allowing trade on the condition that the UK continues paying into the EU budget even after the transition period. Getty

The official said that while Ms May was being more realistic in her speech last week, there were still contradictions in the UK position that meant the scope of the deal offered by the EU had to be limited.

Ms Mays proposal sounds like something like single market light or customs union light, which does not exist and cannot exist, the official said.

The official added that repeated reference in the Brexit debate to outcompeting the union and lowering standards meant that the agreement to be bulletproof.

EU leaders will convene in Brussels on 22 March for the two-day European Council summit where they will be asked to sign off the guidelines, as well as consider issues relating to the transition period which is currently being negotiated.
Jeremy Corbyn claimed Britain is directing the war being waged by Saudi Arabia in Yemen, as he clashed with Theresa May before her controversial meeting with the countrys crown prince.

The Prime Minister was accused of colluding in what the United Nations say is evidence of war crimes, in fierce clashes over Britains close links with the oil-rich kingdom.

The Labour leader urged her to use the meeting  the start of a three-day state visit in all but name  to halt the arms supplies and demand an immediate ceasefire in Yemen.

A humanitarian disaster is now taking place in Yemen. Millions face starvation, 600,00 children have cholera because of the Saudi led bombing campaign and the blockade, he said.

Germany has suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia, but British arms sales have sharply increased and British military advisers are directing the war.

Despite Tory jeers, Mr Corbyn continued: "It cannot be right that her government is colluding in what the United Nations says is evidence of war crimes.

But Ms May mounted a staunch defence of the relationship which, through intelligence saving, has saved the lives potentially of hundreds of people in this country.

The Saudi action in Yemen was at the request of a legitimate government, backed by the UN security council and as such we support it, she said.

And she added: Where there are allegations that activity has taken place that is not in line with international humanitarian law, they investigate that and they learn the lessons from it.

After Prime Ministers Questions, Mr Corbyns claim about UK military advisers was rubbished by Alistair Burt, a Foreign Office minister, who said: Its just not true that they are directing the war in Yemen.

They have given advice in relation to how targeting is done, to make sure that civilians are not involved.

In the Commons, the Prime Minister said she had urged the Saudis to end their blockades of ports in Yemen during a visit to the kingdom in December, after which they did just that.

This vindicates the engagement that we have with Saudi Arabia, to be able to sit down with them, she argued.

Mohammed bin Salman's trip is set to be dominated by protests over the country's role in the bloody conflict in Yemen, where it leads a coalition of forces against Houthi rebels in a three-year civil war.

There is also huge controversy over what Mr Corbyn called the shocking abuse of human rights in Saudi Arabia, with indiscriminate arrests and executions widespread.

The prince will receive red-carpet treatment, including lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace and dinner with the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge, as well as talks with senior ministers and national security officials.

Mr Corbyn also accused the government of suppressing a report into suspicions that the Saudis are funding extremism in Britain, demanding to know when it would be published.

But the Prime Minister said the study had established that, contrary to perception, most support for UK extremists came from domestic, not overseas sources.

Senior MPs who were privy counsellors had been allowed to read the report, she pointed out, although some parts were not published.
Hundreds of people gathered outside Downing Street to protest as Theresa May held talks inside with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Protesters chanted Hands off Yemen - stop the bombing now and Stop the killing" as they demanded the UK halt arms sales to the Gulf state, which has been criticised over its bombing campaign in Yemen.

Labours Shadow International Development Secretary, Kate Osamor, and Green Party Deputy Leader Amelia Womack were among the speakers.

"If he says he truly is a progressive leader then he needs to look at what makes a society progressive." Ms Osamor told The Independent.

"Now, that's just in Saudi Arabia, so women should be equal to men without a shadow of a doubt. if that's not happening then he's got a lot of work to be doing."

"On top of that, more importantly, I'd be talking [to the Crown Prince] about the Yemeni people, who at this point in time are being starved," she added. "He must take this away and make differences. if he doesn't, then he's not welcome back."

Nouria Nagi, a British-Yemeni woman, said she had lost five relatives in the conflict, which has to date caused the deaths of at least 10,000 people. She said she had joined the protest to tell the Crown Prince: Use your brain  stop the killing.

"Five of my family have died because of this war," she said. "There is nothing [in Yemen]. If you have no money, you die.

"Nobody is getting any help or support and everybody is quiet about it. Nobody is doing anything."

Ms May will hold further talks with the Saudi leader at Chequers tomorrow, with the Crown Prince also set to meet the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William during his three-day visit.

Saudi Arabias foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, had earlier claimed the protesters did not understand his countrys role in Yemen.

10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty

I believe [opposition groups] positions are based on misunderstanding and not knowing, he told the BBC. They criticise us for a war in Yemen that we did not want, that was imposed on us.

They criticise us for a war in Yemen that is a just war, that is supported by international law."

No 10 said Ms May had raised the issue of human rights and the situation in Yemen with the Crown Prince.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: The Prime Minister welcomed recent reforms in Saudi Arabia, including on women attending sporting events and the cinema, and being legally able to drive from June.

The Prime Minister and Crown Prince agreed that we should continue working together to explore ways the UK can support Saudi Arabia to progress and intensify these reforms, particularly on womens rights, and on universal human rights, where the Prime Minister noted our particular concerns in the case of Raif Badawi.

The Prime Minister raised our deep concerns at the humanitarian situation in Yemen. The Prime Minister and Crown Prince agreed on the importance of full and unfettered humanitarian and commercial access, including through the ports, and that a political solution was ultimately the only way to end the conflict and humanitarian suffering in Yemen.
Backers of Saudi Arabias Crown Prince have launched a bizarre public relations drive to improve his image, as he is accused of waging a bloody war in Yemen ahead of an official visit to the UK..

Mohammad bin Salman will be met by both Theresa May and the Queen, but also by protests and anger which Labours Emily Thornberry said is about air-strikes on Yemeni civilians, killing and injuring hundreds.

But anticipating bad publicity, the Saudi regimes supporters are pushing back  sending digital poster vans around London and even purchasing advertising that appeared next to Ms Thornberrys attack article in the press.

Theresa May has said she will raise deep concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, but the red-carpet treatment for the Prince indicates the UK is concerned about keeping his favour with billions of pounds of post-Brexit trade at stake.

In a piece in The Guardian, Shadow Foreign Secretary Ms Thornberry wrote that the three-day visit showed the Government doesnt care a jot about human rights.

She went on: Today the architect of that Saudi intervention in Yemen  Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman  will visit Britain, and will receive the red carpet treatment from the Tory government, as if he were Nelson Mandela.

This is the man behind the rolling blockade of Yemens rebel-held ports, preventing the supply of essential food, medicine and fuel to Yemeni civilians, and  on all the available evidence  breaching international law by using starvation as a weapon of war.

 Devastation on the ground in Yemen displayed by International Rescue Committee in shocking video

Human rights campaigners are planning to stage a protest outside Downing Street as Prince Salman arrives today. But to counter the bad publicity, trucks with positive messages about the Saudi leader were driven around London.

They showed his image and promoted the hashtag #WelcomeSaudiCrownPrince, while digital billboards on the M4 from Heathrow bore the message  He is bringing change to Saudi Arabia.

In an ironic twist, an advert with the message He is empowering Saudi Arabian women, even appeared on The Guardians website next to Ms Thornberrys article.

While it later appeared to be removed, a similar half page advert also appeared in the print edition, as they did in The Times, The Telegraph, Financial Times and The Evening Standard.

Green Leader Caroline Lucas said on Twitter: Cant get over how bizarre it is to have these trucks driving around London welcoming a leader of a regime which tortures its own citizens and commits war crimes.

Shame on the companies running these adverts  you should never have accepted them.

Prince Salman has been the driving force behind a Saudi Arabian modernisation programme, Vision 2030, but the reforms have been dismissed as a mirage by campaigners.

He will be received at Buckingham Palace at the start of a trip, and will have lunch with the Queen before dinner with the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge.

The Crown Prince has also been granted rare access to a briefing on foreign policy issues, including Yemen, by national security officials.

On Thursday he will head to Chequers for talks and a private dinner with the PM that will focus on foreign policy issues, including Yemen and Iran. On Friday, he will meet Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson for talks.

It comes as the London Stock Exchange also vies for the Saudi Aramco oil company to be listed in the capital, in what has been described as the biggest flotation in history.

The PMs spokesman said she would make clear that we urgently need to see progress on the political track, which is ultimately the only way to end the conflict and humanitarian suffering in Yemen.

While Ms May would acknowledge the steps taken recently by Saudi Arabia to address the crisis, she would also stress the importance of full and unfettered humanitarian and commercial access through ports previously hit by blockades.

He added: She will also reiterate how seriously we take allegations of violations against international humanitarian law and emphasise the need to ensure that these are investigated swiftly and thoroughly.

 Women in Saudi Arabia are learning to kick-box, in this underground gym in Jeddah

But Amnesty International said reforms in Saudi Arabia were largely a mirage, with peaceful critics of the government thrown in jail and women reliant on permission from men if they want to travel, be educated or get a job.

UK director Kate Allen said: Wed like to see Theresa May finally showing some backbone in the UKs relationship with Saudi Arabia.

Ms May and her ministers should challenge the Saudi authorities over their atrocious human rights record, not swallow the unconvincing spin from Riyadh.
There will be no shortage of red carpets for Mohammad Bin Salmans visit to Britain with three generations of the royals lined up to meet the Saudi Crown Prince. Lunch with the Queen will be followed by dinner with Prince Charles and the Duke of Cambridge. But it is the tea with Theresa May in between where the real business of the trip is due to take place.

And that real business is business, or trade deals. There is little ambiguity about this. The 32-year-old Prince, now effectively the ruler of the kingdom, is carrying out economic as well as social reforms and the UK stands to get a slice of this commercial action  a very welcome boost at a time of deep uncertainties over Brexit and the spectre of an international trade war starting with Donald Trumps imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.

The Saudi delegation will meet Ms May and her Cabinet in Downing Street to launch a Strategic Partnership Council between the UK and the kingdom to encourage Saudi Arabias economic reforms and foster cooperation on issues such as education and culture and security. The talks will usher in a new era of bilateral relations, focused on a partnership that delivers wide-ranging benefits for both of us, according to a No 10 spokesman.

Ministers and officials in London point to this country being chosen as the first destination in the West by Prince Mohammad as an illustration of how highly he values British friendship. And Britain should reciprocate, goes the argument, by supporting his drive for reform and to modernise and help achieve his Vision 2030, which would supposedly empower a younger generation, promote moderate Islam and change the landscape with new cities.

But the visit was always going to be controversial with the crowds turning up there to jeer rather than cheer. The protests are about the continuous bombing of Yemen, with great loss of lives, by a Saudi-led coalition and the kingdoms record on human rights.

The Crown Prince should never have been invited to Downing Street; he leads a regime with an appalling human rights record and has overseen the destruction of Yemen, said Andrew Smith of the Campaign Against Arms Trade. Ms May, he charged, was putting the interests of arms dealers above the rights of Yemeni people.

Recently released figures show that beheadings in Saudi Arabia have doubled since the Prince came to power. The following eight months saw the execution of 133 prisoners, compared with 67 in the eight months before that.

 Saudi Arabia's crown prince: Country will return to 'moderate, open Islam'

Maya Foa, the director of Reprieve, an organisation that campaigns against capital punishment, stated that the doubling of executions under the new Crown Prince reveals that, beneath his glossy public image, Mohammad bin Salman is one of the most brutal leaders in the kingdoms recent history. When she meets the Crown Prince, Theresa May should urge him to commute the sentences of all child protestors facing execution.

Ms May, said Downing Street, will raise humanitarian concerns, especially over Yemen, with Prince Mohammad and ask for an easing of the Yemen blockade by the Saudi coalition, which is causing severe difficulties for international aid getting through.

In reality, however, Ms Mays options are limited. Britain does not have much power of persuasion and lecturing the Saudis, ministers hold, will be counterproductive. The simple fact remains that the Prime Ministers calls on aid will need to be tempered by the need for Saudi trade.

The great prize in this is the fabled flotation of Aramco, the Saudi national oil corporation, which is set to be the biggest ever in the world at $2 trillion (1.44 trillion).

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA

There were reports that the Saudis may have to shelve it, offering instead a private stake sale to foreign governments, including China. But Prince Mohammad has denied this, saying the public offering, crucial to his economic plans, is on track. The stock exchanges of London, New York and Hong Kong are in the running for this hugely lucrative listing. Some senior Saudi officials are said to be pushing for New York but the company itself is said to favour London.

The British Government has campaigned hard for London, including arranging a $2bn loan for the company with the help of UKEF, the UK credit export agency. The City regulator has proposed rule changes for the flotation to take place and Downing Street has stressed the strong case London has for the flotation.

But the shadow of Donald Trump now looms over this. He is said to have raised the Aramco flotation on his first international visit as President to Riyadh, during which he announced $110bn in arms sales to the kingdom. Mr Trump has since publicly appealed to the Saudis to list Aramco in New York. One tweet stated: Would very much appreciate Saudi Arabia doing their IPO of Aramco with New York Stock Exchange. IMPORTANT to the United States!

The claim of Brexiteers that Mr Trump would be the saviour on trade after departure from the European Union is dissipating. Ms Mays appeal to the President not to impose the steel tariffs, which would be deeply damaging for Britain, was brushed off by the US administration.

Prince Mohammad goes to New York after London. What better way can there be for the Saudi Crown Prince to cement the new special relationship between his country and Britain than place the Aramco flotation in London?
British ministers should be held accountable for very large numbers of children who have been killed and injured during Saudi Arabias bombing campaign in Yemen, Labour has said.

Jeremy Corbyn said the Government bore responsibility for deploying British personnel to help the Saudi air force target attacks, which have seen civilian areas, schools and hospitals hit.

The Labour leader himself told the House of Commons that the UK was directing the conflict in the Gulf state and colluding in war crimes, as the issue flared up on the arrival of Saudia Arabias Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman in London on Wednesday.

Ministers argued that British personnel were trying to help Saudi forces avoid civilian casualties, and Theresa May went further to argue intelligence cooperation with the Saudi regime had helped save British lives.

Speaking after a clash at Prime Ministers Questions, Mr Corbyns spokesman said: This Government is responsible for the decisions that are being taken to support this military campaign and support this aerial bombing campaign of Yemen, and has directed British military personnel to take part in advising the targeting of aerial operations in Yemen.

The consequence of that has been significant and extensive of targeting of civilian infrastructure and very large numbers of civilian casualties, including very large numbers of children.

 Jeremy Corbyn accuses UK of 'directing' war in Yemen

Saying that there had clearly been evidence of war crimes by Saudi forces, Mr Corbyns spokesman went on to say: The British Government has responsibility for what is taking place in its support for the Saudi campaign  its British ministers who should be held accountable for that.

The British Government has responsibility for what is taking place in its support for the Saudi campaign  its British ministers who should be held accountable for that Jeremy Corbyns spokesman

Moments earlier in the Commons, the Labour leader demanded the Government suspend its support for the war and arms sales to the Saudi Government.

He said: Germany has suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia, but British arms sales have sharply increased and British military advisers are directing the war.

It cannot be right that her Government is colluding in what the United Nations says is evidence of war crimes.

Ms May mounted a staunch defence of the relationship which, through intelligence saving, has saved the lives potentially of hundreds of people in this country.

 Devastation on the ground in Yemen displayed by International Rescue Committee in shocking video

The Saudi action in Yemen was at the request of a legitimate government, backed by the UN security council and as such we support it, she said.

And she added: Where there are allegations that activity has taken place that is not in line with international humanitarian law, they investigate that and they learn the lessons from it.

Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt also hit back, saying: Its just not true that they are directing the war in Yemen.

They have given advice in relation to how targeting is done, to make sure that civilians are not involved.

Prince Salman will be received at Buckingham Palace at the start of his trip, and will have lunch with the Queen before dinner with the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge.

The Crown Prince has also been granted rare access to a briefing on foreign policy issues, including Yemen, by national security officials.

On Thursday, he will head to Chequers for talks and a private dinner with the PM that will focus on foreign policy issues, including Yemen and Iran. On Friday, he will meet Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson for talks.

It comes as the London Stock Exchange also vies for the Saudi Aramco oil company to be listed in the capital, in what has been described as the biggest flotation in history.
 Close Jeremy Corbyn accuses UK of 'directing' war in Yemen

Theresa May vowed to challenge Saudi Arabia over its human rights record and its role in the Yemeni conflict as the Crown Prince flew into London for a high-profile visit.

Widespread protests greeted Mohammad bin Salman, the powerful heir to the throne, who received the red-carpet treatment on the first day of his trip, including meetings with the Queen, other senior royals and top ministers.

But the visit prompted stern criticism from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn during Prime Minister's Questions, where Ms May also made her first public comments on the poisoning of Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

European Council President Donald Tusk also published the EU's draft guidelines, rejecting the terms laid out by the Prime Minister in her Mansion House speech last week.

Chancellor Philip Hammond also made a speech to city bosses in London, where he insisted that a Brexit deal including financial services was possible.

See below for the latest updates
Almost 40 years after he was assassinated  shot as he performed mass and was speaking about sacrifice  Archbishop Oscar Romero is to be named a saint, the Vatican has announced.

The Vatican said in a statement Pope Francis had given final approval to several sainthoods, including for Romero, and the late Pope Paul VI, who reigned from 1963 to 1978. The Pope personally announced Pope Pauls canonisation last month.

Romero, who was known as a champion of El Salvadors poor and whose name has become intertwined with liberation theology, was shot on the evening of 24 March 1980 in San Salvadors Chapel of Divine Providence.

Those who surrender to the service of the poor through the love of Christ, will live like the grains of wheat that dies, he had told those who were gathered.

It only apparently dies. If it were not to die, it would remain a solitary grain. The harvest comes because of the grain that dies.

Shortly after Romero had completed his sermon, a single shot echoed in the chapel and the 63-year-old priest fell to the floor, blood seeping from a small hole in his chest. Outside, a man armed with a .223 high-velocity weapon, sped from the scene in a four-door Volkswagen.

Romero had spoken out against repression by the army at the beginning of El Salvadors 1980-1992 civil war between the right-wing government, and leftist rebels. He also often criticised the US, which supported the government of El Salvador and those of other Latin American countries in their so-called dirty wars.

The day before his assassination, he had delivered a now famous speech in which he told the governments soldiers and police officers that they were not required to obey an order that was against the law of God.

In the name of God, and in the name of this suffering people, whose laments rise to heaven each day more tumultuous, I beg you, I beseech you, I order you in the name of God  stop the repression, he said.

Reuters said Romeros path to sainthood had stalled under two previous popes, reflecting concerns by some that he was overly political. It was revived by Francis who is also from Latin America.

The long delay in recognising the obvious fact that Romero was obviously a martyr was shameful, Father James Martin, a US author and editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America, said on Twitter.

Mr Martin called the popes decision an immense step forward for the Church.

Romeros murder was one of the most shocking in the long conflict between a series of US-backed governments and leftist rebels in which thousands were killed by right-wing and military death squads.

 Pope Francis stops Popemobile in Chile to check on Chilean police officer who fell off horse

El Salvadors government, headed by a former leader of the leftist guerrillas, said in a statement that Romero had left an invaluable legacy of work for the neediest and that the canonisation was a tribute to his devotion and sacrifice.

The civil war claimed some 75,000 lives before it ended with a peace agreement in 1992.

No one was ever brought to justice for his killing but last year a Salvadoran judge reopened the case. The main suspect is a former soldier whose case was reopened after the countrys constitutional court repealed a previous amnesty.

An investigation by a UN Truth Commission concluded in 1993 that Romeros assassination had been ordered by the late Major Roberto DAubuisson, an El Salvador army officer who had studied at the notorious School of the Americas, a US military college in Fort Benning, Georgia, which was renamed in 2001 after a series of scandals. Mr DAubuisson had also been the founder of the El Salvadors right-wing Republican Nationalist Alliance.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

In 2004, a court in California found Mr DAubuissons former right-hand man, Alvaro Rafael Saravia, a retired El Salvadoran air force captain, who had lived in the US for more than 20 years, responsible for organising the killing and ordered him to pay $10m in damages.

The case, which relied on the 1991 Torture Victim Protection Act which allows suits to be brought against foreign nationals accused of summary killings and torture, was brought by the California-based Centre for San Francisco-based Centre for Justice and Accountability.

Romero was beatified, or declared a blessed of the Church, in 2015 after a ruling that he was a martyr killed in hatred of the faith. That ceremony in San Salvador brought together former Marxist guerrillas and their former enemies.

Francis ruled that Romero could be declared a saint after a Vatican theological and medical commission approved a miracle attributed to him, Reuters said.

The Church teaches that only God performs miracles but that saints who are believed to be with God in heaven intercede on behalf of people who pray to them. A miracle is usually the medically inexplicable healing of a person.

No date was given for the sainthood ceremony, which is expected to take place this year, most likely at the Vatican.
A man who shouted "get out of my country" before he gunned down an Indian tech worker and injured two others, has pleaded guilty to first degree murder.

Adam Purinton faces a life in prison with no chance of parole for 50 years, after he admitted to shooting Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani last February. Kuchibhotla later died from his injuries in hospital.

The Indian nationals who were working as engineers at the Garmin tech company, had been drinking in Austin's Bar and Grill in the city of Olathe, Kansas, when the 52-year-old approached them.

Mr Madasani told detectives the assailant asked the men if their "status was legal" before opening fire with a handgun, according to an arrest affidavit released after the shooting last February.

Witnesses said the 52-year-old shouted "Get out of my country" as he shot the pair.

After Ian Grillot attempted to intervene, Purinton turned the gun on him blasting him in the hand and chest,

Documents released by Johnson County District Court revealed that he had been asked to leave the bar when he made derogatory comments but returned a short time later with the gun.

After the attack Purinton drove 70 miles to a restaurant in Missouri and told a bartender he had just shot two Iranian people.

He pleaded guilty to premeditated first-degree murder and two counts of attempted premeditated first-degree murder. He will be sentenced on 4 May and .

The Navy veteran still faces a federal case over the incident, including hate crime charges, that could carry a potential death sentence.

Kuchibhotla's widow, who was not present at the court hearing, released a statement saying she hoped the guilty plea would "send a strong message that hate is never acceptable."

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Sunayana Dumala said: "We must understand and love one another.

She also called on Donald Trumps administration to fight hate crime in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, adding that her husband's murder had confirmed her worst fears about xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment in America.

In a separate interview with the KCTV-TV news channel, she said: "I told him many times: 'Should we think about going back? Should we think about going to a different country?' He said, 'No'."

Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton tweeted a link to an article about the shooting at the time and called on Mr Trump to "step up and speak out" against "threats and hate crimes."

This was followed by a White House spokesperson condemning the shooting and telling reporters the incident appears to be "an act of racially motivated hatred."

The shooting is just one of a spate of killings which have recently raised the spectre of far-right violence in the US.
More than 500 doctors and 150 medial students have signed a public letter in protest over their own pay rises.

The group, known as Medecins Quebecois pour le Regime Public (MQRP), from Canada, have raised concerns that they would receive an increase in their salaries while patients and nurses are struggling.

Like the UK, Canada has a public health system which provides coverage to all who need it.

The doctors and medical students who have signed the letter have called on raises to be given to the areas of the health service that need it most.

We, Quebec doctors who believe in a strong public system, oppose the recent salary increases negotiated by our medical federations, the letter says, according to CNBC.

These increases are all the more shocking because our nurses, clerks and other professionals face very difficult working conditions, while our patients live with the lack of access to required services because of the drastic cuts in recent years and the centralization of power in the Ministry of Health.

The only thing that seems to be immune to the cuts is our remuneration, the letter adds.

Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests  but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty

MQRP had previously published a letter opposing pay rises for specialist doctors.

At the time they said the increase was indecent.
The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas were not impressed with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who visited the high school in the wake of a mass shooting that killed 17 students and staff members last month.

Ms DeVos visited the school on the first full day of classes since the massacre, saying she wanted to hear from students about improving school safety. But the secretary clashed with a number of the student survivors, who have mobilised in support of stricter gun control measures since the shooting.

Aly Sheehy, a senior at the high school, said Ms DeVos spoke little to the students, aside from offering her condolences.

We were kind of following her around and asking her questions, but she kind of just circumvented the actual point that we were trying to ask here, she told The Independent. That was very, very frustrating.

The students wanted to know how the Education Department would prevent school shootings in the future, Ms Sheehy said, but the secretary was not forthcoming.

She kinda just said that it wasnt the time to ask these kinds of questions to her, and that [the issue] was very important and that she was working on it hard, she said. That wasnt what we were asking her to do. We were asking her what her ideas were.

 Betsy DeVos says guns can be used in schools because of grizzly bears

Ms DeVos offered little more in the way of details at a press conference after the visit, where she answered just five questions from reporters. Asked if she had any specific ideas for improving school safety, she responded: The President has advanced a number of issues that Congress will have to consider.

There is an opportunity to take practical steps that many, many people agree on to continue pushing forward on things that have broad support, she added.

Ms DeVos also dodged a question about President Donald Trumps proposal to arm teachers, calling the question an oversimplification. She suggested arming only highly trained school officials, and noted that the policy was not something that should be required for every community.

Asked if she had made any promises to the students, Ms DeVos said only that she told school newspaper reporters that she would return at a later date. Ms Sheehy, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas senior, said she would welcome another visit from the secretary, but didnt think it would happen.

If it does happen, well have more questions, well be more prepared, well have done our research, she said. And if she continues to answer questions in the way that she did, well probably walk out.

Florida shooting  in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Florida shooting  in pictures Florida shooting  in pictures Police arrest a suspect in connection with the shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida Reuters Florida shooting  in pictures Parents wait for news after reports of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida AP Florida shooting  in pictures Anxious family members wait for news of students AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee Florida shooting  in pictures Students being evacuated from the school AP Florida shooting  in pictures Students being evacuated from the school Getty Florida shooting  in pictures People gather waiting for word from students AP Florida shooting  in pictures Parents waiting for news on their children AP Florida shooting  in pictures People gather at a hotel where students were taken after the shooting Getty Florida shooting  in pictures Florida Governor Rick Scott speaks to the media as he visits Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School following the shooting AFP/Getty Florida shooting  in pictures Dr. Igor Nichiporenko, Medical Director Trauma, left, and Dr. Evan Boyer, Medical Director, Emergency Services, speak about treating victims and the suspect at a press conference outside Broward Health North hospital AP

Other students had proposed boycotting Ms DeVoss initial visit in the days beforehand. The students have already helped organise several national demonstrations, including a school walkout on 14 March and a gun-control march for 24 March.

The suggestion to boycott Ms DeVoss visit provoked a spirited debate between students on Twitter. One student who ultimately decided to attend the event later tweeted her disappointment.

I thought [Ms DeVos] would at least give us her thoughts and prayers, but she refused to even meet/speak with students, wrote student Carly Novell. I dont understand the point of her being here.

Ms DeVos announced shortly after her visit that the Education Department would award a $1m grant to Broward County Schools  the district where the shooting occurred. The grant, known as a Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) grant, is intended to bolster services for grieving members of the community.

I have had the honour to meet several members of the Parkland community over the past days, Ms DeVos said in a statement announcing the grant. The strength shown by these students, family members and educators is an inspiration to us all.
Jewish and Muslim faith leaders were arrested outside of House Speaker Paul Ryans office while calling for an end to deportations.

Among them was 2017 Womens March co-organiser and activist Linda Sarsour, rabbis, and imams all staging a sit-in who were taken away on charges of civil disobedience.

The group was protesting in support of the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (Daca) programme, which would allow nearly 800,000 people brought to the US illegally as children stay as legal residents.

Recommended Trump claims Democrats abandoned dreamers

President Donald Trump decision to end the Obama-era programme threw Dreamers into a legal limbo of sorts as no date has been announced as negotiations between Republicans and Democrats continue.

The programmes future has also been tied to the fate of Mr Trumps proposed nearly 2,000-mile border wall with Mexico, where the majority of Dreamers originally came from.

However, the group also includes people from South Korea, India, Argentina, Brazil, and the Philippines among many others.

Mr Trump had given Democrats until 5 March to come up with a replacement for the current programme, a deadline they were unable to meet.

However, a Supreme Court ruling pushed that deadline back by nearly a year, buying some more time.

In addition to those arrested sitting outside Mr Ryans office, his opponent in the 2018 election was also arrested at a Daca protest the pairs home state of Wisconsin.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Randy Bryce, a Democrat, had joined 200 high school students who had organised a walk-out in Racine, Wisconsin near Mr Ryans district office.

Negotiations on Dreamers legislation continues in Congress, while the President tweeted that he is waiting on the Dems.

Mr Trump was referring to Judge Roger Titus ruling in a Maryland federal court.

Mr Titus wrote: "This Court does not like the outcome of this case, but is constrained by its constitutionally limited role to the result that it has reached.

An overwhelming percentage of Americans support protections for 'Dreamers,' yet it is not the province of the judiciary to provide legislative or executive actions when those entrusted with those responsibilities fail to act," he added.

In the meantime, Dreamers remain anxious as to their status as the 5 March deadline passed and still no deal has been made.
Oregon has enacted what its governor calls Americas first new gun law since a school shooting in Florida prompted a national push for tougher restrictions.

First proposed shortly before a gunman killed 17 students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the new law prohibits people convicted of domestic violence or stalking from owning guns.

Im hopeful the tide is turning on our nation's gun debate, and that we now have the chance to enact meaningful change, Oregon Governor Kate Brown said in a statement after signing the measure into law.

While student survivors of the Parkland massacre and gun control advocates have pushed for a ban on assault-style weapons, including the AR-15 model the Florida assailant used, measures to keep guns away from unstable people have better odds of winning Republican votes.

In Florida, both the Republican-controlled state legislature and Republican Governor Rick Scott have advocated giving courts the power to strip guns from people deemed to pose a threat to themselves or others. Legislators have also advanced a measure to arm trained and vetted teachers, an idea Mr Scott has rejected.

Florida shooting  in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Florida shooting  in pictures Florida shooting  in pictures Police arrest a suspect in connection with the shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida Reuters Florida shooting  in pictures Parents wait for news after reports of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida AP Florida shooting  in pictures Anxious family members wait for news of students AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee Florida shooting  in pictures Students being evacuated from the school AP Florida shooting  in pictures Students being evacuated from the school Getty Florida shooting  in pictures People gather waiting for word from students AP Florida shooting  in pictures Parents waiting for news on their children AP Florida shooting  in pictures People gather at a hotel where students were taken after the shooting Getty Florida shooting  in pictures Florida Governor Rick Scott speaks to the media as he visits Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School following the shooting AFP/Getty Florida shooting  in pictures Dr. Igor Nichiporenko, Medical Director Trauma, left, and Dr. Evan Boyer, Medical Director, Emergency Services, speak about treating victims and the suspect at a press conference outside Broward Health North hospital AP

Donald Trump shocked the political world and defied his political allies last week in calling for firearms to be preemptively taken from people.

Take the guns first, go through due process second, Mr Trump said.

 Donald Trump at school safety meeting: 'take the guns first, go through due process second'

In addition to potentially facing constitutional issues, the President's idea would be all but certain to fail in Congress, where the National Rifle Association wields immense clout.
In a blistering response to the Department of Justice challenging his states immigration laws, California Governor Jerry Brown has dismissed the lawsuit as an act of political theatre from an administration in disarray.

The Trump administration has challenged a set of California laws that limit cooperation with federal law enforcement, which Attorney General Jeff Sessions called a rejection of law that creates an open border system.

In response, Mr Brown said the lawsuit embodied the mendacity of Washington and suggested that the administration was discredited by Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian election interference and potential coordination with the Trump campaign, which has already produced guilty pleas from multiple former campaign aides.

We know the Trump administration is full of liars. Theyve pled guilty already to the special counsel, Mr Brown told reporters.

The Trump White House is under siege. Mueller is closing in. There are more indictments coming, he added.

Former Trump campaign advisers George Papadopoulos and Michael Flynn - who also served briefly as Mr Trumps National Security Adviser - have admitted to lying about contacts with Russian emissaries. Former campaign chair Paul Manafort has pleaded not guilty to allegations of concealing money from the federal government, while his former associate Rick Gates has pleaded guilty to fraud. Mr Mueller has not publicly said more indictments are forthcoming.

The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images

The Governor suggested that the lawsuit represented an effort at political preservation by Mr Sessions in the face of public criticism from Mr Trump, saying Mr Sessions has been caught up in the whirlwind of Trumpism.

I assume Jeff thinks Donald will be happier with him, and Im sure Donald will be tweeting his joy at this particular performance, Mr Brown said, calling the remark speculation.

Mr Brown objected to the notion that California has embraced lawlessness or protects dangerous criminals. The so-called sanctuary state law targeted by the federal government allows local law enforcement to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the cases of people convicted of violent crimes.

 Sarah Huckabee Sanders rejects sanctuary cities, saying the White House supports 'the law'

Both Mr Brown and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra predicted the state would prevail in what could be a protracted legal fight.

This lawsuit, Mr Brown said, is going to last a lot longer than the Trump administration.
Politicians in Mississippi have passed a bill that would prohibit abortions after 15 months of pregnancy - a move that would make it the state with the most restrictive legislation on terminations in the country.

The state senate passed 35-14, a measure that would prohibit abortions 15 weeks after a womans last last menstrual period. Current Mississippi law bans the procedure after 20 weeks.

The states house has already passed a version of the bill. House Bill 1510 will return to the house to reconcile differences between the two versions, Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves said in a statement.

Republican Governor Phil Bryant will then be passed the measure and he is expected to sign it, Reuters said. He had previously indicated he would do so.

Mississippians are committed to protecting the lives of unborn children, and this law will be a major step in accomplishing that goal, said Mr Reeves.

Leslie McGorman, deputy policy director at Pro-Choice America, an abortion rights group, said the measure targeted the states only abortion provider, the Jackson Womens Health Organisation. The clinic provides abortions up to 16 weeks after conception.

It really only makes sense in the state of Mississippi because of that provider. It has no real gestational significance, she said.

The clinic told the Clarion-Ledger it would be forced to turn certain patients away and refer them out of state.

 Thousands march in Dublin to change abortion laws

Diane Derzis, who owns the clinic, said the bill was unconstitutional following the Supreme Court decisions in the Roe v. Wade case and the 1992 Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v Casey case, which found states could not place an undue burden on pregnant women seeking abortions.

These groups are tossing anything and everything out there, anything that could start winding its way through the legal system because we're in a very fragile place right now, Ms Derzis said.

Roe is clearly in danger and that's what they're preparing for. They hope by the time they get to the Supreme Court they will have changed the Supreme Court.

State Representative Becky Currie, who introduced the measure, did not respond to requests for comment. A similar measure banning abortion 15 weeks after conception also has been introduced in the Louisiana state Senate.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Ms McGorman said abortion rights groups likely would mount a court challenge if the Mississippi measure became law, and anti-abortion organisations then could use the case to test the limits of abortion all the way to the Supreme Court.

The high court legalised abortion in its 1973 Roe v Wade ruling. It has banned prohibiting abortion before the foetus is able to live outside the womb, usually seen at about 20 weeks of gestation.

Seventeen states ban abortion at about 20 weeks after fertilisation or its equivalent of 22 weeks after the womans last menstrual period, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which opposes abortion limits.

The Mississippi bill includes an exception in the case of severe fetal abnormality or a medical emergency.

The Guttmacher Institute has said that about 926,200 US abortions were performed in 2014, down 12 per cent from 2011.

A 2017 Gallup poll showed that 49 percent of Americans say they support abortion and 46 per cent oppose it.




Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com





Oh, and if you see me driving my red 2010 Mustang GT convertible, please wave.

Hi, I am a retired newspaperman. I wrote 3 books on Trump and the media . I live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 43 years, Lou Ann. I grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather.
The Trump administration has sued California over its sanctuary law and other measures intended to shield the state from the Presidents immigration crackdown.

California and the Trump administration have repeatedly sparred over their divergent approaches to immigration. Those tensions spiked last week after Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf warned residents about upcoming immigration raids, leading a top immigration official to liken her to a gang member.

In announcing the lawsuit, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said: "California, we have a problem". He made clear that President Donald Trump would not allow for "the rejection of law" that would help create "an open border system"

It cannot be that someone who illegally crosses the border and two days later arrives in Sacramentois home free, never to be removed, Mr Sessions told law enforcement representatives at a California Peace Officers Association lobbying event in the state capital.

Mr Sessions also directly attacked Ms Schaaf, saying her announcement about the raids boldly validates illegality.

How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of our law enforcement officers to promote a radical open-borders agenda, he said.

The lawsuit from Department of Justice challenges a set of California immigration laws, enacted since Mr Trump became president, that limit employers and local law enforcement from sharing information and otherwise cooperating federal immigration authorities.

The laws represent a deliberate effort by the state of California to obstruct the United States enforcement of federal immigration law, a complaint said, arguing that federal authority overrules California's efforts.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

California Governor Jerry Brown and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who has repeatedly sued the Trump administration, told reporters they believed the states laws would survive. Mr Brown said the federal lawsuit was based on non-truth and predicted the legal dispute would last a lot longer than the Trump administration.

This is a political stunt. Its more like Fox News, Mr Brown said, adding that the lawsuit is not about the truth. Its not about protecting our state. Its about dividing America.

In an illustration of California's defiant relationship to the Trump administration, Mr Sessions' very presence drew objections from public officials. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said in a statement ahead of Mr Sessions speech that he should do us all a favour and skip his flight.

Protesters massed outside of the hotel where Mr Sessions spoke. They were joined by a number of elected officials, among them California Senate leader Kevin de Leon, a champion of the sanctuary law.

 ICE director calls Oakland mayor 'gang lookout' for immigration raid warning

Mr Trump and Mr Sessions have long lambasted sanctuary laws, saying they threaten public safety and seeking to punish municipalities that have enacted them. States and cities have already clashed with the Trump administration in court over federal efforts to cut off law enforcement funding to sanctuary cities.

Multiple judges have responded by blocking the administrations orders. Earlier this week, Judge William Orrick of a San Francisco-based district court denied the administrations motion to throw out lawsuits brought by San Francisco and by California against the federal government.

As his Attorney General was outlining the effort to bring California to heel, Mr Trump was touting his efforts to bolster border security and curtail legal immigration in a speech to the Latino Coalition Legislative Summit. Democratic objections to priorities have helped stymie a deal to extend protections for young immigrants known as dreamers.

These reforms are supported by the vast majority of Latino voters, Mr Trump claimed, Yet the Democrats filibustered our plan.
Donald Trump is searching for a new economic adviser after Gary Cohn announced his resignation, amid international concern about a possible trade war and mounting speculation the White House is struggling to attract top talent.

Mr Cohn, a former Goldman Sachs CEO who served as the director of the Presidents National Economic Council, announced he was standing down after a year in the position over his disagreement with Mr Trumps threat to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminium.

Mr Trump thanked Mr Cohn for his service and later said he would soon be naming a successor to the billionaire banker and free trade advocate. Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new chief economic adviser. Many people wanting the job  will choose wisely!

What the president is saying about his ability to have his pick of top people for any job is false. Several top people have declined to be interviewed...

Before Mr Cohn, 57, announced his decision, Mr Trump sought to play down media reports of chaos inside the White House, following the resignation last week of communications director Hope Hicks, the downgrading of Jared Kushners security clearance and his public scolding of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Appearing with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven at the White House on Tuesday, Mr Trump said he was inundated with people who wanted to work with his administration.

Many people want every single job. Everybody wants to work in the White House, he said.

They all want a piece of that Oval Office. They want a piece of the West Wing. And not only in terms of, it looks great on their resume  its just a great place to work.

Yet many reports have suggested just the opposite, describing the White House as a toxic, uncertain place, where people are out for themselves only and are deeply troubled by Mr Trumps admitted preference for a chaotic environment with people competing for his attention and priority.

Indeed, shortly after Mr Trump made the claim that everyone wanted to work for him, the respected New York Times political reporter Maggie Haberman tweeted: What the President is saying about his ability to have his pick of top people for any job is false. Several top people have declined to be interviewed.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

While every administration endures staff turnover, the Trump White House has a rate of 34 per cent, a level that has not been seen for decades, according to the Brookings Institution think tank.

Mr Cohn, who will leave the White House in a couple of weeks, had been instrumental in helping to shape the major Republican tax cuts that Mr Trump signed into law late last year. He had been one of the strongest voices urging the President against protectionism and pointing out that if he went ahead with his plan for tariffs, other nations could retaliate.

That is something that has already happened, with the EU, Canada and Mexico threatening to impose their own tariffs. Mr Trump responded by saying a trade war would be good for America.

 Donald Trump on Sweden immigration 'problem': 'I was proved to be right'

The White House has said it will an announcement on tariffs either later this week or early next week. In answer to a question, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters: Yes, we are still on pace for an announcement on that at the end of this week.

Asked about naming a successor to Mr Cohn, she said: Look, that will happen when the President is ready to make that announcement. Im certainly not going to get ahead of him and try do that right this second. Among the names that have been mentioned to fill the slot are Peter Navarro, director of the White House National Trade Council, and conservative commentator Larry Kudlow.

On Wednesday, Germany was among those countries to voice its concern about Mr Cohn departure and the possible impact it would have on the direction of Mr Trumps administration.

Germanys economy minister Brigitte Zypries said she hoped Mr Trump would change his mind on import tariffs.

The situation is serious, she said of Mr Trumps decision to impose import tariffs and the departure of Mr Cohn, who was seen as a moderating voice in the White House.

According to Reuters, she added: I hope Trump changes his mind.
President Donald Trump has claimed he is not worried about Russian meddling in the 2018 midterm elections, on the same day his national intelligence director said its highly likely that Russia will be doing something in the midterms.

"The Russians had no impact on our votes, Mr Trump told reporters at a news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven. Certainly there was meddling. Probably there was meddling from other countries.

Asked if he was worried about Russian meddling in 2018, Mr Trump responded: "No, because we'll counteract whatever they do.

"We won't allow that to happen. We will counteract it very strongly, he added. We're doing a very, very deep study and coming out with very strong suggestions on the 2018 election.

That same day, however, director of national intelligence Dan Coats told a Senate committee that it is highly likely that Russia will be doing something in the 2018 midterms.

"We have not seen evidence of a robust effort yet on the part of Russia, but we know their malign activities continue to exist," he said.

Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Show all 29 1 /29 Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inauguration - 20 January 2017 US President Donald Trump acknowledges the audience after taking the oath of office as his wife Melania (L) and daughter Tiffany watch during inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States on the West Front of the US capital in Washington on 20 January, 2017. Photographer Jim Bourg: "This photo was shot with one of two remote cameras. The cameras were monitored and triggered remotely and the pictures were transmitted to clients worldwide within minutes of being taken." Reuters/Jim Bourg Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Obama farewell address - 10 January 2017 US President Barack Obama wipes away tears as he delivers his farewell address in Chicago on 10 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "In his final days in office, Obama made a visit home to Chicago. As he spoke from the stage to his wife and daughter in the audience, he became emotional when he talked about what they had sacrificed during his time in office. I turned from photographing the Obama women embracing to find him onstage wiping away tears." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inauguration - 20 January 2017 A combination of photos shows the crowds attending the inauguration ceremonies to swear in U.S. President Donald Trump at 12:01pm (left) on January 20, 2017 and President Barack Obama sometime between 12:07pm and 12:26pm on January 20, 2009. Reuters/ Lucas Jackson/Stelios Varias Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Liberty Ball - 20 January 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend the Liberty Ball in honour of his inauguration in Washington on 20 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "What I see when I look at this picture is the end of a very long day, not to mention weeks and months of preparation by many photographers, editors and network experts and the beginning of everything since." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception - 22 January 2017 US President Donald Trump greets Director of the FBI James Comey as Director of the Secret Service Joseph Clancy (L), watches during the Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception in the Blue Room of the White House on 22 January, 2017. Photographer Joshua Roberts: "I have covered the White House for 16 years and normally either the President or the pool is in position when an event starts. In this case the President was not where anyone expected him to be. In fact, he was almost blocking the door when the pool came in. We had to scramble to find a position without bumping him or the furniture as he greeted and thanked members of law enforcement for their security efforts during the inauguration. Luckily, he greeted FBI Director James Comey a few seconds after the pool had made its way into the room." Reuters/Joshua Roberts Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Private phone calls to world leaders - 28 January 2017 US President Donald Trump, is joined by his staff, as he speaks by phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office on 28 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Very early in the Trump administration, weekends were as busy as weekdays. On Trump's second Saturday the official schedule said he would be making private phone calls to a number of world leaders including Russia's Vladimir Putin. I arrived early and, before sitting down at my desk walked up to Press Secretary Sean Spicer's office. He, too, was just taking his coat off. I gingerly made the suggestion that previous administrations had sometimes allowed photos of such phone calls through the Oval Office windows on the colonnade. To my mild shock, he didn't even think about it twice. "We'll do it!" he said. In truth, I really only expected the Putin call, but we were outside the windows multiple times throughout the day as the calls went on." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Senior advisor Kellyanne Conway - 27 February 2017 Senior advisor Kellyanne Conway (L) attends as US President Donald Trump welcomes the leaders of dozens of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) in the Oval Office on 27 February, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "We're often asked how much access we have to the Trump administration, and the answer is we have an awful lot. President Trump himself is very comfortable in the spotlight, and his aides are similarly unfazed by cameras. In this instance, senior advisor Kellyanne Conway was so comfortable in our presence she seemed not to consider the optics of kneeling on a Oval Office sofa to take pictures with her phone." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Angela Merkel heads to Washington - 17 March 2017 Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump hold a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House on 17 March, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Chancellor Merkel made one of the earliest important visits of any US allies to meet Trump in his first months in office. When world leaders give joint news conferences they don't always tend to give each other their full attention - but Merkel watched Trump intently at several key moments, and here seemed particularly rapt." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump welcomes truckers to the White House - 23 March 2017 President Trump reacts as he sits on a truck while he welcomes truckers and CEOs to attend a meeting regarding healthcare at the White House on 23 March, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "The White House organised a listening session with truckers and CEO's of major American companies, regarding healthcare reform. An 18-wheeler tow truck was parked on the South Lawn of the White House and as Trump welcomed the truckers someone invited the him to come and sit in the driver's seat. Trump jumped into the cab and started yelling and pretending to drive - creating one of the most memorable pictures of the year. A lesson learned, always be prepared for the unexpected." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Air Force One - 6 April 2017 US President Donald Trump talks to journalists members of the travel pool on board the Air Force One during his trip to Palm Beach, Florida on 6 April, 2017. Carlos Barria: "During the many trips to President Trump's residence in Florida it is usual to see the president coming to the back of the plane to chat with journalists. During one of the trips to the so called 'Winter White House', Trump had a long talk with reporters while the Air Force One entertainment system was playing one of the latest Star Wars movies. As I was listening to Trump talk I was also looking at the movie waiting for a part of the movie to frame the mood of the day. Of the many scenes, I choose the one with Darth Vader." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures 100 Days - 27 April 2017 US President Donald Trump speaks during an interview with Reuters in the Oval Office of the White House on 27 April, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "A day before President Trump's hundred days in office I was part of the team that interviewed the commander-in-chief in the Oval Office. I was only allowed to photograph Trump during the last five minutes of the interview. The time was very tight so I had to move fast as I had pictures in mind that I wanted to shoot. I walked into the Oval Office and saw that the President had printed maps of the country showing areas in red where he won. I raised my hands holding my camera as high as possible to get the best view of the scene using a 16mm wide angle lens." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures 100 Days - 27 April 2017 US President Donald Trump reacts as he arrives at Harrisburg international airport, before attending a rally marking his first 100 days in office in Pennsylvania on 29 April, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "President Trump travelled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to celebrate his hundred days in office with a victory rally. He was in friendly territory as he won with a big difference over his opponent Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania, during the November elections. As usual when the commander-in-chief arrives local residents gather to greet him. This time a small group of military personnel attended the arrival. Surrounded by secret service agents Trump walked from the Air Force One and raised his hand in a sign of victory as the crowd cheered him on." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House staffers - 2 May 2017 White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer (L) and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus watch as US President Donald Trump presents the U.S. Air Force Academy football team with the Commander-in-Chief trophy in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on 2 May, 2017. Photographer Joshua Roberts: "Covering the White House does not just mean covering the President. White House staffers are an important part of the story and their relationship with the President and each other is an indicator of how things are going in the West Wing. The tendency is to focus exclusively on the President once an event starts but I always try to look around to see how people are reacting as things unfold." Reuters/Joshua Roberts Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Secret Service - 4 May 2017 Secret Service agents use a presidential limousine as cover from spraying water as US President Donald Trump lands via Marine One helicopter in New York on 4 May, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "The best part of any trip to New York City with the sitting US President is the helicopter ride into Manhattan. The ride out at night can be stunning. Here, Secret Service agents protect themselves from the spray from the East River as Trump lands on the helipad." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures NATO Summit - 25 May 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump wait the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron (unseen) before a lunch ahead of a NATO Summit in Brussels on 25 May, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "One of the best parts of travelling overseas for White House coverage is the chance to see the U.S. president in different environments and (literally) a different light. Here, Trump and his wife came out of the shadows to greet France's President Macron." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump meets Putin at G20 summit - 7 July 2017 US President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany on 7 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "On July 7, I witnessed one of the most important meetings of President Trump's first year in office. Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin during a bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Germany. The world's eyes were on these two leaders after speculation about Russian interference during the 2016 US elections. We entered the room for less than two minutes, where I took dozens of pictures. But there was this very interesting moment when Trump extended his hand to Putin for a handshake. Putin paused for a second and looked at Trump's hand. That was the picture that I was looking for, a little moment that seemed to say a lot." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures First lady - 8 July 2017 First lady Melania Trump chats with US President Donald Trump during their return from Germany at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on 8 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "After President Trump's trip to Germany he arrived back at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. First Lady Melania Trump said goodbye to Trump as she was heading off in a different direction that day. While chatting a breeze blew Melania's hair up in the air." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Made in America product showcase - 17 July 2017 Vice President Mike Pence laughs as President Donald Trump holds a baseball bat as they attend a Made in America product showcase event at the White House on 17 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "This summer the White House organized an event to showcase 'Made in America' products. All kinds of exhibitors brought their products as the President and Vice President toured the event. One of the companies was Marucci Sport, a manufacturer of baseball bats based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As Trump approached a table full of baseball bats, photographers at the event, including me, rushed to get a good angle hoping that he would pick up a bat. As we predicted, he did. He took one and joked around as though he was hitting something hard. The only thing closer to him right there, was the media." Reuters Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House staffers - 25 July 2017 Former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski says hello to reporters as he and White House advisors including Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci accompany President Trump for an event celebrating veterans at AMVETS Post 44 in Ohio, July 25, 2017. Jonathan Ernst: "The most visible person in any White House is naturally the President, followed by the press secretary. But there are also the staff who support them. For those of us covering the Trump administration, there seem to be more compelling figures in the West Wing than ever before. It's crucial to know who's who and why they're important. When I raised my camera and back-pedalled ahead of the group to take this image Lewandowski gave me a hello. I liked the photo, but had no idea it would go a little bit viral, especially since Scaramucci, who was the biggest mover and shaker that week, was hidden back in the pack. But I guess the image catches a glimpse of what it's like to be a West Wing staffer on the road." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Campaign rally - 3 August 2017 US President Donald Trump arrives at a rally in West Virginia on 3 August, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "President Trump travelled to Huntington for one of his usual campaign rallies. While members of his family spoke to the crowd he was waiting under a black curtain to be introduced. Suddenly he walked onto the stage, one of the first frames that I took was of his hand. I set my exposure for the light on the stage hoping to create this dark background and it worked." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Staring into the solar eclipse - 21 August 2017 Without his protective glasses on, US President Donald Trump looks up towards the solar eclipse while viewing with his wife Melania and son Barron at the White House on 21 August, 2017. Photographer Kevin Lamarque: "On a day when everyone, and I mean everyone, was told not to look at the eclipse without protective glasses, Trump, President of the United States, couldn't help himself." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Hurricane Harvey - 2 September 2017 US President Donald Trump poses for a photo as he and first lady Melania Trump help volunteers hand out meals during a visit with flood survivors of Hurricane Harvey at a relief centre in Houston, Texas on 2 September, 2017. Photohrapher Kevin Lamarque: "Trump, eager to deliver the image of a hands-on response to Hurricane Harvey, made this visit to a relief centre and obliged this woman with a selfie as Melania continued to work." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House - 15 September 2017 Donald Trump welcomes 11-year-old Frank Giaccio as he cuts the Rose Garden grass at the White House on 15 September. Frank, who wrote a letter to Trump offering to mow the lawn, was invited to work for a day at the White House along the National Park Service staff. Frank was so focused on his task that he did not notice the President arrive to surprise him. He took his father jumping in to grab his attention and point Trump out. Photographer Carlos Barria said: The image of Trump shouting at a kid who is mowing his lawn might have many interpretations in today's politically polarized United States. But for me it was just a kid who loved what he was doing, to the point he almost appeared to ignore the President." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Take a knee - 27 September 2017 A man kneels with a folded U.S. flag as the motorcade of U.S. President Donald Trump passes him after an event at the state fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S., September 27, 2017. In September, soon after Trump had made comments condemning NFL players who kneel during the national anthem, he made a day trip to a rally in Indianapolis. Jonathan Ernst managed to capture a man on one knee with a tri-folded flag and was able to use a portion of the sign on the building he was kneeling in front of to track the man down and tell his story in full. US Army veteran Marvin Boatright wanted to send a message against social injustice. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Hurricane Maria - 3 October 2017 President Donald Trump throws rolls of paper towels into a crowd of local residents affected by Hurricane Maria as he visits Calgary Chapel in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 3 October, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "During an afternoon visit to Puerto Rico for President Trump to survey damage from Hurricane Maria and greet some of its victims, Trump made a stop at a church where food and supplies were being distributed. Among the items were paper towels and Trump, apparently caught up in the moment, decided to distribute some of the rolls." Reuters Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Jared Kushner - 1 November 2017 White House Senior adviser Jared Kushner sits behind President Trump during a cabinet meeting in Washington on 1 November, 2017. Photographer Kevin Lamarque: "The role of Jared Kushner has gone through a series of changes. He began front and centre as a high profile adviser, but as time has passed and issues surrounding him have surfaced, he has become more of a background figure." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump in China - 9 November 2017 Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands after making joint statements at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 9 November, 2017. Photographer Damir Sagolj: "It's one of those "how to make a better or at least different shot when two presidents shake hands several times a day, several days in row". If I'm not mistaken in calculation, presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump shook their hands at least six times in events I covered during Trump's recent visit to China. I would imagine there were some more handshakes I haven't seen but other photographers did. And they all look similar - two big men, smiling and heartily greeting each other until everyone gets their shot. But then there is always something that can make it special - in this case the background made of US and Chinese flags. The first time it didn't work for me. The second time I positioned myself lower and centrally, and used the longest lens I have to capture only hands reaching for a handshake." Reuters/Damir Sagolj Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Air Force One - 10 November 2017 US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One to depart for Vietnam from Beijing Airport in Beijing, China, November 10, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "There is a Reuters photographer in the tight pool covering the US president for every appearance he makes 365 days a year. This was just one of 32 images of mine that were transmitted on the Reuters wire of President Trump visiting China and Vietnam that day. You never know when a sudden interaction, a gust of wind or a unique facial expression will lead to a striking image that grabs peoples' attention." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures ASEAN handshake - 13 November 2017 Donald Trump registers his surprise as he realises other leaders, including Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte and Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, are crossing their arms for the traditional "ASEAN handshake" as he participates in the opening ceremony of the summit in Manila on 13 November, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Having covered a few ASEAN summits, I knew to expect the ASEAN handshake. Not everyone in the room knew to expect the ASEAN handshake. A lot was written about this unscripted moment, and what deeper meaning it might have. The simple truth is that sometimes in life there are unscripted moments." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

Special counsel Robert Mueller has charged 13 Russian nationals with staging a physical and digital inference campaign in the 2016 US election. According to an indictment, the Russians used social media to sow discord in the US political system, and some even posed as US citizens to do so.

US officials have said that Moscow also tried to hack into US voting systems, but that they were unable to change any votes. The Department of Homeland Security has also said there is no evidence to suggest that votes had been altered.

Mr Trump has cast doubt on the US intelligence communitys findings before, at one point claiming the hackers could have been a single individual "sitting on their bed who weighs 400 pounds. In November, Mr Trump signalled that he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin's denials of meddling in the election. He later walked the comments back after criticism.

The US State Department, meanwhile, has yet to spend any of the $120m it was given to fight foreign election meddling, according to the New York Times. None of the department's 23 analysts tasked with countering Moscows efforts speak Russian, the paper reported.
The Trump administration has quietly decided to reverse an Obama-era rule banning Americans from importing body parts of African elephants killed for sport.

It comes after Donald Trump branded big game trophy hunting a horror show last year, and suggested he would not allow the move to go ahead.

In November, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced it would lift a ban on elephants imported from Zimbabwe and Zambia, maintaining wealthy hunters would help raise money for conservation efforts.

A public outcry at the decision prompted the US President to intervene. Big-game trophy decision will be announced next week, Mr Trump said on Twitter.

But will be very hard pressed to change my mind that this horror show in any way helps conservation of Elephants (sic) or any other animal.

But more than three months later, Ryan Zinke, the Interior Secretary, issued a letter dated 1 March announcing the importing of elephant trophies would now be approved on a "case-by-case basis.

The letter cites a December ruling in a long-running lawsuit challenging the ban filed by Safari Club International and the lobbying arm of the National Rifle Association.

Mr Zinke recently told people privately that Mr Trump has called him several times to discuss what to do about elephant trophies. Neither the Interior Department nor FWS issued a press release over the last week to announce the decision, which was quickly condemned by environmental advocates.

 Rescuers carry starving baby elephant on their shoulders to reunite it with its worried mum in India

"The Trump administration is trying to keep these crucial trophy import decisions behind closed doors, and that's totally unacceptable," said Tanya Sanerib, international legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. "Elephants aren't meant to be trophies, they're meant to roam free."

Mr Trump's two adult sons are trophy hunters. A photo of Donald Trump Jr holding a knife and the bloody severed tail of an elephant he reportedly killed in Zimbabwe in 2011 sparked outrage among animal rights activists.

Mr Zinke is an avid hunter, who after arriving at the Interior Department last year ordered the arcade game "Big Buck Hunter Pro" to be installed in the employee cafeteria at the agency's Washington headquarters, a move he said would promote wildlife and habitat conservation.

In June, the department removed longstanding protections for grizzly bears near Yellowstone National Park, a step that potentially allows them to be hunted. The Fish and Wildlife Service also quietly began issuing permits in October allowing African lions killed in Zimbabwe and Zambia to be imported. Previously, only wild lions killed in South Africa were eligible.

India elephants with knitted jumpers Show all 9 1 /9 India elephants with knitted jumpers India elephants with knitted jumpers Badly treated rescued elephants at the Wildlife SOS sanctuary outside Agra, India with their newly knitted jumpers are on show for the first time, they are all effected by the cold after their ordeal at the hands of owners Roger Allen India elephants with knitted jumpers Roger Allen India elephants with knitted jumpers Roger Allen India elephants with knitted jumpers Roger Allen India elephants with knitted jumpers Roger Allen India elephants with knitted jumpers Roger Allen India elephants with knitted jumpers Roger Allen India elephants with knitted jumpers Roger Allen India elephants with knitted jumpers Roger Allen

The world's largest land mammal, the African elephant has been classified as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act since 1979. A licensed two-week African elephant hunt can cost more than $50,000 per person, not including airfare, according to advertised rates.

Illicit demand for elephant ivory has led to devastating losses from illegal poaching as the natural habitat available for the animals to roam has also dwindled by more than half. As a result, the number of African elephants has shrunk from about 5 million a century ago to about 400,000 remaining. And that number continues to decline each year.

According to the United Nations, as many as 100,000 African elephants were killed between 2010 and 2012. For forest elephants, the population declined by an estimated 62 per cent between 2002 and 2011.
The top US general for Africa Command (Africom) said the military could face a significant ramifications if China takes control of a port in Djibouti.

Marine General Thomas Waldhauser explained during a House Armed Services Committee hearing that the port was important for re-supplying the US base in the country as well as a fuelling stop for Navy ships.

However, the Doraleh Container Terminal, along the Red Sea, may have been nationalised following a government dispute with the Dubai-based company which ran it in order to give control to China.

Recommended China clears path for Xi Jinping to rule beyond 2023

China has already built a military base in the small east African nation because of its geographic importance as a route to the Suez Canal.

Djibouti also hosts approximately 4,000 American personnel, including special operations forces. It also serves a launch pad for operations in Yemen and Somalia.

While "China has been on the African continent for quite some time...we as a combatant command have not dealt with it in terms of a strategic interest," Mr Waldhauser noted, adding that China could place limits or burdens on US supplies that come through the port.

"We are taking baby steps in that regard," he said, adding that he is in the process of re-writing US military strategy in order to take Chinas growing muscle on the continent into consideration.

Djibouti's strategic position draws world's armies

Part of the issue was brought up by Republican Representative Bradley Byrne in a letter to Defence Secretary James Mattis.

Mr Byrne wrote about how the government Djibouti may have conducted an illegal seizure of the port from the Dubai-based company DP World, which is pursuing the matter in the London Court of International Arbitration.

What is to say that government wouldn't illegally terminate our lease before its term is up," Mr Byrne wrote.

Mr Waldhauser said China may be looking for more locations and ports to control in the near future.

China has made strides on the continent by providing aid in the form of infrastructure investment and, to a certain degree job creation, rather than traditional forms of food, medical, and economic aid many African nations have had to take from Western countries.

The government also pledged a $124bn investment to connect Africa, Asia, and other ports through its Silk Road initiative.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

As a result, it has boosted African oil and mining sectors and China is a destination for 15 to 16 percent of sub-Saharan Africas exports and the source of 14 to 21 percent of the regions imports, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

They have also constructed shopping malls, stadiums, and host nation government buildings, prompting Mr Waldhauser to say that the US will never outspend China on the continent.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US will give more than $533m in humanitarian aid for victims of conflicts and drought in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and countries bordering Lake Chad.

However, he said he thought Chinas investments on the continent encouraged dependency versus the US aid, which promotes sustainable growth.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in Beijing he did not know anything about the port situation, but China's cooperation with Africa was neither aimed at any third party nor aimed at excluding anyone.

"We hope that the US side can objectively and fairly view China's development and China-Africa cooperation," he told a daily news briefing.
An Islamic university in Indonesia has been criticised after announcing it will not allow female students who continue to wear face veils on campus to graduate.

The State Islamic University (UIN) in Yogyakarta city, on Java island, cited fears over the spread of radical ideology on its campus for the decision.

UIN said it had 41 students using the full veil, or burqa, who would be offered counselling sessions before ultimately being asked to remove the veil.

Indonesia is home to the world's largest Muslim population, the majority of whom practice a moderate form of Islam.

But the country has seen a recent rise in more conservative interpretations of the religion, which many see as a threat to its long-standing reputation for religious tolerance and diversity.

The Islamic Defenders Front, a conservative group that campaigns against activities it deems un-Islamic, said in a statement the policy "did not make sense" and was in conflict with the country's efforts to preserve diversity.

 Afghan men wear burqas in support of women's rights

A women's rights activist decried what she described as a limitation on the freedom of women to wear what they want.

"Using full-face veils is a choice and we cannot interfere in their choice and their freedom," said the activist, Lathiefah Widuri Retyaningtyas.

But the university's head, Yudian Wahyudi, said radicalisation, as exemplified by the burqas, undermined learning.

"Female students wearing the burqa, and radical groups, they are disturbing the teaching process," Mr Wahyudhi said.

In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Muslims gather with flags in Trafalgar Square on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis People listen to a speaker in Trafalgar Square on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Protesters gather with placards ahead of the annual Ashura march in Marble Arch on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Muslims pray ahead of the annual Ashura march in Marble Arch on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Protesters holding placards demonstrate along Oxford Street on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Protesters gather with placards during the annual Ashura march in Marble Arch on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Protesters holding flags and placards demonstrate along Oxford Street on October 1, 2017 Getty

"We are putting moderate Islam forward," he said, adding that the policy was a "preventive action to save the students".

Students would be allowed to continue using regular headscarves that do not cover the face, he said.

A recent survey showed that nearly a fifth of high school and university students support the establishment of a caliphate over the current secular government.

The data has alarmed authorities already struggling to contain the growing influence of both peaceful and militant Islamist groups in the world's third-largest democracy.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Midwives working in refugee camps in Bangladesh have recounted the harrowing experiences of pregnant Rohingya women who fled from neighbouring Myanmar.

The mothers said they had seen family members raped and killed by Buddhist extremists and Myanmars security forces.

In posts on Facebook the midwives also described how mothers with newborn children arrived in Bangladesh without fresh clothing, and pregnant women were malnourished after having walked for days without food.

Weve had women come having lost their entire family, Dr Sathya Doraiswamy, chief of health at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Bangladesh, told The Independent.

The stories weve actually heard are various degrees of violence, ranging from emotional to physical to sexual violence.

The main impact of what we see among the women and girls is that they have been subject to violence themselves, but in several other instances they have been witness to violence that has been inflicted on their very close family members.

Rohingya refugees  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya refugees  in pictures A young girl and a baby wade through mud after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma on 10 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya refugees walk through a camp in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after arriving from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures A young Rohingya refugee gathers firewood after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya refugees wait for sacks of rice to be distributed in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees arrive on a boat in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after crossing from Burma on 8 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees react after being re-united with each other after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Getty Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees walk along the remains of a road after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Myanmar Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees stand in the rain after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Indian children hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Burma EPA/Raminder Pal Singh Rohingya refugees  in pictures Supporters of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), an Islamic organisation, listen to their leaders' speeches against Burma's persecution of Rohingya Muslims, during a demonstration in Karachi Reuters/Akhtar Soomro Rohingya refugees  in pictures Hundreds of Iranians take part in a protest against violence in Myanmar after weekly Friday prayers, in Tehran EPA/Abedin Taherkenareh Rohingya refugees  in pictures Indonesian Muslim activists hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya minority in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia EPA/Ali Lutfi Rohingya refugees  in pictures Members of an Islamic organisation shout slogans against the Burma government during a protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh EPA

Over the last six months more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar, where there have been widespread reports of killings, rape and the burning of homes, leading to accusations the state is guilty of ethnic cleansing or even genocide.

More than half of those affected by the crisis are women and girls, Dr Doraiswamy said. He said the UNFPA has helped deliver 1,827 babies and provided antenatal care for more than 51,000 Rohingya women.

 Drone footage shows thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar

In Facebook posts shared with The Independent, a UNFPA-trained midwife said one Rohingya refugee came to her with labour pains soon after she and her husband arrived in Bangladesh. The mother, identified as Hasina Khatu, said the pain had started a day earlier when she was in Myanmar, and had increased slowly as she fled by boat.

When I asked her about her family members, she told me that her only son who was aged two had been killed by the Myanmar army. She also lost her mother, father and sister. She told me her younger sister was raped and killed by the Myanmar army. When she told me this history she was crying.

When the midwife gave Ms Khatu food, she said she had not eaten for at least two days. Later that night she delivered two premature boys. One weighed 2kg while the other weighed 2.2kg.

Another midwife described how one mother whose husband had been killed in Myanmar had no clothes to change her baby after she gave birth. She had nothing in Bangladesh, she had lost everything in Myanmar, the midwife said.

Other mothers arrived in Bangladesh with their children after walking for days without food.

One midwife said a mother and husband told her they had walked for four days with their newborn and older daughter after all of their family members were killed in Myanmar. In four days they only drank a small amount of water and some dry food. I made sure they had food. I prayed that things would be better for them.

Myanmar has been accused of ethnic cleansing or even genocide (AP) (AP Photo/A M Ahad)

Around 80 UNFPA-trained midwives have been providing sexual and reproductive health services through Bangladesh ministry of health facilities and in makeshift settlements formed near the refugee camps.

Recommended Myanmar forces and Buddhist villagers torched Rohingya homes

They also created around 19 women-friendly spaces where female refugees can share their experiences, and some choose to open up about the violence they have suffered.

Some were the victims of intimate partner violence, which Dr Doraiswamy said women in the camps were at a high risk of experiencing, and others had experienced sexual violence and rape at the hands of strangers.

There is not adequate lighting in the camps, and the toilets are not always family toilets. Women have to walk long distances. Even to fetch water there is quite a bit of distance they have to walk. Along any of these points they face a very high risk, Dr Doraiswamy explained.

Over the last six months more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar to Bangladesh (Getty) (FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images)

However, he said the women-friendly spaces have been quite effective. He added: For women who have undergone so much trauma, it actually brings about a calming experience when they come into these spaces. The sheer number of people we have been able to reach in the last six months has been quite telling in terms of the impact the UNFPA has had.

The UNFPA has also distributed around 88,000 dignity kits, which contain clothes, soap, a comb and sanitary wear for women and girls.

More than half of those affected by the Rohingya refugee crisis are women and girls (UNFPA Bangladesh)

Dr Doraiswamy called on the international community to provide funding to maintain UNFPA services, which he said are in high demand among women and girls in the camps.

He said software sectors such as women-friendly spaces were often seen as less important than work on shelters, water and sanitation, which he termed hardware materials.

He added: For us to be able to maintain this on a medium to longer term, these kind of services need to be sustained, and the international community needs to pay close cognisance of this.

Often, the presence of pregnant women or survivors of gender-based violence is forgotten. And that should not be the case.
Irelands highest court has ruled protections for an unborn child offered under the states constitution do not extend beyond the right to life.

The landmark decision, which was approved unanimously by seven senior judges, clears a path for a referendum on abortion in the summer.

A High Court previously ruled an unborn child was entitled to the same constitutional protections as a child.

Recommended Irish PM says he will campaign to liberalise abortion laws

Had the Supreme Court upheld the ruling, the referendum may have needed to be broadened to take in other elements of the constitution, which would have delayed the vote.

But Irelands Chief Justice Frank Clarke told the Supreme Court: The present constitutional rights for the unborn are confined to the right to life guaranteed in article 40.3.3 [the Eighth Amendment].

Citizens are due to be asked whether they want to remove the Eighth Amendment, a provision that renders abortion illegal other than in exceptional circumstances, and replace it with wording that would allow politicians to set Irelands abortion laws in the future.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said if the referendum backs a change to the constitution the Government will table legislation that allowing for unrestricted abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The High Court case related to an immigration dispute involving a Nigerian man who argued he should not be deported because the unborn child being carried by his Irish partner had multiple rights, including the right to the company of its father.

The High Court cited a number of grounds for finding in favour of the man, one being that the unborn child had rights extending beyond the Eighth Amendment.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The Supreme Court judges dismissed the State appeal of the High Court ruling, but not because it agreed with the lower courts position on the unborn.

Instead, they found that Irelands Justice Minister, in making a deportation ruling, should have considered rights that were conferred on the child once it was born.

So, while the deportation decision was upheld, the High Courts specific ruling in relation to the rights of the unborn was not.

The Supreme Court ruling was delivered in the newly built court complex in Limerick  the first time the court has sat in the city.

Press Association contributed to this report
Italy has elected its first ever black senator, a Nigerian immigrant who is a member of the anti-immigration Lega (League) party.

Toni Iwobi announced with great emotion he had been elected in Brescia, Lombardy, to the upper house of the countrys parliament.

The far-right League became the second-largest party in parliament in Italys general election.

In a Facebook post, Mr Iwobi said: After more than 25 years of battles as part of the Leagues great family, I am about to start another great adventure!

The Leagues economics chief cited Mr Iwobis election as evidence the party was not racist.

Id like to point out that the first black senator in the history of the Italian republic is one of ours, Claudio Borghi told Reuters.

His comments came after hundreds of African immigrants and Italians protested in Florence for a second day, chanting no more racism and criticising the anti-immigrant party for stoking racial tensions after an Italian man shot dead a Senegalese street vendor.

 Italian Elections 2018: Democratic Party concedes defeat

Italian politicians, especially those from the League, regularly portrayed migrants as criminals and called for mass deportations during the country's parliamentary election.

Last month, a man with neo-Nazi sympathies and ties to the League opened fire on African migrants in the city of Macerata, wounding six before he was captured.

On Tuesday, protesters targeted the Leagues leader, Matteo Salvini, singing: Salvini vaffanculo (f*** off).

Mr Iwobi, the partys spokesman on immigration, has been a League member for 25 years.

He helped write the partys anti-immigrant platform, which proposed measures to make it easier to deport migrants and to refuse to take in refugees rescued by NGOs in the Mediterranean.

In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A baby being taken on to MSF's Bourbon Argos ship from a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A refugee boat carrying 101 people being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A refugee boat carrying 101 people being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos all images by Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A baby among refugees on a boat carrying 185 people off the coast of Libya Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea Migrants and refugees sleeping after being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos ship Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A crew from MSF's Bourbon Argos ship rescuing a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees off the coast of Libya, at sunrise Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A woman in a stretcher being lifted onto MSF's Bourbon Argos ship from a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees off the coast of Libya Lizzie Dearden

Mr Iwobi has insisted the party is not racist.

Racism means feeling superior to others. While in the movement I find many strong positions, but also a lot of respect, he told the newspaper Corriere della Sera.

More than 600,000 migrants have arrived on Italian shores over the past four years, making immigration a top concern for voters during the campaign.

The League and the Five Star Movement, which emerged as the largest party in the vote, have both promised to ramp up deportations of illegal migrants.
Norway has announced it is raising the number of whales it will allow hunters to slaughter despite an international moratorium on the practice.

The country has increased its annual quota to 1,278  up 28 per cent  despite whalers killing just 432 last year, less than half the 999 allowed.

The move is a bid to revive an industry that has failed to meet Oslos quotas for years and has seen the number of whaling boats reduced from 350 to just 11 in the past 70 years.

I hope quota ratios and pooling of catchment areas will provide a good starting point for a good fishing season for the whaling industry, said Per Sandberg, Norways Minister of Fisheries.

Norway and Iceland are the only countries in the world to publicly allow whaling. Japan also kills the giant mammals, but officially does so for scientific research despite much of the meat being sold for food.

Norway has a viable whaling industry, despite zero subsidies, and Japan is the only market outside Norway, Mr Sandberg added, according to Norway Today. That is impressive. I want to make sure that the whaling remains alive.

 Activists ride whale carcass in anti-whaling protest

Whale meat tastes good and it is good for health.

Norway considers itself exempt from a 1986 international moratorium on whaling after it formally objected to the move. The Scandinavian country resumed hunting minke whales in 1993, but has seen a steady drop off in the numbers killed in recent years.

Hunters argue global warming is causing whales to seek out colder waters further away from Norway, making it harder to catch them. They also say high fuel prices are having an impact.

SeaWorld's killer whales Show all 10 1 /10 SeaWorld's killer whales SeaWorld's killer whales Visitors are greeted by an Orca killer whale as they attend a show featuring the whales during a visit to the animal theme park SeaWorld in San Diego, California March 19, 2014. A California lawmaker introduced a bill to ban live performances and captive breeding of killer whales in the state, a measure that would force the SeaWorld San Diego marine theme park to end is popular "Shamu" shows. Mike Blake/Reuters SeaWorld's killer whales A trainer shows the crowd a killer whale during a show at the animal theme park SeaWorld in San Diego, California March 19, 2014. A California lawmaker introduced a bill to ban live performances and captive breeding of killer whales in the state, a measure that would force the SeaWorld San Diego marine theme park to end is popular "Shamu" shows. Mike Blake/Reuters SeaWorld's killer whales An Orca killer whale is seen underwater at the animal theme park SeaWorld in San Diego, California March 19, 2014. A California lawmaker introduced a bill to ban live performances and captive breeding of killer whales in the state, a measure that would force the SeaWorld San Diego marine theme park to end is popular "Shamu" shows. Mike Blake/Reuters SeaWorld's killer whales Visitors get a close-up view of an Orca killer whale during a visit to the animal theme park SeaWorld in San Diego, California March 19, 2014. A California lawmaker introduced a bill to ban live performances and captive breeding of killer whales in the state, a measure that would force the SeaWorld San Diego marine theme park to end is popular "Shamu" shows. Mike Blake/Reuters SeaWorld's killer whales Trainers have Orca killer whales perform for the crowd during a show at the animal theme park SeaWorld in San Diego, California March 19, 2014. A California lawmaker introduced a bill to ban live performances and captive breeding of killer whales in the state, a measure that would force the SeaWorld San Diego marine theme park to end is popular "Shamu" shows. Mike Blake/Reuters SeaWorld's killer whales Trainers have Orca killer whales perform for the crowd during a show at the animal theme park SeaWorld in San Diego, California March 19, 2014. A California lawmaker introduced a bill to ban live performances and captive breeding of killer whales in the state, a measure that would force the SeaWorld San Diego marine theme park to end is popular "Shamu" shows. Mike Blake/Reuters SeaWorld's killer whales Trainers have Orca killer whales perform for the crowd during a show at the animal theme park SeaWorld in San Diego, California March 19, 2014. A California lawmaker introduced a bill to ban live performances and captive breeding of killer whales in the state, a measure that would force the SeaWorld San Diego marine theme park to end is popular "Shamu" shows. Mike Blake/Reuters SeaWorld's killer whales Trainers have Orca killer whales perform for the crowd during a show at the animal theme park SeaWorld in San Diego, California March 19, 2014. A California lawmaker introduced a bill to ban live performances and captive breeding of killer whales in the state, a measure that would force the SeaWorld San Diego marine theme park to end is popular "Shamu" shows. Mike Blake/Reuters SeaWorld's killer whales Tillikum, a killer whale at SeaWorld amusement park, performs during the show "Believe" in Orlando, September 3, 2009. A killer whale at the SeaWorld amusement park in central Florida killed a trainer on February 24, 2010, police and company executives said. According to the Orlando Sentinel the orca involved in the incident, named Tillikum but popularly known as "Tilly," has a controversial past. Mathieu Belanger/Reuters SeaWorld's killer whales An unidentified trainer works with a killer whale during the "Believe" show at Sea World in Orlando, Florida, in this photograph taken on February 14, 2010. A killer whale at the SeaWorld amusement park in central Florida killed a trainer on February 24, 2010, police and company executives said. Picture taken February 14. Richard Baum/Reuters

Animal rights activists suggest a lack of people wanting to eat whale meat is the reason for the decline.

In September, the European Parliament urged Norway  which is not part of the European Union - to halt all whaling, and said the EU must ensure that no whale meat transits through its ports.








Tony Sterbenc is a regular guy, a progressive in a Republican suburban Chicagoland district (IL-06). He grew up in a union-heavy working-class neighborhood, and told me he took Poli Sci simply because he cared about it, then settled into a white-collar corporate career and has just kept watching all his life. He wrote a guest post for us about how he sees the crowded IL-06 primary shaping up. In the last few years the district, which includes red-leaning parts of Cook, DuPage, McHenry, Kane and Lake counties, has started trending bluer and the Republican incumbent, Pete Roskam, is considered endangered. Obama won the district with 51% in 2008 but lost it in 2012 with 45%. In 2016 the district swung back towards the Democrats and Hillary beat Trump 50.2% to 43.2%. The PVI was R+4 then; now it's just R+2. Amanda Howland was the Democratic candidate then and with no support at all from the DCCC she was defeated by Roskam 208,555 (59.2%) to 143,591 (40.8%). She spent $98,179 to Roskam's $3,331,980. This year there are 7 Democrats competing for the Democratic nomination, including Howland, who by the end of December had already raised more than she raised by the end of the 2016 cycle. But 4 more establishment Democrats have raised even more than she has. And Roskam has already banked $2,475,565 this year.





Tony and his wife went to a forum that all 7 of the Democrats participated in and wrote the following form DWT readers. Tomorrow is primary day in Texas. The next state is Illinois-- March 20. He told me he considers Roskam "despicable."





IL-06



Impression: Went in wondering whether to vote for Howland or Cheney, and prepared to hate EMILY's List-endorsed Kelly Mazeski (who's been bombarding us with nearly daily postcards bragging she had breast cancer, seemingly the only thing she has a position on). Here's what we actually saw of the seven candidates on display. They sorted themselves out neatly into two serious contenders, four pretenders and a revelation.





The contenders:





Amanda Howland:

Legitimately pretty good. Calls herself "unapologetically progressive" and supports single payer. I could live with her, certainly over Roskam (remember, you can't spell "Roskam" without "skam"). A college trustee with a background in teaching, school administration and legal mediation. She was the nominee last time against Roskam and got 40.8% of the vote, actually better than other recent challengers, which she's claiming makes her a credible opponent. She does seem credible, just not terribly exciting or dynamic.





Carole Cheney:

No relation I know of, certainly not spiritually. Most of her resume is as a staffer to Rep. Bill Foster, a New Dem. Revealed last week at a local forum that Roskam not only is avoiding town halls and reporter's questions, his staffers are refusing to answer the phone OR record constitutents' calls, which may actually be illegal. She sounds like a system lifer who retains a conscience, which is a good thing. Takes pride in knowing the minutae of issues and of Roskam's record so she can answer him, and shows some real passion while doing so. Unfortunately, her byword on every issue is "incremental" (perhaps why the corporatist Chicago Tribune endorsed her), including a wuss-out on single payer because she thinks it'd be hard to pass. Overall, a technocrat who seems too timid for these times. As Michael Corleone says in dismissal of his aide before the Vegas massacre: "Tom, you're not a wartime consigliare."





Kelly Majeski:

Every bit as repellent as I expected. Embarrassingly endorsed by the pro-Democratic, union-owned Chicago Sun-Times as well as EMILY's List, and some have depressingly cast her as the favorite. Openly opposes single payer. Could be seen nakedly cribbing her answers to forum questions from other candidates at the dais. Talked about the importance of defeating Roskam and Trump and getting a Democratic House majority as the end goal, pointedly never saying why, in the great DCCC tradition Howie's articulated so often. A wealthy dilettante who's visibly dead inside.





Sean Casten:

Businessman turned Mr. Smith candidate. Good, smart guy who's a smart technocrat. Ideologically, would have made a good, respectable liberal Republican in the era before money wrenched our nation's politics to the right.





Becky Anderson Wilkins:

A well-intentioned and energetic Naperville council member. Like Casten, she's under the fatal Obama misimpression that the fascists will play nice.





Jennifer Zordani:

A regulatory lawyer who should remain one. Obviously intelligent, but wholly lacking an overarching vision for government, unable to think on her feet and visibly miscast as a candidate, to the point where she was naive enough to tell an all-Democratic crowd that Dodd-Frank should be weakened in places to ease paperwork burdens on small businesses-- unfortunately toxic to say in a campaign context, even if true.





Ryan Huffman:

The mammoth surprise of the evening, and the reason I wrote this. Huffman, 31 and unsung, describes himself as a data analyst, policy expert, and former White House intern (Obama) with a Northwestern journalism degree and a U. of Chicago master's in public policy. All those smarts were on display in a performance that never put a foot wrong. Even his opponents basically admitted out loud that he stole the whole debate (one said outright, correctly, "You're smarter than I am") with a series of brilliant, bold answers that sliced right through all the usual mealy-mouth "pragmatic" bullsh!t and went straight for the Bernie positions on campaign financing, single payer, Wall Street and the need for Democrats to declare without shame that big government can be a force for good. He reduced the whole rest of the field to a bunch of visionless incrementalists by comparison. He was so obviously superior intellectually that the others were comfortable praising him, disturbingly secure that his superior ideas didn't give him any chance to, y'know, win.




With their stories of harassment by a leading politician, three female journalists have surprisingly propelled the international #MeToo campaign to the top of the Russian news agenda. But the reaction of the state so far has been to close ranks, ridicule and reject their accusations.

On Wednesday, the speaker of Russias lower parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, suggested those journalists complaining of harassment should find another profession.

You think working in the Duma is dangerous? Change your job, Mr Volodin said. He made the comments during an event dedicated to Thursday's International Womens day, which is a major public holiday in Russia.

This week, BBC journalist Farida Rustamova became the third journalist to accuse Duma Foreign Affairs Committee head Leonid Slutsky of improper behaviour. In an article, she said that in the course of an interview, Mr Slutsky promised to help her in her career if she became his lover, and he groped her. The journalist said she recorded the conversation, and that Mr Slutsky knew this at the time.

In February, the Georgian television journalist Ekaterina Kotrikadze told a similar story. When she arrived at Mr Slutskys office, she said, he closed the door behind her, before pushing her against the wall to touch and kiss her. I managed to break free of his grasp and ran away, she said.

Dariya Zhuk, a producer for the liberal TV channel Dozhd, said that Mr Slutsky threatened not to turn up to an interview if she didnt go out with him for dinner. When he eventually arrived, he began behaving in a frightening and unpleasant way, she alleged. Ms Zhuk asked colleagues to intervene.

Mr Slutsky has denied the allegations, laughing them off as an attempt to project him as Harvey Weinstein. But in an open Facebook conversation with colleagues, he joked about not being able to find enough journalists to pass around.

Mr Volodin, whose office is second in line to the presidency, suggested that the womens accusations were part of a pre-election campaign to discredit the Russian government.

The story has come about at the height of the election campaign and the accusations have come from the mouths of Georgian journalists and Western publications, he said. If this was in the US, and Russian journalists were making the claims, the outcome would already be clear.

Gender discrimination is generally not a subject talked about in Russia. Post-war demographics and Soviet social policy have meant that in many formal aspects, Russian women actually enjoy more parity and legal protections than their Western counterparts. Women often occupy leading positions in business. In a 2015 report, professional services firm Grant Thornton suggested 40 per cent of all senior management roles went to women  a higher figure than anywhere else in the world.

But the fight for parity in Russian minds is ongoing, and, on some levels, regressing. In Mr Putin's second decade in office, the country has taken a decidedly neoconservative turn and there has been a move to embrace traditional, non-Western values of patriarchy.

Russians are now told this is not America, where men and women are considered the same, said Alexandra Arkhipova, an anthropologist at the Russian Presidential Academy. Instead, its OK for men and women to be treated differently.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

When allegations of harassment extended to parliamentarians last month, Russias reaction was to brand the accusers as liberal and somehow foreign. Many of Mr Slutskys colleagues  male and female  suggested the women were trying to gain attention. Tamara Pletneva, chair of the Duma Committee for Families, Women and Children adapted a vulgar Russian popular saying to suggest that the journalists had solicited the advances themselves. If a woman doesnt want it, no one will harass her, she said.

It is normal for men to show interest aggressively, Ms Pletneva seemed to be saying; and it was down to women to understand this and control their advances.

Ms Arkhipova said there are anthropological ways of understanding what to Western sensibilities appears as savage indifference. Given the countrys history of war, persecution and early mortality, she said, demographically men are very much in the minority. They are a prized resource, fed and tolerated despite their alcoholism, womanising and bad behaviour." For many Russian women, she said, harassment means interest.

Another Russian tradition  corporate solidarity  is also at play. Challenging power remains taboo in Russia, said Ms Arkhipova: Any accusation made on a bureaucrat is equalled to an attack on the Imperial Court, just as in medieval China.

In a blog post written on 24 February, Igor Lebedev, vice-speaker in the Duma, described the womens accusations as an underhand game of Weinstein. They were not only attacking Mr Slutsky but Russian parliamentary diplomacy  and the country itself."

Writing on Facebook, accuser Ms Rustamova said she thought about Mr Slutsky's influence before telling her story: He has very important friends. He was appointed chair of the Duma Committee only after a personal request by Vladimir Putin  and his friends include Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Prince Albert II of Monaco and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan.

No one has phoned me or threatened me directly, she said. But by making my story public, I do fear for my safety.
More than 260,000 songbirds were illegally killed on a UK military base in Cyprus to supply restaurants, wildlife experts have said.

Birds such as black caps and robins are trapped and killed at the British facility, as it the main ingredient for the local delicacy ambelopoulia - a plate of cooked songbirds.

The figure is down 70 per cent on the previous year's estimate of 880,000 songbirds illegally killed. The illicit activity is being driven by organised crime gangs who make millions from selling the birds to restaurants via the black market, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said.

The reduction in trapping is the result of work by RSPB Investigations and the Sovereign Base Area Police using covert surveillance methods such as filming to catch trappers and secure stronger court sentences, the charity said.

Increased patrols coupled with heavier sentences mean hunters now face a double deterrent.

In 2016, 19 trappers were covertly filmed at seven sites and all were prosecuted with fines of up to 6,600 (5,900) and several received suspended jail sentences. More cases are ongoing from 2017.

The RSPB called on the UK Government to ensure the removal of non-native Australian acacia trees, planted to lure the birds, continues to sustain the success in curbing the trapping.

Birds are trapped with fine "mist" nets suspended between acacia bushes, and speakers playing bird calls are used to attract the birds down as they migrate.

Wildlife experts also urged the Republic of Cyprus to crack down on black-market restaurants which still serve songbirds, which has been illegal for more than 40 years, though enforcement action is rarely taken.

Martin Harper, RSPB conservation director, said: "The reduction in the numbers of birds being illegally killed is a direct result of on-the-ground work by RSPB and Sovereign Base Area staff.

"The enforcement and the severity of sentences is also adding to the risks that would-be trappers take.

"We now need to finish removing the remaining non-native acacia bushes to make sure that there are no longer places where trappers can hide their nets. This is the long-term solution needed for these migrant birds."

He added the Sovereign Base Area authorities should be congratulated for taking measures including exclusion orders, vehicle impoundments and removing illegal irrigation pipes used to boost the growth of acacia trees.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Martin Hellicar, director of BirdLife Cyprus, said: "Now is the time to re-double efforts and make sure we see a permanent end to large-scale trapping and the massive impact it has on our migrant birds.

"Increased and consistent enforcement action must be taken against law-breaking restaurants."

An Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The Sovereign Base Area Administration is pleased that the enhanced efforts to counter bird trapping has finally resulted in a reduction in the number of bird deaths estimated by Birdlife.

"We are not complacent and recognise there is still much work to do. The MoD is, and will continue to be, actively committed to tackling illegal bird trapping inside the Sovereign Base Area."

Press Association
As Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman landed in London for the start of a three-day state visit, Saudi newspapers, radio and television channels carried almost as much coverage of the trip as UK outlets.

Several news organisations made mention of the billboards and posters bearing the leaders face and slogans such as Welcome crown prince and He is changing Saudi Arabia seen around London on Wednesday, on which The New Arab reported the Saudi government is rumoured to have spent around 1m.

Saudi state news channel Al Ekhbariya ran footage of both the charm offensive and the princes arrival at Stansted and meeting with Queen Elizabeth II on its news bulletins.

 Massive PR billboards appear before Mohammed Bin Salman's UK visit

Arab News, an English language newspaper and website, called MbS (as he is known) first visit to the UK as heir to the throne landmark and highly anticipated by British officials.

It also included a write up of Prime Minister Theresa Mays response to opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn at Prime Ministers Questions, without including the wording of Mr Corbyns challenge - in which he urged Ms May to halt British arms sales to the country which rights groups say are destined to be used in Yemen.

The prime minister defended Britain's links to defence and security ally Saudi Arabia in parliament... saying cooperation had helped save the lives of hundreds of people, the paper said.

The situation in Yemen Show all 14 1 /14 The situation in Yemen The situation in Yemen Houthi supporters trample on a US flag during a gathering mobilizing more fighters into several Yemeni battlefronts, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen People carry the coffins of men, who were killed in the recent Saudi-led airstrikes during their funeral, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen AP The situation in Yemen Pro-government fighters give food to Yemeni children on the road leading to the southwestern port city of Mokha. Yemeni rebels are putting up fierce resistance in a key Red Sea port city where they are encircled by pro-government force Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni stands in front of a graffiti protesting US military operations in war-affected Yemen, in Sana'a, Yemen. According to reports, US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen A Yemeni female fighter supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, takes part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen Yemeni female fighters supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, take part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A boy shouts slogans next to pro-Houthi fighters, who have been injured during recent fighting, during a rally held to honour those injured or maimed while fighting in Houthi ranks in Sanaa, Yemen Reuters The situation in Yemen Balls of fire and smoke rise from a Houthi-held military camp following alleged Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy looks on as Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy sits amidst the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa AFP/Getty The situation in Yemen Marine One with US President Donald Trump flies with a decoy and support helicopters to Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, for the dignified transfer of Navy Seal Chief Petty Officer William 'Ryan' Owens who was killed in Yemen Getty Images The situation in Yemen US President Donald Trump aboard the Marine One to greet the remains of a US military commando killed during a raid on the al Qaeda militant group in southern Yemen on Sunday, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, US Reuters

Most reports focussed on business opportunities for the two kingdoms as a result of increased ties, as well as Syria and Yemen, Irans role in the region, and the role of the international coalition against the [Isis] terror group, the Saudi Gazette said.

The crown prince is meeting with Ms May and several other government figures to discuss increased trade between the two countries.

Asharq Al-Awsat, a Saudi-owned paper published in London, ran a story discussing British medias reaction to the trip, stressing that left wing outlets such as The Independent and the Guardian see the visit as one of the most important diplomatic visits this year and MbS has achieved of many young Saudis dreams with social reforms such as allowing women to drive.

No outlet mentioned the fact MbS visit has also been met with much negative media coverage from campaigners and MPs criticising the princes crackdown on political opposition and free speech as well as Saudi involvement in the war on Yemen.

Nor did they mention the counter-billboards and other stunts such as a Save the Children statue of a child representing Yemeni children killed by bombing and protests outside parliament and Downing Street organised by rights groups such as Stop The War Coalition and Campaign Against the Arms Trade.

While most media outlets in the Kingdom are privately owned, they are heavily regulated and often censored by the state.

Freedom House, a freedom of expression watchdog, rated the media and internet not free in a 2014 report.

On Twitter, which is used regularly by at least 4.6 million Saudis and is a major source of news and opinion in the country, reaction was much more mixed.

Several users called the billboard campaign embarrassing and unsubtle.
Saudi Arabias new crown prince Mohammed bin Salman will arrive in London on 7 March for a three-day state visit during which he will meet with Prime Minister Theresa May, government officials and the royal family.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson wrote earlier this week that the young princes visit will see the UK and the Kingdoms relationship turn a new page.

While MbS, as he is known, is bringing sorely needed social and economic reforms to the country, his ruthless tactics for dealing with critics and rivals  as well as his involvement in neighbouring Yemens civil war  have been widely criticised.

Who is the prince?

MbS, King Salmans eldest son by his third wife, was appointed as crown prince in June last year.

 Saudi Arabia king's golden escalator get stuck as he tries to descend from his plane in Russia

Among several other important roles, the 32-year-old is the countrys defence minister. He is widely understood to be the driving force behind the Kingdoms forays into Yemen, where it backs the exiled government over the Iranian-supported Houthi rebels.

His rise has followed that of his father: King Salman ascended to the throne in January 2015 after the death of his half-brother Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. MbS, previously in charge of his fathers royal court, has been rapidly promoted since then to various cabinet posts at the expense of those older or more experienced.

The appointment of such a young heir to the throne effectively sets the tone of Saudi policy for decades. He is by far the second most powerful person in the country  and some would argue more important than his ailing 81-year-old father.

Why is he so important?

MbS is also the locomotion behind Saudi Arabias Vision 2030, a hugely ambitious and wide-ranging blueprint to wean the country off dependence on oil following a global slump in prices.

Saudi Arabia struggles to employ its most-educated women Show all 4 1 /4 Saudi Arabia struggles to employ its most-educated women Saudi Arabia struggles to employ its most-educated women SAUDI WOMEN122.jpg SAUDI WOMEN: Tahany Omar, 36, has a Masters of Business Administration from the US but has found the job market challenging in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; she works in an investment firm, but not in management. Washington Post photo by Linda Davidson Saudi Arabia struggles to employ its most-educated women SAUDI WOMEN124.jpg A young Saudi woman in her 20's shops for dresses on the women-only level at Kingdom Centre Mall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in October. Unless designated as a women's only area, most shopping in Saudi Arabia is staffed by men. Washington Post photo by Linda Davidson Saudi Arabia struggles to employ its most-educated women SAUDI WOMEN123.jpg Saudi men reflected in the mirrors of the Al-Faisaliyah Center viewing level which overlooks the expansive city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Washington Post photo by Linda Davidson Saudi Arabia struggles to employ its most-educated women SAUDI WOMEN121.jpg SAUDI WOMEN: Zainab Al Talib, left, assists legal consultant Tala Al-Hejailan at the law offices of DLA Piper in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 8. Hejailan is a lawyer, but cannot practise law in Saudi Arabia, which will not grant licences to women. Washington Post photo by Linda Davidson

Huge societal change has quickly arrived in the very conservative country as a result of his appointment: women are being allowed to drive and it is hoped will make up 30 per cent of the workforce over the next 12 years. MbS has even publicly criticised the Kingdoms religious establishment as out of touch with the times and promised a return to more moderate Islam.

Many Saudis have embraced the long overdue social reforms. They worry, however, that the economic forecast still looks bleak for normal households  and the reforms serve as a smokescreen for more oppressive measures.

The arrest of more than 300 business leaders, royals and politicians in an anti-corruption crackdown last November was widely interpreted as a clampdown on political freedoms and other forms of dissent.

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen  where eight million people are on the brink of famine  is an ongoing international concern. The situation is now so dire it is being referred to as Saudis Vietnam.

What is the purpose of the UK visit?

As the foreign secretary has pointed out, British exports to the country have risen to 6.2bn  a 41 per cent increase since 2010.

Most of that is arms sales, including advanced munitions and Typhoon jets, which rights groups say are destined for use in Yemens devastating conflict.

Ministers also hope Riyadh will pick London for the planned stock market flotation of Aramco, the state oil group.

British government sources have stressed that Saudi Arabia is also a key intelligence and anti-terror ally for Western governments.

The partnership between the UK and Saudi Arabia already helps make both of our countries safer through intelligence sharing, which has saved British lives, and more prosperous, with thousands of jobs created in the UK and substantial opportunities for British companies in Saudi Arabia, Theresa May said in a statement. The visit of the crown prince will establish the platform for that relationship to become even stronger.

Why are people protesting?

About Saudi Arabias still dismal human rights record, its involvement in the three-year-old Yemeni war, and the UK governments arms sales to the country.

The Saudi authorities leading a bombing campaign to restore Yemens government have been repeatedly accused by the UN and rights groups of failing to take adequate precautions to avoid loss of civilian life.

The Stop the War coalition and Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) are calling for pickets outside Downing Street during all three days of MbSs visit, which are expected to attract large numbers of protesters.

The UK has armed and supported the terrible war since day one, and there is no doubt that arms sales will be top of the agenda next week, a statement from CAATs Andrew Smith said.

Theresa May is putting the interests of arms dealers above the rights of Yemeni people.

The prince travels on to Paris and Washington DC after his stop in the UK.
The misery in a besieged rebel suburb of Damascus caused by the Syrian governments relentless push to crush the area is indicative of a new phase of horror in Syrias war, a top UN official has said.

Claims from President Bashar al Assad that his forces are doing all it can to protect civilians in the two-week-old offensive on eastern Ghouta are frankly ridiculous, human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said on Wednesday.

The Russian-supported indiscriminate, brutal attacks have killed at least 800 people and led most of the areas estimated 400,000 population to seek shelter in basements from intense shelling and air strikes despite demands from the UN for a ceasefire on 24 February.

 Scenes of devastation in Syria after deadly shelling and airstrikes and eastern Ghouta

Aid workers who entered the district briefly on Monday with the first supplies Ghouta has received this year said some residents hadn't seen sunlight for two weeks.

A ground offensive has followed the air campaign, with government forces retaking more than 30 per cent of the area of towns and farms in the last few days, seeking to split the rebel enclave into two to divide fighters.

State-affiliated al-Ikhbariya TV broadcast live shots showing dense columns of smoke rising above the town of Douma as explosions and rockets could be heard flying overhead.

Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Show all 14 1 /14 Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures A Syrian woman and children run for cover amid the rubble of buildings. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Smoke rises from buildings following the attack on the village of Mesraba in the rebel-held besieged Eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of the capital Damascu. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Injured children receive medical treatment. EPA Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures A Syrian man carries a child injured. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures An injured child receives treatment following bombings on several areas of eastern Ghouta. EPA Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures A child reacts inside a hospital after relatives were injured in the bombing. EPA Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Syrian children cry at a make-shift hospital in Douma following air strikes on the Syrian village of Mesraba. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Syrian Civil Defense group extinguishing a store during airstrikes and shelling by Syrian government forces. AP Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures A wounded 12-year-old Syrian boy, cries as he receives treatment at a make-shift hospital. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Syrians carry a wounded man. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures An injured man covered with blood at a medical point. Reuters Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures People sit a medical point in the besieged town of Douma, Eastern Ghouta. Reuters Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Syrian Civil Defense running to help survivors. AP Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Injured children receive medical treatment. EPA

Humanitarian corridors out of Ghouta monitored by Syrian ally Russia have barely been used and have become a frequent target for shelling. Both side blame the other for the violence.

The Syrian government says extremists in the besieged area are keeping civilians inside as human shields, but rebel activists say those inside will not leave for fear of repercussions when they reach government-controlled areas.

On Monday the Russian Defence Ministry offered safe passage for rebels and their families who wished to leave. While it was not clear where evacuees would be taken, in previous truce deals fighters have been bussed to rural Idlib province in the countrys northeast, the last rebel stronghold.

Rebel spokesperson Wael Olwan dismissed the offer on Tuesday, calling it psychological warfare.

The fate of Eastern Ghouta reflects the siege, starve and surrender Assad playbook in several other urban battles in Syrias complex conflict.

 Scenes of devastation in Syria after deadly shelling and airstrikes and eastern Ghouta

While the region is technically covered by a 2017 de-escalation deal, the government says it is targeting al-Qaeda-linked factions in the area not covered by the agreement.

Syrias war is entering its eighth year later this month. The fighting has killed 500,000 people and driven more than half the pre-war population of 22 million from their homes.

News agencies contributed reporting
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised a UN-mandated ceasefire in Syria designed to stop the recent bloodshed in eastern Ghouta while defending his own militarys two-month-old operation against the Kurds in Afrin.

The unanimous UN decision on a resolution demanding a 30-day cessation in hostilities across Syria on 24 March has done little to stop the violence in the rebel-held besieged suburb, which has killed 800 people in the last two weeks.

UNSC, damn your resolution. What is the meaning of a decision that has not been implemented? You are deceiving humanity, you are cheating, Mr Erdogan said at a meeting of his political party AKPs parliamentary group on Tuesday.

 Scenes of devastation in Syria after deadly shelling and airstrikes and eastern Ghouta

Mr Erdogan said the international community was guilty of inaction in Ghouta and criticised the structure of the UN, which gives veto power to the five permanent members of the Security Council  the US, UK, Russia, China and France.

The comments come after French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly told Mr Erdogan in a phone call last week that the ceasefire must apply to all fighting in Syria  including Turkeys two-month-old Operation Olive Branch aimed at driving Kurdish forces away from the border region between the two countries.

The air and ground offensive launched in January opened a new front in Syrias bloody conflict which has already killed dozens of civilians and fighters on both sides.

Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria  in pictures Show all 9 1 /9 Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria  in pictures Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria  in pictures Smoke billows following a Turkish airstrike on a village in the Afrin district, on 28 January, 2018. Turkey launched operation "Olive Branch" on January 20 against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in Afrin, supporting Syrian opposition fighters with ground troops and air strikes AFP Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria  in pictures Smoke billows from surrounding villages during the Turkish military operation against the Kurdish enclave on 28 January, 2018 AFP/Getty Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria  in pictures Twenty-year old Kifah al-Moussa, a Syrian Arab woman living among the Kurds of Afrin province, was working on a chicken farm in the village of Maryameen when a Turkish aircraft bombed the building at midday on 21 January, wounding her in the chest. When she recovered consciousness, she found eight people from one family lying dead around her Yara Ismail Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria  in pictures Mohamed Hussein, a 58-year-old Kurdish farmer, lies in the Afrin hospital, wounded in the head and eye after his home was bombed by Turkish aircraft on the second night of the attack Yara Ismail Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria  in pictures Syrian Kurds sit on benches overlooking a street in Afrin, on 28 January, 2018. Above is a memorial to martyrs who died in the fight against Isis AFP/Getty Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria  in pictures Smoke is seen rising on the Syrian side of the border, at Hassa, near Hatay, southern Turkey as Turkish jet fighters hit People's Protection Unit (YPG) positions, on 28 January, 2018 AFP/Getty Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria  in pictures A Turkish made T-155 Firtina (Storm) howitzer is dispatched to the border at Hassa near Hatay, southern Turkey, on 28 January, 2018 AFP/Getty Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria  in pictures A Turkish soldier waves a flag on Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, on 28 January, 2018 Reuters Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria  in pictures Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army fighters are seen in Barsaya mountain, northeast of Afrin, on 28 January, 2018 Reuters

Turkey views the Kurdish YPG militia as an extension of its own separatist PKK, a group designated as a terrorist organisation by Ankara as well as the EU and US.

The YPG and broader Arab-Kurdish coalition Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have won widespread Western support over the past few years as the most effective ground force against Isis.

In January the US pledged continued support for the YPG and SDF to ensure the jihadi militants do not form a resurgent movement, a strategy which enraged Turkey and contributed to the decision to launch the new offensive on Afrin.

Rights groups have condemned the Turkish operation as causing unlawful civilian deaths by failing to take necessary precautions before carrying out air strikes.

On Tuesday Mr Erdogan reiterated that Olive Branch is not covered by the UN resolution for a ceasefire as it was aimed at eradicating the terror corridor on its border.

Terrorist organisations and the forces behind them are not concerned about the prosperity and the future of the Syrian people. Thats why this effort unsettles them, he said.

The aim of the terror corridor is Turkeys territorial integrity, its unity, its determination for development and its power. They can all use all the distraction tactics they want. They can use any diplomatic games they want. We see this truth.
The US has announced new sanctions on North Korea after finding Pyongyang deployed a banned chemical agent to assassinate leader Kim Jong-uns half brother.

The Government of North Korea used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Nam, in the Kuala Lumpur airport, the State Department said in a statement.

The United States strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons to conduct an assassination, a spokesman added, saying the North Korean regime had shown contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons.

Kim Jong-nam died last year after two women attacked him at Kuala Lumpurs airport, leading Malaysian authorities to charge the alleged assailants with murder, which they deny.

The UN has imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Pyongyang after a series of nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests, but the State Departments announcement of new penalties came as the Trump administration eyed a rare diplomatic opening.

After North Korea used the Winter Olympics to make an overture to Seoul, leading to a rare meeting in Pyongyang between officials from the estranged nations, South Korea said the North had expressed a willingness to talk with the US about renouncing its nuclear weapons.

Donald Trump welcomed the new developments on the peninsula as very positive and said we have come, certainly, a long way.

 North Korea indicates it could give up nuclear weapons, according to the South

Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea, Mr Trump said on Twitter. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!
It felt like pulling a concrete block through hell. So says professional adventurer Ash Dykes of dragging an 18 stone trailer through the Gobi Desert in 40-degree heat back in 2014  his first proper expedition.

I nearly didnt make it out of the desert, but 78 days later, I did.

The self-taught explorer had come up with a plan to be the first person to walk across Mongolia solo and unsupported.

I knew very little about the country, but I loved the idea of experiencing it first hand and relying solely on myself, he says. I had to pull a trailer carrying everything I needed to survive.

He sounds surprisingly casual about this near-death experience, during which he suffered severe dehydration.

Recommended Why this couple has been on a roadtrip for 10 years

My water was running low and I had to ration it. I was hallucinating; I almost slipped into heat stroke, which is usually fatal.

The only shade was under the trailer, so I kept lying underneath it for 45 minutes at a time. I remember thinking, if I dont get out from under this trailer Im going to die here.

The 27-year-old from North Wales is not your typical adventurer. He doesnt have a military background for one, or a wealthy family to fund his expeditions  hes just a passionate traveller who loves seeing new places and setting himself increasingly difficult challenges.

I was studying a diploma at college when I decided to go travelling, he says. I worked hard, saved up and set off to China with a friend. Wed nearly run out of money and were sulking because we didnt feel like wed done anything wild.

Ash holds a white chicken to ward off evil spirits (Suzanna Tierie)

We suddenly came up with this idea to buy a cheap bike for 10 and cycle across Vietnam. It was this ridiculous looking thing, and we set off with no puncture kit, no pump and minimal supplies.

We learnt how to survive in the jungle with a Burmese hill tribe  building, hunting, which berries act as mosquito repellent

What started as the most intense gap year ever quickly gave Ash the adventuring bug, sowing the seed for his solo Mongolia trek.

Next up was Madagascar a year later, with another world-first expedition  he hiked the length of the country, during which time he contracted the deadliest strain of malaria and was on the brink of death.

The malaria experience was scary, says Ash. I was a few hours from slipping into a coma.

Ash has to do intense training to prepare for expeditions

Hacking through leech-laden jungle with a machete, building rafts and navigating crocodile-infested waters, Ash completed the 1,600-mile journey in 155 days. But, rather than putting him off, it simply egged him on to come up with his most ambitious plan to date: a third world-first trek, where hell walk the length of the Yangtze River in one year.

I always told myself Id return to China one day and take on the heart of the culture, learn from the locals, explore the interior and share its stories with the rest of the world.

Thats what always fascinates me  the stories. In Madagascar I had to carry a white chicken called Gertrude up to the top of the highest mountain to protect us from bad spirits! Its definitely the different cultures and traditions that draw me in.

The 4,000-mile journey will take Ash from west to east China, through 11 provinces, diverse ecosystems and multiple major cities including Chongquing and Shanghai.

The severity of the challenge isnt to be underestimated. I will be facing a lot of dangers throughout: sub-zero temperatures, wolves, bears, snakes.

Ash Dykes is taking on his third world-first challenge

But hes fully expecting there to be as many beautiful moments as there are brutal ones.

No matter how difficult parts of the expedition get, there are definitely rewards, he says.

It can be a simple thing like arriving; we spent two weeks crossing the jungle in Madagascar, and when we got to this village they were so welcoming, almost like they were expecting us. They cooked us food, smiled at us  it was amazing.

And at the Mongolian Step, looking up and seeing the Milky Way because theres no light pollution. Just incredible.

Ashs advice for those looking to get into adventuring, whatever their background, is simple: go for it.

Vegan Voyagers Show all 6 1 /6 Vegan Voyagers Vegan Voyagers Chicken Brienne and dog Lula relax in at Pecan Park Vegan Voyagers Vegan Voyagers Hayden and Aaron live and work on the road Vegan Voyagers Vegan Voyagers A double rainbow over the trailer at Lake Pleasant Vegan Voyagers Cats Boo and Jack hang out in the trailer at Joshua Tree Vegan Voyagers Vegan Voyagers Lulu hikes in Malibu Vegan Voyagers Vegan Voyagers Brienne hangs out in her nappy in the trailer

The biggest things that wouldve stopped me were lack of knowledge and experience, and lack of funds, he says. But, without being too reckless, dont let that put you off. We dont get anywhere in life without giving it a shot.

You never stop learning  all the survival skills Ive picked up have been from local communities.

You dont need a military mind-set, you can develop yourself by taking things one step at a time.
Thank heavens Theresa May is giving a warm welcome today to the illustrious Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Majesty Mohammad bin Salman. For it is meet and right that she should do so. His Royal Highness is a courageous Arab reformer, keen to drag his wealthy nation into the 21st century in a raft of promises  womens rights, massive economic restructuring, moderate Islam, further intelligence gathering on behalf of the West and an even more vital alliance in the War on Terror.

Thank God, however, that Theresa May  in her infinite wisdom  is not going to waste her time greeting a head-chopping and aggressive Arab Crown Prince whose outrageous war in Yemen is costing thousands of lives and tainting the United Kingdom with his shame by purchasing millions of dollars in weapons from May to use against the people of Yemen, who is trying to destroy his wealthy Arab brothers in Qatar and doing his best to persuade the US, Britain and sundry other Westerners to join the Saudi war against the Shias of the Middle East.

You see the problem? When it comes to money, guns and power, we will cuddle up to any Arab autocrat, especially if our masters in Washington, however insane, feel the same way about him  and it will always be a him, wont it? And we will wash our hands with them if or when they have ceased to be of use, or no longer buy our weapons or run out of cash or simply get overthrown. Thus I can feel some sympathy for young Mohammad.

I have to add  simply in terms of human rights  that anyone who has to listen to Theresa Lets Get On With It May for more than a few minutes has my profound sympathy. The Saudi foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, a very intelligent Richelieu, must surely feel the same impatience when he listens to the patently dishonest ramblings of his opposite number. Boris Johnsons contempt and then love for the Balfour Declaration in the space of less than 12 months is recognised in the Arab world as the cynical charade that it is.

Human rights groups, Amnesty and the rest are angrily calling Crown Prince Mohammad to account this week. So are the inevitable protesters. Any constable who raises a baton to keep order will be doing the Saudis work, we can be sure. But I fear that the Crown Prince should be far more concerned by the Government which is now grovelling to his leadership. For he is dealing with a Western power, in this case the Brits. And the only advice he should be given in such circumstances is: mind your back.

A walk, now, down memory lane. When Gaddafi overthrew King Idris, the Foreign Office smiled upon him. A fresh face, a safe pair of hands with an oil-bearing nation whose wealth we might consume, we thought Gaddafi might be our man. The Americans even tipped him off about a counter-coup, just as we much later helped Gaddafi round up his opponents for torture. Then Gaddafi decided to be an anti-colonial nationalist and eventually got mixed up with the IRA and a bomb in a West Berlin nightclub  and bingo, he became a super-terrorist. Yet come the War on Terror and the invasion of Iraq, Gaddafi was kissed by the Venerable Blair and became a super-statesman again. Until the 2011 revolution, at which point he had to become a super-terrorist once more, bombed by Nato and murdered by his own people.

Talking of Iraq, Saddam had a similar experience. At first we rather liked the chap and the Americans even tipped him off on the location of his communist opponents. He was a head-chopper, to be sure, but as long as he invaded the right county, he was a super-statesman. Hence we helped him in his invasion of Iran in 1980 but declared him a super-terrorist in 1990 when he invaded the wrong country: Kuwait. And he ended up, like Gaddafi, killed by his own people, albeit that the Americans set up the court which decided to top him.

Yasser Arafat  not that we even think of him these days  was a Palestinian super-terrorist in Beirut. He was the centre of World Terror until he shook hands with Yitzhak Rabin and Bill Clinton, at which point he became a super-statesman. But the moment he refused to deviate from the Oslo agreement and accept Israeli hegemony over the West Bank  he was never offered 90 per cent of it, as the American media claimed  he was on the way to super-terrorism again. Surrounded and bombarded in his Ramallah hovel, he was airlifted to a Paris military hospital where he conveniently died. The Israelis had already dubbed him our bin Laden, a title they later tried to confer on Arafats luckless successor Mahmoud Abbas  who was neither a super-terrorist nor a super-statesman but something worse: a failure.

It should not be necessary to run through the other Arab transmogrifications from evil to good to evil again. Nasser, who helped to overthrow the corrupt King Farouk, quickly became a super-terrorist when he nationalised the Suez Canal and was called the Mussolini of the Nile by Eden  a slightly measly comparison when you remember that Saddam became the Hitler of the Tigris in 1990. Khomeini was a potential super-statesman in his Paris exile when the Shah was overthrown. Then he became a super-terrorist-in-chief once he established the Islamic Republic. The French Jacobins thought that Hafez al-Assad was a potential super-statesman but decided he was a super-terrorist when Bashar al-Assad  lionised in France after his fathers death  went to war on his opponents, thus becoming a super-terrorist himself. The Brits quickly shrugged off their loyalties to Omani and Qatari emirs when their sons staged coups against them.

Thus Mohammad bin Salman, may his name be praised, might be reminded by Adel al-Jubeir as he settles down in London: Memento homo, the gladiators reminder to every emperor that he is only a man. What if the Yemen war is even bloodier, what if the Saudi military become increasingly disenchanted with the war  which is almost certainly why the Crown Prince staged a putsch among his commanders last month  and what if his Vision2030 proves a Saudi South Sea Bubble? What if the humiliated and vexatious princes and billionaires he humbled in the Riyadh Ritz Hotel come to take their revenge? What if  dare one speak his name?  a future British prime minister reopened the Special Branch enquiry into the Al-Yamamah arms contract? And, while were on the subject, what if someone discovers the routes by which US weapons reached Isis and their chums after 2014?

Or a real war breaks out with Iran? Please note, no mention here of the Sunni-Shia struggle, the 2016 butchery of Shia opponents in Saudi Arabia  most described as terrorists, most of them decapitated  and absolutely no reference to the fact that Saudi Arabias Wahhabist doctrines are the very inspiration of Isis and al-Qaeda and all the other jihadi mumbo-jumbo cults that have devastated the Middle East.

Nope. The truth is, you cant just tell who your friends are these days. Wasnt it the Brits who double-crossed the Saudi monarchys predecessors in Arabia by promising them an Arab empire but grabbing Palestine and Transjordan and Iraq for themselves? Wasnt it the Brits who published the Balfour Declaration and then tried to betray the Jews to whom theyd promised a homeland and the Arabs whose lands they had promised to protect? Wasnt it  since we are talking autocrats  the Brits who gave Ceaucescu an honorary knighthood and then took it back when he was deposed? We gave Mugabe the same gong and then took it back. Incredibly, we gave one to Mussolini too. Yes, we took it back in 1940.

So have a care, Crown Prince Mohammad. Dont trust perfidious Albion. Watch your back at home, but also abroad. Thanks for all the arms purchases. And thanks for all the intelligence bumph to help us keep track of the lads who are brainwashed with the Wahabi faith. But dont  whatever you do  be tempted by an honorary knighthood.
With the notable exception of people suspected of terrorism offences, Britons  although subject to blanket state eavesdropping  are safe from arbitrary arrest, torture or extrajudicial execution.

The same cannot be said for the citizens of dozens of states to which Britain is approving the sale of spy equipment, which can access peoples emails, phone records and turn smartphones into microphones.

Many of the countries the Government has sold these spy kits to have been defined as priority markets, and include Bahrain, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE.

Recommended UK mass surveillance programme ruled unlawful

International delegations are currently in Britain for the government-sponsored annual surveillance week, which includes the Home Offices Security and Policing event in Farnborough and the Security and Counter Terror Expo in London.

They will be chaperoned by British soldiers, paid by the taxpayer, to help sell the latest eavesdropping devices to the international delegations.

Middle Eastern nations are by far the biggest customers  a number of which have security services that operate with impunity and are known for disappearing NGOs, human rights activists and journalists.

The surveillance licences to Egypt are particularly concerning. Its military junta has removed legal impediments, thus allowing it to lock up people indefinitely and without trial. Tens of thousands of political prisoners remain in black sites where torture is routine and endemic. Egypt's leader has said it is treasonous to criticise the nations security services.

But Britain is selling to regimes that are just as troubling. A regular customer is the Philippines: a nation which for years has engaged in state-sponsored extrajudicial killings by death squads.

Sales continued even after the President Duterte announced a drug war that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of drug addicts, who have been targeted by his secret police and associated vigilante groups.

Days after Baroness Anelay of St Johns visited Honduras, the first official trip by a UK minister in 15 years, the Tories issued a licence for telephone eavesdropping devices to Hondurass ruling party, which is a member of the same international alliance of centre-right political parties as the Tories.

Months later, and after a very dodgy and disputed election, the government launched a brutal surveillance led-crackdown against those protesting its re-election. Dozens were killed.

Sales were even approved by the Government to Turkmenistan, the nearest thing you can get to a textbook example of an authoritarian dictatorship.

In theory, UK companies cannot export controlled goods to a state which might use them for internal repression, because it is illegal for the trade department to grant them a licence.

In practice, the Government routinely gives them a pass.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA

Since the failed Arab uprisings of 2011, BAE Systems has sold controlled surveillance kit to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Morocco and Algeria. Spyware from another British firm, Gamma Group, has turned up in the hands of Egyptian and Bahraini state security police.

Both BAE and Gamma will be showcasing their wares this weekend, along with and dozens of other UK surveillance equipment vendors such as Oxford Wave Research and Panoptech, which tells its prospective clients that its stable of products are changing the fabric of the law enforcement and counter-terrorism surveillance arena worldwide.

The claims made by Liam Fox that his department is robustly and seriously regulating this trade fails to recognise the UK complicity in state-sponsored terrorism, and the silencing of a generation of Arabs.

Why are we doing this? When pressed, the boilerplate response from those who support the exporting of Britains surveillance state is that other countries need this kit to combat terrorism and / or narcotraffickers.

But surveillance alone is not a very good way to catch terrorists and organised criminals, who are in the surveillance arms race with national governments and ensure their communications remain encrypted or offline.

The people most impacted by blanket and invasive surveillance are thinkers, activists and anyone with an independent streak from the government.

The true reason comes down simply to realpolitik: we support our friends and we deny our enemies. Bahrain gets what Bahrain wants, although it has fallen out of democracy and has an awful human rights record, because it is paying for a new UK naval base on its territory.

Likewise, we rightly limit controlled goods to Iran  although not due to arms export law, but because Tehran is a historical adversary of the West.

The arms export laws implemented by Robin Cook in 2002 were not ever going to entirely take politics out of the arms trade, but they were designed to ensure human rights are not trampled over. The Governments flouting of these laws is doing just that.

But the liberalisation and commercialisation of powerful surveillance technology jeopardises more than human rights.

Societies make progress because members of those societies deviate from the norms and sometimes the laws of their day. If they are successful, they are often retroactively commemorated by the same authorities which persecuted them at the time.

Turing, Mandela, Gandhi and Galileo are examples that spring to mind.

If the last few years have taught us anything, it is that progress is not a given, but something which needs to be fought for.

No governments eye should be all-seeing, whether it be led by a field marshall or a prime minister.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle is the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown
Late Monday Thad Cochran's office announced that the 80 year old Mississippi Republican will resign on April Fools Day, due to rapidly deteriorating health. When Cochran first won his Senate seat in 1978 he was the first Republican to win any statewide seat in the state since Reconstruction. Gov. Phil Bryant will appoint an interim senator and then both seats will be voted on in November. (The winner of the special election to replace Cochran will have to run again in 2020.) Three other factors:

 The special election is non-partisan (no party affiliations on the ballot-- so a jungle primary like in California.

 The other Republican senator, Roger Wicker, is already up for reelection in November.

That last factor means that if a lot of Republicans run but just one Democrat, it is likely a Democrat will be in the runoff. There is already talk about Bryant appointing himself senator . (There are reports that he's already turned down entreaties from McConnell and Trump to do just that.)

Democrats are running for the Wicker seat, and the open seat is expected to attract several candidates from both parties. Democrat Mike Espy, President Bill Clintons first agriculture secretary, says he has a strong intention to run. [ He's running .] In 1986 he became the first African-American in modern times to win a congressional seat in Mississippi.





Cochrans departure set off a scramble within a state Republican Party already struggling to manage a disaffected conservative faction. Chris McDaniel, the outspoken, tea party-backed state senator who came close to defeating Cochran in a bitter 2014 Republican primary, qualified last week to challenge Wicker but said he might jump to the special election if the Cochran seat is open. McDaniel said Monday it is premature to say what he will do.





Republicans in Washington are hoping to prevent a rough and costly primary season as they struggle to defend their 51-49 hold on the Senate. Some Republicans have doubts about McDaniels ability to win a general election. And after Republicans bruising loss in Alabama last year, party leaders are eager to block any risky candidates.





Cochran has been a sporadic presence on Capitol Hill in recent months. He stayed home for a month last fall, returning to Washington in October to give Republicans the majority they needed to pass a budget plan. He has since kept a low profile and an aide ever present at his side.





...Wicker said Monday he and his campaign havent communicated with McDaniel about which seat hell seek. Asked if hes relieved because McDaniel might seek the open seat instead of challenging him, Wicker said, I dont know that. He smiled as he answered the question and told reporters, Im smiling because of your persistence.





The Mississippi race was also being eyed by former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who at one point warned of the challenges to GOP incumbents he felt were insufficiently supportive of President Donald Trump.





That effort may have waned, however. Senate Republicans suffered a stunning setback in December when neighboring Alabama elected a Democratic senator, in a special election, for the first time in a generation. Bannon backed Republican Roy Moore, who was accused of sexual impropriety against young women.





Mississippis governor has not released names of people he will consider appointing to temporarily fill Cochrans seat, though there has been widespread speculation that he might appoint Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves or Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, both Republicans.





Bryant has not said whether he would consider appointing himself to the Senate. He has told some in the GOP that Trump and McConnell have urged to appoint himself, according to one Republican who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss private conversations.





Bryant is limited to two terms as governor, and his time in that job ends in January 2020. Bryant campaigned for Trump in 2016, and has been to Washington many times in the past year to meet with the president.
The Indian embassys telephone lines have been spoofed by fraudsters to cheat people. The embassy has issued an advisory urging the public to not entertain any suspicious telephone calls made in the name of the Embassy of India. (pixabay.com photo)
Sri Kulkarni was the lone Indian American political candidate who had success in the March 6 primary elections throughout Texas. Kulkarni, seeking the Democratic nomination, advanced to a May 22 runoff after earning 31.8 percent of the vote in Texas 22nd Congressional District. He will face Letitia Plummer, who finished second with 24.3 percent. (kulkarniforcongress.com photo)
Tanveer Kalo, an Indian American senior at St. Lawrence University in New York, has conducted research on Indians fighting for the U.S. during World War I. He said he hopes to conduct more research on Indian American involvement in other research projects in the future. (Tara Freeman/ St. Lawrence University photo)
We now offer lithium prices and coverage free for reference. Click here to read all about it. Join our growing community of participants who want to learn more about electrification and how this market is developing.
Putin Trumps Trump

By Eric S. Margolis

March 06, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - In December, 2002, President George W. Bush proclaimed that the US would unilaterally pull out of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty that had curtailed the development of nuclear missiles and anti-missile systems to defeat them.



The arrogant, dim-witted Bush believed that US space technology was advancing so rapidly that it would neutralize Russias force of ICBM missiles. Bush was just a puppet. The real power behind him was Vice President Dick Cheney, the leading neocon who sneered at Russia, dismissed it as a mere gas-station, and was determined to see the US achieve global dominance.



In Cheneys view, the ABM Treaty was holding the US back from this goal. Bankrupt Moscow would never be able to stand up to the mighty USA. Moscow warned that reneging on the ABM Treaty would re-ignite a ruinous arms race. A then little known politician, Vladimir Putin, vowed that Russia would never bend its knee to the US nuclear colossus.



This week, President Putin stunned the world by revealing a new arsenal of nuclear-armed weapons that have stolen a march on Washington and left the warlike President Donald Trump looking foolish.



Russias new arms include the RS-28 heavy ICBM, called Satan 2 by NATO. This big brute of a liquid fueled missile can carry up to ten nuclear warheads over 10,000 km (6,000 miles). What makes it very different from other ICBMs is its ability (Russia claims) to carry nuclear-armed hypersonic vehicles through low earth orbit that can attack North America from multiple directions unseen by the radars of anti-missile systems.



President Putin also revealed a new nuclear-armed cruise missile propelled by a miniature nuclear engine that can stay aloft for very long periods and fly over Latin America and the South Pole to attack North America from the south. The US has been trying to develop such a nuclear engine since the late 1950s, but with no success. During the corrupt Yeltsin era, the Kremlin accepted huge amounts of cash bribes to sell a miniaturized reactor to the Americans designed to power ocean surveillance satellites.



This miniature reactor will also power Russias new unmanned submarine which can carry a very large nuclear explosive  even up to 25 megatons  to the North American coasts or US aircraft carrier groups.



Putin also unveiled a new hypersonic glider deployed from space (the US and China have been working on one, so far unsuccessfully), and an aircraft launched Mach-10 missile called Kinzhal after the deadly dagger carried by Caucasian mountaineers. And, on top of this, a combat laser system that is being deployed. The US has been working on one since the Vietnam War.

Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

All this is a bombshell. Maybe Putin was boasting and exaggerating, but he usually tells the truth, unlike our politicians, and rarely embellishes. As he said in his speech, nobody wanted to listen to us, referring to Moscows failed attempted to restore a strategic arms agreement, cut nuclear forces and lower tensions with the West. Now, said Putin, you listen.



But will Washington listen? Trump has just announced a huge modernization of Americas nuclear forces and a big increase in the military budget from $634 billion to $716 billion, with an additional $69 billion to fund foreign wars. The real US military budget is close to $1 trillion (thats 1,000 billion), not including the US intelligence budget which is larger that Russias entire annual defense budget, a meager $42.3 billion.



Washingtons war party has convinced itself that Russia can be intimidated and once again spent into the ground. But Vladimir Putin is too smart and deft to allow this to happen. He has neatly trumped Trumps arms buildup and shown up Trumps empty bullying. So, for that mater, has North Koreas Kim Jong-un.



One hopes Washingtons deep government that has been promoting a run-up to war with Russia in the Mideast, Ukraine, Baltic and Black Sea will be sufficiently sobered by Putins show this week. They should be. The multiple warheads on one new RS-28 missile could destroy Texas or France. Russias new missiles and space gliders can outflank Americas anti-missile radars in Alaska and Romania, rendering them as useless as Frances Maginot Line.



War must never, ever be allowed to occur with Russia and China and the United States. Will we risk the life of the planet over a stupid quarrel over some one-tractor town in Ukraine or a Syrian village no one has ever heard of? Yes, if the neocons have their way.

Eric S. Margolis is an award-winning, internationally syndicated columnist. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune the Los Angeles Times, Times of London, the Gulf Times, the Khaleej Times, Nation  Pakistan, Hurriyet,  Turkey, Sun Times Malaysia and other news sites in Asia. https://ericmargolis.com



Copyright Eric S. Margolis 2018

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect those of Information Clearing House.

Join the Discussion
   |    21  2001
Nikki Haley Sells Her Soul To Zionism



Watch



U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley addresses AIPAC



Monday's General Session features a host of US politicians. Vice President Mike Pence, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) are all also scheduled to speak.

Posted March 06, 2018

Vice President Pence

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -   delivers remarks at AIPAC

Senator Chuck Schumer makes remarks at the AIPAC Policy Conference

Israel is an insidious, maniacal narcissistic society committed to its supremacist ideology.



Only a psychopathic tribe could enact & willingly maintain the vile acts of dehumanisation, murder, abuse, land appropriation & have the audacity to demonise & blame the victim. pic.twitter.com/MgMEgFF8n8  Robert Martin (@Robert_Martin72) March 6, 2018

Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect those of Information Clearing House.

- See Also -

Join the Discussion
The New Blacklist



Russiagate may have been aimed at Trump to start, but it's become a way of targeting all dissent



By Matt Taibbi

March 06, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Putin loves you; therefore, you love Putin. The enemy re-tweets you, therefore, you're in league with the enemy. We're at war with them, therefore we're at war with you.

One of the first rules of a shunning campaign is that it doesn't have to make sense. It just has to be what everyone's saying. Since most Americans went to high school, we tend to be instinctively familiar with the concept.

The crazy inverse logic of the new national blacklist was on full display after special prosecutor Robert Mueller indicted 13 Russian "troll farm" operatives in February. In the wake of this foreign meddling charge, CNN reporter Drew Griffin banged on the door of an elderly female Trump supporter named Florine Goldfarb and accused her of being a Russia-collaborator.



Goldfarb had attended a pro-Trump rally allegedly promoted on Facebook by Russian trolls. There were no Russians at the rally. The group didn't meet to discuss the subjugation of Abkhazia. They were plain, ordinary, Floridian Trump supporters  idiots, maybe, but not traitors.



Not according to CNN.



"That group was Russians," Griffin said accusingly.



"I had nothing to do with Russians," the old lady said.



"Maybe you didn't know it," Griffin countered, "but you did."



Nearly two years into the #Russiagate scandal, accusing people of being in league with Putin has become an almost daily feature of news coverage.

"Is it possible that we actually have a Russian agent running the House Intel Committee on the Republican side?" MSNBC anchor John Heilmann posited not long ago, referring to California congressman Devin Nunes.

The main source of the questions about Nunes was Hamilton 68 , a website purporting to track the work of Russian social media bots in real time. An offshoot of the German Marshall Fund, the site represents an unpleasantly unsurprising union of neoconservative Iraq war cheerleaders like Bill Kristol and Beltway Democrats like would-be Clinton CIA chief Michael Morell.

Their Hamilton 68 "dashboard," easily accessible online to civilians and journalists alike, supposedly tells us what the enemy wants us to think at any given moment. Citing a secret methodology, it claims to track 600 Twitter account s for their "relationship to Russia-sponsored influence," and regularly spits out mysterious conclusions about Putin's preferences in the American political scene. More and more often now, the site's pronouncements turn into front-page headlines.

When the dashboard declared that Nunes' #Releasethememo campaign had become the " top-trending hashtag" among Russian twitter accounts, a gaggle of press outlets and politicians rushed to point out that Nunes was doing the work of the enemy. (Even Rolling Stone got into the act , accusing Nunes of working "in concert with Russian propagandists").

Of course, in keeping with a growing pattern of Russiagate stories being quietly walked back sometime after the sensational headline, reports later broke that most of the Twitter furor driving #Releasethememo came from domestic Republicans  from " inside the house ," as the Daily Beast put it. Even one of Hamilton 68's own was later quoted downplaying the story.



It didn't matter, because Hamilton 68 had by then moved on to its next set of headlines. The group that has seen Russians behind both left and right political causes, behind the Roy Moore Alabama Senate campaign and the decision of California Democrats to deny their endorsement to Dianne Feinstein , was soon a main source for stories about Russians playing havoc with the Parkland shooting in Florida.



The Russians, Hamilton 68 now said, were sowing discord on both sides of the gun control debate by pushing contradictory hashtags like #guncontrolnow and #NRA.

The New York Times put a piece about Russia's Parkland meddling on page A1, the choicest real estate in American journalism, and outlets like Wired, Newsweek, Vanity Fair and countless others trumpeted the same story. Even Fox News, usually a Russiagate doubter, got in the act, citing Hamilton 68 to say: "Russian bots aren't pro-Republican or Pro-Democrat. They're just anti-American."

Fox wrote the story in a way that used the Hamilton 68 data to make it seem like the Russians didn't have an exclusive preference for Donald Trump. But the defense of Trump was really a distraction. The palmed card in this propaganda trick was the mere fact that right-wing media, too, were now accepting the core principle of projects like Hamilton 68: that a foreign enemy lurks everywhere in our midst, and the source of political discontent in this country comes not from within, but from without.



This Russians-are-in-our-precious-bodily-fluids insanity has progressed to the point where an anti-Russian documentary won the Oscar and host Jimmy Kimmel proudly declared, "At least we know Putin isn't rigging this competition!"



If you don't think that the endgame to all of this lunacy is a world where every America-critical movement from Black Lives Matter to Our Revolution to the Green Party is ultimately swept up in the collusion narrative along with Donald Trump and his alt-right minions, you haven't been paying attention.

That's because #Russiagate, from the start, was framed as an indictment not just of one potentially traitorous Trump, but all alternative politics in general. The story has evolved to seem less like a single focused investigation and more like the broad institutional response to a spate of shocking election results, targeting the beliefs of discontented Americans across the political spectrum.

Two years ago, remember, the American political establishment was on the ropes. Donald Trump, a race-baiting game show host who'd run for office as a publicity stunt, was galloping to the Republican nomination in a rout. He got 14 million primary votes; the Republicans' chosen $100 million man, Jeb Bush, got 286,000. On the Democratic side, the overwhelming party favorite, Hillary Clinton, was fighting to hold off a Corbynite socialist with little money and even less institutional support.

From Trump to Bernie Sanders to Brexit to Catalonia , voter repudiation of the status quo was the story of the day. The sense of panic among political elites was palpable. The possibility that voters might decide to break up the EU, or put a Trump, Corbyn, or Sanders into power, led to a spate of "Do we have too much democracy?" essays by prominent think tankers and national press figures.

Two years later, the narrative has completely shifted. By an extraordinary coincidence, virtually all the "anti-system" movements and candidates that so terrified the political establishment two years ago have since been identified as covert or overt Russian destabilization initiatives, puppeteered from afar by the diabolical anti-Western dictator, Vladimir von Putin-Evil.



Since Trump's election, we've been told Putin was all or partly behind the lot of it: the Catalan independence movement, the Sanders campaign, Brexit , Jill Stein's Green Party run , Black Lives Matter , the resignations of intra-party Trump critics Bob Corker and Jeff Flake, Sean Hannity's broadcasts, and, of course, the election of Trump himself.



We've jumped straight past debating the efficacy of democracy to just reflexively identifying most anti-establishment sentiment as illegitimate, treasonous, and foreign in nature.

Forget for a moment what Robert Mueller's investigation might or might not ultimately reveal about Donald Trump and his staff. It's been impossible not to notice how effective the Russiagate affair has already been as a hammer against all other political outsiders, even those with opposite values to Trump. In fact, unless you're a Hillary Clinton Democrat, you've probably been portrayed as having somehow been in on it, at one time or another.

The earliest Russiagate news reports, like Franklin Foer's articles in Slate in the summer of 2016, mostly focused on Putin's seeming synergy with far-right causes: the Trump campaign in America, and nationalist, anti-EU movements in states like Greece, Bulgaria, and Hungary.

Very quickly, though, the Russiagate narrative evolved to describe leftists, libertarians, and other assorted malcontents as additional "useful idiots" for Putin. This really began with the ill-fated "PropOrNot" web site, a mysterious organization that was touted as an identifier of Russian propaganda in a story by the Washington Post three weeks after Trump's election.

Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

The Post's carefully-written piece only talked about how PropOrNot and other groups identified Russian propaganda spread on "right-wing sites." But if you clicked on the paper's link to the PropOrNot report, you found it pointed a finger at over 200 sites of all political persuasions. Those included outlets as diverse as LewRockwell.com, Truthdig, Naked Capitalism, Antiwar.com, and the Ron Paul Institute.

That was followed by the release of a report by the Director of National Intelligence on January 6, 2017, which "assessed" that Russians were behind the hacks of the Democratic National Committee. The conclusion among other things was based upon the security agencies' interpretation of programming on the Russian-backed channel RT.

RT stories about 100% American protests against fracking, surveillance abuses, and "alleged Wall Street greed," were part of "Russian strategic messaging" campaigns, the intelligence analysts insisted.

The DNI's bizarre assessment evolved with the birth of the German Marshall Fund, a Russia-watching organization similarly packed with former intelligence officials who bore the same cross-eyed conception of domestic protest.

The GMF's Hamilton 68 project, which was launched in August of 2017, has in its brief life continually blurred the lines between domestic discord and foreign intervention. It's accused the Russians of inspiring discontent about everything from police brutality to the Iraq invasion to the expansion of NATO. Think-tanks and pundits have increasingly followed suit, demanding that all good patriotic Americans renounce such "Putin-backed" protest movements.

A major target of this idiocy has been Sanders, who is already being pitched to the public as the Kremlin's next Manchurian Candidate. "When Russia interferes with the 2020 election on behalf of Democratic nominee Bernie Sanders," the Washington Post unironically asked last November, "how will liberals respond?"

Unless you really believe that Bernie Sanders is a Russian agent, it's incredibly suspicious that a major consequence of the #Russiagate mania has been the disappearance of progressive voices from traditionally blue-state media.

Papers like the Washington Post and the New York Times, as well as cable channels like CNN and MSNBC, still routinely hire Republicans and even Trump supporters as commentators to provide "balance." But there's virtually no one in the popular press representing the 43% of Democrats who cast a dissenting vote two years ago.

Still, you might say, it's all true! Russia did try to meddle in our election! We really are facing a foreign threat!

That might very well be. But the realness of a foreign threat in no way precludes Americans' ability to make a total cock-up of their response to it. That we could forget this is amazing, since we so recently went through an exactly analogous disaster.

Six months after 9/11, on March 11, 2002, George W. Bush issued a directive creating a thing called the Homeland Security Advisory System. This oft-parodied program used a color-coded billboard system  because Americans are too stupid to read  to tell us just exactly how afraid of terrorists we should be on any given day.

For seven lunatic years we toggled back and forth between RED (severe threat) and GREEN (low threat) levels of paranoia, until in 2009 the program was quietly scrapped. By then we'd already blundered into Iraq, destabilized the entire Middle East, helped give birth to ISIS, and sacrificed countless American and Iraqi lives for no good reason at all, thanks in large part to cynical government efforts to hype up public fears of Islam.

The color advisory system was ditched only after former Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge wrote a book, Test of Our Times, that included a damning account of the program. Ridge revealed that in 2004, Attorney General John Ashcroft asked him to raise the threat level days before the presidential vote, in an effort to help guarantee George Bush's re-election.

"There was absolutely no support for that position within our department," Ridge wrote . "None. I wondered, 'Is this about security or politics?'"

Ridge had never liked the system. When he resigned from the Department of Homeland Security in 2005, he told the press that his department often argued against raising the threat level, but was overruled by the Homeland Security Advisory Council, which included the heads of other security agencies.

Who was on that council? Creeps like Ashcroft, wraithlike Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and CIA chief George Tenet. Oh, and then-FBI director Robert Mueller, who also oversaw a sweeping effort to interview thousands of Arabs in America in a program that at the time was compared to our profiling of Japanese-Americans in World War II.

The Hamilton 68 "dashboard" almost exactly mirrors that Homeland Security Advisory program. It's a snappy-looking media-ready thingamadoodle with no real purpose beyond constantly reminding the public to be afraid of enemies in their midst. And it's run by many of the same ought-to-have-been-disgraced War on Terror yahoos who led us into the last mess.

Not only is the notorious Kristol of Weekly Standard and Project for a New American Century fame one of its leaders, but so is Michael Chertoff, the man who took over the Homeland Security department  and its asinine color-coded scare program  when Tom Ridge couldn't stomach it anymore.

That these people now are being upheld as heroes of liberalism is incredible. Only a few short years ago they were widely derided as the very dumbest people in the country, raving paranoiacs who humped every false lead from Niger to Ahmed Chalabi's hotel suite in order to justify invasions, torture, secret prisons and the establishment of a monstrous, intractable, and illegal surveillance regime. And now we're letting these same people dominate every news cycle when this time, years early, they're already admitting they might be wrong?



"I'm not convinced on this bot thing," Hamilton 68 honcho and noted War on Terror vet Clint Watts incredibly told Buzzfeed recently. This was after he'd helped place a string of Russian-bots-are-everywhere stories in spots like the front page of the Times.



Parts of the Russiagate story may be real. Sleazeballs like Paul Manafort and Trump are, like Putin himself, capable of anything. We'll find out soon what exactly they all got up to together, if anything. But we should already be able to admit that others  like the millions of Americans on both sides of the aisle who voted against status quo politicians two years ago  aren't, and weren't ever, traitors. And any campaign to label them as such is potentially more dangerous than anything, even a Trump presidency.

This article was originally published by " Rolling Stone " -

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect those of Information Clearing House.

- See Also -

Join the Discussion
We Should Listen to the Iraqi Parliament

By Ron Paul

March 06, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - This month marks the 15th anniversary of the US war on Iraq. The shock and awe attack was launched based on stove-piped intelligence fed from the CIA and Pentagon through an uncritical and compliant US mainstream media. The US media was a willing accomplice to this crime of aggression committed by the George W. Bush Administration.



Despite the lies we were constantly bombarded with, Iraq never presented a threat to the United States. Iraq never had the weapons of mass destruction that the neocons used to frighten Americans into supporting the war. How many of them knew all along that there were no WMDs? Well never know. Attacking Iraq and overthrowing its leader was long a plan in the neocon playbook and they used the 9/11 attack on the US as an excuse to pull the plan off the shelf and put it into action.



The US regime change war on Iraq has directly resulted in the death of at least a quarter of a million civilians, and indirectly perhaps a million Iraqis have been killed. The Iraqi infrastructure was destroyed and the country was set back many decades in development. Far from the democratization we were promised, Iraq has been turned into a hell on earth. Due to the US use of depleted uranium and other chemical weapons like white phosphorus, Iraqis will continue to suffer from birth defects and other related illnesses for generations.



How did we get there? War propaganda was essential in paving the way for the Iraq war. Americans are generally skeptical about launching new wars, so it takes a steady media bombardment about the alleged depravities of any targeted regime before public opinion begins to shift in favor of war.



Because the neocons who helped launch the war have never had to face the consequences of their actions, they continue to promote war with impunity. Just this past week, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was pushing for a US attack on North Korea in which millions may be killed. He said this weekend, "All the damage that would come from a war would be worth it in terms of long-term stability and national security. Thats just what they said before the US attacked Iraq, and how did that turn out? I find it disgusting that the media continues to give airtime almost exclusively to those who promote more US disasters like Iraq.

Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

The Iraqi parliament did something extraordinary last week. A majority of elected Iraqi representatives voted to demand that their prime minister draw up a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops from the country. President Obama had withdrawn US troops from Iraq in 2011, after a status of forces agreement could not be reached with the Iraqi government, but he returned the US military to Iraq under the auspices of fighting ISIS.



We had no business going into Iraq in the first place and we have no business remaining in Iraq. Al-Qaeda and ISIS emerged in Iraq because our attack and occupation of the country 15 years ago created fertile fields for extremism. Nothing will be achieved if we remain. Lets listen to the Iraqis and just come home!

Copyright  2018 by RonPaul Institute.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect those of Information Clearing House.

Join the Discussion
Are You Listening, America?

By Scott Ritter

Dont you understand what Im trying to say?

And cant you feel the fears Im feeling today?

If the button is pushed, theres no running away,

Therell be no one to save with the world in a grave,

Take a look around you, boy, its bound to scare you, boy,

And you tell me over and over and over again my friend,

Ah, you dont believe were on the eve of destruction.

Barry McGuire,  Eve of Destruction , 1965

March 06, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - From 2002 until 2011, Paul Marcarelli, perhaps better known to American audiences as Verizons test guy, made a career starring in television commercials, wandering the width and breadth of the United States, holding a phone to his ear and asking the simple question, Can you hear me now? Verizon was, and is, in the communications business in which the ability to send a message is only as good as the corresponding ability to receive it.

On Thursday, Vladimir Putin, Russias much-maligned president, delivered his state of the nation address to the Russian Federal Assembly (the Russian national Legislature, consisting of the State Duma, or lower house, and the Russian Council, or upper house). While the first half of his speech dealt with Russian domestic issuesand any American who has bought into Western media perceptions that Russia is a collapsing state, possessing a failed economy, would do well to read this portion of the speechit was the second half of the presentation that caused the world to sit up and listen.

In this portion of the speech, Putin outlined developments in Russian strategic military capability. The developments collectively signal the obsolescence of Americas strategic nuclear deterrence, both in terms of its present capabilities andtaking into account the $1.2 trillion nuclear weapons modernization program President Trump unveiled earlier this yearanything America might pursue in the decades to come.

Some Western observers have derided Putins speech as simple posturing, a manic effort to project Russian power, and with it global credibility, where none exists. Such an interpretation would be incorrect. There should be no doubt among American politicians, military leaders and citizens alike. Every word has a meaning, Putin told his audience. The weapons he referred to are real, and Putin meant every word he said.

Back in 2000, he said, the U.S. announced its withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Russia was categorically against this. We saw the Soviet-U.S. ABM Treaty signed in 1972 as the cornerstone of the international security system.  Together with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty [START], the ABM Treaty not only created an atmosphere of trust but also prevented either party from recklessly using nuclear weapons, which would have endangered humankind.  We did our best to dissuade the Americans from withdrawing from the treaty. All in vain.

The U.S. pulled out of the treaty in 2002, Putin observed. Even after that, we tried to develop constructive dialogue with the Americans. We proposed working together in this area to ease concerns and maintain the atmosphere of trust. At one point, I thought that a compromise was possible, but this was not to be. All our proposals, absolutely all of them, were rejected. And then we said that we would have to improve our modern strike systems to protect our security. In reply, the U.S. said that it is not creating a global BMD [Ballistic Missile Defense] system against Russia, which is free to do as it pleases, and that the U.S. will presume that our actions are not spearheaded against the U.S.

Building on his well-known position, delivered in his 2005 state of the nation address, that the collapse of the Soviet Union was a major geopolitical disaster of the century that created genuine drama in which the epidemic of disintegration infected Russia itself, Putin said in his 2018 state of the nation address that apparently, our partners got the impression that it was impossible in the foreseeable historical perspective for our country to revive its economy, industry, defense industry and armed forces to levels supporting the necessary strategic potential. And if that is the case, there is no point in reckoning with Russias opinion, it is necessary to further pursue ultimate unilateral military advantage in order to dictate the terms in every sphere in the future. 

We ourselves are to blame, Putin said. All these years, the entire 15 years since the withdrawal of the United States from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, we have consistently tried to reengage the American side in serious discussions, in reaching agreements in the sphere of strategic stability. However, Putin observed, the United States is permitting constant, uncontrolled growth of the number of anti-ballistic missiles, improving their quality, and creating new missile launching areas. If we do not do something, eventually this will result in the complete devaluation of Russias nuclear potential. Meaning that all of our missiles could simply be intercepted.

Putin pointed out that in 2004, he put the world on notice about Russias intent to defend itself, telling the press: As other countries increase the number and quality of their arms and military potential, Russia will also need to ensure it has new generation weapons and technology.  [T]his is a very significant statement because no country in the world as of now has such arms in their military arsenal.

Why did we do all this? Putin asked his audience, referring to his 2004 comments. Why did we talk about it? As you can see, we made no secret of our plans and spoke openly about them, primarily to encourage our partners to hold talks. No, nobody really wanted to talk to us about the core of the problem, and nobody wanted to listen to us. So listen now. 

To those who in the past 15 years have tried to accelerate an arms race and seek unilateral advantage against Russia, have introduced restrictions and sanctions that are illegal from the standpoint of international law aiming to restrain our nations development, including in the military area, I will say this: Everything you have tried to prevent through such a policy has already happened. No one has managed to restrain Russia.

This was a message delivered not just to the Russian Federal Assembly, but to the White House and its temperamental occupant, President Donald Trump, to the halls of Congress, where Russia-baiting has become a full-time occupation, and to the American people, who have been caught up in a wave of anti-Russia hysteria fueled by fantastical claims of a Russian attack on American democracy which, when balanced against the potential of thermonuclear annihilation, pales into insignificance. Putin spoke, and one would hope that throughout America the modern-day incarnations of Verizons Paul Marcarelli are making their way into the homes of every American citizen and the halls of power where those the American people elect to represent them reside, and calling out, Can you hear me now?

Based upon the reaction to Putins speech so far, the answer appears to be no. This refusal to accept the fact that there exists today a new reality carries with it the potential for catastrophic miscalculation. In Pat Franks 1959 novel,  Alas, Babylon , an American Navy fighter aircraft flying over the Mediterranean Sea fires a missile that veers off target, striking an ammunition depot near the Syrian city of Latakia, setting off a massive explosion that the Soviet Union uses as an excuse to initiate a retaliatory nuclear strike against the United States.

It doesnt take a stretch of imagination today to paint a scenario in which American and Russian forces clash over Syria. Indeed, a recent incident in which Syrian militia forces, supported by Russian private military contractors, advanced toward Syrian oil and gas fields occupied by U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters, only to be attacked by American fighter bombers, resulting in hundreds of casualties, including scores of Russian deadunderscores the fact that such clashes are no longer theoretical.

Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Russian and American aircraft patrol the same airspace. American and Russian troops face off on the ground below. American forces are charged with implementing a policy that is diametrically opposed to the one being pursued by their Russian counterparts. So far, clashes have been limited to proxies, but it is only a question of when, not if, American and Russian forces engage in force-on-force combat.

Syria is not the only geographical point of friction between the United States and Russia. Both the Baltic States and Ukraine find American and Russian forces facing off against one another. American ships and reconnaissance aircraft probing the waters and airspace off the Baltic coast and in the Black Sea have been aggressively challenged by Russian aircraft, oftentimes flying dangerously close to their American counterparts, prompting then-Secretary of State John Kerry to declare that the U.S. Navy would be justified in shooting down the Russians in self-defense.

The almost cavalier ease with which the idea of Russian-American combat is floated as a possibility by American decision-makers is born out of a misplaced notion of American military superiority which, while reflecting an accurate estimate of the situation 10 years ago, is no longer the case today. After Russia emerged victorious in its short war with the republic of Georgia in 2008, many shortfalls in communications, organization and training were revealed that underscored the second-class nature of the Russian military when compared with the United States and NATO. Russia undertook a crash program , restructuring its military units, professionalizing its ranks, and investing in top-of-the line equipment, including modern communications. The Russian military that occupied the Crimea in 2014 was orders of magnitude better than the one that fought Georgia six years prior. The Russian military fighting in Syria today (and facing off against the Americans in the Baltics and Ukraine) is even better.

The United States, in recent years, has transitioned away from almost exclusively training for low-intensity conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is once again preparing to fight large-scale combined arms engagements against near-peer forces whose training and/or equipment is inferior to the American military. Comments made by U.S. military officers who have recently deployed to the Baltics make it clear that they believe the superiority of American arms serves as a deterrence to Russian regional ambitions. The reality is, even if Russia were to pursue ill-intent against its eastern European neighbors that manifested in military aggression (and there is no indication that this is the case), the notion of American and NATO ground forces serving as a force in deterrence is not sustainable. In fact, in many categories, such as tactical communications, artillery support and armor employment, the Russians outclass their American counterparts. Recent war games show that Russia would defeat NATO in any conflict in the Baltics.

But the quality of the Russian military is not the point. What is important, at least in the context of a broader discussion on comparative nuclear posture, is that 20 years ago, when Russia was militarily inferior to the United States, the Russian leadership embraced a policy of nuclear de-escalation, which envisioned the early use of tactical nuclear weapons by Russia to offset the conventional military advantages enjoyed by the United States and NATO. Through this policy, Russia sought to leverage its strong capabilities in tactical nuclear weapons by making the cost of regional engagement too high for any potential opponent. The policy of nuclear de-escalation was born during the time of the Chechen crisis, in the late 1990s, when Russia feared the possibility of Western intervention in that conflict. It served as the backbone of Russias nuclear posture in both 2008 and 2014, when Russia intervened in Georgia and Ukraine, respectively. And it backed up Russias decision to intervene in Syria in 2015.

This Russian nuclear policy was noted in the 2018 U.S. Nuclear Posture Review , which said that Russian strategy and doctrine emphasize the potential coercive and military uses of nuclear weapons. It mistakenly assesses that the threat of nuclear escalation or actual first use of nuclear weapons would serve to de-escalate a conflict on terms favorable to Russia. These mistaken perceptions increase the prospect for dangerous miscalculation and escalation.

No truer words could have been written. And yet, the Trump administration seems in no hurry to undertake any actions vis-a-vis Russia that would reduce the possibility of any such miscalculation and escalation. While noting in the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review that arms control can contribute to U.S., allied, and partner security by helping to manage strategic competition among states, the Trump administration went on to declare that progress in arms control is not an end in and of itself, and depends on the security environment and the participation of willing partners.

It was as if the entire history of U.S.-Russian arms control referred to by Putin in his state of the nation address never happened.

But it is not just history the Trump administration clouds over. The present and future is likewise shrouded in a cloud of wishful thinking that ignores the progress in Russian strategic capabilities promised by Putin in 2004 and delivered upon in 2018. The United States, the Nuclear Posture Review states, remains willing to engage in a prudent arms control agenda. We are prepared to consider arms control opportunities that return parties to predictability and transparency, and remain receptive to future arms control negotiations if conditions permit and the potential outcome improves the security of the United States and its allies and partners.

Noting that there is no one size fits all for deterrence, the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states that the United States will apply a tailored and flexible approach to effectively deter across a spectrum of adversaries, threats, and contexts in order to communicate to different potential adversaries that their aggression would carry unacceptable risks and intolerable costs according to their particular calculations of risk and cost.

While not specifically naming Russia, the Trump administration put Moscow on notice that it must understand that there are no possible benefits from non-nuclear aggression or limited nuclear escalation.  [P]otential adversaries must recognize that across the emerging range of threats and contexts: 1) the United States is able to identify them and hold them accountable for acts of aggression, including new forms of aggression; 2) we will defeat non-nuclear strategic attacks; and, 3) any nuclear escalation will fail to achieve their objectives, and will instead result in unacceptable consequences for them.

The Russian president heard the message the United States was communicating. We are greatly concerned by certain provisions of the revised nuclear posture review, Putin said, which expand the opportunities for reducing and reduce the threshold for the use of nuclear arms. Behind closed doors, one may say anything to calm down anyone, but we read what is written. And what is written is that this strategy can be put into action in response to conventional arms attacks and even to a cyber threat.

Scott Ritter spent more than a dozen years in the intelligence field. In 2002 Ritter spoke out against the case being made by the US government for war with Iraq. Ritter participated in numerous anti-war events and demonstrations.

This article was originally published by " Truth Dig " -

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect those of Information Clearing House.

- See Also -

Join the Discussion
Home The Politicization of the FBI By Joseph E. diGenova The following is adapted from a speech delivered on January 25, 2018, at Hillsdale Colleges Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship in Washington, D.C., as part of the AWC Family Foundation Lecture Series. March 06, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Over the past year, facts have emerged that suggest there was a plot by high-ranking FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) officials in the Obama administration, acting under color of law, to exonerate Hillary Clinton of federal crimes and then, if she lost the election, to frame Donald Trump and his campaign for colluding with Russia to steal the presidency. This conduct was not based on mere bias, as has been widely claimed, but rather on deeply felt animus toward Trump and his agenda. In the course of this plot, FBI Director James Comey, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, FBI Deputy Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok, Strzoks paramour and FBI lawyer Lisa Page, FBI General Counsel James Baker, and DOJ senior official Bruce Ohrperhaps among otherscompromised federal law enforcement to such an extent that the American public is losing trust. A recent CBS News poll finds 48 percent of Americans believe that Special Counsel James Muellers Trump-Russia collusion probe is politically motivated, a stunning conclusion. And 63 percent of polled voters in a Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll believe that the FBI withheld vital information from Congress about the Clinton and Russia collusion investigations. I spent my early legal career as a federal prosecutor. I later supervised hundreds of prosecutors and prosecutions as a U.S. Attorney and as an Independent Counsel. I have never witnessed investigations so fraught with failure to fulfill the basic elements of a criminal probe as those conducted under James Comey. Not since former Acting FBI Director L. Patrick Gray deep-sixed evidence during Watergate has the head of the FBI been so discredited as Comey is now. The Case of the Clinton Emails The Hillary Clinton email scandal began in 2013 with the U.S. House of Representatives investigation into the attack on the American embassy in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012. It was during that investigation that accessing Secretary of State Clintons emails became an issue. But it wasnt until The New York Times broke the story on March 2, 2015, that Clinton had a secret, personal server that things really took off. Thousands of emails that the House at first requested, then subpoenaed, conveniently disappearedremember those reports about BleachBit and the smashing of Clintons numerous phones with hammers? Clinton and her aides were, to say the least, not forthcoming. It was clearly time for the FBI and DOJ to act, using the legal tools at their disposal to secure the emails and other materials the House had subpoenaed. But that didnt happen. One tool at their disposal was the grand jurythe sine qua non of a criminal investigation. Grand juries are comprised of 16 to 23 citizens who hear a prosecutors case against an alleged criminal. The subject of the investigation is not present during the entire proceeding, which can last up to a year. A grand jury provides investigators with the authority to collect evidence by issuing subpoenas for documents and witnesses. FBI agents and prosecutors cannot themselves demand evidence. Only a grand jury canor a court, in cases where a subpoena recipient refuses a grand jurys command to provide documents or to testify. Incredibly, FBI Director Comey and Attorney General Lynch refused to convene a grand jury during the Clinton investigation. Thus investigators had no authority to subpoena evidence or witnesses. Lacking leverage, Comey then injudiciously granted immunity to five Clinton aides in return for evidence that could have been obtained with a subpoena. Even when Clinton claimed 39 times during a July 2, 2016, interviewan interview led by disgraced FBI agent Peter Strzokthat she could not recall certain facts because of a head injury, Comey refused the case agents request to subpoena her medical records. Comey claims he negotiated the immunity deals because of his concern about time. Yet the investigation was opened in the summer of 2015, nearly a year before he cut these deals. Compare this to the DOJs handling of four-star Marine General James E. Cartwright, who pleaded guilty in October 2016 to a false statement about leaking classified information to The New York Times. In that case, the DOJ bragged about its use of subpoenas and search warrants. Not only was there no grand jury, the FBI never issued a search warrantsomething it does when there is concern a person will destroy evidence. Clinton deleted half her emails and then claimed, under penalty of perjury, that she had turned over to the government all emails that were or potentially were work-related. The FBI later found email chains classified as secret or confidential that she had not turned over. Still no search warrant was issued. Comeys dereliction did not stop at the failure to utilize essential prosecutorial tools. He violated several rules that prosecutors consider sacrosanct: Comey allowed one lawyer to represent four material witnesses, an arrangement ripe for the four to coordinate testimony.

After needlessly giving immunity to two lawyers representing Clinton, Comey permitted both to sit in on her July 2, 2016, FBI interviewa patent conflict. He claimed he could not control who sat in on the voluntary interview. Thats nonsense. He could have convened a grand jury, subpoenaed Clinton, and compelled her to appear and be questioned without a lawyer or else plead the Fifth Amendment.

Comey authorized the destruction of laptop computers that belonged to Clintons aides and were under congressional subpoena.

Comey ignored blatant evidence of culpability. It is ridiculous to the general public and risible to those who have security clearances for Clinton to claim she thought that (c) placed after paragraphs in her emails meant the material was in alphabetical order rather than meaning it was classified. If she thought (c) indicated alphabetical order, where were (a) and (b) on the documents? Clinton and her supporters touted her vast experience as a U.S. Senator and Secretary of State, positions requiring frequent use of classified information and presumably common sense. Yet neither experience nor common sense informed her decisions when handling classified materials.

Comey and the FBI never questioned Clinton about her public statements, which changed over time and were blatantly false. I did not email classified information to anyone morphed into I did not email anything marked classified, which morphed into the claim that (c) did not mean what it clearly meant. False and changing statements are presented to juries routinely by prosecutors as evidence of guilt.

Breaking DOJ protocols, violating the chain of command, and assuming an authority he never had, Comey usurped the role of the U.S. attorney general on July 5, 2016, when he announced that the case against Clinton was closed. He justified his actions saying that he no longer trusted Attorney General Lynch after her June 27, 2016, meeting with Bill Clinton on the tarmac at the Phoenix airport. This meeting took place at the height of the so-called investigationjust days before Peter Strzok interviewed Clinton on July 2. Thanks to the efforts of Judicial Watch to secure documents through the Freedom of Information Act, we now know that Comey was already drafting a letter exonerating Clinton in May 2016prior to interviewing more than a dozen major witnesses. We also know that the FBIs reaction to the impropriety of the tarmac meeting was not disgust, but rather anger at the person who leaked the fact of the meeting. We need to find that guy and bring him before a supervisor, stated one (name redacted) FBI agent. Another argued that the source should be banned from working security details. Not one email expressed concern over the meeting. An FBI director who truly had his trust shaken would have questioned the members of Lynchs FBI security detail for the Arizona trip about how the meeting came to be. Comey didnt bother. Comey described Clintons handling of classified information as extremely careless, a clumsy attempt to avoid the legal language of gross negligence for criminal mishandling of classified informationand we later learned that Peter Strzok, again, was responsible for editing this language in Comeys statement. But practically speaking, the terms are synonymous. Any judge would instruct a jury to consider gross negligence as extremely careless conduct. Comey claimed that no reasonable prosecutor would bring the case against Clinton. I have spent many years investigating federal crimes, and I can tell you that a reasonable prosecutor would have utilized a grand jury, issued subpoenas and search warrants, and followed standard DOJ procedures for federal prosecutions. In short, Comey threw the case. He should have been fired long before he was. In late spring 2016, just weeks prior to Comeys July 5 press conference clearing Clinton of any crime, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe ordered FBI agents in New York to shut down their investigation into the Clinton Foundation. Their objections were overruled. Sources have told me that McCabe also shut down an additional Clinton investigation. This is the McCabe who, while he was overseeing the Clinton email investigation, had a wife running for the Virginia State Senate and receiving more than $460,000 in campaign contributions from a longtime Clinton loyalist, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. Moreover, it was only after the news of Clintons private server became public in The New York Times that McAuliffe recruited McCabes wife to run for office. McCabe eventually recused himself from the Clinton probe, but that was one week before the 2016 election, after the decisions to clear Clinton and to pursue the Trump-Russia collusion investigation had already been made. So his recusal was meaningless. In clearing legal impediments from Clintons path to the Democratic nomination, Comey and his senior staff thought they had helped Clinton clinch the presidency. Their actions put an end to a decades-long tradition of non-political federal law enforcement. The Case of Trump-Russia Collusion Rumors of collusion with Russia by Trump or the Trump campaign surfaced during the primaries in 2015, but gained in strength soon after Trump secured the Republican nomination in July 2016. Thanks to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, we now know that high-level FBI officials were involved in promoting these rumors. Among Horowitzs discoveries were text messages between FBI Deputy Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page that suggest an illegal plan to utilize law enforcement to frame Trump. The most revealing exchange we know of took place on August 15, 2016. Concerned about the outcome of the election, Strzok wrote: I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in [Andrew McCabes] officethat theres no way [Trump] gets electedbut Im afraid we cant take that risk. Its like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before youre 40. No amount of sugar coating or post hoc explanation of this and other texts can conceal the couples animus against Trump and support for Clinton. Strzoks messages illustrate his commitment to Clintons victory and Trumps defeat or, if Trump won, to an insurance policy. The term insurance policy obviously refers to the Trump-Russia collusion investigation, which to this day remains a probe with no underlying crime. This is not the talk of professional investigators, but of corrupt agents who have created two standards of justice based on their political leanings. It looks like a reprise of the schemes undertaken during an earlier era, under FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, that led to the creation of the Church Committeea committee on which I served, and which tried to reform the FBI to prevent it from meddling in domestic politics. At the heart of the Russia collusion scheme is the FBIs utilization of a document paid for by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Called the Steele Dossier because it was written by former British MI6 officer Christopher Steele, this document contains unsubstantiated information designed to taint Trump and his presidency. While Clinton partisans point out that candidate Clinton never referred to the Steele Dossier in her speeches, the fact is that she did not have tothe FBI hierarchy was doing it for her! Indeed, FBI General Counsel James Baker was recently reassigned because of his having leaked information about the Steele Dossier to the magazine Mother Jones. Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Not one claim concerning Trump in the Steele Dossier has ever been verified by the FBI, according to Andrew McCabe himself in recent testimony to the House Intelligence Committee. The only confirmed fact is unsurprising: former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page traveled to Moscow on his own dime and met with various Russiansall perfectly legal. Comey and then-CIA Director John Brennan laundered the Steele Dossier through the U.S. intelligence community to give it an aura of credibility and get it to the press. It was also used by the FBI and senior DOJ officials to secure wiretap warrants from a secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court. Then its contents, via court-authorized FISA warrants, were used to justify the illegal unmasking of the identities of wiretapped Trump officials. The contents of these National Security Agency intercepts were put on spreadsheets and presented to members of President Obamas National Security Council (NSC)specifically Susan Rice and Ben Rhodesand subsequently leaked to the press. According to former NSC staff, President Obama himself read the FISA intercepts of Trump campaign personnel. Unsurprisingly, there was no request for a leak investigation from either the FBI or the DOJ. In sum, the FBI and DOJ employed unverified salacious allegations contained in a political opposition research document to obtain court-sanctioned wiretaps, and then leaked the contents of the wiretaps and the identities of political opponents. This was a complex criminal plot worthy of Jason Bourne. The Pall Over the Special Counsel and the FBI Layered over this debacle is a special counsel investigation unfettered by rules or law. Not surprisingly, James Comey triggered the special counsels appointmentand he did so by design. According to Comeys testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, having been fired on May 9, 2017, he leaked official documents to his friend, Columbia Law School professor Daniel Richman, with the specific intent that Richman would leak them to the press. Reportage on that leak is what led Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to appoint Robert Muellera former FBI director and Comeys good friendas special counsel to investigate allegations of Trump-Russia collusion. Muellers reputation has been damaged by a series of decisions that violate the ethical rules of appearances. For instance, he hired Democratic partisans as lawyers for the probe: Andrew Weissmann, who donated to Clinton and praised Acting Attorney General Sally Yates for disobeying Trumps lawful Presidential Order regarding a travel ban for residents of certain nations that harbor terrorists; Jeannie Rhee, who donated to Clinton and represented Ben Rhodes in the email probe and the Clinton Foundation investigation; and Aaron Zebley, who represented Clinton IT staffer Justin Cooper in the email server probe. Mueller also staged a pre-dawn raid with weapons drawn on the home of Paul Manafort, rousing Manafort and his wife from their beda tactic customarily reserved for terrorists and drug dealers. Manafort has subsequently been indicted for financial crimes that antedate his campaign work for Trump and that have nothing to do with Russia collusion. Then theres the fact that when Mueller removed Strzok from the investigation in July 2017, he didnt tell anyone. The removal and its causes were uncovered by DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz. Why was such vital information concealed from the public? It is not, as is often claimed now, that Strzok was a minor figure. All the major decisions regarding both the Clinton and the Trump-Russia collusion investigations had been made under Strzok. Significantly, Strzok also led the interview of General Michael Flynn that ended in Flynn pleading guilty to making false statements to the FBI. It is important to recall that Flynns FBI interview was not conducted under the authority of the special counsel, but under that of Comey and McCabe. It took place during Inauguration week in January 2017. Flynn had met with the same agents the day before regarding security clearances. McCabe called Flynn and asked if agents could come to the White House. Flynn agreed, assuming it was about personnel. It was not. Flynn had been overheard on a FISA wiretap talking to Russias Ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak. There was nothing criminal or even unusual about the fact of such discussion. Flynn was on the Trump transition team and was a federal employee as the President-Elects national security advisor. It was his job to be talking to foreign leaders. Flynn was not charged with regard to anything said during his conversation with Kislyak. So why was the FBI interrogating Flynn about legal conduct? What more did the FBI need to know? I am told by sources that when Flynns indictment was announced, McCabe was on a video conference callcheering! Compare the FBIs treatment of Flynn to its treatment of Paul Combetta, the technician who used a program called BleachBit to destroy thousands of emails on Hillary Clintons computer. This destruction of evidence took place after a committee of the U.S. House of Representatives issued letters directing that all emails be preserved and subpoenaing them. Combetta first lied to the FBI, claiming he did not recall deleting anything. After being rewarded with immunity, Combetta recalled destroying the emailsbut he could not recall anyone directing him to do so. The word in Washington is that Flynn pleaded guilty to take pressure off his son, who was also a subject of Muellers investigation. Always the soldier. But those who questioned Flynn that day did not cover themselves with law enforcement glory. Led by Strzok, they grilled Flynn about facts that they already knew and that they knew did not constitute a crime. They besmirched the reputation of federal law enforcement by their role in a scheme to destroy a duly elected president and his appointees. A pall hangs over Mueller, and a pall hangs over the DOJ. But the darkest pall hangs over the FBI, Americas premier federal law enforcement agency, which since the demise of J. Edgar Hoover has been steadfast in steering clear of politics. Even during L. Patrick Grays brief tenure as acting director during Watergate, it was not the FBI but Gray personally who was implicated. The current scandal pervades the Bureau. It spans from Director Comey to Deputy Director McCabe to General Counsel Baker. It spread to counterintelligence via Peter Strzok. When line agents complained about the misconduct, McCabe retaliated by placing them under investigation for leaking information. From the outset of this scandal, I have considered Comey a dirty cop. His unfailing commitment to himself above all else is of a pattern. Throughout his career, Comey has continually portrayed himself as Thomas Becket, fighting against institutional corruptioneven where none exists. Stories abound of his routine retort to anyone who disagreed with him (not an unusual happening when lawyers gather) during his tenure as deputy attorney general under President George W. Bush. Your moral compass is askew, he would say. This self-righteousness led agents to refer to him as The Cardinal. Comey is no Thomas Beckethe is Henry II. A great disservice has been done to the dedicated men and women of the FBI by Comey and his seventh floor henchmen. A grand jury probe is long overdue. Inspector General Horowitz is an honest man, but he cannot convene a grand jury. We need one now. We need our FBI back. Joseph E. diGenova is a founding partner of diGenova & Toensing, LLP. He received his B.A. from the University of Cincinnati and his J.D. from Georgetown University. He has served as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, Independent Counsel of the United States, Special Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives, Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and Counsel to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (the Church Committee). This article was originally published by " Imprimis " - Via - Paul Craig Roberts The views and opinions expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect those of Information Clearing House. Join the Discussion It is not necessary for ICH readers to register before placing a comment. This website encourages readers to use the "Report" link found at the base of each comment. When a predetermined number of ICH readers click on the "Report" link, the comment will be automatically sent to "moderation". This would appear to be the most logical way to allow open comments, where you the reader/supporter, can determine what is acceptable speech. Please don't use the report feature simply because you disagree with the author point of view. Treat others with respect, remembering that "A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still."- Benjamin Franklin. Please read our Comment Policy before posting - Search Information Clearing House === Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load.
No Matter What the Western Propaganda Says, Chinese Democracy is Alive and Well!



By Andre Vltchek

March 06, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - New huge wave of China bashing is once again rolling from Europe and North America. Its water is filthy and murky. It tries to smear everything about the present Chinese system: from its own and unique democratic model, to its leadership, as well as the political, economic and social system.

I am periodically reminded that every year, just before Chinas annual two sessions, there will be rising voices declaring that the Peoples Congress play the role of rubber stamps, and Chinas democracy cant truly represent the people.

Criticism of the Chinese system sometimes comes from within the country, but more often it arrives from abroad. Even local critics are usually deeply influenced by the foreign perceptions.

China is often analyzed and judged strictly by the Western norms and rules, and that is chauvinistic and amazingly patronizing.

My friend and colleague Jeff J. Brown, a leading expect on China, author of a book China Is Communist Damn It! wrote indignantly in his recent essay Western Racism and Hypocrisy Foaming at The Mouth Over Chinas Constitutional Changes:

So-called China experts are piling on with all kinds of doomsday the-sky-is-falling scenarios President Xi Jinping is being portrayed as megalomaniac, power hungry tyrant. His 1.4 billion citizens respectfully disagree.

This whole Western charade exudes the worst hypocrisy and at its core, racism. When was the last time the mainstream media got into a snit because a Western country changed its laws? In 2001, where was Western propaganda when George W. Bush & Co. forever destroyed any semblance of the US Constitution conferring civil and human rights to its citizens, when a false flag 9/11 gun was held to the heads of every congressman and senator, to sign the Orwellian named Patriot Act  literally in the middle of the night, never having a chance to read it? Americas corporate whore media was right there, screaming, Sign it! Save us! Protect us! This is how corrupt, Western democracy works 

A distinct Turkish professor Tugrul Keskin, from Shanghai University in China, calls recent trends in the West simply and correctly: Chinaphobia.

*****

For decades and centuries, in the West, Chinese people suffered from spiteful racism and discrimination. In the United States, Chinese migrants were ridiculed and humiliated at best, and physically liquidated at worst. European powers attacked, occupied, divided and destroyed China, even succeeding in ransacking Beijing.

I wrote entire books (including Exposing Lies Of The Empire ) and numerous essays, in which I argued that China, with thousands of years of tremendous history and culture, has undeniable right to be defined and judged by its own people and by its own measures.

But now lets talk about democracy.

First of all, the expression democracy is derived from Greek language. It loosely means rule of the people. It doesnt stipulate that a truly democratic country has to follow a Western multi-party/corporate model, or more concretely, a model in which big corporations and powerful individuals are financing political campaigns (while backing the candidates), and de factoselecting the governments.

In the West, and in its client states, most of the ordinary people are destined to serve the corporate interests, and the government is there to make sure that they do not break the rules.

China simply cannot follow such model. Chinese people fought hard for their independence, they struggled during the great revolutionary war, and all this in order to create a system which would be serving the people. After great sacrifices, people of China achieved their goal. The system is theirs, it exists in order to improve their lives. It is not perfect, far from it, but it is rapidly evolving into perhaps the most humane system on our Planet.

Chinese corporations are there to serve the people, to serve the nation, and they are told what to do and how to behave by the government and by the Communist Party, not the other way around. Again, it is not as simple as that, and there are problems and setbacks and corruption, but the country is marching forward, irreversibly. Anyone who knows China, knows that the country is improving dramatically, and not only economically but also ecologically, socially and culturally.

There is no other country on Earth, which is changing lives of its ordinary people for better, so rapidly and with such determination. And it is happening because of the system, because of the Communist Partys leadership, and because of the NPC. Some people ask me: Do you think Chinas democracy, or the political system of Partys leadership, and NPC can improve peoples livelihood? I always answer: Not only they can, but they do; day by day, year by year!

Those who deny it either dont know China, or are simply sore losers.

*****

Unlike in the West, Chinese leaders are listening attentively to their people. China is direct democracy, and it functions without huge army of political parties. I dont want to exaggerate and say that the leadership in China is afraid of the people, but is definitely respecting and listening to them.

It is nothing new: it has been this way for centuries and millennia, since the Heavenly Mandate was born. To rule, to be at the top, could never be taken for granted. To rule, in China, also means to serve. Arrogance and self-indulgence was rarely accepted, and when it was, it was a warning signal that the country was in decline.

Recently, in Claremont, Ca., I discussed China with a great U.S. Whiteheadean philosopher, John Cobb Jr., who has been, for years and decades deeply involved in China, particularly in the Ecological civilization project. He replied:

I think that in China, many leaders actually do genuinely care about the well-being of their nation.

Something that could be hardly said about the leadership in the West.

*****

When Chinese people sent clear signals to the top that they want more economic freedoms, more consumer goods, and that they want to be able to freely travel abroad, Deng Xiaoping launched sweeping reforms.

Some people agreed with those reforms; some didnt. But that is what the majority at that time, truly wanted. Party and the government were only responding to peoples demands.

Decades later, people got tired of so many elements of the market system; of growing inequality, environmental issues and negative by-products of the super-rapid economic growth. And they were listened to again. President Xi Jinping put great emphasis on the environment (Ecological Civilization), on the great Chinese culture, and above all on improving lives of all Chinese people no matter where they live. Powerful and progressive model of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics was reinvented, improved and put to work with new determination and zeal.

Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Result: soon, perhaps as early as by 2020, there will be no pockets of extreme poverty, anywhere on the territory of the Peoples Republic of China. If this is not socialism, than what really is?

All this is clearly proof of the Chinese democracy at work. Even when there are protests, when people are demanding changes, look closely what many of them are holding in their hands: they are waving the little red flags of the Communist Party of China; definitely not some symbols of the Western regime.

*****

What will be remembered about all this in hundreds of years from now?

While it cannot be denied that several Western countries gave at least some freedom and passable standard of living to their citizens, the price has been paid by the plundered continents, squashed under the Western colonialist and neo-colonialist heels. Tens of millions of non-white people died and are still dying, in order to fulfill tremendous greed and gluttony of so-called Western democracies. I saw it, unfortunately too often, with my own eyes. Only lives of the European and North American citizens are respected and protected, not at all the lives of those who are forced to serve them.

China showed to the world a totally opposite path. Everything in the PRC is created with hands of the Chinese people; with their brains, their muscles and their sweat. It is clean and honest progress, not one that is resting on the corpses and blood of the millions of others.

And that is not all. Brainchild of President Xi, One Belt One Road, is essentially this: sharing of Chinas achievements and success with the rest of the world, especially with the struggling and unfortunate countries.

China does not turn its success into religion. It believes that everything positive should be shared, that there should be progress, social justice and respect for different cultures. The entire world should be benefiting.

This is true internationalism, and true human decency, as well as unmistakable sign of democracy, serving all human beings, on truly global scale!

Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. Three of his latest books are his tribute to The Great October Socialist Revolution a revolutionary novel Aurora and a bestselling work of political non-fiction:  Exposing Lies Of The Empire  . View his other books here . Watch Rwanda Gambit , his groundbreaking documentary about Rwanda and DRCongo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky On Western Terrorism . Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and the Middle East, and continues to work around the world. He can be reached through his website and his Twitter .

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect those of Information Clearing House.

- See Also -

Join the Discussion
A 50-year-old man faked his own kidnap and demanded ransom of about KSh 54,000 (N18,000) from his family in a bid to clear debts.

According to Tuko.co.ke, the unidentified man from Mparo Division in Uganda called his unsuspecting wife on Friday, March 2, 2018 and told her that he had been picked up by some unknown people.

According to regions police spokesperson, Julius Hakiza, the suspect claimed his kidnappers demanded KSh 54,000, which is about N18,000 in Nigerian currency, before they could let him go.

Terrified by the news, the wife alerted police, other family members and friends to help in rescuing her husband. It was then gathered that the family rallied round and began sourcing for the ransom that was requested by the kidnappers.

The amount of money requested for was eventually raised and immediately wired into the phone of the kidnapper via mobile money transfer.

Meanwhile, as the family did what they could to save the relative in trouble, investigators carried on their work by making attempts to trace the location and movements of the mobile device that was used in receiving the ransom paid by the family

The detectives said they were able to trace him to a place called Butebere village in Hoima District.

They found the kidnapped man celebrating and feasting with friends. He claimed he was celebrating his release, but the officers suspected he was spending part of the cash he had received as ransom.

Further investigation revealed the man actually faked his disappearance in order to obtain cash from his wife and family.

The man was eventually reported to have taken a loan from a financial institution and they were already on his neck asking for refund of the loan.

He was eventually arrested and charged with obtaining money by false pretense.
Veteran Nigerian comedian, Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, who goes by the stage name Alibaba, in a recent interview disclose that he was once a bus conductor in Delta State.

Speaking with Channels TV, the ace comedian revealed that he occasionally used his fathers Toyota Crown vehicle to convey people to their respective destinations as a taxi-driver.

He said:

I have been a bus conductor before, from Ramah park back to Ogbaazu (in Delta State). I had my dads Toyota Crown. I will take the car for washing and I would do kabu-kabu (taxi), bribe him by coming with all the newspapers and put on the table.

He added,  I have loaded bottles before in Super Brew. Even the Ibrus knew me because during holidays my dad takes us to the village. Our own summer was in the village.

So when I started doing stand-ups, they were one of the first people that I visited and they were like, you are the one that loads crates and I responded, Yes I used to.

He earlier disclosed that he would be giving out 30 million Naira loan to 30 youths to mark his 30th anniversary on stage.

Source: Naijaloaded
Denrele took to his IG page this evening to pay glowing tribute to his mother who is a year older today. He shared some throwback photos of her on his IG page and wrote;

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GORGEOUS MUM; ANITA DHUNWANTEE EDUN aka MAMA RELE. Havent seen you in 18 YEARS but you are the reason im a FIGHTER! Stumbled on your old Mauritius Passport today and it brought back memories of all the sacrifices you made for us all, especially ME.

As a Foreigner on the Nigerian soil, you never thought of running back to Mauritius and India with us kids even when our Dad was out of work (severally) and when you had to survive constant bickering and antagonizing fights with his relatives. Even when we left our Duplex and moved to an uncompleted building and finally to the hellish cramped ONE ROOM in the family house, You found ways to provide even if it meant starving yourself. You instilled so much strength in me to carry our family along!

You never liked any of my girlfriends but I can forgive you now.

You didnt earn more than Papa (even when you secured work for him), but you sure worked a lot more.

Juggling your job and looking after your family,

I can image how at the end of each day, you always felt sore.

Dont think that your efforts are going unnoticed,

We all appreciate everything you do,

We are always looking for ways to show our love,

So that we can give back bit by bit, to you.

We know you dont expect anything in return,

For all the hard work you do for us and Papa,

But I realize that it must take superhuman strength,

To keep everyone happy and glad.

So today, we celebrate your life

A woman who is not just a wife and a mother,

But a woman who is beautiful and so loving,

That just being around her is one of lifes treasure!

My AMAZING MUM currently lives in Dublin, Ireland and even though its been over 18 years since she left the shores of Nigeria (on my insistence)Ive decided that our reunion would be my BIRTHDAY GIFT!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!

Source: Instagram
U.S President Donald Trumps fortune had fallen for the second year running in annual ranking of the worlds wealthiest people.

Forbes said that Trumps net worth had fallen by $400m (287m) to $3.1bn over the past year.

 It means the president has slipped more than 200 places in the billionaire rankings from 544th richest last year to 766th this year, it said.

The magazine attributed Trumps decline in wealth to a tough New York real estate market, particularly for retail locations; a costly lawsuit and an expensive presidential campaign.
In a new bill by the Senate, any person found guilty of any form of hate speech that results in the death of another person shall die by hanging upon conviction. The hate speech bill, which has passed second reading in the senate, has generated a lot of opinions since the pubic got to know about it . Well, here are 5 things you should know about it.

1. Who sponsored the bill?

The spokesman of the upper chamber, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger) did.

2.Why he sponsored the bill

People who cause the death of another through hate speech should also be killed, and according to him ,after all, our present law says if you do anything that results in the death of another person and it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that you caused the death of that person, the penalty is death by hanging. The Senate spokesperson said the penalty is only for those who are found guilty of any form of hate speech that results in the death of another person after judicial processes in a Federal High Court.

3.Those who will oppose the bill?

The Senate says People who may be having some opposing views about it definitely are not in the category of people who have lost dear ones and family or livelihood to similar circumstances. If they are, I think they will be saying how I wish this was in place before this thing happened to me.

4.What the bill notes:

A person who uses, publishes, presents, produces, plays, provides, distributes and/or directs the performance of any material, written and/or visual, which is threatening, abusive or insulting or involves the use of threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, commits an offence, if such person intends thereby to stir up ethnic hatred, or having regard to all the circumstances, ethnic hatred is likely to be stirred up against any person or person from such an ethnic group in Nigeria.

5.What journalists are saying

In a statement on Friday, the NUJ National Secretary, Shuaibu Leman, said It is instructive to note that citizens are entitled to free speech even if they hold offensive and hurtful opinions. We also cannot forget that people have the right to be biased, even offensive in their speech even if journalism is different and we have to be aware of this.

It is therefore, our considered opinion that it is pertinent to avoid such pitfalls in our bid to come up with legislation to curtail the excesses of citizens,
Nigerian woman Tholu Fholarin, has taken to Facebook to share her testimony with the world. According to Tholu, who use to sell pure water in Lagos, she is now a property owner in Canada.

She wrote on Facebook;

On March 5, 2018. I became a first time homebuyer in Canada. I Esther own a home in Canada, YH I AM SURE YOU SAID Woooooow

I looked back from how it all started when my dad died in 1997, when we thought all hope was lost. i remembered having to hawk satchet water on the street of Lagos.

I came to Canada in 2015 as a student having to work part time and study. i would come to class and sleep and my colleagues will wake me up and laugh. But the days of suffering is over.

I am grateful to God for making my life a testimony.

I am not going to preach,i just want to use this medium to say Trust and Obey God. God has a plan for everyone,just take a second to listen and ask for he right direction, when you think the door is shut, please push harder because sometimes hard work and commitment will get you what you want.

I am proud of the woman i have become through Christ, i am happy that i feel accomplished before clocking 30 years.

I never gave up, and i am grateful to my friends i have made and met over the course of my life as you were all there for a reason and i appreciate you all. Thanks to my family and friends for all your prayers and support and i pray that May God Almighty grant you all your heart desires.
Punch

Twenty four persons, mostly women and children, were on Monday killed in a fresh crisis at Omusu Edimoga in the Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State.

Vanguard

About 30 people have been reportedly killed by a strange disease in Majia town, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State, leaving dozens hospitalised.

The Sun

The Nation

The abduction of 110 Dapchi schoolgirls and last weeks attack on Internally Displaced Persons camp in Rann, Borno State took the centre stage at yesterdays national security summit in Abuja.
Everyone one including President Muhammadu Buhari celebrated with Ghana yesterday, March 6th on the occasion of their 61st Independence Anniversary but this woman took hers a notch with her not-so-common celebratory style.

She must have great love for her country or what do you think???
A lady was disgraced and beaten after she was caught stealing four mobile phones at a female hostel in the University of Uyo UNIUYO, Akwa Ibom state. According to reports, the lady who is said not to be a student  always visits the hostel, acting like a student/resident and has been stealing mobile phones from her unsuspecting victims before her capture.

Last night was an Owner-Day for her. She was caught after stealing 4 mobile (android) phones at Hall 2A last night.


A teenage mother and two child traffickers have been arrested by the Imo state police command over the sale of her baby.

The State Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, while parading the suspects disclosed that the teenager identified as Chiamaka Njoku, 18, of Umuokpo Emeabiam Owerri West LGA of Imo state, gave birth December 10, 201, and sold the baby girl for N120,000.

She was impregnated by unidentified man out of wedlock. She left her parents house and was harboured by Okere Justice of the same address who contacted one Franca Chukwukere, the Proprietress of an illegal orphanage, Franca Gold Orphanage Lagos, where she remained until on 10/12/2017 when she put to bed. The baby girl was sold out at the cost of #300,000 and the sum of #120,000 sent to Chiamaka Njoku through Justice Okere. Two baby girls of one month three weeks and one month two weeks old respectively were recovered from the child trafficker said Ezike.

The other suspect, 53-year-old Franca Chukwukere, a mum of 3 from Umuelem, Ihiagwa, Owerri West LGA of Imo state harboured the pregnant girl till she delivered. She forged an orphanage document and sold the baby for N300,000 sending N120,000 to the mother the other accomplice Justice Okere. Okere Justice, 42, who is also married with kids kept the teenager before trafficking the child and sending her to Chukwukere, who operates the illegal Orphanage.


In Canada, more than 500 doctors and residents, as well as over 150 medical students, have signed a public letter protesting their own pay raises.

We, Quebec doctors who believe in a strong public system, oppose the recent salary increases negotiated by our medical federations, the letter says.

The group say they are offended that they would receive raises when nurses and patients are struggling.

These increases are all the more shocking because our nurses, clerks and other professionals face very difficult working conditions, while our patients live with the lack of access to required services because of the drastic cuts in recent years and the centralization of power in the Ministry of Health, reads the letter, which was published February 25.

The only thing that seems to be immune to the cuts is our remuneration, the letter says.

Canada has a public health system which provides universal coverage for medically necessary health care services provided on the basis of need, rather than the ability to pay, the governments website says.

The 213 general practitioners, 184 specialists, 149 resident medical doctors and 162 medical students want the money used for their raises to be returned to the system instead.

We believe that there is a way to redistribute the resources of the Quebec health system to promote the health of the population and meet the needs of patients without pushing workers to the end, the letter says.

We, Quebec doctors, are asking that the salary increases granted to physicians be canceled and that the resources of the system be better distributed for the good of the health care workers and to provide health services worthy to the people of Quebec.

A physician in Canada is paid $260,924 ($339,000 Canadian) for clinical services by the governments Ministry of Health per year on average, according to a report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information published in September 2017. On average, a family physician is paid $211,717 ($275,000 Canadian) for clinical services and a surgical specialist is paid $354,915 ($461,000 Canadian), according to the same report.

This is total gross pay, however, and does not take into account overhead each doctor pays to operate, as the Canadian Institute for Health Information is careful to point out to CNBC Make It.

In May 2016, one physician publicly broke down the cost of running his family practice, and though he brought in $231,033 ($300,000 Canadian), he was left with $136,906 ($177,876 Canadian) after subtracting his business expenses  but before taxes and employment benefits are taken out.

Source: CNBC
Jeremy D. Morley concentrates on International Family Law. The firm works with clients around the world from its New York office, with a global network of local counsel. Mr Morley is the author of "International Family Law Practice", the leading treatise on international family law in the U.S., and "The Hague Abduction Convention", published by the American Bar Association. He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and a former law professor.
Blue sky thinking on the digital economy

These proposals are expected to consist of a short-term/temporary measure, a turnover equalisation tax  i.e. a tax assessed on turnover rather than profits. However, this shall not be levied on all digital services, but rather only on online advertising and on services provided by mediation platforms, i.e. platforms that arrange product deliveries or services between two market participants (e.g. Uber, Airbnb, Amazon Marketplace, etc.).

If proprietary products or services are distributed via the internet, then they shall accordingly not be taxed. According to media reports, it is expected that companies will also only be subject to tax if their multinational consolidated turnover exceeds a total of 750 million ($924 million) per annum Furthermore, an additional threshold may be stipulated with regard to annual turnover from digital services within the EU subject to turnover equalisation tax. By all accounts, this will lie somewhere between 10 million and 20 million. The assessment basis for the tax shall be the gross revenue (before costs have been deducted) on all production and distribution levels (B2B/B2C). Both cross-border transactions (within the EU and with third countries) and domestic transactions shall be included. The tax rate is expected to be approximately 2%. The tax paid may be deducted from the assessment basis for foreign corporation tax as an expense.

The EU Commission would reportedly also like to propose the concept of digital/virtual business premises as part of its plans to introduce a common assessment basis for corporation tax. To this end, the European Parliaments Economic Committee also decided to pursue such an approach on February 20 2018. Consequently, business premises shall be established if turnover exceeds 5 million per annum in a member state and, regarding the company and the relevant member state, if either:

more than 1,000 registered users from the state have logged on in a month or visited the site;

more than 1,000 customers resident in the state have made electronic agreements each month; or

the volume of the data collected in the state amounts to more than ten per cent of the total data stored by the company.

With regard to the distribution of consolidated profit, the EU Parliament is considering adding a fourth data factor to the three factors (turnover, payroll/employees and assets).

Furthermore, the OECD is reportedly working on an interim report which is expected to be published on April 18 2018. A wide range of national states  including Israel and Italy  have already implemented similar proposals or are in the process of reviewing them.

This article was prepared by WTS, the main sponsor of International Tax Review's Indirect Tax Forum, which will be held on March 22 - the day after these proposals are due to be released - in Amsterdam. Follow this link for more details.

The material on this site is for financial institutions, professional investors and their professional advisers. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws.  2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQ.

Share this article
Vancouver, B.C. - March 7, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. (TSX-V: DMGI) ("DMG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the formal closing of the previously announced acquisition of Datient Inc., doing business as "Blockseer" (the "Transaction").

The combined DMG - Blockseer alliance represents a strong competitive advantage in providing leading cryptocurrency forensics and proprietary real-time risk scoring for compliance and anti-money laundering (AML). Additionally, Blockseer's blockchain and data analytics expertise provides the capabilities to uniquely offer class-leading enterprise solutions with a natural convergence of Blockchain and artificial intelligence technologies - data is the asset, which can be tracked and monetized utilizing blockchain technology.

Blockseer is a blockchain and artificial intelligence company headquartered in Silicon Valley, California. Blockseer has worked with several law enforcement agencies including the U.S. Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service, and it also provides Ethereum blockchain data services for Blockchain.info, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency wallet providers. Blockseer provides data analytics and incorporates artificial intelligence to provide insight into what is happening with digital currencies and blockchains.

Blockseer's intellectual property (IP) includes two (2) United States provisional patents: (a) Providing Data Provenance, Permissioning, Compliance, and Access Control for Data Storage Systems Using an Immutable Ledger Overlay Network; and (b) Off Network Identity Tracking in Anonymous Cryptocurrency Exchange Networks.

Blockseer's current team comes from Stanford, Harvard, University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon and Columbia with deep experience in artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain and is led by its Chief Executive Officer and founder, Danny Yang. Its advisors include Andreas Weigend, Bill Tai, Stephen Sorkin, Vas Bhandarkar, Phil Porras, and Brian Klein, and its influential shareholders include Charlie Lee, the founder of Litecoin.

"To date, DMG has received recognition as a market leader in the crypto mining space, and now with the Blockseer acquisition, DMG can claim leadership in the blockchain development arena and deliver on its commitment to be a diversified blockchain company. Blockseer is not a single blockchain application, but a blockchain development engine for multiple applications with well-known global customers. We believe that the Blockseer team is amongst the most talented in the industry today, and we welcome Dr. Danny Yang and the Silicon Valley team to DMG," said Daniel Reitzik, CEO and Director of DMG.

Chris Filiatrault, DMG's Chairman and Founder added, "Japan remains the largest crypto market in the world, and very few non-Japanese companies have been successful. With the Blockseer product line, and the DMG presence in the market today, Japan represents a massive opportunity for our stakeholders. We have already planned a visit for Dr. Danny Yang to visit Japan and look forward to sharing our progress in short order."

Terms of the Transaction

Under the terms of the Transaction, DMG, through its U.S. subsidiary ("DMG-US"), acquired Blockseer for a purchase price comprising C$2,630,769 in cash and 7,673,076 common shares of DMG (the "Transaction Shares").

The Transaction Shares issued to the former Blockseer securities holders will be subject to vesting with such shares vesting ratably on a calendar quarterly basis over a two-year period following the Closing (the "Trading Restrictions").

Following the Transaction, DMG-US will own 100% of Blockseer, with DMG-US shares being owned approximately 61% by DMG and approximately 39% by the selling securityholders of Blockseer.

Upon completion of the Trading Restrictions, each individual holder of the DMG-US shall have the option to exchange such shares at the election of the holder 1-for-1 for DMG common shares, which will be fully tradable subject to the regulations of the TSX Venture Exchange. Additionally, in the event that upon completion of the Trading Restrictions, the per share price of DMG's common shares is greater than C$0.40 (as adjusted for stock splits and consolidations), then DMG, at its sole election, shall have the option to exchange all of the shares of DMG-US held by the former security holders of Blockseer 1-for-1 for common shares of DMG, which will be fully tradable shares in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About DMG

DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. is a diversified blockchain and cryptocurrency company that manages, operates and develops end-to-end solutions to monetize the blockchain ecosystem. DMG intends to be the global leader in bitcoin mining hosting - Mining as a Service (MaaS), bitcoin mining, blockchain forensics/analytics, and blockchain platform development.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Daniel Reitzik, CEO & Director

For further information, please contact:

DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc.

Investor Relations: John Martin

Toll Free: 1-888-702-0258

Email: investors@dmgblockchain.com

Web: www.dmgblockchain.com

Direct: 778-868-6470

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information based on current expectations. Statements about the Company's plans and intentions, other potential transactions, product development, events, courses of action, and the potential of the Company's technology and operations, among others, are all forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, business, economic and capital market conditions; the ability to manage operating expenses, which may adversely affect the Company's financial condition; the ability to remain competitive as other better financed competitors develop and release competitive products; regulatory uncertainties; access to equipment; market conditions and the demand and pricing for products; the demand and pricing of bitcoins; security threats, including a loss/theft of DMG's bitcoins; DMG's relationships with its customers, distributors and business partners; the inability to add more power to DMG's facilities; DMG's ability to successfully define, design and release new products in a timely manner that meet customers' needs; the ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel; competition in the industry; the impact of technology changes on the products and industry; failure to develop new and innovative products; the ability to successfully maintain and enforce our intellectual property rights and defend third-party claims of infringement of their intellectual property rights; the impact of intellectual property litigation that could materially and adversely affect the business; the ability to manage working capital; and the dependence on key personnel. DMG may not actually achieve its plans, projections, or expectations. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the demand for its products, the ability to successfully develop software, that there will be no regulation or law that will prevent the Company from operating its business, anticipated costs, the ability to achieve goals and the price of bitcoin. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

The securities of DMG are considered highly speculative due to the nature of DMG's business.

Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, failure to obtain regulatory approval, the continued availability of capital and financing, equipment failures, lack of supply of equipment, power and infrastructure, failure to obtain any permits required to operate the business, the impact of technology changes on the industry, competition, security threats including stolen bitcoins from DMG or its customers, consumer sentiment towards DMG's products, services and blockchain technology generally, failure to develop new and innovative products, litigation, increase in operating costs, increase in equipment and labor costs, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, government regulations, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

More Info:

This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions.

More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com

Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp
NanoSphere Health Sciences is providing next-generation delivery of nutraceuticals & supplements, over-the-counter medications for the cannabis, pharmaceutical, and animal health products, and beyond. Cutting-edge NanoSphere Delivery Systems are up to 6 times more bioavailable and improve product quality. Patent-pending NanoSpheres provide superior delivery of a wide-range of bioactive compounds. NanoSphere Health Sciences helps people achieve better health more rapidly and effectively. (PRNewsfoto/NanoSphere Health Sciences, LLC)

DENVER - March 7, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) NanoSphere Health Sciences Inc. (CSE: NSHS/ OTC: NSHSF) cannabis product brand Evolve Formulas is now stocked in over 100 dispensaries throughout Colorado. The company's pioneering product, Transdermal NanoSerum, uses the NanoSphere Delivery System developed by the biotechnology firm to allow cannabis to enter systemic circulation within ten minutes for fast-acting, effective relief from pain, inflammation and anxiety. This milestone comes on the back of continuous growth, with the company recently signing a licensing agreement in California.

"Evolve Formulas, using revolutionary nanotechnology developed by NanoSphere Health Sciences, is advancing the cannabis industry," said David Sutton, COO and President of Nanosphere Health Sciences. "Evolve Formulas products are now available in over 100 dispensaries throughout Colorado and will launch in California Summer 2018. NanoSphere Health Sciences will continue to expand and bring these products into new markets and is currently in negotiations with several potential partners nationally and internationally."

The patent-pending NanoSphere Delivery System is the only nanotechnology being applied to the cannabis industry that can transport THC directly into the bloodstream and to the CB1 and CB2 receptors of the endocannabinoid system. The delivery system offers precise, measurable doses and rapid absorption. Using this industry-first technology, cannabinoid molecules in NanoSerum are encapsulated in nano-sized lipid membranes, enabling them to pass through the skin into the bloodstream and cells, increasing bioavailability and bioactivity.

NanoSerum is now available in 5ml and 10ml pen sizes in select medical and recreational dispensaries. For a full list of store locations or more information, please visit https://www.evolveformulas.com/store-locator/.

The NanoSerum formula is 100 percent natural and 100 percent free of contaminants, made from natural biocompatible, biodegradable non-toxic materials.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Emily Kielthy at media@nanospherehealth.com or 646-695-7045.

NanoSphere's Commitment to Licensing IP

NanoSphere launched its IP licensing program in 2015 and is entertaining several licensing opportunities via a rigorous evaluation process. For more information about NanoSphere's licensing program, please visit: https://www.nanospherehealth.com/licensing/

About NanoSphere

NanoSphere Health Sciences LLC, is a biotechnology firm specializing in the creation of the NanoSphere Delivery System, a revolutionary platform using nanotechnology in the biodelivery of supplements, nutraceuticals and over-the-counter medications for the cannabis, pharmaceutical and animal health industries, and beyond. NanoSphere Delivery System represents one of the most important developments for advancing the non-invasive and user-friendly delivery of biological agents in over 25 years. For more information on NanoSphere, please visit http://www.nanospherehealth.com.

About Evolve Formulas

Evolve Formulas is the provider of the world's first and only scientifically proven nanoparticle delivery system in cannabis. Evolve's pioneering product, Transdermal NanoSerum, is a fast-acting, ultra-strength transdermal formula infused with nano-encapsulated cannabis and cannabis extracts. NanoSerum immediately penetrates the skin to deliver direct-focused results and intelligently carries a full spectrum of cannabinoids and phytochemicals to receptors throughout the body for systemic healing. Evolve Formula products leverage NanoSphere Health Sciences patent-pending NanoSphere Delivery System. The NanoSphere Delivery System is a revolutionary platform using nanotechnology in the biodelivery of supplements, nutraceuticals and over-the-counter medications for the cannabis, pharmaceutical and animal health industries, and beyond. For more information on Evolve Formulas, visit https://www.evolveformulas.com/. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statement Caution

This news release includes forward looking statements that are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward looking statements, including without limitation any statements concerning the Company's intentions, plans, estimates, expectations or beliefs regarding the future. Although the Company believes that any forward looking statements in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such forward looking statements will prove to be accurate. The Company cautions readers that all forward looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are based on assumptions none of which can be assured, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward looking statements. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Any forward looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in the forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Emily Kielthy

media@nanospherehealth.com

646-695-7045

More Info:

This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions.

More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com

Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp
March 7, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) A company that Resource Maven Gwen Preston profiled just released a maiden resource for its project in Bulgaria just seven months after it began drilling.

Velocity Minerals Ltd. (VLC:TSX.V) on March 5 released a maiden resource for its Rozino Gold Project in Bulgaria. The company reported that at a 0.5 g/t cut-off grade, the resource totals 17 Mt at 1.15 g/t gold for 629,000 ounces of gold.

The company noted that "the current resource estimate is based on approximately 7,500 m of diamond drilling and the Company continues to drill test the system and expects to complete approximately 5,000m of further drilling before initiating a PEA [Preliminary Economic Assessment]." Velocity stated that it expects to release the PEA in the second half of 2018, and that the PEA will contain an updated mineral resource estimate.

Stuart Mills, Velocity's vice president of exploration, stated, "We are a little over half-way through our planned drilling at Rozino, which will bring us to a planned PEA later in 2018. On completion of the PEA, the Company will earn a 70% stake in the Project. The results of this resource are excellent and keep us on track to deliver our PEA within one year of the drill start."

"Having started drilling in late July 2017, we have moved quickly to get to this interim resource estimate in just over 7 months. Our stated objective has always been to define potentially open-pittable resources and defining 90% of resources within 110m of surface is consistent with that goal," Mills noted.

Read Gwen Preston's profile of Velocity Minerals here.

Disclosure:

1) Patrice Fusillo compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee. She or members of her household own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None.

2) The following companies mentioned in this article are sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. As of the date of this article, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has a consulting relationship with Velocity Minerals.

3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article, until one week after the publication of the interview or article. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own shares of Velocity Minerals, a company mentioned in this article.

More Info:

This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions.

More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com

Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp
March 7, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Technical analyst Clive Maund charts a silver explorer that he believes is at a good entry point.

Silver Bull Resources Inc. (SVB:TSX; SVBL:NYSE.MKT) was included in Friday's article, Four Resource Stocks to Buy Now When the Stock Market Is Down, and the part about Silver Bull read as follows:

"Silver Bull Resources Inc. (SVB:TSX; SVBL:NYSE.MKT), C$0.185, $0.15, is now at an excellent entry point. Coeur Mines finished selling its holdings in the stock a while back and the stock has been kept in check by some selling of warrants. However, the company announced a significant discovery last month, and management is about to change out of their scruffy old jeans and T-shirts, put on sharp suits and head for PDAC where the big miners will be present with their checkbooks looking for better juniors to invest in or buy, like this one. Technically Silver Bull is at a great entry point as it is in a strong overall uptrend and at support, and you may recall that we have been buying it on dips in recent weeks.

It wasn't written up on Friday, as the other three stocks in the Email were, due to time limitations and the fact that it was considered a little less urgent than the other three.

We have been accumulating Silver Bull this year on minor weakness because this is a stock that is already in an established uptrend and looks set to do very well indeed during silver's expected major bull market, and we looked at silver's bright prospects in yesterday's Silver Special Commemorative Update.

Last month the company reported very good results from a drilling program, with Tim Barry, president, chief executive officer and director of Silver Bull commenting "We are extremely pleased with the results from this batch of drilling. The new sulphide zone is proving to be very productive for high-grade sulphide mineralization. The drilling summarized in this news release targeted the second of three steeply dipping, discrete structures we have identified in the sulphide zone. Drilling from the first structure announced in the previous news releases of holes T17001 to T17014 were dominated by high-grade silver-copper sulphide mineralization grading up 1,300 g/t silver and 6 per cent copper. A second structure defined by holes T17010 and T17018 to T17022 is dominated by extremely high zinc sulphide mineralization, grading up to 48 per cent zinc and suggests a metal zonation in the mineralization. In addition to the area currently being drilled we have opened up an additional 350 metres of historical workings along the east-west trend of the sulphide mineralization which was announced in January, 2018. This channel sampling program clearly shows the continuation of high-grade mineralization towards the west. Our underground geological mapping of this area shows a number of high-angle structures up to two metres wide containing sulphide mineralization grading up to 1,300 grams per tonne silver, 42 per cent zinc, 18 per cent lead and 13 per cent copper that appear to feed into the overlying oxide zone. This will be the next target of our drill program in this area."

The stock didn't move much on this news, but as stated in the update on Friday it has been held in check by some warrant selling, and also by the depression continuing to afflict the silver sector that as we saw yesterday should end very soon. So how does the latest stock chart for Silver Bull look?

Silver Bull's latest 6-month chart looks very positive indeed, with the gentle reaction that has been going on for about 7 weeks now being a normal correction to the sharp run-up at the start of the year, which we rode. This reaction has fully unwound the earlier overbought condition and brought the price back down to an important zone of support where it appears to be stabilizing above a line of support at C$0.18 in readiness for a new uptrend soon. We went for it again on 13th February. Volume has contracted in a most satisfactory manner, which is why the Accum-Distrib line has remained buoyant. Moving averages are in bullish alignment and with the price in the vicinity of its rising 50-day moving average, everything appears to be in place for a new uptrend to begin, which may well coincide with a breakout by silver from its giant base pattern.

The conclusion therefore is that Silver Bull is a strong buy here and holders should of course stay long. It trades in very good volumes on the US OTC market.

Silver Bull Resources, SVB.TSX, SVBL on OTC, closed at C$0.20, $0.15 on 2nd March 18.

Clive Maund has been president of www.clivemaund.com, a successful resource sector website, since its inception in 2003. He has 30 years' experience in technical analysis and has worked for banks, commodity brokers and stockbrokers in the City of London. He holds a Diploma in Technical Analysis from the UK Society of Technical Analysts.

Read what other experts are saying about:

Disclosure:

1) Clive Maund: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: None. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. My company has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this article: None. CliveMaund.com disclosures below. I determined which companies would be included in this article based on my research and understanding of the sector.

2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Silver Bull Resources. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. As of the date of this article, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has a consulting relationship with Silver Bull Resources.

3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy.

4) This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article, until one week after the publication of the interview or article. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Silver Bull Resources, a company mentioned in this article.

Chart provided by the author.

CliveMaund.com Disclosure:

The above represents the opinion and analysis of Mr Maund, based on data available to him, at the time of writing. Mr. Maund's opinions are his own, and are not a recommendation or an offer to buy or sell securities. Mr. Maund is an independent analyst who receives no compensation of any kind from any groups, individuals or corporations mentioned in his reports. As trading and investing in any financial markets may involve serious risk of loss, Mr. Maund recommends that you consult with a qualified investment advisor, one licensed by appropriate regulatory agencies in your legal jurisdiction and do your own due diligence and research when making any kind of a transaction with financial ramifications. Although a qualified and experienced stock market analyst, Clive Maund is not a Registered Securities Advisor. Therefore Mr. Maund's opinions on the market and stocks can only be construed as a solicitation to buy and sell securities when they are subject to the prior approval and endorsement of a Registered Securities Advisor operating in accordance with the appropriate regulations in your area of jurisdiction.

More Info:

This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions.

More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com

Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp
Greenland Bluejay Mining plc / EPIC: JAY / Market: AIM listed companies / Sector: Mining and Exploration

Bluejay Mining plc (Bluejay' or the Company')

March 7, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Bluejay Mining plc, the AIM and FSE listed company with projects in Greenland and Finland, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded "Prospector and Developer of the Year 2017" by the Government of Greenland. This award is given to companies or individuals who have demonstrated initiative and innovation within Greenland's mineral industry, robust environmental practices and social responsibility as well as providing inspiration on how to successfully explore in Greenland.

The award win was announced at the Government of Greenland's Greenland Day reception at the PDAC 2018 convention.

Bluejay CEO Roderick McIllree said, "It's pleasing to have Dundas and our work recognised as an industry leader by the Government of Greenland. This is a strong vote of confidence and support for the project as well as recognising the success we have had in the identification and rapid advancement of the Dundas Titanium Project.

"With a wider development portfolio, including the Disko-Nuussuaq Magmatic Massive Sulphide Nickel-Copper-Platinum project, as well being the largest licence holder in Finland which includes several historical mining operations we look forward to continuing our work throughout 2018. We will continue to work closely with the Greenlandic Government as we focus on developing Dundas as rapidly as possible whilst at the same time continuing to evaluate opportunities that arise for our wider portfolio in Finland and Greenland."

For further information please visit http://www.titanium.gl or contact:

Roderick McIllree Bluejay Mining plc +44 (0) 20 7907 9326

Ewan Leggat SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP +44 (0) 20 3470 0470

Soltan Tagiev SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP +44 (0) 20 3470 0470

Ingo Hofmaier Hannam & Partners (Advisory) LLP +44 (0) 20 7907 8500

Andrew Chubb Hannam & Partners (Advisory) LLP +44 (0) 20 7907 8500

Charlotte Page St Brides Partners Ltd +44 (0) 20 7236 1177

Megan Dennison St Brides Partners Ltd +44 (0) 20 7236 1177

Notes

Bluejay has a number of highly prospective licences at various stages of development in Greenland and Finland. The Company is dual listed on the London AIM market and Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

The Company is currently focussed on advancing the Dundas Ilmenite Project in Greenland, an area that has only recently revealed its mineral potential following changes in the climate. Dundas, which with an initial Inferred JORC resource of 23.6Mt at 8.8% ilmenite (in situ), including a high-grade zone equal to 7.9Mt at 14.2% ilmenite, and significant further upside, has been proven to be the highest-grade mineral sand ilmenite project globally.

Dundas comprises three main target areas along an >40km coastline historically proven to contain large and high-grade accumulations of primary ilmenite occurring as placer deposits in the following environments:

Raised beaches; containing ilmenite accumulations over widths of more than 1km, of unknown depths, along more than 30km of coastline;

Active beaches; which refer to the area seaward of the frontal dunes, including the beach, tidal zones and surf zone; and

Drowned beaches; refers to the areas seaward of active beaches.

Whilst Dundas is the Company's primary focus, Bluejay also holds a portfolio of prospective assets that offer additional upside opportunity. This includes the Disko Nickel, Copper, Cobalt & Platinum Project in West Greenland, which is held through the Company's 100% owned subsidiary Disko Exploration Limited. The project is of significant exploration interest to Bluejay due to its geological similarities to Norilsk-Talnakh, the world's largest nickel/copper sulphide mine in northern Russia ("Norilsk"). Both Disko and Norilsk contain nickel-copper-cobalt-platinum (Ni-Cu-Co-PGE') rich Magmatic Massive Sulphides ("MMS").

Bluejay also holds a 100% interest in a portfolio of copper, zinc and nickel projects in Finland. This multi-commodity portfolio remains a strategic asset of importance and has been restructured to be cost-sustainable whilst determining the best plan for future development.

Qualified Persons

The information in this press release that relates to Mineral Resources is based on information compiled under the direction of Mr Roderick McIllree who is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Mr McIllree is a full-time employee of Bluejay Mining Plc and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves' (the JORC Code) and for the purposes of the AIM Rules. Mr McIllree has reviewed this press release and consents to the inclusion in the press release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which this appears.

More Info:

This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions.

More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com

Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp
If you are going to be in the market for a new car by the time May rolls around, and you have been looking at the brands under the Fiat Chrysler banner or Volkswagen, then a new bundle deal might be worth your while.

As first reported by TechCrunch today, Apple has teamed up with both Fiat Chrysler and Volkswagen to offer six month free trial periods of Apple Music for customers who buy certain car models that feature Apple CarPlay standard. The six month promotion will e available for new Apple Music customers, and those who are already subscribed to the music streaming service and buy one of the supported models will get three months of free service.

Apple Music normally costs $9.99 per month for an individual account on a monthly basis.

In the United States, Apples teaming up with Fiat Chrysler, and potential car buyers can choose from brands like Jeep, FIAT, Dodge, and Chrysler. Meanwhile, in Europe, Volkswagen is the company that will be offering the six month subscription bundles with Apple CarPlay-supported vehicles.

Its worth noting that these are standard free trials, so if you do buy a car and pick one up, it will automatically renew after the trial period comes to an end if you dont cancel beforehand.

The promo starts on May 1, and it will run until April 30 of next year  so there is plenty of time to take advantage of the deal.

Our Take

This is a deal thats pretty nice as a bonus, and Apple should try to work with as many different auto manufacturers as it can to get Apple Music subscriptions in even more hands, even if they are just free trials. Many customers might even make the switch to the music streaming platform, especially with six months to use it every day and let the platform learn their tastes.

Might be a bit hard to convince Spotify users to switch, though.

[via TechCrunch
If you have news to share, please send your submission to erikrose@iun.edu .

Whether its a published article, book, prestigious award or speaking engagement, members of Indiana University Northwests faculty and staff continue to share their wealth of expertise. We applaud the most recent top achievers that have made a name for themselves and IU Northwest.

IU to honor Young for distinguished teaching

Christopher Young, associate professor in the departments of history, philosophy, political science and religious studies, will receive the Silvia E. Bowman Distinguished Teaching Award at a celebration at IU in Bloomington on April 13.

Established in 1994, the Sylvia E. Bowman Award honors exemplary faculty members in areas related to American civilization. Young's scholarly work has focused on America during the Revolution, the early Republic, and teaching development.

Young also directs the campus's Center for Innovation and Scholarship in Teaching and Learning, where he works to support faculty in developing good teaching practices through development programs, consultations and mentoring.

* * *

Ana Osan, professor of modern languages, was recently inducted as an honorary member of the North American Academy of the Spanish Language (Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Espanola, ANLE) and as a corresponding member of the Spanish Royal Academy (Real Academia Espanola, RAE). The event took place at the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, at New York University.

* * *

Anja Matwijkiw, professor of professional ethics and human rights, and adjunct professor of womens and gender studies, recently accepted an invitation to write a memorial piece about M. Cherif Bassiouni, to celebrate his extraordinary contributions to the global justice movement. The piece, titled In Memoriam, M. Cherif Bassiouni (1937-2017), will appear in The Global Community Yearbook of International Law and Jurisprudence, published by Oxford University Press. Matwijkiws co-author for the piece is her brother, Bronik Matwijkiw, of Southeast Missouri State University.

Matwijkiw, an expert on biomedical ethics and law at the national and international levels, is also now listed by Medecins Sans Frontieres, a medical humanitarian organization, created in 1971 in Paris, France.

In The Practical Guide to Humanitarian Law, published by Medecins Sans Frontieres, Matwijkiws work, A Philosophical Perspective on Rights, Accountability, and Post-Conflict Justice: - Setting up the Premises appears as an expert resource in the following areas: impunity, judicial guarantees, non-applicability of statutory limitations, responsibility, universal jurisdiction, war crimes/crimes against humanity. Medecins Sans Frontieres, or Doctors Without Borders, is a publication committed to human rights as global imperatives.
Khash during weddings (video)

Luiza Ivanova greets in her mother tongue. "My surname is Ivanova. It is not an Assyrian surname since we did not have any surname, as it is. We were called after our father  Luiza But Simon or Liana But Simon. "During the Russian-Persian war our compatriots took different surnames, thus, that tradition continued. "We are a common Assyrian family who speak Assyrian at home, whose children studied at the secondary school in Arzni, attended the Russian sector, where learnt our language, literature, and history. "The Assyrian language is very complicated. We do not have capital and small letters. We write from the right to the left, and we start writing from the end of the textbook so as it is comfortable. Shrikhane is the dance that every Assyrian should and must know and dance. Our weddings last for three days. The first day is the meat ceremony which takes place in grooms house. That day the groom and bride cannot meet. It is a bad sign. The second day is the wedding ceremony, as others usually celebrate, and the third day is the day of eating khash. "I also foresee my wedding according to our traditions. "To the question that I am always asked, whether you wanted to have your own country and all of you move and live there, I always answer that, to tell the truth, I do not know. "I study at Yerevan State Medical University; I want to become a surgeon, a respected and famous surgeon who will also be known abroad."
UCOM prolongs the unlimited internet offer for the level up 4700 and level up 5500 subscribers

Ucom employees received recognition for their services to the homeland

Karen Vardanyan has allocated 105 million AMD to rescue the Yerevan Botanical Garden.

"The Power of One Dram" to overcome childhood cancer

Google Ad

Generation A 13  your chance to be the change

President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan met with Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Khovayev

"uDays" special offer at Ucom: discounts for all smartphones and accessories for 2 days only

For more than 3 hours, 50 or more Azerbaijani servicemen have blocked the interstate road

Call on the international community for an adequate response against azerbaijani aggresssion

Transformation and trust are important for success in modern banking. Artak Hanesyan

UCOMS LEVEL UP 1700 REGIONAL TARIFF PLAN USERS TO RECEIVE MORE THAN THOSE IN YEREVAN

Joint statement

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

Covid-19: 163 new cases in Armenia

Armenia: Remarks by Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi at the press point with Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan

The United States Welcomes Azerbaijans Release of Armenian Detainees and Armenias Actions to Facilitate Demining

Google Ad

The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia

International aviation: Council greenlights signing of major agreements with four countries

With UCOMs level up tariff plans subscribers have unlimited access to Netflix, Duolingo and Zoom

Armenia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the early parliamentary elections

Armenias Parliamentary Elections PRESS STATEMENT

COVID19:77 new cases

Armenias early parliamentary elections were competitive and well run, but polarized and marred by aggressive rhetoric, international observers say

International election observers to Armenias early parliamentary elections held press conference

Drop Charges Against Rights Defender Sashik Sultanyan

The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia

The European Union in Armenia calls all parties to contribute to a peaceful Election Day to celebrate democracy

22 ventilators to Armenia

PACE to observe the early parliamentary elections in Armenia
During the protest organized by Front Line Defenders, activists displayed posters of Al Khawaja and shouted free Abdulhadi.



(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Activists gathered in front of the Bahraini embassy in London on Monday for their monthly protest, demanding the release of jailed Bahraini human rights defender Abdulhadi Al Khawaja.



During the protest organized by Front Line Defenders, activists displayed posters of Al Khawaja and shouted free Abdulhadi.



Al-Khawaja is serving a life sentence over his role in Bahrains pro-democracy protests in 2011.



Recent reports revealed that authorities at Bahrains Jaw Prison are subjecting the prominent activist to humiliating restrictions and abuses.







/257
Editor in Chief Johanna Love has covered the Jackson Hole community as part of the News&Guide staff since 1998. She took the helm of the newsroom in 2017. She fields story tips and kudos as well as criticism and questions.
Mike has reported on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's wildlife, wildlands and the agencies that manage them since 2012. A native Minnesotan, he arrived in the West to study environmental journalism at the University of Colorado.
Kylie Mohr covers the education and health beats. Mohr grew up in Washington and came to Wyoming via Georgetown. She loves seeing the starry night sky again.
Cody Cottier covers town and state government. He grew up with a view of the Olympic Mountains, and after graduating Washington State University he traded it for a view of the Tetons. Odds are the mountains are where youll find him when not on deadline.
Bahraini authorities have refused to grant the daughter of prominent Shia and opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman full citizenship as the ruling Al Khalifah regime does not shy away from its heavy-handed clampdown on political dissidents and pro-democracy campaigners in the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom.

(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Bahraini authorities have refused to grant the daughter of prominent Shia and opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman full citizenship as the ruling Al Khalifah regime does not shy away from its heavy-handed clampdown on political dissidents and pro-democracy campaigners in the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom.



Sheikh Salmans wife, Alya Radhi, wrote in a post published on her Twitter page that their three-year-old daughter Sareh still does not hold a Bahraini national identity card despite the fact that the child has all the required documents, Arabic-language Lualua television newspaper reported.



Radhi added that Bahraini officials are intentionally prolonging the registration process.



On November 1, 2017, the 52-year-old secretary general of the dissolved al-Wefaq National Islamic Society and two of his colleagues, Hassan Sultan and Ali al-Aswad, were charged with spying on behalf of a foreign country... with the aim of carrying out subversive acts against Bahrain and harming its national interests.



Sheikh Salman was also charged with revealing defense secrets to a foreign country and disseminating information that would harm Bahrain's status and reputation.



The senior Bahraini Shia cleric as been in jail on a nine-year prison sentence since late 2014 for what the Manama regime has called insulting government officials, inciting unrest through his speeches targeting the authorities during the 2011 uprising, attempting to overthrow the regime and collaborating with foreign powers.



Sheikh Salman denies all the charges, saying he has merely been seeking reforms in the country through peaceful means.



Amnesty International and other human rights groups have already censured his arrest and called for his release.



Thousands of anti-regime protesters have held demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising began in the country in mid-February 2011.



They are demanding that the Al Khalifah regime relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.



Manama has gone to great lengths to clamp down on any sign of dissent. On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to assist Bahrain in its crackdown.



Scores of people have lost their lives and hundreds of others sustained injuries or got arrested as a result of the Al Khalifah regimes crackdown.



On March 5, 2017, Bahrains parliament approved the trial of civilians at military tribunals in a measure blasted by human rights campaigners as being tantamount to imposition of an undeclared martial law countrywide.



Bahraini monarch King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah ratified the constitutional amendment on April 3 last year.











/129
Allie Gross covers Teton County government. Originally from the Chicago area, she joined the News&Guide in 2017 after studying politics and Spanish at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
Email your Circling the Square information to Connie Owen at connie_owen@msn.com or call her at 734-9512.
You are the owner of this article.
Scene Editor Billy Arnold covers arts and entertainment. He apprenticed as a sound engineer at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio before making his way to Jackson, where he has become a low-key fan of country music.
Council of Islamic Ideology Govt of Pakistan Jobs 2018

Latest Council of Islamic Ideology Research Posts Islamabad 2021 Translation Officers, MA English / Urdu, Research Officers, MA Arabic, Composers, Graduate, Assistant Private Secretary BA, Research Assistants, Data Entry Operators, LDC and Urdu Typists are required in Council of Islamic Ideology Govt of Pakistan in Islamabad.

How to Apply on Council of Islamic Ideology Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.



Telephone: 051-9205652

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted.
Government Paramedical School Jhelum Jobs 2018

Latest Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Department Labor Posts Jhelum 2021 Government Paramedical School Jhelum, Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Department, Government of the Punjab required candidates for the posts of Lab Attendant, Mali, Watchman and Sanitary Worker.

How to Apply on Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Department Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.



Telephone: .

Official Website: .

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted.
Pakistan International Public School & College Jobs

Latest Pakistan International Public School & College Management Posts Abbottabad 2021 Lady Warden with Minimum FA / FSc, with Professional Experience are required in Pakistan International Public School & Girls College PIPS in Abbottabad.

How to Apply on Pakistan International Public School & College Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted.
University of the Punjab PU Jobs 2018

Latest University Of The Punjab PU Education Posts Lahore 2021 Punjab University Jhelum Campus, Pakistan seeks candidates for the posts of Assistant Professor (Business Administration), Lecturers ( Administrative Science, Business Administration, Commerce, Law, Information Technology, Economics, English, Islamic Studies, Mathematics).

College of Engineering & Emerging Technology required Lecturer in Material Engineering & Metallurgy.

Institute of Communication Studies seeks individuals for the posts of Project Manager Media.

How to Apply on University Of The Punjab PU Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.



Official Website: www.pu.edu.pk

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted.
Salman is due to meet with British Prime Minister Theresa May at her countryside residence for talks on Thursday and will also be hosted for lunch and dinner by Britains royals.



(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Demonstrators are expected to gather outside Downing Street in London on Wednesday to protest against the visit of Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to the UK.



Salman is due to meet with British Prime Minister Theresa May at her countryside residence for talks on Thursday and will also be hosted for lunch and dinner by Britains royals.



According to the Financial Times newspaper, Saudi Arabia and the UK will sign a series of agreements during the three day visit, worth more than USD 100 billion.



However, the UKs opposition politicians and international rights groups have called on May to challenge the crown prince on Saudi Arabias rights abuses both at home and abroad.



The leader of the British opposition Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn said that May should tell Bin Salman that Britain would no longer supply arms to Riyadh while the devastating Saudi-led bombing of Yemen continues.



Saudi Arabia started bombing Yemen in March 2015. Tens of thousands have since been killed and the military campaign has paved the way for one of the worlds worst humanitarian catastrophes in living memory.



British arms companies are some of the biggest suppliers of weapons to Saudi Arabia, and the British government has approved billions of pounds in export licenses over the past three years.







/257
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on March 1, 2018 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with Muhammad Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyid - the Syrian Minister of Awqaf [religious endowments] - and a number of Syrian scholars.

(AhlulBayt News Agency) - The following is the full text of the speech delivered on March 1, 2018 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with Muhammad Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyid - the Syrian Minister of Awqaf [religious endowments] - and a number of Syrian scholars.



In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful



All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master Muhammad, upon his household, upon his pure companions and upon those who obey them until the Day of Judgment



First of all, I would like to welcome all the esteemed participants, the honorable Minister of Awqaf [religious endowments], the honorable scholars and all the dear participants. I thank the esteemed Minister of Awqaf for his very valuable and eloquent statements. I also thank the group of reciters and poets for their recitation of the Holy Quran and their poems. Both the content and the form were good and exquisite and they had a good performance.



We are by Syria's side. Today, Syria stands in the frontlines. It is our responsibility to support Syria's steadfastness. Mr. Bashar al-Assad  the honorable President of Syria  has appeared as a warrior and great resister. He did not let doubt appear in him and he stood firm. This is very important for a nation. The Muslim nations which live with disgrace are not disgraced nations, rather it is their leaders who are disgraced. If a nation has leaders who have a feeling of dignity about Islam and about their identity, that nation will become dear and the enemy will not be able to do a damn thing against such a nation.



We have entered into the 40th year of the Revolution. Since the first day, superpowers in the world joined hands and acted against us. The US, the Soviet Union, NATO, Arab and regional reactionaries all joined hands, but we were not ruined and we achieved growth. What does this mean? The first meaning of this statement is that what great powers want is not necessarily possible. All of them decided that we should be ruined, but we were not ruined. So, it is evident that it is not the case that what the US, Europe and atomic powers in the world want will certainly happen. Well, understanding this truth gives hope and power to nations. Therefore, if we, you and the other elements of the Resistance in the region act in a decisive manner, the enemy will not be able to do a damn thing. This is one issue.



Another issue is that Islam has promised us that victory belongs to the mujahid believers. If faith does not exist, victory will not be achieved completely. If faith exists without jihad and endeavor, there will not be any result. It is our responsibility to support and defend Islam and the Islamic movement.



One of the requirements for this is that we should put aside these denominational and tribal differences. Well, if we put aside these differences, there are some people who are opposed to this and who do not want to let this happen. They provoke some of us and some of our brothers and as a result, they are forced to speak, act and work against the movement of unity. If those who play this role are not affiliated with global and arrogant policies and if their activities do not stem from these policies, they should be ignored. We should not pay attention to these individuals. However, if like the Saudis and some others, this effort to create discord stems from arrogant policies, they should be confronted in a firm manner.



We do not believe in the kind of Shia which is supported by London. We do not consider those Sunnis who are supported by the US and Israel as Muslims. We do not consider them Muslims in any way. Islam is that which is opposed to kufr, to oppression and to arrogance. These are our common points. Our common points are monotheism, Ka'bah and the holy existence of the Holy Prophet (sawas). Our common points are kindness towards the Ahlul Bayt [the Holy Prophet's household] (as). And there are many other common points. All our obligations are among the common points.



If I say qunut [non-obligatory part of daily prayers in Shia school] during daily prayers but you do not do so, this is not something that creates discord. The essence of the issue is that we should believe in the existence of a single God, in nubuwwat [belief in the Holy Prophet] in divine assistance and in Judgment Day in the true sense of the word. These are the essence of the issue.



I hope that you and we will see the day when you are conductiong public prayers in Quds, God willing. We believe that that day will come. It is possible that this humble person and people like us will not be living on that day, but it will come eventually and it will not come late.



A few years ago, the Zionist government, which is your neighbor, said that they will do such and such a thing against Iran in 25 years. I said that you will not see 25 years from now, so you will not be able to do that! By Allah's favor, that day will come.







/129


Mr. Lars Ronnas speaking at the event

The event, co-organized by Embassy of Sweden, Center for Media and Development Initiatives and Vietnam Climate and Energy Journalism Network, aims to provide Swedens experiences in sustainable development and give recommendations for Vietnam on the sideline of the International Water Week in Hanoi.

Since the mid-1990s, Sweden is one of few industrialized countries that have managed an absolute decoupling between economic growth and green house gas (GHG) emissions: a rising economy paired with falling emission levels. The countrys GHG emissions are among the lowest in the EU and OECD, whether calculated per capita or as a proportion of GDP.

According to Mr. Lar Ronnas, Sweden is ready to collaborate with other countries, like Vietnam to look for new kind of development that is needed to address climate change.

For the 2015-2018 period, Sweden has allocated SEK4 billion (EUR522 million), for the United Nations Green Climate Fund, a financial mechanism that will help the transition to the new climate economy.

Dr. Jakob Granit, General Director of Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management said Vietnam and Sweden will develop cooperation in freshwater management; marine management; environmental monitoring, digitalization and information systems for sustainable water use.

The agency will continue to support the implementation of the Ridge to reef project of Quang Nam and Da Nang on the Vu Gia - Thu Bon River Basin system over the period 2017-2020. These supports policy influenced and recommendations for the linking freshwater and marine targets for integrated management approaches.

Dr. Phil Graham, International projects manager and senior researcher at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute said the institute currently has an active cooperation with National Center for Water Resources Planning and Investigation under Vietnams Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

He recommended that Vietnam needs to continue developing capacity to perform climate change assessments and impacts analysis over many different sectors. One of the main areas that need continued work is providing relevant information for relevant applications.

Much climate data is being produced worldwide, but this does not really serve its purpose until it is processed into usable information for decision makers and planners at regional and local level, he added.

Ms. Birgitta Liss Lymer, Programme Manager at Stockholm International Water Institute stressed Vietnam and Sweden are moving from a period of water abundance to more water scarcity as a result of climate change and it is necessary to improve the management of water demand through pricing (Vietnam has the lowest price on water in ASEAN) water use efficiency and water re-use.

A recent study identified among 10 rivers that contribute the most plastic to the ocean, eight are located in Asia. We need to reduce the amount of plastic flowing into the sea from river basins, she added.

Vietnam is considered as one of the countries most affected by climate change, its Mekong Delta is one of the world's three most vulnerable deltas (together with the Nile Delta in Egypt and the Ganges Delta in Bangladesh) to the sea level rising.

The challenge urges the country to take greater efforts in its policies and measures to improve public awareness and capacity of responding to climate change while promoting economic development in order to raise the countrys economic competitiveness and national status on the international arena./.
It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover
A federal judge in Maryland on Monday rejected [PDF, text] a challenge to President Donald Trumps decision to end the Deferred Action for Child Arrival (DACA) program, an Obama-era immigration policy that protects undocumented children.

Judge Roger Titus stated that while he does not agree with Trumps decision, it is not the job of the judiciary to set immigration policy. This Court does not like the outcome of this case, but is constrained by its constitutionally limited role to the result that it has reached, Titus wrote. Hopefully, the Congress and the President will finally get their job done.

The judge added,

As disheartening or inappropriate as the presidents occasionally disparaging remarks may be, they are not relevant to the larger issues governing the DACA rescission. The DACA Rescission Memo is clear as to its purpose and reasoning, and its decision is rationally supported by the administrative record

The ruling is a victory for the Trump administration. Trump tweeted [tweet], Federal Judge in Maryland has just ruled that President Trump has the right to end DACA. President Obama had 8 years to fix this problem, and didnt. I am waiting for the Dems, they are running for the hills!

The decision does not affect the current status of DACA. The program is still in place because other courts have handed down injunctions mandating the program continue while legal challenges to Trumps decision to end the program continue. The administration originally set a March 5 deadline for the end of DACA.

Current recipients are able to apply for renewal while the cases are pending, but no new illegal immigrants who would otherwise be covered by the program can apply.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro [official website] on Monday filed a lawsuit [complaint, PDF] against Uber [official website] for violating the states Breach of Personal Information Notification Act [text].

Uber violated Pennsylvania law by failing to put our residents on timely notice of this massive data breach, said Shapiro [official press release]. Uber hid the incident for over a year  and actually paid the hackers to delete the data and stay quiet.

The breach in question occurred in October 2016. Uber withheld the breach [NYT report] from the public for over a year until finally admitting to the security failure [press release] in November 2017.

The 2016 breach affected 57 million driver and rider accounts, which included roughly 25 million American users and 4.1 million American drivers. The hackers gained access to the names, emails, and phone numbers of those accounts. The suit alleges that the most significant breach occurred for a subset of 600,000 Uber drivers, including at least 13,500 Pennsylvania citizens, who had their US drivers license numbers exposed. The complaint treats each of Ubers failure to notify an affected driver as a separate violation, allowing Shapiro pursue civil penalties of $1,000 to 3,000 for each violation depending on the consumers age. Thus, the first suit filed under Pennsylvanias breach notification law since its enactment in 2005 carries a potential fine of at least $13.5 million.

Additionally, Uber is accused based on its actions surrounding the breach of fraudulent or deceptive conduct which creates a likelihood of confusion or misunderstanding under Pennsylvanias Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law [text].

Uber spokesman Craig Ewer issued[PennLive report] the following statement:

While we make no excuses for the previous failure to disclose the data breach, Ubers new leadership has taken a series of steps to be accountable and respond responsibly. We investigated the incident, disclosed the circumstances to state and federal regulators, and reached out to state Attorneys General, including Attorney General Shapiro, to express Ubers desire to cooperate fully with any investigations. While we dispute the accuracy of some of the characterizations in the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals lawsuit, we will continue to cooperate with them and ask only that we be treated fairly.

At least 43 other state attorneys general have been investigating this data breach.
[JURIST] The Romanian Constitutional Court [official website] on Tuesday struck down [press release and judgment, in Romanian] a law that would have allowed politicians to own their own private businesses.

The bill, known as Law no. 161/2003 [text, in Romanian], first came before the Romanian Senate in November, where it was ultimately rejected in its entirety. However, less than one month later, the bill was passed into law by the Romanian Chamber of Deputies, a move which some said violated Romanian principles of bicameralism. The law allowed any member of the federal or local government, from a deputy mayor to a senator, to conduct and own a private business.

On January 18, President Klaus Iohannis [official website], sent a letter [text, in Romanian] in which he referred the matter to the court and voiced to the court his opinions regarding the laws unconstitutionality. Iohannis began by stating that the Chamber of Deputies violated the constitutional provisions regarding bicameralism by failing to resubmit the law to the Senate after its approval. He then stated that the law diminishes the standards of integrity Romanian lawmakers should be held to. He also argued that the law would also create an unworkable conflict of interest between a lawmakers business interests and the interests of the nation.

In making his plea to the court, Iohannis cited a 2014 report of the European Commission [text, PDF] concerning corruption in Romania. Quoting directly from the report, Iohannis stated that the European Commission charged Romania with ensur[ing] that there are no exceptions to the applicability of legislative acts on incompatibility, conflicts of interest, and unjustified wealth.

Following deliberations, the court unanimously voted to accept the referral of Iohannis and declared the law unconstitutional. The court stated that the law ran afoul of constitutional requirements ensuring transparency in the exercising of power by public dignities in public functions.
UN investigators on Tuesday reported [press release] that Russian airstrikes on a Syrian market that killed more than 80 civilians last year may constitute a war crime.

The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria [official website] stated that on November 13 the Russian Air Force carried out airstrikes on a densely populated civilian area in Atareb (Aleppo), killing at least 84 people and injuring another 150. Using unguided weapons, the attack struck a market, police station, shops, and a restaurant.

The Commission says that while there is no evidence to indicate that the Russian attack deliberately targeted civilians, the use of unguided bombs, including blast weapons, in a densely civilian populated area may amount to the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks resulting in death and injury to civilians.

While offensives to defeat Islamic State (IS) insurgents throughout Syria appear to have successfully dislodged the terrorist group, the battles came at an extremely high cost to civilians. Aerial and ground operations to defeat [IS] further triggered one of the single largest waves of internally displaced persons since the inception of the conflict. Hundreds of thousands of Syrian men, women, and children from Ar-Raqqah and Dayr al-Zawr fled clashes only to relocate to desert camps in northern Syria.

The report states, since the inception of the Syrian conflict, attacks against civilian and protected objects by all parties have been a grotesque feature, in violation of international humanitarian law.
In this Jan. 19, 2007, file photo, visitors leave the James A. McClure Federal Building & United States Courthouse in downtown Boise, Idaho. A federal judge says Idaho can't continue automatically rejecting applications from transgender people seeking to change the gender listed on their birth certificates. The judge said Monday, March 5, 2018, that the state's rules violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. (AP Photo/Troy Maben)
Canadian National locomotives are seen Monday, February 23, 2015 in Montreal.Canadian National is apologizing for failing to keep grain shipments moving reliably by rail, and says it's taking immediate steps to clear the backlog including mobilizing more train cars and workers. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Ontario's Liberal government is breaking its promise to maintain a balanced budget this year, saying its upcoming fiscal plan will run a deficit in order to fund programs for seniors, women and students ahead of a spring election. Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa speaks to members of the media as he arrives for meetings with other provincial and territorial ministers and the federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa on Monday, Dec. 11, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
FILE - In this Dec. 16, 2015 file photo, Aldemir Bendine, CEO of Petrobras, speaks with foreign journalists in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the midst of a continuing federal investigation into a kickback scheme at Brazil's state-run oil company. The now former chief executive officer of Brazil's state oil company Petrobras has been sentenced on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, to 11 years in prison as part of sprawling corruption investigation that has ensnared many of the country's top business and political leaders. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., joined from left by, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., meets with reporters following a closed-door Republican strategy session on Capitol Hill as they face how to deal with President Donald Trump's impending trade tariffs, in Washington, Tuesday, March 6, 2018. President Donald Trump isn't budging on his international tariff stance so far despite remarkably public pleadings from Speaker Ryan and other Republican allies to back off his threat and avoid a possible trade war. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
FILE -- In this March, 24, 2015 file photo, Maria del Pilar Perdomo, 58, holds up a framed portrait of slain Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Arnulfo Romero, during a procession to mark the 35th anniversary of his assassination in San Salvador, El Salvador. Pope Francis has cleared the way for slain Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero to be made a saint, declaring that a churchman who stood up for the poorest of the poor in the face of right-wing oppression should be a model for Catholics today. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)
FILE - This Thursday, March 1, 2018, file photo shows a Dick's Sporting Goods sign at one of their stores. A 20-year-old man in southern Oregon has filed a lawsuit against DickAos Sporting Goods and Walmart after he says they refused to sell him a rifle. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2007 file photo, Stormy Daniels arrives for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. A proposal to name a Utah highway after President Donald Trump is getting pushback from state Democrats, including one suggesting a ramp should be named for porn star Stormy Daniels. Sen. Jim Dabakis on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, said he's trying to show lawmakers that many people would be offended by the idea to honor Trump for his decision to shrink two national monuments. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles,File)
HOLD FOR USE WITH STORY MOVING WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018-In this Feb. 23, 2018 photo Air Force veteran Ed Warren, 82, and his wife, Jac Warren, 81, pose for a photo while visiting San Diego, to attend the Democrats' annual convention and talk to lawmakers. The couple is voicing opposition to a regulation that requires veterans in state homes to be discharged before they can use a new state law allowing physician-assisted deaths for the terminally ill. The California Department of Veterans Affairs officials say the Department of Veterans Affairs does not allow federal funds to be used for assisted suicides. The couple lives at the nation's largest retirement home in Yountville, California. (AP Photo by Julie Watson)
Do good to feel good It is easy to begin to feel in a bit of a slump when every time one turns on the news or listens to the...

Spindle Items ..BACK TO SCHOOL SAFETY  Schools often have very specific drop-off procedures for the school year. Make sure you know them for the safety of...

Out of the Past 25 Years AgoSept. 18, 1996 Youve heard about lake-effect snow, well how about lake-effect rain? That was the culprit that dumped seven inches of rain...

Crisis and opportunity I have long subscribed to the belief that in every crisis there is opportunity. I hope this is the case with our current governmental crisis...
Berikut beberapa tips bermain togel singapore.. Jika Anda adalah pemain lotre pertama yang menemukan trik untuk melakukan lotre di Singapura, berikut adalah beberapa trik paling populer. Karena ada bandar taruhan online, bermain game lotere jauh lebih berpengalaman. Taruhan taruhan online adalah layanan perjudian virtual.

Bermain permainan togel melalui layanan taruhan online memiliki banyak fitur. Ini dimulai dengan mudah, nyaman, mudah, nyaman, dan nyaman. Jadi, pemain Indonesia sekarang bermain lotere secara online.

Anda dapat mendengar suara bermain lotere dengan kontrak online. Yang harus Anda lakukan adalah mendaftar dan setoran Anda akan dimulai. Tentu saja, dalam proses yang sederhana dan mengganggu, Anda dapat langsung menggandakan dana Anda dalam taruhan lotere dengan taruhan online.

Dengan sistem taruhan online. Kenyamanan berarti dalam hal ini, tetapi tidak ada hubungannya dengan kenyamanan. Meskipun demikian, gamer dapat melakukan hal-hal lain seperti lelucon untuk ditangani.

Trik bertaruh Togel Singapura menggunakan teknik diversifikasi taruhan

Tentunya, inilah impian setiap pemain lotere di dunia. Untuk menggunakan permainan lotere online ini, Anda harus mahir dalam lotere. Salah satu teknik yang dapat digunakan adalah penggunaan teknik diversifikasi taruhan.

Diversifikasi taruhan berarti Anda telah terdaftar untuk berbagai jenis taruhan. Alasan menelepon adalah karena jenis perjudian ini memengaruhi peluang Anda untuk menang. Apakah ada peluang kehilangan semua modal Anda saat bermain lotere dengan bandar taruhan online?

Trik lotere Singapura untuk menunda diversifikasi taruhan juga sangat sederhana. Misalnya, Anda sudah menjadi anggota taruhan online dan Anda memiliki saldo 100.000 di akun perjudian online Anda. Dengan modal yang Anda pegang, Anda bisa membaginya menjadi beberapa jenis taruhan.

Pada musim gugur, dia bermain di pasar lotere Singapura. Musim gugur ini, permainan lotere online menawarkan satu atau dua suguhan steak besar. Misalnya, saya pernah mendengar taruhan dalam kategori umum, yang menempati urutan kedua di pasar lotere Singapura.

Saya tidak mengelola semua ibu kota dalam 2d musim gugur ini. Karena ini adalah taruhan utama, Anda bisa kehilangan setengah dari jumlah taruhan Anda di Jenis Taruhan 2d Lotere Singapura. Bandar judi lotere online memungkinkan Anda untuk memasang taruhan yang sama pada jenis taruhan yang berbeda.

Maksimalkan keuntungan Anda dengan memilih taruhan yang tepat

Anda dapat mendengar tentang taruhan tertentu melalui Trik Lotere Singapura di atas. Bahkan jika Anda tidak beruntung, kemungkinan kehilangan semua modal Anda dijual. Jadi teknik ini bekerja dengan sangat baik saat bermain game online.

Teknik ini juga harus digunakan oleh bandar taruhan online yang baik. Bahkan jika Anda bermain lotere online di Singapura, pastikan Anda mendapatkan layanan taruhan terbaik. Jangan tertipu oleh bandar judi lotere online atau bandar judi lotere online yang tidak memenuhi syarat.

Ini termasuk dealer lotere online yang menawarkan hubungan dan kesepakatan terbaik. Tentunya hal tersebut menjamin kenyamanan dalam hal pelayanan yang terbaik. Anda pasti bisa melihat lebih banyak dan bermain dengan lebih tenang. Bagaimana Anda bisa lebih tertarik dengan pengangguran?

Penawaran langsung dalam bentuk bonus atau diskon dari partisipasi dealer lotere online. Ketika datang ke taruhan online, berbagai hak alami telah muncul. Karena bonus adalah salah satu pengaturan publik saat bermain.

Sebagian, topik diskon kurang menguntungkan. Semakin banyak diskon yang Anda perhatikan, semakin banyak prinsip yang ada daripada Anda. Anda dapat melakukan trik, bermain, bermain, dan berdagang lotere di Singapura.
CAMAS VALLEY, Ore. -- Deputies are investigating a threat made towards a high school in Douglas County.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office was notified of a suspicious note found at Camas Valley High School. The note specifically referenced a bomb threat at the school.

Deputies are investigating and said they will arrest those responsible for the threat.

The sheriff's office takes all threats seriously and has been working closely with the school.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Douglas County Sheriff's Office at 541-440-4471, by email, or online at www.safeoregon.com
LAKEVIEW, Ore. (AP) - Three Lane County men have been arraigned on charges stemming from a wildfire that scorched thousands of acres in south-central Oregon last July.

Authorities say the men were at a family gathering near Summer Lake when they added pyrotechnics to targets and shot at the targets. They say it sparked the Ana Fire, which destroyed a hunting cabin.

Lake County District Attorney Sharon Forster previously told The Bulletin newspaper that exploding targets such as Tannerite are legal in Oregon, but attaching fireworks and shooting at them recklessly in dry summer conditions is not.

The defendants are 34-year-old David Evans and 27-year-old Elijah Dyer, both of Springfield, and 68-year-old Gary Bigelow of Walterville. They have been charged with reckless burning, criminal conspiracy and manufacturing of a destructive device.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for next month. Rather than travel to Lakeview, the men may appear by phone.
1 of 4

Raveena Tandon in a legal trouble, FIR against her



Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon has disputed allegations that she shot an advertisement inside a no-camera zone at Bhubaneswar's Sri Lingaraj Temple. Tandon's clarification followed Lingaraj Temple authorities lodging an FIR against her. The complaint alleged that she had shot an advertisement in the 'No Camera Zone' inside the premises of the 11th century lord Shiva shrine, which is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).



The incident come to the fore after a video surfaced on social media showing Tandon offering beauty tips inside the temple premises and it is recorded by a person with a mobile phone. She had visited the temple on Sunday. Read More...


DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP)  An eastern Iowa man was seriously injured when he accidently shot himself in the parking lot of a Davenport gun show.

Davenport police on Monday told the Quad-City Times the man "had a negligent discharge of his personal firearm while seated in his vehicle" on Sunday at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. The fairgrounds was hosting the Big Bore Gun Show at the time.

Police would only identify the victim as a 42-year-old man. His injuries were described as "potentially life-threatening" but he had improved by Monday.

Loaded weapons aren't permitted at the fairgrounds, including in the gun show. Police are deciding whether to charge the man for violating the loaded weapon ban.
OSAGE, Iowa  The Mitchell County Sheriffs Office said there was no threat to Osage schools Tuesday morning despite people calling into the school and the sheriffs office.

According to the Mitchell County Sheriff, the school was made aware of a domestic call that involved a juvenile that had nothing to do with the school. No weapon was found during the investigation.

Thats when authorities said people started to call the sheriffs office and the school due to what they heard on the police scanner.

That prompted the following post from the Mitchell County Sheriffs Office on Tuesday morning.

Please be aware that the call this morning that has people concerned has been investigated. The concern was caused by human error. There is no threat to the Osage Schools, the post said.
MASON CITY, Iowa  One man has pleaded guilty in two separate criminal cases.

22-year-old Joshuah John Hockenson of Mason City was arrested in October 2017 and accused of stealing tools and bicycles from several garages along 10th Street NE in Mason City. Police say they then caught him riding a stolen bicycle and wearing a stolen pink back pack in January.

Hockenson has entered guilty pleas to three counts of 3rd degree burglary. Hes been sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution of $482.75 to one of his victims. Hockenson must also spend up to 180 days at a residential correctional facility.
MASON CITY, Iowa  A Plymouth woman has been arrested after police say she assaulted a nurse.

Melissa Hauge, 41, has been charged with two counts of assault on persons in certain occupations after an alleged incident at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, East Campus.

Police say Hauge tried to kick and bite a nurse while in the emergency room around 1:19 a.m. Tuesday.

She was being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail on $2,000 bond.
AUSTIN, Minn.  A man who spent over two years as a fugitive has now been sentenced for a drug crime.

37-year-old Corey Lee Stigney of Austin pleaded guilty in August 2014 to 2nd degree sale of methamphetamine. However, he failed to appear for his sentencing in February 2015 and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Stigney remained at large until he was caught after a high-speed chase through North Iowa on September 20, 2017. He was sentenced to 26 days in the Cerro Gordo County Jail and then transferred back to Mower County.

Stigney has now been ordered to spend 3 years in Minnesota state prison, with credit for 258 days already served.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - Most food drives ask for canned goods, but not this one.

The Great American Milk Drive brings milk into local food banks, which it says is the most requested but least available item in food banks.

"When we do our food drives we can't collect perishable foods, so it makes it very difficult for things like milk," Linda Olson with Channel One Food bank in Rochester said.

Channel One Food Bank in Rochester is one of the recipients of milk from the national drive thanks to Hy-Vee and Kemps milk.

All Hy-Vee stores throughout its eight-state region are participating in the national effort, asking shoppers to donate $2-$4 towards milk. The milk is then delivered by Kemps to local food banks in Hy-Vee's region, like Channel One in Rochester.

"There's such an ongoing need for milk, it's really difficult to keep in stock," Olson said. "Our clients are so thrilled when they're able to get the fresh milk. I think it's always a surprise when it shows up in the shelves."

According to Feeding America, people who rely on food banks only end up getting about one gallon of milk per year. But Olson said because of this unique drive, last year people at Channel One in Rochester were able to get about two gallons each, over the course of the year.

"When we're able to provide it, they're very happy, very grateful," she said.

The national drive lasts throughout the month of March.

Olson said if people do still want to help provide milk after the drive ends, they can donate money to the food bank and specify it be used for milk.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence's trip to western Iowa and eastern Nebraska is one in a series of stops to tout a recently approved federal tax cut, as well as attend a fundraiser for Republican Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Pence spoke at an America First Policies event in Council Bluffs, the latest in his bid to sell the American public on the tax overhaul signed into law by President Donald Trump in December.

The vice president has also been campaigning for Republicans on the tour, seeking to protect GOP majorities in this midterm election year. Pence will travel on to Kentucky later Tuesday.

The tax law provides steep tax cuts for corporations, with more modest breaks for most Americans - although some will pay more.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - With the heavy snow across the area, fire officials are encouraging people to use caution. That's because they've seen safety problems with the big, heavy snow in the past.

This snow even has Vannak Peou shoveling his sidewalk differently.

"That's a heavy snow," Peou said, "yup it's not a light snow like normal."

He's wearing headphones, listening to music because he says it's almost like a workout for him. However, he said he's not able to shovel it in one line like he usually does.

"Push it to the side because I cannot push straight like that because it's too heavy," Peou said.

He said taking it little by little helps him get the job done.

Capt. Caleb Feine with the Rochester Fire Department said people need to listen to their bodies. If they're feeling shortness of breath or any arm or chest pain, they should put down the shovel and pick up the phone to call 911.
Renewed concerns about a potential trade war as a direct result of proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum has resulted in both a lower U.S. dollar as well as buyers accumulating gold. Gold futures are currently trading up $15.50 at $1335.40.

Last week President Donald Trump proposed the implementation of steel and aluminum tariffs. This proposal has met with global and internal resistance. Nonetheless, President Trump remains steadfast in his desire to initiate these tariffs.

Pushback on President Trumps proposed tariffs internally are coming from both Republican lawmakers as well as his administration. This pressure is an attempt to limit tariffs with benchmarks and quotas.

According to Bloomberg Politics, Republicans in Congress are undertaking an unusual public campaign to thwart broad tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum. House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday urged the president to be more surgical in penalizing trade abuses to prevent any kind of unintended consequences or collateral damage.

Global pressure and threats of retaliation are also emerging from global partners. A warning issued by the European Union today stated that it would respond with its own 25% tariff to hit 3.5 billion of U.S. goods. This would include targeting U.S. brands ranging from consumer, agricultural, and steel products.

According to a list drawn up by the European Commission, obtained by Bloomberg news, targeted U.S. goods include motorcycles, jeans, and bourbon whiskey. This sends a strong message to Washington underlining the potential economic costs if President Trump moves forward with his tariff proposal.

These renewed concerns have put pressure on the U.S. dollar which is currently trading down by over a half a percent (-0.47 points) at 89.57. Tariff fears have also prompted money flow into gold as a safe-haven asset, bidding up the precious yellow metal by about $15 today.

As of 4:00 PM Eastern standard time, spot gold is trading up $14 on the day and currently fixed at $1330.80. On closer inspection, according to the Kitco Gold Index, $8.20 of todays move is directly attributable to buying, with the remaining $5.80 a result of the weakening U.S. dollar.

For those who would like more information, simply use this link.

Wishing you as always, good trading,
Yesterdays close: Settled at 1335.2

Fundamentals: Yesterdays surge in Gold was met with strong selling against our key resistance level. While the fundamental back-drop continues to support a bullish environment for Gold, our technical levels remain extremely key to the trade. Gary Cohns resignation late yesterday took the front seat from the comments of Fed Governor Brainard and Dallas Fed President Kaplan. Shortly after Cohns resignation was announced, Brainard said that economic headwinds are shifting to tailwinds and this could speed up the path of rate hikes. Dallas Fed President Kaplan is in the camp that they must hike now, and it is too early worry about an impact from tariffs. This stopped Gold in its tracks last night as we said above, right in front of a key resistance level.

Technicals: Gold spiked to a session high of 1342 on the Cohn news but the exuberance has dissipated since. This is our key resistance level that aligns multiple technical points along with last Mondays swing high. We remain unequivocally long-term bullish Gold, but traders need to take advantage of sharp moves higher while not chasing such. We have expressed that outside of a fundamental outlier in data, that Gold is likely to stay contained through the end of March and the expiration of the April contract. First key support now comes in at 1327.3 and it must hold this level to remain in its most recent immediate-term uptrend.

Bias: Bullish

Resistance: 1341.2-1342.9**, 1350.2-1351.3**, 1367.8-1370***

Support: 1327.3**, 1318.3-1322.8**, 1305.5-1306.6***, 1291.5-1295.7****
Editor's Note: Gold and silver has been, at best, a frustrating trade. Exclusive to Kitco News, expert trader, Todd "Bubba" Horwitz, chief market strategist and founder of 'Bubba Trading provides a strategy investors can use in a range-bound gold price environment. Sign up before March 10 for the Kitco News Weekly Rundown newsletter to receive Horwitz's exclusive report and trading strategy.

(Kitco News) - Gold and silver prices are modestly weaker in early U.S. trading Wednesday. The metals are seeing a minor downside correction following the good gains scored on Wednesday. April Comex gold futures were last down $4.00 an ounce at $1,331.20. May Comex silver was last down $0.134 at $16.65 an ounce.

The just-released ADP national employment report for February showed a rise of 235,000. Forecasters expected the ADP number to come in at up 200,000. Gold prices dipped just a bit on the news. This report suggests Fridays more important jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor will come in strong, too.

World stock markets were mostly lower overnight. U.S. stock indexes are pointed toward solidly lower openings when the New York day session begins. The stock, financial and currency markets are somewhat spooked after White House chief economist Gary Kohn announced his resignation amid the increasingly protectionist rhetoric coming from U.S. President Donald Trump.

The resignation of Kohn suggests Trump is pushing forward with his plan to slap tariffs on imported aluminum and steel. Kohns departure heightened the speculation that there is keen turmoil presently in the White House west wing.

In overnight news, the European Union warned the U.S. that it will retaliate to any U.S. trade tariffs levied against the EU.

The Euro zone reported its fourth-quarter gross domestic product at up 0.6% from the third quarter and up 2.7%, year-on-year. Those numbers were right in line with market expectations.

The key outside markets on Wednesday morning see the U.S. dollar index lower. Nymex crude oil prices are lower and trading just above $62.00 a barrel.

U.S. economic data due for release Wednesday includes the weekly MBA mortgage applications survey, the ADP national employment report, revised productivity and costs, the international trade in goods and services report, the Federal Reserve's beige book, consumer installment credit, and the weekly DOE liquid energy stocks report.

Technically, April gold futures bulls have the slight overall near-term technical advantage. Gold bulls' next upside near-term price breakout objective is to produce a close above solid technical resistance at $1,350.00. Bears' next near-term downside price breakout objective is pushing prices below solid technical support at $1,300.00. First resistance is seen at todays high of $1,342.00 and then at $1,350.00. First support is seen at this weeks low of $1,318.30 and then at $1,309.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 5.5

May silver futures bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price breakout objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at the February high of $17.04 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $16.00. First resistance is seen at this weeks high of $16.895 and then at $17.00. Next support is seen at $16.50 and then at this weeks low of $16.37. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.0.
(Kitco News) - One mining analyst said that he thinks the threat of a global trade war is overblown and investors should instead look at all the good President Donald Trump has done for the mining sector, particularly for companies focused in the U.S.

Mickey Fulp, creator of the Mercenary Geologist newsletter, said in an interview with Kitco News on the sidelines of the 2018 Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention that he expects Trump to ultimately provide exemptions for critical allies to his proposed steel and aluminum tariffs.

The threat of a global trade war has risen as markets reacted to the surprise departure of Trumps economic advisor Gary Cohn. However, Fulp said that he is not paying too much attention to the market chatter. He added that putting tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada doesnt make a lot of sense.

The two economies are two intertwined, he said. Canada needs America as much as America needs Canada. But Trump is the consummate businessman I think he is using the tariffs as a negotiating tool.

Instead of focusing on theoretical uncertainty, Fulp said that investors should focus on what Trump as actually done, specifically for the mining sector. Trumps commitment to deregulation has breathed new life into American mining projects, said Fulp.

Trump is changing the economic paradigm in the U.S., he said. Deregulation is making mining more attractive because companies have to deal with less red tape.

Because of Trumps policies, Fulp said that he is heavily focused on U.S.-based projects as he thinks these are the companies with the most growth potential. The list of companies he likes includes Trilogy Metals (NYSE: TMQ, TSX: TMQ) as it explores its Arctic deposit in Alaska; he is also watching Integra Resources (TSX.V: ITR) as it starts its drill program at its Idaho-based project; Fulp said he also likes Ely Gold Royalties (TSX.V: ELY) as it develops a portfolio of assets based in Nevada; and Allegiant Gold (TSX.V: AUAU), which also exploring projects in Nevada.

Platinum Over Gold

While Fulp sees the potential for U.S. gold explorers, he said that when it comes to the precious metal, he is buying platinum over gold.

I have been buying platinum for the last two or three years because its ratio with gold is out of whack and cant last, he said.

Currently platinum is trading at a more than $300 discount to gold. Historically the grey metal has traded with a premium to gold. April gold futures last traded at $1,330. an ounce; meanwhile, April platinum futures last traded at $957 an ounce.

Not only does platinum has a strong jewelry market, but global growth should help boost the metals industrial usage. Platinum is the critical component in catalytic converters, which is used to reduce harmful exhausted emissions. While platinum is mainly used in diesel engines, Fulp noted that the metal can be used in gasoline vehicles as well.

Because prices are so attractive, I think you will start to see companies switch back to platinum. It is much more effective catalyst than palladium, he said.
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, will visit Mexico on Wednesday and meet President Enrique Pena Nieto, amid strained relations over trade and Trumps demands that Mexico pay for a border wall.

The visit by Trumps son-in-law comes after Trump and Pena Nieto late last month postponed plans for the Mexican leaders first visit to the White House.

The Mexican foreign ministry announced Kushners trip in a statement late on Tuesday. A senior U.S. administration official confirmed the visit, adding that meetings will focus on security, immigration and trade, among other issues.

Trump wants Mexico to pay for the wall he wants built to keep out illegal immigrants. Mexicos leaders have consistently rejected the demand, and the planned White House summit was postponed following a telephone call between the two leaders that turned sour over Trumps insistence.

On Monday, as the latest round of the negotiations over a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) were wrapping up, Trump repeated that the trade deal was bad for the United States and that Mexico was not doing enough to stop drugs flowing into the country.

Kushner is a top foreign policy adviser, but has recently lost access to the most valued U.S. intelligence report, U.S. officials told Reuters last week.

Some analysts in Mexico view the visit as a chance to repair a key U.S. relationship and for Kushner to prove his usefulness to the White House.

I see it as one of the few things of consequence that he can do that dont require security clearance, said Agustin Barrios Gomez, a former federal congressman and head of the working group on the future of U.S.-Mexico relations at the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations.

Mexican officials did not say whether the plans for a Trump-Pena Nieto summit was on the agenda.

CLOSE TIES

Accompanied on his visit by other U.S. diplomats and security officials, the foreign ministry statement said Kushner will also meet Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray.

Among Pena Nietos closest advisers, Videgaray helped orchestrate then-candidate Trumps visit to Mexico in 2016, a trip that was widely panned in Mexico as the Mexican president failed to confront the New York businessman and reality TV star over his anti-Mexican rhetoric on the campaign trail.

Videgaray lost his job as finance minister over the trips fallout, but was later appointed foreign minister after Trumps surprise win in the U.S. presidential election.

Videgaray has maintained close ties with Kushner ever since, including several visits to the White House, most recently an unsuccessful effort to try to broker a Trump-Pena Nieto meeting.

Despite Trumps sharp criticism of Mexico and its migrants, Videgaray said last month during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that ties between the two countries were closer than during the previous U.S. administration.

The bilateral relationship was again rocked last weekend as Trump announced plans for tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum that he later said served as an incentive to reach a favorable NAFTA re-negotiation.

Trump has repeatedly blamed the pact for the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs and has threatened to ditch it unless it can be reworked to better suit U.S. interests.

Trumps remarks on trade have unsettled financial markets, often causing the Mexicos peso currency to shed value.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump can choose from a pool of people to succeed the White Houses top economic adviser Gary Cohn, who is expected to leave soon, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told Fox News Channel on Wednesday. Hes got a number of people that he can choose from. But in the meantime, Gary will still be here as a voice for the next several weeks and weve got some great people from the economic community that help guide on this, she said in an interview in front of the White House, saying that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross help lead the president on making decisions about the economy. Reporting by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
People wait at a tram stop in Dublin, Ireland, on March 5, 2018. Life in Ireland partially returned to normal on Monday after it was hit by a massive snowstorm. (Xinhua)

DUBLIN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Life in Ireland partially returned to normal on Monday after the country was hit by a massive snowstorm last week.

According to local media reports, public transport services -- including flights, buses, trams and trains -- resumed operations in many parts of the country on Monday though some of them on a limited basis.

Most of the schools in the country also reopened after being closed last Wednesday when the blizzard started to lash Ireland, initially from its east and south and later across the entire island.

Irish largest electricity supplier ESB said on Monday that power has been restored to most of the homes, farms and businesses which have suffered from power cuts in the snowstorm with only a few thousands of customers still waiting for the reconnection of power.

The number of affected customers in the country reached over 130,000 at peak time during the snowstorm, said ESB.

Water problem still needs to be addressed, said Irish Water, adding that the huge loss of water during the snowstorm will affect people in the coming weeks and even months.

The 1.2 million people live in the greater Dublin area will face either water stoppage or restriction of water use in the coming days, said the water supplier.

The loss of water mainly resulted from burst pipes and continuous running of taps by local residents at their homes in fear of freezing of their water pipes, it said. The company called local people to conserve water usage.

Pressure on medical services could increase in the near future instead of decreasing as many people could catch flu because of the cold snaps, said local health officials.

Prior to the snowstorm, over 100 people had died of flu during the current winter flu season in Ireland, which started a week before last Christmas, according to local health authorities.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Monday that several people were killed in road crashes during the snowstorm. He believed that more dead people could be found at their homes in the next few days due to the inaccessibility to many places in the country because of heavy accumulations of snow.

He said that it will take a couple of weeks before the cost of the storm damage can be assessed.

2

1

[ Editor: zyq ]
Kim Ki-duk kisses the Golden Lion Award of the 69th Venice International Film Festival at a press conference in the Megabox movie theater in central Seoul on Sept. 11, 2012. / Korea Times file



By Kang Hyun-kyung



Award-winning filmmaker Kim Ki-duk, 57, has fallen from grace after several actresses made shocking revelations about his sexual misconduct.



According to MBC's investigative program "PD Notebook," Kim is a habitual sex offender who abused his power as a film director to satisfy his sexual desires.



Three undisclosed actresses testified on condition of anonymity about their traumatic experiences while they worked with the director.



One of them claimed she was raped by Kim and actor Cho Jae-hyun who was a male lead in the film they were working on at the time.



She said director Kim tried to rape her even before they shot the film and he and lead actor Cho knocked on the door to her room every other day during the days of shooting the film and raped her.



"I remember he (Kim) bragged about having sex with an actress who appeared in one of his previous films," she said in the TV program. Another actress claimed she was fired while shooting the 2013 film "Moebius" after she rejected Kim's request to have sex with him. "On the first day of the read-through, Kim asked me to have a three-way relationship with another girl. I flatly rejected his request and ran away," the actress said. "Later I got a phone call from him and he said he couldn't work with an actress who didn't trust him. Then I was fired."



The third actress said she had a meeting with Kim after she was almost confirmed to appear in his then forthcoming film. She said the meeting was disgusting. She said director Kim talked about sex for almost two hours. "I was sick of what he was saying, so I left the place and decided to quit acting," she said.






By Jhoo Dong-chan



The Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has backed KT&G's decision to reappoint its incumbent CEO Baek Bok-in despite strong opposition from Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK).



The ISS is a global consultant agency assisting shareholder agendas of global companies and issuing opinionated reports. Major investors often refer to its opinions in their decision-making processes.



Foreign investors currently hold 53.16 percent of KT&G shares, a determining factor for the reappointment of Baek in the upcoming shareholders' meeting next week. Industry sources said Wednesday the ISS has decided to endorse KT&G's decision to give Baek another term.



IBK, the Korean tobacco maker's second-largest shareholder with a 6.93 percent stake, has tried to persuade major shareholders to stop the reappointment, but the state-run bank's efforts are likely to fall apart because it failed to win over the agency.



"We believe the nomination process was carried out fairly," the ISS said.



The state-run bank has said it will vote against Baek's reappointment during the shareholders' meeting, citing Baek's alleged double bookkeeping activities and unfair nomination process.



During a conference call with the ISS analysts last week, the IBK made its position clear that KT&G's nomination process for its chief position was unfair and too hasty. It added it will also strongly urge other shareholders, including the largest shareholder National Pension Service (NPS) with a 9.09 percent stake, to follow its lead.



Along with the NPS, the bank will meet other institutional investors this week to gather support.



Apart from its opposition to the re-election of incumbent CEO Baek, the IBK recommended the company appoint two outside executives _ Soongsil University professor O Cheol-ho and lawyer Hwang Duk-hee.



"Baek is suspected of cooking the company's books when KT&G took over an Indonesian tobacco firm in 2011. The case is currently under investigation," the IBK said during the conference call.



The IBK move comes after it asked KT&G to explain and correct the nomination process in late January citing unfairness while delivering its opposition to Baek's re-election.



KT&G, however, immediately rejected the IBK's demands, claiming Baek has "played a decisive role in the company's growth in sales while expanding its corporate social responsibility activities to improve the company's social standing during his term."



It also rebutted the state-run bank's allegation against its nomination process, saying the nomination process was carried out in a "very reasonable way."



The ISS agreed.



"KT&G's board of directors consists of two internal and six outside directors while the CEO and the board are two strictly separate entities under the company's articles of association," the ISS said.



"The nomination process was carried out by outside directors, and we don't see any evidence they neglected their duties in the process."



KT&G nominated then-vice president Baek as the company's CEO to replace former chief Min Young-jin in September 2015.



Baek had managed the company's foreign operations, including overseeing the cigarette producer's production and R&D operations. He was nominated to the CEO post as Min resigned in July 2015 following a prosecution probe into allegations he created a slush fund amounting to billions of won.



The 53-year-old, who began his career at the cigarette company in 1993, has served in various posts such as marketing, business strategy, production and R&D.


By Yun Suh-young





The annual Seoul Living Design Fair opened Wednesday under the theme "Connected Home" and will be held until Sunday at COEX in southern Seoul.





The theme for this year, however, was felt less obviously than previous years, as the exhibition halls did not have a congruent and consistent theme throughout and seemed to be a mix of a little bit of everything. The theme "Connected Home" was only visible in a few booths that merged technology and home interior and decor. The majority of the booths exhibited lifestyle-related products and models of home interiors.





This year, 350 brands are participating in the fair, ranging from interior and furniture to home appliances and lifestyle accessories. The exhibition hall is categorized into different zones -- Designer's Choice, Living Art, Living Trend, Living Deco, Kitchen and Tableware, and Organic Style.





As usual, the Living Trend Seminar is held for two days from Wednesday to Thursday. Admission is based on prior reservation. Under the theme "Connected Home," design experts from different fields will be giving a 70-minute talk followed by a Q&A. This year, nine speakers from five countries will speak at the seminar from fields such as architecture, design, retail and communication.





The annual Seoul Living Design Fair is hosted by Design House, a design publication based in Seoul, in collaboration with COEX.





Opening hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (last admission at 6 p.m.) On Sunday, the fair closes at 5 p.m. (last admission at 4 p.m.) Entrance fee is 10,000 won. Visit livingdesignfair.co.kr for more information.


BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Though China has shifted away from high-speed growth to high-quality and long-term growth, its vibrant and resilient economy continues to be the stabilizer and powerhouse of global development.

The global economy displayed an uptrend in 2017, and it is widely held in the international community that the Chinese economy driven by structural adjustment, consumption upgrading and innovation contributed greatly to its recovery.

According to the World Bank, China contributed 34 percent to the world's economic growth from 2012 to 2016, more than the contribution by the United States, the European Union and Japan combined.

Seeking to boost economic development while at the same time to improve social equality and sustainability, the Chinese government has begun a shift from targeting rapid growth above all else to a new normal of slower but more efficient growth in 2014.

Over the past five years, China has lifted 68.53 million people out of poverty, which is, as World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has said, "one of the greatest stories in human history."

Furthermore, China has vowed to eradicate extreme poverty by 2020, a move contributing to the U.N. 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

On climate change, China has also been pioneering international efforts to control global warming and has taken the lead to honor the Paris Agreement, which has been lauded widely.

Aiming for continuous reductions in the release of major pollutants in 2018, the government will redouble efforts to protect and restore ecosystems through upgrading industries among other ways, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Monday when delivering a Government Work Report at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) -- China's national legislature.

And the country also contributes to world economic growth with its leading edges in high-speed rail, e-commerce, mobile payment, artificial intelligence (AI) and the sharing economy.

China's e-commerce accounts for 40 percent of the world's total, larger than that of the United States, Japan, Britain, France and Germany put together.

As part of the world's most popular international public goods, the initiative on the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (the Belt and Road Initiative), proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 to enhance international trade, infrastructure and financial cooperation among others, forges a new platform for fresh sources of economic growth and shared prosperity opportunities for other countries.

The cornerstone of the initiative -- achieving shared growth through collaboration and equal participation -- points to a new direction for improved global economic governance and offers a new model for international cooperation.

While striving for its national rejuvenation and the well-being of the Chinese people, China takes it as its own mission to make new and greater contributions in working with other nations worldwide to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]




By Jung Min-ho







With Canada expected to legalize the recreational use of marijuana by summer, Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned Koreans living there of jumping on the bandwagon.





"In accordance with the nationality principle, all Koreans should follow the Korean law," the ministry said on Facebook Tuesday. "The Korean government will step up inspections of people who come from Canada and their belongings as well as all packages from the country."





The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pushing ahead with legalizing cannabis in July. Although it is uncertain whether he will be able to accomplish it by then, the country appears to be on that track as most Canadians support the move.





Under the proposed legislation, the Canadian government can regulate the production and distribution of cannabis through licensing.





"Please be aware that Koreans could face serious legal consequences for having or using it," the ministry said.


Dwyane McCay, President of Florida Institute of Technology. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



By Kim Hyun-bin



The Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) is aiming to increase the number of Korean students attending the U.S. university.

The institute has partnered with the International Education Exchange Association (IEEA) to help meet that goal.



"In the past, many Korean students received doctorate degrees at Florida Tech and they've done very well in school and in life. So we are here to recruit more Korean students," said Dwayne McCay, the president of FIT.



Last November, FIT and the IEEA signed a memorandum of understanding aiming to enhance education cooperation.

The first batch of 15 Korean students mostly majoring in aviation is scheduled to attend Florida Tech by next January.



FIT was established by NASA scientists in 1958 for the purpose of providing higher education and fostering scientists for NASA. Over five hundred graduates have worked for NASA so far. Now it is well known in the United States for various programs including its aviation curriculum, according to McCay.



"Competition and demand for pilots are enormous," said McCay. "They are in such high demand that many of our flight instructors are scouted by airlines before they fill the required flight hours, and a good percentage of them are recruited to become pilots after our program."



Not just for aviation majors, FIT has the highest percentage of graduates who immediately start their careers among the southern states, he added.



FIT has an undergraduate student body of 5,300 and among them 33 percent are international students.



"We are the most internationalized university in the United States. Our undergraduate student body is 33 percent international from 120 countries," said McCay. "Roughly a quarter of our faculty are also international; they have gone to universities in the United States from other countries. They can identify directly with new students coming in and are very focused on one-on-one understanding and identifying with the student."



He said the best attribute of the institution is the small teacher to student ratio, creating an atmosphere where the teachers get to know each student in person.



"We are a small school with a large faculty. The number of student to teaching faculty is Ivy League level, about 12 to one. Classes are small taught by professors that are full time academics," said McCay. "Students get individual attention from the professors and they will know you and your background as a person."



There are even scholarship programs for international students who if eligible, could receive up to half the tuition.

Full year tuition is estimated to cost a student around $37,000.



Depend on how well you perform. We use a company to evaluate various schools in different countries to put them on an even keel. High school in Singapore, Beijing and Seoul might not be the same. Depending on how well you did in school and how good the school is, there are a range of scholarships available," said McCay.



When asked about starting a second language at a young age, McCay believes there is a big difference in a child's linguistic level when starting early on.



"Incredibly effective, I have good friends whose parents speak native at home and English in school. They are completely fluent in both. We all know language is best learnt as a small child. The sooner you start is better, by far the best way."



Dwayne McCay was formally installed as the fifth president of FIT in September 2016.



After receiving his PhD from Auburn University in 1974, McCay worked in various fields including vice president for research and information technology at the University of Tennessee as well as chief of the Propulsion Division at the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.














By Jung Min-ho







Five people are being investigated for allegedly leaking Korea's world-class washing machine technology to China, police said Tuesday.





According to the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, the five are suspected of colluding in illegally leaking a core technology for drum-type washing machines to a Chinese company in 2015.





The Chinese company offered a Korean, 56, who was in charge of a Korean washing machine motor maker's research center in China at that time, an annual salary of 160 million won ($150,000) as well as other perks  such as housing and a vehicle  for stealing the technologies.





The suspect, whose identity is being withheld, allegedly stole documents containing detailed designs of washing machine motors and took them to the Chinese firm.





One of the stolen technologies (for a direct-drive motor) was developed by the Korean firm in 2003 and regarded as the world's best.





The Korean company's estimated business loss from the alleged crime has been 6.4 billion won so far. That loss is expected to increase.





Four others allegedly helped in the key suspect's scheme.





Police say they will cooperate with the National Intelligence Service to deal sternly with such crimes.




Lee Myung-bak's elder brother grilled about corruption for second time



By Kim Se-jeong



The prosecution is stepping up its pressure on former President Lee Myung-bak, planning to summon him for questioning over diverse corruption charges.



It grilled Lee Sang-deuk, the elder brother of Lee, for a second time Wednesday.



The questioning came a week before the scheduled summoning of the former President who faces multiple allegations.



Lee Sang-deuk, 83, arrived at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office around 10 a.m. He was in a wheelchair as he was during his previous appearance in January and didn't answer any question from journalists.



Lee's older brother is accused of taking a bribe from former spy agency chief Won Se-hoon in 2011 in return for helping Won keep his position at the spy agency. Lee Sang-deuk was a six term

lawmaker at the time.



A second allegation involves former Woori Financial CEO Lee Pal-sung who is accused of giving the elder Lee 800 million won ($780,000) also in exchange for him keeping his position. The former CEO also bribed Lee Myung-bak's son-in-law.



The older brother's testimony will likely strengthen the prosecution's case against the former president who, in the prosecution's view, may not comply with its summons. Lee agreed to appear, but requested a postponement so he could have more time to prepare himself.



The former President is facing several corruption allegations.



Like his older brother, the prosecution suspects the former president was bribed by the former Woori Financial CEO _ the prosecution found evidence he received some of the money.



He is also suspected of having received 1.7 billion won from the National Intelligence Service during his presidency. Investigators have said Lee asked for the money from the spy agency to cover auxiliary expenses at the presidential office.



The car parts manufacturer, DAS, is where the prosecution considers him most accountable.



Lee is facing allegations that he actually owned the company and managed a slush fund worth at least 10 billion won. His older brother is the owner of the company on paper.



He has denied owning the company since 2007 when he was running for the presidency. Lee almost lost the election due to the allegation, but was cleared after a prosecution investigation back then.



But the prosecution's latest investigation looking into the DAS slush fund has found evidence that has proven the contrary.



Establishing his ownership would be critical because if this turns out to be the case, Lee can be sent to jail for abuse of power as well as

creating a slush fund.


By Kim Hyun-bin





The world-renowned Korean poet Ko Un's poetry will be removed from school textbooks due to growing allegations of sexual misconduct against the disgraced poet.





Several publishers said Wednesday Ko Un's poetry is set to be replaced with that of other poets.





"There are several poems written by Ko Un in both middle and high school textbooks," said an official from MiraeN. "We have agreed to replace them with other content."





The Ministry of Education (MOE) sent an official letter earlier this month to Korea Authorized & Approved Textbooks, requesting the publishers delete any content in the textbooks written by a person of public controversy.













Ko's works are published in 11 different middle and high school literature textbooks.





"With the approval of the education ministry, corrections could be made in the textbooks," said an official from the MOE. "However, the correction time will be decided by the publisher, writing staff and copyright holder."



Ko has flatly denied all allegations of sexual misconduct.





"I regret that my name has been brought up in the recent allegations. I have already expressed regret for any unintended pain that my behavior may have caused. However, I flatly deny charges of habitual misconduct that some individuals have brought up against me," said Ko in an official statement released through his UK publisher Bloodaxe Books that was provided to the Guardian newspaper.





"I must affirm that I have done nothing which will bring shame on my wife or myself. All I can say at the moment is that I believe my writing will continue with my honor as a person and a poet maintained," he added.





Ko's sexual misconduct surfaced after female poet Choi Young-mi wrote a poem in which the narrator describes an unconscionable assault by a famous but unnamed senior poet. The poem was released in early February. Media and industry sources pointed to Ko as the alleged offender.





The Seoul Metropolitan Government has shut down part of its library containing a collection of Ko's work that had been on display.





The poet has recently left his home and writing studio that was provided by the Suwon local government.





Ko has been repeatedly touted by local media as a candidate for the Noble Prize in Literature. His works have been published in more than a dozen countries and received numerous awards both at home and abroad.






By Oh Young-jin







Now that hiring native English-speaking instructors is costly, some local education authorities are relying more on the cheaper method of online video learning.







Daegu City offers a program for all primary and secondary school students residing in the city to log on to a website and learn practical English from native-speaking teachers in the Philippines.







The video classes match one teacher with three students, are available for different levels of proficiency and last for three months.







The three-month course costs 125,000 won, about $100 cheaper than commercial courses, with 60 percent supported by the city.







Students from underprivileged families will get access to the course free of charge.







The course is divided into 11 levels on the basis of proficiency, starting with beginner class and progressing to advanced for conversation with native speakers on a variety of subjects.





One can join at









Three 30-minute or two 45-minute classes are available.







The instructors are Filipinos who majored in English education and posses related certificates.







About 5,800 students are expected to join the program this year. Last year, 3,365 students, including 263 from underprivileged families, applied.


By Kim Se-jeong







The Seoul Metropolitan Government unveiled a new development plan Wednesday to narrow the gap between the affluent southeastern part of Seoul and other less affluent parts of the city.







According to city officials, southeastern Seoul has 9,422 registered hospitals, or 4.4 per 1,000 people, while the northeastern area has only 6,914, or 2.2 per 1,000 people, demonstrating the economic and social gap between the two areas of the capital.







"The plan which took four years for us to make will help balance regional development in the capital," a city official said during a press conference in City Hall, Wednesday. The city projects the development plan to be completed by 2030.







The plan divides the city into five regions _ northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and center _ with each region peppered with small-scale development goals.







The smaller-scale development goals cover "dong," the city's smallest political units. Residents, business representatives and government officials were invited to draft the goals for their communities.







For example, Hongje-dong in northwestern Seoul, known for its growing population of less-privileged elderly, will attract the medical service industry and elderly care.







Sangam-dong and Susaek-dong, also in northwestern Seoul, will prioritize visual and media-related R&D. Cheongnyangni Station in northeast will be replaced with a huge public transportation center and become a transport hub.







Gasan G Valley in southwestern Seoul will be the center of the city's fashion design and manufacturing industry, while Sinchon in the northwest will be outfitted with businesses helping the young start new businesses.







The city will also extend Seoul Dullegil, a walking trail surrounding the city, and connect scattered water streams with the Han River. In eastern Seoul, where ancient human habitat sites were excavated, development projects will focus on history and archeology.







In addition, the city government will designate 1.92 million square meters of new commercial zones in the five regions. Almost 74 percent of it will be allocated to less-affluent areas in northeastern and southwestern Seoul.







The city has a long history of developmental imbalance, especially favoring the southeast.



Beyond hospitals, southeastern Seoul has far more job opportunities, housing availability, education infrastructure and cultural activities to enjoy. The gap contributes to economic polarization among residents.










Choo Mi-ae, chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Korea, speaks at a party meeting in the National Assembly, Wednesday. / Yonhap



By Choi Ha-young



The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is going all-out to minimize the impact of a series of #MeToo claims against party members, including former South Chungcheong Governor An Hee-jung.



Only an hour after An's alleged sex abuses were reported Monday night, DPK Chairwoman Rep. Choo Mi-ae promptly organized an emergency meeting to make a decision to expel An, who had been regarded as a potential candidate for the next presidential election. On Tuesday, the DPK ethics committee ousted him by a unanimous vote.



On Wednesday, former lawmaker Chung Bong-ju canceled a press conference in which he was supposed to declare his bid for the post of Seoul mayor in the June local elections following a media report of alleged sexual misconduct in 2011.






North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is seen reading a letter from South Korean President Moon Jae-in on a North Korean TV program aired Tuesday. / Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un spoke "boldly and frankly" when he met President Moon Jae-in's special envoys, sources said Wednesday.



"The South's high-level delegation quoted Kim as saying the North does not have to secure nuclear weapons once the regime's security is guaranteed," an official from Cheong Wa Dae said. "The envoy also said his first impression of Kim was frank and bold."



The young reclusive leader also did not avoid answering the envoy's questions on what he might consider sensitive issues.



This is the first time Kim has had a face-to-face meeting with a South Korean delegation since taking office in December 2011.



The South had, for this reason, taken a cautious approach to the regime before the envoy's two-day visit to the North, which started Monday.



But the presidential office said both sides were able to reach a consensus on a series of pending issues due to the open and direct talks. They include the location and timeline for the coming inter-Korean summit and the regime's stance on the growing international calls for North Korea's denuclearization.



The South Korean delegation  led by Chung Eui-yong, chief of the presidential National Security Office  said the two Koreas agreed to hold a summit at the Peace House in the southern part of the truce village of Panmunjeom sometime late next month.



This will also mark the first time any of the regime's leaders have visited the southern side of the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas.



Seoul and Pyongyang also agreed to open a hotline between the leaders of the two Koreas in an apparent move to reduce military tension.



After ending the two-day visit to Pyongyang, two of the delegation  Chung and National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon  will go to Washington for a meeting with officials and U.S. President Donald Trump, today.



They are expected to express the regime's stance on a possible Washington-Pyongyang dialogue.



Given the latest remarks from Kim, some commentators raised the possibility of a summit between the U.S. and the North.



Trump, for his part, expressed the country's willingness to have talks with North Korea once the latter agrees to make efforts for denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.



Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said there was a chance of a summit between Trump and Kim.



"This is not the first time Washington and Pyongyang were in the mood for dialogue, so it is not absurd to say they can hold a summit in the near future," he said. The two sides agreed to have talks in 2012, which ended in failure.



"The possible U.S.-North Korea summit will be conducted sometime after the inter-Korean summit next month," Yang said.



But he said the South should pay keen attention to Trump's next moves on North Korea and come up with possible scenarios after the Washington-Pyongyang dialogue.




#MeToo movement puts male workers on guard



By Kim Jae-heun






Leaders from non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce attend a press conference during the first session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- To name China's eight non-communist parties is quite challenging for many foreigners, let alone understand the differences between them.

A chance was offered Tuesday as the parties' leaders came to a press conference to introduce how their organizations have effectively participated in China's system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation, and made contributions to the modernization drive of the country.

The press conference was held on the sidelines of the ongoing first session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body, many of whose members are from the parties.

WHO THEY ARE

-- The Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang (RCCK) was founded in 1948 in Hong Kong.

-- The China Democratic League (CDL), founded in 1941, mainly consists of intellectuals working in the fields of culture, education, science, and technology.

-- The China National Democratic Construction Association (CNDCA), founded in 1945, mainly consists of patriotic industrialists, business people, and intellectuals.

-- The China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD), founded in 1945, mainly consists of intellectuals working in the fields of culture, education, publishing, and science.

-- The Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party (CPWDP), founded in 1930, mainly consists of leading intellectuals in the fields of health care, population resources, and ecological protection.

-- The China Zhi Gong Party, founded in 1925, mainly consists of overseas Chinese who have returned to the mainland, relatives of nationals living abroad as well as those with close connections with overseas Chinese.

-- The Jiusan Society, founded in 1945, mainly consists of senior and mid-level intellectuals engaged in science, technology, culture, education, medical and health work.

-- The Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, founded in 1947, mainly consists of Taiwanese living in the mainland.

HOW IT WORKS

The leaders shared the highlights of their participation in political consultation, deliberation of state affairs, and democratic supervision.

A considerable number of members of the non-communist parties are deputies to the National People's Congress or members of the National Committee of the CPPCC, able to participate in the country's top-level legislative affairs or political consultations.

The non-communist parties have also launched a series of supervisory investigations on issues such as health care, education, regional economic integration, and poverty reduction.

The investigation reports often go directly to the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee or the State Council and many helped in formulating policies and laws, according to Wan Exiang, chairperson of the RCCK Central Committee.

NEW TYPE OF PARTY SYSTEM

President Xi Jinpingshared his understanding of China's party system while attending a joint panel discussion with political advisors on Sunday.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation led by the CPC is "a new type of party system growing from China's soil," said Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

The Chinese system is new, because it unites all political parties and people without party affiliation toward a common goal, effectively preventing the flaws of the absence of oversight in one-party rule, or power rotation and nasty competition among multiple political parties, according to Xi.

When asked to comment on Xi's words, Hao Mingjin, head of the CNDCA Central Committee, said China's party system has unique creative elements with Chinese characteristics.

The new system had offered a Chinese approach and Chinese wisdom to the development of party politics around the world, said Hao.

Ding Zhongli, chairperson of the CDL Central Committee and vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), also summarized the differences between China's multiparty cooperation system, and the one-party system or competitive multiparty politics in other countries.

3

1

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Rep. Hong Il-pyo of the Liberty Korea Party /Courtesy of Hong's office



By Choi Ha-young



Last winter, long padded jackets could be seen on the freezing cold streets of Korea. As spring blooms, fine dust is expected to get into full swing. To tackle climate change, Rep. Hong Il-pyo of the conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP) is leading the National Assembly Forum on Climate Change.



Atypical of Korean politics studded with ideological confrontation, the forum is co-chaired by Reps. Hong and Han Jeoung-ae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. Justice Party Chairwoman Lee Jeong-mi is chief researcher of the forum.



"Other than the three parties, academics, civic groups and companies are taking part in the forum. With diverse experts, we can communicate, study and legislate laws through it," Hong said in an interview with The Korea Times at his office, Tuesday.



The bipartisan forum is aimed at promoting environmentally-friendly facilities with citizens and attracting cooperation from businesses. "It is also important to facilitate financial investment in companies that are making efforts to cut carbon emissions," he said.



The forum's latest emphasis is on fine dust in a bid to back up the Paris Agreement that Korea signed in 2015. In implementing the agreement to cut emissions, Korea can exert strong leadership to moderate quarrels between developed and developing countries, Hong noted. "Korea is an in-between nation."



"We can coordinate how much developed countries should shoulder the expense to support environmental-friendly technologies. Also, Seoul can easily grasp what kinds of technologies developing countries need to make the leap forward, with its experience of green growth."



The point that he highlights is "adaptation" to climate change, particularly for social minorities who are more vulnerable to heat waves and fierce cold. For this, he submitted a revision bill, the Low-Carbon Green Growth Act, last July, along with 11 other lawmakers.



The bill stipulates the government's duty to take care of "social groups vulnerable to climate change" in policy making. "This is also a matter of welfare to provide better services for citizens," Hong said.



Other than the environment, the judge-turned-politician is concerned with refugees' rights, multicultural families, corporate social responsibility and the rights of North Korean defectors  issues that are far from vote winners.



"Whenever I visit refugee camps abroad, I always check whether there are North Koreans by any chance and ask foreign lawmakers to take care of them," said Hong, who is also leading the National Assembly Human Rights Forum.



Unlike the nation's mainstream conservatives, which often adopt the North Korean human rights issue as a measure of diplomatic pressure, Hong accentuated the people perspective. "In terms of the reciprocal approach, Korea should protect refugees before asking for help for North Koreans," he said.


A day after his comments about imposing stiff tariffs on imported steel and aluminum caused the stock market to plummet, President Trump took to Twitter on Friday morning to calm investors.



"When a country (USA) is losing many billions of dollars on trade with virtually every country it does business with, trade wars are good, and easy to win," the president counseled.



Economists across the country reacted by spewing their coffee in horror.



At least Trump acknowledges that a trade war would ensue if he follows through on his threat to slap a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum in the name of national security. Other countries would waste no time retaliating, and the economic conflagration would begin.



But neither Trump nor some of his key advisers are being realistic about the consequences of a trade war. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, a former financier whose iron-clad faith in tariffs has proved an impregnable barrier to the lessons of history, argued on CNBC Friday that tariffs on steel and aluminum would cause a scarcely noticeable increase in the price of U.S. products, while any damage to U.S. exports would be negligible because our goods are well-nigh irreplaceable in the global market.



In other words, there's no reason not to start a trade war because, heh heh heh, we can't lose!



Again, picture hot liquids erupting from the mouths of economists, historians and business executives outside the U.S. aluminum and steel industries.



It's easy to see why Trump is concerned about those industries. The metals are used in a dizzying array of products, from skyscrapers to jet fighters to laptops. And over the past five decades, as the production of steel and aluminum has exploded in Asia (especially China), it has slowly faded in the United States, causing the U.S. market share to shrink dramatically.



U.S. steel and aluminum producers have adapted by shifting to more specialized and sophisticated versions of the products, while also replacing more human labor with automation. Productivity has gone up, but the human cost has been enormous; since 1990, employment at steel and iron mills and primary metals plans has dropped 45 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.



You can't fault Trump for wanting to help the workers whose lives have been disrupted by those forces. They would be well served by far better U.S. efforts to enforce global trade rules and to retrain workers for new careers. The solution Trump is pursuing, however, won't provide the relief he's promising. Instead, it's bound to make things worse for everyone.



Imposing stiff tariffs on the steel and aluminum produced by any and all of our trading partners will draw global responses  in steel alone, 50 countries made the World Steel Assn.'s list of major producers. And retaliatory sanctions won't necessarily be aimed at big U.S. exports like soybeans; instead, economists say, they'll be targeted to inflict maximum economic and political damage.



No exported product or service will be immune. The president of the European Commission, for example, threatened to retaliate against products from states represented by top U.S. lawmakers, such as Kentucky bourbon, Harley-Davidson motorcycles and blue jeans.



As for Ross' claim that demand for U.S. products is so strong, it wouldn't be diminished even in a trade war, the facts suggest otherwise. The U.S. is indeed a prodigious exporter of goods and services, ranking second behind China in 2016.



But its goods make up less than one-10th of the products and one-sixth of the services traded globally. So it's absurd to suggest that if China, say, slaps a quota on U.S.-branded smartphones, other producers wouldn't plug the gap  or that demand from other countries would surge to make up for China's cutbacks.



Besides, the rationale Trump cites for imposing global tariffs on steel and aluminum  that U.S. has a national security interest in preserving American producers of the metals  ignores how the Defense Department has developed secure supplies outside the United States, in countries that are our allies.



That approach preserves a friendly supply of crucial metals (and many other products) even if U.S. production wanes. A global tariff on steel and aluminum, on the other hand, would punish those secure sources too. The tariff push looks less like an effort to preserve national security than a cynical and costly effort to keep a campaign promise to Trump's base.



Trade wars, like shooting wars, are waged to inflict casualties. And like shooting wars, they tend to escalate. So the best approach is not to start one.





The above article appeared in the Los Angeles Times. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


By David Steinberg





David Steinberg


Gov. An's case offers momentum for #MeToo campaign



One of the favorite contenders for the next leadership of the Republic of Korea ended up going from a hero to zero overnight Monday. He is South Chungcheong Governor Ah Hee-jung, who is accused of raping and sexually harassing his 33-year-old secretary several times during the eight months she worked in his office.



Shortly after his secretary Kim Ji-eun made the bombshell disclosure in a TV interview, joining the ever-spreading #MeToo campaign, Gov. An admitted the allegation and resigned. A deputy governor and all of his secretaries followed suit.



The misconduct of this "most prominent figure" in the snowballing movement against sexual violence against women is not just a simple surprise and shock to our society. It provides precious momentum to fight sexual assaults against women by those who pull rank.



In particular, the case of An, who finished second in the then Democratic Party's presidential race after Moon Jae-in last year, should become an occasion for other victims in the political world to come out to testify about their bitter experiences.



Actually, a female assistant to a lawmaker disclosed Tuesday that she had been sexually assaulted by a male assistant over the past three years. In fact, scandals and rumors about sexual violence involving lawmakers and politicians have been constant topics in and out of parliament so far.



An's case implies that some politicians have allegedly treated women within their authority as objects to satisfy their sexual desires. It is needless to say that police should investigate An's case thoroughly for criminal punishment of the shameful political leader who betrayed all of us, not to speak of his supporters, to bring to light the whole picture.



We have to praise and encourage the victim of An's misconduct for her courageous disclosure of her powerful boss's ugly misdeeds and immediate action to file a criminal complaint against him with the prosecution.



We hope this shocking incident will become an occasion to make Korea a "society free of sexual crimes." This is also the sole way to comfort and defend the victims who disclose their painful experiences with fear. The #MeToo movement should continue to prevail to bring a big change to the country.








Two Koreas should make real breakthrough for peace



Seoul and Pyongyang have agreed to hold a third inter-Korean summit at the truce village of Panmunjeom next month. The agreement came when President Moon Jae-in's special envoys met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their visit to the North on Monday and Tuesday.



The South's delegation, led by National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, produced better-than-expected results as Kim also expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue with the U.S. to discuss the North's denuclearization. His willingness is certainly a far cry from his previous position against any talks with Washington for nuclear disarmament. Notably, Kim has promised not to conduct nuclear tests or ballistic missile launches while the talks continue.



Now the ball is in the U.S.' court, and expectations are growing over the possibility of Pyongyang-Washington talks as U.S. President Donald Trump showed a positive reaction to Kim's peace overture. If the Trump administration accepts the North's offer, the two sides can begin a dialogue to find a negotiated solution to the North Korean nuclear crisis.



Yet it is still too early to tell if Kim Jong-un is really serious about giving up his nuclear ambitions. That is why U.S. leaders expressed guarded optimism about the North's peace gesture. It is difficult to figure out what Kim's real intention is. The ultimate goal of the U.S. is undoubtedly the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearization of the North. But the Kim regime has yet to commit to scrapping its nuclear program.



Against this backdrop, the Seoul government should play a more active role to persuade both Pyongyang and Washington to return to the negotiating table to resolve the nuclear standoff peacefully. This is easier said than done. But mediating talks is not totally out of the question because the North shows a change of stance and the U.S. positively assesses Kim's move toward dialogue.



It is important for President Moon to take the initiative not only in the inter-Korean thaw, but also in the mediation of talks between Pyongyang and Washington. If he succeeds in doing so, Moon will be able to take the driver's seat in defusing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and settling peace and stability in Northeast Asia.



Thus what Moon should to do is help the South-North detente open the way for North-U.S. rapprochement. For this, he should not waste time and effort to restore trust between the two Koreas. He also needs to reassure that a third inter-Korean summit and the improving bilateral ties are meaningless without the denuclearization of the peninsula.



At the same time, President Moon is required to step up cooperation with the U.S. in dealing with the North. No one can shake off worries the North might try to drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington and weaken the U.S.-led international sanctions. We hope all concerned parties will avoid a repetition of past mistakes and take the right path toward peace, coexistence and co-prosperity.




Genesis BBQ Chairman Yoon Hong-geun, second from left, speaks during a meeting with franchisees in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, last week. / Courtesy of Genesis BBQ



By Park Jae-hyuk



Does Genesis BBQ covet the severance pay of dismissed industrial workers in Gunsan?



Such a question has been raised, since the nation's third-largest fried chicken franchise announced earlier this week it will give a certain amount of money to those who open BBQ stores in North Jeolla Province, where people suffer financial difficulties amid shutdowns of GM Korea's factory and Hyundai Heavy Industries' shipyard.



Starting Friday, the company will give 31.6 million won ($29,500) to each of 50 new franchisees in the southwestern province.



The sum includes the total amount of franchise fees and training expenses, as well as 40 percent of costs for interior decoration, according to the company.



"Because each store needs five people, 50 stores will create 250 new jobs," Genesis BBQ Chairman Yoon Hong-geun said. "If each employee provides for three family members, the measure will stabilize 1,000 people's living."



Regarding it as a fraudulent marketing campaign with a hidden intention, however, consumers expressed unfavorable opinions about Genesis BBQ's recent measure.



They pointed out the new franchisees, most of whom will be dismissed factory workers, have no choice but to spend their severance pay on the extra costs.



Data compiled by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) showed a franchisee needs at least 74 million won to open a 19.6-square-meter store.



Industry officials also said there is no space to open 50 additional stores in North Jeolla Province, because the number of fried chicken stores in the province has already reached the saturation point.



According to Genesis BBQ, the number of BBQ stores increased from 35 to 37 between the 2015-2016 period, and the number of BBQ stores in 2014 was 27.



Genesis BBQ has also been accused of abusing its franchisees.



The company was criticized last year for allegations of shifting its advertising costs to franchisees.



The firm was also fined 300 million won for allegedly having forced 75 franchisees to shoulder 530 million won for their outlets' interior improvements from March 2015 to May last year, according to the FTC this week.



The related regulations stipulate franchisers should share part of the costs when they demand franchisees renovate their outlets' interiors.



Genesis BBQ headquarters, however, forced franchisees to write requests for interior improvements, so the financial burden fell on them.



Some even suspect Genesis BBQ announced the supportive measure to distract from the bad news, although the company denied it.



Against this backdrop, some consumers began boycotting Genesis BBQ.



Since launching its franchise business in 1995, Genesis BBQ has grown into a company having 1,490 stores as of 2016.


Logos of Chevrolet and Cadillac are put on a signboard of GM Korea's factory in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, in this file photo. / Yonhap



By Park Jae-hyuk



Cadillac's importer here has recently been going all out to differentiate itself from the Korean manufacturer of GM vehicles, after the Detroit-based car manufacturer and the Korean government began discussing restructuring options at GM Korea, one of GM's largest offshore operations.



The importer and the manufacturer share the same English corporate name, GM Korea, although their Korean names differ slightly. Both of their head offices are located in Bupyeong-gu in Incheon, west of Seoul.



Since a rumor began spreading about the manufacturer's withdrawal from Korea, the importer of GM's luxury brand has tried to dispel consumer worries, emphasizing the issue will not affect the company.



"Because of Cadillac's broad sales network worldwide, I can guarantee the recent issue will not affect our company," GM Korea President Kim Young-sik also told reporters during a press conference in Seoul in mid-January. Korea was the world's fourth-largest buyer of Cadillac last year, following China, the United States and Canada.



But the deepening GM scandal, however, seemingly prompted the importer to consider various measures.



According to industry officials, Wednesday, GM Korea is considering changing its corporate name to Cadillac Korea, following Mercedes-Benz Korea and BMW Korea, both of which use their brand names as their corporate names.



Although the company has continued to deny the discussion's relation with the current GM Korea crisis, observers said the importer must be concerned about a possible decrease in sales.



They pointed out the latest GM Korea issue signaled to consumers that the U.S. carmaker can leave the Korean market whenever the country becomes less profitable. Given that some consumers have already begun boycotting GM's cars, Cadillac's brand image risks being tarnished, observers said.



Criticism of the Detroit headquarters has also grown, as GM has been reluctant to invest in production here, while focusing on exporting expensive cars to Korea.



Although GM decided to shut down a factory in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, while launching a massive layoff campaign in the country, it has expanded its investment in Cadillac. When it left the European market after selling Opel to PSA Group last year, GM decided to continue selling its luxury vehicles there as well.



GM earlier said the company plans to convert 19 outsourced maintenance centers into ones directly operated by Cadillac to improve service quality and expand its service lineup.



The mass investment also allowed GM to sell more than 2,000 Cadillacs last year, for the first time since GM Korea was established in 1996. A total of 2,008 Cadillacs were sold here last year, up 82 percent from 1,103 in 2016. The surge was far above last year's average sales growth of imported cars of 3.5 percent.



GM was planning to add a number of advanced models to its Korea portfolio, such as the 2018 Escalade and the XT4 compact SUV.



Based on the growth rate, GM Korea seeks to sell more than 2,500 Cadillacs this year.






By Park Si-soo







Pfizer Korea donated 67 million won ($62,700) to help nurture talented university students here, the company said Wednesday.







The money was donated to the Partners for the Future Foundation, a charity under the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and will be distributed to 13 students.







The Korean arm of the U.S. drug giant has made the donation annually since 2002 and the accumulated amount reached 3.83 billion won.







"We hope our donation will help talented students reach their dreams," said Oh Dong-wook, country manager of Pfizer Korea. "As a responsible member of Korean society, we will engage in various social contribution activities with unwavering commitment and dedication."




An aerial view shows Shinmoedake peak erupting between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, southwestern Japan. / Kyodo via Reuters

/ Kyodo via Reuters



A Japanese volcano which featured in a 1960s James Bond movie shot smoke and ash thousands of meters into the sky on Tuesday, prompting the cancellation of flights to and from a nearby airport, with the eruption likely to continue for some time.

Shinmoedake, in a largely rural area some 985 km (616 miles) from Tokyo on Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu, had been erupting on a smaller scale since March 1, when entrance to the 1,421 meter-high peak was restricted.

Television footage showed smoke and ash billowing high into the sky, with lava visible deep inside a crater at the mountain, which featured in the 1967 James Bond movie "You Only Live Twice". NHK public television said the smoke and ash had risen as far as 3,650 meters in the peak's strongest eruption in seven years.

"The mountain has been erupting for a while, but this is the strongest day yet," said an official at the Japanese Meteorological Agency. "This will go on for a while."

Some 65 flights were canceled, NHK added.

Japan has 110 active volcanoes and monitors 47 of them around the clock. In September 2014, 63 people were killed on Mount Ontake, the worst volcanic toll in Japan for nearly 90 years.

In January, a member of Japan's military was struck and killed when rocks from a volcanic eruption rained down on skiers at a mountain resort in central Japan. (Reuters)
KHARTOUM, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee's plan on deepening reform of the party and state institutions shows the party's wisdom and adaptability and will bring benefit to the world, said Sudanese observers.

"For 40 years, the CPC has never stopped carrying out reforms and implementing opening-up policies, and it has laid down a model for socialism with Chinese characteristics," said Rabie Abdul-Atti, a senior official of the ruling National Congress Party of Sudan.

Following the third plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, which was convened from Feb. 26 to 28, a decision on deepening reform of the party and state institutions was made public Sunday.

The reform is aimed at, among other goals, establishing a party and state institutional function system that is well-conceived, fully built, procedure-based and efficiently functioning, according to the decision.

"The CPC reform plan for the party and state institutions affirms its ability to develop and adapt to the internal and external changes," said Abdul-Atti.

"I'm confident that the current program will achieve positive results, not only for China, but also for the entire world," he added.

Noting that this year marks the 40th anniversary of China's adoption of the policy of reform and opening-up, the Sudanese political veteran spoke highly of China's adherence to the historic path.

During the past four decades, he said, China has achieved remarkable development and become the second largest economy in the world, making major contributions to the world economic growth.

In the same vein, Mohamed Al-Nayer, a Sudanese economic expert and professor of economics at the International University of Africa, said the CPC's reform plan is "extremely important."

It is important to make the Chinese economy more capable of adapting to the transformations in the global economy, said Al-Nayer.

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Li Youtu (2nd R) does morning exercises on a small square in Wentang Township of Yichun City, east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 28, 2018. Wentang Township has a name for scenic Mingyue Mountain and selenium-rich hot spring. In 2016, Li Youtu and his wife Liang Aizhu from Shanghai paid a visit here, who had been looking for a livable and beautiful place to spend their retirement life. In June of 2017, they returned to the township and bought an small apartment to settle down. In recent years, among some 8,000 new households in Wentang, more than half of them are the elderly who moved to the small town to live in retirement. (Xinhua/Peng Zhaozhi)

8

1

[ Editor: meng ]
(ABC) A Clinton, Missouri, police officer who was gunned down Tuesday night had returned to that department after another officer there died in the line of duty last year, authorities said today.

The officer killed Tuesday was identified as 30-year-old Christopher Ryan Morton.



Officer Christopher Ryan Morton Officer Christopher Ryan Morton

James Earl Waters James Earl Waters

Two other police officers were injured but survived the Tuesday night shooting in Clinton, about 75 miles southeast of Kansas City.

The officers were shot at about 9:30 p.m. when they entered a home after receiving a 911 call in which two women were screaming in the background, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

After responding, the officers were fired at from inside the home and chose to go inside to "apprehend the suspect," police said. The officers were struck by gunfire inside, with one dying on the scene.

By 12:30 a.m., authorities said, officers had entered the residence and found the suspect -- 37-year-old James Waters -- dead.

Officials were still investigating whether the suspect was shot by police or killed himself, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said. No one else was injured.

"We're still piecing everything together," Lowe said. "We're way early in the investigation."

The two injured officers are being treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Morton's death was seven months to the day after a fellow Clinton police officer, Gary Michael, was shot dead, ABC Kansas City affiliate KMBC-TV reported.

Michael was killed after pulling over a driver for a traffic violation in August, KMBC reported.

Morton had worked for the Clinton Police Department before Michael's death and returned to the department after he had died, Lowe said.

"It's hard to put into words what you go through when you have an officer killed in the line of duty, and then to have it happen to a department after a short period of time; that's hard to wrap your head around," Lowe said. "I do know the Clinton Police Department is a well-respected police department -- not only in this area but around this area -- and they're going to forge on. They'll need help along the way. We're all saddened by this tragic event."

Ian McCarthy has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of Michael. He has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors will seek the death penalty in Michael's shooting, the Associated Press reported.

Governor Eric Greitens released a statement after the shooting:

Through the ages, the people who protect us go by different names. In one era, they are called warriors. In another, knights.

In our era, the people who walk our streets and defend the defenseless are given an honored name: they are called police officers.

Today, in the state of Missouri, we lost one of our police officers. He was a thirty-year old gentleman whose name was Ryan Morton. Officer Morton was a member of the Clinton Police Department, and late last night, he was shot and killed in the line of duty.

All of us can stop today and pray for him and his blessed memory. We can think about his family, and we can, for a moment, share in their grief. And these are good and right things, and we should do them.

Id ask us to do one more thing: think of this police department and all police departments throughout our state. This fall, the Clinton Police Department lost Officer Gary Michael. I got to know the men and women of the Clinton Police Department and the community through that tragedy.

Officer Morton took Officer Michaels post in the department. Those two warriors are together now, in the company of God, who has brought his sons home.

We are blessed to live in a time and place with men and women of the character and quality of Officer Morton and Officer Michael. And its because they are men and women of such strength and wisdom and love that we feel such grief when they leave us.

We mourn our servants today. We bless their memory. We honor their families. And we willwe mustdo everything in our power to stand by this department and community in their grief.

God bless every single police officer in the state of Missouri and around the country. God bless you, and your families, and the communities you call home.
The big three of Ukrainian mobile operators predicts that the 4G communications technology for the 1800 MHz band could be launched in July 2018, representatives of all three mobile operators told reporters after an auction held on Tuesday.

CEO of mobile operator lifecell Ismet Yazici said that his operator is ready to launch 4G communications in July, as soon as conversion of radio frequencies is finished.

"We will launch in the 1800 MHz band in July. Nobody has the right to launch it until July. Everyone should start simultaneously. Now it will be a frequency exchange. This is a difficult and complicated operation. I'm not even sure that Ukraine had precedents of such a grand exchange frequencies," Kyivstar President Peter Chernyshov said.

He said that from the point of view of infrastructure, Kyivstar has everything ready to launch 4G in the1800 MHz frequency band.

CEO of Vodafone Ukraine Olha Ustinova also said that the network of her operator is ready for the launch of 4G communication.

"I predict that in the 2600 MHz band we will launch it at the end of March, if nothing happens. In the 1800 MHz band - early July," she said.

Previously, all operators had forecasted that 4G communications would be launched late March or early April.
National joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy assesses the shortfall in income from Russian gas transit at some $20 billion over the low tariff set in a contract with Russia's Gazprom, Naftogaz Chief Commercial Director Yuriy Vitrenko has said.

"The cost of the transit across Ukraine is understated by around twice since 2009 until now. We are trying to prove it maybe during a new arbitration. We saw a shortfall of around $20 billion over the period," he said on ICTV channel late on Monday.

He said that the company intends to prove the fairness of its calculations and payment of compensation during arbitration.

Earlier Vitrenko said that Naftogaz plans to send a proposal on the start of negotiations on the revision of natural gas transit tariff to Gazprom.
Police in suburban Chicago say three day care workers are charged with giving children gummy bears containing the sleep aid melatonin.

Des Plaines police said Monday that officers were called to Kiddie Junction on Friday. Police said the children were given the melatonin "in an effort to calm them down before nap time." Authorities say parents hadn't given permission for their children to receive the melatonin. Police contacted parents and no children were sickened.

Three workers face charges of endangering the life or health of a child and battery, including 25-year-old Ashley Helfenbein of Chicago, 19-year-old Jessica Heyse of Des Plaines and 32-year-old Kristen Lauletta of Niles. They are due in court April 4. None had listed phone numbers to pursue comment.

A person who answered the phone Monday at Kiddie Junction said the facility had no comment.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environmental Partnership E5P have signed two donor agreements totaling EUR 16.4 million to support higher education and municipal infrastructure in Ukraine.

"This assistance will be used to upgrade educational institutions. The facades [of their buildings], ventilation, heating and lighting systems will be modernized ... The second agreement concerns the heating system in Kryvy Rih: meters will be installed at the consumers' level," EIB Vice President Vazil Hudak said at an official event to sign the agreements in Kyiv on Wednesday.

Under the project, EUR 10 million will be spent on measures to improve energy efficiency in seven universities in Ukraine, and EUR 6.4 million will be allocated for upgrading Kryvy Rih's heating supply systems.

E5P is a multi-donor fund supporting municipal investments in energy efficiency and environmental projects in the Eastern Partnership countries, namely Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has instructed the Justice Ministry to coordinate actions with Naftogaz Ukrainy on the possible seizure of assets of the Russian Gazprom worldwide if it fails to comply with the ruling of the Stockholm Arbitration.

"He also instructed the Justice Ministry to coordinate the actions with the leadership of Naftogaz on the possible seizure of Gazprom's assets Gazprom worldwide in the event of its failure to comply with the rulings of the Stockholm Arbitration," Groysman wrote on his Twitter account on Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier Groysman and Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko discussed the situation with Gazprom. The prime minister instructed the Justice Ministry to step up actions to recover the fine from Gazprom under the verdict of the Stockholm Arbitration, as well as under the rulings of Ukrainian courts.

"Ukraine's position in the situation with Gazprom must be strict and consistent: Gazprom must carry out the verdict of the Stockholm arbitration, and also comply with the demand of the Ukrainian antimonopoly authority and the rulings of Ukrainian courts. Today, I spoke about our actions in connection with this with Justice Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Petrenko," the Cabinet's press service of quoted Groysman as saying.
Rome, march 7 - European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said Wednesday that he will stay on at the helm of the EU assembly. Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi had named Tajani as FI's premier candidate if the centre right had won Sunday's election and the party was the biggest group within the coalition. However, while the centre right will be the biggest coalition in the new parliament, it did not win a majority and FI's coalition ally, the League, got more votes. "I intend to continue to be the president of the European Parliament," Tajani told RAI radio. "I never took part in the election campaign. "I always put the interest of the European Parliament before anything else. "Naturally, I am also an MEP elected on a Forza Italia list".
Rome, March 7 - Nurses in Italy should be allowed to prescribe drugs like their counterparts in many other countries, the Italian drug agency AIFA said Wednesday. AIFA chief Mario Melazzini said "nurses, too, should be able to have the possibility of prescribing drugs", a possibility that "already exists in many other countries". "Just as we want to open the prescription of innovative drugs to family doctors, in the same way we want to open prescription of drugs on the part of nurses, with methods that must be looked into," Melazzini said. He said, however, that "a law change would be needed to authorise them".
Milan, March 7 - A 35-year-old Moroccan man got two years and four months in jail in Milan Wednesday for instigation to and apology of terrorism. Omar Nmiki was arrested last March for publishing a dozen videos hailing ISIS on social media. Milan assizes judges also ruled that he should be deported once he has served his time.
Naples, March 2 - A Carabiniere who killed his two daughters and then himself after critically injuring his wife near Latina Thursday has been refused a funeral in church in his native Naples district of Secondigliano, sources said Friday. Luigi Capasso's relatives had initially secured a church funeral for him, but then changed their minds, local sources said. Instead of a funeral, his body was blessed at the Naples cemetery of Poggioreale. Capasso killed his daughters aged eight and 14 after shooting his wife, Antonietta Gargiulo, who was still under sedation after a facial operation Friday. Capasso's funeral was announced in the Church of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Secondigliano on Thursday. Posters referring to the funeral had been put up around the southern Italian city.
Rome, March 7 - Rome prosecutors have requested the indictment of ANSA journalist Marco Brancaccia on suspicion of stalking Livia Giuggioli, wife of British actor Colin Firth, la Repubblica reported Wednesday. Brancaccia was reported by Giuggioli, who has two teen children with the Oscar-winning actor, for alleged episodes of stalking between September 2016 and May 2017, the Rome daily said. The journalist is accused of having sent emails with photos of the woman to her and Firth. Rome prosecutors have competence in the case because some of the alleged incidents took place there, la Repubblica said. Firth, perhaps best known for the Bridget Jones films, won an Oscar for The King's Speech. Giuggioli runs an eco-clothing firm. Brancaccia's lawyers, Rosita Vallone and Andrea Ordine, said "Mr Brancaccia has nothing to do with the facts he is accused of and has already filed a suit to safeguard his good name and reputation, also to furnish his version of what happened". They said la Repubblica's reconstruction of events "does not correspond to what really happened. The lawyers said they had not been informed of the indictment request and had learned of it from the press.
Rome, March 7 - Some 90% of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) is against forming a coalition government either with the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) or the centre right, Justice Minister Andrea Orlando, a PD bigwig, said Wednesday. Orlando said his "area" within the party, as well as the vast majority of the party, "has ruled out the possibility of a government with the 5 Stars, and with the centre right". Orlando said only Puglia Governor Michele Emiliano, who got 10% at a party congress, was in favour of joining the M5S in government. "90% of the PD's ruling group is against an alliance with the M5S. Orlando added: "there's no need for a a referendum in the PD. "There's already been a referendum," he said, referring to Sunday's general election. "We're at 18%, only a point above (Matteo) Salvini's League".
Piacenza, March 7 - On Italian priest will got on trial next week for allegedly mistreating disabled people, judicial sources said Wednesday. Piacenza priest Father Angelo Bertolotti, 60, was arrested in November on suspicion of maltreating disabled guests at a shelter he founded 30 years ago.
First Deputy Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament and Ukraine's envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group's humanitarian subgroup Iryna Gerashchenko asks Ukrainian war correspondents who came under fire in Donbas to provide information on such cases, which will be shared with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe.

"As the presidential envoy in the peace process in Donbas, I've run into the following problem: we have not monitored instances of shelling of journalists in the war zone, violations of journalists' professional rights by terrorists who are shelling Ukrainian territory," Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

She stressed that she was going to fix it. "I'm appealing to all war correspondents that have come under fire in the conflict zone  please provide me with the following information: where, when, under what circumstances [it happened], and if there is footage  I would really appreciate it. The Foreign Ministry and I will do our best to share these facts with, among others, the OSCE and the Council of Europe," Gerashchenko mentioned her plans.

Such photos and videos "will serve as evidence in international courts during our lawsuits against the Russian Federation," she said.

"But it's wrong that even now we don't used all international platforms to raise the issue of attacks on journalists, injuries and murders now," she added.
Rome, March 7 - Some 121 women were murdered in 2017, 46% by partners or ex-partners, police magazine Poliziamoderna said Wednesday. Over the last 10 years the number of female victims dropped 20% from the 150 of 2007, it said, but the incidence of female victims on the total of murder victims rose 10%, from 24% to 34%.
Rome, March 7 - Finance police on Wednesday seized assets worth over 120 million euros from Calogero Romano, an Agrigento businessman who owns several firms in the telecommunications and fibre-optic sectors, as well as construction businesses and a motor-racing track, sources said. The operation was in relation to a Mafia case, the sources said. Romano allegedly built his business empire with the help of Cosa Nostra bosses. In 2016 he was convicted of external involvement in mafia association and handed a jail term of six years, six months. Romano was found to have "contributed to the strengthening of Cosa Nostra, without being part of it". Many of the charges were based on statements from informant Ignazio Gagliardo, Romano's main contact within the Sicilian Mafia, judicial sources said.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini will meet with President Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin and Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons Vadym Chernysh during her working visit to Ukraine on March 11-12.

"The visit comes at an important moment for the implementation of crucial reforms related to the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, and will be an opportunity to renew the European Union's longstanding commitment to the Ukrainian people and their aspirations to build a stronger Ukraine," the press service of the EU Delegation to Ukraine reported on Wednesday.

In addition, the High Representative will meet with Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, the Chief Monitor of the OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission, Martin Sajdik, the OSCE's Special Representative to the Trilateral Contact Group, and Alain Aeschlimann, Head of the Mission to Ukraine of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to address the situation on the ground and the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

While in Kyiv, the High Representative will also speak to students at the Taras Shevchenko University, meet with representatives of civil society organizations, and with members of staff of the European Union's Advisory Mission and the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

The report notes that the visit will take place a few days before the fourth anniversary of the illegal annexation by the Russian Federation of Crimea and Sevastopol, which the European Union does not recognize as it continues to fully support Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.
Lucie Brock-Broido, a prize-winning poet and educator, has died at age 61.

Publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced Wednesday that Brock-Broido died Tuesday at her home in Cambridge, Mass. The cause of death was not immediately provided.

Brock-Broido was the author of four poetry books, most recently Stay, Illusion, a finalist for the National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle prize. Her other honors include the Witter Bynner Poetry Prize and the Harvard Phi Beta Kappa Teaching Award. She directed the creative writing program at Harvard and the poetry division of Columbia Universitys writing program.

Brock-Broido was a Pittsburgh native and studied at Johns Hopkins University and Columbia University. Wallace Stevens was among her influences.

Advertisement

In a statement Wednesday, Knopf editor Deborah Garrison praised Brock-Broidos beautifully embroidered, fanciful language.
Discovery Communications on Tuesday completed its merger with Scripps Networks Interactive Inc. and assumed control of the Scripps television channels HGTV, Food Network and Travel Channel.

The nearly $12-billion purchase was designed to give Silver Spring, Md.-based Discovery more leverage with pay-TV operators such as DirecTV and Charter Communications Spectrum. It also should boost Discoverys appeal among women who consider HGTV and Food Network must-have channels. Discoverys channels primarily draw men.

We are adding brands that people love and are passionate about, said David Zaslav, Discoverys chief executive.

The merger, which was first unveiled last July, comes amid increasing consolidation and competition. Netflix, Amazon.com and Apple Inc. are spending billions of dollars to challenge traditional broadcasters by creating high-quality scripted shows. But Discovery has long churned out unscripted fare  shows about animals, nature and survival. Its legacy channels include Discovery, Animal Planet, TLC and ID.

Advertisement

We are different from everyone else, and that gives us an advantage, Zaslav said.

The company hopes to grow revenues, in part, by distributing the Scripps networks overseas. Discovery has had a strong international presence.

Discovery dropped the word communications from its name and will now be known as Discovery Inc. It also plans to relocate its headquarters to New York this year but keep some operations in Tennessee and Maryland.

Kenneth W. Lowe, the former chairman and chief executive of Knoxville, Tenn.-based Scripps Networks Interactive joins Discoverys board of directors.

Scripps shareholders will receive about $90 a share  $65.82 a share in cash and 1.0584 a share in Series C common shares of Discovery stock. Discovery shares closed trading Tuesday down 12 cents at $24.42.

Last week, Discovery announced that TLC President and General Manager Nancy Daniels had been elevated to oversee Discovery Channel and the Science Channel as chief brand officer. Kathleen Finch, who was in charge of programming at Scripps, will run HGTV, Food Network, ID, TLC, Travel Channel and DIY Network.

meg.james@latimes.com

@MegJamesLAT
Federal regulators have approved Los Angeles billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiongs planned purchase of the Los Angeles Times, which would return one of the nations largest newspapers to local control.

Soon-Shiong last month agreed to pay $500 million to buy The Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune, Spanish-language Hoy and several community newspapers from Chicago media company Tronc.

The Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice reviewed the transaction and determined that it would not be anticompetitive, according to a person familiar with the review but not authorized to speak publicly.

The FTC, on its website, said it had granted an early termination to its review of the sale  removing a major hurdle for the transaction, which is expected to close in late March or early April.

Advertisement

Soon-Shiong is purchasing the newspapers through his investment vehicle, Nant Capital, which also has agreed to assume about $90 million in pension liabilities.

Tronc spokeswoman Marisa Kollias confirmed that the company on Monday received the blessing of the Justice Department to sell the properties known as the California News Group to Soon-Shiong.

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment. An FTC spokesperson was not immediately available.

Soon-Shiong, 65, is one of Los Angeles wealthiest residents. The surgeon-turned-entrepreneur was born in South Africa to Chinese parents and created a fortune by developing promising pharmaceuticals and selling the companies that he built. He is a part-owner of the Lakers and also the second-largest shareholder of Tronc. He has been an investor in Tronc for nearly two years.

Soon-Shiong has said he wants to buy The Times and Union-Tribune to return the newspapers to prominence.

I fervently believe that the Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Union Tribune, Hoy and other titles in the California News Group must continue to serve as the beacon of truth, hope and inspiration binding our communities, Soon-Shiong wrote in a letter last week to company employees.

We purchased the California News Group because we wanted to preserve the integrity, honesty and fairness weve observed in our decades as avid readers of the LA Times, he wrote. The titles in the California News Group will be the voice and inspiration not just for California but also for the nation.

The sale of The Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune will further shake up Southern Californias already tumultuous media landscape. But employees hope that Soon-Shiong will usher in an era of stability for The Times. The 136-year-old institution in recent years has been roiled by management turnover and struggles with its Chicago-based corporate parent.

Advertisement

The purchase would cap a particularly stormy period for the newspaper, which has seen three editors in six months, its publisher placed on unpaid leave amid a sexual harassment investigation and a historic vote to unionize the newsroom.

Meanwhile, Tronc on Wednesday released its fourth-quarter earnings, which again underscored the challenges facing one of the nations largest newspaper companies.

The company reported a $373,000 net loss, or 1 cent a share, for the quarter, compared with net income of $19.4 million, or 53 cents, in the year-earlier period.

Tax issues and restructuring costs weighed on the bottom line. Tronc took a one-time, $10.8-million deduction in deferred tax assets because of the changes to U.S. tax code. The company also had restructuring costs, in part because of its decision to outsource its information technology department and payments for vacant office space. It also incurred costs related to completed and potential acquisitions, according to its filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Advertisement

Tronc generated fourth-quarter revenue of $435 million, up 2.3% compared with $425.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. The most recent quarter was boosted by $32.6 million in revenue from the tabloid New York Daily News, which the company acquired in September.

In addition to The Times and the Union-Tribune, Tronc owns the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Fourth-quarter newspaper revenue was basically flat at $366 million. But in a worrying sign, advertising revenue slipped 5% companywide as advertisers searched for new ways to reach consumers. Print advertising revenue declined 11.2% to $166.6 million but circulation revenue increased nearly 16% to $145.6 million for the quarter.

Online advertising was up nearly 19% to $56.5 million in the fourth quarter.

Advertisement

Tronc said its websites attracted 79.3 million monthly unique visitors, which represented a 40% increase over the year-earlier period. The Times generates about 40% of the companys online traffic, according to data from the online measurement company ComScore.

Tronc said its digital-only subscribers doubled over the year to 320,000.

meg.james@latimes.com

@MegJamesLAT

Advertisement

UPDATES:

4:25 p.m.: This article has been updated with the companys fourth-quarter earnings.

3:15 p.m.: This article was updated with information about the Federal Trade Commission approval.

This article was originally published at 1:55 p.m.
The European Union says it is ready to retaliate against the U.S. over President Trumps proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum, with countermeasures against iconic U.S. products like Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Levis jeans and bourbon.

Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said Wednesday that the EU, the worlds biggest trading bloc, rejects Trumps reasoning that the tariffs are backed by the international legal right to protect national security.

Should tariffs be introduced, the EU and other partners would take the case to the World Trade Organization, she said. The EU is circulating among member states a list of U.S. goods to target so that it can respond as quickly as possible.

We cannot see how the European Union, friends and allies in NATO, can be a threat to international security in the U.S., Malmstroem told reporters. From what we understand, the motivation of the U.S. is an economic safeguard measure in disguise, not a national security measure.

Advertisement

Trump has long railed against what he deems unfair trade practices by China and others, and last week declared that his government would levy penalties of 25% on imported steel and 10% on imported aluminum. The tariffs, he said, would remain for a long period of time, but it was not clear if certain trading partners would be exempt.

Malmstroem said Trumps motives do not appear compatible with WTO rules and that this means the EU can activate safeguards to protect its own markets.

She confirmed that the EUs countermeasures would include tariffs on U.S. steel and agricultural products, as well as other products like bourbon, peanut butter, cranberries and orange juice.

This is basically a stupid process, the fact that we have to do this. But we have to do it, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had said last week. We will now impose tariffs on motorcycles, Harley-Davidson, on blue jeans, Levis, on bourbon. We can also do stupid.

The EU exported about 5.5 million ton of steel to the U.S. last year. The commission also has plans in case steel from other producers is dumped on European markets.

EU Council President Donald Tusk, who chairs summits of presidents and prime ministers, said the blocs leaders will discuss the issue at their next meeting March 22-23.

He rejected Trumps assertion in a tweet that trade wars are good and easy to win. The truth is quite the opposite: Trade wars are bad and easy to lose, said Tusk. He urged politicians on both sides of the Atlantic to act responsibly.

In Berlin, Germanys economy minister warned that the situation is serious.

Advertisement

Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries, whose country is Europes economic powerhouse, said the EU will be ready to react appropriately. However, it is our goal to avoid a trade war.

Zypries said in a statement she hopes Trump will change his mind.

Trade creates wealth, when it is based on exchange and cooperation, she said. Referring indirectly to the surprise resignation of Trumps top economic advisor, Gary Cohn, on Tuesday, she added that advocates for [tariffs] in the U.S. administration are very important. Therefore the current signals from the U.S. make me worried.

Malmstroem underlined that the real problem is oversupply of steel and aluminum in the global market, and she urged Washington to work with the Europeans to address the root causes.

Advertisement

She recalled that similar U.S. action on steel in 2002 by President George W. Bush cost thousands and thousands of U.S. jobs and said she hoped that Washington has not forgotten this.

At that time, the EU also compiled a list of items for retaliatory tariffs that included steel, orange juice, motor boats and other goods representing $2.2 billion in U.S. exports to the EU. Bush withdrew the steel tariffs and the list was never acted upon.
A court has chosen two-month house arrest for the son of Ukraine's First Deputy Education and Science Minister Mykhailo Kovtunets, who is suspected of attacking a courier of an online store, his lawyer, Oleh Matkovsky, has told Interfax-Ukraine.

"They left him under house arrest for two months, until May 4," the lawyer told the news agency on Wednesday.

Matkovsky noted that the defense team did not intend to file an appeal, since this court decision suits them.

As reported, the prosecutor's office approved a notice of suspicion to the son of the deputy education minister due to a robbery attack against a courier of an online store.

Police in Kyiv are investigating the case involving two suspects. At the same time, a source in law enforcement agencies told the agency that three people took part in the attack and that one of them was the son of the first deputy education minister.

The media reported earlier, citing their sources, that the first deputy education minister's son participated in a robbery attack against a courier in order to take possession of an iPhone 8 Plus.
President Trump is expected as early as Thursday to sign off on his controversial plan to slap stiff tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, but in a surprise reversal the White House opened the door to exemptions for products from Canada, Mexico and other U.S. allies.

Carve-outs for certain countries from Trumps proposed double-digit duties would mark a retreat from the presidents insistence earlier that the levy would be across the board.

And that could mollify leading U.S. trading partners and allies that have roundly criticized the tariffs and threatened to respond with retaliatory measures.

Excluding allies from the tariffs also could help Trump better focus on his intended target, China, especially at a time when the U.S. and other Western powers have begun to take a more skeptical view of Beijing in light of the Chinese leaderships increasingly assertive and expansionist activities.

Advertisement

Though Chinas overproduction of steel is seen as the primary cause of a global glut, the United States gets a relatively small amount of imported metals from China. Instead, most U.S. steel and aluminum imports come from Canada and other allies.

So sharp opposition and threats of retaliation have come not from Beijing, but from Washingtons staunchest allies. European Union leaders Wednesday endorsed a plan to target for counter-tariffs items such as American steel, chewing tobacco and orange juice.

Right now what this is doing is getting all of Europes attention and energy, [and a] focus on pushing back against the United States, not pushing on China, said Jennifer Hillman, a Georgetown University law professor and former member of the World Trade Organizations appellate body.

Trumps announcement last week that he would apply blanket tariffs of 25% on imported steel and 10% on aluminum shocked trading partners and led to the resignation of the White House National Economic Council director, Gary Cohn.

As the White Houses top economic advisor, Cohn had been a moderating influence on Trumps protectionist impulses, but the president went ahead with the tariff proclamations despite Cohns advice and that of congressional Republicans and business leaders that such action could hurt economic growth and lead to a trade war.

On Wednesday, 107 House Republicans sent Trump a letter urging him to reconsider the idea of broad tariffs to avoid unintended negative consequences to the U.S. economy and its workers.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed that Trumps proposed tariffs would be formalized by weeks end. She said the final plan could allow countries to be excluded.

There are potential carve-outs for Mexico and Canada based on national security and possibly other countries as well, based on that process, Sanders said. She added that decisions would be made on a case-by-case and country-by-country basis.

Advertisement

Previously administration officials had resisted any exemptions, warning it would open a Pandoras box.

Trumps tariff authority comes from a U.S. law that allows the president wide discretion to apply duties or other restrictions if the Commerce Department has found imports present a threat to national security. That determination was made  the first time a U.S. president has done so under the law in decades.

After formally being announced by the president, the tariffs must be implemented within 15 days, Hillman said. That window would give nations and companies time to request exemptions.

The Commerce Departments report to Trump said exclusions from the tariffs could be made based on national security or if there was a lack of sufficient American production capacity.

Advertisement

Canada is by far the largest single shipper of steel and aluminum to the United States. And Mexico, South Korea and Japan, as well as North Atlantic Treaty Organization members such as Germany and Turkey, stand to be among the biggest losers if the tariffs take effect.

China, by contrast, accounted for just 2.4% of all iron and steel imports to the United States last year, thanks to many prior American dumping duties placed against various Chinese steel products in preceding years.

I think ultimately that Mexico and Canada are part of the solution on steel, whether thats declared later this week or down the road, said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, a group that has advocated for strong actions to protect U.S. steel producers.

Paul added, however, that we must ensure that the governments of Mexico and Canada are vigilant against circumvention, join the U.S. in active trade actions to keep excess steel out of the North American market, and renegotiate NAFTA to work better for workers in all three nations.

Advertisement

Trump this week linked the metals tariffs to the North American Free Trade Agreement, suggesting that Canada and Mexico could get a pass only if they offered concessions on NAFTA renegotiations. Canadian and Mexican leaders rejected the connection.

China, for its part, has said very little about the proposed tariffs, apparently having decided to wait until the duties are finalized and made public. The Chinese know that Trump in the past has said one thing and changed his mind later.

The Chinese are trying to play the long game, whereas the EU and allies are frustrated, said Andy Rothman, a former economic officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and now an investment strategist for Matthews Asia in San Francisco. Their rhetoric was quite calm and restrained, he said, although prior to the tariff announcement, Beijing sent a warning that U.S. protectionist measures could be met with limits on American imports of sorghum and other farm goods to China.

In the last year, the administration has issued anti-dumping and illegal subsidy duties on individual Chinese products, as it has on those of other countries. Trump has also opened an investigation into Chinas theft of intellectual property and forced technology transfer, which could result in significant punitive actions such as large tariffs or restrictions on imported electronics from China.

Advertisement

But many viewed across-the-board tariffs as a blunt instrument that would miss the target and undercut a united front with allies to tackle the problem. In short, analysts said, with the proposed tariffs, Trump was picking a fight with the very people he needed to help him pressure China.

It seems to almost target our friends more than China, said David M. Lampton, director of China studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington.

Lampton saw the tariffs as particularly ill-timed and counterproductive because the United States and others in the West have undertaken a broad reassessment of their approach to China after Beijings retreat from a 2013 pledge to liberalize its markets, as well as its aggressive actions in the South China Sea and at home to snuff out dissent.

And this week Chinas parliament began the process that would allow Chinese President Xi Jinping to rule for life, raising concerns in and outside of China of a return to dictatorship.

Advertisement

Even as Trump himself has sent conflicting messages on China, excoriating Beijing on trade while praising Xi and his bid to eliminate term limits, the Trump administration has singled out China, along with Russia, as a major threat to American security and prosperity.

Before, the posture of the U.S. and many of its allies was largely to co-opt China into the global system on the presumption that its development would lead to a convergence with democratic institutions and open markets styled in the West. The American strategy had earlier sought to divide Russia and China in ways that might be in the U.S. national interest, Lampton said.

It seems to me that we have an overall national strategy that takes China and Russia to be co-equal, big-power competitors, [but] were alienating all the allies we need to deal with it, he said. What I see is this tariff thing comes in the context of redefining the era where we need friends.

China experts said the Obama administration had pressed Beijing to open Chinas financial services market, among other areas, only to see Chinese leaders drag their feet. Trump had said he would treat China more lightly on trade if Beijing cooperated with the U.S. in pressuring North Korea to rein in its nuclear program. The Chinese have helped but not as much as Trump has wanted.

Advertisement

There are a lot of areas Beijing has not done what its supposed to do, Rothman said. The question is, whats the right mechanism for that? And going after steel and aluminum is not it. Thats not really where we will make the most gains that benefit most Americans.

don.lee@latimes.com

Follow me at @dleelatimes
Broadcom Ltd. said it plans to create a new $1.5-billion fund to ensure Americas lead in future wireless technology, responding to U.S. government concerns that the chip makers proposed takeover of Qualcomm Inc. could hurt its competitiveness and threaten national security.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, led by the Treasury, is investigating the $117-billion offer by Broadcom on national security grounds, an unusual move that threatens to derail what would be the largest-ever semiconductor merger.

In a letter explaining the grounds for investigation, the Treasury cited San Diego-based Qualcomms unmatched expertise and research and development expenditure, which drives its ability to set standards for the next generation of wireless technology known as 5G. The Treasury noted that a Broadcom takeover could reduce long-term investment to focus on short-term profitability.

In a statement Wednesday, Broadcom said, With its proven track record of investing in and growing core franchises, Broadcom is committed to making the U.S. the global leader in 5G.

Advertisement

The new fund Broadcom is proposing would focus on innovation to train and educate the next generation of engineers in the U.S., ensuring Americas lead in future wireless technology, it said.

Broadcom also took a swipe at Qualcomms licensing business, which is a subject of dispute between the companies.

Broadcom will fund enhanced R&D through lawful business practices rather than predatory and anticompetitive behavior, the statement said. There is no truth to Qualcomms argument that its anticompetitive licensing practices are needed to fund a robust R&D effort.

Singapore-based Broadcom also reiterated that it plans to shift its headquarters to the U.S. no later than May 6, a move it has argued should make it not subject to a review on national security concerns. If it achieves its goal of acquiring Qualcomm, Broadcom said it expects to have more than 25,000 employees in the United States.
Extending its string of unexpected choices  and its embrace of an unflashy architecture rooted in regional character and vernacular tradition  the Pritzker Prize jury announced Wednesday that its laureate for 2018 is the 90-year-old Indian architect Balkrishna Doshi.

I dont find the selection quite as surprising as last years, when the Pritzker  among the most prestigious honors in the profession  went to the Catalan trio Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem and Ramon Vilalta; their firm, RCR Arquitectes, was little known before the news.

Thanks to his collaborations early in his career with Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn, Doshi, the first Indian architect to win the Pritzker, is a figure who shows up regularly in histories of modernist architecture and its relationship with India and other Asian countries. He won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, another top honor, in 1995, and was a member of the Pritzker jury from 2005 to 2007. He has taught at American universities including MIT, Rice and the University of Pennsylvania.

Yet because Doshis extensive body of work, numbering about 100 buildings, is located entirely in India, he represents a departure from the globe-trotting architects who have dominated the ranks of Pritzker winners since the prize, funded by the Hyatt Foundation, was inaugurated in 1979. Like the 2016 laureate, Chiles Alejandro Aravena, Doshi has made affordable housing, typically wrought in brick or concrete and with units designed to be modified and enlarged by residents over time, a focus of his work; his massive Aranya Community Housing complex, a collection of apartments in the Indian city of Indore, is home to 80,000 low- and middle-income residents.

Balkrishna Doshi has always created an architecture that is serious, never flashy or a follower of trends, this years Pritzker jury, which includes Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer as well as Richard Rogers, Kazuyo Sejima, Wang Shu and other prominent architects, said in its citation. His work, the jury added, blends the spare forms of modernism with an understanding and appreciation of the deep traditions of Indias architecture.

Doshi's Indian Institute of Management, in Bangalore VSF

Writing two years ago in the Architectural Review, William J. R. Curtis noted that the architects finest work draws together both Doshis international inspirations and the results of his search for fundamentals in several areas of Indian tradition. Doshis overarching aim, Curtis wrote, is re-linking modern man with the rhythms of nature.

Doshi, born in Pune, India, in 1927 into a Hindu family of furniture makers, describes his work in near-spiritual terms. He calls his own architecture studio in Ahmedabad, which he built in 1980, an ongoing school where one learns, unlearns and relearns.

After studying at the Sir J.J. School of Architecture Bombay, in what is now Mumbai, Doshi moved to Europe and worked in Paris under Le Corbusier. He returned to India to help supervise the construction of Le Corbusiers projects in Chandigarh and Ahmedabad; in the 1960s, he played a similar role in seeing Kahns Indian Institute of Management to completion.

Superficially, at least, the work of his own firm, called Vastushilpa, seems to offer a blend of those two architects, mixing Le Corbusiers economy of form and exposed concrete with the rough brick and Platonic geometries of Kahns buildings. But Doshi has been ambitious and prolific enough to move well past his mentors and produce an architectural language recognizably his own. An idea of Indian-ness, of expressing national autonomy through architecture, has been central to this effort; he came of age in the wake of Indias independence in 1947, the year he turned 20.

His most significant projects include the Center for Environmental Planning and Technology in Ahmedabad; the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore; 700-seat Tagore Memorial Hall in Ahmedabad, a tribute to the Indian poet and writer Rabindranath Tagore; and the Ahmedabad compound, known as Sangath, that houses his architecture studio.

The architect Balkrishna Doshi, winner of this year's Pritzker Prize. VSF

If Doshi has a trademark it is less a formal or material one than an insistence on extending the public realm and the notion of collective or civic space deep within his layered and spatially complex projects. His residential and institutional designs alike are threaded with covered streets and walkways, overseen by terraces and leading to interior courtyards; his architecture carves out sequences of spaces into which street life can flow.

Lamenting the degeneration of the city into a place for mere commercial transaction, Mr. Doshi argues for the creation of an authentic public realm of such quality that it will lodge in our memories, British architect Louisa Hutton said in introducing his lecture at the Royal Academy in London last summer. He sees architecture and in particular the open spaces between buildings  as being capable of fostering community relationships, social cohesion and, as a result, meaningful lives.

What he wants people to notice about his work, Doshi has said, is not the buildings themselves as much as the life around them.

However you measure Doshis relative fame within the world of architecture, there are clear connections between his work and themes that have moved to the fore of profession in recent years. The words that recur in coverage of his architecture  timelessness, weight, power, stillness, layering, equilibrium and the like  suggest an overlap with the work of younger architects gaining prominence in the field and working in places as different as Belgium, Japan and Chile; an architectural mindset that I have elsewhere referred to (with more than a little affection) as boring is also clear to see in Doshis patient and unruffled approach.

christopher.hawthorne@latimes.com

Twitter: @HawthorneLAT
It doesnt take much effort to slot Terry Riley into music history. As part of the bustling experimental music scene in the Bay Area, he tossed off 53 short melodic phrases centered on C major, and instructed that they be repeated as many times as seemed suitable by members of any ensemble. He added a beat.

The rest is history. This was the birth of the Minimalist movement in music, still going strong more than half a century later. In C has become such a classic that even the Los Angeles Master Chorale will perform it on its May program.

Riley also demonstrated himself an inspired pianist, an improviser and a psychedelic groove-maker capable of playing mind-bending rhythmic patterns, sometimes in mind-blowing, all-night-long organ or electric keyboard recitals. Even as he evolved, consuming Indian raga or writing narrative string quartets for Kronos, there was also approachable method to his trance-inducing madness.

But the fact is, Riley is impossible to pigeonhole, as Gloria Cheng demonstrated in her illuminating all-Riley Piano Spheres concert Tuesday night at Zipper Concert Hall.

Advertisement

In the first half, Cheng surveyed Rileys notated piano music, from his student days at UC Berkeley in the late 1950s to the early 1990s (of which there is surprisingly little). In the second half, Riley, now 82 and as stunning a pianist as ever, played three tributes to mentors. Together, Riley and Cheng then premiered Cheng Tiger Growl Roar, for piano four-hands and written for the occasion.

What, in fact, makes Riley special is that he has absorbed a vast stretch of different music styles, be they from the Western tradition  classical, jazz, folk, pop  or the East, particularly India, in radically different ways. He may focus on a single idea, but one that is, usually in a way too deep to discern, any number of different practices. Or he may focus on just one kind of music, but get waylaid somewhere along the line. Then again, he can just sit down at the piano and let the waylay happen.

In Rileys vast musical brain, something in a piano rag might suggest a sequence for repetition or get him to start chanting a Carnatic song. The main point of Rileys stupendous career has been suggestibility. He is classically trained (with an academic degree in composition and a couple decades of raga study), but his main education has been simply in the doing.

Cheng began with two of Rileys student Two Pieces for Piano, written under the spell but not the technique of Schoenberg. The angular, disjointed, tightly knit atonal phrases might make the ecstatic rejoinder of tonality, pulse and improvisation in In C, written six years later, might seem like rebellion.

Cheng directed the audience to a rare recording, now found online, of Riley playing the early studies at his masters recital in Berkeley. Fabulous pianist he was. But Chengs commanding performance went far further.

She exposed a natural sense of tonal connections that may not be analytically obvious. Instead, it was a sense of the way that fragments combine, one leading in some mysterious but right way to the other.

Riley didnt write a fully notated piano piece, amazingly, for another 35 years. But when he finally did, in 1994, for Cheng and three other pianists, he produced, with The Heaven Ladder, Book 7, a masterpiece. Cheng gave the West Coast premiere of it on her first Piano Spheres recital and recorded it. This was, 24 years later, her first return to the full five-movement suite.

She and Riley appear an odd couple. Riley is about unpredictability. Cheng is a meticulous pianist who carefully unearths luminosity in all she plays. She doesnt improvise. He, given half the chance, will do nothing but. Even Rileys most carefully structured scores have the quality of inspired noodling captured for posterity. He is notorious for notation that leaves a great deal up to the performer, while actually wanting very specific things. In her notes, Cheng jokes that she and Riley originally disagreed on just about everything in her interpretation of Heavens Ladder.

Advertisement

Returning to it now, she makes it sound as seductive as anything by Ravel. The longest movement, a rapturous fandango that departs into more musical universes than I can keep track of but keeps coming back to Spain, is a wondrous journey. Rileys instruction for the sublimely Satie-esque Simones Lullaby, written to put his granddaughter to sleep, is to repeat as long as it takes. Cheng found such beauty that you might want to listen all night.

Rileys own improvised tributes  to his Indian mentor, Pandit Pran Nath, to his ragtime mentor, Wally Rose, and to Margaret Lyon, who enticed him to teach at Mills College in the 1970s  were worlds unto themselves. I sat in on Pran Naths classes at Mills, and Lyon was my beloved graduate adviser. I cant tell you how or why or pretend objectivity, but Riley conjured them.

In Cheng Tiger Growl Roar, Cheng had a written-out score, and Riley improvised around it. There was some uncertainty, but there was also a delight in two different piano styles in tense but complementary conversation through modal scales, percussive bass notes, incandescent chords, moody blues riffs and titillating trills.

mark.swed@latimes.com
In an exploration of how celebrity has shaped the city, I spent the better part of last week being a tourist in star-search Los Angeles. I took a TMZ tour, hung out on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and even attended the Oscars.

As part of my research, I asked Angelenos on Twitter about their first celebrity sightings.

No matter what TMZ tells you, celebrity encounters tend to be pretty banal. They take place at coffee shops and supermarkets. (Gelsons is popular.) The now-defunct Tower Records in West Hollywood was once a hub of star sightings.

But while most sightings are mundane, they can also be funny and weird. Here are some of the best responses to my query:

Advertisement

Pizza for Milton Berle

Phillip Rodriguez writes: I delivered a pizza to Milton Berle. He was dressed in a robe. (Sausage.)

I delivered a pizza to Milton Berle. He was dressed in a robe. (Sausage.)  Phillip Rodriguez (@PRrodLA) March 2, 2018

Playing piano for Billy Crystal

Matthew Stromberg writes: Billy Crystal came to my piano recital when I was like 10. (He was probably there to see his kid, but no way to be sure.)

Billy crystal came to my piano recital when I was like 10. (He was probably there to see his kid, but no way to be sure.)  Matthew Stromberg (@MattStromberg) March 3, 2018

Buying reading glasses with Fred Astaire

Jim LaVally writes: In the 70s, my mom and another customer were sorting through loose reading glasses at the J.J. Newberrys in Hollywood. After a bit, they made their selections and went to the cash register. As the man left, the clerk told mom, I dont think you noticed, that was Fred Astaire.

In the 70s, my mom and another customer were sorting through loose reading glasses at the J.J. Newberrys in Hollywood. After a bit, they made their selections and went to the cash register. As the man left, the clerk told mom, I dont think you noticed, that was Fred Astaire.  Jim LaVally (@JimLaVally) March 2, 2018

Whos Ned Beatty?

Zak Smith writes: Dad: Its Ned Beatty. Me: Whos Ned Beatty?

Dad: "It's Ned Beatty"

Me: "Who's Ned Beatty?"  S Z (@ZakSmithSabbath) March 2, 2018

Advertisement

Having a celebrity neighbor or a parent who works in the business can increase the chance of sightings (and clown lamps):

Watering Mr. Drummonds lawn

Justin Walsh writes of the late Conrad Bain, best known for playing Philip Drummond on Diffrent Strokes: Conrad Bain was our neighbor till I was two-and-a-half. My parents watered his lawn when he went home to Canada after Maude was done shooting each season, and he gave me piggyback rides (they say). Mr. Drummond!

Conrad Bain was our neighbor till I was two-and-a-half. My parents watered his lawn when he went home to Canada after Maude was done shooting each season, and he gave me piggyback rides (they say). Mr. Drummond!  Justin Walsh (@jstpwalsh) March 2, 2018

A hug from Jane Fonda

Coagula Curatorial gallerist and publisher Mat Gleason writes: 1981. My gramma told me to go down the street and tell Jane Fonda that my grampa had died. JF gave me a big hug and told me how my grampa fixed some broken toys for her kids. She was shockingly short.

Advertisement

1981. My gramma told me to go down the street and tell Jane Fonda that my grampa had died. JF gave me a big hug and told me how my grampa fixed some broken toys for her kids. She was shockingly short.  Mat Gleason (@CoagulaMagazine) March 3, 2018

A clown lamp from Betty White

Eric Spiegelman writes: Betty White. When I was 2 weeks old. My mom was at William Morris when I was born and Betty White bought me a clown lamp.

Betty White. When I was 2 weeks old. My mom was at William Morris when I was born and Betty White bought me a clown lamp.  Eric Spiegelman (@ericspiegelman) March 2, 2018

Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw hand in hand

KUSC-FMs Gail Eichenthal had a movie star sighting that was high on cool factor: Unforgettable sight of Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw (sic) walking hand in hand on Canon Drive on a late afternoon. This ages me but it is worth being ancient for that memory.

Advertisement

Unforgettable sight of Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw walking hand in hand on Canon Drive on a late afternoon. This ages me but it is worth being ancient for that memory.  Gail Eichenthal (@gaileichenthal) March 2, 2018

A cigarette with Tom Waits

A near accident with a celebrity is always interesting, as artist Kio Griffith writes: Tom Waits. Almost collided with him but had a cigarette afterwards and laughed.

Tom Waits. almost car collided with him but had a cigarette afterwards and laughed  Kio (@kio) March 2, 2018

A couple of my colleagues came through with especially good sightings:

Advertisement

Spotting Mae West

Times columnist Robin Abcarian wrote: My first awesome celebrity sighting happened in the late 1970s when my Dad and I were driving his Dodge van over the Sepulveda Pass, and I looked down into a limo in the next lane, and Mae West was sitting in the back seat.

But my first awesome celebrity sighting happened in the late 1970s when my Dad and I were driving his Dodge van over the Sepulveda Pass, and I looked down into a limo in the next lane, and Mae West was sitting in the back seat.  Robin Abcarian  (@AbcarianLAT) March 2, 2018

Masked Michael Jackson

Books editor Carolyn Kellogg writes: Not first, but: Michael Jackson going down the escalator at the Westside Pavilion. Wearing a surgical mask. With a kid.

Also not first but: Michael Jackson going down the escalator at the Westside Pavilion. Wearing a surgical mask. With a kid.  Carolyn Kellogg (@paperhaus) March 2, 2018

Advertisement

Michael Cera everywhere, and Jonah Hills dog

There are times when you see celebrities too often  or not enough, as Times reporters Emily Alpert Reyes and Laura Nelson write.

From Alpert Reyes: I used to see Michael Cera so often that I turned him down for a seat next to me at the movies. (I was saving it for a friend!)

Nelson: Remember when Jonah Hills dog hid under our picnic table at Pan Pacific Park and he spent like three minutes coaxing him out, and I didnt realize who he was?

Remember when Jonah Hills dog hid under our picnic table at Pan Pacific Park and he spent like three minutes coaxing him out, and I didnt realize who he was?  Laura J. Nelson  (@laura_nelson) March 3, 2018

Advertisement

Little Richard shares Jesus

L.A. painter Max Maslanskys encounter with Little Richard bordered on the surreal: Im 17. Little Richard. In a limo, calling me over. Hes eating Taco Bell. He gave me a book on Jesus and told me I needed it.

I'm 17. Little Richard. In a limo, calling me over. He's eating Taco Bell. He gave me a book on Jesus and told me "I needed it".  Max Maslansky (@juliensky) March 3, 2018

Dead trip

Indiewire editor-at-large Anne Thompson gets a gold star for attempting to crash the celebrity party: Might be when I got into a limo with The Grateful Dead tripping on acid in high school. They kicked us out.

Might be when I got into a limo with The Grateful Dead tripping on acid in high school. They kicked us out.  Anne Thompson (@akstanwyck) March 2, 2018

Advertisement

Waiting on Molly Ringwald

But the celebrity sighting highlight came from the Getty Centers Amy Hood: Molly Ringwald was at my first-ever table when I was a server. But I dont remember if she was the first celebrity I ever saw. . . . She was very nice.

Molly Ringwald was at my first-ever table when I was a server. But I dont remember if she was the first celebrity I ever saw.  Amy Hood (@AmyHood) March 2, 2018

And Ringwald responded: Always good to hear!

Always good to hear!  Molly Ringwald (@MollyRingwald) March 2, 2018

Advertisement

The 80s fangirl in me is complete.

Me when @MollyRingwald responds to my silly Twitter thread: pic.twitter.com/d4KoZGKRVM  Carolina A. Miranda (@cmonstah) March 2, 2018

Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter 

carolina.miranda@latimes.com

Advertisement

@cmonstah

ALSO

From a TMZ tour bus to a seat at the Oscars: My search for elusive celebrity culture in Los Angeles

Capping an exhausting awards season, the Oscars offered relief but little satisfaction

Advertisement

Jimmy Kimmel and President Trump get into lowest-rated Oscars spat

The last (porn) picture shows: Once dotted with dozens of adult cinemas, L.A. now has only two
It is a curious thing, this world, spinning in chaos, its politics no longer bound by gravity. It troubles and amuses Armando Iannucci, a sly satirist with a soft voice, who glances into a coffee cup and, with little warning, ditches his Scottish accent and imitates the leader of the free world.

Hey, I tell ya, this is the best coffee Ive ever had. I mean the Seoul coffee was good. But the coffee we had in our hotels, Ill tell you, there was one day a guy came in, he was from China. China, by the way, is where, said Iannucci, as if hitched to one of President Trumps circuitous thoughts.

His speech is like five apps opening simultaneously, Iannucci added of Trump. Hes engulfed in his own speech bubble. I dont think you could come up with a fictionalized version of Trump. Hes his own satire.

Iannucci has been skewering the antics and insecurities of politicians for years. Hes the creator of HBOs Veep and its British forbearer, The Thick of It, and his characters speak in skeins of expletives and scathing syllables that reduce rivals to sputtering, withered messes. Like Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in Veep, they are funny, bumbling and cruel, hardened in a chicanery that masquerades as public good while stumbling over vulnerabilities that singe the spirit.

Advertisement

Iannuccis new film, The Death of Stalin, which opens Friday in Los Angeles, is a dark comedy about Joseph Stalin, the tyrant of the Soviet Union who killed millions of his countrymen from the late 1920s until his death in 1953. Stalin was a man of gulags and firing squads, a poster villain for the dangers posed by despots. He was at once coarse and calculating  an ideal subject for Iannuccis narrative mischief and biting wit.

I was looking three years ago to set a fictional dictatorship in the present day, because I thought something funny is going on, said Iannucci, who based Stalin on the French graphic novel by Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin. Populist movements. Nationalist movements. Authority figures in Turkey, Russia; Silvio Berlusconi in Italy. Somethings not quite right. Democracys beginning to look a little precarious. It was funny in a grim sort of Kafka-esque way.

Steve Buscemi, center, and Jeffrey Tambor, in white, star in The Death of Stalin. (Nicola Dove / TIFF )

Starring Steve Buscemi, Michael Palin, Jason Isaacs and Jeffrey Tambor, Stalin is wacky-ensemble political theater with a foreboding edge. Sycophants and connivers  from Nikita Khrushchev to Vyacheslav Molotov  navigate the psychology and bureaucracy of a communist state, where people went to bed fully dressed in the event that the secret police plucked them from their homes in the pitch of night. The film infuses menace with humorous set pieces, including Stalin dying in his own urine while apparatchiks argue over whether they should convene a quorum and vote to call a doctor.

I went back and looked at Charlie Chaplins The Great Dictator [a 1940 parody of Hitler], and youve got some of the funniest ever Chaplin scenes interspersed with scenes from the Jewish ghetto, said Iannucci. Its tricky, and I knew it would be. It would rise or fall on that balance. If we didnt get it right, it would either be too grim to be funny or not believable because its too silly.

Russia has banned The Death of Stalin as an affront to its history. The film has already opened in Europe, and critics there have generally praised it. Some, however, thought it not as incisive as Iannuccis 2009 cinematic directorial debut, In the Loop, a statecraft riff on plans by the U.S. and Britain to invade a Middle Eastern country. In its review of Stalin, the Guardian wrote: The tone ends up being oddly serious, the comedy bleak rather than black, and the final product is somehow both more somber and less caustic than Iannuccis sharpest, silliest work.

Roots of a filmmaker

Iannucci, 54, is a slight man with an anarchists wiles; when he speaks, his hands appear to be fidgeting with an invisible Rubiks Cube. Unlike his foul-mouthed characters  notably Malcolm Tucker, the acid-tongued crisis manager in The Thick of It  he is polite and inquisitive, perhaps the result of his years at Oxford, where he studied the poet John Milton, or his boyhood days amid ever-questioning Jesuits in a Scottish grammar school. He brims with metaphor, and one senses that he is often shortlisted for dinner parties.

Advertisement

He lives in England with his wife and children. (His son, Emilio, appears in Stalin.) Iannucci often travels to America and is conversant in politics on both sides of the Atlantic. He can decipher the anger that led to the British vote to leave the European Union; recently, he was reading Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff, a book that led to him riffing on former press secretary Sean Spicer and Trumps strange post-inauguration speech to the CIA.

Hell never accept anything at face value, Timothy Simons, who plays smug and despicable Congressman Jonah Ryan on Veep, said of Iannucci. Hell keep digging and digging until he finds five or six layers of information, which then turn into five or six layers of jokes. Not all of which, including Selina Meyers embarrassing, in-her-pants accident, are political or satirical. He will never let anything get in the way if he feels its truly and inherently funny in its bones, Simons added.

Iannuccis father was an Italian partisan who during World War II immigrated to Britain, where he worked as a coffee machine salesman, ran a pizza factory, but never became a citizen and couldnt vote. I said to him once, Why dont you vote? Its important, said Iannucci. And he said, The last time I voted, [Italian dictator Benito] Mussolini got in. He laughed, but in the telling of his fathers layered and inventive life, it was easy to detect Iannuccis passion for Charles Dickens intricate novel David Copperfield, which he is adapting for a film.

Stories beyond the Earth have also intrigued Iannucci. He is developing a pilot for HBO that is set 40 years in the future, at the height of space tourism. Its less political satire than a look at human interaction amid constellations and zero gravity. Ive always been into sci-fi, Iannucci said. The more you analyze the universe, the more the idea of gods and ghosts diminishes, but also the more mysterious it becomes. Its mind-blowing. Its an unanswerable question that I kind of like.

Advertisement

Back to Stalin

An air of cosmic ease settled over a room in a church hall where the cast of Stalin read lines for weeks before shooting. Iannucci said the practice was ideal for finding out which lines worked and which didnt. Isaacs, who plays Field Marshal Georgy Zhukov, said that on set, it felt like summer camp with karaoke, with actor Paul Whitehouse playing guitar between takes.

Armando wasnt like lots of directors who feel they have to provide the energy on the set, jumping up and down, said Isaacs. He had a nap every lunchtime, which I was terribly impressed by. You never felt a hint of anxiety from him. He was so confident and easy. Not arrogant. He was a man who knew what the film was, what the tone was, which was reassuring, because when I read [the script], I thought, This could go down in flames. Its such a risky, bold thing to do.

Advertisement

Much of Iannuccis work  Stalin, Veep, In the Loop  glides the edge of going too far before finding restraint that keeps it at once outrageous and quite real. One of his favorite works of political literature is Robert Caros multi-part biography of President Lyndon B. Johnson, which inspired Veep. The Johnson story, Iannucci said, epitomizes the tragicomic: a powerful man and a prodigious senator who suddenly finds himself playing second fiddle as vice president to John F. Kennedy.

For all their pettiness, egos and dark motivations, Iannucci said he understands the promise and temptations of politicians like Johnson.

Some are very good, some are not so good, he said. All of them are fallible; a lot have principles, others not so much. I sympathize with them. I want politics to work. What frustrates me is seeing politicians who you know are gifted and talented but are reining in their talents and ideas for the sake of the short term.

The coffee cup Iannucci had used earlier to summon Trump was empty. The shade beyond his table was narrowing, and out at the pool, people with laptops and paperbacks, some looking as if they had just wandered in from a long night, camped in the sun. The concierge was crisp, the valets watchful. It was a sliver of L.A., a momentary, blissful detachment from the world, which, naturally led to:

Advertisement

What frightens me? A number of things, said Iannucci, as a breeze lifted. We dont really engage anymore with people who hold an opposing point of view. We block them, we unfollow them. We give them a hashtag. If you disagree with me, I find that not only offensive, but I find it threatening, and I would rather you werent here now, in this conversation. The idea of engagement is becoming more alien. But the whole Constitution is predicated on different groups talking to one another so they can compromise.

See the most-read stories this hour 

Twitter: @JeffreyLAT

jeffrey.fleishman@latimes.com

Advertisement

ALSO

Bitcoin promises filmmakers and writers tales of get-rich fever and cyber intrigue

Guillermo del Toros dark, innocent and mystical imagination propels his films
Near the end of Madeleine LEngles A Wrinkle in Time, a character compares life to a sonnet  a work governed by strict patterns of rhyme and rhythm, but one that allows for complete creative freedom within those limitations. Youre given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself, she says. What you say is entirely up to you.

LEngle knew of what she spoke. Within the ostensibly exacting parameters of childrens literature, she spun a thrillingly strange and intellectually capacious adventure story, replete with elements of fantasy and science fiction, interdimensional travel and quantum physics, secular philosophy and Christian parable. It was rejected by at least 26 publishers and went on to be banned by more than a few school libraries, all in futile opposition to the millions of voracious readers worldwide who have since claimed LEngles book as a touchstone.

Now that touchstone, already filmed for television in 2003, has become a much-anticipated Disney event movie. And in this particular cinematic sonnet, adapted for the screen by writers Jennifer Lee (Frozen) and Jeff Stockwell (Bridge to Terabithia), the director Ava DuVernay has shown an admirable willingness to rearrange and even color outside the lines.

By turns gorgeous, propulsive and feverishly overwrought, A Wrinkle in Time is an otherworldly glitter explosion of a movie, the kind of picture that wears its heart on its tie-dyed sleeve. Its the product of a big, unwieldy and excitingly go-for-broke vision, one etched in bright hues and kaleidoscopic visual effects, in busy musical orchestrations and original pop songs from artists like Sade, Sia and Demi Lovato. Most of all, that vision finds expression in the faces of a diverse ensemble overshadowed, quite literally, by a mega-sized Oprah Winfrey, perfectly if almost redundantly cast as a benevolent deity.

Advertisement

The sheer exuberance of this movie can provoke more than a few seemingly discordant reactions, sometimes in the same instance. Whisked alongside the characters through one space-time wormhole after another, I found myself wishing that this Wrinkle were more focused, more disciplined  that its ceaseless flow of fantastical images cohered into a revelatory new application of LEngles themes and insights, rather than an earnest, sometimes awkward reiteration of them.

But if not all the films visual gambits and expository shortcuts pay off, they nonetheless turn out to be in service of a uniquely daring and adventurous sort of cinematic translation. LEngles story is the kind of intricate, whimsical narrative contraption that tends to get described as unfilmable, a judgment that the filmmakers have defied in imperfect but cumulatively astonishing fashion.

 Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and others star in the trailer for A Wrinkle in Time.

In both her prior capacity as a publicist and her present calling as a feature filmmaker, DuVernay has been a tireless champion of inclusiveness, as both a force for good in the movie industry and a necessary agent of historical change. She turns filmmaking into an act of cultural reclamation, never more rousingly than in Selma (2014), her dramatic snapshot of the civil rights movement, and 13th (2016), her documentary about the mass incarceration of African Americans.

With A Wrinkle in Time, DuVernay has found an entirely different but no less accommodating vessel for her brand of advocacy. This is the first picture with a nine-digit budget ever directed by a woman of color, a milestone that feels entirely appropriate to the legacy of LEngles novel, which did its part to subvert 60s-era gender and genre expectations by centering on Meg Murry, a smart, self-doubting 14-year-old girl with an aptitude for advanced mathematics.

In going a step further and imagining Meg as a biracial black girl (played by the gifted Storm Reid), DuVernay has not complicated a classic heroines identity so much as turned it, with deceptive casualness, on its head. Its a welcome experiment in multiplex multiculturalism that feels at once incidental and charged with significance, and it dovetails intuitively with the principled rejection of conformity that lies at the heart of LEngles story.

As in the book, its a dark and stormy night when misfit Meg, her intellectually gifted younger brother, Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe), and their scientist mother (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) receive a fateful visit from an eccentric celestial guardian named Mrs. Whatsit (a vivacious Reese Witherspoon). She has come to warn the Murry children about the whereabouts of their father (Chris Pine), also a scientist, who left on a dangerous mission years ago, and whose disappearance has since been the source of much local gossip.

LEngles story is the kind of intricate, whimsical narrative contraption that tends to get described as unfilmable.

Advertisement

Mrs. Whatsits partner in supernatural mischief is Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling), whose every line of dialogue draws on a pan-cultural archive of famous quotations from writers as different as Shakespeare, Kahlil Gibran and Outkast. And then there is Mrs. Which, the oldest, wisest and most physically imposing of this benevolent trinity, played by Winfrey with all manner of elaborate headdresses and facial adornments. (Dazzling as these three womens many costume changes are, they cant quite do justice to the mysterious, mercurial identities that LEngle gave them on the page.)

The missuses have the power to harness a tesseract, which is not a device imported from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but rather a fifth-dimensional force that enables people to zip across galaxies in no time. And so, accompanied by their friendly schoolmate Calvin (Levi Miller), Meg and Charles Wallace go on an eye-popping, planet-hopping adventure, landing first on a lush, rolling landscape whose hallucinatory colors and giant flowers bring Avatars Pandora to mind, and then in a mountainside cavern where an oracle known as the Happy Medium (Zach Galifianakis) provides some essential guidance.

In time the kids arrive on Camazotz, a chillingly Orwellian planet whose inhabitants are controlled by a single, computer-like brain called IT. Some of the directors most inspired set-pieces come to the fore here, notably an insidious mind-control sequence (featuring a fine, sinister Michael Pena) that unfolds on a crowded beach.

Zach Galifianakis provides some guidance as the Happy Medium, a cavern-dwelling oracle, in A Wrinkle in Time. (Atsushi Nishijima )

Advertisement

Although LEngle used these passages to worm deeper into her characters heads, the movie remains a resolutely exterior experience  full of mind-bending effects and lightning-quick shifts in scenery, but unable to match its source materials rigorous coherence or its remarkable level of sensory and cognitive detail.

What DuVernays film offers instead, and its no small thing, is a gloriously unapologetic trippiness, a hallucinatory quality that is only amplified by the sheer velocity of the storytelling. At times you wish the movie would slow down and let us catch our breath, to allow us to feel immersed in these far-flung realms rather than tossed from one to the next.

But theres urgency in all this dynamism, and real feeling as well. In every swirling frame you can sense a filmmakers desire to lose herself and her audience in the material, to find a cinematic syntax that will give fresh, vibrant expression to a well-loved story.

Sincerity alone doesnt make a film worth seeing, but the sincerity of A Wrinkle in Time is very much something to see. No less than the novel, this fearlessly emotional picture builds to a bracing, unapologetically sentimental celebration of the power of love. And its here, in her focus on family bonds strong enough to span light years, that DuVernay finds her way fully onto LEngles wavelength. She has made a movie that believes fervently that a young girls imagination can change, challenge and even save the world. I went in believing as much myself, but walking out, I believed it a little bit more.

Advertisement

------------

A Wrinkle in Time

Rating: PG, for thematic elements and some peril

Running time: 2 hours

Advertisement

Playing: In general release

justin.chang@latimes.com | Twitter: @JustinCChang
Los Angeles techno producer John Tejada and musical chameleon Reggie Watts  who also happens to be a successful comedian and bandleader for The Late Late Show With James Corden  have furthered their musical partnership by announcing the release of their debut album as Wajatta.

Casual High Technology, a 12-track double LP and digital release, is set to arrive on May 11, and comes after the team issued a teaser called Runnin a few months ago.

On paper, its an unlikely pairing. For the last two decades, the Austrian-born, L.A.-based Tejada has been meticulously crafting synthetic minimal techno and house tracks for respected international imprints including Cocoon, Pokerflat, Tigersushi, Plug Research, 7th City and his own Palette label. Since 2011, he has also been releasing records for the German minimal techno label Kompakt.

Advertisement

Tejadas work is designed to lift dance floors, and he does so with an architects eye for design. That said, theres nothing funny about his music.

Watts is way better known. The musical comedian has carved out his own wild niche, using his multi-octave voice, in communion with looping devices, to build improvised skits and bits. Hes also a big house and techno fan who digs Tejadas tracks, and he has secretly harbored a desire to go full diva.

The two clicked in Tejadas studio and issued Runnin, the first of a dozen tracks on Casual High Technology. The full-length by Wajatta (pronounced wa-HA-ta) is coming out on Comedy Dynamics, so one could call this a comedy album, but Tejadas beats and Watts wildly enthusiastic delivery make the humor glisten like light refracted off disco balls.

For Let Me Come to Your Party, Watts inhabits the mind of a suave gangsta who, when he hits the exuberant chorus, repeatedly sings, Let me come to your party, before adding, Let me show you how its done.

On Make Some Sense, Tejada builds a Chicago house-inspired pedestal upon which Watts scats in various octaves. Red and the Blue is a cavernous techno jam crafted to be cranked at the exclusive Berlin club Berghain.

On Wednesday morning, Wajatta announced its official album release concert, an all-ages, KCRW-presented show set for May 23 at the Teragram Ballroom. On the turntables that night will be Dntel, a.k.a. Jimmy Tamborello, who contributed to a song called Easel Does It on Wajattas new album.

Heres the track listing for Casual High Technology:

1. We Know More (Than We Let On)

Advertisement

2. Slippin

3. Get Down (With Ya Bad Self), featuring Justin Maxwell

4. Make Some Sense

5. The Solution

Advertisement

6. Runnin

7. Je Wa Soto

8. Red and the Blue

9. Let Me Come to Your Party

Advertisement

10. Easel Does It

11. Synchronize

12. Somethin Bout the Way

For tips, records, snapshots and stories on Los Angeles music culture, follow Randall Roberts on Twitter and Instagram: @liledit. Email: randall.roberts@latimes.com.
The French brand Sezane makes its West Coast debut this week with a monthlong pop-up at the Grove in Los Angeles, featuring the labels pretty Parisian offerings.

The 4-year old brand, which opened a New York store last year, was founded by Paris-based Morgane Sezalory, who made her fashion foray by tweaking thrift-store dresses and selling them on eBay. After amassing a loyal following that way, she started her own fashion and accessories label, becoming a French direct-to-consumer label. Sezalory said she believes Parisians and Angelenos share a specific style aesthete.

California has an effortless lifestyle aspect that is also very French, she said. I love the energy of the West. Its always evolving.  Now is the perfect time for us to venture out to [Los Angeles].

Expect a varied offering to be packed into the 200-square-foot space such as small home goods and jewelry starting at $40; womens jeans at $125 and up; and dresses in lush floral prints and happy colors starting at $180. The Sezane pop-up begins at 11 a.m. Wednesday, and will be open daily until April 3.

Sezane pop-up at the Grove, 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles, www.sezane.com

Versace

A capsule collection from Versace celebrates the brands partnership with Barneys New York Barneys New York

A new capsule collection from Versace for Barneys New York not only celebrates the first time the Milan-based brand is available at the prestige retailer, but is also a nod to the founder of the fashion house, Gianni Versace, through the use some of the iconic prints from Versaces archives.

The offering of womens ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories is predicated on signature Versace traits. Think plenty of black-and-gold and Baroque prints, including the iconic Medusa head.

The collection, priced from $250 to $3,675, is available at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills.

Barneys New York, 9570 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, www.barneys.com

Tees from Project Social T and Lively

Los Angeles brand Project Social T is raising money through T-shirt sales for Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Project Social T

Heres a plan for March: pick up a couple of fashionable everyday T-shirts and support good causes. Los Angeles fashion brand Project Social T is working with Childrens Hospital Los Angeles on its Make March Matter campaign.

Every penny raised from the sale of the $40 T-shirt goes to providing life-saving care for patients. The inside of the blue T-shirt is printed with information about the cause.

Sales of Lively T-shirts benefit womens causes. Lively

Also, lingerie brand Lively is launching a new T-shirt in support of International Womens Day on Thursday.

The $25 cotton tee features the simple message Confidence Starts Here over the heart area. Profits from the sale of the shirt will go to I Support the Girls, which donates feminine hygiene products and used bras to homeless women and girls around the country.

Project Social T, www.projectsocialt.com

Alan Anderson

Brilliant colors are a signature of the jewelry line from Canadian Alan Anderson. Alan Anderson

Toronto jewelry designer Alan Anderson is making a rare personal appearance in Los Angeles this week, bringing 107 of his acclaimed vintage-infused costume jewelry pieces to Cameron Silvers luxury vintage store Decades. On show will be vibrant and striking pieces that fit in with Andersons theory that big pieces should be worn daily in random acts of glamour.

It doesnt have to be on just a red carpet, he said. I like the idea of a big statement collar worn with a white T-shirt and jeans.

His collection at Decades is really opulent with amazing colorways, said Anderson said. Among the offerings are pieces made from vintage Persian turquoise from the 1950s and sparkling citrine and crystal set in rhodium. Anderson usually uses stones that date to the 1920s, many of which have never been mounted, and he makes every piece by hand in his studio. Prices range from $395 to $3,200.

Andersons collection will be shown with vintage Halston originals at a trunk show on Wednesday evening; and it will be available at Decades through Sunday.

Decades, 8214 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, jewelsbyalananderson.com, decadesinc.com

Support our journalism Please consider subscribing today to support stories like this one. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. Already a subscriber? Your support makes our work possible. Thank you.

image@latimes.com

For fashion news, follow us at @latimesimage on Twitter.
After listening to her customers, Reese Witherspoon has come up with what many of them want  plus sizes.

The actress and producer, through her lifestyle brand Draper James, has partnered with Eloquii, the fashion retailer for womens sizes 12 to 28, to create a capsule collection for spring and summer, called Draper James for Eloquii. It will be sold at Draper James and Eloquii stores and web sites.

At Draper James, we care deeply about our customers feedback and theyve consistently asked for expanded sizing, said Witherspoon, who serves as creative director of Draper James, in a statement to WWD. We were determined to set out to find the right partner to better serve her, which led us to Eloquii. We love the fashion and fit.

Aside from womens clothing, the three-year-old Draper James collection has accessories and home accents such as candles, books, silver, pillows and stationery. The brand is named after Witherspoons grandparents.

We have been fans of Draper James from afar, but we didnt know them when they reached out to us, recounted Mariah Chase, chief executive officer of Eloquii. They had consistent callouts from customers who wanted larger sizing. They looked at a few potential partners, but we had instant chemistry. Our creative director, Jodi Arnold, is from Alabama, and Witherspoon also has Southern roots. She was born in New Orleans and grew up in Nashville. Jodi is a New Yorker now, but shes very appreciative of the focus Draper James has on the Southern lifestyle. The aesthetic is fun. Its a departure for us, but not far afield. Its unabashedly feminine.

Reese Witherspoon Richard Shotwell / Invision / AP/REX

The Draper James for Eloquii collection launches today, bringing a touch of Southern charm to Eloquiis spring assortment. Its ladylike, timeless, colorful style, with a lot of lace, eyelets, gingham and preppy stripes.

Draper James for Eloquii is being sold at Eloquii.com, the three Eloquii stores, DraperJames.com and the four Draper James stores through trunk shows with select styles. Priced $55 to $225, and about 20 percent higher than the regular Eloquii collection, Draper James for Eloquii launches with an Escape Route group that includes an embellished parrot dress, a Charleston stripe dress, and a Dolly check print wrap top with matching skirt. In April, the Hello Darlin summer collection drops, including Draper James signature magnolia print and denim separates alongside playful accents such as Southern slogans and shoulder ties. Depending on the performance of the collection, Chase said extending it for future seasons is a possibility.

Draper James for Eloquii. WWD

Draper James for Eloquii is also available at Rent the Runway. Both Draper James and Eloquii, independently, have sold to Rent the Runway. Weve been working with Rent the Runway for three years, said Chase. We are three female-run businesses.

Draper James for Eloquii does have a dressed-up look that fits with Rent the Runways reputation. Chase said selling Rent the Runway is complementary [to], not cannibalizing the Eloquii business.

In the past Eloquii has orchestrated design collaborations with Stone Fox Bride, a SoHo bridal atelier, and Teresa Maccapani Missoni of the famous Missoni design family in Italy. We dont have a prescription for the way we do these, said Chase. Our philosophy is, if its something she doesnt have access to, how can we partner best to bring that to her. Its always through the lens of fashion. If there are partners that come to us or we approach them, its because we believe what they are doing is important and that they have something to offer our customer base.

Chase said Eloquii has additional collaborations in the works, but wouldnt divulge any. In swimwear, intimates, or footwear, categories that were not that deep into, they would definitely be of interest. But apparel is our home, the mother ship. Thats definitely where we are going to play.
Some patients wait until Dr. Jerome Chelliah snaps on his gloves to make the request. Others blurt it out as soon as he walks in the exam room.

Id rather see a female doctor, they say.

Chelliah thinks he can be a sensitive obstetrician-gynecologist even though hes a man. But he has no choice but to comply.

Ive been rejected many times over, he said. As a person of color, I face discrimination in other ways, but its not so blatant. People have no problem saying they dont want you.

Chelliah is in a field of medicine where all the patients are female, and its more possible than ever for them to demand female doctors.

In 1970, 7% of gynecologists were women. Now 59% are.

Some men fear the falling number of male OB-GYNs could eventually lead to them being excluded from the specialty. They believe this is not only unfair, but also has subtle ramifications that go beyond patients comfort on the examination table.

It's a perspective that garners little sympathy among women who had to fight for entrance into the male-dominated world of medicine.

Nobody was worried at all that there werent enough women in OB in the 1970s, said Dr. Barbara Levy, an OB-GYN who trained then. Nobody paid any attention to us.

The debate about male OB-GYNs taking place in universities and doctors offices across the country has stoked concern and resentment among men and women, creating the ultimate collision of medicine and gender politics.

Chelliah, 28, became an OB-GYN because he wanted to get to know his patients, not just their medical problems.

OB-GYNs often treat the same women for decades, helping them pick a birth control method and cope with menopause. They care for mothers through pregnancy and share in the joy of new families.

We have a front-row seat to life that no one else has, said Chelliah, who is completing OB-GYN residency training at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara, Calif.

Yet the job can feel cruel. Chelliah recently noticed a sign on a patient room with a picture of a babys foot. Above it, Female providers only. He kept walking.

Patients can legally discriminate by sex, race or any other factor when choosing a physician, and some women feel more comfortable talking about intimate health topics with women.

Becoming an OB-GYN Four years of medical school, during which students try out different specialties, including OB-GYN

Students who want to become OB-GYNs apply to residency training programs (76% of OB-GYN applicants were women last year)

Four years of OB-GYN residency training

OB-GYNs who want to subspecialize, such as in infertility, high-risk pregnancies or gynecological cancers, then do a three-year fellowship Source: ACOG

Brooke Hamel, 19, recently went to get an intrauterine device inserted by a doctor recommended by her sister. She quickly started crying.

He touched me and I immediately lost it, said Hamel, who lives in Yorktown, Va. As soon as I had to spread my legs, I was in a really vulnerable place, and I did not want to be in that position with a male.

Male medical students say OB-GYN patients at universities often ask that they not be in the exam room. While female students are awed by helping deliver their first baby, men can miss out.

It sends a horrible message to men who might have a nascent interest in OB-GYN thats promptly quashed, said Dr. Carl Smith, head of the OB-GYN department at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Men are now less likely than ever to try to become OB-GYNs. Only about 17% of current OB-GYN residents are men. Smith and others say that if their numbers keep dropping, it could weaken the field overall.

Dr. Reshma Jagsi, who studies gender issues in medicine at the University of Michigan, said a group of people with varied perspectives can better solve complex questions and make advances in a field. Men and women can offer important contributions to OB-GYN, she said.

I really do believe that diversity improves the quality of care, said Jagsi, who said gender isnt a factor when it comes to picking her own OB-GYN.

Dr. Saketh Guntupalli, a gynecological oncologist at the University of Colorado, raised the stakes. If you exclude 50% of people from anything, think about how much youve lost, he said. You might lose the next person who's going find a cure for cancer.

These concerns appear to have given men pursuing OB-GYN an advantage. Medical school advisors told some that they wouldnt need to apply to as many residency programs as women with equivalent test scores, male students said.

If deciding between an equally qualified male and female candidate for a residency class that otherwise would have only women, program directors may favor the man, said Dr. Todd Jenkins, an OB-GYN at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

We find our faculty, our residents work better when we have a little mix, he said.

Many women, patients and doctors alike, bristled at the idea that the field needs men.

In the 1970s, women struggled to get into medical school and to find doctors who wouldnt judge their sex lives, said Wendy Kline, a history of medicine professor at Purdue University. Activists viewed the male-run healthcare system as a gear of the patriarchy, she said.

Now 82% of residents training to be OB-GYNs are women. The proportion of female gynecologists in practice nationwide is expected to hit two-thirds by 2025. Gynecologists in TV and movies were once exclusively white men, but now the most well-known is arguably the Indian American character Dr. Mindy Lahiri of The Mindy Project on TV.

Carol Weisman, a Penn State public health and OB-GYN professor, lauded womens success in the field and balked at efforts to recruit men. She pointed out that OB-GYN remains one of the hardest specialties to break into each year.

Pari Ghodsi, an OB-GYN in Northridge, said being a woman probably makes it a little easier for her to connect with her patients. But it doesn't confer the same benefit outside the exam room. Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times

It seems to me that theres some residual sexism in that view, that we need men to be sure that were training the best possible people for our specialty. I find that very odd, she said.

Outside of OB-GYN, fewer than a third of doctors are women. Women might dominate obstetrics and gynecology, but men dominate 37 of the 42 other medical specialties.

When Pari Ghodsi, an OB-GYN in Los Angeles, wears her scrubs outside the hospital, people ask, Are you a nurse?

That doesnt happen the other way around: If you see a man in scrubs, you assume hes a doctor, said Ghodsi, 36.

Nationally, theres no effort to draw more men to OB-GYN by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the OB-GYN professional organization, according to Levy, its vice president for health policy.

There are no right numbers or wrong numbers for what our specialty looks like, she said.

Levy and others believe the shift is largely driven by patients seeking doctors who seem more like peers than white coats. Younger patients in particular say they can trust someone they know has been vulnerable in the same way.

Los Angeles Times

Even a female gynecologist has been to a gynecologist, said Taylor Ortega, a 28-year-old comedian in New York City. Theres a lot we know about each other without knowing each other.

Conchita Beronilla, 34, said she believed the male OB-GYN who cared for her while she was in labor couldnt understand her pain. She wanted to sock him in the face, she said.

We all go through cramps, we all go through menstrual cycles, said Beronilla, who lives in San Francisco. Even if they dont have kids, I believe women, we all go through the same particular suffering.

These trends have influenced men too. Some feel socially excluded from OB-GYN departments in medical schools; they tend to be havens for women. Others say they dont want to perpetuate a history of men telling women what to do with their bodies.

Tanmaya Sambare, 24, signed up for a class called Mommies and Babies in his first year at Stanford University medical school. But he started to think he wouldnt be able to sufficiently empathize with pregnant patients, he said.

No matter how hard I try I think its just capped ... because I dont have a uterus. Its not my fault, its not anyones fault, he said.

Some patients prefer male OB-GYNs  8%, according to a recent review of 23 studies. Those women say theyre gentler and better listeners and take their concerns more seriously, perhaps to overcome stereotypes.

Even more women  41% in the same study  have no gender preference, a fact thats popular with doctors who say the desire for female physicians has been overstated.

We have to do a better job recruiting and dispelling some of the rumors and myths, said Guntupalli, 39, of the University of Colorado. First and foremost, women want a good doctor.

Indeed, some female OB-GYNs said focusing on gender reduces womens skills to biology and doesnt account for transgender or gender-nonconforming patients who might not relate to female doctors simply because of the physicians gender.

Ive never had kids, so what do I know about the pain of childbirth? said Dr. Alison Jacoby, an OB-GYN who is part of UC San Franciscos Center of Excellence for Transgender Health. "It has everything to do with communication and empathy, and less on the gender of the provider.

Daniel Spinosa, a medical student at UC San Diego, was told repeatedly that his gender wouldnt stop him from being a skilled OB-GYN.

Spinosa, 30, left a job on Wall Street because he wanted a career in which he could more tangibly help people. He thought he might want to be an oncologist.

I wouldve laughed you out of the room if youd told me I was going to end up in OB-GYN, Spinosa said.

But he said that while treating OB-GYN patients in medical school he learned he could develop meaningful relationships with them. He was almost never asked to leave patient rooms, because professors introduced him as a member of our care team instead of a male medical student.

Older male OB-GYNs told him he could be happy with the career. OB-GYNs say they like that the field is dedicated to life, not death, and enjoy the unique mix of clinical work and surgery.

Daniel Spinosa, a UCSD medical student, thinks men should be involved in women's healthcare: "It needs to be something all of society cares about." Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Spinosa, who will begin an OB-GYN training program this year, says he eventually wants to subspecialize in gynecological cancers. Male OB-GYNs are more likely to subspecialize, in large part because patients dont tend to be as picky about gender when they have a problem they need solved.

Spinosa, however, believes he could attract patients regardless. Its like his mentors told him, he said: If you provide good care, your patients will love you, and thats true in any field.

Though female doctors cringed at the thought, some said they feared OB-GYN would lose prestige or pay if there were no men left in the field. Many believe that pediatricians, for example, are among the lowest-paid physicians because theyre mostly women, so society takes their work less seriously.

If its not something men are doing, then its inherently less valuable, Kline, of Purdue University, said.

Chelliah, who has two years left of OB-GYN training, said he wants to eventually go into healthcare administration, so he probably wont treat patients daily. For now, though, he cherishes the patients who dont mind that hes a man, he said.

You leave home knowing that what youre good at and what youre good for have aligned, and thats a beautiful moment, he said.

Support our journalism Please consider subscribing today to support stories like this one. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. Already a subscriber? Your support makes our work possible. Thank you.

soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com

Twitter: @skarlamangla
Six years after the death of the man who wrote Californias landmark coastal protection act, his most famous quote keeps echoing:

The coast is never saved. Its always being saved.

What did Peter Douglas, the first executive director of the California Coastal Commission, mean by that?

He meant the job would never be done because he understood the economic and political forces that conspire to bushwhack the goals of protection and public access to Californias 1,100-mile coastal wonder.

Advertisement

Smart guy, Peter Douglas, and this week you can almost hear him calling out, I told you so.

As my colleague Rosanna Xia reported Tuesday, theres been a development in the case of Silicon Valley billionaire Vinod Khosla, whos been fighting to keep the public off a beach it has enjoyed for decades near Half Moon Bay.

Not only is Khosla appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to keep the public away from property he bought in 2008, but his attorney is challenging the Coastal Act itself, calling it Orwellian.

For those who need a quick history lesson, the Coastal Act grew out of voter-approved Proposition 20 in 1972, which established laws to prevent the private commandeering of the states greatest natural treasure. It fixed the principle that no individual owns the California coast, everyone does.

Khosla, who has established himself as one of the most arrogant people in state history, is now Exhibit A in the case for why we need the Coastal Act more than ever.

Sun Microsystems co-founder Vinod Khosla. (Karl Mondon / Associated Press )

The other current threat to coastal protection can be found in a San Diego courtroom, where the nonprofit group Spotlight on Coastal Corruption is suing two current and three former California coastal commissioners for hundreds of alleged violations of rules regarding private communications.

When I dropped in last week, I came away with nothing but questions, and with new reasons to worry. For one thing, the state attorney generals office, which is defending the commissioners, had offered a deal in which taxpayers would have had to fork over $250,000 to settle the case.

Advertisement

Why should we have to pay a nickel?

Spotlight rejected the deal, and if it wins, the commissioners could be fined millions of dollars. Would we pick up the tab for that too?

Deputy Atty. Gen. Joel Jacobs made clear that his defense of the commissioners hangs, in part, on the argument that substantial rather than complete compliance with the rules on private meetings  known as ex partes  is all thats required of coastal commissioners.

Really? Then why have rules at all if cutting corners is OK?

Advertisement

As The Times has reported, theres no question that on occasion, commissioners did not follow the rules. They either did not file reports detailing the nature of private communications with people who favored or opposed proposed projects, or they filed the reports late, or they did not fully explain what the conversations were about.

Or they didnt write the reports themselves. They let the lobbyists do it for them, and thats what was entered into the public record.

Shouldnt they all be set adrift on a milk-carton-and-coconut raft based on that alone?

Susan Jordan of the California Coastal Protection Network, poses for a photo in Santa Barbara in 2016. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times )

Advertisement

This rotten system put the public, and those with opposing views on a project, at a disadvantage. Several lawsuits have been filed over the sloppy handling of ex partes by commissioners, and last year, an Orange County judge was flabbergasted in a case involving a coastal housing project in which six of 10 commissioners did not appear to have followed the rules on private communications.

I find it strange that the AG is arguing that substantial compliance is good enough. Adhering to the rule of law is more important now than ever, said Susan Jordan of the California Coastal Protection Network.

If you send a signal that public officials dont have to worry because they dont have to meet the letter of the law, and if they violate the law and they dont have to pay consequences, that is not a message that Californias officials need to send, she said. Everything must be aboveboard.

Sunshine proved to be a good disinfectant, and some  but not all  of the biggest lightweights, wannabes and political hacks have moved on from the commission. But even with a generally improved crew on the dais, I still think a ban on ex parte communications would be good for the agency and the coast.

Advertisement

Most agencies dont allow them. In the case of the Coastal Commission, the ex parte rules were written to discourage private meetings, not turn them into a multimillion-dollar windfall for lobbyists whove been milking the system for years.

Another matter I brought up last week was the question of why the state attorney generals office is defending the five commissioners. Theyre the ones who got sued, not the agency known as the Coastal Commission.

The deputy attorney general on the case told me to call his press office with my question.

I called and emailed, and heres what I got back:

Advertisement

We refer client matters to the client. Please contact the California Coastal Commission.

Like I said, the agency didnt get sued, so how can it be a client? And besides, when do lawyers ever tell the press, No comment, talk to our clients?

Anyhow, the Coastal Commission response was that although the defendants are the commissioners, and not the agency, the Coastal Commission authorized the attorney generals office to represent the commissioners, unless there is a conflict with the agency.

The attorney generals office followed up to say the Coastal Commission was required to do it this way because the allegations concern conduct within the scope of their responsibilities as commissioners.

Advertisement

How is repeatedly ignoring the law on private communications within the scope of their responsibilities? If they deliberately chose to operate that way, it was clearly outside the scope of their responsibilities.

And as for the idea that the Coastal Commission authorized the attorney generals office to defend the commissioners unless there is a conflict with the agency, guess what? I dont have a law degree, but the potential conflicts were obvious, and I can guarantee you that all the parties involved were well aware of them.

To name just one, part of the sniveling defense by commissioners in San Diego is that if their ex partes were not properly filed, dont blame them. It was the Coastal Commission staffs fault.

Sure, lets throw the staff under the bus. Im surprised they didnt say a harbor seal ate their ex partes. But lets blame the underpaid, overworked staff, and if that doesnt work, and the commissioners lose, lets take their fines out of the agency budget and  indirectly  out of the pockets of taxpayers.

Advertisement

To make this line of defense all the more convenient, the staff has no representation in this case.

Spotlight on Coastal Corruption has a lawyer.

The accused commissioners have a lawyer.

The staff does not have a lawyer.

Advertisement

How is that not a conflict? And if the commissioners lose, who can possibly decide  without a conflict of interest  who should pay the fines?

Peter Douglas warned us.

You cant look away for a minute.

The coast is never saved.

Advertisement

Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopez
An investigation of the fatal shooting by San Francisco police of a robbery suspect inside the trunk of a car was continuing Wednesday, officials said.

The suspect was in the trunk of a vehicle that police had pulled over as part of a robbery investigation in the Mission District about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said. The officers had been flagged down moments earlier by two robbery victims about a block away, authorities said.

The driver of the car followed officers commands and exited the vehicle, but the officers noticed that the vehicles trunk was ajar and saw a second suspect in the trunk. While attempting to detain the second suspect, an officer involved shooting occurred, police said in a statement.

In video from the scene posted by KRON4, officers can be heard yelling in both English and Spanish for the person in the trunk to show their hands and then specifically, their left hand.

Advertisement

After about 30 seconds of repeated commands, the sound of rapid gunfire erupts. Photographs from the scene show the suspects vehicles rear window shot out and its roof and trunk riddled with bullet holes.

The person died at the scene and has not been identified. A handgun was found in the trunk.

The officers involved have not been identified and a department spokeswoman on Wednesday declined to say if they were on leave. At least one person in the car was arrested, but the spokeswoman declined to identify the suspect or list the booking offense. A third person inside the vehicle was detained.

joseph.serna@latimes.com

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.
A 27-year-old man who suffered permanent brain damage after he was injured in a Los Angeles jail will receive $5.9 million under a settlement approved Tuesday by the county Board of Supervisors.

Juan Isaac Garza was jailed at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in May 2012 on attempted murder charges. He was considered a suicide risk and was placed in secure housing where he could be closely monitored, according to a lawsuit filed in L.A. County Superior Court.

The lawsuit said that a sheriffs deputy became alarmed after seeing Garza mumbling to himself and standing on a chair.

The deputy summoned a psychologist who found Garza lying face up on the floor of his cell and unable to respond to questions, according to the lawsuit and a case summary provided to supervisors.

Advertisement

Despite learning from an inmate that Garza had fallen backward and hit his head multiple times on the concrete floor, the psychologist, Ellen Wong, decided to place him in a single-man isolation cell without a doctor evaluating him, the lawsuit said.

Later that morning, a deputy found Garza unresponsive on his cell floor. He was sent to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and underwent surgery, said his lawyer, Hermez Moreno.

As a result of his injuries, Garza now must use a wheelchair and has permanent cognitive disabilities that make it difficult for him to communicate and take care of himself, Moreno said.

This settlement is just another chapter in this poor guys life. Hes trapped in a body unable to express himself, Moreno said.

Garzas father and conservator, Juan Garza, filed a negligence lawsuit on his behalf in 2014.

It alleged that sheriffs deputies failed to perform wellness checks on inmates who showed the potential to harm themselves every 15 minutes as the policy required, according to the complaint.

It also alleged that Garza was left alone and unmonitored for up to 45 minutes before he was found unresponsive in his cell.

Garza had been charged with attempted murder after allegedly hitting a woman with a crowbar.

Advertisement

The Sheriffs Department blamed the incident on the lack of an Inmate Safety Check plan for deputies responding to someone who is found unresponsive in their cell.

It also found that a lack of video cameras contributed to the incident, according to the case summary.

The supervisors on Tuesday held off on approving the Sheriffs Departments corrective action plan, which was submitted to the board along with the case summary.

Tuesdays settlement comes after a recent county counsel report found that in fiscal year 2016-17 the county paid out $68.6 million in judgments and settlements involving the Sheriffs Department, the most of any county department.

Advertisement

The settlement funds will be paid out of the sheriffs and Department of Mental Health budgets.

melissa.etehad@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @melissaetehad
Los Angeles police on Tuesday defended stepped-up enforcement against the citys exploding homeless population, saying that despite officials anti-criminalization stance and adoption of alternative strategies, arrests and citations are needed to meet the crisis.

As a last resort, a tool, one tool of many tools, we turn to enforcement, Cmdr. Dominic H. Choi, the LAPDs homelessness coordinator, told the Police Commission during a discussion of the departments year-end homelessness report. We have to have a balanced approach.

The report said LAPD officers made 14,500 misdemeanor arrests of homeless people in 2017, a 10% jump from the year before. It attributed the increase in part to crackdowns on quality of life violations barring sleeping and storing personal property on sidewalks. Trespassing and nonviolent drug possession arrests also rose, the report said.

About 6,400 homeless people were arrested on felony charges, including robbery, grand theft auto, aggravated assault and burglary, the report said. A Times analysis this year found that homeless arrests had climbed 31% in recent years, largely for minor offenses, including failing to go to court or pay a quality-of-life ticket  the top offense.

Advertisement

Choi told the Police Commission that homeless people too often are the victims of violent crime, and said misdemeanor arrests are made only after homeless people are offered shelter and other services by police-led outreach teams and refuse requests to clear sidewalks or obey other laws.

The Homeless Outreach and Proactive Engagement, or HOPE, teams pair police and outreach workers during city street and encampment cleanups, and respond to citizen complaints about drug use, trash and disorder in tent cities.

By the very nature of addiction, some folks need an incentive to change behavior, Police Chief Charlie Beck said outside the commission meeting. And sometimes  not all times, sometimes  a citation or an arrest can be that intervention.

Civil rights lawyers and skid row and Venice activists said enforcement was a failed approach to stop the escalating disaster. The latest count found 34,000 homeless people in Los Angeles, about 1% of the citys total population, and nearly three-quarters of them sleep in streets, alleys, canyons and riverbeds.

Peter Lynn, executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, testified during the commission meeting that only 12% of homeless people contacted by the HOPE teams were placed in housing, shelters or detox centers or reunited with family members.

It is not a criminal problem and its not what the LAPD was designed to do, said Greg Spiegel, public policy director of the Inner City Law Center. Let the LAPD do what it does and let us build an emergency response thats designed for homelessness.

Other speakers said the HOPE teams throw out homeless peoples identification documents, medication, artwork and even naloxone kits used to prevent opioid overdoses.

Lynn, as well as representatives from the mayors office, the city attorney and the sanitation department, praised what they described as the polices multi-pronged approach to homelessness, including enhanced mental health and de-escalation training.

Advertisement

They also said the city and county are cooperating as never before to expand homeless outreach and shelter beds, staffing clinics to resolve homeless citations through community service and starting another diversion program.

Commissioner Shane Murphy Goldsmith asked the department to reduce arrests and citations. Choi said it would help to have somewhere to take people in need immediately, instead of having to wait hours for a shelter bed or other aid to open up.

Goldsmith praised the LAPDs efforts to go beyond enforcement, including the departments support for homeless storage and for the citys $1.2-billion homeless housing construction plans.

Choi said the department is discussing sending uniformed officers to community meetings to allay fears that in the past have doomed residential projects for formerly homeless people.

Advertisement

The LAPD is actively supporting alternatives to arrest, Goldsmith said after the meeting. She pressed the department to continue reporting detailed arrest data to better understand what we can all do to reduce arrests and citations.

We cannot arrest our way out of homelessness, she said.

Times staff writer Kate Mather contributed to this report.

gholland@latimes.com

Advertisement

Twitter: @geholland
A Los Angeles man accused of stealing Frances McDormands Oscar and bragging about the prize in a Facebook video is facing a felony grand theft charge, officials said Tuesday.

Prosecutors charged Terry Bryant with a single felony count for taking the bronze statuette because it is worth more than $950, said the Los Angeles County district attorneys office.

Bryant is accused of stealing McDormands lead actress prize at the Governors Ball on Sunday, after he took time to videotape himself gloating to others at the party about the prize his team was taking home.

He was arrested at 11:50 p.m. at the party site, which is inside the Hollywood & Highland center.

Advertisement

The 47-year-old was being held on $20,000 bail. He is due to appear in a downtown courtroom Wednesday for his arraignment. He faces up to three years in prison if convicted.

A photographer stopped Bryant before he could take off with the statuette, LAPD Sgt. Meghan Aguilar said. She said the photographer did not recognize Bryant as one of the winners, so followed him and took the statue from him without any resistance. The photographer then notified security, who apprehended Bryant.

Bryant had a legitimate ticket to the party, Aguilar said. Sources said Bryant appeared to have consumed a lot of alcohol.

The department has seen the Facebook video of Bryant claiming the Oscar was his.

In the video, the man who appears to also go by the name DJ Matari gloated and tried to find out the address of Oscars host Jimmy Kimmels party.

Lookit baby, my team got this tonight. This is mine. We got it tonight, baby, he says before kissing the statue. Governors Ball, baby. Who wants to wish me congratulations? Hoots and air kisses followed. He said at one point he had won it for music, and later that hed won for best producer.

The statue was lifted just after McDormand had it engraved at the official Oscars after-party, and she still didnt have it with her at the Vanity Fair party later in the evening. More than 70 Oscars have been stolen over the years, including 55 stolen in transit in 2000.

McDormand said she did not want anyone charged in connection with the theft. But when it comes to Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences controls the rights and was listed as the victim in the police report.

Advertisement

The academy has not said how Bryant got a ticket to the ball. But Bryant is a self-declared music artist, disc jockey and independent journalist.

Bryants social media pages show him at red carpet events and awards shows, and he attended the Screen Actors Guild Awards this year. He is photographed on his Instagram alongside Beyonce, Kimmel and Paris Hilton, among others.

But he also has a minor criminal past in Oregon, with arrests from 1999 to 2002 for criminal mischief and theft.

richard.winton@latimes.com

Advertisement

Twitter: @lacrimes
Donald Trump and California have long been at odds on the issue of illegal immigration. The president wants to deport those who are here illegally, while many Californians and their leaders want to protect them.

But in the last month, this battle has reached a fever pitch.

Trump has said California police are soft on street gangs and suggested pulling federal immigration agents out of the state.

LIVE UPDATES: Gov. Brown to Sessions: This is basically going to war against the state of California

Advertisement

Immigration officials have vowed more sweeps because of state and local sanctuary laws aimed at shielding those who are here illegally.

The White House says the Justice Department is reviewing recent actions of Oaklands mayor, who alerted residents about upcoming sweeps.

In the coming days, the president is expected to make his first trip to California since being elected to review prototypes for the controversial border wall hes promised.

And now the Trump administration is suing the state over its sanctuary laws.

Heres a primer from the pages of The Times:

Prototypes of border wall designs erected by contractors in San Diego in October. President Trump plans to visit California in March and is likely to view the prototypes. (Associated Press )

What is the clash between the White House and Oaklands mayor?

Last month, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf in an email gave residents of her city advance warning of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid.

That email outraged federal immigration officials and has sparked some type of review by the Justice Department.

Advertisement

I think its outrageous that a mayor would circumvent federal authorities and certainly put them in danger by making a move such as that, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters last week.

Schaaf has defended her statement, saying she felt it was her duty to alert residents of the ICE action.

Oakland, like many California cities, has declared itself a sanctuary for those here illegally, and officials there have vowed to fight President Trumps immigration crackdown.

Legal experts thought it was doubtful any charges would be filed against the mayor. But they said the dispute shows how charged the issue of immigration has become.

Advertisement

Harry Litman, a former U.S. attorney and deputy assistant attorney general who teaches at UC San Diego, said he was struck by the the near-open warfare between the local and federal authorities.

Normally the federal government takes the lead and the state authorities follow in these sorts of things, he said. Now, you have essentially an almost guerrilla movement by local authorities to try and undo federal law enforcement efforts.

Charges against the mayor would be extraordinary, he said.

Oakland has also pushed back against the ways law enforcement, through new technology and shared databases, collects personal information, images and communications of criminal suspects and innocent bystanders alike.

Advertisement

Formed in January 2016, the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission has worked to ensure those surveillance tools arent used to target immigrant or Muslim communities.

President Trump (Associated Press )

Could Trump pull immigration officers out of California?

Last month, Trump did discuss the idea, in passing.

I mean, frankly, if I wanted to pull our people from California, you would have a crime mess like youve never seen in California, Trump said. Youd be inundated. You would see crime like no ones ever seen crime in this country. And yet we get no help from the state of California. Theyre doing a lousy management job, they have the highest taxes in the nation, and they dont know whats happening out there.

Advertisement

There has been no further talk about withdrawing agents. And the Bay Area raids that the Oakland mayor warned about happened the next week.

Trump also accused California law enforcement agencies of being soft on street gangs, prompting a strong rebuke from local officials who said the president doesnt understand their war on gangs.

Erica Leyva with the Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network of San Jose carries a sign outside a courthouse (Associated Press )

How about the immigration sweeps?

In fiscal year 2017, ICE arrested 20,201 people across the state, officials said. Of those, 81% had criminal convictions, they said. Still, dozens had no criminal histories. Although the raids prioritized people who pose a threat, officials said, anyone violating immigration laws was subject to arrest.

Advertisement

Besides the Bay Area enforcement action, several sweeps have taken place in Southern California.

In February in the Los Angeles area, more than 100 people were arrested who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security, ICE said.

Jim Steinle, second from left, father of Kate Steinle (in photo at right), testifies at a Senate hearing on the administrations immigration enforcement policies. (Associated Press )

What about Trumps war on sanctuary cities?

Numerous cities in California have declared themselves sanctuaries for those here illegally. Many of these sanctuary cities existed before Trump was elected president.

Advertisement

Now they have become a flash point in the debate, and none more than San Francisco.

Last year. the White House cited San Franciscos sanctuary policies in the slaying of Kate Steinle, a young woman who was fatally shot by a man in this country illegally.

Steinle was shot in the back in July 2015 as she walked with her father on Pier 14, in the heart of the citys tourist district. Less than an hour later, Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, a seven-time felon who had been deported from the U.S. to Mexico numerous times, was arrested about a mile away. He was soon charged in the killing.

In March 2015, when Garcia Zarate finished his third federal prison term for felony reentry into the United States from Mexico, he was turned over to San Francisco on a decades-old bench warrant for alleged marijuana possession. Prosecutors declined to file charges. ICE asked to be notified prior to his release, but city officials did not comply because Garcia Zarate did not meet their sanctuary city criteria, set in 2013, for turning over people to immigration officials. He was freed.

Advertisement

Last December, Garcia Zarate was found not guilty. The trial hinged on whether jurors believed the killing was intentional or accidental, as the defense asserted.

City officials have said it is preposterous to blame sanctuary laws for the killing.

There is no neat definition of a sanctuary city, but in general, cities that identify with the label seek to offer political support or practical protections to people who are in the country illegally.

For some cities, the sanctuary movement consists simply of encouraging people without legal status to get more involved in government.

Advertisement

Other places, including San Francisco, adopt far-reaching policies, such as taking steps to cut ties with federal immigration officials and refusing to fully cooperate with them.

San Francisco declared itself a sanctuary city in 1989, and city officials strengthened the stance in 2013 with its Due Process for All ordinance. The law declared that local authorities could not detain immigrants for federal immigration officials if the immigrant had no violent felonies on their record and did not currently face charges.

Trump often railed against sanctuary policies during the campaign, and a crackdown on sanctuary jurisdictions was one of his first actions as president. Cities fought back with court challenges, and federal judges in San Francisco and Chicago have issued rulings that sharply limited the administrations attempt to tie grant funds to cooperation with immigration enforcement.

What about Californias sanctuary state law?

California passed its own sanctuary laws, and that is now at the heart of the latest clash.

Advertisement

The Trump administration went to federal court Tuesday to invalidate three California sanctuary laws.

Administration officials say the three laws in question, all passed by the Legislature last year, blatantly obstruct federal immigration law and thus violate the Constitutions supremacy clause, which gives federal law precedence over state measures.

The laws make it a crime for business owners to voluntarily help federal agents find and detain undocumented workers, prohibit local law enforcement from alerting immigration agents when detainees are released from custody, and create a state inspection program for federal immigration detention centers.

Administration officials charge that the state measures not only hinder their ability to carry out federal law, but also put immigration agents and communities at risk.

Advertisement

The suit includes a declaration from ICEs acting director, Thomas Homan, who said that the inability of officers to go to local lockups to pick up immigrants who have been detained by local police agencies forces them to hunt down suspects in more dangerous settings.

SB 54, one of the three challenged state laws, prohibits state and local police agencies from notifying federal officials in many cases when immigrants potentially subject to deportation are about to be released from custody.

When the law was under consideration in the Legislature, former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., who now represents the state Senate, wrote a letter defending the measures constitutionality. The federal government has the authority to enforce its immigration laws, but doesnt have the power to draft California officials into helping, he said.

On Wednesday, U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions accused the state of impeding federal immigration officials from doing their jobs and said he would use every power he had to stop it.

Advertisement

Speaking in Sacramento at an annual Law Enforcement Legislative Day held by the California Peace Officers Assn., Sessions once more took shots at Oaklands Schaaf for warning residents about the ICE raids, and at Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom for praising her actions.

More than 100 police chiefs, sheriffs and other law enforcement officers welcomed Sessions to the event at a Sacramento hotel with applause. Outside, members of a statewide coalition of immigrant rights groups gathered to protest his appearance.

California Democratic leaders and the states top law enforcement officer responded with warlike rhetoric of their own.

This is basically going to war against the state of California, said Gov. Jerry Brown.

Advertisement

Lets face it, the Trump White House is under siege, Brown said. Obviously, the attorney general has found it hard just to be a normal attorney general. Hes been caught up in the whirlwind of Trumpism  [and is] initiating a reign of terror.

UPDATES:

2:45 p.m.: This article was updated with information about the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission.

12:15 p.m.: This article was updated with new comments from Brown.

Advertisement

11:10 a.m.: This article was updated with details of Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions appearance Wednesday in Sacramento..

This article was originally posted at 9:10 a.m.
The Expendables 4 Will Start Filming In Bulgaria This Summer, Sylvester Stallones Creed 2 Commences Filming This Month

Fans are still looking forward to the making and release of The Expendables 4. In the last couple of months, there were genuinely no new developmental updates on this highly-anticipated movie. Finally, a new update is creating headlines that suggest that the filming of the movie will commence this summer.

In a conversation with The Arnold Fans, Randy Culture confirmed that the filming for The Expendables 4 would start anytime in August this year, and he believes that the production team would be able to abide by the schedule.

Filming will take place in Bulgaria in August

While talking about the location of the filming for The Expendables 4, Hawaii Five-0 actor Culture, who was also present in all the sequel including the original movie The Expendables, said that the filming would take place in Bulgaria once again. Based on his comments, it is clear that they are excited to have learned that the team would reach Bulgaria in August this year. The 54-year old retired mixed martial artist and former United States Army Sergeant said that he loves the Bulgarian dishes and is excited to come back there again.

Advertisement

Probable Return of Eminent Actors

As far as the returning of "Rocky Balboa" Sylvester Stallone in the fourth sequel is concerned, fans will be disappointed to know that he would not be back due to his previous disagreements with the series producer, Avi Lerner. His exit from the sequel was another reason for getting excessively delayed from all perspectives. After giving up the series, he opted to direct and reprise his role in Creed 2, although in December 2017 Steven Caple Jr. was announced to be the director of the movie (Creed 2). The Creed sequel will start filming at the end of March.

According to Screen Rant, the actors such as Dwayne Johnson, Donnie Yen, Sigourney Weaver and Nic Cage regularly arise on the series' fan wish lists but there is still no official declaration that these actors would be seen in the sequel. There was also a discussion that Jackie Chan would be a part of this movie. Even a discussion surrounding the creation of a television series of the same name earlier surfaced but no new update on it has come up in the intervening years.

There is no official date set for the release of The Expendables 4.

Advertisement Advertisement

Like us and Follow us

Follow @Koreaportal and

 2021 Korea Portal, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Nikolas Cruz has been indicted on 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted first-degree murder in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

The indictment followed testimony earlier in the day from Broward County Medical Examiner Dr. Craig Mallak and the Parkland family who gave a home to Nikolas Cruz.

Cruz, 19, has admitted arming himself with an AR-15 rifle on Valentines Day and gunning down 17 people and injuring 16 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Grand jury proceedings are held behind closed doors and state authorities have taken the unprecedented step of escorting witnesses through a secure rear entrance.

Advertisement

Mallak, whose staff conducted autopsies on the victims, left through the front door. He did not comment to waiting reporters.

James and Kimberly Snead, who let their sons friend, Cruz, live with them for about three months before the shooting, also testified to the Broward County grand jury. Their attorney, Jim Lewis, went into the grand jury room with them.

Lewis and James Snead both wore silver pins bearing the number 17  to commemorate the number of victims  on their lapels.

The Sneads did not comment, but Lewis told waiting reporters that they told the jurors every single detail they can remember about Cruz.

The grand jurors asked some very insightful questions, and they answered them to the best of their ability, Lewis said.

They [the Sneads] still dont know why this happened  [they] didnt see this coming, Lewis said.

On Tuesday, the jurors heard from more than half a dozen witnesses out of a scheduled 15. First up was the Uber driver who drove Cruz with a black duffel bag and backpack to the school campus that afternoon. Crime-scene analysts and the lead detective also testified.
Florida school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz was formally charged Wednesday with 17 counts of first-degree murder, which could mean a death sentence if he is convicted.

The indictment returned by a grand jury in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., also charges the 19-year-old with 17 counts of attempted murder for the Valentines Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland in which 17 people died and more than a dozen others were wounded.

Cruzs public defender has said he will plead guilty if prosecutors take the death penalty off the table, which would mean a life sentence in prison. The Broward County state attorney has not announced a decision on the death penalty.

James and Kimberly Snead, the couple who gave Cruz a home after his mother died late last year, testified before the grand jury Wednesday. Both James Snead and the couples attorney, Jim Lewis, wore silver 17" pins to honor the victims of the shooting.

Advertisement

The couple is trying to do the right thing and is mourning along with the rest of the Parkland community, Lewis said.

Well let justice take its course at this point, Lewis said. They still dont know what happened, why this happened. They dont have any answers. They feel very badly for everybody.

Cruz told investigators he took an AR-15 rifle to Stoneman Douglas High, where he was a former student, on Feb. 14 and started shooting into classrooms.

Jail records released by the Broward County Sheriffs Office show Cruz was being held in solitary confinement. Officers described Cruz as being cooperative but avoiding eye contact.

The report said Cruz often sits with a blank stare, appeared to laugh and exhibited awkward behavior during and after a visit with an attorney and had one family visit. Officers said Cruz also requested a Bible to read in his single-person cell in the infirmary.

In Tallahassee, the Florida House was expected to vote on gun legislation stemming from the school shooting.

The legislation would put some restrictions on rifle sales, provide new mental health programs for schools and improve communication between school districts, law enforcement and state agencies. Democrats efforts failed Tuesday to strip the bill of language that would create a program to arm some teachers and school employees who complete law enforcement training.

Two parents whose children were killed in the Florida shootings told reporters that all the families of Parkland victims want the legislation to succeed.

Advertisement

Andrew Pollack, who lost his 18-year-old daughter, Meadow, and Ryan Petty, who lost his 14-year-old daughter, Alaina, said there was enough good in the bill that it should pass.

After visiting the Parkland school Wednesday, U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said she wants to hear suggestions to improve school safety from students who survived the shooting.

DeVos told reporters that arming some teachers should be considered an option but not a requirement. As a model, she cited a program in Floridas Polk County where teachers or other employees at two private universities have trained with the sheriffs office so they can carry concealed weapons on campus.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that a second student injured in the shooting has filed a letter of intent to sue the Broward County Sheriffs Office, the school system and others. Doctors said one bullet tore through 15-year-old Kyle Lamans ankle and foot, according to a statement from the Berman Law Group, which is representing the teenager.

Advertisement

Kyle is still dealing with memories of the terror he felt when his classroom was locked and he was stuck in the hallway during the shooting, the statement said. The teacher couldnt get the door open fast enough. Everyone was running scared. Kyle looked at the gunman staring right back at him, and instinctively jumped for cover.

Separately, 15-year-old Anthony Borges and his parents have notified county officials of their plan to sue. Anthony was shot five times in his legs and torso and remains hospitalized, his attorney, Alex Arreaza, said.
Two months ago, West Virginia state Sen. Richard Ojeda warned his fellow lawmakers of the danger of denying pleas from teachers for a pay raise.

Were not listening to our teachers, Ojeda, a Democrat, said during a Senate session on Jan. 17. Youre sitting on a powder keg.

He was right. A strike by teachers gripped every school district in the state for nine days  until the Legislature passed a 5% raise Tuesday and Republican Gov. Jim Justice signed it into law. The raise will apply to all state public employees.

The drama in West Virginia has emboldened teachers and public-employee unions across the U.S.

Advertisement

In Oklahoma, teachers and school districts inspired by the strike continued to take steps to prepare for a possible statewide walkout of their own. Administrators at two of the states largest school districts, in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, have signaled their readiness to shut down schools to push the Legislature for more funding for teacher pay.

The Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education is in full support of our teachers and stands ready to take any steps necessary to improve conditions for our teachers  including a districtwide suspension of classes, the district said in a resolution approved Monday.

The bug may have also spread to Arizona  a state that, like Oklahoma and West Virginia, is near the bottom of the nations ranks for teacher pay by some measures. On Wednesday, Arizona teachers plan to wear red as a visual demonstration in support of higher funding from state lawmakers.

In West Virginia, rank-and-file union members rejected a deal their own union leaders had made with legislators and refused to back down until a raise had been signed into law. It was the first teachers strike in the state since 1990.

Chants of Back to school! broke out in the halls of the Capitol after lawmakers approved the pay increase. Teachers also sang West Virginia folk anthem Take Me Home, Country Roads, by John Denver: Country roads, take me home, to the place where I belong: West Virginia.

What a good day, the governor said at a news conference, expressing eagerness to get students back to school as teachers cheered. Our children have suffered enough.

Yes, they have, a woman called out from the crowd.

Christine Campbell, president of the American Federation of Teachers West Virginia branch, said in a statement: This is a huge victory and symbol of respect for every teacher and school support staff member in the state of West Virginia.

Advertisement

The strike and its strong outcome should be seen as a shot across the bow to every lawmaker who may underestimate the support teachers have, the hard job they do and their willingness to stand up for what they deserve as they educate the next generation, she said.

But the victory only concludes what is likely to be the first round in a larger war.

The state still awaits an uneasy discussion over how to control soaring healthcare costs that were at the core of many teachers decisions to go on strike in the first place.

As healthcare costs have continued to rise, employees had been asked to pay higher premiums, which teachers said would effectively cut their pay each year. The premiums cover 20% of the cost of insurance provided to state employees by the Public Employees Insurance Agency.

Advertisement

After teachers started their strike, the governor said the state would freeze premiums while a task force studied how to control the cost of insurance. Justice said Tuesday that appointments to the task force would be completed by Thursday.

Let me tell you, weve got more business to tend to, he said at the news conference. A lot more business to tend to.

Daniel Summers, 35, a high school business and English teacher in Monongalia County, said the raise would boost his annual salary by about $2,000, which he expected to spend on day care for his two small children.

Im certainly very comfortable going back to the classroom based off of this, but I dont think were done, he said.

Advertisement

If state lawmakers dont address the rising insurance premiums, he said, my insurance premiums will probably eat up the raise pretty quickly.

The state also has to decide how to finance the 5% raise. Some lawmakers suggested the money might have to come from cuts to programs including Medicaid.

But the governor told teachers theres not a chance on this planet that thats going to be the case, drawing cheers from the crowd.

The political pressure is on.

Advertisement

The teachers and their supporters expressed hope that the energy generated by the strike would carry over into Novembers midterm election and beyond.

We need to definitely make sure that as election time comes up, we are watching whos going to stand with public employees in this state and whos not, Summers said.

Ojeda, the Democratic legislator, said in an interview, The eyes of the nation are upon us, and right now what they are seeing is how the leadership of this state treats its working-class citizens.

Then he made another prediction: that the energy of the strike would boost state Democrats, who have been losing ground to Republicans.

Advertisement

If the people remember in November, we are going to have a blue wave in West Virginia, he said.

matt.pearce@latimes.com

Matt Pearce is a national reporter for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @mattdpearce.

More national headlines
South Koreas announcement that North Korea is willing to engage in negotiations that could lead to the dismantling of its nuclear weapons program is perhaps the ultimate example of the flippant internet expression big if true. Optimism about the possibility of a breakthrough obviously must be restrained  tempered is too mild a term  by the Norths recent provocations and its history of mendacity.

Even so, the United States should react positively to this overture, assuming that North Korea confirms the details. South Korean officials reported the offer after meeting in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, with top leaders from the North, including Kim Jong Un.

The North Korean side clearly stated its willingness to denuclearize, the South Korean statement said. It made it clear that it would have no reason to keep nuclear weapons if the military threat to the North was eliminated and its security guaranteed.

Furthermore, according to the statement, the North was willing not to engage in strategic provocations, such as nuclear and ballistic missile tests, while negotiating with the United States. That seems like a response to a suggestion last year by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that the best signal that North Korea could give us that theyre prepared to talk would be to stop these missile launches.

Advertisement

If the South Koreans are accurately representing what they were told in Pyongyang, North Korea has shifted its position dramatically, though questions remain. For starters, what does the North mean by the elimination of a military threat to that country? Would that include an end to joint U.S.-South Korean military maneuvers or even the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the South?

The Trump administrations initial reaction to this startling development has been commendably cautious, but clearly the administration is intrigued. On Tuesday morning President Trump tweeted: Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!

At a news conference later in the day, he indicated that he thought the North Koreans were sincere, but also attributed their possible willingness to talk to the effect of increasingly severe economic sanctions. That is a likelier explanation than Trumps ill-considered threats to rain fire and fury on the North.

The administration is in no rush to articulate a new policy, but its taking the reports of a change in Pyongyangs position seriously and plans to confer with Americas South Korean allies, who have boldly sought reconciliation with the North, most recently at the Olympics. Were not sure if thats what Trump meant by going hard in the cause of peace, but its a policy we can support.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook
Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions warned California on Wednesday that there is no secession from federal jurisdiction as he appeared before members of the California Peace Officers Assn. in Sacramento to announce a lawsuit against three so-called sanctuary state laws. To no ones surprise, his claims drew immediate rebukes from state officials. Gov. Jerry Browns initial response after the suit was filed late Tuesday stands as one of the better jabs in this political fight: At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they dont work here. SAD!!! He followed it at a news conference with another shot at Sessions, a former U.S. senator: A fellow from Alabama talking to us about secession? Grab the popcorn; this could get interesting.

Oddly, we (sort of) welcome the Trump administrations legal challenge in hopes that it will clarify not just for state officials, but for the federal government where the lines of responsibility and culpability might lie. We suspect the courts will side with California on most if not all of the legal issues Sessions lawsuit raises, and in the process could underscore the reality that Californias menu of state and local laws limiting involvement with federal immigration enforcement do not offer anyone anything remotely like sanctuary.

Just consider the statistics the federal government provided in its lawsuit. Last year, 14% of Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests occurred in California. So far this year, the state accounts for 13% of the national total. So the laws at issue dont seem to have done much to hinder enforcement here.

This lawsuit is another front in our ongoing culture wars.

Advertisement

The federal challenge hinges on the Constitutions supremacy clause, which says federal laws take precedence over state laws. Thats true, but that doesnt mean the federal government can dragoon state authorities into enforcing federal statutes. Similarly, states should not craft laws on immigration policy  thats a federal responsibility  and should not undermine the federal government as it enforces its own immigration codes. But the state laws at issue here do not set immigration policy. As the news website Vox points out, the federal lawsuit isnt really about restoring ICEs abilities, but rather about making it easier for the agency to do its job. California isnt stopping federal enforcement (a recent series of raids up and down the state are proof of that); it is saying that it wont help.

Thats more than just a legitimate position  its one that local law enforcement officials insist is better for public safety. Theres research to back them up, too. When local communities view police, who are responsible for enforcing criminal laws and protecting public safety, as immigration enforcers in a different uniform, fewer crimes get reported and fewer witnesses come forward. That undermines community safety and the criminal justice system.

Do some specific elements of the state laws at issue cross the line from non-involvement to impediment? Thats a good question for the courts. One of the laws under challenge tells businesses that they cant voluntarily cooperate with immigration agents, which could be an overstep  what right does a state have to tell a private business when it can and cant offer information to federal officials? But another law targeted by Sessions helps the state carry out its duty to ensure the safety of public facilities. That measure establishes a state inspection regimen of facilities with which the federal government contracts to house detainees. The vast majority of those, including the Adelanto Detention Facility in San Bernardino County, are owned and operated by private corporations, and the state has a responsibility to make certain such facilities meet state health and safety codes even if the sole customer is the federal government.

What this lawsuit really is about is politics. California political leaders have persistently challenged a wide range of Trump administration policies. Brown is the main figure in a global coalition of sub-national governments seeking to meet global-warming emissions under the Paris Agreement that Trump is walking away from. State Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra has sued the administration over the suspension of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the travel ban, a Trump rule allowing more employers to stop offering insurance coverage for birth control, and on and on.

For the administration, liberal and ethnically diverse California is the America its political supporters hate, and this lawsuit is another front in our ongoing culture wars. So as state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon tweeted, Bring it on. Clarifying these lines of responsibility just might do everyone some good.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
There is 2,000-year-old rabbinic dispute over what ought to be done if a palace is built on the foundation of a stolen beam.

One rabbi, Shammai, argues that the whole structure must be torn down, the beam retrieved and returned to its rightful owner. No home can flourish on a foundation built illegally and immorally. Another rabbi, Hillel, offers a different take: What sense does it make to demolish it? Let the thief pay for the beam, considering its full value as the foundation of what is now a beautiful home. Neither argues that you can pretend, year after year, generation after generation, that the beam wasnt stolen.

Neither suggests that time rights the wrong. Both understand that the theft, unaddressed, threatens the legitimacy of the whole enterprise. Something must be done to rectify the original injury.

Paying reparations would offer some financial redress, and, most significantly, it would start a reckoning that our country desperately needs.

Advertisement

Our country was built on a stolen beam. More accurately, several million stolen beams. Only they werent beams. They were human beings. The palace they built was magnificent, but they have never been compensated for their labor.

Today is the 53rd anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when civil rights marchers were beaten and tear-gassed in Selma, Ala., and America is still aching for a reckoning around race. The generational legacy of hundreds of years of brutal slavery and all that came after it  the terrorizing, controlling and disenfranchisement of black Americans under Jim Crow; redlining and voter suppression; mass incarceration; police brutality; poverty and profound inequality  remain unaddressed.

Most American Jews came to this country years after the abolition of slavery, but we have thrived under a national economic system that was built on stolen land and stolen labor, a foundational wrong that has yet to be rectified.

As survivors of generational trauma and beneficiaries of reparations granted after the Holocaust, Jews have a special obligation to help advance this conversation.

Immediately after World War II, the Jewish Agency demanded reparations and restitution from Germany. Many Jews fiercely opposed the idea, seeing reparations as blood money, a cheap way to buy forgiveness for the unforgivable. They felt it was both impossible and insulting to put a price tag on the atrocities. Some still feel that way.

Others argued that while no amount of money could give back what was taken, monetary compensation would signal moral culpability. Early reparation funds helped build the infrastructure of Israels young economy. Decades later, Germany agreed to compensate individuals as well, indicating a collective sense of remorse and a desire to make amends.

The Jewish psyche is still defined by the Holocaust in many ways, but that trauma no longer manifests primarily as animus toward Germany or Germans. Today, 72 years after the liberation of Auschwitz, Berlin is a hub for Israeli artists, musicians and tech entrepreneurs, something that would have been unthinkable a generation ago.

Within only a few generations, Germany has been transformed from the worlds worst actor  responsible for the genocide of our people and the deaths of millions more  to the worlds moral leader. Through reparations, Germany began to come to terms with its history and rebuild itself into a thriving democracy.

Advertisement

Paying reparations to African Americans would not heal generations of trauma, nor would it erase systemic racial injustices. But it would offer some financial redress, and, most significantly, it would start a reckoning that our country desperately needs.

Some have argued that the complexity of the undertaking renders it impossible. But I believe this reflects a profound lack of moral imagination. The difficulties shouldnt foreclose this long overdue conversation. Injustice, unaddressed, does not disappear. Its toxins spread until the whole system is poisoned.

This year, amidst daily threats to the rights, dignities and safety of our most vulnerable populations, lets amplify the voices of intellectuals, economists and politicians who have been calling for reparations for many years. Lets call for a congressional commission to formally explore potential models for reparations.

Advertisement

In that age-old rabbinic dispute, Hillel argues that the palace ought not be demolished, but instead redeemed, precisely because he wants to make healing and reconciliation possible.

We cant undo the past. But we can name it, take responsibility for it and do everything in our power to address what has been broken.

Rabbi Sharon Brous is the senior and founding rabbi at Ikar in Los Angeles.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
He needs to own his impact, said a University of Maryland undergraduate about a professor who offended students by using the n-word. Spoken during a lecture about racial slurs, presumably with the aim of conveying the jarring affront of the epithet without re-inflicting a historic injury, his utterance nonetheless left students feeling wounded.

He may not have intended it, the student continued, but if you rear-end someones car and smash their bumper, you pay up whether you meant to do it or not.

Whether she meant to do it or not, the student invoked a well-established concept derived from the realm of torts: strict liability. In tort law, strict liability renders an individual legally culpable for the consequences of his or her actions, regardless of intent or mitigating circumstances. Strict liability applies to inherently dangerous activities, like speeding (not knowing the speed limit wont get you out of a ticket), using explosives or husbanding dangerous animals. Even if all proper precautions are taken, if a construction blast injures a pedestrian, in most states strict liability assigns fault to those responsible, no explanations or excuses.

If we want to give new and controversial ideas a chance, we cannot treat all instances of offensive speech as equally blameworthy

Advertisement

The Maryland student is not alone in believing we should apply a form of strict liability to speech, as a social if not a legal matter.

At Princeton, an anthropology course on offensive symbolism was abruptly canceled after students staged a walkout to protest the repeated use of the n-word, again by a professor pleading no intent to offend.

Last month, a New York Times opinion editor, Bari Weiss, tweeted the famous line from Hamilton, Immigrants, they get the job done! lauding U.S. figure skater Mirai Nagasu for completing a triple axel at the Olympics. When followers pointed out that Nagasu is American-born, Weiss defended the tweet as supportive. But critics piled on nonetheless.

Sony Pictures has faced a backlash over a scene in its new film, Peter Rabbit, in which rabbits throw blackberries at an allergic Mr. McGregor, forcing him to inject himself with an EpiPen. No one thinks the studio was intentionally mocking allergies, but its apparent blindness to the health concerns involved provoked outrage.

Cluelessness is not a convincing defense for speech that aggrieves others. In a diverse society with fast-changing mores, we owe it to one another to think through how our words may be understood and misunderstood. We are on notice that speech travels via tweets and video-clips, often unaccompanied by explanatory or exculpatory context. When addressing potentially sensitive subjects, speakers should consider the reaction of groups  racial or religious minorities or allergy sufferers  for whom particular words and concepts can land hard.

But if we demand that speakers account for the possible reaction of every prospective listener, the only sound strategy might be to keep silent.

Rather than applying strict liability for any offense our words may cause, we should look to another tort law concept, duty of care, which holds that when performing an act that could foreseeably harm others, reasonable care is required.

Tort doctrine acknowledges that harm-prevention is not the laws sole goal. As a society, we weigh individual freedom and other objectives against the prevention of harm; thats why we have speeding laws but not, say, a universal limit of 20 miles per hour. The same sort of balancing act is necessary when it comes to speech.

Advertisement

If we want to give new and controversial ideas a chance, and to be able to examine even noxious concepts in the controlled setting of academia, we cannot treat all instances of offensive speech as equally blameworthy. When a speaker gives offense despite having taken reasonable care, the emphasis should be on explanations and dialogue, not outrage and punishment.

Although there is no single, common standard of care applicable to speech, certain factors inform what level of conscientiousness is fair to expect: The identity of the speaker matters, as does context.

Institutions like universities, corporations, government bodies and film studios should bear a high burden of forethought; they should be cognizant of the pain points for their students, consumers, constituents and audiences. When a professor knows certain language can cause serious distress, he should ensure that the educational value of using a particular word, rather than a euphemism, outweighs the risk of distraction and dolor. When social passions are inflamed  due to the prospect of Dreamer deportations or a spike in white supremacist activity  speakers should be mindful of the backdrop behind their words.

Advertisement

Not every reaction to speech, however, is entirely a function of reason. Emotions, traumas and simmering anger can render even innocent words incendiary to certain listeners in ways that the speaker may understand after the fact, but still not have foreseen. In such cases, intent should matter as well as impact.

A strict liability framework treats speech as an intrinsically dangerous activity. But a society that prizes free expression should be wary of punishing speech that gives offense beyond whats predictable. Reasonable care is the better standard.

Suzanne Nossel is the executive director of PEN America

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
In the White House Cabinet Room last week, President Trump convened a meeting with legislators about gun regulation. Dianne Feinstein, Californias senior senator and a Democrat, was sitting on Trumps left, and when he suggested to her that such a bill add what you have, Feinstein looked surprised, and delighted. Since 2004, her signature issue has been reviving her original 1994 assault weapons ban.

Is that what Trump intends? How could this figure into Feinsteins prospects for election to her fifth term in the Senate? The states Democratic Party recently chose not to endorse her or her chief primary rival, a reflection of a party divided between moderates and progressives. Heres her reaction to that, and to whether she thinks Trump could be the president to carry gun reform across the finish line.

Click here for the full archive of Patt Morrison Asks podcasts 

You sat in that meeting with the president. What do you understand to be the gun law changes hes supporting?

Advertisement

I think the most important thing was what I saw as an open mind to listen, and some receptivity to certain ideas. He said, I think we should take the guns away before a court order, or before the process. And I think it was a bit difficult to sort out, but I [have] hope.

Were 4% of the population and 40% of the arms in the world, and when you have military weapons that are used to go out and kill large numbers of people, thats a whole different thing, and I felt he had some positive response to this. He even to some extent rebuffed the [National Rifle Assn.]: I dont need the NRA, you [legislators] need the NRA, whatever it was.

And I thought, lets see if this lasted. So I looked for tweets the next morning, I didnt find any. The day went by. [Last Thursday] night I gather he met with the NRA and [Friday] I guess theres equivocation, although thats not well defined. Im hopeful there isnt.

I dont know how one can be proud of a nation where schools in five or six years have had 200 shootings in them. Thats the number since Sandy Hook, and 400 children  some as young as 6 and 7  and adults killed or wounded. I thought after Sandy Hook that this would change it, that people would look at those faces of the 6- and 7-year-olds and say, my God, whats happened to this country? Weve got to stop it. But it didnt happen.

Why didnt it happen?

I dont know. But now my understanding is that the Internet says that there are 300,000 teenagers that have signed up to march in the [pro-gun control] march back here. Now, if the culture is changing and teenagers are going to stand up and say, we dont want schools like this  I think thats very profound.

Ive found a colleagues body dead from an assassination, I became mayor as a product of assassination, and Ive seen what guns do. Sen. Dianne Feinstein

And I think young people hopefully will launch a movement that weve never seen in this country, which is marching and talking and holding rallies and convincing and becoming a political force for safety in the American elementary, middle and high schools.

Advertisement

Weve already seen things that have never happened, like Walmart saying theyll only sell guns to individuals age 21 and up. Dicks Sporting Goods will not sell assault weapons again and will no longer sell high-capacity magazines to anyone under 21. And you have Delta, United, Hertz and MetLife saying they will end partnerships to give NRA members preferred rates.

But I think the National Rifle Assn. has been so effective in going up against [politicians] and putting lots of money into races that its really a very intimidating factor for a lot of people.

I have seen shotgun victims, Ive walked into robberies, Ive found a colleagues body dead from an assassination, I became mayor as a product of assassination, and Ive seen what guns do. Other countries arent like this. They just arent.

In that context, let me ask about President Trump: It seems that going up against the NRA would require a Nixon-to-China president who has said in the past that he is an NRA supporter. Do you have faith that he could be that Nixon-to-China president?

Advertisement

Not at this time, I dont. I mean, my eyes opened wide when I heard his openness and his support of certain things, sitting there in the room. And I handed him a letter, which he left on the table, outlining the strength of the assault weapons bill, and I gave it to Vice President Pence, who promised me that he would hand it to the president. I have no idea whether he read it or not. But I had the distinct impression that he had an open mind.

Were seeing millennials and Gen-Xers outvoting baby boomers. They did in 2016. So the Democratic electorate is changing. Certainly in California its moving to the left. You saw that here with your non-endorsement by the state Democratic Party.

Let me just say I never expected to be endorsed. What we tried to do was prevent an endorsement of my [principal] opponent and I think we succeeded there. But I never expected to be endorsed. And my strength, if I have a strength, is in the general population. I think theres a certain amount of pragmatism in the general electorate. They listen. I think they want people who can solve problems. I think Ive shown that I can do that.

I think the outstanding issue is healthcare. I am for a public option. I am for decreasing Medicare to [cover] 50-year-olds. The problem with the public option is it costs way up in the trillions. Bernie [Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont] had 12 new taxes and it only got halfway through what it cost. Plus the fact, its the government running medicine. But I think having a public option for people to compete to with the private sector is really a strong advance.

Advertisement





California seems to be in the crosshairs for this administration. The president at one point said if he would withdraw ICE, California would turn into a crime nest. How do you think the president looks at California?

I hesitate to speculate. I dont know how he looks at California. But I tell you this: Were the sixth-largest economy on Earth, weve got the biggest ports, the largest consumer market in America, all of high tech. Weve got some of the best educational institutions in the world, the biggest university system  I mean, its a powerhouse.

California is going to be fine. And the president has to understand what hes taking on. Hes not taking on a tiny state. Hes taking on a state thats as big as a country and bigger than most countries. So I think he ought to be more considerate of the impact of his words.

And I think its pretty stupid to say, Im going to have law-abiding people picked up. We welcome the gangbangers going  we make no case for the gangbangers  but people who have lived here for 20, 30 years, have children who are American citizens, who work and support themselves, own their homes, pay their taxes, should not be a priority for deportation. They should be the last resort.

Advertisement

I believe youve heard complaints from the Central Valley and elsewhere that they cant find folks to do the work that needs to be done?

There is no question. Were the biggest agricultural producer in America. All of the employment comes from the undocumented. I have tried with bills to provide a way to create a blue card for agricultural workers which would enable them to legally continue to work agriculture, and if they worked agriculture for five years, they would get a green card, which then would then enable them on a path to citizenship.

What message do the Democrats have for voters in 2018 beyond simply saying, We are not Donald Trump and we are not his policies?

We have what we are. Were a thinking people, a problem-solving people. Some would say that would make us a progressive people. And we care. We have a great state. We have some problems, some really big ones: water, climate change. Whether we can sustain the state. Housing for people. Weve got a huge homeless issue, I think they have over 40,000 homeless in L.A .and 7,000 in San Francisco and Oakland. [The figure for Los Angeles city and county is more than 57,000.] We need to find ways to house people in an expensive environment much more cheaply, but safely and soundly.

Advertisement

Whats in the works in the Senate about Russian meddling in elections?

Were about to introduce a bill on collusion. I think that what the Russians are doing has got to be stopped. So weve written a bill that will hold people responsible if they monkey around with the Internet to divide people, to mess with elections, that kind of thing.

Criminally responsible?

This is civilly right now. Its a work in progress, still.

Advertisement

Subscribe to Patt Morrison Asks and never miss a podcast.

Support our journalism Already a subscriber? Thank you for your support. If you are not, please consider subscribing today. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook

MORE PATT MORRISON ASKS

Joan Baez on Nasty Man Donald Trump, #MeToo and her final tour as a musician

Advertisement

Amidst controversy over police shootings and drones, how does Los Angeles replace Chief Charlie Beck?

Joe Biden discusses why he didnt run in 2016, the field for 2020 and drag-racing Colin Powell
To the editor: As a 1960s teenager, I joined the National Rifle Assn. solely to enter marksmanship tournaments. Some 30 years later, I saw an NRA ad that depicted a Revolution-era soldier bearing the U.S. flag, beneath which a boldface caption exclaimed, In God We Trust! (The NRA used to be a bipartisan campaign contributor, but that changed in 1994. Heres why, March 3)

Why would a gun rights organization promote itself by conflating patriotism with religion? The gratuitous nod to Christianity betrayed the NRAs shameless move to align itself with the GOP; no other party so fervidly touts its candidates as the most patriotic and devoted to the Christian faith.

Long a political independent, I never again renewed my NRA membership. As conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg once observed, the NRAs marketing has much more to do with smash-mouth cultural resentments than with gun policy.

Dennis Alston, Atwater

Advertisement

..

To the editor: The article on the NRAs alignment with the Republican Party was informative, but it ignored one factor.

The NRA is a conservative organization. The GOP still holds the Constitution as sacrosanct. The Democratic Party is filled with candidates who consider the Constitution an obstacle to their ambitions, not the bulwark of our country.

In light of this, NRA members have no alternative.

Larry Marak, Burbank

..

To the editor: Receiving an F grade from the NRA should be a badge of honor. Google each and every members of Congress and vote accordingly.

And, thanks to Delta Air Lines and all of the businesses that are starting to stand up to the NRA. This time it does feel different.

Advertisement

Oh, and let us not forget to thank the wonderful kids from Florida  because of them our future looks bright.

Carol Levin, Woodland Hills

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Gavin Newsom releases ad that highlights his push to allow same-sex couples to marry By Phil Willon A new ad from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom features Phyllis Lyon, who with her partner, Del Martin, received the first marriage license after Newsom vowed to allow same-sex couples to marry when he was mayor of San Francisco in 2004. The current lieutenant governors push for marriage equality thrust him into the national spotlight and he has emphasized that effort to portray himself as a bold, progressive leader. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Failed California housing bill was not a bad idea, Gov. Jerry Brown says By Liam Dillon Gov. Jerry Brown (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Earlier this month, high-profile housing legislation that would have allowed for four- to five-story apartments and condominiums near transit stops failed to advance in the state Legislature. But had it reached his desk, would Gov. Jerry Brown have signed it? Maybe. I think that was not a bad idea, Brown said of Senate Bill 827 at a meeting with business leaders from the Bay Area Council on Monday afternoon. The bill, written by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), attracted national attention and a maelstrom of opposition in part because it would have eliminated single-family zoning near transit stops in favor of apartments or condominiums. Brown said that a relative of his who lives in West Portal, a low-density neighborhood in San Francisco, told the governor he was horrified by the bill. Brown also lamented dramatically rising housing costs. He said he bought his first house in Los Angeles in 1973 for $75,000 at a time when his salary as secretary of state was $35,000. Now, he said, buying a house for a little over twice ones annual salary is virtually impossible anywhere in the state. FOR THE RECORD

May 1, 9:32 a.m.: This post originally misstated the year Brown purchased his house as 1970. It was 1973. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

John Cox begins California barnstorm with the delivery of gas tax repeal signatures By Javier Panzar Gubernatorial candidate John Cox, left, and Assembly candidate Bill Essayli load boxes of signatures for the gas tax repeal initiative. (Francine Orr) GOP gubernatorial candidate John Cox strolled up to the stack of 12 boxes in front of the Los Angeles County registrar-recorders offices in Norwalk on Monday and placed his hands on top of his partys hope for success in 2018. The boxes, stacked four across and three high, contained 211,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal recent increases in Californias gas tax and vehicle fees. Cox says the effort has gathered more than 940,000 signatures from registered voters to put the measure on the ballot  far more than the 585,407 signatures that are required. The aim: to bring out the partys base to the polls this November and help candidates in tough congressional and legislative races down the ticket. A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll in November found 54.2% of registered voters surveyed said they would repeal the tax and fee hike, but a survey a month earlier by another group said a majority would vote to keep the higher taxes. Cox was flanked by Bill Essayli, a former federal prosecutor who is challenging Democratic Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes of Riverside in the June primary. Cervantes voted for the gas tax and Essayli plans to use that vote against her. He even launched his campaign at a 76 gas station in Norco. This is a central issue in my campaign, he said. Cox also submitted signatures in San Diego on Monday and is headed to Bakersfield, Fresno and Sacramento, as well as Shasta and Butte counties in coming days. We are going all across the state, Cox said. The whole state is paying this tax and the whole state wants it gone. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

All Californians would be able to serve on state boards  even people in the U.S. illegally  under new bill By Jazmine Ulloa Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) State lawmakers on Monday introduced legislation that would allow all Californians to serve on state boards and commissions regardless of immigration status. Senate Bill 174, by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles), comes as the state is locked in a broader legal battle with the Trump administration over state immigration laws and his call for mass deportations. Lawmakers point to what they say is the states own discriminatory history as their basis for introducing the legislation. The proposal would amend an 1872 provision that was first adopted to exclude Chinese immigrants and other transient aliens from holding appointed civil positions. At the time, antipathy toward the Chinese had been building in California, though, Chinese immigrants opened hundreds of businesses across the state and would play a critical role in building the transcontinental railroad. The Senate bill would delete the phrase transient aliens from the government code and make clear that any person, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, can hold an appointed civil office if they are at least 18 years old and a resident of the state. That would allow any Californian to serve on hundreds of boards and commissions that advice in an array of policy areas, including farm labor, history and employment development. Californias two million undocumented immigrants are a source of energy for our state, Lara said in a statement. It is shocking to read the words of fear and exclusion that are still in California law but belong in historys trash can. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Tony Mendozas fundraising dries up after resignation amid harassment inquiry By Patrick McGreevy Former state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia). (Steve Yeater / Associated Press) Political contributions to Tony Mendoza, who resigned from the state Senate under pressure amid sexual harassment allegations, have nearly dried up. New documents he filed with the state in his bid to reclaim the seat he once held show that his support has eroded. As a result, five other candidates for the 32nd District senate seat in the June 5 election have raised more than Mendoza so far this year. With the June 5 election approaching, Mendoza has reported raising just $7,750 in cash from six supporters during the nearly four-month period from Jan. 1 to April 21. Mendoza, a Democrat from Artesia, went on a leave of absence from the Senate Jan. 3 and resigned a month later under the threat of expulsion from colleagues. An investigation ordered by the Senate found a pattern of unwanted flirtatious or sexually suggestive behavior based on testimony from six women. Mendoza has denied wrongdoing. Last year, Mendozas reelection campaign raised $412,600, or an average of about $34,000 per month, from more than 350 supporters. Most of Mendozas 2018 total was contributed by the political arm of the Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16 on Jan. 22, a month before Mendoza resigned. Mendoza also reported that his campaign loaned $125,000 this year to his legal defense fund. That left him with $446,600 in his campaign account at the end of April. Mendoza is running against eight Democrats and two Republicans. Democrat Bob J. Archuleta, a Pico Rivera city councilman, raised the most, $210,000, during the period. On Monday, Mendoza suffered another setback when the State Legislative Womens Caucus endorsed Democrat Vicky Santana, a member of the Rio Hondo College Board. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom and Villaraigosa affairs coming to TV ads in California By Phil Willon An independent political committee backing Republican John Cox for governor released an ad blasting both Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for their past sexual affairs. The California Deserves Better ad, which was first reported by Politico, criticizes Newsom for having an affair with a woman on his staff in 2005 while he served as mayor of San Francisco. It also goes after Villaraigosa for having an extramarital affair with a television reporter in 2007 while he was mayor of Los Angeles. The ad, which begins airing on Fox stations in the states top media markets Monday, links Newsom and Villaraigosa to the men accused of sexual impropriety in the #MeToo movement, including movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and disgraced Today show veteran Matt Lauer. Powerful men are finally being held to account, punished for inappropriate sexual conduct with women over whom they exercise power, the ad begins. Newsom and Villaraigosa think the rules shouldnt apply to them. The independent campaign committee, called Restore Our Values, already has raised more than $100,000, said Leigh Teece of Emeryville in Northern California, co-founder of the group. Teece, the CEO of a nonprofit that helps line up students with professional mentors, said the campaign will actively support Cox. She called him a true conservative and noted that he supports cutting taxes and opposes Californias sanctuary state policy. John is a business person who has demonstrated integrity, Teece said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Was that Cisneros in the voicemail? Dispute is latest espisode of Democratic infighting in crowded primary races By Christine Mai-Duc Gil Cisneros speaks during a forum at Fullerton College in January. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) With less than five weeks to go before Californias primary, insults and accusations are flying with abandon in the most crowded races Democrats hope to ultimately win. The latest example of this is in the 39th Congressional District, where a half dozen Democrats are vying for a chance to replace Rep. Ed Royce, whos retiring. Its one of several California contests where Democratic leaders are already worried that divisions could ultimately split votes and shut Democrats out of key pickup opportunities. In that race, millionaires Gil Cisneros and Andy Thorburn are going negative  about going negative. Cisneros was recently elevated to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees Red to Blue program in hopes it would serve as a signal to Democratic activists and donors that his campaign was the most viable. But both Cisneros and Thorburn have poured millions into the race, which promises to be a knock down, drag out fight through June 5. At the center of the latest controversy is a voicemail, allegedly left by Cisneros on Thorburns home answering machine earlier this month. The recording, which the Thorburn campaign turned over to media outlet The Intercept, lasts less than 10 seconds. Hi Andy, its Gil Cisneros. Im gonna go negative on you, a mans voice is heard saying. Cisneros campaign manager Orrin Evans denied the candidate made the call, posting a cease and desist letter to The Intercept on Twitter. The letter, sent by a Cisneros campaign attorney, called the voicemail fabricated and demanded that the story be taken down, calling it defamatory. It gave the publication until 3 p.m. Friday to take down the story before they pursue all legal rights and remedies. An attorney for The Intercept, in a letter to Cisneros, said the publication confirmed with multiple sources familiar with Mr. Cisneros that his voice was on the recording, and that it stands by its reporting. Thorburns camp says it flatly rejects Cisneros denial, and that the timing of a negative website filled with unflattering background on Thorburn, released three days later, suggests it was him. Track the California races that could flip the House According to The Intercepts report, Cisneros campaign manager did not respond to initial inquiries about the voicemail, calling its questions ridiculous. In a follow-up statement Friday, Evans said called the episode a dirty, desperate trick by the Thorburn campaign and said they are readying to pursue legal action for defamation and false light against both him and the publication. It sounded like him to me! said Thorburns wife, Karen, in a statement released by the campaign. She was the one who first heard the voicemail, they said. Thorburn campaign manager Nancy Leeds called Cisneros threats Trump-like tactics and accused the candidate of trying to harass and intimidate anyone who stands in his way. Its not the first time candidates from the same party have clashed in the lead-up to the June 5 primary, and its all but certain to not be the last. Cisneros sued two of his opponents, Thorburn and Sam Jammal, over their ballot descriptions until they had to change them. Earlier this month, Democrat Bryan Caforio asked his opponent, Katie Hill, to sign a pledge rejecting the use of independent expenditure committees, entities that neither of them can legally coordinate with, in the race to unseat Rep. Steve Knight (R-Lancaster). Hill refused and called the attempt hollow and likened it to political theater, while Caforio accused her of empty campaign promises. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California Politics Podcast: The money raised in the race for governor hints at a race thats now red hot By John Myers With less than six weeks before election day, the cash raised in the California governors race mirrors the overall dynamics: one major front-runner and a heated race for second place. This weeks podcast episode offers a glimpse into those cash reports and how the Republican field seems more settled in a new statewide poll than the battle between Democrats. We also examine the reasons why a nationally talked-about housing bill in Sacramento was killed by the Democratic authors own allies. Im joined by Times staff writers Melanie Mason and Liam Dillon. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud and Stitcher. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

L.A. County politician sexually assaulted woman when she was 16, lawsuit claims By Dakota Smith A woman sued an unnamed politician in Los Angeles County on Friday, alleging the man sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager after he gave her an unusual-tasting drink. The politician, identified as John Doe, was in his early 40s and a public figure at the time of the 2007 assault, according to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. The man is an elected official today and lives in Los Angeles, said attorney Lisa Bloom, who is representing the woman identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe. Bloom declined to say what branch of government the man represents. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Villaraigosa touts his working-class upbringing, accomplishments as mayor in first TV ad By Phil Willon Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa released his first TV ad in the governors race Friday, touting his record and accomplishments as mayor of Los Angeles when up against the economic downturn during the recession. The 30-second television spot opens with a sweeping shot of Los Angeles and cuts to Villaraigosa sitting on a bus. In kindergarten, my sister and I took three buses to get to school. As mayor, I remembered that, Villaraigosa says into the camera. And despite the recession, we built more new schools and rail lines than any city in America, added 200,000 living wage jobs, built 20,000 units of affordable housing and nearly doubled graduation rates. Campaign spokesman Luis Vizcaino said the ad will air statewide over the next week at a cost of approximately $1 million. The commercial will being airing Saturday. Two Democratic rivals in Californias race for governor, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Treasurer John Chiang, also launched ads this week, signaling the biggest ramp-up of the campaign as the June 5 primary approaches. Newsom is the front-runner, while Villaraigosa is battling for second place with Republican John Cox. One recent poll has Villaraigosa trailing both Cox and Republican Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach. Chiang has been stuck in the single digits in almost all polling in the race. Last week, an independent expenditure group called Families and Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor, funded largely by a trio of wealthy charter school backers, launched a spot in support of the former mayor of Los Angeles. That ad campaign is focused on increasing Villaraigosas chances of coming in second in the June 5 primary and moving on to the general election. Villaraigosas ad, titled Three Buses, emphasizes the struggles he faced growing up in East Los Angeles and addresses one of his central campaign themes  that hes the candidate best suited to help working-class Californians. I know how far a bus can take you, Villaraigosa says in the ad. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Sen. Dianne Feinstein wont participate in pre-primary debate By Sarah D. Wire (Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call) California Sen. Dianne Feinstein will not participate in a proposed pre-primary debate because there are too many candidates in the race, her campaign spokesman said Thursday. Political activists with the group Indivisible Los Angeles said they had a venue and date  May 5  reserved for a debate with four of the Senate candidates. But they said if Feinstein does not participate, it will be canceled. Feinstein faces 31 primary opponents in her bid for a fifth full term representing California in the Senate. Feinstein staffers initially said she had a prior commitment on May 5 in San Francisco. When organizers offered to let her campaign pick another date, her campaign said it wasnt fair for the group to invite only some of the candidates when there is such a big field, said Tudor Popescu, volunteer community organizer with Indivisible Los Angeles. The invited candidates, all Democrats, were Feinstein, state Sen. Kevin de Leon, political action committee director Alison Hartson and lawyer Pat Harris. They were selected based on fundraising and poll numbers. There are 11 Republicans, 10 Democrats, nine independents and 2 third-party candidates running for Senate on the June ballot. Indivisible Los Angeles is still hoping Feinstein will pick another date, Popescu said. Feinstein spokesman Jeff Millman pointed to a San Francisco Chronicle endorsement of Feinstein, which indicates that she told the editorial board she would be willing to have a debate ahead of Novembers general election. Senator Feinstein looks forward to debating her opponent in the general election, Millman said in an email. Feinstein holds a substantial lead in both fundraising and in the polls. Front-runners in statewide races have routinely declined to debate their challengers, knowing that its free publicity for candidates who dont have the cash to increase their name recognition on their own. De Leon spokesman Jonathan Underland said the state senator has done candidate forums before, but planned to attend the May 5 debate only if Feinstein did. We basically said well clear his calendar 100%, well clear his calendar if Feinstein shows up, Underland said. Wed love to make it happen, but we want her to be there. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

NRA, Olympic shooter sue California over its restrictions on ammunition sales By Patrick McGreevy Olympian Kim Rhode is a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the NRA and its state affiliate against California. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) The National Rifle Assn. and its state affiliate have filed a fourth lawsuit against California over its gun control laws, this time challenging new restrictions on the sale and transfer of ammunition. The NRA and the California Rifle and Pistol Assn. filed a challenge in federal court to a requirement that ammunition sales and transfers be conducted face to face with California firearms dealers or licensed vendors, ending purchases made directly from out-of-state sellers on the internet. The lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California also challenged a requirement starting next year for background checks for people buying ammunition. The lawsuit was filed in the name of Kim Rhode, a six-time Olympic medal-winning shooter, and others. It challenges Californias new ammunition sales restrictions as a violation of the 2nd Amendment and the commerce clause of the United States Constitution. Restrictions on ammunition purchases were included in Proposition 63, approved by voters in 2016, and in bills approved by the Legislature. As a result of these laws, millions of constitutionally protected ammunition transfers are banned in California, Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRAs Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement. Californias law-abiding gun owners are sick of being treated like criminals and the NRA is proud to assist in this fight. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is running for governor, defended his initiative and vowed to fight the NRA lawsuit. We wrote Proposition 63 on solid legal ground and principle: If youre a felon banned from possessing guns in California, then you should not be able to purchase the ammunition that makes a firearm deadly, Newsom said in a statement. California voters said loudly and clearly that guns and ammunition do not belong in the hands of dangerous individuals  but once again, the NRA has prioritized gun industry profits over the lives of law-abiding Californians. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Republicans hope to ride a gas-tax repeal to victory By Patrick McGreevy In a Central Valley barn decked out in red, white and blue, dairyman and state Senate candidate Johnny Tacherra drew cheers from a crowd of fellow farmers when he said he opposes the California Legislatures hike on gas taxes and vehicle fees. I would not have voted for that. It is not the time to be voting on (raising) the gas tax, said Tacherra, a Republican running against Democratic Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, who voted for the tax increase last year. Three hundred miles away the same week, a campaign mailer arrived at homes in Orange County from an Assembly candidate with a message blaring from the cover in bold type: Republican Greg Haskin  tough enough to stand up to Jerry Brown and repeal the gas tax. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Treasurer John Chiang launches ad in governors race touting his record as a fiscal steward By Seema Mehta In his first television ad in the governors race, state Treasurer John Chiang touts his record on fiscal issues as California faced the recession. Some thought we were done, Chiang says in a voiceover in the 30-second spot he released Thursday, with images of him standing seriously at a lectern and complimentary headlines about his work as controller and treasurer. But I knew better. I made the tough calls. And brought California back from the brink of financial disaster because you trusted me to manage our economy. Chiangs campaign is spending about $500,000 to air the ad in Los Angeles and San Diego in coming days. That buy is dwarfed by seven-figure purchases for ads supporting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Newsom is the front-runner, while Villaraigosa is battling for second place with Republican businessman John Cox. Chiang has been mired in the single digits in almost all polling in the race. His ad, called Quiet Storm, tries to portray Chiang as a progressive who is effective and can move policy in Sacramento. Chiang points to his work challenging Wells Fargo before arguing that he could accomplish what doubters say is impossible to improve the states healthcare, housing and schools. I say, we got this, Chiang concludes. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Been ignoring the race for California governor? Thats OK, in some ways its just starting By Mark Z. Barabak On a recent trip to Iowa, Eric Garcetti  the mayor of Los Angeles and a possible 2020 White House contestant  raised eyebrows with a bit of exuberant outreach. Los Angeles and Iowa, Garcetti insisted, have a ton in common, and he didnt simply mean both are inhabited by carbon-based life forms needing oxygen to survive. Urban or rural, farmer or fashion plate, all of us harbor the same hopes and dreams, the mayor suggested, and if it wasnt a terribly original thought it also wasnt the most egregious sort of political pandering  like, say, ordering that every home in Los Angeles be powered by Iowa-produced ethanol. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California voters should expect to decide on an $8.9-billion water bond in November By Liam Dillon (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A proposal to borrow $8.9 billion for improvements to Californias water quality systems and watersheds and protection of natural habitats is eligible for the statewide ballot in November, Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced in a press release Wednesday. Padilla said the measure, which is backed by agricultural interests, had exceeded the 365,800 valid signatures it needed to qualify for the general election ballot. The bond measure will appear on the ballot unless proponents withdraw it by June 28, the release said. The bond is one of many voters could decide on in 2018. A $4-billion bond for parks and water infrastructure improvements will appear on the June 5 ballot. State lawmakers approved it last year. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

They came for Darrell Issa. They stayed with their inflatable chicken, blue wall and signs for political therapy By Christine Mai-Duc (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) A mother of two turned ringleader of the resistance and more than a hundred of her faithful followers gathered on Tuesday morning outside Rep. Darrell Issas office in a northern San Diego County suburb. Across the street was her foil, a wedding DJ in a red Make American Great Again cap, setting up hefty speakers for an upcoming war of words. For about 65 weeks the deep divide in America played out along this 100-yard stretch of road in Vista. Here, at 10 a.m. every Tuesday, passersby found signs, chants, songs and, if they were lucky, sometimes a 20-foot-tall inflatable chicken with a Trump-esque coif. Theyd also glimpse the state of the body politic in 2018, a time when shock has turned to anger and post-2016 calls for reconciliation have morphed into grudging acceptance that each side might be better off in their respective corners. Or in this case, their sides of the street. On Tuesday, the anti-Issa, anti-Trump contingent fought this particular battle for the last time, declaring it their final protest at the congressmans office. They said they planned to use their energy to knock on doors and get out the vote, with an occasional protest on the side. Their pro-Trump rivals vowed to show up wherever they do. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Efforts to regulate bail companies have some unlikely allies: bail agents By Jazmine Ulloa Jane Un, chief executive and founder of Abba Bail Bonds, works with a client. ( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) In recent years, the seriousness and number of official complaints related to the bail industry in California have significantly increased while bail agents and bounty hunters face limited oversight, putting vulnerable communities at risk of fraud, embezzlement and other forms of victimization. This year, as Gov. Jerry Brown has pledged to work with lawmakers in a push to overhaul how courts assign defendants bail and to better regulate bail agencies, even some who profit from the court practice admit its time for regulation. These bail and bail-recovery agents could become unlikely allies, saying they advocate for change because theyve seen the system abuse the poor. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California voters: Get ready for an onslaught of television ads By Seema Mehta After a sleepy campaign, California voters are now being bombarded with television advertisements in the governors race, an onslaught that is expected to ramp up in coming weeks. The ads most frequently seen on television are those promoting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the front-runner in the race, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is trying to secure the second spot in the June primary. Newsoms campaign and an outside group backing Villaraigosa are spending seven figures weekly on these efforts, according to filings with the California secretary of states office and a media buyer who asked not to be identified in order to freely discuss the ads. Other gubernatorial candidates are expected to hit the airwaves soon, the media buyer said. State Treasurer John Chiang has reserved a half-million dollars in the coming days in the Los Angeles and San Diego markets, and Villaraigosas campaign has requested availability in at least five of the states biggest TV markets. The GOP candidates in the race, who will be seeking the state Republican Partys endorsement at its convention next weekend, have been much less active. Businessman John Cox in recent weeks has been spending about $90,000 per week, but doubled that this week in Los Angeles and added small buys on KFI-AM radio and cable in markets including Fresno, Bakersfield and Salinas. State Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach, who has been scooping up Republican Party endorsements across the state, has yet to make a notable television or radio buy, though he and Cox have received some attention as commentators on Fox News. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Republicans ready to turn in signatures for ballot measure to repeal California gas-tax increase By Patrick McGreevy A Chevron gas station in Sacramento shows prices last year. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Republican activists said Tuesday that they have collected at least 830,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal recent increases in Californias gas tax and vehicle fees, more than enough to qualify the measure for the November ballot. The activists need 585,407 signatures of registered voters to qualify the ballot measure. Because signatures are still being processed and counted by the campaign, backers hope to have 900,000 by the time they begin turning them in to the counties on Friday, according to Carl DeMaio, a former San Diego City Council member and organizer of the drive. The breadth and depth of voter anger over the car and gas tax hikes is just amazing, said DeMaio, who hosts a radio talk show. We are seeing Democrats, independents and Republicans sign the petition and volunteering to carry the petition, people from all walks of life. The initiative targets a law approved in April 2017 by the Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown that is expected to raise $5.4 billion annually for road and bridge repairs and improvements to mass transit. The money comes from a recent 12-cents-per-gallon increase in the gas tax, a 20-cent increase in the diesel fuel excise tax and a new annual vehicle fee ranging from $25 for cars valued at under $5,000, to $175 for cars worth $60,000 or more. The petition drive raised more than $2 million with significant contributions from the California Republican Party and Republican members of Congress from California, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and Reps. Ken Calvert of Corona and Mimi Walters of Irvine. Republicans hope the issue will help their candidates for office in this years election and hurt Democrats who support the higher taxes. I think this is going to put Democrats in real bad spot, DeMaio said. A spokesman for Brown declined to comment until the signatures are filed. DeMaio said there were approximately 20,000 volunteer petition circulators who brought in more than 250,000 signatures, with the rest collected by paid circulators who received $1 to $2.50 per signature. Its a pretty comfortable margin [of signatures] that we have been able to hit here, DeMaio said. Opposition will grow, he said, as more Californians get their annual vehicle registration notice. The repeal campaign hopes to raise $5 million for the campaign to pass the constitutional amendment, which would not only repeal the increase in the gas tax and vehicle fees but require future increases to be submitted to voters. We know that Gov. Brown and his cohorts are going to spend an amazing amount of money to mislead voters, DeMaio said. But I feel pretty confident that we will repeal the gas tax. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Rep. Duncan Hunter sets up trust to raise money for legal expenses amid ongoing criminal investigation By Morgan Cook Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, has filed paperwork to establish a legal expense fund amid an ongoing federal criminal investigation into misused campaign cash. Hunter filed the required paperwork March 27, seeking a rarely granted Legal Expense Fund through which members of Congress under investigation or being sued in connection with doing their jobs or running for office can raise money for their legal expenses. Such funds are administered by an independent trustee and allow donors to give above the maximum amount they can contribute a candidates campaign. Hunter has spent more than $600,000 of campaign money on lawyers. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Kamala Harris says she wont take corporate donations anymore By Sarah D. Wire (Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press) California Sen. Kamala Harris says she will no longer accept money from corporate political action committees. In an interview with WWPM-FMs The Breakfast Club, in New York that aired Monday, the senator said she wasnt expecting a question at a town hall this month about whether she would accept money for corporations or corporate lobbyists. At the time, Harris said it depends, but she said on Monday that she had reflected on the matter and changed her mind. Money has had such an outside influence on politics, and especially with the Supreme Court determining Citizens United, which basically means that big corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money influencing a campaign, right? Harris said. Were all supposed to have an equal vote, but money has now really tipped the balance between an individual having equal power in an election to a corporation. So Ive actually made a decision since I had that conversation that Im not going to accept corporate PAC checks. I just  Im not. You can watch the video of the interview here. (Harris corporate money comments come about 30 minutes in.) Harris wouldnt be on the ballot for a second Senate term until 2022, though its widely believed that she is planning a presidential bid in 2020. Other potential 2020 presidential candidates, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), have also ruled out taking corporate PAC money. Soon after Mondays show aired, Harris campaign sent out a fundraising request noting her new stance. As corporate PACs continue to corrupt our politics and twist Congress priorities at your expense, were going to focus on raising money from small-dollar, individual donors like you, the email says. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

With money tied up in court, California lawmakers try again with new plan to spend $2 billion on homeless housing By Liam Dillon A man sleeps on the sidewalk in front of the Union Rescue Mission in the skid row neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) A measure to spend $2 billion on housing homeless Californians could be on the November statewide ballot. State Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) is pushing the idea to deal with what he said was a burgeoning humanitarian crisis whose epicenter is here in California. De Leons new measure is a do-over for a 2016 plan passed by the Legislature to redirect $2 billion toward building homeless housing from a voter-approved 1% income tax surcharge on millionaires that funds mental health services. A Sacramento attorney sued over that decision, arguing that the move violated constitutional rules on approving loans without a public vote and that lawmakers shouldnt take money away from mental health treatment. The case remains active in Sacramento Superior Court and its unclear when, or if, the state will be able to spend the $2 billion. De Leons Senate Bill 1206 would put the $2-billion loan on the ballot in November, freeing up the money if voters approve the measure. De Leon said had he been able to predict the 2016 plan would end up in court, he would have sought a ballot measure at the time. We thought this was like apple pie and baseball and puppies, De Leon said. Who would oppose the idea of repurposing the dollars to build immediate housing as a permanent solution for homelessness? Obviously with a crystal ball, had I anticipated the litigation, I would have worked to place it on the ballot. De Leon noted that the 2016 plan had bipartisan supermajority support in the Legislature, something his new bill also will need to get on the ballot. Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) is a coauthor of the plan. SB 1206 is scheduled for its first hearing in the Legislature on Wednesday. Should De Leons measure be approved, it will join a crowded list of housing issues before voters in November. Californians will decide on a separate $4-billion bond to help finance new low-income housing and home loans for veterans. De Leon said hes not worried those two measures will compete against each other because voters are aware of the scale of the states housing problems and the proposed homeless housing bond redirects existing dollars instead of raising taxes. Once [voters] know that the impact on their pocketbook is not existent, Im confident that theyll join me and my colleague John Moorlach in support of this measure, De Leon said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California lawmakers say too many former felons are being denied professional licenses By John Myers Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) along with supporters of bills to allow more former felons to receive professional licenses. (John Myers/Los Angeles Times) A trio of California Assembly members urged colleagues on Monday to pass legislation that would prohibit state commissions and agencies from rejecting a professional license for those who were once convicted of less serious crimes. We cant say we want to rehabilitate people, and then block them from getting the jobs that they need when theyre released, said Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco). That leads to more recidivism and to more crime. The bills, scheduled to be heard in Assembly committees Tuesday, would ban the use of arrest or conviction records as the reason for denying a professional license. The bill would not apply to Californians who served time for any of the offenses on the states list of violent crimes. The authors, all Democrats, said that a government-issued professional license is required for some 30% of all jobs in the state. Their bills would change the licensing process at the California departments of Consumer Affairs and Social Services and agencies that certify emergency medical technicians. The bills would block prior convictions from leading to the delay or denial of a license unless that crime is directly related to the profession the person intends to pursue. Two of the bills also specifically say convictions less than 5 years old could continue to play a role in licensing decisions. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law that keeps private sector employers from inquiring about a job applicants conviction history prior to an offer of employment. Advocates joined the lawmakers at a press conference in Sacramento to point out that limits on awarding licenses should focus only on those whose prior criminal activity could pose a threat to consumers. Continuing to hold people back for crimes that are 6, 7, 8, 10, 20 years old does not actually make sense if youre looking at public safety, said Jael Myrick of the East Bay Community Law Center. One of the proposals, Assembly Bill 2293, seeks to make it easier for ex-felons to get a license allowing a job with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection  the same agency that often uses prison inmates to battle blazes around the state. If a person is good enough to risk their life fighting fires for the state of California as an inmate, said Assemblywoman Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-Grand Terrace), their previous actions should not prevent from having a job utilizing the skill set that they learned. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Assembly speaker rebukes building trades union after it targets Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia By John Myers ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) The decision by a politically powerful labor group to openly campaign against an embattled Los Angeles-area lawmaker drew a sharp rebuke on Friday from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. The Lakewood Democrat lashed out hours after the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California filed paperwork for a political action committee to defeat Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens). Garcia, whos seeking her fourth term, took an unpaid leave of absence in February following allegations of sexual misconduct. She has denied the reports and an Assembly investigation remains underway. Rendon didnt criticize the labor group by name, insisting instead that the decision was driven by oil and gas industry interests. This is a thinly veiled attempt by Big Oil and polluters to intimidate me and my members. It is an affront to my speakership, Rendon said in a statement. We are proud of the work that the Assembly has done to increase jobs and wages while defending our environment. We will vigorously defend the members of our caucus from any ill-advised political attack. A statement from the labor group, which sparred with Garcia last year on her effort to link new climate change policies with a crackdown on air pollution, said it had decided to reverse past support for her. The Trades have thousands of hard working members in Garcias district, and we look forward to lifting up another Democrat in the 58th Assembly to better represent them and their families, said the statement. The political action committees campaign finance filing on Friday listed nonmonetary in kind contributions from Erin Lehane, a public affairs consultant aligned with the building labor group. Lehane said she had begun researching Garcia in November. In January, a former legislative staffer accused her of groping him in 2014. Lehane, who identified herself as a spokesperson for the labor groups political action committee, said on Friday that she believed Garcias hypocrisy threatened a movement that will dictate how much harassment and abuse my daughter will face in her work life. Garcia, who has been an outspoken advocate for women in the #MeToo movement, has complained that her political opponents helped fan the flames of the accusations. Through a campaign consultant, she declined to comment on Friday. Rendons critique came on the heels of a full-page ad in The Times on Friday, partly paid for by the Trades Council, that criticized well-funded ivory tower elites who push proposals that hurt the oil and gas industry. We are the real jobs that fuel the real California economy, read the advertisement. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Legal tiff breaks out over independent committees ad backing Antonio Villaraigosa for governor By Phil Willon An attorney representing Gavin Newsoms campaign for governor is demanding that California television stations cease airing an ad by an independent political committee supporting his Democratic rival Antonio Villaraigosa. Attorney Thomas A. Willis, in a letter to the stations, said the ad is false and misleading and violates California law because it uses snippets of video footage from Villaraigosas own campaign ads. Willis called that illegal coordination between the campaign and PAC. Under California law, advertisements made by entities other than a candidate are presumed to be coordinated  and thus not independent expenditures  when the advertisement replicates, reproduces or disseminates substantial parts of a communication, including video footage, created and paid for by the candidate, the letter states. A representative for the independent expenditure committee  Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor  fired back. Attorney Brian T. Hildreth says those allegations have no merit and accused the Newsom campaign of being misleading. Hildreth sent a letter to the television stations in response, urging them to ignore the Newsom campaigns accusations. He said the Newsom camp appears to intentionally misrepresent the law and that the video use was permissible. He said only six seconds of video from Villaraigosas campaign ads was used, which is well within the legal limits. The independent committee is sponsored by the group California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates, according to the California secretary of states office. The ad is airing on broadcast and cable stations statewide. The committees ad is focused on Villaraigosas record as Assembly speaker and as mayor of Los Angeles when there was a drop in crime. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Governors race snapshot: Californians are generally upbeat but not focused on the campaign By Mark Z. Barabak Armand Werden, a 29-year-old community college student who works the taps at Dust Bowl Brewery in Turlock, said the state is on the upswing. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times) As California chooses a new governor  one of just a handful in the last 40 years not named Jerry Brown  the state seems to be enjoying something unusual in these tumultuous political times: a feeling of relative contentment. Not to say things are perfect. Still, more than 100 random interviews conducted over the length and breadth of the state  from Redding in the north to Santee in the south, from the Pacific coastline to the edge of the Sierra Nevada  found most saying things are looking up, at least so far as Californias direction is concerned. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Sierra Club backs Gavin Newsom for California governor By Phil Willon Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with members of the public following a debate at USC in January. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) The Sierra Club endorsed Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in the race for California governor, with officials in the established environmental group praising the Democrats record on climate change and clean energy. He has a proven record for leading on environmental protection, public health and clean energy, Kathryn Phillips, director of Sierra Club California, said in a statement released by the Newsom campaign. He understands that we are feeling the effects of climate change and that California must reduce carbon emissions and reach 100% renewable energy to achieve our climate goals. Phillips said the Sierra Clubs extensive network of volunteers will campaign for Newsom as the June 5 primary approaches. Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune also praised the Democrat, saying he will protect California from Donald Trumps attacks on our clean air and water. The Sierra Club joins a series of other influential groups in California that have backed Newsom. The California Medical Assn., the powerful state doctors lobby, announced its endorsement of Newsom on Thursday. The California Nurses Assn. and the Service Employees International Union, one of the most powerful labor unions in the state, also support Newsom. Newsom is the races front-runner in polls and fundraising. A poll released earlier this month by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that 26% of likely voters backed Newsom. John Cox, a Republican from Rancho Santa Fe, was favored by 15% of likely voters and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat, by 13%. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias GOP House members are taking their challengers more seriously and the numbers show it By Christine Mai-Duc For much of last year, consultants and campaign managers for some of Californias most vulnerable Republican incumbents maintained a bullish tone on the prospect that the GOP would hold the House in this years midterms. The National Republican Congressional Committee insisted that longtime Republican incumbents in California had built up reputations as effective champions of local issues that would help them weather a flood of Democratic enthusiasm. Since then Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) have decided not to seek reelection and the NRCC has opened a West Coast headquarters in Orange County. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California officials say Pentagon has confirmed National Guard funding despite Trump threat By John Myers (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) The awkward dance between Gov. Jerry Brown and the federal government over the National Guard jerked back toward discord on Thursday, when Trump said he would refuse to pay for a new deployment of troops  just hours after his administration said otherwise. And a few hours later, California officials said they had received written confirmation from the Pentagon that the mission would indeed be funded. Trump had earlier called Browns decision to approve 400 troops for a mission focused on combating transnational crime and drug smuggling a charade in a tweet. We need border security and action, not words! the president wrote. Governor Jerry Brown announced he will deploy up to 400 National Guard Troops to do nothing. The crime rate in California is high enough, and the Federal Government will not be paying for Governor Browns charade. We need border security and action, not words!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018 A spokesman for Brown pointed to a tweet written Wednesday night by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, thanking the California governor for his efforts. Trump was meeting on Thursday with Nielsen at his Mar-a-Lago estate not long after his tweet was posted. A tweet later posted by the California National Guard said that almost three hours after Trumps comment, the state received written confirmation from the Pentagon to fund the mission as outlined by Brown the day before. In short, nothing has changed today, said a subsequent Guard tweet. Just spoke w @JerryBrownGov about deploying the @USNationalGuard in California. Final details are being worked out but we are looking forward to the support. Thank you Gov Brown!  Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen (@SecNielsen) April 19, 2018 Brown was the last of the nations border governors to respond to Trumps insistence earlier this month that National Guard troops were needed to assist with immigration-related duties at the U.S.-Mexico border. And he has consistently refused to allow California troops to engage in any mission related to federal immigration law. This will not be a mission to build a new wall, Brown wrote last week to Nielsen and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life. Exactly what the California operations will cost remains unclear, as state officials have said it will depend on decisions made once the mission begins. The funds would not be transferred to the state, but instead would be paid directly by the Department of Defense. Trump has critiqued California several times over the past few days, often writing tweets that embrace the actions by some cities and counties to join his administrations lawsuit against the states sanctuary immigration law. He made similar comments to reporters on Thursday afternoon. If you look at whats happening in California with sanctuary cities  people are really going the opposite way, Trump said. They dont want sanctuary cities. Theres a little bit of a revolution going on in California. 2:26 p.m.:This article was updated with additional information from the California National Guard and with remarks from Trump. This article was originally published at 9:51 a.m. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Gay conversion therapy services would be banned under measure advancing in California By John Myers (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The California Assembly voted Thursday to add gay conversion therapy to the states list of deceptive business practices, following a debate that focused on the personal experiences of several lawmakers and hinted at potential lawsuits to come. It is harmful and it is unnecessary, Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), the bills author and one of the Legislatures most vocal LGBTQ members, said of the practice. Low, who told Assembly members that he explored conversion therapy as a teenager and suffered depression over his sexual orientation, insisted that the bill would be limited to efforts that involve the exchange of money. Theres nothing wrong with me, he said in an emotional speech on the Assembly floor. Theres nothing that needs to be changed. The bill, which now heads to the Senate, has become the focal point of intense debate on social media. Some religious groups have said that such a law would be a violation of their constitutional rights, while advocates insist the provisions are narrow and theres no credible evidence that the services work. One key part of the debate centers on whether Assembly Bill 2943 would stretch beyond businesses that charge for these programs and extend to printed documents, even Bibles. An analysis by the Assembly Judiciary Committee says the bill would apply only to services that purport to change a persons sexual orientation and offered on a commercial basis, as well as the advertising and offering of such services. Lawmakers who spoke in support of AB 2943 also made clear that they believe those kinds of services have been discredited. This is fraudulent, it should not be occurring, said Assemblywoman Susan Eggman (D-Stockton). But you can still try to pray the gay away, if you like. Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), who said the bill addresses a difficult issue, nonetheless said that its important to ensure laws dont tamper with religious freedom. We have to think about the legitimate experience of people who have gone through conversion therapy and said this was a good thing for them, Gallagher told his colleagues. California law already bans the use of conversion therapy by mental health professionals on those under age 18. Lows bill would expand the states efforts beyond minors. It would join a list of commercial activities deemed unfair or deceptive acts or practices and therefore banned under state law. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gavin Newsom gets backing from doctors group, despite differences over single-payer healthcare By Melanie Mason Gavin Newsom speaks at the California Democrats State Convention in San Diego on Feb. 24. (Kent Nishimura) Californias doctors are siding with Gavin Newsom in the governors race, even though they dont see eye-to-eye on a defining issue of the campaign: single-payer healthcare. The California Medical Assn., the state doctors lobby and a political heavyweight, announced its endorsement of the lieutenant governor on Thursday. Gavin is a lifelong champion for health care in California, and we know he will continue to fight for pragmatic solutions to our most crucial health care challenges, including working to achieve universal access and tackling our states physician shortage, CMA President Theodore M. Mazer said in a statement. Newsom has made his support for state-financed healthcare a centerpiece of his campaign, and he earned the early backing of the most ardent single-payer supporters, the state nurses union. The doctors, meanwhile, oppose the nurses bill, SB 562, which emerged as a flashpoint in the healthcare debate last year. The CMA said the bill would dismantle the healthcare marketplace and destabilize Californias economy. Newsom has said SB 562 should advance in the Legislature, but also said it has open-ended issues that still need to be addressed. The doctors group is also battling with another prominent Newsom endorser, the Service Employees International Union, over a new measure that would impose price caps on an array of medical services paid for by commercial health insurers in the state. The SEIU is a leading sponsor of the proposal; the doctors fiercely oppose it. Newsom and the physicians group have a history of political alignment. Newsom was the first statewide official to support Proposition 56, a 2016 tobacco tax pushed by the CMA that raised revenue in part to increase money for doctors who saw Medi-Cal patients. That year, the association also endorsed two initiatives championed by Newsom: Proposition 63, which imposed new gun control measures, and Proposition 64, which legalized recreational marijuana. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Independent committee backing Antonio Villaraigosa for governor hits the airwaves with first ad By Phil Willon Antonio Villaraigosa speaks at the 2018 California Democratic Party Convention in San Diego in February.. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) A well-financed independent committee backing Antonio Villaraigosas bid to be Californias next governor released its first television ad Thursday, praising his record for working with Republicans and as a candidate for all of California. The ad, which is to air statewide on broadcast and cable stations, is focused on Villaraigosas record as Assembly speaker and mayor of Los Angeles, including on education and a drop in crime while he was at City Hall. To move California forward, we need to help more Californians get ahead, the ad says. Thats why Antonio Villaraigosa brought both parties together to balance the state budget with record investments in public schools and new career training programs. The independent expenditure committee behind the ad campaign, Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018, is sponsored by the California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates, according to the California secretary of states office. The committee is spending seven figures per week on the ad buy, said Josh Pulliam, a political consultant for the committee. As mayor of Los Angeles, Villaraigosa clashed with teachers unions, starting with his failed attempt to take political control of the Los Angeles Unified School District. His fight with those unions continued after he left office in 2013. Money has poured into the committee this month from wealthy charter schools supporters: Reed Hastings, chief executive of Netflix, donated $7 million, and Los Angeles billionaire and philanthropist Eli Broad donated $1.5 million. On Wednesday, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan donated $1 million. The independent expenditure committee is expected to provide a boost to Villaraigosas campaign. Democratic front-runner Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has a major advantage in fundraising over all other candidates in the race and has received the backing of the California Teachers Assn. and other education unions. A recent Public Policy Institute of California poll also showed Villaraigosa lagging in third place in the race, trailing Newsom and Republican businessman John Cox. The candidates who finish in the top two in the June 5 primary will advance to the November general election, regardless of their party affiliation. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Jerry Brown says Trump administration will fund his National Guard mission  without immigration duties By John Myers (Alex Wong / Getty Images) Gov. Jerry Brown formally mobilized 400 California National Guard members Wednesday for transnational crime-fighting duties, thus preventing any effort by President Trump to have the troops focus on immigration enforcement on the Mexican border. The governor announced that federal officials have agreed to fund the plan he announced last week  a mission to combat criminal gangs, human traffickers and illegal firearm and drug smugglers in locations around California, including near the border. The order Brown signed makes clear that the troops will not be allowed to perform a broader set of duties as envisioned by Trumps recent comments. California National Guard service members shall not engage in any direct law enforcement role nor enforce immigration laws, arrest people for immigration law violations, guard people taken into custody for alleged immigration violations, or support immigration law enforcement activities, the order read. The cost of the mission, a spokesman for Brown said, will be paid directly by the federal government. No initial estimate has been made, as the exact amount will depend on exactly how the troops will be used. Though the duties of California Guard members were outlined last week, the state had been waiting for an agreement by federal officials to pay for the operations. Since that time, the president has taken Brown and the state to task over its decision to avoid any immigration-related duties at the border. On Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted, Jerry Brown is trying to back out of the National Guard at the Border, but the people of the State are not happy. Want Security & Safety NOW! There is a Revolution going on in California. Soooo many Sanctuary areas want OUT of this ridiculous, crime infested & breeding concept. Jerry Brown is trying to back out of the National Guard at the Border, but the people of the State are not happy. Want Security & Safety NOW!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2018 Looks like Jerry Brown and California are not looking for safety and security along their very porous Border. He cannot come to terms for the National Guard to patrol and protect the Border, Trump tweeted Tuesday. There was no immediate reaction from the White House to Browns announcement. On Tuesday, Brown told reporters in Washington that his plan was consistent with a safer border. That sounds to me like fighting crime, the governor said. Trying to catch some desperate mothers and children, or unaccompanied minors coming from Central America, that sounds like something else. The order Brown issued Wednesday after returning from a brief trip to talk climate change in Toronto and to speak to a national trade union and visit with reporters in Washington is set to expire at the end of September. It specifically says no Guard service member may participate in a mission that would exceed the mission scope and limitations related to transnational crime activity. It also says troops cannot help build any new border barrier. 5:27 p.m.: This article was updated with information related to the cost of the Guard mission and Browns trip to Washington. This article was originally published at 5:13 p.m. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California bill aims to end practice that keeps workplace misconduct cases out of court By Melanie Mason A California bill would prohibit employers from requiring workers to use private arbitration to settle disputes, a practice that critics say shields improper workplace conduct from public view. The bill by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) would bar businesses from making employees, when they are hired, waive their future rights to take any harassment, discrimination or other claims to court. Arbitration can be a highly effective dispute resolution method when both parties can choose it freely, when both parties are equal, Gonzalez Fletcher said at a news conference on Wednesday. It is far less successful when the more powerful party forces the other to accept those terms, especially as a condition of employment. Forced arbitration has come under increasing scrutiny since the #MeToo movement, with high-profile figures such as former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson pointing to the practice as shielding workplace abusers from public disclosure because arbitration resolutions often include nondisclosure agreements. Last year, a bipartisan bill was introduced in Congress to end mandatory arbitration in employment agreements. Gonzalez Fletcher said she was pursuing an unusual tool to draw attention to the issue  a subpoena issued by the Legislature to compel testimony from a worker bound by a nondisclosure agreement as a result of arbitration. The Legislature has subpoena power but it is rarely used. The bills sponsors believe lawmakers last issued a subpoena in 2001 while investigating price manipulation by Enron. Gonzalez Fletcher said she has requested Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) to issue the subpoena to require Tara Zoumer, who sued the company WeWork in 2016 for overtime pay, to testify before the Assembly Judiciary Committee next week. Zoumers suit was moved to arbitration and resolved. She is now subject to a nondisclosure agreement and could face a financial penalty for speaking publicly about her case. A spokesman for Rendon said the subpoena request is under consideration. Business groups oppose the bill, AB 3080. The California Chamber of Commerce has dubbed it a job biller, claiming it would dramatically increase legal costs for businesses. Banning such agreements benefits the trial attorneys, not the employer or employee, the group said. The bill must first advance from the Assembly Labor Committee on Wednesday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

At least 240 House lawmakers want a vote on immigration. California supporters say they arent ready to force one By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), flanked by Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands) and Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas) speak about DACA legislation (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Rep. Jeff Denham says at least 240 of the 430 current House members have signed onto his resolution to hold votes on four immigration bills, and he hopes House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and President Trump are paying attention to the show of support. But, the Republican from Turlock and his allies said Wednesday that they are not yet willing to commit to forcing Ryans hand through a little-used procedural move called a discharge petition; they acknowledged theres no guarantee that all of 47 Republicans and 193 Democrats House co-signers will back them up if they try to force the issue. Im sure that it is something that will be discussed in the coming weeks. You should not need a discharge petition. When you can show the overwhelming majority of the House, the support of it, you should not need a discharge petition, but it is something we would talk about in the future, Denham said. It is far too early to talk about next steps. Ryan said last week that he opposes Denhams effort, saying its a waste of time for the House to vote on bills the president might veto. Denhams resolution would prompt debate and votes on four very different immigration bills: one favored by the Trump administration, one preferred by Democrats, one bipartisan proposal and another immigration bill of Ryans choice. Whichever got the most votes would move forward to the Senate. All four bills would help Dreamers to differing degrees and include varying levels of border security or immigration enforcement. For example, the Trump-backed bill would also dramatically reduce legal immigration, while the Democrats would only deal with legal status for Dreamers. Democrats say they dont expect the show of support will sway Ryan. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) said Tuesday night she expects Ryan will have to be forced into allowing a vote. It doesnt matter how many signatures we get. We could have every signature, technically, except his, on the floor of the House and... if he doesnt want to, it doesnt happen, Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) said. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands), who gathered the Democratic co-sponsors for Denham, also wouldnt give a deadline for House leaders to act, but said the co-sponsors are only willing to wait weeks not months. We do want to give them an opportunity to bring up the rule and to use whatever process they want, Aguilar said. They do have options, but I think they need to understand that we have options too. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer endorses Kevin de Leon in his insurgent bid against Sen. Dianne Feinstein By Seema Mehta Tom Steyer, left, and California state Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). (Getty Images; Los Angeles Times) Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer is endorsing state Sen. Kevin de Leon in his insurgent challenge to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and did not rule out funding an outside effort to boost De Leons chances. I think hes the kind of young progressive that reflects California and would be a very strong advocate for our state nationally, Steyer said in an interview on Tuesday, pointing to De Leons efforts on issues such as immigration, climate change and gun control while he was the state Senate leader. I know him well and hes a friend. We share a lot of values. Steyer, who flirted with running for the Senate seat, did not criticize Feinstein as he has in the past. Sen. Feinstein has been an outstanding public servant who has dedicated the bulk of her adult life to the service of our state and the country, he said. These are two strong, very good Democrats. I just believe Kevin is the true progressive and he reflects something we need representing California going forward. I have nothing bad to say about Dianne Feinstein. I have a lot of good to say about Kevin de Leon. De Leon faces enormous odds as he tries to oust Feinstein, who has served in the Senate for a quarter-century, is well known to the states voters and has daunting leads in polls and fundraising. But De Leon has gained notable endorsements, most recently from the 2.1-million-member California Labor Federation last week. Campaign finance reports released this week show that Feinstein has more than $10 million in the bank, while De Leon has just more than $670,000. Feinstein, a multimillionaire and one of the wealthiest members of the Senate, has already lent her campaign $5 million and could easily write another check. But Steyer, a billionaire former hedge fund manager, could write a larger one. He is among the largest Democratic donors in the nation and has already committed more than $50 million to push for the impeachment of President Trump and to register young voters. He was noncommittal when asked if he would fund an independent expenditure group on behalf of De Leon. I dont have any concrete plans for that, he said. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Californias largest pension fund sends next years invoice to state government: $6.3 billion By John Myers The California Public Employees Retirement System building (Max Whittaker / Getty Images) As part of a shift toward less optimistic expectations for investment returns to pay for government worker pensions, board members of the California Public Employees Retirement System voted Tuesday to require an almost $6.3-billion payment from the state budget in the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The action, which could receive final approval on Wednesday, reflects a gradually higher annual contribution to public employee pensions by the state and from local governments across California. In 2016, CalPERS approved a half-percentage point decrease in its official estimate of the long-term investment return on its $353.3-billion portfolio. That shift was designed to happen over several years, in hopes it would lessen the financial shock of shifting more of the costs onto government employers. The highest costs are also, in part, a reflection of increases in the size of the states payroll. The states CalPERS payment will be about $450 million more than the total paid in the current fiscal year and more than double what it was only a decade ago. CalPERS board members voted on Tuesdays staff proposal with little discussion, save for a question about the increase in contributions also required from workers hired after a pension overhaul that took effect in June. It seems like it will be a ding on peoples salaries, said Theresa Taylor, the chairwoman of CalPERS finance committee and a member of SEIU Local 1000, the union that represents some 96,000 state employees. The $6.299-billion payment required from Californias state government must now be factored into the budget crafted by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in late June. Brown had already assumed a similarly sized payment in his budget proposal unveiled in January. In February, a coalition representing city governments warned about the effects of rising pension costs under the expectations of less money from Wall Street investments. The report issued by the League of California Cities projected an average increase of more than 50% in annual pension payments made by the states largest cities over the next seven years. A CalPERS staff report notes that the net return on all of the funds investments for the fiscal year that ended in July was 11.2%. But expectations on profits over the next 30 years remain significantly more modest, and theres long been a robust debate about how to properly set those future expectations. The lower the rate of projected investment return, the larger the share of pension costs that must be covered by taxpayers and some employees. Overall, CalPERS officials believe the system has assets to cover 71% of its long-term obligations. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California warns legal pot sellers not to participate in unlicensed 4/20 events By Patrick McGreevy Marijuana on display at a dispensary in Los Angeles. ( (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)) The state issued a warning Tuesday that businesses holding licenses to sell marijuana could face penalties if they participate in unlicensed temporary events away from their stores, including on Friday, April 20, which has become an annual celebration for counterculture groups. The warning was issued ahead of 4/20 by the state Bureau of Cannabis Control. Since Jan. 1, the bureau has issued more than 700 state licenses to sell marijuana for medical or recreational use. The bureau has issued 47 temporary event licenses to groups that are limited to holding the marijuana celebrations on county fairgrounds that have authorized such events with city approval. Any bureau licensee participating in an unlicensed cannabis event may be subject to disciplinary action, the warning said, adding that lawful participation by bureau licensees in any temporary cannabis event that allows sales and/or consumption is dependent upon issuance of the appropriate licenses from the bureau. While many Californians have been issued medical approval to sell or use marijuana, the law does not allow them to participate in unlicensed events, also referred to as Proposition 215 events after the ballot measure that legalized medical pot two decades ago in the state. Participation in such events may lead to civil penalties for unlicensed commercial cannabis activity, the warning said. Meanwhile, a survey of some 1,000 marijuana users that was released Tuesday by the firm LendEDU found that the average 4/20 participant plans to spend $71 on marijuana to celebrate the unofficial holiday, and about 35% of respondents are planning to take off work Friday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California police groups shift position on officer discipline records, now consider support for making some of them public By Liam Dillon Los Angeles Police Department recruits at a graduation ceremony in April (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Some major law enforcement groups signaled Tuesday they are willing to support making part of police officer disciplinary records public, a dramatic departure from their past positions. Local and national attention on police shootings and misconduct has led law enforcement organizations to reconsider their blanket opposition to proposals that would give public access to some internal disciplinary investigations of officers. Were going to be open to supporting efforts that would allow for some records to be released, said Ryan Sherman, a lobbyist with the Riverside Sheriffs Assn. Debate over secrecy provisions in officer disciplinary files came during a legislative hearing on Senate Bill 1421 from Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley). Skinners bill, which advanced out of the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, would require public disclosure of all internal officer shooting investigations and confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. Currently, all police discipline information is confidential outside of a courtroom in California, which has some of the nations strictest standards against public disclosure. Unfortunately, the fact that we have such strict restrictions on any access to public records has affected certain communities trust towards our law enforcement, Skinner said during the hearing. Prior to Skinners effort, other have tried to loosen these rules, some of which date back 40 years. Most recently in 2016, a bid by then-Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) failed in a Senate committee. In debate two years ago, no major law enforcement groups indicated they would accept changes to state laws that would make individual internal investigations public, saying they were essential to protect officer privacy and safety. But Tuesday, Sherman and other lobbyists including those representing the states largest police labor organization, signaled they might be willing to entertain changes. They said they were negotiating with Skinner on the bills details. Law enforcement groups still have major concerns about SB 1421 as written. Ed Fishman, an attorney for the Police Officers Research Assn., told legislators that the bill would wrongfully expose police officers who acted within departmental policy to invasions of their privacy. It has unintended consequences that are extreme and will hurt the public, Fishman said. Tuesdays hearing featured testimony from many who have had relatives killed by police officers in recent years advocating for the bill. Senators on the Public Safety Committee also gave public rebukes to law enforcement lobbyists, criticizing them for a lack of diversity and insensitivity to concerns raised by communities of color. I think that you are completely and utterly out of touch with the realities of how those you are representing are perceived by major segments of California, said Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles). You are not going to be able to continue to lobby your way out of it. The bill faces at least one more committee hearing in the Senate before reaching the floor. It will have to pass both houses of the Legislature by the end of August. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newest member of the California Assembly arrives ready to work on criminal justice issues By John Myers Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove prepares for the oath of office from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon with her husband, Austin Dove. (California Assembly Democrats) Two weeks after winning a Los Angeles special election, the newest member of the California Assembly says she hopes to focus on reforms to the states criminal justice system during her time in Sacramento. Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) took the oath of office on Monday, filling one of three vacant seats representing Los Angeles County in the lower house. The Democrat, a former community college trustee and legislative staffer, thanked her mentors in remarks from the Assembly rostrum. So many women, and in my life so many black women, have paid in giving me the kind of morals and integrity and grit that is required to fight on behalf of people that you know, and people that you dont know, she said. Kamlager-Dove won handily on April 3, receiving 70% of the votes cast in the 54th Assembly District which encompasses communities west of downtown Los Angeles, from Crenshaw to Culver City and as far north as Westwood. She will serve the remaining eight months of the term of former Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, who resigned last year citing health concerns. She has said she hopes to focus her attention on poverty issues and on reform of the states criminal justice system. I think we have an opportunity to really push the needle in terms of how we look at rehabilitation, how we look at incarceration, and how we look at changing the lives oftentimes of poor men and women of color, Kamalager-Dove said on Monday in a video released by Assembly Democrats. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Survivors of violent crime raise their voices in California to call for a new approach to criminal justice By Jazmine Ulloa Aaliyah Smith marches with her cousins. (Jazmine Ulloa / Los Angeles Times) Her father, uncle, a cousin and two older brothers. Those are some of the family members 16-year-old Aaliyah Smith has lost to gun violence. Then there are her friends. Jermaine Jackson Jr., 27, was shot and killed in 2016 while he painted over graffiti in San Francisco. Toriano Tito Adger, 18, was shot there a year later at a bus stop. He called Smith, who was nearby, and warned her to run. She made it inside a library moments before the crack of gunfire. Last week, Smith was among hundreds who gathered in Sacramento for annual National Crime Victims Rights Week events, where calls were issued for a new approach to criminal justice and public safety in California, one that puts survivors at the center of policy. But a debate is brewing over what that entails. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California expects $14 billion in tax payments this month By John Myers State workers handle income tax returns at the California Franchise Tax Board offices. (Laura Morton / For The Times) Gov. Jerry Browns proposed state budget is built on what taxpayers might find an audacious assumption: almost $14 billion in tax payments in the month of April, an average of $83 million collected per hour on every business day of the month. Most of that money will come from the taxes Californians pay in advance of Tuesday nights filing deadline for income tax returns. If history is any guide, the rate of payment could quadruple by weeks end. While tax rules have shifted some of the payment schedules to other months, April remains a vitally important month to the fiscal health of state government. The state controllers office reports more than 15% of all personal income tax revenues in 2017 were collected in April. In the recession years of a decade ago, tax revenue predictions were frequently off the mark by hundreds of millions of dollars. The last two state budgets have seen significant windfalls of personal income tax revenue, thanks in part both to an improving economy and to the continuation of a temporary surcharge on the wealthiest taxpayers  extended by voters in 2016. In the budget plan he sent to lawmakers in January, Brown projected a $6.1-billion windfall and proposed using a sizable amount to top off Californias rainy-day fund ahead of schedule. The independent Legislative Analysts Office reports that through the end of last week, the months income tax tally stood at $3 billion, slightly ahead of projections. By the end of the current week, a single days total could be almost that large. Lawmakers began reviewing the governors $190.3-billion spending plan during the winter, but few decisions are made until they get a look at Aprils tax revenues. The governor will release a revised plan based on the new data next month; lawmakers are required to send him a completed budget no later than June 15. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Feinstein war chest tops $10 million while Kevin de Leon struggles to keep pace By Sarah D. Wire Sen. Dianne Feinstein widened her already-massive fundraising advantage in the run-up to Junes primary, raising twice as much in the first quarter than her strongest Senate challenger has sitting in the bank. Feinstein raised $1.3 million between January and March, bringing her war chest to just over $10 million as Californias U.S. Senate race begins in earnest, according Federal Election Commission reports. Former state Senate leader Kevin De Leon, the best known of the more than 30 people who will appear with Feinstein on the June primary ballot, raised just $575,991 in that same period, bringing his cash on hand to $672,331, according to his quarterly FEC report. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump has met his match, says Gov. Jerry Brown in promoting climate action on a quick trip to Canada By John Myers (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown told a Canadian audience Monday that he believes President Trumps efforts to reverse course on climate change policy are a momentary deviation as others in the United States seek limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Thats very temporary, I can assure you, Brown said at a joint event in Toronto with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. The governors quick international trip, announced only late last week, comes as Wynnes Liberal Party faces a stiff challenge in Junes election from the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and its leader, Doug Ford. Critics of Wynnes party have called for Ontario to pull out of the Western Climate Initiative, a cooperative agreement between three Canadian provinces and California on efforts to limit greenhouse gases. Brown sought to link the efforts of Canadian conservatives with Republicans in the United States who oppose existing climate change programs. In contrast, he told the audience, several GOP lawmakers voted last summer to renew Californias cap-and-trade program. I would say to the conservatives of Canada, wake up and see what your friends in California are doing, he said. The Democrat took particular notice of Trumps efforts to shift away from climate change policies from the administration of former President Obama, as well as a push by the Environmental Protection Agency to cancel Californias strict limits on automobile emissions. If Trump tries to change that, well have litigation well beyond his term in office, Brown said while also noting Chinese government efforts to produce more low-emissions vehicles. Between California and China, Trump has met his match. What hes saying is not going to happen. Many of the governors remarks, though, were aimed at the tough political situation in which Wynne finds herself with seven weeks to go before Ontarios parliamentary elections. Dangers abound, but success is right in our hands, Brown said. So dont blow it! Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California voters are getting to know the states attorney general through his aggressive stance challenging Trump By Patrick McGreevy Less than two months from his first statewide election, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra has become adept not only at challenging President Trump but at using the bully pulpit of his office to raise his profile with voters. The aggressive effort may help boost the former Los Angeles congressmans chances at winning a full term in office this fall, almost two years after he was appointed to replace Sen. Kamala Harris in 2017. Appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown, Becerra took office as attorney general four days after Trumps inauguration. Thats afforded him an opportunity to get in front of Californians  and potential voters  on an array of issues including immigration, healthcare and the environment. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Jerry Brown forms commission for 2020 census outreach By Melanie Mason In an effort to make sure California has a strong showing in the next national census, Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday established a state commission to prepare outreach for the decennial count. It is vitally important for California to do everything it can to ensure that every Californian is counted in the upcoming census, Brown said in a prepared statement. The commissions formation comes on the heels of a Trump administration plan to ask about citizenship status as a part of the census. State officials fear that such a question, which has not been asked in a census since 1950, could chill participation among California residents. That could result in the state losing billions of dollars in federal funds and a seat in Congress. The 23-member panel, appointed largely by Brown as well as picks by legislative leaders, comes from private- and public-sector backgrounds, including civil rights groups, religious institutions and educational institutions. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Garcetti kicks off Iowa visit with 2020 on his mind and a hardhat on his head LA Mayor - and 2020 prospect - Eric Garcetti makes his Iowa debut at the Carpenters Union Training Center. Fearlessly flaunts the never be photographed in head gear/safety glasses rule. pic.twitter.com/14bUOPXMvF  Mark Z. Barabak (@markzbarabak) April 13, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Asm. Rocky Chavez takes the lead in race to replace Issa, while Doug Applegate slips By Joshua Stewart A new poll shows that Republican Assemblyman Rocky Chavez has taken a clear lead over 15 other candidates running to replace Rep. Darrell Issa in Congress and has overtaken Democrat Doug Applegate, the previous frontrunner. In a SurveyUSA poll by 10News and The San Diego Union-Tribune, Chavez, R-Oceanside, has support of 16 percent of likely voters, putting him ahead of Applegate, a lawyer, who was favored by 12 percent of voters and is in second place. The top two vote-getters in June, regardless of party, will proceed to a November runoff election. Competing with Applegate for the No. 2 spot is Democrat Mike Levin, also a lawyer, with support of 9 percent of voters. Several other candidates were right at his heels. Democratic Businessman Paul Kerr and Board of Equalization Member Diane Harkey, R-Dana Point, were tied for fourth at 8 percent each. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Pro-Kevin de Leon group launches ad castigating Dianne Feinstein By Seema Mehta A group that is supporting Kevin de Leons bid for the U.S. Senate launched a blistering ad against Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday, questioning her progressive principles and tying her to President Trump. The ad buy from A Progressive California is minuscule  $10,000 to air it in Los Angeles for one day on CNN and MSNBC during programming such as The Rachel Maddow Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews and Anderson Cooper 360. The minute-long ad features news clips about Feinstein not getting the California Democratic Party endorsement earlier this year, as well as footage of Feinstein saying that Trump can be a good president and appearing to share a laugh with Trump. That moment actually came during a White House meeting in the aftermath of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting when the president suggested an assault weapons ban should be included in a bipartisan bill to expand gun background checks. It also features extensive clips of de Leons speech at the state partys convention. De Leon, who just ended his final term as leader of the state Senate, announced last year he would run against fellow Democrat Feinstein as she seeks her fifth full term. Feinsteins longtime political advisor dismissed the ad, noting the size of the buy. Its not really a buy, said Bill Carrick. Ten thousand dollars in cable in L.A. Poof, its gone. Still, he said he planned to have the campaigns lawyers review the ad to see if it violates campaign law that limits what outside groups like A Progressive California can do. Such groups cannot coordinate with campaigns or candidates, and are limited in how much their messages can support a candidate. Ann Ravel, the former chair of the Federal Election Commission and the California Fair Political Practices Commission, said if the ad was in a state race, she is certain that the state commission would open an investigation into potential coordination with de Leons campaign because of the messaging and the types of footage in the ad. But the bipartisan federal commission cant agree on how to enforce the federal regulations, she said. The problem is [outside groups] understand that given the lack of very strong enforcement at the federal level, theres the ability to stretch the law, she said. A spokeswoman for the FEC declined to comment. Dave Jacobson, a spokesman for A Progressive California, disputed the suggestion that the ad violated campaign law. This frivolous allegation shows that Sen. Feinstein is afraid of the public seeing an ad which showcases her own words, that Donald Trump can be a good president, he said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Dispute over money emerges in campaign to repeal Californias gas tax increase By Patrick McGreevy A motorist prepares to gas up her vehicle in San Rafael, Calif., in 2015. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) A proposed initiative to repeal hikes to Californias gas tax has been caught in the middle of a dispute involving Republican rivals in the governors race. Assemblyman Travis Allen, a Republican candidate for governor, decided in January to drop plans for his own initiative and said he would urge supporters to sign a separate petition being supported by several Republican members of Congress. Then last week, the committee Allen formed to finance his ballot measure reported a $300,000 contribution from PISF Inc., a Novato, Calif., real estate firm. Now, an organizer of the still active Give Voters a Voice committee is urging the Allen committee to immediately donate their funds in support of the ongoing signature gathering efforts. There is only one gas tax repeal measure currently in circulation and that is the measure sponsored by the Give Voters a Voice Committee, said Dave Gilliard, a consultant to the group. PISF Inc., he said, gave to repeal taxes a
The President made the remarks while attending the Vietnam - Bangladesh Business Forum, held in Dhaka on March 6, on the last day of his State visit to Bangladesh from March 4-6.

President Quang noted that the economies of Vietnam and Bangladesh share many similarities which can supplement each other and create favourable conditions for the business communities of the two countries to increase their cooperation.

The State leader expressed his belief that the bilateral trade volume between the two countries would exceed US$1 billion this year and US$2 billion by 2020.

He also emphasised that Vietnam will create favourable conditions for the business communities of both countries to promote investment and trade activities for the sustainable development of both sides.

President Quang also introduced the delegates to the outstanding achievements of Vietnam after more than 30 years of renewal, including the GDP growth, FDI attraction, an improved investment environment, competitive investment costs, better transport infrastructure and improved economic and investment policies.

Vietnam has invested in approximately 1,170 projects in 69 countries and territories worldwide, with a total registered capital of over US$20 billion, in various areas including mining, telecommunications, agriculture and forestry, information technology, finance and banking, among others, the Vietnamese President stated.
For weeks, Vice President Mike Pence had secretly prepared for what appeared a historic opportunity  the highest level meeting between the U.S. government and North Korea since President Clinton welcomed a visiting vice marshal to the White House in October 2000.

Pence had attended the Winter Olympic opening ceremonies on Feb. 9 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and the next morning in his hotel, he hammered out final terms of the meeting he expected to hold that day with North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns sister and other high-ranking aides, according to two White House officials.

Pence planned to say in private what he had declared in public  that the White House would maintain harsh economic restrictions on Pyongyang until its leaders showed concrete signs of ending their nuclear program.

But the North Koreans backed out two hours before the scheduled meeting, apparently irked by Pences discussions the previous day with defectors from the totalitarian state, and his announcement of harsh new sanctions en route to South Korea.

Advertisement

When it came to light, the cancellation seemed an embarrassing setback for the White House. But a month later, with South Koreas announcement Tuesday that Kim Jong Un had offered to freeze his nuclear and missile tests to engage in talks with the U.S., the events have taken on a more positive light.

While the motivations of North Koreas reclusive leaders remain opaque, it appears possible that toughened sanctions and President Trumps unorthodox approach to diplomacy  his mix of crude insults, nuclear threats and a sprinkling of overtures  may have helped bring Kims government back to the negotiating table.

Kim could still end up getting the upper hand, using the grinding pace of diplomacy  as his late father, Kim Jong Il, did before him  as a smokescreen while he gets closer to building a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the continental United States. U.S. officials say that goal could be just months away.

Trump said Tuesday that hed like to be optimistic but that hes still prepared to go whichever path is necessary.

His predecessors  Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama  should have fixed the problem, he said. That was the time to have settled this problem, not now, he said. But we are settling it.

Despite the presidents optimism, officials in the White House were skeptical North Korea would follow through.

Take a deep breath, a senior administration official said Tuesday. Keep in mind that we have a long history  about 27 years of history of talking to North Koreans  and there is also a 27-year history of them breaking every agreement theyve ever made with the United States and the international community.

If North Koreas plan is to use the talks to secretly expand its nuclear arsenal, the talks wont get very far, the official said. Because weve seen that movie before. Weve seen it several times, and were not about to make the latest sequel with a very bad ending.

Advertisement

A South Korean delegation will visit Washington this week to brief the administration on North Koreas overture, and U.S. officials will talk to their counterparts in Japan about a coordinated approach.

Many didnt think this day would come, where we would be at this point, Heather Nauert, the State Department spokeswoman, told reporters before she warned that nothing was yet confirmed.

After a year in which Trump and Kim Jong Un traded crude insults, the North Korean ruler unexpectedly created a diplomatic opening in a New Years Day speech, when he offered to send a North Korean delegation to the Olympics and to alleviate the tensions with South Korea.

In that same speech, however, Kim said his missiles could reach the U.S. mainland and the nuclear button is always on his desk. Trump fired back on Twitter, writing that he has a much bigger and more powerful nuclear button.

Advertisement

Despite the exchange, Trump told reporters at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Md., a few days later that he absolutely would be willing to talk to Kim without preconditions. I have no problem with that at all, he said.

That signal appeared to reach Pyongyang.

Soon after, the CIA presented a secret message to the White House that South Koreas government was willing to broker a meeting between Pence and the North Korean delegation attending the Winter Olympics.

As a sign of goodwill, the U.S. and South Korea agreed to temporarily lift human rights sanctions against Kims sister Kim Yo Jong so she could travel to the opening ceremonies.

Advertisement

During the ceremonies, Pence and the North Korean delegation sat near one another in the stands but did not shake hands or publicly acknowledge each other, suggesting the deep freeze in relations was holding.

But a secret meeting had been scheduled for Pence and Kims sister the next day, a Saturday, at the Blue House, the executive office and official residence of the South Korean president, in Seoul.

Instead, the North Korean officials apparently were unhappy with Pences vow to impose new sanctions, and despite hours of back and forth with Pences Chief of Staff Nick Ayers, they canceled the meeting.

This past Saturday night, Trump appeared to signal that talks were back on track. We will be meeting, and well see if anything positive happens, Trump told journalists at a white-tie dinner in Washington.

Advertisement

At the time, officials said Trump was referring to South Korean efforts to get the North Koreans and the U.S. into talks, but said that nothing had been scheduled.

The breakthrough didnt come until South Koreas intelligence chief and top national security official returned to Seoul on Tuesday from a meeting with Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang. For the first time, they said, he was prepared to freeze his nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

Several U.S. experts said the tightening economic sanctions, which the U.S. contends have cut 90% of the countrys exports income, had pushed North Korea to consider talks.

The threat of force may be a factor, but it is clear that economic pressure has had impact, said William Burns, president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a former veteran diplomat.

Advertisement

But current and former U.S. officials also urged caution in regarding Kims offer.

What we do know about North Korea ... is that past offers of dialogue frequently prove to be a fig leaf for ulterior purposes, said Bruce Klingner, former CIA deputy division chief for the Koreas,

The State Department was caught somewhat flat-footed by the move. The U.S. special representative for North Korea, Joseph Yun, resigned last month over concerns that the White House was considering a preemptive attack, leaving a gaping hole in Trump administration efforts to talk to Kims representatives.

The acting assistant secretary for Asia, Susan Thornton, is the highest ranking specialist but her appointment to the permanent position remains in limbo. The White House nominee to become U.S. ambassador to South Korea was forced to withdraw from consideration after he reportedly voiced opposition to Trumps suggestions of a military strike on North Korea.

Advertisement

For his part, Trump believes his strategy has paid off. Standing next to Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Loefven during a news conference Tuesday, Trump gave credit to China, North Koreas closest ally, for being a big help in putting pressure on Pyongyang.

Trump said he hoped the North Koreans were serious about talking. I hope theyre sincere, he said. Were going to soon find out.

Times staff writers Christi Parsons and Tracy Wilkinson contributed to this report.

Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 6, 2018

Advertisement

Twitter: @ByBrianBennett

brian.bennett@latimes.com
Allies balk at Trump administration bid to block Chinese firm from cutting-edge telecom markets By David S. Cloud Britain and Germany are balking at the Trump administrations call for a ban on equipment from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, threatening a global U.S. campaign to thwart Chinas involvement in future mobile networks. Both countries are expected to limit Huawei and other Chinese companies from providing core components including routers. But other types of Chinese equipment for next-generation, high-speed communications could still be installed on British and German networks, officials and analysts say. The U.S. push to ban Huawei has provoked a global dispute in recent weeks, with senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, publicly urging NATO allies in Europe to exclude the company and warning that the United States might limit its military presence in countries that did not do so. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Confucius Institutes: Do they improve U.S.-China ties or harbor spies? By Don Lee Hanging red lanterns welcome visitors to the University of Marylands Confucius Institute, the oldest of about 100 Chinese language and cultural centers that have popped up over the last 15 years on American campuses, subsidized by millions of dollars from Chinas central government. But last fall, when four U.S. Senate investigators walked into the Confucius offices in Maryland and spent hours questioning staff, they werent looking for an educational exchange. The committee has been seeking detailed information from the university about the program, including contracts, email exchanges and financial arrangements that school administrators have kept under wraps since it started in 2004. American colleges once viewed these jointly funded institutes as an economical way to expand their language offerings  one that could also bring warmer ties with China and, importantly, an influx of Chinese international students paying full tuition. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Watch Live: White House holds surprise news briefing amid government shutdown Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

U.S. policy toward China shifts from engagement to confrontation By David S. Cloud For decades, China had no closer American friend than Dianne Feinstein. As San Francisco mayor in the 1970s, she forged a sister-city relationship with Shanghai, the first between American and Chinese communities. As U.S. senator, she dined with Chinese leaders at Mao Tse-tungs old Beijing residence. And in the 1990s, she championed a trade policy change that opened a floodgate of Western investment into China. Today the Democratic senator sees China as a growing threat, joining a broad array of Trump administration officials, national security strategists and business executives who once favored engagement with Beijing and now advocate a confrontational approach instead. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Mnuchins attempt to calm markets backfires as Trump takes another shot at the Federal Reserve By Jim Puzzanghera An attempt by Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin to calm plunging financial markets backfired Monday, further rattling investors with new fears about whether major U.S. banks have enough cash on top of worries about interest rates, political instability in Washington and a slowing global economy. Adding to the volatile mix was a fresh attack on the Federal Reserve by President Trump, who declared that the central bank was the U.S. economys only problem and that it didnt have a feel for the market. The Fed is like a powerful golfer who cant score because he has no touch -- he cant putt! Trump said on Twitter. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

He speaks to Democratic hearts. But is Beto ORourke a serious White House contender? By Mark Z. Barabak Hes a failed U.S. Senate candidate with an undistinguished congressional record who, for the moment, is a blazing-hot 2020 presidential prospect  despite the fact that he may not run and faces long odds if he does. Beto ORourke suggests the will-he-or-wont-he speculation is something he himself cant quite fathom. I think thats a great question, he responded in a Dallas Morning News interview when asked whether his unsuccessful November Senate bid merited a promotion to the White House. I ask that question myself. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Russian disinformation teams targeted Robert S. Mueller III, says report prepared for Senate By Craig Timberg, Tony Romm, Elizabeth Dwoskin Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. (Associated Press) Months after President Trump took office, Russias disinformation teams trained their sites on a new target: special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Having worked to help get Trump into the White House, they now worked to neutralize the biggest threat to his staying there. The Russian operatives unloaded on Mueller through fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter and beyond, falsely claiming that the former FBI director was corrupt and that the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election were crackpot conspiracies. One post on Instagram  which emerged as an especially potent weapon in the Russian social media arsenal  claimed that Mueller had worked in the past with radical Islamic groups. Such tactics exemplified how Russian teams ranged nimbly across social media platforms in a shrewd online influence operation aimed squarely at American voters. The effort started earlier than commonly understood and lasted longer while relying on the strengths of different sites to manipulate distinct slices of the electorate, according to a pair of comprehensive new reports prepared for the Senate Intelligence Committee and released Monday. Read more Timberg, Romm and Dwoskin report for the Washington Post. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

President Trump announces Mick Mulvaney as acting White House chief of staff By Associated Press President Trump says budget director Mick Mulvaney will serve as acting chief of staff, replacing John F. Kelly in the new year. I am pleased to announce that Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management & Budget, will be named Acting White House Chief of Staff, replacing General John Kelly, who has served our Country with distinction. Mick has done an outstanding job while in the Administration....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

It aint over when its over: In Michigan, Wisconsin and elsewhere, losers seek to undermine election results By Mark Z. Barabak Democrat Gavin Newsom has yet to become California governor, but already a candidate for state Republican Party chairman is promoting a recall effort. In Michigan and Wisconsin, GOP lawmakers have rushed through legislation to thwart their incoming Democratic governors and hamper others in the opposing party from doing the jobs voters chose them to do. In Congress, GOP leaders have echoed President Trump and sought to undermine the legitimacy of Democrats strong midterm performance, raising unsubstantiated allegations of fraud and political malfeasance. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

New CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger says she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera On her first full day leading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Kathy Kraninger said she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney, the controversial acting director whom she replaced in the powerful regulatory position. To underscore that point, the former White House aide said she would even reconsider a Mulvaney action that critics saw as a gratuitous jab at Democrats who championed the agencys creation: changing its name to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Kraningers declaration during a meeting with reporters Tuesday addressed one of the main criticisms of her selection. She is considered a protege of Mulvaney, her boss at the White House Office of Management and Budget who has executed a dramatic, industry-friendly shift at the watchdog agency. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trumps pick for chief of staff, Nick Ayers, out of running By Associated Press Nick Ayers, right, with Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, at the funeral service for George H.W. Bush on Dec. 3. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Associated Press) President Trumps top pick to replace John F. Kelly as chief of staff, Nick Ayers, is no longer expected to fill that role. Thats according to a White House official who is not authorized to discuss the personnel issue by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. Ayers is Vice President Mike Pences chief of staff. The official says that Trump and Ayers could not agree on Ayers length of service. The father of young children, Ayers had agreed to serve in an interim capacity though the spring, but Trump wanted a two-year commitment. The official says that Ayers will instead assist the president from outside the administration. Trump announced Saturday that Kelly would be departing the White House around the end of the year. Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House. I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause.  #Georgia  Nick Ayers (@nick_ayers) December 9, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

U.S. hiring slows to 155,000 jobs, unemployment rate holds at 3.7% By Jim Puzzanghera Job growth slowed significantly in November but still was solid, indicating the economy remains in good shape but not expanding so quickly that it will lead to sharply higher interest rates. U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs last month, well below analyst expectations and a steep decline from Octobers strong 237,000 figure, the Labor Department reported Friday. Still, monthly job gains are averaging 206,000 this year, the best since 2015. Even the slower pace of 170,000 over the last three months is close to last years average of 182,000 and well above the amount needed to keep up with population growth. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump is expected to pick State Department spokeswoman for U.N. ambassador By Associated Press Heather Nauert at a briefing at the State Department on Aug. 9, 2017. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump is expected to nominate State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Two administration officials confirmed Trumps plans. A Republican congressional aide said the president was expected to announce his decision by tweet on Friday morning. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly before Trumps announcement. Trump has previously said Nauert was under serious consideration to replace Nikki Haley, who announced in October that she would step down at the end of this year. Trump has been known to change course on staffing decisions in the past. Nauert was a reporter for Fox News Channel before she became State Department spokeswoman under former Secretary Rex Tillerson. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Senate confirms new consumer financial protection chief: Kathy Kraninger, protege of industry-friendly Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera The Senate, in a party-line vote Thursday, confirmed White House aide Kathy Kraninger to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and experts predicted a continuation of the industry-friendly shift it has taken since President Trump installed an acting director last year. Kraninger is a protege of acting director and White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney, an outspoken critic of the agency that was created in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis to prevent predatory lending and other abuses that led to it. Democrats and consumer advocates have denounced him for sharply departing from the aggressive watchdog role the bureau had pursued under its first director, Obama-appointee Richard Cordray, including scaling back enforcement and moving to reassess tough new rules on payday loans and narrow the definition of abusive practices by banks and other firms. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Shutdown postponed by two weeks under plan approved by Congress By Erik Wasson Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), shown at the Capitol on Tuesday, says President Trumps border wall is a waste of money. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Congress passed a two-week stopgap spending bill that will delay the chance of a partial government shutdown until Dec. 22 as lawmakers and President Donald Trump negotiate over his demands to pay for a wall on the southern border. The House and Senate passed the measure Thursday without dissent, and Trump has indicated hell sign the bill before the current shutdown deadline of midnight Friday. Negotiations were delayed by memorial services this week for former President George H.W. Bush. The temporary measure gives Democrats and Republicans more time to find a resolution to their biggest hurdle: funding a wall on the U.S. Mexico border wall. Trump says he wants $5 billion for parts of a concrete wall on the southern border and is willing to shut down the government if he doesnt get it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has said Democrats will provide no more than $1.6 billion for border security, because the wall is a waste of money. The presidents demands for wall funding from Congress come after he said during the campaign that Mexico would pay for it. This week he said on Twitter that a $25 billion border wall would pay for itself in two months, without providing evidence. Most of the U.S. governments $1.2 trillion discretionary budget has been appropriated already by Congress for the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1. Departments at a risk of a partial shutdown late this month include the departments of State, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Treasury and Homeland Security. Talks to resolve the differences have been on hold since a meeting among Trump, Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California originally slated for Dec. 4 was postponed due to Bush memorial events. The three are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter. Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby of Alabama told reporters the rest of the seven-bill spending package being negotiated is basically done. Shelby in recent weeks had tried to broker a compromise in which Trumps $5 billion request would be split over two years, but Schumer has rejected that. Some Democrats have been willing to trade border wall funding for deportation protections for young undocumented immigrants. Pelosi ruled out such a deal in remarks to reporters Thursday. The stopgap government funding measure also would extend the National Flood Insurance Program, which provides subsidized coverage for homes in flood-prone areas, to Dec. 21. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Bipartisan Senate group wants to formally blame Saudi crown prince for journalists killing By Karoun Demirjian Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires. (Associated Press) A bipartisan group of senators filed a resolution Wednesday condemning Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as responsible for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, directly challenging President Trump to do the same. This resolution -- without equivocation -- definitively states that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia was complicit in the murder of Mr. [Jamal] Khashoggi and has been a wrecking ball to the region jeopardizing our national security interests on multiple fronts, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a statement accompanying the release of the resolution. It will be up to Saudi Arabia as to how to deal with this matter. But it is up to the United States to firmly stand for who we are and what we believe. The resolution put forward by Graham and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who are expected to lead the Judiciary Committee together next year, comes just one day after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed leading senators about the details of the agencys assessment that Mohammed ordered and monitored the killing and dismemberment of Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Senators emerged from that closed-door briefing furious not only with Saudi Arabia, but Trump as well for dismissing the heft of the CIAs findings. You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organized by people under the command of MBS and that he was intricately involved in the demise of Mr. Khashoggi, Graham said following the briefing, referring to Mohammed by his initials. He added that Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, who briefed senators last week, were at best being good soldiers and at worst were in the pocket of Saudi Arabia for presenting the evidence of Mohammeds involvement as inconclusive. The release of the resolution condemning Mohammed also comes as the Senate is preparing to move ahead with debate on a resolution to curtail U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. Though the Yemen resolution does not directly address Khashoggis murder, its popularity is a sign of how strained the United States patience with Saudi Arabia is on multiple fronts, including its role in worsening the civilian cost of the war in Yemen, cited by the United Nations as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Last week, the Senate voted 63 to 37 to advance the Yemen resolution past an opening procedural hurdle. But Graham and Feinsteins resolution on the crown prince has the potential of drawing broader support, especially from Republicans, who are deeply divided about how fiercely to punish Saudi Arabia over Khashoggis killing. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has been an outspoken advocate for human rights and is seen as one of the more influential foreign policy voices in the GOP, did not vote for the Yemen resolution last week or sign on to a bipartisan measure last month to sanction Saudi officials and cease weapons transfers to the kingdom. But he is an original co-sponsor of the resolution condemning Mohammed over Khashoggis death. So is Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who represents the other end of the GOP spectrum in terms of recent Saudi-related votes and endorsements. Young was an initial co-sponsor of the bill Graham wrote with Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) to sanction Saudi officials deemed responsible for Khashoggis killing and stop the sale of anything but exclusively defensive weapons to the kingdom until it ceased hostilities in Yemen. Young also voted to advance the Yemen resolution  something Graham did as well, though Graham has signaled he will not be lending any similar support to the measure, fearing it may establish a precedent of invoking the War Powers Act too broadly. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) are listed as original co-sponsors of the resolution condemning Mohammed, which also urges Saudi Arabia to negotiate with Houthi rebels to end the Yemen war, work out a political solution to its standoff with Qatar and release political prisoners. But how much sway the resolution has probably comes down to how forcefully the administration decides to heed it -- and thus far, Trump has not shown any interest in condemning the crown prince the way the senators hope he will. Demirjian reports for the Washington Post. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Los Angeles County offices and U.S. Postal Service closed Wednesday in honor of George H.W. Bush By Brian Park The Honor Guard carries the casket of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush following his funeral on Dec. 5 in Washington, DC. (Doug Mills - Pool/Getty Images) The U.S. Postal Service will suspend regular mail delivery Wednesday, which President Trump has declared a national day of mourning in honor of former President George H.W. Bush. All retail postal outlets will be closed, and package delivery will be limited. In Los Angeles, all nonessential county departments, offices and libraries will be closed for the day, L.A. County officials said. The Los Angeles County Library said no overdue fines will be assessed for books, and due dates will be moved forward one week. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health offices also are closed Wednesday. The Sheriffs Department, Fire Department, clinics and hospitals will continue to operate, the county said. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health clinics are being operated with reduced staffing, and the department asked patients to confirm or reschedule any appointments. All county courts and the disaster recovery centers for the Woolsey fire in Malibu and Agoura Hills will remain open. Larger federal government operations will be closed Wednesday. To honor the life and legacy of President Bush, the Postal Service will observe the National Day of Mourning. Learn how Postal operations will be affected. https://t.co/Mffch7bPCh pic.twitter.com/vG46BsIOpm  U.S. Postal Service (@USPS) December 4, 2018 L.A. County offices and libraries will be closed tomorrow (Dec 5) in observance of the #NationalDayOfMourning for President George H. W. Bush.



The Countys Disaster Recovery Centers in Malibu & Agoura Hills will remain open from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. pic.twitter.com/Sv1J7GoJ7T  Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) December 4, 2018 @LAPublicHealth offices will be closed tomorrow December 5 in observance of the national Day of Mourning for President George H. W. Bush. Essential Services including clinics and other services will remain open: https://t.co/tZGoGGHRlg pic.twitter.com/ypXsV6vlYY  LA Public Health (@lapublichealth) December 4, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to skip 2020 White House race, sources say By Associated Press Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick speaks during an interview in Boston on Dec. 15, 2014. (Elise Amendola / Associated Press) Former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts will soon announce he wont launch a 2020 presidential campaign, according to three sources familiar with his plans. They did not say why the Democrat decided against a run. A formal announcement was delayed as the country observed a day of mourning for President George H.W. Bush, one source said. News of Patricks plans was first reported by Politico. Patrick, 62, served two terms as governor, from 2007 to 2015, was assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Clinton administration and since leaving the governors office has been a managing director for Bain Capital. Patrick traveled the country in support of Democratic candidates in the recent midterm election. Earlier this year, some of Patricks supporters and close advisors started the Reason to Believe political action committee, a grassroots organization dedicated to advancing a positive, progressive vision for our nation in 2018 and 2020. Reason to Believe PAC had been holding meetups across the country, including in early presidential primary states. While Patrick is opting against a 2020 run, dozens of Democrats are considering jumping in, including nearly a half-dozen members of the Senate, several House members, and other Massachusetts politicians. On Tuesday, Michael Avenatti, the attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels and a vocal critic of President Trump, said in a statement that he would run. Patrick had previously expressed some concerns about breaking through if he sought the nomination, telling David Axelrod, a former advisor to President Obama, that he wasnt sure he could stand out in such a large field. Its hard to see how you even get noticed in such a big, broad field without being shrill, sensational or a celebrity, and Im none of those things and Im never going to be any of those things, Patrick said in a September interview with Axelrod. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Former Trump adviser Roger Stone invokes 5th Amendment right and wont testify before Senate Judiciary Committee By Associated Press Roger Stone in 2017. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Roger Stone, an associate of President Trump, says he wont provide testimony or documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee. An attorney for Stone said in a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the committees top Democrat, that Stone was invoking his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination in refusing to produce documents or appear for an interview. Stone has been entangled in investigations by Congress and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III about whether Trump aides had advance knowledge of Democratic emails published by WikiLeaks during the 2016 election. Stone has not been charged and has said he had no knowledge of the timing or specifics of WikiLeaks plans. In the letter to Feinstein, Stone said the committees requests were far too overbroad, far too overreaching and far too wide-ranging. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Watch live: Vice President Pence and lawmakers honor George H.W. Bush at the U.S. Capitol before he lies in state Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Rebuilding crumbling infrastructure has bipartisan support. But who gets to pay for it? By Jim Puzzanghera The grades for major U.S. infrastructure would give any parent indigestion if they were on a childs report card. Roads: D; bridges: C+; dams: D; ports: C+: railways: B; airports: D; schools: D+; public transit: D-. The nations overall grade: D+, which translates to being in fair to poor condition and mostly below standards with significant deterioration and a strong risk of failure, according to an evaluation last year by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump calls former lawyer Michael Cohen a weak person who is lying By Associated Press President Trump says his former lawyer Michael Cohen is lying to get a reduced sentence. The president is reacting to Cohens guilty plea Thursday to lying to Congress about work he did on a Trump real estate project in Russia. During a surprise court hearing, Cohen admitted to lying in testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee about a plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen in his guilty plea said he made the false statements to be consistent with Trumps political message. Cohens lawyer says he continues to cooperate with special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with Trump associates. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Mark Z. Barabak When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Sarah D. Wire When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Michael Cohen, President Trumps ex-lawyer, pleads guilty to lying to Congress about Trump real estate project in Russia By Associated Press Michael Cohen, President Trumps former personal lawyer, pursued a Russian real estate project on candidate Trumps behalf well into the 2016 campaign, he said Thursday while pleading guilty to lying to Congress. Cohen had previously said that the project was abandoned in January 2016, but he now admits he continued to pursue a deal and says he updated Trump and members of his family about the negotiations, according to a new court document. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

James Comey says acting Atty. Gen. Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer By John Wagner Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker speaks at the Justice Department in Washington on Nov. 14. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) Former FBI Director James B. Comey apparently isnt too impressed with the mental prowess of President Trumps acting attorney general. Matthew Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, Comey said during a radio interview on Monday night in which he sized up the man Trump installed this month to replace ousted Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. Comey was asked by WGBH News in Boston if he thinks Whitaker could derail the investigation of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Whitaker has spoken critically of the probe, and Trump  as recently as Tuesday  continues to call it a witch hunt. I think its a worry, but to my mind not a serious worry, Comey said. The institution is too strong, and [Whitaker], frankly, is not strong enough to have that kind of impact. He may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, but he can see his future and knows that if he acted in an extralegal way, he would go down in history for the wrong reasons, and Im sure he doesnt want that, added Comey, who was fired by Trump last year and later wrote a book that portrays the president as an ego-driven congenital liar. Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney in Iowa, was Sessions chief of staff before being picked by Trump to lead the Justice Department. Trump has called Whitaker a very smart man. Earlier this year, Trump called Comey an untruthful slime ball. Wagner writes for the Washington Post. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Interior Department watchdog clears Zinke in investigation of Utah national monument By Juliet Eilperin Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, third from the left, and Gov. Jerry Brown tour fire damage in Paradise, Calif., on Nov. 14. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The Interior Departments Office of Inspector General has cleared Secretary Ryan Zinke in a probe of whether he redrew boundaries of a national monument in Utah to aid the financial interests of a Republican state lawmaker and stalwart supporter of President Trump. In a Nov. 21 letter to Zinkes deputy, David Bernhardt, Deputy Inspector General Mary Kendall wrote that her office found no evidence that the secretary or his aides changed the boundaries of Utahs Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in an effort to help former Utah state representative Mike Noel, who serves as executive director of the Kane County Water Conservancy District. Last December, Trump shrank the monument, first established by President Clinton in 1996, by 46% based on Zinkes recommendation. Noel owns 40 acres that had been surrounded by the monument, but now lies outside its boundaries. The new boundaries also would make it easier to construct the proposed Lake Powell Pipeline, which would deliver water to sites in Kane County that include Noels property. Earlier this year, the Interior Department had proposed selling off 120 acres of federal land from the former monument that lay adjacent to some of Noels land holdings, but later reversed the plan. We found no evidence that Noel influenced the DOIs proposed revisions to the [monuments] boundaries, that Zinke or other DOI staff involved in the project were aware of Noels financial interest in the revised boundaries, or that they gave Noel any preferential treatment in the resulting proposed boundaries, Kendall wrote. Neither the Interior Department nor the inspector generals office would release the actual investigative report. In the letter, Kendall writes that her office will provide the report to Congress no sooner than 31 days from Nov. 21, when it is provided it to Zinkes office. The Associated Press first reported the inspector generals conclusions Monday night, but did not provide details from the report itself. Noel emailed Zinke about the effort to alter Grand Staircase-Escalante, according to emails released by Interior under the Freedom of Informational Act. But those emails do not make references to Noels land holdings. Noel also pushed to rename a Utah highway in honor of Trump, but abandoned that effort in March after some of his fellow Republicans objected to the idea. Noel did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. The inspector generals office still has at least two ongoing probes of the secretary, including one focused on his real estate dealings in Whitefish, Mont., and another regarding his decision to deny a permit to two Connecticut tribes who were hoping to jointly run a casino after MGM Resorts International lobbied against it. Interior Department spokeswoman Heather Swift welcomed the watchdogs conclusions. The report shows exactly what the secretarys office has known all along  that the monument boundaries were adjusted in accordance with all rules, regulations and laws, she said in an email. This report is also the latest example of opponents and special interest groups ginning up fake and misleading stories, only to be proven false after expensive and time consuming inquiries by the IGs office. But Kendalls spokeswoman, Nancy DiPaolo, defended the inquiry, even though she said the report has not been publicly released and we will not be speaking specifically about the matter at this time. The OIG opens investigations based on credible allegations and reports our findings objectively and independently, DiPaolo added. Any time or resources spent investigating conduct or activity that may be a violation of law, regulation or policy is a service to the public, Congress and the Department. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, said in a statement that he still intended to investigate the way Zinke and his colleague redrew the boundaries for Grand Staircase-Escalante and another Utah national monument, Bears Ears, next year. I have great respect for the inspector general, and I accept these findings, but Secretary Zinke should have known the people he listened to while destroying our national monuments had disqualifying conflicts of interest, he said. Should I chair the Natural Resources Committee in the next Congress, the process he and President Trump used to destroy Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante will be front and center in our oversight and investigations efforts. We need to know why they ignored overwhelming public expressions of support for both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, why they ignored Native American tribes throughout their decision-making, and why they removed protections on parcels of land with known mineral deposits. Eilperin and Rein report for the Washington Post. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump advisor Larry Kudlow says China must do more to end trade war By Jim Puzzanghera Larry Kudlow, President Trumps top economic advisor, said Tuesday that Chinas response to U.S. efforts to rework the two economic superpowers trade relationship has been extremely disappointing but the planned meeting this weekend between the nations leaders is an opportunity for a breakthrough. They have to do more. They must do more, Larry Kudlow, director of the White House National Economic Council, told reporters ahead of a Saturday dinner between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 Summit in Argentina. I think the president is exactly right  to show strong backbone when prior administrations did not, to break through these Chinese walls, Kudlow said. Theyre so resistant to change. We have to protect the country. We have to protect our technology, our inventiveness, our innovation. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Watch live: White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders holds a media briefing amid tensions at the border By Los Angeles Times Staff Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Democrat TJ Cox grabs lead over Republican David Valadao in nations last remaining undecided House race By Maya Sweedler Democrat TJ Cox slipped past Republican incumbent David Valadao on Monday to take the lead in the countrys sole remaining undecided congressional race, positioning Democrats to pick up their seventh House seat in California and 40th nationwide. Cox, who trailed by nearly 4,400 votes on election night, has steadily gained as ballot counting continues nearly three weeks after the Nov. 6 election, a pattern consistent with the states recent voting history. On Monday, he pulled ahead by 438 votes after Kern County updated its results. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Former CIA director Michael Hayden hospitalized after suffering a stroke By Deanna Paul Then-CIA Director Michael Hayden testifies before a Senate committee in 2008. (Saul Loeb / Getty Images) Former CIA Director and retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, his family said Friday. He is receiving expert medical care for which the family is grateful, according to a statement issued by his namesake organization. The General and his family greatly appreciate the warm wishes and prayers of his friends, colleagues, and supporters. Hayden, 73, served as director of the CIA and National Security Agency during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. He retired from the CIA in 2009. Hayden has been a vocal critic of Donald Trumps campaign and presidency. Earlier this year, after Trump decided to revoke the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, Hayden was one of several former intelligence leaders who signed a statement in opposition. Criticizing the president for crossing a line, he quickly became one of the individuals whose security clearance Trump threatened to review. Deanna Paul writes for the Washington Post. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump tells troops hes thankful for what hes done for the U.S. and rails against courts and migrants By Associated Press President Trump talks with troops via teleconference from his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Thanksgiving. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump used his Thanksgiving Day call to troops deployed overseas to pat himself on the back and air grievances about the courts, trade and migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border. Trumps call, made from his opulent private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., struck an unusually political tone as he spoke with members of all five branches of the military to wish them happy holidays. Its a disgrace, Trump said of judges who have blocked his attempts to overhaul U.S. immigration law, as he linked his efforts to secure the border with military missions overseas. Trump later threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico for an undisclosed period of time if his administration determines Mexico has lost control on its side. The call was a uniquely Trump blend of boasting, peppered questions and off-the-cuff observations as his comments veered from venting about slights to praising troops  You really are our heroes, he said  as club waiters worked to set Thanksgiving dinner tables on the outdoor terrace behind him. It was yet another show of how Trump has dramatically transformed the presidency, erasing the traditional divisions between domestic policy and military matters and efforts to keep the troops clear of politics. You probably see over the news whats happening on our southern border, Trump told one Air Force brigadier general stationed at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, adding: I dont have to even ask you. I know what you want to do, you want to make sure that you know who were letting in. Later, Trump asked a U.S. Coast Guard commander about trade, which he noted was a very big subject for him personally. Weve been taken advantage of for many, many years by bad trade deals, Trump told the commander, who sheepishly replied, Mr. President, from our perspective on the water  we dont see any issues in terms of trade right now. And throughout, Trump congratulated himself, telling the officers that the country is doing exceptionally well on his watch. I hope that youll take solace in knowing that all of the American families you hold so close to your heart are all doing well, he said. The nations doing well economically, better than anybody in the world. He later told reporters, Nobodys done more for the military than me. Indeed, asked what he was thankful for this Thanksgiving, Trump cited his great family as well as himself. I made a tremendous difference in this country, he said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump contradicts CIA assessment that Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi killing By Josh Dawsey | Washington Post (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump on Thursday contradicted the CIAs assessment that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, insisting that the agency had feelings but did not firmly place blame for the death. Trump, in defiant remarks to reporters from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, defended his continued support for Mohammed in the face of a CIA assessment that the crown prince had ordered the killing. He denies it vehemently, Trump said. He said his own conclusion was that maybe he did, maybe he didnt. I hate the crime .... I hate the cover-up. I will tell you this: The crown prince hates it more than I do, Trump said. Asked who should be held accountable for the death of Khashoggi, who was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Turkey, Trump refused to place blame. Maybe the world should be held accountable because the world is a very, very vicious place, the president said. He also seemed to suggest that all U.S. allies were guilty of the same behavior, declaring that if the others were held to the standard that critics have held Saudi Arabia to in recent days, we wouldnt be able to have anyone for an ally. Trumps remarks came after he held a conference call with U.S. military officers overseas, during which he repeatedly praised his administration and sought to draw the officers into discussions of domestic policy. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Former FBI Director James Comey gets subpoena from House Republicans By Bloomberg Former FBI Director James B. Comey said he has received a subpoena from House Republicans, according to a Twitter post on Thursday. Bloomberg News reported last week that Comey would be receiving a subpoena alongside former Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch as part of continuing probes into their handling of investigations into Hillary Clinton and Russian election meddling, according to a top House Democrat. Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans. Im still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a closed door thing because Ive seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Lets have a hearing and invite everyone to see.  James Comey (@Comey) November 22, 2018 Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Republican David Valadaos lead slips to 447 votes over Democrat TJ Cox in still-undecided Central Valley House race By Mark Z. Barabak Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), right, finds himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox. (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) On election night, it looked like Rep. David Valadao had survived a close shave and was destined to return to Washington for his fourth term. But on Wednesday, when Fresno County announced its latest vote totals, the Hanford Republican found himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox, with his lead in the Central Valley district shrunken to 447 votes. Thousands remain to be counted. Valadao, a repeated Democratic target, finished election night with a lead of nearly 4,440 votes. Cox, an engineer and a business owner who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2006, has steadily gained ground in the 21st Congressional District ever since. The trend is consistent with historic patterns showing Republicans in California tend to vote early and Democrats later, meaning their mail ballots continue to stream in past election day. Under California law, ballots postmarked up to midnight on Nov. 6 will be counted. Democrats have already picked up six House seats in California. They ousted Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, Mimi Walters, Steve Knight and Jeff Denham and won the seats of retiring Reps. Ed Royce and Darrell Issa. All six represented districts that backed Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016. Valadao was the seventh California Republican in a district Clinton won, though his previous successes  he last won reelection by a 14-point margin  suggested his ouster was a longer shot for Democrats. If Cox prevails, it would give Democrats a 40-seat gain nationwide, far more than the 23 seats needed to take control when Congress reconvenes in January. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump says no new punishments against Saudi Arabia in Jamal Khashoggi murder By Eli Stokols In this Oct. 25 photo, candles are lit in front of a photo of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (Lefteris Pitarakis) President Trump made it clear on Tuesday that he does not intend to punish Saudi Arabia or Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an American resident killed by Saudi officials in Turkey in October. In a remarkable statement replete with exclamation points, Trump cast doubt on the CIAs reported conclusions that it has a high degree of confidence that the crown prince ordered Khashoggis murder and sent his closest allies to Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul to carry it out. Read MoreThis article has been updated with staff. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Sixteen House Democrats vow to oppose Nancy Pelosi as next speaker By Mike DeBonis | Washington Post House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Sixteen House Democrats said Monday that they will vote to deny Rep. Nancy Pelosi another stint as House speaker, a show of defiance that puts her opponents on the cusp of forcing a seismic leadership shake-up as their party prepares to take the majority. Their pledge to oppose Pelosi (D-San Francisco), both in an internal caucus election and a Jan. 3 floor vote, delivered in a letter sent to Democratic colleagues, comes as Pelosi has marshaled a legion of supporters on and off Capitol Hill to make her case. But her opponents said Monday they are convinced it is time to select a new leader. We are thankful to Leader Pelosi for her years of service to our Country and to our Caucus, they wrote. However, we also recognize that in this recent election, Democrats ran on and won on a message of change. Pelosi has expressed complete confidence that she will retake the speakers gavel in January  eight years after she lost it following massive Republican gains in the 2010 midterms and 16 years after she was first elevated to the top Democratic leadership post in the House. Come on in, the waters fine, she said Friday about a potential leadership challenge. The signers might not be able to force Pelosi out themselves. The size of the Democratic majority remains in flux, but Democrats have already won 232 seats, according to the Associated Press, with five races still undecided. All those races have Republican incumbents, but the Democratic challenger is ahead in only one of them. If the leads hold in the uncalled races, Democrats would have won 233 seats, a 16-seat majority. That means Pelosi could lose as many as 15 Democratic votes when she stands for election as speaker on Jan. 3. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Democratic senators sue over Whitakers appointment as acting attorney general By Associated Press Acting U.S. Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker (Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images) Three Senate Democrats filed a lawsuit Monday arguing that Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and asking a federal judge to remove him. The suit, filed by Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, argues that Whitakers appointment violates the Constitution because he has not been confirmed by the Senate. Whitaker was chief of staff to Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions and was elevated to the top job after Sessions was ousted by President Trump on Nov. 7. The Constitutions Appointments Clause requires that the Senate confirm all principal officials before they can serve in their office. The Justice Department released a legal opinion last week that said Whitakers appointment would not violate the clause because he is serving in an acting capacity. The opinion concluded that Whitaker, even without Senate confirmation, may serve in an acting capacity because he has been at the department for more than a year at a sufficiently senior pay level. President Trump is denying senators our constitutional obligation and opportunity to do our job: scrutinizing the nomination of our nations top law enforcement official, Blumenthal said in a statement. The reason is simple: Whitaker would never pass the advice and consent test. In selecting a so-called constitutional nobody and thwarting every senators constitutional duty, Trump leaves us no choice but to seek recourse through the courts. The lawsuit comes days after a Washington lawyer challenged Whitakers appointment in a pending Supreme Court case dealing with gun rights. The attorney, Thomas Goldstein, asked the high court to find that Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and replace him with Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein, the second-ranking Justice Department official, has been confirmed by the Senate and had been overseeing special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker is now overseeing the investigation. The Justice Department issued a statement Monday defending Whitakers appointment as lawful and said it comports with the Appointments Clause, the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and legal precedent. There are over 160 instances in American history in which non-Senate confirmed persons performed, on a temporary basis, the duties of a Senate-confirmed position, Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said. To suggest otherwise is to ignore centuries of practice and precedent. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Gov. Rick Scott says Sen. Bill Nelson concedes Florida Senate race By Associated Press Republican Senate candidate Rick Scott speaks with his wife, Ann, by his side at an election watch party in Naples, Fla., on Nov. 7. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas Republican Gov. Rick Scott says incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson called him to concede defeat in their extremely tight race. Scott issued a statement Sunday saying Nelson graciously conceded their Senate race shortly after the states recount ended. The final results show Scott defeated Nelson by just over 10,000 votes out of 8 million cast. Nelson is scheduled to release a videotaped statement later Sunday. The defeat ends Nelsons lengthy political career. The three-term incumbent was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000. Before that he served six terms in the U.S. House and as state treasurer and insurance commissioner for six years. Scott spent more than $60 million of his own money on ads that portrayed Nelson as out-of-touch and ineffective. Nelson responded by questioning Scotts ethics and saying he would be under the sway of President Trump. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Orange County goes blue, as Democrats complete historic sweep of its seven congressional seats By Michael Finnegan Gil Cisneros defeated Republican Young Kim on Saturday in the last of Orange Countys undecided House races, giving Democrats a clean sweep of the states six most fiercely fought congressional contests and marking an epochal shift in a region long synonymous with political conservatism. With Cisneros victory, Democrats will constitute the entirety of Orange Countys seven-member congressional delegation, the first time since the 1930s that the birthplace of Richard Nixon, home of John Wayne and spiritual center of the Republican Party will have no GOP representative in the House. Sitting back in the 1960s, I would never have believed this would happen, said Stuart K. Spencer, a party strategist who spent more than half a century ushering Republicans, including President Reagan, into office. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Going, going ... with midterm wipeout, California Republican Party drifts closer to irrelevance By Michael Finnegan For a party in freefall the last two decades, California Republicans learned that its possible to plunge even further. The GOP not only lost every statewide office in the midterm election  again, in blowout fashion  but Democrats reestablished their supermajority in Sacramento, allowing them to legislate however they see fit After major defeats in Orange County and the Central Valley, two longtime strongholds, Republicans will have a significantly smaller footprint on Capitol Hill. (Democrats hold both Senate seats.) When the vote-counting is finished, the GOP may not even have enough lawmakers in Californias 53-member House delegation to field a nine-person softball team. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter says she will support Rep. Nancy Pelosi for speaker By Maya Sweedler Democratic Rep.-elect Katie Porter is congratulated by volunteers at her campaign headquarters in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter said she plans to support Rep. Nancy Pelosis bid for speaker of the House and will make campaign finance reform her top priority when she enters the chamber in January. Im going to continue to have conversations, but so far I feel like Leader Pelosi is definitely making the things that were a priority to the families that elected me her priorities, including announcing her support for campaign finance reform and anti-corruption as HR1, Porter said in her first public appearance since being declared the winner in Californias 45th Congressional District on Thursday evening. It means a lot to me that she is a Californian. She understands our state, Porter added. When we talk about environmental protections, this is a person who understands as a Californian how fragile our environment is and whats at risk in things like drilling off our coasts. Porter, a law professor at UC Irvine, defeated two-term Republican Rep. Mimi Walters. The 45th District, covering inland Orange County, has never been represented by a Democrat. Porter became the third Democrat to claim a Republican-held seat in Orange County, following the victories of Harley Rouda in the 48th District and Mike Levin in the 49th. A fourth, Gil Cisneros, is running slightly ahead of his Republican opponent in the race for the open seat in the 39th District, which extends into Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Porter attributed the massive political shift in the county, for decades a conservative stronghold, to increased levels of political engagement. Folks here care about education, they care about the environment, they believe climate change is real, they want healthcare that protects preexisting conditions, they want a tax system that doesnt punish California, they want our schools and places of worship to be safe from gun violence, she said. Those are the issues we campaigned on, and to the extent that Donald Trump and Mimi Walters were on the wrong side of those issues, the voters have made clear what direction they want us to go. Porter was flying back from the East Coast when her race was called, she said. She turned on her phone to find 167 text messages from friends and supporters. Among them was Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who was one of Porters teachers in law school and with whom she has remained close. The pair spoke via FaceTime this morning, she said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Bitter battle for Senate seat in Florida goes to hand recount By Associated Press Employees look through damaged ballots during a recount Thursday in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas acrimonious battle for the U.S. Senate headed Thursday to a legally required hand recount after an initial review by ballot-counting machines showed Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson separated by less than 13,000 votes. But the highly watched contest for governor between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum appeared to be over, with a machine recount showing DeSantis with a large enough advantage over Gillum to avoid a hand recount in that race. Gillum, who conceded the contest on election night only to retract his concession later, said in a statement that it is not over until every legally casted vote is counted. The recount so far has been fraught with problems. One large Democratic stronghold in South Florida was unable to finish its machine recount by the Thursday deadline due to machines breaking down. A federal judge rejected a request to extend the recount deadline. We gave a heroic effort, said Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher. If the county had three or four more hours, it would have made the deadline to recount ballots in the Senate race, she said. Meanwhile, election officials in another urban county in the Tampa Bay area decided against turning in the results of their machine recount, which came up with 846 fewer votes than originally counted. Media in South Florida reported that Broward County finished its machine recount but missed the deadline by a few minutes. Counties were ordered last weekend to do a machine recount of three statewide races because the margins were so tight. The next stage is a manual review of ballots that were not counted by machines to see whether there is a way to figure out voter intent. Scott called on Nelson to end the recount battle. Its time for Nelson to respect the will of the voters and graciously bring this process to an end rather than proceed with yet another count of the votes  which will yield the same result and bring more embarrassment to the state that we both love and have served, the governor said in a statement. The recount has triggered multiple lawsuits, many of them filed by Nelson and Democrats. The legal battles drew the ire of U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker, who slammed the state for repeatedly failing to anticipate election problems. He also said the state law on recounts appears to violate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that decided the presidency in 2000. We have been the laughingstock of the world, election after election, and we chose not to fix this, Walker said during a morning hearing. Walker vented his anger at state lawmakers and Palm Beach County officials, saying they should have made sure they had enough equipment in place to handle this kind of a recount. But he said he could not extend the recount deadline because he did not know when Palm Beach County would finish its work. This court must be able to craft a remedy with knowledge that it will not prove futile, Walker wrote in his ruling turning down the request from Democrats. It cannot do so on this record. This court does not and will not fashion a remedy in the dark. The overarching problem was created by the Florida Legislature, which Walker said passed a recount law that appears to run afoul of the 2000 Bush vs. Gore decision by locking in procedures that do not allow for potential problems. A total of six election-related lawsuits are pending in federal court in Tallahassee as well at least one lawsuit filed in state court. Walker also ordered that voters be given until 5 p.m. Saturday to show a valid identification and fix their ballots if they have not been counted due to mismatched signatures. Republicans appealed the ruling, but an appeals court turned down the request. State officials testified that nearly 4,000 mailed-in ballots were set aside because local officials decided the signatures on the envelopes did not match the signatures on file. If those voters can prove their identity, their votes will be counted and included in final official returns due from each county by noon Sunday. Walker was asked by Democrats to require local officials to provide a list of people whose ballots were rejected. But the judge appointed by President Obama refused the request, calling it inappropriate. Under state law, a hand review is required with races that have a margin of 0.25 percentage points or less. A state website put the unofficial results showing Scott ahead of Nelson by 0.15 percentage points. The margin between DeSantis and Gillum was at 0.41 points. The margin between Scott and Nelson had not changed much in the last few days, conceded Marc Elias, an attorney working for Nelsons campaign. But he said that he expected the vote tally to shrink due to the hand recount and the ruling on signatures. The developments fueled frustrations among Democrats and Republicans alike. Democrats want state officials to do whatever it takes to make sure every eligible vote is counted. Republicans, including President Trump, have argued without evidence that voter fraud threatens to steal races from the GOP. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Democrat Gil Cisneros pulls ahead of Republican Young Kim as more votes are tallied in Orange and San Bernardino counties By Michael Finnegan Congressional candidate Gil Cisneros (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Democrat Gil Cisneros pulled ahead of Republican Young Kim in one of Californias undecided congressional races Thursday, an ominous sign for a GOP already reeling from its loss of four House seats in the state. In updated vote counts released by the registrars for Orange and San Bernardino counties, Kim fell 941 votes behind Cisneros in the contest to succeed Republican Rep. Ed Royce in Californias 39th Congressional District. The 39th straddles Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties. In another unresolved House race, Democrat Katie Porter pulled further ahead of Republican incumbent Mimi Walters in the 45th District, which includes Mission Viejo, Tustin, Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills. Porter, a consumer attorney and UC Irvine law professor, is now 6,203 votes ahead. The Nov. 6 midterm election has been devastating to Republicans in California. If Cisneros and Porter win, the party will have lost six of its 14 House seats in the state, essentially a wipeout in every contest that both parties spent heavily to win. The three Republicans already bounced from Congress are Reps. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa, Steve Knight of Palmdale and Jeff Denham of Turlock in the San Joaquin Valley. Democrat Mike Levin won the seat of retiring GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista in the fourth district flipped so far. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Florida Senate race likely headed to second recount By Associated Press A Palm Beach County Sheriffs deputy walks past boxes of ballots before a recount on Nov. 15 in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee) Unofficial Florida election results show that the governors race seems to be settled after a machine recount but the U.S. Senate race is likely headed to a hand recount. Republican Ron DeSantis is virtually assured of winning the nationally watched governors race over Democrat Andrew Gillum. Florida finished a machine recount Thursday that showed Gillum without enough votes to force a manual recount. Unofficial results posted on a state website show the margin between U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott is still thin enough to trigger a second review. State law requires a hand recount of races with a margin of 0.25 percentage point or less. Counties have until Sunday to inspect the ballots that did not record a vote when put through the machines. Those ballots are re-examined to see whether the voter skipped the race or marked the ballot in a way that the machines cannot read but can be deciphered. The election will be certified Tuesday. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Pelosi says she has the votes to become the next House speaker By John Wagner Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi speaks during a news conference in Washington on Nov. 14. (Susan Walsh) House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi insisted Thursday that she has the votes to become the chambers speaker despite solid opposition from more than a dozen Democrats who want fresh leadership when the party takes control next year. I have overwhelming support in my caucus to be speaker of the House, the San Francisco lawmaker told reporters. I happen to think at this point, Im the best person for that. A vote within the Democratic caucus is scheduled for Nov. 28. The full House votes on Jan. 3 to elect a new speaker. During her remarks, Pelosi touted the size of the Democratic victory in the midterms, which she called almost a tsunami. With a few races still to be decided, Democrats are poised to pick up close to 40 seats in the chamber. Pelosi called that the biggest victory for the Democrats since 1974, when the Watergate babies came in. Pelosis comments come as she faces solid opposition from at least 17 Democrats, setting the stage for a battle over who will ascend to one of the most powerful positions in Washington. After a campaign in which some Democrats prevailed in competitive districts by promising to oppose her, a coalition of incumbents and newly elected members has denied her a smooth path to the speakership. The defections, if they stand, would leave Pelosi, who has led the Democrats for more than 15 years, several votes short of the 218 she would need when the full House votes for speaker Jan. 3. However, no Democrat has stepped forward to run against her for a job she held from 2007 through 2010. Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) told reporters Wednesday that shes being encouraged to stand for speaker if Pelosi doesnt have the votes. In an interview with the Washington Post on Thursday, she said she has been overwhelmed by the support from many of her colleagues for her possible entry into the race for House speaker. Over the last 12 hours, Ive been overwhelmed by the amount of support Ive received, Fudge said, adding that there are probably closer to 30" Democrats who have privately signaled that they are willing to oppose Pelosi. Things could change rapidly, Fudge said. Fudge, 66, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said she is building a diverse coalition as she mulls a speaker run, talking with allies in the caucus, moderate Democrats and newly elected members. To this point, Pelosi has enjoyed the strong backing of the Congressional Black Caucus. On Thursday, Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), one of its members, wrote a letter to colleagues praising her insight, fortitude and strategic thinking and urging support for her speakership bid. Former Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., an African American who is contemplating a 2020 presidential bid, also voiced support for Pelosi, praising her in a tweet as an architect of the recent midterm success. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a leader of the resistance to Pelosi, said during an interview on CNN on Thursday that Fudge is the kind of new leader that we need in this party. Shes in touch with middle America. She understands what the American people want. Shes a next-generation leader that people will look to and say, Thats the future of our party, thats the future of our country, and thats exactly the kind of leader that I want to see as our next speaker. Wagner reports for the Washington Post. The Posts Robert Costa, Erica Werner, Mike DeBonis, Paul Kane and Elise Viebeck contributed to this report. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

GOP Rep. Jeff Denham concedes to Democrat Josh Harder in Central Valley race By Maya Sweedler Rep. Jeff Denham (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Republican Rep. Jeff Denham has conceded to Democrat Josh Harder in the race to represent Californias 10th Congressional District in the San Joaquin Valley. It has been an absolute honor to serve our community and represent the Central Valley in Congress over the past eight years, the 51-year-old congressman said. The enormity of the responsibility was never lost on me. My wife Sonia and I look forward to starting the next chapter of our lives. Harder said he had spoken with Denham and the two were committed to a productive transition. Denham, an Air Force veteran, previously represented the region in the state Senate for eight years and founded a company specializing in plastic packaging used in agriculture. While a member of Congress, he sat on the Transportation and Infrastructure, Veterans Affairs and Agriculture committees. First-time candidate Harder was born and raised in the district. After graduating from Stanford University, he served as vice president of a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. Since moving back, he has been teaching at Modesto Junior College. Denhams House seat is one of four in California that Republicans lost in the Nov. 6 election, with two contests in Orange County still undecided as of Thursday morning. Jeff Denham called me this morning and we had a very productive conversation. I'm honored that I've been chosen to serve our community in Congress, and we're both looking forward to a productive transition that best serves the people of District 10.  Josh Harder (@JoshHarder) November 14, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Democrat Katie Porter now nearly 3,800 votes ahead of GOP Rep. Mimi Walters By Maya Sweedler Rep. Mimi Walters thanks all of her supporters as she watches election results in Irvine on Nov. 7, 2018. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press) Democrat Katie Porter opened a 3,797-vote lead Wednesday over Republican Rep. Mimi Walters in Orange Countys 45th Congressional District. In the neighboring 39th, Democrat Gil Cisneros has nearly tied the race against Republican Young Kim. Cisneros now trails Kim by a razor-thin margin of 122 votes. The 39th District straddles Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties; Wednesdays updated ballot counts came from the latter two. There are more than 202,000 ballots left to count in Orange County, which includes parts of seven congressional districts. The 45th is entirely in inland Orange County. In California, the ballots counted first tend to lean Republican and those tallied later skew Democratic. In the Central Valleys 21st Congressional District, Democratic challenger TJ Cox has pulled within 2 percentage points of Rep. David Valadao, who is serving his third term. The Associated Press had projected a win for Valadao on election night, but his 4,839-vote advantage has shrunk to 2,090. Back in CA-21, Valadao (R) wins a batch of ballots from his stronghold in Kings Co., but by a considerably smaller margin (14 points) than his previous ~30-point margin in the county. We're moving to Lean R from Likely R; today a bit scary for Valadao.https://t.co/WqJVUVkqGW  Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) November 15, 2018 A spokesman for Valadao told the Fresno Bee that the changes were expected and that [s]tatistically, David Valadao has won this race. Democrats in California have already flipped four House seats, defeating three Republican incumbents and claiming an open seat previously held by the GOP. Reps. Steve Knight of Palmdale, Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Jeff Denham of Turlock have already lost their races, and retiring Rep. Darrell Issas San Diego County seat was claimed by Democrat Mike Levin. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump aide departs West Wing after rebuke from Melania Trump By Associated Press First Lady Melania Trump. (Alain Jocard / AFP-Getty Images) Deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel is leaving the White House, one day after First Lady Melania Trumps office issued an extraordinary statement calling for her dismissal. No replacement was named. Aides said Ricardel clashed with the first ladys staff over her visit to Africa last month. Yet it is highly unusual for a first lady or her office to weigh in on personnel matters, especially the presidents national security staff. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Ricardel would have a new role in the administration. On Tuesday, Stephanie Grisham, the first ladys spokeswoman, released a statement saying, It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House. President Trumps White House has set records for administration turnover. Ricardel was the third person to hold the post under Trump. An ally of national security advisor John Bolton, Ricardel began her service in the Trump administration as associate director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, then moved to the Commerce Department last year. Bolton brought her into the West Wing shortly after taking the job in April. He is traveling in Asia this week alongside Vice President Mike Pence. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Race for House Minority Leader is Kevin McCarthys to lose By Associated Press (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is running to take over next years shrunken caucus in closed-door elections that will set the tone for the new Congress. The race for minority leader is McCarthys to lose Wednesday. But the California Republican, who is an ally of President Trump, must fend off a challenge from conservative Jim Jordan of Ohio. Jordan is a leader of the House Freedom Caucus. The two encountered questions and finger-pointing during a private meeting with lawmakers Tuesday night as the GOP sorted through the midterm defeat that put Democrats in the majority next year. Elections Wednesday will also determine party leadership in the Senate. Voting for the biggest race, Nancy Pelosis bid to return as the Democrats nominee for speaker, is later this month. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Melania Trump calls for the firing of deputy national security advisor By Justin Sink First Lady Melania Trump arrives at the Chateau de Versailles outside Paris on Nov. 11. (Alain Jocard / AFP/Getty Images ) First Lady Melania Trumps office said she wants Mira Ricardel, the deputy national security advisor, ousted from the White House. It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House, Trumps spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement in response to a question about reports the first lady had sought Ricardels removal. Ricardel is the top deputy to national security advisor John Bolton. She drew the first ladys wrath after threatening to withhold National Security Council resources during Melania Trumps trip to Africa last month unless Ricardel was included in her entourage, one person familiar with the matter said. Grishams statement comes as several media outlets have reported that President Trump is considering a broader shakeup of his administration, including ousting Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Sink and Jacobs report for Bloomberg. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

CNN sues Trump over the suspension of Jim Acostas White House press credentials By Jim Puzzanghera CNN said Tuesday that it is suing President Trump and other administration officials over the decision to suspend the White House press credentials of correspondent Jim Acosta after a conflict at a news conference last week. The suit, to be filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, escalates an ongoing battle between Trump and the cable news outlet that he frequently accuses of disseminating fake news for its aggressive coverage of him and his administration. The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acostas 1st Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their 5th Amendment rights to due process, CNN said in a written statement. If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Maxine Waters to take aim at Wells Fargo and Deutsche Bank as new head of House Financial Services Committee By Jim Puzzanghera Rep. Maxine Waters plans to zero in on two big banks  Wells Fargo & Co. and Deutsche Bank  when she becomes head of the powerful House Financial Services Committee. The Los Angeles congresswoman, now the committees top Democrat, is widely expected to gain the gavel after her party won control of the House in last weeks elections. While Waters has outlined a wide-ranging agenda, she said her focus on bank oversight will target two large institutions she has been tangling with for a while  including one, Deutsche Bank, that spills into her bitter feud with President Trump. With Trump in the White House, I know that our fight for Americas consumers and investors will continue to be challenging. But I am more than up to that fight, Waters wrote in a letter last week to her Democratic colleagues on the committee that was obtained by The Times. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Heres how a controversial voting system will decide a congressional race in Maine By Kurtis Lee For the first time in U.S. history, a controversial voting system known as ranked choice is being used to decide a federal election. Its happening in Maine, which adopted the system in 2016. Rather than marking a single candidate, each voter ranks them all, assigning a first-place vote, a second-place vote and so on down the ballot. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

ACLU files suit to stop Trumps new asylum limits By Associated Press A group of Central American migrants march to the office of the U.N.'s humans rights body in Mexico City on Nov. 8. (Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press) The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a legal challenge to President Trumps order denying asylum to migrants if they cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in San Francisco and argues the new rules are against the law. Attorney Lee Gelernt said the regulations will put families in danger. The suit seeks to declare the regulations invalid and wants a judge to stop the rules from going into effect while the litigation is pending. The new rules were spurred in part by caravans of Central American migrants slowly moving north on foot, but officials say they will apply to anyone caught crossing illegally. Officials say about 70,000 people who enter the country illegally claim asylum. The order invoked the same national security powers Trump used to push through his travel ban. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump on new acting AG: I dont know Matt Whitaker By Associated Press President Trump talks with reporters before departing for France on the South Lawn of the White House on Nov. 9. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) President Trump is moving to distance himself from Matthew Whitaker as he faces criticism over his choice for acting attorney general. Trump told reporters Friday that I dont know Matt Whitaker and said he didnt speak with Whitaker about special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker has made public comments critical of Muellers investigation, and critics have called on Whitaker to recuse himself from oversight of the inquiry. Under former Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, the investigation was overseen by Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Of the scrutiny Whitaker is facing, Trump said: Its a shame that no matter who I put in they go after. He also called Whitaker a very highly respected man. Whitaker was Sessions chief of staff before Trump made him Sessions interim replacement. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg out of hospital after fall By Associated Press The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is home after being released from the hospital. She had been admitted for treatment and observation after fracturing three ribs in a fall. The court said Ginsburg was released Friday. Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg says she is doing well and working from home. The court had previously said the justice fell in her office at the court on Wednesday evening and went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gun-control activist Lucy McBath defeats GOP Rep. Karen Handel in Georgia By Associated Press Lucy McBath speaks during a rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams on Nov. 2 at Morehouse College in Atlanta. (Alyssa Pointer / Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Democratic gun-control activist Lucy McBath has defeated Republican Rep. Karen Handel of Georgia in a suburban congressional district long considered safe for the GOP. Handel had to seek reelection after winning her seat last year in a close special election race against Democrat Jon Ossoff. McBath became an advocate for stricter gun laws after her son, Jordan Davis, was fatally shot at a Florida gas station in 2012 by a man angry over loud music the teenager and his friends were playing in a car. McBaths margin of victory was narrow enough for Handel to have requested a recount. The Associated Press declared McBath the winner Thursday after Handel conceded. Handel conceded in a statement Thursday morning, stating that after reviewing all of the election data, its clear she came up a bit short in Tuesdays vote. Handel congratulated McBath, offering good thoughts and much prayer for the journey that lies ahead for her. McBath, who is African American, declared victory Wednesday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized after fracturing 3 ribs in fall By Associated Press Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fractured three ribs in a fall in her office at the court and is in the hospital. The court says the justice went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. The court says the fall occurred Wednesday evening. Ginsburg was admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation after tests showed she fractured three ribs. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She has had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

White House suspends press pass of CNNs Jim Acosta after heated exchange with Trump By Associated Press The White House on Wednesday suspended the press pass of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after he and President Trump had a heated confrontation during a news conference. They began sparring after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern U.S. border. When Acosta tried to follow up with another question, Trump said, Thats enough! and a female White House aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from Acosta. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement accusing Acosta of placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern, calling it absolutely unacceptable. The interaction between Acosta and the intern was brief, and Acosta appeared to brush her arm as she reached for the microphone and he tried to hold onto it. Pardon me, maam, he told her. Acosta tweeted that Sanders statement that he put his hands on the aide was a lie. CNN said in a statement that the White House revoked Acostas press pass in retaliation for his challenging questions Wednesday, and the network accused Sanders of lying about Acostas actions. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporters colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. President Trump has given the press more access than any President in history.  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Contrary to CNNs assertions there is no greater demonstration of the Presidents support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the President for not supporting a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters...  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 As a result of todays incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice.  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Sanders provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better, CNN said. Jim Acosta has our full support. Journalists assigned to cover the White House apply for passes that allow them daily access to press areas in the West Wing. White House staffers decide whether journalists are eligible, though the Secret Service determines whether their applications are approved. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump spars with reporters at post-election news briefing, ordering several to sit down By Associated Press  President Trump assails CNNs Jim Acosta at a White House news conference. President Trump sparred with reporters at his post-election news conference, ordering several to sit down and telling another hes a rude, terrible person. He told another reporter hes not a fan of yours, either. The presidents mood turned sour Wednesday after reporters pressed him on why he referred to a migrant caravan making its way to the U.S. on foot through Mexico as an invasion. Trump ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric against the caravan in the final days of the midterm elections. Trump was also pressed on why his campaign aired an ad featuring a Mexican immigrant convicted of killing American police officers and linking the mans actions to the caravan. Several television networks pulled the ad after airing it or declined to air it at all. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Im living one hour at a time at this point By Christine Mai-Duc Republican congressional candidate Young Kim and gubernatorial candidate John Cox campaign in Rowland Heights. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Republican congressional candidate Young Kim greeted gubernatorial candidate John Coxs giant campaign bus, the words HELP IS ON THE WAY emblazoned across it, as it rolled into the parking lot outside her Rowland Heights field office. Standing beside Cox on Saturday, Kim predicted that a string of GOP victories Tuesday would start with voters repealing the gas tax hike. Can you imagine Gavin Newsom being our governor? Can you imagine Gil Cisneros being your representative? Kim asked the crowd, to loud boos and cries of Nooo! The former state assemblywoman who worked for retiring Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) is vying for his seat with Democrat Gil Cisneros. She led the crowd in chants of Enough is enough! and, though short-lived, Drain the swamp! Ive served you in Sacramento and Ive seen dysfunction personally, Kim continued. We cannot continue that route. She urged her supporters to stay and help make phone calls or walk neighborhoods. Lets get out there  the 72 hours is really critical. Its all going to come down to a few votes, it could be your vote, she said pointing to her left, then pivoting right, it could be your vote. So dont sit back and do nothing. Every night I go to sleep thinking, OK, how many more votes can I get or how many more people can I call tomorrow? Kim said. It can be physically exhausting but Im mentally, emotionally very energized. She listed off her events so far that day  and the next one she was heading to. Thats just what I can remember, she said. Im living one hour at a time at this point. Kims campaign invited press to two of her events on Saturday. After she was whisked away to her next event  a high tea fundraiser in Walnut, a couple dozen volunteers remained. John Freeman, a statewide field manager for the state Republican Party, tried to pump them up. This is the Super Bowl. Were not in an NFL stadium, were not getting paid millions of dollars, but you know what? Freeman said. Were walking on the field right now. This is that high-stakes-level game. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Its going to be tough out there Democratic candidate Katie Porter speaks to volunteers in Mission Viejo. Jon Bauman, Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na, is in the background. (Victoria Kim / Los Angeles Times ) Judging from the cheers in the crowd, about half those assembled at Katie Porters campaign headquarters in Mission Viejo Sunday morning were old enough to remember 70s rock n roll star Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na. Jon Bauman, as Bowzer is known off stage, said it was her position on senior issues including retirement and social security that has him out supporting Porter over her opponent, incumbent Rep. Mimi Walters. I want you to make sure every phone is called and every door is knocked, he told the crowd of about 80 volunteers. There has never been a more important election. Both Bauman and his nephew, California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman, were interrupted by yells from Trump supporters coming from an adjoining hillside. We love Trump, the voice cried out. We love him too, he makes great fodder, the younger Bauman retorted, before introducing Porter. Porter, a UC Irvine law professor and first-time candidate, acknowledged the uphill battle some of her canvassers might face in this more conservative end of the long-red Orange County district. I know its going to be tough out there, she said, motioning to the hillside. But she said the attacks meant the other side viewed her campaign as a significant threat. This election is going to be close, she said. If we dont fight all the way to the finish line, until 8 oclock on Tuesday, this could slip away. Bowzer then took to a keyboard piano to lead the crowd in a reworded rendition of the song Good Night Sweetheart: Good night, Mimi Walters, he crooned. A woman in a black tank top, jeans and flip flops holding a cup of coffee later joined the crowd with her two sons, 17 and 14, the younger one wearing a Trump 2016 T-shirt. She declined to give her name, saying she was concerned about being attacked, but said she lived up the hill and said she had been the one yelling. She said she was encouraging her sons to talk to people on both sides and make up their own minds. We need to have a government that runs the way government teachers are telling kids its supposed to be run, said the woman, a retired registered dental assistant who voted early for Mimi Walters. Referring to Democrats, she said: Theyve had control over all these years and Californias gone to crap. Among those canvassing was Stacie Campbell, 37, who was at the launch with her husband Jerome and three children, the youngest of whom was 2 months old. Campbell, a Mission Viejo resident who runs a business, had never canvassed or volunteered for campaigns before, and her husband is a French citizen and unable to vote. She said they had been talking to their children  the older ones are 5 and 2  about the presidency and the government since Trumps election. Together, they worked on homemade Katie Porter lawn signs and put them up around town. This is the first time its felt like a big deal and there isnt a president up for election, she said. Because her city is a mix of conservatives and liberals  her next-door neighbor is an NRA-supporting Republican  she the race felt m
Chairman of the Vietnamese NAs Council for Ethnic Affairs Chien lauded the Lao delegations visit after the success of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year 2017 with many important activities, including celebrations of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty on Amity and Cooperation.

Briefing the Lao officials on the achievements that the Vietnamese NA Ethnic Council has gained in implementing ethnic policies, he highlighted the experience and coordination mechanism between the council and the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

For her part, Chairwoman of the Lao NAs Committee for Ethnic Affairs Buaphoune Likhaida, who is leading the Lao delegation to Vietnam from March 5-11, thanked the Vietnamese side for the warm welcome. She said that Laos has paid great attention to ethnic affairs, thus ethnic groups of the country have showed strong solidarity in national construction.

Having pointing out similarities between the Vietnamese NAs Council for Ethnic Affairs and the Lao NAs Committee for Ethnic Affairs, she expressed her hope to continue learning from the Vietnamese sides experience on fostering coordination between the council and other organisations, including the Vietnam Fatherland Front and public organisations.

The Lao official also expected that the two agencies will work together to strengthen the cooperation and friendship between Laos and Vietnam.
Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions delivered remarks at the Law Enforcement Legislative Day hosted by the California Peace Officers Assn. in Sacramento. Here is a transcript of his speech.

Related: Sessions goes after Oakland mayor and Gavin Newsom in speech on suing California over sanctuary law 

Thank you, Mark, for that kind introduction, for your leadership with the CPOA and most of all, for your 22 years of service in law enforcement.

I also want to thank all of the other law enforcement leaders who are here today:

Advertisement

Sheriff Bill Brown of the California State Sheriffs Assn.

Chief Ed Medrano of the California Police Chiefs Assn.

Mark Brewster of the California Narcotic Officers Assn.

District Atty. Todd Riebe of the California District Attorneys Assn. and

Commissioner Warren Stanley of the California Highway Patrol.

It is a special honor to be with the California Peace Officers Assn.

With nearly a century of history, and more than 16,000 members, CPOA represents the core of Californias law enforcement community.

I know, firsthand, the importance of the work that you do. I know its dangers, challenges, frustrations and satisfactions. I have had years of firsthand experience working with your colleagues. And while I have inexpressible pride in our fabulous federal law officers, I am fully aware that 85% of all law enforcement officers are state, local and tribal.

Live coverage: California reacts to Sessions 

And I am well aware that the increased training, professionalism, leadership and more effective enforcement policies of our departments nationwide, and over several decades, has been the critical factor in reversing the dramatic rise in crime that we saw throughout the 1970s.

Over a 22-year period, we saw homicide rates cut in half, youth drug use fall by almost half and violent crime fall dramatically. It was an achievement few would have ever expected.

Much of the transformative leadership for this change arose from your former governor and our President Ronald Reagan  aided by his fabulous California counselor and later Atty. Gen. Ed Meese.

Maybe in recent years we got complacent and took our eye off the ball, but recent trends are deeply worrisome.

Advertisement

In 2014 and 2015, violent crime stopped falling and jumped 7% nationwide.

Homicide surged 20%, the largest increase since 1968. And drug availability rose dramatically, lethal purity reached unprecedented levels while prices fell. And along with the new killer drug fentanyl, overdose deaths reached levels we have never seen before: 66,000 deaths last year.

That is why on my first day in office, President Trump sent me three executive orders: (1) to back the women and men in blue, (2) to reduce crime in America and (3) to dismantle transnational criminal gangs.

We at the Department of Justice embrace these goals. I know you do too.

Advertisement

Let me be explicit: Our express goal is to reduce the violent crime rate, reduce the homicide rate, reduce the amount of opioids prescribed and reduce overdose deaths.

Lets resolve to achieve these goals. Ours is not just a job, but our sworn duty, and for many of us, a high calling.

And a lawful immigration system that serves the national interest helps us achieve these goals and more. Thats what we need to talk about today.

We are a strong, prosperous and orderly nation. And such a nation must have a lawful system of immigration. I am not aware of any advanced nation that does not understand this fundamental tenet.

Advertisement

And let no one contend that we reject immigration and want to wall off America from all lawful immigration. President Trump and the American people know whats happening. We admit 1.1 million immigrants lawfully to permanent legal status  green card status  every year, the highest numbers in the world.

Indeed, at this unprecedented rate, we will soon have the largest percentage of non-native born in our nations history, with the percentage continuing to rise every year thereafter.

Thus, the good and decent people of this country are right to insist that this country should end the illegality, create a rational immigration flow and protect the nation from criminal aliens.

It cannot be that someone who illegally crosses the border and two days later arrives in Sacramento, Dubuque, Louisville and Central Islip is home free, never to be removed.

Advertisement

It cannot be the policy of a great nation to up and reward those who unlawfully enter its country with legal status, Social Security, welfare, food stamps and work permits. Meanwhile, those who engage in this process lawfully and patiently and wait their turn are discriminated against at every turn.

Most Americans get this. They are working hard to make ends meet, follow the rules and try to keep their loved ones safe.

They, our citizens, want our government to think about them for a change to consider their interests. They have dreams too. Frankly, this commonsense concept was a key factor in President Trumps election. Elections have consequences.

Immigration law is the province of the federal government. This administration and this Justice Department are determined to make it work effectively for the people.

Advertisement

I understand that we have a wide variety of political opinions out there on immigration. But the law is in the books, and its purpose is clear.

There is no nullification. There is no secession. Federal law is the supreme law of the land. I would invite any doubters to Gettysburg, and to the graves of John C. Calhoun and Abraham Lincoln.

A refusal to apprehend and deport those, especially the criminal element, effectively rejects all immigration law and creates an open-borders system. Open borders is a radical, irrational idea that cannot be accepted.

The United States of America is not an idea; it is a secular nation-state with a Constitution, laws and borders, all of which are designed to protect our nations interests. Surely, we should be able to agree on this much.

Advertisement

To carry out the intent of our laws, we need law officers. We need our Immigration and Customs Officers and our Customs and Border Patrol officers. They are your brothers and sisters. President Trump, the Congress and the American people want them to accomplish the goals our laws set out for them. Thats why we pay them.

But, California, we have a problem. A series of actions and events has occurred that directly and adversely impact the work of our federal officers.

For example, the mayor of Oakland has been actively seeking to help illegal aliens avoid apprehension by ICE. Her actions support those who flout our laws and boldly validate the illegality. Theres no other way to interpret her remarks.

To make matters worse, the elected lieutenant governor of this state praised her for doing so. Bragging about and encouraging the obstruction of our law enforcement and the law is an embarrassment to this proud and important state.

Advertisement

Tom Homan, acting director of ICE, has said that being a law enforcement officer is already dangerous enough, but to give the criminals a heads up that were coming in the next 24 hours increases that risk. I watch [the mayors] statement when she said her priority is the safety of her community, but what she did has the exact opposite effect.

According to acting director Homan, ICE failed to make 800 arrests that they would have made if the mayor had not acted as she did.

Those are 800 wanted criminals that are now at large in that community, 800 wanted criminals that ICE will now have to pursue with more difficulty in more dangerous situations, all because of one mayors irresponsible action.

So heres my message to Mayor Schaaf: How dare you. How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open-borders agenda.

Advertisement

But in California, we have an even bigger problem than just one mayor. The problems continue.

For example, in January, Ventura County declined a request from ICE to hold an alien Ventura had arrested for continuous sexual abuse of a child. Instead of being removed from this country, he was released back into the community and now our federal law enforcement will need to find him and arrest him wherever he may be.

In recent years, California has enacted a number of laws designed to intentionally obstruct the work of our sworn immigration enforcement officers  to intentionally use every power it has to undermine duly-established immigration law in America.

California wont let employers voluntarily allow ICE agents on their property. And California requires employers to give notice to employees before ICE inspects their workplace.

Advertisement

When this law was before the California General Assembly, a Judiciary Committee report explicitly stated that its goal was to frustrate an expected increase in federal immigration enforcement actions.

ICE agents are federal law enforcement officers carrying out federal law. California cannot forbid them or obstruct them in doing their jobs.

Just imagine if a state passed a law forbidding employers from cooperating with OSHA in ensuring workplace safety. Or the EPA, looking for a polluter. That would obviously be absurd. But it would be no different in principle from this new law enacted by California.

And just think about the situation it puts California employers in. They want to help law enforcement. They want to do their civic duty. We ought to encourage that.

Advertisement

But your state attorney general has repeatedly said his office will prosecute these business owners. Let me quote: Ignorance of the law is no excuse if you violate it and you are subjecting yourself to up to $10,000 [in fines] for violations.

California has also claimed the authority to inspect facilities where ICE holds people in custody. Already this year, California has specifically and in a discriminatory manner targeted six facilities and demanded documents and other material from the Department of Homeland Security.

California wont let law enforcement officers like you transfer prisoners into ICE custody or even communicate with ICE that youre about to release someone theyre looking for. Remember that California found these people dangerous enough to detain them in the first place, but then insists on releasing them back into the community instead of allowing federal officers to remove them.

And rather than allow ICE officers to do their jobs at the jailhouse, they force these officers to conduct far more dangerous arrests elsewhere, where violent criminals may reside and where children can be caught in the crossfire.

Advertisement

Thats not just unconstitutional, its a plain violation of federal statute and common sense.

Importantly, these laws are harmful to Californians, and theyre especially harmful to law enforcement.

Thats why the Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit yesterday against the state of California to invalidate these unjust laws and to immediately freeze their effect. Federal agents must be able to do the job that Congress has directed them to do.

Contrary to what you might hear from the lawless open-borders radicals, we are not asking California, Oakland or anyone else to enforce immigration laws.

Advertisement

Although we would welcome the positive assistance the majority of jurisdictions in America provide, ICE agents do incredible work every day. They will not be deterred.

We are simply asking California and other sanctuary jurisdictions to stop actively obstructing federal law enforcement.

Stop treating immigration agents differently from everybody else for the purpose of eviscerating border controls and advancing an open-borders philosophy shared by only the most radical extremists. Stop protecting lawbreakers and giving all officers more dangerous work to do so that a few politicians can score political points on the backs of officer safety.

You are professionals. You understand the risks involved.

Advertisement

Think about the officers knocking on a door to execute a warrant. They dont know whats on the other side. Its not fair to them to keep putting them in that situation by releasing criminal aliens into the community who shouldnt even be in the country. I sign condolence letters for law enforcement killed in the line of duty; I fundamentally reject, at my core, that we should further endanger the lives of those who risk everything for us just because some officials in California wants to violate the law in promotion of their radical agenda.

California is using every power it has  and some it doesnt  to frustrate federal law enforcement. So you can be sure Im going to use every power I have to stop them.

We are going to fight these irrational, unfair, and unconstitutional policies that have been imposed on you and our federal officers. We are fighting to make your jobs safer and to help you reduce crime in America. We are fighting to have a lawful system of immigration that serves Americans. And we intend to win.

I want to close by reiterating my deep appreciation and profound thanks to all the women and men of law enforcement  federal, state, local and tribal. The work that you do, that you have dedicated your lives to, is essential. I believe it. The Department of Justice believes it. And President Trump believes it.

Advertisement

You can be certain about this: We have your back and you have our thanks.
Pepe is headed to court.

Rather, his creator, Matt Furie, is.

Furie, who debuted Pepe the Frog in 2005 in his comic Boys Club, has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the far-right-wing site Infowars for using Pepe without permission in a poster for sale on the site.

The poster shows the heroes of the 2016 anti-establishment revolution, including President Trump, Kellyanne Conway, Milo Yiannopoulos, Roger Stone, Matt Drudge, Infowars creator Alex Jones and Pepe. MAGA, which stands for Trumps Make America Great Again campaign slogan, is written across the bottom.

Advertisement

A Make American Great Again poster for sale on the Infowars site includes a depiction of Pepe the Frog. (Infowars )

Furie did not authorize the use of the Pepe image or character in this poster, and does not approve of the association of Pepe with Alex Jones or any of the other figures shown in this poster, or with the MAGA slogan, reads the complaint, filed Monday in the Central District of California.

Pepe first became a meme about 2008. It began innocently enough, with people using Pepe as a stand-in for their own goofy behavior. By 2009, Pepe had his own entry on Know Your Meme.

How Pepe the Frog went from harmless to hate symbol 

About 2015, things took a turn for the good-natured frog. White supremacists on the website 4chan launched a campaign to reclaim Pepe for the alt-right. As the presidential campaign revved up, Trump supporters tweeted Pepe memes and added frog emojis to their Twitter handle in homage.

After Hillary Clinton referred to some Trump supporters as a basket of deplorables, the Republican presidential candidates son, Donald Trump Jr., posted an image on Instagram showing the heads of Trump, Pepe, Alex Jones, Ben Carson, Mike Pence and other people associated with the campaign Photoshopped onto a poster from the movie The Expendables.

The Deplorables, it read.

Advertisement

Thats when Furie first learned what had become of his creation.

I had never heard of the alt-right or the white supremacist thing, Furie told the Los Angeles Times in 2016. I dont know who their leader is, it just seems like a loose network of nihilistic guys posting white power symbols.

In 2017, Furie decided to start aggressively enforcing his copyright. Cease-and-desist orders were issued to Richard Spencer, Mike Cernovich and the Trump-centric subreddit The_Donald. Eric Hauser, a former assistant principal in Texas who wrote a childrens book called The Adventures of Pepe and Pede, which was accused of containing thinly veiled allegories for Trump supporters and anti-Islamic sentiment, settled with Furie out of court. Hauser was forced to donate profits from the book to the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

The same year, Furie launched a Kickstarter campaign to save Pepe and resurrect him from the ashes of the darkest parts of the internet. It raised more than $34,000, which Furie said hell use to create a new Pepe comic.

Advertisement

Alex Jones defended the use of Pepe as a political meme in a video tweeted out from the Infowars account.

Thats total fair use, thats total freedom of speech, its political speech, its totally protected, Jones says in the video.

As of now, the poster is still available on the Infowars store, with this description: The establishment wants this taken down.

Advertisement

Furie did not respond to a request for comment about the newly filed lawsuit. But in 2016, he said the evolution of his character from harmless to hate symbol is a nightmare.

jessica.roy@latimes.com

Twitter: @jessica_roy

ALSO:

Advertisement

Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway violated Hatch Act, federal watchdog says

Jennifer Garner delights the internet by embracing her new meme
President Trumps lawyer Michael Cohen secretly filed for arbitration in Los Angeles last week to enforce a hush-money agreement that required porn actress Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump, according to a lawsuit that Daniels filed on Tuesday.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, sued Trump on Tuesday in an attempt to nullify the deal. She also sued Essential Consultants LLC, the company that Cohen formed days before the November 2016 election to pay Daniels $130,000 in hush money.

The suit, filed in state Superior Court in Los Angeles, says Cohen was trying to protect Trump by muzzling Daniels with the bogus arbitration proceeding.

Stormy Daniels complaint against Donald Trump 

Advertisement

Neither Cohen nor the White House press office responded to emails requesting comment.

Daniels has said she had sex with Trump after they met at a Lake Tahoe golf tournament in 2006, shortly after his wife, Melania, gave birth to their son Barron. Karen McDougal, Playboys 1998 Playmate of the year, has said that she, too, had a tryst with Trump at the event.

A few weeks before the 2016 presidential election, Daniels sought to go public about her affair with Trump. But Trump and Cohen aggressively sought to silence Clifford as part of an effort to avoid her telling the truth, thus helping to ensure he won, the complaint says.

Cohen prepared a draft hush agreement that identified Trump as David Dennison and Daniels as Peggy Peterson, according to the document.

Daniels signed the document but Trump did not, thus rendering it legally null and void and of no consequence, the complaint says.

Under the agreement, Daniels had to give Trump every copy of every text and email that she ever exchanged with him, along with all photos relating to Trump that she had. It barred Daniels from ever communicating with Trump or his family for any reason whatsoever. It also compelled Daniels to give Cohen the names of everyone with whom shed ever shared such correspondence or images.

She agreed she would keep confidential everything that she might know about Trumps alleged sexual partners, alleged sexual actions or alleged sexual conduct.

Any breach of the agreement would require Daniels not just to return the $130,000, but also to pay Trump at least $1 million in damages. The deal gave Trump sole discretion to choose whether arbitration of any disputes would take place under California, Nevada or Arizona law.

Advertisement

The lawsuit requests a judicial declaration that the hush-money deal was invalid and unenforceable.

That would free Daniels to talk openly of her relationship with Trump after weeks of playing coy in media interviews.

When Daniels was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live in January, the talk-show host read highlights from In Touch Weekly magazines transcript of a 2011 interview with Daniels, including graphic details of her having sex with Trump. Kimmel asked Daniels whether any of it was true.

Define true, she responded.

Advertisement

The forecast tonight calls for @StormyDaniels with a 90% chance of angry Donald Trump. #Kimmel pic.twitter.com/OqNEw61PYO  Jimmy Kimmel Live (@JimmyKimmelLive) January 30, 2018

Last month, Cohen said he had used his own money to facilitate a payment of $130,000 to Daniels. He said neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign had reimbursed him, but made no statement on whether Trump himself had done so.

Importantly, Daniels complaint says, at no time did Mr. Cohen claim Ms. Clifford did not have an intimate relationship with Mr. Trump. Indeed, were he to make such a statement, it would be patently false.

Advertisement

michael.finnegan@latimes.com

Twitter: @finneganLAT

UPDATES:

9 p.m.: This article was updated with more details on Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels.

Advertisement

6:55 p.m.: This article was updated with background on Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen.

6:40 p.m.: This article was updated with details of the hush agreement.

The article was originally published at 6:25 p.m.
Democrats in deep-red Texas turned out in their largest midterm primary election numbers in more than a decade Tuesday, propelling female candidates toward challenges to entrenched male Republicans in Congress and venting their anger at President Trump in the first state primary of 2018.

The biggest question was whether Texas is just the start of whats to come nationwide. Energized Texas Democrats showed up despite the long odds this November of ousting Republicans such as U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz  who released a radio ad after clinching the GOP nomination Tuesday night, telling voters that Democratic opponent Beto ORourke wants to take our guns.

ORourke, a congressman from El Paso who won his partys primary Tuesday, has called for banning AR-15-style assault rifles in wake of last months mass shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 people.

Neither that tragedy nor a mass shooting at a Texas church last fall played as dominant campaign issues in Texas, but with the GOPs majority in Congress on the line this fall, Democratic voters came out in force. Republicans kept their edge in the total number of votes cast, but Democrats made significant inroads into what has been Republican dominance for decades.

Advertisement

Democrats have their sights on flipping three GOP-controlled congressional seats in Texas districts that backed Hillary Clinton over Trump in 2016, including a Houston district where two women were the top vote-getters in early returns in a race likely to go to a May runoff. Another is a sprawling district that runs along the Mexico border, where Gina Ortiz-Jones advanced to a May runoff and another woman, Judy Canales, was battling to join her.

I think that a Congress that is only 20% women is not where we need to be, Ortiz-Jones told the Associated Press Tuesday night. This is not a spectator sport. Weve got to participate, all of us, and thats whats important.

It was also a big night for two Latinas, Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garcia, who won their Democratic primaries and are poised to become the first Latina congresswomen in a state where a population boom has been driven by Latino growth.

College students waited more than an hour to vote in liberal Austin, and rural counties offered Democratic candidates for the first time in years. A tide of anti-Trump activism helped propel nearly 50 women to make a run for Congress. Many were running in a record eight open congressional races this year in Texas  two of which are up for grabs after longtime GOP incumbents abandoned plans for reelection amid scandal.

More than 830,000 Democrats had voted with ballots still being counted late Tuesday, the best showing in a midterm primary for Texas Democrats since than 1 million voters turned out in 2002, the first election after the Sept. 11 attacks. Republicans were close to their turnout in previous midterm primaries, with more than 1.3 million votes and counting.

While 2002 was a high water mark for Democratic turnout in Texas it also showed the limits of the exuberance for turning the state blue. In November that year, the Democrats running for statewide office were all beaten, just as they have been since 1994.

For Republicans, the primary was a vivid exhibition of the Trump effect in GOP politics. George P. Bush, a Texas land commissioner, averted an embarrassing Republican runoff after waging a campaign in which he cozied up to a president who once called his dad, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, pathetic and low-energy. Kathaleen Wall, a former GOP mega-donor running for Congress in Houston, was also in the hunt for a runoff after she ran TV ads that suggested there was little daylight between her and Trump.

Trump won Texas by 9 points in 2016. It was the smallest margin of victory by a Republican presidential candidate in Texas in 20 years, but Cruz dismissed talk of a Democratic takeover this fall.

Advertisement

Left-wing rage may raise a bunch of money from people online, but I dont believe it reflects the views of a majority of Texans, he told reporters after winning the nomination.

The surge of Democratic voters included some former Republicans switching this cycle, including 61-year-old Sarah Chiodo of Dallas, who said she changed parties after Trump was elected.

I hope that our political environment changes. Im not happy with it today, she said after voting at a Dallas church. I find it very divisive and dividing of many people and negative. So Im looking to vote for people who are positive, who care about all.

Democrats will have a tough time winning statewide races in November despite the Trump effect because they have fielded little-known candidates against top Republican incumbents, such as Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, GOP Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton, though he has been indicted on felony securities fraud charges, clinched his partys nomination unopposed.

Abbott will face either Lupe Valdez, who was Texas first Latina and first lesbian sheriff, or Andrew White, who opposes abortion and whose father, Mark, was governor in the 1980s.

In a closely watched Democratic race, congressional candidate Laura Moser, who moved from Washington to her native Houston area, was in contention for a runoff, the winner of which will challenge GOP Rep. John Culberson. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, fearing Moser would be a weak candidate in the general election, blistered her for comments in a 2014 Washingtonian magazine article in which she said shed rather have her teeth pulled out than live in rural Paris, Texas.

UPDATES:

Advertisement

9:25 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details and primary results.
The Trump administration, seeking to force a defiant California to cooperate with its agenda of stepped-up immigrant deportations, went to federal court Tuesday to invalidate three state laws  the administrations most direct challenge yet to the states policies.

Administration officials say the three laws in question, all passed by the Legislature last year, blatantly obstruct federal immigration law and thus violate the Constitutions supremacy clause, which gives federal law precedence over state enactments.

The Department of Justice and the Trump administration are going to fight these unjust, unfair, and unconstitutional policies that are imposed on you, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions plans to tell a meeting of the California Peace Officers Assn. in Sacramento on Wednesday, according to excerpts of his remarks released by the Justice Department.

We are fighting to make your jobs safer and to help you reduce crime in America. And I believe that we are going to win.

Advertisement

The laws make it a crime for business owners to voluntarily help federal agents find and detain undocumented workers, prohibit local law enforcement from alerting immigration agents when detainees are released from custody, and create a state inspection program for federal immigration detention centers.

Administration officials, who briefed reporters before the suit was filed, said other states that are pursuing laws similar to Californias are also likely to be targeted in court.

Live coverage: Sessions vs. California 

The suit, which administration lawyers filed late Tuesday in federal court in Sacramento, considerably raises the tension between the administration and the most populous state in the country. California officials consistently have sought to stymie Trumps efforts to impose policies incompatible with the more permissive vision of the states leaders and the liberal leanings of its electorate.

Many state and local officials in California say the administrations stepped-up deportation efforts are making communities less safe and undermining local economies.

The case will test the power of the Trump administration to force California police departments and local governments to cooperate with deportations and other aggressive enforcement actions targeting people who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas. It reflects the administrations limited tolerance for states rights when states want to go in a sharply different direction than the administration.

In a statement, Gov. Jerry Brown called the federal suit a stunt.

At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America, he said. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they dont work here. SAD!!!

Advertisement

California officials were preparing for the suit even before it was filed. After the Justice Department announced Sessions would be making a major announcement in Sacramento, state leaders expressed confidence that Washingtons legal attacks would fail.

Well see what the courts say, said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, a former legislative leader.

So far the administrations record there is not stellar, he said, referring to the administrations repeated losses in court. We didnt pass these laws to protect people with serious criminal backgrounds. We are protecting our communities from immigration agents intimidating people and overreaching in very serious ways.

State Senate leader Kevin de Leon struck a similar note: If U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions is suing California because we refuse to help the Trump administration tear apart honest, hardworking families, I say bring it on. Based on the U.S. Department of Justices track record in court, I like our odds, he said.

Advertisement

The administration, however, could be in a stronger position in this case than in previous court battles over immigration issues, including court rulings against early versions of Trumps travel ban and against efforts to cut off some federal money to cities with so-called sanctuary policies.

In many other cases, the administration has been trying to swiftly unravel or reshape well-established environmental, workplace or immigration regulations that were grounded in years of case law or voluminous administrative proceedings. In this case, it is California that is arguably in uncharted legal territory, imposing barriers aimed at undermining federal law enforcement efforts.

Administration officials charge that the state measures not only hinder their ability to carry out federal law, but also put immigration agents and communities at risk.

The suit includes a declaration from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Thomas Homan, who said that the inability of ICE officers to go to local lockups to pick up immigrants who have been detained by local police agencies forces them to hunt down suspects in more dangerous settings.

Advertisement

SB 54, one of the three challenged state laws, prohibits state and local police agencies from notifying federal officials in many cases when immigrants potentially subject to deportation are about to be released from custody.

When the law was under consideration in the Legislature, former Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., who headed the Justice Department in the Obama administration and now represents the state Senate, wrote a letter defending the measures constitutionality. The federal government has the authority to enforce its immigration laws, but doesnt have the power to draft California officials into helping, he said.

California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said Tuesday that the state would use a similar argument to defend its law in court.

We are doing what we believe is best to make sure the people of California are safe, he said. We are doing nothing to intrude on the work of federal government to do immigration enforcement.

Advertisement

When people feel confident to come forward to report crimes in our communities or participate in policing efforts without fear of deportation, they are more likely to cooperate with the criminal justice system. 

Justice Department officials cited several instances in recent weeks in which, they said, the new law prevented federal immigration agents from taking custody of people arrested for serious crimes.

Officials in Ventura County, for example, refused to turn over a suspect arrested for sexual abuse of a minor, they said. A request to transfer custody of a car-theft suspect was declined by Sacramento County jail officials, and Alameda County jail officials refused to turn over a convicted drug dealer arrested for felony drug possession while armed, they said.

State officials say those suspects are the exception and do not reflect those the law is designed to protect, who are primarily people jailed for low-level offenses.

Advertisement

California officials have been unflinching in enforcing the new laws, despite warnings from the Trump administration that they would create a confrontation.

In January, Becerra put employers on notice that they would be prosecuted if they did not follow the states new Immigrant Worker Protection Act, AB 450, which prohibits businesses from voluntarily sharing information about workers with federal immigration agents. The law also requires that employers alert workers if their records are going to be inspected by federal officials.

Business owners who voluntarily assist with federal immigration operations will face fines of up to $10,000, Becerra warned. The Trump administration lawsuit says state officials have acknowledged that such threats are designed to frustrate immigration enforcement actions and that the law puts private businesses in an impossible situation: They are being required by the state to rebuff federal agents.

The third law under challenge, AB 103, imposes state inspections on federal detention facilities. The measure passed in response to reports of rampant mistreatment and abuse in federal detention facilities, many of which are run by private companies that act as federal contractors. Since the law took effect, the state has been conducting inspections at the facilities and demanding access to inmate documents that the administration says the state has no authority to review.

Advertisement

California has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and responsibility of the Congress to protect our Homeland, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement in which she thanked Sessions for his efforts to uphold the rule of law and protect American communities.

evan.halper@latimes.com

Follow me: @evanhalper

UPDATES:

Advertisement

6:45 p.m.: This article was updated with the filing of the federal lawsuit and reaction from Gov. Brown and state Senate president Kevin de Leon.

The article was originally published at 6 p.m.
Its one thing to trade criticisms and insults from 3,000 miles away; its quite another to do so at a distance of just six city blocks.

Thats what is expected in Sacramento in a matter of hours, as the nations top law enforcement officer arrives with a speech in one hand  and a lawsuit against the state of California in the other.

SESSIONS SUES OVER SANCTUARY STATE

The lawsuit by U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions seeks to block Californias new sanctuary state immigration law. And its expected to be the centerpiece of remarks hes scheduled to deliver to the annual meeting of the California Peace Officers Assn. in downtown Sacramento.

Advertisement

Sign up for the Essential Politics newsletter 

Simply put, the administration of President Trump says the law, signed last fall by Gov. Jerry Brown, interferes with federal immigration law.

The Department of Justice and the Trump administration are going to fight these unjust, unfair, and unconstitutional policies that are imposed on you, Sessions is expected to say, based on an excerpt of the speech released on Tuesday.

The lawsuit will actually challenge three of the laws Democrats in the state Capitol wrote last year: the sanctuary rules, one that limits immigration raids in the workplace and a third that allows the state to inspect federal detention centers.

Word of the lawsuit was met with a swift jab from Brown on Twitter:

At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they dont work here. SAD!!!

We will be following the events  both Sessions speech and the community reaction  closely throughout the day on our Essential Politics news feed.

THE TARIFF TIFF: GARY COHN RESIGNS

Advertisement

Apparently, Gary Cohn had finally had enough.

On Tuesday, the presidents top economic advisor decided to call it quits after apparently failing to dissuade the president from plans to impose sweeping tariffs on imported metals.

Trump had thrown a curve ball on the topic just hours earlier, saying that Mexico and Canada could avoid planned new tariffs on aluminum and steel if they agreed to make concessions to Washington in negotiations over the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Hours before the news broke about Cohn, the president suggested he was interested in changing some of the people in the White House, and later tweeted that hes looking for a new economic advisor.

Advertisement

Republicans on Capitol Hill have feared political fallout in November from the talk about tariffs and urged Trump to take a closer look at the potential effects.

To catch you up on all of the departures, heres our detailed look at the most notable firings and resignations in the Trump administration.

NATIONAL POLITICS LIGHTNING ROUND

-- Its starting to look possible that toughened sanctions against North Korea and Trumps unorthodox approach to diplomacy  his mix of crude insults, nuclear threats and a sprinkling of overtures  might have helped bring Kim Jong Uns government back to the negotiating table.

Advertisement

-- Porn actress Stormy Daniels sued Trump on Tuesday in an attempt to nullify an agreement that she keep quiet about her alleged affair with him in return for $130,000.

-- Former Trump campaign aide Sam Nunberg came in like a lion and went out like a lamb in a string of explosive interviews on Monday during which he initially vowed to defy a grand jury subpoena in the Russia investigation.

-- A Swedish reporter asked the president on Tuesday what her country could learn from the United States about Russias election meddling. What she got instead was his optimistic take on Republican Party prospects this year.

-- Nearly a decade after the financial crisis, some Democrats on Capitol Hill are ready to go along with a Republican push to significantly loosen the landmark law enacted to try to prevent the next one. A closely watched Senate bill advanced on Tuesday, but not without some glaring differences among Democratic senators.

Advertisement

-- The former CEO of a payday lending company that had been under investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has asked to be considered for the top job at the watchdog agency.

-- A month after she admitted to an extramarital affair with her then-bodyguard, Megan Barry resigned on Tuesday as the mayor of Nashville, Tenn.

-- Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi announced Monday that he will resign his seat effective April 1.

-- Democrats in deep-red Texas turned out in their largest midterm primary election numbers since 2002 Tuesday, but still face long odds in ousting Republicans such as U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Read the results here.

Advertisement

-- A federal watchdog says White House counselor Kellyanne Conway violated the federal law prohibiting government officials from using their positions to influence political campaigns.

HOPEFULS FOR GOVERNOR AIM HIGH (TOO HIGH?) ON HOUSING PROMISES

Two of the leading candidates for governor, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, have said they want 3.5 million homes built in California by 2025 as a way to end the states housing shortage. For that to happen, it would require the production of 500,000 new houses a year, a level of growth unseen in modern state history, as Liam Dillon reports.

Thats the general assessment of housing academics, contractors and economists about Newsom and Villaraigosas goals. The experts doubted it was possible to achieve without, at the least, fundamentally reshaping how housing gets approved in California.

Advertisement

We also published this look at Newsom and Villaraigosas full responses to our questions about their housing goals.

SLOPPY SIGNATURES DONT INVALIDATE BALLOTS, SAYS JUDGE

California election law offers a simple  perhaps too simple  rule for elections officials when it comes to absentee ballots: The voters signature on file must match the one on the ballot envelope.

How? It doesnt specify. And theres no way a voter knows if the ballot was left uncounted.

Advertisement

On Monday, a state judge ruled that the existing law is unconstitutional. The lawsuit in question was filed last summer on behalf of a Sonoma County voter. And with a sweeping change in state elections on the horizon, the signatures on vote-by-mail ballots will be more important than ever.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

-- Villaraigosa challenged Newsom on Monday to a one-on-one debate over the viability of a state-sponsored single-payer healthcare system in California.

-- In further fallout from a sexual harassment investigation at the Capitol, the director of CSU Sacramentos Senate Fellows Program has left the job, officials said Tuesday.

Advertisement

-- After a month of advocacy and efforts to reassure vulnerable students that filling out applications for financial aid would not put them at risk, the state has reached its goal for applications for aid under the California Dream Act, officials said Monday.

-- Silicon Valley billionaire Vinod Khosla takes his dispute over public access to Martins Beach in the Bay Area all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, a legal argument that challenges the constitutionality of the California Coastal Act.

-- Wealthy Hollywood producer Steve Bing is teaming up with other entertainment bigwigs to host a fundraiser this month for former Villaraigosas campaign for governor.

-- A slate of California bills meant to combat sexual harassment got a red carpet shoutout at the Oscars.

Advertisement

-- Its not as screwy as arming teachers, says George Skelton, but increasing the legal age for buying a rifle or shotgun from 18 to 21 is also off target, as he wrote in his column last week.

-- California homeowners receive $6 billion a year in state tax subsidies, while renters get $215 million, according to a new report from a low-income-housing advocacy group.

-- Californias watchdog agency approved a record number of settlements for ethics and campaign violations last year.

LOGISTICS

Advertisement

Essential Politics is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics?

Miss Mondays newsletter? Here you go.

Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.

Advertisement

Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox.

john.myers@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter at @johnmyers and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast
Panicked callers to Alba Hernandezs hotline reported a possible immigration raid. She rushed to the West Oakland home to find officers had blocked off traffic in what they described as a human-trafficking investigation.

The police revealed no criminal charges from the August incident. Instead, two Guatemalan brothers were questioned on civil immigration violations, and one was detained for weeks, according to court records and interviews with residents.

This wasnt supposed to happen in Oakland, a city that has made national headlines for its mayors defense of so-called sanctuary policies, Hernandez and other immigrant rights activists said. Oakland has greatly limited police cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, drawing the ire of Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions.

But how could we call ourselves a sanctuary city when police were clearing the pathway for ICE to take people out of their homes? Hernandez said.

Advertisement

Few cities have done as much as Oakland to examine and push back against the ways law enforcement, through new technology and shared databases, collects personal information, images and communications of criminal suspects and innocent bystanders alike. Over the last year, as city leaders found themselves at odds with President Trumps immigration agenda, the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission has worked to ensure those surveillance tools arent used to target immigrant or Muslim communities.

As the West Oakland raid stirred local outrage, the questions came from both immigrant rights groups and the advisory commission.

Some worry that data collected by police technology, such as cell tower simulators and automatic license plate readers, could be used to locate immigrants without legal residency solely for the purpose of deportation. This year, ICE paid a contractor for access to license plate data. There also is concern about a Trump-proposed Muslim registry.

All administrations have used surveillance, but the Trump administration has been adamant about what is happening in mosques, said Sameena Usman of the San Francisco office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. We dont know what information can be filtered through the federal government and how it can be used to target vulnerable communities.

Live coverage: Sessions suing California for sanctuary state policy 

The Privacy Advisory Commission was formed in January 2016 after privacy advocates fought to scale back the scope of a city surveillance center meant to safeguard the Port of Oakland against a terrorist attack. Since then, the commission has helped shape ordinances to limit assistance between police and federal immigration officials and the local police data that the city shares with federal law enforcement agencies.

California lawmakers have taken notice, and the commission has attracted attention from other cities in the state and across the country where officials hope to pass similar privacy policies. Meanwhile, Trump officials are targeting sanctuary cities for ICE raids, threatening to slash their funding and suggesting their leaders should be arrested.

But it remains to be seen whether such measures enacted in this San Francisco Bay Area city can be replicated elsewhere or are limited to a place with a fiery legacy of activism, privacy commission Chairman Brian Hofer said.

Advertisement

We are trying to cut the data pipes to ICE, Hofer said. We want people to know and apply what Oakland has already proven, and that is the simple phrase of community control. We can have control over our personal data.

Hofer, an Oakland activist, was in between jobs in 2013 when the East Bay Express reported on plans for a citywide surveillance network dubbed the Domain Awareness Center. The network would be equipped with more than 700 cameras in schools and public housing, software allowing officers to identify faces and read license plate numbers, and storage for data compiled on residents.

The scope of the project was so alarming to Hofer that within the week he joined the Oakland Privacy Working Group. The organization brought together teachers, labor activists and civil rights lawyers to file public records requests and inundate city officials with their concerns. They complained that the technology allowed police to collect sensitive location information revealing details about peoples everyday lives, from going to the doctor to marching in a political event, not to mention where they work and live. That information, they feared, would go to the federal government with no oversight.

By the following year, the Oakland City Council had limited the centers surveillance capabilities and created the working group that would become the Privacy Advisory Commission, with nine appointed members. The organization has passed a number of resolutions on the use of surveillance technology that have been enacted in city ordinances.

Advertisement

Among those were public policies that helped the city comply with a 2015 state law that required police to disclose their use of automatic license plate readers and stingrays. Those devices, which simulate cell towers, can ensnare the communications of all people in a certain area and for years had been purchased by law enforcement agencies under nondisclosure agreements that kept their existence secret.

California passed a law boosting police transparency on cellphone surveillance. Heres why its not working 

City and police officials said the discussions helped assure the community that surveillance wouldnt be used without a warrant and can produce crucial information for crime investigations and medical situations or natural disasters.

It is this insight, this level of thought into the implications and consequences of new surveillance technology that I want to become the gold standard across the country, said privacy advisory commissioner Reem Suleiman.

Advertisement

The meetings generated national interest. Hofer said law professors from UCLA and Georgetown University would call and ask how they got police talking so freely about technology that departments have long battled in court to keep secret.

The answer, he told them, is This is Oakland.

A top immigration official said that about 800 people living illegally in Northern California were able to avoid arrest because of a warning that Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf put on Twitter. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press )

Sign up for the Essential Politics newsletter 

Advertisement

Oaklands privacy rules prompted other Bay Area cities to take up similar or more far-reaching policies of their own. In Alameda County, stingray policies now require sheriffs deputies to track and publicly disclose how and how often they use them. In Santa Clara, police must have public rules for the use of all new surveillance technology, not just stingrays and license plate readers.

State lawmakers concerned about immigrants privacy last year barred state and local agencies from sharing religious affiliation information with the federal government, and passed a so-called sanctuary state law to vastly limit whom state and local law enforcement agencies can hold, question and share information on at the request of federal immigration authorities.

This year the Legislature is considering whether to require federal immigration agents to obtain court subpoenas to access the professional or drivers license information of people in the country illegally. A state lawmaker also has revived legislation that would require law enforcement agencies to disclose all of their surveillance equipment.

Privacy legislation has previously been scaled back at the state level amid debate over whether the state should communicate with ICE on immigrants with criminal records. And some Oakland privacy advocates question whether state proposals would have any teeth without the input of a robust network of community activists.

Advertisement

Hofer said cities often have more power than they believe: The city of Alameda unanimously rejected a $500,000 contract for a license plate reader from a company that sold ICE access to its nationwide database.

In Oakland, home to the Black Panthers, the concerns over surveillance of political protesters and minority communities has a long history. Oakland police sparked anger in 2016 for the little-noticed purchase of social media monitoring software that Black Lives Matter activists said was used to analyze their tweets.

As the city has been hit with ICE raids, the privacy commission has been reviewing data policies for all police technology, and attempting to prevent license-plate-reader data from going to federal agencies. It also pushed Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick to present a report to the City Council on last Augusts West Oakland raid.

Kirkpatrick said police officers provided only traffic control as ICE executed a search warrant and did not break city or state laws that limit collaboration.

Advertisement

Justice Department officials have pledged to review the actions of Mayor Libby Schaaf, who warned immigrant communities of upcoming raids. The Department of Justice has since cut all forms of assistance between federal immigration agents and the citys law enforcement. Schaaf has said she is willing to go to jail in defense of her citys policies.

jazmine.ulloa@latimes.com

@jazmineulloa

To read this article in Spanish click here

Advertisement

ALSO:

California passed a law boosting police transparency on cellphone surveillance. Heres why its not working

California lawmakers passed the sanctuary state bill. What happens if Gov. Jerry Brown signs it?

California law enforcement agencies will soon have new rules for classifying gang members, sharing gang databases

Advertisement

Updates on California politics
At the meeting, the leaders of the organising board of GMS-6 and CLV 10 and the relevant ministries and agencies reported on the results of the work that needs to be done.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc praised the efforts of the organising board of GMS-6 and CLV 10, as well as the ministries, sectors and localities concerned in effectively preparing for the hosting of the events over the past while.

He stressed that after the success of APEC 2017, it is one of the three largest multilateral events to be held in Vietnam in 2018 and an opportunity for the leaders to discuss issues of mutual concern, including strengthening their cooperation in investment, trade promotion, security and the sustainable use of the Mekong River. It is also an opportunity for Vietnam to strengthen its cooperation towards the goal of socio-economic development.

In order to ensure the successful organisation of the GMS-6 and CLV 10, preparation should be in alignment with the intended purpose, requirements and motto pursued, the PM said, asking the the relevant ministries, branches and localities should coordinate closely in the preparation and organisation of the activities to ensure the effectiveness, safety and security for the event.

The authorities concerned should also pay attention to information and communication work for people and businesses to ensure they are aware the role and benefits of the Greater Mekong Subregion and the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle on Vietnam's economic development, thereby promoting their responsibility and actively contributing to the promotion of the image of Vietnam as a dynamic and integrated country with a friendly, hospitable and modern Vietnamese people.
A long-simmering battle between the Trump administration and California over immigration boiled over Wednesday, with Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions deriding the states irrational, unfair and unconstitutional policies and Gov. Jerry Brown accusing the federal government of launching a reign of terror.

This is basically going to war against the state of California, Brown declared.

As the Justice Department formally filed a legal challenge to state immigration laws, Sessions told a gathering of law enforcement officers in Sacramento that California was attempting to keep federal immigration officials from doing their jobs, and he charged Democrats with advancing the political agendas of radical extremists.

Read Jeff Sessions prepared remarks about Californias sanctuary state laws 

Advertisement

He took particular aim at Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who had warned immigrant communities about recent federal raids in the Bay Area, and at Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, for praising her actions.

So heres my message to Mayor Schaaf: How dare you? Sessions said of the Brown protege. Contrary to what you may hear from open-borders radicals, we are not asking California, Oakland or anyone else to actively, effectively enforce immigration laws.

The remarks drew protests and sharp rebukes from state leaders, underscoring huge rifts over the role of law enforcement in federal immigration policy.

President Trump has made restricting immigration a central focus of his agenda and has frequently criticized California for resistance to his calls to increase deportations. On Wednesday, the White House confirmed that Trump would make his first visit to California since becoming president next week, to assess prototypes for the border wall he wants built between California and Mexico and to attend a GOP fundraiser.

California Democratic leaders and the states top law enforcement officer responded with war talk of their own, describing Sessions actions as unprecedented. In fiery tweets, speeches and at a news conference at the Capitol, the Democrats said the Justice Department lawsuit is based on lies and challenges Californias sovereignty.

The governor called Sessions actions a political stunt, aimed at distracting the public from guilty pleas made by Trumps advisors in special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs ongoing investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Lets face it, the Trump White House is under siege, Brown said. Obviously, the attorney general has found it hard just to be a normal attorney general. Hes been caught up in the whirlwind of Trumpism  [and is] initiating a reign of terror.

State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), author of one of the laws targeted by the legal challenge, accused Sessions of having ideology based on white supremacy and white nationalism.

Advertisement

De Leon said he is directing former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., under contract to provide legal advice to the state Senate, to help formulate a response to submit in court. On a conference call with reporters, Holder said legal precedent makes clear that the federal government cannot insist that a state use its resources to enforce federal immigration law.

From my perspective, the Trump administrations lawsuit is really a political and unconstitutional attack on the state of Californias well-established rights under our system of government, Holder said.

The three laws administration officials seek to challenge make it a crime for business owners to voluntarily help federal agents find and detain undocumented workers, prohibit local law enforcement from alerting immigration agents when detainees are released from custody and create a state inspection program for federal immigration detention centers.

Administration officials allege the laws, passed by the Legislature last year and signed by Brown, blatantly obstruct federal immigration law and thus violate the Constitutions supremacy clause, which gives federal law precedence over state enactments.

Advertisement

State Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra has pledged to defend the measures in court, saying they work in concert with federal laws. Our teams work together to go after drug dealers, to combat gang violence, to take down sex-trafficking rings, and we have no intention of changing that, he said Wednesday.

In his speech to more than 100 police chiefs, sheriffs and other law enforcement officers, Sessions argued that the Trump administration did not reject immigration, but said the U.S. should not reward those who unlawfully enter the country with benefits, such as legal status, food stamps and work permits.

He said the federal government sued California to invalidate and immediately freeze what he called unjust laws.

We are going to fight these irrational, unfair and unconstitutional policies that have been imposed on you and our federal officers, Sessions said as he finished his speech to the California Peace Officers Assn., and some officers stood in ovation. You can be certain about this: We have your back, and you have our thanks.

Advertisement

As the group welcomed Sessions with applause, a statewide coalition of immigrant rights groups gathered outside to protest his arrival.

The lawsuit and Sessions visit are the latest volley in an escalating battle between the Trump administration and Democratic leaders in California, where laws have been passed to extend healthcare, drivers licenses and education to some of the more than 2.3 million immigrants living in the state illegally.

Read the Justice Departments lawsuit against Californias laws protecting immigrants 

The event is usually a time for law enforcement officers to mingle with lawmakers, lobby for legislation and receive guidance from leaders on law enforcement priorities across the state. But Sessions appearance swept the attention away.

Advertisement

Police officers said the states immigration laws had not impeded their jobs so far, but the constant battles between state and federal leaders were affecting their relationships with federal partners.

Fairfield Police Chief Randy Fenn said the lawsuit raised concerns about whether law enforcement agencies would be caught in the middle of a larger immigration battle.

We are waiting to see how this shakes out, Fenn said.

Neil Gallucci, second vice president of the state peace officers group, said Sessions opinion was important to understand as the federal lawsuit had the potential to change California laws.

Advertisement

Atty. Gen. Sessions is the top law enforcement officer in the United States of America, Gallucci said. It would be foolish for us not to listen to where we may be headed and to understand what all the issues are. That is what this forum is for.

Full coverage: California reacts to Sessions 

Though the state governments foray into immigration issues has drawn criticism outside California in recent months, it has broad support within the state. A January poll by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found 58% of likely voters wanted state and local immigration action. Among all adults, support rose to 65% of those surveyed.

Law enforcement officials have been divided on the issue. The most contested of the statutes  the so-called sanctuary state law  limits state and local law enforcement agencies from using any resources to hold, question or share information about people with federal immigration agents, unless they have violent or serious criminal convictions.

Advertisement

For many officers across the state, that wont change much of their daily work. Some police and sheriffs agencies already have developed similar restrictions on working with immigration agents, either through their own policies or under local sanctuary city rules.

The California Police Chiefs Assn. moved its official position from opposed to neutral after final changes to the bill, but the California State Sheriffs Assn. remained opposed.

Outside Sessions speech Wednesday, a few hundred people gathered to protest. Right before the speech began, protesters spilled out onto a major street, blocking traffic, and then marched around the building.

Maria Isabel Serrano, 46, from Imperial County, said the attorney general should focus on violent crimes, not immigration.

Advertisement

This is the only place where we have a sanctuary, Serrano said in Spanish. This lawsuit is uncalled for.

The protests are perhaps just a preview of whats to come. Trump will make his first trip to California on Tuesday, the White House announced. He will view border wall prototypes in San Diego and raise money at a high-dollar fundraiser in Beverly Hills.

Times staff writers John Myers and Seema Mehta contributed to this report.

jazmine.ulloa@latimes.com

Advertisement

Twitter: @jazmineulloa

ALSO

A fight simmers in the Bay Area over protecting the privacy of immigrants here illegally

Most California sheriffs fiercely opposed the sanctuary state law. Soon theyll have to implement it

Advertisement

California lawmakers passed the sanctuary state bill. What happens if Gov. Jerry Brown signs it?

California becomes sanctuary state in rebuke of Trump immigration policy

Heres why law enforcement groups are divided on legislation to turn California into a sanctuary state

Updates on California politics

Advertisement

UPDATES:

6:35 p.m.: This article has been updated for additional details and for clarity.

2:15 p.m.: This article was updated with new remarks from state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra.

12:05 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Gov. Jerry Brown, state leaders and law enforcement officers.

Advertisement

This article was originally published at 9:50 a.m.
An independent audit of Burbank polices internal policies found the department should reevaluate how investigations into officer-involved shootings are conducted and develop criteria on how and when officers accused of misconduct should be placed on leave.

The recommendations were just some of the 18 offered by the Office of Independent Review, an oversight organization hired by the Burbank Police Department in 2012 after officers were accused of racial discrimination, sexual harassment and police brutality. Its fifth audit of the department was presented during a joint meeting of the City Council and Police Commission on Feb. 27.

The audit primarily focused on cases that occurred in 2016.

Michael Gennaco, a consultant with the Office of Independent Review, praised the department for the strides it has made over the years in becoming a more introspective and transparent organization.

It doesnt mean they cant get better, and it doesnt mean we havent found ways of improvement, he said. We are continually looking for ways in which the department can improve their protocols, policies, guidance and training.

Some of the issues the audit looked at included an examination of the departments email practices and vehicle pursuits initiated by officers, which were both analyzed in the last report.

Out of the 18 recommendations, seven stemmed from how the department handled two cases of officer-involved shootings  one where a man shot himself outside a McDonalds after exchanging gunfire with police and another where a man rammed his vehicle into a patrol car.

According to the audit, the shootings were the first the department experienced in several years.

One recommendation called on all officers who witness a shooting be interviewed rather than just the ones who fired their weapons.

It stemmed from the first shooting where the audit said the department had been generally thorough and objective in its investigation, but found it relied on police reports rather than interviews with officers who were at the scene.

They naturally lacked the depth of information gained by a comprehensive interview, the audit said.

In response, department officials said they agreed with the recommendation and will now require all police witnesses be interviewed.

Another recommendation called on investigators to interview officers who fire their weapons as soon as possible after the incident. In the case of the second shooting, the officer was interviewed the following day.

While the audit still considered the interview timely, its preferable for officers to be interviewed before the end of their shift.

Officials said that going forward the department will make every effort to conduct those interviews before the end of the officers shift.

Two of the recommendations in the report stemmed from a pair of incidents where officers resigned over allegations of sexual misconduct.

The audit said the behavior of the officers occurred over several years and revolved around sexual contacts, many of them in an on-duty context and/or relating to individuals whom the subject officers met in the context of their work responsibilities. The officers were not named in the report.

It was recommended that the department should better reinforce expectations on how officers should conduct themselves while on duty and with personal relationships that may develop from police contacts.

Burbank police officials said they will conduct department-wide training on the consequences of any such personal relationships moving forward.

In the case of one of the officers accused of sexual misconduct, the audit found that they remained on duty for several weeks before being placed on administrative leave.

In our view, the scope of [the allegation] was sufficiently grave, and the proof sufficiently persuasive, that it warranted intervention at an earlier point in the timeline than when BPD executives acted, according to the audit.

The audit called on the department to set and follow standards on evaluating whether or not an officer should be placed on leave or be restricted from public contact if they are accused of serious misconduct.

In its response, the police department agreed with the Office of Independent Review and said it will evaluate accused officers on a case-by-case basis. The department will also consult with the Burbanks Management Services Department and the City Attorneys Office in developing evaluation standards.

A full copy of the audits report can be found online at the police departments website.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
Eight cars caught fire Sunday afternoon after an unknown liquid flowing down a street gutter ignited in Burbank, authorities say.

The cars were parked along North Lincoln Street in the 1800 block when the fire broke out around 2:45 p.m., according to Battalion Chief John Owings, a spokesman for the Burbank Fire Department.

He said three of the eight vehicles were destroyed by the fire.

Investigators are unsure what the liquid was or how it caught fire, according to Owings.

Several fire engines and trucks were called to the scene, and the flames were extinguished within 10 minutes. Also, firefighters were able to prevent the liquid from entering a nearby storm drain.

Owings said structures near where the fire broke out suffered only minor damage.

Fire investigators are looking into the incident.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
An upcoming play at the Victory Theatre Center in Burbank hopes to teach audiences that there is always time to find love, but also that there is hope for good in the world.

Actors Brea Bee and Marshall McCabe star in the romantic comedy Unemployed Elephants  A Love Story, which will debut at the intimate theater, located at 3326 W. Victory Blvd., on Friday and run through April 15.



For the record: A previous version of this story misidentified one of Wendy Grafs previous plays. The play is Please Dont Ask About Becket, not Pie in the Sky.

The play is about two strangers who are looking to start over and trying to find love while on a trip to the southeast Asia country of Myanmar in 2015.

The production is directed by Maria Gobetti, a co-founder of the Victory Theatre Center. After attending a reading of the play, Gobetti said she fell in love with the dialogue between the two characters, and she liked that the story takes place in Myanmar before todays conflicts in the country.

Currently, thousands of Rohingya, an indigenous ethnic group from Myanmar that is primarily Muslim, have been fleeing the country as the local government ethnically cleanses  as the United Nations identifies the human-rights violation  the group from the country.

I felt that life is really always full of lighter and darker moments, and the major themes of Unemployed Elephants are about love and trust, real care and lies, Gobetti said. These two characters have to find their way to the trusts and truths that are important, just like we all do.

Unemployed Elephants is a short departure for playwright Wendy Graf, who is best known for her more serious plays, including No Word in Guyanese for Me and Please Dont Ask About Becket.

Graf said she got the idea for the play after going on a trip with her husband to Myanmar in 2016, about a year before the conflict in the country began.

Before going on the trip, she said she looked through travel brochures about Myanmar and thought it would be a beautiful place to vacation. But she added that she knew a little about the issues surrounding the Rohingya.

I asked people there about the Rohingya, but nobody would talk about it, Graf said, adding that one of her tour guides had been sent to jail for speaking out against the Myanmar government on the topic.

During her trip, Graf also learned about another issue that the people of Myanmar were facing, and that was the unemployment of thousands of elephants.

She said the locals used the elephants to transport teak, a type of wood, but that came to an end after there was nothing left to harvest.

The idea to write the play as a comedy and not a drama came by circumstance. Graf said she wrote the play during a 48-hour playwriting exercise, in which she had two days to come up with a play based off a prompt.

Her prompt ended up being a picture of an elephant, which reminded her of her Myanmar trip.

Graf said she called the play Unemployed Elephants because the out-of-work animals shared similar attributes to the two people in the play.

The two people are looking for a new life, and the elephants are also looking for a new life, she said. The elephants got depressed and fat, like some people do in that situation. So, the elephants are a metaphor for the characters.

Ultimately, Graf said her play is about giving people a sense of hope that love can be found wherever a person is in their life. However, she hopes that people also recognize the wrongdoings being done to those in Myanmar and others facing persecution elsewhere.

So maybe, in kind of a backhanded way, out of a romantic comedy will come some knowledge of these human-rights violations there and around the world, she said. We need to do something about it.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio
Costa Mesa will maintain the status quo in filling its city attorney position after council members decided against making any change Tuesday.

On a 3-2 vote, with members Katrina Foley and John Stephens opposed, the council opted to keep the system thats been in place since 2004, in which Costa Mesa contracts with law firm Jones & Mayer for city attorney services.

Tom Duarte, a partner in the firm, has served as municipal counsel since 2011.

Such a system is not unique to Costa Mesa. Of the 34 cities in Orange County, 29 contract with a law firm to fill the city attorney role, according to Costa Mesa staff.

Mayor Pro Tem Allan Mansoor said making a switch now would be very disruptive.

I just see this continuing pattern of cleaning house, and it has me very concerned, Mansoor said, referring to the councils decision last year to vacate appointments on the city planning, senior and parks and recreation commissions, which he opposed. If we need better oversight on billing, if we need better oversight on how cases are managed [or] cost issues, Im all for that and Ill examine that. But I dont think this is the right way to go about it. Its certainly not the right time to go about it.

Stephens favored continuing to use a contractor rather than creating an in-house city attorneys office, but he said the council should put the position out to bid.

They would have the opportunity to bid to retain their job, Stephens said of Jones & Mayer, but wed be able to see what the alternatives are, and I believe the community deserves that type of oversight from the City Council.

Stephens, who requested in January that the council examine the city attorney position, recited a laundry list of issues hes had with the representation Costa Mesa has received in various cases.

He also pointed to instances of what he called really bad lawyering, such as court documents that werent filed on time or were submitted without required information.

Foley also supported putting the contract out to bid, saying she doesnt believe Duarte and Jones & Mayer have been sufficiently proactive in providing advice and opinions to help the city with legal issues.

Instead, she said, research and analysis have at times fallen to her and Stephens, both of whom are lawyers.

That is not meeting my expectation of what I would expect from our city attorney, Foley said. Its not meeting the expectation that people would expect from any lawyer.

However, some believe the impetus for the discussion was the councils decision in November to remove Foley from her appointed role as mayor and replace her with member Sandy Genis.

Duarte and Stephens disagreed at the time on whether the council could take that action.

I think some of this stems from some kind of vindictiveness because of what happened with switching out the mayor ... so I have a little concern that all of a sudden this was brought up, local resident Beth Refakes said Tuesday.

Stephens acknowledged that he was disappointed with how the mayoral reassignment was handled but said hes way, way over it.

I have no animosity toward Mr. Duarte  I like him personally, Stephens said. I have no animosity toward any Jones & Mayer attorneys. I like them, so this is not personal. Its business.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney
The Costa Mesa Planning Commission gave the green light to another medical marijuana manufacturing and distribution facility Monday night.

Commissioners voted unanimously to grant a conditional use permit for Natures Market, which plans to open in an existing 24,379-square-foot industrial building at 1675 Toronto Way.

It is the sixth medical marijuana facility the commission has approved for the area of the city where businesses that research, test, process and manufacture such products are allowed under Measure X, an initiative approved by local voters in 2016. The area is north of South Coast Drive and west of Harbor Boulevard.

The commissions vote is final unless appealed to the City Council within seven days.

Costa Mesa still prohibits retail sales of marijuana and marijuana products. Activities at Natures Market would include extraction, manufacturing/processing, packaging, staging, storage and distribution of cannabis products, according to planning documents.

The processing plant takes in cannabis material to be processed into concentrated oil and packaged into cannabis vapor pens, the documents state.

The facility can operate up to 24 hours daily. Delivery and distribution would not be permitted between midnight and 5 a.m.

Commissioner Carla Navarro Woods praised the application for its thorough description of the operation.

Thank you for setting the bar a little higher, she told Natures Market representatives who attended Mondays meeting. I hope that any subsequent applications really take the time to be this detailed about their own particular business.

Before it can open, Natures Market must receive final fire prevention, finance and building safety approvals from the city as well as a medical marijuana business permit and business license. State approval also is required.

The city has a litany of other requirements for medical marijuana businesses, including detailed security plans generally including installing alarms, cameras and lighting and having specified controlled-access areas. Also, anyone younger than 21 may not be allowed onsite, and cannabis cannot be consumed at the business at any time in any form.

Ann Parker, the only resident who spoke Monday about the Natures Market application, expressed concern with the operations safety and security, particularly in transporting products.

I dont think the city of Costa Mesa has one clue what its getting into, she said.

Commission Vice Chairman Byron de Arakal pointed out that residents approved Measure X and said he thinks the best thing to do is to abide by what the voters put in place [and] watch how the state regulates these.

Just to say no because we dont know what were getting into I dont think is the right way to go, he said.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney
Neighborhood Congregational Church in Laguna Beach will celebrate its 75th anniversary Friday with an event highlighting its unique architecture.

The churchs event, which begins at 6:30 p.m., includes a tour of the sanctuary. Local architectural historian and writer Ted Wells will lead the presentation.

Neighborhood Congregational traces its roots to 1943, when it was founded above the Sandpiper bar on South Coast Highway. By 1947, the church began its expansion to its current property at 340 St. Anns Drive, which it purchased for $25,000.

Its original sanctuary was built in the Mediterranean Revival style, boasting mahogany beams and stained glass windows. It also contained a parsonage, allowing the live-in pastor to have a 12-step commute to work, church officials say.

The faithful pray and meditate while walking a labyrinth on Good Friday in 2000 at Neighborhood Congregational Church in Laguna Beach. (File Photo / Los Angeles Times )

Aubrey St. Clair designed the original sanctuary. His work is present around Laguna, including his design of the fire station next to City Hall and the Laguna Beach County Water District headquarters.

In the 1960s, Neighborhood Congregational built a second sanctuary. Its ceiling resembles an upside-down ark and contains extensive artwork given to the church by local artists.

Neighborhood Congregational is a progressive church  in 2006, its members voted to be a congregation that includes all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, marital status, age, mental or physical ability, race, ethnicity or socioeconomic background.

It performed its first gay wedding in 2008, a point of pride for the church, said Kristen Purll, its office and rental manager.

Its something that we embrace, she said.

Neighborhood Congregational Church in Laguna Beach expanded to its current property at 340 St. Anns Drive in 1947. (File Photo )

Pastor Rodrick Echols said the church has been inclusive throughout its 75-year history. Nowadays, it attracts around 60 to 75 worshippers each Sunday.

Were still the same open and diverse, inclusive community we were then, Echols said. Now we have a congregation that is just as open, progressive and affirming.

Neighborhood Congregationals 75th-anniversary celebration will continue in June with a two-day event billed as a world peace and justice weekend. It will include cultural healing, interfaith dialogue and food, Echols said.

For more information, visit ncclaguna.org.

bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZint
An attorney for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District has filed an appeal in Orange County Superior Court seeking to block the release of a report summarizing an investigation into a controversial award application from Mariners Elementary School.

Attorney Anthony De Marco filed the appeal Feb. 22, a month after Superior Court Judge Linda Marks ordered the district to release the summary report by that date.

In her Jan. 22 ruling, Marks also ordered the district to submit the full investigation report within five days so she could determine how much, if any, of it could be made public. The judges review was to be conducted within 20 days of receiving the report.

Newport-Mesa spokeswoman Annette Franco said Tuesday that the district submitted the full report by the deadline and that the court is reviewing it.

However, the district said in a statement that in order to protect the confidentiality of all individuals who participated in this investigation, we oppose the disclosure of the investigative report or any summaries related to this investigation.

John Caldecott, the districts former director of human resources, petitioned last year for a court order to force the public release of documents related to the Mariners investigation.

On Tuesday, Caldecott called the districts appeal a tactic to avoid transparency.

The district is spending public funds to avoid following California Public Records Acts requests and causing people to file a writ of mandate to get documents that should be released through normal course of events, Caldecott said.

In 2016, Mariners teachers alleged inaccuracies in a Gold Ribbon Award application that then-Principal Laura Canzone submitted to the California Department of Education the previous fall, when she was known as Laura Sacks. The Newport Beach school received the award.

Canzone later requested new duties and was transferred to Costa Mesa Middle School as a principal on special assignment.

Shortly after the district announced that an independent investigation of the matter had been completed by Dana Point-based Nicole Miller and Associates, Canzone submitted a letter of resignation in March 2017 and was on paid administrative leave through June 30.

The district has said it would not publicly disclose the findings of the investigation or any actions resulting from it because of employee privacy rights.

But Marks wrote in her ruling that given the public nature of the allegations against Dr. Sacks, her privacy interest is minimal and does not outweigh the publics interest in understanding why Sacks was exonerated and how the district treated the accusations.

The court also ordered the school district to pay Caldecotts attorney fees.

We all know that the school got that award, Caldecott said Tuesday, but were not clear what the school did to deal with the teachers concerns.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella
Good morning. Its Wednesday, March 7. Heres whats been happening around O.C.

Top story

O.C. school districts review safety plans after Parkland shooting

In the weeks following a mass shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 people dead and many injured, Orange County school districts are reviewing their safety protocols with an eye toward improvement. With numerous national school shootings within the past several years, analyzing and finalizing an adequate school safety program has become all the more crucial. TimesOC

Around the county

United Way launches a new homelessness initiative

Orange County United Way has launched a new homelessness initiative to identify permanent housing locations and unify the county to address the issue. Daily Pilot

Huntington Beach foundry settles environmental lawsuit

A Huntington Beach foundry has settled a lawsuit filed by Costa Mesa-based Orange County Coastkeeper alleging that discharges from the facility were polluting nearby waterways and violating federal environmental laws. Daily Pilot

Professor is IDd in video telling couple to go back to your home country

Coast Community College District officials are reviewing how to proceed after a professor and counselor at Golden West College in Huntington Beach was identified in a video telling a Long Beach couple to go back to your home country. Daily Pilot

Education

O.C. parents opt to put children in language immersion programs

A growing group of parents in Orange County is opting for foreign-language immersion programs as early as preschool to give their kids a competitive advantage in the global economy. TimesOC

Hatch Culinary Lab for students launches at OC Fair & Event Center

Hatch Culinary Lab is a free culinary education program developed through a partnership among the OC Fair & Event Center, CulinaryLab Contemporary Cooking School, Anaheims Innovative Mentorship Experience program (AIME) and Spectra, OC Fairs concessionaire. TimesOC

Diocese credits strong academics and arts for increase in school enrollment

As Catholic schools decline across the country, the Diocese of Orange is defying the trend. The number of students keeps going up year after year. TimesOC

Life & arts

On Theater: A majestic King and I revival at Segerstrom Center

The King and I is currently onstage in a magnificent production at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. TimesOC

Business & real estate

Some Disney Anaheim workers say they cant afford basic living expenses

Only weeks after Walt Disney Co. reported better-than-expected profit, a survey at the companys Anaheim theme parks found that 73% of employees questioned dont earn enough to pay for such expenses as rent, food and gas. Los Angeles Times

Uber ex-CEO joins Irvine medical software start-ups board

Travis Kalanick has found his first known gig since the former Uber Technologies Inc. chief executive was ousted from the company he co-founded. Kalanick is joining the board of his friends medical office software company. Bloomberg via Los Angeles Times

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to dailypilot@latimes.com.
Amira Chowdhury, an 18-year-old senior at Hoover High School and first-generation American, recently beat about 80,000 other applicants to become a 2018 Coca-Cola Scholar, adding to her already long list of achievements.

Chowdhury is now one of the 150 students chosen to receive a $20,000 scholarship, an annual award given by the Coca-Cola Scholarship Foundation.

She endured a three-round selection process, where the list of hopefuls was whittled down by their academic profiles, then reduced further based on their community service histories. The finalists were selected after interviews with program alumni as well as Coca-Cola officials.

The selection opens access to a network of other winners and, of course, substantial aid toward college. While Chowdhury, who grew up in a low-income home in Bangladesh, appreciates the college funds, shes already accepted a full-ride scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania but will put the money toward academics.

Last year, Chowdhury co-founded a nonprofit called Peerlift. Its designed to connect high school students, particularly those from low-income families, with proven college opportunities such as internships, summer programs and scholarships. The idea came from her own experience as a first-generation student navigating the college application process.

Peerlift is also why she sought the Coke scholarship. While serving as a California delegate for the United States Senate Youth Program, she made friends with young people who were previous Coke scholars, and they touted the program. She is now working with members of the 2017 Coca-Cola Scholarship class to expand Peerlift opportunities.

Chowdhury came to the United States in 2012 and attended sixth through eighth grades in Arizona. She said she grew up in an environment that did not emphasize education for women  her mother never went beyond the equivalent of the eighth grade.

Just three weeks into sixth grade, Chowdhury remembers when an Arizona state representative visited her class and handed out a flier about college.

I read a pie chart that said there was a 58% male-to-female ratio at [Arizona State University], she said. I remember staring at it for a good two minutes because I was stunned. How was that even possible?

Chowdhury said she credits much of her success to Jennifer Earl, principal at Hoover High.

She takes care of each and every student at Hoover like her own. She has made me believe in myself unlike anyone else, Chowdhury said. She has given me confidence in my ability and has made me feel hopeful when I felt hopeless.

When not meeting with President Trump through the Senate Youth program or working as the student board member for the Glendale Unified School District, Chowdhury said she likes to spend time with her friends and explore different fields of interest online when shes alone.

Her advice to incoming seniors and all students is simple: seek opportunities beyond the immediate community and dont be afraid to apply.

No one thought an immigrant with five years in the country, who survived on food stamps, would represent California in the Youth Senate, and get scholarships like Coca-Cola, she said. These are things no one expects a low-income, first-generation student to do. But I was able to because I had gained the courage to seek opportunities beyond Glendale.

jeff.landa@latimes.com

Twitter: @JeffLanda
Receiving Justin Wood, head of the Asia-Pacific region of the WEF in Hanoi on March 7, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue hailed the WEF for sending a delegation to Vietnam to study the countrys preparation for the event.

He expressed his hope that the event will help popularise Vietnamese image and open opportunities for foreign partners to land investment in the country.

Hue lauded the WEF for successfully organising the WEF Annual Meeting 2018 in Davos, Switzerland in January and thanked the organisation for its warm welcome for Vietnamese delegation.

Wood, for his part, said that Vietnams participation at the WEF Annual Meeting and Hues speeches on global free trade and ASEAN connection made significant contributions to the success of the event.

He affirmed to join hands with Vietnam to organise the WEF on ASEAN, stressing that it will offer chances to ASEAN and Vietnam in particular to attract investment and bolster business cooperation with its partners.

The WEF was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The forum has strived in all its efforts to demonstrate entrepreneurship in the global public interest while upholding the highest standards of governance.
About 40 community members helped shape the future of Glendales Verdugo Park during the final public meeting before the Community Services and Parks Department brings three concept proposals to City Council for feedback.

Landscape architect and consultant David Volz led the presentation and discussion at the Glendale Civic Auditorium Monday to incorporate the last round of community feedback to proposed changes, which include an ADA all-inclusive playground, a new granite pathway as well as community rooms and restrooms at Verdugo Park.

The renovation project carries an estimated $3.8-million price tag with construction slated to start by December and will take about one year to complete. City Council members approved the all-inclusive park project last year to replace the existing six-year-old playground. City officials held one other meeting in June to help shape what was presented Monday.

Concept A for the $3.8 million Verdugo Park rehabilitation project. (City of Glendale )

Each of the three proposals maintains the staging area site for the citys maintenance workers, which Koko Panossian, deputy director with the citys Community Services and Parks Department, said would be too cumbersome to relocate.

Many liked that Concept As central parking location provided easier park access for those with disabilities, but overall preferred the lot to be located near the maintenance yard and away from the main park area as designed in Concepts B and C.

Concept B for the $3.8 million Verdugo Park rehabilitation project. (City of Glendale )

All three concepts will incorporate the same scope of work  the playground, parking, pathway and restrooms  but each deviates in the location of parking, the park entrance and main vehicle path. They all, however, propose to reduce the amount of turf by about an acre.

According to Onnig Bulanikian, director of community services and parks, community consensus went between concepts A and B, which do away with concept Cs vehicle path that runs through the park and out to Colina Drive and a community room.

Concept C for the $3.8 million Verdugo Park rehabilitation project. (City of Glendale )

There was some back and forth on the need for new exercise equipment, with some residents saying it is not used often. However, city officials countered that it is, in fact, used, and exercise equipment is a trend in parks nationwide.

There is a segment of the park portioned out as a potential site for a historic village  where important Glendale homes that need to be relocated could be moved  but many in attendance preferred to leave the space open.

Some also worried about how the project would affect the number of trees in the park, with Volz confirming that concepts A and B will remove 23 trees but each will be replaced. Concept C would remove 31. Seventeen of the trees expected to be removed would be redwoods.

Regarding parking, a few residents said they were worried that any extra parking spaces would become an overflow for Glendale Community College students. Bulanikian said the spaces would be clearly marked for park use and a good portion would be set aside for handicap accessibility.

jeff.landa@latimes.com

Twitter: @JeffLanda
Ten Years Ago

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department announced its Crescenta Valley station would be welcoming a new captain due to the pending March 31, 2008, retirement of Capt. Tim Peters. Stepping into Peters shoes was David Silversparre, a local resident who said returning to the station hed first served at in 1973 as an Explorer was like a dream come true.

Twenty Years Ago

After decades of sometimes heated debate among La Canada citizens, it was decided that the section of the city north of Foothill Boulevard, from Gould Avenue eastward to Oak Grove Drive would get sewers. Sewer Assessment District No. 1 was approved by property owners with in the district, with 76% of them in favor of the project. Hallelujah, said Paulette Place resident Angelo Buffalino, who had worked with neighbor Ralph Lipscomb to see the assessment approved by voters and the district formed.

Thirty Years Ago

The La Canada High School Spartan Marching Band and its auxiliary teams were thinking green as they prepared to travel to Dublin, Ireland, to take part in the Millennium St. Patricks Day Parade. The students raised $30,000 for the trip from family members, friends and community groups, including the Kiwanis Club of La Canada.

Forty Years Ago

A resolution was passed by the La Canada Flintridge City Council to rename Triangle Park on Angeles Crest Highway. The move, which dubbed the small green space Glenola Park, was in honor of its neighboring resident Nola Dolberg and her late husband, Glenn, for their many outstanding years of public service dedicated to town beautification projects. Nola Luxford Dolberg, a native of New Zealand who moved to the U.S. in 1919, had gained fame first as a silent film actress and later as a writer and radio broadcaster.

Fifty Years Ago

Ralphs markets were celebrating the companys 95th anniversary with The Big Change to Lower Prices promotion throughout the chain, including its location in La Caada. Among the items advertised were two heads of iceberg lettuce for 25 cents, 10 pounds of Idaho russet potatoes for 37 cents and 8 pounds of Valencia oranges for $1. Sweetening the deal, Ralphs offered Blue Chip savings stamps with every purchase. When customers collected enough stamps to fill booklets included with the program, they could trade them in for a variety of home goods, as they could with S&H Green Stamps offered at other retailers.

Sixty Years Ago

A concrete deck over the Hay Canyon flood control channel on Cornishon Avenue was nearing completion in March 1958. When done, a roadway connecting Cornishon to Descanso Drive would be built. The county promised it would also close the upper end of Cornishon at Foothill Boulevard, either permanently or during school hours at the then-operating La Canada Junior High School.

Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci.
Feb. 28

Grand theft: 1500 block of Foothill Boulevard. Sometime between 6 p.m. Feb. 27 and 7:30 a.m. Feb. 28, someone entered a locked, gated patio and took a wrought iron bench, a wooden rocking chair, a black metal bistro-style dining set and a wicker patio set that had been on display there. The assistant store manager reported that he also discovered on subsequently checking the boulevard side of the business that someone had broken ceramic pots containing plants and left them strewn on the sidewalk.

Vandalism: 1200 block of Foothill Boulevard. A volunteer pastor at a church noticed several small holes in a stained glass window on the north side of one of the churchs campus buildings. He found pieces of broken glass in a planter beneath the window. Stepping inside a seldom-used classroom on the other side of the window, he found pieces of glass there as well. He said the last time hed made an inspection of the buildings perimeter was around the first of the year.

Shoplifting: 2200 block of Foothill Boulevard. An employee observed the same woman, described only as being white, walk out of the store on two occasions, Feb. 17 and Feb. 22, with goods she had not paid for. Both times, she was seen getting into a black Ford Explorer and taking off. The second time, the employee was able to record the Explorers license plate number, which law enforcement traced to an address in La Canada Flintridge. When a deputy investigating the matter went to that home address he found no one there. During her visits to the store, the woman allegedly took an Easter-themed wall decoration, two trays and a wreath.

March 3

Vandalism: 1300 block of Foothill Blvd. A woman reported that sometime between 5 p.m. March 2 and 10 a.m. March 3, someone etched letters on the upper left portion of an exterior door. A responding deputy found the letters BPPXMBPP etched there. Checking with a neighboring business, the deputy was shown video surveillance footage of a white male in his 20s, wearing a dark jacket and dark knit cap peering into a storefront. The suspect appears to become angry, pick up a flower planter, tip it over onto the sidewalk, then continue to look through the windows of other businesses, but it does not show him etching letters in a door.
National parks received 330,882,751 visitors in 2017, a little less than the record-setting number in 2016, the National Park Services centennial year. So where did all those travelers go?

Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee tops the list with more than 11 million visitors, almost twice as many as the second-most-visited park. The numbers were announced last week by the National Park Service.

Yosemite National Park, which was the third most-visited park in 2016, dropped to No. 5 in 2017. And Arizonas Grand Canyon, in the No. 2 spot, hit a milestone 6-million-plus visitors.

Here are the rest of the most-visited parks last year:

Advertisement

3. Zion National Park in Utah

4. Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado

5. Yosemite National Park in California

6. Yellowstone National Park in Montana and Wyoming

7. Acadia National Park in Maine

8. Olympic National Park in Washington state

9. Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming

10. Glacier National Park in Montana

Advertisement

Most  385 of 417 parks in the National Park System  count the number of visitors. The system also oversees other federal lands, such as scenic parkways, recreation areas, national memorials, etc.

Here are the 10 most-visited sites in the system.

1. Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia

2. Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the San Francisco Bay Area

Advertisement

3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee

4. Gateway National Recreation Area in New York and New Jersey

5. The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

6. Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada and Arizona

Advertisement

7. George Washington Memorial Parkway in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

8. Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee

9. Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona

10. Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Advertisement

We visited 12 national parks and found out why they matter and how they tell our story 

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
On Jan. 25, 1987, a series of portraits of homeless people by Lacy Atkins appeared in the Los Angeles Times. The portraits accompanied a series of profiles by staff writer Garry Abrams. Outtakes from Abrams article are below each portrait.

Kate Livingston

Livingston and her 15-year-old son, Christopher, spent their first homeless night in a restaurant. I kept telling them I was waiting for my husband, who was in an all-night poker game, she recalled. At first light, muttering insults against all unpunctual men, the 46-year-old divorced woman and her son pushed out into the unknown.

They have been homeless for about a year, Livingston said. Until she was laid off her $1,250-a-month job taking telephone orders at an electronics firm, the two lived in a $550-a-month, one-bedroom apartment in Culver City. She now receives $249 a month in welfare.

Before they moved to the Harbor Interfaith Shelter in San Pedro seven weeks ago, Livingston said she and her son had lived most of the year at a Santa Monica shelter, where she was an unpaid worker. She never imagined that she would be homeless. ...

Jan. 12, 1987: Paul Robinson recently lived in a tent city near Los Angeles City Hall. Lacy Atkins / Los Angeles Times

Paul Robinson

A Chicago native, Robinson, 33, said he has been in Los Angeles about 4 1/2 years and has been homeless for about a year. He was one of two persons arrested and briefly jailed along with homeless organizer Ted Hayes when Tent City, a homeless protest camp in downtown Los Angeles, was disbanded after the New Years holiday.

Robinson figures he is homeless because I kind of choose to stay out here to some degree, but to some degree, Ive been forced out here. Explaining that he quit his job as a hotel desk clerk out of frustration, really, he added, I was frustrated because I used my income on wine. I wasnt going nowhere. It seemed like I never could have money working at that job, so I took to the streets. ...

Jan. 12, 1987: Geneva Reese, 36, and daughter Eve, 13, live in a van. Reese, an artist, holds her sketchbook, while Eve holds a textbook she studies. Lacy Atkins / Los Angeles Times

Geneva Reese

The Reeses, who live in a van, left Phoenix a little more than a year ago. Since then, Geneva Reese said, she has been trying to sell her art in the Southern California area  without much success. Over the New Years holiday, the mother and daughter migrated from Orange County to Pasadena. Reese blamed hassles with the police and a generally unfriendly atmosphere for the departure. But she also said such problems probably are inevitable anywhere.

When my daughter was born, the dream of my life was to fix up an RV [recreational vehicle] or a van or a camper or something and tour the country, doing artwork as I went and just seeing parts of this country Ive never had a chance to see, Reese said. At that time, a lot of people were doing things like that, and it was accepted. Now people arent travelers anymore if theyre touring the country. If they dont have a lot of money, theyre transients. Its become a new dirty word. ...

Jan. 12, 1987: Elizabeth Presley, 46, has been homeless for two years. She says that her religious faith helps her cope with homelessness. Lacy Atkins / Los Angeles Times

Elizabeth Presley

Presley, 46 and a native of Memphis, Tenn., has lived in Southern California since 1971. She has been homeless for about two years. Although she is currently in a downtown shelter, Presley said she has spent most of that time on the streets. She declined to say where she sleeps, but caseworkers at the Inner City Law Center said she has generally found shelter in a mini-storage rental facility. A cheerful woman whose religious faith apparently sustains her, Presley said her only income is from infrequent day jobs such as cleaning houses. She no longer can work as a nurses aide, she said, because arthritis has sapped her ability to stay on her feet. ...

Jan. 12, 1987: Derrick McClendon, 31, wife Janice, 28, and children Lakretia, 7, Sonora, 15 months, and Carmello, 4 months, live in a shelter through the Inner Faith Center in San Pedro. Lacy Atkins / Los Angeles Times

Derrick McClendon

Derrick and Janice McClendon came to Los Angeles with their three daughters, Carmello, 4 months; Sonora, 15 months; and Lakretia, 7, from Michigan about two years ago in search of work. For about a year, the family had a one-bedroom apartment in Hollywood while McClendon had a job that paid $5 per hour. He was laid off eight months ago. ...

Jan. 2, 1987: Robbie, 16, a homeless young man whose last name was withheld, is also known by his street name, Pilot. He is part of Project Homeless Youth helping Hollywood youth. Lacy Atkins / Los Angeles Times

Robbie, 16

Robbie and Kim are among 20 juveniles in a new program  Project Homeless Youth, operated by the Los Angeles Youth Network  for the runaways who descend on Hollywood by the hundreds, perhaps thousands. Project workers say the program provides multiple services, including shelter, to young people who, as one worker put it, are homeless with a skateboard or a suitcase full of [music] tapes. ...

Robbie hitchhiked to Los Angeles from Philadelphia. He has been here only a few weeks. My mother and father left me when I was only about 8, and my sister took care of me, he said. While he was away from his sisters home one day, Robbie said, she moved without leaving word where she had gone, and he decided to come to California. 

(The image of Kim is missing from the archives.)

Jan. 12, 1987: Debbie Robinson, 32, with her two cats, Kalayaan, 13, and Mollie, 4, live in their parked car in Encino. Lacy Atkins / Los Angeles Times

Debbie Robinson

Robinson, 32, lives in her 1982 Ford EXP in the parking lot of an Encino discount store. The cars windows are blocked with plastic and cardboard. She shares the cramped interior with her two cats, Mollie and Kalayaan. The car has Ohio license plates, but Robinson said she came to Los Angeles a few months ago from Seattle, where she lost her job. Robinson dotes on her pets and said that she has taken them to a veterinarian when they needed medical attention. ...

Jan. 2, 1987: Thomas Gist, 47, is involved with the City Stage, a skid row theater that produces shows by and about homeless people. Lacy Atkins / Los Angeles Times

Thomas Gist

Formerly of Detroit and Phoenix, Gist, 47, has lived on the streets of Los Angeles since quitting drugs and alcohol nearly two years ago, he said. Currently staying in a downtown shelter, Gist said he is a loner when he is on the street.

I was on drugs and alcohol for 20 years, and Ive got some behavior thats not normal, he explained. I have fear attacks, anxiety attacks. I dont talk to people. Im anti-social, I guess. If somebody gets too close, I move. Its really kind of simple. ...

Jan. 10, 1987: Karen Davis, 42, and Jimmy Harris, 29, live in a trailer at Hanson Dam. Lacy Atkins / Los Angeles Times

Jimmy Harris and Karen Davis

Harris, 29, and Davis, 42, live out of a 3-foot-by-5-foot trailer parked near an entrance to Hansen Dam Park in the San Fernando Valley. They have been in the park area about three months, they said.

The two said they plan to marry next month and hope to tie the knot in Las Vegas. But, Davis admitted ruefully, they may have to settle for less.

A native of Tyler, Texas, Davis said she has been in the Los Angeles area 26 years. She has not had a regular job for about a year, she added. Harris said that he had been out of work for about six months and that when he was working, he often had to choose between food and shelter. ...

Jan. 12, 1987: Bryan "Tennessee" Harrison has been homeless for more than two years. Lacy Atkins / Los Angeles Times

Jan. 12, 1987: Jerry Nichols, 46, a longtime drug addict, has been living on the streets for years. Lacy Atkins / Los Angeles Times

Bryan Harrison and Jerry Nichols

Bryan Harrison, 50, and Jerry Nichols, 46, inhabit the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Harrison, who has been homeless for more than two years, said he is an alcoholic. Throughout an interview, he sipped wine from a plastic bottle. Nichols, who said he is a homosexual and a longtime drug addict, has been rambling for 20 years.

His life on the street, Harrison said, has been pure agonizing hell. Every day and every night, about every hour, my life is in danger. Ive been beaten up so many times its not funny. My first three weeks on the street, I was beaten up three times. Also, Im a drinker  an alcoholic  and one thing I try not to do is ever get real drunk and stagger and collapse on the street. I would be dead if I did that. 

Nichols was more upbeat in describing his circumstances. Hes homeless partly because I had a real bad drug habit, anything I could put in a needle, anything I could eat, swallow, shoot or snort, Nichols said. After you do something like that, nobody wants to give you a job. You might as well be an alcoholic brain surgeon. I handle the streets a lot better than Tennessee does. To me, theyre still funny. When they cease being funny, Im going to have to do something. You see the damnedest things. When I was walking up here, there was a guy over there changing clothes, naked as a jaybird. If you want to let things depress you and get you down, the quickest way in the world to do it is to live on the streets. I would rather laugh. ...

See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here
British police confirmed Wednesday that a potentially deadly nerve agent was used to deliberately attack a former Russian spy and his daughter, and the case is now being treated as attempted murder.

A police officer who was one of the first to attend to the pair after they were found slumped unconscious on a bench near a shopping mall in the picturesque cathedral city of Salisbury has also fallen ill and is currently in serious condition in a hospital intensive care unit.

Police would not identify the specific nerve agent used in the attack, but such toxins are hugely dangerous and sophisticated, and can only be manufactured using specialist training. They typically enter the body through the nose or mouth and attack the nervous system, stopping it from working.

We believe the two people who originally became unwell were the specific targets, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the head of counter-terrorism policing, told reporters outside Scotland Yard in London. [We] are focused on identifying and finding those responsible.

Advertisement

The two victims have been widely named as former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter, Yulia, 33. They remained in critical condition in intensive care.

Speculation mounted Wednesday that Russia was behind the attack, given the strong similarities to the case of former Russian intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko, who died from radioactive polonium-210 poisoning in London in 2006. An inquest into Litvinenkos death pointed the finger of blame at Russian intelligence, and said Russian President Vladimir Putin was likely aware and supportive of the attack.

There have been other cases of people who crossed Russian authorities and wound up dead under mysterious circumstances in Britain, beginning with Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov, who died in London in 1978 after being jabbed in the leg with a poison-tipped umbrella. The Soviet KGB was widely suspected. Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, an outspoken critic of Putin, was found dead in his home in southern England in 2013 with a scarf wrapped around his neck. No cause of death was ever determined.

Russia has strongly denied any involvement in the latest case, branding such accusations part of an anti-Russian campaign, but there is a clear motive.

Skripal is a retired Russian military intelligence officer who was convicted and jailed for being a double agent for British intelligence service MI6. He was released in 2010 during a prisoner swap and had been given refuge in Britain, where he reportedly kept a low profile, but was not using a different identity.

A police officer stands outside the Zizzi restaurant in Salisbury, England, on Wednesday. (Andrew Matthews / Associated Press )

The fact that Russia may have carried out such a brazen attack once again on British soil will be deeply troubling to Prime Minister Theresa Mays government. Her emergency crisis team, Cobra, met Wednesday morning.

This is likely to be a lengthy and ongoing process, said Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who chaired the meeting. We need to keep a cool head and make sure that we collect all the evidence we can and we need to make sure that we respond, not to rumor, but to all the evidence that they collect, and then we will need to decide what action to take. Foreign secretary Boris Johnson said Tuesday that Britain would respond robustly if there was any evidence of Russian state involvement.

Advertisement

Police said the case was being treated as a major incident involving hundreds of detectives from the counter-terrorism unit, who were working around the clock alongside specialist health and science experts. Investigators are scouring surveillance footage to determine the pairs movements in the days and hours before they became unconscious and police cordons have been set up at various locations, including a restaurant and pub they are believed to have visited on Sunday.

The seat where they were found unconscious at around 4:15 p.m. has also been covered with a tent.

Police also appealed for anyone who was in the area on Sunday to come forward.

Did you see anything out of the ordinary? Rowley said. It may be that at the time, nothing appeared out of place or untoward, but with what you now know, you remember something that might be of significance. Your memory of that afternoon and your movements alone could help us with missing pieces of the investigation.

Advertisement

He also urged anyone who felt unwell to seek medical advice immediately, but did not anticipate a widespread risk to public health.

He added: Clearly people will be concerned.

Boyle is a special correspondent.

ALSO:

Advertisement

Britains Theresa May has a big Brexit headache  and his name is Jeremy Corbyn

On a Moscow bridge, volunteers brave weather and provocateurs to maintain memorial to Boris Nemtsov

Italy becomes the next European country to fall to a populist, anti-migrant wave, this one featuring Silvio Berlusconi

UPDATES:

Advertisement

2:45 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout with Los Angeles Times staff reporting.

This article was originally published at 10:30 a.m.
Secretary of State Rex Tillersons five-nation itinerary told African leaders everything they needed to know about the Trump administrations approach to the continent: Counter-terrorism is in. Human rights and democracy, not so much.

His tour of the African countries focuses squarely on counter-terrorism and security, visiting nations engaged in battling Islamist terrorism, including Djibouti, home to Camp Lemonnier, Americas largest and most important African military base. Democracy, human rights and development take a back seat under the Trump administration, with sharp cuts in foreign aid.

Previous U.S. administrations have tended to woo African nations that have good records on governance, rights and democracy. But with China edging out Western interests, dealing with dictators and democrats alike, the Trump administration appears to be adopting a more pragmatic approach, homing in on what matters most to Washington: containing the threat of terrorism in East Africa and the Sahel region.

Tillersons visit comes less than two months after President Trump described African nations as shithole countries in comments at an Oval Office migration briefing to lawmakers comments he later denied.

Advertisement

Trumps remarks, seen by many as racist, outraged African leaders and were condemned by the African Union, the continental leadership body. They also came amid other signs the U.S. had sharply downgraded Africa as a global priority, including Trumps failure to fill key diplomatic posts, more than a year after taking office.

Tillersons visit began Wednesday evening in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital and headquarters of the African Union, where he was to meet the organizations leaders.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, is greeted by Ethiopia Minister of Foreign Affairs, Workneh Gebeyehu, right, and other officials, as he arrives to begin a six-day trip in Africa (Jonarhan Ernst / AP )

Ethiopia, authoritarian and opaque, is a close U.S. ally in its counter-terrorism operations in East Africa, notably against the Shabab, the extremist group fighting the United Nations-backed government in neighboring Somalia. Ethiopia declared a state of emergency after two years of protests over state repression led to the prime ministers resignation.

Tillerson will also visit Djibouti, a tiny but strategically important ally in the Horn of Africa where the authoritarian leader, Ismail Omar Guelleh, has been in power since 1999, after taking over from his uncle; and Kenya, which is also fighting the Shabab in Somalia.

Hell also stop in Chad and Nigeria, both fighting the Islamic State-linked extremist group Boko Haram. Nigeria is Africas largest oil producer.

Before arriving in Addis Ababa, Tillerson announced $533 million in additional humanitarian assistance to fight famine and hunger in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and other countries.

The African tour comes as the U.S. is being outflanked and outspent by China, which has poured billions of dollars into the continent, offering soft loans for infrastructure projects such as ports, roads, railways and airports, which African governments have struggled to fund. In return, China has gained increased access to the continents vast mineral and petroleum resources. China has not demanded improvements in governance or human rights as part of its warming relationship with Africa.

Advertisement

In a speech at George Mason University before departing for Africa, Tillerson argued that our countrys security and economic prosperity are linked with Africas like never before. But he arrives with no bold initiatives that could convince leaders the administration is serious about Africa.

Critics say that the Trump administrations neglect of Africa and narrow focus have left the U.S. increasingly irrelevant to African leaders.

John Stremlau, an analyst on Africa and a visiting professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, argues that Americas decline in influence in Africa has accelerated under Trump.

Realistically, Tillersons mission will produce few benefits for Africa, or for U.S.-Africa relations, he wrote in an analysis on the university website, adding that African leaders will be skeptical because of the trips limited scope.

Advertisement

Geographically it is restricted to the so-called arc of instability. Evidently counter-terrorism is Americas main Africa concern. If Trump and Tillerson were seriously interested in issues of trade, public health and good governance, he would have at least included democratic South Africa on his agenda, Stremlau said.

Instead, Tillerson has prioritized repressive governments and ones under states of emergency.

Stremlau said that instead of diplomatic engagement, Americas approach in Africa is increasingly militaristic.

Neither Trump or Tillerson has announced an overarching Africa policy. No assistant secretary for Africa has been named. Important embassies, including in South Africa, lack ambassadors, he said.

Advertisement

Brahima Coulibaly, director of the Brookings Institutions Africa Growth Initiative, said the Trump administrations narrow security focus in Africa risked losing ground to competitors such as China.

The continent has a lot of potential and a lot to offer and thats being recognized by Africas other partners who are quite aggressive in fostering their relationships, Coulibaly said. And I see the competition only getting stronger.

Americas military footprint on the continent has been growing as it deploys drones and special forces to help governments in West and East Africa fight local Islamist extremist militias. The U.S. has about 6,000 troops in 50 African countries, including forces deployed to secure embassies, and carries out about 3,500 operations, exercises and programs in Africa each year.

But Chinas military role in Africa is also growing fast, providing soldiers and police in U.N. peacekeeping missions in several countries. It recently established an 8,000-member peacekeeping force registered with the U.N. Like the U.S., France, Italy and Japan, it has a military base in Djibouti.

Advertisement

Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, who heads the U.S. militarys Africa Command, expressed concerns Tuesday that China could get control of the geopolitically strategic port in Djibouti, after the government last month threw out a Dubai firm, DP World, that had been running it since 2006.

In his Djibouti visit Tillerson will probably seek assurances that U.S. access to the port to refuel military vessels and resupply its military base will not be restricted.

Waldhausers comments appeared to depart from remarks he made less than six months ago, when he suggested the U.S. would opt for military cooperation with China after Beijing expressed interest in having Chinese and U.S. marines engage in joint training in Djibouti.

The fact that we have mutual interests in Africa means that we can and should cooperate, he said in September, adding that our goal is to work with China in Africa as fellow stakeholders in peace, security and stability on the continent.

Advertisement

But on Tuesday, Tillerson disparaged Chinas role in Africa, accusing it of creating dependency and causing African nations to build up unsustainable debt while creating few jobs.

Its a criticism that previous administrations have leveled, and one that China has consistently rejected. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said during a news briefing Tuesday in Beijing that Chinas cooperation with Africa was not aimed at any other country and was not designed to exclude anyone.

We hope that the U.S. side can objectively and fairly view Chinas development and China-Africa cooperation, he said.

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

Advertisement

Twitter: @RobynDixon_LAT
Lawyers for a Mexican journalist being held in a U.S. immigrant detention center are demanding his release, saying President Trumps frequent attacks on Mexicans and journalists are evidence that the man is a victim of discrimination.

In a writ of habeas corpus filed in a Texas district court Tuesday, lawyers for the journalist, Emilio Gutierrez Soto, said he and his son, who is also being detained, should be immediately released because their detention violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution.

We have a president who, throughout his entire campaign and since hes been in office, has vilified Mexicans on almost a daily basis, calling them rapists, calling them criminals, attorney Penny Venetis said at a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. We are using his statements to show that there is an anti-Mexican bias throughout the administration, and especially in the immigration system.

Venetis said Trumps comments disparaging journalists, whom he has called lying, disgusting people and an enemy of the American people, are further evidence of discrimination against Gutierrez.

Advertisement

A former reporter for a small newspaper in the violent state of Chihuahua, Gutierrez said he fled Mexico with his then-15-year-old son a decade ago after he received death threats in connection to a series of articles he had written alleging military corruption. Gutierrez asked for asylum at the border, telling a border agent: Were not afraid; were terrified.

He and his son were eventually released on parole while they waited for their asylum case to be heard. For several years, they lived in Las Vegas, N.M., where Gutierrez operated a food truck. In November, their asylum claim finally came before a judge. It was denied. The pair were detained and about to be deported when the Board of Immigration Appeals agreed to reconsider their case.

Instead of paroling them, as is often the case when detainees dont pose a risk, federal agents have kept Gutierrez and his son in detention in El Paso for nearly three months.

According to the National Press Club, which has sought to bring attention to the case, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have deemed Gutierrez and his son a flight risk. Their lawyers say thats not true, pointing out that during the decade they were on parole, Gutierrez and his son never missed an immigration appointment.

In the U.S. you cant be thrown into jail if you havent done anything wrong, Venetis said.

She said the unique legal argument laid out in Tuesdays filing is backed up by a recent decision by the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which stuck down one of Trumps executive orders seeking to limit travel from several Muslim-majority countries. The court found the order was unconstitutionally tainted with animus toward Islam, and said a series of tweets and statements from Trump calling for a ban on Muslim immigration was evidence of discriminatory intent.

Legal experts were divided on whether lawyers in the Gutierrez case would be able to prove discriminatory intent. Douglas Kmiec, a professor of constitutional law at Pepperdine University, said their argument has some plausibility, especially given the recent court decision on the travel ban.

If there have been irregular aspects of his detention  that type of behavior or policy being followed might well be in conjunction with public statements made by the president, Kmiec said. But, he said, It would be hard to demonstrate that the president has put into place policies equivalent to the travel ban targeting journalists or journalists of a specific nationality.

Advertisement

Josh Blackman, a professor of constitutional law at the South Texas College of Law in Houston, said it would be difficult for lawyers to prove a discriminatory intent because Trump has never spoken out directly about Gutierrez or cases like his.

I have a very tough time seeing this prevailing, Blackman said of the case. Otherwise, every single Mexican in detention would have a get-out-of-jail card.

The lawsuit, which asks that Gutierrez and his son be released while the appeals court considers their case, includes statements from a psychologist who said Gutierrez is suffering from depression and physical harm in detention, where he has not been able to receive medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol. The lawsuit also argues that Gutierrez may be killed if he is sent back home. At least 11 journalists were killed in Mexico last year in a wave of anti-media violence that the United Nations has called endemic.

The U.S. government has acknowledged the danger faced by journalists in Mexico. U.S. Ambassador Roberta Jacobson has pressured Mexican authorities to do more to investigate killings and has expanded safety training sessions for local journalists. Last month, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the State Department Scott Busby sent a letter describing the dangers Mexican journalists face to the appeals court hearing Gutierrezs case.

Advertisement

Mexico was the worlds most dangerous country for journalists outside of a war zone in 2017, Busbys letter said, noting that perpetrators of violence against journalists continued to act with impunity, with few reports of successful investigation, arrest or prosecution of suspects.

Lawyers for Gutierrez said statements such as those show a stark disconnect within the government.

You have one arm of the government that is detaining Mexicans and you have another arm saying, Look, there is a real fear here that this guy is going to be killed, Venetis said.

To read this article in Spanish click here

Advertisement

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Twitter: @katelinthicum
Jared Kushner, President Trumps son-in-law and a senior White House advisor, traveled to Mexico on Wednesday for talks with top Mexican officials, including President Enrique Pena Nieto.

The Mexican media reported that Kushner was whisked to a meeting in Mexico City with Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray, who has cultivated a close relationship with the Trump confidant.

Kushner later met with Pena Nieto. In a statement issued later, the Mexican government said that representatives of the two countries agreed to work for agreements beneficial to both nations.

Whether the two presidents will hold a meeting, it said, will depend on the level of progress achieved on a range of bilateral issues, including trade, security, immigration and economic cooperation.

Advertisement

Here in Mexico, Kushners visit was widely seen as a move to soothe rocky U.S.-Mexico relations.

The binational bond has been fraught since Trump assumed office after a presidential campaign marked by what many Mexicans view as blatant Mexico-bashing and scapegoating of Mexican immigrants in the United States.

Kushner s visit comes as tension between the two neighbors have flared anew amid profound differences about trade policy and Trumps insistence that Mexico pay for a wall along the southern U.S. border  a demand that Mexico has repeatedly and emphatically rejected.

The U.S.-Mexico tension led to the resignation last week of U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Roberta Jacobson, who is said to have viewed her role as undercut by the machinations of Kushner and Videgaray.

A planned visit by Pena Nieto to Washington was postponed last month, reportedly after a tense telephone call during which Trump again pressed his Mexican counterpart to pick up the bill for the multibillion-dollar wall, which is to be built on the U.S. side of the border.

That aborted trip recalled a headline-grabbing episode in January 2017 when Pena Nieto announced he had scuttled a visit to the White House because of the wall dispute.

The canceled trip just weeks after Trumps inauguration set a downbeat tone for U.S.-Mexico relations during the Trump era  though, in subsequent months, officials from both nations sought to alleviate strains.

Just this week, however, tension ratcheted up anew in connection with another incendiary issue: the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the almost quarter-century-old trade pact among Mexico, the United States and Canada.

Advertisement

Trump has repeatedly called NAFTA a disaster that helped hollow out the U.S. manufacturing sector and sent jobs to Mexico.

On Monday, Trump declared in a Twitter message that he would consider exempting Mexico and Canada from planned tariffs on imported steel and aluminum if a new & fair NAFTA agreement is signed.

The Mexican and Canadian governments rejected Trumps comments and vowed to retaliate economically should Washington impose new tariffs on metal imports.

Mexican officials would like to wrap up the NAFTA renegotiation before the July 1 presidential election here, thus giving the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party a campaign talking point. NAFTA is a cornerstone of the economy in Mexico, which sends almost 80% of its exports to the United States.

Advertisement

But many NAFTA observers say such a timetable appears unlikely as the trade talks remain mired in impasse on several key issues.

Kushners expansive foreign affairs portfolio includes U.S.-Mexico issues, though he is not known to have had any expertise in the field before he joined his father-in-laws White House.

Kushners visit comes after last weeks announcement in Washington that his security clearance had been downgraded after months of delay in completing his official background check.

The downgrade restricts Kushners access to some classified information. But his official visit to Mexico, accompanied by other U.S. aides, seems to signal that Kushner will continue to be a key player, at least in U.S.-Mexico affairs.

Advertisement

Kushner, 37, a New York-area real estate scion who had no diplomatic or government experience before Trumps election, has been the presidents go-to advisor for some of Washingtons most delicate issues, including Middle East peace and Mexico.

Videgaray worked to establish and sustain contacts with Kushner during Trumps presidential campaign, at a time when few believed that Trump could win the election.

Videgaray has continued to cultivate those contacts, frequently traveling to Washington and heading straight into meetings at the White House  with Kushner  and completely sidelining the usual venue, the State Department.

The Kushner-Videgaray back channel has helped keep on track what otherwise would be a ruptured relationship. The two have attempted to alleviate the effect of Trumps repeated insults and derogatory language about Mexico and Mexicans.

Advertisement

However, the foreign secretary has come under criticism at home for being too close to Kushner and the Trump White House. Videgaray is said to have helped arrange then-candidate Trumps August 2016 meeting in Mexico City with Pena Nieto  an encounter that became a political debacle for the Mexican president.

Times staff writers McDonnell and Wilkinson reported from Mexico City and Washington, respectively.

patrick.mcdonnell@latimes.com

Twitter: @PmcdonnellLAT

Advertisement

tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com

Twitter: @TracyKWilkinson

UPDATES:

8:25 p.m.: This article has been updated with a statement from the Mexican government.

Advertisement

3:35 p.m.: This article was updated with additional information on the North American Free Trade Agreement.

This article was originally published at 12:25 p.m.
Anti-Muslim rioting flared anew Wednesday in the hills of central Sri Lanka despite a state of emergency, residents said, as the government ordered popular social media networks blocked to stop the violence from spreading.

The police also ordered a curfew across much of the region for a third straight day, trying to calm the situation.

An area resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity fearing reprisal attacks, said two mosques and some Muslim-owned shops were attacked Wednesday by Buddhist mobs in two towns in the central hills. The extent of the damage could not be verified.

Tension between the islands majority Buddhists and minority Muslims has worsened in recent years, amid the growth of hard-line Sinhalese Buddhist groups that accuse Muslims of forcing people to convert and destroying sacred Buddhist sites.

Advertisement

An internet company official, meanwhile, said the government had ordered popular social media networks blocked in areas near the violence, and slowed dramatically across the rest of the country.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity under company policy, said the order was for Facebook, Instagram, Viber and WhatsApp. Some of those networks appeared to be blocked in Colombo, the capital, while others worked sporadically and very slowly.

President Maithripala Sirisena declared the state of emergency on Tuesday, though a day later details of the decree remained unclear. While the central hills were flooded with soldiers and policemen ordering people off the street, little, if anything, appeared to have changed elsewhere in the country.

While government officials have not directly accused Buddhist extremists of being behind the violence, many comments appeared aimed at them.

The government will act sternly against groups that are inciting religious hatred, Cabinet minister Rauff Hakeem said Tuesday after a meeting with the president.

Sri Lanka has long been divided between the majority Sinhalese, who are overwhelmingly Buddhist, and minority Tamils who are Hindu, Muslim and Christian. The country remains deeply scarred by its 1983-2009 civil war, when Tamil rebels fought to create an independent homeland.
The promotional tickets are available for all domestic and international routes flying to Seoul, Busan (the Republic of Korea); Hong Kong (China); Kaohsiung, Taipei, Taichung, Tainan (Chinese Taipei); Singapore; Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai (Thailand); Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Yangon (Myanmar); and Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (Cambodia)

The tickets are valid for passengers travelling between April 10 and December 31, excluding public holidays.

In particular, the first 1,000 female passengers that buy airfares on the website www.vietjetair.com on March 8, and pay via international cards (Visa, Master, JCB, Unionpay), will receive a promo code to purchase further discount tickets through the email provided when booking.

The programme is open from 12pm to 2pm every day on www.vietjetair.com, also compatible with smartphones at https://m.vietjetair.com or www.facebook.com/vietjetvietnam, simply locate and click the Booking tab.

Payment can be made easily with debit and credit cards of Visa/ MasterCard/ AMEX/ JCB/ KCP, as well as any ATM card issued by one of the 32 Vietnamese banks that have been registered with internet banking.

Currently, the airline boasts a fleet of 55 aircrafts, including A320s and A321s, and operates 385 flights a day.
* At least 18 people were killed by a magnitude 6.7 quake that struck Papua New Guinea's mountainous Southern Highlands early Wednesday.



The tremor, shortly after midnight local time, struck just 31 km (19 miles) southwest of the epicentre of a magnitude 7.5 quake that flattened villages and caused landslides last Monday, killing at least 55 people.



* Two senior RoK officials who met with the DPRK's Kim Jong Un this week will depart for Washington on Thursday (March 8) to brief US officials on the outcome of their meeting. A detailed itinerary has yet to be confirmed.



* The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military transport plane that crashed in Syria on March 6 was carrying 39 people, instead of a previous report of 32, when the accident happened while landing in the Hmeymim airbase in Syria.



* Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed the situation in Syria's Eastern Ghouta during a telephone call, the Kremlin said on March 6.



Separately, the Russian military has offered Syrian rebels safe passage out of eastern Ghouta, setting out a proposal to let the insurgents surrender their last major stronghold near Damascus to President Bashar Al-Assad, which fighters have so far rejected.
TOKYO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Kobe Steel Ltd. said Tuesday that its chief executive officer will resign to account for the firm's string of data fabrication scandals.

The scandals have had a wide-reaching impact on industries both domestically and internationally and sullied the reputation of manufacturers in Japan amid a slew of other quality control scandals, industry insiders have maintained.

At a board meeting held Monday, the resignations of CEO Hiroya Kawasaki, 63, as well as Akira Kaneko, also 63, executive vice president and head of the aluminum and copper business, were provisionally approved.

The embattled steelmaker is expected to pick its new executives as early as next month, sources at the company were quoted as saying Tuesday.

The firm on Tuesday also released its final report on the data fabrication misdemeanors. The report is a result of a lengthy internal probe carried out by a committee comprised of lawyers.

The scandal-mired steelmaker, Japan's third-largest, said in October last year that it had found cases of improprieties regarding inspection data that failed to meet industry inspection standards.

The results of an internal probe initially found that products sold that had their inspection data fabricated were shipped to hundreds of companies.

Japan's quality control authorities subsequently revoked certification for some copper products of a Kobe Steel subsidiary and the Japanese government said it had tasked industrial standards-approved bodies to carry out inspections at Kobe Steel Ltd.'s plants in an effort to deal with the company's wide-reaching falsified inspection data scandal.

Kobe Steel Ltd. had initially admitted to falsifying inspection data on a number of its products, including aluminum, copper, steel powder and special steel products.

It came to light that the embattled steel maker's own investigations had, additionally, revealed cover-ups and more incidents of data falsification thereafter.

Companies ranging from automakers and airplane manufacturers, to defense equipment and Shinkansen bullet train makers, have been affected by the scandal.

Kobe Steel said that its products, with falsified data about their strength and durability, had been sold to around 200 companies globally. Since then the number of affected companies has grown exponentially as details of the scandal have unfolded.

Investigations first revealed that Kobe Steel knowingly shipped at least 20,000 tons of aluminum and copper products with fabricated inspection data. The products were sent to around 200 companies.

The scandal-plagued firm also admitted that an internal probe had revealed that 140 tons of iron powder shipped in fiscal 2016 did not meet customer specifications.

It also said that one of its subsidiaries, Kobelco Research Institute, had falsified data related to the production method of liquid crystal displays, DVDs and other electronic equipment.

In Japan, major railway operators Central Japan Railway and West Japan Railway have stated that their Shinkansen bullet trains contained aluminum parts sourced from Kobe Steel that did not meet industry standards.

Beyond automakers and trains, Kobe Steel has also been implicated in fabricating data for aerospace and defense-related products.

Along with domestic firms such as Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., Honda Motor Co. and major Japanese railway operators, the scandal has also affected overseas companies including General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., Airbus and Boeing Co.

These companies have been undertaking investigations to see if their products have been adversely affected by Kobe Steel's erroneous data-related practices.

Based on this, the U.S. Department of Justice ordered Kobe Steel to handover documents relevant to the data falsification scandal.

Kobe Steel was founded in 1905 and has been a bastion of Japan's manufacturing sector.

The revelations of the data fabrication scandal, however, have cast doubts over corporate governance in the manufacturing industry and beyond in Japan, and cast serious aspersions over Japan's once stellar reputation for precision manufacturing, industry experts here said.

Last year saw a slew of scandals related to Japanese manufacturers, including Mitsubishi Materials Corp.'s subsidiaries who were found to have falsified quality data for products used in multiple industries, including in equipment used by Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF), which compounded growing concerns about quality control in the manufacturing sector here.

Uncertified safety checks were also found to have been routinely carried out by automakers Nissan Motor Co. and Subaru Corp., which led to extensive recalls.

Last week, Subaru named a new president in a bid to clean up its image following a fresh car inspection scandal.

Kawasaki became CEO at Kobe Steel in 2013 and was known for restructuring its production protocols and adding new revenue streams to the company by enhancing the capacity of some of its minor but profitable businesses.

Kaneko, for his part, was in charge of the aluminum and copper division from 2014. He became executive vice president of the firm in 2015.
For four months, members of the area 4-H organizations raised their animals to be judged and eventually auctioned away to the highest bidder.

That can be hard the first time out but 4-H-ers do it in hope of making a profit and earning money to help fund college expenses whether their ultimate course of study is agriculture or not.

On Saturday, at the Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair, dozens of swine and cows were put up for auction.

Buyers ran the gamut from commercial to those a lot closer to home.

William Cross of North Fort Myers, whose hog placed third in the swine competition last week, got a surprise at auction time.

His mom, Christin, arranged it so that sponsors and friends would bid on the swine, driving the price way up.

The result was that the 249-pound pig was sold for $20 per pound, good for almost $5,000, by far the most expensive swine on the block.

Cross, 17, a senior at Riverdale High School, has been a 4-H member for 10 years.

I always loved animals so my parents put me in and Ive loved it ever since, Cross said, who has been with the 4-H that meets at the North Fort Myers Community Park. Ive liked all the new friends Ive made and hanging out with them.

Members of 4-H get pigs in November when they are little babies and are expected to raise them for the purpose of being able to sell them at market.

The youths keep records of what they spend on feed, veterinary care, and weight, among other things. Williams pig cost about $500, with that money going to help William go to Fort Myers Technical College to take up welding.

He works as a mechanic with the farm equipment and trailers, Christin said. We all want to help him get started.

Cross got to have his picture taken with family and Megan Mahoney, the Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair queen, who represents the fair and 4-H.

She handed out awards in all the categories and told participants who didnt win that they did well nonetheless.

It has definitely taught me some life lessons, responsibility and having patience as well, said Mahoney, who took part in the horse speed show and barrel races. I liked animals, so I started with a rabbit, went to the horse and got leadership positions. I also like helping the younger kids.

One of the things the kids are taught is to not get attached to the animals you care for, since they are not pets, but livestock.

Taylor Purvis, 17, has been in 4-H for nine years, and knew the ropes as she readied to sell her 229-pound swine.

Im hoping to make some big bucks. My boyfriend got $15 a pound and did really good, Purvis said. My mom gets more attached to the animals than I do. But I know these animals are for market so I dont get attached to them. Many of them do. I saw a little girl snuggling her pig and crying.
Bethlehem City Council backed the sale of a slice of redevelopment authority-owned land to developers proposing the historic downtown's first major apartment building in recent memory.

The 1.3 acre piece of land -- on the eastern slope of a ridge between Route 378 and Conestoga Street -- is being targeted for 50 luxury apartments fronting on West Broad Street.

Council voted 7-0 to approve the $30,000 sale of the Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority property to Skyline West LLC -- a joint venture between former ArtsQuest head Jeff Parks and developers Dennis, Garrett and Brandon Benner.

The authority bought the property in the 1960s as part of its revitalization of Bethlehem's Colonial Industrial Quarter.

The development of the four-lane Route 378 turned the wooded property into a narrow and steep island of land that -- from a development standpoint -- is only accessible from an adjacent home at 143 W. Broad Street, which the developers own and plan to tear down.

Parks cast the project as a unique opportunity to offer a new type of housing steps from Main Street that will put feet on the street at crucial hours to support the shops and stores downtown.

Currently, Bethlehem lacks the residential density needed to support its downtown businesses, Parks said. The city risks falling behind the burgeoning downtowns in Easton and Allentown, he said.

The design calls for a courtyard fronting on West Broad Street where residents would enter the secured, ground-floor of the building complete with amenities, like a gym and outdoor deck overlooking the Colonial Industrial Quarter. Cars would be funneled back to a 65-space parking deck below the building and West Broad.

Council members praised the project for answering the business community's demand for more housing close to Main Street. The project has the backing of the Downtown Bethlehem Association and the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce.

"It brings people to the downtown and I love the idea that it is very minimally impactful to the neighborhood," Council President Adam Waldron said, noting he and Councilman Michael Colon live close to the proposed development.

Waldron asked what the developers plan to do with the existing house at 143 W. Broad St. Parks acknowledged they plan to tear the home down because they've been unable to find another property to move it to.

A nearby vacant property at Second and Prospect avenues seemed promising, but moving it would greatly damage the trees on Second Avenue, Parks said.

On Wednesday, the city's Historic and Architectural Review Board was scheduled to review the demolition request, but the meeting has been pushed to March 14 due to the impending storm.

That didn't stop Parks and project architect Antonio Fiol-Silva from making the case for the project during council's Community Development Committee meeting ahead of its regular voting session.

The concept of a historic district in Bethlehem was first pitched to the redevelopment authority in a 1956 report by the New York-based consultants Clarke & Rapuano, Parks explained.

With lobbying help from Bethlehem Steel Corp., Pennsylvania's historic district law was passed in 1961 and later that year Bethlehem's historic district was created, Parks said. It extended from the Lehigh River to Walnut Street and then three blocks up Broad between Guetter Street and First Avenue.

The completion of Route 378 in 1968 left the house at 143 W. Broad, which dates back to the 1880s and was once part of a row of homes along Broad, on an island alone.

Without those other houses, the home has lost its historical context and is not contributing to the district meaningfully, Fiol-Silva, who sat on Philadelphia's historic board, said.

In addition to the council approval, the project still must make it through several layers of approvals before construction is a possibility. The site must be rezoned, may require parking varainces and the city planning commission and city Historical and Architectural Review Board must sign off on the plans.

The sale is contingent on all of those approvals, which developers hope to have in hand by the end of the year so they can start construction.

Newly-appointed Councilwoman Dr. Paige Van Wirt was sworn in at the start of Tuesday's regular board meeting.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military transport plane that crashed in Syria on Tuesday was carrying 39 people, instead of a previous report of 32, when the accident happened.

A total of 33 passengers and six crew members aboard the An-26 plane were killed after the aircraft hit the ground while landing in the Hmeymim airbase in Syria, according to the ministry.

The families of the deceased, all of whom were Russian servicemen, will be provided with necessary assistance and support.

Russian President Vladimir Putin extended condolences to the families and friends of those killed in the crash, according to the Kremlin.

The plane was not attacked and technical malfunction may have caused the crash, the Russian Defense Ministry said earlier in the day.

The Defense Ministry has set up a commission to investigate the crash.

Russia now uses the Hmeymim airbase to support Syrian government troops in the fight against terrorist groups in the country.

Tuesday's tragedy has been the deadliest air accident in Russia since a Tu-154 aircraft crashed in the Black Sea en route to the Hmeymim airbase in December 2016, killing all 92 people on board.
Blaine LaBar, retired from the U.S. Postal Service after 39 years, has been working out at Planet Fitness as part of his recovery from heart surgery last year.

Tuesday afternoon just south of Bath, he tested himself.

LaBar was one of about a dozen volunteers helping the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission with the pre-season stocking on the Monocacy Creek. He lugged a 5-gallon bucket full of sloshing trout over a bridge and upstream -- well beyond his closest access point.

Inside was a brown trout he estimated in the 3-to-4-pound range, which he wanted to get into a nice pool.

"Instead of just dumping them at the bridges, I mean they move -- there's no leashes on them -- they move, but they don't move far, not stocked trout," said LaBar, of Bushkill Township.

Wednesday's forecast snowstorm aside, it really is almost spring. The two truckloads of trout added Tuesday to the Monocacy are ready to help anglers and their families welcome the return of warmer weather.

Springtime smells of fish and mud -- plus cement, behind Staver Hydraulics off Route 512 south of Bath -- greeted the volunteers. They were seeking some time in the outdoors, and maybe the inside scoop on where to find some fish.

"Somebody's got to help these guys, and the more help they got, the better they're spread out," said Frank Smolick, of Nazareth, known among local anglers for catching monster 50-plus-pound muskellunge on the Lehigh River.

Pre-season is when the state's biggest hatchery-raised fish get stocked, the volunteers agreed. The Monocacy Creek is due for two in-season stockings, as well, said Waterways Conservation Officer Zach Rudd.

"We've got two full trucks today for the whole Monocacy from Bath all the way down to Bethlehem," Rudd said during a break in the action along Lower Nazareth Township's Surry Glen Park. "We're just going around with a bunch of volunteers and we're just placing them as we can.

"There's rainbow trout in here -- I just talked to the driver -- rainbow trout, brown trout and some brook trout and then the golden rainbow trout."

The golden rainbow is sometimes called a palomino, and Tuesday's delivery included several that would weigh in at a couple pounds or more.

"So, yeah, there's some nice fish going in here this year," Rudd said.

Blaine LaBar, of Bushkill Township, tosses a trophy brown trout into the Monocacy Creek in East Allen Township during a Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stocking March 6, 2018. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Each year, the Fish and Boat Commission says it stocks about 3.15 million adult trout in 720 streams and 126 lakes open to public angling. That includes some 2 million rainbow trout, 640,000 brown trout and 500,000 brook trout. The average size of the trout produced for stocking is 11 inches in length.

In addition the commission plans to stock about 8,700 trophy golden rainbows that weigh an average of 1 1/2 pounds and measure at least 14 inches long. The commission's cooperative nurseries run by sportsmen's clubs across the state will add another 1 million trout to waters open to public angling.

Tuesday's fish came in from Benner Spring State Fish Hatchery in Centre County. The wintry forecast was not much of a concern, Rudd said; the colder the water, the better, he said. He measured the Monocacy on Tuesday at 46 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pennsylvania's 2018 stocking numbers are the same as in previous years, but commission Executive Director John Arway says the number of stocked trout in 2019 could be reduced if legislators don't approve a license fee increase.

Last September, the state fish and boat commissioners authorized Arway to cut $2 million in operating expenses for Fiscal Year 2019, which begins July 1, 2018. The cuts include closing two warmwater hatcheries and one trout hatchery.

Closing the hatcheries would result in the elimination of 240,000 adult stocked trout in 61 streams and four lakes in 2019. It would also result in severe reductions to the commission's cooperative nursery program.

A license fee increase remains the most viable option for covering increasing operating costs, the commission says.

"The three hatcheries won't be fully closed until late 2018 or early 2019, so there is still time remaining this year for a legislative solution," he said in a news release last month. "It is imperative that the House of Representatives act now and pass Senate Bill 30."

The 2018 season opens March 24 for Mentored Youth Trout Day in 18 southeastern counties, including Lehigh and Northampton.

The following Saturday, March 31, is the southeastern regional opening day for trout in the same 18 counties.

A second mentored youth fishing day will be held April 7, the Saturday before the April 14 regular opening day of trout season.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
States hungry for revenue have been pushing to collect sales taxes on internet retail transactions.

For the most part -- to the delight of people buying more and more goods online -- states have been frustrated, restricted by a 1992 court ruling that allows them to collect sales tax only on companies with a physical presence in the state. Many legislatures have passed laws requiring consumers to report their internet purchases, but they've proven hard to enforce.

All that could change next month. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear an appeal by the state of South Dakota, which wants out-of-state online retailers to collect sales taxes and send them to the state treasury.

Billions of dollars are at stake. South Dakota's argument is supported by the Trump administration, state governments, major bricks-and-mortar retailers and some members of Congress. Online retailers and some conservative lawmakers say it's the wrong way to go.

A South Dakota law adopted in 2016 requires online retailers to collect sales taxes if they have more than $100,000 in annual sales with state residents. Focusing on the Constitution's commerce clause, South Dakota and other states believe they are entitled to sales taxes from out-of-state retailers if they have a significant "economic presence" in the state, not simply a store or headquarters.

What do you think? Should online retailers be forced to collect sales taxes and remit them, just as bricks-and-mortar businesses do? Have a say in our informal poll, and feel free to elaborate in the comments section.
This nor'easter keeps looking worse for the Lehigh Valley.

The National Weather Service's latest forecast -- issued along with an official winter storm warning on Tuesday afternoon -- puts the Lehigh Valley squarely in the 12-to-18-inch range for snowfall, up from earlier forecasts calling for 8 to 12 inches.

In light of the high impact and interest for this event, we wanted to get our snowfall map out to everyone as soon as possible. So here it is! Briefing package will be out by 4pm and will have more details about impacts across our region. #njwx #pawx #dewx #mdwx pic.twitter.com/aOLyFLQqNK  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) March 6, 2018

This storm comes on the heels of another nor'easter late last week, from which thousands are still without power.

Ahead of Wednesday's storm, New Jersey has declared a state of emergency effective 8 p.m. Tuesday, and a number of Lehigh Valley-area municipalities have already instituted snow emergency protocols. Pennsylvania has announced bans on freight trucks, trailers, motorcycles and RVs on many highways starting at midnight tonight.

In its storm warning -- effective 10 p.m. Tuesday to 3 a.m. Thursday -- the weather service calls the nor'easter "compact but powerful," and warns that it "will make travel difficult or nearly impossible at times" in eastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey.

"Unnecessary travel is not recommended Wednesday," the warning says.

Locally, the worst of the snowfall will happen between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., sometimes as much as 2 inches an hour, the weather service says.

Wind is expected to pick up to 15 to 20 mph, with gusts between 30 and 45 mph. That, combined with wet, heavy snow, could snap branches or uproot some trees, again making widespread power outages a risk.

The weather service's next forecast update is scheduled for 9 a.m., when snowfall will have already begun.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Western Sydney City Deal is done

The Western Sydney City Deal originally announced in June 2016 was signed on Sunday 4 March 2018. It is touted to lay the foundations for the creation of a thriving Western City of 1.5 million residents within 20 years.

It was a momentous occasion when eight mayors from Western Sydney finally signed off on their City Deal this week. Alongside Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian were the Mayors of Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Penrith and Wollondilly Councils.

The City Deal will deliver a north-south rail link to the Badgerys Creek Airport, 200,000 new jobs, an agribusiness precinct, an Aerospace Institute and funding for liveability projects throughout the eight local government areas.

A joint statement from the Mayors noted, For the first time ever, Federal, State and Local governments are working together to concentrate their focus on meeting the needs of the people of Western Sydney.

In his speech at the City Deal launch, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recognized the work of the Greater Sydney Commission in helping to bring the deal together.

He noted that Western Sydney is home to diverse communities who were undergoing enormous change and that the aim was to preserve the unique character of each community.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian described the agreement as the culmination of a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide jobs.

Wollondilly Mayor, Judith Hannan, said This is a once in a lifetime opportunity where eight Mayors are working together on a regional level for a long term commitment to the people of Western Sydney, our communities.

Penrith Mayor, John Thain, said, There is no doubt that the Western City will be the powerhouse of the state and a key player on the world stage. Its an exciting time to live in Penrith; the heart of this new Western City.

Blue Mountains Mayor, Mark Greenhill, said, Importantly the Western Sydney City Deal recognises the [Blue Mountains] Councils ongoing opposition to Western Sydney Airport.

We know that the second airport is not in the best interests of the Western Sydney community. As we look to the future of the Western Sydney region, I wanted future generations to know that Blue Mountains City Council stood up for its principles and for its community, and that the City Deal document reflected this.

Mayor of Campbelltown, George Brticevic said the City Deal announcement was a red-letter day, however the big issue for Campbelltown was jobs.

In particular, Council is looking forward to working with all levels of government to create an Indigenous Small Business Opportunity Hub in Campbelltown, and to accessing the resources of the Federal and State Governments through early, active participation in the Western Sydney Investment Attraction Office, to bring more jobs to our city.

An Implementation Plan for the Western Sydney City Deal is still to be released.
Stock Market News

Credit Suisse compliments Rolls Royce on cash generation 07-03-2018 16:28



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
Stock Market News

Europe close: Stocks gain despite trade jitters 07-03-2018 17:36



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
Stock Market News

Harvest Minerals shares sprout over 9% after distribution deal 07-03-2018 08:06



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
Stock Market News

London pre-open: Stocks to drop after Trump's top economic advisor resigns 07-03-2018 07:40



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
Stock Market News

Sirius Real Estate included in FTSE EPRA-NAREIT Index 07-03-2018 15:45



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that there was progress on the Korean Peninsula issue after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) expressed willingness to denuclearize the peninsula.

"They seem to be acting positively. We're going to see," said Trump before meeting at White House with visiting Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven.

The South Korean presidency said earlier on Tuesday that Pyongyang showed willingness to talk "candidly" with the United States on issues including denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and normalization of ties with Washington.

The DPRK also agreed with South Korea to hold the third inter-Korean summit talks in late April.

The positive moves came as a result of the two-day visit to Pyongyang by South Korean President Moon Jae-in's special delegation led by Chung Eui-yong, Moon's top national security adviser.

"It would be a great thing for the world. It would be a great thing for North Korea (DPRK)," said Trump of the positive momentum on the Korean Peninsula issue.

"We have made progress, there's no question about it," he added. "I'd like to be optimistic."

When asked by reporters if the United States was ready for direct talks with the DPRK, Trump just cautiously said: "We're going to see what happens."

In a tweet on Tuesday morning, Trump recognized "possible progress" made on the Korean Peninsula issue with a reserved attitude.

"May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction," he added in the tweet.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence kept a harsh rhetoric on the DPRK, saying that the U.S. "maximum pressure" strategy against Pyongyang to seek an end to its nuclear program will continue.

"All options are on the table and our posture toward the regime (the DPRK) will not change until we see credible, verifiable, and concrete steps toward denuclearization," Pence said in a statement on Tuesday.
Stock Market News

Smurfit Kappa repeats rejection of International Paper's 8.6bn bid approach 07-03-2018 09:26



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
Stock Market News

Wednesday newspaper round-up: Hammond, Debenhams, RBS, Beaufort Securities 07-03-2018 07:31



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
The first Chinese unmanned weather station deployed at Dome Argus, the highest point on the Antarctic Plateau, has been hailed a success after completing a full year of testing.

The automatic station is the result of intense research by the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences.

On Monday, the China Meteorological Administration said the result means the country has become the third nation - joining Australia and the United States - capable of automatically measuring climate conditions in the coldest regions of the Antarctic ice sheet.

"Construction of the station was completed on Jan 6 last year on Dome Argus, which has a surface elevation of 4,093 meters," said Ding Minghu, deputy director of the academy's Institute of Polar Meteorology. "After a year of testing, it has successfully been collecting weather data without once breaking down.

"The station has managed several times to record ultralow temperatures below -70 C. On July 10, it recorded a temperature of -78.9 C, the lowest ever recorded at the spot."

Ding added that the efficiency and accuracy of the statistics have been proven by comparative data collected by other countries' automatic weather stations.

Zhang Xia, a researcher with the Polar Research Institute of China, said the automatic and unmanned weather station is necessary because it is difficult for people to stay for extended periods in the extreme Antarctic conditions.

"This automated weather station makes contributions to many areas," he said. "It secures China's research activities in the Antarctic through improving our independent research and development capacity. Also, it helps establish a global meteorological system by sharing the data collected.

"Moreover, it allows better weather forecasts for flights or other aircraft operations that fly over or stop in the area."

According to the meteorological administration, the academy has conducted research on facilities for automated weather stations that are durable in ultralow temperatures since 2010, including battery technology, wind direction detectors and energy control systems.

After eight years of field testing, and two consecutive failures in 2015 and 2016, the academy succeeded in developing effective sensors and energy control systems, it said.

[email protected]
Leaders from non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce attend a news conference during the first session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

'Innovation' in politics avoids ills of competitive structures, officials say

Leaders of non-Communist parties said on Tuesday that China's system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation creates a new party system and provides "China's solution" and "China's wisdom" for the development of world party politics.

"It's an innovation in political party systems that is different from one-party rule or the competitive system of multiple political parties in the West," Ding Zhongli, chairman of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League, said at a news conference on the sidelines of the ongoing annual two sessions.

"We have a system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation, led by the Communist Party of China. Such a system fits China's history, tradition and reality," he said.

China now has eight non-Communist political parties that participate in State affairs under the leadership of the CPC.

The two latest cases of the exercise of such democracy were on Feb 6 and Feb 28, when the CPC Central Committee held two meetings with representatives of non-Communist parties. The Central Committee held discussions with them, hearing their opinions on its decisions and plans for deepening the reform of Party and State institutions and on the lists of candidates for State leaders and leaders of the top political advisory body.

Traditionally, the leaders of the eight non-Communist parties also become vice-chairs of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the top legislature, or National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the nation's top political advisory body.

Attending a joint panel discussion with political advisers on Sunday, President Xi Jinping said such a system unites all political parties and people without party affiliation toward a common goal. That effectively prevents flaws, such as the absence of oversight in one-party rule or power rotation and harmful competition among multiple political parties, he said.

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said the system pools ideas and suggestions through institutional, procedural and standardized arrangements and develops a scientific and democratic decision-making mechanism.

He said upholding the CPC leadership was not meant to do away with democracy. Instead, it aims to create a form of democracy that is broader and more effective.

Hao Mingjin, chairman of the China National Democratic Construction Association, said such a system grows from China's soil. "It's made in China and created in China."

"Such a new mode of political party system and a new relationship among parties has drawn the attention of some other countries," he said at the news conference on Tuesday. "It contributes China's solution and China's wisdom to the development of world party politics."

Ding, of the China Democratic League, said most of the non-Communist parties in China were established in the 1940s, and they have had a long history of close cooperation with the CPC.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, many leaders of these non-Communist parties proposed to dissolve their parties, but Chairman Mao Zedong considered it necessary for those parties to exist together and supervise each other, he said.

After China's reform and opening-up began in the late 1970s, leader Deng Xiaoping added the principle that all the parties should treat each other with all sincerity and share weal and woe, Ding explained.

Wang Xiaofan, vice-president of Shanghai University and a national political adviser, said such a system of party relations combines collective leadership and democracy, and it's a positive contribution to the development of the political civilization of humanity.
BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The proactive direction of China's fiscal policy remains the same for 2018 despite a lower deficit-to-GDP ratio target, Chinese finance minister said Wednesday.

The government deficit is projected to be 2.38 trillion yuan, generally the same with last year, while China will increase fiscal expenditure and local government special bonds, Minister Xiao Jie told a press conference.

China lowered its fiscal deficit target to 2.6 percent of GDP for 2018, down by 0.4 percentage points compared with 2017, the first drop since 2013.

The reduction in the deficit-to-GDP ratio is mainly due to steady economic growth and the stable foundation for an increase in revenue, which also keeps policy options open for macro regulation, Xiao said.
An Indian soldier and a Chinese soldier stand side by side on the border at Nathu La Pass in Tibet. Photo: VCG

Indian police and soldiers stationed along the Sino-Indian border have been learning Chinese since 2017, which India believes will help it seize the initiative in possible future border clashes with China, experts said.

A total of 25 Indo-Tibetan border police (ITBP) will attend a one-year Chinese language course in India's Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies in July, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on February 25. The PTI said that the course will help soldiers posted at the Sino-Indian border to communicate with their Chinese counterparts.

The course books come in three languages - Hindi, English and Chinese - so that students can understand the text easily, and the same pictures are used alongside the texts in all three languages.

"In the 2016-17 academic session, four ITBP personnel had completed the one-year certificate course in the Chinese language. Subsequently, they have been performing their duties at the borders," the PTI quoted registrar of Sanchi University, Rajesh Gupta, as saying.

Indian media started reporting on its border soldiers learning Chinese in early 2017, several months after the Doklam military standoff. Chinese experts said Indian soldiers acquiring Chinese language skills could help reduce misunderstandings with the Chinese side and prevent crises like the Doklam standoff, but more significantly, the language ability could become an effective weapon for India if the two countries are involved in a hostile confrontation.

More courses

Another Indian university, the Visva-Bharati University, also started offering Chinese courses for Indian soldiers in 2017, with 25 soldiers admitted to the course last year.

According to a PTI report in May 2017, the officiating vice-chancellor of the university, Swapan Kumar Dutta, said that the certificate course in Chinese would teach soldiers about China's rich culture and the centuries-old ties between the two nations.

The Indian army's Eastern Command has established an advanced Chinese language training laboratory at Penagarh for soldiers deployed along the Line of Actual Control, UK's Daily Mail reported in February 2017, quoting a senior Indian army official.

According to the Daily Mail report, the new facility can train 125 students annually, and the army also provides facilities including Chinese learning software, a library and Chinese TV channels to troops.

The language training aims to make soldiers more confident in holding routine conversations in Chinese during border personnel meets, flag meetings and border talks. Selected soldiers will also act as interpreters during visits by high-level delegations, the Daily Mail reported.

The series of Chinese learning programs for Indian troops was launched after the Doklam standoff at the request of Indian union home minister Rajnath Singh, who said that every border soldier should know basic Mandarin so that they don't face language issues at the border during face-offs with the Chinese, according to PTI.

Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times that Indian troops' learning Chinese could prevent misunderstandings and is conducive to peace and stability on borders, but would also have a greater significance during war.

Understanding the Chinese language and culture could greatly help India take control of border areas in a confrontation, thus, strengthening language learning is a form of strategic preparation, Song said.

Echoing Song, Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that Indian troops could also monitor Chinese soldiers on the China-India border, and seize the initiative in future border clashes by learning Chinese.

"India could come up with effective and targeted strategies once their troops can correctly grasp what their Chinese counterparts mean during war," Hu said.

"Language ability can boost communication in peacetime, but in wartime, it is a weapon," Hu said.

Provocative moves

Chinese experts warned that China should prepare for possibly more border clashes with India this year, as it has been sending provocative signals to China since the Doklam standoff in 2017.

The Indian government is planning to add 15 new battalions in the country's border force, a move that will fortify defenses along its strategic frontiers with Pakistan, Bangladesh and China, the Times of India reported in January.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the so-called Arunachal Pradesh in February. In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on February 15 that China is firmly opposed to the Indian leader's visit to the disputed area and would lodge stern representations with the Indian side.

It's not just Indian troops, but also the much wider Indian population that is learning Chinese, as India is both jealous and under pressure from China's growing global competitiveness, Hu said.
HELSINKI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- As China's top legislative and advisory bodies are holding their annual meetings, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said he believes the "Two Sessions" and the decisions to be made are of global significance.

Among other items on the agenda, the "Two Sessions" are to amend China's constitution, pass new laws, deliberate a plan on the reform of state institutions, and decide a new state leadership.

"Those are very important meetings and very important decisions are being made there," said Niinisto in a recent interview with Xinhua, adding that those decisions will be of great significance for the whole world.

He highlighted the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Beijing's first white paper on Arctic-related cooperation.

China first proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, which advocates better economic connectivity, political coordination and cultural exchanges among different continents and regions. Beijing further envisioned a Polar Silk Road in a document released earlier this year.

Finland is the current chair of the Arctic Council. Niinisto noted that China's first white paper on Arctic policy is in line with the international law and the proposal to build a Polar Silk Road will promote understanding among relevant parties.

The Chinese policy document, released on Jan. 26, "respects international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," Niinisto said.

He said it is important that Arctic players have something in common so that peace is maintained in the region.

China would like to "jointly understand, protect, develop and participate in the governance of the Arctic, and advance Arctic-related cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative," the white paper says.

It also says the Belt and Road Initiative will create opportunities for the parties concerned to jointly build a Polar Silk Road, and facilitate connectivity and sustainable economic and social development of the Arctic.

The Polar Silk Road is not only a plan for more roads, railways and shipping routes, but also a vision for promoting understanding among different peoples, Niinisto said.

More discussions are needed to explore the possibility of combining the Belt and Road Initiative and a European Union (EU) strategy plan to deepen connection with Asia, he added.

The Finnish president also said he agrees with Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

"We are more and more dependent on each other, and a shared future in my eyes means better connectivity, better mutual understanding, and a peaceful life where we can learn from each other," he said.

The Finnish leader also praised China's achievements in lifting tens of millions of people out of poverty in the past decades, saying he hopes such efforts will continue.

The president noted that people in the Western world, including Finland, are "having a very keen eye on the Chinese economy," as it has a huge impact on the international economy.

"We hope the very positive momentum of the Chinese economy will continue," said Niinisto.
American Airlines has fallen under wide criticism from Chinese customers after allegedly loading passengers on a chartered bus trip amid the noreaster turmoil that left an elderly Chinese couple injured in a car accident.

(file photo)

The accident took place on March 2 when American Airlines flight 4664 scheduled to fly from Minneapolis to New York got diverted to Baltimore by the massive noreaster. When transported by chartered bus to New York, the Chinese couple, who spoke limited English, was struck by an oncoming vehicle during a rest stop, Stefani Kuo, a passenger on the flight who was accompanying the couple, told Peoples Daily Online.

According to Kuo, the bus trip was unattended and passengers were provided with no information such as travel time and agenda. During the 10 hour trip that only covered about 48 kilometers, passengers were given few chances to use the bathroom, having to relieve themselves on the side of the highway during one stop.

The driver had made a stop at a McDonalds parking lot when the accident happened. The couple had allegedly tried to cross the road to get back to the bus, which would leave at an uninformed time.

I saw a truck stopped in front of a body on the ground. And then another car and then another body on the ground. There was blood. Both bodies were faced down, wrote Kuo in her recount of the scene originally published on WordPress. The two bodies were later confirmed by police at scene as the old Chinese couple.

Upset, Kuo informed the bus and the other passengers of the accident, but the bus allegedly drove away and returned to BaltimoreWashington International Airport, where the couples luggage remained unattended. It was through her personal efforts that she tracked down the couple at Bayview Hospital and informed the airliner of their injured passengers.

Kuo said the husband was found with severe spinal fractures and a broken neck, while the wife was unconscious when she arrived at the hospital, and she helped with translations, without any assistance from the airliner.

In a statement to Peoples Daily Online, Michelle Mohr, a spokesperson for the airliner, confirmed the accident but revealed no further details regarding their condition.

The statement claimed that the airliner deployed their Customer Assistance Relief Effort Team, or CARE Team, to assist the couple and their son, whom they were headed to visit.

Our CARE Team is still working with the family and our number one priority is making sure that they have the support and care they need at a difficult time. We wish the couple a full and speedy recovery, the statement said.

We recognize that Friday was a difficult day for those passengers traveling via bus from Baltimore to New York. We apologize for the inconvenience to their travels with us. Our Customer Relations team is working with them as well, it added.

Kuo failed to offer more updates on the couple and refused to further comment on the issue.

As the only witness in the Chinese-related accident, she reportedly received a $700 voucher as a symbol of gratitude after the accident, but the company has failed to reply to her, even though she tried to contact them twice by email, twice by Twitter, and once by phone.

The accident has aroused much discontent among Chinese customers, who demand that American Airlines apologize to the couple and provide them with compensation.
The uncertainty about Paz Fernandez Borregos location, the woman from Gijon who disappeared last 13th February, has finished in the worst way. A canoeist found this 43-year-old womans body yesterday afternoon in Arbon dam, in the parish of Villayon. The woman could be identified by the colour of her hair, the black dress she was wearing -the same one with which she was seen for the last time- and mainly for the tattoo she had on her shoulder, as the Civil Guard sources told. The autopsy will determine today the origin of the injuries she shows. However, the circumstances of the finding say it all. The body was found 14 kilometres from the place where her vehicle was parked, in the surroundings of Jarrio Hospital, in Coana, and 12 from the place where she was last seen and where the pension where she had left her personal belongings and had foreseen to spend the night was? "The family is torn to pieces", a next-of-kin assured yesterday night. There was no need that the relatives went to identify the body.

In this tragic way was put to an end the relentless search to fin the location of this 43-year-old mother of two children. A neighbour from the parish of Valdes, with family bounds with the municipality of Villayon and fond of canoeing, was who warned the Civil Gard. At half past three in the afternoon, and while he was practising this sport, he discovered a body floating in the water, upside down, in an area known as "Arbon bypass".

Several patrols of the Military Branch, the incumbent judge from Luarca and the Civil Guard Scientific Police, as well as the coroner travelled to the scene of the finding to proceed with the removal of the body. The womans body, initially yet to be identified, was "in an area of difficult access, in the bank of the Arbon dam", as the branch itself informed. That was why it was necessary the intervention of the Special Group in charge of Underwater Activities (GEAS), who arrived to the area at seven in the evening. Immediately they recovered the body, using a zodiac boat, in an operation which lasted for half an hour.

The mortal remains of the woman from Gijon were taken in a hearse to the Legal Medicine Institute from Asturias, in La Corredoria (Oviedo), where the autopsy will take place in the course of today. A search engine which has lasted three weeks, and which has had the region on tenterhooks. It is yet to clear up the reasons for the death.

The news of Paz Fernandez Borregos identification means a tragic blow for her family, who until the last moment had kept hope of finding her alive, under the belief that it was a voluntary disappearance. In fact, a deployment of volunteers was being prepared for next weekend in the parish of Nava, in order to find new clues about her location. The interest of the family to spread her disappearance was maximum, and that was why billboards were forwarded in the social networks, stuck in shops, venues and public places of all the western part of the region and the coast of Lugo, and deep search workings to find her took place.

However, as days went by, the conviction that the womans absence was forced gained strength, until finally it has been confirmed.
Motoring

Famous Dutch yard Heesen describes the advanced 50m all-aluminium Home as the worlds first Fast Displacement Hull Form (FDHF) motor yacht with hybrid propulsion and showed her at Monaco and Fort Lauderdale late last year.

Mar 07, 2018 | By Yacht Style

Fast Displacement Hull Form (FDHF) is a rigorously tank-tested hull concept developed by Van Oossanen Naval Architects a decade ago, and is proving its worth in practical passages made by an increasing number of motor yachts and commercial vessels.

The firms founder, Peter Van Oossanen, is best-known for the controversial winged keel that helped Australia 11 wrest the Americas Cup off New York Yacht Club in 1983, after NYYC had held the auld mug since 1851.

So Van Oossanen has a proud history in honing underwater appendages, and their patented FDHF systems, which were pioneered by Heesen with great success, continue to attract clients, but they are not completely new.

The advance in Home is that, for a motor yacht kept below 500 GT and with a shallow draft enabling her to nose into lovely Bahamas anchorages, FDHF has been combined with hybrid power to produce a really unique, cost-efficient and at times silently-run vessel.

Sea trial results were impressive, said a Heesen spokeswoman. Not only did Home easily exceeded her contractual maximum speed of 16.3 knots in the traditional diesel engine mode, but she also eclipsed expectations in her hybrid silent cruising mode.

Thanks to two 127kW water-cooled DC electric shaft motors, she exceeded the predicted speed of 9 knots, with noise and vibration levels well below the specification levels.

Home is not only ultra-quiet. She is extremely fuel efficient.

Heesen: Worlds First FDHF Green Aluminium Hybrid

At 12 knots, she has a fuel consumption of 98 litres per hour, excluding generators, and at 10 knots in hybrid mode, this further reduces to a staggering 45 litres per hour, which for a 50m yacht, displacing 295 tons and with a Gross Tonnage of 499, is an outstanding achievement.

Heesen is renowned for its meticulous attention to weight reduction and Home is an effortless embodiment of this. Being lighter than predicted, she is the perfect demonstration of Heesens signature capabilities.

This impressive performance is achieved with just two MTU 12V 2000 M61 engines of 600 kW each, which are smaller than those typically fitted on a yacht of this size.

Once again, it proves the remarkable efficiency of the Fast Displacement Hull Form devised by Van Oossanen Naval Architects, engineered by Heesens in-house specialists, and perfectly executed by Heesens talented team of welders.

Home has also exceeded her range predictions, logging an impressive 4,250 nm at 12 knots  500 nm more than specified. This was achieved with a fuel capacity of just 45,000 litres, further underlining the remarkable efficiency of the Fast Displacement Hull.

Interestingly, earlier studies showed that from an owners perspective, fuel efficiency was arguably not the key attraction in buying a hybrid system.

Eric van Mourik, Cost Accounting Manager at Heesen, said that we attended the Electric and Hybrid Marine World Conference in Amsterdam and in Florida, and approached different suppliers. What emerged from this research was that, in a yachting context, the main advantage of hybrid propulsion was the enhanced comfort that the option of silent cruising provides.

And Home is exceptionally quiet. In electric mode, the noise levels in the owners stateroom are an astounding 46 dB. To illustrate just how quiet this is, when the project was first presented at Monaco Yacht Show, Professor Barry Smith explained that 46 dB is the sound of softly falling rain.

That is a sound we like, a sound that is comforting to the ear. Compare that to ordinary conversation at 60 dB, or a slightly noisy restaurant at around 80 dB, explained van Mourik.

In the quest for quiet, some hybrid yacht systems use lithiumion battery banks, providing completely silent power, but initially Heesen rejected this, finding that the output was usually limited to providing loads at anchor.

Lots of batteries were also expensive, heavy and took up space, but Peter van der Zanden, Heesens GM of Design and Development, said they had reserved judgement until it was established how long hybrid owners would want to cruise in silent mode.

The vessel is quite a head-turner. Frank Laupman of Omega Architects is responsible for her striking profile. From her vertical bow and spray rails, to her stern, with its large fixed swim platform, wide sweeping stairs leading to the main deck, and floor-to-ceiling glass windows, Home is definitely unique.

Interior stylist Cristiano Gatto also worked closely with the owner to create an interior decor that boasts a sophisticated linear design, based on a two-tone palette. This theme gives a relaxed and bright feel throughout the whole interior, inviting the outdoors and spectacular vistas to feature centre stage from within.

Tasked with a design brief that asked for a straight bow and a generous use of glass, the exterior of Home, designed by Laupman, is characterised by her long waterline, floor-to-ceiling windows, and the dawn of a new design language.

The interior design of Heesens Home yacht for a client will be revealed in the second part of the feature, so do keep a look out for the story.

For more information please visit www.heesenyachts.com

Words Ross Wolfe | Images courtesy of David Churchill And Jeff Brown (Breed Media)
Egypts State Information Service (SIS) officially handed the BBC's Cairo bureau chief a protest note over its controversial recent report on what the latter claimed are cases of torture and forced disappearances of Egyptian opposition members by Egyptian security forces.

In an official statement on Tuesday evening, the SIS said its chief, Diaa Rashwan, handed the BBC's Cairo bureau chief Safaa Faisal the objection note over the report, which included the case of a young Egyptian woman alleged to have been "forcibly disappeared" in Egypt.



The young woman, 25-year-old Zubeida Ibrahim Younis, appeared on an Egyptian private television channel disputing claims that she had been kidnapped by authorities and tortured.

During the meeting, Rashwan said the SIS renewed its request for an appropriate apology from the BBC over the unfounded allegations," which the SIS chief described as falsified.

In an interview last week with TV host Amr Adib on ON satellite channel, Zubeida sat down with her husband Sayed Abdel Azim to refute the contents of the 5,000-word BBC article and accompanying video report, titled The Shadow Over Egypt.

Written by Orla Guerin, the report contains interviews with families of alleged victims of torture and enforced disappearance by security services.

In the footage, Guerin interviews Youniss mother, Mona Mahmoud, who claimed that her daughter had been apprehended by security forces and tortured in custody.

Mahmoud will be held in custody for 15 days pending investigations into charges including "publishing and broadcasting false news that could harm the country's national interests" and joining an illegal group, a reference to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

Rashwan, who also sent a formal letter of objection to BBC headquarters in London, said the broadcasting agency should take necessary professional and administrative measures to correct the reports mistakes and violations.



According to the SIS statement, the Cairo bureau chief expressed the BBC's appreciation for the dialogue with the SIS head, describing it as a meaningful."

She expressed her gratitude after Rashwans affirmation that freedom of media coverage and the right to obtain information is guaranteed for all accredited media outlets in Egypt, including the BBC, within internationally-set rules.

She said that the BBC will look into all points made in the SISs protest note, adding that they will be addressed as soon as possible.

The BBC has come under fire since publishing the report, which has led to the SIS to call on Egyptian officials to boycott the the broadcasting company and abstain from media interviews with its journalists and producers until it has officially apologised and published the SIS's response to its report.

Short link:


Thiruvananthapuram : In a huge jolt to the Pinarayi Vijayan led state government, the Kerala High Court ordered a CBI investigation into the murder of Suhaib, a youth congress leader from Kannur.

While delivering the order, Justice B Kemal Pasha also directed the CBI unit in Thiruvananthapuram to head the probe. Noticing the delay in recovering the weapons used for the murder, the court also observed that UAPA can be slapped against the accused.

More interestingly, the court order came just hours after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan disposed the need for a central agency investigation into the case. In Assembly, CM Vijayan said that the police investigation is going in the right direction and denied any lapses in the investigation.
Egypt on Wednesday extended its sincere condolences to Russia after a Russian military transport plane crashed in Syria, killing 39 Russian military personnel on Tuesday.

In an official statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry expressed its condolences to the "government and people of Russia" over the crash of the An-26 plane, which occured as it was landing at Hmeimim airbase, near the coastal city of Latakia in Syria.

The foreign ministry statement asserted Egypt's support for its Russian counterparts over the ordeal.

The Russian Defense Ministry stated the plane was not fired upon, adding that a technical malfunction might be to blame for the crash.

An investigation is currently underway.

Short link:


On Wednesday the Crown Prince and de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is visiting Britain on a 3 day visit where he will meet up with top business figures as well as Theresa May and Boris Johnson.

The contents of this article will be distributed as an IMT leaflet at a protest against Mohammed bin Salman's royal visit to London on 7 March.

The attitude of these democratic rulers of Britain towards this reactionary despot is indicative of their true interests. The same people who do not hesitate in launching wars on any country on the supposed grounds of democracy promotion, have no qualms whatsoever about being deeply involved with one of the most reactionary regimes on the planet.

In the liberal western media Mohammed bin Salman is being portrayed as a reformer and moderniser of Saudi Arabia, because women have been allowed to drive and the first cinemas have been allowed to open in the country. But Mohammad bin Salman has not touched any of the fundamental pillars of his familys brutal rule.

The status of women in Saudi Arabia is still that of second class citizens. Saudi women are treated as legal minors and need the permission of a male relative to study abroad, marry, or get a passport. Minorities are treated similarly. Shias, for instance, are vilified in all educational literature and on a daily basis in the media. Meanwhile tens of thousands of political prisoners are rotting behind bars for the slightest public criticism of the regime.

The state ideology of Wahhabism, which is at the core of the Saudi regime, is not different at all from that of the Islamic State which is so often used as an excuse for the Wests intervention in Iraq and Syria. In fact, Saudi Arabia is the biggest backer of IS and Islamic Fundamentalism throughout the Middle East. Mohammad bin Salman had a major hand in unleashing these monsters onto Syria and Iraq over the last period.

This same MBS, who according to Boris Johnson is a remarkable young man, then proceeded to launch a bloody one sided war on the people of Yemen. Tens of thousands have been killed or wounded, hundreds of thousands are internally displaced, while a brutal bombing campaign and siege has left all of its infrastructure destroyed and seven million people on the brink of famine. Meanwhile Al Qaeda is allowed to roam freely and even participate in the Saudi led campaign. Of course all of this could not have taken place without the military assistance of Britain and the US who are playing key roles in the coordination and the logistics of the campaign.

At its height, the British Empire used to pay Gulf emirs to protect its sea routes in the Persian Gulf. Now the tables have turned and British capitalism has become the guns for hire of the reactionary Gulf states. Now MBS is waving a potential $100bn in deals in the face of May, Johnson and the parasites in the city of London. For that amount of money, these ladies and gentlemen are willing to do anything, including propping up one of the most reactionary regimes in the Middle East. Just as they are attacking workers and youth at home in Britain by imposing austerity, they are supporting the biggest enemy of the workers and youth in the Middle East and North Africa. That is why for us the struggle of the Middle Eastern masses against the Saudi regime is the same as our struggle against our own ruling class at home.

Down with the British and the Saudi government deals!

Down with the Tory government!

Down with the rotten Saudi regime!
The Italian elections  a political earthquake in the true sense of the word  have produced what had long been predicted: a hung parliament, with no party, or coalition of parties, capable of expressing a majority government. Serious bourgeois commentators have lamented the fact that more than 50 percent of the electorate voted for populist anti-establishment parties, while those parties that the system has rested on for the past 25 years have been seriously weakened.

The results are the following: centre-right coalition 37 percent and 260 MPs; Five Stars Movement (M5S) 32.68 percent and 221 MPs; centre-left coalition 22.85 percent and 112 MPs; Liberi e Uguali 3.39 percent and 14 MPs. To form a majority government in parliament would require 316 MPs, and none of the main forces in these elections achieved that. Thus, a period of instability opens up as negotiations to patch together some kind of coalition are dragged out.

The problem is that no one knows how any functioning coalition can be built. The centre-right needs to find 56 MPs who would be prepared to support them, whereas the M5S would need to find 95. There is much speculation now about what kind of government will emerge. There could be a M5S-Democratic Party coalition, a deal between the M5S and the League or even some arrangement between the Democratic Party and the right.

Embed from Getty Images

All of these, however, create new problems and are not the basis for forming a stable government. Another option being discussed is the formation of a short-lived coalition government whose sole purpose would be to change the electoral system, yet again, in order to introduce a mechanism that would produce a parliamentary majority.

This comes at a time when the Italian bourgeoisie requires a strong government capable of further cutting back on the welfare state and workers rights in general, in order to tackle the huge black hole in the state finances (equivalent to 132 percent of GDP), a failing banking system and a stagnating economy that has not even been able to recover to pre-2008 crisis levels.

In the past they thought they had found in the Democratic Party the force they needed to guarantee their interests, and when that failed they could call back in Berlusconi. The problem is that the big losers in these elections were precisely the Democratic Party and Berlusconis Forza Italia. This is part of a wider international phenomenon that has seen the so-called centre collapse. The reason is that these are the parties most linked to the austerity of the past period.

The centre-right and the surge of the League

The bulk of the centre-right is made up of Berlusconis Forza Italia and Salvinis League. The League used to be called the Northern League and campaigned for a separation of the north from the rest of the country, referring to southerners as lazy and incompetent. That restricted its electoral base to the north and made it a small force in national politics. It has now recycled itself as a right-wing, racist, anti-immigration, conservative party and has tapped into the fear of a section of the population at the constant arrival of migrants from Africa and Asia. One of its main slogans was Italy for the Italians. Its vote went from 4 percent in 2013, concentrated in the north, to 17.6 percent with a more national spread today. Berlusconis party Forza Italia, on the other hand, has gone from 21.5 percent in 2013 to 14 percent today.

Berlusconi has paid the price of attempting to appear as the more responsible statesmanlike figure within the centre-right coalition. As a clear sign of desperation, he was praised by the more serious bourgeois, in Italy and in Europe, as the man who could save Italy from populism, which included the League that he was in an alliance with.

Berlusconi paid the price of trying to be the 'statesman-like' figure. The centre-right is now dominated by the League / Image: alessio85

What the bourgeois fail to understand is that in present-day conditions in Italy a large layer of the population has had enough of so-called statesmanlike figures. The EU and the euro are seen by many as the source of the problems afflicting working people, and therefore any politician defending the EU and euro is not going to do well in the popularity ratings. The crisis is severe and people want change, not the same old politics. It is precisely those parties that offer extreme policies that do better in these conditions. So-called moderates  and Berlusconi was seen as the moderate within the centre-right coalition  suffered electorally.

In this context, Salvini has been beating the drum about Italy being for the Italians and has been promising to repatriate hundreds of thousands of immigrants. In the conditions of growing unemployment, the right wing have pressed home the message that if the immigrants are sent home, things would get better for Italians. The tragedy is that there is no real viable left force capable of explaining that such divide and rule policies of the right only serve to weaken the working class. In the absence of such a force, the xenophobic, racist message has had an impact on significant layer of the population.

Thus, the centre-right is now dominated by the League and not Berlusconi. This poses a problem, because during the election campaign Berlusconi had clearly stated that whichever party within the centre-right won the most votes would get the position of prime minister  if the right can form a government, of course. That means Salvini can rightly claim the role of leader of the centre-right. Berlusconi, far from protecting the bourgeois class against populism, has actually facilitated the rise of the League. The problem however, remains that Salvini may not get the position of premier that he aspires to, as the centre-right as a whole does not have the necessary majority.

Five Stars does better than expected

The Five Stars Movement (M5S) did much better than opinion polls were predicting, winning over 32 percent of the vote, up from its 25.5 percent in 2013. The Five Stars Movement has now emerged as the biggest single party in parliament. It stood on its own, as it refused to form electoral coalitions with any other force, and it has clearly won the protest vote and has given expression to the pent-up anger against the establishment.

As the biggest party, it has the right to be given the task of forming a government. The President of Italy, Mattarella, has the role of nominating who should be prime minister. He looks at the makeup of parliament and seeks a candidate that he believes can form a working majority. That means that at some point he will have to call the M5S leader Di Maio and ask him to investigate whether he can muster a majority in parliament.

The protest vote, Five Stars (led by Di Maio) is now the largest party in parliament / Image: fair use

The Five Stars Movement won an overwhelming vote in the south and among the youth. In the south its vote was between 45 percent and 55 percent in the different regions, and among the youth its vote was 43 percent, according to an SWG study. This is very significant, as the youth and the south have suffered most from the crisis of capitalism in recent years and have been hit hard by unemployment. It also did well among industrial workers, casualised workers and the layers of the middle class that have been ruined by the economic crisis.

In some areas of Italy unemployment is very high. In the former mining district of Sulcis in Sardinia, for example, unemployment stands at 30 percent and youth unemployment is at 70 percent. In these areas people dont want to hear all the old rhetoric of the established parties. They are suffering now and want something serious to be done about their terrible social and economic conditions.

Many workers who used to vote for the Democratic Party, seeing in it the continuation of the tradition of the old Communist Party, but this has now changed. They feel betrayed by the Democratic Party and have shifted to the Five Stars. When a TV reporter asked workers who they had voted for in the Sulcis region of Sardinia, most responded Five Stars. When asked if this were not a leap into the dark and that it might make things worse, one worker responded how can it get any worse than what we have now?

Thus, the vote for the Five Stars is clearly a vote of protest and a way of sweeping away all the old parties who are seen as responsible for this situation. The more-than-ten-million Italians who voted for the Five Stars were voting against the system as a whole.

Over 10 million Italians voted for the Five Stars and against the system / Image: Niccolo Caranti

However, what does the Five Stars movement have to offer concretely? It has built up its support by presenting itself as an anti-austerity party, a party that questioned the role of the EU and even raised the idea of a referendum on the euro. It has also built up its position with its anti-corruption rhetoric. The image it has cultivated is one of a party that will sweep away the old system.

However, the bigger it became, and the closer the prospect of actually forming a government has become, the more responsible its leaders have become. Gone is their talk of leaving the euro. There is no more talk of a referendum on the euro. Di Maio, its leader, on Tuesday evening gave a speech in which he repeated several times the word responsible. He stated they are a responsible party and will do what is right for Italy and Europe. He added that they are prepared to talk to the other parties, which is very different from their previous position of refusing to work with anyone.

This may also explain why the president of Confindustria (the bosses union), Vincenzo Boccia, has come out saying that the Five Stars do not frighten us, adding that they must not undo the laws that have so far been introduced by the Democratic Party, such as the Jobs Act which has served to render working conditions far more precarious. He has also warned the Five Stars not to introduce measures that would push up the public debt even further. But Boccias statement is like a certificate of suitability that the bosses have issued for the Five Stars, a party they can do business with. The fact that the Five Stars have an anti-Trade Union stance helps in this sense.

The Five Stars have come out strengthened, but it is clear that they are preparing their own undoing in the coming period as they are forced to deal with the question of how to run a capitalist economy.

The flop of the far-right

Two groups that could be described as fascist stood in these elections, CasaPound Italia and Italia agli Italiani (a coalition of Forza Nuova and Fiamma Tricolore). Having seen a certain success in an earlier local election on the outskirts of Rome, CasaPound believed they could get some MPs elected in the general election. In the end they failed to get anywhere near the 3 percent threshold. The vote was still significant, given the open fascist orientation of these lists, but was well under their expectations. CasaPound won 0.94 percent, while Italia agli Italiani won 0.38 percent.

In a worse-than-expected result, CasaPound won 0.94 percent and Italia agli Italiani 0.38 percent / Image: PD Utente

Immediately after the results were released, the leader of CasaPound complained that the media had ignored them and given them no publicity. This claim shows the demoralising effect the election results had on CasaPounds leadership, but it is far from true, as they had a lot of publicity during the election campaign in terms of media projection. For instance, when a racist (and former Northern League candidate) shot at African immigrants in the streets of Macerata there was a lot of talk about the fascist far-right. The truth is that support for the open fascists is very weak. There is also the fact that anyone who wanted to vote for openly racist parties could vote either for the League or their coalition partners, Fratelli dItalia [Brothers of Italy], or even, to a certain extent, for the 5 Stars Movement, which also adopted an anti-immigrant stance.

Having said that, there was a small-but-significant increase in the vote of the far-right. In 2013 the combined vote of two far-right groups was 92,000 votes (0.27 percent). This time the combined vote of the two fascist lists was 429,000 votes (1.32 percent). CasaPound was the group that benefited the most with its 305,000 votes.

These figures give the real picture of the so-called fascist threat in Italy. These groups are marginal and could be easily fought back and isolated, provided that a much bigger mass movement against racist attacks and the fascists were effectively organised. They do present a threat as violent groups used to attack left activists and immigrants. They also play a role in whipping up a general mood of racism and xenophobia among a layer of the population.

The demise of the centre-left

The big loser in these elections is the centre-left coalition centred on the Democratic Party. The centre-left won less than 23 percent, down from its 29.5 percent in 2013. In the 2014 European elections the Democratic Party won over 40 percent. That was when it was riding high and Renzi felt he had the wind in his sails and no one could challenge him. The Democratic Party continued to push through a series of anti-worker legislation and severe austerity measures, and in these elections it paid the price for those policies, winning a mere 18.8 percent, not much more than the League, and losing almost three million votes since 2013.

This result confirms the gradual, drawn-out process that has been taking place since 2014. In this period the Democratic Party had already received a blow in the 2016 referendum, when over 60 percent of the electorate rejected Renzis attempt to change the constitution, in an attempt to change the electoral system, precisely to avoid the Five Stars Movement emerging as the strongest force in parliament. This was seen for what it was and the south, the workers and the youth in particular used the referendum to give Renzi a huge slap in the face.

Renzi resigned as premier, but his government continued under Gentiloni, with practically the same ministers. Renzi was seen as still steering the government and he became a hated figure, both from the left and the right.

The crisis of the Democratic Party poses a problem for the bourgeoisie, who spent years building up the party in their image / Image: Francesco Plerantoni

In spite of all this, Renzi moved to strengthen his grip on the Democratic Party, pushing to one side the minority faction of MPs that came from the old Communist Party, provoking a series of splits of MPs, which was to give rise to the list called Liberi e Uguali [Free and Equal]. This included some former Communist Party leaders, such as DAlema who was prime minister in 1998-2000. The aim of this list was to save the careers of the minority pushed out by Renzi, but without breaking openly either with the policies they defended in the past, or with the possibility of collaborating with the Democratic Party. Opinion polls were indicating they might get around 6 percent. In the end they did very badly, winning a mere 3.4 percent, only just above the 3 percent threshold and DAlema doing very badly in his hometown. Its leader, Grasso, came out during the election campaign suggesting a coalition government between the Democratic Party and Berlusconis Forza Italia, with themselves as the arbiter! This group will now most likely break up as each of its MPs looks to saving his future career, some of them possibly returning to the Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party is now facing a serious crisis. Renzi has offered his resignation as party leader  but is not resigning yet! His arrogance has no limits. He says he will stay as leader until a government is formed. The reason for this is that he believes the party should not enter any discussion about forming some kind of coalition  but should stay in opposition. The logic behind this is clear. If there is any chance of preserving the Democratic Party as a useful tool for the bourgeoisie, this can be done by staying in opposition and leaving the others to continue with the austerity measures.

That is all very good in theory, but it doesnt solve the immediate problem facing the capitalists of guaranteeing a government in the short term. There is a significant section of the party that wants to open to the Five Stars and start negotiations about a possible collaboration between the two parties. Renzi has challenged his opponents in the party to come out into the open and state where they stand. On Monday there is a meeting of the leading body of the party where a showdown may well take place. What we are seeing is the possible split of the Democratic Party, where fragments would be used to support one government or other. In the meantime, the party will continue to decline and could even disappear as a relevant force from the scene of Italian politics.

The weakness of the Democratic Party and the demise of Renzi represent big problems for the Italian bourgeoisie. They had built the party up painstakingly over a long period to be the direct voice of the capitalist class. The problem today is that whomever governs and attempts to run the system must abide by the rules of the system. The autopilot is always at hand guiding whomever is in office towards austerity, cuts in spending and a generalised attack on the working class.

What is left of the left?

As explained in a previous article, what is left of Rifondazione Comunista promoted a list called Potere al Popolo [Power to the People] to stand in these elections. In spite of the opinion polls indicating that they would get around 1 percent, its promoters had built themselves up as the new force on the left. They whipped themselves up into a frenzy believing they could go above the 3 percent threshold, and some were even dreaming of bigger things. This prompted some to speculate whether here at last we had the Italian Podemos, or the Italian France Insoumise.

The Italian Marxists understood that such a list had very little chance of emerging as a credible alternative. Its main component was Rifondazione Comunista, but the party is now hardly the shadow of what it used to be in terms of membership and influence. This party supported the centre-left in the past and even entered one of its governments, with the excuse that they had to do this to stop the right wing. The result was that in 2008 Rifondazione lost all its MPs, and has been in decline ever since. It has become nothing more than a reformist sect. What they refused to understand is that you cannot rebuild the left in Italy with people who are tainted with the policies of the centre-left, and with the same old policies. What is required is a clear class policy that refuses any collaboration with the so-called centre, with parties that defend the interests of the capitalist class.

Rifondazione Comunista is a shadow of its former self / Image: Wikinade

But they are incapable of breaking with the old policies. They have continued to uphold Tsipras as a model for the left in Italy, which says everything about the nature of this force. And it explains why they did so badly in these elections. If we compare Power to the Peoples vote to the Rivoluzione Civile list of 2013, also promoted by Rifondazione Comunista, we see that they lost more than half their votes. In 2013 Rivoluzione Civile won 2.25 percent and 765,000 votes, while Power to the People in these elections won only 1.1 percent and 361,000 votes. This is the price they pay for years of reformist class collaboration.

The tragedy of the Italian situation is that the Democratic Party  backed in the past by Rifondazione  have given the word sinistra [left] a bad name in the eyes of the mass of working people. Sinistra is linked to Renzi and his austerity policies. It explains why a party like the League can portray itself as a party of the working class, saying that the Left does nothing for workers!

The revolutionary left

In effect, the old traditional left forces in Italy have been all but smashed by events. Decades of class collaboration led first to the dissolution of the old PCI and what emerged from that was absorbed into what is now the Democratic Party, while the promoters of Rifondazione Comunista failed to build a genuine Communist Party in its place. The Italian working class has gone from having a powerful two million strong Communist Party to being left with no party at all. Power to the People was a failed attempt to resuscitate a reformist formation in Italy.

We explained in a previous article why the Marxists in Italy decided that in these conditions it was necessary to stand an independent, revolutionary left platform. They had no illusions that they would get a large vote. They are still too small to be a significant factor in the situation, especially in the electoral arena. However, not to have stood would have reduced them to a passive role, of observers commenting on the situation. Having their own list gave them an instrument with which to play an active role in the elections and spread their ideas as widely as possible.

In terms of raising their profile, the campaign was successful. They were able to speak on TV election campaign programmes, from Claudio Bellottis interview on RAI 2, that we referred to before the elections, to a number of local TV, radio and newspaper interviews. The comrades went to the schools, universities and factories and took their message to the workers and youth. Where they managed to speak, they had an impact on people. They were seen not as crazy ultra-lefts but as serious people who knew their facts and figures, who had an analysis of the Italian and world situation, and who had a programme that answered the problems of the working class.

This, of course, is not enough to win elections. The bulk of workers and youth who wanted to vote for a force that had the numbers to offer an alternative voted for the Five Stars. This is an objective process that no one can cut across. Many workers voted for the Five Stars with big illusions that this was the way to change things. They will be bitterly disappointed and when it sinks in that the Five Stars also betray their electorate, then the situation will become explosive, but that is the music of the future.

In terms of votes, the result is a very modest one. In those areas such as Milan, Naples, Modena and a few others where the Marxists have a base, with important trade union positions, shop stewards and so on, they got a decent vote. The Sinistra Rivoluzionaria list overall won 32,500 votes. It is true that they were only able to stand in 60 percent of the constituencies, but nonetheless it is a very modest vote. But the main aim of the campaign was not so much to win a large amount of votes in the ballots, but to build links with a layer of workers and youth who are looking for a revolutionary alternative and use the election campaign as a drive towards building the forces of Marxism. In that respect the campaign has achieved an important success.

There was another competitor on the left, and that was the Partito Comunista led by Marco Rizzo, whose symbol was the red flag and hammer and sickle. This is an openly Stalinist organisation with links to the Greek KKE. Marco Rizzo used to be a leading figure in Rifondazione before it split in 1998 and was an MP between 1994 and 2004 and a Euro-MP from 2004 to 2009. This party won 103,000 votes (0.32 percent), still very small and marginal in Italian politics.

There is a layer of old left activists in Italy who are now in a deeply depressed mood. They see everywhere reaction and hopelessness. They fail to understand why the Italian left has fallen to such depths. Many of them still cling on to the very ideas, policies and methods that led to the present disintegration of the left parties.

The mood among the Marxists of the IMT in Italy, on the other hand, is one of confidence. That may appear strange to the average left activist, but that is because they do not have a real understanding of the period we have entered. They only see the reactionary side of the election results. They fail to see that a huge section of the Italian population actually voted against the old establishment. Because of the historical failure of the left it is mainly the Five Stars that has tapped into this mood  and partially also the League. What they fail to understand is that once the Five Stars is tested, the millions who placed such big hopes in them will become potentially the base for a future party of the working class.

The Marxists have confidence in the working class. It will learn from events and as it learns it will look for something better than either the League or the Five Stars. The task of the left is to prepare an alternative that is capable of becoming a point of reference for the working class. By intervening in the elections, the Italian Marxists attracted the attention of a wider layer of people looking for an alternative revolutionary policy. They have already started involving this layer in their activities and are strengthening the Marxist Tendency. This was the main aim of intervening in the elections with their own list.
Airlines have already started adjusting schedules, anticipating a snowstorm due to arrive Wednesday morning will disrupt travel, Bradley International Airport officials said in a news release.

The staff at the Windsor Locks, Connecticut, airport say they are already starting to see flight cancellations.

Real time flight status updates are available on Bradley's website, www.flybdl.org. Twitter users can also receive automated updates by tweeting their flight number to @BDLFlightInfo.

Boston Logan Airport and Worcester Regional Airport issued similar warnings.

Winter weather is expected to impact air travel on 3/7. Please check with your airline for the latest information about your flight before heading to Logan.  Boston Logan Airport (@BostonLogan) March 6, 2018

Meteorologists expect 6 to 8 inches of snow to fall at Windsor Locks, most of it late Wednesday into Thursday.

Greater Springfield is expected to get 8 inches to a foot of snow.

But some parts of Massachusetts may get as much as 2 feet of snow. And air travel can sometimes suffer from a domino effect, with really bad weather in one spot stopping planes from getting to their next airport for their next flight.

[HEAVY, WET SNOW] While one can critique snowfall amounts, take-away, it's going to snow & the BIGGEST concern is downed limbs, trees, powerlines w/ 30-60 mph E gusts, strongest along the coast; can't rule out 2-3"/hr snowfall rates, lowered visibility, hazardous travel pic.twitter.com/KQMouEVCPh  NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) March 6, 2018

Bradley Airport said its snow-removal team is on stand-by.

The website Flight Aware also posts real-time data for flight disruptions all across the country at flightaware.com.
CHICOPEE -- The new Yee family restaurant that will replace the Hu Ke Lau at 705 Memorial Drive will likely be about a fifth the size of the venerable 27,000-square-foot showplace that closes April 6.

"We have found that 5,000 square feet is our sweet spot," said Hu Ke Lau general manager Andy Yee during a Tuesday afternoon news conference. "That is a size we can have fun with. That's a size we can manage easily."

Yee said it is too early for him to say what the new restaurant would serve or what it would look like.

"Stay tuned," Yee said. "We have designers in Boston that we work with on all of our restaurants. We are going to listen to them."

He joked when asked if the food would change.

"We have all the recipes," he said. "They are locked away. You are not getting my scorpion bowl."

He said the decision to close took two years for Yee and his family to reach.

He reiterated that the property is not for sale and that he has no immediate plans to take the Hu Ke Lau into MGM Springfield, a move that some on social media have suggested.

"I look forward to being here (on Memorial Drive) for the next 50 years," Yee said. "However, we have third-generation ownership that is working in our restaurants. We are doing succession planning. We are building a business for them to carry on."

The planned closing date is not a coincidence, he said.

The restaurant, founded by the late Jung Tai "Johnny" Yee, first opened its doors on April 6, 1965. Johnny Yee added the Polynesian show in 1969. The Yee family expanded the venue in 1975.

Andy Yee said he and all the Hu Ke Lau staffers are already gearing up for a busy month as longtime customers come to say goodbye. The Polynesian dance troupe has something special planned for the last day.

"It's a celebration," he said. "We are celebrating the Hu ke Lau."

He said it is too soon to tell if the Polynesian themes will return in some form or another.

And the Yees are looking for alternative venues for stand-up comedy. Working with Boston-based tour promoters, they've presented stand-up comedy at the 1,100-seat Hu Ke Lau for 29 years.

The Hu Ke Lau stage has been home to one of the country's longest-running Polynesian revues and comedians from Joan Rivers to Chris Rock and Rosie O'Donnell.

Yee said the Hu Ke Lau building, some of which he estimates is more than 50 years old, is old and too expensive to repair.

"We are putting Band-Aids on top of Band-Aids," he said. "The parking lot needs a lot of work."

He compared the Hu Ke Lau's rebirth with the extensive renovations at The Fort in Springfield. Yee is managing partner along with Peter Picknelly and the Vann family at the Student Prince Cafe & The Fort Dining Room. The Fort, much beloved just like the Hu Ke Lau, nearly closed for good before Picknelly and Yee launched a major rehab in 2013 and 2014.

The Yee family also owns Johnny's Tavern in Amherst; Johnny's Bar & Grill, Johnny's Taproom and Iya Sushi and Noodle Kitchen, all in South Hadley; and Route 9 Diner in Hadley.

Yee is still working to create a version of The Fort in Springfield's Union Station where he would once gain have access to a large event space like the Hu Ke Lau.

He also hinted about upcoming expansion moves in Connecticut.
An Associated Press video appears to show the man who police say stole Frances McDormand's best-actress Oscar walking out of the official Academy Awards after-party.

The video, shot late Sunday night as many guests were leaving the Governors Ball, shows a man in a tuxedo who appears to be Terry Bryant, 47, holding an Oscar trophy as an onlooker cheers.

Another photographer who took Bryant's picture at about the same time did not recognize him as a winner at the ceremony, and began following him, according to the Associated Press.

When Bryant was confronted, he handed back the statuette without a fight, police said. The award was later returned to McDormand.

Prosecutors have charged Bryant with a single felony count for taking the bronze statuette because it is worth more than $950, according to The Los Angeles Times.
In this Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 photo, Jesenia Flores holds her son Jose, both of Aibonito, Puerto Rico, as they wait to enter her mother-in-law's hotel room, in Dedham, Mass. Nearly six months after Hurricane Maria, thousands of Puerto Ricans are still staying in hotels. It's frustrating "to be cooped up here without knowing what will happen to us," the 19-year-old mother said. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

From the lobby of a hotel on the outskirts of Boston, Jesenia Flores fills out an online job application, hoping to find work that will get her small family back to normal for the first time since Hurricane Maria flooded their home in Puerto Rico.

The hotel along the interstate has been a refuge for her and other Puerto Rican families, but it's frustrating "to be cooped up here without knowing what will happen to us," the 19-year-old mother said as her 15-month-old son squirmed and cried in her lap.

Don't Edit

This Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 photo shows the view from the hotel room where 53-year-old retiree Fernando Muniz has taken refuge, in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Nearly six months after the storm, almost 10,000 Puerto Ricans scattered across 37 states and the island still receive temporary housing assistance from the FEMA. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

Danaliz Pujol is staying in a hotel, too, near Orlando, Florida. She and her husband are trying to find an affordable apartment to replace the one in Puerto Rico that was damaged in the storm and then rented to someone else after they fled to the mainland. She looks every day, "but there's nothing," she said.

Don't Edit

In this Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 photo, 69-year-old retiree Carmen Acosta stands in the hotel room she shares with her 44-year-old son, months after Hurricane Maria ripped the corrugated metal roof of her residence, in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. So far, FEMA has provided $113 million in rental assistance to 129,000 people who were in Maria's path in Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

And then there is Carmen Acosta, who longs to go home from the hotel where she has been living in Puerto Rico with 40 families displaced by the storm. She received $4,000 from the federal government to repair her nearby house, but the work has been slow because it includes removing black mold that quickly spread in the tropical heat.

Don't Edit

In this Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 photo, 69-year-old retiree Carmen Acosta walks down the corridor of the Boquemar hotel where she has taken refuge for months, after Hurricane Maria ripped the corrugated metal roof of her residence, in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.(AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

Nearly six months after the storm, almost 10,000 Puerto Ricans scattered across 37 states and the U.S. territory still receive temporary housing assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. That help has been renewed repeatedly, but it's now scheduled to end for everyone March 20. Without financial support, they will have nowhere to go, many storm victims say.

"I could end up on the street just as I'm trying to get back on my feet," said Pujol, 23, who earns money by cleaning hotel rooms. Her husband is disabled and cannot work.

Don't Edit

In this Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 photo, 53-year-old retiree Fernando Muniz looks out from his hotel room, where he has taken refuge for months after Hurricane Maria caused damage to his San Juan residence, in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

Dozens of Puerto Ricans interviewed by The Associated Press expressed similar fears as the deadline loomed. Many are poor, living on fixed incomes or getting by in low-wage jobs. They have no relatives who can help or savings to fall back on, and they did not own their homes.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

In this Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 photo, Jesenia Flores, 19, holds her son Jose, both of Aibonito, Puerto Rico, as she steps out of her hotel room, in Dedham, Mass. The hotel initially offered a welcome break from the chaos after the storm. But now it's become tedious. "The only entertainment I have is my son," she said. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Some like Flores struggle to find work because they don't speak English well. Others have children with special medical or educational needs.

"To start all over again is really hard," said Ivette Ramirez, whose home in the Puerto Rican city of Bayamon was flooded by the worst storm to strike the island in decades. The restaurant where she and her husband worked was destroyed. She is now staying in a hotel in Dedham, Massachusetts, with aid from FEMA.

Don't Edit

In this Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 photo, 69-year-old retiree Carmen Acosta is reflected in a mirror in the hotel room she shares with her 44-year-old son, months after Hurricane Maria ripped the corrugated metal roof of her residence, in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Acosta longs to go home from the hotel where she's been living in Puerto Rico with 40 families displaced by the storm. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

So far, FEMA has provided $113 million in rental assistance to 129,000 people who were in Maria's path across the island. Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello has asked for the deadline to be extended to May 14, and the government says it is reviewing the request.

Don't Edit

In this Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 photo, 69-year-old retiree Carmen Acosta stands inside her home, which lost its corrugated metal roof during the passage of Hurricane Maria, so she had to take refuge for months at the Boquemar hotel, in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. She received $4,000 from the federal government to repair her nearby house, but the work has been slow because it includes removing black mold that quickly spread in the tropical heat. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

Nonprofit groups, churches and state and local governments have also provided temporary housing help and other forms of support to the tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans who fled to the mainland in the aftermath of the Sept. 20 storm.

Don't Edit

In this Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 photo, Maria Reyes, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, babysits six-year-old Junielis, of Caguas, Puerto Rico, at a hotel, in Dedham, Mass. Several Massachusetts groups helped Reyes when her FEMA hotel assistance ended after two months. She was able to move from one hotel near Boston to another while caring for her 7-year-old grandson. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Several Massachusetts groups helped Maria Reyes when her FEMA hotel assistance ended after two months. She was able to move from one hotel near Boston to another while caring for her 7-year-old grandson.

Her former home in San Juan public housing has been deemed habitable, but she wants to stay on the mainland to get better medical care. She doesn't know how long she will be able to stay in this hotel, or where she will go next.

Don't Edit

In this Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 photo, Maria Reyes, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, watches her grandson Edward, in their hotel room, in Dedham, Mass. Reyes doesn't know how long she will be able to stay in this hotel, or where she will go next. "I can't live like this with a little kid," the 55-year-old said. "I need more time. I need God to hear me." (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

"I can't live like this with a little kid," the 55-year-old said. "I need more time. I need God to hear me."

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

This Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 photo, shows an image of Jesus Christ framed between towels hanging on an indoor clothesline inside the hurricane-damaged home of 69-year-old retiree Carmen Acosta, in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Almost 10,000 Puerto Ricans scattered across 37 states and the island are receiving housing money from FEMA. That help is scheduled to end March 20. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

Noe Casiano came to Florida with his wife and three children, including one born with severe birth defects a day before the storm swept across the island and flooded their apartment in a public housing complex near San Juan.

Don't Edit

In this Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 photo, a framed image of Jesus Christ is propped against a cardboard box used to hold bread and Styrofoam plates, in a hotel room 69-year-old retiree Carmen Acosta shares with her 44-year-old son, in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. For the most part, evacuees try to make themselves at home. At several hotels, they share meals and keep each other company. Some like Acosta have added personal touches. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

Their FEMA benefits ended when their home was approved for habitation, but their newborn was getting emergency treatment in St. Petersburg. For a week, they slept all together in the hospital, but they have since moved to a nearby shelter. They still don't want to go back to Puerto Rico, where the family believes their daughter won't get the treatment she needs because medical specialists are scarce on the island following a 10-year economic crisis.

"I have nothing in Puerto Rico. It would be like going to an empty shoebox," the 29-year-old father said, his voice breaking.

Don't Edit

In this Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 photo, 15-year-old Alanis Rodriguez, of Canovanos, Puerto Rico, left, and 14-year-old Bethel Sanchez, of Isabela, Puerto Rico, spend time together in the hotel lobby, in Dedham, Mass. For the most part, Hurricane Maria evacuees living in hotels try to make themselves at home. At several hotels, they share meals and keep each other company. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

For the most part, evacuees try to make themselves at home. At several hotels, they share meals and keep each other company. Some have added personal touches, like a portrait of Jesus that Acosta leans against a cardboard box at the hotel in Boqueron in southwestern Puerto Rico.

Don't Edit

In this Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 photo, 55-year-old retiree Ivan Ferreira walks his dog Ovito along the coast adjacent to the Boquemar hotel, where he has taken refuge for months after Hurricane Maria blew away his roof, damaged his walls and destroyed his belongings, in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

Ivan Ferreira, a 55-year-old retiree at the same hotel, said he's grateful for the lodging but points out that he could have fixed part of his house for what FEMA has paid for the room.

Don't Edit

In this Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 photo, 55-year-old retiree Ivan Ferreira sits on the edge of his bed in a hotel room with his dog Ovito, where he has taken refuge for months after Hurricane Maria damaged his home, in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Ferreira said he's grateful for the lodging but points out that he could have fixed part of his house for what FEMA has paid for the room. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

In this Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 photo, Jesenia Flores, 19, holds her son Jose, both of Aibonito, Puerto Rico, while watching her mother-in-law Luisa Mercedes, center left, play dominos with Ivan Lopez, 14, second from right, Eric Lanzo, 13, right, and Carlos Delgado, 17, bottom left, all of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, at a hotel, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

"The only entertainment I have is my son," she said.

Her husband managed to find work as a cook but she has had no luck. It doesn't help that she doesn't have a car and her hours will have to be limited because she has to care for her baby.

"I've applied for everything I see, but I don't hear anything," she said.
A motorcycle club that honors the military service of Puerto Ricans who fought in American wars going back to 1899 now has a Massachusetts chapter, thanks to the efforts of motorcycle rider Edwin Ricardo Colon, of Holyoke, and Alexis Perez, the founder of the Borinqueneers Motorcycle Club.

Perez said he was inspired to form the club because of his love of riding and his respect for his uncles, veterans of the Korean War. They served in the 65th Infantry Regiment known as the Borinqueneers.

Much like their fellow soldiers of color, the Tuskegee Airmen and the Navajo Code Talkers, the Borinqueneers were members of a segregated infantry regiment, established in 1899 with members serving in World War I and World War II as well as in Korea.

The infantry regiment was disbanded in 1959. They were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by former president Barack Obama in 2014.

"We started in 2005 with a small club in Connecticut, and now we have eight chapters across the country," Perez said.

Other chapters include New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina and Puerto Rico. There are 150 active members with an additional 150 family members and sponsors who support the club. Massachusetts is the newest chapter.

An initiation ceremony in which the Massachusetts members received their riding jackets and club colors was held at American Legion Post 351 in Holyoke last week. Members of chapters in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania attended.

Colon said the Massachusetts chapter has a board of directors composed of club members. They do not have a president in order to make everyone feel welcome and equal, he said.

Colon has 18 years of experience participating and leading local motorcycle clubs.

"This club and this chapter are very special to me because we are honoring the 65th Infantry Regiment Borinqueneers, many of which lost their lives fighting in the Korean War," he said. "This is more than just a motorcycle club, there is a lot of history and when we ride we will ride in their honor."

He said the objective of the club is to create a brotherhood and sisterhood in Massachusetts and come together with the other chapters "to honor those brave men who served our country and to always remember what they did for us."

During the ceremony five members were initiated into the local chapter including Colon, Angie Rodriguez, Geraldo Rodriguez, Louis Luna and Jose Alvarez.

"We wanted to do it here at the American Legion because this is a place where veterans are welcome and they have been so welcoming to us," Colon said.

The group already has several events planned for the year.

"We will be participating in the ride Rolling Thunder on Memorial Day weekend in Washington, D.C., this May," he said. "We will be there along with members of the other chapters representing the Borinqueneers."

To become a member, an individual must show proof that one of their ancestors was a member of the Borinqueneers.

"We often get a lot of veterans, police officers and working professionals who apply. It's a great group," Colon said.

The group's first activity will be April 28 in New Britain, Connecticut, where a monument in honor of the 65th Infantry Regiment will be unveiled at the intersection of Beaver Street, Washington Street and Farmington Avenue.
A Gardner man faces a potential 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced in July, after he admitted in U.S. District Court in Worcester to selling firearms to federal agents. Edwin Lebow, 33, is a convicted felon.

He entered a guilty plea to a single charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm in court Tuesday.

Prosecutors said in a written statement that Labaw and an associate, Travis Miller, met with a federal undercover agent in Gardner in Sept. 2017 and sold the agent a double-barrel, 12-gauge shotgun and 11 shotgun shells. They also negotiated the sale of a 9mm Kel-Tech Sub-200 rifle. The combined price was $1,200.

About a week later, Labaw and Miller met with an agent in Fitchburg and sold him an SKS 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle with magazines and ammunition for $1,800.

Both men were arrested in November of 2017. A hearing is scheduled on March 22 for Miller to plead to charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition and distribution of fentanyl.

Judge Timothy Hillman set Labaw's sentencing for July 9.
EASTHAMPTON -- Entrepreneurs who propose to build the city's second medical marijuana facility will present their plan to the Easthampton Planning Board tonight.

Kot Kasom, president and CEO of Green Life Dispensary, Inc., seeks site plan approval for a 20,000 square-foot facility at 19 Wmelco Way. The 2.67 acre property, located off Rt. 10 near the Southampton line, is zoned industrial.

Plans call for reuse of an existing 16,160 square-foot warehouse and a 3,520 square-foot expansion for retail sales. The property is owned by Antonios Rizos of Miri Realty, LLC.

Green Life Dispensary is eligible to receive a certificate of registration from the Massachusetts Department of Health, and has received preliminary approval under state law, the application states.

Green Life Dispensary on Dec. 19 was invited by state regulators to submit a siting profile, documents on file with the city's planning department show.

According to his application, Kasom has been the owner and operator of Soul Fitness since 2005, and is product operations manager for Packaging Corp. of America. Chief Financial Officer Anderson Green of Amherst is former managing director of home ownership for Springfield Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.

Jonathan Napoli is listed as director of cultivation, and Leakhena Som of Southampton is listed as treasurer of the corporation.

Mayor Nicole LaChapelle provided a required letter of non-opposition to the project, including a statement that registered marijuana dispensaries are allowed as-of-right in industrial zones in Easthampton.

The 22,000 square-foot INSA medical marijuana dispensary and grow facility opened in the city's Pleasant Street mill district in February.

The Planning Board will meet at 6 p.m. at 50 Payson Ave.
HOLYOKE -- City councilors pledged support to about 60 school transportation employees who packed City Hall Tuesday to protest a School Department plan to change some transportation to vans.

But councilors also said that the fact a state-appointed receiver currently is in charge of managing the public schools makes it unclear what concrete help the City Council can provide about the transportation decision.

The union representing workers at Durham School Services said the public schools' plan to begin using vans instead of buses to transport some students jeopardizes safety and jobs.

But school officials said neither safety nor jobs will be reduced with the change to vans, which are already in use in a limited way here and in other school districts, and the switch will save money.

Check back with The Republican and MassLive.com for more details including video about this City Council discussion.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held on Wednesday separate meetings with his Jordanian and Bahraini counterparts on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting for the Arab League.

In an official statement, foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said that Shoukry expressed to his Bahraini FM Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa Egypts full appreciation for Bahrain's efforts to preserve national Arab security, praising the brotherly and special relations between the two countries.

The Bahraini FM praised the depth and strength of Egyptian-Bahraini relations, as well as the cooperation between both countries in all fields.

According to the spokesman, the meeting included an assessment of both sides' vision as to the ongoing developments in the region and its effect on the stability of Arab countries.

Shoukry affirmed Egypts firm stance on maintaining the Arab solidarity in light of challenges faced by the region, as well as Egypt's full support for supporting the security and stability of the Gulf region, which he described as indivisible from Egypts security.

Minister Shoukry accentuated Egypts full rejection of foreign interference that aims to shake the stability of Arab states and interfere in their domestic affairs, the statement said.

Later, Shoukry met with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman El-Safadi, where both sides discussed means of boosting bilateral relations between the two countries.

They also discussed developments relating to the Palestinian situation, and called "for concerted dialogue and a joint Arab vision to support the Palestinian cause."

The pair also disccused the crisis in Syria and the situations in Iraq and Yemen, as well as efforts in combating terrorism.

On Wednesday, Arab foreign ministers will hold a meeting following the inauguration of the 149th session of the Arab League, headed by Saudi Arabia in Cairo, in which they will discuss a number of issues, including means to confront Iranian interference in the domestic affairs of Arab countries.

Short link:


HADLEY - Last month, petitions signed by American Legion members were filed with the town seeking to stop the new senior center from being built on the proposed site because of concerns about a town-owned overflow parking lot.

Now, the legion is asking the town to deed that lot to them. The town already deeded a lower 36-space lot to the legion.

Members of the legion were scheduled to meet with the Select Board Wednesday night about the project but with the storm, the meeting has been postponed to March 21.

One petition filed asks voters at the spring Town Meeting to rescind the $7.1 million total approved funding, and another asks to relocate the facility to a parcel of land the town bought on River Drive and Stockbridge Road.

In the letter sent to the board, Post 271 Commander Richard Witkos is asking if the board would entertain a motion to gift land known as the "Upper Parking Lot" to the American Legion Post 271."

He is also asking that the contractor who used the lot as a staging area during Route 9 reconstruction to repave both lots because "they caused enormous damage to the pavement and did a quick patch job and left."

In addition, Witkos sent a letter to the board about the petitions filed and the possibility that some of the wording might be invalid.

"If in fact, Town Council find some wording incorrect, we would hope that he would correct it and stay within the spirit of the petitions. If these petitions are invalid and Town Council corrects the wording, we would like to review them before they are sent to the printer."

He also wrote they would bring the petitions back if they had to after the May 3 Town Meeting although they hope they won't have to do that.

"We would hope that any corrections would be made, if needed, and stay within the spirit of the petitions filed.

He also wrote "We don't understand why the Board of Selectmen is trying so hard to stop these petitions from reaching Town Meeting floor. It's only a vehicle, not a referendum."

In an email, Select Board chairwoman Molly Keegan said the legion requested the meeting with the board.

"We made it clear this isn't a hearing, just a normal update on both building projects," she said referring to the center and the proposed new town library.

Keagan she also explained to Witkos that it was John Mieczkowski Sr. that asked the petition articles be sent to Town Counsel, not the board. She said other obstacles were not provided.

Witkos declined to comment last month. He could not be reached for this story.

Plans call for the existing senior center at 46 Middle St. to be torn down and a new one built at the site. Its footprint, though, would extend into the town-owned parking lot the Legion has been using for overflow.

Senior officials said the legion could use its new lot for any overflow parking.

Mieczkowski Sr. said the town did not provide the information about the legion losing the lot to the community before the town meeting and town wide votes were held.

Senior officials said the information was provided at a hearing held about the project and they had been working with legion members. The petitions filed Feb. 14 were a surprise.

Town Meeting twice voted on funding components for the project followed by town-wide votes needed to support the debt exclusion overrides.
The story of the Russian spy ring that included sleeper agents living quiet lives in Cambridge, Mass., faded from the headlines after they were deported.

But Russia's aggressive intrusion into American politics, its ties to President Donald Trump and the ongoing espionage efforts across Europe have kept the country's name plastered on television and online news sites these days.

Russia was also frequently brought up at a Boston College conference on cyber security, which featured FBI Director Christopher Wray and the agency's special agent in charge of the Boston division, Hank Shaw.

"I can tell you, as an adversary, they're all over the country," Shaw told reporters when asked whether Russia is still active in the Boston area. "It's of concern."

"When you have the world-renowned colleges and universities that we have here, you have the research and development that's happening within our backyard, you have Fortune 500 companies," he added. "You could expect that our adversaries are looking at any of that stuff at any given point and time. I could tell you, we are always proactively looking for that thread, we're mindful of it and we're doing everything in our power to stay in front of it."

The Boston College conference drew experts on cybersecurity in government and the private sector.

Shaw and Wray pressed for the private sector to work with federal government agents on cybersecurity, both before and after a breach.

Both Shaw and Wray brought up the "blended threat," nation-states like Russia tapping hackers to do their "dirty work" and steal proprietary information or company secrets.

"It's not if you are going to be probed, attacked or possibly breached but when it might occur," Shaw told the crowd. "None of us are clairvoyant so we must be prepared."

Shaw said he recently spoke with an employer in Boston's Seaport District, discussing steps they've taken to protect their information.

"It's really invaluable for us to have those quality relationships with our private sector partners, because they're not only going to be the victims, they're the ones who are really sitting on the information that the adversary is looking for, or the money, or the other things of interest," Shaw told reporters.
A Suffolk County grand jury on Wednesday indicted James Clarke, a 44-year-old IRS agent, on rape charges.

Prosecutors are accusing Clarke of raping a 21-year-old college student. He is also charged with aggravated rape, indecent assault and battery, strangulation and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

According to Suffolk District Attorney Dan Conley's office, Clarke invited the victim out for drinks after work on the night of July 26, 2017. He then offered her a lift to South Station so she could catch her train.

Inside the Government Center garage where he parked his IRS-owned car, he handcuffed her, assaulted her with his service gun, and raped her at gunpoint, Conley's prosecutors allege.

An "additional assaultive act occurred inside the car" while it was outside South Station, Conley's office added, citing forensic tests and medical records they obtained.

Clarke's attorney, Michael Doolin, did not immediately respond to a message left seeking comment, but he told the Boston Globe his client denies the allegations. The Globe outlined the woman's allegations in November.

Clarke is scheduled to be arraigned on April 5.
A member of the Massachusetts State Police Most Wanted list, accused of kidnapping and pistol-whipping two people in January of last year, has been captured in New Jersey.

Jeffrey Baby Lopez, 28, had been wanted by Massachusetts since he and multiple other suspects allegedly kidnapped, robbed and assaulted the two victims for hours in Lynn.

Lopez, identified by State Police as a suspected member of the Deuce Boys street gang, was also recently charged in connection with a Lynn drive-by shooting in October of 2016.

The search for Lopez stretched on for a year, with Lynn and State Police seeking his arrest on five violent crime warrants. He was placed on the State Police Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive list in September.

State Police worked with the FBI, Lynn police, New Jersey State Police, Newark police and the U.S. Marshals Service to track Lopez' movements and on Tuesday morning found him hiding in a Newark, N.J. apartment.

"Recently, [the State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section] and the Gang Task Force developed information which led them to believe that Lopes was hiding out at an apartment in Newark, N.J.," State Police said in a statement. "That information was passed on to members of the US Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force and resulted in his capture today."

Lopez is being held in a New Jersey correctional facility and is expected to be transferred back to Massachusetts. He has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for possession of a dangerous weapon, assault and battery and distribution of a Class B drug.
Seizing on the Massachusetts elections chief's alleged comment about the mayor of Lawrence during a fiery phone call, Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim called for him to elaborate on the remark.

Zakim is running in a Democratic primary against Bill Galvin, the longtime Massachusetts secretary of state. In that elected role, Galvin serves as the state's elections chief and oversees the state archives.

Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera alleges that Galvin was angry over Rivera's endorsement of Zakim and called him up on a Friday night in February. "I made you mayor," Galvin said, according to Rivera.

Making such a statement has the potential to undermine the public's trust in elections, Zakim said.

Galvin's State House office has referred reporters' questions to his campaign operation, which has not responded to the mayor's claim.

"The fact that the secretary hasn't provided an explanation to the people on what he means by delivering an election is troubling," Zakim said Tuesday. "I think he owes us that explanation."

Zakim added: "To be using his position to call and intimidate someone for getting involved in an election, it's troubling."

Zakim also questioned whether Galvin used taxpayer resources in making the call.

"The call alone is unacceptable but to be doing it on a government phone is certainly something he has to explain," he told MassLive.

The Democratic primary is set for Tuesday, September 4.

A Massachusetts Republican Party spokesman said they expect to field a GOP candidate to run against whoever emerges from the primary.
Stephen Crosby, the chairman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, is interested in becoming the next head of UMass Boston.

Before he was appointed as chairman of the five-member agency overseeing the state's new gambling industry, Crosby served as the founding dean of UMass Boston's McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies. He held the job for six years.

"People have suggested it," Crosby said, confirming his interest in the UMass Boston chancellorship. "I have agreed to be considered. I'm totally flattered people would consider it a possibility."

Gov. Deval Patrick appointed Crosby to the Gaming Commission in 2011.

Crosby has also worked as the budget chief to Gov. Paul Cellucci and Acting Gov. Jane Swift, supervising nearly two dozen agencies. He also served as Swift's chief of staff.

In October 2017, UMass President Martin Meehan and the chair of the UMass Board of Trustees, Robert Manning, announced the formation of a search committee to conduct a "global" search for the next chancellor of UMass.

UMass Boston, located in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood and next to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, has 17,000 students and 11 colleges and graduate schools.

Crosby's interest in the job comes as the Gaming Commission prepares for the opening of MGM's Springfield casino and grapples with the scandal surrounding Steve Wynn and allegations of sexual misconduct against the casino mogul. After the allegations were laid out in the Wall Street Journal, the commission launched an investigation into Wynn Resorts, which holds the lone eastern Massachusetts casino license.

Crosby said he's enjoyed the Gaming Commission job. His term ends in 2019.

"I'm totally happy here," Crosby said. "It's been a fantastically complicated, challenging, cliff-hanging, unexpected job, but it's been fantastic."

Barry Mills, the former president of Bowdoin College in Maine, has been the interim chancellor at UMass Boston since July 2017 and is slated to step down in June. Mills took over for J. Keith Motley, who served as chancellor between 2007 and 2017.
A pair of teenagers face charges this week after allegedly making threats about their Central Massachusetts High school.

West Boylston police were called to the town's combined middle-high school on Monday and Tuesday for two back-to-back threats. The school has about 500 students in a town of fewer than 8,000 residents.

Officers were first called to West Boylston Middle High School at 11:49 a.m. on Monday after a high school student allegedly told another student he had a firearm in his possession on school grounds.

Citing an ongoing investigation, police would not discuss the nature of the student's threat. West Boylston Police Sergeant Thomas Balvin said the student who told his classmate that he had a firearm in possession spoke "in a threatening manner." The sergeant said the student was ultimately not found to be in possession of a firearm.

He was arrested and transported to Worcester Juvenile Court that day. The student, who is a minor, faces charges of disrupting school assembly and threatening assault and battery with a firearm. He also faces a felony charge of willfully communicating possession of a firearm on school property.

The following day, West Boylston Police responded to the school shortly before 10 a.m. for a written bomb threat. In an email to parents, Principal Christopher Fournier said the note was turned into him Tuesday morning by high school students who discovered it in a boys' bathroom.

Fournier and police met to "review the note, examine the handwriting, consult the school cameras and the sign-out list of students who used the bathroom during 'A' block." The school chose to lock the bathroom where the note was found and continue the school day as scheduled while the investigation took place, according to Fournier.

Police determined there was no credible threat and identified a male high school student who admitted to writing the note. Balvin said that student will be summoned to Worcester Juvenile Court this week on the charge of willfully communicating a bomb threat to a school.

Though the threats remain under investigation, police say they believe the two incidents are unrelated.

Similar threats were uncovered in Worcester this week. Police said a 14-year-old student was arrested at South High Community School after allegedly threatening to shoot his classmates.

Student backpacks were searched and a heavy police presence was visible at the high school. The suspect faced a charge of a false report of a firearm or any weapon capable of causing damage in Worcester Juvenile Court.

School administrators maintain that their classrooms are safe despite the recent threats.

"We will work with the student(s) and family of the student(s) responsible for this potentially disruptive behavior," West Boylston Principal Fournier wrote to parents on Tuesday. "[We] appreciate the cooperation of all students and staff in keeping this incident from interrupting the learning environment today."
SPRINGFIELD -- A Springfield police officer shot and injured a man Tuesday night at the conclusion of a pursuit on Pendleton Avenue, police said.

Department spokesman Ryan Walsh said the suspect, whose name has not been publicly released, suffered a single gunshot wound to the arm. He was taken by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center for treatment of the non-life-threatening injury.

The officer, whose name has not been disclosed, drew his gun and fired when the suspect put his vehicle in reverse and started backing toward the officer and his partner.

"Fearing for their own safety, one officer fired their service pistol, striking the driver in the arm," Walsh said.

The shooting happened at around 10:30 p.m. near Pendleton and Eastern avenues.

The incident was the conclusion of what Walsh termed "a slow speed police pursuit." Officers attempted to stop the suspect for some sort of traffic violation, and the driver would not pull over, he said.

At Pendleton and Eastern, the car struck a parked car then continued off the road and into a fence and a porch, he said.

The officers got out of their cruiser and were approaching the vehicle when the car backed up and the officer fired.

As is department policy, the officer's weapon was retrieved, and the officer underwent an evaluation, Walsh said. The Hampden District Attorney's office will also conduct a review, which is the policy for any shooting that involves a police officer, Walsh said.

More details, including the name and charges against the driver, are expected to be released Wednesday morning, Walsh said.

Pendleton and Eastern avenues are in the center of the city's Old Hill neighborhood.
PETERSHAM -- When just weeks old, newborn bear cubs are the size of puppies, have the cuteness of kittens, and, when separated from their mother for the first time, can let loose with the wail of banshees.

Deep in the woods of Petersham on Monday, a mile or so from the nearest road, the forest was alive with the sound of music, if your idea of music is trio of shrieking baby bears performing a one-word chorus that sounds like "Ma! Ma! ... MA!"

Just a handful of weeks old, the cubs had their first experience with humankind as biologists with Massachusetts Wildlife examined the bears and took note of their health, weight and gender. Their mother was nearby but rendered temporarily unconscious by an immobilizing drug that would last for 30 to 40 minutes.

While this was going on, people tried to make the cubs comfortable, and even as the humans cuddled them inside their own jackets to keep them warm, the cubs continued to squall loudly, as if they were furry, clawed infants suddenly awakened from a nap.

And that is, of course, exactly what they were.

If it is good for bears to have a healthy fear and suspicion around people, these little guys are off to a good start.

MassWildlife biologists and researchers set out into the Petersham woods as part of an annual and ongoing study of bear populations in Massachusetts.

There are 20 female adult bears around the region, like the one in this case, that are fitted with tracking collars, and each year MassWildlife seeks them out during the winter hibernation to see how they are are doing. They make note of the bear's overall health and weight, the number of cubs present, and their weight and gender.

"Each year at this time, we make den checks to see how many young are with them," said Marion Larson, chief of information and education for Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

"We count the cubs, determine their sex and weigh them, then we put them back in the den," said David W. Wattles, bear biologist for MassWildlife.

The big picture of bears in the wild

In a year, they will do it all over again with the same bears, to see how many survived and by how much they have grown, he said.

Typically, cubs are born in January and spend more than a year with the mother. At the start of their second spring, they go off on their own, and the mother will begin the mating cycle again. By studying all this, biologists can gain some big-picture data of how bears live in the wild.

"Over time we can build a picture of the survival rates and reproductive rates of the population," Wattles said.

The adult bears are fitted with a collar that broadcasts both radio and GPS signals, and the combination ensures that the location of the bear can be tracked continually, he said. Tracking the bears has provided researchers with more information about their migratory habits than could be previously known, he said.

For instance, prior to having her cubs, this adult bear wandered over a large section of Franklin county and southern Vermont and New Hampshire in search of food. Several of the other collared bears did too, he said.

"It was something about the availability of fall foods," he said.

Vermont saw a bumper crop in beechnut acorns this year, while in Massachusetts the amount of acorns was a little more patchy, he said. There was also the damage to forests caused by gypsy moths, he said.

"Whether it was the lack of food here, or abundant food elsewhere, we saw a lot of northward movement of collared bears this year," Wattles said. "Without the collars, we'd never be able to track that."

Let a sleeping bear lie

Wattles said the ideas that when bears hibernate they are out to the world is kind of a misnomer. They sleep soundly, yes, but like people they can be startled from a deep sleep and be ready to go immediately.

"A lot of people have the impression with a hibernating bear that they are completely oblivious. The reality is they are just sleeping. They could wake up at any time," Wattles said.

It's for that reason that while still several hundred yards away from the den, he cautioned people to talk in a whisper -- if they had to talk at all.

Wattles and a smaller party of biologists left the larger party behind to sneak up on the den. His job was to creep up to the den and jab the mother with a jab stick that contains a sedative.

Two other biologists covered him with guns that could fire tranquilizing darts. The darts would work as a backup but are not prefered. They can take some time to kick in, and by that time, the bear will have run off into the woods, and the biologists would have to follow for up to a mile or so until it collapsed.

The jab stick worked perfectly, Wattles said afterward. The mother bear collapsed partially outside the den, which allowed them to put a new GPS collar on her and to reach in for the cubs.

In about 30 minutes, after being checked out, weighed and cuddled, the cubs were reunited with the sleeping mother, and the entrance to the den was covered over with pine branches, concealing the entrance until the mother could regain her senses.

Larson said it can be a challenge getting to all the bears in the study.

"We only have a narrow window of time when they are going to be in a den, and it depends on the weather," she said.

If the weather gets warm unseasonably early, as was the case two weeks earlier, the bears will emerge from their den earlier than usual. A few weeks ago, a mother bear and her cubs were spotted in Holyoke, she said.

"It's not surprising. It was 70 degrees out -- everyone was outside, humans and critters," she said.

Massachusetts bear population growing, territory expanding

Larson said there is no question the bear population has grown over the past four decades.

There were roughly 100 bears in Massachusetts in the 1970s, and all of them west of the Connecticut River. Seeing a bear was a genuinely rare thing.

Over the following decades, the population has grown several times and is pushing eastward.

As of five years ago, MassWildlife estimated the bear population at around 4,500.

Petersham is on the east side of the Quabbin Reservoir. Decades ago, it did not have any bears.

"Bears have been sighted in Worcester County and are moving east toward (Interstate) 495 -- which is interesting," Larson said.

The move eastward is bringing bears into areas that are more heavily populated, and that inevitably means bear-to-people conflicts. Bears are omnivorous and will eat just about anything. If a bird feeder has seed well into spring, they will find it. If a trashcan is left out overnight, they'll tear it open. If a restaurant's dumpster has food waste, the bears will dumpster dive.

And what's more, they have pretty good memories, which means once they find food somewhere, they will often return looking for more, Larson said.

"We've trying trying to explain to people what is happening," she said.

Larson said that what they are finding in their study is that many bears in rural areas can be on the slim side.

Is this because there are fewer people around and fewer opportunities for a bear to scavenge through backyard bird feeders, trash cans and dumpsters?

Larson nods.

"It's all about the food," she said. "I sometimes suspect bears in Northampton have an obesity problem."

Northampton is not a bear habitat, per se, she said.

"But there are many bears there," she said. "Bears are a very adaptive creature."
NORTHAMPTON - Ryder Chilcoff, 21, of Villa Park, California, has been indicted by a Hampshire County grand jury on one count of rape in connection with an incident alleged to have occurred in a University of Massachusetts Amherst dorm Dec. 9.

Chilcoff was previously charged in January in the Eastern Hampshire District Court on three counts of rape.

The indictment transfers the case to Hampshire Superior Court, where he is slated for arraignment. The date has not been set.

According to court documents, police were investigating vandalism to the door Chilcoff's room at John Quincy Adams Hall. During that investigation, UMass Officer Derek Napoli spoke to a 19-year-old UMass student who, when asked if she knew Chilcoff, started to cry.

She told police that she woke up in his residence, "specifically in his bed," without pants or underwear on. She told police "she had been taken advantage of," according to the report. She said she didn't know how she got into the room or what happened there.

Chilcoff told police he was watching a movie with two friends when "an unknown female walked into his room." She left and came back and went to Chilcoff's bed and fell asleep, he said.

Later that night, Chilcoff told police, the woman made sexual advances. He said he eventually "gave in" and had intercourse with her, describing the woman "as an active participant."

Napoli in his report stated he believes Chilcoff did have intercourse "without her consent as the female was unable to consent based on her level of intoxication."

Chilcoff is free on $7,500 surety. He was ordered at his district court arraignment to surrender his passport and have no contact with the alleged victim, who does not live in his dorm.

"The university is taking immediate and appropriate steps in the student conduct process to address the matter," Mary Dettloff, deputy director of the UMass Office of News and Media Relations, said previously. "Based on federal privacy law, the university cannot share further details about the case."
A Cairo criminal court placed on Wednesday 319 defendants who are members of the Daesh affiliate Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis terrorist organisation on the country's terror list.

The defendants are charged in a 2017 case with adopting the ideology of the Daesh terrorist group, carrying out terrorist attacks, as well as accusing members of the Armed Forces, police, and Christians of being infidels as a justification for killing them.

The court also removed 14 people from the terror list in a 2014 terrorism-related case.

The 14 people cleared were among 1,538 Muslim Brotherhood members accused of providing financial assistance to Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis.

Short link:


WESTFIELD - The Westfield High School Career Center has partnered with CareerPoint to increase opportunities for students.

"Our students will get a lot out of this," said Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski.

CareerPoint, based in Holyoke, is a one-stop career center serving Westfield, Holyoke and surrounding communities. The nonprofit company collaborates with a range of area businesses and community organizations to assist employers and job seekers.

A ribbon cutting celebrating the partnership and reopening of the school Career Center is planned for March 7.

"It's our hope that members of the Westfield business community will support the Career Center's efforts by providing students with a variety of abilities the opportunity for career exploration, internships, on-the-job training and employment," said CareerPoint Youth Services Director Gladys Lebron-Martinez.

Westfield Technical Academy students have benefited from work co-cop programs for many years and now WHS students will join them.

"With CareerPoint, we're focusing on career pathways and job services," said Czaporowski.

The Career Center serves students in both high schools. WHS Principal Chuck Jendrysik said the schools already have options for students to earn college credits through the early college and dual enrollment programs. The CareerPoint partnership will help those students as well as students preparing to work after high school.

Career Center Director Tara Bean said assisting students early is the key to furthering their education and preparing them to enter the workforce.

"Students who participate in programs like this are more likely to get their degree," said Bean.

Bean said there are currently 50 students in the early college program and another 70 students in dual enrollment in both high schools.

Xandria Sotomeyer is the high school career coordinator for CareerPoint and has had success in Holyoke's Dean Technical High School. She said she is gearing up for success in Westfield as well.

"We help students prepare for job interviews -- show them how to shake hands, answer questions and what to wear -- and talk to businesses about what to expect working with youth," said Sotomeyer.

The program will pair students with internships or jobs in their area of interest, whether it's the medical field, high-tech careers, interior design and more. Czaporowski said it's a great way for students to explore careers and find their path. Or not.

"They're finding out what they're passionate about, and what they're not passionate about," Czaporowski said.

Lebron-Martinez said CareerPoint uses the Signal Success curriculum, which has been used at Westfield Technical Academy for several years. It connects students with potential future employers and education.

"We had a pilot program with Holyoke Medical Center with six students and it was so successful we now have 20 students in that program and seven have been hired by Holyoke Medical Center, so far," Lebron-Martinez said.

Preparing students for work has long been associated with vocational-technical schools, but not with traditional high schools. The partnership with CareerPoint aims to change that.

"At some point, all our students will enter the workforce, and these are not just job skills, they're life skills," Czaporowski. "They're essential skills."

Young people today seem to have to make career decisions sooner, said Bean. She said one of the reasons is there are more career options than in the past. Curriculum Director Susan Dargie agreed.

"When I was in school there was a more finite list of jobs," she said. "Now we are helping prepare kids for jobs that don't even exist yet."

To help students in their career quest, Bean has created a speaker series featuring local presenters from a variety of career paths.

Jendrysik noted that Bean's position was new this school year and the schools have made great gains in the past year. He expects that trend to continue with Bean at the helm of the Career Center and the new partnership with CareerPoint.

"As CareerPoint becomes a staple in our school, kids will know where to go for help. And as the Career Center becomes a major part of the school culture, students will seek it out," he said.

The ribbon cutting is planned for 9 a.m. March 7 at Westfield High School. Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalina Acosta is expected to attend.
WEST SPRINGFIELD -- With another nor'easter expected to dump a foot or more of snow across Western Massachusetts, West Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Michael J. Richard said all city schools will be dismissed early on Wednesday, March 7.

"Due to impending snowstorm, EARLY DISMISSAL/half-day schedule for WSPS on Wednesday, March 7 (no PM/evening activities)," Richard tweeted Tuesday evening.

There will also be early dismissal on Thursday, March 8, which is a "professional development" day for West Side teachers, said Richard, and no school on Friday, March 9, for a second day of professional development.

Early dismissal times on Wednesday and Thursday are as follows:

10 a.m., high school;

10:30 a.m., middle school;

11 a.m., elementary schools;

and 11:30 a.m., kindergarten and early childhood.

Due to impending snowstorm, EARLY DISMISSAL/half-day schedule for WSPS on Wednesday, March 7 (no PM/evening activities). In addition, early dismissal Thursday, 3/8 (professional development), and no school Friday, 3/9 (professional development). Be safe! @MayorReichelt @my01089  Michael J. Richard (@WestSideSupt) March 6, 2018

Most of Western Massachusetts is expected to receive from 12 to 18 inches of snowfall, according to the latest National Weather Service projections.
YWCA of Western Massachusetts Executive Director Elizabeth G. Dineen has been appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker to the Massachusetts Governor's Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence.

The council is led by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

"I am honored by this appointment from Governor Baker to serve by providing my perspective regarding sexual and domestic violence in the Commonwealth," Dineen said in a press release. "I am passionate about the work I have done in this arena, both as a former prosecutor and in my current role at the YWCA, where the work we do in our programming, our shelters, and transitional housing is critical to the recovery of those we serve."

Dineen, who has served as YWCA Executive Director since January 2016, was an assistant district attorney in the Hampden County district attorney's office for 27 years. As a prosecutor, her caseload focused primarily on sexual assaults, domestic violence, physical and sexual child abuse and child homicide cases.

After leaving the DA's office, she served as chair of the Department of Criminal Justice at Bay Path University.

Dineen has received awards including Elms College Alumna of the Year (2017); Top Women of Law (2013); Massachusetts Governor's Award for Service to the Commonwealth (2008); and first female recipient of the Massachusetts Bar Association: Access to Justice Award--Prosecutor of the Year (2003).

The YWCA is the state's largest provider of services to survivors of domestic violence. The YWCA of Western Massachusetts provides emergency shelter to over 300 women and children each year, provides over 2,000 women and children with nonresidential counseling and treatment and receives over 10,000 crisis calls on its hotline annually.

Headquartered in Springfield, the YWCA also provides services and offers programming to women in crisis in Northampton, Westfield and Holyoke.
It was dismaying reading in the Republican article about the cost of tuition at UMass., the average student debt being $22,000, "UMass president stresses affordability," March 6, page A1.

I see so many young people stopped in their tracks, unable to raise the money to climb out of poverty. I've met kids with talents for computers, kids stuck in low level health care jobs who would, if they could afford it, become engineers, nurses, technicians, even doctors. When I graduated from high school, UMass cost $100 a semester. When I went to what is now UMass Dartmouth, it went up to $600 a year, and I was given a $900 Pell Grant. Now kids, who normally would be starting families and looking for a house to buy, are drowning in debt.

Denmark has free college tuition. So does France. In those countries a higher education is a right. People are given the chance to be anything they want. They're even given the opportunity to fail, to try a career path that doesn't work for them, without blowing tens of thousands of dollars. We can afford this in the USA.

We just increased our military budget by $80 billion dollars a year. For what? So we can continue to wreck countries all over the world? That's enough money to pay for free public college tuition for every one who wants to go. Where are our priorities? Even Elizabeth Warren voted for this shameful increase. Subsidizing our young peoples' college educations means paying for the scientists, doctors, engineers and teachers of the future, who will make this a better, stronger, more educated country. I'd say, it's a far better investment than airplanes and bombs used to devastate the lives of our enemies du jour. In today's world would I be stuck working at a big box store, not earning enough for a house or for a means to support myself in my old age? I'm so thankful I grew up at a time when our government still cared about ordinary people.



Charlotte Burns, Palmer
Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick added to speculation that he may pursue a White House run in 2020, recently telling a Kansas City radio station that a presidential bid is on his "radar screen."

Patrick, who has largely shied away from discussing his future in politics since leaving Beacon Hill and joining Bain Capital, told KCUR last week that he hasn't quite ruled out the idea of running for president.

"It's on my radar screen, but it's a huge decision and it's a huge consideration, particularly when I think, 'I'm still a kid from the South Side of Chicago,'" he said, noting that his current focus is on how he can help candidates running in the 2018 mid-terms.

"I am trying to think through 2020, and that's a decision I'm trying to think through from a personal and family point of view and also whether what I believe is going to be on offer by somebody," he said. "And if it's on offer by somebody, then maybe what I can do is help that person, but we'll see."

The former governor, meanwhile, refused to take jabs at President Donald Trump -- who has continued campaigning for re-election since taking taking office last year -- saying while the Republican was not his candidate, he respects that he is the commander-in-chief.

Patrick, however, said he has some concerns about Trump's handling of the White House and offered that he hopes a Democrat will take over the Oval Office in 2020.

"I'm concerned about the tone that he sets. I'm concerned about the lack of clarity, in terms of policy direction -- the belittling of different or opposing points of view or individuals who hold them," he said. "I don't think that bodes well for the democracy."

Despite those concerns, Patrick argued that Democrats would be smart to learn from Trump's campaign and acknowledge that conventional politics haven't been serving enough Americans well.

Patrick was in Kansas City for an American Public Square event.

Several close allies of former President Barack Obama have reportedly urged the former Massachusetts governor to make a 2020 White House run, including David Axelrod, the chief strategist for Obama's presidential campaigns; Valerie Jarrett, a close adviser and friend of the former president; and David Simas, the former political director in the White House and Patrick's ex-deputy chief of staff, according to Politico.

Even Obama himself -- a friend of Patrick's -- has encouraged the Democrat to think about the possibility of running, the news outlet reported in August.

Elected in 2006, Patrick became the first African-American governor of Massachusetts. He left the State House in January 2015 after leading Massachusetts for eight years.

He has largely remained out of the public spotlight in recent years despite being rumored as a possible vice presidential running mate for 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

The former governor took a position as a visiting fellow in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Innovation Initiative in 2015. He also joined Bain Capital -- a firm founded by his gubernatorial predecessor Mitt Romney -- as a managing director of the Double Impact business.
With the Trump administration considering a proposal that some say could allow restaurants and other employers to keep workers' tips, congresswomen from Massachusetts and Connecticut have offered legislation that seeks to ensure gratuities remain in employees' pockets.

U.S. Reps. Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, and Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut, formally introduced the bill, known as the Tip Income Protection Act, Wednesday -- one day after lawmakers pressed U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta for details on the agency's proposed "tip pooling rule."

The legislation would specifically amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to bar employers, including those that pay workers minimum wage or higher, from redistributing or taking an employee's tips -- something which critics say could happen under the proposal.

Clark, who stressed that many workers depend on tips they earn, argued that the legislation is needed to ensure in statute that employers do not take their employees' gratuities.

"The least this administration can do is offer assurance that their bosses won't steal from them," she said in a statement.

Acosta told Clark, DeLauro and other members of the House Appropriations Committee Tuesday that the proposed rule comes in response to recent legal challenges and that he would support a legislative effort to explicitly prohibit employers from collecting their employees' tips.

"No one wants this," he said. "This is a question of statutory authority. So, I fully support a provision that says 'establishments should not be permitted to keep any portion of a tip.'"

Clark said Congress should take Acosta to his word and expect the Trump administration to work with lawmakers to pass the legislation.

DeLauro, who further raised concerns about the DOL proposal's potential tip collection loopholes, also called on Congress to immediately pass the bill.

Christine Owens, executive director at the National Employment Law Project, and Celine McNicholas, labor counsel at the Economic Policy Institute, joined the lawmakers in calling for the bill's passage.

McNicholas, who noted that the DOL proposal would end current regulations which prohibit employers from taking workers' tips, estimated that, if finalized, the rule could result in workers losing $5.8 billion in tips each year. The majority of that amount -- 80 percent -- would come from women working in tipped jobs, she added.

The Labor Department announced the proposed rule, which would allow workplaces to share tips among more employees, in December.

Officials said the proposal "would help decrease wage disparities between tipped and non-tipped workers -- an option that is currently restricted by a rule promulgated in 2011 that has been challenged in a number of courts."

The agency added that its proposed rule would only apply where employers pay a full minimum wage and do not take a tip credit. It would allow sharing tips through a tip pool with employees who do not traditionally receive direct tips, like cooks and dishwashers in restaurants.

DOL noted that several states have changed their laws in recent years to require employers to pay tipped employees a direct cash wage at least equal to the federal minimum wage.

Although the federal minimum wage for workers is $7.25 per hour, employers are only required to pay tipped employees $2.13 per hour in direct wages.
A coalition of voting rights groups is urging Massachusetts to adopt automatic voter registration.

The Massachusetts proposal, which is pending in a legislative committee, would let the Registry of Motor Vehicles and MassHealth automatically register citizens to vote. A person could choose to opt out.

What could that look like? Ask Jeanne Atkins.

Atkins was the Oregon secretary of state from March 2015 through January 2017 - a period that coincided with the signing of Oregon's motor voter law and the first election in which it was implemented.

Atkins, who now chairs the Oregon Democratic Party, calls the law a success. "We know we've introduced efficiency and accuracy into the system on a level it hasn't been before," Atkins said in an interview. "It did expand the proportion of eligible people in Oregon who were voting."

Oregon was the first state to implement automatic voter registration, for the 2016 election. Since then, Vermont, Colorado and Alaska all implemented automatic voter registration and another half dozen states authorized it, as of August 2017.

The Massachusetts bills, H.2091/S.373, are sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Creem, D-Newton, and the late Rep. Peter Kocot, D-Northampton.

Atkins came to Boston Wednesday to brief lawmakers and Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin on automatic voter registration.

Under Oregon's system, someone who gets a license, permit or other identification at the Registry of Motor Vehicles and shows a document that proves citizenship has their name given to the Secretary of State's office. If the person is not already registered to vote, they will be registered.

The person is notified by mail and has 21 days to opt out or to register with a political party. If someone does not respond, they are added to the voter list as unaffiliated with a political party.

The Oregon bill passed on a partisan vote, with Democrats supporting it and Republicans opposing it.

Atkins said the concerns people had were that people would not want government to automatically enroll them; the state would be incapable of managing the database; there would be voter fraud; and these people are not interested in voting.

"Our experience has dealt with all four of those things and demonstrated you have to do it right, you have to do a good job with it, but those concerns really were overcome," Atkins said.

The numbers show that the automatically registered voters do not vote at the same rate as voters who actively take a step to enroll, but many of them do vote. By November 2016, 272,000 Oregon voters were registered through the automatic system. In that election, 100,000 of those newly registered voters cast ballots.

The proportion of people who were eligible to vote who actually voted rose from 65.2 percent in 2012 to 70.4 percent in 2016.

An analysis by the Center for American Progress, a progressive group, found that voters who were registered automatically tended to be younger, more likely to live in areas with lower income and lower education, more likely to live in suburban or rural areas, and more likely to live in Hispanic communities.

While some of those populations lean Democratic, Atkins said the vast majority of automatically registered voters remain unenrolled in a party, and the proportion of registered Democrats and registered Republicans has not changed significantly.

Implementing the change cost approximately $1.5 million, with the money split between the state and a five cent fee added to motor vehicle transactions.

While local clerks had been concerned about the workload, Atkins said after the initial implementation, clerks' jobs actually got easier, since the information is now being transmitted to them electronically. Voter lists are also more likely to be accurate since the RMV catches and notifies election officials of changes in address.

"The voter registration database is cleaner than it's ever been," Atkins said.
A majority of American voters consider President Donald Trump to be the "worst" person to lead the United States since World War II, a survey released Wednesday has found.

According to the latest Quinnipiac University National poll, more than four in 10 voters ranked Trump as "the worst president" to hold the Oval Office in the last 70-plus years -- about double the amount who named his predecessor, Barack Obama, and four times the number that said Richard Nixon, who resigned after the Watergate Scandal.

Although just 5 percent of Republicans said they consider Trump to be the worst commander-in-chief in recent history, nearly three-quarters of Democrats and 41 percent of independent voters ranked his performance behind that of the 12 other presidents elected since World War II.

"In 73 years, 13 men have governed from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office and none of them have done so with less admiration from the American people," Tim Malloy, the Quinnipiac University Poll's assistant director, said of Trump.

Nearly half of Republicans, 17 percent of independents and just 1 percent of Democrats, meanwhile, said they considered Obama to be the worst president in the last seven decades -- putting him in second place behind Trump with 21 percent of the overall vote.

Just 10 percent of voters named Nixon as the "worst president," including 8 percent of Republicans, 10 percent of Democrats and 12 percent of independents, the poll found.

The results differ vastly from those of a January 2017 Quinnipiac survey, which found voters largely split over whom they considered to be the worst president since World War II: Nixon, who received 24 percent; Obama, who garnered 23 percent; or George W. Bush, who got 22 percent of the vote.

Trump was not included in that poll, which was released just days after he took the oath of office.

While 41 percent of voters named Trump "the worst" president in the latest poll, 7 percent said they consider him the best person to have sat in the Oval Office in the last 70 years.

Ronald Reagan topped the list of whom voters believe has been the "best president" since World War II with 28 percent.

Following Reagan were: Obama, with 24 percent, and John Kennedy and Bill Clinton, who both received 10 percent of the vote, according to poll results.

Those findings were largely unchanged from the January 2017 survey, in which 30 percent of voters ranked Reagan "the best president," followed by 29 percent who named Obama and 12 percent who chose Kennedy.

The latest Quinnipiac poll surveyed 1,122 voters nationwide via telephone from March 3 to 5. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel found Kellyanne Conway violated the Hatch Act by "advocating for and against candidates" in the 2017 Alabama Senate race. Conway has been at the center of controversy for a long time -- from made-up terror attacks to "alternative facts" -- and many believe it's high time she step down. But Conway's defenders argue she is just doing her job and doing it well, and she shouldn't step down over an honest mistake. What do you think?

PERSPECTIVES

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel found Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway violated the Hatch Act by "advocating for and against candidates" in the 2017 Alabama Senate race.

Conway has been at the center of controversy since joining the Trump White House: making up terrorist attacks, coining the term "alternative facts" and even blaming President Barack Obama for the Las Vegas shooting. The Hatch Act violation is the final straw for many. Conway needs to step down.

Many are calling on Conway to either resign or be fired.

Trump was just notified that Kellyanne Conway violated the Hatch Act on two occasions last year. This was when she was campaigning on FoxNews & CNN for known pedophile Roy Moore while serving in her official role as a White House Advisor. Which was illegal. Time to #FireConway.  Scott Dworkin (@funder) March 6, 2018

Make no mistake about it, if Trump does not fire Kellyanne Conway after THREE Hatch Act violations another redline will be crossed. He will be saying breaking the law does not matter--I will pardon away any sins. Well, it does matter, & the American people will not tolerate it.  Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) March 6, 2018

Others believe Conway's violation is just in line with the White House's approach to the rule of law.

The White House has signaled that they intend to do nothing serious to reprimand or punish @KellyannePolls for breaking the law. Trump's White House violates ethics laws & ethics norms routinely. Yet again moving away from democratic rule of law and toward authoritarian impunity. https://t.co/LPS3OdiSYp  Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) March 6, 2018

But others are defending Conway, arguing she is being unfairly targeted.

I love every time I see Kellyanne Conway trending on twitter.



It means the liberals tears are pouring out.



Keep the the great work Kellyanne.  RD (@real_defender) November 20, 2017

Jonah Goldberg argues in the National Review that Conway is treated unfairly by the mainstream media, and she is not the first communications official to lie on behalf of a politician.

The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.
The Trump administration recently reversed a controversial big-game hunting policy, allowing Americans to once again import the body parts of African elephants on a "case-by-case" basis.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service quietly announced the policy shift in a March 1 memorandum that withdrew previous trophy hunting rulings, including an Obama-era ban on imports of elephants hunted for sport in Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The memo offered that the move came in response to a late December ruling in a lawsuit in which Safari Club International and the National Rifle Association's lobbying arm challenged the ban.

Neither the Interior Department nor Fish and Wildlife initially issued news releases announcing the change, according to news reports.

Under the new policy, the agency, which Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke oversees, will give hunters permits for trophy items on an individual basis "pursuant to its authorities under the Endangered Species Act and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species."

Fish and Wildlife officials have contended that "well-regulated hunting, as part of a sound management program, can benefit the conservation of certain species by providing incentives to local communities to conserve the species and by putting much-needed revenue back into conservation."

Environmental and wildlife advocates, however, panned the move.

The National Resources Defense Council, which sued the administration over the issue in November, argued that President Donald Trump "has broken his promise to maintain the ban on elephant trophy imports."

"Endangered species belong to all of us -- not just the rare few who possess the desire and the vast sums to kill, stuff and mount them. The American public deserves to know about and express its opinions on decisions about endangered species policies," NRDC officials stated in a blog post. "And we also deserve a president who will keep his word about his administration's actions with regards to these species."

The policy shift came just three months after Trump stopped the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from lifting the elephant import ban amid public outcry.

The president said at the time that he'd be "very hard pressed to change (his) mind that this horror show in any way helps conservation of elephants or any other animal."

Big-game trophy decision will be announced next week but will be very hard pressed to change my mind that this horror show in any way helps conservation of Elephants or any other animal.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2017

Zinke -- who is an avid hunter -- has reportedly said that Trump called him several times to discuss what the administration should do about elephant trophies, the Associated Press reported.

Trump's adult sons are reported trophy hunters. Donald Trump Jr. drew criticism after a photo of him holding the severed tail of an elephant he allegedly killed in Zimbabwe in 2011 surfaced.

The African elephant has been listed as "threatened" under the U.S. Endangered Species Act for nearly four decades. The United Nations estimates that as many as 100,000 African elephants were killed from 2010 to 2012, according to the AP.
In the Al-Hussein quarter in Islamic Cairo, the historic Mosque and University of A-Azhar stands welcoming worshippers, students and visitors.

The edifice, re-opened by President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman this week, has for the last three years been hiding under scaffolding, with workmen intent on polishing and strengthening its walls.

The restoration work was carried out under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdel-Aziz of Saudi Arabia with a grant from late king Abdullah, who ordered the initiative before his death with a view to restoring the historic Al-Azhar Mosque and a number of its faculties as well as establishing an integrated residential area for students.

The mosque, like other Islamic monuments located in heavily populated areas in Cairo, was suffering from environmental factors including air pollution, a high subsoil water level, a high level of humidity, leakage from the al-madiaa (a fountain used for ritual ablution), out-of-date sewerage systems and the adverse effects of the 1992 earthquake.

The restoration work was carried out using the latest scientific methods, and every effort was made to ensure that all the original architectural features were retained.

The aim of the restoration was mainly to strengthen the foundations of the mosque and to protect them from any further damage, Mohamed Abdel-Aziz, director of the Historic Cairo Development Project, which supervised the work, told Al-Ahram Weekly.

This was achieved using a micro-pile system, which, he said, involved the installation of columns beneath the Al-Azhar complex to reinforce its foundations. The walls were also reinforced, missing and decayed stones replaced, and masonry cleaned and desalinated.

The restoration also included cleaning and strengthening the buildings architectural designs, wooden ceilings, and mashrabiya (lattice woodwork) windows, as well as its arcades, paintings, engravings and fine metal ornaments.

The buildings mausoleums, five minarets and seven painted domes were restored and consolidated, and the work extended to the students residential area.

In the latter, the work involved the transformation and modernisation of the lighting systems, toilets, drainage, ventilation and sound systems, in accordance with the latest international standards and as used at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, while taking into account the historic nature of Al-Azhar.

All the steps were carried out under the supervision of the Ministry of Antiquities to document the restoration, Abdel-Aziz said, adding that the ministry had provided drawings and documents of the mosques restoration in 1998 and 2011 as references for the restoration team.

The mosque now stands as proudly as it did in its heyday, Abdel-Aziz confirmed.

The prestigious Mosque-University of Al-Azhar was built upon the orders of the Fatimid caliph Al-Muizz Li-Din Allah by architect Gawhar Al-Seqeli, who built the then Fatimid Empires new capital of Al-Qahera (the Triumphant), today the heart of Islamic Cairo.

This soon became a place of opulent palaces, mosques, madrassas (schools) and sabils (water fountains).

Al-Azhar was named after the Prophet Mohameds daughter Fatma Al-Zahraa. It was the first Fatimid monument to be built in Egypt and was a meeting place for Shia students, becoming the focal point of a famous university.

The architectural style of the mosque shows the influence of the various dynasties and their characteristic contributions over subsequent centuries.

Today, Al-Azhar, which covers an area of 12,000 square metres, is double its original size and shows various Islamic architectural styles, including in a succession of riwaqs (arcades), madrassas, mihrabs (pulpits) and minarets.

These were added to what was originally a courtyard surrounded by three arcades, of which the widest runs along the qibla (prayer niche) wall.

The mosque was renovated and expanded several times during the Fatimid era, but during the subsequent Ayyubid period it was neglected because it represented a Shia, and not a Sunni, regime.

The Sunni Ayyubids introduced the Sunni doctrine to the mosque and its teaching of Islamic jurisprudence, even as Al-Azhar continued to serve as a centre for Arabic language and education.

Mohamed Abdel-Latif, assistant to the minister of antiquities for Islamic antiquities, said that the Egyptian Mameluke regime, which ruled Egypt after the fall of the Ayyubids, had restored the mosque, especially during the reign of the Mameluke sultan Baybars.

A madrassa was built along the northwestern wall and a portion of the old wall removed to accommodate the new structure.

Another madrassa was also provided neighbouring the first, as well as a new ablutions fountain for the main mosque, and prayer halls were constructed for Al-Azhars schools and other annexes.

The Mameluke sultan Qansur Al-Ghouri later built the two-headed minaret that is the tallest of all Al-Azhars minarets and a superb example of Mameluke architecture.

After the fall of the Mamelukes with the Ottoman invasion in 1517, the Ottoman rulers of Egypt created several waqfs (religious endowments) to fund the construction and upkeep of the Al-Hanafiya riwaq, the Turkish riwaq, the Suleimaniya riwaq, the Al-Sham riwaq and the Amyan prayer hall at Al-Azhar.

The greatest extension of the mosque, said Abdel-Latif, began under the Mameluke emir Abdel-Rahman Katkhuda when a dome was constructed and the Bab Al-Muzayini (Barbers Gate), which now serves as the main entrance to the mosque, was built.

Renovations and repairs were also made under Mohamed Ali Pasha in the early 19th century and his successors. Under the khedive Abbas Helmi II in the late 19th century a new library was built, as well as the largest of the mosques riwaqs.

Al-Azhar today remains a deeply influential institution in Egyptian society and is highly revered in the Sunni Muslim world as a symbol of Islamic learning and culture.

* This story was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

Short link:


U.S. Rep. Richard Neal called on American business leaders this week to take money they have saved under the Trump administration's recently enacted corporate tax cuts and invest it in employees' retirement plans.

The Springfield Democrat, in a Tuesday letter to Business Roundtable Chairman Jamie Dimon, argued that while the country's most profitable companies are expected to see a substantial benefit under the GOP tax overhaul, studies suggest many Americans have saved little-to-no money for their retirements.

Contending that companies face a choice on how they will spend their tax "windfall," Neal encouraged Dimon and other business leaders to invest a portion of their savings into employee pensions or 401(k) plans -- a move which he argued would help mitigate the current "retirement crisis."

"As millions of Americans face dire futures of financial uncertainty, it is my hope that the Business Roundtable will use its leadership and influence to encourage companies to contribute great amounts to their employees' retirements so that more Americans will be prepared for life after work," he wrote to Dimon, whose organization represents CEOs from America's leading companies.

The congressman pointed to Center for Retirement Research at Boston College data, which he said found half of Americans do not have the savings necessary to maintain a high quality of life after retiring or have no retirement savings at all.

Neal, the top Democrat on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said he's pleased to see that some companies have already used part of their tax breaks to increase contributions to retirement plans.

Contending that a number of companies suspended such contributions during the economic recession, Neal offered that "this new tax break provides an opportunity for companies to 'make up' those contributions and even increase levels of savings for employees."

The congressman added that while some businesses have offered employees bonuses in response to the tax breaks, he would encourage those companies to "not forget the promises they have made to support their workers into the future."

"Companies should consider using their tax breaks to fund their pension plans and increase employer contributions for their employees' 401(k) plans," he said.

A Business Roundtable spokeswoman noted that member companies have already announced at least $7.3 billion in contributions to pension funds for 2018 in response to the tax overhaul legislation, as well as expanded 401(k) and increased medical and family leave benefits.

"Additionally, our member companies have announced increased compensation and benefits to nearly 1.9 million employees," she said in an email. "Company announcements of increased retirement contributions, pay raises and bonuses are just the beginning. Longer-term benefits from tax reform will generate increased investment in the U.S., leading to higher wages and more jobs for American workers."

President Donald Trump signed the $1.5 trillion Republican-backed tax overhaul plan into law in December -- legislation which represented the largest change to the American tax code in 30 years.

Under the legislation, the corporate tax rate went down to 21 percent starting in 2018. It, among many other things, also gave pass-through businesses a new 20 percent deduction for the first $315,000 of joint income.

Aside from urging business leaders invest tax break dollars into retirement plans, the congressman introduced legislation last year, which seeks to ensure teamsters, miners and other American workers' retirement plans are not "put at risk."

Neal, who has been appointed to the Joint Select Committee on the Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans, said the proposed bill would "responsibly shore up multi-employer pension plans and guarantee retirees the full benefits they earned."
For those trying to fly in-and-out of New England on Wednesday, expect delays and cancellations.

More than a fourth of flights arriving and departing flights at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut have been canceled. Several have been delayed.

More than 50 flights arriving and departing from Boston Logan Airport have been canceled so far. A handful more flights have been delayed as of 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Travelers are urged to check with their airline before heading to the airport.

Snow began to fall early Wednesday morning in Massachusetts, first in the westernmost part of the state. The heaviest snow, or rain, depending on location, will hit Wednesday during rush hour and into the evening.
Hundreds of high school students gathered on Monday evening at the University of Montana to hear from a former U.S. Senator who wants to encourage them to find solutions for global problems.

Former senator and U.S. ambassador to China Max Baucus told the students that they are the future and gave some insights into just how people are, everywhere.

Baucus said people are the same the world over: they care about jobs, healthcare, and education for their kids.

But he anticipates cybersecurity to be a key issue the future leaders deal with.

By: Augusta McDonnell

http://www.kxlh.com/story/37664741/max-baucus-addresses-missoula-high-school-students

***

The Montana World Affairs Council is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering global awareness and understanding in Montanas classrooms and communities.

Academic WorldQuest (AWQ) is a national academic competition that challenges students knowledge of international affairs in a fun and engaging way. In teams of four, high school students work together to answer 10 rounds of 10 multiple choice questions on critical global issues.
A Helena conference about water in the West is drilling down into important questions about surviving in a changing world.

The Montana Water Summit http://dnrc.mt.gov/divisions/water/management/training-education/2018-montana-water-summit is focused on asking questions about the most important resource in the West, and specifically in Montana: water.

Montana is a headwater state, with complex ecosystems of mountains, basins, valleys and plains that all demand different management plans. And those complexities brought some 300 people out in full force of the water policy intersection Tuesday to listen to speakers discuss Montanas water past and future.

THOMAS PLANK [email protected] TOM KUGLIN [email protected]

http://helenair.com/news/local/montana-water-summit-dives-deep-on-environmental-and-legal-issues/article_cb1b1c6e-2494-5241-9cd2-072e3de25c49.html

***

First-ever Montana water summit seeks ripple effect

Nearly 300 people at Tuesdays first-ever Montana Water Summit, which looked at water issues and challenges in the state, were told that some would have to undergo a sea change in their thinking about water issues.

We need to rid ourselves of the notion of water wars, said John Tubbs, director of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, which organized the event. We are in this together.

Phil Drake, [email protected]

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2018/03/06/first-ever-montana-water-summit-seeks-ripple-effect/400974002/
Washington has become the first state in the nation to enact its own net neutrality rules that impose strict requirements on Internet providers, making it illegal for broadband companies to block or slow down websites.

by Brian Fung

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/03/06/washington-states-net-neutrality-law-is-the-beginning-of-a-big-headache-for-internet-providers/?utm_term=.0734942db89e
Three finalists for the position of dean of the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Montana State University will interview on campus March 26, March 27 and April 2. As part of their campus interview, each finalist will hold a public forum.

Individuals attending the open forums may submit feedback about the finalists through an online survey.

http://www.montana.edu/news/17521
African Development Bank President Dr Akinwumi Adesina received the African of the Year Award from the All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA), in recognition of his bold leadership and the innovation of the Africa Investment Forum which opened up billions of dollars of investment into the continent.

The ninth edition of the awards, organized by AABLA in conjunction with CNBC Africa, seeks to honour leaders who have contributed and shaped the African economy.

The Africa Investment Forum (https://AfricaInvestmentForum.com/), inaugurated in 2018, has been a trailblazer in tilting investments into the continent. The second edition of the Forum which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa ended on 13 November. It was attended by over 2,000 delegates and secured investor interest worth $40.1 billion  up from $37.1 billion the previous year.

It is indeed a great honour, Dr Adesina said in remarks during the exclusive gala dinner held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, at which the awards were announced. Adesina added that he was overwhelmed to follow in the footsteps of his big brother President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, who won the award in 2018. My heartbeat is to serve the people of Africa, Adesina said.

The event was attended by an A-list of business leaders, government representatives including David Makhura, Premier of Guateng Province, who gave the opening address. The event also attracted some of South Africas leading personalities. Vibrant music was provided by The Muses, a south African all-female string quartet and Dr Victor And The Rasta Rebels.

The awards are decided by a jury of continent-wide judges led by Sam Bhembe, CNBC Africa Non-Executive Director, following evaluation of a shortlist of finalists to determine the overall category winners.

Bhembe said the award reflected how the winner would shape the future of the African continent, and that the winner would brace the cover of a special edition of Forbes Africa.

In other categories of the 2019 awards, Nigerian Co-Founder of Kobo360, Obi Ozor won Young Business Leader of the Year; Naspers CEO: South Africa, Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa took the Business Woman of the Year award; while Nedbank, won the Company of the Year award.

Adesina dedicated his award to the people of Africa who inspire me... I do not work alone. He also said it was very rewarding to be at the helm of an organisation that paves the way to progress.

Partager et informez vous aussi......

0 shares Share

Tweet

LinkedIn
The U.S. Embassy in South Africa and the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) (www.AWIEForum.org) are once again partnering to implement the 2021 Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) South Africa program.

Currently in its third year, another 125 participants will be selected nationwide for the 2021 cohort. This brings total participation in the program to 300 young South African female entrepreneurs, who have received training and mentorship in what has become a highly competitive entrepreneurship program.

The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs is an initiative of the U.S. State Departments Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) as part of the White House-led Womens Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative which aims to empower 50 million women worldwide by 2025 to fulfill their economic potential, with the goal of creating conditions for increased stability, security, and prosperity for all. Currently implemented in more than 50 countries, AWE supports the growth of women entrepreneurs by equipping them with the practical skills, resources, mentorship, and networks needed to create sustainable businesses and enterprises. AWE is centered around DreamBuilder, an online training platform for womens entrepreneurship developed by the Arizona State Universitys Thunderbird School of Global Management in partnership with the global copper mining company Freeport-McMoRan.

Minister Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy, Frank Whitaker, notes We firmly believe that women entrepreneurs are key to our shared prosperity, both now and in the future. Women who take action to affect positive change can and must play a role in leading the way to a more sustainable and economically inclusive future.

Irene Ochem, AWIEF Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said The AWE South Africa program has been a huge success, empowering young women not only with requisite knowledge and skills they need to own and manage successful businesses of their own, but also personal development and growth. Last year in 2020, we implemented AWE during what I would describe as an unprecedented crisis and challenging time of our existence as human beings, at the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. We saw many inspiring young women move from just having a business idea to owning and operating a business of their own, overcoming all challenges.

AWE 2021 will take place as a virtual program from August to December, with participants selected and grouped according to five South African cities: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. South African women entrepreneurs are invited to apply until July 11, 2021.

Call for applications

Applications are invited from motivated and self-driven female entrepreneurs for the AWE program. Application is of no cost to the applicant at any stage. Selected candidates will receive no-cost entry to the program which includes:

Enrolment in the DreamBuilder platform and expert facilitated virtual business management training and mentorship sessions

Networking and peer learning opportunities with like-minded entrepreneurs

A collaboratively developed and refined draft of your business plan

A DreamBuilder certificate after completing the program

Membership to the AWIEF Community

Free attendance to the AWIEF 2021 Virtual Conference, December 2 and 3, 2021

Participants who graduate from the program gain automatic membership to the U.S. government-funded Exchange Alumni network which provides access to a robust network of support, including follow-on business opportunities, potential seed funding, and a vast network of like-minded and highly regarded entrepreneurs across the country.

Eligibility criteria

Women between 21 and 35 years of age and fluent in English

Resident in one of the five AWE South Africa cities: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and Pretoria

Must either have a feasible business idea or have been in business for no more than 2 years

Not in full-time employment (please note this excludes self-employment)

Ability to participate in weekly group sessions and must be able to commit 5+ hours weekly to accomplish designated tasks

Computer literacy and access to a computer

To submit your application for the AWE South Africa 2021 program, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/3xCwJ2GAWESouthAfrica2021

Partager et informez vous aussi......

0 shares Share

Tweet

LinkedIn
The return of Sudans ambassador to Egypt on Monday after a two-month absence is being hailed as an opportunity to ease the strains that have come to characterise relations between Cairo and Khartoum.

Relations between our peoples and our countries are of historic importance and maintaining them is a duty. Setting them on the right path is our responsibility, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Ghandour told the media earlier this week.

It is definitely a step in the right direction. It demonstrates Khartoums willingness to maintain special relations, said a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity.

He warned, however, that the reasons Khartoum withdrew its ambassador in the first place still need to be addressed.

The border issue of Halayeb and Shalatin is one major cause of strain between the two countries.

According to Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri, Cairo was notified that the Sudanese ambassadors withdrawal was a result of disputes over the territory. Within days of withdrawing its ambassador, Khartoum renewed a complaint to the UN Security Council demanding Cairo hand over control of the Halayeb Triangle.

Al-Ghandour was quoted by the media last month saying that Egypt and Sudan had agreed not to escalate the dispute.

The Halayeb Triangle is a border area the ownership of which has been disputed since the late 19th century. In 1899, when Egypt and Sudan were under British occupation the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium Agreement set the political boundary between the territories at the 22nd parallel, placing the Halayeb Triangle inside Egypt.

Halayeb was not the only point of contention between the two states. In December Sudan accused Egypt and the UAE of deploying troops and military equipment at an Eritrean military base. Troops from Sudans rapid response army units sealed the border in response.

Neither Egypt nor Eritrea has commented on the accusations. Sudanese troops remain in position and the border with Eritrea is still closed.

But it is the Renaissance Dam  an issue last months resignation of the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has further complicated  that is probably the most difficult outstanding problem between the two capitals.

Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia have yet to agree on water share and the operating process once the dam is operational.

Recent meetings among leaders of the three states have filed to find a solution.

Following a meeting on the sidelines of Januarys African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi said: People should be reassured. None of the three countries  Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia  will be harmed.

There is no crisis between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. The interests of the three states are as one.

Al-Sisi, Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir and Desalegn agreed to resolve all pending technical issues within a month.

Now Desalegns resignation has thrown that optimistic timetable into disarray.

Another second meeting was held between Al-Sisi and Al-Bashir in Addis Ababa on the sidelines of the same summit while a third meeting was convened in Cairo between Al-Sisi and Desalegn during the latters visit to Egypt in January.

Holding all these meeting is supposed to open channels of dialogue and patch up any differences. But nothing has been achieved on the ground, says the diplomat.

An exchange of accusations has exacerbated the strains. Cairo accuses Sudan of harbouring members of the Muslim Brotherhood while Sudan has accused Egypt of supporting rebels in Darfur. Both countries deny the claims.

Sudan and Egypt also differ over regional issues, not least the dispute between Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on the one hand and Qatar on the other. Khartoum appears to be supporting Doha.

In addition, Egypt remains concerned about the ramifications of Sudans decision to lease the Red Sea island port of Suakin to Turkey.

Announced in December, the decision exacerbated tensions between Cairo and Khartoum. There was widespread speculation Turkey was seeking to establish a naval base on the island.

In Egypt the media portrayed the move as a threat to national security.

Speaking to reporters following a meeting with Al-Ghandour in January, Shoukri called on the Egyptian and Sudanese media to be objective and not to insult the peoples or leaders of the two countries. Al-Ghandour said the Egyptian and Sudanese media must observe the sanctity of relations in the future.

A meeting between Shoukri, Al-Ghandour, and the heads of both countries intelligence agencies was held last month, offering an opportunity to open channels of dialogue and narrow any outstanding differences.

It resulted in a joint statement in which Cairo and Khartoum agreed to work towards enhancing security and military cooperation and establish a mechanism for political and security consultation.

The statement also outlined preparations for a meeting of a joint committee, chaired by the presidents of Egypt and Sudan, in Khartoum. The last time the committee met was in Cairo in 2016.

The statement also underlined the importance of coordination between the two states over Nile water management within the framework of their commitment to agreements already signed between them, including the 1959 Nile Water Agreement.

The 1959 accord guarantees Egypt 55.5 billion cubic metres of Nile water annually and Sudan 18.5 billion cubic metres, quotas Ethiopia refuses to recognise.

* This story was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

Short link:


Today Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman is to meet with UK Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street.

Bin Salman arrived in London on Tuesday for a three-day visit that includes lunch with Queen Elizabeth II and dinner with Prince Charles.

The UK is the second stop on a three-leg visit that began in Egypt on Sunday and ends in the US where Bin Salman is expected to spend over two weeks meeting with US officials, congressmen, entrepreneurs and opinion makers.

It is the first international trip undertaken by 32-year-old Bin Salman since becoming heir to the Saudi crown in July. The aim of the tour, according to Riyadh-based and Western diplomats, is to underline that the new crown prince is committed to transforming his own country and the region.

He is trying to present himself as the man who will modernise Saudi Arabia. He is also offering himself as an influential regional leader who can bring real change to the dynamics of the Middle East, says a Cairo-based Western diplomat who recently visited Riyadh.

Bin Salman is a revolutionary within the Saudi context, certainly when it comes to womens rights. The image he promotes is of a man who is committed to wider reforms, social, economic and political.

Even when the Saudi authorities arrested leading Saudi business figures, confining them to a hotel in Riyadh and forcing them to make lavish financial donations to the state in what was presented as a fight against corruption Bin Salman received support from many people in Saudi Arabia, and particularly from the young, says the diplomat.

It is an open secret that the rise of the crown prince has caused resentment in some quarters within the royal family as well as in the wider power elite in Saudi Arabia. If Bin Salman is to win international support for his ultimate ascent to the throne he will need stronger credentials than allowing Saudi women the right to drive or ending a 35-year ban on cinemas in Saudi Arabia. He needs to make a regional imprint, comments one Arab diplomat.

Bin Salman has yet to score on the regional front. The Saudi war in Yemen is entering its fourth year with no end in sight and without the Saudi-led coalition being able to claim the upper hand though Bin Salman did tell the Egyptian media on Monday the war was nearing its end, having achieved its goals.

Yet concerned diplomats and international aid organisations say the war has turned into a human rights catastrophe. A European diplomat familiar with the preparations for Bin Salmans visit to the UK says he will have a thorough discussion in London on the management of the situation in Yemen.

The UK has been blocking any serious criticism of Saudi Arabia in the UN Security Council and will be offering some ideas to the crown prince who is hoping for a face-saving opportunity to close this file, says a New York based Arab diplomat.

During his talks in Cairo Bin Salman was reassured of continued Egyptian commitment to Saudi security and reminded of possible Egyptian diplomatic interventions that might allow for the better management of the situation in Yemen.

I am not saying we have a plan for Yemen but we have kept channels of communication open and can use them to promote a possible political settlement, says an informed Egyptian official.

Syria and Lebanon also feature high on Bin Salmans agenda during his three-leg tour. Before leaving Bin Salman and his father, the Saudi king, invited the prime minister of Lebanon for a courtesy visit. There were smiles all around and a selfie taken by Saad Al-Hariri who Lebanese officials claim was held hostage in Riyadh just a few months ago and allowed to leave only after what some Arab and European diplomats qualify as firm French intervention strongly supported by Egypt.

It is clear, according to Beirut-based political sources, Bin Salman has come to terms with the fact it is not possible to reduce the influence of Iran-supported Hizbullah by pressuring leading Lebanese Sunni figures to withdraw from the political coalition.

What is not clear yet, according to concerned diplomatic sources, are the terms upon which Riyadh will accept Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, another Iran-supported political adversary of the Saudis, remaining in power after four years of what has turned into a proxy war in Syria between Iran and its allies and Saudi Arabia.

During his visit in Egypt Bin Salman was reminded, according to the same informed official, of the need to prioritise the stability and territorial integrity of Syria over settling differences with Al-Assad. The source then continued: It is in the US that Bin Salman will make a final decision on Syria and it all depends on how far Washington is willing to go in pressuring Iran.

Egypt, which has a close alliance, though there are differences, with Saudi Arabia is willing, according to what Bin Salman heard in Cairo earlier this week, to support Riyadh in keeping a close watch on Iran but is wary of starting a diplomatic showdown with Tehran, especially at a time when Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and the US are working closely on a plan for Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was in Washington earlier this week for talks with US President Donald Trump who reaffirmed his commitment to offer a plan for negotiations.

According to a widely shared narrative in regional diplomatic quarters what Trump will offer is a slightly different version of the Arab peace plan presented by the Saudis at the Beirut Summit in 2002. But according to one Palestinian source, what the Americans understand the Arab peace initiative to be is basically a settlement that grants Palestinians some rights in return for Arab normalisation this is not what we understand the initiative to be and we cannot accept what is being suggested to us.

According to this and an Arab source in Washington, the idea being circulated as the basis for a Trump initiative is wide Palestinian autonomy coupled with a strong economic support scheme. The details of economic support have been subject to thorough discussion among Egyptian, Saudi, UAE, Israeli and US officials.

Saudi Arabia not only has the resources to fund the economic support, Riyadh is also expected to chair the Arab Summit scheduled for the last week of March when delegates are likely to adopt a resolution that could pave the way for the beginning of a new phase of Palestinian-Israeli talks.

But the timetabling of the summit, say Arab sources, is proving problematic. In the words of one: There is the inevitable delay because of presidential elections in Egypt and also because of the foreign trip of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia which is not expected to end before the first week of April. There is also the issue of Qatar. The Saudis do not want the emir of Qatar at the summit but cannot avoid inviting him given Qatar is a member of the Arab League.

Talking to reporters on Monday, Bin Salman addressed the Qatar crisis. I do not occupy myself with it, he said. The person handling the file is not even a minister. Qatars entire population is less than the number of residents in a street in Egypt.

The US has been trying to push for a solution to the crisis between Qatar and its Gulf neighbours and Egypt. A US mediation team was in the region this week and was received in Cairo by Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri. Concerned diplomats in the region and in Washington expect a deal to be brokered while Bin Salman is in Washington.

* This story was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

Short link:


The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday called for a ceasefire to be implemented across Syria and expressed concern about the country's humanitarian situation, said Netherlands U.N. Ambassador Karel van Oosterom, council president for March.

"The cessation of hostilities was discussed. The Security Council reiterated its call for implementation of resolution 2401," van Oosterom said. The 15-member council unanimously demanded a 30-day truce across Syria on Feb. 24.

He was speaking after the Security Council was briefed behind closed doors on the situation in Syria at the request of Britain and France.

Short link:


HINDSIGHT 2021 Audio Article 10 Years Ago (2011)  Three members of Waterfords FFA joined students from across the nation in Washington D.C. for the 2011 Washington Leadership Conference. Allison Adams, Katrina Ford and James Whalin spent a week in the nations capital developing leadership skills through workshops, seminars and other hands-on activities. The...

THE VFW POST 4713 DONATED $100 TO THE WASHINGTON-MORGAN COMMUNITY ACTION Audio Article The VFW Post 4713 donated $100 to the Washington-Morgan Community Action to purchase backpacks and school supplies for Morgan County families. Combined with our agency and their generous donation, we were able to purchase 50 backpacks filled with school supplies. Front row from left: Sherry Hill, VFW; Jane Blackburn, VFW;...

Morgan County Sheriffs Office Daily Call Reports Audio Article Editors Note: The following are initial incident reports from callers to a Morgan County Sheriffs Office Dispatcher. Any details, charges or situations may have been distorted by the caller, or perhaps may have been found to be different after the officer further investigated the incident. Monday, June 21, 2021 ...

Prevent Blindness Supports National Falls Prevention Awareness Day on September 22 Audio Article Marking the beginning of fall, the Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness (PBO) and Ohios Aging Eye Public Private Partnership are supporting National Falls Prevention Awareness Day on September 22. The goal is to bring attention to this serious issue that is the leading cause of injury-related hospitalization and death among...

Caleb Fogarty Audio Article Caleb Fogarty, a senior 3rd baseman for the Troy Trojans in Troy, Ohio, was named 1st Team All-Ohio in Division I Ohio High School Baseball this past June. Caleb is the son of Neil and Kerry White-Fogarty of Troy and the grandson of Don and Lynn White here in East...

Morgan County Sheriffs Office Daily Call Reports Audio Article Editors Note: The following are initial incident reports from callers to a Morgan County Sheriffs Office Dispatcher. Any details, charges or situations may have been distorted by the caller, or perhaps may have been found to be different after the officer further investigated the incident. Thursday, June 24, 2021 ...
The partners, Texas-based Noble Energy and Israels Delek Drilling, did not provide details. Delek said there was no certainty a binding agreement would be signed.

Last month, Egyptian company Dolphinus Holdings said it would buy $15 billion of Israeli natural gas in two 10-year agreements from Leviathan and Tamar.

Short link:


Egypt received on Wednesday the third loan worth $1.15 billion from the World Bank, the last in the series of the "Fiscal Consolidation, Sustainable Energy, and Competitiveness Development Policy Financing loans worth a combined $3.15 billion, Investment and International Cooperation Minister Sahar Nasr announced.

The World Banks Board of Executive Directors had approved in December the $1.15 billion development policy financing loan to support Egypts economic reform programme.

The loans were approved between 2015 and 2017.

This loan supports Egypts home-grown inclusive reforms aimed to power job creation, ensure energy security, strengthen public finances, and enhance business competitiveness, especially for micro, small and medium-sized businesses, according to the World Bank.

Egypt also received $150 million from the Group of Seven (G7) countries, the minister said.

Last week, Egypt received $250 million from Germany and $170 million from France to support Egypts economic reform programme.

The latter are part of additional financing agreed upon between Egypt and the International Monetary Fund, as part of the Extended Fund Facility programme to provide a $12 billion loan to Egypt.

Separately, the Cabinet approved on Wednesday the agreement with the African Development Bank for the third $500 million tranche, signed in January, of the $1.5 bn loan to support the economic reform programme.

The agreement with the bank is yet to be approved by the Egyptian House of Representatives.
Chance Yeh/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The Fyre Festival sounded idyllic: upscale accommodations, gourmet food and top musical talent over two weekends in the Bahamas.



But ultimately the April to May 2017 event descended into disarray. The event, tickets for which cost up to thousands of dollars, erupted into what the Bahamas' Ministry of Tourism called "total disorganization and chaos" after hundreds of prospective concertgoers landed in the Bahamas and found poorly built tents, a lack of food and clean water and an insufficient number of public toilets, complained many of the concertgoers. The planned lineup included Ja Rule, Daya and Tyga.



Scenes of chaos also played out on social media, as many festivalgoers turned to Twitter to post photos of the disappointing venue.



Federal prosecutors ended up charging the promoter, Billy McFarland, with fraud. Now he will plead guilty.



McFarland was due Tuesday in Manhattan federal court to admit he conducted a scheme to defraud individuals by inducing them to invest millions of dollars in Fyre Media, court records said.



In all, 70 investors collectively lost more than $20 million. McFarland used $150,000 of that to book a yacht for Blink-182, a source familiar with the case said. Blink-182 ultimately canceled its appearance at Fyre Festival. The amount spent on the yacht was first reported by Page Six.



McFarland is admitting he manipulated Fyre Media financial statements, promoted talent bookings that did not exist and repeatedly made misrepresentations to investors designed to overstate the companys condition and stability, according to court records.



McFarland was arrested last June and has been free on $300,000 bail.



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The Egyptian Cabinet approved on Wednesday an agreement to establish a Russian industrial zone in East Port Said with $7 billion in investments, according to a Cabinet statement.

The zone, negotiations over which started in 2014, is set to be built on a 5.25 million square-meter plot of land over three phases.

The industrial zone is expected to generate 35,000 jobs.

Last October, Suez Canal Authority chairman Mohab Mamish issued a statement saying successful negotiations over the zone were held in the presence of Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Georgy Kalamanov in Egypt.

Mamish said work on the zone would start in 2018 and that Russia would act as an industrial developer to attract companies and global investors for two years.

Egypt is working on promoting the Suez Canal Economic Zone to attract international investors and boost job creation and economic growth.
The American University in Cairo (AUC) and the University of Seoul (UOS) in South Korea recently signed a partnership agreement, mutually expanding their group of international partner universities.

AUC President Francis Ricciardone welcomed University of Seoul President Yun-hi Won, accompanied by senior staff and researchers.



Ricciardone highlighted the commonalities between both institutions, noting that the University of Seoul celebrates its centennial this year, one year ahead of the AUC's own.

The University of Seoul is a global university and has an active and advanced international partners program, Ricciardone said.

What were doing today fits right in, precisely, with who we are and what were trying to do," he said.

Echoing Ricciardones sentiments, Won asserted the need for global educational expansion through learning, with students at the center of that objective.

In this globalized and interconnected world, its important to give such opportunities to our students, to host international students and allow them to experience other cultures, the UOS president said. This cooperation will enhance both universities and give them a chance to develop.



The University of Seoul is the only public university in Korea.



It boasts eight undergraduate colleges and nine graduate schools, and is chiefly funded by the Seoul City Government.

Both universities, Won mentioned, are situated in capital cities, and face similar obstacles as up-and-coming centers.

We have been recently focusing on issues of transportation, public health and the environment, Won noted, adding I hope we can share our experiences and find solutions together."



Both universities have also gone through major economic and political changes at different times, using their campuses to their advantage by offering studies and promoting research in relation to industrial and social development.

Jean Song, senior programme coordinator at UOS, presented on one of the institution's strongest schools and areas.

UOS specializes in urban sciences, particularly through the graduate school, which was established in 2014 by the [Korean] Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, she said. After the Korean war in the 1950s, the city of Seoul changed dramatically."

"Many of the students who come here for a masters program or other specialized studies in urban studies get the firsthand experience and research of seeing how the city developed and continues to develop," she explained.



On the other hand, AUCs Associate Provost for Strategic Enrollment Management Ahmed Tolba highlighted the consistent prestigious accreditations earned by various schools and programs, such as the core curriculum, the Center for Learning and Teaching, the career center and Arabic language centers.

He also stressed that the location of the AUC's campus is one of its strengths, offering a one-of-a-kind experience of witnessing urban development.

Our curriculum here loves having Cairo as an extension of the classroom, where all students can study the citys social and cultural changes in many disciplines," he added.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

Short link:


Health awareness

Routine doctor visits are down. Heres why we shouldnt skip them

Wondering when to go back to the doctors office again? The time is now.
The Hungarian Cultural office in Cairo will host two international relations lectures on Thursday, 8 March at 6:00 pm.

The first is lecture is titled The Cold War in the Gulf - What Relevance for the Arab World?, presented by Dr. Erzsebet N. Rozsa, Associate Professor at the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy at the National University of Public Service.

The second lecture, The Battle of Ideas on the Horn of Africa: al-Shabaab vs. the Islamic State in Somalia, will be presented by Dr. Viktor Marsai, Assistant Professor at the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy at the National University of Public Service's Faculty of International and European Studies.

The lectures will be held in English at the office of the Hungarian Cultural Counsellor, Balassi Institute, located at 13 Gawad Hosni Street, 2nd floor, in downtown Cairo.

Short link:


AUGUSTA TOWNSHIP, MI - Two people have been arrested in connection with threats that forced the evacuation and lockdown of Lincoln High School on Monday and Tuesday, March 5-6.

A 25-year-old man, who is a former Lincoln High student, was arrested Monday after a threat was made over social media which forced evacuation at the school earlier in the day, according to a news release from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office.

A 15-year-old girl also was taken into police custody the evening of Tuesday, March 6, in connection with a false shooting threat she is accused of making over social media which forced a lockdown at the school that morning, police said.

The girl is accused of posting on Snapchat earlier in the day saying, "I'm going to shoot up the school March 6."

Neither suspect has been named at this time.

The sheriff's office said it has responded to nine threats since Feb. 14, following a mass shooting that occurred at a Parkland, Florida, high school. The threats range from bomb threats written on bathroom doors to social media posts.

Lincoln High, located southeast of Ann Arbor, was evacuated Friday, Feb. 23 after a bomb threat was found written on a bathroom wall. A bomb threat also was reported about 12:45 p.m. Monday and high school students and staff evacuated to Lincoln Middle School. A fourth incident, discovered on March 1, was not deemed to be credible and the school was not evacuated or locked down.

Ypsilanti Community Middle School, which is 10 miles away from Lincoln Schools, also evacuated Monday due to a bomb threat.

The sheriff's office is asking for parents and teachers to assist in limiting the number of these threats going forward.

"Due to the significant community impact that these incidents are having, we are asking for parents and educators to help us in communicating to our students the severity of these 'pranks' or social media posts," Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton said in the release.

Authorities are still investigating the other recent school threats.

Making a false threat of terrorism is a felony offense, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
BAY CITY, MI -- A Bay City man has received jail and probation for his botched check fraud scheme, a scam in which he involved a 13-year-old girl.

Bay County Circuit Judge Harry P. Gill on Monday, March 5, sentenced 51-year-old Michael T. Reyes to 330 days in jail with credit for 165 days already served. Reyes is to stay in jail until a bed opens up for him at an inpatient treatment facility, where he is to receive substance abuse counseling.

Once he's served his jail time, Reyes is to serve three years of probation. The judge ordered an additional 35 days in jail held in abeyance, meaning Reyes won't have to serve them unless he violates probation.

Gill also ordered Reyes to pay $326 in court costs and fines.

Reyes in January pleaded guilty to single counts of larceny in a building and uttering and publishing. The first count is a four-year felony, while the latter is punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment.

In exchange, the prosecution agreed to dismiss another 14-year felony, that of forgery.

Reyes' convictions date back to Sept. 21, when police responded to the Chemical Bank at 600 Washington Ave. for a fraud complaint. Reyes and a 13-year-old girl had been loitering in front of the walk-up window, with Reyes apparently giving the girl instructions, the manager told police.

The girl then approached a teller and handed over a $120 check written to another woman from The Arc of Bay County, an organization that provides services for intellectual and developmental disabilities. The girl said she did not have any identification on her.

The teller looked up the driver's license of the 55-year-old woman the check was issued to and saw that she was clearly not the teen before her.

The teen was still at the bank when police arrived. Reyes had fled on a bicycle as police arrived.

The teen told police she had skipped school and was walking to the bank when she encountered Reyes, whom she knew. Reyes told her he had taken his roommate's check from the mail, the girl told police.

"He said he needed to cash it for her," the girl said, according to court files. "He asked me to sign the back of it, which I did."

Police returned the girl to her father and searched her. They found a Bridge card and a Speedy Rewards card on her, both of which belonged to the woman the check had been issued to.

Officers contacted the rightful check-owner, who said she had never given Reyes permission to take her check or her cards.

At the time, Reyes had four outstanding warrants for his arrest, court records show. Police located him under the east side of Veterans Memorial Bridge and arrested him.

In an interview with police, Reyes assumed blame for the incident. He said he planned to give his roommate the cash from the check.

Reyes owes a cumulative $210 divided among three files dating back to 2010, or a total of $536 with the most recent fine factored in.
BAY CITY, MI -- In a quiet courtroom, a prosecutor played video footage of a bar patron being punched by another customer, then stomped by two men. According to witnesses, the beatdown was perpetrated by two bikers who were vexed over a photo the assaulted man had reportedly taken.

And to hear the victim tell it, he hadn't even taken a photo in the first place.

Such was the testimony during the March 6 preliminary examination of Eric J. Kerkau, 46, and Arthur R. Miller, 33, both charged with a 10-year felony count of assault with intent to cause great bodily harm.

Ashley Schwartz, the first witness called by Bay County Assistant Prosecutor Thomas, testified she had been bartending at the Whyte Goose Inn, 108 State St., the early morning of Dec. 27. About 1 a.m., an argument broke out between Scott M. Peterson, 49, and Kerkau and Miller regarding a photo Peterson had supposedly taken, Schwartz said.

"One gentlemen stood up, took his coat off, and tried to initiate a fight," Schwartz said, identifying this man as Miller. "I tried to stop it. The gentlemen that tried to initiate a fight tried to get Scott to come outside and fight him, but he would not go. The other gentleman (Kerkau) who was still in the bar ... took a few steps back and just sucker-punched (Peterson). It just proceeded from there."

Schwartz said Miller came back inside and joined Kerkau in punching and kicking Peterson.

"There was so much chaos at the time, it was hard to tell how many times he was hit," she said. As the assault occurred, Schwartz called 911.

Cross-examined by defense attorneys Matthew Boucher and Brian Jean, Schwartz said Peterson had been sitting at the bar with his girlfriend, playing with his phone. She didn't notice if he had taken a photo of Kerkau or Miller or not, she said.

During the dispute with Peterson, Miller had made comments about being "black and white" and that "nobody needs to have any black and white on their phones," Schwartz said.

Jean asked Schwartz why she told Bay County Central Dispatch that Peterson was being assaulted by members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. She replied that she wanted responding police to be aware of who the assailants were in case they had weapons on them.

"It's just from working in bars and experiences with other fights with different biker groups, it's common for some of them to have weapons," Schwartz said.

Called to the stand after Schwartz, Peterson said he and his girlfriend had gone to the Whyte Goose after having dinner on Midland Street and a drink at Stables Martini & Cigar Bar, 804 E. Midland St. They arrived at the Whyte Goose between 11:30 p.m. and midnight, he said. He said he did not know Kerkau or Miller.

Miller and Kerkau were already at the Whyte Goose when Peterson arrived, he said. He wasn't there long before Miller and Kerkau confronted him, he said.

"They were accusing me of having pictures of them on my phone," he said. "Miller was trying to get me to come outside with him. I didn't know what the heck they were talking about. I refused to go outside with him."

Peterson denied having any photos of Miller or Kerkau on his phone.

Peterson and his girlfriend sat at the bar, with Kerkau sitting nearby. A short while later, Kerkau again accused Peterson of having photos of him on his phone, he said.

"Before I knew it, I got blasted in the back of the head by Eric," Peterson said. "He hit me once that I know of. I turned around towards him and then I got clocked in the side of the head by Arthur. Then we got all tangled up and I went down to the ground and they were hitting me and kicking me. I was just trying to cover up at that point."

Peterson sustained injuries to his shoulder, knee and ribs. He suffered a slightly detached retina in his right eye, which has required two laser surgeries. He also required six staples to mend a wound in the back of his scalp, he said.

Under cross-examination, Peterson said he had two IPA beers with dinner, one at Stables, and half of one at the Whyte Goose. He said he was not feeling intoxicated.

Asked by Jean if he had seen Kerkau and Miller at Stables, Peterson said he hadn't noticed them there. He added he had left Stables due to police arriving there to deal with some issue, and that he's not a fan of police.

Jean then asked him about his prior convictions on larceny-related charges and if he considers himself an honest man. Peterson replied that he does consider himself honest.

Since the Whyte Goose incident, Peterson in January was charged with a misdemeanor count of domestic violence.

Jean asked him to describe the injuries he sustained.

"Senseless and severe," Peterson replied. "It's ridiculous what happened, I'll tell you that."

Bay City Public Safety Officer Todd Armstrong testified that when he arrived at the bar, Peterson was lying on the floor. In the course of his investigation, Armstrong obtained the bar's surveillance camera footage of the incident, which Assistant Prosecutor Hausmann played in the hearing.

The silent footage shows Peterson standing at the bar, only to punched by another man. The first assailant is then joined by another man and the pair proceed to beat Peterson as other patrons try breaking up the assault.

After the video ended, Hausmann asked Armstrong what it means to him when a man describes himself as "black and white." The officer replied that based on his training and experience, he would assume that man would be associated with the Outlaws.

Armstrong added he recovered a necklace at scene bearing a Black Pistons medallion. The Black Pistons is a support club of the Outlaws. Armstrong added that Kerkau's Facebook page featured references to his "black and white brothers."

Questioned by the defense, Armstrong said he was unaware if police searched Peterson's phone to see if he had or had not taken photos of Miller or Kerkau.

After Armstrong testified, Hausmann asked Bay County District Judge Timothy J. Kelly to allow him to add a 20-year charge of gang membership to each defendant's case. Boucher and Jean objected to this and Kelly ended up siding with them.

Kelly did, however, bind both men's cases over to Circuit Court for trial. Kerkau and Miller are free on bond.

The Outlaws Motorcycle Club was established in 1935 in McCook, Illinois. Since then, it has expanded to 28 countries. It has four Michigan chapters, including one in Bay City. In 2006, five members of the Bay City chapter were involved in a shootout with the Hell's Angels in South Dakota.

Through its website, the club is adamant that it is not a criminal organization.

"We may not live by the rules of society, but we do live by its laws," the site states.
BAY CITY, MI -- A Swartz Creek woman is facing criminal charges after allegedly striking a woman with her car, then firing off numerous rounds from a handgun as she made her getaway.

Months after police say she committed her crimes on the streets of Bay City, 21-year-old Irish-Rose B. Willett on Monday, March 5, appeared in Bay County District Court for arraignment on two counts each of assault with a dangerous weapon and felony firearm and single counts of carrying concealed weapon and misdemeanor assault and battery. Assault with a dangerous weapon is a four-year felony, carrying a concealed weapon is a five-year felony, and felony firearm comes with a mandatory minimum two-year prison sentence, to be served before any other sentence.

Chief District Judge Dawn A. Klida, who arraigned Willett, set bond at $25,000 cash-surety. Willett had bonded out of the Bay County Jail by the afternoon of Wednesday, March 7.

About 11:35 p.m. on Saturday, July 1, police responded to a parking lot on 10th Street, between North Sherman and North Sheridan streets, after someone called 911 to report gunshots. The caller added he saw a car run over someone before taking off, court records show.

Officers met with a 25-year-old woman, who had scrapes on her left elbow and left leg and torn pants. The woman said she had attended a nearby party and was walking to her car, which she had parked in the lot. She encountered Willett in the lot, whom she described as a family acquaintance she has had problems with in the past.

An argument ensued, during which Willett swung at the woman, who swung back, she told police. Willett then entered her car and drove it in reverse, striking the other woman and pinning her against another parked vehicle, the woman said. Willett then drove forward, briefly dragging the 25-year-old woman.

Willett drove onto 10th Street, turned north onto North Sheridan, stopped the car, then fired four to five shots from a handgun before driving away, the woman told police.

Police searched the area and found two .380-caliber casings, court records show. Officers canvassed the scene and spoke with other witnesses, whose accounts largely matched the victim's.

One witness told police he had come up to Bay City from Flint for the night's fireworks show. He had been standing with Willett, whom he knew, in the parking lot just before the scuffle began.

"She's kind of crazy and she pulled out this little black pistol," the man told police. "She fired one shot up into the air for no reason at all. I got into her car and told her that was stupid and immature. She said she can do whatever she wants."

A short time later, Willett noticed the other woman and they ended up fighting, the man told police. He said Willett put her car in reverse and sideswiped another parked car before driving off, firing her pistol as she went.

Police later learned Willett had called 911 and claimed she had been struck in the head with a gun and that someone had shot at her. However, officers' attempts to contact Willett were unsuccessful.

Authorities issued a warrant for Willett on July 18. She was not in police custody until a few days before her arraignment.

Willett is to appear for a preliminary examination before District Judge Timothy J. Kelly at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20.
Update: Detroit to repave 88 miles of road in $90M investment, mayor says in State of the City

More: Detroit aims to fix, demolish or board up 22,000 abandoned homes by end of 2019

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan will deliver his fifth State of the City address at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Western International High School in Southwest Detroit.

The speech will be Duggan's first State of the City address since being re-elected last year.

In last year's address, Duggan promised the city would demolish 10,000 more abandoned homes within two years after knocking down 3,130 vacant structures in 2016.

The mayor last year also announced plans to spend $18 million on firefighting equipment, and made statements on keeping Detroit "pro-immigration" and "welcoming."

Watch the 2018 State of the City address below.
LINDEN, MI -- New development plans are set to be introduced for the vacant Union Block property in downtown Linden.

The new plans call for a two-story a mixed-use building featuring Dr. Wax Orthodontics.

On the corner of Broad and Bridge streets, the 137-year-old historic block-long brick building was destroyed after a fire broke out near the Broad Street Grille on May 18, 2007.

The site has remained vacant until Nicole Wax, owner of Dr. Wax Orthodontics, bought it and introduced the preliminary site plan to Linden Planning Commission at the December 5, 2016, meeting. The development plans were approved by the planning commission on Sept. 5, 2017.

Since then, plans for the development of the new building have been redone by a new architect company, Dixon Architecture, and a Lansing commercial construction company, Kincaid Henry.

These plans have not yet been introduced to or approved by the Linden Planning Commission.

Representatives from Kincaid Henry reached out to lead architect Ken Dixon at Dixon Architecture to assist with designing an alternative solution to the plans introduced to the Linden Planning Commission in 2016.

"We believe that the design we've provided better reflects the architecture of a small historical Michigan town," Dixon said. "I've spent hours studying towns across Michigan and the surrounding Midwest states to better understand the details, proportions and materials so that our creations will fit seamlessly into the fabric of the built environment."

According to the new building's blueprints filed with the Department of Environmental Quality, the redesigned two-story, 14,833 square feet building will be used as an office space for Dr. Wax's Orthodontics and three other future rentable retail, restaurant or office spaces.

The first floor will feature two unoccupied spaces that are rentable to businesses, offices, or restaurants. One rentable space is 3,637 square feet and the second space is 2,661 square feet.

The second floor will house Dr. Wax's Orthodontics which is a 4,008 square feet space, and an unoccupied rentable space that is 2,300 square feet.

"Our design provides large storefronts along the sidewalk to enhance the pedestrian environment and promote walkability through the town," Dixon said. "We are hoping a restaurant will someday occupy the corner space on the first floor with the remainder being utilized for retail or another community amenity."

According to the blueprints, the orthodontist's office, overlooking the street intersection, will feature six exam bays for check-ups, one exam room, several offices, a reception area and a waiting room.

"Since the plans haven't been submitted or reviewed yet, it is difficult to set a timeline for review and approval," Linden City Manager Paul Zelenak said. "What I can tell you is once plans are submitted we will move quickly to have them reviewed by the planning commission, the engineers and staff."

A schedule for the construction of the building will be created if the plans are approved by the Linden Planning Commission.

Original plans for the property, which has a new address of 103 East Broad Street, outlined that the new building would be two stories high.

The first floor of the building would feature the office space for Dr. Wax's Orthodontics and the second floor would feature five condominium units ranging in size from 1,063 square feet to 1,486 square feet.
FLINT, MI -- Mott Community College student Arianna Pittenger has been named to the 2018 Campus Compact cohort of Newman Civic Fellows.

Campus Compact is a Boston-based non-profit organization working to advance the public purposes of higher education.

Pittenger, a biology/pre-med student from Flint, was chosen on the basis of her civic engagement at the college. She is currently president of the MCC Feminist League, vice president of Outreach for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and is a member of the MCC Honors College Campus Clown Troupe that uses clowning to promote an anti-bullying campaign.

Pittenger is also involved with the MCC Chapter of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, the National Society of Leadership and Success, Psi Beta Psychology Honor Society and the TRiO program.

"I believe that lack of education and awareness serve as the root of many of the social inequality issues I've witnessed," Pittenger said of her involvement, adding "the integration of social diversity classes into the standard curriculum would be a significant step forward in limiting these inequalities."

The Newman Civic Fellowship is named for Campus Compact co-founder Frank Newman. Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides the following:
FLINT, MI - A minute-long call changed the course of Celeste Bell's life.

After waiting months for the phone to ring amid a decades-long career in the legal field, the 65-year-old Bell heard the special ringtone for the phone call from Gov. Rick Snyder.

"It was only a minute," she recalled of the 60 seconds at 8:20 a.m. Feb. 5, in which Bell was appointed as a 7th Circuit Court judge. "It was one of the most important minutes of my life."

For the sake of openness, Bell offered up the ringtone she'd set on her phone for the call: Worth It, by Fifth Harmony.

The speakers at Bell's investiture Monday evening in the Harris Auditorium at the County Administration Building shared the ways Bell was worth it and earned the judge spot, taking over the seat left vacant by Archie Hayman's retirement after more than 20 years on the bench.

Hayman recounted Bell's days as an attorney practicing in the courtroom.

"She was always very well prepared, very articulate, and very respectful," he said, adding "There is no doubt in my mind that she will serve with honor, with integrity, and that she will be extremely competent in what she does."

Genesee County Undersheriff lauded Bell's "gift of discernment."

"The gift of discernment allows you to see justice and injustice at face value," he said. "That gift has vindicated men, set them free, but also held accountable those who did wrong. You have kept that integrity all the years I have known you."

From 1991 to 1994 she worked as Deputy City Attorney in San Francisco. She began her legal career as a staff attorney at the United States District Court for the Ninth Circuit.

The new circuit judge most recently served as Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in the Civil Division for Genesee County where she served as in-house counsel for the Genesee County Board of Commissioners, elected county officials, and county departments on all civil matters.

Ward Chapman, former Genesee County Corporation Counsel, hired Bell in 2005 as assistant Corporation Counsel and saw her drive early on.

He remarked on her "good legal mind, strong work ethic, high ethical standards" and diligent nature as an attorney who is a "roll up the sleeves and let's get this done" type of person.

"That's a good qualification for being a circuit court judge in Genesee County because there's a lot to do," said Chapman.

Bell, who earned her bachelor's degree in 1978 from the University of Michigan and her law degree in 1986 from Golden Gate University School of Law, thanked everyone for their support along the way and understood she would have to change her viewpoint as a judge.

"There's a reason that Lady Justice wears a blindfold. I now have to be impartial. I'm capable of doing that," she said. "I'm committed to being fair and impartial and as Undersheriff Swanson mentioned my philosophy will be to read the law, interpret the law, and apply the law as it is written. I'm not going to be creating the law, that is for the legislature and not the judiciary. I will know my boundaries."

When asked how her daughter would fare as a judge, Alma Bell thought she would be fair to those who came before her in the courtroom.

"She's always been very fair-minded and she's always been smart as a whip," said Alma Bell. She'll abide by the law."

The family does have a background in the legal field. Celeste Bell's late father, Edward Bell, served as a Wayne County Circuit Court.

"I'm just so proud of her and I know her father is turning over in his grave with joy," commented Alma Bell.

At one point during the ceremony, Celeste Bell took a brief pause while at the podium addressing the crowd, but she pointed out it wasn't stage fright.

"It's a moment of simply enjoying this," she said. "This is more than I ever could have hoped for in my life."
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids officials have selected a replacement firm for the ongoing search for the next city manager.

City commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday, March 6, to enter into a $26,500 contract with Springsted Waters Inc. to conduct the recruitment process.

The decision came two weeks after officials ended the city's contract with GovHR -- the firm originally hired for $25,000 to help find the next city manager.

Former City Manager Greg Sundstrom retired Feb. 2 after serving eight years in the role. In the interim, Deputy City Manager Eric DeLong is filling in as acting city manager.

The city's first search resulted in three candidates being named finalists. However, in the end, no one was offered the job and the commission voted 7-0 to re-initiate the search.

Third Ward Commissioner Senita Lenear said previously that she didn't consider any of the finalists as viable options to lead the city.

On Tuesday, Lenear said she is a strong proponent of modifying the candidate profile before re-posting the job to better attract candidates that fit what the commission is looking for. She said the structure of the profile the first time through could have played a role in the less-than-ideal results of the search.

Lenear also pushed for the search process to be delayed until July to avoid additional pressure and time constraints of the impending budget cycle.

"We were experiencing that (pressure) with the last search, and I'm hopeful that we'll not duplicate that this time and that we can have it all start in July so we don't have that repeated," she said.

Mayor Rosalynn Bliss assured Lenear that there's no timeline in place at this time. After the contract is approved, she said the firm will meet with each commissioner individually to get feedback on the final timeline and what the candidate profile should look like.

The commission voted 6-0 to enter into the contract with Springsted Waters Inc. First Ward Commissioner Jon O'Connor was absent for the meeting, which was held at Oakdale Park Christian Reformed Church, 961 Temple St. SE.
SAUGATUCK TOWNSHIP, MI - An environmental group isn't giving up the fight against a marina and home development on a controversial piece of Lake Michigan dune property at the mouth of the Kalamazoo River.

Feb. 27 the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance filed an appeal with the Michigan State Court of Appeals over an Allegan County judge's February ruling that the environmental group didn't have legal standing to intervene.

Private development attempts on the 300-acre property on the north side of the Kalamazoo River in Saugatuck Township have been contested by the alliance for years. The property's current owners, Jeff and Peg Padnos, are working with Cottage Home on a development that would dig out a large boat basin off of the river and line it with homes.

The North Shores of Saugatuck development would remove more than 200,000 cubic yards of sand in order to build the marina off of the Kalamazoo River. Plans call for 33 boat slips and 23 homes to be built around the marina -- with more home sites along Lake Michigan and the river.

Carl Gabrielse, the Holland lawyer representing the property owners, said the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance was continuing its "death by a thousand paper cuts" strategy of attempting to stop development on the property.

"This is the fifth appeal in as many years, and not one of them up to this point has been successful," Gabrielse said.

In February Allegan County Circuit Court visiting Judge Wesley Nykamp dismissed the alliance's appeal of a decision by the Saugatuck Township zoning board to approve plans for the marina. Nykamp ruled on the grounds that there were no valid legally protected interests that would be harmed by the development.

Scott Howard of Olson, Bzdok & Howard in Traverse City represents the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance, and believes Nykamp's ruling is an attempt to shut the door on challenges to the township's decision.

"We think there's a long history of case law where in these environmental issues, groups like the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance do have standing to challenge those issues," Howard said.

Howard said the alliance is seeking the state Court of Appeals to rule that the group has standing to challenge the approval so that the group can ultimately contest the township's zoning board of appeals decision in court.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality granted the North Shores project a permit to dig out the marina in January. Galbriese said the appeal does not impact the ability of the project to move forward, as the township's planning commission and zoning board of appeals have already given their permission.

However, the developers are still awaiting a critical permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the marina, Galbriese said.

The Army Corps had requested the developers conduct an archaeological survey of the property, which was once home to the 1800s lumber town of Singapore.

The archaeological field survey is not yet complete, said Katie Otanez, the regulatory project manager overseeing the permit application for the Army Corps.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Meijer plans to open six small format stores in urban settings by 2021.

This is new territory for the Midwest retailer that pioneered the supercenter concept more than a half century ago, but reflects Meijer's determination to stay in sync with changing shopping patterns.

Meijer previously announced plans to open its first nearly 40,000 square-foot store - called Bridge Street Market - on Grand Rapids' West Side, in the summer. A ground breaking will happen this summer on a second location east of downtown Detroit, that will open in 2019.

Construction will also begin this year on a yet to be announced third location. Three more stores are in development that will open in either 2020 or 2021, said Mike Kinstle, Meijer's vice president of real estate.

He gave an update of the Walker-based retailer's plans for small format urban stores during a session about urban development hosted by the International Council of Shopping Centers.

More than 100 people attended the 15th annual conference held Tuesday, March 7, at the JW Marriott in downtown Grand Rapids.

"It's a proof of concept so we'll get a few open and see how they do," said Kinstle. "That will determine how aggressively we want to open future ones after that."

The retailer has already identified locations across its six state footprint where the small format location would be a good fit, he added.

While the first two stores will be housed in new mixed use developments, the neighborhood stores could also go into a traditional shopping centers or stand alone locations.

"Ultimately, we hope this is successful enough where it can go all the places where we can't get in and build a supercenter," said Kinstle. "We want this to be a complement to the supercenter format."

The stores will be devoted to fresh foods and locally sourced products along with a staple of Meijer branded products.

The Grand Rapids store anchors the $60 million block long development of shops and apartments by Meijer's longtime contractor, Rockford Construction. Fronting Bridge Street NW and Seward Avenue NW, the store will feature garage doors that open to the produce section and a sidewalk cafe on a plaza.

"It's going to be a cool environment for the residents downtown," said Kinstle, adding the small stores "will be totally different than anything they have seen associated with Meijer."

Meijer has signed a deal with Mayan Buzz on Grandville Avenue to operate the cafe at Bridge Street Market. The other urban stores will make similar deals with local operators in their markets. The strategy is a departure from the chain's history of operating uniform Starbuck franchises at many of its bigger stores.

The small format stores won't be branded Meijer, but will have a name reflective of their neighborhoods.

The experiment with small urban stores launches as Meijer's traditional large stores continue to be in a growth mode, and the company's new home delivery service through partner Shipt is exceeding expectations.

The retailer operates 235 stores across Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

The company's current 150,000 square foot supercenter format needs at least 15 acres of land.

"It's very hard to find that kind of land in an urban environment," said Kinstle. "At the same time, you've got people moving back into those urban environments. So in an effort to be able to serve that customer base, and we've come up with a grocer concept that will allow us to do that. So that's the genesis of that decision."

Alan Hartline, owner of Kingma's Market and a member of the panel, sees the opportunity to scale up his even smaller stores that emphasizes fresh produce, prepared gourmet meals and local products. He anticipates the operation will grow to a three to five chain in West Michigan over the next few years.

The former SpartanNash executive bought the 10,000 square-foot Kingma's market in 2013, and opened a second, 14,000 square-foot location in Ada in 2017.

"It's really a European model where you come in on Monday to buy fresh produce, and you pop back in Wednesday to get something for dinner and a bottle of wine. It's primarily focused on food," said Hartline, during the Tuesday panel discussion.

Kinstle says one of the big challenges of the urban format was figuring out the parking. Unlike Meijer stores with their acres of parking, Bridge Street Market will offer customers one hour of free parking per visit.

"We want to discourage people from using the space other than to shop at the Meijer store," said Kinstle, adding that the system will be set up to make adjustments as necessary.

He added that the market format will operate fairly autonomously from the chain. While some Meijer store brands will be supplied from the retailer's distribution network, store directors will be tasked with finding local products to stock on shelves to give each location its own flavor.

At this point, Meijer doesn't have plans to stop building supercenters. While there continues to be conversations about the future of retail, there are plans to open more supercenters over the next decade, Kinstle said.

"Right now, our model is working very well. We are a very healthy, successful company. We just came off one of our best years, and going into this year, we got all sorts of momentum going. We are going to continue to evolve," Kinstle said.

Last year, Meijer invested more than $375 million on building seven new stores and remodeling 22 locations. Plans for 2018 haven't been announced yet, but Kinstle said a new store under construction in the Hudsonville area will open in the summer.

The urban stores are being introduced as the Meijer has pulled the plug on another smaller store experiment. In the last few years, Meijer shuttered a handful of 90,000 square-feet stores opened in the Chicago area, starting in 2010.

These stores, less than half the size of Meijer's traditional 200,000 square-foot stores, reduced general merchandise sections by 70 percent, mostly by eliminating apparel, shoes and jewelry. Grocery and pharmacy sections remained the same size.

The family-owned business grew into an estimated $16 billion-a-year company by perfecting the mix of low margin, fast moving grocery with higher margin, slower moving general merchandise.

With the new urban locations, Meijer is following the lead of big box national competitors Target and WalMart that began opening small format locations years ago.

"This is a very cool project for me personally," said Kinstle, who has been opening supercenters for much of his 27 year career with the retailer. "I was hoping the company would branch out and do something exciting like this mixed urban development."
ROCKFORD, MI -- A search is ongoing for a 2016 Rockford High School graduate who went missing Monday in the Bahamas after a wave washed him into the sea.

Authorities with the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the U.S. Coast Guard are looking for Jonathan Brussow.

According to a Bahamas news source, Tribune 242, Brussow and another man were near the Glass Window Bridge in Eleuthera about 7 a.m. Monday, March 5 when a wave slammed into both of them along the coast.

Brussow was swept into the water but the other man manged to cling to a rock and pull himself to safety.

Authorities on Sunday had warned the public about crossing the bridge because of high sea surges.

Brussow is a 2016 Rockford High School graduate and was on the swim team.

Rockford Schools Superintendent Mike Shibler said he had heard about the search earlier Tuesday but did not have any new information beyond the news reports from the Bahamas.
ROCKFORD, MI -- Police on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas said the search continued Wednesday for a Rockford man swept into sea by a wave surge.

Jonathan Brussow, a 2016 Rockford High School graduate, has been missing since about 7 a.m. Monday, March 5.

Brussow, 19, was with another man near the Glass Window Bridge when a sea surge knocked both of them off their feet.

The other man was able to cling to a rock and pull himself to safety, but Brussow was swept into the sea.

Authorities with the Royal Bahamas Police Ford and the U.S. Coast Guard were searching for Brussow on Tuesday.

Shanta Knowles, a police superintendent, said Wednesday that the search was ongoing.

A government leader for North Eleuthera, Ricky Mackey, on Tuesday talked about the danger of trying to cross the now-closed bridge and posted a video on Facebook.
ALLENDALE TOWNSHIP, MI - Ottawa County Sheriff's Office is reporting a fire that substantially damaged two mobile homes in Allendale Township on Monday is suspicious.

Ottawa County Sheriff's Office Detective Jake Sparks said although the cause of the fire has yet to be determined, it is being investigated as suspicious.

Allendale Fire Chief Mike Keefe said about 10:50 a.m. on March 5 firefighters were dispatched to an Allendale Meadows fire on the 11000 block of Sugar Loaf Avenue.

He said the fire started in a shed and spread to two mobile homes in the area.

Sparks said the two mobile homes and shed suffered substantial loss and at least one of the mobile homes is uninhabitable.

The fire was knocked down by early afternoon and all units were cleared by 2:30 p.m. on Monday.

No injuries were reported.

An Ottawa County Sheriff's Office detective and Michigan State Police are still investigating the fire. Sparks said law enforcement hope to have more information available soon.
Twenty-five people were arrested Monday during protests in response to white nationalist Richard Spencer's appearance at Michigan State University, police announced Tuesday.

Thirteen of the arrests were for felony charges, including resisting and obstructing police officers and carrying a concealed weapon, according to a release from the Michigan State University Police Department.

Meanwhile, three people were arraigned Tuesday in 54-B District Court in East Lansing, according to the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office.

Hannah Baker, a 27-year old Chicago resident, is facing four counts of carrying a concealed weapon - a knife, brass knuckles, a baton and a plastic stabbing device - and one count of resisting and obstructing police.

Daniel Smigel, 26, of Crete, Illinois, was charged with two counts of resisting and obstructing police.

Aaron Brown, 30, of Mason, was charged with resisting and obstructing police.

Numerous suspects remained in custody Tuesday afternoon, according to the prosecutor's office, and more arraignments are expected Wednesday.

In addition, three MSU police officers and one Michigan State trooper were injured during the protest. The nature of their injuries were not described in the release from the MSU police department.

The arrests happened outside or near the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education, the venue on MSU's campus were Spencer's appearance was held. Fights broke out between protesters and Spencer's supporters, while others clashed with police, in the lead up to the event.

Hundreds of people turned out to protest the appearance of Spencer, a leading figure in the white nationalist movement who has been credited with coining the term "alt-right." He's advocated for an "ethno-state" that would expel minorities and gained notoriety for leading a torchlight march at what became a violent rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last August.
Police report that three people were killed and four others were injured in a multi-vehicle crash in mid-Michigan near Lansing on Tuesday night.

The Eaton County Sheriff's Office reports in a press release that the three-vehicle crash occurred at 8:55 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6 on westbound I-496 between Waverly and Snow roads.Two people died at the scene of the crash, and the third died at a nearby hospital.

The Associated Press reports that one of three vehicles involved had at least six occupants at the time of the crash.

Four people were taken to a nearby hospital where one is listed in critical condition, according to police as of around 9 a.m. Wednesday morning. The sheriff's office reports that it is unknown if alcohol was a factor, but that "seatbelts were not utilized by all occupants" and that weather was not a contributing factor.

As of Wednesday morning, police had not released any of the names of those killed in the wreck.
JACKSON, MI - With more than 200 craft beers and ciders at the Southern Michigan Winter Beer Festival, vendor tables will spill outside of the American 1 Events Center.

The indoor-outdoor festival inside the Jackson County Fairgrounds, 200 W. Ganson St., goes from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 10. What started as an event drawing 800 people is now in its eighth year, and brings in more than 2,500 people, Fair Manager Denise Owens said.

"I don't allow Budweiser or Miller or anything like that to come in here," Owens said. "This isn't an event where you come in and you're going to pound a 12-pack. This type of beer is not that type."

Tickets are $30 if purchased prior to Saturday and $35 online and at the door Saturday. Tickets come with 10 drink tokens, however more can be purchased at the event for $3, four for $10 or 10 for $25.

Nobody under 21 is permitted into the event and IDs are checked. A $5 designated driver ticket is available at the door. The $60 VIP tickets - which include early entry, five extra tokens and a sweatshirt - are sold out, Owens said.

Beer varieties are coming in from across the country, from Boston Beer Company to Grand River Brewery. Michigan favorites like Old Nation's M-43 and New Holland's Dragon's Milk will be available.

For a list of beers, go to the Jackson County Fair website.

Food vendors like Kibby-Cobb Deli, Naughty Boy Ice Cream, Randy's BBQ, Jackson Popcorn and Stone Hearth Bakery are also coming to the event. A DJ is also working the event.

Beer tasters are allowed to leave their car at the fairgrounds overnight, Owens said. Colonial Cab will be on site to taxi people to their next destination, for a charge.
JACKSON, MI - A Jackson man in jail for allegedly engaging in child pornography may soon be released as charges against him have been dismissed without prejudice.

At the request of prosecutors, District Judge Joseph Filip granted a dismissal order for Paul Ruggles Jr. on March 6, according to court records.

Ruggles, 41, was charged with one felony count each of child sexually abusive commercial activity, using a computer to commit a crime, possession of child sexually abusive material and accosting a child for immoral purposes, according to court records.

The dismissal was requested by the Prosecutor's Office so that police could further investigate Ruggles' alleged crimes, Jackson County Prosecutor Jerry Jarzynka said. Prosecutors may reissue charges against Ruggles at a later date, he said.

Ruggles was arrested Feb. 17 after a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children initiated a police investigation into Ruggles' activities, according to a Michigan State Police statement.

Further investigation led police to Ruggles in his Jackson residence, where a search of the home netted multiple devices and evidence of child sexually abusive activity, police said.

He has been held in the Jackson County Jail since his arrest with a bond set at $100,000.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN -- Former Northern Michigan University trustee Garnet Lewis is running the Michigan Senate seat representing Allegan County, Van Buren County and a portion of Kent County.

Lewis, chair of the Saugatuck Planning Commission and member of the city's Board of Review, announced her campaign on March 6. She is the first Democratic candidate to file to run, but is joined by Republican candidate Bob Genetski and Libertarian candidate Erwin Haas.

Sitting Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker is prevented from seeking re-election due to term limits. She is seeking the Republican Party's nomination for Michigan attorney general in the 2018 election.

This will be Lewis' third run for office at the state level. She unsuccessfully ran for state house and senate seats as a Democrat.

Lewis was beaten in the 2014 primary by Stacy Erwin Oakes for the 32nd Senate District. Lewis secured the Democratic nomination for the 98th House District seat in 2008, but was beaten by Republican James Stamas.

In a release announcing her campaign, Lewis said she is "dismayed and frustrated" with the lack of progress in the Michigan legislature. She wants to seek a way out of "paralyzing divisiveness" that's held the state back.

"So many promises are made during campaigns, regarding better roads, more jobs, educational improvements and tax relief, yet so little real progress actually happens," she said in the release.

Lewis is the daughter of an Air Force veteran and was born in England, raised in Germany and grew up working on her family farm in Texas.

She earned a bachelor's degree in animal science from Truman State University, a master's degree in education from Northern Michigan University and later a doctorate in philosophy from the University of North Texas.

Lewis was appointed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm to serve an eight-year term on the board of trustees at Northern Michigan, from 2009-16. She served as chair from 2013-14.

The Democrat has more than 25 years of professional experience in higher education, serving as the associate director for professional education at Central Michigan University, director of institutional research at Saginaw Valley State University, and associate vice president for student services at Tarleton State University in Texas.

Lewis lives in Saugatuck and works as the business manager for Vigano, LLC., a commercial real estate investor.
BENTON TOWNSHIP, MI -- A semi-truck driver who crashed into the back of a Michigan State Police cruiser Wednesday morning was cited.

Jordan Daniel Howell, 23, of Canton, Ohio was cited for reckless driving after the March 7 crash.

Police said the crash happened shortly after 7 a.m. where I-94 and U.S. 31 meet, near mile marker 30 for Napier Avenue in Berrien County's Benton Township.

Russell Bawks, a 20-year MSP veteran and member of the 5th District Hometown Security team, was driving behind two Michigan Department of Transportation plow trucks when his cruiser was rear-ended by the semi-truck.

After striking the cruiser, the semi-truck jackknifed and struck the vehicle a second time.

Police said Bawks suffered minor injuries in the crash. He was treated and has been released from Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph.

Bawks has returned to work, police said.
BATTLE CREEK, MI -- A man and two women are in custody for crimes following a report of a missing child, Battle Creek Police said.

Officers received a call shortly after midnight March 7 from a woman requesting assistance in locating her 1-year-old child. She told officers the father had come to Georgia and brought the child back to Michigan.

Battle Creek Police checked several addresses for the child, one being in the 200 block of North McKinley Avenue. Officers also attempted to contact the police department in Georgia to determine if the case was parental kidnapping, or a child custody issue out of Georgia.

Police received a call at 7:12 a.m. of a home invasion in progress at the residence in the 200 block of N. McKinley Avenue.

Upon arrival, officers found two women had broken into the home, one of whom was the child's mother.

Police said the father fled the residence with a firearm in the child's mother's vehicle.

The vehicle was located and police took the 24-year-old man into custody for a weapons violation and stealing the woman's vehicle. The two women, ages 23 and 47, were taken into custody for home invasion.

Police said the child was located and turned over to Child Protective Services.

No further information has been released, as the incident remains under investigation
UPDATE March 7 at 2:30 p.m.: The semi-truck driver was cited.

BENTON TOWNSHIP, MI -- A Michigan State Police trooper was injured Wednesday morning in a crash with a semi-truck.

The crash happened shortly after 7 a.m. March 7 where I-94 and U.S. 31 intersect, near mile marker 30 for Napier Avenue in Berrien County's Benton Township.

A lieutenant with the MSP Niles Post said the trooper with 5th District Hometown Security team was on patrol, driving behind two Michigan Department of Transportation plow trucks, when the cruiser was rear-ended by a semi-truck.

After striking the cruiser, the semi-truck jackknifed and struck the vehicle a second time.

The trooper was taken to Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph with minor injuries and is expected to be OK. The semi-truck driver from Ohio was not injured.

The crash is under investigation.
FRUITPORT, MI - The first construction trailers arrived at Fruitport High School this week to prepare for a three-year project.

About $48.7 million is dedicated to construction that will replace the 1950s portion of the high school - about 75-80 percent of the current structure.

The Fruitport Community Schools Board of Education recently approved contractor bids that keep within that budget, said Superintendent Bob Szymoniak. Most of the contractors are from West Michigan.

Funds come from a voter-approved up to 30-year, 3.9 mill bond issue from 2016. It will generate about $50.6 million for high school construction and minor improvements at other buildings.

District administration is starting to prioritize other projects, Szymoniak said.

Construction trailers for the high school project began to arrive on Tuesday, March 6. Construction is scheduled to begin the week of March 26, he said.

"When construction begins there will be a physical separation between students and contractors to ensure the safety and security of students," Szymoniak said. That will include fences and walls.

Here's a timeline of the work ahead:

Completed by fall 2018: remodeling of existing area of the school into new art classroom and drafting/engineering classroom

Completed by December 2019: construction of a new two-story classroom structure

Beginning December 2019: demolition of portions of the old high school that held classrooms

Completed spring 2020: auditorium

Completed 2021: locker commons, media center and offices

This year's freshmen should be the first graduating class from the completed high school.

There are two reasons the district chose this method to improve its high school, Szymoniak said. The first is that it's $30 million cheaper than a completely new building on a different site. The second is that the community didn't want the high school to move away from the main Fruitport schools campus.

"It's going to be extremely positive for the school district," Szymoniak said in a previous interview. "I've seen the opening of a new high school; I've seen the impact on student and staff morale. I've seen how it impacts the community's attitude toward itself. I've seen it increase enrollment. People see it as a community that supports its schools, and people want to move to a community that supports schools - the same goes for businesses."
KOCHVILLE TWP, MI -- More than 100 employers have signed up so far to attend the Spring University-wide Employment & Networking Fair at Saginaw Valley State University next month.

The event, to take place from noon to 3 p.m. Friday, April 6, in Curtiss Hall, is free to attend and open to the public. SVSU is located at 7400 Bay Road in Kochville Township.

More than 100 employers had signed up to attend the event as of early March, including The Dow Chemical Co., Quicken Loans, MidMichigan Health, McLaren Bay Region, Chemical Bank, Yeo & Yeo Computer Consulting, Aflac, University of Michigan-Flint, Garber Management Group, Walmart, Amigo Mobility International, Samaritas, Do-All Inc., Harrison Community Schools, Nexteer Automotive and PepsiCo.

Professional attire is required for job seekers planning to attend the event. Scrubs for those working in the health care field and other work uniforms are considered professional attire, according to event organizers.

Learn more, see a complete list of participating employers or register as an employer here.

Are you planning a job fair or hiring event? Send the details to Heather Jordan at hjordan@mlive.com and it could be featured on MLive.
UPDATE: The Michigan Department of Transportation reports the crash has been cleared and the road reopened.

BUENA VISTA TWP, MI -- A car collided with a tanker, prompting emergency responders to close a portion of Washington Avenue (M-81) near I-75 in Buena Vista Township about 7 a.m. Wednesday, March 7.

Roads were snow-covered and icy Wednesday morning. Police said a tanker truck had pulled out of a parking lot and a car couldn't stop in time and slid under the trailer.

Traffic was backed up as the eastbound lane of M-81 was closed and emergency officials were directing traffic both ways in the westbound lane.

As of about 7:30 a.m., officials with Michigan State Police, Buena Vista Fire Department, Buena Vista Police and Mobile Medical Response were at the scene.

Police said the crash caused only minor injuries and that no one was transported from the scene.

MLive reporter Michael Kransz contributed to this report.
SAGINAW, MI -- Prosecutors have issued charges against eight people for their alleged involvement in two 2017 slayings.

Of the eight people, six are charged with first-degree premeditated murder in one or the other homicide, one is charged with first-degree premeditated murder in both cases and another is charged with aiding one of the alleged killers.

The charges stem from the killing of 41-year-old Willie Dawson on Saginaw's West Side and the killing of 54-year-old Shlindrill Bonita Lewis on the city's East Side.

According to the felony complaint, three men conspired to shoot and kill Dawson. He was gunned down Sept. 8 outside Dom's Food Market, 2326 N.Michigan, near the Interstate 675 interchange.

One of those men, and four others, later conspired to kill Lewis, the felony complaint alleges. She was shot to death Oct. 27 inside a vehicle in her driveway at 2825 Capehart in the Sheridan Park subdivision.

The charges, Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Trevis Ruffin said, resulted from "diligent" and collaborative efforts by prosecutors and state and city police.

"We're taking an extremely aggressive tone when it comes to prosecuting violent offenders in Saginaw County," Ruffin said.

Four of the accused were arraigned Wednesday morning, March 7, before District Judge David Hoffman. The rest remain at large. Ruffin said police are working to arrest them.

In connection with the Dawson homicide, 41-year-old Troy Lee-Jabbar McClain Jr. and 27-year-old Benjamin Roy Daly were arraigned on charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree premeditated murder and various firearm offenses.

In connection with the Lewis homicide, Tamaris Dabar Jones and Antonio Michael Moore, both 23, were arraigned on charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree premeditated murder and various firearm offenses.

Hoffman denied bond for all four men. First-degree premeditated murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

Jones and Moore return before Hoffman at 10 a.m. March 27 for a preliminary examination. McClain and Daly are scheduled for a 2:45 p.m. preliminary examination that same day before Hoffman.

Two homicides and requests for more

A 40-year-old man, who The Saginaw News is not naming because he hasn't been arraigned, is charged with conspiracy and premeditated murder in both homicides.

According to the felony complaint, the man was solicited by a 28-year-old woman to commit two more homicides. Ruffin said the targets were "close associates" of the woman. They were not killed, he said.

Prosecutors allege the 28-year-old woman, who also has not been arraigned, aided the 40-year-old man after he killed Lewis.

The 28-year-old woman is charged with two counts of solicitation of murder, a potential life offense, and accessory after the fact.

A violent two days

The arraignments come after a violent two days in Saginaw.

Around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 6, police were called to South 19th and Janes on reports of multiple shots fired.

When they arrived, they found a 20-year-old man lying in the street with at least one gunshot wound, according to Saginaw Police Detective Sgt. Matt Gerow.

Officers and medical personnel attempted to save the man, but he died at the scene, Gerow said.

The day before, police found Anthony Augusta Cannon Jr. dead in a home at 2840 W. Genesee. Cannon was shot during a domestic dispute, according to police.

A 26-year-old woman is in custody and faces charges of open murder. She hasn't been arraigned.

The city has recorded five homicides so far in 2018.
SAGINAW, MI -- A ceremony to break ground on Delta College's new satellite campus will be held on Monday, March 26.

The event will be held at 3 p.m., and is open to the public, according to college officials.

Delta's $12.7 million, 35,000-square-foot facility at 319 East Genesee, will be offering classes to students by fall 2019, according to a press release from Delta College.

The construction of the project will be paid for by the state of Michigan, as well as Delta College's Plant Fund reserves.

The Delta College Board of Trustees on Jan. 10 selected Spence Brothers to lead the construction of the college's satellite campus.

The new facility will replace Delta's satellite campus at the Ricker Center in Buena Vista Township and could serve about 1,250 people.

The Saginaw Center will include state-of-the-art technology, special-use training rooms and science labs to strengthen Delta's ability to deliver the highest caliber of college instruction and workforce training, according to a press release.
We have another snow system set to move through Michigan tonight and Thursday. Much like the last two snows, this next snow will have somewhat localized areas of heavy snow. This snow system will also be more widespread than the recent snows.

The image above is my attempt to convey to you the variability of snow with this next storm system.

The snow tonight and Thursday will be more widespread than the snow Tuesday night and the snow Monday night. It looks like all of Lower Michigan should at least get 1" to 2" of snow tonight and Thursday.

Here's a radar forecast that projects into Wednesday night. Watch the area of snow over northern Lake Huron move west into northeast Lower. The snow area will then swing southward Thursday, moving through the Saginaw Bay area, the Thumb and eventually southeast Lower Michigan.

The heaviest snow will likely fall from around Alpena south to Tawas City to the tip of the Thumb. There is a good chance of widespread 2" to 4" inches of snow in that area. There could be localized very heavy snowfall over 6" in that region also.

Moving just west and south of the heaviest snow area, expect a good chance at 2" to 4" of snow through the Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and Flint areas. Some of the 2" to 4" snow area will also stretch west into Traverse City and northwest Lower Michigan.

In southeast Lower and southwest Lower, most of the snow should tally to 1" to 2", with again some localized heavier spots up to 4". This area includes Grand Rapids, Lansing, Jackson, Ann Arbor and Detroit.

There will also be one area of lake effect snow in far southwest corner of Lower Michigan. The lake effect band of snow should produce 2" to 5" of total snow.

Hopefully you get the image that tonight and Thursday will be snowy over all of Michigan. I also hope you get the idea snow amounts will again be highly variable.
[March 07, 2018] Canada and the Northwest Territories sign a new agreement to make significant investments in transformative infrastructure projects Over $570 million available for projects that build prosperous communities and transition to a clean growth economy YELLOWKNIFE, NT, March 7, 2018 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories are working together to make long-term infrastructure investments to create economic growth, build inclusive communities and support a low carbon, green economy-leading to a higher quality of life for Northern Canadians. Today, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; the Honourable Wally Schumann, territorial Minister of Infrastructure; the Honourable Caroline Cochrane, territorial Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs; and Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, announced the signing of a bilateral agreement that will provide more than $570 million over the next decade in federal funding dedicated to infrastructure projects under the Investing in Canada plan. The projects supported through this agreement will be cost-shared with the territorial government, municipalities and other partners. The Government of Canada is providing up to 75% of eligible expenditures for projects in the territories and for projects with Indigenous partners. The Investing in Canada plan will see the Government of Canada make unprecedented investments in infrastructure across the Northwest Territories, while providing the flexibility for the Territory and its communities to identify their priorities and projects. These investments will make a positive difference in communities, such as: better movement of people and goods

clean air and water

reduced greenhouse gas emissions

smarter and more efficient cities

sustainable water management

public spaces that make communities great places to live

better transportation and digital infrastructure for people living in remote communities

energy security and reduced reliance on diesel in the North Across Canada, more than $33 billion will be invested through new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories to support public transit, green infrastructure, recreational and cultural infrastructure as well as rural and northern communities. Provinces and territories will develop three-year plans that will provide information on how they will implement their infrastructure projects. Quotes "Long-term investments in infrastructure are key to building a strong Canada-connecting people, creating well-paying jobs, and building our economy and our communities for the future. We are pleased to reach a new agreement with the Northwest Territories to invest in infrastructure projects that will benefit Northern communities for years to come. Collaboration and partnership have been at the heart of the success of our Investing in Canada plan and we will continue to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous communities, stakeholders, and Canadians from coast to coast to coast." The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities "Nowhere is the link between infrastructure and economic prosperity as obvious as it is in the Northwest Territories. Transformative projects can happen today in Canada's North, and will give our residents the opportunity of economic self-determination. Creating the North our people want and need means working together with many partners  Canada, Indigenous governments, community governments, business and industry  to create and implement a clear plan for investing in our people in the long term." The Honourable Wally Schumann, Minister of Infrastructure, Government of the Northwest Territories "Today's signing demonstrates the importance of partnerships between the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Government of Canada and Northwest Territories community governments in enabling communities to build, replace, or improve much-needed public infrastructure. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs will be working with communities to help optimize the funding available through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan. We will assist communities to align their capital plans with the federal programs announced today." The Honourable Caroline Cochrane, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Government of the Northwest Territories "Infrastructure development is vital to the health and wellbeing of Northern Canadians. When the Government of Canada invests in infrastructure, we are investing in Canadians and making a difference in people's daily lives. This new funding will provide those living and working in the North with clean and reliable drinking water, improved health and recreational opportunities, and more reliable community services." Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories Quick facts Under the Investing in Canada plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.

plan, the Government of is investing more than over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and rural and northern communities. Under the first phase of the plan, Infrastructure Canada has approved nearly 3,500 projects worth a combined investment of more than $8.4 billion across Canada .

across . As part of the Plan, Infrastructure Canada will deliver $33 billion over the next decade through new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories under four funding streams:

over the next decade through new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories under four funding streams: $20.1 billion for public transit;

for public transit;

$9.2 billion for green infrastructure;

for green infrastructure;

$1.3 billion for community, cultural and recreational infrastructure; and

for community, cultural and recreational infrastructure; and

$2 billion for wide-ranging infrastructure needs in rural and northern communities. In addition, $400 million will be delivered through the Arctic Energy Fund to advance energy security in the territories.

for wide-ranging infrastructure needs in rural and northern communities. In addition, will be delivered through the Arctic Energy Fund to advance energy security in the territories. This marks the first new long-term infrastructure agreement the Government of Canada has signed with provincial and territorial partners. Related product Read the backgrounder to learn more: https://www.canada.ca/en/office-infrastructure/news/2018/03/backgrounder-canada-and-the-northwest-territories-sign-a-new-agreement-to-make-significant-investments-in-transformative-infra.html Backgrounder Canada and the Northwest Territories sign a new agreement to make significant investments in transformative infrastructure projects Over $570 million available for projects that build prosperous communities and transition to a clean growth economy Under the $180 billion Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is signing new bilateral agreements with all provinces and territories, which will see more than $33 billion in federal investment towards significant infrastructure projects across the country. The objective of these investments is to transform the way Canadians live, move and work in four priority areas: Rural and northern communities;

Green infrastructure;

Community, culture, and recreation infrastructure; and

Public transit; Northwest Territories' Funding Allocations The table below shows the allocations for the Territory by funding stream from 2018-2028 which amounts to $570,776,826.



Funding Stream Allocation Expected Outcomes at Project Completion* Public Transit $8,344,774 for Yellowknife's public transit system which will improve the way Canadians live, move and work. Improved public transit infrastructure

Improved quality and safety of existing transit system

Improved access to public transit system Green Infrastructure $208,230,295 to support greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reductions; enable greater adaptation and resilience to the impacts of climate change and climate-related disaster mitigation, and ensure that more communities can provide clean air and safe drinking water for their citizens. Increased capacity to manage more renewable energy

Increased access to clean energy transportation

Increased energy efficiency of buildings

Increased generation of clean energy

Increased structural capacity and increased natural capacity to adapt to climate change impacts, natural disasters and extreme weather events

Increased capacity to treat and manage wastewater and stormwater

Increased access to potable water

Increased capacity to reduce or remediate soil and air pollutants Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure $26,187,414 towards community, culture and recreation infrastructure to build stronger communities and improve social inclusion. Improved access to and increased quality of community, cultural and recreational infrastructure for Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable populations Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure $328,014,343 to support projects that improve the quality of life in rural and northern communities by responding to rural and northern specific needs. The stream includes $153,014,343 and the $175,000,000 allocation under the Arctic Energy Fund that will address energy security in the territories. Improved food security

Improved and more reliable road, air and marine infrastructure

Improved broadband connectivity

More efficient and reliable energy (The Arctic Energy Fund can only be applied to this outcome.)

Improved education and health facilities that benefit Indigenous peoples (specific to Truth and Reconciliation Commission) * Outcomes will be obtained through projects which will be communicated in more detail as they are announced. The bilateral agreements will allow the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories to agree on shared results as well as a method of reporting on results on a regular basis. The bilateral agreements support the following long-term results: Increase the rate of economic growth in an inclusive and sustainable way;

Improve environmental quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resiliency of communities;

Improve mobility in Canadian communities;

Make Canadian communities more inclusive and accessible; and

Manage infrastructure in a more sustainable way. Under these new bilateral agreements, the Government of Canada will not only make significant investments in Canadian communities, but also open the door to unique and innovative project ideas that meet the agreed-upon outcomes. These new ideas will contribute to the long-term sustainability of our infrastructure. In order to ensure our partners consider opportunities to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions or better adapt to climate change during the project development stage, a new climate lens will be applied for certain projects. Additionally, partners will also report on how larger projects are creating job opportunities for a broader array of Canadians in the construction industry and related sectors through a new Community Employment Benefits framework. For information on cost-sharing, please see Infrastructure Canada's website. Associated links Government of Canada's $180-billion+ Investing in Canada plan *New*  Investing in Canada plan project map Federal infrastructure investments in the Northwest Territories Twitter: @INFC_eng

Web: Infrastructure Canada SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

[ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\broadband-stimulus's Homepage ]
Bindi Irwin fans can now get a take home barbie version of the wildlife star. Toy company Mattel released the Barbie to celebrate International Women's Day, with Bindi's inclusion representing Australian feminism.

Speaking to the Herald Sun, Bindi said "I am honoured to be part of the Barbie family,"

"It is so important to empower girls and women to believe in their strength to make positive change in the world."

"Together we can make a difference."

Other people included in the range are Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins, Winter Olympian Chloe Kim and fashion designer Vicky Martin.

Source: DailyMail
Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk!

You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details.
Business Opportunities; FGMC Cuts Wholesale; RBS Settles With NY

How about this note I received from the owner of a non-bank lender in the Northeast. Rob, in your conversations with CEOs, is anyone talking about cutting LO comp levels? It seems that some of my LOs expect corporate to absorb all the margin compression. Some have even argued for pricing that would lead to a loss for corporate. I am not in this business to run a non-profit or suffer a loss just so the LO can make money. Is sharing the pain a conversation topic? Yes, it is. But its tough to recruit when doing that. No one wants to be the first. And LOs argue that they share the pain due to not getting the deal, and inflexible comp plans caused by poorly-written regulations.

Company News

It isnt the first and wont be the last. FGMC (First Guaranty) closed its wholesale channel. (This is about 2 months after FGMC stopped wholesale construction lending.) Sent out were the usual deadlines for brokers to submit new apps (3/9), locked (3/16), refis to close (4/25), and purchases to close (5/1). FGMC remains committed to the TPO space through its growing correspondent and non-delegated business units.

Similar to the credit union percentage of the biz, the broker channel accounts for about 12% of the origination pie, and perhaps with that in mind that First Guaranty pulled out. Behind the scenes reasons ran the gamut. They included changes of ownership (PIMCO), inability to change its brand & product focus, unrealistic volume goals set by the parent, the decline in margins, shifting department reporting, unresponsive management, and lack of competitive technology.

At the other ends of the scale, TruHome Solutions, a mortgage Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) headquartered in the Kansas City area, announced four new credit union partnerships: Las Colinas Federal Credit Union (Irving, Texas), University Credit Union (Los Angeles, California), Princeton Federal Credit Union (Princeton, New Jersey), and 121 Financial Credit Union (Jacksonville, Florida). In all, TruHomes new partners serve more than 100,000 members and have combined assets of nearly $1.4 billionOwned 100% by credit unions, TruHome offers a full suite of flexible, private-label mortgage origination, secondary market, and servicing solutions to credit unions nationwide. TruHome uses a consultative approach, leveraging extensive industry expertise to identify the best strategies for each credit unions mortgage program.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group has reached a $500 million settlement with New York state to resolve claims over its sale of risky residential mortgage-backed securities that contributed to the 2008 global financial crisis. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Tuesday said the accord includes a $100 million cash payment to the state, plus $400 million of consumer relief for homeowners and communities. Schneiderman said RBS admitted to having sold investors residential mortgage-backed securities that did not meet underwriting guidelines, contrary to its representations, and did not comply with applicable laws and regulations.



Capital Markets

U.S. Treasuries finished Tuesday flat, as potentially positive news on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula dominated headlines for both the news cycle and markets. South Korea's envoy to North Korea produced an agreement for a summit to be held in April and a hotline to be reestablished.

Turning to economic releases, January factory orders for manufactured goods declined for the first time in six months on the heels of an upward revision in December. Excluding transportation, orders were up, demonstrating understandable softness after what has been an extended pickup in new order activity. Durable goods orders dropped 3.6% in addition to a 10.0% decline in transportation equipment orders.

The big news after the market close was the resignation of National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn due to a tariff tiff. Cohn was instrumental in shepherding the tax legislation through Congress, so the most important economic deliverable (taxes) of the Trump administration has occurred already. Deregulation is the second most important piece of the pro-growth Trump economic platform, but this is more an ongoing incremental process rather than a discrete action and isnt likely to be disrupted by Cohns absence. And the markets never placed high odds on the third piece of the Trump economic platform (infrastructure spending) and thus Cohns departure wont shift expectations. Trump is apparently considering a slew of people to replace Cohn including Andy Puzder, Larry Kudlow, Kevin Hassett, and Peter Navarro.

We have had weekly mortgage applications from the MBA for the week ending March 2 (roughly flat). Weve already also had some Fed speak with Atlanta's Bostic, a voter, sharing his economic outlook in Ft. Lauderdale. This comes before New York's Dudley participates in a conversation and presentation with economists on current economic conditions and recovery efforts following last year's hurricanes. The February ADP report was released. Expected to add 220k jobs to private payrolls, it was stronger than expected at +235k. Weve also had January trade (trade deficit widening to $56.5 billion) and Q4 (final) productivity (no change  weak) and unit labor costs (+2.5%, strong). The Fed will release the latest Beige Book at 2PM telling us what is going on around the nation. Today commences with rates not much changed versus last nights close: the 10-year is yielding 2.86% and agency MBS prices are better a couple ticks (32nds).

Jobs, Business Opportunities, Promotions, and Products

"We at City National Bank believe that establishing and cultivating complex financial relationships will always require genuine high-touch service which produces results that exceed our discerning clients' expectations. Financial expertise, trust and authenticity are the basic qualities we hold in the highest regard and consistently apply to the client experience. If you believe you qualify for the City National brand of mortgage banking, we look forward to hearing from you. With the sales team now under the direction of Josh Copeland (formerly of AIG Investments and Bank of America), we are searching for both Private Mortgage Bankers and Private Mortgage Banker Leads in New York City, Orange County/San Diego, the Bay Area and the greater Los Angeles area. Both roles call for entrepreneurial mortgage bankers who specialize in sourcing and cultivating banking relationships with high-net-worth clients, while providing City National's extraordinary client service." To learn more, visit CNBCareers or contact Bridget Purviance, Talent Acquisition, at 213-673-9155.

Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions is off to a hot start in 2018. And theyre continuing to add to its dynamic roster by adding Wholesale Account Executives in markets across the country, specifically in San Francisco, Sacramento, Seattle and New Orleans. To continue to deliver an extraordinary customer experience while realizing record monthly volumes, it is also hiring underwriters and other operations positions in Atlanta and Dallas. As more companies realize the benefits of offering non-QM products, it only makes sense to work with the market leader. If you are interested in learning more, contact John Wise (818.391.4131).

Floify, the enterprise-grade mortgage automation solution that supports more than 300,000+ registered users, has just elevated the bar when it comes to advancing workflows for big mortgage lenders. Floifys white-labelable solution  which features an embeddable, and customizable 1003; a secure point-of-sale portal for borrowers; automated loan status updates via email and SMS; and, mobile apps for iOS and Android  has even more incredible improvements in the works. Enhancements to the platforms Disclosure Desk continue to revolutionize the way lenders manage and track disclosures by centralizing the process across an enterprises origination teams. Using Floify, countless businesses have reported a reduction in their loan production costs and a significant improvement to the entire mortgage experience for their borrowers. To see how Floify can help you streamline your enterprises mortgage workflow and get the inside scoop on their upcoming features, request a live demo of Floify.

PennyMac has launched its wholesale Broker Direct division, providing the people, process and technology to help brokers succeed. The firm is interested in hiring wholesale Account Executives in the greater Los Angeles and Ventura County areas. This is a great opportunity to join a market leader on the ground floor of its exciting new division. For more information, please reach out to Matt Sjolund at (805) 225-7352. NMLS ID# 35953

Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC is offering a free, in-person Reverse Mortgage Jump Start accelerated learning course, one in Redondo Beach on Wednesday, March 21 , and another in San Diego on Thursday, March 22 . Each half-day session will be from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with lunch included. Find out how you can easily add this missing piece to your product mix, with a team of industry-leading professionals on your side. If youre originating mortgage refinancing, home purchase loans, and/or lines of credit and not offering reverse mortgages, youre missing out on a huge market opportunity  homeowners and homebuyers age 62+. This is a great way to learn the ropes and how you can get started. Admission is free, but seating is limited so reserve your place today!

So, as the world shifts to a purchase market, those lenders that have positioned themselves well are ready to win, while those that relied on refinances as their main business scramble to find ways to survive. One such well-positioned lender, Wintrust Mortgage, is looking for terrific like-minded individuals at every level (LO, Branch and Area managers) to expand in the markets they serve while branching out in other markets to take advantage of their 50 state lending, licensing exception, full product menu, robust marketing department and tools AND their culture of doing the right thing for the customer and their employees. Wintrust is also looking for acquisitions of well-run companies. If you are an owner producing more than $100mm, Wintrust would like to have a confidential conversation with you. Send your information to me or reach out to Bob Shield, Wintrusts EVP and National Sales Manager, at 847.939.9361.

David Mills has joined the Credit Union and Community Bank Division of Finance of America Mortgage as Regional sales Director. Congratulations! In this role, David will be charged with supporting credit unions and community banks in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia in their development of a customized mortgage lending solution to serve the needs of their members and clients.

And congrats to Lee Wardlow who BOK Financial Mortgage, a division of BOK Financial, hired to lead its mortgage servicing business. Based in Dallas, Wardlow will serve as director of loan servicing for BOK Financial Mortgage, operating as Bank of Texas. He will lead all mortgage servicing functions for BOK Financial Mortgage including servicing, non-performing servicing, servicing administration, cash and investor accounting for the servicing portfolio of $23.1 billion/144,000 customers.
Michigan Techs new Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope lets researchers zoom in to understand the big picture at the atomic scale.

Housed in a specially constructed brick building at the south end of Michigan Technological Universitys campus is the FEI 200kV Titan Themis Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (S-TEM). One of only two Titans in the state of Michigan, the microscope is capable of imaging at the atomic scale, providing chemical information from a sample and can also operate as a transmission electron microscope.

Such a powerful tool is one of the newest in the Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratorys (ACMAL) arsenal.

S-TEMs use an electron beam less than an angstrom wide (smaller than an atom) to create a digital image of an atom column, allowing researchers to see how atoms bond and the structure of a given sample. Stephen Hackney, professor of materials science, likened it to looking down a stack of transparent cannon ballsextremely tiny ones.

In numerous fieldsmaterials science and engineering, chemistry, physics, geology, biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering and othersS-TEM provides a way to understand atomic-level interactions that effect materials, chemicals and other substances at a macro-scale. Analyzing S-TEM outputs means zooming in on the tiniest details to understand the big picture.

Live lab tour of the S-TEM facility at Michigan Tech.

An Entire World Under the Lens

A few of the current projects under the Titan lens at Michigan Tech include:

Studying the microstructure of high-temperature aluminum alloys. Because of its light weight, aluminum offers possibilities to both the military and transportation sectors. Understanding how aluminum-alloy atoms behave under high temperatures helps scientists work with the material to strengthen it. Light-weight rockets take satellites into orbit more easily than heavy ones, after all.

Building better batteries. Hackney is working with Duracell Batteries to improve the materials in its copper-top battery line so that the batteries last even longer. [Duracell is] interested in the way they process the material  sometimes it comes out one way, and it works, and sometimes it comes out a different way and it doesnt work, Hackney says. They want to know what happens at the atomic scale, why that makes it work in some cases but not in other cases.

John Jaszczak, professor of physics, and Christopher Stefano, associate curator at the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum, seek to understand how certain minerals form over the eonshow the atoms have stuck together in interesting ways as proof of the eons of fabrication they went through. Understanding mineral structures gives researchers the ability to manufacture them synthetically, which can be useful for society (and not just rock lickers).

The first atomic resolution image of an gold nanoparticle obtained from the Titan Themis scanning transmission electron microscope at Michigan Tech.

Pinaki Mukherjee was recently hired as the S-TEM specialist. He earned his doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he first worked with transmission electron microscopes. He completed post-doctoral work at Rutgers University and is affiliated with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratorys National Center for Electron Microscopy.

Mukherjee processes some samples and calibrates the microscope, which is extremely sensitive to temperature changes and vibrations, but also trains faculty and graduate students on how to operate the Titan. Though he can process samples more quickly than most, hes aware of the microscopes limitless potential.

The samples analyzed in the S-TEM must be extremely thin in order to form useful images from the transmitted electrons, which requires some expertise. Owen Mills, senior research engineer and scientist and director of ACMAL, is an expert in several types of sample preparation for polymers, bio-materials, ceramics and metals and assists most users in developing useful specimens.

Commenting on the extraordinarily small size of material examined in a typical experiment, Hackney says, When I first arrived at Michigan Tech 30 years ago, Professor Tom Courtney pointed out that if you take all the material thats been analyzed by transmission electron microscopy or S-TEM up 1985 and put it all together, you might make the head of a pin. However, now I think it is probably the whole pin.

All the Worlds a Stage

Michigan Tech is known for being a hands-on school, says Mills. We want to train students to do the work themselves so they can go out and do the work in industry or at other academic institutions.

A key function of the microscope is its ability to observe material behavior at atomic resolution while subjecting atoms to various stimuli. Samples can be placed on stages that elevate temperature, apply different voltages, deform materials by applying force, and allow examination of materials behavior in a liquid environment.

X-ray chemical map showing aluminum and nickel distribution in a positive electrode material used in a lithium-ion battery.

Another function of the microscope is creating three-dimensional models of materials using electron tomography to examine a sample from all angles.

The S-TEM facility is also open to researchers and scientists from other institutions. Visit the S-TEM facility website for more information about booking the lab for sample processing.

It's really a tool that is only limited by the limits of our imaginations, Mills says. The microscope itself is a ticket into a new world. Were really fortunate; there are very few of these microscopes around.

Grants and Funding The Titan was purchased with funding from a $1.2 million National Science Foundation grant and matching funds from the College of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics and the Office of the Vice President for Research.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university, home to more than 7,000 students from 54 countries. Founded in 1885, the University offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, and social sciences. Our campus in Michigans Upper Peninsula overlooks the Keweenaw Waterway and is just a few miles from Lake Superior.
In Focus with Allison Walker is a 30-minute public affairs program, featuring a roundtable of newsmakers representing a range of perspectives, including local officials and expert analysts as they tackle topical issues of importance to Floridians.

In Focus airs Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., right after Political Connections.
As immigration laws continue to change, undocumented immigrants seek help to gain legal status. This can sometimes result in them being scammed by folks trying to take advantage of the situation.

Barry Univ. creates immigration legal clinic for low-incomes folks

University's law students work the pro-bono cases

For more information, contact (321) 206-5600

Its one of the reasons Barry University School of Law created an immigration legal clinic to offer legal assistance to low income families.

"They had identified there was a real need here in Central Florida for pro bono representation for immigrants, explained Katie Rodriguez, Director of the immigration legal clinic.

Students at Barry University are the ones who work the cases.

So the law students in the clinic can actually do anything that a licensed attorney would do while theyre in the clinic under my supervision, Rodriguez said. There are federal regulations that allow them to appear both before United States citizenship and immigration services, any component of the homeland security, and before the executive office for immigration review.

For students selected to participate in the clinic, its a great hands-on opportunity.

"It's been awesome getting to go to court, getting to go to ICE, getting to experience these things we wouldn't be able to outside the clinic, said Stephen Burt, a law student at Barry University.

Because theyre a non-profit legal clinic, they cannot take every immigration case, but theyve worked on many.

In order to qualify for pro-bono legal help, the familys income must be 125 percent below federal wage. For more information, call (321) 206-5600.
Universal Orlando is sharing a first look at some of the items coming to Voodoo Doughnut.

Voodoo Doughnut to open at Universal CityWalk

Features one-of-a-kind, gourmet doughnuts

Universal has released photos of some items

The Portland, Oregon-based doughnut shop is opening a location at Universal CityWalk this spring.

Known for pink boxes and its one-of-a-kind creations, the gourmet doughnut chain has several locations including shops in Los Angeles, Denver and Austin.

Visitors will be able to choose from more than 50 types of doughnuts, including the Voodoo Doll, Grape Ape, Bacon Maple Bar, Memphis Mafia and Oh Captain, My Captain  a doughnut covered with vanilla frosting and breakfast cereal.

A full menu will be released at a later date, according to Universal.

CHECK OUT ATTRACTIONS INSIDER: Your all-in-one source for news, pictures and video from Floridas theme parks. Just go to our Attractions Insider page. Sign up to get breaking theme park news alerts and subscribe to our newsletter, Theme Park Roundup, delivered to your inbox or mobile phone.
By Bailey Wright

This weekend offers St. Patricks Day and Easter celebrations, several chances to stretch your art skills with egg decorating and art book creations, and multiple shows in magic and comedy.

Want your weekend event listed? Contact bwright@record-journal.com

MERIDEN

Film Showing: I am not Your Negro

When: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Friday

Where: Unitarian Universalist Church

Description: I Am Not Your Negro is a documentary exploring the history of racism in America, through James Baldwins reminiscences of civil rights leaders Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Medgar Evans, written in his unfinished manuscript in the 1970s. The church will hold a discussion afterward.

More Info: Facebook Event Page

Fifth Annual Lincoln Day Dinner

When: 6-10 p.m., Saturday

Where: II Monticello Banquet, 577 S. Broad St.

Description: The Meriden Republican Committee hosts this annual dinner, with guest speaker Chris Powell, retired managing editor of the Journal Inquirer. Patrons can socialize, meet candidates for state office and take part in a quiz about presidents with former Mayor Manny Santos. Dinner served family style, cash bar, tickets in advance are $55.

More Info: Event Page

Gallery 53 Anniversary Gala

When: 7-9 p.m., Saturday

Where: Gallery 53, 53 Colony St.

Description: Live music by the Gonkus Brothers & Bitsy, appetizers and desserts, the gallerys signature drink will all be part of this celebration of the gallerys 110th year. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door.

More Info: Event Page

WALLINGFORD

Magic in Heels Show

When: 7 p.m., Friday

Where: Mark T. Sheehan High School 142 Hope Hill Rd.

Description: Kayla Drescher, a native to Wallingford and Sheehan graduate, will perform magic to support the Sheehan Music Department. Open to all ages. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for children and seniors, sold at the door.

More Info: Facebook Event Page

Tips for Healthy Living for Your Aging Brain and Body

When: 12 -1 p.m., Friday

Where: Wallingford YMCA, 81 S. Elm St.

Description: The Alzheimers Association hosts an educational program for participants to learn about the best nutrition, exercise, cognitive activity and social engagement to keep your brain and body healthy as you age.

More Info: Calendar Event

Comedy Show with Kerri Louise

When: 7-10 p.m., Saturday

Where: The Library Wine Bar and Bistro, 60 N. Main St.

Description: Comedians Kerri Louise and Andre McSween will perform. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by calling 203-678-4656, emailing events@thelibarywinebar.com or at the restaurant. Tickets include salad, dinner, dessert, and soft drinks.

More Info: Facebook Event Page

Create an Art Book

When: 2-4 p.m., Saturday

Where: Wallingford Public Library, 200 N. Main St.

Description: Adults and teens in grades nine and above are invited to create their own art book under the guidance of local artist Rashmi Talpade. Old book of various types will be provided for participants to cut out designs, draw designs and decorate with provided art supplies. This is a two-part program, the second session will be Saturday, March 17.

More Info: Calendar Event

SOUTHINGTON

OShenanigans 5K

When: 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday

Where: 409 Canal St. (outside Kinsmen Brewing Co.)

Description: This 5K will route through rural roads in Southington and Cheshire and back to the brewery and taproom. Costumes are encouraged. Runner registration is closed, but people can come to support and celebrate with the participants.

More Info: Event Page

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny

When: 9-11:30 a.m., Saturday

Where: Southington Community YMCA, 29 High St.

Description: Kids are welcome to come meet the Easter Bunny and enjoy a light breakfast, Easter-themed arts and crafts and an Easter egg hunt. Register at the YMCA front desk or by calling 860-628-5597. Admission price varies from $5 to $15.

More Info: Facebook Event Page

CHESHIRE

KC Sisters Family Concert

When: 5-7:30 p.m., Friday

Where: Cheshire Public Library, 104 Main St.

Description: For library after hours, the KC Sisters, a family band featuring five sisters with their Dad on piano, will perform multi-harmonized songs, country fiddling, originals, and a selection of songs across genres. Pizza and drinks will be available for purchase. No admission fee.

More Info: Calendar Event

Pysanky Egg Decorating

When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday

Where: Cheshire Public Library, 104 Main St.

Description: Learn the art of Pysanky Egg decorating, a Ukrainian decorating technique using special wax and color, from the egg lady Sharon Leonard. Registration is required through the library. Children must be over the age of eight to participate.

More Info: Calendar Event

Annual Irish Eyes are Miling Fun Run

When: 11 a.m. registration, event starts at noon

Where: Corner of Williamsburg Dr. and Surrey Dr.

Description: The 21st annual fun run/walk is a 1.1 mile route with no entry fee for anyone wearing green. Participants are asked to donate to the Cheshire Food Pantry.

More Info: Facebook Event Page

NEW HAVEN

St. Patricks Day Parade

When: 1:30 p.m., Sunday

Where: Downtown New Haven

Description: Greater New Havens annual parade in celebration of St. Patricks Day.

More Info: Event Page

bwright@record-journal.com

203-317-2316

Twitter: @baileyfaywright
Staff writer Matt Zabierek joins the Morning Record to talk about the decision by Wallingford school officials to punish students who participate in a nationwide walkout later this month in response to school shootings. Instead, school officials and students have reached a compromise on activities.

For more, listen to the podcast or read Matt's story.

msavino@record-journal.com

203-317-2266

Twitter: @reporter_savino
WALLINGFORD  Bullet-resistant windows, school resource officers, and metal detectors were some of the school safety measures residents suggested during a community forum held on school safety and mental health Tuesday.

About 150 parents, teachers and residents packed the Town Hall auditorium Tuesday for the forum, which was organized by town and school officials in the wake of the school shooting in Florida last month. The forum allowed the public to speak and give suggestions for about 90 minutes on a wide range of school safety and mental health issues.

John Conte, a Sheehan High School teacher who has two children in the district, urged officials to add school resource officers to high schools, something the school board has discussed for several years.

Conte noted that when a high school has a large function, such as a dance, it is required to have an armed police officer on hand.

But 180 days of the year  1,000 kids in my building  theres nothing. That doesnt make sense, Conte said. For 180 days a year, our children are vulnerable to someone coming into our school and doing harm.

Unlike other surrounding towns Wallingford does not have school resource officers or armed guards in its high schools. Police Chief William Wright said the departments community police unit has a daily presence in the towns 12 schools, however.

Conte said a lot of damage can be done in the roughly three or four minutes it takes police to respond to an active shooter.

Im asking the community to seriously think about funding a resource officer in both high schools, Conte said. ...The gun debate is outside, we have to protect our kids now.

The forum Tuesday was a joint meeting between the Town Council and Board of Education. A panel of representatives from the school districts district-wide safety committee, including the superintendent, police chief, fire chief, youth and social services director and health department chief sanitarian, were on hand to answer questions from the public. Officials started the forum by talking about school safety measures and mental health resources already in place before allowing residents to ask questions. About 20 members of the public spoke at the forum over 90 minutes. Residents could also submit feedback to school officials electronically.

Resident Christina Tatta also spoke in favor of putting armed resource officers in schools, arguing seconds matters in an active shooter situation.

God forbid somebody gets in there despite all of our best efforts, seconds matter, Tatta said.

Tatta asked school officials whether they have considered adding resource officers or armed guards.

Superintendent of Schools Salvatore Menzo said the school board has requested school resource officers in its budget for the last three years.

The board does have a desire to continue to pursue (resource officers), Menzo said. Were hopeful that there might be some federal grants that might help us.

School resource officers are armed or unarmed sworn officers responsible for providing security in schools. Unlike armed guards, resource officers are also responsible for fostering positive relationships with students by conduct programming and safety iniaitives.

The issue of arming teachers, something debated nationally of late, was also raised during the forum.

Resident Jared Liu asked Wright whether its ever an asset (to police) to have someone in the building  faculty, staff, parent, whoever  with a gun in an active shooter situation.

Wright said hes not a fan of guns on school property at all.

This is a touchy subject and I know its a national debate thats going on right now. Personally, Im not a fan of itI dont think that we need more guns on school property, Wright said.

Wrights response ellicted an applause from audience members.

Conte also disagreed with arming teachers because he didnt want the responsibility of carrying a firearm.

John Cerreta, a teacher at Dag Hammarskjold Middle School, told school officials that teachers should receive training in how to handle an active shooter situation, an idea that received applause from some audience members.

We need to have the (active shooter training), just like the police department and the fire departmentWe are the front line before the police department or the fire department get there, we need to be able to know what we to do.

Menzo said teachers and faculty already receive several lockdown trainings for how to handle emergency situations. The school districts goal is to start offering an active shooter training, called ALICE training, to teachers beginning next school year. The district is in the final stages of preparing a proposal for the Board of Education to review. The district began working to offer the training to teachers prior to the Parkland shooting, Menzo said.

Cerreta also raised the idea of making windows in the front of schools bullet-resistant.

Our entries to the buildings should be bullet-resistant, as terrible as that sounds, Cerreta said. If we cant do the rest of the building, at least the main entry ways to our building should have some bullet-resistant glass to be able to stop someone from shooting their way in.

Adding metal detectors to school entries was also raised, however, Wright noted it would take an incredible amount of staffing in the schools to manage that.

Its incredibly consuming for resources, Wright said.

The topic of student mental health was also tied into the school safety forum because the two topics really do go together, Menzo said.

Officials noted that social media can be a mental health detriment for many students.

Menzo said social media is the most significant challenge that we face in our schools, not just with students.

It is a major issue and comes into play with depression and suicide issues, said Craig Turner, director of youth and social services, because kids are reading things, either about themselves that are untrue that are just horrible, or they believe that things are true for other people when theyre just not and it gives the impression that everyone is living a better life.

Wright said police investigate a tremendous amount of technology-based bullying.

Some of the things that are brought to our attentionare just vicious. It really is, its just vicious, Wright said.

Turner said social media is as dangerous, if not more dangerous to mental health, than substance abuse.

Menzo said the district has recently held educational programs encouraging students to think twice before sending a malicious message on social media. The school district also launched a campaign last year encouraging students to choose kindness.

mzabierek@record-journal.com

203-317-2279

Twitter: @MatthewZabierek
Jeremy Wade searches for answers in the most remarkable rivers, lakes and seas on the planet to reveal the secrets of these extraordinary places.

Tuesdays from 9pm AEST.
NP Posted

Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.

Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sign Up By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
By Online Desk

In the latest report in a series of vandalism attacks on statues of prominent figures, a bust of Dalit icon Ambedkar was damaged in Meeruts Mawana Khurd in Uttar Pradesh in the early hours of Wednesday. Also, a bust of Jan Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee was blackened and vandalised at Keoratala Crematorium in Kalighat.

These incidents come after two statues of Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov or Lenin, were knocked down in Tripuras Belonia town on Tuesday morning. The statue was brought down by suspected BJP workers celebrating their partys victory in the Assembly elections, ending the 25-year rule of the Left Front in the state.

Soon after, Tamil Nadu BJP leader H Raja threatened on social media that statues of Dravidian icon and social reformer 'Periyar' too would be pulled down, just like Lenin's. Hours after his post (which he deleted due to backlash from Opposition parties) two men vandalised a Periyar statue at a municipal corporation office in Vellore on Tuesday night. The party today expelled party worker R Muthuraman, who was arrested on Tuesday for damaging Periyars bust in Vellore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Affairs Minister Rajnath Singh today condemned these incidents and asked states to take stern action against those accountable.

HERE ARE ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS

March 8

Actor Rajinikanth finally made a statement on the statue vandalism in Tamil Nadu following H Raja's remarks: "Raja's comment indicating that Periyar's statue be removed and the subsequent vandalism were a barbaric act. I strongly condemn it. It is my humble view that the issue need not be magnified further as Raja has expressed regret."

A bust of Dalit leader B R Ambedkar in a residential locality in North Chennai area was found defaced today, triggering a protest by locals. The bust, placed inside a structure covered with a grill in a residential neighbourhood in Tiruvotriyur, was splattered with paint.

A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was seen damaged by unknown persons in Thaliparamba area of Kannur, Kerala. The spectacles on the statue was damaged.

Statue of Mahatma Gandhi damaged in Kannur. (ANI)

READ STORY HERE | Statue politics shakes up Tamil Nadu, fuels violence

March 7

The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure maintenance of law and order and peace across the state amid intensifying protests against H Raja's remarks. It asked to ensure adequate protection were given to the statues of Periyar across the state.

Police personnel guard the statue of rationalist leader E V Ramasamy popularly known as 'Periyar' in Chennai on Wednesday. | PTI

A statue of Dalit icon Bhimrao Ambedkar was vandalized in Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh in the wee hours of today. The incident took place in Khurd village early in the morning and was noticed by villagers and others. Senior district officials rushed to the spot and security forces were deployed in large numbers.

Dr BR Ambedkar's statue vandalised by unidentified people in Meerut. (Twitter Photo: ANI)

As a fallout of Raja's comment and the vandalising of Periyar's statue at Thirupattur in Vellore district late on Tuesday, several Tamil Brahmins were attacked in Triplicane area in Chennai on Wednesday morning and their sacred threads were cut by vandals on two wheelers raising pro-Ramasamy slogans. According to a police official, four persons have surrendered in connection with the assault though no formal complaint was registered by the affected persons. (IANS)

Meanwhile, Tamil actor and newly minted politician Kamal Haasan, the President of Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM), said he wondered if the ongoing controversy was aimed at diverting attention from the Cauvery issue and said the social reformer's stature was taller and stands beyond the reach of talk of vandalism. "More than Periyar statue's, H Raja needs police protection. Tamils will take care of Periyar statues," he noted.

Asked if the BJP will take action against Raja, BJP party chief Amit Shah told reporters outside Parliament, "No, we will not".

The BJP high command has reportedly pulled up H Raja for his Facebook post claiming that Dravidian leader Periyar's statue too would be toppled from public places in Tamil Nadu. This morning, Raja tendered an apology for the post but blamed it on the person who manages his FB account for posting the comment without his consent.

The post regarding the Periyar statue was posted without my consent. So, later, I removed the post. We should counter views with views and not with violence. I don't have any intention to hurt the feelings of anyone. If my post had hurt anyone, I express my whole hearted regret. Further, damaging the statue of Periyar is not acceptable to us, Raja said in his FB post today.

DMK members along with the members of various Tamil outfits burn an effigy of BJP leader H Raja in Chennai on Wednesday. | PTI

Later in the day, in a retaliatory attack, six Jadavpur University students belonging to a radical Left students union were arrested for allegedly vandalising and blackening a bust of Jan Sangh founder Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee at Keoratala Crematorium in Kalighat on Wednesday morning. They were stopped by locals from completely destroying the bust and were handed over to the police.

The vandalised statue of Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in Kolkata. | Express Photo Service

Two petrol bombs were hurled in front of BJP's office in Coimbatore in the early hours of Wednesday, a day after H Raja's comments.

March 6

Hours after H Raja's threat, on Tuesday night, two men vandalised a Periyar statue at a municipal corporation office in Vellore. Police said that the two men, involved in the act were drunk. One is a member of the BJP and the other a CPI member.

The BJP leader, however, deleted the Facebook post and said his page was maintained by various administrators from his team. DMK working president MK Stalin demanded the arrest of Mr Raja for his post and said that the Goondas Act be slapped against him.

BJP national secretary from Tamil Nadu H Raja posted on social media saying that soon revolutionary Tamil leader EV Ramasamy's statue too would fall. Raja's post said, Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection has India with communists? Lenin's statue has been removed in Tripura. Today, it is Lenin's statue in Tripura, tomorrow, it will be the statue of caste-fanatic EV Ramasamy.

A five-foot-high fibreglass statue of Lenin was toppled at Belonia in Tripura yesterday, while a smaller figure was razed at Sabroom two days ago. The CPI(M) and its arch-rival in Bengal, the Trinamool Congress, blamed the BJP for the incidents. The statues were pulled down just days after the Left was defeated in Assembly polls by the BJP and its ally IPFT, which together won a two-third majority in the House in a state where the CPI(M) was in power for 25 years.

(With inputs from agencies)
By PTI

MUMBAI: A Maersk container ship, with 27 crew members on board including 13 Indians, caught fire in the Arabian Sea near Lakshadweep Islands last night, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said today.

Four of the ship's crew members are missing while the others have been rescued, it said.

The 330-meter-long Maersk Honam, which was en route to Suez from Singapore caught fire last night with flames from the main deck of the ship rising up to its bridge (a height of about 25 metres), it said in a statement.

Maersk Container Ship with 27 crew members on-board caught fire following an explosion at sea at 340 nautical miles from Agatti in Lakshwadeep Islands; 23 rescued, search operation for 4 missing members underway by Indian Coast Guard & Maritime Rescue Coordination Center #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/1SaqhV52nT  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

The vessel reported an explosion and fire on board and requested immediate assistance.

The ship was at a distance of 570 kms (340 nautical miles) from Agatti in the Lakshwadeep Islands. The Coast Guard has pressed into action its assets for the rescue operation, it said.

"The ship had 27 crew members on board, of whom four are missing. Out of the 27 crew members, 13 are Indians including the captain of the ship," the ICG said.

Merchant Ship MV Als Cicero reached Maersk Honam at about 11.25 pm and rescued 23 crew members. The remaining four are missing, the ICG said. The crew has abandoned the ship as the fire spread beyond control, it said.

After getting information about the mishap, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai immediately alerted all the merchant ships near the location through the satellite-based communication network, the International Safety Net (ISN), ICG said.

"The search operations are on and the Coast Guard assets have been pressed into action," said Inspector General K R Nautiyal, the commander of the Coast Guard West region.

"It is our priority to save and rescue the four missing crew and also continue our efforts to salvage the vessel with the assistance of specialised vessels, which are being arranged," he added.
By Online Desk

After Communist icon Vladimir Lenin's statue was pulled down today by BJP workers in Tripura, BJP national secretary from Tamil Nadu H Raja posted on social media saying that soon revolutionary Tamil leader EV Ramasamy's statue too would fall. However, the posts on both Facebook and Twitter were later taken down.

Earlier today, a statue of Lenin, had been pulled down by some people with an excavator machine at Belonia in South Tripura district after BJP's poll victory in the state.

VIEW GALLERY: Rare photos of Dravida Kazhagam founder Periyar

Raja's post said, Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India? What connection has India with communists? Lenin's statue has been removed in Tripura. Today, it is Lenin's statue in Tripura, tomorrow, it will be the statue of caste-fanatic EV Ramasamy.

Screenshot of H Raja's Facebook post.

The controversial posts sparked massive outrage, especially among people from Tamil Nadu on social media.

Political parties including DMK, MDMK and the Left lashed out at Raja, with DMK Working President MK Stalin leading the charge seeking his detention under the 'Goondas Act'.

MDMK founder Vaiko warned of "retaliation" by his party workers if anyone caused damage to statues of Ramasamy.

CPI(M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan, Dravidar Kazhagam leader K Veeramani and pro-Tamil leaders Thol. Thirumavalavan and Seeman also hit out at Raja and demanded action against him.

H Raja later deleted the posts after opposition parties started to condemn it. On the other hand, the BJP's state unit distanced itself from the issue, saying it was his personal view.

Party's state unit President Tamilisai Soundararajan said comments made by Raja were not that of the party.

"This is not an official view. I can make a comment if it was a view of my party. I consider it as his personal view," she told reporters in Tirunelveli.

Ramasamy is a Dravidian icon in Tamil Nadu who heralded the self-respect movement.

A staunch atheist, he had often questioned then prevailing social and religious customs, drawing the ire of a section of the society.

He had founded the Dravidar Kazhagam, the parent organisation of DMK, floated by late chief minister CN Annadurai and taken forward by its incumbent chief M Karunanidhi.

(With inputs from PTI)
By AFP

COLOMBO: Police fired teargas to disperse rioters in curfew-bound central Sri Lanka hours after a state of emergency was imposed in a bid to quell anti-Muslim violence, an official said Wednesday.

At least three police were wounded in the overnight clashes at Menikhinna, a suburb of Kandy, which has been a focus of the new trouble, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Seven people were arrested for breaking the curfew and trying to cause unrest in the multi-ethnic district, which is a popular tourist destination.

Schools across Kandy, 115 kilometres (72 miles) east of Colombo, remained closed Wednesday as the government ordered more troops to reinforce police and stop the unrest spreading.

Foreign governments issued travel warnings following Tuesday's declaration of a state of emergency which gives sweeping powers to police and security forces to arrest and detain suspects.

"The state of emergency may include curfews in specific locations," the British government said. "You should exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies, and comply with local security requirements."

The US State department told its citizens that further incidents were possible and advised those visiting the island to monitor local media for updates.

SEE PHOTOS: Sri Lanka declares emergency amid anti-Muslim violence

More than 150 homes, shops and vehicles were set ablaze during two days of rioting. Two people were also killed in the unrest.

Tensions rose on Tuesday as the body of a 24-year-old Muslim man was pulled out of a burnt building.

Sri Lanka's parliament Tuesday issued an apology to the Muslim minority, which constitutes 10 percent of the country's population of 21 million.

"We want to apologise to the Muslim community for the inhuman acts that have taken place," state enterprise development minister Lakshman Kiriella said in parliament.

City planning minister Rauff Hakeem described the riots as a "monumental security lapse" and recommended disciplinary action against those responsible.

Riots erupted on Monday after a man from the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese majority died at the hands of a Muslim mob last week.

Mobs set fire to Muslim-owned businesses and attacked a mosque in the east of the country last week after a Muslim chef was accused of adding contraceptives to food sold to Sinhalese customers.

Last November riots in the south of the island left one man dead and homes and vehicles damaged.

In June 2014 riots between Buddhists and Muslims left four dead and many injured. That bout of violence was instigated by a Buddhist extremist group whose leaders are on trial, accused of spurring religious conflict.
For Subscribers 4 things we learned from Newport County football teams in Week 2

Portsmouth and Rogers High Schools have yet to lose this season, while the Middletown and Tiverton High Schools are still seeking their first victory.
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
Columnist

Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich).
Reporter

Lyndsay Jones is a reporter covering education at The News-Gazette. Her email is ljones@news-gazette, and you can follow her on Twitter (@__lyndsayjones).
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Partly cloudy. High 88F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Washington Fire Department marches to commemorate 9/11 Several members of the Washington Fire Department joined together on the morning of September 11 for a commemorative walk, which was 2.11 miles through town, down Robert Toombs Avenue from...

City Council decides multiple matters with unanimous votes The Washington City Council met last Monday, September 13, and voted to amend section 2-12 of the citys code of ordinances, install Flock tag reading cameras, and approve the SDS...

Luis Ochoa completes 10-mile commemorative march Luis was an EOD specialist with multiple combat deployments. His Army bomb suit weighs over 75 lbs. He was supported by his wife and daughter, as well as Wilkes County...
The Social Welfare Department's Fujian Scheme opened for applications today.

The scheme provides an Old Age Allowance of $1,345 a month to eligible Hong Kong people aged 65 or above who choose to reside in Fujian without having to return to Hong Kong each year.

It will be launched on April 1.

Completed applications should be sent to the Social Security Field Unit (Guangdong Scheme & Fujian Scheme) by post at Room 2110-2111, 21/F Landmark North, 39 Lung Sum Avenue, Sheung Shui, New Territories, Hong Kong.

The International Social Service  Hong Kong Branch will assist those unable to travel to Hong Kong due to health reasons in completing applications, conducting case reviews and handling enquiries.

Click here for details.
The Government will not put forward the High Risk Pool in the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme until a consensus has been reached.

Speaking to the media after attending a radio programme today, Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan said opinions on the issue are wide ranging.

"On the one hand some people think it is a good thing that we should have the High Risk Pool in our Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme.

"But on the other hand there are also critics that said the Government should use its resources to strengthen our public healthcare system and not to subsidise the insurance companies or subsidise people who can afford to buy insurance.

"We need to get the consensus of whether a High Risk Pool is something that everybody wants in Hong Kong first before we can go forward."
This file photo taken on June 29, 2016 shows an An-26 transport plane in Yeysk, Russia. A Russian An-26 transport plane crashed in Syria, killing all 26 passengers and six crew members on board, local media reported Tuesday. (Xinhua/Sputnik)

MOSCOW - A Russian An-26 transport plane crashed in Syria on Tuesday, killing all 26 passengers and six crew members on board, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The military cargo plane hit the ground while landing in the Hmeymim airbase in Syria, the ministry said in a statement.

The plane was not attacked and technical malfunction may have caused the crash, according to the statement.

The Defense Ministry has set up a commission to investigate the crash.

Russia now uses the Hmeymim airbase to support Syrian government troops in the fight against terrorist groups in the country.
A national park in the South China Sea is needed to better preserve the marine ecology in the region, deputies from China's top legislature said Tuesday on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC).

Protection of unique and rich resources in the South China Sea has always been given great importance, especially when some of the resources, such as coral reefs, are very fragile, Deng Xiaogang, an NPC deputy, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

A national park should be the next move to further protect the region's ecology, said Deng, also head of the Department of Ecology and Environment Protection of South China's Hainan Province.

China released a plan in September 2017 to build 10 national parks by the end of 2020. The planned parks include the protection of pandas, rivers and forests, with none of them involving marine life.

Hainan is qualified to build the first national marine park, and could learn from the experience of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, Deng said.

"A national park in the region can improve people's awareness of the region's importance, and the South China Sea should be a textbook for marine protection in China," Wang Changren, another NPC deputy and Party chief of the Hainan Tropical Ocean University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

When asked whether the disputes in the South China Sea will hinder the process for a national park, Wang stressed that countries in the region should reach a consensus on the protection of marine ecology in the vast waters.

China's current knowledge on the South China Sea, such as ocean currents and water temperature, is very limited, which makes scientific research in the region more urgent, deputies said.

China's manned submersible Jiaolong completed a research mission in the South China Sea, Shandong-based news site iqilu.com reported Thursday. It took high-resolution photos and video of seabed and collected samples of basalt, sediments and near-seabed waters and creatures.

In late February, China sent the research vessel Haimeng (sea dream) to the South China Sea to observe the ocean environment and explore oil and gas reserves in the region. China's new manned submersible, Shenhai Yongshi or "deep sea warrior," passed a State safety test in November 2017, with experts previously telling the Global Times that the submersible will be used in the South China Sea to help explore the biological and mineral resources in the deep sea.

The South China Sea has a much deeper average water depth than other Chinese waters, and the water molecule structure in the region is also different. Such advanced equipment helps to broaden understanding of the region, which is the basis for future explorations, Wang said.
China has the right to build military facilities within its own territory and complaints from New Delhi made "no sense," a Chinese expert said after the Indian defense minister was quoted as saying that China was building its army presence in Doklam.

No sooner had Chinese and Indian troops redeployed away from the hotspot than China began building "helipads, sentry posts and trenches" for its army personnel there, Indian defense minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday, the Economic Times of India reported.

"Actually, China has the right to build any military construction it wants as long as it is within its territory," Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"Additionally, India is also building a lot of military bases in the regions bordering China, so if India wants to complain or accuse China of this, it is unqualified and it makes no sense."

After the face-off in 2017, troops of both sides "redeployed themselves away from their respective positions at the face-off site," Sitharaman said replying to a question on whether satellite images revealed China had constructed seven helipads while also deploying tanks and missiles in the area, the Indian newspaper the Economic Times reported.

The situation along India's border with China was "sensitive" and had the potential to escalate, junior defense minister Subhash Bhamre was quoted as saying by the Mumbai-based newspaper.

The Doklam standoff was caused by Indian troops' trespassing, said a Chinese military analyst who requested anonymity. The move afforded the PLA "the opportunity, motivation and excuse to boost military construction and increase its military presence in this area so that in future if any crisis happens in any border area, it won't bring anything good to the country who starts the provocation."

India is hosting an eight-day joint navy exercise in the Indian Ocean from Tuesday. Milan naval exercise participants include Australia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Vietnam, Thailand, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya and Cambodia, the Times of India reported.

"There are voices saying that the exercise is targeting China's growing influence in the Indian Ocean, but many participants in this exercise also have good and close relations with China, so there is really no need to worry at all," the analyst said.
The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson arrived in Vietnam's Danang on Monday. This is the first visit by a US aircraft carrier to the country since the Vietnam War, symbolizing an upgrade in Washington-Hanoi military cooperation. The Western media are speculating that this visit bolsters containment of China.

Hanoi has been trying to avoid the public from interpreting the visit as sending signals to China, and hopes Beijing can view it as a normal exchange between the two countries.

China's vigilance and unhappiness are inevitable, but we don't think that the USS Carl Vinson's Vietnam trip can stir up troubles in the South China Sea.

The South China Sea may be a good place to flex muscles, but it is primarily comprehensive strength that shapes the geopolitics there.

The USS Carl Vinson's visit will not change Hanoi's strategic vision of simultaneously developing ties with Beijing and Washington. However much US-Vietnam military cooperation is upgraded, it will not embolden Hanoi to act as a US outpost to confront Beijing. Hanoi may consider using its collaboration with Washington as leverage to put pressure on China's South China Sea policy, but it is cautious about doing so.

Enhanced military exchanges between Washington and Hanoi will not generate any special tools to pressure China.

The strain is more at the psychological level and will not have any effect if China ignores it.

China has become stronger in affecting the overall situation in the South China Sea. If needed, Beijing has the capability of militarizing the Nansha Islands overnight and is more capable than before of deploying warships, the air force and missiles to deter Washington's South China Sea activities.

The South China Sea is also an arena for economic exchanges. The US has become increasingly disadvantaged in this regard. While China has been the largest trading partner to Vietnam and other regional countries, the US President Donald Trump administration announced earlier that it was quitting the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Peaceful development is a joint pursuit by regional states. No country wants geopolitical turbulence and the region has gradually sorted out its thoughts in handling disputes after the South China Sea arbitration.

The US is free to send warships to the South China Sea, which will only waste money. China is much less interested in the USS Carl Vinson's Vietnam visit than American and Vietnamese nationalists.
SOUTH Africa yesterday repatriated eight undocumented Zimbabwean children who were in the hands of that countrys Department of Social Development for three months since they were smuggled through Beitbridge Border Post last year.



The children, aged between two and 12 years, were not allowed to see or speak to their parents while in the neighbouring country since November last year.



The eight were brought into the country through Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport aboard a South African Airways plane yesterday.





The latest development comes a day after a Pretoria-based North Gauteng High Court Judge Bill Prinsloo dismissed an urgent chamber application by the minors parents. Judge Prinsloo made his ruling after the parents of the children through their lawyer, Advocate Simba Chitando, filed an urgent chamber application trying to interdict the Department of Social Development from repatriating the minors.





The parents wanted their children to be released into their custody. South Africa Social Development spokesperson Ms Lumka Oliphant yesterday confirmed the latest development.





I can confirm that the eight Zimbabwean children were repatriated today (yesterday) aboard a South African Airways plane under the escort of South African police and officials from the departments of Social Development, Home Affairs and International Relations and Co-operation. They were handed over to officials from Zimbabwes Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, she said.

The children were smuggled into the neighbouring country last year in November.

They were travelling in a truck to join their parents in Cape Town for the Christmas holiday. The truck was intercepted at a service station in Rustenburg after police received a tip-off from people who suspected that the minors were victims of human trafficking.

The children were kept at a safe house in Rustenburg.





The alleged parents demanded that the children be released into their care but could not provide proof that they are indeed the childrens parents or primary caregivers, said Ms Oliphant. In terms of section 290 of the Childrens Act, there is a need to ascertain where the children will be released to. In this instance, the children will be released into the care and safety of the Government of Zimbabwe. Ms Oliphant said the driver of the truck they were travelling in was in possession of 15 passports  none of which belonged to the minors in transit. Judge Prinsloo ruled that he could not fathom how parents could allow their children to travel with strangers, in a truck, from Beitbridge to Cape Town, saying he doubted that the parents acted in the best interests of the children.





In a statement, South Africas Minister of Social Development Ms Susan Shabangu welcomed the decision to repatriate the children to Zimbabwe.





We believe that the South African Government, through the Department of Social Development, always acts in the best interest of the child. We want to thank the South African Police Service, the social workers, the office of the Family Advocate and all other officials who worked tirelessly to make sure that the children are protected, she said.





The Office of the Consular-General of Zimbabwe has been highly involved. They conducted interviews, assessed and confirmed that the children were indeed of Zimbabwean nationality and they were issued with repatriation certificates. The Department of Social Development has a Memorandum of Understanding with Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare on matters related to unaccompanied and undocumented minors. Despite stiff fines imposed by the South African Home Affairs stipulating that omalayitsha caught smuggling undocumented travellers or those with expired passports or no valid visas, into South Africa, are required fork out a fine of R15 000 per person, the smuggling of undocumented persons continues unabated.





Last year in December, more than 100 children without requisite travelling documents were repatriated back to Zimbabwe from South Africa after being smuggled by cross border drivers (omalayitsha) during the holiday. The Zimbabwe-South Africa Cross-Border Co-ordination Committee for Unaccompanied and Separated Migrant Children has on many occasions raised concern over the rampant smuggling of minors between the two countries borders. The committee is made up of officials from the two countries social service departments, immigration, police, and non-governmental organisations and human rights lawyers. Chronicle
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will today make his inaugural address to Zanu-PF youths when he delivers a key note address during the Youth Leagues national assembly in Harare. The Zanu-PF Politburo also meets today at the partys headquarters.



Both meetings are expected to set the tone for the revolutionary partys campaign for the harmonised elections later this year. Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday said: The Zanu-PF secretary for administration Dr Obert Mpofu is advising that there will be a Politburo meeting tomorrow at 9AM at the party headquarters. All members are requested to be punctual.





Cde Khaya Moyo did not reveal the Politburo agenda, but indications are that focus will be on election preparations, as well as economic issues.





Zanu-PF secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Pupurai Togarepi confirmed the wings national assembly meeting today.





The national assembly draws together all provincial members of the Youth League and is a party constitutional meeting that should be held twice a year.





We are fulfilling a party constitutional requirement and we expect more than 400 youths from all the 10 provinces, Cde Togarepi said. This will be the party youths first meeting with the First Secretary and President Cde Mnangagwa in the new dispensation.

We urge all provincial members to attend. We have high expectations as we continue laying the ground ahead of elections in a few months to come.





The Youth League yesterday held a national executive meeting in preparation of todays indaba.

Cde Togarepi said the youths would have an opportunity to present issues affecting them to the President.





Since this is our first meeting, the youths have various issues across sectors and they will be presented tomorrow and unlike those Interface Rallies we expect the President to respond, he said.

He said the Youth League was oiling its machine ahead of the elections with meetings being held across the country. We are geared up and we are moving around the country conscientising the youths on our programmes, where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going, Cde Togarepi said.





This time we are even having meetings at district levels as we continue to capture the grassroots. We are moving with the ED Has My Vote hashtag and nothing will stop us from posting a resounding victory with the ground we have laid.





A large number of people registered to vote in this years elections are the youths and it means they have a big role to play in deciding our destiny.





First, we have been encouraging the youths to register and now its time for the final blow and we are urging them to vote for Zanu-PF as it is the only party, in the wake of the new dispensation, with capable leaders to deliver on their aspirations.





Women and youths dominate the number of registered voters ahead of the polls.

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) latest statistics show that from the 5,3 million people who registered to vote 54,5 percent of them are women and 45,5 percent are men.





The electoral commission statistics also show that youths between the ages of 18 to 34 constitute 43,5 percent of registered voters, followed by the 35 to 59 age group who make up 42,9 percent of registered voters.





Zec also revealed that those who are 60 years and above make up 13,6 percent of registered voters. Herald
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe needs to concentrate on its role as regulator and not interfere in the allocation of foreign currency under a priority list framework as this gives impressions of a distorted economy, Special Advisor to the President Christopher Mutsvangwa has said.



He said the solution to the shortage of foreign currency lay in growing exports while the RBZ needed to concentrate on its role as a regulator and not the current situation where it was focused on hard currency allocation and its utilisation as if that was its principal role.





Cde Mutsvangwa was speaking at the Manicaland is Open for Business Conference in Mutare on Friday last week.





He said the role of central bank should be regulation of the financial services sector and creating a conducive monetary environment for the economy to thrive instead of usurping roles and functions of ordinary banks.





Allocation of foreign currency by the RBZ is a sign of a distorted economy, and this must stop.

The focus must be on increasing exports, we need to produce quality goods for the global market to earn foreign currency rather than a situation where companies rely on allocations from the central bank, Cde Mutsvangwa noted.





The role of the central bank is to regulate the financial services sector and also creating an environment good for business.

Foreign currency allocation is a signal of a kwashiorkor economy and President Mnangagwa is working on making sure this is corrected, said Cde Mutsvangwa.





President Mnangagwa is pushing for policies that support investment and bringing capital in the country.





Our foreign policy has since changed and it is the new Governments thrust that we should be friends with everybody and an enemy to none, Cde Mutsvangwa said.





The Presidential advisor said there was a need for urgent implementation of Special Economic Zones to increase exports and Manicaland was the most strategic area for SEZs. He said the province was the gateway to the sea, through Beira in Mozambique, and it remained one of the most strategic areas for promotion of exports.





Cde Mutsvangwa added that there had been massive interest from investors willing to make significant capital investments in various sectors of the economy. Through re-engagement efforts being undertaken by Government, some western countries which were hostile to Zimbabwe were beginning to warm up to the country.





There is vibration from all over and they have since recognised that something is happening in Southern Africa and I cannot disclose the specifics at the moment, but we have been receiving positive responses from investors.





Lets improve productivity as a country and we have the capacity to do that, lets produce goods for the global market, he said. Herald
Zanu-PF is an invincible force with deep seated imprints within the masses, which makes it very hard to beat, former Vice-President Dr Joice Mujuru, who is now leader of a coalition of little known political parties, the Peoples Rainbow Coalition (PRC), has said.



Dr Mujuru said this while addressing a coalition of parties meeting at a local hotel on Tuesday.



The meeting was aimed at coming up with the party provincial structures in Midlands, Midlands North and Midlands South, amid reports there was friction within the coalition on how seats should be shared among the three political parties.





Dr Mujuru said the reason why her party wanted to form a coalition with all opposition political parties was to try and dislodge a well-oiled revolutionary party.





Mhandu yedu muZimbabwe imwe chete iZanu (We have only one enemy in Zimbabwe, Zanu-PF), she said. Its a strong party inoda vanhu vakatsunga, vanhu vakabatana (it needs determined and united people) thats why we thought of a coalition whether you are a small party, a medium party or a big party.





Dr Mujuru said she could not work with the MDC Alliance and chose a separate route of joining hands with little known parties because the MDC-T wanted to swallow other parties.





Under the coalition, we did not want other parties to be swallowed, she said. This is why we came up with PRC. We want all the parties to be represented, we want all the parties to be involved in the wards and this is why we are here to come up with structures.





Dr Mujuru conceded the PRC had no stamina to dislodge Zanu-PF, saying the party structures should strive to reach a five percent mark in Parliament for them to also benefit under the Government political parties funding.

We are struggling because we do not have funding, she said. The reason why Zanu-PF and MDC parties are holding rallies at will is because they receive funding from Government under the political parties fund.





We need to attain at least five percent in Parliament for us to receive such funding and we should strive to reach that. This is what is required by the constitution for us to also receive funds from Government.





Speaking at the same meeting, PRC national organiser, Mr Dzikamai Mavhaire, also conceded that Zanu-PF was a strong force saying aspiring PRC candidates should go an extra mile if they wanted to win seats in councils and in Parliament.





Our enemy is Zanu-PF, we need to work hard, he said. We have a huge task ahead of us and it should start today, by organising ourselves. Move door to door, go to the police, to traditional leaders, to schools and introduce yourselves as Dr Mujuru candidates.





Mr Mavhaire said the party was banking on the women to vote for the coalition in support of a fellow woman, Dr Mujuru. Chronicle
Install the Newser News app

in two easy steps:

1. Tap in your navigation bar.

2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.




(Newser)  "It was like a horror movie." That's what one South Carolina woman recalls about the moment she and her partner entered their bedroom after leaving the room's French doors cracked open to find that hundreds, perhaps thousands, of stinkbugs had invaded the room, covering every visible surface. In a longform New Yorker piece, Kathryn Schulz has more horror where that came from; she also describes a million stinkbugs covering an exterior wall of a West Virginia bank and a wildlife biologist pulling stinkbugs out of his Maryland attic by the handful, among other similarly disturbing stories. But its tendency to invade homes is far from the only reason the brown marmorated stinkbug is terrifying: It also destroys crops, and not just a few different ones but more than 250 varieties of plants. The bugs are rare in that they are both a household pest and a danger to cropsmost bugs are one or the other.

story continues below

Schulz traces the history of the stinkbug in the US; the first verifiable specimen arrived in Pennsylvania in 1996, likely on a shipping pallet from Chinaand from there the bugs have spread to 43 of the 48 continental states, with one scientist comparing their advance to a tsunami. As they've invaded state after state, stinkbugs have done major damage to all sorts of crops; they can even change the flavor of wine. Schulz examines the many reasons stinkbugs are a major problemone of the biggest is that they are notoriously difficult to kill, unless of course you crush them one by one and are punished by their terrible smellas well as one idea for getting their population in check by introducing a wasp that preys on them, and what this all means for the future. That's a future in which things like this are sure to happen again, considering how easy it is for non-native species to get established in new areas these days. Full piece here. (Read more Longform stories.)
(Newser)  A strange political battle is playing out in Utah over the otherwise humdrum job of naming state roads. The short version is this: Republicans are pushing for "Donald J. Trump Utah National Parks Highway." Democrats threaten to counter with "Stormy Daniels Rampway." As the Washington Post explains, GOP state Rep. Mike Noel wants to honor President Trump for shrinking two national monuments in Utah by naming a state highway in his honor. It would send the message that "contrary to some beliefs out there, Donald Trump really is a supporter of public lands," says Noel, per the Salt Lake Tribune. The highway winds through some of the state's most scenic territory.

story continues below

Democrats think the gesture would be outrageous, and Senate Dem. Jim Dabakis has promised that if it passes the House, he will attach an amendment to rename the highway's frontage road in honor of the porn star who allegedly received a hefty payment from Trump's lawyer to keep quiet about an affair. The odds of either name coming to pass are pretty low at the moment. Republican Gary Herbert didn't come right out and say he'd veto the Trump road name, but he strongly suggested as much, calling it a "premature" gesture. And as for that Senate amendment, Republicans outnumber Democrats in the chamber 24 to 5. (Read more Utah stories.)
Editor's Note:

China announced on Monday that it will raise its defense budget by 8.1 percent this year. Observers from the West soon started to speculate whether the move was aimed at overturning the existing international order through growing military might and whether it threatened others. How to understand the budget increase? What will the outlay mainly be used for? The Global Times talked with two experts on these issues.

Li Jie, Beijing-based naval expert

China's defense budget is determined based on the country's GDP growth and developmental goals.

An increase of 8.1 percent is within expectation as China may need more money this year for military reform and equipment upgrade.

Some suspect China's strategic intentions to be behind the budget rise. However, compared with the US, China's military spending is not worth mentioning. The US House of Representatives, backing President Donald Trump's call for a boost in military, earlier finalized a bill worth $692 billion for the 2018 fiscal year, about four times China's budget.

Global military spending this year is expected to reach the highest levels recorded since the end of the Cold War, according to a study by IHS Jane's. This is mainly attributed to the boost in Washington's military spending. The US attaches more importance to its own development than peaceful coexistence with other world players.

American aircraft carriers are sent to the doorsteps of other countries from time to time to flex military muscle. As a response, smaller countries will have to raise their defense budget for better self-protection.

Moreover, the 21st century will need more inputs in maritime affairs and outer space, another factor for growing defense budgets.

Despite all this, a Cold War-like arms race is unlikely. Beijing does not intend to challenge Washington's dominant status in the world. Economic development and peaceful rise is what China aims at in hiking military spending.

Guo Xiaobing, deputy director and research professor, Institute of Arms Control and Security Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations

China raises its military budget by 8.1 percent for three reasons.

First, facing a complex security environment, the country needs a strong military to operate varied traditional and non-traditional security missions, such as the protection of maritime rights, countering terrorism and maintaining stability, emergency rescue and disaster relief, international peacekeeping, escorting in the Gulf of Aden, and providing humanitarian aid.

Second, at a time when development of information technology is causing a reform in military field, the Chinese military has not yet accomplished mechanization. So to catch up with other countries, Beijing needs to work not only on IT application but also on mechanization.

Third, China's military reform, which is still a work-in-progress, needs money.

China's military spending is transparent. The report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clarified the goal of China's military progress - "by the year 2020, military mechanization will be basically achieved, with IT application coming a long way and strategic capabilities seeing a big improvement."

The report also mentioned that by 2035, the modernization of our national defense and forces will be basically completed; and that by the mid-21st century the armed forces would be fully transformed into world-class troops.

The increased military expenditure will be mainly used for upgrading equipment, supporting military reforms and improving the welfare and training conditions of servicemen and women.

China aims at making the Chinese people live a happy and decent life and contributing to building a community with a shared future for humanity. Development is our core mission, which requires a peaceful international environment.

Therefore, China will not and has no intention to engage in an arms race with any other country.

China's military budget is reasonable and moderate, in accordance with its desire to protect national security. With countries highly dependent on one another, wars will mean a loss for all sides.
(Newser)  A group of investors pulled out of a deal to buy the beleaguered Weinstein Co. on Tuesday after discovering tens of millions of dollars in undisclosed debt, according to people familiar with the negotiations. Businesswoman Maria Contreras-Sweet, who has been leading the group of buyers along with billionaire investor Ron Burkle, said in a statement that "disappointing information about the viability of completing this transaction" had led her to call off the sale, the AP reports. She didn't offer further details. But two people familiar with the proceedings said the buyers came across documents showing liabilities beyond the $225 million the buyers had been prepared to take on. One of the people said the documents showed $64 million in additional debt. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss private negotiations publicly.

story continues below

The Weinstein Co. has been trying to stave off bankruptcy since sexual assault and harassment allegations emerged last fall against its co-founder Harvey Weinstein. Contreras-Sweet's buyout offer had presented the best hope for avoiding that fate. But the deal was plunged into turmoil after New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed a lawsuit against the studio last month. The announcement came just days after Contreras-Sweet and the Weinstein Co. revived the deal following arduous negotiations with Schneiderman. It marks the second time in two weeks that the sale has been called off. The first time, it was the Weinstein Co. that pulled out, announcing it would file for bankruptcy protection because the buyers had failed to live up to commitments. Talks to revive the deal resumed soon afterward. It was unclear if there is any chance of reviving the sale. One of the people close to the talks said, "the deal is dead."

(Read more The Weinstein Company stories.)
(Newser)  The nation's debate on sanctuary cities and states is about to play out front and center in a federal courtroom. The Justice Department is suing the state of California over three new laws that provide protection to undocumented immigrants, reports NPR. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will be in the state Wednesday to lay out his case that California is hindering the federal government's ability to enforce immigration laws, reports the Los Angeles Times. The laws, all passed last year, deal with how businesses and law enforcement agencies in the state cooperate with federal immigration officials. For example, one makes it illegal for private employers to help agents track down undocumented workers unless they're bound to do so by a court order.

story continues below

"The Department of Justice and the Trump administration are going to fight these unjust, unfair, and unconstitutional policies that are imposed on you," Sessions will say in a speech to the California Peace Officers Association. California Gov. Jerry Brown was already tweeting in response, with a not-so-subtle dig at President Trump's tweeting style. At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America," he wrote. "Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they dont work here. SAD!!! The case is not only a big escalation of the fight between the feds and California, it could have big consequences across the country in other states and cities with similar laws, notes the Washington Post. (Read more Justice Department stories.)
(Newser)  Coke: the pause that intoxicates. At least in Japan, where the Coca-Cola Co. will now offer a boozy carbonated beverage called Chu-Hi. The Telegraph reports this "alcopop" will be made up of fizzy water, flavoring, and a distilled Japanese alcohol called shochu, which Forbes has described as "the national spirit of Japan"even more popular than sake. "We haven't experimented in the low-alcohol category before," Jorge Garduno, president of the company's Japan division, said in an interview on Coca-Cola's website last month, calling the drink a "modest experiment."

story continues below

CNNMoney notes Coca-Cola will be joining the ranks of two other big companies in Japan pouring chu-hi-style drinks: Suntory and Kirin. Liquor lovers in the US shouldn't get too excited, though. Garduno says the "unique and special" circumstances of the Japanese market mean the company's alcoholic offerings likely won't make an appearance overseas anytime soon. "Many products that are born here will stay here," he notes. And there are lots of Coke products born there: CNN notes that 100 or so new Coke products get a test-drive in Japan each year. (Read more Coca-Cola stories.)
(Newser)  A Congolese mother detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after attempting to seek asylum in the US, then held 2,000 miles away from her 7-year-old daughter for four months, walked free on Tuesday, per the Washington Post. The ACLU reports her release comes just days after it filed suit to bring together the mother, who'd been kept in San Diego's Otay Mesa Detention Center, and daughter, held in a Chicago refugee resettlement facility. "We are thrilled that the mother has been released and look forward to the government immediately reuniting her with her daughter," says ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt. "But there remain many other families who have been separated, and we will continue to attack this horrific family separation practice."

story continues below

Gelernt tells the AP that orders for the mother's release came "from up top" in the Department of Homeland Security. Judy Rabinovitz, deputy director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, tells the Post that "obviously DHS was feeling some pressure" over the "unconscionable" separation. One logistical snag, per Gelernt: The mother was abruptly let out as a "mandatory release" without any arrangements as to where she'd go next, per the Chicago Tribune, which calls the case "absurd." Another lawyer was apparently able to quickly step in and get a hotel room for her, but Gelernt says he thinks "they won't reunite her with her daughter until she has a stable place," which is the ACLU's next goal. (ICE isn't happy with one California mayor.)
(Newser)  When Cecil the lion was killed in July 2015, animal lovers around the world mourned. Andrew Loveridge had a heightened reason to be distraught: The Oxford University researcher had spent eight years studying the animal in northwestern Zimbabwe, and he's now sharing what the Washington Post calls the "first detailed account of Cecils last hours" in a new book, Lion Hearted: The Life and Death of Cecil and the Future of Africas Iconic Cats. It's out April 10, but National Geographic offers an excerpt. Loveridge writes that the hunting party used an elephant carcass, "presumably [dragged] behind a Land Cruiser" to the proper spot, to lure Cecil, who was then shot with a bow and arrow by Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer from a hunting blind set up in a nearby tree. Death did not come quickly.

story continues below

Using GPS data from the tracking collar Cecil was wearing, Loveridge determined that he was likely shot between 9pm and 11pm on July 1. Between 11pm and 7am the next day, he moved about 500 feet. Two hours later, the lion was reportedly "finish[ed] off" with a second arrow. Loveridge writes, "He most definitely did not die instantly ... Cecil suffered incredible cruelty for at least 10 hours, severely wounded and slowly dying. ... Clearly, although the wound was severe, the arrow had missed the vital organs or arteries that would have caused rapid blood loss and a relatively quick death." Loveridge's excerpt offers more details of "anomalies in the case that carry a heavy whiff of impropriety," including an oddity regarding how Cecil's carcass was treated, here. (Cecil's son met a similar end two years later.)
(Newser)  A $100 million donation to the University of Chicago, meant to fund research on global conflict resolution, is now at the center of a conflict itself. With a lawsuit filed late last month, the Pearson Family Members Foundation aims to reclaim what would be the third-largest donation in the university's history, including $22.9 million paid out so far, on the basis that the university hasn't held up its end of the bargain. Brothers Thomas and Timothy Pearson argue the 2015 donation was to be used to create the Pearson Institute, a research center aimed at resolving violence around the world, with a director and four professorships, reports the Chicago Tribune. Two years later, they say positions have been filled by under-qualified candidates or no one at all. They also take issue with budgeting decisions and say the university failed to plan an annual forum as required.

story continues below

The lawsuit additionally notes the Pearson Institute hosted at least 24 events during the 2016-17 school year but "failed to apprise the Pearson family of, or invite them to, at least 22" of them, per Bloomberg. Such complaints have "caused the foundation to lose all confidence that the U of C is an appropriate or capable steward of the Pearson family legacy," the suit states. But U of C is hitting back against the "baseless" complaint. The Pearson Institute has "hosted dozens of events, enrolled more than 200 students in courses related to the study of global conflict, and fostered an engaged community of scholars," it says, adding "all academic and hiring decisions are the sole purview of the university." Thomas Pearson also tried in 2011 to revoke a donation to the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, in a lawsuit later settled, per the Wall Street Journal. (Read more University of Chicago stories.)
(Newser)  The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum gives out its prestigious Elie Wiesel Award to just one person a year, selecting "an internationally prominent individual whose actions have advanced the Museum's vision of a world where people confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity." Now, the second person to ever receive the honor (Wiesel himself was the first, in 2011) has seen it rescinded. In what the New York Times calls "perhaps the strongest rebuke yet," the museum on Tuesday informed Aung San Suu Kyi in a letter that it was stripping her of the award due to her responseor non-response, as she has yet to publicly say the word "Rohingya"to Myanmar's ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya.

story continues below

The letter explains the museum has been "closely monitoring the military's campaign against the Rohingya and your response to it," and that it began publicly airing its concerns about what was happening to the Rohingya in 2013; subsequent visits to Myanmar and Bangladesh have followed. "We had hoped that youas someone we and many others have celebrated for your commitment to human dignity and universal human rightswould have done something to condemn and stop the military's brutal campaign and to express solidarity with the targeted Rohingya population," the letter continues. The museum implores her to "use your moral authority to address this situation" and ends with words from Wiesel himself: "Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." (Read more Aung San Suu Kyi stories.)
(Newser)  Several months into their relationship, Missi Brandt decided to peek in her boyfriend's wallet. On the one hand, Richie Peterson was a godsend: An Afghanistan veteran wrapping up his political science doctorate at the University of Minnesota who was also divorced with kids, had a motorboat, and covered her bills when she lost her job as a flight attendant. But there were things that nagged her about Peterson, whom she had met on OurTime.com, a dating site for people in their mid-lifehe was flaky, and always needed rides to the hospital. And so the 45-year-old peeked, and found an ID in the name of Derek Mylan Alldred, explains Rachel Monroe in a long piece for the Atlantic about a serial con man with a long history of dating and even marrying women and stealing huge sums from them.

story continues below

Brandt also saw credit cards belonging to a woman named Linda in the wallet. That led her to Linda Dyas, 46, who was living with a man she also knew as Peterson. He had hung his Purple Heart certificate on the wall and similarly took care of her financiallyit turns out, by stealing from her savings and retirement accounts. Dyas had him arrested (he was quickly released, and left town). The two women met up and soon stumbled upon a group of women conned by himand the reality that Alldred hadn't been charged for a crime tied to these women, whom he reportedly stole $1 million from. He seemingly "counted on the fact that credit-card abuse is often not taken all that seriously by law enforcement when the victim and the perpetrator know each other," writes Monroe. But they were determined to take him down. And ultimately, they did. Read the fascinating full story here. (Read more Longform stories.)
(Newser)  US Steel Corp says it will soon restart a blast furnace in Illinois that has been cold for over two years thanks to the 25% tariff on imported steel announced by President Trump last week, Politico reports. US Steel President David Burritt blames "unending waves of unfairly traded steel products" arriving in the US for the poor fortunes of steel workers in Granite City. He believes the planned tariff will turn that around. Restarting the blast furnace at Granite City Works will take up to four months. And while some believe Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum will be political winners, many experts are predicting harm to the US economy. Here's what you need to know:

story continues below

While officials say the final language for the tariffs hasn't been settled on yet, Trump is pushing for them to be put into place this weekpossibly as soon as Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reports. We are definitely going to end up with these tariffs, and were going to roll this out very, very quickly, Steve Mnuchin says. Still an issue: whether Trump will exempt certain countries.

Meanwhile, Wilbur Ross is trying to calm the fears of lawmakers and the rest of the world. "He's already indicated a degree of flexibility," CNN quotes the commerce secretary as saying of Trump. "I think you're going to see, as you understand the details of what actually is going to happen, that we're not trying to blow up the world."

Regardless, the EU is still preparing to retaliate against the US if Trump's tariffs are implemented, the New York Times reports. A provisional list of US goods that could face new tariffs includes T-shirts, bed linen, chewing tobacco, cranberries, orange juice, peanut butter, bourbon, and motorcycles.

With economists warning of a potential 146,000 American jobs lost due to the proposed tariffs, Business Insider reveals the US states that could be hit hardest, including Louisiana, Connecticut, and Missouri.

Despite admitting the tariffs "will be economically costly," a report from Barclays finds they could still be smart politics for Trump because "free trade has become particularly unpopular with Republican voters," CNBC reports.

Alexandra Guisinger at the Washington Post agrees, writing that protectionism can be politically popular depending on the jobs being protected. And there's evidence steel jobs fit the bill.

But Noah Smith at Bloomberg writes the tariffs could be a "self-inflicted wound" for Trump. He says tariffs typically don't end up improving American industries. Rather they prevent industries from figuring out how to keep pace with global competitors, may lead to their products being seen as shoddy, and might hurt US manufacturers.

Finally, Trump may not be done making trade moves. Politico reports the president hinted on Twitter that he may soon go after China and its intellectual property practices.

(Read more tariffs stories.)
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region
The fact that the Diaoyu Islands belong to China will not change, no matter what Japan says or does, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Tuesday.

Geng made the remarks at a routine news briefing when asked for comments on the Japanese Education Ministry's decision to add "the Diaoyu Islands are 'inherent' parts of Japan's territory" in its new teaching guidelines for senior high schools.

"Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands have always been an inherent part of Chinese territory," said Geng, adding that no matter what Japan says or does, it cannot change the fact that the Diaoyu Islands belong to China and cannot shake China's determination to safeguard its territorial sovereignty.

China urges Japan to face up to history and reality and to educate younger generations with a correct historical view to avoid making new trouble for China-Japan relations, Geng said.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. High 53F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low near 30F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574.

Community Perspective

Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer.

Letters to the editor

Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer.
BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- China hopes that other countries will do more good for Africa's development and treat China-Africa cooperation in a fair and objective manner, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.

Geng Shuang was responding to U.S. accusation that low interest loans from China and other countries have driven some sub-Saharan African countries deeper into debt.

"Such remarks are totally out of line with the truth," Geng told a routine press briefing.

"The debt of some African countries is the result of long-term accumulation instead of a recent appearance. China is not the main creditor of African countries," he said.

In the initial stage of industrialization, any country needs financing support. It is hard for Africa to realize industrialization and modernization without financial guarantees, the spokesperson said.

Geng said China's financing support to Africa is mainly in infrastructure and production areas. "Chinese companies have built a lot of highways, railways, ports, airports and communication facilities, greatly improving Africa's economic development environment and helping Africa attract foreign investment."

The Chinese government has also encouraged and supported its companies to increase direct investment in Africa and explore new cooperative modes of investment such as public-private partnership (PPP), he said.

"I emphasize that the Chinese side attaches great importance to the sustainability of Africa's debt," Geng said.

He said China insists that large-scale infrastructure and industrial development in Africa go hand in hand, and that attention be paid to both the economic and social benefits of projects and increasing African countries' ability for independent and sustainable development.

"We have done our best to avoid increasing Africa's debt burden," he said, adding China is ready to work together with the international community to support Africa in its pursuit of peace, stability and development.
Jaipur:

Rajasthan Police on Wednesday claimed to bust an international gang of skimmers and arrested three Romanian citizens from National capital Delhi in connection with at least 88 cases of ATM cloning in Jaipur.

The Jaipur Police claimed that the three arrested were accused of withdrawing Rs 27.32 lakh from bank accounts of 88 people by cloning their ATM cards.

The arrested Romanian citizens have been identified as Catanescu, 41, Ciobanu, 44, and Ducia Bogdan Nocolae. Police have also seized Rs 50 lakhs, five cloned ATM cards, a card reader, a spy camera, a microchip, a laptop, four masks, a cap, two passports and mobile phones from their possession.

Sanjay Agarwal, Commissioner of Police Jaipur, said, We believe they might have duped more people.

Also read : Children Bank of India currency notes dispensed by Kanpur ATM



Explaining the modus operandi of the Romanian skimmers Agarwal said, The three first reckied the area to identify ATM kiosks to target victims for ATM card cloning. After identifying the kiosks they would set up skimming devices and cameras in the morning and later in the evening would collect the skimming device and the cameras.

After making a clone of the ATM cards they would withdraw money from a different city, added Agarwal.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Bengaluru:

Karnataka lokayukta Justice P Vishwanath Shetty on Wednesday was stabbed multiple times at his Bengaluru office by a man who was there to lodge a complaint.

Ramalinga Reddy, Karnataka home minister, said, Shetty was out of danger. The attacker has been identified as one Tejas Sharma and he has been arrested from the crime scene.

According to Bengaluru Police, the 74-year-old She\tty was rushed to nearby hospitals by his colleagues.

Police further said that the incident has been recorded in the CCTV cameras installed in the office.

Shetty, a retired Karnataka High Court judge, took over as the anti-corruption ombudsman last year in January.

According to police, Sharma managed to sneak the sharp weapon into Shettys office by trespassing the security check in the multi-storey building.

A senior leader of the state ruling Congress said that the Lokayukta prefers to be accessible to all people and there is hardly any security at his office.

He further termed the attacker as a madman. There was no bar for anybody. Anyone could access him with one's grievances, said the Congress leader.

Also read : BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel calls Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah a 'terrorist'



However, former Lokayukta Santosh Hegde rejected the Congress leaders review and exerted that there was a security breach.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Kanker:

Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel including an assistant commandant rank officer were killed in an encounter with CPI-Maoists in Chhattisgarhs Naxal hit district Kanker on Wednesday.

Bastar range Inspector General of Police (IG) Vivekanand Sinha confirmed the development to media.

Sinha said, Joint security forces including Chhattisgarh Police and BSFs 134 the battalion were in an anti-insurgency operation at Kilenar forest under the Rawghat police station limits.

Another senior police officer said, The Maoists triggered series of improvised explosive devices (IED) and indiscriminately opened fire at the team engaged in anti-insurgency operation. The joint team gave a befitting reply to the Naxals but unfortunately two BSF soldiers were killed in the encounter.

Also read : BSF jawan handed down with seven-day pay cut for not using 'Shri' Before PM Modi's Name



The deceased have been identified as Assistant Commandant Gajendra Singh, a native of Haryana and Amresh Kumar from Bihar. The duo had suffered fatal splinter injuries from the series of IED explosions.

The officer added that Naxals managed to flee the the encounter site taking benefit of the dense forest. A fresh search operation has been launched in the area to nab the Naxals, added the officer.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Meerut:

Hours after Union Home Ministry directed all state government to deal strictly with people demolishing statues of political leaders or ideological figures, miscreants demolished Dalit icon and leader Dr B R Ambedkaras statue in Uttar Pradeshas Meerut on Wednesday.

People in large numbers from the Dalit community took to the roads in Mawana on learning about the vandalisation and blocked traffic for hours.

According to police, the statue was vandalised on early hours of Wednesday. However, local Dalit leaders claim the vandalisation was done in broad daylight.

Vandalisation of statues of ideological leaders and icons were first reported from Tripura soon after state assembly elections were announced. According to CPI (M) leaders BJP workers in large number pulled down Russian revolutionary and Communist icon Vladimir Leninas statue in Belonia on Monday and the very next day another statue of the leader was vandalised in South Tripura.

Also read : CPM workers vandalise Jana Sangh founder SP Mukherjeeas statue in Bengal, six people detained



On Tuesday morning, BJP national secretary H Raja on his Facebook post updated the video of pulling down of Leninas statue and had threatened to pull down Periyar statues installed in Tamil Nadu. He however deleted the post later. In the evening, Periyaras statue installed in a municipal corporation office in Vellore was razed. A BJP party worker was arrested by police.

In retaliatory reaction, CPI (M) workers vandalised and blackened statue of RSS founder member Syama Prasad Mukherjee on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a meeting with the Union Home Ministry and seeked details of statue vandalisation cases. He directed the ministry to deal strictly with miscreants involved in razing of statues.
New Delhi:

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who was admitted at Mumbais Lilavati hospital and was undergoing medical treatment since Monday, left for the United States (US) early on Wednesday morning.

He flew from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai after the doctors at the Lilavati hospital advised him to do so. Parrikars personal secretary, Rupesh Kamat, told ANI, As advised by the doctors at Lilavati hospital in Mumbai, the CM is leaving tonight to the US for further treatment.

Earlier, Parrikar had thanked all his well-wishers of the state for their prayers in a video message, in which he informed that he might have to travel to the US for further treatment.

He said, I thank all Goans. For the last 15 days you prayed for me and because of your blessings I recovered and I am heading to Mumbai. If doctors advise then I may go abroad for a few days. I hope your blessings will continue and you allow me a few holidays.

#WATCH: Goa CM speaks on his health, says, 'I thank all Goans. For last 15 days, you prayed for me & because of your blessings, I recovered & I'm heading to Mumbai, if doctors advise, then I may go abroad for few days. I hope your blessings continue & you allow me a few holidays' pic.twitter.com/jDInduDH4M  ANI (@ANI) March 5, 2018

He also wrote a letter to Goas governor Mridula Sinha, in which he wrote, I have been also advised by the expert team of doctors in Goa as well as in Mumbai and subsequent consultation with doctors abroad to travel overseas for a specialised treatment of my medical condition.

Also Read: Goa CM Manohar Parrikar to travel to Mumbai for health checkup, may go abroad for further treatment

Parrikar was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on February 15 where he received treatment for a pancreatic ailment. He was discharged on February 22, and on the same day attended a session of the Goa Legislative Assembly, where he presented the budget and made a brief speech. On February 25, the chief minister was admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital after he suffered mild dehydration.

He was discharged on March 1 from the hospital, when the CMs office issued a statement saying, Today, the chief minister is travelling to Mumbai for further medical checkup and based on the doctor's advice may travel overseas for further treatment.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his strong disapproval over political party workers resorting to vandalizing statues of eminent political ideologues in different parts of the country.

According to a government statement, PM Modi spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh who has ordered states to act sternly to check such incidents.

The ministry said the state governments were told that persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law. "Honorable prime minister has also spoken to the Home Minister in this regard," the advisory said.

A statue of Tamil icon EVR Ramasamy or Periyar was vandalized in Tamil Nadu's Vellore last night, hours after a BJP leader suggested it in his Facebook post responding to anger over a statue of Russian communist leader Vladimir Lenin being pulled down in Tripura.

In retaliation to BJP vandalizing statues, CPM workers in Kolkata stoned the bust of BJP icon Syama Prasad Mookerjee and blackened its features. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the founder of the BJP's predecessor Jana Sangh.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Chennni:

A day after statue of Dravidian icon EV Ramasamy, popularly known as Pariyar, was vandalised in Tamil Nadus Vellore, miscreants on Wednesday evening assaulted upper-caste Brahmins in the state capital Chennai, police said.

According to Tamil Nadu Police, four persons on motorcycle attacked at least eight Brahmins in Chennais Triplicane. The attackers while assaulting the Brahmins raised Long Live Periyar slogans. The assaulters also cut the janaeu (sacred thread worn by brahmins) of the victims, said a police officer.

The local police added that the attackers are members of Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam.

The four assaulters surrendered with the police and said that they chose the site to attack the Brahmins as it is popular for Parthasarathy and Kapaleeswara temples. They wanted to send a message that they wont tolerate any kind of disrespect to Periyar, added a police officer.

Earlier in the day, Madras High Court had directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure law and order in the state after the razing of Periyar statue on Tuesday evening.

Also read : CPM workers vandalise Jana Sangh founder SP Mukherjees statue in Bengal, six people detained



In morning, two petrol bombs were hurled at the Coimbatore BJP office. No one was injured in the incident.

Also read: CPM workers vandalise Jana Sangh founder SP Mukherjees statue in Bengal, six people detained



The attack on Brahmins is believed to be retaliatory action after demolition of Periyar statue.

The statue of razed a few hours after BJP national secretary H Raja posted that Periyars statues in Tamil Nadu will be pulled down next after Lenins in Tripura.

The post was later deleted and Raja apologised for his comments and said, Damaging statues of Ramasamy cannot be condomed and I do not support it. The update was made social media managing team and people responsible for the update have been removed.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Petrol bomb was thrown at Bhartiya Janata Partyas (BJP) office in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, and a TDPK worker has surrenderd before the police in relation to the attack. There are no reports of injuries or casualties reported yet.

The reason for the attack is yet unknown, and even the assailants who threw the bomb are unknown. Police has started their investigation on the matter and the probe is going on. The police have arrested no one until now in relation with the attack.

The incident's video was captured on the camera set near the office.

Coimbatore: A petrol bomb was hurled at BJP office earlier today #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/79x0FrjAZo a ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

None of the party leader has yet commented on the attack, why the attack happened or who might have done it.

Hwoever, a worker of the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TDPK), identified as Balu, has surrendered himself before the Tamil Nadu Police.

#UPDATE Petrol bomb hurled at BJP Coimbatore office: Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam(TDPK) worker Balu surrenders before Police. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/zLHF891Mje a ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

Coimbatore: Petrol bomb hurled at BJP office. #TamilNadu a ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

The incident comes hours after BJP national secretary H Raja threatened to pull down statue of social reformer EVR Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, in a similar fashion as Russian communist revolutionary Vladmir Leninas statues were razed in Tripura, where two men vandalised a Periyar statue at a municipal corporation officer in Tamil Naduas Vellore on Tuesday evening.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Amidst the string of victories forged by the Bhartiya Janata Party in the recent polls held in the North East, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath once again showcased the core 'Hindutva' ideology of the saffron party by making a telling remark which certainly raised tensions in the political landscape.

Yogi responded to the remark made by Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudharys remark that he was a CM only to the so-called Hindus and said that he does not celebrate Eid and is proud of being a Hindu.

I do not celebrate Eid, I am a Hindu and I am proud of it. Wearing a sacred thread at home but coming out wearing a capthis kind of hypocrisy is not something the BJP government indulges in, he said adding that if someone wants to celebrate Eid, the government would provide all support.

He added, There is nothing wrong in being proud of being a Hindu.

The CM also told the Opposition that the red cap, which is the symbol of the Samajwadi Party, will be brought down the same way his party had succeeded to bring down the Red Flag in Tripura, adding that the time of bhagwa and kesariya had come as an uproar in the Assembly.

Earlier in the day, Chaudhary, while speaking on the proposed amendment to the motion of thanks to the Governors address, had said that the present government was playing with the expectations of the Dalit and the backward Muslims, and alleged that the UP CM was made only by Tathakathit Hindus (so-called Hindus), and advised him to try to become the chief minister for everyone.

Recalling a statement made by Adityanath on Holi celebrations, Chaudhary said that just like Holi and Diwali, Eid is also an equally significant festival and alleged that the CM does not celebrate Eid because he is a Hindu and it is also against the decorum of the post held by him.

Also Read: To defeat BJP in UP by-polls, BSP to extend support to SP; but no electoral alliance, clarifies Mayawati

Chaudhary said, He is not a complete Chief Minister, he should try being a complete CM for everyone. He also cited the Kasganj violence and alleged that the country would not have been divided if it was not for the wrong policies of the BJP.

Adityanath responded to Chaudharys statements by giving him a warning. He said, India wont break, but we will break those who try to break it. He also referred to the Samajwadi Party as separatists and the biggest superstition of present time.

The CM also warned the Samajwadi Party in the Assembly and said, We have suppressed the Red Flag in Tripura, and now we will suppress the Red Cap in Pradesh. It is saffrons time and now, Red Cap will not work. He repeated, saying, After the red flag (came down), it is now the turn of the red cap.

The House was adjourned till March 11 because of the uproar created by Adityanaths comments.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

A US Navy veteran on Wednesday pleaded guilty to the murder of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in a racially motivated hate crime at a bar in Kansas City last year that drew international attention.

Adam Purinton, 52, pleaded guilty before a Kansas court. He was charged with first-degree murder of Kuchibhotla, 32, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of his friend, Alok Madasani, and a bystander, who chased Purinton after he fled the Austin's Bar and Grill in Olathe city on February 22 last year.

Purinton, yelled, "Get out of my country," before shooting Kuchibhotla, who later died from injuries sustained in the attack. Kuchibhotla and Madasani worked as engineers at Garmin, a tech company that makes GPS devices.

Puriton had earlier pleaded not guilty on all these charges and waived his preliminary hearing in late November 2017. Before allowing Purinton's plea, Judge Charles Droege explained to him that changing his plea meant he would face life in prison, as well as a minimum of 146 months, maximum of 653 months in prison for attempted murder, not to mention the sentence he'll face if convicted of a hate crime in federal court.

Purinton told the judge he understood, then he sat down as the State presented the details of the incident last February. Kuchibhotla's widow Sunayana Dumala welcomed the guilty plea.

"Today's guilty verdict will not bring back my Srinu, but it will send a strong message that hate is never acceptable," she said in a statement. Purinton sentencing is scheduled for May 4.

According to court documents, Purinton's plea hearing was originally scheduled for May 8 but later it was moved to March 6. Federal prosecutors alleged that Purinton committed offenses after substantial planning and premeditation, attempted to kill more than one person in a single criminal episode, and knowingly created a grave risk of death to others on the scene.

The murder generated immense outrage in India. The murder also drew international attention and raised fears of growing intolerance in America. blamed US President Donald Trump?s tough rhetoric on immigration, but the White House rejected any link between that and the shooting.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
LAGOS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai Tuesday debunked the claims that the Boko Haram insurgents had regrouped and is controlling a large territory in the restive northeast zone.

Addressing reporters in Port Harcourt, Buratai said there was nothing like resurgence, adding that one or two incidents could not be interpreted as resurgence.

"Every facet of our society needs to be part of this fight against terrorism. It is a national disaster and calamity which we must all join hands to defeat," Buratai said.

The army chief also restated the troop's commitment to rescuing the 110 Dapchi schoolgirls abducted by insurgents last month.

"Definitely, everybody is concerned and we are doing our best in finding the missing schoolgirls," he said.

On Feb. 19, 110 students of Government Girls' Science and Technical College in Dapchi were abducted by the suspected insurgents.

The incident came four years after the same terror group invaded a female school in Chibok and took more than 200 girls into captivity.

Boko Haram has been trying since 2009 to establish an Islamic state in northeastern Nigeria, having killed some 20,000 people and forcing displacement of millions of others.
New Delhi:

The Lahore High Court on Wednesday directed the Pakistan government not to put Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed under house-arrest or arrest him till further orders.

The Mumbai terror mastermind on January 23 had moved to the Lahore High Court challenging his possible arrest by the Pakistan government.

Saeed in his writ petition stated that he and his allies were detained by Pakistan government on being pressurised of US and India.

The JuD chief stated further that Pakistan government could not provide any proof against him in the court of law.

The counsel representing Pakistan government seeked more time to submit their replies. Lahore High Court Judge Ameenuddin Khan has directed the counsel for Pakistan government to file a reply by April 4.

Saeed is accused of masterminding the a terror attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008. More than 150 people were killed in the attack and at least 250 people were injured.

Also read : Hafiz Saeed opens MML office in Lahore; eyes 2018 Pakistan general elections



While, the United States has designated Saeed as a global terrorist and announced USD 10 million on his head.

Pakistan government had kept Saeed in house arrest since January, 2017. He was released form the arrest last year in November.

Seminaries and health facilities run and managed by Saeed were raided by Pakistan security forces in February after UN team visited the country earlier this year to review the progress against individual and groups banned by the UN.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
BEIJING, March 7 (ChinaMil) China on Tuesday refuted Japan's "China Security Report 2018" as irresponsible and untenable, and urged Japan to view Chinas domestic and foreign policies objectively and rationally.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks on Tuesday night in a written statement in response to the "China Security Report 2018" published recently by Japans National Institute for Defense Studies, which, taking the China-US relations as the theme, assessed the development of China's military strength and commented on China's policies towards the US and on the South China Sea and other hot issues.

Spokesperson Wu said that China will unswervingly pursue the road of peaceful development and the win-win strategy of opening up, and China is always a builder of the world peace, a contributor to the global development and an upholder of the international order.

The related report of the think tank of Japans Ministry of Defense made improper comments on Chinese military's modernization construction and China's relations with other countries. Those comments are irresponsible and untenable, Wu stressed.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty. We hope that Japan can view Chinas domestic and foreign policies objectively and rationally, meet China halfway and effectively implement the will to improve China-Japan relations with policies and actions, Wu added.
BEIJING, March 7 (ChinaMil) -- The PLA Air Force (PLAAF) kicked off the pilot recruitment for 2018 on Mondaybysetting up stations in eight cities where over 13,000 junior and senior high school graduates and graduates of military academies will participate in pilot candidates selection examinations.

Senior high school graduates from Jiangxi, Heilongjiang, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces and two autonomous regions of Guangxi and Tibet, as well as 16 youth aviation schools affiliated to the PLAAF will participate in selection examinations at stations in the cities of Nanjing, Changsha, Chengdu and Shenyang from Mar 5 to Apr 18.

Senior high school graduates from the rest provinces will participate in pilot candidates selection examinations in the stations set by the PLAAF in cities of Beijing, Changsha and Chengdu from June 14 to July 2.

The pilot recruitment examination for military academy graduates will take place in Nanjing from 15th to 17th of March.

The admission examination of the PLAAF's 16 youth aviation schools for junior high school graduates is scheduled to be held in the cities of Shijiazhuang, Chengdu, Jinan, Nanjing, Changsha, Shenyang and Xi'an from March 19 to May 29.
Source: The Times

Chinese soldiers have been urged to smear their faces with moisturiser to encourage wellbeing in the ranks.The Peoples Liberation Army Daily, Chinas state-owned military newspaper, urged servicemen to protect their skin from the sun and the cold and added: Its not being sissy to use skin care products when necessary. The message is intended to encourage soldiers to reject sneers from their compatriots in a field where a mans ability to endure hardship is particularly prized.

The newspaper told the tale of a platoon commander called Luan Xueliang who arrived at the western frontier of Xinjiang and was stunned to see soldiers applying various skin care products to their faces. How come todays soldiers are so sissy, he demanded, adding that his own grooming routine involved only a bar of soap.

He told the newspaper: Men should focus their attention on training, not on their face. Only women have so many bottles of skin care products. True handsomeness is only carved by the wind and the frost.However, Zhang Wenjie, a political official, corrected him: Theres nothing wrong to cultivate the right dispositions in a soldier on the premise of sound health concepts. It should not come at the cost of the soldiers health.

Without adequate facial protection, soldiers suffer wind burn and blisters from the sun, he told the platoon leader.
By Ben Axelson | baxelson@nyup.com

Since the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14, shooting threats at school across America have come into sharp focus.

In Upstate New York alone, there have been more than 40 incidents of reported or rumored threats of shootings, bombings, arson or other forms of violence against schools in the region and their students and staff. Some have resulted in arrests while others resulted in disciplinary action.

Below, you can find a list of threats in the Upstate New York region that have been investigated by police since February 14. They are listed in chronological order.

Do you know of a school threat incident that did not make our list? Please let us know in the comments.

Don't Edit

Schools across Upstate NY deal with threats in the immediate wake of Parkland

Shortly after the Parkland shooting, a wave of threats were made to school districts in Madison, Cayuga, Jefferson, Monroe , Rensselaer, Cattaraugus, Erie and Delaware Counties within a few days. Threats were made both in person and on social media. Some were not deemed credible.

Read more

Don't Edit

Rochester Police

Special needs student charged with terrorism

Abigail Hernandez, 21, is accused of making a terroristic threat against her former school in Rochester the day after the Parkland shooting on February 15. She was arrested days later. Her parents said she is not mentally capable of carrying out such an attack.

Read more

Don't Edit

NYS Police

Southern Tier man arrested for threatening high school

Aiden M. O'Day, 21, of Otego, was charged with making a terroristic threat against Franklin Central School on Feb. 18. An investigation revealed no danger.

Read more

Don't Edit

Three students arrested in separate incidents at WNY schools

Authorities in the Buffalo Niagara region arrested three students in the last few days for allegedly making threats against schools between Feb. 19-21.

Read more

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Potential school violence threat in Hudson Valley deemed not credible

The Beacon City School District and city police department determined a "potential school violence threat" made against Rombout Middle School in Beacon on Feb. 21 was not credible.

Read more

Don't Edit

NORTH COUNTRY - St. Regis Falls.

" A 14-year-old St. Regis Falls Central School student was charged Tuesday by... https://t.co/lixZNS3B8p  Akwesasne Today (@akwtoday) February 21, 2018

Student sends photo of gun, threatens to shoot school

A 14-year-old St. Regis Falls student texted a photo of a high powered rifle to a classmate and threatened to shoot up the school on Feb. 21. He was charged as a juvenile with making a terroristic threat.

Read more

Don't Edit

Saugerties father and son charged after weapons cache found https://t.co/rHvgRDoG40 via @timesunion  Baldr Odinson (@BaldrOdinson1) March 4, 2018

Father and son weapons cache may have been for school shooting

A student made an anonymous tip to Saugerties Police on Feb. 21 after seeing disturbing social media posts that referenced the Columbine. Colo., school shooting. Police believe they may have averted a school shooting. Connor and Bruce Chargois, a father an son pair, were arrested.

Read more

Don't Edit

Dover High School, Dover Middle School, Dover Elementary School and Wingdale Elementary School have all been evacuated as response to the threat. https://t.co/GjTFVybIjc  Abbott Brant (@AbbottBrant_) February 21, 2018

Schools closed, but police discover no credible threat at Hudson Valley schools

Schools in the Dover Union Free School District were closed Feb. 22 after a social media post that caused alarm but was ultimately deemed to have "no malicious intent," according to state police.

Read more

Don't Edit

14-year-old threatens girlfriend, classmates with shooting

A boy allegedly told his girlfriend he was bringing a weapon to school to shoot her and other students on Feb. 26 at Corinth Schools in Saratoga County. He is facing multiple charges.

Read more

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Text message threat leads to school lockout in Western NY

A 16-year-old was arrested after sending an alarming text that suggested a threat against Newfane Middle School in Niagara County to an 8th-grader at the school on Feb. 26.

Read more

Don't Edit

Utica high schooler threatens to "shoot up" school

A 14-year-old suspect verbally threatened to "shoot up" Utica's Proctor High School during class on Feb. 27.

Read more

Don't Edit

Student threatens school staff member on Facebook

Phoenix School District officials were investigating a student who made threatening comments about a school staff member on Facebook on Feb. 27. He was going to be disciplined according to the school code of conduct.

Read more

Don't Edit

Syracuse Police Department

Syracuse student brags about "school shooting skills" on Facebook

A Syracuse student posted a video of himself shooting a BB gun and bragging about his "school shooting skills" on social media on Feb. 27, police said. Jacob V. Vazquez was charged by the Syracuse Police Department with making a terroristic threat.

Read more

Don't Edit

9th-grader charged as juvenile for threat of violence

Town and State Police responded Feb. 27 to a report that a ninth grader at Cairo-Durham High School said he had a bullet. The school was placed in lockdown and the student was charged.

Read more

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Student detained after Capital Region school shooting threat

A student was detained in a secure room during dismissal after a shooting threat was reported at Berlin Middle-High School on February 27.

Read more

Don't Edit

Middle schooler arrested after classmate reports threat

A Madison County middle school student was arrested on Feb. 28 for making a threat against students at Otto Shortell Middle School, according to the Madison County Sheriff's Office. Students at the middle school reported the classmate had made a threat to harm other students, deputies said.

Read more

Don't Edit

Three Central NY school districts investigate threats on the same day

On February 27, school officials and police were investigating threats at Cato-Meridian Central School District in Cayuga County, Madison Central School District in Madison County and Phoenix Central School District in Oswego County. Lockouts were in effect and after school activities were canceled at some districts.

Read more

Don't Edit

Hip-hop artist threatens Rochester-area school

Randy Ross, 23, of Greece, was charged on Feb. 27 with making a terroristic threat against schools in the Greece School District after making a music video in which he rapped, "I lay em down like a school shooter" while appearing in front of school properties.

Read more

Don't Edit

Teen from another school district threatens Southern Tier high school

A 15-year-old Binghamton boy was charged as a juvenile with making a terroristic threat against Johnson City High School on Feb. 27. An investigation concluded there was no credible threat.

Read more

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Van Wyck threat 'rumors were not true,' says chief https://t.co/c0Wq0Lul81 pic.twitter.com/apNWkx9rvv  Poughkeepsie Journal (@PokJournal) March 1, 2018

Two Dutchess county school districts investigate threats on same day

Police said neither threat made against Franklin D. Roosevelt High School in Hyde Park and Van Wyck Junior High School in the Wappingers district on Feb. 27 should concern students and parents. The threats were made less than a week after similar threats against other schools in the area.

Read more

Don't Edit

CNY high school student shares disturbing images on social media

Police questioned a Liverpool High School student on Feb. 27 after he posted disturbing images on social media.

Read more

Don't Edit

Poughkeepsie City Schools closed due to shooting threat

All eight schools in the Poughkeepsie City School District in the Hudson Valley were closed on Feb. 28 due to a threats posted against the district on social media.

Read more

Don't Edit

Pine Plains student arrested following threat against classmates: police https://t.co/o0IgVVLbRt  Nina Schutzman (@PoJoNSchutzman) March 1, 2018

Students charged after threats at Hudson Valley districts

Students responsible for non-credible "threats of violence" involving the Pine Plains Central School District and Dutchess County BOCES were arrested on Feb. 27, according to police. Pine Plains Superintendent Martin Handler said his district had "two unsubstantiated threats."

Read more

Don't Edit

Student fight ends with weapon threat at Upstate NY school

A Jamesville-Dewitt School District student was disciplined on Feb. 28 after threatening to bring a weapon to school during a fight with another student. No students or staff were in danger, according to police.

Read more

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Police investigate student after threat at Central NY school

A student at Cazenovia High School was investigated for making a threat that was later deemed non-credible on Feb. 28. Officials said appropriate action would be taken against the student.

Read more

Don't Edit

Two students taken into custody as persons of interest in North Country threat

Two Gouverneur students were released to their parents on March 1 after being taken into custody in connection with threats made on a bathroom wall that prompted school officials to evacuate students to the community center.

Read more

Don't Edit

12-year-olds accused of making separate threats against Capital Region schools

Two students were accused of making terror threats after making separate remarks about shootings at the Mechanicville Junior/Senior High School on March 1.

Read more

Don't Edit

Google Maps

Upstate NY school locked down after student found with ammo in backpack

Ammunition was found in a backpack on the morning of March 1 at Cato-Meridian High School, leading officials to lockdown the entire district.

Read more

Don't Edit

Cortland County Sheriff's Office

Teen arrested, gun seized after threats against CNY school on Snapchat

Jensen P. Schack was arrested March 2 after allegedly posting threatening videos and photos against his alma mater, Cortland Junior Senior High School, on Snapchat.

Read more

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Student overhears classmate making threat against school

A LaSalle Institute student was charged with making a threat involving a weapon after a classmate overheard him talking about it on March 2. School administrators reported it to police.

Read more

Don't Edit

School officials investigate threats in Northern NY while trying to calm parents

A threat was made against Lowville Academy and Central School and was allegedly going to be carried out on March 2. The threat did not occur, and school officials left this phone message with parents.

Read more

Don't Edit

Police investigate threat of violence against CNY high school

Police were investigating a threat made two weeks prior against Charles W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville on March 4. Police did not believe the threat was ongoing.

Read more

Don't Edit

NYS Police

Ex-Camden student accused of threatening to 'shoot up school,' state police say

Bradley L. Davis Jr., 22, was charged with making a terroristic threat, a felony, on March 5. He is accused of sending threatening messages related to the Camden Central School District to a friend on Facebook.

Read more

Don't Edit

8-year-old charged with felony for threatening to burn down school

Police charged an 8-year-old Charlotte Valley Central School district student with making a terroristic threat to burn down his school on March 5.

Read more

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Utica college locked down for six hours as police investigate threat

Terrified students and parents waited for news as police searched for a person with a gun on campus. The college was locked down for six hours on March 5 with students hiding under desks for safety.

Read more

Don't Edit

Lockout at Herkimer County school after second day in a row of threats

Students at Jarvis Middle School were told to shelter in place, and a building-wide lockout was in effect as police investigated an unconfirmed threat against the school for the second day in a row on March 6.

Read more

Don't Edit

READ MORE: 35 safest school districts in Upstate NY, ranked for 2018

The school ranking is based on student and parent ratings of health and safety, area crime rates, and rates for expulsion, suspension, and school related arrests.
The French government has proposed a law to set 15 as the age of consent for sex following two high-profile cases in which men escaped rape convictions despite having intercourse with 11-year-old girls.

France currently has no age of consent. However, adult sex with a minor younger than 15 is classified as sexual assault or molesting, punishable by up to five years in prison, compared with 20 years in prison for rape. In order for an incident to qualify as rape, prosecutors have to prove the victim was forced.

In November, a 30-year-old man was cleared of rape after the court found that the victim had not been subjected to "constraint, threat, violence or surprise."






A new report has revealed how a woman whose husband was gruesomely murdered by Boko Haram terrorist group, finally found love again in America. With her son leading the bridal train as the little groom, the resplendent bride made her way into the packed Texan church to a different kind of wedding song.

The lyrics, God sent you to love and comfort me, couldnt be more apt. The bride, Sarah (name changed for her safety) was remarrying in America after Boko Haram killed her husband in Maiduguri, North-east Nigeria a few years before.

The wedding was on Martin Luther King holiday weekend this year, the holiday commemorating the civil rights icon who advocated for racial equality. However it was just days after the US President made disparaging remarks about African immigrants countries.

At the Houston wedding reception, I was seated next to a medical doctor and his wife also a doctor (relatives of the bride.) To my left was a medical doctor and her kids (friends of the bride.) The wedding guests in Houston were a true microcosm of highly educated Nigerian American immigrants. As lawyers, my wife and I were probably the least educated professionals on our table.

The Liberian American Master of Ceremony made a joke about this phenomenon saying if you asked a Nigerian what they had studied, you were likely to hear, I have a degree in Chemistry but I have gone back to earn a degree in Physics.

He pointed out for illustration that Sarah the bride had a degree in Finance and another degree in Nursing.

The crowd was a mix of family, friends, coworkers and members of the ethnic church where the couple served and met. A toast to the couple hinted that this all began when the Liberian groom served in the parking ministry of the church and helped Sarah find parking before service. After that she was regularly needing parking assistance from one volunteer in particular.

Her marriage to a Liberian is especially intriguing. Her late husband had served in Liberia during a military peace keeping mission to bring stability back to the war-torn country. The U.S. supported that mission in view of its historical ties to Liberia founded by freed African American slaves. However the U.S. relied on officers from Nigeria to be the boots on the ground in their place.

I met him in 2014. He had just finished a tour of duty fighting the terrorists in their north central hub. You could tell right away he was a consummate warrior  a soldiers soldier. He had served in many peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Sierra Leone amongst others in his 25 years of military career. He had spent most of his life in the army having joined as a teen.

At his command, he barely slept, keeping ahead of the terrorists at their game of war. He inculcated friendships with the community using community policing as his key counterinsurgency strategy. This way he suppressed attacks before they happened. There was calm and tranquillity during his three-year duty tour.

As I shared about our work helping victims, unknown to me this officer and gentleman who was on a break to visit his family in the U.S., was in the audience.

Even though he had himself sacrificed much including his family for the sake of the people, he still donated to our project.

His wife told me how when shed visit him in Nigeria, sometimes shed see pockmarks on his bulletproof vest. When she asked what happened, hed remain silent

On Christmas the following year, I met her again.

Months before, shed gotten an abrupt four-word call from his batman. Madam, Oga (boss) is dead. It was the shortest most devastating phone call imaginable.

Mysteriously, only he died that day in the defence of the city of Maiduguri which came under a second attack in a week from Boko Haram terrorists. How they broke through his helmet, vest and protective gear is a puzzle but the bottom line is that they scored a major victory in taking out this Lt. Colonel who had frustrated numerous attacks over the years.

His widow looked at me and said, wistfully, I told him to join me in the US and leave the army.  She says if he had been here, those wounds were recoverable  she sees far more trauma cases. She is a nurse, you see.

But the nightmare of widowhood is far worse than youd expect.

Widows continue to be deprived matrimonial property under ignominious disinheritance practices in Nigeria. Then there are demands to engage in burial rituals that can be unwholesome. Worse still, is getting the government to process death benefits for the families of heroes who died in service of their fatherland.

She even had to work on Christmas Day and couldnt find childcare for her kids.

If only he were hereif only hed agreed to come to America! He sacrificed too much, she said. The army was his life and the army was his death. But the army appreciated him only in life and not in death when he could no longer be used.

Even in his final battle when he radioed for back-up from a borrowed radio because his wasnt working, no reinforcements came

I told her that in every generation, there are people who must sacrifice more than most for the good of all. Someone has to do it for our common humanity. Many go through life oblivious of the sacrifices these heroes make on our behalf.

I tried to encourage her that there are countless people alive today because of her husbands efforts. A lot of what we do on earth will ultimately be measured in eternity and thats what counts the most.

As I tucked her kids into their car seats, I said to myself, this is what he would have been doing if he was home for Christmas. The families of our servicemen and women make sacrifices just as though they themselves are in the battlefield. In fact they worry more from not knowing.

She didnt get to have his body for burial. The army kept it for speedy burial in the north where he was killed  not his hometown in southern Nigeria.

She didnt get his wedding ring back, nor the matching gold chain which he had purchased for them both.

She has no souvenir left of him but the boy and girl who are too young to understand that dad traveled to Nigeria for work and isnt home for Christmas and is never coming back

I have brought more victims of Boko Haram to the US than anyone. I am in touch with many survivors. Seeing this American woman married to a Nigerian officer suddenly have her life turned upside down was a new experience for me but it brought it real close to home. I know of no other widow of the Boko Haram insurgency in the U.S.

Her late husband, a Lt. Col was killed in combat (KIA) by Boko Haram in February 2015 almost three years before Sarah remarried. Sadly his death benefits and life insurance as well as scholarships for their two children have not been paid years later by the government of Nigeria and its contractual parties.

I offered to serve as her pro bono lawyer to obtain the death benefits but the bureaucratic bottleneck is such that I was limited in what legal options to employ. I have seldom felt so helpless!

Thinking back on her wedding song, God sent you to love and comfort me, that is the true redeeming grace in what would otherwise have been a heartbreaking story.

Seeing this American woman marrying again and rebooting her life was an emotional experience for me. When governments fail, God doesnt. Hope is indeed the hearts great quest and love its healing balm. I admit it, I teared up during the wedding  overwhelmed by Gods solution to this situation.
The late Dr. Onyedikachi Izuogu

A handsome 34-year-old UN Doctor, Onyedikachi Izuogu, among the aid workers killed by Boko Haram terrorists on 1st March, 2018, in Rann, Borno State, will buried today at his hometown, Umukalu Umukor Nkwerre in Nkwerre LGA of Imo State.

The sad news has left his family members, friends and colleagues in serious pain. Many have taken to social media to pay their last respects.

Izuogu was described as a God-fearing young man passionately dedicated to serving humanity.

Read tributes from his Facebook friends below:

Ugonmma Chinaka wrote: "My heartfelt condolence to Mark Umelo Izuogu and family in Umukalu Village Nkwerre for the death of his younger brother Dr Anthony Onyedikachi Izuogu, 34 years of Age. He was until his death a medical consultant to the United Nations/UNICEF IDP camp in Rann Borno state, Dr Kachi was murdered by Boko Haram when they attack IDP camp in Rann Borno state on Thursday march 1st. may your gentle soul rest peace amen.

Rest in peace our great son Nkwerre people mourn you.

To Boko Haram one day your day will come until that day I curse you."

Nnabueze Attamah added: "They never degraded them, they never defeated them, either technically, terribly or otherwise, they were just lying to us as usual, they believe we are fools; we accept anything."""





The 'spirit' of humanitarianism is a strong one.

In the face of death, a humanitarian aid worker still thinks about the people in need, the courage never dies.





Dr. Anthony Onyedikachi Izuogu,( Dr. Kachi), was a true humanitarian aid worker who believed that as long as there are people in need, help must be rendered, nothing stops it. While fulfilling this believe, he paid the supreme price, he died in active service to humanity. He is a hero.





Over forty thousand people in Rann, Kalabalge LGA, Borno State depend entirely on Aid workers. There is a clear picture of people in need in this poor town and this prompted Dr. Kachi to work as an Aid worker with UNICEF in this town. On this course of service, he was killed by the 'defeated' Boko Haram along side other aid workers and soldiers.

Burial poster of the late Dr. Izuogu





Dr. Kachi was a humble confrere, a gentle man to the core, a brother and a man of God.





FECAMDS Unimaid will never forget your time of presidency,

The entire UNICEF staff in Borno State will miss you.

Your family will miss you.

We will miss you.

I will miss you.





I promise you that as long as there are people in need, help must be provided, the spirit will never die in us. God is with us.





Rest in peace, Bro Kachi.

Till we meet to part no more."

Uche Victor post read: "I can't stop crying ever since I heard the news of your death; you were younger cousin in whom I found humility displayed, the last time we met and lived together was in 2004 in Port Harcourt when I came for my IT. You were very closed to God, whenever I see you, I see Christ in everything you do, even when things were tough and rough, Onyedi you made it to the medical school. See how we lost you to Boko haram, I love you brother, but God loves you better. Rest in peace, Dr. Anthony Onyedikachi Izuogu!"

Uche Anuebunwa wrote: "My heartfelt condolence to Mark Umelo Izuogu and family in Umukalu Village Nkwerre for the death of his younger brother Dr Anthony Onyedikachi Izuogu, 34 years of Age.He was until his death a medical consultant to the United Nations/UNICEF IDP camp in Rann Borno state, Dr Kachi was murdered by Boko Haram when they attack IDP camp in Rann Borno state on Thursday march 1st. may your gentle soul rest peace amen."
Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, says angels of the Lord rescued him from a high court in Abuja after operatives of the specia...

Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, says angels of the Lord rescued him from a high court in Abuja after operatives of the special anti-robbery squad (SARS) attempted to arrest him.





On Thursday, the federal government arraigned the senator for allegedly framing Edward Onoja, chief of staff of Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state, in an attempt on Melayes life.





The court granted Melaye bail in sum of N100,000 but SARS operatives prevented him from leaving.





The senator later sneaked out of the court.





Speaking on the floor of the senate on Wednesday, Melaye expressed displeasure that the All Progressives Congress (APC) which he worked for took him to court.





On the 1st of March, I was arraigned by the party I worked for. I was arraigned by the government I helped to install. I appeared before the court and I was granted bail, he said.





Having been granted bail, I was quickly alerted that there were over a hundred policemen from SARS outside the court waiting to arrest me. When they took pictures of them to come and show me, even if you were going for the head of Shekau, you wouldnt have prepared any better.





I was in that court for hours and they laid siege for hours. Every car coming in and out of the court were being checked. Somehow because I serve a living God, the angels of the Lord took me out of that court unnoticed and unhurt. They laid siege for more than five hours after I was resting on my bed.





We have a convention in this country, that when security agencies are interested in interrogating, investigating and inviting any senator, they write the senate president to provide such senator. Why would they demean the integrity of the senate, and lay siege on a senator of the Federal Republic as if you want to arrest a common criminal.





Melaye also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in Kogi state.




The Section One of the ongoing Apapa Wharf Road project undergoing reconstruction is completed and will be opened to traffic on Thursday, newsmen report.A very senior engineer from AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd., involved in handling the project confirmed this to newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos.The engineer said that the section had been completed and was being cleaned to be opened to traffic tomorrow.Section One is completed and will be opened to traffic tomorrow. This job is a very careful project and a lot of work has gone into it.We are working on Section 2 and we have started placing concrete. On Sections 3 and 4, we are doing earthworks, the engineer who preferred anonymity said.NAN reports that Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, had on June 17, 2017, signed a N4.34 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd., and other stakeholders for the reconstruction of the four-kilometre Apapa-Wharf Road.The road was however closed to traffic to allow for construction on July 7, 2017, after deliberations with various stakeholders.The project is being funded by AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd., the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Flour Mills of Nigeria.The engineer, however, noted that the challenges on the project were still the same, that of utility relocation on the Right of Way (RoW).Neewsmen also report that work on the two kilometres of the project under construction had been divided into four sections.Newsmen who visited the site reports that Section One which is a distance of about 500 metres had been cleaned from rubbles and construction materials.Crash barriers had been painted with red and white colours to demarcate the entire lane on the Ijora/CMS bound carriageway.On Section Two of the project which is another distance of about 500 metres, workmen were seen using concrete laying machines to lay cement mix over iron rods on the same carriageway.Workmen were also seen excavating some portions on Section Three, a distance of about 350 metres.
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says Boko Haram is no longer a serious fighting force.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says Boko Haram is no longer a serious fighting force.





Osinbajo said this on Tuesday while speaking at the opening of the 8th edition of the 2018 national security seminar.





The seminar which has the theme The Fighting Tomorrows Warfare Today was organised by the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AABDEC).





The vice-president said the insurgents would do anything to continue feeding off the oxygen of media attention.





They (Boko Haram) will alter their goals and objectives at random, and are capable of doing anything and everything to continue feeding off the oxygen of media attention, the vice-president said.





Yet this should not be interpreted as meaning that we fighting an unwinnable war. We can boldly say that today Boko Haram is no longer a serious fighting force.





We have to be strategic in our approach, responding not out of panic or fear, but out of a determination to secure our nation and keep our people safe not only from terrorism but from every other threat they face. We must fight them on multiple fronts, starve them of funding and resources, of sympathisers, and of the oxygen of publicity, especially on the Internet.





Osinbajo said the army must focus its strength on expanding conventional and developing a robust capacity to take the fight outside its comfort zones.





He said the occasional setbacks recorded in the fight against the insurgents is not unique to Nigeria.





Two weeks ago one such incident took place, in the town of Dapchi, in Yobe state. Suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked a girls secondary school, abducting 110 girls. And then last week, the attacks on a humanitarian camp in Rann in Borno state, he said.





Both incidents have received widespread condemnation from around the world. They are reminders of the absolute ruthlessness of the enemy  and the fact that it will resort to increasingly desperate and callous moves on our most vulnerable people and places, even as its losses mount.Very often, the campaign of violence is foiled, thankfully.





Towards the end of 2017, the Global Terrorism Index reported that terrorism deaths in Nigeria fell by 80 percent between 2015 and 2016. That figure of 80 percent represents countless Boko Haram attacks prevented from happening by the efforts of the Nigerian military. We must never forget that.





Frustratingly, however, all that a terrorist group requires to be deemed extraordinary is for it to record a high-profile success every now and then.





He said the job of the government is not an easy one but there should be no room for self-pity or frustration on our part.





More than ever before we are mobilizing to ensure that schools in the North-east are kept secure from Boko Haram, Osinbajo said.





On his part, Jonathan Tamlong, president of AABDEC, said the army must develop a culture of taking bold and calculated risks.





The military must develop a culture of experimentation and taking bold and calculated risks. Nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction are already being proliferated in many nations whose ability to effect our control access to such controlled weapons is sometimes in doubt, Tamlong said.





Should some of these fall into wrong hands, there would be serious challenges to the survival of generations of people.





Today, the non-state criminal actors are engaging national armies in asymmetrical warfare. Though they do not have airplanes or nuclear capability yet, they have continued to give the national armies and coalitions tough times, occupying territories, inflicting massive pains and deaths on the populace.





At the rate states are failing, armouries being looted and porous borders remain largely unmanned, greater challenges lie ahead. This is noting that criminal groups keep increasing in number and prevalent conditions on a global scale make it so easy for them to recruit members.




Ghanaian citizens, particularly social media users have descended on President Muhammadu Buhari over his promise to help Ghana in its figh...

Ghanaian citizens, particularly social media users have descended on President Muhammadu Buhari over his promise to help Ghana in its fight against corruption.





Buhari had during his visit to Ghana on her 61st Independence Anniversary celebrations, which held at the Independence Square, promised to help the country in its fight against corruption.





His pledge, however, did not go down well with some of the citizens, who wondered why Buhari, whose country was ranked 148th most corrupt country in the world could help Ghana in fighting corruption with his own unending corruption load in Nigeria.





The angry citizens asked the Nigerian president to go and fight a snake that allegedly swallowed 36 million naira ($102,409, the cedis equivalent of over 470,000 cedis from the office of Nigeria Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).





Some of their reactions below.





 @freakyluda





Imagine Nigeria ranked 148 out of 180 on Transparency International CPI in 2017 saying they want 2help Ghana who r ranked 81 out of 180 in same Transparency International CPI same last yr! Is Buhari Ok??




















Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has listed ways the Buhari government had demonstrated its love the people of South-east.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has listed ways the Buhari government had demonstrated its love the people of South-east.





He said despite the fact that the president got the lower votes from the Igbo, that has not reflected in his policies and projects.





In a chat with newsmen in Lagos, Osinbajo said Buhari could have appointed junior ministers. By appointing four senior ministers, I think that it shows that he is interested in the South East region of Nigeria.





Secondly, previous government merely talk about the second Niger Bridge. We have moved to site, we are working on the second Niger Bridge.





Weve provided for the second Niger Bridge in our budget we have also provided infrastructure fund for the second Niger Bridge.





Also, we are doing the Lagos-Calabar road. The Lagos-Calabar road goes through the South East region, thats one of the very important thing we are doing and we put money behind it





"The President himself negotiated the loan from the Chinese government. He actually went to China to negotiate and these are ongoing projects.





Ariaria market today is possibly the largest MSME hub in the whole of West Africa. The Federal Government, with the private sector, is powering Ariaria market so that every of the 21,000 shops in Ariaria market has power.





The roads to the market are in the budget. Lets bring it down to what we are doing; the first of our MSME clinics was in Aba and we are committed to ensuring Aba is a hub that it ought to be.





This is where we spend a lot of time and energy to move regulatory agencies so that they actually have a one-stop centre there, so that NAFDAC, SON can move into that place.





There is a lot of work thats going on. The truth is that we do what needs to be done. We were elected to do the right thing by everyone and we are doing it. Ive gone to the South East several times.




A senior Cuban official on Monday condemned Washington's decision to make the withdrawal of 60 percent of the U.S. Embassy staff permanent in response to mysterious ailments affecting American diplomats.

Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, the new director of U.S. issues at the foreign ministry, said the decision was motivated by politics and had nothing to do with the safety of diplomats.

He told reporters that the cuts would hurt consular services and make travel more difficult for ordinary citizens. He said it might also erode long-standing cooperation on migration.


A former governor of Edo, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, says the Federal Governments proposal to implement a new minimum wage is not a political gimmick to win the 2019 general elections.Oshiomhole said this in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the 26th convocation lecture of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu.The title of the lecture was Crisis of Governance, Governance of Crisis: The Role of Education in Nibbling Governance Crisis in Nigeria.According to the former governor, the government has said it will begin implementation of workers minimum wage by the third quarter of 2018.Oshiomhole, who is also a former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said the governments pronouncement on the minimum wage is only about a political will.He said there was already a case to review the wages prior to the election, adding that he was not bothered about when the implementation of the new minimum wage would start.According to him, he is only bothered by the fact that some workers in some states are still not paid the current N18,000 minimum wage in use.He said denying a worker the minimum of N18,000 was enough to prick the conscience.Oshiomhole quoted President Muhammadu Buhari as saying that he does not know how anyone who has not paid workers for two, three months or even one year is able to sleep.As governor of Edo, I increased the minimum wage from N18,000 to N25,000 a month for the least paid worker.And I did that to dismiss and to close the debate whether a higher minimum wage is desirable.Rather than going to be giving a lecture on why a higher minimum wage is inevitable, I thought it is better to use my executive power to increase the minimum wage and to pay it.Not only did I pay it for as long as I was governor, my successor has continued to pay it.And Edo has continued to deliver on infrastructure and on its mandate to the admiration of its residents, the former governor said.Newsmen report that the Federal Government, through the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, had on Feb. 27 said implementation of the new minimum wage would begin in the third quarter of the year.NLC had proposed N56,000 for the least paid worker to the Federal Government.A 30-member committee on minimum wage headed by a former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms Ama Pepple, was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2017.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Wednesday warned the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo against organising any public event to discus...

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Wednesday warned the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo against organising any public event to discuss the issue of restructuring and one-Nigeria in the South East.

IPOB warned that should any attempt is made at convening to discuss one-Nigeria or restructuring what happened at the end of ECA event will be nothing compared to what shall become of the apex Igbo socio-political organisation.









Describing Ohanaeze leaders as Abuja errand boys, the pro-Biafra group added that, Any day these so-called Igbo leaders gather in public, we will make sure we show them how upset we are.





A statement by IPOBs spokesperson, Emma Powerful maintained that leaders of the body have failed the region.





The statement reads reads, We read with disdain the statement credited to an Ohaneze Ndigbo spokesperson regarding the events that up took place at the Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA) event in Enugu recently. What happened at the said event will be nothing compared to what shall become of Ohaneze Ndigbo should they attempt to convene any public meeting anywhere in Biafraland to discuss restructuring or how to keep Nigeria one.





The spontaneous disruption of the ECA event at Enugu, though regrettable, is what shall become of any gathering where compromised, washed-out politicians gather to sell out our people to their Hausa-Fulani masters from the north. What we want and are being killed for is referendum not restructuring; freedom not continued bondage in Nigeria.









It is unfortunate that very few individuals who arrogate the title of elders and leaders to themselves cannot point to any legacy they built or are presently building for the coming generation except betrayal, treachery, back-stabbing, avarice and lust for power. All the excellent work done by Dr. Michael Okpara and Chief Sam Mbakwe has been laid to waste by a ravenous breed of caliphate appointed Igbo leadership devoid of any sense of responsibility to the people.





What is beyond belief is that these politicians and Aso Rock informants claiming to be Igbo leaders would come out openly to say that IPOB has no experience in the politics of Nigeria, whereas they that claim to have all the experience in the world have done nothing with their supposed wealth of experience to adequately address the issues confronting the people today which is freedom.





The impact of the failure of present Igbo leadership is a worse trauma than losing the war. In their utterances, often devoid of logic, they ignorantly equate the demand for freedom to mere youthful exuberance or clamor for war. Does it therefore mean that every demand for self determination automatically equates to war? Where did they get such perverted idea from that a demand for referendum, which is a democratic exercise, somehow translates into war. We are interested to know which history or philosophy text teaches that or where they got the absurd notion from. Such assertions are often made from a position of ignorance, therefore we encourage them to study the history of liberation movements around the world and stop equating our quest for referendum to a declaration of war.





IPOB is made up of elders from across all nationalities in Biafraland that are older than almost every Ohaneze Ndigbo executive member. These IPOB elders/leaders are visible and not hidden. Mothers and grand-mothers openly identify with IPOB but Ohaneze Ndigbo feign ignorance of this fact and have continued to peddle the lie that we are exclusively a collection of angry, disgruntled youths. Rather than wake up to the reality that IPOB is a global mass movement with every age bracket adequately represented, they comfort themselves with the notion that we are exclusively populated by inexperienced youths which is clearly not the case.









To any keen observer, it is evident that IPOB leadership has amongst its ranks, experienced administrators and intellectuals that are successfully piloting the affairs of the movement worldwide. It is appalling that this present Ohaneze Ndigbo, its leadership and South East governors have publicly reaffirmed their commitment to maintain the one Nigeria state with or without restructuring.





We believe there is something wrong with the mentality of a leadership that will publicly state their desire to sabotage Biafra restoration. These are the supposed leaders, fathers and elders who it would appear enjoy watching their people suffer, perhaps because it makes them feel valued by the oppressor.





It is a well known fact that IPOB is made up of both the old and young, with experienced public administrators all over the world that pilot the affairs of the movement. So the tag of inexperience is both misplaced and misconceived.





We agree that IPOB lacks experience in certain areas like selling out the collective interest of the people, sabotage and subservience to Hausa-Fulani hegemony. We also dont have experience in serving Arewa core north slavishly or agreeing to whatever Arewa Consultative Forum says. We dont have experience of blissful existence in a slave master relationship that obtains between the Fulani dominated north and segments of Igbo leadership. We dont have experience in treachery, betrayal, lies and deception.





IPOB is well organised movement and platform to restore Biafra and with it the lost dignity of a once proud race. A few Abuja based errand boys that call themselves politicians cannot understand why we have roundly rejected their approach, which is nothing short of the appeasement of an obnoxious, brutal, oppressive alien regime from the Sahel.




The Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, yesterday assured Nigerians that the country has excess storage of 500 Million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS.According to DPR, the country will not face the acute scarcity of PMS, which is fuel that was experienced by Nigerians for some months, especially during the Christmas and New year celebrations.Disclosing the yesterday in Abuja when she appeared before the Senator Matthew Urhoghide, PDP, Edo South led Senate Committee on Public Accounts, SPAC, DPR Assistant Director on Retail Outlets Monitoring Department , Mrs Ijeoma Otti- Onyeri explained that the 500million litres of PMS in stock which can serve the country for 12 days in case of any emergency interruption or breakdown in supply chain, was put in place as required strategy of preventing what the country went through December 2017 and January this year .She said, The 500millions litres is a strategic plan that has come to stay to avoid the type of crisis experienced few weeks back. The 12 days supply strength of it, is generally believed within the sector to be enough to address any unforseen problem of supply imbalance that may arise especially during the time of festivities like the coming Easter celebration.According to her, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC) that is solely responsible for fuel importation now , has fully risen up to the required average sufficiency level challenge, adding that issues of pricing and subsidies are not handled by her office but the NNPC and Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA.Meanwhile , the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency ( NOSDRA) has warned Nigerians to be wary of oil pollution especially in the water they drink .The Director General of NOSDRA, Sir Peter Idabor who gave the warning yesterday while making submissions before the Senate committee on Environment, said that one gallon of oil can pollute 4million litres of water .He said the pollution which largely takes place in the oil producing areas has the potency of affecting people in areas even far away from oil production.
Toni Iwobi, a Nigerian IT entrepreneur who has spent 38 years in Italy, has become the first black senator in the European country.

Toni Iwobi, a Nigerian IT entrepreneur who has spent 38 years in Italy, has become the first black senator in the European country.





He was elected in the industrial city of Brescia in northern Italy.





Friends, it is with great emotion that I inform you that I was elected senator of the Republic! he said in a statement.





After over 25 years of battles in the great family of the league, it is about to start another great adventure! My thanks go to Matteo Salvini, a great leader who led the league to become the first centre-Centre force of the country!





I have to thank then my National Secretary Paolo Grimoldi, my now former provincial secretary and new Congressman Daniele Belotti, the whole team of the department for work done over these years, the great league militants and all facebook friends for their support.





I cant forget my family, without them I wouldnt have come here today because they never stopped supporting me and being close to me!





Thank you, thank you, thank you! Im ready, friends!





A member of the anti-migrant League, Iwobi emerged a town councillor in 1995.





Ansa en Politics, an Italian website, described him as a committed activist.




Nigerians on social media have reacted to report of President Muhammadu Buhari promising to help Ghana fight corruption.

Nigerians on social media have reacted to report of President Muhammadu Buhari promising to help Ghana fight corruption.





Buhari had during his visit to Ghana on her 61st Independence Anniversary celebrations, which held at the Independence Square, promised to help the country in its fight against corruption.





Ghanaians have since reacted to the Nigerias Presidents promise, asking him to go and fight a snake that allegedly swallowed 36 million naira ($102,409, the cedis equivalent of over 470,000 cedis from the office of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).





Meanwhile, here are some reactions by Nigerians on social media:





@africanfact, Nigeria, which is ranked at number 148 out of 180 on Transparency Internationals CPI (Corruption Perceptions Index) 2017 has pledged to help fight corruption in Ghana, which is placed at number 81 out of 180!!!





@rogue__kvng, So this Nigeria we live in now is fighting corruption in Ghana. How did Buhari convince you people to vote for him. Buhari, greatest con artist Nigeria has ever produced.









@Mariam_soalio, Corruption in Ghana is blowing faster than @PatapaaGh one corner.





@Ndlimo Them rushing to solve corruption in Ghana. Them solving it at home.





@ceno_ken Are u serious? Nigeria help to fight corruption or help to increase corruption in Ghana?





@shakibobor President Buhari has totally failed Nigerians now a friend with another albatross in Ghana.





@Citi973 Gen. Buhari has the guts to talk about helping to fight corruption in Ghana..when monkeys are busily swallowing millions of dollars in Nigeria..interesting.





@capitalGIFFY @MBuhari Is fighting corruption and yet the International community rates the country under this administration 148 out of 181 in corruption and @MBuhari still wanna help fight corruption in Ghana which is rated 81. This administration is a complete embarrassment!





@AyotundeImoru You cant offer what you dont have. Fighting corruption in Ghana when you are struggling to fight it in your domain.





@skippogh When nigeria mother of corruption says it will help in fighting corruption in Ghana daughter of corruption.




Jonathans ex-aide, Reno Omokri, has reacted to President Muhammadu Buharis promise to help Ghana fight corruption.

Jonathans ex-aide, Reno Omokri, has reacted to President Muhammadu Buharis promise to help Ghana fight corruption.





Omokri wondered how Buhari intends to help Ghana fight corruption when Nigerias graft rating has increased.





In a tweet, the former Presidential aide recalled that Transparency Internationals report that corruption has increased under Buharis government.





The tweet reads, Dear President Nana Akufo-Addo.





@NAkufoAddo, I gather President Buhari promised to teach Ghana how to fight corruption.





Can a man without hair teach you how to comb your hair? Transparency International says corruption has increased in Nigeria under Buhari! Is this your teacher?





Expecting Buhari to improve your situation is like expecting a man who couldnt pass mathematics to teach you how to pass additional mathematics.




Wattana Kunwongse, ambassador of Thailand to Nigeria, has denied the claim of Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture, that rice mills are col...

Wattana Kunwongse, ambassador of Thailand to Nigeria, has denied the claim of Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture, that rice mills are collapsing in the Asian country.





On Friday, Ogbeh had claimed that Thailand said President Muhammadu Buharis policy on local rice sufficiency was responsible for the collapse of seven of its mills.





Just like two weeks ago, the ambassador of Thailand came to my office and said to me that we have really dealt with them, he said.





But I asked what did we do wrong and he said unemployment in Thailand was one of the lowest in the world, 1.2 percent, it has gone up to four percent because seven giant rice mills have shut down because Nigerias import has fallen by 95 per cent on rice alone.





TheCable fact-checked the ministers claims and found them to be false.





According to a statement published by Premium Times on Tuesday, Kunwongse said there is no proof of the shutdown of Thailands major mills.





The ambassador said that at the meeting, he praised the governments Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and assured the minister of Thailands support in the field of agriculture.





The report is not only misleading but a distortion of the actual conversation between myself and the honourable minister of agriculture at the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development on 30th January 2018, which was nothing short of positivity and optimism on both sides, the statement read.





During which I praised President Buharis Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), the essence of which is the endeavour to move the country to a self-sufficiency and export-oriented economy, and to that worthy cause, Thailand stands ready to work closely with the Nigerian government in the field of technological transfer and agricultural machineries.





At the same meeting, the honourable minister and I had reached the conclusion that I as ambassador of Thailand to Nigeria will be working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and rural development to establish a platform to discuss our mutual benefits in the form of MOU on Agricultural Cooperation and by forming a bilateral Working Committee toward that end.





Thailands rice export to the world in 20 (January-December 2017) reached 11.48 million tons equalising to $5.1 billion (USD), a 15.54 per cent increase compared to previous years, which is one of the highest figures on the history Thailands rice exportation.




U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has departed for Africa on a weeklong four-country official visit to Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti.Tillerson, during the visit, would engage with President Muhammadu Buhari and other top government functionaries, and the leaders of the three other countries.The trip, his first official visit to Africa, as Secretary of State, would take him first to Ethiopia and then to Djibouti from where he would go to Kenya, and then to Chad, before coming to Nigeria.Speaking at George Mason University, Virginia before his departure, he expressed optimism that there was ample opportunity in Africa  for economic growth, for greater prosperity, and for responding to global challenges through mutually respectful partnerships.According to him, he looks forward to returning and building on a strong foundation of U.S.-Africa relations, including visiting Chad, a country that has never before welcomed a visit by the Secretary of State.Speaking on U.S.-Africa Relations: A New Framework, he said over the past century, as African nations emerged from their colonial past, there had been a dramatic increase in Americas engagement with Africa.Forty years ago this month, President Jimmy Carter visited Liberia and Nigeria, where he announced that our nation has now turned in an unprecedented way toward Africa.Today that turning continues. Our countrys security and economic prosperity are linked with Africas like never before, he said, adding the Africa-U.S. engagement will only intensify in the coming decades for several reasons.He noted that by the year 2030, Africa would represent about one quarter of the worlds workforce and by the year 2050, the population of the continent is expected to double to more than 2.5 billion people  with 70 per cent of them under the age of 30.He added that Africa was experiencing significant economic growth, noting the World Bank estimates that six of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world this year will be African.For context, by the year 2050, Nigeria will have a population larger than the United States and an economy larger than Australias.To understand where the world is going, one must understand that Africa is a significant part of the future.African countries will factor more and more into numerous global security and development challenges, as well as expansive opportunities for economic growth and influence, he said.According to him, while Africa contains a wealth of diversity  among its peoples, its cultures, and its governments  there are common challenges and opportunities.Africas vitality is reflected in its youth, but a growing population of young people means a requirement for more jobs.As more Africans move out of poverty, nations will require more infrastructure and development.The growing population of young people, if left without jobs and a hope for the future, will create new ways for terrorists to exploit the next generation, subverting stability and derailing democratic governments.Leaders will be challenged to innovate and to manage the limited financial resources they have.As we look ahead, this administration seeks to deepen our partnership with Africa, with an aim of making African countries more resilient and more self-sufficient.That serves our partners, and it serves the United States as well by creating a stable future for all of our children and our grandchildren, Tillerson stressed.
When a Seattle, Washington, man pleaded guilty Tuesday to fatally shooting Livingston native Brendan Tevlin three years ago, he was the first in the state to admit taking a life in support of a terrorist cause.

"This is the first conviction in the history of the state of New Jersey under our state terrorism statute," Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino told reporters at the Veterans Courthouse on Tuesday afternoon.

Ali Muhammad Brown, 34, who pleaded guilty earlier Tuesday to charges that included terrorism, murder and robbery, killed Tevlin, 19, as part of a cross-country crime spree in which he also fatally shot three other men in Washington state, he admitted in court.

In court filings, authorities said Brown was arrested with a journal in which he referenced the Islamic State, and said he called the killings acts of vengeance for lives lost to U.S. government actions in the Middle East.

In court Tuesday, Brown said he had killed two of the men because he thought they were homosexual. "The mistake that I made is I thought I was fighting jihad," he said.

Laurino said the decision by prosecutors to file terrorism charges against Brown came only after the state Attorney General's Office authorized the Essex County Prosecutor's Office to do so.

The prosecutor's office did not enter into a plea agreement with Brown, whose decision to plead guilty came abruptly at the start of the second week of jury selection for his trial. Brown, who faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole, is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 1.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
A 13-year-old boy has been arrested on charges he posted a "copycat'' threat against the Bayonne public schools one day after the district was closed because of other online threats, officials said.

According to a statement from the Bayonne Police posted on Mayor Jimmy Davis' Facebook page, the boy, a Bayonne resident, is charged with false public alarms and terroristic threats.

Evidence related to the Twitter threat posted this morning was also seized, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the search for whoever made the earlier threats continues, officials said.

"Rest assured that the BPD, in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies, will continue to work diligently to identify and hold accountable those responsible for the other threats,'' Davis wrote.

The original threat was posted on Twitter Friday, saying shootings would take place at several Bayonne schools. A second threat came in Monday morning.

At first, officials planned to beef up security at all schools but then decided to cancel all classes on Monday.

The original tweet had come from an account that had been activated earlier Friday but was later deactivated, Police Chief Drew Sisk said at a news conference Monday.

Schools reopened Tuesday.

The threats came at a time when schools across the state and the country have been edge following the Parkland, Florida, massacre that left 17 dead.

A little more than a week after the massacre, a social media post circulated within Bayonne High School from a student in New Mexico threatening "BHS students" threw students into a panic. Hundreds of parents descended upon the school to sign their kids out.

The Bayonne district has announced that police officers will take a new "park and walk'' approach, making schools a regular stop on their patrols.
McDormand received the Oscar for Best Actress Sunday night -- and promptly lost it.

A man named Terry Bryant is in jail on $20,000 bail for allegedly trying to steal McDormand's award during the Governor's Ball in Hollywood, the post-show party.

Bryant posted video of himself waving the Oscar around, kissing it, and soliciting congratulations from bystanders, shouting, "This is mine," before leaving the party.


JERSEY CITY  The School 16 community is mourning today after the death of a 5-year-old kindergarten student under circumstances that remain undisclosed.

School and city officials are tight-lipped about the student's death, with the school district spokeswoman saying the child's parents have asked for privacy.

An email sent to parents this afternoon indicates the district had concerns about a virus spreading.

The email, from the elementary school's principal, says the building's communal areas were all sanitized, a nurse visited each classroom to encourage students to wash their hands frequently and cough into their sleeves and a health official gave the OK for the school to remain open.

A 5-year-old girl died of the flu in North Bergen last month.

Rethel Michaud, a parent of a School 16 third grader, said she was aware of the student's death but acknowledged the school has been "pretty vague" about the cause.

Michaud said she has concerns about the flu, which this season has spread to over 20,000 people in New Jersey and caused the deaths of three children.

"It could happen anywhere," she said.

State health officials said there was a significant drop in flu cases starting last week.

The 440-student, preschool-through-five School 16 is located on Sussex Street in Downtown Jersey City.

"The school has provided counseling and support to students and staff," district spokeswoman Maryann Dickar said. "The family of the deceased has asked for privacy at this time and the school is doing all it can to honor that request."

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY  As Democrats nationwide prepare for a battle to retake the U.S. House of Representatives in November, Democrats here in Hudson County are readying for a war over the county executive seat in 2019.

Four of the county's mayors, including Steve Fulop of Jersey City and Brian Stack of Union City, issued the opening salvo of that war today when they announced in a joint statement they will not back Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise for re-election next year. DeGise responded by saying he is moving ahead with his re-election bid anyway  with the support of powerful North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco.

The statement from Fulop and Stack, issued this afternoon just as a nor'easter was beginning to blanket the region with snow, praises DeGise but says they want a county chief "more closely aligned with our governmental ideals."

"While we are grateful for County Executive DeGise's service, we look forward (to) working with new county government leadership that will complement shifts related to a growing and changing population, as well as an increased regional influence," their statement says.

Fulop and Stack are joined by Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla and West New York Mayor Felix Roque, plus Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, D-Jersey City, and Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro, D-Hoboken.

On DeGise's side are Sacco, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, Harrison Mayor James Fife, Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli, Kearny Mayor Al Santos, East Newark Mayor Joseph Smith and Guttenberg Mayor Wayne Zitt, plus U.S. Rep. Albio Sires, D-08.

Both Sacco and Stack are also state senators. Stack's influence countywide is expected to rise when he takes control of the Hudson County Democratic Organization from Vincent Prieto, now the president and CEO of the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority.

In his statement, DeGise, 67, said he is "disappointed but not surprised" by Fulop's and Stack's announcement. DeGise endorsed Fulop's successful re-election bid last year.

"I have run and won seven elections in Jersey City and five countywide elections, and I'm confident that Hudson County residents know my record and will continue to give me their support," he said.

DeGise, a retired teacher and former Jersey City councilman, is currently serving his fourth full term. He is seeking re-election in November 2019, but the real fight in this liberal county will be the June 2019 Democratic primary.

The county executive, who first took office in 2002 after winning a special election to serve out the remainder of Robert Janiszewski's term, reported raising $27,700 in the final quarter of 2017.

DeGise is scheduled to give his annual state of the county address tomorrow at 5 p.m. at the county's administrative building annex, 567 Pavonia Ave. in Jersey City.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- A 24-year-old Jersey City felon was sentenced to seven years in prison Friday for gunning a man down outside a party in 2013.

"I put strong, strong weight on the need to deter you," Hudson County Superior Court Judge Vincent Militello told Mulijah Smart before sentencing him for the July 2, 2013, aggravated manslaughter of Anthony Smith Jr., 21, on Dwight Street.

Before being sentenced, Smart turned toward the Smith's family in the courtroom, saying "I just want to say I apologize for the actions I did. May God be with you and hopeful one day you can forgive me for the actions I did."

But when given a chance to speak, Smith's aunt said "Mulijah, you are an evil person who deserves nothing but life behind bars... The only reason I don't want to see you executed is because I thought of your family... I do not forgive you."

As the aunt took her seat, Smart said "Ma'am, I really didn't do it."

"You did do it," she replied.

Smart served three years in jail and one in prison for a 2012 weapons offense while awaiting trial for Smith's death. He pleaded guilty to the aggravated manslaughter charge on Jan. 23 after a jury had already been selected for his trial.

He must serve six years before becoming eligible for parole. If he was tried and convicted on the original murder charge, he would have faced 30 years to life in prison.

On the day of the killing, Smith was attending a party on Dwight Street around 12:15 a.m. when he was approached by a man who opened fire on him, officials said at the time.

The man chased Smith down the street, and continued to fire at him until Smith collapsed in front of a Dwight Street residence near Ocean Avenue, authorities said.

Smart, who was 19 at the time, was arrested at Audubon and Bergen avenues about two weeks after the homicide.

According to the criminal complaint, Smart was identified by a witness who told police he saw him shoot Smith.

Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Leo Rinaldi represented the state in the case.
UPDATE: Teacher is identified



A teacher at a Jersey City middle school was arrested this morning and charged with numerous sex crimes, the county prosecutor's office announced today.

The prosecutor's office reported the arrest of the School 7 teacher on Twitter today but has declined to identify the individual, who it says was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual conduct and endangering the welfare of a child.

The teacher was arrested by the Hudson County prosecutor's special victims unit. A prosecutor's spokesman said he could not provide any more information.

The 920-student school is located in the Jersey City Heights.

School district spokeswoman Maryann Dickar said the school's staff "immediately" alerted authorities yesterday after "students reported concerns."

"We are greatly disturbed by these allegations and will do everything we can to support and protect our students," Dickar said.

One parent of a School 7 student told The Jersey Journal she is concerned about prosecutors not releasing the name of the teacher.

"All I want is some reassurance and awareness for my child and I," the woman said.

Sudhan Thomas, the school board president, said he plans to discuss the incident in a closed-door meeting with Schools Superintendent Marcia V. Lyles next week. He said he learned of the arrest this morning.

"The board is not aware at this time of any specific details including the identity of the teacher, the number of our children who could be victims of these alleged sex crimes and aggravated assault," Thomas said. "The board will approach these kind of situations with zero tolerance as it should be as prescribed by statute."

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY  The man accused of gunning down a 28-year-old man in 2016 was in contact with another alleged killer on the morning of the murder, cellphone records indicate.

Justin Garcia had called and texted Keshawn Sparkman multiple times on July 21, the night Javon Murray was fatally shot on Clinton Avenue. Officials said he died almost instantly when the bullet traveled through his neck and severed his spinal cord.

The weapon was not recovered and no ballistics were found at the scene.

Sparkman, 20, is charged with killing Rasasim Foster with a shotgun on July 3, 2017. The murder occurred on the same block where Murray was killed. Sparkman was arrested about two weeks after the shooting in Upstate New York. Police were conducting a welfare check at a home when officers found drugs inside.

Authorities learned Sparkman had an open warrant for murder and was brought back to Hudson County to face the charge.

Both murder victims were 28 years old.

The state has relied on cellphone records, surveillance video, and witness testimony in its case against Garcia. The defense, however, said none of the evidence presented corroborates what the state's key witness testified.

The jury began deliberating in Garcia's case shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday. A verdict was not reached and jurors will return on Thursday morning. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- Neighbors said they heard a Kenyan couple arguing inside their Country Village home hours before they would found dead in an apparent murder-suicide, a news report indicates.

Lydiah Okongo, 40, was shot multiple times in the head and torso on Monday morning. Henry Okongo, 51, was found in the basement of the home at 2 Mina Dr. with a gunshot wound to his dead, authorities said.

Sources say it appears Henry Okongo turned the gun on himself after killing his wife. Two of their three children were home when the incident occurred.

An elder at the church the couple attended told the Daily Nation, a Nairobi-based newspaper, that neighbors heard a "quarrel emanating" from the home on Sunday night.

"Most of us who knew the couple very well know that they have had a tough marriage," George Omburo told the newspaper.

He said the couple would often separate for long periods of time before returning to one another.

Neighbors said Lydiah Okongo worked as a nurse and her husband owned laundromats in the area.

The 40-year-old's death is expected to be ruled the third homicide in Jersey City this year.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- A 35-year-old Jersey City woman has been charged with kneeing a police officer in the stomach as she was being escorted out of a building on Feb. 28.

Kimberly Sanders, of Lexington Avenue near Bergen Avenue, made her first court appearance the charges of aggravated assault on a police officer and hindering apprehension on Thursday.

On the day of her arrest, officers were dispatched to a Bergen Avenue building on a report of a woman in the building doing drugs. When the officers found Sanders sitting on the steps near the third floor, she gave them a fake name and told them she did not live in the building, the complaint says.

The cops told her that if she did not live in the building then she had to leave. As they escorted her out, Sanders kicked the front door before turning and kneeing the officer in the abdomen, the complaint says.

The state moved to detain Sanders through the course of her prosecution when she made her first appearance on the charges in Criminal Justice Reform Court in Jersey via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny Thursday.

Sanders was not charged with any drug offenses.
A teen has been charged with the shooting of a man Friday night on Tonnelle Avenue in Jersey City, authorities said.

On Sunday, less than 48 hours after the shooting, Jersey City Cease Fire detectives and Street Crimes officers arrested 19-year-old Jamir Carson, Jersey City police spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said.

Carson was charged with robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful possession of weapons, possession of weapons for an unlawful purpose, bail-jumping, conspiracy and multiple drug offenses, Wallace-Scalcione said.

The victim had been shot in his wrist and back during a "transaction," Wallace-Scalcione said, and his injuries are not considered life-threatening.
A New Jersey superior court judge who was criminally charged with helping her fugitive ex-boyfriend nearly five years ago has been reinstated in Middlesex County, according to a state Supreme Court order.

Superior Court Judge Carlia M. Brady (File photo)

The move to put Carlia M. Brady back on the bench in the civil division comes less than a week after authorities dropped the case against the Woodbridge resident.

Brady's alleged role in helping her then-boyfriend, Jason Prontnicki, avoid arrest after the armed robbery of an Old Bridge pharmacy will still be put to the state's Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct, which investigates potentially unethical judicial conduct, according to the order by the state Supreme Court.

The judge could still face discipline from the committee, which could recommend public or private discipline, ranging from guidance or caution to public reprimand or dismissal.

Brady's attorney, Tim Smith, said her return was "deserved and overdue," and he believed it should be without any punishment.

"I'm elated at the fact the Judge Brady has been returned to the bench," he said. "She did absolutely nothing wrong criminally, ethically or morally. Her actions at all times during the period of relevant events was in conformance with the law and with the standards of the judiciary."

Brady, who was suspended without pay from her $165,000-per-year job in 2013, was accused of arranging and letting Prontnicki into her home while authorities were searching for him. Police said the judge should have notified authorities to the man's whereabouts.

Prontnicki -- who was sentenced to 10 years in prison over the April 2013 robbery of a pharmacy, in which he threatened the workers with a lug wrench -- was scheduled to testify against Brady, at her trial.

However, last week, as lawyers were selecting a jury ahead of her trial, an appellate court ruling overturned a judge's order forcing him to take the stand against the judge.

The next day, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office moved to get the charges of hindering against her dismissed, and Superior Court Judge Robert Reed approved the motion.

Brady also was previously charged with official misconduct, but an appellate court panel threw out the charge last year.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at 732-372-2078 or at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
As more than 150,000 New Jersey customers lost power during Wednesday's storm, thousands of others were still waiting for the lights to come on after the nor'easter last week plunged them into the dark.

Many have waited for crews since last Friday's storm, but service has languished in many hard-hit rural areas as workers companies to recover from the previous 200,000 outages.

"It's depressing going to bed at night seeing your own breath in your house," Sergio Gatoulis, who lives in Randolph, said, adding that he and his wife had not showered in three days. "It feels like you're homeless. We live in New Jersey, how does this happen?"

While he's been escaping the cold during the day at work, the second snowstorm threw the couple a curveball, and instead they're hiding out a friend's house.

"Unfortunately, we don't have a fireplace, we don't have any other source of heat," he said. "We've been trying to get by in candlelight."

Restoration estimates for Gatoulis' block have been pushed back since Friday, and he wasn't hopeful crews would be able to fix the problem as a second storm threatened to bring another 2 feet of snow to Morris County.

Lois Fitton, in Tewksbury Township, has been without power since Friday as well.

But she and her husband purchased a whole-house generator more than a decade ago, dropping tens of thousands of dollars after spending two weeks without power on their dirt road.

While her family is keeping warm and cozy, she recognizes "that is not really an option for a majority of people. I don't think that should be a surcharge or a tax for living in a rural area."

Both Fitton and Gatoulis expressed frustration at a lack of communication from the company -- and they're not alone. More customers have taken to social media, fed up with the call center, to voice their outrage.

"You cannot find a phone number to save your life," Fitton said. "And I don't think they should be allowed to do that."

Ahead of the second storm, she called JCP&L, Governor Murphy's office and her state representatives. She said she plans to testify against the company receiving another contract with the state in the future.

"There is just no accountability," she said.

Murphy called the delays in restoration unacceptable on Twitter Monday, and said Tuesday that the Board of Public Utilities was working with JCP&L to service the tens of thousands of homes.

"We're committed to making sure every household gets back to normal as soon as possible," he added Tuesday.

Crews worked on restoring power Wednesday until weather conditions made it unsafe, Ron Morano, a spokesman with JCP&L said. He added that there were some 4,000 employees ready to continue working once the weather cleared, and that those who had lost power before Wednesday's storm would be made a priority.

This story has been updated to include comment from JCP&L.

Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have agreed to hold a summit at the end of next month in the border truce village of Panmunjom, national security adviser Chung Eui-yong said Tuesday.

Chung, who headed a five-member delegation to North Korea, met Kim on Monday evening and returned to Seoul the next day.

The last inter-Korean summit was held in 2007, when President Roh Moo-hyun met Kim Jong-il. "The two previous summits held in 2000 and 2007 took place in Pyongyang, but the upcoming one will take place in Panmunjom on the South Korean side of the border, which symbolizes the division of the two Koreas," Chung said.

It will be the first time that North Korean leader steps across the military demarcation line to set foot on South Korean soil.

Chung said North Korea might be willing to negotiate relinquishing its nuclear weapons. The North "clearly affirmed its commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and said it would have no reason to possess nuclear weapons should the safety of its regime be guaranteed and military threats against North Korea removed," he said.

Kim said that he is aware that joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea will resume in April and did not oppose them if they "would be of a similar scale seen in previous years," according to Chung.


SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The bad news is there are still many towns out in the hills in the center of the island that don't have electricity.

The good news is that the local drive-in motel is open for any couple seeking to have a tryst or two.

I found that out when I pulled into a pleasant-looking place called the Motel Montana on a mountain road about an hour's drive south of San Juan.

From the look of the place, I expected to find a luxury hotel. I figured I'd interview the owners on how the power outages following Hurricane Maria had affected them.

But I didn't see a soul. All I saw were garage doors, some open and some closed.

When I walked up to one, I saw a price chart on the wall. It said the room cost $33 - tourism tax included.

I also saw a door just inside leading to a bedroom.

I had stumbled upon a classic Latin-American social institution, the quickie motel.

These motels can be found on the outskirts of most big cities in Latin America. The Romeo in question packs his Juliet into the car and drives directly into one of the garages.

Down goes the garage door, hiding all evidence of the assignation. We Americans have many similar establishments, of course, but they are seen as eyesores. None handle the business at hand with such inventiveness and discretion.

Finally a maid wandered by. I asked her how long the power had been out. More than five months, she said. She didn't say where local lovers went during that long period, but the people of Puerto Rico are quite inventive. They have to be.

The view from my hotel room in San Juan. (Paul Mulshine | The Star-Ledger)

Typical was a guy I saw sitting on his front porch listening to salsa. By the sound blasting out from his living room, I figured he already had his power restored.

But when I asked him how long it had been since his power came back, Carlos Fonseca pointed to his shiny red Kia. The hood was up and a couple of cables ran from the battery to the stereo inside.

I asked Fonseca if he had any idea when the power would return. He threw up his hands. The power lines along the road were still a mess more than five months after Hurricane Maria. I didn't see anyone working on them during a long drive through the hills.

At a store that had just gotten its power back, I asked a guy whether people were ticked off.

"Everyone's ticked off," he said, but he was smiling as he said it.

He and others told me that even before the storm there were frequent power outages. The government-run power company, PREPA, was incompetent, they said. It was in bankruptcy proceedings per-Maria and they still drag on.

Meanwhile the federal government has been no great help. As happened in New Jersey post-Sandy, the bureaucrats at FEMA seem to be of the belief that the mere writing of regulations can restore a place to pre-storm conditions.

One woman told me that workers doing repairs on the power lines were working many hours of overtime without getting overtime pay. They were promised they would eventually be paid when the feds release the funds.

Here in Jersey we're no strangers to that sort of thing. Those who had flood insurance waited for more than half a year as the feds followed exacting rules on just what damage could be reimbursed.

But at least we had our power and water back within a few weeks.

That wasn't the case in Puerto Rico. When I got to Old San Juan, the historic district, the people who run the businesses told me the power was off for almost three months.

They did their best to remain open with generators. But the city's top source of tourism revenue was largely devoid of visitors for all that time.

It was their loss. Few Americans have ever seen a city this old in the Americas.

That's a shame when you consider that San Juan was founded more than 110 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

That's just a rock. By the time the Pilgrims got to the New World, the Spanish had turned much bigger rocks into whole cities - with cathedrals, universities aqueducts and cobblestone streets that persist to this day in Old San Juan.

Perhaps that's why they can face this disaster with equanimity. In the long arc of history since Columbus landed here in 1493, this is just a minor episode.

There are more important things in life.

And the people behind those closed garage doors were attending to them.
PSEG announced Monday that it will halt capital improvements at its nuclear plants in South Jersey until it gets the $300 million subsidy it wants.

This is not a threat, the company says. It's just a statement of fact. Sort of like when a mugger says, "Give me your wallet, or I'll shoot you."

Granted, PSEG has a real problem on its hands. Thanks mostly to fracking, cheap natural gas is now the preferred fuel. The average nuclear plant in America is 36 years old, and only one new one has come online in the last decade.

And yes, we should all worry about that. These plants emit no carbon, so they are crucial players in the fight against climate change. If they shut down, prices will increase, given the law of supply and demand. And 2,000 jobs are at stake in a struggling region of South Jersey.

So, a subsidy is not a crazy idea. We richly subsidize solar power today, and the nukes provide about 10 times the clean energy.

The problem is that the Legislature is moving a sloppy bill that is way too generous, one that will likely increase electric bills by $300 million a year. It's already been approved by committees in both houses, despite pointed objections from consumer groups, environmentalists, manufacturers, and PSEG's competitors.

That's a sign that the bill is "greased" as they say in Trenton. Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) wants this bill, and so does PSEG and its army of lobbyists. They are applying the muscle, and compliant legislators, mostly Democrats, are doing what they are told.

Here's a look at its most egregious flaws:

-The bill freezes out the Ratepayer Advocate, Stefanie Brand, the woman charged with protecting ratepayer. That's unprecedented -- and revealing. The Ratepayer Advocate is always at the table, automatically, when ratepayers have a dog in the race. Under this bill, she would be excluded unless she can convince the attorney general that her presence is "essential." The only possible reason Sweeney and PSEG would try to shut her out is because they fear she will raise compelling objections.

-The bill forces New Jersey ratepayers to subsidize energy in other states, stretching all the way to Chicago. These plants are part of a huge market known as PJM, which encompasses 65 million people. All those customers will benefit if these nukes survive, since the energy is poured into a common pot.

This bill puts the entire burden on New Jersey. And it comes as the managers of the PJM grid are considering plans to support all the nukes in that market, the cost of which would be spread through the PJM region. Why should New Jersey rush ahead of that, and take on the cost itself?

-The bill gives PSEG a chance to make a killing, while forcing consumers to protect the company against the risk of loss. That's a perversion of the free market gospel that PSEG has been preaching for two decades.

Under this bill, PSEG could get an annual subsidy of $300 million if the nukes don't earn enough money to satisfy PSEG shareholders. It doesn't just protect PSEG against losses; it aims to ensure that the company will make a healthy profit.

But if the the nukes turn profitable on their own, PSEG gets to keep the windfall. Heads they win; tails we lose.

This happened before, when ratepayers were stuck subsidizing the nuclear plants after New Jersey deregulated its energy sector in the late 1990s. Market conditions changed and the nukes produced unexpected profits. But the subsidies were enshrined in law.

The suckers were ratepayers, who shelled out $2.9 billion, adding to PSEG's profits. Sadly, the Legislature learned no humility from that mistake. In fact, it seems prepared to repeat it.

What's needed is a smarter bill, built from scratch. When Illinois legislators were faced with this problem, they worked on it for three years. This bill was unveiled only three months, ago. And it shows.

Here's a suggestion for PSEG: If you want subsidies for these plants, play fair, open your books to the Ratepayer Advocate, and stop the pressure tactics. The Legislature needs to get this right, and that's takes time.

More: Tom Moran columns

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
A federal watchdog says President Donald Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway violated federal law last year when she spoke out in support of Republican Roy Moore and against his Democratic rival in the Alabama Senate race.

The Office of Special Counsel says she violated the Hatch Act twice last year.

"Ms. Conway, in her official capacity, attempted to influence the Alabama special election by advocating for the success and failure of candidates in that race," the report stated. Her comments came in separate interviews with Fox News and CNN.

Some are calling on Conway to resign or to be fired.

Because she is a presidential appointee, it is up to Trump to decide what -- if any -- punishment she will receive.

Career government officials found to have violated the Hatch Act can be fired, suspended or demoted, and fined up to $1,000.

Conway, a New Jersey native, came under fire for violating a different ethics provision last year, when she pushed Trump supporters to purchase products sold under the Ivanka Trump brand.

Should Conway resign over the latest findings?

Vote in our informal, unscientific poll and tell us how you voted in the comments.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
At a time when anger and fear rule the debate about guns and safety, NJ.com is helping to lead a national effort to bring Americans of differing viewpoints together to discuss gun violence and gun-related issues.

We hope you will consider joining us, and people across the nation, as part of "Guns, an American Conversation."

Here's how it will work:

A coalition of American newsrooms is launching a new kind of public service journalism project, bringing together 150 people in a closed, month-long moderated Facebook group to discuss guns, and other related political and social issues. To do this, we're working with the journalism organization Spaceship Media, using their method of Dialogue Journalism for convening people on opposite sides of difficult social and political issues into sustained, moderated, journalism-supported conversations.

"Guns, an American Conversation" will launch with a small, in-person workshop for 20 participants in Washington D.C. March 24 and 25. The focus of the in-person workshop will be on getting to know one another, listening to one another and learning from one another, and exploring how can we have productive, thoughtful conversations about a topic that matters deeply to all of us.

The workshop will take place the same weekend of the planned March 24 marches for and against greater gun control, but will not be connected or involved with them. We also ask those who attend to commit to being part of our month-long, moderated Facebook conversation.

For both our in-person and online conversations we are seeking a wide range of people, and a wide range of viewpoints: teenagers, adults, liberals and conservatives, people affected by gun violence and people who use guns.

Advance Local, a collection of local media organizations that includes NJ.com, will cover costs for travel and accommodation in D.C.

Selected participants will need to commit to full day and evening attendance Saturday March 24 and daytime attendance Sunday March 25. The event will be led by trained facilitators who are experienced listeners and skilled at bringing together people across conflicting points of view.

If you are interested in applying to be a part of this project (online-only,) fill out this brief questionnaire by the deadline of Saturday, March 10 at midnight EST.

While we can bring only 20 people to the in-person event, we also know that the 130 who are selected to be part of our online conversation will be part of an important experience and will play a valuable role as participants. We expect the online forum to run for a month after the in-person gathering (roughly through the month of April).

We encourage you to share this form with anyone you think might be interested.
Gov. Phil Murphy is urging New Jerseyans to keep off the roads and stay in their homes as a nor'easter storm continues to dump snow on the state Wednesday.

"The worst, unfortunately, is still yet to come," the governor said during a late-morning radio interview on WCBS 880-FM.

"Stay off the roads," he added. "Stay safe. Stay in your home."

Murphy declared a statewide state of emergency as of 8 p.m. Tuesday night. That doesn't include a ban on travel, but Murphy said people should avoid driving if they can.

"We ask everyone to use caution," the governor said.

The snow started mildly in the morning in most parts of the state, but it has been picking up since lunchtime. It is expected to last until the evening and could leave parts of the state -- especially the north -- with up to 2 feet of snow.

Murphy also said there are still more than 20,000 homes and businesses without power -- most of them JCP&L customers -- stemming from last weekend's storm. And he admitted that the state and power companies "should have been better prepared."

"Those people are frustrated and mad as heck, and I don't blame them," the governor said. "And I am, too. God willing, we're gonna do a post mortem and learn from this."

Asked whether the state will pursue punishment against utility companies, Murphy said it's "too early to say."

"I think we need to do post mortem and figure out what worked and didn't work," he said. "Too much didn't work."

"I want to take any steps we take based on fact," Murphy added. "Right now, our focus is getting power to the folks that still have power and those who are gonna lose it again."

Murphy said the state is concerned right now about how Wednesday's snow will affect power lines.

Murphy has been traveling across the state monitoring the storm. This is his first time he declared a state of emergency for major statewide weather event since taking office Jan. 16.

At the @NJSP in Holmdel as we monitor the storm. NJ residents are urged to stay indoors and keep the roads clear. If you need to go outside, use extreme caution. Visit https://t.co/W8V3Qz3blA for more info. pic.twitter.com/QdxWbImFbR  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 7, 2018

Here at the Statewide Traffic Management Center in Woodbridge, where we are constantly monitoring roughly 300 miles of roadway in real-time. pic.twitter.com/SRuhuhlodL  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 7, 2018

New Jersey residents can consult the state's emergency preparedness website, www.ready.nj.gov, for more information. Information about road conditions is available at the New Jersey Department of Transportation website: http://www.511nj.org/.

2nd nor'easter in a week hits N.J. 88 Gallery: 2nd nor'easter in a week hits N.J.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
A week before Gov. Phil Murphy introduces his first state budget, the state's top lawmaker on Tuesday grabbed attention by offering up his own proposal to hike corporate taxes and pump hundreds of millions of dollars into New Jersey public schools.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney called for a one-third increase in New Jersey's corporate tax rate -- from 9 percent to a nation-high 12 percent -- on businesses with more than $1 million in net income to bring another $657 million in revenue to cash-strapped state coffers.

The tax hike, the south Jersey Democrat said, is part of a $758 million school funding overhaul that puts new money into special education, shifts funding from overfunded to underfunded school districts and expands full-day pre-k.

Sweeney, D-Gloucester, previously proposed boosting school aid through a tax increase on New Jerseyans with income over $1 million, putting the so-called millionaire's tax on Republican Gov. Chris Christie's desk five times since 2010.

But in the wake of federal tax reform, Sweeney says he wants to shield those residents who will be hammered by a new $10,000 federal cap on state and local tax deductions from further pain.

Sweeney's new plan achieves many of the same goals with a different funding source and continues his controversial initiative to reallocate state aid to districts considered most in need.

The proposal includes $431 million in new special education aid, particularly for reimbursing districts for expenses above and beyond the flat rate of special education funding each district already receives.

About $150 million in new tax dollars would flow to districts considered underfunded by the school funding formula.

The plan would also shift $127 million in existing aid away from districts considered over-funded by the state formula and to districts receiving less than they are owed.

And it would add $50 million in state aid for full-day pre-k, with any district eligible to apply. New Jersey spends more than $650 million a year on pre-K and added $25 million in new aid last year.

Federal tax reform passed in December by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans sent New Jersey lawmakers reeling and searching for ways to respond.

On Monday, state senators announced a bill to change how S corporations, limited liability corporations and other partnerships pay their taxes to allow partners and owners to continue to deduct state income taxes over $10,000.

Last week, the state Senate passed a measure (S1893) to help homeowners reclassify their property taxes as charitable donations and circumvent the cap on tax write-offs.

Sweeney said Tuesday this latest proposal to tax corporate profits is yet another counter punch to that tax overhaul, which he called "an assault and an attack on the state of New Jersey."

"It hurt New Jerseyans, period. Up, down, across the board," Sweeney said at a Statehouse news conference. "This gives us the ability to go where the money is."

The tax law slashed the federal corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, saving New Jersey businesses an estimated $2.9 billion.

Sweeney's 3 percent surcharge on businesses with income over $1 million -- which applies to the first $1 of taxable income -- would claw back $657 million of that. Through a constitutional dedication, 4 percent of the new revenue must be spent on open space preservation.

About 2,375 New Jersey companies reported more than $1 million in net income in 2015, according to the state Senate Majority Office.

"This is smart tax policy because federal law gives preferential treatment to corporations over people and still allows businesses to deduct state and local taxes," he said. "That means that the $657 million ... will be fully deductible as a business expense and will actually cost these companies $520 million."

At 12 percent, New Jersey's corporation business tax rate would tie with Iowa as highest in the U.S., though Iowa allows businesses a deduction for federal income taxes paid.

Under former Gov. Jon Corzine, New Jersey imposed a much smaller 4 percent surcharge on corporate tax liabilities that brought in about $80 million a year.

Lobbyists representing New Jersey's business community warned the higher tax rate would make it an outlier in the region and jeopardize plans businesses have to boost salaries and pay bonuses with their federal tax savings.

"The bottom line is New Jersey is already a high-tax state. Raising taxes should not be the starting point for putting together a new budget," the heads of the Chamber of Commerce and New Jersey Business and Industry Association said in a joint statement.

Likewise, state Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr., R-Union, said that as a high-tax state New Jersey is already at a disadvantage. "If we raise taxes even higher, we won't 'recapture' anything from businesses that choose to move away to the many other states that will let them keep their federal tax savings."

Murphy, a Democrat, said Tuesday at an unrelated news conference that Sweeney's proposal has "some appeal." But he stands by his call for a millionaire's tax to drum up more than $600 million in revenue, saying he didn't consider the corporate tax push a replacement for a millionaire's tax.

"Perhaps it's an additional weapon at our disposal," he said.

Like Sweeney, Murphy wants to put more money into the school funding formula, but they remain divided on whether to ask millionaires to pick up the tab.

While to onlookers the two top Democrats' relationship appears frosty, Sweeney said he wasn't pitting his proposal against the millionaire's tax, which Murphy is expected to include in his spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

"This isn't me against him," Sweeney said.

"This is myself as the Senate president looking at ways to find funding for our schools," he said. "I think this is one that does the least amount of damage."

There's still plenty of time to strike a deal before the June 30 budget deadline, he added.

NJ Advance Media staff writers Matt Arco, Adam Clark, and Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
There's a State of Emergency, and unlike everyone else who can just stay home, you're the governor of New Jersey. You gotta go out.

But what to wear?

Today, Gov. Phil Murphy is apparently going with a tested option: fleece. But not just any fleece. Tactical fleece. Police fleece.

Here at the Statewide Traffic Management Center in Woodbridge, where we are constantly monitoring roughly 300 miles of roadway in real-time. pic.twitter.com/SRuhuhlodL  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 7, 2018

A spokesman for the governor couldn't immediately say who manufactures the fleece in question though several police sources say it appears to be a 5.11 Tactical brand fleece liner.

"You can tell it's a real 5.11 shell because of the hook on the back. That's where it connects into the lining of the 5.11 jacket," said one state police source who declined to speak for attribution. "They're very warm. I wear mine even off the job to shovel snow or work outside."

But Murphy's donning of the state police fleece and matching NJSP ball cap also sends clear messages, both to the public -- "I'm in charge." as much as it does to the state police itself. Namely, "I'm one of you."

(That's probably a message worth sending, given how bad relations got between the last governor and police, after previous Gov. Chris Christie derided a union leader for 33,000 New Jersey police officers as "a pension pig.")

So? So far, so good, says our police spy.

"After Chris Christie, just about anybody would be better, but it's nice to see that he's trying," said a state police source.

This marks a decided departure for the fashion-forward Murphy: He been known to sport the all-wool Allbirds sneakers favored by Silicon Valley billionaires and even appeared at the January Women's March on Washington sporting a Barbour brand waxed cotton jacket -- the same brand favored by the Queen of England.

Of course, New Jersey's had a fairly snow-free winter thus far, so it remains to be seen if the police fleece shell will appear with the same ubiquity as Christie's own, civilian fleece. During Superstorm Sandy, he was eventually almost ever seen without his, even telling Seth Myers on "Saturday Night Live" in 2012 that "it's basically fused to my skin at this point."

If Murphy is following Christie's lead, it may not come as a surprise, for he appears to have long ignored the fashion advice of his former boss, President Barack Obama.

"Here's the general rule: You don't put stuff on your head," Obama explained in 2013. "That's Politics 101. You never look good wearing something on your head."

After all, Murphy's spent his first months in office gladly donning any cap, beret or headgear that's been proffered at public events -- including one from the State Police at Sunday's St. Patrick's Day parade.

Had a terrific afternoon at Gloucester City's 3rd Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and 150th Anniversary Celebration. pic.twitter.com/JTNpI3Ltw6  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 4, 2018

Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
The Newton mayor who was censured and urged to quit by his colleagues says he lost his Newark public school teaching job as payback for challenging how the state allocates school funding.

Wayne Levante brought up his departure from Newark in January, four months after starting a new job as a math teacher, before the Town Council asked him to step aside as mayor Monday night.

Newton Mayor Wayne Levante at a Town Council meeting, March 5, 2018

Levante, who rejected the request to step down from the appointed mayoral position and is seeking re-election to the council in May, drew scrutiny after sharing to his Facebook page debunked "crisis actor" conspiracy theories about a 17-year-old survivor of the Parkland, Florida, mass shooting Feb. 14.

During a contentious, 2-and-a-half hour special council meeting Monday night, Levante announced he left his Newark job one week after speaking in Trenton in support of Newton's state school aid challenge.

"I was retaliated by the Newark public schools and had an ordeal with them where I had to resign," Levante said, without further elaborating.

A spokesperson for the Newark school district confirmed he worked as a math teacher from September until January, but did not provide additional information.

The Newton school district is the lead petitioner among 10 school districts in seven counties named in the appeal to the state education commissioner.

Four municipalities, including Newton, are also backing the challenge, which asserts that 96 school districts in N.J. are leaving less state aid than they are due under the 2008 School Funding Reform Act, and as a result have been overtaxing local residents.

Levante previously was a public school teacher in Paterson.

In an interview last summer, Levante said he worked in Paterson for nine years, leaving in 2012, and had been hired as a seventh- and eighth-grade math teacher in Newark starting in September.

His biography on Newton's official website says he holds five state certifications in teaching and administration.

None of the four other council members responded to Levante's remarks about his former job.

Levante was named mayor by the council without opposition July 1. His one-year term as mayor, and four-year council term, both run through June, and he is among seven candidates seeking three council seats in the May 8 municipal election.

He has frequently spoken out on education since becoming mayor, most notably in support of an unprecedented proposal to eliminate all 25 local school districts in Sussex County and establish a single, county-wide school district.

He opposed an $18 million school construction referendum, supported by Newton Superintendent Ken Greene, that was resoundingly defeated by voters Sept. 26.

Yet Levante found himself on the same side as Greene four months later when Newton took the lead on the state school aid funding appeal.

"After being jilted by Trenton for eight years, at a cost of 30-plus million dollars, with no one willing to do anything, I stood alone at the capitol building, in Trenton, to issue the lawsuit against the state department of education, and there was no other council members there," Levante said.

He appeared with Greene and others in Trenton Jan. 12. One week later, he was out of a job in Newark.

As for what he is currently doing, Newton's website describes Levante as "the owner and operator of an Internet based small business dealing in the sales of vintage electronics."

Before being censured Monday night, Levante took issue with an assertion in the resolution that, in addition to referencing his Parkland posts, accused him of worsening the municipal government's relationship with the school district.

"To claim that I have not been working with the board of ed is just not accurate," said Levante, who cast the lone dissenting vote against the censure and a related no-confidence motion.

However, Levante received no support at Monday's meeting from Ray Morris, a Newton school board member.

Morris said that some defending Levante's free speech rights over his Facebook posts had criticized his right, as a school board member, to "do things like comment on the questionable school consolidation issue" that the mayor supports.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook
With light snow or rain falling across New Jersey on Wednesday morning, the predicted winter storm might not seem like much at the moment.

But don't be fooled by the slow start - particularly in North Jersey. It's about to get ugly out there, according to the latest forecast on the storm's timing by the National Weather Service.

Snow will spread across the state in the next couple of hours and rapidly intensify.

The storm is expected to move to about 30 miles off the New Jersey coast, which is why the eastern side of the state is getting more rain than snow, said Sarah Johnson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly.

"The bands will gradually become heavier and steadier and then the crazy snow will come to and end," said Nick Sharr a meteorologist with WeatherWorks, a Hackettstown-based private weather forecasting company.

The heaviest snow will fall between about 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.. with rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour likely. Snowfall could reach 3 inches per hour where the heaviest bands set up over Sussex, northern Passaic and parts of Morris County. That area could end the storm with 18 to 24 inches of snow, the weather service says.

The storm will track north through the afternoon and evening, according to Sharr.

Sharr said the peak of the storm should be from 3 to 6 p.m., setting up for a messy commute for those who ventured to work despite a state of emergency declaration by Gov. Phil Murphy.

"It looks like that will be the window for the heaviest snow," he said.

As of 8:40 a.m. the low pressure system was still developing off the coast of New Jersey, Sharr said.

The center of the storm was located off the southern Delmarva Peninsula and was still in the process of intensifying as it moves north off the New Jersey coast.

The snow will be be heavy, wet and difficult to shovel when it finally winds down this evening.

HRRR 3/7/18 Steady snow will develop late this morning and afternoon, with the greatest impacts during the evening commute. This is the latest model run from the HRRR. Posted by US National Weather Service New York NY on Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Northwestern New Jersey could wind up with 18 to 24 inches of snow, with 12 to 18 inches expected around Morristown and Newark.

In Central Jersey, forecasters are calling for 8 to 12 inches in the New Brunswick and Trenton areas and 4 to 6 inches in Freehold. Totals drop sharply closer to the Shore. Areas near the Shore from Toms River south are likely to end up with just rain.

Power outages are likely as snow clings to branches and wires with wind gusts to more than 30 mph.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Len Melisurgo contributed to this report.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Marcia Lee Kelly, a Korean-American deputy assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump and director of the White House Office of Management and Administration, will visit the Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang that open Friday.

The U.S. delegation will be led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen and also includes John Bardis of the Department of Health and Human Services and 2016 Paralympic swimming gold medalist Elizabeth Marks.
Claire Worchel, Pope John Paul

It has been very "cold" start to the new year at PJP, but our spirit and hearts remain "warm." In just a matter of weeks, our Jaguar family committed to a new theme: "Helping Hands, Warm Hearts."

As our school's namesake once said, "Remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm, and look forward to the future with confidence." PJP celebrated Grandparents Day, Honor Roll breakfast, and Catholic Schools Week honoring these words of John Paul II.

PJP hosted its annual Grandparents Day on Jan. 13. This event, set aside for students to share with their loved ones and appreciate the sacrifices they made (and continue to make) for us, brought well over 300 grandparents to our campus. The day provided games and photos, food and fun, memories and graces abound, and included a surprise performance from Mr. John Perkins, an original member of the the Crew Cuts and PJP grandparent, who delighted crowds with a karaoke rendition of "Sh-Boom".

On Jan. 16, we recognized and celebrated our current, second-quarter student-scholars with an Honor Roll Breakfast. Over half our student body were rewarded with delicious breakfast sandwiches and king cake. We extend our gratitude to the anonymous donor that provided the day's menu for honorees.

The final week of January brought an extended celebration, a sincere appreciation, and an overall effort to highlight the tremendous effects and future of Catholic Schools. PJP extended prayer time for an appreciation to parents, friends, teachers, school and community.

In an effort to show solidarity and gratitude, our student ambassadors frequented members of the community throughout the week, including visits to area Catholic schools.

Each year, PJP commits to a school-wide service project, and this year was no exception. Carnival beads were collected to benefit our friends at STARC in hopes of giving these members of our community a productive future and at St. Michael's Special School to help them continue their own Catholic education.

We congratulate the 8th grade and senior classes for bringing in the most and second most amount of beads.

March 19: 10:30 a.m. Mass celebrating the Feast Day of St. Joseph, including a St. Joseph's Altar

March 26: Spring Shadow Day & Campus Tours (registration will be required for this event)
Two men the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office says are "reputed Calliope gang members" were named in a seven-count indictment unsealed Tuesday (March 6) in Orleans Criminal District court. Both men are accused of possessing heroin with intent to distribute it and of various gun-related charges.

A news release issued by Orleans District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro's Office states the accused men, Winston "Spook" Williams, 24, and Denzel Lee, 27, are involved with the Calliope gang, which the release states, "has been embroiled in a violent feud over Central City narcotics turn with the rival Byrd Gang."

Three accused members of the Byrd Gang were also recently indicted. Randy "Tokey Heffner" Calvin, 26, James "Poo" Alexander, 25, and Chance "Doona" Skipper, 22, were named in a four-count indictment on Feb. 28 accusing them conspiring to distribute heroin, the DA's office has said.

The indictments of Williams and Lee were handed down a few weeks after the New Orleans police department investigated several murders in February and late January in Central City. NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison had attributed the uptick of homicides to gang activity in Central City and elsewhere, though he did not specifically say which fatal shootings were gang-related or name any gangs investigators believe might have been responsible for the killings.

The DA's office said in its news release Williams was working as a security guard at the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival in central Florida at the time of his indictment. U.S. Marshals in Florida arrested him on Saturday, and he is expected to be extradited to New Orleans, the release states. He is currently scheduled to appear for his arraignment hearing March 19 in Orleans Criminal District Judge Darryl Derbigny's court.

Lee is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday by Derbigny.

Counts 1 and 2 of the indictment accuse both Williams and Lee of possession with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana on Feb. 6.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Courts 3 and 4 accuse Williams of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon on Feb. 6. The DA's office states in the release he possessed a .40-caliber Beretta pistol and a 9mm Glock pistol that day. His previous conviction stemmed from a May 2012 guilty plea to a burglary charge, the release states.

Count 5 accuses Lee of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon on Feb. 6. The release states he possessed a 9mm Samco pistol that day. His previous conviction stemmed from a June 2017 guilty plea for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and Tramadol.

Court 6 accuses Williams of illegally obtaining and possessing a stolen handgun - the Beretta pistol - "having reason to believe that the firearm was the subject of a robbery or theft," the release states.

Court 7 accuses Williams of illegally obtaining and possession a stolen handgun - the Glock - also "having reason to believe that the firearm was the subject of a robbery or theft."

Orleans Criminal District Judge Paul Bonin unsealed the indictment Tuesday after a grand jury handed it up on Feb. 28, the release states.. Assistant District Attorneys Alex Calenda and Irena Zajickova presented the case to the special grand jury.

The New Orleans Police Department, the city's multiagency gang unit, FBI New Orleans gang task force, U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Attorney's Office also played roles in the investigation and arrests of Williams and Lee, the DA's office said.
A 32-year-old man was injured by a gunshot wound to the leg Wednesday morning (March 7) after a shooting was reported in Central City around 10:38 a.m., according to the New Orleans Police Department.

A man could be seen being transported on a gurney by emergency medical personnel Wednesday mid-morning near the site of the reported shooting in the 3300 block of South Liberty Street.

Police had cordoned off about a half-block of South Liberty between Toledano Street and Louisiana Avenue

The victim's mother said she was inside watching "The Price Is Right" when she heard a gunshot. Said she couldn't tell exactly where the shot came from, but when she looked outside she said she saw her son on the ground at the corner of South Liberty and Toledano streets.

"I ran down over to him and he kept trying to get up, but I knew he should stay still," the woman said.

The victim's mother said her son, who is 32 years old, told her he had been robbed and shot by two young men.

"I think I saw them running away and they looked real young," she said.

The victim's mother said her family has lived in the block for almost seven years and said there is now more crime here than ever.

"Violence is getting worse; it is not getting better. We used to never have to worry about it here, it was always nearby, but not here," she said. "It's bad that people are coming out and shooting people up. It's messed up. It's messed up."

The woman said she was told her son's injuries are not life-threatening, but she is still "upset and nervous.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

"It's not right," she said.

Michael Lee said he was inside his home near the corner of Toledano and South Liberty streets when he heard one gunshot.

"I wanted to know where it was coming from so I could duck," he said.

Lee said he's lived in the area for about 5 years and, for the most part, it's a peaceful neighborhood.

"This part's been real quiet for the past 6 months or year," Lee said. "Everyone knows each other and we look out for each other."

Another local resident, Lisa Fitzpatrick, said she was in her home a few blocks away when she heard the gunshot.

"There's always loud noises and banging coming from the construction on Louisiana, but I heard one bang that sounded different," Fitzpatrick said.

When she went outside to investigate, a neighbor told her a man had been shot.

Fitzpatrick said she's lived about a block away from where the man was shot for two years and has worked in Central City for about 10 years.

"It makes me so sad that our children don't value their lives and each other's lives," Fitzpatrick said. "If we treated every gunshot victim like we treat the high profile ones, maybe our kids would feel like their lives matter and they wouldn't resort to shooting each other."
Call it the new, new Coke. CNN reports that Coca-Cola will start selling an alcoholic beverage in Japan.

"It's trying to get in on the growing market for 'chu-hi' -- canned, flavored drinks typically made with sparkling water and shochu, a Japanese spirit distilled from grains,'' CNN reports.

A blog post on the Coca-Cola website quotes Jorge Garduno, president of Coca-Cola's Japan business unit, as saying, "We haven't experimented in the low alcohol category before, but it's an example of how we continue to explore opportunities outside our core areas."

He said, "The Japanese market is incredibly dynamic, fiercely competitive and rooted in innovation. Because of this, our team is constantly looking at ways to experiment - both from a product standpoint and finding new ways to do business with our customers. Consumers here look for variety and want to experiment."

So will Coke fans in the United States get to drink boozy cola? Probably not.

"I don't think people around the world should expect to see this kind of thing from Coca-Cola. While many markets are becoming more like Japan, I think the culture here is still very unique and special, so many products that are born here will stay here," Garduno said in the blog post.
The NET: Central City and The NET: Gentilly are closing Wednesday (March 7) after school officials learned of an anonymous threat posted to the school's Instagram account, according to school officials.

A released statement from The NET Executive Director Elizabeth Ostberg stated school personnel are currently working with the New Orleans Police Department to investigate the threat.

Students were being dismissed early and parents will be notified later about whether the schools will reopen Thursday, Ostberg added.

The NET: Central City is located at 1614 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, and the The NET: Gentilly is located at 6601 Franklin Avenue.

The threat follows the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., that killed 17 people. Several threats have been made in the New Orleans metropolitan area since the Florida shooting, though police have found most of those threats weren't credible. A Sophie B. Wright School student was arrested Tuesday, after she made the threats via a restroom wall at the school, according to NOPD.

NOPD Tuesday stated the 17-year-old suspect confessed to the crime and stated the threats were a prank. She was booked with criminal mischief and disturbing the peace by threats.

. . . . . . .

Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is still looking for clues into the illegal killing of two Louisiana black bears last month. The subspecies of black bear was taken off of the List of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife in 2016, but remains illegal to kill.

The body of one bear was discovered off of Humble Canal in a marshy area about 10 miles south of Franklin, in St. Mary Parish. Wildlife department agents found the second bear dead about a mile and a half away from the first.

The Louisiana black bear became nationally known when President Theodore Rosevelt refused to kill one tied up to a tree by hunters in 1902. The incident was depicted in a newspaper cartoon and memorialized when a New York toy store owner dubbed a stuffed toy "Teddy's Bear."

The Humane Society of the United States, the Acadiana Chapter of Safari Club International, the Safari Club International Foundation and the wildlife department's Operation Game Thief program are offering a $5,500 reward to anyone with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the illegal killing of the two black bears, according to a news release.

The adult male bears both weighed more than 300 pounds, said Adam Einck, a media relations officer with the wildlife department. Necropsies of the bears found that both were shot and killed around the weekend of Feb. 2 to 4.

Louisiana black bears aren't often poached, Einck said. "It doesn't happen too often, but more than we would like," he said.

Anyone with information regarding the killed bears is encouraged to call the Louisiana Operation Game Thief hotline at 1-800-442-2511 or text LADWF with their tip to 847411. Tipsters can also download the "LADWF Tips" application from the Apple App Store or Google Play free of charge.

The hotline and the tip411 program are monitored 24 hours a day. Upon request, informants can remain anonymous.
Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission
Lee promised to show up but added he will discuss the possibility of changing the date. Lee is accused of a raft of crimes, including taking bribes of about W10 billion (US$1=W1,078).

The investigation comes five years after Lee left office and makes him the fifth former president to be questioned by prosecutors after Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, Roh Moo-hyun, and Park Geun-hye.

Prosecutors will question ex-President Lee Myung-bak over corruption allegations next week. They summoned Lee on Wednesday for March 14.

Prosecutors suspect that Lee forced Samsung to pay W6 billion in U.S. legal fees for DAS, an auto parts company nominally owned by his brother on his behalf that he allegedly used to channel slush funds.

He is suspected of receiving W1.75 billion from the National Intelligence Service's secret funds while in office and taking hundreds of millions in won in return for favors.

Prosecutors believe Lee smuggled piles of Cheong Wa Dae documents into the DAS offices in Seoul's Seocho-dong.

Lee denies the charges.

Prosecutors have been investigating Lee and a number of associates since last August, but Lee claims the probe is "political retaliation" for the suicide of former President Roh Moo-hyun, who was investigated for corruption after Lee took office.

Prosecutors have been circling Lee slowly, interviewing one suspected accomplice after another before settling on the man they believe is the main culprit.

"We'll question him in accordance with routine procedure and treat him as a former president," a prosecutor said. Prosecutors plan to seek an arrest warrant if he still denies the charges but could indict him without detention if he admits them.

Lee left office under a cloud amid suspicions of massive corruption in his four-rivers mega project but was left in peace by the next conservative administration of Park Geun-hye, who is now in jail herself.
You could technically say New Orleans filmmaker Lily Keber's latest film, "Buckjumping," is about dancing. And you wouldn't be wrong.

But that would be like saying her 2013 documentary "Bayou Maharajah" -- about pianist James Booker, the man described by Dr. John as "the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced" -- is a movie about piano playing.

It's not incorrect, but it doesn't come close to capturing the spirit of Keber's work.

"I'd say the film is about dance, but really it's about community and spirituality and how traditions are passed on," she said of her latest project. "It was about dance, then it was about New Orleans, and at some point it came to be about people."

While she's still raising money to put the finishing touches on it, the nearly completed "Buckjumping" ends up being about all of those things, as Keber takes viewers on an ethnographic tour of New Orleans' dance traditions as they exist today.

That starts, of course, with an inside look at the city's social and benevolent societies -- the folks behind second-lines and jazz funerals, which are among the most conspicuous examples of New Orleans' dancing habit -- but it goes on to cast a wide net. With a collection of New Orleanians as our guides, we witness the cocksure strut of Mardi Gras Indians, the affirming jams at Seal's Class Act Lounge, the sequined high-stepping of the Edna Karr High School dance team, and the unbridled joy and celebration of the city's drop-of-a-hat block parties.

In a broader sense, "Buckjumping" is about movement more than it is about dance, Keber says, holding up Mardi Gras Indians as an example. "Indians don't dance, but through that bodily expression there is communication," she said.

And that is perhaps the fulcrum on which Keber's movie balances: communication through movement. "I think of the idea of chattel slavery, in which one doesn't even own their own body," Keber said. "Your body belongs to someone else. In that context, dance becomes subversive. I feel like dance has always meant liberation here."

That blend of thoughtful cultural observation and sheer celebration lend "Buckjumping" a tone and texture reminiscent of Les Blank, the legendary documentarian who found himself drawn repeatedly back to Louisiana, for such films as 1978's "Always For Pleasure" (about Mardi Gras), 1973's "Dry Wood" (about Cajun music traditions) and 1973's "Hot Pepper" (about Zydeco king Clifton Chenier).

"'Buckjumping' is totally inspired by 'Always For Pleasure,'" Keber said. "Les Blank is one of my big influences. I think 'Always for Pleasure' is one of the best movies about New Orleans. I wanted to honor these traditions but go deeper than 'Always for Pleasure.' ... With second lines, everybody knows how awesome they are in the street, but I wanted to see how they were put together, what goes into it. I like to think of it as 'Always for Pleasure 2.0.'"

The goal, she said, is to have "Buckjumping" finished in time to make the rounds of the fall film festival circuit. But, while the film -- three years in the making -- is tantalizingly close to being completed (as evident in a viewing of a fine cut of it), there is a list of nagging, technical things she's got to tackle first. "All the boring stuff nobody wants to hear about: color correction, sound mixing, music licensing, paying my editor (Jane Geisler)," she said.

To accomplish that, Keber has started a Kickstarter fundraiser to help raise finishing funds. It ends Wednesday (March 14). As of Wednesday morning (March 7), the project was just more than halfway to its $20,000 goal.

As with most Kickstarter projects, supporters will receive various gifts tied to their donation amount, ranging from a second-line handkerchief featuring the movie's logo to twerking lessons to a night out on the town with Keber.

The biggest reward, though, might be in having a hand in launching "Buckjumping" into the world. If the fundraiser falls short, the film won't likely ever see the light of day.

On the other hand, if it exceeds the goal, all the extra money will be used to take some of the subjects of "Buckjumping" -- which include Mardi Gras Indian Aussetua Amoramenkum, No Limit rapper Mia X, Bounce pioneer DJ Jubilee and Cash Money producer Mannie Fresh -- on the festival circuit with the film as New Orleans ambassadors.

"That was one thing that really surprised me about 'Bayou Maharajah': how difficult it was releasing the film," she said. "It was my first time. You make the thing and you're only half done."

Mike Scott writes about TV and movies. He can be reached at

.

BUCKJUMPING | Trailer from Lily Keber on Vimeo.
The House has approved Sen. Bill Cassidy's bill to ban use of taxpayer money on oil paintings of government officials. The portraits can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

"The national debt is over $20 trillion," said Cassidy, R-La. "There's no excuse for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on paintings of government officials."

ABC News reported in 2013 that the federal government spent almost $400,000 in the previous two years on official portraits. The Congressional Budget Office estimates Cassidy's bill would save less than $500,000 annually, based on fewer than 20 publicly funded portraits per year.

To be sure, however, some oil paintings of government officials are funded by private donors, as with the likeness of former Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-Chackbay. At least three other former members of Congress from Louisiana have had officials portraits made: Lindy Boggs, D-New Orleans, Overton Brooks, D-Shreveport, and Bob Livingston, R-Metairie.

Cassidy began his crusade when he was a member of the House in 2013. He succeeded in banning public money for portraits via annual budget amendments for three years and has since tried to make it a permanent transgression.

The Senate passed his would-be Eliminating Government-funded Oil-painting Act in September. It would outlaw spending tax money on oil paintings for the president, vice president, Cabinet members and members of Congress.

The House approved it in a voice vote Tuesday (March 6), the Washington Examiner reported, meaning there was no roll call. The bill now returns to the Senate to consider what Cassidy called a technical change in the House.

. . . . . . .

Drew Broach covers Jefferson Parish politics and Louisiana interests in Congress, plus other odds and ends, for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: dbroach@nola.com. Facebook: Drew Broach TP. Twitter: drewbroach1. Google+: Drew Broach.
The murder of a pair of friends in St. Tammany Parish stemmed from a carjacking that went awry, authorities said Wednesday (March 7).

Sheriff Randy Smith, during a news conference in Slidell, said Raegan Elizabeth Day and Dustin Hartline were shot to death Feb. 15 in connection with a plan to steal Day's blue 2011 Chevrolet Camaro.

Four people have been booked with first-degree murder in the crime.

Derrion Lemoine, 22, of Lacombe, as well as Jason Landry, 18, Brittney "Beezy" Savell, 25, and Steven "Stevie" Olivieri, 27, all three of Slidell, were each booked on two counts of first-degree murder, the Sheriff's Office said.

The four suspects "had planned this, premeditated this,'' Smith said, adding that they had masks and used guns and force.

"It's a very sad situation and it's unfortunate that two people lost their lives and that four others are facing life in prison over a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro,'' Smith said.

Day and Hartline, both of Pearl River, went missing Feb. 15, prompting a large-scale search by the Sheriff's Office and friends and family. Deputies and divers scoured area waterways, looking for the vehicle and victims, Smith said.

Soon after receiving word from Hartline's and Day's families that the pair, who authorities have said were friends, were missing, investigators knew "there was some foul play expected,'' Smith said.

Day and Hartline had told family they were driving to Kenner and then to Baton Rouge. But when they never made to Kenner the families began to worry.

"We kind of suspected foul play from the first day,'' James Madison, Day's uncle, said Tuesday. "It was just so out of character for both of them (to not let family know where they were). It raised a lot of red flags.''

A tip on Monday led detectives to the East Pearl River Boat Launch on U.S. 90 on Monday where, with the assistance of the Sheriff's Office dive team, they found the Camaro submerged in the murky water with the bodies of Day and Hartline inside, authorities said.

Both victims died of gunshot wounds to the head, St. Tammany Coroner Charles Preston said. He said Day was shot twice, once in the front of the head and once in the back of the head, and Hartline was shot once in the back of the head.

St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Smith said investigators located three weapons during their investigation, including two that they believe to be the murder weapons. Authorities did not specify the type of gun used. They would also not say who fired the guns.

"It's not the ending we had hoped for, but at least now we can bring some closure to the families,'' Smith said.

Smith said Savell, whom he described as an "acquaintance'' of Day, set up a meeting with Day to discuss purchasing her vehicle at a residence on Salmen Avenue in the Slidell area. But in reality, Day and Hartline were actually being lured into a trap, where the four people who have been arrested wore masks and planned to steal the vehicle, Smith said.

Smith said he doesn't know why the accused carjackers dumped the car they had sought in the East Pearl River. Day's body was in the interior of the vehicle; Hartline's body was in the "trunk area,'' Smith said.

Landry and Savell were caught in Waveland, Miss., Monday night with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Task Force and the Waveland Police Department. They were booked into the St. Tammany Parish jail in Covington on Tuesday on two counts each of first-degree murder, authorities said.

Lemoine and Olivieri, meanwhile, had both been jailed in St. Tammany on other charges that came during the investigation and search for the missing people. They too were booked on two counts each of first-degree murder on Tuesday.

Olivieri had been booked March 1 on a charge of manufacture and possession of a bomb, and Lemoine had been booked Monday on a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, the sheriff said.

Because the victims had been in the water for an extended period of time, Preston said the decision was made Monday evening to leave them inside the vehicle when it was pulled from the river. The Camaro and bodies were taken to the Coroner's Office for further investigation and autopsies, he said.

The water is about 30 feet deep where the vehicle was found.

Smith said of the four suspects, only Olivieri has an "extensive rap sheet.'' St. Tammany Clerk of Court records show Olivieri has arrests for simple burglary, aggravated assault, bank fraud and possession of marijuana.

Smith said additional arrests are possible.
Constantly in the car driving to interviews, errands, meetings, after-school activities and more, I encounter dozens upon dozens of intersections each day. These crossings carry little meaning beyond getting me from point A to point B, becoming mere backdrops in my life.

Yet there is significance in the junctions seen between two artists whose pieces currently are on display in the St. Tammany Art Association's Miriam Barranger Gallery. Their colorful works on canvas and paper share commonalities - and differences - that together create harmonious and interesting visuals.

"Intersections" features the artwork of Austin-based painter Meredith Pardue and New Orleans artist Sarah Wiseman. Its exhibition reception will be held during Covington's Second Saturday ArtWalk March 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. A new exhibition of artwork by STAA members will open the same time in the Severson and Williamson Member Galleries.

Each of the pieces by Pardue and Wiseman show an intensity of color, yet there are differences in the way they apply that color. Each is similar in their layering and their extension of the subject matter to edge of the canvas. Yet their subject matters differ. While Pardue's luminous paintings have an inclination toward abstract organic shapes and botanical forms, Wiseman's subject matter tends toward more structural elements.

Discussing their work by phone, each artist elaborated on the idea of intersections in their particular processes and finished pieces.

Pardue in a way intersects random actions of painting with controlled, deliberate mark-making. The result is forms that appear floral or plantlike in structure.

"The canvases are composed of organic forms that derive from those found in nature, but ultimately the paintings are a visual record of an unplanned dialogue between myself and a blank canvas," she said in her artist statement.

"Together the marks and forms create a visual language that reads as something unique to each viewer. I position these forms against a pale ground that at first glance appears to be an expanse of negative space, but is actually a built-up surface that, upon closer inspection, reveals the history of the layers of paint, which are more elevated from the surface of the canvas than the forms themselves. It is neither the form nor the ground that I explore in my work, but the relationship between these two," she added.

Talking from her home studio, Pardue elaborated on how the process of creating the paintings on display is like an intersection.

"The first part of those paintings is the ground, which is actually what you would look at and perceive the positive forms to be," she said. "All the forms that look like shapes in the painting went down first.

"There is this interplay between the background and foreground," she added.

"The background is actually the last thing that went on the canvas. I think it creates this kind of tension, hopefully a positive tension between those two layers of the paintings."

Pardue, born in Monroe, earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Savannah College of Art & Design and her Master of Fine Art at the Parsons School of Design in New York. Following her studies, she travelled extensively across the country., finding and drawing inspiration from the varied regions and coasts of the South, Pacific Northwest, and Northeast.

"I always have kind of looked to nature for the actual aesthetic of the paintings. But I really kind of consider that more of a departure for the compositions. Once I get into the paintings it is a very off-the-cuff, in-the-moment dialogue between myself and the canvas and compositions," Pardue said.

Her paintings are part of several private and notable corporate collections including ExxonMobil Houston Headquarters, J. Crew Corporate Headquarters, The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Oceania Cruise Lines, and more. Her work also has been published in Architectural Digest and Dwell among others.

Wiseman seeks to "examine the intersection that occurs between the objects and spaces we have encountered," she said in her artist statement.

She elaborated during our conversation, calling her work intuitive.

"I think a lot about the ideas of memory or spaces we've been in and how things kind of linger there," she said. "So if I'm in a building and there's a pattern on the floor or a piece of wallpaper or something that just might stay with me and linger," she said.

"In my work I'm kind of taking those different spaces and putting them together. Color works really similarly for me."

Wiseman earned her Bachelor of Fine Art at Central Michigan University and her Master of Fine Art at the University of Alabama. She served a term on STAA's Artists Advisory Board while she taught painting in the Visual Arts Department at Southeastern Louisiana University. She now heads the arts department at the Louis S. McGhee School, a private all-girls school in New Orleans.

Wiseman, who comes from a printmaking background, chooses paper as a material for her artwork because of its flexibility.

"I love that I can cut and manipulate through, that the sewing machine I'm using leaves its own mark. I might rip the paper and show some of the struggle," she said. "Paper is different than canvas. Canvas can hide the making of it. It can be smooth, and paper has a memory similar to how I'm thinking about making the work."

Wiseman's smaller pieces in "Intersections" are done on found patterned wallpaper.

"A lot of those patterns kind of invoke another place that I've been. I've been working with them as kind of a trigger or a prompt," she said.

St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The newest, larger pieces incorporate thread sewn into antique wallpaper and have what Wiseman called a body doesn't hang perfectly square.

"I was thinking about intersections, not just different spaces but also just how they physically kind of intersect each other and become kind of layered," she said.

"They're kind of an intersection between a two-dimensional surface and a three-dimensional sculpture. The thread hangs off of it. The surface kind of bows off the wall."

"Intersections" will remain on display until March 31 at STAA's Art House, 320 N. Columbia St., Covington. Gallery hours are Tuesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.sttammanyartassociation.org.

For more information on Pardue, visit http://meredithpardue.com. For more information on Wiseman, visit http://sarah-wiseman.com/home.html.

Congratulations to Slidell Art League's March Artists of the Month. In the master category, winners included John Paul Duet (photography), Gina Riviere (oil), Kathleen DesHotel (clay pottery) and Matt Monahan (wood carving). In the apprentice category, winners were Debbie Ainsworth (acrylic) and Gwen Losh (watercolor). Their pieces will be displayed at Slidell Memorial Hospital Cancer Center.

St. Tammany Photographic Society members' meeting, March 8 at 7 p.m. at the St. Tammany Art Association's Art House, 320 N. Columbia St., Covington. For more information, visit stphotosociety.org.

Pottery Wheel Throwing Classes with instructor Vanessa Hock, STAA, 320 N. Columbia St., Covington. Thursday class sessions from 6 to 8:30 p.m.: March 8, 15, 22 and 29; April 5, 12, 19 and 26. Saturday class sessions from 9 to 11 a.m.: March 10, 17, 24 and 31; April 7, 14, 21 and 28. Class is limited to six spaces. Cost is $135 or $125 for STAA members. www.sttammanyartassociation.org.

Friday Nites on the Square featuring New Suit, March 9, 5;30 to 8:30 p.m. at Terra Bella Village, Covington. Bring lawn chairs; ice chests not allowed. Food and beverage will be available for purchase. Portions of the proceeds will benefit the TerraBella Institute. www.terrabellavillage.com.

Artist registration is open for Slidell's Arts Evening 2018, April 14 (with a rain date of April 15), from 4 to 9 p.m. in Olde Towne Slidell. Each year more than 100 artists display their work at the annual event filled with art, food, live music, dancing, fine dining, antique and boutique shopping. Fine artists who wish to participate in the event can download the Arts Evening Artist Registration Form from the city's website, www.myslidell.com. The form must be returned no later than March 9. Artists who have not previously participated in Arts Evening should contact the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs for more information. There is no charge for artists to participate. Artists will also have to opportunity to submit digital images for consideration of having their work featured in the Arts Evening 2018 brochure. One artist will also be chosen at the Arts Evening Cover Artist and their work will be featured on the cover of the Arts Evening 2018 brochure, poster and in press releases and other publications. Send submissions to culturalaffairs@cityofslidell.org by March 9. 985.646.4375 or www.myslidell.com.

Spring Concert Season opener featuring Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots, March 10, 6:30 to 9 p.m., Dew Drop Jazz Hall, 420 Lamarque St., Mandeville. The concert will feature home-cooked food for purchase provided by the First Free Mission Baptist Church. Soft drinks, water, beer and wine also will be available for purchase. No outside food or drinks are allowed and lawn chairs can be used outside the hall on the grounds. Admission is $10 per adult. www.dewdropjazzhall.com.

Ballet Apetrei's Grande Echappe, March 10, 7 to 10 p.m., Apetrei Dancenter, 829 Asbury Drive, Suite 2, Mandeville. Tickets are $75 per person and may be purchased at Apetrei Dancenter, or Pineapple Gallery, 829 Asbury Drive, Suite 4, Mandeville. 985.624.3622, balletapetrei.com/wordpress or facebook.com/balletapetrei/.

Slidell Art League monthly members meeting, March 7 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, 1534 7th St., Slidell. Artist of the Month submissions must be registered no later than 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit slidellartleague.org.

A Taste of Art featuring artwork by Molly McGuire aka "Magwire," March 13 to April 14 at Barrel Wine, 69305 Highway 21, Covington. A meet the artist party will take place March 13 from 6 to 9 p.m.

LPO concert featuring 16-time Grammy Award-winning Bela Fleck, March 16, 7:30 p.m., First Baptist Church Covington, 16333 Highway 1085. Jose Luis Gomez conducts the LPO in a concert featuring pieces that incorporate traditional and folk melodies from around the world. Fleck will premiere his Banjo Concerto, newly commissioned by the LPO in celebration of the New Orleans Tricentennial. Tickets are $20 to $55 per person. www.lpomusic.com.

Covington Louisiana Actors Playhouse System (CLAPS) auditions for the 2018 season, March 17 and March 24, Covington High School. CLAPS will perform the musicals Disney's The Lion King Jr., Madagascar, and Honk Jr., as well as Mary Poppins, June 14-30. Performing and technical auditions are open to any high school student in grades 9-12 attending public or private school including students entering the 9th grade. Auditions for Disney's The Lion King Jr. are restricted to current students in grades 6, 7, 8, and 9 only. All performing students who want to audition need to prepare 16 measures of an audition song, and they will be required to give a cold reading. Bring piano music - an accompanist is provided - or accompaniment tracks (accompaniment only; no vocals) to the audition. No a cappella auditions are allowed. A resume is requested, but not required. Technical students are required to bring a resume and will be interviewed. All students need to know their summer schedules in order to determine availability for productions. Rehearsals begin May 7. To schedule an audition, visit www.clapsonline.org.

Covington St. Patrick's Day Parade and Celebration, March 17, noon to 5 p.m. The route begins at the Columbia St. Tap Room, 434 N Columbia St. and ends with a post-celebration block party at Jewel Cigar, 201 N. New Hampshire St., Covington. www.covingtoncelticclub.com.

Congratulations to artist Chuck Wright, who created the poster art for the 2018 Chef Soiree, March 18 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Covington Trailhead. Tickets to the event are $145 per person; raffle tickets are $25 each of 5 for $100. www.chefsoiree.com.

Tickets are on sale for Jazz on the Bayou, March 24 and 25 from 3 to 7 p.m. The annual event at the residence of jazz musician Ronnie Kole and his wife, Garner, benefits Easter Seals Louisiana, STARC, Safe Harbor and Slidell Cultural Arts Society. Tickets are $100 per person. http://jazzonthebayou.com/home/tickets/

Impastato Gallery & Art Therapy's Annual Student Art Show, March 24, 5 to 7 p.m. at the gallery, 1901 Highway 190, Suite 28 (in Chenier), Mandeville. www.impastatogallery.com.

Call to artists, TerraBella Village's "Eats and Arts, April 28 from 5 to 9 p.m. The night will showcase artists and feature live jazz. Artists entry fees are $95 for an indoor space including table, linens and temperature controlled area. Indoor space is limited and is rented on a first come first serve basis. Entry fees are $75 for a 10x10 outdoor space including a table, linens, tent & limited lighting. Fee must be submitted at the time of application in form of a check or cash. Applications must be submitted via mail to TerraBella Institute, Event Coordinator, 111 Terra Bella Blvd, Covington, LA 70433 or via email to laura@terrabellavillage.com by April 3 at 5 p.m.

Painting the Night Watercolor Workshop with internationally recognized master watercolorist Paul Jackson, AWS NWS, April 23-26, Abbey Art Works, St. Joseph Abbey, Covington. Cost is $450; accommodations in the retreat center are available at a rate of $112.50 per night. Contact Jane Brown at 985.373.2305 or janebrown@bellsouth.net.

Sarah Bonnette is a STAA board member and a freelance writer on Louisiana arts and culture. She may be contacted at sgbonnette@gmail.com.
The people of Louisiana should know that when the Zombie apocalypse comes, Baton Rouge offers the best chance of survival in this state, according to an analysis of a report by the federal Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
The world's oldest known message in a bottle has been found on a west Australia beach 132 years after it was tossed overboard from the German sailing barque Paula, ABC reports. A seaman put the gin bottle in the water 590 miles from where it was found.

The message, dated June 12, 1886, was not unique; rather it was one of many dispatched in a 69-year German Naval Observatory research inquiry into ocean currents, the goal being to find faster shipping routes. Thousands of bottles were thrown overboard from German ships, and each contained a form on which was written the date, the ship's coordinates and details of its route.

"On the back, the messages asked the finder to write when and where the bottle had been found and return it, either to the German Naval Observatory in Hamburg or the nearest German Consulate," ABC says. A Perth family found the bottle Jan. 21 in a sand dune near Wedge Island, about 112 miles north of Perth, and turned it over to to the Western Australian Museum.

Read ABC's full story.

. . . . . . .

Drew Broach covers Jefferson Parish politics and Louisiana interests in Congress, plus other odds and ends, for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: dbroach@nola.com. Facebook: Drew Broach TP. Twitter: drewbroach1. Google+: Drew Broach.
The Kenner Police Department is investigating a suspicious fire at Greenlawn Playground that damaged the equipment in the play space.

Visitors to the playground, located at 3323 Arkansas Ave., Kenner, called police Saturday morning (March 3) after they arrived and found the equipment smoldering, said Lt. Brian McGregor, spokesman for the department.

"We don't actually know when the fire occurred," he said.

The fire damaged the rubber matting at the base of the play structure. The stairs and walkways also appear to have burned.

Officials are concerned the fire may have damaged the integrity of the steel poles supporting the play set, according to McGregor. The city will have an expert come out to inspect the playground and determine what it would cost to repair the damage.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The playground has been deemed unsafe and will remain closed for the time being.

In message posted online, the Kenner Parks and Recreation Department said, "We ask that everyone respect the public spaces so that all can enjoy. Keep your eyes open and notify us of anyone not respecting our property."

. . . . . . . .

Anyone with information about the fire at Greenlawn Playground in Kenner is asked to call Crimestoppers at 504.822.1111 or toll-free at 877.903.7867. Tips can be texted to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637); text TELLCS then the crime information. Callers or texters do not have to give their names or testify and can earn a $2,500 reward for information that leads to an indictment.
South Korean media had to rely for much of their coverage of a senior delegation's visit to North Korea on the North's state media because they were not allowed to come along.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency provided plentiful pictures of the meeting of national security adviser Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The South Korean media had no choice but to reprint them and comb through the North Korean reports for nuggets of information until the delegation returned Tuesday afternoon and briefed reporters.

It was the party-run Rodong Sinmun daily that reported in detail about the dinner meeting between Kim and the South Koreans, but it also referred to the North's nuclear weapons as a "sword of justice" protecting the isolated state from U.S. aggression.

Cheong Wa Dae, on the other hand, said when the delegation returned that the North Korean leader "clearly stated the North's willingness for denuclearization."

More confusion was sown by various North Korean propaganda outlets. Uriminzokkiri, the official website of the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, said that joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, which are set to resume, are "evil challenges" against the North that "cannot be accepted."

Yet when the South Koreans returned they said Kim will not protest as long as they "would be of a similar scale seen in previous years."

Meanwhile, the 38 North website at Johns Hopkins University has spotted signs that North Korea is still operating its 5MW reactor at the Yongbyon nuclear power plant.

Analysis of satellite images from Feb. 25 shows a plume of steam emerging from the reactor. In 2008, North Korea invited international media to witness the destruction of the cooling tower, but it resumed operations in April 2013.


Today

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

Tomorrow

Rain and thunderstorms. High 84F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Ruling-party lawmakers were struggling to contain the fallout from a massive scandal surrounding the resignation of South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung over allegations that he raped his secretary.

Both ruling and opposition parties shifted into emergency mode to adjust their campaign strategies ahead of the June 13 local elections to take account of the "Me Too" campaign against sexual harassment.

One political insider said, "The elections will choose more than 4,000 new officials ranging from provincial to municipal government officials. So how can each party scrutinize the past actions of each candidate?"

Each party scrambled to set strict regulations for the nomination of candidates. But skeptics fear that will not be enough to stem fresh revelations.
In January, nearly 1,000 spectators braved the cold and filled the stands at the Lee County Posse Arena for an evening of trucks battling for tug-of-war supremacy.

On Saturday, Florida Tugs will be doing it all over again for the second of its two annual visits to the arena at 17401 Palm Creek Drive starting at 6 p.m.

The event has been put on for about the last 20 years, though this is the first time the second event will be held in March, with hope it will bring in more fans than when they ran the second event in April after many of the snowbirds have left.

Underneath the dirt of the arena is a 160-feet long, 15-feet wide concrete landing strip on which the competitors will battle in two weight classes, 6,750 and 9,000 pounds, in a best two-out-of-three falls matchup.

Unlike what you might expect, there isnt much in the way of spinning tires or the smell of rubber. Those who succeed have a very keen foot on the gas, with finesse being the most likely way to victory.

Once the event is over, the track will be covered again, with the turning over of the dirt proving beneficial for the horses who race there as it makes the track less hard.

This is important. Although there will not be a Cracker Day Rodeo this year because of the damage caused by Hurricane Irma, the Fort Myers PRCA Rodeo is scheduled for March 23 and 24.

The Cracker Day Rodeo was officially cancelled shortly after the first Tug event. Officials hope events like this help raise money to continue to rebuild the arena.

Weigh-in will be at 4 p.m., with the drivers meeting just before the event. Tickets are $15 for adults, with children 10 and under free. The arena will be in charge of the food and parking.

For more information, call 340-4020 or go to the Florida Tugs Facebook page.
The Senate recently announced its two-year budget deal. It contains a healthcare provision that many are touting as a victory for American seniors. The reform aims to close the so-called donut hole coverage gap in the Medicare Part D drug benefit by shifting more of the programs costs to drug companies.

But that provision is a gift to insurers  not to patients. The policy could end up raising costs for seniors on Part D, some of our most vulnerable patients. It must be eliminated from the deal.

First implemented in 2006, Part D allows Medicare seniors to buy subsidized prescription drug coverage from private insurers. Beneficiaries can choose from a variety of different coverage offerings suited to their particular prescription needs. But all plans follow the same structure: After hitting a deductible, patients pay a coinsurance on the price of prescription drugs. If a drug costs $100 a month, and a patients coinsurance is 25 percent, he or she would pay $25.

After total drug spending reaches a specific limit  $3,700 in 2017  patients fall into a coverage gap or donut hole as it has become known. In this phase, seniors generally pay 40 percent of the cost of brand-name drugs. That gap ends once out-of-pocket costs reach a certain level -$4,950 in 2017  after which catastrophic coverage takes over.

The donut hole was always supposed to be temporary. Under current law, the gap gradually phases out so that seniors will be responsible for only 25 percent of a brand-name drugs price in the donut hole starting in 2020. Of the remaining 75 percent, drug manufacturers will cover half, while insurers will pay 25 percent.

Unless the Senates budget deal becomes law. It would change this formula by forcing drug companies to shoulder the full 75 percent of a drugs cost in 2020, letting insurers off the hook entirely.

Its hard to see this change as anything but a giveaway to the insurance industry. One thing is for sure  the new formula wont help seniors afford their drugs. Once fully implemented, the policy will encourage insurance companies to accelerate drug spending for patients with already high costs.

Once a beneficiarys drug spending passes the donut-hole limit, after all, insurers share of the costs will drop to zero. So from the point of view of Part D plan providers, the faster an individuals drug costs rise, the better.

This unintended consequence likely will affect seniors with chronic diseases the most, as their drug costs are already high.

In other words, the Senate just struck a deal that benefits insurance companies at the expense of Americas sickest seniors.

-Sally C. Pipes is President, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy at the Pacific Research Institute. Her next book The False Promise of Single-Payer Health Care will be published by Encounter in March 2018. Follow her on Twitter @sallypipes.
To the editor:

Its not fake news: The Republican Party has consistently worked to stop any change to the Second Amendment. The reason is simple, they have given all their powers of control to the NRA, in exchange for campaign donations. How many more people will have to die to support the GOP? The Republican answer to the latest mass killing is to modify existing laws, so people under 21 cant purchase the so-called war weapons. We will deny an adult of 18 the right to buy a gun or drink beer, but as a society, we train them to kill or die for the country that discriminates against them. These young adults deserve the right to abide by the same laws as any other citizen.

As for Trump, his answer to gun violence is to arm teachers, bringing more guns into play. Instead of asking our educators to accept the responsibility of protecting our children, shouldnt our politicians use some common sense on gun control? These ploys amount to no more than lip service to appease the masses while maintaining their A+ rating with the NRA.

Take your pick of any Republican Townhall meeting  the only consistent theme is to try and avert any responsibility from the GOP or the NRA. Among facts to disregard: President Trump signed a measure into law rescinding an Obama-era rule blocking gun sales to certain mentally ill people. The GOP majority Senate passed this by a 57-43 vote. The only Republican answer is to ignore the problem and hope it will go away.

Being a registered Republican, I am having a hard time dealing with the level this party has sunk to. I never thought the day would come when talk of treason in the Oval Office would be ignored instead of investigated. Republicans were once known for integrity, no one questioned our moral values. If our local, state and national representative do not change their ways and instead continue to enable the total incompetence now controlling the party, its inevitable that Republicans will pay the price in the midterm elections.

Richard Klenovich

Fort Myers
Kim Ji-eun first made the allegations in an explosive TV interview Monday and has now filed a police report against the governor, who resigned Tuesday. Kim's lawyer Jang Yoon-jung said, "The victim wants the case to be investigated fairly."

Police launched an investigation on Tuesday into allegations that South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung raped his secretary.

Kim has accused An of both sexually harassing her and repeatedly raping her on work trips abroad. That could result in charges of abusing his power as a superior.

In such cases the accused can be punished even if there is insufficient evidence of force since more weight is given to the victim's position as dependent on the perpetrator for their livelihood and therefore unable to put up much resistance.

One criminal attorney said, "The defendant can be found guilty in such cases simply on charges of nudging the victim in a suggestive manner."

These charges carry a maximum punishment for five years in prison or a W15 million fine (US$1=W1,078). In comparison, rape charges, which require proving that the accused used force or violence, carry a minimum three-year prison sentence.

Legal experts said An could face several years behind bars either way since he has been accused of raping Kim four times. An has gone to ground since the scandal broke and is communicating only with his closest aides, discussing legal matters.

One official who is close to An said, "The former governor will speak to the public soon. The whole case may escalate into a 'he said, she said' affair."

An admitted to the offenses on Facebook but may yet recant.


Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
The Hollywood-born "Me Too" movement against sexual harassment has had the paradoxical effect that many working women now find themselves isolated in the office as their male colleagues studiously avoid them.

Korea has an ingrained office drinking culture, where all kinds of bullying by superiors goes on amid enforced conviviality. To be on the safe side, men now deliberately exclude women from office gatherings and business trips, leading to an equally unwelcome form of ostracism.

One 29-year-old office worker at a mid-sized company in southern Seoul said, "I feel very uncomfortable at work these days." She said her boss told female staff to go home when he took out the men out drinking.

But the office worker would have liked to bond with her coworkers and felt that opportunity was taken away from her against her will. "I didn't do anything wrong, but I felt like I was being treated like I had," she said.

Another office worker at a shipping company in Seoul said, "I rarely talk with my boss these days. He used to be very chatty with the female staff, but nowadays he only gives instructions by text message." Her boss apparently told other workers that he feared any comments could be misunderstood by female staff. "I feel like I became invisible in my office," she said.
Pyongyang residents are entitled to food rations and other benefits that the rest of the country must go without.

The North Korean regime has incorporated a village more than 150 km from Pyongyang into the capital's administrative zone, apparently so it can provide workers in the missile industry there with perks.

Panghyon-dong was incorporated into Pyongyang on Feb. 10, Radio Free Asia quoted a source as saying Monday.

Missile research and development centers and missile parts production plants are all concentrated in the village, which is off-limits to outsiders.

"Most workers in Panghyon-dong used to live in Pyongyang before," another source said. "Anybody with a Pyongyang citizen card is provided with various perks, including food rations and permission to travel across the North without a travel pass, except for the border regions."

The population of Pyongyang is estimated to be around 2.5 to 3 million.


Electric taxi sales receive tax boost

From:ChinaDaily | 2018-03-07 01:40

The Chinese-owned producer of Londons black taxis has received a boost after the United Kingdom announced it was bringing forward tax breaks for the companys new electric taxi.

The exemption, worth 1,550 pounds per vehicle, is expected to encourage more drivers to exchange their petrol- or diesel-powered taxis for the zero-emission-capable TX taxi.

There are 21,000 black cabs in operation in London and thousands elsewhere in the UK; many of them have been in use for several years.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond said: Were backing Britains black cab drivers to go green. This is a victory for the environment and new technologies, which I am determined to support as we build an economy fit for the future. Ensuring the air in our bustling towns and cities is free from pollution is part of our quest to become the first government to leave the environment in a better state than we found it.

The tax break was not set to begin until April 2019 and was meant to correct an error that treated taxis in the same way for tax purposes as luxury cars.

The TX, which is made by Geely-owned LEVC in Coventry, is a plug-in hybrid with a petrol-powered backup engine. Each new taxi that replaces an older vehicle could save 7.7 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, the treasury said.

Eighteen vehicles have been delivered to London drivers so far and around 20 more will enter service each week until April. Already the company has taken orders for 600 taxis, with half going to the UK and half to the Netherlands.

LEVC says it will compensate any drivers who have already paid the tax.

Chris Gubbey, CEO of LEVC, said he was delighted the treasury had brought forward the previously announced changes to the Vehicle Excise Duty in relation to green taxis.

These measures will encourage more cabbies to switch to zero emissions transport sooner  meaning improved air quality across the UK, he said.

Taxi drivers welcomed the move. Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, told the Guardian: The government has finally listened to us, and cabbies now wont be paying the luxury car tax. It was stopping the trade from switching to the cleaner, greener taxi, and this decision will save cabbies 1,500 pounds, helping us lead the charge in cleaning up Londons polluted air.
Barclays bank Uganda says it has already started implementing the new accounting standards that all commercial banks across Africa are required to adopt before the end of this year.

The International Financial Reporting Standards 9 (IFRS 9) requires that all commercial banks put aside money to cater for expected losses from the loans that they give out. This would mean that commercial banks require more money at hand if they are to give out loans or expected credit loss (ECL) provisioning.

Rakesh Jah, Barclays Uganda CEO said: We have been conservative when it comes to provisions. We dont see new accounting standards impact us.

In January, BOU Governor Tumusiime-Mutebile told a Uganda bankers association dinner that most commercial banks in the country were at varying stages of preparedness with regard to putting in place the requisite IFRS 9 governance frameworks, policies, procedures and information system capabilities.

The new standards were approved by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) in 2014 and banks must implement them this year.

With this new standard, banks are expected to be more critical on whom they give credit to and the cost of credit is also forecast to move up a little, according industry watchers.

Meanwhile, Barclays Africa group also announced it had started using the name Absa Group Limited as its new brand after its parent firm Barclays PLC sold its majority stake in the group.

It said it would trade as Absa across its operations currently branded Barclays in Africa.

The changes for the rest of the subsidiaries outside South Africa will have to be approved by shareholders and regulators and will be implemented in phased manner.

Maria Ramos, the group CEO, said: We will be Absa, not as you know it, but re-launched, represented, and with an identity fit for the new forward-looking approvals.

Barclays Uganda will also have to change its identity to Absa. The bank has up to June 2020 to have changed all its brands from Barclays to Absa. Barclays PLC has reduced its stake from 62.2% in the Africa group to 14%, making it one of the minority shareholders in the lender.

amwesigwa@observer.ug
Parents of Bridge International Academies in Uganda have expressed concern towards the on-going closure of the schools 63 branches countrywide over licence issues, a move they deem discriminatory.

The parents who braved the heavy morning downpour on Sunday morning at the schools branch in Nansana-Nsumbi to attend a parents teachers association (PTA) meeting, also want the minister of Education and Sports, First Lady Janet Museveni, to give them audience so as to air out their views on the on-going closure.

Parents protesting against the closure of the Bridge Schools

John Mary Nyanzi, the PTA national chairperson said they were in pain because their children had been sent away from schools after they had paid school fees.

We are not against the ministrys directive to close the schools but they should involve us as parents in such processes and also listen to our views, Nyanzi said.

On February 15, government ordered that all schools should adhere to the existing standard operating procedures, which should be fulfilled by the management teams of both government aided and private schools, else they would be closed.

Education minister Janet later specifically warned the Bridge Schools against operating without licences. The schools country director Morrison Rwakakamba subsequently said that all documents required by the ministry for issuance of a licence were handed in by January 2017.

Ministry of Education permanent secretary Alex Kakooza in a statement admitted receiving the files and that the ministry had not yet verified them.

He also indicated that the management of Bridge Schools was submitting documents for all the schools as a single file yet each school is supposed to meet its own criteria.

The schools have over 15,000 pupils in their 63 countrywide branches out of which several have been closed so far. Noeline Nassazi, the secretary of the PTA said that government seems to be targeting only Bridge Schools since many others with far worse conditions still remain operational and authorities are giving them licenses.

Nassazi was also weary of the changing government rhetoric on why the schools are being shut. Government earlier said the schools were not teaching the Ugandan curriculum. Government also accused the Bridge Schools of 'teaching homosexuality' to Ugandan children.

They used to say we use a different curriculum but our students sat for UNEB exams and passed them. If these schools dont follow the Uganda curriculum, why is it that the student passed the exams, Nassazi said.

Universal Primary Education

Ministry officials have since last year asked the parents of Bridge Schools to take their children to other alternatives including the government funded Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools.

However, the parents said that very many UPE schools are in dilapidated states, offer poor quality education and have less motivated teachers.

A teacher attends to learners at Bridge International Academy, Katooke

They are sending us to UPE schools but none of them has any child in those schools because they know they are not good. We need a clear reason from the ministry as to why exactly they are closing certain schools, Nassazi said.

A highly placed source in ministry of Education who declined to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media told The Observer that Bridge administrators are just trying to gather sympathy through the press instead of addressing the issues we told them as if they are the only ones being closed.

On the accusations of selective closure, the source said that it is possible to close a particular school today and it opens the following day.

Bridge is in the limelight unlike other schools that we close and then they open up after we leave. I must admit the ministry doesnt have the capacity to follow up on all those schools we have closed and see if they are still closed, the source said.

When asked whether the Bridge Schools could be a threat to the governments UPE programme since they are cheap and provide better education, the source said it is highly possible that parents can easily abandon UPE but refused to delve into details of how and why.

kamogajonathan50@gmail.com
Parliaments Appointments Committee is set to vet the newly appointed Security minister Gen Elly Tumwiine, inspector general of police (IGP) Martin Okoth Ochola and his deputy Brig. Sabiiti Muzeyi today.

President Museveni sacked Security minister Lt. Gen Henry Tumukunde and IGP Kale Kayihura last weekend via social media, replacing them with Gen Tumwine and Ochola respectively.

Gen Elly Tumwiine was appointed Security minister

Museveni gave no reasons for their sacking but during their reign, the country witnessed an unprecedented spate of criminality in the country with murders, kidnaps, armed robberies especially in Wakiso, Masaka, Gulu and Mukono rising.

Ochola has been serving as Kayihuras deputy while Muzeyi was the Military Police commander. Tumwiine, a bush war hero, fired the first bullet that kickstarted Museveni's NRA war in 1981. Museveni captured power in 1986.

According to a letter signed by the clerk to parliament Jane Lubowa Kibirige dated March 6, addressed to the members on the Appointments Committee, the speaker of parliament received a communication from the president recommending the appointment of the trio as minister, IGP and deputy IGP respectively.

The purpose of this letter is to invite you for a meeting to interact and consider the approval of the presidential nominees. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 7th march, 2018, the letter to the committee members read.

Rule 164(1) of rules of procedure of the parliament of Uganda states that the committee on Appointments shall be responsible for approving on behalf of parliament, the appointment of persons nominated for appointment by the president under the Constitution or any other appointment required to be approved by parliament under any law.

namuloki16@gmail.com
The appointment of Sam Mwandha as executive director of Uganda Wildlife Authority has caused a rift in the political leadership of the Ministry of Tourism with minister Ephraim Kamuntu and minister of state Godfrey Kiwanda not seeing eye to eye on the decision.

While Kamuntu decided to appoint the candidate who reportedly performed best in the interviews conducted by the Public Service Commission, Kiwanda preferred that outgoing Dr Andrew Seguya, who came third, retain his job.

Sam Mwandha, executive director of Uganda Wildlife Authority

At the centre of the disagreement is the realisation that Mwandha, who takes office effective March 1, was seven years ago sacked by the same organisation and faced the prospect of legal action being taken against him.

However, Mwandha came into the UWA top management frame again after he beat off six candidates, including Seguya, Sam Mugasi (Naads executive director), Gladys Kalema of the NGO Conservation Through Public Health and Sam Werikhe, a former UWA employee.

Others are, Nature Ugandas Achilles Byaruhanga and Daniel Aleper, a former UWA employee. Late in January, the candidates were subjected to three sets of interviews by the Public Service Commission  two written and one oral, out of which Seguya, Mwandha and Byaruhanga were shortlisted.

Kiwanda, whose docket is wildlife and conservation, is said to have taken exception to the decision of his senior Kamuntu to advertise the job whereas he felt Seguya had performed relatively well and deserved an automatic contract renewal.

The UWA board of trustees had also reportedly advised minister Kamuntu to renew Seguya's contract. According to Kiwanda, under Seguya's reign since 2011, the number of visitors to national parks has grown from 207,994 to 245,725 while revenue collections rose from Shs 20 billion in 2011 to more than Shs 70billion in 2016.

I advised the minister to renew Seguyas contract. I even met all the board members and gave them my position [because] I am directly responsible for this sector, Kiwanda told The Observer on February 19.

Seguya moved from Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) in 2011, to head UWA as caretaker following the interdiction of Moses Mapesa.

FORENSIC AUDIT

Mapesa was fired along with Mwandha, Joseph Tibaijuka and Olive Kyampire for alleged mismanagement of funds meant for the Friend-a-Gorilla campaign in 2010.

According to a September 2010 forensic audit report of UWA by Ernst & Young, Mwandha, who was at the time the director of conservation, was found to be culpable in the questionable payments to Saatchi & Saatchi, a PR firm contracted to publicise the Friend-a-Gorilla campaign.

In an October 18, 2010 letter firing Mwandha, UWA chairman Dr Muballe Boysier Oumar wrote:

At the board of trustees meeting held on 15th October 2010, it was resolved that your services with UWA are no longer required with immediate effect. As per the human resource manual you are entitled to three months salary in lieu of notice. This termination is not a bar to legal action UWA may institute against you...

Kiwanda is said to have raised this situation with Kamuntu but the senior minister reportedly told his junior that Mwandha had explained himself. Kamuntu told The Observer on February 19 that he had appointed a competent individual.

The process which interviewed and recommended the names to me looked into all those issues and found the three candidates competent enough to head UWA in the position of executive director, Kamuntu said.

My role was simply to appoint any of the three recommended to me, therefore, I did not act outside the law, he added.

However, Seguya himself has not been a stranger to controversy during his time in charge.

On May 2, 2017, President Museveni wrote to the Inspector General of Government (IGG), asking Justice Irene Mulyagonja to investigate "wrongdoing in the Uganda Wildlife Authority."

The president listed eight issues that he said ought to be investigated, including an allegation that Seguya had authorised the export of high value pangolin scales contrary to international conservation norms.

Museveni also made reference to the alleged theft of 1,300kgs of impounded ivory worth Shs 3bn from UWA stores, which in 2014 led to the suspension of Seguya pending investigations. He was later cleared.

It is, therefore, suspected that Kamuntu was acting under pressure from State House when advertising Seguya's job and going ahead to offer it to Mwandha even when Seguya was among the three shortlisted candidates.

sadabkk@observer.ug
Parliament's Appointments Committee chaired by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has approved the newly appointed Security minister Elly Tumwiine and the police chiefs, Martin Okoth Ochola and Brigadier Sabiiti Muzeyi.



The three where on Sunday appointed by President Yoweri Museveni in a security sector reshuffle that saw the sacking of the longest serving inspector general of police Kale Kayihura and Security minister, Lieutenant-General Henry Tumukunde.

Okoth Ochola (L) arrives at parliament for vetting as inspector general of police

URN has this afternoon learnt from sources sitting on the Appointments Committee that MPs agreed to approve the three following their appearance earlier today.



According to sources, the incoming IGP Ochola was tasked to explain the mess in the police force in which he has been serving as Gen Kayihura's deputy.



URN learnt that the MPs cited the issue of deployment of crime preventers and other individuals not known to be part of the police force in operations. Police has in the past been accused of working with stick-welding men in operations within the capital city.



The source says that Ochola, a career police officer with 30 years' experience, blamed the disorder on the outgoing IGP Kayihura whom he said was not respecting structures and building a personal force. He reportedly promised the committee to work with the top management in the institution to ensure that they clean the police image.



Meanwhile, URN has also learnt from sources that the incoming Security minister, Tumwiine did not face a hard time convincing legislators that he's the right man to head one of the most sensitive ministries in Uganda. Tumwiine has continuously represented the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) in the Ugandan parliament since 1986.



Brigadier Sabiiti Muzeyi who has been commanding the Military Police was asked about militarisation of the Police Force given that he is coming from a military background. The MPs also reportedly asked Sabiiti how he is going to lead the Police Force whose mandate is different from that of military.



Sabiiti reportedly told the committee that he was going to be working with his boss IGP Ochola and also learn more about the police operations. Ochola's approval brings a career police officer at the helm of the force for the first time in almost 17 years.

The last career officer to be IGP was John Kisembo who was replaced by Gen Katumba Wamala in April 2001. Katumba was replaced in November 2005 by Kayihura who is due to hand over to Ochola.



Clad in a navy blue suit, Muzeyi spent close to one and a half hours in the VIP room at parliament as the committee interacted with Tumwiine and Ochola. He was finally led into the committee room by security as journalists struggled to take his picture.



Muzeyi spent about 40 minutes in the committee room before he stepped out and spoke to journalists. Looking calm and composed, Muzeyi told journalists he was ready for the job. He declined to comment on the vetting process, saying he will organise a separate day to speak to journalists.



He also declined to comment about his plans for the police and only promised to get back to journalists. Parliamentary security whisked off Muzeyi before journalists could press more questions.
Syria defends military operation against rebels in Eastern Ghouta

From:Xinhua | 2018-03-07 05:17

Video PlayerClose

DAMASCUS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army is carrying out operations against the rebels in the capital Damascus Eastern Ghouta countryside as part of its duty to fight terrorism in accordance with the international law, said a statement on Tuesday.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that all measures have been undertaken to ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with the Russian-backed daily humanitarian pause that was implemented following the adoption of the UN Security Resolution 2401, which was endorsed on Feb. 24 and called for a 30-day-long humanitarian ceasefire.

The UN resolution urged for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Syria to give a space for the humanitarian activity to take place and save tens of thousands of civilians.

The resolution, however, excluded the military operations against the terror-designated groups in Syria such as the Islamic State (IS) and the al-Qaida-linked Levant Liberation Committee, otherwise known as the Nusra Front.

The ministry welcomed the exclusion of the terror-labeled groups, saying the army is fighting those groups in Eastern Ghouta while observing the Russian-backed five-hour-long daily humanitarian pause to give the civilians time to leave through a humanitarian corridor in the Wafidin area northeast of Damascus.

Russian media outlets said 13 women and children evacuated Eastern Ghouta through the humanitarian corridor on Monday night. Local media reports also said that two children left Eastern Ghouta a couple of days ago.

The ministry said the Syrian helicopters are drop leaflets over Eastern Ghouta areas on daily basis to inform the civilians of the safe routes to take to leave the rebel-held areas.

It charged, however, that the terror groups are preventing the civilians from leaving by targeting the humanitarian corridor with mortar shells.

Regarding the rebels' claims that the Syrian army is using chemical weapons in the attacks on Eastern Ghouta, the ministry said the backers of the rebels have launched "fake and misleading media campaign as well as rumors about the alleged use of chemical weapons."

Meanwhile, the ministry urged the UN to put pressure on the countries that are backing the rebels to abide by the resolution 2401 and to curb the rebels' shelling of residential areas in Damascus.

Earlier in the day, state news agency SANA said the Syrian army fully captured the town of Muhamadiyeh in Eastern Ghouta, the latest in a series of victories the Syrian army achieved in the war on the rebel groups in that sprawling area.

Capturing the town has enabled the Syrian army to cut off supply routes and communication between the rebels in Eastern Ghouta, said SANA, adding that the rebels in that area are suffering chaos and collapse.

In tandem with the military operations in Eastern Ghouta, the army is securing the humanitarian corridor between the Wafidin area and Eastern Ghouta to allow civilians to leave toward government-run shelters.

The achievement is the latest in a series of successful military operations that have enabled the Syrian army to capture 40 percent of Eastern Ghouta since the military operation started late last month.

A day earlier, a humanitarian convoy of 46 truckloads of aid entered Eastern Ghouta, the first aid to reach that rebel-held area in that region since the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to achieve a 30-day-long humanitarian pause on Feb. 24.

However, the International Committee of the Red Cross said not all of the aid was unloaded in Douma in Eastern Ghouta due to the "security situation" in that area, with activists reporting shelling on the area which pushed aid workers to leave.

Eastern Ghouta has grabbed headlines recently amid a government resolve to recapture that sprawling area while at the same time allowing civilians to leave as around 400,000 people still live in that rebel-held enclave.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the ongoing military operation in Eastern Ghouta has killed 800 people.
Dear Afande Muhammad Kirumira, we appreciate your work in curbing criminal activities in parts of Buyende, Wakiso and Kampala.

The strategies you applied remain admirable. Like any other human beings, challenges come to you but how you handle and overcome them matters.

You might be passing through a lot but the means you use to express them is unprofessional, unethical and diminishes the organization you are working for.

You clearly know that Uganda Police Force has a code of conduct and procedures which you have failed to follow.

If a senior officer like you is not following the law and the code of conduct of your organization, which image are you showing to the junior officers?

Even though you say they are just concocting cases against you, who will believe you when you physically shout in the police court and disrespect your superiors?

Afande Kirumira, cool down, listen to your soul first and think about the young officers and the public who are following you.

These things can be handled diplomatically.

David Serumaga,

serumagadavid916@gmail.com

We need gender parity in access to resources



As Uganda joins the rest of the world to celebrate the 2018 international Womens day under the theme press for progress, there is a strong call-to-action to press forward to gender inclusiveness in access to factors of agricultural production.

Agriculture can be an important engine of growth and poverty reduction. But the sector is underperforming in Uganda in part because women face constraints that reduce their productivity.

Although more women (82 percent) than men (66 percent) are engaged in agricultural production, they control less than 20 percent of the outputs.

Usually men dominate ownership and control of land, the primary factor of agricultural production. Commonly, women have indirect access to land in terms of use rights acquired through kinship relationships and their status as wives, mothers, sisters, or daughters.

Only about 25 percent females have individual owner rights over land parcel holdings compared to their male counterparts who stand at 32 per cent.

It should be noted that the agricultural sector strategic plan intends to promote commercialization of prioritised agricultural commodities, especially among smallholder farmers given that most of them (about 69 percent) are still stuck in subsistence production.

However, this plan might not see the light of day without addressing gender disparity in access to land. Women need to have secure land tenure so they can invest in sustainable agriculture production without fear of being cheated or evicted.

Further, there is gender disparity in access to credit in favour of men. The percentage of females who seek and obtain credit for agricultural purposes (11.5 percent) is much smaller than that of their male counterparts (15.3 percent).

Therefore, there is a strong call-to-action to increase credit availability and affordability to all Ugandans but more so for women. This will help to relax the cash constraint that frequently impedes investment in agricultural productivity-enhancing technologies.

Although access to extension services is generally still limited, it is lowest among females. Increasing access to extension overall but more so for women is bound to lead to increased adoption of improved technologies in agriculture.

Currently, disproportionately fewer women than men access and use seeds of improved crop varieties, fertilisers, herbicides, and pesticides, among other recommended technologies for sustainable agriculture.

Thus, attaining gender parity in access to factors of agricultural production remains of paramount importance and is expected to ensure that women benefit from their labour and enhance their contribution towards inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction.



Mildred Barungi,

The author is a research fellow at Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC).

Govts takeover of railway welcome



In 2005, the Rift Valley Railways Consortium (RVRC) from South Africa was awarded a concession to manage Uganda Railways Corporation for 25 years.

RVRs contract was, however, terminated recently by government, citing breach of contract and causing financial loss of over Shs 2.4 trillion. Management was reverted to Uganda Railways Corporation.

I feel this was the right move by government and Ugandans are set to benefit. First, I am sure URC will help revamp passenger trains to help reduce on the hustle for taxis in the city centre especially during peak hours.

URCs takeover also comes with employment opportunities for our own graduates.



Micheal Woira,

michaelwoira@gmail.com.



Fix Dadamu bridge of Arua



I would like to register my sincere anger towards the local authorities of Dadamu sub-county in Arua district.

I recently took a short route to Arua town via Dadamu sub-county and what I saw was disastrous. Local authorities here have continuously failed to repair the only bridge along River Osu that connects the sub-county to the rest of the town.

The bridge is in a despicable state, yet many people use this route. There is a part that is still operational but it will soon fall off due to the too much pressure.



Desmond Kenyi,

Arua.



Disband ineffective environment bodies



All environment-related authorities such as Nema and National Forestry Authority have been given enough time and have completely failed to deliver.

Therefore, I request MPs that as they debate the National Environment Bill, 2017, they should repeal all those authorities and leave all powers regarding environmental protection to the public, ministry of Water and Environment and the local government authorities.

Inject all money formerly used by those authorities into the responsible ministry and local governments for easy monitoring.

Yoram Banyenzaki,

gpfoguganda@gmail.com.



letters@observer.ug
When a road accident happened near Lyantonde town recently, a helicopter arrived just in time to evacuate the injured to hospital in Kampala.

Apparently, one of the people travelling in a Land Cruiser that smashed a tractor was a former high-ranking official in the ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs.

After cabinet minister Simon Lokodo collapsed while on duty in Kalangala district last week, a helicopter was again at hand to evacuate him to Kampala for treatment.

No one can begrudge these two officials because the main reason detre for any government is to guard its peoples lives and property. In fact, a government that fails that test loses the justification for its continued existence.

However, this principle works best when its equitable. According to several reports, after he was knocked by a runaway boda boda in Nakawa on Thursday last week, veteran journalist and former intelligence operative Teddy Ssezi Cheeye was carried to a nearby petrol station where he stayed for at least an hour waiting for an ambulance. By the time he was taken to hospital, it was too late to save his life.

Yet despite serving time in prison, Cheeye was not an ordinary Ugandan, having been a prominent journalist and a former director in the Internal Security Organisation (ISO).

Therefore, if privileges like those extended to the helicopter evacuees were more widely shared by the countrys elite, Cheeye would have benefited through a quickly dispatched military or police ambulance.

Still, it wouldnt have rendered the system any fairer if he had been granted VIP treatment like his two former colleagues in government. The vast majority of Ugandans have never  and might never  experienced the government actively come to their rescue in their hour of need.

Civilised countries are those with governments that do these things for their people regardless of social status.

The same amount of effort that goes into evacuating ministers and other high-ranking officials when in trouble should be extended to ordinary people when they get accidents or suffer other emergencies.

Its understandable that helicopters cant be available for everyone but, surely, ambulances should be a basic service in any serious country.
The symbolism of President Museveni ordering former Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura to clean his house and the sight of a woman walking past Naguru police barracks holding her nose to ward off the stench couldnt have been more apt.

Uganda Police, under Gen Kayihura, went off the rails and, strange as it sounds, the majority of the men and women supposed to ensure law and order appeared clueless about their jobs.

They were left to their own devices. Some took blackmail and extortion as an evening pastime. Others lent out guns to criminal gangs. It is under Kayihura that we saw the emergence of the kibooko squad beating up opposition supporters.

One time police leadership denied their existence, even when they clobbered ordinary citizens in broad daylight. Later, they were baptized peace-loving volunteers. A few unlucky ones, together with some police officers under whose command they fell, were arrested and charged before the polices professional standards unit for unfathomable offences.

As intriguing as it appears, Kayihura formed another near-militia group, the crime preventers, ostensibly to detect and prevent crime in communities.

Although a lot of money was spent on training them in arms handling and less in intelligence gathering, their legal status remained suspect. They were not known in law but police insisted on calling them community policing agents.

Later, in the Amama Mbabazi v Yoweri Museveni election petition case (2016), the Supreme court confirmed them as part of community policing.

But their work came to an abrupt halt as soon as the 2016 presidential elections were concluded. And then people who were supposed to prevent crime became heavily involved in brutalizing Ugandans and stealing their property.

So, since he was appointed to command the national police, Kayihura had little faith in forces and preferred to work with informal groups such as Boda Boda 2010. This outfit rained terror on opposition supporters and boda boda riders who failed to fall in line.

The group was commanded by the Abdallah Kitatta, whose notoriety is well remembered when he organized goons to block the trial of Gen Kayihura at Makindye Magistrates court. Indeed, the trial was frustrated, and the thugs were never arrested nor reprimanded.

It took the courage of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and Military Police to weed out the untouchables in the police force. Even when the Internal Affairs minister, Gen Jeje Odongo, advised him to rescue the image of police, Kayihura appeared not to notice any dirt in the force. He insisted mistakes were not unique to the police force.

Kayihura unceremoniously leaves the force with so many unresolved murder cases including high-profile ones.

There are the mysterious murders of women in Entebbe and Nansana, the killing of Muslim clerics, the death of the former police spokesman Andrew Felix Kaweesi, the murder of prosecutor Joan Kagezi, not to mention the botched-up kidnap and subsequent death of Susan Magara, among others.

African sages say the day when a monkey is to die, all tree branches become slippery. For Kayihura, he lost grip of the branches the moment outsiders started cleaning up his house. And the fall has really been hard.

There are lessons to learn from Kayihuras fall. One, the moment the president gives you a job and starts praising and defending you as an impeccable person, just know he has given you a rope to hang yourself.

It happened to former prime minister Amama Mbabazi who he once described as Mr Clean who does not womanise and drink. But Mr Clean could not be trusted with the NRM secretariat!

Two, Kayihura chose not to do a police job and concentrated on political work, which naturally put him on collision course with many people including the man he was working for.

Three, it is important to learn to be humble and to tame our ambitions. And this is the advice retired army commander, Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, once gave to an errant police officer who was battering opposition supporters.

Tomorrow you may find yourself out of that uniform. You had better work for a situation out there so that when you are out of uniform, you are safe where you will be. Use your head, my friend, Muntu told the officer.

It appears Kayihura failed to pick cue from his fellow general. If he had endeavored to work within the constitution, and not for the interests of an individual, perhaps his fall would not have been as loud.

The president has been clear that he has no personal friends, only colleagues who share beliefs. Cleary, Kayihuras belief had started to conflict with the visionarys.

A cursory view of what is trending on social media is not favourable to the general. I am sure Kayihura thinks he has been unfairly criticized yet he worked so hard. But he leaves a tattered police image. For lack of a better word, it is a near-rogue police force!

The author is the business development director at The Observer Media Limited.
Russian senator Valentina Petrenkos political career stretches back to the days of the former Soviet Union, and shes since held various senior official jobs, but the thing she is most known for is her hair. Already the subject of countless memes on Russian social media, Petrenkos glorious hairdo recently went viral internationally, and people just cant stop talking about it.

Speculation regarding Valentina Petrenkos bizarre hairstyle has been running rampant on Twitter ever since Alex Bruce-Smith, an associate news editor at Pedestrian Daily, shared some photos of the Russian senator representing the Republic of Khakassia. Theres just so much people want to know about her hair. Is it real or a wig? How does she make it stay up like that? Is that where all the Russian top-secret information is hidden? Unfortunately, all anyone can do at this point is speculate, as the Russian politician doesnt seem very eager to talk about it.

Photo: The Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Im so tired of answering these questions, she told the Echo of Moscow in a 2015 interview. I just have curly hair. I lift it upwards with some hair pins, that is all.



Thats a really vague way to explain such a glorious, seemingly perfect hairstyle. How many hairpins to you need to achieve this result, and why cant we see any of them? There must be more to this mystery than meets the eye, and the Twittersphere is dying to unravel it. If only we knew who does her hair we could send in a SEALs team and hopefully find out more.



As for why Petrenko has been sporting this same unique hairdo for as long as anyone can remember, well, thats a mystery too. It might have something to do with the message she wants to send about herself.



By constructing back-combed masterpieces on their heads and by wearing square suits, [political] women tend to look less feminine, or maybe less vulnerable, Russian ballerina Anastasia Volochkova told The Daily Beast, a few years ago.
An Argentinian man has been making news headlines all over South America for experiencing a bizarre paranormal phenomenon. A hitchhiker he picked up from the side of the road allegedly disappeared from the front passenger seat of his truck, leaving behind only a burnt smell and melted shoe marks in the rubber car mats.

Pedro Peirone, from the town of San Jose de la Esquina, in Santa Fe, was driving home on February 26th, when he saw a young man hitchhiking on the side of the road. As he often did on his business trips around the province, Peirone pulled over and offered to give the boy a ride. Although the hitchhiker was a bit shy and reserved, Pedro says he seemed to be a regular teen the likes of which he often picked up. But while he can hardly remember the faces of most of the people he given rides to throughout the years, the memory of this particular boy will probably stay with him for the rest of his life.

Photo: video screengrab

Looking back on the events that transpired that day, Pedro Peirone wishes he had learned more about his mysterious passenger. All he was able to get out of him was that he came from the neighboring town of Arteaga and that he was 17-years-old. When asked if he was going all the way to San Jose de la Esquina, the boy said no, adding that he will let Peirone know where hed like to get out.

Finally, he asked me to drop him off at the junction with the road leading to the cemetery, and, as soon as I got there, I sensed an awful burning smell, Pedro Peirone told reporters. I stopped to see if something had caught fire, got out to check the back of the truck, and as soon as I turned around, I noticed there was no one inside.

The startled driver went to check the front passenger seat more thoroughly, but all he found was two footprints melted into the rubber car mat and that lingering burnt smell. He looked around to see if the boy had just ran out faster than he could spot him, but there was no sign of him anywhere and no other footprints. Some friends of Pedro happened to drive by moments later and helped him look for the hitchhiker for a while, but they couldnt find anything.

Photo: video screengrab

Unable to explain what had happened, Pedro Peirone went to the police and told them the whole story. Word of his experience spread around San Jose de la Esquina, and soon the man was contacted by dozens of TV and radio stations for interviews. He even took some of the reporters to the place where the hitchhiker allegedly vanished from his truck, and showed them the burnt shoe prints melted into the car mats.

The media did a little digging on Peirone as well, to find out if he was the ind of man who would make up such an unusual story, but everyone they talked to described him as an upstanding member of the community, a hard-working man and a good Catholic.

Peirone himself admitted that he had always put his faith in the Blessed Virgin Mary, and never really believed in paranormal activity and unexplained mysteries, but that the bizarre occurrence he experienced last month has left him a bit confused.



Im a little stressed, nervous. Im not afraid, but I just cannot explain what happened, the man said in an interview.
Kreps DeMaria Public Relations & Marketing has acquired Miami-based digital strategy consultancy BTW Agency.

Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced.

BTW was founded in 2015 by partners Jordan Howard and Allan Yacaman. The digital strategy agency, whose offices had been entirely virtual, specialized in marketing, social media consulting, native advertising and creative services.

KD has launched a new digital division in light of the acquisition, titled KD Digital, which will focus on image development and lead generation while complementing the agency's in-house social media division, KD Social, and its graphic design unit, KD Creative. Capabilities will also include website development, digital content creation and SEO services. Howard and Yacaman will lead that operation.

With the fragmentation of media and hence, the PR business, we think its critical to serve clients with a one-stop shop approach to service all of their public relations and marketing needs, KD president Sissy DeMaria-Koehne told ODwyers.

Koehne told ODwyers that the agency is additionally unveiling a new influencer marketing division, titled KD Lifestyle.

It is not just the digital side of the business that is evolving, but today experiential event marketing is a key component of the PR matrix, DeMaria-Koehne told ODwyers. Todays celebrities are social media stars, not Oscar contenders."

Coral Gables, FL-based Kreps DeMaria maintains a second office in New York.
A group of Congressmen has written to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, arguing that Arab TV satellite company Al Jazeera  established and funded by the Government of Qatar  should be required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The Justice Dept. last August required RTTV America, which is funded by Russia, to file under FARA.

The letter quotes Qatars US ambassador calling AJ one of Qatars most valuable political and diplomatic tools, and an outlet used as a chip to shape Qatars relations with other governments.

The Congressmen are troubled that AJs content undermines American interests with favorable coverage of US State Dept.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations, including Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaedas branch in Syria.

They told Sessions that AJs record of radical anti-American, anti-Semitic and anti-Israel broadcasts warrants scrutiny from regulators to determine whether this network is in violation of US law.

American citizens deserve to know whether the information and news media they consume is impartial, or if it is deceptive propaganda pushed by foreign nations.

New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D) and New Yorks Lee Zeldin (R) organized the letter signed by 16 other Congressmen and Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R).

AJ has a TV presence in US DC, New York, Chicago, Miami and Los Angeles. Its broadcasts are accessible on social media.

Its PR unit has not yet commented on the FARA letter.
19,653 new COVID cases in Kerala after 1.13L tests on Sunday

With this, the number of active COVID cases in the state fell to 1,73,631. Of the new cases, 18,657 contracted the virus through contact while 105 came from outside the state.
Thanks, Procter & Gamble.

Shares of WPP, Interpublic and Omnicom, tumbled today following P&G brand chief Marc Pritchards vow to take back control of marketing from agencies in order to save $2B in spending.

His May 6 speech at a London ad conference begs the question, Why did P&G give up control in the first place?

The P&G executive admitted that the consumer products giant had been clueless about getting the biggest bang for its marketing dollar.

How on earth could P&G have allowed its agency roster to swell to 6,000 members? Thats a recipe for waste.

Pritchard told the Financial Times the Cincinnati-headquartered company has trimmed that bloat to 2,500 agencies and is committed to halving that hoard. Bravo!

Agency and commercial spending at P&G dropped $750M during the past three years, and Pritchard plans to up that number to $1.2B by 2021.

As paymaster, Pritchard has every right to demand that agencies reorganize themselves.

WPP boss Martin Sorrell put those wheels in motion last week by merging Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe. Pritchard didn't seem overly impressed, saying it remains to be seen if WPP's moves will be enough.

As the worlds biggest advertiser, P&G deserves some blame for inefficiencies at agencies. It set the pace. Again, P&G once used 6,000 shops. The agencies were just following the lead of their paymaster.

Wall Street took a run at P&G last year. Corporate activist Nelson Peltz, with help from Sard Verbinnen & Co., launched a proxy fight with P&G.

Peltzs Trian Fund Management rapped P&G for disappointing financial results including weak shareholder returns, deteriorating market share and excessive costs/bureaucracy.

P&G narrowly beat back Peltz.

Pritchard may be able to browbeat ad agencies into submission, but Peltz or another corporate raider may get the last laugh in the next run at P&G.
28/02/2018 - Brazil is emerging from its long recession and is headed for solid growth in 2018 and 2019 as recent structural reforms start to bear fruit. Sustaining this recovery, unleashing Brazils full economic potential and spreading the benefits fairly will require additional efforts to rein in public spending, increase trade and investment, and further focus social spending on those most in need, according to a new OECD report.

The latest OECD Economic Survey of Brazil says that deepening reforms to strengthen institutions, improve business regulation and reap the benefits of tighter integration into the global economy could lift GDP by at least 20% over 15 years, which would boost household incomes and help compensate for the economic drag of a rapidly ageing population. Better targeting of welfare spending on the poorest households would be crucial for fostering inclusive growth.

Brazil is back on a positive growth path, but there is no time for complacency, said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria, presenting the Survey in Brasilia. With the demographic dividend now over, getting the economy fully back up to speed will require greater investment, higher productivity and closer integration into the global economy. For this, Brazil needs to continue on the path of active structural reform to ensure the sustainability of its fiscal accounts and the inclusiveness of its growth. (Read the speech in full)

<Download the data in Excel>

The Survey says Brazil is foregoing the benefits of integration into the world economy due to a trade policy that has prioritised safeguarding domestic markets over facilitating access to foreign markets. Brazil has especially high tariffs on intermediate and capital goods, and non-tariff trade barriers such as local content rules and anti-dumping measures are widespread.

Lowering trade barriers would make Brazilian firms more competitive by allowing them to source inputs at lower prices. This would boost trade volumes and raise productivity and wages. It would also reduce prices for consumers, in particular low-income households.

Investment, already low compared to other Latin American and emerging economies, has declined in both real terms and as a share of GDP in recent years, weighing on the overall economy and adding to existing infrastructure bottlenecks. Reversing this trend will require concrete actions to improve infrastructure planning, open up new sources of finance, reduce administrative burdens, simplify taxes, and streamline licencing. Continuing to fight corruption with reforms to increase accountability would also help to draw investment and restore citizens trust in institutions.

On public finances, the Survey warns that without a significant reform of mandatory public spending, Brazils fiscal accounts risk becoming unsustainable. To promote growth that is more inclusive while achieving fiscal targets, a comprehensive pension reform is the top priority for Brazil in the short term.

The Survey also recommends improving the allocation of social spending, much of which benefits middle-class households, to firmly target those most in need. For example, Bolsa Familia is a highly effective scheme but only accounts for 0.5% of GDP out of the 15% of GDP that goes to social spending. Shifting more resources towards this scheme while reforming other transfer programmes would help to decrease inequality and poverty.

Transfers to private companies, including through tax reductions, have risen strongly in recent years, creating fertile grounds for rent-seeking behaviour and political kick-backs without halting the substantial decline in investment.

As Brazil works to strengthen public governance and improve accountability for public spending, the OECD is also launching on the occasion of the Secretary-Generals visit to Brasilia a new 3-year project with the Tribunal de Contas da Uniao, Brazils supreme audit institution, aimed at strengthening its capacity to improve the effectiveness and evidence base of policies and programmes in areas such as education, health and security.

Download the Survey: http://webexchanges.oecdcode.org/AvQIfTBu/1018041e.pdf

For further information, journalists are invited to contact Catherine Bremer in the OECD Media Office (catherine.bremer@oecd.org, +33 1 45 24 97 00).

Note to Editors:

The Paris-based OECD is an international organisation that promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people worldwide. It provides a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to the economic, social and governance challenges they face.

The OECDs 35 members are: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Three other countries  Colombia, Costa Rica and Lithuania  were formally invited to start accession discussions and are currently in the process of accession to the Organisation.

Brazil is one of the OECDs five Key Partners, with China, India, Indonesia and South Africa. Key Partners contribute to the OECDs work in a sustained and comprehensive manner. A central element of the Key Partners programme is the promotion of direct and active participation in the work of the substantive bodies of the Organisation. This includes partnerships in OECD Bodies, adherence to OECD instruments and integration into OECD statistical reporting and information systems. Further information on OECD cooperation with Brazil: www.oecd.org/latin-america/countries/brazil/.

In May 2017, Brazil submitted a formal letter to the OECD, expressing its interest in initiating an accession process to the Organisation. The OECD governing body, the Council, is currently considering this request, together with similar requests from Argentina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Peru and Romania.

Further information on the OECD accession process: www.oecd.org/legal/accession-process.htm

Working with over 100 countries, the OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.
Walmart And Dicks Will No Longer Sell Guns To People Under 21

Cruz confessed to the killings, and his lawyers have offered a plea bargain  consecutive life sentences without parole  in a bid to avoid a trial and execution.

The only question is does he live or does he die? Broward County public defender Howard Finkelstein said in a statement. The question for the community, and specifically the victims families  is it worth what will be a three-year trial odyssey followed by a 15-year appellate odyssey?

The state attorney, Michael J. Satz, who will try Cruz, has said the mass shooting certainly is the type of case the death penalty was designed for. He has not yet said if he will seek capital punishment. An arraignment for Cruz to enter a plea is expected to be set in the next few weeks.

READ: Florida Superintendent Calls For A Smarter Safety System Following School Shooting

In Tallahassee on Wednesday, state House representatives debated a bill that would raise the age to buy a firearm from 18 to 21, requiring a three-day waiting period for most gun purchases and ban the sale or possession of bump-fire stocks. Its known as the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act.
Opalesque Industry Update - TOBAM, Paris-based research driven quantitative asset manager and founder of the Maximum Diversification approach and China Asset Management Company (ChinaAMC), a Chinese asset manager, announce today a strategic partnership to develop a unique Anti-Benchmark China A-shares equity investment strategy. The announcement that China's A Shares will be included in the MSCI Emerging Markets benchmarks by June 1st, 2018 has increased investors' needs for core strategies in Chinese equities. The Anti-Benchmark China strategies will seek to maximize diversification across the CSI indexes (CSI 300, CSI 500 & CSI 800 universes) by applying TOBAM's patented Maximum Diversification approach, which is designed to avoid the risk biases that more traditional allocation methods such as market-cap weighting can lead to. ChinaAMC will leverage their expertise and privileged access to the Chinese A-Shares equity markets and complement this with TOBAM's research capabilities and unique Anti-Benchmark approach. The strategy could prove a compelling solution for large, sophisticated institutional investors, well aware of the limitations of the market cap-weighted indices and actively looking for options to invest more efficiently. Also, the Anti-Benchmark CSI 300, CSI 500 and CSI 800 Equity strategies are potentially attractive for non-domestic investors who believe in the Chinese growth story but would like to access it in a diversified way that notably seeks to mitigate the risk concentrations that are to be found in the CSI indices. Like in other markets, the implementation of the Maximum Diversification approach in the China A-Shares equity investment universe aims at delivering the risk premium of the asset class via diversification, which seeks to translate into both excess return and reduced volatility vs. the corresponding market cap-weighted index. "Chinese clients have shown interest in various Smart Beta Strategies with pre-defined screening and weighting rules that overlay simple exposure to equity classes, and we expect these strategies to gain traction. Hence, we are keen to develop Smart Beta Strategies for the Chinese market based on appropriate risk measurements. The collaboration between ChinaAMC and TOBAM incorporates our research efforts to provide investors with a unique investment strategy." said Mr. Xiaodong Tang, CEO of ChinaAMC. Yves Choueifaty, CEO of TOBAM says: "We are proud to partner with ChinaAMC to apply for the first time our Maximum Diversification approach to Chinese A-shares equities. ChinaAMC's strong knowledge of the local market paired with TOBAM's research capabilities is a unique combination that we believe offers unprecedented investment opportunities in Chinese equities to investors worldwide."
A weekly collection of new hires, transitions, promotions and award winners in Oregon and southwest Washington:

AWARDS:



Oregon's wine community awarded Sen. Jackie Winters, R-10th district, the first Oregon Wine Leadership award for her tireless support of the wine industry. The award was presented during an awards luncheon at the Oregon Wine Symposium in January.

More than 1,300 wine industry professionals were on hand to celebrate the accomplishments of colleagues throughout the state who continue to champion the advancement of Oregon wine. Nine awards were presented, including newly-designated Oregon Wine Leadership Award, awarded in its inaugural year by the Oregon Winegrowers Association to Winters. The award recognizes Winters' lengthy list of accomplishments and record of advocacy for the Oregon wine industry.





Perlo Construction's Vista Logistics Park project was named "Industrial Development of the Year" during an awards dinner presented by the Commercial Association of Brokers, NAIOP Oregon.



Vista Logistics Park is located in Gresham, and totals 733,232 square feet of industrial space in three buildings on a 37-acre site. Perlo describes the project as the largest single phase speculative development ever constructed within the Portland metropolitan area. The $61.7 million project offers the largest single industrial space under one roof. One of the buildings consists of 494,464 square feet.



MOVES/HIRES:



PeaceHealth recently announced that Will Weider will serve as its new senior vice president and chief information officer. Weider has served as PeaceHealth's interim CIO since October 2017.



Weider will now control all of PeaceHealth's information technology operations system-wide and is responsible for developing and implementing a technology strategy. Prior to joining PeaceHealth, Weider spent more than 20 years in executive chief information officer roles for healthcare organizations including Ministry Health Care and Affinity Health System in Wisconsin, and Trinity Regional Health System in Illinois and Iowa.





Diane Teeman of Burns has been appointed by Governor Kate Brown to serve a four-year term on the governing board of the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI).



Teeman is an anthropologist and the culture and heritage director for the Burns Paiute Tribe. She has worked in cultural resource management for 30 years. She earned bachelor's and master's degrees in anthropology and philosophy from the University of Oregon.





Banfield Pet Hospital welcomes Erika Escobar Morgan as vice president of People & Organization.



Morgan will provide strategic leadership and partnering with senior operations, regional, and functional leaders on talent development and career mapping. She will also serve on the P&O leadership team and senior operations leadership team. She brings more than 10 years of human resources and operations leadership experience at Nike. Morgan holds a bachelor's of science degree in international business administration from the University of Washington.



The Independent Publishing Resource Center, a non-profit artistic resource in Portland, has hired Alison Pezanoski-Browne as the new executive director. Pezanoski-Browne most recently served as the grants and communications manager at Caldera.



Metal Toad, a technology consulting and software development firm based in Portland, has announced the hiring of Donna Schultz as chief marketing officer. She will lead Metal Toad's brand strategy, marketing communications, market research and sales efforts.



ReelDx, a provider of secure, HIPAA-compliant real patient videos for medical education based in Portland, has named Julia Alena president and chief executive officer. Alena, formerly vice president and chief customer officer at ReelDx, brings more than 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, services, operations and customer-centric leadership to her new role leading the company.



Humm Kombucha, Bend, announced today that Bruce Boettner will join the company as the new vice president of sales. Boettner brings more than 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. Boettner has worked with brands including Heinz, Kellogg's, Evolution Fresh and Kashi.

New York Life Insurance Company has announced the appointment of Roland Ghazal, to lead the greater Oregon general office as managing partner. Ghazal has more than 24 years of experience in financial services.

Have a new hire, promotion or business award to share? Email us at business@oregonian.com, and put Attention: Business Movers in the subject line.
The Portland City Council on Wednesday nixed construction of a 185-foot apartment tower on the shore of the Willamette River in the Pearl District.

In a unanimous vote, the five city commissioners signaled they would overturn the Portland Design Commission's earlier approval of the 17-story tower proposed by Lincoln Property Co. of Dallas, Texas. They will have to cast a second, final vote next month.

The Pearl District Neighborhood Association had appealed the design commission's earlier decision.

The group had argued the building would block views of the Willamette River and the Fremont Bridge, including from the nearby The Fields Park, and it would set a precedent for future development at that scale.

And, they said, it would encroach on the Willamette River Greenway, an effort to piece together a continuous trail along the river. Opponents said the building would cast the trail in shadow and that, at just under 13 feet wide, the trail would be too narrow for bicycle and pedestrian use.

Housing activists, meanwhile, argued the city would be contributing to the escalating cost of housing by denying the project and further limiting the supply of new homes.

Commissioner Amanda Fritz, who had argued against land-use policies that would allow taller development on sites near the river, said the proposal would create a pinch point on the greenway trail and failed to include design features that showcase to the Willamette River, one of the design guidelines for the district.

She  along with other commissioners  said views from The Fields Park didn't factor in to the decision.

"I don't consider the view from The Fields Park to be at all germane to this discussion," she said. "What is of concern to me is the development itself and the greenway, because the greenway is the significant public benefit that's involved in this site."

Mayor Ted Wheeler also said he found the argument about the greenway compelling.

"I don't think the building is a bad building," Wheeler said. "However, this location, as I say, is an iconic location, and what we do here will set the standard for the rest of the development that takes place along that corridor. The one thing we can never take back is the location of the building in the greenway."

The design took advantage of several density bonuses for including housing, bicycle facilities and a "green roof" covered with vegetation to absorb stormwater. The developer also sought several exemptions from design standards, including approval for a taller but thinner tower than is allowed by right under the rules.

The building would have included 275 market-rate apartments and space for a ground-floor restaurant, as well as a public plaza on its north side.

The developers' attorney asked the council to delay its decision so the firm could bring forward a new design. The council, however, opted to uphold the appeal, sending the developer to start the application process from scratch.

Patrick Gilligan, an executive vice president for Lincoln Property Co., said Wednesday's decision came as a shock both to his and to other developers in Portland.

"We honestly thought that we were playing by all the rules," Gilligan said. "It was a big shock, and it's very frustrating. And I think a lot of people are watching."

The company has not decided whether to pursue a redesigned version of the project, he said. "We've got some soul-searching to do."

The developer could build a wider structure up to 100 feet tall, which would also block the view from the park, without seeking any exceptions to the rules. The building's designers said they shifted to a tower to reduce the impact by blocking only a portion of the view of the bridge.

New land-use rules approved by the council, but not yet implemented, could allow a taller building by right once they're finalized.

A new application could also be subject to the city's inclusionary zoning policy, which requires private developers to set aside rent-restricted units for low-income residents in large apartment and condo projects.

-- Elliot Njus

enjus@oregonian.com

503-294-5034

@enjus
A Marion County judge has denied a former state employee's request to withdraw his guilty plea to accepting nearly $300,000 in bribes from a Seattle-based energy consultant to help arrange the sale of state energy tax credits.

Judge Donald Abar scheduled a sentencing hearing for the former Energy Department manager, Joe Colello, in early April. In his original plea deal last June, Colello had agreed to a sentence of five years in prison, three years' probation and restitution.

Prosecutors want Colello and the consultant, Martin Shain, to jointly repay $1.25 million in commissions that Shain allegedly charged for brokering the sale of tax credits for 11 clients, which included both public agencies and private entities. Separately, the state is seeking another $121,000 from Colello to cover its costs in investigating and prosecuting the case.

Shain is being tried separately on charges of forgery, bribery, tax evasion, racketeering, and theft. He has pleaded not guilty. His trial is scheduled for September, though prosecutors have also held settlement talks with his lawyers.

Until 2015, Colello oversaw the sale of state energy tax credits at the Oregon Department of Energy. State rules allowed the original recipients of the credits to sell them to a third party at a discount, and it was Colello's job to match sellers with buyers and process the transactions for a small fee.

Sellers could also use outside brokers to find buyers and complete the deals. Starting in 2012, Colello started giving credit to one broker, Shain, for matching buyers and sellers who had actually come directly to the state to complete their deals. Using his insider knowledge, prosecutors say, Colello would steer Shain to public agencies and companies looking to sell their credits. Once Shain had secured a brokerage contract, Colello would complete the deals, crediting Shain with finding buyers who had actually gone directly to the state looking for available credits, the state claims.

It was a lucrative operation. From 2012 to 2015, prosecutors say, Shain's brokerage company earned $1.25 million in commissions from 11 clients, including cities, transit agencies universities and companies around the state. The largest take -- $764,847.40 -- was attributed to brokering the sale of nearly $12 million in tax credits for a series of solar arrays that SolarCity Corp. built on various campuses for Oregon State University and the Oregon Institute of Technology.

According to the transcript of an interview that prosecutors submitted to the court, Shain was responsible for paying taxes on the commissions and split what was left with Colello. In order to avoid paying taxes on the payments, the transcripts say, Shain set them up as a loan to Colello from Shain's elderly mother, which would be forgiven on her death.

Shain was also indicted in August 2016 on charges of forging documents to improperly obtain nearly $12 million in energy tax credits to support the construction of the university solar arrays.

State and federal law enforcement agencies launched investigations of the solar projects after The Oregonian/OregonLive published a report in 2015 identifying the fraudulent documents and raising questions about Shain's involvement.

Shain was a consultant on those projects, hired by the state to help solicit proposals, select vendors, negotiate contracts, monitor construction and help secure the tax credits. He earned some $2.4 million in fees on the project, according to prosecutors.

In investigating the forgery, the FBI and the state Department of Justice uncovered the alleged bribery in the tax credit brokering scheme.

In the motion to withdraw Colello's plea, Salem lawyer Mark Geiger argued that his clients couldn't have "voluntarily and knowingly" accepted the plea deal because he didn't have all the state's discovery in hand, including emails that he claimed could exonerate him. The court didn't buy that argument, but Geiger also argued that the state could not sentence Colello before the related federal case was resolved, as his original plea agreement contemplated state and federal sentences running concurrently.

Geiger said Tuesday that "we are scrambling to get the federal case resolved before the sentencing in April ... Not sure yet that will work. The plea agreement is still in place, which contemplates concurrent time, and the only way we can be assured of that is to be sentenced in the fed case first."

- Ted Sickinger

503-221-8505
Oregon manufacturing jobs have been in decline for years, losing ground to automation, consolidation and the shift of many kinds of work overseas.

But economists say proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum aren't likely to stem that tide. The Northwest's aluminum industry all but extinct, and the number of steel producers is handily outnumbered by the number of manufacturers that could lose out if tariffs raise metals prices.

The proposed tariffs have flipped conventional partisan politics, with Republicans speaking out against Trump and his proposed trade barriers and Democrats supporting protections for steel producers and workers, a highly unionized profession.

Overall, economists say the tariffs themselves would have a relatively mild impact in Oregon  with larger implications if other countries retaliate and a full-blown trade war erupts.

"You see very narrow, obvious winners from protectionism. But the losers are very diffuse," said Josh Lehner of the state Office of Economic Analysis.

Those narrow winners get a big boost from the higher prices tariffs create for their products, while everyone else pays those higher prices. For any given consumer, it's typically a small account  but it adds up across the broader economy.

"It's a drag, and it's basically across everything," Lehner said. And the broader those tariffs extend, the higher the economic costs.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday he plans to put a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tax on aluminum. The president said other countries are taking advantage of lax U.S. trade policies, profiting at the expense of American workers.

Gary Cohn, Trump's top economic adviser and a critic of trade barriers, resigned Tuesday, shortly after Trump reiterated support for the tariffs. They would apply broadly, affecting imports from China as well those from Canada and from friendly countries in the European Union.

The proposed tariffs could boost American steel and aluminum producers and their workers, who would reap outsize returns if the tariffs produce higher prices for their metals.

For example, steel prices have been on the rise for months, and Portland scrap metal company Schnitzer Steel Industries has been a beneficiary. Its sales were up 44 percent in the most recent quarter from a year earlier, in large part because of rising steel prices.

Schnitzer did not respond to a message seeking comment on Trump's proposals, but the tariffs are likely to mean continued high prices. Its stock is up 55 percent in the past year.

By contrast, railcar and barge manufacturer Greenbrier Cos. stands to be a net loser. The Lake Oswego company declined to comment on Trump's proposal, but a recent analysis by KeyBank Capital Markets listed Greenbrier among the industrial machinery manufacturers most likely to be harmed by higher steel prices.

And in its most recent annual report, Greenbrier warned investors that the company is especially vulnerable to rising steel prices.

"The cost of steel and all other materials used in the production of our railcars represents more than half of our direct manufacturing costs per railcar and in the production of our marine barges represents more than 30% of our direct manufacturing costs per marine barge," Greenbrier wrote.

The company said it has fixed-price contracts that cover some of its materials but added that profits will suffer if costs rise "in excess of anticipated increases."

Other big Oregon manufacturers, including Daimler Trucks North America, Intel and Precision Castparts, declined to comment on tariffs' impact.

The Northwest once had a robust aluminum industry, built on the cheap energy supplied by the Bonneville Power Administration's hydroelectric projects. That collapsed during the 2000 and 2001 energy crisis.

Tariffs notwithstanding, the regional industry has no prospect of revival. Many of the smelters have been decommissioned, and the industry no longer has power arrangements with the BPA to guarantee low-price electricity for energy-intensive production. (Alcoa continues to operate one Northwest smelter, in Ferndale, Washington.)

Trump's trade proposals have turned allies into opponents while winning at least tepid support from persistent critics. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, said Tuesday he is "very concerned about the unintended consequences of the tariffs on steel and aluminum."

Walden is chairman of the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Normally aligned with Trump, Walden said he is concerned the president is invoking national security protections to impose the tariffs.

"It's one thing to make and win cases on unfair trade practices through established processes, as we did on hardwood plywood," Walden said. "It's quite another to unilaterally slap tariffs on all countries through a national security declaration."

Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden  among Trump's most ardent opponents on Capitol Hill  hailed the president's trade proposals. He said the American steel industry has suffered from global overcapacity and unfair trade practices by China.

"I am pleased that the President recognizes the importance of addressing these challenges and finally intends to take action," Wyden said in a written statement last week. He tempered his comments, though, saying it's too soon to know if Trump's proposals will produce durable change "or simply provide a short-term boost to corporate profits."

Tim Duy, economist at the University of Oregon, said Trump's proposed tariffs represent a rollback of free trade practices that benefit many Oregon industries, from manufacturing to farming. He said it could undermine economies here and around the world.

"To the extent you put more grains of sand in the gears you slow global economic activity, and U.S. economic activity in particular," Duy said.

Oregon exports nearly $22 billion in products annually, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It's among the most trade-dependent states in the nation.

For Oregon, Duy said, the biggest risk is that the steel and aluminum tariffs represent the first salvo in a nascent trade war. He said that could threaten many of the state's biggest industries.

"NAFTA falling apart would be a big mess," he said, "and that's something to be concerned about."

Clarification: Alcoa continues to operate one Northwest smelter, in Ferndale, Washington. This article has been updated to reflect that.)

-- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699
When the Legacy Emanuel emergency room doctor entered my room, he asked if it was OK for my son to hear my diagnosis. "You have a high dose of THC in your blood stream," he said. Relief and shame coursed through my veins. I had spent the night in the ER because I ate a cookie that I didn't know was actually a marijuana edible.

When I had woken up in the middle of the night, I truly thought death was knocking at my door. Gripping my son's hand as we headed to the emergency room. I kept telling him that I loved him. I thought this to be my last day. All that I kept thinking about was that I wasn't able to say goodbye to my wife, children and friends.

A night I'll never forget ended with the nurses and doctors just leaving me in my bed. There was no follow up or support to get over this incident. I felt confused, ashamed and scared but mostly grateful.

Arriving back home in Colorado, I found the courage to share my nightmare with friends. To my surprise, folks shared their stories of consuming an edible and being rushed to the hospital not knowing that they had consumed THC.

The upside: I am more thankful for each sunrise and the joy of a new day with loved ones. The downside: I will be paying off a $5000 hospital bill for the next four years. Ouch!

I'm still embarrassed by the whole incident. I would never wish that night on anyone.

-- Kai Abelkis, Longmont, Colo.
Regarding Marcus Curlin's March 4 letter, "Get California out of Oregon," it is way past time to get rid of the electoral college and go to direct election of the U.S. president. The notion that this would give more power to some states is nonsense. Literally. Curlin's statement is not merely incorrect, his arguments are as invalid as if he'd started with, "Since the sun orbits the earth." States do not elect the president.

We have the Senate for equal power for each state. We have the House of Representatives for power weighted by population of each state. We have the president for equal power for each individual citizen. The only reason the electoral college exists is that back in the day there was no nationwide communication. Curlin's stupid joke, "What's next? Should the makeup of the Senate be decided by a national popular vote?" is pathetically lame.

Adrian Fields, Hood River
By Jacqueline Fitzgerald

The morning after the Parkland shooting, my students eyes are narrowed, arms crossed across their chests, bodies sunken into their chairs. They're making themselves smaller, keeping themselves safe. Twenty years ago as a freshman, I stood in my living room ready to run from the television screen where bodies fell out of windows at Columbine. Here we are again and again and again.

They need to talk.

"Why haven't we done anything about gun control?" my student asks.

It gets quiet. The quiet resonates with fear and betrayal by those in power who are supposed to protect them.

In this country, we can't ban AR-15s, which make it easy for a teen to murder, but we can ban books. And my school district did.

The week before the Florida shooting, Beaverton School District Deputy Superintendent Steve Phillips overrode the decision of a hearing committee to keep the novel "Stick" by Andrew Smith in our schools and instead banned the book from 9th and 10th grade classrooms due to inappropriate content and vulgar language.

Inappropriate content is social media feeds with live videos of dead teenagers in school hallways. Vulgar language is calling teen shooters "psycho" and "murderer" when they are victims themselves. Victims of broken systems with inadequate access to mental health services. Victims with absent parents holding down two jobs or an opioid addiction. Victims of the politicians who divide us.

Meanwhile in Beaverton, two more books have hearings this month. The danger of banning books containing sexual violence, homosexuality or any human experience is that it justifies banning books with similar content.

"Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson is about a freshman named Melinda going silent after she is raped at a party. After my freshman class read this last year, a student filled with vivacious energy in September who had begun to collapse into herself, came to me with tears in her eyes.

"I want to tell you something... I am Melinda. That book gave me courage to come forward about what happened to me and heal."

One of my gay students made a nearly fatal suicide attempt in October after his parents shunned him when he came out. He is now living with a foster family. I asked him what's helping him get through. "Books," he said, "they help me feel less alone."

"The Hate You Give" by Angie Thomas is one of his favorites and was banned in a Texas school district last year.

Another student whose father faces deportation and works two jobs to support his mom and two younger siblings, finds escape in "If I Grow Up" by Todd Strasser. My male students of color, who often struggle to find books that they connect with, pass it around like treasure. I can't keep it on my shelves.

Smith, the author of "Stick," when interviewed about the ban in Beaverton said, "When somebody just comes in, blocks, interferes with a kid's access to information or viewpoints, that's absolutely the opposite of what we need right now."

English teachers refer to books as windows and mirrors. They reflect our students' experiences and allow them access to new perspectives that build empathy. And in a nation where kids are killing kids, what more can we hope for students but to become more empathetic and connected.

Do you remember a book that changed you? Helped you reach out rather than retreating into yourself? Can you imagine what your life would be without it?

I wouldn't want to. And our students should never have to find out.

-- Jacqueline Fitzgerald is a language arts teacher at Westview High School. She lives in Southeast Portland.
By Brandi Tuck

As executive director of the nonprofit Portland Homeless Family Solutions, I found The Oregonian/OregonLive's recent series, "Reading, Writing, Evicted" encouraging. If it wasn't already clear, this series highlights to our government officials, nonprofits and citizens that both the housing and the homeless crisis are not being solved, and that one is a direct result of the other.

As Portlanders, each day we drive, walk and bike through our city and see firsthand how the homeless crisis has reached epic proportions. The Oregonian's three-part series explained in-depth the reality of what we already know: Our city is failing our low-income children and their families.

Sadly, what most of us don't realize when we see tents along Interstate-5, in doorways of downtown businesses and in our city parks, is how many people who experience homelessness in Portland are children and their parents.

According to the Oregon Department of Education, during the 2016-2017 school year, 4,427 students ages 5 to 18 experienced homelessness in Multnomah County. This number doesn't include their parents or their younger brothers and sisters. At Portland Homeless Family Solutions, 50 percent of the kids we see are under age 5. Frankly, we at Portland Homeless Family Solutions have long felt the method for compiling these statistics may vastly underestimate the numbers.

We know the majority of adults in the families we serve work full-time for minimum wage. We know intergenerational poverty, systematic racism, lack of affordable housing, expensive childcare and a lack of a living wage have forced renters to move time and time again until they have exhausted all of their resources and end up homeless.

We know adverse childhood experiences, such as homelessness, hunger and neglect can lead to disruption in neural development. That, in turn, can lead to emotional and cognitive impairment, which may lead to chronic disease, disability and the adoption of early health risks. Those health risks include smoking, drug use and teen pregnancy. People who experience repeated, long-term homelessness have a life expectancy of 47 years, compared with 78 years for the housed population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We know that when we fail to secure safe, affordable housing for our children, we're basically setting up an entire population in Multnomah County -- and all over Oregon - for a life full of adverse outcomes. Unless we are willing to intervene and help these children and their families achieve stability, the problem will continue to grow.

We know the high school graduation rate in Oregon is around 77 percent. When I think about the students who were profiled in The Oregonian series, I know they are in danger of not graduating. These kids change schools several times a year, experience homelessness and are in constant transition. Many don't have a place to do their homework, eat breakfast, brush their teeth or simply relax. They are experiencing extreme stress, and this stress is literally causing disrupted neurodevelopment and cognitive delays.

We know that keeping people in their current housing and helping people move from homelessness into safe, affordable housing is ideal. And it's less expensive for tax payers than if those families live in shelters or on the streets, and rely on emergency rooms and social service agencies.

We know other cities and states have had more success addressing this issue. Using the "Housing First" model, Utah drastically reduced homelessness by giving people homes and providing long-term case management and supportive services. Santa Clara County in Silicon Valley partnered with the software company Palantir to create a system that combines data from homeless services providers as well as criminal justice and healthcare systems. The county showed a drastic reduction in the use of emergency services when they found homes for people who frequented shelters, the corrections system and emergency rooms.

Successful programs such as these have several things in common. They streamline data to make decisions. They play the long-game. They don't expect or believe that homelessness will end in one year. They make long-term, strategic investments and policy decisions, generating real change for people rather than constantly managing emergencies.

Most important, we know when government agencies, nonprofits, and faith communities work together to align their services, crucial information is exchanged and problems are solved.

We know we can do better, and we know we must do better.

-- Brandi Tuck is executive director of Portland Homeless Family Solutions, which is based in Southwest Portland.
A federal judge Tuesday directed prosecutors to reveal details of a three-dimensional animation showing two shots an indicted FBI agent allegedly took during the arrest of some of the leaders of the Oregon refuge occupation.

The experts hired by the government must meet with defense experts, U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones ruled.

They also must provide a tutorial on their methodology and how they arrived at their conclusions to present to the court in mid-April, he said.

The orders drew concern from prosecutors who said they're worried that they're being forced to tip their hand in the case.

FBI agent W. Joseph Astarita is accused of lying about firing two shots at occupation spokesman Robert "LaVoy" Finicum as he emerged from his truck at a police roadblock on Jan. 26, 2016. Finicum was among an armed group who took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters about three weeks earlier.

Astarita has pleaded not guilty to three counts of making a false statement and two counts of obstruction of justice.

A criminal investigation found that only Astarita could have fired two rounds shortly after Finicum stepped out of the cab of his pickup, according to prosecutors. Astarita's first rifle shot missed Finicum's truck, but the second entered the truck through the roof and blew out the left rear passenger window, the government contends.

"At second shot, the defendant is the only person in the cone of probability where that shot could have been taken,'' Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Maloney told the judge.

The shooting came as the FBI and state police moved to arrest the leaders of the occupation as they drove along U.S. 395 to a meeting in John Day. State police shot and killed Finicum, 54, at the roadblock after he walked away from the truck and repeatedly reached into his jacket toward his left inner pocket, where he had a loaded gun, investigators said.

Maloney said the government's three main expert witnesses were reluctant to talk with the defense experts, wary that such an informal conversation could be used against them in court.

"Our experts are nervous,'' he told the court. "They're wary of this procedure.''

Maloney further argued that Astarita's defense lawyers are simply seeking additional information to attack the methodology used by the government's experts.

Prosecutors already have shared with the defense all the raw data used to create the 3D animation and had their experts answer in writing questions posed by defense lawyers, Maloney said.

"What they're seeking to do is a pre-Daubert expert deposition to hone their attack on the expert,'' Maloney said.

A so-called Daubert hearing is scheduled in the case in May, where the trial judge will evaluate whether experts from either side can be called at trial, depending on the relevance and reliability of their scientific testimony or evidence.

At this point in the case, Astarita's defense lawyers said they don't anticipate having an expert conduct their own analysis of the shooting scene, but instead will critique the government's analysis.

Prosecutors hired a specialist to do a 3D depiction of the two shots. Toby Terpstra, senior forensic animator at the Colorado-based company Kineticorp, is among the government experts hired.

Terpstra relied on audio-video expert Frank Piazza's syncing of two video recordings, one from the cellphone of a backseat passenger taken inside Finicum's truck and one from an FBI surveillance plane overhead. They've worked to recreate the scene in 3D through photogrammetry, using coordinate measurements from photographs and videos.

They also used a ballistics and firearms trajectory analysis done by Michael Haag, a forensic science consultant on firearms and shooting reconstructions.

The judge ordered that phone conversations between the government's experts and defense experts will occur with no lawyers present. The conversations also won't be recorded.

On either April 11 or 12, the government's experts will summarize during a court hearing what information they relied on, how they recreated the shooting scene and explain their conclusions.

The judge requested such a tutorial from the government's experts before a scheduled Daubert hearing in May.

Trial is set for July 24.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
A Clark County man has been arrested on suspicion of prostitution and sexual assault in a case that was initially reported as a kidnapping, deputies say.

Douglas L. Braaten (MCSO)

Douglas L. Braaten of La Center, 61, was jailed early Wednesday in downtown Portland on suspicion of prostitution, a misdemeanor, and first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, a felony, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. Deputies said they first contacted him in the Columbia River Gorge.

A woman initially reported Tuesday night that she had been kidnapped, and her cellphone location indicated she was in the Bridal Veil area, the sheriff's office said in a news release. Deputies found Braaten and the woman in a car, an agency spokesman said.

The spokesman said he couldn't elaborate about the sequence of events that led to Braaten's arrest. He said detectives are investigating the case and that if more charges are warranted, they will present them to prosecutors.

He declined to say whether the sheriff's office is still investigating the case as a possible kidnapping.

Braaten is a registered sex offender in Washington, according to records. He's being held in the Multnomah County Detention Center on $252,500 bail and is set to be arraigned Wednesday, records show.

 Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com

503-221-8005; @Jimryan015
A former Oregon State University student is accused of threatening to shoot people on campus.

A Thurston High School student is reported to have sent a message to another student saying, "I am a shooter!"

And a teen allegedly made threats against several schools in the Woodburn and Gervais school districts.

Those scares come amid an apparent uptick in Oregon school threats reported since a former student at a high school in Parkland, Florida, killed 17 and injured others Feb. 14. No one source definitively documents such threats. But a national nonprofit that tracks school threats and incidents says there were at least nine threats to Oregon schools in the two weeks after the Parkland shooting, which it says signals a stark increase from the rest of the academic year.

Additionally, a statewide school safety tip line named SafeOregon received 224 tips between Feb. 15 and Monday  after receiving 66 tips in December and slightly fewer than 100 in January.

The increase illustrates changing perceptions of and reactions to such threats. Students, more keenly aware of threats to their safety and more active in measures to protect schools, are reporting once-ignored incidents. SafeOregon was introduced last year. And law enforcement officials have arrested several people suspected of lodging school threats in Oregon and southwest Washington since Parkland.

The apparent increase in threats and reactions to them reflect a heightened sense of fear and awareness in schools, where stressed students, parents and teachers are taking more active measures to ensure their safety, as evidenced by Parkland students taking a political stand about gun laws in the wake of the shooting and the lobbying of Gov. Kate Brown by Oregon high school students this week.

Jodi Sherwood, who manages SafeOregon for the Oregon State Police, thinks the tip line's increased activity can be attributed to tipsters being more attuned to potential threats, not necessarily more people who have violent intentions toward schools. She said increased numbers of tips are also the result of more awareness about the tip line and schools promoting its use as the academic year progresses.

It's difficult to say whether reported threats are legitimate until authorities investigate them, she said. But she doesn't want to dissuade students from reporting information they think is uncomfortable or threatening.

"We really want students to help us help them, and that's really why the tip line exists," she said.

Students and others submit tips about myriad topics, not just threats. Tips about bullying or harassment were most common in the quarter that ended last month, Sherwood said, but there were 69 tips about safety threats  an 86 percent increase from the previous quarter.

Doreen McKercher, communications director for the Camas School District, whose Camas High School recently sent parents a notice of a safety threat, said fears are heightened within her district and elsewhere.

She said that she's never responded to so many parents' inquiries about school safety as she did during the two weeks after the Parkland shooting.

And Janelle Rebick, president of the Bend Education Association, said teachers are also stressed about school safety.

Amy Klinger, director of programs for the Educator's School Safety Network, said her nonprofit tracked an average of 75 threats per day at schools across the country in the two weeks after the Parkland shooting. That was up from an average of just under 11 threats each day this academic year prior to Parkland  which is already a 12 percent rise in threats from the previous academic year, Klinger said.

Violent incidents had already risen 59 percent during the first half of the 2017-2018 academic year when compared to the same period last school year, according to her nonprofit.

The nonprofit  which offers school safety consulting and training  defines threats as someone stating a wish or desire to do harm to a school. Incidents require emergency responses.

 Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com

503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Everton Bailey Jr. of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report
Oregon Rep. Knute Buehler, the Republican who hopes to challenge Gov. Kate Brown in the fall election, called on Tuesday for the governor to veto a Democratic tax plan.

If the governor were to veto the bill, certain types of businesses would receive a new state tax break worth a quarter billion dollars, thanks to the state's built-in connection to the federal tax code.

If Brown signs the bill, that money would go into state coffers heading into what state officials expect will be a difficult budget in 2019.

The plan "is so bad and so unfair, there should be no other option than to veto this massive tax hike that will hurt small businesses and Oregonians," Buehler said in a statement Tuesday.

Brown said after the Legislature adjourned on Saturday that she was still deciding whether to sign or veto the bill, a position her spokesman reiterated on Tuesday. Brown told reporters that her administration needed to take more time vetting state Democrats' response to the federal Republican tax overhaul, because the Republican plan was so complicated.

"The Trump tax plan passed through the (U.S.) House and the (U.S.) Senate without any public hearings," Brown said. "We're still deciphering the implications of this legislation on Oregon and we're going to do lots of work before making a decision whether to sign or veto the bill."

State economists have been analyzing the impact of the federal tax overhaul since it passed last year and they have repeatedly reported their findings to the Legislature. Legislative Democrats said the impact on Oregon of two key components of the tax plan were clear enough to act now.

Democrats in the Legislature have also pointed out most of the savings from the tax cut would go to the wealthy, with households that earn at least $1 million receiving 80 percent, according to Rep. Phil Barnhart of Eugene.

Republican lawmakers countered that a wide swath of small business owners would get a share of the tax cut, at least 200,000 according to Rep. Julie Parrish of West Linn.

Brown's hesitation to commit to a position shows the pressure she is under to take the wishes of businesses into account in the run up to her November election showdown with a Republican opponent, most likely Buehler.

State lawmakers passed the bill in response to the federal tax changes that Congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump made last year.

Senate Bill 1528 has two main components: a provision to prevent Oregon from copying a new federal tax deduction for pass-through businesses into state law, and a strategy to help higher income Oregonians mitigate the impact of a new cap on the federal deduction for state taxes.

It's the first part that proved most divisive in the Legislature. Pass-through businesses such as S corporations, partnerships and sole proprietorships pass their earnings through to their owners, who pay personal income taxes on them. Under a 2013 state law, many of those businesses  including doctors and lawyers  pay a lower tax rate than wage earners. For that reason, legislative Democrats argued they did not need a second tax break. Republicans pointed out sole proprietors aren't eligible for those rates.

-- Hillary Borrud

503-294-4034; @hborrud
A federal drug trial unfairly included inflammatory evidence that the defendant was a member of the Mexican Mafia at a time when then-presidential candidate Donald Trump was calling Mexicans "rapists'' and his supporters were shouting, "Build the wall,'' the man's lawyer argued in court Tuesday.

A government lawyer countered that the gang information helped jurors understand the relationship between the men accused of methamphetamine distribution and established defendant Fulgencio Arias Jr.'s motive.

The arguments before a federal appeals panel in Portland raised a timely question in today's polarized political climate about the impact of gang designations on juries.

Even if it was a mistake to identify Arias' gang ties during trial, it didn't harm him because the drug trafficking evidence against him was overwhelming, said Finnuala K. Tessier, an appellate attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice.

Judge Andrew D. Hurwitz of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals interjected, asking why the gang information was necessary then.

"At some point doesn't the government have some obligation to temper what it puts in the case like this, recognizing how prejudicial gang affiliations can be?'' Hurwitz said. "Does the Mexican Mafia have to be mentioned?''

"The government is allowed to put on a strong case,'' Tessier responded.

"But not to go so far as to make the trial prejudicial,'' Hurwitz said.

He added: "My concern, in general, is I see very strong cases in which the government adds on gang evidence, and I wonder if that's a wise thing. I say this as a matter of caution, and I hope your colleagues hear it, too.''

Arias was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine and money laundering after a trial in May 2016 and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Prosecutors said he ran a large-scale drug-trafficking trade in Oregon, Washington and Montana and laundered the drug proceeds through cash deposits in co-conspirators' bank accounts.

A co-defendant testified that he knew Arias to be a member of the street gang Arizona Maravilla and that he knew Arias would do the "grimy work" for the Mexican Mafia, according to a government filing.

The Mexican Mafia is a California-based prison gang that was founded in 1956 when several dozen convicts conspired to take control of drugs, gambling and prostitution. Law enforcement officials say members are known to use intimidation, extortion and murder to control much of the region's criminal activity, particularly drug sales by street gangs.

Attorney Laura Graser, who filed the appeal on Arias' behalf, argued that the gang evidence was irrelevant to the government's case.

"This is extraneous race-based character assassination,'' she said.

Hurwitz asked why the prejudicial impact was so great.

Graser pointed to one of the gang's symbol, the black hand of death, and its reputation for assault and murder.

She also cited "the political climate that summer where crowds were chanting, 'Build the wall! Build the wall!' and the leading presidential contender was saying that the Mexicans here were rapists.''

In her legal brief, Graser noted that the timing of the May 2016 trial was "particularly unfortunate'' as it was held 11 months after the "ultimately successful candidate for president of the United States made his campaign announcement with his well-known characterizations of Mexicans.''

Social science studies say "that gang evidence overwhelms a jury,'' Graser added. She submitted articles on the prejudicial impact of gang evidence on jurors, including one in 2013 that ran in the Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice.

"So I'm supposed to go along with this social study rather than go along with tactics judges have used to avoid bias for centuries?'' Judge N. Randy Smith asked.

"There's a time when jury instructions can't unring the bell,'' Graser said.

Tessier argued that the trial judge, U.S. District Judge Marco A. Hernandez of Portland, engaged in a careful balancing act and took steps to minimize prejudice. He offered to question potential jurors if they held any anti-gang biases, limited evidence of violent conduct by the Mexican Mafia and instructed jurors before their deliberations not to use the gang ties, which might suggest a bad character trait, to conclude a defendant committed an offense.

Tessier said the gang affiliation was "inextricably intertwined'' with the charges Arias faced -- he met a co-defendant through their mutual Mexican Mafia connections while previously in custody in federal prison in Sheridan.

The jury is allowed to hear a "coherent and comprehensible'' story regarding the crime and not make its decision in a void, without knowledge of the full circumstances, she said.

The three-judge panel now will take the appeal under advisement and issue a ruling at some point in the future. Past court rulings on this issue have rested on the purpose for which a gang link is introduced into evidence and whether its admission was unfairly prejudicial. If the court sides with the defendant, a new trial likely would be held.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
A 54-year-old woman who authorities say repeatedly shouted the n-word at some neighborhood children faces a possible jail sentence -- but not for her hateful words.

In Oregon, its not a crime in and of itself to call someone the n-word. In this case, the racial slur was directed at two African-American boys ages 4 and 11 playing in the courtyard of the Southeast Portland apartment complex they shared with defendant Brenda Mae Glenn, prosecutors said.

But its what Glenn did next that earned her convictions during a one-day trial last month:

When the childrens mother told Glenn that her hurtful speech needed to stop, Glenn struck her on the head with a beer bottle. The mother, Tierra Dizer, suffered a goose-egg-sized bump to her forehead, according to police who arrived on the scene.

Dizers 4-year-old son was standing nearby, saw the outburst and began to cry.

Multnomah County Circuit Judge Jerry Hodson found Glenn guilty of fourth-degree assault, a felony because the attack took place in front of a child. The judge also found Glenn guilty of misdemeanor second-degree disorderly conduct.

The encounter unfolded on a mild summer afternoon Sept. 18, 2016. Neighbors reported seeing Glenn drinking and hearing her yell the n-word and "bastards" at the children, police and prosecutors said.

Ola Mae Keyes, a 68-year-old African-American neighbor, called police to the complex near Southeast 87th Avenue and Foster Road. Police warned Glenn, who is listed in court papers as Native American, that she needed to back off or she could be headed for trouble.

More than an hour later, Glenn was still at it, according to the prosecution. Keyes and the children's mother, Dizer, confronted her.

They were all ... upset and using foul language," said Deputy District Attorney Nicole Hermann. But Hermann said Glenn was the only one to attack.

Keyes testified that Glenn shoved her, scratching her in the process. Keyes also testified that Glenn swung a reusable shopping bag with a beer bottle inside at Dizers head, causing the large bump.

Prosecutors thought the attack was racially motivated and pursued two counts of second-degree intimidation for Glenn's attack on the two women. That's a hate crime under state law.

But defense attorney Brad Kalbaugh argued there was no evidence that Glenn directed racially charged language at the adults. There was testimony only that shed said such things to the children, Kalbaugh said.

The judge found Glenn not guilty of those two counts.

Hodson also dismissed a charge of attempted fourth-degree assault after Kalbaugh argued that Glenn hadn't "intentionally" scratched Keyes with her shove.

The prosecutor said she planned to seek jail time for Glenn for the assault and disorderly conduct convictions.

But Glenn didn't show up to her sentencing hearing Feb. 22.

Glenn did leave a voicemail with the judges staff, explaining that she needed a week to get her affairs in order before sentencing.

The judge put a warrant out for Glenns arrest. Nearly two weeks later, she's still wanted.

Glenn no longer lives in the apartment complex.

-- Aimee Green
Want to hike Dog Mountain this spring? You'll need a permit for that.

From March 31 to July 1, all weekend hikers will be required to purchase a $1 to $2 permit, in addition to the existing day-use fee of $5 per vehicle, the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area announced Tuesday.

The new permit is an attempt to thin out crowds that have overwhelmed the enormously popular trail on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, and to encourage hikers to take the shuttle bus from the Skamania County Fairgrounds in nearby Stevenson.

Hiking permits will be given out to all shuttle riders, free with the $1 one-way or $2 round-trip ticket to ride the bus to the Dog Mountain trailhead. Hikers will also be able purchase a $1.50 permit online at recreation.gov, which will make 165 available each day - though, buying a permit online doesn't ensure a parking space in the small lot at the trailhead.

Officials will check for permits at the trailhead, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hikers can carry a print-out of the permit or show an electronic copy. Permits will not be required on weekdays.

The permits are the third effort in as many years to thin the crowds at Dog Mountain. In 2016, the Forest Service reconfigured the trailhead parking area, cutting available parking spaces by more than half. That same year, Skamania County debuted the Dog Mountain route on the Gorge West End Transit bus, which runs Saturdays and Sundays during the spring.

Crowds tend to flock to Dog Mountain every spring - a place known for its meadows of wildflowers, views of the Columbia River Gorge, and strenuous hiking trails. Since several popular trails on the Oregon side of the gorge are still closed due to damage from the Eagle Creek fire, there's good reason to believe that Washington hikes like Dog Mountain could see even more traffic this season.

--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB
Terry Bryant, Jr., the man who is accused of stealing Frances McDormand's Oscar from an after-party, had a history in Oregon,

.

Bryant, who allegedly took the golden statue from the Governors Ball, was arrested in Multnomah County a number of times between 1999 and 2002 records show.

Bryant had a ticket for the ball, a spokesperson for Los Angeles police said. A live Facebook video showed Bryant with the statue at the event saying, "Look it, baby. My team got this tonight. This is mine."

However, no one named Terry Bryant won an Oscar at the 2018 Academy Awards.

According to New York Times reporter Cara Buckley, after McDormand realized her Oscar was missing, she enlisted help. Ultimately, tweeted Buckley, "Wolfgang Puck's photographer stopped him" and "got the Oscar back."

Security at the Governors Ball are looking for this guy, who grabbed Frances McDormands Oscar and ran out with it. Wolfgang Pucks photographer stopped him, got the Oscar back, and the guy disappeared back into the ball. Apparently Frances has said to let him go. #Oscars #Drama pic.twitter.com/5tlsx4Ulwt  Cara Buckley (@caraNYT) March 5, 2018

On Monday morning, Bryant was being held on $20,000 bail.

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker
One day after adult film star Stormy Daniels filed a lawsuit trying to invalidating a nondisclosure agreement about her alleged sexual relationship with President Donald Trump, Stars Cabaret released the dates and locations of her Oregon stops.

A poster featuring a picture of Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, calling her "Presidential Gal Pal Stormy Daniels." She will visit the strip club chain in May, stopping first in Bend on May 17, then Salem on May 18 and finally visiting Portland on May 19.

The poster includes hashtags like "#TidyWhities," "#ForbesPlay," and "#FakeNews?" and a small picture of the president with a speech bubble saying, "A lot of people are saying...this woman is hot (and worth it)."

The quote is, probably, not accurate, since the president has denied having a sexual relationship with Daniels.

On Tuesday, in a suit filed in Los Angeles, Daniels attempted to extricate herself from a nondisclosure agreement she signed in 2016, saying Trump never signed the agreement, "rendering it null and void," according to The New York Times.

Daniels was paid $130,000 by Trump's personal lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, after signing the nondisclosure in 2016.

Before she filed suit against Trump, Cohen began "arbitration proceedings against her in Los Angeles in efforts to prevent her from speaking out about an affair she said she had with Mr. Trump," The New York Times reporter.

Daniels announced over Twitter in February that she would be stopping in Portland during her upcoming tour.

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker
Of all our human fears, manipulation falls at the forefront. Might our lovers be deceiving us? Gaslighting us? Could technology be impacting the way we spend our money? The way we think? Can we be coerced into doing something we never imagined we were capable of?

There's perhaps no manipulator more skilled than British illusionist Derren Brown, famed television personality and Netflix's newest recruit. The first of Brown's three one-hour specials now streaming on the platform is The Push, the trailer for which went viral based on the disturbing and dangerous question it poses: can a group of actors try to "push" a man into committing murder through social compliance alone? Reviewers have encouraged those engaging with The Push to avoid discovering the answer, because the effect of the frog in hot water-method of manipulation is worth the wait.

Brown, a self-taught hypnotist-turned-magician-turned mentalist, is a purveyor of psychological magic, mostly because "it was more interesting to read someone's thoughts than find their playing card." His endeavors have caused no small about of controversy, particularly given the fact his shows have oft involved fake-games of Russian Roulette or the faux-electrocution of kittens (think a very twisted Punk'd). The moral questionability of The Push, Brown expects, is also unlikely to fly under the radar (despite the psychologically-vetted subject, as well as the psychologists and medics on hand), but it's worth it.

"I hadn't made anything particularly controversial for a while so the next one had to be bolder and darker," Brown says of The Push. "It became about how what's 'normal' shifts under our feet without us realizing, how the filter-bubble of our immediate situation gives us the illusion of free agency, and how a manipulating force can use those processes not to change our natures, but to have us act against our better selves."

Considering millennials are moving so quickly, and, with the Internet's help, more collectively, an experiment based on how far we might go to make decisions that ensure social acceptance is certainly relevant. We've seen hundreds of thousands dump buckets of ice on their heads or precariously lie face-down atop thin objects as the result of massively popular social movements. We're that much more connected, and thus able to quicker evaluate the "norm."

While this is, of course, integral to create a more civilized society, Brown says we should be wary of feeling "too comfortable" to ensure we maintain our own agency (read: frog in hot water). Religion to a past era is new media to us, he says, and while our society might need compliance to function, it's important we remain informed and aware that we're actively partaking in it. "Life is about growth," Brown says, "finding meaning in something larger than oneself, which means embracing a certain amount of anxiety."

Brown also has some wise words as to how to identify a manipulator, be they present in advertising, politics or your day-to-day life. "Look out for the guy who reduces complexity to 'them and us,'" Brown advises. "Who presses our buttons around notions of threat and contamination. We're pre-wired to respond to those ideas as they have served us in our evolutionary history, but they can easily be exploited to make us fearful. The manipulator will also restrict choice and then allow free debate or choice within that restricted arena." Sound familiar?

Driven into the field by a fascination with how we respond to each other and the world at large, he acknowledges that his methods might strike a nerve given our reluctance to consider the complexities of human nature, or even the fact that we might self-deceive. From this, Brown believes, is where a significant amount of his criticism stems. Particularly triggering is likely the fact that in situations of high social pressure, our values don't necessary shift as we might have thought, but become malleable, something Brown describes as "frightening." He says, "We work around them, frantically justifying to ourselves that what we're doing is acceptable."

Ultimately, Brown says growing up about tolerating ambiguity and complexity. "The more we can do that, the less easily we can be manipulated by fear, which is the bottom line," he says. "Whether it's in the sphere of politics or our own personalities, we need to engage in dialogue with those parts we more easily demonize, otherwise they always rage against us."

Or push you over the edge.

Photo via Netflix


After a string of releases ranging in structure and sound from loose and experimental to coifed and classical, Brooklyn-based R&B-and-gospel shapeshifter serpentwithfeet is ready to *bless our hearts* once again with the announcement of his debut full-length LP, soil. Are we worthy? We will soon find out! The LP arrives June 8 on Secretly Canadian and Tri Angle, where he released 2016's sweeping blisters EP.

The FADER premiered the video for lead single "bless ur heart" today, along with a beauteous cover story  featuring juicy anecdotes about his beloved doll collection, his start as a choir boy in church who was also growing up gay, and details about soil's intimate recording sessions.

soil features collaborations with producers like Clams Casino, Paul Epworth (yes, of Adele-blockbuster 21 fame), Katie Gately and mmph. Most recently, the artist born Josiah Wise remixed Bjork's "Blissing Me" from her recent Utopia album.

Now, without further ado: watch "bless ur heart," below, and melt over the song's hauntingly spare (and altogether stunning) piano-and-vocal arrangement, and bb serpent's flawless Shakespearean looques. The whole thing is like blue-fire candlelight illuminating this cold and snowy New York City day; thank goddess for its warmth.

And this spring, serpentwithfeet heads out on an international tour to promote his debut, starting in London. Grab those tickets here.


This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions
Canada's BlackBerry Ltd. has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, claiming they took intellectual property from its BlackBerry Messenger technology. The suit was filed Tuesday in U.S. Federal Court in Los Angeles by Quin Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, the very law firm that represented Samsung against Apple in their major patent dispute over the iPhone. BlackBerry's lawsuit is based on seven counts of patent infringement. The particular patents are presented below along with links to each of the USPTO patents.

COUNT 01: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 7,372,961

COUNT 02: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,209,634

COUNT 03: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,279,173

COUNT 04: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,301,713

COUNT 05: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,429,236

COUNT 06: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,677,250

COUNT 07: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 9,349,120

BlackBerry's Summary

1. "BlackBerry Pioneers Mobile Messaging - BlackBerry has been a leading innovator in the field of mobile communications for the past 30 years, having invested substantial sums into research and development of communications technologies. BlackBerry's innovations led to the commercialization of some of the earliest models of smartphones in the United States, enabling its users to, among other things, send and receive e-mails securely and surf the internet anytime and anywhere. These same innovations prompted the rise of the smartphone as a necessary everyday accessory for businesspersons and ordinary consumers alike.

2. One example of BlackBerry's innovations is the BlackBerry Messenger technology, which revolutionized instant messaging by providing users with secure, user-friendly, point-to-point instant messaging on their mobile devices. In many respects, through BlackBerry Messenger and other research and development, BlackBerry helped pioneer modern mobile messagingsecure, instant and user friendly on a mobile device. The appeal and success of BlackBerry Messenger led consumers to consider instant messaging functionality as an integral aspect of mobile communications, resulting today in billions of people worldwide engaging in instant messaging over their mobile device.

3. As an innovator, BlackBerry took many steps to safeguard this valuable intellectual property. It received numerous patents protecting the cutting-edge features of its mobile phones, BlackBerry Messenger, and other communications applications that make such products secure, easy-to-use, and ultimately engaging to the end-user, thereby driving user growth and retention.

4. Facebook and its Companies Later Develop Competing Applications that Improperly Use BlackBerry's Mobile Messaging Intellectual Property - Defendants, on the other hand, are relative latecomers to the mobile messaging world. Defendants created mobile messaging applications that co-opt BlackBerry's innovations, using a number of the innovative security, user interface, and functionality enhancing features that made BlackBerry's products such a critical and commercial success in the first place. These include the features covered by the Patents-in-Suit.

5. The Patents-in-Suit cover, for example:

(a) Security Improvementsimproved cryptographic techniques that establish and maintain security over user messages and provide the requisite trust necessary for user adoption of a messaging platform for their communication needs;

(b) User Interface Improvements For Mobile Devicesincluding (i) improvements in message notification techniques that streamline and optimize reception of new message notifications that prevent users from being inundated with numerous messaging notifications, (ii) display of timestamps in a messaging user interface that provides users with appropriate temporal context for their communications without overtaking the user's screen with unnecessary information, and (iii) tagging friends and family in social media photographs;

(c) Combining Mobile Gaming And Mobile Messagingallowing users to more easily interact while playing electronic games; and

(d) Battery Efficient Status Updates for Mobile Devicesimproved techniques for transmitting status updates based on whether a second device is viewing the status updates, to reduce power consumption and improve battery life in mobile devices. These features, all invented by BlackBerry, are "table stakes" for modern mobile messaging and social networking.

6. Thus, Defendants have used BlackBerry's own intellectual property to compete with it in the mobile messaging space. These applications are ever expanding, including Facebook Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook Pages Manager, Facebook.com and Facebook Workplace Chat, the WhatsApp Messenger application made by WhatsApp Inc., and the Instagram application made by Instagram, Inc. The importance of mobile messaging is emphasized by the reported $19 billion dollars Facebook spent to acquire WhatsApp.

7. Defendants' Use of BlackBerry's Mobile Messaging Innovations Harms BlackBerry and Provides Undeserved Windfall to Facebook and its CompaniesDefendants' use of BlackBerry's invention and infringement of the Patents-in-Suit, has succeeded in diverting consumers away from BlackBerry's products and services and toward those of Defendants. This has resulted in a substantial and undeserved windfall for Defendants as these users drive Defendants' revenue. Defendants' gain comes at BlackBerry's expense, depriving BlackBerry of revenue to which it is entitled as a result of its inventions. Through this suit, BlackBerry seeks redress for the harm caused by Defendants' unlawful use of BlackBerry's intellectual property."

Facebook deputy general counsel Paul Grewal said in an email to Canada's CBC News that "BlackBerry's suit sadly reflects the current state of its messaging business. Having abandoned its efforts to innovate, BlackBerry is now looking to tax the innovation of others. We intend to fight."

The lawsuit was filed yesterday in the California Central District Court. George H. Wu is the Presiding Judge, with Karen L. Stevenson as the Referring Judge.





About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
In October Patently Apple posted a report noting that the EU Commission had issued a non-compliance action against Ireland for not collecting Apple's taxes on time. Then in November we reported that Ireland's Finance Committee made it known that they were angry at Apple for delaying the transfer of funds until 2018. We're now learning that Ireland has selected the Bank of New York Mellon as custodian to oversee the management of about 14 billion of back taxes and interest the Republic has been ordered to collect from Apple.

This would help pave the way for Apple to start transferring funds to an escrow account in the second quarter, according to the latest estimates from the Department of Finance  more than 15 months after an original deadline was missed. Ireland expects to start collecting the money from Apple in Q2.

While the Irish Government and Apple moved in late 2016 to appeal a decision months earlier by the European Commission that Apple owed Ireland billions of euro of allegedly illegal state aid, the State has agreed to collect the amount, plus interest, in the meantime and hold it in escrow. The case is currently before the European Union's general court in Luxembourg, and is expected to ultimately end up in the European Court of Justice.





About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
Paxton, IL (60957)

Today

Partly cloudy. High 89F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Historical Tabib mansion in Shushtar, Iran turned into boutique hotel

03/07/18

Source: Tehran Times

The 19th-century Tabib Shushtari mansion has recently been repurposed into a boutique hotel after being fully restored. The mansion is located in the ancient city of Shushtar, southwest Iran.



Tabib Shushtari Traditional Hotel (map)

www.tabibhouse.com



"Being the first traditional residence in Shushtar, it has 10 rooms with a capacity to accommodate 39 people .... a considerable feature of the place is its vicinity to the UNESCO-inscribed Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System," CHTN quoted Alireza Tabib Shushrari, its landlord, as saying on Tuesday.







Earlier this month, the Revitalization and Utilization Fund for Historical Places announced 269 historical monuments across the country are to be ceded to the private sector with the aim of repurposing them into eco-lodges or other profitable niches.













The rooms at Tabib Shushtari Traditional Hotel



Iran is home to abundant historical mansions, caravanserais, bathhouses, madrasas, and other massive monuments, which can buttress its budding tourism and hospitality sectors if managed appropriately and refurbished properly.
The Public Procurement Authority (PPA) has advised the ministry of finance to write to the World Bank that the cancellation of a concession agreement granted Messrs Ibistek Ghana Limited by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), would have severe legal consequences to the state.



According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the PPA, Adjenim Boateng Adjei, parties to the agreement acted in accordance with the laws, procedures and systems which the World Bank itself has supported Ghana over the years to establish.



His advice followed a letter by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) directing for the $370 million concession agreement granted to Ibistek Ghana for the development of a multi-purpose container terminal at the Takoradi Port in the Western Region to be suspended.



The finance minister had in a letter dated December 29, 2017, instructed the GPHA to suspend the contract and reopen a competitive procurement process in respect of the said project.



You are hereby directed to suspend any prior concession agreements to undertake the above-mentioned project without any cost to the GPHA and the government and report same to this office, the ministers letter stated.



But in its letter, the PPA maintained the view that there was no existing agreement between the GPHA and Ibistek for the termination of the contract.



At the time of the award of the concession to Ibistek, GPHA was said to have validly terminated the Private-Public Partnership (PPP) processes that earlier existed in relation to the project.



I wish therefore, to advise that the ministry of finance should write to explain to the Word Bank that the parties in this matter acted in accordance with the laws, procedures and systems which the Bank has supported the state over the years to establish, Mr Adjei indicated in a letter cited by DAILY GUIDE.



Due Process



In a letter dated January 5, 2018, to the minister, Mr Adjei averred that the processes of awarding the contract under Section 40 Sub-section 2 of Act 914, were legitimate and in accordance with the law.



I wish to reiterate this position in reference to a response by the PPA to concerns raised by the World Bank on this matter in a letter dated September 15, 2017, in which the PPA made it clear to the bank that there was no illegality nor circumvention of the processes, the CEO stated.



Concession



In August 2017, the GPHA signed a 25-year concession agreement with Ibistek Ghana Limited for the development of a 61-hectare container and multi-purpose terminal to handle one million 20-footer equivalent units (TEUs) of containers at the Takoradi Port and three million tonnes of general cargo per annum.



Under the agreement, the facility, which would serve as a convergence point to receive imports and transshipment cargo, was also to serve as a one-stop-shop for all container procedures at the Takoradi Port.



Ibistek, as the concessionaire, is responsible for the full funding of the project  from the construction of basic infrastructure to utility systems, procurement, installation of cargo handling cranes and equipment as well as the operation of the terminal.



The project, with funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB), according to the contract information, had proposed in addition, to develop a container quay of 16-metre draft capable of accommodating bigger vessels and further make the Takoradi Port to become a long term competitive alternative to the Port of Tema.



These processes were completed after a series of communications between the GPHA and the PPA and a subsequent publication of public notices in the September 11, 2017 edition of the Ghanaian Times in compliance with the directive of PPA to the GPHA on the procurement processes.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Groupe Nduom Foods Company Limited, an entity of Groupe Nduom, a multinational conglomerate, has shown its determination to become an active producer in the Ghanaian food manufacturing industry. The company which is currently into rice production is poised to expand its tentacles to cover crop production like cassava, maize, sorghum, soya and cashew.



The company invested in the Worawora Rice Mill based in the Northern part of the Volta Region, in 2016 and has since replaced the milling equipment with new ones. This mill currently produces 100 metric tons of rice a day. The company is in the process of building one more mill in the Central Region and another one in the Northern Region so as to increase its production capacity to 300 metric tonnes a day by the end of this year.



In December last year, the compnay sold some of its rice to an American based charity, which is supporting about 18 missions across the country. The charity organisation has been supporting several orphanages and other charity projects across the country. According to Mr. Percival Ofori Ampomah, the US based charity was formerly importing about 274 metric tons of rice into Ghana for consumption but has now stopped this rice importation after building a relationship with Groupe Nduom Foods.



The tremendous role that the company is currently playing in the country cannot be over emphasized.



We have seen a very high rate of imports, which is not good for the economy. Ghana, in 2016 alone, imported close to 2 billion dollars worth of food  in a country that has plenty of land, very highly qualified people, and plenty of skills. Though some personnel are not trained, at least you have people who are able to operate machinery. So, why is this happening in Ghana? Its a clear example of the Dutch disease. This is something that needs to be addressed, World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Henry Kerali, made these statements at a stakeholders forum organised by the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana recently.



These sentiments can also be backed by statistics from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) which shows that more than 60% of rice consumed in Ghana is imported which puts a huge pressure on our foreign exchange reserves thereby also putting pressure on the Ghana cedi.



It is against this backdrop that Groupe Nduom Foods has targeted and, is already making strong inroads to hit with a modular approach with the addition of other mills to increase rice production so that millions dollars of import bills can be substituted.



As we build more factories and expand processing capacity, we increase our demand for paddy rice, which means more work for local farmers and most importantly more money to the farmer to support his family. While these factories themselves will create a large number of jobs for the local communities in which they are cited, the real gains in terms of employment will come from the impact our out grower operations will have on the farmers and the farming communities, General Manager Mr. Ampomah explained further.



He said these are some of the strategies and steps that the company has put in place to lead in the transformation of the food manufacturing industry to become an exporter in the near future.



The company is optimistic that by making such strategic investments, it will help create a trail for other investors to follow and invest in the sector and build more factories and expand processing capacity.

Source: Frank Owusu-Ofori/ GN









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Minority side in Parliament has written to the Governor of the Bank of Ghana and the Finance Minister requesting for information on some technical details relating to Capital and UT Banks takeover by GCB bank.



GCB bank took over the two banks in 2017 with the permission of the BoG because they were unable to increase the capital requirements needed for their operations.



The Minority in its letter made three demands including being furnished with the purchase and assumption transaction document to update themselves on the issues that warranted the takeover.



Speaking to Citi News Parliamentary correspondent, Duke Mensah Opoku on Wednesday, the Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, said the group is only seeking further clarity on the transaction.



We are asking for clarity in the provision of certain information that we deemed outstanding, relating to the two banks that were liquidated of which the central bank signed and purchased an assumption transaction with GCB. As we speak, the public does not know anything about it. We have read from an IMF document that says that the government of Ghana represented by the Ministry of Finance is going to arrange some bond issuance, about one percent of GDP which is about 1.6 to 2 billion cedis to defray the cost relating to the collapse of the two banks.



The argument is that who is going to pay? Is it going to be a public debt? The bond is going to be serviced through the consolidated fund and I know that as we speak, plans are far advanced, theyve completed the discussion on the debt and it has come to about GHc2 billion.



Ato Forson complained that as representatives of the people of Ghana, we dont seem to have any information about it, and it is important that, at the minimum, that ought to have come to Parliament for approval and the peoples representatives get copies of the purchase and the assumption transaction that the central bank signed with the GCB bank.



The other two technical issues the Minority members are demanding clarity on include the cutoff rules as enshrined in the public financial management act, and the financial administration regulation as well as clarity on a supposed 7 billion outstanding arrears which they said had been adjusted.



Unibank moves to control majority interest in adb



This comes on the back of a purported control of the Agricultural Development Bank (adb) by Unibank.



Belstar Capital, Starmount Development company, EDC as well as SIC Financial Services Limited, have all allegedly pledged their shares, proceeds, entitlement and voting rights to Unibank hence giving Unibank power over adb.



CEO of Unibank, Dr. Kwabena Duffour Jr. confirmed on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday that per the deal we have the power and control to change it from adb. Down the line we might decide to do a proper transfer where we will need the approval of the various regulatory bodies but for now we have the power and control over it.



Meanwhile, adb has however been suspended by the Ghana Stock Exchange, and the Bank of Ghana has also described the supposed deal as null and void.









Source: citifmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Ecobank Ghana has commissioned its new ultramodern glass edifice in a tasteful and well-organized ceremony in Accra on March 7, 2018.



The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo graced the occasion. In attendance as well were other dignitaries, such as, The Minister of Finance, Governor of the Bank of Ghana, and other prominent government officials.



The CEO of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated and the Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana were also in attendance with other Ecobank Board members, senior management and staff.



In his welcome address, the MD of Ecobank Ghana, Daniel Sackey, stated that Ecobank has been able to grow its business to become the largest bank in Ghana, due to the selflessness of hardworking staff and the support and confidence of its customers and other valued stakeholders.



He also pointed out that the building underscores the banks commitment towards the Ghanaian market and the provision of best in class services to its numerous clients.



The Chairman of the Ecobank Ghana Board of Directors, Mr. Terence Darko, said that Ecobank on its part is making financial services convenient, reliable and accessible through the digitization of banking processes.



Also addressing the invited guests were CEO of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Mr. Ade Ayeyemi, and Dr. Ernest Addison, Governor of Bank of Ghana, who both congratulated the bank on its achievement.



The building was dedicated to God by the Clergy led by Rev Dr. Frimpong-Manso, The General Superintendent of The Assemblies of God Church.



The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gave the keynote address, and led the delegation to officially commission the building. In his keynote address, the President revealed that the new Head Office of Ecobank Ghana cost $60 million dollars.



The New Ecobank Head office building is a customer centric ultramodern edifice with 2 towers sitting on a podium and 2 levels underground. The property covers a 27000 square meter area. The 1st Tower (A) is a 14-floor block of Corporate Offices, board rooms, meeting room, executive dining area and a rooftop executive cocktail lounge.



There are 27 meeting rooms and 2 executive board rooms, a staff gym and a media room. The second Tower (B) is a 5 floors block with a 2 level Banking Hall facility, Ultramodern Auditorium, a coffee lounge, a Staff Clubhouse and 2 canteens. There is also a wide ATM arena for personal banking transactions.



Ecobank Ghana is subsidiary of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), a bank holding company which is currently present in over 36 countries across Africa, dealing in 20 currencies.



Commencing operations in Ghana from February 1990, Ecobank Ghana has grown consistently over the years to become the biggest bank in Ghana and a well-recognized corporate brand in the Ghanaian banking industry.



The Bank which embarked on a strategic shift from a predominantly wholesale bank to a Universal Bank now has 67 branches and over 200 ATMs across the country.



On the technology front, Ecobank is the first bank to introduce a pan-African card that enables customers to withdraw cash and make payments across 36 markets in Africa. The launch of the evolutionary Ecobank Mobile App, which is focused on financially empowering 100 million new customers in Africa by 2020 has resulted in more Africans gaining access to financial tools than ever before.



A critical component of this success is the landmark strategic partnerships with MasterCard and VISA. These alliances have powered the Ecobank Mobile App with the Ecobank Scan + Pay QR codes for MasterPass and mVISA, which allow consumers to make fast and secure payments by scanning a Quick Response (QR) code displayed at merchant points of sale, using their mobile phones.



It is now possible for phone users to do nearly all banking transactions without entering any branch of Ecobank physically but with the use of their phones, without respect to location.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah forever remains one of the greatest gifts to Ghana.



As Ghanaians, we heard about the liberation struggle which saw Ghana transition from a British colony to a republic state in 1957.



In this struggle, Ghana's founding father did not just lead his people to the promised land of freedom but also left Ghanaians with specific prophecies that are currently being manifested.



Nkrumah's main purpose abroad was to get prepared to win the battle of independence for Ghana.



Since he could not fight the anti-colonial fight all by himself, Nkrumah decided to form a strong political party which would help him win the hearts and minds of Ghanaians, who already were resisting colonial rule.



The party was called the Convention People's Party (CPP).



The fight for political independence was not an easy one for Nkrumah. He suffered some arrests by opposing colonial forces.



He also was met with grave political opposition from other local politicians who just felt the approach by Nkrumah was very radical.



But despite all these challenges, Nkrumah managed to become Ghana's prime minister in 1952.



He kept this position until 1920 when he officially got elected as president of Ghana under the new 1960 Constitution - Ghana's first Constitution before the 1992 Constitution.



Today, although we may not have met Nkrumah in person, we remember him for the construction and commissioning of the Akosombo Dam, Tema Harbour, Tema Motorway, Volta River Authority (VRA), Ghana Broadcasting Company (GBC) and many more. Here is a collection of some serious things Nkrumah spoke about in the past that are happening now:



1. Africa will continue to suffer unless we unite



"No independent African State today by itself has a chance to follow an independent course of economic development. This position will not change unless we have unified policy working at the continental level.



The first step towards our cohesive economy would be a unified monetary zone, with, initially, an agreed common parity for our currencies" - Address to the Conference of African Heads of State and Government, May 24, 1963.



2. The rise of terrorism in Africa



"The nuclear arms race in the Middle East is now an open secret. Instability in this area not only heightens world tension but jeopardizes the security of the African Continent." - Ratification of OAU Charter speech made to Ghana National Assembly on June 21, 1963.



3. Economic exploitation of Africa



"Almost everywhere, behind the smoke screens, the social and economic situation is unhealthy, and particularly in the second class capitalist states. And these mounting economic crises mean heavier dependence on the exploitation of the peoples of Africa, Asia, and Latin America."



4. The world will not respect Africa



"Psychological attacks on Africa are made through the agency of broadcasting stations like the BBC, Voice of Germany, and above all, Voice of America, which pursues its brainwashing mission through newsreels, interviews and other "informative" programmes at all hours of the day and night, on all wavelengths and in many languages, including special English."



5. How poor leadership will make Ghana poor



"What other countries have taken three hundred years or more to achieve, a once dependent territory must try to accomplish in a generation if it is to survive. Unless it is, as it were jet-propelled it will lag behind and thus risk everything for which it has fought." - Ghana: The Autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah



6. Political tensions in Ghana



"...Of course that we have no capital, no industrial skill, no communications, no internal markets, and that we cannot even agree among ourselves how best to utilize our resources for our own social needs."



7. Ghana begging for international aid



"Unless we do this by our concerted efforts, within the framework of our combined planning, we shall not progress at the tempo demanded by todays events and the mood of our people. The symptoms of our troubles will grow, and the troubles themselves become chronic. Can we say Nkrumah was truly the prophet of Ghana and Africa?"

Source: yen.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Kiki Gbeho has been appointed dep. Head of AU-UN mission in Dafur

March 7, 2018



United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki on Tuesday announced the appointment of Anita Kokui Gbeho of Ghana as Deputy Joint Special Representative for the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).



Ms. Gbeho succeeds Bintou Keita of Guinea, to whom the Secretary-General and the Commission Chairperson are grateful for her dedicated service during her tenure with UNAMID.



Ms. Gbeho brings to the position a wealth of experience from her distinguished career in the United Nations.



Since 2015, she has served as Resident Coordinator/Resident Representative, United Nations Development Programme, Namibia, where she supported the Government of Namibia to coordinate its external development assistance through the United Nations Partnership and Namibian Development Frameworks.



Previously, Ms. Gbeho was Chief of Section for Africa I (2012-2015) and Head of Office for Somalia (2008-2012) with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).



Ms. Gbeho held other senior positions such as Director for Monitoring and Evaluation Unit in the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators Office in Sudan (2006-2008) and Head of OCHA Liaison Office in South Sudan (2004-2006), during which time she led the strategic planning process of the United Nations and partners for Sudan; and managed the humanitarian and transition operations for South Sudan.



Ms. Gbeho holds a masters degree in international relations from the University of Ghana and a bachelors degree in Social Sciences and Africana Studies from the State University of New York, Stony Brook.



Born in Accra in 1964, she has a daughter.

Source: ghanacrusader.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Ghanas social media space is reacting to the speech by Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari that he will help Ghana in its fight against corruption.



Ghanaians and some Nigerians following the speech have taken to social media to question the rationale behind President Buharis offer of help for Ghanas anti-corruption fight when he was yet to finish with his own unending corruption load in Nigeria.



Permeating the comments and posts were references to a snake that allegedly swallowed 36 million naira ($102,409, the cedis equivalent of over 470,000 cedis from the office of Nigeria Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).



Delivering a speech as the Special Guest of Honour during Ghanas 61st Independence Anniversary Parade at the Black Star in Accra, President Buhari commended Akufo-Addo and Ghanas parliament for passing the Special Prosecutor Bill to fight endemic corruption; adding that Nigeria will always be available to support Ghana in its bid to ensure that corruption is defeated.



 Your Excellency, I can assure you that you have a good partner in me in tackling endemic corruption, the Nigerian President said.



But below are the reactions of some Ghanaians and Nigerians on social media.









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Ghana, Nigeria and many countries in Africa would be empty if the United States of America decides to give free visas for just a week, Pastor Mensa Otabil has said.



The International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) founder told his congregation on Sunday, 4 March during the churchs 34th anniversary service that the number of Africans who risk their lives traversing deserts and the Mediterranean to Europe, is ample evidence that virtually all Africans would run out of the continent for greener pasture if they had the chance.



Look at the number of our people who try to cross the Sahara Desert to go to Europe.



And believe you me, if that way were open, Africa would be empty. It would be empty, Dr Otabil said, adding that: If the American Embassy today decides: this week is free visa for everybody, Ghana would be empty, Nigeria would be empty.



Why are we travelling? Its not because we have a sense of adventure, because if we had a sense of adventure, we would have travelled to Mole, we wouldve gone to Kintampo, we have no sense of adventure, its a sense of hopelessness. Its not adventure, its hopelessness. Its a sense where you feel nothing good will come from here.



According to Magnum, the largest flow of modern African migration funnels through Libya.



Magnum said coming from the south, migrants flee the vestiges of wars that have left entire nations in ruin. From the east, they escape a life of indefinite military servitude and violent conflict. From the west, they evade destitution and governments that arbitrarily jail whomever they please.



It said some arrive by choice, others by force. But Libya is the purgatory where most migrants prepare to face the deadliest stretch of the Mediterranean Sea.



Libya's 1,100-mile coastline, according to Magnum, has effectively become an open border without government forces to monitor who comes and who goes. Smugglers have filled the void, willing to tightly pack hundreds of migrants at a time into flimsy vessels and shuttle them to Italy.



Migrant crossings through the central Mediterranean jumped by more than four-fold after 2013. The International Organization for Migration estimates that nearly 182,000 migrants from Libya have landed in Italy since the start of last year, exacerbating a massive refugee crisis already spilling out of Syria and other parts of the Middle East.

Source: classfmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Fifty-one Ghanaians who were being trafficked to Guinea for mining activities in a boat have been arrested by the Marine Police Unit at the Takoradi Port.



The special boat, which is about twice the size of normal fishing boat, with the inscription Emmanuel, was carrying heavy-duty mining equipment and some Ghanaians.



The equipment included huge water pumps, oar milling machines, dozens of shovels and head pans. Also found on the boat were food items, water and extra fuel.



The Marine Police intercepted the special boat upon realising that it was also carrying people believed to be illegal miners.



Narration



Speaking to the Daily Graphic, one of the passengers said they had been recruited from Akplabanya near Ada in the Greater Accra Region to mine in Guinea.



According to him, the team sailed from Akplabanya through Tema, Accra, Saltpond Basin, with an intention to cross the Tano Basin into Cote dIvoire, Sierra Leone and to Guinea by sea.



He added that 58 people started the journey but seven of them disembarked and some equipment unloaded because the boat had been overloaded.



Briefing



Briefing the media on the exercise, the Commander of the Marine Police Unit in the Western Region, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Seidu Iddi, said the boat was intercepted during the normal offshore operations of the Marine Police.



He said preliminary investigations revealed that the occupants were being trafficked to Guinea for mining activities.



I must say that the movement of the heavy duty equipment and people is a criminal offence under Criminal Offences 23 (1), Commander Iddi stated.



He said the police would impound the boat and place the occupants in custody for further investigations.





Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale has been granted bail after he was arrested for assaulting a Police Officer.



DSP Sheila Buckman, Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service disclosed that the Taking Over artiste was arrested on Sunday, March 4, 2018 for allegedly assaulting a police officer.



it wasnt just unregistered, it had no number plate at all, which goes against our laws. In an attempt for the policeman to ask questions Shatta Wale assaulted the police officer and also exhibited insulting behaviour. Because of that, he was arrested on Sunday and hes been granted police enquiry bail to reappear at the police station this morning. explained DSP Buckman to Andy Dosty on HITZ FM.



She furthered explained why what Wale did amounts to assault.



If you look at Act 29 [of the Criminal Code 1960], a person does an act of assault where the intent is to lead to harm or cause any other event that will lead to harm.



Wale was captured in a viral video in a hot exchange of words with a policeman at East Legon last week. In the video, the police officer is seen ordering the artiste and his friends to get back into their cars and follow him to the police station.



After his unsuccessful bid to get the policeman to let him and his friends go, flared up, shouting and raining words on the law enforcement officer for dealing with a public figure like him in that manner.

Video-

Source: livefmghana.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Rivalries, violence and revenge among Crips gang members in eastern Pennsylvania are alleged to have cost a 19-year-old Bethlehem woman her life.

As our sister website, LehighValleyLive.com, reports, Taeyahe "Tay" Glover was shot twice, including the second time in the face, on February 8, 2017.

Now after a grand jury investigation and thousands of hours of police work, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli has filed criminal homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide against two members of the Crips gang.

Those charged are Kasheem Abdullah Aiken, 36, of Easton, and Xavier Sheldon Snyder, 18, of Washington.

The two are accused of shooting and killing Glover in a revenge plot over the death of their fellow Crips member, Alan Young

According to police, Young was upset that Glover was in a relationship with Tariq Page, a member of a rival Crips sect in Allentown who has since been convicted of shooting and killing Young while Glover was present in early February, 2017.

Six days after Young's killing, Snyder allegedly texted Glover and convinced her to come outside and meet him. He allegedly took her to the corner of Sioux and Sassafras streets, where Aiken was waiting for her.

Aiken allegedly shot her while lying in wait. And when he saw her continue to move, he allegedly shot her in the face at close range. All this, according to LehighValleyLive.com, citing the indictment detailed by Morganelli.

Taeyahe Glover's body was found at 2:23 a.m. the next day by a neighbor leaving for work.

"What kind of people do this to a 19-year-old girl who did nothing wrong? She did nothing wrong," Morganelli said at a press conference Tuesday in his office.
Photo by James Robinson for PennLive.com

Compiled by Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Expect to see a sea of green in the coming weeks.

St. Patrick's Day is March 17. People around the world will don green for the occasion, with many raising a pint of green beer too.

But there's more to the holiday than a color and booze. Here's a brief primer on St. Patrick's Day, its history, traditions and more.

Don't Edit

What is the meaning of St. Patrick's Day?

There's not really a meaning, per se. The holiday is a celebration of one Catholic man's life and the lessons we can all learn from how he lived.

That man is St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and St. Patrick's Day is his feast day.

Feast days celebrate an event or a person in the Catholic Church. They are meant to be a period of reflection on one's relationship with God as well.

Every Sunday is a feast day and there are many more throughout the year. During feast days, you are supposed to go to Mass and not go to work. During Lent, feast days are days where one does not have to fast. It's kind of like a freebie day from whatever you gave up.

While several feast days are mandated by the Church so that everyone must participate, St. Patrick's Day is not one of them. You can learn more about feast days here.

Don't Edit

Photo by Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com

Who was St. Patrick?

Lets delve into history for a second. Magonius Sucatus Patricius, aka St. Patrick, was a British man who was kidnapped by Irish raiders when he was 16. He ended up spending six years in captivity in Ireland. During this time he became a devout Christian.

Eventually, he escaped after believing God told him in a dream that he was to leave Ireland. So he walked to the coast, hopped on a ship and returned home. There, he dreamed that an angel told him to return to the Emerald Isle as a missionary. St. Patrick spent more than 15 years studying religion before becoming ordained and returning to Ireland. He died around 461 AD.

St. Patrick merged Christianity with more traditional parts of Irish culture, including adding bonfires to Easter celebrations and creating the Celtic cross, which incorporates the sun with the cross.

He also is largely responsible for helping convert the Irish to Christianity.

Don't Edit

Why do you have to wear green on St. Patrick's Day?

You don't have to wear green on St. Patrick's Day. Many do, though.

Green rose to popularity because of the shamrock, which St. Patrick is believed to have used to explain the trinity to the Irish, and because of the island's lush green countryside.

For St. Patrick's Day, people used to just put a shamrock in their lapel and that sufficed for wearing the green. However, the color became political after the Irish uprising in 1798, in which the Society of United Irishmen used the wearing of green garments as a uniform.

Some people, however, wear orange. That's to show unity with the protestants in Ireland.

And for those who love their facts fun and nerdy: originally St. Patrick was associated with a shade of blue - not green.

Don't Edit

Photo by James Robinson for PennLive.com

Why do we celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the United States?

The holiday came to the United States with Irish immigrants in the 1700s. It became more than just a religious day. St. Patrick's Day became a day to showcase Irish pride, culture and tradition. It's also in the United States that the holiday became so booze heavy.

The first official St. Patrick's Day parade was in New York City in 1762, when a bunch of Irish redcoats marched to a tavern in Manhattan. People liked the parade so much they just kept the tradition up. As more and more Irish people moved to the United States the holiday and its parades grew and spread throughout the country.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Why do people drink on St. Patrick's Day?

St. Patrick's Day wasn't always a booze-ridden holiday.

The traditional and religious way to celebrate would be to go to mass and contemplate St. Patrick's life and the lessons he can teach us about faith and our relationship with God and others. You should also share a meal with your family. That would be in keeping with the feast day tradition.

In Ireland, the day was a religious holiday and was treated as such. Aiding to the lack of libations - the fact that many pubs were closed on that day because of its religious status. However, in 1970, St. Patrick's Day became a national holiday in Ireland - so beer and whiskey can now be bought.

The alcohol came in thanks to Ireland's drinking reputation. The country is home to Guinness as well as a slew of ciders and whiskeys - so the celebration of Irish culture could mean indulging in a libation with an Irish drink.

As a feast day during Lent too, one can indulge without having to worry about breaking their Lent pledge.

And, if you are drinking, be sure to give a proper toast. That would be by saying the word "Slainte," which is pronounced "SLAN-cha," and means "health.

Don't Edit

Photo by Flickr user angeladellatorre

What about four-leaf clovers? That's a St. Patrick's Day thing, right?

No, no, no. The plant to associate with St. Patrick is the shamrock, which has three leaves, not the clover. According to legend, St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain Christianity's Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) to the Irish people. Thus, three leaves are better than four.

The four-leaf clover, on the other hand, is a symbol of good luck. We all like luck, of course, but it isn't necessarily a St. Patrick's Day thing. Reporter Sean Adams has a more in-depth look at the shamrock vs. clover debate here.

Don't Edit

Can I participate in the holiday even if I I'm not Irish?

There's no rule saying you can't celebrate, and there is a saying that "everyone is Irish on St. Paddy's day."

Don't Edit

Photo by James Robinson for PennLive.com

I have more St. Patrick questions! What did he do with snakes?

St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland, according to legend. However, today we understand that Ireland is snake-less because of its climate and the fact that the water that surrounds it is too cold for British snakes to migrate over. The snakes are believed to be symbolic, meaning the pagan religions.

For more on St. Patrick, check out his entry in "The Catholic Encyclopedia"'s Volume 11.

Don't Edit

Last one: Is it St. Patty's Day or St. Paddy's Day?

It's St. Paddy's Day, not St. Patty's Day. The nickname for Patrick, in Ireland, is Paddy, not Patty. Patty is the nickname for Patricia - or the name of a slab of hamburger.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

You may enjoy these stories...

Don't Edit
Booze shook the secret loose from the hunting staff. They arrived thirsty at the safari lodge in the Zimbabwe wilderness in July 2015. Their pockets were fat with cash.

Drinks went down and they became chatty, talking about a huge lion killed days earlier by a visiting trophy hunter. The lodge workers overhearing the boasts immediately wondered if the hunters were talking about Cecil, the 12-year-old lion who prowled the Kalahari woodlands of the Hwange National Park, according to a new book by Oxford University researcher Andrew Loveridge.

It would prove to be the first clue in unraveling how Cecil was killed. The big cat had not been seen since July 1. Jericho, the area's other male lion, had filled the recent nights with lonely, unanswered calls. The lodge workers relayed what they'd heard to a National Parks ranger.

Cecil's 2015 death created international controversy, with much of the fervor knotting around Walter Palmer, a 55-year-old Minnesota dentist and avid big game hunter. Palmer had reportedly paid local hunters and guides $50,000 to bring down Cecil with a bow-and-arrow on the Gwaai Conservancy, a private wildlife refuge bordering the park. The volume of the uproar rose when it was reported no lion hunting had been legally greenlit for the area.

Palmer later issued a public apology stating that he "had no idea that the lion (he) took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study."

Although Palmer's guide was initially charged for his part in Cecil's death, a Zimbabwe high court later dropped the proceedings.

Loveridge's book, "Lion Hearted: The Life and Death of Cecil and the Future of Africa's Iconic Cats," offers the first detailed account of Cecil's last hours, including new information on how the hunters lured the lion out of the park to his death. The book, based on interviews with members of the hunt and the analysis of Loveridge's data, also corrects many of the factual errors plaguing news coverage of the death.

"What I find most difficult about the whole incident is the apparent callousness with which the hunters undertook this hunt," Loveridge writes in the book, which was excerpted this week in National Geographic. "The lion was a commodity to be collected, 'taken' in hunting parlance. Concern for the pain and suffering of the animal never seems to have been a particular consideration."

The book arrives as big game hunting again is a hot topic in the United States. Under President Donald Trump - whose sons are big game hunters - the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been rolling back restrictions on importing hunting trophies from overseas. In October, the agency began issuing new permits of lion carcasses from Zimbabwe.

Palmer's attorney was not immediately available for comment on Loveridge's book.

Loveridge studied Cecil for eight years, and the work was often beset by loss. Since the research began at the park in 1999, 42 collared male lions have been killed by trophy hunters, according to National Geographic.

"It's hugely sad to lose a study animal that you are very very familiar with, you spent a lot of time with," he told the BBC after Cecil's death. "You get very up close and personal with them. They all have personalities, so it's very distressing when they die, not only from trophy-hunting but from other causes as well."

According to the book, members of the research team began worrying about Cecil on July 6, when they noticed the animal's GPS collar had not transmitted data since July 4. The collar had new batteries. A malfunction was unlikely.

When the team heard rumors about a lion hunt, they hit the field, picking up the information from the safari lodge. Eventually, the team tracked the boastful hunters down to Antoinette farm, "a 25-five-square-kilometer parcel located in the Gwaai," Loveridge writes.

From interviews with staff there, the team learned an elephant carcass was transported 300 meters from where it was killed to a location for the Palmer hunt. Downwind from the dead elephant - an appetizing lure for a lion - staff members constructed a blind in a nearby tree. This is where Palmer initially shot Cecil, Loveridge writes.

The lion survived the first arrow hit.

"It is clear that Cecil was at this stage mortally wounded and hadn't moved far from where he was shot," the author writes. "This is corroborated by the GPS data from Cecil's collar, which allows a forensic reconstruction of events. The collar sent a position from the hunt site at just before 9 p.m. By 11 p.m. the collar's position had moved 80 meters roughly southeast from the carcass. It therefore seems probable Cecil was shot at some point between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on July 1."

Palmer and his hired team finished Cecil off "10 to 12 hours after being wounded."

"Cecil suffered incredible cruelty for at least 10 hours, severely wounded and slowly dying," the book states. "Clearly, although the wound was severe, the arrow had missed the vital organs or arteries that would have caused rapid blood loss and a relatively quick death. Certainly, the lion was so incapacitated that in all those hours he'd been able to move only 350 meters from the place where he was shot."

(c) 2018, The Washington Post * Kyle Swenson
MOON, Pa. -- Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. traveled to the Pittsburgh suburbs one week before the special election in Pennsylvania's 18th District with a message aimed squarely at the middle class.

At separate events before a crowd of union workers in Pittsburgh and then a packed room of supporters at Robert Morris University, Biden said Democrat Conor Lamb understands the people of the southwest Pennsylvania district. Invoking a military slogan, he said a Lamb victory would send a message across the country.

"He'll never leave anybody behind," Biden said at the Carpenters Training Center in Pittsburgh late Tuesday afternoon. "Go out and make sure he wins. It will set a trend in the nation. It will change things."

His message comes as Democrats weigh how to compete in traditionally Republican areas and appeal to the working-class voters who supported President Donald Trump in 2016.

Lamb will face off against GOP state Rep. Rick Saccone in a March 13 special election to fill former Republican Rep. Tim Murphy's seat. Murphy, an anti-abortion rights candidate, resigned after revelations that he urged his mistress to have an abortion.

The race has become surprisingly competitive even though Trump carried the 18th District by 20 points in 2016. Republican Mitt Romney carried the district by 17 points in 2012. But now it's anyone's guess who will win next Tuesday.

Democrats have credited their nominee's strength as a candidate with making the race close. Lamb hails from a political family though it's his first run for office. After serving as a Marine, he worked as a federal prosecutor.

Lamb has largely shied away from links the national party. He's said he wouldn't support California's Nancy Pelosi for House Democratic leader, and he declined to join his fellow Democrats in calling for new gun laws.

It was Biden's appeal to working-class voters that brought him to the campaign trail in the contest's final week. (The former vice president also referenced his Pennsylvania roots, though he hails from the opposite side of the state.)

At the Pittsburgh rally, Biden stressed the importance of standing with unions, and protecting Medicare and Social Security.

Roughly 10 miles away at Robert Morris University, he again discussed the middle class with a packed room of Lamb supporters and took more swings at Republicans.

Biden slammed the GOP tax overhaul, saying it would lead to cuts in entitlement programs. And he denounced the millions spent on the airwaves to support Saccone and attack Lamb.

"If there's going to be a fight out there, I'm betting on that guy working construction or in a steel mill, I ain't betting on that fat cat writing a big check," the former vice president said, arguing that the grass-roots energy could overcome the barrage of critical TV ads.

Saccone sharply criticized Lamb on Tuesday for campaigning with Biden. "Conor Lamb's tendency to surround himself with Washington liberals and his choice to campaign with a key part of the anti-coal Obama White House proves he would push the same failed liberal agenda in Congress," his campaign said in a statement.

Saccone will also be getting some high-profile campaign trail help of his own. President Donald Trump heads to the area Saturday for a rally with the GOP nominee's supporters.

By Bridget Bowman, CQ-Roll Call (TNS)
They served with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. They saved lives. They were hailed as heroes.

But when they returned home, numerous bomb-sniffing dogs were mistreated.

Those are the results of a report released Friday by the Department of Defense's Inspector General related to some retired bomb-sniffing dogs who served in Afghanistan.

You can view the full report here.

The report said some dogs were left in kennels for up to 11 months, beyond a deadline for adoption or re-using them in the military, Reuters reported.

Many were mistreated through lack of care and attention, and others may have been put down, according to reports.

There were also some cases where soldiers who wanted to adopt the dogs they worked with were told they could not, prompting an investigation after those soldiers learned of the dogs' fates.

"The Army concurs with the DoDIG (Defense Inspector General) report and is complying with" its recommendations. Army spokesman Maj. Christopher Ophardt told Reuters.

The report recommends better oversight and accountability for military working dogs, along with better planning for their retirement and screening of owners.

The dogs in question were part of a program called TEDD, which stands for Tactical Explosive Detection Dog. They were used in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2014 for the detection of improvised explosive devices.
Kevin Sturgis fired the first gunshot inside a Harrisburg house in January, authorities said, hitting a U.S. marshals task force member in the elbow.

It was the only shot he fired inside the house in the 1800 block of Mulberry Street, authorities confirmed Tuesday.

Sturgis fired three more bullets outside of the house, including one that hit a Harrisburg officer in his bullet-resistant vest, according to District Attorney Fran Chardo, who provided more details about the police-involved shooting to PennLive Tuesday.

Chardo would not say how many rounds of gunfire were fired by members of the task force, but Sturgis was hit 18 times, including seven graze wounds.

One bullet pierced his aorta, Chardo said, causing him to die in the street almost instantly. He was pronounced dead and his body was not moved while police collected evidence, Chardo said.

MORE

It's unclear whether Sturgis received some of his injuries as gunfire was exchanged inside the house or during an ensuing gun battle in the street amid residents' parked vehicles.

But many of his wounds likely came at the end, when a task force member found Sturgis hiding between two parked cars. Sturgis pointed a pistol at the officer, Chardo said, and the officer fatally shot Sturgis.

The pistol and two shell casings fired from it were found near where Sturgis was fatally shot, Chardo said. The district attorney ruled the shooting death justifiable.

The new information from Chardo came five days after authorities disclosed for the first time that a deputy U.S. marshal killed during the Jan. 18 raid of the home was struck by a bullet fired by an officer, not Sturgis.

The fatal bullet that struck Deputy U.S. Marshal Christopher Hill in his unprotected armpit area was one of several bullets that came through a wall behind Sturgis as at least one officer returned fire in the initial volley of gunfire inside the home.

Sturgis was wanted for skipping bail and failing to appear at his Jan. 5, 2017 sentencing for a 2014 gun crime, where he was likely facing five to ten years in prison. A prosecutor was pushing for serious jail time noting that Sturgis had been arrested 11 times and had six convictions, not including a rape case as a juvenile.

He had been convicted in October 2016 of illegally carrying a gun in his car.

Less than one month after that conviction, while he was out on $1 bond, Philadelphia police allege Sturgis nearly killed his pregnant girlfriend in the 800 block of E. Price Street.

Kevin Sturgis

Police got a call about the sound of gunshots just after midnight and officers found a 25-year-old woman with two gunshot wounds to her right arm and one to her chest. She was critically wounded, but survived. Police did not have any information about the status of the baby.

While Sturgis was wanted for serious crimes, the U.S. marshals service maintains that the task force was at Shayla Pierce's house on Mulberry Street Jan. 18 to arrest Pierce, not Sturgis, who was apparently hiding out there.

Authorities had a warrant for the arrest of Pierce for illegal gun possession and two misdemeanors. It's unclear why this particular gun case would draw the attention of a federal task force as illegal gun cases in the city are common.

A marshal's service spokeswoman said the Harrisburg police department asked for their assistance in arresting Pierce, but Police Chief Thomas Carter said he could not comment on who asked for the federal assistance.

Adding to the confusion about the genesis of the raid, a prosecutor had just dropped a child abuse case against Pierce two weeks prior, as Pierce stood in Dauphin County Court before a judge.

Now, Pierce could face additional charges from federal authorities, who have filed a detainer on her to keep her behind bars. She has remained in jail for her gun charge since Jan. 18.

Her attorney Aaron Holt said he is planning a vigorous defense. He said he doesn't believe Pierce knew of the extent of Sturgis' criminal record.

While neighbors referred to Sturgis as Pierce's boyfriend, Sturgis had a wife and children in Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania saw an 81 percent increase in hospital emergency department cases involving opioid overdoses in the 12 months leading up to last September.



That rate of increase was the third highest in the country, behind only Wisconsin, where overdose cases went up 109 percent, and Delaware, where they went up 105 percent.



The statistics released Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are from 16 states that received federal grants to help them better track hospital ER visits caused by opioids.



The purpose is to better understand, and improve the response to, the crisis that has made drug overdoses the leading cause of death for Americans under 50.



The vast majority of the fatal overdoses, about two-thirds, involve a legal or illegal opioid painkiller, or heroin.



A few of the 16 states saw a decrease in ER overdose cases. But only that of Kentucky, with a 15 percent decrease, is considered statistically significant.



The data shouldn't come as a major surprise in Pennsylvania, which has ranked near the top on assorted measures related to the opioid crisis, including total overdose deaths and per capita rate of overdoses.





In issuing it, the CDC also offered recommended actions, including making medication assisted treatment immediately available to overdose survivors.



Gov. Tom Wolf in January declared a statewide 90-day emergency due to the opioid overdose crisis. The response plan includes allowing emergency room doctors to start overdose survivors in medication. Pennsylvania also is expanding a "warm-handoff" program that strives to steer overdose survivors into treatment.
State police say a 15-year-old Newmanstown girl recently threatened to kill everyone at her school.

The girl is charged with making terroristic threats, harassment and disorderly conduct after making the threats sometime between Feb. 26 and March 1.

Police said the girl threatened to bomb her school. Authorities listed the address where the offenses occurred as Eastern Lebanon County Middle School.

The girl's case is being in handled in juvenile court in Lebanon County.
The Pennsylvania Office of Administration announced that the Capitol Complex will be closed Wednesday as a result of the snow in the forecast.

Non-essential employees under Gov. Tom Wolf's jurisdiction won't have to report to work Wednesday at the capitol. Other state offices in the Harrisburg area, Reading, Scranton and Philadelphia are closed Wednesday as well.

Forecasters have issued winter weather advisories or winter storm warnings for most of the state through Wednesday evening. Winter storm Quinn is expected to bring light snow to the west while blanketing most of the rest of Pennsylvania starting Tuesday night into Wednesday.

The state Senate has also canceled Wednesday and Thursday sessions.

Check back with PennLive for updates on the weather and for closings around the region.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -- A corrections officer beaten to death last month is being remembered as a brave Army veteran and as someone who worked to keep others safe.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf calls Sgt. Mark Baserman a loving son, devoted friend and community servant.

"Corrections officers, like first responders and our soldiers, serve quietly and behind the scenes," he said in a press release. "The act of willingly going to work every day in a dangerous environment to protect the safety of others is an act of heroism. These men and women in uniform are joined today by hundreds more, everyday citizens, who appreciate the unwavering service of public servants like Sgt. Baserman.

"On behalf of all citizens of Pennsylvania - including my wife, Frances, and myself - I would like to extend our sincerest condolences to Sergeant Baserman's family and to his co-workers at SCI Somerset. Sergeant Baserman will be remembered as a loving son, a devoted friend and community servant, and a brave soldier and corrections officer."

READ MORE: Prison work boot sales stopped after guard is kicked, killed

Among those paying tribute to the 61-year-old Baserman at a Johnstown memorial service Wednesday was Corrections Secretary John Wetzel.

The Somerset Daily American says about a thousand honor guards lined the walkway to the service, with busloads of mourners there to honor Baserman and support each other.

Authorities allege inmate Paul Jawon Kendrick punched and kicked Baserman inside Somerset State Prison, causing injuries that resulted in his death 11 days later.

Kendrick, serving life for a Pittsburgh murder, was arraigned on homicide and assault charges earlier this week.
Three weeks after a murderous rampage at a Florida high school, it once again appears that gun-control efforts on Capitol Hill have become bogged down while lawmakers wait for a clear sign from America's most mercurial president on what he might - or might not - be willing to sign into law.

So it's encouraging to learn that House Judiciary Committee Chairman Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin, has scheduled a series of public hearings next month on the various gun-related bills now making the rounds of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

The hearings, which will run from April 9-12, primarily in the House Majority Caucus Room on the first floor of the state Capitol, are intended to "help [House] members and the public focus" on public safety, violence and firearms issues, Marsico said in a statement.

We don't know if Mr. Marsico, who will call it a career at the end of 2018, has been paying attention, but it's not the public's focus he needs to worry about.

Discussions about how to tackle America's murderous cycle of mass shootings has been the topic of dinner table, classroom and water cooler discussions for years, even before a lone gunman mowed down teachers and students in the halls of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Valentine's Day.

In this case, America's children are leading while adults can only follow.

Next week, students across the country will walk out of class to protest the lack of legislative action to end - or even prevent - more incidents such as those at Parkland. Students at Carlisle High School plan to hold their own rally Sunday on the square in that Cumberland County college town.

Students at Cumberland Valley High School, who spoke eloquently to PennLive last week about their own fears and frustration over how the adults who are charged with protecting them have failed to act, are similarly planning a rally of their own.

Meanwhile ...

Like the GOP-majority Congress, Republicans who control the Pennsylvania House and Senate have been frustratingly unwilling to take up even the most modest of gun-control measures.

But Republicans had no problem pushing through an 11th hour bill that gave the NRA legal standing to sue municipalities over their local gun ordinances. That bill was declared unconstitutional. Undeterred, lawmakers moved to revive the measure last spring.

Granted, Republicans are only part of the problem. In a state with a proud tradition of hunting and outdoorsmanship, some blue dog Democrats have also been reluctant to throw their support to gun-control bills.

So it's good to see Marsico acknowledging that "with the recent tragedies in Parkland, Orlando and Las Vegas, as well other school shootings that have occurred over the last year, it is clear we need to act to prevent these situations from happening in the future."

While those incidents are the latest in a string of deadly shootings, the phenomenon is hardly new. And a battery of experts is already working on ways to prevent the next tragedy. It's worthy of the committee's attention.

In his statement, Marsico says he plans to hold a public comment period when the hearings conclude and then hold another as-yet-unscheduled hearing after that.

Marsico says he's doing that as a "a way to build bipartisan consensus for an effective legislative strategy to keep Pennsylvania students and residents safe."

Pro-gun control Democrats say they're looking forward to "robust, honest and fair discussion about the specific actions we will take to turn the tide against gun violence and deliver on our promise as elected officials to keep Pennsylvanians safe."

This is all good to hear. But hearings, like thoughts and prayers, are meaningless without the votes and deeds to make such protections a reality. And this year, voters are watching.

We'd urge Mr. Marsico and his colleagues to keep that in mind as well.
In the wake of the shooting in Parkland, Florida, CNN held the town hall, "Stand Up. The Students of Stoneman Douglas Demand Action."

Marc A. Scaringi

The exchange between the history teacher, Diane Wolk-Rogers, and the spokesperson for the National Rifle Association, Dana Loesch, revealed what I fear is rampant in our public schools today: Teaching that either intentionally or negligently disregards the truth about the 2nd Amendment to advance the cause for gun control.

The teacher prefaced her question to Ms. Loesch by describing how she viewed the dead body of one of the students and watched her parents kiss their child goodbye as they closed her casket.

This sad anecdote, however, was irrelevant to her question; she cheaply used it to engender sympathy for her cause.

She then said she hugged the victim's brother and told him his sister "died a martyr." But that was a lie; a martyr is someone who dies for his beliefs; the sister didn't. The teacher, however, wanted a martyr for her cause.

She then declared she's proud and inspired that her students started a "revolution" with the #NeverAgain movement and that she's a part of it. (I wonder if the teacher realizes that most revolutions include guns, violence and death).

After setting her rhetorical trap, the teacher, with a pained and disgusted look on her face, sprung the question: define "a well-regulated militia as stated in the 2nd Amendment" and then answer, "how an 18-year old with a military rifle is well-regulated." She added, ominously, the whole world will grade your answer.

Loesch quickly and succinctly answered: the militia is all adult citizens and well-regulated means they can operate and service their firearm.

Bingo.

She nailed it. Yet, instead of awarding a grade A, the teacher stood there baffled, clearly stumped. Either not wanting to admit the truth or not knowing it, she rephrased her question and threw back at Ms. Loesch her own explanation about how she had defined the terms "in the context of the times" - as if that somehow discredited the answer.

In what context did she expect the answer? The future? Yes, she did. In rephrasing her question, she added the word "now" to try to move the context of the militia clause up to the present so that it would be explained in the context of today; i.e. that an 18-year old having a "military rifle" proves firearms are not being "well-regulated," as in the modern sense of government agencies regulating peoples' conduct.

But that's not what it means.

One interprets a clause by how it was defined and understood by those who wrote it, not by how someone may interpret it 200 years in the future.

She's trying to discredit the right to bear arms by pinning her argument on what she thinks is the incongruity between the militia clause and modern times.

Yet, it doesn't matter what the militia clause says or means then or now when ascertaining our rights.

That's because it's the prefatory and not the operative clause of the 2nd Amendment. It simply states one of the purposes of the right found in the operative clause, which is the right to keep and bear arms. We could just delete the militia clause and it would have no effect on the 2nd Amendment.

Had Loesch elaborated upon her answer it would have benefitted those who don't understand the militia clause, including probably all Diane Wolk-Rogers' students.

By "well-regulated militia" the Founders meant the people, comprised of able-bodied adult men, which meant men 18-years of age and older, should keep and bear firearms and be well-trained, drilled and disciplined in their use. Federal statutes in 1791 and 1792 made this compulsory.

The arms used by the militia were "training arms," i.e. muskets with bayonets. "Training arms" were the "military assault rifles" of their day.

The purpose? Our Founders believed a well-armed and trained people - not the government's soldiers - is necessary to secure the liberties of a free people against tyranny.

If the people are to have a chance defending their liberties against the soldiers of King George III or any future tyrant, they must have the same or similar weapons as the soldiers, whether a musket with bayonet or an AR-15.

It's clear Diane Wolk-Rogers is not teaching this lesson to her students. She either doesn't know it or intentionally hides it to help make new revolutionaries for her cause.

Although the early militia acts are not in force today, that does not negate the purpose of the militia clause.

Although King George III is long gone, he was a pussycat compared to modern tyrants such as Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin and Mao Zedong - all of whom disarmed many of their own people before unleashing upon them some of the worst tyrannies in history.

The Father of Our Country, George Washington, said, "A free people ought not only be armed but disciplined."

The need for the people to be armed to resist tyranny either from at home or abroad is an eternal truth encapsulated within the 2nd Amendment.

We harm ourselves as a free people if our teachers refuse to teach it.

Marc A. Scaringi, of Camp Hill, is a PennLive Opinion contributor and host of the "Marc Scaringi Show," which airs Saturdays at 1 p.m. on WHP-580 AM and online at iHeart Radio. His work appears biweekly.
In an anything-is-possible moment, seven Democrats and five Republicans filed petitions Tuesday to get on the ballot for lieutenant governor this spring.

The packed field tells you two things: one unusual; and one pretty standard fare.

First, the unusual.

Even though sitting Lt. Gov. Mike Stack is seeking a second term in office, he is doing it without the support of incumbent Gov. Tom Wolf, and that has seemingly created a blood-in-the-water moment for Democrats.

Six have risen up to challenge Stack, including one direct threat to his potentially-overwhelming Philadelphia base.

READ MORE: Here's who is running for state Senate, House seats

That challenger is Nina Ahmad, a former top assistant to Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, who had been planning a race for Congress before the House districts were reshuffled by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

The other candidate with some statewide cache is John Fetterman, the Braddock, Allegheny County mayor who attracted a lot of notice for his no-nonsense style in the 2016 Democratic senatorial primary.

The Democratic field is rounded out by two county commissioners, Kathi Cozzone of Chester and Craig Lehman of Lancaster; grassroots progressive Aryanna Berringer of Westmoreland County, and Montgomery County businessman Ray Sosa.

Now for the expected.

Five Republicans have entered the race to become part of the ticket trying to unseat Wolf as governor this fall. For any of them, it's a chance to get a fairly high perch in state government on the fast-track.

READ MORE: Three Republicans file for right to challenge U.S. Sen. Robert Casey; he seeks third term

Two of them have hitched their wagons to gubernatorial hopefuls:

Jeff Bartos, a Montgomery County developer and behind-the-scenes GOP activist has joined forced with York County state Sen. Scott Wagner; and Washington County Commissioner Diane Irey Vaughan is running on a ticket with Allegheny County business consultant Paul Mango.

Keep in mind in Pennsylvania, lieutenant governor candidates run and must win their party's nomination independently in the primary; they then become part of a unified party ticket in the fall.

Also running are:

Marguerite "Peg" Luksik, a pro-life crusader who has at various times run for statewide office both on the Republican and on third-party tickets.

Joe Gale, a Montgomery County commissioner who, at age 28, would be unable to take office immediately if elected because he would not have attained the constitutionally required minimum age of 30.

Kathleen Coder, a management consultant from Allegheny County who has been active in local politics there.

The challenge for the latter three, of course, will be in overcoming the tendency of committed Wagner and Mango supporters to break from their candidates' public choices, and that may be hard to do.

This post was updated at 10 a.m. Wednesday to correct the home county of candidate Aryanna Berringer.
The Dauphin County District Attorney's office is beginning to interview the women who lodged a sexual misconduct and abuse complaint with the state House of Representatives against a state lawmaker from Delaware County.

Charlie Lyons, one of the lawyers representing the women, was seen escorting one of the two accusers who made the claims against Republican Rep. Nick Miccarelli into a county building in Harrisburg on Tuesday afternoon.

Miccarelli has proclaimed he is innocent, and a spokesman said he welcomes investigations by the House and the district attorney's office to clear his name.

Lyons' law partner, Terry Mutchler, confirmed the woman was there to meet with investigators from the district attorney's office at their request to discuss "the serious allegations of sexual assault and domestic violence that were the subject of a complaint to the House of Representatives."

She refused to divulge details of the exchange between the investigators and her client. Instead, she offered, "both of our clients are cooperating fully with the House and other law enforcement as they proceed with their difficult and challenging work."

Two woman, in the complaint they filed with the House, accused Miccarelli of violating the chamber's workplace harassment policy. One of the women is a state official and the other is a political consultant.

Miccarelli, 35, has served in the state House for five two-year terms. On Tuesday, he filed nominating petitions to seek a sixth term.

Gov. Tom Wolf and the House's eight Republican leaders, among other House members, have called on Miccarelli, an Iraqi war veteran, to resign in light of the allegations raised against him, which were first reported on Feb. 28 by The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Caucus.

Last week, Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo took the unusual step of confirming that his office was going to investigate those allegations "because it's already in the public domain."

The complaint, dated Feb. 8, has not been publicly released but was obtained by PennLive. In it, the women, who dated Miccarelli at separate times between 2012 and 2014, accuse him of multiple instances of exhibiting violent and abusive behavior but shared more details about a couple of those encounters.

One woman alleges the evening she ended the relationship with Miccarelli, he forcibly compelled her to engage in sex against her will, according to the complaint. "She shared this information with several people following this incident," the complaint states.

The other woman claims in the complaint that "he placed a drug in a drink he prepared for her, causing her to fall unconscious, and that he engaged in non-consensual sexual behavior with her that evening."

"Both of our clients have acknowledged they were in a personal relationship with him," Mutchler said. "But a personal relationship does not give someone license to harm them."

In their interviews with the women, The Inquirer and The Caucus reported both said they remained silent about the allegations because they feared that they would jeopardize their careers, if not their lives, if they spoke up.

In the complaint, it says despite the women's "genuine fear of harm for themselves and their families," they chose to come forward "with these personal and painful experiences in order to protect themselves and others who may be exposed to similar unstable, unpredictable and violent behavior from Rep. Miccarelli now or in the future and also to hold Representative Miccarelli accountable for these heinous actions" that the women described.

The House lawyers conducted an inquiry into the women's claims and are finalizing their report, said House Republican spokesman Steve Miskin. He was unable to say Tuesday afternoon what steps would follow once the House report was complete.

Miccarelli did not personally respond to several calls seeking comment, but his spokesman said the lawmaker welcomes the investigations.

"Nick Miccarelli is an innocent man," said his spokesman Frank Keel. "And when you have the truth on your side, it enables you to move forward."

While the lawmaker may have his critics, Keel said, "there is an equal or greater number people in the electorate who support him and he is emboldened by the truth and going forward by not resigning his seat and seeking his re-election."

Miccarelli, who is a member of the House Appropriations Committee but has been absent from budget hearings since they started two weeks ago, resumed his legislative duties this week, Keel said. Miskin attributed Miccarelli's absence to his Feb. 17 nuptials.

In the complaint, the women made it clear they were not seeking financial remuneration but did request steps be taken to ensure their security and asked that Miccarelli "be specifically informed of the prohibition against retaliation."

Further they stated in the complaint that they have reason to believe he carries a firearm in the Capitol Complex and asked that he be barred from doing so.

The House has since stripped Miccarelli of his security clearances, which means he must enter the Capitol and be screened by Capitol police just as members of the general public must do.

Keel acknowledged that those changes occurred "as a result of rather outrageous allegations against him." But he said Miccarelli is dealing with it.

"He's a smart, honorable, decent guy," Keel said. "He has served his country for many years in the military and is looking forward to clearing his name and being able to focus solely on legislative duties instead of this stuff."
The Royal Bank opened its first branch in Penticton in the early 1920s and shortly afterwards moved to its current downtown location at Main Street and Nanaimo Avenue (shown in photo). The RBC Foundation has donated $70,000 to help provide medical equipment for the Penticton Regional Hospital expansion.
A paper bag to collect tissues is seen at the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, in Membertou, N.S. on Monday, Oct. 30, 2017. The tear-soaked tissues will be burned in a sacred fire at a closing ceremony. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls begins two days of hearings in Labrador today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Canadian artist Emily Carr is shown in an unadted photo. A new poll suggests Canadians have a lot to learn about the accomplishments of some of the country's most famous women.The survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Historica Canada found the majority of Canadians couldn't name the achievements of such famous women as Carr and Lucy Maud Montgomery. THE CANADIAN PRESS/CP
Accused serial killer Bruce McArthur made a brief appearance in a Toronto court Wednesday where his case was put over for another two weeks. Bruce McArthur, of Toronto, is shown in this image posted to his social media page. Multiple media outlets report that Toronto police had interviewed and released an alleged serial killer years before he was arrested. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Facebook *MANDATORY CREDIT*
Tears roll downtime cheeks of Thelma Favel, Tina Fontaine's great-aunt and the woman who raised her, during a march Friday, February 23, 2018, in Winnipeg the day after the jury delivered a not-guilty verdict in the second degree murder trial of Raymond Cormier. When Thelma Favel woke up each morning before going to the court house in Winnipeg, she looked around her room and wondered what Tina Fontaine thought when she stayed in the same hotel in her final weeks alive. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
chinadaily.com.cn

TCT Asia exhibition themed upon 3D printing is held at Shanghai New International Expo Centre from March 1 to 3.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

TCT Asia exhibition themed upon 3D printing was held at Shanghai New International Expo Centre from March 1 to 3.

The exhibition attracts enterprises abroad. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The exhibition attracted renowned global enterprises, who displayed the latest technological developments of the industry of 3D printing and the high-tech printing devices.

Previously, the biggest obstacle of 3D printing was the cost of manufacturing. However, now the situation has changed primarily due to the rapid development of new materials and improvement of new printing technologies.

FabPro 1000 is designed as a low-cost entry point for low volume dental laboratories and clinics that require precise, accurate, efficient, and repeatable results. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

At the event, FabPro1000, which is a printing device orientated for beginners was displayed. The FabPro 1000 is designed as a low-cost entry point for low volume dental laboratories and clinics that require precise, accurate, efficient, and repeatable results.

The tiny component printed by 3D printing machine. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

COMETL3D, a spatial digitizer was also put on show, which can capture three-dimensional data of tiny components, whose size ranges from 10 millimeters to 10 meters.

From the exhibition, visitors can also get a glimpse of the trend of development of the materials for 3D printing, as the materials used for printing devices were showed, including hard material Zytel3D1000FL and the heat-resistant ExolitPA6.




Guyana's Business Minister not clear on ExxonMobil's deals with Ghana and Guyana

By Kaieter News



GEORGETOWN

Petroleumworld 03 07 2018 When it comes to the deals American oil giant, ExxonMobil signed with Guyana and that of the African state, Ghana, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin appears to be confused or worse, misleading.



This was apparent yesterday as he made his presentation at an oil and gas forum that was held at Duke Lodge, Kingston.



The Minister told his audience, consisting largely of members of the private sector, that he has no issue with anyone who endeavours to examine contracts signed by other countries. His only issue is when the analysis of that person fails to take into account, the bigger picture.



Let's look at the whole picture and not just the parts where we are getting less than the other country, the politician expressed.



At this point, the Minister sought to address some of the differences between the contract ExxonMobil signed with Guyana and that of Ghana.



In his cherry-picking exercise, the Business Minister noted that Guyana has a royalty and production sharing type of agreement. But Ghana, he said, has a royalty and taxation model. Whichever you choose to call it, oil and gas experts agree that both are Production Sharing Agreements.



The Minister went further to state that Guyana receives a two percent royalty and a 50 percent of profit oil while Ghana receives a 10 percent royalty and a 35% corporation tax on profit.



The Business Minister stated that prior to this agreement Ghana has with ExxonMobil, oil companies had been paying a five percent royalty. The Minister failed to mention however that in comparison, Guyana still did not secure a better deal for its nonrenewable resource.



Furthermore, the Minister stated that Ghana has a Petroleum Exploration and Production Legislation that gives Government a 10  15% stake in oil production companies subject to payment of their share of operating expenses. He noted that Guyana's Petroleum Act has no such provision.



But several local oil and gas commentators found this to be an appalling statement from the Minister. In fact, Guyana's legislation has provisions for that same kind of interest.



And even if there were no provisions in the law, Kaieteur News was able to confirm with several experts that Guyana could have negotiated for equity in the company operations from the outset.



Minister Gaskin also stated that ExxonMobil enjoys the same import tax waiver in Ghana as it does in Guyana. But this is far from the truth. Ghana's contract does not allow for exemptions on hundreds of items, but this is the case in Guyana.



The Minister noted that unlike Guyana, the African state of Ghana did not receive a signing bonus. What Gaskin failed to state is that this is one of the very reasons why the Ghana-ExxonMobil deal was sent to Parliament, so that Ghanaians can craft a better deal.



The politician goes further to state that the Ghanaian contract has stability provisions. But this too is false. There is not a single paragraph or sentence in the Ghana contract which says that ExxonMobil would be insulated from future laws and taxes to be imposed by that nation.



Furthermore, Gaskin was careful to note that in Ghana, the laws require at least five percent equity to be held by a local company. This is stated in that nation's Local Content legislation. The Minister's excuse for Guyana not having such provisions is the lack of similar legislation. But what Minister Gaskin fails to mention is the fact that Government has been pussyfooting on Local Content Policy, much less legislation, for more than a year.



After noting the aforementioned, several members at the oil and gas seminar yesterday were convinced that Gaskin is confused or deliberately misleading the public. Either way, commentators contest it is clear that Minister Gaskin did not read the Ghana deal or even Guyana's with ExxonMobil.

Story from Kaieter News



Kaieteurnewsonline.com 03 07 2018

Copyright 1999-2018 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved.



We welcome the use of Petroleumworld (PW) stories by anyone provided it mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source.



Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors. Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated.



Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us! We invite all our readers to share with us

their views and comments about this article.

Write to editor@petroleumworld.com



By using this link, you agree to allow PW

to publish your comments on our letters page.



Any question or suggestions,

please write to: editor@petroleumworld.com Best Viewed with IE 5.01+ Windows NT 4.0, '95,

'98,ME,XP, Vista, Windows 7,8,10 +/ 800x600 pixels
ExxonMobil provides flimsy excuse for poor consultation with Guyana's indigenous peoples

By Abena Rockcliffe-Campbell



GEORGETOWN

Petroleumworld 03 07 2018 Environmentalist Annette Arjoon has dismissed excuses offered by ExxonMobil as reasons for its poor consultation with residents of Region One. Exxon, the largest publicly traded oil company in the world, is claiming that it is finding communication in Guyana to be very hard.



In the event of an oil spill, the protected Shell Beach area in Region One is the part of Guyana most likely to be affected. Despite this, Exxon officials did not find it necessary to meet with the over 27,000 people in that region, most of whom are indigenous.



Initially, Exxon was not going to have any consultation with the residents of that Region. However, after being pressed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the company committed to consultations, but has only done two outreaches over the last few years.



Yesterday, at the oil and gas seminar held by the Private Sector Commission (PSC), ExxonMobil's Senior Director Public and Government Affairs, Kimberly Brasington said that communication is proving to be a difficulty in Guyana.



At that very forum, Arjoon delivered a presentation, during which she highlighted that the people of Region One are vulnerable to the operations of ExxonMobil. So even though we are hearing these operations are 190km offshore, it really matters not, because whatever is happening offshore affects what we will have to deal with onshore.



Arjoon said that the people of Region One have a right to a safe and healthy environment as is catered for in the Constitution of Guyana.

The Environmentalist said that the indigenous people practice sustainable

lifestyle, and fishing is of critical importance to the Region One economy.



Arjoon has been working along with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for at least 25 years. She said that she was horrified when she learned through her consultations with the EPA, that ExxonMobil was not even looking to go into Region One.



Thankfully, the EPA held a position, and now there have been two consultations in Region One so far. But two visits cannot be defined as meaningful consultation in a region with almost 30,000 people.

Arjoon said that ExxonMobil should be providing information to the residents of Region One, weeks in advance of a visit.



I want to see that they get information weeks before they are even consulted with, so that they can come and participate in a productive and meaningful discussion, because it is their lifestyle and their future that will be affected. That is one of the massive things that we need to fix and need to do so sooner than later, said Arjoon.



She continued, The consultation has been very poor, but I know it can change.



Brasington said, I can echo that 



She acknowledged Arjoon as a representative of the people of Region One.

Brasington said, The people of Guyana are very proud I was fortunate last week to have the opportunity to talk at the National Toshaos Council, they were all in Georgetown, and one of the main things we talked about was how do we reach and how do we do a better job at communicating.



Brasington continued, It is hard; it is hard enough to meet people in Region Four to get across and have meaningful discussion. It is a real challenge. It is hard to communicate in this country, but it can get better and we are going to do better.



Brasington said that the first time ExxonMobil was asked to go to Region One, I was like where and how do I get there? But we learned and we were part of the conversation.



Arjoon was not accepting of the Brasington's excuse that it is hard communicating in Guyana.



Respectfully, it is not that hard to get messages in, thankfully with GTT and Digicel, and most of the Amerindian communities having connectivity, it has become easy to communicate.



Arjoon said that the area, though remote, can be accessed so let us put all of those amazing infrastructure and technology to use.



Story from Kaieter News



Kaieteurnewsonline.com 03 07 2018

Copyright 1999-2018 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved.



We welcome the use of Petroleumworld (PW) stories by anyone provided it mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source.



Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors. Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated.



Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us! We invite all our readers to share with us

their views and comments about this article.

Write to editor@petroleumworld.com



By using this link, you agree to allow PW

to publish your comments on our letters page.



Any question or suggestions,

please write to: editor@petroleumworld.com Best Viewed with IE 5.01+ Windows NT 4.0, '95,

'98,ME,XP, Vista, Windows 7,8,10 +/ 800x600 pixels
Guyana's Business Minister thinks Guyana got a decent deal with ExxonMobil several int'l organizations, experts say otherwise

By Kaieter News



GEORGETOWN

Petroleumworld 03 07 2018 In spite of the innumerable exposes on the appalling flaws of the Guyana-ExxonMobil deal, Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin still feels that locals need to be positive; appreciative if you will, about the goodies therein.



According to him, Guyana actually got a decent deal from the American oil company.



The politician made this and other statements yesterday as he addressed an audience at an oil and gas seminar that was hosted by the Private Sector Commission. This one day event took place at the Duke Lodge Hotel in Kingston.



There, Gaskin addressed a number of negative comments he observed in the daily newspapers, one of which included that the Government is collecting chicken feed, given the contract it signed with ExxonMobil.



Gaskin, who is in total disagreement with such sentiments, expressed the Government of Guyana will receive in the first year of oil production, two percent of the gross value and 50 percent of profit oil. Based on the production of 100,000 barrels per day, and at today's oil price of about US$60 per barrel, this amounts to in excess of US$300M in government revenues in the first year. That's not chicken feed.



Additionally, Gaskin said that the Government will receive withholding taxes from payments made to overseas based sub-contractors.



The Minister also sought to draw a comparison between oil and what is earned from the gold industry. Gaskin commented that the last eight years have been the best years ever for gold production in Guyana, both in terms of the amount of gold produced, the gold exported, and also the value of royalties and taxes collected by government. Yet, Gaskin said that the government has collected just over US$300M in royalties and taxes from all the gold produced in Guyana over the last eight years.



The Business Minister said that in the first year of oil production, the Government will make about the same that it did in the last eight years of gold production. Again he said, That can't be chicken feed.



By 2022, when the second phase of development starts to produce oil, Gaskin said that the Government revenues will increase to approximately US$800M per year.



The Business Minister stated,  So for anyone to assert that our government is selling out and giving away our oil is just plain nonsense. Could we have gotten more? You can always get more. You can also get less.



But the fact remains that you can't just start off with no industry and no proven reserves and want to play hard ball with investors who have years of experience in the field, and who can easily take their business elsewhere without any major consequences. I believe this is a decent deal 



WHERE IGNORANCE IS BLISS



While Gaskin holds firm to his views, several international organizations and oil and gas experts have unanimously agreed that not only is the oil contract seriously flawed, but only serves the interest of one partyExxonMobil.



In a report that was handed over to the government last year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in no uncertain terms pointed out that Guyana has on its hands, a contract that has several loopholes.



In this regard, the IMF noted that there were no provisions to properly address cost recovery bills that will be submitted by the company as well as provisions to guard against expenses that come with unsuccessful exploration.



The Government is still grappling with mechanisms to address the numerous flaws of the contract that Minister Gaskin deems to be a decent deal.



Story from Kaieter News



Kaieteurnewsonline.com 03 07 2018

Copyright 1999-2018 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved.



We welcome the use of Petroleumworld (PW) stories by anyone provided it mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source.



Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors. Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated.



Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us! We invite all our readers to share with us

their views and comments about this article.

Write to editor@petroleumworld.com



By using this link, you agree to allow PW

to publish your comments on our letters page.



Any question or suggestions,

please write to: editor@petroleumworld.com Best Viewed with IE 5.01+ Windows NT 4.0, '95,

'98,ME,XP, Vista, Windows 7,8,10 +/ 800x600 pixels
Petrotrin controlling an oil spill at Catshill oilfield





By TT Newsday



GEORGETOWN

Petroleumworld 03 07 2018

STATE-owned oil company Petrotrin has once again activated its oil spill response system after a spill was found at its controversial Catshill oilfield in Moruga yesterday.

In a media release, Petrotrin said its operations, health, safety and environment (HSE) as well as its security personnel were sent to the field. The company did not say why security was sent to the site.

The company said it had activated its oil spill response system and incident command team and has provided the necessary resources to effectively manage this incident.

It added, All efforts are currently being made to ensure that the recovery and rehabilitation operations are done in a timely and safe manner so as to minimise the impact to the environment, the company stated adding, The regulatory agencies including the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries have been notified of the incident. On February 28, Petrotrin took control of the Catshill Field, previously operated by A&V Oil and Gas Ltd, after the private lease operator lost its legal battle in the Privy Council to prevent the company from terminating its contract.




CERAWeek: Mexico's deepwater Trion project partners weigh FPSO

By Marianna Parraga

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 03 07 2018

Developers behind Mexico's flagship deepwater oil venture Trion are considering using a floating facility to handle production from the massive field in the Gulf, the companies said on Tuesday.

The decision would allow output from the Pemex and BHP Billiton project to be offloaded to tankers, instead of transporting it via pipelines to the United States. A floating production storage and offloading facility (FPSO) could be more expensive, but offers greater flexibility in export destinations.

This field appears to be well-suited for an FPSO, Steve Pastor, president of operations for BHP Billiton, told a news conference at the CERAWeek energy conference on Tuesday. A FPSO would allow the project to be more efficient, he added.

The $11 billion Trion, a joint venture signed a year ago after BHP won an auction to become Pemex's partner and the project's operator, is near the U.S. border, where companies have developed vast pipeline networks. It is estimated to contain reserves of about 500 million barrels of oil.

We all appreciate that there are significant resources near Trion, Pastor added, referring to existing pipelines on the U.S. side of the Gulf with spare capacity.

There has been no final investment decision on the project signed between the partners. An exploration plan was approved only this month by Mexico's regulator, said Carlos Trevino, Pemex's CEO.

Mexico last year said the United States could become one the markets for Trion's oil output, but Pastor said nothing is yet agreed upon.

The executive added that Trion is trying to speed up processes and contracts to turn into Mexico's first productive deepwater project. A date for early production has not been set.

A drilling vessel was recently contracted from offshore oil service firm Transocean Ltd under a two-year agreement, BHP said. The company also opened an office in Tampico, in the southeastern part of the state of Tamaulipas, for its land operations.




State Treasurer Joe Torsella is among the Pennsylvania Democrats who have been pressuring public fund managers to hire Vanguard Group and other low-fee index funds to invest the peoples money Read more

Last year's heated U.S. and "emerging" stock markets boosted investment returns for the big state and city funds that pay tens and hundreds of millions a year to professional managers who pick stock, bond, private-equity, real estate and other "alternative" funds.

Those diversified, bigger-fee retirement plans have posted better returns for 2017 than at least one Pennsylvania pension plan that bet mostly on steady, low-fee Vanguard Group index funds, undermining (just a little, because these numbers jump around) Gov. Tom Wolf's and other Pennsylvania Democrats' claims that more public money ought to be indexed.

The bull market, which pushed the S&P 500 to a record high, helped; indeed, stocks on U.S. markets, and especially investments in more-volatile volatile "emerging" nations, generally posted the highest returns for each plan, while higher-fee, more-exotic strategies lagged.

The Philadelphia Board of City Pensions posted returns net of fees of 15.4 percent, after ditching most of its hedge funds the year before.

The Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System was close behind, at 15.1 percent (unaudited).

New Jersey Division of Investment clocked just under 15 percent.

By contrast, the Butler County Employees' Retirement Plan, which fired private managers in 2009-10 and replaced them mostly with 13 different Vanguard Group index funds reported returns totalling just 13.9 percent for the year. (The other two funds in the Butler portfolio are managed by a New York investment firm called Twin Capital, founded by an ex-Pennsylvanian, Muhlenberg College grad turned Wall Street trader David J. Simon. Twin Valley returns for 2017 trailed the S&P 500 and the Vanguard index funds, though it still beat bonds and other indexed investments and Butler's overall return.)

What difference does one or one and a half percentage points make? A lot, when you're a state investing billions for teachers, legislators, prison guards and social workers (or a county setting aside hundreds of millions for sheriff's deputies), especially if the trend holds from year to year. (Though it reverses often enough, see below.)

I'm still waiting for last year's Montgomery County, Pa. pension report. Montco went the Vanguard index route four years ago (with an assist from SEI Corp. of Oaks' alternative index portfolios.)

Last year Montco outperformed the state and city funds, and was able to show it had also beaten them over its first full three-year period since the plan went to Vanguard.

Also waiting for the final annual report for the Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System. I'll update.
Gov. Ricardo Rossello, Governor of Puerto Rico, greets attendees after participating in a forum question and answer session at Esperanza College, in Philadelphia on Feb. 16. Read more

"The island endures." That's the quick pick-up from analysts Alexander Twerdahl, Alexander Goldfarb and Daniel Santos, of New York investment bank Sander O'Neill + Partners, after visiting bankers, landlords, and businesspeople in Puerto Rico, six months after Hurricane Maria wrecked services, shut factories, and left thousands dependent on emergency shelter or relatives on the U.S. mainland.

The tough, generous character of Puerto Ricans came through, the team writes: "Everybody has stories of neighbors they've never met teaming together to remove downed trees and free up roadways after Maria. We heard of affluent businessmen heading into the mountains to deliver food and supplies, and being welcomed by people that tried to use that food, the only food they had, to prepare a meal for the relief workers."

There was a sometimes bumbling and bureaucratic mainland relief effort: "Ports were clogged by relief items that were not needed by the population  certain [non-priority] food items, clothes  which meant rebuilding materials and generators, for example, couldn't come immediately." The Jones Act, limiting U.S. cargoes to U.S. ships, forced extra-long trips for cargoes of water and other items that weren't needed by the time they arrived.

Short-haul trucking broke down: "Business owners were driving trucks to the ports to buy diesel with suitcases of cash, and armed for protection." So shippers sent barges from U.S. ports carrying "tanker trucks, each preloaded with fuel," and sent them to inland road crossings. That drove down the local cost of diesel "from $10 to $3 a gallon."

U.S. retailers rushed to reopen. "Walmart set up an impressive temporary tent to serve as a store" after its location at DDR Corp.'s Palma Real shopping center was wrecked by Maria.

The visitors found auto and truck traffic in metro San Juan jammed; many traffic lights were still out. Shopping center parking lots were "packed," with food courts, bank branches, phone shops, and department stores  from Sears and Kmart to Nordstrom's  so busy as to make U.S. landlords envious; still there were also many vacancies, and some damaged centers haven't reopened.

In short, "the economic issues facing the island won't be resolved anytime soon," but "a sense of normalcy" is returning, Twerdahl and his team wrote. To be sure, "the power went out in San Juan for part of our visit." A visit to coastal Humacao, smashed by Maria's landfall, showed much of that area remains "a disaster."

Florida Power & Light crews from the mainland are still fixing downed wires. One in seven islanders still don't have power.

No one knows "how many Puerto Ricans truly left" after the storm; many were dependents  San Juan airport ran out of wheelchairs. "The consensus is that about 1 percent of employees have left," not a big acceleration over Puerto Rico's exodus over the past decade. Business owners insist "there is enough work for anyone who wants it," thanks in part to the surge in repairs to homes and hotels fueled by insurance and government aid payments.

Banco Popular, one of the island's leading lenders, said it has actually gained customers since before the flooding, as more workers and businesspeople opened accounts to borrow, save, or manage rebuilding funds.

The official job count has dropped modestly, by 4 percent; that's less than the island government's projection of a 9 percent contraction for the current fiscal year  to be followed by a 10 percent snapback in the new year starting July 1, and growth above the U.S. average for four years after that, effectively ending a 10-year period in which the Puerto Rican economy shrank as U.S. tax breaks for Puerto Rico factories expired.

Insurance claim payments and U.S. aid should "drive a few years of meaningful economic growth," but business and government leaders have finally accepted the colony can't depend on Washington long term, and "must restructure."

While the old tax breaks are gone, there is hope for manufacturing: the island's work force is the best educated in the Caribbean; Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and other drugmakers have kept plants open because they found that "factories in Puerto Rico have higher productivity than factories elsewhere in the world," as they were built relatively recently and staffed by pros who would have to leave the island to earn more.

Puerto Rico also remains "a beautiful island, in the Caribbean, with direct flights from many U.S. cities," no restrictions on travel to and from the U.S., and a lot of tourist-industry repairs happening now (almost a third of hotels are still shut). So there's room for hospitality growth, since tourism is currently just 8 percent of Puerto Rico's gross domestic product, compared to 25 percent for manufacturing.

Maria hit as Puerto Rico was struggling to restructure more than $100 billion in public debt. That's an opportunity if government can use the bankruptcy court to solve long-term problems: Industry needs more reliable electric power than the government-controlled monopoly delivers; protective labor laws "make it tough for employers to hire" (and especially to fire); and building permits are "excessively slow, the government is too big, and taxes are too high." The island oversight board is pushing to weaken labor-protection laws and to privatize the PREPA utility, and to cut the effective corporate tax rate.

"The poker game between the bondholders and the Puerto Rican government is that both sides know there will be reform," but they have not yet agreed on settlement terms, the analysts added. Businesspeople see U.S. aid "as a bridge" that can help keep businesses and families healthy while the government modernizes.

As Puerto Rico's fiscal restructuring winds through the courts, both sides hope the appointments by President Trump to the PROMESA fiscal oversight board will maintain a careful balance so they can pay down the debt and move on.
The celebrated chef Georges Perrier was recovering from triple-bypass surgery at a Philadelphia hospital Wednesday, two days after he collapsed outside of his apartment building and was revived by a fast-thinking neighbor  a physician walking her dog.

Perrier's daughter, Genevieve, said her father, 74, was getting out of a friend's car in Center City about 3:30 p.m. Monday when he fell, landing on his back.

Nancy Petersmeyer, a psychiatrist, was walking out of the building with her poodle puppy Tulip when she said she noticed a small crowd gathered around Perrier. Rushing over to help, she found that Perrier was gray, his eyes glassy. She checked for a pulse. There was none.

She started chest compression, but "I could feel whatever life he had slipping away," Petersmeyer said Wednesday.

After five or six minutes of chest compression, Petersmeyer said, she noticed that color had begun to return and she found a pulse.

When medics arrived, Perrier was awake, though disoriented. He wanted to go home, but was persuaded to go to the hospital.

Several severely blocked arteries were discovered, said his daughter. He spent Tuesday being prepped for surgery and receiving visitors, including chefs Chip Roman and Nicholas Elmi, whom Perrier mentored at Le Bec-Fin, the temple to haute French gastronomie that put Philadelphia on the culinary map.

Petersmeyer, 64, knew Perrier from the building and recalls having dined about 20 years ago at Le Bec-Fin, which closed in 2013. Genevieve Perrier told Petersmeyer that her father had told her that he would like to take her to dinner as thanks.

"The worst thing someone can do [in a similar situation] is to stand by helplessly," Petersmeyer said. "I was grateful that I knew what to do."

Perrier, a native of Lyon, France, arrived in Philadelphia in 1967 to cook at La Panetiere, then one of the few posh restaurants in Center City. Three years later, Perrier opened Le Bec-Fin at 1312 Spruce St., now the site of Vetri Cucina, before moving the restaurant in 1983 to 1523 Walnut St. He left the restaurant in 2012, a year before its closing.

Perrier, who received the prestigious Legion d'Honneur in 2009, has spent the last few years consulting with his proteges. Perrier also was the subject of King Georges, an award-winning 2015 documentary that followed him through the final years of Le Bec-Fin.
The population of the Hamburg State Center, a residential facility for people with intellectual and physical disabilities in Berks County, has fallen to 55 from 80 since the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services announced in January 2017 that it would close the facility by the middle to the end of this year, Teresa Miller, acting Secretary of the human services department said at a budget hearing Tuesday.

So far, 15 of the Hamburg residents, some of whom had lived there for decades, have moved into group homes, a couple have moved into nursing homes, and a handful have died, Miller said. The closure plan calls for eight or nine to move into other state centers for the developmentally and intellectually disabled individuals. The plan also calls for another 46 to move into community settings.
President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with steel and aluminum executives in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Thursday, March 1, 2018, in Washington. Trump's announcement that he will impose stiff tariffs on imported steel and aluminum has upended political alliances on Capitol Hill. Read more

Wharton, 1; White House, 0?

Wharton economists Kent Smetters and Kimberly Burham never expected the Trump White House to take issue with the latest version of their extremely dry economic model, which predicted less-than-expected growth from President Trump's proposed $200 billion federal government infrastructure funding.

But this week, the White House's Council of Economic Advisers issued a sharply worded critique of their Penn-Wharton Budget Model of the president's infrastructure plan. For the full statement, visit the White House CEA website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/issues-penn-wharton-budget-model.

"The Penn-Wharton Budget Model is flawed," the statement read, and "not transparent to the point where one cannot help but question whether the authors who produced it had any bias."

Wharton shot back with its own response, and the war of words continued on Twitter.

Wharton's Burham said the department was "excited to see the White House engaging with us about our model. This was a new thing. We're always happy to have this discussion."

Why the war now?

"We are guessing the White House really wants their infrastructure plan to produce a goal of $1.5 trillion of new investment. We're saying it would produce something more in a range like $20 billion or $230 billion," Burham said.

Moreover, these capped federal funding grants haven't ever worked at producing high-level economic growth in any administration  including under the prior president, Barack Obama.

"Numerous previous studies overwhelmingly indicate that no previous administration has figured out how to use small, targeted infrastructure grants to substantially stimulate increases in total spending," Smetters wrote in a rebuttal on Wharton's website. Uncapped grants generally produce growth but are far more expensive, he argued.

"There are no elements in President Trump's $200 billion infrastructure plan that indicate anything different from past experience," Smetters added. "Federal targeted grants produce the largest increase in total spending  using more-costly 'open-ended' grants, or if the federal dollars target infrastructure resources directly controlled by the federal government (e.g., air traffic control systems or Amtrak)."

For the full Wharton response, visit the website: http://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/economic-matters/2018/3/5/response-to-white-house.
The World channel, which formerly was carried by WHYY, is now distributed by WLVT. Read more

Philadelphia's WYBE  which unloaded its wireless spectrum for $131 million in a government auction last year  has transferred its broadcast license to an Allentown-area public media outlet.

The transfer means that the Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corp. could double its television channels to eight over time and broaden its offering of international channels such as the World and France 24, the group's top executive, Tim Fallon, said this week.

The Lehigh Valley-WYBE deal also presents a stronger competitor for eyeballs and fund-raising dollars to Philadelphia's WHYY, the region's public media powerhouse, which operates three television channels, a radio station, and digital platforms.

Public media stations such as WYBE faced going dark with no place on the TV dial after selling their spectrum in 2017, or having to lease frequency capacity from other television broadcasters to stay on air. Government officials called the broadcast licenses such as the one at WYBE "zombies." The organizations behind the licenses had the rights to televise channels but no air waves to do so.

"It didn't make sense for a [noncommercial] license to disappear," Fallon said of WYBE. "This is about keeping public media alive in the Philadelphia market."

Lehigh Valley also sold its frequencies in the same Federal Communications Commission auction. But while WYBE decided to cease to exist as a public television operator, Lehigh Valley negotiated a channel-sharing deal with an Allentown-area religious broadcaster to piggyback on its airwaves and stay on air.

Because of the switch from analog to digital technology, one over-the-air frequency can broadcast multiple streams of content or channels.

Lehigh Valley's television signals under this channel-sharing deal reach as far as South Philadelphia, the Poconos, and Harrisburg. Because of their on-air status, Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, DirecTV, Dish, Service Electric, RCN, and other pay-TV operators also distribute the channels under federal "must-carry" rules  giving the noncommercial channels a potentially huge audience through parts of Pennsylvania.

As over-the-air television technology improves with new antennas, television broadcasters are expected to cram more content streams, or channels, into their frequencies. This opens the prospect that Lehigh Valley eventually could offer up to eight channels with the broadcast licenses for itself and WYBE.

There is an immediate benefit for TV viewers as part of the WYBE transfer. In January, Lehigh Valley added to its offerings the World, a PBS news, documentary, science, and nature channel that WHYY dropped in 2017 for a PBS Kids. This is the fifth channel offered to viewers by Lehigh Valley.

In addition to Lehigh Valley's flagship channel PBS39 (also known as WLVT) and World, the broadcaster airs and distributes PBS Create, MHz Worldview, and the BBC-like France 24.

WHYY talked with WYBE about transferring its license to it. But no deal was reached.

"We did have some conversations with the folks at WYBE," Art Ellis, the spokesman for WHYY, said this week. "But they chose to go with the Lehigh Valley."

WHYY reported total grants and contributions of $24.8 million for the tax year ending June 30, 2016, according to the latest IRS documents available online. Lehigh Valley raised $3.6 million over the same period.

WYBE is winding down its operations in Philadelphia and some of its equipment has been donated to city schools, the station's spokesman, Tom Gailey, said this week.

With the transfer of the broadcast license, WYBE's parent organization, Independence Public Media of Philadelphia, is re-creating itself as a foundation for "public-media funding."

Gailey said the organization is adopting bylaws, a strategic plan, a framework for grant-making, and a budget. He said the first grants will be awarded in the fiscal year that begins July 1 and ends June 30, 2019. By federal tax law, the foundation has to award 5 percent of its assets a year.
Carrie Biegler, a teacher from Northern Liberties, started "Strength Source Project," where she photographs women and asks: What have you done in the past or what is something you do now that has made you feel strong inside? Read more

Carrie Biegler confesses that she wasn't feeling especially strong when she started photographing strong women.

It wasn't one thing; it never is. It was dealing with sexism in her own life, around the time that Donald Trump made comments about women that she then had to try to explain to her 11-year-old daughter, when women were starting to put into words and hashtags and movements the feelings they'd bottled up for years.

"I felt like I was carrying around a lot of pain and frustration," the teacher from Northern Liberties said. "Like a lot of women, there was this buildup inside, and it was taking up a lot of my energy."

At an Art Museum exhibit of women's photography, Biegler, 44, became inspired:

"What if I started asking women, all kinds of women, something that highlighted their strength," she thought. "What if instead of asking, 'What has been done to you?' I instead asked, 'What have you done?'  you know, kind of flipping it and bearing witness to their strength, their power."

Biegler called it "Strength Source Project" and started with people she knew: friends, family, her daughter. She then hit the streets to find women who caught her eye. She'd take their photograph and ask one question:

"What have you done in the past or what is something you do now that has made you feel strong inside?"

She was as eager to hear their answers as some were to give them.

Some of the answers: fighting cancer, coming out, moving on from bad relationships and choices, caring for family, for themselves, embracing their history. Spinning fire  (yes, you read that right, and yes, I want to meet this woman.)

"I asked this question because I had to," Biegler said. "I needed to hear other women tell me how they draw strength. I wanted to draw strength from them. I wanted us to draw strength from each other."

One of the first women she found was Kelli Caldwell, 36, who was sitting on a bench near Sister Cities Park, on a break from her job at Municipal Court.

Caldwell, who lives in Mount Airy, recalls loving the idea. She jumped at the chance to tell Biegler about her work with victims of human trafficking. She'd organized a march in 2015 to raise awareness for the cause, and through the Hope Bag Mission, she helps provides basic toiletries and other care items to survivors.

"To know that what I'm doing is making a difference drives me," Caldwell said. "It builds me up to keep going."

That's a sentiment many of the women Biegler has photographed and profiled have echoed, gaining strength from giving to others  even if it's forgiveness for the unforgivable.

In her profile, Angelique Bouffiou, a 40-year-old Reiki healer and writer from New Jersey, shares her memories of a brutal attack. It is painful and honest and courageous, a raw retelling framed in empowering forgiveness.

"It was not that five men had attacked me," she wrote. "It was that five men cannot kill me."

Since starting the project last year, Biegler has photographed more than 80 women, of all ages and backgrounds, which is part of her goal.

She's been to senior centers and mosques. She's reached out to people in the LGBTQ community, eager to capture women's strength in her photos and in their own words that she then posts to her website, Facebook, and Instagram.

"I don't ignore the other things  there's no way to ignore the reality around us," she said. "But this makes me feel like we're moving forward by reminding ourselves of what's inside of us, of everything we have already overcome."

She recently applied for a grant to fund a showing of her photographs, but even if she doesn't get it, she plans to continue asking women where they draw their strength from for as long as they want to answer.

I don't think she has to worry about that.

In honor of International Women's Day, which is Thursday, I posted her question on social media and women didn't hesitate to share. And like the women in Biegler's project, their answers were heartwarming and heart-wrenching and funny and furious and wonderful. And a source of strength, which is something we could all use these days.
Leader of the League party, Matteo Salvini, smiles before casting his ballot at a polling station in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 4, 2018. Read more

Steve Bannon went to Italy to root for the neo-fascists and populists who trounced Italy's traditional parties in this week's election.

Donald Trump's ex-chief political strategist, who avidly encouraged the president's most populist and nationalist instincts, now sees Italy as the model for the American future. He claims that Italy's antiestablishment, anti-immigrant parties  which avidly embrace conspiracy theories and idolize Vladimir Putin  light the road that America must follow.

"The Italian people have gone farther, in a shorter period of time, than the British did for Brexit and the Americans did for Trump. Italy is the leader," Bannon crowed to the New York Times on Friday.

Yet I believe the lesson of Italy's election for Americans is the polar opposite of Bannon's fantasy: The Italian example lays bare a nightmare Americans still have the chance to avoid.

A word about why I am quoting Bannon: He is toast in D.C. (and was dumped as editor of Breitbart, the alt-right "news" site). Yet Trump still swears by Bannon's worldview. And despite stark differences in U.S. and Italian history, culture, and constitutional systems, Italy's populist pivot hints at where our politics are heading.

So what exactly happened in Italy and how does it relate to the United States?

Italian voters' anger at economic inequality and massive immigration flows from Africa led to the total repudiation of Italy's traditional center-left and center-right parties.

On the center-left, the governing Democratic Party of Matteo Renzi dropped from 40 percent in the last election to around 18 percent, having failed to deliver on economic promises.

On the center-right, the Forza Italia party of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was crushed at 14 percent. The aging business tycoon, beset by sex and financial scandals, was often compared to Trump in his antiestablishment ethos. But despite his pledge to throw out the country's 600,000 undocumented migrants, he was not seen as populist enough.

The big winner, with 30 percent of the vote, was the decade-old, antiestablishment Five Star Movement, which controls a network of wildly successful websites and social-media accounts that traffic in conspiracy theories and fake news. They have peddled claims that the U.S. was secretly funding traffickers bringing migrants from North Africa to Italy, that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job, and that vaccines are dangerous. Stories have often been sourced to Kremlin-owned sites such as Sputnik; the Movement is highly sympathetic to Putin and highly critical of the U.S. and EU leaders.

This year the Five Star Movement capitalized on high youth unemployment, which hovered at 20 percent in 2017. By promising stipends to the poor, it won huge support in the underdeveloped regions of southern Italy.

"Ordinary people feel unprotected after nine years of [economic] crisis," I was told by prominent Italian journalist Lucia Annunziata. "The best and the brightest find no chance for upward mobility," she said, so tens of thousands of young people leave the country for better opportunities elsewhere.

Meantime, massive migrant inflows from Africa fueled gains by the far-right, anti-immigrant, and anti-EU League Party (which took about 17 percent of the vote). As the first country to receive boatloads of immigrants brought in by smugglers via Libya, Italy was inundated with 600,000 migrants in the last four years, most single men, which has led to crime and retaliation. Other European countries refused to take their share.

"Because we were the first border of Europe, we are supposed to accept everybody," says Annunziata. "Every [Italian] city hall has to collect a quota. What did the EU do for us? Zero."

In the last year the Renzi government paid Libya to prevent migrants from sailing, sharply cutting the inflow, but it was too late.

The League's leader, Matteo Salvini, is an ally of Marine Le Pen's far-right National Party in France, an avid Trump supporter, and an admirer of Putin. He promises to "cleanse" Italy of migrants. Since no Italian party won sufficient seats to form a government, it's unclear whether a far-right or populist coalition will wind up running the country  or whether new elections will have to be called.

But here is the lesson I see in these elections for Americans concerned about the rise of the populist far right:

Italy's plight is like an exaggerated version of the current U.S. situation. Its traditional political parties are further along the road of collapse, its economy is in far more trouble, and its migrant problem is far more extreme than ours.

The U.S. system still retains the innate strength to address economic inequalities with a bipartisan effort at fixing health care and renewing infrastructure. There is no excuse for not focusing on serious job retraining and vocational education. There is every possibility  as we have seen in more sane times  of devising a bipartisan solution to secure our southern border and resolve the situation of illegals.

None of this is happening, because an irresponsible, populist president and a hard core within Congress reject any serious efforts. But Italy's present foreshadows America's future if we don't elect politicians who will stop dithering.

In other words, Steve Bannon is correct about Italy as a role model, unless we take the steps to prove him wrong.
Donald Glover arrives at the red carpet event for FX's "Atlanta" at the Ace Theatre on Feb. 19, 2018 in Los Angeles. Read more

As the Philadelphia area braces for the second nor'easter in less than a week, the lucky ones among us have taken off work or had our plans canceled. That means one thing: We have to find something to watch.

Awards season ended with the Oscars on Sunday, and with new shows set to start or end their seasons, now is a good time.

We've rounded up some picks for series and movies to check out during the storm. From the fish monster/romance flick (and best picture Oscar-winner) The Shape of Water to the Jenkintown-set The Goldbergs on ABC, there's plenty to keep you busy in bad weather.

The Shape of Water

Guillermo del Toro's latest took home four Oscars, for best picture, best director, best score, and best production design, so it might be worth your time on a snow day. Cleaning lady Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins) falls in love with a supernatural fish humanoid she meets at her job in a secret government lab. Be warned: This is not one to watch with the whole family. "Guillermo del Toro's strange new film, though pitched as a fable, earns its R rating. It's candid about the sex lives of its characters, and delves also into racism, sexual harassment, and other adult themes," movie critic Gary Thompson said in his three-star review.

Watch it on Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, Google Play, or Vudu.

This Is Us

The second-season finale of what critic Ellen Gray calls "TV's favorite weepfest" airs Tuesday night, but the storm should give you a chance to catch up on the rest of this year's episodes, so no spoilers here. If you missed out on why everyone was angry about crock pots after the episode on Super Bowl Sunday, now you can find out. If you haven't caught the first season, This Is Us follows the tragedies and triumphs of the Pearson family, from the 1970s to the present.

Watch it on Hulu, Amazon, NBC.com, or various cable providers' streaming services.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Martin McDonagh's film took home two Oscars, for best actress (Frances McDormand) and best supporting actor (Sam Rockwell), though it had been up for seven awards. It follows McDormand's character as she seeks justice for her murdered daughter through a series of billboards questioning her local police department. Once again, not something to watch with the whole family: "This is not a movie you want to go to if you can't stand to hear racial slurs, or words like midget aimed at Peter Dinklage," Thompson wrote in his review. "But the vile language is part of the point  this is a movie about a woman literally advertising her anger. It's about personal outrage in public spaces, vehement indignation, misdirected anger. It's about good cops, bad cops, racism. It's about Ebbing, Mo., Charlottesville, Va., or just about anyplace in America."

Watch it on Amazon, YouTube, iTunes, or Google Play. Buy on Xfinity OnDemand for $15.99; Verizon Fios for $14.99.

The Goldbergs

ABC's sitcom The Goldbergs loosely follows creator Adam F. Goldberg's experience growing up in Jenkintown, so a certain amount of Philly cred is to be expected. Lately, the show has kicked that element into high gear, with a Super Bowl tribute episode for the Eagles, and one highlighting Donkey's Place in Camden as the place to go for a great cheesesteak. If you're looking for family-friendly fare, this is a must.

Watch it on Hulu, Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, or various cable providers' streaming services.

Dunkirk

Christopher Nolan's war epic took home three Academy Awards, for best film editing, sound editing, and sound mixing, so you might want to give it a little more aural attention than usual. It focuses on a group of Allied soldiers during World War II being evacuated from a French beach as German forces close in. The bigger TV screen you have, the better.

Watch it on Amazon, YouTube, iTunes, or Google Play. Rent on Xfinity OnDemand and Verizon Fios for $5.99.

Atlanta

Donald Glover returned as Earn Marks last week for the second season of his critically acclaimed, hip-hop-centric FX series, Atlanta. If you missed out, no worries  you have all day to catch up on the first season and Season Two's first episode before the next one airs Thursday. The second season premiere is even available free on YouTube.

Watch it on FX Now, Hulu, Amazon, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, or various cable providers' streaming services.

Get Out

Jordan Peele made history Sunday with Get Out, becoming the first black writer to win an Academy Award for best original screenplay. The film explores race relations in America through the eyes of a black man who travels to his white girlfriend's home to meet her family before realizing something more sinister is afoot than liberal racism.

Watch it on Amazon, iTunes, or HBO Go/Now. Buy it on Xfinity OnDemand for $15.99 or Verizon Fios for $14.99.

Sneaky Pete

The second season of this hit show from The Good Doctor creator David Shore and Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston premieres Friday, and now there's time to catch up on the previous season. It stars Giovanni Ribisi as a lovable con man masquerading as his ex-cellmate, Pete.

Watch it on Amazon.

Blade Runner 2049

The followup to Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi classic Blade Runner, this Ryan Gosling-starrer took home the best cinematography Oscar for Roger Deakins, who had been nominated 13 times without a single win. He deserved it; the film's depressing, tech-focused dystopia is an ideal setting to melt away a snow day with a side of existentialism.

Watch it on Amazon, YouTube, iTunes, or Google Play. Rent on Xfinity OnDemand and Verizon Fios for $5.99.

Waco

This Paramount Network mini-series focuses on what caused the violent deaths of more than 80 people, including Branch Davidian leader David Koresh, in the siege on a compound in Waco, Texas, that started in February 1993. Friday Night Lights star Taylor Kitsch portrays Koresh in a transformation on par with Christian Bale's change in The Machinist.

Watch it on Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, or ParamountNetwork.com.
If you know Anya Taylor-Joy from her work in M. Night Shyamalan's Split, Morgan, Barry and the intriguing trailer for her latest, Thoroughbreds, it's a bit shocking to hear her speak in her "native" British accent.

Taylor-Joy is technically a native of Miami, but she spent her first six years in Argentina before moving to England, where she caught the acting bug and showed such prodigious talent she's found work all over the world (she has another movie, the X-Men spin-off The New Mutants, also in the can).

It's made for a busy life, but left the 21-year-old feeling a little rootless.

"I'm from nowhere," she said. Home has become a movie location, and one of her favorites is Philadelphia, where she's made two feature films.

>> Read more: Where in Philly M. Night Shyamalan filmed 'Split'

"I think I'm a Philly girl at heart, at this point. I'd love to declare myself a Philly girl, if the city will have me," said Taylor-Joy, who recently spent time here filming Glass, Shyamalan's sequel to his hit movie Split, which starred Taylor-Joy as a teen girl kidnapped by a disturbed man (James McAvoy) with multiple personalities. McAvoy and Taylor-Joy returned for Glass, which also functions as a sequel to Unbreakable, looping in Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson.

"I have so much affection for Philadelphia, which has been a second home for me. A big part of the credit goes to Night  the fact that he creates such a culture of family around his movies," she said. "To work with him is to be part of that family, to have that feeling of loyalty. I mostly travel alone, so when I get into Philly, I instantly have this wonderful support group, this whole big circle of friends."

And lots of places to have a good nosh.

"Plus I'm a foodie, and the city has such an incredible food scene," said the actress, a regular at V Street when she's in town. "Also, the city is cool, but it's never trying to be cool, which is why it's cool."

Her new movie Thoroughbreds, in theaters Friday, is cool to the point of being goose bumps chilly  something of a specialty for Taylor-Joy, who's appeared in several horror/thrillers, including a breakout role a few years ago in the Sundance hit The Witch.

Thoroughbreds was also a big-buzz movie at Sundance, where Taylor-Joy won praise for her performance as a wealthy prep schoolgirl whose friendship with a troubled outcast (Olivia Cooke) leads to a sinister symbiosis  there are echoes of Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures, but the movie has an icy tone all its own, and themes related to class (suggested by the title) and technology that make the movie unique.

>> Read more: M. Night Shyamalan starts filming for 'Unbreakable' sequel, 'Glass'

"I loved the idea of playing somebody who's created such a composed veneer and such a polished image of herself, and yet over time is revealed to be this bundle of nerves, of chaos and rage. For an actress, that's so wonderfully appealing," she said.

She loves watching the movie with audiences, feeling the energy swing between suspense and pitch-black comedy.

"It's often quite funny, but the movie is really dark. It jumps through a lot of genres. Sometimes you see the audience laughing, and you sort of sense that they stop themselves. And I'm thinking  I know some of this stuff is messed up, but it's OK to laugh," she said.

The movie is written and directed by playwright Cory Finley, making his first movie, and Taylor-Joy went gaga for his script.

"It's so wryly written, so dark and so poisonous, and, you know, I'm such a word nerd. I'm reading, and I'm thinking, this is so well written, and these characters are so sharply drawn, it felt like the movie of my dreams. It's the first script I've ever picked up and read where I immediately called my agent and said, 'I have to play this,' " she said.

She doesn't always get a good look at a script before she signs on to a movie. Shyamalan is notoriously secretive about his projects. Taylor-Joy auditioned for Split without knowing much about the character. Her meetings with the director felt more like an opportunity to establish a rapport than a traditional tryout.

"What I remember is we just immediately developed a very intense connection," she said. She also didn't know that Split was written as a bridge to be a sequel for Unbreakable.

"It's very important to Night that all three can stand alone as individual films. The fact that he's connected them is just an illustration of his genius," she said. "When I found out about Glass, I freaked out, just like the rest of the world did."

Taylor-Joy said when news broke about Glass  also shrouded in secrecy  she told Shyamalan she'd like to stop by for a set visit.

"He looked at me and said, 'What makes you think you're not coming, too?' That was the coolest moment of my life."
Judy Politzer pictured on her sun porch with her granddaughter Abby as she talks about her ongoing healthcare billing issues. Read more

Judy Politzer was positive she did not need anesthesia for her colonoscopy.

She had done the procedure  in which a tube is snaked up through the colon so it can be examined for polyps  sans sedation before. What's more, she birthed three babies  without pain killers  at home.

She has high tolerance for pain. And low tolerance for malarkey.

So when Politzer, a retired midwife from Swarthmore, saw the $5,000 bill for her colonoscopy with anesthesia, she snapped into action.

"It's just ridiculous," said Politzer, who has an individual health insurance plan through Aetna. "And there's no one to fight for consumers on this except ourselves.

"I'm not going to let them get away with it," she said.

The procedure went off without a hitch  and, she said, without anesthesia  last October at Crozer-Keystone Health System's Havertown Surgery Center.

Doctors recommend that people over age 50 have a colonoscopy to screen for cancer at least once every 10 years.

Politzer, 64, has one every five years because doctors have found polyps in the past.

Politzer specifically asked to be spared the sedation because she wanted to see what was happening and be able to talk to her doctor whenever possible during the medical procedure.

"I want to know what's going on with my body," she said.

A colonoscopy without anesthesia may sound unusual  and it is, said Anthony Infantolino, a gastroenterologist at Jefferson Health.

Infantolino, who did not treat Politzer, estimated that he's performed 10 colonoscopies without anesthesia in his 27-year career. He doesn't recommend it because patients can't change their mind once the procedure has started, and may be turned off from having it done again if they have a painful experience, he said. Anesthesia makes most patients more at ease during what can otherwise be an uncomfortable procedure.

>> READ MORE: 'Dr. Google' made me worry about colon cancer. Did I overreact?

But there's nothing wrong with forgoing anesthesia, he said.

"An average person with a perfectly organized colon of average length, no funny angles  you can probably get away with it," he said. "For other people it's going to be torture."

Politzer's doctor and nurse both approved her decision, she said. When the anesthesiologist came in the room, she waved him off from the gurney, figuring that having a conversation would land her with a consultation fee.

Politzer's medical record, which she shared with the Inquirer, showed she was in the operating room for 16 minutes, during which time the doctor removed a polyp. She spent 10 more minutes in the recovery room, where she got dressed, ate a few crackers, and gulped some juice before heading on her way.

"It was no big deal. There was nothing complicated about it," Politzer said. "Until I got the bill."

Politzer was surprised by the complex list of services and charges  totaling $5,339  that followed what she had considered a straightforward visit.

The explanation of benefits statement from Aetna included:

$1,075 for medical services related to preparation for the procedure

$375 for anesthesia

$2,325 facility fee for a colonoscopy with lesion removal

$275 for time in the recovery room

$1,289 doctor's fee

According to the explanation of benefits, Aetna negotiated lower rates for the colonoscopy and the doctor's fee  $1,999 and $438.92, respectively. Both charges, a total of $2,437.92, were billed to Politzer because she had not yet met her deductible.

Screening colonoscopies are covered by insurance, but diagnostic colonoscopies to remove a polyp  the kind Politzer had  often require patients to pay out of pocket, if they haven't met their deductible.

The remaining fees for anesthesia, medical services and recovery were covered by Aetna's agreement with Crozer.

Even though she wasn't on the hook to pay for it, Politzer was bothered that Crozer had billed for services she did not receive.

"They took my blood pressure, my pulse and gave me a gown to put on," Politzer said of the surgery prep charge. "How does that cost a thousand dollars?"

Politzer said she made several calls to Crozer and Aetna before finally calling the office of Crozer's president.

"We always strive to bill appropriately for the care delivered and to work with patients throughout the billing process," said Sean M. Fitzpatrick, Crozer's chief financial officer, in a statement. "If a patient has a question about their bill or suspects a billing error, they should contact the location of service."

Crozer has financial counselors at all its sites to work with patients to investigate billing issues and make sure corrections are submitted to their insurance carrier, he said.

In February, the health system sent her a new bill, removing the anesthesia fee.

But Politzer wasn't satisfied.

The bill still included the prep and recovery charges. She isn't being asked to pay those charges, but wants them off her record regardless.

"It matters to me," she said. "It matters that they're billing for things that never happened, that's what really bothers me."

She contacted the Inquirer after reading about Philly Health Costs, the newspaper's new project aimed at making medical billing more transparent. At philly.com/healthcosts, consumers can do as Politzer did, and add their own experiences to our crowdsourced database of costs, or search cash prices for many common procedures compiled by journalists at ClearHealthCosts.

Medical bill errors are very common, with some studies estimating that up to 80 percent of bills have a mistake, said Kevin Flynn, president of HealthCare Advocates, a Philadelphia-based patient advocate firm.

"It's becoming more of an issue now that everyone has high-deductible plans," he said. "These errors are becoming much more costly."

But the true number of errors is impossible to know. Some patients automatically pay whatever they are billed either because they don't scrutinize bills, or give up in frustration.

How many patients take the time, as Politzer has, to protest errors that don't hit their own checkbook?

Patients need to get in the habit of scanning medical bills for errors, the way they check credit card bills for unauthorized charges or utility bills for erroneous fees, Flynn said.

Patients who suspect a mistake should go first to the provider, which is often more accessible than an insurance company with millions of members, he said.

Not sure what a charge is for? Call and ask, Flynn advises.

"Now that we are having to pay out of our own pocket, now is the time to change the mindset of checking these routinely," he said.

That's why Politzer keeps such a close eye on her medical bills and why she piped up when she saw a mistake.

"This stuff happens all the time," she said. "It's just that people don't bother fighting it when it happens."
THE PARENTS: Alice Worrall, 29, and Jed Shambeda, 29, of Cheltenham

THE CHILD: Nicholas Odin, 5 months, adopted November 28, 2017

EXPERIENCE WITH ADOPTION: Alice's paternal grandmother, who was born in England, lived in an orphanage until she was adopted at age 10.

Last spring was a season of emotional whiplash for Alice and Jed. First, a potential adoption fell through just two weeks before the baby's due date, when the birth mother decided she wanted to parent.

In March, Jed went for a routine physical and learned there was a congenital, worsening defect in his mitral valve; the doctor recommended surgery.

They were in the pre-op room at Temple University Hospital, moments before that operation, when Alice got a text from their caseworker at A Baby Step Adoption: A birth mother in Arizona had chosen them.

"Make sure you survive this," she told her husband. "Because we're going to get a kid."

It was a typical Alice-declaration, not unlike the vow she'd made the first time she spotted Jed  he had long flowing hair back then, and a wild beard  walking across the campus of Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pa. "I'm going to be friends with him," she said to herself.

It was another year before they officially met. Alice was struggling with some homework in analytical chemistry, complaining loudly about the problem sets, when Jed vaulted over a couch in the chemistry building student lounge and said, "I can help with that!"

"I told him we were going to be best friends," Alice recalls. Jed took some convincing: dates for on-campus movies, a few nature walks. It was after one of those walks, on a frigid winter afternoon, that Alice posed the "status of the relationship" question.

"What is this? What am I going to tell my friends?" she wanted to know.

Jed's typically tentative response: "I'm not opposed to the idea of dating you." But he was drawn to her outspokenness. "The more I got to know Alice, the more I thought: I really like this girl. I could stand to be around her for a long time."

It was fall 2010, between his graduation and hers, when Jed colluded with a few of Alice's friends. She thought it was a girls' night out to celebrate her birthday. Then he surprised her at the Harrisburg waterfront with a tiny box and tickets to the symphony.

"I had the ring. She said yes, and we kissed, and all her friends left," he recalls. They married the following year, on Labor Day, at a bed-and-breakfast in Etters, where Jed was raised. Alice's brother, a guitarist, played Dave Days' "Olive You" as she walked down the aisle.

Both come from large families  Jed is the third of seven, and Alice the only girl among five brothers  but they envisioned a more modest brood for themselves. "I've always been on 'Team Two and Through,' " Alice laughs.

Both men and women in her family had experienced infertility, so she figured it might be difficult to get pregnant. She'd always considered adoption as another viable path. And because she has a terror of needles, she drew the line at any fertility boost that involved injections.

They'd been trying for two years when Alice broached the topic head-on as the two drove to Harrisburg for a family visit. "I don't think this is working," she said. "I think we should start considering other options."

But Jed wasn't ready to give up. It took another year  months of hope and disappointment and anger and grief  before he agreed to go to an information session at an adoption agency.

Both had questions: How does adoption work? How long would it take? How much would it cost? What steps would they need to go through?

The case worker at A Baby Step guided them through criminal background checks and fingerprinting, a home study, the profile book that would be shown to birth parents. When that first adoption possibility fell through, "it was devastating," Alice says. "When I was describing it [to friends], they said, 'That's exactly what a miscarriage feels like. You get your hopes up, and then ' "

The second match  the one they learned about just before Jed's surgery  felt right: the birth parents were in a relationship and already had two children. They were candid about their reasons for making an adoption plan. The baby, Jed and Alice learned, was a boy.

The due date was in early October. But on Sept. 13, a Wednesday, Alice got a phone call: The birth mom's in labor. You might want to change your plans. Another update, on Friday: She's in the hospital, giving birth. Get on a plane.

Both recall Sunday's surreal tableau: They walked into a room at a hospital in Arizona  the birth parents were there, along with their other children and one of the birth grandmothers  to meet their son.

"In some weird way, it's like meeting a stranger. You know you're going to be taking this child home and he's eventually going to be yours," Alice says. "You're holding your son for the first time in a roomful of people you don't know."

They'd brought gifts: a triple photo frame for the mom to hold pictures of all the children she'd birthed, and a tiny figurine of Swoop, the Eagles' mascot, for the dad  a joke, because he's a rabid Cowboys fan. "I like to inject a little bit of humor into any situation," Alice says. "He thought it was funny."

They spent 10 days in a hotel, trying to lurch from eastern to Arizona time, handing a wailing infant back and forth at 2 in the morning, feeding and diapering and learning to interpret his cries. Nicholas slept in an open suitcase they'd lined with a hotel blanket and a few pieces of their own clothing.

"It was nice to have that time to ourselves: no interference, no outside forces," Jed says.

And then it was the first of many firsts  a four-and-a-half-hour plane trip with an infant. Other passengers were stunned: He's just 10 days old? And you're going on a trip?

Not exactly, Jed explained over and over. We're taking him home.
Dance halls featuring Cajun or Zydeco music are plentiful and welcoming to all in the area around Lafayette, La. Read more

I recently returned from Mardi Gras in Lafayette, La. The city offers a more family-friendly, folksy celebration than the New Orleans blowout, but it's still a rollicking good time. The beads and the King Cake were fun, but the biggest takeaway from my trip is that this area is worth a visit any time of year.

Lafayette is in the heart of Cajun country, an area that encompasses eight parishes (as counties are known) in south-central Louisiana. The region is rich in culture, food, and music, three ingredients in a recipe for a wonderful travel experience.

French-Acadian roots, mixed with the plenty of the bayou, have created a food culture that is an integral part of Cajun life. Good food is everywhere: fresh catfish or oyster po' boys, a whopping pile of boiled crawfish, rich boudin sausage, or a meaty, sophisticated gumbo. Tabasco Sauce, a critical condiment to all these dishes, is made in nearby Avery Island, where visitors can tour the factory and learn about a manufacturing process that resembles fine winemaking.

Good music is as important as eating in these parts  stages and dancehalls abound, so most meals were accompanied by live music. Cajun and Zydeco bands are ubiquitous and welcoming; it's heartening to see people of all ages and cultures mixing it up on the same dance floor. The caliber of the music is also as excellent as it is approachable. I stood at the edge of a small stage listening to the Lost Bayou Ramblers, winners of a 2018 Grammy Award for Best Americana Recording. The region also holds multiple music festivals throughout the year.

For a better understanding of this unique slice of American culture, spend an afternoon at Vermillionville, a National Historic Site that recreates a 19th-century bayou town. It's an educational experience, but true to Lafayette style, this village also has a dancehall on site  and it was packed for a Sunday afternoon full of Zydeco fun, with the aroma of gumbo wafting through the air.

For information about attractions and festivals held year-round, go to LafayetteTravel.com.

Philadelphia natives Larissa and Michael Milne have been global nomads since 2011. Follow their journey at ChangesInLongitude.com.
Dead broke and living in a car, two men persuaded a bank teller to help them orchestrate a violent armed robbery of a Wells Fargo branch. That robbery and another, staged in November 2013, netted the group more than $150,000 before they were caught.

In January, one of the men, Marquis Wilson, received more than 43 years in federal prison for the crimes. On Tuesday, a U.S. District Court judge sentenced the second man, Malcolm Moore, to more than 32 years behind bars.

According to court documents, Wilson, 27, and Moore, 23, met the teller, Calia Kane, 23, in October 2013 as she left a college business exam. Wilson and Kane began a romantic relationship. "The first days of their courtship involved discussing how to rob the bank," according to court documents.

Kane testified that she initially thought Wilson was joking, but provided the guidance and step-by-step plan he would need.

Wilson persuaded Moore to join him, and the trio created a detailed plan, according to court documents. On Nov. 4, Moore entered the Wells Fargo branch in Bala Cynwyd brandishing a gun and jumped on the counter as Kane worked behind it. Wilson followed with a duffel bag to hold the money, and jumped over the counter and demanded that tellers fill the bag with cash. A third man, Martril Foster, 21, locked the door behind them and served as lookout.

The three men fled to Georgia after the robbery. But, while driving through North Carolina, a police officer stopped them for a violation. The officer became suspicious, searched the vehicle, and seized $80,000 he found in the trunk. The officer did not suspect them of robbery, assuming that they had been planning to buy drugs.

Wilson, Moore, and Foster returned to Philadelphia. Having lost the loot, they hatched a scheme to rob another bank. They cased Wells Fargo branches in the Philadelphia suburbs before settling on a branch in Phoenixville, according to court documents. On Nov. 11, they drove to the branch to rob it, but were frustrated to learn that banks are closed on Veterans Day. The next morning, they returned and escaped with $77,000.

After a shopping spree in New Jersey, Wilson bought a car and a laptop, and paid a $300 fine to the City of Philadelphia for an unknown violation, according to court papers. Learning that local police were looking for them, Wilson, Moore, and Kane drove to Georgia to lay low again.

Foster, fearing he would be implicated in the robberies, then went to the police. Wilson, Moore, and Kane were arrested in Georgia.

Foster was sentenced to seven years in prison. Kane was sentenced to seven years in 2016 after pleading guilty to avoid trial.
A U.S. District Court judge on Tuesday sentenced a mother-daughter pair from Philadelphia to lengthy federal prison terms and ordered them to pay back $535,783.47 to the U.S. government.

Maribel Nunez, 58, and her daughter Madeline Rosario, 25, were convicted in July 2017 on charges of conspiracy and theft of government property. According to court records, between November 2010 and March 2014, Nunez and Rosario controlled five business accounts at Wachovia/Wells Fargo Bank. During that time period, the pair fraudulently submitted 106 tax returns to the IRS and then deposited the refund checks into the bank accounts.

Nunez was sentenced to 41 months in prison and three years of probation. Rosario received 72 months in prison and three years of probation. The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Investigations and the FBI.
The Philadelphia Police Department on Tuesday identified the officers involved in shooting a double-homicide suspect Friday night after a brief chase into Montgomery County.

On Friday, a 42-year-old woman and her 71-year-old mother were found shot to death inside a home in the 3400 block of Chippendale Street in Holmesburg. A 44-year-old man identified as the husband of the younger woman fled into Lower Moreland Township, where he was pursued and then confronted by four Philadelphia police officers.

The suspect, whose name was not released, allegedly pointed a handgun at the officers, who then opened fire and struck the suspect in the right arm. He was taken to Abington Hospital, where he was reported in stable condition.

The department identified the officers as Joe Moore and Kenneth Fazio of the Highway Patrol, and Alfred Fiorentino and Randy Vogt of the Seventh Police District. The officers were placed on administrative duty pending a mandatory Internal Affairs investigation.
Jurabe Arroyo with his wife, Irma Cabrera are photographed in the basement of a home in North Philadelphia. Wednesday, Feb. 07, 2018. Juarbe Arroyo and his family lost everything in Hurricane Maria their house, car and most belongings. They moved to Philadelphia where a relative offered her basement as temporary housing. Theyve been living in this basement for three months now and struggling to get a place of their own without any FEMA assistance.JOSE F. MORENO / Staff Photographer Read more

Amid criticism from Latino groups that the city was doing too little to help Puerto Rican evacuees, the Kenney administration has agreed to make five more subsidized homes available for families who relocated to Philadelphia in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

The decision comes after the city's refusal to allow the evacuees to skip the waiting list for public and subsidized housing sparked a heated meeting last month of Councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez, other Puerto Rican elected officials and community leaders, and Mayor Kenney and members of his cabinet.

"While the administration continues to have concerns about providing a special preference to Hurricane Maria's victims amid a housing crisis, considering the extreme need in some of these cases, the administration is willing to exercise its special preference with PHA where there are no other housing options," said Brian Abernathy, first deputy managing director.

Abernathy had previously said that allowing the evacuees to jump to the front of the line was not fair to the tens of thousands of people waiting for a home from the Philadelphia Housing Authority or to get into the authority's subsidized housing program. But after the Feb. 14 meeting, officials decided to ask the authority to provide housing for up to five evacuee families  10 percent of what PHA rules allow the administration to refer. The families have to meet income requirements and other criteria.

More than 2,000 evacuees arrived in Philadelphia between the devastating Sept. 20 hurricane and Dec. 20, when the city's emergency disaster assistance center for hurricane evacuees closed. It's unclear how many arrived later. Many evacuees have struggled to get housing assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and have been living in basements and cramped apartments due to what they say is unavailability of public housing.

For those who were on public housing assistance in Puerto Rico, PHA is willing to honor their vouchers for housing units here. The problem has been accommodating those who were not in a public housing program before.

PHA rules specify that in the event of a federally declared disaster, the authority can give "Super Preference" to any public housing applicants who have been displaced, as long as they meet income and other eligibility requirements.

In addition, a program called "Special Preference" empowers the mayor to refer up to 50 families for emergency rental assistance in cases of natural disaster or in "extreme emergencies." Aside from two Puerto Rican families who arrived shortly after the hurricane, the administration has not referred anyone.

News that the administration will make five more referrals was bittersweet to advocates for the evacuees.

"Many of us think that's a slap in the face. The welcoming city, right? You hear what people say, then you see what they do," Quinones Sanchez said during a meeting with the Inquirer and Daily News editorial board Tuesday. "The fact that they came back with five, they understood that clearly they can't say no. Five is obviously not enough for us, but at least it gets us through a criteria and a process."

Abernathy said the criteria, or assessment of need, will be determined by the city's Office of Homeless Services.

"The true housing needs of these individuals are difficult to determine with the information that we have today," Abernathy said, adding that the city's homeless services office will assess family's needs and connect them to whatever resources they are eligible for.

Abernathy said Unidos Pa'PR, a coalition of various nonprofits created in the aftermath of the hurricane to raise relief funds, will refer families to the Office of Homeless Services to be assessed. He left the door open to allowing more than five families

"Should the need be far greater than what is known, we are willing to revisit this issue," he said.

The Rev. Bonnie Camarda, director of partnerships at the Salvation Army of Eastern Pennsylvania who was also at last month's meeting with the Kenney administration, said that five housing opportunities is better than none.

"I'm hoping we are moving forward to really help the crisis," she said.

Camarda is also on the board of the housing authority and said she plans to push the authority's president and CEO, Kelvin Jeremiah, on making use of the "Super Preference" option that doesn't require mayoral support, according to the authority's own rules.
Strains of medical marijuana for sale at Garden State Dispensary in Woodbridge, N.J.. A state panel in Pennsylvania is considering allowing the sale of natural forms of marijuana. Under current law, only highly-processed concentrates, pills and tinctures can be sold in Pa. Read more

The menu of options available at medical cannabis dispensaries may soon grow to include "dry leaf and flower," the green and fragrant herb once sold illicitly in dime bags.

On Monday, the governor's Medical Marijuana Advisory Board met in Harrisburg to consider changes to the program. Since mid-February, six dispensaries have been selling highly processed  and pricey  concentrates, pills and tinctures.

Demand for the products has been extraordinarily strong. Most of the dispensaries sold out of inventory last week. A spokesman for Cresco Yeltrah, the only grower-processor currently shipping medicines, said he expected modest deliveries to dispensaries to resume as soon as Wednesday, weather permitting.

Allowing sales of dry leaf and flower  with such brand names as Death Star and Bubba Berry  would accelerate production. It also would cut the cost to consumers.

"It would be great for patients," said Charlie Bachtell, co-founder of Cresco Yeltrah. "Of all forms of medical marijuana, flower offers the fastest speed to efficacy and the lowest price point per milligram of active ingredient."

Of the 29 states that have laws legalizing some form of cannabis, only Pennsylvania and Minnesota currently ban the sale of non-processed forms of marijuana.

Luke Schultz, a patient advocate who serves on the 15-member Advisory Board, said the three committees that comprise the group "all came back with a positive recommendation" to approve sales of dry leaf and flower. The board is slated to review the recommendations on April 9 and forward a report to the Secretary of Health, Rachel Levine, who chairs the group. Then the legislature will vote on whether to accept the recommendations. It's uncertain when marijuana in its natural state could be for sale at dispensaries.

Pennsylvania law does not allow the sale of a smokable form of marijuana. It does allow for vaporization, which requires a battery-powered electronic device, some of which are similar to e-cigarettes. But after a patient makes a purchase, there is no way for the state to monitor methods of consumption. The same marijuana can be packed into a bowl or rolled into a joint.

The panel discussed other program changes, though none seem as likely to be adopted as the sale of dry leaf and flower. It considered, but decided against, expanding the total number of growers and dispensaries that will eventually serve what is expected to be one of the nation's largest medical marijuana markets. It also briefly mulled allowing more professionals  nurse practitioners, for example  who could certify patients to participate in the program. That idea, too, was discarded.

The medical subcommittee advised expanding the list of 17 qualifying health conditions to include terminal illness and palliative care, according to Department of Health spokesman Nate Wardle.

"Fortunately, they didn't recommend to take anything away," said Schultz. "In that regard we're doing OK."

Doctors have requested the state stop publishing the names of participating physicians.

"Initially, there was so much excitement about the program that guys were calling a gynecologist on the list," Schultz said. "That's died down somewhat, but it would take an amendment by the legislature to end it. Our recommendation would be to not allow the list to be public, though."

As of Tuesday, almost 21,500 patients have registered for the program and more than 6,000 of those have been certified by a physician. Since sales began Feb. 16, about 2,200 patients have visited the six open dispensaries to buy medicinal cannabis. When the program is fully implemented, at least 12 grower-processors will supply up to 81 dispensaries statewide.
Saul Threadgill, a High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) holding the ticket he received after submitting his petitions to run to be a Democratic City Committee person. He was accompanied by his civics teacher, Grace Palladino, and his campaign mangers. Center City, Philadelphia, March 6th, 2018. Read more

Sixteen months after Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 presidential election, Saul Threadgill still scrawls her campaign logo in the margins of his Spanish homework. The 18-year-old who was too young to vote for Clinton but who still has her photo as his cellphone lock screen knows it's probably past Hillary's time.

But maybe now it's his.

"Campaigning was, to date, the most rewarding experience of my life," Threadgill, a CAPA senior from Port Richmond, said of his work with Clinton's campaign in 2016. "I'm hoping to change that today."

Flanked by fellow students and his civics teacher, Threadgill, a tall and slender teenager with circular glasses and a penchant for politics, marched up Broad Street on Tuesday from the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts to City Hall to file paperwork to run to be a Democratic committee person.

Threadgill was one of a handful of seniors in Grace Palladino's Advanced Placement government class who decided to take what they'd learned about campaigning and use it to run for a small, local elected position in their home voting division. Threadgill was the only eligible and interested student in the class who managed to get the 10 petition signatures required to run, though another 18-year-old senior, Jamiya Honesty, is planning to wage a write-in campaign in her Rhawnhurst voting division.

Others won't be 18 in time for the May 15 primary, but still want to be involved. Classmates Surya Bromley and Zami Buggs-King, both 17 and not old enough to run, are serving as Threadgill's "campaign managers." They're planning an Instagram strategy.

Locally, committee person is among just three elected offices available to candidates as young as 18. A committee person, which is an unpaid job with a four-year term, is the bottom of the totem pole of both Philadelphia's Democratic and Republican City Committees. Each of the city's voting divisions  there are more than 1,600, each with fewer than 1,000 voters  can elect two committee people per party to represent them.

The 3,300-plus Democratic committee people in Philadelphia are responsible for voting for the ward leader, getting out the vote and registering voters in the neighborhood, handing out campaign pamphlets, and helping to staff polling places. But these positions, which can be the first step in a budding political career, are often left vacant and, if they're filled, they're frequently won by a single vote because they are so small.

Enter high school students. Palladino, who has taught at CAPA for 10 years, said this is the first year she actively recruited students to run for committee person after she saw the enthusiasm the class had for a mock presidential primary they worked on in January. She offered help to any student who wanted to serve as a committee person, whether that was instructing them on how to contact their ward leader or coordinating a notary to legitimize Threadgill's paperwork Wednesday.

Palladino said she wasn't necessarily surprised it was Threadgill who was able to get the signatures needed to run. He was, in fact, the same student who successfully circulated a petition at school to get her AP government class back on the schedule after it had been taken off for lack of interest. She said his dedication is evident, which is why she's been surprised at the reaction to teenagers rising up against gun violence after the mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., last month.

"People's shock is borne out of a really sad, low expectation we have of teenagers," she said. "But they're like whirling dervishes of passion, and it's contagious."

Saul's father, Walter Threadgill, was not shocked when his son said he wanted to run for office. His son's interest in politics "was always kind of lurking there in the background."

"When he got to high school," he said, "that only seemed to accelerate."

Next on Walter Threadgill's to-do list is registering as a Democrat. As a registered independent, he currently can't vote for his own son in the primary.

As for Saul, he's planning to attend college at some point, and is trying to decide whether he wants to attend school in Philly or Washington, D.C. Like any teenager, his plans and aspirations change by the minute. There was a time when he wanted to go to school and then return to Philadelphia to run for mayor. Now he's not so sure. (He definitely doesn't want to run for legislative office, he says, because "caucuses are sad.")

He is sure he can handle the committee person commitment. He may go to college in the city or, if he goes to school outside Philadelphia, he plans to return to his neighborhood where he's lived since age 3 to register voters and work during elections. Part of that will be related to his neighborhood duties. The other part will be to campaign for Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat up for reelection this year.

"This is what I want to do," he said, "for the rest of my life."
Pine Island resident and well known artist Dianne Greenwoman Wickes painting Tarpon Inn has been selected as an entry in the Fort Myers Alliance for the Arts all juried art show.

This award-winning show features works created by artists across the state. In all there were 531 entries and Wickes entry was one of only 50 artists selected.

Ive never been in a juried art show and several of the local galleries wouldnt display my work because of that, Wickes said. So being accepted by the Fort Myers Alliance for the Arts is very exciting for me.

Ive always drawn since I was a kid, Wickes said. Ive never had an art lesson so basically I am self taught. I became more and more involved with art when I would go to Key West for the Jimmy Buffett Music Festival. Id draw on napkins or whatever was handy while listening to the music and giving them away to other Parrot Heads.

Wickes first passed through Matlacha in 2002.

Brian Travis of the Yard Dogs asked me to do a CD cover for them, Wickes said. Thats when I started painting. Then another artist wanted a CD cover and I was off and running with painting.

Wickes moved permanently to Pine Island 3 years ago from Champaign, Ill., and began working at Century 21 Sunbelt Realty that same year.

I just love Florida history and have learned so much by working here with Mike Shevlin, Wickes said. Mike knows the history of the area better than most people. I love to paint Florida history, like tike bars, the fishing shacks, canal houses and things like that.

Wickes originally painted Tarpon Inn for herself.

I fell in love with painting the Tarpon Inn from going to The Navigator where they have a huge tarpon on their wall that I would paint while sipping wine. I didnt plan to let this one go I wanted to keep this painting for a while. Then the Fort Myers Alliance came along.

Much of what I paint comes from my mind, Wickes said. This painting includes all of the little things you would likely see. Off to the side theres a message in a bottle along with some crab and lobster traps and Matlacha Reeboks near the door.

I mostly entered this contest to make myself do it and didnt really think Id be accepted, Wickes said. But I am very excited about being one of 50 artists selected.

The show at the Alliance for the Arts, which is located at 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers,, runs from March 9 29.

The opening reception is Friday, March 9, from 5-7 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. A gallery talk with exhibiting artists is Saturday, March 10, at 6 p.m.
Avers Valley ice climbing / new variation Risiko to Thron in Switzerland

07.03.2018 by by Planetmountain

Ice climbing in Switzerland: on Saturday 10 February 2018 Matteo Rivadossi and Leonardo Gheza swung leads to establish a new variation to the famous icefall Thron, also known as Mostro d'Avers in Val d'Avers. Interestingly, at exactly the same time they were joined by a Swiss team intent on climbing the very same line Rivadossi provides the report.

What about that flow to the left of the main icefall, the drip that starts immediately below the overhang? When you look at Thron, aka the "Monster of Avers", its simply impossible not to notice that huge drip. Its most certainly been climbed before, but what about the exit through the roof? Convincing Leo proved easy, while Sergio, Daniele and Sarah planned to climb the classic, somewhat imposing Mostro which happened to be in perfect conditions.

Like on all great climbing trips, the next morning we all crammed into the packed car. And woke up from the senseless early start to the flash of a remorseless Swiss speed camera...

At the start there are various teams, both ahead and behind us. No point in pretending to be scandalized in this social network era Anyways, the Monster is wide enough and several teams immediately start climbing parallel to each other. Obviously taking into account the friendly fire from above! And after a 4-hour car trip the incurable fatalism of all ice climbers - everyone knows - gets the upper hand as we all start upwards.

Two pitches later Leo and I reached the lefthand side of the ice. Words fail to describe how amazed we were when we discovered two Swissmen establishing a first belay exactly where we wanted to. Surely not? All of us here, at exactly the same time, with precisely the same aim? Even if this drip has always been here! Having said that, we shouldnt have been surprised: the history of the mountaineering is full of races for first ascents and coincidences. Of situations that seem so bizarre that theyre difficult to put down to mere chance.

At this point theres no use complaining about how, had we not stopped at that damn petrol station, then wed have been well ahead! Well, we can always climb a bit further to the left! Leo races up the thin ice on the ramp while the Swiss place bolt and pegs on the diagonal rock ramp. Despite being the first to reach the base of the drip, he too politely gives way to the Swiss who in the meantime had stopped to place another bolt in the niche. I, discussing things with his climbing partner, dont agree in the slightest with this act of courtesy ...

So all four of us are now at the first belay: the Swiss on two bolts to the left, we two meters to the right on ice. Neither parties are too embarrassed. On the contrary, I exchange two words with the first Swiss, far more agile than his partner, who confesses he doesnt know yet wheres going to breach the roof. I let Dani, as hes called by his partner, set off and then I trail about 10 meters behind. When he points towards the roof above, I break off right towards the line Id had in mind all along. Great!

From here we all have our fun: smeared up on the airy arete while pulling on micro crimps, I then take a photograph of him as he hangs in mid-air after his fall. I then shoot out to the right, across a delicate slab towards the edge of the monster, while the Swiss climbs a ramp of mixed terrain. We take some more photos, crack some jokes and compliment each other for the beautiful feeling of friendliness.

I belay Leo up to the niche: the vertical compact pitch above the belay is his. I lovingly prepare a starting bolt and the fanged stalactite, then up he goes for thirty vertical meters while parties appear on the great Thron icefall. What a show! One last pitch and we join the Swiss once more. The Monster, and mistrust, is tamed

by Matteo Rivadossi



Matteo thanks: CAMP - Cassin, Montura



TOPO: Risiko variation to Thron, Mostro di Avers in Switzerland

Share Tweet
Mattel has just announced the newest 14 dolls in its Barbie Global Role Model series, and were thrilled to see that San Francisco Ballet principal Yuan Yuan Tan has made the list. Tan joins the ranks of Misty Copeland, who was immortalized in Barbie form just last year.

The Barbie Shero program honors real women who have broken boundaries in their fields, and can act as an inspiration to the next generation of girls. Tan certainly fits that bill. She was both the youngest dancer ever promoted to principal in SFBs long history and the first Chinese-born ballerina to maintain a principal position at the top of the American ballet world. Her doll wears her Swan Lake Odette costume and is in releve in white shoes (though any bunhead knows that those untucked ribbons would never pass). Its important to me that young girls know that they can be anything they want to be, so they should dream big and never give up, Tan told the San Francisco Chronicle.

This newest crop of Sheros was released to coincide with International Womens Day on Thursday, March 8. Tan is in good company alongside Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins and designer and entrepreneur Leyla Piedayesh, among others. The Role Model dolls are one of a kind and are not for sale, but nevertheless we always love when ballet is well represented in the mainstream. Mattel, the company behind Barbie, is seeking suggestions for other inspiring women via the #MoreRoleModels hashtag on social media. Which other dancers to you think should be added to the list?
Chicago-area officials trying to prevent funerals for gang members from turning into shootouts say the issue has gotten so far "out of control" that one cemetery has started hiring off-duty police officers.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart met Thursday with political, religious, and funeral industry leaders to discuss the problem following a funeral procession in December that was marred by gunfire.

"It's getting out of control, it really is," Hillside Police Chief Joseph Lukaszek told FOX 32. "The gangs just think that it's a safe haven for them and they do whatever they want to do."

Dart  who hopes to come up with proposals ready to be put into action by May  says the shootings have been escalating "over the last 10 to 15 years from where it was not much of a problem to now it occurs more frequently."

He said that at least one cemetery has been hiring off-duty officers whenever a gang member is set to be buried.
A central Indiana prosecutor has filed formal murder charges against a man in the fatal shooting of a sheriff's deputy during a foot chase last week, reports the Associated Press.

Boone County (IN) Sheriff's Deputy Jacob Pickett with K-9 partner Brick. Pickett was fatally shot during a foot pursuit Friday. (Photo: Boone County SO)

Online court records show that a Boone County prosecutor on Tuesday also filed charges of possession of an illegal handgun, methamphetamine, and marijuana against 21-year-old Anthony Baumgardt. Authorities say he shot Deputy Jacob Pickett in the head on Friday while the deputy was helping chase Baumgardt and two other men in Lebanon, IN, which is where Baumgardt is from.

Baumgardt has been jailed since Saturday after he was released from a hospital where he was treated from being wounded when other officers returned fire.
Marylands highest court voted unanimously Tuesday to restore police officers names to the public online court database, overturning a change made last year that prompted an outcry when it went into effect last week.

The seven judges of the Maryland Court of Appeals called an emergency public meeting Tuesday afternoon in Annapolis to reconsider the changes, reports the Baltimore Sun.

The removal of officers names ignited swift backlash. Critics said police would be operating in secret. The timing proved particularly unsettling, they said, because the names vanished just weeks after two Baltimore police officers were convicted in a federal corruption case. The online database  known as Case Search  proved a valuable tool for defense attorneys working to locate past arrests by the disgraced officers.

Maryland court administrators initially defended the change, but they backed off Monday. Alan Wilner, a retired Court of Appeals judge who chairs the committee responsible for the changes, acknowledged the change was a mistake and that the group never intended to hide the full names of officers in the database.

He said the committee had only intended to replace officers first names with an initial, but the group erred in its procedures for adopting the change, which they discovered only recently.
Department of Public Safety Trooper Damon Allen was shot and killed on Thanksgiving Day in Freestone County, TX. Investigators say the trooper's suspected killer was out on bond for assaulting a Smith County, TX, deputy in July. Allen's wife Kasey Allen wants to prevent repeat offenders from killing law enforcement officers.

She is now working with Texas Governor Greg Abbott on changing the wording in laws and standardizing bonds across the state, reports KWKT.

Allen says," It is horrible and it is terrible but you can take this and make something good out of it. You don't have to just lay down and die with them."

She wants to make public safety a number one priority when issuing a bond.

"We need to concentrate on taking care of the bad people. You can do something that will help other people and help prevent this pain from being in someone else's heart," she says.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $5.9 million payment Tuesday to settle a lawsuit brought by a man who alleged that county jail guards and medical staffers failed to properly monitor and treat him, leading to brain damage that left him permanently disabled.

Juan Isaac Garza was in custody at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in May 2012 when he tried to kill himself, according to a summary provided to the board.

"An inmate in the day room told deputies that inmate Garza was standing on his desk in his cell, falling backwards and hitting his head," an action he repeated four to six times, the summary stated.

Garza, then 22, was then moved into a single-man cell in an effort to keep him safe. He was handcuffed and walked into the cell on his own and a mental health social worker called to evaluate him said she didn't see any signs of a medical emergency, the Los Angeles Times reports.

"Within two hours, inmate Garza was found 'man down' in his cell from self-inflicted injuries, and unresponsive," according to the summary.

Garza had been charged with attempted murder after allegedly attacking an apparent stranger -- a 54-year-old Eagle Rock woman -- with a crowbar. A database maintained by the Department of Mental Health showed a 2009 diagnosis of schizophrenia, "but with no follow-up or medications," according to the board summary.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaafs warning to illegal immigrants of an incoming raid by agents of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in northern California may have led to a number of illegal immigrants with violent and sex-related convictions evading capture and deportation.

Schaaf tweeted out a warning of the raid, alerting targeted individuals to the imminent arrests, and infuriating ICE officials, who say that many more could have been caught if they hadn't been warned.

A spokesperson for ICE gave Fox News examples of some of the unsavory characters who evaded officals during the raid.

One Mexican citizen had convictions for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and a conviction for driving under the influence (DUI), and had been deported in 2003.

Another who evaded capture had a conviction for sodomizing a drugged victim in 2012, as well as a DUI from this year -- that Mexican citizen had also been previously deported in 2013.

Another illegal immigrant from Mexico, previously deported in 2014 for a conviction for armed robbery, also evaded capture.

While the individuals dodged authorities, it is also not clear if there was a definitive link between Schaafs statement and their disappearance, Fox News reports.
Why be an organ donor?

Donate Life Ambassadors from LifeSource Minnesota will share personal stories about organ, eye and tissue donation at 10:15 a.m. Sunday at Christ United Methodist Church, 400 Fifth Ave. SW, Rochester.

For more information, call 507-289-4019.

Program helps women help women

A program entitled "Women Helping Women: Building Lives" will be offered 6 p.m. Thursday at Assisi Heights Spirituality Center.

Yuliya Antopova Elder turned her own story into a philanthropic project connecting with her home country of the Soviet Union.

Jo Marie Morris, executive director of Jeremiah Program, will discuss creating a path out of poverty for low-income single mothers in SoutheastMinnesota.

Preregistration is $24, which includes a light supper. No registration at the door.

To register, call 280-2195 or go to www.rochesterfranciscan.org.

Marriage workshop offered March 10

A marriage enrichment workshop will be offered 8:45 a.m. to noon March 10 at the Church of St. John the Evangelistin Rochester.

Dr. Greg Sobolewski, a professor of theology at St. Marys University and lecturer in pastoral studies at the Catholic University of America, will be presenting.

There is no fee to attend, but couples are asked to register by calling 507-288-7313 or going to www.sj.org.

In the Footprints of Francis and the Sultan

"In the Footprints of Francis and the Sultan: A Model for Peacemaking" will be presented from 9 a.m. to noon March 10 at Assisi Heights Spirituality Center.

This program will utilize a two-part film to examine the contemporary issues of interfaith interaction and understanding. The film follows Francis of Assisi as he travels to the Middle East to meet Sultan Malek al Kamil in 1219.

Facilitators are Rana Makati and Sister Kathy Warren. The program is co-sponsored with the Rochester Muslim Community Circle.

There is no cost for the program, but donations are appreciated. To register, call 280-2195 or go to www.rochesterfranciscan.org.

Christian Womens Connection meets

"A Hello to Spring" is the theme of the next Rochester Christian Womens Connection monthly luncheon on Tuesday, March 13, at the Eagles Club, 917 15th Ave. SE.

The luncheon starts at 11:45 a.m. and features Erica Declare, tour director of the Olmsted County History Center, who will present a program on Mayowood. Special speaker Sherri Kubly, of Edgewood, Iowa, will present "From Dumb to Dynamite," which she discusses finding truth, strength and courage to overcome destructive lies that we believe.

Admission is $15 and includes lunch. Reservations are required. Call 507-765-4921 or email mploetz@hbcsc.net.

Church presents bell choir concert

The Congregational Bell Choir will present a concert of "Some of Our Greatest Hits and Favorites!" at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 24.

A free-will offering will be taken with all the proceeds going to children and youth programming. A reception sponsored by the youth will follow. Rochester Congregational Churchis located at 974 Skyline Drive SW.
Dear Mr. Berko: I got a $10,000 bonus from my employer in January and put it with a broker in early February. He has made four trades, including a biotech stock with a funny name Ive never heard of. My account now is worth $12,200. He said if he had my account on margin, then he could have made twice as much money. Is that true? I asked how it works, and he said I wont have to put up more money, but I just have to sign a brokers form and I can buy twice as much stock immediately. Because he doesnt explain things well, and I dont want to offend him, could you please explain how margin works? And is it true I could have made twice as much money, as he claims? Also, Id like to buy stock in the fantastic Chinese market. Do you think Chinese stocks will move way up? What Chinese stocks would you recommend?  LD:, Portland, Ore.

Dear LD: That brokers right on the money! If you had signed his margin agreement upon opening the account and followed his advice, you would have made twice as much money. That margin agreement would give you an extra $10,000 credit so you could buy $20,000 worth of stock. The flip side of that agreement is you also could lose twice as much.

Heres a very simple explanation of how it works. Margin accounts, offered by most brokers, enable clients to borrow money to purchase stocks or bonds. Assume you wish to buy 100 shares of the fictional company LSMFT (LSMFT-$100), which would cost you $10,000. You can write the broker a check for $10,000 and own LSMFT free and clear. Or you can sign a margin agreement and buy 100 shares of LSMFT for $10,000, putting down 50 percent of the price ($5,000) and borrowing the remaining $5,000 from your broker. The broker charges interest (todays rate of 8 percent is turnpike thievery because the collateral is good as gold) on the borrowed $5,000 and he holds your 100 shares of LSMFT for collateral. If the brokerage charges 8 percent simple interest, then $33.33 will be deducted from your account each month. And if, 10 months later, you sell LSMFT at $110, youll have a credit in your account of $11,000, from which you repay the broker the borrowed $5,000. Now, you have $6,000 remaining and a gross profit of ($6,000 less $5,000) $1,000. So, after subtracting buying and selling commissions of $150 and 10 months of interest of $33.33 from the $1,000 gross profit you have a net profit of $516.67.

The important thing investors must understand about margin is its a double-edged sword. If you had invested $10,000 in cash, your 10-month return would have been 5.16 percent. But you leveraged LSMFT with just $5,000 so your 10-month return is 10.32 percent. When stocks rise in value, your gains are amplified, and thats wonderful. However, in a down market, margin really hurts because the borrowed money exposes you to higher risks. Now, if you can get this in your head, youll have it in a nutshell.

The extreme use of leverage is one of the reasons banks such as Lehman, Bear Stearns, Merrill, JPMorgan, etc., collectively lost hundreds of billions of dollars nine years ago. Goldman, Citigroup, Bank of America, etc., traded bonds using 1 percent margin, investing only $1,000 for every $100,000 of market value. If the bonds fall 5 percent or $5,000 (many did and more), the $1,000 is wiped out, and theyre $4,000 on the wrong side of the eight ball. Multiply this number by billions (remember those subprime mortgages), and you might understand how the great financial crisis occurred.

Individual Chinese stocks scare the bejabbers out of me. I dont trust Chinas banking/financial system or its corporate and government executives. Corporate income statements are bloated, balance sheets are fudged, and I cant read Pinyin so Chinese corporate reports are Greek to me. But the China market can be hot, and Id own the iShares MSCI China ETF (MCHI-$69)  thats a Chinese imitation of the S&P 500 Index. MCHI was plus 12.5 percent last year.
Russias supposed meddling in the 2016 election has been an endless topic of news coverage, but for some reason our press has shown little interest in other instances of Russian meddlingthe nuclear freeze movement of the 1980s, for example, or more recently, Russias effort to discredit fracking and rouse popular opposition to pipeline construction.

Last Thursday, the Majority Staff of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology released a report titled Russian Attempts to Influence U.S. Domestic Energy Markets by Exploiting Social Media. It doesnt seem to have gotten as much attention as it deserves.

The House report notes Russias strong interest in depressing petroleum production in the U.S. (American energy represents a direct threat to Russian energy interests.) Russia has defended its interests by funding American environmental organizations:

Russian-sponsored agents funneled money to U.S. environmental organizations in an attempt to portray energy companies in a negative way and disrupt domestic energy markets.

***

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, then-Secretary General of NATO, told reporters in 2014, Russia, as part of their sophisticated information and disinformation operations, engaged actively with so-called nongovernmental organizationsenvironmental organizations working against shale gasto maintain dependence on imported Russian gas.

Could we have a little accountability here? Which environmental organizations took money from Russia to try to weaken the American energy sector? Did they do it wittingly or unwittingly? What was the Russian money used for? Our press has shown a remarkable lack of curiosity about these basic questions.

Russia tried to discredit fracking and encourage opposition to pipeline construction:

Russias efforts to influence U.S. energy policy are well documented in the public domain. U.S. presidential candidates, European officials, and the U.S. intelligence community have all publicly noted that Russia and its government corporations are funding a covert anti-fracking campaign to suppress the widespread adoption of fracking in Europe and the U.S., all in an effort to protect the influence of the Russian oil and gas sector.

***

In January 2017, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a report that contained clear evidence that the Kremlin is financing and choreographing anti-fracking propaganda in the United States. The report found that the Russian-sponsored news agency RT (formerly Russia Today) r[an] anti-fracking programing, highlighting environmental issues and the impacts on public health, which is likely reflective of the Russian Governments concern about the impact of fracking and the U.S. natural gas production on the global energy market and the potential challenges to [Russian energy companies] profitability, such as state-controlled Russian energy giant Gazprom.

The Russians used social media, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to push their messages, which generally played well with American liberals:

The Russian content targeting pipelines was not limited to the [Dakota Access Pipeline]. Russian posts also targeted several other pipelines, including Sabal Trail, Keystone XL, Colonial, Bayou Bridge, and Enbridge Line 5. Additionally, the efforts of the Russian agents went beyond stirring up existing controversy surrounding the pipelines. Russian agents attempted to incite Americans to take action against pipeline efforts by promoting links and references to online petitions. Numerous tweets, for example, encouraged viewers to follow links to petitions aimed at stopping the Dakota Access, Sabal Trail, and Enbridge Line 5 pipelines. This demonstrates that Russian agents attempted to directly influence the American energy industry. Russians, through [social media] posts, engaged in a concerted effort to undermine U.S. energy production.

These are some of the Russians social media posts. This one got a remarkable 1,794 likes on Instagram:

This one peddles fake news about green energy in Iowa. Once again, the number of likes is striking:

Russia cynically tried to block the Dakota Access pipeline by feigning sympathy with Native Americans. Heres a question: who paid for the Dakota Access protests? Was it Russia, or American liberals? Both, presumably. Were their motives the same, or different?

More along the same lines, from the Russians Blacktivist account:

Russia promoted climate change as a way to block U.S. fossil fuel development:

The Russians also used energy issues to sow regional discord, through a much smaller pro-drilling effort on social media. But their interests lay, obviously, in the other direction. Here, the Russians show a good sense of how American liberals think:

Russias anti-fracking and anti-pipeline campaign went farther than its participation in the presidential election. Russia not only spread propaganda through RT and American social media, it also donated money to allegedly respectable American environmental organizations. How much? We dont know.

What we do know is that the effort to suppress American energy production meant a lot more to Russias rulers than its mischievous support for Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, and opposition to Marco Rubio and Hillary Clinton. We know that the Russians spent only a few million dollars on their election meddling. How much did they spend to support American liberals in their effort to block U.S. energy development? We dont know, but I, for one, would be very interested to find out.
Yesterday, I commented on actress Frances McDormands call for Hollywood stars to insist on inclusion riders in their contracts. These riders, as I understand them, would condition starring in a film on the producers willingness to hire a certain percentage of minorities and women for the production.

Stacy Smith, originator of the idea, has explained that this means for on-screen roles that are supporting and minor, they have to be filled with norms that reflect the world we live in. Expanding on this odd statement  how does one fill roles with norms?  Smith insisted that in contemporary dramas, the cast would consist of approximately 50 percent women, 50 percent minority, 20 percent people with disabilities, and 5 percent LFBTQ. Mercifully, historical dramas where the formula doesnt make sense would be exempt.

So inclusion riders impose quotas, right? Not according to Kalpana Kotagal, a lawyer who worked with Smith on the idea. She objects that quota is such a loaded and dangerous word in this society  it invokes this sense that somehow under-qualified people are going to get my job. In fact, she claims, the diversity rider doesnt say you have to hire somebody who fits demographic group even if you dont think theyre qualified.

This was the dodge used by radical civil rights lawyers 40 years ago to cope with charges that they were advocating quota hiring. It is as lame now as it was then.

Quotas dont exist only when an employer is required to hire unqualified people to fill them. They exist whenever an employer is required to reach or approach a certain level of minority or female hires.

And they are unlawful when they cause employers to prefer less qualified candidates over more qualified ones. It doesnt matter that the minority candidate is qualified for the job. If the non-minority candidate is better qualified and the employer selects the minority candidate to meet a quota or numerical goal, thats unlawful discrimination.

The other dodge in Kotagals defense of inclusion riders is her claim that they dont say you have to hire somebody who fits a demographic group even if you dont think theyre qualified. If an employer commits to a quota and falls short, it isnt sufficient to say you didnt think the minorities you rejected were unqualified. If challenged, you will have to prove they were unqualified (or less qualified than the white candidates you selected).

If it were otherwise, inclusion riders would be without force. The racists, sexists, and homophobes who, in the view of McDormand, Smith, and Kotagal, control Hollywood would have an easy out. The riders would be just another meaningless gesture.

Thus, diversity riders, if enforceable, would enable judges and juries to substitute their view of who is best qualified to act in a film role for the view of the producer and director. Judges do enough dictating in our society without deciding who should appear in our movies.

Finally, I found it interesting that the originator of the diversity rider concept spoke of it applying to supporting and minor roles. Why not major roles?

Is the idea that supporting and minor roles are not important enough for qualifications to matter much? That seems true of extras appearing in a crowd scene. In that case, it makes sense to select people who look like the crowd one would expect to find in that setting. But if were talking about true supporting cast members, even those in small roles, Hollywood cannot fudge on qualifications for the sake of diversity without reducing the quality of its product and running afoul of the law.

But maybe the focus on supporting and minor roles is intended to enable A-listers to insist on diversity riders without creating the risk that one day they will lose big roles because they are white. After all, if diversity riders are necessary as a matter of social justice or to stop Hollywood before it discriminates again, the financial backers of movies should require that half of the total number of leading roles in the films they back (taken collectively) go to minorities, 20 percent to people with disabilities, and so forth.

That way, Hollywood can take its rightful place in the vanguard of Americas march to insanity.
Former British spy Christopher Steele worked with Fusion GPS principal Glenn Simpson to get the contents of Steeles dossier into the media before the 2016 election. Byron York reported that Steele personally briefed reporters from the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, the New Yorker, and Yahoo, all to little or no effect. Mother Joness David Corn gave the received version of Steeles story on October 31 in A veteran spy has given the FBI information alleging a Russian operation to cultivate Donald Trump.

Corns account gave us the heroic version of the dossier. Howard Blum followed up in the credulous Vanity Fair article How ex-spy Christopher Steele compiled his explosive Trump dossier. Blums article is useful in helping us understand the line Steele and his employers were peddling to the FBI and to the media.

Blums starstruck article presented Steele and Simpson (but especially Steele) as the heroes of The Dossiad. Read how Christopher Steele and Glenn Simpson threw caution to the winds and selflessly gave their all to save the republic from Donald Trump. As I see it, this version of the story enacts an update on The Dunciad. I have called it The Dossiad. In this case, however, the satire is unintended. Only the Dullness remains.

The New Yorkers John Cassidy painted a portrait of Glenn Simpson in this spirit in The digger who commissioned the Trump-Russia dossier speaks. I commented on Cassidys column in Glenn Simpson: The New Yorker version. Despite the New Yorkers reputation for fact checking, Cassidys laughable error of fact about the Steele dossier  his first memorandum, which was thirty-five pages long and dated June 20, 2016  remains uncorrected. (Steeles June 20 memo was three pages long. The entire Steele dossier posted on BuzzFeed is itself 35 pages long.)

Now comes the New Yorkers Jane Mayer to give us the definitive version of The Dossiad in Christopher Steele, the man behind the Trump dossier. Subhead: How the ex-spy tried to warn the world about Trumps ties to Russia.

Mayers article is 15,000 words long. Reading it is an ordeal. Its not all Dullness. She mixes Dullness with Dishonesty. Indeed, in Mayers Dossiad, Dishonesty predominates.

The dishonesty permeates the article and it is infuriating. An article at least as long Mayers is needed to disentangle and rectify it. Mayers pretense of impartiality in adjudicating questions of fact and credibility must count as the articles leading misrepresentation. If only she had a sense of humor, one might think surely she jests.

Mayer collects tributes to Steele from colleagues present and past. He is her hero. He is a super spy with impeccable Russian sources. Even so, the super spy had no idea for whom he was working when Simpson hired him in 2016. Behind Simpson  as we know now thanks only to Rep. Devin Nunes and his Republican colleagues  lay the law firm serving as counsel to the Clinton presidential campaign, the Clinton campaign itself, and the Democratic National Committee. Steele compiled his dossier in the service of the Clinton presidential campaign.

In his testimony before congressional committees, the incredibly devious Glenn Simpson insisted that Steele didnt know the identity of his clients while also insisting that he had otherworldly powers to discern the veracity of his Russian informants. It didnt add up.

Mayer is not completely dull. She depict Steele as a super spy. She ignores Simpsons testimony on this score and instead reports: Several months after Steele signed the deal [with Fusion GPS], he learned that, through this chain, his research was being jointly subsidized by the Clinton campaign and the D.N.C.

So it only took Steele several months to figure it out for whom he was working. How did he learn it? When did it come to him? How did he arrive at the realization? What do you mean exactly by through this chain? What did Steele think about it? You can bet that nobody in the New Yorkers editorial chain cut the answers to these questions for reasons of space. Mayers curiosity has predictable limits.

Mayers article should not be ignored. Mayer and the New Yorker mean to fix  repair and set  the Democrats story line. The article has not yet attracted the attention and commentary that it deserves from knowledgeable observers. As of this morning I recommend Chuck Rosss Daily Caller post 6 revelations in that Christopher Steele puff piece and George Neumayrs American Spectator column Jane Mayers publicity work for Christopher Steele.

This is the first part of what I intend to be a series. I hope to keep the series short, useful, and readable. If you have any helpful comments, please direct them to me at [email protected] com.

JOE adds: I look forward to Scotts series. I listened in full to yesterdays hour-long interview of Jane Mayer on NPRs Fresh Air. Host Teri Gross practices a standard method in her interviews. When the story or issue is about conservatism or a member of the conservative movement, she interviews a liberal journalist who has written about that story or figure. When the story is about a liberal or a member of the liberal movement, she interviews the principal himself. This discredits her journalism comprehensively.

The interview with Mayer conforms to this practice. While listening to it, I encourage readers to recollect their college days. Most of us have spent a late night with someone who has had too much to drink. Such people like to invent movie ideas. Typically the movie ideas are both stupid and full of plot holes. The teller can sound grasping, or desperate, yet oddly self-amused. It is in this voice that Mayer speaks on Fresh Air.
Georgias public colleges and universities have been using unconstitutional speech zones to suppress Christian speech in a state where traditional Christians make up a large part of the citizenry. The most notorious case involves Gwinnett College. Its speech zone policy has been challenged in court, and Attorney General Sessions has directed the Department of Justice to file a statement of interest supporting the challenge.

One would think that a bill to protect campus free speech in Georgia would take on speech zones. After all, in most states considering such legislation free speech zones rank high on the list of abuses dealt with. As Stanley Kurtz says:

Speech zones are generally the easiest problem for legislatures to fix. The initial wave of campus free-speech laws specifically targeted speech zones as an easily outlawed, facially unconstitutional practice. Most often zones were banned with strong bipartisan support.

But not in Georgia. There, says Stanley, a bill meant to protect free speech on campus has been stripped of all protections against speech zones.

According to Stanley, this is the result of intense lobbying by the universities. The presidents of the University of Georgia and Georgia State University have denied or downplayed all campus free speech problems. In fact, Stanley reports, the president of Georgia State University denied that there was a national campus free-speech crisis at all.

Tell that to Christian students at Gwinnett State, where the right to free expression is confined to two tiny speech zones that occupy less than 0.0015 percent of the campus, and are open only 18 hours a week. And where a student preaching a standard Christian message about Jesus within the zone was silenced because he violated campus policy on disorderly conduct, which applies to anything that disturbs the comfort of the listener.

Tell that to the Christian student organization at Georgias Kennesaw State University that was forced to confine its pro-life display to a tiny out-of-the-way speech zone consisting of less than 0.08 percent of Kennesaws 405 acre campus. The Christian group alleges that an administrator said if it removed the pro-life posters she deemed most controversial, she would upgrade their protest to a less out-of-the-way zone. The group refused to be censored and thus was relegated to an area far away from students. By contrast, the university permitted an LGBT group to reserve all seven speech zones for its Pride Day demonstration.

Stanley concludes that without protection against free speech zones, nobodys speech will be safe on Georgias public college campuses.

If even the dominant view in Georgia can be ostracized and banned at its universities through flagrantly unconstitutional acts, then the rights of every student in the state are will be subject to the whims of irresponsible administrators. Georgia deserves better.

I agree.
President Andrzej Duda's Tuesday talks with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz concerned the Polish-Croatian Three Seas cooperation initiative, top presidential aide Krzysztof Szczerski said on Tuesday afternoon.

Minister Krzysztof Szczerski added that besides the Three Seas project, President Duda's talks with Mateusz Morawiecki and Jacek Czaputowicz concerned Sunday's collapse of a tenement house in Poznan, western Poland, in which five people died. (PAP)
Poland and the US should cooperate in solving the situation in Ukraine for the good of peace in our region, said the head of the Polish President's Office, Krzysztof Szczerski, on Wednesday, after meeting with US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker.

The hour-long meeting concerned, among other things, regional security, including the conflict in eastern Ukraine. "It was a long and very interesting talk. The American side wanted to hear Polands opinion, assessment of the situation in Ukraine and of the conflict," Minister Szczerski said.

He added that Polish-US dialogue and an exchange of opinions on Ukraine are necessary in the search for solutions for the Ukrainian situation.

"Poland and the US should co-operate on this issue, exchange information on their plans, assessments and steps for the good of peace in the region. This is very important, especially that Poland and the US are sitting on the UN Security Council," said the presidential minister.

Minister Szczerski said that the two exchanged their assessments on the situation in Ukraine. "We have confirmed that Poland as well as the US are involved in finding a peaceful and long-term solution for Ukraine. Poland supports Volker's activities in contacts with both sides of the conflicts - Russia and Ukraine.

Minister Krzysztof Szczerski said that sides also referred to Security Council debate on possible deployment of UN peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, but added the issue is still far from finalisation as its requires, among other things, the consent of all countries sitting on the Security Council, including Russia.

On Thursday, Minister Szczerski is due to meet in Washington with representatives of the US Department of State and with security advisors to the US president. (PAP)
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )

Browse 85 Tables and 37 Figures spread through 131 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Aircraft Battery Market - Global Forecast to 2022"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/aircraft-battery-market-50723530.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

Aircraft manufacturers are increasingly shifting towards the More Electric Architecture (MEA) that involves majority of non-propulsive systems in an aircraft being powered by electricity. The growing shift toward the more electric aircraft technology is expected to propel the demand for aircraft batteries during the forecast period.

The UAV segment under the aircraft type is witnessing strong growth in the aircraft battery market. Drones are widely accepted by the defense sector worldwide, owing to their limited operational costs in comparison to manned aircraft and benefits offered by them to defense forces. Moreover, there have been huge R&D investments in the field of drones that have widened their applicability in mining, surveying, 3D mapping, and oil & gas exploration activities, among others.

Based on end user, the OEM segment is projected to lead the aircraft battery market during the forecast period.

Based on end user, the OEM segment is expected to lead the aircraft battery market during the forecast period. In the aviation industry, aircraft are manufactured and delivered to airlines with aircraft battery technology already installed in the aircraft. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are responsible for the installation of battery components. This has become a suitable alternative for airline companies, as post the delivery of aircraft, modification becomes cumbersome for aircraft manufacturers.

Download PDF Brochure : https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=50723530

Based on offering, the product segment of the aircraft battery market is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period.

Based on offering, the product segment of the aircraft battery market is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period. The product segment includes all the battery types and battery management systems used in aircraft. As the aircraft architecture is moving more towards electrical systems, the need for better and more number of batteries is driving the product segment of the aircraft battery market.

The North America region is expected to lead the aircraft battery market during the forecast period 2017 to 2022.

The North America region is expected to lead the aircraft battery market during the forecast period. The growth of the North America aircraft battery market is driven by factors such as the rapid growth in the aircraft manufacturing, technological advancements in aircraft architecture, and growth in the electric aircraft industry. Thus, the market for aircraft batteries is expected to witness considerable growth in the region following the increased demand from various applications.

Major companies profiled in the aircraft battery market report are Concorde Batteries (US), Saft (France), EnerSys (US), EaglePitcher (US), and Gill Batteries (US), among others.

Know more about Aircraft Battery Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/aircraft-battery-market-50723530.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Salgarkar

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: [email protected]



Visit Our [email protected] http://mnmblog.org/market-research/aerospace-defence

Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
Unveils Survey Data Showing Companies Not "Walking the Talk" in Key D&I Practices

HANOVER, Maryland, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Allegis Group, the global leader in talent solutions, released a report today on diversity and inclusion (D&I) based on research and expertise from leaders in the world of talent acquisition. "Talent, Business and Competition: A New World of Diversity and Inclusion" explores core D&I issues and trends, accompanied by insight on how companies can approach diversity in talent acquisition and build inclusiveness into the employee experience.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650842/Allegis_Group_Logo.jpg

In conjunction with the report, Allegis Group has unveiled findings from a survey of senior human resource (HR) executives on company D&I initiatives. Results show that despite claims of being committed to D&I, many companies are failing to "walk the talk" by falling short in key practice areas.

"The report provides an informed foundation to help companies move the D&I conversation forward and overcome challenges," said Andy Hilger, president of Allegis Group. "D&I should be more than just talk as it delivers real business benefits impacting areas from financial performance to innovation. Furthermore, it's not just about hitting hiring numbers. The overarching goals of initiatives can only be achieved and sustained by implementing fundamental best-practices and cultivating inclusiveness.

"Decision-makers must understand the issues, ask the right questions and consider the implications on recruiting and talent management," added Hilger. "While there's no single formula for success, this report can be a valuable resource for exploring a critical area that should now be on every talent and business leader's radar."

New Survey Shows Companies Not "Walking the Talk" in D&I

As part of its research, Allegis Group also conducted a survey of 500 senior-level HR decision-makers regarding the progress and commitment of their organizations to building a diverse workforce and inclusive culture. Findings reveal significant gaps between companies' stated commitment to D&I and actual actions being taken to make advancements.

When it comes to progress on company D&I initiatives, 71.5 percent of respondents said "we have a strategy and are making progress" or "we've arrived." Yet, only 37.2 percent reported having diversity hiring goals, with just 30.6 percent saying they have fairness in compensation as a goal for their organization.

Likewise, only a small portion of respondents claimed D&I goals exist in other areas affecting the employee experience, including leadership and development nominations (11.4 percent), mid-level promotions (10.7 percent) and senior-level promotions (10.2 percent).

Equally unsettling, when asked what D&I best-practices their company has in place, 26.5 percent reported none, the leading response. This finding indicates no D&I best-practices for employee resource groups, mentorship, training and awareness, sourcing and recruiting for diverse groups, and tracking diverse employee pay and promotions.

Report Offers Foundation for Shaping D&I Discussion and HR Success

"Talent, Business and Competition: A New World of Diversity and Inclusion" takes a talent acquisition view on the modern and rapidly changing environment for hiring and retaining diverse workers. Readers will learn about the key drivers of D&I  the business case, people involved, its influence on talent acquisition and employee experiences  and gain insight on fighting the unconscious bias that underlies nearly every D&I challenge.

Highlights include expert perspectives on what works and what does not in D&I, goals and metrics for program measurement, best practices for candidate evaluation and selection, addressing the culture behind pay disparity and using inclusiveness to boost performance. Also included are articles from Allegis Group experts addressing critical trends and considerations, such as: how D&I commitment touches businesses, D&I and the C-suite, talent strategy for fighting bias, and technology innovations for eliminating bias.

Allegis Group's "Talent, Business and Competition: A New World of Diversity and Inclusion" is available for free download at www.AllegisGroup.com/Diversity.

About Allegis Group

As the global leader in talent solutions, we take pride in what we do, connecting great people to great opportunities, helping businesses win and careers soar. Today, with $12.3 billion in revenues and 500+ global locations, Allegis Group and its network of specialized companies provide a full suite of complementary talent solutions that solves nearly every workforce challenge to empower business success while consistently delivering an unsurpassed quality experience. Our companies include Aerotek; TEKsystems; Aston Carter; Allegis Global Solutions; Major, Lindsey & Africa; Allegis Partners; MarketSource; EASi; The Stamford Group; and GettingHired. Learn more at www.AllegisGroup.com.

Media Contact

Marty Querzoli

LEWIS

(781) 418-2433

[email protected]

Related Links

http://www.allegisgroup.com



SOURCE Allegis Group
MUMBAI, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Ascending with the primacy of instituting education ecosystem in India and promoting higher education for all, Auxilo Finserve Pvt Ltd has launched a unique education loan campaign, only for women, as #YouGoGirl! To celebrate the spirit of Women empowerment in the month of March, Auxilo Finserve encourages girl students to fulfill their higher education dreams and apply for education loan from the company to get the benefit of zero processing fees on loan application.

Auxilo Finserve, India's fastest growing education ecosystem NBFC provides 100% financing on course fees and also finances student's education-related expenses. Any girl student planning for global or India-based courses can apply for this loan during the March month and avail benefit of zero processing fee (which ranges up to 2% on loan amount). For students, who apply for global courses which are ranging up to 50 Lakhs, this campaign can be termed out to be a big motivating factor.

In addition to this, Auxilo Finserve extends the joy by gifting a retail voucher to every girl applicant, who submits her interest and documents to reach up to the log-in stage of loan processing. Both these benefits will be active during the entire March month. Any applicant can log on to auxilo.com and avail benefits.

"As a responsible NBFC education ecosystem player, we feel it is our humble duty to promote education for girls in our country. We equally believe education financing shouldn't hinder any girl's aspirations for higher learning. Our objective is to encourage girl students to achieve their own dreams without getting worried about education loan," says Neeraj Saxena, MD & CEO, Auxilo Finserve Pvt Ltd. The campaign essentially features for women of 18-26 age group, who looks out for financing options in this crucial month, and finds it difficult to obtain educational loan.

Auxilo Finserve, which is a registered NBFC with RBI in 2017, has expanded its offices nationwide, to meet the growing needs of education loans of Indian students. India is accounted to send around 6.5 lakh students to 86 countries for various courses, as per MEA data.

To address the growing needs of state's school education infrastructure development, including students' classroom renovation to school uniforms, under one roof, Auxilo Finserve has designed need-based customized financial solutions to be disbursed to eligible schools/institutes. It will provide financing to more than 100 schools by next year-end. The proposed ticket-size of loans, secured & unsecured, for schools/institutes could go up to Rs. 10 cr or minimum at Rs. 20 Lakh.

Auxilo specializes in providing education loans to deserving students up to 100% of course fees. Not only that, it also provides loans on education-related fees, classroom expenditures, pre-VISA, air-fares et al. It has specialized customer centres in Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi and is planning to expand into Bangalore and Pune in two months.

About Auxilo Finserve Pvt Ltd:

Auxilo is a pro-education Non-Banking Financial Company registered with the RBI. The company is conceptualized with the objective of serving the education sector by bridging the financing gaps of the entire education eco-system. Our vision is to serve as a catalyst to the education ecosystem, as is well captured by our brand expression which symbolizes 'ascension through education.' Auxilo is promoted by Mr. Akash Bhansali, who leads the principal investments unit of Enam Group.

Visit: https://www.auxilo.com/

Media Contact:

Tapash Talukdar

[email protected]

+91-7019136379

Communications Lead

Auxilo Finserve Pvt Ltd



SOURCE Auxilo Finserve Pvt Ltd
Global tobacco watchdog will provide industry monitoring and awareness through data collection, public reporting

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael R. Bloomberg and Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced it would provide US$20 million in funding to launch Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products (STOP), a new global watchdog that will aggressively monitor deceptive tobacco industry tactics and practices to undermine public health.

STOP will function as a robust global monitoring system that complements existing efforts in identifying industry deception. The watchdog will deliver regular reports detailing tactics and strategies both at global and country-level and will provide tools and training materials for countries to combat Big Tobacco's influence. STOP will also liaise with existing Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use partners to supplement country-level grants that assist nonprofits and governments in pushing back strongly against interference by Big Tobacco. Findings will be publically available and fully aligned with Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) that clearly outlines the prohibition of tobacco industry involvement in government policy making.

"Over the last decade tobacco control measures have saved nearly 35 million lives, but as more cities and countries take action, the tobacco industry is pushing to find new users, particularly among young people," said Michael R. Bloomberg, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Bloomberg Philanthropies Founder. "We cannot stand by as the industry misleads the public in an effort to get more people hooked on its products  and this global watchdog will help us hold the industry accountable."

For decades, tobacco giants have tried to deceive the public with duplicitous tactics. Philip Morris International (PMI) recently provided the initial $80 million of funding to "Foundation for a Smoke-Free World," a move seen by many public health experts as a thinly veiled effort to legitimize the tobacco industry and allow them access to the policy-making table. In addition to aggressively marketing its combustible cigarettes to children and teenagers in low- and middle-income countries, the industry is pushing alternative products, such as heat-not-burn and e-cigarettes, as cessation devices while the evidence remains inconclusive. Tobacco industry-funded research has repeatedly been a smokescreen for behavior that has led to worse outcomes for smokers. For example, supposedly safer low-tar and filtered cigarettes led to greater numbers of smokers, deeper inhalation patterns, and or higher daily consumption  all worsening public health worldwide.

With its initial $20 million investment, STOP will divide resources between robust monitoring and reporting of industry behavior, and combating the false narratives so often created on the ground.

"STOP will commit itself to exposing this industry wherever it wields its considerable resources to influence government policy; whenever it distracts from proven interventions by promoting unproven alternative products as a solution; and whenever it gains access to the public debate using false and misleading science," said Dr. Kelly Henning, Director of Public Health Programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies. "We already have the tools to succeed today. We have made huge progress over the past two decades and we can continue to make massive inroads in reducing the ill health and suffering from tobacco use."

"STOP is a warning call to Big Tobacco that they are on notice," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "The World Health Organization and our partners will not accept efforts to undermine the huge successes in tobacco control that we have achieved over the past few decades. There is no going back."

A competitive application process launching today will determine the lead organization(s) for tracking industry behavior and publishing robust, frequent updates. Nongovernmental organizations and academic institutions will be invited to submit their best and boldest ideas for STOP. Groups may apply jointly (up to three organizations per application), but at least one organization must be from a low- or middle-income country. More information and instructions on how to submit an application can be found here and a final decision will be announced by July 2018.

Michael R. Bloomberg was named the WHO's Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases in 2016, and has been a leader in the effort against the tobacco industry for decades through his work as three-term Mayor of New York City and founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies. Since 2007, Bloomberg Philanthropies has supported the demand reduction tobacco control policies, collectively known as MPOWER, to reduce tobacco use, and has committed nearly $1 billion to combat tobacco use worldwide. The Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use aims to reduce the global demand for tobacco through a comprehensive, proven approach that combines policy change with increased public awareness, including creating smoke-free public places, banning tobacco advertising, increasing taxes on tobacco products, requiring graphic pack warnings and supporting hard-hitting mass media campaigns. Of the 121 countries that have at least one MPOWER measure in place, 66 have received funding from the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. Since 2007, Bloomberg Philanthropies has helped save nearly 35 million lives through these efforts.

Click here for photos of the 17th World Conference on Tobacco or Health and follow the 17th World Conference on Tobacco or Health on Twitter with the hashtag #WCTOH2018.

For more information about STOP, visit: www.bloomberg.org/stoptobacco

About Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg Philanthropies works in over 120 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg's charitable activities, including his foundation and his personal giving. In 2017, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $702 million. For more information, please visit www.bloomberg.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter.



Related Links

http://www.bloomberg.org



SOURCE Bloomberg Philanthropies
"Centrify's unique product leadership has been established by securing all aspects of enterprise identity through one platform that can enable customers to stop breaches coming from anywhere," said Sankara Narayanan, Senior Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

Centrify's success as a security company comes by challenging traditional approaches to security and using a unique philosophy to addressing the problem. The company helps its customers identify and follow a set of best practices that are grounded in Zero Trust Securitythrough verifying all users, validating their devices, and limiting access and privilegeto reduce risks related to breaches.

"Centrify Zero Trust Security presumes that users and endpoints are not trustworthy and must be verified first so that security is not compromised," said Tom Kemp, CEO at Centrify. "At the same time, we must ensure the user experience is not impacted. Our Next-Gen Access platform accomplishes this delicate balance with a mature and proven approach that unifies single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, mobility management, privilege management and behavior analytics."

Centrify's platform enables modern, borderless enterprises to stop breaches originating from anywhere, such as those starting from endpoints, targeting applications, or abuse of privileged access. The platform is further fortified with Centrify's enterprise mobility management and machine learning which discovers risky user behavior and applies conditional accesswithout impacting user experience. By safeguarding enterprises against breaches and securing access for all identities, Centrify helps enterprises avoid lawsuits and brand damage while protecting shareholder value.

"Centrify has ramped up its enterprise security capabilities to render unmatched product customer value and consolidate its position in the IDaaS and privileged identity management market," said Narayanan.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has developed a product with innovative features and functionality that is gaining rapid market acceptance. The award recognizes the quality of the solution and the customer value enhancements it enables.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Centrify Corporation

Centrify delivers Zero Trust Security through the power of Next-Gen Access. The Centrify Zero Trust Security model assumes that users inside a network are no more trustworthy than those outside the network. Centrify verifies every user, validates their devices, and limits access and privilege. Centrify also utilizes machine learning to discover risky user behavior and apply conditional access  without impacting user experience. Centrify's Next-Gen Access is the only industry-recognized solution that uniquely converges Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS), enterprise mobility management (EMM) and privileged access management (PAM). Over 5,000 worldwide organizations, including over half the Fortune 100, trust Centrify to proactively secure their businesses.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Claudia Toscano

P: 210.477.8417

F: 210.348.1003

E: [email protected]

Contact:

Becca Chambers

P: 669-444-5446

E: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.frost.com



SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
CHENNAI, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Partners with ThoughtWorks to enable citizens to participate in their own governing

Chennai has a population of close to 90,00,000 (90 Lakhs) and is expected to reach the 1 Crore mark very soon. Just for some perspective, let's look at a few other numbers - London and even New York, perhaps have a population of about 8 million (80 Lakhs), each.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650994/ThoughtWorks_Logo.jpg )



It is fair to state that Chennai is a little away from being a world-class city. The city is divided into 200 wards. Each of these wards have a population of 10,000 to 30,000 (the most highly populated areas) which is about the population of a village, and makes it easier to govern.

The wards all have varying degrees of infrastructural issues, and the city has quite some way to go in terms of extending basic services and amenities. Many of the citizens who want to get involved with civic issues tend to think of entire-city-level initiatives, and are overwhelmed by the complexity of the task.

As most residents spend a major chunk of time within their own localities, they are probably capable of having the most impact, there. This could be in the form of anything, from organizing street improvement to implementing waste management programs to designing community-level events that ensures a vibrant and inclusive community.

When Chennai Tricolor had conducted a small survey of 100 respondents, asking them if they knew which ward they lived in - their answer was that they didn't know. Out of the 100 respondents, only 30 responded (with sometimes accurate and inaccurate answers). The group realised that, 70% of the citizens in this city with a crore of people are not even aware of the ward they live in. And interestingly, it is in the ward level that basic amenities and services are delivered.

This got the Chennai Tricolor team thinking about how to enhance awareness amongst the people about their ward and what that entailed. The answer came in the form of a simple mobile application that when fired up, takes the location into account to tell one the ward they live in. The mobile application also provides information about the zone a citizen is a part of (Chennai has 15 such zones), alongside the contact details of the ward and zonal offices, which includes email addresses, physical addresses and contact numbers, wherever available.

ThoughtWorks is a software company and a community of passionate, purpose-led individuals who look to disrupt business and engagement models, leveraging cutting- edge technology, all the while seeking to revolutionize the IT industry and create positive social change. Their Chennai office worked with the Chennai Tricolor team on this initiative.

"When we put down the idea of this application and approached them, they immediately understood the value of building tools to enable a community and pitched in," says Vijay Anand, Chairman, Chennai Tricolor Initiative.

Given the launch of the app, Sudhir Tiwari, Managing Director at ThoughtWorks India says, "It gives us great pride to partner with the Chennai Tricolor Initiative Trust on their mission of transforming the way citizens participate in their own governing. This app will ensure powerful information and the ensuing action is in the hands of a community's residents and stakeholders. The app empowers them to come together and solve issues, where the results are not only positive, but long-lasting as well."

There is also an element where once the citizens know which ward they belong to, they can join WhatsApp groups that the Chennai Tricolor team have created for each of the wards.

"We wanted to solve the problem of one - which is to say that often as citizens, we find some issues or inconveniences and can even think of a solution for it, but we often neglect it because we think perhaps its only we who are facing it. By connecting the local community together, if there are more people who feel the same way they can come together and either as citizens address the issue or involve the relevant government authorities to provide a solution.

It is a tall order to expect a lean government organization alone to deliver everything we need to make Chennai a world-class city. Democracy also has a 'by the people' part to it, and we want to see if citizens can be part of the solution - and to be active stakeholders in the governance process. This is one of the ways - albeit little - to facilitate that," added Vijay.

How to Download App (Android)

Visit Google Play Store and Search for 'What Your Ward'

About ThoughtWorks

We are a software company and community of passionate purpose-led individuals. We think disruptively to deliver technology to address our clients' toughest challenges all while seeking to revolutionize the IT industry and create positive social change.

Contact:

Michelle Surendran

[email protected]

+91-90030-15542

Smitha Hemmigae

[email protected]

+91-99805-64770

Agency Contact:

Kavya Gumaste

[email protected]

+91-97417-03330

Senior Associate

Genesis Burson-Marsteller



.

SOURCE ThoughtWorks
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 69 tables and 31 figures spread through 113 pages and in-depth TOC on "Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/endoscopic-vessel-harvesting-market-52677973.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

The key factors driving the growth of this market include the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, growing preference for minimally invasive harvesting owing to advantages it offers over conventional methods, and rising geriatric population. However, the availability of alternative treatment methods for CADs and poor reimbursement scenario for EVH may hinder the growth of this market to a certain extent.

By product, the EVH systems segment accounted for the largest share of the market in 2017

On the basis of product, the Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market is segmented into EVH systems, endoscopes, and accessories. In 2017, the EVH systems segment accounted for the largest share of the global market. The large share of this segment can be primarily attributed to the rising adoption of minimally invasive procedures for vessel harvesting and disposable nature of these products.

Download PDF [email protected] https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=52677973

By usability, the disposable segment held the largest market share in 2017

Based on usability, the market is segmented into disposable and reusable products. The disposable segment commanded the largest share of the Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market in 2017. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the rising preference for disposable devices over reusable owing to the advantages offered.

By vessel type, the saphenous vein segment held the largest market share in 2017

Based on vessel type, the market is segmented into saphenous vein and radial artery. The saphenous vein segment commanded the largest share of the Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market in 2017. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the significant advantages offered by the saphenous vein in terms of wound complications, reduced pain, and aesthetics.

By application, the coronary artery disease segment held the largest market share in 2017

Based on application, the market is segmented into coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease. The coronary artery disease segment commanded the largest share of the Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market in 2017. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the rising prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and increasing geriatric population.

North America dominated the market in 2017

In 2017, North America accounted for the largest share of the Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market, followed by Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and the Rest of the World (Latin America and the Middle East & Africa). Factors such as high burden of cardiac diseases in the US and Canada, the launch of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) and Episode-based Payment Models (EPMs) in the US, and growing preference for minimally invasive harvesting procedures in Canada are contributing to the large share of North America.

The Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market in Europe is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the rising number of CABG procedures and growth in the geriatric population in the region.

The key players in the global Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market are Getinge (Sweden), Terumo (Japan), LivaNova (UK), Saphena Medical (US), KARL STORZ (Germany), Cardio Medical (Germany), and Medical Instruments Spa (Italy).

Know more about Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/endoscopic-vessel-harvesting-market-52677973.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.



Contact:

Mr. Salgarkar

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: [email protected]



Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
The White Paper is the result of a research study conducted by UBM and Euromonitor which surveyed over 1,000 suppliers and manufacturers covering major food, hotel and foodservice equipment sectors across Asia. The White Paper dives into questions such as where these manufacturers and suppliers expect their import and export business to take shape in the next one to three years, as well as how technology such as Internet of Things (IoT) and automation will shape their future markets and affect business decisions.

"This bespoke study on Smart Innovations for the food and hospitality industry is demonstrative of FHA's commitment to drive our industry forward," said Mr. Rodolphe Laymese, Project Director, Food & Hospitality, UBM, organiser of FHA. "It provides invaluable insight into the Asian and Global Food market which we proudly share with all members of the community at our 40th anniversary milestone event."

"The food and hospitality sector is undergoing rapid transformation in business and production processes because of technological changes. The White Paper focuses on how technology impacts and changes how the industry conducts its business, the processes and how it will help the industry improve operational and work efficiencies, as well as productivity," said Ivan Uzunov, Research Manager, Euromonitor.

The paper will only be available to pre-registered attendees of FHA. It will also be made available to all delegates attending Euromonitor's highly interactive session on "Smart Innovations Transforming the Food & Hospitality Landscape by 2020" at the FHA2018 International Conference. The three-day conference, held in two venues from 24 to 26 April, will feature industry experts and business thought-leaders, sharing perspectives, tips and strategies across five key tracks: Hotels & Resorts, Food Manufacturing and Bakery at Singapore Expo; Central Kitchen and Food Services at Suntec Singapore.

Celebrating 40 years of business excellence, FHA is the preferred choice for industry professionals to access an international showcase of food and hospitality products, equipment and solutions needed to drive business inspiration today and tomorrow. The four-day mega food and hospitality showcase will return from 24 to 27 April 2018 to two venues  Singapore Expo and Suntec Singapore.

The event will host its biggest-ever industry congregation with 4,000 international exhibitors from more than 70 countries and regions, spanning vertical sectors from food & drink, foodservice and hospitality equipment to hospitality technology service providers. FHA offers many experiential networking and learning opportunities through new and improved speciality zones and industry-renowned competitions such as the FHA Culinary Challenge 2018, the Asian Pastry Cup 2018 and the inaugural Asian Gelato Cup. 78,000 trade professionals from over 100 countries and regions are expected to attend.

For more information, please visit www.foodnhotelasia.com.

Join in the social chatter:

FHA - Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube - #FHA2018

Media Enquiries:

Juliet Tseng / June Seah

UBM

Tel: +65 6233 6635 / +65 6233 6621

Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650411/Rodolphe_Lameyse.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650383/Ivan_Uzunov.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650419/Busy_exhibition_grounds_at_FHA2016.jpg



Related Links

http://www.foodnhotelasia.com



SOURCE UBM in Singapore
Axalta's consultative development approach helps customers reap benefits such as cost optimization, durability, and efficiency

SANTA CLARA, California, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of automotive refinish coatings market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA) with the 2017 Global Market Leadership Award. Axalta has successfully established itself as a leader in providing best-in-class products and superior customer value through its focus on continuous innovation and dedication to maintaining strong customer relationships.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/647981/Axalta_Coating_Systems_Award_Logo.jpg

"Axalta's flagship brands in the refinish coatings market: Cromax, Spies Hecker, and Standox, as well as its specialized products, are viewed as premium, market leading brands based on their excellent track record, servicing body shops around the world as well as some of the top motorsports drivers globally," said Christeena Thomas, Senior Research Analyst.

Axalta introduces a number of new coatings to the refinish market each year in response to consumer needs. The company developed its Syrox product system as a response to customer demand for straightforward, conventionally applied, economical, and sustainable refinish systems that provide accurate color matching. This product provides a cost-effective alternative to competing premium product offerings. In addition, Axalta launched application technologies to assist customers in the efficient processing and application of its products on vehicle surfaces. For example, the company introduced its coatings application system, IntelliMist paint shop climate control technology, to improve paint shop productivity by automatically controlling spray booth humidity, thus enabling customers to apply all waterborne and solvent-borne coatings with ease, compared to other prevalent systems.

Apart from a strong product portfolio, Axalta offers numerous value-added services, including product application, testing, installation, training, and periodic validation. Axalta recently opened its new Customer Experience Center in Concord, North Carolina, a 36,000 square-foot facility that features next-generation education, meeting, exhibit, and hands-on training spaces for customers. The company also recently announced it has been designated as the "Official Paint Partner of NASCAR."

"Axalta invested $180 million in R&D in 2016 has four dedicated R&D centers worldwide, while taking a consultative product development approach that helps customers reap benefits such as cost optimization, durability, and efficiency over the long term," said Thomas. "The company's constant product innovation and superior customer services are key reasons why Axalta has maintained its market leadership position in the industry."

Each year, Frost & Sullivan bestows this award upon the company that demonstrates excellence in growth and customer value. Attaining loyal customers who became brand advocates allows the company to grow and achieve a market leadership position. By committing to the customer at each stage of the buying cycle and continuing to nurture the relationship, this Award recognizes a company's increased market share over time.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Axalta

Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings and providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the materials we coat to last longer. With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the approximately 13,300 people of Axalta continue to find ways to serve our more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axalta.com and follow us @Axalta on Twitter and on LinkedIn.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Estefany Ariza

P: 210.477.8469

F: 210.348.1003

E: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.frost.com



SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
TOKYO, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Four companies , Nuts and Legumes Co. ( Pakistan ), Plantation Industries Limited ( Nigeria ), Fuji Foods Co. Ltd. ( Japan ) and ASOCIACIONES AGROINDUSTRIALES SERRANAS S.A DE C.V ( Mexico ), recognised for application of the GFSI Global Markets Programme on their journey towards GFSI certification

Nuts and Legumes Co. ( ), Plantation Industries Limited ( ), Fuji Foods Co. Ltd. ( ) and ASOCIACIONES AGROINDUSTRIALES SERRANAS S.A DE C.V ( ), recognised for application of the GFSI Global Markets Programme on their journey towards GFSI certification The GFSI Global Markets Programme sets out how small and medium-size companies can provide safe food, reduce hazards in supply chains and work towards greater market access

The GFSI boards of directors, the Global Markets Awards Selection Committee and greenfence, the award sponsors are happy to announce the recognition of four companies from across the globe for the exemplary way they have leveraged the GFSI Global Markets Programme on their journey towards GFSI certification and a world-class food safety system. Four companies have been recognised for excellence in advancing food safety as part of the Global Market Awards 2018.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160614/379055LOGO )



Nuts and Legumes Co. (Pakistan), Plantation Industries Limited (Nigeria), Fuji Foods Co. Ltd (Japan) and ASOCIACIONES AGROINDUSTRIALES SERRANAS S.A DE C.V (Mexico) were praised for their application of the GFSI Global Markets Programme, setting out how small- and medium-sized companies can provide safe food, reduce supply chain hazards and work towards greater market access. The awards followed this year's Global Food Safety Conference, which is taking place in Tokyo and is bringing industry leaders together to discuss the key food safety trends in the FMCG sector. The award recipients at GFSC 2018 in Tokyo represent four small- and medium-size enterprises from Mexico, Pakistan, Nigeria and Japan.

The Global Market Awards recognise organisational success in applying the GFSI Global Markets Programme, a framework for building food safety capacity within production and manufacturing operations, as well as encouraging continuous improvement. It has been adopted by companies around the world as an entry-level food safety solution for small, developing businesses in local markets. It's part of the GFSI's vision to provide safe food for consumers everywhere.

The GFSI Global Markets Programme functions through a series of phases and tools and builds on elements of the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements, which in turn is based on the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene Code of Practice. It is designed as a non-certification assessment process that is carried out within a defined period. The programme functions through a series of phases and tools and builds on elements of the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements, which in turn is based on the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene Code of Practice. It is designed as a non-certification assessment process that is carried out within a defined period.

At a ceremony led by Mike Robach, the Chairman of the GFSI Board, Mike Taylor, Chairman of the awards selection committee and Mitch Chait, the CEO of the sponsor, greenfence, award recipients had the opportunity to highlight their journey during the plenary session at the Global Food Safety Conference 2018.

"The Global Markets Awards 2018 reflect the diversity of the Global Markets Programme around the world today as a pathway to certification and a programme for small companies to build robust food safety management systems. With these awards, GFSI wants to recognise the commitment of companies all over the world to their food safety journey," said Mike Robach.

"The four Global Markets Awards recipients were chosen from a strong pool of applicants who had benefitted in their food safety journey by using the Global Markets Programme. The GFSI Awards Selection Committee focused on the effort and the size of the steps the companies have made in creating an enabling environment for food safety and a culture of continuous improvement. We thank all of the companies that participated," said Mike Taylor, Chairman of the Global Markets Awards selection committee.

"greenfence is honoured to sponsor this prestigious award that recognises companies across the global food supply chain for their efforts to become trusted trading partners. The award is fully aligned with greenfence's objective to provide the food industry with a trusted, effective way to identify and authenticate suppliers of products and services," added Mitch Chait, CEO of greenfence.

SOURCE Global Food Safety Initiative
SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Manufacturing Leadership Council's Board of Governors announces the election of two new senior-level roles. The goal is to strengthen the Council's expansion strategy and support the development of its innovative portfolio of member programs and services dedicated to driving transformational growth for the world's manufacturing companies.

The newly elected Board roles are:

ML Board Chair: John Fleming , Former Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Labor affairs at Ford Motor Company.

Former Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Labor affairs at Ford Motor Company. ML Board Vice-Chair: Michael D. Packer , Director of Manufacturing, Advanced Production Programs at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.

"I am honored to be able to serve in this new role with a Board of Manufacturing experts with deep knowledge and experience. I look forward to seeing the Manufacturing Leadership Council continue to grow as we search for new opportunities to increase the value for all of our current and future members," said Manufacturing Leadership Board Chair, John Fleming.

Manufacturing Leadership Board Vice-Chair, Mike Packer also noted what a privilege it will be to serve in this newly established role. "I look forward to working with John, the Board of Governors, the Manufacturing Leadership staff, and the Manufacturing Leadership Council members as we position the organization for sustainable growth and value," said Packer.

As part of their new roles, the ML Chair and Vice-Chair will work with other ML Board members and the ML executive team to help direct the Council's 5-year Strategic Plan, refine and improve ML member programs, officiate at Board and Council member meetings, and act as the public face of the ML Council in announcements and press releases.

"The establishment of these positions underscores the Council's dedication and commitment to being truly member-driven," said David R. Brousell, co-founder of the Manufacturing Leadership Council. "The wealth of experience and knowledge of manufacturing and all that affects it that both John and Mike bring to their new roles will enable the Council to identify the value drivers that will make the Council even more successful in the years ahead."

Celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year, Frost & Sullivan's Manufacturing Leadership Council is the world's foremost executive leadership organization with around 1,000 senior executive members representing multiple sectors of the global manufacturing industry.

John Fleming is former Executive Vice President for Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs at Ford Motor Company. Previous assignments also included Chairman and CEO of Ford of Europe and Chairman of Volvo Cars. He joined Ford as an apprentice in 1967 in the UK and retired after 48 years of service in 2015. Since then he has worked as a senior-level industry consultant around the world. Current roles include Senior Advisor to Changan Automobile Group in China and Beet Analytics Technology in Michigan. He is also a Board member of Republic Airways in the U.S. Fleming joined the Manufacturing Leadership Council in January 2012 and was appointed to the Manufacturing Leadership Board of Governors in November that year. He holds an Honorary Fellowship from the John Moores University in Liverpool, U.K., and production engineering qualifications from North East London Polytechnic.

Michael (Mike) D. Packer is Director of Manufacturing, Advanced Production Programs, at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. Previous roles include Vice President, Manufacturing Strategy and Technical Integration for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. He has been a member of the Manufacturing Leadership Council since its inception and was appointed as a founding member of the Manufacturing Leadership Board of Governors in 2010. Packer also serves as Board member and Treasurer of SME, Board Chair of the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), and Board member and Treasurer of the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC). He is a Fellow of SME and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Packer holds a Bachelor's degree in industrial technology from Eastern Michigan University, an M.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, and completed the University of Michigan's Manufacturing Executive Program.

(Photos available on request)

About the Manufacturing Leadership Council

Established in 2008, the Manufacturing Leadership Council's mission is to inspire and support manufacturing executives to achieve transformational growth for themselves, their companies, and the industry at large through enlightened leadership. With around 1,000 senior-level members from many of the world's leading manufacturing companies, the Council focuses on the intersection of advanced technologies and the business, identifying growth and improvement opportunities in the operation, organization and leadership of manufacturing enterprises as they pursue their journeys to Manufacturing 4.0. In support of its mission, the Council produces an extensive portfolio of thought-leading content, networking events, research, industry awards, and professional development products, programs, and services for its members.

The Manufacturing Leadership Board of Governors

The Manufacturing Leadership Council's Board of Governors comprises 19 senior executives and industry experts from leading manufacturing companies, academic institutions, and research organizations around the world, including Lockheed Martin, Procter & Gamble, Ford Motor Company, Dow Chemical, Merck, Cisco Systems, Germany's SmartFactory Technology Initiative, Lexmark International, Proto Labs, Premio Foods, Virtex Enterprises, S&S Hinge, Graphicast, MIT, UCLA, the University of Cincinnati, the University of New Hampshire, the University of Cambridge's Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) in the UK, and Frost & Sullivan.

For more information and MLC membership details, please visit www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Contact:

Jaylon Brinkley

Corporate Communications  North America

P: (210) 247.2481

F: (210) 348.1003

E: [email protected]

www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com

Related Links

https://www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com



SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
The report " Mobile Power Plant Market by Fuel Type (Natural Gas/LPG, Diesel), Power Rating (1-10 MW, 11-20 MW, 21-50 MW), Application (Oil & Gas, Emergency Power, Remote Area Electrification), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022" , published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 1.39 Billion in 2017 to USD 1.73 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 4.56% during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to factors such as lack of power infrastructure in the world, increasing demand for electricity in remote areas, and frequent natural disasters.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 69 Tables and 37 Figures spread through 121 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Mobile Power Plant Market - Global Forecast to 2023"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/mobile-power-plant-market-82918785.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

The natural gas/LPG segment is estimated to hold the largest share of Mobile Power Plant Market, by fuel type, during the forecast period

Natural gas/LPG segment held the largest share of the Mobile Power Plant Market in 2016 and is expected to grow at a decent pace during the forecast period. The large market share of this segment can be attributed to the rising investments in remote area electrification in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=82918785

The 21-50 MW segment is estimated to be the largest segment of the Mobile Power Plant Market, by power rating, in 2017

21-50 MW is estimated to be the largest segment of the Mobile Power Plant Market, by power rating, in 2017. 21-50 MW mobile power plants are mainly used for large projects such as electrification of village or coastal areas and emergency power requirement. Countries such as Indonesia, Angola, Nigeria, and India are showing rapid growth in the 21-50 MW mobile power plant segment due to the recent increase in demand for electricity in remote areas.

Middle East & Africa: The leading regional market in mobile power plant

In this report, the Mobile Power Plant Market has been analyzed with respect to five regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Middle East and Africa. The Middle East & Africa is estimated to be the largest market for mobile power plant. The increasing investments in remote area electrification in the Sub-Saharan African region and a strong presence of onshore oil & gas rigs, especially in the Middle East, drive the market growth in the region.

The report provides an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape and includes profiles of some of the leading players in the Mobile Power Plant Market. The key players include GE (US), Siemens (Germany), APR Energy (US), Kawasaki Heavy Industries (Japan), PW Power Systems (US), Metka (Greece), Solar Turbines (US), Turbine Technology Services (US), Vericor (US), Mapna (Iran), Meidensha (Japan), and Ethos Energy (UK). These players adopted various strategies such as new product launches, contracts & agreements, and investments and expansions to increase their global presence and market share.

Know more about Mobile Power Plant Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/mobile-power-plant-market-82918785.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Salgarkar

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: [email protected]



Visit Our Blog: http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/energy-and-power

Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
NORTH BILLERICA, Massachusetts, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MRSI Systems, a leading provider of fully automated, ultra-precision, high speed die bonding and epoxy dispensing systems is pleased to announce that our new MRSI-HVM3 system has entered a volume production phase, using advanced Demand Flow Technology (DFT) to satisfy worldwide customer demand. Our ability to deliver the new product with short lead times is crucial to our customer's success.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650835/MRSI_Systems_Logo.jpg

Launched at the China International Optoelectronics Exposition (CIOE) Sept. 6-9, 2017, the new system has clearly met a need in the market. The first wave of configured machines have been focused on Chip-on-Submount (CoS), Chip-on-Carrier (CoC), and Chip-on-Baseplate (CoB) and have been successfully installed in North America, Europe and Asia.

As Dr. Yi Qian, Vice President of Product Management, states, "Our new 3m high speed die bonder MRSI-HVM3 is exactly the solution the photonics market was looking for to address one of the most critical manufacturing bottlenecks. We listened to our customers and prospects and geared the roadmap towards the direction of high speed without sacrificing high accuracy, or high flexibility, to handle multi-chip multi-process production in one machine. As a result, the system is able to generate a great return on investment for our customers."

Our value proposition helps photonic device companies execute their strategy to have a fast response high volume manufacturing capability alongside the ability to maintain low manufacturing costs for the high demand driven by data center applications. We also predicted the new system would need to allow the production of multiple products passing through the same production line without sacrificing throughput. Our assumptions have been validated by this first wave of customers with their test results on their facility floors.

"MRSI is pleased to meet these specific requirements to scale efficiently in today's fast-paced market with the MRSI-HVM3, high speed die bonder for high volume manufacturing. MRSI Systems has been serving optoelectronic and microelectronic customers for the past 34 years and continues to be a leader in die bonding and epoxy dispensing systems," said Mr. Michael Chalsen, President.

Visit MRSI Systems at Booth #4444, OFC March 13-15, 2018.

About MRSI Systems

MRSI Systems is a leading manufacturer of fully automated, high-precision, high-speed die bonding and epoxy dispensing systems. We enable customers to optimize the performance of their process including yield, throughput, and uptime by building systems that use our unique expertise. In summary, this includes our proprietary software, proven hardware, deep process knowledge, state-of-the-art manufacturing, and a world-class customer service team. MRSI's systems are built on common platforms that can be configured to meet specific customer requirements. These platforms are designed to be scalable for R&D prototyping, pilot production and high-volume manufacturing. Our solutions deliver the best financial returns in the industry while integrating seamlessly into our customer's production. Markets include Telecom/Datacom (Data Center), Aerospace & Defense, Medical Devices, Computers and Peripherals, and Industrial. Since 1984, we have been recognized as the standard of the industry, delivering our solutions to leading optoelectronic and microelectronic customers worldwide. We are headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts in the greater Boston area. Our sales are supported by a global network of direct service and support professionals, located in China, Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Israel, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United States. For more information visit: www.mrsisystems.com.

MRSI Systems Media Contact

+1 (978) 667-9449

[email protected]

Related Links

http://www.mrsisystems.com



SOURCE MRSI Systems
HYDERABAD, India, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Ozonetel, pioneering cloud contact center software provider in India, has announced its AI driven contact center solution. Its tools include natural language processing, voice bots, chatbots, and smart assistants.

Chaitanya Chokkareddy, CIO, Ozonetel Communications states, "We are determined to take the contact center revolution to the next level. AI is not just a buzzword, it is our main focus. We have completely reworked our stack and AI/machine learning is the core of all our modules now. We will be releasing the new modules one by one. Additionally we are using a proprietary algorithm to power our AI and not a regular deep neural network built on Tensorflow etc."

Today Ozonetel has unveiled the first three of these modules: Speech API, Kookoo Intent and Smart Assistant tools.

The Speech API will translate voice to text and improve CX.

"Voice interfaces are becoming ubiquitous with devices like Alexa, Siri and Google Home. "So why should customer's still punch keypads to communicate with your IVR?," asks Chaitanya. "Our tag accurately converts voice to text, in seconds. This means you can let customer speak out their menu selections, answer surveys, give verification details and access ticket details far more naturally."

Kookoo Intent will be used for Speech Analytics, Sentiment Analysis and data mining. Speech analytics will give instant analysis of customer sentiment, keyword search, agent performance and greeting detection as soon as a call is completed. Sentiment analysis will be used to judge customer mood. Keyword search will improve data mining options.

"We expect contact centers to start mining their data much more profitability, and want to give them the most advanced tools to achieve this," says Murthy Chintalapati , CEO Ozonetel.

Kookoo 2.0's Smart Assistants will be able to create targeted, tailor-made customer experiences. Predictive layers will match customer history, customer journey, current urgency and customer sentiment. Based on agent history and expertise, it will ensure best-possible matches. Throughout the call, they will assist the agent with information needed to personalize the call. They can even judge sentiment in real time and suggest barge-ins if needed.

KB Nagaraju, COO, BigBasket, has this to say about Ozonetel: "Ozonetel has been our partner since inception when we started our call center with 8 agents. Now we have scaled it to almost 700 agents. They continuously innovate and are now working on disrupting the contact center space with AI and machine learning. We are glad to get first access to the cutting-edge tools which will take our customer experience to the next level."

About Ozonetel:

Ozonetel is not new to innovation. They pioneered cloud telephony in India in 2007. Way back in 2009, they launched Kookoo, India's first cloud communication platform. Their first clients like Big Basket, Zomato & Practo are all powerful success stories today. And Ozonetel was instrumental in creating the customer service tools that moulded their success. In 2015, Ozonetel won the prestigious Frost & Sullivan ICT Award for 'Technology Innovation Leadership in Cloud Telephony Solutions'. And this year, Ozonetel became the first Indian company to get ISO certification in the telephony space. Now they are committed to pioneering AI driven Contact Centers.

Media Contact:

Neha Batra

[email protected]

+91-9953651639

Senior Manager, Marketing

Ozonetel Communications



SOURCE Ozonetel Communications Pvt Ltd
BENGALURU, India, March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

QuEST Global Services (QuEST Global), a global leader in providing premium engineering solutions, has announced the acquisition of EXILANT Technologies, an advanced technology provider, based out of Bengaluru, India. The acquisition, a significant move for QuEST Global's 2020 diversification strategy, will strengthen QuEST Global's advanced technology capabilities, and expand their footprint into the Hi-Tech industry.

EXILANT is QuEST's fourth acquisition this financial year after the acquisition of DETECH Fahrzeugentwicklung GmbH, IT Six Global and Mobiliya Technologies headquartered in Germany, Romania and Singapore, respectively. Each acquisition has added high value skills and focus to create one of the broadest portfolio offerings of any engineering services company.

Founded in 2004, EXILANT has over 900 employees worldwide with locations in India, Singapore, London and Silicon Valley in the US. EXILANT provides software products and services for product engineering services, mobility and social media applications, business intelligence and analytics, and cloud-based services.

Sreenath Murthy, CEO of EXILANT said, "This is a big milestone in the journey of EXILANT and forms a perfect launch pad for accelerated growth in a converging world. EXILANT's capabilities in developing new solutions, and rapid adoption of next generation technologies, combined with QuEST's expertise in the industrial and mechanical world will help us enable our mutual customers to adopt advanced technologies and win in their respective markets."

Ajit Prabhu, Chairman & CEO, QuEST Global, said, "QuEST is a leader in the industrial and mechanical world. We will continue to extend our position into adjacent vertical markets, and help all our customers embrace and integrate new technologies to lead their industries. Our acquisition of EXILANT Technologies is strategic as QuEST broadens our customer base and expertise to meet our customers' needs in rapidly changing markets."

About QuEST Global

As a complete lifecycle product development and production engineering partner to many of the world's most recognized brands, QuEST Global enables its customers to increase profitability and transform their businesses through innovative and industry-leading solutions. Through a collaborative approach and by using proven consultative tools, QuEST helps its customers define, develop and execute solutions that span the product lifecycle and which improve efficiency, speed time to market and reduce costs.

SOURCE QuEST Global
New Vice President of Product Lori Van Deloo Brings Decades of Product Management Experience to Leading Mobility Services Provider

SAN FRANCISCO, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ridecell Inc., the leading platform for carsharing and ridesharing operators, today announced the addition of Lori Van Deloo to its senior leadership team as the company's new Vice President of Product. In her new position, Lori will be responsible for leading Ridecell's product strategy, vision, and roadmap.

Lori brings more than 20 years of successful global product innovation and operational experience to Ridecell. Most recently, she was the Founder and CEO of BancSpace, a Fintech SaaS startup, providing enterprise-grade secure, real-time communications and collaboration services. Prior to that, Lori held senior leadership roles at Visa, BEA Systems (acquired by Oracle), Openwave Systems and Accenture.

"Lori is an operational leader and product visionary with deep experience in high volume secure transaction markets," said, Aarjav Trivedi, Ridecell CEO. "Lori's insight and energy will be critical to Ridecell as we grow our ridesharing, carsharing, and autonomous vehicle solution offerings. I look forward to her leadership as we leverage our success with new products, and build even stronger relationships with our partners and their customers."

As a recognized leader in technology and innovation, Lori also served as a Distinguished Visitor (visiting professor) at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She was responsible for creating and teaching the Global Payments Technology & Innovation course for MBA students, offered as part of UCLA Anderson's Easton Technology Management Center.

"Ridecell has enjoyed remarkable growth in the last two years. It is uniquely positioned as the leading platform provider for new mobility services today, and for the self-driving future of tomorrow," said Lori Van Deloo. "I am incredibly excited by this new challenge and look forward to working with the team to enhance Ridecell's product offerings and deliver greater value for our customers."

About Ridecell

Headquartered in San Francisco, the company provides an intelligent software platform that empowers mobility operators, including OEMs, car rental companies, auto clubs, cities, transit agencies, dealer groups, and private fleets to launch, expand, and maximize the utilization of their own ridesharing, carsharing, and autonomous fleet services. End-to-end integration and automation accelerate time to market, enabling Ridecell customers to launch mobility services quickly, operate efficiently, and scale revenues as business grows.

Founded in 2009 with a team of more than 100 professionals in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia, Ridecell is backed by investment funding from BMW i Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Khosla Ventures and Y Combinator. The company has already processed over 20 million rides and rentals for new mobility offerings, including ReachNow, mobility service from the BMW Group, OMNI by Volkswagen, and GIG Carsharing service by AAA. In addition, Ridecell powers dynamic shuttle services for campuses such as Georgia Tech, UC Berkeley, UCSF, 3M, and transit agencies like SouthWest Transit.

2018 Ridecell, Inc. All rights reserved.

RIDECELL is a registered trademark of Ridecell, Inc. All company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at the time of publication and is subject to change without notice.

Media Contact:

Alexis Daswick

415.294.9857

[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/431959/RideCell_Logo.jpg

Related Links

http://www.ridecell.com



SOURCE Ridecell
Partnerships and collaborations to boost growth opportunities of next-generation test equipment

SANTA CLARA, California, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan's latest analysis, Global Integrated Automotive Test Solutions, Forecast to 2024, finds the focus on test solutions for electric vehicles, emission control, and autonomous vehicles is set to create $2.81 billion worth of new revenue opportunities by 2024. The Measurement & Instrumentation team at Frost & Sullivan expects partnerships and collaborations between test equipment manufacturers and technology companies developing and testing autonomous vehicles will boost the progress of next-generation test equipment. A detailed assessment of key market dynamics, emerging automotive technologies, drivers, restraints, revenue forecasts, and market share and competitive analysis of key segments such as electronic, mechatronic, telematics and connectivity, and ECU functional test systems are also included in the forecast.

For further information on this analysis, please visit: http://frost.ly/2a6

The complexity in modern-day automotive systems necessitates the comprehensive testing of both electronics and software. New entrants from adjacent markets such as information technology, safety systems, and cellular network providers are entering into the automotive telematics systems market, thereby opening up new growth opportunities for test system vendors.

"Owing to the high competition, telematics vendors are striving to develop innovative solutions such as voice-recognition, gesture-control systems, telematics control units, and advanced head-up displays driving the need for robust testing solutions in their Research and Development (R&D) and manufacturing divisions," said Jessy Cavazos, Measurement & Instrumentation industry director at Frost & Sullivan. "In the future, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) technologies are likely to be integrated to build fully autonomous vehicles, further increasing the need for test equipment in the telematics market."

Big predictions include:

Dynamometers and vehicle emission test segments providing significant prospects over the next five to seven years;

segments providing significant prospects over the next five to seven years; The share of electronics in a single car is expected to increase from 40 percent (2017) to more than 55 percent by 2024;

Automotive OEMs beginning to adopt standardized technical services to test and issue test results that will be primarily monitored by regulatory authorities, thereby opening up new opportunities for test equipment vendors and service providers;

to test and issue test results that will be primarily monitored by regulatory authorities, thereby opening up new opportunities for test equipment vendors and service providers; The global integrated automotive test solutions market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8 percent from 2017 to 2024 to reach $2.81 Billion by 2024;

by 2024; Rapid innovation in connected cars and autonomous vehicles driving the need for electronic test equipment; and

driving the need for electronic test equipment; and New growth in key markets such as Japan , South Korea , and Singapore if test equipment vendors actively collaborate with these governments.

"Key challenges such as the conservative mindset of cost-conscious vehicle manufacturers and complexity in integrating mechatronic and electronic test systems are dissuading the adoption of new test equipment," noted Cavazos. "Furthermore, the continuous change in consumer needs is adversely affecting the current and future inventory of test equipment products."

Global Integrated Automotive Test Solutions, Forecast to 2024 is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Test & Measurement Growth Partnership Service program.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Global Integrated Automotive Test Solutions, Forecast to 2024

K243_30

Contact:

Jaylon Brinkley

Corporate Communications  North America

P: 210.247.2481

F: 210.348.1003

E: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.frost.com



SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
MUMBAI, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

TUV India Pvt. Ltd., part of TUV Nord Group one of the leading testing, inspection and certification companies in the world has received recognition from the Bureau of Indian Standards for its product testing laboratory having testing facility of electrical & electronic products. This recognition will allow TUV India to carry out safety testing for the electrical & electronics products under the compulsory registration scheme (CRS) implemented by Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) for selling electrical and electronic products into the Indian Market. Currently, 43 products are requiring mandatory approval under the scheme.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160930/413730LOGO )



As a BIS recognized laboratory, TUV India, product testing laboratory in Pune can provide testing for over 27 product categories under the scheme with plans to expand the scope to cover additional product categories. Customers can send their sample to TUV India laboratory for testing. TUV India Pvt. Ltd. has the required experience and capability to support manufacturers in attaining compliance to various Indian as well as International regulatory requirements and can help manufacturers to meet all requirements in the target markets quickly, cost-effectively which results in gaining faster market access.

"We are delighted with this prestigious BIS recognition to carry out safety testing for the electrical & electronic products under the compulsory registration scheme (CRS) implemented by Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. Our lab will prove a major contributor in improving product safety, this will help consumer to be assured about the electric and electronic products which are important part of their day to day life. We are well prepared and equipped to take up these assignments which will be a value add to the manufacturers as well," stated Mr. Manish Bhuptani, Managing Director, TUV India Pvt. Ltd.

TUV India Pvt. Ltd. provides Safety, EMI/EMC and Reliability testing services for IT/AV products, industrial machineries, home appliances, lights and luminaries and many more electrical & electronics product.

About TUV India

TUV India Pvt. Ltd. part of TUV NORD GROUP was established in 1989 - as part of the German RWTUV group's Indian operations. With over 10,000 satisfied customers and over 600 employees in more than 25 locations and state-of-the-art laboratories across India, TUV India is never far from its customers. TUV India Pvt. Ltd. provides diverse services in Management Systems Certification, Industrial Services, Infrastructure, Roads & Highways, Petroleum, Chemicals & Gas Services, Laboratory Testing, Training, Automotive Services, Product Testing and Certification, Sustainability Services, and Renewable Energy.

Media Contact:

Trupti Dalal

[email protected]

+91-22-66477000

Corporate Communication

TUV India Pvt. Ltd.



SOURCE TUV India
The White Paper is the result of a research study conducted by UBM and Euromonitor which surveyed over 1,000 suppliers and manufacturers covering major food, hotel and foodservice equipment sectors across Asia. The White Paper dives into questions such as where these manufacturers and suppliers expect their import and export business to take shape in the next one to three years, as well as how technology such as Internet of Things (IoT) and automation will shape their future markets and affect business decisions.

"This bespoke study on Smart Innovations for the food and hospitality industry is demonstrative of FHA's commitment to drive our industry forward," said Mr. Rodolphe Laymese, Project Director, Food & Hospitality, UBM, organiser of FHA. "It provides invaluable insight into the Asian and Global Food market which we proudly share with all members of the community at our 40th anniversary milestone event."

"The food and hospitality sector is undergoing rapid transformation in business and production processes because of technological changes. The White Paper focuses on how technology impacts and changes how the industry conducts its business, the processes and how it will help the industry improve operational and work efficiencies, as well as productivity," said Ivan Uzunov, Research Manager, Euromonitor.

The paper will only be available to pre-registered attendees of FHA. It will also be made available to all delegates attending Euromonitor's highly interactive session on "Smart Innovations Transforming the Food & Hospitality Landscape by 2020" at the FHA2018 International Conference. The three-day conference, held in two venues from 24 to 26 April, will feature industry experts and business thought-leaders, sharing perspectives, tips and strategies across five key tracks: Hotels & Resorts, Food Manufacturing and Bakery at Singapore Expo; Central Kitchen and Food Services at Suntec Singapore.

Celebrating 40 years of business excellence, FHA is the preferred choice for industry professionals to access an international showcase of food and hospitality products, equipment and solutions needed to drive business inspiration today and tomorrow. The four-day mega food and hospitality showcase will return from 24 to 27 April 2018 to two venues  Singapore Expo and Suntec Singapore.

The event will host its biggest-ever industry congregation with 4,000 international exhibitors from more than 70 countries and regions, spanning vertical sectors from food & drink, foodservice and hospitality equipment to hospitality technology service providers. FHA offers many experiential networking and learning opportunities through new and improved speciality zones and industry-renowned competitions such as the FHA Culinary Challenge 2018, the Asian Pastry Cup 2018 and the inaugural Asian Gelato Cup. 78,000 trade professionals from over 100 countries and regions are expected to attend.

For more information, please visit www.foodnhotelasia.com.

Join in the social chatter:

FHA - Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube - #FHA2018

Media Enquiries:

Juliet Tseng / June Seah

UBM

Tel: +65 6233 6635 / +65 6233 6621

Email: juliet.tseng@ubm.com / june.seah@ubm.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650411/Rodolphe_Lameyse.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650383/Ivan_Uzunov.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/650419/Busy_exhibition_grounds_at_FHA2016.jpg



Related Links

http://www.foodnhotelasia.com



SOURCE UBM in Singapore
LONDON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Globeleq, a leading independent power company in Africa, along with CDC Group plc (CDC) and TCQ Power, have celebrated the start of construction of the 57 MW Western Area Power Generation Project in Sierra Leone with a ground breaking event. The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, led the ground-breaking ceremony at the future power plant site.

Working alongside CDC, the UK's development finance institution, and TCQ Power, who have been developing and financing the project, Globeleq will develop and oversee the construction and operations of the Western Area Power Generation Project located in the Kissy Dock area, approximately 4km east of the centre of Freetown.

Wartsila, the appointed engineering, procurement and construction contractor, will design and build the plant, and once completed will provide full operations and maintenance services to the plant for 15 years. Two expansions of the plant to 128MW are envisaged but have not yet been planned.

BB Energy, an independent energy trading company, will provide HFO under a 15-year fuel supply agreement and electricity will be sold under a 20-year power purchase agreement with EDSA, the Sierra Leone state owned utility, and the Government of Sierra Leone.

The project will benefit from World Bank Group support provided by the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the World Bank's International Development Agency (IDA) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which acted as the lead arranger. The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group and managed by Investec Asset Management, acted as structuring bank. Other lenders include CDC, FMO, and the African Development Bank.

Sameh Shenouda, CDC's Director and Head of Infrastructure commented: "The ground-breaking of the Western Area Power Generation Project is an important step in increasing Sierra Leone's electricity generation potential. CDC is playing an important and growing role in supporting economic development in Sierra Leone and our support for the project will increase the country's baseload capacity by more than 50%. Globeleq has a long history of operating and developing power projects across Africa and will bring expertise and a local team to operate the project, which will provide much-needed energy to businesses and households across the country."

Karim Nasser, CEO, TCQ Power added: "This groundbreaking event moves us closer to delivering more electricity to the people of Sierra Leone and unlocking opportunities for growth. TCQ has been working on the project since 2012 and we are extremely proud to reach this critical milestone together with our partners. This power station represents a monumental step forward for the country and clearly demonstrates the government's ability to draw private investment into complex infrastructure projects. All this could not have been possible without the government's implementation of bold and decisive reforms to make the energy sector bankable."

"We are very excited at the opportunity to participate with CDC and TCQ in Sierra Leone. It provides Globeleq with the opportunity to develop relationships with key decision makers and enables us to support the sector and build more generation in the country," Globeleq's CEO, Paul Hanrahan remarked.

About Globeleq

Globeleq is a leading developer, owner and operator of electricity generation in Africa. Its experienced team of professionals have built a diverse portfolio of independent power plants, generating more than 1,200 MW in 8 locations across 5 countries. The company has around 2,000 MW of power projects in development and plans to add significant MW of new power generation during the next 10 years. For more information, go to www.globeleq.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/612609/GLobeleq_Logo.jpg

Related Links

http://www.globeleq.com



SOURCE Globeleq
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-

Fedora Update Notification

FEDORA-2017-60c4aa0e01

2018-03-06 17:17:51.853212

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-



Name : nx-libs

Product : Fedora 27

Version : 3.5.0.33

Release : 4.fc27

URL : http://x2go.org/

Summary : NX X11 protocol compression libraries

Description :

NX is a software suite which implements very efficient compression of

the X11 protocol. This increases performance when using X

applications over a network, especially a slow one.



This package provides the core nx-X11 libraries customized for

nxagent/x2goagent.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-

Update Information:



nx-libs 3.5.0.33: - Don't allow overriding of X.Org Server UNIX sockets

via

TEMP/NX_TEMP environment variables. Fixes problems on machines that use

pam_tempdir.so. - Fix CVE-2017-2624 (timingsafe_memcmp) by Ulrich Sibiller. -

Potentially improve LAN- and WAN-type connection speed settings scenarios.

Includes a regression fix for VPN connections by Simon Matter. - Fix problems

in

mate-color-picker and potentially also other applications that make heavy use

of

RENDER trapezoids. x2goserver 4.0.1.22: - Fixed overzealous nxagent socket

removal. - Keyboard mapping fixes, including preparation for usage with

Arctica's nx-libs version (not supported in this version of X2Go Server,

yet). -

Support for Devuan and RT OS full desktop session spawning. - Always use short

host name, don't rely on ${HOSTNAME} variable. Compatibility with non-bash

login shells. - Spawn full desktop sessions with a new dbus user session

instance. - Finnish translation update. - Added support for LXQt full desktop

sessions. - New command: x2golistshadowsessions.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-

References:



[ 1 ] Bug #1478974 - x2go killed by systemd

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1478974

[ 2 ] Bug #1510900 - nx-libs-3.5.0.33 is available

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1510900

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-



This update can be installed with the "dnf" update program. Use

su -c 'dnf upgrade nx-libs' at the command line.

For more information, refer to the dnf documentation available at

http://dnf.readthedocs.io/en/latest/command_ref.html#upgrade-command-label



All packages are signed with the Fedora Project GPG key. More details on the

GPG keys used by the Fedora Project can be found at

https://fedoraproject.org/keys

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-

_______________________________________________

package-announce mailing list -- package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org

To unsubscribe send an email to package-announce-leave@lists.fedoraproject.org


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-

Fedora Update Notification

FEDORA-2018-a89ccf7133

2018-03-06 17:17:51.858602

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-



Name : php

Product : Fedora 27

Version : 7.1.15

Release : 1.fc27

URL : http://www.php.net/

Summary : PHP scripting language for creating dynamic web sites

Description :

PHP is an HTML-embedded scripting language. PHP attempts to make it

easy for developers to write dynamically generated web pages. PHP also

offers built-in database integration for several commercial and

non-commercial database management systems, so writing a

database-enabled webpage with PHP is fairly simple. The most common

use of PHP coding is probably as a replacement for CGI scripts.



The php package contains the module (often referred to as mod_php)

which adds support for the PHP language to Apache HTTP Server.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-

Update Information:



**PHP version 7.1.15** (01 Mar 2018) **Apache2Handler:** * Fixed bug

php#75882

(a simple way for segfaults in threadsafe php just with configuration).

(Anatol)

**Date:** * Fixed bug php#75857 (Timezone gets truncated when formatted).

(carusogabriel) * Fixed bug php#75928 (Argument 2 for

`DateTimeZone::listIdentifiers()` should accept `null`). (Pedro Lacerda) *

Fixed

bug php#68406 (calling var_dump on a DateTimeZone object modifies it). (jhdxr)

**PGSQL:** * Fixed php#75838 (Memory leak in pg_escape_bytea()). (ard_1 at

mail

dot ru) **ODBC:** * Fixed bug php#73725 (Unable to retrieve value of

varchar(max) type). (Anatol) **LDAP:** * Fixed bug php#49876 (Fix LDAP path

lookup on 64-bit distros). (dzuelke) **libxml2:** * Fixed bug php#75871 (use

pkg-config where available). (pmmaga) **Phar:** * Fixed bug php#65414 (deal

with leading slash when adding files correctly). (bishopb) **SPL:** * Fixed

bug php#74519 (strange behavior of AppendIterator). (jhdxr) **Standard:** *

Fixed bug php#75916 (DNS_CAA record results contain garbage). (Mike, Philip

Sharp) * Fixed bug php#75981 (stack-buffer-overflow while parsing HTTP

response). (Stas)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-

References:



[ 1 ] Bug #1551039 - CVE-2018-7584 php: Stack-based buffer under-read in

ext/standard/http_fopen_wrapper.c:php_stream_url_wrap_http_ex function when parsing HTTP response allows denial of service

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1551039

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-



This update can be installed with the "dnf" update program. Use

su -c 'dnf upgrade php' at the command line.

For more information, refer to the dnf documentation available at

http://dnf.readthedocs.io/en/latest/command_ref.html#upgrade-command-label



All packages are signed with the Fedora Project GPG key. More details on the

GPG keys used by the Fedora Project can be found at

https://fedoraproject.org/keys

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-

_______________________________________________

package-announce mailing list -- package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org

To unsubscribe send an email to package-announce-leave@lists.fedoraproject.org


If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Dhaka, March 3 : The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature have launched an action plan to prevent Rohingya deaths from wild elephant attacks at a refugee camp that lies between Myanmar and Bangladesh.

At least 10 refugees, including young children, have been killed in such incidents at the Kutupalong Rohingya refugee camp, bdnews24.com reported.

The camp located along the migratory route between Myanmar and Bangladesh is used by the critically endangered Asian elephants, the UNHCR said in a statement on Friday.

The "tusk force" will install watch-towers at key lookout points around the settlement and organise an Elephant Response Team to raise an alarm if elephants enter the camp.

The programme will also set up elephant routes and corridors so refugees know what areas to avoid during an incident. It will also implement an awareness campaign regarding the risks.

The project is part of wider initiatives by the organisations to mitigate the environmental impact of the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar.
Rome, March 4 : Italians started voting on Sunday in the country's general elections to elect a new parliament after a divisive campaign dominated by concerns over immigration and the economy.

Some 46 million Italians are eligible to vote. Polling stations opened at 7 a.m., and will close at 11 p.m., reports Efe news Italians are set to elect 630 members of the Chamber of Deputies and 315 members of the Senate under a new law.

In the new system, 36 per cent of representatives will be allocated by using the first-past-the-post electoral system and the remaining 64 per cent using a proportional method, with one round of voting.

According to recent opinion polls, published in mid-February, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing coalition formed by Forza Italia, the anti-immigrant Northern League party and the Brothers of Italy could be the eventual winner with about 35 per cent of the vote, although insufficient to form the government.

The four-time Prime Minister has backed European Parliament President Antonio Tajani as his choice to lead the country, reports the BBC.

The Five Star Movement is expected to come in second place but get the most support of any single party with 29 per cent of the votes.

The ruling Democratic Party headed by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is expected to get about 23 per cent.

Opinion polls said that more than 30 per cent of voters had not decided how they would vote.

Results are expected by early Monday morning.

Meanwhile, the huge number of immigrant arrivals has upset many Italians - with politicians, including from the mainstream, toughening their rhetoric as a result.

Berlusconi has called the presence of illegal migrants a "social time-bomb" and pledges mass deportations.

The campaign has seen violent clashes between far-right supporters and anti-fascist protesters.
Rome, March 5 : The centre-right coalition uniting former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi with other ultra-rightist parties is expected to win the general elections in Italy, an exit poll released by the public RAI television channel claimed on Monday.

The poll found that Berlusconi's Forza Italia garnered between 13-16 per cent of the seats in the Senate and between 12.5-15.5 per cent of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies, reports Efe news.

Its partner, the Northern League, also looks to have won between 13-16 per cent of the seats in the Senate and 12.5-15.5 per cent of the seats in the lower house, while the Brothers of Italy won between 4-6 per cent of the Senate seats and 3.5-5.5 per cent of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) received some 29-32 per cent of the vote in the Senate and 29.5-32.5 per cent of the vote in the Chamber of Deputies, the largest of any single party, with the group - founded in 2009 - getting support from people fed up with adverse economic conditions and corruption within the eurozone's third largest economy.

Although the centre-right may have secured as much as 36 per cent of the vote, according to the early exit polling, this would be several percent shy of the 40 per cent that political analysts have said is the minimum needed to command a legislative majority.

This situation might mean that the centre-right must negotiate with M5S to form a coalition to be able to govern.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party (PD) of former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi seems to have lost the election after governing for the last five years, and it will be the third-largest political force, according to the early exit polling.

The PD, which heads a centre-leftist coalition of several parties, garnered 29-32 per cent of the Senate seats and 20-23 per cent of those in the Chamber, according to the RAI poll.

Other exit polls by Mediaset, which is owned by Berlusconi, and by SkyTG24 obtained similar percentages.

Some 46 million Italians were eligible to vote in the elections held on Sunday.
Damascus, March 5 : A humanitarian aid convoy on Monday entered for the first time in over two weeks the besieged rebel-held area of Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Syria's capital, following intensified bombing by Syrian government forces that has killed over 700 people.

The convoy successfully arrived in Douma, the largest city in the Eastern Ghouta region, with 46 truckloads of health and food supplies, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Syria said on Twitter.

"The UN and Red Crescent are entering Douma in Eastern Ghouta with health and nutrition supplies, along with food for 27,500 people in need," the OCHA said on its account.

However, the OCHA also stated that "many life-saving health supplies were not allowed to be loaded" into the convoy by the Syrian government.

A World Health Organisation spokesman, Tarik Jasarevic, said that Syrian authorities had removed various medical supplies from the UN convoy before it was allowed into Eastern Ghouta.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a United Kingdom-based war monitor, said that the Syrian Army and its allies continued to advance into Eastern Ghouta despite the entry of the aid convoy.

The SOHR added that unidentified aircraft had bombed different parts of the rebel-controlled area, but did not list the convoy's destination, Douma, among the targeted locations.

The war monitor said that pro-government forces appeared to be trying to cut the rebel-held area into two sections, and that there had been widespread civilian displacement ahead of the government's advance.

A spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross, Ingy Sedky, told Efe news that the distribution of assistance was a "positive first step to reduce the suffering of civilians in the area", but stressed that humanitarian organizations needed continuous access to Eastern Ghouta.

The aid convoy, led by the OCHA's humanitarian coordinator in Syria, Ali al-Za'tari, was the first to enter the besieged region since February 14.

Since February 18, Eastern Ghouta has been heavily bombed by Syrian and Russian aircraft, as well as by artillery and surface-to-surface rockets.

The bombings have killed at least 724 people, including 151 children and 93 women, according to the SOHR.

According to the UN, some 400,000 people remain trapped in Eastern Ghouta's rebel-held network of towns and satellite cities on the outskirts of Damascus, which has been under siege by forces loyal to the Syrian government for several years, preventing much-needed food and humanitarian aid from entering.

Defiant President Bashar al-Assad said on state television on Sunday that the offensive against "terrorism" should continue and dismissed dire assessments of the humanitarian situation in the enclave as "ridiculous lies".

The US had condemned the Syrian government assault and blamed Russia of killing innocent civilians in name of conducting counterterrorism operations.
Panaji, March 5 : The Goa Congress on Monday accused Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of deserting the state after he left for Mumbai to seek medical treatment.

The ailing Chief Minister left behind a committee of three senior ministers to handle administrative decisions.

"We are going to have a state ruled by three Chief Ministers at a given time. Imagine the chaos," Congress state president Shantaram Naik told reporters at the party's state headquarters.

"This is a clear violation of business rules. We wish him well in his medical treatment... he has deserted Goa."

Naik also said that the state would now be ruled by "three musketeers" in Parrikar's absence.

A three-member ministerial committee will take major administrative decisions, while Parrikar is expected to conduct cabinet meetings via video conference, something the Congress is not in favour of.

"Goa is hostage to the whims of one individual. Things are very precarious," Naik said, adding that because Parrikar does not trust any of his ruling allies, he had failed to deputise or swear-in an alternative Chief Minister.

"The Chief Minister should come out with a clear statement on his health. It will be helpful for Goa. The current arrangement is unconstitutional," Naik also said.

Parrikar will be admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai once again before possibly being shifted to the US for further treatment.

The Chief Minister's Office has maintained that Parrikar is suffering from "mild pancreatitis" for which he was admitted to the Mumbai hospital on February 15.

After his return to Goa on February 22, the Chief Minister was again shifted to a local government-run health facility for a week, before being discharged last week.
Kochi, March 6 : The Kerala High Court on Tuesday ordered a police probe against the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church Cardinal and others for allegedly effecting a land deal that caused a loss of crores of rupees to the Church here.

Besides Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, the court also ordered the probe against two priests and a middleman, allegedly involved in the deal that was "effected" by Alencherry.

The Ernakulam archdiocese in 2016 had sold a three-acre piece of land in Kochi to repay a Rs 60 crore bank loan it had earlier taken to construct a medical college.

The agent appointed by the church to facilitate the deal had estimated the value of the land at Rs 27.30 crore, but priests and local people claimed that the property's real value was at least Rs 80 crore.

The court on Tuesday came down heavily on the Cardinal and asked whether the "Cardinal is the King".

This was after last week, when the court had taken a strong view of the Cardinal's counsel's contention that as far as the Cardinal is concerned, the appellate authority is the Pope.

The court had then said that it was strange to hear that the law of the land was not applicable to the Cardinal.

It had also made it clear that it was looking if there was any breach of trust in the land deal.

The court's observation on Tuesday came in the light of a petitioner seeking a probe into the land deal done by the Cardinal, which came under severe attack both from the public and even a section of priests attached to the diocese headed by the Cardinal.

The Cardinal's counsel had argued that despite a few petitions against the land deal and the demand for a detailed probe raised with the Vatican, no action has been initiated by the Pope.

The petitioner had urged the court to order the probe. Now with the court ordering the police probe, an FIR would be registered soon in the case.

Reacting to the verdict, Paul Thelekkat, senior priest of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church said that it was a sad and very painful verdict.

"Everyone in the Church, including the Pope, is aware of what has happened. But despite the best efforts, it was not resolved.

"What must be noted is that despite ways and means of a course correction being there in the system -- that also was not used. This is a sad and painful verdict," said Thelekkat.
Washington, March 7 : US House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday urged the Donald Trump administration to adopt a more "surgical" and "targeted" focus regarding the president's plan to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

"There is clearly abuse occurring. Clearly, there is overcapacity dumping in trans-shipping of steel and aluminum by some countries, particularly China, but I think the smarter way to go is to make it more surgical or more targeted," Ryan told reporters, Efe reported.

Earlier, Ryan - a Republican - had said that he was "extremely concerned" about the potential consequences of a trade war that might erupt as a result of the tariffs.

Trump has called for the imposition of a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports, a proposal that has sparked threats of reprisals by various European countries and China.

In calling for the tariffs, Trump invoked the seldom-used Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act, which allows the president to unilaterally impose tariffs for national security reasons.

However, Ryan said Tuesday that 232 is "a little too broad" and "is more prone to retaliation."

"What we are encouraging the administration to do is to focus on what is clearly a legitimate problem and to be surgical in its approach so we can go after the true abusers without causing any collateral damage or unintended consequences," Ryan said.

"We want to make sure abusers are held to account, especially China," he added.

Ryan said that he is in discussions with the president about the tariff issue but he did not say if any progress has been made so far in getting Trump to adjust his position.
Washington, March 7 : Adult film star Stormy Daniels has reportedly filed a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump alleging he never signed a "hush agreement" to keep quiet about their rumoured affair.

Daniels, who real name is Stephanie Clifford, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles on Tuesday that claims the nondisclosure agreement is invalid and she is free to publicly discuss the Trump tryst, according to NBC News.

Daniels' had alleged that intimate relationship with Trump took place in 2006 and 2007 at locations such as the Beverly Hills Hotel and Lake Tahoe.

Both Daniels and Trump lawyer Michael Cohen signed the agreement three days before the 2016 presidential election.

In the agreement, Trump is identified as David Dennison and Daniels is referred to as Peggy Peterson, New york Post reported.

The documents, which the lawsuit refers to as a "hush agreement", includes a blank where Trump is supposed to sign - but he allegedly did not give his signature.

Daniels received $130,000 not to talk about Trump, the suit said.

Daniels claimed that Cohen has bullied her into keeping quiet and now she's fighting back.

"To be clear, the attempts to intimidate Clifford into silence and 'shut her up' in order to 'protect Trump' continue unabated," NBC news quoted the suit as saying.

"On or about February 27, 2018, Trump's attorney Cohen surreptitiously initiated a bogus arbitration proceeding against Clifford in Los Angeles."
Chennai, March 7 : Among the several types of idlis -- a healthy South Indian dish -- the Kanchipuram idli has a special, even divine, status. It is offered to the Lord Varadharaja Perumal in Kanchipuram.

An official of the Varadharaja Perumal temple told IANS that no other temple has the Kanchipuram idli as the main offering to the Lord.

The dish has a unique taste, texture and flavour thanks to the ingredients and not many star hotels have it on their menu.

However, S. Satyaseelan, Executive Chef at Mercure Chennai Sriperumbudur near here has the Kanchipuram idli on the menu card of Melange -- the 100-room hotel's multi-cuisine restaurant.

"While we offer global cuisine as well as local cuisine infused with foreign flavours, the inclusion of Kanchipuram idli in the menu was done to offer our guest the local specialty," Satyaseelan, son of a cook in a temple in Karnataka, told IANS.

The temple town of Kanchipuram is around 35 km from Oragadam, where the hotel is located.

By this time two Kanchipuram idlis in small tumbler shapes, along with gunpowder and gingelly oil, arrived at the table. The gunpowder mixed with gingelly oil and the Kanchipuram idli are made for each other.

"The fermentation of the idli batter has been kept bit low to suit the palate of foreigners," Satyaseelan volunteered. After the second bite, one starts enjoying the dish.

"Our target clients are French, German, Japanese, Asian as well as Indians working in plants like Renault Nissan, Daimler India, Yamaha, Eicher Motors and others," he added.

Speaking about designing the Melange's menu, Satyaseelan said it has been kept simple and not complicated.

"Menu engineering for a new property is not an easy task as one has to study the target segment, the price and the portion size apart from seeing what the competition offers," Satyaseelan said, offering the spicy rosemary olive chicken tikka that activated the taste buds on the first bite.

"We marinate the chicken in rosemary olive, giving a twist to the standard chicken tikka," Satyaseelan said.

Continuing with menu engineering, he said all the dishes had to be good as a guest may vote with his feet if he is not satisfied. That's a risk this restaurant clearly does not run.

By this time, C. Karthik, Chef de partie, brought a couple of bright red-coloured prawns -- Thai marinated tandoor prawns (prawns marinated in Thai red curry, lemongrass) that gave out the flavours infused in it.

The challenges faced by the General Manager (GM) who assumes charge at the pre-opening stage of a hotel are quite different.

"A pre-opening GM has to set up his team, get the operational supplies, engineering and other needs of the property. After inauguration, the operations have to be stabilised," GM Rahul Nama told IANS.

"We will serve the market located within 10-15 km radius -- basically auto and auto ancillaries. In the market we serve, there are around 450 rooms. There is a gap for an international brand," Nama said.

By this time the soft and tasty kung pao chicken (friend chicken with dry chilli cashew net and soya sauce) and the flavour-full dark green bay prawns with curry dust (prawns dusted in curry leaf powder and fried) were polished off the plate.

On the vegetarian side, you can have the interestingly named nanwich (vegetables and cheese wrapped in a nan and grilled).

The tandoori mushroom quesadillas (tortilla bread wrap with mushroom, onion, coriander, cheese served with salsa) and the Chettinadu vegetable burger tasted nice.

The menu card offers vegetarians and non-vegetarians choices of biriyani, Indian breads, noodles, fried rice and as well as a full meal in a bowl like the Japanese dish chukadon.

Chukadon (a melange of chicken, shrimps and squid stir-fried with vegetables and served on sticky rice) washes gentle on the palate and the tummy and would go well with Thai red curry tandoored prawn.

For dessert, Satyaseelan offered Madras filter coffee ice cream with pieces of almond. The ice cream was really divine -- a nice way to end the tasting session that began with Kanchipuram idli.

FAQs:

What: New restaurant Melange

Where: Mercure Hotels Chennai Sriperumbudur, Oragadam

Cost for two: Rs.1,500 plus taxes (Venkatachari Jagannathan's visit was at the invitation of Mercure Hotels Chennai Sriperumbudur. He can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in )
Thiruvananthapuram, March 7 : The CBI special court here on Wednesday discharged Catholic priest Jose Poothrikkayil, one of the accused in the 1992 murder of Sister Abhaya.

The court, however, did not discharge the other two accused -- priest Thomas M. Kottur and a nun, Seffi. Their discharge petitions were dismissed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court.

Sister Abhaya, a resident of Pius X convent in Kottayam in Kerala, was found dead in the well of the convent on March 27, 1992.

Initially, both the Crime Branch and CBI termed the death a suicide but activist Joemon Puthenpurackal formed an Action Council and was pursuing the case.

The turnaround happened after Puthenpurackal, managed to get the case reopenedand and following this, the CBI cracked it.

On November 19, 2008, the CBI arrested the three accused, who included Poothrikkayil, a former Malayalam professor at the Kottayam college where Abhaya studied; Kottor, the Diocesan chancellor of the Catholic Church at Kottayam and Seffi, a resident of the convent when the incident took place.

On January 1, 2009, the three accused got bail.

Puthenpurackal, who was present at the CBI court to hear the verdict said it appears the CBI officials failed to do their job cleanly and managed to give the escape route to Poothrikkayil.

"The onus is now on the CBI to file a revision petition against this verdict. In case they fail to do it, I will be forced to take up that," said Puthenpurackal.

On March 28, the court will read out the chargesheet in the case to the accused and the trial is expected to start soon.
New Delhi, March 7 : The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday amid continuing protests by the opposition over the Rs 12,600 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and other issues.

When the House met at 12 noon after its first adjournment, opposition members were on their feet with their demands. Many trooped near the Speaker's podium carrying placards.

While the Congress and Trinamool Congress sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply in the bank fraud case, BJP ally TDP continued to seek special economic package for Andhra Pradesh.

AIADMK members were near the podium demanding a Cauvery Management Board while Telangana Rashtra Samithi members sought an increase in the quota in the state beyond 50 per cent.

Shiv Sena members wanted classical language status for Marathi but returned to their seats after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed party MP Anandrao Adsul to speak on the issue.

Adsul said amid the din that the party had been raising the demand for declaring Marathi as a classical language for years.

"Marathi is an old language and meets the criteria of a classical language," he said.

The Shiv Sena member said several languages, including Telugu and Odia, had been classified as classical. He urged Home Minister Rajnath Singh to reply.

As the din continued, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House for the day.

Earlier, when the Lok Sabha met, opposition members came near the podium raising their issues. Mahajan then adjourned the House till 12 noon.

The TDP MPs had earlier staged protests near the Mahatma Gandhi statue.

The House has been successively adjourned for the third day following opposition protests.
Washington, March 7 : The US government has filed a lawsuit against the state of California over immigration laws that it alleged were "unconstitutional" and against the policies of President Donald Trump.

The department filed a federal lawsuit on late Tuesday against the state and its top officials to stop a cluster of so-called "sanctuary state" bills -- a move that puts the administration on offence but is nonetheless likely to generate heated litigation over the boundaries of immigration authority, CNN reported.

The lawsuit was the latest broadside from the Trump administration against so-called "sanctuary cities" -- referring to localities that abide by some measure of non-cooperation with federal law enforcement -- and amid an already heightened level of tension with California.

Trump administration officials have repeatedly attacked sanctuary jurisdictions and local officials as "harbouring dangerous criminals".

In the lawsuit, Attorney General Jeff Sessions urged a federal judge to block three laws approved in California, alleging they hampered immigration authorities from discharging their duties, including deportation of undocumented immigrants.

The laws "reflect a deliberate effort by California to obstruct the US' enforcement of federal immigration law," the lawsuit said.

Sessions was expected to announce on Wednesday the lawsuit during a meeting with law enforcement officials in California.

The lawsuit was specifically directed at California Governor Jerry Brown and state Attorney General Xavier Becerra.

Brown already termed the move a "political stunt" and claimed that Sessions had come to California to further divide and polarize the US.

Becerra, on his part, defended the constitutionality of California laws and said that state and local entities had the right to determine policies that were best for them.

Sessions, under Trump's orders, began a campaign against "sanctuary" policies that sheltered or protected undocumented immigrants from being deported.

Larger US cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago and New York ruled by the opposition Democrats, adopted policies that hinder the sharing of information between the local police and immigration officers.
Mumbai, March 7 : Filmmaker J.P. Dutta's upcoming film "Paltan" will release on September 7.

Actor Gurmeet Choudhary on Wednesday tweeted: "1967. A true story that was never told. 'Paltan', Releasing this September 7 in a cinema near you."

The first look of the film, based on the Nathu La and Cho La military clashes of 1967 which took place along the Sikkim border, shows Indian and Chinese soldiers facing one another while pointing rifles at each other.

It seems to be one more epic war drama from Dutta, who is acclaimed for the National Award winning "Border".

"Paltan" also features Arjun Rampal, Siddhanth Kapoor, Luv Sinha and Harshvardhan Rane.
San Francisco, March 7 : Google has added more than 20 languages to its virtual keyboard app Gboard that include Chinese, both the traditional and simplified versions, and Korean.

The tech giant is also adding support for lesser-known languages.

"Though today's update includes some of the world's most widely-spoken languages, we're equally focused on making sure lesser-known languages, like Manx and Maori, are represented in the keyboard," Angana Ghosh, Product Lead, Gboard, wrote in a blog post late on Tuesday.

With this, Gboard for Android now supports over 300 language varieties and covers 74 per cent of the world's population, according to the company.

"Each new language helps more people express themselves with their keyboard, and we're thankful to the thousands of linguists and native speakers around the globe who help us bring new languages to Gboard. There are still many people to meet and languages to discover, so our work won't end here," Ghosh added.

The virtual keyboard app developed by Google for Android and iOS devices was released on iOS in May 2016, followed by a release on Android in December 2016.

Gboard currently supports Indian languages such as Assamese, Awadhi, Bengali, Bundeli, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Marathi and Sanskrit among others.
New Delhi, March 7 : The Rajya Sabha was on Wednesday adjourned for the day amid ruckus without transacting any business for third day in a row.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the House for the day, minutes after it met at 2 p.m. as the agitating opposition, TDP and AIADMK members gathered near the Chair's podium, shouting slogans and flaunting placards.

The opposition has been demanding the extradition of diamontaire Nirav Modi who is at the centre of an over Rs 12,600 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has been demanding special financial assistance for Andhra Pradesh, while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) members have been agitating over the Cauvery water disopute and demanding setting up of a Cauvery water management board.

Kurien asked the members to go back to their seats so that he could take up the listed business item.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said over the din that the government was ready to discuss "all issues, including the PNB fraud as it started only in their (UPA government) time".

However, the agitating MPs did not relent and a minute later Kurien adjourned the House for the day.

The Rajya Sabha witnessed a similar scene in the morning due to which Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the House till 2 p.m.

The Budget session will conclude on April 6.
New Delhi, March 7 : In support of government initiatives like "Make in India", "Digital India", "Smart Cities" and "Start up India", several Taiwan-based Information and Communication Technology (ICT) brands on Wednesday displayed their advanced products at the ongoing Convergence India 2018 expo here.

These products and solutions were felicitated by Taiwan Excellence which honours Taiwan's innovative products that provide value to users worldwide based on outstanding R&D, design, quality, marketing and Made in Taiwan merits.

Taiwan Excellence, which is participating in the three-day expo -- which kicked off at Pragati Maidan on Wednesday -- for the second consecutive time, reiterated its commitment to align with India's digital development mission.

"By participating in Convergence India 2018, we wished to share our expertise in the field of ICT with other Indian as well as global companies. We have been able to build some great partnerships through this expo," Mario Tasi, Deputy Director of the Strategic Marketing Department at Taiwan Excellence, said in a statement.

Among the featured brands during Convergence India 2018 are gaming products manufacturer MSI, laptop maker ASUS, GIGAbyte that supplies motherboards, graphic cards and computer notebooks among others.

Convergence India expo is a platform to showcase the latest trends and technologies related to telecom, broadcast, Cloud and Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT) among others.
New Delhi, March 7 : Amid a wave of vandalisation of statues across the country, the Centre on Wednesday asked the state governments to make district magistrates and police chiefs "personally" responsible for the law and order situation, investigate the incidents of destruction of busts and act tough against the culprits.

The Union Home Ministry in its second advisory over the issue in a day asked the state governments to investigate such incidents promptly and book the culprits immediately.

The second advisory came in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direction to contain vandalism and sternly deal with the culprits.

"Besides calling for close and continuous monitoring of the situation, it (the Home Ministry) has asked the states to take all possible measures to ensure that no such incident should be allowed to happen," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"The advisory asks the states to make DMs and SSPs personally responsible for ensuring that the law and order situation remains firmly under control in their jurisdiction.

"Intensification of patrolling in sensitive locations, community policing for peace and harmony, check on anti-social elements and preventive measures wherever required are the main elements of the advisory," the statement said.

Earlier, Modi spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over incidents of toppling of statues in various parts of the country post the BJP's victory in Tripura where Communist icon Lenin's bust was bulldozed on Monday.

The Home Ministry then issued its first advisory to the states asking them to take all necessary precautions to prevent such incidents.

"Incidents of toppling of statues have been reported from certain parts of the country. Union Ministry of Home Affairs has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism," a statement said.

Rajnath Singh expressed strong disapproval of such incidents, according to the statement.

"Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law."

Violence erupted in various parts of the country, including Tripura and West Bengal, after Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin's statue was razed by BJP activists in southern Tripura.

In Tamil Nadu's Vellore district, iconic Dravidian leader E.V. Ramasamy or Periyar's statue was vandalised on Tuesday.

A statue of Jana Sangh leader Shyama Prasad Mookerjee was targeted in West Bengal while a bust of Dalit icon Bhimrao Ambedkar was vandalised in Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.
Islamabad, March 7 : Pakistani law enforcement agencies on Wednesday arrested six terrorists and seized a huge cache of weapons from their possession in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province.

The counter-terrorism department of police launched an operation in Mastung, a district in Balochistan province, and arrested six militants on a tip-off, Xinhua news agency reported.

A huge quantity of arms and ammunition were also recovered from the possession of the detained terrorists, said a senior police officer in the area, adding that the militants belong to a proscribed organisation.

Last Friday, Pakistani security forces thwarted a major terrorist bid in the same province and apprehended six terrorists in multiple operations in different areas, the country's military said.

At least 500 kg of explosive materials was recovered from the possession of the arrested militants.
New Delhi, March 7 : You may not be sure whether the cellphone besides the pillow can cause brain cancer, long usage ENT impairment or infertility when kept in pant pocket. But the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) sees this as a possibility and wants to be sure.

ICMR, the apex government body for biomedical research in the country, has embarked on an ambitious five-year study to measure the effect of radiation from cellphones and cellphone towers on human health and has asked for healthy volunteers in the age group 18-45 years.

"The volunteers will be given a thorough medical check-up once a year for five years. ICMR doctors will visit your house to see how close or far you are from cellphone towers," says a WhatsApp message from ICMR to the residents of Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR).

Citing reasons for the study "Effect of Non-Ionizing EMF (Mobile Phone Radiation) on Human Health", ICMR said exposure of radio frequency radiation (RFR) emitted from mobile phone to human population have increased tremendously due to the increase of mobile phone users.

"The WHO/International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified radio frequency electromagnetic field (EMF) as possibly carcinogenic to human," said the government-funded research body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Though a review of international scientific data has not established conclusive evidence on the safety or risk of RFR emitted from cellphones and towers, a growing body of scientific evidences indicate the adverse health effects of RFR, which may be possible if not probable, said the ICMR.

Further, as guidelines followed in India are based on data generated from Western countries, the government wants the findings from Indian population living in Indian climatic condition to develop safety standards of EMF exposures, specially of RFR from cellphones and towers.

"Exposure limits for RFR being followed in India are higher than several other countries as these countries have developed their own health-based precautionary guidelines," the research body said.

Diseases that may have potential links to the cellphone radiation are brian tumour, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cardiovascular disorder, ENT impairment, electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome, genetoxic effect, infertility, anxiety, sleepiness, poor appetite and headache, it said.

The objective is "to study the effect of RFR emitted from cell phone on brain, heart, reproductive organs, ear and cancer related problems, if any". The ICMR has formed six study groups of three categories each for males and females based on their usage of mobile phones.

"Your payback is a free medical check-up by one of India's finest medical institutions," said ICMR, seeking volunteers who can spare some time to visit the AIIMS, New Delhi, for various investigations once a year.
New Delhi, March 7 : National Award-winning filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda's "Halkaa" will premiere worldwide at 21st Festival International du Film Pour Enfants de Montreal Film festival (FIFEM).

It will compete with six international children's films in the official section and will have its world premiere on Thursday, read a statement.

The fest, underway in Montreal, Canada, will go on till March 11.

"Halkaa" is about aspiration and dreams of an eight-year-old boy living in a slum in Delhi. It stars child actor Tathastu as Pichku, and Ranvir Shorey and Paoli Dam as Pichku's parents.

"It's a new treat in children cinema space in India. I have tried to express words like fantasy, dreams, aspiration in a child's term. Yet it's a complicated adult's world and how he imagined a life in that space," said Panda, known for "Kadvi Hawa" and "I am Kalam".

"Halkaa" is Panda's second film with children to be selected at FIFEM, after "I am Kalam". He won the Prix Du Public for the film in 2010.

"It's a nostalgia to have the world premiere at FIFEM Montreal... Such a great feeling to have 'Halkaa' to be part of the competition," he said.

The film is a musical treat with sounds by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. It is produced by Shiva Nadar Foundation in association with Akshay Kumar Parija and Nila Madhab Panda.
Patna, March 7 : A day after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ranchi served notice to Bihar Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, declaring him accused in the fodder scam, former Chief Minister Rabri Devi on Wednesday asked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to remove him and take action against him.

She also taunted Nitish Kumar, saying: "Where is his antaratma (inner voice) now when the CBI court has served notice to the state Chief Secretary in the fodder scam... why is he silent?"

"Anjani Kumar Singh should be removed and action should be taken against him after the CBI court served him notice in the fodder scam," said Rabri Devi, wife of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is currently lodged in a jail in Ranchi in connection with two fodder scam cases.

Rabri Devi, who is an RJD Member of the Bihar Legislative Council, told media persons here that "it appears Nitish Kumar's inner voice is dead as he has not reacted over the CBI notice".

"Nitish Kumar's inner voice was only raised in case of my younger son and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav," she said.

Rabri Devi was supported by most of the party legislators in the assembly.

The CBI court of Shivpal Singh has issued notice to Anjani Kumar Singh and six others in the fodder scam. They were directed to be present in the court on March 28 for allegedly illegally withdrawing money from Dumka treasury.
Kolkata, March 7 : Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, Chief of Joint Staff, Japan Self Defence Forces (JSDF), interacted with officers of the Indian Army's Eastern Command during a two-day visit here that ended on Wednesday.

Admiral Kawano, who arrived here on Tuesday along with a delegation of five JSDF officers, met Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Abhay Krishna at the Eastern Command Headquarters Fort William.

The two General officers stressed upon the recognition of bilateral strategic partnership and broad-based cooperation in defence and security fields. They also discussed the current dynamics in South East Asia.

Lt Gen Krishna presented Admiral Kawano a memento to commemorate the first of such visits by the JSDF's Joint Staff chief.

The visit is part of the bilateral tours as agreed during the visit of the Indian Defence Minister to Japan last September under the framework of "India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership".

Admiral Kawano also visited the historic Eastern Command Museum and Library at Fort William.
Kathmandu, March 7 : Incumbent President Bidhya Devi Bhandari will be re-elected as Nepal's Head of State as the ruling party CPN-UML has decided to back her candidacy for the post.

The election for the post of President will be held on March 13. Bhandari filed her nomination on behalf of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and CPN (Maoist Centre). Nepali Congress's Laxmi Rai also filed candidacy for the top post.

A meeting of the party's standing committee on Tuesday night decided to field Bhandari ahead of another senior leader Jhalanath Khanal as its presidential candidate. Bhandari is considered close to Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.

The election for the presidential post will take place on the basis of the electoral college votes. As per calculations, with the Left alliance having majority at local, provincial and federal levels, Bhandari has support of 33,000 electoral college votes.

Nepali Congress's Rai has backing of 11,000 electoral college votes. Two Madhes-based parties, Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal were likely to vote for Bhandari.

Bhandari was elected to the top post on October 29, 2015, a month after the promulgation of the new Constitution.

The election of the Vice President will take place after the presidential poll.
Imphal, March 7 : One soldier of 28 Rajputana Rifles was killed and three others were wounded in a series of blasts in Manipur on Tuesday, an official said here on Wednesday.

Floral tributes were on Wednesday paid to the slain soldier at the Imphal International Airport before his body was flown to his hometown.

Governor Najma Heptulla, who paid floral tributes on behalf of the state government, urged one and all to shun violence. "While we sleep peacefully, the soldiers remain awake to ensure our safety," she said.

According to police, there were three serial blasts near Boundary Pillar No.67 along the Manipur-Myanmar border at Khengjoi, where the camp of 28 Rajputana Rifles is located.

One army personnel was killed on the spot and three others sustained shrapnel injuries in the blasts.

A few hours later, another bomb was detonated near the Assam Rifles camp fencing near the government offices at North AOC in Imphal. However, there were no casualties.

A fifth bomb was exploded near the Community Development Office at Khengjoi at 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday. No casualties were reported in this blast as well.

No insurgent group has so far claimed responsibility for the blasts, police said.
New Delhi, March 7 : The attacks on statues snowballed into a major political storm on Wednesday when busts of Dalit icon B.R. Ambedkar in Meerut and Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee in Kolkata were damaged, forcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah to speak tough against vandalism and warning the guilty of stern action.

Following the strong condemnation by BJP bigwigs and a massive political backlash in Tamil Nadu, state party leader H. Raja expressed heartfelt regrets over his Facebook post suggesting removal of the statue of Dravidian icon Periyar E.V. Ramasamy.

The BJP expelled a local functionary in Vellore district for damaging Periyar's statue in Tiruppattur on Tuesday night.

Amid fears of flare-up in political violence, the Home Ministry asked states to take strong action against those indulging in vandalism and making it clear that district magistrates and superintendents of police would be responsible in case of any law and order disturbance.

The fresh incidents of vandalism followed bulldozing of Communist hero Lenin's statue in Tripura on Monday, an act condoned by some BJP leaders. Lenin's figure was brought down after the BJP swept the elections, ending 25 years of Marxist rule in the northeast state.

The situation in parts of Tamil Nadu was tense a day after the statue of Periyar, considered the fatherfigure of the rationalist movement in Tamil Nadu, was vandalized.

The incident was provoked by BJP leader Raja's Facebook post on Tuesday in which he said: "Lenin's statue was broken down in Tripura. Today it is Lenin's statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic E.V. Ramasamy."

Raja on Wednesday expressed regret for the post, claiming the message was posted by his social media administrator without his permission and that he had removed it. Street protests broke out across Tamil Nadu, including in capital Chennai, with workers of the DMK and Periyarist groups burning effigies of Raja.

Two petrol bombs were hurled outside the BJP office in Coimbatore on Wednesday morning. Two activists of Periyar organisation were arrested.

In Kolkata, members of ultra-Left student outfit "Radical" vandalised and defaced a statue of Jana Sangh founder and ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee at the Keoratola crematorium, police said.

The bust was defaced with black ink and deshaped with a hammer and the right side of the face damaged. Six members of the group were arrested amid condemnation from the state government.

A statue of Dalit icon Ambedkar was vandalized in Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh, police said. Senior district officials rushed to the spot and security forces were deployed in large numbers.

Prime Minister Modi strongly condemned the incidents and warned of stern action against those found guilty. He spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, expressing his strong disapproval.

"Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law," the Home Ministry said.

The Centre also told state governments to make district magistrates and police chiefs "personally" responsible for the law and order situation, investigate incidents of destruction of busts and act tough against the culprits.

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu described as "shameful" and "mad" the acts of vandalism.

BJP President Amit Shah called the incidents "unfortunate" and warned of severe action against guilty party members.

"Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party. We as a party do not support bringing down anybody's statue," he said.
Jammu, March 7 : Indian and Pakistani armies traded heavy fire on Wednesday on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and Jammu districts.

Defence Ministry sources said here that the Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing in Sunderbani and Akhnoor sectors.

"The Pakistanis used small arms, automatics and mortars to target defence and civilian facilities in these areas," a military official said. "Our troops retaliated strongly and effectively."
Toronto, March 7 : Downplaying what he called the "distractions around the visit of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to India", Indian High Commissioner Vikas Swarup has said the visit was actually an "unqualified success".

Speaking at a reception for Indian Minister for Mines Narendra Singh Tomar, who is leading the Indian delegation for the PDAC International Convention here, Swarup said earlier this week that the language in the joint statement issued after Trudeau's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed their strong resolve to deepen the relationship.

Trudeau was warmly received by Modi and the two leaders had a great meeting, said Swarup at the reception hosted by the Indian consulate and the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC).

Calling Trudeau's visit an "unqualified success", Swarup said Tomar's visit here within a week of Trudeau's India trip was a "manifestation of the seriousness with which India views its relations with Canada".

"This shows how serious we are about developing relations with Canada," said Swarup.

"It is a complementary relationship and the joint statement is the blueprint to bring to fruition the vision that the two Prime Ministers had for the relationship," he said.

Tomar, who met his Canadian counterparts, said: "Just one week after Trudeau's visit, my coming to PDAC International Convention shows India's commitment to its relationship with Canada."

Highlighting the 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) allowed in the mining sector by the Modi government, the Minister said: "India has an area of 800,000 square km with a huge potential for mining. But only very small area has been mined. India has put geological data in public domain to show the potential of mining in the country."

Tomar lauded the role of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce for promoting not only business relations but also people-to-people, political and cultural relations between the two countries.

ICCC president Kanwar Dhanjal, who led a business delegation to India a couple of months ago and was also in India as part of Trudeau's delegation, said the visit of the Indian Minister confirmed the deepening business ties between the two countries.

Indian Consul General Dinesh Bhatia said: "Canada is a world leader in mining and the top source of 13 minerals, including potash, nickle, uranium and tungsten, which are very crucial for India."

(Gurmukh Singh can be contacted at gurmukh100@gmail.com)
Bengaluru, March 7 : Karnataka Lokayukta Justice P. Vishwanatha Shetty had a miraculous escape on Wednesday after he was stabbed repeatedly by a disgruntled man at his office here, police said. The attacker was arrested while Shetty was said to be out of danger.

Tejraj Sharma, 33, who was apparently unhappy with the ombudsman, managed to enter the Lokayukta office with a knife taking advantage of a malfunctioning metal detector, authorities said.

"The man was immediately detained," Bengaluru Commissioner of Police T. Suneel Kumar told reporters here.

Shetty, 73, earlier a judge in the Karnataka High Court, was rushed to a private hospital in the city centre where doctors said he was out of danger.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the hospital. "The doctors say he is out of danger."

Initial investigations revealed that the metal detector detector in the Lokayukta office building was not functioning, Kumar said.

Sharma, a furniture supplier from Tumakuru, about 70 km northwest from here, had filed a complaint about a local government office, the police said.

"He was allegedly unhappy that his complaint was not being heard. This could have been the motive for the attack."

The accused had visited the Lokayukta office about four times earlier, Kumar said. "The act was premeditated and hence we have registered a case of attempted murder."

Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy told the media earlier that the reason for the attack and how it happened were being probed.

Shetty had also practiced in the Supreme Court. He had taken charge as the state's ombudsman in January 2017.

After the incident, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blamed the ruling Congress for a "collapsed" law and order situation in the state.

"Criminals have reached the Lokayukta office. Continued apathy of the Siddaramaiah government in dealing with criminals has led to a situation where no one feels safe in Karnataka," BJP's Lok Sabha lawmaker Shobha Karandlaje tweeted.

BJP's state unit President B.S.Yeddyurappa said: "It is high time the Siddaramaiah government get its act together and tackles the lawlessness in the state."
Patna, March 7 : In a setback to the NDA in Bihar, Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan's son-in-law and Dalit Sena President Anil Kumar Sadhu joined the opposition RJD on Wednesday.

Sadhu, who was also a LJP leader, directly attacked his father-in-law and Lok Janshakti Party chief Paswan for compromising with the party's principles and policies and of surrendering to the RSS for personal gains.

After former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) joined the Grand Alliance of RJD and Congress, Sadhu has given a fresh jolt to the BJP-Janata Dal-United alliance.

"Violence against Dalits in Bihar and across the country have increased in the last few months but Paswan and his son Chirag Paswan, who is Working President of LIP, are silent over the issue. Why both have not spoken so far if they are Dalit leaders?" Sadhu asked.

Sadhu unsuccessfully contested the 2015 Bihar Assembly polls. He praised RJD chief Lalu Prasad and described him a hero of social justice.

The LJP is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Leader of the Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, welcomed Sadhu's decision to join his party, the RJD. "NDA leaders committed to the cause of marginalized are joining the RJD now," he said.
Surat, March 7 : Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia miraculously escaped unhurt a road accident near Surat on Wednesday and immediately voiced suspicion that it was an attempt to kill him.

A speeding truck hit the car in which Togadia was travelling from the back and dragged it some distance on a highway at Kamrej. Informed sources claimed he survived only because he was in a bullet-proof vehicle.

"Normally when a vehicle meets with an accident, they immediately apply brakes. But here the truck driver, after hitting the car, dragged it for some feet and stopped only when my car hit the divider and got stuck. He did not apply brakes," Togadia later told the media, hinting it appeared to be an attempt on his life.

Togadia, who has Z+ security, generally travels with a pilot car in front of his vehicle and an escort vehicle behind and besides his vehicle. However, the escort cars were not present when Togadia met with the accident.

"It seems someone in the administrative hierarchy issued incomplete instructions to local administration. There were written instructions for providing only a pilot car and not other escort cars. My question is that who issued such incomplete instructions and why? This has never happened till date," Togadia said.

He added: "Today's incident also proves that it is wrong to believe that there is no danger to the lives of people with Z+ security."

The VHP leader had been alleging a threat to his life for about two months.

Togadia had gone missing from Ahmedabad on the morning of January 15, after receiving an anonymous call informing him that a team of police personnel from Rajasthan was in the city to arrest him. Even then, he had feared he would be killed in an "encounter".

He was later found from Kotarpur area en route to Ahmedabad airport late in the evening, from where he was taken to a private hospital in a semi-conscious state. Doctors attending on him said he was suffering from hypoglycaemia.

There was no word from the state government or local authorities on the accident.
Shimla, March 7 : Acting tough against ongoing construction activities in Shimla, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered that no construction of any nature would be carried out in vacant lands or green belts without its consent.

"No construction of any nature shall be carried out by the Municipal Corporation of Shimla over the vacant, green and common area without leave of the court," a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel said on Tuesday.

Listing the case for next hearing on March 20, they directed the Shimla Municipal Commissioner to file an affidavit listing the construction carried out by the corporation and the status.

Issuing a warning, the judges clarified that ongoing constructions should be strictly in accordance with the plans sanctioned by the authorities concerned.

The Municipal Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner should carry out an inspection drive and have all premises of New Shimla Colony inspected for ascertaining as to whether any illegal or un-authorised activity of construction or user is being carried out or not.

"If it is found that any of the premises allotted and meant to be used for residential purposes is used for any other purposes, such illegal activity shall be ordered to be closed forthwith," said the bench.
New Delhi, March 7 : The CBI on Wednesday moved a court here seeking permission to conduct narco analysis test on Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, in connection with an INX Media money laundering case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) requested Special Judge Sunil Rana for the narco test, saying it would help unearth the conspiracy in the case.

The court directed the CBI to move an application before it on Friday, when Karti Chidambaram will be presented before the court on expiry of his three-day CBI custody.

The agency is likely to move another application seeking the court's direction to issue production warrant against Indrani Mukerjea, former media baron who is a witness in the money laundering case and currently jailed in a murder case, and Chidambaram's chartered accountant S. Bhaskaraman.

The CBI has maintained that Mukerjea, also an accused in the case, had told a magistrate that Chidambaram junior met her in a hotel in Delhi and asked for a bribe of $1 million for helping INX Media get FIPB clearance.

On February 28, Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI that is investigating allegations of his taking money for getting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media -- now renamed 9X Media -- when his father was Finance Minister.

He has dubbed the allegations as "politically motivated".
Geneva, March 7 : A new report from UN Refugee Agency UNHCR has revealed that refugee girls at secondary level are only half as likely to enrol in school as their male peers -- even though girls make up half of the school-age refugee population.

Access to education is a fundamental human right. Yet, for millions of women and girls among the world's growing refugee population, education remains an aspiration, not a reality, said the report titled "Her Turn".

"It is time for the international community to recognise the injustice of denying refugee girls and women an education," said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

"These findings are a global wake-up call, and I urge all to join us in demanding: 'It's her turn'."

UNHCR's report revealed that social and cultural conventions often result in boys being prioritised over girls to attend school.

Poor facilities such as a lack of appropriate toilet facilities and menstrual supplies can block refugee girls' access to schools. Adding to the challenge, the cost of books, uniforms and the journey to school can be prohibitive for refugee families.

"Finding solutions to the challenges refugee girls face as they strive to go to school requires action right across the board -- from national education ministries to teacher training institutions, in communities and classrooms," added Grandi.

"There are formidable barriers to overcome. We are calling for an international effort to turn the tide."

Only 61 per cent of refugee children have access to primary education, compared to an international average of 91 per cent. At secondary level, 23 per cent of refugee adolescents go to school, compared to 84 per cent globally.
Shillong, March 7 : Fifty-eight newly-elected legislators of the Meghalaya Assembly on Wednesday took the oath of office and secrecy as members of the House.

Senior National People's Party (NPP) leader Timothy Shira, who on Tuesday was sworn-in by Governor Ganga Prasad as the pro-tem Speaker, administered the oath to the 11 newly sworn in Cabinet ministers.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who was sworn in as the 12th Chief Minister of Meghalaya on Wednesday with his council of ministers, did not take oath as he is a non-elected member of the Assembly.

Conrad Sangma, the lone NPP Lok Sabha member from Tura, was on Sunday elected the leader of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance after the United Democratic Party and the Hill State People's Democratic Party supported the NPP to form a government on condition that Conrad Sangma was projected the Chief Minister.

Former Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Mukul Sangma, who successfully contested from two seats, read out his oath only from Songsak constituency.

"I will decide along with my supporters on Thursday which seat I should vacate," Mukul Sangma told journalists after taking oath for the six consecutive time as a member of the Meghalaya Assembly.

Former Chief Minister and United Democratic Party Chief Donkupar Roy, the longest serving member of the Meghalaya Assembly, also took oath.

Former Union Minister Agatha K. Sangma and former Rajya Sabha member Thomas Sangma also read the oath of office and secrecy.

In the Assembly elections held in 59 of 60 seats, the Congress won 21 seats, the National People's Party (19), the United Democratic Party (6), People's Democratic Front (4), Hill State People's Democratic Party (2), BJP (2), NCP (1) while three seats went to Independents.

Election to Williamnagar seat was countermanded following the death of NCP candidate Jonathone N. Sangma.
New Delhi, March 7 : The opposition continued to force adjournments of both Houses of Parliament for the third day on Wednesday over the Rs 12,600-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and other issues, even as a meeting of leaders of various parties with the Lok Sabha Speaker failed to find a solution to the impasse.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who had convened the meeting, later hoped that the deadlock would be resolved in a day or two.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Bhartruhari Mahtab told IANS after the meeting that the opposition parties have rejected the government's proposal to hold a discussion under Rule 193 which does not entail voting.

"That has been rejected. The opposition is insisting on a discussion under an adjournment motion," he said, adding that all recent bank scams should also be discussed during the debate.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters after the meeting that the government had accepted the Congress notice for discussion under Rule 193 but now it is "running away from debate".

Kumar took a dig at the Congress over its objection to the words "over the years" in the motion to discuss the banking fraud and asked "what they have to hide".

He said the ball is now in the opposition's court.

"You gave notice, the Speaker accepted it and fixed time and then you want to change the entire stance. What is this? They will have to take Parliament seriously. The ball is in their court," he said.

Kumar said the Congress never expected that the government will accept their notice so fast.

The Minister said that the Speaker urged the members to ensure smooth functioning of the House. She also insisted that members should not rush to the Speaker's podium every time and display placards, he said.

There are many important issues, including banking fraud, which can be discussed only if the House functions properly, he added.

Mahajan told reporters that she had asked party leaders to find a solution to the impasse, as disruptions do not create a good impression among people and visitors about the proceedings.

"Let's see ... if not today, then in two-three days it will be resolved," she said.

Asked about the Congress objection to the use of term "over the years" in the motion on banking fraud, Mahajan said it can mean one, two or more years.

Mahajan said she did not think it would have have happened in one day and it was not just about a person or bank but about the system also.

She said all notices had been taken into account while finalising the motion.

Leaders of the Congress, Trinamool Congress, AIADMK, Aam Aadmi Party and the Shiv Sena were among those who taking part in the meeting.

Earlier, when the Lok Sabha met at 12 noon, after its first adjournment, opposition members were on their feet in the House with their demands. Many trooped near the Speaker's podium carrying placards.

While the Congress and Trinamool Congress sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply in the banking fraud case, BJP's ally TDP continued to seek special economic package for Andhra Pradesh.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) members sought an increase in the job quota in the state beyond 50 per cent.

AIADMK members were near the podium demanding a Cauvery Management Board. Some of the placards had the demand for constituting the Board on one side and a picture of iconic Dravidian leader E.V. Ramasamy or Periyar on the other.

A statue of Periyar, who is considered the father figure of the rationalist movement in Tamil Nadu, was vandalised in Vellore district on Tuesday night.

Shiv Sena members wanted classical language status for Marathi but returned to their seats after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed party MP Anandrao Adsul to speak on the issue.

Adsul said amid the din that the party had been raising the demand for declaring Marathi as a classical language for years.

"Marathi is an old language and meets the criteria of a classical language," he said and sought a reply from Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day. Earlier, the House had witnessed an adjournment soon after it met for the day.

In the Rajya Sabha, the House was once again adjourned for the day amid ruckus and without transacting any business for the third day in a row.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the House, minutes after it met at 2 p.m. as the agitating opposition members gathered near the Chair's podium, shouting slogans and carrying placards. The TDP and AIADMK members were also raising their demands.

Kurien asked the members to go back to their seats so that he could take up the listed business.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said in the din that the government was ready to discuss "all issues, including the PNB fraud case as it started only in their (UPA government) time".

As the din continued, Kurien adjourned the House.

The upper House witnessed similar scenes in the morning forcing its adjournment till 2 p.m.

The Budget session will conclude on April 6.
New Delhi, March 7 : The government on Wednesday asserted in the Lok Sabha that the Armed Forces are "apolitical".

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members Manoj Rajoria and Raghav Lakhanpal had asked in a written question whether the government was aware of any attempts of politicisation of the armed forces.

The MPs also asked if the government has any policy on the issue, and what are the measures being taken.

In a one line reply, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said: "Armed Forces in India are apolitical."

The question was asked weeks after Army chief General Bipin Rawat attributed the rise of Assam-based political party AIUDF to illegal immigration from Bangladesh, sparking a row. The party hit back, saying the Army chief's remarks were "political" and "uncalled for".
New Delhi, March 7 : In a much awaited relief to the telecom service providers, the Cabinet on Wednesday approved restructuring of the deferred payment liabilities of spectrum auction and revising the limit of the cap for spectrum holding.

"By giving one-time opportunity to opt for higher number of instalment (maximum 16 instalments) apart from currently permitted 10 instalments," an official statement said.

"The increased instalment is based upon the principle that the Net Present Value (NPV) of the payment due is protected as per respective notice inviting application for auction of spectrum from 2012. The total amount received will be higher by Rs 74,446.01 crore till 2034-35," it added.

The statement said with the restructuring of the deferred payment liability, the cash flow for the telecom service providers will increase in the immediate time-frame providing them some relief.

An inter-ministerial panel was formed to look into the falling health of the telecom industry which had recommended these measures to the government.

"The overall spectrum cap is revised from the current limit of 25 per cent to 35 per cent," the statement said.

"The current intra-band cap is removed. Instead, there is a cap of 50 per cent on the combined spectrum holding in the sub-1 GHz bands (700 MHz, 800 MHz and 900 MHz bands)," it added.

There will be no cap for individual or combined spectrum holding in above 1 GHz band.

"The revised spectrum caps limits may be revisited after Final Acts of World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) 2019," the statement added.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had recommended revision in the existing limits of cap for spectrum holding taking into consideration the technological advancement, efficient use of spectrum, and measures to facilitate consolidation.

Revising the limit for the spectrum cap holding will facilitate consolidation of telecom licensees and may encourage the participation in the future auction, the statement said.
New Delhi, March 7 : The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the continuation of a scheme for providing monthly pension to freedom fighters beyond the 12th plan period, up to 2020, an official statement said.

The statement said the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the continuation of Swatantra Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY) during 2017-2020, beyond the 12th Five Year Plan which ended on March 31, 2017.

The approval provides for a monthly Samman Pension to freedom fighters, as a token of respect for their contribution in the national freedom struggle and on their demise, to their eligible dependents -- spouses and thereafter, unmarried and unemployed daughters and dependent parents, as per prescribed eligibility norms and procedure.

The financial implication for continuation of SSSY during 2017-2020 would be Rs 2552.93 crore.

Government had introduced the 'Ex-Andaman Political Prisoners Pension Scheme' in 1969 to honour the freedom fighters who had been incarcerated in the Cellular Jail at Port Blair.

In 1972, to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Independence, a regular scheme for grant of freedom fighters' pension was introduced. Thereafter, with effect from August 1, 1980, a liberalized scheme -- the 'Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980' is being implemented.

From the financial year 2017-18 onwards, the nomenclature of the scheme has been changed as 'Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana'.

Total 1,71,617 freedom fighters and their eligible dependents have been sanctioned the central samman pension so far.

At present 37,356 freedom fighters and their eligible dependent pensioners are covered under this scheme which includes 12,657 freedom fighters and 23,127 dependent spouses and 1,572 daughters.
New Delhi, March 7 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave time to the Centre to file response to a plea seeking to halt the alleged "pushback" of Rohingya refugees at the borders and providing improved living conditions in their camps across the country.

The apex court bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud gave the Centre time till March 16 to file the response as Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that he has received instructions to respond to the plea for halt to the pushback of Rohingya refugees and for improved living conditions in their camps.

The court directed the next hearing of the matter on March 19.

In the last hearing of the matter on January 31, ASG Mehta had told the court not to interfere in the matter as "constitutionally empowered executive was seized of the matter and the diplomatic process is on to deal with the situation".

The petitioner Mohammad Salimullah -- a Rohingya refugee himself -- had filed an application on January 30 seeking a halt to the pushback policy of the Border Security Force (BSF) at the border and for improved living conditions in Rohingya refugee camps.

Appearing for the petitioner Mohammad Salimullah, counsel Prashant Bhushan said that Rohingya refugees be extended the same facilities that were being made available to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who have arrived in Tamil Nadu for safe shelter.

Bhushan in the last hearing of the matter on January 31 had complained that the BSF was preventing Rohingya refugees from crossing over from Bangladesh and Myanmar borders by "sprinkling chilli powder".

He had said that pushback was not only occurring on the borders with Bangladesh but also in the states that share a border with Myanmar, and had cited BSF chief K.K. Sharma's statement saying that it is their policy to push back the Rohingya refugees seeking to enter India instead of arresting them.

Bhushan had said that pushing back Rohingya refugees, who are fleeing their country to save their lives, was in breach of the international conventions on refugees.

However, in a retort, ASG Mehta had said on January 31 that "we don't want India to be the refugee capital of the world," as Bhushan had told the court that BSF was using chilli powder and stun grenades to push back the refugees who are fleeing for their lives.
Gandhinagar, March 7 : On the eve of International Women's day, the BJP government in Gujarat admitted that 14,004 women from the state were reported missing during the last two years -- of these, about 76 per cent were found during the same period.

This information was furnished in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly by Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja on Wednesday.

The minister said that while 10,720 women were found during this time, the whereabouts of the remaining women were still not known.

The urban conglomerates of Ahmedabad and Surat recorded maximum cases of missing women during this time-period, with 2,905 women from Ahmedabad and 2,626 women from Surat reported missing.

Besides women, over 4,900 children also were reported missing during these two years.

The Minister said that of these missing children, the number of those who faced failure in their examination or had fallen in love was on the higher side.

The number of children leaving their house due to a love angle is higher in the age group of 15 years to 18 years, especially among female children, the minister said.

The opposition did not miss a chance to hit at the government on this and alleged that the BJP government was not at all serious regarding the missing children.

Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani, MLA from Amreli, said the government provided false data in the House by giving two different figures to two different questions with same purpose raised regarding the missing children.

The data comes a day after the Vijay Rupani government announced that it would be celebrating International Women's Day on March 8 by welcoming birth of girl child throughout the state by way of giving flowers, sweets and silver coins of Goddess Laxmi and Saraswati.

According to the government, this move was to send out a positive message regarding birth of a girl child, in the wake of alarming figures released by the Registrar General of India regarding the sex ratio at birth in Gujarat that had reduced to 848 in 2016 -- down from 886 in 2001.

The Chief Minister, his deputy, collectors, DDOs and legislators would visit homes of families which would record birth of a girl child and present Mamata Kit along with other gifts.
New Delhi, March 7 : On the eve of International Women's Day, the Delhi government launched a pilot project for panic alarm system in city buses and said it aims to install alarm systems in all city buses in a year's time.

If anyone presses one of the four panic buttons installed in the bus, a loud beeping alarm will be activated for 40 seconds, during which time it cannot be deactivated.

The driver would then stop the bus at the left side of the road and the conductor would check why it was pressed.

If the situation cannot be addressed on the spot, the conductor would then call the Depot Manager, who will intimate PCR van if necessary.

The panic alarm system will also be integrated with the bus's GPS location, so that when the alarm is pressed, the Depot Manager and Central Command Centre of bus operations would get an alert.

Speaking about the pilot project, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday said: "Panic alarms in buses will add the third line of defence to ensure women's safety in Delhi buses. Our government has already deployed bus marshals in all DTC buses, and implemented CCTVs in 200 DTC buses on a pilot basis.

"By March 2019, we will be scaling up all these three initiatives to cover all DTC and cluster buses, thereby guaranteeing a safe and harassment-free bus ride for Delhi's women."
New Delhi, March 7 : The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved an agreement between Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Public Service Commission of Mauritius for exchange of expertise in recruitment and use of use of Information Technology (IT) for written exams.

"The MoU will develop institutionalised linkage between the public service commissions of two countries," the government said in a statement.

According to the statement, the two governments will exchange expertise on -- modern approach to public service recruitment and selection; books, manuals and other documents (those not of confidential nature); holding of computer based recruitment tests and online examinations; and training sessions for officials.

In the past, UPSC has signed MoUs with Public Service Commissions of Canada and Bhutan. Both agreements had their terms expire in 2014.
New Delhi, March 7 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday denied before the Supreme Court the allegation of Kerala woman Hadiya, who is in the midst of a "love jihad" controversy, that the agency behaved with her with a prejudice as if she is a criminal or a terrorist.

The NIA, in an affidavit, filed in the apex court said it has conducted the investigation in a "fair, objective and impartial manner" based upon evidence and material collected so far.

Denying the allegations of Hadiya that she was misled to portray her husband Shafin Jahan as a terrorist and that she was treated as a criminal, the agency said the allegations are "misconceived, entirely baseless, incorrect".

The NIA denied Hadiya's allegation that some personnel of the agency behaved with her with a prejudice as if she is a criminal or a terrorist, saying the entire probe has been undertaken by it in accordance with the order passed by the apex court.

"The NIA has conducted the investigation in a fair, objective and impartial manner based upon the evidence/ material collected so far. There is no question of any personnel, who was entrusted with the investigation of the case, acting in a prejudicial manner, much less treating Hadiya as a criminal or a terrorist," stated the affidavit filed by the NIA.

The agency also rejected Hadiya's charge that it had created a story (of love jihad and forced conversions to Islam) and were trying to establish it without any proof. The NIA asked the court to take into consideration the outcome of the status report filed by it before passing any order.

Hadiya, in her affidavit before the top court, had earlier said that she converted to Islam and married Jahan on her own and wanted to remain like that.

She had levelled allegations against her father and some NIA officials for being prejudiced.

The court had asked the NIA, which is investigating the matter, to probe into any criminality in the marriage, but not to intrude into it.

On investigation aspect, the NIA in its affidavit said that it has almost completed the investigation except examination of two individuals, Fasal Musthafa and Shirin Shahand, who are material and crucial witnesses in the case.

The agency said it has been learnt that these two individuals left India before the NIA took over the investigation, as directed by the court, and they are currently in Yemen.

"The NIA got look-out circulars issued through competent authority. Barring these two crucial witnesses, the investigation by the NIA is almost complete," it stated.

"The NIA will complete the investigation at the earliest and will proceed in accordance with the law based on the outcome of the investigation of the case," affidavit added.

The top court by its November 27, 2017 order had set Hadiya free from the custody of her parents and directed that she be allowed to complete her studies at a Salem homeopathy college.

The apex court will hear the case next on March 9.
New Delhi, March 7 : The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved several agreements to boost people-to-people contact between India and France, which are likely to be signed during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron from March 9 to 12.

The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved signing of four agreements between India and France on migration of people, recognition of academic qualifications, prevention of illicit consumption and traffic in narcotic drugs, and cooperation on environment.

"The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the signing of Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between India and France," said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement.

The agreement is expected to be signed during the forthcoming visit of the French President to India, it added.

"The Agreement represents a major milestone in enhancing people-to-people contacts, fostering mobility of students, academics, researchers and skilled professionals and strengthening cooperation on issues related to irregular migration and human trafficking between the two sides," said the Ministry.

The agreement, initially valid for seven years with a provision for automatic renewal, is a testimony to India's rapidly expanding multi-faceted relationship with France and symbolizes the increasing trust and confidence between the two sides, said the statement.

The Cabinet also approved the signing of a deal between India and France to facilitate Mutual Recognition of Educational Qualifications and periods of study undertaken by students in recognised and accredited educational institutions in the two countries.

"The signing of the agreement will help in deepening the educational ties between India and France and will go a long way in boosting the educational relationship between the two countries," said an official statement from the Cabinet.

The deal will be instrumental in encouraging mobility of students from both the countries by facilitating possibilities for them to continue their studies in the other country and would also promote excellence in higher education through partnerships and joint research activities.

The Cabinet further approved an agreement between India and France on the Prevention of the Illicit Consumption and Reduction of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Chemical Precursors, and related offences.

This agreement covers exchange of information, expertise and capacity building. Establishment of effective institutional interaction and curbing transnational narcotics trafficking including disruption of terrorist financing structures is also covered in it.

President Macron and Prime Minister Modi are also likely to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of environment. The Cabinet cleared another agreement that aims to establish and promote closer and long-term cooperation between the countries in the field of environment protection and management of natural resources.

"The Memorandum of Cooperation is expected to bring in the latest technologies and best practices suited to bringing about better environment protection, better conservation, better management of climate change and wildlife protection/conservation," said another official statement.
Kolkata, March 7 : Thirty BJP workers were taken into custody when they tried to force their way into the Kolkata Police headquarters as part of a law violation programme organised by the party on Wednesday.

The agitation was called to protest against atrocities on women, the "violence unleashed by West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on opposition political workers, the worsening law and order situation and police excesses".

With state Bharatiya Janata Party President Dilip Ghosh in the forefront, a large number of BJP workers tried to march to Lalbazar in central Kolkata but the police stopped them by putting up barricades some distance away from the police headquarters.

However, a handful of BJP cadres managed to sneak into Lalbazar, and were arrested.
Islamabad, March 8 : Pakistan on Wednesday postponed the long-awaited reopening of a key border crossing with Afghanistan for unknown reasons, officials said.

Ghulam Khan border, the third major crossing point with Afghanistan in North Waziristan tribal region, was closed in June 2014 after the security forces launched a major operation against the Taliban militants and their foreign hosts in that area.

An official told Xinhua that it was planned to reopen the border on trial basis for a week on March 7 for trade and people, however, it was postponed for an indefinite period. He did not give any specific reason.

However, sources said Pakistani side needs more time to ensure the immigration, custom and other facilities are available at the time of the border reopening.

Pakistan had introduced passport and visa system for those who enter Pakistan in 2016 via Torkham, the biggest crossing between the two countries. Officials say the same system will also be introduced at Chaman, the second largest point, and other notified crossings.

Officials say the Ghulam Khan border point, which will have modern facilities, could become the biggest trade route as the containers that bring Afghan transit goods from Karachi port would use this crossing instead of Torkham.

North Waziristan border Afghanistan's eastern Khost province and Pakistani trucks could move up to Kabul and other cities but it depends on the understanding between the two countries. Current political tensions have badly affected bilateral and transit trade.

Pakistan and Afghanistan signed a transit agreement in the 1960s and revised it in 2010 to allow landlocked Afghanistan to import through Karachi port.
For buyers looking at new construction homes, everything weve observed from years of serving this industry indicates these consumers are ready for an online purchasing option.

New home search portal BuzzBuzzHome is launching online home sales this month, an industry first in North America. Beginning March 7, 2018, buyers purchasing homes at Barra on Queen, a new condo development in Kitchener, ON, will be able to use BuzzBuzzHomes BuyNow feature to complete the transaction digitally using only their credit card. The BuyNow feature allows buyers to select their desired unit, add parking spaces and lockers, sign their sales agreement and pay the initial deposit. Barra on Queen builder Polocorp will be the first adopter of the innovative technology, with more lined up in 2018.

The move will transform BuzzBuzzHome, a Toronto-based tech company founded in 2009, from a new home discovery site into North Americas first viable online marketplace for residential real estate.

BuzzBuzzHome President and co-founder Matthew Slutsky says his companys BuyNow feature will revolutionize the residential real estate industry.

With the introduction of BuyNow, BuzzBuzzHome is allowing new homebuyers to complete the entire purchasing process from the comfort of their home or Realtors office, or wherever else they may be, says Slutsky.

As North Americas largest and most comprehensive listing of new construction homes, buyers could always compare up-to-date pricing, view floorplans and renderings, and explore amenities using our site. But once youve done all that important research, now youll actually be able to complete the deal without leaving the BuzzBuzzHome site, he says.

Slutsky and his team have long believed the physical paperwork and sales center required to sell new construction homes  a $20 billion-plus market in North America  felt very antiquated in the age of Amazon.

Consumers are becoming far more comfortable with the idea of purchasing higher-priced items online, says Slutsky. And, for buyers looking at new construction homes, everything weve observed from years of serving this industry indicates these consumers are ready for an online purchasing option.

After Barra on Queen launches with the BuyNow online purchasing option, Slutsky believes further adoption across the industry will accelerate as builders see the efficiencies, convenience and vastly improved customer experience the platform provides.

At Barra on Queen, Polocorp will also be using the BuzzBuzzhome-developed inventory management system, Daypack. Launched in 2017, the Daypack software gives the homebuilders sales team real-time access to Barra on Queens inventory and allows them to easily track units that have been sold and see whats still on the market. Daypack also directly feeds the BuzzBuzzHome database with up-to-date information on available home inventory, so homebuyers searching online will know exactly which units remain for purchase. The seamless Daypack and BuyNow integration with the BuzzBuzzHome site ensures the new home sales process can be moved entirely online.

"Partnering with BuzzBuzzHomes and Daypack was a no-brainer, says Polocorp CMO Joseph Puopolo. Their digitally savvy and excellent solution will be an important part of the way Polocorp launches projects going forward. Barra is only the first of many projects that will be BuyNow and Daypack enabled."

Slutsky says that homebuilders will be using BuyNow to enable online home sales across both Canada and the United States by the end of 2018.

About BuzzBuzzHome

BuzzBuzzHome (buzzbuzzhome.com) is the leading online search portal for new construction homes. Founded in Toronto in July 2009, the site currently reaches over 700,000 visitors per month and has become a leading online hub for new home purchasers and real estate developers in North America. In 2017, BuzzBuzzHome launched Daypack, a cloud-based POS and inventory management tool for new homebuilders. The company is headquartered in Toronto and has offices in Vancouver and New York City.

About Polocorp

Polocorp (polocorpinc.com) is an integrated land development company focused on building communities. For over 30 years, Polocorp has been a part of the Kitchener-Waterloo community. As a family-built company, Polocorp understands how the urban form can impact a community. Polocorp is committed to building lasting communities for people and their families.

For further information, please contact:

BuzzBuzzHome

Matthew Slutsky

President & Co-Founder

matthew@buzzbuzzhome.com

Office: 416 944 2899

Polocorp

Joseph Puopolo

Chief Marketing Officer

joseph@polocorpinc.com

Office: 519 572 3212
We are very proud to honor these servant leaders. They are titans in the industry, and their work embodies the credit union motto of people helping people, said Timothy L. Anderson, president/CEO of GPO FCU and AACUC board chairman.

On Tuesday, February 27, the African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC), inducted three credit union leaders into its Hall of Fame during an induction reception at the CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington, DC. Credit union leaders throughout the United States and abroad were on hand to help celebrate the accomplishments of these individuals. Inducted were:



The late Hubert Hoosman, former president/CEO of Vantage CU, Bridgeton, MO;

Don Lewis, president/CEO of Aberdeen Proving Ground FCU, Edgewood, MD; and,

Peggy Peacock, board member of MECU, Baltimore, MD.

Hoosman was president/CEO at Vantage CU for 19 years. Under his leadership, Vantage grew from $203 million in assets with three locations and 38,662 members to $705 million in assets with 15 locations and 101,710 members upon his retirement in 2013. Hoosman was an instrumental contributor to the global credit union movement. He was a Chairman of the AACUC and led the effort among credit unions to contribute over 1 million dollars to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC. He traveled to Africa to help establish credit unions with the goal of providing access to affordable banking and financial literacy resources. His wife, Andreal Hoosman, attended to receive the recognition and give remarks.

Lewis has served as the president/CEO of Aberdeen Proving Ground FCU (APGFCU), for 24 years. He became the second president/CEO of the credit union in 1995. He began working in the credit union movement 40 years ago. During his tenure, Lewis has led APGFCU to reach more than a billion dollars in assets and with more than 125,000 members. Lewis and the credit union have been recognized for many awards and accolades. He is credited as the driving force in APGFCUs active community involvement, and as a visionary, continually guiding APGFCU into new areas of opportunity.

Peacock began a public service career when she was hired in 1967 by the City of Baltimore as a Neighborhood Development Assistant for the Community Action Agency. Peacocks involvement with the Inner City Credit Union aided underserved residents of Baltimores inner city. Peacock has been a member of the MECU board of directors for 18 years. Throughout her tenure, she is an active member serving as a MECU Foundation board member, a member of the ALM Committee, co-chair of the Governance Committee, and chairperson of the Strategic Planning Committee.

AACUC special guests included past Hall of Fame honorees, Maurice Smith, president/CEO of Local Government Employees CU, Raleigh, NC, and CUNA board chair; Donald Tynes Sr., board chair at SECU of MD, Linthicum Heights, MD; Isaac Dickson, board chair of Carolina Foothills CU, Spartanburg, SC; Bert J. Hash Jr., retired president/CEO MECU; Herman Williams, board chair, MECU; Sheilah Montgomery, retired president/CEO of Credit Union of Atlanta; Michael Hale, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Arizona FCU, Phoenix.

Industry leaders such as Jim Nussle, president/CEO, CUNA; John Pembroke, president/CEO, CUES; Dan Berger, president/CEO, NAFCU; Chuck Fagan, president/CEO, PSCU; Pamela Owens, senior vice president, National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions provided inspirational remarks.

We are very proud to honor these servant leaders. They are titans in the industry, and their work embodies the credit union motto of people helping people, said Timothy L. Anderson, president/CEO of GPO FCU and AACUC board chairman.

About the African American Credit Union Hall of Fame

On October 16, 2008, the AACUC unveiled an exhibit featuring African Americans in the credit union movement the first 100 years, at the Americas Credit Union Museum in Manchester, NH. Continuing with that effort, the Funding Development Committee created the African American Credit Union Hall of Fame. The virtual hall of fame was launched to accomplish two goals: honor and recognize African Americans who have and are contributing to the credit union movement, and be a consistent source of income for the AACUC through sponsorship opportunities on the website.

To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, you must achieve the following: 1) provide more than 10 years of service in the credit union industry; 2) provide financial services for people in general; and 3) identify at least four significant accomplishments, which advanced access to capital for African-Americans.

Sponsorship opportunities are a great way to recognize your African American peers, co-workers, and colleagues. Hall of Fame inductees, many who are unsung heroes and trailblazers, are typically sponsored by the credit union or a vendor the inductee worked with for $1500. Your membership with the AACUC at the organizational level includes two trailblazer submissions, with additional submissions at $250. Visit http://www.aacuhof.org for more information.
Calvary Houston, which has played an active role in meeting physical and spiritual needs in the local Friendswood, Texas community, will be even more equipped to meet more needs this Easter thanks to a successful new building project. Easter offers an unparalleled reason for Christians to engage in celebration each spring -- the resurrection of Jesus Christ -- but the churchs facility offers one more reason to be excited about Easter this year.

The church will celebrate the grand opening of its recently renovated facility on Easter Sunday. The church recently renovated 40,000 square feet of its existing facility, including a brand-new area for its childrens church ministry, junior high ministry, and high school ministry. In addition, a new fellowship hall is available to be used for annual events and services.

In addition to viewing the beautiful new facility, churchgoers on Easter will have the opportunity to hear a special Easter message by Pastor Ron Hindt. Senior Pastor Ron Hindt is known for his expositional preaching style, where he explains biblical topics in a manner that is practical as well as educational. His goal every Sunday is to equip people to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, love others, and grow in their own relationships with God.

Hundreds of people in Friendswood and the surrounding areas call the church their home on a weekly basis. However, along with its Sunday morning service, the church offers a Sunday prayer service, Sunday youth service, Sunday Spanish service, and Wednesday service. These services have changed thousands of lives and continue to be sources of hope, encouragement, and wisdom for navigating the complexities of modern life.

Calvary Houston, known as a church that loves God, loves His Word, and loves people, will also host a mens conference in March that will equip men to love their families and help their communities in a fresh way. The church was furthermore involved in a conference in early February that focused on fulfilling the Great Commission in Cuba.

This is just a snippet of the churchs major events in 2018, which demonstrate the heart that the church has for people in the local area, as well as those in other parts of the world.
Capstone Strategic Guides PSCU on Acquisition of CU Recovery and The Loan Service Center. Through understanding PSCUs culture and values, Capstone helped identify the right partner that shares our commitment to member service and is aligned with our strategy for growth.

Capstone Strategic, Inc. (Capstone) announced today that PSCU of St. Petersburg, Florida has acquired CU Recovery, Inc. (CUR), a full-service collection agency, and The Loan Service Center, Inc. (TLSC), a first-party collection company. Capstone advised PSCU on the transaction. The acquisition allows PSCU to expand its collection services and provide a more integrated member experience.

Founded in 1977, PSCU is the nations leading credit union service organization (CUSO) offering a comprehensive, highly integrated suite of payment solutions for credit unions to optimize their member experience.

Headquartered in Wyoming, Minnesota and founded in 1990 by CEO Kelly Becker, CUR and TLSC provide two services for credit union clients. CUR is the leading full-service collection agency for credit unions offering a comprehensive suite of third party collection services and TLSC provides part time, full time, temporary, or permanent staff to credit union collection departments. CUR and TLSC will become wholly-owned subsidiaries of PSCU.

Through understanding PSCUs culture and values, Capstone helped identify the right partner that shares our commitment to member service and is aligned with our strategy for growth. We are pleased to add CUR and TLSC to our CUSO, so we can provide a more robust offering and more integrated member experience, said Jack Lynch, Chief Risk Officer at PSCU.

We are excited to offer a full line of debt recovery services to PSCUs member owners. We see robust collections as integral part of the overall risk management strategy for credit unions, enabling growth while minimizing charge offs. As a third-party advisor Capstone, facilitated a smooth and successful transaction, said Vel Davidov, SVP Finance and M&A at PSCU.

We are excited to be joining a team that has a strong commitment to member service and the credit union industry. Together PSCU, CUR, and TLSC will enhance our services for clients and future clients, said Kelly Becker, CEO and owner of CUR and TLSC.

We are thrilled to continue to help PSCU grow through strategic acquisitions. With the acquisition of CUR and TLSC, PSCU will further its solutions for members and accelerate its growth. We have enjoyed our long-term partnership with PSCUs team dating back to the call center acquisition of Digital Dialogue that has now blossomed into Total Member Care and are looking forward to the next chapter, said John Dearing, Managing Director at Capstone.

About Capstone Strategic, Inc.

Founded in 1995, Capstone Strategic, Inc. is the leader in mergers and acquisitions for credit union service organizations (CUSOs). Established by CEO David Braun, Capstone specializes in strategic not-for-sale acquisitions and corporate growth strategies and has facilitated over $1 billion of successful transactions in a wide variety of industries. The firm has helped numerous credit union and CUSO leaders in develop, evaluate, and implement initiatives for growth. Capstone utilizes a proprietary process, The Roadmap to Acquisitions, to provide tailored services to clients in a broad range of domestic and international markets. Visit the Capstone website at http://www.CapstoneStrategic.com. For timely commentary and insights into the M&A market, please visit the Successful Acquisitions blog at http://www.SuccessfulAcquisitions.net. Capstone can also be reached at 703.854.1910 or Growth(at)CapstoneStrategic.com.

About PSCU

PSCU, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, is the nations leading credit union service organization (CUSO). Founded in 1977 as a credit union cooperative, PSCU offers a comprehensive, highly integrated suite of payment solutions for credit unions to optimize their member experience. Today, PSCU supports the success of nearly 900 Owner credit unions representing 20.4 million accounts. Leveraging digital technology, PSCU provides secure, best-in-class solutions including payment processing, risk management, analytics, loyalty programs, marketing, strategic consulting and mobile platforms. Comprehensive, 24/7/365 member support is delivered by contact centers located throughout the United States. For more information, visit pscu.com.
This is our third consecutive year being recognized as the Best of Print & Digital, which absolutely validates our strategic focus on customer loyalty. - John Falconetti, Chairman and CEO of Drummond.

The Best of Print & Digital is an annual, objectively measured third-party program that identifies companies which have achieved the highest level of customer loyalty over the last year. Drummond is one of only three companies in the industry to win this honor in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Drummond, a print and digital communication services company that helps their clients optimize the branded materials supply chain, announces recognition received as an Award Winner of the 2018 Best of Print & Digital program. The company increased its already stellar customer loyalty rating by almost 12% year-over-year, with a score that is approaching five times higher than the industry average NPS score.

The Best of Print & Digital is an annual program that identifies which companies have provided the highest service delivery to their customers over the last year through independent survey research performed by Butler Street Research, in conjunction with NAPCO Media, Printing Impressions, and Print+Promo, for the print and digital industry. The program is based on the Net Promoter System, and only the very top companies in the industry are able to achieve this distinction.

This is our third consecutive year being recognized as the Best of Print & Digital, which absolutely validates our strategic focus on customer loyalty. stated John Falconetti, Chairman and CEO of Drummond. Our culture centers on understanding the needs of our customers and ensuring that everyone in the company places the highest priority on exceeding the customers expectations.

Mike Jacoutot, Butler Streets founder and managing partner shared, This years winners are clearly the best of the best in the industry. Out of the tens of thousands of print and digital companies in the United States, these firms have proven the difference that exceptional customer experience makes and as a result, are poised for increased client loyalty and future profitable growth.

About Drummond

Drummond helps their clients optimize the workflow involved in creating, ordering, printing, and distributing branded materials while providing innovative, measurable, and sustainable improvements. Drummond is an industry leader in Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma strategies, coupled with value design. To learn more about Drummonds innovative approach that focuses on sustained, quantifiable savings for clients visit http://www.drummondpress.com. Drummond is a privately held company headquartered in Jacksonville, FL.

"Net Promoter, Net Promoter System, Net Promoter Score, NPS and the NPS-related emoticons are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., Fred Reichheld and Satmetrix Systems, Inc."
Dublin is an innovative, multicultural city with a talented workforce, global business environment, and the ability to support European languages. Dublin is a great fit for our long term growth.

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys T.D joined Krypt Inc. CTO Rajen Iyer today to announce the expansion of its international operations with European headquarters for the company in Dublin. Krypt, the leading SAP consulting partner for Global Trade and Supply Chain solutions, will initially hire 20 people for operations, sales, and marketing roles as well as SAP technical and functional consultants to support its EMEA business.

At an event today held in Dublin, CTO Rajen Iyer commented, Today we are announcing our expansion in Ireland. We are excited to open a new office space and recruit 20 people over the next 18 months. Dublin is an innovative, multicultural city with a talented workforce, global business environment, and the ability to support European languages. Dublin is a great fit for our long term growth.

Krypt, founded in 2008, recently celebrated their 10 year anniversary. Since its inception, the company has broken into new markets and continues expanding from its headquarters in Silicon Valley. Current presence includes the United States, and international offices in Bangalore, London and Dublin.

______________________________________

About Krypt Inc: Krypt is a global consulting firm and a strategic services partner for SAP system solutions for small to large enterprises. Leveraging Krypts complementary products to go with standard SAP offerings, customers have seen 10% to 40% savings over three years.

Company Name: Krypt Inc.

Address: 3945 Freedom Circle, Suite 550, Santa Clara, CA 95054

Contact Number: 866-960-9605

Email: info(at)kryptinc.com

Web: http://www.kryptinc.com
Jon and I helped to bring insurance online in the late 1990s. Since then, online insurance distribution has been completely focused on the mass-market. We believe that households in the top 10% will also greatly benefit from the convenience of an online model.

Kelly Klee, Inc., the digital insurance broker for successful Americans, announced today that it has raised $4.5 million in Seed funding across two closings. Investors participating in the funding include Gary Tolman, the former CEO of Esurance; David Fitzgerald, former head of business development for Google Compare Insurance; David Wong, former General Partner at Brentwood Associates; LowerMyBills founder Matt Coffin; Kelly Klee CEO Jon Kelly, and Langdell Investments.

Jon and I helped to bring insurance online in the late 1990s. Since then, online insurance distribution has been completely focused on the mass-market. We believe that households in the top 10% will also greatly benefit from the convenience of an online model and one that is built around their unique needs, said Kelly Klee Chairman Gary Tolman.

Kelly Klee also announced today that it has released the first hybrid human-robo advisor for personal insurance. Consumers who visit https://kellyklee.com will now get a personal coverage score and detailed coverage analysis after answering just 14 questions about their assets and lifestyle. Users who would like to receive full coverage plans can then continue with their pre-selected expert advisor, who compare offerings from every major high-end insurer.

Up to this point, online insurance has been about quickly delivering plain vanilla products to the masses. Many of our clients spend over $10,000 per year on their policies and have significant assets to protect. Unfortunately, about 80% come to us with severe coverage gaps. They need expertise. Thats why we built the online coverage advisor with a seamless transition to licensed experts, said founder and CEO, Jon Kelly.

Kelly Klee has grown rapidly since selling its first policy in late 2014. The firm now provides coverage for over $1.2 Billion in assets, underwritten by the very best affluent-focused insurers, such as Chubb, AIG Private Client Group, PURE, Nationwide Private Client, Encompass, and Cincinnati Financial. Kelly Klee is licensed in all 50 states.

"Personalization and digitization are overarching themes in property and casualty insurance today. Successful families expect world-class customer service when it comes to managing their wealth, but the same experience has not translated to the insurance space where the experience is still highly transactional. Kelly Klees singular focus on providing high-quality service and complete coverage to affluent families, coupled with Jon Kelly and Bob Klees deep insurance expertise, provides Kelly Klee with a unique advantage to tackle this market and scale the business. We are very excited to partner with Kelly Klee and participate in their growth, said Langdell Investments partner Pratik Budhdev.

About Kelly Klee

Kelly Klee is the digital insurance broker for successful families, providing coverage for their homes, cars, valuables, and personal liability. Kelly Klee offers tailored coverage plans in all 50 states backed by the nations leading private client underwriters.
PixelMark announces its inaugural scholarship contest to support local high school and first-year college students interested in careers in marketing. With digital marketing careers on the rise due to continued advancements in technology and social media, todays students will help shape the future of this field.

Through the 2018-19 scholarship contest, PixelMark will award three scholarships of $1,000, $500, and $250 to students interested in studying communication, advertising, and/or graphic design.

One of the core values at PixelMark is community. We love working closely with local clients and businesses to help tell their stories through marketing, said Tiffany. This scholarship allows us to further support our community by encouraging local students who will one day be the leaders in this field. When it comes to college, we know every scholarship counts and can help make a college education more affordable.

High school seniors and college freshmen with 16 or fewer credit hours who live in the El Paso/Las Cruces area are invited to apply to the scholarship. Applicants must be planning to attend New Mexico State University, El Paso Community College, the University of Texas, El Paso, or Dona Ana Branch Community College to qualify for the scholarship.

To apply, students must respond to the following question in either a 600-word essay or a two-minute video presentation: Given the dramatic changes in technology and social media over the last 20 years, what do you think is the greatest ethical dilemma facing marketers and advertisers today? Please cite a recent event where a business or organization faced an ethical dilemma or crisis relating to advertising.

Applications must be submitted by May 1. Winners will be announced June 15. For more information or to apply, visit https://pixelmark.net/2018-2019-pixelmark-scholarship-contest/

PixelMark is a digital marketing agency operating as an outsourced marketing department for service-based organizations in El Paso and Las Cruces, and around the country. Founded in 2014, PixelMark helps clients outsmart rather than outspend the competition by streamlining marketing activities and maximizing their clients' team, time, and capital. Learn more at pixelmark.net.
Many of the most influential plan sponsor investors from the institutional investment industry will be providing their valued insights at The Pension Bridge Annual Conference in San Francisco. The industrys only controlled attendance structured event will be held on April 10th and 11th at Four Seasons Hotel, San Francisco. The exclusive conference will attract over 225 pension plans, corporate funds, foundations, endowments and consultants, while capping the investment manager firms in attendance.

Ash Williams, the Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer of the Florida State Board of Administration (SBA) will kick off the 2018 Pension Bridge Annual. Mr. Williams is responsible for managing approximately $195 billion in assets including those of the Florida Retirement System, the fifth largest public pension fund in the U.S. Widely viewed as one of the most influential industry figures, he will be discussing various industry issues as hes interviewed by SBAs general consultant, Kristen Doyle of Aon Hewitt Investment Consulting.

Kyle Bass, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Hayman Capital Management, a Dallas-based hedge fund focused on global event driven opportunities, will follow Ash Williams. Mr. Bass made a name for himself in 2008 when he predicted and effectively bet against the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis. Most recently in October 2017, Mr. Bass was one of the few to warn of danger during an uber-bullish equity environment. He pointed out a correction will begin when a 4% or 5% drop in equities snowballs into a 10% to 15% decline at the drop of a hat. This air-pocket as he called it played out last month with a 12% plunge in the S&P which was the fastest correction off a record high ever recorded. Bass explained, the shift from active to passive means that risk is in the hands of people who dont know how to take risk. This is like portfolio insurance on steroids, the way algorithmic trading is now running the market place. Mr. Bass will be discussing his views on the economic future of China and Japan among several other macroeconomic topics that will have far reaching effects that will reverberate around the world.

Among the panels of note will be the CIO Roundtable. An impressive gathering of chief investment officers are set to discuss various risks, allocations and macro-based approaches for the current low return, high valuation environment. Russell Read of Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, Mansco Perry of Minnesota State Board of Investment (with a dual role as Executive Director), Scott Evans of New York City Office of the Comptroller Bureau of Asset Management and Craig Husting from Public School & Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri (PSRS/PEERS), round out the remarkable group with combined assets totaling well over $350 billion under management. Moderator Andrew Junkin, President of Wilshire Consulting, will steer the CIOs by controlling the discussion content and questions.

The Executive Director/CEO Roundtable, always a popular panel at The Pension Bridge Annual, will bring in industry leaders from the governance side. Paul Matson of Arizona State Retirement System, Dean Kenderdine of Maryland State Retirement and Pension System, Don Drum of Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho and Brian Guthrie from the Teacher Retirement System of Texas will garner considerable attention. Panel moderator Richard Stensrud from the School Employees Retirement System of Ohio will be leading the discussion of the esteemed group to cover various topics that will provide an industry health status check-up.

New panel topics at The Pension Bridge Annual in 2018 will be Artificial Intelligence in Asset Management, Women and Their Increasing Role in Investment Management and Cybersecurity which will be led by Assistant Special Agent In Charge at the FBI, M. K. Palmore.

The Pension Bridge offers educational conferences of the highest quality to the institutional investment community. The Pension Bridge provides an impressive and influential speaker faculty in a controlled attendance setting. The company strives to serve the industry by providing influential insights and concepts at their events while building beneficial relationships between pension plans, consultants and investment managers.
Zoola+Actua Partnership We chose Zoola Analytics because we were blown away by the ease of use and the ability it has to extract data in a meaningful way that we could not find in any other solution.

Lambda Solutions and Actua Solutions are pleased to announce their strategic partnership joining forces to bring the power of Lambdas Zoola Analytics to Actuas customers. The two companies are both award-winning partners and resellers of Totara, a leading open-source learning management system and share the vision to enable organizations in the business of learning to make better data-driven business decisions.

Lambda Solutions developed Zoola Analytics to provide their customers with reporting and analytics capabilities that the out-of-the-box reporting of existing learning management systems were not fulfilling. The focus on data for LMS providers is increasing because their clients are demanding it, says Lambda Solutions Partner Channel Manager Ilana Binenbaum. Zoola Analytics provides insights into time spent learning, to productivity, learner engagement and creates learning efficiency - and the dashboards are so beautiful!

As two of the biggest open-source Learning Management Solutions in the world, Moodle and Totara appeal to organizations for many reasons, including affordability, flexibility, and active community bases with a plug-in marketplace. However, they lack a proper reporting solution. As a reseller of Moodle and Totara, Actua Solutions made it a mandate to overcome this void.

Our customers range from small business to big enterprises, all of whom require robust reporting capabilities from their LMS, says Actua Solutions CEO Mario Planas. We chose Zoola Analytics because we were blown away by the ease of use and the ability it has to extract data in a meaningful way that we could not find in any other solution.

Zoola Analytics was recently declared by Totara as the preferred analytics and reporting solution for Totara Learn.

About Zoola Analytics (Powered by Lambda Solutions):

Zoola Analytics powered by Lambda Solutions, is the market-leading reporting and analytics solution for Moodle, Totara Learn, and xAPI learning technologies. Zoola provides secure access to all of your LMS data and empowers users to quickly and easily create actionable reports and customizable dashboards. Gain real insights from your learning data in minutes, instead of days and have the latest information at your fingertips. Zoola is backed by Lambda Solutions decades of expertise in the Learning Management space. Our complete solution includes a full range of training and services to give you the support you need now and in the future. For more information: lambdasolutions.net/products/lmsreporting.

About Actua Solutions:

Actua Solutions has more than 10 years of experience in the e-learning sector and the trust of many Spanish and multinational companies of recognized international prestige endorse us. Our highly professional team and excellent service will be dedicated to helping you find and implement innovative solutions for your e-learning project. Because we are not only experts in technology, we are a group of professionals passionate about quality e-learning solutions. For more information: http://www.actuasolutions.com/zoola-analytics/.

###

Media Contact for Zoola Analytics and Lambda Solutions:

Heidi King Director of Marketing

1.604.398.3396 heidi.king@lambdasolutions.net

Media Contact for Actua Solutions:

Adriana Bartolini  Marketing & Communications Manager

34.93.306.34.83  comercial@actuasolutions.net
It was very gratifying to win this award for helping others, but what we found even more rewarding were the hugs and smiles we received from those we were able to help.

Renewal by Andersen of Central NC has earned the parent companys 2017 Community Leadership Award. The award is presented to the Renewal by Andersen affiliate that distinguished itself by devoting significant time, talent, and resources to people in need in their communities. The award was presented at the Renewal by Andersen summit meeting in Scottsdale, AZ, in January.

In 2017, Renewal by Andersen of Central NC partnered with, and worked alongside, several local organizations in central North Carolina: The Miracle League of High Point, Greensboro Urban Ministry, Rebuilding Together of the Triangle, Greater Piedmont Teen Challenge, and Urban Ministries of Wake County.

It was very gratifying to win this award for helping others, but what we found even more rewarding were the hugs and smiles we received from those we were able to help, said Angela and Monty Fuller, co-owners of Renewal by Andersen of Central NC.

Renewal by Andersen of Central NC is pleased to add this award to a collection of accolades that also includes Renewal by Andersen Green Diamond awards in 2015, 2016, and 2017 as well as an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Renewal by Andersen was also named a 2017 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year - Sustained Excellence Award winner.

About Renewal by Andersen of Central NC

Renewal by Andersen of Central NC installs award-winning custom replacement windows, patio doors, and entry doors throughout central North Carolina. Visit Renewal by Andersen of Central NC at 7239 ACC Blvd #107, Raleigh, NC 27617 or 4250 Regency Drive #101, Greensboro, NC 27410. Call 919-823-0057 (Raleigh) or 336-355-7648 (Greensboro) or go to http://www.renewalnc.com.
We are thrilled to partner with Liquid Motors, a well known player in the auto remarketing space, and offer MyDealerOnline subscribing dealers an even greater wholesale inventory selection to be included on their own websites, says Yury Kaganov, CEO of MyDealerOnline.

Liquid Motors, a provider of comprehensive Internet marketing solutions for the automotive industry, and MyDealerOnline, a provider of the only product on the market that allows car dealers to broker wholesale auto auction inventory straight from their own websites, today announced a new partnership, which allows customers using Liquid Motors industry-leading, flexible, auto remarketing solutions to gain exposure for their inventory on the dealers websites that are leveraging MyDealerOnlines product.

The partnership allows Liquid Motors customers (auto dealerships, wholesalers, independent auctions, and commercial accounts) to include their vehicles on dealers websites. When a consumer contacts the dealer to buy one of these vehicles, the dealer has a direct link to buy the vehicle from online wholesale marketplaces.

Leveraging consumer demand to get dealers to buy a certain product is a concept that has proven to work, such as is the case with CARFAX vehicle history reports, says Michael Daseke, CEO of Liquid Motors. In our extensive experience in retail and wholesale remarketing of vehicles on the Internet, garnering more exposure, more potential buyers viewing the vehicle on more websites results in selling the vehicles faster and for more money.

MyDealerOnline provides dealers with a greater inventory selection without additional floor plan expenses, investment in working capital, or overhead. Contrary to defunct solutions like Beepi, designed to bypass dealers, MyDealerOnline works directly with dealers to help them satisfy consumer demand. MyDealerOnline helps dealers engage with more consumers by offering greater inventory selection to a wider audience. Since Liquid Motors customers listed over 600,000 vehicles in 2017, this partnership will benefit MyDealerOnline subscribing dealers by greatly increasing available vehicles inventory for display on their websites.

We are thrilled to partner with Liquid Motors, a well known player in the auto remarketing space, and offer MyDealerOnline subscribing dealers an even greater wholesale inventory selection to be included on their own websites, says Yury Kaganov, CEO of MyDealerOnline. Dealers filter available inventory to their liking by variety of criteria, including the distance from their dealerships. Larger selection Liquid Motors provides will improve the quantity of the wholesale vehicles available to dealers in each region of the country. Together we can achieve the ultimate goal of providing the best available tools to sellers, facilitators and dealers in the remarketing spectrum.

The companies completed integration in January of 2018. Liquid Motors customers and MyDealerOnline subscribing dealers can leverage this partnership immediately.

About Liquid Motors (http://www.liquidmotors.com)

Liquid Motors Inc., a Dallas, Texas based corporation, offers the automotive industry a comprehensive Internet marketing solution designed to maximize exposure and lead generation. We provide wholesale merchandising software services to dealers, independent auctions and consignors to reduce the effort to market their vehicles and garner more exposure on the Internet. For dealers, industry partners and OEM manufacturers, we deliver a variety of software services that create a competitive advantage in their retail vehicle merchandising by generating and capturing more cost effective Internet leads using no-cost Internet classifieds, eBay auctions and listings, leading pay classifieds and dealer websites through the implementation of strategic integration, pricing analysis, search optimization and marketing, and compelling multimedia.

About MyDealerOnline (http://www.mydealeronline.com)

MyDealerOnline is a revolutionary digital product that helps every player in the vehicle remarketing space: vehicle suppliers get better exposure to their cars; wholesale auctions and marketplaces get higher conversion rates and shorter sales cycles; car dealers dramatically increase their lead conversion and effectiveness of their online presence, while helping consumers find the vehicle they want on a car dealer website of their choice. MyDealerOnline effectively enables dealers to Sell Before You Buy.
Rick Schomburger His impressive skills and leadership style fit nicely with who we are today and where we are heading.

According to Indigo Signworks Executive Chairman, Denny Chandler, It is with great pleasure to have Rick join our team. Rick is an accomplished business person and we couldn't be more thrilled to have him take the helm to lead and accelerate our growth initiatives. His impressive skills and leadership style fit nicely with who we are today and where we are heading.

Rick began his career by applying his engineering degree as a Project Manager at Universal Scheduling Consulting. He broadened his operating skills as a Plant Manager at Cooper Tools and then Director of Operations at Tyco International, where he led lean initiatives in a complex operational environment. Ricks executive leadership experience began as the COO of Weiser Lock and President Global Manufacturing Solutions for Masco Corporation, and then as General Manager at Rain Bird Corporation. In 2007 he parlayed his skills into entrepreneurship when he personally acquired Solana, leading it through the recession downturn and growing it into the premier landscaping, hardscaping and signage company in Arizona. He recently sold Solana and now sees Indigo as the perfect fit.

His expertise in operations, design-build-install businesses, acquisitions and his demonstrated leadership skills were exactly what we sought, added Chandler.

Rick expressed, I am very excited to be a part of the Indigo Team. Having spent time with both the management team and the Companys investors who are looking to expand, I became convinced that this is the place for me to best utilize my education and experience.

Rick is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and currently lives in Tucson, AZ with his wife Cheryl. Rick will initially be residing in Fargo and he and Cheryl will eventually locate to the Minneapolis where Indigo plans to establish its headquarters. He earned his engineering degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and his MBA from the University of Arizona Eller College of Business.

About Indigo Signworks

Indigo Signworks, Inc. was founded in 1996 to be the premiere sign design, fabrication, installation and service company in the region. Headquartered in Fargo, ND, Indigo Signworks has the largest footprint and staff of any sign company in the area with additional locations in Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot, ND and Alexandria and St. Cloud, MN. As a company committed to high standards of quality, Indigo Signworks mission is to provide excellent customer service in every form of communication with their customer from the very first sale to the necessary service work. For more information on products and services, visit http://www.indigosignworks.com.
Rite-Solutions, Inc. is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a competitive Task Order from Space and Naval Warfare System Command (SPAWAR) Enterprise Systems and Services (PMW 250) under the Rapid Product Development and Sustainment (RaPDS) contract to provide sustainment support for the Department of Defense (DoD) Information Technology Portfolio Repository (DITPR) and Department of Navy (DON) Applications and Database Management System (DADMS). This Task Order, awarded on 1 December 2017, has a 5-year period of performance and total awarded value of $10,945,901. Work will be performed at Rite-Solutions facilities in Middletown, RI and Washington, DC.

The DITPR and DADMS systems support a variety of DoD and DON communities of interest by providing authoritative information for network, server, application, and databases, supporting capital planning and investment processes. Under this Task Order, Rite-Solutions, and our subcontractor Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems Services, will provide software engineering services to sustain, maintain, and operate DITPR/DADMS, as well as implement annual improvement modifications.

Rite-Solutions provides software and systems development services to government, DoD, and commercial markets. We are very pleased to be awarded this initial Task Order under the RaPDS contract, said Michael Taylor, Vice-President Business Operations and Program Management Office. We recognize the importance of DITPR/DADMS and are committed to sustaining these systems to meet the needs of PMW 250 and the user community. Award of this Task Order has allowed us to add additional software professionals to our workforce, which is a win for both Rite-Solutions and the local communities where the work is performed.

Rite-Solutions, Inc. is an award-winning Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concentrating on system engineering, software development, information technology (IT), learning and performance optimization, and information assurance (cyber security) for government and commercial segments. Rite-Solutions has offices in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Washington D.C. and Virginia. For more information, please visit http://www.rite-solutions.com.
Integrated Control Corp. (ICC), an innovative Food Safety Solutions company announces the launch of their new website. Their focus is to provide new and existing clients with easy access to their products and services online.

ICCs new website consists of a responsive design thats user-friendly regardless of whether visitors are accessing it from a Smartphone, Tablet, laptop or a even a Desktop.

The leading food safety solutions company provides an assortment of cost-effective services to streamline their clients businesses. The company's services range from Wireless Temperature Monitoring to Custom Ordering Kiosks and Product Management Solutions to HACCP Safety Temperature Solutions. ICCs additional services include the following:

 Spot Check Thermometers

 Inventory Tools

 Temperature Monitoring

 Equipment Timers

 Grab 'n' Go Labels

 Order Confirmation Labels

 Food Safety Labels

 Beer Sales Monitoring System

 Coffee Sales Monitoring System

 HACCP Kitchen Label Printers

 Audible Alert Systems

 Hygiene Management Systems

 Geo Fencing & Shipping & Transportation

The services above are only a handful of food safety solutions the company offers. In addition, they provide product management real time systems. Their systems enable restaurant owners and managers to see how their restaurants are operating without being present physically. More importantly, their solutions gives restaurants more control over their business.

The company also educates restaurant owners and managers about innovative ways to make a food service business run more effectively. They are in business for the long haul and they are looking forward to developing better ways to serve their clients and the community.

To learn more about Integrated Control Corp., visit their website located at: http://www.goicc.com and https://www.goicc.com/about.

About Integrated Control Corp. (ICC)

Integrated Control Corp. (ICC) is conveniently located in the heart of Huntington, New York, on the North Shore, on Long Island. ICC offers their clients improved solutions for food safety. They cater to a diverse selection of business entities ranging from restaurants to catering businesses and companies within the foodservice industry.

The company is known for their commitment to making compliance with food safety regulations a trouble-free experience. They utilize state-of-the-art tools, record keeping tools and wireless monitoring tools. As food safety solution experts, they also employ the latest in smart technology to ensure a restaurants overall user experience is efficient, safe and healthy.

For more details about Integrated Control Corp. or to contact them regarding media relations, call their office directly at: (631) 673-5100 or toll free at 1-877-ICC-8788. An ICC representative may also be reached via email at: sales(at)goicc(dot)com.
Dual enrollment enables Placer County students to take Sierra College classes at their high school campuses. Dual enrollment is taking a college class in the comfort of high school

Brenn Haydon has an ambitious plan and she's working it. A senior at Placer High School in Auburn, California, she's intent on graduating in June with enough academic credits to enter college as a sophomore. She and a growing number of students in Placer County--some headed for college and others into the workforce--are taking dual enrollment courses during the school day on their high school campus.

It seemed too good to be true," she said of her first day there, "The teacher had to repeat several times, that yes, we were taking an actual college course and it was free!" Brenn has always intended on going to college, but the program is also filled with students who never saw themselves as college material, until now.

"Dual enrollment has prepared me for college in a way that no other class has," Brenn commented, "The teachers treat us like college students. Their expectations are high and they push us to study hard and learn skills needed to pass college courses." She tells all her friends, "that dual enrollment is taking a college class in the comfort of high school."

Introduced in 2015 through a partnership between Sierra College and Placer Union High School District, dual enrollment gives students preparing to transfer to a four year university a head start on their college careers and eases the transition from high school to college. Students in Career Technical Education (CTE) courses can achieve certification and can enter (or be close to entering) the workforce in good paying jobs. Since that time, other high schools have come on board, including: Rocklin Unified, Center High School (Sacramento County), Placer County Office of Education CTEWorks, and Western Sierra Collegiate Academy.

All classes are taught in the student's classrooms by high school instructors qualified to teach college. Credits for completing the courses count toward high school diplomas and, at the same time, toward lower division courses in each of the three tiers of the states secondary education system: at a California Community College, California State University, or at the University of California. In Placer County, the partnership between Sierra and Placer Union High School District has already seen remarkable results in just three semesters: 96% of dual enrollment students pass their coursework and 1,700 students have completed 3,822 college credits. And these credits translate into dollars. For example, Brenn Haydon who intends to earn a doctorate in English or will save her family some $7,000 in college tuition.

History of Dual Enrollment

As originally conceived, the targets of dual enrollment were high achievers in academics like Brenn Haydon. But over the past few decades, educators had experimented with using dual credit courses to help other students, and researchers have compiled the results. A substantial number of published studies in school districts across the country have concluded that dual enrollment works not only for the college-bound but also for those headed into the workforce.

At California community colleges, researchers found that dual students who earned certificates or degrees in workforce development had earned an average of 7.5 percent more in their jobs after college than non-dual students; and that dual enrollment students in the field of healthcare had found jobs earning 12.5 percent more than their non-dual peers.

Then came the findings for students from low income households whose members have never gone to college and often struggle in high school: through dual enrollment they were having more success. Many had found the challenge of college classes to be motivational and confidence-building. In a significant number of cases, high school dropout rates had declined. Kids who never thought they could, were going to college. Whether for technical training or for transfer to a four year college, investigators have amassed solid evidence that dual enrollment improves student outcomes.

The California Story

In 2002 disaster struck the efforts to accelerate dual enrollment in California. A few community colleges (not Sierra) were found to be misusing the state funds. In response, the legislature clamped down on dual enrollment statewide to prevent such abuse.

"At the same time, they took away local initiatives," said Willy Duncan, President of Sierra College. "The new laws and regulations put barriers in place that kept us from providing dual enrollment." As educators in high school and college districts from Washington State to Florida innovated new and more effective programs, dual enrollment languished in California.

But lawmakers with a keen interest in education soon set out to undo the damage done. They proposed, but failed to approve, a dozen bills over ten years to give educators flexibility to provide dual courses while guarding against misuse of funds. Then in 2011 they approved the College Promise Act which eased up on restrictions. As a kind of test, it allowed for the Long Beach Community College and their local high school districts to forge agreements and undertake more innovative dual enrollment initiatives.

Placer County Steps Up

Willy Duncan who is known for his "just get it done" attitude teamed up with the like-minded George Sziraki, Superintendent of the Placer Union High School District. With passage of the Long Beach legislation, they anticipated that a statewide law would, within a few years, find its way through the legislature.

They started to meet in work sessions with superintendents of the seven local high school districts. "A new state law with less-restraining regulations would, help launch dual enrollment, but didnt solve all of the issues," said Duncan. "That would require changes to a myriad of local college and high school policies and procedures." Duncan and Sziraki intended, for example, to implement these new dual courses in the high schools which, the research said, would provide the best student outcomes. The instructor needed to be a familiar face, a high school teacher with college-level credentials; but, for that, new procedures had to be developed. "Okay, how do we make this happen?" asked Duncan, "and we collaborated to find solutions--for the sake of the student."

Meanwhile in Long Beach, assessments over three years of dual enrollment efforts were positive. The numbers of students taking and passing college-level math and English in high school had significantly increased; while the number of students needing remedial coursework on entering Long Beach City College had markedly decreased.

In the Sacramento legislature, momentum was building to reform dual enrollment laws. By spring 2015, legislators had introduced three bills and finally managed to pass one of them, AB 288. It removed barriers and facilitated dual enrollment partnerships between high school and college districts. In October, Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill into law.

At Sierra College and in nearby Auburn at the Placer Union High School District, Willy Duncan and George Sziraki were standing by. Their policies and procedures were all worked out and their partnership agreement was signed. "We were ready to launch," said Duncan.

They started off with three courses serving 90 students at Placer High, expanding to 15 course sections serving nearly 500 students in the 2016-17 school year. This represented nearly 1,500 college units earned and some $65,000 in enrollment fees saved by families with students passing a dual course. In the fall term, the college provided 30 course sections serving 700 students, saving their families more than $100,000 in college enrollment fees.

Meanwhile Brenn Haydon is well on her way to making her dreams come true. "I plan to become a college professor and published author," she said. "I want to continue to be involved in the learning process. What better way is there to impact my community than through education?

As high school students plan their courses for next year, Sierra College encourages them to consider the advantages of dual enrollment. Learn more about how to enroll in Dual Enrollment at Sierra College.

About Sierra College

Sierra College District is rising to the needs of our community. Sierra College serves 3200 square miles of Northern CA with campuses in Roseville, Rocklin, Grass Valley, and Truckee. With approximately 125 degree and certificate programs, Sierra College is ranked first in Northern California (Sacramento north) for transfers to four year Universities, offers career/technical training, and classes for upgrading job skills. Sierra graduates can be found in businesses and industries throughout the region.
Docsmore Academia For a school with a small staff with many overlapping roles, the challenges of managing paper were quite demanding.

Docsmore, a North Carolina company, is a cloud-platform application that helps organizations with an innovative and smart technological solution; it converts their forms and PDFs to "Smart Documents" that are fillable online. Their clients include a broad range of industry leaders who are working in paper-intensive industries, seeking to streamline their sales processes, increase the efficiency of data retrieval, securely store high volumes of data, and dramatically reduce the paper management workload on their staff.

Once Docsmore's founders, Bobbie and Soven Shrivastav enrolled their daughter, Savana, in Montessori School, they quickly saw similar data collection and paper management issues for the school. "Soven and I rapidly realized," said Bobbie Shrivastav, CEO & Co-Founder, "that for a school with a small staff with many overlapping roles, the challenges of managing paper were quite demanding. And, at a school the size of Montessori, there is, perhaps an even greater need for our system than at some of the larger companies we work with, where there are many administrators who can step in to assist with document management when needed."

"So, we offered to design a Docsmore solution for Montessori," continued Soven Shrivastav, CTO & Co-Founder. "Working with the Montessori staff, we came up with a custom solution, first for their enrollment process, and then, for their field trip permission slip management. Their parents and staff love those systems, and now they are asking us to add on more features. Our success at Montessori led us to develop our new line of business, Docsmore Academia."

Docsmore recently hired Debra Perret as Business Development Director for Docsmore Academia. Perret has ten years of experience working in development, communications, and special events in independent schools. Over the last 15 years, she has successfully consulted with independent and charter schools on strategic planning, capital campaigns, and high-end special events. Equally important, Perret has direct experience in the school system as the mother of two sons who attended Montessori, independent, magnet, charter, and public schools.

Docsmore Academia will officially launch at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Conference on March 7-9, 2018 in Atlanta, GA.

Docsmore LLC, is an end-to-end, document management system. It provides a paperless, industry-leading, secure, cloud-based storage solution. With a single application, the platform holistically manages collaboration, interaction, security, electronic signatures, and geo-data photo management. Moreover, it streamlines data collection, reporting, and real-time tracking. Docsmore clients increase their productivity and efficiency while saving money, time, and stress. Docsmore was established in Winston-Salem, NC, in 2016.

For more information about Docsmore Academia, please visit the website at:

http://www.docsmore.com/academia

Contact Information

Debra Perret

Docsmore Academia

academia(at)docsmore.com

+1 858-863-6673
Members of Our Childrens Trust and the young plaintiffs suing the federal government stage a protest. Photo by Robin Loznak. Our Childrens Trust will generate more public awareness of the critical need for governments to control environmental pollution. -Prize co-founder Julie Walters.

Dickinson will present advocacy organization Our Childrens Trust with The Sam Rose 58 and Julie Walters Prize at Dickinson College for Global Environmental Activism. The $100,000 prize is given annually to an individual or organization that makes a defining difference and advances responsible action on behalf of the planet, its resources and people.

Our Childrens Trust leads a global climate recovery campaign, elevating the voice of youththose with most at stake in the climate crisisto favorably impact their futures through advocacy, public education and civic engagement. Our Childrens Trust will generate more public awareness of the critical need for governments to control environmental pollution, said prize co-founder Julie Walters. All of the Rose-Walters Prize selections have been made to bring focus to the damages occurring to the only environment in which we all live.

Our Childrens Trust has gained national attention for supporting 21 young people who have brought a landmark federal lawsuit against the president and multiple federal agencies. They argue the federal governments affirmative actions, supporting fossil fuel development and consumption violate the plaintiffs constitutional and public trust rights. The lawsuit, Juliana v. United States, filed in 2015, is named after the oldest plaintiff, Kelsey Juliana. Our Childrens Trust expects the case to go to trial later in 2018. The suit aims to compel the government to develop and carry out a science-based climate recovery plan to reduce fossil-fuel emissions and draw down carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to levels below 350 parts per million by the year 2100.

Julia Olson, Our Childrens Trusts founder, executive director and chief legal counsel, will accept the prize at Dickinsons commencement exercises on May 20. Olson has more than 15 years experience representing grassroots conservation groups, with a particular interest in the intersection of human rights and environmental protection issues. She teaches environmental courses at the University of Oregon School of Law.

In addition to the monetary award, Dickinsons Rose-Walters Prize includes a short residency in the 2018-19 academic year. Olson will meet with Dickinsons many student environmental-leadership groups and faculty, participate in class discussions and give a public presentation.

Our Childrens Trust has ties to Dickinson through first-year student Sophie Kivlehan, who is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Kivlehan has been outspoken about the legal action, addressing the issue at the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) 23 climate summit in Bonn, Germany, in 2017. She is the granddaughter of former NASA climatology expert and activist James Hansen, who received Dickinsons Joseph Priestley Award in 2013. The award is presented annually to scientists whose work has contributed to the welfare of humanity. Additionally, Dickinson alumnus Patrick McGinley serves on Our Childrens Trusts board of directors. He teaches environmental, administrative and natural resources law at the West Virginia University College of Law.

Previous recipients of the Rose-Walters Prize are Brett Jenks, CEO of conservation nonprofit Rare; Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Kolbert; award-winning actor and environmental activist Mark Ruffalo; author and environmental activist Bill McKibben; Apples vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives and former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson; and award-winning nature photographer James Balog.

# # #

Dickinson is a highly selective private liberal-arts college of 2,400 students and a national leader and innovator in sustainability education. Students are challenged through classroom studies, living laboratories, service learning, student-faculty research and study abroad to build the knowledge and skills that are needed to create a sustainable world. Opportunities for hands-on learning include working with community groups to protect local watersheds and air quality, learning about solar energy, growing food on the colleges USDA-certified organic farm and producing biogas from food waste. Sustainable practices and values are underscored by a commitment to climate neutrality, green building practices, socially responsible investment and diverse community engagement.

Dickinsons achievements and leadership have earned the highest recognitions from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, Sierra Magazine, the Sustainable Endowments Institute, The Princeton Review and Second Nature. http://www.dickinson.edu.
We remain committed to acquiring firms that are committed to enhancing the client experience through a culture of collaborations.

Alera Group, a leading national employee benefits, property and casualty, risk management and wealth management firm, has acquired Benefit Planning Services (BPS), located in Norwalk, Connecticut, and IMG Benefits Group LLC, located in Houston, Texas. Terms of the transactions were not announced.

Benefit Planning Services (BPS), located in Norwalk, Connecticut, has been focused on providing benefits solutions since 1980. BPS offers a variety of services from group health insurance to executive benefits packages and more. With some accounts spanning three decades, BPS is dedicated to nurturing long-term client relationships.

IMG Benefits Group, LLC is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and focuses on the creation of strategic employee benefit programs tailored to each clients needs. The firm has been built on five pillars: helping clients stay informed, providing client support, assisting in the implementation process, serving as an advocate and being a strategic benefits resource. IMG Benefits is committed to their clients success through innovative solutions.

We remain committed to acquiring firms that are committed to enhancing the client experience through a culture of collaborations. These two firms are strong additions to Alera Group, said Alan Levitz, CEO of Alera Group. We are excited to welcome Benefit Planning Services and IMG Benefits Group to Alera Group.

Alera Group continues to grow organically and through acquisitions since its formation in December 2016. For more information on partnering with Alera Group, visit Partnership Opportunities at http://www.aleragroup.com.

About Alera Group

Based in Deerfield, IL, Alera Groups over 900 employees serve more than 20,000 clients nationally. Alera Group, is committed to enhancing the client experience within their employee benefits, property and casualty, risk management and wealth management practices. Alera Group is comprised of high-performing, entrepreneurial firms across the U.S. It is the 15th largest independent insurance agency and the 7th largest independent employee benefits firm in the country. For more information, visit http://www.aleragroup.com or follow Alera Group on Twitter: @AleraGroupUS.
BILT is a revolutionary new way to assemble and install Medeco cylinders and deadbolts. Using BILT greatly enhances the speed and efficiency of installing Medeco products. This ultimately results in fewer operating problems with the opening and fewer callbacks.

Medeco Security Locks, a division of ASSA ABLOY N.A., has announced that intelligent installation instructions for many of its cylinder and deadbolt products are now available on the BILT mobile app. The fully-interactive, voice narrated step-by-step guides simplify installation and shorten the time it takes to accomplish the job.

We've simplified retrofit cylinder installation to a whole new level with the BILT app, said Joseph Kingma, Medeco general manager and vice president, ASSA ABLOY high security group special projects. Now we can guide an installer through a trouble-free installation, plus explain what hardware and tools are needed for each step. The BILT app lets you zoom in, zoom out or rotate the image to see the installation from all angles. We've eliminated a lot of the guess-work thats common with paper instructions, and that can be a real time saver for installers.

The BILT app is especially helpful for one-time and first-time installations, but even veteran installers will use the app as a refresher before heading to the job site.

Using BILT greatly enhances the speed and efficiency of installing Medeco products, added Kingma. This ultimately results in fewer operating problems with the opening and fewer callbacks.

The BILT app is free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play, or visit Medecos website for d irect links. BILT provides seamless updates if a product changes or if installation instructions are updated. The result is an always-up-to-date set of instructions and warranty that continually reflect the current product.

BILT features installation instructions for the following Medeco products:



M3 CLIQ Key In Knob (KIL)

M3 CLIQ Protector II Padlock

Maxum Deadbolt

X4 CLIQ Rim Cylinder

XT Mortise Cylinder

XT Small Format Interchangeable Core (SFIC)

About Medeco:

Founded in 1968 and based in Salem, Va., Medeco is a market leader in mechanical and electronic locks and locking systems for security, safety, and control. The companys customer base includes wholesale and retail security providers, original equipment manufacturers, and institutional, commercial, industrial and residential end-users. Visit http://www.medeco.com/bilt for additional information.

About ASSA ABLOY:

ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in door opening solutions, dedicated to satisfying end-user demands for security, safety and convenience. For more information, go to http://www.assaabloy.com.

ABOUT BILT:

At its heart, BILT is a consumer experience company. BILT partners with manufacturers intent on delighting customers with an exceptional user experience. BILT is a mobile app that connects manufacturers to consumers in a way that has never been done before. From the moment of first interaction, through set up, maintenance, repair and warranty, BILTs Intelligent Instructions help manufacturers reduce customer service costs, assembly errors and product returns while increasing customer confidence, loyalty, Net Promoter Scores and upselling opportunities.
Cafe Joe Whole Bean Coffee The ability to freshly grind Cafe Joe whole beans gives our customers another way to enjoy Cafe Joe and the blends we work so hard to source and produce. said Aron Schoenfeld, Cafe Joe USA's Chief Executive Officer.

Cafe Joe, the premier Israeli coffee chain has gained a reputation for excellence and has had a significant impact on the Israeli coffee culture for the last 20 years. Cafe Joe USA has taken that commitment to excellence across the Atlantic and into North American households. The team is excited to announce that their renowned whole bean coffee is now available online and Amazon.

After releasing Cafe Joes innovative Nespresso compatible capsules and coffee to American consumers just a few months ago, the latest whole bean offering is another step in providing responsibly-sourced, delicious coffee to households around the world.

The two, new whole bean options will be sold in 1kg and 250g bags. Boker and Rosh Hashanah are both hand-crafted blends whose freshness is felt in the quality of the coffee and can be enjoyed in every sip.

Boker blend:

Awaken to a new day with Boker (morning in Hebrew), a slightly bitter, yet delicate blend of Arabica beans. Boker welcomes you with a bright floral sweetness of sunflowers and pears to complement its smooth body.

Rosh Hashanah:

This sweet Arabica blend has a strong body that mixes perfectly with a cup of hot milk. Rosh Hashanah (new year in Hebrew) starts your day with a chocolaty sweetness and subtle hints of baking bread. Its milky richness is balanced by mild acidity and notes of plum - making for a full-bodied coffee.

The Cafe Joe Commitment to Excellence

Cafe Joes bean roasting and coffee producing process has remained true to its roots. The state of the art coffee production facility is located in the heart of Israel and currently produces 300 tons of coffee annually.

The highest quality, green beans are sourced from the finest coffee farms in the world and examined by Italian coffee experts before being vetted by our in-house team. Each coffee variety is roasted separately, in small batches. This allows Cafe Joe to preserve the individual flavor and scent profiles that are distinctive to the area from which the coffee originates.

The ability to freshly grind Cafe Joe whole beans gives our customers another way to enjoy Cafe Joe and the blends we work so hard to source and produce. said Aron Schoenfeld, Cafe Joe USA's Chief Executive Officer.
Dealer-FX Customer Connect takes the dealership BDC to a whole new level, using every communication channel and reason to connect with customers to drive retention, revenue, improved efficiency and a seamless customer experience.

Dealer-FX, the leading customer experience management provider for automotive OEMs and their retailers, announced the release of Customer Connect 3.0, an enhanced, innovative and powerful BDC communication tool for dealers. As dealers increasingly utilize business development centers (BDCs) to interface with customers, Customer Connect gives agents valuable new capabilities to improve the customer experience and drive cost efficiencies. It controls all inbound and outbound communications via text, phone, and email, aligning message delivery with customer preferences to provide a frictionless experience.

Powerful Customer Retention Tool

Customer Connect runs targeted campaigns designed to reach the right customers with the right message at the right time. It includes BDC Accelerator, a sophisticated auto dialer that greatly improves agent efficiency. BDC Accelerator automatically dials each contact. If voicemail picks up, a single click leaves a professional pre-recorded voicemail while the agent calls the next contact. It can also run personalized text and email campaigns. Customer Connect generates targeted outbound campaign lists and call scripts for all of the following campaign types:



Recalls and software updates

Declined and deferred services

Lost souls and potentially lost customers

Missed appointment reminders and follow-ups

Overdue for service reminders

Special and seasonal offers

Efficiency, Profit and Customer Experience Driver

Customer Connect expands the capabilities of the BDC by linking directly to the Service Dashboard, giving agents access to real-time information that only service advisors previously had. It frees advisors to spend less time answering vehicle status questions and more time serving customers in the dealership. Since BDC agents are almost always available, customers don't play phone tag with advisors or wait on hold for information, improving their experience. Customer Connect lets BDC agents engage with customers in multiple ways:

Provide vehicle status updates and promise times

Have text conversations with both customers and advisors

Provide information about outstanding recalls and software updates

Make and change service appointments

Answer questions about factory and dealer recommended maintenance

"We are extremely excited to offer our dealers a product with so many valuable capabilities," said Gary Kalk, President and CEO of Dealer-FX. "Customer Connect takes the dealership BDC to a whole new level, using every communication channel and reason to connect with customers to drive retention, revenue, improved efficiency and a seamless customer experience. It also provides a simple and easy solution for dealers to communicate with their customers."

Customer Connect is included with Dealer-FX's ONE Platform at no additional cost. As with the entire set of ONE Platform solutions, Customer Connect uses certified, bi-directional integration with the DMS and leading third parties, and shares data across all of its solutions. It also includes comprehensive reporting and analytics at the customer, campaign and agent levels, helping dealers utilize their resources most effectively to grow revenue and profits.

About Dealer-FX

Dealer-FX is transforming how millions of consumers interact with automotive brands and their retailers. Our customer experience management platform uses advanced data analysis and mobile applications to deliver convenience, transparency and trust to consumers, and increased efficiency, profitability, retention and brand loyalty to OEMs and dealers. The company is backed by the strength and resources of HGGC.

Dealer-FX's core offering, ONE Platform, is comprised of seven components, which along with the Service Dashboard, manage the entire service experience from initial contact through drive-off and to next visit. It delivers the best dealer service experience. Period.

Dealer-FX is the exclusive or preferred service technology provider for FCA, Nissan, Infiniti, Toyota, Lexus, Audi, VW, Mitsubishi and several other OEMs in the US and Canada, and has more than 2,500 dealership clients. Dealer-FX is based in Toronto, ON, and maintains an office in Rochester Hills, MI. For more information please visit dealer-fx.com, or connect on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
SLCC President Deneece G. Huftalin She inspires each one of us to give our personal best every day to our students, faculty and colleagues, to our institution, and to our community.

Salt Lake Community College President Deneece G. Huftalin received the NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 2018 President's Award, which recognizes NASPA members' outstanding work in the student affairs profession.

The NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators) honor is presented to a college or university president or chancellor who has, over a sustained period, advanced the quality of student life on campus by supporting the institution's student affairs staff and initiatives.

Since assuming her role as SLCC's eighth president in 2014 after a remarkable 22 years of service to the institution, Dr. Huftalin has continued to magnify her mark on campus with collaborative and effective approaches to strengthen learning communities, improve the first-year experience, focus in on targeted learning outcomes and launch expanded inclusivity initiatives.

Aynoa Rincon Rondon, SLCC Student Association president, noted, "Not only has (Dr. Huftalin) impacted students as a whole, but also students from diverse backgrounds. SLCC is currently the most diverse institution in the state of Utah and we are proud of this great achievement due to the efforts made by her in the past years. These changes perfectly align to the mission, vision and values of the institution, which have been reviewed and updated, since President Huftalin was named president."

Sam Ortiz, community director at Brown University, remembers fondly how Dr. Huftalin changed his life. "As a first-generation college student, I didn't have anyone at home who could give me assistance, and so having Deneece's support was crucial. I can't imagine how different my experience would have been without her. After years of investing her time and energy into helping me be successful, when it was time for me to move on, it was Deneece who not only provided encouragement but helped me navigate the application process."

In spite of her expanded responsibilities, Dr. Huftalin remains an engaged member of NASPA and has held leadership roles as the state, regional and national level, all the while championing and supporting with both encouragement and resources the professional development of her staff. Jeff Aird, vice president for Institutional Effectiveness at SLCC, surmised working alongside Dr. Huftalin by saying, "She inspires each one of us to give our personal best every day to our students, faculty and colleagues, to our institution, and to our community."

NASPA is the leading association for the advancement, health and sustainability of the student affairs profession. NASPA's work provides high-quality professional development, advocacy and research for 15,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries and 8 U.S. territories.

Salt Lake Community College is an accredited, student-focused, comprehensive community college meeting the diverse needs of the Salt Lake community. Home to more than 60,000 students each year, the College is Utah's leading provider of workforce development programs. SLCC is also the largest supplier of transfer students to Utah's four-year institutions and a perennial Top 10 college nationally for total associate degrees awarded. The College is the sole provider of applied technology courses in the Salt Lake area, with multiple locations, an eCampus, and nearly 1,000 continuing education sites located throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Personal attention from an excellent faculty is paramount at the College, which maintains an average class size of 20.
Juli Pierce My goal has always been to make Yellowstone County a safe place, especially for those who are particularly vulnerable. Our citizens need someone who is experienced, fair, and hard working.

Contact:

Juli Pierce

406-545-0542

Former Chief Deputy Yellowstone County Attorney Juli Pierce has filed as a candidate in the race for District Court Judge. She seeks to fill the new Department 8 judgeship recently created by the state legislature.

"I have extensive courtroom experience from my thirteen-year tenure at the Yellowstone County Attorney's Office," Pierce says. "As a prosecutor, I helped to convict child abusers, sexual predators, serial rapists and other violent offenders. My goal has always been to make Yellowstone County a safe place, especially for those who are particularly vulnerable. Our citizens need someone who is experienced, fair and hard working. I am all of those things and more."

Since leaving the County Attorney's office in 2017, Pierce has worked for Moulton Bellingham, PC, a well-known Billings law firm. She handles family law, civil litigation and criminal defense cases, and she also represents abused and neglected children.

To schedule an interview with Juli, please phone 406-545-0542. Additional information can also be found at julipierce.com.

###

Juli Pierce Bio

Juli is a Billings native and a graduate of Skyview High School. She earned a BA in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Gonzaga University and, after working as a social worker in Billings, she attended the University of Washington School of Law. She is a former prosecutor for the Yellowstone County Attorney's office, and she has worked diligently on legislation related to strengthening child abuse and domestic violence laws. She is currently an associate attorney with the firm of Moulton Bellingham, PC.

Paid for by Juli Pierce for District Court Judge Dept. 8, PO Box 3221, Billings, MT 59103

Ariel Overstreet-Adkins, Treasurer
Adam Sterling The new platform provides those interested with a wide range of executive education programs in key areas where law, business, leadership and technology intersect

UC Berkeley School of Law (Berkeley Law) today unveiled its new online executive education platform, a website that provides direct links to the schools mid-career education offerings, including its academies, executive courses, certificate programs, and customized trainings.

The new platform links practicing attorneys, corporate executives, and nonprofit leaders to courses and programs so that they can keep pace with the rapidly evolving landscape in such areas as cybersecurity, financial technology, and venture capital deal-making.

The website provides those interested with a wide range of executive education programs in key areas where law, business, leadership, and technology intersect, said Adam Sterling, executive director of the schools Berkeley Center for Law and Business (BCLB). The site also lists Berkeley Laws minimum continuing legal education (MCLE) courses required by the State Bar of California.

Were trailblazing new terrain here, Sterling added. Berkeley Law is the one place for these innovative, topical courses and programs that many peoplelawyers, finance industry folks, investors, corporate leadersreally need.

The Executive Education platform provides a direct connection to the schools executive academies, which offer intensive certificate programs for business leaders and practicing attorneys in hot button areas such as blockchain technology and alternative energy innovation, and well as workplace issues.

For example, a course, The Globalization of the #MeToo Movement  Anti-Harassment Executive Academy, has been scheduled for May 15 at the UC campus. Another three-day executive academy, "Blockchain for Lawyers," is scheduled to start July 30.

"We have not only scheduled a full range of law courses over the summer in such traditional areas as IP and M&A, but we're also courses in cutting edge topics such as design thinking, cyber security and data strategy," said Sterling.

Berkeley Law Professor Robert Bartlett said participants can walk away with both enhanced knowledge and immediately deployable skills. Whether its cryptocurrencies, venture capital deal-making, or valuation, our exec education programs leverage the scholarly expertise of Berkeleys prestigious faculty along with our deep industry contacts to offer a truly unique, hands-on educational experience, said Bartlett.

The platform also includes a calendar of its course offerings.

About Berkeley Law and the Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Berkeley Law is one of 14 schools and colleges at the University of California, Berkeley. Consistently ranked as one of the nation's top law schools, it has produced leaders in law, government, and society. Among its notable graduates are Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren, Secretary of State of the United States Dean Rusk, U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese, American civil rights activist Pauli Murray, California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso, president and founder of the Equal Justice Society Eva Paterson, and United States Northern District of California Judge Thelton Henderson.

The Berkeley Center for Law and Business is Berkeley Laws hub for rigorous research, education, and programming on the interrelationships of the law, business, and the economy. Its areas of focus include venture capital and entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility, capital markets, and mergers and acquisitions. In 2017-18, the center will offer more than 60 unique courses in business law, more than 50 leadership presentations, and 15 major conferences in eight countries.
Zephyr Real Estate recently hosted its annual Top Producer Cocktail Party, and Tim Gullicksen of the Gullicksen Group was in attendance.

Accepting his award for the No. 1 Team at Zephyrs Pacific Heights office is not a new accomplishment for Gullicksen. This is the seventh consecutive year that Gullicksen is receiving this No. 1 award. He thanked his team members, Jonathan Davis and Virginia Thackwell, for their great work and continued support. Gullicksen looks forward to continuing to serve San Francisco Bay Area clients with the top real estate service. He said he also hopes to maintain his top real estate agent status throughout 2018 and into the future.

This years annual Top Producer Cocktail Party was held at the Golden Gate Yacht Club. To learn more about Tim J. Gullicksen and his successful year of sales, check out his review on Yelp.com, and for further information, reach out by calling 415-370-5277.

About the company:

Tim Gullicksen has been a top-producing real estate agent since he first entered into the business and takes great pride in managing every aspect of each transaction. After graduating from high school in the South Bay, Tim earned a bachelors degree in political science and history from the University of California-Berkeley. He went on to earn his teaching credentials from JFK University in Orinda and taught kindergarten in the San Jose Unified School District. He brings an educational approach to real estate developed from that background and sees himself as a facilitator of property transactions. For more information, visit his website at http://www.gullicksengroup.com/.
2017 Advancing Education Scholarship Winners There are so many bright young students across the state who have promising futures ahead of them when given the right opportunities to pursue their potential. As a company we want to help them get off to a strong start in their academic endeavors.

Award-winning Nashville-based financial services company Advance Financial is accepting applications now through March 30 for its Advancing Education Scholarship program. Scholarships are available to seniors at accredited Tennessee schools who reside in a county served by Advance Financial. The students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA and plan to attend a two- to four-year institution in the United States as an undergraduate.

The $1,000 awards are provided to cover part of the students college expenses for the fall semester of their freshman year. Over the past nine years, the company has awarded more than $133,600 in scholarships to graduating seniors in Tennessee through the Advance Financial Foundation.

There are so many bright young students across the state who have promising futures ahead of them when given the right opportunities to pursue their potential, said Shantrelle Johnson, VP of corporate citizenship for Advance Financial. As a company we want to help them get off to a strong start in their academic endeavors. We welcome all students who are working towards higher education to apply for a scholarship, you can help us make this the biggest year yet for our Advancing Education program.

Applications are judged on academic activities, honors, goals, community involvement and the ability to persevere in life. To fund the scholarship program, Advance Financial collects donations in all of its stores across Tennessee and matches the donations dollar-for-dollar through the Advance Financial Foundation.

The Advancing Education program is part of Advance Financials deep-rooted commitment to education. The company supports and funds a variety of educational initiatives, focusing on programs that improve the quality of education for preschool, grade school, and high school students, and make college more accessible to high school graduates.

Interested students can apply by visiting http://www.af247.com/about/community-involvement/scholarship-form.

About Advance Financial

The company currently operates more than 85 locations throughout Tennessee and employs more than 800 local representatives. By focusing on a wide variety of financial services  including wire transfer, bill payment, unlimited free money orders and FLEX loans  they are committed to building long-lasting, strong relationships with every customer. Advance Financial recently earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and was named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country for the sixth year in a row.
Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP has elevated Emily Ladd-Kravitz, John K. Wells, and Dr. Fang Xie to shareholders in its Boston office.

We congratulate Emily, John, and Fang on this accomplishment, said Terence P. McCourt, managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurigs Boston office. They each demonstrate a commitment to high quality client service, and consistently uphold the values of Greenberg Traurig.

Firmwide, Greenberg Traurig announced the elevation of 42 attorneys to shareholder from 21 of the firms offices and 14 practice areas, with female attorneys making up 50 percent of the new shareholder class. In addition to the elevations, Greenberg Traurig reported firmwide revenue for FY2017 of $1,477,180,000, an increase of 7.28 percent over 2016. This is the fourth consecutive year of record-setting revenues for the firm. Additionally, the firms Profit per Equity Partner increased 5.42 percent to a record $1,634,000.

Ladd-Kravitz focuses on complex corporate transactions and representation of private companies in all stages of their life cycles. She represents venture capital funds, private equity firms, other institutional investors, and companies in connection with a wide variety of corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private placements, minority investments, venture capital financings, and corporate governance matters. She also advises startup and growth-stage companies in all industries, including, technology, edtech, medical device, clean energy, sustainable solutions, and life sciences.

Wells focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, securities litigation, and regulatory matters. He frequently represents financial services clients, including broker-dealers, investment advisors, banks, and private equity funds, in matters before the Securities and Exchange Commission, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, U.S. Department of Justice, and state regulatory authorities, as well as in state and federal courts and arbitration forums across the country. Wells has broad experience in a wide variety of litigation matters, including contract disputes, business torts, employment matters, restrictive covenants, securities fraud and securities class actions, multi-district litigation, shareholder and partnership disputes, products liability, wrongful death, and real estate litigation. He also manages corporate internal investigations across multiple jurisdictions and industries.

Dr. Xie, co-leads the firms Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Group. She has broad experience in various IP-centered transactions, worldwide patent portfolio management, IP due diligence, licensing and technology transfer, patentability and product clearance studies, validity/invalidity analyses, patent infringement evaluations, as well as IP litigation and pre-litigation counseling. Dr. Xies primary technical areas include biotechnology, synthetic biology, and pharmaceuticals, with a focus on immunotherapy, antibody and biologics/biosimilars, nucleic acid synthesis, gene editing, protein and organism engineering, stem cell technology, biomarkers, diagnostics, small molecule drugs, regenerative medicine, and analytical chemistry. Her clients include a number of strategic and venture investors, venture-backed biopharma startups, as well as top-tier academic research institutions. She is experienced in U.S.-China cross-border deals. Dr. Xie holds a Ph.D. in Biology from MIT.

About Greenberg Traurigs Boston Office: Established in 1999, Greenberg Traurigs Boston office is home to over 70 attorneys practicing in the areas of corporate, emerging technology, governmental affairs, intellectual property, labor and employment, life sciences and medical technology, litigation, public finance, and real estate. An important contributor to the firm's international platform, the Boston office includes a team of nationally recognized attorneys with both public and private sector experience. The team offers clients the value of decades of legal experience and hands-on knowledge of the local business community, supported by the firm's vast network of global resources.

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and is among the Top 20 on the 2017 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
This grant will allow us to further advance our interdisciplinary approach, and provide more access for engagement in the realm of scientific discovery.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has awarded the University City Science Center a $50,000 grant to establish an artist residency program that explores developments in science and biotechnology. Three artists will each spend three months working on creative research projects in the lab of Integral Molecular, a uCity Square-based biotechnology company. This grant is part of a $920,000 investment the Knight Foundation announced in the arts today.

The artist residency program will foster collaboration between artists and scientists. Not only will it allow both parties to gain new perspectives, but artists will also be able to serve as intermediaries communicating and creating dialog around complex scientific issues.

Developments in science and biotechnology are at the center of many pressing issues in the world. Some of these developments, such as stem cells, embryonic research and synthetic biology, have the power to change basic life processes. Yet, Philadelphia currently lacks resources for artists looking to work with biological media. By opening the doors of Integral Molecular, artists will have the opportunity to use cutting-edge scientific equipment and interface with experts in the field of biotechnology.

The selected artists will each spend four months conducting research in Integral Moleculars biotechnology lab. Upon research completion, each artist will produce a finished product, such as a documentary film, a publication, or art for an exhibition. Throughout the program, the Science Center will host related lectures, interviews and exhibitions at the Esther Klein Gallery.

For more than 40 years, the Science Center has supported the collaboration of artists and scientists through artistic programming at the Esther Klein Gallery, says Angela McQuillan, Curator of the Science Centers Esther Klein Gallery. This grant will allow us to further advance our interdisciplinary approach, and provide more access for engagement in the realm of scientific discovery.

About the Science Center

Located in the heart of uCity Square, the Science Center is a mission-driven nonprofit organization that catalyzes and connects innovation to entrepreneurship and technology commercialization. For 50+ years, the Science Center has supported startups, research, and economic development in the life sciences, healthcare, physical sciences, and emerging technology sectors. As a result, graduate firms and current residents of the Science Centers incubator support one out of every 100 jobs in the Greater Philadelphia region and drive $13 billion in economic activity in the region annually. By providing resources and programming for any stage of a businesss lifecycle, the Science Center helps scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators take their concepts from idea to IPO  and beyond.

For more information about the Science Center, go to http://www.sciencecenter.org
David King, Chief Brand Officer With so much momentum in the brand and the business, itself, there is no limit to what we can accomplish together.

Realty ONE Group, the rapidly growing, debt-free real estate franchisor built on powerful branding and an unusual agent-first model, has added a renowned brand marketing professional to take the company to even greater heights, founder and CEO Kuba Jewgieniew announced today.

David King joins the family-owned company as its brand, which is already a top-five national real estate franchise with more than 10,000 agents and 113 offices, is poised to double in the next year and reach new international markets. In the newly created position, King will oversee all branding, communication and marketing at Realty ONE Group.

Former chief brand officer of Movement Mortgage, King was influential in the transformation of the regional lender with a two-person marketing team and $1 billion in loans into a national multi-faceted powerhouse that processes more than $13 billion in a variety of financial instruments, including insurance, banking and a variety of loan products. King, who grew his marketing team to 50 strong, also supported Movement Mortgages efforts to invest $12 million in a tuition-free charter school in Charlotte, N.C.

David is the perfect person to take the Realty ONE Group brand to the next level, Jewgieniew said. His experience and leadership in building impactful marketing channels completely align with our goals to grow the most dynamic brand the real estate world has ever seen.

Known for its distinct black and gold artwork, the Realty ONE Group brand paints everything from digital and print media campaigns supporting such trademark initiatives as Coolture, Opening Doors and UNbrokerage to the interior and exterior designs of its offices and the iconic billboards above New York Citys Times Square. The brand serves as a disruptive force for the industry by empowering agents to unleash their inner-entrepreneur and grow their businesses as they see fit with the help of a supportive and innovative franchisor. Covering all business verticals under Realty ONE Group including separate entities for title, escrow and franchising services, the brand also transcends the real estate industry as it fuels philanthropic endeavors across the nation through the nonprofit Realty ONE Group Cares program.

I am very excited to be joining such a wonderful family of hard-working, creative and innovative thinkers, King said. The branding team has built such a powerful presence in the industry and beyond. With so much momentum in the brand and the business, itself, there is no limit to what we can accomplish together.

King, a native of the U.K. who immigrated to the U.S. as a 14-year-old in 1992, will be moving with his family to Southern California from North Carolina. He will be based out of Realty ONE Groups state-of-the-art creative incubator space in Laguna Niguel, Calif., known as CUBE8.

About Realty ONE Group: One-hundred percent family-owned and debt-free, Realty ONE Group was founded in 2005 and is proudly known as the industrys premier UNbrokerage. Realty ONE Group has rapidly evolved with over 10,000 real estate professionals in 113 offices across 29 states. Ranked in the top one percent in the nation by REAL Trends, recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as a Top 5 Real Estate Franchise, and landing a coveted spot on the Inc. 500 Fastest-Growing Companies list for seven consecutive years, Realty ONE Group has been surging ahead, opening doors, not only for its clients but also for its real estate professionals and franchise owners. To learn more, visit http://www.RealtyONEGroup.com.
To celebrate Chinese New Year, Taiwan Tourism Bureau was at the San Francisco Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show promoting this years main tourism theme  2018  The Year of Bay Tourism over the weekend of February 17-18 at the Santa Clara Convention Center (Halls ABCD). Exclusive deals were offered at the Taiwan Pavilion at the event.

2018  The Year of Bay Tourism highlights Taiwans 1,500 kilometers of stunning coastline and many charming outlying islands that showcase distinctive ecological and cultural landscapes for tourists to immerse in the island exploration fun. Guishan Island, Green Island, Orchid Island, Xiaoliuqiu, Qimei, and Beigan are the few among the ten most fascinating specially featured islands; world-famous local attractions including Penghus Double Heart Stones, handmade wooden boats of Orchid Island, and the green reef turtles of the Xiaoliuqiu accentuate the islands cultural activities and natural beauty. These beautiful islands will sure to elevate international tourists impression of Taiwan and their interest in visiting.

Linda Lin, director of Taiwan Tourism Bureaus San Francisco office shared, 2018 is the year of Taiwans bay tourism. Besides the featured outlying island attractions, Taiwan is also the perfect destination for cruise travelers. Cruise ships that currently depart from the Taiwan port include Princess Cruises, Star Cruises, and Costa Cruises; each cruise line offers different itineraries to Okinawa, Kagoshima, and Ishigaki Island that are well designed to suit different types of travelers and to combined with Taiwan tours.

Visitors at the Taiwan Pavilion took pictures with the giant soup dumpling model display and brought home free Fai Chun  Chinese New Year red banners for a flourishing and fulfilling new year. Booth inquired about their next trip to Taiwan with the friendly and informative bureau staffs and travel agency representatives who provided the most in-depth answer possible with any questions about their travel plans. Taiwanese musical performances by the San Francisco Guzheng Society were also available on both Saturday and Sunday.

Hanlin Tea of Taiwan provided pearl milk tea sampling and event goers participated in the raffle for a chance to win a San Francisco to Taipei round-trip ticket sponsored by China Airlines and Eva Air, MGM Las Vegas double room by Mango Tour; JV Travels $500 gift card special promotion; and a Taiwan Tourism Package valued at $500 by Super Value Tours.

Please visit the Taiwan Tourism official Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/TourTaiwan for the most updated travel information and find out more about 2018 Year of Bay Tourism!
WeVideo Essentials provides over 450,000 images, 115,000 video clips, and 110,000 music clips, all professional quality, continually updated, and licensed for students and teacher to use for free.

WeVideo, the leading provider of video creation solutions for education, today announced that all WeVideo for Schools accounts have been upgraded, at no cost, with WeVideo Essentials, a vast library of creative stock filled with over 450,000 images, 115,000 video clips, and 110,000 music clips, all professional quality, continually updated, and licensed for students and teachers to use for free. WeVideo Essentials is built directly into the WeVideo web app, the complete, feature-packed video editing and digital storytelling platform used by millions of students and thousands of schools.

Dr. Nathan Lang, chief education officer for WeVideo, said, Video creation is a powerful tool that builds deep learning and complex thinking. It is even more effective when the tool is designed to minimize distractions and enable students to invest their energy in meaningful, enriching, and high-yield projects, instead of using cognitive energy on searching for content. WeVideo Essentials easy to access and use video, image and music stock assets eliminates the time-consuming distraction of students having to scour the Internet for the resources they need to express ideas and demonstrate what they know. Resources of this caliber are normally very expensive and well out of the reach of most classrooms. The polished nature of WeVideo Essentials content helps give student created videos a movie-quality feel, further boosting students sense of pride and motivation to create more. From flipped learning to personal narrative, this library puts the media they need to be effective right at their fingertips.

Millions of students use video to demonstrate learning. One of the most frequent barriers they encounter is simply searching for assets that they can use. They are limited to what is freely available scattered across the Internet, assuming their schools firewall even lets them search, or to what is provided by their teachers after a huge investment of the teachers time and/or the schools money to buy expensive content libraries. WeVideo Essentials gives students and teachers instant access and unlimited use of the resources they need to create rich videos, films, and presentations that demonstrate ideas and learning in visual and personal ways. All of the content is fully licensed, supporting efforts that teach students to become good digital citizens who respect the value of content ownership.

The benefits of WeVideo Essentials include:



No added cost at this time

A safe, easy-to-use search environment directly within the WeVideo video creation web app

Professionally-sourced, continually updated, licensed media includes 450,000 photos, 115,000 video clips, and 110,000 music clips, as well as sound effects, backgrounds, illustrations, patterns, and more

WeVideo Jumpstart technology enables users to preview and use WeVideo Essentials assets instantly, without waiting for any upload or download

What Educators Are Saying

Jennifer Leban, technology teacher at Sandburg Middle School, Elmhurst, Illinois said, With the addition of the WeVideo Essentials media library, WeVideo increases access to content, empowering students to create more quickly and easily. This new feature can provide instant inspiration, serving as a launching point for storytelling and sharing information.

Bruce Reicher, technology broadcasting teacher at Upper Saddle River Schools, New Jersey said, Adding licensed videos, images, and music that are free is a game changer for my students. It's going to be very helpful having all those assets right in the WeVideo environment when my students need additional footage to support the interviews and stories that they create for our daily morning news show.

Availability

The WeVideo Essentials library is available immediately to all WeVideo for Schools license holders at no additional cost. Users will see a new tab in the WeVideo interface where they can easily search, filter by media type, and mark favorite assets for future use.

Get a Taste of WeVideo Essentials Now

WeVideo offers free, 90-day structured pilot evaluations to schools and districts interested in exploring how WeVideo can help meet their education goals. Start a no-cost structured pilot evaluation program by 3/17 and save 25% when you purchase by 6/30. For more information and to get started visit here. WeVideo also offers free 30-day Teacher Trials to individual educators. Details are available at https://www.wevideo.com/education.

WeVideo now integrates with popular learning management systems (LMS) from Schoology and Canvas, providing users of those systems with simplified access and seamless support for classroom management tools including assignments, messaging, submissions, and grading.

About WeVideo

WeVideo is a powerful, easy-to-use, cloud-based collaborative video creation platform that is the digital storytelling choice of more than 6,500 schools worldwide. With more than 24 million accounts created to date, WeVideo is also the first choice of consumers and businesses, as well as the video backbone for many third-party solutions. WeVideo is a Google for Education partner and is the exclusive digital storytelling solution for Googles Education Creative Bundle for Chromebooks. WeVideo is also a Microsoft Education Partner. Anyone can access WeVideo, from any computer or device at school, home, work, or on the go to capture, edit, view and share videos with secure storage of their content in the Cloud. For more information about WeVideo Education solutions, please visit http://www.wevideo.com, follow us on Twitter at @wevideo or visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/wevideo/
Managed services and solution provider that helps organizations optimize their online systems for better performance. Working with Dot Foods and being recommended by EnterWorks validates the significant investments that Tenzing continues to make into our PIM practice," notes Greg Wong, Chief Revenue Officer at Tenzing.

Dot Foods, the largest food industry redistributor in North America, has selected Tenzing to be the hosting and managed services provider in conjunction with the implementation of the EnterWorks Enable Product Information Management (PIM) platform. Dot Foods delivers to distributors in the challenging less-than-truckload (LTL) sector in every state and over 35 countries and is a founding member of the GS1 US Foodservice Initiative.

Dot Foods mission is to develop innovative solutions to help their food industry partners increase sales and profits. The decision to invest in a PIM/MDM platform and in the new hosting capabilities is rooted in the desire to strengthen content and supply chain capabilities as well as further their ecommerce growth across their extensive trading network. As part of extending the companys leadership in an increasingly complex and digital food industry, the company leadership chose EnterWorks Enable, an enterprise-wide application and GS1-certified solution to provide trusted product content for the 127,000 products Dot Foods carries.

Dot Foods understands the importance of updating its product content system as it operates in the B2B sector that now must match the vibrant, customized user experiences expected in consumer-driven B2C commerce. Enable will allow Dot Foods to improve customer experiences by centralizing product information, syncing product content with product inventory, and improving connectivity with industry data pools and networks. Not only does it stand to enhance customer experience, it will give them an informational advantage over the competition. The project parallels other cutting-edge initiatives throughout Dot Foods.

Upon its selection, EnterWorks referred to Dot Foods their #1 hosting provider and strategic partner, Tenzing. Last year the two companies agreed on a partnership to build a collaboration network for more powerful, flexible commerce solutions. Tenzing responded to the challenge by crafting a unique solution to leverage the full power of EnterWorks PIM/MDM system by hosting it on Amazon Web Services.

Dot Foods ultimately selected Tenzing due to their expertise with the EnterWorks application and their proven track record of managing ecommerce environments in the public cloud. Tenzing will provide strategic consulting and hosting services to Dot Foods, allowing them to devote attention and resources on innovating their redistribution networks.

Brian LeDuc, Chief Information Officer at Dot Foods, looks forward to the stability and flexibility Tenzing and its partner will provide. This investment exemplifies our core competency of being the best technology-enabled food-related redistribution company. We go beyond actively seeking out the best technology  we sign on top experts who can onboard, manage and optimize the technologies to keep pace with our goals. It is simply the next chapter in our ongoing evolution of improving how our software services are managed to get the best value and services for Dot overall.

Kerry Young, Chief Operating Officer at EnterWorks, comments that the opportunity to work with Tenzing is always a pleasure as a trusted and reliable partner. Our teams have the expertise and technology to enact the most creative, efficient solution possible for meeting Dot Foods needs now and into the future as the food industry evolves to meet digital challenges.

The upcoming collaboration with EnterWorks demonstrates the dynamic nature of Tenzings cloud offering. As Tenzing is the only Cloud managed services provider focused on both ecommerce and MDM, the company is uniquely positioned to help Dot Foods achieve the innovation it seeks for its customers. Greg Wong, Chief Revenue Officer at Tenzing, notes that Working with Dot Foods and being recommended by EnterWorks validates the significant investments that Tenzing continues to make into our PIM practice. By leveraging the EnterWorks Enable platform on our AWS cloud, Dot Foods business model is going to see transformative changes in power, scalability, and flexibility.

About Tenzing

Tenzing is one of the few cloud-based managed service providers that offers customers an end- to-end process and solution from data onboarding through data visualization in their ecommerce systems. Tenzing deploys, manages and optimizes software and infrastructure for leading omnichannel and commerce platforms from partners such as Oracle Commerce, SAP Hybris, Intershop, Magento, and others. Tenzing provides solutions that enhance performance, maintain security and simplify compliance for leading retailers and manufacturers. Tenzing has offices and customers in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC, and is widely recognized as a high-growth company and industry leader. For more information, please visit: http://www.tenzing.com.

About Dot Foods

Dot Foods Inc. carries 127,000 products from 930 food industry manufacturers making it the largest food industry redistributor in North America. Through Dot Transportation Inc., an affiliate of Dot Foods, the company distributes foodservice, convenience, retail and vending products to distributors in all 50 states and more than 35 countries. Dot Foods operates ten U. S. distribution centers, which are located in Modesto, California; Vidalia, Georgia; Burley, Idaho; Mt. Sterling, Illinois; Cambridge City, Indiana; Williamsport, Maryland; Liverpool, New York; Ardmore, Oklahoma; Dyersburg, Tennessee; and University Park, Illinois. An eleventh distribution center is currently under construction in Bullhead City, Arizona. Dot Foods Canadian operations are located in Toronto, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta. For information, visit DotFoods.com.

Dot Foods and Dot Transportation continue to experience exceptional growth. Both companies are looking to fill several positions for full and part-time drivers and warehouse personnel in all U.S. locations. To learn more about careers at Dot Foods visit DotFoods.com/careers and follow @DotFoodsCareers. For more on opportunities available with Dot Transportation, visit DriveForDot.com.

About EnterWorks

EnterWorks Master Data Management (MDM) and Product Information Management (PIM) solution enables companies to acquire, manage and transform product information into persuasive content that drives higher sales and new competitive strengths through e-commerce Web, mobile, print and various electronic channels. Services offered include: Master Data Management, Product Information Management, Dynamic Data Modeling, Workflow & Collaboration, Syndication & Publishing, Digital Asset Management, Geographic Localization, Portal Content Exchange, and Digital Channel Accelerators.

EnterWorks is highly ranked by various research analysts and used by industry leaders such as: Ariens, Big Rock Sports, CPO Commerce, Creative Converting, Darigold, Fender Musical Instruments, Guthy-Renker, Hearth & Home Technologies, HON Furniture, HP Hood, Interline Brands, Johnstone Supply, Mary Kay, Mercer, Orgill, Publishers Clearing House, Restoration Hardware, Strategic Market Alliance, US Foods, and W.B. Mason. Learn more at http://www.enterworks.com.
#K League Jeonbuk narrow gap with K League-leading Ulsan with victory Four-time defending K League 1 champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors closed in on leaders Ulsan Hyundai FC with a narrow victory Saturday. Paik Seung-ho converted a 49th-minute penal...

#BTS BTS heads to New York for U.N. event as special presidential envoy K-pop sensation BTS flew to New York on Saturday to attend a United Nations event as a special presidential envoy. The chart-topping group is scheduled to attend the opening cer...
These are strategic personnel moves that capitalize on the individual talents of the Ranger Health team, while also allowing us to be nimble and keep pace with the demand in the San Antonio and Austin markets.

Ranger Health, Inc. announced today leadership changes and additions to position the company for growth of its popular FetchMD house call service. The direct to consumer, on-demand healthcare service platform recently launched in Austin with tremendous success and could soon be expanding to several other markets.

Madison Mauze is being promoted from Senior Vice President, Business Development to Chief Operating Officer; Lee McKenna will move from Vice President of Network Development to Vice President of Operations; and Amber Pfaff-Chavez joins the company as its Corporate Controller.

These are strategic personnel moves that capitalize on the individual talents of the Ranger Health team, while also allowing us to be nimble and keep pace with the demand in San Antonio and Austin markets, said Michael Zucker, FACHE, Ranger Health CEO and co-founder. It will also allow us to scale FetchMD into other markets across the Southwest much more rapidly.

Madison Mauze has more than 20 years of experience leading and growing organizations. Before joining FetchMD, Mauze served as Vice President of Business Development for Celltex Therapeutics. Prior to that, he served as Regional Vice President of Business Operations for Walgreens in their Take Care Health System Corporate Clinic Division. He received his BA in chemistry with a minor in business from Texas A&M University and his MBA from Harvard Business School with a focus on innovation in healthcare.

Prior to joining Ranger Health, Lee McKenna was the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Baptist Health System in San Antonio, Texas. He was previously an officer in the United States Air Force as a healthcare administrator from May 2006 through August 2014. McKenna will be responsible for leading the operations of the companys FetchMD platform and its expansion efforts.

As Corporate Controller, Amber Pfaff-Chavez is responsible for Ranger Healths financial operations and reporting. She previously worked at Lithia Motors  a Fortune 500 company where she was a top performing Senior Area Controller for the Texas market and responsible for the financial reporting of 17 dealerships. Pfaff-Chavez has previously worked as a corporate controller for a multitude of industries from Aerospace to Automotive working both domestically and internationally. She received her Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin.

About RANGER HEALTH, INC.

FetchMD was launched by Ranger Health, Inc. which was founded in 2015 by former health system executive Michael C. Zucker, FACHE and a successful group of serial entrepreneurs who previously co-founded AirStrip, WellAware, Splice and other innovative software companies. FetchMD delivers on-demand house calls and enables consumers to experience the convenience and affordability of face-to-face healthcare for minor injuries and illnesses in the comfort of their home or office via a user-friendly app. It allows the consumer to immerse themselves in the shared economy for healthcare in an entirely new way. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.fetchmd.com
Serenova Skylight for CRM Customer experience  the totality of customer interaction with your company  has become a primary battleground for organizations, and yet, many are not equipped with the right tools to provide the best service possible.

Serenova, a leading contact center-as-a-service (CCaaS) and workforce optimization (WFO) provider, today released Skylight for CRM with key integrations to Salesforce and Zendesk. The all-new agent experience, included in the latest release of CxEngage, embeds omnichannel interaction and routing capabilities directly into the customer relation management solution (CRM) to provide agents a single workspace for supporting customer interactions. By combining the advanced CRM functionality and data exchange between Serenova and leading CRM platforms from Salesforce and Zendesk, agents gain the ability to respond to customers based on their full history in any channel - or pivot seamlessly from one to another, as needed, to improve the customer experience.

Customers are increasingly connecting with businesses via digital channels such as chat, mobile applications, SMS, or social media like Facebook Messenger. However, agents struggle with multiple systems that dont connect to each other, which causes frustrations for the customer as they have repeat the same information. With Skylight for CRM, the contact center solution is embedded directly within the agents CRM interface and interaction data is connected to each customers record. With fewer clicks and applications to switch between, agents increase productivity and accuracy  all while being able to support a higher volume of interactions.

Customer experience  the totality of customer interaction with your company  has become a primary battleground for organizations, and yet, many are not equipped with the right tools to provide the best service possible, said Matt Despain, chief product officer for Serenova. Serenova provides robust pre-built integrations with leading CRM solutions, so agents have the information they need to make customers happy. Based in the cloud, Skylight for CRM can be up and running quickly with plug and play deployment for companies using Salesforce or Zendesk. With one unified agent workspace, contact center agents have what they need to do their job without having to switch back and forth between applications.

Skylight for CRM offers key contact center functionality directly in the CRM system including:



Matching inbound and outbound call information with CRM data;

Providing agents the ability to control calls, including, click-to-connect functionality;

Saving call logs automatically when a call ends;

Displaying CRM data via screen pops when interactions are made or received; and

Incorporating call data into the CRMs reports.

Serenova at Enterprise Connect 2018

Serenova is demonstrating CxEngage with the all-new Skylight for CRM toolbar next week at Enterprise Connect in Orlando. Stop by booth #1111 to experience CxEngages cutting edge approach to enhancing the agent experience in CRM. For more on Enterprise Connect visit: http://www.enterpriseconnect.com/orlando/. Follow the activity at Enterprise Connect on Twitter at #EC18.

About CxEngage

CxEngage drastically reduces the complexity and frustration associated with multiple legacy tools and provides better insight into data and performance than ever before possible. And with the industry's most massively open API architecture you can effortlessly integrate with existing systems and instantly scale to meet demand without sacrificing performance, reliability, or security.

About Serenova

Serenova simplifies every aspect of the customer experience, from front office to back, to make life easier for you, your customers and your employees. The worlds most passionate, customer-focused brands achieve brighter interactions, deeper insights, and more meaningful outcomes with Serenovas contact center solutions. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Serenova also has operations in California, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Learn more at http://www.serenova.com. For live updates, follow @SerenovaShine.
President of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD), Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, argued in a recent interview with PJ Media that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has become a tool of Islamists across the world, including ISIS. "By attacking Muslim reformers who are striking at the root of Jihad, the SPLC is abetting radical Islamic terror in the name of identity politics," says Jasser.

Dr. Jasser, co-founder of the Muslim Reform Movement, expressed his support for Maajid Nawaz recently, a British politician and founder of the anti-Islamist organization the Quilliam foundation, who sued the SPLC for defamation last year, after the group labeled him an "anti-Muslim extremist." Jasser states, "the SPLC intends to silence reformers like me and Nawaz because our cause is inconvenient for identity politics."

"The SPLC ends up becoming a tool of the theocrats  like the Saudis and others who you think they'd disagree with  but they don't care about what they're facilitating globally, which is global jihad of the Islamic Republic of Iran or Saudi Arabia," Jasser explained to PJ Media at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

At CPAC, Dr. Jasser went on to say, "that the SPLC just wants to use us Muslims as an identity politic. So the biggest threat to their power are Muslims within our identity who reject their identity politic. That's why they want to label us Islamophobes and bigots, and I think Maajid's suit is a smart thing. Anything I can do to help him, I will."

As for the SPLC, Jasser stated, "they are basically doing the work to silence and marginalize the authenticity of the voices of Muslim reform. In doing so, they echo the work of Islamist regimes across the world."

"That's what the Saudis do, but they even do it more flagrantly, by whipping and flogging folks for disagreeing with their interpretation of Islam," the AIFD president said. "They say [those who disagree with them] are not Muslim, they've left Islam, when they criticize the government there. So what's different? There is no difference."

For more information on Dr. Zuhdi Jaser, please visit: http://www.mzuhdijasser.com/about
"Seeking Higher Ground," first U.S. CD by the Maguire Twins. It all goes back to Donald [Brown]. He has kept us motivated. He's always giving us something new to work on, new CDs to check out, keeps us listening to all kinds of music and encourages us to get as many lessons from as many people as we can.

The Maguire Twins mastery of their craft as jazz instrumentalists and composers is in sparkling evidence throughout their U.S. debut recording, "Seeking Higher Ground," which will be released by Three Tree Records on March 30. Drummer Carl Seitaro Maguire and bassist Alan Shutaro Maguire, wholl turn 22 on March 19, take their place in the lineage of jazz brothers that includes such illustrious last names as Heath, Farmer, Montgomery, Mangione, Brecker, and Marsalis.

Produced by Memphis legend Donald Brown, the CD finds the twins living up to its title by more than holding their own in the heady company of saxophonist Gregory Tardy, trumpeter Bill Mobley, and pianist Aaron Goldberg. The Maguires contribute two originals each to the program, which includes songs by their bandmates and producer. And without sacrificing cohesiveness, the songs are stylistically diverse.

Tardys Theodicy is a timely commentary on misguided religion. He plays tenor with his usual Coltrane-like intensity and, says Carl, I try to somewhat embody Elvin Jones, who is one of my heroes. Browns tricky The Early Bird Gets the Short End of the Stick boasts sudden time shifts and dramatic swoops that both twins laughingly said they were greatly relieved to have handled after numerous attempts.

Carls Machi no Michi (translation: The Road of the Town) is an elegant tribute to his Japanese origins, as reflected in the Japanese scale in the bassline and the traditional taiko drum feel in the composers playing. I love the taiko drums huge sound and the commanding way it is played, says Carl, who tunes his snares tightly to highlight the melody.

Goldbergs composition, Shed, was the first modern jazz tune the Maguires learned to play, having heard the pianist play it as both sideman and leader. It has been one of our favorites for the longest time, says Carl. Just watching Aaron count off his tunes helped me internalize time, made my time stronger, says Alan.

Born in Tokyo in 1996 to a Japanese mother and an American father who both worked in the airline industry, identical twins Carl Seitaro Maguire and Alan Shutaro Maguire were raised in Hong Kong from age 3 and moved with their family, at 15, to musically rich Memphis. There they enrolled at the Stax Music Academy and started playing jazz. Memphis is where most of our musical growing happened, says Carl. I cant imagine us getting to where we are if we hadnt come here.

They learned to improvise listening to musicians at jazz clubs. The music just took us over, says Carl. When I heard a bassist, I would tell Alan about it. When he heard a drummer, he would make suggestions to me based on what he saw and heard. We helped each other out.

We were open to criticism from each other as well as ideas, he adds. Friends dont want to be too harsh, but we can criticize each other as much as we want.

Saxophonist Kirk Whalum, then artist in residence at Stax, had much to do with their development as did Donald Brown, whom they met when he came to scout students as a faculty member at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. They went on to study there with him, Gregory Tardy, and bassist Jon Hamar, who composed one of the new albums heartfelt ballads, Clarity.

It all goes back to Donald, says Alan. He has kept us motivated. Hes always giving us something new to work on, new CDs to check out, keeps us listening to all kinds of music and encourages us to get as many lessons from as many people as we can.

When the Maguire family made its annual visit to Japan to visit the twins maternal grandmother in the inland town of Kitaakita City, the boys performed in various spots, building a following among local musicians as well as fans. Requests for CDs led them to record, at 18, "The Sound of Music," a demo-style album released in 2014.

With each tour of Japan and Hong Kong, where they began performing on an annual basis in 2013, their Asian following has grown. So has the talent pool they draw from over there. The twins have performed with artists such as guitarist Yosuke Onuma, trombonist Shigeharu Mukai, pianist Yuichi Inoue, and saxophonist Yosuke Sato in Japan as well as pianist Ted Lo in Hong Kong.

Now when we go back to Japan, says Carl, where jazz has been really important to a lot of people for a long time, we do so as individuals who really appreciate this music. Its been quite an awakening for us, and it keeps getting more fun.
Dr. Angela Cotey Offers Tooth Extractions and Dental Care During Mission Trip to the Philippines

Dr. Angela Cotey, respected dentist in Mount Horeb, WI, recently participated in a mission trip to the Philippines with the Taytay Association of America (TAA). The mission trip supports the 290,000 residents of Taytay, Rizal, including infants and children who do not have access to proper medical care. Dr. Cotey performed a variety of dental procedures including numerous tooth extractions.

The TAAs mission is to serve residents of Taytay, Rizal who cannot afford basic living and medical care. Since 2006, the organization raises funds and sends volunteers from both the U.S. and the Philippines for a three-day medical and dental fair. Since the inception of the mission, the TAA has served over 8,000 patients and performed hundreds of tooth extractions with the help of Dr. Cotey.

When a tooth is damaged beyond repair or infected by disease, it may need to be extracted in order to save the patients oral health. Damaged or infected teeth can cause pain or discomfort during everyday use. Additionally, if the tooth is infected, a painful abscess may form, which can spread disease to other teeth or even other parts of the body.

In addition to the Taytay Association of America, Dr. Cotey participates in many other organizations as a way to give back to the community. She is also a part of the Give Kids a Smile Program and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County, as well as other dental mission trips globally. At her practice, Village Smile Care, Dr. Cotey offers numerous dental services, including dental implants, orthodontics and gum recession treatment. Her office features some of the latest technology in dentistry to provide patients with quality, predictable care.

Patients interested in more information or seeking a dentist in Mount Horeb, WI, can contact Dr. Cotey or her practice, Village Smile Care, at 608-433-2102 or http://www.villagesmilecare.com to make an appointment.

About the Doctor

Dr. Angela Cotey is a general dentist offering personalized dental care to patients in Mount Horeb, WI. Dr. Cotey and her entire team take pride in offering the latest advancements in dentistry and dental technology to ensure each patient enjoys a comfortable experience with long-lasting results. Dr. Cotey combines advanced dentistry with a fun and friendly style. She is a member of numerous professional organizations including the American Dental Association, the Wisconsin Dental Association, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry and current President of the Wisconsin Dental Study Club and Madison Dental Progress Forum. To learn more about Dr. Cotey or the services she offers, please visit her website at http://www.villagesmilecare.com or call 608-433-2102 to schedule an appointment.
Art of Dentistry's Merri Turner, Presents Gifts to "Adopted" Family in San Diego, CA It was an extraordinary experience for all of us and meeting those boysprecious! We will do it again!

The Art of Dentistry decided to skip their Secret Santa gift exchange this past Christmas and instead adopt a family in need through the Emilio Nares Foundation. After receiving the familys wish list, the 15 team members purchased and wrapped their gifts before presenting them to the family of seven. This team is led by San Diego, CA dentists, Drs. Lawrence Addleson, R. Douglas Campbell and David Landau who provide highly specialized care for patients in need of general, implant, and cosmetic dentistry services.

The San Diego-based Emilio Nares Foundation was founded to provide low-income families with sick children with the transportation they need to and from the hospital for life-saving cancer treatment. Today the non-profit organization is made up of volunteer drivers and support staff for their family resource center, free craft classes, care package services, and end-of-life child and family care. Since its birth, the Emilio Nares Foundation has provided nearly 4,000 rides, tallied over 100,000 miles, and transported over 200 hundred patients to 2,000 appointments.

"It was an extraordinary experience for all of us and meeting those boysprecious! We will do it again!" said Merri Turner, the Director of Operations and Marketing at Art of Dentistry.

Drs. Addleson, Campbell and Landau provide general, dental implant and cosmetic dentistry services to San Diego, CA, and the surrounding communities. The team of doctors pride themselves in mastering a highly specific skillset and specialized experience to improve their patients experiences and aesthetic outcomes. The Art of Dentistry team is excited to be able to help a family in need over the holidays and contribute to the Emilio Nares Foundation. They look forward to being involved in the community in the future.

The Art of Dentistry is accepting new patients for cosmetic dentistry services. Those searching for a dentist in San Diego, CA, can contact the practice by calling 619-291-4325 or visiting http://www.sandiegoartofdentistry.com.

About the Practice

Art of Dentistry is a cosmetic dental practice offering patients customized dental care in San Diego, CA. Applying a philosophy that considers the art, science and biology of a smile, Drs. Lawrence Addleson, R. Douglas Campbell and David Landau provide personalized care in a comfortable, family atmosphere. With combined experience of over 85 years, the Art of Dentistry team uses state-of-the-art technology and leading techniques to craft each healthy smile. To learn more about Drs. Addleson, Campbell and Landau or the services they offer, visit their website, http://www.sandiegoartofdentistry.com. To experience the Art of Dentistry difference, call 619-291-4325.
Cybereason, creators of the leading cybersecurity data analytics platform including endpoint detection and response, next-generation antivirus, and active monitoring services, today announced the hiring of Hemdat Cohen-Shraga as Vice President of Engineering and Ronny Maate as Vice President of Product. Cybereason has a heritage of hiring talented women and both Cohen-Shraga and Maate will further strengthen Cybereasons award-winning product team.

This news comes the day before International Womens Day on March 8. According to The Global Gender Gap Report 2017, women, on average, tend to be underrepresented in technology fields. Cybereason collaborates closely with the Woman 2 Woman Community, founded by Unit 8200 alumni with the vision of leading change in Israeli society by creating professional opportunities for women when they complete their mandatory military service.

In addition, Cybereasons Emmy Linder will be participating on a panel at the upcoming RSA Conference, titled The Untold Story of 8200: A Launching Point for Women in Cybersecurity taking place Tuesday, April 17, 1:00 pm. Linder is retired from Unit 8200, the prestigious intelligence unit of the Israeli Defense Forces. Unit 8200 has proven to be a launching point for many of todays female leaders in the cybersecurity industry. Panelists will discuss how advanced military training helped them launch their post military careers.

Cohen-Shraga oversees Cybereasons global engineering team in Tel Aviv, including research and development, machine learning scientists, architects, development and QA. The various engineering teams focus on advancing Cybereasons Enterprise Attack Protection Platform.

Im excited to be part of an incredibly talented R&D team with huge ambitions to create and innovate. I enjoy the amazing challenge of taking Cybereason to the next stage of its growth from startup to an established company with many of the largest brands relying on us to keep their proprietary data out of the hands of cyber criminals, said Cohen-Shraga.

Maate leads the product management team, focusing on the companys product roadmap, ongoing platform releases and further expansion of the companys award-winning Enterprise Attack Protection Platform.

The talent of the team at Cybereason is incredible and I love working with them to understand the customers pain points and then transform those pain points into new features and functionality in our platform that bring our customers value, said Maate.

Cybereason hires world-class talent, and we are extremely excited to strengthen our management team by hiring Hemdat and Ronny. They are already making a profound impact on future innovations, said Emmy Linder, Head of Global Operations, Cybereason. Cybereason understands the magnitude of the cybersecurity problem better than anyone. Our award-winning platform is a game changer because antiquated security products on the market no longer protect enterprises from sophisticated fileless malware, powershell and destructive ransomware attacks -- and we protect it all.

About Hemdat Cohen-Shraga

Cohen-Shraga joins Cybereason from Matomy Media Group, where she served as the VP of Research and Development (R&D) and oversaw 50 developers, quality assurance engineers and architects. Before Matomy, she held several R&D roles in companies including Microsoft and Limelight Networks. She holds an MA from Tel Aviv University in Philosophy & History of Science and a BA from Bar Ilan University in Physics & Computer science.

About Ronny Maate

Maate joins Cybereason from fintech company Payoneer, where she was the VP of Product for nearly five years and built its product group and methodologies. Before Payoneer, she served in various product and project management roles at 888 Holdings, Citi innovation lab and Amdocs. She holds a BSC in information system engineering from Technion, Israel Institute of Technology and an MBA in global management from IDC Herzliya.

About Cybereason

Cybereason, creators of the leading cybersecurity data analytics platform, gives the advantage back to the defender through a completely new approach to cybersecurity. Cybereason offers endpoint detection and response (EDR), next-generation antivirus (NGAV), and active monitoring services, all powered by its proprietary data analytics platform. The Cybereason suite of products provides unmatched visibility, increases analyst efficiency and effectiveness, and reduces security risk. Cybereason is privately held, having raised $189 million from top-tier VCs, and is headquartered in Boston, with offices in London, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo.

Learn more: https://www.cybereason.com/

Follow us: Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Media Contact:

Bill Keeler

Director, Public Relations

Cybereason

bill.keeler(at)cybereason(dot)com

(929) 259-3261
My presidential theme is optimal care for the food allergic patient with a focus on four key areas of need: a rational approach to treatment, optimizing prevention, making an accurate diagnosis, and best practices for the prevention and treatment of anaphylaxis.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) is pleased to introduce its 2018-2019 President, Robert A. Wood, MD, FAAAAI.

Wood was installed March 5 during the AAAAI Business Meeting at the 2018 AAAAI/WAO Joint Congress in Orlando, Florida. The AAAAI is the largest professional membership organization for allergist/immunologists, other medical specialists, allied health and related healthcare professionalsall with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases, including asthma.

My presidential theme is optimal care for the food allergic patient with a focus on four key areas of need: a rational approach to treatment, optimizing prevention, making an accurate diagnosis, and best practices for the prevention and treatment of anaphylaxis, said Wood. The timing is perfect as food allergy is playing an increasingly important role in the allergy/immunology specialty and this role will only increase as the disease becomes more prevalent and treatments become available.

Wood is a professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a professor of international health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. An internationally recognized expert in food allergy and childhood asthma, Wood is chief of the Eudowood Division of Allergy and Immunology in the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. He also serves as director of the Pediatric Allergy Clinics, the Pediatric Allergy Consultation Service, and the Pediatric Clinical Research Unit at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Wood has published more than 200 manuscripts in scientific journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Pediatrics, and The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), as well as three books and numerous book chapters.

He is associate editor of JACI and deputy editor of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, and was previously an associate editor of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. He has served on the Board of Directors of the AAAAI and American Board of Allergy and Immunology.

Wood earned his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. He completed both a three-year pediatrics residencyas well as an additional year serving as chief resident in pediatricsand a pediatric allergy and immunology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Wood joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 1988.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) represents allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has nearly 7,000 members in the United States, Canada and 72 other countries. The AAAAIs Find an Allergist/Immunologist service is a trusted resource to help you find a specialist close to home.
Centric Telecom Logo This is a great day for our customers, employees, and partners. With our broad portfolio of product and service offerings, and well-known passion for meeting the needs of our customers, we are thrilled to acquire PTI Communications, a fine company with a 30-year history.

Centric Telecom has announced that it has acquired PTI Communications, a family-owned and operated company providing business VoIP communication solutions, Zultys and ESI on-premise telephone systems, and complete voice/data/video/fiber cable installation services throughout the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area for more than three decades.

For the past 13 years, Centric Telecom has been a leading provider of telecommunications products, services, and solutions. As a full-service telecommunications firm providing VoIP services, Centric hosted PBX and SIP phone lines plus Zultys, ESI, and Toshiba communication solutions, Centric serves the Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., metro areas. The Centric Telecom team features outstanding customer service with manufacturer certified technicians who are highly skilled at assisting customers with their telecom requirements.

Larry Dressel, president of Centric Telecom, said, "This is a great day for our customers, employees, and partners. With our broad portfolio of product and service offerings, and well-known passion for meeting the needs of our customers, we are thrilled to acquire PTI Communications, a fine company with a 30-year history. As we look to the future, Centric Telecom will continue to provide customers with innovative solutions, solid customer support, as well as top quality service."

About Centric Telecom

Since 2004, Centric Telecom has been a leading telecommunications company, serving Northern Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and clients located throughout the United States. From new phone systems and voice/data cabling to cloud based applications and hosted VoIP, Centric remains a valuable resource for streamlined telecommunications products.

Conceived and built by professionals with more than a combined 200 years in the telecommunications industry, Centric Telecoms goal is to be a one-stop shop for local business telecommunications needs. Centric Telecoms McLean-based Support Engineers are industry renowned as the most highly trained and helpful professionals in the business communications market. These communications experts are dedicated to providing rapid, knowledgeable responses and permanent resolution to ensure customers are getting the most from their communications.

Centric Telecom takes pride in providing future proof solutions. With their hosted VoIP systems, theres no need to worry about changing technology. Upgrades are simple, included, and occur automatically. Their hosted solutions survive outages such as power and internet. Centric Telecom is known for achieving the highest standards of ethics and integrity, while exceeding client expectations.

For more information about the company, please visit http://centrictel.com/.
HaloB allowed us to maintain services to our clients without a moment's disruption. This benefit alone was enough to convince me, but the other features and emerging capabilities of HaloB make Baicells an even better and smarter LTE choice for us than ever.

Baicells Technologies, a leading provider of disruptive global LTE solutions, has announced at Wireless Internet Service Providers' Association's (WISPA) annual WISPAMERICA show the commercial release of HaloB. HaloB is an industry first in both the mobile and fixed LTE worlds. Among other features, HaloB uses the public cloud for initial authentication, then stores HSS data locally, allowing uninterrupted operation even in the event of a cloud outage. HaloB marks an exciting development in advanced and SON-based edge EPC requirements for coming 5G high-density, high capacity de-centralized LTE deployments.

HaloB delivers a number of unique features:



Self-configuring plug and play. Once HaloB is enabled via the software on switch, literally zero action is needed by the operator, no change in device or network management is required.

De-coupling of the eNobeB and Core network, eliminating S1 tunnel disruptions.

Additionally, L2 functionality and VxLAN enable SME and LAN gaming.

Multiple APNs and isolates management devices from service packet devices.

Allows UEs/CPEs to work in true bridge with dedicated IP addressing.

HSS remains in the cloud, but IMSI activation and service packages are stored in the eNB.

"Gigabeam Networks has been trialing HaloB for a number of months. During that period there were a few cloud disruptions," explained Michael Clemons, president of Virginia-based Gigabeam Networks. "HaloB allowed us to maintain services to our clients without a moment's disruption. This benefit alone was enough to convince me, but the other features and emerging capabilities of HaloB make Baicells an even better and smarter LTE choice for us than ever." "Baicells continues to prove our chops as an innovator. Our patent-pending HaloB is a revolutionary approach hybridizing virtualization and distributed EPC, taking the best from each to create a zero-touch edge solution requiring no additional hardware or any change in operations.," noted Patrick Leary, president Baicells Technologies North America, Inc. "Gone are the days of 6 or 7 figure expensive centralized and complex EPCs. Welcome to the 3 figure world of HaloB."

A proud member of WISPA, Baicells solutions are available via several select channels listed on our http://www.na.baicells.com website.

About Baicells

Baicells is a privately-held, high tech company with offices in China and USA. It has introduced some real breakthrough technologies to LTE, like moving a complete LTE system to unlicensed spectrum and building it with an IT based architecture. With Baicells' turnkey end-to-end solutions, it becomes much easier to provide standard-based LTE wireless broadband within everyone's reach at a very low cost.

North American Press Contact

Savannah Lancaster

Marketing Communications Manager

Baicells Technologies, North America

+1 (972) 755-1324

Chinese Press Contact

Eva Wang

PR Manager

Baicells Technologies Co. Ltd.

(+86) 186 8066 8591
Dot Foods Selects Tenzing to Host its EnterWorks Enable for PIM Our teams have the expertise and technology to enact the most creative, efficient solution possible for meeting Dot Foods needs now and into the future as the food industry evolves to meet digital challenges.

Dot Foods, the largest food industry redistributor in North America, has selected Tenzing to be the hosting and managed services provider in conjunction with the implementation of the EnterWorks Enable Product Information Management (PIM) platform. Dot Foods delivers to distributors in the challenging less-than-truckload (LTL) sector in every state and over 35 countries and is a founding member of the GS1 US Foodservice Initiative.

Dot Foods mission is to develop innovative solutions to help their food industry partners increase sales and profits. The decision to invest in a PIM/MDM platform and in the new hosting capabilities is rooted in the desire to strengthen content and supply chain capabilities as well as further their ecommerce growth across their extensive trading network. As part of extending the companys leadership in an increasingly complex and digital food industry, the company leadership chose EnterWorks Enable, an enterprise-wide application and GS1-certified solution to provide trusted product content for the 127,000 products Dot Foods carries.

Dot Foods understands the importance of updating its product content system as it operates in the B2B sector that now must match the vibrant, customized user experiences expected in consumer-driven B2C commerce. EnterWorks Enable platform will allow Dot Foods to provide improve customer experiences by centralizing product information, syncing product content with product inventory, and improving connectivity with industry data pools and networks. Not only does it stand to improve customer experience, it will give them an informational advantage over the competition. The project parallels other cutting-edge initiatives throughout Dot Foods.

Upon its selection, EnterWorks referred Dot Foods to their #1 hosting provider and strategic partner, Tenzing. Last year the two companies agreed on a partnership to build a collaboration network for more powerful, flexible commerce solutions. Tenzing responded to the challenge by crafting a unique solution to leverage the full power of EnterWorks PIM/MDM system by hosting it on Amazon Web Services.

Dot Foods ultimately selected Tenzing due to their expertise with the EnterWorks application and their proven trackrecord of managing ecommerce environments in the public cloud. Tenzing will provide strategic consulting and hosting services to Dot Foods, allowing them to devote attention and resources on innovating their redistribution networks.

Brian LeDuc, Chief Information Officer at Dot Foods, looks forward to the stability and flexibility Tenzing and its partner will provide. This investment exemplifies our core competency of being the best technology-enabled food-related redistribution company. We go beyond actively seeking out the best technology  we sign on top experts who can onboard, manage and optimize the technologies to keep pace with our goals. It is simply the next chapter in our ongoing evolution of improving how our software services are managed to get the best value and services for Dot overall.

Kerry Young, Chief Operating Officer at EnterWorks, comments that the opportunity to work with Tenzing is always a pleasure as a trusted and reliable partner. Our teams have the expertise and technology to enact the most creative, efficient solution possible for meeting Dot Foods needs now and into the future as the food industry evolves to meet digital challenges.

The upcoming collaboration with EnterWorks demonstrates the dynamic nature of Tenzings cloud offering. As Tenzing is the only Cloud managed services provider focused on both ecommerce and MDM, the company is uniquely positioned to help Dot Foods achieve the innovation it seeks for its customers. Greg Wong, Chief Revenue Officer at Tenzing, notes that Working with Dot Foods and being recommended by EnterWorks validates the significant investments that Tenzing continues to make into our PIM practice. By leveraging the EnterWorks Enable platform on our AWS cloud, Dot Foods business model is going to see transformative changes in power, scalability, and flexibility.

About Tenzing

Tenzing is one of the few cloud-based managed service providers that offers customers an end- to-end process and solution from data onboarding through data visualization in their ecommerce systems. Tenzing deploys, manages and optimizes software and infrastructure for leading omnichannel and commerce platforms from partners such as Oracle Commerce, SAP Hybris, Intershop, Magento, and others. Tenzing provides solutions that enhance performance, maintain security and simplify compliance for leading retailers and manufacturers. Tenzing has offices and customers in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC, and is widely recognized as a high-growth company and industry leader. For more information, please visit: http://www.tenzing.com.

About Dot Foods

Dot Foods Inc. carries 127,000 products from 930 food industry manufacturers making it the largest food industry redistributor in North America. Through Dot Transportation Inc., an affiliate of Dot Foods, the company distributes foodservice, convenience, retail and vending products to distributors in all 50 states and more than 35 countries. Dot Foods operates ten U. S. distribution centers, which are located in Modesto, California; Vidalia, Georgia; Burley, Idaho; Mt. Sterling, Illinois; Cambridge City, Indiana; Williamsport, Maryland; Liverpool, New York; Ardmore, Oklahoma; Dyersburg, Tennessee; and University Park, Illinois. An eleventh distribution center is currently under construction in Bullhead City, Arizona. Dot Foods Canadian operations are located in Toronto, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta. For information, visit DotFoods.com.

Dot Foods and Dot Transportation continue to experience exceptional growth. Both companies are looking to fill several positions for full and part-time drivers and warehouse personnel in all U.S. locations. To learn more about careers at Dot Foods visit DotFoods.com/careers and follow @DotFoodsCareers. For more on opportunities available with Dot Transportation, visit DriveForDot.com.

About EnterWorks

EnterWorks Master Data Management (MDM) and Product Information Management (PIM) solution enables companies to acquire, manage and transform product information into persuasive content that drives higher sales and new competitive strengths through e-commerce Web, mobile, print and various electronic channels. Services offered include: Master Data Management, Product Information Management, Dynamic Data Modeling, Workflow & Collaboration, Syndication & Publishing, Digital Asset Management, Geographic Localization, Portal Content Exchange, and Digital Channel Accelerators.

EnterWorks is highly ranked by various research analysts and used by industry leaders such as: Ariens, Big Rock Sports, CPO Commerce, Creative Converting, Darigold, Fender Musical Instruments, Guthy-Renker, Hearth & Home Technologies, HON Furniture, HP Hood, Interline Brands, Johnstone Supply, Mary Kay, Mercer, Orgill, Publishers Clearing House, Restoration Hardware, Strategic Market Alliance, US Foods, and W.B. Mason. Learn more at http://www.enterworks.com.
Our greatest asset as a successful franchise company is our people, which is why we dedicate so much time and effort planning this amazing event for them, says Adam Povlitz, President of Anago Cleaning Systems. We all genuinely feel like one, big family.

Anago Cleaning Systems (Anago), an industry-leading commercial cleaning franchise with over 35 Master Franchise locations and over 1,400 Unit Franchises throughout the U.S. and internationally, has announced the winners who took home Anagos highest honors at this years Seminar in the Desert in Phoenix, Arizona.

Our greatest asset as a successful franchise company is our people, which is why we dedicate so much time and effort planning this amazing event for them, says Adam Povlitz, President of Anago Cleaning Systems. We all genuinely feel like one, big family.

Every year, Anago hosts a seminar to bring together Master Franchisees along with various vendors to learn about the latest innovations and trends in the cleaning and franchising industries. Over 90 percent of all Anagos Master Franchisees attended this year, including 100 percent of their West Coast Franchisees attending as well, a nod to Anagos success in building strong relationships with each Master Franchise city and deliberate rotation of the Seminar host city.

This years award winners stood out for many reasons, including profitable growth and franchise sales. Here is a list of 2018s top award winners.

Master City of the Year

Anago of Hawaii

Highest Percentage Growth

Anago of Manitoba

Most Franchise Sales

Anago of Tampa

Highest Franchise Down Payments

Anago of Tampa

Individual Client Sales

Jeff Schaffer, Anago of Cleveland

This years destination was also the hometown to Anago of Phoenix, owned and operated by Brad Kemp who was thrilled to be the host city for this years event.

We had the great pleasure of being the host city for this years event and enjoyed learning the latest trends from Anago leaders during the program, said Brad Kemp, President of Anago of Phoenix. This event offers us the opportunity to build personal and professional relationships with each other as fellow Master Franchisees within the Anago family.

Paul Rocchio, VP of the International Franchise Association (IFA) also attended the event as the IFA conference directly followed Anagos seminar in Phoenix. I had the pleasure of attending the annual seminar for Anago Cleaning Systems in Phoenix. What a great group of Master Franchisees from the U.S. and Canada, says Paul Rocchio, IFA Vice President. Anago, led by President, Adam Povlitz held their seminar in conjunction with IFAs Annual Convention so they could all attend after they finished their successful event  which shows us how dedicated a franchise system and IFA member, Anago truly is.

To explore Master franchise opportunities with Anago, contact Judy Walker, Vice President of Marketing, at 800-213-5857 or judy(at)anagocleaning(dot)com or visit http://www.AnagoMasters.com.

About Anago Cleaning Systems

Anago Cleaning Systems is a commercial cleaning franchise system supporting over 35 Master Franchises and over 1,400 Unit Franchisees in the U.S. and internationally. After years of refining procedures and creating duplicable systems created in his large commercial cleaning service, David Povlitz founded Anago in 1989 to help other entrepreneurs open their cleaning businesses. Today, its program sets the standard worldwide in commercial cleaning. Anago was ranked in the Top 100 and #2 best commercial cleaning franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine for their 2018 Franchise 500 ranking. Additionally, Anago was ranked the #1 Janitorial Franchise by FranchiseRankings.com in 2018 and ranked by Franchise Business Review as one of the best franchises in Franchisee satisfaction for 11 consecutive years. Inc. Magazine has also listed Anago as one of the top privately-held companies in the U.S. For further information, visit its website at http://www.AnagoMasters.com.
Sorry for inconvenience!

You have been redirected to this page due to the following reasons:--

Your session has expired.

You have closed the browser, without logging out.

If the problem persists, kindly remove all the temporary files and cookies from your browser.

For IE - 1. Click on tools from the task bar of browser.

2. Click on Internet Options.

3. Click on "Delete temporary files."

For Mozilla Firefox - 1. Click on tools from the task bar of browser.

2. Click on "Clear recent history."
Posted Tuesday, March 6, 2018 7:00 pm

Welcome to Rashomon for the Jerry Springer generation.

Its eerie when you get old enough for events that you lived through to become the subject of historic biopics. I suppose this makes I, Tonya for my generation what Battle of the Sexes was for my parents generation, which is sad in itself, even as its made for a terrifically entertaining film.

While actor Margot Robbie bears little facial resemblance to Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding, her wide eyes and expressive mouth lend her a deftness for switching from comedy to drama within a heartbeat in the same scene. This is not only ideally suited, but essential for retelling a real-life tragedy that felt like a badly written Saturday Night Live script, even while it was happening.

Even as this film leans heavily into lampooning the redneck origins of most of its major players, Robbie still evokes sympathy by playing Harding as a lifelong abuse victim whose self-destructive choices stemmed from never having any better examples of behavior to emulate.

Allison Janney, whos spent a whole career honing her acid tongue, steals several scenes as Hardings shockingly unloving taskmaster of a mother  a performance that recently garnered an Oscar for Janney. The mothers nonstop campaign of gaslighting and undermining her own daughters self-esteem makes clear why someone as innately talented as Harding would fall for a go-nowhere, physically abusive loser like Jeff Gillooly.

Sebastian Stan, whose heroic good looks lend themselves well to playing Captain Americas sidekick, Bucky, does an astonishing job of burying his natural charm under the ferret-like mustache and simperingly nasal voice of Gillooly. Harding married Gillooly, then divorced him, and then was dragged down by him, as he plotted against her rival and knee-capping victim Nancy Kerrigan on the eve of the 1994 Winter Olympics.

Rather than accepting the account of any one of its real-life players as gospel, the unique strength of this film is that it alternates between the self-serving perspectives of Jeff Gillooly, Tonya Harding, her mother and even Gilloolys co-conspirator, Shawn Eckhardt, played with hilariously dimwitted aplomb by Paul Walter Hauser.

Because all these characters can seem like caricatures of themselves at times, its worth sticking around for the films closing credits, during which you can see that a number of their most unbelievable quotes were drawn directly from interviews they gave in real life, including Eckhardts ridiculous claims of working in counterterrorism.

Its also worth watching because the credits include footage of the actual Tonya Harding becoming the first woman to successfully execute the triple axel jump. However much of a mess she and her family made of her life, she really was that good, and its hard not to believe her claims that her less-than-photogenic background ensured that she never got a fair shot from the judges.

As much as I laughed at the antics that these characters get up to, its nonetheless haunting when Robbies Harding reacts to the mockery of the press and late-night talk shows by saying, It was like being abused all over again. Only this time, it was by you. All of you. Youre all my attackers, too.

Haunting because I remember laughing at those SNL skits and those monologues by David Letterman, just like I remember her crying to the judges about her improperly tied laces at the Olympics. She was 23 years old, and I was 18, and looking back at where I was back then, I was in no position to judge.

Even now, its almost impossible not to laugh at the absurdity of it all, but I found myself gratified to read, in the films postscript, that Harding has devoted herself to being a better mother to her child than her own mother ever was to her. I hope she might find some sense of closure from having her story told.

Movie lover Kirk Boxleitner writes about Jefferson County government and other news and features, when hes not watching movies. Contact him at kboxleitner@ptleader.com.
Posted Tuesday, March 6, 2018 7:00 pm

It was a cold, rainy, sleety, windy weekend at the DoubleTree Hotel at Sea-Tac. (My writing mentor Milt Lum loves it when I start a column that way.) Thank goodness the weekend activities were all inside the warm hotel rooms  well, except for the drafty elevators on the outside of the building!

As regular readers know, I am active in Rotary International as a part of the East Jefferson Rotary Club. This column is focused on Rotary and a huge meeting 10 days ago at Sea-Tac.

The club I am in is one of approximately 90 clubs, with about 4,300 Rotarians, in western Washington and northwestern Canada, spread from Chehalis in the south to Port Hardy at the upper end of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Each of those clubs has a president-elect whose one-year term starts on July 1.

The meeting at the DoubleTree involved two days of training for the presidents-elect from 500 Rotary clubs in eight districts in the Pacific Northwest. Each of those districts has a governor and some number of assistant governors.

I am an assistant governor, the liaison responsible for the two clubs in Port Townsend, Sequim, Port Angeles and my own club. The dubious honor of this position qualifies (or requires) me to attend the event, help out with chores in support of the trainers and also get some training for my role.

More than 700 Rotarians attended and enjoyed five meals together, along with the speeches given in a room so big, I swear it could have had two different climates. The annual event provides training and a reminder of the breadth of Rotarys programs, from local students-of-the-month recognition to the worldwide eradication of polio.

So, in addition to your humble columnist, who was there whom you might know? The president-elect in the Port Townsend Noon Rotary Club is retired PT school superintendent David Engle, who is replacing Sheldon Spencer. The president-elect in the Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary Club is Jayne Neu, who is replacing Donna Doney. The East Jefferson County Club is replacing Terry Umbreit with Caleb Summerfelt.

Many in Port Ludlow know Caleb as a member of the Port Ludlow Village Council and the truly unappreciated and unpaid traffic cop for Nextdoor Port Ludlow. However, as talented as Caleb is, his real asset is that he is but 35 years old. Consequently, he makes a real contribution to any effort to reduce the average age in Port Ludlow as well as the East Jefferson County Rotary Club.

FROM HERE TO AFGHANISTAN

Assuming you read this far, you might also be interested in a little more information. If you have an interest in serving the communities of the world, from Chimacum to Afghanistan, you ought to look into Rotary.

Locally, you can see the work we do in the shelter at H.J. Carroll Park, the bookmobile barn at the Jefferson County Library, the foreign exchange students going to foreign countries and those coming to spend a year in local high schools, scholarships and contributions to local charities throughout the area. Rotary took a leadership position on the eradication of polio in 1981, when there were hundreds of thousands of children around the world being infected. So far this year, there are only three cases identified. Oh yeah, there are even a few fun people involved with whom you might enjoy a meal, including the publisher of this newspaper.

If you want to see what some Port Ludlow folks are up to these days, be sure to stop in at The Bay Club at 3 p.m. this Saturday to see the rejuvenated Port Ludlow Follies. I suspect the whole spectrum of talent will be on full display by your friends for your enjoyment. Frankly, as you watch them, be reminded of what Bern Williams is purported to have said. A friend is a lot of things, but a critic he is not.

Love a curmudgeon and have a great week.

Ned Luce of Port Ludlow writes this column weekly for The Leader.
Posted Tuesday, March 6, 2018 7:00 pm

Editors note: This story is part of a series of news reports from the Washington State Legislature provided through a reporting internship sponsored by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. The WNPA Olympia News Bureau is overseen by Sandy Stokes. Contact Josh Kelety at jkelety@uw.edu.

When Gov. Jay Inslee vetoed Senate Bill 6617 on Thursday night, March 1, he had some time to spare. But not much.

The governor had until 11:59 p.m. to decide whether to sign the controversial bill, veto it entirely, partially veto it or let it pass without his signature. He faced the possibility of legislators overriding his veto with a supermajority vote, a reasonable threat considering that the bill had been passed with an overwhelming majority on Friday, Feb. 23.

It wasnt until 9 p.m. that Inslees office sent out a press release stating that the governor had vetoed the legislation, which would have immediately exempted the state Legislature from the public disclosure law. According to the press release, the decision was made after the governor had secured an agreement between lawmakers and media organizations for a compromise.

The publics right to government information is one we hold dearly in Washington, Inslee said in a written statement. Transparency is a cornerstone of a democratic government.

The bill, which would have also retroactively exempted lawmakers from the state Public Records Act, was rushed through the Legislature in less than 48 hours with no public hearings. It passed both the state House and Senate with supermajority margins and no floor debate. The reaction was swift and severe. On Feb. 27, 13 daily newspapers across Washington published editorials calling on Inslee to veto the legislation. By March 1, the governors office had received nearly 12,000 emails, 5,600 phone calls, and more than 100 letters from constituents regarding the bill. In his statement, Inslee called the public reaction unprecedented.

ONGOING BATTLE

The response was the latest in an ongoing battle between the newspaper publishers and the Legislature that led to the creation of the controversial legislation. Sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Sharon Nelson, D-Maury Island, and Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, the bill came on the heels of a Jan. 19 ruling from Thurston County Superior Court Judge Chris Lanese that lawmakers are subject to the states Public Records Act. The decree stemmed from an ongoing lawsuit against the Legislature by the Associated Press, the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA) and other media organizations, which sued last year for lawmakers internal communications and records pertaining to alleged sexual harassment incidents.

In the hours leading up to the late-night veto, Inslees chief of staff, David Postman, and his executive director of legislative affairs, Drew Shirk, engaged in behind-the-scenes negotiations with legislators and some of those same newspaper publishers.

An agreement came together in a turbulent and last-minute fashion. On Wednesday, Feb. 28, three regional newspaper publishers participated in a brief conference call with Inslee to voice their concerns and ask him to veto the bill. According to David Zeeck, publisher of The Tacoma News Tribune and The Olympian, who was on that phone call, Inslee said at the time that he wasnt sure what he would do.

Over the next 24 hours, Inslees staff went back and forth between both sides. The publishers wanted the bill killed and a public stakeholder discussion on public disclosure in the Legislature. Lawmakers wanted guarantees that the media organizations would back up their attempt to seek a stay on the enforcement of the court ruling and wouldnt field a ballot initiative.

On Thursday, March 1, Inslees staff requested letters from both the publishers and lawmakers clarifying their positions and their intended actions in the event that he vetoed the legislation.

DRAFT LETTERS

Michele Earl-Hubbard, the attorney representing the media organizations in the lawsuit, drafted the plaintiffs letter, which was sent to the Inslees office at about 5 p.m. on March 1.

It was a promise to the governor to give him information so that he could broker a deal, Earl-Hubbard said.

Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, who helped corral positions from the Senate Democratic caucus, along with Senate Deputy Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, said that the medias letter sealed the deal for many of his Democratic colleagues. The items that were covered in Michele Earl-Hubbards letter were the things that we were looking for, Pedersen said.

House and Senate Democrats also wrote letters late Thursday afternoon endorsing the veto. We have heard loud and clear from our constituents that they are angry and frustrated with the process by which we passed ESB 6617, both letters read. We think that the only way to make this right is for you to veto the bill and for us to start again.

AN EXCHANGE

As the hours ticked down, a deal emerged. In exchange for a veto from the governor and no override vote from the Legislature, the media organizations  the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the Legislature  will join the defendants in seeking a stay on enforcement of the ruling while the matter proceeds in an appeal now before the state Supreme Court. Furthermore, the news media plaintiffs agreed not to field a ballot initiative to overturn the Legislatures action, and would help lawmakers craft public records legislation in 2019.

Still unaddressed is another letter written by the entire House Republican caucus, which endorsed a veto decision, but laid the blame for the controversial bill with House and Senate Democrats  despite the fact that most House Republicans voted for it.

As members of the minority caucus we dont get to choose which bills run or when they run  SB 6617 was the only solution allowed by the Democrats, the letter states. All 48 of our members wished they could have voted for a better bill.

The House GOP letter demanded that Speaker of the House, Rep. Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, hold a hearing on HB 2255, a bill filed late last year that would require that legislators to be subject to public disclosure laws. The letter stated that Republicans want their bill heard in the House State Government, Elections and Information Technology Committee on Wednesday, March 7, which is the day before this years session ends.

Rep. Paul Graves, R-Fall City, who voted against SB 6617 and is the primary sponsor of HB 2255, said that he hasnt received confirmation that it would get a hearing.

Earl-Hubbard noted that none of the lawmakers letters feature signatures from the House or Senate Democratic and Republican leadership, who are explicitly party to the ongoing lawsuit. Weve heard not a lot from the four leaders. Period, she said.

SB 6617s sponsors, Sens. Nelson and Schoesler, declined to comment for this story.

All three of the legislators who represent Jefferson County had voted in favor of SB 6617.

This report was produced by the Olympia bureau of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association.
Posted Tuesday, March 6, 2018 7:00 pm

Chimacum Creek Primary Schools kindergarten registration for the 2018-19 school year is set for Wednesday, March 7, with a kindergarten roundup planned for 4-5 p.m., in conjunction with the schools Literacy Night, set for 4:30-6 p.m.

Principal Kalie Enlow assured parents that all of the schools kindergarten teachers should be available to meet with them during that hour.

Registration packets are available now in the school office, at 313 Nesses Corner Road in Port Hadlock.

If families want to complete the registration process at the event, Enlow advises them to bring birth certificates and immunization reports for their kindergarten-age children.

The school can sometimes find Washington state immunizations, Enlow said. Families are welcome to take packets and bring them back when its convenient, as well.

Enlow admitted that shes only taken part in this event once before, last year, so she looks forward to hearing what questions parents have for her staff.

One I have heard is whether our school offers full-day kindergarten, and the answer is yes, said Enlow, who also addressed school busing. As long as students are in our district, they can be bused. Routes depend on enrollment and how many students are riding the bus, so those routes are not set to be assigned until its nearer to the start of the next school year.

Kindergartners will not be dropped off without an adult present, unless parents sign a release form saying they can be dropped off without an adult, said Enlow, who also expects some parents to ask when theyll find out who their kids teachers are, but that usually isnt until the summer.

As for the Literacy Night, the evening centers around Dr. Seussthemed activities, with teachers operating various literacy-focused stations around the gym. At each, families can play games or complete challenges together.

Free pizza is on the menu.
Posted Tuesday, March 6, 2018 7:00 pm

Citing a shortage of parking, a lack of fencing and objections from nearby residents, the Port Townsend City Council voted unanimously March 5 to rescind designation of two city-owned lots as off-leash dog areas. The lots are located near Umatilla Avenue and 35th Street.

We feel like we need to step back and reassess and re-evaluate the designation of the two parcels in question, City Manager David Timmons told council members.

In place of those off-leash areas, which are now closed, the city is considering adding a new off-leash dog area in a fenced section of Mountain View Commons, pending notification of nearby residents and approval by Port Townsend School District, according to city documents.

SURPRISED

The off-leash areas at Umatilla Avenue and at 35th Street were approved by the council for use as off-leash dog areas in February 2017. People who live in the area said they were surprised to receive a letter from the city in November that informed them of the off-leash designation. Those residents expressed concerns about safety and lack of parking at the off-leash areas.

Timmons and parks and facilities manager Alex Wisniewski met with area residents recently to discuss the matter.

Timmons said one problem had been that the citys messaging about its intentions to create the two dog areas did not reach the neighborhood, and so neighbors were surprised when the dog areas were created.

We need to reconsider some of the designations and take a look at creating some criteria, some standards that must be met, Timmons said, referring to fencing as one of those standard.

Timmons said Umatilla-area residents told him they realized there is a need for a dog park.

Theyre not against it, theyre just concerned that this particular location wasnt well thought out. It requires some additional improvements, Timmons said, adding that those improvements were beyond the citys means at this time.

The city may create a temporary dog park at Mountain View, which could be active for three to five years, before the possible construction of a new pool on the property by the YMCA. Timmons said the city would contact people living near Mountain View about the proposal.

TINY CHETZEMOKA PARK

City Council member Robert Gray said the city revised its code in February 2017 to make it unlawful for unleashed dogs to be on city property, except for designated areas, such as designated off-leash areas or the small, fenced dog park at Chetzemoka Park.

Unleashed dogs are allowed on private property. Dogs are also allowed at the county-owned Jefferson County Fairgrounds. Timmons said Sather Park was never designated as a dog park or off-leash area.

Gray lamented that with the removal of off-leash areas at Umatilla Avenue and 35th Street, only the tiny Chetzemoka dog park would remain.

City Council member David Faber said the lack of a city dog park has long been a problem.

Have there been any actual reports of incidents occurring on the Umatilla property, any dog attacks or dogs escaping, being hit by cars or anything like that? Or is it just mostly a concern about the possibility? Faber asked.

Timmons said he thought there were some actual conflicts that had occurred. Additionally, Timmons said parking was too limited in the Umatilla Avenue area. Its not really well suited for that activity, Timmons said.

SAFETY PRIORITY FOR RESIDENTS

During public comment, Umatilla Avenuearea resident Roger Davis implored the council to pass the resolution removing the dog parks at Umatilla Avenue and 35th Street.

Not just a passage, but a rousing passage of 18-009, Davis said, referring to the title of the resolution.

We didnt even know about it, Davis said of the two off-leash areas, until he received a letter from the city regarding the parks in November of last year.

Safety is his biggest concern.

We should be able to walk anywhere in this city safely, Davis said. He thanked Timmons and Wisniewski for coming to meet with Umatilla Avenue residents.

Umatilla-area resident Linda Rohrs said that about 20 people met with the city about the off-leash areas, and that residents were pretty upset because we werent canvassed as a neighborhood before getting a letter. There wasnt a knock on the door, Rohrs said.

You guys are known for your transparency and your fairness, and we felt really bamboozled that there was no warning, Rohrs said.

Rohrs said she appreciated the citys parks and noted that children, bicyclists and senior citizens use a trail that goes by the off-leash areas. Most dogs on the trail have been leashed, she said.

However, dogs running loose in the off-leash area were a safety problem, Rohrs said.

Its not that I think every dog is Cerberus, the dog from ancient Roman and Greek mythology, the three-headed monster dog thats going to chew me apart when I go out my back door. Thats not my concern, Rohrs said.

The problem is that off-leash dogs could go after children.

I love to see a dog run free, but I think its better if its inside of a park system that is fenced, Rohrs said.

A friendly dog can knock somebody over  its the nature of a dog to run and chase, Rohrs said.

Rohrs said she once owned a dog that ran over to a woman and bit her coat during the winter. The woman was fine, but Rohrs said that had the event happened in the summertime, she could have faced legal action since the victim wouldnt have had a coat on for protection.

Dogs act differently in public, Rohrs said.

They want to protect their human being and they can become aggressive, Rohrs said.

Umatilla-area resident Doug Pope said Umatilla Avenue residents wanted to nip potential problems with the off-leash area in the bud.

As soon as people realized what happened, they jumped on it and got with Mr. Timmons and did the right thing, because we all understood what would happen if this got to be an entrenched situation, Pope said of the off-leash areas.

Since it is winter now, A lot of dog owners werent coming out yet, but they would be, Pope said.

If you dont fence it, dogs are going to escape and interfere with people walking along the nearby trail.

I think its time to start over, Pope said.

Chris Cuzzetto said she often walked the trail near Umatilla, but off-leash dogs would keep me from using these areas in fear that I would be approached by an unleashed dog. Even a friendly dog could startle me, causing me to fall. I do have osteoporosis and Ive broken several bones. I do not like to be jumped on by dogs, Cuzzetto said.

Glenn Hartmann said he lived 75 feet from the off-leash area and was concerned about impacts to the neighborhood, including parking, traffic, odors, and safety concerns for children and seniors.

My wife, Kathy, and I were walking recently through the Masonic cemetery, which is near our home. We were confronted by a pair of dogs, a pit bull and another large dog, that came out of the bushes, Harmann said.

They chased the dogs off, but said the dogs then ran toward children in the cemetery. No one was hurt, but what if a small child or older senior had been knocked down and bitten?  We also agree that we ought not have to carry pepper spray to walk through our own neighborhood, Hartmann said.

Another complaint was that it was unlikely dog owners would pick up dog feces and that the feces would be washed downhill into area waters, causing problems for aquatic life.

DOGS NEED TO RUN

Faber said he understands Umatilla residents concerns, but also said the lack of a dog park has long been a problem in Port Townsend.

Dogs need to run. They need to be exercised. They particularly like to  have a ball tossed a significant distance, and you really cant do that effectively at the Chetzemoka Park, Faber said.

We cant just cast around [for a new dog park location] every time someone says not in my backyard.  We have to make sure that we address the neighborhood concerns and do what we can to mitigate the negative impacts from having a dog park there, Faber said.

With a fence and plant barriers, we might be able to use this space still. I dont want to foreclose on this as being a potential long-term option, Faber said of the Umatilla off-leash area.

Gray said the lot was originally slated for low-income housing.  We have that need, also. Its one of our biggest needs. Perhaps we can use that property for that, he said.

Gray said a fundraiser could be held to pay for fencing, whether the park is at Umatilla or at Mountain View.

A great town has a dog park, thats all there is to it  to have a place where you can throw the ball for the dog, Gray said.

Council members Amy Howard, Pam Adams and Mayor Deborah Stinson expressed support for dog parks in general.

These properties are not being permanently removed from consideration of some kind of a dog park, potentially, Stinson said, but they could be reconsidered with stricter criteria.

Its not taking them off the list, Stinson said, adding that Mountain View would be a good temporary spot for the dog park in the meantime.
Sign up for the latest Russia investigation updates.

George Nader, a Middle East expert connected to several associates of President Donald Trump, is now cooperating with the special counsel Robert Mueller and has testified before a grand jury in the Russia investigation, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

FBI investigators approached Nader when he landed at Washington Dulles International Airport in January and served him with search warrants and a grand jury subpoena, the report said. At the time, Nader was en route to Mar-a-Lago to meet with President Donald Trump and his associates to celebrate the anniversary of Trump's first year in office.

Nader's inclusion in the Russia probe stems from his involvement in two meetings he attended as an adviser to and representative of the United Arab Emirates' Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. The first meeting took place in New York in December 2016, and the second in the Seychelles islands in January 2017.

New details about the meetings and Nader's involvement contained in the Times report provide critical clues about the timeline of Trump-Russia contacts, as well as the degree to which the president's closest and highest-ranking associates were involved.

December 2016 Trump Tower meeting

The crown prince traveled to New York during the transition period in December 2016 and reportedly met with former national security adviser Michael Flynn, Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon at Trump Tower.

The meeting was said to have raised red flags within the US intelligence community because the government was not notified of Crown Prince Mohammeds visit. The Obama administration felt misled by the UAE as a result, which prompted then-national security adviser Susan Rice to request that Trump associates names be unmasked in intelligence reports detailing the meeting.

A senior Middle East official acknowledged to CNN last year that the UAE did not inform the US of the crown princes visit in advance but denied that the UAE had misled the Obama administration. The official said that the December Trump Tower meeting was merely part of an effort to build a relationship with the incoming administration.

Mueller's prosecutors have repeatedly questioned Nader about the meeting, as well as his meetings in the White House with Kushner and Bannon following Trump's inauguration.

That same month, Kushner met with Sergei Kislyak, then Russia's ambassador to the US, and reportedly proposed setting up a secure back-channel of communication between Trump and Moscow using Russian facilities.

Shortly after, Kushner had a separate meeting with Sergei Gorkov, the CEO of the sanctioned Russian state-owned bank Vnesheconombank, which was reportedly orchestrated by Kislyak. The interaction piqued investigators' scrutiny as the FBI began examining whether Russian officials suggested to Kushner that Russian banks could finance Trump associates' business ventures if US sanctions were lifted or relaxed.

January 2017 Seychelles meeting

In addition to Nader's meeting with Kushner, Bannon, and Flynn in December 2016, investigators are also keenly interested in another meeting he attended that took place in the Seychelles islands shortly after the Trump Tower gathering.

Following that meeting, Blackwater founder and Trump associate Erik Prince approached the crown prince and told him he was authorized to act as an unofficial surrogate for Trump, according to The Washington Post. He then asked Crown Prince Mohammed to set up a meeting with Kirill Dmitriev, the head of a US-sanctioned Russian investment fund who is closely allied with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The meeting took place on January 11, 2017 in the Seychelles islands. While Nader attended the meeting as Crown Prince Mohammed's representative, Emirati officials believed Prince represented the Trump team and that Dmitriev represented Putin.

The meeting's purpose was to create a back-channel of communication between Trump and Russia, and UAE officials also participated in the hopes of helping to encourage Russia to distance itself from Iran, a major Kremlin ally, according to The Post.

The Trump administration has often expressed skepticism toward Iran and Trump has pushed hard to scrap the USs nuclear deal with Iran.

Naders presence at the January 2017 Seychelles meeting is what landed him in the crosshairs of the special counsel, who is investigating Russias interference in the 2016 US election and whether members of the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to tilt the race in his favor. Nader, according to The Times, also once worked as a consultant to Blackwater.

Prince told the House Intelligence Committee last year that he knew Dmitriev was a Russian fund manager but did not know it was a sanctioned fund that was controlled by the Russian government.

Prince also denied that he attended the meeting as an official representative of the incoming administration, saying instead that he traveled to the Seychelles to meet with potential business customers from the UAE. During the meeting, Prince told lawmakers on the panel, the customers mentioned a guy who I should also meet who was also in town, who turned out to be Dmitriev.

When he met Dmitriev, they discussed a range of topics, and Dmitriev stressed that he wished Russia and the US could resume normal trade relations, Prince said.

After the Seychelles meeting, Dmitriev also met with Anthony Scaramucci, who would later become the White House communications director, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Russian state media quoted Scaramucci as saying, after his meeting with Dmitriev, that the Obama administration's new sanctions on Russia  which were imposed that month to penalize it for interfering in the 2016 election  were ineffective and detrimental to the US-Russia relationship.

US softens its stance on Russia sanctions

Russias economy was dealt a stinging blow in 2014, when the US imposed sweeping sanctions to punish Russia for its aggression toward neighboring Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea.

Dmitriev's company, the Russian Direct Investment Fund, was included on the list of Russian economic entities that were penalized as part of that decision.

An RDIF spokesperson reached out to Business Insider to clarify that the fund was included on the US sanctions list because of its status as a former subsidiary of Vnesheconombank.

The UAE, meanwhile, has invested in a number of projects along with RDIF as part of an effort to foster closer ties to Russia.

The Obama administration announced another round of sanctions in December 2016, as a penalty for Russia's meddling. The US government also shuttered two Russian diplomatic facilities in the country and expelled 35 Russian diplomats.

After Obama left office, Congress overwhelmingly voted to impose new sanctions on Russia last summer, which Trump signed into law after facing public pressure from lawmakers and critics who accused him of catering to Putin's wishes.

However, the White House declined to enforce the law this year. The State Department said that the law's mere existence was enough to penalize Russia, because it had already made a dent in Russian defense sales.

From that perspective, if the law is working, sanctions on specific entities or individuals will not need to be imposed because the legislation is, in fact, serving as a deterrent, a State Department spokesperson said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a group of South Korean diplomats dined for four hours on Monday night, emerging with a possible peace deal to stop the North's nuclear weapons and missile testing program.

The isolated nation said it may even be willing to abandon its nuclear weapons program in exchange for security guarantees from the US, according to The New York Times.

President Donald Trump claimed he was behind the potential diplomatic opening, given his administration's recent and deep-cutting economic sanctions against North Korea.

Yet North Korea has a checkered history of adhering to anti-nuclear treaties, and the proposal may exploit President Trump's ire toward Kim Jong Un, not to mention his administration's rigid diplomatic stance toward North Korea.

"People are saying, 'They promised to stop nuclear tests and missile tests,'" Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear-policy expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, told Business Insider. "What I saw was that they promised to stop those tests while they were negotiating with the United States."

To Lewis, who also publishes Arms Control Wonk, a requirement for direct US involvement in talks "sounds less like a promise to stop [testing] and more like a permission slip" to continue.

What's more, he added, Kim Jong Un's proposal is poised to significantly weaken economic sanctions that the Trump administration has leveraged against North Korea.

How the offer could help North Korea and undermine Trump, US interests

President Trump has not been shy about his disdain for Kim Jong Un, often calling the leader "little rocket man" and threatening him with the size of his "nuclear button."

Trump has also flipped back-and-forth between rejecting negotiations with North Korea outright to  less frequently  expressing optimism about the possibility, should the nation be ready to rid itself of all intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear warheads, and reactors. (North Korea's ICBMs reportedly now have the ability strike US targets.)

Lewis said the Trump administration's sanctions are indeed painful to North Korea. But he noted Kim Jong Un is likely most concerned about ending joint military exercises around the Korean Peninsula between US forces and their allies, such as South Korea and Japan. Such activity heightens tensions and might lead to catastrophic miscalculations, Lewis previously told Business Insider.

"They've always wanted those military exercises shut off, because military exercise is how real wars start  that's the cover that everybody gives for amassing troops," Lewis said. "So basically they have to go on alert every time we do them. And we used to do them during the harvest [season], which was not nice."

Offering a peace deal could motivate South Korea to stall or cancel the next joint military exercise, which is scheduled for the spring.

"From a North Korean perspective, they'd like to get the cancellation of the exercises. But this also helps them manage their sanctions problem," Lewis added. "If they're seen as saying, 'Look, we're willing to stop the missile tests, just as soon as the US shows up,' but then the US doesn't show up," then it's a potentially big win for Kim Jong Un.

All eyes on the Trump administration

Refusing to sit down with North Korea is a strong possibility, given the Trump administration's frequent and stern messaging about negotiating with the country. (Officials recently enacted more sanctions against North Korea over the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, who was Kim Jong Un's half-brother and possibly heir to his position.)

However, acting tough against Kim Jong Un's offer, or simply ignoring it, could backfire.

"If they then do another missile test, how does the sanctions fight play out?" Lewis said of North Korea. "The South Koreans and the Russians and the Chinese all refuse to back more sanctions because they'll say, 'Well, there's a standing offer from the North Koreans that you're not taking.' [...] At the end of the day, what they're really looking at doing is countering the US campaign of pressure."

China and Russia might also spin a lack of US talks to weaken or ignore existing sanctions, since those countries "don't really owe us any favors," Lewis said. Even South Korea may join them as it pushes for an opportunity to make peace with its adversarial neighbor.

"This is generally how the sanctions game is played, and it's just that the Trump administration is really bad at it," Lewis said. "The whole point of sanctions is to get pressure on another country to do something."

He added: "You can't really convince other countries to go along with you unless you are seen as being reasonable  unless you're being seen as willing to take the sanctions off in exchange for good behavior, unless you are seen as trying to reach a diplomatic settlement."

Trump's appointees, such as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis, generally "say the right words" to keep the door open to possible negotiations with North Korea, Lewis said, but Trump often undermines their statements with his own. (Lewis noted, however, that the president's statements on Tuesday "were fine for Trump.")

Regardless, North Korea has thrown a large diplomatic ball into Trump's court, and the nations of the world await to see if, and how, the US responds in a meaningful way.

The stakes are high, given the Trump administration push to expand America's nuclear-weapons arsenal, and as US military forces train to face a conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
Founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk in 2002, SpaceX did not have an easy start  it was bordering on bankruptcy in 2008 after three failed launches.

Today the aerospace company has about $10 billion worth of launches booked, built the world's most powerful operational rocket, and touts an ambitious goal to colonize Mars.

Its success has so far relied on its workhorse launcher: the 229-foot-tall Falcon 9 rocket. But continued industry dominance is anything but guaranteed.

In the near future, Musk and SpaceX will face competition from a number of companies, including Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Paul Allen's Stratolaunch Systems, that are developing reusable, next-generation rocket engines, boosters, and spaceships.

Here's how the competition in the new space race stacks up.

This story was updated with new information. It was originally published at 10:20 a.m. ET on March 4, 2018.

United Launch Alliance

Aerospace industry titans Boeing and Lockheed Martin formed ULA in 2005, and the company currently relies on its Delta IV Heavy launcher to get the biggest payloads into space. But that rocket costs at least $350 million per launch  several times more expensive than SpaceX's new and reusable $90 million Falcon Heavy system. Plus, Delta IV Heavy can only lift half as much payload as the Falcon Heavy.

As an answer to SpaceX's new rocket, ULA is working on a more powerful and partly reusable launcher called Vulcan. That rocket will recycle the engines of its booster, which is the biggest and most costly part of a rocket. (And the engines make up about two-thirds of a booster's cost.)

According to ULA's plan, a system called SMART will pop the engines off, guide them through Earth's atmosphere behind an aeroshell, and parachute them toward the ground. A helicopter will then grab the parachute and engines.

A forthcoming system called ACES will also make the upper stage of the rocket reusable and refuel-able in orbit.

Tory Bruno, ULA's CEO, told Business Insider that a Vulcan launch will cost below $100 million to start.

ArianeGroup

One of SpaceX's lowest-cost and biggest competitors is ArianeGroup, which is often known by its launch-focused subsidiary, Arianespace.

The company is working on a follow-up to its highly successful Ariane 5 rocket, dubbed Ariane 6. It may launch as soon as 2020. The most powerful variant of Ariane 6 could potentially carry about twice as much payload as SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket into orbit some 22,236 miles above Earth.

At first, Ariane 6 won't have reusable engines. But SpaceNews reports that the rockets may eventually get equipped with reusable Prometheus engines  expensive parts that a winged, pop-off machine called Adeline might fly back to a runway.

In the end, Ariane 6's makers expect the rocket to achieve lower ounce-for-ounce launch prices that what SpaceX currently offers.

Blue Origin

One of SpaceX's biggest looming rivals is also the most secretive.

Founded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos in 2000, Blue Origin has been most public about its smaller space tourism rocket system, New Shepard. But in September 2016, Blue Origin announced its plans for the enormous, reusable, and orbit-capable New Glenn rocket system.

Reusable rocket engines, called BE-4s, will power that launcher. Its biggest future iteration will stand about 313 feet tall, have three rocket stages, and possibly make voyages to the moon or Mars routine.

Bezos is planning to debut the first New Glenn rocket in 2020. Blue Origin has begun that work in a 750,000-square-foot hangar in Cape Canaveral, Florida (Business Insider asked to visit, but the company declined).

It's not certain how much a New Glenn launch will cost, though the booster will take off and land like SpaceX's, allowing it to get reused for future launches. That would save Blue Origin tens of millions of dollars in the process.

As of March 2017, Blue Origin had at least one customer signed up to launch a payload.

Virgin Orbit

SpaceX is focused on launching large satellites, but Sir Richard Branson of Virgin-brand fame is aiming to corner the market on sending lighter payloads into orbit.

Branson's newest company, Virgin Orbit, uses a large airplane ("Cosmic Girl) to efficiently lift a rocket ("LauncherOne") high in the sky. Once at maximum altitude, the airplane drops the rocket, which then throttles a payload toward low-Earth orbit (LEO) some 250 miles above the planet.

For $12-$15 million, Virgin Orbit can rocket payloads weighing up to 1,100 lbs to LEO. That's small compared to the 140,000-lb payload capacity of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy. But for many customers that want to launch small satellites  the Department of Defense included  half a ton is plenty.

This air-to-launch scheme may seem radical, but it dates back to some of NASA's earliest work. Branson's other spaceflight company, Virgin Galactic, is also mastering it for suborbital space tourism.

Stratolaunch Systems

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen used his wealth to form an ambitious air-to-launch company in 2011.

Called Stratolaunch, the launch system will dwarf Branson's Virgin Orbit scheme. Allen had his company build the largest aircraft in the world, which engineers made by cannibalizing two 747-400 jet airplanes.

The carrier aircraft has a 385-foot wingspan, and it will tow a launcher to high altitude, drop it, and fire it toward space.

The carrier is capable of lifting an object that weighs up of 500,000 lbs. That's more than enough to send a rocket or spaceship with a crew of two or three people into orbit.

In fact, Allen's team is contemplating making a new space plane called "Black Ice," which would be about as big as one of NASA's former space shuttles.

"You make your rocket a plane," Jean Floyd, the CEO of Stratolaunch System, told Christian Davenport for his new book, "The Space Barons: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos."

"So, you have an airplane carrying a plane that's fully reusable," Floyd added. "You dont throw anything away ever. Only fuel."

China

The People's Republic of China is powering ahead in its fast-paced spaceflight program.

Although Chinese officials have remarked that they can't match SpaceX's reusable-rocket-launch pricing, that may not be true in the future. The nation is reportedly (and secretly) working to build a reusable, hypersonic space plane.

They plan launch it for the first time in 2025, and might later launch a fully reusable and capable nuclear-powered model.

The billionaire Robert Bigelow, who is working to build inflatable space stations, is worried about China's growing prowess in space.

NASA

Testing for NASA's gigantic Space Launch System rocket is moving along. When the dust settles many years from now, it may tower above and outdo all other rockets ever built, at least in terms of power and lift capability.

But on cost, it won't ever compare. NASA has already spent about $23 billion on the project, and to reach Mars with the launcher, moon Phobos

NASA is projected to launch the first SLS rocket in 2020 at the earliest.

Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK is one of the companies working on the booster for SLS, but the aerospace and defense company has a big side project: the Next Generation Launch system, or NGL.

NGL is designed to compete for heavy-lift payloads, including military spy satellites. The first NGL launch is slated for 2024, and a souped-up "heavy" configuration may put about half as much payload into orbit as a Falcon Heavy.

NGL is partly a resurrection of Ares I: a launcher the company was building for NASA until the program lost its funding. Like Ares I, NGL will use solid rocket boosters similar to the space shuttle's.

Such boosters can be reused after intense refurbishment work, but Orbital ATK told Space.com in 2017 that  at least for now  it doesn't plan to reuse any parts of NGL. Instead, the company aims to keep the launcher's price low and reliability high "by integrating common elements, such as avionics, flight computers and materials for composite structures" across all of its other rockets.

The company did not provide estimated launch pricing to Business Insider in time for publication.

What's next for SpaceX

Now that its Falcon Heavy rocket is proven to work, SpaceX is shifting a lot of resources toward its most ambitious project: the Big Falcon Rocket (also called the Big F--king Rocket).

The 348-foot-tall, fully reusable system is scheduled for an "aspirational" first launch toward Mars in 2022. Its enormous spaceship  which sits atop a similarly enormous booster  is slated to roll out of SpaceX's facilities in Texas and begin hopping around with short test launches sometime in 2019.

But a series of remarks made in September 2017, Musk said the BFR will come to replace everything SpaceX has built thus far, since its total reusability means it won't cost much to launch payloads of any size  primarily just the price of fuel.

"We want to have one system, one booster and ship, that replaces Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Dragon," Musk said of SpaceX's other rockets. "If we can do that, then all the resources that are used for Falcon 9, Heavy, and Dragon can be applied to this system."
If you've heard of litigation finance, there's a good chance you're not a fan.

Mighty, a New York City startup, hopes to change your mind and put the industry in a better light  and on a better footing.

Litigation finance is the practice by which investors help fund plaintiffs in a lawsuit in return for a cut of payouts they may get from the proceedings. The best known example is perhaps tech billionaire Peter Thiel's backing of Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker, which ended in the closure of the digital media company  and a black eye for the emerging industry.

But people misunderstand the practice and don't appreciate its benefits, said Dylan Beynon, Mighty's cofounder and chief growth officer.

"People think it's a loan, people think it's predatory," said Beynon, whose company offers software and, soon, funding to litigation finance firms. But to him, litigation finance is a way to help people "get a better deal from the justice system."

Beynon and Mighty now have a way of spreading that message and nurturing the industry. The company just got $114 million in new financing.

About $9 million of the funding is in the form of a traditional investment deal, led by IA Ventures and Tribeca Venture Partners. The rest of the round will go into Mighty Capital, the startup's new investment arm, which will invest in litigation finance firms across the country.

Lawsuits are expensive to pursue

Hulk Hogan aside, most people involved in lawsuits are neither rich nor famous. Many need help staying afloat financially while pursuing legal actions. The costs of fighting a case  from lawyer fees to medical bills to hiring experts or investigators  can all add up to quite a lot of money.

Those costs often sink a lawsuit before it reaches any kind of conclusion. Deep-pocketed corporate defendants will often "delay, defer, and deny" any kind of settlement, taking advantage of any and all kinds of loopholes in the hopes that the piling costs will force plaintiffs to drop their suits, Beynon said.

That's where litigation finance comes in. It works as an investment, not a loan. If you win or settle your case, your backers get some pre-determined cut of the cash award. If you lose, they get nothing.

Mighty's customers are generally involved in personal injury cases. But litigation financing is available for pretty much any kind of suit.

Litigation finance is becoming more popular  but its still controversial

Though it still isn't well known outside legal circles, litigation finance is becoming more common. In late 2017, a study found that 36 percent of law firms had accepted litigation finance to pursue a claim. That was up from 28 percent in 2016. There's no hard data on the size of the market, but top firms can invest billions.

However the industry remains controversial, thanks in large part to the Thiel's backing of Hogan's Gawker suit, which came to light in 2016.

In the wake of the revelation that Thiel was backing that suit, Lisa A. Rickard, the executive vice president of the US Chamber of Commerce, argued in a New York Times editorial that litigation finance is "a cancerous growth on our civil justice system" that turns the legal system into a "casino."

But that's not how Beynon sees it. Litigation finance benefits society, because it makes the justice system accessible to people who otherwise couldn't afford it, he said. If you're a construction worker who breaks your leg on the job, litigation finance might be the only way you can pay your bills while you pursue a claim.

So what does Mighty do?

While Mighty has been involved in the litigation finance industry since its founding in 2014, the way it's pursued that industry has changed.

The company started out as a peer-to-peer service, offering a way for people to crowdfund their legal actions. The theory of Mighty's founders was that ordinary people would offer better terms than big, institutional investors, Beynon said. Mighty cofounder and CEO Joshua Schwadron, an attorney by training who once made a go as a litigation financier, raised $5.25 million to fund this first iteration of the company.

But Mighty soon discovered that institutional investors actually offered better terms to customers than people could get through its crowdfunding service. So Mighty switched gears, developing software to help investors find, assess, and invest in litigation.

Its software helps investors track the status of litigation, the value of deals, and the success rate of the attorneys and law firms they fund. Mighty currently has 60 litigation finance firms as customers.

"We're providing tools to help them make better decisions," Beynon said.

With the portion of its funding that will go directly into its business, Mighty plans to add to its 21-person roster, hiring in both engineering and sales.

Offering a helping hand to litigation finance firms

But Mighty has run into another problem  many of its potential customers are struggling.

Some litigation finance firms are doing well, particular jumbo-sized ones such as Burford Capital. Burford alone invested $378 million in lawsuits in 2016.

But smaller litigation finance firms have trouble getting access to the money they need to invest in suits. Their borrowing costs can include a 20% markup from banks, Beynon said.

"They have a really tough time running their businesses," he said. "They don't always have access to capital."

Mighty's investment fund is designed to address that need. It's intended to give smaller and midsized institutions easier access to capital so they can fund more litigation and scale their operations. Mighty will only be investing in the firms themselves via the fund. It won't be directly investing in litigation.

Mighty hopes to use the fund to grow the market for litigation finance.

Litigation finance can be very lucrative for investors. Some estimates say that litigation finance has about a 36% rate of return.

Beynon declined to discuss the returns Mighty's customers are seeing. But the company talks to "tons and tons" of institutional investors interested in getting into the field.

Unlike the stock market, stocks, bonds, or even cryptocurrencies, litigation finance is totally separate from the broader financial markets. And because no two cases are exactly alike, it's an investment that's diversified by nature. That's why many investors find it an attractive form of investment.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
Even though this story shows the teacher's supposed dedication to his students, it is also a sad story as a reflection of the bad teaching conditions in Ghana, right?

Well, I call bullshit.

According to a StarrFMOnline.com report, the teacher, one Awudu Kombian from Warvi in the Tolon District of the Northern Region of Ghana, reportedly makes the long walk each day to teach his students.

Even if that doesn't awe you, the fact that the teacher, who doubles as the headmaster of the school, was presented with a "standing fan" as part of the 61st Independence Day Anniversary Parade which happened on 6th March, 2018.

So now lets do some basic maths.

According to VeryWellFit.com, a fast walk will help you cover 7 minutes per kilometer or 11 minutes per mile, a moderate speed will cover 10 minutes per kilometer or 15 minutes per mile and finally an easy and light walk will cover 12.5 minutes per kilometer or 20 minutes per mile.

So as according to Kombian's comments, he walks about 4.9 hours everyday to get to the school to teach his students.

To put that in comparison, a walk from Obuasi to Kumasi is about 59km, which according to Google Maps should require about 12 h 2 min.

However, my editor, Betty Kankam-Boadu maintains that there could be truth in what Kombian says.

According to Betty, in her experience with locals from the Northern Region, a distance that could take about 2 hours to complete by car, would be referred to as a short distance by the local who have grown accustomed to the walking due to lack of alternatives.

READ ALSO: Teacher who walks 42km to class rewarded with a standing fan

But whatever the case, it seems I am not the only person finding it difficult to grasp the concept of Teacher Kombian walking about 42kms to work daily.
Joe Hobson Jr. spotted with a car full of cocaine and crystal meth.

He absconded, but the Rockdale County Sheriffs Office mounted a search and found him buried in the muddy drain in the woods.

The officers then dug him out and subsequently released a statement and photos of the entire incident.

See the statement and the attached photos below as shared by the Conyers Police Dept:

Drug Trafficker Extraction

"This convicted felon is now back behind bars following a rather (for him) yesterday.

"Joe Hobson Jr., suspected of trafficking narcotics out of the Hunting Creek neighborhood in Conyers, was located by a Conyers Police Detective yesterday and a traffic stop was conducted on Interstate 20.

"During the stop, Hobson fled the scene and onto DiversiTech's property, 1665 Dogwood Dr SW. With the assistance of Rockdale County Sheriff's Office a perimeter was set and nearly two hours later Corporal Cook and Lieutenant Carson located Hobson's feet protruding from a cold, muddy drainage creek where he had buried himself and become stuck.

"Rockdale Fire Rescue did a fantastic job safely extracting Hobson from an extremely dangerous predicament. He was transported by National EMS to the hospital and confined to Rockdale County Jail before the night was over.
When she got to the hospital and a midwife disclosed to her that she was due to give birth shortly, Charlotte was shocked to the marrow because she had not experienced any symptom of pregnancy.

Charlotte said: My stomach was completely flat, and Id been having regular periods so it was such a shock when I found out.

READ MORE: Kwadwo Antwi in police grips after stealing from a Zoo

I didnt believe that I was actually pregnant until I gave birth. It was scary becoming a first-time mum with no warning.

But I wouldnt change Molly for the world, and I feel so lucky.

The young mother said though she experienced fatigue during the period prior to the day she went to the hospital, she was under the notion that it might be as a result of her party outings.

I thought it was from going out all the time. I still managed to get into my clothes so I just ignored it.

On that amazing day in December 2015, when Charlotte was having the stomach pain, she took it lightly because she said I took some paracetamol and hoped that it would blow over.

Instead, the pain just got worse and I was in agony. An hour later I felt like I was going to be sick so I ran to the toilet and saw that my underwear was full of blood.

I had just finished my period so I was really scared. I knew something was seriously wrong and booked a taxi to the hospital.

When the news of expecting a baby in no time was revealed to her, Charlotte said I panicked that I wasnt prepared and hadnt bought any baby clothes. I was so worried about what my parents would say when they found out that I was having a baby.

However, ironically, when her parents arrived at the hospital, she said They were really supportive and excited about their first grandchild.

The pregnancy was for Charlottes ex-boyfriend, and she added that: Its crazy to think that Id been carrying a baby all that time.

When Mum called my work to explain that Id had a baby, they were gobsmacked as theyd seen me the day before with no baby bump at all.

My friends didnt believe me until they saw a picture of Molly. Luckily Im still a size 8 and didnt need to lose any baby weight.

Molly has joined the nursery that I work at so I can take her with me, which is perfect.

Mollys dad is an ex who is no longer in the picture, but I have plenty of help from my parents with the baby. Im no longer a party animal but its worth it to have Molly.
Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, according to the old saying. It is no wonder that when it comes to some of the most unusual beauty trends from around the world, the saying is proven to be certainly true.

Many of these beauty trends have a huge symbolic or even religious importance, while other procedures are carried out in a bid to ensure that a woman secures herself the richest and most influential husband within her own tribe or community.

Pulse.com.gh brings you strange beauty standards around the world that will you scare you.

READ ALSO: Shocking

1.Sacrification

This weird beauty trend is also found in Papua New Guinea, half a world away from Ethiopia and South Sudan. Here, the Sepik people mark the skin of their young men with a very particular alligator pattern. This is another rite of passage ritual, with the Sepik believing that the alligator consumes the boyhood of the young man, thereby allowing him to enter adulthood.

2. Lip plate

The Mursi tribe living in south-west Ethiopia appreciates big lips. In order to increase the size of their lips, girls wear a lip plate. At first, they get their lower lip cut, insert a stick into it and then they start to wear a clay plug, the diameter of which can reach 30 centimeters. According to Mursi, a larger lip disc is equitable to the higher social status of women, as well as protection from evil spirits.

3. Elongated Earlope

In Myanmar, Kenya and Tanzania, as well as on the island of Borneo, elongated earlobes are supposed to signify beauty and status. Holes on the bottom of the ears are increased with the help of wooden sticks and heavy brass earrings. To attract the weaker sex, men "undo" their ears, and when hunting, on the contrary, they tie them in a knot.

READ ALSO: 6 things you do that could shorten your lifespan

4.Dark Teeth

Dark teeth are a standard of beauty in some local tribes in Asia. Initially, the tradition to dye ones teeth has been associated with protection from tooth decay as well as symbolizing the status of a married woman.

5. Face Tattoo
Ghana marked its 61st Independence Day on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, with the celebrations marked in all 10 regions in the country.

This was disclosed by the Eastern Regional Manager of Red Cross Society of Ghana, Theophilus Tackie.

He said all the casualties were treated and discharged by a contingent from the Red Cross and the Ambulance Service who were on standby throughout the parade.

This time round we had about 72 casualties who collapsed, about 66 of them were youth, from primary to JHS, and then the rest are from the Senior Men, Mr. Tackie said.

He explained that the collapses may have resulted from dizziness caused by failure of the pupils to eat before coming for the parade.

He added that long hours of standing under the scorching sun could also have caused the casualties to faint.

The Independence Day parade in Koforidua saw about 20 Basic Schools from the Public and Private sectors turn up to mark the special day.

A host of dignitaries were also present to grace the occasion, including Members of Parliament for New Juaben North and South, Nana Adjei Boateng and Dr. Mark Asibe Yeboah respectively.
Speaking to Accra-based Joy FM, Mr Apeatu said the general public will soon witness some arrests and other innovative measures to foil the increasing crime rates in the country.

We are up to the test and over the days, you will see our response to some of these things.

Reshuffling is a normal thing in the police service and whoever thinks that reshuffling is not going to help should better think differently, he added.

Definitely we are bringing new people with innovations and other things, so it is not like somebody is being victimised... it is to bring new ideas over time, very soon, you will see a number of arrests.

There have been major changes in the top hierarchy of the Ghana Police Service involving some senior officers.

Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Director General of Police Operations, has been reassigned to head the Research and Planning Department.

He is to be replaced immediately by the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Simon Afeku.

READ ALSO: Police arrest Evangelist for disturbing public peace

No reason was immediately given for the reshuffle. However, the IGP has confirmed the suspicion that the reshuffle was done due to the increasing armed robbery incidents recorded.

A Lebanese man was gunned down by armed robbers in the Tema municipality on Wednesday, February 28.

The victim who died at the scene had gone to withdraw some money from Zenith Bank at the Tema Industrial Area when the incident happened.
The party described the incident as unfortunate and called for an independent investigation into the matter.

Regional Secretary of the party, Mr Halid Abdul-Rauf, at a press conference described the incident as unacceptable and bizarre, claiming that their painstaking investigation into the matter revealed that the burning of the tipper trucks and the excavator occurred at a distance of about two kilometres away from the installation of the Ghana Water Company, a location which according to the tipper truck drivers was designated by the REGSEC somewhere in December last year on a fact-finding mission.

"Be as it may, inasmuch as the Northern Regional Executive Committee will not condone any form of lawlessness, the lawlessness in which the livelihood of the owners of the tipper trucks, the drivers, the drivers assistants and their dependents is destroyed without recourse to the rule of law has come as a matter of serious concern to us as major political players in the region which happens to be one of the poverty-stricken regions," he stated.

Tipper trucks burnt

Armed infantries of the Sixth Battalion deployed from their military base in Kamina Barracks in Tamale, Saturday, March 3, carried out a combative operation to intensify a crackdown on illegal sand winning activities in the area.

According to reports, dozens of heavy sand mining machines including about 14 tipper trucks and an excavator were burnt by the soldiers who stormed the area by trucks.

Some residents and miners who saw the soldiers advancing towards the mining site said they counted about three military trucks loaded with heavily armed soldiers.

The unregulated operation by the miners have polluted the water source, caused deep environmental damages, pushed farmers away from farmlands and forced fishmongers to hang their nets.

Despite several efforts by the Regional Security Council, the activity persisted until management of the Ghana Water Company engaged national security personnel to combat the activity.

READ ALSO: Osino Presbyterian SHS student drowns in galamsey pit

Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has denied sanctioning the burning of at least 14 tipper trucks and an excavator at Nawuni.

NDC call for investigations

The party, however, called on the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Saeed, who doubles as Chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), to resign for exercising wrong judgement and indiscretion over the matter.
The Paramount Chief of Tatali Sanguli and his sub-chiefs of Tatali boycotted the district anniversary celebrations due to a standoff with the DCE of the area, Thomas Mbomba.

The Paramount Chief of Tatali Sanguli, Obori Gariba Yankoso II told Accra-based Citi FM that the actions of the DCE have brought division among some Chiefs.

This, he said, is the reason why he and his sub-chiefs decided to boycott the Independence Day celebrations.

There is lack of cooperation between the DCE and the Chiefs, he has divided the chiefs. We are the majority of chiefs, we have Konkomba and Basali, and he has selected a few Konkomba chiefs. This DCE is the worst we have encountered, he doesnt need consultation, he doesnt need advice, what he does, he does it alone, he said.

He further stated that Chiefs who graced the celebrations last year were disrespected so there was no need showing their faces this year to be subjected to same treatment.
According to him, Buhari has turned himself into a 'laughing stock' over his comments.

READ MORE: Buhari pledges to help Nana Addo fight corruption

Buhari at the 61st Independence celebration of Ghana has pledged to help President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to fight corruption unrelentingly until all the facets of government are cleansed and to make a new dawn for the economy of Ghana.

He said "I congratulate you on your efforts to fight corruption which has eaten into the public fibreYour Excellency I can assure you that you have a good partner in me in tackling endemic corruption."

Reacting to Buhari's declaration, Bruce said the president should first show example of fighting corruption in Nigeria and not opposition.

In a tweet, Bruce wrote: "Rather than promise to help Ghana fight corruption, show by example that you are fighting corruption, and not opposition in Nigeria. If corruption is increasing in your nation, you make yourself a laughing stock if you promise to fight it in another nation. Charity begins at home."
He said the celebration should be scrapped as it is a total waste of time and resources.

The controversial politician said, "As Ghanaians, we are unable to celebrate economic freedom but we are celebrating the normal freedom, just like you have been sentenced to jail and every day after your release you keep celebrating the release of you being out of jail for 61 years."

READ ALSO: Ayariga says Free SHS has increased teenage pregnancy

He noted, "I think celebrating 61 years of independence is like celebrating freedom, just freedom. Its like we keep celebrating freedom for 61 years without any meaningful impact in the lives of our people".

We attained freedom, 61 years ago. Why do we keep celebrating something given to us 61 years ago instead of celebrating economic freedom, economic power and economic transformation? Its not worth celebrating because you need to do something so that you can tell the whole world that that freedom is worth celebrating in terms of economic freedom," he lamented.
At the launch of the diamond jubilee celebrations, President Akufo Addo asked the committee to generate funds of its GH20 million budget for the programmes and projects from sponsorship by Corporate entities.

However, in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, Mr Amankwah said he believes the budget they submitted to the various companies were too huge for the private entities to support them.

READ ALSO: DCE collapses at Independence Anniversary parade

Some of the projects they were to undertake included the building of 60 libraries in deprived areas across all 10 regions in the country.

All these proposals were brought by people we call consultants and we asked them to bring budgets so we analyse. The budget, as usual, was humongous. [They were] very huge budgets, and looking at our collection, we did not think we could use it. I think this time around, we were victims of our own success.

He further explained that the company that submitted the proposal for the construction of the libraries left the country before work could start on the project.

We could not construct the librariesIt was a proposal that was brought by West Blue consortium who were formerly a digital company. The company unfortunately left and its work was taken over by another company but the company that came in was not interested in the proposal.

When President Akufo-Addo announced the GH20 million budget for the diamond jubilee, most Ghanaians were of the view that it was too much.

Many people criticised the government for its decision to spend so much on the celebration at a time when the country was struggling with huge levels of debt.

However, the Nana Akufo-Addo-led administration clarified that the amount would not be used on the actual celebration. They explained that it would be used for developmental projects over the period of a year.
Delivering his speech, President Buhari pledged to help President Akufo-Addo fight the deep-rooted corruption that is bedeviling Ghana.

"I congratulate you on your efforts to fight corruption which has eaten into the public fibreYour Excellency I can assure you that you have a good partner in me in tackling endemic corruption, he said.

However, his words were widely ridiculed, with some persons pointing to his abysmal record in tackling the incessant corruption that is facing home country, Nigeria.

The world of social media was also unforgiving, as many too to Twitter to tear the Nigeria President into pieces.
Courtesy of Record Store DayThe 2018 installment of Record Store Day takes place Saturday, April 21, and the complete list of exclusive releases that will be available at independent record shops has now been revealed.

Among the many famous artists who will issuing limited-edition vinyl discs on the big day are Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, The Police and The Doors.

Elton's offering is a reissue of the 2012 remix album Good Morning to the Night, a collaboration with Australian dance duo Pnau. This marks the record's U.S. debut on vinyl.

Fleetwood Mac's Record Store Day release is Tango in the Night Alternate, a collection of alternate takes from the sessions for the group's 1987 album, Tango in the Night.

Springsteen will release a two-LP, red-vinyl edition of his 1995 Greatest Hits compilation.

The Police's Record Store Day contribution is a picture disc of their original 1978 single "Roxanne," with the track "Peanuts" on the B-side.

The Doors' release is Live at The Matrix, Part 2, a sequel to the band's 2017 Record Store Day release. The LP features newly remastered performances recorded during a run of March 1967 shows at the San Francisco club.

Other artists releasing limited-edition vinyl discs for RSD this year include The Allman Brothers Band, The B-52's, Jeff Beck, Chuck Berry, Blue Oyster Cult, David Bowie, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Eric Clapton, Def Leppard, Bo Diddley, The Doors, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, John Fogerty, Marvin Gaye, Gloria Gaynor, The Grateful Dead, Jethro Tull, The Kinks, Led Zeppelin, Kenny Loggins, Madonna, The Moody Blues, Van Morrison, Harry Nilsson, Pink Floyd, Elvis Presley, Prince, The Rascals, Lou Reed, The Rolling Stones, George Thorogood, U2, The Who, Yes and Neil Young.

Check out the full list of releases at RecordStoreDay.com.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
He encouraged young Africans to emulate happenings around the world where their peers are voted as leaders without many regard to their age.

He also condemned the youth who votes for old men to become presidents.

Speaking at an event, which had former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo in attendance, the renowned businessman and philanthropist said some African countries are doing well than other nations because younger candidates contest for the presidency.

He said "Please allow me to be frank, dont take offence. I wish to start from where President Obasanjo stopped about age. You have been president for so long thats why you are careful with words.

"You see people at 90 years and about to start new terms, you guys are crazy or what, he said to the youth."

He added: "We see people in wheelchairs unable to raise hands standing for election. This is a joke; you are free to laughthe whole world already laughing at us.

"The US, the most important country in the world, like it or notObama who is half African anyway was 46, 47 years.

"If Obama was in Kenya, what would he be doing? He would be driving bus maybe.

"And he was not youngest president. (Bill) Clinton and (JF) Kennedy were even younger.

"Why these big countries leadmen in their 40s entrust their nuclear weapon, economies, all resources.
One of them is Pablo Catatumbo, who fought for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia starting in 1973. Now, he is 65 and looked after by a detail of 40 men -- some ex-rebels and some former adversaries.

Under the peace accord reached in late 2016 that led to the FARC's disarming, the former rebels are guaranteed at least 10 of the 268 congressional seats up for grabs in the March 11 election.

But they can gain even more, so former rebel leaders are out trying to win votes.

On this chilly day a caravan of 10 vehicles heads up into the mountains along a road leading to the villages of Monteloro and Santa Lucia.

Descending from an armored truck is Catatumbo, who came to this strategic area in the 1990s with many FARC troops and a stern warning: "No one leaves here."

The area was important: right wing paramilitaries wanted to seize it because the land connects with the Pacific coast, from which tons of cocaine were shipped to the United States.

"At any time, you could be killed," said Reinaldo Montoya, a 58 year old farmer, recalling massacres, battles and the fear of being executed on suspicion of fighting for the wrong side: the army, the guerrillas, or paramilitary groups helping to combat the latter. They all had guns.

Montoya, who lost several cousins in the war, says he is not guaranteeing he will vote for the rebels but wishes them well.

"That will encourage them to stay calm. Not to go back to war, let's say."

'They love us'

Catatumbo moves forward amid a clutch of farmers and merchants waving small flags of the Alternative Revolutionary Force of Colombia, as the rebels' party is now known, with a red rose as its symbol and still the same Spanish acronym, FARC.

Catatumbo wears a white jacket that hides his ample belly. It's been 10 years since he last came to these fertile cattle- raising lands, and now he asks about people he used to know.

In Colombia today there are few places where a campaign poster with his face could be put up. Not everyone is thrilled about seeing former rebel commanders who are now candidates for office. Some have been greeted with insults, rocks and eggs.

Trailing in the polls, the FARC decided to stop holding large public rallies. The animosity towards them, paradoxically, is strongest in towns that were spared the most by the war. Security has been stepped up for FARC candidates.

Catatumbo told AFP that this bad blood stems from a paid campaign of "political bullying" based on the notion that no one wants to see the FARC in Congress.

Marco Calarca, another former FARC commander, said this campaign is aimed at making people behave "as if the war had never ended and therefore we cannot get into politics legally." The pain of the 50-year war is still quite raw.

But "here people recognize us. They love us because during the years of the war we defended this territory," said Catatumbo.

Under the peace accord, the FARC -- once the most powerful rebel army in Latin America -- disarmed its 7,000 fighters in order to join the legal political process, agreed to confess to wartime crimes and pay reparations to victims.

If they live up to these pledges, leaders such as Catatumbo will be able to serve sentences other than prison time and take seats in the legislature.

This infuriates many Colombians, in particular the right wing, which is vowing to win presidential voting later in May and come to power to amend the peace accord.

- War 'easier' than peace-

In Monteloro, Catatumbo remembered fallen rebel fhters and people killed by his troops. He denounced what he called a political elite that he said fanned the flames of war but never fought in it. And he asked for forgiveness.

Ever Rivera, a 50-year-old coffee grower, listened to Catatumbo for the 40 minutes he spoke. Like many in this area, he saw a lot of people killed by the FARC in its battle to seize power in Colombia.

"They would kill people and you would never know why," said Rivera. Still, he said he would vote for the FARC because it is a new party and "has seen more than anyone how farmers suffer." The war began in the 1960s as a revolt by poor peasants.

In Santa Lucia, a three hour drive from Monteloro, dozens of people also heard Catatumbo ask for forgiveness and promise not to go back to war.

At one point he hugs a police chief -- something Colombians are not used to seeing. But Catatumbo insists it is hard to do politics after laying down weapons in a country traditionally ruled by conservatives.
This was announced by the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki on Tuesday.

She replaces Bintou Keita of Guinea. The UN Secretary-General expressed his gratitude to Bintou Keita for her dedicated service during her tenure with UNAMID.

Ms Gbeho brings to the position a wealth of experience from her distinguished career in the United Nations.

Ms Gbeho had served as Resident Coordinator/Resident Representative, United Nations Development Programme, Namibia in 2015.

In that capacity, she supported the Government of Namibia to coordinate its external development assistance through the United Nations Partnership and Namibian Development Frameworks.

Previously, Ms Gbeho was Chief of Section for Africa I (2012-2015) and Head of Office for Somalia (2008-2012) with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Ms Gbeho held other senior positions such as Director for Monitoring and Evaluation Unit in the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators Office in Sudan (2006-2008) and Head of OCHA Liaison Office in South Sudan (2004-2006), during which time she led the strategic planning process of the United Nations and partners for Sudan; and managed the humanitarian and transition operations for South Sudan.

Ms Gbeho holds a masters degree in international relations from the University of Ghana and a bachelors degree in Social Sciences and Africana Studies from the State University of New York, Stony Brook.
He said the decision rested with the White House Office of Management and Budget, adding that its at the national level now for final approval.

Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., noted that other countries in Africa  including Algeria, Chad, Egypt and Kenya  qualify for the danger pay. But folks who are serving in Niger and Mali dont, Courtney said.

Waldhausers remarks came during two hours of testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. He declined to answer questions about the militarys monthslong investigation into the death of four American soldiers and five Nigeriens, including an interpreter, in an Oct. 4 ambush in a remote stretch of desert scrub near Nigers border with Mali.

The investigation, he said, is complete and with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who is going through it. Once Mattis signs off, Waldhauser said, military officials will brief the families of the four soldiers who were killed: Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson and Sgt. La David T. Johnson.

Not until the families are informed, Waldhauser said, will he and other military leaders brief Congress on the findings of the investigation.

Dozens of interviews conducted by The New York Times with current and former officials, soldiers who survived the ambush and villagers who witnessed it, point to a series of intelligence failures and strategic miscalculations that left the U.S. soldiers far from base, in hostile territory longer than planned, with no backup or air support and on a mission they had not expected to perform.

The team, initially assigned a routine patrol to meet with community leaders, was diverted by new orders to provide backup for another mission aimed at targeting a terrorist leader believed to be involved in the kidnapping of an American.

It remains unclear who gave the order for the new mission. Officers who have served in the region say such a change would have required approval from several higher levels  most likely starting with a major in Niamey, Nigers capital, and a lieutenant colonel in Chad; a task force commander stationed in Germany; and possibly a two-star general overseeing all special forces operations in Africa, also from Germany, where the Africa Command is based.

Several Defense Department officials have said the delay in presenting the investigations findings was aimed in part at preventing lawmakers from focusing on the Niger ambush during Waldhausers scheduled testimony. In an email, Col. Mark Cheadle, a spokesman for the Africa Command, denied that assertion as absolutely not true.

Calling the investigation exhaustive, Waldhauser told the House committee that we are prepared, once the families have been briefed, to brief you in a closed session.

It was unclear what the Defense Department planned to tell the public about the reports findings. Officials say they have been preparing both classified and unclassified versions of the report.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
The Federal Government of Nigeria and Chad will be getting over $128million in aid as the US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson embarks on his 5-nation Africa tour today, March 7, 2018.

The over $128million in aid for Nigeria and Lake Chad region is part of the $533 million in humanitarian assistance from the United States of America for Nigeria, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan, as well as countries in the Lake Chad region.

Tillerson announced the $533million aid for the African countries while speaking at George Mason University in Virginia shortly before departing the US for Africa.

Tillerson said: Today Im announcing $533 million in additional humanitarian assistance to fight famine and food insecurity and address other needs resulting from conflicts in Somalia, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Lake Chad Basin.

The alarming levels of hunger in these areas are largely man-made, as conflicts erupt and people flee their homes.

Under these conditions, people cannot produce crops and often lose access altogether to food, education, and health care. Many lose everything.

And regrettably, Mother Nature can still be cruel, such as in the Horn of Africa, where a prolonged drought is contributing to grave food insecurity.

Tillerson, who said the themes of his trip includes counter terrorism, democracy, governance, trade and investment, will be visiting Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria.

In furtherance, about $184 million is for affected populations from South Sudan and more than $110 million for affected populations from Ethiopia.

The humanitarian assistance also includes more than $110 million for affected populations from Somalia.

This includes safe drinking water, thousands of tons of food, and delivery of health programs to prevent the spread of deadly diseases like cholera to millions of people adding that this will save lives.

Tillerson also called upon others to join the US in meeting the growing humanitarian needs in Africa while hoping that the initial contributions will encourage others to contribute aid to increase burden sharing and meet the growing humanitarian needs in Africa.

On Tuesday, March 6, 2018, the King of Saudi Arabia sent a $10million aid to assist the IDPs of the North East region in Nigeria, who have been sacked from their communities by Boko Haram insurgents.
Most analysts have criticised the Trump administration for the lack of a clear agenda for its partnership with Africa and see the Tillerson trip as a placatory move by him after his controversial comments about certain African countries.

At a speech at the George Mason University before his departure, Secretary Tillerson revealed the real reasons behind his choice of Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Nigeria and Chad.

Well, its  obviously, I wished I had two or three weeks, because there are many African nations that are important to us that I think a visit would be beneficial to the relationship. But we picked these five. Were going to Ethiopia. Ethiopia is the home of the African Union; thats where it is located, their headquarters. Ethiopia also a very longstanding, important partner with the U.S. We have a relationship with Ethiopia that spans more than a century now.

Then were going to stop in on Djibouti, the Horn of Africa. Djibouti is that country that sticks out right into the narrow straits between Yemen, leading into the Red Sea up to the Suez Canal, a very critical trading route for the worlds economy and a critical partner in securing that trading route.

Then were going to Kenya, a large, thriving country. Its really where PEPFAR has seen its greatest success, and its also been an incubator for how we expanded PEPFAR over the years. So we have a longstanding partnership with Kenya.

Then were going to Chad  NDjamena, Chad  because Chad contributes the largest fighting force to the G5 Sahel and they have been crucial to our fight against terrorism in the Sahel and the success of what theyre doing.

And then finally to Nigeria, the most populous nation on the African continent. Tremendous natural resources and tremendous capabilities to succeed as a nation. Theyre still on their journey to succeed, and they are going to be critical to not just the relationship the U.S. has with Africa, but Nigeria is going to be critical to how Africa succeeds as a continent. And I spoke about the need to integrate African economies more, trade more with the neighbors. I think too often the U.S. in its approach  its all been about trading across the transatlantic corridor. We really need to promote African intercontinental trade. Thats actually going to open more opportunities for American investment and participation. So Nigeria, big country, very important country to the future of the continent.
When asked if Jesus will be seen walking down the streets, Hanegraaff responded: Jesus appears physically  of that, there is no doubt. The Christian faith is not platonic, it is physical. That is one of the reasons God used physical objects on this Earth to point to spiritual verities.

During his video podcast, the president of the Christian Research Institute also told people not to worry if they will know when the second coming occurs as Christ will return in a physical form.

In his words: He (Jesus) will put all things to right. Which is to say, the universe that now groans in travail will be liberated from its bondage [and] decay, he said, adding that sin and Satan will be defeated.

The Christian faith is very, very physical. Christ was raised physically from the dead. He ascended physically into Heaven, He transcends time and space, and He will return again physically, and we will be resurrected physically, he said.

Concerning the people awaiting Christs return, he explains that millions and trillions of people will welcome in the Master to a restored universe.

Hanegraaff adds: I know that it will be wonderful because the Bible describes it as glorious.

What will the Second Coming look like?

The Bible Answer Man is not the first person to attempt to offer a description of what this experience could be.

In 2017, the recently deceased Rev. Billy Graham stated that Christs return would be way different from his beginnings.

Noting that His birth occurred in humble and obscure conditions, the US evangelist revealed that He [] will come with power and glory to conquer evil and establish His Kingdom of righteousness and justice.

He wont be born as a baby but will come instead in all of His fullness and majesty. That which was hidden during his first coming will now be revealed  and every person on Earth will see him.

It should be noted that evangelist Anne Graham Lotz, Graham's daughter, suggests that this could happen soon because of the natural disasters and violence all over the world.

She describes these as signs that the earth is going through the birth pangs in anticipation of Christs return.
Recently, 110 girls were abducted from the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe state by suspected Boko Haram militants.

Vanguard reports that General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, led prayers on the behalf of the girls.

He was joined by the VP, his wife, Archbishop John Osa-Oni, Prophet Isa El Buba, foreign dignitaries and the members.

Pastor Adeboye decreed: Every kidnapper in this country by whatever name they are called, please set them on fire right now in the name of Jesus.

The second round was led by his wife, Pastor Mrs. Folu Adeboye. Both times, the prayers were followed by loud cries from the crowd as people prayed that the girls would be found soon.

These prayers were held at the Special Holy Ghost Service, themed: Stronger than your enemies 3.

ALSO READ: Defence minister wants improved satellite surveillance to rescue Dapchi girls

On Dapchi Girls

On Monday, February 19, 2018, terrorists raided the government girls secondary school in Dapchi, Yobe State.

During the attack, 110 schoolgirls were taken to the dismay of their parents.

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to do everything in his power to rescue the girls.

They (freed captives) told me that they had given up all hope of ever coming back alive. I assured them that we will never give up on any of our citizens.

I have asked the security agencies to ensure that every abducted person  including the Dapchi girls  is safely released, he said.
The music icon could not hide his frustration about the latest clash in Benue state which has left a number of people dead. 2Face Idibia on his Twitter page on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, while reacting to a post by ChannelsTV made his own view known.

"this is getting ridiculous. shameful," he tweeted.

ChannelsTV had reported that about the latest clash between herdsmen and farmers in Benue state which has left a number of people dead.

We can recall the last time there was an attack on farmers by herdsmen in Benue state which left a lot of people dead, 2Face Idibia paid a condolence visit to the state governor, Samuel Ortom.

The music icon who is from Benue visited the state government office at Makurdi on Wednesday, January 17, 2018, where he was received by the state governor.

ALSO READ:2face Idibia lashes out at critics

After paying his condolences, the music icon who hails from Benue state took some photos with the state governor and his cabinet. 2face Idibia has been vocal about the herdsmen crisis that has been going on in the state. At the Soundcity MVP Awards, he spoke about it while on stage.

This will not be the first time that 2face will be visiting his state to either pay condolence or assist in helping the plights of his people.
The multi-talented media personality made this known on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, via her Instagram page where she was kind of giving out a motivational talk with her fans.

According to Toke, everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about, as she posted a photo which has a number of quotes in it.

"In my own words, invest in your glow up For anyone out there living in the fear of being judged or misunderstood, listen -  Greatness is first despised before being celebrated.

Do you, do you over and over again and remember its really not that serious. I remember when my marriage broke up, I was judged by people who didnt even have their shit together, years after Ive seen some of those people go thru their own battles, some even worse than I did and it taught me to be kind, to have compassion to face my front cos nobody has it easy.

"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle that you know nothing about, let God alone be the judge of all of us cos itll be a damn shame if you perfect Nancy dont make heaven because you played judge here on earth. #wednesdaymotivation #judgenot #liveforyourself," she wrote.

The collapse of Toke's marriage

We can all remember Toke Makinwa's marriage to Maje Ayinda crashed and how messy the whole scandal was. On Sunday, June 14, 2015, blogger, Stella Dimokokorkus reported that Ayida had impregnated his girlfriend, AnitaSolomon, a relationship that had been going on for over eight years. This, however, came as a rude shock to everyone as fans waited for Toke's response which she eventually gave by saying she was blessed to be able to do what she does for a living. She ignored the cheating rumours though.

The famous book: 'On Becoming'

In November 2016, Toke Makinwa released her book "On Becoming" which gave a detailed and deep insight into her marriage and relationship with her ex-husband, Maje Ayida. The release of that book was greeted with a lot of controversies to the point where Maje Ayida on February 2017 filled a 100M naira lawsuit for defamation of character against Toke Makinwa.

The divorce suit

March 2016, Toke Makinwa after all the messy infidelity scandal surrounding the escapades between her husband, Maje Ayida and his longtime girlfriend, Anita Solomon which even resulted in a pregnancy, , claiming she couldn't go on with the relationship.

The dissolution of the marriage
About "Mummy Dearest: The Wedding"

The movie tells the story of a young man, Chijioke Chinda, who was sent to his home town Port Harcourt to head his companys project.

Knowing that hes becoming successful in life, he decides to propose to his girlfriend, Boma Koko. After that giant move, Boma begins to assume the position of a prospective wife which naturally does not sit well with Chijiokes mum, Rose Chinda.

Hence, attention tussle ensues between the ladies and culminates with Chijioke and Bomas big wedding.

The sequel stars Liz Ameye, Daniel K. Daniel, Uti Nwachukwu and Mary Lazarus, with cameo appearances from Marvis Nkpornwi, Melvin Oduah, andChris Okagbue.

Produced and directed by Willis Ikedum, the original movie told the story of a loving and caring mother whose love and care is seen by her son as "overbearing".
A relation of Arinze who has been labeled a ghost confirmed his death to a Justice David Onyefulu-presided Anambra State High Court.

Punch News disclosed that the law suit was filed over the course of his death.

Anthony Arinze, 78, a nephew of the chief mentioned that his uncle died on October 18, 2003.

This was included in his testament at the court which made it hard to fathom the idea of the case.

And he was interred on November, 21, 2003 at his compound, No 2 Muofunanya Street, Nkwelle-Awka.

In the foregoing, he (the deceased) could not have originated or participated in the said suit since he was dead and buried more than 15 years ago," says Anthony who described the suit as a fraud.

A need for more clarification encouraged an adjournment until Wednesday, May 2, 2018.

Kenyan man can't sleep without a woman for fear of demonic attack

Timothy Chesire, who lives in Eldoret, Western Kenya, has revealed that he cannot sleep at night without having a woman on his bed.

He does this for fear of demonic attacks.

Chesire, who spoke to the Nairobian News revealed that his experience began when he was only in Primary school.

This has ensured that he spends a lot of money on women though his wife understands a need for it.

"She knows that Im not doing it for fun, but for the safety of my life and that of the whole family, he mentioned when discussing the acceptance concerning his unique condition.

I have never spent a single day in any room in or outside the country without a partner, especially a woman. I end up spending a lot of money on the women just because of this issue," says the troubled man.
The medical practitioners expressed concerns in an Open Letter published in February 2018, where it was noted that "the only thing that seems to be immune to cuts is our salary.

According to reports, a data released by the Canadian Institute of Health revealed that specialists in the Quebec province earn $403,537 (Canadian) annually.

A physician is paid $339,000 (Sh26.52m) for clinical services by the government's Ministry of Health. A family physician earns $275,000 (Sh21.51m) for clinical services and a surgical specialist is paid $461,000 (Sh36.06m) per year on average.

This privileges contradicts against the annual income enjoyed by Nigerian doctors who deal with issues relating to a delay in payment, a government's failure to uphold agreement as well as kidnappings.

Serial abductions of doctors in Calabar sparks NMA protest

The abduction of a female doctor, Dr. Emem Udoh, a Senior Registrar in the Department of Paediatrics, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, has sparked negative reactions from her colleagues.

A statement offered by Dr. Ernest Ochang, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), embodied the feelings of medical practitioners. Members seemed highly disturbed concerning the incessant kidnapping that has overwhelmed the state in recent weeks.

Udoh's seizure occurred shortly after another doctor, Usang Ekanem was released by some hooded men. The freedom of the latter was facilitated by NMA's threat to down tools.

Some viral images saw a march of protesters belonging to the medical association who held out banners calling for the release of the their abducted member.
This is happening within 24 hours of a failed appeal to judges at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). His parents, Lanre Haastrup and Takesha Thomas confirmed the decision but regrets not getting enough time to say goodbye.

The baby who is only 12 months old was receiving treatment at the King's College Hospital in London before an order to end life support was given.

Specialists reportedly advised this as the best decision for the infant.

Surely, this is not sufficient to say our goodbyes to our son; we would require a reasonable period to spend with Isaiah, a statement issued by the baby's parents reads.

Reports explained that the child suffered a brain damage following a deprivation of oxygen at birth.

The London High Court has however gave assurances that its death will be quick soon as life support is removed.

This failed to pacify its father, Lanre who considered the order as a breach of the National Health Service (NHS) provision to have its parents entitled to a sit-down meeting with their doctors to discuss options, choose a time and place, and agree on as many details as possible, including support for their grieving and memory making.

Their worst fear has been confirmed following the court order.

NHS Foundation Trust mentioned that a lot of considerations were observed before the decision.

Nigerian lawyer battles London hospital to save brain-damaged son

The child's lawyer-father, Lanre Haastrup had earlier accused the King's College hospital of rushing to kill his brain-damaged son by switching off life-support before he has had the chance to appeal in court.

The grieving father says his son, Isaiah deserved the right to appeal the ruling of the high court that says it was in the boys best interests for treatment to be withdrawn.

Why are you in a rush to kill him? Wait. Once you kill him, thats the end. You cant bring him back, he said.
According to reports, the troubled man Pirrone turned himself to the police following a shooting which occurred on a bridge in the central part of the city. The law enforcement officers reported that the suspect had intended to take his life before making a U-turn.

The motivation for this according to many reports is to ensure being apprehended by the police.

Though a racial motive has been ruled out, the Senegalese community in Florence have been made to feel bitter and have demanded justice as a result.

The Associated Press reported that a protest was staged on Monday, March 5, 2018, in light of the incident.

Nigerian female migrant dies in mysterious fire in Italy

A Nigerian female migrant, Becky Moses, has tragically died in a mysterious fire which occurred at a refugee camp in Italy.

She reportedly lost her life at a tent city on Friday, January 26, 2018, in San Ferdinando, inspiring protests from over 100 immigrants.

La Repubblica reported that two women were badly injured from the inferno while a non-specific amount of people are receiving treatment.
This happened on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at the Jeun Makadi community where the deceased were allegedly abandoned.

Punch News disclosed that the pair were left for dead at a dumpsite, exposing them to a possibility of harm from the animals.

Reporters who visited the site of the attack confirmed that they had injuries to the face.

Residents of the area who believed the infants were alive before they were eaten condemned their parents for neglecting them. Surrendering the babies to an orphanage seemed a better choice to observers.

We believe that the babies were left at the dump on Monday evening or Tuesday morning. When we got to the dump, pigs had already eaten one of the babies and escaped with the corpse.

"Some people staying close to the dump told us that there were indications that the kids were alive when they were abandoned.

There has been pandemonium in our area. People have been trooping to the dump when they get the information that newborn twins were abandoned there.

"Residents, who were at the scene of the incident, rained curses on the person that dumped the babies.

"They could have taken the babies to an orphanage or to a governments shelter, not at our dump to be eaten up by pigs," says a resident who spoke to Punch on a condition of anonymity.

According to a youth, Garba Julius, the community are working in harmony with law enforcement officers in an investigation.

DSP John Kennedy, a spokesperson for the Nasarawa Police Command however denied having knowledge concerning the incident.

Mom sells newborn baby to raise older kids

Rosemary Okafor, a 30-year-old mom has been arrested for selling her newborn baby for the sum of N350,000. She had planned to use the money acquired to raise three other kids.

She was apprehended by reps from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). Okafor, it was gathered, was lined up among a group of human traffickers engaged in the abduction and sale of children.

The mother is part of a crop of 8 men and 3 women, nabbed on suspicion of abuse related to the sale of human persons in Lagos, Abuja and the south-eastern part of Nigeria.
He offered this as a solution while addressing contemporaries on a need to pay attention to concerns regarding airline safety.

According to the MP who was quoted by The Cable News, this has discouraged foreign visits in Nigeria due to a lack of trust in the country's capability to curb air accidents.

It is shameful that Nigeria does not have any national carrier. I think every responsible government should look at this issue. If the aircraft cannot be maintained, lets use witchcraft and start flying.

That is the truth. Where is our national carrier? The government should look at the airline sector. Foreigners dont come here (Nigeria) because it is not safe. Government should pay attention to the sector," says Anyanwu.

A mishap experienced passengers who flew on a Dana Airline flight bound for Lagos from Abuja, is the latest in a list of scares.

Air passengers escape death after Dana Airline problem

Passengers who flew on a Dana Airline plane are lucky to have escaped death after the craft's exit door fell off while it was landing at an airport.

On Twitter, a female Nigerian doctor, Ola Orekerin, who was onboard a flight expressed her feelings concerning the scary event.

ALSO READ: Air hostesses dressed in sexy bikinis are what airline describes as friendly staff

In her tweet, she explained that the door was unstable throughout the trip.
Five of them include:

1. The kingdom of Aksum, Ethiopia

The Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum is now the subject of legends. Some say it is the lost kingdom of the Queen of Sheba others say it is the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant.

A philosopher listed it amongst the worlds four greatest kingdoms. It continued to thrive long after Rome fell.

Askum lost its primary trade advantage over its neighbours and was replaced by the Zagwe dynasty.

2. The Kush Kingdom

The Kush Kingdom began around 8000BC. As early a 2000BC Kush's society was highly stratified and complex, supported by large-scale agriculture. It's northern neighbour, Egypt exploited and conquered Kush, then Kush conquered Egypt back and became even greater than the Egyptians.

For over 1000 years, they ruled the Egyptians and promoted construction across Sudan.

They developed a form of writing called "meroitic". Their script remains untranslated casting most of their history in the dark.

3. The Nok

The mysterious Nok culture lasted from around 1000 B.C. to A.D. 300 in what is today northern Nigeria. Evidence of the Nok was discovered by chance during a tin-mining operation in 1943. Miners uncovered a terra-cotta head, hinting at a rich sculptural tradition. Since then, other elaborate terra-cotta sculptures have emerged, including depictions of people wearing elaborate jewellery and carrying batons and flails (symbols of authority also seen in ancient Egyptian art). Other sculptures show people with diseases such as elephantiasis.

Contributing to the mystery surrounding the Nok, the artefacts have often been removed from their context without archaeological analysis. In 2012, the United States returned a cache of Nok figurines to Nigeria after they were stolen from Nigeria's national museum and smuggled into the U.S.

4. The Land of Punt

Some cultures are known mostly through the records of other cultures. That's the case with the mysterious land of Punt, a kingdom somewhere in Africa that traded with the ancient Egyptians. The two kingdoms were exchanging goods from at least the 26th century B.C., during the reign of the pharaoh Khufu (the builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza).

Strangely, no one really knows where Punt was located. The Egyptians left plenty of descriptions of the goods they got from Punt (gold, ebony, myrrh) and the seafaring expeditions they sent to the lost kingdom. However, the Egyptians are frustratingly mum on where all these voyages were headed. Scholars have suggested that Punt may have been in Arabia, or on the Horn of Africa, or maybe down the Nile River at the border of modern-day South Sudan and Ethiopia.

5. The Etruscans

The Etruscans were a society in northern Italy from about 700 B.C. to about 500 B.C. when they began to be absorbed by the Roman Republic.

They developed a unique written language and left behind luxurious family tombs, including one belonging to a prince that was excavated in 2013.
And the response? Amazing! The hashtag has been shared several times with hundreds of Nigerians showing off their artistic talents.

Olaoye says he never expected the feedback on the hashtag. Im trying to reply my non-ending messages, he told Quartz.

Nnedi Okorafor, Nigerian-American science-fiction author, also joined in on the fun. She tweeted covers of her books, including "Who Fears Death"a novel HBO will be turning into a television series with George R.R Martin, Game of Thrones creator, as an executive producer.

Recall that Okorafor is known for her Afrofuturistic fiction novels and has been signed up by Marvel as one of the writers of its forthcoming Venomverse anthology.

Back in 2016, Oresegun Olumide gained internet fame for his hyper-realist paintings. The #WeAreNigerianCreatives hashtag has created a new platform for Nigerians to appreciate and purchase art while creatives get to sell their works online.
According to Vanguard, the incident which occurred at the Eagle Square, Abuja, killed 12 people.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole, the trial judge said that the evidence produced by the government connects Okah and his accomplice, Obi Nwabueze to the bombing.

Nwabueze was also found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Judge said that he made himself available as a foot soldier to be used for evil works because he wanted to earn some money.

According to the court, There was evidence that convicted former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Mr. Henry Okah, released funds the defendants used to purchase cars that were used to detonate bombs in Delta State on March 15 and in Abuja on October 1, 2010.

The court also stated that two of the cars ordered by Henry were wired with explosives and parked at the Eagles Square.

Justice Kolawole said that the defendants failed to prove to the court that they were not involved in the Independence Day Bombing of 2010.

He said The defendants could not validly explain what the sums of N1.2million and N2million that Henry released to them in 2010, was used for.

Okahs attempted suicide

In 2015, Charles Okah tried to jumpfrom the third floor of the Federal Hich Court in Abuja,

Reports say he was quickly stopped from taking his life by security opeartives and lawyers who were present in court.

Henry Okah jailed in South African
Mr. Tunde Braimah, a member of the assembly and also chairman, House Committee on Information, Publicity, Strategy and Security said the company does not exist in the bill as passed by the assembly and as endorsed by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that critics of the law in the social media have castigated the Lagos State Government for inserting Alpha Beta, owned by the former governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a consultant to be engaged in verification of land use payments to the state.

The section of the law was said to read: Alpha Beta or any other designated person(s) or corporate body who has the responsibility of monitoring the incoming revenue of the state through the collecting banks, shall provide a report to the Accountant-General of the State.

Braimoh said the clause being cited must be fake.

As far as we are concerned, we dont know how it (Alpha Beta company) got there. It didnt emanate from us and our own clean copy does not have anything like such.

Where did the critics get their copy from? They may be branding an unofficial document. It is not the correct version of the law we have.

We are not aware of the copy with that controversial insertion. We dont recognise that copy that the people are arguing about. There is nothing like that in the copy in our hands.

The lawmaker, representing Kosofe Constituency II at the Assembly urged the people to wait until the law was properly and officially cited and have its own peculiarities in form of identification by way of direct number.

According to him, the law as at now is still undergoing processes of final perfection.

It is when the law is cited and gazetted that it will be officially accessible to everyone; that is when we can say this is the law of Lagos State.

As at now, after the assent of the governor, the law will have to undergo the process of gazetting, which is the stage it is now.

 Meanwhile, we did not see anything like what critics were saying in the copy available in government custody.

If people saw a private company as consultant, we did not know where they got their copy from, it could be a manipulated copy, he stressed.

He urged the critics to wait for the gazetted copy which would be the correct documented copy of the law that emanated from the government.
I am here to meet with the leadership of the State, to offer my condolences to those who lost loved ones and properties in violence, Buhari said.

People sometimes expect me to rush out to the fields, to go and make noise. But I have my ways of gathering intelligence. I get to know what is happening across the country without necessarily going to those areas, the president added.

Before the presidents latest whistle-stop trips,Nigerians had taken him to task for not visiting those States where herdsmen and terrorists are killing for fun.

Wedding party 3

When Buhari showed up at a grand wedding ceremony in Kano on Saturday, March 3, 2018, all hell broke loose.

Nigerians took to their favourite social media apps to vent their spleen over Buharis presence at a wedding party just days after terrorists abducted 110 schoolgirls in Yobe and ended the lives of humanitarian workers in Borno.

If it were his daughter that was kidnapped, would he be attending a wedding party a week after?, one enraged social media user asked, perplexed.

Pastor Tunde Bakare who was Buharis running mate in 2011, was just as bemused after pictures of a grinning Buhari emerged from Kano.

Forgive my ill-mannerism, but I could not comprehend why a Governor will celebrate the wedding of his daughter, and another Governor of his son, on the front pages of newspapers, flashing it before our eyes, when other peoples daughters are in captivity, Bakare said.

If any of them had lost a daughter in that captivity, would they celebrate that way? I know the Bible says rejoice with them that rejoice, but I do not know what the president of Nigeria was doing there.

And somebody came to say, let me explain to you, it is Islamic tradition, before this time, about January, they had agreed, that he (Buhari) will be the one to give the bride away and (Bola) Tinubu will be the one to pay the dowry, and present the son, and they agreed long before now.

I looked at him and said the president of Nigeria wanted to come to my daughters wedding, and I said to him, sir, dont come. That is beneath your office. Face the work of the State and keep serving, the fiery cleric fumed.

As criticism of the presidents wedding party attendance reached a crescendo, an aide of Buhari shot back with that Buhari is an adult, he can go anywhere he pleases. He chose to go to Kano and to Kano he went line.

Nothing could have been more churlish.

Employee

When President Buhari announced in Taraba that he wouldnt go anywhere just to make noise, he misses the point of leadership in a democratic dispensation.

In a democracy, a president is an employee and servant of the people. The president goes where he is asked to go by his employers (the people).

When theres crisis anywhere in the country, the people demand that the president shows up to empathize as quickly as possible--even if for the cameras. It was why he was elected. Buhari promised to lead from the front. Leading from the front entails being the first at a disaster site and putting an arm around grieving folks.

Why is it taking Buhari two months to visit Benue

The president of Nigeria in 2018 isnt an Army General. The President of Nigeria in 2018 is a man who begged for votes and who was given those votes because he begged for them so badly. You lose the right to act how you please when you are elected president or when you are elected by the people into government. Its important that everyone gets this, including the president and his aides.
Senator Melaye was arraigned for allegedly providing false information and misleading the Police on the attack on him in Kogi with the intention of framing the chief of staff to the state government, Edward Onoja.

The lawmaker who was sorting out his bail conditions when some operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) stormed the court premises.

I was quickly alerted that they were over one hundred Policemen from SARS that they were outside the court waiting to arrest me, Melaye said at plenary in Wednesday, March 7, 2018.

I was wondering that it was untrue but it was confirmed that fierce-looking men carrying arms and ammunitions with SARS written on their caps and vests. Some of them masked. Even if you were going for the head of Shekau, you wouldnt have prepared any better.

I was in that court for hours and they laid siege for hours. Every car coming in and out of the court were being checked.

Somehow because I serve a living God, the angels of the Lord took me out of that court unnoticed and unhurt. They laid siege for more than five hours after I was resting on my bed, he announced.

State of Emergency in Kogi

Melaye who wondered why the Senate President was not notified before the purported arrest urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in Kogi state.

We have a convention in this country, that when security agencies are interested in interrogating, investigating and inviting any senator, they write the senate President to provide such senator.

Why would they demean the integrity of the senate of the federal republic. And lay siege for the senator of the federal republic as if you want to arrest a common criminal.

We can call on the president of the federal republic of Nigeria to declare a state of emergency in Kogi to serve as deterrence to other governors who thinks power starts and ends with them, he declared.

Dino for President

Senator Melaye's presidential campaign posters recently flooded social media.

Vote Sen. Dino Melaye for president 2019, Let us take our tomorrow today. Enough of old age and cluelessness vote right, vote Dino... read inscriptions on the poster.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EFCC closed its case during Wednesdays proceedings following the conclusion of the testimony of a fourth prosecution witness.

Onubuogo is facing a three-count charge of stealing by conversion and conversion of property derived directly from illegal act with the aim of disguising the origin of the property.

According to the EFCC, the stolen funds which was N14.1 million is the property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

The anti-graft agency said Onubuogo, during his tenure, was responsible for supervising numerous programmes such as the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

He was alleged to have awarded fictitious contracts to himself via bank accounts belonging to his company and friends.

Mrs Theresa Braimah, the fourth prosecution witness and a retired Director of the Productivity, Measurement and Labour Standard Organization, a department in the Ministry, told the court in her brief testimony that due process was not followed in the dispatch of the alleged embezzled funds.

I and the defendant are colleagues in the Ministry. There was National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) meetings in 2013 and 2014 between the defendant and my department but none in the years 2015 as claimed by the defendant.

My department did not receive funds that were allegedly paid into a project account for a 2015 meeting.

To my knowledge, if funds are given with due process, I will know by virtue of my position because there ought to be signatories, she said.

While being cross-examined by Mr Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), Onubuogos lawyer, the retired director reiterated the fact that she did not receive money from the defendant during her employment at the Ministry.

In an attempt to counter her testimony that she never received money from Onubuogo, the lawyer confronted her with Exhibit DF3 which is a statement she made to the EFCC on May 4, 2016.

Responding, she said:If NIMASA was to fund a meeting, a proposal for the funding will come from my department.

I did not collect funds to conduct any meeting.

After Braimahs testimony, Ayorinde told the court of his intention to file a no-case submission instead of opening a defence.
Fashola gave the advice at a seminar and investiture of the 5th Women Association of Quantity Surveyors of Nigeria (WAQSN) Chairperson in Lagos.

Theme of the investiture was: Uncharted Territory of Growth for Professionals in a Digital Construction Economy.

She said that women should collaborate and network with other professional women groups in Nigeria and across the globe.

According to her, we are in the world of digitalisation and women need to join the race.

It is through collaboration that the standard and impacts of women will be felt and continue to provide support and platforms for the young females in the profession to grow, Fashola said.

Earlier, Prof. Olubola Babalola, the immediate past chairperson of WAQSN, said that construction industry needs to up its game in competing in the world of digitalisation.

Babalola said that construction industry still lags behind in the advancement of digitalisation.

Digital construction methods make the operations and delivery of built environment safer, more efficient and more collaborative.

Digital tools and practices aggregate our data, streamline the way we work and challenge the status quo.

While other industries are already benefiting, the construction industry still lags behind. It is unfortunate that the construction industry is among the least digitalised.

By now, we should be talking about 5-D Building Information Modeling (BIM), Digital collaboration and Mobility, Internet of Things (IoT) and Future-proof Design of construction, she said.

Also, Mr Olusegun Ajanlekoko, a past President of NIQS, said that the electronic tendering and digital procurement platform that saves time and money were the norms that must be followed by every successful business.

Ajanlekoko said that by introducing digital methods, professions, firms and companies would become more productive and effective.
Oshiomhole spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the 26th Convocation Lecture of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH).

He said a crime committed should be treated as a crime.

The ex-governor said if a crime is committed by anyone, it should be dealt with as such.

According to him, there is no need to mix crime with politics.

Oshiomhole said that such problems become more difficult to resolve once they begin to assume political context, whipping up sentiments.

He said that anyone who commits a crime, regardless of his or her trade, should be dealt with according to law.

According to him, the business of the government is to find long term sustainable solutions.

Oshiomhole said that the herdsmen were as old as the Nigerian nation and had been living in peace with other members of the community.

He said what was needed to resolve the herders/farmers problem was long term sustainable policies.

ALSO READ:Fulani herdsmen kill 17 in fresh attack on Benue village

In every part of Nigeria and most communities, you will always have an area domiciled by the herdsmen and they move about their lawful business, here and there.

 In my house, I have a herdsman who is managing my cattle and Im sure there are a lot of other people too who have them.

 But like every other aspect of Nigeria, a couple of things might have deteriorated, including environmental and security issues among others,  he said.
CP Mohammed is allegedly using the powers of his office to frustrate the execution of a judgement issued by an Enugu State High Court.

Pulse has learnt that in a petition addressed to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris dated February 12, 2018, CP Mohammed allegedly joined forces with a House of Representatives member, Hon Chukwuemeka Ujam to pervert the cause of justice on the real ownership of the plots of land in dispute.

Mrs Uju Ken-Ohanenye, who is a practising lawyer, has written a petition concerning the matter; a copy of which was sent to Pulse.

Valid papers

Ohanenya claims to have purchased plots of land at the layout. She would go on to perfect all relevant government papers to establish her ownership.

All of that happened in 2013, she says.

The petitioner lamented that shortly after getting her hands on all legal documents concerning the parcels of land, politicians who serve in the Enugu State government allegedly trespassed on her land and confiscated the plots by distributing them among themselves.

The legal practitioner said in the petition that in order to redress the injustice against her, she filed a suit against the Attorney General of Enugu State as well as the Commissioner in charge of land in the State.

Judgment

She added that on July 21, 2016 a landmark judgement was delivered by Justice A.R. Ozoemena in her favour nullifying the purported confiscation of the land by trespassers.

Justice Ozoemena in the judgement barred the defendants and their agents from depriving her of ownership of the land.

The Judge also ruled that in the event the land is needed for public interest, the defendant must first pay her adequate compensation for the improvement effected on the land.

Besides, the court held that the defendants or their agents cannot revoke her fundamental interest in the property.

A restraining order was also granted against the defendants.

The petitioner further explained that in an attempt to reclaim the land, she registered the judgement delivered in her favour and requested the court for the execution of the judgement to enable the land to be recovered from the trespassers.

Execution

The lawyer who is the chief executive of Kenuj Investment Limited further stated that the court authority notified the commissioner of police on their decision to execute the judgement through court officials.

As a response, the police dispatched 8 policemento the court officials for the purpose of executing the judgement.

She further stated in the petition that after recovering the land from the trespassers, a House of Representatives member Hon. Chukwuemeka Ujam, who was a Commissioner for Lands in the State at the time she purchased the land, showed up to claim ownership of the land and joined forces with the police commissioner to chase her away from her land.

The Abuja based female lawyer alleged that after the lawmaker met with the police chief, the court judgement and enroll order granted her by the High Court in 2016 were ignored by the Enugu Police boss who conspired with the House of Reps member.

Both men have since laid siege on the land to deprive her of ownership, Mrs. Uju Ken-Ohanenye says.

Several attempts by the High Court official to enforce the judgement were thwarted and frustrated by the police chief on Hon Ujam's orders, the petitioner alleges.

The petitioner is begging the Inspector General of Police to call the Enugu police boss to order and allow the cause of Justice and fairplay to prevail in her ordeal.
In simpler language, Weah is begging us to send 6,000 teachers over.

The Liberian Presidents words were: Your sustained technical assistance for capacity building in these sectors is most welcome. For example, Nigerian teachers and medical volunteers to Liberia, under the Technical Assistance Corps (TAC) Agreement with Liberia, have been very crucial in boosting capacity development in Liberia, and it is my hope that this assistance can be considerably increased to address with urgency our most pressing socio-economic needs at this time.

More specifically, under the Bilateral Teacher Exchange programme, we are seeking 6,000 plus teachers to make up for the shortage of good teachers in our educational system, Weah said.

Liberia is also asking for Nigerias assistance in reviving its economy.

Your Excellency, we need Nigerias help to jump-start our economy. You played a major role in bringing peace to Liberia, you reformed our Army and today it is performing its duties to the highest professional standards. As we speak, they are serving in a peace-keeping mission in Mali, Weah said.

Those were very kind words from the Liberian president and forgive me for blushing as I write this.

Unemployment

Like you just heard, Nigeria was there for Liberia when that tiny West African country of just over 4 million people, got itself embroiled in a civil war from 1989 to 2003.

Nigeria helped with peace keeping operations in Liberia and helped rebuild the war-torn country.

Liberias last election signaled its first democratic transition in more than seven decades. The civil war and the Ebola outbreak of 2014 really decimated the country's manpower and economy.

And here comes Nigeria with plenty of skilled manpower than it can handle, unemployment figures hitting the roof and a political class that looks only after itself.

To set the country on the path of recovery, teachers from Nigeria will be needed in Liberia and I see no reason why we should refuse Weah his request.

For a country where millions are unemployed, we shouldnt even waste time taking up Weah on his offer. Besides, weve always been 'big brother' on the continent for decades now, even though we cant fix our own country.

Brain drain

Yes, its brain drain to send 6,000 or more skilled manpower to help fix another country, but which is better: keeping 6,000 jobless people back home--unhappy and frustrated--or shipping them to Liberia and elsewhere (where they are valued) to eke a living?

Id go for the latter.

If you are a Nigerian teacher who is currently unemployed (and for not being able to spell their own names), its time to reach for that Resume, dust the hell out of it and head for George Weahs country in the next available bus.
This was disclosed by the Jigawa State Commissioner of Police, Bala Zam, who issued a statement about the ultimatum on Wednesday, March 7.

According to him, the IGP is eager to oversee the disarming of "all militias, bandits and vigilante groups" who pose a threat to law and order in the country.

The statement advised affected individuals and groups to turn in their weapons before the stipulated date to avoid punishment.

Zam said, "The IGP, Ibrahim Idris, directed all Commissioners of Police nationwide to immediately commence the disarmament and recovery of prohibited firearms, ammunition and weapons in possessions of all militias, bandits and vigilante groups.

"Therefore, members of the public, individuals and groups, under any guise other than statutory security agencies recognised by law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to bear firearms of specified category, are hereby warned.

"They are given up to 15th of March, 2018 to surrender them to the Commissioner of Police.

"For avoidance of doubt, the Robbery and Firearms Act cap R11 LFN 2004 and Firearms Act cap F28 LFN 2004 are explicit on punishment for dealing in arms and ammunition."
Babandede stated this on Tuesday in Makurdi while fielding questions from newsmen.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the comptroller-general was in Benue to commission some projects undertaken by the Service.

The Immigration Boss regretted that people were building a culture of hatred around foreigners and pointed out that Nigerians were also resident in other countries.

 In some of these ECOWAS countries, if there are no Nigerians, there will be no banking, transport and other essential aspects of the economy will be grounded.

He said in as much as the country was against casting negative aspersions on the foreigners, the Service wanted them to come into the country with valid travel documents.

Babandede, however, warned all illegal immigrants in the country that their days were numbered as the Service would ensure their deportation.

He said the NIS would continue to partner with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to register eligible Nigerians while working hard to de-register foreigners that had registered as Nigerians.

We are the agency of government encumbered with the responsibility of determining who is a Nigerian or not; we will work with the relevant authorities to ensure that only Nigerians are registered.

He said the Service had confiscated 290 voter cards from foreigners and handed them to INEC.

The C-G said the immigration service would ensure that NIMC numbers were available to all security agencies to ensure that only Nigerians were registered as voters.
The title of the lecture was Crisis of Governance, Governance of Crisis: The Role of Education in Nibbling Governance Crisis in Nigeria.

According to the former governor, the government has said it will begin implementation of workers minimum wage by the third quarter of 2018.

Oshiomhole, who is also a former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said the governments pronouncement on the minimum wage is only about a political will.

He said there was already a case to review the wages prior to the election, adding that he was not bothered about when the implementation of the new minimum wage would start.

According to him, he is only bothered by the fact that some workers in some states are still not paid the current N18,000 minimum wage in use.

He said denying a worker the minimum of N18,000 was enough to prick the conscience.

Oshiomhole quoted President Muhammadu Buhari as saying that he does not know how anyone who has not paid workers for two, three months or even one year is able to sleep.

As governor of Edo, I increased the minimum wage from N18,000 to N25,000 a month for the least paid worker.

And I did that to dismiss and to close the debate whether a higher minimum wage is desirable.

Rather than going to be giving a lecture on why a higher minimum wage is inevitable, I thought it is better to use my executive power to increase the minimum wage and to pay it.

Not only did I pay it for as long as I was governor, my successor has continued to pay it.

And Edo has continued to deliver on infrastructure and on its mandate to the admiration of its residents, the former governor said.

NAN reports that the Federal Government, through the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, had on Feb. 27 said implementation of the new minimum wage would begin in the third quarter of the year.

NLC had proposed N56,000 for the least paid worker to the Federal Government.
The late Bello was a son of Haliru Bello, former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Sanda reportedly took Bellos life after she suspectedthat he was unfaithful to her.

Back in 2017, the police command said it was finding it difficult detaining Sanda because she was nursing a baby.

Homicide

The charge against Sanda had read in parts: "That you, Mariam Sanda, female, adult of No. 4 Pakail Close, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on or about the 19/11/2017, at about 03:50 hours, at Pakail Close, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, within the Abuja Judicial Division, did commit the offence of causing grievous hurt.

"That you stabbed one Bilyaminu Bello Halliru, male, of No. 4 Pakail Close, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, and on the neck, thereby endangering his life; you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 240(g) and punishable under section 247 of the Penal Code Law".

Pregnant

Sanda was granted bail by the judge, Yusuf Halilu, at todays hearing.

Halilu said he was granting Sanda bail because medical reports indicate that she is pregnant and ill.
Supported by the University of Sussex, United Kingdom, the media resource is touted as "the definitive guide for brands aiming to promote best-in-class media-friendly content and engagement", by NigeriaPresslog.

A statement says 'Through the clutter' will be "useful for students, small businesses, tech startups, communication professionals, and international brands with an eye on Africa - highlighting best practices to gain media access with no marketing budget".

Intersection

Isime Esene who conceptualized the project says: the resource is a result of my years of experience working at the intersection of media and enterprise.

It aggregates the thoughts and ideas of leading influencers in the Nigerian media space to create a body of knowledge that is immensely useful to anyone with interest in leveraging quality content and interpersonal engagement to amplify their brand message.

According to Tosin Adebisi, senior international officer, Africa and the Middle East, University of Sussex, the resource will go a long way in challenging widely held

This is a game-changing resource for navigating Nigeria's media space, Adebisi said. It is the first time young industry professionals are coming together to share practical tips aimed at empowering individuals, start-ups, and companies - local and foreign - in their drive to get media attention. The University of Sussex is delighted to support this fantastic initiative.

Contributors to the media resource include Osagie Alonge, editor-in-chief of PulseNG; Tosin Ajibade, founder of Olorisupergal and convener of the New Media Conference;Kolapo Olapoju, editor of TheCable Lifestyle; Ayodeji Rotinwa, BudgIT fellow and columnist with ThisDay Newspapers; Eromo Egbejule, multiple award-winning freelance journalist, and others.
This is in addition to over N700,000 monthly consolidated salary and allowances of each member of the Senate, Sani said in an interview with TheNews Magazine.

He said each Nigerian senators earn N41.5 million quarterly as a running cost.

I think what we can say is that the running cost of a senator is N13.5 million every month, the Senator said in response to the question on alleged bogus salaries and allowances of Nigerian lawmakers.

Senator Sani said lawmakers must provide receipts to back up their expenses from the running costs. He added that the running cost is in addition to funds earmarked for each senator for constituency projects.

His words: But what I am saying is that that money (N13.5 million per month) must be receipted for what you do with it. But what you are given to go and spend without any accountability is N750,000.00.

The constituency project itself is given on a zonal basis and almost every Senator will go with a constituency fund of about N200 million, but it is not the cash that is given to you.

You will be told that you have N200 million with an agency of government for which you will now submit projects equivalent to that amount. And it is that agency of government that will go and do those projects for you.

Now, the corruption comes when the projects are not done and the money is taken. But right now, it is difficult to do that because NGOs and transparency groups have come into it. They track every allocation made to you and where they are being used.

So, its becoming difficult for what used to happen in the past to happen now.

But I can tell you that I would love a situation where we do away with running costs, constituency projects and leaves senators and members of House of Reps with salaries.

And also, the public should be informed that nobody should come to any senators house asking for any kobo. That also would be helpful.

There are issues that we need to understand. First, I dont believe that members of the National or even state assemblies should be involved in carrying out what is called constituency projects.

When people are elected into the National Assembly, they should just be involved in law making, raising motions, bills and also performing oversight functions. But we live in a society where people cannot differentiate between the legislators and the executive.

When the people come to you, they want you to build roads, dig boreholes, build hospitals, schools, give money, pay school fees for them. Now, if we have a society in which people will stop asking legislators to do those things, then there is no need (for the allowances) But funny enough, if you are very active in the National Assembly in making laws and you dont embark on projects in your constituency, you cannot in any way be appreciated by the people you are there to serve because the electorates in United States are different from the electorates in the United States and Africa.

We live in an underdeveloped society with a lot of poverty, misery and wants. What people want is for you to address those basic fundamental issues that affects their lives.

If we can be done with that, it would be okay. Now, you are talking of bogus salaries and bogus allowances  there are three steps you need to consider  the first has to do with the fact when you represent the people, expectations arose from your immediate and the larger constituencies.

But I agree with you that the salaries and allowances of lawmakers should not be discreet, but what is discreet about it when you can write to Resource and Fiscal Mobilization Commission to get everything about what a senator earns?

The only money you are not expected to account for is your salary and the salary of a senator is about N750, 000.00 per month. The other one, the running cost of office must be accounted for. You must provide a receipt for every expense you make," he added.
This was disclosed by the Plateau State Police Command's spokesman, Terna Tyopev, in a statement issued in Jos, the state capital.

According to him, the attack might be in retaliation to a recent attack by suspected herdsmen who had killed two people in Ariri and Tafi-Gene villages of Jebu-Miango in Bassa LGA during the weekend.

He said, "At about 5:30 pm, we received information that a herdsman was killed and 15 of his cows slaughtered by gunmen suspected to be Iregwe people at Rafin-Bauna village of Bassa Local Government.

"We are yet to ascertain the name and address of the victim."

Tyopev also disclosed that two Iregwe youths sustained various degree of injuries after they were attacked by suspected herdsmen while returning from a mining site at Gyero community, also on Monday, in what might be a reprisal attack for the killed herdsman.
The Governor, who said this on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at the Lagos State means Business forum, urged the rich to see it as a sacrifice.

Ambode said that his administration is aware of the controversy generated by the law, adding that his government is willing to dialogue, so that issues can be resolved.

He said The law was made in 2001. It provides that every five years, we should review it and also find a way to increase. 15 years after in 2017, the law has never been reviewed.

Now, the question is this; those who are having commercial properties, the rental income they were getting in 2002 as against the rental income they are getting in 2017, is it the same?

The level of infrastructure that existed in 2002 as against what has happened in the last 15 years, are they the same? Did it not come at a cost?

So, why is the market value of the property that you built with one million naira, 15 years after, you are selling at N20million.

Why do you think somebody who is a buyer will pay N20million for it? Is it not because of the facilities around the property? So, we have to sacrifice; that is how it works everywhere.

The revised Land Use Charge Law requires owner-occupiers to pay just 0.076 per cent, pensioners, churches, mosques, non-governmental organisations and government institutions are exempted from payment, he added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that the Governor said that his government has committed N50b to the Lagos blue rail project.

According to him, Lagos wants the best of everything. We must understand that there is a paradigm shift of trust in governance in Lagos and that is my message to you today.

Do you believe that the dividends of democracy are being delivered to you? Are you seeing what your taxes are being used for?

Would you entrust me to do more for democracy are being delivered to you? Are you seeing what your taxes are being used for?

Would you entrust me to do more for you, as the man you have chosen to be in this office?

I want the business community to own the economy. We, as a government, only create an enabling environment while the private sector drives the economy.

There are so many opportunities in government; we want all sectors to thrive because we have the market.

There is need for infrastructure fund driven by the private sector in conjunction with government to attract investment.

ALSO READ:

We must drive capitalism with social sector reforms. For instance, Lagos needs strong food strategy and policies to cater for 24 million people.

We must realise that Lagos is working toward the goal of food security, he said

Lagos schools ordered to sing National Anthem in Yoruba

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode recently directed that students in public and private schools should sing the National Anthem in Yoruba Language daily.

He said the directive is to ensure that the Yoruba culture is preserved and promoted.
Trouble started when Senator Ahmed Ogembe raised an alarm over alleged attack on him and members of his constituents during an empowerment programme in his constituency, Kogi Central.

Speaking at Plenary, Ogembe alleged that hoodlums and miscreants had disrupted his empowerment programme.

The lawmaker accused the Area Commander of Okene Division and Divisional Police Officer of Okene and Adavi, of withdrawing officers from the venue.

It was at this moment that lawmakers went berserk.

First was Abia lawmaker, Enyinnaya Abaribe.

"Yahaya Bello behaves like a little Hitler"

Describing the situation in Kogi as disturbing, Abaribe expressed worry that things may get worse if governors like Bello gain control over the Police in their states.

The Senator described Governor Bellos rule in Kogi state as bad example of youths in leadership.

He also took President Muhammadu Buhari to the cleaners.

Why would a member of this Hallowed Chamber not be left to do what he has to do for his constituents? It may be him today but it will be another person tomorrow," Abaribesaid

That means if the governor doesnt like what you are doing, he will send the Police after you. How can we live in this country and have an avowed war hero who told us that once I step into office, I will take care of security? Yet, things are worse than ever.

We shouldnt put this under the table. It was Dino, now Ogembe. Tomorrow it may be Aidoko, all in the same Kogi state.

People have been running around and saying that we need youths in government. The man in Kogi is a youth but how come this youth does not know what he is doing? There is so much insecurity in this particular place.

That does not give credence that this country should be handed over to a youth. If we hand over this country to him, what will now happen? This country will be thrown to the dogs. It is not youth but the ideas that you have.

I want you to even go for that his seat because if that is what is making him feel so big, let someone else challenge him. We cannot continue this way where Senators will be afraid to go home because somebody is sitting down there, deciding that he will be a little Hitler, Abaribesaid.

Yahaya Bello is a threat to Nigerias democracy"

Contributing to the motion, deputy Senate leader, Bala NaAllah described Governor Bello as a threat to Nigerias democracy.

Yesterday it was Dino, some people are saying its because Dino is creating problem, what problem is Ogembe creating? The issue of Kogi is a very serious matter.

From what I have been reading, I have tried to restrain myself from commenting but it appears we can validly say that the Governor of Kogi is a threat to our democracy, NaAllah said.

Bello sent Kogi SARS after me

Describing Bello as Kogis coroneted governor', Senator Dino Melaye said fierce-looking operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) were at the court to arrest him after he was granted bail.

I will recap shortly what I went through in the hands of the coroneted governor of Kogi state. On March 1, I was arraigned by the party I worked for and the government I helped to install. I appeared before the court where the federal government insisted they are vehemently opposing my bail for a concocted minor offence.

Having been granted bail. I was quickly alerted that they were over one hundred Policemen from SARS that they were outside the court waiting to arrest me. I was wondering that it was untrue but it was confirmed that fierce-looking men carrying arms and ammunitions with SARS written on their caps and vests. Some of them masked.

Even if you were going for the head of Shekau, you wouldnt have prepared any better. I was in that court for hours and they laid siege for hours. Every car coming in and out of the court were being checked. Somehow because I serve a living God, the angels of the Lord took me out of that court unnoticed and unhurt. They laid siege for more than five hours after I was resting on my bed, Melayesaid.

The lawmaker questioned the move to arrest him without prior notification sent to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Yahaya Bello will not win re-election if

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, while recounting his experience, said Governor Bello may lose his seat if he continues with his antics.

You will recall that sometime last year when they wanted to recall Dino I advised the governor that they are wasting the resources of that state, that it is mission impossible.

They took three pages in the newspaper abusing me. Are we still hearing the recall today? Money has been wasted. Money that has been used to pay salaries of people in Kogi state was used to mobilise people to recall senator Dino yet those people have not been paid and Dino is still here.

Today, I am advising the governor again, that road he is travelling will not lead him to anywhere. Ultimately, these people he is seeing here will be back here and he will leave office. If he doesn't stop, there is no how he will come back in 2019, never. No. He will not.

God will show him that he is a God of justice and this is a message to all those people who have caused all kinds of problem in Nigeria at different level.

The problem in Nigeria is that our democracy is receding. Who says army cannot take over, let us not joke with our democracy, that is the issue.

The house of a senator was destroyed in Kaduna state. We are talking about Kwankwaso who was stopped from going to his state where he ruled for eight years. In Kaduna, Shehu Sani cannot organise a meeting and we are talking about a democracy? The international community needs to know this because they helped us install democracy.

Nigeria is losing its position in the comity of nations where are now a second class nation not just in Africa but in West Africa that we are supposed to be controlling. We are losing in every dimension. The only institution to save our democracy is this national assembly. No matter the oppression, men will do what they want to do but God has the final say, Ekweremadu said.

Saraki generally worried

Senate President expressed concerns over the actions of some state governors in the country.

It is not really about Kogi state, it is clear that Kogi is becoming the point where there is a threat to our democracy. This is not what democracy is all about. For the role we play in comity of nations we need to be good examples to other parts of the world.

These kind of actions are unacceptable, it starts with one state - many of us have been privileged to be governors and we are almost 20 years in democracy, this is not the democracy that we should be talking about. We saw the case in Kaduna state, how a governor would go and bulldoze a house, in Nigeria? At this time and we are all still keeping quiet. These are things we must condemn totally, the Senate president added.

Resolutions
The centre has all the equipment required to adequately put eligible Nigerians on the voter's register for the elections that are only 345 days away.

However, what sets the centre apart from so many others of its kind is that it does not turn anybody away. It does not matter whether you're 17 or barely 12; if you show a willingness to register for the Permanent Voter's Card (PVC), nobody questions you.

Rather than get questioned, you get rewarded with a crisp N200 note after getting your temporary card.

A recent visit by Pulse Nigeria to the centre on Wednesday, February 28, 2018, uncovered the uncomplicated workings of the voter fraud ongoing in that part of the northeastern state.

The scene of the centre could have been mistaken for one where JAMB registration was going on, as it was filled with mostly secondary school students that just closed from school around 2 pm. Some of them had even left school early to go to the centre.

The few adults at the scene could have been mistaken for overbearing parents making sure their kids made the right education choices.

This reporter arrived at the scene to witness a 16-year-old SS1 student of a nearby secondary school collect her temporary card from the registration officer and move a few feet towards another 'official' who took down what appeared to be her card details and promptly paid her N200.

The centre was filled to the brim with other secondary school students, mostly under 18, who were eager to get their cards, and the N200, so much that the registration officers had little room to breathe.

The process is simple: a willing applicant arrives at the centre and is directed to a nearby computer centre to buy the official INEC registration form for the sum of N20. (According to James, an 18-year-old applicant that spoke to this reporter, this only began after the centre ran out of original forms).

What happens next is that the applicant fills the form and submits to the registration officer without any checks whatsoever.

Applicants just casually pick up a form from an unauthorised computer centre, fill the form with falsified ages, and submit to the registration officer who later calls them to get their fingerprints done and input them into the system without questioning their eligibility.

After getting their temporary cards, getting N200 from the other official in sunglasses is the end of the process.

It is important to note that these underage applicants don't particularly look older than their years. Some even look as young as 10.

On the initial form, all ineligible applicants that talked to this reporter confirmed that they filled '2000' as their year of birth, despite looking younger than that.

The INEC officials never require birth certificates or other relevant documents that should confirm their real ages, and they never turn away applicants that are clearly not 18.

A 16-year-old SS1 student, Emmanuel, who got his card on Tuesday, February 27, said, "Even if they born you today and you write 2000 (as year of birth on application form), they'll register you."

According to 13-year-old Ruth, another SS1 student, who really could be mistaken for a 10-year-old, registering was not her choice.

She had accompanied her 19-year-old sister to the Donzomga centre when the officials persuaded her to also register.

She said, "I went there with my sister but they said I should do my own (registration) too."

She also did mention that she was not paid for it, and her father has made it clear she won't be voting during the elections.

Voter apathy

According to applicants that spoke to this reporter, the practice of paying people N200 to register to vote didn't start until January 2018.

James and Bob, a 16-year-old who was registered, said the low turnout of people willing to register in 2017 resulted in the drive to use monetary gain as incentive to attract more people.

James said, "If you go there (to the centre, before 2018), you won't see anybody. In a day, highest five people will go there because everybody's doing his own business. But now that they put money now, you'll see small small children there."

When it started in January, applicants reportedly got N500 for their troubles before it was reduced to N200.

Instead of the drive to get more eligible applicants to register, it's brought all sorts of flies to the yard.

While it's unclear where the 'allowance' comes from, James and Bob believe, or have heard, it's from the state government.

Wherever it does come from, there's a local person of interest who might be using undue influence to draw impressionable, ineligible voters to the polls.

PVC for hire

Donga constituency is represented at the Taraba State House of Assembly by a certain Captain Douglas Ndatse Yahaya (Rtd) of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) whose home is only 10 minutes walk from the Donzomga centre.

According to Bob, Capt. Yahaya, a former LGA chairman, is prone to throwing money parties for residents that have their voter's card.

He reported that Capt. Yahayahimself would sit in his compound, cash beside him, and would receive visitors, filed in a queue, who would display their voter's card and get the sum of N500 or N1000, depending on their age range.

He said, "There's a little rich man that's sharing money. If you show voter's card, he'll give you 500. Some 1000. Even a small child can go there and get 500."

Depending on how crafty you are, you could get more than once due to the large crowd, like Bob who once got N500 thrice during a particular money party.

"Just don't let them recognise your face too much the first time," he said.

When Nafisat, the 16-year-old from Wednesday, spoke to this reporter on Thursday, March 1, she reported that she had gone to Capt. Yahaya's house after collecting the N200 from the centre, and had been given an additional N500 by the lawmaker himself for having the card.

This was confirmed by another 16-year-old SS1 student, Fatima, who missed school on Thursday to complete her registration.

She told this reporter on Friday, March 2, that she also visited the lawmaker's home on Thursday and got her own N500 directly from him around 3 pm.

When this reporter visited Capt. Yahaya's home on Thursday, March 1, around 6 pm, it appeared he had closed shop for the day.

Bob also reported that Capt. Yahaya shows up at the Donzomga Primary School centre and sometimes gives the INEC officials money if they tell him that they need it to fund the registration process.

Another resident of Donga reported that the lawmaker sometimes distributes N500 bills to people with voter's card at the centre itself.

It's uncertain if this is where the N200 largesse comes from.

For all of the underage voters that spoke to this reporter on the registration exercise, it was about the money for them.

While some said they'd gladly vote for whoever rewards them with money during elections, some said they'll collect the money and vote for their choices anyway.

"Me, just for money. Even if I collect 1 point something million from Douglas' hand, I'll not vote for him.

"It's our money that they stole. Salary, you're not paying, so it's better that you should give us back now. It's our money. Best thing now is to collect," Bob said.

A pool of ineligible voters was unsure whether Capt. Yahaya, who they'd gotten money from, was the chairman of the LGA, a member of the state assembly or a representative at the Federal House of Representatives. However, they all promised to vote for him if he pays them in 2019.

"It's our money; he's paying us back," one of the teenagers said.

Three people who spoke to this reporter confirmed that they got N500 from the lawmaker. Two of them are clearly underage.

INEC confirms allegation

When Pulse contacted Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday, March 5, for comments on the issue, he replied hours later to say INEC had "launched an investigation at the highest level in Taraba state into the allegation of under-age registration."

In an exclusive press release sent to Pulse on Wednesday, March 7, the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Taraba State office, Fabian Vwamhi, said ineligible persons have been discovered in the voter's register in violation of the Electoral Act.

The statement read, "Following its laid down processes, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Taraba State office has discovered that some ineligible persons have been registered in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise. This is not only contrary to the INEC Guidelines for Registration but is also a violation of the Electoral Act.

"Consequently, the Taraba State Office has flagged these illegal registrations for removal from the Voters Register.

"In addition, it has queried the electoral officer, as well as the registration officer for the centre; informed the commission's headquarters in Abuja; and drawn the attention of the security agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution of all found to have been involved, including INEC staff."

Efforts to reach Capt. Yahaya or the Taraba State government were unsuccessful.

Underage Voters problem

According to the statistics recently released by INEC, out of a total of 73,944,312 registered voters across Nigeria, as of January 2018, Taraba State has 1,505,902 registered voters.

A clean-up of the voter's register before the 2019 general elections might take a good chunk out of that figure.

While this reporter can only confirm the voter fraud going on in Donga, it appears this is not the only place it's happening as another 15-year-old JSS 2 student, Michael, who looks more like he's 12, reported that he got his own temporary card in a nearby village, Nyitar, with the help of his father.

If it's happening in Taraba, then it's happening in other places within the country's borders.
The two countries agreed to hold a summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the Demilitarized Zone in late April, according to Seoul.

Pyongyang was also said to be ready to halt nuclear and missile tests, and consider the dramatic step of abandoning costly and controversial WMD programmes if the United States agrees not to attack or overthrow the regime.

"We hope that the DPRK and the ROK can earnestly implement the relevant consensus and continue with their efforts to advance reconciliation and cooperation," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in the statement, using the acronyms of the North and South.

"We hope that all relevant parties can seize the current opportunity, work for the shared goal and make concerted efforts to promote the process of denuclearisation of the Peninsula and politically resolving the Korean Peninsula issue," Geng said.

"China is willing to continue to play its due role to this end."

Earlier on Tuesday, before the landmark announcement, Geng had told reporters that "interactions" between North and South Korea "should be expanded" to include the United States.

US President Donald Trump welcomed Pyongyang's offer as positive -- and apparently sincere -- crediting Washington's "very, very strong" sanctions push, as well as "big help" from China, for the potential diplomatic breakthrough.

Calling the statements coming out of both Seoul and Pyongyang "very positive," Trump refused to rule out a historic meeting with Kim.

"We have come a long way at least rhetorically with North Korea," Trump said. "It would be a great thing for the world, it would be a great thing for North Korea, it would be a great thing for the peninsula, but we will see what happens," he said in the Oval Office.

"We are going to do something, one way or the other, we are going to do something and not let that situation fester," Trump said, in a reference to the standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

The breakthrough should please Beijing as the Asian superpower, fearing a conflict at its border, has repeatedly called for negotiations to resolve the nuclear crisis.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said several arson attacks were reported from Kandy on Wednesday, and internet access curbed to prevent the spread of hate speech.

"We have temporarily blocked several social media websites to prevent them from being used to instigate violence," Wickremesinghe said in a statement.

He said a hand grenade carried by a member of a mob had exploded at the Kandy suburb of Ambatenna, but did not give further details. Police sources said the Sinhalese man who carried the explosive device was killed and 11 others were injured.

President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday toured Kandy, where rioters defied curfews and clashed with police who used tear gas to disperse them.

"I have ordered that the full force of the law be used against trouble makers," Sirisena said.

Schools were shut across Kandy, a hill resort famed for its tea plantations and Buddhist relics.

A curfew was extended until Thursday evening in the troubled district popular with tourists, officials said.

Telecommunication providers were instructed to block Facebook nationwide and suspend internet services in the area after police warned that rioters were using social media to urge violence against Muslims.

At least three police officers were wounded overnight at Menikhinna in the district of Kandy, which has been a focus of the new trouble, said police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera.

Travel warning

Foreign governments issued travel warnings after Sri Lankan authorities granted sweeping powers to police and troops to arrest and detain suspects.

"The state of emergency may include curfews in specific locations," the UK government said on its website.

"You should exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies and comply with local security requirements."

The US State Department said further violence was possible and advised visitors to monitor local media for updates.

The United Nations condemned the violence and urged Colombo "to ensure that appropriate measures are swiftly taken to restore normalcy in affected areas".

More than 150 homes, shops and vehicles belonging to Muslims were set ablaze by mobs of Sinhalese rioters Monday and Tuesday.

The violence began after a man from the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese majority died at the hands of a Muslim mob last week.

The trouble escalated when a Muslim man was found dead in a burned building on Tuesday.

The Sinhalese are the majority ethnic group in Sri Lanka, making up 75 percent of its 21 million people. Muslims make up 10 percent.

There was no immediate estimate of the damage from Wednesday's arson attacks.

Parliament Tuesday issued an apology to the Muslim minority for the violence.

City planning minister Rauff Hakeem described the riots as a "monumental security lapse" and recommended disciplinary action against those responsible.

But the trouble in Kandy is just the latest violence targeting Muslims in the Indian Ocean island.

Mobs set fire to Muslim-owned businesses and attacked a mosque in the east of the country last week after a Muslim chef was accused of adding contraceptives to food sold to Sinhalese customers.

Last November riots in the south of the island left one man dead and homes and vehicles damaged.
"Application for his acquittal is therefore dismissed," Re added.

The judge stressed though the court "could still acquit Mr Oneissi at the end of the trial" if the prosecution has not proved the charges "beyond reasonable doubt".

The prosecution last month concluded its case against Oneissi, and three other suspected Hezbollah members, all being tried in absentia in the court in the Netherlands.

Before opening the defence case, lawyers for Oneissi, 44, had argued the five charges against him should be dropped as the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence.

The judges agreed much of the evidence against Oneissi, much of which is based on records from mobile phone networks and SIM cards used in the attack, was circumstantial.

But "the number of coincidental actions is such that the trial chamber has sufficient evidence from which it could convict Mr Oneissi of his involvement in the attack on Mr Hariri," judge Janet Nosworthy said.

Hariri, who was Lebanon's Sunni Muslim prime minister until his resignation in October 2004, was killed in February 2005, when a suicide bomber detonated a van packed with tonnes of explosives next to his armoured convoy on the Beirut seafront.

Another 21 people were killed and 226 injured in the assassination, with fingers pointing at Syria which had long been a power-broker in the country.

"The assassination of Mr. Hariri was obviously a carefully planned and rehearsed event requiring ... military precision," said Re.

Oneissi is notably accused of having recruited Lebanese Islamist Ahmed Abu Adass, and helping him to make a videotape falsely claiming the assassination.

Within minutes of the attack, the false claim of responsibility was made in several phone calls to Reuters news agency. Shortly afterwards a videotape of Abu Adass's "confession" was dropped off in a tree by the Beirut offices of Al-Jazeera.

The court agreed that since the trial opened in January 2014 no evidence had been found that Abu Adass was the suicide bomber and his DNA had not been found at the scene.

Rather Abu Adass had been used as a decoy "to divert attention from the attackers" to a "fictional fundamentalist group", Nosworthy said.

Ayyash, as well as a fifth suspect Hezbollah commander Mustafa Badreddine, are accused of masterminding the plot, with Oneissi and the two others as accomplices.
Whether you look at the Clinton administration, or the Bush administration or the Obama administration, it never worked out, he said in the Oval Office on Tuesday. That was the time to have settled this problem  not now.

Whatever one thinks of Trumps version of history, he now faces a prospect uncannily similar to that confronted by Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. North Koreas offer to put its nuclear weapons on the bargaining table opens the door to negotiations of unpredictable length and inevitable complexity.

And Trump will surely be pressured to make concessions, starting with North Koreas perpetual demand that the United States withdraw all U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula.

Trump would also be negotiating alongside South Korea, a close ally that is hungry for a diplomatic rapprochement with the North. That could constrain the maneuvering room for a president who has oscillated between issuing bellicose threats toward North Korea and voicing vague hopes that he and its leader, Kim Jong Un, could sit down and broker a deal.

In his remarks on Tuesday, Trump leavened his familiar complaints about the situation he inherited from his predecessors with the hope that the latest North Korean overture might be different.

Id like to be optimistic, he said. I think maybe this has gone further than anyones taken it before.

But for Trump, who is used to being at the white-hot center of most issues, the diplomatic dance between North and South Korea has put him in an unaccustomed place: on the sidelines.

At every step of the way, Kim has set the agenda  reaching out to the South Korean people during his New Years speech, appealing to the conciliatory instincts of its progressive president, Moon Jae-in, and exploiting the pageantry of the Winter Olympics to stage a charm offensive that Trump tried, with mixed results, to counteract.

Kim also enters any negotiation with considerable leverage. North Korea has made such strides in its nuclear and ballistic missile program in recent years that experts say it could agree to a pause in the testing of missiles, while it conducts negotiations, without really damaging its drive to be a bona fide nuclear weapons state.

They use negotiations to buy time, said Christopher R. Hill, who negotiated with North Korea for several years during the Bush administration.

Still, Hill noted that it was the first time in more than eight years that North Korea had opened the door to negotiating on its nuclear program. Given that, he said the Trump administration should explore the prospect seriously, first by thoroughly debriefing South Koreas envoys.

We need to chart a course between negative churlishness and irrational exuberance, Hill said.

Diplomacy between the United States and North Korea has gone through cycles of long stagnation, followed by brief bursts of hope and then disappointment, typically after North Korea reneged on any agreement. Those collapses have sometimes been accompanied by what Americans have called cheating, but what the North has called prudence.

In October 1994, Clinton concluded what was perhaps the most ambitious nuclear agreement ever reached between Washington and Pyongyang  called, appropriately, the Agreed Framework.

Under the deal, North Korea halted construction of two nuclear reactors that the United States believed would be used to produce fuel for a nuclear bomb. In return, the White House pledged to give North Korea two alternative nuclear power reactors that could not be used in a weapons program  as well as fuel to tide it over before the new reactors were ready.

The 1994 accord blocked the North from reprocessing plutonium from its reactor at Yongbyon. The North complied, but then purchased equipment to enrich uranium, another pathway to a bomb, from Abdul Qadeer Khan, one of the fathers of the Pakistani bomb.

The agreement headed off a threat by North Korea to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, and eased what had been one of the tensest periods on the Korean Peninsula since the armistice that ended the Korean War.

The Clinton administration tried to expand the Agreed Framework after North Korea began testing ballistic missiles in 1998. That effort culminated with a trip to Pyongyang by Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright in 2000, and what another U.S. official, Wendy Sherman, later wrote were negotiations that came tantalizingly close to a broader agreement.

But no deal was consummated before Bush took office, and he initiated his own policy review. The disclosure by U.S. intelligence agencies that North Korea was developing a capability to enrich uranium led the Bush administration to conclude that the Agreed Framework was not worth upholding, and construction on the new reactors was suspended.

At the end of 2002, North Korea expelled inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, restarted its nuclear facilities and announced it was withdrawing from the nonproliferation treaty. The Agreed Framework was dead.

From then on, negotiations occurred within a framework of six parties: North Korea, the United States, South Korea, China, Russia and Japan. Those talks went on fitfully from 2002 to 2005, when North Korea promised to abandon nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs in return for security guarantees.

North Koreas call for security guarantees in return for denuclearization is nothing new. It has been the basis of almost all previous negotiations with the United States. And it has usually been one of the reasons those efforts have floundered.

After years of haggling over how to verify the North Korean pledge, the six-party talks broke down in 2009, leaving Obama to deal with a North Korea that had made progress in its nuclear program and remained opaque and suspicious of the outside world.

The Obama administration showed little appetite for reviving the talks, and instead embarked on a policy of steadily tightening economic pressure on North Korea that it called strategic patience. But U.S. diplomats began quietly meeting with their North Korean counterparts.

On Feb. 29, 2012, the two sides announced a deal  the so-called Leap Day Agreement  under which North Korea would halt operations at its Yongbyon nuclear reactor and allow in inspectors to verify its suspension of nuclear and missile testing. In return, the United States pledged to offer food aid to North Korea.

Within a month North Korea was threatening to launch a satellite, effectively nullifying the deal.

To a remarkable extent, diplomats said, Kim is simply reusing the playbook used by his father, Kim Jong Il, and grandfather, Kim Il Sung.

Look at the pattern, said Daniel R. Russel, who served as assistant secretary of state for East Asian Affairs in the Obama administration. Drive the fear factor to a crescendo; at the maximum moment, play the maybe I can make the pain go away game; and then dangle something vague and undefined.

But as Daryl G. Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association, noted, The difference between March 2018 and 1994 or 2006 or 2012 is that the North Koreans price may have gone up significantly.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
The proposed acquisition by the Singapore-based Broadcom would have been the largest deal in technology history, creating a major force in the development of the computer chips that power smartphones and many internet-connected devices. But a government panel said the takeover could weaken Qualcomm and give its Chinese rivals an advantage.

China would likely compete robustly to fill any void left by Qualcomm as a result of this hostile takeover, a U.S. Treasury official wrote in a letter calling for a review of the deal.

The fight over technology is redefining the rules of engagement in an era when national security and economic power are closely intertwined.

China, under President Xi Jinping, has launched an ambitious plan to dominate mobile technology, supercomputers, artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge industries, putting huge resources behind an effort that it considers crucial to the countrys government, military and economy. Beijing wants to build its own technology champions and is encouraging companies to acquire the engineering, expertise and intellectual property from big rivals in the United States and elsewhere.

The aggressive push has set off alarms in Washington, with policymakers and lawmakers fearful that American giants could lose their edge. President Donald Trump is now building up the countrys defenses, as the government investigates potential violations of U.S. intellectual property rights and intensifies scrutiny of overseas deals.

The secretive panel that is reviewing the Qualcomm deal, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, has taken on a central role in the resistance to Chinese investment. The panel, which is led by the Treasury Department and made up of representatives from multiple agencies, has the authority to block foreign acquisitions of U.S. companies for national security reasons; it has effectively killed several acquisitions linked to Chinese buyers over the past year.

Lawmakers are also calling to expand the powers of CFIUS to reflect the broader scope of Chinas interests.

The Trump administration turbocharged it, Tony Balloon, the head of the corporate China practice at the law firm Alston & Bird, said, referring to CFIUS. There is now a recognition in government that foreign investors, particularly from China, are getting more and more sophisticated on how they get access to technology in the U.S.

With Qualcomm, the government has articulated its evolving vision for global economic leadership.

The company, which is a major supplier to the U.S. government, is a leading player in the race to build the next generation wireless technology, known as 5G. These high-speed mobile networks will form the infrastructure backbone that ultimately connects home appliances, streetlights and driverless cars to the internet. And Qualcomms chips will be in the multitude of devices and machines that will run on those networks.

Having a well-known and trusted company hold the dominant role that Qualcomm does in the telecommunications infrastructure provides significant confidence in the integrity of such infrastructure as it relates to national security, the Treasury official wrote in the letter.

The government specifically cited Huawei, the Chinese telecom-equipment giant, as a potential competitor that could move into a breach created by a merger. The Chinese company has spent heavily on 5G, and the government said it owns 10 percent of the essential patents.

It is the new paradigm, said Paul Triolo, head of global technology policy at Eurasia Group, a geopolitical risk consulting company. That implies technologies with 5G, artificial intelligence, biotech and automation are now considered more sensitive and part of a national innovation base that needs to be protected.

Broadcom said it was cooperating with CFIUS, saying it was making the combined company a global leader in critical 5G and other technologies. Qualcomm, in an earlier statement, said the review was a very serious matter.

The letter and the call for an investigation reflect the newly forceful position of CFIUS.

In most cases, the panel weighs in after a deal is announced. With Qualcomm, CFIUS is taking a proactive role and investigating before an acquisition agreement has even been signed.

CFIUS has stymied several deals in the past year.

MoneyGram, the money transfer company, and Ant Financial, the Chinese electronics payment company, called off their merger in January, citing regulatory concerns of CFIUS. If the deal had gone through, Ant Financial would have had access to reams of financial data, which could have created security problems. Ant Financial has said that consumer data would have stayed in the United States.

Last year, the White House blocked a Chinese-backed investor from buying Lattice Semiconductor, which is a supplier to the U.S. government. China Venture Capital Fund Corp., which was part of the investment group, is owned by state-backed entities.

Its very much an expansion of what is considered to be national security, said Tai Ming Cheung, director of the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation at the University of California at San Diego. This is about Chinas efforts to invest and acquire key parts of the U.S. innovation system.

CFIUS could soon have even more muscle.

There is new legislation to broaden the jurisdiction of CFIUS; it has bipartisan support in the Senate. The Trump administration has expressed support for rewriting the rules governing CFIUS, and Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, said last year that the administration was working closely with the House and the Senate.

The bill, proposed by Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., would give CFIUS the authority to assess some types of joint ventures, minority investments and real estate transactions near military bases. The legislation would also widen the definition of critical technologies slated for potential review to include emerging technologies that could be essential for maintaining the U.S. technological advantage over countries that pose threats, such as China, according to a news release on the bill.

Adding to the scrutiny, the U.S. Trade Representative has also opened an investigation into whether China is harming American intellectual property rights, innovation or technology development. One concern is that U.S. companies have been forced to hand over technology, create joint ventures and otherwise help homegrown players, in exchange for access to the Chinese market. Qualcomm, for example, has been working with the Chinese government to develop drones, artificial intelligence and mobile technology.

Technology companies are stuck in the middle of the fight between the United States and China. While there are concerns about Chinese encroachment, the industry also recognizes that such deals are the price for entry to the worlds second-largest economy. Companies have protested the proposed changes to CFIUS, saying an expansion of its powers could be misused and that the new definitions of emerging technologies are unclear.

IBM has said the bill would limit the ability of American firms to do business abroad while empowering foreign competitors to capture global markets. The Information Technology Industry Council, a tech trade group, has lobbied against the changes, saying they add complexity for Silicon Valley companies that often have intricate business ties in China.

They are between a rock and a hard place, said Rob Atkinson, president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a think tank that is sponsored by technology firms like Microsoft. The Chinese government says you have to do this to operate here. The U.S. says, 'But you cant do that.'

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
The people of San Buenaventura, a small town in northern Bolivia, recently made good use of their constitutional right to social justice by putting their mayor, Javier Delgado, in stocks for an hour, to let him know that they are not satisfied with his service.

Photos of the disgraced mayor sitting on the ground with one leg trapped in the medieval restraining device while surrounded by angry townspeople have been doing the rounds on South-American social media and news sites since late February.

The Mayor Javier Delgado was supposed to inaugurate a bridge built with state and municipal funds, but when he got to the site, he was shocked to learn that the crowd waiting for him was not there to attend the event, but teach him a lesson.

Baying for blood

Without even bothering to explain what he was being punished for, they just grabbed Delgado and put him in wooden stocks.

They didnt even give me the opportunity to find out why they were submitting me to this punishment, but I did not put up resistance knowing that there was a risk of things escalating even further, the mayor told La Razon.
Speaking in the Senate on Tuesday, the Ford Kenya party leader decried of molestation from the State owned KPLC, adding that he had exorbitantly been overcharged.

ALSO READ: Patient whose skull was opened at KNH speaks out

Mr Speaker, I have been treated as a criminal by Kenya Power. The electricity supply to my home here in Nairobi has been disconnected just because I questioned why I had to pay a bill of Sh699,000 which I have never paid before.

We have come to a point where a Kenyan who was paying Sh2,000 per month is now paying Sh10,000 per month as electricity bill, where the country has no stable supply of the electricity itself, Mr Wetangula lamented in the Senate.

The voice of Mr Wetangula adds to hundreds of Kenyans pleas to the monopolistic power supplier, even after President Uhuru Kenyatta promised to lower the cost of energy in his inauguration speech at Kasarani on November 28, 2017.

Over my term, we will grow and sustain this manufacturing sector, and raise its share of the national cake from 9 to 15 percent.

To achieve this leap, I have directed that with effect from 1st December 2017, the power tariffs charged to manufacturers will be reduced by 50 per cent between the hours of 10:00pm and 6:00am, the President said.

Just over the weekend, the Chief Executive Officer of the State owned Kenya Film and Classification Board Dr Ezekiel Mutua lamented to KPLC of the hiked electricity charges in his home in Nairobi of Sh50,000 a month, a figure he said had never paid before.

If a leafy suburb like Lavington can be in darkness for two days and KPLC doesn't give a damn, what does the common mwananchi go through? Why should we have this lethargy in Government?

Why should we harass small mwananchi for simple mistakes when there are sacred cows in Government who operate with impunity? And to recall that I paid 50k for power bill last month for a family of five people is sickening. If there is an institution where impunity reigns supreme in this country it's Kenya Power, said Dr Mutua.

Backdated Sh8.1 billion bills

Early January, details emerged that power consumers were to pay a backdated Sh8.1 billion worth of bills as KPLC moved to recover costs incurred on diesel generators last year but were not factored in monthly charges while the government sought to keep a lid on utilities in an election year.

Kenya Power revealed the hefty bill in its annual financial statement, explaining that it arose from severe drought last year which necessitated a surge in the uptake of expensive diesel-generated electricity that compensated for a sharp dip in hydro power production.

The bill was part of the Sh10.1 billion identified as unrecovered power fuel costs in the State-owned firms annual statement for the year ended June 2017.

About Sh2 billion has been recovered so far, leaving out Sh8.1 billion that will be passed on to consumers in monthly invoices.

Kenya Power was made to absorb the fuel costs in the months leading up to the August 8 elections, building up the arrears over the period.

There were delayed fuel cost recoveries for the year ended June 2017 (partial fuel cost recovery) in support of the governments goal of stabilising electricity costs, Kenya Power responded to our queries, adding that the recovery of the funds has already started.
Miguna Miguna revealed on twitter that he needed an air ticket back to Kenya as well as money to repair his house after the police destroyed it during his arrest in February.

I need an air ticket to return home. I also need funds to repair my destroyed house and to pay my advocates who have been working tirelessly without pay from Feb. 2nd up to now in order to protect my rights, said Miguna.

He added that he also needed money to pay his lawyers who have in the past one month worked tirelessly to see to it that his rights are protected.

His sentiments come after one Johnny Jones asked him if it was a ticket he needed to come back home when he shared his Paypal links asking supporters of NRM to contribute.

Shame on you old folk, I am tax payer and you still need more money. Railas campaign was totally supported by Kenyans via Mpesa, now its Paypal....is it a ticket you want to come back???? said Jones tweet.

The General told off people who seemed to be uncomfortable with his move to seek for funding from people adding that liberation struggles are fought with resources.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Some Indiana manufacturers might initially benefit if tariffs proposed last week by President Donald Trump are enacted, but the states overall economy could suffer because other Indiana industries use what would be more expensive steel and aluminum and because other nations might adopt retaliatory trade practices, according to Wally Tyner, James & Lois Ackerman Professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University.

The president has suggested placing a 25 percent charge on imported steel and 10 percent on imported aluminum. This would make the foreign products more expensive, potentially boosting sales of American-made metals. Since Indiana produces both aluminum and steel, the states manufacturers could see price increases for their products and higher profitability, Tyner said. The increase in profitability could lead to job increases in those sectors.

But Indiana is also a leading manufacturing state, he added. In fact, one of four jobs in Indiana is in manufacturing related to transportation. These companies include GM, Honda, Subaru, Toyota, Rolls Royce and Cummins engines, Wabash National, and the recreational vehicle industry. Indiana is also a leading producer and manufacturer of automobile and truck parts. All these companies plus others, such as Caterpillar, are heavy users of aluminum and steel.

Higher prices for aluminum and steel would increase costs for those companies, likely leading to reduced sales - and with reduced sales, jobs would be lost, according to Tyner.

Since these manufacturing companies are such a large share of income and jobs in Indiana, it is likely that the Indiana economy would suffer from the tariffs even though we do produce aluminum and steel, Tyner said.

The states automakers and agricultural sector could also suffer if other nations adopted retaliatory trade practices, he said.

In terms of retaliation, countries often retaliate with tariffs that are designed to hurt the other country both economically and politically, Tyner said. In this case, the retaliatory tariffs might be aimed, in part, at one component of President Trumps core support - rural America. For example, one product that is often mentioned as a possible retaliation target by China is soybeans. China is a major importer of U.S. soybeans with 62 percent of total U.S. exports destined for China. A Chinese tariff would clearly have adverse on Indiana farmers, who are major soybean producers. Other possible targets would be automobiles made in the U.S., which would deepen the problems for Indiana automobile producers.

Another factor to consider is that China supplies less than 10 percent of both aluminum and steel for the U.S., Tyner said.

So even though much of the rhetoric has been aimed at China, they would not be the major target, he said. Our four biggest sources for imports of these products are Canada, Mexico, Japan and South Korea. Clearly there could be implications for the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) negotiations.

As a major manufacturing state, Indiana could be vulnerable in a trade war.

It turns out that Indiana has four of the top 10 exporting communities in the entire U.S. - Columbus, Elkhart, Kokomo, and Lafayette, Tyner noted. Retaliatory tariffs could affect any or all of these communities.

All Hoosiers should be aware of the possible ramifications of the proposed tariffs, Tyner said.

The bottom line is that describing possible job gains in steel and aluminum is only part of the story, Tyner said. We need to consider a more complete picture to assess the total impacts on our state.

Contact: Darrin Pack, 765-494-8415, dpack@purdue.edu

Source: Wally Tyner, 765-494-0199, wtyner@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-8415;

Darrin Pack, Manager/Media Relations and Public Information, dpack@purdue.edu

Agriculture News Page
Back-To-School Wish List

Monday was the first day of classes for everyone attending NYC public schools for the 2021-2022 school year. Many parents are happy about it, some...

Letters to the Editor

34th Anniversary Party To The Editor: Hello allI hope everyone had a great end to the summer and are looking forward to the fall. As...
Opinion

Ryan Bridge: The Govt's COVID-19 messaging is all over the shop - do lockdowns stop when enough Kiwis are vaccinated?
South Korean woman fined for illegal missionary activity in Russia

 flickr.com/Ekke

10:45 07/03/2018

MOSCOW, March 7 (RAPSI)  A court of Chelyabinsk has fined a woman having the nationality of South Korea 30,000 rubles (about $530) for illegal missionary activity in Russia, the regional prosecutors office reports Wednesday on its website.

According to prosecutors, the woman created an unregistered religious organization in Chelyabinsk, a Russian cell of The World Mission Society Church of God, where she held meetings with the group members, delivered sermons and collected donations.

Following an inspection conducted in the organization prosecutors opened an administrative case over illegal religious activities carried out by a foreign citizen, the statement reads.

The World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG) was stablished in South Korea in 1964 by a man named Ahn Sahng-Hong.
Appeal against arrest of cocaine case defendant in absentia set for March 28

 RIA Novosti, Ruslan Krivobok

12:59 07/03/2018

MOSCOW, March 7 (RAPSI)  The Moscow City Court will hear an appeal against the issuance of arrest warrant for Andrey Kovalchuk, one of the defendants in a criminal case over attempted cocaine smuggling from Argentina to Russia, on March 28, the spokesperson of the Tverskoy District Court Svetlana Medvedeva told RAPSI on Wednesday.

On March 2, Kovalchuk was arrested in Germany. Later, he was put in detention, according to his lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov.

Kovalchuk and three other defendants, Vladimir Kalmykov, Ishtimir Khudzhamov and Ali Abayanov, are charged with attempted drug smuggling on especially large scale. In late February, Moscows Tverskoy District Court detained Kalmykov and Khudzhamov until April 13, while Abayanov was ordered to stay in detention until April 12. Kovalchuk was put on the international wanted list.

Appeals against their detention will be considered by the Moscow City Court on March 12.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, law enforcement authorities of Russia and Argentina have collaboratively suppressed delivery of a large consignment of drugs (cocaine) from Argentina to Europe. The drugs ready for delivery were found in one of the Russian embassy buildings in Buenos Aires in 2016. Cocaine allegedly belonged to an embassy technical staff member, whose duty journey was over by that time. During the conducted operation, Russian and Argentinean citizens were arrested, the ministrys statement reads.
Prosecutor asks to imprison civil activist Galperin for 2 years

 RIA Novosti, Alexey Filippov

13:45 07/03/2018

MOSCOW, March 7 (RAPSI)  A prosecutor has asked a court to sentence civil activist Mark Galperin charged with extremism to two years in a penal colony, Galperins lawyer Alexey Liptser has told RAPSI.

The defendant is charged with public calls for extremist activity committed with the use of mass media or the Internet. The case is concerned with online videos criticizing authorities.

According to investigators, Galperin systematically violated public order and did not comply with the demands made by police. In June 2017, the Tverskoy District Court of Moscow put the defendant in administrative detention for 15 days. He was found responsible for not obeying the police at the unlawful June 12 rally in Moscow.
Civil activist Galperin receives 2-year suspended sentence in extremism case

 RIA Novosti, Alexey Filippov

14:59 07/03/2018

MOSCOW, March 7 (RAPSI)  The Nagatinsky District Court of Moscow found civil activist Mark Galperin guilty of calls for extremism, and give him a 2-year suspended sentence, the defendants lawyer Alexey Liptser told RAPSI.

The lawyer noted that the sentence would be appealed.

The defendant was charged with public calls for extremist activity committed with the use of mass media or the Internet. The case is concerned with online videos criticizing authorities.

According to investigators, Galperin systematically violated public order and did not comply with the demands made by police. In June 2017, the Tverskoy District Court of Moscow put the defendant in administrative detention for 15 days. He was found responsible for not obeying the police at the unlawful June 12 rally in Moscow.
Property details:

IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE:YOU ARE BIDDING ON THE DOWN PAYMENT then Only $149/Month for 60 MonthsPRIME RESIDENTIAL LOT IN BEAUTIFUL LEHIGH ACRES, FLORIDAHOT HOT HOT - Now is the time to invest in Florida land! Prices are rising quickly. Florida real estate is experiencing the strongest rebound rate in the country! Prices are rising, demand is growing, and quality inventory is shrinking. This means opportunity for the land investor! You can still own prime Florida vacant land in Lee County, FL for 5...

Price: $ 128 Property Address: 732 Central St E Seller State of Residence: Florida Zip/Postal Code: 33974 City: Lehigh Acres State/Province: Florida Zoning: Residential Type: Homesite, Lot Location: 339**, Port Charlotte, Florida

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby Homesite, Lot
Property details:

Land overlooking the village of bajo de chila, the sea and the mountains. The land has an area of 420 m2 It has water and underground light. Each plot measures 12 meters north, 12 meters south, 16.6 meters east and 16.60 meters west. The area is residential. For more information you can call to the next phones +525540127457 o +529541073329...

Price: $ 21,265 Seller State of Residence: Oaxaca State/Province: Oaxaca Type: Homesite, Lot Property Address: Bajos de chila, street s/n Zoning: Residential City: Puerto Escondido Location: , Oaxaca

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby Puerto Escondido
Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale

Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada.

Search Real Estate
Property details:

Land in Ocala National Forest!! A nature lovers paradise! Located in central Florida, the Ocala National Forest is a nature lover's paradise. The Ocklawaha River and numerous lakes and springs provide the perfect spot for boating, fishing and kayaking. There are marked and maintained ATV/Jeep trail systems in the national forest. Endless amounts of outdoor family fun in and around the forest. If you have less than 10 positive feedback's seller Will Cancel your bid unless buyer contacts seller fi...

Price: $ 2,800 State/Province: Florida Seller State of Residence: Florida City: fort mccoy Zip/Postal Code: 32134 Zoning: R4 Type: Homesite, Lot Location: 321**, Fort Mccoy, Florida

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby Homesite, Lot
Property details:

Hilton The Charter Club of Marco IslandMarco Island, Florida All images in this listing are general images of the resort and do not necessarily reflect the actual resort or units. Please perform your own due diligence Item Description Marco Island, the largest of the Ten Thousand Islands leading to the Florida Everglades, is a tropical paradise nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and pristine natural wetlands. From its ideal beachfront setting, The Charter Club of Marco Beach delivers a vac...

Price: $ 850 Seller State of Residence: Florida State/Province: FLORIDA City: MARCO ISLAND Type: Beach/Ocean Number of Bedrooms: 2 Number of Bathrooms: 2 Property Address: 700 S. Collier Blvd. Zip/Postal Code: 34145 Location: 341**, Marco Island, Florida

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby 34145
,



We're sorry, this article is not currently available
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/06/2018



ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

's Becca Kufrin has gone through the stages of loss and grief after her failed relationship with Arie Luyendyk Jr. , and now she's opening up about the shocking moment her heart broke into pieces."I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy," the 27-year-old Minnesota publicist told People. "It was like a slap in the face."When Arie called off his engagement to Becca, she didn't only lose her fiance -- she lost the bright future she had envisioned for herself as a wife and eventual mother."I never thought for a million years that once the going started to get tough that he would throw in the towel and jump ship and say, 'Oh sorry, I changed my mind.' I didn't think we were at that point whatsoever," Becca said.About six to eight weeks after Arie proposed marriage to Becca in Peru in November 2017, he dumped her on-camera during what was supposed to be a romantic "happy couple visit" in Los Angeles.Arie explained to Becca that while they made sense as a couple, his heart belonged to Lauren and he couldn't stop thinking about her.Arie wanted Lauren back, and he even admitted to Becca that part of his decision to part ways so soon was because he feared the possibility of reconciling with Lauren would drift farther away with each passing day."It was embarrassing the way he broke up with me with the full cameras and crew around," Becca told People of the unedited, uncut scene that aired on Monday night and had fans cringing all over the world."There was a better and more tactful way to do it. A breakup is hard enough, and to have it all filmed and have to re-watch it and know that people all across the country are watching you get your heart broken, it is embarrassing. It's not fun."Becca pointed out to Arie during their last moments together in Los Angeles that if he was so conflicted between Lauren and herself in Peru, he never should have picked out a ring and gotten down on one knee."I wish he hadn't proposed. At that point, I loved him and I wanted to be with him. Even if on that last day, he said, 'I'm still uncertain, this is a big move, I don't want to get down on one knee unless I'm 1000 percent sure, but I still want to be with you,' I would have been fine with that," Becca confessed.Becca said she would have told Arie that she loved him and still wanted to be with him, regardless."I even asked him a couple times if he felt like he was certain like that was the right move at that point and every time he said, 'I'm happy with the decision and I feel confident in us.' From what he was telling me and from even that grand gesture, I thought nobody would do that unless they did feel 100 percent confident," Becca shared.In fact, when Arie popped the question, he promised Becca that he chose her that day and would continue to choose her every day going forward."He did propose to me, he did say, 'I'm committing to you'... That's something that I only wanted to happen once in my life, and it's been robbed from me, and I can never have that one-time moment again," Becca vented."And the second part is that he lied or hid his true feelings and emotions for weeks and weeks and weeks. The number one thing that I value in a relationship is honesty and loyalty, and I feel like I wasn't given that."Arie's season of will conclude Tuesday night with a two-hour After the Final Rose special airing at 8PM ET/PT on ABC. Viewers will find out whether Lauren gave Arie a second chance and what the current status of the pro racing driver's love life is now.Becca will also be shown confronting Arie and Lauren face-to-face. While she might be shown putting Arie in his place, and deservedly so, she's apparently found it in her heart to forgive him."He's a good person, I don't think he's a monster and purposely did this to hurt me and make me feel this way. But it's just the result of his actions," Becca explained to the magazine."At the end of the day, I don't think he thought through everything of how ending things with Lauren would be, how being engaged to me would be, and what breaking up with me and going back to her would be. I don't think he thought it through, but I don't think he did it maliciously to break my heart."Interested in more news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
Aavas is turning heads in the countrys mortgage financing space because it selected to do business in a different way, says Mudar Patherya.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

Sorry, no tips this time.

Let me report that my travels took me to a company that may well be the answer to the countrys banking crisis.

Aavas Financiers Ltd is a mortgage financing company with contrarian strains which are immediately visible: most would have assumed that an NBFC (non-banking finance company) of its kind would have been headquartered out of Mumbai; Aavas is based in Jaipur.

Most would have assumed that a company about half a decade old would still be climbing the learning curve; Aavas has already emerged as a micro case study.

Most would have assumed that Aavas would be barely matching the sectoral growth rate (low double-digit percentage); the company is reporting 5x that number.

Aavas is turning heads in the countrys mortgage financing space because it selected to do business in a different way.

The first discernible difference is that Aavas stopped the practice of announcing annual topline business targets.

Most would have dismissed this as culture-destroying (How will employees drive themselves?); Aavas stated that such a target was divergent with its stated philosophy of enhancing customer value (Where is the customers priority in our corporate target?).

Aavas replaced the conventional topline metric with a service metric instead: a turnaround time in completing a customer transaction -- query to disbursement -- within x days at a time when the company was at 3x its enunciated target.

Aavas explained how this sequence would translate into a virtuous cycle: the faster it disbursed, the more delighted the customer would be, the better the reference to others, the stronger the customer accretion and quicker the revenue growth.

Aavas turned the screw tighter: it linked the achievement of this turnaround time with the performance of each employee including individual bonuses and promotions.

The organisation moved from Saab, kaisey hoga? to if we implement idea A we may be able to save three hours.

Now that it was aligned on the same strategic page (cause-driven as opposed to result-derived), the company articulated its next objective: generate 75 per cent of business in any month in the first three weeks compared with the existing 75 per cent in the last four days.

The disadvantages of the latter: there was a danger of volumes prevailing over book quality; there was the danger of the chief credit officer evolving into the chief marketing officer under pressure from colleagues.

What transpired was a conscious realignment initially slowed throughput, then revived with the desired spread-out.

The third dramatic Aavas transformation was something that most doubted would ever be effective: a conscious switching off of the entire IT system at 7 pm each evening, which meant that all work would have to completed during business hours.

One would have feared work spillover; surprisingly, productivity spiked and work-life imbalance corrected.

One would have considered these changes to be academic but for two numbers: Aavas expects to grow its loan book more than 50 per cent this financial year and cap its non-performing assets at 0.5 per cent.

By combining both, Aavas has demonstrated that it is possible to grow rapidly without compromising asset quality.

Isnt that what the countrys banking systems need anyway?

Mudar Patherya is a stock market writer, tracking corporate earnings and investor psychology to gauge where markets are not headed
'The Modi government has been taking credit for improvement in respect of the ease of doing business in India.'

'But when I look at the scams I cannot help feeling that it is too easy to do business with banks in India, if one is a Harshad Mehta, Vijay Mallya or Nirav Modi and their tribe,' says former Union home secretary Madhav Godbole.



Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

Close on the heels of the Vijay Mallya scam involving a number of major banks, including the country's biggest bank, the State Bank of India, and the Industrial Development Bank of India, the country is rocked by another mega scam.

This time it is in respect to the second biggest bank in the country, the Punjab National bank.

In reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, the government stated that during the four financial years 2013 to 2017, there were as many as 8,636 frauds in public sector and private sector banks in which an amount of Rs 26,922 crore was involved.

This should make anyone lose sleep. But, unfortunately, this does not hold good in respect to those in power! Something is certainly rotten in the state of Denmark.

There was the usual cacophony in the electronic media when the news broke. The blame game was about whether the previous United Progressive Alliance government should be held responsible for the lapses or whether it is the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government which is remiss.

This in fact has become the standard pattern whenever the country is rocked by major scandals. Demands are also being made that a Joint Parliamentary Committee should be appointed to go into the PNB scam.

Public memory is short and it is getting even shorter. Therefore, it might be worthwhile to recapitulate the experience of the JPC on the last bank scam in 1992.

Soon after the economic reforms were launched in 1991, the buoyancy in the stock market was mistaken as evidence of the success of economic reforms and its reception by the corporate world.

As a result, the ministry of finance as also the Reserve Bank of India failed to see that bank funds were being clandestinely used in the stock market by unscrupulous brokers.

There was an uproar in Parliament and the then finance minister Manmohan Singh, made a very uncalled for comment by saying, 'But that does not mean that I should lose my sleep simply because the stock market goes up one day and falls next day.'

This, in a sense, conveyed the approach of the government to the scam.

The JPC spent a lot of time in collecting information and literally truckloads of documents. It also made some very perceptive and penetrating observations on the functioning of the government, the supervisory role discharged by RBI and several lacunae in it.

Referring to the then finance minister's flippant comment, the JPC sarcastically noted: 'It is good to have a FM who does not lose his sleep easily but one would wish that when such cataclysmic changes take place all around, some alarm would ring to disturb his slumber.'

The JPC had recommended: 'The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) may be given a year's time to arrange for placement of staff in position and their training before starting on supplementary audit of all nationalised banks and financial institutions.'

'Alternatively, the C&AG can take up the audit of all government banks and financial institutions in phases covering all of them within a period of two years from the date the necessary legal framework is created.'

The committee's observations and recommendations should have led to a number of important decisions pertaining to the supervision of the banking system, both by the ministry of finance and the RBI.

Unfortunately, this did not happen.

In fact, some officers against whom the committee had made severe criticism flourished in subsequent years.

Reference must also be made to yet another distinct feature of the functioning of the JPC. To give an impression that the committee's report was unanimous, the notes appended by a number of members were merely called 'notes' and not 'dissenting notes'.

For example, in the note submitted by a number of members including Jaswant Singh, George Fernandes, S Jaipal Reddy, Gurudas Dasgupta and others, it was urged that certain matters must also be examined by Parliament (as the committee had not done so) when considering the report of the committee: Allegations relating to payment of Rs 1 crore by Harshad Mehta (to then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao); matters relating to the conduct of Romesh Bhandari, then the governor of Tripura etc.

Several other issues were similarly raised in the notes submitted by some other members.

As for the large amounts involved in the scam all that the committee said was that these matters should be further investigated by the concerned government agencies.

It was not therefore surprising that Debashish Basu and Sucheta Dalal, the two journalists who had done commendable investigative work on the scam have noted in their book, The Scam -- Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away: 'It was bad enough that gigantic scam took place. It is as incredible how ham-handed the scam investigation has been.'

In the meeting of bank chairmen called by the then finance minister, Manmohan Singh had said, 'It was a collective failure of the banking system.'

Another term which was repeatedly used by government functionaries while talking about the scam was that it was a 'systemic failure'. As if for this collective or systemic failure no one could be held responsible.

The Action Taken Report submitted by the government to Parliament in July 1994 reflected this thinking and the Opposition parties boycotted Parliament for 16 days in July-August 1994.

The two recent major scams involving Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi are a glaring proof of the neglect of the first bank scam.

It is against this background that one must ask a question whether appointing another JPC would serve any purpose, except that of window dressing.

If the intention is to take serious remedial measures, I would suggest that a high level judicial commission of enquiry should be appointed under the Commission of Enquiry Act.

The commission should be asked to hold a wide ranging enquiry concerning all aspects of the frauds perpetrated in the public and private sector banks.

It should also be requested to go into the functioning of the ministry of finance and the RBI over the years.

The commission could also examine whether the instrument of Letter of Understanding (LOU), introduced by the RBI, needs to be continued in such an unguided and unrestricted manner.

While appointing such a commission, the government should make a categorical announcement that the report of the commission would be published as soon as it is submitted to the government, without waiting for preparation of the ATR, and follow up action on the recommendations be taken expeditiously, within one year at the latest.

One issue which has come up time and again whenever banks have run into difficulties or have got involved in frauds is that of efficacy of the audit, whether the audit is by the statutory auditors or the RBI.

In most of these cases, it is not in public knowledge if any action was taken against the auditors for the lapses in the audit.

Action against the auditors is expected to be taken by the apex body of the auditors.

Over the years it is seen that apex bodies of several professions such as engineers, auditors, architects, advocates and so on, which are empowered under the relevant Acts of Parliament, have been remiss in discharging their responsibilities. This has led to a feeling of frustration and helplessness among the people.

In my book, Good Governance Never On India's Radar, I had advocated that Ombudspersons should be appointed for these professionals and their apex bodies. Such an effective grievance redressal mechanism will act as a valve in relieving pressures of discontent.

Transparent functioning of the Ombudsperson and her/his passing self-contained 'speaking orders' will go a long way in empowering citizens.

Finally, the truth, howsoever unpalatable it may be, must be faced. Bank nationalisation was undertaken by Indira Gandhi for purely political reasons and she made no secret of it when she spoke to I G Patel, the then secretary, economic affairs, ministry of finance, with instructions for taking follow up action.

The merits of the proposal were never examined before taking the decision. And neither have they been during the last five decades since nationalisation of banks.

A comprehensive study should now be undertaken to examine the extent to which these banks have fulfilled the objectives with which they were nationalised.

This flagship programme of the then avowedly socialist regime has been exploited fully by the ruling elite, whichever political party was in power.

The nexus between politicians, industrialists, large borrowers and bankers is legion in India. Crony capitalism has been in evidence all these years.

Nationalised banks have certainly served some purpose in terms of mobilisation of deposits, particularly from rural and semi urban areas. But the credit delivery system of public sector banks in these areas has not been particularly effective or economical.

In fact, much greater responsibility in this regard is borne by the co-operative sector. The banks have been totally bureaucratised and politicised. The time has therefore come to seriously consider privatisation of these banks in a time-bound manner.

I hope the Narendra D Modi government will set the ball rolling without any loss of time.

Taking effective remedial steps to ensure good health and credibility of the banking system is crucial to fulfilling India's ambitions as a rising power.

The latest report of Transparency International on the global corruption perception index continues to make a bleak reading so far as India is concerned.

India ranks 81 among 180 countries which is depressing. The World Bank's global investment competitiveness report 2017-2018 underlines the concept of government effectiveness.

It is an aggregate indicator that reflects, among others, perceptions of the quality of public services, the quality of civil service and the degree of its independence from political pressures, and the credibility of the government's commitment to its policies.

Gigantic bank scams in the recent years have clearly established the ineffectiveness of the government. The Modi government has been taking credit for improvement in respect of the ease of doing business in India.

But when I look at the scams I cannot help feeling that it is too easy to do business with banks in India, if one is a Harshad Mehta, Vijay Mallya or Nirav Modi and their tribe.

Madhav Godbole is a former Union home Secretary and secretary Justice, Government of India.
The recent weakness in stock markets has provided an opportunity to buy quality stocks relatively cheaper

Illustraton: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Equity fund managers, flush with strong domestic inflows, have invested a record Rs 1.3 trillion in stocks so far this financial year.

The tally is more than double that in 2016-17. Fund managers have bought shares worth Rs 11,700 crore a month on average in 2017-18.

At a time when monthly flow through Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) have touched a record Rs 7,000 crore.

The managers expect the domestic economy to do well over the medium to long term, on the back of reforms initiated by the government.

Most money managers have been continuously deploying the huge inflow into their schemes in the markets.

Most scheme mandates dont allow cash levels to rise beyond five per cent.

The recent weakness in stock markets has provided an opportunity to buy quality stocks relatively cheaper.

In February, when key stock indices lost about five per cent, fund managers bought shares worth Rs 13,200 crore.

Stocks of automobile makers and ancillaries, selective private banks, pharmaceuticals and in engineering were being chased.

A Balasubramanian, CEO at Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, says, Flows into MFs are on the rise and more and more investors are taking the SIP route to invest, a healthy practice.

"I believe knowhow about MFs have increased over the past few years, resulting in strong inflows. This trend should continue.

Sundeep Sikka, CEO at Reliance Nippon Life MF, said: What we are seeing in terms of flows might only be the tip of the iceberg.

"There is huge untapped potential in the country for the fund industry to grow.

Some investment managers are turning cautious amid the huge amount of money continuing to flow into equity schemes.

Most dont expect a repeat of last years performance - the BSE exchanges benchmark Sensex had rallied 27 per cent.

They expect returns to moderate.

Fund management is increasingly getting tougher and challenging at such times.

"At a time when markets climb, we normally prefer to reduce investments.

"The high inflows do not let us sit on huge cash and we have no option but to deploy funds, as per the mandate.

"The ongoing corrections have given us a huge opportunity to use our cash ammunition but we cant afford to go reckless in buying.

"We are selective in stock picking. We have to see how investor flows continue at the current pace if the corrections continue. Most investors are not used to high volatility, said a fund manager.
Say hello to John Abraham's new co-star, Aisha Sharma.

Aisha Sharma isn't new to the world of glamour.

The Kingfisher calendar girl has a filmi connection -- her sister Neha Sharma made her Bollywood debut with 2010's Crook: It's Good To Be Bad.

Aisha was slated to make her debut opposite Akshay Kumar in Namastey England. That may have fallen through, but she's bagged herself another break.

She will now make her movie debut with John Abraham.

Director Milap Zaveri welcomed Aisha on board, writing, 'With great delight I welcome @aishasharma25 as the leading lady of my next film #SMJ opposite @TheJohnAbraham @nikkhiladvani @monishaadvani @madhubhojwani @BajpayeeManoj @TSeries @EmmayEntertain.'

A look at what this gal is all about.

That's a beautiful selfie!

She wants to go back to her 'happy place', Phi Phi Islands.

Her sister Reetika Sharma takes lovely pictures of her.

Posing with Neha.

Those curls, we love!

'A pretty Fantastic day comes to an end.'

If she could be anything in life, she would want to be like her dog, Joy.

She shares this picture and captions it with an Oprah Winfrey quote: 'Dogs are my favourite role models. I want to work like a dog, doing what I was born to do with joy and purpose. I want to play like a dog, with total, jolly abandon. I want to love like a dog, with unabashed devotion and complete lack of concern about what people do for a living, how much money they have, or how much they weigh. The fact that we still live with dogs, even when we don't have to herd or hunt our dinner, gives me hope for humans and canines alike.'

'Uploading this photo cause my sister feels it's a great one .. As for me , every photo of mine is great one or so I would like to believe.'

Spending a Sunday in Goa.

'Maldives you were surreal. Absolutely surreal. And I miss you already. Till we meet again.'

Saying hello with this cute selfie.

Her weekend vibes.

'When you are sick as a dog and bed ridden all that comes to your mind is sun and all things sunny .. Give me some sun and mush .. And life's good again take me back #beach #tan #sand #srilanka'

She featured in a song called Ik Vaari with Ayushmann Khurrana, a T-Series single.

Here's looking forward to seeing much more of you, Aisha!

Photographs: Kind courtesy Aisha Sharma/Instagram
'In Yogi's Raj, Hindu festivals are State festivals.'

'He celebrates them, so does his police force, as he boasted in the assembly on Tuesday.'

'Eid, Christmas -- these can be observed, but expect nothing from the State to facilitate these celebrations,' says Jyoti Punwani.



IMAGE: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath smeared with colour during Holi celebrations in Gorakhpur, March 2, 2018. Photograph: PTI Photo

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister's declaration in the state assembly on Tuesday, March 6 -- 'I'm a Hindu, I don't celebrate Eid. I'm proud of being a Hindu. I wear the sacred thread and I will not wear a topi' -- seems shocking.

But seen along with his conduct last week during Holi, it makes perfect sense.

All chief ministers take an oath to uphold the Constitution, which binds them to practise secularism. But the chief minister of our most populous state runs it like a Hindu ruler.

Forget everything Yogi Adityanath has done since he took over a year ago. Just one set of directives issued by him last week is enough to understand how his mind works.

Holi was celebrated last week across the country. This year, it fell on a Friday, the only day of the week when Muslims turn up in large numbers for the afternoon namaz, as a religious obligation.

Across India, the possibility of Holi revelers clashing with namazees was handled without much fuss.

Not in Yogi's UP, where every Hindu festival is celebrated with fanfare by the CM himself, given his original position as head of the Gorakhnath math.

His administration came up with a strange solution to prevent clashes on Holi. They wanted to direct Holi revelers to wind up by 11 am.

This is what Adityanath told (external link) those gathered to hear him at an election rally in Phulpur on Monday, March 5.

Giving them an account of how he dealt with this issue, Adityanath told the crowd: 'I told them Holi comes just once a year, how can it be wound up by 11 am?'

So what was his solution? Did he direct his administration that instead of restricting Holi timings, they should post enough forces, incuding the Rapid Action Force, to prevent Holi revelers gathering outside mosques and throwing colour on mosques and on namazees?

Such a step would have shown the State's intention of ensuring that followers of both faiths observe their religion freely.

But the CM issued a different set of instructions entirely.

As he declared at the Phulpur rally, the CM told his administration that while Holi comes but once a year, Friday namaz comes 52 times a year. At this statement, cheers went up from his listeners.

'Holi bhi hoga, jumey ki namaz bhi hogi (There will be Holi and there will be Friday prayers),' he told his officers, said Adityanath, and instructed them to tell the maulvis to push back the namaz timings by two hours, so that Holi could be celebrated for as long as it always is. At this, more cheers went up from the crowd listening to him.

At the rally, he thanked the maulvis for pushing back the timings so that their Hindu brothers could play Holi to their hearts' content. Not too many cheers were heard when he said this.

One wonders why Adityanath didn't list all the steps he had ordered his administration to take for Holi. Had he done so, the crowd would have erupted in joy.

The Times of India reported (external link) that the CM of Uttar Pradesh, where Muslims form almost a fifth of the population, asked his administration to get masjids covered, so that colour was not thrown on them, and to ensure there was no confrontation with Holi revelers.

Taken along with the order not to restrict timings for Holi, what do these instructions mean?

The CM was making sure that a free hand was given to Hindu citizens of his state to celebrate Holi without any restrictions.

If any adjustments had to be made because the festival of colour and revelry coincided with Friday namaz, Muslim citizens alone would have to make them.

Was it any wonder then that Muslim religious heads lost no time in declaring that they had decided to shift the Friday afternoon namaz timings on Holi?

One can understand their desire to show this decision as a voluntary gesture. But did the media, who knew the reality, have to go along with this charade?

Did the media do so to save the Muslim leaders from public humiliation? To allow them to get the 'wah wahs' of Hindus and many Muslims who hailed the gesture as a display of harmony?

Or was it done to save the CM's real face from being exposed?

Whatever the reason, this charade turned out to be meaningless after the CM's Phulpur speech.

Yogi Adityanath has no qualms about projecting himself as a Hindu ruler; indeed, he knows his aggressive Hindutva is his biggest asset. That is the reason he bragged about these administrative orders in an election rally.

Here was a Hindu ruler telling his Hindu subjects that under him, they would never have to tolerate any obstacles in celebrating their religious festivals, specially if those obstacles came in the form of others' religious sensitivities.

In the same speech, Adityanath also claimed that the same way as Holi was celebrated, Eid and Christmas too were celebrated in his reign.

He repeated this in the assembly on Tuesday: 'If anyone celebrates Eid peacefully, the government will be with them. All festivals are being celebrated in my state.'

How true is the CM's boast? And who are those not allowing these festivals to be celebrated peacefully?

Last Christmas, the Hindu Jagran Manch, an affiliate of the Hindu Yuva Vahini founded by Adityanath, threatened Christian schools in Aligarh district not to celebrate Christmas.

The majority of students in these schools are Hindus, and the Manch felt that asking them to celebrate Christmas was an attempt to convert them.

The CM said nothing.

It was left to senior policemen to reassure the schools and their students.

At the start of this year, the UP Madrassa Board slashed holidays for madarsas affiliated to it. Ten days used to be given off before Ramzan, to enable students to reach home in time to observe it with their families. This was cut to two days.

Ten discretionary holidays which used to be decided by madarsa managements were also cut. Madarsas were told they would now have to remain closed on non-Muslim festivals.

Why should the UP administration interfere with the way poor Muslim children -- those sent to madarsas are the poorest of the poor -- observe their most important religious occasion?

Why should these children forego a holiday related to their faith, and instead of it, get a holiday for a festival they do not observe, be it Raksha Bandhan or Dussehra?

Can this move be made without the chief minister's approval?

In Yogi's Raj, Hindu festivals are State festivals. He celebrates them, so does his police force, as he boasted in the assembly on Tuesday.

Eid, Christmas -- these can be observed, but expect nothing from the State to facilitate these celebrations.

Just a year ago, this same man had railed against Christians and Muslims. At that time, he was an MP.

Maybe we should be thankful that as CM, he allows Christians and Muslims in his state to celebrate their festivals.
'It is a very irresponsible statement.'

'He is saying all the wrong things.'



IMAGE: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Art of Living founder. Photograph: Enrique Marcarian/Reuters

On Monday, March 5, speaking to a television news channel, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar -- the Art of Living founder -- shocked many when he declared, 'If the Ram mandir issue is not solved, we will have a Syria in India.'

Speaking to India Today TV, Ravi Shankar added: 'Muslims should give up their claim on Ayodhya as a goodwill gesture. Ayodhya is not place of faith for Muslims... We cannot make Lord Ram to be born in another place.'

While speaking to NDTV on the same issue, Ravi Shankar said, 'If the court rules against a temple, there will be bloodshed. Do you think the Hindu majority will allow it (ruling against a temple)? They will garner resentment towards the Muslim community.'

On Tuesday, Ravi Shankar followed up his efforts with an open letter addressed to All India Muslim Personal Law Board members urging them to consider an out-of-court settlement as he feared a 'large-scale' communal flare-up if the case was settled by the court or through legislation, Press Trust of India reported.

Dismissing Ravi Shankar's intervention in the dispute, Zafaryab Jilani, convenor, Babri Masjid Action Committee, who has been fighting the court case, told Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf: "He (Ravi Shankar) is saying all the wrong things."

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has warned that India can become like Syria if the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid verdict goes in favour of any one party.

It is a very irresponsible statement. His statement is almost like him making a threat to the Supreme Court of India.

Don't you think if the Supreme Court pronounces a judgment in favour of one party, then the other party is bound to get upset?

That is the usual path of any judgment.

If everyone starts feeling this way, then there will be no litigation and courts in this country.

The (Allahabad) high court had given a judgment on the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid issue in 2010 and there were no riots then.

But this will be a judgment passed by the Supreme Court, and hence final.

If all parties had not appealed in the Supreme Court, then the Allahabad high court's judgment would have been final. Nothing happened then.

Do you think mediation is a good thing?

These things do not happen in a hurry. I can understand this mediation happening after the Supreme Court of India's judgment. All the people will accept the apex court's judgment.



IMAGE: The model of the proposed Ram temple in Ayodhya. Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters

Salman Husaini Nadwi, a senior cleric and sacked member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, spoke in favour of the construction of the Ram Mandir. Don't you feel there is a genuine feeling among Muslims that the Ram Mandir must be built at the disputed site?

This voice is coming only from 0.001 per cent (in the Muslim community).

If 10 to 20 people say such things, how does it make a difference?

Even 1 per cent of Muslims are not ready for this (Ram Mandir).

Don't you feel that Muslims must give up their claim to the Babri Masjid and a mandir must be constructed at Ayodhya as it will send a message of brotherhood in the country? This is what Sri Sri Ravi Shankar too is saying.

We cannot give up and we cannot give permission too (to build the Ram mandir).

We do not have the right to do so Constitutionally and even legally too we cannot do this.

Also, the Shariat does not give us right to do this and even the Waqf Board does not give the permission.

Isn't this what Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is saying, that many masjids have been shifted from their original place in other Muslim countries?

We have heard these arguments many times before and it is nothing new.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's talks are only a waste of time.

Do you think India will become a Syria as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said?

If a full opportunity is given to hear all parties and after that a judgment is pronounced, then every party will abide by the law.

But if there is a hurried hearing on this issue and Muslims are not given a full opportunity to represent their case, then I don't know what will happen.

Somehow there is a feeling that only radical Muslim leaders are holding onto the Babri Masjid issue. The Muslim masses are not interested in where the masjid is constructed.

The best solution is that you do a survey in the Muslim localities of India on this issue.

I am giving an open invitation to anyone to do a survey in a Muslim locality on this issue and you will get the answer.

But Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says...

(Interrupts). Why are you wasting my time on what Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is saying? He is saying all the wrong things.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday moved a special court seeking permission to conduct narco analysis test on Karti Chidambaram, arrested in the INX media case.

Special judge Sunil Rana said that he will take the matter on March 9 when Karti is brought to the court after three days of custodial interrogation by the CBI.

The court will also take up for hearing two other applications of the CBI seeking production warrants of Karti's chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman, arrested in the money laundering case, and co-accused Indrani Mukerjea, court sources said.

Karti was yesterday sent to three more days of CBI custody with the court saying that the extension of his remand was necessary to maintain continuity in the investigation to secure evidence to arrive at the truth.

The application for narco analysis test assumes significance as the agency on Tuesday alleged that Karti was not cooperating in the investigation and was 'evasive' in his replies.

Mukerjea is currently in a Mumbai prison in connection with murder case of her daughter Sheena Bora.

Karti was arrested on February 28 at the Chennai airport on his return from the United Kingdom, in connection with the first information report lodged on May 15 last year alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds worth about Rs 305 crore in 2007 when his father P Chidambaram was the Union finance minister.

The CBI has alleged that Karti received Rs 10 lakh as bribe for the FIPB clearance.

Photograph: PTI Photo
Fresh violence on Wednesday erupted between majority Sinhala Buddhists and minority Muslims in other areas of central Sri Lankas riot-hit Kandy district, prompting authorities to extend a curfew till Thursday.

The authorities on Tuesday imposed curfew till Wednesday morning after communal violence in the Theldeniya area of the central hill district that left two persons dead and damaged several mosques and homes.

Government spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne said that the curfew has been extended in the troubled hill district popular with tourists to prevent further violence.

However, arson attacks continued on Wednesday and Muslim-owned businesses were targeted by the mobs in spite of deployment of hundreds of security personnel in the district.

Following the incidents of violence, President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday declared a state of emergency and deployed the police and military to prevent further violence.

It was the first time since August 2011 that a state of emergency was in force in the Indian Ocean's island nation.

Police fired teargas shells to disperse rioters in curfew-bound areas hours after a state of emergency was imposed in a bid to quell anti-Muslim violence, a senior police official said.

In the incidents of overnight violence in a Kandy suburb, Menikhinna, three policemen were injured while seven people were arrested for breaking the curfew and trying to cause unrest, police spokesman Superintendent of Police Ruwan Gunasekera said.

The government sent troops and elite police commandos to Kandy, home to famous tea plantations and Buddhist relics, to restore order and enforce the curfew.

The curfew was lifted last morning but was re-imposed soon after several mosques, shops and homes belonging to the minority community were badly damaged in the attacks by the Sinhalese Buddhists.

Sri Lanka has a long history of state of emergency during the LTTE rebellion both in the south and the Tamil minority dominated north and east of the island.

Schools in Kandy, which is about 115 kilometres from Colombo, remained closed on Wednesday.

The Sri Lankan government suspended internet services and blocked access to social networking websites and messaging platforms like Whatsapp in the riot-hit areas.

Access to certain social media sites and messaging platforms will be restricted with immediate effect until further notice, Sri Lanka's largest mobile phone provider Dialog said in a statement.

According to an official, Sri Lanka's Telecommunications and Regulatory Commission had asked the internet service providers to block access to Facebook and other social media platforms in Kandy.

The move also affected the internet users in other parts of the country.

A senior official said that it was a temporary measure and soon all the restrictions would be removed.

This has been done to prevent spread of false information, the government spokesperson said.

The police had claimed that anti-Muslim rioters were using social media to spread anti-Muslim hatred.

Senaratne said that politicians belonging to a certain group were responsible for the violence, in an apparent reference to former President Mahinda Rajapaksas new party which won the recent local council election.

"We clearly see an organised pattern orchestrated by political hands," Senior minister Sarath Amunugama said.

He said those arrested include ex-military men, political activists and even those in active-military service.

Kabeer Hashim, a Muslim and another senior minister, said that the original incident which sparked off the clashes had been dealt with the due legal process.

The four Muslims who were responsible for the assault and murder had been remanded. The law has taken its course when these organized groups decided to unleash violence, Hashim said.

The government has ordered more troops to reinforce police and stop the unrest spreading.

Three special police teams, comprising three Deputy Inspector Generals of Police and three Superintendents of Police, have been deployed in Kandy on the instructions of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara, the police spokesman said.

Meanwhile, following declaration of a state of emergency, foreign governments, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have asked their nationals visiting the island nation to exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies, and comply with local security requirements.

United Nations under-secretary-general for political affairs Jeffrey Feltman will be visiting Sri Lanka this week.

The UN spokesman said that Feltman will reach Colombo on Friday for a three-day tour and is also expected to visit Kandy.

Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
Ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's maiden India trip, French sources said on Wednesday that it would 'not be a business as usual visit' and asserted that apart from conventional areas of cooperation such as nuclear energy and defence, the thrust would be on boosting ties in maritime and space fields.

While the French sources did not say whether the two countries would ink a pact in the nuclear energy sector, India officials told PTI that an agreement to expedite the Jaitapur nuclear plant was expected to be signed during the presidential visit.

France has also been strongly supporting India's bid for membership of the export-control regime Nuclear Suppliers Group.

"Special emphasis would be (laid on) cooperation in the Indian Ocean during the talks (between Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi)," a French source said, noting that France has strong economic and military interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The remarks by the French side assume significance in the backdrop of India, the United States, Japan and Australia coming together and holding discussions on the sidelines of the India-Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Manila last year on ways to boost cooperation in the IOR.

France has military and naval bases in the IOR, which also has a sizeable French population. The IOR has also been witnessing increasing naval presence of China.

Macrons trip would 'not be a business as usual visit' and the thrust will be on intensifying partnership in other areas, including space and trade, the sources said, and noted that 'the two leaders (Modi and Macron) will be spending a lot of time together and the visit has been planned that way'.

"Defence has been one of the key pillars of strategic partnership and the visit will also focus on this aspect," the French source added.

India has signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafale jets.

Asked if international issues, including non-proliferation will be discussed, the French source said all issues of mutual interest will be deliberated upon.

The source also noted that there was convergence of views between France and India, a 'global power', on several issues such as rule of law and democratic values.

Cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism will also be discussed during the bilateral meeting between Modi and Macron on March 10.

The French President will be accompanied by a business delegation of CEOs of 40 French companies, including those from the defence sector.

The bilateral trade between India and France for the period from April 2016 to March 2017 reached $10.95 billion. France is the 9th largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative investment of $6.09 billion from April 2000 to October 2017.

Macron arrives in New Delhi on March 9, his first trip to India.

The next day he will hold delegation-level talks with Modi. He will also take part in a Town Hall and have an interactive session, in which nearly 300 students from different levels and institutions are expected to participate on March 10.

On the same day, he will also attend a Knowledge Summit which will be attended by more than 200 academicians from both sides.

On March 11, Macron will attend the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Summit, an initiative mooted by France and India.

The ISA Summit, expected to be attended by several heads of the states and governments, is likely to focus on 'concrete projects'.

Macron will also visit Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Modi, on March 11. He, along with Modi, will inaugurate a solar plant in Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh.
A bust of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was vandalised in Kolkata on Wednesday, allegedly by Left supporters, an obvious act of retribution following the razing of statues of Soviet icon Vladimir Illyich Lenin in Tripura, officials said.

A statue of Dalit icon Dr B R Ambedkar was also vandalised and replaced later in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh, amid the ongoing spate of incidents targeting statues and busts of known figures across the country.

IMAGE: A police official along with a group of people clean the bust of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee after it was vandalised allegedly by Left supporters at Keoratola Mohasoshan in Kolkata on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

The incident also followed desecration of a bust of Dravidian movement founder E V Ramasamy Periyar in Tamil Nadu's Vellore after a Facebook post by a senior BJP leader.

The incident triggered widespread protests across the state.

As an unseemly fallout of the Bharatiya Janata Partys historic triumph in the Left bastion of Tripura, suspected right-wing activists had pulled down two statues of Lenin at different places in the tiny north-eastern state.

On Wednesday, seven people belonging to a Left-leaning group called 'Radical' vandalised the bust of Mookerjee in south Kolkata. All the seven, including a woman, were arrested, Kolkata police commissioner Rajiv Kumar said.

The accused, who were arrested from the spot, told a TV channel that they defaced and vandalised Mookerjee's bust to protest against the pulling down of communist icon Lenin's statues in Tripura.

They also raised slogans against the Tripura incidents, the police said.

"Six men and one woman in their early 20s who tried to deface the bust of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee have been arrested from the spot by Kolkata Police and strong legal action initiated, Kumar said in a statement.

"No vandalism would be tolerated," he said.

A senior officer of the Tollygunge police station said the accused entered the area and suddenly started damaging the bust and then splattered black ink on it.

Locals caught hold of the accused and informed the police.

Restoration of the bust has been initiated, he said.

Adequate police personnel have been deployed in the area to check any other untoward incident.

Local Trinamool Congress MLA and state power minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay and party councillor Mala Roy rushed to the spot after the incident.

"Such an incident is not at all welcome. We will not allow this to happen in West Bengal. People who are involved in it were arrested," Chattopadhyay said.

"There is no logic behind defacing Syama Prasad Mookerjees bust because someone has pulled down Lenins statue," he said.

Commenting on the incident, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said: "Whenever the Left goes out of power they take up such tricks. This is an anti-national act."

IMAGE: Late on Tuesday night, a Periyar statue was vandalised in Vellore in Tamil Nadu. The incident came after BJP's H Raja said that the statue should be removed. Photograph: ANI/Twitter

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday 'strongly disapproved' incidents of vandalism of statues in certain parts of the country and spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the matter.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the incidents of vandalism of statues and warned of stern action against those found guilty.

The prime minister also spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh about it and expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents, according to an official statement in New Delhi.

The home ministry said it has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism and has directed state governments to take strong action.

Official sources said that the prime minister has strongly disapproved incidents of vandalism reported from certain parts of the country.

In an advisory to all states and union territories, the home ministry said incidents of toppling of statues have been reported from certain parts of the country and it has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism.

'The MHA has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents,' it said.

The ministry said the state governments were told that persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law.

'Honourable Prime Minister has also spoken to the Home Minister in this regard,' the advisory said.

The advisory did not specifically mention Tripura but sporadic violence and clashes have been reported between rival political groups in the state after election results were declared on Saturday.

The ministry said enough central and state forces were available at the disposal of the state government to tackle the situation.

MHA issues 2nd advisory, says DMs, SPs 'personally responsible' for statue damage

In a second advisory on Wednesday itself, the MHA held district magistrates and superintendents of police 'personally responsible' for such incidents of vandalism.

"The DMs and SPs will be personally held responsible for any such incidents of vandalism of statues," a home ministry official said, quoting the second advisory.

The state governments and Union Territories were told to ensure that DMs and SPs take all possible action to control the law and order situation in their areas of jurisdiction. They were advised to monitor the situation closely and take stringent action like arrests, prompt investigation and prosecution of the accused.

The DMs and SPs were told that they must ensure that the police keep strict vigil on anti-social elements, social media and rumour-mongers and take strong action against anyone indulging in any kind of violence or inciting violence, the official said.

The home ministry, in its second advisory, also reiterated the earlier directions on damage of statues and advised preventive action, including patrolling and firm control over anti-social elements.

The official said no state government has sought additional paramilitary forces.

"I appeal to everyone, all parties, that anyone indulging in such acts should be dealt with strictly. These incidents can never be justified," Home Minister Rajnath Singh told reporters outside Parliament.

IMAGE: Remains of the five-feet-tall statue of Lenin which was demolished at Belonia in South Tripura district on Monday afternoon. This was the first statue vandalised following which another one was in Tripura. Photograph: PTI Photo

BJP chief Amit Shah termed the desecration of Lenin's statues in Tripura and Periyar's bust in Tamil Nadu "extremely unfortunate", and asserted that any party member found involved in destroying a statue will face severe action.

In a series of tweets, Shah distanced the BJP from the vandalism after a few party leaders appeared to endorse the incidents, and said his organisation believes a wide range of ideas and ideologies can co-exist in India.

The recent issue on destroying of statues is extremely unfortunate. We as a party do not support the bringing down of anybody's statue. I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party, he said.

He, however, said the BJP will not take action against its national secretary H Raja, whose controversial Facebook post was seen to have incited party activists to vandalise Periyar's bust.

However, the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP on Wednesday expelled party worker R Muthuraman, who was arrested yesterday for damaging Periyar's bust.

Opposition parties condemned the 'shameful' incidents of damage to statues in Tamil Nadu and Tripura, and hit out at the BJP, alleging that its members were becoming 'intolerant' and were 'insulting' the people, especially the poor.

In Meerut, following the vandalisation of Dr Ambedkar's statue, members of the Dalit community blocked the Meerut-Mawana road even as the administrative officials sought to calm down the protesters and assured them that the vandalised statue would be replaced with a new one.

The officials later said that a new Ambedkar statue had been installed.

According to police, the statue was installed by the Dalit community in Chhota Mawana several years ago.

It was vandalised by some unidentified people late last night. The incident sparked protests by members of the Dalit community.

Mawana Circle Officer U N Mishra told PTI-Bhasha that the situation is normal and the new statue of Ambedkar had been installed.

He, however, added that no complaint was lodged in connection with the incident.

Prima facie, it is case of a conspiracy, the officer said.

The opposition leaders also demanded action against those involved in such acts of 'hooliganism'.

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the damage to the statue of Periyar in Tamil Nadu was an insult to the entire country, especially the poor.

"In Tamil Nadu, the statue of Periyar was removed and damaged. It is a very big insult of not only people of Tamil Nadu, but also people of the country who believe in his ideology.

"In a democracy, there are people who believe in all kinds of ideologies. There is no tolerance in the BJP people and they are turning intolerant," he told reporters outside Parliament.

Kharge highlighted the contribution of Periyar, saying he worked for uplift of the Dalits, the oppressed and people of backward classes as the women in the southern state.

"Periyar helped them get political power. It is an insult to all poor in the country, as Periyar believed and fought for social justice.

"I and my party condemn the incident of causing damage to his statue. These are people with vested interest who are insulting leaders of rationalist movement in the name of religion. It is not right. People will not tolerate it," he said.

Kharge said the Congress-led governments had worked to ensure the country's unity in diversity, 'unlike what is happening under the BJPs watch'.

"These people want to break the country's unity. Today, when their government has come, such people are getting encouraged," he said, criticising BJP leader H Raja for his remarks against Periyar.

"They should not take the law into their hands. They think the Government of India is in their hands," he said.

Kharge noted that the incidents of damaging statues are taking place after the BJP came to power in Tripura last week.

"In democracy, once should convince people by one's ideology, not by hooliganism....action must be taken against those who damaged the statues," the Congress leader added.

Targeting the BJP, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien dubbed the incidents an 'absolute shame' and 'third class'. He alleged the ruling party workers 'may next break statues of other iconic leaders as well'.

"It is an absolute shame. In 2011, even we won the elections in Bengal. We do not endorse the philosophy of communists like Lenin, but you have to win political battles. This is like third class, but this is to be expected from this government," OBrien told reporters outside Parliament.

Communist Party of India leader D Raja said Periyar was not just a great leader of Tamil Nadu but a global leader. He was the founder of self-respect and rationalist movement and fought against the caste system.

"This kind of absurdity on the part of BJP leaders should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Till now India is a country which believes in a rule of law. But law and order in Tamil Nadu is going into the hands of the Sangh and Fascist forces," he alleged.

He also demanded that the BJP leadership should explain its position on BJP national secretary H Raja's comments.

Petrol bombs hurled at BJP office in TN; 3 surrender

Miscreants hurled petrol bombs at a BJP office in Coimbatore early on Wednesday but no one was injured, the police said.

Three persons surrendered in connection with the incident and they were arrested, the police added.

Bike-borne miscreants hurled two petrol bombs at the BJP office at Siddapudur around 4 am, the police said, adding that one of the bombs hit the board of a nearby ticket booking office of Andhra Pradesh Tourism and the other landed on the road.

Even as three special police teams were on the lookout for the miscreants, three persons, said to be members of the Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (TPDK), surrendered at two police stations.

They were identified as Balan, Jeevanantham and Goutham and further investigations were on, the police said.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters after a meeting with the local BJP leaders, Coir Board Chairman and National Executive member of the BJP, C P Radhakrishnan, said the party never supported violence.

"An ideology should be fought with an ideology," he added.

Radhakrishnan, however, claimed that no one protested against those who hurled slippers at or garlanded the idols of Hindu gods with slippers or spoke ill of Hindu leaders.

On Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan's remarks that Tamil Nadu was becoming a training centre for terrorism of late and the rebuttal by the chief minister and his deputy, Radhakrishnan said Wednesday's incident was proving the comments to be true.

He asked the police to track down the 'network' behind the attack on the BJP office.

Four arrested in 11 cases of 'post-poll violence' in Tripura

As many as 11 cases of 'post-poll violence' were reported from different parts of Tripura in the last 24 hours and four people were arrested in this connection, police said on Wednesday.

The state has been witnessing attacks and arson since the announcement of results of the just-concluded elections on March 3.

Superintendent of Police (Police Control) Pradip De said measures are being taken to 'contain violence'.

Four people were arrested from Dharmanagar subdivision of North Tripura district on Tuesday in connection with a clash between the activists of the Communist Party of India-Marxist and the BJP, he said.

"The situation has largely been brought under control now. I can say the violence did not escalate since last night," he said, adding that the 10 other cases reported since Tuesday were 'minor' ones.

Sub-divisional Police Officer of Dharmanagar, Dhiman Das Chowdhury, said the clash broke out at Alanbazar area of Dharmanagar subdivision following an altercation between the members of the two political parties.

Six people -- two from the CPI-M and four from the BJP -- were hospitalised, he said, adding that paramilitary forces and Tripura State Rifles personnel were deployed in the area.

BJP media in-charge Victor Shom said the party's chief minister-designate, Biplab Kumar Deb, has sought 'stern actions' against those found indulging in 'post-poll violence'.

"Deb has asserted that no would be spared if found guilty. There, however, has not been any major clash in the state so far," he said.

CPI-M party office secretary Haripada Das said the party might issue a press release soon with a 'compilation of the incidents of violence'.

With head severed, 'Lenin' to be kept at civic body premises in Agartala

An imposing statue of communist icon Vladimir Lenin, which was pulled down by a group of people in South Tripura's Belonia, will be kept at the premises of the municipal body, a top official said on Wednesday.

The nearly 11-ft tall fibre glass statue, which stood on a pedestal at College Square, was brought down on Monday with the help of a bulldozer.

"We initially let the damaged statue lay there as it was since we were not sure about the mood of the people. We wanted to things to subside a bit. But, now, as per instructions from higher authorities, we have decided to take the statue and store it in our office premises," Belonia Municipal Council's CEO Amit Ghosh told PTI.

He said, it has not yet been decided whether it will be kept indoor or outdoor at the Council's premises.

"The head is severed from the main body of the statue, so it presents an ungainly sight. We will try to wrap it up in something. Whatever happened is condemnable. Lenin is a world icon," the CEO said, adding 'there is no CCTV camera in the area where the incident took place'.

The statue was erected sometime around 2015 at the cost of nearly Rs 5 lakh and a local artist has sculpted it.

The fund had come from the Tripura Urban Employment Programme, he said.

"We want to repair the statue but that will also entail expenditure. If anyone wants to contribute any fund for the restoration of the statue, it is welcomed. Also, if any party wants to take the statue, we can also work that out," Ghosh said.

Ghosh said, he along with a team of the civic body are at he College Square to carry and transport the statue.

"We are handling the state very carefully, as it made of fibre glass. So, a crane will be used to carry it to the Council's premises," he said.

Asked if the statue will be reinstalled or another one would replace it, he only said, "At this point of time, nothing has been decided. We are also thinking of holding a town hall to let the local people decide of its fate."

On the situation in and around Collage Square, he said, "Situation now is normal."

Asked if there are more statues in the jurisdiction area of the Council, Ghosh said, "There is one of Karl Marx, located a bit far off. Then statues of Gandhi and Netaji are there in the main town."
This might be the cutest thing that you will see on the internet on Wednesday.

A little girl who was transfixed by a portrait of Michelle Obama last week got to meet the real person on Tuesday -- and even danced with the former United States first lady.

IMAGE: Former US First Lady enjoyed her time with two-year-old Parker Curry and said that she should keep dreaming big. Photograph: michelleobama/Instagram

Parker Curry, a two-year-old Washington, DC resident, became an internet sensation when she was photographed with her mouth agape while staring in awe at the portrait of Michelle Obama which was recently hung in the National Portrait Gallery.

In a Tuesday tweet, Obama shared a video of Parker and herself dancing in her Washington office.

WATCH: Michelle and Parker groove to Taylor Swift's 'Shake it Off'

Parker, Im so glad I had the chance to meet you today (and for the dance party)! Keep on dreaming big for yourself... and maybe one day Ill proudly look up at a portrait of you, the tweet said.

Parker was visiting the National Portrait gallery last Thursday when Ben Hines snapped a photo of her looking at the painting.

He then posted the photo on Facebook, writing: Donna Hines & I made a pilgrimage today and we were delighted to wait in line behind this fellow art lover & hopeful patriot.

IMAGE: Two-year-old Parker Curry became an instant internet sensation when this photo of her watching Michelle Obama's portrait mouth agape when viral. Her mother later said that Parker thought Michelle was a queen. Photograph: _parkercurry/Instagram

In an interview with CNN, Parkers mother Jessica shared that Parkers awe-struck moment in front of Obamas portrait was extremely powerful because of why Parker loved the portrait so much.

In further discussion with (Parker) yesterday and today, I realised that she believes Michelle Obama is a queen, and she wants to be a queen as well , Jessica Curry said.

As a female and as a girl of colour, its really important that I show her people who look like her that are doing amazing things and are making history so that she knows she can do it.
The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were on Wednesday disrupted for the third consecutive day amid protests by various parties, including National Democratic Alliance allies Telugu Desam Party and Shiv Sena over various issues.

As soon as the House met for the day, members from various parties, including TDP, Shiv Sena, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, YSR Congress, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Trinamool Congress started raising slogans over various issues, following which Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the proceedings for an hour on Wednesday morning.

Most of the protesting members were in the Well before the Speaker took her chair to conduct the proceedings.

Members from the Left and the Congress were seen raising slogans from their benches.

The opposition has been protesting over various issues, including the Punjab National Bank scam, since Monday when Parliament had reconvened after a month-long recess in the Budget session.

While the TDP has been demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh, the TRS was seeking a higher quota for Telangana. The YSR Congress was demanding implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act.

The AIADMK was demanding establishment of the Cauvery river board to settle water disputes with neighbouring states. The Shiv Sena, like on Tuesday, was demanding classical language status for Marathi.

Mahajan took up the Question Hour but adjourned the proceedings soon after. She was visibly upset and left the House amid the din. A Lok Sabha official had to repeat loudly that the House has been adjourned.

Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha proceedings were washed out for the third straight day as Opposition

parties and allies like TDP and AIADMK created uproar over the PNB banking fraud, special package for Andhra Pradesh and Cauvery Board issues.

While the agitators were told that the government was ready to discuss all issues, the Oppositions relentless protests forced the adjournment of the proceedings, first in the morning and later for the day when it met in the afternoon.

We are ready to discuss all issues, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said in an attempt to bring the House in order.

As soon as the listed papers were laid on the table soon after the House assembled for the day and took up the Zero Hour, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu expressed concern over damage to statues in different parts of the country.

But MPs from the Congress, TMC, Left parties, NDA ally TDP and AIADMK among others rushed into the Well shouting slogans and holding placards.

Amid sloganeering, Naidu adjourned the House till 2 pm saying the government has agreed for debate on all issues the opposition were raising and he has given permission for discussion on issues, including bank fraud, Cauvery river water issue and matters concerning Andhra Pradesh.

Disapproving of the protests in the Well and raising of slogans, the chairman said such acts were bad and against democracy.

When the House reassembled at 2 pm, the noisy protests continued as Opposition members again trooped into the Well.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the government is ready for a short duration discussion on all the issues, but the Opposition members were unrelenting, forcing Kurien to adjourn the House for the day.
A United States Navy veteran charged with killing of Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla and injuring two others at a suburban Kansas City bar last year, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to premeditated first-degree murder.

Adam Purinton, 52, pleaded guilty before a Kansas court.

He was charged with first-degree murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of his friend, Alok Madasani, and a bystander, who chased Purinton after he fled the Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe city on February 22, last year.

Puriton had pleaded not guilty on all these charges and waived his preliminary hearing in late November 2017.

Kuchibhotlas widow welcomed the guilty plea.

Todays guilty verdict will not bring back my Srinu, but it will send a strong message that hate is never acceptable, she said in a statement.

According to court documents, Purintons plea hearing was originally scheduled for May 8 but later it was moved to March 6.

Witnesses said Purinton yelled at the two Indian men to get out of my country before pulling the trigger.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Purinton committed offences after substantial planning and premeditation, attempted to kill more than one person in a single criminal episode, and knowingly created a grave risk of death to others on the scene.

Purinton faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison.
A man who was ready to die for the country in his youth waits for his government to recognise his sacrifice and pay him his due in his old age.

A Ganesh Nadar reports.



IMAGE: "Netaji used to ask, 'Desh ke liye jaan doge?(Will you sacrifice your life for your country?)' And we used to shout, 'Denge! (We will!)," Veera Gandhi recalls. Photograph: A Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com

'A freedom fighter's pension is not an act of charity, but a conferment of honour on such selfless fighters.'

An irate Madras high court made this strong statement while censuring the Tamil Nadu government for denying pension to a nonagenarian soldier of the Indian National Army for 37 years.

On January 27, it directed the Tamil Nadu state to pay him his due, along with arrears calculated from the date he first applied for pension -- July 6, 1980.

More than a month later, Veera Gandhi, who lives in Mudukulathur taluk in Tamil Nadu's Ramanathapuram district, is still waiting for his dues.

Going by the date of birth he gives us -- September 15, 1926 -- Gandhi must have been a mere 16 years old when he joined the INA in 1942.

His father, who moved to Rangoon, Burma, was friendly with the local INA leader.

"My father was a fierce patriot and would go for every INA meeting," the 91 year old recalls. "He would take us as well. We would march with the INA."

After he completed Class 8, Gandhi decided to join the INA.

"My elder brothers and elder sister were part of the INA too. Five members of our family were in the INA," he remembers, pride enveloping those memories.

"Kadam kadam badaye jaa, Khushi ke geet gaye jaa, we would sing loudly as we marched."

The old eyes shine brightly. "Netaji (Subhas Chandra Bose) used to ask, 'Desh ke liye jaan doge? (Will you sacrifice your life for your country?) And we used to shout, 'Denge! (We will!)."

His eyes glisten.

"We used to carry the national flag and march with passion. Havaldar Gangabai trained us. We used to sing songs and shout slogans as we marched through the streets, defying the British."

"During INA meetings, Netaji would ask, 'Apne desh ke liye zindagi barbaad karne ke liye tayar hai? (Are you ready to destroy yourself for your country?)"

"'Tayar! (We are ready!)', we would say." Tears roll down his face at the memory.

Gandhi is filled with pride when he recalls how the INA was funded.

"The first time, we weighed Netaji against vegetables. The next time, we weighed him against Japanese currency. The third time, we weighed him against gold. We put all our family jewels on the weighing scale. Everyone did."

"We were fighting alongside the Japanese when the British arrived. Once the Japanese retreated, we were at the mercy of the British who arrested us and kept us in jail. Once Netaji escaped, it was the end of the INA."

Gandhi was jailed in Burma from May 1945 to December 1945. Though these facts were endorsed by INA leader Colonel Lakshmi Sahgal, the Tamil Nadu government refused to provide him with a pension.



IMAGE: Veera Gandhi with his wife. The Gandhis had 10 children, five of whom have passed away. Photograph: A Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com

Sitting outside his small home in suburban Chennai, he says, "After my release, I worked with my elder brother who had become a scrap iron dealer in Burma. I returned to India in 1964. It was only in 1980 that I realised that, as a soldier of the INA, I was entitled to a pension."

He applied for the pension in New Delhi and Tamil Nadu. Nothing happened, so he moved the court. He is entitled to get pension till his demise, after which the pension will be sent to his 84-year-old wife.

"The court ruled in my favour in 1992, but the Tamil Nadu government still refused to give me pension. I had no money or energy to fight back. Then, three months ago, my children and grandchildren decided to appeal again."

In January this year, Justice K Ravichandrabaabu of the Madras high court apologised to the veteran freedom fighter.

'Sorry sir, you are made to suffer at the hands of our people too. Unfortunately, this is how the bureaucratic dogmatism with a wooden approach works at times in this country, for which you fought to get freedom.'

Justice Ravichandrabaabu ordered the state to provide Gandhi with his pension within two weeks and to include arrears from 1980 onwards.

Overjoyed, Gandhi approached the government, but was told it would only give him pension from 2010.

In defiance of the Madras high court order, this meant he is denied a pension backlog spanning 30 years.

"Our lawyer will now do what is needed," he sighs.

"I was born on September 15, 1926. I don't know what the ration card people wrote and what the Aaadhar people wrote. I gave the Aadhar person the correct details, but he wrote 1928 instead of 1926 as my date of birth. The government is using this as an excuse not to pay my pension, saying my birth date is different in different documents."

This is not the only difficulty Gandhi faces.

"In 1974, there was a huge flood in Chennai. We were living in a mud house. I lost my uniform and all the documentation that proved I was with the INA and was jailed because of it. After the flood, MGR (then Tamil Nadu chief minister M G Ramachandran) gave us one sack of rice and rebuilt our home with cement. Today, this house is being eaten up by termites."

And so, a man who was ready to die for the country in his youth still waits for his government to recognise his sacrifice and pay him his due in his old age.
'Kamal Haasan always appeared to be quick to strike, but afraid to wound.'

'What he is offering the people of Tamil Nadu is not clear, but whatever it is, it will be a fresh element in the state's politics,' says Aditi Phadnis.



IMAGE: Crowds in Madurai at the launch of Kamal Hassan's Makkal Needhi Maiam political party, February 21, 2018. Photograph: PTI Photo

Kamal Haasan's comments on Tamil Nadu politics, on leaders and followers in a series of engagements and a range of issues from jallikattu and its place in Tamil culture, to the state of political parties has been subject of chatter.

But he always appeared to be quick to strike, but afraid to wound.

But now, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal in tow, Kamal Haasan has embraced politics at last.

This follows a 'secret' meeting with fellow actor and political hopeful Rajinikanth. The party will be called Makkal Needhi Maiam (People's Justice Centre).

In Tamil Nadu politics, an actor-turned-politician simply cannot share the stage with anyone else.

The Jayalalithaa-MGR relationship might have shown some initial promise. But that ended when MGR, hearing that Jayalalithaa was going out in public holding a golden scepter and crown, quickly dispatched her to the Rajya Sabha in Delhi.

Vijayakanth's alliance with Jayalalithaa ended for the same reason: As karuppu (dark) MGR, was he going to be centrestage (that is, chief minister) or was Jayalalithaa?

Between Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, the same uneasy equation seemed to follow after each had declared politics was not a non-option.

Rajinikanth ignored Kamal Haasan's forays into the political arena.

Kamal Haasan said Rajinikanth would have to come to him (or words to that effect).

In Kejriwal and the AAP, Kamal Haasan might have found the perfect political answer.

True, AAP does not have anything in Tamil Nadu by way of party structure or people. But there's the network of Kamal Haasan's fan club groups which can be converted into AAP.

One of the reasons why the O Panneerselvam-E Palaniswami duo fell apart (although both are from the same party) is that each group, having assured its supporters it would rule the state, offered important faction leaders positions, posts and honour.

The re-merger took so long (and is still imperfect) because having once been promised positions, mid and small-level leaders of each faction were loath to give them up and make way for the other.

As in business where few mergers and acquisitions succeed because existing positions are threatened, in politics too, no one wants to give up power and make way for another individual.

But with Kamal Haasan and AAP, there is no such problem. AAP is an established north Indian brand, it is ready to take risks and export to the south.

And as its ideology only consists of questioning and attacking existing shibboleths, it can (if it wants) be flexible enough make up a new discourse as it goes along.

If the relationship does work out, it will represent a veritable revolution in Tamil Nadu politics. But there are still many questions.

What will the AAP-Kamal Haasan view be of caste?

What about the nationalities question -- the rights of Tamil in Sri Lanka?

What about the north-south issue and the attitude to Hindi?

The Tamil Maanila Congress rose like a political meteor in Tamil Nadu politics, but could not fashion an alternative discourse. Will the Kamal Haasan-AAP duo manage to do that?

There is no denying that there is space for a middle of the road party in Tamil Nadu.

For a long time, the Congress held that position. When it as vacated, Vijayakanth thought he could fill the void.

His party, the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) was formed in 2005, and proposed itself as an alternative to the two dominant Dravidian parties, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

It contested the 2006 assembly polls and 2009 Lok Sabha polls alone. Its vote share rose from 8 per cent in the 2006 assembly polls to 10 per cent in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.

In 2011, the party bagged 29 seats in the assembly polls after aligning with the AIADMK, but the two parted ways shortly after.

In 2014, it failed to win any seats. And now, its 2014 alliance partner, the BJP doesn't even talk about him.

So will the AAP-Kamal Haasan party take that place? The rhetoric is powerful.

'I was in your heart all this while. Now I want to be in all your homes. You had looked at me as a star all along. Now I request you to look at me as a lamp. Light me in all your homes,' the actor said, addressing a large gathering in Madurai when the party was launched.

He has been in touch with N Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh, he said. So an axis seems to be firming up there.

Exactly what Kamal Haasan is offering the people of Tamil Nadu is not clear yet. But whatever it is, it will be a fresh element in the politics of the state.
Pakistani Christian on death row among nominees for Sakharov Prize

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 2 October 2017 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pakistani Christian on death row among nominees for Sakharov Prize, 2 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fb848a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

October 02, 2017 20:24 GMT

RFE/RL

Asia Bibi sits inside the central jail in Sheikhupura in Punjab Province in November 2010.

BRUSSELS  Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have presented their nominations for this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought  including Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death in 2010 under Pakistan's blasphemy law.

Polish MEP Anna Fotyga of the conservative ECR group in the European Parliament said on October 2 that Bibi's "behavior in prison, the dignity she has shown during all these years is the best proof of her being able to represent the dignity of a defender of human rights in the face of the worst fate."

Fotyga spoke at a joint meeting of the foreign affairs, development, and human rights committees in Strasbourg.

Bibi has been on a death row for almost seven years and her appeal to Pakistan's Supreme Court has been postponed to an undetermined date.

She was convicted and sentenced to hang after an argument with a Muslim woman over a bowl of water. Her supporters maintain her innocence and insist it was a personal dispute.

Under Pakistan's blasphemy laws, anyone found guilty of insulting Islam can be sentenced to death. Rights groups say blasphemy laws are often abused to carry out personal vendettas, mainly against minority Christians.

Bibi is among six nominees for the European Parliament's prestigious Sakharov Prize, which honors individuals and organizations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The others nominees are Guatemalan human rights defender Aura Lolita Chavez Ixcaquic; Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, co-chairs of a pro-Kurdish party in Turkey; a group of people representing the Venezuelan opposition; the Swedish-Eritrean prisoner of conscience Dawit Isaak; and Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, a human rights defender from Burundi.

On October 10, the European Parliament's foreign affairs and development committees are scheduled to vote on a shortlist of three finalists and the laureate is to be announced on October 26. The award ceremony will take place at the parliament in Strasbourg in December.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Rights group says political will needed to end forced labor in Uzbekistan

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 5 October 2017 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Rights group says political will needed to end forced labor in Uzbekistan, 5 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fb84a4.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

October 05, 2017 09:21 GMT

Uzbekistan gave up using minors for cotton-picking in 2015 under international pressure that included boycott campaigns. (file photo)

Human Rights Watch (HRW) says that Uzbekistan's government has recalled some students and workers from forced labor in the cotton fields, but that more political will is needed to completely end the practice in the Central Asian country.

In an October 5 statement citing the Cotton Campaign, a global labor-rights group, HRW said university students and some health and education workers were allowed to leave the cotton fields, but "other workers remained there involuntarily or faced extortion to pay workers to replace them if they left."

"It is crucial for Uzbekistan's international partners to urge the government to allow all involuntary workers to return from the fields without penalty, including being required to pay for someone else to work in their place, and to monitor and publicly report on findings," Umida Niyazova, director of the Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights (UGF) was quoted as saying in the HRW statement.

Boycott Campaigns

Uzbekistan, one of the world's leading cotton exporters, for years has mobilized students as well as staff at schools and medical clinics and hospitals to pick cotton. It gave up using minors in 2015 under international pressure that included boycott campaigns.

On September 21, Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov ordered officials to recall students as well as education and medical workers who had been picking cotton under threat of punishment since the harvest began on September 10.

They had been summoned to the cotton fields despite an August decree banning recruiting these professional categories. Students began to leave various regions for home later on September 21.

"Bringing students home from the fields is a significant change and shows the importance of political will in ending forced labor," Niyazova said.

The move to end the practice follows reforms by President Shavkat Mirziyoev, who came to power after authorities announced the death of Islam Karimov, who had ruled with an iron fist since the Soviet era, in September 2016.

UN Speech

Mirziyoev addressed forced labor in his speech to the UN General Assembly on September 19.

"It was the first time an Uzbek president has acknowledged the issue on the international stage, after a decade of campaigning by the Cotton Campaign and allies and international pressure from governments and other stakeholders," the HRW statement said.

The Cotton Campaign is a global coalition of human rights, labor, investor, and business organizations dedicated to eradicating child labor and forced labor in cotton production.

HRW urged the Uzbek government to allow rights activists to freely monitor the scaling-down of the practice.

"It is premature to speak about meaningful reform in Uzbekistan if activists are still threatened with detention and violence," said Steve Swerdlow, a Europe and Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch.

"President Mirziyoev's government should send an unambiguous message to independent activists and cotton monitors that their work is valued and that they will be free to monitor this cotton harvest without retaliation or interference," Swerdlow said.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Suicide bombing at Pakistani Sufi shrine kills at least 18

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 5 October 2017 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Suicide bombing at Pakistani Sufi shrine kills at least 18, 5 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fb84c4.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Last Updated: October 05, 2017 17:19 GMT

RFE/RL

Pakistani devotees gather around the bodies of blast victims after a suicide bombing near a Sufi shrine in the Jhal Magsi district on October 5.

Pakistani officials say a suicide bombing at a Sufi shrine in the country's southwest has killed at least 18 people and wounded more than 30.

The attack took place on October 5 in the Jhal Magsi district, which is located about 300 kilometers east of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan Province.

The attacker detonated his explosives vest when he was stopped for a routine search by a police officer guarding the Dargah Fatehpur shrine where hundreds of people had gathered to mourn the death of a local spiritual leader.

No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Pakistani security forces cordoned off the area and TV footage showed ambulances arriving at the scene of the blast.

Anwarul Haq Kakar, spokesman for the provincial government, said the death toll could rise as some of the wounded were in critical condition.

Mohammad Iqbal, a district police chief, said five children, a woman, and one police officer were among those killed.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi condemned the attack, saying in a statement that "terrorists have no religion."

He also said that his government will act against the perpetrators with full force.

A bombing at the same shrine in 2005 killed 35 people.

In February, militants of the extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a Sufi shrine in Sindh Province in which 88 people were killed.

Sufism is a branch of Islam that espouses a mystical inner belief and incorporates music in its worship. It has been rejected as heretical by IS militants and other extremists, who hold a fundamentalist view of Islam.

The resource-rich Balochistan Province  which borders Afghanistan and Iran  has been plagued by sectarian violence, Islamist militant attacks, and a separatist insurgency that has led to thousands of casualties since 2004.

With reporting by AP, Dawn, and Dunya TV

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Ukraine expels second Russian journalist in recent weeks

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 5 October 2017 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Ukraine expels second Russian journalist in recent weeks, 5 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fb84e4.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

October 05, 2017 11:05 GMT

RFE/RL

Russian journalist Vyacheslav Nemyshev (file photo)

Ukraine has expelled a Russian TV journalist whom the country's main security agency accused of delivering "deceitful, anti-Ukrainian" reports from areas in eastern Ukraine that are held by Russia-backed separatists.

NTV correspondent Vyacheslav Nemyshev, whose deportation was announced by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on October 5, is the second Russian reporter to be expelled in recent weeks for what Kyiv describes as "spreading Russian propaganda."

He is prohibited from entering Ukraine for three years, the SBU said.

In a statement, the security agency said Nemyshev was detained for a "minor legal violation" in Kyiv on October 4 and that police found accreditation documents issued by separatists in the Donetsk region.

It said that Nemyshev "damaged Ukraine's national interests" by working in 2016-2017 in separatist-held territory, where it said he prepared "a series of deceitful anti-Ukrainian [reports] for media on the orders of his Russian supervisors."

That may have been a reference to Nemyshev's superiors at NTV, a pro-Kremlin channel that broadcasts nationwide and is majority-owned by state-controlled Russian natural gas giant Gazprom.

Nemyshev's deportation came after Anna Kurbatova, a correspondent for Russia's state-run Channel One television, was expelled for similar reasons on August 30.

Her expulsion drew criticism from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) media freedom representative and other press freedom advocates.

Kyiv has banned more than a dozen Russian television channels since 2014, accusing them of spreading propaganda amid a continuing war between Kyiv's forces and the Russia-backed separatists.

On August 29, the SBU said it had barred two Spanish journalists over their coverage of the war in eastern Ukraine  a move media groups decried as an attack on free speech.

Russian-Ukrainian relations soured badly after protesters angry over the Ukrainian government's abandonment of a landmark deal with the European Union pushed Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych from power in February 2014.

Russia seized control of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014, after sending in troops, and backs the separatists in the war that has killed more than 10,000 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Russia: Detentions and spoilers: How a day of protests went down on Putin's birthday

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 8 October 2017 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russia: Detentions and spoilers: How a day of protests went down on Putin's birthday, 8 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fb8503.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

October 08, 2017 06:55 GMT

Tom Balmforth

Police officers detain a supporter of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny during a rally in St. Petersburg on October 7. Police detained at least 66 people.

MOSCOW  More than 270 Russians were detained by police on October 7 as opposition activists staged antigovernment rallies across the country to demand the release of jailed anticorruption crusader and presidential hopeful Aleksei Navalny.

Held on President Vladimir Putin's 65th birthday, the rallies were the third major opposition protest action this year, but not everything went down as usual. Police transparently avoided making arrests in the capital, demonstrator turnout was markedly smaller overall, while competing "spoiler" rallies were held in two cities to support  of all things  Catalan independence.

RFE/RL takes a closer look at five of the biggest rallies.

Moscow

Several hundred protesters gathered under the central Moscow statue of Aleksandr Pushkin before launching a procession down Tverskaya Street toward the Kremlin, chanting "Putin is a thief" and brandishing protest signs.

Despite this and the fact that the protest was not authorized by City Hall, the police did not make arrests in what appeared to be an unusual  but entirely calculated  tactic.

Speaking to the independent Moscow-based TV Rain, political analyst Valery Solovei said police simply anticipated there would be a small turnout given the relative spontaneity of the rally and the fact that many of the leading figures in the Navalny camp were detained before events even began.

Announced just days before, the protest on October 7 had a much smaller turnout in the capital than two previous protests there led by Navalny in March and June that brought thousands onto the streets and saw hundreds of arrests.

The protest on October 7 fizzled out and dispersed over the course of an afternoon plagued by heavy showers, with scattered pockets of young people gathering, for instance, by the Pushkin statue, where they sang Soviet-era war songs and the Russian national anthem. The protest was proclaimed over by late afternoon, although it did continue in some form.

A small group of hardcore Muscovites rallied on Manezh Square by the Kremlin walls late into the evening, demanding Navalny's release and promising to stay overnight.

St. Petersburg

The authorities' handling of the rally in the capital was in stark contrast to the harsh police response in Putin's hometown, where an estimated 1,500 demonstrators gathered by the Field of Mars park.

Police detained at least 66 people, while a woman was filmed bleeding from her head after taking what she said was a blow from a police truncheon. Another woman reportedly broke her leg, while a journalist said he had been repeatedly kicked by police in the head.

RFE/RL's Russian Service reported that provocateurs  known as "titushki" during Ukraine's Euromaidan protests  were also present among the demonstrators and started a fight.

Yekaterinburg

The rally in St. Petersburg and another in the Urals town of Yekaterinburg had unusual quirks, as well as police arrests. Competing "spoiler" rallies were held at their intended locations by mysterious groups of students who held aloft flags of Catalonia. The Spanish region recently held an independence vote, and the rally was quickly interpreted by opposition activists as spoiler rallies masquerading as a show of support for Catalan independence in order to distract from the opposition spectacle.

Police detain a man during an unauthorized rally in Yekaterinburg on October 7.

Photographs from Yekaterinburg showed a few hundred antigovernment protesters on Labor Square. The OVD-Info monitor said at least 14 people were detained, with videos from the scene showing police literally carrying protesters away to police buses. The protest in Yekaterinburg was also attended by the opposition-minded Yekaterinburg Mayor Yevgeny Roizman, who tweeted a photograph of himself standing with Navalny ally Leonid Volkov's mother.

Krasnodar

A few hundred people took part in a protest in Krasnodar on Theater Square outside the city administration. Organizers said at least 20 people were detained. Writing on the popular social-networking site VK (formerly VKontakte), Navalny's local activists said all street lighting in the vicinity was turned off on the square. Activists alleged that "masked provocateurs" had been sent into the crowd. Kavkazky Uzel reported that a Cossack supporter of Navalny was attacked.

Yaroslavl

A few hundred protesters rallied on Yaroslavl's Soviet Square, prompting police to make the second-largest number of detentions at any rally in the country.

According to the OVD-Info monitor, 54 protesters were detained, including 20 minors. In addition, Navalny's local campaign headquarters was searched by police for at least four hours, activists said. Police claimed they were following up on information that the activists were planning "mass riots." Navalny's local representatives said on Twitter that the police confiscated computers to check them for "extremism."

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Russia: Kremlin says all detained protesters released after October 7 rallies

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 8 October 2017 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russia: Kremlin says all detained protesters released after October 7 rallies, 8 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fb851a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Last Updated: October 08, 2017 17:55 GMT

RFE/RL

Russian authorities say they have released all demonstrators who were detained for taking part in unauthorized rallies across Russia that coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin's birthday on October 7.

Meanwhile, Russian civil organizations reported new detentions in central Moscow on October 8.

The Interior Ministry said that a total of 136 demonstrators were taken into custody the day before for taking part in 26 illegal rallies across the country.

It said 71 charges for administrative offenses were filed against demonstrators and that 60 of the people who were detained must make court appearances.

However, a group that monitors politically motivated arrests said it documented at least 271 cases of people being arrested during the October 7 protests.

The Moscow-based OVD-Info said at least 62 people were detained in St. Petersburg on October 7.

They included Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny's campaign coordinator, Mikhail Sosin, and the campaign's lawyer, Denis Mikhailov.

Navalny's campaign coordinators in Perm, Tver, and Stavropol were also detained, as well as numerous campaign activists across the country who were demanding that Navalny be allowed to run in Russia's 2018 presidential election.

Rallies and protests were held in dozens of Russian cities  including Moscow, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Ulan-Ude, Chita, and Stavropol.

OVD-Info and the Open Russia civic movement said that more than a dozen Navalny supporters were detained in the center of the Russian capital on October 8 while holding small demonstrations.

They said that the detentions took place in Manezh Square by the Kremlin walls and outside the nearby building of the lower house of parliament, the State Duma.

Amnesty International on October 7 urged authorities to immediately release detained protesters and investigate allegations that police used "abusive force" against demonstrators in St. Petersburg and Yakutsk.

"The Kremlin's intent is clear: to choke the life out of the protest movement. But it has also become clear in recent months that this reproachful goal cannot be achieved," said Denis Krivosheev, deputy director for Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty International.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, Current Time TV, Ekho Moskvy, Fontanka, RIA-Novosti, TASS, and AP

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Moscow buyers club: Russia's AIDS patients work together to overcome medication shortages

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 8 October 2017 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Moscow buyers club: Russia's AIDS patients work together to overcome medication shortages, 8 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fb856a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

October 08, 2017 09:36 GMT

Robert Coalson and Anastasia Kuzina

When the Russian government's system for purchasing and distributing the vital drugs needed to combat the virus that causes AIDS breaks down, patients use social-media networks to give one another medicine and hope. (file photo)

MOSCOW  Many of the posts on the website Pereboi.ru  a chat room for Russians diagnosed with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS  are alarming.

"Today my husband went to the clinic and they told him that they gave out all the medicine on Monday," wrote Nelli from Ufa. "He went downtown and they told him they have no medicine and they aren't getting any."

"I feel awful, but they won't give me any treatment. They said there is a shortage of antiretroviral treatment in Tomsk Oblast and they are only giving it to the most dire cases," wrote Marina from Tomsk. "I am raising a child, and I don't want to die."

Problems with the distribution of HIV/AIDS medications have become endemic in Russia, forcing patients to increasingly rely on one another to get the treatments they need. The situation in Russia in 2017 has come to resemble the plot of the Hollywood movie Dallas Buyers Club, which was set in the United States in the 1980s.

"When I was diagnosed with HIV in the early 2000s, there was no treatment at all," says Aleksei Yaskovich, the head of the Melnitsa nongovernmental organization in Kursk who created the Aptechka network for redistributing HIV/AIDS medications in 2010. "My doctor told me, 'If you live three years, you'll be lucky.' Back then, it was really scary. But now you know that medicine exists but that you aren't getting it because of some bureaucratic hang-ups."

Yaskovich noticed seven years ago that the Health Ministry's system for distributing vital HIV/AIDS medications frequently produced situations where clinics ran out in the middle of the year, leaving patients with life-threatening gaps in their treatment.

"And people were dying," Yaskovich tells RFE/RL. "It all began back then. They would take medicine away from some patients and give it to others. Pregnant women and children had priority."

So patients began to organize.

Patients whose treatment regimen was changed would send their old medications to Yaskovich for redistribution. In the beginning, the entire Aptechka program could be found in Yaskovich's refrigerator.

"It was full of pills, boxes, and bags," he recalls. "My mother was getting upset."

He discussed the problem at a conference in Vienna in 2011.

"Other people left the conference with souvenirs," he says. "I had half a suitcase full of several thousand tablets of Kaletra."

Medicines also became available in more tragic situations.

"Our friends would die and their mothers would give us their medications," says Svetlana Prosvirina, head of the Kaliningrad NGO Status+ and local Aptechka coordinator. "I remember the first time: A friend of mine died of an overdose and his mother gave us a whole chest of pills at his wake. Apparently, he had gotten seriously into drugs and had forgotten about his medications. That is how we filled our little drugstore the first time."

A protest against a previous shortage of HIV/AIDS medications in Moscow in December 2011. "What happened in 2011 is happening again now, in 2017," says one activist.

Sometimes, medicines come straight from the producers, through sympathetic workers there.

"Everything is done through personal contacts," says Ivan, who asked not to be identified because he works in a state-run clinic. "I call a friend and he says, 'We have a couple of boxes we can share. Bring a car.' I don't have a car, but I go with two backpacks and a shopping trolley. Then we send them to Biisk, Rubtsovsk, and Barnaul."

Russia is virtually the only developed country where the number of new HIV infections and the number of AIDS-related deaths in on the rise. According to UNAIDS, in Spain, for instance, 73 people died of AIDS in 2015 compared to 1,034 in 2006. In France, those figures were 354 and 61.

In Russia, by contrast, government figures show that 1,529 people died of AIDS in 2005. By 2013, that figure was 10,611, and last year, it reached 18,577. Activists say the death toll will likely top 20,000 this year. It is impossible to say how many of these cases result from the irregular access to vital medications that Aptechka tries to counter.

"In the first half of this year, we sent 93 parcels to various regions," says Yulia Vereshchagina of the NGO Patient Control in St. Petersburg. "That is about four or five parcels a week. But it is hard to tell exactly how many people we are helping because a lot of the packages are for more than one person. Sometimes one parcel has supplies for up to five people."

Aptechka also helps patients who are simply too tired or too ill to make it to their clinic to get their medications. Or, in some cases, they are unable to take enough days off work both to make their doctors' appointments and to travel back to the town where they are registered as HIV patients.

For 2017, the Health Ministry spent 17 billion rubles ($296 million) to buy treatments for 235,000 patients. Activists estimate this covered about one-third of the demand. In September, the government added an additional 4 billion rubles.

The spike in shortages has strongly activated the Aptechka network this year.

"Now, we aren't only helping out with pills, but we are also urging people to write complaints to [state consumer protection agency] Rospotrebnadzor," Ivan says. "We tell them not to wait around. In Barnaul, when people started writing, we saw some progress. It hasn't produced a positive solution, but while in the past people just hung around their local AIDS centers, now they are giving pills to the loudest ones."

Yaskovich continues to generate ideas to alleviate the situation, but he is pessimistic.

"I keep thinking about creating a single online resource where the managers of all the drugstores in the country could post in real time information about what drugs they have, when they expire, and so on," he tells RFE/RL. "They have this idea that with 'import substitution' [as a result of Western sanctions against Russia and Moscow's self-imposed countersanctions] we will start producing [the medications] ourselves and everything will get better. This is an illusion. Nothing will get better. I don't see any improvement in the situation. What happened in 2011 is happening again now, in 2017."

Written by RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson on the basis of reporting by RFE/RL Russian Service correspondent Anastasia Kuzina.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
'They'll take us into custody': Turkish teachers in Kazakhstan fear going home

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 8 October 2017 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 'They'll take us into custody': Turkish teachers in Kazakhstan fear going home, 8 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fb858a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

October 08, 2017 09:05 GMT

Tony Wesolowsky and Asylkhan Mamashuly

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) and his Kazakh counterpart, Nursultan Nazarbaev, at the Presidential Palace in Ankara in August 2016. Nazarbaev announced 11 Turkish teachers had been repatriated to Turkey in 2016 after their role in the failed coup had been 'proven.'

Yakub Doganai came to Kazakhstan from his native Turkey 18 years ago to work as a teacher at a private school in the capital, Almaty.

Like other foreigners, Doganai has had to renew his visa every year, normally nothing more than a bureaucratic nuisance.

Until this year.

"I've work at Suleyman Demirel University since arriving in Kazakhstan. For the past two months, I worked at the Eurasian Technological University after being invited to teach there. They tried to extend my visa at the university, but were unable to," explains Doganai.

And he was not alone.

"About 30 to 40 teachers can't get visas. Some have expired passports as well. The Turkish Embassy won't issue them new passports," Doganai adds.

Yakub Doganai

Finally, the Migration Service of Kazakhstan delivered him the news: Dogania and his family had to leave the country by September 26 due to the expiration of his visa.

Like other Turkish citizens in Kazakhstan, Doganai suspects the refusal of Kazakh authorities to extend his visa has nothing to do with his work but rather geopolitics between the two friendly states.

Back home in Turkey, observers say authorities have cracked downed on anyone suspected of being connected with last year's failed coup, arresting and jailing literally thousands.

Amid an atmosphere of fear, suspected sympathizers or supporters of the U.S.-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen have been singled out in what critics liken to a witch hunt.

U.S.-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen

Turkey accuses Gulen of masterminding the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, a claim he rejects.

Ankara is unconvinced.

And as Doganai's case attests, it's not only Turks at home who are being targeted.

"It seems we're being treated the same way in absentia. But where is Gulen, and where am I?" Doganai asks. "I'm not some youngster who would blindly follow something that was allegedly said by Gulen. I'm a professor with a respectable position."

But Turkish authorities appear especially suspicious of Turkish citizens working at schools abroad, claiming many of the institutions are linked to Gulen.

In November 2016, Pakistan ordered out more than 100 Turkish teachers who worked at Pakistani-Turkish schools that Ankara accused of having ties with Gulen, something the schools all denied.

In Kazakhstan, there are 27 Kazakh-Turkish lyceums, or private secondary schools. Established by a bilateral 1992 agreement, the schools have a reputation for high academic standards.

Nevzat Uyanyk, the Turkish ambassador to Kazakhstan, claimed in June 2016 that Gulen "cells" were operating in Kazakhstan and called on Astana to shut down any school "linked with Gulen."

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev assured Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in August 2016 that a special commission comprising Turkish and Kazakh specialists would vet the schools.

Shortly after, Kazakhstan Education Minister Erlan Sagadiev announced the institutions were clean, "operating in strict accordance with our standards."

Later that same year, Nazarbaev announced 11 Turkish teachers had been repatriated to Turkey after their role in the failed coup had been "proven." He added, however, that those remaining Turkish teachers in Kazakhstan were innocent and would not be sent back unless Ankara provided evidence proving otherwise.

However, such assurances by Nazarbaev, who has ruled oil-and-gas rich Kazakhstan since before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, appear to be increasingly hollow.

The well-known Kazakh scientist Askar Zhumadildaev told the magazine Qazaq Adebieti that, due to the current political climate, 20 Turkish professors with whom he worked at Suleyman Demirel University had left Kazakhstan.

Olzhas Kudaibergenov, an economist and member of the board of trustees at the NurOrda international school, claims teachers returning to Turkey from Kazakhstan face jail without trial or investigations. He has urged Almaty to grant Kazakh citizenship to Turkish teachers.

Doganai says pulling up stakes and leaving Kazakhstan was difficult.

"I have four kids. The oldest is 19; the youngest is 6 years old. It was difficult for me and my wife to deal with having to leave into the unknown. We're used to Kazakhstan, its language and culture," Doganai says.

Like others, Doganai denies any role in politics and fears what may await him back in Turkey.

Social media has become an outlet for Turkish teachers in Kazakhstan to share their fears and seek out support.

Anes Kurtai, another Turkish teacher forced to leave Kazakhstan, was pictured in a Facebook post on October 1 posing with his students in an apparent final photo before departing the country.

Kurtai arrived in Kazakhstan in the early 1990s to work as a teacher, social-media posts suggest.

Mustafa Demir believes Turkey has unleashed a witch hunt for suspected supporters of cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Mustafa Demir worked at a Kazakh-Turkish lyceum before leaving three years ago for Indonesia, where he now lives in Jakarta. He says Ankara has unleashed a witch hunt for suspected supporters of Gulen.

"I haven't visited my parents in Turkey for three years. There's no rule of law there. They'll take us into custody if we go there," Demir says. "Teachers at schools in Kazakhstan aren't the only ones affected, but Turkish teachers in Indonesia as well. The Turkish Embassy refused to extend our passports. Now, kids of Turkish citizens who were born in Indonesia don't have any citizenship."

Marat Tokashbaev, editor in chief of the pro-government President And People news site, says that despite promises by Nazarbaev not to return Turkish citizens to Turkey, the country's bureaucracy is throwing up roadblocks to make it possible to stay in Kazakhstan.

"They either need a visa or a residence permit so that they can continue to work here," Takashbaev explains. "Those who can't get one or the other have to file for asylum status at the embassies of either Germany or Sweden."

Political scientist Aidos Sarim says Turkish citizens living in Kazakhstan at least 14 or 15 years could be given political asylum and that 30 to 40 teachers could be granted Kazakh citizenship for their "contribution in the field of education."

Sarim accuses low-level bureaucrats of failing to follow Nazarbaev's orders.

"Society and the government have sympathy for the plight of the Turkish teachers," Sarim says. "But those who have the power to do something about this don't."

Written by RFE/RL senior correspondent Tony Wesolowsky on the basis of reporting by RFE/RL Kazakh Service correspondent Asylkhan Mamashuly.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Save the Children offices in Afghanistan attacked, two dead

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 24 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Save the Children offices in Afghanistan attacked, two dead, 24 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7584.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Last Updated: January 24, 2018 17:55 GMT

RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan

Afghan security forces take position at the site of an attack claimed by Islamic State in Jalalabad on January 24.

Islamic State militants have stormed the office of international aid agency Save the Children in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, killing at least two people and wounding 12 others.

In response to the January 24 attack, the London-headquartered organization had "temporarily suspended" all its programs across Afghanistan and closed its offices, a spokesperson said in a statement.

"It is with profound sadness that we can confirm three Save the Children staff members were killed earlier today in an attack on our office in Jalalabad, Afghanistan," the group said in a statement on January 24.

"All other staff have been safely rescued from the office. Four were injured in the attack and are receiving medical treatment," the statement said.

A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb outside the organization's provincial office in the eastern city after 9 a.m. on January 24, said Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar Province.

A group of armed men then entered the building and battled security forces, Khogyani said.

Afghan special forces joined police to fight the attackers in a battle which continued into the evening, long after officials said it had ended.

The provincial governor's spokesman said five attackers were involved, all of whom were killed  revising earlier accounts saying there were six attackers.

At least 46 people were rescued from the building by security forces, the spokesman also said.

The extremist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq news agency, saying it targeted "British and Swedish foundations and Afghan government institutes."

A Swedish aid group office and a building of the Afghan Department of Women's Affairs are located near Save the Children's compound.

The assault comes after Taliban gunmen stormed a luxury hotel in Kabul on January 20, killing at least 30 people including 14 foreigners.

The Western-backed government in Kabul has been struggling to fend off militant groups since the withdrawal of most NATO troops in 2014.

An Afghan woman flees the area after an attack on the headquarters of Save the Children in Jalalabad on January 24.

The British ambassador to Afghanistan, Nick Kay, condemned the "horrific" attack, saying in a message on Twitter that "any attack on children & humanitarians is a crime against humanity."

The UN's Assistance Mission in Afghanistan tweeted that "attacks directed at civilians or aid organizations are clear violations of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes."

"An explosion rocked the area, and right after that children and people started running away," Ghulam Nabi, who was nearby when the bomb exploded, told Reuters. "I saw a vehicle catch fire and then a gunfight started."

Mohammad Amin, who was inside the compound when the attackers stormed in, told AFP that he heard "a big blast."

"We ran for cover and I saw a gunman hitting the main gate with a [rocket propelled grenade] to enter the compound. I jumped out of the window," he said.

Another witness said, "I am hearing gunfire from inside Save the Children compound."

Television news channels showed a plume of black smoke rising above the compound and what appears to be at least one vehicle burning outside the office.

An employee of Save the Children, who wanted to remain anonymous, was quoted as saying that around 100 people work at the building.

There are several other aid groups and government offices in the area, and security forces evacuated people from surrounding buildings while they battled the militants.

Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar Province, which borders Pakistan.

The province is a stronghold for the extremist group Islamic State and also has a significant Taliban presence.

Save the Children is one of the largest relief organizations in Afghanistan, where it carries out educational, health-care, and protection work for children.

Foreign aid groups working in Afghanistan have been targeted in the past.

The International Committee of the Red Cross announced in October that it would "drastically" reduce its presence in the country after seven employees were killed in attacks last year.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and dpa

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Belarus restricts access to opposition website Charter 97

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 25 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Belarus restricts access to opposition website Charter 97, 25 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc75a4.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 25, 2018 08:47 GMT

RFE/RL's Belarus Service

The Charter 97 website currently can't be reached via most Internet providers in Belarus.

The Belarusian government has partially blocked access to the opposition website Charter 97, a move condemned by the site's editor as an attack on the freedom of speech.

In a January 25 statement, the Information Ministry accused Charter 97 of publishing "information that is banned from distribution by law."

It did not describe the information in question but called on all media outlets "to strictly follow laws on the media."

Charter 97 chief editor Natallya Radzina told RFE/RL that the government's steps to block the site were politically motivated.

"It is obvious that the final destruction of the freedom of speech is under way in Belarus as the country's most popular independent, opposition site is under attack," Radzina said.

The site became inaccessible through the majority of Internet providers in Belarus on January 24.

Radzina, who received political asylum in Lithuania in 2011, said the site's staff would do everything possible to make it accessible.

The independent site, which focuses on human rights and opposition causes, was named after Charter 97  a 1997 declaration calling for democracy in Belarus that was signed by journalists, opposition politicians, and rights activists.

In 2011, it suffered a massive hacking attack that deleted archives and posted fake news on the website.

The founder of the Charter 97 declaration, Aleh Byabenin, was found hanged in his house near Minsk in September 2010.

Authorities ruled it a suicide, but Byabenin's colleagues have said there was no indication Byabenin was planning to commit suicide, and that there were no messages or notes left behind.

Belarus-born journalist Pavel Sheremet, who was a spokesman for the organization behind Charter 97, was killed in a car bombing in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in July 2016.

Rights groups say President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who was first elected in 1994, has systematically stifled dissenting voices and held onto power through elections and referendums deemed undemocratic by Western governments.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Russian website under fire after investigation of FSB chief

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 25 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russian website under fire after investigation of FSB chief, 25 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc75ba.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 25, 2018 13:28 GMT

Carl Schreck

Russian Federal Security Service Director Aleksandr Bortnikov (file photo)

A Russian news site has come under fire from authorities  and, according to the editor-in-chief, its own investors  after it published an investigation into possible undeclared real estate secretly held by the head of the Federal Security Service (FSB).

Some Russian Internet and mobile providers blocked Russiangate.com shortly after the investigation into FSB Director Aleksandr Bortnikov went live on January 23, and the website was subsequently blacklisted by federal media watchdog Roskomnadzor over allegedly "extremist" content.

Meanwhile, Russiangate editor in chief Aleksandrina Yelagina told RFE/RL that she was informed by the site's investors that they were pulling financing for the project, which was launched in 2016 and has focused on investigations of Russia's business and political elite.

"They said: 'There won't be any more financing, so you of course won't be working here anymore,'" Yelagina said, adding that she believes the decision was made in response to the article on Bortnikov.

Bortnikov has presided over the FSB since 2008 and was hit with EU sanctions in 2014 over his role in "shaping" Kremlin policy connected to Russia's seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and backing of armed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The investigation by Russiangate.com cited public property records as indicating that Bortnikov may own a pricey home and plot of land in an elite settlement outside St. Petersburg  assets not reported in his legally required income declaration.

The investigation also reported evidence that documents from Russia's federal real-estate database, Rosreestr, may have been deliberately manipulated last year to hide Bortnikov's name.

Hidden Wealth

Investigative journalists and Russian opposition activists in recent years have used public real-estate records to expose expensive property allegedly held by senior Russian officials and their relatives.

Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny's team has alleged that Rosreestr entries are being edited to shield hidden wealth of powerful officials.

Yelagina said she was cooking dinner on January 23 when she received a call from a friend who informed her that Russiangate had been blocked in Russia within hours of the Bortnikov investigation being published.

She says she then discovered the site had been blacklisted by Roskomnadzor and that Russiangate's technical staff had pulled the article from the site at the request of its investors.

The website was still accessible outside Russia on January 25, though the Bortnikov investigation has been taken down. It has since been posted elsewhere.

Yelagina told RFE/RL that authorities had not notified her about the formal reasons for the blacklisting of the site, which has declined to name its investors.

Russiangate calls its investors "natives of Russia" in the IT industry "who are not connected to Russia at all anymore." It says the decision to keep them anonymous was made "due to the risk of pressure on them from Russian authorities."

Yelagina also declined to name the investors when asked by RFE/RL.

A Hong Kong-registered firm called Citadel Media Group identifies itself as the owner of the website. Phone calls and an e-mail to the company seeking comment on the Russiangate website went unanswered on January 25.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Tatars detained in Russia-controlled Crimea, their homes searched

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 25 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Tatars detained in Russia-controlled Crimea, their homes searched, 25 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc75da.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 25, 2018 17:24 GMT

Crimea Desk, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service

Enver Krosh

Two ethnic Tatars in Russia-controlled Crimea have been detained and charged with extremist propaganda.

Both Enver Krosh, from the northern city of Dzhankoy, and Ebazer Islyamov, from the peninsula's northwestern Nyzhnyohirskyy District, were arrested on January 25 after their homes were raided by police.

Police seized a mobile phone, laptop, and a tablet from Krosh's home, according to local human rights group Crimean Solidarity. Krosh was brought to the Dzhankoy District Court and charged with propagating extremist symbols and organizations.

Islyamov was brought to the Nyzhnyohirskyy District Court, where an ambulance was called after he felt unwell. Local activists say that Islyamov also faces the charge of propagating extremist symbols and organizations.

No further details were immediately available.

Both Krosh and Islyamov are practicing Muslims.

Rights groups and Western governments have repeatedly denounced what they called a persistent campaign targeting Crimea's indigenous people  the Turkic-speaking Crimean Tatars, the majority of whom opposed Moscow's annexation of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Pakistan: RFE/RL says Mashaal reporters facing pressure from authorities

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 26 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pakistan: RFE/RL says Mashaal reporters facing pressure from authorities, 26 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc75fa.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 26, 2018 13:14 GMT

RFE/RL

Radio Mashaal's website

RFE/RL has voiced concern that members of its Radio Mashaal unit are facing pressure from authorities in Pakistan after the closure of the Pashto-language service's Islamabad office last week.

In a statement on January 26, RFE/RL President Thomas Kent said there were indications that authorities were seeking to compel staffers to make forced statements against the news organization.

On January 19, Pakistan's Interior Ministry ordered the closure of the bureau after Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency accused Mashaal of airing programs that are "against the interest of Pakistan" and "in line with [a] hostile intelligence agency's agenda."

Kent deplored the decision, which comes amid increasing tensions between Islamabad and Washington, saying that "Radio Mashaal serves no intelligence agency or government."

On January 25, Islamabad appeared to offer another reason for the closure of Mashaal.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal told a weekly briefing in Islamabad that the U.S.-funded station had been closed for lacking "the requisite mandatory license from the concerned authorities."

Radio Mashaal's production company in Pakistan is officially registered as a company with the principal activity of radio broadcasting. Mashaal does not have radio transmitters inside the country.

The decision to close Mashaal has been called a "direct threat to press freedom" in Pakistan, by the media watchdog group the Committee to Protect Journalists.

"The order to close Radio Mashaal is a draconian move by Pakistani authorities and a direct threat to press freedom," said Steven Butler, the Committee to Protect Journalists' Asia program coordinator.

"Radio Mashaal is an important source of information and should be allowed to continue operation without delay," Butler said on January 20.

The closure order was issued after Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, said on January 12 that Pakistan feels "betrayed" by U.S. criticism that it is not doing enough to fight terrorism and by Washington's decision to suspend military aid for Islamabad.

U.S. President Donald Trump on January 1 accused Pakistan of "lies and deceit" and said the United States would suspend up to $1.9 billion a year in military aid until Islamabad moves decisively against Afghan Taliban fighters and Haqqani network militants who he said have found safe haven within Pakistan's borders.

Radio Mashaal, which broadcasts from Prague, has both radio and digital operations.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Six Afghan children, one adult killed by rocket

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 26 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Six Afghan children, one adult killed by rocket, 26 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc761a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 26, 2018 13:47 GMT

Afghan officials say six children and an adult civilian were killed when a rocket hit their home in Ghazni Province on January 26.

State authorities and Taliban militants blamed each other for the deaths.

Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said the rocket was fired by the Taliban after security forces launched an operation against the militant group in the Qara Baghi area, south of the provincial capital.

"The children were between 1 and 12 years old," Noori said. He said that one adult was killed and three other people were injured.

Police in the province southwest of Kabul also said that the rocket was fired by the Taliban.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, denied it. He said the militants did not fire the rocket and accused the government of killing the civilians in an air strike.

Noori said the Afghan Air Force killed 20 Taliban fighters but no civilians.

Based on reporting by AP, dpa, and tolonews.com

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Afghanistan: At least 95 killed as ambulance bomb rocks Kabul

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 27 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Afghanistan: At least 95 killed as ambulance bomb rocks Kabul, 27 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc763a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Last Updated: January 27, 2018 21:14 GMT

RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan

Security forces inspect the site of a suicide attack in the center of Kabul that killed scores of people on January 27.

Afghan officials say the death toll in a massive suicide car bomb attack in a crowded area in central Kabul has risen to 95, with 158 others wounded.

Baryalai Hilali, the director of the government media center, told reporters that the toll might rise further as some of the wounded brought to hospitals were in "critical condition."

Kabul deputy police chief Haqnawaz Haqyar said that victims were still being brought in to hospitals across the city.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, claimed that the militant group was behind the attack, one of the biggest blasts to hit the war-torn city in recent years.

According to the Interior Ministry the attacker used an ambulance to pass through checkpoints.

"He passed through the first checkpoint saying he was taking a patient to the [nearby] Jumhuryat hospital and at the second checkpoint he was recognized and blew his explosive-laden car," Interior Ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told the AFP news agency.

The United States and the United Nations have condemned the attack.

"Our thoughts are with the families of the victims who were injured and killed, and we mourn all those who lost their lives in this senseless attack," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement.

"The United States stands with the people of Afghanistan, and we remain firmly committed to supporting the Afghan people's efforts to achieve peace, security, and prosperity for their country," Tillerson said.

"The United States stands with the people of Afghanistan, and we remain firmly committed to supporting the Afghan people's efforts to achieve peace, security, and prosperity for their country," he said.

"On behalf of the United Nations in Afghanistan, I unequivocally condemn today's attack in Kabul city in which scores of civilians were killed or injured," Tadamichi Yamamoto, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in a statement.

"Today's attack is nothing short of an atrocity, and those who have organized and enabled it must be brought to justice and held to account," Yamamoto said.

A survivor makes a telephone call shortly after the blast.

Eyewitnesses say that buildings hundreds of meters away were shaken by the force of the explosion.

The attack comes a week after an assault on the Intercontinental Hotel in the city that killed at least 25 people.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a suicide car bomber targeted security forces in the southern province of Helmand, wounding at least six people on January 27, local officials said.

Provincial government spokesman Omar Zwak said that the suicide bomber tried to enter the Qari Posta security checkpoint in the Nad Ali district.

The attacker was spotted by security forces who opened fire on him, but he still managed to detonate his explosives, Zwak said.

The Taliban also claimed responsibility for that attack.

Afghan government forces have struggled to fight the Taliban and other militant groups since U.S. and NATO troops formally ended their combat mission in 2014.

U.S. President Donald Trump has committed to stepping up the U.S. military's engagement in Afghanistan, pledging thousands more U.S. troops without setting deadlines.

Trump has said he wanted to shift from a time-based approach in Afghanistan to one based on conditions on the ground.

With reporting by dpa AFP, Tolonews.com, Reuters, and AP

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
At least 350 detained at election boycott rallies in Russia

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 29 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, At least 350 detained at election boycott rallies in Russia, 29 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc767a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Last Updated: January 29, 2018 07:46 GMT

Tom Balmforth

Supporters of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny rally for a boycott of the March 18 presidential election in Moscow on January 28.

MOSCOW  At least 350 people, including opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, were detained across Russia as they rallied in support of an election boycott on January 28.

The anticorruption crusader was dragged by police into a bus shortly after joining a rally of more than 1,000 people on Moscow's central thoroughfare on January 28, according to a live video feed from the scene.

"I've been detained. That doesn't matter. Come to Tverskaya [Street]. You're not coming out for me, but for yourself and your future," he wrote on Twitter afterward.

Hours later, Navalny tweeted that he had been released by police and driven to a metro station but would face a hearing on unspecified charges.

"A huge thanks to everyone who supported [me] and stood outside the police station. I heard your chants," Navalny tweeted. "You're awesome."

Thousands of Russians unhappy with the prospect of six more years under President Vladimir Putin took to the streets in dozens of cities, backing Navalny's call for a boycott of a March 18 vote that appears certain to hand Putin a new six-year term.

At the Moscow rally, 25-year-old Nastya told RFE/RL that it was her duty to take part in the rally, saying "You can't call choosing between one candidate [Vladimir Putin] an election."

Police warned earlier in the week that in the run-up to the election, they will be tough on demonstrators deemed to have broken the law.

OVD-Info, a website that that monitors law enforcement activity in Russia, said that 350 people were detained nationwide, including 66 in Ufa, 65 in Volgograd, 51 in Cheboksary, 31 in Kemerovo, 23 in Murmansk, 19 in St. Petersburg, and 16 in Moscow.

Most of them were released within hours.

"If we stay at home, then nothing will change for sure. If we take to the streets, then at least we have some kind of chance," said Nastya, who would not give her last name for fear of repercussions.

A correspondent for RFE/RL's Idel.Reality website, Darya Komarova, was covering the protest in the Volga city of Cheboksary when she was detained.

In the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok, hundreds of people gathered in the main square, holding placards reading slogans such as "I will go to the elections when there's a choice" and "Putin is gobbling up Russia's future."

Some demonstrators at the Moscow protest were chanting slogans including "Boycott the election" and "Russia without Putin."

Similar slogans were chanted in Russia's second city of St. Petersburg, where at least 1,000 people demonstrated.

Tatyana Chertverikova, a 62-year-old teacher waving a placard reading "Wake up, Russia" told RFE/RL in Moscow, "I want an election at least, but they won't even give us that."

Vadim Yartsev, 17, said there was little hope the rally will lead to any improvement. "There won't be any response at all," he said. "They will ignore us"

Earlier, police shut down a TV studio at a Moscow office that had been broadcasting news bulletins about the protests, but Navalny's YouTube channel continued to provide live coverage.

Police forced their way into Navalny's Anticorruption Foundation in the capital, claiming a bomb threat and demanding the premises be evacuated, his supporters said.

Roman Rubanov, the foundation's director, posted photographs on Twitter of police officers gathered outside the office door in a southeast Moscow business center and then bursting in by force.

Rubanov wrote that police officers accused one of the activists of planting a bomb.

One anchor, Dmitry Nizovtsev, was detained by police, according to video broadcast from the headquarters. Navalny's Moscow coordinator, Nikolai Lyaskin, also was detained, the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

Attempts by Navalny's supporters to cover mass protests last year were thwarted by police raids.

In Navalny's headquarters in the southern city of Astrakhan, police seized leaflets calling for the election boycott and detained members of the staff, OVD-Info reported.

And several people were reportedly detained at Navalny's headquarters in St. Petersburg.

Navalny called for the boycott after being barred from the March 18 presidential election due to a financial-crimes conviction that he and his supporters contend was Kremlin-engineered retribution.

He has dismissed the vote as the "reappointment" of Putin, who has been president or prime minister since 1999.

With the Kremlin controlling the levers of political power nationwide after years of steps to suppress dissent and marginalize political opponents, it is virtually certain that the election will hand Putin a new six-year term.

Political commentators say Putin, 65, is eager for a high turnout to strengthen his mandate in what could be his last stint in the Kremlin, as he would be constitutionally barred from seeking a third straight term in 2024.

Navalny has accused the rest of the field of presidential hopefuls of playing into Putin's hands and aiding what he says is a Kremlin bid to portray the vote as a legitimate, competitive contest.

In Moscow, Navalny had called on demonstrators to gather despite city authorities' refusal to grant permission for a rally there, setting the stage for a potential confrontation.

Moscow Office Searched

Ahead of the rally, police forced their way into Navalny's Anticorruption Foundation in Moscow, claiming a bomb threat and demanding the premises be evacuated, his supporters said.

Roman Rubanov, the foundation's director, posted photographs on Twitter of police officers gathered outside the office door in a southeast Moscow business center and then bursting in by force.

Rubanov wrote that police officers accused one of the activists of planting a bomb.

Navalny's spokeswoman said she thought the raid was aimed at shutting down the work of a TV studio inside.

Attempts by Navalny's supporters to cover mass protests in March and June last year were thwarted by police raids.

At Navalny's headquarters in the southern city of Astrakhan, police seized leaflets calling for the election boycott and detained members of the staff, OVD-Info reported.

And several people were reportedly detained at Navalny's headquarters in St. Petersburg.

The raids and detentions come days after a Moscow court ordered the closure of another foundation crucial to the presidential campaign Navalny has sought to conduct, and as reports of police searches of his campaign offices and harassment of his supporters mount.

On January 26, Russia's Supreme Court revealed that it had declined Navalny's appeal to be allowed to run for president.

On January 25, police issued a stern warning to antigovernment protesters. At a meeting with top Moscow police officials, First Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandr Gorovoi said that police will respect the right of citizens to hold public gatherings, as provided by the constitution and other legislation  but emphasized they would "absolutely toughly...prevent violations of these laws."

Protests Go Ahead

In a blog post on January 27, Navalny urged people to come to the rallies on January 28, writing that "to stay at home is to send them [those in power] the signal: 'I'm ready to endure this for another six years.'"

He also wrote that in 80 percent of cases, authorities have granted permission for rallies at the requested sites for January 28, but not in Moscow or St. Petersburg.

Police have repeatedly cracked down on demonstrations organized by Navalny in the past. More than 1,000 people were detained in Moscow alone on March 26, 2017, when Navalny organized protests in some 100 cities nationwide.

Law enforcement authorities also cracked down hard at a protest in May 2012, the day before Putin returned to the Kremlin for his current term after a stint as prime minister.

Navalny appeared this week at a European Court of Human Rights hearing in his case against Russia over repeated incidents in which he has been detained and jailed.

Days before the police warning, a Moscow district court ruled on January 22 that the foundation Navalny and his allies have used to rent premises and pay salaries at campaign headquarters should be shut down. Navalny's campaign chief, Leonid Volkov, described the ruling as absurd and vowed to appeal.

That ruling came days after the Constitutional Court refused to review a complaint from Navalny over the Central Election Commission's decision in December to bar him from the presidential election.

Navalny supporters have complained of an upsurge in harassment by the state in recent weeks, saying police have searched offices and seized pamphlets calling for an election boycott.

With reporting by Reuters

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Eleven Afghan soldiers killed in predawn attack on army post

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 29 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Eleven Afghan soldiers killed in predawn attack on army post, 29 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7694.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Last Updated: January 29, 2018 08:56 GMT

RFE/RL

The Afghan Defense Ministry says militants struck an army compound near the country's main military academy in Kabul, killing at least 11 soldiers and wounding 16 others.

The Islamic State (IS) militant group claimed responsibility for the January 29 attack through its Amaq news agency. It follows several deadly assaults in the Afghan capital claimed by the Taliban militant group over the past few weeks.

Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said five militants were involved in the predawn attack against the unit responsible for guarding the Marshal Fahim Military Academy.

Waziri told RFE/RL that two attackers blew themselves up and two others were killed in a gunbattle, while one other was captured alive by security forces.

He said the attack targeted the unit guarding the military academy and not the facility itself.

Personnel at the military academy were the targets of an October 21 attack claimed by the Taliban that killed at least 15 cadets as they were leaving the facility.

Local and international news agencies cited Afghan security sources and others as saying explosions and gunfire could be heard near the entrance to the military academy in the early hours of the morning.

Tolo News said its journalist on the scene reported that security forces immediately blocked off all roads in the area.

Reuters quoted Kabul resident Mohammad Ehsan as saying the explosions began at around 5 a.m. local time and lasted for at least an hour.

The resident said additional smaller blasts could be heard at frequent intervals following the larger explosions.

The German dpa news agency quoted an Afghan military officer who lives in the area as saying he heard 11 explosions as the attack began.

"These explosions could be rocket-propelled grenades," the officer said.

The attack came as Afghanistan's government has declared a day of mourning for January 28 after a bomb attack claimed by the Taliban in the capital killed 103 people on the afternoon of January 27.

Officials said that attacker used an ambulance to pass through the checkpoints and reach Sadarat Square, near many government buildings, foreign embassies, and shops.

At least 235 other people were wounded in the attack, including more than 30 police officers.

Following the January 27 attack, U.S. President Donald Trump called for "decisive action" by all countries against the Taliban.

"This murderous attack renews our resolve and that of our Afghan partners," he said.

The latest attacks come about a week after an assault on the Intercontinental Hotel in the city that killed at least 25 people.

Afghan government forces have struggled to fight the Taliban and other militant groups since U.S. and NATO troops formally ended their combat mission in 2014.

Trump has committed to stepping up the U.S. military's engagement in Afghanistan, pledging thousands more U.S. troops without setting deadlines.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan, AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa, and Tolo News

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Gay couple flees Russia after same-sex-marriage scandal

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 29 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Gay couple flees Russia after same-sex-marriage scandal, 29 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc76b4.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 29, 2018 19:28 GMT

RFE/RL's Russian Service

Yevgeny Voitsekhovsky (left) and Pavel Stotsko were married in Copenhagen on January 4.

Rights activists say two Russian men whose marriage in Denmark was indirectly acknowledged by Russian authorities have fled the country, citing a "real threat" to their liberty and security.

Pavel Stotsko and Yevgeny Voitsekhovsky left Russia after police declared their passports invalid and opened an administrative case against them for "intentionally defacing an official document," the Russian rights group LGBT-Network said on January 29.

It was not clear where the couple traveled to.

LGBT-Network head Igor Kochetkov said police had told Stotsko and Voitsekhovensky they would not be protected from possible attacks by homophobic vigilantes.

Stotsko and Voitsekhovsky were married in Copenhagen on January 4. When they returned to Moscow last week, they presented their passports to police for confirmation of the marriage under provisions of Russian law that regulate the recognition of foreign marriages.

Although Russia does not recognize same-sex marriages and sexual minorities regularly face discrimination and persecution there, a police official stamped the passports.

An Interior Ministry spokeswoman said on January 28 that the official who stamped the passports and her immediate supervisor had been dismissed, and that the investigation into the matter remained open.

LGBT-Network reported that police had blocked the entrance to Stotsko's and Voitsekhovsky's apartment on January 28.

The group said police were preventing friends from entering and the two men from leaving in an effort to recover their passports. In addition, electricity and Internet access were blocked for several hours, LGBT-Network said.

Stotsko rejected the charge that he had defaced his passport. "Our passports were stamped by officials who had every right to stamp them under federal law," he told a Moscow radio station on January 28.

The two men reportedly turned in their passports on January 29 on the advice of their lawyers and were immediately issued replacement passports.

With reporting by RIA Novosti

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Iran 'frees' woman who took stand against compulsory veiling

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 29 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Iran 'frees' woman who took stand against compulsory veiling, 29 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc76d4.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 29, 2018 13:00 GMT

RFE/RL

The image of a woman, whose name has not been made public, standing on a concrete structure on Tehran's Enghelab (Revolution) Street without wearing a head scarf, went viral on social media.

An Iranian woman who was arrested in Tehran last month for apparently protesting peacefully against the country's mandatory Islamic dress code has been freed, a human rights lawyer says.

"The girl of Enghelab Street has been released," lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh wrote in a post on her Facebook page on January 28.

A video showing the woman, whose name has not been made public, standing on a concrete structure on Tehran's Enghelab (Revolution) Street without wearing a head scarf, a punishable offense in Iran, went viral on social media after December 27.

She was silently waving a white flag in an apparent protest against the compulsory hijab, which in Iran refers to Islamic dress that covers the hair and body.

Sotoudeh said she had gone to the prosecutor's office to follow up the case and learned of her January 27 release from detention.

"I hope they don't fabricate a legal case to harm her for using her basic rights," the lawyer said. "She has not done anything wrong to deserve prosecution."

Sotoudeh wrote on her Facebook page last week that the woman is a 31-year-old mother of a toddler. The lawyer also said she was initially released after being detained on the spot but was subsequently rearrested.

Iranian authorities have made no public comment on the case.

The woman has become a symbol of defiance against the strict dress code enforced in Iran.

Thousands of social media users have asked about her whereabouts through the hashtag #Where_is_she or #Whereisthegirlfromenghelabstreet.

In a January 24 statement, Amnesty International called on Iranian authorities to "immediately and unconditionally" release the woman.

The London-based rights group also reiterated its calls on the authorities to "end the persecution of women who speak out against compulsory veiling and abolish this discriminatory and humiliating practice."

Women's dress has been heavily scrutinized in the Islamic republic since the 1979 revolution, when adherence to an Islamic dress code became compulsory.

The dress code dictates that women's hair and body must be covered in public.

Morality police launch regular crackdowns on those who are not fully respecting rules relating to the hijab.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Blast kills at least six family members in northwestern Pakistan

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 30 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Blast kills at least six family members in northwestern Pakistan, 30 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc76f3.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 30, 2018 08:19 GMT

RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal

Pakistani officials say at least six members of a family were killed when an explosion ripped through a car in a northwestern region near the Afghan border.

The family was on its way to attend a funeral in the Kurram tribal area when the blast occurred, local government official Akbar Iftikhar said on January 30.

"Three women and three men died on the spot," Iftikhar said, adding that it was unclear whether the blast was caused by a landmine or a roadside bomb.

Mumtaz Hussain, a doctor at a hospital in Parachinar, the main town in Kurram, said one survivor was in a stable condition.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Kurram has a history of sectarian violence.

It was unclear whether the victims of the latest attack were Shi'a or Sunni Muslims.

Shi'a make up some 20 percent of Pakistan's population.

With reporting by Reuters

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
European Court says Russia violated rights of Bolotnaya protesters

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 30 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, European Court says Russia violated rights of Bolotnaya protesters, 30 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc770a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 30, 2018 14:33 GMT

RFE/RL

Stepan Zimin (center) and Andrei Barabanov (right) look on during a hearing at a Moscow court in January 2014.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that Russia violated the rights of three men who were jailed in connection with a protest on the eve of President Vladimir Putin's inauguration to his current term.

In a decision issued on January 30, the ECHR found that Russian authorities violated the rights of Andrei Barabanov, Aleksei Polikhovich, and Stepan Zimin during their detainment and prosecution over the protest on Moscow's Bolotnaya Square on May 6, 2012.

The court ordered Russia to pay Polikhovich and Zimin 12,500 euros ($15,500) each, and Barabanov 10,000 euros ($12,400).

The decisions supported the activists' claims that the authorities violated articles of the European Convention on Human Rights including a ban on torture, the right to liberty and security, and freedom of assembly and association.

More than 400 people were detained after clashes erupted at the 2012 protest. Police and protesters blame each another for the violence.

The rally was one of a series of large opposition protests sparked mainly by anger over evidence of widespread fraud in the December 2011 parliamentary elections and dismay at Putin's decision to return to the presidency after a four-year stint as prime minister.

More than 30 people were prosecuted in connection with the clashes, and more than 20 were sentenced to prison or served time in pretrial custody.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
In Ukraine, ultranationalist militia strikes fear in some quarters

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 30 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, In Ukraine, ultranationalist militia strikes fear in some quarters, 30 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc772a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 30, 2018 17:11 GMT

Christopher Miller

Volunteers of the right-wing paramilitary Azov Civil Corps swear an oath of allegiance in central Kyiv on January 28.

KYIV  The gathering was large and formidable, with hundreds of mostly young men in fatigues keeping tight ranks on Kyiv's central Independence Square before marching in formation to a torch-lit fortress on a hillside in the Ukrainian capital.

There, in the January 28 spectacle, 600 of them swore an oath to clean the streets of illegal alcohol, drug traffickers, and illegal gambling establishments.

Their mission would seem righteous enough. And it was featured in a slickly produced video with aerial drone footage, sweeping edits, and menacing music that caught the attention of many on social media.

But Ukraine observers and rights groups are sounding the alarm, because this was not a typical commencement, and the men are not police officers. They are far-right ultranationalists from the Azov movement, a controversial group with a military wing that has openly accepted self-avowed neo-Nazis, and a civil and political faction that has demonstrated intolerance toward minority groups.

"We will not hesitate to use force to establish order that will bring prosperity to every Ukrainian family!" reads a message alongside the video, published on the Facebook page of the newly formed group, called the National Militia. In the clip, they vow also to protect the nation "when government organs can't or won't help Ukrainian society."

In the January 28 spectacle, 600 members swore an oath to clean the streets of illegal alcohol, drug traffickers, and illegal gambling establishments.

That approach could concern Western backers in Kyiv's campaign against armed Russia-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country, where a conflict that has lasted nearly four years has killed at least 10,300 people.

"Ukraine would be violating its international obligations under human rights law if authorities either tolerate abusive militia who undermine [the] population's liberty, security, freedoms or provide an abusive militia with the color of law but [do] not impose on them exacting standards on use of force," Tanya Cooper, Human Rights Watch (HRW)'s Ukraine researcher in Kyiv, told RFE/RL in e-mailed comments as media buzzed over the appearance of the National Militia.

Matthew Schaff, Ukraine director of the U.S.-based NGO Freedom House, told RFE/RL by phone that simply their creation "does damage to democracy in Ukraine."

Nationalistic Agenda

Founded in 2014 as a volunteer battalion to help an overmatched Ukrainian military fight off the threat in its east, the Azov movement uses fascist symbols and has been accused by international humanitarian organizations of human rights abuses in the conflict zone.

The National Militia is an independent group that is merely the latest component of Azov's civilian and political wing, known as the National Corpus. It is led by lawmaker and former Azov Battalion commander Andriy Biletsky, once the head of Ukraine's neo-Nazi Social-National Party, who attended the ceremony.

Azov officially founded the National Corpus in October 2016, incorporating two other nationalist groups, including Patriot Of Ukraine, which according to Halya Coynash of the Kharkiv Human Rights Group "espoused xenophobic and neo-Nazi ideas and was engaged in violent attacks against migrants, foreign students in Kharkiv, and those opposing its views."

That inaugural ceremony arguably had pomp more reminiscent of 1930s Germany than of postwar democracy. It included nationalist chants, raised fists, and a torchlight march through central Kyiv.

National Corpus's political aims at the time of its creation included the restoration of Ukraine's nuclear-power status, which was abandoned in a major boost to nonproliferation soon after the breakup of the Soviet Union; the nationalization of companies that were owned by the government when Ukraine gained independence in 1991; and the legalization of firearms for personal protection.

Its foreign policy sought to cut cultural, diplomatic, and trade ties with Russia, and urged a public discussion about restoring the death penalty in Ukraine for crimes such as treason and embezzlement of government funds.

While the National Corpus appears to draw limited support from Ukraine's electorate  polls show it under the 5 percent threshold to enter parliament  its public presence has grown, worrying international observers and making it a favorite target for Russian propaganda. Russian state news agencies and politicians suggest the government in Kyiv's perceived tolerance for the far-right movement makes it fascist. The Ukrainian government's failure to aggressively challenge the group has done little to calm its critics.

Police, Or Not Police

So it came as something of a surprise on January 30 when Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, who has enjoyed a close relationship with the Azov movement in the past, appeared to distance himself from the group, saying in a statement posted to the ministry's website that "in Ukraine, there is only one monopoly on the use of force  the state: the National Guard, the National Police, and the Armed Forces."

He added, "All other paramilitary entities that try to position themselves on the streets of cities are not legal."

Ivan Varchenko, an Avakov adviser, told Hromadske Radio that Ukrainian law provides for registration of civic organizations that assist law enforcement agencies.

Roman Chernyshov of the National Corps also tried to calm concerns, telling Hromadske Radio that its members do not bear arms.

Armed or not, as news of the National Militia spread across Ukrainian media, critics raised serious concerns about the type of order the unit may enforce on the streets of Kyiv.

"It's the police responsibility to enforce the law on the street and hold people accountable for crimes they've committed," Freedom House's Schaaf said. "When there are groups that are roaming the streets in units like this, with slogans like this, it definitely raises concerns about what are their intentions, how they will they be implementing their visions, what rules they are trying to enforce."

HRW's Cooper said one of her primary concerns was who would be targeted by the group. "Members of this political party espouse intolerance towards ethnic minorities and LGBT people, so it seems completely absurd that these people would be able [and willing] to protect everyone," she said of the Azovs.

She added, "The bottom line is that if these units are going to be carrying out any kind of policing duty, they have to be held to the exact same human rights standards as regular police: on use of force, powers of detention, nondiscrimination, etc., and they have to be trained and held accountable just like regular police are."

Perhaps in an attempt to alleviate public concerns, Avakov insisted, "I, as a minister, will not allow for parallel structures that try to behave as alternative military formations on the streets."

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Uncovered 'Girl from Revolution Street' picks up steam in Iran

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 30 January 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Uncovered 'Girl from Revolution Street' picks up steam in Iran, 30 January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc774a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 30, 2018 15:14 GMT

Golnaz Esfandiari

Vida Movahedi became a symbol of defiance after she stood on a busy street in Tehran and waved a white scarf from a stick to challenge the obligation since Iran's 1979 revolution for women to wear head scarves.

Iranians appear to have taken inspiration from a woman who landed in jail late last month for a peaceful protest against Iran's strict Islamic dress code, echoing frustration at official restrictions on women's appearance in public.

At least three more women ditched their head scarves again on January 30, more than a month after 31-year-old Vida Movahedi's daring but silent plea for greater freedom for tens of millions of women in Iran.

Movahedi became a symbol of defiance after she stood on a metal utilities box on a busy street in the Iranian capital on December 27 and silently waved a white scarf from a stick to challenge the obligation since Iran's 1979 revolution for women to wear head scarves.

She was dubbed "the girl from Enghelab (Revolution) Street" as word  and memes  of her action spread.

Public concern mounted for Movahedi's safety after reports of her arrest, particularly with the authorities clamping down on protests and possible dissenters as antiestablishment unrest spread to dozens of Iranian cities in late December and early January.

Movahedi has now been freed, according to a January 28 Facebook post by leading Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who said Movahedi was initially released and rearrested.

Spreading The Word, Ditching The Scarf

Now Iranians on social media praising the protesters claim "the girl from Enghelab Street" has proliferated, and photos testifying to a budding headache for Iranian authorities emerged one after the other on social media on January 29.

They show at least nine other women posing in similar fashion in Tehran and the central Iranian city of Isfahan. One has reportedly been detained by the authorities, while the fates of the others are unclear.

Iran's clerically dominated authorities insist that women, even foreign visitors, must cover their head and hair in public with a scarf, known as the hijab.

In the photos, the women's heads are uncovered as they stand on utility boxes or other objects on the streets of Tehran with scarves held up on sticks.

One woman who was said to have been arrested and was identified as Narguess Hosseini, stood at the same spot as Movahedi.

Women who appear in public without the obligatory hijab can face fines and prison sentences ranging from 10 days to two months.

Some Iranians drew comparisons between the "girl from Enghelab Street" posts and the late civil-rights activist Rosa Parks, whose refusal to sit in the "colored section" of an Alabama bus in 1955 resonated throughout the United States.

"The girl from Enghelab Street is being multiplied while blowing a new spirit to the civil-rights struggle and civil disobedience of the Iranian people," dissident journalist and former Culture Ministry official Issa Saharkhiz said in a Twitter post that included an image from Isfahan.

Rights lawyer Sotoudeh said the protests were an indication that many women are fed up with the obligatory hijab and predicted they would continue.

"I don't think women can tolerate the pressure [over the hijab] for a long time," Sotoudeh, who has been jailed in Iran for her defense of human rights, told RFE/RL by telephone from Tehran. "In all civil-rights protests with similar demands, a permanent result has been reached after a long time by respecting two principles: being [public] and peaceful."

Writing on her Facebook page, Sotoudeh said that women should be given the right "to manage" their own bodies.

In one photo posted online by a social-media activist known as Vahid Online on January 30, two young women with short hair can be seen standing together on concrete posts in Tehran while holding up scarves on sticks.

Long Time Coming

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi said the current acts of defiance were the culmination of years of protests against the hijab.

"The first demonstrations against the hijab took place a few days after the revolution on March 8, 1979. Since then, we've seen other acts of protests against the imposition of the dress code," Ebadi told RFE/RL in a reference to broad expressions of concern nearly four decades ago.

Iranian women have more quietly resisted the hijab for decades by pushing the boundaries of acceptable dress and criticizing the restrictions.

Some have posted hijab-less photos on a Facebook page founded by exiled journalist Masih Alinejad, whose call for women to wear white scarves and protest the hijab on Wednesdays appears to have been behind Movahedi's protest.

"I hope that my sisters continue this protest to demonstrate that women, like men, [should be] free to decide on their clothing. The [Iranian] establishment should acknowledge this minimum for women," Ebadi said.

In a fresh sign of growing support even among men for the antihijab protests, the picture of a young man mimicking the recent acts of defiance by women emerged on social media on January 30. The unidentified man is seen standing on a metal box while holding a white scarf.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Iranian Christians appeal convictions by Islamic court

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 4 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Iranian Christians appeal convictions by Islamic court, 4 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7786.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 04, 2018 07:33 GMT

RFE/RL

Pastor Victor Bet Tamraz (left to right), Amin Afshar Naderi, and Hadi Asgari were sentenced to between 10 and 15 years in prison in July 2017. (combo photo)

Three Iranian Christians are due to appear before Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Court on February 4 to appeal against their 2017 convictions on charges of "conducting evangelism" and carrying out "illegal church activities."

Pastor Victor Bet Tamraz, Amin Afshar Naderi, and Hadi Asgari each received a provisional sentence of 10 years in prison for the charges filed against them.

The Islamic judges also imposed an additional five-year prison sentence against Naderi on a charge of blasphemy.

The Revolutionary Court has the power to end the case, confirm the sentences, or refer the case to Iran's Supreme Court.

Iran's secretive Revolutionary Court system was established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to try suspected ideological opponents of the country's Islamic rulers.

It operates without juries, without defense lawyers, and often without evidence except confessions extracted through torture.

The court system's case load includes suspects charged with espionage, threatening the internal and external security of Iran, trying to overthrow Iran's Islamic government, blasphemy, inciting violence, and drug smuggling.

On February 2, four UN human rights experts issued a joint statement calling on Iran to ensure "a fair and transparent final hearing" for the three men.

The UN special rapporteurs said the charges and sentences were "completely contrary" to Iran's obligations under international law.

"We are additionally concerned about the lack of health care made available to them while in detention and, in particular, about the current health condition of Mr. Asgari, who remains in prison," they said.

The UN experts also said they were concerned that the prosecution of the three Christians was not an isolated case.

They called on Iran to "ensure fair trials for all, including the religious minorities in the country."

"We are aware of several other reported cases in which members of the Christian minority have received heavy sentences after being charged with 'threatening national security,' either for converting people or for attending house churches," their joint statement said.

"This shows a disturbing pattern of individuals being targeted because of their religion or beliefs, in this case a religious minority in the country," they said.

"Members of the Christian minority in Iran, particularly those who have converted to the faith, are facing severe discrimination and religious persecution," the UN experts said.

The UN experts also urged Iran's government to "immediately and unconditionally release all those who have been arrested and detained for exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief."

The United States said in its 2017 International Religious Freedom Report that Tehran "regulated Christian religious practices closely to enforce the prohibition on proselytizing."

With reporting by AFP and BBC

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Kazakhstan targets beards, pants in fight against 'destructive religious movements'

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 4 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kazakhstan targets beards, pants in fight against 'destructive religious movements', 4 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc77a4.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 04, 2018 15:35 GMT

Svetlana Glushkova and Farangis Najibullah

Muslims pray at a mosque in Almaty. The bill also gives police more rein to monitor people suspected of religious extremism, issue warnings, and to compile a list of such suspects.

In its effort to give police more power to fight "destructive religious movements," Kazakhstan has set its sights on beards and short pants.

Ultraconservative Muslims who do not fit with the Central Asian country's officially approved form of Islam often display their religious stance through the wearing of heavy beards and ankle-length trousers.

The authorities, in turn, often pass broad judgement on those with such beards and attire, labeling them as adherents to what they consider a dangerous "Salafist" strain of Sunni Islam.

A bill that passed in its first reading in parliament on January 31 seeks to support police efforts to prevent "crimes linked to religious activities" by amending the law on religion. The bill calls for tightening rules under which citizens can study at religious schools abroad, sets preconditions for minors to attend mosques and church services, and bars the "public display of the attributes and outward signs" of "destructive religious movements."

The bill, based on the definition given by the Religious Affairs Ministry, describes "destructive" movements as those that promote religious views and teachings that threaten people's rights and freedoms.

Such movements, according to the bill, are aimed at weakening and even destroying society's moral foundations and its spiritual and cultural values.

Religious Affairs Minister Nurlan Yermekbaev says the authorities will compile and issue a list of groups they deem "destructive." "Pseudo-Salafists," he told reporters in Astana this week, will be among them.

Certain types of long beards would be banned and their wearers subjected to a fine, according to the new bill.

Yermekbaev said the permitted length of beards would be announced by the authorities in due time.

However, the minister emphasized that not everyone with a long beard should fear being stopped on the street and fined.

Officials would determine if the person had links to extremist movements, the minister said. "The most important is what the person [with the banned beard] says and promotes," he said.

Yermekbaev added that no action will be taken against those who bear "only one banned attribute, but is not religious at all." Religious figures, such as imams and priests, would be exempt from the ban.

If the bill becomes law, as it is nearly certain to do, Kazakhstan would also ban clothing that obscures a person's face, a move that appears aimed at the niqab face veil.

Offenders would face a fine of 120,000 tenges, approximately $370.

Fears Of Radicalization

In April, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev called for a legal ban on Islamic garments that cover women head to toe, and ankle-length pants for men.

Nazarbaev expressed concerns that the number of young Kazakhs wearing such attire was "on the rise" and blamed the trend on young people's "ignorance."

The bill also gives police more rein to monitor people suspected of religious extremism, issue warnings, and to compile a list of such suspects.

With few exceptions, only graduates of Kazakh religious schools would be allowed to study at foreign religious schools.

The bill also stipulates that minors under the age of 16 would be allowed to attend mosque prayers or church services only if accompanied by a parent or a close relative  and only if both parents agree.

Kazakhstan has already banned the Islamic head scarf, or hijab, in schools, despite criticism by some parents.

Officials in the former Soviet, resource-rich Central Asian country frequently warn about the threat posed by religious extremist groups. The government blames "radical religious movements" for deadly attacks in Aqtobe in June 2016.

Kazakh authorities estimate that several hundred Kazakh nationals, including some young families, joined the extremist group Islamic State fighting in Iraq and Syria.

Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service correspondent Svetlana Glushkova

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Seven suspects arrested over beating of Afghan woman

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 5 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Seven suspects arrested over beating of Afghan woman, 5 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc77c3.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 05, 2018 09:22 GMT

RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan

Afghan officials say seven men have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the beating of a woman since a video of the incident appeared on social media last week.

The men are relatives of the victim, a spokesman for the governor of Takhar province told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan on February 5.

The beating reportedly occurred in December in a remote village in the Chah Aab district of the northeastern province.

The video shows a woman clad in a blue burqa kneeling as she is shouted at and insulted by a crowd of men that is said to have included family members.

As she kneels, she receives heavy blows to her head, back, arms, and shoulders by several, stick-wielding men.

"The men [who were arrested] are relatives of the woman, who is now in a safe house in the center of the province," the regional governor's spokesman Sunatullah Temor said.

Witnesses have claimed that the 22-year-old woman was being punished on the orders of local clerics who had decided she was guilty of having an extramarital affair while her husband was away in Iran.

The woman's ordeal is not uncommon in Afghanistan. In recent years there have been several reports of women facing public punishment for alleged moral crimes.

The most prominent was the violent death of 27-year-old Farkhunda Malikzada, who was beaten to death by a mob in Kabul after being falsely accused of burning a copy of the Koran.

Her death in March 2015 prompted a national outcry and an outpouring of anger in the country.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Syrian civilians 'killed in air strikes' on rebel-held area near capital

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 5 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Syrian civilians 'killed in air strikes' on rebel-held area near capital, 5 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc77da.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 05, 2018 13:28 GMT

Syrian rebels shot down a Russian warplane on February 3 and killed its pilot on the ground after he ejected from the plane, Russia's Defense Ministry and Syrian rebels said. Video shared on social media showed what appeared to be the burning wreckage of the Russian Su-25 plane. A jihadist group called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham claimed responsibility, saying a shoulder-launched missile had been used. (Reuters/Social media)

At least 23 civilians were killed on February 5 as Syrian government forces launched air strikes against the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta near the capital Damascus, a monitor said.

Four children were among those killed, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.

The observatory says at least 70 have been wounded.

The activist-run Ghouta Media Center also reported that 23 were killed.

An estimated 400,000 residents live in Eastern Ghouta, besieged by Syrian government forces.

Based on reporting by AFP and AP

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Afghan woman's beating exposes consequences of using militia for security

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 6 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Afghan woman's beating exposes consequences of using militia for security, 6 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc77fa.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 06, 2018 13:42 GMT

Ron Synovitz and Satar Furogh

A screen grab from an amateur video of a mob beating an Afghan woman in Takhar Province because she allegedly had an extramarital affair. The woman survived the incident.

For the remote Afghan village of Rubat Hamidudin, the weekend arrest of seven men for publicly beating an alleged adulteress was a historic event.

The operation by Afghan National Police in the northeastern province of Takhar marked the first time since King Zahir Shah's reign ended in 1973 that police from any Afghan central government have been to the village.

Authorities say the case illustrates the difficulty Kabul faces as the government tries to provide security and a system of criminal justice in Afghanistan's remote regions.

"Even though the area is under the control of the government, not even a single officer from the Afghan National Police had ever gone there before," Sonatollah Teymour, the spokesman for Takhar's provincial governor, told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan on February 5.

"It's the first time police have gone to this village since the reign of King Zahir Shah," Teymour confirmed. "Most of the people in this village have just witnessed a police operation for the first time in their lives."

Shocking Video

The case came to light on February 2 after a video emerged in which a group of men can be seen carrying out the beating of a woman in defense of family honor. The video shows a burqa-clad 22-year-old woman being beaten with tree branches by multiple men, identified as her father-in-law, her brother, and her uncles.

Teymour told RFE/RL that all of the men are supporters of a "local commander" in Takhar's Chah Ab District  a warlord who is a relative of the women and was present during her beating.

Warlord militias have been tolerated by Kabul for years, and even funded by the U.S. military since 2007, under a controversial NATO-backed plan that serves as a stopgap measure for providing local protection while Kabul focuses its security resources on fighting the Taliban elsewhere.

All law enforcement activities in Takhar Province are supposed to be handled by the Afghan National Police and Afghan Border Police posted along the province's northern frontier with Tajikistan.

But Teymour admitted that those Interior Ministry forces, commanded by a police chief in the provincial capital of Taloqan, are inadequate for covering Takhar's vast mountainous territory.

"This place is situated very far from the center of the province," Teymour told RFE/RL about the village. "The whole province has 2,700 police officers and we cannot send them to all of the remote villages of the province."

Witnesses claim the woman beaten in the video was being punished at the orders of local clerics who decided she was guilty of having an extramarital affair while her husband was away in Iran.

They said the evidence presented against the unidentified woman was that she spent three hours alone in her home with a 17-year-old boy. She survived the attack.

A map produced for RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan showing Takhar Province marked in orange.

Claims about a cleric-run kangaroo court in the village are now being investigated by a team from the Interior Ministry and Afghanistan's Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG)  a branch of the Afghan government that reports directly to the presidency.

IDLG spokesperson Munira Yusufzada said that even with Kabul's attention focused on the case, and even though the incident happened in a "secure region," the joint probe will "take some time" because the village of Rubat Hamidudin is so remote.

"We will secure justice for the woman," Yusufzada vowed.

Lawmakers from the region have said the beating was not reported to government authorities for more than 45 days, and only then after it emerged on social media, because some people wanted to keep it secret.

"All local government departments are active there, but I do not know why this incident remained secret and why the victim has not reported the issue to government," said Maryam Kofi, a parliamentary deputy from Takhar.

Community Level 'Justice'

Complaints registered by the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) since the start of 2017 show that the incident was not an isolated case of an alleged kangaroo court operating in government-controlled territory.

The AIHRC has registered six complaints about such judgments against women and girls in different parts of Afghanistan during the last 10 months.

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU), a government-funded independent research organization based in Kabul, has warned that widespread corruption in local branches of the justice system has resulted in many cases being resolved "at the community level, since doing so is cheaper, faster, and more transparent."

"Community-based dispute resolution is based on customary law intermixed with Shari'a law," an AREU ground-view study on local governance concluded.

But the practice leaves "questions over human rights and the treatment of women," it said.

The AREU also has warned that the shortcomings of Afghanistan's formal justice system in remote areas  such as time taken for rulings, distance, complexity, expense, and corruption  are "major factors cited for the loss of trust" in Afghanistan's central government.

"Significantly, the Taliban seek to control justice mechanisms as their first priority after securing control on an area," the AREU concluded.

The Taliban has never secured its presence in the mountainous area around Rubat Hamidudin  even in 2001 when the Taliban controlled 90 percent of Afghanistan.

The village is located in the small swath of territory the Taliban never conquered  the area where the legendary anti-Taliban military commander Ahmad Shah Masud located his headquarters before he was assassinated by two Al-Qaeda suicide bombers on September 9, 2001.

Analysts say the influence of anti-Taliban militia governance in such areas today, while having a positive short-term impact on security, can have a negative long-term influence that undermines the intentions of Afghanistan's central government and U.S.-led coalition forces.

Teymour told RFE/RL that the Afghan government "cannot guarantee that the same situation won't happen again" around Rubat Hamidudin.

Out of concern for the safety of the woman who was beaten in the video, Teymour told RFE/RL she was moved to a "safe house" shelter in Taloqan late on February 4.

"Although there is no doubt that she is suffering from the ordeal that she has experienced, doctors say her health is good and she appears to be in good physical condition," Teymour said.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Ahmadinejad criticizes Iran's judiciary after arrests of supporters

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 6 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Ahmadinejad criticizes Iran's judiciary after arrests of supporters, 6 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc782a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 06, 2018 12:00 GMT

RFE/RL

Former Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad

Iran's former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has renewed his criticism of Iran's powerful judiciary following the arrests of several of his supporters.

In a letter marking the celebrations of the anniversary of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, Ahmadinejad said the judiciary has become "the main pillar of oppression" against the Iranian people.

The letter follows reports that eight media activists who support Ahmadinejad have been detained.

The reason for their arrests was not immediately clear. Some reportedly have been released on bail.

"Someone in Tehran orders media activists from different provinces to be arrested," Ahmadinejad wrote in his letter, which claims some of the activists were held in solitary confinement and forced to make "dictated" confessions.

Ahmadinejad, a hard-liner who was president from 2005 to 2013, has become increasingly isolated for challenging Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his powerful allies, namely the judiciary.

In 2017, Ahmadinejad accused the judiciary of "dictatorship" and said that it is more powerful than Khamenei.

The Guardians Council  which vets presidential candidates  prevented Ahmadinejad and one of his top aides from running in the 2017 presidential election that returned President Hassan Rohani to office for a second term.

Khamenei had suggested before the Guardians Council's decision that Ahmadinejad's candidacy would not be in the best interests of the country.

With reporting by Dolatebahar.com, RFE/RL's Radio Farda, and the BBC

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Azerbaijani opposition coalition to boycott early presidential election

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 6 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Azerbaijani opposition coalition to boycott early presidential election, 6 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc784a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 06, 2018 09:01 GMT

Opposition leader Camil Hasanli

The head of Azerbaijan's opposition National Council of Democratic Forces says the coalition will boycott an early presidential election that has been scheduled for April 11 under a decree by President Ilham Aliyev.

Opposition leader Camil Hasanli announced the coalition's boycott plans in an interview with Reuters on February 6, a day after Aliyev's website published the decree bringing forward the date of the election.

The vote previously had been scheduled for October 17.

Aliyev's decree did not explain the reasons for the decision but said the move was made in accordance with Azerbaijan's constitution and the country's Electoral Code.

Presidential adviser Ali Hasanov said the vote was being brought forward to ensure that it doesn't interfere with "important domestic and international events" later in the year.

But the leader of the opposition Musavat party, Arif Hacili, denounced the change as "an operation to prolong Aliyev's rule for another seven years."

Speaking to RFE/RL, Hacili said he believes Aliyev's main goal is to prevent the opposition from properly preparing for the poll.

He said he also suspects internal disputes within the ruling elite played a part in the decision.

Citing what he said were "ongoing disagreements inside the government," he said that that "they want to have the elections as soon as possible."

Another explanation for the change was that the state of Azerbaijan's economy has worried Aliyev.

Based on reporting by Reuters and RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
UN probes reports of fresh chemical attacks on rebel-held Syrian towns

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 6 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, UN probes reports of fresh chemical attacks on rebel-held Syrian towns, 6 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7867.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 06, 2018 14:26 GMT

A Syrian boy holds an oxygen mask over the face of an infant at a make-shift hospital following a reported gas attack on the rebel-held town of Douma on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus, on January 22.

United Nations war crimes experts say they are investigating numerous reports of alleged chemical attacks against civilians in rebel-held towns of Syria.

The announcement on February 6 by the UN Commission of Inquiry on human rights in Syria said it had received "multiple reports  which it is now investigating  that bombs allegedly containing weaponized chlorine have been used" in the town of Saraqeb in the northwestern province of Idlib and the Douma in the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus.

Residents in both rebel-held towns have accused Syrian forces of using the chemical weapons in recent weeks.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's Russian-backed government denies that its forces use chemical weapons.

But the UN commission last September officially blamed Damascus for a chemical attack that killed more than five people in the town of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib earlier in 2017.

The UN also has determined that Syria's government carried out chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015.

The United States on February 5 said there was "obvious evidence" of multiple chlorine gas attacks in Syria in recent weeks, including in the opposition-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta where an estimate 400,000 people live under a siege by government forces.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Afghanistan: New security plan in Kabul after deadly attacks

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 7 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Afghanistan: New security plan in Kabul after deadly attacks, 7 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7884.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 07, 2018 17:41 GMT

People attend the funeral of one of the victims of a suicide bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, late last month.

The Afghan government has approved a new security plan for the capital, Kabul, following a series of deadly militant attacks there.

Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said on February 7 that the new plan will be implemented in the next two weeks.

Rahimi said more than 100 streets leading into the center of Kabul will be put under heavy surveillance as part of the plan.

He said it includes as many as 52 measures, most of which will not be revealed to the public.

The plan is due to be implemented in three phases, with the first focused on areas most threatened, he said.

The Western-backed government in Kabul is under growing public pressure to improve security in the capital following a series of attacks claimed by Taliban and Islamic State militants.

Since January 20, militants in the capital have attacked a luxury hotel, bombed a crowded street, and carried out a deadly raid on a military compound  killing more than 130 people.

President Ashraf Ghani has sacked seven army officers, including two generals, for "professional negligence" over the attack on the military compound.

Based on reporting by dpa and Tolo News

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Pakistani court issues death sentence, prison terms for 'blasphemy' lynching

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 7 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pakistani court issues death sentence, prison terms for 'blasphemy' lynching, 7 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc78b4.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Last Updated: February 07, 2018 15:36 GMT

RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal

The mob killing of Pakistani student Mashal Khan sparked widespread condemnation throughout the country. (file photo)

A Pakistani court has sentenced one person to death and five other people to life imprisonment over the mob lynching of a student who was falsely accused of blasphemy in 2017.

Mashal Khan, a 23-year-old journalism student, was killed by a mob at the Abdul Wali Khan University in the northern city of Mardan on April 13, 2017. He was accused of posting "blasphemous content" on social media.

Saad Abbasi, a defense lawyer representing the accused, told the AFP news agency at the prison where the verdict was announced that 25 people received three-year prison sentences over the killing, while another 26 were acquitted.

A 58th suspect was detained earlier this year and is facing separate proceedings.

Khan's father said justice had not been delivered in the case.

From April 2017: Funeral For Pakistan Student Lynched Over Blasphemy Allegation

"I don't understand how several people were acquitted despite very clear videos and other evidence," Iqbal Khan told BBC Urdu.

Meanwhile, the victim's mother told Pakistan's DawnNews that the family will appeal the verdict.

Heavy security was deployed at the prison in the city of Haripur where the accused were being tried. The area was cordoned off by some 300 police and elite commandos.

The ferocity of the attack, which was recorded on mobile phone cameras and posted online, shocked Pakistan and led to widespread condemnation  including criticism from prominent Islamic clerics.

An official investigation later determined that Khan was falsely accused. It said the killing was instigated by members of a secular student group who felt threatened by Khan's growing prominence as a critic of rising fees and alleged corruption at the university.

Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws, which seek death for insulting Islam or the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, were introduced by former military ruler General Muhammad Zia-ul Haq during the 1980s.

Rights activists argue that Pakistan's blasphemy laws are often misused by people trying to settle personal scores, mainly against the members of minorities.

In 2014, several hundred Muslim men bludgeoned a Christian man and his pregnant wife to death and threw their bodies in a burning brick kiln after the couple was accused of blasphemy.

With additional reporting by AFP, dpa, the BBC, and dawn.com

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Pakistani media warned against 'promoting' Valentine's Day

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 7 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pakistani media warned against 'promoting' Valentine's Day, 7 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc78ca.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 07, 2018 19:14 GMT

RFE/RL

Pakistan's media regulator has warned television channels and radio stations to refrain from promoting Valentine's Day, a year after a local court banned celebrations in public places.

In a message on Twitter, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said on February 7 that last year's ban was still in place and urged the media to "desist from promoting" the festivities.

In February 2017, the Islamabad High Court prohibited celebrations in public spaces and government offices across the country. It also ordered local media not to publicize anything related to the day.

Petitioner Abdul Waheed said at the time that he had asked the court to rule against promoting Valentine's Day because he believed print and electronic media present the day as if it was part of local culture.

In 2016, Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain urged people in the Muslim-majority nation not to observe the day, saying that it was a not a Muslim tradition but a Western one.

"Valentine's Day has no connection with our culture and it should be avoided," he said.

With reporting by AFP

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Syria says Israeli strikes target military outpost near Damascus

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 7 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Syria says Israeli strikes target military outpost near Damascus, 7 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc78ea.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 07, 2018 08:42 GMT

Civilians are seen running after an air raid in the besieged town of Douma in eastern Ghouta in Damascus on February 6.

The Syrian Army says Israeli warplanes have fired rockets from Lebanese airspace targeting an army position in a rural area near Damascus.

A statement broadcast by Syrian state television described the February 7 air strikes as "a new Israeli aggression" without providing further details.

There was no immediate comment from Israel about the report.

It is the second accusation from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces in less than a month.

On January 9, Syria's military accused Israel of launching missiles at military outposts in the area of Qutayfeh in the Damascus countryside, causing damage.

Israeli has carried out numerous air strikes against targets within Syria during the seven-year civil war  often saying the attacks have targeted suspected arms shipments meant to supply Lebanon's Hizballah militant group, which is fighting alongside Assad's forces.

The February 7 attack came a day after United Nations war crimes experts said they are investigating numerous reports of alleged chlorine attacks against civilians in rebel-held towns of Syria.

The UN Commission of Inquiry on human rights in Syria said the targets of the alleged chemical attacks were town of Saraqeb in the northwestern province of Idlib and Douma in the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and Sana

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
U.S. forces target Taliban, Chinese militants in Afghanistan

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 8 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, U.S. forces target Taliban, Chinese militants in Afghanistan, 8 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc790a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 08, 2018 21:40 GMT

RFE/RL

U.S. forces in Afghanistan have recently conducted air strikes against Taliban and Chinese militants in northern Afghanistan, the NATO-led mission said.

James B. Hecker, commander of NATO's Air Command in Afghanistan, told reporters via satellite on February 7 that U.S. air strikes destroyed Taliban training camps that supported the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

The strikes were conducted in Badakhshan, a remote and mountainous province in northeastern Afghanistan along the border with China and Tajikistan.

"ETIM enjoys support from the Taliban in the mountains of Badakhshan, so hitting these Taliban training facilities and squeezing the Taliban's support networks degrades ETIM capabilities," Hecker said.

In a message on Twitter, U.S. Forces Afghanistan said that the February 4 air strikes involved two B-52s.

On February 8, Faqir Mohammad Jowzjani, the police chief of the northern province of Jowzjan, told the AP news agency that an ETIM fighter and three Uzbek militants were killed in the joint U.S. and Afghan air strikes in the province.

ETIM is made up of members of China's Uyghur minority, a Muslim Turkic-speaking people who inhabit the Xinjiang region in China's far west.

The United States and the United Nations have designated ETIM as a terrorist group.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
EU calls on Azerbaijan to carry out reforms

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, EU calls on Azerbaijan to carry out reforms, 9 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc792a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 09, 2018 15:32 GMT

RFE/RL

EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini said that 'the European Union has always stressed, as we did it again, that the full implementation of international obligations and commitments by Azerbaijan is vital to us.'

BRUSSELS  The European Union is urging Azerbaijan to implement reforms in the fields of elections, freedom of assembly, and the media ahead of the country's presidential election in April.

EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini said that "the European Union has always stressed, as we did it again, that the full implementation of international obligations and commitments by Azerbaijan is vital to us."

Mogherini was speaking in Brussels on February 9 after a meeting of the EU-Azerbaijan cooperation council, which was attended by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Eldar Mammadyarov.

Sources in Brussels told RFE/RL that EU officials raised a number of individual human rights cases, including that of opposition politician Ilqar Mammadov, who has been in prison in Azerbaijan since 2014.

Late last year, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe launched a procedure to sanction Azerbaijan for failing to implement a 2014 European Court of Human Rights ruling that found Baku had violated Mammadov's human rights.

With reporting by Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Kazakh activists, journalists honor opposition leader shot dead in 2006

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kazakh activists, journalists honor opposition leader shot dead in 2006, 9 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7944.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 09, 2018 12:53 GMT

Merhat Sharipzhan

Altynbek Sarsenbaiuly was found dead with gunshot wounds in 2006.

Opposition politicians, journalists, civic activists and rights defenders gathered in Kazakhstan's commercial capital, Almaty, on February 9 to honor the memory of Altynbek Sarsenbaiuly, an opposition leader who was shot dead execution-style along with two associates 12 years ago.

At a meeting in the Astana Hotel, the activists and politicians discussed Sarsenbaiuly's legacy, his role, and his influence on the political opposition's activities. They said that the human rights situation has deteriorated and civic freedoms have declined since Sarsenbaiuly was killed.

Sarsenbaiuly (aka Sarsenbaev), a former Kazakh ambassador to Russia and information minister, was a co-chairman of the opposition Naghyz Aq Zhol (True Bright Path) party when he, his bodyguard Bauyrzhan Baibosyn, and driver Vasily Zhuravlyov, went missing on February 11, 2006.

They were found dead two days later in the mountains near Almaty, with gunshot wounds to the back of their heads and their hands tied behind their backs.

The slaying of the opposition leader deepened a sense of shock in the Central Asian country three months after another influential opposition politician, Zamanbek Nurqadilov, was found dead with two bullets in his chest and one in his head at his home in Almaty.

The death of Nurqadilov  a former government minister and Almaty mayor who joined the opposition in 2004 and accused President Nursultan Nazarbaev of corruption  was officially declared a suicide.

Prominent Journalist's Death

Both politicians were interviewed in July 2004 by prominent independent Kazakh journalist Askhat Sharipzhanov, who was found bloodied and unconscious the same day, with a fractured skull, and died several days later in the hospital.

His death was later declared to have been caused by a traffic accident, but colleagues and opposition politicians said Sharipzhanov's wounds were inconsistent with that finding and rejected it.

Sarsenbaiuly's killing was officially declared to have been motivated by personal enmity. A former chief of staff of the Kazakh parliament, Erzhan Otembaev, was convicted of ordering the slaying and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

However, in 2013, Otembaev's sentence was annulled after Kazakh authorities announced that the case had been sent for review based on newly obtained evidence, which they said indicated that Rakhat Aliev, Nazarbaev's former son-in-law, had ordering the killing.

Aliev, who was deputy chief of Kazakhstan's National Security Committee when the slaying took place and became a fierce opponent to Nazarbaev in 2007, was in self-imposed exile in Europe at the time.

Aliev was later arrested by Austrian officials at the request by Astana that accused him of involvement into the kidnapping and murder of two Kazakh bankers.

In February 2015, Aliev was found hanged in a Vienna jail.

Austrian officials ruled Aliev's death was suicide, but many in Kazakhstan believe he was murdered while in Austrian custody.

With reporting by RFE/RL Kazakh Service. (NOTE: The author of this article is a brother of the late journalist Askhat Sharipzhanov.)

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
China: U.S. voices concern over 11 Uyghurs Beijing wants Malaysia to deport

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, China: U.S. voices concern over 11 Uyghurs Beijing wants Malaysia to deport, 9 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc797a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 09, 2018 08:24 GMT

China has been accused of rights abuses in Xinjiang Province, which is home to many Uyghur Muslims. (file photo)

The United States on February 9 voiced concern over Malaysia's possible deportation of 11 Uyghur Muslims to China.

The Reuters news agency reported on February 8 that the 11 ethnic Uyghurs from China, who were among 20 that escaped from a jail in Thailand last year, have been detained in Malaysia, and that Beijing was in talks with Malaysia over their deportation.

China subjected Malaysia to "great pressure" to hand the 11 over to Beijing, and not to Thailand, and some Western foreign missions were trying to dissuade them from sending the Uyghurs to China, sources told Reuters.

"We are concerned by media reports regarding Malaysia's possible deportation of [Uyghur] individuals to China," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said in an e-mail to Reuters.

"We urge Chinese authorities to uphold international human rights norms with regard to any individuals who have been returned to China, and to ensure transparency, due process, and the safety and proper treatment of these individuals."

Human Rights Watch called on Malaysia to ensure the detained Uyghurs are not forcibly deported to China as they face "credible threats of imprisonment and torture."

China has been accused of rights abuses in Xinjiang, the torture of Uyghur detainees, and tightly controlling their religion and culture.

Based on reporting by Reuters

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Second Azerbaijani opposition party to boycott snap presidential vote

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 10 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Second Azerbaijani opposition party to boycott snap presidential vote, 10 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc799a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 10, 2018 13:20 GMT

Musavat Party Chairman Arif Hacili has denounced the date change as 'an operation to prolong Aliyev's rule for another seven years.'

Azerbaijan's Musavat Party will not participate in a snap presidential election scheduled for April, party head Arif Hacili has said.

Musavat is one of two major opposition forces in Azerbaijan. The other, the National Council of Democratic Forces, said on February 6 it would also boycott the election.

The announcements came after President Ilham Aliyev on February 5 issued a decree bringing forward the date of the election to April 11 from the original date of October 17.

Aliyev's decree did not explain the reasons for the decision but said the move was made in accordance with Azerbaijan's constitution and the country's Electoral Code.

Presidential adviser Ali Hasanov said the vote was being brought forward to ensure that it didn't interfere with "important domestic and international events" later in the year.

Hacili denounced the change as "an operation to prolong Aliyev's rule for another seven years."

Speaking to RFE/RL on February 6, Hacili said he believed Aliyev's main goal is to prevent the opposition from properly preparing for the poll.

He also said he suspected internal disputes within the ruling elite played a part in the decision.

Citing what he said were "ongoing disagreements inside the government," he said that that "they want to have the elections as soon as possible."

Another explanation for the change was that the state of Azerbaijan's economy has worried Aliyev.

Based on reporting by Reuters and RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Sixteen Afghan pro-government fighters killed in Taliban attack

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 12 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Sixteen Afghan pro-government fighters killed in Taliban attack, 12 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc79ba.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 12, 2018 12:33 GMT

Afghan officials say a Taliban attack has killed 16 members of a pro-government militia force in the southern province of Helmand.

The officials said a checkpoint belonging to the militiamen in Gareshk district was targeted during the night of February 10.

Some reports said a Taliban infiltrator who had worked with the militia for months turned his gun on the militiamen before fleeing with their guns and ammunition.

"We know that a Taliban fighter killed 16 militiamen fighting alongside government forces, but who these forces belong to, we don't know yet," said Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor.

He added that an investigation was under way.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, with spokesman Qari Yusouf Ahmadi saying two Taliban fighters involved in the attack managed to escape.

The Western-backed government in Kabul has been struggling to fend off the Taliban and other militant groups since the withdrawal of most NATO troops in 2014.

After the pullback, Taliban fighters seized a sizable amount of territory, especially in Helmand, with local officials estimating that the extremists controlled some 85 percent of the poppy-growing province early last year.

In recent weeks, Kabul has been hit by several deadly assaults, including a massive suicide car bombing in a crowded central area on January 27 that killed more than 100 people and was claimed by the Taliban.

U.S. President Donald Trump in August unveiled his new strategy for the South Asia region, under which Washington has deployed 3,000 more troops to Afghanistan to train, advise, and assist local security forces, and to carry out counterterrorism missions.

The United States currently has around 14,000 uniformed personnel in the country.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Armenia: Female legislator attacked in brawl over Yerevan sewage water

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 13 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Armenia: Female legislator attacked in brawl over Yerevan sewage water, 13 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc79da.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 13, 2018 18:13 GMT

RFE/RL's Armenian Service

YEREVAN  An Armenian opposition municipal legislator was attacked in a brawl that erupted at a city council meeting in the capital, Yerevan, as she attempted to give the mayor a container showing how dirty the water in the capital is.

Marina Khachatrian, a member of the Yerkir Tsirani party, was hit several times by members of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia on February 13 as she tried to give Mayor Taron Margarian a sample of sewage water from the Nubarashen district of the capital.

Police were eventually called in to restore order after several members of the city council scuffled.

In a brief interview with RFE/RL's Armenian Service, Khachatrian accused the mayor of "using violence against me."

"This smell will accompany you in all the places wherever you are," Zaruhi Postanjian, head of Yerkir Tsirani, told City Hall in a speech after legislators regrouped following the incident.

"Even your precious perfumes and precious cognacs will not save you," he added, referring to the smell from the sewage water that many city residents complain of.

Members of the mayor's party said they considered the attempt by Khachatrian to force the sewage water on Margarian an attack, though the mayor said he condemned the usage of force by all council members against one another.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Tajik officers detained for allegedly blackmailing gay man

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 13 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Tajik officers detained for allegedly blackmailing gay man, 13 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc79fa.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 13, 2018 18:23 GMT

RFE/RL's Tajik Service

DUSHANBE  Three police officers in Tajikistan have been detained for allegedly blackmailing a gay man in order to extort money from him.

Officials at the Anticorruption Agency told RFE/RL on February 13 that Major Shoramazon Boronov, Captain Oyatullo Saifiddinov, and Captain Narzullo Aslamzoda had been detained several days ago while receiving 3,000 somonis ($340) from a gay man.

The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, had on a previous occasion been forced to give the trio 2,000 somonis ($225) to buy the officers' silence regarding his sexual orientation.

The agency says the police officers were charged with extortion and abuse of office.

In November, Tajik authorities officially registered 319 gay men and 48 lesbian women in a move purportedly aimed at protecting sexual minorities and halting the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Days after that, a group defending gay rights in the country's northern region of Sughd said it had been forced to stop its operations following a series of inspections by local authorities.

Tajikistan decriminalized homosexuality in 1998, scrapping a Soviet-era law, but sexual minorities still face firmly entrenched social taboos.

Rights groups say LGBT people face discrimination and persecution across the former Soviet Union.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Uzbek tax, customs agencies raided in 'major investigation'

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 13 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Uzbek tax, customs agencies raided in 'major investigation', 13 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7a54.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 13, 2018 12:41 GMT

RFE/RL's Uzbek Service

An Interior Ministry official said that entry and exit from the compound that houses the Tax Committee was restricted, with military trucks blocking the way.

Uzbekistan's top tax and customs agencies are being searched, documents seized, and employees questioned in a large-scale operation in Tashkent, officials say.

An Interior Ministry official who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the situation told RFE/RL on February 13 that entry and exit from the compound that houses the Tax Committee was restricted, with military trucks blocking the way.

The searches come two weeks after Rustam Inoyatov, a long-powerful figure who is related to Tax Committee head Botir Parpiev by marriage, was removed from the post of National Security Service (MXX) chief by Presdent Shavkat Mirziyoev.

Inoyatov headed the MXX for almost 23 years and his ouster was seen as part of an effort by Mirziyoev to consolidate power in the Central Asian country, which he has led since the death of longtime autocrat Islam Karimov in 2016.

An official at the Uzbek Prosecutor-General's Office, also speaking on condition of anonymity, told RFE/RL that Parpiev was recently hospitalized for unknown reasons.

The official said that law enforcement authorities launched investigations last week into suspicions of the misuse of some $8.5 million by the Tax Committee and Customs Committee.

Citing unnamed law enforcement officials, Uzbek media reported that the investigations were expected to last until mid-April, and that the results will be reported directly to Mirziyoev.

Mirziyoev ordered the dismissal of thousands of Tax Committee employees in August.

The longtime former prime minister has been shaking up government structures, in particular the powerful MXX and Interior Ministry, since he came to power in the former Soviet republic.

With reporting by Uzmetronom

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Four paramilitary troopers killed in Pakistani Taliban attack

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 14 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Four paramilitary troopers killed in Pakistani Taliban attack, 14 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7a74.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 14, 2018 11:21 GMT

RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal

Pakistani police officers and paramilitary soldiers guard the site of a fatal attack in Quetta on February 14.

Pakistani officials say gunmen have shot dead four paramilitary soldiers in the southwestern city of Quetta in an ambush claimed by the Pakistani Taliban.

Police said the Frontier Corps troopers were on patrol in Quetta on February 14 when they were fired on by gunmen.

A senior official of the paramilitary force confirmed the attack and toll.

The banned Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.

Quetta is the capital of resource-rich Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran. The province has been plagued by sectarian violence, Islamist militant attacks, and a separatist insurgency that has led to thousands of casualties since 2004.

On February 3, a suicide bomber killed 11 soldiers in an attack on an army camp in the Swat Valley in Pakistan's northwest, with the Pakistani Taliban claiming responsibility.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
RSF denounces 'implacable' news control, censorship in Iran

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 14 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, RSF denounces 'implacable' news control, censorship in Iran, 14 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7aca.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 14, 2018 11:10 GMT

RFE/RL

'For the past 39 years, the regime's control of news and information has been implacable,' RSF said in a statement.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reiterated its condemnation of the Iranian authorities' harassment of journalists, saying control of news and information has been "implacable" since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iranian authorities are "trying to reinforce its news control both at home and internationally," the Paris-based media watchdog said on February 13.

"For the past 39 years, the regime's control of news and information has been implacable and its persecution of media independence has been unparalleled," a statement added, citing "police and judicial harassment."

"The exact number of journalists arrested and convicted during this dark period in Iran's history  especially during the purge years  is still not officially known," it also said.

The statement insisted that the crackdown on the freedom to inform also targets the international media.

RSF said several journalists who received visas and are currently in Iran have been prevented for moving about freely in the capital, Tehran, and that they have been prevented from covering antigovernment protests that spread across the country in late December and early January.

Iran is ranked 165th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Afghan civilian casualties declined, but UN still notes 'appalling suffering'

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 15 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Afghan civilian casualties declined, but UN still notes 'appalling suffering', 15 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7ae4.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 15, 2018 08:21 GMT

RFE/RL

An Afghan boy who was injured in air strikes receives treatment at a hospital in Jalalabad, on January 2.

The number of civilian casualties in the war in Afghanistan declined last year but the number of deaths from air strikes was on the rise, the United Nations says.

The number of civilians killed and wounded decreased by 9 percent in 2017, compared to the previous year, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the UN Human Rights Office said in an annual report released on February 15.

"The chilling statistics in this report provide credible data about the war's impact, but the figures alone cannot capture the appalling human suffering inflicted on ordinary people," said UNAMA head Tadamichi Yamamoto.

The 2017 Annual Report on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict in Afghanistan documented 10,453 civilian casualties, including 3,438 deaths and 7,015 wounded, in 2017.

That compares to a total 11,434 casualties in 2016, when there were 3,510 deaths and 7,924 wounded.

Yamamoto expressed deep concerns at the high number of casualties caused by suicide bombings and other attacks using improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

"I am particularly appalled by the continued indiscriminate and unlawful use of IEDs such as suicide bombs and pressure-plate devices in civilian populated areas," he said. "This is shameful."

The reports said the second leading cause of civilian casualties was ground engagements between antigovernment and pro-government forces, although there was a decline of 19 percent from the record levels seen in 2016.

It attributed about two-thirds of civilian casualties to antigovernment elements such as the Taliban and the Islamic State extremist group, while pro-government forces caused one-fifth of all casualties.

The report also found that the number of air strikes conducted by Afghan air forces and the international coalition increased "significantly"  and with it the number of strike-related deaths.

UNAMA documented 631 civilian casualties  295 deaths and 336 injured  from aerial operations, a 7 percent increase from 2016 and the highest number from air strikes in a single year since 2009.

Aerial operations accounted for 6 percent of all civilian casualties in Afghanistan last year, the report said.

With reporting by AP

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Another woman arrested in Iran for protesting compulsory veiling

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 16 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Another woman arrested in Iran for protesting compulsory veiling, 16 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7b3c.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 16, 2018 13:07 GMT

RFE/RL

A woman on Enghelab (Revoloution) street protesting the forced wearing of the head scarf.

A woman has been arrested in Iran after peacefully protesting against compulsory veiling, the latest such incident in recent months. Video uploaded to YouTube on February 15 shows a woman standing on a concrete block above a crowd on Tehran's Enghelab (Revolution) street, waving her head scarf in protest.

Police then arrive on the scene and the woman appears to be forcibly pulled down as those in the crowd shout, "Leave her alone."

The woman was protesting at the same site and in the same way as the first such protest in December.

The woman who performed the first such protest in late December has become a symbol of defiance against the strict dress code enforced in Iran. She has been dubbed the "Girl of Revolution Street."

After her protest on December 27, several other women were detained in Iran for protesting compulsory veiling by removing their head scarves and waving them in the air.

On January 24, Amnesty International reiterated its calls on Tehran to "end the persecution of women who speak out against compulsory veiling, and abolish this discriminatory and humiliating practice."

Islamic dress code became compulsory in Iran following the 1979 revolution.

The dress code dictates that a woman's hair and body be covered at all times in public.

Morality police launch regular crackdowns on those women who fail to comply.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Navalny website blocked in Russia over 'Rybkagate' report

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 16 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Navalny website blocked in Russia over 'Rybkagate' report, 16 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7b74.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Last Updated: February 16, 2018 06:23 GMT

RFE/RL

A video grab from the Navalny video about billionaire Oleg Deripaska and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Prikhodko

Internet service providers in Russia began blocking access to opposition politician Aleksei Navalny's website on February 15 following an order from the country's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, according to news reports and social-media posts by Navalny and others.

The development came as Roskomnadzor told Navalny  along with YouTube and Instagram  that they must delete or block access to a video and photos in an online report about an alleged meeting between billionaire Oleg Deripaska and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Prikhodko, a longtime former senior adviser to President Vladimir Putin.

Navalny defied the order, which followed a court ruling that publication of the video and photos violated the privacy rights of Derispaska, who filed a lawsuit over the matter after Navalny posted the report on his website on February 8.

Navalny's report, which he says is part of a growing body of evidence of corruption in circles close to Putin, draws on photos and videos published earlier on the social-media account of a Belarusian woman who goes by the name Nastya Rybka and says she had an affair with Deripaska.

A February 14 deadline that Navalny said was set by Roskomnadzor passed without incident, but reports that navalny.com was inaccessible for many in Russia began flowing in on February 15.

"The first reports that navalny.com does not open have come in," Navalny tweeted, and other Internet users said on Twitter that they were unable to open the site through major Russian Internet providers.

"Roskomnadzor has begun blocking navalny.com at the behest of Deripaska. The site still opens through some providers, but that is temporary," Navalny, who has accused Roskomnadzor of "censorship," said in a subsequent tweet.

Later on February 15, however, senior Navalny associate Leonid Volkov tweeted that the site was widely accessible, calling Roskomnadzor "cretins" and saying that "the 'blocking' mechanism can be broken with little effort."

Meanwhile, the Interfax news agency reported that Roskomnadzor was pressing its demand that U.S. Internet giant Google delete or block access to the videos and photos on YouTube.

"Roskomnadzor expects a decision from...Google on the deletion from YouTube of the materials [referred to] in the court decision. Roskomnadzor hopes that Google's decision will be positive," Interfax quoted the regulator's press service as saying. It said that the material "has been deleted" from Instagram.

There was no immediate comment from Google.

Navalny's eye-catching report caused a potentially embarrassing splash ahead of a March 18 election in which Putin, who has been president or prime minister since 1999, appears certain to win a new six-year term but is said to be hoping for a convincing victory that would strengthen his mandate and further cement his power.

Navalny, a vocal foe of Putin who has organized large street protests on several occasions and published a series of reports alleging corruption in Russia's ruling elite, has been barred from the presidential race due to a conviction on financial-crimes charges he contends were fabricated by the Kremlin to sideline him.

In a video posted on Twitter, Navalny said that government moves to block his website had two goals: to "serve the oligarch Deripaska and the bureaucrat Prikhodko" while also undermining his efforts to mount a massive boycott of the presidential election and to organize an election observation campaign.

Supporters posted the address of a "mirror site" where the report on the alleged meeting between Deripaska and Prikhodko could be seen by Internet users in Russia, and Navalny tweeted in English: "You can still see our investigation on YouTube with English subtitles."

The February 8 report is based largely on the social-media account of Nastya Rybka, who has written a book about her work as an escort and said on television last year that she had been hired by a modeling agency to spend time at Deripaska's yacht.

Rybka, whose real name is Anastasia Vashukevich, posted videos and photos in 2016 that appear to show Deripaska on his yacht talking with Prikhodko  as well as her cuddling with the tycoon.

AFP reported early on February 16 that Rybka's Instagram posts supporting Navalny's allegations were no longer accessible in Russia, although Navalny's 25-minute YouTube video was still accessible.

AFP said it learned that Rybka removed most of the photos from Instagram herself, while Instagram took down a few remaining posts to avoid being banned in Russia.

"When governments believe that something on the Internet violates their laws, they may contact companies and ask us to restrict access to that content," a spokesperson for Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, told AFP.

"We review such requests carefully in light of local laws and where appropriate, we make it unavailable in the relevant country or territory," the spokesperson said.

Navalny in his video also quoted public records, which he said indicated that Prikhodko spent several days on the yacht and was flown there by Deripaska's private jet.

Navalny's anticorruption foundation earlier published documents suggesting that Prikhodko, a longtime public servant with no significant private income, owns a luxurious mansion outside Moscow.

Deripaska has not denied meeting with Prikhodko on the yacht, but in a February 9 statement he said he had done nothing illegal and warned media outlets not to disseminate what he called "mendacious accusations."

He also obtained a court order demanding the removal of 14 Instagram posts and seven YouTube clips, and Roskomnadzor based its calls for the deletion of the materials on that order.

With reporting by Current Time TV, RFE/RL's Russian Service, Dozhd, Meduza, Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
NATO chief sees little progress on UN peacekeepers for Ukraine

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 17 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, NATO chief sees little progress on UN peacekeepers for Ukraine, 17 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7bfa.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 17, 2018 11:06 GMT

RFE/RL

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the 54th Munich Security Conference in Munich on February 16

MUNICH, Germany  NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he has seen little progress in talks about a UN peacekeeping mission in eastern Ukraine.

Stoltenberg made the comments during a February 17 roundtable following his meeting with Russian Foreign Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of world leaders, senior officials, and policy experts.

"It remains to be seen if it's possible," Stoltenberg said of the proposal to deploy a UN peacekeeping force to end fighting between Russia-backed separatists and Kyiv's forces in eastern Ukraine.

Discussions of the proposal ramped up in September after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested deploying such a mission along the line separating the Ukrainian military and the separatists.

But common ground on the issue has proved elusive.

Ukraine and the West worry that a peacekeeping force along the front line rather than the Russia-Ukraine border would cement Moscow's control over separatist-held areas and allow Russian fighters and weapons to continue to flow into Ukraine.

Stoltenberg, who described his meeting with Lavrov in Munich as "useful," said it was "too early to say" what kind of solution could be reached on the issue of UN peacekeepers in Ukraine.

He added that the two officials discussed implementation of the Minsk accords  2014 and 2015 peace deals that have failed to stem the violence in eastern Ukraine  and that the conflict in Ukraine is the primary reason for the "deterioration" of NATO-Russia ties.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Latvia anticorruption agency detains central bank governor

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 18 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Latvia anticorruption agency detains central bank governor, 18 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7c1a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 18, 2018 21:45 GMT

RFE/RL

The governor of Latvia's Central Bank Ilmars Rimsevics (file photo)

The Latvian prime minister's office says the country's anticorruption agency has detained the central bank's governor, Ilmars Rimsevics.

Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis's office made the announcement in a statement on February 18 following reports saying that the office and a property of Rimsevics were searched.

Latvia's state broadcaster LTV reported that the national anticorruption agency, called KNAB, raided Rimsevics's office and property on February 16 and aired footage that appeared to show him arriving at the agency's offices.

In its statement, Kucinskis's office did not provide details about the case, but insisted that "there are no signs of a threat to the Latvian financial system."

It said an extraordinary cabinet meeting would be convened on February 19 to "analyze the situation."

In a message on Twitter, Latvia's presidency said there would be a meeting of the National Security Council next week to discuss the banking sector.

The KNAB, the Bank of Latvia, and the European Central Bank declined to comment on Kucinskis's detention.

Latvia is a member of the European Union and uses the euro as its currency.

With reporting by Reuters and AP

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Bodies found of nine people abducted last year in Afghanistan

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 19 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Bodies found of nine people abducted last year in Afghanistan, 19 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7c3a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 19, 2018 08:53 GMT

A map produced for RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan with Nangarhar Province marked in orange.

The bodies of nine civilians abducted by militants early last year have been found in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, an Afghan official and tribal elders said on February 19.

Sayed Rahman Mohmand, the governor of Kot district, said the bodies, including three of tribal leaders, were found dumped in a common grave over the weekend.

Mohmand said locals found the bodies in the neighboring Achin district.

The nine were abducted by militants in Kot and nothing was known about their fate till now.

Tribal elders confirmed the discovery of the bodies and said funerals for the deceased will be held on February 19.

Mohmand said the Islamic State group was behind the abduction and the killings, though the militant group has not claimed responsibility for the deaths.

Both the Taliban and IS are active in eastern Afghanistan.

Based on reporting by AP and tolonews.com

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
IS kills 27 Iraqi pro-government fighters

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 19 February 2018 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, IS kills 27 Iraqi pro-government fighters, 19 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9fc7c7a.html [accessed 19 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 19, 2018 13:43 GMT

Islamic State (IS) militants have ambushed a group of Iraqi paramilitary fighters, killing at least 27, officials say.

The attack came two months after Baghdad declared victory over IS in all of Iraq.

The Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group of mainly Shi'ite militias, said in a statement that the attack took place on February 19 in the Hawija region, some 300 kilometers north of Baghdad, while the paramilitaries were conducting overnight raids.

The attackers were disguised in army uniforms and pretended to man a fake checkpoint, the statement said.

The fighting lasted for at least two hours and some of the militants were killed while others fled the area, it said.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on its Amaq news agency.

In December, Iraq declared total victory over IS in all of Iraq, after more than three years of fighting. But Iraqi and U.S. officials have warned IS would continue with insurgent-style attacks.

Last month, IS launched suicide bombings in central Baghdad, killing at least 38 people.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036
Disclaimer

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
PCSOs Abby Grzesiek and Niall Ellison on patrol in Rotherham.

THE Beast from the East didn't stop police officers raiding homes and making several arrests as the icy weather system bore down on Yorkshire.

Last Wednesday, staff seized suspected stolen items from Dovercourt Road Kimberworth, including two knives, five power tools and a television.

Enquiries are ongoing to locate the owners, said a South Yorkshire Police spokeswoman.

Elsewhere, Leslie Emery, (40) of no fixed address, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Rotherham town centre.

He appeared at Sheffield Magistrates Court on Thursday (March 1) where he pleaded guilty and was given a days detention.

A 36-year-old man from Masbrough, wanted for failing to appear at court, was arrested on suspicion of theft and taken to Sheffield Magistrates Court.

A 46-year-old man from Holmes, wanted for the same offences, received the same treatment.

Insp Jenny Lax said: The snow may have slowed us down a little, but our officers are committed to policing the streets of Rotherham and we were still able to see some positive results from last weeks day of action.

We will continue to hold action days throughout the borough focusing on different areas and responding to the issues raised with us by members of the community.

The key to effective policing is engaging with the public as your views are vital to the work that we do.

Today's top stories from the Rotherham Advertiser

07/03/2018
Stellar Diamonds said capital markets in the UK are proving extremely difficult to raise funds for junior mining companies.

Company chief executive Karl Smithson said the market capitalisation of Stellar during the last six months hovered around the $2 million level, which provided additional challenges of raising capital to develop the mine in Sierra Leone.

He, however, said that a possible share offer to acquire Stellar by ASX-listed Newfield Resources, at a significant premium for the companys shareholders, was received which, if successful and alongside a planned fundraise by Newfield, would also bring the required project development capital for Tongo-Tonguma.

Alongside any possible offer for the Company and subsequent to the period ended 31 December 2017, Newfield Resources has advanced to Stellar an unsecured $3 million loan, said Smithson.

The funds were meant for the front end engineering design programme, mine plan drilling, payment of certain licence fees, creditors and transaction fees.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




Gem Diamonds has recovered a 152-carat, top white colour Type IIa diamond from its Letseng mine in Lesotho.

This was the sixth diamond of more than 100 carats that the company had recovered since the beginning of the year.





Image credit: Gem Diamonds



The stones included a 910-carat diamond recovered last month.

Gem Diamonds chief executive Clifford Elphick said last month that recovery of greater than 100 carat diamonds was due to the ongoing technical improvements made at the Letseng mine

The company produced 111,811 carats in 2017, a 3 percent growth from 108, 206 carats realised, a year earlier.

It sold 107, 152 carats last year, down 2 percent from 108, 945 carats sold in 2016.

However, revenue collected from the diamond sales was up 12 percent to 206.8 million or $1,930 per carat during the period under review from $184.6 million or $1,695, a year earlier.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
A leading economist predicted a gloomy outlook for Bitcoin, while a popular cryptocurrency exchange launched an index fund for cryptocurrencies. And Bitcoin is set to attract more users as some major cryptocurrency exchanges slashed withdrawal fees last week.

Here is a wrap up of the main news from the cryptocurrency and blockchain space over the last 24 hours.

Harvard Economist Predicts Bitcoin's Downfall In A Decade

Harvard University Professor and Economist Kenneth Rogoff has predicted that the price of Bitcoin is likely to fall to as low as $100 per token, not rising to $100,000 in the next 10 years. "I think bitcoin will be worth a tiny fraction of what it is now if we're headed out 10 years from now ... I would see $100 as being a lot more likely than $100,000 ten years from now," the former IMF Chief Economist said in CNBC's program "Squawk Box". Rogoff, Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Economics at Harvard University, had predicted in October that Bitcoin price bubble will collapse as cryptocurrencies face continued regulatory controls. Despite increased scrutiny and regulation across the globe, the price of the word's most popular cryptocurrency soared 1200 percent in 2017. Read more...

Coinbase Launches Cryptocurrency Fund

Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., is moving into asset management with the launch of Coinbase Index Fund, a fund for cryptocurrencies. Through the new fund, the customers can buy four top digital coins including bitcoin listed on Coinbase, instead of trading them directly on the exchange. The index fund will invest in the same cryptocurrencies traded on Coinbase and its institutional exchange GDAX, that include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin. The fund requires a minimum investment of $10,000, and it would charge a flat 2 percent annual fee. The fund will accept investments in U.S. dollars as well as in cryptocurrency. The Coinbase Index Fund will be under a new unit called Coinbase Asset Management. The fund will be available only to U.S. accredited investors for regulatory reasons, for those who have annual income of at least $200,000 or a net worth of at least $1 million. Read more...

Popular Cryptocurrency Exchanges Slash Bitcoin Transaction Fees

Bitcoin transaction fees is cheaper now, as three of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges have slashed their withdrawal fees rates by up to half. Binance, Bitfinex, and Kraken have enabled SegWit (Segregated Witness), a process to increase block size limit, and capacity to add more transactions. Transaction batching is another method being adopted to help them significantly reduce bitcoin transaction fees and relieve congestion on the bitcoin blockchain network. Kraken reduced withdrawal fees on Bitcoin to 0.0005, and on Bitcoin Cash to 0.0001. Read more...

VideoCoin Raises $35 Mln For Blockchain-powered Video Services Platform

Tech entrepreneur Halsey Minor announced $35-million funding for VideoCoin, a blockchain network that provides cloud video processing and distribution services and is set to rival those offered by Google and Amazon. VideoCoin, which describes itself as a decentralized video platform, raised the amount in a private presale funding round. The startup has a hard cap target of $50 million. The company also said that it would not conduct a public contribution round as part of its token sale due to the overwhelming demand to participate in the development of the VideoCoin Network. Among the fund partners were Ethereum Co-founder Anthony Diiorio and Mike Novogratz's Galaxy Investment Partners. Read more...

GE Transportation Joins Freight Industry Blockchain Alliance

GE Transportation, a global services and equipment provider to the rail, mining, marine, power and drilling industries, joined a consortium of transport and logistics companies exploring blockchain possibilities for the freight industry. The General Electric Co. subsidiary announced that it has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance, or BiTA, which is the transportation and logistics industry's trade association for blockchain education and standards development. The Chicago, IL-based GE Transportation employs nearly 9,000 employees worldwide. Read more...

Russian Supreme Court Verdict May Affect Crypto Websites

The decision of the Supreme Court of Russia on an appeal against blocking of a popular crypto-website, may impact the whole crypto segment in Russia. The Supreme Court of Russia has accepted the appeal in mid-February on the case of blocking the analytical and news site bitcoininfo.ru, owned by Russian bitcoin enthusiasts, which published news about bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The Vyborgsky District Court in St. Petersburg had delivered a verdict to in July 2016 to block Bitcoininfo.ru. The ruling said the official currency in Russia is the ruble and the introduction of other currencies and the issuance of monetary surrogates is illegal. Read more...

Cambodia To Launch National Crypto Project At ASEAN Blockchain Summit

Southeast Asian nation Cambodia is set to launch its national cryptocurrency project titled "Entapay" at the ASEAN Blockchain Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on March 7, according to a press release by ASEAN Blockchain. "Entapay will be expected to become the connection between integration payment of encrypted currency and the real world. It has the great potential to even replace VISA as the new mainstream payment mode," the statement said. The move comes close on the heels of Iran and Turkey also announcing similar plans, as well as Venezuela launching its oil-backed cryptocurrency named "Petro" in mid-February. Read more...

South Korean Public Servants Banned From Crypto Trading

South Korean government has reportedly imposed a ban on public servants from either holding or trading cryptocurrencies. As per a directive issued by the Personnel Affairs department, officials who are found to be indulging in cryptocurrency activities are subject to disciplinary actions, South Korea's Maeil Business Newspaper reported. The government document titled, "Virtual currency holdings and transaction-related information for civil servants," is applicable to all government departments in the country. This is the latest in a series of recent measures taken by the government to discourage its workforce from engaging in virtual currency trading. Read more...

Canadian Regulator Warns About Bitcoin-bank.io

Canadian regulator Financial and Consumer Services Commission (FCSC) has warned people in New Brunswick about a website that claims to be a "cryptobank." In a media release, the regulator said the website Bitcoin-bank.io (BTCB) is offering payment card solutions, wallet services, and an opportunity to invest in its BTCB coin through a cryptocurrency initial coin offering (ICO). Read more...

Current Prices

As of 6:01 am ET on Wednesday, Bitcoin was down 4.45 percent at $10.490 and Ethereum was lower by 6.35 percent at $780.81 percent on Coinbase.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the New York-based blockchain firm ConsenSys to incubate an innovation ecosystem for blockchain technology.

As part of the deal, ConsenSys will also develop blockchain-based education programs by setting up a ConsenSys Academy.

"The ConsenSys Academy is a blockchain education platform with the mission of bridging the deep ethereum knowledge gap and revolutionising education through blockchain technology. Traditional education programs cannot keep up with the rapidly developing pace of Ethereum and blockchain as a whole," said Kavita Gupta, executive director of ConsenSys.

According to the MoU, blockchain technologies will be utilized in the areas of land titling, supply chain, identity platform, electronic records, etc. in the state.

ConsenSys is a venture production studio building decentralized applications and various developer and end-user tools for blockchain ecosystems, primarily focused on Ethereum.

"We believe that Blockchain technology has tremendous potential to revolutionize the way governments, institutions, and corporates function and is on its course to become the new normal. It also has the potential to transform multiple industries and make processes more democratic, secure, transparent, and efficient," said Nara Lokesh, IT Minister, Andhra Pradesh government.

ConsenSys founder Joseph Lubin is also the co-founder of Swiss-based decentralized cryptocurrency platform Ethereum. Lubin is currently on a three-city tour of India, including New Delhi and Mumbai apart from Hyderabad, organised by Blockchained India.

Lubin and his team are in India to introduce ConsenSys to the Indian ecosystem and are armed with a $50 million fund, hunting for investable projects.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
The Opposition-controlled Venezuelan National Assembly has declared its national cryptocurrency, the Petro (PTR), as illegitimate.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the President of the Commission of Finance and Economic Development of the National Assembly said the House believes the Petro is unconstitutional, and denounced the project as fraud, and a threat to potential investors.

Rafael Guzman rejected the government's offer to civil servants to acquire Petro through savings banks as "forced demand of the PTR that the Executive intends to implement on Venezuelans."

He accused the Maduro administration of continuing to embezzle the national Treasury, and damaging the National Integrated Customs and Tax Administration Service (Seniat).

The legislature's disapproval of Petro comes at a time President Nicolas Maduro claims it will influence the future of the Venezuelan , production, and commerce.

He made an appeal not to doubt the Petro, while Cryptocurrency experts are skeptic about its success.

Venezuela is the first country to create a state-backed cryptocurrency.

Maduro launched the pre-sale of Petro on February 20 to ease the country's economic crisis, and circumvent U.S.-led sanctions.

The Venezuelan Government claimed its oil-backed cryptocurrency raised $30 billion in the first week of its pre-sale, and that it evoked overwhelming response from as many as 127 countries.

The lawmakers lashed out against the sale, which, according to them, is simply a symptom of the country's ongoing political crisis.

"This deepens the crisis that we are living in. The PTR is another example of corruption, and we will come out of this crisis with measures that we have announced from this Parliament," Guzman said in the statement.

But the National Assembly's stand is not expected to have any influence on the government, as the Constitutional Assembly, which is loyal to Maduro, had stripped the former of its legislative powers.

Major Opposition parties have called to boycott the presidential election in May, saying the electoral system was rigged in favor of the President.

The decision paves the path for Maduro's easy re-election, and consolidation of power, political analysts say.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
(Agencia CMA Latam) - The Argentinean Senate is about to begin discussion on the capital market reform bill approved in December by the House of Representatives.

The Senate's Economy and Investment Commission should be convened to discuss the legislation, promoted by the government as the "Productive Financing Bill."

The bill aims at enabling small and medium-sized companies to access the stock market to finance themselves.

The initiative proposes, among other issues, that the invoices issued by SMEs for their products and services are accepted or automatically formed within 30 days of issuance, enabling them to be sold through banks or in the capital market.

Another key point is a proposal to repeal the power of the National Securities Commission (CNV) to intervene in companies and appoint veto power controllers over the decisions of the board of such companies, as provided in Article 20 of the current law.

by Agencia CMA Latam

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
By SA Commercial Prop News

The Quoin Rock Wine Estate, valued by the liquidators at R120 million, was sold for R60,5 million to well known businesswoman, Wendy Appelbaum who also owns the De Morgenzon Wine Estate in Stellenbosch.



In what was regarded as one of the highest value liquidation to have ever been held in the Western Cape, the prestigious Quoin Rock Winery and Manor Estate, belonging to businessman Dave King, secured R60.5 million during a packed auction on Saturday.

The Estate was sold by Auction Alliance to Wendy Appelbaum, well known businesswoman and philanthropist, who owns another spectacular Wine Estate in Stellenbosch.

Dave King represented the company Ben Nevis in South Africa, which has tax arrears of R2.7 billion Rand. The value of the stock and moveable assets of the farm are valued at an estimated R30 million while the property itself is estimated to be worth R120 million.

Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Simonsberg Mountains, Quoin Rock Wine & Manor Estate is spread across 194 hectares of the finest vineyards in the world renowned Stellenbosch winelands.

Quoin Rock boasts breathtaking views over vast vineyards onto Table Mountain, and features a world class winery that has produced the famous Quoin Rock, Glenhurst and Gary Player Red wine ranges.

The estate features a spectacular homestead, helipad, an underground cave which housed functions for leading Stellenbosch businesspeople and luminaries, and a state of the art imported Italian wine cellar.

There was spirited bidding for the moveable assets which were sold separately. They included 18th century antiques, artworks by Irma Stern, Otto Klar and David Botha , 2 extremely discerning collections of wine from South Africa and abroad, and a number of valuable carpets including one allegedly belonging to King George V as per insignia stitched inside.

According to Auction Alliance CEO Rael Levitt, This was undoubtedly the highlight of the auction calendar for 2011. The auction atmosphere was electric and attracted bidders from far and wide, properties of this class might appear on the market once every 10 years, given the background story to this particular property, this opportunity was more like once every 50 years. This was a fair price considering the economic climate and offered excellent value for the buyer. 
Students storm CHED to protest fee collection, hikes

By NUSP

February 9, 2018

QUEZON CITY  Youth and students led by the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) stormed Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Friday to condemn the proposed increase in tuition and other school fees (TOSF) this year and the continuing collection of TOSF in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).

Due to this Commissions inutility, private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have freedom to increase TOSFI without any disapproval from the government, while SUCs still find ways to collect tuition and other school fees, despite having a Free Education law in place, NUSP Deputy Secretary-General Raoul Manuel said.

The Union exposed on Monday that around 400 schools will increase tuition and other school fees this year at an average rate of six to ten per cent.

The increase in tuition and other school fees is indeed an added burden to students. We are talking about thousands of pesos in addition to the expensive cost of education in private schools, Manuel claimed.

Maneuvers in SUCs

NUSP also slammed the continuing tuition and other school fees collection in State Universities and Colleges.

According to the Union, several SUCs maneuver RA 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Higher Education Law to still collect fees from the students.

In Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), students were required to pay miscellaneous fees amounting to P1,500 to P6,000. Freshmen also paid the whole amount of tuition and other school fees, Manuel reported.

In University of the Philippines (UP), some students were forced to opt-out of the free tuition policy. In the Manila campus of UP, freshies also paid tuition and other school fees, Manuel added.

NUSP also received complaints from Visayas State University where free tuition was implemented to cover all students on the first semester of Academic Year (AY) 2017-2018, but was withdrawn in the second semester and the school switched to limiting the beneficiaries of free tuition, similar to the discriminatory Socialized Tuition System of UP. Moreover, the school revised its grading scheme to automatically give a grade of 5.0 (failure) to students with INC (incomplete) standing.

Under the deceptive law, students with failing grades will no longer be qualified for free education. This implies that the school can now collect tuition and other fees from them, regardless of the fact that some students fail their subjects because, in the first place, they work while studying to cope with the exorbitant school fees, said NUSP.

Education becoming a business

The student union likewise denounced the profiteering in private schools through tuition and other school fees increases.

Private school owners lie through their teeth when they say that tuition hikes will lead to higher quality of education. Their historical financial data belie their own statements: fee hikes only result in higher profits for these capitalist-educators who see education as a good business venture, claimed Manuel.

According to the study conducted by the NUSP, among the schools with millions of revenues from tuition and other school fees last 2016, the University of the East (UE), Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), and Far Eastern University (FEU) topped the list with 600 million pesos each in gross revenue from tuition and other school fees.

Duterte and his agencies should know what they are signing up for. The more expensive education gets, the bigger the protest actions will be outside their gates. They must brace up to face the students rage if they continue being a protector of these capitalist-educators, ended Manuel.
Its okay to fall in love with your boss, labor group says

By ALU-TUCP

February 13, 2018

QUEZON CITY  There is no government policy addressing workplace romance in the country but there is none that prevents an employee from falling in love with her/his boss either, claims the labor group Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP).

An employee falling in love with her/his boss is okay as long as it is exercised across-the-board, says labor group Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) yesterday.

Since there is no government policy governing workplace romance between co-employees or between a rank-and-file employee falling in love with her boss or vice versa for that matter, the matter of workplace romance issue is controlled by companys management prerogative. And some employers use or create such prerogative to lay off, demote, or transfer their employees, Tanjusay said.

That is why the ALU-TUCP is calling for the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to step in and issue guidelines on inter- and intra-office workplace romance policy to prevent abusive employers from such oppressive management prerogatives.

The law is vague and subject to many interpretations. Therefore, many employers tend to demote, transfer, or lay off their employee on the basis of having a relationship with their boss or with their co-employee  particularly those who are not unionized, he said.

Though judicial jurisprudences had always been in favour of complainant workers, the DOLE regulation can help minimize employees and management from strained relations and physical, financial and emotional exasperation of going to the courts for those felt injustice, Tanjusay aid.

In its policy engagement with the DOLE, the ALU-TUCP, however, maintains that company policy should allow, not prevent, workplace romance, period. Workplace romance should not be the cause for dismissal, demotion, transfer, or diminution of wages and benefits.

The management prerogatives policy on intra-office workplace romance should not be restrictive. While we respect such prerogative, the most extreme the policy can do is transfer an employee to another division or department, Tanjusay said.
Admiring the To Sua Ocean Trench and its beautiful scenery are Nura and her daughter, Deniza, from Kyrgyzstan and Eleonora, from Uzbekistan.

Nura and Eleonora are best friends.

Nura came to Samoa in July last year because of her husbands work.

According to her, Samoa and Kyrgyzstan have a lot of differences.

Kyrgyzstan is the inland country in central Asia area, she said. So this is new, we can see the ocean every day, warm weather whole year, and there are no borders in the land.

Samoas greenery and lush surroundings, especially the To Sua Ocean Trench, amazes her.

This place is amazing, its like paradise. There is clear water and I could find fishes inside. My daughter also enjoyed diving although she got scared so much, she said of the trench.

Nura also mentioned the Samoan people and culture.

I love the Samoan nationality because they enjoy their life so much. Nowadays, people are busy everywhere, but Samoan atmosphere lets us have a slow life.

Slow life includes spending time to talk with families a lot and its very peaceful. In other countries, people just enjoy their smartphones and watch television without communicating with family members. Thats a beautiful part about Samoa.

Eleonora added to her friends opinion.

Modernisation gives us a lot of benefits and it is necessary for us, but there is the thing which we have to keep.

I want Samoa to develop in convenience and stay as a beautiful nation at the same time. The To Sua Ocean Trench is a beautiful landscape and a nice view. This tells us that nature is priceless.

For the friends, Samoa has helped them appreciate and respect the value of nature and its beauty.
Samoa is the place where dreams come true.

For Yuka Oyama, from Miyazaki, Japan, Samoa is more than that.

Her dreams of always helping people in a foreign country has a reality in Samoa, and in the process is finding out more and more about herself and what she truly loves.

There is little not to like about her home for now. She loves the environment, the people and Samoas tourist attractions.

She came to Samoa as a representative of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (J.O.C.V.), and now works with the Kidney Foundation at Motootua.

According to her, treating local patients who need dialysis in hospital has been a great experience.

Since I started learning medical care in school, my goal was to work overseas and to join the J.O.C.V. programme. So Im on my long-cherished dream now, she said.

Yuka has been in Samoa for more than six months and she will stay here until 2019.

She rents a room in Apia, like other Japanese volunteers do and so far has enjoyed her stay.

Yuka mentioned her admiration of the unique Samoan culture and respect shown towards each other.

But her most interesting experience was spending time with her host family in Falelatai where she got first hand experience of island life in her first week in Samoa.

Yuka commended her host mum who was an interesting and helpful person.

My host mom is always smiling, active, and interesting. I have never seen such a positive person ever, she said.

Yuka plans to carry out medical activities outside of the hospital.

To decrease the number of kidney patients, it is important to not only work in the hospital, but also in schools or communities.

One of the main causes of kidney failures is lifestyle-related diseases. And it is also important to find it earlier before the disease gets worse.

Yuka visits schools once a month to give students self-health care lessons in the local language by using presentation.

She visited Aufaga Village last week.

The participants told me it is a good event and it was hard to go to Apia to get health checks, so they want us to come here every year. I feel this is a challenging job for me and I want to continue this work until I leave here.

Somehow, her experience of Samoa has made her realise her strengths in teaching healthcare and she wants to change her career when she returns to Japan.

So for Yuka, Samoa is the place that gave her a glimpse of her future.
Samoa Breweries Limited has announced a major breakthrough in as far as exporting the taste of Samoa - Vailima - to the world.

Vailima Beer will soon be available in the United States.

This follows an agreement signed between the Samoa Breweries Limited and the United States based importation and distribution company, Fore Drinks L.L.C. today.

The taste of Samoa is the first of many export shipments on its way to the West Coast of the U.S.A. and will become available in Hawaii, California and Washington States.

National Sales Manager, Aumua George Avia, told Samoa Observer that its an exciting time for the company to enter the U.S. market.

Its all about taking the brand that belongs to Samoa which is Vailima we are going to take this to our new market, U.S.A.,Aumua said.

The strategy behind is to follow our people and we did this with humbleness and meekness as well.

We know certainly that theres a lot of Samoans who used to leave here in Samoa and in American Samoa that have moved to the U.S, this is about taking a bit of home with you and keeping it there to the U.S. with yourself.

In the biggest scheme, its been an honour and pleasure to be giving such a wonderful product to the U.S. and to indulge them as well.

Another part of the strategy is to help grow Samoa as well.

The initiative also prepares the local brewery for their 40th anniversary this year.
Dear Editor

Re: N.Z. Prime Minister defends visa policy

I would much rather have visa-free entry than the wild goose chase involved with the quota system (which is never filled).

This quota was put in place because the NZ government in 1981 feared that Samoans would flood into NZ without visas and then overstay.

I suggest---as a compromise (because I am all about solutions to todays problems)---that instead of a general visa-free entry, Samoans could apply for a visa-free (business category) entry (renewable every 3 years) so that Samoan business people who need to go to NZ for their work do not have to go through the rigmarole of applying for a visa every single time they need to go to NZ.

This will facilitate better business relationships between Samoa and NZ and may even help increase Samoan exports to the land of the long white cloud.

Petelo Suaniu
A woman has called Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaois administration a bunch of hypocrites.

Taranaki Mailei, of Motootua, lives across a construction site. She is disappointed about the continuous hard labour on Sundays.

She has also questioned why Samoa amended its Constitution to reflect that Samoa is a Christian State when there are foreigners working on Sundays.

If the Prime Minister has declared Samoa to be a Christian country, then the Prime Minister must see to it that Samoa walks the talk, she told the Samoa Observer.

That includes all the Chinese and their heavy duty construction work on Sundays, which violates and disrespects Samoas observance of Sunday, our holy day of worshiping our God.

There are about three elders living right next to this construction site who are sick and are having to not only put up with this construction noise during the week, but now Sundays as well.

This is downright rude and inconsiderate.

The Government should consider proposing a law that prohibits hard labour on Sundays, reflecting that Samoa is a Christian State.

They cannot say one thing and do another, that is hypocritical, said Mailei.

She noted that it is common knowledge that Sunday is observed and no hard labour is conducted.

If a Samoan works hard labour on Sunday, that person will be ridiculed, yet it is ok for a foreigner to come into Samoa and be allowed to work hard labour on Sunday.

Do you see the hypocrisy in all of this?

I want the Government to fix this because it is a bad reflection on those who actually changed our Constitution and a bad reflection on all Samoans.

Calls to the Construction Company for a comment have not been returned as of press time.

Ms. Mailei joins a growing number of concerned Samoans who expressed frustrations about Chinese companies working on Sunday.

Last year, Tuilaepa Soiamoa Grey, raised similar concerns. She had also accused the government leaders of being hypocritical and urged Samoans to wake up to what is happening.

As a Christian country, our day of worship is on Sunday, she said.

I have nothing against the governments decision to make Samoa a Christian state. I fully support it.

But what I find contradictory and hypocritical is when the Government changes the Constitution, yet allows foreigners to disrespect our day of worship by continuing to do hard labour on Sundays.

There are six days they can do their work, but at least spare us the Sunday so we can worship peacefully.

The concerned citizen noted that Parliament should have made a note about this when they amended the Constitution. She added perhaps its time for the Government to forbid any labour work on Sunday.

Again, it goes back to when the Government moved to legalizing Samoa as a Christian state. Why is it that we are a Christian country, yet there are people who work hard labour on Sundays? These Asians clearly have no respect for our traditions.

Each and every Samoan knows that we dont do any hard labour work; what makes them any different? They are visitors to our country, whether they are citizens or not, they should respect our traditions.

If our Prime Minister goes to church on Sundays, we should follow his examples.
A 64-year-old taxi driver was threatened and stuffed in the boot of a taxi he drives at Vaoala on Saturday night. The incident is the subject of a Police investigation.

Police Spokesperson, Auapaau Logoitino Filipo, said they are looking for the four men involved.

From what we have been told, the taxi driver picked up four men from Malifa to take to Vaoala, he said. When they reached Vaoala, the four men assaulted the complainant and put him inside the boot of the taxi.

They then roamed around the whole night in the complainants taxi.

This was while the elderly driver was in the boot of the vehicle.

The taxi was found at Toamua by a young man, said Auapaau.

The young man opened the boot and found the 64-year-old inside. The four men were nowhere to be found.

Auapaau said the Police investigation is following some leads but he could not discuss the details.

The 64-year-old has been identified as Ioasa Moors. Attempts to get him for a comment were unsuccessful yesterday. An official at the DB Taxi Stand at Vaivase-tai said he is hardly at the base.

He always roams around in town to find some passengers from the morning till he goes home, he said. So its really hard to track him down unless you know where he lives.

When the Samoa Observer visited Mr. Moors' home at Vaivase-uta, he wasnt home. His niece who gave her name as Sila said her uncle had his phone stolen on the night of the incident.

She said the family is grateful that Mr. Moors is alive.

He usually comes home around midnight but on that night, he didnt come home, she said. My mother was waiting for him and we kept calling his mobile phone but it just went straight to voicemail.

Our family couldnt sleep because its so not him to not come home. We waited but he never showed up until Sunday morning, about 7 oclock thats when he came home.

Sila said her uncle came home and they could see he was exhausted. Thats when he told them what had happened.

My uncle said he picked up four men and they looked young at around 7pm on Saturday. They told him that they wanted to go to Vaoala.

He said when they got to Vaoala, thats when these four men threatened him and told him to get inside the boot. So he did exactly what he was told because he was scared for his life.

He said when he was inside the boot, the whole time all he could think of was his family and his children.

Sometime later that night, he heard that the car had stopped.

Thats when he started knocking on the boot with the hope that a Good Samaritan will help him and it did happen.

My uncle said when the boot of the car opened, he saw a young man and so he got out and he saw the time was 5 oclock in the morning.

According to Sila, her uncle was very lucky.

The men didnt ruin anything in the car but they took his phone as well as the taxis turn in of more than $300.

Sila said the taxi does not belong to his uncle. He works for the Owner.

She said his uncle is already back at work.

Hes not here because he went to dice around because he needs to make up for the money that was stolen last week.

In the meantime, Sila said they are just happy her uncle is okay.

Incidents such as this end badly but we are very thankful that my uncle is okay, she said. Hes just doing his normal duties now because he also helps out with our family in terms of financial support. We told him that he has to stop what he does, but he said no because he has been a taxi driver for so long.

Its what he is good at and despite his age, he is the kind of person who does not want to stay home. He believes staying home will only make him sick and that he is not old.

She added their family hopes the Police find the culprits.

The people who behave like this are cowards, they are good for nothing, she said. I hope the Police find them soon before they do the same thing to someone elses loved ones.
The Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration (M.J.C.A.) has asked the Attorney General for legal advice about the leave entitlements of the President of the Land and Titles Court.

The request follows the decision by Fepulea'i Attila Ropati to take special leave pending criminal charges filed against him in Court.

The request for clarity from the Attorney General is made in a letter from M.J.C.A. Chief Executive Officer, Papalii John Taimalelagi, addressed to the Attorney General, Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff.

Dated 5 March 2018, a copy of the letter has been obtained by the Samoa Observer.

I write in relation to the President of the Lands and Titles Court, the letter reads.

On March 2018, I was informed verbally by his Honor Chief Justice Sapolu, that the decision of the Judicial Service Commission is that the President take his leave effective 2 March 2018 until his criminal charges have been determined by the Court.

I am therefore writing to seek your legal advice about the leave entitlements of the President.

At the moment there are no legislative guidelines on leave entitlements for all judges including the President of the Lands and Titles Court.

The current practice is that application by a Judge for leave is approved by His Honor Chief Justice.

The entitlements I am asking about is the type of leave as well as the entitlements of the leaves for the President.

An email to the Attorney General was not responded to at press time last night.

Earlier this week, Papalii told the Samoa Observer that Fepuleais special leave became effective last Friday.

The Chief Justice, His Honor Patu Tiavaasue Falefatu Sapolu and the Judicial Service Commission accepted the request by the honourable president to take personal leave, pending the criminal case against him, said Papalii.

In his absence, the Chief Justice has taken over the role of the President of Land and Titles.

The Chief Justice will play his role in the criminal, civil cases and will also sit on the Land and Titles cases.

Papalii denied that Fepuleais absence would affect the work of the Land and Titles Court.

There is no impact on the cases scheduled before Fepuleai, he said. The Court cases will proceed as scheduled.

The Presidents special leave follows criminal charges filed against him on allegations that he assaulted a Security Officer of the M.J.C.A. during a function towards the end of last year.

The Police have charged him with assault, being armed with a dangerous weapon and causing injury.
Carmel Sepuloni was appointed along with three other Pacific Ministers as Cabinet Ministers for the new Labour led government in New Zealand last year.

With two Pacific Cabinet Ministers and two outside Cabinet, history was made having broken the record for the most Pacific M.Ps to ever occupy a body of Senior Ministers in any New Zealand government and it also made a statement about a shift in the political landscape of New Zealand because Pacific people werent just making head ways to the decision making table - they were now sitting at it.

Holding one of the largest portfolios as Minister for Social Development and Disability issues as well as the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and Pacific Peoples, the tri-cultural mother of two admits in an interview with the Samoa Observer that while she has big responsibilities to the country, her cultural roots to Samoa keep her grounded and humble.

Born and raised in New Zealand, Carmel Sepuloni is of Samoan, Tongan and European descent.

It wasnt until 2003 that she first stepped foot in her ancestral home of Samoa, on a personal mission to connect with her cultural roots by immersing herself in living and working at Robert Louis Stevenson school for a year. It also gave her a chance to connect with her fathers village of Vailele, a place she calls another home,

I feel at home here, she said.

My dad was born and raised in Samoa but we had never come over as a family and I decided in 2003 that I wanted to come over myself. I would come for the first time but I would fully immerse myself in it but actually working here and ever since then, its amazing the difference it makes in terms of making you feel connected. Its not just a holiday destination for me, this is another home.

Every opportunity I get to come back which has been three times in the last four months I do come back. And when I go back to my family in Vailele, I feel at home and I feel that is another space for me, another place of connecting for me  it doesnt feel foreign.

Born in New Zealand and at 6 ft 1, Ms Sepuloni is a captivating blend of Samoan, Tongan and European which can leave many who encounter her, curious about her cultural background.

The Labour M.P admits that while there are some challenges balancing multiple heritages while navigating cultural minefields in her ancestral home of Samoa, she remains confident in her sense of identity because of the unbreakable bond she has with her aiga here on the island.

It is difficult that I cant speak Samoan but really when you feel a sense of connection and you ve got the love with your family then actually language is only one element of a relationship Ms Sepuloni said yes its important, I wish I had it but that doesnt mean that you cant have a connection to your family here.

It can be challenging but you just have to be confident in yourself and secure in who you are and know that there limitations which other people might see as being deficits of character or deficits of experience I guess, but you know  our life experiences are our life experiences and the way we were brought up wasnt necessarily determined by us, it was determined by our parents and their circumstances. When you understand that, then despite the questions or the eyebrow raises you might get occasionally  its okay.

Despite the fact the Ms. Sepuloni grew up in New Zealand and missed out on learning the Samoan language she tells the Samoa Observer that there are still some innately Samoan experiences that she has lived and continues to experience even if you are the Minister of Parliament Carmel Sepuloni,

A classic example would be when Winston Peters made the decision that he was going to join with Labour and we were going to form a government, that was quite a big moment, Ms. Sepuloni said. The next morning I was packing up and rushing around trying to run out the door to get in the car and fly down to Wellington to have those discussions as we formed government.

But as I was running out the door, my Dad yells out to me  how many times last night did I tell you to put that washing on? and I said to him  Dad Ive got to go, its really important were forming the government.

And he replied  I dont care, I told you to do it last night and you still didnt do it. So of course I went and put the washing on and then I ran out the door and I was running even later but he was still yelling at me that the vacuum cleaner is broken and that I still havent replaced it, she laughed.

If anything that is uniquely Samoan about me is just the family that I have and their ability to continually keep me humble regardless of what job you might have and how other people might perceive you as being successful, you are still that girl, even if you are 40 years old, who needs to put the washing on and when something breaks and you dont buy a replacement then you are going to be in trouble.

The NZ Minister of Social development hopes to return to Samoa soon either personally or in her capacity as a Minister of the Crown because according to her it is good to be reminded constantly of the connectedness to ones culture on a personal level right through to maintaining strong connections in the region.

I guess what I love about coming back is that it is so small and its every single time even when you meet new people, everyone is connected in some way and so it keeps you grounded in that youre reminded constantly of the connectedness between people so its so good to be here on that front.

On a more international level as New Zealand Pacific people, we feel a strong connection still to our Pacific homelands even if it was our parents or grandparents that were brought up here. I think its important moving forward that yes government to government we keep building on that relationship but that we never forget those personal relationships are as important.

In her new role, Sepuloni is taking all those facets of her unique blend of Pacific ancestry with her to the decision making table.

While in her formative years, her identity may have confused those curious minds as she set out to know herself but there is no doubt that today, her Pacific experience and heritage is now her strength and our advantage as she adds her voice to ensure, that she gets to influence the future of a stronger and healthier Pacific community in New Zealand and abroad.
Samoa College will become the first school in Samoa to go digital come this June.

This was confirmed by the President of the Samoa College Old Pupil Association (S.C.O.P.A.), Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, during an interview with the Samoa Observer.

When S.C.O.P.A. took over the school, our aim was to become the first digital college, not only in the region, but in Samoa we saw the need to go to the next level, he said.

The work has already started and we are looking at more than $150,000 to make this project a reality, to fix all the internets and connect all the computers and everything else that needs to be done.

He said this is a way to solve the problem of shortage of resources.

We see this as a way to solve the problem of shortage of teachers as well the resources and going digital allows students to access everything, said Leala.

Exposing the students to the digital world now will help them when they go online, everything will be available for them and there wont be a need for them to seek help because they have the help available for them.

They can even use their tablets to go online for this sort of things, so familiarize them with this sort of things so that everything they need is available for them to improve their academic performance. The President of S.C.O.P.A. added they are working together with the Embassy of China.

We have already met the Chinese Ambassador to Samoa, Wang Xuefeng, because he visited the school last week and is quite keen to go in partnership with Samoa College in realizing the digital college vision, said Leala.

He has been contributing a lot to the college over the years in terms of I.T. equipment and we are very appreciative of the continuous support of the Chinese Embassy to the overall development of Samoa College.

We are planning to launch the Digital College project in June this year to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the school.

Preparations are now underway for the celebration of the colleges birthday during the independence celebrations.

Asked about challenges, Leala said in everything there are always challenges.

There are always challenges in anything new that you try to put up, but it wont stop us, he said.

The world is moving forward and we want to lift the standard of the school so that we can go together with the way schools overseas are being run.

And with the Tui Cable coming on, we are expecting prizes to come down with the fast speed of the internet so everything is going just as planned.

Leala was also asked whether such initiatives create a pathway for cyber bullying and students accessing pornography and other sites.

That is where we come in, Leala said.

We control everything online, we have already setup the contents of the internet so when the school goes digital, it will only be school stuff, students will not be able to access any other site except site that are useful to their school work.

We have people working on that to ensure it wont happen.

So we have the control of it and I can assure you those sorts of problems will not happen and there is already a system being setup for that.

The idea of this was a collective from the board and members to cater the problem of shortage of teaching materials.

And we cannot avoid the fact that the world is turning into a digital world, it makes easier for the students to get what they need because as you know, everything we need is all available on the internet so its the same as the students.

So that is what we want to provide for the students of Samoa College.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering a private companys application to build a facility in New Mexico that would store nuclear waste.

If approved, the site may provide an avenue to send the 3.55 million pounds of spent nuclear fuel that is beached at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

Supporters say if the licensing process moves quickly, they can get the facility up and running by 2021.

But even if approved, there is no guarantee the waste at San Onofre will end up at the site.

New Mexico, San Onofre and a proposed site for nuclear waste. Heres the full story:

A group wants to build a storage facility in a remote area of New Mexico that would be the destination for nuclear waste from plants around the country  including the 3.55 million pounds beached at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).

Now, federal regulators have confirmed they are willing to consider the details of the facility.

Advertisement

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) last week contacted Holtec International, a New Jersey-based company that wants to build the site. The agency will begin a technical review of Holtecs application.

The NRC is in charge of licensing the nations nuclear facilities, including sites that store spent nuclear fuel.

This is the next really big step in order to get licensed, said John Heaton, the chairman of the Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance, which is named for the two counties in rural southeastern New Mexico backing the project. Our expectation is well move through that process and hopefully have a license some time in early 2020.

The NRC in a news release announced the Holtec application has been formally docketed but was quick to add that does not indicate the agency will approve the project. Staffers will begin detailed safety, security and environmental reviews.

The proposed storage facility would be a private enterprise. Ground has not been broken, but the site would be a big one, storing up to 8,680 metric tons of commercial nuclear waste.

For perspective, the now-shuttered Yucca Mountain repository in Nevada was licensed to hold 70,000 metric tons, although nuclear officials have said Yucca Mountain could hold four to nine times that amount.

San Onofres 3.55 million pounds of nuclear waste equals 1,609 metric tons.

Heaton said if the NRC licensing process goes relatively smoothly, the Holtec storage site in New Mexico could start accepting spent fuel by early to mid-2021.

Advertisement

The Holtec proposal is considered a consolidated interim storage facility  sites located in remote locations and built with local community approval.

Its in the desert that is seismically very stable and with no real commercial overhead traffic,  Heaton said. From many perspectives, its a very good geological location as well as being isolated from population centers.

By contrast, SONGS is in a state with a history of earthquakes, and the plant is lodged between the ocean and one of the countrys busiest freeways, Interstate 5. Some 8.4 million people live within a 50-mile radius.

Even if the New Mexico project gets the green light, that would not necessarily mean the nuclear waste at SONGS would go there.

Advertisement

Spent fuel is located at nuclear plants  both active and retired  across the country, and when it comes to physically moving waste it is unclear which containers and which sites get priority.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has what is called an Acceptance Priority Ranking that essentially gives the nod to the oldest fuel that has been discharged from a particular location. Its called the oldest fuel first principle.

But no precedent has been set and some experts have argued that waste at facilities that no longer produce electricity or at sites in vulnerable areas should go first. SONGS, which has not generated power since 2012 and with its spent fuel located little more than 100 feet from the Pacific, would qualify on both points.

Heaton appeared in the San Diego area twice last year, arguing the case for the Holtec site and telling members of the Community Engagement Panel at SONGS as well as the California Coastal Commission that the New Mexico site would be happy to accept San Onofres waste.

Advertisement

Getting (the spent fuel) consolidated in one place where the geology is right and where its in a remote area in a desert environment is the right thing to do, Heaton said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

But consolidated interim storage has its critics. Some say it would be better to focus on one permanent site to house the nations growing stockpile of nuclear waste. Also, they say, putting spent fuel in an interim site results in moving the radioactive spent fuel twice.

And while New Mexicos governor wrote a letter in 2015 to the secretary of DOE supporting the Holtec project, not everyone in the Land of Enchantment is in favor of it.

There isnt a single nuclear power plant in New Mexico at all, said Rose Gardner, who lives about 35 miles from the proposed site and is co-founder of the Alliance for Environmental Strategies, which is opposed to nuclear power. So why do I have to put up with everyone elses trash coming here and possibly creating a nuclear disaster?

Advertisement

Transporting the nuclear waste, whether to the Holtec site in New Mexico or any other potential consolidated interim storage site, would likely go via rail.

David Victor, chairman of the SONGS Community Engagement Panel, said DOE is moving along with a program to test the rail cars that will be used.

And it looks likely those will be ready soon, Victor said in an email, at which point the weak link will be the lack of a federal program to buy enough rail cars to move the fuel.

Advertisement

Business

rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com

Advertisement

(619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski

ALSO

Moving nuclear waste out of San Onofre: When and how?

First transfer of nuclear waste made at San Onofres storage site

Advertisement

Michael Peevey insists there was no secret San Onofre deal
Just a year after opening the tony Pendry hotel in downtown San Diego, developer Robert Green is hoping to open a second Gaslamp Quarter hotel, which would be located on the block occupied by the now closed Dicks Last Resort.

While in the very early stages of planning, Greens hotel development company already has completed the first crucial step in the development process: control of the land.

Late last year, the Encinitas-based Robert Green Company negotiated a 99-year ground lease for nearly all of the block bounded by Fourth and Fifth avenues and J and K streets. Much of the block is occupied by current or vacant dining venues, including Dicks, which has been vacant since 2016; the Thai restaurant Rama, also closed; and the Gaslamp Strip Club and Joltn Joes, both currently operating.

The ground lease is the same vehicle Green used for acquiring the land for development of the 317-room Pendry across the street at Fifth Avenue and J street.

Advertisement

The family across the street approached us about doing the same kind of lease structure, and we felt really good about where things were going for the Pendry, Green said. We love the market and the concept of a high quality hotel with really good food and beverage and decided theres some demand in the market for something similar.

Green, who expects the development cost will be similar to the $120 million spent on the Pendry, expects to be ready to turn in his specific hotel plans by this summer to Civic San Diego, the citys downtown development arm.

Like the Pendry, it would be about 12 stories high but would have fewer rooms, about 250 to 270, said Green, and would not be quite as upscale. He has not landed yet on a preferred brand that he hopes will distinguish the property from what he sees as more traditional chains.

There are some really great brands out there that are not as high a price point as the Pendry, he said. Theyre not mid-scale or extended stay but brands like Virgin, Joie de Vivre, W and Kimpton. We want something thats unique and compelling with a decent price point but not super expensive and not economy either.

Greens ambitions for downtown come at a time when San Diego is seeing increasing hotel development activity following a years-long drought. In downtown alone, there are hotels accounting for more than 2,500 rooms in the planning stage, including a Ritz Carlton that has been approved but is being held up because of ongoing litigation.

And that doesnt count the hotels envisioned as part of the redevelopment of Seaport Village and Harbor Island, as well as an 833-room hotel Green is proposing with partners Art Engel and Ray Carpenter, who control the bayfront site behind the convention center via a lease with the Port of San Diego.

Meanwhile, the 400-room Intercontinental hotel on the waterfront is due to open this fall.

Greens latest hotel proposal would have the advantage of a well-situated location in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter, just across Harbor Drive from the convention center.

Advertisement

As confident as Green is about the appeal of downtown as an economic driver for hotels, he also understands the difficulty of timing the hotel market.

These hotel projects take years to put together, so you cant sit around and wait until everything is good and then think about building a hotel, said Green, whose company currently has more than 1,700 hotel rooms in development or in construction in California. You have to start now, and if youre lucky youll get one under construction in three years and maybe it opens in six years. For the Pendry, I acquired that ground lease in early 2012 and didnt open until 2017.

Brad Richter, assistant vice president for Civic San Diego, believes that the Gaslamp Quarter location is key to boosting the chances of success for Greens proposal.

Its hard to get a better location than close to the Gaslamp and the convention center, he said.

Advertisement

In the meantime, Green will be collecting rent from the existing businesses on the 31,000-square-foot site and is searching for prospective tenants for the closed restaurants.

Advertisement

Business

lori.weisberg@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-2251

Twitter: @loriweisberg
A horse rescue operation in Valley Center is facing scrutiny from at least a half-dozen local and state agencies for offenses ranging from overdue paperwork to code violations to animal cruelty.

The investigations of HiCaliber Horse Rescue were prompted by an avalanche of complaints over the last several months from competing rescue operations and horse enthusiasts and fueled by an intense Internet campaign.

They allege the organization and its head, Michelle Cochran Knuttila, have been euthanizing horses at an alarming rate. They also say she uses a business model that essentially amounts to a con game: HiCaliber will raise funds to rescue horses, sometimes specific horses, then kill them the next day and pocket the cash.

But at least one investigation has cleared the group of wrongdoing. A chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, enlisted by the County of San Diego, recently found no grounds to support allegations of animal cruelty.

Advertisement

They went down there and spent the day with them and determined there was nothing to investigate any further, said county spokesman Michael Workman.

Cochran, who goes by her maiden name, denies all animal cruelty allegations and says she and HiCaliber will be cleared of any wrongdoing.

She does admit to being delinquent in filing tax paperwork; she was ordered this week by the state Attorney Generals office to cease fundraising activities until she submits the proper federal and state tax forms.

Cochran said the relentless Internet attacks in the last six months, and recent news stories, may have doomed her operation.

The sad thing of this whole thing is they have gained so much momentum, she said in an interview Tuesday. People who were friends are now foe and they have gone after us from every which way and I cant keep up anymore. Im just buried in it.

Im thankful because the investigations will consistently prove we are not doing anything wrong. But I dont know that it will be soon enough. I dont know if we can survive it because weve already been hung in the eyes of the public.

Workman said the county does have a couple other code compliance investigations ongoing. However, he said they are relatively minor and would likely not amount to anything serious enough to consider shutting the operation down.

Complaints to the county include allegations of excessive horse deaths, excessive manure, inappropriate storage of horse carcasses, and issues regarding the number of horses permitted on the property, according to documents provided by the county.

Advertisement

The Attorney Generals Charity Division is also investigating HiCaliber fundraising techniques, and the states Veterinary Medical Board is looking into possible rules violations, according to county documents Those investigations are ongoing.

Some have complained that Cochran will raise funds via Internet videos designed to rescue one particular horse, but once purchased the horse is killed or not properly cared for and the donated money is absorbed by the organization. Others say excess money raised to rescue one horse that is later adopted out, should follow that horse, but never does.

According to the online investigative news outlet inewsource, there are also reports of at least preliminary investigations being conducted by several district attorney offices in Southern California, though the offices will not confirm the investigations, which is routine.

HiCaliber has at times had more than 200 horses on its 16-acre ranch, a violation of county code. Cochran said they are working with the county to reduce the number of animals on the property to 100, and to get that properly permitted.

Advertisement

They will often travel to auctions where they find themselves competing with kill buyers who want to take the horses to slaughterhouses in Mexico or Canada where they will be made into dog food.

Cochrans organization will use donated money, purchase the horses and take them back to the ranch. Some horses, she says, cant be rehabilitated for a number of reasons but she believes killing those horses  a gunshot to the head -- is more humane than forcing them into a long haul to a slaughterhouse.

Weve said from the beginning were cleaning up societys mess, she said. We specifically seek out horses that are suffering that need to be relieved of that suffering rather through rehabilitation or euthanasia. We dont discriminate.

She said about 17 percent of the rescued horses are put down.

Advertisement

Cochran is in some ways a larger-than-life character. Prone to extreme profanity and an in-your-face attitude, she thinks her interpersonal skills are the cause of many of HiCalibers problems.

We are very edgy and outspoken and dont generally play by the politically correct, rainbow-and-butterfly rules, she said. And that threatens people. They look at me and ask, how is this girl with tattoos, piercings and purple hair able to come onto the scene and drop all these F-bombs and sweep all our numbers?

She said HiCalibers success has angered many in the field and has been the object of scorn by some for a long time

Four years ago, she asked the Union-Tribune not to report the exact location of her operation because of all the haters out there who didnt like HiCalibers methods, partly because HiCaliber was getting donations that had been going elsewhere.

Advertisement

Cochran said in a good month, as much as $85,000 could be raised by the organization, but starting about a half-year ago, when the Internet attacks began to multiply and investigations began, fundraising began to suffer.

Cochran says the goal of the rescue is two-fold. Ideally, a horse can be saved, rehabilitated and then adopted out. Many other rescue operations, she says, stay away from hopeless cases because they dont want to get involved in the euthanasia controversy for the very reason that HiCaliber is now facing.

There is a lot of public backlash with euthanasia, she said. People dont want to know, they dont want to face the reality. When the alternative is slaughter or suffering, we have taken a stand and said euthanasia has to be an option. You have to hate slaughter and suffering more than you hate euthanasia.

If its going to cost $25,000 to save one horse, we feel that that money is better spent saving 20 horses.

Advertisement

She said HiCaliber will also rescue horses that are indeed hopeless and must be put down. Better that, she said, then to let them suffer for days or weeks or months before eventually being slaughtered.

Advertisement

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
School shootings are preventable because most attackers announce their intentions, District Attorney Summer Stephan told about 500 concerned parents at a school safety forum in Rancho Penasquitos Tuesday night.

In 93 percent of school shootings, they said something, and told someone, what they planned on doing, she said. In 70 percent of cases, they told two people.

For anyone who finds themselves the unwitting confidant of such plans, she said, Its a moral responsibility to tell someone.

The forum covered strategies for preventing school threats, as well as nuts and bolts details about how the schools would respond to a threat, transport students in an emergency, and then reunite them with their parents.

Advertisement

In the event of a school emergency, campuses will go into lockdown, with students and teachers closing and locking doors and windows, shutting off cellphones and remaining silent, said Todd Cassen, executive director of comprehensive programs for the Poway Unified School District.

Bus drivers with the district prepare for evacuation and have gained live experience evacuating students through three wildfires in the area, said Tim Purvis, director of communication.

Although the district strives to keep parents informed, officials attend to emergencies before sending out notice, said Christine Paik, communications director for the district.

Safety will always come first, Paik said. But that sometimes mean the need to know will not supersede safety. That means that when theres a crisis on the campus, you want campus administrators making sure that the campus is safe, and their kids are secure, before theyre running off to their offices to send out messages.

The district also encouraged parents and community members to use a new tip-line for school threats or incidents. The line, 1-844-PUSD-TIP (844-787-3847) will be constantly monitored by officials with the San Diego and Poway Police departments and San Diego County Sheriffs Department, Paik said.

We had an older tip-line, but this one goes directly to law enforcement, she said. This is much more immediate, much more effective at reaching the right people.

Parents said they were impressed.

I thought it was very thorough and addressed a lot of questions that were on our minds, said Jennifer Dettloff-Carter, whose children attend Westview High School and Black Mountain Middle School in Poway. One of the best things they brought up is the communications about threats, as well as preventative measures.

Advertisement

Melinda Huntoon said that she was reassured by the presentation, but said some of the measures she would like to see, such as bans on high capacity magazines, are outside schools jurisdictions.

Until some of the bigger laws change, it will be hard for schools to make us feel safe, she said.

Stephan said that 95 percent of school shooters were students at the campus they targeted, so awareness and vigilance is the best defense against school violence.

Someone is a parent of that kid, she said. Someone is a teacher of that kid. Someone is a friend or knows that kid. So we cant feel that we are not in control, because we are.

Advertisement

deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
Last week, Boy Scouts of America sent 12 youth delegates to Washington, D.C., to deliver its annual Report of the Nation and two of them were from San Diego County.

Sean Golding, 13, of Escondido and Eden Tillotson, 15, of San Diego, were hand-picked for the honor from among 2.2 million members of the Boy Scouts of America.

Their weeklong trip included a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, a selfie with House Speaker Paul Ryan and VIP tours of the Capitol building, Supreme Court, Pentagon, Smithsonian Institution and national monuments.

Golding described the experience as super cool. His three favorite moments during the trip, from Feb. 24 to March 1, were visiting the Lincoln Memorial, touring the White House and laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

Advertisement

The whole experience was breathtaking, he said.

House Speaker Paul Ryan shoots a selfie with the 12 Boy Scouts delegates in Washington, D.C., last week. Two local delegates, seen third from right, are Eden Tillotson, first row, and Sean Golding, second row. (Michael Roytek/Scouting Magazine )

Golding is a Life Scout with Boy Scout Troop 649 in Escondido. Tillotson is a Venturer Scout with Crew 500 and a Sea Scout with Ship 1886. They are longtime friends.

Each year, Boy Scouts compiles a list of its accomplishments that its 12 delegates present to Congressional leaders in Washington. The delegates are chosen by national leaders based on recommendations from the scouts home districts. In most cases, the scouts didnt know they were even nominated until they got the call of congratulations from national headquarters a couple of months ago.

Golding said the day the phone rang, his mom called him downstairs with tears in her eyes.

I dont have words to express the thoughts that went through my head. I was shocked beyond my imagination, he said.

Golding, an 8th-grader at Bear Valley Middle School in Escondido, was honored last summer after saving the life of a 10-year-old girl when she suffered an epileptic seizure in the waters off Moonlight Beach in Encinitas.

Tillotson, a freshman at University City High School, was recently elected president of the Venturing officers association for San Diego and Imperial counties. Although girls are only being admitted to Boy Scout troops this year, the organizations Explorer programs (like Venturer and Sea Scouts) have been open to girls since 1969.

Advertisement

Escondido Boy Scout Sean Golding, 13, admires a historical flag at the U.S. Naval Academy during his weekly visit to Washington, D.C. as a delegate for the Boy Scouts of America. (Michael Roytek / Scouting Magazine )

The other 10 delegates distinguished themselves last year in both scouting and their communities.

Bailey Thompson, an 18-year-old Law Enforcement Explorer scout from Nevada, ran into gunfire last October to rescue 13 concert-goers during a mass slaying in Las Vegas. Blake Deaton, 16, of North Carolina won a national Eagle Scout service project award for building at his high school several sensory education rooms for special needs students like his autistic twin brother. And 12-year-old STEM Scout Anjali Rao of Colorado was named Americas Top Young Scientist of 2017 by the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

Golding said he was in awe of the accomplishments of his fellow delegates.

Advertisement

Every time I heard their stories I was super shocked, he said. Ajali Rao is going to be the next Albert Einstein, I can tell. It was honor just to be in their presence.

Tillotson, who has hiked with her family in Alaska, Peru and Japan, is now studying AP environmental science at University City High School. Her college dream is to earn a degree in science, possibly majoring in epidemiology or neuroscience.

Golding said seeing the nations capital from the inside definitely made him think about a career in Washington, D.C., but hes also interested in becoming a lawyer or brain surgeon.

In the meantime, hes active in youth theater and water and snow sports. Hes also aiming to earn his Eagle Scout merit badge next year.

Advertisement

My main goal is to become an Eagle Scout, he said. That is beyond my wildest dreams and its something thats keeping me moving forward.

Advertisement

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
Farmers opposed to a proposed ballot measure that could help preserve Oceansides disappearing agricultural land have filed a complaint with the Oceanside city clerk, the county district attorney, and the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).

They say organizers of the nonprofit Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources, or SOAR, initiative are violating state and local campaign laws by not filing the financial disclosure forms required by the FPPC.

Oceanside voters ... deserve to know who really is behind this measure, Neil Nagata, an Oceanside farmer and president of the San Diego County Farm Bureau, said Tuesday in a written announcement of the complaint.

SOAR representative Dennis Martinek said in an email Tuesday that he contacted the FPPC in October and was told the group did not need to file until there was an actual ballot issue.

Advertisement

Since we will turn in our signatures March 13, we will submit the appropriate disclosure forms after notification we are on the ballot and can begin our campaign, Martinek said. SOAR is a low-budget, grassroots organization, and we will fully disclose our financials as required.

SOAR promotional materials state the group has raised more than $20,000 and that its goal is $50,000.

According to the FPPC website, a campaign group or committee is required to file a statement of organization, or Form 410, with the city within 10 days after raising at least $2,000.

They have not filed their Form 410, said Oceanside City Clerk Zack Beck.

Additional FPPC reporting requirements take effect when a group begins collecting signatures, when a contribution of $2,000 or more is received from a single individual, and under other conditions. So far, SOAR has filed nothing with the city.

Beck said he has been in contact with the group since November and that he, along with the city attorney and the FPPC, disagree with SOARs interpretation of the rules. However, theres little the city can do.

We are not an enforcement agency, Beck said. We can  encourage them to file, but it is the responsibility of the (committee) or the candidate. The FPPC is the enforcement agency.

FPPC Communications Director Jay Wierenga in Sacramento said Tuesday the commission had received the complaint and had begun the process of determining whether it has merit.

Advertisement

If it is deemed to have merit, that is, theres enough evidence or information included to indicate a potential violation  then an investigation begins, Wierenga said by email.

The initial review generally takes a few days to a few weeks, he said. About two-thirds of investigations are completed within 180 days, and almost 90 percent are finished within a year.

The SOAR initiative, if approved by Oceanside voters, would require a citywide vote to change the city zoning on land now designated for agriculture, parks or open space. For now, that zoning can be changed by a majority vote of the City Council.

The initiative was created in response to the proposed North River Farms, a development that would bring more than 700 homes to 177 acres in the largely agricultural Morro Hills area of northeastern Oceanside.

Advertisement

Supporters of the initiative have greatly outnumbered opponents in recent months at City Council meetings and other community meetings.

However, the opponents, primarily the few large commercial farmers in Morro Hills, have formed their own nonprofit called Keep Farming in Oceanside.

That group has filed five separate financial disclosure documents with the city, including its original Form 410 filed Nov. 16 that lists Michelle Castellano Keeler of Mellano & Company Farms as the groups sponsor.

The most recent document filed by the farmers, a Form 460 filed Feb. 23 and covering all of 2017, states the group had accrued debts of $6,431.21 for the year, mostly to pay for attorneys and informational literature. It had received no contributions and paid none of its expenses.

Advertisement

Despite the keep farming in its name, the anti-SOAR group led by farmers wants to keep all opportunities on the table for the areas largest property owners.

Farmers have said they should be able to sell their land, for residential development if necessary, when agriculture is no longer profitable.

Farming in San Diego County, especially in coastal areas such as Oceanside, becomes more difficult each year as the costs of water and labor increase, and land becomes more valuable.

Advertisement

philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehl
Granger Music Hall holds a special place in Oma Wegeforths heart.

For years, she lived adjacent to the National City landmark, built for her late husbands grandfather, entrepreneur Ralph Granger. Its where Wegeforth and her husband, Lester, hosted countless plays, weddings and other celebrations.

I have so many fond memories, Wegeforth, 95, said last week.

Much to the dismay of Wegefort  and many others  the historic buildings condition has deteriorated over the past decade. Weather conditions, vandals and very little upkeep have contributed to the damage.

Advertisement

Wegeforth has waited anxiously for the city to take action to preserve the music hall, which has been unused for the past decade.

Now, her wish is starting to come true.

National City plans to put forth a proposal that would relocate Granger Music Hall to the Marina District and, subsequently, restore the building  all as part of the Port of San Diegos plans to expand Pepper Park.

In its proposal to the Ports board, National City will include an incentive for the Port to undertake the relocation/rehabilitation project: the city will offer the net proceeds from the sale of the music halls current site to help fund the planned expansion of the 5 -acre park on the waterfront.

Construction for the expansion, which is dependent on the results of an environmental impact report and approval from the California Costal Commission, could begin in late 2019.

Deputy City Manager Brad Raulston said National City has lacked the funds to fix and preserve the music hall, a registered historic site since 1975. Because it is not rented out, the city does not generate revenue.

Raulston said the music halls location on Fourth Street is not ideal to begin with. The building is nestled between Interstate 805 and the California National Guards armory on Palm Avenue.

Its not an attractive location, Raulston said.

Advertisement

Raulston and other proponents of the idea to relocate the music hall believe the waterfront is a much better location, one that will enable the use of the venue once again.

Built in the late 1890s to house Ralph Grangers rare collection of violins, the music hall was relocated once before, in 1969, from its original site on Eighth Street, near Paradise Valley Hospitals current location.

Granger Music Hall in September 1973. (U-T file photo )

The music hall, which was designed by renowned San Diego architect Irving Gill, fell into the hands of the National City Historical Society by way of a donation from Oma Wegeforth.

Advertisement

The nonprofit, which managed the hall for about 30 years, held meetings at the site and rented out the hall to the community for events.

The music hall has not been used since the Historical Society turned it over to the city in 2008. The move occurred with the understanding that the facility was in need of extensive repairs and would remain closed to the public until repairs were completed, according to a city staff report shared with the City Council last month.

Janice Martinelli, the Historical Societys president, said her organization gave up ownership of the music hall because the group wanted the city to relocate the building to the Marina District  an idea that was generally backed by the city and the Port.

Martinelli expressed frustration over what she considered a lack of effort by the city to restore and relocate the music hall all these years.

Advertisement

The building has really suffered so much decay from sitting so long without use, she said.

Raulston said the relocation idea was stalled over the years by other negotiations and discussions between the city and the Port about the land use and facilities at the Marina District.

In May, the city requested an update to a relocation feasibility study done in 2010.

Presented to the city in November, the report includes a site assessment of the music hall, an evaluation of compliance with city codes and regulations, and cost estimates for relocation and restoration options.

Advertisement

According to the report, it would cost an estimated $560,000 to restore the music hall at its current site and roughly $2.4 million to relocate the building to the Marina District and subsequently restore the building.

In regard to the state of the music hall, the report concluded that the overall condition of the building has been downgraded to fair due to years of deferred maintenance.

The report highlights damage the building has suffered over the years, such as an oval window broken by either transients or vandals, carpet on original hardwood flooring damaged by water, sections of the hand-painted ceiling damaged by a partial roof collapse and a roof porch with significant wood deterioration caused by fungi and termites.

The report also points to some steps the city has taken to temporarily fix the issues, including nailing a plastic tarp to the roof and boarding up broken windows.

Advertisement

I think weve done the best with the limited resources, Raulston said. Now its time for everyone to get behind this plan.

For Oma Wegeforth, news of the citys impending proposal was music to her ears.

I think that will make me sleep better, she said.

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Advertisement

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
Michael S. Rosenberg is stepping down as managing director of La Jolla Playhouse to take on the same job title at the McCarter Theatre Center in New Jersey, the Playhouse announced Tuesday.

Rosenbergs departure, effective May 1, closes out a nine-year tenure that saw numerous Playhouse artistic successes and the solidifying of the nonprofit theaters financial footing.

The job he is taking on at the McCarter is the same one vacated last year by Tim Shields, now managing director of San Diegos Old Globe Theatre.

The Playhouse and San Diego have been so incredibly generous to my family and me, and Im so invested personally and professionally in the success of this organization, Rosenberg said by phone Tuesday, shortly before the news was made public.

Advertisement

And I love the work that we do here.

Rosenberg said Playhouse artistic director Christopher Ashley has been a ridiculously generous partner in leading the company, which has an annual budget of about $17 million and is one of the top regional theaters in the country.

He also said he has been particularly proud of the partnerships that have defined numerous Playhouse projects during his time at the institution, including the Without Walls Festival of nonconventional work, collaborations with the University of California San Diego and an array of in-school programs.

The community partnerships weve been able to do with different organizations here are like nothing Ive ever experienced before, Rosenberg said.

I believe strongly that the richness of the work weve done would not be nearly as deep and vibrant and impactful if we had just done it by ourselves.

Before joining the Playhouse, Rosenberg was co-founder and executive director of the Drama Dept., a New York theater collective with which Ashley collaborated several times. Rosenberg launched the group in the mid-1990s with the Tony Award-winning actor Cynthia Nixon and the playwright Douglas Carter Beane.

Im already nostalgic for his time at La Jolla Playhouse, Ashley said by phone from the Marquis Theatre in New York, where hes directing the Broadway premiere of the Playhouse-launched Jimmy Buffett musical Escape to Margaritaville.

Hes been an extraordinary partner. I just think hes an extraordinary manager and has incredible charisma. Hes got an amazing sense of humor and is bold and careful in a great combination. Weve certainly had our share of disagreements over the years, but hes also amazing at figuring out a kind of way forward where everybody wins.

Advertisement

I think we really share a sense of what great theater looks like, and thats really satisfying when youre trying to run an institution together.

And hes leaving us in great shape. This was a fantastically successful year for the Playhouse. There was a 12-month period where we had six shows on Broadway. So certainly in terms of impact, its hard to beat.

Playhouse board chairwoman Margret McBride said in a statement that the board is saddened to see Michael leave the Playhouse, but we wish him well in his new position at the McCarter Theatre Center.

Michael has been a great leader over the last nine years, helping to cement the Playhouses position as one of the most esteemed producing theaters in the country.

Advertisement

He is departing on a supremely high note, with the institution in a healthy financial position. The Playhouse has a strong staff and board leadership structure in place, and we are pleased to report that artistic director Christopher Ashley has recently extended his contract for an additional three years.

Ashley said that after Rosenbergs departure, The transition will be managed by me and (Playhouse general manager) Debby Buchholz and the board.

There was no word yet on a search process or timeline for hiring a new managing director.

Advertisement

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @jimhebert
San Diego-based Capt. John F. Steinberger took bribes from an overseas Navy contractor and had sex multiple times with prostitutes that the contractor bought for him in Malaysia and the Philippines during a tour of the Western Pacific between 2011 and 2012.

Until his guilty plea at a Tuesday court-martial in Virginia, the ex-commander of Destroyer Squadron One also was assigned to Navy Region Southwests Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program that helps the victims of rape and other sex crimes.

Navy Region Southwest officials said that no counselors reported to Steinberger and his primary duty was helping to make slides for briefings about data while his court-martial case percolated through the militarys criminal justice system.

He sat in an office by himself, said Navy Region Southwest spokesman Brian ORourke. He handled analytics. He had nothing to do with the policy of the program, and he commanded nobody here.

Advertisement

A retired chief petty officer, Tonya McKennie, continued to direct counselors in the program, which falls under the Navys Fleet and Family Services wing, and never took orders from Steinberger, according to ORourke.

He wasnt counseling victims. He wasnt doing anything here but crunching numbers, ORourke said.

Steinberger was caught up the Fat Leonard scandal, named for Malaysian tycoon Leonard Glenn Francis of Glenn Defense Marine Asia, which provided port-based supplies and services to Navy ships.

Arrested in a San Diego sting operation in 2012, Francis pleaded guilty three years later and awaits sentencing for bribing military officials to steer ships to his port services, defrauding the Navy of at least $35 million in bogus fees and overcharges.

He routinely plied commanders Navy commanders with cash, Thai SEAL team prostitutes, lavish feasts, resort stays, booze and other perks in exchange for spilling information about ship movements or the prices charged by rival companies vying for lucrative Navy resupply contracts at Pacific Ocean ports.

And according to Steinbergers redacted charge sheets, thats just what he did as commodore of the destroyer squadron attached to the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group in 2011 and 2012. He also attempted to steer business away from Leonards competitors and to the now-defunct Glenn Defense, prosecutors alleged.

In a pretrial agreement, Steinberger, 52, pleaded guilty only to willful dereliction of duty for the bribes that included resort stays, plus a count of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman for frequenting Leonards prostitutes.

As part of his plea deal, prosecutors dropped other graft and criminal conspiracy charges against him.

Advertisement

Steinberger will be administratively discharged from the Navy at a lower rank, receive a punitive letter of reprimand upbraiding him for his misconduct and receive a $10,000 fine.

He appears to have joined Navy Region Southwest in late 2017 after a brief stint under the command of the Undersea Warfighting Development Center in Groton, Conn.

He ended up with us because the Navy pulled his security clearance, said Navy Region Southwests ORourke. He couldnt go to Naval Surface Forces or Third Fleet because he had no clearance.

Steinberger did not return telephone messages seeking comment.

Advertisement

Originally from Santa Clara County, Steinberger was relieved of command of the San Diego-based Destroyer Squadron One on Oct. 12, 2012, after an 18-month tour, according to the Navy. He previously had commanded the guided-missile destroyer Decatur.

Steinbergers co-defendant on Tuesday, Cmdr. Jason Starmer, pleaded guilty to similar prostitution and dereliction of duty charges, plus adultery, which is prosecuted as a crime in the military if it brings the armed forces into disrepute or ruins unit morale.

Assigned to the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., Starmer is a former foreign area officer who helmed the Joint United States Military Advisory Group in Thailand in 2012. He was sentenced to two months of restriction at a base in Washington, D.C., a punitive letter of reprimand and a $3,000 fine.

Advertisement

Military Videos  On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France  at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal

cprine@sduniontribune.com
In the wake of rising outcry in San Diego of cross-border flows of contaminated water, trash and sediment from Tijuana, Mexico is moving ahead with a series of short-term upgrades to Tijuanas sewage collection and treatment system aimed at preventing such incidents, and responding with greater speed should they occur.

These efforts include upgrading a key piece of infrastructure in Tijuana known as Pump Station CILA that is critical for preventing dry weather flows in the Tijuana River channel from crossing into the United States.

The short-term projects, spearheaded by Baja Californias utility agency, CESPT, and Mexicos National Water Commission, also include the $2.8-million replacement of a large sewage collector pipe, and about $10.6 million to refurbish the citys failing main treatment plant about six miles down the coast from San Diego. They are scheduled for completion this year.

We are in a crisis in a sense that the infrastructure was built about 30 years ago, and cities grow, said Roberto Salmon, commissioner of Mexican side of the International Boundary and Water Commission, a binational agency that oversees boundary and water disputes all along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Advertisement

Salmon and his U.S. counterpart, Edward Drusina, were in San Diego on Monday and Tuesday, meeting with representatives of civic groups, members of U.S. and Mexican citizens advisory boards, and officials with government agencies about short, medium and long-term efforts to stop the cross-border flow of sewage, trash and sediment.

The commissioners were interviewed at the Mexican Consulate in San Diego following a meeting that included representatives of Mexican government agencies, the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana, and civil society stakeholders from both sides of the border.

The work of the commission, whose headquarters are in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, has been the subject of blistering criticism in recent weeks by some local officials in San Diego County, who accuse the U.S. side commission of failing to control sewage, trash and other contaminants that flow across the border from Mexico down the Tijuana River watershed.

Last Friday, the cities of Imperial Beach, Chula Vista and the Port of San Diego filed suit against the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission and its contractor, Veolia Water North America, charging they repeatedly failed to take measures to address devastating pollution discharges in violation of the Clean Water Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

U.S. Commissioner Drusina declined to comment on the allegations. But he stressed the commissions commitment to solving the problem of cross-border contamination in the Tijuana River watershed, a 1,735-square-mile area that spans Tijuana and San Diego, emptying into the Pacific Ocean at Imperial Beach. Seventy percent of its area is in Mexico.

The CILA Pump station on the U.S. border is a key piece of infrastructure whose function is to prevent dry-weather flows in the Tijuana River channel from crossing the border. (Sandra Dibble )

With aging infrastructure and rapid population growth, Tijuana shares a challenge faced by other communities along the U.S.-Mexico border, the commissioners said.

There have been hundreds of millions of dollars spent, in the Tijuana-San Diego region on sewage collection and treatment infrastructure, Drusina said. But with the enormous growth thats occurring all along the border, its caused the infrastructure to be taken to its limits. And as the infrastructure ages, it will collapse.

Advertisement

Estimates for Tijuanas needed upgrades and expansion have ranged from $280 million to close to $500 million, but the CESPT lacks the funding to carry these out. In the meantime, they are focusing on the most immediate issues.

Drusina said much of the funding to support infrastructure projects in Tijuana and other border communities in recent years has come not from the commissionbut from the North American Development Bank, a bi-national financial institution created under the auspices of the North American Free Trade Agreement and funded by the U.S. and Mexican governments. The bank has channeled $124.38 million in bank loans, Mexican matching funding, as well as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants made through its Border Environment Infrastructure Fund.

Though the issue of cross-border contamination has simmered for decades, the spill in February 2017 of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Tijuana River channel following the collapse of a major collector in Tijuana has given rise to renewed insistence that authorities resolve the issue of contaminated flows from Mexico, which harm ecosystems and pose a public health threat, leading to beach closures.

The spill was completely unacceptable, Drusina said. CESPT has since acquired pumps that would allow them to react quickly if such a a collapse is repeated, he said.

Advertisement

There are instances of very poor water quality crossing the border, there is no question about that, Drusina said. We recognize that the maintenance of the system needs improvement. It needs more funding and were happy to hear that Mexico is making a very strong effort to get us back up to where we wont have these threats of collapses.

Drusina and Salmon said the key path forward is through a 2015 agreement known as Minute 320. The accord, which amends the 1944 U.S.-Mexico water treaty, sets up binational working groups to address water quality, sediment control, and solid waste in the watershed, but identifies no funding for these issues.

Local advocacy and participation will be critical to moving forward, the commissioners said. The IBWC put the vehicle there, but were not driving the vehicle, Salmon said.

The commission is working with the sediment control group on a proposal to build up to three sediment basins in the watershed. The first step is obtaining funding for a feasibility study, Drusina said. I know thats frustrating to the public, but you dont want to make major investments on a project without having already determined that its going to work.

Advertisement

sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com

@sandradibble
When a boisterous crowd of supporters of President Donald Trumps border wall gathered Dec. 9 on Otay Mesa, not far from where eight wall models were constructed, they came for a rally in support of the project.

At some point a small group of counter-protesters approached the rally chanting anti-Trump and anti-wall slogans. Despite a heavy contingent of sheriffs deputies, the two groups briefly clashed, touching off several scuffles and fights.

No one was seriously injured, no arrests were made and the rally  which featured speakers including Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine  went off without further problems.

Now almost three months later, the District Attorneys office is reviewing investigative reports about the brawl, weighing if any criminal charges should be filed.

Advertisement

The report by the Sheriffs Department, which included reviews of numerous videos and photos that captured the conflict, was submitted to prosecutors the first week of February, department media relations director Lt. Karen Stubkjaer said. In the days after the fracas, Stubkjaer said, several individuals she did not identify made crime reports saying they were victims in the fights, triggering the investigation.

The reports are still under review, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Summer Stephan said Tuesday, and no decision on whether charges will be filed has been made.

The December rally marked the first time that the county had invoked a new ordinance, known as a Temporary Area Restriction, that county supervisors approved in September when the border wall prototypes were under construction.

Amid fears of massive protests over the project, the ordinance was hastily adopted. It was never deployed during the month-long construction of the border wall prototypes because the protests never materialized.

The law allows the sheriff temporarily to limit access to public space and bans items  everything from guns and knives to slingshots and bear spray  within an anticipated protest area. Poles, including those used for signs and banners, were included in the list of prohibited items banned for that day, according to the official notice announcing the temporary restriction posted for that day.

Videos and still photos of the fights show some protesters using flagpoles to strike opponents, in what appears to be a violation of the new ordinance. Stubkjaer did not specifically say why no one was cited or arrested for violating the ordinance, which was put in place by officials concerned over the kind of scenario that played out at the rally.

The staff on scene for this protest made the decision to handle the TARs and subsequent violations in the way they did based on numerous circumstances, she said in an email response to questions.

The outcome of the Dec. 9 rally led the department to come up with procedures for the next time the ordinance is used, she said. While the notice for that day banned poles for signs and banners, about a month later the county invoked the ordinance for a second time  believing another set of protests was planned, perhaps in connection with a rumored visit by Trump, which never occurred.

Advertisement

That second notice still banned poles, but added flags to the signs and banners portion of the posted notice.

There has been an in-depth internal review about TARs and how best to enforce them since that time, she said. In anticipation of possible future protests at that site, or anywhere else, the department has developed strategies to educate the demonstrators on the TAR restrictions. Individuals who are in possession of restricted items prior to an event will be provided the opportunity to return the items to their vehicles or, as an alternative, can leave the event. Otherwise, restricted items will be seized. The TARs will be enforced for those who do not comply.

Violating the ordinance is a misdemeanor potentially punishable with a six-month jail term and fine of up to $1,000.

The conflict began when a small group of anti-wall protesters marched down Enrico Fermi Place toward the rally site. The group of about 20 arrived around 20 minutes into the rally and chanted, No ban. No wall. Amnesty for all and Racists, go home.

Advertisement

Though sheriffs deputies were already in place, lined up to separate protesters from the rally site, Stubkjaer said that some members of each group circumvented security measures and confronted each other.

Advertisement

Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
Serge Dedina said some time ago a Mexican businessman gave him some advice he has taken to heart: If you hope to solve the border sewage problem, make a lot of noise.

The Imperial Beach mayor has been doing just that, particularly since February 2017 when a massive amount of sewage flowed from south of the border into the Tijuana River Valley and the ocean  closing beaches for miles.

After months of haranguing international panels, government agencies on both sides of the border and giving numerous media interviews, Dedina is now among those overseeing a long-awaited lawsuit filed by his city, Chula Vista and the Port of San Diego.

Curiously missing from that lineup, however, are potentially the regions biggest noisemakers: the county and city of San Diego, even though they had said they would join the legal battle last fall. They are keeping their options open.

Advertisement

Dedina is disappointed to say the least, but wont comment, and instead is focusing on other moves.

He said hes working with environmental attorneys in Mexico who are exploring legal action in international court as well as lawsuits in Mexican courts.

My constituents want us to be aggressive as possible, Dedina said.

Independently, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency is quietly seeking a solution to the toxic waters the Border Patrol union says are making its members sick, according to a report by the Union-Tribunes Greg Moran.

Last week, Imperial Beach, Chula Vista and the port sued the U.S. side of the International Boundary and Water Commission, claiming violations of the Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

The IBWC oversees water treaties with Mexico and helps usher through projects along the border.

Both the city and the county said they are still reviewing the matter and may eventually join the lawsuit, but havent shed much light on why they didnt. On the city side, apparently some legal concerns still need to be ironed out, though its unclear whether thats a major hurdle.

The city noted that it joined the others in filing a formal notice of intent to sue the IBWC in October. Since then, San Diego said it has had discussions with the commission and joined the others in issuing demands for solutions to the problem.

Advertisement

The City just received IBWCs responses to the local agency demands on March 1st, and is still evaluating its options, city spokeswoman Katie Keach said in a statement Friday. These options will be presented to the City Council, which will make the final decision about whether to initiate formal litigation.

County Supervisor Greg Cox, whose South Bay district is most affected by the contamination, said the Board of Supervisors hasnt met to discuss what action to take regarding the lawsuit. The county is the leading public health agency in the region.

Cox has been in Washington this week at a meeting of the National Association of Counties. As incoming president of the organization, he chaired a meeting on Monday with other border county officials and representatives of federal agencies to discuss border problems, infrastructure and investment.

I emphasized the need for major investment in border infrastructure to fix the Tijuana River Valley sewage issue once and for all, he said in a statement.

Advertisement

Dedina said there appeared to be a deal at hand last July that would have provided tens of millions of dollars from the U.S. and Mexican governments. But money was not included in the EPAs budget, he said.

They appealed to members of the House Appropriations Committee, to no avail.

The message was, Nobody cares about this issue, he said.

He contends there are funds available to do whats needed.

Advertisement

They could fix this problem tomorrow with the money they already have, he said. ...This is not a moonshot. Were talking about laying concrete, getting some pumps, he said.

Dedina and others are frustrated by the inaction, and believe legal pressure will work.

My prediction is well get faster results in court than people think, he said.

A few decades ago, coordinated action at the local, state and federal levels led to projects that stemmed the daily flow of millions of gallons of sewage from Tijuana into the river. That breakthrough was widely lauded, but even then it was clear that growth in Tijuana eventually would overwhelm those fixes.

Advertisement

San Diego is stronger if we collaborate, said Port Commissioner Dan Malcolm. Its a San Diego regional issue.

He said Mexico is surely to blame, but responsibility rests with the U.S. federal government under the Clean Water Act.

Yeah, it would be great if Mexico would take care of it, but the federal government right now is violating the law, he said.

The city and county reluctance to join the legal action could be temporary. And Dedina was effusive in his praise of the business community, particularly the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, in pushing for solutions.

Advertisement

He also credited the Smart Border Coalition, a group of binational business, academic and civic leaders, for taking up the cause even though its primary focus is on making border crossings more efficient for people and cargo.

We have a much more robust coalition, Dedina said.

Border Patrol concerns have put the issue of the radar of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, but other than that, not much has been heard from the federal government.

The administrations hard-line stances on immigration and trade may have made addressing border issues more complicated. President Donald Trump is expected to visit San Diego later this month to inspect the prototypes built for his proposed expanded border wall.

Advertisement

At this stage, there are no publicly known plans for him to tour the Tijuana River Valley or get a briefing on the issues there. Thats probably a good thing. Its hard to imagine involvement by this president leading to a solution.

More likely, the sewage problem would become another bellicose pressure point in his ever-deteriorating relations with Mexico.

Besides, we already know who Trump would say should pay for it.
A paralegal specialist for the FBI in San Diego pleaded guilty Wednesday to embezzling nearly $160,000 in government funds, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

As a paralegal specialist, Lynn M. Morris provided legal and administrative support to the FBIs Asset Forfeiture Unit and was the units designated coordinator. Morris, 51, admitted in her plea to stealing asset forfeiture funds  money and property seized from suspected criminals  and depositing portions into her personal checking account for her own use.

She admitted the embezzlement stretched from July 2014 to November 2016.

The case was investigated by the DOJ Office of the Inspector General. No further information was released.

Advertisement

She is set to be sentenced June 4 in San Diego federal court.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
As Southern California continues to embrace dockless bike sharing, a new player in the app-based mobility market has picked up considerable momentum  electric scooters.

These motorized scooters have created a challenge for local authorities as riders of all ages from beach communities to urban centers have in recent weeks and months been riding illegally on sidewalks and without helmets.

Like dockless rental bikes, users can unlock the scooters using a smart phone and then drop them anywhere. The business comes in contrast to the docked model, where users must pick up and return bikes to a fixed station.

Most recently, the city of San Diego seems to have been caught flatfooted enforcing state laws on the increasingly popular motorized scooters.

Advertisement

While the police department has said its cracking down on such illegal behavior, riders from downtown to Pacific Beach can be found on any given day careening on and off busy sidewalks, most often without helmets.

Riding in traffic can feel unsafe, said Tony Cai, 23, who was running errands on an electric scooter in downtown San Diego on Monday. It depends on if theres a designated bike lane. If its not really clear, Id rather ride a little bit slower on the sidewalks.

While the city has plans to dramatically expand bike lanes in downtown, the vision has yet to be realized.

Residents have now started to express frustration at the potentially dangerous situation as motorized scooters join the thousands of freestanding rental bikes strewn about the city.

Im a fan of the bicycles, but these people on the scooters are an accident waiting to happen, said Dave Gapp, 62, who said he and his wife almost crashed into three people zipping down the sidewalk on scooters in front of Petco Park.

We were afraid we were going to be hit, he added. If a 200-pound person going even 10 MPH runs into someone thats going to cause considerable damage.

In response to questions about public safety, Mayor Kevin Faulconers office provided few details on what if anything the city plans to do to address the situation.

People should follow the laws and take appropriate safety precautions, Greg Block, senior press secretary for Faulconer, said in an email.

Advertisement

Im a fan of the bicycles, but these people on the scooters are an accident waiting to happen, Dave Gapp, 62, East Village resident

Two people ride Bird scooters along Fourth Avenue on Thursday in Downtown San Diego, California. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune )

The Santa Monica-based company Bird pioneered the electric scooter business model in Southern California, launching in September to much fanfare and quickly expanding to Venice and now San Diego.

Bay Area startup LimeBike took notice and recently launched its own electric scooter option, currently available only in San Diego.

Advertisement

Weve been blown away by the number of rides weve gotten in the first few weeks, Zack Bartlett, general manager in San Diego for LimeBike, said of the electric scooters.

However, Bird has had something of a bumpy start, with the city of Santa Monica cracking down on the local startup last month following a number of accidents, including a severe head injury and a broken arm.

After the city sued Bird for operating without a business license, the company agreed to pay $300,000 in fines and other fees, as well as roll out a public safety campaign.

As a result of talks with the city, Bird started giving away free helmets to consumers that request one through the app, which now takes users through the rules of the road upon installation.

Advertisement

The company said it also reduced the speed of its scooters from 22 to 15 MPH shortly after launching last fall.

Ideally we want to educate people, said Kenneth Baer, spokesperson for Bird. But we cant monitor everything people do once they get a Bird.

To that end, the Santa Monica police department started aggressively ticketing those riding on the sidewalk, said city spokeswoman Constance Farrell.

Weve seen a lot of behavior thats very unsafe, and so they are in fact enforcing rules through citations, she said. Our biggest concern is that a lot of young people, children, preteens, see these as toys.

Advertisement

The San Diego Police Department said it has been enforcing the laws around motorized scooters but would not provide statistics on the number of citations its issued in the last year to people illegally riding bicycles or scooters on the side walk.

We are aware of the safety issues they are causing and have been enforcing the laws related to these, police spokesman Billy Hernandez said in an email.

A person rides a LimeBike scooter along Broadway Street on Thursday in Downtown San Diego, California. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune )

In Pacific Beach  where Bird first launched in San Diego  tensions over the electric scooters have been running high.

Advertisement

I live in Pacific Beach and theyre everywhere running red lights, said Hayden Noel, 58, who drives for Lyft. The police arent ticketing anyone.

Theyre such a nuisance, he added. Im assuming theres going to be a fatality in the next 10 days.

While numerous people could be seen riding the scooters up and down Garnet Avenue this week, Sara Berns, executive director at Discover Pacific Beach, said that police officers have recently started citing people for riding on the sidewalk.

I think partly people dont know the rules, she said. We hear all the time that people dont know theyre not allowed to be on the sidewalk.

Advertisement

Electric scooter and dockless bike sharing companies typically carry liability insurance and often have contracts that indemnify local governments from legal responsibility in case of accidents.

*A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the terms of a settlement agreement between the city of Santa Monica and the electric scooter rental company Bird.

Advertisement

Twitter: @jemersmith

Phone: (619) 293-2234

Advertisement

Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com
When the nations education chief showed up Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, a lot of students were less than impressed.

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was there on the first full day of classes since the Feb. 14 shooting that killed 17 people and wounded 17 others.

Reporters were kept away from the campus, but students shared their reactions on social media.

Betsy DeVos came to my school, talked to three people, and pet a dog, tweeted one student named Alanna.

Advertisement

Another student played off a DeVos tweet in which the education secretary wrote, Be different. Be bold. Try something unexpected. Do something new.

Do something unexpected: Answer our questions, wrote Aly Sheehy.  You came to our school just for publicity and avoided our questions for the 90 minutes you were actually here. How about you actually do your job?

Even before DeVos got there, several students expressed displeasure about her visit.

Good thing I was already planning on sleeping in tomorrow, tweeted senior Emma Gonzalez, a leader in the student movement for stricter gun control.

Literally no one asked for this, tweeted another student, Sarah Chadwick, who also has been active in the gun-control movement.

Literally no one asked for this https://t.co/79A54IbIht  Sarah Chadwick (@Sarahchadwickk) March 7, 2018

I did, actually, said Kyle Kashuv, a conservative student at the school who opposes the gun restrictions. @BetsyDeVosED @BetsyDeVos is an American patriot and is the Sec. of EDUCATION which means she is a great person to talk with about SCHOOL safety.

During the visit, De Vos and Stoneman Douglas Principal Ty Thompson observed and reflected on the site of the shooting by laying a wreath outside the fence of the building, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Education.

Advertisement

Join the conversation at the Sun Sentinels Facebook group, where people are discussing the tragedy and the movement 

It also said DeVos talked with students and teachers who were in the auditorium, working on individual projects.

Devos told reporters later, Were committed not only to listening but to action, but she gave no specifics during a nine-minute briefing at a Coral Springs hotel.

DeVos said students gave her mixed responses about how they are doing.

Advertisement

Some are doing quite well, but all acknowledge its a day-to-day situation, she said. Some students who were in the building involved, its very tough for them.

The education secretary also met with students on the school newspaper.

They were obviously very interested in seeing what the adults are going to do about this situation, what theyre doing to find common solutions, she said.

DeVos said she didnt talk to teachers about the proposal to arm teachers, made by President Donald Trump and debated in the state legislature.

Advertisement

She told reporters she supported the idea to arm trained staff, but only if communities want it. She said she doesnt think it should be forced on school districts.

She cited a program in Polk County as a model, even though state law doesnt permit anyone other than law enforcement officers to have guns on campus. The sheriff there has started a program to train educators at private colleges, as well as public institutions if it becomes legal.

Staff writer Erika Pesantes contributed to this report.
The Justice Department dramatically escalated its war on sanctuary jurisdictions Tuesday, alleging in a lawsuit that the state of California has violated the Constitution with laws that are friendly to undocumented immigrants.

In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento just after 9 p.m. Eastern time, the Justice Department alleged that three recently enacted California laws obstruct enforcement of federal immigration law and harm public safety.

The Justice Department asked a federal judge to block the California laws, which restrict how state businesses and law enforcement agencies can cooperate with immigration authorities. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is to address the lawsuit in a speech Wednesday at the California Peace Officers Associations 26th Annual Law Enforcement Day, saying, in part: We are fighting to make your jobs safer and to help you reduce crime in America. And I believe we are going to win, according to an excerpt of his prepared remarks.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, D, said Tuesday night that while he had yet to examine what the Justice Department filed, he felt the state was abiding by the Constitution and cooperating with its federal partners to foster public safety.

Advertisement

States and local jurisdictions have the right to determine which policies are best for their communities, he said.

California Gov. Jerry Brown, D, wrote on Twitter, At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they dont work here. SAD!!!

The Trump administration and the Justice Department have been waging an increasingly acrimonious battle with sanctuary jurisdictions, although the latest lawsuit is perhaps the most consequential step yet. It sets up a clash not just on what is the best immigration policy to promote public safety, but also on what power the federal government should exert over the states.

Although the court is being asked to consider only California, which this year became a sanctuary state to some fanfare, the courts decision could have far-reaching consequences for other jurisdictions with similar policies. There is no formal definition of a sanctuary jurisdiction, but the Justice Department has put dozens of other locales in its crosshairs, this year threatening to subpoena 23 jurisdictions, including Chicago and New York City, that it suspects of unlawfully interfering with federal immigration enforcement.

A senior Justice Department official said department lawyers are still evaluating other places laws and could bring other lawsuits - although the measures California passed stood out as being especially high-profile and transgressive of what Sessions thought was constitutional.

Becerra has proved to be a thorn in the Trump administrations side. He noted in a recent interview with The Washington Post that the state had 28 lawsuits against the Trump administration and - at that time - had not lost a case. Later that day, a judge ruled against the state in a suit over the Trump administrations move to try to expedite border-wall construction.

Our track record so far when it comes to any dispute with the federal government has been pretty good on this count, Becerra said Tuesday night.

The new lawsuit takes aim at three California laws: Assembly Bill 450, which prohibits private employers from giving immigration officials access to workplaces or documents for enforcement without a court order; Assembly Bill 103, which created a state inspection system for immigration detention facilities; and Senate Bill 54, which limits what state and local law enforcement authorities can communicate about some suspects and which people they can transfer to federal custody.

Advertisement

The suit argues that the measures are preempted by federal law and thus violate the Constitutions Supremacy Clause. A senior Justice Department official said the department hopes a judge will be able to take action in the case in a matter of weeks, after setting a briefing schedule for California to respond.

The provisions of state law at issue have the purpose and effect of making it more difficult for federal immigration officers to carry out their responsibilities in California, Justice Department lawyers wrote. The Supremacy Clause does not allow California to obstruct the United States ability to enforce laws that Congress has enacted or to take actions entrusted to it by the Constitution.

The Justice Departments suing states over their laws is uncommon but not unheard of. Toward the end of President Barack Obamas tenure, his administration sued North Carolina over what came to be known as the bathroom bill, which barred transgender people from using restrooms that did not correspond with the sex on their birth certificates. The state ultimately repealed and replaced the measure, and the Trump Justice Department said that meant the case should be dropped.

The Justice Department during the Obama administration also sued North Carolina and Texas over their voter ID laws, and it sued Arizona over a law designed to crack down on illegal immigration. That case ultimately made it to the Supreme Court, which struck down portions of the law but let stand the provision requiring police officers to check the immigration status of people they detained and suspected were in the country without legal documentation.

Advertisement

Former Attorney General Eric Holder Jr., who was tapped to represent the California State Senate in private practice, opined in a letter that Senate Bill 54 fully complies with the Constitution and federal law.

President Donald Trump effectively declared war on sanctuary jurisdictions within a week of taking office, signing an executive order stating that such places have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic and threatening to withhold federal funds from them. That order, though, triggered legal challenges, and in April, the administration suffered a setback when a federal judge in San Francisco blocked the orders implementation.

Later, a judge in Chicago similarly ruled that the attorney general had exceeded his authority in tying federal grant money to jurisdictions cooperation with immigration officials, and a judge in Philadelphia ruled that the city was in compliance with immigration law and blocked the Justice Department from withholding money there.

This time, the Justice Department will enter court as the plaintiff in a suit, forcing California to appear as the defendant and make the case that its actions are legal.

Advertisement

California is not the only jurisdiction to draw the ire of the Justice Department, but tensions between Justice and the state have been particularly acute. As Brown was contemplating signing a law late last year that would limit how state and local police could cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, Sessions said publicly that the measure would endanger law enforcement officers and neighborhoods. Brown ultimately signed it.

Last month, Oaklands Democratic mayor warned residents that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was planning a raid, just before authorities took into custody more than 150 people in Northern California suspected of violating immigration laws.

ICE Deputy Director Thomas Homan said that hundreds were able to dodge the operation, thanks to the mayors irresponsible decision.

In a statement released about the new lawsuit, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said: California has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and responsibility of the Congress to protect our homeland. I appreciate the efforts of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Department of Justice to uphold the rule of law and protect American communities.
The San Diego City Council approved legislation Tuesday that aims to create more housing for moderate-income residents, including market-rate micro units averaging 600 square feet.

The council unanimously approved a series of incentives that allow developers to build larger housing projects if they set aside some of the units for low-income seniors, former foster youth, disabled military veterans or homeless people.

The new legislation also allows developers to double the size of a project if it will consist entirely of micro units with an average size of 600 square feet and no units larger than 800 square feet.

Such units could help alleviate San Diegos affordable housing crisis by naturally lowering market-rate rents, supporters said.

Advertisement

More than 60 percent of San Diegans cant afford to buy a house at the countys median home cost of more than $500,000  making San Diego one of the least affordable markets in the country.

After the vote, Councilwoman Georgette Gomez of City Heights praised the incentives.

It is important for us to use every tool available to increase the housing stock in our city, she said in a news release. Easing regulations for development and finding creative solutions to encourage the production of more affordable housing is crucial.

Supporters characterized the new incentives as a trade-off rather than a giveaway to developers, saying that developers only get to reap profits from extra units if they agree to lower rents in at least 10 percent of the units.

The incentives, which loosen the citys decade-old density bonus regulations, also aim to preserve neighborhood character by mandating that the extra units cant enlarge the footprint of a project beyond what would have been allowed.

The incentives were characterized as an important step forward, but many supporters said the city should consider toughening its inclusionary housing requirements.

Instead of just encouraging developers to set aside units for low-income residents, a stronger inclusionary policy would require for-profit developers to set aside as much as 25 percent of a projects units for such tenants.

The incentives are part of Mayor Kevin Faulconers multi-prong effort to boost local housing affordability.

Advertisement

We need more housing that people can actually afford and the changes were pushing for are aimed at making that a reality, Faulconer said in a news release. We want to put the dream of homeownership back within reach for San Diegos working families and the way to do that is by increasing supply and lowering costs as much as we can.

The incentives have been endorsed by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown San Diego Partnership and the local chapter of the Building Industry Association.

This is what happens when there is honest discussion and robust collaboration, Matt Adams, vice president of the local BIA chapter, said at Tuesdays meeting. San Diego is walking the talk in terms of addressing the housing crisis.

Adams said the incentives would make it profitable to build housing for moderate income residents, which hasnt been the case in recent years.

Advertisement

We want to focus on the missing middle, he said.

Developer Andrew Malick agreed.

What this density bonus law does is give us some flexibility and it does it with the right incentives -- provide affordable housing and well give you a little bit more relaxed zoning requirements, he said.

Malick said the micro units may seem a bit larger than people expect, with units of 300 to 400 square feet more typical. But he said the need for developers to secure financing from lenders required the flexibility of a 600-square-foot average.

Advertisement

Councilman Chris Ward of University Heights said he was concerned the square footages were too high.

I wonder if were truly trying to generate micro-unit development here, he said.

Ward said he wanted annual updates on how the incentive was faring to see if changes might be necessary.

In a separate action on Monday, the council also expanded where live-work spaces are allowed in the city.

Advertisement

The goal is allowing dentists, accountants and comic store owners to live in the same places where they operate their businesses, increasing the supply of affordable housing and fighting climate change by reducing commuting.

The incentives follow several previous pieces of affordable housing legislation proposed by Faulconer and approved by the council since last June.

They include loosened rules for adding granny flats, streamlined environmental reviews for some housing proposals and expedited approval of projects that include units that are subsidized.

Council President Myrtle Cole also announced the council will host a forum on affordable housing in July.

Advertisement

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
Five Democrats seeking to replace Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, were invited to face questions about the strength of their campaigns. Only one, Mike Levin, took part.

Two candidates, Sara Jacobs and Paul Kerr, said they were concerned that the event, which was hosted by a political committee, violated election laws.

Levin and the committee said their lawyers determined that all rules were followed.

A forum designed to vet, scrutinize and evaluate Democrats running for Rep. Darrell Issas congressional seat hit a major snag when only one candidate participated, a setback in an effort to cull weaker candidates from a packed race.

Only Mike Levin, an attorney from San Juan Capistrano, took part.

Three other Democrats sat out, and one more  attorney Christina Prejean of San Carlos  announced that she was dropping out of the race shortly after the forum began.

Two candidates, Paul Kerr of Rancho Santa Fe and Sara Jacobs of Encinitas, both said they had ethical concerns about attending the forum, an event organized by Flip the 49th, a political committee, and grassroots organization Indivisible Ocean Hills. They expressed concern about funding for the political committee.

Advertisement

If the Republicans were to attend a forum hosted by the Koch brothers, we would rightfully call them out for this, Kerr said in a Facebook post made hours before the forum in Oceanside was scheduled to begin.

The political committee, Flip the 49th, has received funding from celebrities like Jane Fonda and Jay Leno and unions like the Service Employees International Union Local 221.

Jacobs said there was a concern that participating in Fridays forum would violate rules that prohibit certain political groups from coordinating their spending with candidates.

This decision comes after receiving legal advice that the campaign could be at risk of an ethical violation because Flip the 49th! Neighbors in Action does not have a firewall between staffs working on their independent expenditure and their coordinated candidate actions, Jacobs campaign said in a statement.

Democrat Doug Applegates campaign did not return a request for comment, but in a Facebook post before the forum, Applegate, an attorney from Oceanside and Issas opponent in 2016, announced that he was hosting a last-minute meet-and-greet with voters at a brewery.

Flip the 49th and Levin both said they received legal opinions that showed that candidates would not break any rules by participating in the forum.

We checked with two attorneys and we feel very confident that there was neither a legal nor ethical problem, Terra Lawson-Remer, an officer at Flip the 49th, said by phone. We wouldnt have moved forward if we thought there was any risk of that.

Parke Skelton, a consultant working for Levin, said he thinks that the other candidates cited legal concerns because they were afraid of being scrutinized in such a public and unforgiving way.

Advertisement

The legal issue is just a cover, Skelton said over the phone. Theres some other reason that Sara and Doug and Paul did not want to go  which I have not yet been able to ascertain. I think that this legal argument is just absurd.

Before Prejean dropped out, Democrats had five candidates running. Republicans have eight, including Assemblyman Rocky Chavez of Oceanside, Board of Equalization Member Diane Harkey of Dana Point and San Diego County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar of Encinitas.

The current standing has Democrats worried that Californias top-two primary system could allow two Republicans to advance to the general election, leaving no Democrat on the ballot.

Prejean, an Air Force veteran, received a standing ovation when she announced she was ending her campaign. She had been polling last among Democrats.

Advertisement

As a proud Democrat and progressive, we are all on the same team, and our mission here is to flip the 49th, she said at the forum. Thats why with such a crowded field of candidates in this race, I decided the best way for me to accomplish this mission is for me to step out of the race.

The Oceanside event was intended as a chance for voters to evaluate a campaigns strengths and weaknesses rather than a candidates platform in an attempt to show who has the best chance of winning the district.

Applegate was questioned, in absentia, how he would survive negative attacks about his divorce that dogged him when he ran in 2016. Jacobs was asked if she would drop out and support another Democrat.

Jacobs, the granddaughter of Irwin Jacobs, the co-founder of Qualcomm, has put $1 million of her own money into her campaign. Her campaign did not return a request for comment.

Advertisement

Kerr, a businessman who can also self-fund his campaign, was asked if he had any chance of winning without attacking other Democrats. Polls have put him in fourth place in his party.

Kerr said his own life story as a kid from a working-class family who joined the Navy, held minimum-wage jobs and worked through college before becoming a successful businessman, will click with voters.

Once voters hear my unique story and my firsthand experience with all of the issues we care so deeply about, I am confident that we will win in both June and November, he said in a statement.

Levin was asked if theres any way he can gain more support.

Advertisement

I know theres no substitute for getting out to a community and doing direct voter contact, he said.

He said he has contacted every Democrat and independent voter once, and will do so at least one more time before polls open.

While only one candidate showed up, Lawson-Remer said the forum still served its purpose.

What we wanted to do is something we achieved: to let community members make their own assessment, she said.

Advertisement

And while only Levin participated, Flip the 49th will support whichever Democrat makes it through the primary, she said.

Advertisement

Twitter: @jptstewart

joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841
Andrew Zelt, the first Republican to mount an intra-party challenge against Rep. Duncan Hunter of Alpine for this years midterm elections, is ending his campaign.

A sergeant in the San Diego County Sheriffs Department, Zelt struggled to raise money as a first-time-candidate but used creative gimmicks like a satirical online crowdsourcing effort and a dunk tank at a community event (Dunk Hunter!).

Zelt said hes endorsing another Republican who recently entered the race, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells.

I am 100 percent committed to my decision to leave the race and endorse Bill Wells for Congress, Zelt said in a statement released by Wellss campaign. I know Bill will make a great representative and I fully believe he will win. My hope is to see other Republicans get behind Bills strong candidacy.

Advertisement

Zelt, from El Cajon, announced his campaign in July and positioned himself as a conservative alternative to Hunter. The FBI is investigating Hunters use of campaign finance money on personal expenses, but Hunter said he made honest mistakes and has repaid his campaign with his own money.

I entered this race because I saw that no other Republicans were stepping up to do the right thing and offer the people a conservative leader that would truly represent the people of District 50 with integrity, Zelt said in an email Wednesday morning. Mr. Hunter had gone too far and lost the peoples trust because of his own actions. I love District 50 and want the absolute best for the people that live in it.

Besides Wells and Hunter, businessman Shamus Sayed is running as a Republican while former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio has received nomination papers but has not officially announced a campaign.

Across the aisle there are two Democratic frontrunners. Former Department of Labor Spokesman Ammar Campa-Najjar and Jamul-Dulzura Union School District Board Member Josh Butner, a retired Navy Seal are running. Both are from Jamul.

The 50th Congressional District is one of the most conservative in California and includes eastern and northern San Diego County as well as a part of Temecula.

Advertisement

Twitter: @jptstewart

joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841
Law enforcement officials are asking the public for help in identifying a man who robbed a bank near the Midway District on Tuesday morning.

According to the FBI, the man entered the Chase Bank on Rosecrans Street north of Nimitz Boulevard at about 10:45 a.m., passed a note demanding cash to a teller and said he had a weapon.

Witnesses did not see a weapon, and the robber left on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Photos from bank surveillance cameras showed the robber had covered his head with a hooded sweatshirt. Additional surveillance photographs from nearby retail store showed the robber without the hood.

Advertisement

He was described as Latino, about 25 years old, 130 to 140 pounds, about 5 feet 5 inches with sparse facial hair. He wore a dark sweater, dark pants and dark sneakers.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact the San Diego FBI at 858-320-1800, the FBI tips website or San Diego Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or online at www.sdcrimestoppers.org.

Homeless Playlist  On Now San Diego hepatitis outbreak continues to grow: 481 cases On Now Homeless entrenched in booming tent city along Santa Ana River On Now San Diego mayor agreed to homeless hub, then delayed, advocates say On Now Homeless outreach in San Diego On Now Video: Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #8 On Now In poverty himself, 'Water Man Dave,' is the fearless saint of San Diego's homeless 5:41 On Now Video: Homeless living in cars find safe havens 2:21 On Now Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #7 On Now Pitching a tent plan for San Diego's homeless On Now Homeless efforts get $80M boost for various services

Advertisement

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

760-529-4939
Firefighters extinguished a fire inside a duplex stacked high with belongings early Wednesday in Rancho Penasquitos, a San Diego fire official said.

When firefighters arrived shortly after 4:30 a.m. they found smoke coming from the two-story duplex on High Park Lane near Grain Lane. Firefighters said they had difficulty gaining access to the fire because the home and garage were crammed with contents.

Once they made entry into the house, they found the house was filled with contents, many places above the head, making access and moving around the house extraordinarily difficult, San Diego Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Alan Arrollado told KUSI.

It took firefighters about an hour to knock down the fire.

Advertisement

Arrollado said crews searched for a man who they believe lives in the home but were unable to find him and think he may be out of town.

Fire department spokesman Alec Phillipp said a woman was displaced by the fire after her neighboring home was damaged with smoke and water. She was being assisted by Red Cross.

He said investigators have not yet determined what caused the fire or provided a damage estimate.

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com
Workers were able to cap a ruptured natural gas line in Mission Valley Wednesday evening, hours after thousands of homes and businesses within a half-mile radius of the broken pipe were evacuated.

The leak also prompted an hourslong closure of a five-mile stretch of state Route 163 between Interstate 8 and Interstate 805, creating a traffic headache in the area that worsened as the afternoon commute got underway.

The freeway was reopened around 7:50 p.m., and the evacuation orders were lifted.

(Shaffer Grubb / San Diego Union-Tribune )

Advertisement

The incident that brought Mission Valley traffic to a standstill began shortly after 10:35 a.m. when a contractor working for Caltrans accidentally drilled into a 20-inch diameter pipeline next to an abutment near the Friars Road bridge, said Caltrans spokesman Hayden Manning.

Caltrans was hired by the city of San Diego to undertake the $111 million construction project, which will widen the Friars Road overcrossing from three to four lanes in each direction and revamp the on-and off-ramps. It also calls for the construction of a southbound SR-163 auxiliary lane just north of Friars Road.

The area is not far from the Fashion Valley mall.

Bystanders described seeing gas spewing from the rupture  specifically, the gas blowing dust or dirt out of the hole  and a pungent smell permeated the area.

SDG&E crews worked for hours to shut off the gas flowing from the pipe, and finally got the leak under control about 6:15 p.m., said Colleen Windsor, a spokeswoman for the utility company.

The line is a gas transition pipeline that operates at pressures above 200 pounds per square inch and transports gas from supply points to gas distribution systems, according to SDG&Es website.

Workers will need to wait for the gas to bleed out from the pipe and to dissipate from the surrounding area before they begin repairs. That work was expected to begin sometime during the night.

Meanwhile, about 1,000 customers will be without gas, including Fashion Valley mall and four nearby apartment complexes.

Advertisement

Soon after the pipe was punctured, police and firefighters evacuated a couple of businesses near the leak, including PF Changs China Bistro and the Container Store.

By 1:30 p.m., authorities were going door-to-door and 911 reverse calls were being used to alert residents and people working in businesses within a half-mile from the leaking pipeline that they needed to evacuate.

That included Fashion Valley mall, at least one apartment complex and the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Diego on Hazard Center Drive. Fire officials estimate there are about 1,100 homes and 3,300 people in the area.

The Red Cross set up two temporary evacuation shelters at Riverwalk Golf Course at 1150 Fashion Valley Road, and Fenton Marketplace at 2441 Fenton Parkway.

Advertisement

A volunteer working at the golf course evacuation site said at about 6:30 p.m. nobody had shown up in the two hours he had been there.

Red Cross volunteers at Fenton Marketplace reported that about 20 people stopped by over a couple of hours to pick up some chips and beverages, but they suspected other evacuees were waiting it out at nearby restaurants.

Bob and Shirley Krilowicz live in the Circa 37 apartments off of Friars Road and were among those waiting to hear if they could head home around 7 p.m.

I wouldnt say we were scared, but on alert, Bob Krilowicz said of the evacuation.

Advertisement

The couple learned their apartment complex was being evacuated in an e-mail sent from the Circa 37 manager.

If it wasnt for that, we might not have known it happened,  Shirley Krilowicz said.

The couple headed out with their 106-pound Akita dog, Daxx.

It was really eerie,  Bob Krilowicz said, recalling taking Daxx out for a walk before getting in the car. Usually theres lots of people strolling around the apartments, and it was empty.

Advertisement

Thats when we noticed the smell of gas,  he said. We got even more serious about getting out of there.

The couple soon found themselves in a traffic jam on Friars Road. After going only two blocks in 20 minutes, they decided to park and walk to Fenton Marketplace. Shirley Krilowicz said she had seen a news report that the shopping center was a safe distance from the ruptured line, and felt relieved when she couldnt detect any gas when they stepped out of the car to begin their two-mile walk.

Fire officials said the evacuation area remained at a half-mile from the leaking pipeline, despite some erroneous reports that it had been expanded to a two-mile radius.

Staff writer Gary Warth contributed to this story.

Advertisement

Advertisement

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com

UPDATES:

7:55 p.m.: This article was updated.

7:25 p.m.: This article was updated.

Advertisement

2:25 p.m.: This article was updated.

12:15 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details.

This article was originally published at 11:25 a.m.
I am a first-year college student from Murrieta, currently attending the University of California, San Diego, studying literature and writing with a minor in education studies.

After hearing about Senate Bill 320 and seeing the massive amount of support it has received from womens organizations and pro-abortion groups, I am deeply concerned that its risks are not being taken more seriously. This bill will require that universities provide chemical abortion as the most accessible response to a student pregnancy on campus. It prioritizes expedient access to abortion rather than giving women access to a variety of resources and support to guide informed decisions.

Related: Abortion access for students a matter of racial, economic justice

SB 320 puts students in a highly vulnerable position, both physically and emotionally, and makes places of education responsible for the financial and medical liabilities associated with abortion.

Advertisement

The unusual silence from the UC and CSU administrations, who are often leaders in so-called progressive movements, especially concerning sexual and reproductive health, shows some indication of the risks attached to SB 320. To start with, equipping every California public campus with the necessary materials and staffing to perform chemical abortions will be a very costly process.

While SB 320 states that the funding will come from grant money distributed by the treasurer and it does not require the use of student fees and university funding, the bill does not specifically prohibit the use of these resources. This may allow some financial burden to fall on the shoulders of the university and the student population. In addition, the UC and CSU systems may face serious medical liabilities. RU-486, the chemical abortion pill, is not risk-free. Women may need corrective surgery and even life-saving medical procedures.

While campus health centers will be equipped to administer RU-486, they will not necessarily be prepared in the event of complications or the need for serious medical attention. Universities are places of education. Serious procedures belong in facilities that offer a complete understanding of the procedure and have the full capacity to respond to any potential complications. Abortion should be no different.

RU-486 is often promoted as a safe, easy way to abort, and many pro-abortion activists herald it as a more private and relaxed experience for the woman. In reality, chemical abortion, especially on a college campus, can be a highly traumatic experience. This method of abortion involves a two-pill sequence (mifepristone and misoprostol). According to the FDA, women are expected to experience cramping and heavy vaginal bleeding accompanied by nausea, weakness, fever/chills, vomiting, headache, diarrhea, and dizziness. The abortion can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days and it is recommended that women be able to rest with easy access to a toilet.

In our suite-style residence halls at UCSD, 24 people share a bathroom with three toilets and four showers. If a student is given RU-486 and returns to her dorm room to complete the abortion, her pain, vomiting, diarrhea and other side effects will not go unnoticed by the 23 other students she lives with. On top of that, if the abortion is performed in the later stages of fetal development, it is not unlikely that she will have the traumatic experience of having to dispose of the fetus in the shared bathroom of her dorm room. SB 320 will not provide her with the relaxed, private, in-home abortion that pro-abortion activists suggest. The reality that a friend, co-worker or classmate may end up enduring a deeply private and painful process in the public atmosphere of her college dorm room is appalling.

There is no way to avoid the fact that if SB 320 is successful in making chemical abortion the most convenient response to student pregnancy, this will become a haunting addition to the California college experience.

Genuine efforts to support pregnant students on campus should not consist of providing women with the fastest, most convenient way to get an abortion. Women must be given access to all the resources and services they need to guide their decisions about health and pregnancy. SB 320 focuses on expediency, not choice. It places easy access above the safety and support of women and pushes abortion as an ideal solution for pregnant students. The chemical abortion process will be highly traumatic in the campus setting, and this legislation will make our universities responsible for providing emergency medical procedures that may exceed their capabilities. One expedient solution does not constitute a choice, and as young women and students, we deserve health care that will ensure our safety and well-being, without sacrificing for the sake of convenience.

Pryce is a student at UC San Diego.
My work in reproductive justice began on my own campus when I realized that our student government, Associated Students at University of California San Diego, had previously installed dispensers for condoms, but they were broken and not being filled. Thus, the products were not easily accessible.

It was after working on this initiative that I realized condoms arent enough  students needed a backup method for when birth control failed, or in the case of sexual assault, when sex was not consensual. With the support of the Associated Students and campus administration, Im proud to say my campus should be getting our first vending machines for emergency contraception very soon. But we shouldnt stop there.

Related: Why college campuses should not dispense abortion pills

The reality is that college students need a full range of reproductive care accessible on campus, from birth control options and sexually transmitted infections screenings to abortion care, and thats exactly what I hope to achieve.

Advertisement

As an elected student leader at UCSD, I am committed to improving the health of my fellow students and Im proud to be part of a statewide campaign to make the abortion pill accessible at every public university student health center. Ive heard from students at my school and across the state about the struggles they face when trying to get an abortion.

Right now, no public university student health centers in our state provide abortion care, forcing students who need this care to leave campus, which usually means missing class, work shifts, or both. Students should not have to leave campus to see a provider theyve never met, and potentially fall behind in their education, when the abortion pill can easily and safely be provided on campus.

Our university is in the middle of an affluent community  but students often struggle to make ends meet. Its hard to focus on your education when your basic needs arent being met, and students may have trouble paying rent or even buying food. Our campus has been working to improve this, by implementing an on-campus food pantry and basic needs resource center. In my time at UCSD Ive learned that for something to truly be accessible to a student  most of whom dont have cars  it needs to be available on campus.

Forcing students to leave campus for abortion care can mean lost wages and added costs such as transportation, which many simply cant afford. In particular, students of color and first-generation college students face added barriers to accessing reproductive care. When we speak of access we must remember that this is also an issue of racial and economic justice. Abortion is health care and bodily autonomy is a human right.

Students are now working side by side with reproductive justice organizations, funders whove come forward to cover the costs of implementation, other supporters, and lawmaker champions to make the abortion pill available in student health centers. California is already leading the fight to improve access to comprehensive womens reproductive health care  lets make sure students are included in this fight. Together, we can make California a leader in student health care as well.

How will we do it? The California legislature is currently considering Senate Bill 320: the College Student Right to Access Act, sponsored by Sen. Connie M. Leyva, D-Chino, which would implement medication abortion at every UC and CSU campus. If SB 320 is signed into law, we can help ensure that this important care is available to students wherever we live, wherever we go to school and however much money we have.

Ive learned in my advocacy for this bill that theres a lot of misinformation out there about sexual and reproductive health. For example, not everyone knows the difference between emergency contraception  a birth control method you take after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure to prevent a pregnancy, and the abortion pill, which is a totally different medication to end a pregnancy. Both of these medications are safe and effective, and both should be available to students, but we should all know the difference and understand when one might be appropriate and necessary.

Im currently in my second year at UCSD studying political science and public policy. I also sit on the Associated Students at UCSD as a senator and represent UC students statewide through the UC Student Association. After I graduate, I want to go into higher education policy to help build an even brighter future for California students. Today, Im starting that journey by fighting to make reproductive health care and the abortion pill at student health centers  I hope youll join me in making history.

Advertisement

Siegel Singh is a student at UCSD.
Has the United States  which has generally been a champion of free trade since World War II  been the victim of unfair trading practices by other nations? Certainly. Its neither new or particularly unusual for nations to subsidize industries to try to get footholds in world markets. By example, over the past 20 years, China has gone from being a marginal maker of steel and aluminum to producing roughly half the worlds output of both metals  undercutting companies in other nations that cant subsidize sales. This practice led the Obama administration to impose a series of penalties on China for so-called steel dumping, which led to China providing only about 2 percent of U.S. steel imports.

But instead of responding to unfair practices in a targeted way, President Donald Trump says hell impose a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum  across the board. The sins of China are thus visited upon many of our closest allies, starting with Canada. In a reflection of our two countries interconnected economies, especially in automaking, the nation to our north is both the top exporter to U.S. markets of steel and aluminum and the biggest importer of U.S. steel and aluminum. No wonder Canada called the tariffs completely unacceptable.

Already, European leaders have vowed that the European Union would respond to U.S. tariffs by imposing tariffs on such iconic American products as Levis jeans, Harley-Davidson motorcycles and Kentucky bourbon. The Washington Post reported that the EU was quietly preparing to go even further, imposing tariffs that broadly target food and industrial imports, and more. This spurred Trump to warn that the U.S. would respond by imposing a retaliatory tax on auto imports from Europe and to tweet that trade wars are good, and easy to win.

Its possible that this is just the sort of trade brinkmanship that Trump promised as a candidate and said would lead to a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico as well as to other nations dropping obstacles to U.S. imports. Its also possible that in a years time, this will be barely remembered as a flap that blew over after face-saving political maneuvers.

Advertisement

But there is a reason so many U.S. leaders are horrified by Trumps plan  and why his chief economic adviser, Gary Cohn, quit on Tuesday: Theres already bad blood between America and the rest of the world over the presidents rejection of the Paris climate accord and his abandonment of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. The U.S. imposing tariffs that punish our allies could trigger a global recession and a tectonic geopolitical shift favoring China, the worlds other economic superpower.

That the presidents stand against unfair trading practices appears likely to benefit the nation most responsible for trade transgressions is beyond perverse. But it is also deeply ominous.

A commander-in-chief who harms his nation while declaring he is protecting it is capable of even bigger mistakes. Everyone should hope that Republican lawmakers and Trumps confidants and family members can talk the president off the tariff ledge.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion
With President Donald Trumps recent focus on tariffs, former San Diego politician Peter Navarro has been the talk of Washington this past week thanks to his position as White House trade adviser.

The president announced on Thursday that he wants to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports. A tariff is a tax on imported goods, making them more expensive stateside and, in theory, making cheaper American goods more appealing to Americans.

Thats the message Navarro has been sharing all across news media outlets since the announcement, though the presidents proposal has drawn criticism in America and abroad amid concerns about a potential trade war.

The reason why the president is doing this is because if he doesnt do this, we will lose our aluminum industry very quickly and our steel industry very quickly thereafter, Navarro told Fox News on Sunday.

Navarro has made appearances on CNN, Fox News, CBS and other outlets to advocate for Trumps trade policy plans, and he is being mentioned by analysts and reporters trying to get to the bottom of a complicated issue.

An analysis in The Washington Post on Tuesday said that Navarro is getting 15 minutes of fame as the salesman for the Trump tariffs. In February, Politico asked if hes the most dangerous man in Trump world.

How did Peter Navarro go from San Diego politician to White House insider?

Heres what you should know.

Who is Peter Navarro?

Navarro is a longtime business professor at University of California Irvine known for his fierce criticisms of Chinese trade and economic practices. He has a doctoral degree in economics from Harvard University and has written nearly a dozen books with titles such as Death by China and The Coming China Wars.

Before joining Trumps White House, he worked as a policy analyst in the energy sector and professor.

What are his ties to San Diego?

In the 1980s, Navarro was a lecturer at University of San Diego and University of California San Diego. In the 1990s, he ran for office here several times as a Democrat.

1992  Navarro lost to Susan Golding in a runoff in the San Diego mayor's race, 52 percent to 48 percent. He was the top vote-getter in a crowded primary without an incumbent  with 38 percent of the vote  but fell short in the general election five months later.

In his book, San Diego Confidential, he would later write, Whether riding a wave in Ocean Beach or hitting a five iron off the fairway at Torrey Pines or just lying in bed, I cant help sometimes but think about what might have been had I won  not just for my own future, but for my little town that I love.

1993  After losing the mayoral race, he ran for City Council in District 1. Navarro lost by just 277 votes to Harry Mathis.

1994  Navarro ran for the 4th District of the county Board of Supervisors, this time losing to Ron Roberts. It was a close race, with Roberts defeating Navarro by 3,265 votes. Roberts had finished third in the 1992 mayors race, more than 50,000 votes behind Navarro.

1996  Navarro attempted to unseat Congressman Brian Bilbray to represent Californias 49th District. Hillary Clinton and former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner both campaigned for him. He lost.

2001  Navarro tried to represent Council District 6, but he lost this race, too.

You can download "San Diego Confidential" about his time in San Diego politics and read it for free here.

So how do people view him?

Navarros name has been all over social media recently as people heard from him on television news and debated his and the presidents trade policy ideas. There have been plenty of supporters and critics of the presidents adviser. Here is a sample.

Navarros local ties have also been scrutinized as these tweets about him and San Diego show.

Do you have thoughts about Navarros ties to San Diego or his work as a trade adviser to the president? Send us a tweet to @sdutideas or share them in a letter to the editor at letters@sduniontribune.com.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
Usually, U-Haul truck rentals are advertised at an affordable sticker price, comfortably in the three-digit range. But a trend out of northern California is pushing that sticker price as high as $2,000, and moving Californians to disbelief.

U-Haul truck rental costs from San Francisco to Las Vegas The San Diego Union-Tribune

The cost to rent a 26-foot U-Haul truck  big enough to move a three- to four-bedroom home  out of San Francisco headed to Las Vegas reached as high as $2,085 for four days. To rent the same truck going in the opposite direction is only a fraction of that cost  $132.

We used the uhaul.com website to confirm those numbers.

Whats causing the spike in U-Haul rental prices out of the Bay Area? There are more people leaving the northern California region than there are trucks available, according to the public policy think tank American Enterprise Institute.

This is hardly a new trend: Housing costs across California are so high that some people do decide to leave the state altogether. The cost of U-Haul rental trucks is one way to illustrate that trend, writes AEI economist Mark Perry.

Its a great example of supply and demand, and market forces in action  with one-way U-Haul truck rental prices reflecting relative scarcity, Perry says in a blog post explaining the price hikes.

Perry says he looked at moving costs out of Bay Area cities to other cities across the U.S. including Phoenix, Portland, Austin, Nashville and Atlanta.

The story has been the talk of Twitter where it has become part of a common narrative about the state of Californias cost of living.

Last month, Californias Legislative Analysts Office reported that the state has experienced a net loss of about 1 million residents from 2007 to 2016. Most of these residents have relocated to states such as Texas, Arizona, Nevada and Oregon.

An analysis from the real estate website Redfin published last month offers more evidence of this trend  San Francisco was the top city with the highest loss of residents, a net loss of 15,489 in the last four months of 2017, compared to New York Citys net loss of 12,532 residents.

Where did people go? Redfin wrote that people were leaving expensive, high-tax coastal markets like San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles in search of homes in cities like Sacramento, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Nashville, where taxes are lower and housing is more affordable.

Perry at AEI found that the cost to rent a 26-foot U-Haul truck on a one-way excursion out of San Jose was also much more expensive than a journey the other way.

Adora Cheung, a partner at Y Combinator, shared those rates on Twitter late last month.

We were curious about what it cost to rent a U-Haul truck for one-way trips to and from San Diego, so we checked and found that it was more expensive to rent a U-Haul truck traveling from San Diego to another city than the other way around. That said, prices were not as high as the ones involving San Francisco.

One-way, U-Haul rental costs from San Diego to Las Vegas and vice versa

Price comparisons show what it costs to rent a U-Haul truck from San Diego to Las Vegas (left) and from Las Vegas to San Diego (right). The San Diego Union-Tribune

One-way, U-Haul rental costs from San Diego to Austin and vice versa

Price comparisons show what it costs to rent a U-Haul truck from San Diego to Austin (left) and from Austin to San Diego (right). The San Diego Union-Tribune

One-way, U-Haul rental costs from San Diego to Phoenix and vice versa

Price comparisons show what it costs to rent a U-Haul truck from San Diego to Phoenix (left) and from Phoenix to San Diego (right). The San Diego Union-Tribune

If you live in California, tell us, have you ever thought about leaving the state for another city in the U.S.? If so, where would you go?

Have some thoughts to share?

Join me in a conversation: Shoot me a private email with your thoughts or ideas on a different approach to this story. As always, you can also send us a tweet.

Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @RunGomez

Read The Conversation on Flipboard.

ALSO

Why California has declared war against this cute-looking creature

After new NBC Russian election meddling report, Padilla says again 'no evidence'

Is Bigfoot real? A woman is suing California to get it to recognize the existence of Sasquatch
In the war of words between the Trump administration and California politicians, the distance between state and federal officials has always been obvious. Literally. Theyve been some 2,700 miles apart.

Two things happened Wednesday to change that dynamic: Attorney General Jeff Sessions railed against the state at a gathering of law enforcement officials in Sacramento in the morning, and the White House confirmed that President Donald Trump would finally make his first visit to the nations most populous state next Tuesday, to visit the border wall prototypes in San Diego and to discuss the divisive immigration issue.

That issue took center stage on Wednesday.

In a speech hosted by the California Peace Officers' Association in Sacramento, Sessions discussed a lawsuit his Justice Department filed against the state on Tuesday night over immigration  and didnt mince any words.

California, we have a problem, he said.

Soon after, Gov. Jerry Brown and Attorney General Xavier Becerra responded at a joint news conference.

This is basically going to war against the state of California, the engine of the American economy, Brown said. It is not wise, it is not right and it will not stand.

The U.S. Justice Departments lawsuit argues that three California laws, which limit the states cooperation with federal immigration authorities, are unconstitutional. Becerra replied that he looks forward to fighting the lawsuit in court and seeking vindication for the states immigration law enforcement strategy.

Have questions about this? Youre not alone.

Here are the answers to some of the questions you may be asking.

What is the Justice Department suing over?

The Justice Departments lawsuit specifically targets Assembly Bill 450, Senate Bill 54 and Assembly Bill 103, and argues they intentionally obstruct and discriminate against the enforcement of federal immigration law. Thus, the laws violate the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution, the department argues.

Lets unpack that. Heres a quick summary of what each of those laws do.

A.B. 450  Prohibits employers from allowing immigration enforcement agents to enter a work place or review employee records without a subpoena or court order.

S.B. 54  Prohibits state and local agencies, including school police and security staffs, from using funds or personnel to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest people for immigration enforcement purposes.

A.B. 103  Prohibits city, county, and local law enforcement agencies from entering into a contract with the federal government or any federal agency to house or detain unauthorized immigrants in locked detention facilities for purposes of civil immigration custody. It also allows the attorney general to conduct reviews of federal detention facilities holding unauthorized immigrants in California.

So whats the Justice Departments argument?

Heres the Justice Departments argument: Sessions argues the laws violate the Supremacy Clause because they have interfered, and will continue to interfere, with federal law enforcement efforts.

What exactly is the Supremacy Clause?

Supremacy Clause  Establishes that the federal constitution, and federal law generally, take precedence over state laws, and even state constitutions. It prohibits states from interfering with the federal government's exercise of its constitutional powers, and from assuming any functions that are exclusively entrusted to the federal government.

So what did Sessions say in Sacramento?

Sessions described the lawsuit as fighting unjust, unfair and unconstitutional policies.

A series of actions and events has occurred that directly and adversely impact the work of our federal officers, he said.

Sessions said his department isnt asking California to enforce immigration laws, but rather not to obstruct the work being done by Immigration and Customs and federal authorities.

California is using every power it has  and some it doesnt  to frustrate federal law enforcement, Sessions said. So you can be sure Im going to use every power I have to stop them.

Read his prepared remarks here or watch his speech below. Its about 20 minutes long.

How is California responding?

Brown and Becerra held a press conference responding aggressively to the lawsuit.

Our state laws work in concert with federal laws and our state law enforcement officials work in concert with federal law enforcement officials every day, Becerra said. Thats not something we intend to change.

The California attorney general argued that the laws mentioned in Sessions lawsuit are fully vonstitutional. He said Assembly Bill 450 ensures employers and workers rights and privacy are respected, that Assembly Bill 103 ensures Californias right to know the conditions and treatment of people being detained in the state and that Senate Bill 54 is protected by the 10th Amendment, which says powers not delegated to the U.S. by the Constitution are reserved to the states.

Were not trying to get into their business, theyre trying to get in our businesses, Becerra said.

Well, now what happens?

Becerra and Brown both said the state intends to fight the lawsuit in court and expressed confidence in the state laws.

What Jeff Sessions said is simply not true and I call upon him to apologize to the people of California for bringing the mendacity of Washington to California, Brown told reporters.

The governor also implied that this is political posturing from the Trump administration.

What can you tell me about Trumps visit?

The White House confirmed on Wednesday that President Trump is expected to visit California next week. The Associated Press is reporting that San Diego is on his itinerary, according to information from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
Hundreds of Poway Unified School District parents and community members gathered at Mt. Carmel High School Tuesday night to hear district leaders speak on school safety.

The community forum was organized following the shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14 and threats made at Rancho Bernardo High School on Feb. 26.

Supt. Marian Kim-Phelps was joined by top district staff, school principals, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan and many more community leaders and members of law enforcement at the event.

The biggest audience cheer of the night came when Kim-Phelps said that school staff will not begin carrying firearms. The California Penal Code forbids firearms on campus, she said, and the district will leave carrying guns to the trained professionals.

The community forum broke down the various aspects of school safety, at both a district and site level, as well as included information on how the districts safety measures have evolved since the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012 and what changes PUSD will make in the future.

The new safety measure the district is pursing includes the creation of a school threat hotline, which was launched Tuesday by the City of Poway with the help of the district, the Poway Sheriffs Station and the San Diego Police Department.

Vaus spoke briefly about the new hotline, saying that calls made to the hotline, which can be anonymous, are sent to both the SDPD and the Poway Sheriffs Station. If you think its important, tell us and well get it to them, Vaus said. Emergencies and immediate threats should still be called into 911, he added. The tip line number is 844-PUSD-TIP (844-787-3847).

District officials also spoke about a tentative upcoming partnership between the sheriffs department, the SDPD and the district to possibly have members of the Poway Senior Volunteer Patrol and the RSVP patrol campuses as part of their regular patrols, as well as volunteer veterans.

The district is also looking into funding options to upgrade existing surveillance systems at schools and install systems at schools that do not have camera surveillance yet. State-of-the-art surveillance systems for PUSD is a top priority, said Jennifer Burks, associate superintendent of technology and innovation.

The cost to outfit a single campus with surveillance is between $30,000 and $70,000, Burks said, so the district is working with the San Diego County Office of Education to pursue grants, especially for replacing and upgrading current systems. Were exploring funding options to upgrade all video surveillance, Burks said.

Kim-Phelps said the district has over $5 million set aside to address school safety and is always looking for grants. Parents are also welcome to donate money earmarked for safety to either the districts educational foundation, or their own site-specific foundation.

Other upgrades the district is looking into is leaving lights on later, to prevent vandalism like what happened recently at Rancho Bernardo High School, and as lighting systems are upgraded, installing LED motion sensor lights.

Repeated throughout the night by many speakers was see something, say something, not just for parents but for students. Cindy Hicks, the districts prevention specialist, said it was important for parents to empower their children that speaking up about concerns over a classmate was not tattling, but prevention.

Stephan said that the community needs to take control of the situation to prevent school shootings.

Stephan said she has studied every school shooting across the United States and found that in 93 percent of cases, the shooter told someone what they had planned to do and in 70 percent of cases, had told more than one person. People need to learn signs and respond, she said. You can think about protecting someone or covering it up.

Parents need to have very clear conversations with their children that making threats against their school is illegal, she said. Dont think it cant be my child.

The DAs office has solved 45 school threats in San Diego since 2014, Stephan said. We found out the identity of each perpetrator. They cant hide. Stephan also said that the DAs office does not take any threat as a joke.

She said that 20 of those cases had been prosecuted, and in at least two of the cases, she felt pretty comfortable that they had prevented disaster.

Parents also need to take action and prevent bullying, Stephan said, as 75 percent of school shooters were bullied. There is a shared responsibility with all of us, she said.  You are in charge, so take charge.

Answers to more parent questions and more information will be available at bit.ly/march6safety.

Email: news@pomeradonews.com


Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
This represents a sliver's increase of 0.5% against 2016.

The Mediterranean remains the most popular cruise destination for British travelers, representing 37% of all sailings booked last year, despite a slight year-on-year decline overall.

Cruises in Northern Europe soared in popularity, rising 8% against 2016 figures, making it the second most popular region for British cruisers, beating the Caribbean.

On cruises to Northern Europe and the Caribbean, the average age of passengers was 52, younger than the average of 56 for all British cruisers.

The Caribbean, including the Bahamas and Bermuda, the third most popular cruise region, also saw an increase in numbers last year, of just over 3%.

More unusual cruise itineraries increased in popularity with adventure-style exploration cruises in the Antarctic, Arctic and Galapagos up 3%.

'In a step away from the traditional image of sunshine-soaked decks, we are seeing an increase in popularity of colder-climate destinations including Canada, Alaska and Antarctica,' Andy Harmer, SVP and director of CLIA UK & Ireland, said. 'Thanks to the array of unique excursion options in these regions, from penguin-watching to ice fishing, these destinations are drawing in both new and repeat cruise travelers.'

Long-haul destinations also saw a boom last year as Britons broadened their horizons with more adventurous and unusual itineraries. Africa and the Middle East cruise bookings were up almost 25% on 2016; Asia and China, were up almost 22%; South America and the Panama Canal saw an increase of nearly 25%; and the fastest growth was in Canada/New England itineraries, up by one-third (33%).

Closer to home, cruises from UK ports continue to be an important part of the sector. Latest figures from CruiseBritain showed the number of passengers embarking at UK ports in 2017 increased to 1.1m, up by 6% year-on-year.

River cruising is undergoing somewhat of a renaissance, with new ships, new on-board experiences and new itinerary options. Given the investment made in new river vessels in recent years, it is no surprise that one-third of all river ships currently in service have been built in the past 10 years, and more than a quarter of these in the past five years. With more on order for coming years, the sectors new lease of life is set to continue.
Local houses of worship had a chance to learn about eco-friendly projects undertaken by local faith communities during a "solar open house" in December, and a "Solar Marketplace" this weekend will help them figure out how to finance their own.

The Solar Marketplace is being organized by Solar Faithful, an initiative from the city of Ann Arbors energy office in partnership with Michigan Interfaith Power and Light, which aims to promote solar projects in houses of worship. The city's climate action plan calls for reducing community-wide emissions by 25 percent before 2025, and as part of that plan, the city has set a goal of generating 2.4 megawatts of solar energy each year. With 400 houses of worship in the greater Ann Arbor area, the city believes that making houses of worship more energy-efficient will help achieve those goals.

The marketplace, scheduled from 2-4 p.m. March 11 at Campus Chapel, 1236 Washtenaw Court in Ann Arbor, will host eight to 10 solar installers who consistently get high customer ratings, including two or three with experience in financing for solar projects.

"Neither the city nor IPL are advocating for any one vendor," says Jane Vogel, past board president of Michigan IPL and current liaison to the Solar Faithful team. "We're simply facilitating the process of enabling houses of worship to talk with solar installers."

Currently, Vogel says, the main two strategies for financing a solar panel installation on a house of worship involves fundraising through a capital campaign or taking out a loan, but Michigan IPL and Solar Faithful are interested in helping houses of worship find creative ways to finance solar projects.

For instance, a 30 percent tax credit for solar projects is available to residential homeowners, but nonprofits and churches can't take advantage of that tax credit.

"But that opens the door to thinking about collaborating with an investor who can harvest the tax credits while helping a house of worship," Vogel says.

Houses of worship that aren't yet ready to fund a large solar project can still make their facilities more energy-efficient, and attendees can learn about how to do that during the event as well. A program offered in conjunction with Michigan Saves and DTE Energy provides zero percent financing on energy-efficiency measures, and more details about that program will be available during the solar marketplace.

"It's important to get the energy load of the building lowered through good energy-efficiency actions so that, by the time you're thinking of installing solar, you'll have lower energy use demand in the building," Vogel says.

While the March 11 presentation will be geared toward faith communities, the marketplace is free and open to all area residents and nonprofit organizations. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP to Jennifer Young, project manager with Michigan IPL, at projectmanager@miipl.org or (248) 463-8811.

Sarah Rigg is a freelance writer and editor in Ypsilanti Township. You may reach her at sarahrigg1@gmail.com.
Press Release

March 7, 2018 De Lima proposes joint oversight panel on Magna Carta for Women Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has sought the creation of a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to strengthen mechanisms that would monitor the compliance and implementation of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9710, also known as the Magna Carta of Women. De Lima filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 1729 amending Section 40 of R.A. No. 9710 to provide for an oversight committee that is mandated to look into the law's strict implementation and strengthen the mainstreaming of gender equality. "Only through a consistent and conscious implementation of the Magna Carta of Women can government and Philippine society be truly rid of gender bias and the rampant misogynism that have presently reared their ugly heads in our midst once again," she said. "Only in this manner will we be able to counter the unapologetic exhibition of anti-women rhetoric that has dominated official government discourse since the start of the present administration," she added, highlighting the persistent attacks against women under the Duterte regime. R.A. No. 9710, particularly its Section 36(a), provides the legal basis for the planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation for Gender and Development (GAD). Under the existing law, the Philippine Commission on Women, in coordination with other state agencies and the Commission on Human Rights, is mandated to submit to Congress regular reports on the progress of the implementation of R.A. No. 9710, with emphasis on its impact on women's rights. She lamented, however, that, "in as much as mechanisms are in place to monitor agency and local government units' (LGUs) compliance in ensuring full utilization of the appropriated 5% of the total budget for their respective GAD programs, the overall statistics show that utilization of the appropriated GAD budget has not reached its full potential. Some implementing agencies fall behind in fulfilling this obligation." As such, under her SB No. 1729, De Lima proposed that the Oversight Committee shall be composed of five members, each from the two houses of Congress in addition to the respective Chairs of the Committees on Women, Children, and Gender Equality. The Senator from Bicol also further suggested that the membership of the committee for the two houses of Congress shall at least have two opposition or minority members. With an administration leadership that debases women through consistent attacks in public and official events, De Lima said gender mainstreaming must be accomplished by properly implementing the laws protecting women. "This is to avoid institutionalizing the current administration leadership's dehumanization of women in society, particularly of women leaders in government," she said. De Lima, who was recognized by Amnesty International as one of the notable Women Human Rights Defenders under Threat, recently filed Senate Resolution No. 670 calling for a Senate inquiry into the implementation of the GAD plans and programs under the present administration.
Press Release

March 7, 2018 Dispatch from Crame No. 254

Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on the Solicitor General's filing of a quo warranto case vs the Chief Justice 3/7/18 SolGen Calida claims that the filing of quo warranto proceedings against Chief Justice Sereno is "an act of kindness to a fellow lawyer," because it will avoid what he referred to as the "indignity that the late Chief Justice Renato Corona suffered at the hands of politicians who unjustly convicted him." The statements of SolGen Calida are an affront to the Senate and to the Filipino people. It is pure hubris on the part of this Solicitor General, and an affront to our Senate for him to say that the Senate is an unjust institution. Under the principle of checks and balances, our Constitution has solely granted the power to try and decide all cases of impeachment to the Senate. It is improper and contemptuous for the SolGen to demean the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, before the trial even began. It is precisely in furtherance of the right to due process and the rule of law that the impeachment court is created, as to afford our impeachable officials their day in court. It is, most importantly, the process that the Filipino people demand be followed, in accordance with the Fundamental Law that they ordained and promulgated. To demean the constitutionally appointed process of impeachment is to insult the Filipino people. It is, furthermore, historical revisionism and propaganda to suggest, without basis, that the removal from office of the late, former Chief Justice was an unjust act "at the hands of politicians." He was not just given his day in court, he was, in fact, ably defended by a stellar team of defense lawyers, led by no less than a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, the late, great Serafin R. Cuevas. The trial was witnessed all over the world, after which then CJ Corona was convicted for a very specific and proven reason: for omitting substantial amounts of his wealth in his SALN. Out of 23 Senators, 20 found him guilty--belonging to different political parties--when only 16 was needed for a conviction. That is undisputable. To suggest otherwise is to peddle more lies and "alternative truths", and is an even greater insult to the intellect of the Filipino people, who witnessed it all. The sickeningly blatant attempt to fool the people is made even more apparent, given that many of the 20 who voted for conviction are now aligned--officially or otherwise--with the present Administration, including, now Senate President Koko Pimentel, Senators Escudero, Honasan, Lacson, Legarda and Sotto, and now DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano. (The rest were Senators Ralph Recto, Franklin Drilon, Kiko Pangilinan, Antonio Trillanes IV, then Senators Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Manny Villar, Edgardo Angara, Teofisto Guingona III, Sergio Osmena III, Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla, Jr.) At the time, the people demanded compliance from the lowest government employees up to the president himself to sign the waiver for disclosure of SALNs, but instead of hearing the people's call for stricter anti-corruption measures and greater accountability, here is this Administration threatening and silencing those who are vocally critical of the abuses being committed by this Administration. Who does Mr. Calida think he's fooling? This is not an "act of kindness". This is textbook political persecution, and attempt to rape, pillage and murder the Constitution--and the sovereign power of the Filipino people--right before our very eyes.
Press Release

March 7, 2018 Transcript of Interview of Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon SFMD: The possibility of the impeachment not going through is there. Why? The statement of the leaders of the House of Representatives is that they will wait for the Supreme Court resolution (on the quo warranto). If the Supreme Court, with its own wise judgment, says we have jurisdiction over the quo warranto and we believe that there is a basis to let the Chief Justice go, so the House of Representatives will not send us the articles of impeachment, so what will we do? Q: It's possible? SFMD: It's possible. It depends on the Supreme Court. When we were law students we were always thought that the Constitution and the law is what the Supreme Court says it is. Q: But Justice Leonen said dapat outright dismissal ang gawin? SFMD: Yes, but the Supreme Court is a collegial body. Siya lang mag-isa. If he can get the majority of the court with him, then that opinion prevails. But if the majority thinks otherwise, then there is no impeachment court we'll talk about and there is no opportunity to wear the (impeachment) robe. Q: (inaudible) SFMD: That is why the House leaders want to wait. Q: Plan B na talaga iyon? SFMD: I just comment on the basis of what I see. I don't comment on the motives. Q: So premature na yung preparation? SFMD: The robe might be premature (laughs). Q: That's why the House won't act on it? SFMD: Yes, they will wait. Their action will be governed by what the Supreme Court does. If the Supreme Court says that the quo warranto is not the correct remedy, then they may or may not send to us the articles of impeachment, if there is probable cause. If the Supreme Court says they have jurisdiction and will decide on the merits, and says that the Chief Justice is not eligible or did not have the qualification, even if you don't agree with that, that is what will be recognized as the state of things, and therefore the House of Representatives will not send the articles of impeachment and that's the end of it.
Press Release

March 7, 2018 Co-Sponsorship Speech for the Confirmation of Lt. Col. Roy Loyola to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army (Reserve) Mr. Chairman, it is also my honor and privilege to second the motion that the Commission give its consent to the nomination of Lt. Col. Roy M. Loyola, to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army (Reserve). They say it takes a long time to grow an old friend. I dare say that our nominee, Congressman Roy M. Loyola, is one of mine. I have known him from a long way back, perhaps too long, that I have already heard of all his oft-repeated jokes and banters. Between you and me, Mr. Chairman, Congressman Roy has two ways to win the hearts of his friends, relatives and constituents - I am tempted to go further and say ladies. Yes, our nominee is the most amazing lady killer I've seen in my whole life, either through his good sense of humor or his mouth-watering binalot or rice and adobo wrapped in banana leaves. Everyone knows that Congressman Loyola is a good dose of comic relief. And it is a fact that good humor befits the intelligent and perceptive people such as our nominee. A lawyer by profession and a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, he has modestly achieved his calling as a public servant. He is a fellow Caviteno who has served as the Municipal Mayor of Carmona, Cavite for more than a decade, starting with his three consecutive terms from 1995 until 2004 and another term from 2007 to 2010. He was later elected as the first Representative of the newly created 5th District of Cavite in 2010. Under his leadership, Carmona's economy has grown from a quaint agricultural to a highly commercialized and industrialized town. From what we know as one of the smallest towns in the province of Cavite, Carmona is now a first-class municipality, a high revenue earner and a major contributor in the economic activity of Cavite. His exemplary performance as local chief executive earned him the following: * Presidential Dangal ng Bayan Award (1999) * Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award (2009), both conferred by the Civil Service Commission * Konrad Adenauer Medal of Excellence (2003) * General Emilio Aguinaldo Outstanding Achievement Award for Industrial Development (2006) * Apolinario Mabini Award (2008), among others. Mr. Chairman and distinguished colleagues, it is to this end that I second the motion that this body give its consent to the appointment of Lt. Col. Roy M. Loyola the rank of Colonel of the Philippine Army (Reserve). I so move, Mr. Chairman. Videos and Photos at: https://pinglacson.net/2018/03/07/confirmation-hearing-for-afp-and-reserve-officers-march-7-2018/
Press Release

March 7, 2018 Legarda Joins Calls to #PressforProgress on Gender Parity Senator Loren Legarda joined the call to #PressforProgress on gender parity, which is the theme of this year's celebration of International Women's Day (March 8), and said that the Philippines can lead the global effort to achieve gender equality and women empowerment. Legarda, a three-term senator who chairs the Committees on Finance, Foreign Relations and Climate Change, said that the Philippines is among the top countries that is successful in empowering women and addressing issues on gender gap. She noted that, in the yearly Global Gender Gap Report (GGGR) by the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Philippines is always among the top ten countries globally in the gender equality index. However, in the 2017 GGGR, which covered 144 countries, while the Philippines ranked No. 1 in educational attainment, along with 26 other countries, it needs to further improve in other areas such as economic participation and opportunity (rank 25), health and survival (rank 36), and political empowerment (rank 13). "The Philippines can lead the global effort to close gender gap while also addressing the issues women continue to face in the country. We can share with other countries our best practices on women empowerment as well as our laws which can be used as guide by other nations in crafting policies on gender equality," said Legarda, who authored several of the country's laws on the protection of women's rights, including the Magna Carta of Women, Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and its expanded version, and the Domestic Workers Act. Legarda said that providing opportunities for women in education, in the workplace, in rural development, in governance and leadership roles, and ensuring that their special needs are addressed, would not only result in gender empowerment but also contribute to poverty alleviation and economic growth. "We must provide women the needed support to have the confidence to lead and be at the forefront of efforts to improve Filipino communities and take initiatives that will contribute to the nation's progress," Legarda concluded.
Koko supports Bora closure

Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Wednesday declared his support for the plan of Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano and Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo to temporarily close Boracay Island to tourists.

Ano and Teo, together with Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu were ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte to rehabilitate Boracay within six months.

"It is only logical to close Boracay for renovations, so to speak. We must carefully assess the damage to the local environment and take the necessary steps for cleanup. The process is more easily done and more effective if there are no tourists around", said Pimentel.

The proposal of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) seeks to close down the world-famous island from June 1 to July 31.

Pimentel said, "I understand the difficulties of closing the island for two months, but it is only temporary. It will be good in the long run for all stakeholders, including the tourists who are there for the natural beauty of the island."

The Senate leader noted that closing tourist destinations to preserve them is nothing new, as Thailand closed Koh Tachai island in May 2016 for similar reasons.

Duterte called Boracay a "cesspool" for the environmental issues that it faces due to the influx of tourists and businesses into the area.

The Senate held an inquiry in the island on Friday to investigate these environmental concerns.
Press Release

March 7, 2018 Statement of Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto

Faster, transparent disposition of coco levy will ensure win-win solution for coco farmers There is no debate as to the need to plow back the coco levy collections to the people. The divergence is on how to do it. I want a quicker disbursement schedule, which will disburse bigger amounts in a shorter time. If the industry is in ICU, it should get a massive infusion, not the perpetual drip-drip of funds. Why prolong the agony of farmers when we can have a shorter recovery period for an industry in distress? I want a simpler and more cohesive administration of the trust fund, by one body dominated by farmers, in which they will have the biggest say, instead of creating two layers of bureaucracy, which will lead to dissonance. My proposal is to expand the membership of the PCA to nine: six of whom will be farmers, and three from the government (the secretaries of Agriculture, Finance and Budget and Management). The PCA will be given expanded powers, to include: 1. The power to ratify and veto the disposition of coco levy assets, only when such is disadvantageous to the government; 2. To serve as a trust committee; and 3. To draft the industry road map. Why create two agencies, when one agency can do the job with a one-stop-shop? The powers of the proposed trust committee can be included in the strengthened PCA. Why create an independent trust committee almost as big as the Supreme Court (with 13 members), when the investment picks are limited to government securities--which means there are no other investments to select; and the spending will be made pursuant to the road map--which means there is already a menu? I want bigger funds for coconut farmers. The original proposal is limited to annual interest on top of a start-up development fund. My proposal is to match trust income with guaranteed appropriated budgetary support to the PCA in the amount of P10 billion annually. I want transparent use, recording and monitoring of the trust account. The original proposal is to treat them as off-budget accounts. We know what happened when funds are firewalled from congressional and public scrutiny, and disbursed by one unelected small group given the power to appropriate. Think Malampaya Fund, the road users tax collection. Lastly, my proposal is for the government to sell all coco levy assets, under a process that is transparent and advantageous to the farmers. Liquidating the assets will enlarge the trust fund. The government must get out of the coconut business because its record in running for-profit corporations has been unblemished by success. It has no business bottling cooking oil. If we create a trust committee that will be allowed to pick investments, run corporations, disburse funds, then we will merely be copying what Marcos did with the CIIF.
Press Release

March 7, 2018 Villanueva pushes for genuine Anti-Discrimination Bill Senator Joel Villanueva vowed on Wednesday to come up with a genuine anti-discrimination law which will protect not just the civil rights and legal privileges of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT) but also the people's rights to exercise their religious freedom. "We just want to make sure that the bill does not cause harm to our rights to exercise our own beliefs without compromising the rights of others," Villanueva explained. Further, Villanueva believes that the basic rights of all citizens, aside from the members of the LGBT community, should be respected and protected. "One cannot deny that cases of discrimination exist not just against the LGBT community but also against people's race, age, religion or belief, social class, civil status, and medical condition," Villanueva stressed. "We hear stories of prejudice in the workplace, schools, hospitals, and other establishments and institutions. Unfortunately, there are even employers who prioritize the single job applicants over the married ones. Hence, we felt the need to push for protective laws and policies that would prevent discrimination and human rights abuses against all citizens," the senator said. The Christian senator further quoted the Bible to say that "everyone, regardless of age, gender, status, ethnicity or belief --and that includes the LGBT group--is entitled to basic human rights because according to Romans 2:11, there is no partiality with God," he said. Under Senate Bill No. 935 or the proposed Anti-Discrimination Act filed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, discriminatory practices include: the promotion and encouragement of stigma on the basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression (SOGIE) in the media and educational institutions; the need for disclosing sexual orientation in the criteria for hiring and other human resource actions in the workplace; the non-admission or expulsion from any education or training institution on the basis of SOGIE; the denial of access to health services and public establishments and facilities; among others. If passed into law, the bill proposes the granting of penalties ranging from Php100,000 to Php500,000 and imprisonment ranging from one year to 12 years for those who will be caught in violation of the said law. An Anti-Discrimination Oversight Committee will also be created which shall monitor the compliance of public institutions to the law provisions and audit national and local policies that discriminate on the basis of SOGIE. "We need an anti-discrimination law that will promote genuine equality--a measure that is concrete and holistic. We will never allow the suppression of people's rights to exercise their religious freedom or cultural beliefs," Villanueva further stressed..
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton says New Zealand's legislative response to climate change needs broad, cross-party support to deploy the country's sophisticated tools so they actually "bite".

"The whole point is to do something that has a very long-term reach. It has to be durable and people really have to buy into it," he said. The goal is to last across "parliaments and indeed generations."

Upton emphasised the need for action as "New Zealand's policy record on climate change reads very much as one of developing sophisticated policy tools but not being prepared to deploy them in a way that will 'bite'."

It's time to be "break out of the stop-go, on-again, off-again approach" to tackling the problem, he said.

While he supported the 'all sectors, all gases' principle underpinning New Zealand's emissions trading scheme, Upton said policymakers should be open to targeting different gases at different rates, with nitrous oxide from agriculture a longer lasting and more important gas than methane, which is short-lived despite being a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Upton, who took over from Jan Wright in October, said he supported her recommendation New Zealand adopt a UK-style independent Climate Commission. "The UK's approach stood out as being the one that was most likely to lock-in a stable, long-term path to lower emissions," he said.

The UK Climate Change Act enacted a long-term emissions reduction target and then elaborated a process under which a succession of progressively lower carbon budgets are set to put the economy on a path to meet that target.

New Zealand's current coalition government has said it will look to set up such a body and pass a Zero Carbon Act.

Upton's report includes nine recommendations aimed at advising the government on how to replicate the model here, including setting up the Climate Commission.

Under his recommendation, the commission would be an advisory body to create so-called carbon budgets, or specific targets geared toward reaching the 2050 zero emissions target that New Zealand is committed to. Its responsibilities would be clearly set out in the act but its role is not policy making, said Upton. "It is for the government of the day to come up with the policies that are needed to get us there."

The budgets are a critical tool to give investors and businesses a predictable emissions pathway, he said. Reducing carbon emissions is an economic structural adjustment rather than merely an environmental challenge, as it will require significant investment and different business models.

If you want to talk about long-term investment "you need a stable, predictable framework," he said. Eliminating fossil fuels or trying to get to zero emissions in land transport "won't happen if the people who need to invest in the infrastructure don't have any confidence that that's where we are going to go," he said.

As a result, he proposes that the Climate Commission recommend six-year budgets with a review at the half-way point given that New Zealand's government terms are for three years.

While widespread political support is essential, he also said there is a need for immediate action as the commission will need to recommend the first two budgets - taking New Zealand to 2030 - fairly quickly. "The first two will need to reverse the trend of the last 20 years while the third budget: that will provide the first opportunity to propose a really ambitious reduction. The size of the budgets is going to have to shrink, " he said.

Upton said the calibre of the appointees to the commission is critical and they need to be "experts as opposed to stakeholders" and that the Zero Carbon Act should specify the expertise required and include a process that ensures some level of cross-party consensus.

He also recommended climate change adaptation be included in the Zero Carbon Act, which would create a process to carry out regular risk assessments and planning.

The report was fairly well received by different sectors.

Local Government New Zealand president Dave Cull said introducing a Zero Carbon Act and a UK-style Climate Commission will require care to ensure they are suitable for New Zealand, and that the commissioners recommendations provide sensible and pragmatic options around introducing emissions reduction targets in a staged manner.

However, he stressed that it's critical local government be involved in any conversations and decisions about the pace of adaptation and has a role in determining what agency or mechanism is adopted to carry out that work.

Opposition National Party climate change spokesperson Todd Muller said: "National is up for the conversation about the steps we can take as a country to transition to a lower carbon economy".

"We believe it is possible to drive environmental improvements while continuing economic growth, but we need to make sure we get the balance right."

Acting minister for climate change Julie Anne Genter said that "we, as the Green Party support partner of the Labour-led coalition Government agree that there needs to be thorough debate to reach a durable structure for New Zealands Zero Carbon Act."

While the recommendations make reference to adaptation, the Insurance Council of New Zealand voiced concern that it had taken a back seat to carbon budgets.

"It is disappointing more prominence has not been given to how New Zealand will adapt to climate change impacts, because no matter how successful New Zealand is in achieving greenhouse gas reduction targets, we will still have to deal with the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events," ICNZ chief executive Tim Grafton said.

Last year, extreme weather events caused more than 25,000 claims from homes and businesses at a total cost of over $240 million in insured losses, he added.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

17th September 2021 Morning Report

NZ Automotive Investments Limited (NZX: NZA) Proposed Sell Down by NZA Founder to Improve Liquidity

16th September 2021 Morning Report

15th September 2021 Morning Report

Seeka Limited (NZX: SEK) Announces Further Kiwifruit Acquisition

Briscoe Group Limited (NZX: BGP) Half Year Results Announcement

14th September 2021 Morning Report

Stride Property Ltd & Stride Investment Management Ltd (NZX: SPG) Office Fund Established and Conditional Acquisition

Third Age Health Services Limited (NZX: TAH) Announces Acquisition of Belmont Medical

13th September 2021 Morning Report


Russell McVeagh, the law firm that counts some of New Zealand's biggest listed companies as clients, has hired former public servant Margaret Bazley to probe sexual harassment claims.

The firm committed to an external review after Newsroom reported sexual harassment of summer interns in 2015, prompting law schools around the country to sever ties with the firm while an investigation takes place. Russell McVeagh today announced Bazley would lead the probe, and would be assisted by a yet to be announced woman lawyer.

"We are extremely grateful to Dame Margaret for agreeing to conduct this review," senior partner Pip Greenwood said in a statement. "We have been conscious, in making this appointment, to appoint a person who is truly independent as well as who has experience in such work."

Bazley has been a safe pair of hands for successive governments, who have called on her to head high profile and controversial investigations, such as heading the Commission of Inquiry into police conduct following the Louise Nicholas rape trial, and chairing Environment Canterbury when elected officials were dumped by central government and a commission installed for six years.

The review's scope includes sexual harassment claims in the summer of 2015/16 and the firm's response; to consider any other claims brought to Bazley's attention; to look at the firm's policies and systems to protect staff; assess the culture of the firm, and to provide advice.

Bazley's report will be made available to stakeholders including Russell McVeagh staff, clients, the New Zealand Law Society and law schools.

Companies including Spark New Zealand, Auckland International Airport and Meridian Energy retain the firm for legal services.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

17th September 2021 Morning Report

NZ Automotive Investments Limited (NZX: NZA) Proposed Sell Down by NZA Founder to Improve Liquidity

16th September 2021 Morning Report

15th September 2021 Morning Report

Seeka Limited (NZX: SEK) Announces Further Kiwifruit Acquisition

Briscoe Group Limited (NZX: BGP) Half Year Results Announcement

14th September 2021 Morning Report

Stride Property Ltd & Stride Investment Management Ltd (NZX: SPG) Office Fund Established and Conditional Acquisition

Third Age Health Services Limited (NZX: TAH) Announces Acquisition of Belmont Medical

13th September 2021 Morning Report


Marsden Maritime Holdings chief executive Graham Wallace will step down from the Northport shareholder at the end of the month, ending almost six years in the job.

Chair John Goulter said Wallace told the board he plans to leave on March 31, and the company's directors will start looking for a replacement.

"Graham has held the position of CEO for nearly six years and has played a pivotal role in seeing the company expand and develop during the period of his tenure," Goulter said.

Wallace took up the position in 2012 on an interim basis before being confirmed permanent CEO, having worked alongside the company in a variety of finance roles for 18 years.

During his tenure in charge, the company rebranded from Northland Port Co in 2014 to reduce the confusion between its operations and that of the Marsden Point-based Northport.

Marsden Maritime's shares were trading at $2 when Wallace was appointed interim CEO in May 2012, and have climbed to $5.60, a gain of 180 percent. Over the same period, the S&P/NZX All Index rose about 89 percent.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

17th September 2021 Morning Report

NZ Automotive Investments Limited (NZX: NZA) Proposed Sell Down by NZA Founder to Improve Liquidity

16th September 2021 Morning Report

15th September 2021 Morning Report

Seeka Limited (NZX: SEK) Announces Further Kiwifruit Acquisition

Briscoe Group Limited (NZX: BGP) Half Year Results Announcement

14th September 2021 Morning Report

Stride Property Ltd & Stride Investment Management Ltd (NZX: SPG) Office Fund Established and Conditional Acquisition

Third Age Health Services Limited (NZX: TAH) Announces Acquisition of Belmont Medical

13th September 2021 Morning Report


    ?

 ,          live



:   live.     ?                  -  .     !

 :  !

:                 .                ,       ,       .           ,         .     ,       ,            .     ?

 :          .      .

:    ?   .

 :       .  ...

:   -      ,  ,       -         .

 : , ,  .

: ,  ,    .

 :  ,          ,    ,    .

:     ?

 :  ,     -.         ,      , . ,                ,         - 2,  - 3.           500 . .          ,    ,    .

: , .            .           ,            ,   .

 :  ,     .          , ,   ,              : , , - ,     .     ,       ,  ,  ,     .

:  , ,      .    ,  ?

 : ,     .

:   ?

 : ,   ,  ....

:   ?

 :   ,   -...

: ?

 : ...    .

: ?

 :  ...,      ,     .

:  ,  .

 :   .

: ,   ,  .

 :             ,    ,    ,   ...

:      .    ,             ?    ,   ?

 :  ,       ,     .   ,             .

:    ?

 : -     ,    ,    .

: - ,            .       ,      ,           ...

 :   .

: .     ,        .  .

 : ,        .

:  ?

 :     -.

:  - ,            ,      ,   .

 :   ,  ,     ,        .   ,     ,     ,         ,      ,   ,      .

:     ,   ,      ?

 :    .

: .

 :          ?

: .

 :            .       ,     ,     ,      .  ,   ...

:         ?

 : .       .

: ,         . ...

 :   .    .

:          ?

 : ,   ...     .  ,      ,       ,       .

: .  ...

 :    ,    ,   ...

:       ,           .

 :  -     .

:      .

 :   ,      ,      .

:  ,    ,    :

    ,  ,       ...

 :   .

: ...        ,    ...  ,              ,     ,    31%     ,    50%     .      ,      .

 :     ,   .

: .    .      ,     ?

 :  ,     ,      .        ,  ,   ,     .      ...

: .   ...      ?

 : ,     .         ,         .    ,    ,    .         .   ,    .        .        .

:       ,   - .

 :      ,      , ,   ,      .    , ....,    .               .          .         ,     .     ,    ...

:            ,   50%  ...

 : ,      ,   .

:    ?

 :           .   .

: .      ?

 :   ,     .    ,    ,     ,         .

:          ?

 : .

:   ,     ,  ,    .     ?

 :     .

: .   ,    : - ,     ,    ?,    : ,     ,  :    ,  .   :     .  ,      ,  .

 :   .

:     ? ,    ,  ,        ,          .

 :         .     ,       ,         ....

:  .       ,     .

 : ,   .   ,         ,    ,  ,       .

: ,     ,        ,             ,          ,          ?

 :     .      ,        ,           .         ,         .  ,       .       ,  ...

:    .

 : ...       ,     .   ,        ,         .

:       ,          ,      .

 :        ,    .

:    .      -  .

 :   ,         .   ,       ,    ,         .

:            ?

 :        ....

:  .  ,    -,     ?

 : ,          .

:     .   ,       ,    .

 : , ,   ,      .    ,      ,     ,     ,       .

: .       .

 :            ,      .

:              ?     ?

 :  ,    . ,        .

: .

 : ,   ,    2001 .         ,     ,    ,          ...

:      ?

 : ,   .      ,       ...

:      ?

 :   .  ,   ,                ,           .         .

:       ,             ?

 : 2001 .      .      ,  ,          ,       .

: , ,     .     ,    2001 .        ,  ,         .   ?

 :         ,       .

:       ,      ,       ,   .

 :   .

: ,        ?    ,      ?

 :      ,   ...

:     .

 : ,    ,  ,        .

:        ,           ?

 :    ,       ,       ,      .

:        ?

 : .

: ,   ,      ,             -        ?

 : ,  . ...,     ,          ,     .

:     ?

 :  2005 .,  .

: .    ...

 :  ,     .

: ...  ?

 :      2003 .

:     ?

 : , .

:  2003 .           40%  ,    ,       ?

 :             ...

:     ,          ?

 : ,            .

:   ,     .

 :      .

:  ,  .

 :       .

:        ,     ,   ?

 :              .

: ,   , ...

 : ,     . ...

:   ...

 :             2006 .

:        40 % - 2003 .

 :   .

: .             ?         ,        .

 : ,          .

:    ?

 : .

:     ?

 :     .

:       .

 : .

:    ?

 :   ,      .

: .      .  ,     ,    ,   ?

 :    ...

:   ?

 : ...        ...

: - ,     ?

 : ,      ,      .

: ,      .

 : ,   .    ...

:   ?  ,    ...

 :       .

:    ...

 :   ...,

: .     .

 : ...   ,    .

: - ,       .

 :  ,    .

: ,          ?

 :  ,       ...

:    ... - ,    ...

 : , .

: . .     ?

 :     .

:   ?  ?

 :             ....

:   ,      ,           ? .

 :      .

: ,     ? .     ,      .      .       .    .

 :  , .

:     ?   ?

 : ,    ,   ,       .

: - ,       ?

 : .

:     ?

 :      ...

:   .

 : ...       ,      .    ,   .. ,         ...

:    ?

 : ...     ...

:        ?    ?

 :     .

: , ?

 : .

:  ,         ?

 :       ,     .

:    ? .

 : .

: .  ?

 :       .  ,     ,   ,    .

:    .  , ,   ? ,       .   ,     .   ?  .

 :             ,             .

: , . ,     .     .    .    .      ,      . 56% ,     .      GSM-        sms-  ,   ?

 : , ...

: ,  .

 :  ,     ,      .

: ,    .      ,    .    .
Restaurant Brands met its sales forecast for 2018, with revenue rising 49 percent to $740.8 million, as acquisitions in Hawaii and Australia bolstered earnings.

In June last year, chief executive Russel Creedy said the company expected to "comfortably" exceed revenue of $700 million in the 2018 financial year and it was aiming to reach $1 billion in annual sales. Today, the company reported it had done that with fourth-quarter earnings, for the 12 weeks ended Feb. 26, at $181.3 million, a 49 percent lift on the same period in 2017. The full earnings are due on April 17.

In New Zealand, Restaurant Brands runs KFC, Pizza Hut, Carls Jr and Starbucks Coffee, while in the last 18 months it has added Hawaii, where it operates 82 Taco Bell and Pizza Hut stores, and Australia, where it operates 61 KFC outlets in New South Wales.

KFC New Zealand sales rose 7.8 percent to $319.6 million in the year, up 6.2 percent on a same-store basis, with fourth-quarter sales rising 7.1 percent to $75.7 million, up 5 percent on a same-store basis. Store numbers rose by two in the year to 94, with one outlet opening at Christchurch Airport during the quarter.

The US operations had fourth-quarter sales of US$28.6 million, or $39.4 million, and have contributed US$119.8 million, or $167.5 million, in the 51 weeks since they were bought. Its Taco Bell and Pizza Hutt stores near Pearl Harbour are temporarily closed due to ongoing infrastructure work on the base and are scheduled to reopen in April 2018, it said.

In Australia, annual sales rose 50.9 percent on a total store basis to A$139.5 million, or $151.8 million, up 4.9 percent on a same-store basis. Fourth-quarter sales were A$39.1 million, or $42.7 million, up 2.4 percent on a same-store basis and 57.7 percent in total. It started the year with 42 stores and bought or opened 19 during the year.

Sales at the 36 company-owned Pizza Hut New Zealand outlets rose 1.5 percent annually to $41.1 million, up 8.1 percent on a same-store basis, with sales up 0.2 percent in the quarter to $9 million. There are 61 Pizza Hut outlets operated by independent franchisees and network sales climbed 10 percent to $100.7 million in the year, with a 6.4 percent quarterly gain to $22.8 million.

Starbucks Coffee sales struggled, down 3.3 percent annually to $25.8 million though they rose 6.3 percent on a same-store basis. The company closed two Starbucks outlets in the year, bringing its total in the country to 22.

Carl's Jr sales dropped 3.9 percent to $34.9 million in the year, and were down 2.6 percent on a same-store basis, with the number of outlets unchanged at 19.

The shares last traded at $7.20 and have gained 34 percent in the past 12 months.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

17th September 2021 Morning Report

NZ Automotive Investments Limited (NZX: NZA) Proposed Sell Down by NZA Founder to Improve Liquidity

16th September 2021 Morning Report

15th September 2021 Morning Report

Seeka Limited (NZX: SEK) Announces Further Kiwifruit Acquisition

Briscoe Group Limited (NZX: BGP) Half Year Results Announcement

14th September 2021 Morning Report

Stride Property Ltd & Stride Investment Management Ltd (NZX: SPG) Office Fund Established and Conditional Acquisition

Third Age Health Services Limited (NZX: TAH) Announces Acquisition of Belmont Medical

13th September 2021 Morning Report


The Ministry of Home Affairs has taken note of the instances of statues being toppled in the country. At least two Lenin statues were brought down in Tripura while a Periyar statue was vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Vellore.

: Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks to Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the vandalism of statues in Tripura. The ministry of home affairs asks state government to take strong action.

Reports also came in today of a bust of Syama Prasad Mukherjee, a Sangh ideologue, being targetted in Kolkata. The MHA adivsory, however, came just before the reports came in.

The MHA, in its advisory issued after Lenin and Periyar statues were targetted, said states have been asked to "take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents" an MHA advisory said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and has expressed his "strong disapproval" of such incidents, the MHA advisory added.
Speaking on the thanksgiving motion on Governors address, the Chief Minister took a dig at the AICC President Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party leaders who sport sacred thread and then wear a cap to pay obeisance at both religious places for political gains.

: The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced on the floor of the UP Assembly that he is devout Hindu and does not celebrate Eid.

I am devout Hindu and dont celebrate Eid. Why should I celebrate Eid when I take pride in my own religion? I am not one of those who sport sacred thread (Janeu) and at the same time wear cap (Muslim topi) and kneel down to offer prayers, quipped Chief Minister in reply to Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chowdharys query.

Earlier, this question was posed by media when he had gone to Mathura to celebrate famous Barsana Holi along with his Cabinet colleagues. Yogi Adityanth had briefly replied then but today when the question was raised again by the opposition he elaborated his views personal and his government views on Hindu religion and festivals vis a vis Eid.

But this did not mean that I have ever stopped people of other religion and faith to celebrate their own festivals. My government would always extend support to those celebrating Eid and other festivals peacefully, he added.

This year Holi coincided with Jumah Namaj and I directed my officers to appeal Imams for shifting timings of Jumah Namaj for facilitating Hindus to play colours. Holi comes once in a year but Jumah Namaj is offered 52 times. I thank Muslim religious leaders that accepted my appeal and shifted timings of the Jumah Namaj, the Chief Minister said further.
STATEN, N.Y. -- A new original play aims to capture the vital role of youth and resistance during the Holocaust -- and why it still matters in today's society.

"In the Light of One Another: A Meditation on Resistance drawn from the Testimony of Survivors" will be performed at the Wagner College Stage One Theater at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 17, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 18. Admission is "a much appreciated donation of $10."

"Twelve Wagner College students have learned the testimony of six Holocaust survivors from Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania -- who all live or have lived on Staten Island," said director Lori Weintrob, who co-authored the piece with Obie-winning playwright Martin Moran.

The student actors will sing songs in three different languages including English, Hebrew, and Yiddish and will include two original pieces by composer David Dabbon.

The setting of the play is a Passover Seder, the traditional Jewish feast that marks the beginning of Passover. This year marks the 75

th

anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which began on the first night of Passover in 1943.

During the rehearsal process for the show, theatre professor Theresa McCarthy guided students as they came together to embody the survivors using testimony drawn from interviews by the Shoah Foundation, the Kleinman Holocaust Education Center and the Wagner College Holocaust Center.

"Students not only learned the words and accents of the survivors, but also the cadence, rhythm, and breath of each survivor," Weintrob said.

Holocaust survivors will be in attendance at each performance. On opening night, attendees can meet Rachel Roth who, as a teenager, stood face-to-face with the notorious Joseph Mengele at a selection in Auschwitz, not long after she smuggled a gun into the Warsaw Ghetto.

On Sunday, meet Romi Cohn, who aided 57 Jewish families in Bratislava, Slovakia and fought with the partisans. Auschwitz survivor Hannah Steiner also will attend Sunday.

The play also captures the tragic journeys and resilience of Egon Salmon, Gabi Held, Margot Capell and others. Their stories showcase various kinds of "Amidah (standing up)" or resistance, from mutual aid to partisan activity.

SILive's own multimedia specialist, Shira Stoll, has worked with Wagner College Holocaust Center and the Jewish Community Center to do additional interviews with over a dozen Holocaust survivors on Staten Island. These videos will be available on SILive starting April 11 for Holocaust Remembrance and heroism day.

In addition, Advance Executive Editor Brian Laline will join in presenting Stoll's work, "Voices on Video: A Tribute to Staten Island's Holocaust Survivors," at Wagner College at 6 p.m. April 10.

Anyone interested in attending may do so by contacting Director Lisa Weintrob at lweintr@wagner.edu or by phone at 718-390-3309.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has unveiled the redesigned Staten Island express bus network that is set to take effect in August 2018.

The new network will offer riders more direct routes, less frequent stopping and expanded off-peak and weekend service to Manhattan. An experimental single-stop Park-and-Ride express route will be launched from two Island locations.

To make room for those efficiencies, however, some riders will have to catch the bus at a new stop that's farther away than their current one.

"Not only will this redesign make commutes faster, more reliable and more convenient for Staten Islanders, but the approach we've taken with Staten Islanders is a model for the entire city," said NYC Transit President Andy Byford.

Staten Island's 21 express bus routes will operate primarily to Downtown and Midtown Manhattan.

>> See changes, and all Staten Island stops proposed for the 21 routes outlined in the MTA's plan. <<

The majority of the buses will offer service to 42nd Street/34th Street, Madison Avenue/Fifth Avenue, 23rd Street and Church Street/Broadway.

PUBLIC FEEDBACK

However, based on public feedback from the MTA's first round of open houses in October, the agency has adjusted the plan to also include service along the West Side and to the areas between Downtown and Midtown Manhattan.

"At the last series of public forums, commuters raised several issues that had to be corrected," said Borough President James Oddo. "I am pleased to report that the process worked exactly as it was supposed to, and suggestions from commuters were incorporated into this current plan."

In response to community input, the MTA has added direct service to the following locations:

West Street and Battery Park City

Two new routes will travel directly from the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel to Battery Park City and West Street, one from the North Shore and one from the South Shore and Mid-Island.

Greenwich Village and SoHo

The two new routes that serve Battery Park City and West Street will continue north, serving SoHo and Greenwich Village.

Water Street

Three routes will travel directly from the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel to Water Street in the Financial District, with options from the North Shore, South Shore, and Mid-Island.

Sixth Avenue

Two routes will travel northbound on Sixth Avenue to Central Park South, one from the North Shore and one from the South Shore and Mid-Island.

Also in response to rider feedback, the MTA has expanded off-peak and weekend service for Staten Islanders traveling to Manhattan.

Three off-peak and weekend routes will offer both Downtown and Midtown service, making limited stops in Soho, Greenwich Village and Chelsea.

There will also be one new off-peak and weekend route that will provide service from the South Shore to Downtown.

In addition to the open houses, the MTA also received feedback from nearly 4,000 riders, Community Boards, local community groups, elected officials, public workshops and customer surveys.

FEWER STOPS ON STATEN ISLAND

The newly designed network has reduced the number of total stops on Staten Island in order to improve travel time.

Under the previous plan, stops were spaced approximately 0.25 miles apart.

Under the new plan, stops would be spaced approximately .40 miles apart.

According to the MTA, nearly 70 percent of riders will continue to use the same bus stop they use today, while the remainder will have to walk a short distance that will ultimately reduce their total travel time.

Only 1 percent of riders will have to walk more than five minutes from their existing stop, according to the MTA.

The MTA determined which stops would be eliminated based on daily ridership.

PARK-AND-RIDE

The MTA will also begin operating an experimental express bus service from two of Staten Island's Park-and-Ride locations.

The buses will pick up passengers at the Staten Island Mall and South Beach (Father Capodanno Boulevard) Park-and-Rides and will offer them direct, non-stop service from the Park-and-Ride location to Manhattan.

"We are particularly excited about the MTA embracing the Park-and-Ride and trying out these routes. We think they're going to be big successes," said Oddo.

$1M BUDGET INCREASE

The MTA has received a budget increase of $1 million allocated to the overhaul of the Staten Island express bus system.

According to the agency, the money will be used to increase the frequency of service.

"We have some increased funding to play with to get some more trips when we're able to... so there will be a net increase in trips," said Jonathan Hawkins, bus planner for NYC Transit.

OPEN HOUSES

The MTA will now seek additional feedback from its riders in order to adjust and finalize the proposed changes.

Riders will have the opportunity to voice their opinions on the proposed changes at the following meetings:

Monday, March 12 (6 to 9 p.m.)

Regina McGinn Education Center, Staten Island University Hospital, 475 Seaview Ave. Ocean Breeze

Wednesday, March 14 (6 to 9 p.m.)

Elks Lodge, 3250 Richmond Ave., Greenridge

Thursday, March 22 (6 to 9 p.m.)

All Saints' Episcopal Church, 2329 Victory Blvd., Willowbrook

WHAT'S NEXT?

After March's open houses, the proposed plan will be presented to the MTA Board in April, followed by a public hearing in May, an MTA board vote in June and implementation in August, pending the approval of the MTA board.

For more information on the proposed express bus plan and the new routes, please visit www.mta.info/SIExpressBus.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - The Bay Street commercial district will get a brand-new identity - and a trendy, colorful, new logo -- thanks to a new strategic marketing plan being put into play by the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, public officials and the city.

The new branding, which includes a new "Downtown Staten Island," logo, is part of a series of efforts being conducted by the Chamber through the city Department of Small Business Services' Neighborhood 360 Program to revitalize the Bay Street commercial district, stretching from Borough Hall to the Clifton train station.

The plan is to give a boost to the more than 200 merchants in St. George, Tompkinsville and Stapleton.

The new logo transforms the words "Downtown Staten Island,'' into a rectangular frame, a symbol of the neighborhood's unique "window view" of Manhattan and its open door to all that the Island has to offer, according to the press release issued by the Chamber.

Those involved call the letters' color "Ferry Boat Orange,'' a nod to the iconic boats in the harbor nearby.

"We're really doing a lot to attract more people to the Bay Street corridor,'' said Linda Baran, president and CEO of the Chamber, during an interview earlier in the day. "With all of the larger development happening, it's really important that the nearby businesses continue to thrive.''

At a press event Tuesday, held at the historic St. George Theatre, a local dance troupe twirled orange umbrellas bearing the new logo and kicked up their heels to the pop tune "Downtown,'' to give a festive air to the proceedings.

The event was attended by representatives of the city DSBS, the Chamber, City Councilwoman Debi Rose and Deputy Borough President Ed Burke, along with community leaders from around the Island.

The new brand identity is the result of a year-long process in which community input allowed ThoughtMatter, an award-winning creative design agency, to put the essence of the neighborhood into the visual image.

The Chamber also announced plans to launch a neighborhood-specific website (downtownSI.nyc) and other tools to promote the local businesses in the months ahead. Other efforts planned include daily street cleaning service, installation of tree guards and storefront improvements, signs and markers direct tourists and Islanders to the businesses in the area.

"Strong neighborhoods are the backbone of our city, and the $1.54 million in investments to Staten Island is going a long way towards revitalizing key commercial corridors," said Gregg Bishop, commissioner of the DSBS. "By working with the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, we are responding to local needs to support small business growth and build more vibrant neighborhoods for all New Yorkers."
China urges North, South Korea to 'seize opportunity'



Beijing, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2018



China has cautiously welcomed an agreement by North and South Korea to hold a historic summit, urging both sides to "seize the current opportunity" to promote the denuclearisation of the peninsula.

The foreign ministry issued a statement late Tuesday praising the "positive outcomes" of a meeting between South Korean envoys and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang.

The two countries agreed to hold a summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the Demilitarized Zone in late April, according to Seoul.

Pyongyang was also said to be ready to halt nuclear and missile tests, and consider the dramatic step of abandoning costly and controversial WMD programmes if the United States agrees not to attack or overthrow the regime.

"We hope that the DPRK and the ROK can earnestly implement the relevant consensus and continue with their efforts to advance reconciliation and cooperation," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in the statement, using the acronyms of the North and South.

"We hope that all relevant parties can seize the current opportunity, work for the shared goal and make concerted efforts to promote the process of denuclearisation of the Peninsula and politically resolving the Korean Peninsula issue," Geng said.

"China is willing to continue to play its due role to this end."

Earlier on Tuesday, before the landmark announcement, Geng had told reporters that "interactions" between North and South Korea "should be expanded" to include the United States.

US President Donald Trump welcomed Pyongyang's offer as positive -- and apparently sincere -- crediting Washington's "very, very strong" sanctions push, as well as "big help" from China, for the potential diplomatic breakthrough.

Calling the statements coming out of both Seoul and Pyongyang "very positive," Trump refused to rule out a historic meeting with Kim.

"We have come a long way at least rhetorically with North Korea," Trump said. "It would be a great thing for the world, it would be a great thing for North Korea, it would be a great thing for the peninsula, but we will see what happens," he said in the Oval Office.

"We are going to do something, one way or the other, we are going to do something and not let that situation fester," Trump said, in a reference to the standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

The breakthrough should please Beijing as the Asian superpower, fearing a conflict at its border, has repeatedly called for negotiations to resolve the nuclear crisis.

China has also urged the United States, Japan and South Korea to suspend joint military drills in the region in return for North Korea to halt its nuclear activities.
'We are cheering them on': China hails inter-Korean summit



Beijing, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2018



China on Wednesday warmly welcomed an agreement between North and South Korea to hold a summit, declaring: "We are cheering them on."

The comment came from foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, a day after Seoul announced plans for the meeting in late April between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

The South, reporting the outcome of a historic trip by its envoys to Pyongyang, said the North was also ready to halt nuclear and missile tests during any dialogue, and would consider abandoning WMD programmes in return for US security guarantees.

"We are also very pleased to see the positive results of interaction between the two sides," Geng told a regular news briefing.

China hopes "relevant parties can seize the current opportunity, make joint efforts to solve the issue of the denuclearisation of the peninsula and promote the political settlement of the issue," he said.

Beijing was willing to play its due role, he said, and work with other nations to promote denuclearisation of the peninsula.

Noting that China has supported the recent exchanges between the North and the South since the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games, he added: "We are cheering them on."

Under pressure from US President Donald Trump, Beijing has backed a series of United Nations sanctions against North Korea, sending relations between the Cold War-era allies to a new low.

Moon on Wednesday sounded a note of caution about the North's comments, saying it was "too early to be optimistic".

Trump welcomed Pyongyang's offer as positive -- and apparently sincere -- crediting Washington's "very, very strong" sanctions push, as well as "big help" from China, for the potential diplomatic breakthrough.

Calling the statements from both Seoul and Pyongyang "very positive," Trump refused to rule out a historic meeting with Kim.

Tuesday's breakthrough should please Beijing, which has repeatedly called for negotiations to resolve the nuclear crisis.

China has also urged the United States, Japan and South Korea to suspend joint military drills in the region in return for North Korea halting its nuclear and missile tests.
Page Content

A department within the Ministry of Public Health, social development and labor is busy having meetings with different partners and stakeholders in order to combat the spread of mosquitoes throughout our communities, said Maria Henry, Representative of CPS (Head of the Section General Health Care).





The Collective Department in collaboration with VectorStars and Mobocon planned and executed a consultation and informative evening at the Government Administration Building to hear from the local residents and partners in the community. The meetings are to assess the mosquito situation and to discuss possible collaborative activities to in order exchange information and ideas on the combating and elimination of health threats of mosquito bore diseases such as Zika, Chikunguyna, and Dengue.





Thus after the passing of Hurricane Irma, the CPS has resumed its (once again initiated a) media campaign to let the public know about its various activities and the elimination of mosquito breeding sites and activities.





With the assistance of VectorStars and that of a Medical Entomologist (RVIM), along with other Departments from different islands, i.e. BES islands, CPS is working hard in trying to reduce the amount of mosquitoes in the different communities.





According to Marieta Braks, the Medical Entomologist, Coordinator of Mobocon with the responsibility for the BES islands as it relates to decreasing the mosquito population, to reduce the amount of mosquitoes takes a lot of manpower and a lot of financial resourcesboth of which are limited; so we have to do the best with what we have. To help more in this process is the community; if they can reduce the amount of breeding areas in the yard and surrounding areas, then the mosquito population will decrease.





Thus CPS is busy working with community groups, students, and households, in order to reduce the pesky population.





What efforts has been done so far, from results of a recent survey, shows that people know about mosquitoes, know what it takes to get rid of breeding sites and know that if they dont take preventive measures to control mosquito population, then there will be an increase around the homes, and consequently, probably sicknesses.





So the CPS is gathering the troops to fight mosquitoes. Please call CPS for more information.





Present at meeting were those persons who worked with the local community and is active with the Vector Control Activities on St. Maarten. St. Eustatius, and specialists from the United Sates and the Netherlands, along with Community Development Officers, who are stationed by the Help Desks at the different districts. It is the aim to assess, improve and strengthen local vector response; planning and activities by means of an integrated approach, starting with the community said Henry, representative of CPS





For more information or to consult with us at our location, please call: 542-1122, or 542-1570 or email: vector-control@sintmaartengov.org.





Cutline: Maria Henry, Representative of CPS (Head of the Section General Health Care), speaking to the different stakeholders about the different methods to reduce mosquitos and their habitat.




Sarah Friedland, director of the Storytellers Institute, joined Skidmores recurring Facebook Live Friday interview series to discuss the fourth annual workshop and forum for documentarians at the College and beyond. This years theme? Surveil and surveilled.

To learn more about this year's Storytellers' Institute visit the program website here. For other John B. Moore Documentary Studies Collaborative (MDOCS) programs and events view the schedule here.

Facebook Live: Sarah Friedland

Interview transcript:

SKIDMORE: This is part two in our focus on the MDCOS program here at Skidmore. Tell us a little bit about the program, how it relates to MDOCS and to Skidmore.

FRIEDLAND: The Storytellers' Institute is part of MDOCS and we also work in collaboration with MDOCS. It's a five week summer institute/residency that's a shared space between Skidmore students, faculty and visiting documentary makers. The idea of the Storytellers' Institute is that all these people will come to the Skidmore Campus, and share in this really amazing creative and intellectual space together that always revolves around a yearly theme.

It's also integrated into Skidmore, in that the students who are part of the Storytellers' Institute have to take a preparation class. That kind of prepares them in knowledge about the theme, and also just gets them a little bit further on the projects that they'll be working on during the Storytellers' Institute.

SKIDMORE: You mentioned theme. This year's theme is Surveil and Surveilled. Can you talk a little bit about it and why this particular theme this time around?

FRIEDLAND: As I said, this is our fourth year. I'm just going to tell you a little bit about the themes that have happened in past institutes.



The first year, the theme was Family. People were coming with projects that were connected to the idea of family, both chosen and also the family that you're born and raised into.



Then, the second year, it was Walking the Line Between Fact and Fiction. The idea was thinking about documentary and the way that it challenges the idea of truth, and is challenged by truth.

Then, last year, our theme was Space and Place. So, looking at documentary practices that are very rooted in place in different ways, but then also looking at how documentary itself has been responsible for creating place and also for being. Documentary was also kind of rooted in ideas in some ways of colonialism. There's a lot of talk about decolonizing the field of documentary right now, so how does that connect to space and place.

This year, our theme, as you said, is Surveil and Surveilled. I'm really interested in themes that do two things. One, they speak to larger social, cultural, political prescient issues. Surveillance is something very much that is affecting everybody's life, and everybody is also engaging in willingly. Everything from state surveillance of low income or people of color neighborhoods to the ways that we also engage in surveilling ourselves on social media, surveillance by corporations, etc.



Also, thinking about the practices that documentary and surveillance share, so thinking of themes that explore this meta relationship. Documentary and surveillance are both based around the idea of recording and observing. What does that say about our practice as documentarians, but also how can documentarians use this incredible archive that's being amassed by all of these forms of surveillance, good and bad, to challenge surveillance and to make truth of surveillance.



I want to say, we're also really thinking about how can surveillance produce good in the world? One of the things that I've been thinking about is, for example, forensic architecture is this emerging field that uses a lot of CCTV footage to reconstruct human rights abuses. Then, use that footage and those computer generated animations that they create from that to take people to trial and convict the abusers. It's not always a horrible thing.

SKIDMORE: Thats very interesting. What are some of the sessions then that will be an outgrowth of that theme at this year's upcoming event? It's this summer, correct, in June?

FRIEDLAND: Right. The Storytellers' Institute is five weeks from the end of May until the end of June. Then, in the second weekend of June, we have an event series that revolves around the theme. We're still locking down the full schedule, but we have our keynotes locked down. One of the keynotes that was really exciting, she is a woman named Assia Boundaoui and she's coming with her whole filmmaking team.

She's currently making a project called the Feeling of Being Watched, which looks at surveillance of Muslim Americans outside of Chicago, and the incredible civil rights abuses that are happening in her home neighborhood where she grew up. We had contacted her about being one of our keynote speakers for this weekend long series. She reached back to us and said, "Actually I would really like to be one of the storyteller visiting fellows." So, she's both going to be a keynote and with us for the whole five weeks.

Then, the other person who is a keynote for the weekend is Hasan Elahi who has come to Skidmore before. There was a recent show that looked at issues of surveillance and his work was part of that show. He works in image based installation and is really thinking about questions of surveillance and citizenship and migration and where people belong and are not able to belong.

SKIDMORE: You talked about a filmmaking crew being one of the main sessions, and then this idea of image based installation. It speaks to a concept that documentary has perceived by most to be a filmmaking-only concept. How are you working within Storytellers' to either debunk that or expand that thought?

FRIEDLAND: Within MDOCS and Storytellers' certainly is this real push to make sure that people think about documentary in an interdisciplinary way. Documentary is kind of ruled by film. People always think film first when they think documentary. We think much more expansively: photography, audio, installation, performance, anything that's using non-fiction to create, to interrogate, to question.

The Storytellers' Institute, when we're looking for our visiting fellows, we're interested in making sure that we're not only inviting filmmakers, we're not only reaching out to filmmakers in the call  we're really trying to attract multiple disciplines. This year, we have some amazing people joining us. We have a still photographer, a person who works in radio, a person who is doing 360 immersive work and a filmmaker and another filmmaker is also doing an internet archive kind of project.

I think I'm forgetting somebody actually. Oh yeah, we have an experimental documentary animator as well.

We also encourage that in our students. The student fellows this year are also working in a variety of different mediums from audio to film to internet based interactive work. That's really important to us.

SKIDMORE: Now, what about the participants who we're inviting to this five-week program? Who should come to Storytellers Institute and who does come?

FRIEDLAND: Right. The five weeks is just for the students who go through an application project. The faculty go through an application project, and visiting fellows go through an application project. That becomes a community in and of itself.



For the weekend event, the second weekend in June  which is June 7th through 10th  all the events that we will have that weekend are free and open to the public. We do a lot of outreach, both inside the Saratoga and Capital District, but also to the greater documentary community in the US and beyond. We're going to have, I think, some people coming from Europe this year as well. Also, this theme engages a different audience. We hope that academics will come join us and also activists.

SKIDMORE: So, you're a filmmaker yourself. You joined Skidmore last year for Storytellers' Institute. What has your career been like to this point that's brought you to come lead the Storytellers' Institute?

FRIEDLAND: I'm primarily a single screen documentary maker, but I also do media artwork. I've worked in installation and also interactive online work. I've made multiple feature projects. I also, just before joining the Storytellers' Institute, I was director of the Film and Media Program at Wagner College on Staten Island. I have a real hybrid practice of both making and educating. What really attracted me to the Storytellers' Institute was that I would get to be able to really keep a foot in both of those worlds. I think it's a really innovative, exciting space for pedagogy.

The fact that we get to bring students, faculty and visiting fellows together to all think and make, to me, that was just like, "Whoa." That spoke to all the different sides of me. I feel like I've also been a resident in multiple residencies and institutes. Those experience gave me an idea of what I sought in this space, and how I hoped it would grow.

SKIDMORE: Great. We're lucky to have you here to help us keep evolving the program. You spoke about innovating and being part of innovation here at Skidmore. What themes and trends are you seeing that are either innovative or evolving the documentary storytelling field from your perspective?

FRIEDLAND: I think that MDOCS is really right on, in terms of interdisciplinarity. I think that documentary has always been interdisciplinary, but it's really beginning to see itself and others are beginning to see it more and more in that way. There's more of a push for single screen filmmakers to explore different mediums. I feel like we're really in sync with that. I also think one of the big areas that documentary is questioning right now is the voice and who gets to tell what story.

I think that with the Storytellers' Institute and MDOCS we think a lot about ethics and we think a lot about these ideas of voice. It's something that we teach and something that we consider when we're deciding the people and the projects that we invite. That's something that, I think, we're resonating with the whole ... it's not just documentary that's talking about that. I think it's also across campuses and the country.

Then, I think the other place where, especially in this country, documentary is beginning to grow and expand is this question of form, and seeing documentary as a place for creative innovation as well as a place where we have to and must feel compelled to tell important stories. It's not just the things that we're talking about in our projects, but it's also the way that we're talking about them and the choices we're making in terms of form. I think that's a huge conversation in documentary.

That's something that in MDOCS a lot of the classes are moving towards pushing and talking about that [form]. Cecilia Aldarondo has an amazing course this summer, or this spring, that's all about form. Again, it's not about saying, "Oh content isn't important." It's about, "These are both important things, and that when we truly make something interesting, it's because we're taking both of those things [form and content] into consideration."

SKIDMORE: Sounds like an important conversation and important work. We'll be looking forward to the full schedule for Storytellers as it comes together for the summer. Sarah, thank you for joining us.

FRIEDLAND: Thank you for having me.

SKIDMORE: We're looking forward to a great year for you.

FRIEDLAND: Great!
Skidmore College will bestow honorary degrees upon Alison Bechdel and Robert S.D. Higgins during the college's 107th Commencement Exercises this May. Additionally, Christopher B. Mann, assistant professor of political science, has been selected as the 2018 faculty Commencement speaker.

Alison Bechdel is an acclaimed author, cartoonist, MacArthur fellow and Tony Award winner who has been widely recognized for her outstanding contributions to the comic art form. Bechdel came to critical and commercial success in 2006 with her New York Times best-selling memoir Fun Home, which was adapted for Broadway and is now a highly successful award-winning musical appearing in New York City, London and locally at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady.



Robert Higgins is the Johns Hopkins Hospital's surgeon-in-chief, the William Stewart Halsted Professor of Surgery and the director of the Department of Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Higgins is a world-renowned authority in the field of heart and lung transplantation and in coronary artery bypass surgery. His scientific interests include the mechanisms of cell injury in failing hearts, health economics and policy, racial disparities in post-transplant outcomes, access to care and improving outcomes among heart failure and cardiac surgery patients.



"We are pleased to welcome Alison Bechdel and Robert Higgins as speakers at Skidmore College's 107th Commencement Exercises this spring, and we are very proud to confer honorary degrees upon these two very deserving recipients," said Philip A. Glotzbach, Skidmore College president. "Dr. Higgins and Ms. Bechdel are highly accomplished individuals who have demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence and have integrated the philosophy of creative thought into their professional endeavors throughout their very unique and exceptional careers."



Following a Skidmore tradition, a faculty member selected by the graduates will speak as well. Christopher Mann, assistant professor of political science, has been chosen for this distinct honor by the Class of 2018. Mann's academic research focuses on aspects of elections, campaigns and voting, and his courses include "Campaigns and Elections," "Politics and News Media" and "Election Research," among others. In addition to his work at Skidmore, Mann serves as Advisory Board member at the MIT Election Data and Science Laboratory.



Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 19, at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.



For more information about Commencement and this year's program visit the website here.
PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten  The House of Parliament will sit in a plenary public session on March 7, 2018. The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor will be present. The plenary public meeting which was adjourned on February 9, 2018 will be reconvened on Wednesday at 14.00 hrs in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The agenda point is: Ontwerp van Landsverordening tot wijziging van het Burgerlijk Wetboek en enkele andere landsverordeningen in verband met de vervanging van de zevende titel A van Boek 7A door een nieuwe titel 10 van Boek 7 regelende voorschriften voor arbeidsovereenkomsten. (Draft of National Ordinance amending the Civil Code and some other national ordinances in connection with the replacement of the seventh title A of Book 7A with a new title 10 of Book 7 regulations for employment contracts).

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, SXMGOV Radio 107.9 FM, video live stream via the internet www.pearlfmradio.sx, www.sxmparliament.org and also Parliament FB page

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten  The House of Parliament will sit in a plenary public session on March 7, 2018. The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor will be present. The plenary public meeting which was adjourned on February 9, 2018 will be reconvened on Wednesday at 14.00 hrs in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The agenda point is: Ontwerp van Landsverordening tot wijziging van het Burgerlijk Wetboek en enkele andere landsverordeningen in verband met de vervanging van de zevende titel A van Boek 7A door een nieuwe titel 10 van Boek 7 regelende voorschriften voor arbeidsovereenkomsten. (Draft of National Ordinance amending the Civil Code and some other national ordinances in connection with the replacement of the seventh title A of Book 7A with a new title 10 of Book 7 regulations for employment contracts).

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, SXMGOV Radio 107.9 FM, video live stream via the internet www.pearlfmradio.sx, www.sxmparliament.or: Parliament of Sint Maarten.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Recently, the Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of the Netherlands His Excellency Venu Rajamony paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister the Honorable Leona Romeo Marlin at the Government Building. During the meeting, the two parties discussed issues related to establishing an India  Sint Maarten working relationship that can be of benefit to both countries.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Vice-President of the Kingdom Council of State Piet Hein Donner met with Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin at her cabinet recently. Discussions centered around the appointment of a representative of Sint Maarten on the Kingdom Council of State and also progress on the set up of the Integrity Chamber.
PORT OF SPAIN:--- In celebration of International Womens Day (IWD) 2018, the City Hall of Port of Spain was transformed into a Womens City Village for one day, on Wednesday 7 March, as part of a week of activities showcasing women. The theme of this years IWD is the 'Time is now: Rural and urban activists transforming womens lives.

The day began with a power-walk around Woodford Square, as a show of solidarity and unity for the promotion of the rights of women and girls. This was followed by the official opening of the City Village, where several rural organizations had the opportunity to showcase their initiatives, products, and services in a vibrant Marketplace.

For this occasion, ECLAC Caribbean joined forces with the University of the West Indies, other UN agencies, including UNFPA, and local organizations including the Network of Rural Women Producers Trinidad and Tobago to support the InterClub of Trinidad and Tobago, in highlighting the contribution of rural women across the country.

ECLAC Caribbean Director, Diane Quarless, indicated her conviction that there is immeasurable untapped potential for rural and urban women. With just a little help we can empower our women and girls to allow them to become more independent in both their economic and personal decision making. Todays event is an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of sisterhood, kinship, and solidarity, that will no doubt bolster individual and collective resolve for the work that will still need to be done when we leave this place, she said in her opening remarks.

She stated that while women have made important advances in several aspects of life, across the Caribbean there is still work to be done towards achieving gender equality and autonomy for women and girls in the context of sustainable development. There is room for improvement with regards to womens access to and control over productive assets, such as land and capital. This includes strengthening the institutional infrastructure, such as national womens machineries and effective gender policy frameworks, to promote the integration of gender perspectives in national development.

Quarless added that promoting gender equality and the empowerment autonomy of women and girls of all ages is a daily imperative. We advocate that without gender equality, development is neither genuine nor is it sustainable.

This unique event was organized to target those women and girls who are sometimes left out of development initiatives, while also sharing some key success stories. In this regard, the event featured discussions and information about health and wellness, including sexual and reproductive health, food security, microenterprise development/entrepreneurship and financial management.
~ We are here to stay because I truly believe in St. Maarten.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Niso Dimri owner of DOR 24K, Lionesse, ADORE and KRISTALS says that as a businessman on St. Maarten he is here to stay and will do everything possible to keep his stores open in order for St. Maarten to bounce back from hurricane Irma.

Dimri has been doing business on St. Maarten for the past three years. He admitted, in the beginning, he had some difficulties but those he said are behind him as his focus is placed on building his businesses as well as assisting in rebuilding St. Maarten. Dimri said from the time he came to St. Maarten to do business it has been his intention to do everything legally and to work closely with government. In the beginning, it was difficult since he did not know how to get things done correctly.

He, however, called on government to be more welcoming to investors that are interested in investing in St. Maarten as the island is unique in many ways thus attracting tourists from all over the world.

The four stores that Dimri operates sells special brands of cosmetics that are FDA and dermatologist approved. DOR 24K, Lionesse, ADORE, and KRISTALS are located on Front Street while they carry special brands of cosmetics they also carry some organic products. These stores specialize in facials with high-end products that are designed for anti-aging, acne, wrinkles, and spots.

Dimri explained that his investors are from Canada and prior to settling on St. Maarten they traveled to all of the Caribbean Islands before deciding on St. Maarten. He said the goal of his company is to bring in skin specialists Estheticians that will provide training for locals that are willing to offer skin care such as facials. However, these specialists are hampered by the amount of time they have to wait for a working permit. One of Dimris biggest challenges is to find workers locally. He said he has been looking for locals but its difficult to find people that are willing to learn since he provides training.

Like most people Dimri said his stores suffered damages during the passage IRMA, he said he suffered severe financial loss because he did not have insurance for his businesses including merchandise and vehicles. Due to the damages, the businessman said he had to close his doors for four months but now he is back and has invested in two more stores all of which are located on Front Street. Dimri said returning to St. Maarten has cost him a lot of repairs, rent, and restocking.

While the stores cater to tourists, locals that enjoyed the products when they were first introduced on St. Maarten should return to the stores because the products are authentic and his business is fully legal. He said that he has never forced anyone to purchase their products but have been giving free samples. He encouraged locals to visit his stores because there is a lot of benefits local residents could enjoy by just using the line of products offered at his stores.

At this point our aim is to give back to St. Maarten while making money like every other business. We are now focusing on hiring locals and will provide the necessary training in order for them to produce well on the job. We are in need of 20 people to work those include cashier, skin specialists, salespersons and persons interested in promoting the stores.

He urged locals that are unemployed and have experience in sales and cosmetics to apply for the jobs that are available. The businessman said since he is back on St. Maarten he is focused on securing a new team of employees since those that worked with him in the past did not get a good experience while on St. Maarten and has since left and are not interested in returning.

Dimri made clear that while he will have people promoting the business directly in front of the stores. He said that those working for him are not allowed to go over on the Boardwalk or elsewhere in Philipsburg. He said tourists and other customers have been complaining about the barkers in Philipsburg however, he assured that his employees will not be allowed to harass the island visitors.

The young businessman said he has lots in store for his customers as they are trying to give back as much to the community. Persons that reads this article could go into the store and mention it and they will come in for a free gift or free facial. Besides that customers could also like and share their Facebook page which would also earn them a free gift. http://bit.ly/2FjvG0O

Kristals Cosmetics

Since ancient times, precious and semi-precious stones have been used to promote healing and well-being. At Kristals, we promote a lifestyle that combines spirituality with holistic skincare using gems like diamonds, gold, and sapphire. The result? Youthful radiance and balanced spiritual energy.

D'OR24K

Making everyday skin care products not only a viable option but one that is setting the trend for all skin care products in the future. Historically, gold has been applied in thin sheets (gold leaf) directly onto the skin. DOR 24K products are currently available in some of the most expensive Chain Stores, Cosmetic Stores, Spas and Salons Worldwide.

LIONESSE

Lionesse brings you a range of skin care, hair care products and tools that are as diverse as your needs and as unique as your beauty. Get a perfectly flawless finish or a refreshingly radiant look. We're always here to help you rediscover a beautiful you.

ADORE

Adore Organic Innovation offers a complete range of Organic Skin Care products at an affordable cost. We have a large range of Cleansers / Toners, Moisturizers, Anti-Wrinkle Creams, and much more.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS OF MORE SKINCARE PRODUCTS.
By Devanshu Narang

New Canadian Media

If I was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, I would not forgive Indian politicians and the country's media for a long time. Perhaps Mr. Trudeau will forgive, but as a Canadian with Indian roots, I definitely will not. Ever.

But mark my words, Trudeau's India visit will turn out to be a long-term relationship disaster for India and not for Canada. As an honest, liberal, positive and a truly warm Canadian, the prime minister does not need to re-invent himself. On the other hand, Indians could do some re-thinking themselves.

True, Mr. Trudeau went overboard, as he sometimes does. Those heavily embroidered and garish Indian tops called 'Kurtas' were an eyesore even to most Indians. We never wear such fancy attire, except special occasions when it is considered chic to have an "Indian look". Perhaps he was either misguided by his coterie of South Asians who love their Bollywood movies or by the huge applause he gets when he wears such costumes at cultural events in Canada. After all, it is a pleasure for the South Asians to see a white leader wear ethnic attire and dance to Indian tunes. Here in Canada it is genuinely considered a mark of respect to the community and a desire to accept their culture.

Unfortunately, India mistook this for Mr. Trudeau's weakness and showed its boorish side.

In fact, it was evident right from the start that the Indian political elite which hates the liberal agenda and which has turned markedly right-wing and conservative in recent years would not take to the Canadian prime minister. They not only sent a junior minister to officially welcome him, but also ensured that the media coverage he received was low and negative. Slowly the plan was put into effect: his clothing became the object of derision, the motives of his trip questioned, his comments called into question, his guest lists scrutinized, and lo and behold, we had a feel-good trip turned into a PR nightmare.

I will not go into the details of how he was treated by Indian and thereafter Canadian and foreign media. How he was made to look like a fool when he was just being a warm human being. I would rather focus on what I think will happen following this trip and let Indians know about the blunder they have just committed.

Here was a guest, who in keeping with Indian traditions was to be treated like a God, who arrived in all humility  always bowing to local traditions, even dressed in their attire to please the locals, showing due respect all all the shrines and institutions revered and loved by Indians, who took his family along and persuaded them to dress the Indian way. Who could ever imagine that he would face ridicule at home, especially from the political opponents baying for blood ready to portray him as a weakling.

But, more importantly, what is wrong with India? How many times have we had world leaders come to India and respect Indian ways? How happy you've been when they occasionally wear Indian attire for an event and grooved with you? How many times have you hoped that they genuinely like your cuisine, your culture, your music and your own self? And when a man, a nation's leader, whole-heartedly opens up his soul and gives you a warm hug, you pull back?

So what if he went overboard. Is it wrong to try too hard?

Mr. Trudeau will recover from all this. After all, he did nothing wrong. But chances are India will experience the famous Canadian chill for decades to come.

The relationship between Canada and India may go into cold storage. Not just Canadians, but countries the world over, especially in the Western world, would be less trusting of India, especially if their political views differ. Other world leaders will definitely be more reserved during their Indian visits and never again would any Western leader open up as much as Mr. Trudeau did to Indian traditions and culture.

As for the invitation extended to a convicted would-be assassin for a Trudeau event, let us review the facts there too. First, the guest lists and invitees are not put together by Mr. Trudeau or any political leader himself. Second, if facts serve me right, Jaspal Atwal was convicted as a terrorist and served his sentence for close to two decades and has gone on record saying after his release saying that he regrets his action. He has already faced punishment for his crime and now walks free in Canada and has all the rights as any other Canadian.

He was visiting India because India too removed his name from the blacklist and granted him a visa. So, how long would you keep crucifying a person for an act in the past? Using the same logic, a lot of political leaders in India who were anti-state at one time should also be blacklisted for life. If anyone is to blame, it is India's double standards.

True, the "Khalistan movement" is dead in India, as it should be. It also does not ignite the minds of a majority of Indo-Canadians any more. But, the fact still remains, that a large part of the Punjabi community that resides in Canada came here in the 1980s and early 1990s after witnessing various atrocities committed to their near and dear ones at different times. The wounds have healed, but the scars still remain for children who grew up without fathers, or men and women who suffered in their youth. These can only be healed by love and acceptance and not by hate and segregation.

By turning your back on Mr. Atwal, who has already paid for his crime, you alienate many other Indo-Canadians and rub fresh salt on old wounds. Alas, one should have expected that out from a newly militant India and its biased media.

I only hope that Mr. Trudeau and the Liberal Party does not take the criticism to heart in the context of Canadian diversity. The party's welcome to immigrants, working towards enabling equality, justice and acceptance in Canadian communities, and enabling greater respect for all humans should continue. Mr. Trudeau's evident love for the Indo-Canadian community must not diminished due to unfair coverage by Indian media, which appears semi-controlled by right-wing Indian politicians.

As an Indo-Canadian, I am ashamed about the way India treated our Prime Minister. My advice: please forget this and move on. Thank you for opening your heart.

And, yes, the next time at Diwali or Gurupurb, please bring out those Bhangra dance moves again.

Devanshu Narang is a contributor for New Canadian Media and other publications such as The Times of India. He is also a member of the NCM Collective.

This piece was originally appeared in New Canadian Media.

See http://www.newcanadianmedia.ca/item/43081-indias-double-standards-let-trudeau-down-indias-double-standards-let-trudeau-down
By Jagdeesh Mann

Special to The Post

Its likely Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saw events playing out differently than how they actually turned out for his recent state visit to India.

Like most Canadians, he probably thought February an ideal time to fly someplace warm. He would take the family to India, enjoy a weeklong vacation, get some great photo ops at sites like the Taj Mahal and the Golden Temple, and then meet Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a day of official state business to wrap up his trip.

Though he would never admit it, Trudeau probably also hoped to out-Instagram his new arch rival, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who was getting married in Mexico this past weekend.

And, last but not least, by taking his four Sikh cabinet ministers along for the trip, Trudeau would score points with his Sikh electoral base back in Canada.

While Canadas PM did get in his photo-ops, he and his team was put on the defensive throughout the visit by accusations of his government being in league with "Khalistanis"shorthand for "Khalistani terrorists". These charges came from multiple fronts.

Indian reporters dogged Trudeau with questions about harbouring "Sikh separatists", another term for "Khalistanis", at every opportunity, while leading media outlets like the Times of India , Hindustan Times, NDTV and others pushed the Khalistan narrative relentlessly.

Indian news magazines like Outlook published polemical essays about how a new real threat of Khalistani terror has emerged due to support from Sikh temples patronized by unwitting "liberal white politicians", like Justin Trudeau.

Meanwhile, members of the Indian government provided a lesson in how to put the "host" into hostility by repeating the provocative allegations against their guests. Captain Amarinder Singh, the chief minister of Punjab, where most Sikhs hail from, did his central governments bidding when he stated, There seems to be evidence that there are Khalistani sympathizers in Trudeaus cabinet, alluding to Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, whom Singh has called a Khalistani in the past.

Sajjan has never made a statement in support of a separate Sikh state. If anything, he has spoken against it.

And then, into this charged environment, enter ex-Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal, who makes an appearance at an event with the Trudeaus in Mumbai. A Canadian security official, reported to be Daniel Jean, told Canadian media outlets that it is possible that the presence of Atwal at the function with the Trudeaus was not an accident and had been engineered by elements within the Indias intelligence services.

Even if this turns out not to be the case, the fact that Atwal, an actual ex-Khalistani who tried to kill an Indian government official in Canada in 1986, was granted a visa to enter India at the same time as the Trudeau visit arouses suspicion. Canadian security officials like Jean are in the right to consider all possibilities about Atwals incidental presence at an event hosted by the Canadian High Commission in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, back in Canada, mainstream outlets could have benefited from a dose of Jeans skepticism. Instead Canadian reporters on the most parroted the opinions of Indian media through analysis pieces that stated there has been " a revival of Khalistani terror in recent years ". Despite the scraps of evidence the Indian government has presented to push this claim, it highly spurious at best.

A quick refresher here: Khalistan is the name of a currently nonexistent Sikh homeland. It is based on the state of Punjab, a territory slightly larger than Vancouver Island, separating from India. For sake of analogy think of the Basque region declaring independence from Spain, the Kurdish north opting out of Iraq, or Quebec leaving Canada.

Over 30 years ago in the early '80s, this idea of a Sikh homeland erupted overnight out of dormancy into a full-blown political cause when the Indian government made the pivotal error of turning their tanks on the Golden Temple, or the Sikh Vatican. Thousands of people would die in the Punjab from the ensuing violence over the next decade, including over 15,000+ in the anti-Sikh riots in Delhi in 1984, murdered by mobs who were provided weapons and transport via Indian government officials. Nobody has even been charged for that mass killing.

And herethe most important wrinkle to this storyit has been over 20 years since a terror attack has been credibly linked to the Khalistan movement. In the late '90s, at the same time the IRA signed its peace agreement in Northern Ireland, the Khalistan militancy faded away. Funds dried up, and the fighters who took up its cause retired back into normal lives.

Even the last of the hardcore holdouts like Lakhbir Singh Rode, the head of the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), one of the two key groups at the centre of the Khalistan militancy, now keeps a day job running a meat business in Lahore, Pakistan.

Khalistan died. Khalistanis died. But the Khalistan narrative wont die. And that is because it wont be allowed to rest in peace because politicians in India, and ironically, even here in Canada, wont let it.

The "threat" of Khalistan has more value alive than dead.

And so the storyline of Khalistan terror continues to develop, even if the movement is gone. The theatrics are necessary to showcase it as a viable threat.

Scottish national Jagtar Johal, 31, is one person who seems to be ensnared in this net. The Sikh activist who ran a website called NeverForget1984 was in India for his wedding last November when he was taken by Indian police. Johal is being detained, without charge, for allegedly having a role in a series of political assassinations in Punjab over the last two years.

Sikhs around the world have rallied around the #FreeJaggi hashtag to liberate Johal on what appear to be a politically motivated detention.

Over 100 Sikh temples around the world reacted to the #FreeJaggi controversy by recently barring Indian diplomats from their premises. The response from Indian politicians was predictablethe temple officials, from all 100+ organisations, are Khalistanis.

And now Justin Trudeau leaves India having been compelled into signing a Framework for Cooperation on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism between Canada and India. Canada and India had an intelligence-sharing arrangement before, during the height of the violence in Punjab in the '80s and '90s. That arrangement, however, was ended after the Khalistan movement died out. It is now on the path to coming back into place, renewing a fear that Indias corrupt police and paramilitary will be able to shake down the Indian relatives of Canadian Sikhs whose names appear in intelligence reports shared by Canada.

So what is driving this Russian-style disinformation campaign by India against its own former citizens and their descendants? It is not a terror attack the Indian government appears to be most fearful of. Rather, it is the disproportionate political influence of Canadas Sikh community on Canada, a G7 country, that has New Delhi in fits.

As unified as India seems, it is an unwieldy coalition of 1.3-billion people with multiple ethnic groups, languages, and religions. The Indian government holds a reasonable fear that external influence could stir trouble again in the Punjab, especially in a country where the ruling BJP, a right-wing pro-Hindu party, itself governs through cold-blooded divide and rule machinationsthe BJP frequently turns a blind eye to the violence of its own militant wing, the RSS, when it targets minority groups like Sikhs, Christians, and Muslims.

Currently, four of Trudeaus cabinet ministers are Sikhs. There is also the possibility the next prime minister, or at least the next kingmaker, could be Jagmeet Singh, also a Sikh and someone with a social justice agenda. With an overall population of close to a million people in Canada, the Sikh community will only continue to grow in political influence for the years to come.

What the Indian government fails to recognizeor refuses tois that politicians like Jagmeet Singh and others from a new generation of Sikhs are motivated not by separatism but by social justice causes. When they seek to redress past wrongs from incidents like anti-Sikh mass killings of Delhi in 1984, they are looking for reconciliation to heal past wounds, not for further division.

But this nuance is lost on the Indian government and so it indiscriminately responds to any criticism by undermining opponents with labels like "Khalistanis". Or it resorts to an old tactic of withholding travel visas. While ex-terrorist Jaspal Atwal can obtain an Indian visaon multiple occasions it should be notedNDP leader Jagmeet Singh cannot.

Singh was denied a visa in 2013, as was Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal in 2011. Both men brought forward motions in the Ontario provincial legislature and in the House of Commons respectively to have the Delhi mass killings classified as a genocidal act.

The motion was eventually carried last year by the Ontario government. The Indian government responded by calling it "misguided".

Ironically, however, hammering down on opponents with the Khalistani cudgel is not beneath the use of Canadian politicians either. In a Sikh community that is as politically active as it is diverse, some groups have also repeatedly resorted to labelling their opponents as "Khalistanis", regardless of how the reckless use of this language can indelibly stain an entire community.

In Trudeaus Liberal government, it is no secret the World Sikh Organisation, a group that once advocated for the Khalistan state, has the ear of the PM, keeping at bay other voices from the community. The backroom fighting to get into such a position has caused simmering resentment among other Liberal members from the South Asian community. One of these flashpoints for this bitterness was in riding of Vancouver South in 2014 when Trudeau "parachuted" in star candidate Harjit Sajjan and closed the open nomination process.
EU firms lash out at new net privacy rules



Paris, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2018



Dozens of European media, telecom and internet firms criticised Wednesday the EU's new online privacy rules, saying they will effectively hand US tech giants even greater power over user data.

On May 25, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force.

It is designed to protect users' online privacy, but in an open letter titled "Europe cannot afford to miss the data revolution", the companies said it will "reinforce already dominant players in the data economy".

In their view, the rules "would threaten the development of European startups and innovative companies, online advertising, telecom operators, and other sectors alike; and would undermine the essential role of press and media in European democratic life".

The European Parliament has adopted the regulation but European governments have yet to approve the text.

Under the new regulation, users will be asked once and for all whether to accept cookies, rather than every time they visit a new website.

Users will have the option of going invisible online, while the rules enshrine the so-called "right to be forgotten" legislation.

But the European Commission is concerned over the lack of awareness among both users and small firms of the imminent change.



- Who says no to cookies? -



Furthermore, it is unclear whether the bulk of users would ever opt out of allowing cookies while browsing -- leaving them at the mercy of targeted advertising from the very tech giants that power their browsing and social media experiences.

While Google, Apple and Facebook are based in the United States, they will also have to apply the new regulations to their European users.

Nonetheless, the European firms fear they will bear the brunt of the changes, potentially depriving EU advertisers of user information they need to connect to consumers.

Among the signatories of the letter is a leading French media association, the SPQN -- of which AFP is a member.

Other signatories include French telecom giants Orange and SFR, German group Deutsche Startups and the European Magazine Media Association.

Speaking to AFP, data company France Digitale's co-chair Jean-David Chamboredon said: "We risk handing over the total monopoly to some operators, which will always find a way to collect user data."

The US tech giants already an outsize role in the French online advertising market, capturing a whopping 92 percent of the sector's growth in 2017.

lby/ser/rl

Facebook

APPLE INC.
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement
Trump says he believes North Korea is 'sincere'



Washington, March 6 (AFP) Mar 06, 2018



US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he believes that North Korea's offer to hold denuclearization talks is "sincere."

"I believe they are sincere," Trump told reporters after Pyongyang floated the idea of giving up its nuclear weapons in return for US security guarantees.

"I hope they're sincere," the president said at a joint news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven. "We'll soon find out."

Trump credited "very, very strong" sanctions and the "big help" of China for North Korea's offer to enter into talks.

"I think they're sincere also because of the sanctions and what we're doing with respect to North Korea," Trump said.

"(China) can do more but I think they've done more than they've ever done for our country before," he said.
Off West Africa, navies team up in fight against piracy



Libreville, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2018



"Sir, we're going to handcuff you," a coast guard from Sao Tome tells a man accused of fishing illegally in the archipelago's waters.

But the "fisherman" is really a French navy seaman disguised in a T-shirt, cap and sunglasses -- a member of an unusual multinational training exercise to combat crime in the Gulf of Guinea.

Illegal fishing, piracy and hostage-taking haunt the vast bay lying off West Africa, whose coastline runs from Liberia in the west to Gabon in the south.

According to the European Union, the Gulf of Guinea is the "worst-affected region" in the world for unauthorised fishing. In 2016, around a third of all catches, a haul worth about 1.5 billion euros ($1.8 billion), were illegal, it says.

In a survey of sea piracy in 2017, the International Maritime Bureau found that of 16 incidents around the world when a vessel came under fire, seven occurred in the Gulf.

In late February, the French patrol boat Lavallee took part in exercises with naval vessels from central African countries over five days, an operation dubbed "African Nemo".

These exercises, held several times a year, are designed to be realistic.

In one, not far off the Sao Tome and Principe archipelago, sailors from Sao Tome were ordered to arrest the crew of a Chinese fishing boat, in the shape of the Lavallee.

A Sao Tome naval officer led his men in boarding the foreign vessel for an inspection and thorough search, which resulted in the arrest of the pretend fisherman for pillaging local fish stocks.



- 'Real-life' training -



The "fishermen" put up a fuss, rowdily complaining of the heat and doing their best to make life more difficult for their captors.

One Sao Tome sailor carefully treated a make-believe injury sustained by a fisherman, setting his arm in a sling.

Once the exercise was over, it was time for an assessment -- the Sao Tome sailors realised they need to beef up safety precautions while boarding a vessel and improve ways of searching a suspect.

Another scenario envisaged an operation against pirates. Aboard a Gabonese patrol boat that sailed from Gabon's coastal capital Libreville, participants practised how to conduct the mission without breaching international maritime law.

"This type of exercise is informative and places us in real-life situations," said the vessel's commander, Sub-Lieutenant Gael Mbanda.

"They enable us to pinpoint our weaknesses in equipment and personnel."

Rules for terms of intervention and sharing tasks were signed in June 2013 by leaders from the 15-nation Ecomomic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and from the 10-nation Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

This accord -- signed in Cameroon and known as the "Yaounde Process" -- has led to stronger cooperation over some 6,000 kilometres (3,700 miles) of African coasts and the adjacent waters, Maritime Security Review reported in June 2017, when EU logistical support began.

Despite the political steps forward, huge practical challenges remain, given the sheer volume of fish stocks stolen in a vast area of water.

"Illegal fishing amounts to a quarter of the value of African exports," said Lionel Kinadjian, the representative of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Gabon.

Senior French naval officer Captain Emmanuel, whose second name was withheld for security reasons, also pointed to a shift in tactics by pirates.

"(They) have moved on from 'bunkering' -- the theft of goods stored aboard a vessel -- to an increase in the taking of hostages for ransom," he said.
Nobel-winning ICAN condemns surge in nuclear arms investments



Geneva, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2018



Global nuclear tensions helped boost investments in atomic weapons production by around $81 billion last year, campaigners said Wednesday, urging investors to blacklist the companies that stock the world's nuclear arsenals.

"If you have been wondering who benefits from (US President) Donald Trump's threat of nuclear war, this report has the answer," said Beatrice Fihn, who heads the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).

ICAN won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.

In a report, ICAN and another anti-nuclear campaign group PAX detailed a "massive increase" in investments in the top 20 companies involved in producing key components for the nuclear arsenals of Britain, France, India and the United States.

The report, titled "Don't Bank on the Bomb", found that a total of $525 billion (422 billion euros) was made available last year to such companies -- an increase of $81 billion from 2016.

"A new nuclear arms race has moved the Doomsday Clock closer to Armageddon, but it has also started a new nuclear gold rush for those wanting to cash in on mass destruction," Fihn said in a statement.

The report authors said the selection of the top 20 companies that have benefitted from the boon, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Airbus and BAE Systems, was "not exhaustive".

The list, they said, was "an attempt to identify the privately owned companies that are most heavily involved in the nuclear weapon industrial complex."

They also explained that suppliers to the other five nuclear weapons states -- Russia, China, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea -- were not included because they mainly relied on government agencies.



- Name and shame -



With the current standoff between the United States and North Korea creating the world's most acute nuclear threat in decades, Fihn urged investors to divest from nuclear weapons producers.

Trump has also ratcheted up global tensions over Iran, by criticising a landmark 2015 agreement to restrict Tehran's nuclear programme.

"Producing, possessing and modernising nuclear weapons is not something to be proud of," Fihn said, vowing to "shame" whoever tried to profit from nuclear weapons production.

Other companies listed in the report included Honeywell International, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Aecom, BWX Technologies, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Jacobs Engineering.

The report authors also listed the investment companies that pumped most money into nuclear weapons producers last year, with three -- BlackRock, Vanguard and Capital Group -- alone accounting for around $110 billion.

While the report criticised the "massive increase of investments in mass destruction", it also hailed 63 financial institutions that are limiting or refusing to make such investments.

Among them was Norway's massive pension fund, which is valued at nearly $1.0 trillion.

"Investments are not neutral. These companies should be congratulated for standing on the side of humanity," Sue Snyder of PAX said.

nl/gca/ser

BOEING

AIRBUS GROUP

LOCKHEED MARTIN

BLACKROCK

GENERAL DYNAMICS
Last Argentine 'Dirty War' junta leader Reynaldo Bignone dies



Buenos Aires, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2018



Reynaldo Bignone, the last president of Argentina's 1976-1983 "Dirty War" military junta, died Wednesday in a military hospital, local media reported. He was 90.

Bignone took power in 1982 after Argentina's disastrous defeat in the Falklands War against Britain, and left power when democracy was restored in 1983.

Some 30,000 people disappeared -- presumably killed -- under Argentina's military regime, according to Human Rights groups.

Bignone had been sentenced to life in prison for crimes that included murder, torture, abduction, and -- along with another regime leader, Jorge Rafael Videla -- the theft of babies born to political prisoners.

In 2016 he was sentenced to 20 years prison for his role in Operation Condor, in which several South American military regimes collaborated to track down and kill leftist dissidents.

Last year Bignone received another prison sentence for abuses that took place in 1976-1977 when he was head of the Colegio Militar, the army's military school. The victims were young conscripts.

Bignone issued a blanket amnesty in 1983 for dictatorship officials before holding an election won by Raul Alfonsin, a centrist civilian politician.

He also ordered the destruction of all dictatorship-era documents.

The ex-regime officials, however, faced a wave of lawsuits when the amnesty was overturned in 2003.

Last week another regime general, Luciano Benjamin Menendez, nicknamed "the Hyena" and "Jackal" and so brutal he was sentenced to prison 14 times, died in a military hospital. He also was 90.
Air strikes on Syria's Ghouta kill 45 civilians: monitor



Beirut, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2018



Fresh air strikes on Eastern Ghouta near Damascus brought the death toll for Wednesday's bombardment on the rebel-held enclave near Damascus to 45, a monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said at least 18 of the day's victims were killed in strikes carried out by Russian warplanes on Hammuriyeh.

The head of the Britain-based Observatory, Rami Abdel Rahman, said four of the 45 victims were children.

The Observatory had earlier reported 18 dead in Ghouta on Wednesday.

The latest deadly raids brought to around 850 the number of civilians killed since Syrian and allied forces intensified their air campaign on the besieged enclave on February 18.

The blistering onslaught has prompted outrage against the regime, with the United Nations' human rights chief accusing the government of orchestrating an "apocalypse" in Syria.
Syria regime captures half of Ghouta enclave as death toll climbs



Hammuriyeh, Syria, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2018



Syria's government has recaptured half of Eastern Ghouta, battering the shrinking rebel enclave on Wednesday with air strikes that killed dozens and defying UN calls for a halt to violence.

The blistering onslaught has prompted international outrage, including accusations by the United Nations that the government was orchestrating an "apocalypse".

The Russia-backed Syrian army and allied militia began a fierce bombing campaign on February 18 on Eastern Ghouta -- the last opposition bastion near Damascus -- then launched a ground offensive a week later.

The campaign has so far left at least 850 civilians dead, including dozens of children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Towns and villages have fallen in quick succession in recent days.

On Wednesday, government forces captured Beit Sawa, Al-Ashaari, and nearby farmland, the Britain-based Observatory said, putting them in control of more than half the territory once held by rebels.

Heavy air strikes, mostly by Russian warplanes, left at least 45 civilians dead including four children across the enclave, said the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground.

An AFP correspondent in the battered town of Hammuriyeh saw the bodies of two men engulfed in flames lying near an overturned motorcycle, as a rescue worker tried frantically to put out the fire.

More than 50 air strikes pummelled the town on Wednesday. A wounded woman could be seen stuck under the rubble of a collapsed building.



- Ceasefire 'inadequate' -



The advance came after hundreds of Afghan, Palestinian, and Syrian loyalist militiamen arrived in Eastern Ghouta to bolster the ground push, according to the Observatory.

Government troops in military vehicles were seen on Wednesday patrolling Al-Mohammadiyeh, an agricultural zone in the southern part of Ghouta recently retaken by the regime.

Across some green farmland, columns of thick smoke rose from an urban skyline.

The bombardment has continued despite a one-month ceasefire demanded by the UN Security Council more than a week ago.

The council met behind closed doors for three hours on Wednesday to discuss the failed truce, after France and Britain requested urgent talks.

Dutch Ambassador Karel van Oosterom, who holds the council presidency, told reporters that members had "expressed concern about the humanitarian situation" and reiterated calls for the ceasefire resolution to be implemented.

UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura briefed the meeting and offered to help broker a deal with Russia to allow fighters in Eastern Ghouta to leave, a diplomat said, adding that diplomats supported the idea as a way to halt the violence.

UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the Syrian regime and its foreign allies were already planning their next "apocalypse".

"This month, it is Eastern Ghouta which is, in the words of the Secretary General, hell on earth," he said.

"Next month or the month after, it will be somewhere else where people face an apocalypse -- an apocalypse intended, planned and executed by individuals within the government, apparently with the full backing of some of their foreign supporters."

Eastern Ghouta's roughly 400,000 residents have lived under government siege since 2013, facing severe shortages of food and medicines even before the latest offensive began.

Forty-six aid trucks entered the area on Monday for the first time since the offensive, but had to cut short their deliveries and leave due to heavy bombardment.

Nearly half of the food aid could not be delivered and Syrian authorities removed some medical and health supplies from the trucks, the United Nations said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all warring sides to allow aid trucks to return for a planned second delivery to the enclave's main town of Douma on Thursday.

Linda Tom, spokesperson for the UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA in Syria, said the aid would aim to reach 70,000 people in Douma and would include medical supplies not allowed in Monday's delivery.



- Thousands scrambling for cover -



The offensive has displaced more than 10,000 people in Eastern Ghouta, according to the Observatory.

Outside of Douma on Wednesday, dozens of residents could be seen pushing wheelbarrows and carts piled high with mattresses, rugs, and cardboard boxes.

They have opted to flee deeper into the rebel-controlled enclave, despite a so-called "humanitarian corridor" announced by Moscow last week.

Russia said it would guarantee safe passage to civilians and rebels wishing to flee the enclave during a "pause" that is meant to bring calm to Eastern Ghouta between 9:00 am (0700 GMT) and 2:00 pm.

No Syrian civilians are known to have used the "corridor".

The two main rebel groups in Eastern Ghouta -- Jaish al-Islam and Faylaq al-Rahman -- deny the exit routes or the pauses have been coordinated with them.

"There is no communication with the Russians, directly or indirectly," said Wael Alwan, spokesman for Faylaq al-Rahman.

More than 340,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in Syria since the civil war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.
New Brazilian army operation in Rio favela



Rio de Janeiro, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2018



The Brazilian army swept into a crime-plagued Rio de Janeiro favela Wednesday, in its third major law enforcement operation since President Michel Temer put the military in charge of security in the former Olympic host city.

About 900 soldiers, backed by armored vehicles, aircraft and heavy engineering equipment were deployed in the western Rio favela of Vila Kennedy, the state's security command said.

Civil police "could make some arrests," and the military had authority to clear roads and restrict airspace, it said.

The UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein, issued a statement in Geneva expressing concern over the decision to put the military in charge of security.

"The armed forces are not specialized in public security or investigation," he said. "I deplore calls by high-ranking army officials for measures amounting in effect to a preventive amnesty for any troops who may commit human rights violations."

Army troops had gone into Vila Kennedy on Saturday to remove street barricades erected by drug traffickers but they were rebuilt shortly after the troops left.

On Wednesday, an armored vehicle stopped at a small plaza in the favela and dozens of heavily armed soldiers poured out.

Other soldiers stopped riders on motorcycles to check their papers.

"When the military is here the situation is peaceful, but when they leave it turns into a hell again," said Rosanne Pinheiro, who was running a newsstand.

"The government should have other priorities like improving education so that young people don't see selling drugs as their only option," the 49-year-old said.

"I can't even remember all the times I had to hide because shooting broke out," she said.

Vila Kennedy was the scene of a previous military intervention on February 23 when some 3,200 troops were sent in to support the police.

That operation sparked protests by rights groups when troops took pictures of residents with their identity documents to determine whether they had criminal records.

Citing a breakdown in law and order, President Michel Temer ordered the army to take over the command of security in the whole of Rio state last month.

It was the first time the military has been put in charge of a state's security since the restoration of democracy in 1985.

"I urge the Government to ensure that security measures respect human rights standards, and effective measures are taken to prevent racial profiling and the criminalization of the poor," the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said.
Sydney (Australia), March 07, 2018 (SPS) - Responsible for North Africa and the Middle East in the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Matthew Neuhaus clarified that his country supports the efforts of the United Nations and its Envoy to solve peacefully, the conflict of Western Sahara.

The declarations of the Australian responsible, respond to a series of questions, on the Western Sahara, formulated in the Parliament of Australia by Senator Lee Rhiannon.

In his response to the question regarding the importation of phosphate from Western Sahara, the representative of the Australian government clarified that there are legal and juridical considerations on the importation of resources from Non-Self-Governing Territories.

In this regard, the Australian government recommended its companies to provide legal advice before starting their activities in Western Sahara.

Finally, the representative of the Government of Australia said that it is possible to consider raising, in the UN Human Rights Council, the issue of human rights in occupied Western Sahara. SPS

125/090/TRA
Prehen Perseus Froukje with a GPLI of 754 is the latest member of the high achieving Frouke cow family on the farm at Prehen to come tops. Her grand dam was also UK number one GPLI cow last year. and her great grand dam, imported from the Netherlands as an embryo, has had a major impact on the Prehen Herd. Not least by producing two number one GPLI cows and the well known Prehen Omen, who has been number one UK bred Top Daughter Proven PLI bull for this last three years.

The Prehen Holstein Herd has also bred the current number four UK bred top proven bull Prehen Frankel and the number one UK bred top genomic bull available, Prehen Lancaster, who is also the number eight worldwide PLI bull available.

Another Prehen heifer, now aged 15 months, is also current number two in the Holstein UK rankings having been top of the list until the current number one calf came along.

The Smith family have been producing milk and quality stock at Prehen on the south eastern outskirts of Londonderry for three generations. Today Stuart Smith and wife Monica, along with his parents Robert and Beryl, milk 170 cows though the sale of Holstein genetics is as important an income stream as the supply of milk to farmer owned Aurivo Co-operative Society Ltd.

To maximise the performance of world class Holsteins clearly high standards of husbandry and nutrition are essential. For Stuart that means rearing heifers on Volac Heiferlac calf milk powder from long term suppliers Taylors of Fyfin.
the scandal of the Porn Star

Russian intermingling in the election

the Zionist Gary Cohn has resigned

In spite of that Trump is a big Zionist, and he gave much to Tel Aviv, but Satanists and Zionists want more from him.These days the Zionists in America and Tel Aviv exert much pressure on the USA president to give them more advantages ..so that he may yield to them more and more ..They used their pressure on Trump and he agreed about Jerusalem as the alleged capital instead of Tel Aviv.Now, they exert more pressure in order that he may yield more and confirm their evils concerning Iran and concerning other points.Now, they have renewedAlso they renewed thein addition his economic advisor:and said that Trump is a racist, or that he confirms the New Nazis!!Moreover, the Zionist PM Netanyahu spoke on the ? behalf of Trump, and said Trump still set to abandon nuclear deal. This is unacceptable that Tel Aviv imposes its policy on America! So where are the brave cowboys and heroes of America!?Comment:, that is if America yields to the pressure and evil of the Zionists and Satanists of Tel Aviv.
Trumps top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, resigns over tariff planWASHINGTONGary Cohn, the top economic adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump and a key ally for Canada in a White House skeptical of free trade, announced his resignation Tuesday after Trump refused to relent on his plan to impose broad tariffs on steel and aluminum.Cohn, a former president of the investment bank Goldman Sachs, is a pro-trade Democrat who was seen by Wall Street as an important counterweight to the administrations nationalist faction.His trade views sat uneasily with those of Trump, who has long favoured protectionism, and it was never clear how much influence he managed to exert on trade policy. Cohn had tried furiously, to no avail, to persuade Trump not to announce the tariffs.But his departure as director of the National Economic Council may be another sign of the ascendance of the White Houses protectionist faction. It comes just over a week after Trump promoted trade skeptic Peter Navarro, who had previously been sidelined by chief of staff John Kelly.
Published: 7 March 2018

Statistics on pension entitlements renewed

The accrued pension entitlements of Finlands statutory earnings-related pension scheme, with a real discount rate assumption of three per cent, stood at EUR 631.5 billion at the end of 2015, or 301 per cent relative to gross domestic product. The pension entitlements of the earnings-related pension scheme of private branches were EUR 421.6 billion and that of public branches were EUR 209.9 billion.

Accrued pension entitlements at different discount rates at the end of 2015, EUR million

Pension entitlements refer to the amount of money that would be enough to cover the accrued pensions at that moment discounted to present value. The amount of pension entitlements in the earnings-related pension scheme is critical to the discount rate used in the calculations: with a real discount rate of two per cent the pension entitlements were EUR 747.0 billion or 356 per cent relative to gross domestic product and with a four per cent real discount rate they were EUR 542.8 billion or 259 per cent relative to gross domestic product.

Finlands statutory earnings-related pension scheme is partially funded. In the financial accounts, the amount of employment pension schemes assets were EUR 183.1 billion at the end of 2015. The funding ratio, i.e. the ratio of pension assets and pension entitlements was 29 per cent.

A new supplementary pension table complements the financial accounts

In the revision of the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010), the statistics on pension entitlements was expanded with a supplementary pension table outside the core accounts that contains data on all pension entitlements of social insurance. These new data are released later concerning EU countries on Eurostats pages . In Finlands case, new statistical data are the above-mentioned pension entitlements of the statutory earnings-related pension scheme that are not included in the financial accounts but that are included in the supplementary pension table. Previously data on the pension entitlements of the earnings-related pension scheme have been released in the Finnish Centre for Pensionss reports Statutory pensions in Finland  Long-term projections.

In addition to the statutory earnings-related pension scheme, the pension table includes data on the pension entitlements of employment-related supplementary pension schemes that are already included in the pension entitlements of insurance corporations and voluntary pension funds in the financial accounts. The amount of pension entitlements of voluntary supplementary pension schemes describes the technical provisions. At the end of 2015 it stood at EUR 10.4 billion or five per cent relative to gross domestic product.

The supplementary pension table describes the pensions classified as social insurance. The Social Insurance Institutions national and guarantee pensions are classified as social assistance and are thus not included in the supplementary pension table. The key difference between social insurance and social assistance is that in case of social assistance, pensions are paid to the pension recipients regardless of whether they participate in the system by paying pension contributions or not.

When calculating the accrued pension entitlements of the statutory earnings-related pension scheme the basis is a fictive situation where the insured are paid all the accrued pensions at that moment but no new pension is accrued. The amount of pension entitlements does not describe the sustainability of the pension system. The concept depicts future pension expenditure, i.e. pensions paid to pension recipients whose amount is affected, in addition to earned income and the rate of accrual, by, for example, life expectancies and other assumptions in the calculation model. Incomes of the earnings-related pension scheme, i.e. pension contributions and the profits from the earnings-related pension assets are not included in the calculation.

In calculations stretching long into the future, background assumptions, like the discount rate and the population and economic development are of high significance for the results. The sensitivity of the results to the discount rate assumption is emphasised by releasing the results with the three real rates mentioned above.

Private and public branches

Finlands statutory earnings-related pension scheme in practice covers all work in private and public branches. The earnings-related pension scheme is formed of several pension acts that together cover the various sectors of the economy. The pension entitlements based on the following pension acts are included in private branches: Employees Pensions Act (TyEL), Seafarer's Pensions Act (MEL), Self-employed Persons' Pensions Act (YEL), Farmers' Pensions Act (MYEL), supplementary pension provision under the Employees' Pensions Act (TEL-L, abolished at the end of 2016) and the pensions of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church.

The pension entitlements based on the following pension acts and rules are included in public branches: Public Sector Pensions Act (JuEL, excluding the pensions of the church), and the pension regulations for the employees and officials of the Bank of Finland and the regional government of Aland. At the beginning of 2017, the following acts were combined with the act on public branches pensions: Central Government's Pensions Act (VaEL), Local Government's Pensions Act (KuEL), Evangelical Lutheran Church's Pensions Act (KiEL) and the pension rules for the Social Insurance Institution's employees. Pension entitlements based on VEKL (act on the compensation of pensions from central government funds for periods of caring for a child aged under three and during studies) are included in both private and public branches.

In addition to the earnings-related pension scheme, the supplementary pension table covers all the supplementary pensions managed by voluntary pension funds and foundations, as well as group pension insurance offered by insurance corporations because they are considered as social insurance. The individual pension insurance taken out by enterprises or private persons are left outside of the concept of social insurance.

Accrual calculations of the pension entitlements in the earnings-related pension scheme

The amount of pension entitlements is calculated with a long-term projection model in the Finnish Centre for Pensions. Information on the calculation model and the calculations on accrued pension entitlements previously released by the Finnish Centre for Pensions can be found in the Finnish Centre for Pensions reports Statutory pensions in Finland - long-term projections , especially in appendices 3 and 8. The latest report is Statutory pensions in Finland  Long-term projections . The difference compared to the calculation of the Finnish Centre for Pensions report is that the background assumptions used in this publication are those agreed on in the European Unions AWG working group ( Ageing Working Group ) and recommended by Eurostat in order to improve the international comparability of the calculations.

The long-term planning model of the Finnish Centre for Pensions describes how the pension scheme works and its current regulations in detail. Future development of pensions is in the model calculated pension act specifically using age and sex-specific data on insured persons and the population of Finland.

When calculating pension entitlements, all pension entitlements accrued by the time of examination and pensions under payment are considered. Future index increases and the effect of the life expectancy coefficient have also been considered in the amount of pension entitlements. Pension parts that are accrued based on future work or social security benefit periods are not included in accrued pension entitlements. The future part of disability pensions that will start later are not included in accrued pension entitlements.

Contact information of the Centre for Pensions related to the calculation of pension entitlements:

Mikko Sankala tel. +358 29 411 2567, email firstname.lastname@etk.fi

Source: Financial accounts, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Anu Karhu 029 551 3325, Jarkko Kaunisto 029 551 3551, rahoitus.tilinpito@stat.fi

Director in charge: Ville Vertanen

Publication in pdf-format (246.4 kB)

Updated 7.3.2018

Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Financial accounts [e-publication].

ISSN=1458-8145. Complementary data to pension entitlements 2015. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 19.9.2021].

Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/rtp/2015/13/rtp_2015_13_2018-03-07_tie_001_en.html
Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (135) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (348) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (442) Jan 2014 (547) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (526) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (469) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (443) Oct 2014 (472) Nov 2014 (497) Dec 2014 (536) Jan 2015 (539) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (582) Apr 2015 (658) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (924) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (866) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (880) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (809) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (935) Jul 2019 (950) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (849) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (789) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (812) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (495)
AMG Announces Changes to the Composition of its Supervisory Board and Nominates its CEO for Re-Appointment When His Term Ends in 2019

Amsterdam, 7 March 2018 (Regulated Information) --- The Supervisory Board of AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. ("AMG", EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: "AMG") resolved during its meeting on March 7th, 2018 to make the following changes to its composition and to nominate Dr. Heinz Schimmelbusch as CEO for an additional term of two years when his current term expires in 2019.

Supervisory Board Composition

At the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") in May 2018, Mr. Norbert Quinkert and Mr. Guy de Selliers will have both served eleven years on the Supervisory Board of AMG when their current terms end. Both gentlemen have indicated that they wish to retire from the Supervisory Board in May 2018, given other priorities and the term limits for Supervisory Directors of the new Code. The Supervisory Board is deeply grateful for the long service and dedication to AMG by Messrs. Quinkert and de Selliers.

Before becoming Chairman in 2015, Mr. Quinkert was a long-serving member of AMG's Selection & Appointment Committee and has been a major contributor to the excellent quality of AMG's current leadership team. As Chairman, Mr. Quinkert successfully guided AMG through a challenging period during the past three years.

Mr. de Selliers has served throughout his tenure at AMG as a highly respected member of AMG's Audit & Risk Management Committee and has been an important force in establishing AMG's state of the art risk management system.

The Supervisory Board thanks both gentlemen for their valuable insights and contributions and wishes them well in their future endeavors.

Mr. Robert Meuter has also indicated that he wishes to step down at the AGM 2018 after having served three years. Mr. Meuter feels that his mandate has ended and wishes to prioritize other engagements. The Supervisory Board respects and accepts Mr. Meuter's decision and thanks him for his valuable insights and contributions and wishes him well in his future endeavors. Mr. Meuter will continue to advise the Company on specific banking & finance matters in the forthcoming year, if so requested.

Dr. Donatella Ceccarelli will have served four years on the Supervisory Board in May 2018 and AMG is very pleased to announce that Dr. Ceccarelli will make herself available for re-appointment for a term of four years at the AGM in May of this year.

Given the retirement of Mr. Quinkert as member and Chairman of the Supervisory Board in May 2018, AMG is pleased to announce that the Supervisory Board has appointed Mr. Jack Messman, currently Vice-Chairman, as successor to Mr. Quinkert as Chairman of the Supervisory Board as of May 2nd, 2018 after the AGM. Mr. Messman's term as member of the Supervisory Board ends in 2019. The Supervisory Board has further resolved to appoint Mr. Willem van Hassel as Vice-Chairman, as of May 2nd, 2018 after the AGM, succeeding Mr. Messman. Mr. van Hassel's term as member of the Supervisory Board ends in 2021.

The Supervisory Board has further resolved that it will reduce the size of the Supervisory Board from nine to six members, effective May 2nd, 2018. The Supervisory Board believes that with its new composition, it will continue to cover the necessary areas of expertise as set forth in AMG's Supervisory Board profile.

Management Board Composition

The Supervisory Board has reviewed the respective terms of the three Management Board members who all received high praise at their annual evaluation by the Supervisory Board in November of last year. The term of the CEO and Chairman of the Management Board (Dr. Schimmelbusch) will expire in 2019. The term of the CFO (Mr. Dunckel) will expire in 2020, and the term of the COO (Mr. Jackson) will expire in 2021.

AMG is in a critical phase of its development. The expansion of lithium and tantalum operations in Brazil, as well as the related new credit facilities and continued recognition of AMG as investment opportunity or strategic partner, demand a stable corporate atmosphere with clear continuity in leadership and strategy.

The Supervisory Board evaluates on an ongoing basis the scope and composition of the Management Board and the succession of the members of the Management Board. The Supervisory Board recognizes that in meetings with investors and banks relating to strategic issues for AMG and its business, questions were asked about the leadership continuity.

AMG's current CEO, Dr. Heinz Schimmelbusch, is one of the incorporators of AMG and the intellectual designer of AMG's successful strategy. His appraisals have all been excellent and, where needed, he has demonstrated ample and continuous innovation and agility.

The Supervisory Board has therefore concluded that it is of utmost importance that AMG secure his leadership for the coming years as CEO and Chairman of the Management Board, given the transformational change the Company is currently executing.

As a result, the Supervisory Board announces that it will nominate Dr. Heinz Schimmelbusch for re-appointment at the AGM in May of this year as CEO and Chairman of the Management Board for an additional two-year term, covering 2020 and 2021, after his current term expires in 2019, to secure AMG's leadership for the next three years and to provide ample time to decide on succession as well as a reasonable induction period for a new incoming CEO.

This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

This press release contains regulated information as defined in the Dutch Financial Markets Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).

About AMG

AMG is a global critical materials company at the forefront of CO2 reduction trends. AMG produces highly engineered specialty metals and mineral products and provides related vacuum furnace systems and services to the transportation, infrastructure, energy, and specialty metals & chemicals end markets.

AMG Critical Materials produces aluminum master alloys and powders, titanium alloys and coatings, ferrovanadium, natural graphite, chromium metal, antimony, lithium, tantalum, niobium and silicon metal. AMG Engineering designs, engineers, and produces advanced vacuum furnace systems and operates vacuum heat treatment facilities, primarily for the transportation and energy industries.

With approximately 3,000 employees, AMG operates globally with production facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic, the United States, China, Mexico, Brazil, India, Sri Lanka and Mozambique, and has sales and customer service offices in Russia and Japan (www.amg-nv.com).

For further information, please contact:

AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. +1 610 293 5804

Steve Daniels

Senior Vice President

sdaniels@amg-nv.com

Disclaimer

Certain statements in this press release are not historical facts and are "forward looking". Forward looking statements include statements concerning AMG's plans, expectations, projections, objectives, targets, goals, strategies, future events, future revenues or performance, capital expenditures, financing needs, plans and intentions relating to acquisitions, AMG's competitive strengths and weaknesses, plans or goals relating to forecasted production, reserves, financial position and future operations and development, AMG's business strategy and the trends AMG anticipates in the industries and the political and legal environment in which it operates and other information that is not historical information. When used in this press release, the words "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "may," "will," "should," and similar expressions, and the negatives thereof, are intended to identify forward looking statements. By their very nature, forward looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward looking statements will not be achieved. These forward looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. AMG expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in AMG's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any forward looking statement is based.





This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. via Globenewswire


Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
Weve reviewed a handful of the original line of Illusione cigars, now known as the Original Documents, but never the lancero-sized Holy Lance (hl). While the Original Documents natural-wrapped Illusione line has come to designate the debut of Illusione, hl, plus the corona-sized mk, were added to the line in 2008.

Illusione brand owner Dion Giolito has been well known (and occasionally criticized) for the use of spiritual and/or conspiratorial themes for the names of his cigars. Holy Lance (7.5 x 40) is no exception, as Dion explained back in 2009:

The Holy Lance. My Lancero, the lance. Get it? Constantine was the first Christian emperor to lead Rome. It was fabled that he had possession of the very spear that punctured the side of Jesus while on the cross. He was said to carry this relic into battle and, it was said that it helped him win his many battles. It is an artisan blend and the mildest of all my cigars.

The cigar uses a blend of Nicaraguan Criollo 98 and Corojo 99 tobaccos finished with a triple-A grade Corojo Rosado wrapper. Whether intentional or not, the wrappers of the cigars I smoked were more reddish than other vitolas from the Illusione line. Each of the three samples I smoked were aged over three years.

The cigars produced an abundance of medium-bodied flavors with toast, cedar, oak, leather, and almond milk. There are hints of white and green pepper spice, especially on the finish. All in all, its a balanced symphony of complex, authentically Nicaraguan flavors, which is perhaps not surprising considering Giolito says his inspiration for the blend is the Joya de Nicaragua cigars of the pre-Sandanista era.

Construction on my Holy Lance was flawless, with excellent combustion and a firm, yet not overly tight, draw, which sometimes can be a challenge to create in the slender lancero format. The even ash held for a full inch at a time.

I consider this to be one of the finest lanceros in production today, and these aged cigars showed that they lose nothing after a few years, and might have gained some added complexity. Though not the first Illusione cigar to earn our highest rating, the Holy Lance is the first from Illusiones original blend to earn five stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. A list of other five-stogie rated cigars can be found here.]

Patrick S



photo credit: Stogie Guys
The Philippines (winter 2014)Western US (fall 2011/2012/2013/2014)Turkey (fall 2010)France/Germany/Denmark/Hollan (summer 2010)Uganda/Tanzania/Kenya (winter 2010)China (fall 2009)France/Italy (summer 2009)South Africa/Lesotho/Mozambique (winter 2009)Southern U.S. (fall 2008/fall 2010/spring 2011)Spain and the Camino de Compostela (summer of 2008)Israel (winter 2008)Eastern U.S. (fall 2007)Great Britain (summer 2007)Venezuela (winter 2007)Japan (fall 2006)Croatia, Serbia, Czech Republic, Poland (summer 2006)Western US (fall 2005)Ecuador (winter 2005)Italy (spring 2004/summer 2009)France (summer 2004/2005/2006/2007/2008/2009/2010/2011/2012/2013/2014/2015/2016/2017/2018/2019)Iceland (summer 2003)Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia (Fall 2002)Minneapolis to Chicago (summer 2002)Bolivia (spring 2002)Scandinavia--Finland, Norway, Sweden (summer 2001)Hes followed the Tour de France seventeen times beginning in 2004 , riding much of each year's route, fully loaded, before or after the peloton and sent out regular reports during the race, also posted here.He has a long-running email list that he sends updates to every few days when he's on tour.You can write him at: george6567@yahoo.com. If you like, he'll add you to his e-list.He spends the rest of the year also on a bike, working as a messenger in Chicago.He's also an independent film enthusiast, attending or working at several major film festivals annually, including Telluride and Cannes. His coverage of Cannes is also included here in May of 2004-2015.For a "Chicago Tribune" article on George see the January 17, 2002 entry of the blog. There is also a "Hollywood Reporter" article posted October 25, 2005, and a "Streetwise" cover story posted on April 17, 2010 and stories in French newspapers the past few summers.(I'm Jeff Potter and I helped George get his blog going. I run OutYourBackDoor.com , where I report on a wide range of everyday, affordable, healthy outdoor action. I also sell some hard-to-find indy culture media and other goodies. Lotsa bike stuff!)
WESTMORELAND, N.Y. -- A note left in a Westmoreland Middle School bathroom with a "concerning message" was investigated Wednesday, according to the Oneida County Sheriff's Office.

The investigation revealed that no students were in danger, though the investigation is ongoing, the sheriff's office said.

At noon, units from the sheriff's office were dispatched to Westmoreland Middle School after the tattered note was found in the restroom, deputies said.

K-9s from the sheriff's office, the New York State Police and the Utica Police responded to the school and swept the building, though nothing out of the ordinary was found, deputies said.

The sheriff's office is asking that anyone with information about the incident to call investigator Justin Copperwheat at 315-765-2767.
HOLLAND PATENT, N.Y. -- A social media threat against Holland Patent Middle School was deemed not credible, according to the Oneida County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office was notified of the threat at 1:10 p.m.Wednesday and are working with the school district to determine who was responsible for the threat, deputies said.

Students were not in danger and an investigation into the threat is ongoing, deputies said.

The sheriff's office asked anyone with information about the incident to contact investigator Justin Copperwheat at 315-765-2767.
WATERTOWN, N.Y. -- New York State Police are seeking the public's help to identify a man in a surveillance photo after a larceny at a Watertown Wal-Mart, police said.

At 2:30 p.m. on Monday, the man took three DVDs valued at approximately $160 without paying, police said. The larceny happened at the Wal-Mart on State Route 3, according to police.

New York State Police ask that anyone who recognizes the individual in the photo above contact State Police Headquarters at (315) 366-6000. All information will remain confidential.
Daquarious Powell

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Daquarious Powell was shot twice in the head last month in the backyard of a Syracuse home, police said.

The gunshots ended Powell's life, police said in court records. But it took over 11 hours for the teenager's body to be found.

Powell, 18, of Syracuse, was shot to death on Feb. 24 on the city's East Side. The Syracuse Police Department has charged Zaccai Savery, 20, of Liverpool, with murdering the teenager.

Powell was watching TV with his mom and stepdad the night of Feb. 24 when "a couple boys" stopped by, his mother Christina Powell previously said. Pressured by the group, Powell reluctantly left his home, his mom said.

Savery shot Powell to death around 10 p.m. in the backyard of 1914 E. Fayette St., police said in a felony complaint filed in Syracuse City Court.

Over 11 hours later, a woman spotted Powell on the ground outside the East Fayette Street home.

The woman said she called 911 around 9:30 a.m. Police responded and found Powell's body.

Savery, who is on parole for attempted robbery, was arrested this week in New York City. He has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both felonies.

It appears "some sort of dispute" led to the deadly shooting, Sgt. Richard Helterline said. But the case remains under investigation, he said.

Police have asked anyone with information about Powell's death to call (315) 442-5222, submit tips anonymously through the Syracuse PD app or call the homicide tip line at (315) 442-5223.
Cortland, N.Y. - Dave and Carly Dougherty started more than six years ago with a two-gallon crock and a curiosity about how to turn cabbage into fermented sauerkraut.

Now they run Food & Ferments, a tiny Central New York business that's producing big, pungent flavors and earning some national attention.

Food & Ferments sells sauerkrauts, kimchi and tonics in about 20 stores throughout Central New York and the Finger Lakes. The couple is a regular vendor at the Central New York Regional Market in Syracuse.

And earlier this year, their Hearts on Fire Kraut won a first-place prize in the national Good Food Awards.

Dave and Carly Doughtery make kombucha, sauerkrauts, tonics, kimchi and other fermented foods. They sell them at the Central New York Regional Market in Syracuse.

Dave Dougherty is from Philadelphia, Pa., and Carly grew up in Cortland County on an organic dairy farm. The couple met in Philadelphia while working at a restaurant owned by Dave's cousin. They got their first tangy lessons in fermenting on a trip to Ohio.

"Something really just lit for me and Carly," Dave Dougherty said of using just the right mix of salt, water, and time to begin to turn cabbage into kimchis and sauerkrauts.

Those early home kitchen experiments took off. Carly Dougherty went to California for a three-month fermentation course. They launched Food & Ferments in 2012 and scored a couple of coveted spots at two farmers markets in Philadelphia. Carly took a job as a lunchroom cook at a private school so they could use the commercial kitchen to jar their sour connections.

In 2014, the couple moved back to Truxton and started fermenting fulltime.

Some pickled foods are preserved with vinegar. Fermentation is a different process. During fermentation, natural bacteria in vegetables breaks down sugars in foods like cabbage - making it easier to digest. It takes time: A kraut can take anywhere from 45 days to four months to fully ferment, Dave said.

The result can be sour and even fizzy. The fermented foods are also packed with probiotics, which can help with digestion and immunity.

The Doughertys' products are vegetable-based. In addition to five krauts, they make kombucha (sweet, fermented tea), tonics (a fortified vinegar) and beet kvass.

Dave Dougherty and his wife, Carly, run Food & Ferments out of their Truxton kitchen and a small processing space in the city of Cortland.

In Truxton, they built a small commercial kitchen in Carly's parents' home. More recently, they've rented a larger space in Cortland to both ferment and jar the foods. They also return to Philadelphia about once a month to sell in markets there.

Their Hearts on Fire Kraut started with an idea to reduce waste. Most sauerkraut recipes call for cutting out the core of the cabbage. Dougherty wanted to find a use for the cabbage cores. He chopped them fine and pre-fermented peppers and onions. Then they combined the vegetables with paprika and other spices.

"It's a hit," Dougherty said. "And that was all compost, basically."
Allegiant Air will start offering new nonstop service from Syracuse to the Orlando-Sanford area starting May 30.

The airline will offer flights twice weekly from Syracuse Hancock International Airport to Orlando Sanford International Airport. The airport is 27 miles from Orlando.

The flights will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Tickets are already on sale at allegiant.com.

One-way promotional fares on the new route start at $68. They must be booked by Thursday to get the discount fares. Other airlines are charging $87 to $130 one-way for a similar flight.

"We are thrilled that Allegiant has chosen to add another new destination out of Syracuse Hancock International Airport," said Christina R. Callahan, executive director of the Syracuse airport. "This gives our travelers another option to get to Orlando, and brings some competition to the market.

"Allegiant has been a great partner to the airport and their continued growth with the addition of their fourth destination is a testament to the commitment they have made to serve Central New York," she said.

Jet Blue also offers nonstop service to Orlando, going to Orlando International Airport.

Orlando will be the fourth leisure destination to which Las Vegas-based Allegiant flies to from Syracuse Hancock International Airport. It also offers flights to Tampa/ St. Petersburg, Fla., Myrtle Beach, S.C. and Fort Lauderdale.

"We're thrilled to announce the only ultra-low-cost, nonstop travel option from Syracuse to Orlando," said Lukas Johnson, Allegiant senior vice president of commercial. "We're excited to add more warm, sunny travel options for Syracuse residents."

The airline offers more than 300 routes across the country.
Solutions for snow removal and plow performance in the snowiest city in Upstate New York got some high-tech help this winter.

AT&T, Syracuse University's iSchool and the City of Syracuse announced the winners of the second annual civic hackathon at a ceremony attended by Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh at the School of Information Studies (iSchool) on Wednesday.

Over 90 participants across 36 teams competed in the contest, called "The Civic Hackathon: Plowing Through the Data," where they used data sets from Syracuse's fleet of snowplows to brainstorm ideas on how to solve snow removal problems in the city.

Camillus resident Dean Olin and Alex Sinfarosa of Ithaca, New York, took first place and the $3500 prize for their project, which enables the City of Syracuse to see where roads have been plowed and keep track of when the roads were last plowed.

Michael Phillips, who came in second, received $2,000 for his project, which allows community members to see which roads have been plowed and when. Phillips is a graduate student studying Computational Linguistics at Syracuse University.

Suchitra Deekshitula, Anish Nair, Ashmin Swain, Rahul Sarkhel, and Shikhar Agrawal, all graduate students at the iSchool, took the third-place prize of $1,500 for their project that studies the analytics of plowing, including how much work each plow truck does. They also attempted to build an algorithm that would show the optimal routes for the trucks.

Sam Edelstein, an alumnus of the iSchool and the chief data officer for the City of Syracuse, helped with the hackathon. Edelstein believes it's smart for cities to collaborate with the community and local universities in order to make decisions.

"All of these projects were impressive and prove that when we release data to the public, people will take it and find creative ways to interpret it to benefit everyone," Edelstein said.

Last year, the first Civic Data Hackathon centered around the issue of road conditions in Syracuse. The winner of the competition created an app that allowed users to report potholes found around the city.
dmodlin01

By David Figura l dfigura@NYup.com

The 2017 New York State hunting seasons saw the second-lowest number of hunting-related, shooting accidents on record, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Of the 19 incidents reported this year, 14 were two-party firearm incidents (one hunter accidentally shot another), five were self-inflicted  and one resulted in a death that DEC believes could have been prevented if hunting laws and common sense were followed.

Three were reported in Central New York.

Don't Edit

The sole fatality occurred in Chautauqua County. Thomas B. Jadlowski, 34, of Sherman, N.Y. Jadlowski was arrested after the Nov. 22 incident that resulted in the death of Rosemary Billquist, 43, also of Sherman. The woman at the time was in a field taking her two Labrador retrievers for a stroll about 150 yards behind her house.

Prosecutors in the case said that that Jadlowski was hunting deer after legal hours when the incident occurred. He fired a round from his Thompson Contender pistol at what he said he believed was a deer about 200 yards away.

Jadlowski told investigators he heard a scream after firing the shot. He ran to the scene and found Billquist. He phoned 911 and tended to her until EMTs arrived. The woman was taken by ambulance to UPMC Hamot Hospital in Erie, Pa. where she died.

The legal outcome of the case is still pending after a judge dismissed the second-degree manslaughter charge against Jadlowski, ruling prosecutors made a mistake during grand jury proceeds by not telling jurors about a lesser offense of criminal negligent homicide that could be lodged against Jadlowski. Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick E. Swanson told the Buffalo News he's considering sending the case back to the grand jury. He could also appeal the judge's ruling, but that could take awhile, he said.

Don't Edit

Meanwhile, the states lowest number of hunting-related shooting incidents was in 2016 with just 13 incidents.

Those stats are a far cry, though, from 1966 when there were 166 incidents, 13 of which were fatal. The increased focus on safe hunting over the years, according to the DEC, is due to the efforts of DEC staff and volunteer hunter education program instructors who teach nearly 50,000 students each year.

All first-time hunters, bowhunters and trappers must successfully complete a safety course and pass the final exam before being eligible to purchasea hunting or trapping course. All courses are offered for free. The DEC stressed that 99.9 percent of the people who hunt have safe and enjoyable experiences.

Don't Edit

Phillip Holland

Further examination of the 14 two-party incidents, said the DEC reveals that 11 (79 percent) of those victims were not wearing hunter orange. This indicates that not wearing hunter orange increases your risk of being involved in a two-party firearm incident. Of those individuals that were wearing orange and were injured, two were injured while pheasant hunting and one was injured on a deer drive.

Don't Edit

According to the DEC: "New York State law requires hunters age 14 and 15, and their mentors, hunting deer or bear with a gun, to wear fluorescent hunter orange or pink visible from all directions: shirt, jacket, or vest with at least 250 square inches of solid or patterned fluorescent orange or pink (the pattern must be at least 50% orange or pink) OR a hat with at least 50% fluorescent orange or pink.

"All other hunters are not required by law to wear fluorescent orange while hunting in New York. However, the DEC highly recommends ALL hunters wear a fluorescent orange hat, vest and/or coat while hunting small game or big game."

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

The following are three hunting-related shooting incidents that occurred in Central New York during the 2017 season.

Don't Edit

Small game & non-game

*11/16  Onondaga County. Self-inflicted. Victim had set his gun down, leaning it against a tree. Shortly after, the gun fell over and discharged one round, 3 pellets struck him in the calf. Age 24.

*12/7  Madison County. Self-inflicted. Victim leaned his rifle against his body while stomping brush for a place to sit. A branch caught in the trigger guard and discharged one round giving him a minor wound in the forearm. Age 18.

Don't Edit

AP Photo/ David Duprey

Big game hunting (deer)

*11/23  Oneida County. Shooter and victim were part of a deer drive. A deer ran between the shooter and victim. Shooter fired one round and struck victim in the ear/scalp. Age 50.

See NYUP.com for a complete breakdown of incidents across the state.

Don't Edit

Hunter safety basics

Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

Keep your finger off the trigger, and outside the trigger guard, until you are ready to shoot.

Always be sure of your target and what is in front of it and behind it. Once you pull the trigger, you cannot take back the bullet!

Don't Edit

For more on hunter safety and DEC-sponsored hunter safety courses, see the DEC website.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Special to NYup.com

More outdoors on NYup.com

DEC biologist: NY moose herd is healthy, but at 'low level' -- more studies needed
New York lawmakers passed a package of 20 bills to address guns and school safety this week, moving forward with some of the most sweeping reforms aimed at reducing gun violence since enactment of the SAFE Act in 2013.

The Democratic-controlled state Assembly passed five bills Tuesday intended to tighten background checks and keep guns away from domestic abusers, the mentally ill and those that courts consider a danger to themselves or others.

A day earlier, the Republican-controlled state Senate passed a 15-bill package focused on school safety.

The package includes a measure that provides state funding for any school in Upstate New York that wants an armed resource officer on staff. The legislation also requires armed police officers to be placed in all New York City public and private schools.

Now the question is whether Senate and Assembly leaders can negotiate a compromise package of gun and school safety bills that would make it to the desk of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

After the Assembly passed its gun reforms Tuesday, a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said he was hopeful the legislation passed by both chambers would serve as a base for negotiations to move forward.

Heastie spokesman Michael Whyland said Democrats in the Assembly believe that lawmakers must address more than school security in the wake of last month's shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school that left 17 people dead.

"We don't think more guns in schools is the answer, and we think we should be addressing the root cause of violence," Whyland told syracuse.com.

Cuomo has not indicated what specific gun or school safety legislation he would sign, instead saying the issue needs to be addressed by the federal government.

"We support further strengthening the strongest gun safety laws in the country, and look forward to discussing proposals to do that with the Assembly and Senate," said Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi. "But as the governor said, to most effectively curb gun violence we need federal action and the lack of federal action on this is alarming."

Some of the legislation passed by the Assembly would address gun issues that have received bipartisan support in Congress since the Florida shooting.

The Assembly voted to ban bump stocks, devices that can be attached to semi-automatic rifles to increase firing speeds. President Donald Trump last month directed the Justice Department to begin working on a federal ban on bump stocks.

The Assembly legislation included a bill authored by Pamela Hunter, D-Syracuse, that closes a loophole that prevented law enforcement from checking home state mental health records of prospective gun-buyers in New York whose primary residence is outside of the state.

The Assembly also passed a bill requiring a 10-day waiting period before a firearm can be delivered to a person whose background check is delayed, instead of the existing three-day period.

The school safety legislation passed by the state Senate requires all New York schools to hold at least two active-shooter drills each year, and authorized state financial aid to school districts that want to improve their safety technology and security in school buildings.

The Senate legislation requires the state to reimburse school districts up to $50,000 per school for mental health services coordinators. The mental health professionals would work with students and faculty to identify anyone with a mental health issue who could pose a risk to safety in public or private schools.

To help recruit better-trained school resource officers, the Senate passed a measure granting a waiver to retired police officers under age 65 who are limited by state law to earning no more than $30,000 in a public-sector job while collecting a state pension.

Under the Senate bill, the annual earnings limit would be increased to $50,000 per year for retired police officers who agree to work in schools as resource officers.

Scott Reif, a spokesman for Senate Republicans, said issuing waivers for an entire group of retired state or municipal employees is not unprecedented, but far from routine.

"Obviously this is meant to attract that retired police officer who already has the skills necessary to do the job," Reif said.

Contact Mark Weiner anytime: Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
NEW YORK--Porn star Stormy Daniels sued President Donald Trump on Tuesday, alleging that he never signed a non-disclosure agreement she agreed to in exchange for $130,000.



Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, charges that the agreed-upon gag order about her "intimate" relationship with Trump is invalid because, while she and Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen signed it, Trump never did.



The suit, obtained by The New York Daily News and first reported by NBC News, was filed in Los Angeles.



Cohen and White House aides did not return repeated requests for comment.





If Daniels' suit is successful, she would be free to tell everything about her year-long affair with the leader of the free world.



The "hush agreement," as Stormy calls it, is attached to the suit and uses pseudonyms for her and Trump.



Daniels is referred to as "Peggy Peterson" throughout and Trump as "David Dennison." On the final page, there's a blank space where "DD" was supposed to sign. A separate letter reveals the true identities of "PP" and "DD" as Clifford and Trump.



As has been corroborated by extensive reporting on their steamy affair, the suit alleges that Daniels and Trump began sleeping together in the summer of 2006--a few weeks after Melania Trump gave birth to their son, Barron.





The affair continued well into 2007 and included trysts in Lake Tahoe and at the Beverly Hills Hotel, according to the suit.



Daniels planned to speak publicly about the affair in the fall of 2016 after the release of an infamous hot mic recording that caught Trump bragging about being able to "grab" women "by the p_-y" because he's a "star."



"After discovering Ms. Clifford's plans, Mr. Trump, with the assistance of his attorney, Mr. Cohen, aggressively sought to silence Ms. Clifford as part of an effort to avoid her telling the truth, thus helping to ensure he won the Presidential Election," the suit states.



Cohen offered Daniels $130,000 for her silence and she agreed, the suit states. Cohen wired the payment into a trust account belonging to Daniels' then-attorney just 12 days before Trump's election.





After vehemently denying that the affair ever took place, Cohen admitted last month that he made the hush payment, but refused to acknowledge why and denied being reimbursed by Trump or his campaign.



Democrats and government watchdog groups have urged the FBI to investigate Cohen's payment, as it would constitute an illegal campaign contribution if Trump in any way coordinated it.

Cohen attempted to intimidate Daniels as recently as Feb. 27, according to the suit.



"To be clear, the attempts to intimidate Ms. Clifford into silence and 'shut her up' in order to 'protect Mr. Trump' continue unabated,'" the suit says.



Trump's porn star fling has reportedly created a rift in his marriage. Meanwhile, he still faces shocking sexual misconduct allegations from nearly two dozen women.

--By Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News
WASHINGTON - Sen. Charles Schumer says a $1 trillion infrastructure plan Democrats unveiled Tuesday would boost funding for interstate highways, ensuring that the federal government will pay most of the cost to transform Interstate 81 in Syracuse.

Schumer, D-N.Y., said the Democratic plan would invest in projects like Interstate 81 at a time when President Donald Trump has proposed cutting the federal Highway Trust Fund by $122 billion over 10 years.

The Highway Trust Fund is the largest source of federal aid to the states for road projects and mass transit, typically funding 80 percent of the costs of interstate highway projects.

Trump proposed a vastly different plan for infrastructure spending last month, suggesting that $200 billion in federal funds could be used to stimulate $1.5 trillion in new projects through private investments, toll roads, and other public-private partnerships.

Schumer said the president's plan failed to pick up support among Democrats and some Republicans because it relies too much on private investment.

"We need significant increases in direct federal funding if we're going to seriously address our nation's crumbling infrastructure," Schumer said Tuesday as he touted his proposal.

"This plan would increase direct federal spending for highway projects and provide the level of federal funding necessary to enable the state and Central New York to undertake major transformational projects like Interstate 81," he said.

New York state plans to demolish the elevated portion of I-81 in Syracuse and replace it with a new elevated highway, street-level boulevard or tunnel. A year-long study began in January to recommend the best option. The three options range in cost from $1.3 billion to $4.5 billion, according to state studies.

Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said his infrastructure plan would make it more likely that federal funds will be available to pay for most of the I-81 project.

He said Trump's infrastructure plan depends on funding from private investors, making it unlikely that projects in Rust Belt cities with declining populations will be funded.

In addition to roads and bridges, the Schumer plan would pay for infrastructure that includes broadband for high-speed internet, dredging, flood-control projects, environmental cleanup and school construction projects.

Democrats want to pay for the infrastructure bill by rolling back some of the tax breaks included in the Republican tax overhaul passed by Congress last year.

Under Schumer's proposal, the corporate tax rate would increase from 21 percent to 25 percent, raising $359 billion for infrastructure projects. The rate was lowered from 35 percent this year under the GOP tax bill.

Schumer said Democrats also would return the top individual tax rate to 39.6 percent, after it was lowered to 37 percent this year. He said the change would increase federal revenue for infrastructure projects by $139 billion over 10 years.

The infrastructure plan would also rely on funding from a restoration of the federal estate and gift taxes ($83 billion over 10 years) and the individual alternative minimum tax ($429 billion over 10 years).

Contact Mark Weiner anytime: Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
A national report released Tuesday described the work of a Buffalo program as one step toward fixing billions of dollars worth of Great Lakes water infrastructure.

"It's something we would like see across Buffalo and the Great Lakes region," said Radhika Fox, the CEO of the U.S. Water Alliance.

The Washington, D.C., non-profit water advocacy group called the collaboration between the Buffalo Sewer Authority and PUSH Buffalo as just the sort of program the Great Lakes need more of to achieve the sustainable water quality initiatives the organization put forth in its report.

The three-year-old program employs residents from low-income and minority neighborhoods to build green infrastructure projects across Buffalo. The U.S. Water Alliance devoted a page about the program in its 38-page report.

"The partnership is very promising," Fox told reporters during a conference call.

Although still small, the "PUSH Blue" eco-landscaping team improved 221 properties where derelict buildings once stood -- more than 19 acres in all.

Crews installed up to six inches of water-absorbing soil and low-maintenance turf on the sites after the buildings were demolished.

"While the demolition of blighted properties removes structures with environmental and structural hazards like asbestos and lead, the introduction of low-growing turf also promotes safe, healthy, walkable neighborhoods," according to the report.

The newly landscaped properties also help alleviate storm runoff into the Buffalo sewer system, reducing sewage overflows into creeks and streams.

In the process, the program created 53 jobs, more than half filled by people of color from the African-American, Hispanic and Native American communities.

"PUSH Blue's eco-landscaping program has created significant benefit for both the West Side and the City of Buffalo," said Jenifer Kaminsky, PUSH's director of planning and community development.

"We have had the opportunity to partner with the Buffalo Sewer Authority to help address combined sewer overflow, which are considerable environmental burdens to residents across the city and especially lower-income neighborhoods," Kaminsky said. "This green approach not only creates infrastructure that addresses Buffalo's combined sewer overthrow problem, but also provides new green space to neighborhoods and good green jobs."

Other aims in the Water Alliance report included:

--Help struggling water utilities improve service to customers;

--Address lead in water infrastructure;

--Strive for universal equity in climate planning and development, and;

--Leverage water improvements to benefit disinvested areas.

The report's release came just before the start of the annual two-day "Great Lakes Days" when hundreds of advocates from the Great Lakes converge on the nation's capital to promote the region's priorities to Congress and to call attention to its needs.

"It's really a timely moment to be releasing this report," Fox said.

Fox said the crises that have befallen Great Lakes communities -- including the Flint Water Crisis and Toledo's toxic algae problem -- emphasize the region's needs.

The study used data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and concluded at least $167 billion in public water system infrastructure investments are needed to bring or keep water service up to snuff. About $50 billion is required in New York State alone, according to the report.

New York is in the second year of the state's $2.5 billion investment into improving water infrastructure across the state.

Some of that money has already been tapped into by local communities, including Cheektowaga, which is working toward lining their sewer system in an effort to reduce overflows of sewage into waterways like Scajaquada Creek.

The Niagara Falls Water Board, under the oversight of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, was also expected to apply for funding to repair its sewer system.

Other funds as part of the state's investment are expected to go toward ridding lead in drinking water.

Studies in late 2016 showed high concentrations of lead at water fountains, sinks and other spigots in many area schools. Elevated lead levels are also suspected in many communities that serve low-income and minority residents.

"Buffalo is an older city, and the issue of lead in water is another challenge they face," Fox said.

- By T.J. Pignataro, The Buffalo News, N.Y.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- A former kindergarten teacher in western New York has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Buffalo says 31-year-old Roland Yockel II of Hilton pleaded guilty in federal court to receiving child pornography. The charge carries a sentence of five to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing was set for June 14.

Yockel's online activities were traced by U.S. Homeland Security agents working with New Zealand investigators on a case related to the internet application Chatstep.com.

Yockel was a kindergarten teacher at Ginther Elementary School in Brockport and was placed on administrative leave after his arrest.

According to court documents, he denied ever touching children in his care but admitted he stole underwear from children's backpacks at a summer camp where he worked.
Stefani Reynolds | Contributing photographer

By Ben Axelson | baxelson@nyup.com

Upstate New York is filled with amazing travel destinations, but one location is being recognized as one of the greatest places to visit across the country.

Lake George, a well known summer tourism destination in the Adirondacks, has been ranked #8 on the list of the top 10 best and affordable places to visit across the country by Money.

Don't Edit

Steve Jacobs | The Associated Press

The ranking uses more than 32,000 data points to rank the most popular 750 travel destinations around the world. Factors included roundtrip travel and hotel prices, number and variety of activities available, weather, crime walkability and many more.

Don't Edit

Beca Piascik for NYup.com

Here's what Money had to say about Lake George:

Average airfare: $439

Average hotel night: $151

Cost to spend a week for two: $2,587

Don't Edit

Stefani Reynolds | Contributing photographer

"Known as the southern gateway to the Adirondacks, this Upstate New York haven really comes alive during the summer months, when it draws visitors seeking greener surroundings and a small-town vibe. Situated on a 32-mile-long lake of the same name, Lake Georges activities include steamboat excursions and ghost tours at the historic Fort William Henry Museum (adults, $18). Or you can tackle the 6-mile round trip 'railbike' tour (starting at $80), pedaling your way through the dense Adirondack forest and across a trestle bridge. Treat yourself afterward with a visit to Adirondack Brewery, where you can pick up an IPA or seasonal specialties like hefeweizens and cucumber beers."

Don't Edit

Teri Weaver | tweaver@nyup.com

Lake George is a great place to visit year round, too. While summer fun is the primary draw, the village is still rich in sites to see, things to do, places to eat and winter fun in the Adirondacks.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Mike Groll | The Associated Press

The full list of top U.S. travel destinations was:

Alexandria, Virginia Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Stateline, Nevada Glen Arbor, Michigan Pompano Beach, Florida Chicago, Illinois Anaheim, California Lake George, New York Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Don't Edit

Teri Weaver | tweaver@nyup.com

Money also ranks the best and most affordable travel destinations around the world. For 2018, that list includes:

Tokyo, Japan Rome, Italy Merida, Mexico Xi'an China London, England Jeju Island, South Korea Mallorca, Spain Tbilisi, Georgia Singapore Granada, Nicaragua

Don't Edit

READ MORE: 21 spring bucket list events for Upstate NY to cure your cabin fever

Looking for more vacation ideas this spring? Upstate is jam packed with unforgettable events for the whole family. Take a look at the full list.
STC musical to be featured at Iowa Thespian Festival

Into the woods, its time, and so I must begin my journey. Into The Woods by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. And so, the STC Music ...
Users that prefer to couch surf instead of travel will be glad to know that Google Maps Street View now includes 11 Disney parks.

A family trip to one of several park locations can be stressful for families. Due to the popularity of recreational venues, it is common for people to encounter traffic jams, parking spot problems, long lines, and not to mention the exposure to unbearable temperatures.

The new feature, however, now allows people to take virtual tours, which apparently come with a hidden perk.

Planning Ahead

Going on a virtual trip behind the camera is a great to way to avoid hassles of an actual sojourn to one of the parks. However, viewers are limited to the viewpoint of the camera used its viewable angles, which are sometimes restricted.

Meanwhile, some users believe that it is quite useful for people who love to plan ahead for their trips. Families can all view the different parks and decide which one to visit during a future planned excursion. This gives users a chance to explore the different rides and activities available in a particular

Encouraging Tourism, Privacy Concerns, And Current Limitations

Google Maps Street View is currently limited to Disney parks across the United States only. The company has yet to confirm if other branches worldwide will eventually be included in the roster for virtual tours.

The viewable points include Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, California Adventures, Epcot, Epcot Morrocco, Pandora The World of Avatar, Mickey and Minnie's Houses, Disney Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Disney Springs.

Due to issues with privacy, Google's feature encountered opposition from several groups in the past. Nonetheless, it seems that the aforementioned issue is only experienced by the service locally.

Sources confirmed that other places like Asia, governments, and tourism authorities collaborate with the search company to feature local attractions and places of interest. The decision is supposedly proven to be effective as visitors can plan out their itineraries ahead of time before their actual trip.

Travel Plans While On The Move

It appears that Google Maps Street View finally got a big upgrade with the inclusion of Disney Parks to its list. Moreover, it appears that the search firm intends to offer more features to make it an indispensable travel companion.

A recent update made to its Android operating system platform makes it more accessible for travelers to book their hotels and flights. The search results window on smartphones has been upgraded to feature all the relevant information the user needs to complete their travel plans, unlike before in which users need to access everything via a computer to organize everything.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google's artificial intelligence-powered imaging technology expands its availability to all Google Photo users on Android. An iOS version is reportedly on its way as well.

The announcement that the internet search firm decided to enable the feature on smartphones outside of the Pixel series is a welcome surprise. User feedback concerning the tech is mostly positive since it supposedly does exactly what it was built to do, which is offer image recognition. The app is intended to provide users with relevant information about any subject in a photo, and it apparently does a good job, according to reports.

Initial Availability

The app made its debut during the 2017 Google I/O conference and was initially integrated with Google Assistant and Google Photos. The former was previously an exclusive feature only found on Pixel smartphones, which limited the image-recognition app to the Google-branded smartphone catalog. The recent update from the developers means that all Android users now have access to Google Lens.



Coming soon to iOS Rolling out today, Android users can try Google Lens to do things like create a contact from a business card or get more info about a famous landmark. To start, make sure you have the latest version of the Google Photos app for Android: https://t.co/KCChxQG6Qm Coming soon to iOS pic.twitter.com/FmX1ipvN62  Google Photos (@googlephotos) March 5, 2018

Remarkable Features

What makes Google Lens useful for smartphone users is its ability to recognize what is framed in a picture. Powered by the company's artificial intelligence network, the app can pull data for just about anything that is available on its servers.

The tech used by the app can recognize and provide relevant information about architecture, plants, books, written language, artwork, icons, and more. The user just needs to take a photo of any subject and click on the Lens icon to retrieve important details.

It can likewise recognize text from business cards or any printed media and offer the option to save as a contact, access a website, call a phone number, send an email, and more. Product barcodes can also be scanned to get detailed information about the item.

Google Assistant Version

For now, Google Lens is only available alongside Google Photos. Google Assistant is currently limited to some Android devices outside of the Google Pixel and Google Pixel 2 smartphones. However, as the virtual assistant spreads to more Android-running devices, users should be able to access the image-recognition feature in the near future.

Gradual Adoption

Google Lens is a fairly new app released for Android. Thus, its adoption is not that widespread. Most users on Pixel smartphones are not even aware of its existence. As developers continue to improve the recognition algorithm of the platform, Google users might eventually find it indispensable when it comes to several applications such as travel, research, and more.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Getting a tattoo is a huge decision because they're permanent. Well, not entirely. There are ways to remove ink-based bodily adornments, but they can be painful and complicated. Also, it doesn't help that cells are actually doing all the maintenance work, making it that much harder to get rid of tattoos.

A new study by French scientists, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, suggests that the permanence of tattoos is caused by something called macrophages  immune system cells that swallow up foreign debris in the body. Targeting these cells might lead to better tattoo removal procedures.

What Happens When You Get A Tattoo

When a person gets a tattoo, macrophages swallow up the injected ink, the researchers claim, but because perhaps ink granules are too big, they can't fully break them down, so the ink remains.

As time goes by, these macrophages die and release the tattoo granules they swallowed up, which are then eaten by a new army of macrophages, restarting the process  maintaining the tattoo on the body. That's according to Sandrine Henri, a researcher at the Immunology Center of Marseille-Luminy who led the study alongside Bernard Malissen.

"When they die [within a few years], they release into the dermis the pigments they contain. These free pigments are then taken up by the neighboring macrophages, which seem to be the only skin cells capable to handle them," said Henri.

Experts have long held the belief that tattoos stay permanent because they pigment fibroblasts under the skin, which are the cells that synthesize collagen.

In the study, the researchers tattooed green stripe patterns onto the tail of mice, and then weeks later, those same mice received an injection to kill off the macrophages that ate up the green pigment. The macrophages did die  but that tattoo remained. They observed that new macrophages almost immediately began replacing the dead ones.

Better Ways To Remove Tattoos The researchers say their findings may help other researchers to come up with improved methods for removing tattoos, ones that are far more efficient and less painful for the host. Among the current removal methods include laser treatment, but this isn't exactly quick. For some, it might take years before the tattoo is completely erased. This is because macrophages are excellent at reabsorbing pigment from nearby cells and keeping them in the dermis instead of being sent for disposal, said the researchers. They hope to work with dermatologists in the future to determine whether purposefully killing off macrophages will speed up the laser process.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Strong aftershock as aid starts reaching quake-hit PNG



Sydney, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2018



Critical relief supplies are finally flowing into areas of Papua New Guinea devastated by a strong earthquake, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said, as another 6.7-magnitude tremor rocked the region Wednesday.

At least 67 people were killed by the initial quake in the Pacific nation's mountainous interior on February 26, according to the Red Cross, with 500 injured and 17,000 displaced.

Aid has yet to reach isolated parts of the Southern Highlands, Western, Enga and Hela provinces, with landslides, ruined roads and dozens of aftershocks hampering efforts.

But O'Neill told reporters food, water and medicine was starting to get through, with aircraft ferrying supplies to Moro and Mendi airports in the Southern Highlands.

"We are now in the process of delivering emergency supplies," he said late Tuesday.

"Over the last few days, we've been working with the Australian government, with Exxon(Mobil), with Oil Search and Ok Tedi in particular, in making sure that immediate assistance required by the communities is delivered."

Australia and New Zealand have pledged aid, while Israel has delivered 40 generators to help restore power.

The rugged terrain has made delivering relief supplies difficult with the Red Cross working to reach the Nipa-Kutubu district near the epicentre to assess damage and needs, said the group's PNG secretary general Uvenama Rova.

"Red Cross teams have been able to assess and support communities in other parts of the country, but access to parts of Nipa-Kutubu has been impossible because lines of communication have been severed and roads damaged," said Rova.

International Red Cross PNG country head Udaya Regmi added: "We are anxious to reach communities while there is a lull in what is usually a season of heavy rain.

"A big downpour could bring landslides in hillsides already destabilised by the earthquake, cause floods and contaminate water."

Local MP James Marape told The National newspaper there had been more than 50 aftershocks so far, with people too scared to sleep in their homes, fearing they will collapse. Instead they are spending the nights outside.

There were no immediate reports of any fresh damage from the 6.7-magnitude earthquake -- the strongest aftershock so far -- that rattled the region early Wednesday morning.

"The effects of the continual tremors are both physical and psychological," said Marape, speaking from Tari, adding that at least 11 people had died in landslides in the area.

"For the last two nights, I have been witnessing people out in the cold and rain, fearing to go into their houses in case the earthquake strikes again."

Accounts of last week's disaster continue to emerge with local media reporting on a nine-year-old girl, Jerina Peter, who was thrown to safety by her father from a cascading landslide before he was swept away.

The girl's mother and two sisters also vanished in the torrent of mud in Puinj village.

Australian officials based in the country have said it was the biggest earthquake to hit the highland region in a century. No official government death toll has been released.

mp/grk/ceb
127-million-year-old baby bird fossil sheds light on avian evolution



by Staff Writers



Manchester UK (SPX) Mar 07, 2018



The tiny fossil of a prehistoric baby bird is helping scientists understand how early avians came into the world in the Age of Dinosaurs. The fossil, which dates back to the Mesozoic Era (250-65 million years ago), is a chick from a group of prehistoric birds called, Enantiornithes. Made up of a nearly complete skeleton, the specimen is amongst the smallest known Mesozoic avian fossils ever discovered.

It measures less than five centimetres - smaller than the little finger on an average human hand - and would have weighed just three ounces when it was alive. What makes this fossil so important and unique is the fact it died not long after its birth. This is a critical stage in a bird's skeletal formation. That means this bird's extremely short life has given researchers a rare chance to analyse the species' bone structure and development.

Studying and analysing ossification - the process of bone development - can explain a lot about a young bird's life the researchers say. It can help them understand everything from whether it could fly or if it needed to stay with its parents after hatching or could survive on its own.

The lead author of the study, Fabien Knoll, from The University of Manchester's Interdisciplinary Centre for Ancient Life (ICAL), School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and the ARAID--Dinopolis in Spain explains: 'The evolutionary diversification of birds has resulted in a wide range of hatchling developmental strategies and important differences in their growth rates. By analysing bone development we can look at a whole host of evolutionary traits.'

With the fossil being so small the team used synchrotron radiation to picture the tiny specimen at a 'submicron' level, observing the bones' microstructures in extreme detail.

Knoll said: 'New technologies are offering palaeontologists unprecedented capacities to investigate provocative fossils. Here we made the most of state-of-the-art facilities worldwide including three different synchrotrons in France, the UK and the United States.'

The researchers found the baby bird's sternum (breastplate bone) was still largely made of cartilage and had not yet developed into hard, solid bone when it died, meaning it wouldn't have been able to fly.

The patterns of ossification observed in this and the other few very young enantiornithine birds known to date also suggest that the developmental strategies of this particular group of ancient avians may have been more diverse than previously thought.

However, the team say that its lack of bone development doesn't necessarily mean the hatchling was over reliant on its parents for care and feeding, a trait known as being 'altricial'. Modern day species like love birds are highly dependent on their parents when born. Others, like chickens, are highly independent, which is known as 'precocial'. Although, this is not a black-and-white issue, but rather a spectrum, hence the difficulty in clarifying the developmental strategies of long gone bird species.

Luis Chiappe, from the LA Museum of Natural History and study's co-author added: 'This new discovery, together with others from around the world, allows us to peek into the world of ancient birds that lived during the age of dinosaurs. It is amazing to realise how many of the features we see among living birds had already been developed more than 100 million years ago.'

Research Report: 'A diminutive perinate European Enantiornithes reveals an asynchronous ossification pattern in early birds'





Related Links

University of Manchester

Explore The Early Earth at TerraDaily.com





Thanks for being here;

We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.



With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.



Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.



If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution. SpaceDaily Contributor

$5 Billed Once





credit card or paypal

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter

$5 Billed Monthly





paypal only



Odense, Denmark (SPX) Mar 05, 2018


President Donald Trump gestures as he finishes his first State of the Union address in the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol to a joint session of Congress Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018 in Washington, as Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan applaud. (Win McNamee/Pool via AP) ORG XMIT: DCJE138
A man who broke into an apartment off Airline Highway early Tuesday morning was shot multiple times by one of the residents, suffering numerous injuries, police said Wednesday morning.

The suspect kicked down the door and forced his way into the apartment around 5 a.m. in the 3200 block of Victoria Drive, said Baton Rouge police spokesman Sgt. L'Jean McKneely Jr.

One of the three residents in the apartment armed himself with a handgun and shot the suspect, McKneely said. The suspect tried to flee but collapsed outside the building.

He was transported to the hospital and is expected to survive his injuries.

McKneely said the 34-year-old man will be booked into Parish Prison on home invasion counts following his release from the hospital. The investigation is ongoing
The Louisiana School for the Deaf suffers from low morale among students and staff, is implementing changes without a clear plan and some staff members lack the skills needed to help students, according to a report released Wednesday.

"Student and staff morale at LSD is low due to a lack of agreement in and collaboration around developing a unified school vision," the study says.

"There is insufficient communication and effective problem-solving between and among administrators, students, families, staff and community stakeholders," it says.

The review, which also faulted state oversight of the schools, was done under the direction of the state Department of Education.

Louisiana seeks proposals for improving schools for deaf, visually impaired, special education students The state Department of Education issued a request for proposals Friday aimed at improving three special schools, including the Louisiana Scho

It covered all three schools that make up Louisiana's Special School District  Louisiana School for the Deaf, Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired and the Louisiana Special Education Center.

A total of 233 students attend the schools, including 128 at the School for the Deaf.

The schools for the deaf and visually impaired are in Baton Rouge.

Officials of both schools were briefed on the report Wednesday, and more than 50 parents, school officials and advocates gathered at LSD to get a rundown on the review late Wednesday afternoon.

Donna Alleman, director of LSD, was at the gathering and said she was not authorized to comment on the report.

Leslie Bello, director of LSVI, could not be reached for comment.

The special education center is in Alexandria and serves students with mental impairments and serious orthopedic problems.

Jamie Wong, special education policy director for the state Department of Education, said the findings will be discussed on Monday at the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Wong said the study is part of a wide-ranging dialogue "with a lot of different people and lots of different topics on students with disabilities."

"And we have heard a lot of different perspectives, opinions and visions on how these things should move forward," she said.

BESE member: Major changes needed at Louisiana School for the Deaf The Louisiana School for the Deaf, which is undergoing a review, needs significant changes to improve its performance, a member of the state B

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The review said LSD officials should conduct surveys every few years with students, families and staff to pinpoint concerns.

In another area, the study said school officials are implementing an American Sign Language/English bilingual philosophy without any clear strategic plan for expectations.

Some of the LSD staff working with students who require visual language access lack the needed proficiency to communicate, reviewers said.

Part of the problem stems from the leadership of the Special School District, according to the review.

The district itself "has significant issues that, if not addressed, present potentially insurmountable barriers to the improvement of each individual school," the report says.

Instructional decisions are often improperly removed from school leaders in favor of district officials, the review team concluded.

State Rep. Patricia Smith, D-Baton Rouge, a member of the House Education Committee, said Wednesday school officials have to be able to intervene when it is in the best interests of the child.

Kathy Edmonston, a member of BESE who lives in Gonzales, praised the 17-page study.

"They pretty much report the things those of us who listened to advocates, parents and students had already found out," Edmonston said.

LSD and LSVI are rated "F" by the state in annual public school ratings.

The report said academic rigor was not evident in all classrooms at LSVI.

School officials need to find ways to to engage families, including feedback on school operations, according to the study.

The report was done by Education Development Center Inc., a Massachusetts nonprofit that studies school policies and procedures.

The review team included officials of the American School for the Deaf, Perkins School for the Blind and others.

They visited the schools, reviewed data and talked to students, parents and others.

Smith said she plans to sponsor a bill in the Legislature that would be a first step toward helping children who are hard of hearing up to age 5 with language skills.
Louisiana House and Senate accountants were collecting the invoices Tuesday for a special session that ended early, failed to accomplish its goals and could cost taxpayers upward of $1 million.

Lawmakers had gathered for an extraordinary meeting specifically to find ways to raise enough revenues to plug an estimated $994 million hole in next years state budget. After two weeks of often bitter debate, they couldnt agree and quit on Monday  two days before the scheduled end.

Well, folks. There you have it. 15 days and 60K per day  that's nearly 1 MILLION in taxpayer dollars down the drain  with very little accomplished. In a business, that kind of return on investment would lead to some major staff changes, Republican Rep. Julie Stokes, of Kenner, tweeted minutes after the Legislature adjourned.

This was the fifth special session since January 2016 called to deal with the problem of a fiscal and tax structure that doesnt raise enough money to cover the cost of government services. Looked at from that perspective, taxpayers have shelled out $5 million or so for legislators to convene outside the regular schedule, yet lawmakers still havent come up with a solution, said Stokes, a certified public accountant.

Can't see video below? Click here.

Matt Houston/LSU Manship School News Service

Youre dealing with objective numbers on a piece of paper, Stokes said Tuesday in an interview about the states unsolved financial problems. This is a well-defined problem that should be dealt with pragmatically. And we havent.

It wound up being a colossal waste of taxpayer money, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, said on a Facebook post.

House Clerk Butch Speer said legislators are working through sharp philosophical differences about the role of government. By design and law, legislatures are the closest to the people  each of the 105 House members represent about 43,000 people  and sessions are designed for lawmakers to debate these kind of difficult issues.

Legislatures are supposed to be debating societies. Theyre not supposed to be factories, Speer said. Widgets dont come out the other end where we can calculate whether there was value.  Im put off by the premise that this is money wasted.

Washington-style gridlock envelopes Louisiana House as special session collapses When the regular legislative session ended last year, lawmakers adjourned without mustering the political will to pass a budget, the one task 

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

A special session is a meeting of the Legislature that occurs outside of the regular annual legislative session. The constitution prohibits lawmakers from taking up most tax and fiscal measures during regular sessions in even-numbered years.

Expenses for the session that started Feb. 19 and ended Monday wont be calculated for several weeks. But the rough estimate to run a special session is about $60,000 per day, meaning the total costs will be about $900,000.

The largest expense is the $164 a day per diem paid to representatives and senators regardless of whether they are actually in the State Capitol. They will be paid for 15 days of work.

The Senate officially convened for about 19 hours over nine days, making their pay equivalent to roughly $129 an hour. But tax bills must begin in the House, so a lot of the Senate down time was waiting for the lower chamber to pass something. Only two minor bills were approved and neither dealt with the fiscal problems.

Try it: Think you can solve Louisiana's budget puzzle? Everyone in Louisiana thinks they're smart enough to tackle Louisiana's two most prominent jobs: governor and LSU football coach. We can't hel

The House logged about 29 hours (about $85 per hour) over 11 days officially meeting in the chamber, though the first day was to hear the governors speech and the next day was taken up with committee hearings.

Many more hours were spent behind closed doors in negotiations, though most members milled around the State Capitol waiting to hear what the talks yielded.

Legislators also get mileage of 54.5 cents per mile for one round trip from their homes to the State Capitol each week. Then, theres the cost of printing the bills, amendments and daily journals, as well as supplies, soft drinks and coffee.

Usually state employees working on special sessions are paid overtime. But many on the Legislatures staff already were working overtime to prepare for the regular session that starts March 12, said Brenda Hodge, spokeswoman for the state Senate.

Also, some money was saved by not temporarily hiring the usual complement of security, sergeant at arms, proofreaders and clerical workers brought to help the Legislature in session, she said, adding that the total expenses may come in less than expected.
As Jay Dardenne, Commissioner of Administration, right, watches, Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks at a press conference after the legislature adjourned sine die to end the special session to address the state's fiscal crisis Monday March 5, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La.
The District Attorney for the 22nd Judicial District which includes St. Tammany and Washington Parishs, Warren Montgomery, sits for a photo at The New Orleans Advocate studio in New Orleans, La., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017.
Kinslei Jones, 2, laughs about puppies during Kids of Excellence day-care at Desire Community Ministries in New Orleans, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017.
Legislature meets in special session to address the state's fiscal crisis Friday March 2, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. From left, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. Gene Reynolds, D-Minden, and House Republican Caucus Chairman Rep. Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, announce their respective caucuses will meet during a 30-minute break to try and bring HB23 to the floor. The hearing for the bill is now planned for Sunday.
Chef Alon Shaya has been dribbling out the news about his forthcoming Israeli restaurant like olive oil over hummus, and the latest dollop also marks the end of a once-promising Uptown restaurant.

Kenton's will close and Shaya plans to open his new restaurant Saba at its address at 5757 Magazine St., as nola.com first reported.

Shaya's company Pomegranate Hospitality confirmed the news, as did Kenton's proprietors Mani Dawes and Sean Josephs.

Kenton's will serve its last dinner on March 18. After that, Shaya's company will take over its lease. Saba is slated to open there sometime this spring following a renovation.

Josephs said that while they felt welcome and at home in their New Orleans restaurant, Kenton's wasn't meeting its financial goals. Knowing it had to close, the couple worked behind the scenes to find another restaurateur to take over the space.

If theres one thing were proud of, we created a path to protect our investors, Josephs said. We protected the people who believed in us.

Josephs and Dawes each run restaurants in New York (his: Maysville; hers: Tia Pol). They opened Kenton's in 2015 in a newly built complex at Magazine Street and Nashville Avenue. It was part of their family's homecoming (Dawes grew up nearby) and opened with a lavish bourbon collection and a Southern menu synced to the flavors of smoke and char.

For his part, Shaya said in a statement that "this process has been like changing hands from one friend to another. We look forward to firing up some pita and celebrating the culinary heritage of Israel in our new home."

That new home is about a mile up Magazine Street from the modern Israeli restaurant that still bears his name, Shaya Restaurant.

In February, Shaya first announced he planned to open Saba (Hebrew for grandfather), without revealing its address, along with a second restaurant in Denver, called Safta (Hebrew for grandmother). Both will serve contemporary Israeli cuisine, a blend of Middle Eastern flavors with other influences from the global Jewish diaspora.

The forthcoming restaurants will be under the umbrella of Pomegranate Hospitality, the culinary company Shaya formed last fall after a high-profile split with his former boss and business partner John Besh.

Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Shaya was fired from Besh's company in September. A month later, a newspaper investigation documented accusations of sexual misconduct at the company and led to a shake-up of one of the city's top restaurant groups.

In October, Alon Shaya filed trademark requests to use the name Shaya. Besh's restaurant group filed suit blocking him. In the next round, Alon Shaya asked the court to instead prohibit the Besh group from using the name. He requested an injunction that would strip the name from Shaya Restaurant while the dispute makes its way through court. A pretrial conference for the case is still nearly a year away, set for Jan. 8. A judge denied that injunction earlier this month, essentially allowing Besh's company to continue using the name Shaya Restaurant.

Final pies from Pizza Nola

Pizza Nola (141 W. Harrison Ave., 504-872-0731), known for its festive annual events, will close next week. The Lakeview restaurant's last day is Sunday, though co-owner Will Samuels said he plans to sell king cakes at the location during the next Carnival season.

In the meantime, Samuels said he's seeking another restaurant to occupy the address.

"We have had a good 7 years, but we must realize that financially we are unable to keep the restaurant operating under the current economic climate," he said. "After a slow second-half of 2017, we were counting on a much bigger financial boost from this Carnival season to get us back on track. Unfortunately, we did not get that."

During Carnival season, the neighborhood pizzeria had a dual identity as a distribution point for king cakes from Dong Phuong, the Vietnamese-style bakery in New Orleans East that has won broad acclaim for its cakes.

Pizza Nola hosted an annual Carnival kickoff party to celebrate Twelfth Night and the start of king cake season, and as Mardi Gras approached it became common to see customers queued in line for the popular Dong Phuong king cake.

This year, however, Dong Phuong faced runaway demand for its cakes and, two weeks before the end of a short Carnival season, stopped distributing them beyond its own bakery on Chef Menteur Highway.

Pizza Nola was also known for its annual "Sharknado" parties, which were like mini block parties inspired by the over-the-top shark flick.
NEED TO FEED: The Matthew 25:35 Food Pantry at St. Charles United Methodist Church, 1905 Ormond Blvd., Destrehan, will hold its Need to Feed craft fair and family day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 10. It will begin with a color run at 8:30 a.m.; cost to participate in the color run is $30. To register, visit EventBrite.com. Free events for children will include pony rides from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., antique firetruck rides from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and an Easter egg hunt at 2 p.m. The phone number for the church is (985) 764-8292.

CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP SCHOOL: The Rev. Kenneth Thompson, the Rev. Jerry D. Davis Jr. and the Rev. Melvin Harrison will be the instructors at the Christian Leadership School from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at Cypress Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 901 31st St., Kenner. The registration fee is $20. For information, call Sister Annette G. Pete at (504) 201-2595.

GARAGE SALE: St. Matthew's United Methodist Church will hold its Treasures & Trinkets garage sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at the church, 6017 Camphor St., Metairie. All proceeds go to local missions. For more information, call the church at (504) 888-1155.

ALGIERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: Pianist and guitarist John Nilsen will give a free performance at 3 p.m. Sunday at Algiers United Methodist Church, 637 Opelousas Ave., New Orleans. For information, call (504) 361-1334.

NEW ZION BAPTIST CHURCH: Pastor Fred T. Porter, of Cypress Grove Baptist Church in Kenner and St. Matthew Baptist Church in New Sarpy, will be the guest speaker during the Men's Day service at 10:55 a.m. Sunday, March 11, at New Zion Baptist Church, 2319 Third St., New Orleans. Leading the program from New Zion are C.S. Gordon Jr., pastor; Brother Randy Bookman, chairman; Brother Herbert J. Murray Jr., vice chairman; Brother Charles W. Hunter, brotherhood director; and Brother Alvia Lewis, publicity chairman. For information, call New Zion at (504) 891-4283.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

STATIONS OF THE CROSS: The St. Dominic Mothers Club of New Orleans invites all to attend weekly Stations of the Cross performed by school students at 2:15 p.m. every Monday during Lent at St. Dominic Church, 775 Harrison Ave.

LECTURE ON VISIONARY JESUIT PRIEST: Sister Kathleen Duffy, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia and professor of physics at Chestnut Hill College, will lead a free lecture and discussion on the Rev. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, in Nunemaker Auditorium, Monroe Hall, at Loyola University New Orleans, 6363 St. Charles Ave. Free parking is available in the West Road parking garage. Chardin was a paleontologist and geologist who worked to integrate evolution and faith.

CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL: The Southern Regional Conference of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal will be March 16-18 at the Copeland Tower Suites and Conference Center, 2601 Severn Ave., Metairie. The conference theme is I Am the Lord Your Healer." Conference speakers include the Rev. Mark Goring, director of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Center in Houston; Bob Canton, who has an international charismatic healing ministry; Johnnette Benkovic, founder and president of Women of Grace; Danny Abramowicz, founder and president of Crossing the Goal Ministries; Deacon Larry and Andi Oney; and Patti Mansfield. Registration for the full conference is $60 in advance for individual adults, $80 for couples and $90 for families. To register, visit www.ccrno.org.

ROSARY FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE: A "Shield the Badge with Prayer" rosary for law enforcement and emergency personnel, firefighters and military will be recited at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 17, at St. Joseph Church, 610 Sixth St., Gretna. For information, call (504) 367-7515.

SOUL FOOD: The Be Well-Come Together nonprofit is organizing monthly Soul Food gatherings to provide opportunities for people to share a meal, build friendships and explore questions of life and faith. The next gathering will be at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 18, at Faith Presbyterian Church, 2525 Apollo Ave., Harvey. Dinner is free. To have a place set for you, or to request child care, call (504) 368-2525 or email bewellcometogether@gmail.com.
Fort Collins, CO, March 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Red Mountain Scientific participated in the recent LaunchNo.COs PitchNo.CO pitch competition and finished in third place. LaunchNo.CO is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing and supporting entrepreneurship and small business in Northern Colorado. The event was held in conjunction with Fort Collins Startup Week.

Red Mountain Scientifics pitch highlighted their application of the science of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data to solve hard problems in the high infrastructure sector. They aim to revolutionize wind energy and telecommunications asset management by bringing to market a drone-enabled, AI solution for autonomous infrastructure inspection.

Competing companies pitched to at least three different panels of expert investors and judges, who provided feedback and professional advice on their pitch and growth plans at LaunchNo.COs partner location, Spaces. Those advancing to the semifinal and final rounds had the opportunity to pitch in front of CEOs from companies such as TechStars, Boomtown and UpRamp. Participants competed for a $10,000 grand prize and numerous other prize packages.

There were four finalists for the competition: Vortic, ItyDity, Fair Fiber, and Red Mountain Scientific. Vortic won the $10,000 grand prize, and all finalists are to receive concierge help from Colorado State Universitys ASCEND program. This personal concierge service from the CSU staff connects organizations to the entire CSU community and all of its available resources.

PitchNo.Co brought together a fantastic group of Colorado companies and it was a pleasure to collaborate and learn from such a talented team of leaders who are setting the standard for business insight and innovation, said Mike Moses, President and CEO of Red Mountain Scientific. My thanks to LaunchNo.CO for their great support of entrepreneurship and economic growth in Fort Collins and throughout Northern Colorado.

Jana Sanchez, executive director of LaunchNo.CO, said pitch competitions like these will help grow Northern Colorados entrepreneurship community. All 12 of the pitching startups will work with LaunchNo.CO for the next six months, taking the advice of the 29 judges from the two-day competition and implementing this feedback to make changes to their businesses. This was the first time the contest was held and Sanchez said she plans to do it again. The new nonprofits eventual goal is to work with startups to make significant improvements in their businesses, as they will with these 12 companies.

Red Mountain Scientific is a current client company of Innosphere, Colorados leading technology incubator accelerating the success of high-impact science, engineering and technology startup and scaleup companies. "Mike Moses is the type of CEO you want leading a high-growth company," said Mike Freeman, Innosphere CEO. "He's a passionate and dedicated business professional and the company's propriety AI software is what the industry needs to effectively analyze data to manage wind turbine or cell tower assets.

About Red Mountain Scientific:

Red Mountain Scientific is revolutionizing the cell tower inspection, wind turbine inspection, and radio tower inspection industries through the use of drone technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Fort Collins, Colorado company arose from the desire to apply emerging, cutting-edge science to solve business and technological challenges in infrastructure and asset management.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d768631c-f04f-4eb3-ab16-67d43bb33e40

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bcf75001-19c7-4dee-83c4-af17a0cb8fec
CANADA, March 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Earth Hour, WWFs landmark movement, is set once again to unite millions of people around the world to show their commitment to the planet. As our one shared home faces the dual challenge of climate change and plummeting wildlife populations, the worlds largest grassroots movement for the environment aims to mobilize individuals, businesses and governments to be a part of the conversation and solutions needed to build a healthy, sustainable planet for all.

About Earth Hour

Started as a symbolic lights out event in Sydney in 2007.

Now celebrated in more than 180 countries and territories as a global moment of solidarity for the planet.

Inspired millions to support and participate in critical climate and conservation projects led by WWF and many others, helping drive climate policy, awareness and action.

Online #EarthHour and related terms last year generated over 3.5 billion impressions in the run up to Earth Hour, trending in at least 30 countries worldwide on the night

New for Earth Hour 2018

As global and national wildlife populations decline at an unprecedented rate, this Earth Hour will focus on galvanizing mainstream support for action on the loss of wildlife and nature.

Starting today, supporters can visit connect2earth.org to hare what biodiversity and nature means to them in the places they live in and find out more about it. Created in partnership with the secretariat of the United Nations Convention of Biological Diversity, the platform aims to build mass awareness on the values of biodiversity and nature by kick-starting global conversations on issues such as climate action, healthy oceans and sustainable business. The project is supported by Germanys Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety with funding from the International Climate Initiative.

About wildlife loss

Megan Leslie, president and CEO of World Wildlife Fund Canada, says:

Wildlife loss is real, its widespread in Canada and around the world, its happening now and it affects all of us. Declining wildlife populations rely on the same things people need to thrive: Safe places to go about their lives, plenty of food and abundant healthy water. When you turn out your lights this Earth Hour, home by home, street by street, community by community, youre showing that together we need to take the necessary steps to reverse the decline of wildlife.

Marco Lambertini, director-general of WWF International, says:

Biodiversity and nature underpin our lives, our economies, our health, our well-being, our happiness. It is the foundation of our living planet. Today, as we push the planet and its natural systems to the edge, Earth Hour is our chance to use our power, as individuals and as a collective, to demand and take action to protect this web of life in return for all it gives us. For the benefit of all life on Earth and of our own future.

Cristiana Pasca Palmer, executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), says:

Earth Hour is a testament to the power of a simple idea to inspire people to take action to protect the Earth. As we take an hour to reflect on the vital role that biodiversity and nature play in our lives, let this be the spark that galvanizes action for transformation to a more sustainable future. The CBD Secretariat is delighted to be working with WWF, and with people all over the world to build a movement where people and communities make a personal connection with Earth. The reflections, conversations and actions we start today will help protect biodiversity at the local, national and global levels, and lead us on a journey of living in harmony with nature.

Notes to editors

Link to photos of previous Earth Hour events and impacts: https://hive.panda.org/Share/wdv0o80b113lxo2s2s6mk5xi6qvn185j

About the Convention on Biological Diversity

Opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and entering into force in December 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. With 196 Parties so far, the Convention has near universal participation among countries. The Convention seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments, the development of tools, incentives and processes, the transfer of technologies and good practices and the full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous and local communities, youth, NGOs, women and the business community. For more information visit: www.cbd.int. For additional information, please contact: David Ainsworth on +1 514 287 7025 or at david.ainsworth@cbd.int; or Johan Hedlund on +1 514 287 6670 or at johan.hedlund@cbd.int.

About the International Climate Initiative (IKI)

Since 2008, the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) has been financing climate and biodiversity projects in developing and newly industrializing countries, as well as in countries in transition. In the early years of the program, its financial resources came from the proceeds of auctioning allowances under the emissions trading scheme. To ensure financial continuity, further funds were made available through the Special Energy and Climate Fund. Both funding mechanisms are now part of the Federal Environment Ministrys regular budget. The IKI is a key element of Germanys climate financing and the funding commitments in the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Initiative places clear emphasis on climate change mitigation, adaptation to the impacts of climate change and the protection of biological diversity. These efforts provide various co-benefits, particularly the improvement of living conditions in partner countries. https://www.international-climate-initiative.com/en/about-the-iki/iki-funding-instrument

About World Wildlife Fund Canada

WWF-Canada creates solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians. We work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and people thrive together. Because we are all wildlife. For more information, visit wwf.ca.

Attachment:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ddb36d3f-f87e-4aa4-9cef-2e7031cd72a4
NEW YORK, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new study Global Magnesium Fireproof Board Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021 says growing demand for commercial and residential buildings has driven the growth of global Magnesium Fireproof Board market. Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.4%.



New report provides the current state in the global market including the definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The report also focuses on the development trends as well as history, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions etc. in the international markets.

Download sample of report @ https://marketreportscenter.com/request-sample/420171

Whats Magnesium Fireproof Board?

Magnesium Fireproof Board is a fire proof and a thermal insulation building material. It can be used for a number of applications including wall and ceiling linings, exterior cladding, fascias, soffits, tile backing and flooring underlay.

MgO Board is non-combustible and can achieve fire ratings as high as 4 hours given the correct installation. It can be used for sound studios, schools, public areas, movie theatres, train and bus partitioning, boat partitioning, shopping centers and any area where the fireproof function is necessary.

Why Magnesium Fireproof Board Market Grow?

Magnesium Fireproof Board has a wide range of applications. Magnesium Fireproof Board issued in Interior Decoration, Exterior Decoration. Therefore, growing demand for commercial and residential buildings has driven the growth of global Magnesium Fireproof Board market

Check for discount @ https://marketreportscenter.com/request-discount/420171

How much growth can we expect?

The global Magnesium Fireproof Board production market was 91.9 million square meters in 2015 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.4% from 2011 to 2016. The global Magnesium Fireproof Board market was valued at USD 944.03 million in 2015 and is expected to reach USD 987.94 million by 2021. Overall, the Magnesium Fireproof Board products performance is positive with the global economic recovery.

What will market research report provide?

The Global Magnesium Fireproof Board Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021 report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Magnesium Fireproof Board market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.

Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (North America, Europe, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.

The report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Magnesium Fireproof Board industry development trends and marketing channels are analysed.

Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.

What Segmentation is covered in report?

Geographical Segmentation:

USA

Europe

China

Japan

Magnesium Fireproof Board by thickness:

Thin (less than 8mm)

Medium (8-20 mm)

Thickness/Thick (>20mm)

By Application:

Interior Usage

Exterior Usage

What are companies profiled in report?

Mago BP, Framecad, Magnastruct, Magnesium Oxide Board, Yunion, Beijing Hocreboard Building Materials, TRUSUS, Huacheng, Evernice Building, Yulong Technological Board and Onekin Green Building Materials

Know more about report at https://marketreportscenter.com/reports/420171/global-magnesium-fireproof-board-market-by-manufacturers-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2021

About Market Reports Center:

Market Reports Center is an e-commerce platform obliging the needs of knowledge workers, experts, professionals who are subject to market research information for their work, or to make strategic business decisions. We are dedicated to create a comprehensive offering of market research which is accurate, credible and affordable.

Market Reports Center currently has more than 4,000,000 plus titles and 50+ Publishers on our platform and growing consistently. We cover more than 35 industry verticals being: Automotive, Electronics, Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, Chemicals, Construction, Agriculture, Food, Beverages, Banking & Finance, Media and Government, Public Sector Studies.

Connect for more details:

Sam Collins

Market Reports Center

1-646-883-3044 (US)

Email: info@marketreportscenter.com

Website: https://marketreportscenter.com
NEW YORK, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Communication is always been very important factor in growth of any business. Technological advancement helps business to conduct quality and vital conversation according to their ease. Audio Conference System is one of the effective way of communication in businesses. Audio Conference also known as conference call or teleconference System basically comprises of series of devices that allows to send and receive audio between two or more people. It can be conducted either by using telephone line or through internet with computer, phones, tab. In order to conduct Audio Conference through internet software integration or application is required to be configured in respective devices.

Some of the benefits of using Audio Conference System are:

Effective way of communication with no geographical boundaries.



Cost effective way of communication.



Easily accessible technology with efficient processing.



Time saving process.

Report comprises of the regional analysis to gain better insight of market of geographical basis. Market already has strong base in North and Europe with growing presence in Middle East and South America. Asia Pacific with highest number of emerging businesses contributing prominently to growth of Audio Conference System Market. India is the central hub for Information Technology (IT) which are largest end user of Audio Conference System. China and Japan on other hand has strong base for electronic manufacturing.

In competition analysis report covers key players basic information, product category, Sales (Volume), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%). The competitive landscape in the report offers detailed profiles of the key players in Audio Conference System Market. Report also covers financial overview, market strategies, new product analysis and marketing trends. Precise Competitive analysis helps businesses to build new product strategies.

Get Free sample: https://www.profsharemarketresearch.com/enquiry/audio-conference-system-market-report-enquiry/

Audio Conference System Market: Product Type

Wired Device





Wireless Device

Global Audio Conference System Market : End Users/ Applications

Residential





Commercial





Academic





Government

Report Enquiry: https://www.profsharemarketresearch.com/enquiry/audio-conference-system-market-report-enquiry/

Global Digital Broadcast Switcher Market: Companies Covered

Philips





Sony





Yamaha





Iron Triangle





Bosch





Sennheiser





Clear One





Phoenix





Revolabs





Denon





StarTech





SENNHEISER ELECTRONIC





Audio-Technica Ltd





TOA Corporation





Anchor





Shure Incorporated





Acoustic Magic





Pyle Pro

Digital Broadcast Switcher Market report delivers comprehensive analysis of :

Market Forecast for 2017-24



Market growth drivers



Challenges and Opportunities



Emerging and Current market trends



Market player Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value)



Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import analysis.



End user/application Analysis

Buy Report: https://www.profsharemarketresearch.com/buy/audio-conference-system-market-report-buy-su/

Contact Us:

Mia Cox,

Email- sales@profsharemarketresearch.com

Tel- 1-877-797-7295

www.profsharemarketresearch.com
The Philippines may have been named the top investment destination for 2018, but the government must provide more impetus particularly for foreign investors and encourage them to pour capital into the country, an economist said.

Foreign companies, with their huge financial assets, could further contribute in the current administrations efforts  especially on infrastructure  if only there was a more encouraging environment.

We still have a lot of problems, the focus is for local companies but for foreign companies there are limited options, Alvin P. Ang, who is also director of Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development, told Arab News. We are moving along that line, but that cannot be achieved in a years time.

Despite this, government is confident that critical reforms it wants in place are right on track.

Our efforts to create a more business- and investor-friendly environment are gaining traction in the past year and a half and the world is already seeing it, Socioeconomic Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said.

The US News & World Report said that the Philippines was the best country to invest in for 2018, beating more developed economics such as Singapore, Australia, the United Kingdom and France.

The rankings were based primarily from 6,000 business decision makers scoring countries on eight equally weighted country attributes: entrepreneurship, economic stability, favorable tax environment, innovation, skilled labor, technological expertise, dynamism and corruption.

In contrast to declining inflows of foreign direct investment, or FDI, to Southeast Asia as a whole, the Philippines continued to perform well, according to United Nations data. In years to come, the country is expected to receive more FDI from within the region from powerhouses like China that are looking to utilize labor in developing nations, US News & World Report said.

And one of the investment areas where the Philippines needs foreign capital is infrastructure, Ang said. We need extra money [on infrastructure], as local companies have maxed out.

President Rodrigo Dutertes administration last year announced a multibillion-dollar Build, Build, Build initiative promising to usher in a golden age of infrastructure in the next five years. Infrastructure spending would be raised to around 7 percent by 2022 from nearly 4 percent of GDP in 2017.

The $180 billion program includes major projects such as new bridges and roads, a new terminal for Clark International airport, rail projects and the countrys first subway. Thus far, 24 infrastructure flagship projects have been approved, amounting to P1.126 trillion ($21.71 billion).

With most of the flagship projects completed or nearly so by 2022, our infrastructure would be at par with our Asean neighbors, Pernia said.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque meanwhile attributed the Philippines top ranking on governments fiscal discipline, stable monetary policy, achievable infrastructure program and improved revenue collection, among others.

Roque likewise assured investors that the government would to continue to implement sound economic policies to improve ease of doing business in the country.

In pursuance to this, we have recently enacted the anti-red tape law, giving fixed periods for local governments to act on pending applications lodged with them, he said in a press briefing.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Venzee Technologies Inc. (TSX-V:VENZ) (Venzee or the Company) is pleased to announce that Korbet Bleu, a home goods e-commerce retailer, has selected Venzee to automate the process of adding and updating products to korbetbleu.com.



Korbet Bleu updated products on korbetbleu.com through Venzees software via their Shopify integration. Renee Breen, Vice President of Korbet Bleu, commented, "We consider Venzee an extension of our Team. The automation has been an invaluable resource and nothing compares to the reliability, dependability, and teamwork we have experienced. Venzee is our right hand that's always there to handle inventory, saving us a massive amount of time. The time savings has turned into money savings. Using Venzee has been the best decision we have made and enabled us the freedom to spend more time on other areas of our business.

Peter Mackay, CEO of Venzee, commented, Enabling our partners to concentrate in other areas of their business is an important reason why we are removing spreadsheets from the table. Venzee provides a rich, error free experience, and we are pleased to provide Korbet Bleu with the service their innovative products deserve.

Venzee provides high value customized SaaS (software-as-a-service) solutions to mid-market and tier-1 enterprise clients around the world. Additionally, it accommodates the budgets of up and coming retailers hosted on platforms like Shopify.

According to Statista, in 2016, the global e-commerce industry achieved estimated US$1.8 trillion dollars in sales, and is expected to grow to US$4.5 trillion by 2021. As e-commerce sales continue to grow at staggering rates, the need for better delivery of product information for businesses is now solved with the Venzee software solution.

About Korbet Bleu

Korbet Bleu focuses on interiors that are a reflection of personal style: fresh, distinctive, and inspiring. With designs that inspire story-telling, Korbet Bleu provides lighting, furniture and accent pieces that range from classic to contemporary.

Orders are placed through Korbet Bleus website with unlimited free shipping to the 48 contiguous United States of America. Korbet Bleu is working to develop an international shipping program that will provide delivery of the companys unique products world-wide.

About Venzee



Venzee is a SaaS company that launched in 2014 to help e-commerce vendors and retailers easily share product information in a US$23 trillion retail industry (source: Statista). Traditionally, this was done using spreadsheets which created a labor-intensive process that delayed products from reaching the marketplace. Venzees technology, a cloud-based platform that streamlines product information, allows thousands of vendors and retailers to seamlessly share information, avoiding delays and getting products to market faster than ever. The Company graduated from notable startup accelerator program 500 Startups and is already powering some of the biggest brands in the world.

To learn more about Venzee, visit https://venzee.com. For more about Mesh, visit https://meshblockchain.com.

Investor Relations

Caleb Jeffries

Investor Relations, Kin Communications Inc.

1-866-684-6730

VENZ@kincommunications.com

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the execution of the Companys growth strategy. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; and regulatory risks. Additional information about these assumptions and risks and uncertainties is contained under Risk Factors in the Companys filing statement dated December 12, 2017, which is available under the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and in other filings that the Company has made and may make with applicable securities authorities in the future.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forbes Travel Guide has included Rosewood Hotel Georgia in its 2018 list. The downtown Vancouver hotel has upheld this rating since 2013. Using more than 900 criteria, the Forbes Travel Guide Global Star Ratings choose the hotels that will be included in its annual publication.

Forbes Travel Guides recognition of Rosewood Hotel Georgias unparalleled service, ambience and elegance in all areas, from wellness to cuisine, reaffirms our position as the gold standard for luxury hotels not only in Canada, but on a global scale as well, says Philip Meyer, managing director of Rosewood Hotel Georgia.

The hotel combines the grandeur of the Roaring Twenties with contemporary design and comfort. It first opened in 1927 as Hotel Georgia. In 2011, after a full restoration, the historic property re-opened as Rosewood Hotel Georgia. Notable guests included Elvis Presley, Nat "King" Cole, Katharine Hepburn and British royalty.

These properties, the largest and most global group in the companys history, achieve an impeccable standard of excellence in hospitality, underscoring our overall mission of positively contributing to the international tourism industry as well as individual hotel experience, said Gerard J. Inzerillo, Chief Executive Officer of Forbes Travel Guide.

For more information, please visit www.forbestravelguide.com/about/ratings.
ORLANDO, Fla., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- F.I.R.S.T. Institute is proud to announce its 14th anniversary as a licensed and accredited technical school. Students have access to several different academic programs for ultimate career success, including: Recording Arts & Show Production, Digital Filmmaking & Video Production and Graphic Design & Web Development.



After 14 years of academic excellence, F.I.R.S.T. is still going strong as a higher learning institution. The Orlando-based school receives rave reviews from both current students and alumni, who credit the institution with helping advance their careers in web development, graphic design, filmmaking and live show and music production.

F.I.R.S.T. Institute Graduate Spotlights

Samisoni "Big Makk" Koroitamudu was a famous Orlando DJ and music producer before he was killed tragically in a car crash on August 29, 2016. He graduated from the music production program at F.I.R.S.T., which he credited with teaching him the fundamentals needed to compete in the music industry as a producer.

Big Makk called this a great school because of the hands-on experience he gained while learning in small class sizes. He made his own mark in the local Orlando community as a DJ. But, it was the knowledge and skills he learned at F.I.R.S.T. that made him an international star. The technical school is currently working with the DJs mother to sponsor a music school scholarship in Big Makks honor.

Kenneth Brown is a F.I.R.S.T. Institute graduate who developed his own online platform for independent artists and entrepreneurs called My City Mondays. He credits the small class sizes with helping him become a successful developer. Brown says such settings allowed him to get one-on-one instruction when he needed it most.

According to Brown, graphic design and web development are for creative minds and creative thinkers. F.I.R.S.T. helped him tap into his creativity to transform his dreams into realities.

Rina Weems graduated from the music production program at F.I.R.S.T. Institute. She calls the program straight-forward, because you get to do what you actually came to do... make music. Weems credits the hands-on approach to teaching with helping her turn her passion into a lucrative career.

When asked what her favorite part of the program was, Weems told reporters its the connections that are created between the students and the instructors. Everyone has a way of motivating students, which keeps them excited about learning.

AC the Gift is a graduate of the recording arts program at F.I.R.S.T. Although he grew up in a musical family, the Orlando music producer credits the school with helping him take his skills to magnitudes hed never imagined.

He was asked what he liked most about the music production school. AC the Gift said it was the smaller classroom sizes, hands down. This gave him the confidence he needed to ask questions in class, and work in a hands-on environment, intimidation free. Smaller classes also helped him create valuable bonds with fellow students and instructors that he still networks with today.

About the F.I.R.S.T. Institute Programs

F.I.R.S.T. Institute students learn the skills they need to launch entry-level careers at the schools Orlando campus. Each student studies in a hands-on learning environment, using industry standard, up-to-date equipment and technology.

Recording Arts and Show Production Program

This program is for anyone interested in learning how to record, mix and produce audio for music, TV, movies, live show productions, commercials and more. Students learn the fundamentals of live sound reinforcement, audio engineering, audio visual production and music production. The curriculum was designed to guide students through the classroom instruction and hands-on lab and project work needed to master advanced audio engineering concepts. Each student must complete a real-world project, such as an album or other audio production, in order to graduate.

Digital Film and Video Production Program

Anyone who wants to learn how to direct, shoot and edit short films, music videos, commercials and more, could benefit from this program. Students learn all the aspects of high-definition video and cinema production, as well as broadcasting. They use industry-standard equipment and software programs used internationally by digital media professionals to create various types of video productions. Each student must submit a finished video, commercial or short film to apply their skills to real-world experiences before graduation.

Graphic Design and Web Development

This F.I.R.S.T. Institute program teaches students how to design and develop graphics and websites on professional levels. Students learn what it takes to enter the real world of graphic and web design and web development. It all begins with basic computer skills and the fundamentals of multimedia design. In time, students work their way towards learning advanced web programming and graphics techniques using industry standard software. Each student must complete hands-on projects, to prepare for a job as a designer or developer in the real world.

About F.I.R.S.T. Institute

F.I.R.S.T. Institute is licensed by the State of Floridas Commission for Independent Education. This higher learning institution is accredited by the United States Department of Education recognized agency, Accrediting Council of Continuing Education and Training or ACCET.

All of the technical institutions programs were designed with its students in mind. F.I.R.S.T. Institute pegs itself as more than just a training ground. Its a community of creative people who share the same passions, be it audio and music production, web and graphic design, live show production or filmmaking.

Students learn everything they need to launch new careers, from technical experience to improving talent, from interpersonal skills to career development techniques. The instructors aim to share their gifts and talents with students, while helping them gain the knowledge they need to succeed. Together, staff and students create professional networks that help turn passions into lifelong paychecks.

The Career Development Department at F.I.R.S.T. Institute was established to ensure that all students are completely prepared to enter the job market upon graduation. Both current students and alumni have access to its job search services and internship opportunities. They gain access to career development services after completing half of their enrolled programs.

Program classes are offered in blocks on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. There are morning, afternoon and evening classes available for convenience. Financial aid and student payment options are accepted.

The next program start date is Monday, March 19, 2018. Students starting on this date can graduate as early as February 22, 2019. Enrollment is open now.

Author: Alan Forbes

Organization: F.I.R.S.T. Institute

Address: 2309 Silver Star Rd, Orlando, FL 32804

Phone: (407) 316-8310

https://www.first.edu

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/586f5066-a6e5-4e0c-a3c7-e6ffe65c82a4
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 7, 2018 08:18 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8b5d02 4 Editorial #Editorial,procurements,KPK,corruption-eradication-commission,corruption,#corruption Free

Then-chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Taufiequrrachman Ruki told a seminar in Bali in November 2007 that corruption centered around public procurement cost the government more than US$4 billion a year. At the time, about 85 percent of the cases handled by the KPK were related to public procurement contracting for goods and services, with the remaining related to licensing and budget allocations.

Now, 10 years after the establishment of the National Public Procurement Agency (NPPA) in 2008, procurement-related corruption and collusion has remained endemic and dominate graft cases handled by the KPK. This trend was amply demonstrated in the latest spate of KPK operations that caught many more regional executive and legislative leaders red-handed with bribe money.

This latest wave of malfeasance is certainly quite worrisome, because more than 45 percent of the central and regional government expenditures are allocated for the public procurement of goods and services, most notably for construction services, as the government has accelerated infrastructure development since early 2015.

Needless to reiterate, a corruption-riddled public procurement system leads to higher costs for the government and the public and delays project implementation, which further increases costs, leading to poor project performance and delays the delivery of benefits to the taxpayers. Further down the road, procurement problems discourage good companies from participating in bidding, thus depriving the country from receiving better prices and goods, works and services of better quality.

The NPPAs establishment under a presidential decree in 2008, which was modeled after the American Office of Federal Procurement Policy and now operates under the National Development Planning Agency, raised high expectations because of its clearly-set mandate to reform the procurement system, including the legal and policy, and human resource capacity.

The NPPA has worked hard in setting up a public procurement system with transparent tender and bidding processes, and even launched an electronic procurement system in 2009. But public contracting is still highly vulnerable to political interference or corruption, including bribes, abuse of conflicts of interest, patronage, cronyism, trading in influence, bidding collusion by third parties, related-party trading and the trading of illegal insider information.

The main issue, we think, is an acute lack of oversight of the implementation of the standard tender and bidding procedures developed by the NPPA, and the lack of internal control of officials in charge of public procurement.

Capacity building program also needs to be stepped up, especially in regional administrations, to promote an e-procurement system, which has proven effective in lowering the risk of fraud and corruption by limiting one-onone interactions between buyers and sellers, and as such, is recognized as an effective tool in combating corruption.

Hence, the meeting between the leaders of the KPK, the NPPA and 10 regional administrations in Jakarta on Monday to discuss the e-procurement program is a positive recognition of the urgency to reform the public procurement system.
Aston Martin unveiled the new Lagonda Vision Concept at the Geneva Auto Show, an all-electric sedan that heralds the revival of the special high-end Lagonda line that has been all but extinct for more than two decades.

The Lagonda Vision Concept is our plan for the rebirth of a great brand, Aston Martin President and CEO Andy Palmer said Tuesday. Its a new kind of luxury car from the first-ever 100-percent battery electric luxury car brand.

Palmer didnt give many details about the new car, which after all is only a conceptual exercise, but he did say the Vision Concept will get 400 miles on one chargeenough to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco in one sitting. It will have self-driving capability and zero emissions.

Inside, it has seating for four on chairs that swivel forward and back, plus a steering wheel that moves side to side, or disappears altogether. The cabin is outfitted in British wool, silk and cashmere.

Read also: Aston Martin launches new Vantage

Its meant to feel like moving up to the Concorde from First Class, Palmer said. Production at the 114-year-old Lagonda brand will begin by 2021 at the companys factory in Wales, and a second model may arrive by 2023. Lagonda did make a brief appearance with a limited-run $1 million model in 2015, but the marque has otherwise been dormant.

The debut follows Aston Martins recent news of surging demand, with sales gaining 58 percent in 2017 to 5,117 units, the highest in nine years. Revenue jumped 48 percent to a record 876 million ($1.2 billion). All of this came largely from rising demand in North America, the U.K. and China, espeically for the DB11 and special models, Palmer said.

The financial turnaround of Aston Martin is now complete, he said, which will help fund the development of Lagonda and the long-rumored forthcoming four-door DBX crossover. That model is expected to be seen, at least in concept form, by early next year.

Along with the Lagonda, Aston Martin showed the 1,100-horsepower Valkyrie AMR Pro, a track-only evolution of the marques hypercar that has performance capabilities like a Formula One carand a top speed of more than 223 miles per hour. Its the most powerful Aston Martin ever made.

Aston Martin also showed an all-new Vantage coupe, the V8 DB11 Volante convertible and the V8 DB11 Coupe. The DB11 is the best-selling Aston Martin in history. This was the first time both derivatives of the DB11 and the new Vantage have been shown together.
Red sea bream, called tai in Japanese, is a species of fish that can be found in the waters of Japan, except around Hokkaido and Okinawa. It resembles a red snapper at a glance, but the red sea bream actually has a rounder body.

During the second iteration of the "Japanese Culinary Introduction", recently held at the official residence of Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Masafumi Ishii, The Jakarta Post learned several interesting things about this particular fish.

Best seasons for 'tai'

The best time during the year to harvest the red sea bream is during the spring and fall. The fish caught during the spring are called sakuradai (cherry blossom tai), while those caught in the fall are called momijidai (maple tree tai), after the iconic flora of each season.

Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Masafumi Ishii (right) and Chef Hori pose with a platter of red sea bream on Feb. 23, during the second edition of the Japanese Culinary Introduction. The event was held at the ambassador's official residence in South Jakarta. (JP/Ni Nyoman Wira)

During the spring, theyre in the stage of laying their eggs, so they contain much nutrition, said Chef Hori Ikuo, the resident chef at the ambassador's residence. And in the summer, they will lack stamina, hence it will be better to harvest them in the fall, when theyre regaining their energy.

Red sea bream is usually served during celebratory events, because its name is a homophone for the Japanese term meaning happiness, and its body is red and white like the Japanese flag.

Choosing fresh fish

During the event, Chef Hori also shared some of his techniques, or meikiki, for choosing the freshest fish.

Chef Hori presents slices of red sea bream. The fish is usually served on celebratory occasions, and is prized for its delicate flavor. (JP/Ni Nyoman Wira)

First, make sure that the eyes are clear and bright, not milky or dull. Second, touch its belly gently to check that it is still springy and that it does not "dent" at the touch, taking care not to poke the fish. Third, check that its gills are bright red.

Although you might have good skills in cooking [fish], if you dont have good meikiki, the result wont be good, Chef Hori said.

Preparing the fish

Chef Hori demonstrates the best way to prepare red sea bream fish in order to preserve its freshness and flavor. (JP/Ni Nyoman Wira)

Japanese chefs have a technique called ikejime to prepare the fish so as to preserve its fine quality. It involves cutting the fishs blood vessel and draining it to retain its freshness and flavor.

Another technique called nojime refers to freezing the fish. This is usually done when there is a large amount of fish so it is impossible to apply ikejime to each one. Although the result isnt as fresh as if we cut the fish using ikejime, the effect will be the same, said Chef Hori.

Read also: What to know when cooking Japanese food at home

Cooking red sea bream

Chef Hori prepared two dishes featuring tai during the event: tai-meshi (literally, "red sea bream rice") and sugata-zukuri (red sea bream sashimi).

A clay pot is used to cook and serve 'tai-meshi', which is made from red sea bream and rice cooked in fish stock. (JP/Ni Nyoman Wira)

Tai-meshi is prepared by cooking the fish in a clay pot with rice that has been pre-cooked in fish stock. The dish is garnished with slices of fresh red sea bream on top. Meanwhile, sugata-zukuri is garnished wth julienned daikon radish, oba leaves and wasabi. The dish can also be lavishly decorated with different ingredients, such as radishes, carrots and bamboo leaves shaped into a butterfly or a Japanese whooping crane.

Use every part

All parts of the red sea bream are used in cooking tai-meshi. The bones from its head and tail are made into fish stock. In sugata-zukuri, its head can be used as a garnish and its body as a platter.

A platter features an elaborately garnished 'sugata-zukuri' (red sea bream sashimi), using radishes, bamboo leaves and carrots, as well as the fish's head and body. (JP/Ni Nyoman Wira)

Serving the fish

In Japan, fish is served with its head facing to the left of the diner, its tail to the right and its belly facing "down", or toward the diner. The positioning allows diners to eat the fish more easily, wielding a pair of chopsticks in their right hand and holding the fishs head with their left hand.

Wild vs. farmed fish

Red sea bream are either wild or farmed. The farmed fish has thicker swathe of red along its middle and is darker along its spine compared to the wild variety. The farmed fish usually has more fat and its body is rounder, Chef Hori said. The price for wild fish is four to five times higher compared to the farmed one.

A colorful platter presents sashimi of wild red sea bream. Another platter (not pictured) served farmed red sea bream for comparison. (JP/Ni Nyoman Wira)

The Post had the chance to sample the two different varieties of red sea bream and found that the farmed fish had a softer texture compared to the wild fish. (kes)
Starbucks Indonesia introduced on Tuesday the Art in a Cup campaign aimed at promoting the art of espresso and supporting Sumatras coffee farmers.

"We want to make sure that our customers can understand, appreciate and enjoy the coffees [grown] here in Indonesia," Starbucks Indonesia director Anthony Cottan said during a press conference.

The campaign, which is slated to run until the end of April, encourages coffee lovers to enjoy popular Starbucks beverages, namely the Caramel Cream Frappucino Affogato Style, Caramel Macchiato, Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew and Iced Matcha & Espresso Fusion, at a special price of Rp 35,000 (US$3).

The Iced Matcha & Espresso Fusion is among the beverages on offer during the Art in a Cup campaign. (Starbucks Indonesia/File)

In its support of coffee farmers in Sumatra, the worlds largest coffee chain has committed to planting one coffee tree for every 10 cups sold of these beverages.

Read also: Starbucks plans more mega stores

It will also donate 10 percent of every sold bag Sumatra whole bean, which will be used to improve schools and housing facilities in coffee plantations.

The campaign is not Starbucks first show of support of coffee farmers in North Sumatra. In 2015, the company established the Farmer Support Center (FSC), aiming to provide coffee farmers with training and education on coffee beans.

The center's agronomist, Surip Mawardi, said that the facility welcomed coffee farmer from across the archipelago to learn more about coffee.

Surip said the training was free of charge and its participants were not required to sell their coffee beans to Starbucks. (kes)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Wed, March 7, 2018 21:09 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8d8176 2 National niqab,Yogyakarta,Women,campus,university Free

Members of several Muslim organizations descended on Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University (UIN) in Yogyakarta to seek clarification over the campus decision to ban female students from wearing the niqab.

We object if the university really imposed the ban, said Fadlun Amin, a spokesman for the Yogyakarta branch of the Ukhuwah Islamiyah Forum (FUI), on Wednesday.

The FUI, along with the Yogyakarta Mosque Activists Forum and several other organizations, asked for a meeting with the campus management. They were welcomed by Waryono, the universitys deputy rector.

At the meeting, the organizations asked the university not to put restrictions on students wearing the niqab on campus.

The UIN is an institution that can accept differences, so accept it. Let students wear the niqab in accordance with their faith, said Fadlun who is a lecturer at Ahmad Dahlan University in Yogyakarta.

He added that the university said there were no specific restrictions. The organizations also asked for a direct meeting with the rector to clarify the matter.

If there are restrictions, we will take further steps, Fadlun said.

Waryono welcomed the visit and dialogue with the organizations, especially the discussions about a tolerant Islam.

He added that the university would still enact regulations on students, including campus attire.

Rector Yudian Wahyudi said the university decided to prohibit the niqab and offer a counseling program to students in order to promote a moderate Islamic dress code as well as to prevent religious extremism on campus.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Panca Nugraha (The Jakarta Post) Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara  Wed, March 7, 2018 22:05 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8d9e15 2 National bau-nyale-festival,Lombok,West-Nusa-Tenggara,tourism Free

The government wants the annual Bau Nyale Charm Festival in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, to not only attract tourists to the province, but to the newly opened Mandalika special economic zone (KEK) as well.

The festival was opened with a grand ceremony on Tuesday evening on Seger Beach, which is located in the KEK Mandalika area.

The festival, known locally as the sea worm festival, has been included in the national tourism agenda by the Tourism Ministry and the special zone has also been designated as one of the top 10 national tourism priorities.

The festival can serve as a magnet to attract tourists to Mandalika, the special staff for the Tourism Ministry, Esthy Reko Astuti, said at the opening ceremony.

The ministry, she said, was focused on developing tourism in West Nusa Tenggara. Besides Bau Nyale, other events to be held in the province include 100 national wonderful events promoted by the ministry such as the Tambora Charm Festival, the Moyo Festival and the Lombok-Sumbawa Charm Festival.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo inaugurated KEK Mandalika in October last year to bolster tourism in the province following the governments plan to create New Bali tourist destinations in several regions.

Hundreds of tourists, both foreign and domestic, attended the festival on Tuesday.

During Bau Nyale, local residents catch nyale (colorful sea worms) that only appear once a year. They believe the sea worms are the reincarnation of Princess Mandalika of the Tunjung Biru Kingdom.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 7, 2018 12:45 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8c094d 4 Business energy-and-mineral-resources-ministry,DMO-domestic-market-obligation,PLN Free

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan has signed a decree on a domestic coal price fixed under the domestic market obligation (DMO), a move that is expected to ease the financial burden of state-owned electricity company PLN.

The decree has yet to be issued, however, pending the issuance of revised Government Regulation (PP) No. 1/2017 on diversified mineral resources businesses, a draft of which has been sent to the Presidential Office, he added.

Soon after the government regulation [on the issue] is issued, the energy and mineral resources ministerial regulation [Permen ESDM] will be issued, Jonan said in Jakarta on Tuesday as reported by kontan.co.id.

Due to PLNs request for a fixed domestic coal price, Jonan added, the government had to revised Government Regulation PP No. 1/2017.

Jonan declined to comment on the exact price that would be decided by the government, but kontan.co.id reported that it might be 70 percent of the current market price. Other sources have cited a price of US$70 per ton.

Jonan confirmed that the government had decided not to increase electricity tariffs until the end of 2019, a decision that would burden PLN due to increasing global coal prices because coal-fired power plants account for 57 percent of Indonesias power generation capacity.

Meanwhile, PLN corporate planning director Syofvi Felienty Roekman said the domestic coal price was currently at $101 per ton. (bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 7, 2018 17:12 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8cddc7 1 Business Forbes-rich-Indonesians,Tahir,R-Budi-Hartono,Michael-Hartono,Sri-Prakash-Lohia,chairul-tanjung Free

Five Indonesians made the list of 2,208 billionaires from 72 countries and territories worldwide released by Forbes on Tuesday.

The five Indonesians are R. Budi Hartono, Michael Hartono, Sri Prakash Lohia, Tahir and Chairul Tanjung.

Americans lead the way with a record 585 billionaires, followed by China with 373, according to www.forbes.com. Billionaire Jeff Bezos secured the lists top spot for the first time. The elite group is worth a combined US$9.1 trillion, up 18 percent since last year.

R. Budi Hartono is not new to the list. He is ranked in 69th position with a fortune of $17.4 billion, a sharp increase in wealth from his $9 billion recorded last year. Budi was the owner of Djarum cigarette firm and a shareholder in various businesses, properties, technologies and banks.

Michael Hartono, Budis brother, is listed in 75th position with his fortune rising to $16.7 million from $8.9 billion last year.

Sri Prakash Lohia, a polyester businessman, is listed in 228th position with a total fortune of $7 billion, up from $5.4 billion last year.

Tahir is listed in 652nd position with a fortune of $3.5 billion, up from $2.8 billion last year. He is the founder of Mayapada Group, a company with interests in banking, a hospital chain and most prominently, real estate. Tahir owns the recently completed Strait Trading Building in Singapore.

An active philanthropist, Tahir, the son in law of Lippo Group founder Mochtar Riady, has donated millions to address the worldwide refugee crisis and to promote education in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Chairul Tanjung, the founder of CT Corp, is also listed in 652nd position with a fortune of $3.5 billion, down from $4.6 billion last year. His business interests include television, retail, hotels and banks. In July 2017, Forbes reported that Chairul had sold 49 percent of CT Group. (bbn)
London, UK - 7 March 2018 - UNLEASH, the largest Corporate Network focused on the interface between people, technology and organisations today announced the six finalists nominated for its UNLEASH Startup Award taking place at the UNLEASH Startup Expo on 20th March at the ExCeL London.

The UNLEASH Startup Zone, a dedicated area where 30+ of the hottest startups in HR Tech (both early and late stage) will showcase a curated and growing selection of what UNLEASH sees the rising stars of HR Tech. The UNLEASH Startup Award returns once again allowing six pre-selected startups to take centre stage to deliver their pitches on their path to disrupt enterprise tech innovation in front of a panel of industry leaders and an audience of investors, business leaders, practitioners and buyers.

The six nominated finalists chosen by an Expert Jury are:

1. Actiview - Assense(TM) by Actiview is a mixed-reality assessment platform enabling to gauge the behavioral and cognitive profile of company's talent in real-life simulations and predict his fit to the specific team and position in question. The tech behind it lays on the fusion of technology and science - by leveraging mixed-reality, spatial-data and deep-learning methodologies along with neuroscientific research to unlock new-predictive data-streams, and deliver an accurate, adaptive, data-driven recruiting solution.

2. Coorpacademy - Coorpacademy is an EdTech specialized in corporate digital learning and relies on a cutting-edge technological platform and design which converts any content into an engaging online learning experience. The platform integrates the latest innovations in online education (flipped pedagogy, collaborative learning, gaming features - quizzes, scores, battles), thanks to the researches of its R&D instructional design team located at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, leader on Moocs in Europe.

3. Vault - Vault is a counter-harassment platform, built for the workplace, and powered by Blockchain technology. Vault was created as a direct response to the recent public and media outcry against harassment, which proved that the current reporting systems are broken. Vault aims to fix the recording and reporting problems by creating a safe, encrypted and immutable digital space to record harassment incidents (sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination).

4. JobPal - JobPal builds chatbots that automate the communication between employers and candidates. For jobseekers and candidates chatbots offer a fundamentally new way to apply for a job - through their interface of choice, more intuitive and more engaging. For companies chat as a channel means higher engagement of their talent pool and the technology behind it gives companies the opportunity to automate many tasks of the recruiting process that are not value-add.

5. RoboRecruiter - RoboRecruiter uses messaging automation via a chatbot platform that can save recruiters time on the more repetitive and mundane aspects of the recruitment process. At the same time, chatbots dramatically increase candidate experience and engagement levels. ROI has been seen in candidate database cleansing, reengagement, CRM/ATS mining, application prequalification, data compliance, candidate availability and more.

6.: JennaAi - Jenna is an AI-driven SaaS solution that transforms the process of candidate screening. With Jenna, recruiters can create in a matter of minutes (really) their own smart & automated recruiter that will ask the candidates the important questions, filter and score the different candidates.

Jenna saves precious time, lowers drastically the hustle around first round review and opens new channels for on-boarding potential clients (Like direct messages, Facebook, LinkedIn Messaging and more).

"Over the last 6 years, nearly 200 startups had the opportunity to introduce themselves to the UNLEASH community. Most have had remarkable success - with an overall investment of nearly 900M being raised by them in total so far. These startups are shaking up the HR industry as we speak and I can't wait to see them on stage in London in a couple of weeks," commented Anna Ott, Head of Startup Ecosystem at UNLEASH.

For more information about UNLEASH Startup, visit

http://www.unleashgroup.io/startup

For more information on the UNLEASH Conference & Expo agenda in London, visit: http://www.unleashgroup.io/london/agenda

About UNLEASH

Unleash Your People! UNLEASH (previously HR Tech World) is much more than just business events; we are in the change-the-world-for-the-greater-good business. We are passionate creative people on a mission to inspire and transform the world of work & technology. Our shared vision is that by 2020, UNLEASH will be the platform of choice on the Future of Work across the globe. More than half of our community includes CEO's, CHRO/CPOs, EVPs, and SVPs from the most exciting brands and leading organizations, located in 120+ countries worldwide.

The world's fastest growing community on the Future of Work, UNLEASH is ranked as the largest Corporate Network focused on the interface between people, technology, organizations and the future. Our events attract the world's leading entrepreneurs, visionaries, disrupters and doers, including Sir Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington, Sir Ken Robinson, Rachel Botsman, Gary Vaynerchuk and many more. Past and future show locations include Amsterdam, London, San Francisco, Paris and Las Vegas and have welcomed over 9,000 attendees in 2017.

In 2018, UNLEASH will scale significantly to become the world's leading marketplace and community on the future of the workplace and technology. Join the community and find out more at www.unleashgroup.io

#UNLEASH18

In 2018:

UNLEASH Conference & Expo, London ExCeL, 20-21 March 2018

UNLEASH America, The Aria Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, 15-16 May 2018

UNLEASH World Conference & Expo, Amsterdam RAI, 23-24 October 2018

For more information or any media inquiries, please contact Andi Lustak on pr@unleashgroup.io.




Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 7, 2018 18:44 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8d1144 1 National Hong-Kong,China,Indonesia,comedian Free

Hong Kong authorities have released two Indonesian comedians who were arrested for violating the territorys immigration law.

Yudo Prasetyo and Deni Afriandi, better known by their stage names Cak Yudo and Cak Precil, previously faced court in Hong Kong and were found guilty of using a tourist visa to stage a commercial performance.

On Wednesday, however, Yudo and Deni  who had been detained since Feb. 4  were released after Hong Kongs Shatin Court sentenced them to six weeks in prison with an 18-month trial period.

"I am thankful that the judges seriously considered the attention and assistance from the Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) in Hong Kong, as well as the letter I wrote on behalf of the Indonesian government, said Tri Tharyat, Indonesian consul general to Hong Kong, in a press statement received by The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

He added that in the letter, he urged the Hong Kong authorities to decide on the fairest punishment for both comedians.

Yudo and Deni were apprehended by the authorities last month after they staged a performance in front of a crowd from the Indonesian migrant worker community in Hong Kong. They were found guilty of receiving payment from the event organizer after entering the territory using tourist visas.

The comedians, who come from East Java, were taken to the immigration detention center and later transferred to the Lai Chi Kok prison as their trial took place.

"The judge believed there were special circumstances in the case of these two comedians [] and the judge also considered the guilty pleas of both defendants," Tri said, adding that the Hong Kong Consulate General was preparing for the return of the comedians to the country.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Viriya P. Singgih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 7, 2018 19:36 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8d4fa7 1 Business Freeport-Indonesia,state-revenue,2017 Free

The government collected US$756 million in revenue from gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) last year, of which 19.9 percent came from non-tax revenue (PNBP) and 17.85 percent from dividend.

PTFI paid $151 million in PNBP and $135 million in dividend to the government in 2017. Furthermore, it also paid $82 million in export duty, $108 million in corporate income tax and $280 million in other types of revenue.

Total state revenues from PTFI amounted to $756 million in 2017 alone and $17.3 billion in the 1992-2017 period, PTFI executive vice president Tony Wenas said during a hearing with House of Representatives Commission VII overseeing energy on Wednesday.

PTFI, the local unit of United States-based mining giant Freeport-McMoRan (FCX), has estimated that it will have to pay $6 billion in PNBP within the 2018-2041 period.

Since early 2017, the government has been negotiating intensely with FCX regarding PTFIs future operations in the country. PTFI currently operates the Grasberg mine, the world's largest gold mine and second-largest copper mine.

The government's demand include an increase in Indonesian ownership in PTFI from 9.36 percent to 51 percent in return for an extension to PTFI's operating permit. PTFI is also expected to convert its contract of work (CoW) into the special mining permit (IUPK) and build a new smelter by January 2022.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has called for negotiations with PTFI to be completed by April at the latest. (bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 7, 2018 15:55 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8c9b4a 1 Business raids,expatriate,hanif-dakhiri,Jokowi Free

Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri has said he would invite other relevant ministers to talk about the implementation of raids on foreign workers, who were allegedly employed illegally in the country.

He said the meeting was to discuss a possible issuance of circulars to relevant government officials as guidance for carrying out operations at companies that employed expatriates.

We will discuss the supervision mechanism by the ministries, immigration offices and the police, he said in Jakarta on Tuesday as reported by tempo.co.

Manifs statement came after President Joko Jokowi Widodo criticized the implementation of the raids on alleged illegal workers by government officers.

I got reports from a number of employers of expatriates, who are disturbed by the raids, said the President at the Presidential Office when he chaired a limited Cabinet meeting to discuss the management of foreign workers.

The President criticized that the government institutions lacked coordination in supervising the foreign workers. He stressed that in the globalization era, Indonesia had to be ready to accept foreign workers, beside sending workers to other countries.

Jokowi said all parties had to tolerate the arrival of expatriates, which is part of the effort to maintain a good investment atmosphere, as long as their presence does not significantly affect the absorption of local workers. (bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Viriya P. Singgih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 7, 2018 14:30 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8c6743 1 Business Indonesian-Oil-Palm-Estate-Fund,exports,levies Free

The Indonesian Oil Palm Estate Fund (BPDP-KS) has collected Rp 2.1 trillion (US$147 million) in taxes imposed on palm oil exports in the first two months of 2018, which will be used to incentivize biodiesel producers across the country.

Since July 2015, the BPDP-KS has been imposing export levies of $50 per ton on crude palm oil (CPO) and $30 per ton on processed palm oil products when CPO prices fall below $750.

The revenues from the levies have been used primarily to incentivize biodiesel producers in the fund's support of the governments biodiesel production policy. The government enforced a 15 percent biodiesel blend (B15) policy in 2015, and has enforced a 20 percent biodiesel blend (B20) since 2016. The incentives cover the price gap between biodiese and conventional diesel.

Within the first two months of 2018, we collected Rp 2.1 trillion in levies from CPO exports and exports of derivative products totaling 6.5 million tons, BPDP-KS fund distribution director Edi Wibowo said on Tuesday.

The BPDP-KS aims to collect Rp 13 trillion in levies to support the distribution of 3-3.5 million kiloliters of biodiesel this year.

The fund collected Rp 14.2 trillion in export levies last year from 37.4 million tons of CPO and derivative products.

The BPDP-KS used Rp 10.31 trillion of the proceeds as incentive funds for the distribution of 2.37 million kiloliters of biodiesel, lower than its 2016 figures of Rp 10.69 trillion in incentive funds and 2.77 million kiloliters of biodiesel distributed. (bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 7, 2018 18:37 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8d0f65 1 National palm-oil,graft,KPK,Jakarta-Corruption-Court,#PalmOil Free

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors on Wednesday indicted a businessman in a bribery case related to oil palm plantation permit issuance in East Kalimantan, a province in Indonesia's part of Borneo Island with a long history of deforestation.

Hery Susanto Gun, president director of palm oil firm PT Sawit Golden Prima, was indicted for allegedly bribing suspended Kutai Kertanegara regent Rita Widyasari with Rp 6 billion (US$436,363) to issue a business permit for the former's 16,000 hectares of palm oil concession in the regency.

Hery, a close friend of Rita's late father and former Kutai Kartanegara regent Syaukani HR, applied for the location permit in 2009, finding his request rejected because a local land office had granted land-use recommendation for two oil palm plantations in the area, the indictment finds.

Timber firm PT Kartika Kapuas Sari had also been granted a Timber Business Inside Natural Forest Permit (IUPHHK-HA) for some parts of the area, according to the indictment.

The prosecutors allege that Hery ordered one of his staffers to negotiate with Rita to expedite the issuance of a location permit for his oil palm plantation, which, according to activists, is located within a peat swamp ecosystem.

Rita then ordered Ismed Ade Baramuli, a land administration official of the regency, to prepare the draft of the permit, KPK prosecutor Burhanuddin said during the Jakarta Corruption Court on Wednesday as reported by state-run news agency Antara.

The prosecutors also find that Rita finally signed the permit document for the 16,000-ha oil palm plantation, even though a local regulation prohibits agriculture companies from having over 15,000 ha of concession land.

Hery, who is charged under Article 5(b) of the 2001 Corruption Law, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, has insisted that the Rp 6 billion was related to a transaction of gold between him and Rita.

The case was part of an investigation by the KPK into multiple environmental permit scams allegedly committed by Rita, who was indicted on Feb. 21 for receiving Rp 469 billion in bribes related to dozens of infrastructure projects in Kutai Kartanegara and the Rp 6 billion bribe from Hery.

The arrest of Rita in September 2017, which coincided with a climate summit of numerous governors across the world hosted by East Kalimantan, has provided momentum for the province to seriously deal with environmental degradation in the province, activists have said.

Deforestation on the island has contributed to the dwindling of various endangered species' habitats, such as Borneo orangutans, leading to the increase of human-wildlife conflicts, with the apes having no choice but to inhabit agricultural plantations owned by locals and companies.

Land conversion to industrial plantations accounts for nearly 99 percent of deforestation in East Kalimantan, according to an estimate last year by Daddy Ruhiyat, head of the province's Climate Change Regional Board (DDPI).

Only half of Borneo is currently covered by intact forests, down from 75 percent in the 1980s due to the rapid deforestation rate of 1.3 million ha per year, according to a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimate.

A study published in September 2016 in Nature found that rapid conversion of forests in Indonesian Borneo to industrial plantations had increased significantly since 2005, which in part was caused by local administrations having greater authority to issue land conversion permits since the fall of the New Order regime in 1998. (ahw)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 7, 2018 16:22 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8c9ce4 1 City South-Jakarta,Kemang,brawl Free

Police investigators have questioned witnesses and analyzed CCTV footage of two brawl incidents that occurred in Kemang, South Jakarta, within a span of 24 hours.

Were questioning two more witnesses, adding to the eight we summoned yesterday. Ten of them are local residents and passersby who happened to be at the location of the brawl, South Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Mardiaz Kusin Dwihananto told kompas.com on Wednesday.

It was reported that on Sunday at 4 a.m., a police officer identified as Yasri Abdulmas, 24, was found lying on a sidewalk with several stab wounds all over his body in front of a cafe on Jl. Kemang Raya.

Less than 24 hours later, another incident occurred on the same street. A video recording taken from the second floor of Kafe Dronk appears to show several motorcyclists stopping their vehicles before punching locals at around Monday at 1 a.m. Four people were injured and several vehicles were damaged in the incident.

Mardiaz said the police had taken footage from 10 CCTV cameras at the crime scenes.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said the police had yet to determine whether the incidents were connected. (vla)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Los Angeles, United States  Wed, March 7, 2018 12:36 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8c0004 2 World trump,porn-case,lawsuit Free

A porn star sued President Donald Trump on Tuesday to declare a "hush agreement" over their alleged affair invalid because he never signed it, documents say.

Los Angeles lawyer Michael Avenatti posted on his Twitter account a copy of what appears to be the suit filed on behalf of the porn star who goes by the name Stormy Daniels. Her real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Earlier today, we filed this complaint seeking a ct order voiding the alleged hush agreement between our client S. Clifford aka Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump. https://t.co/upa9u10MqR  Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) March 7, 2018

The hush agreement does "not exist, because, among other things, Mr Trump never signed" the document with a Superior Court of California stamp, the suit says.

It alleges she had an intimate relationship with Trump from 2006 to 2007, which she sought to reveal after Trump won the Republican Party nomination for president and other women claimed to have had sexual encounters with him.

With help from his lawyer Michael Cohen, Trump then sought to "aggressively... silence Ms Clifford as part of an effort to avoid her telling the truth, thus helping to ensure he won the presidential election," the document says.

Cohen prepared a non-disclosure agreement, a copy of which is attached to the lawsuit and which required a $130,000 payment to be wired from a company known as Essential Consultants LLC to Clifford in return for her silence, according to the documents.

Using the pseudonyms Peggy Peterson and David Dennison, Clifford and Trump were to sign the agreement, along with Essential Consultants.

Days before the November 2016 presidential election which Trump won, Clifford put her name to the document, as did Cohen for Essential Consultants, it says.

"Mr. Trump, however, did not sign the agreement, thus rendering it legally null and void and of no consequence," the document adds.

Cohen told US media last month that he paid Clifford $130,000, prompting her manager to suggest a non-disclosure agreement had been broken.

Cohen declined to give details such as why he made the payment, or if Trump was aware of it at the time.

"Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly," Cohen said, according to the New York Times.

Trump declined to comment on the issue. The White House has dodged questions about whether allegations of an affair are true, claiming the matter was dealt with during the campaign.

Cohen's comments came after the watchdog group Common Cause filed a federal complaint in January arguing that the payout may have violated campaign finance rules.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 7, 2018 19:39 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8d578b 1 Business earthquake-resistant-structures,design,exhibition,architecture Free

Urban experts discussed last week how buildings in Jakarta would survive an earthquake measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale. Next week, they may find the answers.

The 17th edition of the annual Megabuild Exhibition will feature safer and technology-driven innovations in architecture, design and construction and solutions to problems, including reducing construction-related accidents.

A magnitude 6.1 tremor sent Jakartans into panic in January. Although there were no casualties and high-rise buildings remained intact, the quake triggered debate about the preparedness of the city of 10.5 million people in facing an even bigger earthquake.

The Reed Panorama Exhibitions, which organizes the March 15-18 event at the Jakarta Convention Center, will present 1,000 new products from 500 brands hailing from Indonesia and 19 other countries, including Singapore, Taiwan, China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, Australia, Brazil and Spain.

"We will introduce not only building materials and architecture solutions but also safety and sustainable construction solutions, general manager Steven Chwee said Wednesday.

The exhibition will introduce the latest technology in security, safety and facility management for smart buildings and housing.

The organizers hope the event will attract 50,000 visitors and see US$20 million worth of contracts signed, 10 percent higher than in 2017. (roi/bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Wed, March 7, 2018 10:06 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8bc2f9 2 World White-House,trump,resignation Free

Donald Trump's White House was rocked by another high-profile resignation Tuesday, as top economic advisor Gary Cohn quit in protest at the president's decision to levy global steel tariffs.

"It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people," Cohn said in a terse statement that belied fierce infighting in Trump's tumultuous White House.

Cohn is just the latest in a long string of senior Trump advisors to resign or be fired, a virtually unprecedented turnover of administration staff.

The 57-year-old had strongly opposed Trump's decision to levy tariffs on steel and aluminum, which has sparked fears of a trade war.

"For several weeks Gary had been discussing with the president that it was nearing time for him to transition out. His departure date is to be determined but will be a few weeks from now," a White House official said.

A former Goldman Sachs executive, his departure prompted concerned murmurs on Wall Street and could portend a rocky trading session on Wednesday.

The aide, who is Jewish, had threatened to resign after Trump refused to condemn neo-Nazi groups who protested in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Then, like now, allies had tried to keep Cohn on board with the prospect of a future cabinet-level position or passing tax reform -- which he helped usher through Congress.

A long-time Democrat, he was seen as a moderating influence that curbed Trump's nationalist economic instincts and those of advisors like Peter Navarro.

In a statement, Trump praised Cohn's as a "rare talent."

"Gary has been my chief economic advisor and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again," Trump said.

"He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people."
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Geneva, Switzerland  Wed, March 7, 2018 19:15 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8d2a35 2 World Syria,war,UN Free

Syrian regime's is orchestrating an "apocalypse" that will strike elsewhere following the devastating crisis unfolding in the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, the UN human rights chief said Wednesday.

In his annual report to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the government's actions in the area were "legally and morally unsustainable", while warning the next nightmare for Syrian civilians would inevitably arrive soon.

"This month, it is Eastern Ghouta which is, in the words of the Secretary General, hell on earth; next month or the month after, it will be somewhere else where people face an apocalypse  an apocalypse intended, planned and executed by individuals within the government, apparently with the full backing of some of their foreign supporters," Zeid told the council.

"It is urgent to reverse this catastrophic course, and to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court," he added.

The Syrian army and allied militia launched an offensive on February 18 to retake Eastern Ghouta, the last rebel-controlled region near the capital Damascus.

The offensive has been backed by Russia, the government's key military ally.

They have since recaptured more than 40 percent of the area with support from a devastating bombing campaign that has killed more than 800 civilians.

By Wednesday, government troops were at the edges of several key towns, including Misraba, Beit Sawa, Jisreen and Hammuriyeh.

Beyond Eastern Ghouta, Zeid said the seven-year-old conflict in Syria was entering "a new phase of horror", noting rising violence in the rebel-held area of Idlib and Turkey's offensive in Afrin.

"When you are prepared to kill your own people so easily, lying is easy too. Claims by the government of Syria that it is taking every measure to protect its civilian population are frankly ridiculous," Zeid said.
English Swedish

AB Industrivarden (publ) will hold its Annual General Meeting at 2 p.m. on April 17, 2018, at Grand Hotel, Vintertradgarden (entrance at the corner of Stallgatan/Blasieholmsgatan), in Stockholm. Registration opens at 1 p.m., at which time a few of Industrivardens portfolio companies will present their operations.

Right to attend and notification

Those who on April 11, 2018, are registered as shareholders in the shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB and who have notified the Company of their intention to attend the Annual General Meeting by no later than April 11, 2018, have the right to attend the Annual General Meeting.

Notification may be made by post to AB Industrivarden, Annual General Meeting 2018, c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden; by phone at +46 (0)8 402 92 86; or by electronic form on Industrivardens website, www.industrivarden.net. Upon notification, shareholders must provide their name, personal identity number/corporate identity number, address, phone number, and number of assistants (maximum two), if any.

Proxies, certificates of incorporation and other authorization documents must be on hand at the Annual General Meeting, and to facilitate entry to the meeting, they should be submitted to the Company no later than April 11, 2018. Any proxies must be shown in original and may not be older than one year unless a longer validity period (maximum five years) is stated in the proxy. The Company provides proxy forms on its website, www.industrivarden.net.

Shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of a nominee must, in order to be entitled to attend the meeting, in addition to the above notification to attend the meeting, request that their nominee re-register their shares in their own name, so that the shareholder is registered in the shareholder register on April 11, 2018. Such registration may be temporary. Shareholders who wish to register their shares in their own name should inform their nominee well in advance of April 11, 2018.

The Boards proposed agenda

1. Opening of the meeting

2. Election of a chairman to preside over the Annual General Meeting

3. Drawing-up and approval of the register of voters

4. Approval of the agenda

5. Election of persons to check the minutes

6. Decision as to whether the Annual General Meeting has been duly convened

7. Presentation of:

a. the annual report and audit report, and of the consolidated accounts and audit report for the Group

b. the auditors statement on whether the guidelines for executive compensation, which have applied since the previous Annual General Meeting, have been followed

c. the Boards proposed distribution of earnings and statement in support of such proposal

8. Address by the CEO

9. Decisions concerning:

a. adoption of the Income Statement and Balance Sheet, and the Consolidated Income Statement and Consolidated Balance Sheet

b. distribution of the Companys earnings as shown in the adopted Balance Sheet

c. the record date, in the event the Annual General Meeting resolves to distribute earnings

d. discharge from liability to the Company of the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO

10. Decision on the number of directors

11. Decision regarding directors fees for each of the Company directors

12. Election of directors and the Chairman of the Board

The Nomination Committees proposal:

a. Par Boman (re-election)

b. Christian Caspar (re-election)

c. Bengt Kjell (re-election)

d. Nina Linander (re-election)

e. Fredrik Lundberg (re-election)

f. Annika Lundius (re-election)

g. Lars Pettersson (re-election)

h. Helena Stjernholm (re-election)

i. Fredrik Lundberg as Chairman of the Board (re-election)

13. Decision on the number of auditors

14. Decision on the auditors fees

15. Election of auditor

16. Decision on guidelines for executive compensation

17. Decision on a long-term share savings program

18. Closing of the Annual General Meeting

The Boards other proposals

Dividend and record date

The Board of Directors and the CEO propose a dividend of SEK 5.50 per share.

April 19, 2018, has been proposed as the record date for payment of the dividend. Provided that the Annual General Meeting votes in favor of this proposal, dividends are expected to be sent out via Euroclear Sweden AB on April 24, 2018.

Guidelines for compensation of senior executives

The Board of Directors proposes that the meeting resolve on the following guidelines for compensation of senior executives. The proposal is in all material aspects consistent with the guidelines resolved by the 2017 Annual General Meeting.

Compensation paid to the CEO and other members of the executive management shall consist of a base salary, variable salary, other benefits and pension. The total compensation should correspond to market terms and be competitive, and shall commensurate with the executives responsibilities and authority. The variable salary consists of a short-term variable salary component (yearly) and a long-term variable salary component. The short-term variable salary component is based on individually set goals, shall have a cap, and never exceed fifty (50) percent of the base salary. The long-term variable salary is based on the long-term growth in the Companys share price and shall have a cap. None of the variable components shall be pensionable. Upon termination of an executives employment contract by the Company, up to a maximum of a two-year notice period applies. No severance pay should be payable. Pension benefits shall in all material respects be defined-contribution, and give the members of the executive management the right to retirement benefits from 60 or 65 years of age, depending on their position. The Board may depart from these guidelines if there are special reasons for doing so in individual cases.

Long-term share savings program

Background

Since 2012 the Annual General Meetings have resolved on the implementation of long-term share saving programs for employees of the Company with essentially the same conditions. The share savings program (the Program) now proposed by the Board of Directors to the 2018 Annual General Meeting corresponds in its entirety to the program adopted by the 2017 Annual General Meeting. The Program entails that the employee after three years receives so-called matching shares and, if the performance conditions are fulfilled, so-called performance shares, provided that the employee has invested a portion of his or her base salary in Industrivarden shares and that the participant has not given notice or has not been served notice of termination at the time of the shares were granted.

The purpose of the Program is to encourage Industrivardens employees to increase their shareholdings and thereby further emphasize long-term shareholder value. The share savings program is deemed to increase Industrivardens prospects for retaining and recruiting competent employees as well as the employees interest and involvement in Industrivardens business and development. The performance condition, which is based on the total return for Industrivarden shares during the term of the Program, is assessed to further enhance the participants long-term commitment and the mutual interests between Industrivardens shareholders and employees. The Program is intended to be annually recurring and constitute the form of long-term variable salary.

The Board of Directors thus proposes that the 2018 Annual General Meeting resolve to implement a long-term share savings program for no more than 20 employees of Industrivarden.

The Board of Directors proposal for resolution

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolve to implement the Program based on the terms and conditions set out below.

a. The Program is open to a maximum of 5 members of Industrivardens management (Management), to a maximum of 6 key persons employed at Industrivarden (Key Persons), and to other permanent employees of Industrivarden who are not Management or Key Persons (Employees), however in total a maximum of 20 permanent employees of Industrivarden.

b. Under the terms of the Program, Management, Key Persons and Employees are offered the opportunity to, provided that they have made an investment of their own in Class C shares in Industrivarden (Savings Shares) during the Acquisition Period (defined in item d below), from a designated third party at the end of the Lock-in Period (defined in point e below) be granted 0.5 Class C shares in Industrivarden free of charge (Matching Shares) per Savings Share. The Program also entails that Management, Key Persons and Employees, free of charge and in addition to granted Matching Shares, may be granted additional Class C shares based on the total return of Class C shares during the Lock-in Period compared with the SIXRX total return index during the same period of time (Performance Shares), in accordance with the following: Provided that the average annual total return for the Class C shares during the Lock-in Period is equal to or exceeds SIXRX during the same period of time, Management may be granted 1.0 Performance Share, Key Persons may be granted 0.5 Performance Share, and Employees may be granted 0.5 Performance Share. Provided that the average annual total return of the Class C share during the Lock-in Period exceeds SIXRX by two (2) percentage points during the same period of time per year, Management may additionally be granted 1.0 Performance Share and Key Persons may additionally be granted 0.5 Performance Share. In total, the Program thus entails that Management may be granted 2.5 shares per Savings Share, that Key Persons may be granted 1.5 shares per Savings Share, and that Employees may be granted 1.0 share per Savings Share.

c. The maximum number of Savings Shares that each program participant may acquire is limited in such way that Savings Shares may be acquired for an amount corresponding to a maximum of ten (10) percent of the participants gross annual base salary for 2018. Acquisition of Savings Shares shall take place during the period April 24 - October 19, 2018 (the Acquisition Period).

d. Grants of Matching Shares and Performance Shares are expected to take place shortly after the publication of Industrivardens third quarter interim report for 2021. The time from October 20, 2018, to the date of publication of Industrivardens third quarter interim report 2021, is defined as the Lock-in Period.

e. In order for a program participant to be granted Matching Shares and Performance Shares it is required that, with certain specific exemptions, the participant has not been given notice or has not been served notice of termination of employment in Industrivarden during the Lock-in Period and that the participant, throughout the Lock-in Period, has retained the Savings Shares. Saving Shares disposed of prior to the expiration of the Lock-in Period will therefore not entitle to any grants of Matching Shares or Performance Shares. Should a program participant retire during the Lock-up Period, the entitlement to receive allotment of Matching Shares and Performance Shares shall be reduced in proportion to the time remaining in the Lock-in Period.

f. The Program shall comprise a maximum of 50,000 shares of Class C shares in Industrivarden. Should Savings Shares be acquired at a share price such that the total number of Matching Shares and Performance Shares exceeds 50,000, the number of Matching Shares and Performance Shares that may be transferred to the program participants will be proportionally reduced.

g. The Board of Directors shall be authorized to establish the detailed terms and conditions for the Program.

h. In the event significant changes occur in Industrivarden or the market, or in the event the costs for the Program significantly exceed the estimated costs, and this, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, results in a situation where the conditions for grants of Matching Shares and Performance Shares under the Program become unreasonable, the Board of Directors shall be entitled to make adjustments to the Program, including, among other things, a decision to reduce the grant of Matching Shares and Performance Shares or to not grant any Matching Shares or Performance Shares at all.

i. The number of Matching Shares and Performance Shares shall be subject to recalculation as a result of intervening bonus issues, splits, rights issues and/or other similar company events.

Drafting of the proposal

The proposal regarding the Program to the 2018 Annual General Meeting has been prepared and decided on by the Board of Directors following preparation by the Compensation Committee.

Hedging, etc.

To hedge the financial exposure that the Program is expected to have, the Board of Directors intends to enter into a share swap agreement with a third party on behalf of Industrivarden, at market terms, whereby the third party in its own name shall be entitled to acquire and transfer Class C shares in Industrivarden to the program participants.

As proposed the Program may comprise a maximum of 50,000 Class C shares in Industrivarden, representing approximately 0.01 percent of all outstanding shares in Industrivarden and approximately 0.03 percent of all outstanding Class C shares in Industrivarden.

In accordance with the scope of the Program as described above, the cost upon full grant is estimated to approximately SEK 8,5 million, under the assumption all employees participate in the Program and that all program participants acquire the maximum number of Savings Shares.

The Program is expected to have only marginal effect on Industrivardens and the Industrivarden Groups key ratios.

Majority requirements

The Annual General Meetings resolution in accordance with the above requires a majority of more than half of the votes cast.

Nominating Committees proposals

The Nominating Committee has consisted of Fredrik Lundberg, (Chairman of the Board of AB Industrivarden), Bo Damberg (the Jan Wallander and Tom Hedelius Foundation and others), Mats Guldbrand (L E Lundbergforetagen), Mikael Schmidt (SCA pension foundations and others), and Hakan Sandberg (Handelsbanken Pension Foundation and others). Mats Guldbrand has served as Nominating Committee chair.

The Nominating Committee has made the following proposals.

Chairman to preside over the Annual General Meeting

Attorney Sven Unger.

Number of directors

Eight directors and no deputies.

Directors fees

Unchanged at SEK 2,000,000 for the Chairman of the Board, unchanged at SEK 1,200,000 for the Vice Chairman of the Board (if appointed), unchanged at SEK 600,000 for each of the other non-executive directors. No separate fee shall be paid for committee work.

Directors

Re-election of Par Boman, Christian Caspar, Bengt Kjell, Nina Linander, Fredrik Lundberg, Annika Lundius, Lars Pettersson and Helena Stjernholm.

Chairman of the Board: Re-election of Fredrik Lundberg as Chairman of the Board.

Details of the re-election of the proposed board members are available in the corporate governance section of Industrivardens website, www.industrivarden.net.

Number of auditors

A registered accounting firm.

Auditor

Re-election of PricewaterhouseCoopers AB (in accordance with the Audit Committees recommendation) for a term extending until the end of the 2019 Annual General Meeting. In the event PricewaterhouseCoopers is elected, PricewaterhouseCoopers has announced that it will appoint Authorized Public Accountant Magnus Svensson Henryson as auditor in charge.

Auditors fee

Fee payable per approved invoice.

Documents

Accounting records, audit reports and auditors statements, and the Boards proposed distribution of earnings and statement in support of such proposal, will be on hand for the shareholders at the Company three weeks before the Annual General Meeting. These documents will also then be posted on the Companys website, www.industrivarden.net, and will be sent to shareholders at their postal address upon request. The documents will also be available at the Annual General Meeting.

Number of shares and votes in the Company

The total number of shares in AB Industrivarden is 435,209,877, of which 268,183,471 are Class A shares and, 167,026,406 are Class C shares. Each Class A share carries one vote and each Class C share carries one-tenth of a vote. The total number of votes is 284,886,111. This data pertains to the conditions at the time this notice was issued.

Disclosures at the Annual General Meeting

The shareholders have the right to certain disclosures at the Annual General Meeting: The Board of Directors and CEO shall, if requested by any shareholder, and if the Board believes that it can be done without causing material harm to the Company, provide disclosures on conditions that could affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda, conditions that could have an effect on the assessment of the Companys or a subsidiarys financial situation or the Companys relations with another Group company. A shareholder who wishes to submit questions in advance can do so by post: AB Industrivarden, the Board of Directors, Box 5403, SE-114 84 Stockholm, Sweden, or by e-mail: agm@industrivarden.se.

Stockholm in March 2018

AB Industrivarden (publ)

The Board of Directors

GNW 3.0 User Manual

180306 Kallelse arsstamma 2018_eng
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 8 2018

Indonesia has welcomed a planned meeting between the leaders of South Korea and North Korea, an official has said, despite the latter having been slapped with more sanctions by the United States following determination that a chemical warfare agent was used in a murder involving an Indonesian citizen.



Envoys sent north from South Korea returned home on Tuesday after meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and announced that he had agreed to a North-South summit next month. Many hope the summit will lead to the denuclearization of the peninsula and lasting peace. Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir said the Indonesian government fully supported a meeting between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, saying the plan has ushered in a new hope for peace on the Korean peninsula.



The government of Indonesia has been consistent in its position on the...
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Star/Asia News Network) Petaling Jaya  Wed, March 7, 2018 20:11 1292 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c8d622d 2 SE Asia Malaysia,pig,mosque,#ANN Free

The residents of Sungai Buloh, Selangor were greeted with an unwelcome guest when a wild boar sneaked into the neighborhoods mosque on Tuesday night.

A mosque-goer was injured by the wild boar amidst the ruckus at Masjid Jamek Sungai Plong.

The mosques imam Ungku Ahmad Hazwan Ungku Kamarudin said that the incident happened as worshippers were performing additional prayers after Maghrib prayers.

Our mosque was visited by a male wild boar who had gotten lost in the mosques grounds. It subsequently started chasing mosque-goers and children in the grounds. It then went into the mosque and we could see that it had hurt its neck.

Ungku Ahmad Hazwan added that the wild boar also hit two motorcycles in the grounds of the mosque before being shot by a member of the mosque with a shotgun.

The Sungai Plong police station was also contacted to help diffuse the situation, he added.

A spokesperson at the Sungai Plong police station confirmed the incident.

Ungku Ahmad Hazwan said that three quarters of the hall and veranda of the mosque were affected by the incident.

The mosques management has contacted the Selangor Muftis Office (JMNS) to help handle the issue.

JMNS will come by to do an evaluation on proper cleaning (sertu) of the mosque.

Right now, the prayers in the mosque are being carried out as usual at the part of that was not affected, he said.
We started climbing up Pergasingan Hill the morning before from Sembalun Lawang, a village at the foot of Mount Rinjani, Indonesias second-highest mountain. We were accompanied by Puput, who was from the village, as our porter and guide.

Concrete stairs welcomed us as we passed the entrance gate to the hill. An ominously steep, 70-degree ascent awaited us.

I felt a bit guilty for not having warned Sinta and Cindy, my two hiking mates from Jakarta, to wear the proper shoes. Having read about the soft hike up Pergasingan Hill on the internet, they apparently decided to wear sandals.

Unfortunately their sandals couldnt grip the soil strong enough whenever there was sand or gravel along the path. I lost count of how many stops we made along the seemingly endless ascent, but we managed to climb to the top of the hill, even if it was at a snails pace.

Puput said the hike to the top of Pergasingan Hill would normally take around two to three hours. But unbelievably, we spent four and half hours. Well, it wasnt a race after all, and we had so much fun along the way.

Puput had already pitched two tents by the time we arrived on top of Pergasingan Hill. People called the spot Peak One. From here, one can see Mt. Rinjani and the beautiful landscape of Sembalun Lawang and Sembalun Bumbung villages surrounded by green hills and rice fields.

Picture perfect: A magnificent view from Pergasingan Hill with its green rice fields greets visitors in the morning. (Sintawati Fajar Farani/File)

There was another peak, known as Peak Two, following a path full of shrubs in the northeast direction. From this point, people can see the sunrise and also Gili Lawang and Gili Sulat, two islands off the northeastern coast of Lombok.

But we were satisfied enough with the panoramic view of Peak One that we decided to stay there. And we were lucky that it was Monday, so it was pretty quiet. There were no other people around.

This place is usually full of tents on weekends, Puput explained, pointing a vacant area around our tents.

As the sun started to set, Sinta and Cindy, both photographers, prepared their gear to capture the moment  a spectacular view of the sunset, the beautiful landscape of Sembalun village, the majestic Mt. Rinjani, and far away behind it, the caldera of Mt. Agung just above the clouds.

We spent the night in front of a bonfire while sipping Sembalun black coffee we had bought a day earlier, and singing to the sounds of Cindys ukulele.

The next morning, the aroma of coffee awoke me. I was no coffee addict and couldnt tell the difference between arabica and robusta, and I always have my black coffee with sugar. But that morning, sipping Sembaluns pure black coffee made me feel good.

Rays of morning sunlight crept onto squares of rice fields below as we sipped our hot black coffee. It was indeed a blissful morning.

Bookworms: Rumah Baca Sembalun charms children with its books and playground. (Cindy Susanti/File)

That afternoon, we visited a village library called Rumah Baca, run by Rosyidin Sembahulun from Sembalun Lawang village.

We learned a lot about Sembalun from the 38-year-old, who worked as a journalist for a local newspaper and also as an activist for the Sembalun Community Development Center (SCDC) community organization, which aims to develop Sembalun.

As Sembalun was frequently visited by tourists  mostly foreign ones who want to climb Rinjani  the community works to, among other things, expand its tourism options by promoting paragliding from Sembalun hills area.

Too bad we havent gotten the tandem parachute yet, said Rosyidin, who is also active in the radio community, from which he got his Bang DJ nickname.

As a book lover, Rosyidin wanted his village people to read. He was inspired to open a library after watching a talk show on television about a person who opened a library in a small remote village. I wanted to do something for my hometown, he said.

Rosyidin Sembahulun (Cindy Susanti/File)

With the help of Singapore Polytechnic Ngee Ann School, in collaboration with Bajang Sembalun Creative Community and Sembalun Lawang Disaster Mitigation Team, Rosyidin opened a village library called Lombok Love Library in 2014. Later on, it was called Rumah Baca Sembalun.

We wanted to give Sembalun people, especially children, access to information, Rosyidin said.

Read also: Garden library brings books to public spaces in Kupang, Atambua

The librarys bamboo and wooden structure was unique and came with a playground for children. There was a slide, a climbing wall complete with holds and a space full of small, colorful balls.

Even without books, the building would tempt children to come and play. And it does.

Rosyidin said children from nearby the elementary school often came and played or read books during their recess time. Playing while learning is indeed our library concept, he said.

Unfortunately, when we recently visited the library, most of the books in its collection were damaged due to heavy rain. We plan to move our books somewhere safer since they would quickly get damaged if we keep them in an open-air building like this, said Rosyidin, adding that he plans to use an old building nearby to house the library.

We did not plan to visit the library and unfortunately, did not bring any books with us  something that it desperately needs for its little readers.

Rosyidin said the librarys presence has brought positive change to the people there. Previously, they were shy and afraid to talk to strangers. Now, they even say hello first to strangers visiting our Rumah Baca, he smiled.
PORTSMOUTH, N.H., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Loftware, Inc., the global leader in Enterprise Labeling Solutions, with over 5,000 customers in 100 countries, announced today that it has acquired Gap Systems, a leading provider of SaaS based artwork management solutions headquartered in the United Kingdom. Loftware extends its global presence and offers a new cloud-based digital platform with solutions that redefine how enterprises create, manage and print complex labeling and packaging artwork, and scale across their operations.

With this acquisition, Loftware unites complementary companies, teams and solutions. Loftware dynamically addresses a complete range of customer and regulatory mandates by producing mission-critical barcode labels and documents across the supply chain, while Gap Systems controls complex packaging artwork processes throughout the product lifecycle. Together they uniquely address the full spectrum of labeling and packaging artwork requirements across a broad range of industries with a special focus on Pharmaceutical, Medical Device, Manufacturing, Food & Beverage, Chemical, Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods. The combined platformwhether used for labeling, artwork management or bothenables customers to improve time to market, mitigate risk, reduce supply chain complexity, optimize costs and increase agility.

Several years ago, Loftware pioneered the Enterprise Labeling market by recognizing the need to focus on complex, high volume labeling for large organizations. Now we are transforming the Label and Artwork Management space by delivering this unprecedented platform, commented Loftware President and CEO, Robert OConnor, Jr. Our customers and the market will greatly benefit from our strategic vision, broader and deeper solutions, global scale and continued world-class services and support," he added.

This acquisition provides customers with complete range of capabilities all in one scalable, highly configurable set of solutions. Available for SaaS, cloud-based or on premise deployment, the platform integrates with existing business processes and empowers business users to manage variability with dynamic, data-driven printing to ensure greater consistency and accuracy. Organizations can now manage content (including images, artworks, warnings, translations and phrases) used for both labeling and packaging with an advanced yet easy-to-use workflow that supports the broadest range of labels and artworks. This is especially important for customers in validated environments, enabling them to minimize what have traditionally been lengthy approval and review cycles.

Loftware and Gap offer truly complementary solutions that the market needs, especially as companies look to standardize on a single platform that can create, manage and print labels and packaging artwork across worldwide operations, stated Gap Systems Founder and CEO, Paul Goldberg. Now internal and external stakeholders in packaging, regulatory, quality, operations, manufacturing, supply chain and marketing can address a more extensive set of requirements, he added.

Loftwares cloud-based digital platform combines its Enterprise Labeling Solution, Loftware Spectrum, which was designed to meet complex, ever-changing labeling requirements with Smartflow, Gap Systems flagship product. Smartflow manages complex packaging artwork processes to maintain control, simplify processes and obtain visibility throughout the product lifecycle. Depending on their specific needs, customers can choose from a wide range of features including label and artwork design, advanced workflow, content management, certified integration, business rules, proofing, printing, and analytics.

Over the years, Gap Systems has demonstrated its leadership in the Artwork Management space by meeting difficult and evolving challenges for some of the worlds most successful companies, noted Robert OConnor, Jr. We look forward to welcoming Gap Systems talented team to our award winning corporate culture and to offering our customers this revolutionary new platform," he added.

Loftware is hosting a webinar on March 22th at 11am EDT featuring Robert OConnor Jr, who will discuss the acquisition and how combined Loftware and Gap Systems solutions will fundamentally transform the Enterprise Labeling and Artwork Management market. You can also check out our video announcement at www.loftware.com.

About Loftware

Loftware, Inc. is the global market leader in Enterprise Labeling Solutions with more than 5,000 customers in over 100 countries. Offering the industrys most comprehensive labeling solution, Loftwares enterprise software integrates SAP, Oracle and other enterprise applications to produce mission-critical barcode labels, documents, and RFID Smart tags across the supply chain. Loftwares design, native print, and built-in business rules functionality drives topline revenue, increases customer satisfaction, and maximizes supply chain efficiency for customers. With over 30 years of industry leadership, Loftwares Enterprise Labeling Solutions and best practices enable leading companies to meet their customer-specific and regulatory requirements with unprecedented speed and agility.

About Gap Systems

Based in Leeds, UK, Gap Systems has been a noted leader in Artwork Management for over 15 years, providing solutions to leading companies in consumer packaged goods, food & beverage, pharmaceuticals and other industries. With a focus on helping companies in regulated industries achieve compliance, Gap Systems offers solutions designed to support complex packaging artwork processes throughout the product lifecycle and across a range of stakeholders.

Maureen Perroni | Senior Marketing Communication Manager

249 Corporate Drive, Portsmouth, NH 03801

603-570-4713 | mperroni@loftware.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/73d2d6b9-a6ac-450c-ad7a-918ace83cf3d

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/82755ff8-d571-4c3a-a4af-078e7d32eb07
On Monday, a group of Bath students were denied the right to go to the toilet by security after occupying senior management offices in Wessex House.

Students occupying the space said their actions were in support of the striking staff, it was organised by the group Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts.

Speaking to The National Student, Chris Knutsen told us that students had to urinate in bottles.

"We were not allowed toilets for 21 hours," he said. "After increasing pressure and intervention from the SU, we were allowed it.

"When we were not allowed toilets we had to urinate in bottles. If we did decide to go to the toilet, we would not have been allowed in, which would have slowly killed the protest. So, we had to work around that."

This is still ongoing. Male and female students forced to urinate in bottles without privacy as security guards are blocking toilets. This is appalling and so needless.



This is about more than the occupation, this is about the right to peaceful protest.  Ollie Brenman (@OllieBrenman) 5 March 2018

Students are able to access water if requested. They can access toilet facilities & can rejoin the protest, but not the gathering inside private office space.  University of Bath (@UniofBath) 5 March 2018

According to their Twitter response, Bath university refused students access to toilets in the private office space.

Students were allowed to leave the occupied space and access toilet facilities in the university building but were not allowed access back to the protest.

After talks with management, the students' union confirmed that protestors would be allowed entry into the occupation space after using the toilet.



SU Officers have been over to support the students at the occupation of 4W. After talking with the protestors we spoke with the Uni & now students are able to use the toilets and come back in afterwards. The SU is a big advocate for free speech and students right to demonstrate.  The SU Bath (@thesubath) 6 March 2018

The occupation was timed to coincide with Founders Day at Bath University, an event that will see the chancellor, Prince Edward, visit.

The group plan to occupy the until Vice-Chancellor, Glynis Breakwell, comes out publicly against UUK's pension plans and Bath University urges them to resume meaningful negotiations with unions.

They are also campaigning for docked staff wages to go towards funding student and staff mental health.

Second year Chemistry student, Archie Mellor, said:

"After the court voted for the Vice-Chancellor and Chair of Council to leave immediately, I do not understand why the university is refusing to listen to stakeholders and students. It is clear we need immediate reform in Bath and students and staff must come together to fight for it."
The first trailer to a brand new, Kevin Spacey-less House of Cards has just dropped, giving us a sense of what to expect from a sixth season without Frank Underwood leading.

The teaser premiered during the Oscars. As the camera pans through the halls of the White House, we see Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) take the centre seat in the Oval Office now that her husband has resigned.

The former First Lady and VP has finally taken the role of the new 47th President of the United States.

The promo ends with the words "all hail to the chief".

The trailer promises that "we're just getting started", even though House of Cards has been confirmed to end in January next year.

The final season of the show is set to return this August and looks to be the shortest in the history of Netflix originals with only eight episodes in its schedule.

The teaser comes after work on the final season was suspended a day after allegations were made against Kevin Spacey, who was in the lead role of President Underwood.

Spacey was accused of making a sexual advance towards Star Trek actor Anthony Rapp, when he was just 14. Eight more allegations were later put forward by current and former workers on the House of Cards teams.

Show bosses have claimed the decision has been long in the making and has no connection to the allegations.

A joint statement issued by Netflix and the show's producers Media Rights Capital TELL ME WHEN read: "In response to last night's revelations, executives from both of our companies arrived in Baltimore this afternoon to meet with our cast and crew to ensure that they continue to feel safe and supported."

Watch the trailer to house of cards below:
Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here

You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: 

Home Page
TORONTO, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Thursday, March 8International Womens Daythe Fraser Institute will release a new study on women and economic freedom.

Women and Progress: Gender Disparity Project spotlights the effect of economic freedom on the health, education and financial well-being of women around the world, and ranks countries worldwide based on their level of economic freedom for women.

This study is associated with the Fraser Institutes annual Economic Freedom of the World Report.

A news release with additional information will be issued via GlobeNewswire on Thursday, March 8 at 5:00 a.m. (Eastern).

MEDIA CONTACT:

Rosemarie Fike, Economics Instructor at Texas Christian University

For media interviews or more information, please contact:

Bryn Weese

Media Relations Specialist, Fraser Institute

(604) 688-0221 Ext. 589

bryn.weese@fraserinstitute.org

Follow the Fraser Institute on Twitter and Facebook

The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of think-tanks in 87 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being. To protect the Institutes independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit www.fraserinstitute.org
ALISO VIEJO, Calif., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corent Technology (www.CorentTech.com), a disruptive innovator in Cloud Migration and SaaS-enablement technologies, has been selected to present at the annual Montgomery Summit in Santa Monica, Calif. on March 7. Corents CEO, Feyzi Fatehi, will present the company's business strategy, technology, and market positioning to an invited audience of 1,000 entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and venture capitalists.



"This year's Summit will be an exclusive opportunity for leading emerging private companies to showcase their innovations to a room of entrepreneurs and investors and forge connections to take their businesses to the next level," said Jamie Montgomery, founder of The Montgomery Summit. "We continue to see the best and brightest presenters nominated from a range of industries, and look forward to the insight and expertise they will bring to this year's conference."

A global committee of senior investors from top venture capital and growth funds, prior Summit attendees, researchers, entrepreneurs, Summit partners, and Summit staff selected 140 companies to present from over 4,000 nominations. Nominations were evaluated by each company's sector, stage, growth and engagement metrics, as well as criteria including management, and vision.

In addition to presentations from CEOs of top private growth companies, the two-day event features industry leaders and top innovators in a series of keynotes, panels, and salons. Additional speakers at this year's Summit include George Kurtz, CEO & Co-Founder, Crowdstrike, Tom Siebel, CEO of C3 IoT, Sue Siegel, Chief Innovation Officer at GE & CEO of GE Ventures, and Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture. Additionally, the Summit will feature The Rise of the Female Entrepreneur program on March 8th, which will highlight the rising role of female entrepreneurs and investors in the technology world. Co-chaired by by Niloo Howe, Chief Strategy Officer at RSA, Meredith Finn, Senior Director at Salesforce Ventures, and Cack Wilhelm, Partner at Accomplice VC, the event will be keynoted by Sallie Krawcheck, founder and CEO of Ellevest and Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, founder and chairman of theBoardlist.

About Corent

Corent Technology (www.CorentTech.com), a disruptive innovator in the Cloud Migration and SaaS-enablement technology space. Corents SurPaaS Platform is used by key enterprises, system Integrators and cloud providers to enable automated discovery, analysis, planning, optimization and migration to the cloud; and optionally, transformation to SaaS. SurPaaS uniquely enables organizations to make their journey to the cloud with speed, efficiency and optimizations while leveraging the unique capabilities and characteristics of cloud technology. Corent is managed by a team of Silicon Valley veterans from Microsoft, IBM, HPE, Cisco, EMC, Oracle, and WMware among others. For more information about Corent, please visit: www.corenttech.com and to contact Corent please drop a note to info@corenttech.com.

About The Montgomery Summit

The Montgomery Summit gathers an invited group of entrepreneurs, senior investors, and leading executives to discover the most important innovations in business and technology. The event features two days of presentations, keynotes, panels, and salons in Santa Monica, Calif. Previously known as The Montgomery Technology Conference, the Summit has for more than a decade provided unparalleled opportunities to meet a diverse blend of technological visionaries and innovators from all over the world. For more information, visit www.montgomerysummit.com.

Media Contact:

Dan Chmielewski

Madison Alexander PR

(949) 614-0634

info@corenttech.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/77daab94-06a3-4fb9-a332-2654bffc1e73
TORONTO, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bunker Hill Mining Corp. (CSE:BNKR) (Bunker Hill or the Company) is pleased to report that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the United States Department of Justice, have signed an agreement with Bunker Hill, allowing the Company or any subsidiary entities to operate the Bunker Hill Zinc, Lead, and Silver Mine without incurring liability for hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants that migrated from the Mine in the past.

Specifically, Bunker Hills agreement with the United States, titled Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent for Response Action, in part, provides for the following:

Major obligations of Bunker Hill

Payment to the EPA over a seven year period totalling US$20M for as long as Bunker Hill leases, owns and/or operates the Mine (payments are on behalf of the current owner/lessor for the EPAs prior response costs as contemplated by the lease/option on the Mine);

Semi-annual payments to the EPA of US$480,000 for ongoing water treatment costs incurred at the EPAs Central Treatment Plant;

Specified ongoing maintenance work on mine infrastructure to allow for proper management of mine effluent.

Major obligations of the United States

The United States covenants not to sue Bunker Hill for prior contamination migrating from the mine;

The EPA agrees not to enforce any lien it may have on the mine so long as Bunker Hill is in compliance with its payment and maintenance work obligations;

The EPA agrees to release any lien it may have on the the mine upon the completion of Bunker Hills maintenance work and payment obligations.



The Settlement Agreement is subject to a 14 day public comment period, after which it will become effective.

Stated Bruce Reid, President & CEO of Bunker Hill: This agreement with the United States EPA and Department of Justice provides Bunker Hill or a subsidiary with the ability to operate the Bunker Hill Mine. We can now accelerate the work required to re-open the mine. We will work together with the EPA to operate the mine in a way that will provide economic benefits for the local community in an environmentally prudent fashion.

About Bunker Hill Mining Corp.

Bunker Hill Mining Corp. has an option to acquire 100% of the Bunker Hill Mine. The Bunker Hill Mine was the largest producing mine in the Coeur D'Alene zinc, lead and silver mining district in northern Idaho. Historically, the mine produced over 35M tons of ore grading on average 8.76% lead, 3.67% zinc, and 155 g/t silver (Bunker Hill Mines Annual Report 1980).

Information about the Company is available on its website, www.bunkerhillmining.com, or in the SEDAR and EDGAR databases.

For additional information contact:

Bruce Reid

Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Konkin

Marketing and Communications (647) 500-4495 (416) 567-9087 br@bunkerhillmining.com nk@bunkerhillmining.com



Cautionary Statements

Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as well as within the meaning of the phrase forward-looking information in the Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 51-102  Continuous Disclosure Obligations. The forward looking statements made herein are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations or assumptions with respect to, among other things, the ability of the Company to successfully complete the acquisition of the Bunker Hill Mine Complex on the terms as announced or other satisfactory terms or at all, and fund the initial payments for which the Company does not have funds at this time, the Companys present and future financial condition, the Companys ability to secure financing, and the state of financial markets. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Companys future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as believes, anticipates, expects, estimates, may, could, would, will, or plan, and may include statements regarding, among other things, the terms of the Bunker Hill Mine Complex acquisition and funding of the acquisition. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, project development, and the Companys financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: the inability of the Company to successfully acquire the Bunker Hill Mine Complex on the terms as announced or other satisfactory terms or at all, and fund the payments for which the Company does not have funds at this time; the inability of the Company to budget and manage its liquidity in light of the failure to obtain additional financing; the inability of the Company to develop or sustain an active public market for its securities; development of changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for precious metals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; operational difficulties encountered in connection with the activities of the Company; and other matters discussed in this news release. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Companys forward-looking statements. These and other factors made in public disclosures and filings by the Company should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the Companys forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.




CALGARY, Alberta, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Further to its news release dated December 19, 2017, Canacol Energy Ltd. ("Canacol" or the "Corporation") (TSX:CNE) (OTCQX:CNNEF) (BVC:CNEC) is pleased to announce that it has closed on the sale of its 25% interest in Servicios Libertador S.L., the holding company of Pardaliservices S.A., which is the joint venture company that operates the 15-year incremental production contract awarded by the national oil company of Ecuador for the Libertador and Atacapi mature fields in Northern Ecuador. Canacol has received US $30.4 million of the US $36.4 million purchase price, with the final US $6 million scheduled for payment in June 2019 per the sales agreement. Additionally, as part of the transaction, Canacol also received a reimbursement of US $5.58 million in respect of a cash call it paid to the joint venture in late 2017.



Also, as recently announced, Canacol has collected all US $30.5 million of investment from the group of private investors relating to the Sabanas flowline. The Corporation currently has approximately US $74 million of cash, along with US $13 million of restricted cash, and remains well funded as it moves toward its goal of 230 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMSCFPD) of natural gas production exiting 2018, via the new Promigas SA pipeline expansion.

Canacol is an exploration and production company with operations focused in Colombia and Mexico. The Corporation's common stock trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the OTCQX in the United States of America, and the Colombia Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CNE, CNNEF, and CNE.C, respectively.

This press release contains certain forwardlooking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forwardlooking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, including without limitation statements relating to estimated production rates from the Corporation's properties and intended work programs and associated timelines. Forwardlooking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forwardlooking statements. The Corporation cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward looking statements. They are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change and the Corporation assumes no obligation to revise or update them to reflect new circumstances, except as required by law. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration for and development of crude oil and natural gas properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological and geophysical data, fluctuating energy prices, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs or delays and other uncertainties associated with the oil and gas industry. Other risk factors could include risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation.
CHICAGO, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dresner Partners, a leading FINRA-registered, middle-market investment bank and IMAP member firm, is pleased to announce that it advised Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago, S.C. (Advanced Fertility) on its sale to Prelude Fertility, a portfolio company of Lee Equity Partners, LLC. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.



Founded in 1997 by Dr. Richard Sherbahn, an accomplished reproductive endocrinologist and researcher, Advanced Fertility is a highly successful operator of three in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics in the Chicagoland area. Advanced Fertility currently maintains a staff of 33 employees across its locations, led by Sherbahn and fellow reproductive endocrinologists and infertility specialists Dr. Michelle Catenacci and Dr. Gary Jones. Advanced Fertility is nationally recognized for its high IVF and egg donation success rates, which are among the highest in the country.

We would like to thank the team at Dresner Partners for their tireless dedication in helping us complete this transaction, said Richard Sherbahn, MD, Founder of Advanced Fertility.

Michelle Catenacci, MD, Partner at Advanced Fertility added, The Advanced Fertility team is excited to join forces with Prelude Fertility. Combined with Prelude Fertility, we are better positioned to accelerate growth and bring our fertility services to new patients.

Mitchell Stern, Managing Director and Head of the Healthcare Group at Dresner Partners said, We are excited that Advanced Fertility and Prelude Fertility completed this transaction. Advanced Fertility has developed an unparalleled reputation for clinical excellence, both in Chicagoland and nationally. Patients of both providers will benefit from broader services and solutions.

Steven M. Dresner, President of Dresner Partners and Vice Chairman of IMAP said, Investment in the fertility industry continues to grow to meet the burgeoning consumer demand for assisted reproductive technologies. I want to commend Mitchell Stern and Brian Schofield from the Dresner team for their hard work on this quality transaction.

Dresner Partners is a leading investment bank in the fertility industry having advised several clients on many notable transactions including: RMA of New Jersey on its merger with IVI; IGENOMIX on its sale to Charme Capital Partners, Amadeus Capital Partners, Aleph Capital, and Graham Snudden; and Advanced Fertility on its sale to Prelude Fertility.

About Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago, S.C.

Founded in 1997, Advanced Fertility was established to provide best-in-class infertility specialty testing and treatment services. Through its network of three clinics, Advanced Fertility offers basic infertility services as well as advanced assisted reproductive technologies (ART) services such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and egg donation. More information is available at www.advancedfertility.com.

About Prelude Fertility

Prelude is a comprehensive fertility company focused on providing people with the best options for meeting their family-building goals. Using a proactive approach to fertility care, Prelude aims to improve peoples chances of having healthy babies when they are ready. Founded in 2016 by serial entrepreneur Martin Varsavsky, Lee Equity Partners, Reproductive Biology Associates and MyEggBank, the company was established to give men and women more reproductive choices and greater control over their biological clocks. More information is available at www.PreludeFertility.com.

About Dresner Partners / IMAP

Dresner Partners is a FINRA-registered, middle-market investment bank headquartered in Chicago, with offices in New York City, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Irvine and Palo Alto, Calif. For nearly 25 years, Dresner Partners has provided financial advisory services to middle-market companies throughout the world, including institutional private placements of debt and equity, merger and acquisitions advisory, financial restructuring & corporate turnarounds, valuations and strategic consulting services. Dresner Partners is a member of IMAP, the worlds leading global mergers and acquisitions partnership focused on the middle market. Founded in 1973, IMAP has more than 60 offices across the globe that work together seamlessly to deliver exceptional value to its clients. An affiliated company, Dresner Corporate Services, is a strategic communications firm specializing in public and investor relations. More information is available at www.dresnerpartners.com or http://www.imap.com/city?city=Chicago . You can also follow Dresner Partners on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DresnerPartners.

For Media Inquiries

David Gutierrez, Head of PR and Corporate Development, (312)780-7204, dgutierrez@dresnerco.com

For Investment Banking Inquiries

Mitchell Stern, Managing Director and Head of Healthcare, (954)951-0272, mstern@dresnerco.com

Brian Schofield, Senior Vice President, (312)780-7227, bschofield@dresnerco.com
Prepare for a lot more baby variant covers.

Source: Polygon

Marvel's "fresh start" initiative was announced as a way to temporarily boost sales bring in new readers with new series, new creative teams, and new stories. It sounded good on paper at least.

Deadpool #1 will launch from longtime Marvel creators Skottie Young and Nic Klein. Young is best known for his writer on Rocket and for the thousand of variant covers featuring baby versions of Marvel characters. Klein is best known for his work on Captain America, Secret Avengers, and New Warriors.

Young talked to Polygon about how he had to settle for Rocket after being denied Deadpool.

"Before I pitched Rocket Raccoon back in 2013, I tried to get Deadpool. haha," Young wrote to Polygon, "But he was spoken for so I said 'well, i can kind of have a similar vibe for Rocket, just cleaned up a bit.' So my head was already in that place."

The solicit info for Deadpool #1 is below.
No one can interfere in my God-given right to guns is a refrain often heard in the heated rhetoric between weapon owners and regulation advocates.

Being that God has been dragged into this cutting issue of American politics, this claim becomes both secular and theological. Every time it is made, Founding Father James Madison rolls over in his habitat. He thinks he created the Second Amendment while God just looked on.

To tell the truth, Madison didnt like the Amendments. Since the Constitution didnt give the national government the power to regulate guns, he argued, the Bill of Rights was unnecessary.

But he was pushed to the wall when several states, his own Virginia among them, made ratification of the U. S. Constitution conditional upon inclusion of a bill of rights. Since his Constitution was more important than his principles, he buckled.

The Second Amendment is brief : A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

It should be obvious to that this was written with Lexington and Concord in mind when the ordinary folk of the land had to grab their own guns and fight the British. The Revolutionary War was over but the British might come back for an encore so we better keep our guns.

We can be pretty sure that James Madison was thinking of those one-shot muzzleloaders and not AR-15s, cannon, bazookas and other weapons of mass destruction now available at the local hardware store.

For political cover, some modern weapon owners have alleged that God gave them to right to guns, therefore what God has joined together let no man tear asunder. That claim is a real conversation stopper because nobody wants to go against God. In a showdown, even the atheists will buckle.

Blaming God for guns is uncalled for. Ive spent a lot of time in the New Testament and cant find a word about God or Jesus handing out guns. So where do we get the idea that guns are a right given to us by God?

In my research, I found it hard to plow through all of those New Testament verses about turning the other cheek, living in peace and loving our neighbors, including Samaritans, to find a verse in which God handed out guns.

At most, He might have let us have guns to shoot pheasants (my favorite sport) and other game to feed families but would He give us guns that could shoot a lot of school kids?

The AR-15 is hardly a gun to defend our homes from marauders. If it is loaded, it is locked in some closet so the kids cant murder each other. By the time we make three steps toward that closet, the marauder has ruined the bed, the wallpaper and everybody in the room.

The president has proposed that we give 20 percent of the school teachers concealed weapons.

We are already short of teachers so why bring them into a deadly gun fight. Let them die of old age. The mass murderer is not going to knock on the classroom door, loudly count to 10 and shout ready or not, here I come.

He is going to bound into the room with his AR-15 blazing while the teacher is still looking for her gun. When she finds it, the peashooter will be no match for an AR-15.

I am afraid man and not God is to blame for this gun thing. And let Madison have some credit.

Omdahl is a former lieutenant governor and former political science professor at UND.
On Thursday, February 22, the Rugby Job Development Authority board held its regular monthly meeting for February 2018.

Father Tom Graner, leading the meeting, announced that Big Paulys Pizza has closed. The business had a forgivable JDA loan of $7,500. This loan had a stipulation that a certain number of employees would work within a three year time period, and at the end of the term, the loan was forgiven. Since the three year period has not elapsed, owner Paul Urias will send written documentation to the JDA with figures on employment for the time Big Paulys was open. This will determine the amount that he will owe on his remaining time. He has been in communication with the JDA board, and will work with the board on getting the documentation done, Graner reported. The assets in question for the loan will be transferred to the JDA. Another pizza franchise is trying to be found by the owners of the building, that may be able to use the assets existing.

The Lyric theater will receive matching 10K contribution from the JDA, it was approved.

Karin Fursather gave an update on the executive directors position. The executive directors applicant search has closed. There were three applicants, with two interviews scheduled for February 28 and March 2. The Board will hold a special meeting on March 5, at which time they will decide to select the candidate, if one is chosen, to the city council for approval. There will need to be a special meeting to do the actual hiring approval when a candidate has accepted the extended offer.

The JDA welcomed Duane Brossart who has nominated to be on the board. He accepted the position, it was approved. Brossart brings an agricultural perspective to the board. It was also noted that there now is no representative from Otter Tail Power Company, but one will join the committee soon.

The next item on the agenda was the election of officers. These nominations will go to the City of Rugby for approval at the March 5 meeting. For chairman; Rob St Michel nominated. He accepted that proposal. Vice president nominated was Daunne Heilman. She accepted. The secretary position, nominated Gary Kraft, and the treasurer nominated was Susan Selensky. All motions were approved and seconded. The elections will be sent to the City for approval by Graner.

Next on the agenda was a report from Heilman, on the Housing Comprehensive Study that was completed by Community Partners Research from Minnesota.

Heilman reported on the Main Street Conference that she attended in Bismarck. Graner has posted information to the JDA website about both the Study and the Main Street Conference.

A continuing conversation about bringing natural gas to Rugby was held. Tanner Johnson discussed the difference in steel pipe and plastic type of pipes from the source, and cost differences. That information is included in the natural gas documents, and will be available online.

All items from the meeting will be available on the website for public review including the Housing Study, and the Main Street initiatives documents, and natural gas recommendations by MDU. Graner asked that people be patient while the JDA transitions to a new executive director and the current staff turns over that function.

It was mentioned that the Dairy Queen would be transferring ownership to an adult child of the current owner, in the near future.

Jodi Schaan, Heart of America Medical Center, announced they will continue to look for and possibly hire a provider this summer/fall. It was asked if an offer of the $50k, over five years, for student loan payback by the JDA, would be available. This is paid out, $10k each over five years, in hoping to retain the person in the area. This will need more information when an offer is extended, and the hospital should bring this to the board when a provider has been found.
Continuing education is important to Dale Niewoehner.

My father, who was born in the early part of the 20th Century, didnt ever graduate from high school, but he went to NDSU, or the Agricultural College, two or three winters for classes. His father was a teacher and his grandfather was a teacher, said Niewoehner. So education has always been important to our family.

In the 1990s, the owner-operator of Niewoehner Funeral Home which recently celebrated its 46th anniversary-went through the initial process of becoming a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner through the Buchanan, Ga.-based Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice. Recently he was re-certified.

Niewoehner said the re-certification, which happens annually, is a commitment to continuing education.

Its saying that we feel strongly about the program and that we want to continue our certification, Niewoehner said.

Niewoehner said continuing education is currently not a requirement for North Dakota funeral directors. The State Board of Funeral Service, of which Niewoehner is the secretary (Other members include Chair Jeff Brose, of Mohall; Treasurer Mike Such, of Grafton; and State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte), has the authority per Chapter 43-10-06.2 of the North Dakota Century to establish continuing education requirements for licenses, but Niewoehner said That pretty much depends on the makeup of the board and the attitudes of the board members.

In the initial stages of becoming a certified funeral service practitioner, one must provide documentation of a license and write papers regarding different subjects. The continuing education portion is broken down into four areas: academic, professional, career review and public service.

The academic portion includes having a certain education, writing articles, presenting programs, and participating in disaster mortuary operation support. The professional portion includes attending Academy meetings, workshops and serving on funeral service boards and committees. Career review grants credit for completed activities and programs in which those undergoing certification participated. Public service grants credit in community, civic and church organizations; making presentations at events; and conducting tours, all of which pertain to funeral service.

To maintain certification, 20 transferable hours of continuing education are required.

I felt that doing this would be educational for myself, and an opportunity to extend myself and my business to others in the community by doing various things, Niewoehner said.

Niewoehner said that an advantage of being a CFSP is that it shows one has done the work, continues to participate in activities in ones profession, and that one wants to make him or herself better.

Many of us went to school 20 to 50 years ago and then we were done with school, Niewoehner said. Well, if you dont continue to learn in some means, youre not going to be current with whats going on in the work that youve pledged to do, and thats why its important. It says youre current with information and knowledge.

In addition to the State Board of Funeral Service, Niewoehner is also a member of the N.D. Funeral Directors Association, and the National Funeral Directors Association. Niewoehner also served as the treasurer of the Academy.

Niewoehner also said people regularly come to him for help with genealogy, and that he enjoys helping those who do so solve family mysteries and dig up previously unknown documents.

Ive dedicated a lot of my life to helping others, Niewoehner said.

Other CFSPs through the Academy in North Dakota include Jay Seibel, of Beulah; Bryan Thomas, of Minot; Gary Carlson, of Wahpeton; and Rick Clemes, Seth Thomas Coughlin and Dennis Gendreau, all of Williston.
SEATTLE, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkWire - SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB:SING) is pleased to announce the soft launch of its SingleSeed payment bitcoin payments solution. Additionally, SinglePoint management provides details and insight to the companys activity in new ventures and pursuit of acquisitions in two major emerging markets: cannabis and blockchain. This corporate update includes an overview of each previously announced project and potential acquisition, as well as the progress on its 2017 audit and current revenue run rate for 2018.



SingleSeed Payments

In 2014 SinglePoint announced its intent to develop a bitcoin-based payments solution. Though management had strong foresight into the potential of bitcoin, at the time there was not enough consumer adoption to make the service viable. Now, however, consumer awareness of bitcoin is unprecedented, and companies have learned how to accept it as a payments medium.

SinglePoint recently launched its beta program, and taking user feedback into consideration, has soft-launched the product. The company will be accepting additional clients to utilize the platform to identify any potential enhancements and prepare for a national roll-out. This project is being led by an in-house engineer with deep knowledge of cryptocurrency and who has worked on projects for companies such as Coinbase.

Management is confident in the applications for the solution, as it stands to address the lack of viable payment options for the cannabis industry. Providing a user-friendly transactional platform will provide cannabis merchants with additional easy-to-track method of accepting non-cash payments, while strengthening SinglePoints brand awareness and market position.

Crypto Exchange

SinglePoint recently appointed Kevin Harrington as the companys spokesman for the upcoming release of the SinglePoint Cryptocurrency Exchange (http://nnw.fm/xMu9V). The companys commercial to promote the launch of the exchange is in post-production and is nearing its completion. SinglePoint anticipates launching the exchange in upcoming months, at which time airing of the commercial will begin.

Management believes SinglePoint has a unique opportunity to enter the cryptocurrency space with a few key differentiators to current exchanges, and acknowledges recent notable acquisitions in the space, including Circles Goldman Sachs-backed $400 million acquisition of U.S. crypto exchange, Poloniex.

Cryptocurrency Wallet

With the development of the SingleSeed Payments bitcoin payments platform, SinglePoint management has determined that it would be beneficial to verticalize as much of the process as possible. This decision led to defining the needs for building a crypto wallet that merchants and consumers could use to hold and utilize different currencies. The wallet is near completion and will be pushed to testflight in the next 10-14 days. SinglePoint and AppSwarm (SWRM) have collaborated to quickly develop a secure crypto wallet. In the future, the companies look to add additional currency support and tie the integration into the SinglePoint Cryptocurrency Exchange for easy transfers.

ORHub Blockchain LOI

SinglePoint has selected three industries for which it plans to build blockchain platforms - cannabis, automotive and healthcare. In support of this initiative, the company appointed to its board of directors Venugopal Aravamudan, a highly experienced technology innovation and cloud expert Aravamudan has a 25+ years tenure in the technology sector growing and leading significant businesses at companies such as Microsoft, VMware, Amazon and now F5 networks Inc. (http://nnw.fm/RL5tO).

SinglePoint also secured an LOI with ORHub, Inc. (ORHB) to build-out a private blockchain to increase efficiencies within the operating room (http://nnw.fm/Vxr4s). ORHub provides industry-leading technologies to hospitals across the nation and selected to work with SinglePoint to continue innovation in the space. SinglePoint is currently working on a development spec and is putting together a team of blockchain professionals to start building a proof of concept.

Cannabis Delivery Application OOMY

Oomy (Ohh On My Way) is a cannabis delivery service that enables merchants to notify their customers of the whereabouts of their delivery via a simple dispatch and track system. Through a previously announced joint venture with AppSwarm, which is leading this projects development, SinglePoint has pushed the application to testflight. Upon completion, merchants will be able to use the service to dispatch and track drivers. This application enables merchants to take orders, create route manifests, verify patient info, confirm payment, delivery and keep records of all deliveries. The goal is to make an easy-to-use platform that any business in need of a delivery software can use.

SingleSeed.com

SingleSeed is a B2B (business-to-business) provider of cannabis-based technology services, including payments, marketing, web development and more. Due to increasing demand for B2C (business-to-consumer) products in the vape and cannabidiol (CBD) markets, SinglePoint management has transitioned SingleSeed to an ecommerce platform intended to launch in coming weeks. Through the number of site visitors and online metric tracking, SinglePoint realizes that there is considerable opportunity to provide this platform to drive revenue through the sale of products that will be distributed by its DIGS Hydro subsidiary. The ecommerce site will focus on CBD and vape products. This project is being led by Open Oceans, a team of digital marketing experts out of San Francisco that has worked on major accounts within Googles Search Engine Marketing department. Open Oceans expertise has been a driving force behind SinglePoints efforts to increase online visibility for its subsidiaries and products. Both companies believe there is a major opportunity to be a leader in the online sale of CBD products.

SingleSeed Capsules

After attending numerous cannabis industry events, SinglePoint recognized a gap in the CBD market, an impulse purchase item that can sit at the point of sale. SinglePoint CEO Greg Lambrecht has an extensive history of placing products at the point of sale, and is using this expertise to lead SinglePoints development and distribution of SingleSeed Natural CBD capsules.

With this project currently underway, SinglePoint plans to penetrate cannabis dispensaries nationwide. Since these products are legal in and shippable to all 50 U.S. states, the company has an opportunity to distribute in independent convenience stores, of which there are more than 300,000 nationwide. The company plans to sell the product on the SingleSeed.com ecommerce site, and is working through the process of setting up to sell on Amazon. This project is being led by DIGS Hydro, which has already achieved favorable results just weeks after selling the product. Product updates will be available soon on the SingleSeed.com website.

Acquisitions Targets

Amid its numerous technology developments, SinglePoint continues to make major progress in acquiring cannabis-focused business. The company is currently negotiating separate LOIs with Bitcoin Beyond and MTH Development Group.

Bitcoin Beyond is a platform that would provide a final mile solution for merchants looking to easily convert bitcoin to USD. SinglePoint is midway through due diligence and is negotiating the proper valuation to ensure a smooth transition to integrate the solution into the companys current offering. Updates on this LOI will be provided soon.

MTH Development Group owns 4.7 acres of licensed cannabis cultivation land in Adelanto, California. Currently, the company leases this land to cultivation and extraction companies. MTH and SinglePoint are negotiating the definitive agreement.

SinglePoint has two additional targets that in combination would be the largest in SinglePoint history. Collectively, the targets have approximately $15 million in revenue and EBITDA of about $4 million. SinglePoint has provided an LOI for one target, while the other is in negotiation.

Audits and Fully Reporting

SinglePoint is working to increase investor confidence, transparency, and ultimately open the doors for institutional and investment banking firms to work with the company.

The company has completed an audit from inception to 2016, which allowed SinglePoint to move to the OTCQB Venture Markets. Now, the company is in the midst of its 2017 audit expected to be done in approximately 30 days, upon which the company will file a Form-10 and become fully reporting. To date the company has provided all the needed information and is awaiting the confirmation requests from auditing firm Turner, Stone and Company.

Successfully completing 2017 is a major step toward hyper growth for SinglePoint. We expect this achievement to result in major market exposure and the opportunity for larger acquisitions and significant revenue growth. Based on our current position, we are projecting about $1.25 million in revenue for 2018. However, we have set a goal of $10 million for the year through internal sales and acquisitions, states Lambrecht.

In Conclusion

Having raised $1.2 million recent with the option of an additional $3 million, SinglePoint management is confident the company has the ability to continue its aggressive growth pattern. Over the past year SinglePoint has increased liquidity and price per share working on the ultimate goal of increasing value for its shareholders. Revenue has significantly increased, and the company has defined major strategies to continue this increase in 2018. Among these strategies is the completion of its 2017 audits to become fully reporting, which will increase company exposure to many new parties interested in the company.

We are firing on all cylinders and pushing the boundaries to make SinglePoint a highly successfully, scalable company. I hope this breakdown of projects has provided the insight and confidence to our shareholders that we are heading in the right direction. We are happy to be in the position we are in, and will continue to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, states SinglePoint President Wil Ralston.

Watch SinglePoints latest video update here: https://youtu.be/ObT0qrJ5WeQ

Sign up to get the latest news from SinglePoint here: https://ir.singlepoint.com/email-alerts

About SinglePoint, Inc.

SinglePoint, Inc. (SING) has grown from a full-service mobile technology provider to a publicly traded holding company. Through diversification into horizontal markets, SinglePoint is building its portfolio by acquiring an interest in undervalued subsidiaries, thereby providing a rich, diversified holding base. Through its subsidiary company SingleSeed, the company is providing products and services to the cannabis industry.

Connect on social media at:

https://www.facebook.com/SinglePointMobile

https://twitter.com/_SinglePoint_

https://www.linkedin.com/company/singlepoint

For more information visit: www.SinglePoint.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

Corporate Communications Contact:

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)

New York, New York

www.NetworkNewsWire.com

212.418.1217 Office

Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com
Watertown's game-winning kicker leads the Week 5 list of top area football performers

Kickers need love too. Dont be shocked that the player leading the Public Opinions Week 5 list of top area high school football performers is kicker Andrew Czech.
Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2018 2:22 am

House Democrats passed a controversial bill that restructures how home healthcare workers contract with the state despite all 48 Republican members refusing to vote on it.

The bill, SB 6199, which was requested by the state Department of Social and Human Services, would reclassify roughly 35,000 home healthcare workers across Washington as private employees by contracting them through a third party vendor. It would also create a board made up of representatives from Governor Jay Inslees office, DSHS, and SEIU 775the union that currently represents the workersto set their pay rates.

Democratic lawmakers and state officials argue that the legislation will simplify the states relationship with home healthcare workers, reduce administrative paperwork, and improve patient care.

However, the bill, which originated in the Senate and is sponsored by four Democrats and one Republican, faced fierce criticism from both Senate and House Republicans, who argue that it is a veiled attempt to allow SEIU 775 to force workers to pay union fees.

Specifically, critics argue that by reclassifying home healthcare workers as private employees, SEIU 775 can legally demand that they pay union fees, despite a 2014 U.S. Supreme Court rulingHarris v. Quinnthat public employees can opt-out of fees.

In 2014 the U.S. Supreme Court in Harris versus Quinn said that Medicaid-paid providers do not have to pay union dues, said Rep. Joe Schmick, RColfax, during the March 1 floor debate on the bill in the House. This bill is a big step backwards, he said, adding that it will make workers pay dues even if they dont want to.

As evidence that the bill is specifically serving union interests, Republicans have pointed to SEIU 775s campaign contributions to numerous state Democrats and a 2014 memo authored by staff at the state Office of Financial Management. The memo states that, in response to the 2014 court ruling, SEIU 775 President David Rolf asked Gov. Inslee forlegislation that would restructure the states contracts with home health care workers.

This is nothing more than a payback to a union, said Rep. Joyce McDonald, RPuyallup, at the March 1 floor debate of the bill.

After passing the state Senate last month, the legislation was passed out of the House on March 1 on a unorthodox 50-0 vote, with all 48 Republican members refusing to vote. They were eventually recorded as absent in the roll call vote.

Rep. Paul Graves, RFall City, said in a phone interview that House Republicans declined to vote because they were cut off several times during floor debate for criticizing the bills potential benefit to SEIU 775 and the unions financial campaign contributions to Democratic candidates.

During debate, several Republicans were gaveled down while asserting that SEIU 775 had influence over Democratic lawmakers. House Speaker Pro-Tem Rep. John Lovick, DMill Creek, cut their remarks short on the grounds that they were impugning the motives of their colleaguesa violation of official legislative dacorum.

We thought it was better to register our rejection of the whole process of the bill by simply refusing to vote on it, said Graves. What we wanted was to re-open the debate on it and have a honest debate.

In response to reprimands from Rep. Lovick, Republicans criticized the House floor debate process, and accused the speaker of censoring them.

This is about one thing and one thing only, said Rep. Vincent Buys, RLynden, in reference to SEIU 775. This whole bill is a tortured attempt to veil something that were not allowed to talk about now on the House floor.

Rep. Lovick did not respond to a request for comment.

During the floor debate, House Democrats reiterated arguments that the legislation benefits home healthcare workers and their patients first and foremost.

This bill is about patients. Its about safety and its about taking care of our caregivers, said Nicole Macri, DSeattle. Instead of handling the administration, the payroll functions, we outsource that to a private company and allow caregivers to do the real work that they need to do.

On March 5, Gov. Inslee and Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson authored an editorial in The Tacoma News Tribune arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court should rule in favor of unions in another court case concerning obligatory union fees, Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. In that case, plaintiff Mark Janus, a state childcare support specialist in Illinois, sued on the grounds that obligatory union fees violate his free speech rights.

In their editorial, Inslee and Ferguson argued that the collective bargaining power of public unions will be weakened if the court sides with Janus. If Janus succeeds, it will be a win for powerful special interests and another setback for the struggling American middle class, they wrote. Unions will still be obligated to represent all employees in the work unit, but those people will no longer be obligated to pay their fair share for these benefits, which threatens the financial viability of unions.

In a March 5 statement, Sen. Michael Baumgartner, RSpokane, an outspoken critic of SB 6199 who voted against it in the Senate, called on Gov. Inslee to veto it. He called the bill the most secretive and corrupt piece of legislation that hes seen in his eight years in the Legislature.

In the Senate, one Republican, Sen. Mark Miloscia, RFederal Way, voted for the legislation. Conversely, one Senate Democrat who caucuses with Republicans, Sen. Tim Sheldon, DPotlatch, voted against the bill.

SEIU 775 has directed media inquiries to DSHS.
Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2018 2:08 am

A controversial gun control bill to ban bump stocks was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee.

SB 5922 passed both chambers in the Washington state legislature by slim margins and largely along party lines. The vote was 29-20 in the Senate and 56-41 in the House of Representatives.

Gov. Inslee signed the bill on Tuesday, March 6.

Starting July 1, 2018, bump stocks will be illegal to manufacture or sell and starting July 1, 2019 the accessory will be illegal to possess. The bill also allows police officers to seize the weapons and if found, possession or use of a bump stock qualifies as a felony.

The Senate approved a House amendment that requires the Washington State Patrol to administer a buy-back program from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Those who currently own bump stocks can bring the device to facilities throughout the state and receive $150 for them.

This measure is just one more modest step to prevent gun violence, Inslee said, calling for more action on gun regulations.

Bump stocks became a topic of national conversation after a shooting at a country music concert in Las Vegas in October 2017. The shooter reportedly used a bump stock, a device that attaches to a semi-automatic rifle increasing its firing rate.

Jim and Ann Marie Parsons, a couple who lost their daughter Carrie in the shooting, stood at Inslees side as he signed the bill.

California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey have already banned bump stocks. Lawmakers have introduced 71 bump stock bills in 32 states to strengthen restrictions on bump stocks and related trigger activator devices, according to Giffords Law Center.

Washington students urge lawmakers to pass gun regulations

More than 100 students from Seattle and Olympia area high schools rallied at the Capitol building in Olympia in support of gun legislation.

They partnered with the Alliance for Gun Responsibility and on Tuesday, March 6 called on lawmakers to pass SB 6620 sponsored by Senator David Frockt, D-Seattle. The bill would increase the legal age to purchase a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21. It also enhances background checks for assault rifles and creates a reporting program in schools to students can more easily report suspicious behavior. The bill is on the Senate floor calendar but has not yet received a vote.

The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was the breaking point for many of us, Anna Justen, a junior at Ingraham High School said. I see pictures of the victims and all I can see are my friends, my little sister, or myself.
SEATTLE, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CFN Media Group ("CannabisFN"), the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis, announces publication of an article covering Micron Waste Technologies Inc.'s (CSE:MWM) (CNSX:MWM) (MWM.CN) (OTC:MICWF) aerobic digestion and treatment technology that addresses a critical issue facing the cannabis industry - organic waste disposal. With plans to accelerate its commercialization, investors may want to take a closer look at the company as it prepares to install an initial unit with Aurora Cannabis before targeting the wider market.



The Cannabis Waste Problem

The cannabis industry may have been founded on the principles of peace and love, but the industrialization of the sector has taken an entirely new direction. In particular, industrial cannabis cultivation has taken a significant toll on the environment in terms of both energy use and waste disposal. The growth of the industry is rapidly amplifying these problems and creating a need for more sustainable solutions for the long-term.

The most prominent environmental concern is the cannabis industrys tremendous use of electricity. According to Denvers Department of Public Health and Environment, the cannabis industry consumes nearly four percent of the citys total electricity. Marijuanas share of the energy mix is also growing at a much faster rate than overall energy use. These trends are concerning as many other states move to legalize adult-use cannabis.

A lesser known problem involves the organic waste produced by cultivation operations. Most organic waste produced by the industry ends up in landfills since theyre the most cost-effective disposal option. In addition to taking up space in a landfill, organic waste undergoes anaerobic decomposition in a landfill, due to the lack of oxygen, and generates methane gas. These gases are 25 times more potent greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide!

Microns Innovative Solution

Micron Wastes aerobic digestion and treatment technology converts organic waste into clean water that meets municipal effluent discharge standards. By leveraging micro-oxygen cubicles, the technology enhances the digestion efficiency of microorganisms by up to 95 percent, with the remaining five percent of undigested particles undergoing further treatment. These technologies have already been proven in the food service industry.

In December, the company announced a strategic partnership with Aurora Cannabis, one of the largest licensed producers of medical marijuana under Canadas ACMPR program. The partnership calls for preliminary research and the placement of initial units at Aurora Cannabis cultivation facilities in the second quarter of 2018. These placements should provide a key proof-of-concept for sales to the wider industry with Aurora leading the way.

Accelerating Development

Micron Waste recently announced the engagement of BC Research Inc., a renowned engineering consultancy, to accelerate the commercialization of its waste digester technology for the cannabis industry. Under the terms of the agreement, BC Research will deliver a unit that functions in a broad range of temperatures, making it suitable for deployment on a global scale in a wide range of climates, while also making the units suitable for mass production.

We are extremely pleased to be working with BC Research and Aurora Cannabis to develop a market-ready Micron Cannabis Waste Digester, said CEO Rav Mlait. The enhanced features requested by our clients are anticipated to accelerate commercial adoption and make Microns technology more attractive to cannabis producers seeking a less costly, more convenient, and greener means of handling organic waste.

BC Research is a global provider of engineering and equipment packages to the chemical, pulp, paper, minerals processing, and electrochemical sectors. With a staff of over 200 professionals, the company has completed capital project on five continents and has become a recognized worldwide leader in nitration, sulfuric acid, and electrochemistry. The company also provides support to early-stage companies looking for engineering design and fabrication support.

Looking Ahead

Micron Waste Technologies Inc. (CSE:MWM) (OTC:MICWF) offers investors an alternative investment in a business that will serve the budding cultivation sector as companies greatly increase production levels in advance of Canadas adult-use legalization. With plans to accelerate the development of its breakthrough technology, and a deal in place with one of the largest licensed producers in Canada, the company is well positioned to commercialize its technology over the near-term.

Please follow the link to read the full article: http://www.cannabisfn.com/micron-waste-accelerates-development-cannabis-waste-digester/

For more information, visit the companys website at www.micronwaste.com.

About CFN Media

CFN Media (CannabisFN) is the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis. We help marijuana businesses attract investors, customers (B2B, B2C), capital, and media visibility. Private and public marijuana companies and brands in the US and Canada rely on CFN Media to grow and succeed.

Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/featuredcompany

Download the CFN Media iOS mobile app to access the world of cannabis from the palm of your hand: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cannabisfn/id988009247?ls=1&mt=8

Or visit our homepage and enter your mobile number under the Apple App Store logo to receive a download link text on your iPhone: http://www.cannabisfn.com

Disclaimer

CannabisFN.com is not an independent financial investment advisor or broker-dealer. You should always consult with your own independent legal, tax, and/or investment professionals before making any investment decisions. The information provided on http://www.cannabisfn.com (the Site) is either original financial news or paid advertisements drafted by our in-house team or provided by an affiliate. CannabisFN.com, a financial news media and marketing firm enters into media buys or service agreements with the companies that are the subject of the articles posted on the Site or other editorials for advertising such companies. We are not an independent news media provider. We make no warranty or representation about the information including its completeness, accuracy, truthfulness or reliability and we disclaim, expressly and implicitly, all warranties of any kind, including whether the Information is complete, accurate, truthful, or reliable. As such, your use of the information is at your own risk. Nor do we undertake any obligation to update the items posted. CannabisFN.com received compensation for producing and presenting high quality and sophisticated content on CannabisFN.com along with financial and corporate news.

The above article is sponsored content. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, has been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/

CFN Media

Frank Lane

206-369-7050

flane@cannabisfn.com
Albany, NY, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global meningitis diagnostic testing market was valued over US$ 105.5 Mn in 2016 and is projected to register cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 3.0% from 2017 to 2025, according to a new report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled  Meningitis Diagnostic Testing Market  Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20172025. The report suggests that rising demand for innovative technologies and adoption of rapid testing methods such as point of care testing is spurring the growth of meningitis diagnostic testing in coming years (2017 to 2025). The North America and Asia Pacific are projected to dominate the global meningitis diagnostic testing market in the coming years owing to due availability of rapid diagnostic tests, routine vaccination programs to prevent meningitis, and increased patient awareness. Middle East & Africa is projected to account significant market share by 2025. This is attributed to large meningitis patient base in Sub-Saharan Africa (also known as Meningitis Belt). Growing adoption of technologically advanced products manufactured by key manufacturers like IMMY, BioFire Diagnostics, etc. is likely to drive the rapid diagnostic testing across globe. The Asia Pacific meningitis diagnostic testing market is expected to witness highest CAGR of over 4.0% from 2017 to 2025.

Request to View Sample of Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1973

Rising Demand for Innovative Technologies to Fuel Global Market Expansion

New, innovative technologies such PCR and next-generation sequencing are available in the market, providing a less expensive way for the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy selection in patients during their treatment. This helps physicians frame appropriate therapeutic systems for patients suffering from the infectious disease. Rising demand for point-of-care services is anticipated to drive the meningitis diagnostic testing market during the forecast period. Point-of-care services provide more accurate results in less time as compared to traditional methods. Culture diagnostics has been less adopted separately, due to test limitations, lower specificity, higher time required, and the recent trend of slower adoption of culture tests compared to other reliable tests available.

PCR Assay Leads the Market and Found to be Most Attractive Product Segment

The report offers detailed segmentation of global meningitis diagnostic testing market based on product, and end-user. Among the product segment, PCR Assay segment is poised to account for leading share of the global market during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025. Factors attributed to the higher share of the PCR assay segment in the global market include ability of PCR to diagnose the disease within a short time period drives the PCR assay segment. Development and launch of new PCR assays with increased automation (such as BioFire FilmArray Multiplex PCR system) for the diagnosis of meningitis have boosted the segment. Also, PCR assays are estimated become more commonplace for meningitis diagnosis in the next five to 10 years. Globally, point-of-care lateral flow assay is an ideal test for meningitis diagnosis in settings with limited resources. This leads to wide adoption of these assays. This, in turn, drives the lateral flow assay segment.

Download PDF Brochure of Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1973

Hospitals segment dominates the Market Followed by Diagnostics Centers

Among end-user, hospitals segment is projected to hold dominant share of global meningitis diagnostic testing market during the forecast period and is likely to expand at CAGR more than 4.0% from 2017 to 2025. Major reason responsible for the dominance of this segment such as Meningitis is a fatal disease that requires immediate care. Therefore, increase in number of hospitals visit and rise in prevalence of meningitis is projected to boost the hospitals segment during forecast period. Diagnostic centres segment is projected to hold substantial share of global meningitis diagnostic testing market during the forecast period. Diagnostic centers are specially meant only disease detection. They are well equipped with sophisticated instruments, hence people in developing and under developed countries prefer diagnostics centers

Huge Incremental Opportunity in Asia Pacific Region

In terms of value, North America is likely to continue its dominance in the global meningitis diagnostic testing market throughout the forecast period, owing to early adoption of technologies, huge patient pool of viral meningitis and significant average selling prices of testing kits. Asia Pacific is projected to be the most attractive market for meningitis diagnostics testing, with highest attractiveness index. The market in the region is expected to expand at a high CAGR of over 4.0% during the forecast period due to presence of vast population base especially in China and India. Increase in prevalence of chronic diseases such as HIV & tuberculosis and surge in demand for rapid and automated diagnostics have accelerated the growth of meningitis diagnostic testing market in Asia Pacific region. The Incidence rate of meningitis is highest in Middle East & Africa however, lack of laboratory infrastructure, low disposable income, low penetration of advance diagnostic tests and poor patient awareness hinders the total share of the market. According to CDC, about 60% of total meningitis population is present in Middle East & Africa, specifically Sub-Saharan Africa (also known as Meningitis Belt).

Request For Discount On This Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=1973

Highly Consolidated Market with Key Players Accounting For More Than 40.0% of the Global Market

The report also provide profiles of leading players operating in global meningitis diagnostic testing market. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., BioFire Diagnostics, Fast Track Diagnostics Ltd. (FTD)  Siemens Healthineers, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., IMMY are major players operating in the market, offering products with proprietary technologies, such as BioFire offers proprietary products (PCR assay kits) such as FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis panels. Several key companies have recently introduced analytical instruments that can carry out rapid analysis in near-patient settings. IMMY (a diagnostic company based in the U.S.) CrAg LFA (Cryptococcal Antigen Lateral Flow Assay) is an immunochromatographic dipstick assay for the qualitative and semi-quantitative detection of cryptococcal antigens. This lateral flow assay has revolutionized cryptococcal antigen testing, by delivering analytical sensitivity that is about 200x more compared to other commercial assays. Other prominent players in the global meningitis diagnostic testing market include Nanosphere (Luminex Corporation), Seegene Inc., Qnostics, ELITechGroup, and Abbott Laboratories.

About TMR

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.

Contact


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
FAIRFIELD, Conn., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Convexity Scientific Inc., a life sciences company committed to bringing the best user experience to patients through innovative design and distribution of medical devices, announced today that it has closed an equity investment in a round led by Connecticut Innovations, Benslie Limited and Stonehenge Growth Capital.



The company will use the funding to accelerate go-to-market activities with a significant expansion in sales hires and marketing efforts. Convexitys business strategy leverages its unique ability to develop health care products with innovative design and superior ease of use. The companys first product, a nebulizer for the treatment of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other respiratory illnesses, is notable for its extremely small size, light weight and simplicity of use.

We believe Convexity's nebulizer is a game-changer, said Benslie Partner Henry Weinstein. It sets a new standard in both the domestic and international markets, and its distribution is highly scalable.

Convexitys core focus on design and accessibility of function for all ages is disrupting the market of solutions for respiratory illnesses and contributing to a better quality of life for those who suffer from them, said Jared Talisman of Stonehenge Growth Capital. Stonehenge is proud to partner with this Connecticut-based company to accelerate their leadership in the market and to allow them to make key additions to the team.

We are very excited about the future of Convexity Scientific and are delighted to partner with our new investors, said Ralph Finger, M.D., Convexitys Chairman.

About Convexity Scientific Inc.

Convexity Scientific Inc. is a life sciences company committed to bringing the best user experience to patients through its innovative design and distribution strategies. Its first medical device, a handheld nebulizer used to treat respiratory diseases, was recently cleared by FDA. For more information, visit https://convexityscientific.com/.

About Connecticut Innovations

Connecticut Innovations (CI) is Connecticuts strategic venture capital arm, providing funding and strategic support to early-stage technology companies. In addition to equity investments, CI provides grants that support innovation and collaboration through CTNext, and connections to its well-established network of partners and professionals. To learn more, visit http://ctinnovations.com/.

About Benslie Limited

Benslie is an investment vehicle of EMC2 Fund Ltd, which has several venture capital investments in the United States and Israel.

About Stonehenge Growth Capital

Stonehenge Growth Capital, a subsidiary of Stonehenge Capital Company LLC, provides venture capital, private equity and mezzanine debt to private companies led by experienced management teams with a passion for innovation and the pursuit of high-growth opportunities. The Growth Capital team has invested over $1 billion in small and medium-sized businesses across venture capital, private equity and debt funds since 1993. To learn more about Stonehenge Growth Capital, please visit http://www.stonehengecapital.com/.

Contact:

Randy Saluck

203-557-6254

rs@convexityscientific.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/40f79d53-0186-4492-8c7d-3e2d81422ca1
Organisation: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Position No.: 10028945

Vacancy Notice: 010/2018

Reports to: Senior Field Officer / Head of Office

Duty Station: Uganda

Post Grade: GL6

About UNHCR:

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. UNHCRs mandate under the Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is to lead and co-ordinate action for international protection to refugees; seek permanent solutions for the problems of refugees and safeguard refugee rights and well-being. UNHCR has an additional mandate concerning issues of statelessness, as it is given a designated role under Article 11 of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

 The Field Associate will monitor the situation in the AoR, collect data and other information relevant to UNHCR and report to the supervisor accordingly.

Monitor the implementation of UNHCR programme including the delivery of all assistance items and monitoring of infrastructure.

 Conduct regular visits to various sites in order to assess needs of persons of concern, with particular attention to vulnerable groups.

 Keep regular contacts with local authorities and implementing partners as requested by supervisor.

 Serve as an interpreter when required.

 Actively contribute to the preparation of status and progress reports by providing info, preparing tables, etc.

 Assist in administrative tasks as required such as preparation of reports and meeting authorized personnel and assisting them during field missions.

 The jobholder will also inform and act on the reports received on persons of concern within the refugee community or from the local authorities.

 Work in liaison with implementing partners, assist in the reception, registration and provision of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR.

 Perform any other relevant duties as required.

Key Performance Indicators:

 UNHCRs policies, standards and procedures are constantly and coherently applied in the area of responsibility (AoR).

The needs of persons of concern in the AoR are assessed and analysed in a participating manner and using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective to form a firm basis for planning. Authority (decisions made in executing responsibilities and to achieve results). The needs of persons of concern in the AoR are assessed and analysed in a participating manner and using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective to form a firm basis for planning. Authority (decisions made in executing responsibilities and to achieve results)

 Negotiate with local authority counterparts, partners and populations of concern.

 Represent UNHCR in physical monitoring of projects.





Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

 The ideal candidate for the United Nations UNHCR Field Associate job opportunity should have completed Secondary Education with post-secondary training/certificate in Business Administration, Law, Political Science or related field.

 At least six years of previous job experience relevant to the function.

 Good computer skills.

 Excellent knowledge of English and working knowledge of another relevant UN language or local language.

 Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of the position is desired

 Prior UNHCR field experience is an added advantage

How to Apply:

All interested Ugandan nationals who wish to join the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the aforementioned capacity are encouraged to click on the link below and follow the application instructions after reviewing the job details.

Deadline: 12th March 2018

For more of the latest jobs, please visit http://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
TORONTO, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meo Electric is a turnkey provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, specializing in helping businesses take advantage of government funding opportunities. Meo Electric is issuing a final deadline reminder for businesses seeking NRCan funding for installing fast-charging stations.



Retail, food services, convenience and property management businesses interested in fast-charging are encouraged to contact Meo Electric by March 15, 2018. NRCan funding combined with Meo Electrics flexible financing is a unique opportunity for businesses to reduce the upfront cost of fast-charging stations by up to 90%.

The Government of Canadas 2017 budget announced $80 million in federal funding for the Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative. The initiative is run by Natural Resources Canada and covers up to 50% of the cost to purchase and install fast-charging stations.

The program provides $50,000 per fast-charging station and a maximum of $5 million in funding to a single applicant.

"These investments support the ingenuity of Canadian electric vehicle and alternative fuel companies. Green infrastructure is paving the way to a low-carbon future in both commercial and consumer markets, said Jim Carr, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources.

Meo Electric is a turnkey service provider. Meo works with leading hardware providers (FLO, ChargePoint, ABB), and certified electrician partners across Canada to provide a worry-free experience for businesses deploying EV charging.



For those new to EV charging, getting funding and deploying stations can be intimidating, said Zachary Lefevre, President of Meo Electric. Its unfair to place the burden of selecting hardware, vetting installers, and choosing a service provider on the shoulders of business owners and managers who have to focus on their core businesses. We plug in to help businesses seamlessly deploy EV charging stations. Our goal is to make the process simple and transparent while providing the best outcomes for both EV drivers and station hosts.



To learn more about NRCans Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Initiative visit meoelectric.com/nrcan.



ABOUT MEO ELECTRIC

Meo Electric is one of Canadas first firms to specialize in turnkey deployments of electric vehicle supply equipment. Meo ensures businesses find the right funding and the right product solution for their electric vehicle charging needs.
Guatemala said Monday it will transfer its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem the second week of May, in parallel with a similar and widely criticized move by the United States of its own diplomatic mission scheduled for around the same time.

Heinz Heimann, spokesman for President Jimmy Morales, announced the timeline and defended the move against criticism by saying foreign policy decisions are a matter of Guatemalan sovereignty.

Heimann said the move would take place two days after the United States, but did not specify the exact date. He added that for security reasons the location of the new embassy is not being made public for now.

The announcement came a day after Morales met in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The U.S. Embassy is slated to move in mid-May into a temporary location in Jerusalem that is now an annex of the U.S. consulate.

President Donald Trump said Monday that he was looking into the possibility of traveling to the city then.

Guatemala is one of nine nations that sided with the United States in a December U.N. vote condemning Washingtons decision to move its embassy, and Morales government later announced it would do the same.

Morales met in Washington in early February with Trump, who at the time expressed gratitude for his support on the issue.

Trumps announcement in early December upended decades of U.S. policy during which the country, like many other nations, maintained its embassy in Tel Aviv amid rival Israeli and Palestinian claims over Jerusalem.

Israel claims all of the city as its capital while Palestinians claim rights to the eastern sector, which was captured by Israel in 1967 and is home to sensitive religious sites.

(AP)
Questions: Regulators failed to spot a 1.5bn accounting scandal at the Co-op Bank

Regulators are facing a probe over how they failed to spot a 1.5billion accounting scandal which almost destroyed the Co-op Bank.

City minister John Glen yesterday announced an investigation into the Prudential Regulation Authority  the part of the Bank of England responsible for the stability of big firms  and its forerunner the Financial Services Authority.

It will look at who knew what in the run-up to the 2013 crisis at the lender, which erupted after its failed attempt to buy 632 Lloyds branches.

The disaster was followed by the resignation of chairman Reverend Paul Flowers, a Methodist minister who was later caught buying crack cocaine and methamphetamine.

He was banned for life from the finance industry yesterday.

The independent review into the PRA will be overseen by former Canadian central banker Mark Zelmer.

Plans for the investigation were first announced more than four years ago but nothing happened because it was feared there would be an impact on other probes.
One of the biggest issues facing the introduction of self-driving cars is where blamed is placed if one is involved in an accident.

Does the responsibility lie with the vehicle owner, the car manufacturer or the firm that's developed the autonomous driving software?

This and more will be decided in the next three years, with the Government launching a new legal review to prepare the country for driverless cars hitting UK roads.

Driverless car law review launched: The Government will make decisions about where blame is placed if an autonomous vehicle has a crash on UK roads

Minsters have commissioned the study in order to 'ensure the UK remains one of the best places in the world to develop, test and drive self-driving vehicles'.

Roads minister Jesse Norman yesterday announced the start of the review by the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission that will examine any legal obstacles that might restrict the widespread introduction of self-driving vehicles and highlight the need for regulatory reforms.

The project, due to run until 2021, will also consider new criminal offences to deal with hackers trying to infiltrate driverless cars, the Department for Transport said.

The result of the review could see existing driving laws completely reformed to pave the way for the next generation of vehicles.

According to the DfT 'key aspects will be adjusting traditional laws to reflect the fact self-driving vehicles of the future will not have a driver or perhaps even a steering wheel like traditional cars and also consider some of the criminal offences involved.'

Chancellor Philip Hammond revealed in November that he wants fully driverless cars on UK roads by 2021.

This latest review will be a major stepping stone to making that a reality and has become part of the Future of Mobility Grand Challenge set out in the governments Industrial Strategy.

The Government hopes it will also iron-out concerns about safety when conventional human-driven cars are forced to share the road network with a new breed of fully-autonomous vehicles.

The law review was announced by Roads Minister Jesse Norman on Tuesday during a visit to the GATEway project in Greenwich

The GATEway Project scheme will see a fleet of autonomous pods provide a shuttle service to investigate public reaction to self-driving vehicles

The DfT said the study would ensure the UK remains one of the best places in the world to develop, test and drive self-driving vehicles. Nissan tested a self-driving Leaf electric car at Docklands in London last year (pictured)

As well as portioning blame in crashes involving other motorists, the review will also investigate the impact on other road users - such as cyclists - and how they can be protected from risk and consider the role of automated vehicles within public transport, car sharing and general future mobility networks.

Mr Norman said: 'The UK is a world leader for self-driving vehicle research and development, and this work marks an important milestone in our continued commitment to the technology.

'With driving technology advancing at an unprecedented rate, it is important that our laws and regulations keep pace so that the UK can remain one of the world leaders in this field.'

The announcement was made during a visit to the GATEway project in Greenwich.

The scheme will see a fleet of autonomous pods provide a shuttle service to investigate public reaction to self-driving vehicles, though it's not the only driverless vehicle trial currently ongoing in the country.

Jaguar Land Rover has been conducting tests of autonomous driving tech on the streets of Coventry since November, with more tests scheduled to take place there and in Milton Keynes throughout 2018.

Nissan also tested a self-driving electric Leaf around the Docklands area of London a little over a year ago.

The GATEway Project driverless pods will navigation a 1.20mile route around the Greenwich Peninsula, using advanced sensors and state-of-the-art autonomy software to detect and avoid obstacles whilst carrying members of the public participating in the research study

Chancellor Philip Hammond revealed in November last year that he wants full driverless cars - like the Pathfinder Pod pictured - on UK roads by 2021

The Law Commission for England and Wales and will team with Scottish experts to conduct the research that will make systematic recommendations for consideration by Parliament concerning fully autonomous vehicles.

Law Commissioner, Nicholas Paines QC, said: 'British roads are already among the safest in the world and automated vehicles have the potential to make them even safer. Provided our laws are ready for them.

'Well now start consulting widely on how the law should work with this new technology and develop reforms which enable the use of self-driving vehicles in the years to come.

Scottish Law Commissioner, Caroline Drummond, added: 'Automated vehicles could have a big impact on the way we live and work so its important that, UK-wide, we have a legal system which can accommodate them.
EDGEWOOD, N.Y. , March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CPI Aerostructures, Inc. (CPI Aero) (NYSE American:CVU) announced today that it has received an amendment to an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract from Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, for the manufacture of engine cowl assemblies and support assemblies for the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter. The contract amendment extends the period of performance by one year and is valued at $3.8 million. The IDIQ contract, previously announced by CPI Aero in January 2017, now has a potential value of $18.6 million based on the estimated order quantity during the period of performance ending December 31, 2021. CPI Aero has manufactured such assemblies for the AH-1Z Viper since 2011.



The AH-1Z Viper is a twin-engine attack helicopter used by the United States Marine Corps. The AH-1Z program reached initial operational capability in September 2010 and began full-rate production in December 2010. In May 2016, Bell Helicopter was awarded a contract that included 16 AH-1Z helicopters as part of the Marine Corps H-1 Program of Record, which calls for the acquisition of a total of 189 AH-1Z Vipers and 160 UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters.

The Bell AH-1Z Viper is among the worlds most lethal anti-armor attack helicopter, capable of carrying the widest array of ordnance of any helicopter in the world. Target identification is crucial in the modern battlefield, and the Bell AH-1Zs Target Sight System provides the longest range and highest accuracy of any helicopter sight available, as it allows the operators of the AH-1Z to identify and track multiple targets outside the enemys ability to visually detect the Viper. Unlike other attack helicopters, the AH-1Z Viper has integrated air-to-air strike capability in addition to superior air-to-ground anti-armor performance. This capability set makes the AH-1Z the ideal platform to meet the requirements of land warfare scenarios in any of the potential hot spots around the world.



About CPI Aero

CPI Aero is a U.S. manufacturer of structural assemblies for fixed wing aircraft, helicopters and airborne Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance pod systems in both the commercial aerospace and national security markets. Within the global aerostructure supply chain, CPI Aero is either a Tier 1 supplier to aircraft OEMs or a Tier 2 subcontractor to major Tier 1 manufacturers. CPI also is a prime contractor to the U.S. Department of Defense, primarily the Air Force. In conjunction with its assembly operations, CPI Aero provides engineering, program management, supply chain management, and MRO services. CPI Aero is included in the Russell Microcap Index.

The above statements include forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which are described from time to time in CPI Aero's SEC reports, including CPI Aero's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, and Form 10-Q for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017, and September 30, 2017.

CPI Aero is a registered trademark of CPI Aerostructures, Inc. For more information, visit www.cpiaero.com, and follow us on Twitter @CPIAERO.

About Bell Helicopter

Bell Helicopter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical-lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell's global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries.

About Textron Inc.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Bad Boy Off Road and Textron Systems. For more information, visit www.textron.com.
If you havent been paying attention, everyone is up in arms denouncing governments umhlolo budget. The problem with this 2018/19 budget is that it is hell-bent on making life very difficult by taxing every movement of the ordinary Swazi in a bid to increase government revenue to E16.7 billion.



One of the abhorrent revenue generating policies to be implemented by government this year is the value added tax (VAT) on electricity on top of increasing the VAT standard rate from 14 per cent to 15 per cent to align the country with the mighty next door neighbour, South Africa. With the E16.7 billion that government wants to cash in on this year will definitely see many of our wallets run dry, and still government will be running on a E21.6 billion total expenditure translating to a E4.9 billion deficit. However, though the deficit is important, it is not the point I want to make today.

Government can easily issue out bonds in the money markets, among other domestic and international debt management measures, to address the revenue shortfall.

What is really the point of contention with the 2018/19 budget is that most of the people in Swaziland will find themselves with less money in their pockets owing to a government that keeps taking and taxing every bit of our daily lives to fund things that are of no use to the average Swazi. The amount of disposable income for the average Swazi will definitely diminish yet the economy is predominantly driven by consumer spending. For example, in the USA, consumer spending accounts for about 70 per cent of all economic growth in that country.



The point is very simple here: if people have less money in their pockets, who will buy from the shops and businesses that we so want to revive in our economy? If it is going to be a struggle to afford the basics of life such as electricity, and if all goods and services in the country are going to incur a VAT spike, that is, a one per cent price increase, then disposable personal incomes will decrease, the ratio of household debt to our gross domestic product (GDP) will increase and shrink economic activities because we simply will not afford to buy or do anything in Swaziland.



It would be a different story if government was taxing us to give us food, to guarantee tertiary education for every high school graduate, and to provide a state of art health care system in Swaziland. Instead, well over half of the revenue generated (upwards of E7 billion) goes into financing the civil service wage bill. Basically, government collects a lot of money from struggling Swazis, half of which goes to pay civil servants who do not really add any value to the economy. If you are not convinced with this point, just think about how long it takes to get a personal identification number in Swaziland? How long does it take to see a doctor in our government hospitals? The point of having a government is so that it can intervene in the economy to produce a rapid but steady rise in the volume of goods and services produced from year to year while raising the standard of living for all its people.



If we do not have money, who will afford to use the newly built international airport at Sikhuphe? Who will be using the five-star hotel in Swaziland if most Swazis have no money to spare? Most of the time, it is government officials, the one per cent of our country, that takes off and lands at the newly-built Sikhuphe airport while a majority of Swazis opt for kombi shuttles to Johannesburg, thanks to the very expensive air-travel services in Swaziland.



The way government is going about squeezing every cent from the ordinary Swazis wallet, the majority of Swazis can just forget about ever enjoying the amenities of the five-star hotel in Ezulwini. No, in fact flying and the five-star hotels are luxuries meant for tourists and the cream of our society. For the basics such as affording a house or rent, the Swaziland National Housing Board is also making sure that middle-income Swazis can forget about 15 per cent of their disposable incomes as SNHB has effected a 15 per cent hike on rent at Mobeni flats.What kind of precedence is this government institution (parastatal) setting for other landlords in the country? Whats the SNHB got to do with the national budget and government spending, you may be wondering? It is all related; if all the social institutions like SNHB, Swaziland Electricity Company, and Swaziland Water Services Corporation, among others, do not receive their fair share from the g-wallet, they in turn start squeezing consumers wallets.



Government cannot keep taxing us to infinity because it affects our ability and motivation to wake up every morning and go to work. It affects our ability to save and invest, and it affects the healthy hustle and bustle of the economy. If there is no money, we all suffer, government included. Enough is enough!


MBABANE - Is Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (SMVAF) defying a court order?



On February 7, 2018, Industrial Court Judge Abande Dlamini ordered that the memorandum of agreement entered into between SMVAF and the Swaziland Union of Financial Institutions and Allied Workers (SUFIAW) be registered and made an order of the court.



The agreement remains valid for a period not less than three years or until another agreement on salary review is signed or whichever comes first.

According to the agreement, the adjustment in salaries will have a retrospective effect to April 1, 2012 as per the collective agreement entered into by the parties.

It further states that management will implement the changes in pay, together with back pay as soon as possible and where there are budgetary limitations, a portion of back pay will be effected this current financial year, and the balance paid out in the next financial year.



As of Monday, SMVAF employees across the country took to the streets to express their grievances, saying enough is enough.

They have vowed that they will not be going back to work unless their request on the implementation of the salary review was implemented. The employees want the implementation of job evaluation and salary review, following consultations that have been ongoing.



Currently, they are demanding 1.2 per cent, a difference which was deferred for SCOPEs approval as per Public Enterprise Unit (PEU) requirements. SMVAF is refusing to abide by the terms of the agreement, which was made an order of the court.

SUFIAW Secretary General Jabu Shiba said they hoped engaging in a strike action would give the parastatal a wake-up call.

Shiba said the order of the court meant that once registered, the contract could not be reversed and SMVAF must pay in terms of the agreement.



She said SMVAF had fully budgeted for the salary review report and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Helmon Vilakati, said the money was there.

According to Shiba, they signed an agreement with SMVAF last year August.
















MBABANE  The DPP and the suspects who are alleged to have kidnapped and killed Matsapha businessman Almor Oliveira are leaving nothing to chance.



Both parties have roped in South African advocates to represent them in the trial which is now scheduled to begin on June 5  8, 2018. Initially, the trial was set for March 23, 2018, April 4 and May 2, 2018.

According to a memo which was addressed to the Registrar of the High Court by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Phila Dlamini last Friday, both the Crown and two of the accused have instructed advocates to represent them in the matter.

Qing Ming He and Dao Thanta Hue have been charged with the murder of Oliveira. Ming He and Hue were denied bail by Judge Mbutfo Mamba.



A third suspect, Zhen Renmei, was granted bail at the Mbabane Magistrates Court and she faced a charge of being found in possession of a firearm.

The suspects are represented by Mabila Attorneys, who have since instructed a South African advocate to appear on their behalf.



Mabila Attorneys addressed a letter to the DPP advising that they had instructed an advocate and indicated that the senior counsel would be available on June 5  8, 2018 to proceed with the matter.

The DPP indicated that these dates suited their advocate which is when the trial is now scheduled to proceed.



Mabila Attorneys also requested to be furnished with a copy of the forensic reports in order to appropriately brief the appointed advocate. The matter will be heard by Judge John Magagula.

Ming He, Hue and Renmei had been collectively slapped with 10 charges.



The charges include that of murder (apart from Renmei), kidnapping, attempted extortion, theft and six of violating the Arms and Ammunitions Act.

In the first count, it is alleged that Qing Ming and Hue, acting jointly in furtherance of a common purpose, intentionally deprived Oliveira of his freedom of movement by holding him hostage.

They are alleged to have committed this offence on April 16, 2017.



The second charge is that of murder where it is alleged that they unlawfully killed Oliveira.

The accused are further alleged to have attempted to extort Oliveiras wife by threatening to kill her husband unless she paid them a sum of E5 million.
NEW YORK, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Which Influencers bring the most value to your favorite brand? ROI Influencer Media announced the answer today with a convergence of Influencers, Technology, Engagement Data and Audience Data.



ROI Influencer Score, a new technology product from ROI Influencer Media, utilizes proprietary algorithms to rank the most effective Influencers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The Score implements both trending and historical engagement data to standardize the value amongst social media Influencers.

Engagement-based technology is superior for valuing influence in today's climate and establishes a higher barometer for measuring legitimacy and impact of Influencer Marketing, says Maikel OHanlon, Vice President of Social Media at Horizon Media. ROI Influencer Media has built an innovative system for capturing and ranking actual engagements from Influencer audiences, infusing much needed substance in a growing space.

The ROI Influencer Score combines reach, audience engagements and composition to measure the value of individual Influencers on each social media platform. The ROI Influencer Score additionally incorporates age, gender, location, brand safety and the audience interests of each Influencer by platform.

Here are the ROI Influencer Score top performers in February 2018, by platform and category:

Instagram: Lili Reinhart

Twitter: Camila Cabello

Facebook: Ryan Reynolds

Movies: Will Smith

Fashion: Gigi Hadid

Food and Beverage: Ina Garten

Family & Parenting: Tia Mowry

Pets: Zooey Deschanel

Athletes: Juju-Smith-Schuster

Teens and Musicians: Shawn Mendes

"The industry is ready for real-time statistical evidence to prove the value of each Influencer. ROI Influencer Media is determining social media performance by Influencer for each platform, and then combining those engagement metrics with audience data tied to each individual Influencer and relevant brand," said Seth Kean, CEO of ROI Influencer Media. "We are proud to bring scaled engagement and audience measurement to produce effective CPMs and Influencer industry benchmarks."

The ROI Influencer Score is a technology and analytics product whose data and scores are made available to the clients of ROI Influencer Media.

This story appeared first in Adweek: http://www.adweek.com/digital/this-company-came-up-with-a-score-to-measure-an-influencers-reach/

About ROI Influencer Media

ROI Influencer Media is a leading influencer marketing and technology company working with both Fortune 1000 brand marketers and top Influencers for display, social and programmatic Influencer media. The company blends data analytics and innovation to maximize content from Hollywood celebrities, athletes, vloggers, bloggers and social media all-stars. For more information, visit www.ROIInfluencer.com.

PRESS CONTACT

Bill Brazell

bbrazell@witstrategy.com

917-445-7316
MBABANE  Intimidation and assault from government drivers and senior government officials is what boBhantshana experience as they go about executing their duties.



BoBhantshana is an unofficial name give to inspectors of government vehicles. They were named after former no-nonsense Chief Government Vehicle Inspector, Bhantshana Gwebu, who retired from the civil service.

According to the Annual Performance Report of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport tabled before Parliament on Monday, the inspectors alleged that they had noted an increase in intimidation and assault by government drivers and senior government officials during the 2017/2018 period.



One of the duties of the Anti-Abuse Unit, under which the inspectors are employed, is to carry out spot checks on government vehicles to prevent their misuse.

The Anti-Abuse Unit is of the view that such assaults and intimidation will continue as long as there is no action taken against those who have been assaulted in the past, the report states.

The report further states that during the year 2017/2018, abuse of government vehicles increased tremendously. Politicians and senior government officials were fingered as having contributed to this situation.

Many of these officials have decided to put aside their official cars (BMWs) for CTA- Central Pool vehicles, the report alleged.



Politicians who use BMWs are ministers, and it has been reported that some dumped their official vehicles for the Chevrolets, which are taken from the central pool. They ministers, at the time claimed their cars had broken down.

These vehicles are said to be taken from the central pool without following proper procedures. The report revealed that the vehicles were being hired without hire forms.

The report alleged that on many occasions, the vehicles were given to children or relatives of the politicians to run unofficial errands.



It was also alleged that senior government officials also used government vehicles for personal errands.

In an attempt to deal with this kind of abuse, the Anti-Abuse Unit is having a hard time, firstly because the politicians and senior government officials are senior and government vehicle inspectors fear victimisation, the report stated.

It was also alleged that when the inspectors stop these government vehicles to inspect them if they are on an unauthorised journey, the politicians forcefully drive away, at times threatening to knock down the inspectors.



It is unfortunate that even the ministry has no appetite to intervene to arrest this situation. Worse also is that these politicians and senior officials continue to draw car allowances from government, the report stated.
MANZINI - If you want an informed nation, teach a child. This proved true after rounds were made in schools around the city showed that pupils were well aware of what was happening regarding listeriosis outbreak.



When Sydney Williams Primary School was visited during break time yesterday, some pupils lunch boxes had polony and cheese as paste. However, as soon as the pupils were quizzed on their choice of paste, they revealed that it was not their choice to have polony in their lunch boxes.



One of these was a Grade VI pupil who said he had spoken to his mother about using polony and other processed meats that were mentioned as part of those that should be discarded in a bid to ensure safety against contracting listeriosis. The pupil said before he heard from local media, he had been following the South African news updates on the diseases outbreak and the price that some people have paid for lack of knowledge about the pandemic.



Although he had tried to convince his mother to get rid of the foods, the pupil said his mother did not believe him, and she proceeded to use polony as paste for his bread.

Im old enough to follow current news and not watch cartoons. I told my mother about it but she said I was lying so here I am with polony in my lunch box. Im not going to eat it though, he said much to the amusement of other scholars who had gathered around him.



They simultaneously shouted about what they heard about all processed meats in order to get the attention of the reporter and the head teacher who kept quizzing them.

They said polony, viennas and sausages could kill you so we threw them away, said a petite girl with a grin.

Another pupil even went to the extent of showing his bread roll pasted with cheese.



During the interaction with the young ones, it also transpired that they knew the brand that was confirmed to be affected by the bacteria that causes listeriosis.

In his comment on the matter, the school Head teacher, Thami Dlamini, said it was pleasing to see how much the children knew about the disease. He said this positive feedback gave hope that the disease may not affect the pupils as they knew more than some adults did.



When asked whether the school was doing something to raise awareness about the disease, he said since it was only broadcasted yesterday in local media, the school had arranged for a session with the health department to teach the pupils on health issues including this one.



Another school that was visited was St Theresas Primary School, where the Deputy Head teacher Agnes Lupupa, said after media reports warning the public against consuming processed meats, the school administration dedicated some time to lecture the pupils about the matter. She said some pupils were well informed while others appeared to be in the dark about it.
MBABANE  Were Swazis sold a dummy when they were promised the removal of the annual E18 Graded Tax?



Instead of the much anticipated repeal, the current government, through Finance Minister Martin Dlamini, has proposed an increase of about 10 times more than what ought to have been scrapped.

The shocking new Graded Tax proposal schedule was tabled by the minister in the House of Assembly on Monday.



It is one of the many proposed amendments which come with the Finance Bill, 2018.

What has been occurring was that an amount of E1.50 was deducted monthly from every employee and in total the amount would be E18 annually.

However, under the newly-proposed schedule, the Finance Ministry has suggested that a person whose income does not exceed E8 333 per month, the tax payable each month should be E20.85.

This brings the annual total to E250, which will be the rate of taxation payable at the end of every month.



This reflects an increase of about E232 from the E18 that is currently being paid annually.

Interviewed yesterday, the Principal Secretary in Ministry of Finance Bheki Bhembe, said although there were views to repeal the previous Graded Tax, further consultations were held which eventually brought up this new method.

The scrapping of the Graded Tax was first raised by former Finance Minister Majozi Sithole, who said collecting the E18 tax was expensive and tedious for government as it turned out to be more expensive than what they collected.

Meanwhile, Bhembe revealed yesterday that about E3 million was collected annually from the E18 graded tax.



It should be noted that this proposed new tax is not inclusive of the Pay As You Earn (PAYE), which is taxed from salaries.

Although the proposed amendment is not clear on what the unemployed will be taxed, Nkhaba MP Menzi Dlamini argued in the House of Assembly yesterday that according to his calculations, they would be taxed about E60 per year.

The removal of the Graded Tax had also been stated that it would instead be covered for by the Value Added Tax (VAT).



The amendment of the Graded Tax Act, further states that a person who has an income exceeding E8 333, but not exceeding E16 666 a month, would have to pay E31.25 per month.

In the case of a natural person in receipt of income exceeding E16 666 a month, but not exceeding E25 000 a tax payable a month shall be E52.10, reads the amendment.



The amount of Graded Tax to be paid by a person whose income does not exceed E100 000 per year shall be E250.20 per year, while those who draw an income exceeding E400 000 a year shall pay E1 250.40 (per year).

The proposed amendment states that every employer who pays or becomes liable to pay any amount of remuneration to any employee, shall deduct such amount by way of graded tax, an amount as determined by the schedules and shall pay the amount so deducted to the commissioner general.



The burden of proof that any amount of Graded Tax has been deducted by his employer shall be upon the employee, and any employees Graded Tax certificate shall be prima facie evidence that the amount of Graded Tax reflected therein has been deducted by the employer, reads the proposed amendment.
We had asked for a pro-poor budget in this year of jubilee; a year of rest from all the economic hardships we have had to face over the years. Clearly this is not to be, as Finance Minister Martin Dlamini has decided to dish out a bitter pill for each of us instead.



He is determined to punish us for the poor economic state of this country, while totally protecting those next to him who are responsible for abdicating their responsibility to ensure we never get to experience what has befallen us today.

The minister has come up with every possible tax he can think of to ensure we have nothing worth calling an income or saving, yet logic dictates that the tax axe should have started chopping governments wayward spending habits before all else.



How does he explain how a country losing billions of Emalangeni to corruption, decides to cut the budget allocation towards curbing this scourge, if it is not to protect known culprits? Why cut the Health budget if it is not to ensure we suffer more drug shortages? Sleeping on the streets to get study permits may as well become part of our lives as no new universities will be built anytime soon, following the cut to the Education budget.



What hasnt fallen though, is the total spent on security forces  which places Swaziland as the second biggest spender on security as a percentage to the budget in southern Africa. How does security remain more important than Agriculture, where we rank among the lowest in SADC comparatively? Why has he also chosen to remain silent on slashing the budgets for the uncontrolled travel, luxury purchases of furniture and vehicles and the bulging of the wage bill? Last year, the minister promised to reduce the number of parastatals that are draining the taxpayers, but did nothing.



Is he and Cabinet alive to the fact that with the hike in taxes on electricity, VAT and user fees, we are about to declare ourselves the most undesirable investment climate in the region, if not the continent? We already have investor unfriendly taxes such as businesses that purchase vans for work purposes cant claim for VAT, while the opposite is true for other countries.



Corporate tax is also going down in other countries, which is stimulating business growth yet we seek to increase ours. It would seem there is no justification for the VAT increase apart from trying to make it convenient for the Swaziland Revenue Authority (SRA) to collect the refunds.



What about the inconvenience imposed on the poor as a result? There is no cushion for the poor anywhere in this tax-all budget, one wonders if they are still desirable in the country.

Our hope now lies in the Members of Parliament to make sense of it all when the budget comes up for debate. May they drum some sense into the minister and his Cabinet colleagues and get them to realise the true meaning of realistic!
ALBANY, New York, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With each of the region led by a select numbers of players, the global automotive intelligence park assist systems market demonstrates a highly consolidated structure. Although the degree of competition within this market will significantly high over the next few years, thanks to the presence of medium and large sized manufacturers in a large number, states a new report by Transparency Market Research (TMR). Toshiba Corp., Hitachi Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Continental AG, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Delphi Automotive LLP, Siemens AG, Valeo, Magna International, and Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA are some of the leading vendors of automotive intelligence park assist systems across the world. In the coming years, these players are expected to benefit significantly by involving into strategic alliances with regional participants in this market, reports the research study.

According to the research study, the worldwide market for automotive intelligent park assist systems offered an opportunity worth US$22.30 bn in 2016. Analysts at TMR estimate it to rise at a healthy CAGR of 6.76% and reach a value of reach US$38.53 bn by the end of the forecast period. Currently, semiautonomous parking assist technology is witnessing a higher adoption and the trend is predicted to continue over the forthcoming years. However, autonomous parking assist technology will also report a steady rise in its demand in the near future, especially in developed economies of North America and Europe. In terms of the region, North America has acquired the leadership with the U.S. emerging as the most prominent domestic market for automotive intelligent park assist systems across the world. Researchers expect this scenario to stay so over the next few years, states the market report.

Get PDF Brochure for Research Insights at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=40358

Upgradation of Models to Keep Demand High

With the increasing traffic flow, resulting in a significant increase in the number of road accidents, the demand for automotive intelligent park assist systems has increased substantially, says the author of this study. As the concerns regarding safety and comfort among people across the world increase, the automakers are encouraged to integrate automotive intelligent park assist systems into their vehicles, which is reflecting greatly on the global market for automotive intelligent park assist systems.

Over the coming years, the key manufacturers are expected to focus on upgrading their models, so as to maintain their presence in the market through product differentiating technologies integration into the vehicles, reports the market study.

Request a Discount on this Report at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=40358

High Cost Incurred in Installation to Hamper Growth

On the flip side, the high cost of installation of automotive intelligent park assist systems may limit their uptake in the near future. However, the increasing number of government regulations for passenger safety will support the growth of this market in the years to come, states the research report.

The review is based on a report by Transparency Market Research (TMR), titled Automotive Intelligence Park Assist System Market (Technology - Autonomous Parking Assist and Semiautonomous Parking Assist; Component - Ultrasonic Sensor, Camera, and Ultrasonic Sensor and Camera)  Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast - 20172025.

Browse Press Release at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/automotive-intelligence-park-assist-system-market.htm

Key Takeaways

Semiautonomous parking assist technology is witnessing a higher adoption.

North America has acquired the leadership.

View Report TOC at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/40358

About Us



Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.

Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.

Contact Us

Mr. Atil Chaudhari

Transparency Market Research

State Tower,

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

Tel: +1-518-618-1030

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com

Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Research Blog: http://www.techyounme.com/
MONTREAL, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Siyata Mobile Inc. (the "Company" or "Siyata") (TSX-V:SIM) (OTCQX:SYATF) is pleased to announce that it has passed integration and certification for its UR7 Rugged Clamshell Device (UR7) with ESChat, a leading US Push-to-Talk Over Cellular (PoC) software company.



Josh Lober, President of ESChat, added, We are excited to be working with Siyata, which is a fast-growing vendor of innovative PTT devices. ESChat delivers best-of-class PoC software, which coupled with Siyatas UR7, provides enterprise customers a fantastic PTT experience.

The integration opens opportunities for Siyata with ESChat's multiple cellular operator partners and end customers.

Marc Seelenfreund, CEO and Chairman of Siyata Mobile, commented, We are pleased to be working with ESChat, a leading North American PoC software vendor and are confident this will open up large-scale sales opportunities for our UR7 device. Our rugged clamshell, coupled with ESChat Push-to-Talk, is a perfect upgrade for outdated IDEN clamshell devices.

The UR7 device is based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset supporting major North American bands including 4G/LTE and FirstNet (Band 14) for the First Responders network. This device boasts 4G speed, crystal clear cellular call quality with background noise cancellation, dual speakers for loud and clear sound quality, dedicated Push-To-Talk (PTT) and SOS buttons, a touch screen and more, packaged in an ergonomic clamshell form factor.

CCS Insight predicts the market for rugged handsets will double from 30 million units in 2017, as more workers opt for durable phones that can withstand a harsh environment. CCS also expects the market to continue to expand rapidly, with volumes of over 59 million by 2021.

About ESChat

ESChat (www.eschat.com) is the leading solution for carrier independent Secure Push to Talk (PTT) over LTE communications. ESChat includes AES-256 encrypted PTT voice and multimedia (text and image) messaging. ESChat also provides live and historical (bread crumb) tracking and mapping. Currently used by the U.S. Military as well as federal, state and local law enforcement, ESChat is able to operate over and across any wireless network, including all commercial carriers, private 3G/4G networks and WiFi. ESChat supports interoperability with all LMR radio networks, including P25 via the native Inter RF Subsystem Interface (ISSI) protocol and DMR via the native Inter Application Interface Specification (AIS) protocol.



For more information please visit http://www.eschat.com/.

Press Contact:

For ESChat

Holly Luban

media@eschat.com

About Siyata



A TSX Venture Top 50 Company, Siyata Mobile Inc. is a leading global developer and provider of cellular communications systems for enterprise customers, specializing in connected vehicle products for professional fleets, marketed under the Uniden Cellular brand. Since developing the worlds first 3G connected vehicle device, Siyata has been a pioneer in the industry, launching the worlds first 4G LTE all-in-one fleet communications device in 2017. Incorporating voice, push-to-talk over cellular, data, and fleet management solutions into a single device, the company aims to become the connected vehicle communications device of choice for commercial vehicles and fleets around the world.



Siyata also offers rugged phones for industrial users and signal boosters for homes, buildings, and fleets with poor cell coverage. Siyatas customers include cellular operators, commercial vehicle technology distributors, and fleets of all sizes in Canada, the U.S., Europe, Australia, and the Middle East.

Visit www.siyatamobile.com and http://www.unidencellular.com/ to learn more.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of:

SIYATA MOBILE INC.

Marc Seelenfreund

CEO and Chairman

Investor Relations:

Arlen Hansen

Kin Communications

1-866-684-6730

SIM@kincommunications.com

Sales Department:

Glenn Kennedy, VP Sales

Siyata Mobile Inc.

416-892-1823

glenn_kennedy@siyatamobile.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.
FORM 8.3

PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY

A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE

Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code")

1. KEY INFORMATION

(a) Full name of discloser: Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):

The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named. (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:

Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree Ladbrokes Coral Group PLC (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:



(e) Date position held/dealing undertaken:

For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 06 March, 2018 (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?

If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A" YES, GVC Holdings plc

2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

(a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

Class of relevant security:



28 1/3p ordinary



Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: (2) Cash-settled derivatives:



77,192,279 4.0280



(3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:



TOTAL: 77,192,279 4.0280





All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

(b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options)

Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:

3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

(a) Purchases and sales

Class of relevant security Purchase/sale



Number of securities Price per unit





(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. CFD Nature of dealing

e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit 28 1/3p ordinary CFD Decreasing a long position 63,304 1.6207 GBP 28 1/3p ordinary CFD Decreasing a long position 19,500 1.6200 GBP

(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type

e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit

(ii) Exercise

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit





(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security Nature of dealing

e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable)





4. OTHER INFORMATION

(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:

Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"



NONE





(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:

(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or

(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:

If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" NONE









(c) Attachments

Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO

Date of disclosure: 07 March, 2018 Contact name: James Gange Telephone number: 212-446-4029

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.
[March 07, 2018] Canada and the Northwest Territories sign a new agreement to make significant investments in transformative infrastructure projects

Over $570 million available for projects that build prosperous communities and transition to a clean growth economy YELLOWKNIFE, NT, March 7, 2018 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories are working together to make long-term infrastructure investments to create economic growth, build inclusive communities and support a low carbon, green economy-leading to a higher quality of life for Northern Canadians. Today, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; the Honourable Wally Schumann, territorial Minister of Infrastructure; the Honourable Caroline Cochrane, territorial Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs; and Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, announced the signing of a bilateral agreement that will provide more than $570 million over the next decade in federal funding dedicated to infrastructure projects under the Investing in Canada plan. The projects supported through this agreement will be cost-shared with the territorial government, municipalities and other partners. The Government of Canada is providing up to 75% of eligible expenditures for projects in the territories and for projects with Indigenous partners. The Investing in Canada plan will see the Government of Canada make unprecedented investments in infrastructure across the Northwest Territories, while providing the flexibility for the Territory and its communities to identify their priorities and projects. These investments will make a positive difference in communities, such as: better movement of people and goods

clean air and water

reduced greenhouse gas emissions

smarter and more efficient cities

sustainable water management

public spaces that make communities great places to live

better transportation and digital infrastructure for people living in remote communities

energy security and reduced reliance on diesel in the North Across Canada, more than $33 billion will be invested through new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories to support public transit, green infrastructure, recreational and cultural infrastructure as well as rural and northern communities. Provinces and territories will develop three-year plans that will provide information on how they will implement their infrastructure projects. Quotes "Long-term investments in infrastructure are key to building a strong Canada-connecting people, creating well-paying jobs, and building our economy and our communities for the future. We are pleased to reach a new agreement with the Northwest Territories to invest in infrastructure projects that will benefit Northern communities for years to come. Collaboration and partnership have been at the heart of the success of our Investing in Canada plan and we will continue to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous communities, stakeholders, and Canadians from coast to coast to coast." The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities "Nowhere is the link between infrastructure and economic prosperity as obvious as it is in the Northwest Territories. Transformative projects can happen today in Canada's North, and will give our residents the opportunity of economic self-determination. Creating the North our people want and need means working together with many partners  Canada, Indigenous governments, community governments, business and industry  to create and implement a clear plan for investing in our people in the long term." The Honourable Wally Schumann, Minister of Infrastructure, Government of the Northwest Territories "Today's signing demonstrates the importance of partnerships between the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Government of Canada and Northwest Territories community governments in enabling communities to build, replace, or improve much-needed public infrastructure. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs will be working with communities to help optimize the funding available through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan. We will assist communities to align their capital plans with the federal programs announced today." The Honourable Caroline Cochrane, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Government of the Northwest Territories "Infrastructure development is vital to the health and wellbeing of Northern Canadians. When the Government of Canada invests in infrastructure, we are investing in Canadians and making a difference in people's daily lives. This new funding will provide those living and working in the North with clean and reliable drinking water, improved health and recreational opportunities, and more reliable community services." Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories Quick facts Under the Investing in Canada plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.

plan, the Government of is investing more than over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and rural and northern communities. Under the first phase of the plan, Infrastructure Canada has approved nearly 3,500 projects worth a combined investment of more than $8.4 billion across Canada .

across . As part of the Plan, Infrastructure Canada will deliver $33 billion over the next decade through new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories under four funding streams:

over the next decade through new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories under four funding streams: $20.1 billion for public transit;

for public transit;

$9.2 billion for green infrastructure;

for green infrastructure;

$1.3 billion for community, cultural and recreational infrastructure; and

for community, cultural and recreational infrastructure; and

$2 billion for wide-ranging infrastructure needs in rural and northern communities. In addition, $400 million will be delivered through the Arctic Energy Fund to advance energy security in the territories.

for wide-ranging infrastructure needs in rural and northern communities. In addition, will be delivered through the Arctic Energy Fund to advance energy security in the territories. This marks the first new long-term infrastructure agreement the Government of Canada has signed with provincial and territorial partners. Related product Read the backgrounder to learn more: https://www.canada.ca/en/office-infrastructure/news/2018/03/backgrounder-canada-and-the-northwest-territories-sign-a-new-agreement-to-make-significant-investments-in-transformative-infra.html Backgrounder Canada and the Northwest Territories sign a new agreement to make significant investments in transformative infrastructure projects Over $570 million available for projects that build prosperous communities and transition to a clean growth economy Under the $180 billion Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is signing new bilateral agreements with all provinces and territories, which will see more than $33 billion in federal investment towards significant infrastructure projects across the country. The objective of these investments is to transform the way Canadians live, move and work in four priority areas: Rural and northern communities;

Green infrastructure;

Community, culture, and recreation infrastructure; and

Public transit; Northwest Territories' Funding Allocations The table below shows the allocations for the Territory by funding stream from 2018-2028 which amounts to $570,776,826.







Funding Stream Allocation Expected Outcomes at Project Completion* Public Transit $8,344,774 for Yellowknife's public transit system which will improve the way Canadians live, move and work. Improved public transit infrastructure

Improved quality and safety of existing transit system

Improved access to public transit system Green Infrastructure $208,230,295 to support greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reductions; enable greater adaptation and resilience to the impacts of climate change and climate-related disaster mitigation, and ensure that more communities can provide clean air and safe drinking water for their citizens. Increased capacity to manage more renewable energy

Increased access to clean energy transportation

Increased energy efficiency of buildings

Increased generation of clean energy

Increased structural capacity and increased natural capacity to adapt to climate change impacts, natural disasters and extreme weather events

Increased capacity to treat and manage wastewater and stormwater

Increased access to potable water

Increased capacity to reduce or remediate soil and air pollutants Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure $26,187,414 towards community, culture and recreation infrastructure to build stronger communities and improve social inclusion. Improved access to and increased quality of community, cultural and recreational infrastructure for Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable populations Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure $328,014,343 to support projects that improve the quality of life in rural and northern communities by responding to rural and northern specific needs. The stream includes $153,014,343 and the $175,000,000 allocation under the Arctic Energy Fund that will address energy security in the territories. Improved food security

Improved and more reliable road, air and marine infrastructure

Improved broadband connectivity

More efficient and reliable energy (The Arctic Energy Fund can only be applied to this outcome.)

Improved education and health facilities that benefit Indigenous peoples (specific to Truth and Reconciliation Commission)

* Outcomes will be obtained through projects which will be communicated in more detail as they are announced. The bilateral agreements will allow the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories to agree on shared results as well as a method of reporting on results on a regular basis. The bilateral agreements support the following long-term results: Increase the rate of economic growth in an inclusive and sustainable way;

Improve environmental quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resiliency of communities;

Improve mobility in Canadian communities;

Make Canadian communities more inclusive and accessible; and

Manage infrastructure in a more sustainable way. Under these new bilateral agreements, the Government of Canada will not only make significant investments in Canadian communities, but also open the door to unique and innovative project ideas that meet the agreed-upon outcomes. These new ideas will contribute to the long-term sustainability of our infrastructure. In order to ensure our partners consider opportunities to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions or better adapt to climate change during the project development stage, a new climate lens will be applied for certain projects. Additionally, partners will also report on how larger projects are creating job opportunities for a broader array of Canadians in the construction industry and related sectors through a new Community Employment Benefits framework. For information on cost-sharing, please see Infrastructure Canada's website. Associated links Government of Canada's $180-billion+ Investing in Canada plan *New*  Investing in Canada plan project map Federal infrastructure investments in the Northwest Territories Twitter: @INFC_eng

Web: Infrastructure Canada SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Commences Investigation on Behalf of Salesforce.com, Inc. (CRM) Investors

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces an investigation on behalf of Salesforce.com (News - Alert) , Inc. (NYSE: CRM) investors concerning the Company and its directors' and officers' possible violations of state laws.

If you purchased Salesforce.com stock, have information, or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights orinterests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9244, or Bryan Faubus, of GPM, 230 Park Avenue, Suite 530, New York, NY 10169 at 212-682-5340 or at bfaubus@glancylaw.com, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.







This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180306006777/en/
[March 06, 2018] Rapidly Advancing Technology Is Fueling Intelligent Enterprises but Requires a Fundamental Shift in Leadership, According to Accenture Technology Vision 2018

JAKARTA, Indonesia, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies are accelerating the creation of intelligent enterprises and enabling companies to integrate themselves into people's lives, according to Accenture Technology Vision 2018, the annual technology report from Accenture (NYSE: ACN) that predicts key technology trends likely to disrupt business over the next three years. However, capitalizing on growth opportunities while also having a positive impact on society requires a new era of leadership that prioritizes trust and greater responsibility. This year's report, "Intelligent Enterprise Unleashed: Redefine Your Company Based on the Company You Keep," highlights how rapid advancements in technologies -- including artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics and the cloud -- are enabling companies to not just create innovative products and services, but change the way people work and live. This, in turn, is changing companies' relationships with their customers and business partners. As part of the Technology Vision, Accenture surveyed more than 6,300 business and IT executives worldwide. More than four in five respondents (84 percent) agree that through technology, companies are weaving themselves seamlessly into the fabric of how people live today. For example, Amazon -- through not only its tremendous online presence but also its Echo device and AI assistant Alexa -- has integrated itself into people's everyday lives to such an extent that developers are building dedicated Amazon lockers into new apartment complexes and people are granting the company physical access to their homes via its smart lock system to let couriers make deliveries when no one is around. "Technology is now firmly embedded throughout our everyday lives and is reshaping large parts of society," said Paul Daugherty, Accenture's chief technology & innovation officer. "Just as cities developed around ports and then railroads, or people rebuilt their lives around electricity, the world today is reimagining itself around digital innovation -- and, by extension, the companies that provide those services. This requires a new type of relationship, built on trust and the sharing of large amounts of personal information." The report notes that this latest technological transformation is unique in that for the first time the change is a two-way street; people aren't just using companies' products and services, but feeding information and access back to them. This level of "integrated innovation" and degree of trust requires a deeper relationship -- a true partnership based not only on a company's products, but also its goals and values. And with this two-way partnership come new responsibilities -- to consumers, busines partners and society at large -- requiring leadership and commitment from the top.



Savvy organizations understand that these new societal expectations can be transformed into an enterprise strength. They're using their increased interactions to build partnerships with customers, employees, government and the public. And this extends beyond the consumer or retail arena. Tesla, for instance, is partnering with governments to accelerate the development of guidelines needed for autonomous vehicles. And Siemens, by offering its MindSphere operating system for internet of things that can be used for various types of assets such as manufacturing devices, smart grid components or power generation equipment, is creating new partnerships and embedding itself into its business partners' architectures.

The Technology Vision identifies five emerging technology trends that companies must address if they are to build the partnerships needed to succeed in today's digital economy: Citizen AI: Raising AI to Benefit Business and Society. As artificial intelligence (AI) grows in its capabilities, so does its impact on people's lives. Businesses looking to capitalize on AI's potential must acknowledge this impact, "raising" AI to act as responsible representatives of their business.

As artificial intelligence (AI) grows in its capabilities, so does its impact on people's lives. Businesses looking to capitalize on AI's potential must acknowledge this impact, "raising" AI to act as responsible representatives of their business. Extended Reality: The End of Distance. Virtual and augmented reality technologies are transforming the ways people live and work by removing the distance to people, information and experiences.

Virtual and augmented reality technologies are transforming the ways people live and work by removing the distance to people, information and experiences. Data Veracity: The Importance of Trust. By transforming themselves to run on data, businesses now face a new kind of vulnerability: inaccurate, manipulated and biased data that leads to corrupted business insights and skewed decisions. To address this challenge, companies must follow a dual mandate to maximize veracity and minimize incentives for data manipulation.

By transforming themselves to run on data, businesses now face a new kind of vulnerability: inaccurate, manipulated and biased data that leads to corrupted business insights and skewed decisions. To address this challenge, companies must follow a dual mandate to maximize veracity and minimize incentives for data manipulation. Frictionless Business: Built to Partner at Scale. Businesses depend on technology-based partnerships for growth, but their own legacy systems aren't designed to support partnerships at scale. To fully power the connected Intelligent Enterprise, companies must first re-design themselves.

Businesses depend on technology-based partnerships for growth, but their own legacy systems aren't designed to support partnerships at scale. To fully power the connected Intelligent Enterprise, companies must first re-design themselves. Internet of Thinking: Creating Intelligent Distributed Systems. Businesses are making big bets on intelligent environments via robotics, AI and immersive experiences, but bringing these intelligent environments to life will require not only adding key skills and workforce capabilities, but also modernizing current enterprise technology infrastructures. "Through these new partnerships with customers, employees and business collaborators, companies are building greater trust and further integrating themselves into society, becoming more indispensable and fueling their own growth," Daugherty said. For nearly 18 years, Accenture has taken a systematic look across the enterprise landscape to identify emerging technology trends that hold the greatest potential to disrupt businesses and industries. For more information on this year's report, visit www.accenture.com/technologyvision or follow the conversation on Twitter with #TechVision2018. About the Methodology The Accenture Technology Vision is developed annually by the Accenture Labs and Accenture Research. For the 2018 report, the research process included gathering input from the Technology Vision External Advisory Board, a group comprising more than two dozen experienced individuals from the public and private sectors, academia, venture capital firms and entrepreneurial companies. In addition, the Technology Vision team conducted interviews with technology luminaries and industry experts, as well as with nearly 100 Accenture business leaders. In parallel, Accenture Research conducted a global online survey of more than 6,300 business and IT executives across 25 countries and 18 industries to capture insights into the adoption of emerging technologies. The survey helped identify the key issues and priorities for technology adoption and investment. Respondents were mostly C-level executives and directors, with some functional and line-of-business leads, at companies with annual revenues of at least US$500 million, with most having annual revenues greater than US$6 billion. About Accenture Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions -- underpinned by the world's largest delivery network -- Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 435,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com. For more information, please contact:

Accenture Indonesia

Nia Sarinastiti

Marketing & Communication Director

Wisma 46 - Kota BNI - Lantai 18

Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav.1, Jakarta 10220

Tel : +6221 574 6575

Email: nia.sarinastiti@accenture.com SOURCE Accenture

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 06, 2018] Two Automotive Powerhouses Join Forces - What Does This Mean?

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dealer Teamwork has recently entered it's second year as an automotive digital marketing provider, and they have made a huge splash in that short amount of time. Today, Dealer Teamwork announces their strategic partnership with Market Scan, an automotive software solution and data provider. This begs the questions, why Market Scan and why now? Since the beginning, Dealer Teamwork has striven to offer solutions that allow automotive dealers to be more efficient and effective with digital marketing. That is why they invented and patented the MPOP. The MPOP is a Merchandising, Personalization and Optimization Platform that allows dealers to control their digital marketing from a single, central tool in real-time. Dealer Teamwork will soon release a new feature of the MPOP, Cruise Control Pro, that will take automation to the next level. That is where Market Scan comes in, as the preferred data provider to power this new feature. Sean Stapleton, CEO of Dealer Teamwork stated, "Market Scan was the most powerful and comprehensive lease and retail finance data aggregator, so they were the clear choice." When asked what factors lead to their decision, Stapletn said, "Market Scan was the only company that



Ingests vast amounts of lender and OEM information electronically and almost instantly, They have, by far, the most robust database and calculation engine, And they are highly accurate, flexible and timely with their data. "These qualities mirror the qualities that Dealer Teamwork provides with our technology solutions, so we knew Market Scan could enhance our products rather than force us to change our product to meet their limitations." "We have been in the automotive technology space for about 30 years and have had the privilege of working with many of the industry's greatest visionaries," said Rusty West, President of Market Scan Information Systems, Inc. "For many years, we have wanted to do a project with Sean Stapleton because his ideas are truly revolutionary. We are elated that his latest venture, Dealer Teamwork, gives us that opportunity."

About Market Scan: Market Scan is the automotive industry's leading provider of lease, finance, balloon note and cash purchase transaction data and calculations. Quoting over 25 million payments each day, Market Scan's mScanAPI product is currently powering many of the leading dealership and consumer facing companies. Working with technologies like Dealer Teamwork, Market Scan is changing the way automobiles are sold. About Dealer Teamwork: Dealer Teamwork is a SaaS Company creating first-class solutions for the retail automotive industry. Dealer Teamwork created the automotive industry's first MPOP, a patented Merchandising, Personalization, and Optimization Platform. For more information, please visit DealerTeamwork.com or visit the Dealer Teamwork FAQ. PRLog ID: www.prlog.org/12695751 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/two-automotive-powerhouses-join-forces---what-does-this-mean-300609550.html SOURCE Dealer Teamwork LLC

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] Toxic Online Dating Trends in the UK 2018

LONDON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- An online survey by leadingdatingsites.co.uk The independent dating market observer Leadingdatingsites.co.uk examined the press of the last two decades to evaluate the development in the dating terminology. It was found that in 2016 an abundance of new terms was introduced and quickly gained popularity throughout the media. This article is seeking to introduce and define these expressions. Defining the terms, it was also discovered that not only technology has developed, but also that the online dating site user's behavior has adapted accordingly. Especially the dishonest grew accustomed to the possibilities that arose. For instance, in 2000 the term romance scammer was used frequently. In the years to come the terminology evolved and a strikingamount of new terms, mostly with negative notions surfaced.



Plenty of fish conducted a study on the subject of dating behaviors of the "millennial" generation in 2016. This generation born between 1980 and 2000 is widely known for its adversity to commitment. Results showed that 80% of the surveyed had been affected by the phenomenon "ghosting" before, which is congruent to the findings of Leadingdatingsites.co.uk . Learn more about the terminology in this in-depth guide:

https://www.leadingdatingsites.co.uk/ghosting-benching.htm - Cross reference: Picture is available via epa european pressphoto agency (http://www.epa.eu) - About www.leadingdatingsites.co.uk : "UK's Leading Dating Sites" is an independent observer of the British online dating industry. Those looking for love online will find reviews pointing them to leading singles' portals and tips for online flirting. "LeadingDatingSites.co.uk" is part of the German Metaflake network, which operates from Cologne managing websites in 12 different countries. Press Contact:

metaflake

Henning Wiechers

Telephone: +49 171 5361691

E-mail: press@leadingdatingsites.co.uk



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] Swedish Healthcare Provider Digitizes Pathology for Primary Diagnostics With Sectra

LINKOPING, Sweden, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- International medical imaging IT and cybersecurity company Sectra (STO: SECT B) has signed a contract with Dalarna County Council in Sweden for digital pathology. Dalarna County Council is already using Sectra's solution for breast imaging. The two departments work particularly closely together in cancer care. Working within the same system will allow for convenient sharing of images and information, enabling efficient integrated diagnostics and patient-centric care. "By digitizing pathology, we will enable a closer collaboration between pathologists as well as with other departments, thereby increasing efficiency in cancer care," says Tibor Tot, operation manager for laboratory medicine at Dalarna County Council. "For example, it will make the preparation of multidisciplinary team meetings easier as well as the actual meetings. In addition, Sectra's vendor-neutral solution lets us use different scanners from various vendors depending on which is most suitable for a certain type of pathology image. This will be very important for us moving forward." The contract also comprises Sectra's solution for sharing pathology images and collaborating with others. Pathologists at Dalarna County Council will be able to share images and collaborate with pathologists working from elsewhere, both in and outside the country. It provides efficient use of resources and an ability to easily discuss cases with subspecialized pathologists. Sectra digital pathology

Sectra's digital pathology solution includes digital tools which enable the pathologists to make their diagnoses and carry out reporting with higher precision and less time spent per case. The pathology solution is built on the same platform as Sectra's solution for handling radiology images (Sectra PACS). This enables in-depth collaboration and easier sharing of medical images and patient information between radiologists and pathologists as well as with other medical disciplines involved in cancer careso called integrated diagnostics. In addition, using a common platform leads to reduced maintenance and operating costs. Sectra offers a complete, vendor-neutral solution for primary diagnostics that includes storage solutions and an advanced review workstation. In the US, digital pathology for primary diagnostics is still pending FDA approval. For further information, please contact: Dr. Torbjorn Kronander,

CEO and President Sectra AB,

+46(0)705-23-52-27 Marie Ekstrom Tragardh,

Executive Vice President Sectra AB and President Sectra Imaging IT Solutions,

+46(0)708-23-56-10 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/sectra/r/swedish-healthcare-provider-digitizes-pathology-for-primary-diagnostics-with-sectra,c2466662 The following files are available for download:







http://news.cision.com/sectra/i/swedish-healthcare-provider-digitizes-pathology-for-primary-diagnostics-with-sectra,c2357924 Swedish healthcare provider digitizes pathology for primary diagnostics with Sectra

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/swedish-healthcare-provider-digitizes-pathology-for-primary-diagnostics-with-sectra-300609671.html SOURCE Sectra

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] Nogle Ventures Strategy Fund Announces Strategic Collaboration with Oyster Ventures and New Investments in the Blockchain Space

TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia-based Nogle Capital Management unveiled its latest strategic agreement for its venture capital fund Nogle Ventures Strategy Fund I SPC (the "Fund"). The Fund has agreed into a deal-sharing and sourcing, co-marketing and co-investment agreement with China-US cross border venture capital firm, Oyster Ventures. In addition to the collaboration, the Fund is also pleased to announce its participation in recent fundraising of Basecoin, Blockstack and Telegram through their respective exclusive, private pre-initial coin offering (ICO). The Fund, a segregated portfolio formed and managed by Nogle Capital Management, is aimed at investing in high growth technology ventures. Oyster is a specialized early stage investment platform targeting US-based frontier technology startups in the areas of blockchain, artificial intelligence, fintech, media tech and much more (https://oyster.vc/). The collaboration with Oyster represents a significant milestone in Nogle Capital Management's consolidation in sourcing developing ventures with high growth investment opportunities on a global scale for its investor base. "The Oyster platform has strengthened our existing network within the global technology community as a truly global investment platform and validates our dedication to sourcing the best investments for our investors," said Carlos Salas, Managing Partner of Nogle Capital Management. As part of the collaboration, Jonathan Leong, Executive Chairman of Nogle Limited, the parent company of Nogle Capital Management, would be taking a position with Oyster as a General Partner. Jonathan Leong commented, "We have made great strides in reaching our core objectives in a focused and disciplined manner. This collaboration with Oyster proves mutually complementary to each party's objectives ad beneficial to each party's investor base".



Oyster's Managing Partner, Ran Wang commented: "Oyster Ventures is very pleased with this collaboration with Nogle Ventures Strategy Fund and Mr. Leong's participation. This collaboration will enable both venture capital firms to complement each other and be ahead of the curve." Embracing Blockchain Opportunities

The Fund's investments in Basecoin, Blockstack and Telegram confirms Nogle Capital Management's primary goals to build a portfolio of first-class technology startups and is a further testament of Nogle's capabilities, reputation and track record as a leading investor and value-added partner to high growth startups globally. "These investments represent only a sample of the involvement that Nogle Capital Management is making in blockchain and the kind of professional investment firms we participate with. More upcoming opportunities we will be involved in will represent our consolidation as an active participant in the blockchain space," commented Carlos Salas. Basecoin (stablecoin) Created by blockchain startup Intangible Labs, Basecoin is a decentralized, price-stable cryptocurrency that aims to modify its supply by using a machine, decentralized, protocol-enforced-algorithm, monetary policy to lend it stability and maintain value. Founded by Princeton University graduates, Google and Quantitative Strategies executives, the Basecoin project is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Bain Capital Ventures, Libertus Capital, PolyChain Capital, Pantera Capital, Digital Currency Group, 1confirmation, and MetaStable Capital. Blockstack (network) A network for decentralized applications accessed through the Blockstack browser. Blockstack is a new type of Internet browser which uses the blockchain to enable decentralized storage and decentralized authentication & identity for applications allowing interactions between users and applications seamlessly. Users of applications like Facebook or Google would have a shared login and retain control of their identity as the blockchain identifies them within applications. Blockstack is backed by Union Square Ventures, Foundation Capital, Lux Capital, Winklevoss Capital, Blockchain Capital, Digital Currency Group, Y Combinator partner Qasar Younis, Techcrunch founder Michael Arrington and Digg founder Kevin Rose. The co-founders of the blockchain have graduated from Princeton University. Telegram (Encrypted messaging) Encrypted messaging startup Telegram plans to launch its own blockchain platform and native cryptocurrency, powering payments on its chat app and beyond. The "Telegram Open Network" (TON) is very likely to become a new, third generation blockchain with superior capabilities, after Bitcoin and, later, Ethereum paved the way. The launch will be funded with an enormous Initial Coin Offering, with forthcoming private pre-sales ranging into the hundreds of millions, potentially making it one of the largest ICOs to date. About Nogle Capital Management Nogle Capital Management is a venture capital management firm aimed at investing in high growth technology ventures. Our investment strategy is focused on developing companies with technology innovations (cloud computing, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, data analytics and much more) through active financial and operational facilitation that can benefit from Nogle's extensive business network. Nogle Capital Management is the investment management venture and fully-owned subsidiary of Nogle Limited. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.noglecapital.com/ For Media Inquiries: Connie Lin

Marketing Communications Director

Tel: +886 2- 2345 9399|Mobile: +886 905-122-079|email: connie.lin@nogle.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nogle-ventures-strategy-fund-announces-strategic-collaboration-with-oyster-ventures-and-new-investments-in-the-blockchain-space-300609672.html SOURCE Nogle Capital Management

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] WANdisco Launches OEM Sales Partnership With Alibaba Cloud

WANdisco Fusion to be embedded as a standard component in selected Alibaba Cloud solutions

Represents WANdiscos first OEM agreement in China significantly expanding addressable market SAN RAMON, Calif., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WANdisco (LSE:WAND), the Live Data Company, announces it has entered into a non-exclusive OEM ('Original Equipment Manufacturer') sales agreement with Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group. Under the sales agreement, WANdisco Fusion, a solution that seamlessly replicates transactional data at petabyte scale without downtime or disruption, will be sold as a standard component on Alibaba Cloud, covering several key aspects including Live Data migration to Alibaba Cloud, Alibaba Cloud for disaster recovery and hybrid big data with Alibaba Cloud. The partnership represents a substantial increase in WANdiscos addressable market and a significant extension of its channel strategy. Mr. Hong Tang, Chief Architect of Alibaba Cloud, commented: "We believe WANdisco's unique Live Data platform can significantly help our customers to leverage cloud for their data computing demands, whether it is to migrate their on premise data to our cloud, utilize cloud for disaster recovery solutions or maintain a hybid-cloud solution, while ensuring their data is always available, accurate and protected."



Mr. David Richards, Chief Executive Officer and Interim Chairman of WANdisco, commented: Partnering with Alibaba Cloud marks another significant milestone in our emergence as a critical part of cloud infrastructure. Our channel strategy has enabled us to expand our addressable market by; opening up new use cases for WANdisco Fusion, moving into new sectors, and now, growing our platform in new geographies. This is our first OEM agreement in the Chinese market and Alibaba Cloud is the largest provider of public cloud services in China, which adds significant market reach and scale to our business.

For further information, please contact: FTI Consulting +44 (0)20 3727 1000 Matt Dixon / Harry Staight /

Leah Dudley / Kwaku Aning WANdisco@fticonsulting.com About WANdisco WANdisco is shaping the future of data infrastructure with its groundbreaking Live Data platform, enabling companies to put all their data to work for the business - all the time, at any scale. WANdisco makes data always available, always accurate, and always protected, delivering hyperscale economics to support exponential data growth with the same IT budget. With significant OEM relationships with IBM and Dell EMC and go-to-market partnerships with Amazon Web Services, Cisco, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Oracle and other industry titans - as well as hundreds of customers among the Global 2000 - WANdisco is igniting a Live Data movement worldwide. For additional information, please visit www.wandisco.com.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
FORM 8.3

PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY

A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE

Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code")

1. KEY INFORMATION

(a) Full name of discloser: Majedie Asset Management Limited (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):



The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named. (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:



Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree



GVC HOLDINGS PLC (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken:



For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 06 March 2018 (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?



If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A" Yes







LADBROKES CORAL GROUP PLC

2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

(a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

Class of relevant security:



ORD EUR0.01



Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 3,485,863 1.15 (2) Cash-settled derivatives:



(3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:



TOTAL:



3,485,863



1.15

All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

(b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options)

Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:

3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

(a) Purchases and sales

Class of relevant security Purchase/sale



Number of securities Price per unit ORD EUR0.01 Sale 153,169 868.1497

(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions

Class of relevant security Product description



e.g. CFD Nature of dealing



e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit





(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type



e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit

(ii) Exercise

Class of relevant security Product description



e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit





(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security Nature of dealing



e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable)





4. OTHER INFORMATION

(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:



Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"



None





(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:



(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or



(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:



If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"



None





(c) Attachments

Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO

Date of disclosure: 07 March 2018 Contact name: Matthew Hambly Telephone number: 0207 618 3900

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.




[March 07, 2018] Watch Out Vietnam, Honor's Latest Mid-Ranger Killer Phones Are Official Now

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Honor, the young, fun and innovative leading smartphone e-brand, successfully launched the Honor 9 Lite and Honor 7X today at the GEM Center, marking the young brand's official arrival in Vietnam and expansion in South East Asia. A wide range of top-tier media, Honor's strategic business partners, influencers and Honor fans joined the event to witness and celebrate this key milestone. "As a young brand born in 2013, Honor's is rapidly growing around the globe, with its footprints stamped and leading role established in China, Western Europe, Nordics, Central and Eastern Europe, and Asia Pacific. I'm excited to see the momentum going and we'll continue to spare no effort in our product quality, service and technology innovation." commented George Zhao, President of Honor. Unmatched price-performance flagship killers Both the Honor 9 Lite and the Honor 7X offer flagship-like features and seamless performance to consumers at an irresistible price point. Beautiful inside and out, the Honor 9 Lite is a gadget shining in Paris fashion week with Koche, a trendy brand for young generation. It's the perfect way to capture your life moments, with competitive dual-lens 13MP + 2MP cameras, on both the front and back, and an expression of who you are, with its exquisitely designed 2.5D glass and 5.65-inch edge-to-edge FullView HD Display. The Honor 7X is the first smartphone to feature Honor FullView Display; a 5.93 inch edge-to-edge, bezel-less screen design that provides remarkable display quality and achieves an extraordinary high screen-to-body ratio. Combined with a powerful octal-core Kirin 659 and graphics processing unit (GPU), the Honor 7X provides a clrity and user experience that is incomparable at this highly competitive price. Which is a perfect monster for gaming enthusiasts.



Strategic partnership with young lifestyle co-creators Honor stands for the young life style and co-create funs with global partners. Today at the event, Honor announced its strategic partnership with VNG, the distributor of the popular battle royale game Rules of Survival; IGG, distributor of real-time strategy game Lords Mobile and action-packed game inspired by manga series Honkai Impact 3; and Bigo Live, the trendy and popular live-stream app beloved by young generation.

"Both IGG and Honor have already proved themselves in the Vietnam market, but we are both eager to work together and reach for greater heights," added Richard Chua, the General Manager of IGG Singapore. "We share the common goals with Honor and work together to create a brighter future. We have various cooperation in more important markets starting from Southeast Asia," said Tony Tang, the General Manager of BIGO LIVE Vietnam. "We are thrilled that the first product launch in Vietnam is a great success. And we are honored that the entry is widely welcomed and celebrated by our partners, fans and media community. Being one of our key targeted markets in South East Asia, Vietnam is no doubt the strategic ground for Honor to continue offering the best state-of-the-art products and innovations. Looking to the future, Honor will bring something new and exciting to consumers in Vietnam continuously. " said Akin Li, President of Honor South East Asia. Honor 9 Lite Flash Sale: Honor's first flash sale in Vietnam! Buy Honor 9 Lite at 4290k, win 300k voucher! Buy it on Lazada, Shopee and Tiki from 13th March, limited stocks open at 11:00am! Honor 7X Sale: Honor 7X sale also begins on 13th March at 5490k. Stock available on Lazada, Shopee and Tiki from 12:00am! Buy Honor 7X, win 500k voucher! About Honor Honor is a leading smartphone e-brand under the Huawei Group. In line with its slogan, "For the Brave", the brand was created to meet the needs of digital natives through internet-optimized products that offer superior user experiences, inspire action, foster creativity and empower the young to achieve their dreams. In doing this, Honor has set itself apart by showcasing its own bravery to do things differently and to take the steps needed to usher in the latest technologies and innovations for its customers. For more information, please visit Honor online at www.hihonor.com or follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/honorglobal/

https://twitter.com/Honorglobal

https://www.instagram.com/honorglobal/

https://www.youtube.com/honorglobal For media enquiries, please contact: Burson-Marsteller Hong Kong

Reed Li

+852 29636719

reed.li@bm.com



Alice Du

+852 29636767

alice.du@bm.com Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180307/2074025-1-a

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180307/2074025-1-b

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180307/2074025-1-c

SOURCE Honor

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] Honor Continues to Expand Rapidly in South East Asia

SHENZHEN, China, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Honor, a young, innovative, and trend-setting brand founded in 2013, is expanding rapidly into new markets across South East Asia and will officially launch in Vietnam today, March 7, with the release of the Honor 9 Lite and Honor 7X. With this big step, Honor will yet again prove it is committed to providing flagship features and seamless performance at an irresistible price point. The Vietnam launch follows the opening of Honor's first store in Yangon, Myanmar. In addition to further launches in new markets in South East Asia, Honor is looking to expand into Indonesia and Thailand markets. Beautiful inside and out, the Honor 9 Lite features a quad-lens camera, with 13MP + 2MP camera on both the front and back, and an exquisitely designed 2.5D glass and 5.65-inch edge-to-edge FullView HD Display. The Honor 7X is the first smartphone to feature this Honor FullView Display, a 5.93 inch edge-to-edge, bezel-less screen design that provides remarkable display quality and achieves an extraordinary high screen-to-body ratio. Stunning performance, design and affordability are not the only reasons young consumrs enjoy Honor smartphones. The brand is expanding its global connections with trendsetting brands in gaming, fashion, such as Gameloft, Monster and Koche. In Vietnam, Honor has already established strong relationships with VNG(the distributor of the popular battle royale game Rules of Survival), IGG (the distributor of real-time strategy game Lords Mobile and action-packed game inspired by manga series Honkai Impact 3), and Bigo Live (the trendy and popular live-stream app).



"Honor's strives to meet the needs of a younger generation, offering cutting-edge technology, innovative function and superior user experiences to inspire and empower young people to be themselves. We are excited about the journey ahead of us  bringing innovative products to more markets in the future," said George Zhao, President of Honor. Honor plans to become a top five smartphone brand within three years, and top three within five years.

About Honor Honor is a leading smartphone e-brand under the Huawei Group. In line with its slogan, "For the Brave", the brand was created to meet the needs of digital natives through internet-optimized products that offer superior user experiences, inspire action, foster creativity and empower the young to achieve their dreams. In doing this, Honor has set itself apart by showcasing its own bravery to do things differently and to take the steps needed to usher in the latest technologies and innovations for its customers. For more information, please visit Honor online at www.hihonor.com or follow us on:

https://www.facebook.com/honorglobal/

https://twitter.com/Honorglobal

https://www.instagram.com/honorglobal/

https://www.youtube.com/honorglobal For media enquiries, please contact:

Burson-Marsteller Hong Kong Reed Li

+852 29636719

reed.li@bm.com Alice Du

+852 29636767

Alice.du@bm.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/honor-continues-to-expand-rapidly-in-south-east-asia-300609737.html SOURCE Honor

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] Bandura Systems Closes $3.5 Million Seed Round

COLUMBIA, Md. and ST. LOUIS, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bandura Systems, which pioneered the threat intelligence gateway (TIG) in part with the U.S. Department of Defense, today announced it has closed its seed funding round. The $3.5 million financing came from Blu Ventures, Gula Tech Adventures, the Maryland Tech Development Corp. (TEDCO), Prosper Women Entrepreneurs (PWE), SixThirty, SixThirty Cyber and UMB Financial Corporation. TIGs are stand-alone threat prevention appliances that can process millions more threat indicators than traditional network security enforcement approaches. They help protect corporate networks by more effectively blocking known threats and making threat intelligence actionable. They also complement and improve the performance of existing security solutions like firewalls and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) software reducing the number of events that need detection and response, making employees more effective.

Todd Weller - Bandura's Chief Strategy Officer



The funding will be used to support the growing demand for Bandura Systems PoliWall TIG whose revenue quadrupled in 2017. Bandura is expanding its executive team, recently hiring prominent cybersecurity executive Chris Fedde as its new CEO and today also announcing Todd Weller as its Chief Strategy Officer. Fedde helped Bandura quickly close the round and is positioning the company for future growth. Weller will drive strategy and execution across corporate development, marketing, product management, and strategic alliances and partnerships. Prior to Bandura, Weller served as Vice President of Corporate Development and Marketing at Hexis Cyber Solutions, Inc. which was sold to a firewall vendor owned by Silicon Valley investors. He spent nearly two decades covering cybersecurity as a Wall Street analyst at some of the worlds most prominent financial services firms like Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, and Legg Mason.



The cybersecurity market has been heavily focused on identifying advanced threats, but that has put pressure on security teams to effectively and efficiently block the huge volume of known dangers, said Fedde. Threat Intelligence Gateways fill this role by addressing a key gap in existing security controls, which are not built to consume threat indicators on the millions of bad IPs and domains that exist. Im excited to join Bandura, the company that pioneered TIGs, as enterprises of all sizes can begin using these Threat Intelligence Gateways. According to Ron Gula, head of Bandura investor Gula Tech Adventures and former CEO of Tenable Network Security, "The cybersecurity industry has done a great job producing threat intelligence, but Bandura can apply it. Bandura Systems allows organizations to be proactive in blocking these known threats to better protect their networks."

In addition to announcing its funding and new executive appointment, Bandura is also announcing today it will have dual headquarters. Columbia, Maryland will now house Banduras business headquarters and Lake St. Louis, Missouri its engineering headquarters. For the exact location of Banduras offices, go to https://bandurasystems.com/contact.html. About Bandura Systems

Bandura Systems pioneered the Threat Intelligence Gateway (TIG) in part with the U.S. Department of Defense. Banduras PoliWall is the most comprehensive, scalable and granular TIG platform on the market. Organizations worldwide use TIGs for the automation and control needed to operationalize hundreds of million threat indicators blocking known threats before they even reach the network firewall. Underlying Banduras robust technology are more than 50 issued and pending patents. To learn more about how Banduras PoliWall TIG reduces an organizations attack surface, operationalizes threat intelligence and helps get more out of existing security investments, visit https://bandurasystems.com. Media Contact

Andrew Goss

Voxus PR for Bandura Systems

agoss@voxuspr.com

253.444.5446 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7f66bae4-36a8-48eb-8b8a-e2f30975ad49

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] SatixFy Introducing Wideband 500 MHz DVB-S2X SDR Modem with Record 2.4 Gbps Throughput

REHOVOT, Israel, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SatixFy, a company specializing in developing and selling SDR baseband chips and modems, is introducing its first Wideband 500 MHz DVB-S2X Software Defined Radio (SDR) modem. SatixFy is demonstrating operation of its modem based on its SX-3000 chip at Satellite 2018, in SatixFy's booth (#649) in Washington, D.C. The product sets a record in terms of throughput, demonstrating 2.4 Gbps in 64 APSK with no time slicing or 256 APSK with 30% time slicing. The new Wideband SDR modem is the only one in the market today supporting Beam Hopping and VLSNR. The new modem's single carrier and Beam Hopping architecture enables substantially higher throughput from wideband (500 MHz) satellite transponders to enable superior connectivity. With SatixFy's modem, through single 500 MHz carrier and Beam Hopping capability, satellite operators and service providers will be able to get significantly higher throughput for applications requiring it, such as trunking, enterprise, and backhauling. A 1U rack mount Enterprise model is available today and a Consumer Unit will be available in Q4 2018. "SatixFy is pleased to introduce our first Wideband modem and demonstrate the unbeatable performance of our SX-3000 chip in terms of QEF performance with a fraction of dB from DVB-S2X guidelines with over 2 Gbps throughput per 500 MHz transponder. Our team is first in reaching industry leading benchmarks that until now were out of the industry's grasps. This modem demonstrates our advantages over our competition. It is the only one in the market that supports Beam Hopping and VLSNR, and is the only SoC that supports the demodulator, modulator, dual core host CPU and 3 DSPs, with periphery of three 1 GB Ethernet ports, UART and many peripheral interfaces," said Yoel Gat, SatixFy CEO. The Wideband SDR modem demonstration using the R&SSMW200A vector signal generator from Rohde & Schwarz shows no errors at -2 dB SNR with DVB-S2 QPSK rate . The R&SSMW200A single-instrument solution simplifies the testing of components, modem devices and satellite payloads. The vector signal generator supports DVB-S2/DVB-S2X and the latest satellite standard of a mega constellation. It is the first fully calibrated wideband solution with an RF modulation bandwidth of 2 GHz on the market and generates signals across all frequencies and satellite bands up to 40 GHz in the Ka-band. Another demonstration is based on TeamCast TYGER, a wideband, DVB-S2/S2X compliant modulator offering high rates (up to 480 Mbaud, i.e. up to 2 Gbps), Time Slicing (AnnexM), CID management and GSE IP encapsulation for maximizing, payload, operational flexibility, and return on investment. For IP transport, the use of the GSE adaptation algorithm insures lower overhead and maximized capacity and spectrum efficiency. By meeting the requirements of the DVB "Annex M", TYGER enables the mixing of services (broadcast and broadband) over the same satellite carrier. Specifically, it supports Time-Slicing, a process to split a wideband signal - up to 2 Gbps - into a number of independent low rates services, to keep the receiver IC complexity and price low, which is a mandatory requirement for a mass market adoption.



"We are pleased to be able to show how simple and powerful an end-to-end wideband transmission can be using stateof-the-art DVB-S2X features of the satellite technology, including Time-Slicing (Annex M)," said Christophe Trolet, Head of the Satellite Business Unit at TeamCast. At Satellite 2018, SatixFy will also be demonstrating its Beam Hopping Emulator. The company, alongside its partners, is leading the industry in developing and setting standardization efforts for super-frame structure and beam hopping waveforms in DVB, and Resource Management, as well as Beam Hopping Illumination Plan algorithms and configurations in ETSI.

ABOUT SATIXFY GROUP:

The SatixFy Group designs next-generation satellite communication systems based on in-house developed chipsets. With locations in Israel and the UK, SatixFy develops a line of satellite communication modems with SDR and Electronically Steered antennas to support the most advanced standards, such as DVB-S2X. SatixFy's ASICs radically increase system performance and reduce the weight and power requirements of terminals, payloads and gateway equipment. With satellite communication expertise and full development capabilities, the company delivers the industry's smallest VSATs and multi-beam electronically steered antenna arrays for a variety of mobile applications and services such as Connected Car, IoT, consumer broadband, airline broadband communications, communication payloads and more.

For more information, please go to www.satixfy.com ABOUT ROHDE & SCHWARZ:

The Rohde & Schwarz technology group develops, produces and markets innovative test and measurement, information and communications technology products for professional users. Rohde & Schwarz focuses on test and measurement, broadcast and media, cybersecurity, secure communications and monitoring and network testing, areas that address many different industry and government-sector market segments. Founded more than 80 years ago, the independent company has an extensive sales and service network in more than 70 countries. On June 30, 2017, Rohde & Schwarz had approximately 10,500 employees. The group achieved a net revenue of approximately EUR 1.9 billion in the 2016/2017 fiscal year (July to June). The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and also has regional hubs in Asia and the USA. ABOUT TEAMCAST:

TeamCast is a renowned and highly active member of the Digital TV ecosystem worldwide, with innovative technology offerings based on a solid expertise in Satellite and Terrestrial Digital TV transmission.

Created in 2003, and based at Rennes in France, TeamCast is deeply involved in the development, definition and verification of numerous broadcasting standards.

Today, major clients in the Broadcasting Industry from 50 different countries invest their confidence in TeamCast and its products. TeamCast has offices in Elmira (New York) and in Singapore to support the development of its business in North America and Asia, and to provide local sales and technical support services to its customers.

For more information: www.teamcast.com Press contacts: SatixFy Group

Helena Itzhak, Marketing Commiunications, SatixFy, helena.itzhak@satixfy.com

Josh Shuman, S&A Communications, joshs@shumanpr.com Rohde & Schwarz

Europe (headquarters): Patrizia Muehlbauer, press@rohde-schwarz.com TeamCast

Alain Untersee, alain.untersee@teamcast.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/satixfy-introducing-wideband-500-mhz-dvb-s2x-sdr-modem-with-record-24-gbps-throughput-300609816.html SOURCE SatixFy

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] Cellebrite Delivers Major Enhancements to Analytics Product Family to Make Digital Evidence More Actionable for Investigators and Prosecutors

PETAH TIKVA, Israel, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cellebrite, the leading provider of digital intelligence solutions, today announced key usability enhancements designed to help investigators and prosecutors solve crimes faster. With key interface upgrades, investigative teams can capture, organize and produce case reports in an easily understandable format that can be shared with peers or effectively presented in court. An advanced catalog of data and powerful analytics capabilities help investigative teams of all sizes rapidly discover digital evidence in cases. Cellebrite Analytics allows investigators and prosecutors with all levels of technical skill to quickly surface more insights from text and media artifacts via: Image Similarity: innovative machine learning algorithms automatically detect and pinpoint images that contain similar items such as faces, objects, symbols and themes. By simply uploading or selecting an image, the system immediately identifies only the relevant media items saving precious investigative cycles.

Expanded language search capabilities including enhanced Arabic OCR and key-word search capabilities that immediately identify any text and image artifacts that contain Arabic textual elements. Investigators can now develop profiles, and examine suspects and victims in a thoroug, streamlined approach by leveraging new capabilities such as:



Device Owner Color Indication: improve the visual understanding of all digital evidence and quickly differentiate between device owners by assigning a unique color identifier to each owner. This simple yet powerful capability is extremely useful when viewing data in any of the contextual views (List, Graph, Map) from multiple owners in one single view.

Enhanced Person View: identify people faster and generate a comprehensive digital profile by automatically unifying all digital identifiers (i.e., phone numbers, email addresses, aliases and user accounts) into one contact card. Agents can quickly sort, filter and visualize information on people of interest from one or multiple cases. "The latest advancements to Cellebrite Analytics open up powerful technology in more accessible ways, so that investigative team members of all levels can tackle and leverage mass amounts of digital evidence," said Ron Serber, Global Co-CEO, Cellebrite. "With a more intuitive interface, this update brings more power to prosecutors who will be able to leverage this evidence earlier on in the investigative process and efficiently tackle growing threats of crime types like homicide, terrorism, gangs and child exploitation." Cellebrite: Digital Intelligence for a Safer World

Digital data plays an increasingly important role in investigations and operations of all kinds. Making data accessible, collaborative and actionable is what Cellebrite does best. As the global leader in digital intelligence with more than 60,000 licenses deployed in 150 countries, we provide law enforcement, military, intelligence, and enterprise customers with the most complete, industry-proven range of solutions for digital forensics, triage and analytics. By enabling access, sharing and analysis of digital data from mobile devices, social media, cloud, computer, cellular operators and other sources, Cellebrite products, solutions, services and training help customers build the strongest cases quickly, even in the most complex situations. As a result, Cellebrite is the preferred one-stop shop for digital intelligence solutions that make a safer world more possible every day. Contact: Kelly Miller, 202-465-8744, kmiller@bannerpublicaffairs.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cellebrite-delivers-major-enhancements-to-analytics-product-family-to-make-digital-evidence-more-actionable-for-investigators-and-prosecutors-300609680.html SOURCE Cellebrite

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] Cisco Provides 'Project-Based Challenges' for Participants in Skills Training With Digital Skills Academy

DUBLIN, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cisco recently completed a new Industry Project in partnership with Digital Skills Academy. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/651053/Cisco_Digital_Skills_Academy.jpg )

The largest IT and networking company in the world, Cisco, is the latest major multinational tech company to join Digital Skills Academy's impressive list of Industry Partners. Digital Skills Academy's unique International BSc Degrees, Professional Diplomas and Online Short Courses provide working professionals with experience of developing real digital solutions to real business challenges. These challenges are provided by Industry Partners, a network of organisations that have placed digital at the heart of business strategy. They range from developing websites and mobile apps to launching digital marketing campaigns and using digital solutions to make existing processes far more efficient. Digital Skills Academy's unique approach to experiential learning enables graduates to apply their new skills immediately. Cisco provided real-world challenges for participants to develop their digital skills. Participants were provided with access to digital technologies and tools to address the given challenge and were required to share the outcome with Cisco. "Digital opens up a world of opportunity, but it also introduces extensive complexity. To be successful in any industry, we now need a world of problem solvers who think dgitally", said Kathryn Baddeley, Head of CSR and Skills, Cisco UK & Ireland.



"We were delighted to work with Digital Skills Academy to help their participants develop expertise through real-world challenges," she added. "This was another exciting Industry Partnership for Digital Skills Academy and more importantly, it provided programme participants with hands-on experience of working with one of the biggest names in technology and innovation", said Paul Dunne, Founder and CEO at Digital Skills Academy. "They gained invaluable experience by working in a cross-functional team, combining the functions of application development, design, research, social media integration and big data - and learned how to apply and perform their learning in real-world situations."

Christos Koutsiaris, a Senior JavaScript Developer at SAP Ireland, originally from Greece, completed Digital Skills Academy's BSc Honours Degree in Digital Technology, Design and Innovation, and was part of the Cisco Industry Project team. Commenting on the project, Christos highlighted that "working with a tech giant such as Cisco during a four-month project was very enriching. Not only did I apply key skills learned during the programme in a very hands-on business environment, but the project also enabled me to develop other competencies around digital collaboration and agile project development." About Industry Partner Agreements

Industry Partnerships are symbiotic relationships developed by Digital Skills Academy with various major private and public organisations across the globe. Each Industry Partner is provided with a cross-functional project team that addresses the Industry Partner's specific requirements by exploiting the latest tools and techniques learned on the programme. The team typically comprises a tightly knit team, which includes a project manager, developers, data analysts, digital marketers and content/UX designers. This enables the Industry Partner to address digital innovation opportunities whilst playing a central role in expanding the digital talent pool. For further information on Digital Skills Academy's Industry Partners visit: https://digitalskillsacademy.com/industry-partners About Digital Skills Academy - Founded in 2008 by CEO Paul Dunne, Digital Skills Academy is a premier industry provider of online BSc Degrees, Professional Diplomas and short courses in digital skills and has produced over 2,500 talents to date. Participants on Digital Skills Academy programmes come from respected international companies that include Barclays, EY, Deloitte, Credit Suisse, Dell, SAP, Google and Oracle. Contact: Rebecca Beaty, Corporate Marketing Manager, Digital Skills Academy, Tel: +353(0)15-111-261, Email: Rebecca.Beaty@DigitalSkillsAcademy.com

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] Druva Partners with Wipro to Bring Data Management-as-a-Service for Wipro's LiVE Workspace Suite of Offerings

SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Druva. Inc., the industry-leading data management as-a-service platform company, announced today that it has partnered with Wipro Ltd., (NYSE:WIT) (BSE:507685) (NSE:WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, to provide data management for Wipros LiVE Workspace suite of offerings.

The LiVE Workspace suite provides enterprises with an anywhere, anytime, any device digital workplace, enabling companies to offer their employees a choice when deciding which tools empower them to be more productive, creative and collaborative. Wipro has partnered with Druva because of its unique cloud data governance, protection and intelligence capabilities that provide our customers with the industrys lowest total cost of ownership and visibility to better manage and protect data for their endpoint devices, said Michael Vollmer, general manager of Wipros Apple Practice. Druvas leadership in providing data management-as-a-service makes it a great addition to Wipros LiVE Workspace suite of offerings. Through this service, enterprises can easily and efficiently enhance data protection and management while providing a better IT experience to employees. The Druva Cloud Platform uniquely offers customers an easy and complete way to manage and protect the data on their endpoint devices, said Timm Hoyt, vice president of worldwide partners, Druva. From endpoints to cloud applications andtraditional data centers, Druva offers enterprises the best way to manage and protect their critical information without adding hardware, special software or complexity. Were pleased to be partnering with Wipro to help bring device management and protection for Apple devices to companies worldwide.



About Wipro Limited

Wipro Limited (NYSE:WIT) (BSE:507685) (NSE:WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 160,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. About Druva

Druvas industry-leading data management-as-a service platform unifies data protection, governance and intelligence for business-critical data. Druvas Cloud Platform uniquely combines enterprise-wide business continuity with deep analytics for increased business agility and risk mitigation, reducing the overall cost and complexity of managing data. Over 4,000 enterprises trust Druva to protect and manage more than 50PB of data worldwide. Visit Druva and follow us @druvainc.

Druva, Druva Apollo, Druva Cloud Platform, Druva inSync and Druva Phoenix are trademarks of Druva. Inc. All other trademarks and copyrights are owned by their respective owners. Media Contacts

Danielle Salvato-Earl

Offleash for Druva

druva@offleashpr.com

(650) 922-7287 Georgina Baker

onebite for Druva

georgina.baker@onebite.co.uk

+44 (0)7590 361 668 Maxine Bingham

Director of Public Relations

Druva, Inc.

maxine.bingham@druva.com

(408) 368-2583



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] Digital Focus Aligns Mastercard Organization and Investments

Mastercard today announced the integration of its physical and digital payments teams under one organization, effective April 2, 2018. This change comes as Garry Lyons departs the company to launch a new technology initiative closely aligned with Mastercard. Lyons will leave on June 1 to launch a new outside venture that will provide services to Mastercard, its partners and its customers. He will remain a senior advisor to the company's Management Committee. Since joining Mastercard nearly ten years ago, Lyons served as an integral catalyst for the company's expanded view of payments technology. His entrepreneurial and start-up mindset led to the creation of Mastercard Labs, a global R&D effort that looks at the future from a fresh perspective, determining how advances in technology and consumer trends are going to impact the company's business. "Garry has helped us to think differently about the payment experience, using those sparks to deliver additional value to customers and consumers," said Ajay Banga, president and chief executive officer, Mastercard. "I'm looking forward to the opportunities his new venture will create for our company, both as a customer and as an investor. We look forward to our shared success." Prior to joining Mastercard, Garry was chief executive officer of Orbiscom, a leading provider of innovative payment solutions and the inventor of Virtual Card Numbers. He was with Orbiscom since its incorporation, serving in several roles before it was acquired by Mastercard in December 2008. "I'm excited for this next chapter in my career," said Garry Lyons, chief innovation officer, Mastercard. "And I'm equally delighted to embark on this journey with Mastercard as a partner as we create new services for our customers." Delivering Best Consumer Experience In-Store and Online Michael Miebach, chief product officer, will lead the newly-formed Products and Innovation team, bringing core products, digital payments, Mastercard Labs and processing activities together. This structure builds on the company's continued investments in digital solutions to ensure the best consumer experience nline and offline, while maintaining the highest levels of safety and security.



This integrated team will accelerate efforts to create the best solutions for consumers and businesses by securing every transaction and simplifying access to the company's digital assets. Miebach was originally named chief product officer in January 2016. Over the past two years, he has strengthened the foundation of the company's core card-based business, while leading the expansion into real-time account-based payments through the acquisition of Vocalink.

"Michael's extensive experience and global perspective has had a significant impact on the product organization in a short time," said Banga. "I believe that his new structure will best embody the convergence of the physical and digital worlds. The integrated view of value today with an eye toward the future will spark more powerful experiences for the end consumer." "Our company's differentiation lays in maintaining a laser focus on the consumer experience online and offline, in safe and seamless ways," said Michael Miebach, chief product officer, Mastercard. "I'm delighted to lead this expanded team that will leverage the best of the physical and digital ecosystems to create powerful solutions for our customers." Miebach brings a wealth of insights and global experience from a career in payments and retail banking to drive customer-focused innovation and deliver solutions that provide more than just a transaction. He previously headed Mastercard operations across the Middle East and Africa, and held senior roles at both Barclays Bank and Citibank across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Miebach is a member of the board of directors for the nonprofit Accion, which provides him a platform to help bring more people greater opportunities in the formal economy. In 2017, Miebach joined the advisory board of the Ronald McDonald House New York. About Mastercard Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. Our global payments processing network connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities - such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances - easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @MastercardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005684/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018]

Ram Commercial Launches Telematics Solutions for Business Customers

INDIANAPOLIS, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ram Commercial truck brand today announced a factory-installed telematics system for its business customers.

Ram Telematics, powered by Verizon Connect (formerly Telogis), is a technology for fleets that allows commercial vehicle managers to turn vehicle data into operational savings.

"The Ram Telematics solution offers clear cost-of-ownership benefits to commercial truck buyers," said Mike Manley, Head of Ram Truck Brand  FCA. "The vocational-use segment is significant to us, and it's important for Ram Commercial to offer a full suite of services that are important to work-truck customers."

Ram Telematics is a vehicle connectivity platform designed to provide fleet owners and managers with a broad range of vehicle data, diagnostics and driver behavior information to help them better understand how their vehicles are being used and to improve operational efficiency.

elematics-enabled vehicles offer substantial returns on investment, including increased productivity, improved vehicle utilization, reduced fuel expenses, lower idle times, reduced miles driven and lower employee overtime.







Ram Telematics is an intuitive, built-in system that offers a number of customer benefits, including scalability to fleets of all sizes.

Telematics also improves fleet safety by identifying at-risk driving.

Ram Telematics will be available on all Ram truck and van models. One year of Ram Telematics service starts at $800.

The Ram Telematics system is covered under a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and is serviceable at Ram dealerships nationwide. Ram Telematics also can be conveniently financed with the new vehicle purchase.

Factory-installed means quicker customer delivery. Telematics is ready for activation the day the customer takes delivery of the new vehicle. Later this year, the 4G Ram Telematics module also will be offered as a dealer-installed option on 2015 and newer vehicles.

The Ram Telematics service is offered in conjunction with Verizon Connect, a leading global telematics service provider.

Ram Commercial will begin rolling out its telematics applications to dealers and buyers throughout 2018 and 2019. For information, visit https://www.ramtrucks.com/telematics.html.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ram-commercial-launches-telematics-solutions-for-business-customers-300609831.html

SOURCE FCA US LLC
[March 07, 2018] Insuranks Releases "AirBnB for Insurance" Digital Community Platform

REHOVOT, Israel, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Insuranks has announced today the official release of their insurance marketplace community platform beta version. The platform has been built especially for millennials and allows users to take their insurance to a cloud-marketplace, create quote requests for any insurance type, invite top agents to bid on their business, purchase policies and manage their insurance online - on the cloud and from the comfort of their mobile phones and tablets! The platform is free for insurankers (which is how we call insurance customers in the community) and allows them to rank and submit feedback on the experience they had with agents and carriers and by that spread the love, empower the community and create a better world insurance-wise!



The exclusive community includes over 90,000 American agents and 15 leading carriers and while it is invite-based only, we do encourage new agents and carriers that would like to be invited to get in touch with us today and give us three great reasons to register them too! Contact:

Ofir Sahar

admin@insuranks.com

https://www.insuranks.com

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/insuranks-releases-airbnb-for-insurance-digital-community-platform-300610095.html SOURCE Insuranks

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
PLANO, Texas, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On March 3rd 2018, Sharing Services, Inc. (OTC Markets:SHRV) signed a Joint Venture Agreement with Health Wealth & Happiness Limited to expand its Elepreneurs Brand throughout Asia.



"Sharing Services is pleased to announce that it has executed a joint venture agreement with Health Wealth & Happiness Limited (HWH) to market the Elepreneur Brand and sell its products throughout Asia, stated Sharing Services CEO, John JT Thatch.

The new company will be named Elepreneurs Asia Limited and will have the marketing and sales rights to the following countries: China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea, added Mr. Thatch. Mr. Fai Chan, CEO of HWH, has been a pleasure to work with and we are very excited to start planning the soft launch of the Elepreneur program sometime later this year, with Mr. Chan and his professional and well qualified team, commented Mr. Thatch.

Robert Oblon, Sharing Services Chairman, stated that Fai Chan and I have been discussing this venture for a few years and I am so pleased that we are now business partners, as we both have the same philosophy about providing the opportunity for people to join our program that promotes creating Health, Wealth and Happiness through the world.

About Fai Chan

An accomplished global business veteran of more than 40 years, Fai Chan specializes in financial restructuring and corporate transformation to unlock value and unleash entrepreneurial zeal while managing risk. He has successfully restructured more than 35 corporations in different industries and countries. Some of the remarkable companies that he has built, rescued or transformed include American Pacific Bank (USA), China Gas Holdings Limited and Heng Fai Enterprises Limited (both listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong), Global Med Technologies, Inc. (a U.S. medical software company exited for US$60 million) and Singhaiyi Group Ltd (listed on the Singapore Exchange). More details of his achievements and track record can be found at http://fai185.com/.

About Health Wealth & Happiness Limited

Formed in Hong Kong, Health Wealth & Happiness Limited is dedicated to working with visionary partners to deliver consumers the best products and services to improve their well-being.

About Elepreneur

Elepreneurs are home-based independent contractors who work to elevate the lives of others through sharing of products, services, business opportunity and access to learning and guidance focused on personal and skill development.

About Sharing Services, Inc.

Sharing Services, Inc. is a diversified holding company specializing in the direct selling industry. SHRV owns, operates, or controls an interest in a variety of companies that either sell products to the consumer directly through independent representatives or offers services that range from manufacturing, processing, training, and travel benefits. Visit http://www.sharingservicesinc.com, call 714.203.6717, or email info@sharingservicesinc.com, to learn more.

The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 31E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements regarding the Company's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions, or strategies regarding the future constitute forward-looking statements. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof and the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement. Prospective investors should also consult the risks described from time to time in the Company's Reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K and Annual Reports to Shareholders.

Contact:

Sharing Services, Inc.

Investor Relations

(714) 203-6717

info@sharingsevicesinc.com

Source: Sharing Services, Inc.




[March 07, 2018] Poka Announces a $10 million Investment led by Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec and Bosch

App Empowers Factory Workers to Learn, Share and Troubleshoot in Real-Time QUEBEC CITY, March 7, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Poka, a training and knowledge platform for manufacturers, announced today that it has raised $10 million in financing which will help the company expand into the United States and Europe and better support its growing global customer base. In addition to the ongoing participation of Poka's original seed investors, iNovia Capital and Uncork Capital, participants in the Series A funding round included Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec through its fund Espace CDPQ, Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH (RBVC) and the Leclerc family. Poka is a Web and mobile app that gives workers the power to capture, consume and share critical information in real-time on the factory floor, leading to improved productivity. In just 3 years, Poka has become a catalyst for digital transformation among manufacturing leaders including Thomas & Betts, ArcelorMittal, WestRock, and Danone. By creating a standardized multimedia knowledge base of guides, training content and solutions related to each workstation and machine, Poka helps reduce production downtime, improve quality and safety, and facilitate communication across factories, departments and shifts. "Multiple trends including an aging workforce and increased automation are converging right now to cause a skills gap," said CEO and co-founder Alex Leclerc, "Poka addresses these challenges by accelerating employee onboarding and improving knowledge sharing in the new Smart Factory era." "As the industrial sector is undergoing rapid changes, manufacturers must leverage new ideas and technologies to stay competitive. Poka's solutions help manufacturers improve their performance and achieve the digital sophistication tht is now necessary to stand out," said Christian Dube, la Caisse's Executive Vice-President, Quebec. "We are proud to support innovative companies like Poka in their development and international expansion."



"Our investment in Poka reflects the commitment of RBVC to helping the industry respond to changing market forces through innovation," said Luis Lloveraom, Managing Director at RBVC, "Poka is a game changer because it completely rethinks how training and knowledge sharing happen on the factory floor." About Poka

Poka is the first ever training and content application made specifically to address the needs of manufacturers in the Smart Factory era. Poka's mission is to put the power to solve problems, learn and share knowledge in the hands of every factory worker, leading to continuous productivity, quality and safety improvements. Poka is trusted by 12 of the largest manufacturers based on IndustryWeek's Global 1000 rank, and hundreds of plants across the globe. Since its inception, the company has raised over $17M in financing.

About Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec

Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. As at December 31, 2017, it held CAD 298.5 billion in net assets. As one of Canada's leading institutional fund managers, CDPQ invests globally in major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. For more information, visit cdpq.com/en, follow us on Twitter @LaCDPQ or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages. About RBVC

Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH (RBVC) is the corporate venture capital company of the Bosch Group, a leading global supplier of technology and services. RBVC invests worldwide in innovative start-up companies at all stages of their development. Its investment activities focus on technology companies working in areas of business of current and future relevance for Bosch, above all, automation and electrification, energy efficiency, enabling technologies, and healthcare systems. RBVC also invests in services and business models that are relevant to the above-mentioned areas of business.

Additional information is available at: http://www.rbvc.com About iNovia Capital

iNovia is an early stage venture capital firm that invests in category-defining technology startups. Epic companies are forged by exceptionally qualified founders; iNovia supports these remarkable individuals with custom playbooks for attracting talent and scaling efficiently. Together we perfect the craft of building digital platforms and services that transform old industries and push technology frontiers. iNovia manages $500M across three funds and invests across Canada and the United States. For more information, visit www.inovia.vc. SOURCE Poka

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] ACL Airshop and CORE Transport Technologies: Advancing Bluetooth Tracking for Air Cargo Toward a Giant "Internet of Things"

GREENVILLE, S.C., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ACL Airshop LLC of the US and CORE Transport Technologies, Inc. of New Zealand continue rolling out their innovative, field-proven Bluetooth enabled logistics technology to the global air cargo industry. Automated tracking of Unit Load Devices (ULD's) for air cargo gives carriers and their shipping customers real-time visibility and new efficiencies. The inventively adapted and patented technology replaces manual tracking for ULDs, which move cargo shipments, baggage and mail. Air carriers are now adopting this innovative, proven technology advancement for better air cargo efficiencies. The two companies concluded extensive field tests with international air carriers and an array of multiple ULDs, with 100% tracking reliability. Regulatory aspects such as compliance with FCC and FAA rules have been addressed, plus rigorous adherence to RTCA-DO-160 ("Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment"). The big data and predictive analytics of this program are managed in The Cloud, to military-equivalent security standards. This cutting-edge patented tracking technology, when combined with ACL Airshop's international Operations Center and CORE's Cloud-based analytics, gives a new competitive edge for airlines and their cargo customers. "We listened to our customers, and these technical enhancements are the result," said Wes Tucker, Exec. VP of ACL Airshop. "Now we are rolling it out. Airlines will be able to track the actual cargo loads by the container and pallet, with real-time 'dot on the map' monitoring and status reports." This is coupled as a significant technical enhancement to ACL's already robust ULD Control and bar-coding systems used by some of its customers. Airlines who have performed extensive Due Diligence on the CORE Bluetooth tracking system call it "best in class." "This is the ultimate solution for ULD Equipment tracking available today," said Ian Craig, Managing Director of CORE. "This is a big step forward for numerous airines and cargo carriers. Our COREInsight Tracking service tracks cargo assets in real time . We know this is a low-cost logistics enhancement that remarkably improves how carriers manage their ULD fleet, saving money long-term, and yielding better service to the ultimate end-customers. ACL Airshop and CORE customers will always know where their ULD's are located and when they are being utilized." During the past several years of testing and implementation, airlines have said they want improved tracking and immediate transparency for ULD shipments. ACL Airshop and CORE are first-to-market with these responsive innovations in the air cargo segment.



Ian Craig predicts: "2018 will be the breakout year for Bluetooth, the year that this disruptive technology changes air cargoagain. We are enabling an aviation logistics revolution, just as the air waybill revolutionized air cargo almost 60 years ago." The cost of Bluetooth real-time tracking is remarkably modest compared to the many benefits it yields, and compared to costlier competing technologies. Continued roll-out is planned to be brisk.

Ultimately, as more airlines adopt this technology innovation, as many thousands of Bluetooth tags are attached to ULDs, and as more and more readers are installed at airport cargo centers and various handling facilities, a giant "Internet of Things" will be linked across the world's air transport industry, benefitting all . The new tracking system enables cargo carriers to produce electronic Unit Control Receipts ("UCR's"), an IATA requirement when ULDs are transferred between parties, thus yielding a fully automated solution for shippers' transactions. ACL Airshop, with main offices in South Carolina and Amsterdam, is a worldwide provider of custom ULD solutions to over 200 air carriers and cargo clients, with services, repairs, and leasing operations at 46 of the world's Top 50 air cargo hub airports, substantial manufacturing and supply chain capabilities for cargo control products, and 35 years of experience in air cargo. CORE Transport Technologies is an agile software developer, focused for over 10 years on services that provide significant improvement to the transportation process in multiple industries, with offices in New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Orlando FL. ACL Airshop is wholly owned by Ranger Airshop Holdings, Inc., the latest consolidation venture by Ranger Aerospace, with multiple institutional co-investors, and with substantial ownership by senior management. Steve Townes, Chairman of ACL Airshop and CEO/Founder of Ranger Aerospace, said: "A giant Internet of Things for the global air cargo industry. Let that sink in. This is a high-speed effort to create positive change for our airlines customers." For more information: www.core-tt.com, www.aclairshop.com, and www.rangeraerospace.com . Forward Looking Statements: The Companies mentioned in this News Release from time to time may discuss forward-looking information. Except for factual historical information, all forward looking statements are estimates by the Companies' management and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that are beyond the Companies' control and may cause actual results to differ materially from management's expectations. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/acl-airshop-and-core-transport-technologies-advancing-bluetooth-tracking-for-air-cargo-toward-a-giant-internet-of-things-300610167.html SOURCE Ranger Airshop Holdings

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018]

General Dynamics Board Increases Dividend

FALLS CHURCH, Va., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) today declared a regular quarterly dividend of 93 cents per share on the company's common stock, payable May 11, 2018, to shareholders of record on April 13. This is the 21st consecutive annual dividend increase authorized by the General Dynamics board. The 10.7 percent increase is consistent with increases over the past five years.

Headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products andservices in business aviation; combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; C4ISR and IT solutions; and shipbuilding. The company's 2017 revenue was









$31 billion

More information is available at www.generaldynamics.com.

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/general-dynamics-board-increases-dividend-300610183.html

SOURCE General Dynamics
[March 07, 2018]

Public Notice - Lane reduction on LaSalle Causeway

KINGSTON, ON, March 7, 2018 /CNW/ - Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) wishes to advise motorists of a lane reduction on the LaSalle Causeway for maintenance during the following period:

from Thursday, March 8 , at 9 pm to Friday, March 9 , at 6 am

During this period, there will be alternaing traffic in both directions, and vehicular traffic will be controlled by flagpersons. Motorists may encounter delays.







The sidewalk will remain open.

The schedule may change depending on weather conditions.



PSPC encourages users to exercise caution when travelling on the causeway and thanks them for their patience.

Follow us on Twitter



Follow us on Facebook

SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada
[March 07, 2018] The National Center for Performance Measurement (Adaa): The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Flagship Performance Measurement Platform Will Be Showcased in London This Week

LONDON, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's flagship performance measurement platform will be showcased in London this week to solicit feedback from stakeholders and subject matter experts. The National Center for Performance Measurement (Adaa) is excited to present how the International Performance Hub (IPH) will give institutions a tool to measure themselves against world-class standards. IPH is a landmark effort led by Saudi Arabia to help countries to use technology and performance data to track their progress as they work to achieve development goals. The platform aims to promote integrity, accountability and transparency in the public sector and beyond. This is an interactive platform designed to track over 700 Key Performance Indicators under 12 main pillars that enables comparison for over 200 countries - compiles metrics from prominent international bodies, including the World Bank and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). As a demonstration of the commitment with which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia approaches its 2030 goals, IPH also seeks to provide a credible and 'outside-in' perspective on the Kingdom's evolution along key quantifiable indicators across the socio-economic spectrum - comparing progress at every stage to other countries and peer-groups arund the world. While in London, Adaa will also be exhibiting their Beneficiary Experience programs, which provide an internal perspective on citizens' experience with the public sector and complements IPH's macro perspective for a holistic view of the country's performance.



Mr. Husameddin AlMadani, Director General of the National Center for Performance Measurement said, "Saudi Arabia is undertaking a major multi-year transformation. This platform is essential to help us achieve our ambitious Vision 2030 program. We know that actions speak louder than words and this tool will help us track our performance against our development goals." Economist Jacques Attali, President of Positive Planet and the Positive Economy Forum, a data and knowledge partner of IPH, described the significance of the tool, adding that "The International Performance Hub is a much-needed tool to foster transparent and positive governance through shared knowledge about the impact of public policies. Its launch is a very promising beginning, and an opportunity to make it a truly global and collaborative ambition."

For more details on the International Performance Hub (IPH), please refer to the website: https://iph.sa For those interested in visiting Adaa's exhibition in London on 8 and 9 March between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 pm., please contact globalevents@adaa.gov.sa, THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT The National Center for Performance Measurement, Adaa, is a leading independent government body that was established in October 2015 upon approval by the Council of Ministers. Adaa is organizationally linked to the Chairman of the Council, King of Saudi Arabia, and aims to measure the performance of public entities within the Kingdom. Adaa aims to build and initialize performance measurement processes in public entities by providing the necessary support through the utilization of unified tools and models that assist public entities in their ability and efficiency to deliver better performance. Adaa also aims to enable public entities by means of effective training and consultation in performance measurement, aiming to drive them to excellence. Additional information on Adaa may be found at adaa.gov.sa Related Links: https://iph.sa

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[March 07, 2018] Xerox Reinforces Significant Benefits of Its Proposed Combination with Fuji Xerox

The Board of Directors (the "Board") of Xerox (NYSE:XRX) today issued the following letter to Xerox shareholders, reinforcing its belief in the significant benefits of the Company's proposed combination with Fuji Xerox: This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307006372/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) *** Dear Xerox Shareholders, On January 31, 2018, Xerox announced its plans to combine with Fuji Xerox - the joint venture Xerox and Fujifilm established in Asia 56 years ago - to create a global leader in innovative print technologies and intelligent work solutions. As a result of a comprehensive review of the Company's strategic and financial alternatives, Xerox's Board and management strongly believe that the combination with Fuji Xerox is the best path forward to create value for Xerox and its shareholders: The combination creates significant immediate and long-term value for Xerox shareholders ;

; Xerox shareholders will be owners of a larger, stronger and more valuable company with enhanced prospects for growth and value creation;

owners of with enhanced prospects for growth and value creation; Xerox and Fujifilm are already closely aligned , and both have demonstrated track records of success in transformation ;

, and both have ; The agreement establishes strong governance and ownership safeguards for current Xerox shareholders; and

The existing Fuji Xerox joint venture has been integral to Xerox's competitiveness for many years, and the combination will optimize the benefits of this partnership for our Company.

The Transaction Creates Significant Immediate and Long-Term Value for Xerox Shareholders The Transaction provides Xerox shareholders with significant value both at closing, which is expected to occur in the second half of 2018, and over time. This includes a substantial cash dividend that will be paid to Xerox shareholders contingent upon consummation of the Transaction, as well as the upside of a significant investment in a larger, stronger and more competitive company.







Value Delivered to Xerox Shareholders at Closing

+ $2.5 Billion Special Dividend 49.9% Ownership Stake in the (~$9.80 per share) Combined Company Significant, certain value representing ~33%

of Xerox's current market capitalization Larger, stronger and more competitive company with a more attractive financial profile

Our partner in the Fuji Xerox joint venture, Fujifilm, will own the other 50.1 percent of the combined company. Fujifilm will also consolidate the same share of the debt associated with the special dividend paid to Xerox shareholders at closing, but will not receive any portion of this payment. The relative ownership of the combined company is favorable to current Xerox shareholders and implies an over 15 percent premium relative to Xerox's unaffected stock price of $30.35, which was prior to media reports about a potential transaction on January 10, 20182. In addition, Xerox and Fujifilm teams have already identified $1.25 billion in annual cost savings opportunities from combining the two companies, demonstrating the highly synergistic attributes of this Transaction. As shown in Figure 1: Total Illustrative Value Creation for Xerox Shareholders, this compelling shareholder value equation represents an illustrative total value of approximately $45 per share for the combined company1,3,4. Importantly, this does not reflect the value creation or multiple expansion opportunity over time that we believe should result from the combined company's enhanced revenue profile, global reach, scale and competitiveness. Shareholders Will Be Owners of a Larger, Stronger and More Valuable Company The Transaction will create an industry leader with $18 billion in revenue that is better positioned to compete and capture growth opportunities in the marketplace by leveraging the global reach, scale, technology and innovation strengths of the two companies. With direct access to high-growth markets in Asia Pacific, Xerox will operate as a truly global platform for the first time in its history. Beyond the $1.25 billion in cost synergies described above, we believe the combined company will have an improved revenue profile based on significantly strengthened manufacturing, distribution, innovation and R&D strategies, as well as improved cost competitiveness across global markets. This is expected to result in an at least $1.0 billion revenue expansion opportunity for the combined company. We believe the improved revenue trajectory will increase the valuation of the combined company, while enabling the vast majority of the cost savings to flow to the bottom line. Specifically, the revenue and cost synergies identified through this combination include: Developing a more complete and competitive product portfolio with enhanced offerings in areas where Xerox is currently underpenetrated, such as high-speed inkjet and low-end A3;

with enhanced offerings in areas where Xerox is currently underpenetrated, such as high-speed inkjet and low-end A3; Streamlining global R&D, product rollout and marketing strategies to deliver best-in-class solutions with greater coordination, efficiency and improved time-to-market;

to deliver best-in-class solutions with greater coordination, efficiency and improved time-to-market; Leveraging Xerox and Fuji Xerox's integrated delivery and servicing capabilities to improve our solutions architecture and expand client relationships globally;

to improve our solutions architecture and expand client relationships globally; Transforming small and midsized business (SMB) strategy by expanding our channel reach and increasing cost competitiveness through synergies;

by expanding our channel reach and increasing cost competitiveness through synergies; Creating an integrated global manufacturing, distribution and R&D platform by applying best-in-class practices; and

by applying best-in-class practices; and Optimizing the global footprint of manufacturing, distribution and R&D centers, and eliminating duplicative costs at corporate and support functions. In addition to the $1.25 billion of cost synergies related to these actions, there is a separate cost reduction program already underway at the existing Fuji Xerox joint venture, which is expected to deliver $450 million in annual cost savings over the next two years. This brings the total annual cost savings target for the combined company to over $1.7 billion to be completed by 2022, with approximately $1.2 billion achievable by 2020 (See Figure 2: $1.7 Billion in Total Annual Cost Savings by 2022). By capitalizing on these opportunities, the combined company is expected to return to revenue growth by 2020, faster than Xerox could achieve on its own, and deliver industry-leading operating margins in the high teens by 2022. As a result, the combined company's operating leverage is projected to drive free cash flow in excess of $2.0 billion. This will enable us to support investments in innovation, strategic growth initiatives and attractive capital returns over time. As both Fujifilm and Xerox have previously communicated, the combined company will maintain a commitment to return at least 50 percent of free cash flow to shareholders - in line with Xerox's current capital return policy. This future capital return policy is in addition to the $2.5 billion special dividend that will be paid to Xerox shareholders at closing. While Xerox has been successfully executing its strategy to improve its revenue trajectory and expand margins, we believe the future value potential of the combined company, driven by the substantial revenue and cost synergy opportunities, exceeds what would be achieved as a standalone company. The synergies from bringing together two highly complementary businesses will be a leap forward on our path to become the industry leader and enhance shareholder value. The proxy statement we will file in due course will include additional disclosures regarding the financial profile of the combined company, which we believe will reinforce the compelling value of this Transaction. Xerox and Fujifilm Are Already Closely Aligned, and Both Have Demonstrated Track Records of Success in Transformation Our longstanding relationships with Fujifilm and Fuji Xerox provide this combination with greater execution certainty than most M&A transactions. The companies have a long history of working together and know each other well. The combined company will have an experienced leadership team, led by Xerox's CEO Jeff Jacobson, entirely committed to realizing the full value potential of the new company. As evidenced by the proven track record of decisive actions at both Xerox and Fujifilm, the combined company will also build on a strong legacy of significant recent transformations at both companies: Xerox's Transformation Fujifilm's Transformation Successfully completed the separation of Conduent in January 2017, unlocking significant shareholder value.

Delivered on all of its commitments for FY'17 to drive revenue and margin improvements: Exceeded its aggressive cost reduction target as part of its three-year "Strategic Transformation" program in its second year by $80 million, reaching $680 million gross cost savings in FY'17; Increased penetration in strategic growth areas representing 40% of total revenue versus 36% in FY'15; Executed the successful launch of 29 new workplace devices, representing the Company's largest new product launch in its history; Signed 65 new dealer partners to enable channel expansion in the small and midsized business (SMB) market; and Took a series of steps to optimize its capital structure including reduction of $800 million of debt and $836 million pension contributions as well as simplification of operations through elimination of accounts receivable

of its commitments for FY'17 to drive revenue and margin improvements: Survived the digitalization of the photographic industry through a dramatic business transformation while many of its peers struggled.

Successfully diversified its portfolio to faster-growing markets, such as document solutions, imaging, healthcare and functional materials (86% of revenue in FY'16 vs. 46% in FY'01).

Implemented major restructuring actions between fiscal years 2007-2011, significantly improving the Company's operational performance and returning the Company to steady profit generation.

Delivered on its commitment to enhance capital returns to shareholders, including dividend increases for 8 consecutive years.

Drove total shareholder return of approximately 200% in the last 5 years compared to 138% for the Tokyo Price Index during the same period 5 .

. Maintained a strong investment grade credit rating, while supporting shareholder returns and significant M&A investments.

Implemented a series of actions to enhance its governance structure and increase transparency, including: Increasing the Board's independent director ratio; Strengthening management with leadership changes and consolidating reporting lines; and Integrating Fuji Xerox's accounting and audit functions with those of Fujifilm.

The Transaction Agreement Establishes Strong Governance and Ownership Safeguards for Current Xerox Shareholders Strong governance protections for current Xerox shareholders have been built into this Transaction, including: 5 independent Xerox designated directors that will serve or select their replacements for 5 years; after 5 years, those 5 board seats may only be replaced by other independent directors, if reasonably acceptable to the then-serving independent directors;

that will serve or select their replacements for 5 years; after 5 years, those 5 board seats may only be replaced by other independent directors, if reasonably acceptable to the then-serving independent directors; An independent Audit Committee as required by the NYSE standards;

as required by the NYSE standards; An independent Conflicts Committee , the majority of which will comprise Xerox designated directors for 5 years; the Committee will oversee any proposed transactions including those with Fujifilm to ensure the terms are fair to the combined company and no less favorable than arm's length terms; and

, the majority of which will comprise Xerox designated directors for 5 years; the Committee will oversee any proposed transactions including those with Fujifilm to ensure the terms are fair to the combined company and no less favorable than arm's length terms; and Other provisions limiting the ability of Fujifilm to engage in interested party transactions and to obtain disparate consideration in connection with a future sale. Existing Fuji Xerox Joint Venture Has Been Integral to Xerox's Competitiveness, and the Combination Will Optimize the Benefits to Xerox For 56 years, Fujifilm and Xerox have jointly owned and operated the Fuji Xerox joint venture. This partnership is among the most successful cross-border collaborations between the U.S. and Japan, and has existed in its current form (25% owned by Xerox, 75% owned by Fujifilm) since 2001. Xerox has significantly benefited from this relationship over the years. Today, Xerox sources more than two-thirds of its equipment products from Fuji Xerox, including the vast majority of the office equipment sold to enterprise customers. Fuji Xerox designs and manufactures this equipment using the shared IP that the two companies have developed together over the decades. It is important to note that Xerox, in its sole discretion, determines the volume of business it conducts with Fuji Xerox and is not subject to any minimum purchase obligations under the existing supply agreement. In fact, Xerox at times solicits other proposals to determine which supplier best meets the Company's requirements in terms of cost, quality and pricing. Based on this ongoing sourcing analysis, we believe it is highly unlikely that Xerox would be able to achieve attractive pricing and terms with alternative suppliers. Xerox benefits from Fuji Xerox's superior technology, design and manufacturing expertise, as well as attractive pricing. As a result, our supply relationship with Fuji Xerox has grown and been sustained at mutually-beneficial economics over time. Xerox's strategy for bringing innovative, high-quality products to the market - in partnership with Fuji Xerox and other suppliers - has clearly been successful, as evidenced by our #1 equipment revenue market share and industry-leading margins. The proposed Transaction will also solve for suboptimal aspects of the current joint venture structure by enabling Xerox to: Reach revenue growth sooner with access to faster-growing regions;

Optimize its cost structure through enhanced control over its supply chain; and

Simplify its financial profile and operations through full consolidation of Fuji Xerox's income and cash flow. Combining Xerox with Fuji Xerox builds upon this strong partnership to create a global platform with enhanced scale, competitive positioning and financial flexibility. The combination presents tangible, achievable opportunities for value creation both in the near and long term. We will provide more information about our partnership with Fujifilm and the Fuji Xerox joint venture in further communications with our shareholders. The Combination Is the Best Path Forward for Xerox Xerox's Board of Directors, in consultation with world-class financial and legal advisors, explored all strategic and financial options reasonably available to improve the Company's growth trajectory, better compete in a challenging industry environment, and ultimately create shareholder value. This included options for its standalone business, capital allocation strategy and the current Fuji Xerox joint venture construct, as well as other potential strategic transactions. Upon thorough evaluation over many months, the Board concluded that the proposed combination with Fuji Xerox is superior to other alternatives and in the best interest of all Xerox shareholders because: Xerox shareholders are realizing value based on relative valuation, immediate and certain value provided by the special dividend, and significant upside from an ongoing interest in the combined company;

based on relative valuation, immediate and certain value provided by the special dividend, and significant upside from an ongoing interest in the combined company; The Transaction creates a stronger, larger and more competitive company with an accelerated path to revenue growth and shareholder value creation;

with an accelerated path to revenue growth and shareholder value creation; Substantial cost savings opportunities are unlocked that will drive margin expansion and fund future investments; and

that will drive margin expansion and fund future investments; and Shareholders rights and interests are protected in the new company through strong governance measures. Xerox's Board of Directors is focused on creating long-term value for the Company and its shareholders. Our Board members are confident in the many benefits of the combination and the bright future Xerox will have as a result. Thank you for your continued support and investment in Xerox. The Board of Directors of Xerox



Robert J. Keegan Cheryl Gordon Krongard Gregory Q. Brown Charles Prince Joseph J. Echevarria Ann N. Reese William Curt Hunter Stephen H. Rusckowski Jeffrey Jacobson Sara Martinez Tucker Additional Information and Where to Find It This filing may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect of the transaction with Fujifilm described herein (the "Transaction") and/or the matters to be considered at the Company's 2018 Annual Meeting. In connection with the Transaction and the 2018 Annual Meeting, Xerox plans to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (" SEC (News - Alert)") and furnish to Xerox's shareholders one or more proxy statements and white proxy cards and other relevant documents. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, XEROX'S SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT(S) AND WHITE PROXY CARD(S) IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTIONS AND/OR THE COMPANY'S 2018 ANNUAL MEETING OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE PROXY STATEMENTS BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSACTIONS AND/OR THE COMPANY'S 2018 ANNUAL MEETING AND THE PARTIES RELATED THERETO. Xerox's shareholders will be able to obtain a free copy of documents filed with the SEC at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, Xerox's shareholders may obtain a free copy of Xerox's filings with the SEC from Xerox's website at http://www.xerox.com under the heading "Investor Relations" and then under the heading "SEC Filings." Participants in the Solicitation The directors, executive officers and certain other members of management and employees of Xerox may be deemed "participants" in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders of Xerox in favor of the Transaction or in connection with the matters to be considered at the Company's 2018 Annual Meeting. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be considered participants in the solicitation of the shareholders of Xerox in connection with the Transaction or the Company's 2018 Annual Meeting will be set forth in the applicable proxy statement and other relevant documents to be filed with the SEC. You can find information about Xerox's executive officers and directors in Xerox's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, Xerox's and such persons' other filings with the SEC and in Xerox's definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This filing, and other written or oral statements made from time to time by management contain "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "will", "should" and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current beliefs, assumptions and expectations and are subject to a number of factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. Such factors include but are not limited to: our ability to address our business challenges in order to reverse revenue declines, reduce costs and increase productivity so that we can invest in and grow our business; changes in economic and political conditions, trade protection measures, licensing requirements and tax laws in the United States and in the foreign countries in which we do business; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; our ability to successfully develop new products, technologies and service offerings and to protect our intellectual property rights; the risk that multi-year contracts with governmental entities could be terminated prior to the end of the contract term and that civil or criminal penalties and administrative sanctions could be imposed on us if we fail to comply with the terms of such contracts and applicable law; the risk that partners, subcontractors and software vendors will not perform in a timely, quality manner; actions of competitors and our ability to promptly and effectively react to changing technologies and customer expectations; our ability to obtain adequate pricing for our products and services and to maintain and improve cost efficiency of operations, including savings from restructuring actions; the risk that individually identifiable information of customers, clients and employees could be inadvertently disclosed or disclosed as a result of a breach of our security systems; reliance on third parties, including subcontractors, for manufacturing of products and provision of services; our ability to manage changes in the printing environment and expand equipment placements; interest rates, cost of borrowing and access to credit markets; funding requirements associated with our employee pension and retiree health benefit plans; the risk that our operations and products may not comply with applicable worldwide regulatory requirements, particularly environmental regulations and directives and anti-corruption laws; the outcome of litigation and regulatory proceedings to which we may be a party; the risk that we do not realize all of the expected strategic and financial benefits from the separation and spin-off of our Business Process Outsourcing business; the effects on our business resulting from actions of activist shareholders; and other factors that are set forth in the "Risk Factors" section, the "Legal Proceedings" section, the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" section and other sections of our 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC.. Furthermore, the actual results of the Transaction could vary materially as a result of a number of factors, including, but not limited to: (i) the risk that the Transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect Xerox's business and the price of Xerox's common stock, (ii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the Transaction, including the receipt of certain approvals from Xerox's shareholders and certain governmental and regulatory approvals, (iii) the parties may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in the Transaction within the expected time frames or at all, (iv) the Transaction may not result in the accretion to Xerox's earnings or other benefits, (v) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Transaction agreements, (vi) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the Transaction on Xerox's and/or Fujifilm's business relationships, operating results, and business generally, risks related to the proposed Transaction disrupting Xerox's current plans and operations and potential difficulties in Xerox's employee retention as a result of the Transaction, (vii) risks related to diverting management's attention from Xerox's ongoing business operations, (viii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Xerox, its officers or directors related to the Transaction agreements or the Transaction and (ix) the possibility that competing offers or acquisition proposals for Xerox will be made. Xerox assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events or developments, except as required by law. Fuji Xerox is a joint venture between Xerox Corporation and Fujifilm in which Xerox holds a noncontrolling 25% equity interest and Fujifilm holds the remaining equity interest. In April 2017, Fujifilm formed an independent investigation committee (IIC) to primarily conduct a review of the appropriateness of the accounting practices at Fuji Xerox's New Zealand subsidiary and at other subsidiaries. The IIC completed its review during the second quarter 2017 and identified aggregate adjustments to Fuji Xerox's financial statements of approximately JPY 40 billion (approximately $360 million) primarily related to misstatements at Fuji Xerox's New Zealand and Australian subsidiaries. We determined that our share of the total adjustments identified as part of the investigation was approximately $90 million and impacted our fiscal years 2009 through 2017. We concluded that we should revise our previously issued annual and interim consolidated financial statements for 2014, 2015 and 2016 and the first quarter of 2017 the next time they are filed. Our review of this matter has been completed. However, Fujifilm and Fuji Xerox continue to review Fujifilm's oversight and governance of Fuji Xerox as well as Fuji Xerox's oversight and governance over its businesses in light of the findings of the IIC. At this time, we can provide no assurances relative to the outcome of any potential governmental investigations or any consequences thereof that may happen as a result of this matter. About Xerox Xerox Corporation is a technology leader that innovates the way the world communicates, connects and works. We understand what's at the heart of sharing information - and all of the forms it can take. We embrace the integration of paper and digital, the increasing requirement for mobility, and the need for seamless integration between work and personal worlds. Every day, our innovative print technologies and intelligent work solutions help people communicate and work better. Discover more at www.xerox.com and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) at @Xerox. ______________________________________



1 Based on 254.7 million basic shares outstanding assuming no conversion of preferred shares. 2 Based on $7.0 billion (reflecting 75% of Fuji Xerox implied by the midpoint of 7x - 8x Fuji Xerox 2018E EBITDA per p. 28 of Xerox Presentation as filed on February 9, 2018), 267.4 million fully diluted shares outstanding, and taking into account the ~$9.80 special dividend paid to Xerox shareholders at closing. 3 The sum of (a) $13 / share or $7.0 billion (reflecting 75% of Fuji Xerox implied by the mid-point of 7-8x Fuji Xerox 2018E EBITDA per p. 28 of Xerox Presentation as filed on February 9, 2018), multiplied by 49.9% and divided by 267.4 million fully diluted shares outstanding and (b) $10 / share or $8.1 billion unaffected market capitalization for Xerox as of January 10, 2018 less $2.5 billion of additional net debt to fund cash dividend, multiplied by 49.9% and divided by 267.4 million fully diluted shares outstanding. 4 Based on $3.2 billion in present value of transaction synergies (mid-point of 7-8x run-rate synergies of $1.25 billion, multiplied by 49.9% and discounted to the present per p. 29 of Xerox Presentation as filed on February 9, 2018), divided by 267.4 million fully diluted shares outstanding. 5 Reflects share price performance in JPY, including dividends and repurchases for the 5-year period from January 10, 2013 through January 10, 2018 prior to media reports about a potential transaction with Xerox. *** Note: To receive RSS news feeds, visit https://www.news.xerox.com. For open commentary, industry perspectives and views, visit http://twitter.com/xerox, http://connect.blogs.xerox.com, http://www.facebook.com/XeroxCorp, https://www.instagram.com/xerox/, http://www.linkedin.com/company/xerox, http://www.youtube.com/XeroxCorp. Xerox and Xerox and Design are trademarks of Xerox in the United States and/or other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307006372/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StaffConnect, provider of the award winning enterprise mobile employee engagement platform, today announced its March lineup of live webinars. This month includes: AppSuccess  Top 5 Tips for Internal Comms Success and Enterprise Chat  A Feature Spotlight.



Date & Time: March 9, 2018, 2:00 p.m. GMT (9:00 a.m. Eastern Time / 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time) Webinar Title: AppSuccess  Top 5 Tips for Internal Comms Success Why Attend: During this live webinar, Paddy O Hagan, StaffConnects Customer Success Manager, will share his top 5 internal comms tips and give an overview of AppSuccess, StaffConnects best practice implementation service, which has been designed to help its customers execute a successful launch and ongoing use of a new comms channel. Presenters: StaffConnects Liam Doyle, Product Specialist; and Paddy OHagan, Customer Success Manager. Register Here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6190376197449603075 Date & Time: March 23, 2018, 2:00 p.m. GMT (9:00 a.m. Eastern Time / 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time) Webinar Title: Enterprise Chat  A Feature Spotlight Presenter: Liam Doyle, Product Specialist, StaffConnect Why Attend: Join this live webinar to find out why the use of rogue apps in the workplace could have a negative impact on your business. StaffConnect will discuss an enterprise compliant alternative, with the same ease of use & functionality of Whats App, but without the risks. Register Here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3400408322921704451

About Liam Doyle, Product Specialist, StaffConnect

A politics and philosophy graduate, Liam has a passion for technology and helping customers transform how they reach, communicate and engage with their employees, creating connected organizations.

About Paddy OHagan, Customer Success Manager, StaffConnect

Paddy OHagan is an Internal Communications leader who has been working as a Community Manager, Lead Trainer and Project Manager, specializing in launching Digital Communications Platforms across global enterprise businesses. His current role, Customer Success Manager at StaffConnect, leverages his expertise to help internal communication teams develop winning engagement strategies to accelerate the adoption of their digital platform and increase employee engagement across the entire workforce.

Tweet this: .@StaffConnectApp Announces March Webinar Lineup: AppSuccess  Top 5 Tips for Internal Comms Success https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6190376197449603075 and Enterprise Chat  A Feature Spotlight https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3400408322921704451

About StaffConnect

StaffConnect delivers the award winning mobile employee engagement platform. The StaffConnect solution transforms the employee experience by enabling large enterprises to connect, communicate and engage their entire workforce, especially remote, non-desk employees. The customer-branded mobile app gives employees a voice - with access to company and user-generated content to increase loyalty and productivity. The cloud-hosted platform empowers employers to target that content, with analytics, to deepen engagement with everyone. From offices in London and San Francisco, StaffConnects platform and domain expertise are supporting large businesses around the world to inspire their workforces to deliver better performance, improved customer experiences and greater shareholder value. For further information, please visit: www.staffconnectapp.com.

Media Resources (logos, screenshots, etc.): https://www.staffconnectapp.com/media-resources/

PR Contacts:

Sabrina Sanchez

The Ventana Group for StaffConnect

(925) 785-3014

ssanchez@theventanagroup.com

Nicole Gorman

The Ventana Group for StaffConnect

(508) 397-0131

ngorman@theventanagroup.com


Microsoft has gotten into some hot water in the EU over its Windows 10 privacy policy and the general way in which it presents (or doesnt present) users with the options they need to turn off tracking. With the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) going into effect this May, Microsoft seems to have prepared an overhaul of its privacy settings screen.

New Privacy Screen Available For Windows Insiders

Microsoft has already made available the new privacy screen in todays build for Windows Insiders. However, the company warned that not everyone will see the same single-page privacy setup during the Windows installation process, as pictured above. Some users will see each privacy setting on its own separate screen, so it looks like Microsoft may be still experimenting with different formats.

In the example below, you can see that the "Find my device" setting has its own screen. Microsoft recommended users to click yes if you want to be able to find your device when you lose it. It doesnt say anywhere on the page whether or not Microsoft will also be able to use that location data for something else, such as advertising.



However, at least in the EU, Microsoft would have to obtain consent if the data was used in any other way than mentioned or if it wasnt clear to the user that the data would be used for more than just finding the device. It may still be worth checking that Learn more button at the bottom of the screen if youre worried Microsoft intends to use the data in other ways.



For the users who see the Find my device setting on a single page, Microsoft will also show a separate page to enable improved inkling and typing recognition. Microsoft said that when you enable this setting you help the company improve the suggestion capabilities of applications such as handwriting recognition, autocompletion, next word prediction, and spelling correction. However, you may also want to consider the privacy implications of sending Microsoft your typing information before you jump in.

New Windows 10 Build Coming This Spring

A new version of Windows 10 is expected to arrive later this spring, and thats when Microsoft said everyone will be able to see the new privacy screen at installation. Additionally, Microsoft noted that after installation, you will still be able to go to Start > Settings > Privacy and modify your privacy settings there at any time.
ZUG, Switzerland, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The WINGS Foundation (wingsfoundation.ch) today announced the addition of LDJ Capital Founder and Chairman David Drake to its advisory board. Through this advisory agreement, top blockchain projects that have leveraged WINGS will have the opportunity to gain access to David Drakes extensive network of family offices and investors.



Along with LDJ Capital, Mr. Drake serves as chairman of LDJ Real Estate Group, Drake Hospitality Group, The Soho Loft Media Group, and Victoria Partners, a network of 300 family offices based in London. LDJ Capital currently maintains over 50 global directors and partners, maintaining relations with institutions and family offices with $1.5 trillion in assets. Drake is also an advisor to several blockchain companies including BLOCKv, Coinme, Cappasity, DOVU, and ICOBox.

Companies utilizing WINGS are curated and valued via a decentralized mechanism where community members evaluate each projects potential. The WINGS community is incentivized to surface the best projects, bringing their attention to potential ICO contributors and post-ICO investors.

I am honored to be a part of the WINGS Foundation, and look forward to building a closer relationship between family offices and digital assets, said David Drake. In todays growing industry, we look for solid opportunities in business and have a deep commitment to innovation. WINGS has a proven track record of strategically partnering with successful ICOs. It is important to my family and other family offices that we have a stepping stone into the cryptocurrency industry for the most powerful families in the world. WINGS is that step for family offices.

David Drake is a prominent member of the crypto community and can provide valuable insight into ICOs from a sought-after family office perspective, said WINGS Co-founder Dominik Zynis. Our engagement can be a powerful tool for the Ethereum community and further its future.

Recent success stories on WINGS include WePower, a blockchain based green energy trading platform, Domraider, who recently announced their real-time auction MVP on Ethereum dubbed Auctionity, and Sirin Labs, makers of the Finney blockchain smartphone which raised in excess of $150 million. AuroraDAO, a hybrid decentralized exchange and cryptobanking platform, recently engaged with the WINGS Foundation to ensure that ICOs successfully participating in the WINGS crowd evaluation process will be listed on idex.market immediately after launch.

ABOUT WINGS FOUNDATION

WINGS Foundation is based in Switzerland and comprised of a decentralized team of professionals aiming to bring blockchain-enabled projects to the mainstream via crowd-sourced valuation and curation. WINGS uses smart contract technology to enable a new type of emergent incentivized swarm intelligence for value discovery on the Ethereum network. WINGS provides best-in-class, audited libraries of smart contracts for blockchain-based crowdfunding and for post-funding decentralized governance. To learn more, please visit wingsfoundation.ch

MEDIA CONTACT: Transform Group, wings@transform.pr

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d2a06be5-fab2-4a9b-aa04-476fc4a7ecec
A Kansas City man has been charged with firing shots at a police officer Tuesday. Dane A. Hill, 26, was charged with assault, unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest and three counts of armed criminal action.
NOW THE LOW-RENT CHARGES HAVE BEEN REPORTEDLY REFERRED TO THE FBI!!! THAT'S KIND OF A BIG DEAL FOR A BAR FIGHT!!!

"One count of battery, a single count of disorderly conduct, and a single count of assault in Overland Park Municipal Court."

ACTIVISTS HAVE ALREADY DEMANDED THE FIRING OF THIS FIREFIGHTER!!! WE'LL SEE IF THEY'RE ABLE TO GARNER ANY TRACTION AMID THE LITANY OF RACIAL LAWSUIT DEFEATS SUFFERED BY KCFD!!!









And so it begins . . .Last week we offered our blog community AN EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK PREVIEW of the discourse behind the scenes and the desperate search to name the firefighter whospit on a youngster and used a racial slur.Locally, here are the allegations . . .Moreover . . .Context . . . Racial discrimination verdicts against theover the past few months have totaled more thanAccordingly, ouris news fact and here's the follow-up . . .Developing . . .
National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) today approved the distribution of a dividend of 35 per cent for 2017, marking another year of strong shareholder returns.

The dividend comprised a 25 per cent cash and a 10 per cent stock in the form of bonus shares.

Shareholders in the banks share register as of March 7, 2018 are eligible to receive the dividend, which will be distributed from March 18.

This was announced following the conclusion of the banks Ordinary General and Extraordinary General Assembly.

The assembly also approved the banks financial statements for 2017, a year in which NBB reported record net profit of BD61.01 million ($162.25 million), an increase of 4.8 per cent from 2016. The assembly also approved a number of transfers including approximately BD3.1 million (5 per cent of the banks profits) to its Donations and Contributions Program, which underpins NBBs corporate social responsibly activities and dedication to the community. The Banks external auditors were reappointed for the forthcoming year.

The assembly also elected the banks new Board of Directors for the next three years from March 2018 to March 2021. They are: Farouk Yousuf Khalil Almoayyed  Chairman, Dr Essam Abdulla Fakhro  Vice Chairman, and directors: Khalid Yousif Abdul Rahman, Hussain Sultan Al Ghanem, Fawzi Ahmed Kanoo, Khalid Omar Al Romaihi, Shaikh Rashid bin Salman Mohamed Al Khalifa, Hala Ali Husain Yateem, Yusuf Abdulla Yusuf Akbar Alireza, Mohamed Tareq Mohamed Sadeq and Rishi Kapoor.

Almoayyed said: We are pleased with the performance of the bank and the strong shareholder returns delivered for 2017. Our continued growth has been driven by a new strategic plan, which has seen NBB expand its revenue streams, strengthen its regional presence and achieve operational enhancements. This progress, which has come despite ongoing regional and global economic challenges, reinforces the resilience of NBB and the strong foundations on which our market leadership is built.

The banks strategy, adopted in 2017, marked the start of a transformative journey for NBB aimed at ensuring its position as a bank for the future. The strategy focuses on expanding the business mix for more effective participation in the local economy, diversification of the clientele base and greater innovation through investment in human capital and the digitisation of the bank. With these as core objectives, NBB can secure its ability to grow sustainably, improve efficiency and further strengthen its role as Bahrains leading partner for economic development.

Jean-Christophe Durand, NBBs chief executive officer, added: Our new strategy has been effective in supporting growth and the distribution of strong dividends to our shareholders for 2017. During the year, our efforts to strengthen the underlying business resulted in an increase in deposits and stronger income generation. Recognising that our human capital is at the core of our new strategys successful implementation, we reinforced the team across all disciplines by attracting new talent and training our colleagues in order to avail them of the skills required to execute our plans in an effective manner.

We look forward to building on the momentum with which we have entered 2018 and leveraging our enhanced focus, financial position and human capital to achieve even further progress and growth, he said.  TradeArabia News Service
The total value of awarded projects in Kuwait fell by 28 per cent to KD4 billion ($13.3 billion) in 2017 as compared to the prior-year and below the five-year average of KD5 billion, said NBK in its latest Economic Update.



The surge in contracts in the power and water sectors  compared to prior years  was more than offset by the slowdown in projects in other sectors, mainly transport and construction, the update added, citing a Meed Projects report.



For 2018, the value of contracts is expected to remain at about its 2017 level with the largest contribution coming from the construction sector. Due to delays in the bidding phase in 2017, many construction projects (KD2 billion) have been pushed out to 2018. Also, some delays in awarding transport projects, valued at up to KD0.7 billion, could also take place this year.



Power & Water



Projects in the water sector reached a record KD0.9 billion in 2017. The Umm Al-Hayman wastewater treatment plant expansion, one of five projects awarded for the sector, accounted for most of the sectors KD0.9 billion. This project, which was awarded to a consortium of WTE Wassertechnik and International Financial Advisors, will be funded through a public-private partnership (PPP).



Although the cancellation of the Al-Zour North IWPP was a setback for the power and water sector and the public-private endeavour as a whole  the second phase is planned to be integrated with the third phase of Al-Zour North. There are still no further developments on the Khairan IWPP, which was awaiting the progress on Al-Zour North 2.



Contracts in the power sector amounted to KD502 million, but there was a delay of the Kabd waste-to-energy PPP project. The Kabd municipal solid waste project was awarded to a consortium led by Frances Constructions industrielles de la Mediterranee  that bid KD236 million  in September 2017. However, Kuwaits State Audit Bureau (SAB) rejected the tender  based on the documents submitted delaying the project to 2018, provided that requirements are fulfilled by SAB.



For 2018, up to KD650 million in power sector contracts are expected to be awarded. Among them is the Al-Dibdibah solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in the upcoming Shagaya renewable energy complex. In line with the development plan goals, the Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) has tendered this project, hoping to contribute to the goal of solar energy providing 15 per cent of the electricity demand in Kuwait by 2030.



Oil & Gas



Activity in the oil sector picked up to KD1.1 billion worth of projects in 2017. Of the 15 contracts awarded in 2017, three major projects are noteworthy: (i) Kuwait Oil Companys (KOC) KD390-milion contract for a gathering centre at Burgan Field, that was awarded to British oilfield services provider Petrofac; (ii) a new refinery feed pipeline project, awarded to Italys Saipem in a deal worth KD255 million; and (iii) a crude transit pipeline from North Kuwait to Al Ahmadis central mixing manifold, awarded to Indian contractor Larsen & Toubro (KD113 million).



Gas sector awards eased in 2017 following significant activities in prior years, and are expected to remain relatively modest in 2018.The gas sector took a back seat in award activity in 2017 after a stellar performance in the prior two years. Two deals were signed in 2017, worth KD96 million, a lacklustre performance after the boost of KD1.3 billion in deals in each of 2015 and 2016. In terms of upcoming projects, both the oil and gas sectors are expected to witness subdued activity (KD620 million) in 2018.



Transport



Activity in the transport sector declined in 2017 following a strong performance in 2016, mainly on account of delays. A total of 15 transport sector deals (KD0.8 billion) were awarded in 2017. The largest deal was an infrastructure works contract for the South Al-Mutlaa City, valued at KD212 million. Another significant project was the runway and taxiway project for the first phase of the Kuwait Airport Expansion project at KD147 million.



The Central Tenders Committee postponed awarding a contract related to road and crossroad construction in the South Al-Mutlaa area. The lowest bidder, a team of Ali Al-Kharafi & Brothers and Metallurgical Corporation of China, was not able to raise the required bank guarantee (bid worth KD85 million). Meed reports that a team comprising of Turkeys Makyol and Kuwaits Contec United General Contracting could win the contract, offering the second lowest bid at KD109 million.



Looking forward, up to KD700 million in transport contracts are expected over the next few quarters. The Ministry of Public Works (MPW) and Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW), have six contracts currently in the bidding phase, in addition to three other contracts from various government entities. Several contracts are related to the northern and southern sections of the regional road, and roads at South Al-Mutlaa.



Construction



Despite a higher number of contracts, the total value of construction awards eased in 2017 to KD0.5 billion. Over 30 contracts were awarded in the construction sector, but given the small size of these contracts (only three are worth over KD30 million), their value fell short of the 21 contracts awarded in 2016 (total value of KD1.2 billion).



The construction sector is expected to dominate projects in 2018 and could reach up to KD2 billion. There are 26 anticipated deals under consideration, of which the Jahra Ministries Complex valued at KD260 million could be awarded in the first half of 2018.



Meed Projects reports that the lowest bidder is United Gulf Construction Company, and it is very likely it will be awarded the tender. This project was pushed to 2018 due to budgetary constraints. The other noteworthy project that is expected in 2018 is the Kuwait National Guards Kazema Camp project estimated at KD300 million.  TradeArabia News Service
As the strategic partner for the first Oman Real Estate Exhibition and Conference (Orex), Al Mouj Muscat is set to showcase its luxurious lifestyle and leisure destination.



Orex will take place from March 12-14 at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, where visitors and potential investors will enjoy an opportunity to view Al Mouj Muscat's freehold-title properties, commercial and retail projects within its world-class development.



Orex is a first-of-its-kind trade and investment platform in Oman for local and international companies, where investors can learn about new developments in the Sultanate and tap into its growing investment opportunities.



Omans stable economy, combined with the government drive towards diversification and growth positioning, make the country an attractive high-yield investment prospect. - TradeArabia News Service


Grundfos, a leading multinational pump and water application systems manufacturer, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE) to provide training to the council's members.



Headquartered in Riyadh, the council operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce.



The agreement was signed between Eng Sulaiman I Al Amoud, secretary general of SCE and Abdulaziz Daghestani, deputy general manager of Grundfos Saudi Arabia, said a statement.



Under the agreement, Grundfos will provide training to the councils members, who consist of over 240,000 engineers working in a wide range of operational engineering disciplines across Saudi Arabia, it said.



Training will provide recent graduates with basic skills and knowledge of how pumps work, pump applications, technologies, pumps types and more; as well as the most sustainable solutions. The one-month courses, which include the ideal mix of theory and practice, will be SCE approved, it added.



The MoU holds several interesting possibilities, with further plans to offer advanced training to the more experienced members of the council; to help engineering professionals to stay at the forefront of the latest developments on pumps and water application systems.



It shall also extend to events and marketing activities and will create a platform for the exchange of knowledge and mutual benefits for both parties, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Long-term investments and groundbreaking research are needed for the transformation of the energy sector, a senior Saudi Aramco executive has said.



Mohammed Y Al Qahtani, Saudi Aramco senior vice president of upstream, was giving the keynote speech, Reshaping the Landscape in Industry 4.0, in the first plenary session on overcoming barriers for future energy, at the 13th Middle East Geosciences Conference and Exhibition (GEO 2018), being held in Bahrain.



He noted that the rapid transformation required of the industry is happening at a time when the Fourth Industrial Revolution makes almost anything seem possible  although the enabling scope of technology makes it easy to settle for immediate gratification.



Al Qahtani said: Unfortunately, much of petroleum R&D investment is in shorter-term improvements with quick pay-outs, as opposed to ground-breaking research.



And while incremental improvement plays a role, investing solely in low-hanging fruit and short-term pay-offs will fall short of transformation, he said.



Nearly 4,000 geoscientists and oil and gas professionals from around the globe are exploring technologies addressing industry challenges at the event, which which kicked off yesterday (March 5). It will run until March 8, at the Bahrains International Exhibition & Convention Center.



The conference is being held under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, and sponsored by Saudi Aramco and other global energy leaders, the bi-annual event addressed the theme, Pushing the Technical Limits: Shaping the Energy Landscape.



Al Qahtani went on to discuss long-term technological investments that are proving to be game-changers for Saudi Aramco, increasing discovery and recovery, reducing costs, enhancing safety and protecting the environment.



He continued: Its no coincidence that these investments fit nicely with GEOs focus on moving beyond technical boundaries, new opportunities in unconventional resources, and how Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things impact exploration and production, because Industry 4.0 is the catalyst for major leaps forward in all these areas.



Al Qahtani highlighted the importance of technologies like Spice Rack, a robotics-based innovation that increases data acquisition by 50 per cent while cutting costs by 30 per cent; and AI and Deep Learning processes that determine rock types and geological features for better well placement and field development.



Inviting attendees to visit Saudi Aramcos pavilion to learn more about the companys proprietary technologies like TeraPowers, the worlds first trillion-cell reservoir simulator whose clear imaging aids increased discovery and recovery, Al-Qahtani emphasised the importance of cooperation within and beyond the traditional industry ecosystem, continued investment in training and development, and ensuring that technology is scalable, affordable and adaptable for continuous innovation.  TradeArabia News Service
Nawah Energy Company, the joint-venture charged with operating the Barakah nuclear energy plant in the UAE, announced today the appointment of Mark Reddemann as the companys new chief executive officer (CEO).

Nawah is the joint venture operating company formed by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) and the Korean Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) in May 2016 to operate and maintain the four-unit Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, located in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Reddemann has been chosen to lead the Nawah team in finishing preparations to operate and maintain the plant at Barakah, including achieving full operational readiness and further enhancing the performance and capabilities of the organisation in keeping with the UAEs commitment to the highest standards of safety, quality and security.

Reddeman brings 40 years of directly relevant nuclear and executive experience to his role at Nawah, as well as a demonstrated track record of building and leading high-performing, operations-focused teams and organisations, Nawah said.

In his previous tenure as chief executive officer at Energy Northwest, he directed the operations of four electricity generating facilities in the state of Washington in the US. Prior to this, he held senior roles across a number of prominent nuclear energy companies and institutions.

We are glad to welcome Mr Reddemann to Nawah, said Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chairman of the board of directors of Nawah. We are confident that we have recruited one of the most accomplished senior executives within todays nuclear energy industry. Mark brings a wealth of experience and an exceptional track record as a nuclear leader and executive, and we look forward to his contribution as we deliver the first operating nuclear energy plant in the region.

Reddemann will commence his tenure as Nawah CEO on April 1, 2018, following his recently announced departure from Energy Northwest.

After eight successful years with Energy Northwest, and more than 30 years in the wider nuclear energy sector, I am excited to take on the responsibility of leading Nawah to achieve its mission and make the UAE the 33rd country in the world to benefit from peaceful nuclear energy generation, said Reddemann. The UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program has made an impressive start in the construction of nuclear plants in a country with no previous nuclear infrastructure, and I am committed to seeing that Nawah delivers a similarly strong performance in establishing the regions first nuclear operator.

Following the appointment of Reddemann as Nawah CEO, Robert Fisher, who has been serving as acting CEO since January 2018, will return to his full-time position of chief nuclear officer of Nawah. - TradeArabia News Service
International hospitality company Meeting Point Hotels has unveiled two new brands at ITB Berlin - Kairaba Hotels & Resorts and Clubs Plus Resorts - with a third brand set to be revealed in a few days.



Kairaba Hotels & Resorts will offer premium beach holidays for friends, families, couples and individuals alike while Clubs Plus Resorts will be a fun-infused all-inclusive concept for the whole family.



I am thrilled to share these brand additions. As each brand develops and flourishes on its own under the umbrella of Meeting Point Hotels, I am certain that guests will find their spot depending on what theyre looking for. We are concentrating on developing product differentiations where every brand caters to the right audience while emphasising heavily on increasing service levels across our hotels, said Roula Jouny, CCO and managing director at FTI GROUP.



In addition to the newly launched brands, the hotel group continued its expansion into a new country last year with two properties in The Gambia. The hotel group is now available in eight countries and more countries are in the pipeline. Furthermore, the group made rapid progress towards enhancing its presence in existing locations; Turkey, with a portfolio of 10 properties, Egypt with eight resorts, Greece with seven resorts, including the addition of Labranda Sandy Beach and Sandy Villas in Corfu, and three more properties that were added in Gran Canaria and Tenerife of the Canary Islands.



The rollout of the rebranding and implementation of the various hotel brands is planned to be finalised by the third quarter of 2018. Were looking forward to showcasing our portfolio in all eight countries and welcoming guests with our promise of hospitality delivered with a local flair said Jouny. -

The newly announced brands are in addition to the group's well-established Labranda Hotels and Resorts brand with its five new subcategories and the recently launched Design Plus, a hotel collection. - TradeArabia News Service
Israeli High Court Defends Crypto Exchange

In a decision that is likely to garner interest from global regulators, The Supreme Court of Israel has ruled in favor of a digital currency exchange.

In an unprecedented move, The Supreme Court of Israel intervened in a decision by an Israeli bank and ruled that it cannot extensively block the activity of the crypto stock exchange. It noted that the bank's fears and attitudes toward the crypto industry were unfounded speculations.

After reviewing a petition filed by Bits of Gold, the crypto stock exchange, against the third largest bank in Israel, Bank Leumi, the Supreme Court of Israel ruled that the crypto exchange should not be banned sweepingly and that each request would be examined on an individual basis.

Supreme Court Justice Anat Baron stated that she accepted the request for appeal and ordered a temporary injunction pending a final decision. Judge Anat Baron said, "It seems that the damages that may be caused to the bank, as long as the request is accepted, are speculative at this time."

"The Bank's decision is based on the assumption that the company's activity does indeed entail risks that arise in violation of the provisions of the law, and therefore the bank is liable to pay the price for the materialization of those risks," Baron added.

Ophir Gertner, co-founder of Stox (raised 33M in 34 hours), and leading entrepreneur in blockchain space said: "The decision is vital to the entire crypto industry, and is a significant advance in the regulation of digital currency trading. I see the judge's statement as an expression that the industry can no longer be ignored. I hope this is an opening for a thorough discussion of the various issues without fear."

Bank Leumi said that: "The bank respects the court's decision, but as long as no binding legal provisions are determined by the regulator and the relevant parties, the Bank will continue to manage the case until the temporary injunction is removed."

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:
07.03.2018: Borregaard ASA ("Borregaard", OSE ticker: BRG)

Reference is made to the stock exchange notice of 16 February 2018 where Borregaard announced the intent to repurchase up to 300,000 of its outstanding common stock.

Borregaard has today purchased 20,000 own shares through broker at an average price of NOK 74.1289 per share.

After this transaction Borregaard holds a total of 434,764 own shares, representing 0.44% of total shares outstanding.

Contact

Lotte Kvinlaug, Investor Relations Officer, +47 922 86 909

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
Members of the Upstate Winds Concert Band will join the Brevard College Wind Ensemble on Mar. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the Porter Center for the Performing Arts. The event is free and open to the public.

A unique blend of professional and amateur musicians, the Upstate Winds Concert Band draws its 65 members from the Upstate and Midlands regions of South Carolina. The ensemble boasts some of the area's finest music educators, business professionals, students, and a retired Greenville fire chief. In addition to concert venues throughout the Upstate, the band has also performed aboard the USS Yorktown in Charleston.

The Brevard College Wind Ensemble program will feature David Gillingham's Radiant Moonbeams conducted by BC music major Chris Center. The composition draws inspiration from the Chinese folk song, Shao Hua Tang Shue  "Gently Flowing Stream." The program also includes a transcription of four movements from Camille Saint-Saens musical suite Carnival of the Animals. The movements include Royal March of the Lions, The Elephant, Fossiles and the Finale.

Both bands will combine to perform the late David Maslanka's Mother Earth Fanfare for Band and Percy Grainger's arrangement of Folk Tune-Sheep Shearing Song. The original setting of Folk Tune is scored for voice and piano by Eugene Goosens. Senior music education major Riley Sullivan will perform the original setting of this charming work.

The concert will conclude with a happy birthday celebration of Leonard Bernstein's centennial birthday year 1918. Selections include Simple Song from Leonard Bernstein's MASS, and the exhilarating Mambo from West Side Story.

The Paul Porter Center for Performing Arts, Brevard College's state-of-the-art musical and theatrical performance space, has earned a reputation as one of the finest performance halls in the South. The 700-seat, acoustically extraordinary Scott Concert Hall can house a full symphony, and yet be intimate enough for a solo guitar recital.
The Very Rev. Kelly Brown Douglas, an internationally acclaimed womanist theologian, dean of the Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary in New York, will speak at St. Philip's Episcopal Church at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 18.

Her speech, entitled "Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God," is sponsored by the Transylvania NAACP and St. Philip's.

Earlier in the day, following the 9 a.m. service at St. Philip's, Dean Douglas and feminist theologian, Rev. Dr. Carter Heyward of Brevard, will dialogue with each other and members of the congregation on the question, "What do womanism and feminism offer the church?"

A leading voice in the development of a womanist theology, Essence magazine counts Douglas "among this country's most distinguished religious thinkers, teachers, ministers and counselors."

In addition to her appointment as dean at Union, Brown is also a professor of theology at Union and she serves as the Canon Theologian at the Washington National Cath-edral.

Douglas is widely published in national and international journals and other publications. Her groundbreaking and widely taught book "Sexuality and the Black Church: A Womanist Perspective" (1999) was the first to address the issue of homophobia within the black church community. Her latest book, "Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God" (2015), examines the challenges of a "Stand Your Ground" culture for the black church. Douglas' other books include "The Black Christ" (1994), "What's Faith Got to Do with It?: Black Bodies/Christian Souls" (2005) and "Black Bodies and the Black Church: A Blues Slant" (2012), which seeks to move the black church beyond its oppressive views toward LGBTQ bodies and sexuality in general.

In addition, Douglas is the co-editor of "Sexuality and the Sacred: Sources for Theological Reflection" (2010). She has been a pioneering and highly sought-after voice in regard to addressing sexual issues in relation to the black religious community. She has been very active in advocating equal rights for LGBTQ persons.

Douglas is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Denison University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science summa cum laude in psychology. She went on to earn a Master of Divinity and a doctoral degree in systematic theology from Union Theological Seminary under James Cone, Ph.D., the premier black theologian. While at Union, she received The Hudnut Award for demonstrated preaching excellence and the Julius Hanson Award as the outstanding theological student.

Prior to Union, Doug-las served as professor of religion at Goucher College where she held the Susan D. Morgan Professorship of Religion and is now professor emeritus. Before Goucher, she was associate professor of theology at Howard University School of Divinity (1987-2001) and assistant professor of religion at Edward Waters College (1986-1987).

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Douglas was ordained at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in 1985 - the first black woman to be ordained an Episcopal priest in the Southern Ohio Diocese, and one of only five nationwide at the time. She also was the first to receive the Anna Julia Cooper Award by the Union of Black Episcopalians (July 2012) for "her literary boldness and leadership in the development of a womanist theology and discussing the complexities of Christian faith in African-American contexts."

Dean Douglas was an associate priest at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. for over 20 years.

She is a member of the American Academy of Religion, The Society for the Study of Black Religion, The Ecumenical Association for Third World Theologians and on The Board of Scholars for Ms. Magazine.
NORTH CAROLINA

Transylvania COUNTY

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF JOHN KEEN BALDWIN

The undersigned, having qualified as Ancillary Administratrix of the Estate of John Keen Baldwin, late of Aiken County, South Carolina also owning property in Transyvlania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before May 30, 2018, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 22nd day of February, 2018.

Natalie Thompson

Ancillary Administratrix of the Estate

of John Keen Baldwin

c/o Robert C. Whitt

Resident Process Agent

601 S. Main Street

Mt. Holly, NC 28120

Robert C. Whitt

Attorney at Law

601 S. Main St.

Mt. Holly, N.C. 28120

T/2/22/4TP-67797

________________________________________________

STATE OF North CAROLINA

Transylvania COUNTY

SUPERIOR COURT

File No. 16-E-120

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

I have qualified as Executor of the Estate of Robert T. Barrett, Deceased, of Transylvania County, North Carolina. All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate must present them to me on or before May 15, 2018 or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Those indebted to the Estate should make immediate payment to the Executor.

Dated: February 15, 2018

Greta C. Barrett

P.O. Box 1532

Fairview, NC 28730

Donald E. Jordan

4 West Main Street, Suite 5

Brevard, NC 28712

(828) 862-8735

Attorney for the Executor

T/2/15/4TC-67799

________________________________________________

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

18 SP 1

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Florence M. Jeffers, (Florence M. Jeffers, deceased)(Heirs of Florence M. Jeffers: Reginald Amon Jeffers, Frank Lett Jeffers, Jr. aka Sonny Jeffers, Mary Elizabeth Oliver aka Beth Oliver, Colleen Josey and Unknown Heirs of Florence M. Jeffers)(Reginald Amon Jeffers, deceased)(Heirs of Reginald Amon Jeffers: Unknown Heirs of Reginald Amon Jeffers) to Michael Lyon, Trustee(s), dated the 4th day of September, 2013, and recorded in Book DOC 669, Page 730, in Tran-sylvania County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Transylvania County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Brevard, Transylvania County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on March 14, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the Township of Brevard, in the County of Transylvania, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows:

Land Situated in the Township of Brevard in the County of Transylvania in the State of NC Beginning at an existing iron pin, said existing iron pin being the North Eastern Corner of Lot 40, Woodland Terrace Subdivision as platted Plat Book 2, Page 106, Tran-sylvania County Registry and being in the line of the right-of-way for Meadow Lane and running thence South 40 degrees 33 min. 00 sec. East 166.41 feet to a new iron pin being in the line of Lot 50 of Woodland Terrace Subdiv-ision; thence with the lines of Lot 50 and 51 of Woodland Terrace Subdiv-ision, North 52 deg. 00 min. 00 sec. East 150.18 feet to a new iron pin, being the Northeastern corner of Lot 51, Woodland Terrace Subdivision; thence continuing North 52 deg. 00 min. 00 sec. East 10.00 feet to a new iron pin; thence North 41 deg. 46 min. 00 sec. East 174.00 feet to a point near the east bank of Tuckers Creek and being 20 feet beyond a new iron pin located on the Western bank of Tuckers Creek; thence North 48 deg. 48 min. 00 sec. West 273.89 feet to a new iron pin; thence South 45 deg. 26 min. 00 sec. West 86.17 feet to an existing iron pin being the Northwestern corner of Lot 52, Woodland Terrace Subdivision and the Northeastern corner of Lot 38, Woodland Terrace Subdivision; thence South 45 deg. 26 min. 00 sec. West 212.49 feet to an existing iron pin on the edge of cul-de-sac and the edge of the right-of-way for Meadows Lane; thence with the right-of-way of Meadow Lane South 43 deg. 17 min. 00 sec. East 99.98 feet along an arc with the radius of 50.00 feet and a length of 159.32 feet to the point of beginning. Being all of Lots 38 and 39, Woodland Terrace Subdivision and being the the Northern one-half of Lot 52 Woodland Terrace Subdivision, as recorded in Plate Book 2, Page 106 Transylvania County Regis-try and being 1.91 acres as surveyed and platted by Clarence Jenkins, RLS. on a plat dated December 9, 1988 and revised April 6, 1992. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 108 Meadow Lane, Brevard North Carolina. NOTE: The company is prohibited from insuring the area or quantity of land. The Company does not represent that any acreage or footage calculations are correct. References to quantity are for identification purposes only.

Trustee may, in the Trustees sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS 45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS 7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property

An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S.  45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE

c/o Hutchens Law Firm

P.O. Box 1028

4317 Ramsey Street

Fayetteville,

North Carolina 28311

Phone No: (910) 864-3068

https://sales.hutchenslaw firm.com

Case No: 1228181 (FC.FAY)

T/3/1/2TC-67913

________________________________________________

STATE OF North CAROLINA

COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

FILE NO. 18-E-56

EXECUTORS - ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Jerry W. Vincent of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Jerry W. Vincent to present them to the undersigned on or before May 23, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter.

All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment.

Dated: February 22, 2018.

Jerry Vincent

4810 Long Ct.

Bethlehem, PA 18020

T/2/22/4TP-67853

________________________________________________

STATE OF North CAROLINA

COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

FILE NO. 18-E-61

EXECUTORS - ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE

Having qualified as Co-Executors of the Estate of Lolan M. Eubanks of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Lolan M. Eubanks to present them to the undersigned on or before June 1, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter.

All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment.

Dated: March 1, 2018.

Cathy E. Kitchen

2631 Tanasee Gap Road

Balsam Grove, NC 28708

Coleen E. Galloway

2913 Diamond Creek Road

Lake Toxaway, NC 28747

T/3/1/4TP-67944

________________________________________________

STATE OF North CAROLINA

COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

FILE NO. 18-E-75

EXECUTORS  ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of John S. Ebaugh, Jr. of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of John S. Ebaugh, Jr. to present them to the undersigned on or before June 8, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter.

All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment.

Dated: March 8, 2018.

Attorney: Brian P. Philips

Beth Renae Bolin

2513 Alleghany Loop

Virginia Beach , VA 23456

T/3/8/4TP-68027

________________________________________________

STATE OF North CAROLINA

COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

FILE NO. 17-E-161

EXECUTORS - ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Ann Frances Talley of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Ann Frances Talley to present them to the undersigned on or before June 1, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter.

All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment.

Dated: March 1, 2018.

Abner Alvin Talley

407 West Eutaw Street

Saluda, SC 29138

T/3/1/4TP-67912

________________________________________________

Haywood EMC

Non-discrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agen-cies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDAs TARGET Center at (202)720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800)877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or

(3) email: [email protected]

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Haywood EMC

Declaracion de no discriminacion

De acuerdo con la ley federal de derechos civiles y las reglamentaciones y politicas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricul-tura de Estados Unidos (U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA), se prohibe al USDA, sus agencias, oficinas y empleados, e instituciones que participan o administran los programas del USDA, discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, religion, genero, identidad de genero (incluidas las expresiones de genero), orientacion sexual, discapacidad, edad, estado civil, estado familiar/ parental, ingresos derivados de un programa de asistencia publica, creencias politicas, o reprimendas o represalias por actividades previas sobre derechos civiles, en cualquier programa o actividad llevados a cabo o financiados por el USDA (no todas las bases se aplican a todos los programas). Las fechas limite para la presentacion de remedios y denuncias varian segun el programa o el incidente.

Las personas con discapacidades que requieran medios alternativos de comunicacion para obtener informacion sobre el programa (por ej., Braille, letra grande, cinta de audio, lenguaje americano de senas, etc.) deberan comunicarse con la Agencia responsable o con el Centro TARGET del USDA al (202) 720-2600 (voz y TTY) o comunicarse con el USDA a traves del Servicio Federal de Transmisiones al (800) 877-8339. Asimismo, se puede disponer de informacion del programa en otros idiomas ademas de ingles.

Para presentar una denuncia por discriminacion en el programa, complete el Formulario de denuncias por discriminacion en el programa del USDA, AD-3027, que se encuentra en linea en http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, o en cualquier oficina del USDA, o escriba una carta dirigida al USDA e incluya en la carta toda la informacion solicitada en el formulario. Para solicitar una copia del formulario de denuncias, llame al (866) 632-9992. Envie su formulario completado o su carta al USDA por los siguientes medios:

(1) correo: U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights,

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; o

(3) correo electronico: proqram.intakeusda.qov.

El Departamento de Agricultura de Estados Unidos (USDA) es un proveedor, empleador y prestador que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

T/3/8/1TC-68049

________________________________________________

STATE OF North CAROLINA

COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

File No: 18-E-67

EXECUTORS  ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Nancy J. Trescot of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Nancy J. Trescot to present them to the undersigned on or before June 1st, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate, please make immediate payment.

This the 1st day of March, 2018.

John B. Trescot, Exec.

1416 Valley Rd.

Lancaster, PA 17603

Attorney:

The Neumann Law Firm, PLLC

David C. Neumann, Atty.

9 Park Place West, Ste. 102

Brevard, NC 28712

828-884-6575

#13630

T/3/1/4TC-67960

________________________________________________
Artist and writer Connie Donaldson will give a presentation on "Freeing Our Creative Selves" at the next AAUW meeting on Tuesday, March 13, at their regular 7 p.m. time at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd across from Ingles. The public is invited to attend. Refreshments will be served.

This topic represents Donaldson's quintessential view of creativity.

"Many people think we either are creative or we aren't but I believe in creative self-expression for everyone, not just the elite few," she says.

Her passion is helping others discover and reclaim their creative selves.

A recent Florida transplant who was born in southwest Virginia, Donaldson has been delighted to rediscover her mountain roots in a town as culturally rich as Brevard. She is now providing a series of innovative art and writing workshops at the Silvermont Opportunity Center, based on unconventional, liberating and playful techniques.

"We are all innately, naturally creative," she said. "That's what it is to be human and especially to be a woman. We are makers, creators. But we often don't pause in our busy lives to acknowledge and appreciate that fact - or to exercise and develop our innate abilities."

Her art and writing classes reflect these beliefs and are designed around a series of little experiments and explorations in new directions.

Donaldson holds a B.A. in English, a M.S. in library science and a M.A. in counseling psychology, all from Florida universities. With a background of over 25 years as a therapist and facilitator specializing in women's issues and creative development, she began to work on her own art and writing 15 years ago. Her art was featured in two private exhibits in Jacksonville and was shown in several Florida galleries.

She created the popular "Wild Women Weekends" as a way for women to express themselves with ritual, drama, art and writing. She hopes to bring a "Wild Woman Weekend" to the Brevard area and is looking for venues.

"I design experiences based on what I, myself, need in order to flourish and grow," she admits. "Teach what you most need to learn. Works every time!"

She calls her creative ventures "Waterfall Arts."

Her February class called "Freeing the Artist Within" at Silvermont was full. The writing segment, "Writing for Your Life," runs the month of March on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. Call Silvermont at 884-3166 or Connie at (904) 571-6124 or connie.donald [email protected] to register, if there are still openings available.

AAUW's mission is to promote equity for all women and girls through advocacy, philanthropy, education and research. The primary fundraising activity of the branch is the annual book sale held in June at Brevard College's Boshamer Gym. The yellow book collection boxes are now sprouting up all over town. Look for them and use them when you have no more than one bag or box full of books. For anyone wanting to make a larger book donation, contact Pinkie Byrd at [email protected] or call (828) 885-8201 to have AAUW members come by and pick up your books or arrange a time for you to drop them off at AAUW's new "Book Nook" facility.

Proceeds from the book sale are used to fund scholarships for Transylvania County girls and young women to attend Brevard College, Blue Ridge Community College, Green River Preserve Camp as well as Clemson University's WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) program. The branch takes great pride in the fact that their book sale is a community-driven operation, with books coming from the community and scholarships going back to the community.

More information about the branch and its many activities is available at http://brevard-nc.aauw.net. Check out the branch's Facebook page: AAUW Brevard NC Branch. For membership information, contact Maury Bandurraga (862-5984) or Leslie Chepenik (877-5721).

The American Association of University Women is open to all graduates who hold a two-year associate degree (or equivalent) or higher degree from an accredited college or university.
Embroiderers Guild

The Laurel Chapter of the Embroiderers Guild of America will hold it next monthly meeting on Thursday, April 5.

The program will be the second part of the pulled thread Biscornu Pin Cushion, being taught by Kim Sanders. The April meeting will concentrate on finishing techniques for this project.

The chapter meets at Cummings United Methodist Church located at 3 Banner Farm Road in Etowah/Horse Shoe. Registration is 9:30 to 10 a.m. followed by a short business meeting and the program until noon.

If interested, contact Roberta Smith at (828) 243-6537 or Janet Stewart at (828) 575-9195.

Hearing Loss Association

The Brevard Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) will hold its monthly meeting on Saturday, March 10, in the Carlson Conference Room of the Transylvania Regional Hospital in Brevard. Area residents of all ages who are experiencing hearing loss or who have family members or friends with hearing loss are welcome to attend these meetings. Feel free to join us at 12:30 to browse through helpful information, meet members and enjoy light snacks.

The meeting will begin at 1 p.m.

The program for this meeting will feature Sharon Everett, MS CCC/SLP of Asheville Speech Therapy, who will discuss how speech therapy benefits adults with cochlear implants and hearing aids, including expectations of therapeutic intervention, benefits and insurance coverage.

For more information, contact Kathy Borzell at (828) 743-0150 or [email protected]

Parkinsons Support Group

The Brevard-Hendersonville Parkinsons Support Group meeting will be on Tuesday, March 13, at 10 a.m., in the fellowship hall of the Brevard-Davidson River Presbyterian Church, located at 249 E. Main St. in Brevard. There will be light refreshments, time for fellowship and presentations.

Project Linus

The local chapter of Project Linus, a national organization that provides handmade blankets to children in crisis, is sponsoring Make-A-Blanket Day on Saturday, March 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is an opportunity to participate in creating blankets for seriously ill or traumatized children.

The event will be held at Eliada Home, 2 Compton Drive, Asheville. The Eliada Home campus is located 1.4 miles North of Patton Avenue off New Leicester Highway.

Sewing skills are not necessary as there will be instruction on no-sew fleece blankets. In addition, there will be an assembly line of volunteers using sewing machines to create quilts. All supplies will be provided. For additional information contact Ellen Knoefel at (828) 645-8800, Ennis Julian at (702) 499-3567.

Pisgah Forest Rotary Club

The March 14 meeting of the Rotary Club of Pisgah Forest will feature Brevard City Manager Jim Fatland and City of Brevard Director of Public Works David Lutz, who is in charge of fresh water distribution, wastewater collection systems and solid waste collection. They will co-speak on the topic of water and sanitation as it relates to Brevard.

The public is always welcome to attend the meetings, listen to the guest speakers and share a delicious buffet breakfast at the Pisgah Fish Camp every Wednesday at 8 a.m.

For information on Rotary service, contact Don Mozley at [email protected] or (828) 877-5820 or visit http://www.pisgahforestrotary.org.
Property owners in the Lake Toxaway Fire Rescue district currently pay the lowest tax rate in the county  4.79 cents  for those services, while those in the Cedar Mountain Fire Rescue pay the highest  13.78 cents.

The method that determines those and six other fire tax rates in the county is partly based on the total property values in each district. Those values range from $55.5 million to $1.6 billion and so impact the variance in fire tax rates that residents pay.

It means that each fire department receives differing fund amounts, resulting in varying service levels in regards to equipment, manpower and resources. (The Transylvania County Rescue Squad is funded out of the countys general fund budget and not via a fire tax.)

In January, the Board of Commissioners asked county staff to provide the different options for funding fire and rescue services equitably countywide.

During last weeks regular commissioners meeting those options were provided (see options below).

Now, the commissioners want to hear feedback from the public and each of the fire/rescue departments about the options.

During the meeting, commissioners reiterated that no decisions have been made and that rumors of a county department or departments being abolished are untrue.

Commission Chairman Larry Chapman said the county is not going to do anything that will deteriorate the services provided or cause any more heartburn.

(We are) just looking at what is the most equitable way to provide the excellent service that you provide to all of our citizens here at an equitably shared price, he said.

The fire/rescue departments are contracted with the county to provide fire services. Each department submits a budget request annually and that request is reviewed by staff and commissioners.

Staff also provided the following information to address several related questions:

Changing the method to collect funding does not change how the fire departments operate.

No change to district/response lines.

No decrease to current funding levels proposed.

No decreases in volunteers.

No changes in contracting with existing fire departments.

No changes to fire department boards, officers or the chain of command.

No changes to fire insurance ratings. (The state Fire Marshall does not prefer any legal funding method over another method.)

There is not a new tax being proposed.

With general fund or flat tax options, most citizens would see a tax decrease, but some who would see an increase are those now paying the lower range of fire district taxes.

Information about the options may be viewed on the countys website, as well as a place to leave comments.

Each fire/rescue department will be asked to submit input on the pros and cons of each option in writing. After a month, all the information will be compiled for commissioners.

(scroll down to see proposed funding options at the end of this article)

In other action at last weeks meeting:

Finance Director Gay Poor gave a semi-annual financial report:

General Fund Revenues

Revenues reached 54.1 percent of the amount budgeted.

78.2 percent of current year ad valorem taxes had been collected, versus 76.5 percent through December 2016; increase amounts to $763,673.

Sales tax revenues up 4.5 percent over 2018 fiscal year projections and 7.4 percent over 2017 fiscal year actuals for first three months of distribution.

Real property excise tax surpassed last years actuals and budget expectations.

Building permit and inspection fees under the prior years as commercial construction fell to a more normal level.

Other revenues, mainly intergovernmental revenues and fees, only 22.9 percent of budget due to delay in disbursements and transition to direct payments for child care providers and Medicaid transportation recipients; corresponding decrease in expenditures.

Overall, 2018 fiscal year revenues exceeded 2017 fiscal year through second quarter by $937,429.

General Fund

Expenditures

Expenditures were 42.9 percent of budget and 3 percent less than last year.

Personnel expenditures were 47.6 percent of budget and $89,308 more than 2017 fiscal year for same period.

Fuel and utilities running below budgeted levels.

One-third of the budgeted capital spent, mostly for vehicle replacements; remainder on building improvements that are underway.

Appropriations for school system at 50 percent of budget.

Debt service only 31.3 percent of annual appropriation since largest bond payment not due until third quarter

All other budgeted expenditures only 30.2 percent, but more than 2017 fiscal year by $355,901 due to increase in appropriations to school system and in pass-through lottery funds

Self-Insurance Fund

Lag time between the time claims are incurred and the time they are processed.

Claims costs at 32.9 percent of budget; less than 2018 fiscal year projections and less than first six months of claims for 2017 fiscal year.

Administrative costs on target, but 10.6 percent more than last year, reflecting increase in stop loss premium charges.

Solid Waste Fund

Operating revenues totaled 52.2 percent of budget, exceeding projections and ahead of the previous year by 10.8 percent.

Expenditures at 37.4 percent of budget, with 44.8 percent of the operating budget and 45.1 percent of the capital budget used during first six months.

Through December 2017, Solid Waste realized income of $188,785 versus loss of $117,589 through December 2016.

Poor also gave a recap of budget amendments for the first half of the current fiscal year:

Budget amendments increased the budget by $3,411,187, with $2,718,300 attributable to funds moved from the general fund to Golden Leaf Foundation-Light Industrial Building Project Fund.

Most of the remaining fund balance appropriations of $439,573 were made from the fund balance assigned for specific purposes: air conditioning at Recreation Center gymnasium and legal action.

Appropriations were also made from the unassigned fund balance and included funds to cover: costs incurred by Sheriffs Office, Communications and Emergency Management during fugitive manhunt last July; new social worker program manager in Department of Social Services (DSS) and remodeling of office space in DSS building.

Carry forwards from previous years for purchases and projects initiated in 2017 fiscal year but not completed prior to year-end (Sheriffs Office Federal Equitable Sharing Program, radio system for Animal Services, security access to CS Building).

Increases in state and federal funds and local grants for DSS, Public Health and Historic Preservation projects.

Donations to Animal Shelter.

With these amendments, the 2018 fiscal year second quarter budget closed at $54,655,160.

Commissioners approved the following budget amendments:

Proceeds from insurance claims for repairs to ambulance and two Sheriffs Office vehicles, restoration and repairs for water damage at library and Tax Administration/Register of Deeds, and repairs to Rosman Community Park due to vandalism.

Donations to Sheriffs Office for acquisition of law enforcement dogs and associated officer training.

Fund balance assigned for Health Department Medicaid cost settlement payments to cover payback of cost settlements required by Division of Medical Assistance for 2013 fiscal year.

Fund balance restricted for Hemlock Restoration Project, including grant funds and countys match.

Interim valuation of other post-employment benefits (OPEB) to meet Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) 75 requirements for disclosure of OPEB liabilities.

From estate of Lois Maxine Gibbs to provide hearing aid loops at Silvermont.

The amendments increased the general fund budget by $101,059, bringing it to a total of $55,150,555. The budget for the Silvermont Fund is $10,000.

The Transylvania County Honor Guard gave a presentation on the organization. Commander Howard Sarge Thiele and Doug Poad, the Guards secretary/treasurer, gave the presentation.

The Honor Guard is a nonprofit that has 28 current members representing all service branches. The Honor Guard provides services at a veterans service, when the family requests it. The Guard averages 45 to 50 a year. It also takes part in patriotic events, such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day. It relies on fundraising, local government grants and public support for its activities. For example, in 2017 the Honor Guard raised $7,245, and received $3,800 in grants and another $3,673 in donations.

The Transylvania Family Resource Centers grand opening in the former Board of Elections building opposite the library will be held at 2:30 p.m., March 20.

Commissioners heard a report from representatives from First Citizens Bank on the countys investment portfolio.

In December 2016, commissioners authorized entering into an agreement with First Citizens to invest idle funds in a portfolio consisting of treasury securities, agency bonds and up to 10 percent commercial papers, with a maximum maturity of three years.

Commissioners also approved investment of funds set aside for closure and post-closure landfill care costs. The county entered an agreement with First Citizens in January last year and transferred $3.323 million to the investment account.

Frances Bradburn and Lisa Sheffield were reappointed to the Personnel Board.

The third annual Upper French Broad Riverfest will be held June 23 on the grounds of Rosman Town Hall.

Proposed Funding Options

Option A: Fires Service District Tax (Current Method)

Used by eight counties in North Carolina

Pros: Relatively easy to establish a service district (already established in Transylvania County). Districts can be modified by Board of Commissioners (must meet statutory requirements). Tax rate can be adjusted annually by commissioners based on approved fire department budget requests. Commissioners are statutorily responsible for setting tax rate and authorizing distribution of funds based on each fire departments approved budget request. Districts with high property valuations able to access better equipment and resources, including ability to fund staffing while maintaining relatively low tax rate.

Cons: Variations in property valuations within each service district resulting in inequitable tax rates (currently, 4.79-13.78 cents). Potential variations in level of service and services provided within each individual service district. Limited ability to address needs in districts with lower property valuations due to revenue shortage without significantly higher tax rates. Unable to utilize fire district funds derived from one district (area within the county) to support needs in areas with lower property valuations (departments are interdependent for mutual aid, so if one department cant sustain due to funding it impacts others). Tax office required to parcel out properties based on respective fire districts and questions on tax bill related to fire district the property lies within. Funding is tied to operational response lines even though mutual aid also applies.

Fire Tax Bill For $250,000 home: $119.75- $344.50 annually, depending on the district the citizen resides in.

Option B: Rural Fire Protection District

Used by 31 counties in North Carolina

Pros: Tax rate can be adjusted annually by commissioners based on approved fire department budget requests. Commissioners are statutorily responsible for setting tax rate and authorizing distribution of funds. Districts with high property valuations able to access better equipment and resources, including ability to fund staffing while maintaining relatively low tax rate.

Cons: Variations in property valuations within each district resulting in inequitable tax rates. Potential variations in level of service and services provided within each individual service district. Limited ability to address needs in districts with lower property valuations due to revenue shortage without significantly higher tax rates. Unable to utilize funds derived from one district (area within the county) to support needs in areas with lower property valuations (departments are interdependent for mutual aid). Methods to establish the district require a petition and referendum that can be costly. More difficult to alter district lines to serve the citizens (improve insurance rates or response areas related to changes in resource/stations in neighboring districts) The money factor impacts best response plans for emergencies. Process for changes to service district lines is more complicated. The 35 percent of residents to get in a referendum is a high bar to achieve

Fire Tax Bill For $250,000 home: $119.75- $344.50 annually, depending on the district the citizen resides in.

Option C: Fund from General Fund

Used by 36 counties in North Carolina

Pros: Tax rate can be adjusted annually to meet budget needs as approved by commissioners based on fire departments budget requests. Commissioners are statutorily responsible for setting tax rate and authorizing distribution of funds based on the fire departments budget requests. Every property owner pays the same rate (like Rescue Squad). Funding method is consistent with fire departments dependence on mutual aid from other departments in the county, with funding going to more than a single department. Removes the tax valuation limitation when determining the best response plans, so operational needs drive decisions. Funding fire and rescue from general fund more easily allows for the county to make sure coverage is equitable and standardized, with a goal of equity in price and coverage to all citizens. A citizen may be in an incident/accident in an area outside his/her home district. Continue to contract with local fire departments for fire and rescue services. Simplify process for tax office and reduce workload.

Cons: Perception of taking from rich to give to poor districts. City of Brevard citizens pay city taxes, some of which go to support fire protection in the city limits. General fund property taxes tax municipal residents too, so this could create a claim of double taxation. Changes creates anxiety and opposition. Perception that change in funding method represents attempt to change current contractual agreements with volunteer fire departments serving their respective communities or to take control of operations (Funding method does not give additional authority). Perceived loss of local volunteer fire department serving its community/district status (although method of collecting funding does not impact that). A reserve fund is not guaranteed for fire services under this method.

Fire Tax Bill For $250,000 home: $150 annually. The 2018 fiscal year tax would be 6 cents for all residents, including within the City of Brevard.

Option D: Fund from Single Countywide Service District/Tax Rate

Used by five counties in North Carolina

Pros: Tax rate can be adjusted annually to meet budget needs based on approved fire departments budget requests. Every property owner in the county pays the same rate. Funding method represents fire departments dependence on mutual aid from other fire departments in the county. Removes the tax valuation in a district as the limiting factor when determining the best response plans so operations drive decisions. Reserve fund specifically for fire services would be required, so that anything collected above approved budgets would be used for fire specifically and no other purpose. The single service district more easily allows for equitable and standardized coverage and allows the county to address deficiencies or gaps in coverage areas. Method recognizes that a citizen may require service outside of the district in which they live. Simplify process for tax office and reduce workload. Continue to contract with local fire depts for fire and rescue services. City residents do not pay both city and county for fire services

Cons: Perception of taking from rich to give to poor districts (two tax districts would have an increase in rate and six rates would decrease). Changes create anxiety and opposition. Perception that change in funding method represents attempt to change current contractual agreements with volunteer fire departments serving their respective communities. It does not change the authority commissioners currently have to approve fire department budget requests. Perceived loss of local volunteer fire department serving its community/district status (although method of collecting funding does not impact that). Perception that this is a new tax when it is not.

Fire Tax Bill For $250,000 home: $180.75 annually. The 2018 fiscal year tax would be 7.23 cents for all residents, excluding the city of Brevard.
David Knight (speaks with Mark Singleton, executive director of American Whitewater, during an informal meet and greet Tuesday at SylvanSport, in Brevard. Knight is the state's newly appointed director of outdoor industry.

David Knight, the state's newly appointed director of Outdoor Recreation, met Tuesday with local industry leaders and elected officials at SylvanSport, the makers of the popular GO trailer in Brevard.

Knight's position has been funded by the state legislature for two years, according to N.C. Rep. Chuck McGrady, who was in attendance. Knight's mission is to support and promote the outdoor industry, to attract these types of industry to North Carolina, and to tap into the market and social power of the outdoor industry and the people attracted to the lifestyle.

Knight has been on the job for six weeks, and he is essentially on tour for informal meet and greets with employers, such as SylvanSport.

"Why does this industry need their own office?" he asked the crowd. "I'd say...it's unique - the connection they have with the consumers is unique. The connection a mountain bike manufacturer or fly rod maker has with their customer is unique."

Knight referenced the Outdoor Industry Association's (OIA) economic impact study published last year. The report says consumers spend $887 billion on outdoor recreation across the country, creating 7.6 million jobs, $65.3 billion in federal tax revenue, and $59.2 billion in state and local tax revenue.

The OIA is a nonprofit focused on policy change, outdoor recreation and natural resource sustainability throughout the country. In North Carolina, outdoor recreation is the fourth largest economy behind hospital care, outpatient health care, and financial and insurance services.

In North Carolina, outdoor recreation generates $28 billion in consumer spending annually, creates 260,000 direct jobs, creates $8.3 billion in wages and salaries, and creates $1.3 billion in state and local tax revenue.

Much of that impact is felt locally.

Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway are the most visited national forest and park in the country, respectively.

Knight said that there is nothing specific for Transylvania County that he is working on yet, other than engaging community leaders. Part of his job is helping communities promote and brand themselves.

"You have to be receptive and open to a diversity of businesses and types of people," he said. "That's important to be able to grow in the rural environment."

When asked about salary ranges for some of these positions in this market, Knight said the great thing about the outdoor industry is that it is diverse. Jobs - from design to manufacturing and sales to real world product testing - have a range of salaries.

"You have to have an educated and learned workforce," he said. "Like here at SylvanSport, this is complicated stuff they're making. Even the apparel industry has gotten complicated. We need an educated workforce. We're also competing against robotics, and a lot of manufacturing is going that route. We want as many people in those positions as possible, so the more educated they are the more likely they will stay in their positions."

SylvanSport owner Tom Dempsey did much of the legwork to create Knight's position.

"Nobody makes this stuff to use in their backyard," said Dempsey, speaking about all the different kinds of outdoor gear made in the U.S. "They make this stuff to use on public lands. The outdoor industry depends on taxpayers to support parks and recreational areas and, increasingly, we're all aware of user fees. Those are the kinds of concepts this office is designed to address and move forward, but it is a unique industry in that we're all making gear to use on public lands, which makes it necessary to be well integrated with public leadership."
The Transylvania County School system could need an additional $50,000 in local funding to cover projected increases in retirement and health insurance for the 2018-19 school year.

In discussing the 2018-19 budget at the Transylvania County Board of Education meeting Monday evening, Norris Barger, director of business services and plant operations, said the state has increased its retirement contribution to 18.44 percent and health insurance has increased to $6,045 per eligible employee.

No school system in North Carolina can operate on just the state funded positions, said Superintendent Dr. Jeff McDaris. So every school system also has some locally funded positions.

McDaris said that when the state raises the cost of living pay, retirement, health insurance, etc., then those increases for locally funded teachers have to be paid from local funds.

Barger said local funding for retirement and health insurance would increase another $50,000.

Board Chair Tawny McCoy said the school board would encourage a conversation with the county manager and commissioners about reviewing a local funding formula. The local funding formula is supposed to be reviewed every two years.

Barger said if the General Assembly adjourns early, the school system should know how much money it would receive from the state by June 30.

He said there should be some preliminary budget numbers from the state available in May, but he has to present his final budget to the school board by May 1.

Thats not far off, said Barger.

Once Barger has submitted the budget to the school board, the school board has until May 15 to present its local school budget to the county commissioners. The commissioners have until June 30 to approve their budget.

Since spring break occurs in April, the school board has only two more meetings before Barger has to submit his budget.

School board member Marty Griffin asked when new teachers would go on a new retirement plan.

Barger said there has been discussion in the legislature about putting new teachers on a different retirement program, such as teachers having their own 401K, but I don't think anything has ever passed.

Everybody is still on the same defined benefit plan that has been out there for years, said Barger. Right now everything is the same.

Brian Weaver, senior director of human resources, said Senate Bill (SB) 467 dealt with changes in retirement, but it was not passed.

Board Attorney Chad Donnahoo clarified that SB 467 had been introduced last April but it had not been passed by the state Senate.

Health And School Safety

During his superintendents update, McDaris said that according to the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and NC Child, North Carolina does not have enough school nurses and counselors and that is having a negative impact on students.

Both organizations gave the state a D grade for mental health.

McDaris also said that from 2011 to 2015 there has been a doubling of the number of high school students who have attempted suicide and there has been a 50 percent increase in students suffering from major depression from 8 to 12 percent.

He said the organizations also gave North Carolina an F for housing and economic security.

The mental health system in this state is not what it needs to be, said Griffin.

School board member Alice Wellborn requested that school staff provide the ratio of support personnel  nurses, counselors, psychologists, etc.  to students in Transylvania County.

I know were way off for nurses, said Wellborn. I think we kind of need to know what we are looking at there.

Wellborn said the information McDaris gave about student mental health correlates with school safety.

The school system, in partnership with the Transylvania County Sheriffs Office, will host two meetings about school safety.

The first meeting will be held Monday, March 12, at Rosman High School at 6 p.m.

The second meeting will be held at Brevard High School on Tuesday, March 20, at 6 p.m.

McDaris said Transylvania County has been fortunate to have school resource officers (SROs) in each school for years.

Henderson County still does not have that, said McDaris, who expressed his appreciation to the county commissioners for funding the SROs.

We have good SROs. They are more than just law enforcement officers and the students trust them, said McDaris.

McCoy said SROs provide a deterrent for people who might want to come on campus to cause harm, but they also develop good relations with students.

So many times our students are willing to share with them, said McCoy.

Other News

The board postponed any decision on teacher contracts until its next meeting on March 19. McCoy said the staff is still gathering more information on the subject.

Both Ron Kiviniemi and Betty Scruggs McGaha were absent due to unplanned family commitments.

McDaris congratulated Rosman Middle School teacher Missy West and Brian Weaver, senior director of human resources, for attaining their doctoral degrees in education.

Important Dates

The next school board meeting will be Monday, March 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the Morris Education Center.

March 30 is an annual leave day. Spring break is from April 2-6.

Taste of Transylvania, a fundraiser for the Transylvania County Schools Education Foundation, will be held May 1 at 6 p.m. at the Brevard Lumberyard.

Proceeds from this event are used for additional projects in classrooms.

Central Office

Summer Schedule

From Monday, June 18, through Friday, Aug. 10, the central administrative offices will be open for four 10-hour days a week.

Offices will be open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Best known for his 1985 discovery of the Titanic, Dr. Robert Ballard will be the spring 2018 J. R. McDowell Speaker, sponsored by the Transylvania County Library Foundation in partnership with Brevard College. His presentation and talk, "Deep Sea Exploration," will be Thursday evening, April 12, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Porter Center for Performing Arts at Brevard College.

General admission tickets for the event are $10 and will go on sale March 12 at the Transylvania County Library. In addition to the Titanic, Dr. Ballard has succeeded in tracking down numerous other significant shipwrecks, including the German battleship Bismarck, the lost fleet of Guadalcanal, the U.S aircraft carrier Yorktown (sunk in the World War II Battle of Midway), and John F. Kennedy's boat, PT-109.

While those discoveries have captured the imagination of the public, Ballard believes his most important discoveries were of hydrothermal vents and "black smokers" in the Galapagos Rift and East Pacific Rise in 1977 and 1979 along with exotic life forms living off the energy of the Earth through a process now called chemosynthesis.

In addition to being a National Geographic Society explorer-in-residence and a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, Ballard is president of the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET).

An explorer, discoverer, and professor, Ballard's fascinating journeys can teach people a great deal about the past, and his work has encouraged others to take tremendous strides in the survey of the undiscovered mysteries of the deep sea. Other discoveries include sunken remains of ships along ancient trade routes in the Mediterranean Sea; two ancient Phoenician ships off Israel, the oldest shipwrecks ever found in deep water; and four 1,500-year-old wooden ships, one almost perfectly preserved in the Black Sea.

Ballard earned his doctorate degree in marine geology and geophysics from the University of Rhode Island.

He spent 30 years at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where he helped develop telecommunications technology to create "tele-presence" for his education initiative, which allows hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren to accompany him from afar on undersea explorations around the globe each year.

He is presently a full professor of oceanography and director of the Center for Ocean Exploration at the University of Rhode Island. He has 21 honorary degrees, six military awards, and an array of extraordinary accomplishments and medals for his tireless work in the world's oceans.

He has published numerous books, scientific papers, and a dozen articles in National Geographic magazine.

Ballard has also been featured in several National Geographic television programs, including the record-breaking "Secrets of the Titanic."

This annual speaker series, named for Transylvania County Library Foundation Board member emeritus J. R. McDowell, is designed to present a wide array of viewpoints on challenging and thought-provoking topics. Since 1944, the Transylvania County Library Foundation has worked to improve public library services to the citizens of Transylvania County.

Brevard College is committed to an experiential liberal arts education that encourages personal growth and inspires artistic, intellectual, and social action.

To learn more, visit http://www.brevard.edu, "like" Brevard College on Facebook and follow @Brevard College on Twitter.

For additional information, contact the Transylvania County Library at (828) 884-3151.
PALO ALTO, Calif., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VMware, Inc. (NYSE:VMW), a leading innovator in enterprise software, today expanded its portfolio of cloud services, helping customers better manage the complexity and risk of multiple cloud environments while extending consistent IT operations from the data center to the cloud.



As businesses expand their use of cloud computing and utilize multiple cloud providers, they naturally experience increased complexity and risk associated with diverse infrastructures, management tools, and processes. VMware estimates that nearly two-thirds of the industry will utilize two or more cloud service providers in addition to their on-premises data centers. (Source: VMware Cloud Market Study, January, 2018)

VMware Cloud Services are uniquely designed to give customers the flexibility to leverage any cloud environment while providing consistent operations for how clouds are managed and secured. VMwares growing portfolio of Cloud Services provides visibility, operations, automation, security, and governance across any cloud.

The need to support a complex set of new and existing applications is driving cloud adoption, and the needs of the applications are driving cloud decisions, said Raghu Raghuram, chief operating officer, Products and Cloud Services, VMware. VMware Cloud gives customers unprecedented flexibility to develop any type of application, deploy these apps to any cloud, and deliver them to any device while leveraging a consistent infrastructure across clouds and a consistent set of operations across any cloud.

Expanded and Enhanced Portfolio of VMware Cloud Services

VMwares expanded portfolio of cloud services gives organizations the freedom to utilize the best cloud environment for their business, without increased complexity and risk. By extending consistent operations from the data center to the cloud, VMware is offering end-to-end visibility of cloud usage, infrastructure cost, network performance, detailed application monitoring and analytics, and enhanced security across the public cloud and on-premises environments.

Todays announcements include:

New VMware Hybrid Cloud Extension Service for Private Cloud: A SaaS offering that provides application mobility and infrastructure hybridity across different vSphere versions, on-premises and in the cloud. Previously announced Hybrid Cloud Extension services for both IBM Cloud and VMware Cloud on AWS are now available, and VMware has now added a new service for self-managed private enterprise datacenters. Hybrid Cloud Extension provides the operational support that enables enterprises to complete large-scale workload movement in environments spanning multiple private data center locations. Hybrid Cloud Extension enables enterprises to manage secure application migration without modification, with little or no application downtime, and across heterogeneous VMware vSphere environments. Cloud migration is simplified by eliminating the need to replatform, retest, or change cloud tooling, all while maintaining business continuity, application uptime, network architectures, and performance. With the general availability of Hybrid Cloud Extension for both IBM Cloud and VMware Cloud on AWS, customers can also extend their VMware-based environments to the public cloud for on-demand capacity and geographical expansion.



A SaaS offering that provides application mobility and infrastructure hybridity across different vSphere versions, on-premises and in the cloud. Previously announced Hybrid Cloud Extension services for both IBM Cloud and VMware Cloud on AWS are now available, and VMware has now added a new service for self-managed private enterprise datacenters. Hybrid Cloud Extension provides the operational support that enables enterprises to complete large-scale workload movement in environments spanning multiple private data center locations. Hybrid Cloud Extension enables enterprises to manage secure application migration without modification, with little or no application downtime, and across heterogeneous VMware vSphere environments. Cloud migration is simplified by eliminating the need to replatform, retest, or change cloud tooling, all while maintaining business continuity, application uptime, network architectures, and performance. With the general availability of Hybrid Cloud Extension for both IBM Cloud and VMware Cloud on AWS, customers can also extend their VMware-based environments to the public cloud for on-demand capacity and geographical expansion. Expanded Wavefront by VMware Service: This SaaS-based, high-scale, metrics monitoring and analytics platform supports cloud-native and enterprise applications, and both public and private cloud infrastructure, including AWS, Google Cloud Platform, workloads running on Azure, and now VMware Cloud on AWS. VMware has added 45 new Wavefront integrations, including GCP, Chef, GitHub, Spark, Nginx+, and Mesos, in addition to already supported integrations, such as AWS Lambda, Kafka, and Docker, expanding the set of information that can be unified, visualized, and monitored by Wavefront, helping customers better optimize applications and deliver more compelling reporting and dashboards for dynamic applications. Wavefront now supports Kubernetes in Pivotal Container Service (PKS), application platform services such as Pivotal Cloud Foundry (PCF), and enterprise applications running on VMware-based private clouds. Wavefront also now integrates with VMware vRealize Operations, empowering IT to partner with lines of business and application owners by providing rapid onboarding of Wavefront, agent lifecycle management and control, and shared visibility not only of the infrastructure, but also for the applications that run on top. Wavefront is free to try at www.wavefront.com/sign-up.



This SaaS-based, high-scale, metrics monitoring and analytics platform supports cloud-native and enterprise applications, and both public and private cloud infrastructure, including AWS, Google Cloud Platform, workloads running on Azure, and now VMware Cloud on AWS. VMware has added 45 new Wavefront integrations, including GCP, Chef, GitHub, Spark, Nginx+, and Mesos, in addition to already supported integrations, such as AWS Lambda, Kafka, and Docker, expanding the set of information that can be unified, visualized, and monitored by Wavefront, helping customers better optimize applications and deliver more compelling reporting and dashboards for dynamic applications. Wavefront now supports Kubernetes in Pivotal Container Service (PKS), application platform services such as Pivotal Cloud Foundry (PCF), and enterprise applications running on VMware-based private clouds. Wavefront also now integrates with VMware vRealize Operations, empowering IT to partner with lines of business and application owners by providing rapid onboarding of Wavefront, agent lifecycle management and control, and shared visibility not only of the infrastructure, but also for the applications that run on top. Wavefront is free to try at www.wavefront.com/sign-up. New VMware Log Intelligence Service: The newest offering for VMware Cloud Services, Log Intelligence will deliver deep operational insights into VMware-based data centers and VMware Cloud on AWS. Log Intelligence provides rapid IT troubleshooting and centralized log management across multiple clouds including VMware Cloud on AWS. Log Intelligence uses machine learning algorithms and real-time log analytics to continuously scan for anomalies in data center and cloud environments. The service delivers high-performance log search and rich dashboards to give IT unified visibility into application behavior and the health of underlying infrastructure.



The newest offering for VMware Cloud Services, Log Intelligence will deliver deep operational insights into VMware-based data centers and VMware Cloud on AWS. Log Intelligence provides rapid IT troubleshooting and centralized log management across multiple clouds including VMware Cloud on AWS. Log Intelligence uses machine learning algorithms and real-time log analytics to continuously scan for anomalies in data center and cloud environments. The service delivers high-performance log search and rich dashboards to give IT unified visibility into application behavior and the health of underlying infrastructure. Expanded VMware Cost Insight Service: Adding to the existing support for AWS, Microsoft Azure, and VMware private cloud data centers, Cost Insight now delivers detailed assessments for migrating workloads to VMware Cloud on AWS, calculating the capacity and the cost of running apps in private or public clouds. Cost Insight offers a deep understanding into the true cost of migration through integration with VMware Network Insight, giving IT a more accurate view of the total cost of an app, including the estimates on network egress and storage IOPS costs post migration. Cost Insight offers an array of savings recommendations, alerts, and reporting capabilities including the ability to set cost thresholds to manage costs and maintain budget.

Driving Value and Differentiation For VMware Cloud Providers

Powered by the VMware Certified Reference Design, the VMware Cloud Provider Platform is a tested, validated, and highly-scalable combination of essential VMware products delivering critical cloud provider capabilities such as multi-tenancy, self-service, extensible framework, and metering for VMware environments, enabling cloud providers to sell differentiated services on top. With the latest release of VMware vCloud Director 9.1, cloud providers can create new monetization opportunities by integrating services with custom workflows and user interface (UI) extensibility; simplify management and increase operational visibility with multi-site views and an enhanced portal that simplifies user experience; and target DevOps and capture new workloads by opening up to developers with new programmatic interfaces and Kubernetes-as-a-service capabilities.

Additionally, partners can now achieve the VMware Cloud Verified designation through implementation of the Certified Reference Design. VMware Cloud Verified identifies cloud providers that fuel business growth by driving innovation, improving efficiency, and lowering costs for customers as they transform application portfolios for a multi-cloud, multi-device world. The VMware Cloud Verified designation gives customers confidence that cloud providers are adopting the most complete, most advanced VMware technologies, providing the greatest degree of interoperability across clouds and the greatest advantage for their business.

VMware Cloud on AWS Launches in Europe With New Capabilities, Partner Program

Today, VMware is announcing VMware Cloud on AWS is now available in the AWS EU (London) Region. This announcement initiates the global expansion of VMware Cloud on AWS by making it available to European and multi-national customers. Also today, VMware is delivering new capabilities for higher levels of infrastructure availability, improved storage efficiency, and integrations with more VMware Cloud services  enabling customers to accelerate cloud migration and making hybrid cloud deployments simpler. VMware has also added new enhancements to the VMware Partner Network to enable system integrator and system outsourcer (SISO) partners, managed service providers, and solutions providers to grow their hybrid cloud business with VMware Cloud on AWS.

Additional Resources

About VMware

VMware software powers the worlds complex digital infrastructure. The companys compute, cloud, mobility, networking and security offerings provide a dynamic and efficient digital foundation to over 500,000 customers globally, aided by an ecosystem of 75,000 partners. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, this year VMware celebrates twenty years of breakthrough innovation benefiting business and society. For more information, please visit https://www.vmware.com/company.html.

VMware, VMware Cloud, Hybrid Cloud Extension, vSphere, Wavefront, vRealize, vRealize Operations, Log Intelligence, Cost Insight, Network Insight, VMware Cloud Provider, vCloud, vCloud Director, Cloud Verified , are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. This article may contain hyperlinks to non-VMware websites that are created and maintained by third parties who are solely responsible for the content on such websites.

Media Contacts

Roger T. Fortier

VMware Global Communications

Mobile: 408-348-1569

rfortier@vmware.com

DNara Cush

H+K Strategies for VMware

Office: 212-885-0511

DNara.Cush@hkstrategies.com
OMAN  Continuing its expansion in the GCC, Swiss-Belhotel International (SBI) has entered into a management agreement with Al Salaam International Hotel LLC to operate Swiss-Belinn Muscat in Oman.



(TRAVPR.COM) DUBAI - March 7th, 2018 - OMAN  Continuing its expansion in the GCC, Swiss-Belhotel International (SBI) has entered into a management agreement with Al Salaam International Hotel LLC to operate Swiss-Belinn Muscat in Oman. Expected to open in 2019, the superb 3-star hotel enjoys an outstanding location in Seeb in close proximity to Muscat International Airport.

Mr. Nadhim Said Hamdan Al Rawahi, Partner of Al Salaam International Hotel LLC, stated, We believe with its strong global network and experience, the Swiss-Belhotel International will add tremendous value to this project. The Swiss-Belinn Muscat is being equipped with the very best facilities in the upper 3-star category and will contribute greatly to development of tourism in Oman. The project location is across the airport and hence our main concept is blending business, transits and pleasure. We are looking forward to extending our attractive Omani hospitality portfolio with Swiss-Belhotel. Furthermore, we are looking to contribute to the social-economic development of Oman and enable to provide direct and indirect jobs to Omanis in hospitality sector.

Mr. Gavin M. Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss-Belhotel International, said, We are thrilled to debut in Oman with a reputed partner like Al Salaam International Hotel LLC. It is an exciting time for us as we continue to strengthen our presence in the GCC. The scale and diversity of our brands allows us to serve any market segment or need. Swiss-Belinn Muscat will be ideal for travellers looking for a comfortable and affordable accommodation.

Swiss-Belinn Muscat, equipped with 120 standard rooms and 10 varieties of suites, is being developed to offer its guests a comprehensive range of facilities including an all-day-dining restaurant, flexible meeting and conference venues, gym, Wi-Fi access and 24-hours room service. Given its fantastic location near the airport, the hotel will serve as the perfect abode for transit passengers looking for stop-overs and airline crews as well as corporate travellers on a short visit to Oman or those facing unexpected flight halts.

With a strategy focused on expanding in high-growth markets,

Swiss-Belhotel International is rapidly growing its footprint across the Middle East. Mr. Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India for Swiss-Belhotel International, said, We are proud to add the Swiss-Belinn Muscat to our superb portfolio of hotels in the Middle East. Omans tourism industry has experienced strong growth over the past few years, and this is expected to continue. However, the countrys hospitality sector is currently dominated by luxury 5-star or 4-star hotels leaving an enormous gap and opportunity in the midscale sector. Hence it is the perfect time for us to enter the market and position the hugely successful 3-star

Swiss-Belinn brand capitalizing on the rising demand for high quality affordable accommodation.

For further information visit http://www.swiss-belhotel.com

For media contact:

marketing@evops-pr.com

About Swiss-Belhotel International

Swiss-Belhotel International currently manages a portfolio of more than 145* hotels, resorts and projects located in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Georgia and Tanzania. Awarded Indonesia's Leading Global Hotel Chain for six consecutive years, Swiss-Belhotel International is one of the world's fastest-growing international hotel and hospitality management groups. The Group provides comprehensive and highly professional development and management services in all aspects of hotel, resort and serviced residences. Offices are located in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, China, Europe, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. www.swiss-behotel.com

*Numbers may fluctuate

###
Xoxo Tours is a Delhi based company which is going to launch a social networking app which helps people to connect with each other during a travel meeting.



(TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - March 7th, 2018 -

Xoxo Tours is a Delhi based company which is going to launch a social networking app which helps people to connect with each other during a travel meeting.

With the help of this app, wherever you are going, you can meet people with similar interests. Meeting them may help you to feel and see the insights about the place and help you explore better.

Now, you can shop, eat, go out and explore the place better with your new travel buddy. Xoxo Tours even provides a unique way to hang out with new people and making your trip memorable.

Xoxo Tours will help travelers enjoy their travel better. With Xoxo Tours you get to meet people all across the globe who have similar travel interests and you can plan your vacation on the go.

Xoxo Tours is founded by Kishore Beniwal, an experienced entrepreneur. Kishore has previously launched a successful job portal, exclusively for blue/grey collared employees.

According to the founder, With Xoxo Tours, you may connect with people with similar interests, especially who are travelers & may love to join you for your trip. Conversations and Travel are the two things that may make two people become friends with each other in no-time & Xoxo Tours will help you to find people with similar interests when it comes to traveling.

Finding a travel companion is very easy with Xoxo Tours. Simply sign-up with your Facebook or Google account and find your travel buddy. The app will be Ads free.

The app and all of its features are absolutely free for female users. For male users, basic features would be available for free (for 30 days as a trial) till he upgrades his account to a premium user to avail more features of the app.

Xoxo Tours offer an opportunity to connect with a travel companion from anywhere in the world to make their tour more exciting and pleasurable. This app can make your vacation more fun, exciting and unforgettable.

You can visit the website at www.xoxo.tours

###
VMware and Amazon Web Services Open New Opportunities for Partners



New capabilities accelerate cloud migration and simplify hybrid cloud deployments

PALO ALTO, Calif., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VMware, Inc. (NYSE:VMW), a leading innovator in enterprise software, today announced VMware Cloud on AWS is now available in Europe, and will offer new capabilities to accelerate and simplify enterprise cloud migration and hybrid cloud deployments. VMware and Amazon Web Services (AWS) will also enable system integrator and system outsourcer (SISO) partners, managed service providers, and solutions providers to grow their cloud business with VMware Cloud on AWS, helping their customers realize the full benefits of hybrid cloud. For more information about VMware Cloud on AWS, visit: http://cloud.vmware.com/vmc-aws .

Bringing together the best of VMware and AWS, VMware Cloud on AWS is uniquely architected to offer customers an operationally consistent and familiar way to run, manage, and secure applications in a hybrid cloud. By offering consistent infrastructure across this hybrid cloud, customers have greater freedom to move applications between on-premises VMware vSphere-based data centers and AWS, and accelerate cloud migrations. VMware Cloud on AWS also provides access to a broad range of innovative AWS services including compute, databases, analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), security, mobile, application services, and more. VMware Cloud on AWS customers have access to the same cloud management solutions and services proven in the data center, extending their tools, policies, and expertise for managing and securing mission-critical applications in the public cloud.

Since launching VMware Cloud on AWS just six months ago, weve seen tremendous interest from our global customer base and multi-national enterprises. Today marks an essential starting point for our global expansion to deliver unparalleled hybrid cloud services in major geographies around the world, said Mark Lohmeyer, vice president and general manager, Cloud Platform Business Unit, VMware. The VMware and AWS teams are driving a phenomenal pace of innovation, delivering the third major update, with many compelling new capabilities and use-cases, in just six months. Customers across virtually every industry are adopting VMware Cloud on AWS because it gives them a scalable, operationally consistent hybrid cloud that meets their most business-critical use cases.

Customers have been asking us to bring VMware Cloud on AWS to Europe, and we are excited to be doing that today in the UK. Working together, VMware and AWS are delivering deeper AWS integration so that customers wont have to manage their own storage and database services, said Matt Garman, vice president of AWS Compute Services. For example, Scripps Network Interactive, a VMware Cloud on AWS customer, is integrating with Amazon S3 and Amazon RDS to further reduce costs and take advantage of their stored data to run analytics and gain better insight in the business.

Today, a broad range of customers of all sizes and across all industries including healthcare, transportation, financial services, manufacturing, oil & gas, government, education, professional services, and technology are actively using the service. Popular enterprise use cases include cloud migration, ranging from a single application to entire data centers; data center extension to satisfy cyclical capacity, extend to new geographies, or enable new application development and testing; and Disaster Recovery (DR), whether to replace legacy solutions, implement a new DR strategy, or protect additional workloads in the context of their existing DR solutions.

VMware and VMware Cloud on AWS are the foundation of Brinks global infrastructure, said Greg Osgood, global vice president of Infrastructure and Security, Brinks, Inc. This flexibility improves service levels to customers and is a key driver in Brinks technology and business transformation. These systems allow the company to easily move workloads between its private cloud and the public cloud, providing agility for production services and disaster recovery. Using these VMware technologies, and with a partnership with Eastern Computer Exchange, Brinks successfully consolidated its North America data center operations in 2017, and is planning to extend this model to Europe, Latin American, and Asia in 2018.

Making Enterprise Cloud Migration Fast, Simple, and Secure for Modern Workloads

VMware and AWS continue to accelerate service innovation for VMware Cloud on AWS. VMware Cloud on AWS is making the onramp to the cloud much simpler for customers, enabling them to migrate current and new workloads to the cloud with the most functionality, greatest agility, and best security and performance  both on-premises and in the cloud. With this update, VMware is announcing:

Mission-Critical Application Protections : New capabilities will protect applications against different types of failures, from data center and availability zone outages, to host and VM-level failures. VMware Cloud on AWS will provide Zero recovery point objective (RPO) high availability for any application across AWS Availability Zones (AZ) with Stretched Clusters for VMware Cloud on AWS. This unique service will significantly improve enterprise application availability without needing to architect it into the application, by leveraging powerful VMware infrastructure capabilities, enabling developers to focus on adding business value.

: New capabilities will protect applications against different types of failures, from data center and availability zone outages, to host and VM-level failures. VMware Cloud on AWS will provide Zero recovery point objective (RPO) high availability for any application across AWS Availability Zones (AZ) with Stretched Clusters for VMware Cloud on AWS. This unique service will significantly improve enterprise application availability without needing to architect it into the application, by leveraging powerful VMware infrastructure capabilities, enabling developers to focus on adding business value. Data-Intensive Application Enhancements : With the acceleration of big-data volumes in the cloud, data-intensive workloads can now take advantage of native VMware vSAN compression and deduplication to reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) while benefiting from the performance of all-flash storage. It is estimated that customers can cut storage costs in half for typical workloads with native vSAN deduplication and compression while reducing idle resources with elastic, on-demand compute used only when needed. As an example, a customer with typical workloads and a 150 TB storage need can save up to $1.2 million on a VMware Cloud on AWS software-defined data center (SDDC) cluster over a three-year period, based on VMware internal testing (1) .

: With the acceleration of big-data volumes in the cloud, data-intensive workloads can now take advantage of native VMware vSAN compression and deduplication to reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) while benefiting from the performance of all-flash storage. It is estimated that customers can cut storage costs in half for typical workloads with native vSAN deduplication and compression while reducing idle resources with elastic, on-demand compute used only when needed. As an example, a customer with typical workloads and a 150 TB storage need can save up to $1.2 million on a VMware Cloud on AWS software-defined data center (SDDC) cluster over a three-year period, based on VMware internal testing . VMware vMotion for Workload Migration: VMware vMotion between on-premises and VMware Cloud on AWS, and between hosts across clusters within a VMware Cloud on AWS SDDC is now available. VMware will also be adding vMotion between hosts in a stretched cluster across two AWS availability zones.

VMware vMotion between on-premises and VMware Cloud on AWS, and between hosts across clusters within a VMware Cloud on AWS SDDC is now available. VMware will also be adding vMotion between hosts in a stretched cluster across two AWS availability zones. Anytime, Anywhere Access to Desktops: Support for VMware Horizon will enable customers to easily deploy and run Horizon virtual desktops and applications on VMware Cloud on AWS with cloud consumption economics. VMware Horizon will enable customers to extend on-premises desktop services via the cloud without buying additional hardware, and co-locate virtual desktops or published applications near latency-sensitive applications in the cloud. Customers will be able to leverage elastic capacity as a cost-effective way to protect on-premises Horizon 7 deployments or fill temporary needs.

Support for VMware Horizon will enable customers to easily deploy and run Horizon virtual desktops and applications on VMware Cloud on AWS with cloud consumption economics. VMware Horizon will enable customers to extend on-premises desktop services via the cloud without buying additional hardware, and co-locate virtual desktops or published applications near latency-sensitive applications in the cloud. Customers will be able to leverage elastic capacity as a cost-effective way to protect on-premises Horizon 7 deployments or fill temporary needs. Simplified Cloud Migration and Operations: VMware is making it faster and easier to setup, configure, and manage SDDC environments on VMware Cloud on AWS. Integration with AWS CloudFormation and Hashicorp Terraform enable customers to automate SDDC-level provisioning using popular and familiar DevOps tools. VMware is also introducing developer center, which is integrated into the VMware Cloud on AWS service console and offers automation experts, DevOps engineers, and developers a central portal to gain access to detailed API information, Software Development Kits, code samples, and command line interfaces. Additionally, customers will be able to accelerate initial networking configuration and improve ongoing operations with networking and security capabilities provided by VMware NSX, including Tunnel Status Monitor, Connectivity Checker, and Firewall Rule Accelerator.

Additional Support From VMware Cloud Services

VMware Cloud Services are uniquely designed to give customers the flexibility to leverage any cloud environment while providing consistent operations for how clouds are managed and secured. VMwares growing portfolio of cloud services provides visibility, operations, automation, security, and governance across any cloud. VMware Cloud on AWS previously added support for VMware Hybrid Cloud Extension and Wavefront by VMware. In this release, VMware Cloud on AWS adds support for VMware Cost Insight and VMware Log Intelligence. Cost Insight is a software-as-a-service that enables customers to understand the true cost of migration to VMware Cloud on AWS based on real inventory data drawn from VMware vCenter. Log Intelligence enables real-time visibility into infrastructure audit logs and application logs to isolate problems quickly for faster troubleshooting. Both Cost Insight and Log Intelligence are available as a free trial to VMware Cloud on AWS customers.

Broader Access for Enterprises, New Services, and Revenue Opportunities for Partners

With the expansion of the VMware Partner Network to include VMware Cloud on AWS, enterprises now have even broader access to the cloud service and more choice in strategic IT partners to help accelerate their cloud journey. VMware enables partners to grow their hybrid cloud business with VMware Cloud on AWS through expansion of the VMware Solution Provider and VMware Cloud Provider programs that will provide partners with training, financial incentives, access to VMware expertise, and joint marketing for solutions based on VMware Cloud on AWS. Additionally, the VMware Cloud on AWS Solution Competency is now available for partners, offering the sales and technical training required to be successful selling and managing VMware Cloud on AWS. Visit VMwares partner page to learn more about these programs.

Working with VMware, managed services provider DXC Technology will be launching one of the first new portfolios of managed services for VMware Cloud on AWS. These services will enable clients to achieve lower cost and increased flexibility by taking advantage of VMware Cloud on AWS. DXCs managed services offerings, including application migration & transformation services, leverage the integrated VMware Hybrid Cloud stack to deliver greater agility, innovation, and cost efficiency allowing clients to realize the benefit of hybrid cloud.

Availability

Services in the AWS EU (London) region, VMware vSAN deduplication and compression, AWS CloudFormation and Hashicorp Terraform integration are all available today. Stretched Clusters for VMware Cloud on AWS, vMotion between hosts in a stretched cluster across two AWS Availability Zones, VMware Horizon support, Tunnel Status Monitor, Connectivity Checker, and Firewall Rule Accelerator are in preview (2) . To view the latest status of features for VMware Cloud on AWS, visit: https://cloud.vmware.com/vmc-aws/roadmap.

Additional Resources

About VMware

VMware software powers the worlds complex digital infrastructure. The companys compute, cloud, mobility, networking and security offerings provide a dynamic and efficient digital foundation to over 500,000 customers globally, aided by an ecosystem of 75,000 partners. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, this year VMware celebrates twenty years of breakthrough innovation benefiting business and society. For more information, please visit https://www.vmware.com/company.html.

VMware, VMware Cloud, vSphere, vSAN, vMotion, NSX, Hybrid Cloud Extension, Wavefront, Site Recovery, Log Intelligence, Cost Insight, and vCenter are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other jurisdictions. This article may contain hyperlinks to non-VMware websites that are created and maintained by third parties who are solely responsible for the content on such websites.

1) Savings calculated for a 150TB VMware Cloud on AWS SDDC cluster. Based on 3-year subscription pricing. Actual deduplication and compression storage reduction will vary based on workload and data set.

2) Preview: Feature(s) released in preview may not be available to all applicable customers or in all AWS regions. The information in this document is for informational purposes only and may not be incorporated into any contract. There is no commitment or obligation that items in Preview, Developing, and Planning, will become Available.

Media Contact:

Roger T. Fortier

VMware Global Communications

Mobile: 650-427-2410

rfortier@vmware.com
PEMBROKE, Bermuda, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sompo International, a Bermuda-based specialty provider of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, announced today that Mr. Victor Sordillo, Senior Vice President, Loss Control has assumed a new role as loss control leader for all of Sompo International Insurance. Mr. Sordillo joined Sompo International in January 2017 as Loss Control Leader for Sompo Global Risk Solutions (GRS), a platform targeting middle market and large accounts within select global industry verticals. In that role, he significantly broadened the scope of strategic risk management services offered to GRS clients and he will now further evolve these services to support the Sompo International insurance platform globally. Mr. Sordillo, located in New York, reports to Mr. Jack Kuhn, CEO of Global Insurance.



At the same time, Sompo International is pleased to announce that Ms. Christine Sullivan has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Loss Control Leader, Sompo Global Risk Solutions. Working with GRS loss control, underwriting and claims staff, she will continue to enhance the companys loss control capabilities for GRSs target industries, which currently include real estate, hospitality, financial institutions and professional services, as well as Japanese Interest Accounts business. Ms. Sullivan reports to Mr. Ionel Rizea, Chief Business Development and Operations Officer of Sompo Global Risk Solutions and to Mr. Sordillo.

Mr. Jack Kuhn, commented, Proactive and tailored risk management services are highly valued by our clients, as we not only offer our insureds financial protection but we also work closely with them to reduce loss experience and identify ways to improve and differentiate their business operations. Both Vic and Christine are recognized leaders in risk management best practices across a range of industries. Working collaboratively with our dedicated underwriters and claims specialists, Vic and Christine will lead the delivery of our proprietary next generation of loss control consultation, Risk A/TSM, which relies on behavioral based analysis to assist our clients to better manage their risk exposures, and continue to expand our loss control teams capabilities to deliver industry leading services across our entire insurance portfolio.

Mr. Sordillo has more than 30 years of experience in risk management roles at QBE and the Chubb Group, responsible for property and casualty strategy, overseeing large-loss investigations and claims reviews, and directing global safety and security engineering services. Mr. Sordillo holds a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering from Tufts University and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts and is a Certified Safety Professional and a registered Professional Engineer, specializing in fire protection and structures.

Ms. Sullivan joined Sompo International from Lockton Companies where she advanced through a number of loss control roles over a twenty year career at the company, most recently as Senior Vice President, Risk Control Services. Prior to Lockton, she worked for five years in Chubb Groups Loss Control department. Ms. Sullivan has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Factors Engineering from Tufts University and is currently Vice President of Finance for the American Society of Safety Engineers. She is a Certified Safety Professional and an Associate in Risk Management.

About Sompo International

Sompo International is a global specialty provider of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, headquartered in Bermuda. Through its operating subsidiaries, Sompo International writes agriculture, professional lines, property, marine and energy, and casualty and other specialty lines of insurance and catastrophe, property, casualty, professional lines, weather risk and specialty lines of reinsurance. Sompo International companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of Sompo Holdings, Inc., whose core business encompasses one of the largest property and casualty insurance groups in the Japanese domestic market. We maintain excellent financial strength as evidenced by the ratings of A+ (Superior) from A.M. Best (XV size category) and A (Strong) from Standard and Poors on our principal operating subsidiaries. Sompo Internationals headquarters are located at Waterloo House, 100 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda and its mailing address is Sompo International, Suite No. 784, No. 48 Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton HM 11, Bermuda. For more information about Sompo International, please visit www.sompo-intl.com.

Contact

Investor Relations

Phone: +1 441 278 0988

Email: investorrelations@sompo-intl.com
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 7

Union Health Minister JP Nadda has assured the city-based Cancer Care Research Foundation of all kind of help to fight cancer.

A delegation of the foundation, led by Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik, met the Union Minister in Delhi yesterday.

Malik informed that the delegation handed over a memorandum to Nadda, requesting him to provide the state-of-the-art facilities for cancer patients here.

He said the Union Minister asked them to provide a detailed project report so that he could act swiftly on the matter. The foundation has been working since 1992. It raised the Sri Guru Ram Das Rotary Cancer Hospital at Vallah with public donation worth Rs 600 crore and Rs 1 crore contribution by the Union Government.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, March 7

A woman allegedly strangled her one-year-old daughter before hanging herself in her one-room apartment at Budhanpur village near Sector 16 here this morning. No suicide note was found from the spot.

According to the police, the deceased has been identified as Pooja (23), who killed her daughter Ananya before killing herself.

Meanwhile, the landlord and neighbours said they suspected strained relations between husband Sharwan, who works as a plumber, and Pooja, who used to work as a housemaid and had left the job around two months ago, behind the incident.

Till the filing of this report, nobody from the deceaseds family, including her mother, had given any formal complaint against Poojas husband.

The police questioned the victims husband. Sukhdev Singh, SHO of the Sector 14 police station, said they questioned the husband and were working on some other angles. It would be premature to blame any other person for the death of the mother and daughter, he said.

The bodies of the mother and the child have been kept at the Sector 6 mortuary. These will be handed over to the family after a postmortem on Thursday.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the deaths took place between 9 am and 10 am when Pooja was alone with her daughter at home.

Her young sister, Aarti, who is a domestic help and lived with the couple, had gone for work while the husband was not present.

The deceaseds mother, Seema Devi, who is also a domestic help and lives with a family in Sector 16, Panchkula, was inconsolable. Neighbours said she had lost her husband a few years ago.
editorial@tribune.com

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 7

Just about a week after the registration of a case against senior advocate SK Garg Narwana and others, the Haryana Police has reportedly cancelled the FIR with regard to him. The development took place two days after the police conceded that nothing vital had been found against him.

Though a formal communication in this regard is yet to be presented to the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association, available information suggests that members were verbally informed about the culmination of the proceedings in favour of Narwana.

We have been verbally informed that Narwanas name has been dropped after recording statements and preliminary investigations, said honorary secretary of the Bar association Ravinder Singh Randhawa.

The developments took place soon after lawyers strongly condemned the act of the Haryana Police, especially the Panchkula police, in registering the FIR against the senior Bar member.

The addition of his name in the list of the accused in an alleged fraud case involving property at Zirakpur had led to large-scale protests. Coming out in his support, the lawyers had not only met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, but also abstained from work.

A Bar Council delegation, led by chairman Vijender Singh Ahlawat, after meeting Khattar, had also submitted a written representation for the cancellation of the FIR against Narwana. The delegation told the Chief Minister that the Panchkula police registered the FIR in a very hasty manner, causing resentment among lawyers in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
INNISFAIL, Alberta, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EQUS REA LTD. is participating in the launch of an important campaign to expose how multinational power distributors are trying to eliminate local independent power providers and what the impact would be to all Albertans if this happens.



The Stop the Power Monopoly Campaign calls on Albertans to stand up for independent power providers, by asking the Alberta Government to protect choice and safeguard a competitive power distribution environment.

EQUS CEO Pat Bourne states, Albertas independent power providers have always provided rural Albertans with access to quality, reliable and affordable power. But over the years, unintended consequences of government actions have given big, for-profit multinationals an unfair advantage. This campaign aims to educate all Albertans as to the consequences.

Bourne says she has confidence that Rachel Notleys Government supports independent power providers, but fears the multinational corporations, with their array of lawyers and lobbyists, are working to eliminate them, the Alberta based, Alberta focused competition.

Bourne reiterates that unlike big multinational corporations, which must produce profits for stockholders year in and year out, independent power providers have one goal, providing reliable, affordable power. Operating as co-operatives, we provide the benchmark for the true cost of power distribution. That is why we are consistently able to compete with the big multinationals on price and service.

Bourne emphasizes, For 70 years EQUS has delivered safe, reliable and affordable power to rural Albertans homes, farms and businesses. We aim to keep power distribution rates low for all Albertans for another 70 years.

Visit stopthepowermonopoly.ca to find out more

To learn more about EQUS, please visit equs.ca

For more information contact:

Charlene Glazer

Business Alignment Manager

403.227.7532

cglazer@equs.ca

About EQUS:

For nearly 70 years, EQUS REA LTD. has been providing safe and reliable electric distribution services to commercial and industrial developments, oil and gas operations, telecommunication towers, production facilities, homes and farms throughout 26 Alberta municipal districts and counties under a co-operative business model. Serving 11,800 members, EQUS is the largest member-owned utility in Canada and operates offices in Innisfail, Claresholm, Bow Island and Onoway, with a Main Office located in Innisfail.
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 7

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has called for sector-wise details of dogs.

A division bench of the High Court has asked the Municipal Corporation to not only specify the number of dogs, but also furnish details of sterilisation operations carried out. The bench also directed the submission of a detailed affidavit in this regard.

The directions came soon after advocate Tanu Bedi came out with certain suggestions before the division bench of Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal and Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal during the hearing of Save Sukhna case.

During the proceedings, the bench was also told that the flow of dirty water into Sukhna Lake from Kaimbwala had been plugged.

Appearing before the bench as amicus curiae or a friend of the court, Tanu had earlier suggested carrying out the dogs sterilisation process properly and area-wise. She also recommended immediate removal of exposed garbage across the city and shelter homes for dogs.

Referring to the presence of dogs at Sukhna Lake, Bedi recommended carrying out the process of counting all dogs before ensuring they were sterilised and vaccinated. She also recommended putting special marks on them and preventing the strewing of garbage at and near the lake.

She also suggested that the dogs should not be fed at the lake and rather, a particular area outside the lake promenade be demarcated for feeding.

Displaying boards about Dos and donts with dogs also found a mention in the list of suggestions.

Tanu asserted that caregivers from animal organisations were required to be encouraged and invited to adopt the dogs at the lake and feed them at the demarcated place.

Other suggestions included ensuring their wellbeing; imparting occasional lessons to the visitors for dealing with dogs at the lake and studying the dog behaviour and help in reducing aggressiveness.

The rain-fed lake at the foothills of the Himalayas was created way back in 1958 by damming the Sukhna Choe, a seasonal stream coming down from the Shivalik Hills.

The High Court, in its order dated March 14, 2011, had also issued directions for restoring the lake and its former glory.
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Our Correspondent

Dera Bassi, March 7

The police arrested two youths of a gang allegedly involved in various theft incidents. However, the third gang member is still absconding. Efforts are on to trace him, said the police.

The police claimed to have recovered one stolen Maruti car, six mobile phones, three motorcycles and mobile covers from their possession.

With the arrest of its two members, the police claimed to have solved a theft case that took place two weeks ago in Dera Bassi where some unidentified youths barged into a mobile shop on the Dera Bassi-Barwala stretch and decamped with mobile phones and other accessories.

The accused have been identified as Naresh Kumar (23), who hailed from Nepal but was currently putting up in Sector 45, Chandigarh, and Ajay, a resident of Sector 21, Chandigarh.

According to the police, two of the gang members were arrested at a naka laid when the accused were travelling in a car that was stolen by them a few months ago.

The accused have confessed to their involvement in a number of theft incidents at various places in Dera Bassi and the nearby areas. During their interrogation, one of the accused revealed the names of the other gang member who was also involved with them. He is still absconding.

Meanwhile, the police today produced the accused in the court which sent them to judicial custody.
G Parthasarathy

G Parthasarathy

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), set up in 1989 by the G7 countries, and with headquarters in Paris, acts as an international watchdog on issues of money laundering and financing of terrorism. It has 37 members, including all five permanent members of the Security Council, and countries with economic influence all across the world. Two regional organisations  the Gulf Cooperation and the European Commission  are members of the FATF. Saudi Arabia and Israel are observers. India became a full member of the FATF in June 2010. The FATF is empowered to ensure that financing of UN-designated terrorist organisations is blocked. It has the power to publicly name countries not abiding by its norms, making it difficult for them to source financial flows internationally.

Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to pressures from this task force as the Afghan Taliban, Haqqani network, LeT and JeM  all internationally designated terrorist groups  operate from its soil. Pakistan has long claimed that it has done its best to prevent terrorism emanating from its soil. It has also averred that there is no firm evidence against the LeT and the JeM, even after these groups have publicly acknowledged that they were promoting terrorism in India. Pakistan has also rejected evidence like wireless transcripts of conversations of Jaish terrorists involved in the Pathankot airport and the vast evidence available internationally of the Lashkar role in the Mumbai 26/11 attack. The Americans and their allies have focused attention primarily on Pakistan support for the Haqqani network in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has believed that sooner, rather than later, the Americans would cut their losses and withdraw from Afghanistan, leaving the country open for a Pakistan-backed Taliban takeover. President Donald Trump, however, made it clear that he was determined that the US would not lose in Afghanistan. He is augmenting the US troop presence and moving fast to strengthen the Afghan armed forces, including its air force. American economic assistance to Pakistan has been placed on hold. In addition, the US has mobilised its NATO allies to take a tougher line on Pakistan. The NATO allies are also expanding their deployments in Afghanistan. More recently, the US has initiated moves to get the task force to place Pakistan on its grey list at its next meeting in June.

The American effort in the FATF on Pakistan funding of terrorist groups predictably ran into problems initially. Pakistan had mobilised support from China, the Gulf Cooperation Council led by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and quite evidently Russia to counter the American-led move. Islamabad banked on Russian support, given the bonhomie that Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov manifested when he invited his Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Asif to Moscow on the eve of the FATF meeting. Further, despite parliamentary opposition, Pakistan declared, just over a week before the FATF meeting, that it would be deploying additional troops in Saudi Arabia. It clearly expected Saudi support in the FATF after its decision was announced. The Lavrov bonhomie led the inexperienced Khawaja Asif to proclaim hastily and prematurely that Pakistan had succeeded in prevailing over moves to place it on the FATF grey list involving monitoring of its international financial flows.

The Americans responded immediately to these developments. Saudi Arabia and the GCC fell in line with American demands for the FATF to act against Pakistan. European powers like the UK, Germany and France remained steadfast in their determination to corner Pakistan. Russia quietly receded to the background. Recognising that its support for Pakistan would leave it isolated in the FATF, where it was aspiring to become its vice-chairman at the forthcoming FATF session in June, Pakistans all-weather friend China pulled back its support for Pakistan. The only country that steadfastly continued supporting Pakistan was Turkey, whose egotistic President Recep Erdogan would certainly not win an international popularity contest today!

Pakistan will now have to provide a detailed action plan on actions it proposes to take on curbing funding for UN-designated terrorist groups. It would then be placed on the FATF grey list, where its financial flows would be subject to intense international scrutiny. Pakistan would, thereafter, be placed on the FATF black list if it fails to present a credible and comprehensive action plan to the FATF by June. This would virtually end any prospect of it receiving adequate financial flows. There has been disappointment, anger and frustration in Pakistan at the FATF decision. Hardly anyone in Pakistan is prepared to publicly advise that it is time for Pakistans rogue army to end support on its soil to armed terrorist groups, acting against India and Afghanistan. While Pakistan recently claimed it had closed Lashkar offices, it was soon found that only the gates of these offices were closed, while routine activities continued inside.

In these circumstances, India should urge members of the European Union and Japan to join the US and end providing concessional credits to Pakistan. Given its precarious foreign exchange position, Pakistan will inevitably have to go to the IMF for a bailout in a few months. Institutions like the IMF, World Bank and Asian Development Bank need to be persuaded to withhold providing concessional credits to Pakistan, even if it takes some token measures to claim it has acted against UN-designated terrorist outfits. India should urge that no concessional credits should be provided to Pakistan till it dismantles the infrastructure of terrorism on its soil irrevocably. China will not follow suit; but its aid for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will only increase Pakistans already heavy debt burden.

The withdrawal of Chinese support in the FATF has shaken the Pakistan establishments belief that Chinese support to contain India has no limitations. China recognises that backing Pakistan unconditionally in the FATF would not only earn it the ire of the mercurial Donald Trump, but would also sully its image internationally. At the same time, this does not mean that there will be any change in Chinas policies on issues like declaring Jaish chief Masood Azhar an international terrorist. Moreover, we should also clearly recognise that President Trumps actions are primarily in response to Pakistans support for the Haqqani network in Afghanistan. They are not highly or significantly focused on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism on Indian soil. That is a battle that will have to be fought primarily by us.
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Washington, March 7

A US Navy veteran on Wednesday pleaded guilty to the murder of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in a racially motivated hate crime at a bar in Kansas City last year that raised fears of growing intolerance in America following President Donald Trumps tough rhetoric on immigration.

Adam Purinton, 52, pleaded guilty before a Kansas court.

He was charged with first-degree murder of Kuchibhotla, 32, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of his friend, Alok Madasani, and a bystander, who chased Purinton after he fled the Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe city on February 22 last year.

Purinton, yelled, Get out of my country, before shooting Kuchibhotla, who later died from injuries sustained in the attack.

Kuchibhotla and Madasani worked as engineers at Garmin, a tech company that makes GPS devices.

Puriton had earlier pleaded not guilty on all these charges and waived his preliminary hearing in late November 2017.

Before allowing Purintons plea, Judge Charles Droege explained to him that changing his plea meant he would face life in prison, as well as a minimum of 146 months, maximum of 653 months in prison for attempted murder, not to mention the sentence hell face if convicted of a hate crime in federal court.

Purinton told the judge he understood, then he sat down as the State presented the details of the incident last February.

Kuchibhotlas widow Sunayana Dumala welcomed the guilty plea.

Todays guilty verdict will not bring back my Srinu, but it will send a strong message that hate is never acceptable, she said in a statement.

Purinton sentencing is scheduled for May 4.

According to court documents, Purintons plea hearing was originally scheduled for May 8 but later it was moved to March 6.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Purinton committed offences after substantial planning and premeditation, attempted to kill more than one person in a single criminal episode, and knowingly created a grave risk of death to others on the scene.

The incident happened after a Purinton allegedly became agitated with the two Indians who were having a drink after work.

Grillot, a regular at the bar, approached the man and asked him to leave. The suspect left the bar and drove away, according to Grillot. He allegedly returned later and allegedly opened fire in the bar, according to prosecutors.

The murder generated immense outrage in India.

The murder also drew international attention and raised fears of growing intolerance in America. Many blamed US President Trumps tough rhetoric on immigration, but the White House rejected any link between that and the shooting.

At the time of the incident, former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton tweeted a link to an article on the shooting and called on Trump to step up and speak out against threats and hate crimes. PTI
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 7

The Leader of the House, the Leader of the Opposition and the Congress Legislature Party Leader were missing from todays Budget session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.

While the Leader of the House, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, was conspicuous by his absence for the first half of the proceedings, Leader of the Opposition INLD MLA Abhay Chautala, was away to Delhi for his party rally. Congress legislature party leader Kiran Choudhry, too, did not attend the House and is not likely to come for the remaining week, according to sources.

Khattar was absent through the entire question hour and the zero hour when the discussion on the Governors address began and BJP president and MLA Subhash Barala made his speech. The ministers took all the questions relating to the portfolio of the Chief Minister.

Though, they do this routinely as well, the Chief Minister is usually present in the House and intervenes if the need arises. Khattar, however, reached the House over two hours after the proceedings began.

The entire INLD team of legislators, including Abhay Chautala, skipped the day entirely to attend a rally on the SYL issue in New Delhi. Consequently, the Opposition benches they occupy wore a deserted look.

the proceedings were dull for the better part of the day with the legislators of the treasury benches far out-numbering the Opposition, though the handful of Congress MLAs present in the House tried to keep the spark alive by taking on the government in fits and starts.

CLP leader Kiran Choudhry, too, did not show up through the day. Sources said she had gone abroad to attend a conference and would be back only on the weekend.

Though the Congress leaders pleaded ignorance on the matter, adding that they had no information about why, where and how long the CLP leader had gone. Choudhrys phone was switched off.
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 7

Congress MLAs today protested against the indifference of the BJP government to the plight of sugarcane farmers, forced into distress sale in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

Carrying sugarcane stalks, Congress MLAs Kuldeep Sharma and Karan Singh Dalal led the legislators in a protest outside the Vidhan Sabha during the ongoing Budget session here. The protesting legislators were not allowed to go inside the premises with the stalks and they organised their protest at the entrance of the House.

Our only appeal to the government is that the entire produce of the farmers should be bought. They keep repeating that the state government is giving the highest price for sugarcane, but do not mention that they do not buy the entire produce and force the farmers to dump their crop at lower rates in other states, Sharma explained.

Dalal said that sugar mills had carried out bonding for 125 quintals per acre, implying that they would purchase this quantity per acre from the farmers. However, the ground reality is that up to 400 quintals of sugarcane is produced in an acre. The left over produce is resulting in distress sale, he added.

The Congress MLAs urged Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar to allow them inside the premises to hold their protest as is the norm in other Assemblies all over the country. We were stopped way short of the premises yesterday and we were not allowed today as well, the MLAs complained, requesting the Speaker to review this order.
editorial@tribune.com

Phagwara: The police seized 100 intoxicating capsules, 40 intoxicating tablets and 250 gm of gaanja from Sunil Dhir, a resident of Lamia Mohalla, and arrested him on Monday. The accused was nabbed at a checkpoint laid near Khajurala on Phagwara-Jalandhar national highway. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered. OC

1 held with stolen bike

Phagwara: The police seized a stolen bike from Bihari migrant Sunil Kumar and arrested him on Monday. The accused was arrested near Stan Autos, opposite JCT Mills, Phagwara. The Police have registered a case under Sections 379 and 411of the IPC. OC
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 7

Social activist Anna Hazare was in the city today to mobilise support for his proposed agitation over the Jan Lokpal and farmers at Delhi from March 23. Addressing a rally, Hazare minced no words in attacking the BJP-led government at the Centre for its anti-people policies.

The government is not moving towards strengthening democracy in the country but adopting a dictatorial approach like the British, he said, adding, I kept mum for the past three years. I was hoping for achhe din (good days). Over three years have passed but the good days are nowhere to be seen. This made me speak out and restart the agitation, he said.

Hazare said people, like Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, would not be able to use his platform this time.

I am very cautious now and seeking affidavits from members to pledge that they will not take sides, support any party or ideology and will serve society and nation. So far, 5,000 people have submitted their affidavits and become part of the movement which is getting stronger, he said while urging city residents to join his agitation.

He said in the past 22 years, 12 lakh farmers had committed suicide in the country but the government was more worried about the corporate world. He said the farmers were compelled to take such extreme steps because the government had failed to ensure fair price for their produce.

He appreciated efforts of the organisers without showing any concern over thin attendance.

Peaceful means can resolve problems

n Interacting with mediapersons, Anna Hazare had a piece of advice for the people of the state. He said only peaceful means, not lathis and guns, would help resolve their issues as non-violence is more powerful than violence.

n On Indo-Pakistan relations, he said a war between India and Pakistan would push back both the countries by three decades. However, he said, The country should go for the war if Pakistan fails to understand the language of peace.

n Hazare also expressed displeasure over statues of leaders such as Vladimir Lenin and Periyar being damaged across the country. He said nobody had the right to resort to such vandalism.
editorial@tribune.com

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 7

The authorities in Kashmir today foiled attempts by senior separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to lead protest marches to Shopian by imposing restrictions in parts of Srinagar and south Kashmir areas.

While Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was detained outside his Nigeen residence by a contingent of the police after he attempted to take out a protest march this morning, Syed Ali Geelani was not able to move beyond a point outside his residence this afternoon as the police had barricaded the area around his Hyderpora residence besides placing concertina wires in the alleys leading to his residence.

Before being detained outside his residence, Mirwaiz told the media that the killing of innocent civilians is unacceptable while also holding the state government directly responsible for the killings. He said till the time black laws like AFSPA are not revoked and forces are not made accountable, the blood of innocent Kashmiri will continue to be spilled.

A spokesman of the hardline Hurriyat said Geelani came out of his residence-cum-office at 12:15 pm, but the police and CRPF didnt allow him to visit Shopian as the whole area had been barricaded.

The joint resistance leadership (JRL) comprising Geelani, Mirwaiz Farooq and Yasin Malik had called for Shopian Chalo march today to express solidarity with the families of the youth who were killed in Army firing in Shopian on March 4 evening.

A majority of the shops and business establishments in Srinagar city and other major towns were closed while public transport on major city roads and inter-district highways also remained suspended today.

Fearing law and order problem, the authorities as a precautionary measure had also suspended the railways services between Banihal and Baramulla today. The schools and colleges are already closed in the region after the government on Monday extended the winter vacation by three days as tension spiralled over the Shopian shootout in which six persons, including four civilians and two militants, were killed.

Schools to remain shut till March 9

Srinagar: The government has ordered closure of schools and degree colleges on March 8 and 9. The decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to avoid law and order situation in Valley. The classwork will remain suspended on Thursday and Friday in all schools and colleges across Kashmir, an official said. He said the classwork would resume on Saturday. In south Kashmir, the classwork will resume from Monday, the official said. TNS

Several injured as clashes continue

Anantnag: Several people were injured as clashes continued in Shopian district for the second consecutive day on Wednesday following the killing of two militants and four civilians in Army firing on Sunday evening. A complete shutdown was observed across south Kashmir for the third day on Wednesday as the separatist amalgam joint resistance leadership had called for a Shopian chalo march. Local sources said vehicles remained off road completely and commercial establishments were closed for the day. In Shopian, violent clashes between locals and security forces erupted at four places, including Bonne Bazar, Meemandar, mini secretariat area and Sofan Aman. Security forces used tearsmoke shells and pellet guns to disperse local stone-throwers. Sources said over a dozen people were injured in the clashes, which continued throughout the day. Protesting youth also assembled in Pahnoo and threw stones at the nearby Army camp. Army personnel, however, chose not to respond. oc
shalender@tribune.com

Amarjot Kaur

At a time when it wasnt considered all that fashionable to be associated with feminism, more so in the male-dominated undivided Punjab of India, Amrita Pritams sharp pen sliced many stereotypes to size. Unintentionally, she had inspired a crop of liberals and firebrand feminists who would give to Punjabs literary circles a radical notion of feminism. Manjit Tiwana, Manjit Indra, Paul Kaur, Arvinder Kaur, Sarabjit Kaur, Sassi Samundra, Jaspal Falak, Arkamal Kaur, Bhupinder Kaur and Arsh Bindu were to take forward the baton of new-wave radical feminism in Punjabi literature.

Nursing painful wounds

Amrita Pritam had a live-in relationship, back then; so many years ago. Now, was that not progressive? asks 62-year-old Punjabi poet Paul Kaur, from Ambala. Having taught Punjabi at SA Jain College, Ambala City, Paul is now a full-time poet and is known for penning poignant feminist poetry like Udaan, Focus, Khuda Hafis Tak, and Sandal Paundeya.

Taking references from her personal experiences, Paul drafted a haunting account of an unwanted child in her first poem back in 1980; it was called Khabbal (a grass that grows on its own). My father, a firm believer of patriarchy, did not want another girl child. I was the sixth daughter born to my parents after four daughters and two sons. I got to know much later that my father wanted my mother to undergo abortion when she was pregnant with me. I was an unwanted girl child, shares Paul while tracing the course of inspiration that lead her to write Khabbal. The constant discrimination became a source of motivation for Paul.

Faridabad-based Arkamal Kaur was only in tenth standard when her parents told her of their intention to choke her to death when she was born. They didnt want a girl. They said they wanted to give me chawal di choonti (a pinch of rice), which was kept in the infants mouth. The rice would swell upon mixing with the childs saliva. Slowly, the child would choke to death. This is how they got rid of girls in the region back then, remembers the 62-year-old.

Married off at the age of 18 to a man who lived abroad, Arkamal came up with her first poem called Gilla Mudh, which was printed in Punjabi Tribune in 1985. She rebelled against her patriarchal father, who wanted her to write about God and religion, to write feminist poetry. It was mother-in-law who got me to write feminist poetry after reading Gilla Mudh, she says.

Lessons from the past

Waris Shah, while detailing the scene where Heer fights with her mother to meet Ranjah, makes an innocuously subtle remark at patriarchy in Punjab and Heers rebellious streak as he writes: Waris Shah na muda main Ranjhane toh, bhave baap de baap da baap aave.

There have been many poets and writers that inspired Punjabi feminist writers, but Amrita Pritam irrefutably remains each one of their favourites. I was inspired by her writings, Russian literature, and Pakistani poets like Sara Shagufta. I still remember Saras poem, Ik Thi Sara. Also, the writings of Peero Preman, a Dalit woman who redefined gender roles way back in the 16th century, inspire me immensely. That, in my opinion is feminism: To live with freedom and dignity and to recognise a womans existence in society without a male tagalong, shares Paul. For Arkamal, Amrita Pritam, Prabhjot Kaur, RS Vaneeta, Manjit Tiwana and Sukhwinder Amrit, were a driving force.

Manjit Indra, 67, and a seasoned poet who gave to Punjab a perspective of womens existential crisis during the Operation Blue Star in her writings Kala Bagh, also wrote a 200-page poem on mens perspective of women, titled Alakh. She says, The situation of women in this country will not improve until men change.

Not-so-literary, men

Poet Bhupinder Kaur Preet, 55, is based in Muktsar and is a member of Consumer Court, Moga. She is also the convener of Mai Bhago Jabar Virodhia group of progressive women fighting for justice and equality of women. Apart from writing poetry and prose, Bhupinder has translated Samkaleen Hindi Kaav, Bhari Bhashavan Di Kavita, and Adivaasi Kavita. I was married at 18 years. I was 23 years old when I started doing business while I was studying.

In villages, zamindaars exploited Dalit women and it pained me as a 22-year-old, so I wrote a poem called Suhe Saalu Wich; then came Mard Teh Aurataan and Mere Mulk De Log. As a much older woman now, I noticed there was not much difference between zamindaars who exploited Dalit women and intellectual heads of literary circuits (mostly men) who exploited women. Most women poets have godfathers here, she says. A similar worry came from the likes of Paul Kaur, Arkamal Kaur and younger Punjabi writers like Arsh Bindu.

Bindu, known for her poems Thandu Ram, Udasi Kavita Hai, Maya Udaas Hai, Aakhari Kut, Ik Katputli, remembers attending a kavi sammelan.

Sukhwinder Amrit was to go on stage and recite her poem. Just then, a few men started commenting about her and I could not stand it. I got up and gave them a piece of my mind. I have noticed men who call themselves comrades and leftists acting like hypocrites when it comes to their women. This needs to stop, says the 36-year-old.

Bhupinder is all too happy about it. I feel young women are very angry and this anger has piled on from generations and generations of women being oppressed by men. They are striking back with vengeance and they are fiercely radical. They are not like us. I am just glad that our struggle gave them the courage to fight this battle for equality, she opines.

amarjot@tribunemail.com
Glen Ellyn, Ill., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Students on the College of DuPage Robotics Team, an offshoot of the Colleges Engineering Club, are gaining crucial hands-on experience preparing for prestigious national robotics competitions this spring.

Gearing up for the 30th annual Midwest Robotics Design competition in March and the 2018 NASA Robotic Mining Competition held at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in May, the team has spent the fall semester designing, modifying, fabricating and testing to get the robots in top shape for the competitions.

For Wheaton resident and Engineering and Technology Club President Josie Suter, one of the best things about the competition is seeing all the pieces come together.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the end product of months of effort, she said. Seeing the piles of aluminum and electronics turn into a robot that runs is one of the most exciting and satisfying things I've ever witnessed. It's hard to see the big picture when you're machining a part the size of your thumb, but it all comes together when you see the vital function of that part in the running robot."

College of DuPage is the only two-year school invited in the last five years to compete in the Midwestern Robotics Design Competition MRDC), an annual robotics competition held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where student teams from across the Midwest design and build competitive robots. Each year, a new game objective is created to test teams in terms of creative design and robot functionality.

In 2015, the COD Engineering team won Best Design at the competition. In 2017, the team entered three robots, competing against 27 teams from prestigious universities. One of their robots, Scoot, placed ninth out of 30 teams in the preliminary competition and went on to take fourth place overall in the final round. The Colleges team is also one of only two community colleges invited to participate in the 2015 and 2016 NASA Robotic Mining Competitions (RMC) held at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At NASAs RMCT, teams create mining robots to navigate a simulated Martian terrain, excavate simulated Martian gravel and deposit the material into a collection bin.

According to Peter Gutfeldt (Warrenville), who works on the mechanical elements of the teams 2018 robots, working with the team and participating in the competitions provide wonderful opportunities for hands-on learning experiences.

Being a part of the robotics program here at COD and having the opportunity to take a leadership position this year has been an invaluable experience for me and an amazing supplement to my engineering education, he said. "The design and tweaking process is something many engineering students never have the chance to experience until they graduate and are on the job. Learning it here is giving me a huge jumpstart on actual work in the industry. Additionally, as any machinist will tell you, learning the methods and limitations of machining and fabrication, as we are doing here, is something every engineer should do.

Gutfeldt, who said he has wanted to be a mechanical engineer for as long as he can remember, plans to transfer to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign after completing the spring 2018 semester at College of DuPage. When I was three, I declared that I wanted to be an inventor and haven't changed my mind since. I have always loved examining and taking apart anything mechanical as well as designing my own inventions and concepts, he said. I am definitely interested in robotics fields and love doing anything having to do with complex mechanical devices and equipment. My dream job would also definitely include some kind of hands-on work.

Gutfeldt said the team has been working on a broad range of improvements and upgrades to their robots for this years competitions. The bulk of the fall semester work focused on overhauling their robot for the Nasa Robotic Mining Competition, focusing on two main areas in need of modification: the wheels and the steering mechanism/drive train. The team has developed computer drafts and completed machining parts for the modifications, and is entering the process of assembly and testing. The team also has been working on modifications to the robots main frame, making improvements to the auger assembly and improving the efficiency of the robots material-holding mechanism.

Wheaton resident Robert Beckwith, who works on the robots electrical elements, said NASA competition scoring changes required heavy modifications to the machine. While the team will continue to use an auger design for mining material, many other elements of the robot will be improved upon, including expanding to a three-auger motor, changing the drivetrain, redesigning the electrical box, and using a smaller battery to save weight and match voltage to the new power distribution board.

We have also added an Intel NUC to our electrical box, Beckwith said. This computer will be running Linux and will be able to process the vision from our camera. We are using an Xbox Kinect V2 as our camera on our robot and we plan to program it to be able recognize a beacon, be able to drive out to the mining area, drill for material, and drive back and dump it in the scoring bin, all autonomously.

Planning to transfer to UIUC and pursue a degree in computer science after completing the spring 2018 semester at COD, Beckwith said that the team faces a unique issue at the competitions.

The major challenge we have is being a two-year college, Beckwith said. Every year we lose our most experienced members because they go onto another school and then we have to compete against them again. It is always a challenge at the beginning of the year training all the new people when the sophomores only have a year of experience.

Beckwith, who hopes to work for a software company in the future, said he is thrilled with his experience with at COD.

Honestly I think doing robotics is the best part of my college experience, Beckwith said. Ive gained so much actual engineering experience. When working towards a goal of a competition, it motivates me to learn as much as possible to be able to beat the other teams. From one of our outreach events, I met someone who later helped me get an internship at Morey, an electronics manufacturing and design company. I got past the interview almost one-hundred percent from my robotics experience.

Click here for a time-lapse video of team members machining a part for one of their robots.

Click here for more information on the Engineering Club at College of DuPage.

Click here for more information about the Engineering program at College of DuPage.

Attachment:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/287cd15f-3d6e-428f-a373-e67baa12e832
editorial@tribune.com

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 7

A girl from the Government Primary School, Ayali Kalan, was adopted by the Navchetna Bal Bhalai Committee here on Wednesday under the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign of the Central Government.

Nine-year-old Gauri, a native of Nepal said, I aspire to be a teacher and English is my favorite subject. Gauris father, Inder Bahadur, who is a labourer said, I have four kids of which three are boys. Naturally, it was not easy for me to bear expenses of their studies. I came across the NGO as I always wanted my daughter to study and move ahead in life as girls are equal to boys in every field.

Geet Mala, Gauris English teacher said, We have only polished her skills. She was already pretty much talented. She picked books from the middle school and started studying. I then realised her potential and helped in honing her skills. Gauri was also the district topper in reading competition.

The NGO has committed to sponsor Gauris monthly scholarship, uniform, stationery and medical treatment till her college studies. A Rs 3,000 cheque was also issued to Gauri.

Deputy DEO Dimple Madan said, We are optimistic about the girls future. She is a bright student and will do really well. We will ensure maximum girl child enrollment in the pre-primary classes.
editorial@tribune.com

Gurminder Singh Grewal

Tribune News service

Khanna, March 7

Nodal teachers from 17 Khanna-based schools were trained for forth coming Measles Rubella (MR) campaign. Under the campaign all children between the age of 9 months to 15 years will be injected with MR vaccine.

Senior Medical Officer Dr Rajinder Gulati said measles is a highly infectious disease which impacts infants and youths. He said rubella infection in pregnant women disables a child for life with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) which may result in deafness, blindness and heart defects.

Measles and rubella can, however, be prevented with a safe and effective measles-rubella (MR) vaccine that gives long term immunity, said Dr Gulati.

He said immunisation directly contributes to the reduction of under-five child deaths and with combination of rubella vaccine will control rubella and prevent CRS, thus reducing the disabilities.

Dr Gulati further said all the children will be vaccinated with MR vaccine. The MR campaign dose is given to all children, both immunised and unimmunised, who belong to the target age group. SMO said said that MR vaccine will be introduced in national immunisation schedule immediately.
editorial@tribune.com

Ludhiana: The city police have seized three tractor-trailers, one tipper truck and one pop line machine for illegal mining. Investigating Officer Sahib Singh said a police party was patrolling near the Sutlej when they noticed that some people indulging in illegal mining. The accused fled the spot, abandoning their vehicles near the river. A case under the Mining Act has been registered.

Free multi-specialty camp held

Ludhiana: Satguru Partap Singh (SPS) Hospital organised a free mega multi-specialty camp at Shri Jagjit Singh Nagar. A team of doctors provided free consultation to people for health problems related to their heart, gastro, ortho, neuro, nephro and skin-related concerns. Not only this, free tests for BP, RBS, BMI, ECG were also conducted and medicines to more than 500 people were given for free. Doctors recommended people to adopt healthy lifestyle to live a healthy life. Doctors also suggested patients to go through timely check-ups. TNS

13-year-old goes missing

A 13-year-old boy went missing under mysterious circumstances. The boys father told the police that his 13-year-old son had left home on February 2 but did not return. He said the boy was seen with two unknown persons. The police have launched a manhunt.

Four held with illicit liquor

The police have nabbed four persons with 19 cartons of illicit liquor in separate cases. In the first case, the police booked one Jagjit Singh of Sherpur Kalan and recovered 15 cartons of illegal liquor. In another case, the police nabbed one Parmod Kumar of Vishawkarma Colony with two cartons of liquor. In yet another case, the police have nabbed one Beant Singh of Shimlapuri and recovered one carton of illegal liquor from him. In yet another case, the police nabbed Raj Kumar of Sherpur Kalan with one carton of liquor.

3 held under Gambling Act

The police have nabbed three persons on the charge of gambling in two separate cases. In the first case, the police nabbed one Bhagat Kumar of Kartar Nagar from his shop in the Salem Tabri area and recovered Rs 2,470. In another case, the police arrested Rajesh of New Shakti Nagar and Raju of GGS Nagar. The police also recovered Rs 4,200 from their possession. A case under the Gambling Act has been registered. tns
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Mumbai, March 7

An Indian sailor was among four seamen missing after a large container ship, owned by Maersk Line, caught fire in the Arabian Sea off the Lakshadweep coast, officials said on Wednesday.

The Singapore-flagged Maersk Honam, a 330-metre-long vessel, caught fire during a voyage from Singapore to Suez at around 1520 hours GMT (2050 hours IST) on Tuesday, forcing the 27 crew members to jump out into the sea, they said.

The vessel was around 340 nautical miles away from the Agatti Island in Lakshadweep, and four merchant ships in the vicinity were asked to help, the officials said, adding that 23 of the crew members have been rescued.

When they (merchant ships) reached, they found that this vessel was completely on fire, ranging up to almost 25 metres high, Inspector General K R Nautiyal, the commander of the Coast Guard West region, told reporters here.

An Indian Coast Guard (ICG) vessel having the capacity to take care of such a fire has been dispatched and should be reaching the spot by late this evening, he said. Search operations for the missing crew members were on with the help of the merchant ships.

The Indian Navy has pressed into service a long-range maritime patrol aircraft Boeing P-8I with search and rescue gear from Tamil Nadu to look for the missing crew, a Navy spokesperson said.

The missing Indian crew member has been identified as Sakim Hegde, one of the cooks on board, a senior official from the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), Indias maritime regulator, which is also responsible for the safety of Indian crew members, told PTI.

The DGS official said the fire is suspected to have started in one of the 7,860 containers on board the ship, which had a capacity to carry 15,262 standard 20-footer boxes.

The rescued crew members are on board one of the merchant vessels and being taken to the nearest port Colombo, he said.

Among the 27 crew members were 13 Indians, including the captain, nine Filipinos, two Thai sailors, and one each from the UK, Romania and South Africa.

In a statement, Maersk Line termed it as a serious fire with the cargo on board and called the condition of the 2017-commissioned vessel as very critical.

We are now doing our utmost to continue the ongoing search and rescue operations, by re-routing our own vessels with the assistance of vessels in the area  most notably ALS Ceres that thankfully acted promptly upon our distress call  and the local authorities, Soren Toft, the chief operating officer and member of the executive board, A P Moller-Maersk, said.

The companys statement said it has re-routed three shipsMSC Lauren, Edith Maersk and Gerd Maerskwhich were passing through the Arabian Sea.

Two of the evacuated crew members are injured and receiving first aid on board ALS Ceres, it said.

We will offer crisis counselling for the seafarers signing-off and returning to their families and our deepest empathy go out to the families of the crew members who are still unaccounted for, Toft said. PTI
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Satya Prakash



Tribune News Service



New Delhi, March 7

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) not to make Aadhaar mandatory for enrolment of students appearing in NEET 2018 and other all-India examinations.

A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed the CBSE to accept alternative identification documents such as passport, driving licence, bank account, ration card, etc.

In view of the March 9 deadline for enrolment for NEET, the bench asked CBSE to do the needful at the earliest so as to avoid any inconvenience to students.

The Bench -- which also included Justices AK Sikri, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan -- made it clear that it will extend the March 31 deadline for linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts and mobile phone numbers.

Dont worry. We will do it. Let the arguments be finished, said CJI Dipak Misra after petitioners counsel demanded that the deadline be extended to avoid any confusion at the last moment.

Justice Chandrachud said, There is an issue. We are nearing the end of financial year. There is uncertainty in banks, stock exchanges and financial markets because of the deadline. They need time to enforce it.

The Centre had on Tuesday hinted at extending the deadline for linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts and mobile phone numbers beyond March 31 after the petitioners against the unique identification number pointed out that that the case was likely to take more time to conclude.

Attorney General KK Venugopal had said the government had in the past extended the deadline and it was open to extend it. We are only in the first week of MarchLets see how the case progresses, he had said on Tuesday.

The top court had on December 15, 2017 extended the deadline for linking of Aadhaar with mobile phones and opening of new bank accounts to March 31. The deadline is also applicable to the central and state government schemes.

Pointing out repeated violation of the orders passed by the top court that said Aadhaar was not mandatory, Datar requested the bench to initiate contempt proceedings against government authorities violating its orders.

Despite your Lordships orders, nobody is followingThats the tragedyIsnt it a case of suo motu contempt? Datar wondered.

Datar was supported by senior counsel Vibha Datta Makhija who pointed out that government authorities were insisting on Aadhaar despite the top courts orders not to make it mandatory. She was representing Abidali Yusufbhai Patel -- a student from Gujarat -- who challenged the Gujarat High Courts February 27 order refusing to interfere with the CBSEs directive.

On behalf of the Centre, the Attorney General told the bench that the UIDAI had not authorised the CBSE to mandatorily take Aadhaar number of students to get themselves enroled for appearing in the NEET 2018 examination.

Venugopal said he has instructions from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) that like in Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya and Assam, other identity proofs such as passport, voter card and ration card can be used by the CBSE for enroling students in the examination.

The UIDAIs remarks came on a plea challenging the decision of CBSE seeking mandatorily the Aadhaar number or Aadhaar enrolment number from students who are aspiring to take up the NEET 2018 examination.

The bench was not convinced with Venugopals arguments that the courts orders were passed before Parliament passed the Aadhaar Act and the government orders based on the new law would not be affected by its orders prior to the enactment.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Mumbai, March 7

PNB managing director and CEO Sunil Mehta on Wednesday appeared before the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) here to record his statement in the nearly Rs 12,700 crore scam at the bank.

The New Delhi-based Punjab National Bank is the third lender which has been called by the SFIO in the last two days in connection with the $2 billion fraud, allegedly perpetrated by diamond traders Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

Mehta was seen entering the SFIO office here before 11 am.

Axis Bank and ICICI Bank officials had appeared before SFIO yesterday to record their statement in the case.

Mehta and PNB's executive director K V Brahmaji Rao were last month called by the CBI in connection with the alleged fraud.

The CBI officials had said the examination was focused on understanding as to how the crime was detected by the bank, procedural issues and their violations.

They said Mehta and Rao were not being treated as accused in the case.

The SFIO, which is the investigating arm of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, is expected to call officials of nearly 31 banks that have an exposure to companies of Modi and Choksi.

Officials of all the banks that have given loans companies of Modi and Choksi in last one or two years are likely to be called first by the SFIO for recording their statement in connection with the scam, said a banker.

The PNB had last month said it had detected fraudulent transactions worth Rs 12,700 crore at one of its branches in Mumbai.

The transactions were carried out by Modi by allegedly acquiring fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoU) from the lender's Brady House branch in Mumbai to secure overseas credit from other Indian lenders.

The CBI has so far arrested over a dozen people, including former and current officials of PNB and companies related to Modi and Choksi, in connection with the case.  PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Suresh Dharur

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, March 7

Amid reports of an imminent break-up with the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu cautioned the NDA government on Wednesday against playing with sentiments of the Telugu people.

A combative Naidu reminded the Centre of its basic responsibility to honour the assurances given in the AP Reorganisation Act and to ensure justice to the state that had lost out heavily due to clumsy and unscientific division nearly four years ago.



We have waited patiently all these years and shown restraint dignity. I visited Delhi 29 times and personally explained to the Prime Minister about the pending promises. They must do justice to the state, Naidu said.



He was replying to a debate in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly in Vijayawada over the motion of thanks to Governors address.



Though the TDP supremo stopped short of announcing the split with the BJP, the tone and tenor of his address and the vehemence with which he sought to highlight the callousness and indifference of the Centre suggested a shift in the mood in his partys camp. An overwhelming majority of the TDP MPs and MLAs favoured pulling out of the NDA because of the Centres failure to fulfil the promises made in the bifurcation act.



Though the Centre had firmly ruled out granting special category status to any state, in the light of the 14th Finance Commissions report, the TDP has been persisting with the demand.



On behalf of five crore Telugu people, I am appealing to the Centre to respect their sentiments and honour the commitments made to them at the time of division of the state. People are growing restive. We will wage an uncompromising battle till justice is done to the state, Naidu said.



Rejecting the BJP leaders argument that special category status could not be given in the present circumstances, he wondered why the set of benefits being given to Northeast and Himalayan states could not be extended to AP.



Ours is a special case. The division was done in a hasty and unscientific manner. We have suffered a lot because of that, the Chief Minister said.



Pointing out that his party had forged a pre-poll alliance with BJP in 2014 in the interests of the state, he said: We are not making any unreasonable demands. We are only asking the government to fulfil the promises made on the floor of the Parliament.



Quoting from Modis election speech, Naidu pointed out that he had promised equal justice to Telangana and AP if NDA was voted to power.

It is precisely what we are asking. In cooperative federalism, the Centre should ensure equal justice for all. The national parties must behave responsibly.



The Chief Minister said that the people of the state were extremely disappointed and agitated over the raw deal meted out in the central budget. It is a question of self-respect of Telugus. We will not compromise on peoples sentiments, dignity and self-respect, Naidu said.



The TDP, with 15 MPs from AP and one from Telangana, is the biggest southern ally of the BJP. Its exit from the NDA will signal re-alignment of political forces ahead of the 2019 elections.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 7

Even as some signs of thaw showed on Wednesday in Indo-Pak ties with acceptance on of humanitarian proposals related to prisoners in each others custody, there is no sign yet of formal talks.

India is still awaiting a reply to the invitation sent to Muhammad Pervaiz Malik, the Commerce and Textile Minister of Pakistan, to attend an informal WTO (World Trade Organisation) Ministerial meeting in Delhi scheduled on March 19 and 20.

Official sources also told The Tribune that Minister Suresh Prabhu had sought time slots from his counterparts of the invited countries for a telephonic conversation to personally extend his invitation. He had suggested the first week of March for the conversation with Malik but Islamabad did not revert and the scheduled call did not materialise.

Recently, Pakistan Commerce Ministry spokesperson Muhammad Ashraf rejected Indian media reports of Maliks confirmed presence at the meeting. Speaking to Pakistani media, Ashraf said, No such decision has been taken in this regard.

India and Pakistan though have maintained channels of communication with National Security Advisers on both sides being in touch. Ajit Doval has had at least four hushed meetings with counterpart Nasser Janjua in Russia, Thailand, France with the latest meeting in Bangkok late December last year.
gspannu7@gmail.com

New Delhi, March 7

In another first for women, 25-year-old Prakriti has been inducted as the first direct-entry combat officer in the border guarding force, ITBP.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force is the last of the CAPFs to induct women officers in combat roles after the government first allowed it to enrol them in 2016.

Prakriti, who goes by a single name, had cleared the UPSC exam for officers recruitment in CAPFs in the same year and in her first attempt.

I always had a desire to don the uniform and serve the country. My father, who is in the Indian Air Force, has always been an inspiration for me. I opted for the ITBP as my first choice, she told PTI.

I read a news piece in March, 2016, that the government had for the first time allowed women to serve as combat officers in the ITBP and then decided that I will opt for this force once I get selected, Prakriti, who hails from Bihars Samastipur district, said.

She has a bachelors degree in electrical engineering and is right now based in an ITBP unit in Uttarakhands Pithoragarh. She will soon join the Officers Training Academy of the force in Dehradun.

She is expected to be commissioned as an Assistant Commandant (AC) next year in the force after she completes her training at Dehradun. She will be posted at a border post, a senior ITBP officer said.

The force already has women in combat roles but only in the constable ranks.

Prakriti, who says her parents gave her a surname-less identity in a caste-ridden society, said she never faced discrimination at home.

My parents supported me thoroughly. I wish and urge other parents that when their children make career choices they should not think that it is their son or daughter making a choice but that it is a child who is taking up a challenge, she said.

Of the five Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), the Central Reserve Police Force and the Central Industrial Security Force had allowed women to apply as direct-entry officers through the UPSC for a long time.

Two other forcesthe Border Security Force and the Sashastra Seema Balwere allowed to directly induct women officers in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

The ITBP was the only paramilitary that had not allowed women to join in supervisory combat roles owing to its primary task of guarding the difficult Sino-India border.

The force, that guards the 3,488 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China, was raised in 1962 in the aftermath of the Chinese aggression.

The over 83,000 personnel-strong ITBP at present has about 1,500 women (nearly 1.75 per cent) with the majority being in the rank of constables. There are senior women officers in the force but they are in other service streams like veterinary doctors but not in a combat role.  PTI
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Islamabad, March 7

The Pakistan Army has claimed that it shot down an Indian spy drone in Chirikot sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir after it entered its airspace.

The Pakistan military in a statement overnight also said its troops retrieved the wreckage.

Pakistan Army troops shot down an Indian spy drone while it violated the LoC in Chirikot sector, it alleged.

This is fourth drone which has been shot down by Pakistan Army troops in last one year, it claimed. PTI
NEW YORK, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RANE (Risk Assistance Network + Exchange) and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP today announced that the 2018 RANE Risk Management Roundtable on Economic Espionage will take place on March 14, 2018, in New York City.



The summit will explore the risks associated with economic espionage from multiple perspectives and provide pragmatic steps companies can take to prevent or mitigate these risks and protect their valuable IP.

The agenda will include a keynote presentation by Adam Segal, the Ira A. Lipman Chair in Emerging Technologies and National Security and Director of the Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, and a keynote interview with Bill Priestap, Head of the Counterintelligence Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation

The sessions will focus on understanding this environment, with a focus on pragmatic ways that organizations can prepare for, mitigate, and respond to these risks. Topics to be addressed include:

Espionage actors, tactics, and targets

Governance issues surrounding corporate espionage

Law enforcement perspective on threats to corporate IP

Developing a corporate counter-intelligence program

Threats to companies IP and other sensitive information have exploded in recent years and come both from insiders and state-sponsored hackers, sometimes in combination, said Luke Dembosky, Co-Chair of Debevoises global Cybersecurity and Data Privacy practice and former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for National Security. We will address what companies should be doing to address the range of technical, legal, governance and other practical challenges presented by these threats.

Details on the full agenda and speakers can be found on the RANE website at

https://ranenetwork.com/debevoise-2018summit-economic-espionage/.

Corporate intellectual property is under attack from a number of threats, including traditional covert actions and newer cyber hacks, said Steve Roycroft, CEO of RANE. In addition to the financial, operational, and reputational risk to companies, these actions can also pose a threat to our economic and national security, making this event both timely and critical.

Continuing Legal Education credits for this program will be provided. Attendance is by invitation only  please email events@ranenetwork.com for registration information.

About Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a premier law firm with market-leading practices, a global perspective and strong New York roots. We deliver effective solutions to our clients most important legal challenges, applying clear commercial judgment and a distinctively collaborative approach.

About RANE

RANE (Risk Assistance Network + Exchange) is an information and advisory services company that connects business leaders to critical risk insights and expertise, enabling risk and security professionals to more efficiently address their most pressing challenges and drive better risk management outcomes. RANE clients receive access to a global network of credentialed risk experts, curated network intelligence, risk news monitoring, in-house analysts and subject matter experts, and collaborative knowledge-sharing events. Learn more at www.ranenetwork.com.

Tim Allik

508.310.3876

timallik@slotkincommunications.com
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Surat, March 7

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international working president Pravin Togadia escaped unhurt on Wednesday when a truck hit his vehicle from behind near Kamrej in Surat district, police said.

Togadia later claimed he could have been killed had his vehicle not been bullet-proof, and alleged that his Z-plus security was weakened deliberately by the Gujarat government.

A truck hit the vehicle carrying Togadia and another person, about a kilometre away from Kamrej town, when he was on his way to Surat to attend a function. Togadia escaped unhurt and we have impounded the truck and arrested its driver, Surat rural Superintendent of Police MK Nayak said.

Togadia later told reporters that he could have been killed had his SUV not been bullet-proof.

Had the vehicle in which I was travelling not been bullet-proof, not a single person travelling in it could have survived, he said.

Togadia said that as per the Z-plus security protocol, he was earlier provided a pilot vehicle to move ahead of his car, an escort vehicle and an ambulance behind it, and a vehicle on one side.

This was the first time that while there was a police vehicle piloting our vehicle, no escort vehicle was provided behind our vehicle, as per directions from Gandhinagar, he alleged.

No information regarding this was given deliberately to the police. I would like to ask why this was so? In this situation, a truck hit my vehicle. After the truck hit our vehicle, it hit a divider. Despite that, the truck driver did not apply brakes, Togadia claimed.

My Z-plus security was weakened deliberately. If in such a situation my vehicle was hit and no brakes were applied, this is a matter of concern, he said. PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Yash Goyal

Our Correspondent

Jaipur, March 7

Rajasthan Assembly on Wednesday passed a Bill that provides 1 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to Gujjars, four other castes and six sub-castes grouped under 'Most Backward Classes' despite protests from the Opposition.

The BillThe Rajasthan Backward Classes (Reservation of seats in Educational Institutions in the state and of appointments and posts in services under the state) (Amendment), Bill, 2018was passed by voice vote amid protests from Opposition Congress, which wants the communities to be given a separate 5 per cent reservation within the existing Other Backward Classes category.

Besides Gujjars, the MBC category includes Banjara, Baldiya, Gardiya, Labana, Gaayari, Gardia-Lohar, Gadoliya, Raika, Goojar, and Raibari.

The amendment would mean that, unlike previously, the communities would not be able to compete for reserved seats meant for backward classes, Rajasthans Minister for Social Justice Arun Chaturvedi told the House on Wednesday.

The Bill gives effect to an ordinance passed by the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Rajasthan on December 21, 2017. After its sanction, it would put reservations in the state at 16 per cent for Scheduled Castes, 12 for Scheduled Tribes, 21 for OBC and 1 per cent for the MBCbringing it to the Supreme Courts limit of 50 per cent.

The state government brought 11 castes under the Other Backward Classes category in May 2017, five months after the Rajasthan High Court struck down its 5 per cent reservation under the Special Backward Class (SBC) Reservation Act of 2015 saying it exceeded the 50 per cent limit on reservation.

The Supreme Courtwhile hearing the BJP governments appeal against the high courts ordersuggested that the MBC castes could be brought under reservation meant for the Other Backward Classes.

Protests

Congress stormed the well of the House on Wednesday protesting the Bill. Congress Member of Legislative Assembly Dheeraj Gujjar said called the reservation lollipop that the state government was offering to the Gujjar community.

"They will not accept this one percent lollipop anymore. The government should also try to include this 5 per cent quota demand in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, if it wants to raise the 50 per cent limit up to 54 like other states such as Maharashtra, Dheeraj said.

Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bhainsla on Monday gave the state government 25 days to ensure 5 per cent reservation for the community out of the 21 per cent under the OBC category.
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 7

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) not to make Aadhaar mandatory for enrolment of students appearing in NEET 2018 and other all-India examinations.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed the CBSE to accept alternative identification documents such as passport, drivers licence, bank account, ration card, etc.

In view of the March 9 deadline for enrolment for NEET, the Bench asked the CBSE to do the needful at the earliest so as to avoid any inconvenience to students.

The Bench made it clear that it will extend the March 31 deadline for linking Aadhaar with bank accounts and mobile phone numbers.

Dont worry. We will do it. Let the arguments be finished, said CJI Dipak Misra after the petitioners counsel demanded that the deadline be extended to avoid any confusion at the last moment.

Justice Chandrachud said: There is an issue. We are nearing the end of financial year. There is uncertainty in banks, stock exchanges and financial markets because of the deadline. They need time to enforce it.

The Centre had on Tuesday hinted at extending the deadline for linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts and mobile phone numbers beyond March 31 after the petitioners against the unique identification number pointed out that the case was likely to take more time to conclude.

Pointing out repeat violation of the orders passed by the top court that said Aadhaar was not mandatory, senior counsel Arvind Datar requested the Bench to initiate contempt proceedings against government authorities violating its orders.

Datar was supported by senior counsel Vibha Datta Makhija, who pointed out that government authorities were insisting on Aadhaar despite the courts orders not to make it mandatory.

She was representing Abidali Yusufbhai Patel, a student who challenged the Gujarat High Courts February 27 order refusing to interfere with CBSEs directive.

On behalf of the Centre, the Attorney General told the Bench that the UIDAI had not authorised the CBSE to mandatorily take Aadhaar number of students to get themselves enrolled for the NEET 2018 examination.
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Mumbai, March 7

An Indian sailor was among four seamen missing after a large container ship, owned by Maersk Line, caught

fire in the Arabian Sea off the Lakshadweep coast, officials said today.

The Singapore-flagged Maersk Honam, a 330-metre-long vessel, caught fire during a voyage from Singapore to Suez at around 1520 hours GMT (2050 hours IST) yesterday, forcing the 27 crew members to jump out into the sea, they said.

The vessel was around 340 nautical miles away from the Agatti Island in Lakshadweep, and four merchant ships in the vicinity were asked to help, the officials said, adding that 23 of the crew members have been rescued.

When they (merchant ships) reached, they found that this vessel was completely on fire, ranging up to almost 25 metres high, Inspector General KR Nautiyal, the commander of the Coast Guard West region, told reporters here.

An Indian Coast Guard (ICG) vessel having the capacity to take care of such a fire has been dispatched, he said. Search operations for the missing crew members are on with the help of the merchant ships.

The Indian Navy has pressed into service a long-range maritime patrol aircaft Boeing P-8I with search and rescue gear from Tamil Nadu to look for the missing crew, a Navy spokesperson said.

The missing Indian crew member has been identified as Sakim Hegde, one of the cooks on board, a senior official from the Directorate General of Shipping said.

Among the 27 crew members were 13 Indians, including the captain, nine Filipinos, two Thai

sailors, and one each from the UK, Romania and South Africa.  PTI
rajivbhatia82@gmail.com

Vijayawada, March 7

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday night asked his partys two central ministers to resign amid the growing strain in ties between his TDP and the BJP over alleged neglect of the state in the Union budget.

He said his party would come out of the NDA but party-to-party issue (of ties with the BJP) will be decided later.

The two ministers areUnion Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and Technology Y S Chowdary.

Addressing reporters at an emergency meeting, Naidu said, This is the first step. We will go ahead with other actions later.

The Telugu Desam Party chief said he tried to speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a courtesy to inform him about the decision to quit but he did not come on line.

Arun Jaitleys statement was the last straw. They are apparently predetermined. They dont appear to help the state, he said.

Earlier in the day, Jaitley said his government was committed to meeting all promises made to Andhra Pradesh at the time of carving out of Telengana four years back.

But giving special category status, as demanded by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, to any state apart from those in the North East and three hilly provinces is not constitutionally possible after the implementation of the 14th Finance Commission recommendation, he said.

 PTI
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 7

Protests continued in both Houses of Parliament for the third consecutive day today. The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day at 12 noon, while the Rajya Sabha was adjourned at 2 pm after seeing multiple adjournments.

MPs were protesting over separate issues, including PNB scam, Cauvery water-sharing, special status to Andhra Pradesh, reservation in Telangana and desecration of the statue of rationalist movement founder EV Ramasamy or Periyar.

In the Lok Sabha, ruckus started during question hour at 11 am. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till 12 noon. The ruckus prevailed as Mahajan adjourned the House for the day.

The Congress and the Trinamool Congress entered the Well alleging the BJP was trying to save Punjab National Bank scam accused Nirav Modi. The PNB has accused Modi of a Rs 12,700-crore fraud and the CBI is looking into the matter.

The Telegu Desam Party (TDP), an alliance partner of the NDA, held placards asking the BJP to fulfil its obligations under the NDA alliance to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. Among other protesters, the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) wanted the Constitution be amended to allow states to increase quota limit.

Two days ago, TRS boss K Chandrasekhar Rao had hinted at forming a non-BJP, non-Congress third front.

The Speaker adjourned the House at noon, but not before allowing protesting Shiv Sena members to speak on the demand of giving classical language status to Marathi.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured the House that his ministry would take up the issue with the culture ministry. The Shiv Sena, an NDA ally, did not protest after being allowed to raise its point.

In the Rajya Sabha, pandemonium continued with Opposition benches creating a din. Members remained unmoved in spite of Chairperson Venkaiah Naidus repeated intervention to restore order in the House. Agitated members were up on their feet, while some entered the Well of the House.

Naidu asked members to start discussion as both Leader of the House and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the Leader of the Opposition and Congress member Gulam Nabi Azad were present.

When the members did not budge, a visibly upset Naidu termed disruptions as bad and against norms of democracy, following which the House was adjourned.
editorial@tribune.com

Rachna Khaira

Tribune news Service

Jalandhar, March 7

A day after Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh spotted illegal mining in Nawanshahr district on his way to Kartarpur on a helicopter, the authorities are still not clear about the actual site.

Nawanshahr SSP Satinder Singh claimed that the coordinates of longitude and latitude sent by the CM showed all six quarries in its area and the quarry shown in the photograph was one of these. District Mining Officer, Jalandhar, Mahesh Khanna, too, claimed ignorance about the actual location of the site.

The police must know the exact location as they had conducted a search on ground, said Khanna, while talking to The Tribune today.

A press statement issued by the CMO on Tuesday confirmed the spot as Malikpur. The SSP said the aforesaid quarry had been suspended by the District Mining Officer after the contractor failed to pay the second installment. The contractor, Kudrat Deep Singh, has been booked under Sections 420, 465, 468 and 471 IPC for illegal mining at the site.

Refuted the charges, Kudrat Deep Singh said: The photograph posted by the CM on Twitter was that of Mandhala village and not of the quarry allotted to me at Malikpur.

He claimed that he was allocated the quarry having area both in Ludhiana and in Nawanshahr, but was not provided the approach road to extract sand from Ludhiana side. The contractor of a nearby quarry at Sikandarpur dug up to 10-15 feet of sand from our area. I did not pay the remaining amount in protest and moved court, he alleged.

Sources claim that the pictures were of Mandhala. The quarry has been allocated on the name of Sunil Kumar Joshi, an aide of a top minister, the source claimed.

The police, meanwhile, arrested 20 drivers and booked all six contractors  Jagbirinder Singh of Buraj Tehal Dass, Kudrat Deep Singh of Malikpur, Randeep Singh of Bairsall, Poonam Aggarwal of Lallewal, Sunil Kumar Joshi of Mandhala and Pinjore Royalty Company of Khoje quarry  for unauthorised use of JCB machines.
editorial@tribune.com

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Shahkot (Jalandhar), Mar 7

Jiddan pashuan de mul painde ne, oddan agentaan ne vechi hai meri kuri (travel agents have sold my daughter like cattle), says Nachhattar Kaur, whose daughter Sukhwinder Kaur (35) left for Dubai (UAE) in January 2017. She was sold by one agent to another before finally being employed as domestic help in Oman.

The 5-marla house of Sukhwinders mother-in-law Bimla at Bajuha Khurd village here has been mortgaged to an agent, who is demanding Rs 25,000. The family has no money.

Across Doaba, poverty is driving gullible villagers to send their women abroad for work, particularly to the Middle East. The lowly salaries range from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000 per month. The trend is leaving a trail of broken, mortgaged homes and SOS calls to Indian politicians and activists, seeking help to rescue the victims from hell.

Several women were lucky to return home with the help of relatives and Good Samaritans, but the nightmare continues for many others. They are forced to slave away on estates, at the beck and call of well-heeled Sheikhs, or worse, sell their bodies.

Sita Rani (58), a resident of Kohar Kalan village here, owes Rs 3.3 lakh to a money-lender. The sum was given to two agents  mother-daughter duo Debo and Kiranjot Kaur of Miowal village  for sending her daughter abroad. The agents didnt keep their word, following which the family got an FIR lodged on February 5, 2016. Debi is out on bail, while Kiranjot is still on the run.

A resolution was passed by the panchayats of Kohar Kalan and Miowal, directing the agents to return Rs 2 lakh to the family, but to no avail. Now, the money-lender is threatening to take possession of Sitas house. She has been given a four-month deadline to pay the amount.

Joginder Singh (60) and Simro (60) sent their daughter Parveen Rani (26) to Dubai in December last year. She has ended up in Muscat (Oman) after being dealt with by several agents. Unwell, the parents desperately want her back, but the agents are demanding Rs 2.5 lakh for the same.

Simro says, We paid Rs 90,000 to an agent to send Parveen abroad. From Dubai, she was sold to another agent for 14,000 dirhams (about Rs 2.5 lakh). Later, she was taken to Oman for 1,400 dirhams. She works at a big house with 10-15 family members. She gets a pittance (700 dirhams) as salary. She cooks food, washes clothes and feeds and milks 20-odd animals. When she gets sick, she isnt even allowed to take medicine by her owners. When she quit work for a few days, her employers beat her up.

In an audio sent from Muscat, Sukhwinder narrates her ordeal: I was sold from one person to another through agents before I reached Oman. They took our phones and passports. They tried to push me into the flesh trade, but I resisted. Many girls employed in offices are being forced to work as prostitutes.

A memorandum was given to the Jalandhar rural police recently by activists of the Istri Jagriti Manch, demanding that travel agents selling women abroad be arrested, but the police have done little to curb the malpractice.

The SP (Investigation), Balkar Singh, to whom the memorandum was handed over, refused to comment on the issue. Nakodar DSP Mukesh Kumar said, We generally conduct a drive against illegal travel agents, but specific cases of women being trafficked are not in our knowledge. I will check the cases lodged in this regard because we can only act on the basis of complaints. Jalandhar SSP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar could not be contacted.
editorial@tribune.com

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 7

Workers of the state unit of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) were forced to leave a spot along the heritage street today where they were holding a relay fast against GST on langar purchases of the Golden Temple.

A few hours before, Congress MP Gurjit Singh Aujla expressed solidarity with the protesters. He demanded Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal to resign if she was unable to convince the Centre to waive GST on langar purchase.

A group of Trinamool Congress leaders led by state convener Manjit Singh were observing a relay fast for the past three days. They had started a signature campaign too that was meant to be submitted to the Union Finance Minister. They claimed that over 5,000 signatures were procured from the devotees.

Manjit Singh said as Aujla left the venue, Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha came and ordered them to disperse as the site was not meant to hold protests.

When we refused, the police forcefully removed us and detained us at the Kotwali police station under Sections 107 and 151 of the CrPC. Later, we were produced before the DCP and discharged. They want to scuttle our voice against the governments indifferent attitude towards Sikhs. We will decide the next course of action at our meeting, he said.

When we apprised Aujla about the police action on phone, he just ignored it, he added.

Justifying the move, DC Sangha said the heritage street leading to the Golden Temple was a pious passage and it could never be allowed to be used as a protesting site. When I came to know about it, I visited the spot and asked them to shift their protest to the designated site only. Since they were adamant to vitiate peace, we had to use force, he added.
singhking99@yahoo.com

London, March 7

Lawyers representing a UK-based Sikh group over its demand for a public inquiry into the exact nature of Britains alleged involvement in 1984s Operation Bluestar have initiated the process for a judicial review in the case.

KRW Law, which is representing Sikh Federation (UK), sent its pre-action protocol letter for a judicial review in the case to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) this week. It follows an earlier request by the group for a public inquiry being refused and the process could now end up in the UK High Court.

The fact that military assistance was provided in the run-up to the Amritsar Massacre (sic) is a matter of significant public concern...It is plain that to address public concern about what did or may have happened, a full inquiry needs to take place into the events of 1984, the letter notes.

The move comes as a UK tribunal continues to hear evidence from FCO officials on reasons that prevented them from releasing classified British government files related to the military operation at the Golden Temple in Amritsar into the public domain over 30 years later. This remains a sensitive issue and release of the information could have a detrimental effect on our ties with India, said Owen Jenkins, former FCO Director for South Asia and Afghanistan, at the First Tier Tribunal hearing in London today.

Much of his evidence and that of Philip Barton, FCO director-general (consular and security), was given in a closed session due to the sensitivity of the material which they said could cause risk of damage to international relations.

The UK governments position is untenable and we will make this argument strongly in our submissions. But granted the unjust advantage given to the government who holds the information with closed justice procedures excluding us from the proceedings, we rely upon the independent tribunal to push the British government to justify its untenable position, said Christopher Stanley of KRW Law, which is representing freelance journalist Phil Miller during the hearing.

The UK government has claimed that the documents cannot be viewed entirely in a historical context as they have implications on politically sensitive issues of today. Jenkins told the tribunal that 92 per cent of the material had already been made public. However, Millers research indicates that this figure refers to a very limited set of documents from the PMs office files, whereas a vast set of UK Cabinet office files dating between 1979 and 1985 remain secret.  PTI
CHICAGO, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Family Office Exchange (FOX), a global learning and networking community of enterprise families and their key advisors will offer two events in April exclusively for family members. The annual FOX Global Owners Forum takes place in Chicago on April 19 and 20 and the new FOX Rising Gen takes place in Chicago on April 20 and 21.

The FOX Rising Gen

With the FOX Rising Gen, we are creating a new community of young adults in their 20s and 30s who are the next generation of business-owning and financial families, said Heather Abramson, Senior Relationship Manager at FOX. They are facing issues regarding living with wealth, finding their adult role in the family or family business, and integrating a spouse or partner into the broader family structure. This group will provide them with a network of like-minded peers with whom to share their questions and experiences.

Sessions will include Money and Relationships, Unlocking New Philanthropic Solutions Through Design Thinking, the Advisory Board of FOX Rising Gen discussing their life stories, and round-table discussions involving dynamics in the family business, managing generational differences, sibling/cousin concerns, spouse/in-laws involvement, and next gen preparation for leadership.

FOX Global Owners Forum

Each year, FOX gathers the family members for a Forum focused on their concerns and their long-range vision for their family enterprise, said Amy Hart Clyne, Executive Director of Family Office Exchange. It is a place where owners can be together with their true peers in an energizing learning and sharing environment.

The FOX Global Owners Forum will identify best practices in a number of areas, illustrated by families narrating their own case stories. Topics include family enterprise strategy and leadership development, making a difference in business, philanthropy, and society, and a round-table discussion on family learning with leading educators.

For more information on the events, consult https://www.familyoffice.com/learning-programs/forums/.



About Family Office Exchange

For more on Family Office Exchange, visit www.familyoffice.com/media-kit or email info@familyoffice.com.

Media contact

Marvin Pollack

press@familyoffice.com

1-312-327-1200




ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Qadian (Gurdaspur), March 6

A controversy has erupted in Education Minister Aruna Chaudharys home district Gurdaspur with the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) shifting the local AVM Senior Secondary School exam centre to SN Collegiate Senior Secondary School, allegedly at the behest of the local MLA.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

At least 250 students of Qadians Khalsa Senior Secondary School were taking their Plus Two exam at AVM school when suddenly, on the instructions of the school board, they were told to shift to SN collegiate.

The family of Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa has stakes in the Khalsa school management. The MP himself is the manager of the school governing committee. His younger brother, Fatehjung Bajwa, is Qadian MLA.

AVM school manager Guriqbal Singh Mahal claimed they had strictly enforced measures to prevent cheating. This infuriated the legislator, students and their parents. Consequently, the centre was changed. This means now students of SN collegiate will be taking exams at Khalsa school and vice versa in violation of board rules  a perfect recipe for cheating, Mahal, who has shot off letters to the CM and senior board officials, alleged.

Denying the charge, MLA Fatehjung said: The AVM authorities misbehaved with students following which I stepped in. I am against the scourge of cheating. The AVM manager is needlessly trying to create a controversy.

Dismissing the MLAs allegation, Mahal suggested that CCTV footage could be checked to ascertain if his staff had misbehaved with any student. DEO (Primary) Salwinder Singh visited our centre prior to the exam. He was highly appreciative, he claimed.

While Rakesh Bala, DEO (Secondary), Gurdaspur, said she had ordered the centre be shifted after she received a message from PSEB secretary Hargunjit Kaur, the latter said she had got a call from the Secretary, Education.
vermaajay1968@gmail.com

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 7

Uttarakhand Governor Dr KK Paul said today that scientists must come up with new techniques to recharge water sources and boost organic farming in the state. He said the status of glaciers in the state must also be studied.

The Governor was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the three-day 12th Uttarakhand State Science and Technology Congress at Vigyan Dham, Jhajra, in Dehradun.

He spoke specifically about the role scientists could play in the context of the state. He said so far, farmers were not enthusiastic about organic farming. By using chemical fertilisers, the quality of soil suffers. Scientists should develop such techniques which will boost organic farming and inspire farmers to take it up in a big way, he pointed out.

Referring to natural water resources in the state, the Governor said the water sources in the state needed to be recharged and revived. Due to lack of water, migration from villages was taking place. Decreasing volume of water was also affecting agriculture .Scientists must therefore focus on reviving rivers and other water sources, he added. He held that the state was important as far as environment and biodiversity were concerned. A balance is needed to be sustained between utilisation of energy and conservation of environment. For this too, scientific studies were needed.

Focusing on the importance of science, the Governor said, Not only does science education need to be promoted but also science and technology must be used for the welfare of humanity, he said.

The Governor also took an opportunity to honour Dr BS Tomar Director, radiochemistry and isotope group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Prof HS Dhami, Vice-Chancellor, Uttarakhand Residential University, and Vinod Kumar Gaur, Chairman-cum-managing director, National Seeds Corporation Limited, New Delhi, for their exemplary work. He also honoured Manish Jaguri from Chinyalisaur, Uttarkashi, who won the NASI best science teacher award.

Earlier, the Uttarakhand Council of Science and Technology Director General Dr Rajendra Dobhal informed the gathering about the Science Congress. He apprised that UCOST had been successfully organising the Science Congress for the past many years and the present was 12th down the line.
singhking99@yahoo.com

Kathmandu, March 7

President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Nepali Congress leader Kumari Laxmi Rai on Wednesday filed nomination papers for the presidential election in Nepal, which will be held on March 13.

Bhandari, the first woman President of the country, is seeking a second term. She was elected as the second President of Nepal in October 2015. This will be third presidential election in Nepal since the abolition of the monarchy in 2008.

Bhandari, 56, is likely to get re-elected as she has got support from ruling parties CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre as well as smaller parties. There are more than 800 votes in the electoral college. The code of conduct has come into force from today.  PTI
rajivbhatia82@gmail.com

Mexico City, March 7

US President Donald Trumps son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner will visit Mexico on Wednesday, the Mexican government said, against a backdrop of strained ties between the two neighbours.

The foreign ministry said Kushner would visit as Trumps special envoy and meet with President Enrique Pena Nieto, who reportedly cancelled plans for a visit to Washington after a testy phone call last month with Trump - the second time he has scrapped a visit over Trumps insistence that Mexico pay for his planned border wall.

US-Mexican relations have also been strained over trade issues, including Trumps insistence on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to get a better deal for the US and his vow to include Mexico and Canada in steep tariffs on steel and aluminium.

Kushner will also meet with Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, the ministry said in a statement.

During these meetings, the two sides will review various issues on the bilateral agenda, it said.

Kushner, the 37-year-old husband of Trumps daughter Ivanka, recently lost his top-level security clearance, raising questions about his role as one of the presidents closest advisors.

The Washington Post reported that at least four foreign governments, including Mexico, had sought to leverage his business and political vulnerabilities to their own ends.

Kushner reportedly has long-standing ties with Videgaray, and the two have been in frequent contact to try to smooth relations amid Trumps repeated anti-Mexico diatribes.  AFP.
singhking99@yahoo.com

Lahore, March 7

A Pakistani court today ordered the federal and the Punjab governments not to arrest or place under house arrest JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind, until further orders.

Saeed had on January 23 moved the court seeking protection from his possible arrest or house arrest by the governments, under the alleged pressure from the US and India.

Lahore High Court Judge Ameenuddin Khan today directed the governments not to arrest or put Saeed under house arrest till further orders, DawnNews reported. The judge also expressed his displeasure over the failure of the governments in filing their replies on Saeeds allegations. The court granted them time till April 4 to file their replies.

The US has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and it, since 2012, has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice. Saeed had moved the court fearing action against him and his organisations  JuD and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation  by the governments ahead of the visit of the UN monitoring team.  PTI
singhking99@yahoo.com

Dhaka, March 7

A Bangladesh Cabinet minister has accused Myanmar of obstructing efforts to repatriate 750,000 Rohingya refugees, saying it was unlikely the displaced Muslims would ever return to their homeland.

Finance minister AMA Muhith said the repatriation deal signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh in November would likely fail despite his governments official stance that the refugees must eventually go back. I do not believe the Rohingya can be sent back, Muhith said on Tuesday in Dhaka after meeting with a British charity.

You can speculate that very few will return to Burma. The first reason is that Burma will only take a few and secondly is that the refugees will never return if they fear persecution, he added, using another name for Myanmar. Bangladesh insists the repatriation process will go ahead, submitting to Myanmar the names of 8,000 refugees expected to return to Rakhine. But the plan has courted a controversy.  AFP
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Douma (Syria), March 7

Syria's regime sent reinforcements to Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday, tightening the noose around the shrinking rebel enclave hours before a top-level UN meeting on the escalating violence.

The blistering onslaught has prompted outrage against the regime, with the United Nations' human rights chief saying the government was orchestrating an "apocalypse" in Syria.

The Russia-backed Syrian army and allied militia launched an offensive on February 18 to retake the last opposition bastion near Damascus.

They have since taken more than 40 per cent of the enclave, waging a devastating bombing campaign that has killed more than 800 civilians.

Heavy air strikes battered several key towns in the zone on Wednesday, as Syria's government dispatched hundreds of pro-government militiamen to the front.

"At least 700 Afghan, Palestinian, and Syrian loyalist militiamen came from Aleppo and were sent late Tuesday to Ghouta," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based war monitor said the reinforcements were deployed to two main battlefronts on the western side of the enclave, including the town of Harasta.

Government troops were within firing range of the key towns of Misraba and Beit Sawa on Wednesday, and had taken up positions at the edges of Jisreen and Hammuriyeh.

Three civilians including one child were killed in heavy air strikes on Jisreen today, the Observatory said.

That brought the toll in more than two weeks of bombing to 810 civilians, including 179 children.

Syria's state television this morning showed a live broadcast of farmland adjacent to Misraba, with columns of smoke emerging from the town's skyline.

The bombardment has continued despite a one-month ceasefire demanded by the United Nations Security Council more than a week ago.

The council will meet behind closed doors on Wednesday to discuss the failed truce, after France and Britain requested urgent talks.

UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the Syrian regime and its foreign allies were already planning their next "apocalypse".

"This month, it is Eastern Ghouta which is, in the words of the Secretary General, hell on earth; next month or the month after, it will be somewhere else where people face an apocalypsean apocalypse intended, planned and executed by individuals within the government, apparently with the full backing of some of their foreign supporters," said Hussein.

Eastern Ghouta's roughly 400,000 residents have lived under government siege since 2013, facing severe shortages of food and medicines even before the latest offensive began.

Forty-six aid trucks entered the area on Monday for the first time since the offensive, but had to cut short their deliveries and leave due to heavy bombardment.

Nearly half of the food aid could not be delivered and Syrian authorities removed some medical and health supplies from the trucks, the UN said.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all warring sides to allow aid trucks to return for a planned second delivery to the enclave's main town of Douma tomorrow.

Linda Tom, spokesperson for the UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA in Syria, said the aid would aim to reach 70,000 people in Douma and would include medical supplies not allowed in Monday's delivery.

Inside Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday, AFP correspondents heard warplanes carrying out a barrage of strikes on the battleground towns.

Residents in Douma were driving frantically through the streets to escape from bombing zones, with cars brushing by each other in close calls.

Wednesday's raids came despite a daily "humanitarian pause" announced by Russia last week that is meant to bring calm to Eastern Ghouta between 9:00 am (0700 GMT) and 2:00 pm each day.

During that pause, Moscow said, it would guarantee safe passage to civilians and rebels wishing to flee the enclave.

No Syrian civilians are known to have used the "humanitarian corridor".

The two main rebel groups in Eastern GhoutaJaish al-Islam and Faylaq al-Rahman deny that the exit routes or the pauses have been coordinated with them.

"There is no communication with the Russians, directly or indirectly," said Wael Alwan, spokesman for Faylaq al-Rahman.

More than 340,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in Syria since the civil war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.  AFP
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Beirut, March 7



A Russian military cargo has plane crashed near an air base in Syria, killing all 39 Russian servicemen on board in a blow to Russian operations in Syria.



The Russian military quickly insisted the plane was not shot down and blamed the crash on a technical error.



Meanwhile, shelling near the rebel-held eastern suburbs of Damascus killed dozens of people over the past 24 hours as President Bashar Assads government, supported by the Russian military, pushed its assault on the capitals rebel-held suburbs.



International aid workers on a rare humanitarian mission inside the besieged area described dramatic scenes of rescuers trying to pull corpses from the rubble of buildings and children who hadnt seen daylight in 15 days.



The mission on Monday to the area known as eastern Ghouta was cut short after the government shelling escalated while the aid workers were still inside, calling into question future aid shipments to the encircled region, the last major opposition stronghold near the capital.



Opposition activists and a war monitor said 80 people were killed Monday, the deadliest day since the UN Security Council demanded a 30-day cease-fire for Syria and at least nine were killed yesterday.



UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all parties to implement a cease-fire demanded by the Security Council on February 24 and allow safe and unimpeded access for convoys to deliver aid to hundreds of thousands of Syrians in desperate need.



Guterres descried that attacks on eastern Ghouta reportedly killed more than 100 people Monday and that 14 of 46 trucks in a convoy trying to deliver supplies to Douma in eastern Ghouta werent able to fully unload, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.



Dujarric said nearly half of the food carried on the convoy could not be delivered.



People were telling us very desperate stories. They are tired, they are angry. They dont want aid, what they want is the shelling to stop, Pawel Krzysiek, head of communications for the Syrian branch of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said yesterday.



He said thousands of families were huddled in underground shelters, reluctant to eat in front of each other because of the pervasive hunger, and children who watched as aid workers tried to pull corpses from the rubble.



No child should be witnessing this in their very early state of development. But the children of Douma and the children of eastern Ghouta unfortunately do, and thats what makes the situation very, very dramatic, he said.



Mondays aid shipment was the first to enter eastern Ghouta amid weeks of a crippling siege and a government assault that has killed some 800 civilians since February 18. Aid agencies said Syrian authorities removed basic health supplies, including trauma and surgical kits and insulin, from the convoys before they set off.



The UN said airstrikes and shelling in eastern Ghouta continued for hours while the convoy was unloading supplies.



After nearly nine hours inside, the decision was made to leave for security reasons and to avoid jeopardizing the safety of humanitarian teams on the ground, said Jens Laerke, deputy spokesperson for the UNs Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. As a result, 14 of the 46 trucks in the convoy were not able to fully offload critical humanitarian supplies.



Laerke said the team found a desperate situation for people who have endured months without access to humanitarian aid. Food for civilians was in short supply or prohibitively expensive and high rates of acute malnutrition were observed, he said.



Krzysiek said there was no electricity so it was extremely dark and we had to go. But we left with heavy hearts because we knew that we are leaving people behind, we know what they will be going through. The violence called into question future aid deliveries.



Another aid convoy is scheduled to enter eastern Ghouta tomorrow, but Laerke said security measures must be guaranteed for this to happen.



Pro-government forces have made swift gains since launching their offensive, seizing roughly 40 per cent of eastern Ghouta territory in two weeks, according to the Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, and setting off a wave of displacement as civilians flee strikes and advancing forces.



Airstrikes continued Tuesday. The oppositions Syrian Civil Defense search-and-rescue group reported at least nine people were killed in airstrikes on the town of Jisreen. The group, also known as the White Helmets, said two of its volunteers, and 28 others, suffered difficulties breathing following shelling on the town of Hammouriyeh on Monday evening.



It accused the government of using poison gas. The Observatory reported 18 people suffered breathing difficulties, without attributing a cause.It was the eighth allegation of chlorine gas use reported by the Syrian American Medical Society this year.



The reports could not be independently confirmed, and Russia used its Security Council veto to freeze the work of a U N body investigating such reports earlier this year. The Syrian government, through the SANA state news agency, denied using chemical weapons.  AFP


uttara@tribuneindia.com

COLOMBO, March 7

Sri Lanka shut down social messaging networks including Facebook on Wednesday to control violence targeted at the country's minority Muslims, officials said, even after the imposition of emergency in the Buddhist-majority island.

Tension has been growing between the two communities in Sri Lanka over the past year, with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalising Buddhist archaeological sites.

Some Buddhist nationalists have also protested against the presence in Sri Lanka of Muslim Rohingya asylum seekers from mostly Buddhist Myanmar, where Buddhist nationalism has also been on the rise.

Police clamped an indefinite curfew in the central highlands district of Kandy where the violence has been centred since Sunday following the death of a Buddhist youth in an altercation with a group of Muslims.

Buddhist mobs attacked mosques and businesses belonging to Muslims overnight, residents told Reuters on Wednesday, even after President Maithripala Sirisena imposed emergency for seven days to control the violence.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said there had been "several incidents" throughout Tuesday night in the Kandy area, famous for its tea plantations.

"The police arrested seven people. Three police officers were injured from the incidents," Gunasekara told Reuters. There was no information about how many civilians had been wounded, he said.

Some of the violence has been instigated over social media with postings appearing on Facebook threatening more attacks against Muslims, the government said.

On Wednesday, it said Facebook, Viber and Whatsapp would be blocked across the country for three days.

Sri Lanka is still healing from a 26-year civil war against Tamil separatists that ended in 2009, with reports of rights abuses on both sides. Muslims make up 9 per cent of the 21 million population, the smallest minority after ethnic Tamils, most of whom are Hindus.

UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said he was alarmed by the recurring episodes of violence against ethnic and religious minorities in Sri Lanka and sought accountability.

"There should be no impunity, either for the incitement that led to the attacks, or the attacks themselves," he said in a speech to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The US State Department in a security alert warned of the possibility of further unrest in Kandy, famous for a temple said to contain the tooth of Buddha.

A government minister said the violence in Kandy had been whipped up by people from outside the area. "There is an organised conspiracy behind these incidents," Sarath Amunugama, a senior minister, told reporters in Colombo. Reuters
singhking99@yahoo.com

Washington, March 7

Gary Cohn, the top economic adviser to US President Donald Trump and a voice for Wall Street in the White House, today resigned, in yet another jolt to the embattled White House that has seen a series of high-profile departures.

Cohn, 57, who is a former Goldman Sach executive, resigned as the White House National Economic Council director over differences with the Trumps trade policies, including a move to impose a hefty 25 per cent tariff on the import of steel and 10 per cent on aluminium.

White House officials said the tariffs dispute contributed to Cohns decision to leave but that it was not the sole reason. For several weeks, Cohn had been discussing with the President that it was nearing time for him to transition out. His departure date is to be determinedm but will be a few weeks from now, a White House official said.

Gary has been my chief economic adviser and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again. He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people, Trump said. He tweeted that he will be making a decision soon on replacing Cohn. Administration officials said Peter Navarro, director of the White House National Trade Council, and conservative commentator Larry Kudlow were the top two candidates for the job.

During his stay at the White House, Cohn led coordination of Trumps pro-growth domestic and global economic policy agenda, including the passage of historic tax cuts and reforms in December 2017. It has been an honour to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the Americans. I am grateful to the President for giving me this opportunity, Cohn said.  Agencies

Trump threatens to tax European cars

Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to slap a 25% tax on import of cars from Europe if the EU retaliated on its decision to impose import tariffs on steel and aluminium

Swedish PM Stefan Lofven during his meeting with Trump had conveyed the message of the EU president that if the US put tariffs on steel and aluminum, they will slap back with punitive tariffs on bourbon, jeans and motorcycles

They can do whatever theyd like, but if they do that, we put 25% tax on their cars, and believe me, they wont be doing it long, Trump said

Porn star sues Trump

A former adult film actress has sued Donald Trump, claiming that his lawyer forced her to sign a statement in 2016 to stop her from going public about her alleged relationship with the then Republican-presidential candidate. Stephanie Clifford filed a lawsuit in a California State court. The lawsuit alleges that she was paid $130,000 by Michael Cohen, Trumps personal lawyer, to not to go public with her alleged sexual encounters with Trump when he was the then presidential candidate. Trump has denied these charges. PTI
SAN JOSE, Calif., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tech CU (Technology Credit Union) announced today that its vice president of human resources, Jeannine Boettcher, has won the YWCA Tribute to Women Award. Additionally, Tech CU was honored with three AVA Digital awards for the companys digital ads, innovative mobile prospecting tool, and lead generation and nurture program.



Since 1984, the YWCA Silicon Valley Tribute to Women Awards has honored women in executive level positions and the companies who employ them. The award showcases women in the region who exemplify and reflect innovation, creativity and excellence  key components of the Silicon Valley culture. It also acknowledges the commitment and leadership Tech CU has demonstrated towards further empowering women.

I am so thrilled that Jeannine has earned the YWCA Silicon Valley Tribute to Women Award, said Todd Harris, President and CEO of Tech CU. She truly embodies all the characteristics that are a hallmark of this award  creativity, innovation and excellence. Jeannine has been instrumental in driving the attraction, retention and engagement of all employees. She has also implemented multiple technology enhancements which improve our efficiency and effectiveness. I look forward to working with her for many years to come.

AVA Digital Awards

An international competition that recognizes excellence by creative professionals responsible for the planning, conception, direction, design and production of digital communication, the AVA Digital Awards honored Tech CU with Gold Awards for its:

Refresh of Bank Happily Ever After digital ads . In 2015, Tech CU launched its Bank Happily Ever After Campaign, which encourages consumers to question their current banking relationship and consider a new one with Tech CU. In 2017, more than two years after the initial campaign launched, Tech CU once again refreshed its digital advertising with broader messaging. While previous versions of the ads focused on convincing consumers to break up with their banks  saying, its not me, its you  the latest iteration focuses on products, services, promotions and rates.

. In 2015, Tech CU launched its Bank Happily Ever After Campaign, which encourages consumers to question their current banking relationship and consider a new one with Tech CU. In 2017, more than two years after the initial campaign launched, Tech CU once again refreshed its digital advertising with broader messaging. While previous versions of the ads focused on convincing consumers to break up with their banks  saying, its not me, its you  the latest iteration focuses on products, services, promotions and rates. Innovative mobile app for prospecting. In October of 2017, Tech CU Area Managers began using a customized mobile app from Eltropy allowing them to provide on-the-spot secure text and email to potential members at TechCU@Work events. This helps the company better understand a prospects level of engagement, while following up with them on joining Tech CU. Results have been very promising, with engagement hovering at 19 percent vs. the less than four percent email click-through-rates typical for the industry.

Lastly, Tech CU received an honorable mention for its lead generation and nurture program. Designed to nurture prospects into new members and educate, the program allows website visitors to connect with Tech CU by receiving a monthly email newsletter with financial tips and/or product information. Conversion rates hover at approximately 10 percent.

Last year, the AVA Digital Awards honored Tech CU for its website redesign.

We are honored to be recognized by the AVA Digital Awards for our digital ads, said Kate Duggan, SVP of Marketing at Tech CU. With so many competitors playing in the banking space in Silicon Valley, its important to create a strong, strategic advertising campaign that allows us to stand out. Our updated digital ads maintain the spirit of our initial campaign but innovate on the original message.

It was also great to win awards for some of our lesser known initiatives, such as the mobile prospecting tool, and our lead generation and nurture program  both of which allow us to connect with prospective members and illustrate why they should choose Tech CU, added Duggan.

ABOUT TECH CU

Tech CU (techcu.com) is a $2.5 billion credit union serving more than 95,000 members throughout the San Francisco Bay Area  including employees of such companies as Tesla, eBay, Applied Materials, Nvidia and Facebook. A federally insured, not-for- profit organization, we put the financial interests of our members ahead of shareholder profit by helping members achieve their financial goals on their terms and by sharing the benefits of our growth. Founded in 1960 by the innovative employees of Fairchild Semiconductor, today we continue to be an industry leader, providing convenient and easy-to-use financial products for all stages of our members lives, including personal banking, wealth management, private banking, commercial lending and business banking. Tech CU consistently achieves high marks for its customer satisfaction and maintains a 5-star rating from Bauer Financial, the nations largest independent rating service for financial institutions. And, with mobile and online banking, 65,000+ surcharge-free ATMs worldwide (more than Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo combined) and convenient branch access to our financial experts, Tech CU makes 24/7 banking easy and empowering.

Contact:

Linden Kohtz

Public Relations, Tech CU

lkohtz@techcu.com
singhking99@yahoo.com

Washington, March 7

The US has determined Pyongyang used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Malaysia in 2017 and has imposed sanctions in response, the US State Department said on Tuesday.

The prohibitions appeared largely symbolic, such as sales to North Korea under the Arms Export Control Act and barring the export of national security sensitive goods and technology to North, which has no relations with the US.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the US government made the formal determination about the use of VX on February 22 under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991. The additional sanctions on Pyongyang went into effect on March 5 after the finding was formally published in the Federal Register, the official journal of the US, Nauert said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson determined North Korea had used chemical weapons in violation of international law or lethal chemical weapons against its own nationals, the department said in the Federal Register.

Kims estranged half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, was killed at Kuala Lumpur airport on February 13, 2017. Two women, Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, are on trial for murdering Kim by smearing his face with VX.  Reuters
Amsterdam, 7 March 2018 (Regulated Information) --- The Supervisory Board of AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. ("AMG", EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: "AMG") resolved during its meeting on March 7th, 2018 to make the following changes to its composition and to nominate Dr. Heinz Schimmelbusch as CEO for an additional term of two years when his current term expires in 2019.

Supervisory Board Composition

At the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") in May 2018, Mr. Norbert Quinkert and Mr. Guy de Selliers will have both served eleven years on the Supervisory Board of AMG when their current terms end. Both gentlemen have indicated that they wish to retire from the Supervisory Board in May 2018, given other priorities and the term limits for Supervisory Directors of the new Code. The Supervisory Board is deeply grateful for the long service and dedication to AMG by Messrs. Quinkert and de Selliers.

Before becoming Chairman in 2015, Mr. Quinkert was a long-serving member of AMG's Selection & Appointment Committee and has been a major contributor to the excellent quality of AMG's current leadership team. As Chairman, Mr. Quinkert successfully guided AMG through a challenging period during the past three years.

Mr. de Selliers has served throughout his tenure at AMG as a highly respected member of AMG's Audit & Risk Management Committee and has been an important force in establishing AMG's state of the art risk management system.

The Supervisory Board thanks both gentlemen for their valuable insights and contributions and wishes them well in their future endeavors.

Mr. Robert Meuter has also indicated that he wishes to step down at the AGM 2018 after having served three years. Mr. Meuter feels that his mandate has ended and wishes to prioritize other engagements. The Supervisory Board respects and accepts Mr. Meuter's decision and thanks him for his valuable insights and contributions and wishes him well in his future endeavors. Mr. Meuter will continue to advise the Company on specific banking & finance matters in the forthcoming year, if so requested.

Dr. Donatella Ceccarelli will have served four years on the Supervisory Board in May 2018 and AMG is very pleased to announce that Dr. Ceccarelli will make herself available for re-appointment for a term of four years at the AGM in May of this year.

Given the retirement of Mr. Quinkert as member and Chairman of the Supervisory Board in May 2018, AMG is pleased to announce that the Supervisory Board has appointed Mr. Jack Messman, currently Vice-Chairman, as successor to Mr. Quinkert as Chairman of the Supervisory Board as of May 2nd, 2018 after the AGM. Mr. Messman's term as member of the Supervisory Board ends in 2019. The Supervisory Board has further resolved to appoint Mr. Willem van Hassel as Vice-Chairman, as of May 2nd, 2018 after the AGM, succeeding Mr. Messman. Mr. van Hassel's term as member of the Supervisory Board ends in 2021.

The Supervisory Board has further resolved that it will reduce the size of the Supervisory Board from nine to six members, effective May 2nd, 2018. The Supervisory Board believes that with its new composition, it will continue to cover the necessary areas of expertise as set forth in AMG's Supervisory Board profile.

Management Board Composition

The Supervisory Board has reviewed the respective terms of the three Management Board members who all received high praise at their annual evaluation by the Supervisory Board in November of last year. The term of the CEO and Chairman of the Management Board (Dr. Schimmelbusch) will expire in 2019. The term of the CFO (Mr. Dunckel) will expire in 2020, and the term of the COO (Mr. Jackson) will expire in 2021.

AMG is in a critical phase of its development. The expansion of lithium and tantalum operations in Brazil, as well as the related new credit facilities and continued recognition of AMG as investment opportunity or strategic partner, demand a stable corporate atmosphere with clear continuity in leadership and strategy.

The Supervisory Board evaluates on an ongoing basis the scope and composition of the Management Board and the succession of the members of the Management Board. The Supervisory Board recognizes that in meetings with investors and banks relating to strategic issues for AMG and its business, questions were asked about the leadership continuity.

AMG's current CEO, Dr. Heinz Schimmelbusch, is one of the incorporators of AMG and the intellectual designer of AMG's successful strategy. His appraisals have all been excellent and, where needed, he has demonstrated ample and continuous innovation and agility.

The Supervisory Board has therefore concluded that it is of utmost importance that AMG secure his leadership for the coming years as CEO and Chairman of the Management Board, given the transformational change the Company is currently executing.

As a result, the Supervisory Board announces that it will nominate Dr. Heinz Schimmelbusch for re-appointment at the AGM in May of this year as CEO and Chairman of the Management Board for an additional two-year term, covering 2020 and 2021, after his current term expires in 2019, to secure AMG's leadership for the next three years and to provide ample time to decide on succession as well as a reasonable induction period for a new incoming CEO.

This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

This press release contains regulated information as defined in the Dutch Financial Markets Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).

About AMG

AMG is a global critical materials company at the forefront of CO2 reduction trends. AMG produces highly engineered specialty metals and mineral products and provides related vacuum furnace systems and services to the transportation, infrastructure, energy, and specialty metals & chemicals end markets.

AMG Critical Materials produces aluminum master alloys and powders, titanium alloys and coatings, ferrovanadium, natural graphite, chromium metal, antimony, lithium, tantalum, niobium and silicon metal. AMG Engineering designs, engineers, and produces advanced vacuum furnace systems and operates vacuum heat treatment facilities, primarily for the transportation and energy industries.

With approximately 3,000 employees, AMG operates globally with production facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic, the United States, China, Mexico, Brazil, India, Sri Lanka and Mozambique, and has sales and customer service offices in Russia and Japan (www.amg-nv.com).

For further information, please contact:

AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. +1 610 293 5804

Steve Daniels

Senior Vice President

sdaniels@amg-nv.com
Las Vegas, Nevada., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SNOMED International and the Ministerio de Salud are pleased to announce that Argentina has joined the organization as its thirty-first Member.

As the newest SNOMED International Member, Argentina will leverage SNOMED CTs structured clinical vocabulary to realize improvements in how clinical data is analyzed and reported on for the benefit of patient care. Argentinas commitment to SNOMED CT sets the foundation for clinical data to be exchanged accurately and consistently across care settings, further extending the reach of structured clinical terminology throughout the Latin America region.

SNOMED CT is the worlds most comprehensive health terminology. Founded in 2007 by nine charter nations, SNOMED International is a not-for-profit, member-owned and driven international organization. The addition of Argentina has grown the organizations Membership to thirty-one countries and territories across five continents, and enables Argentina to manage and use SNOMED CT and other related products, as well as participate on the organizations General Assembly.

We are pleased to be welcoming Argentina as an official partner on this journey, formalizing a promising relationship that has existed for a number of years said Don Sweete, SNOMED International CEO. In Buenos Aires, private hospital entity, Hospital Italiano has been a long-term adopter of SNOMED CT. With Argentinas Membership to SNOMED International, the Ministerio de Salud has crossed the threshold enabling Argentina to leverage SNOMED CT for the benefit of their healthcare system, affecting patients and providers alike.

Argentina has embarked on a national program to promote the development of a national health information infrastructure, supporting and guiding provincial governments projects for the adoption of a national interoperability framework.

The Ministerio de Salud and the Ministerio de Modernizacion of Argentina worked together to make this membership a reality; this will facilitate the adoption of SNOMED CT in health information implementations around the country. The Health Minister, Dr. Adolfo Rubinstein, defined that the National Health Information infrastructure is the foundation for the implementation of the Universal Health Coverage initiatives, said Dr. Alejandro Lopez Osornio, responsible for the adoption of SNOMED CT in the Ministerio de salud. Everything is already in place for provinces and providers to start requesting free licenses for the use of SNOMED CT, and we are planning a sequence of implementation support activities for the rest of the year.

Argentina becomes the third country in the Latin America region to join SNOMED International, positioning the region for increased interoperability as well as the promise of leveraging learnings amongst its regional and international counterparts. Through the next phase of their ehealth journey, Argentina has demonstrated their recognition of the value to the health system through investment in the worlds most comprehensive healthcare terminology product.

To learn more about SNOMED International and SNOMED CT, visit www.snomed.org.

To learn more about SNOMED Argentina visit www.argentina.gob.ar/salud/snomed

About SNOMED International:

SNOMED International is a not-for-profit organization that owns and develops SNOMED CT, the world's most comprehensive healthcare terminology product. We play an essential role in improving the health of humankind by determining standards for a codified language that represents groups of clinical terms. This enables healthcare information to be exchanged globally for the benefit of patients and other stakeholders. We are committed to the rigorous evolution of our products and services, to deliver continuous innovation for the global healthcare community. SNOMED International is the trading name of the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organization (IHTSDO.)

About Ministerio de Salud de la Nacion Argentina:

The National Health Ministry of Argentina, in charge of defining national health policies and regulations, collaborating with provincial health ministries in the maintenance of the public health system. The Health Minister, Dr. Adolfo Rubinstein has the Implementation Universal Health Coverage as one of the main priorities, and this process will be supported by a strong development of Health Information Systems.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0dca5aca-b5c0-426f-8bd2-cbd097547e0f

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7478cd1c-7307-472f-8d79-d8d27d12890a
TORONTO, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Tuesday March 6, 2018, the Ontario government introduced a new Pay Transparency Act to help close the gender pay gap.



All employers in the province have had a legal obligation to deliver discrimination-free pay since the 1960s. But employers continue to flout the law. The Pay Equity Office reports that 54% of employers have gender pay gaps contrary to the Pay Equity Act. And the government reports that the pay gap has not closed in thirty years.

Pay Transparency tells employers time's up on discrimination. It requires employers to disclose their wages to prove they are complying with their existing legal obligations under Ontario's Human Rights Code and the Pay Equity Act. Lack of pay transparency feeds the pay gap.

"Pay transparency is an important enforcement tool," says Fay Faraday, Equal Pay Coalition co-chair. "But this bill must be strengthened if it is to make meaningful change. This first reading lets most employers off the hook."

The new Act's transparency obligations will first apply to the Ontario Public Service. Then, following consultation, will apply to employers with more than 500 employees, and later still to those with more than 250 employees. The Act does contain important anti-reprisal protections and new posting provisions requiring employers to advertise the salary range for a position and prohibit asking about prior salaries.

The Equal Pay Coalition calls for significant amendments to strengthen the Act and bring it in line with employers' existing legal obligations not to discriminate: The Act must be amended to:

apply to all private and public sector employers with more than 10 employees to match the Pay Equity Act;

apply to all government procurement so government contracts comply with equality rights;

include mandatory timelines to file annual transparency reports with the Ministry of Labour;

require employers to deliver annual transparency reports to corporate shareholders;

clearly set out what information must be in the transparency reports, including compensation structure and wage grids by gender, job classification, and job status (full-time, part-time, casual, seasonal and temporary agency); and

include a clear purpose clause in the legislation.

The gender pay gap drives women's poverty, particularly for Indigenous and racialized women. Indigenous women face a 57% gender pay gap. Racialized and immigrant women face a gap of 37% to 39%. Women who are recent immigrants earn, on average, 57% as much as a white man. Women with disabilities face a 46% pay gap. Overall, the gender pay gap is 31%.

"Pay transparency laws work," says Jan Borowy, Equal Pay Coalition co-chair. "The government had many international models to build on, but they choose to aim lower than the weakest existing model which is in the UK."

Even in the UK, initial transparency reports reveal that 74% of employers pay men significantly more than women.

Equal Pay Day in Ontario will be marked on Tuesday 10 April 2018.

Ontario has no time to waste. Amend the law so that we have something worth celebrating on Equal Pay Day.

For more information, please contact:

Fay Faraday co-Chair, Equal Pay Coalition: 416-389-4399 or Jan Borowy, co-chair, Equal Pay Coalition, 416-985-2069.
The domain turkeytelegraph.com may be for sale. Please click here to inquire
STUDIO CITY, CA, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



Petroteq Energy Inc . (Petroteq or the Company) (TSXV: PQE; OTCQX: PQEFF; Frankfurt: A2DYWC ), a company focused on the development and implementation of proprietary technologies for the energy industry, is pleased to announce that SOCAR Energy Ukraine, Ltd. (SOCAR), a subsidiary of State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic, as the latest member of PetroBLOQ , the Companys subsidiary and developer of a blockchain-based oil and gas supply chain management platform.

SOCAR has become the second oil major company (the other being PEMEX) to join the PetroBloq consortium.

The consortium, which is being co-developed with First Bitcoin Capital Corp . ( OTC: BITCF ), is based on a distributed ledger technology (DLT) and offers a unique opportunity for oil and gas industry participants to plan and guide blockchain development research in directions that maximize benefits to the industry. As a member and participant of PetroBLOQ , SOCAR will help identify needs and gaps in logistics that are not being addressed elsewhere and collaborate on building solutions aimed at making domestic and cross-border commerce easier, safer and more efficient for oil and gas companies.

SOCAR operates a distribution network of petroleum retailers in Ukraine including oil storage operations in Odessa, Nikolaev, Vinnitsa, Kiev, Chernihiv, Lviv and Lutsk.

Alex Blyumkin, CEO of Petroteq stated, In recent years, the oil and gas industry has struggled with challenges that have motivated companies to find innovative solutions to improve its current inefficiencies, including price volatilities and record production levels, in addition to an array of national regulations and restrictions. This has led to complexities, cost-cutting initiatives, reduced explorations and layoffs. We believe implementing blockchain solutions will help bring efficiencies to our industry and are pleased by the reception and support of prominent oil majors and industry partners that recognize these benefits. SOCAR, the second national oil company to join our consortium, will be an invaluable member to our process as we continue developing our platform.

About SOCAR Energy Ukraine, Ltd.

SOCAR is involved in exploring oil and gas fields, producing, processing, and transporting oil, gas, and gas condensate, marketing petroleum and petrochemical products in domestic and international markets, and supplying natural gas to industry and the public in Azerbaijan. Three production divisions, one oil refineries and one gas processing plant, a deep water platform fabrication yard, two trusts, one institution, and 23 subdivisions are operating as corporate entities under SOCAR. At the moment more than 1,500 specialists are employed at SOCAR and its affiliated companies in Ukraine.

About Petroteq Energy Inc.

Petroteq is a fully integrated oil and gas company focused on the development and implementation of a new proprietary technology for oil extraction. The Company has an environmentally safe and sustainable technology for the extraction of heavy oils from oil sands, oil shale deposits and shallow oil deposits. Petroteq is engaged in the development and implementation of its patented environmentally friendly heavy oil processing and extraction technologies. Our proprietary process produces zero greenhouse gas, zero waste and requires no high temperatures. Petroteq is currently focused on developing its oil sands resources and expanding production capacity at its Asphalt Ridge heavy oil extraction facility located near Vernal, Utah. The Company also owns a minority stake in an exploration and production play located in southwest Texas held by Accord GR Energy Inc. In addition, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary PetroBLOQ, LLC, is seeking to develop the first blockchain based platform created exclusively for the supply chain needs of the oil & gas sector. For more information, visit www.Petroteq.energy and PetroBLOQ.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. and Canadian securities laws. Words such as may, would, could, should, potential, will, seek, intend, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect and similar expressions as they relate to the Company, including the Company successfully developing block chain technology for the oil and gas industry, are intended to identify forward-looking information. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Such statements reflect the Companys current views and intentions with respect to future events, based on information available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Material factors or assumptions were applied in providing forward-looking information, including: PetroBLOQ successfully developing and implementing a blockchain-based supply chain management system. While forward-looking statements are based on data, assumptions and analyses that the Company believes are reasonable under the circumstances, whether actual results, performance or developments will meet the Companys expectations and predictions depends on a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results, performance and financial condition of the Company to differ materially from its expectations. Certain of the risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Companys forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation: PetroBLOQ not having the expertise and/or funds necessary to develop and implement a blockchain-based supply chain management system; PetroBLOQ not being able to develop the blockchain technology to completion; blockchain technology not being adopted by the oil and gas industry; changes in laws or regulations; the ability to implement business strategies or to pursue business opportunities, whether for economic or other reasons; status of the world oil markets, oil prices and price volatility; oil pricing; state of capital markets and ability by the Company to raise capital; litigation; the commercial and economic viability of the Companys oil sands hydrocarbon extraction technology, the SWEPT technology, the S-BRPT technology, and other proprietary technologies developed or licensed by the Company or by Accord, which are of experimental nature and have not been used at full capacity for an extended period of time; reliance on suppliers, contractors, consultants and key personnel; the ability of the Company and Accord to maintain their respective mineral lease holdings; potential failure of the Companys business plans or model; the nature of oil and gas production and oil sands mining, extraction and production; uncertainties in exploration and drilling for oil, gas and other hydrocarbon-bearing substances; unanticipated costs and expenses, availability of financing and other capital; potential damage to or destruction of property, loss of life and environmental damage; risks associated with compliance with environmental protection laws and regulations; uninsurable or uninsured risks; potential conflicts of interest of officers and directors; and other general economic, market and business conditions and factors, including the risk factors discussed or referred to in the Companys disclosure documents, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com .

Should any factor affect the Company in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, the Company does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.






Agnes Lungu, 56, and her husband married off their 15-year old daughter. Up until this day she regrets this decision. I did not know about the harmful consequences of child marriage, and I feel very guilty I did this. Its a wrong practice and nobody should do it, she says.

Agnes is from Kakwiya, a village in Zambia, where the practice of child marriage is common. Although the law requires that a person must be at least 21 years of age to get married, under customary law it is possible to get married at a younger age with parental consent.

Many countries have plural legal systems where customary, indigenous or religious legal systems exist alongside the formal legal system. They may complement, conflict or overlap with the formal legal system and regulate issues such as marriage, domestic relationships, and property rights.

Worldwide, many laws, policies and practices continue to impede gender equality; they obstruct the empowerment of women and girls and their access to health services, including for HIV and sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR). It is not surprising that AIDS-related illnesses remain the leading global cause of death among women of reproductive age. The report of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law made recommendations for countries to take action to protect the rights of women and girls, including those who are disproportionately affected by HIV.

In order to achieve the targets in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development pertaining to gender equality, health, poverty and reduced inequalities, it is important to recognise and address the consequences of plural legal systems, especially as they relate to child, early and forced marriage; womens access to justice in cases of rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence; access to contraceptives and other SRHR services; and the treatment of widows.

Gender equality is critical to achieve all three outcomes of the UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021 and is also one of the Strategic Plans six signature solutions. Gender equality and the empowerment of women is also a cornerstone of UNDPs HIV, Health and Development Strategy of 2016-2021. UNDP, in partnership with civil society, UN entities and multilateral development partners have supported governments to advance laws and policies that promote gender equality and empower women and girls affected by plural legal systems. For example, in 2016, the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) adopted the Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage. SADC Member States will be required to adapt their national laws to the Model Law which aims to address the inconsistencies and conflicts between customary and statutory laws.

Stakeholders must revitalise efforts to create legal and policy environments that enable women and girls, especially those affected by plural legal systems. Womens equal rights to land, property and inheritance must be protected at national and sub-national levels. Ending child, early and forced marriage is crucial, and this requires sustained advocacy that includes cultural and traditional leaders. When advancing the rights of women affected by plural legal systems, we must also consider how these systems affect matters such as age of consent for adolescent access to SRHR, sexual orientation, gender identity, womens bodily autonomy and adult consensual sex work.

Unless we redouble our efforts towards womens empowerment and gender equality, the SDGs will remain a pipe dream for all.



About the author

Kene Esom works with UNDP's HIV, Health and Development Group as a policy specialist focusing on human rights, law and gender. Among other issues, he works on promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls, and enabling legal and policy and regulatory environments for HIV and health.
In a packed room in Nayapara refugee camp there is fierce concentration amid the whirring of sewing machines.

Forty young women are hard at work, producing items that make up some of the contents of female hygiene kits, distributed by UNHCR twice a year to refugee women of reproductive age, including underwear and washable cloth sanitary napkins.

Not only do they produce items that they will use themselves, but they have also learnt new tailoring skills. Most have also managed to save enough money to buy their own sewing machines and work from home once they have graduated from the project.

This project gives them jobs and training, said Laila Arjuman Banu, community mobilization associate with Technical Assistance Inc. (TAI), which runs the programme with support from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

See also: Displaced Colombian women fight sex abuse

More than 688,000 refugees have fled to Bangladesh since violence erupted in the Maungdaw area of northern Rakhine state six months ago and reported that troops and crowds attacked and killed residents and set fire to their villages.

Since it started in 2011 more than 600 women have benefited from the programme, which gives participants three months training, followed by three months on-the-job experience.

This work allows me to earn money and take care of myself.

I had no idea how to sew before, said Anwara Begum, 30, a single mother who fled violence in Myanmar in the early 1990s. My husband had left me and I was bringing up a young baby girl on my own. Shes now five years old. This project has helped a lot.

Ive saved enough money to buy my own machine and now I can take private orders. The best thing is, I can learn a skill and be paid, and then earn money myself afterwards.

During work experience, depending on their output, women can earn up to 6,000 taka (US$72), enough to help them to set them up in business.

This work allows me to earn money and take care of myself, said 19-year-old Nasima Aktar, who was born in Nayapara refugee camp.

I feel really good and proud to be working here. Ive bought my own machine and Im taking orders from home. Ive also trained my youngster sister to sew. My dream, if I can save enough money, is to open my own shop..

Around the world, UNHCR works with partners like TAI to help women improve their economic situation through decent work and regain control of their lives. Economic empowerment is one of the agencys five commitments to refugee and displaced women designed to boost gender equality.

They are learning on their own and helping others to learn.

The Bangladesh programme was originally developed to work with women who fled persecution in Myanmar in the 1990s. With a huge new influx of Rohingya refugees since last August, there is greater demand for the hygiene products, and it is set to expand.

Work is under way on an extension to the building, to provide a larger work space so that more women can be hired. A similar programme in Kutupalong refugee camp is also being expanded. The plan is for nearly 1,200 young women to be trained this year.

Some of the trained women also work at a tailoring shop in Nayapara refugee camp run by TAI, producing custom-made clothing for sale.

Laila Arjuman Banu from TAI says that income generation and skills training are important but the programme has also helped women gain confidence and take more control of their lives.

Before, there were no opportunities like this for women, she said. Now, they dont have to spend all the time in their homes, but they can get the skills training and earn an income.

She continued: Its very important. It helps to raise their status in the community. They feel proud about themselves. They are learning on their own and also helping others to learn.
As morning assembly ends in Paysannat L School, on the edge of Mahama refugee camp in eastern Rwanda, students hurriedly disperse to their classes. Among them are Bellaca and Anethe who, holding hands and laughing, are clearly the best of friends.

For Bellaca Irikungoma, a 16-year-old refugee from Burundi, going to secondary school was a chance for a return to normality after fleeing fighting more than a year ago. She was not expecting to find much more than basic services in the camp, still less a fully operational school for more than 21,000 students.

When Im in school, I really like the fact that Im attending classes and I get to see my best friend as well, said Bellaca as she looked over her shoulder at Anethe, who sits right behind her.

Having the school right on her doorstep has also been a blessing for Anethe Cyuzuzo, 15, a Rwandan who lives outside the refugee camp. If this school didnt exist here, I would have to travel a long way for my secondary schooling, she explained.

Rwanda: Best friends prove education is key for girls (William Davies, producer-videographer)

The two girls found themselves sitting next to each other on Bellaca's first day. Their fears that their different nationalities and backgrounds would hinder their friendship soon proved to be unfounded. She is a good friend, Bellaca said of Anethe. Before we became really close, she used to tell me to come and study with her. She would explain the lessons to me.

Paysannat L started out in 1997 as a small primary school, but expanded in 2015 in order to accommodate thousands of Burundian children who joined the exodus after renewed violence broke out. Now, it has 230 classrooms and 300 teaching staff. The school caters not only to the refugee population, who make up the bulk of the student body, but also to local Rwandans. Primary and secondary education is free to all.

Anethe Cyuzuzo (left), 15, from Rwanda, and Irikungoma Bellaca (right), 16, from Burundi are best friends at Paysannat L school, in Mahama refugee camp, Kirehe, eastern Rwanda.  UNHCR/Georgina Goodwin

Students together in class in Paysannat L School. 80 per cent of the students are Burundian refugee children and 20% are from the Rwandan host community.  UNHCR/Georgina Goodwin

Anethe (in blue coat) and Bellaca (black coat) do homework together and help each other with housework.  UNHCR/Georgina Goodwin

The Paysannat L School follows a government-led refugee-host community integration program in partnership with local authorities and the UN Refugee Agency.  UNHCR/Georgina Goodwin

Bellaca's mother, Compare Yolande (middle), outside of her home in Mahama Refugee Camp, Kirehe.  UNHCR/Georgina Goodwin

UNHCR worked with the Rwandan government to integrate refugees into the national education system by placing refugee and local students in the same school and teaching them in English, Rwandas official language of instruction  unlike in Burundi, where classes are taught mainly in French.

At the school  when they provide school materials to the refugees, they also give some to us, they dont discriminate, Anethe said. This is one reason we feel [the refugee pupils] are real partners.

"I am very happy because now I have a good Burundian friend."

Monica Tse Candido, UNHCRs Protection Officer in Kirehe District, agreed. When refugees and the local students study together, it brings about a greater sense of community and cohesion among the two communities, she said. It doesnt matter whether the children are from Rwanda or Burundi because they are all treated as one.

This enabled the friendship between Bellaca and Anethe to flourish. The girls walk each other home after school, do homework together and help each other with housework.

See also: School offers Syrian girls in Jordan the chance to flourish

There are other ways in which the school has enabled the girls to study. There is a counselling room for girls  particularly helpful for teenagers, who can get free sanitary pads, take showers and change clothes if necessary. The room is very useful to us especially when we have our period, said Bellaca. Before, we used to go back to the camp and then we would miss class.

When the Burundians first arrived, Anethe was merely curious to meet one. Since I met Bellaca, she added: I am very happy because now I have a good Burundian friend.

This story is featured in "Her Turn", a new report from UNHCR that reveals that refugee girls at secondary level are only half as likely to enrol in school as their male peers, even though girls make up half of the school-age refugee population.
More than five crore people vaccinated in Bihar 20 Sep 2021 | 12:11 AM Patna, Sept 19 ( UNI) Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Sunday said that more than five crore people have so far been vaccinated against COVID 19 pandemic in the state. see more..

Andhra Pradesh leaders celebrate victory in border Kotla village 20 Sep 2021 | 12:10 AM Koraput, Sep 19 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh YSR Congress Party leaders were seen celebrating the victory of their candidates in Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTC) elections in disputed Kotia panchayat of Koraput districtr in Odisha on Sunday. see more..

2 drowned in lake 20 Sep 2021 | 12:05 AM Jalgaon, Sep 19 (UNI) The cousin brother and sister were drowned in lake when they were playing new Jambhul Pada in Jamner taluka in Jalgaon district today. see more..

Manipur reports 234 new COVID cases, one death 20 Sep 2021 | 12:03 AM Imphal, Sep 19 (UNI) Manipuron Sundayday logged 234 new COVID-19 cases including 8 from among Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel. see more..
SAN DIEGO, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HotDocs, an AbacusNext product and market-leading provider of document automation software, today announced that Australian firm Sparke Helmore has selected HotDocs as its document automation tool.



Sparke Helmore Lawyers is a firm with more than 750 people working from eight offices across Australia, serving the needs of the insurance, government, financial services, technology, mining, construction and property sectors. The firms expertise spans corporate and commercial to construction, workplace to insurance, IP to IPOs, mining to manufacturing and property to procurement.

Sparke Helmores HotDocs solution utilizes the brand new template creation tool, HotDocs Author, and will serve an initial 360 users via the HotDocs Hub user interface for template management and document production. The firm has also chosen to integrate HotDocs with its existing BPM workflow tool via the HotDocs for K2 service broker, creating even greater efficiencies with a joined up business process.

Lee Hodge, IT Director at Sparke Helmore, and Sonja Swansborough, Director of Know-How, selected HotDocs both for its ability to increase document production efficiency through integration with the firms core systems, and for the pathways it opens up to further automation opportunities via HotDocs partnerships with key document review platforms.

Gary Eunson, Global Sales Director at HotDocs, commented: Australia is a key geography for HotDocs and Im thrilled to welcome another prestigious law firm to the HotDocs family. Operational efficiency is still a critical issue for law firms of all sizes and creating legal documents using our market leading document automation technology provides value not only for the law firm, but for the clients it serves.

About HotDocs

Since launching in the early 1990s, HotDocs has defined the concept of automated document assembly and has developed technology based on two decades of client feedback, resulting in the most powerful and versatile document automation solution available today. HotDocs is a pioneer and the global market leader, with over one million users in over 11,500 client organizations across more than sixty countries, and is headquartered in Edinburgh, UK.

About AbacusNext

As the largest Technology-as-a-Service (TaaS) provider for the professional services sector, AbacusNext helps legal and accounting professionals achieve ultimate success and peace of mind through the delivery of a complete suite of compliance-ready technology solutions designed to support a secure and cloud-enabled practice at a cost they can afford. Headquartered in San Diego, California, and backed by private investment with Providence Equity, AbacusNext delivers products and services to over 500,000 businesses worldwide.

About Providence Equity

Providence is a premier global asset management firm with $45 billion in assets under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 150 companies and is the leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education, and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, and has offices in New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Delhi.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Destination BC will be delivering its annual tourism industry update at the 2018 BC Tourism Industry Conference in Kelowna, on March 8.



Thursday March 8, Delta Grand Hotel, Kelowna

9:30 am-11:00 am, main ballroom: Destination BCs Annual Tourism Industry Update

Deep collaboration within BCs tourism industry provides our province with a competitive advantage over other destinations. Destination BC will highlight what they are doing to fuel BCs Powerful Marketing Network, and demonstrate how they are working with industry to make British Columbia a more powerful force within an increasingly competitive global environment.

Presenters: Marsha Walden, President & CEO; Grant Mackay, Vice President, Destination Management; and Maya Lange, Vice President, Global Marketing, and industry guests.

A detailed conference program can be found here: http://www.bctourismconference.ca/program

*Note: Destination BCs President and CEO, Marsha Walden, will be available for interviews immediately after the presentation, at 11 am. To request an interview, please email:

Media.Relations@DestinationBC.ca

For media access to the rest of the conference, please contact:

Laura Plant

Manager, Communications & Membership Support

Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC)

lplant@tiabc.ca
Transaction highlights



Oro Agri, a market leader in agriculture biologicals (AgriBio), develops and markets environmentally friendly, non-toxic and ecologically safe adjuvants, crop protection products, liquid foliar fertilizers and soil conditioners for large scale agriculture applications as well as smaller pasture, lawn and garden applications.

Oro Agri operates in four major agriculture regions in the world and has production, research and development facilities in the USA, Brazil and South Africa.

The transaction accelerates the growth of Omnias AgriBio business and is aligned with Omnias strategy of building a sophisticated global AgriBio business.

FRESNO, Calif., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Omnia Group, an international player in the AgriBio and water soluble nutrient markets, has agreed to acquire 100% of the ordinary shares of Oro Agri SEZC and 52% of the ordinary shares of Oro Agri SA, not already owned by Oro Agri SEZC, for a total consideration of USD100 million. Omnia will fund the transaction through existing available cash. The effective date of the transaction is 1 January 2017 and is expected to close in the next two months.

Following implementation, Oro Agri SEZC and ORO Agri SA will become subsidiaries of Omnia and will report under the Agriculture segment. The transaction is subject to the fulfilment and/or waiver of a number of conditions precedent, including approval by the SA Reserve Bank and other regulatory authorities. Competition Commission approval is not required in the various jurisdictions in which Oro Agri operates.

Commenting on the transaction, Omnia Group MD, Adriaan de Lange said: As a market leader in plant nutrition products and services in South and Southern Africa, we work closely with customers to improve the performance of their crops. In line with the next phase of the 'green revolution' in the global agriculture sector, the demand for AgriBio products is underpinned by the increasing emphasis on nutrient and water use efficiency, coupled with the rising demand for products that are environmentally friendly, enhance crop performance and improve yields. This transaction is in line with Omnias stated strategy and the next step in the evolution of our Nutriology concept of 'the science of growing.'

AgriBio sciences is changing the future of agriculture and is gaining exceptional momentum as the world becomes more environmentally friendly and health conscious. The limitations of traditional chemicals appear to be reaching their maximum performance levels due to growing resistance levels built-up by plants, insects and plant diseases over the years.

Oro Agris environmentally friendly products provide green solutions which address traditional crop inhibiting diseases, increase nutrient uptake and improve water use efficiency. Ultimately, this enhances crop yields, protects the soils and creates a sustainable approach to agriculture in a world with a growing population. The combined product ranges of Omnia and Oro Agri complement one another and will provide a broader market offering of AgriBio products.

Oro Agri was established in the late 1990s and commenced operating as a corporate entity in the USA in 2002. Commenting on the transaction, Oro Agri Chairman and CEO Erroll Pullen said: We are looking forward to joining Omnia and creating new opportunities to develop the business internationally. Omnia is recognised as an international player in the AgriBio market, with the Agriculture division the market leader in plant nutrition products in South Africa and southern Africa. We are excited to be a part of the groups future growth both locally and internationally.

De Lange added, Omnia will have access to Oro Agris global network through its operations in Brazil, Europe, South Africa and the USA, with early developments in Asia Pacific. We will leverage the synergies between the two companies to maximise the sales potential in these key markets. Omnias IP portfolio and product registrations process will be enhanced by the global experience and knowledge of the Oro Agri team in the various regions.

As at 31 December 2017, the reviewed but unaudited results of Oro Agri reflected total net assets of USD21.3 million, revenue of USD51.5 million, earnings before depreciation, amortisation, interest and taxes of USD10.1 million and net profit after tax of USD5.2 million. On a normalized basis, excluding once off costs relating to the transaction, the net profit after tax increases to USD6.1 million.

For media enquiries

Yevai Chanyau, Brunswick

+27 11 502 7300

Background information About Omnia

Omnia Holdings Limited is a diversified chemicals group with specialised services and solutions for the agriculture, mining and chemicals industries. Using technical innovation combined with intellectual capital, Omnia adds value for customers at every stage of the supply and service chain. As a group, Omnia creates customer wealth by leveraging knowledge.

Omnias Agriculture division comprises of Agriculture RSA, Agriculture International and Agriculture Trading and is the market leader in its field in South Africa and southern Africa. The division produces and trades in granular, liquid and speciality fertilizers for a broad customer base of farmers, co-operatives and wholesalers throughout South Africa, southern and East Africa and to select markets in Australasia, Brazil and Mauritius.

The Agriculture divisions competitive edge lies in Nutriology, or what Omnia calls the science of growing. The science of growing is Omnias business philosophy and involves more than just selling fertilizer to farmers  it is about optimising yield and crop quality to maximize returns while reducing farming and environmental risk. Achieving this, entails becoming intricately involved in the producers businesses to better understand their objectives and targets. Nutriology also includes cutting-edge research and development that results in the development of new products, services and farming practices. The Omnia Nutriology brand is highly regarded in the regional market and strongly supports managements vision of creating wealth through knowledge.

Omnia Fertilizer services the South African market through regional sales offices and a comprehensive network of agents and representatives supported by qualified agronomists and state of the art research facilities located at the Sasolburg site. The rest of the southern Africa market is supported from Omnias regional offices located in Mauritius, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, while other markets such as Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Lesotho, Tanzania, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland are supported from South Africa.

Omnia Specialities supplies a comprehensive range of AgriBio, water-soluble and foliar products, trace elements and organic soil conditioners to the South Africa and southern African markets and through offices in Australia, New Zealand and Brazil. AgriBio and other speciality products are exported to Europe, Asia and South America.

About Oro Agri

Oro Agri began operations in 2002 and was established as a corporate entity in the USA. The first sale of PREV-AM, the first registered product of Oro Agri, commenced in the USA in 2003. Sales then spread to South Africa, Europe and Brazil. These regions represent Oro Agris main operations namely Oro Agri Inc in the USA (OAI), OASA in South Africa and Oro Agri International (OAL) which houses Oro Agri Brazil (OABR) and Oro Agri BV in the Netherlands (OABV).

In 2014, the Oro Agri Group was partially consolidated under Oro Agri SEZC, a Cayman entity and which, at that time, was listed on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange. Oro Agri SEZC subsequently delisted from the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange on 3rd October 2016 and remains an unlisted company under Cayman Islands company laws.

Additional information about the Company can be found online at www.oroagri.com.




Rialto, CA, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Plant Prefab, an emerging home design and prefabrication company, today announced the installation of its two latest residential projects. Installed in only four hours, the Plant Prefab Napa home, a LivingHome C6P, was designed to LEED Platinum standards and includes 1,300 square feet, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. In just two days, Plant Prefab also installed a custom, 16-unit dormitory for educational farm and community center Urban Adamah, which marks one of the first prefabricated, multi-family residences in Berkeley. All installation modules were constructed at Plant Prefabs facility in Rialto and shipped to the build sites. With construction occurring concurrently with build site preparation, substantial time was saved and neighborhood disruption was mitigated.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, $526.1 billion was spent on residential construction as of December last year, with roughly $330 billion allotted to new, residential construction. Plant Prefab is addressing this massive market opportunity by producing higher quality homes 50 percent faster, at lower cost and with less waste than traditional, site-based construction. Given increasing construction challenges such as labor shortages, rising costs, extended timelines and neighborhood disruption, Plant Prefab is providing a time and cost-effective solution for high-quality, sustainable, custom home construction that targets the growing urban infill market, at a time when demand for homes is high yet supply is particularly low.

Since Plant Prefab homes are built off-site and require significantly less construction time and costs, the company is also an ideal solution for rebuilding efforts in areas affected by natural disasters. In Napa and Sonoma counties, for instance, Plant Prefab is helping residents overcome severe contractor shortages due to the wildfire aftermath. By leveraging its off-site build facility and full-time staff, Plant Prefab is enabling wildfire victims -- who dont have the luxury of extra time or capital -- to leave temporary housing situations and access permanent, long-term homes.

Unlike other prefabricators, Plant Prefab focuses on producing sustainable, high-quality, custom homes based on designs provided by customers or our design partners, said Steve Glenn, founder and CEO of Plant Prefab. By constructing off-site with a full-time staff, were satisfying a chronic need for affordable housing, especially in more densely populated areas like Berkeley and Napa, all while requiring significantly less construction time, costs and waste production.

In the past year, Plant Prefab opened a 62,000 square foot facility in Rialto, California, secured $3.4 million in Series A funding led by Obvious Ventures, and shipped multiple homes throughout California. In the coming months, the company will construct three additional single-family homes for victims of the recent Napa-area wildfires. Plant Prefab is committed to revitalizing the region and helping those who lost their homes, so the company has introduced special pricing for victims of the fire, including free initial site assessments, 50 percent off feasibility services, $5,000 in free upgrades and 5 percent off design/administrative fees. For more information on Plant Prefabs wildfire assistance program, please visit: http://www.plantprefab.com/wildfire_help

About Plant Prefab

Plant Prefab is the first prefabricated home factory in the nation dedicated to sustainable construction, materials, processes and operations. The company manufactures custom single and multi-family homes that are high-quality, healthy and durable. With their patented building system, Plant Prefab delivers low-cost homes in half the time and with less waste than traditional, site-based construction. Plant Prefab customers can use their own home designs or select from fully customizable standard models available at www.plantprefab.com. Plant Prefab operates out of a 62,000 square foot facility in Rialto, California.


GLO.ACT's National Project Officer for Nepal visits Migracion Colombia in Medellin to research migrant smuggling routes from Asia to North America



Bogota, Colombia, 7 March 2018 - Under the framework of GLO.ACT, Ms. Binija Goperma, GLO.ACT's National Project Officer for Nepal, and Mr. Gilberto Zuleta, Legal Advisor for UNODC Colombia, visited Migracion Colombia in Medellin on 29 January 2018 to research migrant smuggling routes from Asia to North America. The research is looking to confirm whether vulnerable migrants are being smuggled from Asia to South Africa and onwards to Brazil and Colombia in order to reach North America. In addition, the research is also trying to establish to what extent fraudulent documents are being used on this route by, for example, Bangladeshi, Indian and Nepalese citizens.

Whilst in Medellin, Ms. Goperma and Mr. Zuleta met with the Regional Director for Antioquia and Choco of 'Migracion Colombia, Mr. Wilson Patino. Mr. Patino explained that the number of Nepalese traveling to North America via this route was alarming. He said, "Given the country's location and size, the number is huge and is a major concern". The combined number for 2016/2017 of South Asians coming into contact with the Migracion Colombia was 4002, out of which 946 were Nepalese.

During their trip, Ms. Goperma and Mr. Zuleta had the opportunity to visit the transitory rooms. These transitory rooms are where smuggled migrants are kept for a maximum of 36 hours and provided clean clothes, showers, meals and medical check up. The objective of visiting this facility in Antioquia was to find out more about how government authorities identify irregular migrants and what type of assistance they provide. Despite the fact that during her visit Ms. Goperma was not able to interview any migrants from Asia, she received valuable data and insights from the Colombian authorities with regards to the growing phenomenon of migrants from Asia trying to reach North America through transit countries such as South Africa, Brazil and Colombia.

The aim of this study is to better understand the risks and vulnerabilities faced by communities and governments in order to support authorities in origin and transit countries on dismantling the criminal networks responsible for migrant smuggling. Better understanding of this trans-regional crime will also help authorities provide more adequate assistance services to smuggled migrants or trafficking victims.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Binija Goperma, Programme Coordinator,

GLO.ACT Nepal,

binija.goperma@unodc.org

www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act/

Email: glo.act@un.org

Twitter: @glo_act
Implementing anti-trafficking legislation: Morocco and Tunisia share similar challenges

Tunis, Tunisia, 7 March 2018 - Although 2016 saw both Morocco and Tunisia adopt their respective anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) legislation, a recent training event on the critical role of the judiciary in combatting TIP revealed that both countries face similar challenges in implementing their TIP legislation. The event, held from 26 February to 1 March 2018 in Tunis, was organized by UNODC in partnership with the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons. GLO.ACT facilitated the attendance of five Moroccan magistrates from various appeal courts in the country.

Addressing the training event, Ms. Raoudha Laabidi, President of the National Anti-Trafficking Committee of Tunisia said, "Proper implementation of the law requires working together on two fronts. First, outreach and awareness raising enables stakeholders and the general public to understand the definition and issue of trafficking in persons. Second is capacity building for stakeholders. Last year, together with UNODC, the committee engaged in extensive consultations with ministerial departments, civil society, the media and international organizations to develop a national strategy. It should be formally adopted soon."

What became clear during the training was that both countries encounter many difficulties in the field. One of the key challenges in both countries is the successful identification of potential TIP victims. On this issue, Ms. Laabidi said, "This is not just the work of judges and prosecutors but of all the players involved: customs officials, labour inspectors, social workers as well as child protection officers." According to Mr. David Mancini, a prosecutor from Italy and a subject matter expert, "access to assistance for victims should not depend exclusively on the recognition of this status by a judicial authority after conviction but on the identification of the criteria that heralds a trafficking situation. This is not only the work of justice alone but also of all those involved in the national referral mechanism."

Meanwhile, Mr. David Izadifar, UNODC Regional Criminal Intelligence Analyst, observed that, "Tunisia is not alone in facing these difficulties. That is why we have brought together international experts, judges and prosecutors from the United Kingdom, Egypt, Italy, Belgium and Morocco for this training to share experiences and good practices in the fight against this scourge."

During the training event, participants discussed the need to build a common perception of TIP, as well as the need to enhance the ability to communicate and coordinate with a wide range of stakeholders. In fact, this is one of the tasks of the coordination mechanisms, as provided for by Moroccan and Tunisian legislation. During the event, discussions on the more technical difficulties relating to the establishment of facts enabling criminal classification also took place. To help with this, practical cases and exchanges focused on collecting evidence. This includes interviewing alleged victims without subjecting them to re-victimization to establish facts in the absence of evidence, while ensuring, over time, the assistance and protection of victims' rights.

Speaking on victim assistance, Ms. Souad Gougas, Deputy Attorney General at the Rabat Court of Appeal, explained that "one of the difficulties we face is the crucial issue of accommodation. Even if the law exists and provides for state intervention to afford housing for victims, in practice it is rarely mobilized due to a lack of resources. Cooperation with civil society is therefore essential."

At the end of the training, 32 magistrates returned to their respective jurisdictions. On the Tunisian side, this training covered 14 governorates. On the Moroccan side, 4 Appeal Courts in addition to the central administration of the Public Prosecutor's Office now have trained magistrates. Both countries share the intention for them to become the focal points for human trafficking cases. Looking ahead, there is now also a commitment to build intersectoral victim-centered networks. The justice departments in Morocco and Tunisia are off to a good start so far.

The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) is a four-year (2015-2019), 11 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). GLO.ACT aims to provide assistance to governmental authorities and civil society organizations across 13 strategically selected countries: Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine. It supports the development of more effective responses to trafficking and smuggling, including providing assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and direct support mechanisms.

For more information, please contact:

Younes Benmoumen, National Project Coordinator, UNODC (Rabat, Morocco)

younes.benmoumen@un.org

www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act/

Email: glo.act@un.org

Twitter: @glo_act
What role can labour inspectors play in the fight against human trafficking?

Durban, South Africa, 7 March 2018 - In South Africa, statistics on trafficking in persons (TIP) show that although TIP for sexual exploitation still is the main form of exploitation, TIP for forced labour is also being detected more and more. In order to prevent but also to better identify and assist victims of these crimes, the Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants ( GLO.ACT) facilitated a three-day workshop on TIP from 27 February to 1 March 2018 for labour inspectors. In South Africa, labour inspectors observe and monitor compliance with national law in enterprises in different economic sectors. They can thus play a key role in gathering and reporting data related to forced labour and trafficking.

The decision to engage with labour inspectors was supported by the positive outcome of a similar workshop held under the framework of GLO.ACT in Colombia in 2017.

The main objectives of the workshop in South Africa were:

To build the capacity of labour inspectors at provincial and national level on identifying and investigating TIP cases and on the associated referral mechanisms;

To build the capacity of the National Bargaining Council for the Clothing and Manufacturing Industry on the protection aspects with regards to TIP victims;

To build capacity of Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers Union officials to be able to identify suspected TIP cases and understand the correct referral mechanisms;

To facilitate discussion on TIP and the smuggling of migrants (SOM) and challenges hindering the identification of potential TIP victims during labour inspections.

Opening the workshop, Advocate Kombiza Mbakaza, Deputy Director, Public Prosecutions in KwaZulu Natal, said that "a recent matter involving a factory in the Newcastle area of KwaZulu Natal, where a Lesotho and a Swazi national were trafficked into South Africa and exploited, shows us that we have only touched the tip of an iceberg and that we need to focus far more intensely on cases of trafficking for labour exploitation". He went on to say, "These cases remind us of the important role labour inspectors who visit factories and farms play in identifying potential victims. Victims are most often women and children, who go missing from our communities on a daily basis never to be seen again".

While Mr. Sicelo Nduna, General Secretary, National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry in South Africa said, "When carrying out our duties as labour inspectors, we come across many suspicious cases of trafficking in persons. However, we are not sure whether we are right with our suspicions, and we do not even know what to do when we suspect somebody has been trafficked and is being exploited." He went on to say that "we hope the trafficking in persons training for labour inspectors will help us better identify potential TIP cases and help us follow the correct referral mechanisms once such cases have been identified".

One of the highlights of the workshop was a presentation given by Ms. Grizelda Grootboom, a TIP survivor and advocate. During her poignant speech she said, "Labour inspectors have the knowledge of the injustice of labour exploitation by employers." She went on to say that "it is a matter of urgency to protect and assist TIP victims, as well as to see justice served".

Over the three days, participants worked on the following topics:

The Prevention and Combatting in Trafficking in Persons Act 7 of 2013

Social context in relation to TIP

Definition of "trafficking in persons" and "smuggling of migrants"

Victim identification

Child trafficking

South African TIP cases

Indicators of trafficking in persons

Control methods in trafficking in persons

Protection and assistance to victims of trafficking in persons

TIP and SOM case studies

Outlining every step of the criminal justice system that needs to be involved in a TIP case

The workshop was highly interactive in nature and incorporated many best teaching practices, such as working through several real TIP and SOM case studies in small group settings. Speaking about the content of the workshop and how this can be used in his work, Mr. Jonas Mahlatsane, Labour Inspector, Provincial Department of Labour said, "The content of the workshop has been spot on. I really liked the case studies and how I was able to determine the case of labour exploitation". He also said, "As I embark on my daily responsibilities as a labour inspector in factories, I will surely look out for potential TIP cases, especially on labour exploitation so that cases can be detected and properly referred through the mechanisms that we were taught".

Another highlight of the workshop was a presentation given by Mr. Charles Luhanga, co-author of the Wamama Chronicles, a book that tells stories of several women whom traffickers and smugglers have subjected to various forms of abuse while they were leaving Malawi for a better life in South Africa. The book is a stark reminder of the horrors trafficking victims and smuggled migrants experience at the hand of criminals. During his presentation he said, "At Fula Africa we believe that corruption, chronic poverty and poor governance will likely continue to drive TIP as people are looking for a better life in South Africa."

Participants included the National Prosecuting Authority (KwaZulu Natal Province), the Provincial Department of Labour, Bargaining Council Designated Agents, the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and GLO.ACT project implementing partners.

The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) is a four-year (2015-2019), 11 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). GLO.ACT aims to provide assistance to governmental authorities and civil society organizations across 13 strategically selected countries: Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine. GLO.ACT works with the 13 countries to plan and implement strategic national counter-trafficking and counter smuggling efforts through a prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships approach. It supports the development of more effective responses to trafficking and smuggling, including providing assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and direct support mechanisms.

For more information, please contact:

Banele Kunene, National Project Officer

banele.kunene@unodc.org

www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act/

Email: glo.act@un.org

Twitter: @glo_act
The backers behind a major new office development in Glasgow city centre have shared their indicative plans for a 13-storey tower on the corner site. .

Page\Park Architects have completed a 1.25m refurbishment of a C-listed Bishopbriggs church, originally designed by Gillespie Kidd & Coia..

A disused church in the inter-war garden suburb of Bellahouston, Glasgow, is to be redeveloped to provide 35 homes for social rent and associated amenity space..

A burgeoning residential neighbourhood at Granton Harbour has taken a step toward greater cohesion with the completion of 104 affordable waterfront homes..

The University of Strathclyde has taken possession of a new Learning and Teaching Building at the heart of its Rottenrow Campus following handover by BDP Glasgow..

An innovative hospitality concept is to deliver what is being billed as the largest ho...

The JR Group have debuted their first private housing development with the release of ...

Hopes that a 15bn physical connection between Scotland and Ireland could lead t...

A fire-ravaged five-star Loch Lomond resort is to throw open its doors to guests from ...

An innovative self-build development at Dullatur Golf Course is to break ground this...

AMA Studio has signalled a shift away from city centres after completing a rebranding ...

Hotel specialists Ica have rebranded their practice in response to mounting clamour ...

The project comprises 48 flats and maisonettes for Southside Housing Association and extends the range of local accommodation for families of all ...

Blogs Latest

Thursday - 09/09/21 1 comment

University of Dundee architecture degree show

Jamie Brown wrote: When we left the studio in the Matthew Building in March 2020 we couldnt have imagined that...

Thursday - 19/08/21 No comments

Natural Health Service

Felicity Steers wrote: [image:1828::.border] Glasgows dear green places have never felt so important. We have...

Thursday - 19/08/21 No comments

Why did Spaces for People fail?

Mark Chalmers wrote: What went wrong with the Scottish Governments flagship Spaces for People programme? It was...
Not for distribution in the U.S. or over U.S. newswire services.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mukuba Resources Limited (TSXV:MKU.H) (Mukuba) is pleased to announce that, in connection with the proposed business combination previously announced on January 23, 2018 (the Transaction) of Mukuba with FogChain, Inc. (FogChain), a private corporation existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, FogChain has closed its private placement financing (the Private Placement) of an aggregate of 9,803,649 subscription receipts (the Subscription Receipts) at a price of C$0.54 per Subscription Receipt for gross proceeds of C$5,293,970. Canaccord Genuity Inc., Haywood Securities Inc. and PI Financial Corp. (collectively, the Agents) were engaged to act as FogChains agents in connection with the Private Placement pursuant to an agency agreement dated March 6, 2018 among the Agents, Mukuba and FogChain. The Subscription Receipts were issued pursuant to terms of a subscription receipt agreement (the Subscription Receipt Agreement) dated March 6, 2018 entered into among FogChain, Canaccord Genuity Inc. and TSX Trust Company (the Subscription Receipt Agent).

Concurrent with the closing of the Private Placement, FogChain issued an additional 180,235 Subscription Receipts for gross proceeds of C$97,326.90 on a non-brokered basis to certain U.S. resident subscribers issued pursuant to applicable exemptions under U.S. securities law.

Each Subscription Receipt will convert into one common stock in the capital of FogChain (a FogChain Common Share) immediately prior to the completion of the Transaction. Pursuant to the Transaction, the security holders of FogChain will become majority security holders of the combined entity (the Resulting Issuer). Upon closing of the Transaction, the FogChain Common Shares will be exchanged for common shares in the capital of Resulting Issuer (the Resulting Issuer Common Shares). All proceeds from the Private Placement will be held in escrow pending satisfaction of all the escrow release conditions pursuant to the Subscription Receipt Agreement with the Subscription Receipt Agent, including the completion of the Transaction (the Escrow Release Conditions).

In connection with the Private Placement, the Agents received a cash commission equal to 7.0% of the gross proceeds of the Private Placement, 50% of which has been paid to the Agents and 50% of which is payable upon satisfaction of the Escrow Release Conditions and currently held under the terms of the Subscription Receipt Agreement with the Subscription Receipt Agent. FogChain has further issued to the Agents common stock purchase warrants (the Company Broker Warrants) of FogChain equal to 7.0% of the securities sold pursuant to the Private Placement. The Company Broker Warrants are exercisable for a period of 24 months from the date of the closing of the Transaction (the Closing Date).

Upon satisfaction of the Escrow Release Conditions, the Company Broker Warrants will be cancelled and replaced with common share purchase warrants (the Resulting Issuer Broker Warrants) of the Resulting Issuer equal to 7.0% of the total number of Subscription Receipts issued under the Private Placement. The Resulting Issuer Broker Warrants are exercisable for a period of 24 months from the Closing Date.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD of DIRECTORS

MUKUBA RESOURCES LIMITED

Daniel Crandall

Daniel Crandall

President and Chief Executive Officer

Tel. +1 (416) 848-9407

info@mukubaresources.com

FOGCHAIN, INC.

James Cerna

James Cerna

CEO

Cautionary Statement

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, Exchange acceptance and if applicable pursuant to Exchange Requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or Listing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Mukuba should be considered highly speculative.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the timing and completion of the Transaction, the future operations of Mukuba and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Transaction and the future plans and objectives of Mukuba, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions to completion of the Transaction set forth above and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by Mukuba with securities regulators.

The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Mukuba. As a result, Mukuba cannot guarantee that the Transaction will be completed on the terms and within the time disclosed herein or at all. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and Mukuba will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by Canadian securities law.
Published: March 07, 2018

UT Filmmaker Series Continues with Award-Winning Filmmaker Bandar Albuliwi March 12

On Monday, March 12, The University of Tampa's FMX Filmmaker Series continues with award-winning filmmaker Bandar Albuliwi. The event begins at 7 p.m. in Reeves Theater, located on the second floor of the Vaughn Center, and is free and open to the public.



Albuliwi, assistant professor of film, animation and new media at UT, will premiere his short film Je T'aime, and a new version of his previously released film, retitled Azadeh, along with a segment of his debut feature Peace After Marriage (2013), winner of the Creative Promise Award at the Tribeca Film Festival and many international film awards. Albuliwi will also discuss his work as a director in the film industry.



Born in Brooklyn, NY, Albuliwi received his MFA in directing from the American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles. He is a recipient of the Grand Jury Prize of the 22nd annual Fade in Awards (2018) for his television pilot Radicalized! His recent feature screenplay, A Brotherhood, was a finalist at the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and won the Diverse Voices Screenwriting Competition.



The Filmmaker Series is hosted by the Film, Animation and New Media Department (FMX) in conjunction with the College of Arts and Letters. The FMX Department offers BFA degrees in film and media arts, animation and new media.



Parking is available in the Plant Hall parking lot at Kennedy Boulevard and South Hyde Park Drive.



For more information, contact Dana Plays, professor of film, animation and new media, at dplays@ut.edu.
SMITHFIELD, VA., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kretschmar Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses is once again inviting Country Music fans nationwide to enter for a chance to win a Country Music experience. By partnering with the Country Music Association (CMA) and Country Music star Easton Corbin, Kretschmar is offering fans exclusive access to the Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience. One grand prize winner and a guest will enjoy a four-night stay in Music City this summer during the CMA Fest in June, along with hotel accommodations, spending cash, stadium concert tickets, and an exclusive meet-and-greet with Corbin.



"Great food and great music go hand in hand, especially in a city like Nashville, said Michael Baughman, Smithfield Foods director of marketing. "Kretschmar Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses stand for legendary taste, and we want to offer our fans another chance to win an exceptional music experience that exceeds those standards. We have some of the best fans around the country, and we look forward to delivering an experience theyll remember for years to come.

Now through May 1, 2018, Kretschmar Deli fans can enter for a chance to win by visiting www.KretschmarDeli.com/Country and filling out the electronic entry form, and can earn additional entries by sharing the sweepstakes via Facebook, Twitter, and email. Kretschmars website gives fans access to featured music videos and information on upcoming performances by Corbin, as well as Kretschmar Country artists Ruthie Collins, Kelleigh Bannen, and Natalie Stovall.

What I love most about making Country Music is that its all about having a great time with great people, and thats why Im happy to partner with Kretschmar Premium Deli again because they share the same values as I have, says Corbin, two-time CMA Awards nominee and three-time Academy of Country Music award winner. Every night we go out on stage and its all about giving our fans an experience theyll never forget, and my friends at Kretschmar and I are going to do just that for one lucky winner this year.

Additionally, fans who enter the sweepstakes will have the opportunity to play an Instant Win Game for Kretschmar prizes such as a branded guitar or YETI Cooler, and a Kretschmar Country Music gift pack that includes product coupons, guitar picks, and Kretschmar Country artist hero cards.

For more information about Kretschmar Deli, or to review the complete set of rules and enter the sweepstakes, please visit www.KretschmarDeli.com/Country.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES (AND WASHINGTON, D.C.) 18 YEARS AND OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes ends May 1, 2018. For Official Rules, prize descriptions, odds disclosure, and free method of entry, visit www.KretschmarDeli.com/Country. Sponsor: Smithfield Packaged Meats Sales Corp., 200 Commerce Street, Smithfield, VA 23430.

YETI is a registered trademark of YETI Coolers, LLC. YETI does not sponsor, endorse, or approve this promotion.

About Kretschmar

Kretschmar Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses has meant quality since 1883. Our hams are made with a unique hardwood smoking process. Kretschmar poultry and beef are hand-trimmed using the finest cuts. Our full line of Off-The-Bone deli meats are delicately sliced from the leanest, most tender cuts. And our premium Wisconsin cheeses repeatedly win in competitions world-wide. Try the Legendary Taste of Kretschmar today. For great recipes and more, like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/kretschmardeli or visit our website at www.kretschmardeli.com.

About Smithfield Foods

Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan's Famous, Farmland, Armour, Farmer John, Kretschmar, John Morrell, Cook's, Gwaltney, Carando, Margherita, Curly's, Healthy Ones, Morliny, Krakus and Berlinki. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.

About CMA

Founded in 1958 and celebrating its 60th Anniversary in 2018, the Country Music Association is the first trade organization formed to promote a type of music. In 1961, CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame to recognize artists and industry professionals with Country Musics highest honor. More than 7,800 music industry professionals and companies from around the globe are members of CMA. The organizations objectives are to serve as an educational and professional resource for the industry and advance the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMAs core initiatives: the CMA Awards, which annually recognize outstanding achievement in the industry; CMA Fest, which benefits the CMA Foundation and music education and is taped for a three-hour network television special, CMA Fest; and CMA Country Christmas, featuring Country artists performing original music and Christmas classics for broadcast during the holiday season. All of CMAs television properties air on the ABC Television network through 2021.

About Easton Corbin

With two No. 1 singles, seven Top 10 singles and multiple awards and nominations, plus performances on some of the biggest stages in the world including performing on one of the biggest tours in Country Music-Carrie Underwoods 2016 The Storyteller Tour, Easton Corbin has made a lasting impression on the Country Music landscape. He is lauded for his traditional Country sound, authentic lyrics and mastery of understatement. American Songwriter says, "Easton Corbin has one of those rare, glorious voices that was madejust madefor singing Country Music. He is known for his signature hits including A Little More Country Than That, Roll With It, Lovin You Is Fun and Baby Be My Love Song from his No. 1 debuting album About To Get Real. His emotional Are You With Me was the most added song at radio the day it was released. Corbins current Top five single A Girl Like You garnered rave reviews. Taste of Country picked it as a Critics Pick saying, It takes a fraction of a second to know Easton Corbin is on to something different with A Girl Like You. Corbin is currently in the studio finishing new music for his fourth studio album.

Media Contact :

Megan Milano, on behalf of Kretschmar

mmilano@Hunterpr.com

(212) 679-6600

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c29c0b56-5adb-4dde-a948-f6ea75371737
University of Pennsylvania Professor Emerita to Speak at UW Nursing Scholarship Day

Kathleen McCauley, professor emerita of cardiovascular nursing at the University of Pennsylvanias School of Nursing, will be the Whitney Distinguished Lecturer at the University of Wyoming Nursing Scholarship Day, Wednesday, April 25. (Kathleen McCauley Photo)

Kathleen McCauley, professor emerita of cardiovascular nursing at the University of Pennsylvanias School of Nursing, will be the Whitney Distinguished Lecturer at the University of Wyoming Nursing Scholarship Day Wednesday, April 25, at 8:30 a.m.

The event, free and open to the public, will be in the Wyoming Union Family Room.

McCauley will discuss the Transitional Care Model (TCM), a cost-effective, advanced practice, nurse-led model to improve the transitions of older adults who are navigating complex and, often, fragmented systems of care. The TCM is a recognized model of care to help older adults deal with the complicated health care systems of today.

Continually improving outcomes in nursing education and clinical care is crucial, McCauley says. This has been the focus of my career.

In addition to her professor emerita title, she is a clinical specialist in cardiovascular nursing. McCauley developed programs to improve patient outcomes at the University of Pennsylvanias hospital. She retired in July 2016 but continues her research with TCM.

As the former associate dean for academic programs, she oversaw all of the academic programs, admissions, financial aid and accreditation/regulatory processes at the School of Nursing, and worked collaboratively with faculty and administrative colleagues to develop and implement strong academic programs.

She is a past president of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). While she was AACN president, the association launched the Healthy Work Environment Standards. McCauley has sustained her interest in helping contribute to positive work environments. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and a Fellow in the Council on Cardiovascular Nursing of the American Heart Association.

McCauley received her degree in nursing from St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing in Reading, Pa. She received her BSN, MSN and Ph.D., as well as a postmasters certificate as an acute care nurse practitioner, all from the University of Pennsylvanias School of Nursing.

After McCauleys talk, Nursing Scholarship Day continues with 14 UW Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students presenting quality improvement projects. Students completed these varied projects with clinical agencies around Wyoming and Colorado. Since clinical agencies are crucial in educating UW students, the DNP Program has created a way to give back and assist those same agencies.

For more information, call the UW Graduate Nursing office at (307) 766-6565.
UW Women Take Opening Spring Rodeo at LCCC

With a balanced attack, the University of Wyoming Cowgirls put together a strong performance to win the opening Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) rodeo last weekend.

The Cowgirls scored 365 points to capture the rescheduled Shane Dubie Memorial Rodeo, hosted by Laramie County Community College (LCCC) in Cheyenne. The LCCC rodeo normally is scheduled as the final competition of the fall CRMR schedule. But, a virus hit some of the LCCC team members horses last semester, forcing officials to quarantine some of the animals.

UWs women edged Sheridan College for the weekend victory by 55 points. Third place went to Eastern Wyoming College (EWC), which had 275 points.

The weekend win was the Cowgirls second straight for the team. UWs women took the Central Wyoming College (CWC) rodeo in the final rodeo of the fall schedule.

At the halfway point of the fall/spring slate, the Cowgirls are firmly entrenched in second place and have cut into region-leading Gillette Colleges lead. The Pronghorns have accumulated 2,010 points, while UW has garnered 1,170 points. EWC sits in third with 897 points.

Casey Reimler won the breakaway roping event for the first time this season. This was the first time she has scored any points in the event. The Rozet senior won the short go after splitting third place in the opening round to give her the win in the average. Her 155 points vaulted her into sixth place in the breakaway roping regional standings.

The Cowgirls final 180 team points came from a pair of barrel racers. Kelsey Lensegrav and Rachael Calvo were third and fourth, respectively. Lensegrav, from Interior, S.D., recorded the top time in the events opening round. Calvo, from Bassett, Neb., moved up into the runner-up position in the regional standings.

The Cowboys opened up the spring schedule with a seventh-place showing at LCCC, scoring 270 points. Overall, the Pokes are still in eighth place in the regional team standings.

Jacob Smith moved into second place in the individual bull riding standings after winning the event last weekend. The LaSalle, Colo., junior was the only rider to clear his bull in the short go, with a 79-point ride. He was third in the opening round and was the only contestant to mark on both his bulls, scoring 160 team points.

The Pokes had two other team members score points during weekend action: Brock Wahlert, of Casper, was fourth in bareback riding; and JC Flake, of Mesa, Ariz., and partner Jon Peterson, of Gillette College, were fifth in the team roping average.

Casper Colleges men took the LCCC rodeo with 565 points, while LCCC and CWC were second and third with 405 points and 400 points, respectively.

Sheridan College maintained its seasonlong lead with 2,035 points, while Gillette College is second with 1,805. LCCC is third with 1,730 points.

CRMR teams are off this weekend, with the next rodeo hosted by Gillette College March 16-18.

For regional individual and team results, click here.
Springfield, VA, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Army is overhauling its relationship with technology providers to incorporate a new class of capabilities. Army leaders agree that the future state of the service must feature a network that is survivable, protected, intuitive, standards-based, interoperable, sustainable and, above all, highly mobile. The service plans to assume a position where it is articulating its intent, a process thats being described as adapt and buy.

As part of the AFCEA International Army Signal Conference, industry was asked to submit solutions to some of the services top challenges. Nearly two dozen abstracts were received from companies of all sizes. Eight were presented at the conference.

The Army identified these four areas as problems the service and joint force must address today and in the near future:

Unlicensed Long Term Evolution (LTE): The Army is challenged to fully deploy LTE capabilities to date and would like to include operating on host nation cellular networkswhen available and prudentinto its network strategy.

The Army is challenged to fully deploy LTE capabilities to date and would like to include operating on host nation cellular networkswhen available and prudentinto its network strategy. Spectrum Agility: For the Army to realize its future networking objectives, it must maximize its use of available of spectrum.

For the Army to realize its future networking objectives, it must maximize its use of available of spectrum. Mobile Ad Hoc Vulnerabilities: The Army would like to better understand the cyberspace security and operations implications of a fully employed mobile ad hoc networking environment at the tactical edge.

The Army would like to better understand the cyberspace security and operations implications of a fully employed mobile ad hoc networking environment at the tactical edge. Reducing EMS Signatures: The Army envisions future command posts that emit minimal electromagnetic signatures, making them more difficult to detect.



The AFCEA Technical Committee reviewed all of the abstracts, which are available online; all of the Armys CIOs will receive the compendium.

Among the approaches to addressing the LTE issues, Booz Allen Hamilton proposes a way to deploy technology in the 5 GHz unlicensed bands to augment licensed spectrum.

Technica Corporations proposal tackles the spectrum agility challenge. The company has designed a communications interference monitor that uses sequential element-space processing and deep learning that collects data about the frequency extent and modulation of potential interference.

Michael Chung, head of government solutions at Bugcrowd Inc., proposes that the Army will better understand how adversaries could compromise mobile ad-hoc networks and preempt the threat. He describes a new cyber army comprising Intrusion Detection Support Units to monitor traffic flow and packet types to identify attacks and Vulnerability Assessment Units to focus on revealing vulnerabilities prior to and during deployments.

To reduce electromagnetic signatures, Kevin Helmick, president, Technical Control Consultants, suggests JERICHO, a solution that uses technology and tactical fiber to extend transmitters outside the wire and mitigate radio frequency-seeking weapon attacks.

Coverage of the AFCEA Army Signal Conference, which is taking place March 6-9 in Springfield, Virginia, is available on the SIGNAL Media website.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/61225583-4179-49f5-8b71-a19314e94cfe

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cc0a7235-1f17-4f46-a488-1c6bb9ccf5dc
Onlookers gather around the bodies of passengers who had been travelling in a truck that plunged off a bridge in Bhavnagar district on Mar 6, 2018. (Photo: AFP)

Police in Gujarat state said the accident happened after the truck driver tried to overtake a van but lost control of the vehicle, plunging 8m into a dry riverbed.

Images from the scene showed bloodied passengers being assisted by bystanders as the dead were covered in sheets.

Many passengers were trapped under the vehicle that overturned after it crashed through the bridge railing and nosedived into the ground.

A M Sayyed, local deputy superintendent of police, said the initial death toll rose after five passengers died from their injuries in hospital.

"Around 60 persons were travelling in the truck and most victims are women and children," Gujarat police inspector K J Kadapda told AFP.

Officials indicated the toll could rise as many of the passengers, who were on their way to a wedding, remained trapped under the truck which overturned. Other injured victims have been rushed to hospital.

The accident happened in Bhavnagar district, about 200km from the state capital Ahmedabad.

The district collector, Harshadkumar Patel, told AFP that "at least 25 persons have lost their lives in the accident".

India has some of the world's deadliest roads.

More than 150,000 people are killed each year with most accidents blamed on poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.
Vietnamese and Australian experts release anti-Dengue mosquitoes in Nha Trang. - VNA/VNS Photo

This is the first time that these anti-dengue mosquitoes have been released in mainland Viet Nam, following the success of a previous release on Tri Nguyen Island in 2014.

The mosquitoes will continue to be released in eight villages in the commune over the next 12-18 weeks, 100 per week.

This is the result of a project on eliminating dengue fever in Viet Nam, jointly implemented by domestic health institutes and Australian experts.

This method will help control dengue fever, not only in the commune but also at other localities in the country, said ang uc Anh, director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

Wolbachia are natural bacteria present in up to 60 per cent of insect species, including some mosquitoes. When implanted into mosquitoes, they have the ability to inhibit the development of the dengue virus, Zika virus, and some other viruses that are transmitted through mosquitoes.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Micron Waste Technologies Inc. (Micron or the Company) (CSE:MWM) (OTC:MICWF) (Frankfurt:7FM2) announces it has closed the transaction related Share Purchase Agreement dated January 31, 2017 with Nickel One Resources Inc. (Nickel One), a public company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. Nickel One has completed the acquisition pursuant to a Definitive Agreement signed with the Company for the purchase of 100% interest in the Lantinen Koillismaa Platinum Group Element-Copper-Nickel project (LK Project) located in North-central Finland.



In connection with the closing, the Company received 5,000,000 common shares of Nickel One and 2,500,000 common share purchase warrants exercisable at $0.12 for 24 months from the date of closing. All securities issued are subject to a four month hold period from the date of issue.

On Behalf of the Board

Rav Mlait

Chief Executive Officer and Director

For further information contact:

Investor Relations

+1.844.318.8216

info@micronwaste.com

www.micronwaste.com

The Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:

The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. By its very nature, such forward-looking information requires the Company to make assumptions that may not materialize or that may not be accurate. This forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, levels of activity and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such information.
Logo of the London Stock Exchange.

Investors bet that Trump would not push through with extreme protectionist policies, and stocks in big European carmakers were the main beneficiaries of the relief rally.

"Stocks bounce despite trade war concerns," Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA said, while Jasper Lawler at London Capital Group said that "risk-on trading" was making a return.

But Wall Street turned lower in late New York morning trade, having given up opening gains, helping push European markets off the day's best levels.

"US stocks are struggling to extend yesterday's solid gains as global trade uncertainty lingers," analysts at the Charles Schwab brokerage said.

Asia had surged earlier as shock over the controversial tariffs announcement gave way to hope that Trump may not have the full backing of his Republican party on this move.

According to Lawler, the impact of Trump's announcement may have been dampened "thanks to relatively little interest by China in retaliating against the US".

Markets were also buoyed by an announcement from Seoul that the leaders of North and South Korea will hold a historic summit in the Demilitarised Zone next month after Pyongyang expressed willingness to give up its nuclear weapons.

"Risk appetite has improved on headlines North Korea has expressed a willingness to talk about de-nuclearisation, according to South Korea," analyst Fawad Razaqzada of Forex said.

Lukman Otunuga, research analyst at FXTM, described as "remarkable and somewhat alarming how the risk-off sentiment last Friday was swiftly replaced with a risk-on mood today".

"European stocks were elevated by the renewed appetite for risk," he added.

Republican Trump had sparked fears of a global trade war late last week when he unveiled plans to slap levies on imports of steel and aluminium, sending share prices tumbling.

AUTOMAKERS ACCELERATE

European automakers revved higher, after losing speed on worries that a trade war could hurt valuable exports into the United States.

In Frankfurt, carmaker Volkswagen jumped by more than three per cent, with Daimler and BMW also posting gains.

"A strategic target - and standing to lose the most from any possible trade war - the German auto sector is rebounding sharply, helping lift the DAX higher," noted Interactive Investor analyst Rebecca O'Keeffe.

In Paris, Renault and Peugeot were also higher.

And Milan's benchmark FTSE MIB shares index wiped out the previous day's losses seen after Italy's inconclusive election outcome, and even added hefty gains, outperforming its European peers.

Key figures around 1640 GMT:

London - FTSE 100: UP 0.4 per cent at 7,146.75 points (close)

Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.2 per cent at 12,113.87 (close)

Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.1 per cent at 5,170.23 (close)

Milan - FTSE MIB: UP 1.8 per cent at 22,196.99

EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.1 per cent at 3,357.86

New York - Dow: DOWN 0.5 per cent at 24,741.42

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.8 per cent at 21,417.76 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 2.1 per cent at 30,510.73 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: UP 1.0 per cent at 3,289.64 (close)

Euro/dollar: UP at US$1.2410 from US$1.2336 at 2200 GMT on Monday

Pound/dollar: UP at US$1.3886 from US$1.3849

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 105.93 yen from 106.20 yen

Oil - Brent North Sea: DOWN 10 cents at US$65.44 per barrel

Oil - West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 10 cents at US$62.47 per barrel
Four foreign investors applied for the strategic stake in PV Power

This was announced by Ho Cong Ky, chairman of the Board of Directors of PV Power, at the companys listing ceremony on the Unlisted Public Company Market (UpCOM).

So far PV Power met with 195 foreign investors, 35 of whom expressed intentions to make a bid. However, ultimately, only four firms submitted applications.

Two of these investors come from South Korea, one from Thailand, and one from Germany. The German firm registered to buy shares for a maximum of $100 million, while the three remaining investors registered to buy the entire 28.88 per cent stake offered to the strategic investor.

Ky added that so far PV Power met with 195 foreign investors, 35 of whom expressed intentions to make a bid. However, ultimately, only four firms submitted applications.

Almost all investors complained that the deadline to complete the application is too short and they do not have enough time to prepare for the deal. Thus, PV Power is proposing the authority to extend the preparation time for interested firms, Ky stated.

Besides, in the morning of March 6, PV Power organised a successful listing on the UpCOM with the reference price of VND14,900 ($0.65). Notably, at this session, nine million shares were traded with the average price of VND17,000 ($0.75) and the highest selling price of VND18,300 ($0.80).
A green Jakarta

Anywhere in Jakarta, visitors find a sea of Go-jek jackets and helmets on motorbikes. In front of any shopping mall or office tower, drivers cluster up in groups, chatting with each other as they wait for passengers.

Go-jek drivers pick up passengers in front of a shopping mall in downtown Jakarta

Visitors to Jakarta often wonder what Go-jek is and why its signature green colour pervades this 10-million city. After a bit of research, it becomes clear that Go-jek is Indonesias most successful startup, offering a wide range of ride-sharing and delivery services across 50 cities in the country.

The green colour of Go-jek is everywhere on Jakarta's streets

Jazzy Refadebby, a 30-year-old marketing manager, told VIR that everyone uses Go-jek because it is reliable, cheap, and convenient. The Jakarta resident herself uses Go-jek almost every day for transportation and delivery.

More than a ride-hailing app

Go-jeks success story is quite a fairy tale. In merely seven years of operation, the startup has grown into a $3-billion business backed by high-profile investors like BlackRock, Tencent, and Google.

It is noteworthy that while competitors Grab and Uber offer mostly passenger transport, Go-jek has expanded its services to goods transport, food delivery, and even massage or beauty services, making it an indispensable part of daily life in Jakarta.

Drivers waiting in the rain for passengers

To Jakarta residents, Go-jek provides much needed relief to commuting in the bustling capitol. And it is not just any cityJakarta is internationally known for traffic jams. Statistics show that drivers here can only go at 8.3 kilometre per hour, half of the figure for New York City.

Apparently, Jakarta residents know that hailing a Go-jek motorbike is faster and more convenient than being stuck in their own car during a traffic gridlock. According to Refadebby, most people in Jakarta live far from their office, making daily commute a nightmare.

There are just too many traffic jams, everyone is tired of driving on their own so ride-hailing is a great option, she said.

A long list of services that Go-jek offers, according to its website

According to Go-jek, its smartphone app has been downloaded 22 million times in Indonesia, and about 400,000 Go-jek drivers ride motorbikes, cars, and trucks to pick up passengers or goods for delivery on a daily basis.

A Go-jek driver

Debut in Vietnam

A week ago, it was reported that the Indonesian firm is prepping its debut in Vietnam as part of the plan to go regional. Go-jek is also eyeing the Philippines, having said that it will launch in the country this year.

It is interesting to see how Go-jek will fare in Vietnam. Unlike in Jakarta, where it has the local and early-bird advantage, Go-jek will have to face the challenge of being a late-comer in the fast-growing market of more than 93 million people.

It is interesting to see how Go-jek will fare in Vietnam. Unlike in Jakarta, where it has the local and early-bird advantage, Go-jek will have to face the challenge of being a late-comer in the fast-growing market of more than 93 million people.

In particular, residents in big Vietnamese cities are already frequent customers of Grab and Uber, two of the worlds largest ride-hailing apps with networks in various countries. Other domestic players such as 123xevivu, Gonow or Mai Linh Bike are also trying to break into the scene, making Vietnam a tough battlefield for Go-jek.

That said, the Indonesian firm has good money under its belt:as it raised $1.5 billion (or 25 per cent more than it intended) last year and recently secured another $150 million from Indonesian conglomerate Astra International.

Go-jek is also planning to list on the Indonesian Stock Exchange to raise capital.

With such ample funds, it looks like the Indonesian startup is ready for the battle in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam.

But no matter how Go-jek does in international markets, every day in Jakarta, thousands of its drivers will still continue to zip through the city, helping to solve the citys traffic issues in their green armor. In this city, Go-jek may have become a landmark itself.
Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and Japanese Minister of Economy Toshimitsu Motegi

After the US withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in 2017, the remaining 11 countries (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam) agreed to maintain the deal and reshape it as the CPTPP.

The CPTPP basically keeps all the core content of the TPP and stands open for US to re-join. However, as many as 20 articles among the 8,000 pages of the CPTPP document have been postponed or revised.

First, the TPP has been renamed as the CPTPP, which includes Comprehensive and Progressive. This new name was highly appreciated by all country members, confirming the quality and normative direction of the new agreement.

This is a comprehensive agreement, including various sectors, not only trade, investment or intellectual property. It is really higher and more progressive than the signature FTAs before, said Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

Second, the number of member economies is 11. Together, they make up 13.5 per cent of the global GDP and 15.2 per cent of total global trade turnover, much lower than the TPPs scale (due to a significant pull by the US) of 38.2 per cent of global GDP and 26.5 per cent of trade turnover.

Despite the withdrawal of the US, the CPTPP still covers huge markets like Japan, Australia, Canada, and Mexico, while the pressure to implement some articles has reduced significantly. Thereby, Vietnam will benefit from the agreement, which will strengthen linkages and collaboration in the region.

This is a comprehensive agreement, including various sectors, not only trade, investment or intellectual property. It is really higher and more progressive than the signature FTAs before.

Signing the CPTPP and movements from China have put pressure on the US to renegotiate membership. Meanwhile, China is currently playing the leading role in the Asia-Pacific economic integration process through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement, and the China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Agreement.

Third, the effectiveness of the agreement has changed. According to the TPP, the agreement would take effect if the total GDP of the member countries captured 85 per cent of total GDP of the 12 signing countries in 2013. With the withdrawal of the US, which made up 60 per cent of the total GDP of the whole TPP, the eleven remaining countries had to change this. Therefore, if at least six nations approve the CPTPP, it may easily take effect 60 days after signing. Additionally, the new agreement also adds regulations related to the process of withdrawal, participation, and flexible reviewing of the CPTPP in the future.

Fourth, around 20 articles of the CPTPP have been temporarily postponed, including the strong commitments on intellectual property that the US raised before. Specifically, 11 of the 20 articles are on intellectual property. The CPTPP will delay requirements for member countries to change their laws and practices. The CPTPP also suspends the time term of a copyright in case of unreasonable delays in licensing. Members of the agreement will not have to extend protection terms from 50 to 70 years.

The remaining postponed articles are on investment. For the dispute solution mechanism between governments and investors (ISDS), the CPTPP has narrowed the mechanisms availability for foreign investors to sue the host member state. Besides, the CPTPP states that one member of the ISDS Arbitration Panel will be appointed by the government and the plaintiff each, and one by both.

As a result, through some adjustments of regulations and the efforts of the eleven member countries, the TPP has been rescued. The CPTPP is said to be a comprehensive and progressive agreement, reaching high standards while remaining open, which is expected to bring benefits to all country members.

CPTPP signing slated for March 8 in Chile The Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) scheduled to be inked by ministers of the 11 member countries in Chile on March 8.

Revived TPP will benefit its members without US While rumours circulate of the US potentially re-joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the UK has also recently ...

Breakthrough reforms needed to keep CPTPP benefits The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) warned that benefits from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) could be reduced if Vietnam ...
What lines behind the N.A Motor's intention to become strategic investor of Hapro

Hapro reported bleak business results with a profit of only VND10 billion in 2017 and a rather small charter capital of VND2.2 trillion ($96.6 million). Nevertheless, N.A Motor decided to become its strategic investor. What are the reasons behind the deal?

We know that Hapro is currently struggling, however, we also see that it has great potential on the long run. Besides, its sectors of operation are suitable with N.A Motors long-term development plan.

Notably, N.A Motor plans to develop the import-export segment to bring Vietnamese goods abroad, while Hapro has an advantage in exporting pepper, cashew nuts, rice, medicinal herbs and canned food. Besides, Hapro has a number of flagship products like Chu Dau pottery products. Thus, once N.A Motor becomes the strategic investor of Hapro, we will connect our advantages to realise the above targets and optimise benefits for both sides.

There are rumours that N.A Motor is actually aiming for Hapros land plots in Hanoi. Would you like to comment?

In my opinion, this is rather subjective as almost all of the land plots are rented out for specific purposes. Besides, according to current regulations, after firms conduct equitisation, they are not permitted to change the land use purpose of the plots that they manage.

Furthermore, before deciding to equitise Hapro, the Hanoi Peoples Committee issued a decision to withdraw 61 land plots from Hapro, including the 12-hectare plot in Long Bien.

After officially becoming the strategic investor of Hapro, what are N.A Motors plans for Hapro?

N.A Motor is mostly interested in Hapros import-export business, thus, we will work with foreign partners, including Japanese firms to increase the exports of N.A Motor and Hapros flagship products, including Chu Dau pottery.

After that, we will increase agricultural product exports to overseas markets, aiming to exploit Hapros full potential. According to the plan, this year, Hapro will export 500 containers of goods to more than 20 overseas markets.

Besides, N.A Motor and Hapro will co-operate to develop our domestic retail chain. We believe that with the co-operation of Hapro and Vietnam Intimex JSC, we will have certain advantages in this sector.
Hai Ans corneas bring the light to two others. - Photo baonhandao.vn

An, the second-youngest person to donate a cornea in the country so far, agreed with her mother Nguyen Tran Thuy Duong to donate her cornea before she died of a brain tumor. Her mother wanted to continue to see her daughters eyes in the coming years.

Duong, 33 years old, from Ha Nois Nam Tu Liem District, on Monday afternoon received two special guests.

I didnt expect the man who received Ans cornea to phone me. The two receivers were discharged from the hospital in the afternoon and they want to visit my house to burn incense sticks for An, Duong said.

After the phone call, I burst into tear. I have mixed feelings, becoming both excited and anxious, Duong said, adding that she was afraid that she was not brave enough to meet the receivers.

Before their visit, Duong said that she went to National Hospital of Ophthalmology to find her daughter eyes again but she could not meet the cornea receivers because the hospital kept relevant information a secret.

The two cornea receivers arrived at Duongs house on Monday afternoon. Seeing an old woman wearing glasses walk unsteadily outside, Duong rushed to hold her arm and led her to the house.

Then, they went to the altar on which there is a portrait of little girl An.

While Duong was burning incense sticks, she was also talking to An:  My dear, these are uncle and grandmother. They come to visit you.

The old woman and the middle-aged man stood before the altar. The woman said that they were very grateful to An for helping them to see light again.

The 73-year-old woman has cornea scarring and had been unable to see since she was 60 years old.

In the last 12 years, her grandchildren were born and growing up but she could not see them, just touch or hear them.

After the cornea transplant, especially when the doctor removed the bandage on right eye, I can see my children who look much older. I also can see my grandchildren for the first time, the woman said.

Im lucky to receive Ans cornea. When I die, I want to donate the cornea, too, she said.

Another cornea receiver  the 42-year-old man born with a cataract  said that he had heard about the cornea donation of a 7-year-old girl.

He also said that he was very happy when his doctor informed that he would be one of two people who get Ans cornea.

Its like I was born for second time, he said, adding that he would take care of the eye carefully and was willing to donate it after death.

Duong, who is also a doctor, checked the eyes of the two special guests, asking them to take medicines on time and strictly follow doctors advice.

More organ donors

Viet Nams organ transplant center has seen a sharp surge in the number of people registering to donate organs after Ans inspiring story.

Two weeks after Ans cornea donation, the National Coordinating Center for Human Organ Transplantation in Ha Noi and HCM City received more than 420 registrations to donate organs, making the total number of registrations since the beginning of this year up to more than 600. Hundreds of people called the centres phone numbers or sent emails asking for organ donation consultation.

Vice head of the centre Nguyen Hoang Phuc said that there was a sudden surge in the number of registers.

He said that the centre was established in 2013. As of last year, it had received the registration of 11, 835 donors.

Phuc said that there were reasons for the modest number of donors. Among the reasons is the thought that sick people, especially people with cancer, were not qualified to donate organs.

Phuc said that cancer patients could donate cornea after their deaths. In Viet Nam, some cancer patients have done so and their corneas adapted well to transplant recipients.

According to the National Hospital of Ophthalmology, about 1,000 patients are on a list of people waiting for cornea transplant. On average, 300 people are added to the list yearly while just 200 people have the chance to get a cornea transplant each year.

Hanh Phuc, host of Chuyen ong 24h (Moving 24h) Programme on Viet Nam Television (VTV) is one of the donors inspired by little girl An.

He registered to donate his cornea after he dies, Lao ong ( The Labour) newspaper reported.

Phuc said that he was strongly inspired by the life and brave action of An.

He added that he wanted to help change the ideas about death which made people hesitate to donate their organs.

People believe that if some one died without part of their body, they would be disabled in the after-death world, but no evidence has proved it so far, Phuc said.

Phuc said that the law of Cause and Effect in Buddhism states that people will get what they give.

So, lets do good things for others, Phuc said.

On February 27, the National Coordinating Center for Human Organ Transplantation in Ha Noi received Vo Thanh Hai from the Viet Nam Academy of Military Technology and his wife Tran Thi Thanh Huyen who came to register to donate their organs after death.

They had both decided to register to donate organs after reading about Ans cornea donation.

According to the organ transplant centre, communication activities that call for and encourage people to donate organs face a major difficulty as donors dont want their names to be public.

Families of donors even have to suffer notoriety that they sell organs for money.

Meanwhile, the demand for donated organs is very high in Viet Nam. There are about 6,000 people nationwide who need a kidney transplant. Some 3,000 blind people with cornea-related diseases need cornea replacement.

As of last year, over 11,000 people had registered to donate their organs after death or when they are brain dead. This compares to zero donors in 2013. However, this is still a limited number, given the population of more than 90 million.
Premium or not? Let the residents decide

Problems of classification

From our observations, there was at least one new conflict every month in 2017 at apartment complexes that are classified as premium in Vietnam. The complexity and size of these conflicts grew year after year as well.

In the past, conflicts at premium apartments such as Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower, Sky City Tower Hanoi or Parkview Residence often stemmed from issues of public versus private possessions or late handovers. However, in 2017, most conflicts were over project quality issues and exaggerated advertising problems. Another difference is that in the past most residents only submitted formal complaints to the local authoritiesnowadays they choose to go out in protest or hang banners outside the buildings, as exemplified by the cases of Ho Guom Plaza (Hadong District, Hanoi) or Mipec Riverside (Long Bien District, Hanoi).

Exaggerated advertising was such a huge problem that the Ministry of Constructions Housing and Real Estate Market Management Agency had to issue a warning for developers who call their projects premium without any evidence to back it up. Other misleading phrases include green urban areas, eco-friendly zones or A-class apartments.

According to Nguyen Truong Luu, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Architects, flowery words such as premium, super-premium, luxury or high-class have been terribly misused by many developers for marketing gimmicks. The important thing is that these apartments do not live up to all of the exaggerated advertisements.

Tran Ngoc Chinh, chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association and former Deputy Minister of Construction, said that false claims are an alarming reality in Vietnam. The market has no official standards to classify real estate projects and too many premium buildings mean an oversupply and speculation instead of a match between supply and demand.

The authorities have not built any transparent criteria to classify premium products. This is a big mistake in my opinion. Most consumers now use pricing as the sole criterion for classification, which is hugely inadequate. A premium or high-class apartment should satisfy a great deal of requirements, including its own interior design and facilities. Moreover, it has to blend well with the surroundings and provide comprehensive facilities, such as parks, shopping malls or swimming pools, said Chinh.

Setting A new standard

According to Michael Piro, director of Indochina Strategic Services, the market is currently divided into two groups: the pioneers and the followers. Most foreign and major domestic developers are pioneers thanks to their large financial budget, international experience, and higher levels of creativity. This explains why developers in this group often build premium real estate projects, as they have various ground-breaking ideas that can set them apart from the competition.

Meanwhile, leaders of Hai Phat Group said that apartments have to satisfy the market demand instead of focusing on the premium label. Whether a project is premium or not should be decided by the residents themselves after moving in, as residents are the only judge of whether the apartment is worth their investment or not. This follows the rules of the market economy, which means the market will make its own decision, not the authorities.

I believe that a premium project should have sufficient space for buildings, low construction density, and a focus on public spaces. Residents are entitled to a relaxing environment as they come home each day from work, and they should be able to enjoy various facilities and services that the apartment can offer. This will improve their quality of life as well as the reputation of the project, said a Hai Phat Group representative.

In a similar vein, Nguyen Hoai An, director of Professional Services at CBRE Vietnams Hanoi Branch, said that any premium apartment has to satisfy various requirements, ranging from the reputation of developers and contractors to location, construction quality, and many more. In particular, as the market is becoming digitalised, premium buildings need to set themselves apart by having smart applications for operations and management.

According to An, in the past most developers paid little attention to public space in apartment complexes, as they wanted to reduce construction costs and maximise profit. Nowadays, the case is different. If developers want to beat competition and satisfy homebuyers strict requirements, they must focus on providing an inviting and efficient public space, one that has great facilities, good ventilation and lighting. Residents in apartment buildings must feel like they are living in a big villa.

In the age of digitalisation and globalisation, home is not just a place to live. It is also where residents express their individuality and sense of aesthetics. To respond to these changing needs, developers must take notice of their building design and the surrounding facilities, said An.
VN to up investments in Bangladesh

The information was released by President Tran ai Quang at the Viet Nam  Bangladesh Business Forum yesterday, as part of his State visit to Bangladesh from March 4 to 6.

Speaking to some 300 corporate representatives from the two countries, Quang said Viet Nam and Bangladesh had many similarities and could support each other  an important condition for businesses of the two countries to strengthen co-operation and investment.

Viet Nam appreciates the potential and opportunities for investment co-operation in Bangladesh, said Quang.

Based on the current policies to attract foreign investment and measures to improve the investment environment that Bangladesh is implementing, such as the establishment of economic zones and reform on procedures and tax, the President proposed the authorities of Bangladesh strengthen their support and create more favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to access the Bangladesh market. Meanwhile, Viet Nam will encourage Bangladesh enterprises to invest in fields where it is strong and will be of use to Viet Nam.

President Quang also stressed that with the dynamism of the business community of the two countries, bilateral trade between the two sides would exceed US$1 billion this year and could reach or even exceed $2 billion by 2020.

Quang said he was pleased to see the friendly relations between Viet Nam and Bangladesh, increasingly consolidated and developed, especially the visits of senior leaders that had created new co-operation in many fields, including trade and investment.

He was impressed by the countrys tremendous socio-economic development, which is considered a successful model for poverty reduction, promotion of equality, social justice and maintenance of steady growth. In line with the implementation of the Vision 2021, Bangladesh is realising its goal of joining the middle income country group and aiming to become a digital nation with advanced science and technology.

At the forum, the president also introduced to the Bangladesh business community the remarkable achievements of Viet Nam after more than 30 years of renewal, especially in terms of GDP growth, trade scale and foreign investment.

With the improved investment environment, competitive investment costs, improved transport infrastructure and attractive economic development policies, Quang emphasised that Viet Nam continued to maintain its position as a strategic investment destination for foreign investors. To date, Viet Nam had some 1,170 offshore investment projects in 69 countries and territories, with a total registered capital of more than $20 billion in various sectors, such as mining, telecommunications, agriculture and forestry, information technology, financebanking and services.

The forum was jointly organised by Viet Nams Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).

Established in 1973, FBCCI is an organisation representing 3.5 million businesses in Bangladesh. With a large network of chambers of commerce and industry, including the Bangladesh-Vietnam Business Council, FBCCI has a strong and important role to play in the promulgation of policies on economy and trade of the Bangladeshi government, especially the policies for foreign businesses to invest in the Bangladesh market.

Earlier on Monday President Tran ai Quang met President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and received the Chairman of the Workers Party of Bangladesh Rashed Khan Menon and the President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Shafiul Islam.
TEL AVIV, Israel and MONTREAL, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blockchain Mining Ltd. (BLCM or the Company) (TASE:BLCM) (OTC:BITFY) is pleased to announce that Backbone Hosting Solutions Inc., operating under the commercial brand Bitfarms, has appointed Wes Fulford as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective March 7, 2018. Emiliano J. Grodzki, Bitfarms founder and current Chief Executive Officer will transition into the role of Chief Strategy Officer.



We are delighted to welcome Wes to our team. Wes has spent more than a decade helping companies successfully navigate the capital markets and will contribute invaluable perspectives to our organization. Wess appointment is a testament to the quality of our operations and the talent weve attracted to help execute the next phase of our development. It also marks an important transition in our organizational structure from a private company funded by private investors into a public company that will be attracting institutional capital, said Emiliano J. Grodzki.

I am honoured to have been appointed the new CEO of Bitfarms. It is a privilege to be part of an organization at the forefront of such a dynamic and emerging industry. Bitfarms growth and execution proficiency are unparalleled, as they have quickly become one of the worlds largest cryptocurrency mining companies by installed capacity. Our expansion pipeline is stronger than ever, and I am excited for what lies ahead, said Wes Fulford.

Wes Fulford Biography

Mr. Fulford has spent the last twelve years working as an investment banker with several leading U.S. and Canadian investment banks. Prior to joining Bitfarms, Mr. Fulford led the fintech and financial institutions investment banking practice for a major Quebec-based financial institution. Mr. Fulford brings considerable experience covering a variety of sectors including cryptocurrency mining and blockchain, financial institutions, mining and real estate. During his career as an investment banker, Mr. Fulford has been directly involved in over 100 successful financing and M&A transactions for both public and private companies. Prior to his move to Toronto in 2006, Mr. Fulford began his career working with two Winnipeg-based asset managers. Mr. Fulford is a CFA charterholder and has a B. Comm. (Honours) degree from the I.H. Asper School of Business.

About Blockchain Mining Ltd.

Blockchain Mining Ltd. (TASE:BLCM) (OTC:BITFY) through its pending transaction with Backbone Hosting Solutions Inc. (Bitfarms) will own and operate blockchain farms that power the global decentralized financial economy. Bitfarms provides computing power to cryptocurrency networks such as bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum, litecoin, and dash earning fees from each network for securing and processing transactions 24/7. Since 2013, predecessors to Bitfarms have constructed 4 farms in Quebec, Canada which have 27.5 MW of installed capacity and over 200 Ph/s of installed hash-power. Bitfarms construction pipeline includes an additional 3 farms with over 100 MW of power capacity. For more information on Bitfarms, visit: www.bitfarms.io.

Cautionary Statement



Completion of the business combination transaction is subject to a number of conditions. The transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the Companys regulatory disclosures to be prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the transactions described herein may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Blockchain Mining should be considered highly speculative.

No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws that are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. The information in this release about the proposed business combination, and the future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking information. Other forward-looking information includes but is not limited to information concerning: the intentions, plans and future actions of the Company following the business combination, the previously announced financing of Back, the timing for the implementation of the business combination, the listing of the Common Shares on stock exchanges, the potential benefits of the business combination, the likelihood of the business combination being completed, and receipt of applicable shareholder approvals, as well as Bitfarms ability to successfully mine digital currency, revenue increasing as currently anticipated, the ability to profitably liquidate the current digital currency inventory, fluctuations in digital currency prices and the resulting significant negative impact on the Companys operations, the volatility of digital currency prices, the construction and operation of blockchain infrastructure as currently planned, and no regulation or law that will prevent Bitfarm from operating its business.



Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as expects, or does not expect, is expected, anticipates or does not anticipate, plans, budget, scheduled, forecasts, estimates, believes or intends or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results may or could, would, might or will be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information.

This forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of Blockchain Mining at the time it was made, and involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to uncertainties associated with the business combination; risks relating to the business combination agreement terminating in certain circumstances; risks relating to certain directors and officers of the Company possibly having interests in the business combination that are different from other shareholders; risks that other conditions to the consummation of the business combination agreement are not satisfied; global economic climate; dilution; the Corporations limited operating history; future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing; the competitive nature of the industry; currency exchange risks; the need for the Corporation to manage its planned growth and expansion; the effects of product development and need for continued technology change; protection of proprietary rights; the effect of government regulation and compliance on the Corporation and the industry; network security risks; the ability of the Corporation to maintain properly working systems; reliance on key personnel; global economic and financial market deterioration impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital; volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance. In addition, particular factors which could impact future result of the business of Bitfarm include but are not limited to: the construction and operation of blockchain infrastructure may not occur as currently planned, or at all; expansion may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; the digital currency market; the ability to successfully mine digital currency; revenue may not increase as currently anticipated, or at all; it may not be possible to profitably liquidate the current digital currency inventory, or at all; a decline in digital currency prices may have a significant negative impact on operations; the volatility of digital currency prices; historical prices of digital currencies and the ability to mine digital currencies that will be consistent with historical prices; and there will be no regulation or law that will prevent Bitfarm from operating its business. The Company has also assumed that no significant events occur outside of the Bitfarm's normal course of business. Although Blockchain Mining has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Blockchain Mining undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking information other than as required by law.

Mathieu Vachon, Director of Software Engineering

mvachon@bitfarms.io




Lucy Hale as Stella Abbott and Elliot Knight as her new husband Wes in a scene from Life Sentence, about a teen who thought she was dying but learns her cancer has been cured. The show premieres tonight at 10 on the CW.
News

VIDEO: 16-year-old Jiu-jitsu champion Alex Williams floors thug who threatened to stab him

The thug did not know that the one he was trying to attack was the world champion in jiu-jitsu Alex Williams, who ended the fight quickly by knocking him to the ground.
Gibraltar Spring Festival 2018 - Logo & Short Story Competitions

Gibraltar Cultural Services are reminding the general public of the closing dates for the 2018 Spring Festival Logo and Short Story Competitions.

THE LOGO COMPETITION is open to persons of all ages who may submit up to two original works. Entries on paper or card must be submitted in an A4 size indicating whether the orientation is portrait or landscape.

Logos should be simple in design and suitable for printing on posters, flyers, tickets or other promotional material and must contain the wording: GIBRALTAR SPRING FESTIVAL 2018.

The prize for the winning entry is 300.

The closing date for receipt of entries for the logo competition is Tuesday 13th March 2018.

THE SHORT STORY COMPETITION is open to all to both Gibraltarians and residents of Gibraltar who may submit one piece of work in any subject.

There will be four categories as follows:

A. School Years 4 to 5 (250350 words)

B. School Years 6 to 7 (250-350 words)

C. School Years 8 to 11 (450550 words)

D. School Years 12 to 13 (5001000 words)

E. Adults (must not exceed 1000 words)

The winning entries will be printed in the Gibraltar Chronicle. The overall winner will receive the Ministry of Culture prize of 300 and a trophy. Additionally, each category will receive a 50 voucher and a pen kindly donated by the Gibraltar Chronicle, plus a trophy from the Ministry of Culture.

The closing date for receipt of entries for the Short Story Competition is Monday 19th March 2018.

Entry forms and full conditions for both competitions are available from the John Mackintosh Hall. Entry forms can also be downloaded from www.culture.gi

For any enquiry please contact the Events Department, Gibraltar Cultural Services, 308 Main Street, Gibraltar, or Tel: 200 67236 or e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Two Days of Brexit Talks in London

Minister Samantha Sacramento will act as Chief Minister whilst The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister are in London for two days of meetings related to the UK and Gibraltars departure from the European Union.

They will be accompanied by the Attorney General Michael Llamas and the Financial Secretary Albert Mena. The meetings will include discussions with different UK Government departments as well as a formal session of the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) between the Governments of Gibraltar and the United Kingdom. It is expected that the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister will return to Gibraltar on Friday.
New Blood Gas Machine for St Bernards Hospital

A state-of-the-art blood gas machine has been installed at the A&E Department of St Bernards Hospital, the Gibraltar Health Authority has confirmed. This is a diagnostic piece of equipment, the size of a desktop photocopier, capable of testing a small amount of freshly taken blood from an artery within minutes.

The analyser measures the levels of certain gases and compounds dissolved in the patients blood stream and gives valuable, instant test results, to the doctors and nurses.

A diagnostic sampling tool such as this, used at the point of clinical assessment in A&E, enables the medical and nursing staff to make a rapid analysis of a patients condition and directly administer treatment especially to those who are critically ill. The staff has welcomed this initiative, noting that from a clinical perspective, this point of care testing will yield a number of benefits to the sickest patients. This will include improved turnaround times in A&E and a reduction in time to implement a plan of treatment to patients.

Associate Specialist for A&E, Dr Albrecht Kussner said: We make good use of the blood gas machine on a daily basis. Literally within hours of commissioning, the analyser was used to guide treatment of a patient in cardiac arrest, who was stabilised and transferred to ITU. Undoubtedly, near-patient testing of the range of critical parameters this machine provides expedites decision making and spells an invaluable asset to our Emergency Department.

Sister, Elaine Ferro commented that: the addition of the blood gas analyser to the Department has hugely facilitated our work. The rapidity with which we are able to access results proves invaluable to the critically ill, as we are able to titrate their treatment as required in a timely manner. The close proximity of this resource to the bedside, allows us to focus our efforts on providing essential nursing care, ensuring our patients experience with us is as comfortable as it can be. I can confirm all staff have received training on its use and maintenance.

Minister for Health, Care and Justice, the Honourable Neil F Costa MP said: I am extremely pleased at the introduction of this sophisticated piece of equipment, which follows on from the upgrade of front-line medical facilities at the Accident and Emergency Department. The Government will continue to improve the delivery of medical services at the GHA for the benefit of our patients. We will also continue to review the overall material needs of the hospital and, where necessary, purchase the life-saving equipment, which our excellent medical profession can put to good use. Whilst we continue to make good progress in all areas of our health service, I am conscious of the need to al- ways do much more. In this, I know I have the full support and enthusiasm of an excellent team at the GHA.
Lengthy Brexit Meetings in London for CM and DCM

The different work streams that have emerged as a result of Gibraltars departure from the European Union were brought together today in London in a lengthy meeting between the Gibraltar and UK Governments.

The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia, together with the Attorney General and the Financial Secretary engaged in a busy day of meetings related to Gibraltar's departure from the European Union.

The meetings with the United Kingdom Government took place at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and included officials from the Department for Exiting the EU and the FCO.

Mr Picardo and Dr Garcia took the opportunity of the visit to London to meet with the Chairman of the All Party Gibraltar Group in Westminster Bob Neil MP and with long-time supporter of Gibraltar Andrew Rosindell MP in separate meetings.

There continues to be considerable media interest in Gibraltar. The BBC Radio 4 flagship current affairs Today programme will feature Gibraltar tomorrow morning, including a live interview with the Chief Minister at 8.10am Gibraltar time.
Its tempting to call him the inimitable Al Pacino, although he is the most imitated actor in the world. There are, after all, two categories of imitation: impersonation (Say hello to my leel friend! Hoo-ah!) and emulation. Emulating Pacino would mean not just bounding into a field of psychological land mines but identifying each one and purposely jumping on top of it. Some, including Johnny Depp, of all people, think hes mad. Most see the larger wisdom in his design for living and working  and also think hes mad. The exception is Pacino, who struggles not to think of himself at all so as to concentrate on the next task, the next land mine. For him, there is no other way. If further validation were needed, he could point to a 31-film retrospective in the place he came of age. Its called Pacinos Way.

He is thrilled that Pacinos Way was proposed by the folks at the Quad Cinema in the Village. On the phone from L.A. in three rambling, absolutely delightful hours, Pacino, now 77, effuses over the years (beginning at 16, when he dropped out of the High School of the Performing Arts) in which he roamed the neighborhood, sometimes homeless and sleeping on the stages of small theaters, moving from production to production, and meeting, in a bar at age 17, his mentor, the late Charlie Laughton (not the famous one), who brought him to the Herbert Berghof Studio.

I was just stunned by the fact that the Quad offered this to me, he says. I immediately crashed on when I was a kid down there. Sometimes you feel closer to what you were than you expected.

The retrospective (it begins March 14) features most of the biggies: the first two Godfather films (he thinks the third was a mistake), Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Scarface, Scent of a Woman, Heat, as well as  surprisingly, at Pacinos request  his most formidable bombs, Bobby Deerfield and Revolution.

Equally vital for him are the movies he directed, like the rarely seen Chinese Coffee (based on a play) and two relatively recent films in New York premieres: a spare, stylized version of Oscar Wildes Salome he stars in with Jessica Chastain  hed hoped the film would help launch her career but she did pretty well without it  and Wilde Salome, a documentary about his relationship with the play. In it, he reveals the often-wayward process of putting together the earlier film and a concurrent L.A. stage production. The documentary isnt as exhilarating as his 1996 free-form seminar, Looking for Richard, a kind of goofy masters thesis on the Bard, the hunchbacked king, and the nature of his theatrical obsessions. But its full of enjoyably bizarre episodes, like the one in which Pacino throws a lavish cocktail party so that an unprepared, rather confused Chastain can improvise. Wilde Salome illuminates the space where Pacino is happiest: the experimental theatrical milieu in which, 50 years ago, he found his voice.

Pacino grew up poor in the Bronx, a wild kid with no dad and a fragile working mother, who raised him with the help of his grandparents. School  even the Fame school  couldnt hold his attention. In the 60s, his world snapped into focus after he met Laughton and gurus like the Living Theatres Julian Beck and Judith Malina (whod play his mother in Dog Day Afternoon), and, of course, Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio. I was doing Creditors at the Actors Gallery and sleeping on the stage I performed on, and so Id meet Charlie at Washington Square Park and wed have hot chocolate and coffee in the freezing cold. It was great. It was next to NYU  I so flash on the Village there. Ive lived all over the city, but the Village at that period of my life is the memory that seems to keep  it repeats itself. It makes me feel good to think about that time.

Martin Sheen was a fellow poor player. We were rooming together, me and Martin, he says. We used to clean up the stage and wash the halls. Marty got to play in The Connection, and he was outstanding. I remember sitting in the back every night, watching the plays. Everything was happening in the Village at that time, all these different kinds of groups. The cafe theaters where you did 16 performances a week, and you passed the basket, and thats how you lived. That environment fed you, and you wanted to be there  I think thats where I learned everything. For a while, he worked as a messenger at Commentary magazine for the likes of Norman Podhoretz and Susan Sontag. They just thought I was an energetic, crazy kid, which was great. he says. I loved being there, I must say. One of the few places I wasnt fired from.

In 1968, he got his break as a punk in Israel Horovitzs The Indian Wants the Bronx alongside John Cazale, with whom he acted regularly until Cazale died of cancer in 1978. We wanted to work with each other so much they had to separate us, he says, like when youre in school and you have a couple of clowns. With Cazale, he learned to live inside improvisations: I would come in to do a scene, and he would sit there and look at me as I started talking. Hed say, What are you talking about? What are we doing here? It wasnt pretentious. He was serious. What the fuck are you saying to me? Id say, Well, I dont know. Are you just saying the words of the play? I dont want to hear that. Oh, then fuck you, do whatever you want to   And wed get into this series of improvs, and guess what he would do? He would circle it, circle it, circle it, until we came right to the scene. I mean, amazing stuff. Amazing stuff. That spirit was in the earlier films I did.

The first was in 1971, Jerry Schatzbergs The Panic in Needle Park, in which Pacino chews a lot of gum  an electric performance but not a particularly revealing one. He hadnt learned to settle down and open himself up to the camera.

The story of his casting in his second film, The Godfather, is well known. Francis Ford Coppola fought to cast him against executives (including producer Robert Evans, who called Pacino the midget) who wanted Robert Redford or Ryan ONeal. Among the people who didnt think Pacino was right for Michael was  Pacino. He wanted to play the hotheaded Sonny. He auditioned and auditioned. And auditioned. At last years Tribeca Film Festival Godfather screeningreunion, Coppola remembered calling Pacino in New York and Pacinos girlfriend  it was Jill Clayburgh, whom he dated for five years  screaming, Youre torturing him!

It didnt get easier once Pacino got the part. He would take long walks (he could do that then) through Manhattan plotting out Michaels transformation from an open-faced war hero to someone darker, more inward, more intense. I remember not being able to articulate [that arc], even to Francis, he says. For the first couple weeks of filming, they were going to let me go. Coppola saved him, Pacino insists, by moving up the shooting of a key scene  Michaels killing of Sollozzo and McCluskey at an Italian restaurant: When they saw that scene, they kept me.

The weird thing is that the inward Michael Corleone  the role that turned Pacino into a star in one of the greatest films ever made  is the one thats least emblematic of his work. Its not how he ever was again! He says it gives him pleasure when I say that, though it touches on the charge that he has often strayed into ham territory, distending and syncopating syllables like a demented bebop artist. Michael consumed him, put him in a kind of straitjacket, forced him to take some of the music out of his voice. And he thinks of his acting as musical. Im a tenor, he says, and tenors sometimes like to hit the high note.

He was happy, he says, to make the leaps to Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon: I didnt have to see Michael Corleone. I was flying.

In-between the Godfather films and Serpico was a lesser-known movie (also in the Quad retrospective) that some critics think is a masterpiece and Pacino remembers with misery: Scarecrow, directed by Jerry Schatzberg, in which he and Gene Hackman play hoboes roaming the Midwest. The presence of the fractious Hackman ensured there were fights on the set, but Pacino says, I love Gene as an actor and as a person. It was the assistant director he talks about. What can you say, he asks, about a movie that comes in 17 days ahead of schedule? Rehearsal, improvs, time to waste productively  thats Pacinos way, the Village-theater way. He speaks with envy about the Berliner Ensemble spending a year on a single production and says thats why he keeps going back to Salome and David Mamets American Buffalo (on which he worked, on and off, for four years) and Richard III  which he would do a fourth time, although I whine in his ear that King Lear beckons. He says its the time and repetition that allow him to be break free  and soar.

Talking about Scarecrow yields two more wonderful details. The first is that Quentin Tarantino recently insisted Pacino watch the first, long tracking shot  Vilmos Zsigmond was the cinematographer  and Pacino was amazed by its beauty and expressiveness. He left before the rest but tells me to see that first shot on the big screen. The second comes when I mention that Schatzberg (now 90) is almost as revered in France as that other Jherry, Lewis  which prompts Pacino to describe a scene in The Bellboy in which Lewis fusses with a single chair in an empty ballroom as one of his favorites of all time. He agrees that clowning is essential to his style. Hell push his performances to the point of foolishness and hope his directors will protect him.

Watch how he clowns  as if for his life  in the tragicomic bank-robbery thriller Dog Day Afternoon (1975), for my money the best of all the films in which New York City is a character. The director, Sidney Lumet, rehearsed for three weeks, and with Cazale, too. The shooting was full of discoveries. Pacinos Sonny wore glasses when his character first walked into the bank, and when he saw the dailies, he insisted he got it wrong, that the character wasnt there. He spent a night mulling it over and redid the scene without the glasses, because the key to Sonny, Pacino realized, is that he wanted to be caught  or at least to be recognized. [Filming] went by like a breeze, he says, and Sidney came up to me in the midst of all of it and said, Al, its out of our hands. He said this. Im telling you. He says out of our hands. Its got a life of its own, and that was it. Thats the direction he gave me.

It was an assistant director who whispered the magic word to Pacino in the now-famous scene in which he rallies the crowd outside the bank. He says, Say Attica.  I said, What? He said, Go ahead. Say it to the crowd out there. Attica. Go ahead. So I sort of half got it, so when I got out there, I looked around. This is on-camera now. Cameras are rolling, and I looked around, and I just said, Hey, you know, Attica, right?  And we start improvising, and you get that whole Attica scene, because an AD whispered in my ear as Im going out a door. I mean, that is what movies are.

He adds, See it on the big 35-millimeter screen. Youre, like, in the middle of it. Its like 3-D.

Pacino has never been much for exhibiting himself in real life. (He once wore a ridiculous disguise to a Yankees game  he said he had to leave early and worried that people would take his departure the wrong way but instead became a laughingstock on TV news.) Celebrity confuses him. He has an elaborate theory about what happened to Marlon Brando that he promises to share with me some day. He alludes to his periods of deep depression and the time in the 70s when his drinking became debilitating. In 1977, once he was sober, he made Bobby Deerfield with one of the loves of his life, Marthe Keller, in which he plays an excruciatingly alienated race-car driver. Putting it in the retrospective was quite a move. It was a huge disaster, but when I saw it again, I saw someone struggling with something, and it was part of my life, and I thought, Well, why not put in the ones where I sort of slipped and fell, even if its tough to look at? It kinds of works when you put it in context, doesnt it? Its a retrospective.

And Revolution in 1985  which turned out so ludicrously bad that he left movies for four years  he insists is a great film manque, that it lost vital scenes in the course of filming. Years later, he and the director, Hugh Hudson, reedited it and added narration to explain the bewildering gaps. He says to see it again, and while the prospect is daunting, I will, damn it.

Heres what Pacino wants you to take away from the retrospective, especially if you think hes often the same in every role onscreen  if you always say, Oh, thats Al: Its an overview of an acting artist from the Village, really, he says, and suggests looking at his four gangsters, Michael Corleone, Tony Montana in Scarface, Carlito from Carlitos Way, and Lefty Ruggiero in Donnie Brasco. They couldnt be more different. Pacinos Montana is huge and burns like a filament, a purposely two-dimensional character in a film that the director, Brian De Palma, called a Brechtian opera  and Pacino loves how Tony became a cultural icon, however cataclysmic the trajectory. Carlito, on the other hand, is a man who gets out of prison and wants to put his life in order  the opposite of Montana, who manufactures chaos. Lefty is a Mafia middleman, a second-rater striving to rise in the ranks but brought down by a surrogate son who turns out to be an undercover FBI agent.

Sometimes, Pacino says, he goes overboard, sometimes underboard.

But as Lee Strasberg used to say, Dont do what you can do. Do what you cant do. Thats how you learn. 

I quote Michael Mann, who once compared Pacino to Pacinos old Village pal Robert De Niro: De Niro sees the part as a construction, working incredibly hard, detail by detail, bit by bit, building character  [Pacino is] more like Picasso, staring at an empty canvas for many hours in intense concentration. And then theres a series of brushstrokes. And a piece of the character is alive.

Pacino says, Isnt that great, to hear that? Im so glad, because I remember hearing about Picasso, who stares for 12 hours at an empty canvas. So, I play around with stuff. When I find something, its a combination of doing it so much in my life  and also saying, I dont know anything about acting at all. 

Hes still learning. In the space of a year, he has played a shocked, stricken Joe Paterno for Barry Levinson in HBOs Paterno (premiering in April), which he says is more internal than most of his recent performances. From there, he jumped into the part of Jimmy Hoffa in The Irishman, working with De Niro (playing Hoffas close friend and likely killer) and, for the first time, Martin Scorsese. The film was shooting when Pacino signed up  Scorsese warned him it would be a moving train  which is not how he likes to work. But he trusted Scorsese and De Niro enough to hop aboard. Also, the budget of the film, produced by Netflix, is big and getting bigger, and the money will doubtless help to underwrite Pacinos next theatrical experiments.

Pacino left his beloved New York City in the 90s to be closer to his three children (by Jan Tarrant and Beverly DAngelo). Theyre very much L.A. kids, he says with love but a hint of sadness. As a late-in-life father, he wishes one thing for them: appetite, which he insists is more important than talent. He also wants them to know that happiness is possible only as a by-product of concentration.

But his life lessons are apt to get lost in soliloquies that somehow wind back into the need to experiment, to rekindle his 60s Greenwich Village spirit.

Pacino: If youre lucky, and you dont let the booze get you, the drugs get you, and all that, and then you come outand I am by no means a happy camper, you know? So thats okay to know that. Thats okay. Its really a struggle. And I have to say, maybe its wishful thinking here, but it does get easier, you know? I mean, the more you get involved with things, the more you see what the challenges are. Im always trying to figure things out myself, you know? Ive been in therapy most of my adult life.

Me: Me too!

Pacino: I like it, dont you? I dont lay on any couch. Im sitting in that chair talking  like Im talking to you, saying all these dumb things, some of which will get printed, some wont, but Im talking about stuff I half-believe in or dont believe in at all or really think I believe in, right? You can understand why celebrities sometimes get caught up, because its so great to be able to say things and you have a little bit of authority, and they get credited, and then afterward, you just despair. Its funny, isnt it?

Ill take his word for it.

My hunch is that Pacino went back over our interview the way he goes back over his roles, second-guessing himself, wanting to get it right. I get this email:

Hi David,

I just want to say in passing an interesting thought, acting is a very private affair. Actors talk about it and say do this and that, but when they are alone and within themselves they go where writers go, after a while thats whats so pleasant about it. Its between you and you, and believe it or not, thats when the creative moments come. Just as an aside, I think you will get what Im talking about.

Alright, I hate to be you with that spiel I gave you in your head. Haha! Man I talked a mile, didnt I? Im going back to bed.

Best, Al

Pacinos Way is at the Quad, March 14-30.

*This article appears in the February 19, 2018, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now!
Common and Talib Kweli perform during the 2009 Rock the Bells concert at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater. Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

Last week, the veteran rapper and activist Talib Kweli published a long, carefully reasoned essay about the uses and abuses of free speech by white supremacists. Weighing in at over 3,500 words, Free Speech or Die? goes into meticulous, almost attorney-like detail about the difference between speech illegally censored by the state and speech legally contested by citizens, between unprovoked physical assault and physical assault directed at adherents of an extremist ideology that openly preaches genocidal violence, between college campuses and public spaces. Yet its ultimate point is clear and convincing: What the white power movement seeks is not the freedom of speech enshrined in the Constitution, but a freedom to speak without any negative consequences whatsoever.

Kweli had some occasion to write at such length. He had recently entered the headlines by canceling a show in Kansas City after learning that his venue there would also be hosting a concert by a Norwegian black metal band known for its flirtation with Nazi iconography and racist rhetoric. Sparked by antifa activists, the furor would ultimately lead to the black metal band nixing their American tour altogether; the band released a statement portraying Kweli as someone easily manipulated by others to dance to their tune. His essay was an attempt to set the record straight. Contrary to the image of him presented by the band, Kweli could think and speak for himself regarding his position on everyones right to speak.

Unexpectedly but not shockingly, one of Kwelis fellow rappers found himself in the news the following weekend for speaking up as well. Performing at the Oscars, Common used his time onstage to call out Donald Trump for his anti-immigrant policies and the National Rifle Association for its obstruction to quelling gun violence. Kweli and Common werent just any pair of outspoken rappers. Together with Kwelis Black Star partner Mos Def, they were the hip-hop artists most closely aligned with the Soulquarian collective of the late 90s and early 2000s that included neo-soul luminaries such as Erykah Badu and DAngelo, producers of the caliber of Q-Tip and J Dilla, not to mention Questlove and the Roots. Standing proudly at a distance from the gangster rap dominating the airwaves and charts of the era, the clique put forward an ideology centered on raising political consciousness and cherishing black cultural identity that, though hardly able to compete with hard-core rap commercially, made waves far beyond the confines of a niche audience. On the 25 episodes of the first two seasons of Chappelles Show, 40 percent featured a Soulquarian as musical guest; Common, Kweli, and Mos Def all appeared on Kanye Wests The College Dropout, and West would produce the majority of Commons 2005 opus, Be.

But by then, the circle had largely drifted apart, and with more than a decade dividing the present from the heyday of the Soulquarians, its tempting to write the group off as a thing of the past. Neither DAngelo nor Badu releases music with any frequency; Kweli, Common, and Mos are more likely to be heard of through the news for matters unrelated to actual music than for their new albums; the Roots have settled for a reliable, lucrative gig as Jimmy Fallons house band. Its hard to dispute that the members of the collective are past their artistic prime. Yet the cogency of Kwelis essay and the power of Commons speech suggest a somewhat different story: in many ways the times havent left the Soulquarian crew behind so much as the Soulquarians have slowed down enough for the times to catch up to them.

The self-serious fusion of culture and politics that seems to have become a prerequisite for superstar artists today is a practice in which Kweli and Commons collective has extensive experience, and its members influence on many of the most critically acclaimed cultural figures in the present is blindingly evident. The jazz and funk inflections and the ultradense production of Kendrick Lamars To Pimp a Butterfly owes a great debt to DAngelos own sophomore masterpiece, Voodoo, as well as to his more recent Black Messiah. Ta-Nehisi Coates named his first book, The Beautiful Struggle, after a Talib Kweli album. Erykah Badu coined the current usage of the word woke in 2008. Vince Staples is signed to a music management company founded by Kweli. With its juxtaposition of personal tenderness, black nationalism, and a tone that doesnt shy away from the didactic, Solange Knowless A Seat at the Table is very much a chip off the old Soulquarian block.

The profiles of the groups original members may have faded, but the refined and heavy sense of responsibility they introduced has grown into an atmosphere whose air is breathed by every producer and consumer of culture with even the slightest aspiration to being thoughtful or timely. Such an attitude isnt always maximally entertaining, but its always prepared to uphold its beliefs. Its no accident that Commons Oscar-nominated song was titled Stand Up for Something, and in an era where, as Kwelis essay notes, reactionary rhetoric and violence is surging, its not hard to argue that firm principles should take priority over simple enjoyment.
Van Barnes, the former assistant who has accused Jeffrey Tambor of sexual harassment, spoke to Megyn Kelly Wednesday morning on Megyn Kelly Today about the actors alleged abuse. I worked for Jeffrey Tambor for just about two years, on Transparent, and a few other projects and movies, Barnes told Kelly. Continually, I was always harassed. It ran the gamut of sexual harassment, physical harassment, and verbal abuse constantly. Barnes accused Tambor of asking why they hadnt slept together, and admitting that he spied on her as she slept naked. It wasnt something I could always deflect, the sexual statements and requests, she said.

Tambor has denied all allegations of wrongdoing. However, after Amazon investigated Barness claims, the actor was fired from Transparent. Him being fired is just in a male-driven Hollywood, Barnes said. He brought this on himself. [But Amazon] hasnt completed the whole process of helping me stand back up on my feet.
Krysten Ritter Photo: Getty Images

How does Krysten Ritter find the time? In addition to working on Netflixs Marvel outings Jessica Jones and The Defenders for 12 months straight, shes also managed to juggle careers as a novelist (her debut, Bonfire, came out last year); a producer (her company, Silent Machine, just landed a pilot order); and  perhaps most important  a professional knitter (peep this infinity scarf). Ahead of Jessica Jones season two, which premieres this Thursday, Vulture caught up with Ritter to talk about the benefits of exhaustion, her thoughts on a Defenders sequel, and the fight-choreography mishap that almost took her tongue off.

I have to ask, did I spy you wearing a Krysten Ritterknitted sweater in the first episode of the new season? A friend of mine whos a fan said the pattern looked familiar.

I wish! No. Heres the thing: I would have to work really hard, because we need seven of everything that I wear. I think its seven. Its me, my stand-in, my stunt double, a backup, and then a larger size and a smaller size. But theres just too many. I did not, unfortunately, but maybe [co-star] Rachael [Taylor] ends up wearing something. I always try to get a piece of mine in the show. If we do a season three, I will 100 percent try to get that thing in the show.

Your knitting fills a lot of your Instagram these days.

Yeah, I love it. Honestly, Id rather be knitting than doing most things. I love it. I like creating something with my hands, and its also something that I can do anywhere while Im doing all of my other side hustles. Yknow, Ive got a lot of shit going on, and its just one of those things that I love to do.

Do you go back and watch old episodes of Jessica Jones or The Defenders? Do you ever do sort of a 

No.

No?

No, no. Im good. [Laughs.] I saw the first season, for sure, and I was proud of it. But I dont go back to it and watch it. In fact, I was at a girlfriends house the other day and they got one of these new TVs thats super thin to the wall and theyre like, Krysten, check out our new TV! and they just randomly put on Jessica Jones episode 13 and it was HD and I was like, I cant fucking watch this. I cant. [Laughs.] It made me so uncomfortable. It makes me not want to act ever again. Whatever. You learn from it, but Im not, like, going back and studying it or anything. I havent even seen this season yet.

What did you make of the critical response to The Defenders?

Well, I think Jessica was pretty well received. People were excited to see her again, so that made us happy because Jessica is the next up. Yknow, I had a great time doing The Defenders and honestly, it was such a good experience that I would even do it again. I dont think we are doing it again. It was never intentioned to do it again, but, you know, if I was given another opportunity, I would. My heart is with my show because of the subject matter and because of the great drama that we get to do and the personal issues that we explore. For me, that is more the type of content that I enjoy as a viewer and as a performer. My heart is in Jessica Jones, but I did have a great time doing The Defenders with the guys. We had a good time. It is what it is.

You started shooting this season right after finishing The Defenders. Does the exhaustion help on some level?

One hundred percent. Yes. Its the exhaustion that you then put in the character. And youre right, I did just go straight from The Defenders right into Jessica. But what happens is, you just get a little bit better at bouncing back. In season one, I got really depressed because its a very dark headspace. Were dealing with really dark issues and it can weigh on you. Once youre acting every single day for 12 months like I just did, you get better at bouncing back. It gets easier to access things. You can flip in and out of things. Its like a muscle. The more youre working out your muscles, the stronger they get.

Your showrunner, Melissa Rosenberg, decided to have an all-female directing crew this time around. Did that make for a different acting experience?

Yeah, totally. I will say our first season was also  S.J. Clarkson did our pilot and episode two and we had frequent female directors, and our show is run by Mel, so I didnt feel a huge difference. I will say that when guest stars come in, a lot of people comment on our set. About how our vibe is so different. Or our set feels so feminine or so female because the energy is really positive. Mel and I are all fire, heart, and passion. That translates and you feel that. Theres no ego stuff, theres no infighting. Its a really positive, warm set. When I have to be more vulnerable or the subject matter is more uncomfortable, I definitely feel more comfortable talking to a woman about that stuff that I do with a dude. Like technical sex scenes. [Laughs.] Those are way easier! Okay, this is what youre going to be wearing, this is what youre going to do. Theres a comfortability there when you have to vulnerable, that I prefer to have those conversations with women.

Did you have any mishaps doing fight choreography?

Yes, all the time. Unfortunately, its a numbers game at a certain point. When youre working for 12 months straight, youre doing so many stunts, of course youre bound to have some accidents. One wrong move or one wrong step and youre going to hurt yourself. I punched somebody by accident. I was a few inches off my mark and he wasnt wearing a pad on his chest and the guy was built like a tank, so then my knuckles blew up and swelled up. It looked worse than it actually was. Another time, I basically got punched in the chin. I bit almost through my tongue.

Oh my God!

Yeah, it was awful. That was in the early episodes of this season. It was just one wrong move  a guy went to push me or pick me up and I got his shoulder under my jaw and I totally saw stars. What really fucked me up was the blood, because I had bit my tongue so bad that I thought it was worse than it was. But your tongue heals really fast. You couldnt see it, there was no damage to my face, so I kept working. [Laughs.] But, yeah, theres a lot of bruises. A lot of bruised knees from flying around. Now I know anytime you have to do anything, just put the knee pads on. Even if its just, like, grabbing something that fell. Just put the knee pads on! Anything can happen! I have so many photos where my elbows and knees are so bruised. I wear it like a badge of honor.

One of the most beloved figures among the Jessica Jones fandom is Eka Darville, who plays Malcolm. Is he as adorable in real life as he is in the show?

Oh my God, he is so edible. Hes heaven. And hes such a good guy. I love him. He is great on the show this year. He has a bigger story line, we get to see him with Jessica more. He, in real life, is just a doll. Total hippie. Lives in Venice with his beautiful children and his beautiful wife. Hes one of my favorite human beings.

What does one talk about with Carrie-Anne Moss when the cameras arent rolling?

We talk about essential oils. We talk about all the New Age, cutting-edge wellness tools. We talk about feelings and how to run your household. She is a yoga teacher. She teaches Kundalini yoga. She has a book, she has something called the Fierce Grace Collective, which is like a portal for women and self-help. Shes, like, on another level. So theres tons to talk about. Sometimes when were on set together, itll be like, Youve got to pull us apart.

Shes your guru.

She is. Everything in my life that has helped me is all from her.

I have a terrible social-media addiction, and youre one of the best Instagram accounts I follow. How do you keep yourself from being completely Instagram addicted?

Ive been using it recently because now were gearing up to promote Jessica Jones, so I start to gear up, but I didnt even look at it the whole December and January. I knit, so having other things to do besides getting into an Instagram hole, I think is really helpful. I meditate and I knit. Anything to get you off your phone for a few minutes. You should start meditating. Get off it.

I do meditate! I just went on a silent meditation retreat a few months ago.

Oh, really? Where?

In Connecticut. I went to a Jewish silent meditation retreat, if you can believe that such a thing exists.

I can believe that they exist. How long was it?

It was for a week.

Thats amazing.

I didnt do anything other than meditate and pray for a week. Its hard to keep the practice up, but Im trying. Making the time to sit and do nothing is surprisingly difficult.

I know! And then if you go to a meditation class  I go to Mindful, or in L.A., I go to the Den. Its expensive. Im like, I just paid $25 to just sit there for 30 minutes and not be on my phone.

You mentioned your side hustles earlier. What are you working on right now?

Im cooking up some stuff. My company, Silent Machine, got a pilot green-lit at Pop Network, so we just shot that and were in the edit now. So, fingers crossed that we will get to go to series. Thats a comedy and we have a great cast put together. Im working on some new knitting designs. Ive got a few other things up my sleeve. Im doing also the press tour for Jessica Jones, like, starting now. Pretty full-on for the next couple of weeks. And then I may  I may take a vacation. [Laughs.]

Where would you go off to?

I dont know! I dont know. Ive been Googling a lot. Ive been doing a lot of research. They say that researching a vacation releases the same endorphins as actually going on the vacation, so right now Im just enjoying looking at the pictures of people on the beach.

Might another novel be in the offing at some point?

I hope so, yeah. Ive been working on an idea. Yknow, novels take a hundred years. So, I hope so. I hope so. I really loved Bonfire. Then, of course, Ill start promoting that again for the paperback. I hope I have time to do it! Well see.

I dont know how you juggle all of this stuff. I barely get my one job done and here you are, making us all look bad.

I mean, Im a pretty hard-core person. [Laughs.] When I get into something, I go pretty ham. But Im tired, if that makes you feel any better.

This interview has been edited and condensed.
For one afternoon, former Trump aide Sam Nunberg single-handedly owned the media cycle. He did so by appearing on basically every news network possible while talking about how he was going to defy Robert Muellers subpoena. Along the way he revealed exactly how he felt about the president (hates him!), why he doesnt want to turn over emails to the Russian investigation (would take too long!), and some gossip pertaining to Hope Hicks and former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski (juicy!). It was quite the spectacular performance, and late-night hosts were mesmerized. I didnt even know saying screw you to a subpoena was an option, Jordan Klepper said on The Opposition. Because, legally, its actually not an option. Klepper, playing up his conspiracy-loving character, suggested Nunbergs actions were part of a bigger political strategy. You know who laughs in jail? he asked. Crazy people. Nunbergs workshopping his insanity defense and if it works for him, it will work for the whole administration!

Stephen Colbert, who was able to change his material fast enough on Monday to get in some Nunberg material mid-media blitz, also added a few more jabs on Tuesday. He noted that Nunberg was appearing everywhere in digital media and on television. I assume he went on gas-station TVs, a YouTube makeup tutorial, a rerun of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, The Late Show comedian said.

The Daily Show also joked about Nunbergs ubiquity by editing his face into that very controversial Bachelor finale. Noah also noted that Nunbergs day ended with his admitting that he would comply with Muellers investigation, saying that he might even give the special counsel his email password. So after five hours of a verbal car chase it just ended with Nunberg offering Mueller his password, Noah said. Which, lets be honest, theres an 80 percent chance its either Password 123 or Nunberg69.

Jimmy Kimmel called Nunbergs cable news press run a tour de force, saying This might be my favorite season 2 character addition since Ben Linus on Lost. Kimmel joked that Nunberg had been so entertaining that he had already been offered a program on TLC, showing a glamorous clip from the new show, Here Comes Honey NuNu.

Seth Meyers brought in John Lutz to impersonate Nunberg in an interview, where he commented on Nunbergs apparent intoxicated state during his appearances. You know when you go to a bar and say, Im just gonna have one. Well, that was my plan last night  Im just gonna call into CNN. Then one CNN leads to an MSNBC, and then that leads to another CNN, and then the next thing you know youre passed out on a Citi bike, he said, joking about his absurd number of appearances before confirming that the bar analogy was rooted in reality. I also had a lot of drinks.
By the way, did you see the video of Trumps hair in the wind?

In acting training, teachers refer to a performers body and voice as an instrument, but in the case of Nathan Lane, what youre really dealing with is an orchestra-type situation. Even seated at a restaurant table, preparing to explain a crisis he faced in his career eight years ago, he uses the full melodic range of his voice and places the emphasis just so. His mind works very fast; often a sentence comes punctuated with a tiny chuckle halfway through, because, while hes talking, hes also formulated a punch line that he knows will kill.

Thus Nathan Lanes exegesis of Trumps hair in the wind:

Its as if Mother Nature herself  or, if you believe in God, God  had a hand in this. As Trumps walking up, the wind is fiercely blowing  and here his hands become the wind over the tablecloth before shooting out to emphasize Trumps hair  this Frankenstein concoction of Just for Men hair spray and Zero Mostel hairstyling! It blows it all away, this facade of hair, and its revealed that theres absolutely nothing there. I couldnt think of a more perfect metaphor for whats happening than that.

Nathan Lane does nothing halfway, whether its in a restaurant or the rehearsal hall. As his frequent director and longtime friend Joe Mantello tells me, From the moment you open a script to do that first read-through, Nathans giving you 100 percent. Hes out in front of the pack, setting the pace, setting the energy, setting the level of commitment, so that everyone else in the room has to rise to that. To me, theres nothing more thrilling.

In 2010, when he embarked on the self-reinvention that has led to playing the monstrous, magnetic real-life Republican fixer Roy Cohn in Angels in America, Lane didnt do that halfway either. During Lanes year-and-a-half-long turn as Gomez in the critically reviled Addams Family musical, Charles Isherwood, then a New York Times critic, wrote a glowing essay about his abundant gifts. Isherwood wrote a really lovely tribute to me, about my work, and referred to me as the last of the great entertainers, he says. It was all very flattering, and I was very touched by that, but I can find the dark cloud in any silver lining!

The dark cloud was that pesky word entertainer. Sure, hed played Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls and Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Hed been Terrence McNallys muse for the best period of his writing career and had found success in movies and TV. And yet. Many people just saw me as the guy who was in The Birdcage, he says, or the guy who was in The Producers, or, if youre a Russian cabdriver, Mouse Hunt. He recalled a conversation from many years earlier with Kenneth Branagh. We were talking about certain parts, and he said, You cant just talk about these parts  you have to do them. Therell be people who carp and ask why a comic actor is playing this part. Whatever. Who gives a shit? It will be life-changing, because these are the parts that test you, and youll never find out until you try them on.

So thats what he did. He happened to read that Brian Dennehy and director Robert Falls were thinking about staging Eugene ONeills The Iceman Cometh but hadnt yet found their Hickey, the traveling salesman who returns to Harry Hopes Saloon to try to wrest its denizens from the delusions that shape their lives. Hickeys five-hour journey from razzle-dazzler to broken man begging to be executed is one of the great mountain-climbing challenges of the American theater. I thought if I walk in, the audience feels the same way that the guys in the bar do about Hickey. Its like, Oh, this guys just here to show us a good time, and then he doesnt, Lane says. We pull the rug out from under you.

As Falls tells it, I got an email from Nathan saying he was sure I was thinking about someone else for the role, but if Id give it any consideration, hed be delighted. Falls was equally delighted. My first experiences with Nathan as a fan go back to his work as an actor, to the plays of Simon Gray. And seeing him in Terrence McNallys The Lisbon Traviata  that was a profound moment for me. The gamble of casting him in The Iceman Cometh paid off, and the show was a huge success and eventually was revived by BAM in 2015. After Iceman, everything seems easy, and youll never be quite the same, Lane says. ONeill is asking you to be as brave as he is in the writing, and things happen to you.

Its very emotional. Its the same thing Tony does.

Tony, of course, is Tony Kushner, whose Angels in America announced him as a great American writer, public intellectual, and force of nature 27 years ago. Over the ensuing quarter-century, Kushner has remained Angels in Americas steward, careful about how it is produced and directed and who is cast in it. I think this is true of every single person who has ever asked me to do the play  I say, You can do it, but first you have to tell me whos going to play Roy Cohn,  Kushner told me. Not only is it a star part because its this big flashy part, but Roy is a famous person in New York in 1985, 86. Hes somebody the other characters who are fictional would recognize. To Kushner, Nathan Lane seemed like a great idea. Hes the right age. The right temperament. Being a gay actor would be useful. And the fact that hes one of the funniest people in the world doesnt hurt. Hes always brought a degree of emotional depth and complexity. Hes not just A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants. 

Falls offers that the greatest comic actors are often fueled by difficult childhoods, anger, deep sadness. Theres a well, a reservoir, that I think Nathan draws upon. Lanes childhood was indeed difficult, in a specifically ONeillian way. His father drank himself to death when Lane was 11, and his mother suffered from manic depression. This, combined with Lanes frankness when he is unhappy, has given him a reputation for using his humor to disguise a more tragic, pained self. In our time together, however, he seemed genuinely happy, prone to self-deprecating jokes about his age (hes 62) or about how he is worried that this is the worst interview youve ever had to do. Perhaps its that he is romantically settled  he married his longtime partner, Devlin Elliott, in 2015  or perhaps its that, as Mantello puts it, hes always seemed happiest to me when hes undertaking the impossible. And the latest impossible mountain hes climbing is named Roy Cohn.

At the time of Cohns death in 1986 from AIDS-related complications, he had been a celebrity for 35 years. Known for prosecuting Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and then counseling Senator Joseph McCarthy, and then for his long and vicious career in private practice, Cohn had a knack for courting powerful friends and destroying enemies. That served him excellently as a lawyer for John Gotti and the young Donald Trump. As Lane put it, Cohn was a really smart guy. And Trump is not a really smart guy. But the main things  never surrender, never admit defeat, even when you lose, declare a victory, counterattack, hit them ten times harder than they ever hit you? I certainly think that was instilled in him by Roy.

Back when Cohn was tutoring Trump, Nathan Lane moved to New York. He skipped college and learned by doing, working in summer stock and dinner theater while reading voraciously about the stage. I find that experience has always been the best teacher. Also working with great people. Observing, watching them in action. Hed see plays whenever possible, second-acting them when he couldnt afford tickets. I used to love that  just grab a program someone had dropped and walk in. In those days they werent so strict. I saw a lot of great shows that way when I was a starving actor.

In the beginning, he worked odd jobs, conducting phone surveys and delivering singing telegrams. He sang one to a young Sam Waterston on his birthday and another at an Italian wedding where he wound up being heckled by the band. You know youve hit a new low when accordion players are heckling you! So I started to heckle them back, and then the patrons of the wedding yelled out, Keep talking! because I was making them laugh. So I talked. I told them about my sad life as a struggling actor, having to do singing telegrams, and, when I finished, they threw money at me. Like some old vaudeville outfit. Thats eventually why I decided to try my hand at stand-up. I thought there must be something to this.

Many People just saw me as the guy who was in The Birdcage. Or, if youre a Russian cabdriver, Mouse Hunt.

He formed a doubles act with the actor Patrick Stack and took it to Los Angeles. Stack stayed out west, and Lane came back to New York in 1982 to co-star in a short-lived sitcom, One of the Boys, with Mickey Rooney, Dana Carvey, and Scatman Crothers. Soon afterward, he made his Broadway debut in Noel Cowards Present Laughter, directed by and starring George C. Scott. He was one of my heroes as an actor, but he was a tortured soul and self-destructive, Lane says. He was hilarious in it. I remember opening night sitting onstage, and hes yelling at me, and right behind him I can sort of see Tony Randall, whos there watching the show, and Im thinking, Wow! Tony Randall! This is it, baby! I guess Ive made it! George C. Scott is screaming at me on a Broadway stage, and Tony Randall is watching him do it!

Present Laughter opened in the very early days of the AIDS crisis, a year after the New York Times ran its first story about it, headlined RARE CANCER SEEN IN 41 HOMOSEXUALS. Im lucky to have survived, he says. It was a terrifying time. Theres all this research we were doing at [Angels] rehearsal in London, talking about the 80s as a period piece. Im a living artifact. Its great, I think, for people to be reminded of where we were then. How were having the same arguments now, and its happening at a time when were in a constitutional crisis, democracy itself is at stake. Its unbelievable, and all because of fucking Roy Cohn.

To play fucking Roy Cohn, you need to embody a larger-than-life charmer, grandiosely performing while always looking for a chance to go in for the kill. You must summon a man furiously fighting to win a doomed war with death itself; visited by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg; cared for by Belize, a black, gay exdrag queen; and disappointed by Joe Pitt, your protege and possible erotic fixation. You must somehow juggle the three words on the first panel dedicated to Cohn in the AIDS Names Project Quilt: Bully. Coward. Victim.

You need to bring technical mastery and emotional commitment at the same time. You must remain present with the audience and your scene partner, and embody Roys will to dominate while also remaining part of an ensemble. Its not just Roys show, after all. Angels has four main characters, and its protagonist is Prior Walter, a gay man with AIDS who may be about to become a prophet, played in this production by Andrew Garfield.

The most startling thing about Lanes performance as Cohn is the way he uses his technical mastery over his body and voice to chart Cohns physical decline step-by-step. It begins with tremors in his hands and grows to a weakening of his voice, until he gasps for breath and can speak only in a parched whisper. By the end of Perestroika, the second half of Angels in America, his body is convulsing in full seizures.

Hes really exploring  in Perestroika  what it means to die, Kushner says. Its very shocking, the moment when his voice changes from one act to the next. You just hear his major weapon, his greatest instrument, beginning to fail him. His voice, his ability to talk. And thats just stunning.

It isnt all just technique, however. People have said to me, Its very upsetting to watch. And I have to admit it, its very upsetting to do, Lane explains. You have to let this thing happen, and its just awful. But I think its important to see. Its awful to watch anybody go through it, even a prick like Roy Cohn. Hes a vile human being, but hes still a human being, somewhere in there. Cohns dying interview, for 60 Minutes, which Lane watched again and again for research, is tragic. He could have done something great, says Lane. He could have said, Im gay. Yes, its a horrible disease; yes, I have AIDS. Often, I go back and look at that video, and I keep thinking, Roy, just say it! Go ahead, tell the truth for once. But he couldnt. It just wasnt in him to do that.

I ask him if, like many others who have assayed Cohn, he struggled with his own hatred for the real-life figure. Can I tell you something? Just between you and me and New York Magazine? Nathan Lane leans in and beams, speaking directly into my recorder: I love being Roy Cohn!

Lane as Roy Cohn and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as Belize in Angels in America on Broadway. Photo: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg

Now its 7 p.m., and, having navigated the Neil Simon Theatres labyrinthine backstage, Im sitting in the house to watch Nathan Lane tech through a scene from the end of Millennium Approaches, the first half of Angels. Earlier, he warned me to keep my expectations for the tech rehearsal low: Tech will tell you nothing. Tech is when the play goes away. For the past few weeks, the cast has been in a rehearsal hall in Dumbo, doing really spectacular work in very intimate circumstances. And now, now were in this barn of a theater, and we have to figure out the backstage choreography because its very different from London.

Accompanied by Adrian Suttons mournful score, an apartment rises onto the stage as if from the depths of hell, and there he is, the devil himself. Cohn is sick, slumped in a chair like his insides have crumpled. He clings to a tumbler of whiskey as if it were the edge of a cliff hes about to go over. Yet theres a ferocity in the set of his jaw, a determination to win at all costs. All this is present, visible, right in Nathan Lanes body, before a line of dialogue has even been said. I didnt know you could act clamminess, but there you go.

Lee Paces Joe Pitt has cheekbones like daggers, and he towers over Lane in a custom-tailored overcoat, yet he is wary. He knows the rage that Cohn can unfurl. To Pace, this scene is one of the most important in Joes journey. By observing the monster Roy has become, its a crucial step for Joes path toward saying This is not who I am; this is not who I can become. 

But before Joe can get there, he has to start the scene and turn down a job at the Justice Department that Cohn has arranged. I cant, he says. The answers no. Im sorry.

Lane nearly throws away Cohns response (Oh, well, apologies). Even if you dont know whats coming  roughly a page of invective in which Cohn calls Joe a dumb Utah Mormon hick shit  you know the resignation on his face is simply the tall grass hiding a viper preparing to strike. Despite his ample warnings to me, Lane has shown up to do some work, and his performance is as precise and exacting as it was when I saw it a year before in a sold-out house in London. As Marianne Elliott, the director of this production, puts it, Even if were doing it just to run a few lines, he never does anything less than deliver the emotional truth in that moment.

For Kushner, He is one of those very rare great actors who decides that this is where he belongs and what he wants to do. In a way, this is a completely selfish act on my part, because I got to have Nathan Lane play Roy Cohn, but I also felt like this was a little contribution. We all have to take care of each other, and anyone who cares about American theater should care about seeing Nathan play Willy Loman or James Tyrone. He should be doing Falstaff. He should be doing King Lear, because he just has such an ear for complicated language.

There in fact have been conversations about having Nathan Lane play Willy Loman, in a production co-starring Laurie Metcalf and directed by Joe Mantello.

And hed like to do more Shakespeare, given the opportunity. Here and now, however, Lane is giving Cohn his all, even though it appears that only four people are paying attention to him: Pace, Elliott, Angels publicist, and me. Theres a choreography rehearsal for Perestroika in an adjoining room, and soon the sound of voices and laughter is too loud to be ignored.

The scene halts, and Lane looks up and out at the house. Its hard to concentrate, he says softly. Elliott runs onto the stage to give Pace notes while the lighting team makes adjustments. Lane sits quietly. At first I think, Ah, now, I will see Nathan Lane at rest. But no. Sitting in the chair, his eyes scan the house, checking the sight lines. You look up, and theres this vast mezzanine that goes on and on to the heavens, he had told me earlier. Those people way, way, way up there in the last row? I used to be one of those people, students or whoever. His job, as he sees it, is in part to figure out how to reach them and not lose what you had in the rehearsal room.

The stage manager asks them to take it from Cohns line Youre not dead, boy, youre a sissy. Lane nods and then theres that look Ive come to recognize. Hes about to tell a joke, and its gonna kill. He smiles. Youre not dead, boy, youre a sissy. A pause. He doesnt mean it in a mean way. Everyone laughs, but a moment later, when the scene restarts, the genial good humor has vanished. His upper body sags as if the Earths gravity had a special love for him, but the steel is back in his jaw. Theres Roy Cohn again, summoned forth by Nathan Lane, just as devastating  and devastated  as ever.

*This article appears in the February 19, 2018, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now!
From Cookie Monster to Hot Tamale to Dr. Pepper Chocolate Chip, the innovative flavors are all made in house.

Restauranteur Tom Landis opened the business on Lovers Lane, specifically to provide jobs for people with special needs.

There are 240,000 adults with special needs (in North Texas) who are desperately praying for what you and I take for granted: a job, Landis explains.

There are no handouts here. This is not a charity. Employees are trained in everything from food preparation and customer service, to point-of-sale.

Its time we broaden our base and look not at where the disabilities are, but the abilities, Landis says.

Kalin OBrien worked his way up to be the stores assistant manager. He used to work in a hospital cafeteria, mostly wiping down tables, he says, adding Howdy Homemade was a chance to move on to something greater.

Landis saw in him, what other employers might have overlooked.

Tom was willing enough to see that I could probably work here. He thinks Im dependable enough to be onsite early in the morning, OBrien says.

Landis has opened 13 restaurants in his career, and first hired employees with special needs at one of his Texadelphia restaurants.

Maybe God created those with Down syndrome to be more friendly than your neurotypical. Every restaurant wants culinary consistency, whether its low end or high end. No one better for that than those on the Autism spectrum, Landis says.

But he sees an ice cream shop like Howdy Homemade as the kind of business an employee could one day own.

I want to be an entrepreneur and go into philanthropy, says Howdy Homemade employee Chris Creixell, who has worked here for one year.

I like to see the smiles on little kids and their parents, says Lindsey Riddel, who found her first job at Howdy Homemade.

I want to be be a manager,and see if I can help other people. OBrien says.

Tom Landis believes the way to make social change is to shift the focus and show the rest of the restaurant industry where theyre missing out.

In two and a half years, Howdy Homemade has had zero turnover in employees, and consistently receives top marks in customer reviews for service. Those are two areas where many restaurants struggle.

Awesome. Incredible. They cant wait to help you. Theyre as happy as you are, says customer K.K. Atkinson, of her experience at the store.

We can look at the CFOs and the accountants and say, our employees are truly worth more than yours, Landis says.

Its part of the Howdy Homemade philosophy: people first. Then, food.

In less than three years since opening in University Park, Howdy Homemade has a franchise in Salt Lake City. Landis says he has a long list of people waiting to expand with even more stores.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Steve Finksfink@cbs.com443-421-2459

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
A concerned viewer called WAAY 31 Tuesday about a possible investigation involving the Franklin County Commission.

WAAY 31 talked with Barry Moore, the chairman of the Franklin County Commission.

Moore did confirm that the Attorney General's office asked the Franklin County Commission to turn over financial documents.

Moore said, they fully complied with the request but could not provide any more details about the documents that were turned over.

WAAY 31 called the Attorney Generals Office and asked if they were investigating. WAAY 31 was told they do not comment on pending investigations.

The Franklin County Sheriff said, everything was being handled by the Attorney General's office.
(CNN) -- The Mississippi Senate moved one step closer Tuesday to passing a law that would prevent women from getting abortions after they are 15 weeks pregnant. If the law passes, it would be the earliest abortion limit measured in weeks of pregnancy to become law in the US.

The Senate passed a version of House Bill 1510, known as the gestational age act, with minor changes regarding the penalty to providers who break the law. In its current form, doctors would lose their license to practice medicine and face civil penalties. The bill was sent back to the House for another vote, which is considered procedural. If this version passes the House vote, the bill would move to the governor's desk.

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant will sign the bill into law if it reaches his desk, his spokesperson told CNN.

After the bill's vote, Bryant tweeted, "As I have repeatedly said, I want Mississippi to be the safest place in America for an unborn child. House Bill 1510 will help us achieve that goal."

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said in a statement, "Mississippians are committed to protecting the lives of unborn children, and this law will be a major step in accomplishing that goal."

Mississippi currently prohibits an abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy unless "the woman's life is endangered, her physical health is severely compromised or there is a lethal fetal anomaly," according to the Guttmacher Institute.

In all, 24 states have laws that ban abortions after a designated duration of pregnancy. Seventeen states, including Mississippi, ban abortions at about 20 weeks post-fertilization, according to Guttmacher.

Planned Parenthood Director of State Policy Media, Danielle Wells, said she believes the law is unconstitutional. She cited a similar law in Arkansas that banned abortions at 12 weeks of pregnancy if a heartbeat was detected, which was struck down by a federal appeals court.

"Already, far too many women cannot access safe, legal abortions in Mississippi because of existing barriers and restrictions. If this measure passes, it would make a bad situation even worse for women," Wells told CNN.

The bill was held on a procedural motion before returning to the House. The next House vote on the bill has not been scheduled yet.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
(CNN) -- A shooting incident that left one police officer dead and two others injured in Missouri started with a 911 phone call punctuated by screams.

The call came in about 10:20 p.m. ET Tuesday. During the call, two women could be heard screaming in the background at the home in Clinton, said Sgt. Bill Lowe of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

When Clinton Police Department officers rushed to the scene, gunfire erupted.

The shooter barricaded himself in the home, leading to a nearly two-hour standoff. The SWAT team entered and found him dead just after midnight Wednesday, Lowe said.

One officer was fatally shot inside the home, Lowe said, while two others are in stable condition and undergoing treatment for gunshot wounds -- one in the arm and the other in the shoulder.

The identities of the three officers are being withheld pending the notification of the next-of-kin.

Lowe said they believe they know who the shooter is, but will not release any information until they "are positive" about his identity.

It's unclear how he died or what his relationship to the women was. The women were not injured, Lowe said.

Another shooting last year

This is the second Clinton Police Department officer killed in less than a year.

In August, a Clinton officer was gunned down during a routine traffic stop. Officer Gary Michael, 37, had pulled over a vehicle for a suspected registration violation when the alleged shooter got out of his car and fired at him.

The suspect in last year's incident was captured and charged with one count of first-degree murder, and one count of armed criminal action, both felonies.

"It's hard to put it in words what you go through when you have an officer killed in the line of duty," Lowe said Tuesday night.

"And then to have it happen to a department after a short period of time, that's hard to wrap your head around."

The Clinton Fire Department issued its condolences after the shooting, CNN affiliate KCTV reported.

"Our hearts ache for our brothers in blue at the CPD," it said in a statement.

"Our community has lost another public servant due to a police officer involved shooting. We are praying and ask that each of you pray for all involved and especially for the family of the officer who was killed in the line of duty this evening."

The officer killed Tuesday returned to the department after Michael's death last year, Lowe said.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
(CNN) -- Nashville Mayor Megan Barry announced her resignation at a news conference Tuesday morning after she admitted to felony theft.

"My time today as your mayor concludes," Barry, a Democrat, told reporters, thanking the support staff she's worked with during her tenure.

"I sincerely hope and believe that my own actions will not tarnish or otherwise detract from all of the great work they do," she continued. Barry later tweeted that her tenure was "the privilege of my entire professional life."

Barry pleaded guilty earlier Tuesday morning to felony theft of property over $10,000, according to court documents obtained by CNN. She agreed to reimburse the city of Nashville $11,000 and serve three years of probation.

Also on Tuesday, the former head of Barry's security detail, Rob Forrest, pleaded guilty to theft of property over $10,000. He has agreed to serve three years supervised probation and to repay the city of Nashville $45,000, court documents obtained by CNN show.

In January, Barry admitting to having an affair with Forrest in 2016 and apologized.

Barry also offered her support to former Vice Mayor David Briley, who will serve as acting mayor of Nashville.

It's unclear whether Tuesday's guilty pleas are related to the affair, and a message left with the Nashville district attorney's office was not immediately returned.

According to The Tennessean, the two were often partaking in domestic and international travel for work, which led Forrest to rack up $33,000 in expenses and $50,000 plus in overtime in 2017 on top of his $84,500 salary. Nine of the trips were only attended by Barry and Forrest.

Barry told the newspaper at the time that she wouldn't be resigning from office over the matter.

Last month, authorities charged in court documents that newly discovered nude cell phone photos may be evidence that Barry and Forrest were having an affair while he was being paid to be her bodyguard.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Forrest used a work phone to take two photos while on duty. Investigators said evidence pointed to the possibility that crimes -- official misconduct and theft of property -- occurred.

TBI investigators say they looked at Forrest's phone and his emails after Barry admitted publicly to the affair. Two of his emails each contained one photo that showed a partially nude or fully naked woman, court documents say. The documents do not say the woman is Barry.

"The allegations of photos taken of myself are very troubling and infuriating if true," Barry said in a statement after the documents were released.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) -- Three strangers brought together by chance are now forever bonded by a life changing ten minutes.

Those moments were the difference between life and death for 8-month-old girl, Hazel Nelson, who was diagnosed with Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA) and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

A little over a week ago, the bubbly little girl had a close brush with the unthinkable when a quick trip to run errands took an unexpected turn.

"She was blue as blue could be. The bluest baby I've ever seen. Lifeless," said Deanna Berning, an Emergency Room nurse. "No signs of life whatsoever."

Hazel is diagnosed with a rare heart condition and coded that Wednesday inside Walmart.

"I seriously thought she was dead," said Hazel's mother, Jackie Nelson. "I was so panicked and I mean I know CPR, but I was so panicked and she started doing CPR and before you know it, the other nurse was doing CPR."

That's when two strangers, connected by happenstance, stepped in. One woman was a pediatric nurse, and the other worked as a trauma nurse. Both gave life saving breaths and chest compressions to little Hazel.

"I started to kind of feel her pulse start to come back and flutter when I was doing CPR by myself but I just kept doing compressions because that's obviously not a normal heartbeat and you've got to get blood going everywhere."

"I'll just never forget when she opened her eyes and there was so much relief," said Mariah Thurman, pediatric nurse. "I was like, 'She's going to be OK, she's going to be OK."

Those moments of panic are what Hazel's mom knew could be a possibility. But she never expected it to happen so soon.

"Even having a sick kid, I was thinking this isn't going to happen to me," Nelson said. "I know CPR but you are panicked and I'm lucky that there's people there who seriously saved her life."

Hazel was rushed to the hospital and returned home last Wednesday.

"When we got to the hospital, I told Brandon that I didn't even get the chance to thank those women, and they just saved her life," Nelson said.

A Facebook post reconnected the three women. On Sunday, Hazel reunited with her heroes.

None had planned on being at Walmart that day, but all say, it was a meeting of more than chance.

"I don't know why we ended up at that Walmart. We have one at home. Why did I go to that one? I don't know. We just ended up there," Berning said.

Berning had just taken a course about a week earlier to become a certified instructor in infant CPR.

Thurman also hadn't planned her trip to Walmart.

"The other nurses at work say it's a good thing you were there, and my response is always 'Somebody would have done it, too. Somebody else would've been there,' " Thurman said. "But then I think, by the time I got over there, she wasn't breathing, and no one was doing anything."

"I do feel like it was fate. And I feel like even though Hazel is sick, she's meant to be here, and she's a fighter. And she's fought so hard for her life. She's an inspiration because she's always smiling," said Nelson.

Hazel spent a few days in the ICU after the incident. She turned home to her family in Minden, Iowa, last Wednesday.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
(CNN) -- West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill Tuesday that gives a 5% pay raise to all state employees, including striking teachers and school staff.

The deal is intended to end a teachers' strike that has canceled nine consecutive school days across the state. Teachers' union representative Christine Campbell told CNN she anticipates school will be back in session Wednesday.

Both the House of Delegates and Senate unanimously approved the bill and Justice signed it into law.

"It took a lot of pulling for everyone to get there," Justice told crowds of cheering educators at the state Capitol in Charleston. "But we're there."

Randi Weingarten, president of American Federation of Teachers, said the deal was a "huge breakthrough" for school employees and for doing what's right.

"You have a story here, a modern-day story, of labor solidarity on an issue that is irrefutable," she said. "That for teachers to stay in our profession, for bus drivers and support staff to stay and do this work, we need a livable wage, and we need the conditions in schools that we can help kids thrive."

The strike began February 22 when about 20,000 teachers walked out of schools in what has been a show of the strength of organized labor.

Public schools in 55 counties across the Mountain State were closed again Tuesday as teachers and educators demanded higher wages and better benefits, particularly for the embattled state employee health insurance program known as the Public Employee Insurance Agency, or PEIA.

West Virginia ranks 48th in the nation in terms of how much it pays its teachers, according to the National Education Association, and educators say that low pay pushes qualified teachers to leave the state.

Separately, the governor agreed to set up a task force to address the state health insurance program on March 13.

Though currently limited to West Virginia, the strike has had repercussions outside the state as teachers in Oklahoma say they, too, have reached their breaking point and are considering walking off the job next month.

Yet the focus in West Virginia has remained on the teachers in the trenches, even for students who have been out of class for days.

"I wish it wouldn't have come to this and that I was still in school, but I want the teachers to get the wages that they deserve, so I'm all right with it," Victoria Blickenstaff, a sophomore at Fairmont Senior High School in Fairmont, said before the announcement of the deal.

A legislative standoff

The West Virginia Legislature faced a standoff over how much of a pay raise to offer striking teachers and educators. A legislative conference committee was appointed to resolve differences between bills in the House and Senate.

Last week, the governor and union leaders agreed that teachers and service personnel would receive a 5% pay raise, and the House approved the proposal. However, Republicans in the Senate passed a bill Saturday night with a 4% raise.

Union leaders said teachers wouldn't return to work until they got a 5% raise.

At a legislative conference committee meeting Tuesday to resolve the issue, Republican state Sen. Craig Blair said the new deal represents the largest pay raise in state history.

There will be no tax increase to offset the raise, and Blair said the government will see a $20 million reduction in spending out of cuts to general services and Medicaid.

"With this agreement today to reduce spending in state government, in order to give every single dollar available to our public employees, we've achieved the goal of being fiscally responsible while also getting a pay raise that will help our teachers get back in the classroom and our students back to school," said Senate Majority leader Ryan Ferns, a Republican.

Justice told CNN that the funding would not come out of Medicaid or Medicare; the subject will come up in budget negotiations.

The governor said that the bill was a win not for any particular group -- but for what's right.

"At the end of the day, I think right won out," Justice said. "Not that the unions won or the Legislature won or I won. It's the idea and the premise that we ought to invest in education and let education be an economic driver for us."

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
IMAGINING Arts was about all we could do over the last 18 months or so, but now we need imagine no more. Celebrating its 20th...
Australians are no better off per person than they were at this time last year as weakening offshore trade robbed the economy of momentum, the latest national accounts results reveal.

In figures that are set to heighten the national debate over inequality, the Australian Bureau of Statistics' most accurate measure of living standards - real net national disposable income per capita - barely moved in the 12 months to December and actually went backwards in two quarters in 2017.

The indicator of economic growth after population increases are taken into account - gross domestic product per capita -also grew by nothing in the December quarter and just 0.8 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms over the year.

Overall, the worst net-trade result since 2012 reduced annual economic growth to 2.4 per cent as the Turnbull government looked to head off a trade war with the United States that threatens to derail a global economic recovery.
Dont believe the hype.

Employers, the Turnbull government and even the unions themselves are talking up how strong the merging construction, maritime and textile unions will be.

Theyve all got an interest in doing so, for different reasons.

The CFMEU is merging with two other unions. Credit:Amy Remeikis

Employers like to rail against the union bogeyman, despite strikes becoming as rare as a St Kilda premiership.
The woman who lodged confidential sexual harassment allegations against Barnaby Joyce has blasted the Nationals for bungling the complaint, claiming the issue has been used for "political advantage" in a way that threatens to stop other women coming forward.

Fairfax Media on Wednesday revealed an internal review found the bombshell complaint - which forced the former deputy prime minister's resignation from cabinet on February 22 - was compromised by political interference, leading to the complainant's identity being exposed and denying the former deputy prime minister a fair hearing.

Catherine Marriott wanted the complaint to remain confidential but her name was leaked to the media.

The secret review by WA Nationals state president James Hayward questioned the conduct of state MPs who had "regular" communication with Catherine Marriott, the woman who lodged the complaint about Mr Joyce's behaviour outside an event at Canberra's Kurrajong Hotel in 2016.

The complaint was lodged with the Nationals at the height of the controversy over Mr Joyce's affair with a former staffer, and was promptly leaked to the media, along with Ms Marriott's identity.
A staffer to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has lost her job after using social media to accuse her boyfriend, NSW Innovation Minister Matt Kean, of infidelity.

Caitlin Keage, a media adviser in the Prime Minister's office, used Instagram to share screenshots of Mr Kean's explicit texts with state MP Eleni Petinos.

The screenshots appeared to show an intimate relationship between Mr Kean and Ms Petinos, with the minister telling the MP that he was "tempted to drive down and see you".

Hornsby MP and Minister for Innovation Matt Kean pictured in a post uploaded to his Instagram page for Valentine's Day 2018. Credit:Instragam/Matt Kean

Ms Petinos then asks if Mr Kean misses her, to which he responds: "Yup, really need to f--- you."
The man police allege carried out two bank robberies in Perth last week is the director of a civil contractor company.

Anthony Joseph Sita, 46, made a brief appearance in Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning.

One of the CCTV images released by police on Monday. Credit:WA Police

He was not required to plead and did not apply for bail.

Wearing glasses and a grey hooded jumper, Mr Sita shook his head and wiped away tears during his brief court appearance before being led away by security officers.
In a real-life play of the phrase "it's better to ask forgiveness than seek permission" a swimming pontoon independently installed by locals in Lancelin has been hailed a big success - but paperwork is now in the offing.

The pontoon was the idea of the Lancelin District Community Association, who set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to pay for a 4m x 4m structure, estimated at $18,000.

It's hoped the pontoon will help attract tourists. Credit:Kym Illman

The Attorney General and Federal Member for Pearce Christian Porter MP was even listed as a donor, kicking in a $150 contribution.

With the cash swiftly raised, the pontoon was ordered, built and installed on a mooring in Lancelin's main bay, and all without anyone seeking permission from any authority.
Moscow: A Russian military transport plane carrying 33 passengers and six crew members crashed on landing at an air base in Syria on Tuesday, killing all on board, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Initial reports ruled out a terrorist attack against the aircraft, an Antonov An-26 transport plane, with technical failure being the likely cause, the Interfax news agency reported. All those on board were Russian military personnel, the ministry said.

A Russian Antonov An-26 transport aircraft.

"According to a report from the scene, the plane was not fired upon," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, adding that an investigation into the crash had begun.

The plane hit the ground about 500 metres short of the runway at the Russian-operated Hemeimeem Air Base, the statement said.
The Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, and the Executive Secretary of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), Ms. Paulina M. Elago, signed on Monday 05 March 2018 a Cooperation Framework Agreement for the Implementation of the WCO-SACU Connect Project at the WCO Headquarters in Brussels to enhance cooperation based on mutual support.

The signature of the Cooperation Framework Agreement builds on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concluded between the WCO and SACU on 27 September 2010 to promote close cooperation and consultation on matters of common interest; and on the fruitful relationship established in the framework of the WCO-SACU Connect Project financed by Sweden.

The WCO-SACU Connect Project, through its Phase I (2008-2012) and Phase II (2014-2018), dedicates to enhancing regional integration and trade facilitation, covering the areas of Customs Legislation, Risk Management and Enforcement, Trade Partnerships, and IT Connectivity. The Project has, among other results, effectively contributed to establish a regional IT Connectivity and information exchange framework; to enhance engagement between Customs and the trading community; and to establish a regional Preferred Trader Programme (PTP).

With the purpose of defining the roles and responsibilities of the Parties regarding the project management and the coordination of the activities under the WCO-SACU Connect Project, the signature of the Cooperation Framework Agreement between the WCO and SACU reaffirms the longstanding cooperation between the two organizations and reinforces this strategic partnership.
Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. High 83F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable.
Though he hails from Huntington, W.Va., United States Congressman Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) last week paid a visit to the northern panhandle of the state, as he has recently announced his candidacy for United States Senate. As a member of the House of Representatives, Jenkins currently represents the Third Congressional District, in the southern part of the state.

Jenkins was born and raised in West Virginia and is the father of three children. He has served in Congress since 2014; he was then re-elected in 2016 to a second term of office.

Jenkins said he is running for the U.S. Senate on the principals of West Virginia values and fighting for what the state believes in. Jenkins wants to offer tax cuts to the people to put more money in their pockets. He would like to see the Coal Industry moving forward with less regulation and noted an increase in coal trains and barges, moving up and down the Ohio River, since the election of President Trump. Jenkins is also in favor of the building of an ethane storage hub in West virginia.

Jenkins feels he is doing his part to put more money in everyones pockets with the recent tax cut bill. Jenkins stated the tax cut bill would offer almost $2,000 more per year for a $45,000-a-year wage earner. We in effect, by cutting taxes, have given all workers, including teachers, a pay raise stated Jenkins.

The Congressman helped start Huntingtons Lilys Place, a place toured by First Lady Melania Trump during her recent visit to the Mountain State. The facility is designed to help with newborn infants, drug-exposed during pregnancy; these infants suffer through withdrawal for the first days of their lives. Since its startup, Lilys Place has taken care of over 200 infants. Jenkins took this experience and turned it into legislation that passed Congress, and was signed into law by President Trump.

In February, Jenkins office announced West Virginia had received federal approval to cover treatment for neonatal abstinence syndrome, exposure to drugs like opioids during pregnancy. West Virginia is now the first state federally approved to cover NAS treatment at centers like Lilys Place.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will now allow the West Virginia Bureau for Medical Services to cover treatment for NAS. It will also allow West Virginia Medicaid to recognize Lilys Place in Huntington as an NAS treatment center.

Regarding the drug abuse epidemic, Jenkins feels drug companies should be held accountable for the overdistribution of medical substances.

Jenkins was also part of the eradicating the Stream Buffer Zone Rule, put into effect by President Obama.

The STREAM Act, also known as the Supporting Transparent Regulatory and Environmental Actions in Mining Act, would prevent the Office of Surface Mining from implementing the stream buffer zone rule until additional scientific review is conducted. It would also require the agency to release additional information and data used to write the new regulation.

Jenkins stated the eradiction of this rule saved 1/3 of coal based jobs in America. Jenkins added, A good job saves a lot of problems. He feels that jobs will create hope and opportunity, which can help take care of many local problems. He would like to see the state economy move forward.
As of Tuesday morning, it appeared an end might be in sight to the continuing work stoppage by West Virginia teachers and service personnel. As of this writing, a conference committee tasked with reaching a deal on a pay raise for state workers had agreed to an across-the-board 5 percent pay increase for all state workers.

Tuesday morning Governor Jim Justice confirmed the news, stating We have reached a deal. I stood rock solid on the 5% Teacher pay raise and delivered. Not only this, but my staff and I made additional cuts which will give all State employees 5% as well. All the focus should have always been on fairness and getting the kids back in school.

In the meantime, West Virginias teachers, service personnel, and students were spending the ninth consecutive school day on Tuesday out of classrooms. Teachers and service personnel said they were holding the work stoppage for several issues, including higher wages and affordable health insurance.

In Charleston, a House-Senate conference committee had been charged with resolving differences between the houses on a pay raise bill. The committee included Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns, R-Ohio, along with Delegates Bill Anderson, R-Wood, and Brent Boggs, D-Braxton; House Education Chairman Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson; Senate Finance Chairman Craig Blair, R-Berkeley; and Sen. Robert Plymale, D-Wayne. During the weekend, Senate members passed a 4 percent wage increase for school personnel and all state employees. House members on the conference committee, however, indicated the House would stand strong on its position to give state police troopers and school employees 5-percent raises.

Throughout the past couple of weeks, teachers and service personnel in Wetzel and Tyler counties have found support through various county entities and organizations.

Each countys respective board of education has passed a resolution, pledging support for the employees requests for higher wages and affordable health insurance.

At its Feb. 20 regular meeting, the Wetzel County Commission released a letter of support for state employees.

The letter noted that the commission supports teacher, service, and state employees in their effort to obtain a pay raise and affordable healthcare benefits.

We certainly realize this is a difficult issue, but action is needed now to avoid the further loss of good teachers and other essential state employees.

The letter of support was signed by all three commissioners and will be delivered to state lawmakers.

Visit Wetzel County also released a statement supporting fixing PEIA for our teachers and all public employees.

Meanwhile, organizations in the community have been stepping forward to provide childcare and warm meals while school doors are closed.

On Monday, March 5, the New Martinsville Ministerial Association partnered to provide childcare at New Martinsville United Methodist Church. The childcare included crafts, story hour, movies, and recreational time.

The Methodist churches in Middlebourne and Sistersville have also provided childcare during the stoppage, along with Indian Creek Southern Baptist Church, in Blue.

New Martinsvilles First Church of God, located near Walmart, provided a free hot lunchtime meal to area youth on Friday, March 2.

Community prayer services, for a resolution to the work stoppage, were held in each county. The Refuge Church, located across from Burger King in New Martinsville, held a prayer service Friday night, while Middlebournes United Methodist Church held a vigil on Sunday evening.

Joselyn King contributed to this story.
CROSSWALK SET FOR DOWNTOWN ON GOOD FRIDAY MARCH 30

THE COMMUNITY IS INVITED TO WALK WITH THE CROSS

HENDERSONVILLE: First United Methodist Church will lead its traditional one-mile community walk with the cross through downtown Hendersonville on Good Friday, March 30, starting at 11:30 a.m. in the church parking lot.

Each year, Christian pilgrims walk the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) in Jerusalem. We feel called to do the same on the streets of our beloved Hendersonville. Come join us on this pilgrimage, says Rev. Mark Ralls, Senior Minister.

The event is open to all, including families with children. Rain or shine, the procession begins at the Buncombe Street church parking lot, then moves in silence down Main Street, returning to the church via Washington Street. Arriving at the churchs Barber Christian Life Center, walkers will continue their observance with the Good Friday Service at noon in the churchs Christian Life Center.

The community is invited to a reception prior to the Crosswalk beginning at 11 a.m. to enjoy freshly baked Hot Cross Buns, a traditional Easter sweet roll decorated with a sugar glaze in the shape of a cross.

First United Methodist Church is located at 204 Sixth Avenue West, Hendersonville. Parking is available in the Buncombe Street lot. For more information, 828-693-4275 or visit www.fumchvlnc.org.
ASHEVILLE---AND HENDERSONVILLE---WATCHING CLOSELY AS LEGISLATIVE ACTION DEVELOPS ON WATER AND SEWER

LED BY HENDERSON COUNTY STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHUCK MCGRADY

LEGISLATION MAY BECOME NECESSARY TO FORCE MSD TO INCLUDE MORE HENDERSON COUNTY REPRESENTATION, BUT MCGRADY IS LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS

Although Asheville won its last confrontation with the legislature, Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer said shes keeping a close eye on a new legislative committee on water and sewer systems led by Henderson County Rep. Chuck McGrady.

In an interview with Carolina Public Press last Thursday, Manheimer said she understands the need for a statewide look at the systems, but with the recent court case to stop a legislature-mandated merger still a fresh memory, theres a lot of concern in the community that another merger bill is coming.

I think there is this trust issue, she said. At the same time, she said, there is movement toward resolving some of the water issues.

Manheimer confirmed that the city and Henderson County are close to a deal on an interlocal agreement on water lines in northern Henderson County. Lawyers for both parties signed off on an agreement this month.

I think weve gotten it to a good place, she said. The agreement, she said, resolves Henderson Countys concern about a mechanism for extending services to new businesses and residential developments.

McGrady is on a speaking tour of local governments to explain the work of the new study commission he chairs that is charged with looking into water and sewer rates and fees and the use of public enterprise funds. He met last week with Buncombe County commissioners last week.

He told Henderson County commissioners at their meeting last Wednesday morning that the new Committee to Study Rates and Transfers of Public Enterprises he co-chairs is taking a broad approach that goes well beyond a look at water and sewer in Asheville and western North Carolina.

He said the states Local Government Commission (LGC) and the Department of Environmental Quality want to see action to deal with a growing number of troubled water and sewer systems.

From the LGCs perspective were well past the point where every city needs to have its own water and sewer (systems), McGrady said. There needs to be regional water and sewer in many places and they would like to see the GA provide some sticks and carrots to move toward that.

DEQ is dealing with many systems that cant keep up with necessary repairs and upgrades, he said.

Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer (front left) and City Councilman Marc Hunt (front right) leave Wake County Superior Court following a 2014 hearing on the future ownership of the citys municipal water system. File photo by Kirk Ross/Carolina Public Press

While McGrady said he does not plan to introduce legislation in the short session, he expects to continue conducting informational meetings and working toward legislation in next years session.

As for the local utility concerns, he told commissioners the new agreement was a good sign.

My belief is that if Henderson County and Asheville can reach a memorandum of understanding with respect to water that their probably is no need for legislation other than needing at some point to figure out this representation issue, he said.

Manheimer said she thinks it is possible to eventually reach agreement on the larger issue of bringing the Cane Creek system in Henderson County into the MSD, but hurdles still exist, including wariness on what could happen in the legislature.

Its too bad because the merger of the Cane Creek system makes a lot of sense and is a good idea, she said. Functionally I have no problem with it. Its fine, but the trust and governance issue is really the problem.

McGrady did tell commissioners that legislation could become necessary to resolve the issues around Henderson Countys move to join the MSD, which rejected the countys latest request in late December.

On MSD, Im going to look at other options, he said. There are more ways than one way to get things done, but at least before I go down that road I am hoping to see if local governments can resolve the issues before I have to figure out if I can.
By Jina Belcher Ground zero for federal efforts to boost communities reeling from the downturn[Read More]
As protests continue to erupt in the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and across the world in outrage against the horrific shooting of Jacob Bla Read more
Hetq continues its examination of the 264 directives issued by Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan in 2017, looking to see how many have actually been implemented and to what degree.

Researching Karapetyans Clean Armenia project directive, designed to make Armenia more attractive for foreign investment, I received a call from Iranian-Armenian businessman Edvin Khodawerdi.

He wanted to get into the fish farming business in Armenias Armavir Province. Khodawerdi told us that a friend had established a fish farm near the village of Jrarbi, and that outside investment was needed to expand an improve the operation. He had taken some potential investors to the fish farm, but says they were turned off by the trash lining the street.

Khodawerdi, who moved to Armenia in 2003 to pursue business interests, says his friend paid to have the road cleaned several times. Mounds of trash quickly reappeared.

Artesian well and rainwater mixes with the garbage and then empties into the lake where the fish are raised. We and our children eat that fish. Its an embarrassment. Polluted fish cant be exported, says Khodawerdi.





The dump stretches for a half kilometer, from the gates of the Araks Poultry Factory to the fish ponds.

The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development, due to working on the Clean Armenia project, knows the trash dump exists. At its closest point, the dump lies fifty meters from the fish farm. (The site has been labelled Jrarbi 1, but it actually falls within the boundaries of Jrarat)

Ministry data shows that neither the local government nor a private company is hauling the trash away on an organized basis. Nevertheless, residents continue to dump trash at the site, which isnt fenced off. The refuse is neither burned or buried.

The trash has accumulated to a point 1.5 meters above the ground. The nearest homes are 300 meters away. The ministry says the garbage dumps negative impact on the local environment is high.

Clicking on the map will bring you to a more detailed view

It was on April 20, 2017 that Prime Minister Karapetyan fired off a directive to Minister of Territorial Administration and Development Davit Lokyan to work with community heads and provincial governors and include trash collection and hygiene measures in all local and provincial programs. Karapetyan gave Lokyan a one-month deadline, telling him to make sure that the work was closely monitored.

Later that year, on August 4, Karapetyan visited Armavir Province and was told by Governor Ashot Ghahramanyan that 130 of the 171 trash dumps that had been registered in the province as part of the Clean Armenia project had to be cleaned.

An October 5, 2017 post appearing on the governments website stated that 130 dumps were cleaned and 125 closed and that talks were underway to expand the list of those companies available to collect garbage in the communities and to raise garbage removal fee collection rates.

If 125 garbage dumps were cleaned in Armavir Province, why was the Jrarat site, said to pose a high environmental risk, overlooked?

Karineh Danielyan, who heads the Department of Urban Construction of the Armavir Provincial Administration, says Jrarat is one of the two dumps in the province that have grown so huge over the years that community resources are insufficient to clean them up and close them.

In 2017, the national government allocated AMD 10.905 million to nine of Armenias provincial administrations to tackle their most immediate issues.

Attached to that decision was a rider allocating 60,000 drams to the Armavir Administration to draft a plan of action to close the dump.

The action plan has been drafted but the government has yet released the funds it promised to clean the site.

Narineh Avetyan, who heads the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Developments Department of Territorial Investment Policy and Programs, told Hetq that funding will probably go through during the first half of 2018, but that no certain date could be given.

While Prime Minister Karapetyan may have ordered his underlings to clean Armenia, a high-risk trash dump hasnt been cleaned due to a lack of state funding.

Video and photo by Saro Baghdasaryan
Scifest Africa 2018

Catch these Wits researchers at South Africas National Science Festival that kicks off in Grahamstown today.

South Africas National Science Festival, Scifest Africa, will be celebrating its 22nd anniversary event from 7 to 13 March 2018.

Themed: Innovation 4.0, Scifest is focusing on the Fourth Industrial Revolution this year; from artificial intelligence to 3D printing, nanotechnology, digital, quantum computing and the unlimited possibilities of emerging technology breakthroughs.

If you are at Scifest this year, be sure to catch these two lectures presented by Wits scientists:

Thursday, 8 March 2018: Why Should I be interested in Materials?, presented by Professor Lesley Cornish from the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials in the Wits School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering.

Cornish holds a BSc (Metallurgy and Materials), MSc (Computer Science) and PhD (Metallurgy and Materials) from the University of Birmingham, UK. She is a Physical Metallurgist and has been working on alloy development almost continually since her PhD, at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, University of the Witwatersrand and Mintek. Her research has focused mainly on platinum-based alloys, cermets, as well as the derivation of phase diagrams. Cornish is currently supervising or co-supervising 12 postgraduate students, mainly at Wits University, with 30 MSc and 20 PhD students already graduated.

Friday, 9 March 2018: Entomopathogenic Nematodes: Biological control agents to aid South African Agricultural industries, presented by Dr Tiisetso Lephoto, one of the youngest PhD graduates in the field of cell and molecular biology.

She is a multi-award winning, trailblazer scientist and has published papers in international journals. She obtained her PhD at the age of 26 in Nematology, Genomics and Biotechnology with an emphasis in Bioinformatics at the University of Witwatersrand. She is one of SAs brightest young researchers who is passionate about science, agriculture and innovation. One of her aims is to further annotate and analyse whole genomes of the nematodes and its endosymbiotic bacteria she isolated in her study. She is currently a postdoctoral research scientist at Wits University and is supervising five masters students and three honours students with Professor Vincent Gray in the School of Molecular and Cell Biology.
UTICA  A student who is accused of making threats which caused the lockdown of Utica College has been arrested, according to police and college officials.

At a news conference Tuesday evening, Utica Police say 23-year-old Fahrudin Omerovic of Utica has been charged with felony making a terroristic threat. Police say Omerovic called in the threat multiple times on Monday and Tuesday, using a phone app to alter his voice.

Mondays threats caused the college to be locked down for several hours while armored police officers went from building to building evacuating students and staff. Officials did not specify if the community was made aware of Tuesdays threats prior to the 6:00 p.m. news conference.

Omerovic is a 2013 Proctor High School graduate who was taking courses at Utica College. He is being held at the Utica Police Department jail awaiting arraignment Wednesday morning.

Utica College posted a statement from President Laura Casamento on its Facebook page Tuesday evening. It reads:

I am pleased - and relieved - to announce that an arrest has been made in the threat against Utica College. According to the Utica Police Department, a Utica College student has been arrested and charged in the case. I'm sure that more details will be forthcoming, but will be released by the Utica Police Department.

Once again, I want to thank law enforcement for their dedication and hard work to ensure the safety of the Utica College community and to solve this case as quickly as they did. I also want to thank the Utica College community for all that you have done to cooperate with law enforcement and to support each other.

If convicted, a single charge of making a terroristic threat carries a possible penalty of 2-7 years in prison.
MOHAWK, N.Y.--The Village of Mohawk's police chief confirmed four Jarvis Middle School students have been charged in four different threats directed at the facility over the last two days.

Chief Joseph Malone said two separate threats were investigated Tuesday morning. Those threats caused a lockout and two students were charged with making a terroristic threat.

Tuesday afternoon, another student made a separate threat, prompting a lockout that extended past school hours.

Combined with the threat from Monday, four students in total are facing felony charges for making a terroristic threat.

Malone said none of the threats appeared to be connected and that all four students faced disciplinary actions from the school.

"They don't think that we're going to bring them into the criminal justice system for a Class D felony," Malone said. "They don't understand the disruption of the services the other students have. Mrs. Hoskey, the principal of Mohawk, said to the students 'If you think this is a joke or a hoax, do you think the students from [Park]land, Florida would think this is a joke?"

"This isn't a joke," Lawrence Brooks, a parent said. "We just had the shooting the other day, these kids have to learn that if parents aren't going to hold them accountable, the law has to."

The school released a new statement early Tuesday evening.

--full statement--

March 6, 2018

Statement from Central Valley School District concerning events at Jarvis Middle School

ILION, NYOver the past two days, Jarvis Middle School experienced four separate threats against the school.

On the morning of Monday, Mar. 5, a student reported a threat that prompted a school lockdown. On the morning of Tuesday, Mar. 6, students reported two separate threats. In the afternoon of Tuesday, Mar. 6, a student reported a threat. Tuesday's threats resulted in a shelter-in-place and lockout in the morning and a second shelter-in-place and lockout at dismissal time.

In each case, law enforcement investigated and successfully identified the students responsible. They determined none of the threats were credible and the school's students and staff were safe.

Members of the Mohawk, Ilion, and Herkimer police departments, the New York State Police, and State Police K-9 units worked together to bring the investigations to successful ends.

Those involved are all middle school students. They have been referred to the courts.

"We will seek the appropriate consequences in these cases, but consequences alone will not solve the problem," said Central Valley School Superintendent Jeremy Rich.

"Equally important, we need to reach these students before this happens. We need to ramp up the proactive measures we currently take, including mental health awareness, counseling, and building healthy relationships to address students who may be drawn to this kind of behavior."

He credited school staff working with authorities to uncovering the truth in each case.

"Our teachers and counselors invest themselves daily in our students' lives, building relationships and trust. Those relationships are a big reason we close out this day, knowing our kids are safe," he said.

For more information, please contact Jeremy Rich, Central Valley Superintendent of Schools at jrich@cvalleycsd.org.
FRANKFORT, NY - The Frankfort Kiwanis club is 90 years old.

They celebrated Tuesday at the St. Francis Club in Frankfort, as members of area Kiwanis clubs gathered for a divisional meeting.

The Frankfort Kiwanis donates thousands of dollars annually to charitable causes in Herkimer County that assist children.

New York District Governor Candace Corsaro, who was also in attendance, says this is no small accomplishment

"Kiwanis was established in 1915 by 5 gentlemen in Detroit. To have a club sustain 90 years of volunteerism for the children and the community is outstanding."

The Frankfort Kiwanis club plans on holding a gala event in May to commemorate their 90th anniversary.
I stayed well into a night at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem together with a friend. It was the Armenians turn to clean the tomb of Jesus. We watched the small groups clean the top of this tomb with care, refill the oil of lamps that burn over it. Priests did it with a certain habit, pilgrims did it with awe and tears. It looked like an incredibly special moment for these people to simply clean their part of the church, on this piece of land where it is believed that Jesus was crucified and buried.

A small nation with a large diaspora, Armenians share ownership of some of the most valued sites of Christian heritage in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and other locations in the area. Some of such sites are the Holy Sepulcher, St. James Cathedral, the Church of the Nativity, and the Tomb of St. Mary. Armenians are one of the Christian groups with the largest share, together with the Catholics, Orthodox Greeks, and the Coptic. An agreement of Status Quo, initiated by the Ottoman Empire in 1852, sustains the relationships and actions between these and more groups.

Armenians have lived in Jerusalems Armenian Quarter for centuries. Unlike many other places around the world, they did not come here only after the 1915 Genocide, they had lived here long before. According to several historical accounts, they began settling here in the 4th century after officially converting to Christianity. The Armenian Quarter occupies one sixth of the area of Old City Jerusalem.

The ownership of property connects to connections Armenian religious leaders have had with Jerusalem, as well as the travels of pilgrims that began even earlier than Armenias official proclamation of Christianity in 301.

Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem, who presided over the discovery and construction of the Holy Places, was in communication with the head of the Armenian Church, Bishop Vertanness. One of the epistles, which he wrote to him between the years 325 and 335 A.D., deals with certain ecclesiastical questions and conveys greetings to the bishops, priests and people of Armenia. The intimate and warm tone of this important document shows a longstanding and friendly relationship, writes Kevork Hintlian in his History of the Armenians in the Holy Land, which was printed by the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem in 1989.

The Armenian community itself currently amounts to about 700-1000 in Jerusalem, according to various sources, and less in Bethlehem. There are concerns about the decreasing numbers of Armenians, because the community supports the Armenian Patriarchate, and the Patriarchate owns the Armenian Quarter. However, a continuing situation of restlessness in Jerusalem and a general feeling among Armenians that they are often not welcome as an ethnic group, even having lived in the Armenians Quarter for centuries, leaves many uncomfortable and becomes a reason for the community to decrease.

However, for pilgrims who come here from Armenia, the Holy sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem connect only to the religion, with practically no communication with local Armenians, except priests, many of which are from Armenia as well.

With all the changes in the community, politics, architecture, the Holy Land remains of the same unchanging importance, and Christian pilgrims, including Armenians, will continue flooding the Holy Sepulcher and Nativity Church as long as they continue believing.

Pilgrims wait for their turn to see the tomb of Jesus Christ, in Holy Sepulchre Church, Jerusalem, Israel, on Oct. 20, 2017. Situated inside a structure called edicule, this ancient tomb is believed to be the burial site of Jesus Christ.

Pilgrims, mostly Armenian, light candles and worship in the Holy Sepulchre Church, in Jerusalem, Israel, on Oct. 20, 2017. Armenian Priest Father Emmanuel Atajanyan stands among the pilgrims.

Armenian pilgrim sweeps the floor around the edicule that encloses what is believed to be the tomb of Jesus Christ, in the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem, Israel, on Oct. 20, 2017.

Armenian priests situate themselves next to the altar, during a daily church service in the Cathedral of Saint James in the Armenian Quarter, Jerusalem, Israel, on Oct. 21, 2017.

A priest maintains the chapel, inside which the head of St James the Great, one of Jesus Christs apostles, is believed to be buried, in the Cathedral of Saint James, Jerusalem, Israel, on Oct. 21, 2017. This cathedral is considered to be the principal church of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Students of the Theological Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem wait outside the Cathedral of Saint James, in Jerusalem, Israel, on Oct. 21, 2017. The Seminary marks its 175th anniversary in 2018 and currently holds 21 students, awaiting 18 more in the coming days.

Archbishop Sevan Gharibian, the Grand Sacristan of the Armenian Apostolic Patriarchate of Jerusalem, walks after a procession in the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem, Israel, Oct. 22, 2017.

Armenian family prepares for dinner, in the Armenian Quarter, Old City of Jerusalem, Israel, on Oct. 22, 2017.

Young men study in the Theological Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem , Israel, on Oct. 23, 2017. Most of the students in this Seminary come from Armenia.

Children play outside Sts. Tarkmanchatz Armenian School of Jerusalem, Israel, on Oct. 23, 2017.

Deacons and students pray ahead of lunch at the Theological Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Israel, on Oct. 23, 2017.

Child plays in the living room of the house of Arpine Yezigelyan, 65, in the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem, Israel, on Oct. 24, 2017. The portrait on the wall shows Yezigelyan with her late husband who was a carpenter at the Saint James Cathedra. The child playing on the sofa is Yezigelyan's grandson.

Armenian women pray in the Grotto, the believed location of the cave where Jesus Christ was born, in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine, on Oct 25, 2017. Armenian priests hold church services inside the Grotto two times a day. During the Armenian service only Armenians are allowed.

As the Armenian Apostolic service is over, a worker starts letting in people of other nationalities who are not allowed in during the Armenian service at the Grotto in the Church of the Nativity, in Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine, on Oct 25, 2017. The Grotto is believed to be the location of the cave where Jesus Christ was born. Armenian priests hold church services inside the Grotto two times a day.

Women pray in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine, on Oct 25, 2017.

An Armenian priest's dog barks on the roof of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine, on Oct 25, 2017.

First photo: View of the Old City of Jerusalem, in Israel, on Oct. 21, 2017.
LEBANON, Ind. (WISH)  Formal charges against the man accused of fatally shooting Deputy Jacob Pickett were announced Tuesday.



Anthony Baumgardt, 21, is believed to be the individual who fired the fatal shot at Pickett while he was assisting Lebanon police with a vehicle pursuit. Pickett chased the suspects after they bailed from the vehicle and was shot in the head by Baumgardt, according to officials.

The other two suspects involved in the incident were John Baldwin Jr. and John Baldwin Sr. The former is currently being held in the Boone County Jail, while the latter was questioned and later released.

According to the probable cause, the chase lasted for ten minutes where the driver, Baldwin Jr., led police through alleys, yards and other streets. Baumgardt eventually exited the vehicle when Baldwin Jr. collided with two other vehicles in a parking lot. Deputy Pickett exited his vehicle and engaged in an on foot pursuit with Baumgardt in the area of the 700 block of Indian Springs Road. Baumgardt eventually turned and fired the fatal shot toward Deputy Pickett. He was later shot by responding officers and taken into custody.

While being interviewed by investigators, Baumgardt said that he shot a cop because they were going to take me to jail. It was later confirmed that Baumgardt had an active warrant for his arrest that was issued on February 22.

According to online documents, Baumgardt faces charges of murder, carrying a handgun without a license, resisting law enforcement, felon carrying a handgun with having a prior conviction within 15 years, possession of methamphetamine and two counts of possession of marijuana.

Baldwin Jr. faces charges of auto theft, resisting law enforcement, criminal recklessness and leaving the scene of an accident for his role in the incident.

The Boone County prosecutor has said that hell review the possibility of seeking the death penalty in the case of Baumgardt.

Deputy Picketts procession was held Monday.
GREATER LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  Women from the Greater Lafayette area were honored for their work in the community.

YWCA Greater Lafayette hosted the annual Salute to Women ceremony Tuesday evening. The event was held at the Trails Banquet Facility.

Ten women were honored for wisdom, distinction, and innovation. Barb Reif said the event is great way to present their achievements to the public.

"We have women here tonight who have not only excelled in their jobs, they've also been volunteers in many important organizations in the community, doing good works and service in many areas," said Reif.





This was the 43rd year the YWCA has hosted the Salute to Women ceremony.
WEST LAFAYETTE  A West Lafayette median is a cause for concern among area drivers.

The city engineer said several complaints have been received about a lack of visibility, but that's not the only problems drivers have with the median on Salisbury Street.

News 18 spoke with several drivers who told me they've either hit it themselves or saw someone else do it.

Now the city is working to fix the problem by making it more visible, but drivers say they'd like to see more done.

"It's been a change that's been a little confusing," said driver Melissa Flack.

It's a change that has only been in place since November, but drivers in West Lafayette said something needs to be done about this median on Salisbury Street.

"They need to have some kind of lights or paint it neon pink so drivers can see it during the night or whatever since there's no lighting around here," said driver Eric Carney.

West Lafayette Engineer Ed Garrison said the city is on it.

"We addressed it with the developer already," said Ed Garrison. "That these need to be taken care of, but now we're going to be meeting with them again to rehash everything that needs to be done and start talking about an action plan."

Yellow paint on the median's edges and striping will allow for better visibility.

In the meantime, Garrison says he is working to get cones placed, but the lack of visibility isn't the only thing bugging drivers.

"It's difficult to get into these businesses," said Flack. "I've seen other people swerve around it as well. So, I can see where it's an issue."

"If people are trying to get into like Greek's Pizza or CVS, they need to have some kind of cut out for them or something because it's illegal to make a u-turn," said Carney. "You have to pull into somewhere and turn around then turn around."

Garrison said there is a reason for that--considering the median's proximity to Sagamore Parkway.

"It's strictly to be able to keep traffic moving in and out of the intersection as smoothly as possible," Garrison added.

Garrison said he plans to have a formal meeting with the developer as early as this week.

Crews have not been able to paint due to the weather, but he said he hopes to have the new lines done within the next few weeks.
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)  A Tippecanoe County man will serve one week behind bars after secretly recording a family member in the bathroom.

Jason King, 44, told the court Tuesday he put a camera in the woman's bathroom for her own protection. He said he did it because he didn't trust the new guy she was dating.

King said he never viewed the footage of the bathroom because he knew the woman was safe. However, he said if she ever went missing, he planned to give that footage to police.

Tippecanoe Circuit Judge Sean Persin didn't understand why King would put a camera in the bathroom for that reason.

"It just doesn't look right to me," said Persin. "Why the bathroom? Why not any other half of the house?"

Tippecanoe County Deputy Prosecutor Alexander Burns argued King was in a position of trust. He said the state believes this camera was absolutely not set up for security reasons.

The victim testified in favor of King and asked the judge to avoid putting him in jail. She admitted King's actions were bizzarre.

"It's strange," said the victim. "But after I look back at it and see what was going on, it doesn't seem so strange."

She said she didn't believe King had any sexual feelings for her.

Burns said he has a hard time believing King did not view the footage. Judge Persin had a difficult time believing it too.

That's why Persin ordered King to a recovery program and a polygraph test. Depending on the results, Persin told King he may lower the level of his crime.

"I think the victim has a right to know," said Persin.

The Judge agreed with the state, noting King's position of trust as an aggravating factor. However, mitigating factors included the victim's testimony and King's clean criminal record.

Judge Persin sentenced King to one year with 14 days in jail, and the rest on probation. He ordered him to a recovery program with a polygraph test.
TeliaSonera and Turkcell sold their stakes in an Azerbaijani mobile operator presumed to have been dubiously privatized by President Ilham Aliyevs family which may have earned as much as US$ 1 billion from the corrupt deal.

The scandal erupted after OCCRP revealed a complicated web of offshore and business records that connect Azercell, the companys largest mobile provider, to the Aliyev daughters.

The Swedish telecom giant announced on Monday that the 51.3 percent it owns together with Turkcell in Azertel  the sole shareholder in Azercell  were sold to state-owned Azintelecom for 222 million euros (US$273.50 million) - a sum regarded to be way below the real value of the shares.

It is satisfying that we are able to announce a joint agreement with Turkcell to sell Azercell in Azerbaijan, the statement cited Johan Dennelind, President and CEO of Telia Company.

He said Telia was leaving Eurasia and will focus only on the Nordic and Baltic regions.

The company came under fire after in 2014 OCCRP revealed that at least 42 percent of Azercell Telecom were linked to Aliyevs daughters through Panamanian companies. The shares were acquired during the 2008 privatisation of the states portion in the Azerbaijani telecom company and were never paid for.

The companies linked to Aliyevs daughters may have benefited as much as US$ 1 billion in the takeover.

The deal was facilitated through a subsidiary of TeliaSonera, which acted against its own interest. Azerbaijan also suffered a loss. The states share was worth $785 million but was sold for just $ 180 million.

TeliaSonera, which owned a majority share of Azercell, also agreed to dilute its ownership and turn down dividends in exchange for Azercell receiving all required regulatory approvals and licenses to operate in Azerbaijan, according to internal documents from an early version of the deal. A former financial investigator who reviewed the findings called it possibly the largest bribery in Swedish history.

This was the second time TeliaSonera was embroiled in a corruption scandal. Previously, reporters of SVT, OCCRP and TT discovered that the company may have paid bribes to a member of the ruling family of Uzbekistan.

In March 2018, Azercell published its financial report, announcing unprecedented loss in 2017 as a result of unspecified short term investments.

In his Facebook post telecommunication expert Osman Gunduz wrote that the company had failed to address the details concerning the 2017 financial loss but Telia Company said it was satisfied with all the relevant controls.

Azintelecom is a buyer in line with Telia Companys requirements as it is a company wholly owned by the sovereign state of Azerbaijan, Telias statement said, adding that the transaction has already been completed.

occrp.org
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  Co-President of Greater Lafayette Honor Flight Pamela Mow announced 2018 to be the last season for honor flights. Mayors John Dennis and Tony Roswarski accompanied Mow during the announcement.

Mow fought back tears during Tuesday's announcement.

She says they've been contemplating the decision for the past 18 months.

Finances have become an issue, Mow says it costs $100,000 per flight for the airplane.

From the first honor flight in April of 2012, there has been a total of three flights per year.

By the end of this season there will be a total of 22 flights taken and an additional fourth flight is being added.

Mow says being a part of this has helped her grieve the loss of her son, who died serving our country.

"But I have to tell you this is what's kept me going. Not that I won't continue to go on, but it's been a part of my journey in grief," Mow said.

After the final flights, all waitlisted veterans will have their applications sent to their nearest honor flight hub through the honor flight network.

All remaining donations from the Greater Lafayette hub will be sent to the honor flight network.

Since the program began, they have so far taken 18 trips with 669 WWII veterans, 445 Korean War veterans, and 422 Vietnam veterans.

There are four flights remaining this year. The dates for the flights are:

-Tuesday, April 17

-Tuesday, May 8

-Tuesday, September 11

-Tuesday, October 16
Nine years have passed since the Armenian government heralded what it described as the first modern provincial medical center in the country.

Officials were talking about the Hrazdan Medical Center, claiming that area residents would no longer make the trek to Yerevan, the capital, for medical treatment.

Residents I talked to tell a different story today. They complain of a lack of hospital staff and services, pointing out that theres only one ambulance making emergency calls.

Simply stated, people continue going to Yerevan for medical treatment.

It was the World Bank that financed the modernization of Hrazdan Medical Center, comprised of a hospital, polyclinic and maternity ward. All four buildings were renovated and outfitted with $800,000 worth of equipment and furnishings.

Lila Karapetyan, who runs Hrazdan Medical Center LLC, agrees with residents, saying that the staff is overworked, and the medical equipment is old and in need of constant repair.

The X-ray machine is always acting up and the ultrasound equipment needs constant repair. We want to gradually purchase new equipment. Weve received state funds and theres also the hospitals revenues. We can purchase one or two machines a year, Karapetyan says.

When I asked Karapetyan under what circumstances are patients transferred to Yerevan, she said trauma and accident victims are sent since the center lacks a computerized sonogram machine.

Its an expensive piece of equipment. We dont have it, and neither do the medical centers in Sevan and Charentsavan.

The center also faces a shortage of qualified physicians. The center has a staff of 430, of which 100 are physicians. Currently, there are twelve physician vacancies  an ENT doctor, a surgeon, child cardiologist, tuberculosis and resuscitation doctors, etc.

These positions have been vacant for quite a while. Karapetyan says specialists earn a good monthly wage  150,000 drams  and is surprised that doctors from Yerevan arent applying.

Karapetyan says that while the medical center has five ambulances, only one is used with a rotating emergency staff since it costs 45 million drams to employ just one emergency team.

It costs 40-50 million drams to employ one ambulance emergency team. We cant afford more than one, Karapetyan says. One of the ambulances is used to transfer patients to Yerevan.

Karapetyan says that the area covered by the ambulance is large and some people are left waiting, even though emergency calls are prioritized.

The Hrazdan Medical Center services the town of Hrazdan (population 41,000) and another 15,000 people from nearby communities and villages. These numbers increase during the summer with the arrival of thousands of vacationers, thus placing a further strain on the medical centers already stretched resources.

Karapetyan, who was hired as the centers acting director last November, previously worked at the Meghradzor Medical Centers ambulatory clinic for seventeen years.

She says the most common ailments in the area are high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiomyopathy and cancerous growths.

The latter have increased of late, especially in Meghradzor, where a gold mine operates.

Photos: Narek Aleksanyan
Milestone agreements for Vermont Yankee transfer

07 March 2018

Share

Affiliates of Entergy Corporation and NorthStar Group Services Inc have signed agreements with State of Vermont agencies and other parties on terms for the sale approval of the shut-down Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant to NorthStar. The sale will enable the accelerated decommissioning of the single-unit boiling water reactor plant.

Vermont Yankee (Image: Entergy)



Entergy's affiliates and NorthStar announced on 3 March the signature of a settlement agreement and memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the terms for approval of the proposed sale of Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, the entity that owns plant. The agreements were signed with Vermont's Department of Public Service, Agency of Natural Resources (ANR), Department of Health, and Attorney General's Office. They have also been signed by the Town of Vernon Planning and Economic Development Commission, the Windham Regional Commission, the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi and the Elnu Abenaki Tribe, and the New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution (NEC).

Entergy in November 2016 announced the sale of Vermont Yankee to NorthStar. NorthStar has committed to start decontamination and dismantling work at Vermont Yankee by 2021 and to complete decommissioning and site restoration - with the exception of the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) - by 2030, 45 years sooner than under Entergy's original decommissioning schedule for the plant. The companies said the settlement agreement and MoU are significant milestones towards the approval of the proposed transaction by the Vermont Public Utility Commission (PUC) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

As part of the MoU and settlement agreement, NorthStar has agreed to provide additional financial assurances for the project. These include an increase in NorthStar's support agreement from USD120 million to USD140 million; the establishment of an interest-bearing escrow account initially funded with USD30 million, eventually increasing to USD55 million through additional contributions from NorthStar and from which withdrawals may only be made with the approval of the Department of Public Service and ANR; a USD25 million subcontractor guarantee; and USD130 million of pollution legal liability insurance.

Entergy has agreed to bring the balance of the Site Restoration Trust, established through a 2013 settlement agreement with the State of Vermont, to USD160 million. This is expected to entail a contribution of about USD30 million, the company said. It has also conditionally agreed to contribute USD40 million of proceeds from Department of Energy litigation expected in 2023.

The parties have agreed to detailed site restoration standards including key terms on: radiological dose limits; compliance with ANR regulations and state radiological health rules; groundwater sampling of non-radiological contamination and characterisation of underground structures and fill materials used on site; the standards to which different segments of the property must be remediated; the removal of all above-ground structures with the exception of the ISFSI and certain other structures; and the removal of all underground structures to agreed depths.

The parties have now submitted an MoU to the PUC reflecting these increased financial assurances and restoration standards. PUC approval of the MoU is a pre-condition to the closing of the transaction between Entergy and NorthStar, and the companies have requested a decision from the commission by 31 July. The transaction is also subject to approval by the NRC. As part of the settlement agreement, the State of Vermont and the NEC are to withdraw requests for hearing in the NRC proceeding.

The companies anticipate the transaction will close by the end of this year, if all regulatory approvals are obtained.

Vermont Yankee, near the town of Vernon, entered commercial operation in 1972. Entergy purchased the plant from the Vermont Yankee Power Corporation in 2002, but in 2013 announced its closure for economic reasons. The 600 MWe plant was permanently shut down on 29 December 2014.

Under the proposed transaction, NorthStar intends to begin decontamination and dismantlement of the plant by 2021 and to complete the decommissioning and restoration of the site by 2030. The company says these dates could potentially be brought forward to 2019 and 2026, respectively.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
BASF and Beijing Tiertime will collaborate to develop materials for industrial applications with FFF technology.

SHANGHAI, CHINA: Innofil3D, a subsidiary of BASF SE and Beijing Tiertime, a leading fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printer manufacturer, signed a strategic partnership to support the further development of the 3D printing industry in China and US.

Under the agreement, Beijing Tiertime will distribute high-quality filaments from Innofil3D in China and the United States, and the two parties will work together to develop engineering materials for industrial applications with FFF printing.

With the introduction of our UP series for FFF printing, in 2010, we contributed to the rise of desktop 3D printers in the consumer and education sectors. Now we recognize that desktop FFF 3D printers are being used for industrial use, due to lower investment costs, said Andrew Qin, sales director, Beijing Tiertime.

By working closely with a strong partner like BASF, we can bring their well-developed Innofil3D materials to the Chinese market, enabling us to respond quickly to an increased demand for premium materials from the professional and industrial sectors, added Qin.

Beijing Tiertime offers significant advantages for Innofil3D in China. They have demonstrated their capabilities in manufacturing reliable 3D printing machines with a strong market penetration. We believe this strong partnership will enable end-customers to capitalize on the full benefits of FFF printing in China and US, said Jeroen Wiggers, managing director of Innofil3D.

 Worldofchemicals News
Police are looking to arrest a man who was seen stealing a motorcycle while eating noodles, according to police in Australia.

Port Phillip Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating the theft of the three-wheel motorbike in St. Kilda.

It is believed that the man, who was not yet identified, stole the 2014 three-wheeled Piaggio motorcycle from a Fitzroy Street underground parking lot.

The suspect was seen eating a plate of noodles while stealing the motorcycle.

The noodle eating offender was seen entering the parking lot while carrying his bowl and some unidentified metal items, at about 7:00 p.m.

He was seen riding from the premises on the stolen red, black, and silver Piaggio shortly afterwards.

There was no sign of the bowl of noodles or a helmet.

Investigators have released images and surveillance video footage of the man they believe was behind the theft.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Leading Senior Constable Lee Thomson is heading the investigation and is hoping to hear from the public soon.
Anush Margaryan

I hit the video call button on my computer and images of my heroes soon appear  Anna and her son Areg, almost four years old, who has lost his hair to chemotherapy.

The child, whose name means sun in Armenian, is battling neuroblastoma  a rare type of cancer mostly affecting children under the age of 5.

Areg turns four on March 10, just one day after he finishes his sixth round of chemo.

Theres no meat on his bones. See for yourself Anush, Anna tells me.

The first sign that something was wrong came out of the blue, last August. Areg who outwardly appeared healthy, collapsed during a vacation trip with his family. He got feverish and lost the ability to walk. The family rushed back to Armenia and Areg was hospitalized.

Areg spent a week at Yerevans Arabkir Childrens Medical Center before doctors were able to diagnose the disease. Its a rare type of cancer that still needs more research.

Doctors in Armenia told the parents that Aregs condition was dire and that an immediate decision on a course of medical treatment was necessary.

Anna, and her husband Armenak, never gave up hope; theyre fighters. (Armenak lost his sight at the age of seven, went on to get a University law degree, and is a co-founder of the start-up HelloSIM)

Aregs parents took him to Germany and the boy was admitted to Cologne University Hospitals (Uniklinik Cologne) Cancer Center on September 18, where Professor Frank Berthold conducts neuroblastoma research that has led to a variety of experimental treatment options.

They arrived at the hospital in the evening. The place looked deserted and the parents didn't expect to be helped. But the door opened, and the admitting physician let them in, instructing the staff to ask for a deposit.

A battery of tests followed, and a medical treatment plan was devised, including chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant.

We say that human life is precious, but when you hear the numbers quoted by physicians, half a million euros, you really feel just how expensive it can be. But at least you see that the doctors are doing the best they can, Anna says.

After months of arduous treatment, six rounds of chemo and surgery, Areg is showing signs of improvement. Professor Thorsten Simon, whos currently supervising the boys treatment protocol, says theres cause for cautious optimism.

Sadly, in Armenia, those undergoing chemotherapy cant obtain the most basic of drugs. The staff at the Cologne University Hospital makes sure that the cancer clinic has a positive environment where patients, young and old, are put at ease and treated humanely. Children, especially, are treated with special care. The comparison with Armenia is night and day.

Aregs parents need to raise another 100,000 by March 15, so that Areg gets a necessary round of high dose chemo, followed by the stem cell transplant.

As Anna writes on her You Caring fundraise page: The high dose chemotherapy is perhaps the most expensive as to compared with the other ones we have so far had. And today we received another invoice from the Uniklinik, stating that in order to continue the treatment they need a prepayment of another EUR 100 000 by the 15th of March, that sounds crazy, to be able to get that money within 9 days only, but this is the requirement and the price for our son's health and life.

The family has already paid 90,000, mostly in donations, for Aregs medical treatment.

A German foundation has kicked in some 35,000 for the chemo and the removal of an adrenal gland tumor.

While his parents are busy fundraising, little Areg impatiently counts the days to his March 10 birthday. Hes painting Easter eggs and wants to get better soon. He misses his home and his sister back in Armenia.

You can make Aregs return trip a reality.

Donations can be made online at the Areg Khachatryan You Caring webpage.

Banks transfers can be made at the following HSBC accounts in the name of Anna Babajanyan:

AMD 217001243302001

USD 217001243302101

EUR 217001243302102
Gary Cohn, Donald Trumps chief economic advisor, announced his resignation Tuesday, less than a week after the presidents decision to impose tariffs on aluminum and steel, a trade war measure that Cohn strongly opposed. He is expected to leave his post as head of the National Economic Council in the coming weeks.

The New York Times reported last week that Cohn, the former president of Goldman Sachs, had threatened to quit if Trump implemented the measures he announced last Thursday. He remained in his position for several days during which, according to media reports, he and other administration officials sought to persuade Trump to back away from his announcement of universal tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on imported aluminum.

These appeals have apparently failed to shift Trump, who, along with trade hawks such as Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and top trade adviser Peter Navarro, has to this point rejected calls for more selective trade penalties directed mainly against Russia and China.

Among those reportedly opposed to Trumps trade war policy are Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, like Cohn a multimillionaire alumnus of Goldman Sachs, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the former CEO of ExxonMobil, and retired Gen. James Mattis, the secretary of defense. The Wall Street wing of the administration opposes the Trump tariff in large part out of fears that retaliation by US economic competitors will spark a new financial crisis. Mattis and others in the national security and military establishment are concerned over the consequences of the increasingly open antagonism between the US and Europe, particularly Germany, for US military and geopolitical alliances such as NATO.

Trump released an official statement Tuesday praising Cohns superb job in the White House and thanking him for his service.

Cohns resignation marks a continuation of the conflict between the ultranationalist and Wall Street wings of the Trump administration, which led to the departure of Trumps fascistic advisor Stephen Bannon.

According to Axios, Cohn was joined by recently departed White House staff secretary Rob Porter in a heated Oval Office meeting in January in which they warned Trump that implementing the tariffs would tank the stock market and wipe out the benefits to corporations from the massive corporate tax cut signed into law two months ago.

Trump rejected Cohn and Porters position, dismissing them as a globalists and siding with Navarro and Ross, who argued that the tariffs were necessary to protect American industry, show the world that the administration would be tough on trade, and shore up Trumps base.

Porter was forced to resign in February over allegations of domestic abuse against two former wives. Cohn remained in his position, reportedly continuing to argue with Ross over the tariffs in the hours before Trump made his announcement last week. Despite their differences on trade, the New York Times reported that in recent weeks Trump had raised with Cohn the possibility that he might replace retired Gen. John Kelly as White House chief of staff, without ever formally offering him the position.

Cohn had previously threatened to quit in August of last year after Trump defended as good people white supremacists who rampaged in Charlottesville, Virginia, resulting in the death of one antifascist protester. Cohn, who is Jewish and a registered Democrat, decided to stay on in order to usher through the Trump tax cuts for corporations and the rich.

Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein tweeted that he was disappointed to see [Cohn] leave the Trump administration and praised him for serving his country in a first class way. Wall Street banks are expected to reap major windfalls from the tax cuts Cohn helped to get passed.

The departure of Cohn is only the latest in series of high-profile resignations. Trump saw more than a third of White House officials leave in his first year in office, surpassing all presidential administrations over the last three decades.

White House Communications Director Hope Hicks announced her resignation last week, just a day after refusing to answer questions about her time in the White House during a closed-door appearance before the House Intelligence Committee, held as part of the Democratic Party-driven investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Hicks was dating Porter at the time of the scandal that forced his resignation.

National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster is reportedly preparing to leave the White House and Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, a senior advisor, may be forced out of his position after losing his top secret security clearance last month.
PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE

An extraordinary number of former intelligence and military operatives from the CIA, Pentagon, National Security Council and State Department are seeking nomination as Democratic candidates for Congress in the 2018 midterm elections. The potential influx of military-intelligence personnel into the legislature has no precedent in US political history.

If the Democrats capture a majority in the House of Representatives on November 6, as widely predicted, candidates drawn from the military-intelligence apparatus will comprise as many as half of the new Democratic members of Congress. They will hold the balance of power in the lower chamber of Congress.

Both push and pull are at work here. Democratic Party leaders are actively recruiting candidates with a military or intelligence background for competitive seats where there is the best chance of ousting an incumbent Republican or filling a vacancy, frequently clearing the field for a favored star recruit.

A case in point is Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA operative with three tours in Iraq, who worked as Iraq director for the National Security Council in the Obama White House and as a top aide to John Negroponte, the first director of national intelligence. After her deep involvement in US war crimes in Iraq, Slotkin moved to the Pentagon, where, as a principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, her areas of responsibility included drone warfare, homeland defense and cyber warfare.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has designated Slotkin as one of its top candidates, part of the so-called Red to Blue program targeting the most vulnerable Republican-held seatsin this case, the Eighth Congressional District of Michigan, which includes Lansing and Brighton. The House seat for the district is now held by two-term Republican Representative Mike Bishop.

The Democratic leaders are promoting CIA agents and Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. At the same time, such people are choosing the Democratic Party as their preferred political vehicle. There are far more former spies and soldiers seeking the nomination of the Democratic Party than of the Republican Party. There are so many that there is a subset of Democratic primary campaigns that, with a nod to Mad magazine, one might call spy vs. spy.

The 23rd Congressional District in Texas, which includes a vast swathe of the US-Mexico border along the Rio Grande, features a contest for the Democratic nomination between Gina Ortiz Jones, an Air Force intelligence officer in Iraq, who subsequently served as an adviser for US interventions in South Sudan and Libya, and Jay Hulings. The latters website describes him as a former national security aide on Capitol Hill and federal prosecutor, whose father and mother were both career undercover CIA agents. The incumbent Republican congressman, Will Hurd, is himself a former CIA agent, so any voter in that district will have his or her choice of intelligence agency loyalists in both the Democratic primary and the general election.

CNNs State of the Union program on March 4 included a profile of Jones as one of many female candidates seeking nomination as a Democrat in Tuesdays primary in Texas. The network described her discreetly as a career civil servant. However, the Jones for Congress website positively shouts about her role as a spy, noting that after graduating from college, Gina entered the US Air Force as an intelligence officer, where she deployed to Iraq and served under the US militarys Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy (the last phrase signaling to those interested in such matters that Jones is gay).

According to her campaign biography, Ortiz Jones was subsequently detailed to a position as senior advisor for trade enforcement, a post President Obama created by executive order in 2012. She would later be invited to serve as a director for investment at the Office of the US Trade Representative, where she led the portfolio that reviewed foreign investments to ensure they did not pose national security risks. With that background, if she fails to win election, she can surely enlist in the trade war efforts of the Trump administration.

How this article was prepared

The House of Representatives is currently controlled by the Republicans, with a majority of 238 compared to 193 Democrats. There are four vacancies, one previously held by the Democrats. To reach a majority of 218 seats in the next Congress, the Democrats must have a net gain of 24 seats.

The DCCC has designated 102 seats as priority or competitive, including 22 seats where the incumbents are not running again (five Democrats and 17 Republicans), and 80 seats where Republican incumbents could be defeated for reelection in the event that polls predicting a sizeable swing to the Democrats in November prove accurate.

The World Socialist Web Site has reviewed Federal Election Commission reports filed by all the Democratic candidates in these 102 competitive districts, focusing on those candidates who reported by the latest filing date, December 31, 2017, that they had raised at least $100,000 for their campaigns, giving them a financial war chest sufficient to run in a competitive primary contest. In addition, there a few cases where a candidate had less than the $100,000 cutoff, but was unchallenged for the nomination, or where last-minute retirement or resignation has led to late entry of high-profile candidates without an FEC report on file. These have also been included.

The total of such candidates for the Democratic nomination in the 102 districts is 221. Each has a website that gives biographical details, which we have collected and reviewed for this report. It is notable that those candidates with a record in the military-intelligence apparatus, as well as civilian work for the State Department, Pentagon or National Security Council, do not hide their involvement, particularly in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They clearly regard working as a CIA agent in Baghdad, an Army special ops assassin in Afghanistan, or a planner for drone missile warfare in the White House or Pentagon as a star on their resume, rather than something to conceal.

One quarter of all the Democratic challengers in competitive House districts have military-intelligence, State Department or NSC backgrounds. This is by far the largest subcategory of Democratic candidates. National security operatives (57) outnumber state and local government officials (45), lawyers (35), corporate executives, businessmen and wealthy individuals (30) and other professionals (19) among the candidates for Democratic congressional nominations.

Of the 102 primary elections to choose the Democratic nominees in these competitive districts, 44 involve candidates with a military-intelligence or State Department background, with 11 districts having two such candidates, and one district having three. In the majority of contests, the military-intelligence candidates seem likely to win the Democratic nomination, and, if the Democrats win in the general election, would enter Congress as new members of the House of Representatives.

There are some regional differences. In the Northeast, 21 of the 31 seats targeted by the Democrats have military-intelligence candidates. This area, not the South or Midwest, has the highest proportion of military-intelligence candidates seeking Democratic nominations.

In the West, only 7 of the 23 targeted seats have military-intelligence candidates, while in a half dozen seats the leading candidates are self-funded millionaires, mainly from the IT industry. There has been a wave of Republican retirements in California and wealthy people are bidding for these seats.

The military-intelligence candidates are disproportionately favored by the party apparatus, encouraged to run in districts that are the most likely takeover targets. Military-intelligence candidates account for 10 of the 22 districts selected for the most high-profile attention as part of the red-to-blue program, or nearly half. In some cases, military-intelligence candidates have amassed huge campaign war chests that effectively shut out any potential rivals, an indication that the financial backers of the Democratic Party have lined up behind them.

To be continued
US Border Patrol agents have given themselves the power to determine whether the relationshipsparticularly between parents and childrenclaimed by undocumented immigrants are in fact legitimate, according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal.

The usurping of such power by the federal agency has far-reaching consequences, including the unconscionable separation of children who have already suffered the severe trauma of leaving their homes and making a dangerous crossing, from their families.

As the WSWS reported last month, the practice of separating families has now become an unstated, yet critical, part of the Trump administrations immigration policy. The administration and its supporters have claimed that undocumented migrants have exploited the flexibility of immigration laws that have allowed families to be released from detention centers while their asylum cases were being considered by the courts. Decrying this as catch and release, the administration has now turned its attention to novel ways of discouraging undocumented border crossings.

While the legal system does not yet permit the wholesale jailing of families that seek asylum, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has begun, in the name of preventing sex trafficking of minors, the process of questioning the legitimacy of familial relationships to justify the punishing practice of separating children from their parents, so that the latter can be jailed. The separated children are then generally sent to extended family, often in the US.

In February, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit against the DHS for its forcible separation of a 39-year old Congolese woman from her 7-year old daughter. The woman, who is named as Ms. L in the lawsuit, travelled with her young daughter from the Democratic Republic of Congo, through Mexico, and surrendered herself to immigration agents at the San Ysidro Port of Entry near San Diego. She told the agents that she and her daughter were fleeing the violence in their home country and were seeking asylum. The woman was detained in the Otay Mesa Detention Center, California by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Four days later, her daughter was taken more than 2,000 miles away to a youth shelter in Chicago run by the US Office of Refugee Resettlement.

The ACLU statement on its filing explains that Ms. L was separated from her child without any explanation or justification: When the officers separated them, Ms. L. could hear her daughter in the next room screaming that she did not want to be taken away from her mother. No one explained why her daughter was being taken away, where she was being taken, or when she would see her child again.

Since then, the Congolese mother has only spoken to her daughter a handful of times over the phone, and in each conversation the traumatized child cries since she has no idea what will happen to her and her mother. The statement goes on to highlight the fact that the government has no legitimate reason to separate the mother from her child, since there has been no evidence, or even accusation of abuse or neglect. It is therefore a blatant violation of the constitutional rights guaranteed under the Fifth Amendment.

The story in the Wall Street Journal describes the plight of the 10 migrants from Central America, who attempted to surrender to Border Patrol agents upon crossing the Rio Grande into Texas. The group consisting of five adults and five children had fled their homes because of gang violence. When they sought and found the agents, they were lined up and questioned about their relationships. The agents claimed that they were suspicious since two of the men told the same kinds of storiesabout being deserted by their wivesto explain why the mothers had not made the crossing, and also that one of the men did not seem to know the exact birth date of his daughter. On this pretext the whole group was then arrested as prelude to the separation of the children from the adults.

Since 2014, more than 260,000 immigrants traveling as families have been caught crossing the Mexican border without the required documents. The Obama administration reacted with an aggressive campaign against the waves of familial migration, particularly from Central America, including opening up jails to hold families while their cases were heard. The DHS-run jails seemed to have had an impact, with the number of apprehended family units apprehended falling from nearly 69,000 in 2014 (when the jails were opened) to about 40,000 within a year.

However, in 2015, a federal judge in California ruled that jailing children violated a decades-old settlement governing the treatment of underage migrants. This forced the Obama administration to release families caught at the border. Now with the pretext of preventing the trafficking of minors, the Trump administration has now found a way around the legal obstacle.

Border Patrol agents have claimed that the assumption of safe passage and asylum for families has led to numerous cases of fraud, including the production of fake birth certificates and declaration of nonexistent parental relationships. Officially, agents in the Rio Grande sector are said to have identified 376 cases of fraud among children and family migrants and prosecuted 54 cases this fiscal year.

Even if these numbers were to be accurate, that is still a tiny fraction of the total number of migrants who attempt to make the dangerous border crossing with their young children every day. As migrant advocates have pointed out, the majority of cases are legitimate and involve people fleeing extreme violence in their home countries.

The separation of children from the families has largely been done without any explanation or excuse. Supporters of such policies frame them as a way to protect children from abuse and help stop smugglers and the crime of human trafficking. These claims are specious at best. While it is undoubtedly true that many migrants pay smugglers to help transport them, or for that matter their children, across the border, the root causes for such acts of desperation do not lie in supposedly abusive parental relationships. They are to be found in the poverty and violence that are themselves the product of the crisis of capitalism.

Furthermore, human smuggling is not the same as human trafficking. The two are very distinct offenses under US lawtrafficking involves the use of coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery, while smuggling consists primarily of moving immigrants across borders, with the consent of those who are being transported.

Indeed, conflating the two is part of a concerted strategy of criminalizing immigrants, and justifying a cruel and heartless policy that is focused solely on discouraging undocumented border crossings by any means. The DHS released statements to the media last month to tie DACA youth to human smuggling in an effort to drag the image of the immigrant youth through the mud, as they are widely supported by the public.

The American Academy of Pediatrics described the policy of separating children from their parents as harsh and counterproductive. In January this year, a group of more than 70 national and 50 state and local immigrant advocacy groups wrote to Kierstjen Nielsen, the DHS secretary, expressing strong opposition to the family separation policy. The letter declared that separating migrant families was fundamentally un-American, cruel, and breaches U.S. and international child welfare and refugee principles and laws. The exposure of the Border Patrols new tactic makes it evident that this violation of a fundamental human right enshrined in international law by the US government will continue unabated.

The ruling class is intent on sending a message to immigrants that not only will asylum not be granted, but families and children will be subjected to punishment and trauma in the process. The Democratic Party condones the practices of DHS and the Trump administration. When questioned, they rely on the convenient strawman of the widely despised president, but are silent on the Obama administrations role of expanding detention centers and the fascistic elements of ICE.
The March 1 edition of the Times devoted its front page to a headline demand: Spend more on armed forces or risk defeat, military chief warns.

General Sir Gordon Messenger, vice chief of the defence staff, became the first senior military figure in a generation to explicitly call for more funding, it reported.

Speaking to Defence Editor Deborah Haynes, General Messengerwho has served in the former Yugoslavia and Iraq and was head of the British Armys Task Force to Afghanistans Helmand provinceinsisted that an increase in arms spending beyond the current 2 percent of GDP is a necessity and a duty to the nation.

Messenger holds the second most senior position in the British armed forces and is a strong candidate to succeed the current chief of defence staff, Sir Stuart Peach. The final decision on the appointment lies with Prime Minister Theresa May. His comments would undoubtedly have been cleared and approved by both the government and the intelligence apparatus.

Agreeing that increased defence spending would entail cuts elsewhere as there are all sorts of pressures on the public purse, he insisted, we should be making the case for a bigger defence budget in order to respond to those types of threats that are changing all the time. 

Messenger said, I am not suggesting that we are about to descend into world war any moment now, but I do think there are activities going on that need to be countered.

Making clear the target of increased spending, he said, You also need to project forward 10 or 15 years and I dont necessarily select Russia out from others in this, but we need to be ready for a deterioration in the international arena. And we need to recognise what that confrontation might look like, what capabilities we might have to develop in order to be a player in that confrontation and plan accordingly.

While mapping out preparations for future wars, Messenger insisted that more defence spending was required immediately for wars that are imminent. He revealed that the British military are preparing scenarios to participate in a US-led assault on North Korea, stating that this was a global security issue.

Writing in the Times March 1, Messenger outlined a sweeping description of the forces British imperialism was preparing to confront: There are state and non-state actors that are prepared to view what we describe as the rule-based international order in a very different way and do things that we believe are outside international norms and international law.

He viewed the next big fight, most likely against nuclear-armed Russia, as winnable.

Russia has invested in certain capabilities...but there are still plenty of places where we can overmatch them and when you include the multiplying effect of doing so in a NATO force with 29 nations each bringing their own niche areas of strategic advantage I think that is quite a compelling story.

Messengers demands were reinforced in an op-ed piece in the same edition of the Times. This was written by Lord Richards of Herstmonceux, former chief of the defence staff, and Michael Clarke, a former director of the influential Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) military think tank. They called for a strategic surge after Brexit to face challenges in foreign and defence policies that we would have faced in the next decade even had we not voted to leave the EU.

A new grand strategy was needed because the current situation was not unlike the choice we faced in 1940, when, in the early years of World War II, Britain was forced to evacuate its army from France. Today, they stated, to avoid national isolation caught between disinterested, pre-occupied Europeans and Trumpist Americans, a shift of national resources to make best use of the instruments of global influence at our disposal was required.

Richards and Clarke outlined a crisis-ridden international situation: China is going global while the US is thinking about going home. Europe faces a perfect storm from Russian bellicosity in the east, migration crises in the south and political extremism bubbling above and below the democratic surface.

They worried about NATOs future and the status of British imperialism globally: Turkey has effectively defected from the alliance to join Russia and Iran in trying to remake the Middle East. In short, Britains international neighbourhood is a mess, and we will have to navigate it from outside the EU, while still trying to be a European second-rank power.

Richards and Clarke complained that spending on defence, security, diplomacy, intelligence, international aid and R&D comes to 62 billion a year, less than 10 percent of government spending. This, they demanded, should be increased, even though some of the trade-offs against social policy, health or education might be severe if spending were increased on defence and intelligence.

Would this be justified? they asked, concluding, Yes, at least for the coming decade.

The Times agreed with this agenda of social immiseration in pursuit of war, weighing in against the pernicious idea that defence spending is a mere footnote to the chunky health and welfare budgets.

Its editorial, Defence of the RealmGovernment has a duty to invest more in the nations protection, called for stepped-up state surveillancenot just bigger tanks but preparation for a campaign that interrupts an enemys access to battle winning data and scoops up information from social media.

It closed with the ominous statement, The UK may meet the NATO defence spending target of 2 percent of GDP, but the government should understand that this sum barely covers the existing needs of the armed forces, let alone their expanding requirements as they adapt to a new combination of threats. It is a primary task of the state to protect citizens from peril, and to prevent war by preparing for it.

With their intervention, Messenger, Richards, Clarke and the Times have made clear the brutal cost involved in preparing for it. What is being demanded is that the population accept the gutting of spending on health care, education, housing, welfare and pensions to pay for a massive rearmament programme and the handing over of hundreds of billions to the already vast military-intelligence complex.

For the Times and the highest echelons of the military, spending 160 billion on pensions, more than 100 billion a year on the National Health Service, 59 billion on welfare, 40 billion on public education and over 20 billion on the housing benefit subsidyat the expense of military spendingis pernicious. Instead, severe cuts to these budgets must be imposed as a necessity and a duty to the nation.

An assault on the conditions of the working class on an almost unimaginable scale is being mooted. Such a social counterrevolution would make even the massive austerity imposed over the last decade pale in comparison.

The warning by Richards and Clarke of political extremism bubbling above and below the democratic surface is a tacit recognition that the build-up of acute political and social tensions would escalate to the point of civil war in the event of such an assault.

The British military had already made clear that it is prepared to go to any lengths to impose its war-mongering agenda when an unnamed senior serving general told the Sunday Times, in September 2015, that in the event of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister there would be the very real prospect of a mutinywith elements within the military prepared to use whatever means possible, fair or foul to remove him.
The Sri Lankan government yesterday declared a state of emergency throughout the country, saying it would last for 7 days. President Maithripala Sirisena said the declaration would redress the unsatisfactory security situation prevailing in certain parts of the country and the police and armed forces would be suitably empowered to deal with criminal elements.

The Sri Lankan police and ruling elite are notorious for using such powers to indiscriminately suppress social opposition and the democratic rights of working people.

The immediate reason cited for the declaration is anti-Muslim violence carried out by a Sinhala-Buddhist racist mob at Teldeniya, Digana and Pallekelle in the central Kandy district. The police imposed a curfew covering the entire Kandy district on the governments instructions on Monday and Tuesday nights. The government also deployed 1,000 police officers, 200 Special Task Force members and 200 soldiers yesterday morning.

The communal violence against Muslims is being fomented by the Sri Lankan ruling class to divert the growing working-class opposition to its austerity program. The government of President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, which is in a sharp crisis, is also exploiting the racist provocations to strengthen its hands by imposing the state of emergency.

The mob violence began on Sunday evening, following the death of an ethnic Sinhala taxi driver, named H. Kumarasinghe. On February 22, four people travelling in a three-wheeled taxi assaulted Kumarasinghe in a dispute. Kumarasinghe, who was admitted to hospital, died on Saturday and his funeral was held on Sunday.

The incident was not a communal clash. However, it was utilised to incite violence targeting Muslims. The attacks were well organised, with one involving the fascistic Bodu Bala Sena (BBS or Buddhist Brigade), which has been notorious for anti-Tamil and anti-Muslim provocations for years.

BBS leader Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara, a Buddhist monk, visited Kumarasinghes house the night after the funeral. BBS chief executive officer Dilantha Withanage ridiculously claimed that Gnanasara appealed to people to remain calm.

That night, at least three dozen houses, 46 shops and 35 vehicles were burnt down in the area. Several Buddhist monks were seen roaming the streets with thugs. Another BBS leader, Ampitiye Sumanarathana from Batticalao, was among them.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe told parliament, in a statement on the emergency declaration, that the body of a 25-year-old young man, an ethnic Muslim, was a found inside a burnt home.

Rishad Bathiudeen, a Muslim government minister, said senior police officers in charge of the area advised people to close their shops and go home. While the residents were at home, their shops were burnt down. An eyewitness told the media that police looked on as goons carried out the attacks.

The police and the security forces have displayed similar sympathy toward the Sinhala mobs in previous eruptions of communal violence, including during the 26-year anti-Tamil war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which was defeated in 2009.

The latest violence was the second assault on Muslims in a week. On February 26, a group of thugs staged a provocation at a hotel in eastern Ampara, forcing a man to say he mixed infertility tablets into meals served to Sinhalese customers. They attacked the hotel owner and informed the police, who arrested him. About 100 thugs attacked several shops.

Many Sinhala-Buddhist extremist organisations operate in Sri Lanka. Apart from the BBS, they include Sihala Ravaya (Voice of Sinhalese) and Ravana Balakaya (Brigade of [king] Ravana]. These groups backed the regime of former President Mahinda Rajapakse.

The BBS carried out a well-planned attack in the southern town of Aluthgama during June 2014, which intensified communal tensions across the country, helping Rajapakse divert and divide the growing mass opposition to his government.

After imposing emergency rule, Sirisena said the government was dedicated to ethnic and religious harmony. He assured the population that everyone who engaged in criminal actions or incited racial unrest would be dealt with sternly. Wickremesinghe made similar statements in parliament yesterday.

Such statements are thoroughly hypocritical. Both men promised to end religious and ethnic extremism when they took office but they have appeased the chauvinist groups, which operate freely and continue to carry out attacks against Muslims. In January 2016, Sirisena met with BBS leaders to hear their complaints against Muslims and Tamils.

This is the first time in seven years that emergency rule has been imposed in Sri Lanka. President Rajapakse lifted the previous state of emergency in 2011 but incorporated many of its police-state features into the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which remains in operation. Rajapakse was under pressure from the major global powers, including the US and EU, which cynically cited his suppression of democratic rights as part of their push for him to distance himself from China and toe Washingtons line.

While the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government has not previously resorted to emergency rule it has invoked the Essential Services Order under the Public Security Act several times to crush strikes, including by oil workers and railway engine drivers.

The governments real target is not the extremist groups but the working class, which is coming into struggle against the governments attacks on living and social conditions. The growing mass opposition has thrown the government into a serious political crisis.

In last months local government elections, the ruling coalition partnersSirisenas Sri Lanka Freedom Party-led United Peoples Freedom Alliance and Wickremesinghes United National Partysuffered heavy defeats. The opposition Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, led by Rajapakse, gained the majority of votes and won control over most local councils.

This vote was a protest against the government, not support for Rajapakse, whose anti-democratic rule led to his defeat in 2015. Sirisena and Wickremesinghe came to office vowing to uphold democratic rights, improve living and social conditions and address the problems of the war-affected Tamil masses in the north and east. They broke all these promises and set out to enforce the austerity program dictated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Rajapakse is enlisting the support of extremist groups to prepare a right-wing movement to come to power and confront workers and the poor.

Working-class unrest is intensifying. Its latest expression is an indefinite strike by around 16,000 non-academic university workers, which began February 28. The government insists it cannot grant their wage and medical demands. This week, about 3,000 port container drivers launched a strike, demanding better conditions. These struggles are part of an international radicalisation of the working class, sending a shiver through the ruling class as a whole.

The financial elite is pressing the government not to deviate from its IMF-dictated austerity policies, despite the popular opposition. Central Bank Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy urged the government to stay the course. He said: We dont have any margin, we dont have fiscal space, we dont have any buffers on the external accountso we are kind of on the edge.

Confronting extreme political problems, the capitalist class is seeking police-state measures to defend its rule. These developments raise serious questions for the working class. Workers must break from every faction of the ruling class, in order to rally the rural poor and youth and fight for socialist policies as part of an international struggle against capitalism.
American President Donald Trumps announcement last Thursday of the impending imposition of steep tariffs on all US steel and aluminum imports has been sharply condemned by Canadas Liberal government and the entire political establishment.

While Canadas corporate media is full of worried reports about the potential rapid descent into global trade war, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberals have made clear that their priority is securing an exemption for Canada; or as the Globe and Mail, the traditional mouthpiece of the countrys financial elite, put it shortly after Trumps election in 2016, ensuring Canadian capitalism is inside Trumps walls.

Underscoring the aggressive America First nationalism underlying his announcement, Trump justified the imposition of a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports on national security grounds.

Canada is the largest source of both US steel and aluminum imports. But, due to integrated, cross-border production lines, the tariffs threaten to wreak economic havoc, and eliminate thousands of jobs on both sides of the Canada-US border.

Trump and senior administration officials have responded to the Canadian criticisms of the planned tariff by making clear they will be used as leverage in Washingtons drive to renegotiate the terms of the Canada-US-Mexico North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Were not backing down, Trump arrogantly proclaimed Monday. Right now, 100 percent [chance we proceed with tariffs]. But it could be a part of NAFTA.

Robert Lighthizer, Trumps Trade Representative, was even more explicit. Speaking on the sidelines of the latest round of NAFTA talks in Mexico City, he said that the tariffs would not take effect immediately, suggesting Canada and Mexico could avoid them if they swiftly reach agreement on NAFTA. Leaving no doubt that this would mean capitulating to Trumps demands for sweeping changesincluding Buy American government procurement provisions, a sunset clause, and a minimum 50 percent US-made content requirement for automobiles, Lighthizer added, We would prefer a three-way, tripartite agreement. If that proves impossible, we are prepared to move on a bilateral basis.

In appealing for a Canadian exemption from the impending tariffs, Trudeau and Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland have touted Canadas military-security partnership with the US through NATO and NORAD, and emphasized that US defence industry production chains would be disrupted by taxing Canadian steel and aluminum imports.

Freeland, who is leading Canadas delegation in the NAFTA talks, and Finance Minister William Morneau have said Ottawa will take unspecified retaliatory measures against the US if tariffs are imposed on Canadian steel and aluminuma threat they have demagogically tried to dress-up as defending Canadian workers.

Notwithstanding this bluster, the dominant sentiment in Canadian ruling circles is to avoid, if at all possible, a trade clash with the US, which is the destination for three-quarters of all Canadian exports.

To ensure the maintenance of its privileged trading relationship with the US, Canadian big business is ready, even if reluctantly, to join in a trade war against China. Like sections of the Democrats in the United States, the Liberals criticism of Trump is not based on opposition to protectionist measures in principle, but that their application to Canada adversely impacts North American, including US, economic and geopolitical interests.

The comments of Maine Senator Angus King, who caucuses with the Democrats, were positively cited in Canadian media reports and sum up this view. Appealing for the tariffs to be aimed at China and other newly industrialized countries, King asserted, You want to do these kinds of things with a scalpel, not a chainsaw.

Over the past seven decades, Canadian imperialism has advanced its global predatory interests chiefly through the maintenance of a close military-strategic partnership with the United States.

A significant factor in the rallying of decisive sections of the ruling class behind Trudeau and his Liberals in the 2015 election was their pledge to renew and deepen ties with Washington, which had become strained in some areas during Stephen Harpers tenure.

Since coming to power, the Liberals have launched a massive rearmament program aimed at enabling Canada to provide enhanced support to the US in aggression and wars around the globe; sent Canadian troops to support Washingtons aggressive military buildup against Russia in Eastern Europe and North Korea and China in the Asia-Pacific; and expanded Canadas involvement in the US-led Mideast war, which is increasingly metastasizing into a regional conflict between the major powers.

The Trudeau government has also gone out of its way to establish close working relations with the Trump administration. This has included agreeing to modernize NORAD and supporting Washingtons plans to fashion NAFTA into an even more expressly protectionist trade bloc. To this end, Liberal government officials have even indicated Canada would be ready to throw Mexico under the bus in the current NAFTA talks if that was the price of reaching a deal with Washington.

In keeping with this approach, Trudeau did not directly criticize the steel and aluminum tariffs when he spoke with Trump by phone Monday. A statement from the Prime Ministers Office noted that Trudeau registered his concern with the move, which would not be helpful to reaching a deal on NAFTA.

As the World Socialist Web Site has previously explained, Trumps tariffs mark a further stage in the disintegration of the post-war economic order put in place by US imperialism with the aim of averting the beggar-thy-neighbour trade conflicts of the first half of the 20th century. The same contradictions of capitalism that twice plunged humanity into catastrophic world wars over the past century are re-emerging with full force.

Under these conditions, the trade unions, both in the US and Canada, are stepping forward to fan the flames of economic nationalism, encouraging workers to line up behind their own ruling class in support of trade war measures whose logic leads to all-out war.

Jerry Dias, head of Canadas largest private sector union Unifor, appealed to the Trudeau government to fight fire with fire. Denouncing Trump as a schoolyard bully, Dias continued, It is crystal clear to us that if Canada is not exempted from the US tariffs then Canada should walk away from the NAFTA table.

Dias speaks on behalf of an organization that, like the US-based UAW from which it split in 1985, has systematically whipped up nationalism, while integrating itself ever more fully into management, and imposing round after round of concessions and job cuts on auto and other workers.

In addition, Dias and Unifor have developed intimate ties with the big business Liberals, and are key supporters of both the federal and Ontario Liberal governments. The Unifor presidents appeal for Canada to respond to Trumps tariffs with fire was delivered from Mexico City, where he was attending the latest round of NAFTA talks as a government adviser.

The pro-capitalist union bureaucracy is viscerally hostile to the emergence of an international working class movement against austerity and war and is determined to line up four-square behind the ruling elite in the global scramble for markets, raw materials, and strategic advantage.

Dias advocacy of trade war measures mirrors the position adopted by his counterparts in the American union bureaucracy. Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, enthusiastically welcomed Trumps tariff announcement, describing it as a great first step toward addressing trade cheating. Trumka explicitly praised Trump for the effective enforcement of a 1962 law allowing the president to block imports on national security grounds.

Leo Gerard, president of the United Steelworkers, welcomed the tariffs, claiming they would target cheaters in China and protect American jobs. In words that could just as easily have been uttered by the fascist-minded US president, Gerard raged, Some of these idiots that say we are going to start a trade warwell we are in a trade war now, and we are just sitting back.

However, Gerard, whose union includes workers in Canada, took issue with applying the tariffs equally to US military-strategic allies, like Canada and Australia, adding, We didnt want toand didnt ask the administration toalienate those countries that dont cheat.

The role of the unions as nationalist accomplices of the bosses and capitalist governments could not be clearer. As trade war on a scale not seen since the 1930s re-emerges, laying the groundwork for the explosion of all-out military conflict between the major powers, the unions are peddling nationalist filth to divide the working class and persuade workers to line up behind their own bourgeoisie in the ruthless drive for profits.
CLAY COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - One local school district is being proactive, when it comes to preventing the spread of bed bugs.

Clay Community Schools sent home a notice to parents.

It says: "Bed bug infestations are continuing to spread through single family, and multi-unit homes. This means more people are living with bed bugs than ever before."

The notice goes on to describe the district's policy if children were to bring bed bugs to school. It also explains what parents should be looking for at home, and how they can stop the spread.

The district says it will not exclude students if they identify a home-infestation.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump once presided over a reality show in which a key cast member exited each week. The same thing seems to be happening in his White House.

Trumps West Wing has descended into a period of unparalleled tumult amid a wave of staff departures  and despite the presidents insistence that its a place of no Chaos, only great Energy! The latest key figure to announce an exit: Gary Cohn, Trumps chief economic adviser, who had clashed with Trump over trade policy.

Cohns departure has sparked internal fears of an even larger exodus, raising concerns in Washington of a coming brain drain around the president that will only make it more difficult to advance his already languishing policy agenda. While Trump has publicly tried to dispel perceptions of disarray, multiple White House officials said the president has been pushing anxious aides to stay on the job to try to staunch the bleeding.

Everyone wants to work in the White House, Trump insisted during a news conference Tuesday. They all want a piece of the Oval Office.

The reality is a far different story.

Vacancies abound in the West Wing and the broader Trump administration  with some jobs never filled by the president and others subject to repeat openings. The job of White House communications director is soon to be empty again after the departure of its fourth occupant, Hope Hicks.

They are left with vacancies atop of vacancies, said Kathryn Dunn-Tenpas, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who tracks senior-level staff turnover. Her analysis shows the Trump departure rate has reached 40 percent in just over a year.

That kind of turnover creates a lot of disruption, she added, noting the loss of institutional knowledge and relationships with agencies and Congress. You cant really leave those behind to your successor.

Turnover after a year in office is nothing new, but the Trump administration has churned through staff at a dizzying pace and allies are worried the situation could descend into a free-fall.

One White House official said there is concern about a potential death spiral in the West Wing  each departure heightening the sense of frenzy and expediting the next.

Multiple aides who are considering departing, all speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, said they didnt have a clue whom the administration could find to fill their roles  adding that their desire to be team players has kept them on the job longer than planned. But a number warned they were nearing a breaking point.

You have situations where people are stretched to take on more than one job, said Martha Joynt Kumar, director of the White House Transition Project.

She cited the example of Johnny DeStefano, who oversees the White House offices of personnel, public liaison, political affairs and intergovernmental affairs. Those are four positions that in most administrations are each headed by an assistant to the president or a deputy assistant, Kumar says.

The overlap between those qualified to work in the White House and those willing to take a job there has been shrinking too, according to White House officials and outside allies concerned about the slow pace of hires.

Trumps mercurial decision-making practices, fears of being drawn into special counsel Robert Muellers probe and a stalled legislative agenda are keeping top-flight talent on the outside.

Most of all, President Trump hasnt demonstrated a scrap of loyalty to current and former staff, and everyone knows it, said Michael Steel, a former aide to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former House Speaker John Boehner.

Trump acknowledged that he is a tough boss to work for, saying he enjoys watching his closest aides fight over policy.

I like conflict, he said Tuesday.

Since his days on the campaign, Trump has frequently and loudly complained about the quality of his staff, eager to fault his aides for any mishaps rather than shouldering responsibility. But his attacks on his own staff have sharpened in recent weeks, and he has suggested to confidants that he has few people at his side he can count on, according to two people familiar with his thinking but not authorized to discuss private conversations publicly.

Hicks departure will leave a gaping hole in the presidents inner circle. She served as both media gatekeeper and confidante.

A number of other aides have expressed worry about the legal implications  and steep bills  they could face if ensnared in the ongoing Russia probe. The probe has had a chilling effect on an already sluggish White House hiring process, according to officials, and there is wide concern that working for Trump could negatively affect career prospects.

Meanwhile, hopes for significant governing achievements in the coming years  akin to the GOP tax bill passed in December  are growing fleeting, as Republicans face a daunting electoral environment this fall.

Morale has plunged among West Wing aides in recent weeks. A number of staffers point to the departure of staff secretary Rob Porter in mid-February as beginning the tailspin. Not only was Porter a popular figure  allegations of domestic violence against him stunned staffers  but his departure undid some of the progress made on streamlining the White Houses chaotic policy process. A permanent replacement has yet to be named for the post.

Moreover, chief of staff John Kellys shifting explanations for how he handled the Porter matter  including, in the eyes of some, outright lies  damaged his reputation among staffers who had seen Kelly as a stabilizing force in the turbulent West Wing.

The administration has been understaffed from the onset, in part due to the presidents refusal to consider hiring even the most qualified Republicans if they opposed him during the campaign, according to a White House official not authorized to speak publicly about personnel matters.

The White House did not immediately announce a replacement for Cohn, whose deputy, Jeremy Katz, departed in January. Among those under consideration for Cohns job are CNBC commentator Larry Kudlow and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

In a riff Saturday at the Gridiron Dinner, an annual white-tie affair featuring journalists and officials, Trump engaged in a rare bout of self-deprecating humor, comparing the Oval Office job to his past career as the host of the reality-television show The Apprentice.

In one job I had to manage a cut-throat cast of characters, desperate for TV time, totally unprepared for their roles and their jobs and each week afraid of having their asses fired, and the other job I was the host of a smash television hit.

Several White House aides in the audience laughed in their tailcoats and ball gowns. But the joke, they knew, was on them.

___

Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Catherine Lucey, and Ken Thomas contributed to this report.

___

Follow Miller on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@ZekeJMiller and Lemire at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - A standoff that lasted nearly 20 hours is over.

Two people are dead and one man is critically injured but expected to survive in this incident.

Putnam Street 40-year old Amanda Kerns shot and killed and another male victim severely wounded

1st Avenue 26-minutes after Putnam Street shooting, police say the suspect started firing rounds at them. The suspect left this house sometime during the overnight hours by slipping out of a basement window. 4th Avenue A tip led police to a home on 4th Avenue, where they learned the suspect broke their perimeter and escaped. After around 20 hours the standoff ended with police shooting the suspect. Complete Coverage POLICE: VICTIM IDENTIFIED AVENUE STANDOFF SHOOTER AS MIKEY REYNOLDS ORIGINAL STORY: STANDOFF LASTING 20+ HOURS COMES TO AN END; SUSPECT DEAD MULTIPLE GUNSHOT WOUNDS: AUTOPSY RESULTS RELEASED FOR PUTNAM STREET SHOOTING VICTIM

It started when police responded to a shooting on Putnam Street.

That shooting left 40-year-old Amanda Kerns dead and another man seriously hurt.

The Vigo County Coroner told News 10 Kerns died from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Terre Haute Police Chief John Plasse said a victim identified the shooter as Mikey Reynolds.

However, authorities say they are waiting on positive identification to confirm that name.

The suspect first made his way to his house on 1st Avenue in Terre Haute.

Police say 26 minutes after the Putnam Street shooting, the suspect began firing at them on 1st Avenue.

That's when the standoff with police began.

We learned in a news conference a sniper shot the suspect at the 1st Avenue location, but not fatally.

After that, the suspect managed to break from police perimeter and move from 1st Avenue to a home on 4th Avenue.

Someone approached police and told them he had moved.

From there, Indiana State Police SWAT officers surrounded the home.

The suspect went out the home's back door and engaged officers.

They returned fire, killing the suspect.

"We didn't know actually he was out of the house. We were doing everything we could to get him out of the house. We were under the assumption he was still there until luckily we had tips from the public that led to his whereabouts. I'm thankful for that, because who knows who else he would have targeted," Terre Haute Police Chief John Plasse said.

The person that lives in the 4th Avenue house was an acquaintance of the suspect.

Police say the suspect was wearing black and came out of a basement window in a concealed area, which helped him escape.

He was also wearing body armor and fired 200 times on police during this entire event.

Now, police are investigating three scenes.

The homicide on Putnam Street, the suspect's home on 1st Avenue, and the location of the police action shooting on 4th Avenue.

Once those investigations conclude, they'll forward their findings to Vigo County Prosecutor Terry Modesitt.

News 10 was on the scene when the standoff came to an end, and our cameras were rolling.

Indiana State Police Sergeant Joe Watts was doing an interview with our cameras as the shooting started.

Those gunshots, police say, are the ones that killed the suspect, ending the standoff.

"In my 32 years with the Indiana State Police, I've never had this happen while interviewing," Watts said.

He says this is proof danger can come into play at any minute.

"That's why we want people off the sidewalks, that's why we want people inside their homes. You know, people want to come out and gaze, and see what's going on and all the normal nosy things, but this is exactly why we want people inside their homes and why we want people vacated from the scene. Gunfire can break out at any moment," Watts said.

Watts says in total there were between 100-150 officers from various agencies on the scene.

During the 20 hours standoff, many residents were either trapped inside or kept away from their homes.

A neighbor told News 10 the standoff was a terrifying experience.

He said having the police presence made them feel a lot safer.

"The officers, state troopers, and stuff were coming down to the first three or four immediate houses on the opposite side of the street where I reside to check and make sure that none of us were hit and we were okay," resident Garri Knezevich said.

We will continue to follow this developing story and bring you more information as soon as it becomes available.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  A lawyer for an Alabama inmate whose lethal injection was halted after staffers could not connect an intravenous line says his client should not face a second date in the death chamber.

An attorney for Doyle Lee Hamm wrote in state and court filings Monday that Hamm had experienced "torture" during the failed attempt to execute him February 22.

Bernard Harcourt said attempting the procedure again would violate a constitutional ban on cruel punishment.

Hamm has damaged veins from lymphoma and past drug use.

A doctor hired by the prisoner's legal team wrote that Hamm had 11 puncture sites and bled heavily from his groin after the first attempt.

Photos submitted to the court showed Hamm's feet were blackened.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  The Latest on the upcoming vacancy U.S. Senate vacancy in Mississippi (all times local):

12:35 p.m.

Mississippi's Republican governor says he will not appoint himself to succeed longtime U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran.

Gov. Phil Bryant says there's "something nefarious" about a governor appointing himself to another office.

Bryant also says: "Washington's not where I want to be just now" and he wants to finish his second term as governor, which ends in January 2020.

Cochran, who is 80, is resigning April 1 because of poor health. Bryant says he will appoint a temporary senator after that, and he's looking for someone who could serve at least 20 years.

Several candidates, across party lines, are expected to run in a special election in November. The winner will serve the rest of Cochran's term, ending in January 2021.

Republicans are trying to maintain their slim Senate majority.

____

11:10 a.m.

Republican leaders doubt that Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant will appoint himself to succeed fellow Republican Thad Cochran when the longtime U.S. senator resigns.

That's according to Cochran's chief of staff, Brad White, who tells The Associated Press on Tuesday he has the impression that the possibility of Bryant appointing himself is "not an option that's on the table."

The 80-year-old Cochran announced Monday that he will resign April 1 because of poor health. The governor will appoint a temporary successor to Cochran. A special election will be held in November to fill the rest of the Senate term, which ends in January 2021.

Bryant spokesman Clay Chandler did not answer a question Monday about whether Bryant would appoint himself. Chandler did not immediately return multiple messages Tuesday.

____

11:22 p.m.

Republicans suddenly find themselves defending two seats in Mississippi as they try to maintain their slim majority in the U.S. Senate.

Sen. Roger Wicker is already up for re-election in the deeply conservative state. And 80-year-old Sen. Thad Cochran announced Monday that he is resigning April 1 because of poor health.

Cochran is just over halfway through a six-year term. Republican Gov. Phil Bryant will appoint someone to temporarily succeed Cochran, and a special election will be in November.

The open seat is expected to attract several candidates. President Bill Clinton's first agriculture secretary, Democrat Mike Espy, says he has a "strong intention" to run.

Republican state Sen. Chris McDaniel could jump in. He narrowly lost a bitter race to Cochran in 2014.
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - One man is on the run after authorities say he severely beat a woman.

Lowndes County deputies are searching for Gary Peeks, 49, of Millport, AL.

Peeks is accused of beating a woman at a home on Blalock Road Monday night.

Investigators say they found the woman collapsed in the woods after she had called 911. She was taken to the hospital with multiple injuries. Her condition is unknown.

Investigators believe Peeks may be in Alabama. The Lamar County Sheriff's Office is also on the lookout for him.

If you have any information, please call the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office.
ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia lawmakers want to examine how to make schools safer.

Legislators announced Tuesday that they have introduced Republican-backed proposals in both the House and Senate to establish study committees on school security.

Each committee would be tasked with writing a report later this year on its findings.

The announcements come in the wake of last month's massacre at a Florida high school.

House Speaker David Ralston has said the House version of the Fiscal Year 2019 budget will include $8 million in bond funding for school security.

Various gun-control measures have floundered in the Georgia Capitol this session. One exception is a bill that would preserve the records of those who were involuntarily committed for mental health treatment years ago. That proposal easily passed the House last week and awaits Senate input.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Gun-control advocates put on a dramatic display at the Florida Capitol Tuesday.

The bill, passed Monday by the Florida Senate, upset a number of local groups pushing for gun reform. The bill still hasn't reached Governor Rick Scott's desk.

Before it does, a group of social justice activists sent a message to lawmakers reviewing the legislation.

"Don't shoot!"

Two words, followed by 17 minutes of silence. Seventeen, one minute for each person killed at a Parkland high school last month. The demonstration was called a 'die-in.'

Surrounded by signs and the names of the 17 who lost their lives, these activists sent a message that needed no words.

"Gun reform does not equal a greater level of mass incarceration or even more killings and death of black and brown people, especially our children," said Jhody Polk, the executive director of the Florida Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls.

The die-in comes a few days after a pro-gun rally outside the Historic Old Capitol.

"I'm all for keeping our students safe -- so is everybody here -- but by taking my rights away from me and their rights away from them is not the way to do it," said Matt Johnson, the organizer for the pro-gun rally.

Monday, the Florida Senate spend several hours going over the controversial bill that's bee passed to the House for review. Some of the protesters said they've lost faith in the current Florida legislature.

"Nothing will change that needs to be done here, unless this whole group is swept out and we have people that come in there with common sense gun legislation," said Herb Shelton, a Tallahassee resident. "You can't expect anything from this legislation right here."

The group said the proposed bill still allows certain school personnel to be armed. Protesters said that endangers students of color who they say are already being racially profiled.

"What kid is going to come to their teacher or their administrator or their librarian if they're packing to ask for safety?" said Lakey Love, a social justice organizer.

A few lawmakers stopped by to thank the protesters for their message before heading back into the legislative chambers to continue with session.
Tallahassee Citizens' Academy - March 6, 2018

Class #1: Opening Night

My first night at the Tallahassee Citizens' Academy, I didnt know what to expect.

Id heard of the Academy but my knowledge about the program ended there. I knew it existed, but didn't know what function it served or what kind of specialized demonstrations it offered free of charge to the citizens it serves every day and man, was I in for a surprise.

As soon as I walk through the doors on 7th Avenue, Im greeted by Sgt. Highland. She escorts me through a large security door, through a hallway, and into a classroom filled with TPD staff and other Citizens' Police Academy participants.

There are 12 participants in the course, the majority of whom I notice, are women. The group is diverse, and colorful. There are aspiring law enforcement, sure, but there are also local students, retirees, city government candidates, and stay at home mothers. All of whom are enthusiastic about being there, but like me, dont quite know what they were in for.

Chief DeLeo was one of the first speakers of the evening. He addressed the crowd in a relaxed manner, welcoming us to the CPA. He explained that in order for us to get the most out of our experiences here we should be passionately curious.

I encourage you to ask questions. Our overall goal is that we can get people excited about the work we do in hopes we can inspire people to become more actively involved and perhaps even encourage others to participate. By the end of this Academy, we want our citizens to get to know our police officers better.

The message of community based policing and developing healthy relationship with residents echoed throughout the evening.

Everyone is in their own little bubble, Sgt. Highland explained. Working with TPD showed me sides to Tallahassee I never knew existed.

The Citizens' Police Academy has four main course objectives:

To educate, inform, and encourage involvement between citizens and their police department

Build community support by creating and fostering new relationships between TPD and those they serve

Provide hands-on training regarding real law enforcement issues

Dispel Hollywood myths (Think Bruce Willis in Die Hard)

Thats great and all but how does TPD plan to accomplish all of those things in 9 short weeks?

Each Citizens' Police Academy class will incorporate classroom education in addition to field instruction. Each week, a different topic. Ranging from the TPD Traffic Unit, Tasers, Forensics, a K-9 demonstration (which Im most excited for), and a real deal ride-along towards the end of the program.

Given the choice, I think the average person might rather be at home with a cold beer after a long days work rather than spending their evenings alongside 12 strangers learning about traffic citations.

But if this is a process then Im putting my trust in it. By the end of this program Im hoping to have a better understanding of the inner workings of the Tallahassee Police Department, and to ultimately become a more informed journalist.

Next week the real fun begins with a class centered around...tasers. Wish me luck.

Until next week, Im Casey Feindt for WTXL ABC 27.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fun Facts

- TPD was established in 1841 and is the oldest continually operated police department in the Southern United States. Theyre even older than the NYPD.

- TPD has over 600 current employees.

- The first TPD Citizens Police Academy was started in 1994 and since then they have seen well over 1,000 students graduate from it.

Do you have a question you want to ask TPD about our next topic? Tweet to me @CaseyF_WTXL with the hashtag #TPDCitzenAcademy2018

Stay tuned for the next edition of Casey at the Academy next Wednesday!
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A debate about guns continued at Florida State University's campus.

Strong words from local students were heard in the FSU Balltooms on Tuesday night on one of the country's hottest issues.

FSU's Union Society hosted the debate.

Students discussed whether the Florida House believes the Second Amendment does not include the right to bear assault-style weapons.

Event organizers say they are happy with how many students are speaking up.

Fsu's Union Society puts on student debates like this one regularly. Their goal is to hold two more this year.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The bill passed Monday by the Florida Senate, upset a number of local groups pushing for gun reform.

This afternoon, they protested the legislation with a "die-in."

The bill passed by the Senate Monday still allows the possibility of arming teachers in the classroom. An amendment to the bill excludes those who only teach, but for a group of locals, that's not enough.

Different student and state groups demonstrated in front of the House and Senate chambers.

They laid signs in a circle, including the names of the 17 people who were killed in the parkland shooting. The protesters chanted things like, "Hands up, don't shoot" and "Our people are dying."

"Our people are dying, because they're dying inside the criminal justice system that incarcerates them, and they're dying in the streets," said Lakey Love, a social justice organizer. "And now, more than ever, they're dying in the schools -- and this provision is only going to create more of our people, more of our children dying in schools."

A few lawmakers thanked the group for their demonstration. Several stopped to take pictures as they headed back into the chambers.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Tallahassee Police Department is investigating after two people were shot during an armed robbery at Villa San Marcos Apartments.

TPD says that the shooting happened on Tuesday around 9:36 p.m. They were called to the complex on 2400 West Tharpe Street about a robbery.

During the robbery, police learned that two victims were shot and later transported to a hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

This case has been assigned to investigators with TPD's Violent Crimes Unit. Investigators are asking anyone with information about this case to please call them at (850) 891-4200 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 574-TIPS.
KENNESAW, GA (CNN) - As the debate over guns continues in Washington, DC, theres one city in the United States where technically the law says a gun is a requirement: Kennesaw, GA.

A suburb of Atlanta, Kennesaw has a law on the books that reads every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain a firearm.

"If you're going to commit a crime in Kennesaw and you're the criminal, are you going to take a chance that that homeowner is a law-abiding citizen?" Mayor Derek Easterling said.

The law, however, isnt actually enforced, and even though some assume its ancient, it passed in 1982.

It was meant to be kind of a crime deterrent, and it was also more or less a political statement because the city of Morton Grove, IL, had passed a city ordinance banning handguns from their city limits, said Lt. Craig Graydon, commander of the Kennesaw Polices Criminal Investigations Division.

Thirty plus years later, the law is still on the books, and some residents, like Wayne Arnold, are grateful.

"It gives me the ability to protect myself as opposed to being somewhere where you weren't allowed to have a firearm or it was frowned upon, Arnold said.

As communities across the country are re-examining their relationships with guns in the wake of deadly mass shootings like Las Vegas, Sutherland Springs and Parkland, Graydon says its all about whats best for the residents.

While Kennesaw is one of Georgias safer cities  with only one murder in the last six years  Graydon says the gun law may only be one reason why.

"We can't say that just that gun law contributes 'x' number of percent to why we have a low crime rate. It may be part of it, but it needs to be looked at from a whole picture, he said.

City officials say their relationship with the community is a big factor in public safety.

"They choose to carry, or they choose not to, Easterling said.

Kennesaw receives calls from places all over the country and as far away as Norway, with everyone curious about a place where firearms are literally written into its existence.

"People would get the image that it's the Wild West, where everybody walks around with a firearm strapped to their side, and it's not like that, Arnold said.

In fact, Easterling says in Kennesaw, the residents love everybody.

Copyright 2018 CNN. All rights reserved.
WORLAND  House Bill 108, a bill to recognize Wyomings first female to be elected and to hold the office of state superintendent of public instruction in Wyoming, Estelle Reel, has passed through the House and passed second reading in the Senate Tuesday.

WORLAND  House Bill 108, a bill to recognize Wyomings first female to be elected and to hold the office of state superintendent of public instruction in Wyoming, Estelle Reel, has passed through the House and passed second reading in the Senate Tuesday.

The bill, sponsored by 36 representatives and six senators will designate Jan. 7 as Estelle Reel Day if passed through the Senate. The bill states that, The day shall be appropriately observed by state and local governments and may be observed in the public schools of the state and by organizations within the state.

An amendment was added to the bill in the House which states that while Reel was the first woman in Wyoming to hold a state office she was also the second in the country to hold a statewide office. Because of that, according to the bill, The physical office of the state superintendent of public instruction shall be designated and known as The Estelle Reel Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

According to wyohistory.org, Reel came to Wyoming in 1886 to be a teacher in Cheyenne after receiving schooling in Boston, Mass., St. Lewis, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois. Once in Cheyenne; school board members criticism led her to stand up for herself, stating that the school board had no right to dictate where she was allowed to go to church, bought her clothes or lived. By standing up for herself she earned the support of the voters and was elected as school superintendent of Laramie County in 1890.

Just four short years later she was elected to the office of state superintendent of public instruction. Three years after that, according to wyohistory.org, she successfully parlayed her work as Wyoming campaign coordinator for President William McKinley into a federal appointment as national superintendent of Indian schools. Based in Washington, D.C., she spent 17 of her first 26 months in the field, traveling more than 41,000 miles to visit 49 Indian schools. About 2,000 miles of those travels were by wagon, packhorse or on foot. She was in charge of 250 Indian schools in the U.S., with a combined enrollment of about 20,000 students, and administered a budget of $3 million.

The bill was approved by the House on Feb. 27 with a 42-11-3 vote with Rep. Mike Greear, R-Worland, and Rep. Nathan Winters, R-Thermopolis voting in favor.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 00:56:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday night made remarks on the outcomes of the ROK president's special delegation's visit to the DPRK.

Spokesperson Geng Shuang said China has noted that the visit of the Republic of Korea (ROK) president's special delegation to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has achieved positive outcomes and we welcome this.

As a close neighbor to the Korean Peninsula, China always supports the efforts made by the DPRK and ROK to improve their relations and the efforts made by all relevant parties to address their respective legitimate concerns, including the security issue through dialogue and consultation so as to promote the process of denuclearization of the Peninsula, Geng said.

We believe that this serves the common interests of all the people on the Peninsula as well as the relevant parties and can also contribute to regional peace and stability, Geng said.

We hope that the DPRK and the ROK can earnestly implement the relevant consensus and continue with their efforts to advance reconciliation and cooperation, Geng said.

We hope that all relevant parties can seize the current opportunity, work for the shared goal and make concerted efforts to promote the process of denuclearization of the Peninsula and politically resolving the Korean Peninsula issue, Geng said, noting that China is willing to continue to play its due role to this end.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 03:37:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

RAMALLAH, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The implementation of the internal Palestinian reconciliation agreements has been stuck in stalemate due to internal differences and external intervention, analysts said Tuesday.

The inactivity of President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah Party and Islamic Hamas movement keeps the ongoing deadlock and an internal political and geographical split that has been going on since the summer of 2007, said the analysts.

Mustafa Ibrahim, a Gaza-based political activist said that "the internal Palestinian reconciliation has turned into words only but not deeds on the ground," adding "this all goes on amid repeated excuses and slogans made by both parties, who didn't show until now any seriousness to implementing what they had agreed upon."

He stressed that both rival groups "still don't have the real intentions and will to end the internal Palestinian split, adding "their differences are not only related to differences on internal files that need to be resolved, but also the matter becomes a waste of time and a Manoeuvring made by both parts of division."

Ibrahim stressed that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are those who pay the heavy price for this stalemate of the internal reconciliation as well as the Palestinian cause, which faces a real challenge mainly after the declaration of U.S. President Donald Trump that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel on Dec. 6.

Fatah and Hamas had signed in October last year an Egyptian-brokered reconciliation agreement on handing over power to the Palestinian (National) Authority consensus government.

According to the agreement, Hamas should end the transfer of power to the PNA by the beginning of December.

However, endless disputes and feuds between the two big rival groups had urged them to postpone the final date of power transfer until a further notice.

Meanwhile, the consensus government kept complaining that it hasn't received any full authority in Gaza, in accordance to the agreement.

Instead and still, the two groups never stopped trading accusations on who is responsible for keeping the implementation stalled.

On Feb. 25, a high-ranking Egyptian security intelligence services delegation arrived in Gaza and is still holding talks and meetings with all political, private and community sectors in the Gaza Strip.

So far, nothing has been progressing to convince the two Palestinian rivals to carry on with implementing the reconciliation deals.

Hani Habib, another political analyst from Gaza said that the Palestinian public "has lost faith in the fact and the efforts to achieve internal reconciliation, because of the two-sides inability to make a breakthrough in this file."

He pointed out that the file of reconciliation in practice "is stalled because of the persistence of obstacles despite all the interventions and pressures that had been practiced on the two parties."

He said he believes that the problem which hinders achieving reconciliation "is the lack of real and effective will of both Fatah and Hamas, in addition to the fact that the Palestinian situation as a whole "is apparently part of a new political rearrangement in the region."

The ongoing failure to achieve internal reconciliation coincided with the recent declaration of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) that it intends to convene the Palestinian National Council in May amid expectations that Hamas and Islamic Jihad might join and participate.

In this regard, Speaker of the National Council (PNC) Salim Zanoon said on Monday that preparations for the council will be no later than the fifth of May.

He said that the PNC General Assembly would be held in a regular session with its current members, after Hamas and Islamic Jihad have not responded to the invitation to clarify their positions on participation in the council.

The PNC is the parliament in exile of the PLO, and includes more than 750 members, representatives of Palestinian factions, forces, unions and popular groups inside and outside the Palestinian territories.

Since its establishment, the PNC has held 22 sessions, the most recent of which was a regular session in the Gaza Strip in 1996 and a special session in held in 2009 in Ramallah.

The Central Council, the second largest PLO institution after the PNC, met in Ramallah mid of January without the participation of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Hani al-Masri, the West Bank based political analyst from the West Bank warned that convening of the PNC General Assembly without internal consensus would further entrench the internal division.

He stressed that "convening the PNC requires first to end the internal division and without this, convening the council will mean the consolidation of this division, in a time that the Palestinian unity becomes an indispensable necessity and not just a choice."

Al-Masri warned that the move to hold the PNC without consensus may mean a formal announcement of the failure of the file of reconciliation, "which is still stuck at the mercy of government empowerment, a rubber term understood by each feuding parties to suit its whims and interests."

He concluded that "what is required and possible, if there is conviction and will, is to solve the reconciliation file in a comprehensive package, including several tracks going together in parallel and semi-synchronous on the bases and rules of real partnership and a unified political program."
CAMBRIDGE, Britain, March 6 (Xinhua) -- China and Britain have plenty of opportunities to work together on building on better human settlement environment, agreed experts from both countries on a professional forum held on Tuesday at Cambridge.

Initiated by Shenzhen Human Settlement Environment Seminar, and co-hosted by Cambridge Human Settlement Environment Research Center and UK Chinese Business Association, the first China-UK Human Settlement Environment Forum has brought together some respected academics and design consultants on the built environment from Britain and China.

Under the theme of "the peace between human and environment", the two-day forum provides an opportunity to discuss and debate many aspects of human settlements, including how to build a healthy city and what should be the principles for a sustainable city.

According to a research cooperation agreement signed during the forum, the two sides are planning several joint projects, including bringing UK city designers to Chinese cities like Shenzhen and Chongqing to help develop sustainable residential communities.

Dr. Christina Li, executive chair of the forum, who provides consultancy for many housing and real estate projects in China, said the more she gets involved in human settlement projects in China, the more she believes China has already made certain achievement and experience to share with western countries in terms of developing a healthy and sustainable city.

William Fawcett, chair of Cambridge Architecture Research, told Xinhua he sees the forum "an excellent way to identify the potentials for collaboration" between China and Britain under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The professionals from two countries also announced a joint declaration on human settlement environment, named the Cambridge Menifesto, intending to provide a framework for future research in order to help achieve healthy, clean, safe, mutually supportive and sustainable cities.
UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- A top UN official believes that conditions are not ripe for Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh to return to their homes in Myanmar, said the chief UN spokesman on Tuesday.

Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour, who has just visited Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, made the conclusion, said the UN spokesman, Stephane Dujarric.

During his visit, Gilmour interviewed refugees in Kutupalong-Balukhali, Cox's Bazar, which in the seven months since August 2017 has become the largest refugee camp in the world, holding approximately 700,000, mostly Rohingya refugees, Dujarric said.

"Safe, dignified and sustainable returns are of course impossible under current conditions," said Gilmour." The conversation now must focus on stopping the violence in Rakhine State, ensuring accountability for the perpetrators, and the need for Myanmar to create conditions for return."

The rate of killings and sexual violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State has subsided, he said. But Rohingya refugees who have recently arrived in Cox's Bazar provided credible accounts of continued violence.

Gilmour also pointed out that the Bangladeshi and international humanitarian response to the Rohingya crisis has been very impressive but that the rainy season threatens to have a devastating effect on refugee camps.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says the same refugees face a continuing threat from wild elephants who range the region.

The area now occupied by the Kutupalong refugee settlement in Cox's Bazar has long been an important habitat for East Asian Elephants, the agency said. There are about 40 elephants in the area and they move between Bangladesh and Myanmar in search of food.

Recently, 10 refugees have been killed by frightened elephants inside the settlements, UNHCR said. Other people have been injured and lost the little property they had.

"UNHCR's teaming up with the International Union for Conservation of Nature to bring about safe coexistence with wildlife in the refugee settlements," Dujarric said.

The main project already in action is the creation of 17 Elephant Response Teams, groups of trained people who know how to respond appropriately to an approaching elephant.

They also deter elephants from entering the camp.

"UNHCR hopes to see more support for these kinds of interventions in humanitarian contexts globally," the spokesman said.
MOSCOW, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military transport plane that crashed in Syria on Tuesday was carrying 39 people, instead of a previous report of 32, when the accident happened.

A total of 33 passengers and six crew members aboard the An-26 plane were killed after the aircraft hit the ground while landing in the Hmeymim airbase in Syria, according to the ministry.

The families of the deceased, all of whom were Russian servicemen, will be provided with necessary assistance and support.

Russian President Vladimir Putin extended condolences to the families and friends of those killed in the crash, according to the Kremlin.

The plane was not attacked and technical malfunction may have caused the crash, the Russian Defense Ministry said earlier in the day.

The Defense Ministry has set up a commission to investigate the crash.

Russia now uses the Hmeymim airbase to support Syrian government troops in the fight against terrorist groups in the country.

Tuesday's tragedy has been the deadliest air accident in Russia since a Tu-154 aircraft crashed in the Black Sea en route to the Hmeymim airbase in December 2016, killing all 92 people on board.
CHICAGO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- A 19-year-old college student charged with killing his parents on his school campus in the U.S. state of Michigan appeared in court via video from his hospital bed on Tuesday afternoon, local media reported.

The suspect, James Eric Davis Jr., who fatally shot his parents in his dorm room at Central Michigan University on Friday morning, was arrested early Saturday after a nearly daylong manhunt.

Davis has been hospitalized in McLaren Central Michigan Hospital under armed guard since he was arrested, as officers said he "wasn't making any sense," according to Chicago Tribune.

Davis is charged with two counts of open murder and a felony firearms charge. Prosecutors were requesting a bond of 3 million U.S. dollars, and argued that Davis was a flight risk.

But Isabella County Judge Paul Chamberlain finally set bond at 1.25 million dollars, after Davis' appointed defense attorney said setting the bond at the higher level was equivalent of denying bond for a college student.

In court hearing on Tuesday, when consenting to waiving his rights to a speedy pretrial hearing, Davis denied he was under the influence of any substance, including prescription drugs.

Authorities have said that Davis was seen acting erratically the day before the shooting and was hospitalized that day, possibly related to drug overdose. The shooting happened when his parents came to campus to pick him up.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 07:58:03|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (R) shakes hands with Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira (L), Timor-Leste minister in the office of the prime minister for the delimitation of borders, after signing a maritime boundaries treaty at the United Nations headquarters in New York, March 6, 2018. Australia and Timor-Leste on Tuesday signed a maritime boundaries treaty under the auspices of the United Nations. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Australia and Timor-Leste on Tuesday signed a maritime boundaries treaty under the auspices of the United Nations.

The treaty was signed by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira, Timor-Leste minister in the office of the prime minister for the delimitation of borders.

The treaty was signed at UN Headquarters in New York in the presence of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The signing of the maritime boundaries treaty marks the successful conclusion of the first-ever recourse by states to conciliation proceedings under Annex V to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Comprehensive Package Agreement of Aug. 30, 2017, which includes the maritime boundaries treaty, puts an end to a decade-long maritime dispute between Timor-Leste and Australia.

"By delimiting the maritime boundary between Australia and Timor-Leste in the Timor Sea and by establishing a special regime for the area comprising the Greater Sunrise gas field, this agreement puts Australia and Timor-Leste in a better position to exercise their respective rights and obligations under the Convention (on the Law of the Sea) in an effective manner," Guterres told the signing ceremony. "It should also ensure that both states fully benefit from the sustainable exploitation of natural resources in the Timor Sea."

The treaty is a further contribution to establishing legal certainty in the world's oceans, an essential condition for stable relations, peace and security, and the achievement of sustainable development, he said.

This signing of the treaty demonstrates the strength of international law and the effectiveness of resolving disputes through peaceful means, said the UN chief.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 08:43:08|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

File photo taken on Jan. 29, 2009 shows Gary Cohn at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn plans to resign, the White House said on March 6, 2018. (Xinhua/World Economic Forum swiss-image.ch/Sebastian Derungs)

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn said on Tuesday he was resigning, as Donald Trump's administration prepares to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

Cohn, a veteran Wall Street banker, has served as President Trump's chief economic advisor since the beginning of the administration.

"It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular the passage of historic tax reform," Cohn said in a statement released by the White House.

Trump announced on March 1 that the United States planned to impose a 25-percent tariff on steel imports and a 10-percent one on aluminum, as these imports threaten U.S. national security.

Cohn, a "globalist" within the White House, has been mounting a last-ditch attempt to head off Trump's new tariff plan on steel and aluminum.

Trump reiterated his commitment to slapping tariffs on steel and aluminum on Tuesday.

"When we're behind on every single country, trade wars aren't so bad," Trump said. "The trade war hurts them, not us."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 08:58:11|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close

KHARTOUM, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee's plan on deepening reform of the party and state institutions shows the party's wisdom and adaptability and will bring benefit to the world, said Sudanese observers.

"For 40 years, the CPC has never stopped carrying out reforms and implementing opening-up policies, and it has laid down a model for socialism with Chinese characteristics," said Rabie Abdul-Atti, a senior official of the ruling National Congress Party of Sudan.

Following the third plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, which was convened from Feb. 26 to 28, a decision on deepening reform of the party and state institutions was made public Sunday.

The reform is aimed at, among other goals, establishing a party and state institutional function system that is well-conceived, fully built, procedure-based and efficiently functioning, according to the decision.

"The CPC reform plan for the party and state institutions affirms its ability to develop and adapt to the internal and external changes," said Abdul-Atti.

"I'm confident that the current program will achieve positive results, not only for China, but also for the entire world," he added.

Noting that this year marks the 40th anniversary of China's adoption of the policy of reform and opening-up, the Sudanese political veteran spoke highly of China's adherence to the historic path.

During the past four decades, he said, China has achieved remarkable development and become the second largest economy in the world, making major contributions to the world economic growth.

In the same vein, Mohamed Al-Nayer, a Sudanese economic expert and professor of economics at the International University of Africa, said the CPC's reform plan is "extremely important."

It is important to make the Chinese economy more capable of adapting to the transformations in the global economy, said Al-Nayer.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 09:03:13|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

An internally displaced man rests outside his makeshift home in Jalozai near Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan, on March 7, 2018. Governor of Pakistan's northwestern Khyber PakhtunKhwa Province, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, said recently that 96 percent of the total displaced people have returned to their native areas in Federally Administered Tribal Areas and repatriation of the remaining 4 percent is in progress. (Xinhua/Saeed Ahmad)

by Raheela Nazir

ISLAMABAD, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Spring is about hope, and for Subhanullah Khan, this spring is a season that dream finally came true, after years of being displaced due to militancy in his hometown in northwestern Pakistan.

"I had no hope that life would come back to normal ever again," said the 45-year-old, who fled the country's northwestern North Waziristan with his five children in June 2014 ahead of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, a major offensive by Pakistani forces against militant groups in tribal areas.

About four years back, Khan had only three days to leave his hometown after news said that the offensive will be launched. "We left everything in our homes. There were not enough vehicles to carry people, so most of us left for Bannu by feet and then I with my family travelled to Peshawar to live with one of our relatives," Khan told Xinhua.

"All we wanted to do is go back home as early as possible as life was not easy as internally displaced persons. We faced a lot of difficulties after displacement," he said.

A decade-long militant insurgency in the northwestern tribal areas of Pakistan and subsequent military operations coupled with natural disasters have displaced millions of people from their native towns, resulting in the greatest humanitarian crisis in the country's history.

According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, a total of 5.3 million people in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) have been displaced as a consequence of counter-terrorism operations since 2008.

However, most of the domestically displaced have returned home after the restoration of peace in these areas.

Governor of Pakistan's northwestern Khyber PakhtunKhwa Province, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, said recently that 96 percent of the total displaced people have returned to their native areas in FATA and repatriation of the remaining 4 percent is in progress.

"Peace has returned to the region after immense sacrifices rendered by the security personnel and tribal people," he said, adding that providing the basic facilities to the people of FATA is an utmost priority of the current government.

Several projects including communication and infrastructure are under process which are expected to be completed soon, Jhagra said.

After years of living as a domestic refugee, Zarar Wazir has returned to a peaceful Bajour Agency, his hometown, and enjoyed a life free from militants, weapons and fear. While talking to Xinhua through telephone, Wazir said that he was stunned to find peace where terrorism and chaos once prevailed.

"Now everything has changed. We have peace, even minor criminals get just punishment. This is the main reason that those who once hesitated to return have come back and life is in full swing."

"Most of our schools are working, hospitals are providing best medical facilities, we have brand-new roads and the government is helping us in the construction of our damaged houses," said Wazir.

After their repatriation, the Pakistani government is focusing on reconstruction and rehabilitation of FATA and tribal people, said a senior official in FATA, adding that "no efforts will be spared to ensure the progress and socio-economic development of tribal areas," calling FATA's economic progress a major government priority.

The FATA Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) said that approximately 80,000 houses are either fully or partially damaged due to militancy in FATA's five agencies.

The FDMA said that 400,000 rupees (about 4,000 U.S. dollars) cash compensation was being paid for fully damaged house and 160,000 rupees (about 1,600 U.S. dollars) for partially damaged house. In addition, all the returned families had been provided with the transport grant of 10,000 rupees (about 100 U.S. dollars) and return cash grant of 25,000 rupees (about 250 U.S. dollars) per family.

The federal government said it has approved different projects worth billions of rupees as part of the ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the internally displaced persons of FATA and to rebuild and develop infrastructure facilities there with a greater focus on educational and health facilities. After the completion of major projects, the locals will feel much relieved, according to government officials.

While sitting in a small living room decorated with traditional locally-made rugs and cushions, Khan lauded the efforts of the government for successful repatriation and rehabilitation of locals and praised the Pakistani Army in bringing back peace and normalcy in FATA.

"We can survive with a lack of basic facilities but not without peace, now there are no killings, violence, bombings, kidnappings or threats from anyone. Many thanks to the Pakistani government and army for bringing peace to the region," Khan said.

The middle aged, who is back to his hometown, is happy and hopeful for the future.
WASHINGTON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that there was progress on the Korean Peninsula issue after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) expressed willingness to denuclearize the peninsula.

"They seem to be acting positively. We're going to see," said Trump before meeting at White House with visiting Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven.

The South Korean presidency said earlier on Tuesday that Pyongyang showed willingness to talk "candidly" with the United States on issues including denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and normalization of ties with Washington.

The DPRK also agreed with South Korea to hold the third inter-Korean summit talks in late April.

The positive moves came as a result of the two-day visit to Pyongyang by South Korean President Moon Jae-in's special delegation led by Chung Eui-yong, Moon's top national security adviser.

"It would be a great thing for the world. It would be a great thing for North Korea (DPRK)," said Trump of the positive momentum on the Korean Peninsula issue.

"We have made progress, there's no question about it," he added. "I'd like to be optimistic."

When asked by reporters if the United States was ready for direct talks with the DPRK, Trump just cautiously said: "We're going to see what happens."

In a tweet on Tuesday morning, Trump recognized "possible progress" made on the Korean Peninsula issue with a reserved attitude.

"May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction," he added in the tweet.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence kept a harsh rhetoric on the DPRK, saying that the U.S. "maximum pressure" strategy against Pyongyang to seek an end to its nuclear program will continue.

"All options are on the table and our posture toward the regime (the DPRK) will not change until we see credible, verifiable, and concrete steps toward denuclearization," Pence said in a statement on Tuesday.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 09:28:16|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close

A press conference on reform of fiscal and taxation system and financial work is held during the first session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China is confident of fully forestalling systemic risks, the country's financial minister said here Wednesday.

The country's debt-to-GDP ratio has decreased to 36.2 percent by the end of 2017 from 36.7 percent in 2016, far below the so-called alert line of 60 percent internationally, Finance Minister Xiao Jie said at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual parliamentary session.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 09:58:21|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Tuesday welcomed the forthcoming summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and South Korea, saying it was ready to assist the process.

"The Secretary-General is encouraged by the advances made during the latest inter-Korean talks, particularly the agreement to hold a summit meeting soon, to further reduce military tensions, and to discuss denuclearization in future talks with all relevant parties," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said in a statement.

"The Secretary-General reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to further assist in this process with the governments concerned," the statement read. "The latest developments are further steps forward in laying the foundation for the resumption of sincere dialogue, leading to sustainable peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula."

At the daily news briefing, Dujarric said, "We're obviously encouraged by these discussions. Anything that can reduce further military tensions, I think is, is to be welcomed."

The DPRK and South Korea have agreed to hold the third inter-Korean summit talks in late April after South Korean President Moon Jae-in's special delegation led by Chung Eui-yong, Moon's top national security adviser, paid a two-day visit to Pyongyang.

In December, Guterres had sent the UN political affairs chief, Jeffrey Feltman, to Pyongyang to urge the DPRK to open dialogue for ending the crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

He was, however, told by Pyongyang that "now was not the time."

The UN Security Council last year imposed tough new economic sanctions aimed at choking off funding for Pyongyang's military programs after the DPRK carried out its sixth nuclear test and a series of missile launches.
VIENTIANE, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government has continued to pursue a policy of encouraging more women to play a role in the country's leadership, and vowed to increase the number of women in leading positions in state departments, said local daily Vientiane Times on Wednesday.

Laos has set a target to increase the proportion of women holding leadership positions in central-level state organizations to 30 percent by 2020, according to statistics provided last week by the Lao Women's Union.

The figure was cited as the union is holding activities to mark the International Women's Day on the coming Thursday this year -- a time when the world reviews the status of women and their empowerment.

The Lao government will also strive to increase the proportion of women holding leadership positions in provincial and district departments to 20 percent by 2020.

In the Lao People's Revolutionary Party's 11-member Politburo -- the country's top political body -- Mrs. Pany Yathotou is the only female member. Meanwhile, the 69-member Party Central Committee has just six female members.

Among the 68 ministers and equivalent positions in Laos, only five are women, according to statistics as of June 2017 provided by the Civil Servant Management Department. In addition, there were only 24 women among the 190 deputy ministers and equivalent positions.

Observers noted that in order to successfully promote gender equality, it's essential to create equal opportunities for girls to access education as boys.

The Lao National Commission for the Advancement of Women and Mother-Child said it has made progress in increasing the number of girls enrolled in schools.

Lao school attendance by girls at the upper secondary level rose from 45 percent in 2015 to 47 percent in 2016 and to 51 percent in 2017.

School attendance by girls in lower secondary schools also increased, from 78 percent in 2015 to 82 percent in 2016 and 2017, said the report.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 10:13:24|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

Laborers carry rice bags at a jetty in Yangon, Myanmar, March 7, 2018. Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi has called on farmers and stakeholders in the country to strive for regaining the past status of top rice exporting country by turning to new agricultural methods such as organic farming, Myanmar News Agency reported Wednesday. (Xinhua/U Aung)

YANGON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi has called on farmers and stakeholders in the country to strive for regaining the past status of top rice exporting country by turning to new agricultural methods such as organic farming, Myanmar News Agency reported Wednesday.

Aung San Suu Kyi made the call at the Myanmar Rice Federation Stakeholder Forum in Nay Pyi Taw Tuesday which was held with the aim of maintaining sustainable development of local rice industry.

Pledging support for the farmers, Aung San Suu Kyi urged them to pass the integrity and value of agriculture to their children as the agricultural sector continues to play a large part in the development of the country.

She also urged the farmers' children to seek opportunities in agriculture, not like the youths from rural areas in developed countries who walk away from farms and work in cities, which creates problems in the agricultural sector.

At the forum, the Myanmar Rice Federation announced the basic index for the prices for rice this year, stressed the importance of research on climate change, and warned of the country's weakness in carrying out research for the agricultural sector.

Local and foreign experts took part in the discussions for the development of the rice industry in Myanmar.

According to the forum, Myanmar's rice export in this fiscal year 2017-18 ending March was more than 3 million tons, the largest in over 70 years.
VIENTIANE, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The number of foreign visitors to Laos totalled 3.86 million in 2017, a drop of 8.73 percent compared to 2016, according to statistics from the Tourist Development Department under Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.

Visitors from Europe dropped by 27 percent to 161,192, while those from the Americas declined by 26 percent to 64,227 in 2017, local daily quoted the data from the ministry as saying on Wednesday.

Tourists from the nine other ASEAN member countries dropped by 11 percent to 2.74 million, while overall visitors from the Asia-Pacific region fell by 7 percent to 3.63 million.

Visitors from nearby countries including Thailand, the largest source of foreign tourists for Laos, went down by 11 percent or more than 200,000 people.

Meanwhile, visitors from Japan and South Korea, who are typically big spenders, fell by 35 percent to 32,064 and by 2 percent to 170,571, respectively.

Deputy Director of the Tourism Research and Administrative Division, Bounthavy Sisava, told Vientiane Times on Tuesday that officials are carrying out further analysis of the reasons for the slump in tourist arrivals.

"In my opinion, the main reasons are that some provinces don't have enough tourist attractions, services are still not good enough, and some tourism products are not up to the required standards," Bounthavy said.

"Laos also doesn't have strong enough policies to promote domestic travel within the country, unlike nearby nations that encourage their residents to holiday at home. Also, some of our foods and traditions are similar to those of nearby countries which may account for the drop in visitors from neighboring countries, a key market for Laos," he said.

But there was some positive news, with visitors from non-ASEAN countries increasing by 6 percent to 884,908, while visitors from Africa and the Middle East increased by 1 percent to 11,410.

To attract more visitors, the Lao government has launched Visit Laos Year 2018 which includes a multitude of activities and local festivals. Each province is holding festivities and other activities to welcome visitors highlighting local lifestyles, sports, and traditions as well as popular tourist sites to link with the promotional campaign.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 10:23:26|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

File photo taken on Jan. 29, 2009 shows Gary Cohn at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn plans to resign, the White House said on March 6, 2018. (Xinhua/World Economic Forum swiss-image.ch/Sebastian Derungs)

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn said on Tuesday that he was resigning, as President Donald Trump's administration prepares to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

Cohn, a veteran Wall Street banker, has served as Trump's chief economic advisor since the beginning of the administration.

"It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular the passage of historic tax reform," Cohn said in a statement released by the White House.

Cohn struck an early rapport with Trump, and played an important role in forging the tax cut bill, which was signed into law by Trump last December.

Trump announced on March 1 that his administration planned to impose a 25-percent tariff on steel imports and a 10-percent one on aluminum, as these imports threaten U.S. national security.

Cohn, a "globalist" within the White House, has been mounting a last-ditch attempt to head off Trump's new tariff plan on steel and aluminum. He has summoned executives from U.S. companies that depend on aluminum and steel to meet with Trump.

Trump, however, reiterated his commitment to slapping tariffs on steel and aluminum on Tuesday.

"When we're behind on every single country, trade wars aren't so bad," Trump said. "The trade war hurts them, not us."

Trump's new tariff plan was based on an investigation conducted by the U.S. Commerce Department. Cohn told his colleagues that the investigation report was "terrible" because it did not properly analyze the jobs that would be lost in downstream industries, the U.S. news outlet Axios reported.

"Gary Cohn deserves credit for serving his country in a first class way. I'm sure I join many others who are disappointed to see him leave," Lloyd Blankfein, chairman and chief executive of Goldman Sachs and Cohn's former boss, tweeted.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 10:23:28|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close

HELSINKI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's first white paper on its Arctic policy is in line with the international law and the proposal to build a Polar Silk Road will promote understanding among different people, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said.

The Chinese policy document "respects international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," Niinisto told Xinhua in a recent interview.

He said it is important that Arctic players have something in common so that peace is maintained in the region. Finland is the current chair of the Arctic Council.

China would like to "jointly understand, protect, develop and participate in the governance of the Arctic, and advance Arctic-related cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative," the white paper, issued by China's State Council Information Office on Jan. 26, says.

It also says the Belt and Road Initiative will bring opportunities for the parties concerned to jointly build a Polar Silk Road, and facilitate connectivity and sustainable economic and social development of the Arctic.

The Polar Silk Road is not only a plan for more roads, railways and shipping routes, but also a vision for promoting understanding among different peoples, Niinisto said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 10:28:29|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close

Chinese Finance Minister Xiao Jie answers questions at a press conference on reform of fiscal and taxation system and financial work during the first session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The proactive direction of China's fiscal policy remains the same for 2018 despite a lower deficit-to-GDP ratio target, Chinese finance minister said Wednesday.

The government deficit is projected to be 2.38 trillion yuan, generally the same with last year, while China will increase fiscal expenditure and local government special bonds, Minister Xiao Jie told a press conference.

China lowered its fiscal deficit target to 2.6 percent of GDP for 2018, down by 0.4 percentage points compared with 2017, the first drop since 2013.

The reduction in the deficit-to-GDP ratio is mainly due to steady economic growth and the stable foundation for an increase in revenue, which also keeps policy options open for macro regulation, Xiao said.
YANGON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A meeting on information by the Sub-committee on Culture and Information (SCI) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is underway in Myanmar's Yangon.

The two-day 19th meeting of ASEAN SCI, which began on Tuesday, reviewed and discussed decisions of the ASEAN Summit meetings and presented future work of information sector.

Myanmar Minister of Information Dr. Pe Myint voiced encouragement to the development of programs and dissemination of information on the benefit and opportunities offered by the ASEAN Community.

He stressed the promotion of mutual respect and appreciation of diversity in line with the ASEAN Strategic Plan for Information and Media (2016-2025) as well as promotion of a culture of media pluralism and socially responsible media in creating a peaceful, people-centered, dynamic and outward looking community with the collaboration of government-to-government, government-to-business and ASEAN dialogue partners.

He called for efforts to strengthen the information sector of ASEAN, emphasizing the need for all member states to support each other in implementing the respective national communication plans as well as the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN strategic Plan for Information and Media Plan (2016-2025).

The 18th ASEAN SCI meeting was held in Malaysia in 2017.
by Jiang Yujuan, Jin Minmin

WASHINGTON, Mach 6 (Xinhua) -- The United States' proposed tariffs on the imports of steel and aluminum from other countries is likely to open a Pandora's box for the global economy.

Despite opposition from business groups and trade partners, President Donald Trump plans to impose a 25-percent tariff on imported steel and 10-percent on aluminum, saying that "trade wars are good and easy to win."

However, the unilateral tariffs are likely to derail the global economic recovery and undermine the current rule-based global trading system.

According to a study co-authored by Warwick McKibbin, a nonresident senior fellow with the American public policy organization Brookings Institution, a minor global trade war where tariffs rise 10 percent would reduce the GDP of most countries between 1 percent and 4.5 percent, with Washington losing 1.3 percent.

A 40-percent change in tariffs would cause a deep global recession.

The global economy is expected to accelerate its expansion this year. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in January revised up the global growth forecast for 2018 and 2019 by 0.2 percentage point to 3.9 percent for each year.

However, the IMF warned last week that the import restrictions announced by the U.S. president are likely to cause damage not only outside the United States, but also to the U.S. economy itself, including to its manufacturing and construction sectors, which are major users of aluminum and steel.

The tariffs would increase employment in the U.S. iron and steel employment and non-ferrous metals (primarily aluminum) sector by 33,464 jobs, but cost 179,334 jobs throughout the rest of the economy, with a net loss of nearly 146,000 jobs, according to The Trade Partnership, a Washington-based consultancy.

The U.S. action will also pose a great threat to the current rule-based global system. The IMF expressed its concern that other countries might follow suit by using "national security" to justify broad-based import restrictions.

"Trump's imposing restrictions would put the WTO (World Trade Organization) into a lose-lose situation," Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington-based think tank, said.

Though U.S. trade partners can challenge the U.S. action at the WTO, the settlement, whether it favors America's trade partners or not, could trigger a devastating global political and economic fallout, Bown said.

If the United States loses the case, the Trump administration might react by ignoring the legal ruling, undermining the WTO, or withdrawing from the WTO, he said. If the United States wins the case, it will open the door for all countries to impose their own national security protection, he added.

If the U.S. trade partners do not take the dispute to the WTO, "that might signal a loss of faith that the rules-based system can still manage trade frictions," Bown said.

Last April, Trump ordered the Commerce Department to study the impact of steel and aluminum imports on national security under a seldom-used section of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act.

The department in February unveiled its recommendations to restrict imports of steel and aluminum products due to national security concerns.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 10:43:35|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

BOGOTA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 members of the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group were killed on Tuesday in a Colombian military offensive in northwest Antioquia Department, Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas said.

The Colombian Air Force, which carried out the bombardment in a rural part of the town of Caceres, also wounded and captured three ELN rebels.

According to Villegas, the offensive dealt a heavy blow to the ELN, as a regional rebel commander identified as "Cachaco" was believed to be among the killed.

Villegas said the rebel faction led by Cachaco had forced several locals out of their homes and in January destroyed electricity lines in a region known as Bajo Cauca.

"News that the group that had caused so much damage was abolished came as a great relief" to local residents, said Villegas. "Now the Bajo Cauca region is a better region due to this operation."

Villegas said the military has "neutralized" 195 ELN rebels so far this year, including 34 that abandoned the guerrilla group.

Fighting between the ELN and state forces intensified earlier this year, after a cease-fire plan designed to promote peace talks between the two sides expired.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos ordered a suspension of peace talks in late January, after the ELN targeted a police station in northern Colombia, killing seven officers and injuring more than 40 people.

Both sides have said they are still interested in continuing the negotiations.
Source: Xinhuanet| 2018-03-07 11:01:43|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Photo provided by John Ross

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinas economic structure, a result of Chinese experience, is "unprecedented in practice and has produced the most rapid economic development in human history," said British expert John Ross.

Ross, a Senior Fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, said this recently to Xinhuanet.

In the interview, Ross spoke highly of Chinas economic thinking, especially the reform and opening up policy and the socialist market economy system.

"They are not only practical but also intellectual achievements," said Ross.

The socialist market economy system, with a dominant state sector, gives full play to the role of market as "almost all prices are set and most resources allocated via the market," Ross explained.

"In this framework, China develops the worlds most rapidly growing private economy." he added.

In the recent years, China has been pushing forward the supply-side structural reform to optimize economic structure.

In his view, this strategy builds on, and is the latest stage, of Chinas economic development.

He also shared his opinions on some negative voices towards China, attributing them partly to "old-fashioned perception" and partly to "active hostility".

For people who are not up to date with Chinas new reality, Ross suggested that they should learn more about China, the world's second-largest economy.

As they gain deeper understanding, they will "increasingly see the importance of mutually beneficial cooperation with China."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 10:58:38|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday expressed concern about continued reports of attacks throughout the besieged enclave of Eastern Ghouta in Syria as well as reports of shelling of Damascus, said his spokesman.

Attacks reportedly claimed more than 100 lives on Monday, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman.

The secretary-general called on all parties to immediately allow safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian delivery, he said.

A convoy of the United Nations, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which was delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance to 27,500 people in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, could not complete the delivery on Monday because of insecurity.

As a result, 14 of the 46 trucks in the convoy were not able to fully offload critical humanitarian supplies. Nearly half of the food the convoy carried could therefore not be delivered. Moreover, a part of the medical and health supplies to be included for delivery was removed by the Syrian authorities, said the UN spokesman.

The secretary-general asked the parties to allow the completion of the delivery to Douma, including medical and health supplies, planned for Thursday, he said.

The UN chief reminded all parties of their obligation under international humanitarian law and human rights law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure at all times and of the basic responsibility to ensure the necessary protection of all humanitarian organizations, personnel, facilities and other relief assets, said the spokesman.

The secretary-general urged all parties to fully implement the newly adopted UN Security Council Resolution 2401, which demands an immediate cease-fire across Syria to allow humanitarian access and urgent medical evacuations.

Syrian government troops intensified efforts in mid-February to retake Eastern Ghouta, the last major rebel stronghold in the country. Air strikes and fighting on the ground have caused a dire humanitarian situation, which Guterres has described as "hell on earth" for the 400,000 inhabitants.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 10:58:39|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

File photo taken on Jan. 29, 2009 shows Gary Cohn at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn plans to resign, the White House said on March 6, 2018. (Xinhua/World Economic Forum swiss-image.ch/Sebastian Derungs)

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn said on Tuesday he was resigning, as Donald Trump's administration prepares to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

Cohn, a veteran Wall Street banker, has served as President Trump's chief economic advisor since the beginning of the administration.

"It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular the passage of historic tax reform," Cohn said in a statement released by the White House.

Cohn struck an early rapport with Trump, and played an important role in forging the tax cut bill, which was signed into law by Trump last December.

The relationship between Cohn and Trump began to sour last summer following the president's comment on a white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia. Cohn's dispute with Trump on steel and aluminum tariffs was the last straw that nudged him out of the White House.

Trump announced on March 1 that his administration planned to impose a 25-percent tariff on steel imports and a 10-percent one on aluminum, as these imports threaten U.S. national security.

Cohn, a "globalist" within the White House, has been mounting a last-ditch attempt to head off Trump's new tariff plan on steel and aluminum. He has summoned executives from U.S. companies that depend on aluminum and steel to meet with Trump.

Trump, however, reiterated his commitment to slapping tariffs on steel and aluminum on Tuesday.

"When we're behind on every single country, trade wars aren't so bad," Trump said. "The trade war hurts them, not us."

Trump's new tariff plan was based on an investigation conducted by the U.S. Commerce Department. Cohn told his colleagues that the investigation report was "terrible" because it did not properly analyze the jobs that would be lost in downstream industries, U.S. news outlet Axios reported.

"Gary Cohn deserves credit for serving his country in a first class way. I'm sure I join many others who are disappointed to see him leave," Lloyd Blankfein, chairman and chief executive of Goldman Sachs and Cohn's former boss, tweeted.

Trump's tariffs plan has not only split his own team, but also drawn criticism from members of Congress.

"There is a lot of concern among Republican senators that this could sort of metastasize into sort of a larger trade war, and many of our members are discussing with the administration just how broad, how sweeping this might be," Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday.

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Monday that he was "extremely worried" about Trump's new tariffs on imported steel and aluminum and urged the president not to move forward with the plan.

The threat of escalating tit-for-tat penalties has been soaring, as U.S. major trading partners have vowed to hit back. The European Commission is preparing punitive tariffs on U.S. exports from motorcycles to Kentucky bourbon, according to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 11:18:44|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

BRASILIA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Superior Court of Justice on Tuesday rejected a habeas corpus petition to scrap ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's prison sentence.

The five-judge panel's unanimous decision marks another legal setback for the popular Lula, who has already lost several appeals against a corruption conviction that threatens to derail his hope of running in the October presidential elections for a third term.

Judges disagreed with the argument that the legal process against him was flawed, effectively upholding his 12-year prison sentence.

However, the decision "does not send Lula straightaway to jail, as the former president still has a petition under consideration by an appellate court," online news agency Agencia Brasil said.

Lula was convicted of corruption for accepting a luxury beachfront apartment from construction firm OAS in exchange for lucrative contracts for state oil giant Petrobras.

Polls have consistently showed Lula as Brazilians' favorite potential candidate despite the conviction, which he claims is politically motivated to sideline his presidential aspirations.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 11:43:47|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Libya's National Human Rights Commission Tuesday condemned the renewed tribal clashes in the southern city of Sabha that killed three civilians and wounded 12 others.

"The Commission condemns these armed clashes and the escalation of violence between the tribes of Awlad Sulaiman and Tabu in the city of Sabha," Ahmed Abdul-Hakim Hamza, the commission's rapporteur told Xinhua Tuesday, added that "three children between the ages of seven to 10 years" were among the casualties.

"The targeting of civilians, neighborhoods, and medical facilities constitutes a full war crime in violation of international humanitarian law," Hamza said.

Hamza said the commission is concerned about the worsening humanitarian and living conditions in Sabha due to the continued escalation of tribal violence, as well as the deteriorating medical conditions for a lack of emergency medical equipment and supplies in Sabha Medical Center.

Located some 800 km southwest of the capital Tripoli, Sabha has been witnessing violent rival tribe clashes for days, which have forced hundreds of people to flee their homes. According to Sabha Medical Center, the clashes have killed 10 civilians and wounded 25 so far.

Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on Sunday announced the formation of a military force to secure southern Libya.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 11:53:49|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

GUANGZHOU, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Customs in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou have detained 14 people in connection with a smuggling case involving frozen seafood.

Customs staff have confiscated 20 tonnes of the products worth 100 million yuan (15.8 million U.S. dollars).

An investigation began after police received a tip-off in the first half of 2017. The suspects brought pomfret, mackerel and white prawns from Ecuador, Indonesia and some African countries to the Chinese mainland.

The customs sent 100 police officers to seize the suspects in cities including Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Wuhan in January.
MEXICO CITY, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Mexico will host the 13th Summit of the Pacific Alliance on July 24-25, President Enrique Pena Nieto announced Tuesday.

Pena Nieto made the announcement during a video conference call earlier in the day with his counterparts from Pacific Alliance members -- Colombia, Chile and Peru, according to a statement from his office.

Members of the trade bloc agreed to make policies that will "allow us to establish concrete and reachable objectives in line with the Sustainable Development Goals" outlined by the United Nations 2030 agenda, said the statement.

The alliance, which Mexico currently presides over, aims to have 100-percent free trade among bloc members by 2030.

Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore have expressed an interest in becoming associate members of the alliance. They will hold the third round of negotiations with the alliance about this issue this week.

Founded in 2011, the Pacific Alliance aims to promote trade between its members, and as a bloc, with Asia. The bloc accounts for 37 percent of Latin America's gross domestic product.
DENVER, the United States, March 6 (Xinhua) -- A leading U.S. military academic Tuesday called on the Trump Administration to step up to the plate and "keep the momentum going" with talks that could pull nuclear weapons out of the Korean Peninsula.

"This is a major breakthrough," Lyle Goldstein of the U.S. Naval War College told Xinhua about the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un's pledge to immediately freeze missile and nuclear weapons testing during proposed talks with the United States and South Korea.

South Korean national security adviser Chung Eui-yong hammered out the talks and a summit next month between the two Koreas during a four-hour dinner with Kim, his wife and other senior DPRK officials.

The top national security adviser for South Korean President Moon Jae-in led a 10-member special delegation to visit Pyongyang for two days from Monday.

The two sides agreed to hold the third inter-Korean summit talks in late April. The first and second inter-Korean summit meetings were held in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007 respectively.

Goldstein urged U.S. officials to address the DPRK's "security needs," not to exclude a "symbolic withdrawal of some U.S. troops," as a move that might bring both sides closer to detente.

"You must give in order to receive," Goldstein said, citing the recent Iran talks failing because Tehran perceived it was getting nothing in return.

Goldstein also said the involvement of China and Russia might help the challenging negotiations that lie ahead, criticizing Japan's seeming lack of interest.

South Korea and the DPRK also agreed to set up a hotline between the leaders to ease military tensions and closely coordinate. The first talks through the hotline will be held before the summit scheduled for late April.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Alaskan Governor Bill Walker will lead a trade mission to China in May for talks with Chinese decision-makers to expand the northwesternmost U.S. region's markets, the governor's office announced Monday.

At a press conference Monday, Walker detailed the new trade mission, called Opportunity Alaska: China Trade Mission. Besides meeting government officials, the delegation will also have networking events with industry representatives during their May 19-26 visit.

According to Chinese official data, China has been the largest trade partner and export destination of Alaska since 2011.

Alaska exported more than 1.32 billion U.S. dollars worth of goods to China in 2017, according to Walker's office.

Alaska is working to partner with an investment bank, a sovereign wealth fund and a China-owned oil company to develop a 45-billion-dollar project to export liquefied natural gas to China.

Last month it launched a new scholarship program to fund Alaskan students to study in China and is hoping to increase flights to the world's second largest economy.
UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Australia and Timor-Leste on Tuesday signed a historic maritime boundary treaty under the auspices of the United Nations, ending a decade-long maritime dispute and recognizing a permanent border between them.

Signed by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Timor-Leste Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister for the Delimitation of Borders, Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira, at the UN headquarters in New York in the presence of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the pact marks the successful conclusion of the first recourse to conciliation proceedings under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

"By delimiting the maritime boundary between Australia and Timor-Leste in the Timor Sea and by establishing a special regime for the area comprising the Greater Sunrise gas field, this agreement puts Australia and Timor-Leste in a better position to exercise their respective rights and obligations under the Convention (on the Law of the Sea) in an effective manner," Guterres said. "It should also ensure that both states fully benefit from the sustainable exploitation of natural resources in the Timor Sea."

The treaty, whose text was agreed on in October 2017 in The Hague, will contribute to establishing legal certainty in the world's oceans, an essential condition for stable relations, peace and security, and sustainable development, he said.

It also demonstrates the strength of international law and the effectiveness of resolving disputes through peaceful means, he added.

Guterres said the two governments have furthered the vision of the drafters of the convention to provide a flexible approach to the resolution of disputes. "I trust that your example will inspire other states to consider conciliation as a viable alternative for dispute settlement under the convention," he said.

Bishop said an international rules-based order is fundamental to collective security and prosperity. "Our treaty reflects the value and importance of those rules and institutions and the benefits for states in abiding by those rules," she said.

"The conciliation shows how international law can enable countries to resolve their disputes peacefully. It is an example for all of how the international rules-based order serves collective interests."

She said the treaty opens a new chapter in relations with Timor-Leste and pledged Australia's continued support for Timor-Leste's economic development.

Pereira, calling the treaty "equatable, forward-looking," said it will institute certainty in international investment and economic development for Timor Leste.
NEW DELHI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- India's national carrier Air India will operate a number of all-women crew flights to mark the International Women's Day which falls on March 8.

Air India will operate a range of wide and narrow body aircraft in domestic and international sectors with female pilots to salute woman power, the airline said in a statement Wednesday.

The all-women crew flights will be to several international destinations like San Francisco, New York, Newark, Chicago and Washington, according to Air India.

The national carrier also has plans to conduct a series of cultural events to commemorate the International Women's Day.
WASHINGTON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, accusing California and two top state officials of interfering with federal immigration efforts by passing and enforcing state laws that impede U.S. operations against undocumented people.

The constitution gives the U.S. government sweeping authority over immigration, Justice Department lawyers say, arguing that California is blocking enforcement efforts by the Department of Homeland Security and imposing other impermissible obligations on the federal government.

In response, California's Democratic Governor Jerry Brown issued a statement Tuesday night, calling the federal lawsuit "sad" and a political stunt, National Public Radio reported.

California lawmakers passed three immigration-related laws last year. One of them bars private employers from voluntarily cooperating with federal immigration officials and requires businesses to notify workers before a federal raid.

The lawsuit, filed in the federal court in Sacramento, California, is seen as an escalation of the long-running battle between the Trump administration and California on matters ranging from immigration and climate change to criminal justice, local analysts say.
KUALA LUMUR, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd (MyHSR Corp) said here on Wednesday it will call for a tender on Friday to appoint the final survey consultants (FSC) for the Kuala Lumpur to Singapore High Speed Rail (KL-SG HSR).

The Malaysian government's project delivery vehicle said in a statement that the tender, which will be called on March 9, will be divided into six packages.

The main scopes of the FSC are to conduct land survey and provide land administration support for the land acquisition process for the KL-SG HSR project within Malaysia, with three packages reserved for Bumiputera firms, meaning firms with indigenous Malay origins.

MyHSR Corp also said that the land acquisition application is expected to commence in June with the first land to be acquired for the main infrastructures, such as stations, maintenance facilities and tunnel portals.

The availability of the land for construction works is essential for the KL-SG HSR project, it said.

Upon approval of the Railway Scheme for the project, the identified land will be acquired by Malaysian government in accordance to Section 8 of Land Acquisition Act 1960.

"We encourage local firms with relevant experience to participate in the tender to provide expertise on land survey works and to assist with the land acquisition activities," MyHSR Corp's chief executive officer Mohd Nur Ismal said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 14:34:14|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

HELSINKI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- As China's top legislative and advisory bodies are holding their annual meetings, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said he believes the "Two Sessions" and the decisions to be made are of global significance.

Among other items on the agenda, the "Two Sessions" are to amend China's constitution, pass new laws, deliberate a plan on the reform of state institutions, and decide a new state leadership.

"Those are very important meetings and very important decisions are being made there," said Niinisto in a recent interview with Xinhua, adding that those decisions will be of great significance for the whole world.

He highlighted the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Beijing's first white paper on Arctic-related cooperation.

China first proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, which advocates better economic connectivity, political coordination and cultural exchanges among different continents and regions. Beijing further envisioned a Polar Silk Road in a document released earlier this year.

Finland is the current chair of the Arctic Council. Niinisto noted that China's first white paper on Arctic policy is in line with the international law and the proposal to build a Polar Silk Road will promote understanding among relevant parties.

The Chinese policy document, released on Jan. 26, "respects international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," Niinisto said.

He said it is important that Arctic players have something in common so that peace is maintained in the region.

China would like to "jointly understand, protect, develop and participate in the governance of the Arctic, and advance Arctic-related cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative," the white paper says.

It also says the Belt and Road Initiative will create opportunities for the parties concerned to jointly build a Polar Silk Road, and facilitate connectivity and sustainable economic and social development of the Arctic.

The Polar Silk Road is not only a plan for more roads, railways and shipping routes, but also a vision for promoting understanding among different peoples, Niinisto said.

More discussions are needed to explore the possibility of combining the Belt and Road Initiative and a European Union (EU) strategy plan to deepen connection with Asia, he added.

The Finnish president also said he agrees with Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

"We are more and more dependent on each other, and a shared future in my eyes means better connectivity, better mutual understanding, and a peaceful life where we can learn from each other," he said.

The Finnish leader also praised China's achievements in lifting tens of millions of people out of poverty in the past decades, saying he hopes such efforts will continue.

The president noted that people in the Western world, including Finland, are "having a very keen eye on the Chinese economy," as it has a huge impact on the international economy.

"We hope the very positive momentum of the Chinese economy will continue," said Niinisto.
HANOI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam will build a 41-hectare peace park in central Quang Ngai province to commemorate the My Lai Massacre 50 years ago, the most shocking episode of the Vietnam War.

Hoa Binh (peace) My Lai Park will be built soon in Son Tinh district with investment of 348 billion Vietnamese dong (nearly 15.4 million U.S. dollars), as a symbol of Quang Ngai as well as a destination for people to pray for peace and protest wars, the provincial authorities said on Wednesday.

On March 16, 1968 in two hamlets in Quang Ngai, U.S. Army soldiers killed 504 unarmed Vietnamese civilians, mainly women and children.

The incident prompted global outrage when it became public knowledge in November 1969. When the scope of killing and cover-up attempts were exposed, the massacre fueled opposition to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
This file photo taken on June 29, 2016 shows an An-26 transport plane in Yeysk, Russia. (Xinhua/Sputnik)

MOSCOW, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military transport plane that crashed in Syria on Tuesday was carrying 39 people, instead of a previous report of 32, when the accident happened.

A total of 33 passengers and six crew members aboard the An-26 plane were killed after the aircraft hit the ground while landing in the Hmeymim airbase in Syria, according to the ministry.

The families of the deceased, all of whom were Russian servicemen, will be provided with necessary assistance and support.

Russian President Vladimir Putin extended condolences to the families and friends of those killed in the crash, according to the Kremlin.

The plane was not attacked and technical malfunction may have caused the crash, the Russian Defense Ministry said earlier in the day.

The Defense Ministry has set up a commission to investigate the crash.

Russia now uses the Hmeymim airbase to support Syrian government troops in the fight against terrorist groups in the country.
HOUSTON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- At the Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) Week, which kicked off Monday in Houston, Texas, oil and gas industry leaders called for taking steps in the right direction before market demand surpassed supply.

CALLING FOR COOPERATION

Since the beginning of this year, oil prices have been up, supplies constrained, and inventories down. All of this is in line with the mission of the Vienna alliance, a pact of 24 members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC countries, with Russia and Saudi Arabia as its core.

Aleksey Texler, Russia's first deputy energy minister, Tuesday said it is important for both OPEC and non-OPEC countries to cooperate to balance the markets.

OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Sanisu Barkindo said the organization opens its arms to other oil and gas producers in the hope of exchanging information for a stronger oil and gas industry.

"We all belong to this industry. We all produce and study the same market," he said, adding that with the market continuing to grow in terms of demand, every player and every producer is needed to meet the future demand.

Secretary-General of the International Energy Forum (IEF) Sun Xiansheng said Tuesday that the IEF needs to work with and support the member countries to set up a neutral platform for governments, industries and international organizations to exchange ideas and narrow gaps between developed and developing countries.

Sun told Xinhua that with the booming shale oil production in the United States and the growing demand in China, the two countries have more opportunities to cooperate in the energy field.

"If the two powerful nations have closer cooperation in trade and technology of energy in the future, I think it's good for the whole world. It's a win-win situation," he said.

ENCOURAGING INVESTMENT

Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), warned that unless investments are made in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry, oil production beyond 2020 will not be able to satisfy demand.

Birol told the press on Monday that conventional production suggests a natural decline rate of 3 million barrels a day, or "in other words, one North Sea (production) each year."

Barkindo echoed Birol's viewpoint, saying that without investment in the upstream side of the industry, supply will not be able to keep up with demand.

"Oil producers and consumers are equally concerned," the OPEC secretary-general said.

Investment in the oil industry has yet to recover from an unprecedented two-year drop in capital expenditures in 2015-2016, but the latest energy outlook by the IEA sees little-to-no increase in upstream spending outside of the United States in 2017 and 2018.

Barkindo expressed his worry: "We have seen sharp contraction in investment, especially (in) long-cycle projects both onshore and offshore, and 2018 is not looking very positive at the moment."

"The global industry needs to focus on this imagined threat, because we are sowing the seeds for a possible or believed future energy crisis. That is not in the interest of this global economy," he said.

EMPHASIZING CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change was on the agenda of Tuesday's breakfast dialogue, where Sun said both climate change and the transition of the industry are important.

The IEF secretary-general also said it is believed that fossil fuel will be 57-79 percent of the fuel mix in 2040. The issue is how to find a cleaner way to use the fuel.

Barkindo and Birol both agreed that the problem is not energy, but emissions.

Barkindo said OPEC is looking beyond oil production. "As oil-producing countries, several have been involved in climate change discussions, and now is the time we develop and agree on (measures to take)," he said.

CERAWeek is an annual energy meeting featuring prominent speakers from energy, technology and financial sectors. Organized by business information provider IHS Markit, this year's meeting is being attended by more than 3,000 guests from over 50 countries and regions.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 15:19:26|Editor: pengying

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's new round of structural reform should generate tax breaks and reduced fees, according to a report from the China International Capital Corporation(CICC).

The Beijing-based investment bank said that the reform would enable the government to cut spending by streamlining administration and improving efficiency.

"This allows the government to cut taxes and administrative fees without raising the deficit ratio, thereby invigorating the market and improving the quality of economic development," said the report.

The government has proposed a reduction of over 1.1 trillion yuan in 2018, exceeding the 2017 figure, cutting taxes on businesses and individuals by more than 800 billion yuan (about 126 billion U.S. dollars) while lightening the non-tax burden on market entities by over 300 billion yuan.

The fiscal deficit target has been lowered by 0.4 percentage points to 2.6 percent of GDP for 2018.

"The lower budget deficit ratio is in line with China's move from high-speed growth to high-quality development and will help stabilize the macro leverage ratio," said the CICC report.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 15:19:27|Editor: pengying

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A number of countries have claimed that China has been stealing manufacturing jobs from them, but the facts tell a different story -- China is creating jobs for them.

Logically speaking, neither China nor any country else can "steal" jobs from the other countries, since each country creates its own job opportunities for its citizens basing on its economic development level.

China always abides by international trade rules, no matter when it was economically underdeveloped or now that it has grown stronger. It has chosen to work with trade partners to seek win-win results. As Chinese manufacturing enterprises expand their global presence, they hire more and more local employees.

As a case in point, Fuyao Group, China's leading manufacturer of automotive glass, had employed more than 2,000 people at a near-470,000-square-meter glass fabrication factory in Moraine, Ohio, by November 2017.

The Fuyao facility, the largest Chinese investment project in Ohio's history, has been widely hailed as a silver lining for the local community, as the closure of General Motor's assembly plant in 2008 wiped out thousands of jobs.

With Fuyao's further expansion in the United States, the company expects the employment number to grow by thousands.

Chinese companies invested over 20 billion dollars in the nine U.S. states in the midwest region as of 2016, creating over 45,000 jobs, according to China General Chamber of Commerce-U.S.A.

In Latin America, Chinese enterprises created 1.8 million jobs between 1995 and 2016, according to data from the International Labor Organization. The investment in sectors like food, communication, and renewable energy helped improve local infrastructure and consumption.

Through the Belt and Road Initiative proposed in 2013, China was adding jobs to Asian, European and African countries along the routes, while promoting infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

Under the Initiative, Chinese enterprises have invested roughly 50 billion U.S. dollars and helped build 75 economic and trade cooperation zones in 24 countries, generating over 209,000 jobs by October 2017, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Looking ahead, more jobs are expected to be created by Chinese companies worldwide as Premier Li Keqiang said Monday in a government work report that China will expand industrial capacity cooperation with other countries, which enables Chinese manufacturing and services to go global.

Besides creating jobs overseas, China is also attracting many talented people from abroad to work on its territory for the country's manufacturing upgrading, given high-tech manufacturing has achieved an average annual increase of 11.7 percent during the past five years.

In 2016 alone, 1,576 foreigners in various careers became permanent residents in China, an increase of 163 percent over the previous year, according to the Ministry of Public Security

The country will surely solicit more talents from both home and abroad to build the country into a leader in manufacturing, given the government plans to promote the development of integrated circuits, 5G mobile communications, aircraft engines, new-energy vehicles, new materials and equipment manufacturing, among others.
Source:Xinhua| 2018-03-07 15:46:26|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

Photo taken on March 7, 2018 shows the scene of a plenary meeting of deputies from Gansu Province at the first session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China. The meeting was opened to media. (Xinhua/Wang Jianhua)
Source:Xinhua| 2018-03-07 15:45:01|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

Photo taken on March 7, 2018 shows the scene of a plenary meeting of deputies from Qinghai Province at the first session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China. The meeting was opened to media. (Xinhua/Wang Jianhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 15:39:31|Editor: pengying

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) has launched its "Zero Discrimination" social media campaign in China this year, hoping to raise awareness of discrimination in the country.

Nicholas Rosellini, UN Resident Coordinator in China, is encouraging Chinese netizens to participate in the campaign, by using drawings, pictures, gifs, audio and video to show support for the campaign in his speech at a press conference organized by UNAIDS China.

"Everyone has the right to live a life free from discrimination regardless of HIV status, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, other personal characteristics or identification," Rosellini said.

Shen Jie, deputy secretary-general of the China Association of STD and AIDS Prevention and Control, called on governments, society and communities to "speak out for love" to help AIDS patients, especially children, to become braver and better embrace life.

China recorded a total of 747,000 people with HIV as of September 2017, according to the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention under the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

As of the end of June, about 542,000 HIV-positive people had received medical treatment and mortality was notably reduced.
DENVER, the United States, March 6 (Xinhua) -- A leading U.S. military academic Tuesday called on the Trump Administration to step up to the plate and "keep the momentum going" with talks that could pull nuclear weapons out of the Korean Peninsula.

"This is a major breakthrough," Lyle Goldstein of the U.S. Naval War College told Xinhua about top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un's pledge to immediately freeze missile and nuclear weapons testing during proposed talks with the United States and South Korea.

South Korean national security adviser Chung Eui-yong hammered out the talks and a summit next month between the two Koreas during a four-hour dinner with Kim, his wife and other senior DPRK officials.

The top national security adviser for South Korean President Moon Jae-in led a 10-member special delegation to visit Pyongyang for two days from Monday.

The two sides agreed to hold the third inter-Korean summit talks in late April. The first and second inter-Korean summit meetings were held in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007 respectively.

Goldstein, 46, urged U.S. officials to address the DPRK's "security needs," not to exclude a "symbolic withdrawal of some U.S. troops," as a move that might bring both sides closer to detente.

"You must give, in order to receive," Goldstein said, citing the recent Iran talks failing because Tehran perceived it was getting nothing in return.

The Princeton Ph.D. commended U.S. President Donald Trump's cautious tweet on Monday as being appropriate, saying that "possible progress" is occurring between the United States and the DPRK.

"It is time for Donald Trump to speak more than 'nice' words," Goldstein said. "I would hope his reaction will have more substance to it, such as some economic incentives."

He called the nuclear situation between the United States and the DPRK a doomsday scenario on every level, and equated its urgency with the tension-filled Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

Goldstein emphasized that the United States should "exercise diplomacy first" and be "slow to anger," as the DPRK has successfully tested an underground nuclear weapon and could easily strike Seoul or Tokyo within minutes.

"Imagine if a nuclear warhead hit Tokyo ... that would be unthinkable," he said.

Goldstein heaped praise on South Korean negotiators who offered the DPRK a number of incentives, which might coax Pyongyang away from its nuclear threats.

In his 2015 book Meeting China Halfway: How to Defuse the Emerging US-China Rivalry, Goldstein not only addressed ways to improve U.S.-China relations, but also spent considerable length detailing how to deal with Korean Peninsula issue.

He listed a few suggestions in the book which might provide confidence and hope to the DPRK, including easing up on trade restrictions, encouraging investment and trade, and normalizing relations.

"We've seen what angry words and a military build-up have produced," Goldstein said.

Goldstein, a professor and strategic researcher at the Naval College's China Maritime Studies Institute, is an expert on Chinese and Russian security strategies.

He said the involvement of China and Russia might help the challenging negotiations that lie ahead, criticizing Japan's seeming lack of interest.

"If I was in their shoes I'd be doing a lot more to stop the escalation," he said.

Recently, South Korea and the DPRK also agreed to set up a hotline between the leaders to ease military tensions and closely coordinate. The first talks through the hotline will be held before the summit.
SEOUL, March 7 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday saw a possibility for U.S. President Donald Trump to make a "positive response" to talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Blue House of South Korea said.

Moon made the remarks during a meeting with the heads of the five major political parties, including the governing Democratic Party and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, according to a pool report from the Blue House.

He said the Korean Peninsula entered a very significant phase to denuclearize and build peace, noting that he had closely consulted with Trump in the process of coming to the current point.

Given the global media reports and the Twitter comments, Moon said, President Trump probably may have positively seen the result of South Korean envoys' visit to the DPRK.

Trump told reporters in Washington that the statements from South Korea and the DPRK "have been very positive," indicating his initial response to the DPRK's dialogue overtures.
COLOMBO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan Police on Wednesday extended a curfew for the third consecutive day in Kandy, central Sri Lanka, after mobs clashed on the streets resulting in two deaths and several being injured.

Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera told Xinhua that the curfew, which was imposed on Sunday night, had been extended until further notice as several violent incidents had been reported from across the Kandy district.

Eye witnesses on ground said police were forced to fire in the air on Tuesday night to disperse mobs who took to the streets, defying the curfew and state of emergency.

Gunasekera said tight security remained in place and three special police teams had also been dispatched to Kandy on Wednesday morning.

"There is a heavy presence of police, special forces and the army on ground. There have been several incidents which is why the curfew has been re-imposed," Gunasekera said.

So far, police have arrested more than seven individuals involved in triggering the clashes on Tuesday night.

Businesses have remained closed while schools across the district have also remained shut.

Due to the escalation of violence, President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday declared a week long, nation-wide state of emergency, the first since the country ended a civil war in 2009.

In a nation-wide address, he appealed for calm and peace and warned of "stern action" against anyone spreading violence and rumors with the intention of provoking communal violence.

Several ministers have also visited Kandy since Sunday, urging people to refrain from violence and maintain law and order.

Violent clashes erupted in Digana town in Kandy on Sunday night after a 41-year-old man succumbed to his injuries after being attacked by a group of people on Feb. 22.

Gunasekara said 24 people had been arrested over the killing so far. Out of the 24, 10 were directly involved in the killing of the victim while 14 people were arrested on suspicion.
Source: Xinhuanet| 2018-03-07 16:36:54|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinas continuation of opening up would definitely create better opportunities for other countries including Malaysia, said Malaysian Ambassador to China Dato' Zainuddin Yahya during a recent interview with Xinhuanet.

The ambassador spoke about Chinas economic development, bilateral relations and other topics in the interview conducted ahead of Chinas annual Two Sessions.

The ambassador said he is particularly interested in Chinas commitment to further opening up, including facilitating its foreign trade and steadily advancing the Belt and Road Initiative, because it would provide the much-needed lift for the economies of many other countries, he explained.

According to the ambassador, the initiative has brought Malaysia and China closer in terms of economic cooperation.

He listed a number of ongoing and long-term cooperation projects between Malaysia and China, such as the twin industrial parks, namely the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park and the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park, as well as the Xiamen University Malaysia, the first overseas campus set up by a renowned Chinese university.

The promotion of people-to-people exchange through such concerted efforts between Malaysia and China will further solidify the robust bilateral relations that both countries enjoy, he said.

The ambassador praised Chinas major accomplishments since the launch of reform and opening up four decades ago.

Over the past 40 years, China has risen to become the worlds second largest economy; lifted more than 700 million Chinese people out of poverty; became a leader in technological advancement; contributed significantly to the United Nations endeavors; promoted social mobility and introduced global economic initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, just to name but a few, the ambassador elaborated.

Chinas growth has presented more opportunities for other countries to forge closer economic relations and explore cooperation in wider and non-traditional areas with the worlds second largest economy, he added.
NEW DELHI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Indian investigators Wednesday grilled the top boss of the state-owned Punjab National Bank, which is epicenter of the country's biggest-ever bank fraud of 1.8 billion U.S. dollars orchestrated by billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi.

"Punjab National Bank's CEO Sunil Mehta was summoned by India's Serious Fraud Investigation Office in Mumbai and investigators questioned him and recorded his statement before letting him go," sources said.

The heads of India's two leading private banks - ICICI Bank and Axis Bank - are next in line to be questioned by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office, which Tuesday issued summons to them to appear before it in the scam that has rocked the country.

Indian investigators have so far arrested nearly 20 people, including some senior executives of companies owned by Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi as well as high-ranking officials of the Punjab National Bank, in the bank fraud probe.

Though Modi has not yet been arrested, India's External Affairs Ministry has revoked his passport as well as Choksi's for their involvement in the scam.

Indian authorities have also launched a massive crackdown on companies linked to Modi, and seized 10,000 luxury watches and nine luxury cars last week, apart from freezing his personal shares and mutual funds.

Modi is said to have defrauded Punjab National Bank, India's second largest state-run bank, of 1.8 billion U.S. dollars, though he has said that he owed the bank only 775 million U.S. dollars, in a letter sent to the bank's management.

The celebrity jeweller - the mastermind of the massive fraud - is said to have fled the country and was reportedly last seen in New York after his appearance at World Economic Forum in Davos as a member of the Indian delegation.
WASHINGTON, March 6 -- The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday it has imposed sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) over its alleged killing of top leader Kim Jong Un's half-brother with what authorities said was a nerve agent last year in Malaysia.

The United States determined on Feb. 22 that Pyongyang "used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Nam, in the Kuala Lumpur airport," said Heather Nauert, the U.S. State Department spokesperson, in a statement.

Nauert said the determination was made under the U.S. Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991.

Effective since Monday after the finding was formally published, the sanctions build on existing U.S. sanctions to curb the DPRK's missile and nuclear weapons programs and restrict U.S. foreign aid and financial and military assistance, according to media reports.

That aid and assistance by the United States, however, never went to the DPRK, so the sanctions, which came on the same day when Kim Jong Un said was willing to talk to Washington and engage in denuclearization, were largely seen as symbolic.

A DPRK man was killed in the Kuala Lumpur airport, Malaysia, on Feb. 13, 2017. Malaysian police later confirmed that the victim, who was killed by VX nerve agent, a lethal chemical weapon, was Kim Jong Nam.
FREETOWN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- More than 3.1 million registered voters in Sierra Leone on Wednesday go to over 11,000 polling stations across the country to elect a new president.

The general elections started at 7 am Wednesday. Sixteen registered political parties including the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) and the main opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) participated in the elections.

This is the fourth elections the country has conducted since the eleven-year rebel war that ravaged the country.

President Ernest Bai Koroma has concluded his second consecutive term and his former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samura Kamara would contest against fifteen others including Julius Maada Bio of the SLPP.

The election would close at 5 pm local time and counting would start after the polls with the official results expected in one week.

Apart from the President, voters would cast their ballots for 132 Members of Parliament and 19 councils across the country.
ISTANBUL, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Turkey may well accept a U.S. proposal of jointly controlling Syria's Manbij as the two NATO allies, on bad terms due to an array of issues including Washington's endorsement of Syrian Kurdish militia, are set to meet to get over their differences on Syria, Turkish analysts said.

"Ankara is likely to accept the American proposal on Manbij," Faruk Logoglu, a former senior diplomat, told Xinhua.

Turkey, now undertaking a military operation against Kurdish militia-held Afrin in northwestern Syria, has long threatened to expand it to target Manbij not far away, which is controlled by U.S.-backed forces dominated by the Kurdish militia known as the People's Protection Units (YPG).

"Because that would not only avert the need for another Turkish military operation, but would also possibly pave the way for the much-needed improvement in bilateral relations with Washington," said Logoglu.

Washington's training and arming of the YPG has been an irritant in its ties with Ankara, as the latter sees the Kurdish militants as terrorists associated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, outlawed by Ankara for fighting against the Turkish state.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told local media last week that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had proposed to him to jointly maintain security in Manbij after getting the YPG out of it.

Erdogan also said that Ankara would accept such a proposal as long as it would mean resettling Manbij's original Arab population in the town.

Turkey accuses the YPG of having ethnically cleansed Arabs and other minorities from the areas it captured during the Syrian civil war in order to establish a Kurdish entity in northern Syria, a scenario seen by Ankara as a national security threat.

An agreement on Manbij with Washington would neatly fit the supposed interests of both sides, Logoglu said, noting the YPG fighters would then be moved to the east of the Euphrates River while Ankara would populate Manbij with Sunni Arabs expected to sympathize with Turkey.

The creation of a Sunni-majority safe haven near its border would appease Ankara's national security concerns, added Logoglu.

The Turkish military and its ally Free Syrian Army, which is composed of Sunni Arabs and Turkmens of Syrian origin, currently control an area of 2,000 square kilometers bordering Manbij in northern Syria.

On Jan. 20, Turkish troops and the allied Syrian rebels launched an offensive to drive the YPG out of the Afrin district, prompting Washington to call for restraint.

Turkish and U.S. technical delegations are scheduled to meet in Washington on Thursday and Friday to discuss Syria as part of efforts to normalize ties.

Entry of Turkish troops into Manbij following the Afrin operation would give Turkey's ruling party the chance to exploit it at home as a victory against the United States, Ilhan Uzgel, an international relations analyst, told Xinhua.

Turkey is scheduled to hold local, parliamentary and presidential elections next year, but there is persistent talk of early polls in the country.

Uzgel, who taught at Ankara University until 2017, felt that Ankara may have agreed with Tillerson not to take action against the YPG on the eastern side of the Euphrates if the United States hands over Manbij to Turkey.

The YPG has to leave Manbij and withdraw to the east of the Euphrates first, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a joint press conference with Tillerson last month.

Even after talks with Tillerson, Turkish officials have kept saying that the YPG on the eastern part of the Euphrates would also be targeted by the Turkish army.

In Logoglu's view, a Turkish-U.S. deal on Manbij would not necessarily disrupt Ankara's cooperation with Russia and Iran provided that Turkey concludes its Afrin operation in a timely manner.

Since the summer of 2016, Ankara has been acting more in cooperation with Russia in Syria rather than with the U.S., and it joined efforts last year with Russia and Iran, staunch supporters of the Syrian government, to bring peace back to Syria.

Despite efforts to get closer to Moscow and Tehran, Turkey would not like to disrupt its ties with the U.S., Uzgel argued, saying Ankara is strongly tied, in some cases dependent on, to the West in terms of economy, finance and security.

"Russia and Iran are well aware of that," he said. "They try to keep Turkey away from Washington as much as possible."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 17:14:49|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

SANTIAGO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Chilean researchers have inched closer to the trigger of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a complex and mystifying neurodevelpomental disability that has been on rise for years, local media reported on Tuesday.

Scientists at Chile's Andres Bello University have discovered that an alteration in the signals received by the brain increases "the expression" of one of the main genes that associated with ASD, the Chilean daily El Mercurio reported.

The study was published Monday in the online medical journal Translational Psychiatry, a division of Nature.

While the population with ASD has doubled in the past 10 years across the world, the cause of it remains uncertain.

"Our research indicates the existence of a pathway that would occur early in embryonic development and that would mould the brain towards a subtly different structure in children with the disorder," said biologist Giancarlo de Ferrari, leader of the study.

The knowledge could eventually help doctors understand what triggers ASD and how to make an early diagnosis at the embryonic stage by developing a blood test to detect anomalies, he added.
PYONGYANG, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea(DPRK)'s access to nuclear is a just option, which aims at defending its country from the U.S. nuclear threats, said a commentary article from the the official newspaper Rondong Sinmun on Wednesday.

The article said the United States has posed nuclear threats to the DPRK for several decades, adopting it as a policy to mount nuclear attack on the Asian country.

"There was no other option for the DPRK in the phase of acute confrontation in which it had to protect its system and destiny of the nation in one-on-one showdown with the world's biggest nuclear possessor, the United States," said the article.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula reached a precarious level in 2017, driven up by the sixth nuclear test and multiple missile tests by the DPRK and the relentless Washington-Seoul war games.

Military tensions, amplified by blustery threats from both the United States and the DPRK to conduct nuclear attacks against each other, rattled the nerves of the whole world.

Instead of releasing more bellicose statements and moves of brinkmanship, Washington and Pyongyang are better advised to engage in constructive talks and suspend provocations.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 17:19:51|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Higher Judicial Council announced its intention to prosecute former minister Wiam Wahhab for offending judicial authorities and questioning their work, the daily Star reported Wednesday.

The Judicial Council asked the public prosecutor to initiate public proceedings against Wahhab and carry out the necessary investigations after the former minister criticized the judiciary last Sunday during a televised appearance on Al Jadeed TV.

The council, which met Tuesday, released a statement saying that it discussed the Al Jadeed episode in question.

"The council expressed surprise at the attack on the judiciary - (both its) authorities and individuals," said the statement, which named Wahhab as the participant.

The council said that based on this, it requested the Attorney General to the Court of Cassation to conduct the necessary investigations and work to bring a lawsuit against relevant parties.

Wahhab had accused certain judges of corruption in a number of cases, and said some of the public prosecutors were corrupt and threatened to "remove the eye" of any judge trying to wrongly prosecute him in any case.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 17:29:53|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, March 7 (Xinhua) -- France's Ambassador to Lebanon Bernard Foucher stressed that his country's participation in the United Nation Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFI) aims at preventing a new war between Lebanon and Israel and strengthening security in the region, the National News Agency (NNA) said Wednesday.

"We are present in south Lebanon to strengthen security and prevent the outbreak of wars threatening the region and the world," Foucher said during a reception organized by the French embassy in Beirut on Tuesday evening.

The diplomat said that in the south of Litani, the goal of the international community remained so that the Lebanese government could progressively exercise full sovereignty over the entire territory.

"It is wrong to think that France is not doing enough for Lebanon; France has always supported the Lebanese," he said.

"As we approach Rome II conference, our gathering will be a symbol of our commitment to a united and strong Lebanese state," the French diplomat said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 18:05:08|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Already a major driving force for the world economy, China is poised to make greater contributions with its reaffirmed commitment to economic rebalancing.

In a report on government work earlier this week, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged to strengthen the fundamental role of consumption in driving economic growth, open China's market wider and defend free and fair trade. Experts believe these efforts will inject new impetus into China's growth and further boost the global economy.

"With a population of 1.3 billion, China's economic modernization will have a huge spillover effect on more robust, sustainable, balanced and inclusive global economic growth," said Zhang Zhanbin, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Governance.

China's economy, once heavily reliant on fixed-asset investment and exports, is increasingly fueled by services and consumption. Official data showed that consumption contributed 58.8 percent of GDP, and the service sector accounted for 51.6 percent.

China now has the largest middle-income group in the world, with a population of about 400 million, and it is growing fast.

Wang Yiming, deputy director of the Development Research Center of the State Council, expected the group to have stronger and more sophisticated consumer demands.

"This year, China's retail sales are projected to surpass those in the United States in another sign of China's transformation from a 'world factory' into a 'world marketplace,'" Wang said.

While maintaining strong exports, China is also buying more from the world, with its imports up 18.7 percent year-on-year to 12.5 trillion yuan (about 2 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2017.

"Not only did China's imports continue to grow, they also cover a broader range of sectors, benefiting both developed and developing economies," said Li Daokui, an economist with Tsinghua University.

For instance, China's increased imports of crude oil and iron ore helped boost the economy of resource-rich countries, while its imports of integrated circuits and metal-working machines have benefited developed economies.

China has promised to further boost its imports. The Ministry of Commerce forecast last November that China would import more than 10 trillion U.S. dollars of goods and services in the next five years.

This year, China will host the first China International Import Expo (CIIE), showing its determination to open wider to the world and increase consumption of its fast-growing middle-income group.

More than 1,000 enterprises from over 120 countries and regions have signed up to attend the event slated for Nov. 5 to 10 in Shanghai.

Despite the rising protectionism in major economies, China has remained a staunch champion for free trade. In his report, Premier Li reiterated China's support for promoting economic globalization and protecting free trade.

"China calls for trade disputes to be settled through discussion as equals, opposes trade protectionism, and will resolutely safeguard its lawful rights," he said, noting that the country is ready to work with all parties to advance multilateral trade negotiations.

"This demonstrates China's resolve to support the right course of economic globalization, and to help address issues such as lack of inclusiveness during the process," said Liu Shangxi, head of the Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences.

World Bank data show that China contributed 34 percent to world economic growth from 2012 to 2016, more than the United States, European Union and Japan combined.

"China will continue to be the strongest driving force and stabilizer for the world economy," said Li Daokui, the economist.
TOKYO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government on Wednesday insisted the U.S. military report cases of mishaps and accidents more promptly, following a serious delay of report on an F-15 fighter jet part falling off during a flight.

On Feb. 27, an antenna-like part weighing 1.4 kilograms fell off the jet which was stationed at the U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.

But Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said the government was only informed of the mishap on Monday.

"We would like to request the U.S. side to put top priority on confirming safety," Onodera told a press briefing on the matter in Tokyo, adding that he was "baffled" that the information, delayed as it was, was received through entirely the wrong channels.

According to standard protocol, such mishaps should be reported to the government through the local defense bureau, but in this case the government here was informed through the Foreign Ministry.

Japan's top government spokesperson also took aim at the U.S. military's lax safety procedures and said it was regrettable that it took as long as six days for the pertinent information to reach the government.

"It is truly regrettable that it was not reported immediately," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.

He added that the Japanese side had reiterated its position that it wants all such U.S. military-linked incidents reported in a timely manner and for the cause to be determined and rectified swiftly to prevent such mishaps from happening again.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 18:20:10|Editor: pengying

Video Player Close

KUNMING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Archaeologists in southwest China's Yunnan Province said Wednesday that they had discovered 17 cave tombs dating back thousands of years.

The tomb group is believed to be the main part of an 1,500-square-meter cave site found last September in Zheka Village, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan, according to the provincial institute of cultural relics and archaeology.

Researchers with the institute said that the tombs were the oldest and largest known ones of their kind in the province.

The cave tombs are earth pits with well preserved human skeletons in various burial forms including extended and flexed burials. Some tombs with disordered bones may have been robbed.

A batch of cultural relics including pottery, stoneware, and spinning wheels were unearthed in the tombs.

Researchers estimate that the cave site was created between the late Neolithic age and the Bronze age.

The findings will further research on the human activity and burial customs of early Chinese.
MOSCOW, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Other countries will not be able to create a rival to Russia's Iskander-M mobile short-range ballistic missile systems before 2025, a Russian military official said Wednesday.

"According to the forecasts of the developers, the creation of its analogue by foreign states will not be earlier than in 2025," Russian Ground Force Commander-in-Chief Oleg Salyukov said in an interview with Krasnaya Zvezda, literally Red Star, the official newspaper of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The rearmament of the Russian missile formations with Iskander-M missile systems continues as scheduled, said Salyukov.

The Iskander-M, also known as SS-26 Stone, is a highly mobile ballistic missile system capable of hitting targets at a range of up to 500 km with several conventional warhead options weighing between 480 to 700 kg. It can also be capped with a nuclear warhead.

The system is designed to engage moving and stationary targets such as critical infrastructure facilities, missile and long-range artillery systems, air and anti-missile defense weapons, as well as command and communication posts.

The Iskander-M is set to replace the Soviet-made Tochka-U tactical ballistic missiles, which were referred to by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as SS-21 Scarab B.

It was reported that Russia's missile and artillery forces will be fully equipped with the Iskander-M missile systems by 2020.
ISLAMABAD, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani law enforcement agencies on Wednesday arrested six terrorists and seized a huge cache of weapons from their possession in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, local media reported.

According to the reports, the counter-terrorism department of police launched an operation in Mastung, a district in Balochistan province and arrested six militants on a tip-off.

Huge quantity of arms and ammunition were also recovered from the possession of detained terrorists, said a senior police officer in the area, adding that the militants belong to a proscribed organization.

The suspects have been shifted to an undisclosed location and are currently being interrogated.

Last Friday, Pakistani security forces thwarted a major terrorist bid in the same province and apprehended six terrorists during multiple operations in different areas, the country's military said.

At least 500 kg of explosive materials had been recovered from the possession of the arrested militants, according to the statement from the army.
SYDNEY, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A 132-year-old message sealed in a bottle was picked up by an Australian on Wedge Island of western Australia, according to local media.

"It just looked like a lovely old bottle, so I picked it up thinking it might look good in my bookcase," the finder Tonya Illman was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

She later found a note inside the bottle that was dated June 12, 1886.

"We took it home and dried it out, and when we opened it we saw it was a printed form, in German, with very faint German handwriting on it," Illman said.

After some online research, the Illman family thought the letter may be a valuable relic and they took it to the Western Australian Museum to be examined by experts.

The bottle was determined to be a mid-to-late 19th-century Dutch gin bottle, and the sheet to be cheaply-made 19th-century paper.

The museum contacted colleagues in Germany and the Netherlands for further research, who confirmed that the message was written 132 years ago by the captain of the German barque Paula.

Cross-checks against Paula's log showed the bottle was tossed overboard so as to better understand global ocean currents.

Thousands of bottles containing similar notes were thrown into the sea by German ships sailing worldwide as a government-organized naval experiment.

Each note contained the date and coordinates of where the bottle was dropped, as well as details of the voyage, and asked finders to write down when and where the bottle had been found and return it to the German side.

Researchers thought the bottle probably arrived on western Australian shores within a year after being dropped and has been well preserved within a layer of damp sand ever since.

The discovery broke the Guinness world record of the oldest-known message in a bottle.
SEOUL, March 7 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday emphasized his eventual goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula while noting that it cannot be achieved immediately and various processes are needed to reach an agreement.

Moon made the comments during a meeting with heads of the five major political parties including the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, according to the Blue House.

"The denuclearization entry is a freeze, and the exit is a complete denuclearization," he said, adding that conditions were created to launch "at least" preliminary talks between Pyongyang and Washington, but nothing has been decided yet.

Given the global media reports and the Twitter comments, Moon said U.S. President Donald Trump probably may have positively seen the result of South Korean envoys' visit to the DPRK.

Moon's special emissaries met with top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un during their two-day visit to Pyongyang.

According to the Blue House statement Tuesday, the DPRK was willing to hold openhearted talks with the U.S. side on denuclearization and normalized relations between Pyongyang and Washington.

The DPRK also proposed to suspend any nuclear test and ballistic missile test-launches if a dialogue mood continues.

Trump told reporters in Washington that the statements from South Korea and the DPRK "have been very positive," indicating his initial response to the DPRK's dialogue overtures.

Chung Eui-yong, top national security adviser for Moon who led the South Korean special delegation to Pyongyang, reportedly will visit Washington within this week to explain the detailed outcome of the talks with the DPRK side.

South Korea and the DPRK have agreed to hold a summit between Moon and Kim in late April at Peace House, a South Korean building in the truce village of Panmunjom that straddles the two sides.

If held as agreed upon, Kim will become the first DPRK leader to cross the inter-Korean border to the South Korean territory since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in armistice, not peace treaty. The Korean Peninsula technically remains in a state of war.

Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of the DPRK leader who met with President Moon in Seoul as her brother's special envoy, conveyed the DPRK leader's invitation to Pyongyang. She attended the opening ceremony of the 23rd Winter Olympics on Feb. 9.

Moon told the younger Kim that conditions should be created to hold the third inter-Korean summit, calling on the DPRK to more actively engage in a dialogue with the United States.

The first and second summit talks between the two Koreas were held in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007 respectively.
 JAKARTA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- An Indonesian court has sentenced two smugglers of pangolins which are on the brink of extinction to three years in jail each.

The two smugglers of 25 years old and 22 years old were found guilty of illegally transporting 101 pangolins to foreign buyers, said presiding judge Zia Ul Jannah in a court session in Bengkalis district of Riau province.

The judge said that a boat has been seized and all the pangolins handed to wild animal conservation agency to be released into their habitats.

The two smugglers must also pay fine for their illegal activities, she said.

According to an investigator and a WWF official the two smugglers attempted to smuggle the protected animals from Pakning river to Malaysian ships in Malaysia.

They were nabbed on Oct. 24 last year by Indonesian navy.

"Bengkalis is a gate for smuggling endangered species to abroad, such as Vietnam and Malaysia," the official from WWF was quoted by Antara news wire on Wednesday.

The official expects the arrest of the smugglers to decrease the level of illegal trade of protected animals.

Indonesia's is known as the most species rich country as its large area of rain forest is home to numerable species spreading in over 17,500 islands.

Over 10 percent of the world's known plant species and 12 percent of mammal species, including those in the level of nearly extinction live in Indonesia's rain forest.
TOKYO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government on Wednesday insisted the U.S. military report cases of mishaps and accidents more promptly following a serious delay in it being informed of a part falling off a F-15 fighter jet during a flight.

On Feb. 27, an antenna-like object weighing 1.4 kg fell off the jet which was stationed at the U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.

But Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said the government was only informed of the mishap on Monday.

"We would like to request the U.S. side to put top priority on confirming safety," Onodera told a press briefing on the matter in Tokyo, adding that he was "baffled" that the information, delayed as it was, was also received through entirely the wrong channels.

According to standard protocol, such mishaps should be reported to the government through the local defense bureau, but in this case the government here was inexplicably informed through the Foreign Ministry.

Japan's top government spokesperson also took aim at the U.S. military's lax safety procedures and said it was regrettable that it took as long as six days for the pertinent information on the aircraft mishap to reach the government.

"It is truly regrettable that it was not reported immediately," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.

He added that the Japanese side had reiterated its position that it wants all such U.S. military-linked incidents reported in a timely manner and for the cause to be determined and rectified swiftly to prevent such mishaps from happening again.

While the part suspected of falling from the jet caused no injury or damage to property, according to the government's latest information, the incident has reignited concerns from both central and local governments about the safety standards employed by the U.S. military, particularly in Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa.

The latest mishap comes on the heels of a slew of other worrying incidents involving U.S. military aircraft based here.

These include an incident last month, which saw an F-16 fighter jet from the U.S. Misawa Air Base in the northeastern prefecture of Aomori jettisoning two fuel tanks into a lake following an engine fire.

There were as many as 10 fishing boats in the lake at the time and fishing had to be suspended following the incident, causing a huge loss in earnings to the local fisherman.

The Lake Ogawara fishery association decided to completely halt fishing in the lake until the fuel oil had been retrieved.

According to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, the Lake Ogawara fishery association has estimated that the fishermen are losing around 28,000 U.S. dollar a day, due to the incident.

The recovery and cleanup work was only completed by Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) on Wednesday and involved oil and debris from the tanks being removed from the lake.

MSDF forces, sources with knowledge of the matter said, had retrieved a total of 87 parts and fragments of the fuel tanks by Tuesday.

With U.S.-military-linked accidents very much in the spotlight recently, an incident involving a heavy, metal-framed window falling from a CH-53E transport helicopter in December. The window crashed onto the playground of an elementary school just meters from where 50 children took exercise classes.

The accident continues to unnerve the local community near the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, where the chopper was based.

And in January alone, three helicopters also based at the controversial U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, made emergency "off base" landings, sparking local and national indignation and fear.

As for the most recent incident, Deputy Okinawa Gov. Moritake Tomikawa underscored the fact that the U.S. military is slow in providing essential information.

"This is out of the blue. They are slow in providing information," he was quoted as saying Wednesday.

Kadena town mayor Hiroshi Toyama also weighed in, demanding that such incidents be reported more promptly.

"We have been asking the U.S. military to prevent a recurrence every time there is a mishap, but they keep on happening," Toyama said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 20:05:39|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

Afghan security force members inspect at the site of a blast in Jalalabad city, capital of eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, March 7, 2018. Two people including a provincial government official were killed as a blast rocked Jalalabad city, capital of eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, on Wednesday, a local official said on condition of anonymity. (Xinhua/Saifurahman Safi)

JALALABAD, Afghanistan, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Two people including a provincial government official were killed as a blast rocked Jalalabad city, capital of eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, on Wednesday, a local official said on condition of anonymity.

However, a local television channel 1TV reported in its news bulletin that a "suicide attack in Jalalabad city claimed the lives of two people including head of Hajj and Religious Affairs of Nangarhar province and injured nine others, all civilians".

No group has claimed of responsibility for the blast.
PARIS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- International Monetary Fund boss Christine Lagarde on Wednesday warned that the economic impact of U.S. new tariffs on imported steel and aluminum would generate serious impact on global trade and economy.

"The macro-economic impact would be serious, not only if the United States took action, but especially if other countries were to retaliate, notably those who would be most affected, such as Canada, Europe, and Germany in particular," Lagarde said in an interview with French radio RTL.

"If world trade were jeopardized by such measures (tariffs), they would become a vector for lower growth and a slowdown of commerce. The impact on growth would be a formidable," she said.

Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump announced duties of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum, a move that triggered global outcry and forced world powers to take counter-measures to reject what they said economic nationalism.

Noting that the White House had not thought enough about the risk of imposing new import duties, the former French Economy Minister warned of a possible trade-war.

"In a so-called trade war, driven by reciprocal increases of import tariffs, nobody wins, one generally finds losers on both sides," she said.
ABUJA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 24 people have been confirmed killed following fresh violence in Nigeria's north-central state of Benue, according to local officials on Wednesday.

Violence broke out in a Benue community since Monday, after some local herdsmen reported a case of cattle rustling, the state governor, Sam Ortom, told reporters.

Mostly women and children have been victims of the violence in Omusu Edimoga community, said Ortom, who described the killing as "senseless."

He accused the local herdsmen of going into the community to wreak havoc, instead of waiting for the outcome of the police investigation on the reported case of cattle rustling.

Another local official said some school children were killed by the attackers on Monday and Tuesday, as they threatened to harm more people.

A peace meeting is in the offing, to end the violence, the local official added.

Killings by herdsmen had increased since the start of the new year in Benue, where relations between herdsmen and farmers remained tense.

On Jan. 11, a mass burial was held for 71 people killed in a violence allegedly perpetrated, also by herdsmen, in the north-central state.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is expected in the state soon, to seek an end to the attacks.
Nigerian soldiers participate in an operation in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, March 16, 2016. (Xinhua/Wale Salau)

LAGOS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai Tuesday debunked the claims that the Boko Haram insurgents had regrouped and is controlling a large territory in the restive northeast zone.

Addressing reporters in Port Harcourt, Buratai said there was nothing like resurgence, adding that one or two incidents could not be interpreted as resurgence.

"Every facet of our society needs to be part of this fight against terrorism. It is a national disaster and calamity which we must all join hands to defeat," Buratai said.

The army chief also restated the troop's commitment to rescuing the 110 Dapchi schoolgirls abducted by insurgents last month.

"Definitely, everybody is concerned and we are doing our best in finding the missing schoolgirls," he said.

On Feb. 19, 110 students of Government Girls' Science and Technical College in Dapchi were abducted by the suspected insurgents.

The incident came four years after the same terror group invaded a female school in Chibok and took more than 200 girls into captivity.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 20:45:49|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Iran would not stop increasing its defensive power, including missile capabilities, said an Iranian senior commander on Wednesday.

The world should accept the emergence of Iran as the country enjoys both "logic and deterrent power," the deputy commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Hossein Salami, said.

Iran's defensive power is "neither negotiable nor stoppable," he said, adding that likewise, Iran's "missile program will not be negotiated with any world power."

Iran would boost its defensive power including the missile capabilities, and its deterrent plan would not be affected by the political pressure, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said on Monday.

Pushed by the U.S., Europe has stepped up its pressure on Iran to start negotiations on the country's developing missile program.

Iran has reiterated that its military forces will continue boosting the country's defense capabilities and deterrent power.
MAIMANA, Afghanistan, March 7 (Xinhua) -- At least five militants were killed and three others injured as government forces warplanes pounded Taliban positions in Afghanistan's northern Faryab province on Wednesday, provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yurush said.

Government forces launched cleanup operations against Taliban militants in Shirin Tagab district earlier this week and so far over two dozen militants have been killed and several villages liberated from the clutches of the insurgents, the official said.

Taliban militants who are active in parts of the troubled Faryab province have not commented on the report.
MOSCOW, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Wednesday called the recent U.S. sanctions on Pyongyang over its alleged assassination of top leader Kim Jong Un's half-brother "illegitimate."

Russia believes that sanctions should not bypass the United Nations Security Council, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday that it has imposed sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for the alleged killing of Kim Jong Nam with a nerve agent in Malaysia last year.

The new U.S. sanctions came after the DPRK showed a willingness to hold denuclearization talks with the United States and agreed to a third summit meeting with South Korea next month.

Zakharova said Russia welcomes the positive moves in intra-Korean dialogue.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 21:20:57|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

DAMASCUS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army captured several farms and reached the outskirts of Mesraba town in the Eastern Ghouta countryside of the capital Damascus on Wednesday, a military source told Xinhua.

The Syrian forces captured farms southeast of the towns of Rihan and Housh al-Ashary reaching the outskirts of the town of Mesraba, which is a strategic town due to its location as it links several towns and areas in Eastern Ghouta with one another, the source said, on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the oppositional Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian forces captured the farms east of towns of Mesraba and Beit Sawa in tandem with a progress and clashes with the rebels in the vicinity of the Jisreen town in Eastern Ghouta.

The UK-based watchdog group said the new achievement comes under a heavy aerial and rocket cover, with the warplanes carrying out 157 airstrikes on Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday.

The Observatory said the Syrian government forces brought in reinforcements to take part in the Eastern Ghouta battle, placing the number of the backup soldiers at 700.

Eastern Ghouta has grabbed headlines recently amid a government resolve to recapture that sprawling area while at the same time allowing civilians to leave as around 400,000 people still live in that rebel-held enclave.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that measures have been undertaken to ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with the Russian-backed daily humanitarian pause that was implemented following the adoption of the UN Security Resolution 2401, which was endorsed on Feb. 24 and called for a 30-day-long humanitarian ceasefire.

Meanwhile, state news agency SANA renewed accusing the rebels of preventing the civilians from leaving rebel-held areas in Eastern Ghouta toward the government areas through the Wafidin crossing northeast of Damascus.

The evacuation of the civilians was called for by Russian, which backed a five-hour-long humanitarian pause in Eastern Ghouta, excluding the battles against the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

The War Media of the Syrian army recently said that 40 percent of rebel-held areas in Eastern Ghouta fell to the Syrian forces.

For their side, activists condemned the heavy government shelling on Eastern Ghouta, with the Observatory placing the number of the killed people at 800.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 21:46:00|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's security regulator is set to reform stock exchange listing in an effort to invigorate the country's capital market and foster the new economy.

Jiang Yang, vice chairman of China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), said the listing mechanism reform was at the top of the regulator's work agenda.

The CSRC will reform the listing mechanism, deepen the reform of the main board and ChiNext board, and give more support to "new technology, new industry, new industry forms and new business models," Wednesday's Securities Daily cited Jiang as saying.

Analysts have said that if implemented, the reform will reverse a trend in recent years in which many Chinese tech firms preferred to list overseas because of more flexible listing rules and access to international investors.

Jiang's remarks came amid a slew of governmental statements that vowed changes to the listing process to grant easier access to emerging and innovative businesses.

As China tries to transition its economic growth model to one that draws strength from innovation, the last thing that the regulator wants to do is to turn away firms in the new economy sector, which has contributed to a growing share of the economy.

However, the country's capital market remains dominated by traditional industries such as property development, finance and industrial materials.

Innovative firms, tech startups in particular, face legal and technical barriers to list on the A-share market, including restrictions on weighted voting rights, or dual-class shares, and mandatory requirements on IPO applicants' profitability.

Currently, companies are required to have a net income for the last three fiscal years and have combined profits of more than 30 million yuan (4.7 million U.S. dollars) during the period in order to list on the main board. The requirements are lower for listing on the ChiNext board, but still challenging for most tech startups.

Scarcity has made stocks of tech firms highly sought-after for investors in the country's capital market.

Qihoo 360, the country's largest Internet security company, which once listed on the New York Stock Exchange, returned to the A-share market in late February and witnessed its market value peak at more than 440 billion yuan, seven times more than when it delisted from the U.S. market.

The government should remove these obstacles and grant easier access for innovative companies to raise funds in the country's capital market, said Bao Fan, chairman and CEO of China Renaissance Group, a leading financial institution in the country.

These companies will help build a more open, inclusive and multi-lateral capital market, push forward supply-side structural reform and foster new growth engines, Bao said.

No policy details have been available yet, but Yan Qingmin, also CSRC vice chairman, told Shanghai Securities News that possible changes could include adjusting the mandatory profitability requirements for firms in the new economy sector and making new arrangements for overseas-listed firms to return to the A-share market.

The government will also work on rules to specify the category of the new economy sector, Yan said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 21:46:00|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close





China's Ambassador to Syria Qi Qianjin (L) shakes hands with the head of Assad University Hospital Jaber Ibrahim during the delivery ceremony held in Damascus, Syria, March 7, 2018. China has donated mobility aids to a Syrian hospital in Damascus, as part of its ongoing humanitarian assistance to the war-torn country, the Chinese embassy said Wednesday. (Xinhua/Hummam Sheikh Ali)

DAMASCUS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China has donated mobility aids to a Syrian hospital in Damascus, as part of its ongoing humanitarian assistance to the war-torn country, the Chinese embassy said Wednesday.

The recent donation included 100 wheelchairs, 100 walkers and 200 pairs of crutches delivered to the Assad University Hospital, one of the biggest government-run medical facilities in Damascus, the embassy said.

It is the latest in a series of medical aid supplies to Syria provided by China, which last month funded the renovation of the emergency department of the al-Muwasat University Hospital in Damascus.

During the delivery ceremony held on Wednesday, China's Ambassador to Syria Qi Qianjin underlined the Chinese government's commitment to delivering more aid to the Syrian people and government in 2018.

"We want this aid to mitigate the suffering of the Syrian people, and we will continue to implement projects to deliver humanitarian and economic aid this year to the Syrian people," the Chinese envoy said.

Jaber Ibrahim, head of the Assad University Hospital, said he was appreciative of the help offered by China.

"In the Assad University Hospital, we are satisfied with all the help we get from friendly countries," he said.

In January 2017, the Chinese government donated 1 million U.S. dollars to the World Health Organization (WHO) to fund a humanitarian project addressing the health issue of Syrians.

The project included providing health care services for Syrian refugees and improving primary health care and outreaching health services in Syria.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 21:56:02|Editor: pengying

Video Player Close

TAIPEI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's exports dropped 1.2 percent year on year in February, mainly because the Lunar New Year reduced the number of working days that month, the island's finance authority said Wednesday.

The volume of exports in February stood at 22.37 billion U.S. dollars, ending a growing trend for 16 consecutive months, according to the authority.

Thanks to the global economic recovery, Taiwan's exports in the first two months of this year reached 49.75 billion U.S. dollars, up 7.3 percent compared with the same period last year.

Exports in sectors such as basic metals, electronic components, machinery, plastic and rubber products, as well as chemical products, recorded strong growth in the first two months.

Taiwan's imports in the first two months totaled 44.42 billion U.S. dollars, up 12.4 percent year on year. Its trade surplus reached 5.34 billion U.S. dollars in the first two months, down 1.53 billion U.S. dollars from the same period last year.

Exports to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong grew by 5.1 percent year on year.

The finance authority predicted that Taiwan's exports would continue to benefit from a better world economy this year and the development of emerging businesses such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, high-performance computing, and virtual currency.
ISLAMABAD, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Wednesday postponed the long-awaited reopening of a key border crossing with Afghanistan for unknown reasons, officials said.

Ghulam Khan border, the third major crossing point with Afghanistan in North Waziristan tribal region, was closed in June 2014 after the security forces launched a major operation against the Taliban militants and their foreign hosts in that area.

An official told Xinhua that it was planned to reopen the border on trial basis for a week on March 7 for trade and people, however, it was postponed for an indefinite period. He did not give any specific reason.

However, sources said Pakistani side needs more time to ensure the immigration, custom and other facilities are available at the time of the border reopening.

Pakistan had introduced passport and visa system for those who enter Pakistan in 2016 via Torkham, the biggest crossing between the two countries. Officials say the same system will also be introduced at Chaman, the second largest point, and other notified crossings.

Officials say the Ghulam Khan border point, which will have modern facilities, could become the biggest trade route as the containers that bring Afghan transit goods from Karachi port would use this crossing instead of Torkham.

North Waziristan border Afghanistan's eastern Khost province and Pakistani trucks could move up to Kabul and other cities but it depends on the understanding between the two countries. Current political tensions have badly affected bilateral and transit trade.

Pakistan and Afghanistan signed a transit agreement in the 1960s and revised it in 2010 to allow landlocked Afghanistan to import through Karachi port.
WASHINGTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Barely half of the F-35 strike fighters delivered to the U.S. military and international buyers to date are currently available for flight, the government's program head has said.

According to local media, Mat Winter, director of the F-35 Joint Program Office, recently told reporters at a round-table event that only 51 percent of the 280 operational F-35s are flight-ready.

The F-35 was developed and produced with the strategy called "concurrency," the overlapping of development phases to speed the fielding of the fighter, which critics said introduces the risks that aircraft built in early lots will require modification.

The Pentagon is in negotiation with the aircraft's maker Lockheed Martin Corp. about the prices for the 11th batch of F-35s, and Winter said the defense company is moving slow in production and lacks transparency on costs.
COLOMBO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Wednesday urged Sri Lankan authorities to take immediate action against perpetrators involved in communal violence and ensure appropriate measures are swiftly taken to restore normalcy in the affected areas.

The UN Office in Colombo said in a statement that it was concerned about the recent incidents of communal violence in the island country and condemned these acts in the strongest possible terms.

"The United Nations also urges authorities, and all citizens to ensure that the rule of law is upheld, human rights are protected, and security and safety is ensured for all," the UN Office said.

The Sri Lankan police on Wednesday extended a curfew for the third consecutive day in Kandy, in Central Sri Lanka, after mobs clashed on the streets resulting in two deaths and several injuries.

Police spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said the curfew would stay in place till Thursday afternoon, while heavy security had been deployed throughout the district.

Eye witnesses in Kandy said several businesses, homes and mosques had been damaged and violence had spread into Akurana and Katugastota in the suburbs of Kandy.

Due to the escalation of violence, President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday declared a week-long, nationwide state of emergency, the first since the country ended a civil war in 2009.

In a national address, he appealed for calm and peace and warned of "stern action" against anyone spreading violence and rumors with the intention of provoking communal violence.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 22:16:12|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Visiting United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi stressed Wednesday the need to support Lebanon in the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis.

Grandi made the remarks during his meeting with Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil.

"It is very important to know that support for Lebanon should be ongoing, and that the crisis affects not only the displaced, but also the Lebanese communities that host them and meet their demands," said Grandi in a statement.

He said that the conditions in Syria are still not suitable for the refugees to return, stressing that further efforts are needed to create better circumstances to secure the return of the Syrians.

The UN envoy also discussed with the Lebanese minister the financial conditions of the Syrian refugees, and the need to address the legal conditions that protect the international human rights in Syria.

"It is very important to know that the return of the displaced is based on determination, freedom and proper decision-making," he added.

According to Grandi, there are 5.5 million Syrian refugees in its neighboring countries, including more than 1 million displaced persons registered in Lebanon.

The UN official had met earlier with Lebanese President Michel Aoun and is expected to meet with Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
KAMPALA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 2,900 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have arrived in Uganda through one registration point in Ntoroko district, about 372km west of the capital Kampala over the past one month.

"So far we have registered 1,391 males and 1,492 females, excluding those who arrived late last evening (Tuesday)," said Edward Bwambale, the Town Clerk of Kanara sub-county, where the refugees crossing through Lake Albert are being received.

He added that after registration, the refugees are then ferried to Kyaka II refugee settlement camp in Kyegegwa district, about 120km from Ntoroko.

Bwambale, however, said several organizations were on the ground to receive the refugees..

Mishac Ruhuga Kawamara, the district chairperson of the ruling National Resistance Movement in Ntoroko, warned that Uganda should get ready to receive more refugees, "because the situation was not about to change in the eastern DRC".

"There is still chaos, a lot of chaos in Congo. However, some of the refugees who are related to our people here in Ntoroko are being absorbed into the community," Kawamara told Xinhua on Wednesday.

Thousands of refugees have fled the DRC following tribal clashes between the Lendu and Bagerere tribes in Ituri Province in eastern Congo.

Whereas some are crossing into Uganda through Ntoroko district, many others cross through Hoima district.

About 20,000 Congolese have crossed to Uganda through Lake Albert to Hoima since last December.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 22:26:16|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Iran's missile production has increased three-fold over the past years, said a senior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Wednesday.

The Commander of the Aerospace Division of the IRGC Amir Ali Hajizadeh said that the enemy's attempts to hinder the progress of Iran's defense capabilities have been in vain.

"Despite the hostilities by the enemies, the pace of defense development in the country has increased," Hajizadeh said.

Besides, the institutions of the Islamic establishments, including the government and the parliament, are united against pressures from the West regarding the missile issue, he said.

Hence, "our missile production has increased three-fold over the past years," he added.

The Iranian commander criticized what he called the "U.S. double standards" over the arms programs, saying that while the United States boosts its atomic weapons on a daily basis, it pressed Iran to give up defensive missile program.

He said that the Islamic republic will resist the enmity of Washington which "has opened a front against us."

Pushed by the U.S., Europe has stepped up its pressure on Iran to start negotiations on the country's developing missile program.

Iran has reiterated that its military forces will continue boosting the country's defense capabilities and deterrent power. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 22:31:20|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

Voters wait in line outside a polling station in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on March 7, 2018. More than 3.1 million registered voters in Sierra Leone on Wednesday are to hit the polling stations across the country to elect a new president. (Xinhua/Kerifallah Janneh)

FREETOWN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- More than 3.1 million registered voters in Sierra Leone on Wednesday are to hit the polling stations across the country to elect a new president.

The general election started at 7 am Wednesday. Sixteen registered political parties including the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) and the main opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) participated in the election.

This is the fourth election the country has conducted since the eleven-year rebel war that ravaged the country.

President Ernest Bai Koroma has concluded his second consecutive term and his former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samura Kamara would contest against fifteen others including Julius Maada Bio of the SLPP.

The election would close at 5 pm local time and counting would start after the polls with the official results expected in one week.

Apart from electing a new president, voters would also cast their ballots and elect 132 Members of Parliament and 19 councils across the country.

Chief of the European Union Observer Mission in Sierra Leone, Jean Lambert, on Wednesday described the voting as peaceful.

She commended voters for coming out to exercise their voting right and elect the candidate of their choice. She called on the National Electoral Commission to ensure that they handle all isolated incidences and ensure every body cast his or her vote.

According to the EU chief of mission, they have 100 observers deployed right across the country to monitor the election. She said they would release preliminary findings on Friday on the entire process.
(File photo)A display featuring missiles and a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seen at Baharestan Square in Tehran, Iran September 27, 2017. Picture taken September 27, 2017. (Reuters photo)

TEHRAN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Iran's missile production has increased three-fold over the past years, said a senior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Wednesday.

The Commander of the Aerospace Division of the IRGC Amir Ali Hajizadeh said that the enemy's attempts to hinder the progress of Iran's defense capabilities have been in vain.

"Despite the hostilities by the enemies, the pace of defense development in the country has increased," Hajizadeh said.

Besides, the institutions of the Islamic establishments, including the government and the parliament, are united against pressures from the West regarding the missile issue, he said.

Hence, "our missile production has increased three-fold over the past years," he added.

The Iranian commander criticized what he called the "U.S. double standards" over the arms programs, saying that while the United States boosts its atomic weapons on a daily basis, it pressed Iran to give up defensive missile program.

He said that the Islamic republic will resist the enmity of Washington which "has opened a front against us."

Pushed by the U.S., Europe has stepped up its pressure on Iran to start negotiations on the country's developing missile program.

Iran has reiterated that its military forces will continue boosting the country's defense capabilities and deterrent power.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 22:36:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

ANKARA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A trilateral summit of leaders from Turkey, Russia and Iran is expected to be held on April 4 in Istanbul, Turkish state-run Anadolu News Agency reported Wednesday.

Syria will be on the top of the agenda in the summit, the report said citing diplomatic sources.

Earlier in February, during the phone calls between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian and Iranian counterparts, the three leaders agreed to hold a trilateral summit in Istanbul on Syria crisis.

The foreign ministers of the three countries are set to meet in the Kazakh capital Astana on March 16, where a joint statement is likely to be announced.

The document may contain the key areas of development of the Astana process, including the possible date of the next round of talks, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov told reporters in Kazakhstan's lower parliamentary chamber Tuesday.

The last Syria summit attended by Turkish, Russian and Iranian presidents was held in the Russian Black Sea city of Sochi on Nov. 22, 2017.

The presidents of the three countries vowed on close coordination of the efforts aimed at ensuring efficient operation of the de-escalation zones and advancing the political process.

Last year, Turkey, Iran and Russia agreed in the Kazakh capital of Astana to establish de-escalation zones in Syria.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 22:36:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

ANKARA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police have detained at least 13 Islamic State (IS) suspects in southern Adana province, as part of an investigation into an alleged attack plot on the U.S. embassy in Ankara, state-run Anadolu Agency reported Wednesday.

In simultaneous dawn raids, counter-terrorist units arrested the suspects at their homes, the report said. Some of the detained suspects are Syrian nationals, it added.

The raids came after Turkish police foiled a possible terror attack against the U.S. embassy in Ankara on Monday, arresting at least 20 IS-linked suspects in the capital city and in Samsun, a Black Sea province.

Turkey has suffered several bloody attacks blamed on IS militants since 2015. Turkish police have intensified operation against IS cells across the country.
ADDIS ABABA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Office of the Council of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), the ruling party, revealed on Wednesday that it will elect its chairperson next week.

The new party chairperson is expected to be the next prime minister of the East African country as the outgoing Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn's resignation was accepted by the party last month, days after a crippling strike in parts of Ethiopia.

Desalegn, chairman of South Ethiopia Peoples Democratic Movement (SEPDM), took over the Premier position after the death of Meles Zenawi in August 2012 who was also chairman of Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF). Both SEPDM and TPLF along with OPDO are coalition partners in EPRDF.

The election process, which is scheduled to start after the conclusion of the party's Executive Committee meeting on March 11, is also expected to evaluate the implementation of previous decisions by the ruling party's four coalition member parties, according to state news agency ENA, which quoted EPRDF Office Head Shiferaw Shigute as saying.

According to Shigute, the meeting of the Executive Committee of the ruling party was delayed due to priorities to restore the country's peace and stability, saying that it is "a prerequisite to respond to any of the public demands."

In addition to endorsing its new chairperson, Ethiopia's ruling party is also expected to elect members for vacant positions following the conclusion of the party's executive committee's meeting.

The Council is also expected to decide on the postponement of the general assembly to August, which was previously scheduled to be held in March.

Widespread rumors that suggest differences among EPRDF's four coalition member parties have been circulating over the past few days after some 88 members of the Ethiopian parliament, which is exclusively dominated by the ruling party, had voted against the recently approved 6-month state of emergency rule.

Shigute, however, downplayed the rumor insisting that "no individual or party member had opposed the importance of the state of emergency."

The ruling party is a coalition of four parties that are Oromo People Democratic Organization (OPDO), the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM), the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (SEPDM).

EPRDF has been ruling the East African country for the past quarter of a century succeeding the Communist government of Mengistu Hailemariam and the Workers' Party of Ethiopia (WPE). Mengistu is currently in exile in Zimbabwe.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 23:01:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent claims that the Islamic republic is a "threat" to the region.

Israel cannot call Iran a threat to the Middle East, as Israel has driven the region to the brink of destruction, Press TV quoted Rouhani as saying during a cabinet session on Wednesday.

"Those who have over the past 70 years created tension, launched wars and caused destruction in the region and have committed genocide and caused Sabra and Shatila (massacre) are in no position to portray Iran as a threat," said Rouhani.

"Iran is no threat to anyone. Iran is (the pillar) of stability and security for the entire region," Rouhani said.

Also, he maintained that the development of Iran's missile program is aimed at safeguarding peace and security in the region, and "it will strongly defend its rights."

On Tuesday, Netanyahu said that Iran was responsible for "darkness descending" on the Middle East.

Netanyahu also said that "Iran is building an aggressive empire."

He made the remarks in Washington addressing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands had been disastrous to the Middle East region.

"Despite Netanyahu's claims, the fact is that illegal occupation lies at the heart of most of the calamities in our region," Zarif tweeted on Tuesday.

"Historically, occupying another's land has never been sustainable. This occupation, too - and the apartheid system that perpetuates it - will not last long," Zarif said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 23:01:28|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's President Michel Aoun on Wednesday called on Lebanese women to firmly hold on to their beliefs one day ahead of International Women's Day.

"Don't allow the male community to influence your thoughts. I say this because recent electoral statistics show that women rarely give their votes to a woman," the presidency's Twitter account quoted Aoun as saying.

The idea of gender equality must be ingrained within society as well as being enshrined in legislation, the president said.

Women and men are equal in their rights and duties and women are key partners in building the country and in political decision-making, Aoun said.
KIEV, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine is looking forward to receiving at least one billion euro (1.24 billion U.S. dollars) from the European Union (EU) under the new macro-financial assistance program, Ukrainian Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk said on Wednesday.

"The program of one billion euros has been preliminarily approved, but we will continue consultations with the European Commission in order to find a way to increase this sum," Danylyuk said in an interview with the RBC-Ukraine online media outlet.

According to the minister, the final sum targeted by Kiev under the program is 1.8 billion euro (2.24 billion U.S. dollars).

Under the previous cooperation program, which was approved in July 2015, Ukraine received 1.2 billion euro (1.49 billion U.S. dollars) in two tranches from the EU.

The disbursement of the third tranche was delayed as Ukraine has not fully adopted several reforms, which were agreed with the EU within the program.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 23:11:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's President Michel Aoun called Wednesday on the international community to facilitate a gradual return of the Syrian displaced people to safe areas in Syria, the National News Agency reported.

Aoun met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi, during which he said that Lebanon is no longer able to shoulder the burdens of Syrian refugees, urging for an international effort to facilitate the gradual return of these displaced persons to the safe areas of Syria.

Grandi briefed Aoun on the work of the UNHCR in Lebanon, particularly with respect to the Syrian refugees, voicing appreciation over "the care and attention provided to them by Lebanon."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 23:26:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

Director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development Liu Yongfu answers questions at a press conference on the "battle" of targeted poverty alleviation during the first session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China has vowed to make increased efforts to eliminate poverty, after significant progress has been made in the past five years, an official said Wednesday.

China will allocate 106.1 billion yuan (about 16.8 billion U.S. dollars) in funding for poverty alleviation work in 2018, some 20 billion yuan more than last year, said Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

China has lifted more than 68 million people out of poverty over the past five years, Liu told a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's national legislature.

Experience should be accumulated and lesson be drawn in poverty reduction work in order to establish a more sustainable mechanism that can increase safety and reduce corruption in the future, according to Liu.

Since November 2015 when China decided to launched a campaign to eliminate poverty, more than 400 people fulfilled jobs at the cost of their lives.

Meanwhile, over 80,000 people were investigated and punished for misconduct during the poverty elimination campaign, including 450 accountable for fraudulent claims or misappropriation of totally 730 million yuan in an inspection of 28 provinces last year, according to Vice Finance Minister Hu Jinglin.

The country has set 2020 as the target year to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, which requires all citizens to be living above the poverty line -- per capita annual income of 2,300 yuan, a standard set in November 2011.

China plans to lift at least 10 million people out of poverty this year, according to the annual government work report made by Premier Li Keqiang on Monday.

There were around 30 million Chinese living below the national poverty line at the end of last year.

To win the fight against poverty, China should carry out the agenda on time, ensure a high quality of targeted work, and maintain continuity of the process, as "relative poverty" will still exist even after the country eliminates "absolute poverty" by 2020, according to Liu.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 23:26:38|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Many villagers in a remote village in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality have moved to two-floor houses from shabby hovels, as they have become richer through growing chilies in recent years.

Shangjin Village is in a poverty-stricken and mountainous area in Shizhu County, a national-level poor county with more than 70 percent of its population being ethnic Tujia people.

Nearly 400 households of the village have participated in a chili planting cooperative, established by Tan Jianlan with the support of the local government.

"Chili plantation has played an important role in reducing poverty in the county. I would like to share my experience with more people," said Tan, a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), the national legislature.

At the ongoing NPC session, she will suggest encouraging capital flows from cities to rural areas to bring more rural people out of poverty.

So far, Tan's cooperative has covered 10 neighboring impoverished villages including 840 households. The chili industry has helped increase the average income of each poor household to 11,000 yuan ( U.S. dollars).

In addition, the county has explored various ways to fight against poverty. Planting herbs and promoting rural tourism also benefit rural residents.

Seventy out of 85 impoverished villages have been lifted out of poverty there. The remaining 15 poor villages including over 13,000 people are expected to escape poverty by 2020.

China has made decisive progress in fight against poverty. More than 68 million people have been lifted out of poverty over the past five years, approximately equals to the population of France.

This year, China will reduce the poor rural population by over 10 million, Premier Li Keqiang said Monday when delivering a government work report at the first session of the 13th NPC.

Li emphasized that China would do more to support areas affected by extreme poverty, and the central budget's newly enlarged poverty reduction funds and related transfer payments would be weighted toward these areas.

By the year 2020, all rural residents living below the current poverty line will be lifted out of poverty.

The largest poverty alleviation campaign in the world's most populous country has been affirmed by the international society.

More than 760 million people, or around one in 10 people in the world, are estimated to be living below the international poverty line of 1.9 U.S. dollars per day.

The UN Millennium Development Goals Report 2015 shows that the proportion of people living in extreme poverty in China fell by half from 61 percent in 1990 to below 30 percent in 2002, and on down to 4.2 percent in 2014.

"China's experience in innovation and its successful track record in poverty alleviation can provide invaluable lessons for other developing countries," said Bill Gates, co-chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, noting that China was the largest contributor to the UN's Millennium Development Goals of halving the number of people in poverty worldwide.

According to the UN's sustainable development goals, eradicating extreme poverty globally need to be realized by 2030.

Wang Sangui, a professor with Renmin University, said those achievements in poverty alleviation that China has made were due to the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China and governments at all levels, who have been upholding the people-centered philosophy and pursuing the goal of building of a moderately prosperous society and common prosperity for everyone.

"With a clear goal, the central government and relevant departments can focus their efforts on solving the problem," Wang said, adding that more than 100 policies related to poverty relief had been rolled out.

"Meanwhile, the whole society has been taking part in the battle against poverty, including the private sector, NGOs and individuals," he said.

Wang said the government had been adjusting and improving anti-poverty policies in different periods and strengthening supervision over the anti-poverty work, which also ensured that the country would achieve its goal by 2020.

"China has provided a solution to the issue of poverty for the world. Many countries in South Asia and Africa have been inspired," Wang said.

Besides poverty alleviation, China could also share its experience in tackling financial risks and pollution.

Premier Li on Monday expressed strong confidence in the nation's economy and its ability to prevent systemic risks.

"China's economic and financial risks are on the whole manageable ... We are fully capable of forestalling systemic risk," Li said.

China will also continue efforts to prevent and control air, water and soil pollution in 2018.

Zhang Yesui, spokesperson for the annual session of the country's national legislature, said Sunday that China would build a stringent legal system to protect the environment.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 23:36:40|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

RAMALLAH, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee decided on Wednesday to call for convening the Palestinian National Council (PNC), the PLO parliament in exile, on April 30.

The decision was made during a meeting of the committee, which was chaired by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Wednesday.

Ahmad Majdalani, member of the PLO executive committee told Xinhua that the executive committee decided to call for the current PNC members to convene in order to elect a new PLO executive committee.

He mentioned that both Islamic Hamas movement and the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) won't join or participate in the PNC meeting because it is just a meeting for the PNC regular members, where the two groups are not yet members in the PLO.

The PNC, which is the parliament of the PLO in exile and the highest Palestinian body, includes 750 members, who represent Palestinian factions and political powers as well as unions and other social organizations in the Palestinian territories and abroad.

Since the PNC was found, it held 22 sessions; the last one was in in Gaza in 1996 and then was held in Ramallah in 2009.

The Palestinian Central Council, which the mini-parliament or the second highest Palestinian body in the PLO after the PNC, was convened in Ramallah mid of January without Hamas and Islamic Jihad participation.

Meanwhile, the PLO executive committee approved president Abbas vision on holding an international peace conference with full peace authorizations under an international umbrella.

Abbas vision, he presented before the United Nationals Security Council last month, includes an implementation of the international resolutions that are related to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Abbas vision is based on the two-state solutions, and this includes an establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the territories occupied by Israel in 1967, including east Jerusalem as its capital.

The executive committee said in an official statement issued after the meeting that it rejected United States President Donald Trump's declaration that Jerusalem is the capital of the state of Israel and moving the U.S. embassy to the city.

"Trump's Administration isolated itself from being the sponsor of the Middle East peace process," said the statement, adding that the Palestinians are demanding a new international sponsorship to the peace process.

The PLO executive committee authorized the department of negotiations and the ministry of foreign affairs to prepare the files of joining international agencies and treaties, including the World Health Organization and other ones.
ADDIS ABABA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN refugee agency UNHCR have appealed for 80 million U.S. dollars to provide food assistance for refugees located in Ethiopia.

The two UN agencies announced in a joint statement issued on Wednesday that the amount of food that refugees receive was cut by 20 percent last year below the 2,100 kilocalories per day required to sustain the average person.

"UNHCR and WFP are warning of deeper cuts to the amount of food from April unless new funding is received in March," the joint statement said.

"Without new contributions, 650,000 refugees in camps in Ethiopia could soon become even more hungry and may eventually face hunger so severe that it could put lives at risk," the statement added.

Ethiopia hosts the second largest number of refugees in Africa, next to Uganda. Ethiopia presently hosts more than 900,000 refugees, mainly from Eritrea, South Sudan, Somalia, and Sudan, according to figures from the Ethiopian government.

According to the joint statement, some 650,000 of the total refugees live in camps across the East African country and depend on assistance from WFP and UNHCR.

"After fleeing conflict and deprivation in their home countries, refugees deserve to be protected and supported," said Samir Wanmali, WFP's Acting Country Director in Ethiopia.

The two UN agencies fear refugee families could adopt harmful survival strategies and might even try to leave Ethiopia. Particularly at risk are young children, with risks of becoming stunted if they do not receive the right amount of nutrient.

Malnutrition rates in the camps are already high and further ration cuts could have a devastating effect, said the statement.

Recent assessments show that malnutrition rates among children under five are above the emergency threshold of 15 percent in nearly half of the 26 refugee camps in Ethiopia.

Conflict and drought in neighboring countries continues to force people to seek refuge in Ethiopia, which has a long tradition of hosting refugees. In 2017, nearly 110,000 refugees have to Ethiopia.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 23:36:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A total of 36,876 people received judicial aid from 2014 to November 2017, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said Wednesday.

According to Yin Yijun, director of the criminal appeals department under the SPP, procuratorates across the country accepted 41,009 applications for judicial aid during the period, spending over 350 million yuan (55.38 million U.S. dollars) in funding.

Local procuratorates have formed judicial aid groups, led by chief prosecutors or heads of their subordinate procuratorates, to carry out judicial aid in different phases of their cases and inform the eligible applicants of their rights, said Yin.

The procuratorates also attached importance to their collaboration with courts, the police, and departments on civil affairs and education, in order to give full play to their roles and build a network of judicial, government, and social aid.

"We have developed a multi-level aid model that features financial aid, psychological counseling, and special assistance," Yin continued, adding that procuratorates choose the most effective approach based on the specific conditions of the applicants.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-07 23:36:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Sally Jarju from The Gambia had a chance to raise a question to China's agriculture minister at a press conference of the ongoing session of the National People's Congress on Wednesday.

She asked about China-Africa cooperation in agriculture and was impressed with the minister's response.

"The minister told us many of China's successful stories, and we could learn and see if it will work in Africa," Jarju said.

Jarju was among several African journalists who came to China to cover the ongoing event.

Joseph Margai, a senior reporter from Concord Times Newspaper of Sierra Leone, said he was interested in how China could transfer agricultural knowledge to Africa.

Jator Njechu, a reporter from Cameroon Tribune, said that what Africa needs most is technology, rather than money.

Wednesday's press conference focused on China's implementation of the rural revitalization strategy and the transformation and upgrading of agriculture.

The minister of agriculture, Han Changfu, told the press conference that China's cooperation with Africa is sincere.

"We have had some successful experience in managing agriculture and rural systems, and we would like to share with our African friends through multiple ways," said Han.

A Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will be held this year in Beijing.

"I am glad to learn that China will continue to deepen cooperation with Africa in many areas," said Jarju, the Gambian journalist.
BELGRADE, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Serbia and Georgia signed an agreement to liberalize visas between the two countries on Wednesday.

Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze, who's also the vice prime minister of Georgia, arrived in Belgrade earlier in the day.

He signed the agreement along with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic.

In addition to Dacic, the Georgian minister also met Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, President Aleksandar Vucic and Minister for European Union (EU) integrations Jadranka Joksimovic.

In the meeting with President Vucic, bilateral relations, economic cooperation and the situation in the region were discussed, according to a release by the president's press office.

The release said that Vucic estimated relations between the two countries as "good and traditionally friendly", but pointed out that it is still insufficiently developed when it comes to the economy.

According to the Serbian foreign minister, trade value between Serbia and Georgia was just over 6 million euros last year.

The president said the visa liberalization agreement would contribute to the establishment of more favorable conditions to attract foreign investments, improve economic cooperation and develop tourism.

Janelidze told Vucic that Georgia is interested in strengthening high-level political dialogue and advancing economic cooperation, as well as introducing direct flight between Belgrade and Tbilisi to promote tourism.
PHNOM PENH, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia will take legal action against self-exiled former opposition leader Sam Rainsy for allegedly promising to cede four Cambodian provinces to Vietnam's Montagnard indigenous group if his then-Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) won the July 2013 election, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

"This is a dreadfully treasonous act that must not be tolerable," Interior Ministry spokesman Gen. Khieu Sopheak told Xinhua, adding that the act was completely against the country's constitution.

"We are preparing to file a complaint to the court against Sam Rainsy," he said.

The spokesman said for such a treasonous act, if convicted, the former opposition leader could be jailed for life.

The spokesman's comments came a day after a video clip, along with an agreement on Montagnard Indigenous Rights signed on April 14, 2013, in the United States between Sam Rainsy and Kok Ksor, head of the U.S.-based Montagnard Foundation, was posted on a Facebook.

In the video clip at the signing ceremony, Sam Rainsy said the Montagnards lived in Cambodian provinces of Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri, Kratie and Stung Treng, and he thanked them for supporting the then-CNRP.

"When we establish a new government, we will ensure that the Montagnards - the Degar people - will live as free citizens of Cambodia. Their forests, their mountains will be returned to them as the masters of the land like (the) Cambodian people," he said in the video clip.

Montagnard people, also known as Degar people, are mostly Christian ethnic minority groups that live in Vietnam's mountainous Central Highlands region.

Sam Rainsy, 68, has been living in self-imposed exile in France since November 2015 to avoid at least eight-year prison sentence for defamation and incitement cases.

On Nov. 16 last year, the CNRP was dissolved by the Supreme Court, more than two months after Kem Sokha, Sam Rainsy's successor, was arrested and charged with "treason" for conspiring with a foreign power in an attempt to overthrow the government.
ALGIERS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Wednesday urged Arab countries to combine their efforts to eradicate terrorism amid critical circumstances that the region is going through.

"The challenges are obvious, and Arab security cooperation must be strengthened," he said in a message at the opening ceremony of the 35th Arab Interior Ministers Council (AIMC) in Algiers, read on his behalf by Minister of Interior Noureddine Bedoui.

He said that large areas of the Arab world are going through very critical circumstances while suffering from "security instability" poised by terrorist and extremist groups.

He warned that "the situation with all its sensitivity and contradictions requires constant vigilance, cooperation and coordination at the highest levels."

"The first step to eradicate terrorism consists in invalidating its intellectual references and depriving it of its social environment and its communication and information networks through intensive efforts at the educational, cultural, information and religious orientation levels so that to neutralize extremism and save our youth from its fatal mystification," President Bouteflika noted.

The 35th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of the Interior kicked off in Algiers on Wednesday, as participants are discussing prevailing issues, such as security threats and the fight against crime in all its forms, in addition to illegal migration.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 00:06:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

KUNMING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Li Lifeng, a mother of two, has developed her childhood hobby of making embroidery into a prospering career, bolstered by a booming industry that helps raise the status of women.

Li, 40, was born in Zhizuo Village, Yongren County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Yongren is a mountainous county mainly of ethnic Yi people.

According to government data, in 2010 there were over 8.71 million Yi people, mostly living in the southwestern Chinese provinces of Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou.

In Li's village, there is a 1,300-year-old tradition called the "costume competition festival," where farmers dress themselves in florid clothing and compete in public.

Li grew up watching the costume shows in her village. "Every year, we had foreign faces coming to take photos of the show and making notes. There are over 370 types of clothing in my hometown. They come in various styles, patterns and are worn on different occasions," she said.

"Yi girls live in the mountains. The performers wear no makeup and have no idea of what fashion is, but the beauty and confidence that they exude is no less than that on a modern catwalk. We are very proud of our embroidery and clothing tradition.

"It is no exaggeration to say that Yi women are born to do embroidery. I remember learning from my mother when I was only a toddler."

But when Li was young, almost every Yi woman did stitch work and hardly anyone had spare money to purchase from others.

"In Yi families, especially poor ones, needles are the girls'toys. The stitch works are very beautiful indeed, but it was impossible to sell them and make money," she said.

Li's father died when she was young, and she had to drop out of school to help support the family.

"Before my marriage in 2000, I worked as waitress and made only 100 yuan a month. I did not have to work after marrying my husband. But when I picked up stitches, he complained that I was only killing time, and he'd rather I go find something money-making to do," she said.

Li's exquisite embroidering technique has only been developed into a career in recent years.

"Now I'm the main breadwinner of my family. My husband helps me dealing with orders," she said.

In 2006, a Yi embroidery association was founded in the county. Li passed a few rounds of competition and became the secretary-general of the organization. She was also named the successor of Yi embroidery art in Chuxiong prefecture, which administers Yongren County.

Her career began to take off on strong market demand. In 2013, she and three friends founded a company.

"My stitch work sold well in cultural fairs in Shenzhen. People who spend too much time in buildings made of cement and steel grow instant fondness of original, hand-made embroidery," she said.

Li is the chief technician in her company. She makes one set of embroidered Yi clothing per month. Supported by women development funds, Li gets contracts from fashion and cultural designers to produce finished clothing, ornaments, purses and rings.

"A lot of designers like to use Yi embroidery pieces on collars and cuffs. Clothes like these sell well," she said.

The total output value of Li's company was 4 million yuan (about 634,000 U.S. dollars) last year. She took her work to fashion weeks in Beijing and Shanghai last year, and often gets orders from Dutch, German and Indian buyers. This year, she will cooperate with a Singaporean designer to use Yi elements on cashmere scarves.

"Yi embroidery draws inspiration from nature, and when we present the work on the catwalk, they not only dazzle but also endear the audience," she said.

In Chuxiong, there are more than 60,000 women doing embroidery. The industry is worth over 100 million yuan (about 15.8 million dollars) and is growing.

Liu Lingxiu, 29, is one of the embroidery workers. "Li gives out orders to workers based on each one's handiwork. Poor families get more orders. But she has a high standard for embroidered pieces. Substandard ones are returned and redone," she said.

The Chuxiong prefectural government is building a special gallery for the old costume show and has encouraged people to start up their own businesses.

"I'm studying English so that I can talk to foreign clients. I hope one day I will bring my Yi embroidery and show them at international fashion weeks. Maybe I will be a staggering old woman by then, but I also want to take a walk on the catwalk," she said.
TOKYO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Minister for Reconstruction Masayoshi Yoshino called it "truly outrageous" a recently-exposed scandal involving the government-sponsored Technical Intern Training Program after a foreign intern was allegedly tricked into doing cleanup work in areas devastated by the 2011 nuclear disaster.

"This is something outrageous and totally illegal. If it's proven true (after investigations), legal action must be taken," Yoshino told Xinhua on Wednesday.

A 24-year-old Vietnamese man, who worked under the Technical Intern Training Program in Japan, has alleged that he had been coaxed into doing decontamination work in Fukushima, according to a recent report of Nikkei, a financial newspaper in Japan.

The man, who requested anonymity, came to Japan in September 2015 and signed a contract to work for a construction company based in Iwate prefecture, with the job requirement specified as engineering and construction work.

Between October 2015 and March 2016, the man was sent to Koriyama in Fukushima prefecture for dozens of times to do decontamination work in a residential area, including digging out soil from ditches, according to the report.

Afterwards, he was engaged in dismantling buildings in an exclusion zone in Kawamata, Fukushima, before restrictions in the area due to high levels of radiation were lifted.

"I wouldn't have come to Japan if I knew I would be doing this (decontamination work)," the Vietnamese trainee was quoted by Nikkei as saying.

He said he came to Japan because he could make more money than in Vietnam and he also wanted to learn the Japanese language, but he had no idea what he would do in Fukushima.

As it had cost him some 1.6 million yen (15,120 U.S. dollars) to come to Japan, about 1 million yen of which was loaned from local banks and other facilities, he could not just go back home even after he learned the truth of his job.

The trainee finally ran away from the construction company in November 2017 due to health concerns about possible radiation, according to Nikkei.

Tokyo-based Zentoitsu Workers Union is assisting the Vietnamese man to hold negotiations with the construction firm seeking compensation worth the amount he would have been paid if he had completed the rest of his three-year contract.

The construction company, however, denied that it had violated labor laws, claiming that decontamination is not beyond the scope of construction work and it was not the only company that makes foreign trainees do decontamination work.

The Ministry of Justice said Wednesday that it has started investigations into the case.

The incident again called into question Japan's Technical Intern Trainee Program, originally designed to help foreign nationals acquire technical skills. However, it has been widely criticized as a platform to attract cheap overseas labor to make up Japan's labor shortage caused by an aging workforce and immigration curbs.

With little legal protection, the foreign trainees are often underpaid, and illegally placed as oyster shuckers, construction workers and other unskilled positions. Many of the indentured work force are exposed to substandard, sometimes hazardous working conditions.

According to government data, as of the end of 2016, there were 230,000 foreigners working in firms and farms across Japan as what Tokyo calls trainees, among whom 38.6 percent were from Vietnam and 35.4 percent from China.
by Xinhua Writer Wang Xiaopeng

NAIROBI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A senior Kenyan official said Wednesday Kenya is targeting 100,000 Chinese tourists per year in the medium term, as it embarks on a campaign to sell its safari and beach offerings to the Chinese.

Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview that the East African Nation is embarking on a major online and media marketing campaign in China and has already appointed a new representative there.

Kenya is going into digital marketing to promote Kenya in the Chinese market, said Balala, adding Kenya's tourist industry is eager to tap into the Chinese market.

"We had previously a representative of Kenya Tourism Board in China," he said. "We have appointed a new person to represent us in China. The key Chinese market that we want is that we want it to be top three."

Kenya currently receives some 69,000 Chinese tourists annually, according to 2017 government statistics, representing about 6 percent of total tourist arrivals last year.

"We hope we can get at least 100,000 Chinese into Kenya in the next one two years," Balala said, stressing the appeals of the Kenyan market to Chinese tourists, despite it being a long-haul destination, including groups of well-trained people who can speak the Chinese language.

In addition, the visa is online and the weather is good for Chinese visitors, said Balala.

"Everywhere you go in Kenya, there is wildlife. We have Lake Nakuru National Park, Meru National Park, Amboseli National Park, Masaai Mara, Tsavo National Park, Mount Kenya National Park, and Nairobi National Park," he said.

The CS said Kenya has already acted on complaints by Chinese tourists over being coerced to give bribes at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.

"We have heard of those complaints. We have put a new structure at the airport under the leadership of the CEO of the airport. Everything must work." said Balala, stressing that actions have been taken to ensure a seamless non-corruption process, with major improvements already hailed by tourists.

Noting there are travel agencies and hotels run by Chinese in Kenya, the CS also called for more Chinese investments in Kenya's tourism and wildlife sectors, saying Kenya is ready to give incentives, including duty free on facility refurbishment, to investors in the industry.

China has honored its commitment to ending commercial processing and sales of ivory by the end of 2017. Balala said the move was a noble thing done to Kenya and Africa.

Balala said Kenya is ready to deepen cooperation with China on tourism and wildlife sector to cement bilateral relations. "The policy of China to work with the rest of the world is a win-win policy, so we want to encourage it and, definitely, we think our tourist industry and wildlife sector will benefit from the visiting of Chinese tourists in Kenya."
NEW DELHI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Two security personnel belonging to India's Border Security Force (BSF) were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in the central state of Chhattisgarh, official sources said Wednesday.

The IED blast was blamed on left-wing rebels "Naxals."

The incident happened in the state's Raoghat area of Kanker district while a BSF team was on a search operation to flush out the armed rebels.

In all eight teams were constituted to carry out the anti-Naxals operation for three day/nights beginning Tuesday.

"Today at about 16:05 a series of IEDs blasts followed by heavy volume of fire were caused by Naxals. The BSF party took position and retaliated effectively causing heavy casualties to the Naxals," said the official sources.
NAIROBI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is set to sign a bilateral labor agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before end of June, a Kenyan official said Wednesday.

Winnie Pertet, Chairperson of the National Employment Authority (NEA), said the agreement will help ensure the safety of Kenyans working in the Arab state.

"The bilateral labor agreement with UAE is part of the government's commitment to ensure that Kenyan nationals work under certain minimum conditions in order to enhance their safety," Pertet said.

"The goal is to improve the working conditions and terms of Kenyans who will work in the Gulf state," he added. Kenya has already signed similar agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Kenya's government estimates show that approximately 40,000 Kenyans live and work in the UAE.

Pertet said that under the agreement, the government will post labor officials in key cities of the UAE in order to monitor their living and working conditions.

She said that Kenyans are attracted to more lucrative jobs in the Middle East. The NEA added that the government is trying to address cases of Kenyans who face distress while working abroad.

"We are witnessing rising incidents where recruitment agents lure Kenyans with false promises of overseas jobs," Pertet added.

The NEA chairperson said that all labor contracts for those who will work abroad will be attested by labor authorities to ensure that Kenyans do not face exploitation abroad.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 00:47:05|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, joins a panel discussion with the deputies from Guangdong Province at the first session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping highlighted development, human capital and innovation when joining deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in a panel discussion Wednesday.

Joining deputies from south China's Guangdong Province, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, pledged uttermost efforts to help ordinary people solve problems and overcome difficulties.

Xi said that he totally endorsed the draft constitutional amendment, which is under deliberation at the national legislature.

Revising part of the Constitution is a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee from the overall and strategic height of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, Xi stressed.

Hailing it a major move to advance law-based governance and modernize China's system and capacity for governance, Xi said the drafting process of the bill has fully practiced democracy, pooled wisdom from various sectors and embodied the common will of the Party and the people.

Xi also stressed economic restructuring, scientific innovation, opening-up and better governance.

The country should attach more importance to the development of the real economy, and focus on strategic emerging industries such as information technology, high-end manufacturing, biotechnology, new material and maritime economy, while eliminating industries and enterprises with heavy pollution and emissions, he said.

China welcomes top-notch scientists and technicians from home and abroad, and supports innovations of small and medium-sized enterprises, he said.

The country should fully open up with a broader horizon, higher standards and stronger efforts, he said.

Xi also underlined efficient social governance and promotion of social justice.

He told leading officials to prevent relapse of undesirable work practices and consolidate implementation of the eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct.

Other Chinese leaders, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, also joined NPC deputies in panel discussions Wednesday.

Speaking to deputies from Zhejiang Province, Li Keqiang said he fully endorsed the draft constitutional amendment, which was a major move to implement the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and to uphold Constitution-based governance. He also called for further transforming government functions and releasing market dynamics and creativity.

Meeting with deputies from Beijing, Li Zhanshu said he completely agreed with the bill, adding that the incorporation into Constitution of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and other theoretical, practical and institutional progress made at the 19th CPC National Congress would provide constitutional guarantee for safeguarding the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core.

Joining deputies from the Taiwan delegation, Wang Yang said he totally supported the bill, noting that the amendment was of profound significance in reality and history, and met the expectations of the Party and people.

Joining deputies from Guizhou Province, Wang Huning said he completely agreed with the bill, which embodied the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and the second and third plenary sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee as well as the will of the people.

Meeting with deputies from Jiangsu Province, Zhao Leji said he totally endorsed the bill, which established the guiding position of Xi's thought in the Constitution, and further clarified the supreme political principle of the Party's overall leadership.

Joining deputies from Tianjin, Han Zheng said he completely endorsed the bill, which constitutionalized major theoretical, practical and institutional progress made under the Party's leadership, and was an important arrangement to ensure the sustainable development and long-term stability of the Party and the country.
BRUSSELS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- "The only remaining possible model (for EU-Britain future economic relationship) is a free trade agreement. I hope that it will be ambitious and advanced ... but anyway it will only be a trade agreement," Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, told reporters Wednesday in Luxembourg.

Tusk insisted the EU "does not want to build a wall", but Brexit means "we will be drifting apart", BBC reported.

British Prime Minister Theresa May had confirmed that Britain will leave the Single Market, leave the customs union and leave the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

Therefore, the only remaining possible model left is a free trade agreement, Tusk explained during a joint press conference with Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel.

For the European Union (EU), the trade agreement should cover all sectors and with zero tariffs on goods. Like other free trade agreements, it should address services. And in fisheries, reciprocal access to fishing waters and resources should be maintained, said Tusk.

Calling the upcoming agreement to be the first FTA in history that loosens economic ties, instead of strengthening them, Tusk noted that the agreement "will not make trade between the UK and the EU frictionless or smoother. It will make it more complicated and costly than today, for all of us."

"This is the essence of Brexit," he added.

The joint press conference marked the president's first stop in a long journey to consult EU27 on the draft guidelines for the EU side about the framework for the future relationship with Britain.

Commenting the draft guidelines, an official spokesman of May said, "We look forward to seeing the final guidelines when published and hope they will provide the flexibility to allow the EU to think creatively and imaginatively about our future economic partnership."

In a keynote speech at the City of London's Mansion House Friday, May said, "What I am seeking is a relationship (future economic partnership with the EU) that goes beyond the transactional to one where we support each other's interests."

"I want the broadest and deepest possible agreement, covering more sectors and co-operating more fully than any Free Trade Agreement anywhere in the world today."

In a word, Britain is seeking a future relationship with the EU as a "Canada-plus" (i.e. plus services, including financial services) or a "Norway-minus" (i.e. minus free movement of labor) agreement.

But Tusk made it clear that this approach is impossible.

"The EU cannot agree to grant the UK the rights of Norway with the obligations of Canada," said Tusk.

"No Member State is free to pick only those sectors of the Single Market it likes, nor to accept the role of the ECJ only when it suits their interest. By the same token, a pick-and-mix approach for a non-member state is out of the question. We are not going to sacrifice these principles. It's simply not in our interest," he added.

In her speech, May set five tests for the 2nd phase negotiation -- implementing the decision of the British people; reaching an enduring solution; protecting British security and prosperity; delivering an outcome that is consistent with the kind of country Britain wants to be and bringing the country together, and strengthening the precious union of all our people.

But, "the draft guidelines are expected to firmly rebuff Theresa May's proposal of 'managed divergence' from EU rules and regulations and effectively present Britain with a binary choice: a limited free trade deal a la Canada, or binding membership of EU institutions a la Norway," said Jack Blanchard from the POLITICO magazine.

However, "this is only a draft. The EU27 will now discuss and revise the proposals, before agreeing a final position at the EU Council summit on March 23. And only then do negotiations with Britain actually begin," Blanchard added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 01:27:13|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

JERUSALEM, March 7 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli military official said Wednesday that cellular blackouts across southern Israel were caused by cyber fighting in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

The disruptions have been caused by electronic warfare waged by Egypt's army against the Islamic State forces, said a military spokesperson.

The spokesperson said the military is aware of the disruptions and it has engaged in "a dialogue" with Egyptian military officials to solve the issue.

Also on Wednesday, Israel's Communications Minister Ayoob Kara told Army Radio that Israeli military and defense officials met with their counterparts in Egypt for a "very important meeting" on Tuesday.

He added that the sides reached "an understanding" and the cellular reception is expected to be restored in the upcoming days.

Over the past month, the Egyptian military has been reportedly carrying out a large-scale campaign against IS militants in the northern Sinai, using specialized intelligence air craft.

The campaign has been causing cellular blackouts in Egypt's neighbor for over a week.
BERLIN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A high court in Dresden handed prison sentences of up to ten years to eight members of the German right-wing extremist group Freital on Wednesday.

The group was found guilty of attempted murder, forming a terrorist organization, and carrying out bombings against a left-wing politician and several refugee shelters in Saxony.

Timo S. and Patrick F., who were identified as ringleaders, received the highest sentences of ten and nine-and-a-half years respectively.

All eight of the defendants have been in police custody since November 2015. Justin S., the youngest member of the group who was 18 years old at the time of the incidents, cooperated with the Federal Prosecution Office in the trial and consequently received a reduced sentence of four years.

On the basis of evidence heard, the Dresden court found the Freital group had carried out a total of five bomb attacks in 2015 and was motivated by a national-socialist ideology. According to the widely-publicized court verdict, the eight right-wing extremists had done so with the explicit goal of creating "a climate of fear and repression."
A combination of photos of U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

MOSCOW, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Wednesday called the recent U.S. sanctions on Pyongyang over its alleged assassination of top leader Kim Jong Un's half-brother "illegitimate."

Russia believes that sanctions should not bypass the United Nations Security Council, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday that it has imposed sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for the alleged killing of Kim Jong Nam with a nerve agent in Malaysia last year.

The new U.S. sanctions came after the DPRK showed a willingness to hold denuclearization talks with the United States and agreed to a third summit meeting with South Korea next month.

Zakharova said Russia welcomes the positive moves in intra-Korean dialogue.
SOFIA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- High officials here on Wednesday at a special conference encouraged Bulgarian companies to participate in the First China International Import Expo (CIIE) that will take place this November in Shanghai.

This would be the first large-scale exhibition in China and even in the world that is devoted to imports, Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Zhang Haizhou said at the conference, which was attended by some 150 Bulgarian officials and businessmen.

The CIIE aimed to promote trade between different countries and build a new international platform for expanding international cooperation, Zhang said.

"I am confident that the exhibition will be another platform for mutually beneficial cooperation and an important chance to open the Chinese market for Bulgarian companies, especially small and medium enterprises," the ambassador said.

According to Chinese customs statistics, trade between China and Bulgaria in 2017 amounted to 2.13 billion U.S. dollars, with a growth of 29 percent year-on-year, he said.

Lachezar Borisov, Bulgarian deputy minister of economy, said in turn that his country's exports to China have grown sevenfold over the past ten years, but there is still much untapped potential.

He was confident that Bulgarian companies would be very interested in participating in the CIIE, and their participation would be successful, Borisov said.

Gabriela Kozareva, executive director of Bulgarian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Promotion Agency, added that the active participation of Bulgarian business in this exhibition would create new clients and partners, and lead to an increase of competitiveness and entrepreneurial spirit of the Bulgarian enterprises.
ABUJA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian health authorities said Wednesday that 14 people have died following an outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis in the northwestern state of Jigawa, while warning about further spread due to hot weather.

Commissioner for health in Jigawa Abba Zakari told reporters that the deaths were recorded from 51 suspected cases of meningitis across 10 local government areas of the state.

The state recorded its first case of meningitis, an acute inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, in last November, Zakari said.

He said the state authorities were working to contain the further spread of the disease as there could be a more severe outbreak and higher mortality rate due to the intensely hot weather.

Cerebrospinal meningitis outbreaks usually occur in the dry season due to low humidity and dusty conditions and end with the onset of the rainy season.

Jigawa is within the meningitis belt of the African region.

Last year, 17 states were affected by the meningitis outbreak across Nigeria.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 02:02:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President on Wednesday rejected Israeli Prime Minister's claims that the Islamic republic and its missile program is a "threat" to the region.

The development of Iran's missile program is aimed at safeguarding peace and security in the region, and "Iran will strongly defend its rights," Rouhani said during a cabinet session.

"Those who have over the past 70 years created tension, launched wars and caused destruction in the region and have committed genocide and caused Sabra and Shatila (massacre) are in no position to portray Iran as a threat," said Rouhani.

"Iran is no threat to anyone. Iran is (the pillar) of stability and security for the entire region," Rouhani said.

On Wednesday, the deputy commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Hossein Salami, said that Iran would not stop increasing its defensive power, including missile capabilities.

The world should accept the emergence of Iran as the country enjoys both "logic and deterrent power," said Salami.

Iran's defensive power is "neither negotiable nor stoppable," he said, adding that likewise, Iran's "missile program will not be negotiated with any world power."

Also, the Commander of the Aerospace Division of the IRGC Amir Ali Hajizadeh said that Iran's missile production has increased three-fold over the past years.

Hajizadeh said that the enemy's attempts to hinder the progress of Iran's defense capabilities have been in vain.

"Despite the hostilities by the enemies, the pace of defense development in the country has increased," Hajizadeh said.

Besides, the institutions of the Islamic establishments, including the government and the parliament, are united against pressures from the West regarding the missile issue, he said.

Hence, "our missile production has increased three-fold over the past years," he added.

The Iranian commander criticized what he called the "U.S. double standards" over the arms programs, saying that while the United States boosts its atomic weapons on a daily basis, it pressed Iran to give up defensive missile program.

He said that the Islamic republic will resist the enmity of Washington which "has opened a front against us."

On Monday, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said that the missile program of the Islamic republic is not a threat to any country.

Iran would boost its defensive power including the missile capabilities, and its deterrent plan will not be affected by the political pressures.

Shamkhani made the remarks in a meeting with the visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in the capital Tehran.

Pushed by the U.S., Europe has stepped up its pressure on Iran to start negotiations on the country's developing missile program.

Iran has reiterated that its military forces will continue boosting the country's defense capabilities and deterrent power.
RIGA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A Latvian parliamentary committee rejected a legislative initiative on Wednesday calling for regulation for couples living in unregistered relationships, local media reported.

Latvia's Development party, the author of the proposal, issued a statement to the press in which it expressed disappointment at the decision taken by the parliamentary committee for mandates, ethics and submissions.

The parliamentary committee dismissed the proposal to pass a cohabitation law by five votes to two, and two abstentions.

Latvian Development leader Juris Puce said in a statement, that the party was indignant over the "committee's choice to simply ignore a real problem that already exists in Latvia's society instead of dealing with it."

At present, Latvian laws offer no protection to unmarried couples if their partner dies or falls ill, and the authors of the initiative want to change this.

The political party is determined to keep coming up with new solutions to tackle the issue of unregistered partnerships.

The parliamentary committee had to consider the initiative after a petition calling for a cohabitation law and signed by 10,276 voters was submitted to the Latvian parliament.

The initiative, however, has so far failed to gain support from Latvian lawmakers.
MAPUTO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Mozambican government on Wednesday launched a plan to battle corruption, which the country's president has described as being a serious problem.

Estimated at 500 million meticais (about 8.3 million U.S. dollars), the Strategic Plan for Combating Corruption 2018-2022 aims to improve institutional performance and promote transparency in the public and private sectors.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi said corruption in the country has reached such a serious level that it must be tackled with strong measures.

"It is time to ruthlessly attack the roots of corruption, with a view to harmonious economic and social development of the country," said the president.

The president hoped that the plan would serve to give credibility to national institutions, whether public or private, as it is "of the urgency of the day."

"This plan provides for creating appropriate legislation for the private sector, where there may also be pockets of corruption," he added.

Director of Central Office for Combating Corruption (GCCC) Ana Gemo said "the pillars drawn on the plan, among many objectives, will reinforce legal measures of criminalization and identify gaps in our structures."

According to her, in 2017 the state lost 450 million meticais (about 7.5 million U.S. dollars) and only 8 percent of the money was recovered.

"This result is due to the weak anti-corruption mechanism in the state apparatus," she said.

On the ceremony, the European Union (EU) announced funding of 700 million meticais (about 11.6 million U.S. dollars) to support the GCCC.
BERLIN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The German government has agreed to extend foreign deployment of German troops in six international missions on Wednesday.

The decision, which needs to be approved by Germany's parliament, affects military operations in Mali, Afghanistan, and against the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria with a combined current contingent of around 2,600 soldiers.

Under the plans announced on Wednesday, the number of German troops in Afghanistan would rise once again from 980 to 1,300.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government had mulled a complete retreat from Afghanistan in 2013, but was instead forced to increase its presence there due to a deteriorating security situation, according to German media reports.

Questioned about the apparent difficulty which Germany was experiencing in extricating itself from Afghanistan, defense minister Ursula von der Leyen told the public broadcaster ARD on Wednesday Germany would have to prepare for a protracted fight.

"Without any doubt we will need patience and persistence," van der Leyen said.

Germany is also set to provide more troops to the ongoing United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in the West African state of Mali.

While the number of German soldiers participating in the international coalition against ISIS would fall, Germany has decided to expand the mission's geographical scope in Iraq beyond the Kurdish-controlled Northern parts of the country.

Confronted with criticism that ongoing military engagement with ISIS was not permissible under the German constitution because it was not a mission under the framework of the European Union, UN or NATO, van der Leyen insisted that the "mandate was firmly-based on international law".

The German military is currently involved in a total of 14 international missions with 3,600 troops.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 03:12:38|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The draft revision to China's Constitution, which is under deliberation and discussion at the ongoing national legislative and political advisory sessions, has won support from Chinese leaders, lawmakers and political advisors.

Joining a panel discussion with deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) Wednesday, President Xi Jinping said that he totally endorsed the draft constitutional amendment.

Revising part of the Constitution is a major decision made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) from the overall and strategic height of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, stressed Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).

Hailing it a major move to advance law-based governance and modernize China's system and capacity for governance, Xi said the drafting process of the bill has fully practiced democracy, pooled wisdom from various sectors and embodied the common will of the Party and the people.

Other Chinese leaders, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, also expressed their endorsement of the draft while joining NPC deputies in panel discussions Wednesday.

The lawmakers and political advisors agreed that the constitutional revision, which accords with the aspiration of the Party and the people and has won approval from both inside and outside the CPC, is of historic significance for ensuring prosperity and lasting security of both the Party and the country.

The current draft was proposed by the CPC Central Committee and adopted by the NPC Standing Committee in January.

It was submitted to the first session of 13th NPC for deliberation on Monday and is scheduled to be put to vote on March 11.

If adopted, this will be the Constitution's first amendment in 14 years.

The bill suggests giving Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era constitutional authority.

NPC deputy Li Jiancheng believed enshrining Xi's thought as a new guiding theory for the country is a core revision in the draft amendment.

"The Thought is vital for the nation's future and destiny," Li said.

The following sentence is also supposed to be included in the Constitution: "The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics."

For Long Xiang, another NPC deputy, the addition has strengthened the CPC's leading status in the country from the perspective of the very nature of China's socialist system, laying down a fundamental institutional guarantee for upholding and strengthening overall Party leadership.

A revision to a clause concerning the Chinese President's term of office was also in the draft.

"Such a revision doesn't mean there will be a change in the retirement system of the Party and state leaders or a lifelong tenure for these officials," said Lyu Hongbing, a political advisor at the ongoing session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

"This institutional arrangement is conducive to upholding and strengthening the overall Party leadership, improving the leadership system of the Party and the country, and safeguarding the authority of the CPC Central Committee as well as its centralized and unified leadership," said Lyu, vice head of the All China Lawyers Association.

According to the bill, a new section about supervisory commissions is suggested to be added to lay down a constitutional basis for an upgraded anti-graft taskforce under the CPC leadership.

Other additions for inclusion are the goal of a "great modern socialist country"; an oath of allegiance to the Constitution; a vision of a community with a shared future for humanity; core socialist values; and granting more cities legislative power.

The bill proposed enriching clauses about the patriotic united front, harmonious relations among ethnic groups, and peaceful foreign policies.

It also adds a new vision of innovative, coordinated, green and open development for everyone; and the five-sphere integrated plan for coordinated economic, political, cultural, social and ecological advancement.

Deputies from the PLA and the armed police Wednesday also expressed their firm support to the bill during their panel discussions.

"The draft revision is significant for ensuring the Party and the country's sound governance and lasting security," said Xu Qiliang, vice chairman of the CMC.

Xu called for thorough implementation of the constitutional spirit in the military, and advancement of law-based and strict governance of the armed forces.

A constitutional change is either proposed by the NPC Standing Committee or by more than one-fifth of all NPC deputies, and then requires the approval of two-thirds or more of NPC deputies during the annual session.

The PRC enacted its first Constitution in 1954. The current Constitution was formulated in 1982 and amended in 1988, 1993, 1999 and 2004.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 03:22:41|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- International Women's Day, scheduled on March 8, is being celebrated across Turkey through events including marches and workshops, with an emphasis on violence which has become a headache of the modern Turkish society.

Some 40 million women and girls in Turkey enjoy far better legal protections than many of their counterparts in other Middle Eastern countries after painstaking reforms by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, in the late 1920s and 1930s.

However, deep-seated and restrictive conservative views of women's role in the Turkish society often lead to serious problems and domestic violence, and according to official data, 409 women were killed in 2017 alone.

Several public organizations involved with women's rights created the website www.kadincinayetleri.org (Murder of women), which is also a vocal women's right movement, where statistics on female homicide, a map of the committed crimes, information on murderers and the reasons for these murders are presented.

According to the website, murders may be committed after a woman proposed separation or divorce. In other cases, the murder was often motivated by a suspicion of cheating, jealousy, or honor killings.

Despite the considerable progress Turkey has made toward gender equality, it remains a country governed by strict traditional and religious customs.

Equal rights and protection for women are enshrined in laws, but things are different when it comes to religious conservatism.

Aysen Ece Kavas, the Ankara representative of kadincinayetleri.org, told Xinhua that women rights activists from all around Turkey will meet to discuss and propose changes on women's rights on March 11 in Istanbul.

Kavas said 28 women were murdered by their husbands, partners or relatives in the single month of January 2018, and this number rose to 47 in February, the highest figure in recent months.

"Femicide cases occur mostly where women feel safe and by their relatives," she noted, adding that domestic violence is the most challenging problem of the Turkish society.

On Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Centre for Psychiatry in Turkey made a statement about the violence against women.

"Violence is not unavoidable. It can be prevented, and this is especially important for the lives of girls," it said.

The centre believes that all society must be mobilized to deal with this problem.

The media often advertise sexism and religion is often used as an excuse for men's violence toward women, the centre pointed out.

Despite the existence of anti-violence laws, deterrence is limited because men convicted of domestic violence often receive lenient sentences if a judge deems their behavior in court positive or respectful.

"The laws are there to be enforced. Deterrence can only be ensured if the laws are strictly applied to the crime without any extenuating circumstances," Canan Gullu, the head of the Federation of Women Associations of Turkey (TKDF), told Xinhua.

Gullu said the association has sent a letter to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about debates on violence against women.

She advised the government to deal with the issue in terms of education, and changing the judicial mindset.

"Those who commit these crimes must be excluded from the possibility of reduced sentences. The penalties given for such crimes should be in line with our feelings," Erdogan has said.

For Turkish women, they are also planning to cry out disapproval of their disproportionate participation in the male dominated work force, as only 34 percent of women in Turkey are employed, much fewer than women in other industrialized countries, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Experts argue that what Turkey most needs to do is not to make more women enter the workforce but to make sure that they do not leave it once they get married.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 03:22:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

HOUSTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- With growing energy demand, China should pay more attention to its energy security with more diversified energy sources in the future, a Chinese energy strategy expert said here on Wednesday.

At the 5-day meeting of CERAWeek by IHS Markit that kicked off on Monday, International Energy Agency (IEA) released a five-year forecast, predicting China will continue to be a main driving force for the growth of global oil demand. The forecast also mentioned that the oil demand of China and India together accounts for about half of the growth in global oil demand.

Commenting on the forecast, Chinese energy strategy expert Ruquan Lu told Xinhua that he agreed with the assumption. "According to our estimation, China's oil demand will reach 700 million tons per year around the year of 2025, of which 500 million tons will have to come from import," said Lu.

He said that the growing energy demand from China promotes the development of global energy industry, but at the same time imposes more uncertainty on China's own energy security.

Lu said in order to meet the need, China will import energy from the Middle East, Africa, Middle Asia and America. With the diversification of energy sources, China has to face the challenge of geopolitical sophistication and uncertainty.

"We need to pay more attention to and be more careful about such sophistication and uncertainty," he said.

CERAWeek is an annual energy meeting featuring prominent speakers from energy, technology and finance sectors. More than 3,000 guests from over 50 countries and regions attended this week's meeting.
KIEV, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian government said on Wednesday it has started a legal procedure to seize the Ukrainian assets of Russian gas giant Gazprom.

The procedure is carried out on the basis of the decision of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, which found Gazprom guilty of abusing monopoly power on the Ukrainian gas market, said a statement on the Ukrainian government website.

According to the statement, Ukraine plans to seize either property or the securities of four Ukrainian companies linked to Gazprom, including the gas transit arm Gaztransit.

Ukraine plans to raise about 24.176 million U.S. dollars from selling the Gaztransit securities via the public auction, the statement said.

Gazprom has suggested to Ukraine's state-owned energy firm Naftogaz a date to meet to discuss termination of contracts, Russia's Sputnik news agency quoted Gazprom deputy CEO Alexander Medvedev as saying Wednesday.

In 2009, Ukraine and Russia signed two separate agreements on the supplies of Russian gas to Ukraine and on its transit to Europe via the Ukrainian territory. Both deals expire in 2019.

The Russian gas supplies to Ukraine have been suspended since November 2015, as the two countries failed to reach an agreement on pricing.

Last week, Gazprom announced the plans to terminate all gas deals with Ukraine at an arbitration tribunal in Stockholm, Sweden.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 03:32:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Syria has become a theatre for regional and international actors with different and even conflicting goals and interests, while fighting terrorism represented by the Islamic States (IS) militant group and its affiliates is depicted as a common goal.

The recent escalation in Syria with the government shelling rebel-held regions and the involvement of Turkey in its anti-Kurd crackdown northeastern Syria complicate the situation in the war-torn country and narrow down its chances for a near settlement, said Egyptian political experts.

The government forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are practically backed by Russia, Iran and Shiite militias loyal to Iran including Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, the United States is leading an international anti-terror alliance targeting the IS while Turkey has recently been fighting against the Kurds in Syria's Afrin enclave.

In a couple of weeks, at least 800 people have been killed in the ongoing Syrian military strikes on the besieged enclave of Eastern Ghouta near the capital Damascus, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

OPPOSITION-TERROR MIX

Since the seven-year old crisis started, the Assad forces always argued that they have been going through a war against terrorism.

"The mixture between terrorism and some opposition forces in Syria has further complicated the situation. There's surely an anti-terror war and no one supports terrorism, but each power involved in Syria defines terrorists differently," said Hassan Nafaa, a political science professor at Cairo University, confirming that the IS and Jabhat al-Nusra are unanimously labeled as terrorist groups.

The past peacemaking talks via UN-sponsored meetings between representatives from the Syrian regime and the exiled opposition failed to reach a common ground.

The ongoing Geneva talks on Syria do not include Syrian participants but they have diplomats from Russia, Iran, Turkey and the UN instead.

"The Syrian opposition is part of the problem, not the solution. Some opposition groups are close to Russia and Iran, and others to the United States and Saudi Arabia. Yet, they are all fragile, ineffective and disunited," the professor told Xinhua.

In late February, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling for an immediate 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow for humanitarian aids and medical evacuations in besieged conflict-stricken regions. However, the Syrian government's forces continued the strikes.

Assad's government defended the operation in Eastern Ghouta saying it is "part of its duty to fight terrorism in accordance with the international law."

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that all measures have been undertaken to ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with the Russian-backed daily humanitarian pause that was implemented following the adoption of the recent ceasefire resolution.

"Ghouta operation is meant to ensure the victory of the tripartite alliance of Syria, Russia and Iran and to gain more ground and expand government-controlled areas," said Mohamed Fayez Farahat, political expert and researcher at Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies.

"The Syrian semi-armed opposition groups have eventually lost contrast with terrorist groups and appeared as if they are in one camp in confrontation of the strong Syrian regime that promotes its battle as an anti-terror war," Farahat told Xinhua.

Experts generally believe that the difficulty to distinguish between political and terrorist groups in Syria complicates the crisis as the "main operators" of these groups are the regional and international powers involved in the chaotic issue to achieve their own interests.

TURKEY INVOLVED

Regionally, Iran and Israel are involved in some way or another in the Syrian crisis and internationally Russia and the United States are the main players.

The oil-rich Gulf states led by Saudi Arabia, which escalated the crisis in the first place, started to give up the whole Syrian scene due to their marginal role in the issue.

Turkey's involvement in Syria's Afrin, with a nod from Russia, is driven by its concerns about the Turkish borders with Syria amid Kurdish hopes to establish their own independent state in bordering regions.

"The situation in Syria is very complicated and Turkey's intervention further complicates it, for Syria has become a theatre for regional and international conflicts and the best example to reflect the contradictions of the Middle Eastern and the international systems," Nafaa told Xinhua.

The Turkish army launched in January an operation against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in their Afrin border enclave.

While Ankara refers to Kurdish militia forces as "terrorists," the Pentagon said the Turkish Afrin offensive caused an "operational pause" in the U.S.-led anti-terror operations in the region.

The YPG is a large part of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the war against IS.

Ahmed Eliba, a political researcher and writer at Egypt's largest state-run Al-Ahram newspaper, described Moscow's disregard of Ankara's anti-Kurd assault in Afrin as "international compliment to polarize Turkey," noting that the Syrian regime also remained silent to the Turkish intervention.

"I believe that Russia is the balance keeper between the Turks and the Syrians when it comes to Afrin," he told Xinhua, arguing that the Syrian regime might have been neutral towards Afrin over concerns similar to those of Turkey.

NARROW WAY OUT

Dominated by conflicting regional and international powers, the Syrian crisis does not seem to have an imminent solution except through dialogue, understanding and coordination between concerned parties.

"A U.S.-Russia agreement is required for a solution, which is difficult to reach; a Turkish-Iranian-Israeli agreement is also required but it is more difficult to reach; and an agreement among the Syrian opposition is required and its is the most difficult of them," Nafaa lamented.

As for Eliba, he believes that "a settlement process can start after the war dust settles, not vice versa," Eliba said, stressing that the party with a stronger position will have the upper hand in the settlement process.

The Cairo-based Arab League said in a concluding meeting on Wednesday that "there is no settlement for the Syrian crisis except through political dialogue between all parties."
WASHINGTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. trade deficit increased to the highest level in more than nine years in January, suggesting the Donald Trump administration's America First trade policy was unlikely to close the trade gap.

The U.S. exports fell 1.3 percent from December on a seasonally adjusted pace to 200.9 billion U.S. dollars in January, while the imports remained unchanged at 257.5 billion dollars in the month, said the Commerce Department on Wednesday.

This left a deficit of 56.6 billion dollars in the month, rising for five consecutive months and hitting the highest level since October 2008.

Deficit in trade of goods with China increased 1.5 billion dollars to 35.5 billion dollars in January.

U.S. President Trump has said that trade deficit reduction was one of the priorities for the administration's trade policy.

Last week, he announced plan to impose 25 percent tariff on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum to protect domestic industries.

The protectionist measures have sparked widespread oppositions from U.S. domestic business groups and trade partners, who are arguing that the actions would hurt both the U.S. and global economies, and undermine global trade system.
WASHINGTON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that the United States will provide additional aid for African countries suffering conflict and drought, while asking for their aligned actions on the global stage.

In a speech at the George Mason University in Virginia, Tillerson said the United States would provide about 533 million U.S. dollars in extra aid for Africa.

The aid will go to Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and the western and central African countries bordering Lake Chad, hit by a food crisis due to conflict or prolonged drought.

Refugees from South Sudan rest at a refugee camp in Sudan's White Nile state near the border with South Sudan on May 17, 2017. (Xinhua/Mohamed Babiker)

In the speech delivered ahead of his week-long trip to Africa, the top U.S. diplomat also urged more African countries to "take an active role on the global stage," including joining Washington in its "maximum pressure" strategy against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to curb the latter's nuclear development.

While acknowledging efforts by Angola, Senegal and Ethiopia, Tillerson said many African countries are "holding back."

"Nations in Africa need to do more," he remarked.

In his roughly 40-minute speech, Tillerson expressed Washington's intention of developing closer ties with the continent and more economic and trade exchanges. The U.S. private sector, he said, was willing to help develop the "vast, undeveloped natural resources" in Africa.

Tillerson's eight-day trip to Africa starts Tuesday and will take him to Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Chad and Nigeria.

People protest against the new travel restrictions near the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on Oct. 18, 2017. U.S. President Donald Trump on Sept. 24 expanded a travel ban to include visitors from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in East Asia, Venezuela in Latin America and Chad in central Africa. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

The Trump administration hasn't shed much light on Africa in its foreign policy priorities. The post of assistant secretary of state for African affairs had been vacant for several months before an acting assistant secretary was appointed.

The policies as well as personal remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump have so far worked to jeopardize ties between Washington and African countries.

In December, the U.S. Supreme Court approved Trump's ban on almost all travel to the U.S. by citizens from countries including Chad, Somalia and Libya from entering the United States. The controversial decision has drawn serious criticism at home and abroad.

In January, Trump reportedly used the words "shithole countries" to describe African nations as well as Haiti and El Salvador in Latin America while discussing immigration issues with U.S. lawmakers.

Protesters carry signs during a march on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Times Square, called Rally Against Racism: Stand Up for Haiti and Africa in New York Jan. 15, 2018. Americans remembered civil rights hero Martin Luther King on his holiday Monday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump vehemently denied he is a racist amid an uproar over a reported presidential slur. (Xinhua/AFP)

The African Union issued a statement in protest, saying, "While expressing shock, dismay and outrage, the African Union strongly believes there's a huge misunderstanding of the African continent and its people by the current (U.S.) administration."

Protesters carry signs during a march on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Times Square, called Rally Against Racism: Stand Up for Haiti and Africa in New York Jan. 15, 2018. Americans remembered civil rights hero Martin Luther King on his holiday Monday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump vehemently denied he is a racist amid an uproar over a reported presidential slur. (Xinhua/AFP)

During his visit to Chad, Tillerson is expected to help it to get off the visa sanctions list.

"We also want to give Chad importance because they're part of the G5 countries," U.S. officials said on Friday when briefing reporters on Tillerson's trip. "We're very high on Africa."

The G5 Sahel is an African regional security bloc comprising Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Niger.
BERLIN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Travel behavior of international tourists are still influenced by terror fear, yet to a lesser extent, according to an annual report published on Wednesday at the ITB Berlin, an international travel trade show.

The finding is based on latest results of tourism consultancy IPK international's World Travel Monitor, an annual survey analyzing the outbound travel behavior in more than 60 countries and regions worldwide. The survey covered over 90 percent of the global outbound demand.

For the fifth time, the IPK International conducted a special survey on the influence of terror threats on international travel behavior in February 2018.

The study revealed that, for 37 percent of international travelers, terror warnings will have an influence on their travel plans for 2018, compared to 41 percent in October 2017.

Regarding the question what kind of influence the current situation could have on the travel behavior, 24 percent stated that they will still be travelling abroad, however only to destinations they perceive as "safe".

Worldwide, the number of outbound trips has increased by 6.5 percent, reaching nearly 1.2 billion international trips in 2017, according to the report.

Spain is the most-visited destination on country level, followed by the United States, Germany, France and Italy, the report said.

The IPK International anticipated global outbound trips to increase by 5 percent in 2018.

Also regarding the outlook for 2018, the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) released their Report on World Tourism Economy Trends (2018) at the ITB convention, which forecasted that the growth rate of the world tourism market will continue to surpass the growth rate of the world economy.

Specifically, the total growth rate of the global tourism market is expected to reach 6.7 percent, higher than the growth rate of the global GDP at 3.6 percent and 2.9 percent, as respectively predicted by the IMF the World Bank.

The ITB Berlin, from March 7 to 11, attracted over 10,000 exhibitors from 186 countries and regions.
HOUSTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Besides energy export, the United States is willing to share its technology and innovation with other countries, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said on Wednesday in Houston in the state of Texas.

The United States wants to export its natural resources around the world, but perhaps more important and meaningful than that is its desire to export technology, Perry spoke at CERAWeek by IHS Markit in Houston that kicked off on Monday.

Last year the U.S. became a net natural gas exporter, exporting Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to 27 nations on five continents, Perry said, adding that overall, U.S. energy exports in 2017 rose by 50 percent comparing to 2016.

Although the U.S. wants to see more exports of its natural resources, Perry said his country seeks to ensure the security of its energy as it is the roadmap to economic prosperity.

He also said the U.S. wants to help other countries in their energy security by sharing the technologies that has helped the U.S. achieve its success.

Calling for "global energy security and shared prosperity," Perry said, "what we are doing is empowering other nations to do more for themselves and their citizens."

CERAWeek is an annual energy meeting featuring prominent speakers from the energy, technology and finance sectors. More than 3,000 guests from over 50 countries and regions attended this week's meeting.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 03:52:47|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

A Syrian soldier stands guard behind his machine gun in the capital Damascus' Eastern Ghouta countryside on March 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)

UNITED NATIONS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Envoys to the United Nations on Wednesday expressed their disappointment at the failure to implement a Security Council resolution that demands an immediate cease-fire in Syria.

"We are now 11 days after the adoption of the resolution... we are very disappointed with the fact that the implementation remains totally and completely inadequate," Swedish ambassador to the United Nations Olof Skoog told reporters before he walked into a closed-door emergency meeting of the Security Council.

"Particularly we are appalled by the continued indiscriminate attacks, including airstrikes, in Eastern Ghouta, which of course have to cease immediately."

Humanitarian workers must be able to do their job as the resolution envisaged; those that have influence over the parties must increase pressure to improve compliance, said the ambassador.

"So far we see only minimal signs from the Syrian authorities to implement the resolution and we are very disappointed about that."

His delegation would demand full and immediate implementation of Resolution 2401 at Wednesday's meeting, he said. "At least we want to see a facilitation letter signed for another convoy for Eastern Ghouta as soon as possible, preferably tomorrow (Thursday). No medical items should be removed and security guarantees must be honored. We also want to see immediate progress on medical evacuations from Eastern Ghouta as soon as possible."

A convoy of the United Nations, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which was delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance to 27,500 people in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, could not complete the delivery on Monday because of insecurity, said the United Nations.

As a result, 14 of the 46 trucks in the convoy were not able to fully offload critical humanitarian supplies. Nearly half of the food carried on the convoy could therefore not be delivered. Moreover, a part of the medical and health supplies to be included for delivery was removed by the Syrian authorities, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Tuesday.

The United Nations is demanding the completion of the mission.

Francois Delattre, the French ambassador to the United Nations, on Wednesday criticized the "extreme cynicism" of the Syrian authorities over the aid convoy. "This is completely unacceptable and must stop," he told reporters.

He also noted that the Syrian government troops keep besieging the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta and bombing it "in complete violation of Resolution 2401."

Wednesday's emergency meeting, which is requested by France and Britain, is about the implementation of the resolution, safe humanitarian access, and medical evacuations, said Delattre.

The British Permanent Mission to the United Nations said it would demand an end to attacks on civilians.

"The people of #EasternGhouta have endured enough broken promises of ceasefires & humanitarian pauses. That is why the UK & @franceonu (French UN mission) have called for urgent #UNSC consultations today: to demand an end to the military campaign against civilians," the British mission tweeted.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 03:52:47|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

Dutch Ambassador to the United Nations Karel van Oosterom, who is president of the UN Security Council for the month of March, briefs journalists after a Security Council closed consultation on the situation in Syria at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 7, 2018. The UN Security Council on Wednesday called for the implementation of UN Resolution 2401, which demands an immediate cease-fire in Syria. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Wednesday called for the implementation of UN Resolution 2401, which demands an immediate cease-fire in Syria.

Members of the Security Council expressed concern about the humanitarian situation and discussed the cessation of hostilities, Dutch ambassador to the United Nations Karel van Oosterom, who is president of the Security Council for the month of March, briefly told reporters after closed-door consultations.

He did not give more details of the meeting and refused to take questions.

Wednesday's emergency meeting was requested by France and Britain in face of the failure to implement Resolution 2401, which was unanimously adopted on Feb. 24.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 03:52:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BAGHDAD, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri arrived Wednesday in Baghdad on an official visit to hold talks with Iraqi leaders on developing bilateral ties.

A statement by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said that Abadi received Jahangiri in Baghdad airport and the two held a meeting later in Abadi's office at the Green Zone in central Baghdad.

Jahangiri and Abadi discussed the bilateral cooperation in various fields and means to promote common relations, the statement said.

"We have strong historical ties between the two countries and two peoples and we are seeking to consolidate them in economic, political, cultural, commercial and other fields," the statement added.

For his part, Jahangiri said, "Iraq is an important country and our relationship with it is firm," asserting that "Iran will stand by Iraq in the reconstruction process," according to the statement.

Earlier in the day, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said that Jahangiri is heading a high-ranking delegation comprised of political and economic officials, including Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Jahangiri is also scheduled to meet Iraq's President Fuad Masum and the parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri, IRNA said.

During his three-day visit, Jahangiri is to visit the holy Shiite shrine of al-Kadhim in Baghdad, as well as the shrines of Imam Hussein in Karbala, some 110 km southwest of Baghdad, and Imam Ali in Najaf, 160 km south of the capital.

The two countries fought a cruel eight-year war in 1980s. However, the relations, between the Shiite state of Iran and the Shiite leading government in Iraq, have picked up since the fall of Iraq's former president Saddam Hussein and his Sunni power in 2003.
LAGOS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian police said Wednesday they nabbed 49 highway armed robbers and kidnappers operating in the nation's capital Abuja and neighboring states.

The suspects are behind kidnapping and armed robbery cases in Abuja, Kaduna, Niger and Zamfara, Moshood Jimoh, spokesman of the Nigerian police, said while parading the suspects on Wednesday.

He said the suspects were arrested by personnel attached to the Operation Absolute Sanity. Items seized from the suspects include AK rifles and dozens of vehicles.

He said some of the victims whose cars were snatched by the suspects were killed in the process.

The police spokesman said the suspects had confessed to their crimes and would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation.

The Nigerian police on July 25, 2017 commenced "Absolute Sanity" on Abuja-Kaduna Highway to check incessant cases of kidnapping and armed robbery.

Abduction is common in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. Most foreigners and citizens seized by gunmen in the country were released unharmed after paying a ransom.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (R) and Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira, Timor-Leste minister in the office of the prime minister for the delimitation of borders, attend a press conference after signing a maritime boundaries treaty at the United Nations headquarters in New York, March 6, 2018. Australia and Timor-Leste on Tuesday signed a maritime boundaries treaty under the auspices of the United Nations. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Australia and Timor-Leste on Tuesday signed a historic maritime boundary treaty under the auspices of the United Nations, ending a decade-long maritime dispute and recognizing a permanent border between them.

Signed by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Timor-Leste Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister for the Delimitation of Borders, Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira, at the UN headquarters in New York in the presence of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the pact marks the successful conclusion of the first recourse to conciliation proceedings under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (front,R) and Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira (front,L), Timor-Leste minister in the office of the prime minister for the delimitation of borders, sign a maritime boundaries treaty at the United Nations headquarters in New York, March 6, 2018. Australia and Timor-Leste on Tuesday signed a maritime boundaries treaty under the auspices of the United Nations. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

"By delimiting the maritime boundary between Australia and Timor-Leste in the Timor Sea and by establishing a special regime for the area comprising the Greater Sunrise gas field, this agreement puts Australia and Timor-Leste in a better position to exercise their respective rights and obligations under the Convention (on the Law of the Sea) in an effective manner," Guterres said. "It should also ensure that both states fully benefit from the sustainable exploitation of natural resources in the Timor Sea."

The treaty, whose text was agreed on in October 2017 in The Hague, will contribute to establishing legal certainty in the world's oceans, an essential condition for stable relations, peace and security, and sustainable development, he said.

It also demonstrates the strength of international law and the effectiveness of resolving disputes through peaceful means, he added.

Guterres said the two governments have furthered the vision of the drafters of the convention to provide a flexible approach to the resolution of disputes. "I trust that your example will inspire other states to consider conciliation as a viable alternative for dispute settlement under the convention," he said.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (R) shakes hands with Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira (L), Timor-Leste minister in the office of the prime minister for the delimitation of borders, after signing a maritime boundaries treaty at the United Nations headquarters in New York, March 6, 2018. Australia and Timor-Leste on Tuesday signed a maritime boundaries treaty under the auspices of the United Nations. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

Bishop said an international rules-based order is fundamental to collective security and prosperity. "Our treaty reflects the value and importance of those rules and institutions and the benefits for states in abiding by those rules," she said.

"The conciliation shows how international law can enable countries to resolve their disputes peacefully. It is an example for all of how the international rules-based order serves collective interests."

She said the treaty opens a new chapter in relations with Timor-Leste and pledged Australia's continued support for Timor-Leste's economic development.

Pereira, calling the treaty "equatable, forward-looking," said it will institute certainty in international investment and economic development for Timor Leste.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 04:17:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

CAIRO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Arab Ministerial Quartet Committee on Wednesday accused Iran of interfering with Arab internal affairs.

In a statement after a meeting in Cairo, the committee, which is made up of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, decried "the provocative statements by the Iranian officials against the Arab countries."

It urged Iran to halt backing terrorist militias in some Arab countries, which cause chaos in the region and threaten the Arab national security.

It further condemned Iran's support for the terrorist operations in Arab countries and the launch of ballistic missiles from the Yemeni territories toward Saudi Arabia in a flagrant violation of resolution of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) No. 6216 which bans arming militias.

For decades, Shiite Iran has been demonized in the Sunni-dominated Arab world, which accuses the Persian state of attempting to destabilize Arab states through aiding terror and opposition groups in many Arab countries.

However, Iran has always dismissed these accusations, saying it always seeks good relations with its Arab neighbors.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 04:17:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

AMMAN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Pan Weifang pledged on Wednesday that China will continue its support to the Middle East kingdom.

Pan made the remarks during his visit to King Hussein Bin Talal University in Maan Governorate, about 200 km south of the capital Amman, where he inaugurated the Chinese Movie Week in Jordan.

Noting that China is the second largest trading partner of Jordan, the ambassador said China's exports to the kingdom reached about 3 billion U.S. dollars in 2017.

He said China is working on several infrastructure projects in Jordan in the fields of water, transport, railway, energy and roads.

"China will also continue to provide humanitarian support to Jordan," he added.

In the field of education and culture, China provides 100-200 scholarships to Jordanian students annually, Pan noted.

Saleh al Sharari, the acting president of the university, expressed his appreciation of China's scholarships provided to Jordanian students, saying this helps promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Five Chinese movies, namely Song of the Phoenix, American Dreams in China, Say Yes, Lost on Journey and The Great Hypnosis Master, will be on show to Jordanian university students in the next five days.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 04:28:01|Editor: Mengjiao

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Former world number one Serena Williams is gearing up for her long-awaited return to a competitive WTA event at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California on Thursday.

Williams, who has not played competitively at singles since winning the Australian Open in 2017, plays her first-round match at Indian Wells when she takes on Kazakhstan's Zarina Diyas.

The American is unseeded in the tournament this year and did not receive a first-round bye. Williams has beaten Diyas both times they've met, including at Indian Wells in 2015.

In the American's 14-month absence from the WTA actions, Williams has played just one Fed Cup doubles match when she teamed up with sister Venus Williams in the Fed Cup last month, but they lost in straight sets.

The 23-time Grand Slam winner, who gave birth in September, previously won the tournament in 1999 and 2001.
A Syrian soldier stands guard behind his machine gun in the capital Damascus' Eastern Ghouta countryside on March 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)

UNITED NATIONS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Envoys to the United Nations on Wednesday expressed their disappointment at the failure to implement a Security Council resolution that demands an immediate cease-fire in Syria.

"We are now 11 days after the adoption of the resolution... we are very disappointed with the fact that the implementation remains totally and completely inadequate," Swedish ambassador to the United Nations Olof Skoog told reporters before he walked into a closed-door emergency meeting of the Security Council.

"Particularly we are appalled by the continued indiscriminate attacks, including airstrikes, in Eastern Ghouta, which of course have to cease immediately."

A Syrian tank is seen at the town of Muhamadiyeh, east of Damascus, capital of Syria, on March 6, 2018. The Syrian army on Tuesday fully captured the town of Muhamadiyeh in the capital Damascus' Eastern Ghouta countryside, the latest in a series of victories the Syrian army achieved in the war on the rebel groups in that sprawling area, according to state news agency SANA. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)

Humanitarian workers must be able to do their job as the resolution envisaged; those that have influence over the parties must increase pressure to improve compliance, said the ambassador.

"So far we see only minimal signs from the Syrian authorities to implement the resolution and we are very disappointed about that."

His delegation would demand full and immediate implementation of Resolution 2401 at Wednesday's meeting, he said. "At least we want to see a facilitation letter signed for another convoy for Eastern Ghouta as soon as possible, preferably tomorrow (Thursday). No medical items should be removed and security guarantees must be honored. We also want to see immediate progress on medical evacuations from Eastern Ghouta as soon as possible."

A convoy of the United Nations, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which was delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance to 27,500 people in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, could not complete the delivery on Monday because of insecurity, said the United Nations.

A Russian soldier stands guard as truckloads of aid cross the Wafidin area, northeast of Damascus, toward the rebel-held Douma district in the Eastern Ghouta countryside on March 5, 2018. As many as 46 truckloads of relief aid entered the rebel-held Douma district in the Eastern Ghouta countryside east of the Syrian capital Damascus on Monday. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)

As a result, 14 of the 46 trucks in the convoy were not able to fully offload critical humanitarian supplies. Nearly half of the food carried on the convoy could therefore not be delivered. Moreover, a part of the medical and health supplies to be included for delivery was removed by the Syrian authorities, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Tuesday.

The United Nations is demanding the completion of the mission.

Francois Delattre, the French ambassador to the United Nations, on Wednesday criticized the "extreme cynicism" of the Syrian authorities over the aid convoy. "This is completely unacceptable and must stop," he told reporters.

He also noted that the Syrian government troops keep besieging the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta and bombing it "in complete violation of Resolution 2401."

Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Ja'afari (Front) speaks after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution demanding a ceasefire across Syria at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

Wednesday's emergency meeting, which is requested by France and Britain, is about the implementation of the resolution, safe humanitarian access, and medical evacuations, said Delattre.

The British Permanent Mission to the United Nations said it would demand an end to attacks on civilians.

"The people of #EasternGhouta have endured enough broken promises of ceasefires & humanitarian pauses. That is why the UK & @franceonu (French UN mission) have called for urgent #UNSC consultations today: to demand an end to the military campaign against civilians," the British mission tweeted.
VIENNA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Austrian police in four states have seized a large number of illegal firearms, ammunition, and knives as part of an international operation also involving police from France, Germany, and Switzerland, ORF reported on Wednesday.

In Austria alone, nine houses were searched, with a total of over 160 handguns, numerous long guns, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and over 170,000 euros (211,000 U.S. dollars) in cash seized.

The most notable finds were in the states of Vorarlberg, including the seizure of over 200 kg of ammunition, and Lower Austria, where along with guns and ammunition, over 100 knives were also found.

The main suspects behind the dealings are three men aged 35, 44, and 76, respectively, while authorities are also investigating buyers of the illegal weapons.

Police said there has as yet been no indications that any of the weapons have been used for crimes in Austria.
by Li Baodong, Xia Lin

OTTAWA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Canada's universities are opening arms wider to international students, especially those from China, who are taking multiple challenges as well as enjoying the novelty of their overseas school life.

In the capital city of Ottawa, post-secondary institutions are receiving ever larger numbers of foreign students in order to boost international enrollment to offset a projected drop in Canadian students.

Chinese students flock in, which is a reflection that affluent parents spend more on their children's education and expect them to grow up in a more cosmopolitan environment.

CHALLENGES TO TAKE

"I think Canadian university is more challenging for us," said Shuhao Jiang, who came from China's southern city of Shenzhen to study commerce in management information systems at the University of Ottawa.

Studying at high schools in China is more difficult than at high schools in Canada, but studying at universities in China are easier than in Canada, Jiang told Xinhua.

"I'm studying here at my university, facing a lot of assignments, mid terms and finals," he added.

Moses Fu, who came from China's northern city of Fushun and studies accounting at the same university, listed language barrier as one of the hurdles that Chinese students must overcome in the higher education in Canada.

"Study English hard. Be prepared for English," Fu told Xinhua.

However, Fu believed that familiarity with English will be realized as time goes on and one will be familiar with the Canadian culture and life style.

Apart from academic and language challenges, the cold weather here is another concern for many Chinese students, particularly those from south China, where it is humid and warm year round.

"Bring enough clothes to Canada. I was freezing in the winter here because I didn't bring enough clothes," said Charles Chauhei Yeung from Hong Kong, who studies marketing at the University of Ottawa.

TIMELY INFLUX

The University of Ottawa has 1,350 new international students registered in the academic year of 2017, its largest number so far.

The University of Ottawa aims to double the number of foreign graduate students enrolled, and grow undergraduate enrollment by 50 percent, until international students make up nine percent of the student body.

The influx of Chinese students has just had such a demand met.

Similarly, Algonquin College in Ottawa wants international students to count for 10 percent of its enrollment in the long term.

Algonquin has traveled to 30 countries to recruit students and opened offices in Beijing, China and Mumbai, India, the two countries, which are the most important to the college.

Business and information technology programs are its most popular majors among foreign students, according to the school.

As for the reason of the demographic change, the Council of Ontario Universities has long predicted a drop in Canadian-born young people because the children of baby boomers have passed university age.

WHY CANADA

While universities in Canada have a demand to beef up their capacity of international students, why Chinese students choose Canada rather than other destinations to complete their higher education?

"The first reason is because of safety. It's a much safer place," said Charles while reviewing his past indecision between Canada and the United States.

Jiang prioritized Canada's diversified culture and Fu highlighted its different ways of education.

"There will be a good studying environment, a good education," Fu said.

"Canada is like more freedom. You can chat with friends in the classroom," Charles echoed.

For the city of Ottawa, the Chinese trio held different views. Less population may be a better fit for one, but not all.

"There's actually barely anyone on the street," complained Charles, who was accustomed to the hustle-bustle of Hong Kong.

Jiang liked the peace and serenity of the capital, saying that "Ottawa actually doesn't have a lot of people, which I really like. One idea why I came to Ottawa is there are not many Chinese. I think it's a great environment to study and learn English."

WORK AND STUDY HARD

According to ICEF Monitor, a dedicated market intelligence resource for the international education industry, the total body of international students in Canada topped 414,946 in 2016, a 17.5 percent rise over 2015, and the new international students chalked up a 22 percent increase.

Those from China and India made up over half of the whole body, trailed by Brazil, Vietnam and Philippines, it added.

"Working hard and study hard in Canada. This is such a great experience," said Jiang, while looking back to his days in Ottawa.

But at the same time, foreign students like Jiang have to cope with the academic pressure and linguistic as well as cultural barriers.

"Just don't be so stressed. Everything will be all right as time goes on," said Fu.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 04:53:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

LIMA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people died and around 40 were injured on Wednesday when a bus fell down a 100-meter cliff in the district of Puquio, Lucanas province, in southern Peru.

The local mayor, Wilber Valverde, told Peruvian state radio RPP that the accident happened around 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

According to the report, four men and three women were killed, while the injured were taking to the hospitals in the city of Ica, with several in critical condition.

The highway police, in charge of the investigation, said the accident happened either due to the driver falling asleep or due to a mechanical failure.

Police and firefighters are working to recover the bodies, which is made difficult due to the rough nature of the area.

Peru has seen a number of bus tragedies this year. Fifty-two people died in early January, when the interprovincial bus they were travelling on fell down a 400-meter ravine 48 km north of Lima.

A month later, another bus also went off the road down a cliff in the southern region of Arequipa, with 44 people losing their lives.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 04:58:11|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A UN senior official on Wednesday called on the international community to provide more support to Lebanon to help it deal with the refugee issue.

The comment was made by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi, after his meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in the evening, according to a statement by the media office of the prime minister.

"Unfortunately, the situation in Syria continues to be difficult, and we know that the overwhelming majority of Syrian refugees are in Lebanon," the statement quoted Grandi as saying.

He also referred to the upcoming conferences in Rome, Paris and Brussels as opportunities to "call on the international community, in particular the donor community, to support Lebanon."

Lebanon "has the highest number per capita of refugees in the world," the UN official noted.

Meanwhile, Mouin Merhebi, Lebanon's minister of refugee affairs who also attended the meeting between Hariri and Grandi, said Grandi's call is "very important to preserve the host communities."
A driver refills his car at a gas station in Baoding, north China's Hebei Province, Nov. 16, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhu Xudong)

HOUSTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- With growing energy demand, China should pay more attention to its energy security with more diversified energy sources in the future, a Chinese energy strategy expert said here on Wednesday.

At the 5-day meeting of CERAWeek by IHS Markit that kicked off on Monday, International Energy Agency (IEA) released a five-year forecast, predicting China will continue to be a main driving force for the growth of global oil demand. The forecast also mentioned that the oil demand of China and India together accounts for about half of the growth in global oil demand.

Commenting on the forecast, Chinese energy strategy expert Ruquan Lu told Xinhua that he agreed with the assumption. "According to our estimation, China's oil demand will reach 700 million tons per year around the year of 2025, of which 500 million tons will have to come from import," said Lu.

He said that the growing energy demand from China promotes the development of global energy industry, but at the same time imposes more uncertainty on China's own energy security.

Lu said in order to meet the need, China will import energy from the Middle East, Africa, Middle Asia and America. With the diversification of energy sources, China has to face the challenge of geopolitical sophistication and uncertainty.

"We need to pay more attention to and be more careful about such sophistication and uncertainty," he said.

CERAWeek is an annual energy meeting featuring prominent speakers from energy, technology and finance sectors. More than 3,000 guests from over 50 countries and regions attended this week's meeting.
HELSINKI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- An international exercise of Arctic oil spill combating took place on Wednesday in the Gulf of Bothnia, the northernmost bay of the Baltic Sea.

In the staged scenario, tanker Finter had run aground on the Kutumatala area off the town of Oulu, northern Finland. The tanker had been towed to the port of Oulu, but 2,000 to 3,000 tons of oil had leaked from the ship.

Inspector of the Finnish Environment Center Jouko Pirttijarvi told newspaper Kaleva that the fictitious amount of leaked oil was large. Pirttijarvi said the operation went "moderately".

In the winter condition, a real oil gathering operation would take days and the actual impact would be clear only after the ice cover of the sea melted in April or May.

Taking part in the oil spill combat were the Finnish navy multipurpose vessel Louhi and the coast guard surveillance ship Turva. Swedish coast guard vessel KBV 181 also joined.

The operation at sea took place parallel with a table top excercise by the Arctic Council group of Emergency Prevension, Preparedness and Response (EPPR). The meeting attracted experts from several countries and was chaired by Jens Peter Holst-Andersen, chairperson of the working group EPPR.

The exercises were arranged under the 2013 MOSPA agreement created under the auspices of the Arctic Council. The abbreviation stands for Agreement on Co-operation on Marine Oil Pollution preparedness and Response in the Arctic.

The EPPR meeting in Oulu continues on Thursday. It is one of the events associated with the two year chairmanship of Finland in the Arctic Council.
LOS ANGELES, March. 7 (Xinhua) -- Governor of U.S. western state of California, Jerry Brown, slammed on Wednesday the U.S. Justice Department's lawsuit against it as "basically going to war" with "the engine of the American economy."

Brown and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra held a press conference at Sacramento, the capital of California, to defend the state's laws following a speech by U.S. Attorney General Jefferson Sessions who said on Wednesday that California state's laws were unconstitutional for preventing federal immigration agents from doing their jobs.

"This is really unprecedented for the chief law enforcement (officer) to come out to California, act more like Fox News than a law enforcement officer," said Brown.

"The federal government ought to do its job and not blame California," said the governor, noting that Sessions' action was dividing America.

"What Jeff Sessions said is simply not true and I call upon him to apologize to the people of California for bringing the mendacity of Washington to California," he added.

The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Sacramento, accusing California of interfering with federal immigration efforts by passing and enforcing state laws that impede U.S. operations against undocumented people.

The lawsuit is seen as an escalation of the long-running battle between Washington and California on matters ranging from immigration and climate change to criminal justice.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 05:48:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

ANKARA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Ankara urged Washington to stop the shift of Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militants from Syria's Manbij to Afrin, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Wednesday.

"Turkey has taken necessary steps through official channels between the two countries," Kalin told reporters in Ankara.

"It is Turkey's natural right to ask the U.S. to halt any such moves," he added.

Earlier this week, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced that they had sent fighters to the Afrin region to help the YPG in their fight against the Turkish army.

Turkey has repeatedly vowed to push its military operation toward the strategical city of Manbij, where about 2,000 American soldiers are stationed.

Washington has voiced concerns about the safety of U.S. troops in Manbij amid Turkey's military operation against YPG militants in northeastern Syria launched on Jan. 20.

Relations between Turkey and the U.S. are in crisis because of the support provided by Washington to the YPG, regarded by Ankara as Syrian affiliates of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 05:53:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

DAMASCUS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army has taken control of 52 percent of the rebel-held areas in the Eastern Ghouta countryside of the capital Damascus, a monitor group reported on Wednesday.

The Syrian government forces continued to advance in the rebel-held areas in Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday, capturing the town of Beit Sawa and the Ashary town in the central part of Eastern Ghouta, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Syrian forces also advanced and reached the outskirts of the town of Medyara, becoming 1.3 km from the government forces positioned in the Vehicles' Base in the city of Harasta in the western part of Eastern Ghouta, according to the UK-based watchdog group.

The 1.3 km areas between Medyara and Harasta are exposed to the Syrian fire, which technically means that the Syrian army has sliced Eastern Ghouta in half; a northern and southern part.

Earlier in the day, a military source told Xinhua that the Syrian army captured several farms and reached the outskirts of Mesraba town in the central part of Eastern Ghouta.

The Syrian forces captured farms southeast of the towns of Rihan and Housh al-Ashary reaching the outskirts of the town of Mesraba, which is a strategic town due to its location as it links several towns and areas in Eastern Ghouta with one another, the source said, on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Observatory said the Syrian forces captured the farms east of towns of Mesraba and Beit Sawa in tandem with a progress and clashes with the rebels in the vicinity of the Jisreen town in that sprawling area.

The watchdog group said the new achievement comes under a heavy aerial and rocket cover, with the warplanes carrying out 157 airstrikes on Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday.

The Observatory said the Syrian government forces brought in reinforcements to take part in the Eastern Ghouta battle, placing the number of the backup soldiers at 700.

Eastern Ghouta has grabbed headlines recently amid a government resolve to recapture that sprawling area while at the same time allowing civilians to leave as around 400,000 people still live in that rebel-held enclave.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that measures have been undertaken to ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with the Russian-backed daily humanitarian pause that was implemented following the adoption of the UN Security Resolution 2401, which was endorsed on Feb.24 and called for a 30-day-long humanitarian ceasefire.

Meanwhile, state news agency SANA renewed accusing the rebels of preventing the civilians from leaving rebel-held areas in Eastern Ghouta toward the government areas through the Wafidin crossing northeast of Damascus.

The evacuation of the civilians was called for by Russian, which backed a five-hour-long humanitarian pause in Eastern Ghouta, excluding the battles against the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

For their side, activists condemned the heavy government shelling on Eastern Ghouta, with the Observatory placing the number of the killed people at over 800.
LISBON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A new dinosaur theme park in Portugal has attracted 20,000 visitors since opening less than a month ago, its director announced on Wednesday.

"We're on around 20,000 visitors, which is very positive for a month in the low season," Luis Rocha told the Lusa Portuguese News Agency.

The park, known as Dino Parque Lourinha, opened to the public on Feb. 9 in Lourinha, a town 70 km north of Lisbon.

The region is a treasure trove for dinosaur paleontologists. In 1993, a fossilized nest of dinosaur eggs was discovered in the crags of a nearby beach. The cliffs were subsequently found to contain hundreds of fossilized dinosaur bones from the Upper Jurassic period.

Such findings are displayed in the park's visitor museum. In the surrounding woodland, 120 life-size models show what the dinosaurs would have looked like in the wild.

The park's blend of fun and education has proved popular with school parties. At least 30,000 pupils are booked to visit between now and the end of the school year in June.

The summer months are then expected to be the park's peak period. Organizers hope to have surpassed 200,000 visitors by the end of the year.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 06:18:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's government on Wednesday dismissed fears that a crackdown on tainted meats would disrupt exports.

One of the world's biggest meat exporters, Brazil launched an operation earlier this week against meatpackers suspected of covering up meat contaminated with salmonella.

"I don't think the operation will affect exports. If the operation were due to something happening today, it would be different, but it's not. It's about things that happened in the past," Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi told reporters.

Monday's operation was the latest stage of an investigation that began in March last year, and so should not affect the current meat supply, he said.

Police disbanded a ring that forged certificates of quality for four meatpackers belonging to Brazilian firm BRF, the world's leading poultry producer.

The meatpackers exported to 12 countries that specifically required certificates proving products were free of salmonella.

Last year, the police operation, dubbed "Weak Flesh," revealed the meatpackers were selling expired or adulterated meats, and paying inspectors to look the other way.

The revelations led some 20 countries to suspend their imports of Brazilian meats. The government then stepped in to apply stricter controls and imports have since resumed.

According to Maggi, the ministry is "99 percent" certain that since March 2017, when the operation was first launched, irregularities at BRF meatpacking centers have been eliminated.

BRF has considerably reduced the presence of salmonella in its products, said the minister.

Brazilian authorities allow for a higher presence of salmonella in poultry than many other countries because the meat is always cooked, Maggi said.

"Scientifically, there is no problem with consuming this meat, because chicken is not consumed raw. At higher than 60 degrees, all types of salmonella, except two, are destroyed," said Maggi.

Salmonella bacteria is a leading cause of food poisoning.
BANJUL, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Gambia's Information Minister Demba Ali Jawo said on Wednesday that his country is on track in eliminating tuberculosis and malaria.

"The national TB treatment has a success rate of 85 percent, meeting the global target of 85 percent, and the management of Drug Resistance Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in The Gambia has been strengthened over the years," he said at a press conference in Kanifing.

Jawo, who is also the spokesperson of the government, added that the National Malaria Control Program in 2017 conducted a visibility event to fight against the tropical disease.

He said residual spraying was used as a strategy which was implemented in the Central River Region and Upper River Region of the country to control the epidemic.

The Medical Research Council says on its website that The Gambia has been successful in reducing the burden of malaria thanks to the usage of long-lasting insecticide bed nets.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-08 06:28:41|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry delivers a speech at the CERAWeek meeting in Houston, Texas, the United States, on March 7, 2018. The United States is embracing "new energy realism" with the help of industrial innovation and technological improvement, Rick Perry said in Houston on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Liu Liwei)

HOUSTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The United States is embracing "new energy realism" with the help of industrial innovation and technological improvement, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said in Houston in the state of Texas on Wednesday.

"The new energy realism rests on the fact that American is amid an incredible energy revolution...This dramatic process is a decisive break from the 1970s, when American followed a flawed policy," Perry spoke at five-day CERAWeek meeting by IHS Markit that kicked off on Monday.

Recalling the old pessimistic view of U.S. energy strategy in the 1970s, Perry said there was commonly accepted claim that the days of energy abundance were over, and that if new reserves were found it would be too costly to retrieve or they would harm the environment.

Perry argued that the truth was there was not a shortage of energy, but a shortage of innovation. Thanks to industrial innovation and technological breakthroughs, the U.S. has moved from an era of "perceived energy scarcity to one of unprecedented energy abundance."

"Beyond the beltway, innovation was revived," Perry said. "With innovation came a revolution in energy technology."

He said that the national labs have helped make those technologies reality.

"This approach has science and innovation leading the way and the results have been spectacular. Costs fell, efficiencies increased, and results blossomed," he said.

CERAWeek is an annual energy meeting featuring prominent speakers from the energy, technology and finance sectors. More than 3,000 guests from over 50 countries and regions attended this week's meeting.
MAPUTO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- About 40 percent of construction companies in Mozambique are in a state of bankruptcy due to the financial crisis that the country faces since the interruption of foreign aid to support state budget, according to Mozambican Confederation of Economic Associations (CTA).

President of civil construction sector of CTA, Nelson Muianga, said at a seminar in Maputo on Wednesday that the budget cut has severely affected the operation of the construction companies depending on government contracts to build schools, village roads and other infrastructures.

"The activity of the industry has greatly reduced, the growth indicators of companies have also reduced, we are continuing to have massive dismissal of workers," said Muianga.

Muianga said that the construction industry has declined by 4.6 percent in 2017, which shows that civil construction activity did not grow and capital costs, particularly loans, rose with the depreciation of the currency.

"In the construction industry about 40 percent of the companies are in a phase of total decline, and the trend is total bankruptcy. I think this has to be reversed with concrete programs," said Muianga, adding that "a substantial number of construction companies have already shutdown because of the crises situation."
She may have been feeding her young daughter and infant when the men walked up to her home while her husband was away. She may have been worki
GOGEBIC COUNTY Road Commission Engineering Manager Darren Pionk was recently named the County Road Association of Michigan's 2017 Rural Engineer of the Year, in large part due to his efforts in the July 11 storm's aftermath.

By RICHARD JENKINS

[email protected]

Bessemer - Any summer work plans the Gogebic County Road Commission had in 2016 were thrown out the window that July after the July 11 storm brought rain and flooding to the Little Girl's Point area and left numerous road washouts and some residents stranded.

The work to reopen and repair the roads around Little Girl's Point was recently recognized, as road commission engineering manager Darren Pionk was named the County Road Associations of Michigan's 2017 Rural Engineer of the Year for his efforts during the rebuilding process.

"Darren was immediately all over this crisis. He was working around the clock, put his own safety at risk in terms of responding that evening trying to figure out what was going on," Denise Donohue, director of the County Road Association of Michigan, told the Daily Globe.

The storm had approximately 12 inches of rain fall on the Point, washing out 18 culverts in a roughly six-mile stretch of Lake Road.

Given the amount of work and the quickly approaching end of the construction season; the county fixed 10 of the washouts that season, temporarily repairing the rest so Lake Road was drivable for residents during the winter. The remaining eight culverts were repaired in 2017, along with the patching work over the previous year's repairs.

Donohue praised Pionk's focus on preparing for winter once the safety of the residents was taken care of.

"Second most in his mind was ... his awareness that winter comes early in the western Upper Peninsula and knowing the clock was literally ticking to reconnect those families before the onset of winter when you really can't do much in the way of road construction," she said. "He really pushed for, and was an advocate for, getting cooperation at all levels of government - local, state and the federal highway agency."

The repairs to Lake Road were funded through a State Infrastructure Bank Loan initially, but the Federal Highway Adminstration will reimburse the county for 80 percent of the costs. The road commission also secured grants to fund repairs elsewhere at the Point.

Pionk's "easy-going demeanor" helped secure the buy-in from the various agencies involved in the funding of the repairs, Donohue said, which was crucial to moving the project forward.

The repair project's speed was praised by those elsewhere in the U.P. as well.

"The things he achieved in such a short span before winter set in was really remarkable," said Jody Norman, the managing director of the Delta County Road Commission and one of the people who nominated Pionk for the award.

"He is a highly respected engineer; very intelligent, very ambitious - the key word here is dedicated. He put countless hours in when that disaster went through, and I mean he went days and days on end - during the week, weekends, whatever it took to get that county back in shape," Superintendent of Operations for the Dickinson County Road Commission Jim Harris said. "We just very much respect him for all he does for the road commission. U.P.-wide we've got dedication and commitment at these road commissions and he really exemplifies that and proved it (after the storm)."

Harris, who also nominated Pionk, said Pionk was a highly respected engineer but down to earth as well.

"Just the dedication I think was the main thing that drove us to want to get him that award," Harris said. "He's just totally committed to the road commission and the citizens. That speaks volumes to us - to see someone so committed to getting things opened up for the citizens of that county and for the motoring public was just phenomenal. We had to nominate him, we were just so impressed"

For his part, Pionk said he was humbled to be recognized by his peers.

"It was a complete surprise, receiving the award. This was voted on by the members of our county road association of Michigan - other engineer-managers - and I think they just saw the work that was put into our projects the last two years with the flood disaster as well as our bridge projects and I was fortunate enough to receive the award," Pionk said.

He also credited everyone else involved in the process of rebuilding after the storm.

"... It's really not just for me. The projects were such a team event; with the crew, consultants, contractors - everybody involved," Pionk said. "Again, I steered it together; but it took a big commitment from everybody."

Pionk has managed the road commission since 2009.
Latest News

Washington, DC - On February 22, 2018, the United States determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (CBW Act) that the Government of North Korea used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Nam, in the Kuala Lumpur airport.

These sanctions are in addition to existing U.S. comprehensive sanctions against targeting unlawful North Korean activities. The sanctions took effect upon publication of this determination in the Federal Register on March 5, 2018.

The United States strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons to conduct an assassination. This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of North Korea and underscores that we cannot afford to tolerate a North Korean WMD program of any kind.
Living Section

Washington, DC - Wicked winds pummeled the east coast over the past weekend causing distress for residents. But the passengers aboard a United Airlines flight heading for Washington DC were downright sick, reports the Association of Mature American Citizens.

The pilot landed Flight 3833 from Charlottesville, VA safely at Dulles International airport and then reported that "pretty much everyone on the plane threw up," much to the consternation of the cleaning crew.
Ora 21.00. Liviu Dragnea, primul interviu dupa iesirea din inchisoare

Liviu Dragnea, fost presedinte al PSD, va vorbi, de la ora 21.00, in primul interviu acordat dupa iesirea din inchisoare, despre planurile sale politice, dar si despre fostii sai colaboratori din Partidul Social Democrat. [citeste mai departe]
Coun Perez reiterates warning to barangay leaders involved in drugs

07 Aug 2017 Hits:37 Comments(0)

Liga ng mga Barangay President, Councilor Jerry Perez yesterday reiterated his warning to all barangay officials from using or selling drugs. Perez said he is closely monitoring the activities of all the barangay officials and vowed sanctions against erring leaders. Aqui gane na mio barangay ya quita ya iyo na puesto cunel dos barangay leaders quien mas temprano ya sale positivo na...
By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. You can find out more by clicking this link
Bilaspur: The son of a BJP MLA in Bilaspur district in Chhattisgarh and four supporters of the legislator were today arrested for allegedly causing damage to a police official's car last week, police said.

The accused identified as Vikram Singh Kshatriya (son of legislator Raju Singh Kshatriya), Santosh Sahu, Saroj Kumar Sahu, Chhannu Singh Thakur and Ranjit Thakur were arrested this afternoon for allegedly causing damage to car of Sub Inspector Y N Sharma in Takhatpur police station area on March 1, Bilaspur Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Archana Jha said.

They were booked under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 294 (obscene act) and 427 (causing damage to property), she said.

"They were interrogated in connection with the incident. However, by the evening they were released on bail bond as the sections were bailable," Jha said.

On March 4, Sub-inspector Y N Sharma who was then posted as station house officer (SHO) at Takhatpur police station, in a letter to the Bilaspur superintendent of police (SP) had complained against Raju Singh Kshatriya, BJP MLA from Takhatpur constituency and also a parliamentary secretary, and his son Vikram Singh Kshatriya of threatening him and damaging his car parked outside his house on March 1.

As per his complaint, two supporters of the MLA allegedly created a ruckus at a hotel on March 1 as they wanted to drink liquor there.

A patrolling team of the police took the duo to the police station, following which Sharma allegedly got a call from Vikram, asking him to release the two youths.

When he refused, the MLA himself called him, abused and threatened him with dire consequences, the police officer had alleged.

The police officer also alleged that the MLA, his son and supporters came to his house and damaged his car, which was parked outside. The SHO, in his complaint, had also urged the SP to relieve him of the charge of Takhatpur police station. Subsequently, Sharma was shifted to Police Line in Bilaspur and the SP had assigned ASP Archana Jha to probe the matter.

After the preliminary investigation, a case had been registered by the police against "unidentified persons" for damaging Sharma's car.
New Delhi: Amidst an ongoing bureaucrats' boycott of meetings with Delhi ministers over an alleged assault on the Chief Secretary, an employees' association on Wednesday suspended its president, who met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with a section of employees.

DN Singh was suspended as president of government of NCT Employees Welfare Association in the evening, after he along with a section of employees met Kejriwal at his residence earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, Joint Forum of Delhi Government Employees (JFDGE), which includes IAS, DANICS and DASS cadre officers, said they would continue to not meet ministers and MLAs till Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tender a written public apology for the alleged attack.

Two weeks back, Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash had alleged that he was assaulted by two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs -- Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal -- in the presence of Kejriwal at the Chief Minister's residence, where the officer had gone for a meeting. Khan and Jarwal were later arrested and sent to judicial custody.

Following this, the joint forum decided to boycott all meetings with ministers and scores of officers have been holding a five-minute silence every day during the lunch break outside their respective offices across the national capital.

Singh told IANS that he along with some others had met the Chief Minister to end the logjam that has affected governance in the city and added that they would meet ministers.

"I've said in the forum's (JFDGE) meetings also that we should talk to ministers," Singh said.

On the other hand, the Government of N.C.T Employees Welfare Association said: "The members took note of D.N. Singh's breach of trust against the interest of the employees by arbitrarily attending meeting with political executives against the decision to support the movement that has been started after the assault on respected Chief Secretary.

"The House has also decided to hold a General House on 23/03/2018 at Delhi Secretariat and till this date, D.N. Singh is suspended from the post of president of the association."

Sources told IANS that the Wednesday's meeting between officers and the Chief Minister was coordinated by state Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, who had earlier also reached out to employees to end the impasse.

Speaking to officers at his residence, Kejriwal reportedly said: "There's no truth in the allegation. If I have to get an attack done, I am not stupid to invite (Chief Secretary) at home and do so. Kejriwal can be stubborn but not violent. It is a political conspiracy and will be dealt with on a political platform," he said.

"What hurt me was that you all got against me. You could have at least asked me once if there was anything true about that allegation. In future if something of this sort happens, please come, listen to my version as well," he said.


New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday increased the Dearness Allowance (DA) for Central government employees and pensioners to 7 percent, from 5 percent, from January 1, 2018.

It will benefit about 48.41 lakh central government employees and 61.17 lakh pensioners.

"The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to release an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners from January 1, 2018, representing an increase of 2 percent over the existing rate of 5 percent of the basic pay/pension, to compensate for price rise," an official statement said.

It added that the combined impact on the exchequer on account of both DA and DR would be Rs 6,077.72 crore per annum, and Rs 7,090.68 crore in 2018-19 (for a period of 14 months from January 2018 to February 2019).

This increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission, the statement said, as per PTI.

Earlier, in September 2017, the Union Cabinet had approved a 1% hike in DA and DR and has raised it to 5% for its employees and pensioners.

The DA/DR had been hiked at that time over the existing rate of 4 percent of the basic pay/pension.

The hike in the DA hike is as per the agreed methodology of taking an average of Consumer Price Index-Industrial Workers for the past 12 months.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the CBSE not to make Aadhaar number mandatory for enrollment of students appearing in NEET 2018 and other all-India exams.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief justice Dipak Misra directed the CBSE to upload the information on their website.

Earlier, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) had told the apex court that it had not authorised CBSE for mandatorily taking Aadhar number of students for appearing in NEET examinations.

Attorney General KK Venugopal had told the apex court on Wednesday that like in Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya and Assam, other ID proofs can be given for the exams.

The UIDAI's remarks came on a plea challenging the decision of CBSE seeking mandatorily the Aadhaar number or Aadhaar enrolment number from students who are aspiring to take up the NEET 2018 exams.

The Gujarat High Court had dismissed the plea on February 27, 2018.

Meanwhile, the deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar to avail various services and welfare schemes run by the government may be further extended beyond March 31, the Centre had indicated in the SC on Tuesday.

The Centre had said that since some more time would be needed to conclude the prolonged hearing in the Aadhaar case, the government may extend the deadline from March 31, 2018.

A five-judge Constitution bench comprising CJI and Justices AK Sikri, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan had agreed with the contention of Venugopal.

On December 15, 2018, the apex court had extended till March 31 2018, the deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar with various services and welfare schemes.

Earlier on February 22, 2018, former Karnataka High Court judge Justice KS Puttaswamy had told the apex court that several deaths had reportedly taken place due to starvation on account of glitches in the Aadhaar-based public distribution system and the court must consider granting them compensation.

He had urged the bench to consider granting compensation to those who had suffered on the ground of exclusion due to Aadhaar, particularly the kin of the starvation death victims.

(With PTI inputs)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader H Raja, who landed in controversy over a Facebook post talking about razing of Periyar EV Ramasamy, on Wednesday issued a clarification saying the status was posted on the social networking website without his permission.

The post on my Facebook page was done by one of the admins without my permission. As soon as I came to know about it, I deleted the post, he told mediapersons on Wednesday morning.

Raja further said, We have to respond through statements and opinions not through violence. It is not correct to deface statue of Periyar.

Just hours after the threat on his verified Facebook page, a statue of Periyar was vandalised in Tirupattur in Tamil Nadu. Two drunk men were arrested for the incident. While one is believed to be a BJP worker, the other is reportedly a CPI member.

Police identified the two men as Muthuraman and Francis. Muthuraman is believed to the be the BJP worker, while Francis is a CPI activist. Their common motivation is unclear.

The statue they attack was a bust of Periyar, the likes of which can be regularly found in villages and towns across Tamil Nadu.

Raja's threat came in a post on his verified Facebook page. "Who is Lenin? How is he connected to India? How is communism connected to India? The Lenin statue was razed in Tripura. Today it is a Lenin statue in Tripura. Tomorrow, it will be the statue of caste-crazed EV Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu," read his post, that was deleted after the fiery backlash.

The post attracted immediate reaction. "They are not even fit to touch a statue of Periyar. H Raja is a prominent leader of the BJP, and has often made these sort of statements, which are aimed at inciting violence," said DMK working president MK Stalin. "Going by the law, H Raja should be arrested under the Goondas Act and thrown in jail," he added.
The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on Wednesday served notice of six leaders if the varsitys student union as they called to show black flags to President Ram Nath Kovind during his visit to Aligarh for convocation ceremony.

When the invitation was extended to the President to attend the convocation ceremony, the AMU students union had said that while they welcomed President of India to the university, they would not allow anyone with Sanghi mindset inside the campus.

"We are not opposing the President, but we oppose the 'Sanghi' mindset. In 2010, the President had said Muslims and Christians are alien to country that bothers us till date but we welcome him," AMU Student Union secretary was quoted as saying by ANI.

"No other person with 'Sanghi' mindset will be allowed to enter, those coming as per protocol can come," the AMU student union leader had said.

Ahead of the Presidents visit to the varsity, heavy security was deployed at the AMU on Wednesday. Apart from local police, Rapid Action Force personnel have also been stationed.

President Ram Nath Kovind is the chief-guest at AMU's 65th annual convocation. He had accepted the invitation extended to him by AMU Vice Chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor.

No Indian President has attended the AMU convocation ceremony in the past 32 years. Former President Giani Zail Singh had attended the AMU convocation in 1986.

Prior to him, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad had attended the event in 1976. Dr S Radha Krishnan was the chief-guest in 1966 and Dr Rajendra Prasad attended the 1951 convocation of AMU, according to media reports.
NEW DELHI: All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi slammed Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for his remarks on the Ayodhya dispute stating that the spiritual guru should be arrested for commenting on a sub-judice matter.

"This is nothing but threatening us. When the matter is sub-judice, with what motive is Sri Sri Ravi Shankar making those statements? He has committed contempt of court by speaking about a matter that is pending in the Supreme Court," he said on Tuesday.

The AIMIM leader said that in the wake of the threatening talks, the Supreme Court should take up the proceedings on the Babri case only after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. "After his open threat of infighting people saying that if the issue is not decided in favour of X group, then India would become like Syria, I think the Supreme Court should not hear this matter till the next Lok Sabha elections because politics is being done over it," he said adding that the statement was deliberately made before the hearing on the issue in the court on March 14.

Owaisi also alleged that Ravi Shankar's comments show he was not a man of peace and does not believe in the Constitution.

BJP ally Shiv Sena also condemned the spiritual guru's remark asking him to stay away from Ayodhya issue. "In Ayodhya matter, gurumaharaj has issued a threat, he has tried to create panic by predicting the future. He has given license to chaos by attaching ISIS to Ram Mandir issue. This must be investigated, such statements do not suit a spiritual guide," Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana.

Ravi Shankar had stoked a controversy by saying that there will be bloodshed if court rules against a temple. "If court rules against a temple, there will be bloodshed. Do you think the Hindu majority will allow it? They will garner resentment towards the Muslim community," he had said.

"According to Islam, you cannot pray in a disputed site so anyway they can't have a mosque there. This way everyone wins," he had said.
New Delhi: Stepping up its attack on Congress leader P Chidambaram, the BJP said on Wednesday that on May 15, 2014, the then finance minister had announced a new policy in which Star Trade Operators were attached to premium trading houses which included Gitanjali jewellers.

"On 15th May 2014, P Chidambaram announced a new policy in which Star Trade Operators were attached to premium trading houses which included Gitanjali jewellers. UPA government during P Chidambaram's tenure opened all doors for the favourable companies. Those who have been prohibited from participating 80/20 scheme were brought in. These trading houses were allowed to import gold up to 2,000 kg from any port of India. There was no control and verification. This is a downright racket," Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said addressing a press conference.

He added, "Congress designated few companies for gold exports. Export-import rights were given only to PSUs and Public entities, SBI, State Trading Corp. The model code of conduct is applicable to the RBI also. 80.20 gold scheme is a matter of policy change. We charge with the full sense of responsibility that under extraordinary pressure of vested interests P Chidambaram took the decision a day before the election results."

Prasad further said, "P Chidambaram was aware of the democratic propriety of Indian polity, which meant you do not take a policy decision one day before the results of the elections. It is a textbook case of massive irregularity."

Earlier, on March 5, 2018, too, the BJP had alleged that Chidambaram had granted seven private firms, including scam-accused Gitanjali Gems, gold import benefits on the day of the counting of 2014 Lok Sabha poll votes.

Addressing the press, Prasad had asked the Congress how much "cut" was given to whom for the decision.

Targeting the Congress and Chidambaram, whose son Karti has been arrested by the CBI in INX Media case, the Union Law Minister had alleged that the then Congress-led UPA government "destroyed" the economy by not letting the real stressed assets get reflected in banks' books and said total advances given by banks in the last six years of its rule rose to Rs 52.15 lakh crore from Rs 18.06 lakh crore in 2008.

Only 36 percent of these advances were identified as stressed assets but they rose to 82 percent, he had said and had alleged that under the then "so-called economist" PM Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram, the banking system was "sought to be derailed by interventions, patronage and pressure".

Prasad had further alleged that Chidambaram gave seven private firms benefits under 80:20 gold import scheme on May 16, 2014, the day Narendra Modi-led BJP was swept to power, ousting the UPA.

The Congress was resorting to "fear, lies, concoction and confusion" to target the BJP government, he said and spoke about the opposition's campaign on the Rafale deal and several other issues to claim that these were all baseless charges.

Blaming the Congress for scams which came to light recently, he said the party had planted so many "land mines" when it was in power than some of them kept exploding on and off.

(With PTI inputs)
MUMBAI: Maersk container ship caught fire on Wednesday following an explosion near Lakshwadeep Islands. Out of the 27 crew members who were onboard, 23 have been rescued while the search is on for the missing four members. There were thirteen Indians onboard.

The blast took place in the Arabian sea at 340 nautical miles from Agatti in Lakshwadeep Islands. Rescue operations are underway by the Indian Coast Guard and Maritime Rescue Coordination Center.

The 330-metre-long Maersk Honam was en route Suez from Singapore when it caught fire with flames from the main deck of the ship rising up to its bridge upto a height of about 25 metres.

The vessel reported an explosion and fire on board and requested immediate assistance.

"The ship had 27 crew members on board, of whom four are missing. Out of the 27 crew members, 13 are Indians including the captain of the ship," the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said. The crew has abandoned the ship as the fire spread beyond control, it said.

After getting information about the mishap, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai immediately alerted all the merchant ships near the location through the satellite-based communication network, the International Safety Net (ISN), ICG said.

"The search operations are on and the Coast Guard assets have been pressed into action," said Inspector General K R Nautiyal, the commander of the Coast Guard West region.

"It is our priority to save and rescue the four missing crew and also continue our efforts to salvage the vessel with the assistance of specialised vessels, which are being arranged," he added.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate on a plea of absconding billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi in connection with the Punjab National Bank scam. The court said that theres no clarity on the amount involved in the case.

Issuing a notice to the investigating authority, the Delhi High Court observed that it is not clear under what authority the ED went to search the properties.

Calling the case sketchy, the High Court said, (The court) wants to wait to see what the ED has to say because Vijay Aggarwal (lawyer of Nirav Modi) himself doesnt seem to be too sure of the facts of the case.

The court fixed the case for further hearing on March 19.

Talking to mediapersons later, Nirav Modis lawyer Vijay Aggarwal said that the court asked the ED to present all documents and called the case sketchy as they do not have all facts. He said, We told them that this is the basis of our petition that there is no information.

This comes two days after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Sunday sanctioned the prosecution of the absconding diamond trader and his three firms in connection with billion dollar fraud case.

Nirav Modi will be prosecuted for wrong declaration of value and quantity of the imported Cut and Polished Diamonds, Pearls to Customs and diversion of the Duty Exempted goods to the domestic tariff area clandestinely, the report had said.

Modi and his three firms Firestar Diamond International, Firestar International Private Limited, and Radhashir Jewellery Company Limited have been found to be fit to be prosecuted under Sections 132, 135(1)(a), 135(1)(b), 135(1)(i) of Customs Act, 1962 and Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860.

The ED had earlier issued summons to Modi, asking him to appear before the central agency.

However, Modi, who is said to have left the country before criminal cases were registered, had failed to appear before the ED, prompting the agency to move the PMLA court for issuance of NBWs against them. On February 27, the ED had moved the court seeking an NBW against Modi.

(With agency inputs)
A case has been registered against actress Raveena Tandon for allegedly shooting an advertisement in no camera zone of a temple in Odisha. The actress was accused by the administration of Lingaraja temple in Bhubaneswar for shooting the advertisement in an area of the temple where no cameras were allowed.

The actress, however, dismissed the allegations saying there was no shooting of advertisement at the temple. It was no agency and no advertising. It was all locals and members of the Mandir Trust and some media who were filming on their mobiles phones and also taking selfies.

Please see the lady in the picture . She is a local and had her mobile phone in her hand . While I did not . pic.twitter.com/w8Ld4awFj6  Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) March 6, 2018

She further said that she was not aware of the phone ban in the temple, claiming that even local authorities did not alert her team or raised objection when photographs were clicked.

I understand temple authorities are distraught as everyone around me (organisers, security, pandits, locals) were using cellphones, clicking videos, taking selfies. I was not aware of phone ban, hence the issue, said Raveena Tandon.

The incident come to the fore after a video surfaced on social media featuring Tandon offering beauty tips inside the temple premises and it is recorded by a person with a mobile phone. She had visited the temple on Sunday.

"The temple administration has filed a complaint against Raveena Tandon at Lingaraj Police Station for shooting an advertisement film in the no camera zone," said Rajiv Lochan Parida, the management-in-charge of the temple administration.

Admitting that such an FIR has been lodged, Bhubaneswar DCP Satybrat Bhoi said the police are examining the allegations.

Only servitors are allowed to carry mobile phones inside the temple, Parida said adding it is a clear case of violation of the security norms. The incident has also hurt sentiments of the devotees, he said.

The Archaeological Survey of India has also launched an investigation into the matter.

(With PTI Inputs)
President Ram Nath Kovind is slated to visit the Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday to attend the convocation ceremony of the varsity. Ahead of his visit, heavy security has been deployed at the university. Apart from local police, Rapid Action Force personnel have also been stationed.

A controversy had erupted with the announcement of Kovind attending the convocation ceremony of the AMU. The AMU students union had said that while they welcomed the President of India, they would not allow anyone with Sanghi mindset to enter the university.

"We are not opposing the President, but we oppose the 'Sanghi' mindset. In 2010, the President had said Muslims and Christians are alien to country that bothers us till date but we welcome him," AMU Student Union Secretary was quoted as saying by ANI.

"No other person with 'Sanghi' mindset will be allowed to enter, those coming as per protocol can come," the AMU student union leader had said.

President Ram Nath Kovind will is the chief-guest at AMU's 65th annual convocation. He had accepted the invitation extended to him by AMU Vice Chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor.

No Indian President has attended the AMU convocation ceremony in the past 32 years. Former President Giani Zail Singh had attended the AMU convocation in 1986.

Prior to him, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad had attended the event in 1976. Dr S Radha Krishnan was the chief-guest in 1966 and Dr Rajendra Prasad attended the 1951 convocation of AMU, according to media reports.
New Delhi: Despite efforts to keep India at bay in order to maintain its stranglehold on trade with Afghanistan, Pakistan has not just faltered but even lost ground - losing fifty per cent of its market share in just two years.

According to a report in Pakistan-based Dawn, the country is fast losing out to India and China in terms of countries with the largest share in trade with Afghanistan. Zubair Motiwala, Chairman of Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has been quoted as saying India, in particular, has managed to penetrate Afghan market by subsidising its exports to Kabul. He has said that Afghans find it easier to travel to India with cheaper tickets and multiple-entry visa, and that medical tourism has seen a paradigm shift. "Medical tourism of Peshawar, which was mainly due to Afghans, is now at zero level; hospitals in Hayatabad are empty, he said.

Domestic industries in Pakistan which flourished due to trade with Afghanistan has also reportedly suffered major setbacks. Of 200 flour mills in Pakistan which catered to Afghanistan for instance, 100 have reportedly shut down. Motiwala has further elaborated that at bilateral trade's peak, 70,000 containers from Pakistan to Afghanistan was the usual figure. Now, it it's 7,000.

The drastic and dramatic fall in trade share with Afghanistan may well be Pakistan's own doing. Both India and Afghanistan had previously expressed a desire for Pakistan to open its land route for New Delhi. It had been turned down. Analysts believe Islamabad feared India would upstage Pakistan's dominance in trading with the Afghans. But that is just what eventually happened. India bypassed Pakistan completely by opting to trade with Afghanistan through the Chabahar Port in Iran. The first consignment of wheat from India reached the Afghan city of Zaranj last November and was hailed by both nations as a start of bigger and better things.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has largely gone from being an active player to a being on the sidelines. The Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement continues to be mostly confined to bilateral meetings with not much materialising on the ground. Little surprise then that other players stepped up and have snatched the mantle away.
During the first week of January 2017, a group of Indian scholars gathered in a white bungalow on a leafy boulevard in central New Delhi. The focus of their discussion: how to rewrite the history of the nation. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had quietly appointed the committee of scholars about six months earlier. Details of its existence are reported here for the first time.

Minutes of the meeting, reviewed by Reuters, and interviews with committee members set out its aims: to use evidence such as archaeological finds and DNA to prove that today`s Hindus are directly descended from the land`s first inhabitants many thousands of years ago, and make the case that ancient Hindu scriptures are fact not myth.

Interviews with members of the 14-person committee and ministers in Modi`s government suggest the ambitions of Hindu nationalists extend beyond holding political power in this nation of 1.3 billion people - a kaleidoscope of religions. They want ultimately to shape the national identity to match their religious views, that India is a nation of and for Hindus.

In doing so, they are challenging a more multicultural narrative that has dominated since the time of British rule, that modern-day India is a tapestry born of migrations, invasions and conversions. That view is rooted in demographic fact. While the majority of Indians are Hindus, Muslims and people of other faiths account for some 240 million, or a fifth, of the populace.

The committee`s chairman, KN Dikshit, told Reuters, "I have been asked to present a report that will help the government rewrite certain aspects of ancient history." The committee`s creator, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, confirmed in an interview that the group`s work was part of larger plans to revise India`s history.

For India`s Muslims, who have pointed to incidents of religious violence and discrimination since Modi took office in 2014, the development is ominous. The head of Muslim party All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Asaduddin Owaisi, said his people had "never felt so marginalised in the independent history of India."

"The government," he said, "wants Muslims to live in India as second-class citizens."

Modi did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

INTO THE CLASSROOM

Helping to drive the debate over Indian history is an ideological, nationalist Hindu group called the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It helped sweep Modi`s Bharatiya Janata Party to power in 2014 and now counts among its members the ministers in charge of agriculture, highways and internal security.

The RSS asserts that ancestors of all people of Indian origin - including 172 million Muslims - were Hindu and that they must accept their common ancestry as part of Bharat Mata, or Mother India. Modi has been a member of the RSS since childhood. An official biography of Culture Minister Sharma says he too has been a "dedicated follower" of the RSS for many years.

Referring to the emblematic colour of the Hindu nationalist movement, RSS spokesman Manmohan Vaidya told Reuters that "the true colour of Indian history is saffron and to bring about cultural changes we have to rewrite history."

Balmukund Pandey, the head of the historical research wing of the RSS, said he meets regularly with Culture Minister Sharma. "The time is now," Pandey said, to restore India`s past glory by establishing that ancient Hindu texts are fact not myth.

Sharma told Reuters he expects the conclusions of the committee to find their way into school textbooks and academic research. The panel is referred to in government documents as the committee for "holistic study of origin and evolution of Indian culture since 12,000 years before present and its interface with other cultures of the world."

Sharma said this "Hindu first" version of Indian history will be added to a school curriculum which has long taught that people from central Asia arrived in India much more recently, some 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, and transformed the population.

Hindu nationalists and senior figures in Modi`s party reject the idea that India was forged from a mass migration. They believe that today`s Hindu population is directly descended from the land`s first inhabitants. Historian Romila Thapar said the question of who first stood on the soil was important to nationalists because "if the Hindus are to have primacy as citizens in a Hindu Rashtra (kingdom), their foundational religion cannot be an imported one." To assert that primacy, nationalists need to claim descent from ancestors and a religion that were indigenous, said Thapar, 86, who taught at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi for decades and has authored books on ancient Indian history.

The theory of an influx of people from central Asia 3,000 to 4,000 years ago was embraced during British rule.

India`s first post-independence leader, Jawaharlal Nehru, who promoted a secular state and tolerance of India`s Muslims, said it was "entirely misleading to refer to Indian culture as Hindu culture." That outlook informed the way India was governed by Nehru and then by his Congress party for more than half a century. The rights of minorities - including the prohibition of discrimination based on religion - are enshrined in India`s constitution, of which Nehru was a signatory in 1950.

Shashi Tharoor, a prominent member of the Congress party, said right wing Hindus are "leading a political campaign over Indian history that seeks to reinvent the idea of India itself." "For seven decades after independence, Indianness rested on faith in the country`s pluralism," Tharoor said, but the rise of Hindu nationalism had brought with it a "sense of cultural superiority."

A HISTORY FOUNDED ON HINDU TEXTS

The history committee met in the offices of the director general of the Archaeological Survey of India, a federal body that oversees archaeological research. Among the committee`s 14 members are bureaucrats and academics. The chairman, Dikshit, is a former senior official with the Archaeological Survey.

Culture Minister Sharma told Reuters he will present the committee`s final report to parliament and lobby the nation`s Ministry of Human Resource Development to write the findings into school textbooks. The Ministry of Human Resource Development, which is responsible for education and literacy programmes, is also headed by an adherent of the RSS, Prakash Javadekar.

"We will take every recommendation made by the Culture Ministry seriously," Javadekar said. "Our government is the first government to have the courage to even question the existing version of history that is being taught in schools and colleges."

According to the minutes of the history committee`s first meeting, Dikshit, the chairman, said it was "essential to establish a correlation" between ancient Hindu scriptures and evidence that Indian civilization stretches back many thousands of years. Doing so would help bolster both conclusions the committee wants to reach: that events described in Hindu texts are real, and today`s Hindus are descendants of those times.

The minutes and interviews with committee members lay out a comprehensive campaign to achieve this, including the dating of archaeological sites and DNA testing of human remains.

Culture Minister Sharma told Reuters he wants to establish that Hindu scriptures are factual accounts. Speaking of the Ramayana, the epic that follows the journey of a Hindu deity in human form, Sharma said: "I worship Ramayana and I think it is a historical document. People who think it is fiction are absolutely wrong." The epic tells how the god Rama rescues his wife from a demon king. It still informs many Indians` sense of gender roles and duty.

Sharma said it was a priority to prove through archaeological research the existence of a mystical river, the Saraswati, that is mentioned in another ancient scripture, the Vedas. Other projects include examining artifacts from locations in scriptures, mapping the dates of astrological events mentioned in these texts and excavating the sites of battles in another epic, the Mahabharata, according to Sharma and minutes of the committee`s meeting.

In much the same way that some Christians point to evidence of an ancient flood substantiating the Biblical tale of Noah and his ark, if the settings and features of the ancient scriptures in India can be verified, the thinking goes, then the stories are true. "If the Koran and Bible are considered as part of history, then what is the problem in accepting our Hindu religious texts as the history of India?" said Sharma.

Modi did not order the committee`s creation - it was instigated by Sharma, government documents show - but its mission is in keeping with his outlook. During the 2014 inauguration of a hospital in Mumbai, Modi pointed to the scientific achievements documented by ancient religious texts and spoke of Ganesha, a Hindu deity with an elephant`s head: "We worship Lord Ganesha, and maybe there was a plastic surgeon at that time who kept the head of an elephant on the torso of a human. There are many areas where our ancestors made large contributions." Modi did not respond to a request from Reuters that he expand on this remark.

Nine of 12 history committee members interviewed by Reuters said they have been tasked with matching archaeological and other evidence with ancient Indian scriptures, or establishing that Indian civilization is much older than is widely known. The others confirmed their membership but declined to discuss the group`s activities. The committee includes a geologist, archaeologists, scholars of the ancient Sanskrit language and two bureaucrats.

One of the Sanskrit scholars, Santosh Kumar Shukla, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, told Reuters he believes India`s Hindu culture is millions of years old. Another committee member, Ramesh Chand Sharma, former head of the linguistics department at the University of Delhi, said he would take a strictly scientific approach. "I don`t subscribe to any ideology," he said.

With an annual budget of about $400 million - an important source of federal funding for historical research, archaeology and the arts - the Culture Ministry is an influential place to start a campaign of historical revision.

After he was named culture minister in 2014 following Modi`s victory, Sharma, a doctor and chairman of a chain of hospitals, said he received guidance from the RSS. Sharma, a genial man with a wide smile, has a portrait of Bharat Mata, or Mother India, hanging above the doorway of a meeting room in his bungalow in central Delhi. Below it are portraits of past RSS leaders.

During the last three years, Sharma said, his ministry has organised hundreds of workshops and seminars across the country "to prove the supremacy of our glorious past." The aim, he said, is to build a fresh narrative to balance the liberal and secular philosophy espoused by India`s first prime minister, Nehru, and furthered by successive governments for most of the nation`s post-independence history.

The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, now controlled by Sharma`s ministry, these days mixes in sessions about right wing Hindu leaders and causes. At one such event in 2016, the president of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Amit Shah, took the opportunity to lambast Nehru as a man influenced by the western world. "We have always believed that our policies should have the smell of Indian soil," Shah said. It was time for a history of India that concentrates on "facts about our great past."
Washington: India seeks status as a global power, the Pentagon's top intelligence chief told US lawmakers today, adding that as such New Delhi perceives its strategic forces as necessary elements to achieve that goal.

India has put its first domestically built nuclear submarine, the INS Arihant, into service, and is set to take delivery of its second nuclear sub, the INS Arighat, in 2018, Lt Gen Robert Ashley, Director, Defense Intelligence Agency told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"New Delhi seeks status as a global power and perceives its strategic forces as necessary elements to achieve that goal," Ashley said. He said India continues to modernise its military to better posture itself to defend its interests at home and in the broader Indian Ocean region while reinforcing its diplomatic and economic outreach across Asia.

"Continued exchange of heavy fire between Indian and Pakistani forces along the Line of Control poses a risk of inadvertent or gradual escalation of hostilities," he said.

In 2017, the lengthy Dokalam standoff between Indian and Chinese forces along the Bhutan-China border heightened tension between India and China and prompted both sides to increase their forces near the Line of Actual Control, he added.

We expect that both sides will maintain this elevated force posture along disputed border areas through the remainder of 2018, Ashley said.

On Pakistan, he said Islamabad is likely to proceed with its counterinsurgency operations and border management efforts along its western border while sustaining counterterrorism and paramilitary operations throughout the country.

These efforts have had some success in reducing violence from militant, sectarian, terrorist, and separatist groups, but Pakistan will look to the US and the Afghan government for support against anti-Pakistan fighters in Afghanistan, he added.

"Pakistan is increasing its nuclear stockpile and developing tactical nuclear weapons and new ballistic missile systems. In January 2017, Pakistan conducted the first test launch of its nuclear-capable Ababeel ballistic missile, demonstrating South Asias first MIRV payload, and in early July, Pakistan demonstrated an expanded-range Nasr CRBM," Ashley said.

He said Chinese military forces continue to develop capabilities to dissuade, deter, or defeat potential third party intervention during a large-scale theatre campaign, such as a Taiwan contingency.

Chinas military modernisation plan includes the development of capabilities to conduct long-range attacks against adversary forces that might deploy or operate in the western Pacific Ocean.

These capabilities, spanning the air, maritime, space, electromagnetic, and information domains, are most robust within the first island chain, but China is rapidly extending capabilities farther into the Pacific Ocean.

According to Ashley, China's expanding global footprint and international interests are reflected in its Belt and Road Initiative of economic, commercial, and infrastructure projects in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.

"Beijing's military modernisation programme is expanding in concert with this initiative to include investments and infrastructure to support a range of missions beyond China's periphery, including power projection, sea lane security, counterpiracy, peacekeeping, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," he said.

China's most recent white papers and doctrinal writings emphasise the requirement for an army to be able to secure expanding Chinese national interests overseas, including a growing emphasis on the importance of the maritime domain, offensive air operations, long-distance mobility operations, space operations, and cyber-operations.

"In August, following more than a year of construction, China officially opened a military base in Djibouti and deployed a company of marines and equipment to the facility. China probably will seek to establish additional military logistics facilities in countries with which it has longstanding, friendly relationships and similar strategic interests," he said.
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday moved Delhi's Patiala House Court seeking permission to put Karti Chidambaram through narco analysis test on in the alleged INX media bribery case.

Special judge Sunil Rana said that the court would take the matter on March 9 along with two other applications seeking production warrants of Karti Chidambaram's chartered accountant S Bhaskaraman, arrested in the money laundering case, and co-accused Indrani Mukerjea.

On Tuesday, Karti's CBI custody was extended by three days till March 9 with the court saying that the extension of his remand was necessary to maintain continuity in the investigation to secure evidence to arrive at the truth.

The agency, which produced Karti on expiry of his five-day police custody before special judge Sunil Rana, had said though there was "substantial progress" in last four days into the investigation into the case, he was "not cooperating" and not parting with his phones passwords. To every question, he was saying that "I am politically victimised".

In a major setback to the Karti, son of former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram, the Supreme Court had refused to grant him anticipatory bail in the alleged money laundering case. The apex court has also issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate on the PMLA case registered against him.

Deferring the case for further hearing on March 9, the top court declared that it will not provide any interim protection from arrest by the ED in the alleged money laundering case. This came a day after junior Chidambaram moved to the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of summons issued by the ED.

He was taken to the Byculla Central Jail on Sunday for further questioning in the bribery case by the CBI, who is probing the case.

Upon reaching the Byculla Central jail, Karti was made to face Indrani and Peter Mukerjea - the ex-directors of INX Media Ltd. Indrani Mukerjea had recently admitted before a magistrate that Karti had met her in a Delhi hotel and demanded USD 1 million in bribe for the FIPB clearance.

While being taken back to Delhi from Mumbai, Karti Chidambaram had, however, said that all allegations levelled against him are ''baseless and politically motivated.''

Karti is accused of allegedly receiving Rs 3.5 crore from the Mumbai-based INX Media, now known as 9X Media, for helping it get Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance in 2007 when it was run by Peter and Indrani - both accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.

On March 1, the Patiala House Court in Delhi had sent the junior Chidambaram to CBI custody for five days following which he was questioned for nearly seven hours by the CBI.

In a dramatic development in the INX Media case, Karti was arrested by the CBI from Chennai airport on February 28 on his return from abroad. After his arrest in Chennai, CBI officials took him to Delhi by the afternoon. He was taken to the CBI headquarters and then produced before a Duty Magistrate.

The arrest of Karti came nine months after the CBI registered an FIR against him on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, accepting gratification by corrupt or illegal means, influencing public servants and criminal misconduct.
New Delhi: The opposition continued to force adjournments of both Houses of Parliament for the third day on Wednesday over the Rs 12,600-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and other issues, even as a meeting of leaders of various parties with the Lok Sabha Speaker failed to find a solution to the impasse.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who had convened the meeting, later hoped that the deadlock would be resolved in a day or two.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Bhartruhari Mahtab told IANS after the meeting that the opposition parties have rejected the government's proposal to hold a discussion under Rule 193 which does not entail voting.

"That has been rejected. The opposition is insisting on a discussion under an adjournment motion," he said, adding that all recent bank scams should also be discussed during the debate.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters after the meeting that the government had accepted the Congress notice for discussion under Rule 193 but now it is "running away from debate".

Kumar took a dig at the Congress over its objection to the words "over the years" in the motion to discuss the banking fraud and asked "what they have to hide".

He said the ball is now in the opposition's court.

"You gave notice, the Speaker accepted it and fixed time and then you want to change the entire stance. What is this? They will have to take Parliament seriously. The ball is in their court," he said.

Kumar said the Congress never expected that the government will accept their notice so fast.

The Minister said that the Speaker urged the members to ensure smooth functioning of the House. She also insisted that members should not rush to the Speaker's podium every time and display placards, he said.

There are many important issues, including banking fraud, which can be discussed only if the House functions properly, he added.

Mahajan told reporters that she had asked party leaders to find a solution to the impasse, as disruptions do not create a good impression among people and visitors about the proceedings.

"Let's see ... if not today, then in two-three days it will be resolved," she said.

Asked about the Congress objection to the use of term "over the years" in the motion on banking fraud, Mahajan said it can mean one, two or more years.

Mahajan said she did not think it would have have happened in one day and it was not just about a person or bank but about the system also.

She said all notices had been taken into account while finalising the motion.

Leaders of the Congress, Trinamool Congress, AIADMK, Aam Aadmi Party and the Shiv Sena were among those who taking part in the meeting.

Earlier, when the Lok Sabha met at 12 noon, after its first adjournment, opposition members were on their feet in the House with their demands. Many trooped near the Speaker's podium carrying placards.

While the Congress and Trinamool Congress sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply in the banking fraud case, BJP's ally TDP continued to seek special economic package for Andhra Pradesh.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) members sought an increase in the job quota in the state beyond 50 per cent.

AIADMK members were near the podium demanding a Cauvery Management Board. Some of the placards had the demand for constituting the Board on one side and a picture of iconic Dravidian leader E.V. Ramasamy or Periyar on the other.

A statue of Periyar, who is considered the father figure of the rationalist movement in Tamil Nadu, was vandalised in Vellore district on Tuesday night.

Shiv Sena members wanted classical language status for Marathi but returned to their seats after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed party MP Anandrao Adsul to speak on the issue.

Adsul said amid the din that the party had been raising the demand for declaring Marathi as a classical language for years.

"Marathi is an old language and meets the criteria of a classical language," he said and sought a reply from Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day. Earlier, the House had witnessed an adjournment soon after it met for the day.

In the Rajya Sabha, the House was once again adjourned for the day amid ruckus and without transacting any business for the third day in a row.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the House, minutes after it met at 2 p.m. as the agitating opposition members gathered near the Chair's podium, shouting slogans and carrying placards. The TDP and AIADMK members were also raising their demands.

Kurien asked the members to go back to their seats so that he could take up the listed business.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said in the din that the government was ready to discuss "all issues, including the PNB fraud case as it started only in their (UPA government) time".

As the din continued, Kurien adjourned the House.

The upper House witnessed similar scenes in the morning forcing its adjournment till 2 p.m.

The Budget session will conclude on April 6.
New Delhi: Following two days of massive uproar in Parliment over the PNB scam, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley may reportedly address the issue on the floor of the House on Wednesday. With the government and opposition sparring - both inside as well as outside Parliament, the political climate has heated up since the Rs 12,700 crore scam came to light.

While Jaitley possibly addressing the matter at hand may calm some frayed nerves, the opposition has demanded the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament when the scam is being debated upon. Led by Congress President Rahul Gandhi, the opposition has questioned PM Modi's 'silence' on the matter. Several Congress lawmakers even protested outside Parliament on Tuesday - accusing the government of looking the other way. BJP has attempted to counter the charges with Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad blaming Congress' two terms in power 'which had placed landmines all around.'

The PNB scam has indeed exploded like a metaphorical landmine - shaking the economic and political establishment in the country. The biggest fraud ever detected by an Indian bank, PNB said last month that it had discovered fraudulent transactions worth $1.77 billion at one of its Mumbai branch. Billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi, 46, was booked by the CBI for 'cheating' after PNB sent a complaint to it alleging that the jewellery firm owner, his brother, wife and Mehul Choksi entered into a criminal conspiracy with the officials of the bank and cheated it, causing a "wrongful loss".

While certain reports suggested that Nirav Modi had already left the country in the first week of January, his precise location remains unknown till date. Meanwhile, the political slugfest and blame-game continues unabated.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave time to the Centre to file response to a plea seeking to halt the alleged "pushback" of Rohingya refugees at the borders and providing improved living conditions in their camps across the country.

The apex court bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud gave the Centre time till March 16 to file the response as Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that he has received instructions to respond to the plea for halt to the pushback of Rohingya refugees and for improved living conditions in their camps.

The court directed the next hearing of the matter on March 19.

In the last hearing of the matter on January 31, ASG Mehta had told the court not to interfere in the matter as "constitutionally empowered executive was seized of the matter and the diplomatic process is on to deal with the situation".

The petitioner Mohammad Salimullah -- a Rohingya refugee himself -- had filed an application on January 30 seeking a halt to the pushback policy of the Border Security Force (BSF) at the border and for improved living conditions in Rohingya refugee camps.

Appearing for the petitioner Mohammad Salimullah, counsel Prashant Bhushan said that Rohingya refugees be extended the same facilities that were being made available to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who have arrived in Tamil Nadu for safe shelter.

Bhushan in the last hearing of the matter on January 31 had complained that the BSF was preventing Rohingya refugees from crossing over from Bangladesh and Myanmar borders by "sprinkling chilli powder".

He had said that pushback was not only occurring on the borders with Bangladesh but also in the states that share a border with Myanmar, and had cited BSF chief K.K. Sharma's statement saying that it is their policy to push back the Rohingya refugees seeking to enter India instead of arresting them.

Bhushan had said that pushing back Rohingya refugees, who are fleeing their country to save their lives, was in breach of the international conventions on refugees.

However, in a retort, ASG Mehta had said on January 31 that "we don't want India to be the refugee capital of the world," as Bhushan had told the court that BSF was using chilli powder and stun grenades to push back the refugees who are fleeing for their lives.


NEW DELHI: Protests against the alleged leak of Staff Selection Commission (SSC) examination paper, that started off in the national capital, gained momentum with aspirants tonsuring their heads at Delhi's CGO complex.

Visuals of SSC candidates tonsuring their heads in protest at CGO complex in Delhi. #SSCExamScam pic.twitter.com/EEz2ovU9Ri  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

Despite the government ordering a CBI investigation into the SSC examination papers leak case, thousands of aspirants have refused to call off their week-long agitation, until they get a written assurance regarding it.

Candidates have also been protesting over the issue in other parts of the country including Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

The SSC, which conducts examination for subordinate services, had recommended an inquiry by the CBI into the allegations of a leak of questions of the Combined Graduate Level (Tier-II) Examination 2017 held from February 17 to 22.

On Sunday, Delhi BJP chief and MP Manoj Tiwari, along with a delegation of the candidates, had met SSC chairman Ashim Khurana seeking CBI probe.

They had also met the Union Home Minister to apprise him about their concerns.

Social activist Anna Hazare too met the students protesting outside the Commission's office and supported their demand for a CBI probe.

Later, in a statement, the SSC chairman had said the commission agreed to recommend to the Department of Personnel and Training to request the government to conduct a CBI inquiry into the allegations of the leak of questions of Paper-I on February 21 and other related issues.

Students from across India have gathered outside the CGO Complex, where the SSC is headquartered, demanding a CBI inquiry into the allegations of leak of questions of the Combined Graduate Level (Tier-II) Examination 2017 held from February 17 to 22.

The SSC conducts examinations for recruitment to lower categories of posts in the central government.
New Delhi: A statue of Dr BR Ambedkar was vandalised late on Tuesday night by unidentified persons in Meerut's Mawana, leading to protests from members of the Dalit community and BSP workers.

The statue's head was found dismantled on Wednesday morning in what was yet another incident of vandalism in the country. Statues of former Soviet leader Lenin in Tripura, social activist Periyar in Tamil Nadu and BJP founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee in West Bengal have also been vandalised in recent days. The destruction of BR Ambedkar's statue - much like other incidents - led to angry protests with members of the Dalit community blocking traffic in the area.

While the local administration has assured a thorough investigation into the matter, it has also promised that a new statue of Ambedkar would be put up.

Incidents of vandalism against statues though has become a key topic of debate in the country and on Wednesday morning, PM Narendra Modi issued a strong condemnation and even spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
New Delhi: On a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned incidents of vandalism targeting statues of historical figures, a bust of BJP founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee in Kolkata's Kalighat area was splattered with ink and a portion broken off.

The incident happened on Wednesday morning when a number of accused climbed a pedestal on which the bust of Mukherjee was placed. They then proceeded to smear black ink on it - breaking a portion of the face as well. They, reportedly students of Jadavpur University - then attempted to flee but bystanders nabbed them and called in local police. Among the accused are five men and one woman, and a poster placed beneath the bust proclaimed that it was an act in revenge for the razing of Lenin's statue in Tripura last week.

Meanwhile, the area around the bust was soon cordoned off and authorities are probing the entire incident even as BJP's state unit has demanded stern action. "BJP West Bengal condemns barbaric act of vandalising statue of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh Bharat Keshri's founder Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee. We demand very strong action against culprits," said Sayantan Basu, General Secretary, WB BJP.

Wednesday's incident comes close on the heels of similar acts of vandalism targeting historical figures, from other parts of the country. On Sunday, a statue of former Soviet leader Lenin was razed in Tripura while late on Tuesday, a statue of Periyar was vandalised. The incidents have been widely criticised by politicians cutting across party lines and have prompted PM Modi to issue a strong condemnation. He has even spoken to Home Minister Rajnath Singh regarding such deplorable acts.
NEW DELHI: In order to boost the government's initiative of saving and educating a girl child, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the pan-India expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) program on March 8.

This International Women's Day, the Prime Minister will visit Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan to launch the expansion venture. He will interact with beneficiary mothers and girl children of the program and distribute certificates to the best performing districts under BBBP program.

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao program will be expanded from the existing 161 districts to 640 districts all across the country.

In another landmark initiative, PM Modi will also inaugurate National Nutrition Mission, NNM from Jhunjhunu. Also, he will launch NNM-ICDS Common Application Software.

The mission strives to reduce under-nutrition and low birth weight. It aims at bringing down anaemia among young children, women and adolescent girls. The venture also looks forward to reduce the prevalence of stunting among children.
After triggering a row with his remark on Holi and Namaz timing, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that he is a devout Hindu and does not celebrate Eid. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongman made the statement of the floor of Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

Targeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and members of opposition Samajwadi Party, Adityanath said, "I am devout Hindu and dont celebrate Eid. Why should I celebrate Eid when I take pride in my own religion? I am not one of those who sport sacred thread (Janeu) and at the same time wear cap (Muslim topi) and kneel down to offer prayers,"

He further referred to the victory of the NDA alliance in Tripura, where Left Front had been ruling for 25 years, in the recently concluded Assembly elections. Hitting out at Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, the Chief Minister said that after taking decimating the red flag, the BJP would now bring down those in red caps, which is worn by members of the Samajwadi Party.

Earlier, Adityanath had triggered a row by saying that the festival of Holi has to be respected by everyone as it falls once in a year while Namaz is offered many times.

Referring to the shifting of Namaz timing on the occasion of Holi, the UP Chief Minister said that he really appreciated that the timings were changed. Adityanath made the statement while addressing a public rally ahead of Phulpur Assembly bypolls, scheduled on March 11.

Ahead of Holi, Imam-e-Eidgah Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahli, who is also executive committee member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), had appealed to the imams of different mosques, especially those in sensitive areas, to shift the timing of the Friday prayers by 30 minutes to an hour and, in the process, send a message of communal amity.
New Delhi: Amazon chief Jeff Bezos is now the world's richest person, having snatched the top spot from Microsoft founder Bill Gates who slips to second place, according to Forbes magazine's annual billionaires list.

US President Donald Trump's ranking on the list fell to 766th place from 544th in the last edition, his wealth now being estimated at $3.1 billion, $400 million less than a year ago.

There are now a record 2,208 billionaires in the world, Forbes counted, and their combined worth is $9.1 trillion, up 18 percent from last year.

The US has the most billionaires (585), followed by mainland China (373).

Forbes' list contains 259 newcomers, including the first-ever cryptocurrency billionaires.

Here are Forbes 10 richest people in the world in 2018

1. Jeff Bezos

Company: CEO and Founder, Amazon.com

Net Worth: $112 billion

2. Bill Gates

Company: Cofounder, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Net Worth: $90 billion

3. Warren Buffett

Company: CEO, Berkshire Hathaway

Net Worth: $84 billion

4. Bernard Arnault & family

Company: Chairman and CEO, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton

Net Worth: $72 billion

5. Mark Zuckerberg

Company: Cofounder, Chairman and CEO, Facebook

Net Worth: $71 billion

6. Amancio Ortega

Company: Co-founder Inditex (known for Zara fashion chain)

Net Worth: $70 billion

7. Carlos Slim Helu & family

Company: Honorary Chairman, America Movil

Net Worth: $67.1 billion

8. Charles Koch

Company: CEO, Koch Industries

Net Worth: $60 billion

8. David Koch

Company: Executive Vice President, Koch Industries

Net Worth: $60 billion

10. Larry Ellison

Company: CTO and Founder, Oracle

Net Worth: $58.5 billion

With Agency Inputs
BANGALORE: The much-anticipated assembly elections in Karnataka are likely to be held in April or early May, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.

The Central Election Commissioner will visit the state and hold meetings with top officials in the first week of March or in the first week of April to prepare for the polls. The final date will be announced thereafter.

The term of the 224-member Karnataka assembly ends on May 28 this year.

As per earlier reports, the Election Commission is likely to announce the schedule for Karnataka assembly elections in the second week of April, after the school board examinations are over.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is leaving no stone unturned to turn the tide in favour of the party in the state. The ruling Congress, on the other hand, is trying its best to retain its hold in the state. Karnataka is the only big state, after Punjab, where Congress is currently in power whereas the BJP with its alliance partners has its government in 21 states across the country.

The BJP has already declared former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate and the ruling Congress is going to polls under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The

Janata Dal (Secular), which is the third force in the state, has announced its pre-poll tie-up with the Bahujan Samaj Party.
BENGALURU: Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty was on Wednesday stabbed in his office in Bengaluru. He was reportedly stabbed thrice by a man who came to his office. Soon after the attack, he arrested by the Vidhana Soudha police.

Justice Shetty was rushed to the Mallya hospital where he has been kept in the intensive care unit (ICU). State Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy confirmed the incident and said that the Lokayukta is out of danger. He has been kept under observation and is being closely monitored. "A person stabbed the Lokayukta in Bengaluru, the accused has been taken into custody," Karnataka Home Minister confirmed.

Bengaluru: Visual of the person who stabbed the Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty at his office in Bengaluru. He has been taken into custody by the police. pic.twitter.com/QeaVd9QL6y  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

The accused has been identified as Tejas Sharma who is said to be have been involved in multiple cases which are under investigation. Police are reviewing the CCTV footage of the office.

As per reports, he was stabbed in his chest and stomach.

Previously a judge in the Karnataka High Court from 1999 to 2004, Justice Shetty was recommended to be appointed as the Lokayukta of the state in January 2017.
MUMBAI: A Jet Airways flight which was supposed to fly from Mumbai to Ahmedabad could not take off after a tug hit the aircraft while it was parked at the Mumbai airport. The damaged aircraft was examined after which an alternate flight was arranged. The departure was delayed in the procedure.

"Jet Airways Mumbai-Ahmedabad flight operated with a delayed departure as engineering team carried out an inspection and servicing of its exterior, due to slight scrape by a ground handling equipment. An alternate aircraft was operated with 165 guests on board," Jet Airways said in a statement.
New Delhi: Veteran actor Jeetendra has been booked by the Shimla police reportedly days after his cousin alleged that he sexually assaulted her years back when she was all of 18.

According to Indianexpress.com, the actor's cousin had filed a complaint against him in Shimla accusing the superstar of sexually assaulting her 47 years ago. In her complaint, the woman had alleged that on the night they reached Shimla, Jeetendra returned to the room in an inebriated state, joined the two separate beds and sexually assaulted her.

As per IANS, the woman filed a police complaint with Himachal Pradesh's Director General of Police. The star reportedly 'arranged' for the victim to join him from New Delhi to Shimla on the set of his movie without the complainant's 'awareness'. The incident took place in January 1971, when the victim was 18 and Jeetendra was 28.

Indianexpress.com, quoted the Superintendent of Police Umapati Jamwal as saying, an FIR under section 354 IPC has been registered at Chotta Shimla police station. After her email, we got in touch with the complainant, who later had also sent us a written complaint to support her version.

Now, the woman who has accused the actor of sexual assault will record her statement before a magistrate.

Earlier, Jeetendra's lawyer had outrightly rubbished the allegations and issued a statement denying any such incident.
Mumbai: A deceased fan of actor Sanjay Dutt reportedly left all her money to him. She had named him as the inheritor of the money in her bank locker and account in her will. And this gesture of the fan has left Dutt completely overwhelmed.

According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, Malabar Hill resident Nishi Tripathi, 62, who breathed her last on January 15 after battling terminal illness, had willed the money from her bank account and locker to Dutt.

She had nominated 'Film star Sanjay Dutt' in her bank document and had mentioned Dutt's Pali Hill home address. She had also written several letters to the bank to will several other belongings too.

Tripathi family's lawyer and bank officers revealed the details of the will after Nishis prayer meet.

Dutt, who is moved by this gesture of the deceased fan - a complete stranger- refused to take even a single penny.

We have communicated that Sanjay Dutt will be seeking no claim on the belongings and will adhere to any legal proceedings necessary to transfer the valuables back to the family, Dutts attorney Jadhav was quoted as saying.

Dutt, who was then shooting in Kolkata for Saheb Biwi aur Gangster 3, said, As actors, we are used to fans naming their children after us, chasing us down the street and even giving us gifts. But this has shocked me. I will not be claiming anything. I did not know Nishi and I am very overwhelmed by the entire incident to speak about it, the tabloid quoted Dutt as saying.
Mumbai: Maharashtra government employees eagerly waiting to get their arrears being implemented under the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission can celebrate, for the state government has said that it will pay the arrears to its employees this year.

State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has informed the state Legislative Council that regarding this decision. He also added that the move will put a burden of Rs 21,500 crore on the state exchequer.

Mungantiwar also said that an allocation will be made in the 2018-19 state budget for the payment of salary difference with retrospective effect from January 1, 2016.

He assured the House that the government is also considering the demand for granting Child Care Leave (CCL) for two years (730 days) to women government employees and 15 days of paternal leave for male workers.

Last week, Gujarat government announced that it will implement the benefits of arrears for them under the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission for its over 8.77 lakh.

It is expected that over 4.65 lakh Gujarat government employees and more than 4.12 lakh pensioners would benefit from the pay out.

As per reports, the employees will get arrears under 7th Pay Commission from March onwards in three monthly installments. Gujarat deputy chief minister and finance minister Nitin Patel has announced that the state government will spend a total of Rs 3,279 crore to implement the arrears.

It may be recalled that the Odisha government has also announced that it will implement recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission for PSU employees. The news brought Holi cheers to over eight lakh Odisha state government employees and pensioners.

The implementation of 7th pay commission benefits in the state will come into effect from January 1, 2016.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed the concerned department for revision of salary of state PSUs, as per recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.

Though the state government had earlier on August 29, 2017 announced salaries for government employees in accordance with the recommendations of the commission, no decision was taken for PSU employees.
Mumbai: Actor Priyanka Chopra's mother, Madhu Chopra, today said that when they backed their first project, a Bhojpuri film, under their production house, a lot of people from within the industry sneered at them.

The actor started her banner, Purple Pebble Pictures in 2015 and released a Bhojpuri film "Bam Bam Bol Raha Hai Kashi" the next year.

Chopra said when the project was on the brink of release, many colleagues of the actor told her that it does not go with Priyanka's "brand image".

"The first film we did was a Bhojpuri one. You can't imagine what reaction I got from Mumbai, Priyanka's colleagues and peers. They said, 'Your mom has gone mad, why are you all even making Bhojpuri films? It doesn't go with your brand image'.

"But I told Priyanka, you are uplifting a region that needs your attention. You are doing it for passion, for a cause. I can say it with great pride that commercial success or business was not on our mind. It was forging a path and becoming an option for new regions," she said.

Chopra was speaking at a panel discussion at the ongoing FICCI Frames. The producer said they wanted to make regional films "not limited to a particular region, but every part of the country".

"If you have good content, people will come. But for regional films, distribution is a major challenge because people are still testing the waters," she added.

Chopra said her production house has stayed away from taking the cast of a quintessential Hindi movie to make a regional film.

"We are in our third year and we have nine films, all from different regions. We have made Assamese, Marathi, Punjabi, Sikkimese films... The thing about our production house is, we don't take Hindi film industry to various regions but take the cast and crew from that region, make the film in that region and give them a platform," she said.

The session, titled?'Beyond Bollywood: Does regional cinema make better sense?', had filmmakers such as Aniruddha Roy Chaudhary, Rima Das, Vijay and?Ishaan Randeria on the panel.
New Delhi: NASA is inviting the public to go on a trip of their lifetime! Well, you can't go physically, but your name certainly can.

The American space agency has invited people around the world to submit their names to be sent on its historic Parker Solar Probe mission  a planned robotic spacecraft to probe the outer corona of the Sun  scheduled for launch in the summer of 2018.

The names will be placed on a microchip that will travel aboard the spacecraft through the Suns atmosphere, facing brutal heat and radiation conditions.

(Image courtesy: NASA)

"This probe will journey to a region humanity has never explored before," said Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

"This mission will answer questions scientists have sought to uncover for more than six decades," Zurbuchen added.

NASA renamed the Solar Probe Plus to Parker Solar Probe in May 2017 to honour astrophysicist Eugene Parker.

The US space agency on Tuesday said it would accept submissions until April 27, 2018.

(Video courtesy: NASA Goddard)

The spacecraft  about the size of a small car  will approach to within 8.5 solar radii (5.9 million kilometers or 3.67 million miles) to the 'surface' (photosphere) of the Sun.

The primary science goals for the mission are to trace how energy and heat move through the solar corona and to explore what accelerates the solar wind as well as solar energetic particles.

The mission will revolutionize our understanding of the Sun, where changing conditions can spread out into the solar system, affecting Earth and other worlds, NASA said.

The spacecraft speed is so fast, at its closest approach it will be going at approximately 430,000 mph.

That's fast enough to get from Washington, DC, to Tokyo in under a minute, NASA said.

"Parker Solar Probe is, quite literally, the fastest, hottest  and, to me, coolest  mission under the Sun," said project scientist Nicola Fox of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland, US.

"This incredible spacecraft is going to reveal so much about our star and how it works that we've not been able to understand," she added.

(With IANS inputs)
Coimbatore: Two petrol bombs hurled at an office of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) located on VKK Menon Road near Gandhipuram in Coimbatore late on Tuesday night. The attackers are yet to be identified. No damages were reported in the attack.

#WATCH Coimbatore: A petrol bomb was hurled at BJP office earlier today #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/hl3WRO0aB7  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

The police said that the bombs were thrown at the wall of the two-storeyed building where the office is located. CCTV visuals of the attack have been retrieved and police are trying to identify the attackers.

Soon after the attack took place, police officers rushed to the party office. Security has been heightened outside the premises to avert any untoward incident.

The attack comes a day after a statue of Dravidian icon Periyar was vandalised in Vellore district in Tamil Nadu. Two people - a BJP worker and a CPI worker - were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly vandalising the Periyar statue.
Amid the war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Left Front-led opposition parties, there are reports of another statue of Vladimir Lenin being razed to the ground by a mob in Tripura. The statue was demolished at Sabroom Motor Stand in Agartala by unidentified individuals.

This came a day after a statue of the Communist icon was demolished by a bulldozer at Belonia College Square in a Tripura town. The Left Front, which was ousted by the BJP-IPFT in the recently concluded Assembly elections in Tripura, had hit out at the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) over the razing of the statue and incidents of violence in Tripura.

#WATCH: Statue of Vladimir Lenin brought down at Belonia College Square in Tripura. pic.twitter.com/fwwSLSfza3  ANI (@ANI) March 5, 2018

Veteran CPI leader D Raja had said that the party condemned the violence, adding that it is not acceptable in a democracy.

We are a multi-party democracy, some parties win and some lose, does not mean they can resort to vandalism and violence like demolition of Lenin statue will take place. Law needs to take its course, he had said.

Also joining the attack was CPMs Sitaram Yechury, who blamed the BJP and the RSS for incidents of violence, adding that people of Tripura would give and answer to them. Violence in Tripura shows the inclination of RSS and BJP. There is no political future for them other than violence. People of Tripura will give an answer to them, he said.

Violence in Tripura shows the inclination of RSS and BJP. There is no political future for them other than violence. People of Tripura will give an answer to them, he said.

The Janata Dal United, which is an ally of the BJP in Bihar, also criticised the demolition of the statue, saying India is not Russia and all ideologies are supported here.

JDU MP Harivansh said, "This is wrong. People of this nation believe in different ideologies. It is true that Lenin's statues were demolished after end of ruling in Russia. But India is not Russia, all ideologies should be supported here. Lenin brought huge revolution in 1917 for poor."

Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry also took cognisance of incidents of violence in Tripura. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the state Governor Tathagata Roy and DGP AK Shukla, asking them to ensure peace till the installation of a new government.

During the telephonic calls, Governor Tathagata Roy and DGP A K Shukla apprised the Union home minister about the prevailing situation in Tripura and steps taken to control the violence, which erupted following the BJP-IPFT alliances victory over the CPI-M, ousting the Manik Sarkar led government in the just concluded Assembly elections.

Singh asked the governor and the DGP to check all kinds of violence and ensure peace till a new government is installed in Tripura, the home ministry official said. There have been reports of sporadic violence and clashes between rival political groups in different parts of Tripura after the election results were declared on Saturday.
New Delhi: Just weeks before it announced a massive rise in its defence budget, China deployed its Chengdu J-20 stealth jet in February - claiming it is the most advanced fighter plane in all of Asia. The multi-role fighter jet's deployment is being seen by analysts as China's show of strength to counter the US, Japan and India.

According to reports in the Chinese media, the J-20 has a long list of advanced features and is capable undertaking air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Equipped to cruise at supersonic speeds, the J-20 reportedly features two small bays for air-to-air missiles while a single large bay allows for positioning of a wide variety of missiles. The jets maximum takeoff weight is anywhere between 34,000 kilos and 37,000 kilos.

Its electronic systems too are state-of-art and is highlighted by active electronically scanned array, a chin mounted infrared/electro-optic search and track sensor, etc. Other in-depth details about the jet have not been made available but security experts believe that J-20 can still be compared with the best-of-the-best in Air Force. In fact, with J-20, China has become only the second country with a fifth-generation fighter in service. The US is the other country with its F-22 Raptor. In fact, Yoichi Shimada, a professor of international relations at Fukui Prefectural University in Japan, was recently quoted by South China Morning Post as saying that the quality of China's military hardware is constantly improving. "It is not just the size of the spending that is cause for concern; the quality of the Chinese military is improving very conspicuously, he said. "The fundamental nature of the Chinese regime is aggressive and that needs to be a concern for other countries in the region.

The decision to deploy the J-20, many say, comes on the back of India deploying its Sukhoi-30MKI fighters at the Tezpur and Chabua air bases in Assam. And it is not just India but countries like the US, Japan and others in south-east Asia which are keeping a close watch on what Beijing does next.
London: A UK court has banned an Indian-origin family from flying their baby daughter to India because she is at risk of being subjected to an "utterly unacceptable" genital mutilation procedure. A judge at Manchester County and Family Court ruled on Monday that the child, who will turn two this year, is at risk because religious and cultural pressure had overridden her mother's "maternal instinct".

Social workers in the UK believe three other girls from the family, which cannot be named for legal reasons, had been subjected to a similar procedure.

Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision, involves ritual intimate cutting, sometimes without anaesthetic, and has been banned in the UK. Judge Robert Jordan made an "FGM protection order" in Manchester after a private family court hearing, 'Manchester Evening News' reported.

The judge was told that the baby's three older sisters had previously been taken to India so that FGM could be carried out on them. He made the protection order after concluding that the little girl was also at risk and needed protecting.

"The effect of the cultural pressure overrode the mother's maternal instinct. As a consequence of religious and cultural pressure the mother facilitated the mutilation of her children," he noted.

"That cultural pressure still exists in their country of origin and undoubtedly in this country," he added.

FGM protection orders came into force in Britain three years ago and give police and local authorities power to intervene to prevent such procedures. Parents can be barred from taking children abroad and passports can be seized and face prosecution if they breach it.

According to UK research, FGM is less common in India and is more prevalent in around 28 African countries and in parts of the Middle and Far East.

In Britain, communities that have been identified as at risk of FGM include Somali, Kenyan, Ethiopian, Sierra Leonean, Sudanese, Egyptian, Nigerian, Eritrean, Yemeni, Kurdish and Indonesian women and girls.

It is believed to be a way of ensuring virginity and chastity and is used to safeguard girls from sex outside marriage and from having sexual feelings.

Although FGM is practised by secular communities, it is most often claimed to be carried out in accordance with religious beliefs.
Washington: A US Navy veteran charged with the killing of Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla and injuring two others at a suburban Kansas City bar last year, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to premeditated first-degree murder. Adam Purinton, 52, pleaded guilty before a Kansas court.

He was charged with first-degree murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of his friend, Alok Madasani, and a bystander, who chased Purinton after he fled the Austin's Bar and Grill in Olathe city on February 22, last year.

Puriton had pleaded not guilty on all these charges and waived his preliminary hearing in late November 2017.

Kuchibhotla's widow welcomed the guilty plea. "Today's guilty verdict will not bring back my Srinu, but it will send a strong message that hate is never acceptable," she said in a statement.

According to court documents, Purinton's plea hearing was originally scheduled for May 8 but later it was moved to March 6. Witnesses said Purinton yelled at the two Indian men to "get out of my country" before pulling the trigger.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Purinton committed offences after substantial planning and premeditation, attempted to kill more than one person in a single criminal episode, and knowingly created a grave risk of death to others on the scene.

Purinton faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison.
Read original article at 112.ua

On the neutral territory, near the Hoptovka checkpoint in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine and Russia exchanged the detained border guards.



As a result, employees of the State Border Service Bohdan Martson and Igor Dziubak, kidnapped by the Russian special services in October 2017, were returned to Ukraine.



"This is a very complicated process, there were a lot of exchange letters, you understand that the aggressor country is not going for a simple exchange, there were complicated negotiations," the head of the State Border Service Petro Tsigikal said at the end of the operation.
Oleksandr Zakharchenko, the Head of the militants of the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic claimed that 15 agents of the Security Service of Ukraine turned out to be among the militants, pardoned and exchanged at the end of December 2017 as Donetsk News Agency reported.

Unfortunately, not all former prisoners were checked. 15 people that we exchange are the agents of the SBU, Zakharchenko claimed.

As we reported earlier, the last big exchange of prisoners took place in Donbas on Dec. 27. Then, 73 Ukrainians were released in exchange for 233 militants. The parties discussed the possibility of the next one and submitted the lists of individuals on Jan. 18 in Minsk.
The man could face up to 20 years in prison

Militants of self-proclaimed 'Donetsk People's Republic' (DNR) detained Yuriy Shapoval, the resident of Donetsk and citizen of Ukraine. According to the so-called 'Ministry of State Security', the man is suspected of 'espionage in favor of Ukraine'.

The non-recognized authority reported that since 2014 until recently, Shapovalov has been leading a Twitter account, where he posted pieces of information regarding the military infrastructure, locations of troops and vehicles of the 'armed forces of DNR', which 'contributed to the destabilization of the political situation in the republic'.

The militants also found out that the man made this information public deliberately since he was recruited by Ukraine's Armed Forces in summer 2015.

'In spite of his espionage activities, he did not clearly understand the full amount of responsibility that he faced, since the Ukrainian special services assured his such actions would not out him in danger,' the message said.

Shapovalov is now held in custody. Under the current law of the self-styled republic, the man might face from twelve to twenty years behind the bars.
Open source

Since Tuesday morning, armed Russian mercenaries have launched one attack on Ukrainian positions in the war-affected Donbas.

According to the HQ of the Ukrainian military, the enemy used grenade launchers and heavy machineguns to attack the army emplacements in Luhanske, Donetsk region.

None of the Ukrainian soldiers were killed or wounded.

The militants and regular units of the Russian army have been violating the ceasefire, offered by Minsk talks group; the parties had agreed that the armistice would begin on Monday midnight.

Related video:

Read News from Ukraine on 112.international
On March 6, pro-Kremlin militants and regular Russian army units shelled Ukrainian army emplacements three times. One government serviceman deceased, the press service of the Ukrainian military reported.

In Luhansk region, the enemy used RPGs and heavy machineguns to attack positions near Luhanske. Automatic grenade launchers and small arms were used in the area of Malynove.

In Donetsk region, hostile units opened fire in Avdiivka.

The ceasefire offered by the parties of the Minsk talks group has obviously failed, as Russian mercenaries continue to shell Ukrainian positions in Donbas. First attacks commenced a few hours after Monday midnight when the armistice was supposed to take effect.
The Big 3 Ukrainian mobile carriers were ordered to pay a total of $220 million for licenses on 4G service provision in the 1800 MHz range.

The big three of Ukraines mobile carriers expect the 4G mobile service in the 1800 MHz to be launched by July 2018. Representatives of all three corporations said this to reporters after the tender in Kyiv on Tuesday, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

The CEO of lifecell Ismet Yazici said that his company is ready to launch 4G mobile service already by July, once the works on frequency conversion are completed.

We are going to lauch the 1800 range in July. Nobody is allowed to lauch before July. Everyone is supposed to launch at the same time. Now the frequency exchange will begin, which is a very complicated process. I am not even sure if Ukraine has ever witnessed such a massive frequency exchange, - the CEO of Kyivstar Petro Chernyshov said.

He pointed out that in terms of the necessary infrastructure Kyivstar is fully ready to launch the 4G service in the 1800 MHz range.

The Director of Vodafone-Ukraine Olha Ustinova also said that her company is ready to launch the 4G mobile service as well.

I suppose we will launch the 4G service in the 2600 MHz range by the end of March, if nothing bad happens, while the service in the 1800 MHz range should be launched in early July, - she said.

Earlier, all of the carriers expected the 4G connection to start operating by late March or early April. The Big 3 Ukrainian mobile carriers were ordered to pay a total of $220 million for licenses on 4G service provision in the 1800 MHz range on Tuesday.

On 2 March, The National Commission for State Regulation of Communications opened the envelopes with carriers bids for licenses on 4G service provision in the 1800 MHz and set out the start price for each additional lot that was introduced during the trading by voice.

The bidding began with the following minimum prices: lot #4 - $10.25 million, #5 - $10 million, #6 - $10.25 million.
British neo-Nazis fighting in Ukraine are part of a wider scene. If we are to fight it, facts and reasoning will not be enough

Read the original text at The Guardian.

While reports of Britons being recruited by Ukrainian neo-Nazis to fight in a war against Russia appear to be somewhat exaggerated  two men hardly constitutes some sort of far-right stampede to the eastern edge of Europe  this is a good time to remember that hate is on the upswing, and to think of it as a localised phenomenon is to miss the bigger picture.

Consider the war that Russia is waging. After years of bloodshed, Ukraine fatigue has firmly settled in across much of the western media. Yet if we were paying closer attention to the conflict between Kiev and Moscow, we would notice an interesting element to the conflict  that the far right is involved on both sides, and that the values of these two groups pitted against each other are similar in many respects.

Members of the Ukrainian and the Russian far right are willing to riddle each other with very many bullet holes over such issues as the legacy of the second world war, and who the real heroes were. Ask them about abortion, however, or feminism, or migration, or antisemitism, or LGBT rights, or human rights in general, or, for that matter, government transparency and accountability, and suddenly these mortal enemies will seem more like good buddies who had a little tiff over history and national identity but will happily join forces to oppress whoever gets in their way, should the current conflict come to an end.

As the editors of the anarchist publication Nihilist.li have argued, the differences between the Kremlin and Ukrainian fascists are tactical  not strategic  Both Russian and Ukrainian far-right groups have the same values and the same political ideal  crony capitalism.

The greater lesson here is this: the resurgent far-right ideology tends to transcend borders as surely as the practical concerns of far-right groups  and their high-placed supporters  do. This is where the real threat lies, particularly as memories of the second world war begin to erode (it no longer has such an emotional pull on younger generations). More than anything, a holistic approach to far-right hatred in Europe  and, for that matter, the United States  is needed. Ukraines problems with the far right are Britains problems, are Bulgarias problems, are Austrias problems, and even, ultimately, Russias problems. (No matter how much Putin coddles and coopts the far right abroad, the truth is, he is never going to be extreme enough for his own extremists.)

In looking for solutions, we should consider the predicament the US now finds itself in  with a blatantly racist president who will reward any far-right group for as long as it sings his praises. Much has been made of Donald Trumps supporters desire to support this president at any cost. Reporters from elite publications are regularly parachuted into towns and districts that represent Trumps base in order to file bewildered, slightly apocalyptic reports on how there are millions of Americans out there who do not care that the man they elected thinks there are both sides to a conflict involving murderous far-right violence.

Even as we continue to combat fake news, it has become glaringly obvious that facts alone wont reach these racists and cheerleaders for racism  because support for Trump comes from a place thats wholly different to the place where we compile and analyze facts. As George Lakoff has argued, conservatives hierarchical moral worldview influences support to a great degree  this translates into support for the virulent racism of the current administration.

Far-right advances across nations embolden the far right in other nations. This trend is likely to continue  and this is why a couple of Britons traveling to Ukraine to fight alongside neo-Nazis is something to take notice of.

The causes of our current predicament can be debated  certainly, a great number of economic and social factors are at play  but what matters is the simple realization that what binds members of far-right groups can be exploited for good. Shared humanity, the idea of belonging to a common cause  these are the tools we have at our disposal if we wish to adequately address the rising tide of hate.

Tracking hate, analyzing it, understanding the damage it can and does inflict on communities is important  but it will not be enough in the days to come. Active resistance will be needed, and a crucial component of resistance is teaching people to connect with one another in meaningful ways, to establish horizontal ties that engage them not just intellectually and ideologically, but also emotionally.

To bring this back to Lakoff, what matters right now is not so much what far-right hate groups think, but what their members feel and believe. If we lose sight of that, the far-right threat will only grow and metastasize. As human beings, we have been at this crossroads before. The question is whether or not were willing to try something different this time around.
Read original article at 112.ua

After almost 4 years of confrontation and armed conflict in Donbas it became obvious that there was a dead end, the exit from which can be find in one  military way, but despite the hysteria about the law on the reintegration of Donbas and the gradual advancement of the Ukrainian forces through occupation of some settlements in the "gray zone" there is no talk of a large-scale offensive. As politicians say, no one will take responsibility for the bloodshed.



Although the Minsk agreements for 3 years after their conclusion have turned into paper rather than a real way of resolving the Donbas conflict, they continue to be a symbol of a peaceful, diplomatic way out of the situation.



For a long time, the entry of a peacekeeping mission under the aegis of the United Nations is considered a logical step on this path. At first time it was launched in 2015, but then the Russian Federation unequivocally stated that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council it would block this decision.



President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko returned to the topic of peacekeepers only 2 years later, in the summer of 2017. This time, the Russian Federation unexpectedly supported the idea of introducing peacekeepers. Moreover, on September 5, President Vladimir Putin even announced his readiness to submit a relevant resolution to the UN Security Council.



Such an initiative, rather, resembled a way to knock out a peace initiative from Ukraines hands (in any case, the Russian side proposed to introduce a small peacekeeping mission to Donbas and use it to protect the OSCE monitoring mission staff). But why they should enter peacekeepers to protect the OSCE mission, if the same work could be made by the staff of the armed forces specializing in security missions?



The Ukrainian version of the deployment of peacekeepers in Donbas presumed a large mission that would be located not only at the contact line between the warring sides, but also at the Ukrainian-Russian state border.



A similar option was proclaimed during the September General Assembly of the United Nations in New York and was supported by the United States and several European countries, but was predictably criticized by the Russian Federation.



Then came the period of specific diplomacy during which Kurt Volker, the special representative of the US State Department, met Vladislav Surkov, the presidential aide, and tried to coordinate the positions of the United States, Ukraine and Russia in order to work out a unified resolution on the peacekeeping mission. However, despite several meetings, it was not possible to do this until February 28.



On this day, unexpectedly for many people, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia, "at least is not against" the deployment of peacekeepers in the entire conflict zone of eastern Ukraine. Moreover, the head of the Russian Federation stressed that he came to this conclusion after a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Finally, the image of Russia in the international arena was broken by the history with the discovery of 389 kg of cocaine in the Russian embassy in Argentina. Although in the end, all that happened was presented as a joint special operation of law enforcement officers of both countries, the very fact of carrying such a quantity of drugs into the building clearly says that it happened not without the participation of influential forces in the diplomatic corps of the country that in any case casts a shadow on Russian diplomacy.



Perhaps in Russia they decided not to wait for what else will find the enemies by March 18, and hastened to agree with the proposal on peacekeepers at least.



However, another option is possible: this consent is part of the regular diplomatic game of Russia.



In this sense, the passage about the need to coordinate the issue of the peacekeepers deployment with the self-proclaimed "people's republics" of Donbas is interesting.



No one doubts that they will give the same answer as they are ordered in the Russian Federation, because their opinion has always coincided with the official line of the Kremlin: in 2015, the "head of the People's Republic", Alexander Zakharchenko, threatened the peacekeepers with "Armed Forces of DNR," and in the autumn of 2017, he said that that the introduction of peacekeepers is quite possible.



If "LNR" and "DNR" respond with consent, Russia will try to use this as evidence of the consent of Donbas people to see the peacekeepers, which will lead to "saving the face."



If the same "LNR" and "DNR" refuse, this will give an excuse for Russian Federation to disown from influencing the leadership of the republics and from accusing them of being nothing but the Russian occupation administrations in the Donbas. However, given that the latter is already approved at the official level in the Ukrainian legislation, such an "excuse" will not do anything.



Finally, the last option, explaining the need to coordinate the peacekeeping mission with Donbas Republics, may be that, in the opinion of the Russian Federation, such a move means at least a partial recognition of the self-proclaimed "republics".



The best for Russian diplomacy would be a variant of Ukraine's refusal to negotiate on peacekeepers with unrecognized "republics", which would allow Russians to state that the Ukrainian side does not intend to seek a peaceful solution of the Donbas issue, but wants to solve everything by force. It is precisely this thesis that the Ukrainian press, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and politicians are intensively promoting after the adoption of the law on Donbas reintegration.



In such circumstances, the Russian proposal to agree on the issue of the introduction of peacekeepers with self-proclaimed "republics" may be a cunning trap in the hope of Ukraine's refusal to deal with them, which will neutralize the peaceful initiatives of the Ukrainian side.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or 112.International and its owners.

Related: Those who talk about anti-Hungarian attitude in Ukraine should appeal to Kremlin, - Klimkin
Hungary does not consider the threat to block Euro-integration initiatives of Ukraine as the blackmail

Hungary will not support the international strivings of Ukraine until the conflict around the law on education is settled. Erno Keskeny, the Ambassador of Hungary to Ukraine claimed, Ukrainian News reported.

Our position is next: until Ukraine does not change this, we will not be able to support the international striving of Ukraine, the ambassador emphasized.

At the same time, he categorically denies that such pressure is the direct blackmailing of the Ukrainian authorities.

Ukraine does not discharge the commitments to the EU and the NATO by the fact that it adopted the law on education that seriously violates the rights of the national minorities, the ambassador claimed, commenting the situation when Hungary imposed the veto at the session of Ukraine-NATO commission. He explained that the annual program of the preparation of Ukraine to the NATO includes the development of the possibilities for the national minorities and the adopted law on education absolutely contradicts this.

Keskeny added that Budapest agrees to settle for a compromise in the case if the local Hungarians will consider the measures on the remediation of the situation assumed by Ukraine satisfactory.

The principal position of the Hungarian government is the next: the things that are good for the local Hungarians are good for the government. If the locals say that the situation is solved by a soothing way then the government will accept this, he claimed.

At the same time, the Hungarian side categorically does not accept the restrictions of the already present right of the Zakarpattia Hungarians to get the education in the mother-language at all levels but can be educated in the Ukrainian on the method of the foreign language.

The new law on education was signed by Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko on September 25. In particular, it introduces a 12-year-long school program and limits the number of subjects taught in the languages of national minorities. This particular decision evoked outrage in Moldova, Romania, Russia, and Hungary. Budapest even threatened to slow down the process of Ukraines integration with the EU.
The issues about Russias lack of the respect to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbors

Open source

Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State discussed the counteracting the Russian aggression with the representatives of the Baltic countries as the U.S. State Department reported.

Four NATO allies (the US, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) agreed to deepen the cooperation to counteract the cyber activity of Russia and discussed the strategies of the overcoming of the threat that Russia poses to the European security and Russias lack of the respect to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbors, the message said.

Also, the sides discussed the Baltic Summit that will be hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on April 3.

Earlier Tillerson claimed that the White House could expand the list of the Russian entities and officials that face sanctions.
The project aims to contribute to the long-term security of gas supplies to Europe, - Nord Stream 2 AG Chief Financial Officer Paul Corcoran

The ongoing gas dispute between Ukraine and Russia will not harm the implementation of Nord Stream II project. Paul Corcoran, the Chief Financial Officer of Nord Stream 2 AG company said that in his commentary for RIA Novosti news agency.

'The development of this (gas dispute, - 112 International) does not impede the deployment of Nord Stream II project since it aims to contribute to the long-term security of gas supplies to Europe', he stressed.

Last month, Stockholm arbitrary court granted the motion to the appeal filed by Naftogaz-Ukraine against Russia's energy enterprise Gazprom. The Ukrainian side received compensation (USD 4.6 billion) for the gas shortfall from Russia. Gazprom is also supposed to pay Naftogaz another 2.56 billion dollars, with additional 526,000 for every day of the delinquency - starting from March 1.

Gazprom protested against the court's decision and announced that all respective contracts with the Ukrainian side will be terminated. Meanwhile, Naftogaz demanded that Gazprom compensate 34 percent of the pre-payment for the emergency purchase from Europe, when the Russian company lowered pressure during the gas transit.
However, Russias president claimed that he is disappointed with the U.S. system but not with President Trump

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia claimed that the US roughly and blatantly deceived Russia during Euromaidan in 2014 as RIA News reported.

The American partners appealed to us and asked us to do everything, and I say almost literal request, to make Yanukovych not to employ the army to allow the opposition to free the squares, administrative buildings and proceeded to the fulfillment of the reached agreements on the normalization of the situation, Russian president said.

According to Putin, Russia agreed and the coup detat took place in Ukraine in a day.

They should call, do something or say a word at least. They should at least say  you know, there is such notion as the excessive act  we did not want this but the events moved in such way but we will do everything to return them in the legal framework. There was no word, conversely, there was the complete support of those who committed 'the coup detat, Putin claimed.

At the same time, Russias president noted that he is not disappointed with U.S. President Donald Trump with whom it is possible to agree and look for compromises.

I am disappointed not with my partner but with the system. It is impossible to not be disappointed because it shows the obvious inefficiency and that system is eating itself. It is quite difficult to interact with such system because it is unpredictable, Putin emphasized.

Yanukovych was elected as the president of Ukraine in 2010. On February 22, 2014, after three months of protests on Maidan, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine recognized him as self-removed from the post and not fulfilling his commitments and then new presidential election was announced. The same month Yanukovych escaped to Russia.

Yanukovych is suspected in the state treason and his case is considered in Kyiv. The questioning of Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine took place on February 21. He was a witness from the side of the prosecution. Also, the president of Ukraine mentioned many issues that can be found in the key-points of his testimony.
Open source

President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko believes that electricity prices for the population should not increase. He said in the interview for Ukrainian TV channels, broadcasted by 112 Ukraine.

The core position, I insist on, is the following  yes, there is a need to impose European norms and yes, we have to fulfill the obligations we took under the Agreement with the Association. But the Ukrainian nation, Ukrainian people do not have to pay for these whims. Consumer prices should be increased by these reforms. I doubt that this system (RAB-tariff, - ed.), I am not sure, will be imposed in April. I think this requires additional steps by the Government and, probably, Parliament, he said.

According to the President, an energy market has not been introduced in Ukraine yet.

We do not have this market for now. We have a system of allocation of funds, launched at the beginning of this century, under which everyone takes resources both from industry and population and then distribute them in quite opaque ways, he said.

He stressed, that there is a need to adopt a law, which would impose a clear and effective competition on the energy market in the near future.

Whose price is lower, they win and sell. Whoever price is high, those have to leave the market. All the EU countries follow this principle. So I consider its weird to be against such principle because it eliminates monopoly on the market, the President stressed.

Earlier we reported that Andriy Parubiy, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, is for revision of the system of RAB-tariffs formation for regional power companies. Recently, Ukraines PM Groysman said, that the Cabinet of Ministers does not support the RAB-control of power supply companies, which was proposed by the National Commission  the agency that deals with energy and utility industries.
If any of the MPs decide to observe the elections, it will be their own choice

Open source

Elections in Russia (on March 18) and in Azerbaijan (on April 11) will be held without European Parliament observers. David McAllister and Linda McAvan, leaders of the democratic group, informed, Ukrinform reports.

According to them, the European Parliament refuses to observe the voting procedure in Russia and Azerbaijan and will not comment on the results.

None of the MPs of the European Parliament will receive a mandate to observe and comment on this electoral process on the behalf of the EP, McAllister and McAvan said.

As the representatives of the EP explained, if any of MPs decide to observe the elections, it will be their own choice. The European Parliament is not responsible for that.

The EU informed, that Russian agencies offered some of the international observers to cover travel and accommodations costs. The EU believes, that this contradicts with the main ethical principles of an electoral observer.
The politician is about to return to Ukraine until the end of 2018

Mikheil Saakashvili, the former president of Georgia and former governor of Odesa region is ready to become a prime minister of Ukraine or the Mayor of Odesa as Meduza reported.

I am ready to be a prime minister; I said about this many times, he said.

He also specified whether he is going to run for the presidency in Ukraine and said that the main reforms should take place through the government.

Of course, no. I think that there should not be two persons at the helm in Ukraine at the transient state. The president should deal with the defense and foreign policy but the reforms, changes, the mental revolution should take place through the government and the parliamentarian majority, Saakashvili emphasized.

Also, he said that Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine earlier offered him the post of the prime minister but according to Saakashvili, it was a publicity move of the president.

When Poroshenko offered me twice or thrice I discussed terms with him, I understood that it is for the PR, and then I will be removed from there and I will not be allowed to make any reformatory step. He did not want to change the ministers, he did not want a new parliamentarian election, he also did not want to get rid of this corruption majority in the parliament. Unlikely I would be able to reach any success with my hands tied. I experienced this in Odesa. If the prime minister does not have the ministers and the parliament it is not better than the powerless governor of Odesa, Saakashvili noted.

Also, he said that he does not mind to become the mayor of Odesa.

When I change Ukraine I certainly want to move to Odesa and become its mayor. Possibly, it is the next stage of my career, Saakashvili said.

According to former Odesa governor, he did not have any authorities toward Odesa Mayor Office at the previous employment.

We achieved something but it is important to understand that it is not even the hundredth part that I wanted to do. I had no authorities toward Odesa Mayor Office. The mayor office was absolutely controlled by the criminals and they bring the money in the administration of the president every month. This is it. Unfortunately, Odesa, the city that I love so much did not change in any way; moreover, we opened there a few beaches for the people. And even this was not in our authority and we violated the law. I am in great demand over the citizens of Odesa, the politician said.

Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine revoked the Ukrainian citizenship of Saakashvili last July on the basis of the false data that is indicated in the form for the Migration Service.
The incident occurred on Brovarsky avenue near Lisna metro station

Two grenades exploded in Kyiv on Brovarsky avenue near Lisna metro station. This was reported by dtp.kiev.ua on Facebook.

The unknown blew up two grenades, the car of Toyota Camry model burnt down. The suspects ran in the direction of Brovary, the message says.

Grenade splinter injured one man. He is receiving medical aid.

The traffic in Brovary direction is blocked.

The police announced the amber alert. Bomb-disposal experts, criminalists, doctors, emergency service and patrol police are present at the site.

The type of grenade is still unknown.

As it was reported a man was stabbed to death in the government quarter in Lyuteranska Street in Kyiv on March 6. Police reported that two suspects are wanted at the moment. Also, the descriptive information is available. One of the men is about 35-37-year-old, the height is 170cm, he has round face with facial hair, middle-sized nose, dark eyes, full lips and slight build.

Related video:
PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
The 15,226-TEU Maersk Honam experienced a serious fire in one of its cargo holds Tuesday, leaving four crew members still missing.



The worlds largest ocean carrier, Maersk Line, revealed that its liner vessel, the 15,226-TEU Maersk Honam, reported a serious fire in one of its cargo holds at 15:20 GMT Tuesday.

Twenty-three crewmembers have been safely evacuated to the 4,380-TEU ALS Ceres, while four remain unaccounted for.

The Singapore-flagged Maersk Honam was built in 2017. It operates on 2M Alliances Asia-Mediterranean AE11/Jade service, along with 10 other vessels. These other vessels range in size from 13,050 TEUs and 15,908 TEUs, according to BlueWater Reporting.

The Maersk Honam departed Singapore March 1, and was scheduled to arrive in Malta March 14 via the Suez Canal, according to Maersks most recent online service schedules. It was in the midst of its 806W voyage, which departed Qingdao Feb. 13.

Maersk reported the vessel was carrying 7,860 containers, and that affected customers would be contacted.

The full port rotation of the AE11/Jade is Qingdao, Busan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Xiamen, Nansha, Yantian Shenzhen, Singapore, Malta (Marsaxlokk), Barcelona, Valencia, La Spezia, Gioia Tauro, Port Said Egypt, King Abdullah City, Dubai Jebel Ali, Singapore, Shekou Shenzhen (Chiwan), Xiamen and Qingdao.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and no information regarding replacement vessels has been released.

We will investigate this incident thoroughly, but for now our focus is on doing our outmost to continue the ongoing search and rescue operations and taking as good care as possible of the evacuated crew members, a Maersk spokesperson told American Shipper.

Aiding in the search for the missing crew members are the vessels Gerd Maersk and MSC Lauren of 2Ms TP2/AE12/Jaguar/Phoenix, and the Edith Maersk of the AE7/Condor.
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. The thunderous belligerent threats of Azerbaijan do not fit into the context of normal statements of political leaders, former Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Vladimir Kazimirov told ARMENPRESS.

These statements should be individually collected for publishing a book on bizarreness and humor in the future. Arent there any such publishers who would be able to collect them and publish such priceless collection of voiced ideas in the last decade of the Karabakh conflict, lets say after Heydar Aliyev. After all, it would ensure unique reading [audience]. It isnt easy to have a similar collection in other countries in our era. Non other but the defense ministry should know that the present day war is not what it was in the end of the previous century, and in this regard one should joke carefully. And the infamous statement on 'returning' Yerevan was just another fairy tale, he said.

Kazimirov, who served as Co-Chair from 1992 to 1996 and was also the Russian presidential plenipotentiary representative for the NK issue, head of the Russian mediation mission, says those who threaten with war cant not realize that the foreign situation doesnt conform with these fantasies and adventurisms. He mentioned that naturally the settlement of the conflict through a peaceful way is more realistic, which is fully achievable in case of seriously refusing the use of force, if clear international guarantees are added to this.

Perhaps the bloodless option is not profitable for somebody: I wouldnt want to believe in this. This is simply deception of their own people with demonstrative patriotism, systematic exclamations and actions for maintaining power. It is already time to think in advance about the reaction of Russia, the US and France, and not just the Co-Chairs. In reality, with loud threats and fantasies official Baku is protracting the option of resolution of the conflict, which is unfavorable for itself, by passing it on to new generations, he said.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. US President Trump expressed cautious optimism Tuesday about the prospects of nuclear talks with North Korea, but said the U.S. would wait and see how things play out  and he did not rule out the military option, USA Today reports.

"Theres been a lot of news on that today, hopefully its positive," Trump said during a joint news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven. "Hopefully it will lead to a very positive result.

And in a tweet earlier on Tuesday, the US President said progress was possible, but cautioned that the North Korean overtures "may be false hope." He also tweeted that "the World is watching and waiting!" and that "the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!"

Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!  he tweeted.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean delegates have agreed to work on de-escalating tension in the Korean peninsula during a historic visit to Pyongyang. The parties also discussed the possibility of holding a summit of both heads of states, the Korean Central Telegram Agency reported.

Kim Jong-un exchanged ideas over de-escalating military tension in the Korean peninsula, dialogue and multilateral contacts and activation of cooperation and exchanges, the agency said.

The South Korean presidents envoys and the North Korean leader held the meeting in a sincere environment.

Kim Jong-un has agreed to hold a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

The South Korean delegation arrived in the North on March 5 and included 10 high ranking officials, including the chief of the national intelligence service and national security advisor to the South Korean president.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. The United States has determined Pyongyang used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Malaysia in 2017 and has imposed sanctions in response, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement the U.S. government made the formal determination about the use of VX on Feb. 22 under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991.

The additional sanctions on Pyongyang went into effect on March 5.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson determined North Korea had used chemical weapons in violation of international law or lethal chemical weapons against its own nationals.

Kims estranged half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, was killed at the airport in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 13, 2017. Two women are on trial on charges of murdering Kim by smearing his face with VX.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Italy, which chairs the OSCE in 2018, will spare no effort to help and facilitate an agreement between the parties of the NK conflict to reach a sustainable and negotiatied solution, press officer for the Italian OSCE Chairmanship Giovanni Davoli told ARMENPRESS in an exclusive interview.

Italy assumed the OSCE chairmanship starting January, 2018. What will be the priorities of Italys chairmanship in the OSCE?

As outlined by Foreign Minister Alfano to the OSCE Permanent Council on 11 January, the priorities for our Chairmanship are as follows: following on from the action of previous Chairmanships, full support for seeking a solution to the crisis in and around Ukraine and the protracted conflicts in the OSCE area. In this context, Minister Alfano carried out a mission to Ukraine (30-31 January 2018), including a visit to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Donbass, and to Moscow (1 February), in his quality as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office; greater attention in the OSCE to the challenges and opportunities arising in the Mediterranean, in particular promoting a more defined role for the OSCE on migration, as underlined at the Mediterranean Conference chaired by Minister Alfano in Palermo on 24  25 October 2017; a proactive approach to the OSCEs three dimensions (politico-military, economic-environmental, human rights) and on new transnational threats (terrorism, cybersecurity, combatting illegal trafficking in arms, drugs, cultural goods, and hazardous waste)

As acting Chairman of the OSCE, what prospects do you see for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict?

The elements for a solution to the crisis have all already been laid out at the negotiating table, thanks to the focused commitment of the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group. The validity of the approach so far adopted is therefore fully confirmed: when both parties have been engaged at the top political level, through direct contacts between the two Presidents, we have witnessed positive developments. In this respect, we are in favor and encourage further contacts at the highest level, being aware that the political will of the parties is key in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.

Will you have any separate initiative, which might boost the negotiations over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement?

The Italian Chairmanship of the OSCE is committed to pursue a political, negotiated and sustainable solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We will act in the vein and consistently with the previous OSCE Chairmanships to support the Co-chairs of the Minsk Group. No effort will be spared on our side to help and facilitate an agreement between the parties, in accordance with the Madrid principles and the Helsinki Final Act.

How would you assess the current level of the Armenian-Italian relations? How do you assess the political dialogue, what are the prospects in terms of boosting economic ties?

Our bilateral relations with Armenia are excellent and based on solid historic and cultural ties. We consider Armenia a close friend and a reliable partner in the region, both at the political and economic level. The intensity of our relations is proved by many important initiatives organized throughout 2017, such as the first session of the Joint Economic Commission, held in Rome last June. As far as the economic ties are concerned, there are many complementarities between our economies. At the same time, we believe there are broad margins to further increase our cooperation, especially in the industrial sector and bilateral trade. We will therefore work to strengthen these ties both at the institutional and promotional level, to the benefit of our civil societies and enterprises.

Interview by Araks Kasyan

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Gary Cohn, top economic advisor to US President Donald Trump, announced his decision to resign in the upcoming weeks, Interfax reports.

In a statement Gary Cohn thanked for the opportunity to work at the Trump administration and wished further success to the President.

Trump said on Twitter that he will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor.

Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely!, Trump tweeted.

According to media reports, one of the reasons of Cohns resignation is Trumps plan for hefty steel and aluminum import tariffs.

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan will donate 30 million dollars to Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a literacy initiative aimed at increasing literacy at lower grades, The Boston Globe reported.

The initiative, called Reach Every Reader, is planned for five years.

The universities plan to create a network to enable determining the educational institution where the most serious issues exist.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. A new lawsuit filed by the porn star known as Stormy Daniels claims US President Donald Trump never signed a hush agreement regarding an alleged sexual encounter between the two and therefore the agreement is void, CNN reports.

According to the legal complaint Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, signed the document on behalf of the President instead.

The porn star, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims in the lawsuit to have had an affair with Trump several years prior to his presidency. However, the lawsuit claims that when he was running for office and multiple women were coming forward to share stories of their own alleged encounters with the then-Republican presidential candidate, Cohen intervened in an attempt to keep Clifford from coming forward as well.

"Despite Mr. Trump's failure to sign the Hush Agreement, Mr. Cohen proceeded to cause $130,000.00 to be wired to the trust account of Ms. Clifford's attorney. He did so even though there was no legal agreement and thus no written nondisclosure agreement whereby Ms. Clifford was restricted from disclosing the truth about Mr. Trump," the document states.

The lawsuit says Cohen has continued his attempts at silencing Clifford -- including as recently as February 27, 2018.

Just weeks before the 2016 election, Cohen reportedly created a private LLC to pay off Clifford, The Wall Street Journal reported in January.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Turkish law enforcement agencies have detained 13 people in Adana as part of an anti-ISIS operation. The detained were allegedly plotting to attack the US consulate in the city, Diken reported.

All suspects have been taken to the local police station to testify.

Earlier on March 5 the US Embassy in Ankara ceased operations for two days amid intelligence reports on a possible ISIS threat. The Embassy also issued a travel warning to its citizens.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. The extraordinary session convened by the government kicked off in the Armenian Parliament, reports Armenpress.

89 MPs were registered.

At the beginning of the session the issues discussed during the previous session will be put up to voting.

During the March 6 session the lawmakers discussed more than 10 issues which will be put up to voting.

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. The Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov met on March 7 with the RF delegation led by the Executive Director of the History of the Motherland Foundation Konstantin Mogilevsky and the Director of the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Yerevan Sergey Rybinsky, to take part in the Conference dedicated to the 190th anniversary of the Treaty of Turkmenchay.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia, Eduard Sharmazanov offered condolences on the Russian An-26 aircraft crash while landing at Hmeymim Airport of Syria that claimed lives of over 3 dozens.

The parliament Vice President highlighted the holding of the Conference with the heading The Treaty of Turkmenchay: 190 Years. The History and the Present in Yerevan, underlining that such events are important not only in terms of once again evaluating the past, but also informing the youth about the Armenian-Russian centuries-old friendship and common past.

The victory in the Great Patriotic War is our peoples common victory, and the new generation should be well aware of that and recognize heroes. The Armenian and the Russian peoples friendship is anchored on Christian values. We have common values and we should preserve them, he underscored.

Eduard Sharmazanov proposed them to organize an Armenian-Russian scientific-educational conference dedicated to the Battle of Kursk, noting that the Chief of Marshal of Tank Troops of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Great Patriotic War Hamazasp Babajanyan was the hero of that Battle. He proposed also to discuss the issue of also organizing the exhibition in the Russian Federation with the heading Parliamentarians against Genocides dedicated to the 70thjubilee year of the adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide by the UN.

In terms of the implementation of the initiatives and the programmes the guests underlined the support of the History of the Motherland Foundation and the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Yerevan.

The perspectives of the activation of the two peoples political, military, educational and scientific ties were discussed. It has been noted that the further development and deepening of the bilateral relations stems from the interests of the two states.

English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Ambassador to Indonesia H.E. Anna Aghajanyan held a farewell meeting with the countrys foreign minister Retno Marsudi on March 6 as her term in office is ending.

During the meeting the Indonesian minister praised the Ambassadors activities during her tenure and attached importance to the opning of the Armenian Embassy in Jakarta in terms of developing bilateral relations. The minister was also pleased to note the development of Armenian-Indonesian cooperation in various directions.

The outgoing Ambassador thanked the FM for the high appreciation and emphasized the Indonesian governments constant assistance to the Embassy, especially the foreign ministrys assistance.

The sides exchanged ideas over regional issues and developments of mutual interest, the foreign ministry said.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Google has signed a contract with the Pentagon for designing an algorithm analyzing data from unmanned aerial vehicles, Gizmodo reported citing unnamed sources.

Google has partnered with the United States Department of Defense to help the agency develop artificial intelligence for analyzing drone footage, a move that set off a firestorm among employees of the technology giant when they learned of Googles involvement.

The Pentagon has reportedly asked Google for help to cope with the volume of drone intel data.

The project concerns a technology called Maven, which is designed to automatically recognize objects.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Minister of foreign affairs of Armenia Edward Nalbandian on March 7 received the delegation led by Mayor of Lyon Georges Kepenekian, the ministry told Armenpress.

FM Nalbandian welcomed the Lyon Mayors delegations visit to Yerevan and highly appreciated Georges Kepenekians personal contribution to strengthening the Armenia-France unique ties.

In his turn the Lyon Mayor thanked for the warm reception and said Lyon is ready to open a new page between Yerevan and Lyon in economic, educational and cultural spheres, as well as in the fields of new technologies.

Mayor Kepenekian presented the results of his Yerevan visit to the FM, in particular, talking about the new partnership agreement signed between Lyon and Yerevan, the meetings at the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, the French University in Armenia, as well as the agreements reached as a result of the cooperation.

The Lyon Mayor informed that his delegation includes representatives of business circles, educational institutions, libraries, museums, tourism who had meetings and productive discussions with their partners.

The officials also touched upon the Armenian-French decentralized cooperation attaching importance to the progressive development of mutual cooperation within such format.

Minister Nalbandian and Mayor Kepenekian stated that the Armenian-French relations continue deepening and strengthening at all directions the vivid evidence of which are the bilateral mutual visits, the active inter-parliamentary cooperation, promotion of French investments in Armenia and expansion of legal framework.

The two officials highlighted the valuable role of the French-Armenian community in strengthening the friendship between the two countries and deepening the bilateral ties.

FM Nalbandian and the Lyon Mayor also exchanged views on the preparation works of the La Francophonie summit which will be held in Yerevan in October 2018. The participation of the Lyon representatives to the Economic Forum and other events within the frames of the summit were discussed in-detail during the meeting.

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan






YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Although the status-quo in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is not sustainable long term, the issue cannot have a military solution, OSCE Minsk Group USA Co-Chair Andrew Schofer said in an interview to the Azerbaijani Trend news agency.

He emphasized that the US supports the negotiated settlement process and continues active cooperation with Armenia and Azerbaijan over this matter in the role of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair.

The United States longstanding policy, shared by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, is that a just settlement must be based on international law, which includes the Helsinki Final Act and the core principles of the non-use of force or threat of force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination. We also agree that the current status quo in the region is not sustainable over the long term, and that there is no acceptable military solution to the conflict, he said, according to Trend.

Schofer stressed that the Co-Chairs are ready to work with the parties in any format which will lead to a long term settlement.

We continue to encourage the presidents and foreign ministers to meet at the earliest opportunity to continue discussions on key issues, including the importance of respecting the ceasefire and taking steps towards fully implementing decisions taken in Geneva in 2017, as well as in Vienna and St. Petersburg in 2016," he added, as quoted by Trend.

Speaking about a question regarding the expansion of the office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the US Co-Chair underscored that it will be an important step, which will prove the commitment of the parties in calming tensions along the line of contact.

Schofer attached importance to the existence of sincere efforts from the sides.

He didnt provide any information about an upcoming regional visit mentioning that the schedule over this matter is not specified yet and is related with the electoral processes in the region.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. All kindergartens in Yerevan will be renovated under the citys development program, Anna Stepanyan, head of the public education department of the City Hall told a press conference.

She said that Mayor Taron Margaryan is focusing on all educational institutions.

She said that a number of kindergartens will be renovated this year, whereas all remaining kindergartens will be renovated in course of the 5-year project.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. After the completion of renovation works the N114 kindergarten in Yerevans Nor Nork district is opening its doors for kids with a renovated yard, new equipment and design, and even a new name, reports Armenpress.

The kindergarten will be called Tsiatsan (Rainbow) in line with its look and colorful solutions.

Starting from flowers in the yard to every part of the interior is a result of imagination and hard work of First Lady of Armenia Rita Sargsyan.

One of the kids of the kindergarten, Hrant, toured the building with First Lady Rita Sargsyan and Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan and told about the new opportunities of the new kindergarten.

60 out of 350 kids attending the kindergarten are children with general development disabilities. The new kindergarten now provides them with perfect conditions to feel like in their own home.

In addition to the doctors room, renovated kitchen, gym, the kindergarten also has a room for logopedist and psychologist equipped with necessary items.

I am just afraid that kids will not want to go home from here. Everything has been done for the children to grow up in a warm and beautiful atmosphere, and I am convinced that there cannot be an evil person here, the First Lady said.

Coming to the group rooms, the First Lady here as well gave unique and interesting solutions.

The first room is called four seasons. The room is decorated with decorative trees depicting four seasons of the year, as well as with different toys. The second one is the animal room with a lot of toy animals.

The third room was decorated with the photos of the kids of that particular room. The next room, which is the most favorite room of the First Lady, is called a sailors room.

I like children very much and for me its quite easy to work with them. What you do with love, you easily succeed, Rita Sargsyan said.

Head of Nor Nork administrative district Armen Ulikhanyan expressed satisfaction over the renovation of the kindergarten and considered it as the best kindergarten of Yerevan.

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan




YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. A commission has been created to deal with the solution of the problems which were caused after the Jerusalem Municipalitys decision on charging real estate taxes from church-owned properties and the new bill on the properties. Representatives of Christian spiritual institutions will also work with the commission, Archimandrite Koryun Baghdasaryan, chancellor of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem told ARMENPRESS.

Please tell us at what phase are the latest developments, what resolution did the problem get?

In the end of February the three spiritual leaders who hold custody decided to open the doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, because the day before the office of the Israeli Prime Minister released a statement. It concerned the municipalitys decision on charging taxes from churches and monasteries, and the bill which has been introduced in the Knesset, according to which if any church-owned property would be given for lease the government would be entitled to expropriate this property by paying compensation to the church. According to the statement from the Prime Ministers office, these two  the decision and the bill  have been suspended. The Prime Minister set up a commission including municipality, finance ministry, internal and foreign affairs ministry officials. In addition, representatives from all Christian spiritual institutions should participate in negotiations to reach a common decision.

Obviously this issue didnt surface all of a sudden. Overall how long has the issue related to the church-owned lands existed in Jerusalem?

We can say that the bill regarding the properties in Jerusalem has been undergoing the preparation phase for already a year. The reason is the following: Since 2010 the Greek Patriarchate had signed contracts with a company recognized by the state. This company , which had rented a church-owned property for 99 years, had refused from this right at some phase and was ready to sell its right of rent to a third party. Factually, the Greek Patriarch had agreed since 2010 that this third party can be any individual company. And since then the right of rent of many properties were transferred to the ownership of individual organizations. This is the reason that this bill was introduced.

This was the reason, but what is the general policy towards church-owned properties?

The rights of church-owned properties belong to the church, this is clearly recorded. These properties serve as income source for the implementation of the churchs mission, the churchs maintenance. There were cases when the states church-owned properties were declared green zones or a public park. When a green zone is declared for a church-owned property, the church cannot do anything there. The state cant do anything also without the agreement of the given church. Such cases exist, definitely this causes great harm to the church, because today it is impossible to realize any program or project concerning these properties. And as we know, the more projects the more revenues will be ensured for church institutions. And in case of income, the mission can be carried out more effectively.

The Municipality explained its decision by saying that the budget has a gap and they cant collect sufficient resources. How would you comment this argument?

Churches and monasteries have been exempt from paying taxes for many centuries. We will never agree for taxes to be introduced against churches and monasteries. This cant be considered as means for the municipality to fill the gap in the budget. They must find another way. The Mayor had addressed the finance minister, and only when he got a rejection he took this step. In any case, when they say debt, we dont consider it a debt because for many centuries we have been exempt from taxes, such kind of a debt is unacceptable for us. All those church-owned properties which are on lease pay taxes. We oppose defining taxes for churches and monasteries, while outside of this the Christian institutions pay taxes for all profit-generating properties.

How does the US Presidents statement on acknowledging Jerusalem to be Israels capital and the developments related to the bill and the municipality decision impact tourism flow?

Certainly a decrease of tourism numbers is noticed since the US Presidents statement as well as closing the doors of the church. Because violence took place after the US Presidents statement, the conflict seemingly awakened, many cancelled their visits. The same after closing the door of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, when a pilgrim is coming to the Holy Land the first destination is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. And if the pilgrim thinks that when he arrives to Jerusalem he wont see the main holy site, he will think about cancelling the trip.

If I am not mistaken, representatives of the Armenian community are mostly involved in the service sector  trade, rendering services. I believe that the drop in visits is also making economic impact on locals, including the Armenian community.

Yes, you are correct, Armenians are mostly [involved] in the service sector. The decrease of the number of visitors of the city certainly impacts the residents, including Armenians. But the locals are seemingly used to the fact that a long-term calm situation doesnt happen here. Some kind of incidents or actions happen all the time, which negatively impacts the service sector, and the situation is restored after some time. 3000 Armenians live in the Armenian district of Jerusalem alone. Overall 8000 Armenians live in the Holy Land, I mean both Israel and sections of Palestine. All our projects and initiatives are implemented through a united committee where all unions are represented. There is an active collaboration.

Interview by Anna Gziryan

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MACH 7, ARMENPRESS. After the government temporarily ceased sale restrictions of certain medications, deputy healthcare minister Sergey Khachatryan said the ministry has had concerns about the new prescription-only procedure since the very beginning.

According to him the ministry had fears regarding patient flows and certain problems. These fears were confirmed during the process. Thats why a bill was designed to partially suspend the decision, he said.

The deputy healthcare minister says despite the large scale work, it was only upon launching the new motion when certain problems emerged, regarding patient visits and the prescriptions.

They are currently monitoring the situation and registering possible problems which obstruct the process, according to him.

Presently only antiviral medications, including antibiotics, are sold only with prescriptions. Intravenous medicine will be sold under prescriptions only starting July 1.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on March 7 received the delegation led by Mayor of Lyon Georges Kepenekian who arrived in Yerevan on an official visit, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

Welcoming the Lyon delegation, the President congratulated Georges Kepenekian on being elected Mayor of Lyon and wished him numerous achievements. Serzh Sargsyan said Armenians will consider the achievements of our compatriot in France as their own since they are important component of the Armenian-French friendship. According to the President, Georges Kepenekian with his activity proved that he is a deserving citizen of France and a devotee of the Armenain people. President Sargsyan expressed confidence the Lyon Mayor will serve at best his experience and abilities to intensify the relations between Lyon and Yerevan and strengthen the friendship between the Armenian and French peoples. President Sargsyan also congratulated the Lyon Mayor on being awarded with a Gold Medal of the Mayor of Yerevan.

Serzh Sargsyan warmly remembered his visit to Paris a month ago and first meeting with President Macron, as well as his visit to Lyon in spring of 2017 and interesting talk with former Mayor of Lyon, a great friend of the Armenian people Gerard Collomb.

Commenting on the Armenian-French unique relations, the President said the friendship has no boundaries, and the two countries always should expand the cooperation and strengthen the relations every year.

Mayor of Lyon Georges Kepenekian thanked the President for the congratulations and wishes. He said his delegation includes experienced specialists of different fields thanks to whom he hopes to expand multilayer cooperation in Armenia. The Lyon Mayor talked about the productive meetings held in Yerevan and the cooperation agreements reached in several fields.

The delegation members also introduced their impressions from the Yerevan meetings stating that they see a great cooperation potential with Armenia and are confident that Armenia can look at the future with a great optimism.

The meeting also touched upon the summit of the International Organization of La Francophonie which will be held in Armenia this year in October. The President said Armenia approaches to the organization of this event with a great responsibility as it considers the Francophonie a leading civilization value system that played a key role in the human civilization and progress.



English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan




YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a message on the International Womens Day, the UN Office in Armenia told Armenpress.

The message says:

We are at a pivotal moment for womens rights. The historical and structural inequalities that have allowed oppression and discrimination to flourish are being exposed like never before. From Latin America to Europe to Asia, on social media, on film sets, on the factory floor and in the streets, women are calling for lasting change and zero tolerance for sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination of all kinds.

Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is the unfinished business of our time, and the greatest human rights challenge in our world.

The activism and advocacy of generations of women has borne fruit. There are more girls in school than ever before; more women are doing paid work and in senior roles in the private sector, academia, politics and in international organizations, including the United Nations. Gender equality is enshrined in countless laws, and harmful practices like female genital mutilation and child marriage have been outlawed in many countries.

But serious obstacles remain if we are to address the historic power imbalances that underpin discrimination and exploitation.

More than a billion women around the world lack legal protection against domestic sexual violence. The global gender pay gap is 23 per cent, rising to 40 per cent in rural areas, and the unpaid work done by many women goes unrecognized. Womens representation in national parliaments stands, on average, at less than one quarter, and in boardrooms it is even lower. Without concerted action, millions more girls will be subjected to genital mutilation over the next decade.

Where laws exist, they are often ignored, and women who pursue legal redress are doubted, denigrated and dismissed. We now know that sexual harassment and abuse have been thriving in workplaces, public spaces and private homes, in countries that pride themselves on their record of gender equality.

The United Nations should set an example for the world.

I recognize that this has not always been the case. Since the start of my tenure last year, I have set change in motion at UN headquarters, in our peacekeeping missions and in all our offices worldwide.

We have now reached gender parity for the first time in my senior management team, and I am determined to achieve this throughout the organization. I am totally committed to zero tolerance of sexual harassment and have set out plans to improve reporting and accountability. We are working closely with countries around the world to prevent and address sexual exploitation and abuse by staff in peacekeeping missions, and to support victims.

We at the United Nations stand with women around the world as they fight to overcome the injustices they face  whether they are rural women dealing with wage discrimination, urban women organizing for change, women refugees at risk of exploitation and abuse, or women who experience intersecting forms of discrimination: widows, indigenous women, women with disabilities and women who do not conform to gender norms.

Womens empowerment is at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals means progress for all women, everywhere. The Spotlight initiative launched jointly with the European Union will focus resources on eliminating violence against women and girls, a prerequisite for equality and empowerment.

Let me be clear: this is not a favour to women. Gender equality is a human rights issue, but it is also in all our interests: men and boys, women and girls. Gender inequality and discrimination against women harms us all.

There is ample evidence that investing in women is the most effective way to lift communities, companies, and even countries. Womens participation makes peace agreements stronger, societies more resilient and economies more vigorous. Where women face discrimination, we often find practices and beliefs that are detrimental to all. Paternity leave, laws against domestic violence and equal pay legislation benefit everyone.

At this crucial moment for womens rights, it is time for men to stand with women, listen to them and learn from them. Transparency and accountability are essential if women are to reach their full potential and lift all of us, in our communities, societies and economies.

I am proud to be part of this movement, and I hope it continues to resonate within the United Nations and around the world.
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Minister of economic development and investments Suren Karayan on March 7 received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Armenia Yogeshwar Sangwan, the ministry told Armenpress.

Minister Karayan said there is a great potential to deepen the Armenian-Indian economic cooperation.

The officials discussed the opportunities of mutual partnership between the two countries, in particular, in the spheres of pharmaceutics and information technologies.

The Indian Ambassador presented in which concrete programs the Indian businessmen can be engaged.

The sides also discussed the prospects of establishing joint industrial productions.

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has denied the initiative calling on changing the countrys national anthem and making it gender-neutral.

No, I am against changing the lyrics of the anthem, the president said.

The country's equality commissioner, Kirsten Rose-Moehring, had proposed replacing words like "fatherland" and "brotherly", according to German media.

Chancellor Merkel weighed in on the debate on Monday, saying she was "very satisfied" with the current lyrics.

Canada and Austria have recently adopted gender-neutral phrases in their national anthems.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Russian hip hop artist Timati has demanded 5-10 million rubles (88,000  175,000 USD) in damages from an Armenian cab driver who had collided with his vehicle, Russian media said.

The traffic collision happened on March 3 when a Mercedes hit a Volkswagen.

The Mercedes was driven by the security entourage of the rapper and is owned by Timati himself. The car was completely destroyed by fire. An Armenian cab driver named Hrant Altunyan was behind the wheel of the Volkswagen.

Until now the traffic police are unable to determine who caused the accident.

The cab belongs to a taxi service owned by an Armenian family  the Martirosyans. The family said theyve already received several calls since the accident happened offering to pay compensation. One of the callers introduced himself as head of the rappers security detail. The hip hop artist, who has previously collaborated with Snoop Dogg, Craig David and Timbaland, among others, is claiming 5-10 million rubles in compensation for damages.

If the cab driver is found to be guilty for the accident the owner of the Mercedes can file a lawsuit and demand the compensation. The burnt SUVs value is around 8 million rubles.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Ara Babloyan on March 7 received the delegation led by Mayor of Lyon Georges Kepenekian, the Parliament told Armenpress.

Welcoming the delegations visit to Armenia, the Parliament Speaker touched upon the Armenian-French inter-state relations and the high level of political dialogue between the two friendly countries.

Speaker Babloyan congratulated Georges Kepenekian on being elected Mayor of Lyon and wished him success for the benefit of the people of Lyon and the Armenian-French friendship.

Ara Babloyan attached importance to the upcoming Francophonie summit which will be held in Yerevan in October considering it an additional platform for further deepening the Armenian-French relations.

The Speaker also talked about the activity of the friendship groups operating in the Armenian and French parliaments and expressed confidence that the good traditions formed for decades will continue.

As for the Lyon delegations visit to Armenia, the Speaker said the thorough program of the delegation shows that the Armenian-French decentralized cooperation is on a high level. He expressed hope that this visit will contribute to implementing new projects in numerous fields of cooperation.

Ara Babloyan highly appreciated the Lyon Mayors human and professional high qualities as a doctor, a leader on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and fight for the rights of the Armenian people.

Georges Kepenekian thanked for the warm reception and introduced the delegation members. He said the selection of the delegation members was not an accidental: the program directions to be implemented between Lyon and Yerevan are being specified. The Mayor of Lyon said a new page opens in the history of the friendship and cooperation of the two cities.

Coming to the upcoming Francophonie summit in Yerevan, Georges Kepenekian said its a unique opportunity for Armenia and must cover numerous fields of cooperation by enabling the French businessmen to be worthily represented in Armenia. The Lyon Mayor said the Francophonie is a value system, as well as a cooperation without boundaries.

At the end of the meeting the officials exchanged views on the upcoming programs in education, culture, tourism, economy and other spheres.

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan




YEREVAN, 7 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 7 March, USD exchange rate up by 0.09 drams to 480.73 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 4.96 drams to 597.16 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.07 drams to 8.43 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 2.44 drams to 666.44 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 144.48 drams to 20577.89 drams. Silver price up by 2.76 drams to 256.88 drams. Platinum price down by 28.11 drams to 14930.33 drams.
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Initialized Capital, the venture-capital firm co-founded by Alexis Ohanian, has led a $2.1 million investment in a startup crypto-currency trading platform, DDEX, ARMENPRESS reports, citing The Wall Street Journal.

Ohanian made the announcement at The Wall Street Journal CIO Network Annual Meeting on Tuesday.

Initialized Capital leads the funding round with ZhenFund, based in China.

DDEX describes itself as a hybrid model decentralized cryptocurrency exchange that lets buyers and sellers of crypto-currencies trade without the need to deposit any assets into an exchange. DDEX aims to build a secure, decentralized crypto-currency trading platform.

The startup, founded in November 2017 and built on the Ethereum blockchain, says it can thwart potential hacking attacks because it never holds a users assets.

The funding will be used to accelerate product innovation and expand engineering and operations teams.

With blockchain technology evolving rapidly, the challenges facing decentralized exchanges are quickly fading away, Mr. Ohanian said in a statement. DDEX now has the team, experience and resources to create a high functioning decentralized exchange at the perfect time.

Mr. Ohanian announced in February he would step down from daily duties at Reddit, which he co-founded, and focus his attention on Initialized Capital. He will continue to sit on Reddits board.

Mr. Ohanian is known for investments in companies such as Coinbase, Instacart and Zenefits.

English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. 8 Armenian producers are participating in the 43rd international exhibition Foodex Japan 2018 in Tokyo. This is the first time Armenian producers participate in this exhibition, one of the largest in Asia and will last until March 9, ARMENPRESS was informed from the SME Development National Center of Armenia.

The Armenian companies were enabled to participate in Foodex Japan 2018 due to the support of Japan External Trade Organization , Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Armenian Embassy in Japan and the SME Development National Center of Armenia.

Companies engaged in production of dried fruits, wines, honey and compote went to the exhibition from Armenia.

Ambassador of Armenia to Japan Hrant Poghosyan noted that the participation of Armenian companies in such events once again shows the broad scope of cooperation between Armenia and Japan. During the past few years products labeled "Made in Armenia", particularly organic and high quality foodstuff, gradually finds its consumers in the Japanese market, the Ambassador said.

The Armenian pavilion was in the center of attention of many visitors. The owner of one of the restaurants of Tokyo said that he would advise his clients to drink Armenian wines particularly with French food. These wines have very nice taste and odor. The power of fruits can be felt, he said.

Japanese importer Orita Kozo visited the Armenian pavilion with a special goal. He had seen the hippophae compote. I was looking for any food produced with hippophae and saw this compote and came here to see what it is. As an importer I think that there is a demand of hippophae-based foodstuff in Japan. The Japanese people just start to be interested in this healthy food. I think the products of you company will be greatly demanded in Japan, he said.

English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Ahead of the International Women's Day President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and Mrs. Rita Sargsyan hosted a group of women on March 7 who were distinguished for their productive work and contribution to various spheres.

The President of the Republic congratulated the women present at the meeting, as well as all the women of Armenia on the coming holiday. The President also awarded the women.

I heartily congratulate you on being awarded with high prizes and of course, on the occasion of tomorrows holiday, which will an entire month, and a year, until next March 8.

The role of women can be an indicative of any societys modernity. If in a given society women have no serious role, this society can never be called modern, Serzh Sargsyan said, adding that the women have a great role in the Armenian society. President Sargsyan expressed conviction that year by year womens participation in the elections in Armenia will increase. But there is a key factor here. Women must themselves want that. In many cases they do not want to engage in the social-political life of the country, the President said, urging women to engage in state-building more actively.

Following the awarding ceremony President Sargsyan had a conversation with the participants around a tea table.

English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Following meetings with the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), two Members of Parliament in Australias largest state of New South Wales (NSW), Jonathan ODea of the Liberal Government and Hugh McDermott of the Labor Opposition, rose in the Legislative Assembly to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Sumgait Massacres, ARMENPRESS was informed from the official website of the Armenian National Committee of Australia.

On Tuesday, 6th March 2018, the Chair of the NSW Armenia-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group, Jonathan ODea began by congratulating the Armenian Youth Federation of Australia (AYF-AU)  many of whom are constituents in his electorate of Davidson  for donating blood to the Red Cross in memory of the 38 soldiers, who died as a result of Azerbaijani conflict in the previous year.



ODea continued by recalling the dire situation the Armenians of Artsakh faced under prospect of continued Azerbaijani rule.



He added: Historically a part of Armenia, Artsakh declared its independence around the same time that most countries in the old Soviet Union were declaring independence, fearing they would not survive if they continued under Azeri rule as Stalin had determined. These fears were well placed.



Last week, on 27 February, marked the thirtieth anniversary of the Sumgait Massacres, when 200 Armenians died essentially because of their resolve to exercise a right to self-determination.



ODea stressed the importance of recognising these historical crimes, noting the ongoing violence that has resulted from the absence of justice for the victims of these crimes against humanity.



Hugh McDermott followed ODea, recalling that in 2012 the NSW Parliament recognised the right to self-determination for the Armenian people in the Republic of Artsakh.

Sadly, the shellings continue and are causing ongoing deaths, despite an internationally brokered ceasefire involving both Azerbaijan and Armenia, McDermott said.



McDermott, Member for Prospect, urged both domestic parliaments and international human rights organisations condemn the genocidal acts committed against the Armenians of Azerbaijan.



He added: The Azeris responded to this desire for the Artsakh Armenians' rights of determination with brutal force. Pogroms were organised and massacres of women, children and young men occurred.



On 27 February 2018 the Armenian-Australian community joined the rest of the Free World in condemning the thirtieth anniversary of the Sumgait Massacres of 1988, when rampaging criminal mobs looted Armenian homes and hunted for Armenians. It is estimated that the official death toll was more than 200; however, thousands more fled or were deported.



McDermott went on to praise the bravery of the Armenians of Artsakh in exercising their right to self-determination, reiterating his support for the recognition of the Republic of Artsakh.



The Armeniansmen, women and childrenfought back heroically to protect their historic motherland. Eventuallyamongst a flurry of referendums by countries, including Armenia and Azerbaijanbreaking away from the Soviet Union, the Armenians of Artsakh exercised their right to self-determination, McDermott continued.



They sought freedom and democracy. They held a referendum and declared independence, with more than 98 per cent voting for the republic, which was recently renamed to its historical title of the Republic of Artsakh. This independence has been recognised by New South Wales, and I stand proudly in support of that and recognise the Republic of Artsakh. Ultimately, the atrocities committed in the city of Sumgait 30 years ago reignited the memory of the atrocities committed in 1915 by the Ottoman Empire.



ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian thanked O'Dea and McDermott for their statements.



"For Armenian-Australians, Artsakh is part of the motherland our ancestors were forced to surrender, and the Sumgait Massacres were an extension of the same genocidal policy of trying to prevent Armenians from living and thriving on land that was always theirs," said Kayserian.



"Our community is eternally grateful to Mr. Jonathan O'Dea and Dr. Hugh McDermott for continuing the proud tradition of the NSW Parliament in bringing non-partisan awareness to important issues of human rights, and in this case, for the rights to self-determination for the Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh."

English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. The European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) hosted an exclusive briefing on EU-Armenia relations with EU Ambassador to Armenia Piotr Switalski in Brussels on March 7.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the EuFoA, the briefing, which took place against the background of the recent signing of the EU-Armenia Partnership Priorities, was moderated by Diogo Pinto, Director of EuFoA, and attended by over 40 representatives of the EU institutions, diplomatic corps, international NGOs, research community, and media. In his initial remarks, Ambassador Switalski expressed his optimism towards the ratification and the implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signed by Armenia and the EU last November.

Switalski was optimistic over the ratification and implementation of the CEPA, saying we have clear signals that the agreement will be implemented in good faith. Despite being the smallest country in the Eastern Partnership, Armenia is the most interested in the EU, Switalski added. He also stressed how the agreement can act as a catalyst for domestic reform, essential for unleashing Armenias economic potential. Ambassador Switalski stated that Armenia has all the ingredients for growth and prosperity, namely intellect and human capital, but changes are necessary to achieve a sustainable economic development.

The discussion that followed touched upon topics such as gender inequality, emigration, visa liberalisation, and the clash between the older generationstill nostalgic for the Soviet Unionand the younger one, who see the European Union as the epitome of a better life. To conclude, EuFoA Director Diogo Pinto thanked the Ambassador and the attendees for their meaningful participation. European Friends of Armenia will keep working to make sure that the European Union and Armenia are on the same page when addressing important issues, he said.

English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan
LOS ANGELESAVN Hall of Famer Stormy Daniels, who has been at the center of a scandal over an affair she allegedly had with Donald Trump a decade ago and the hush money payout she received weeks before the 2016 presidential election, buying her silence about the sexual relationship, filed a lawsuit against Trump on Tuesday over the scandal, according to a report by NBC News.

The lawsuit alleges that because Trump himself never signed a nondisclosure agreementwhich was signed by Daniels and by Trumps lawyer and fix-it guy Michael Cohenthe agreement is not valid and Daniels should no longer be silenced when it comes to discussing what happened between her and Trump.

The suit claims that Cohen attempted to intimidate Daniels into keeping quiet about the alleged affair as recently as two weeks ago.

To be clear, the attempts to intimidate (Daniels) into silence and 'shut her up' in order to 'protect Mr. Trump' continue unabated, says the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by NBC News. On or about February 27, 2018, Mr. Trump's attorney Mr. Cohen surreptitiously initiated a bogus arbitration proceeding against Ms. Clifford in Los Angeles.

The lawsuit, which may be read online by visiting this link, contains Daniels first public acknowledgement that the affair actually happened since the scandal broke with a Wall Street Journal report on January 12.

[Daniels] began an intimate relationship with Mr. Trump in the summer of 2006 in Lake Tahoe and continued her relationship with Mr. Trump well into the year 2007, the court document says. This relationship included, among other things, at least one meeting with Mr. Trump in a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel located within Los Angeles County.

The lawsuit says that after the now-infamous Access Hollywood tape became public in October of 2016, Daniels tried to reveal details of her affair with Trump to various media outlets. But Trump and Cohen then aggressively sought to silence Daniels, thus helping ensure (Trump) won the Presidential Election.

The lawsuit also states that when Cohen created a limited liability corporation to make the payment of hush money to Daniels, he did so with Trumps full knowledge.

The lawsuit could lead to serious trouble for Trump, because multiple watchdog groups have filed complaints claiming that the payoff to Daniels was, in fact, an illegal campaign contribution, because it was intended to influence the outcome of the election.

Last week, two Democratic members of congress requested that the FBI investigate the payment, because if indeed it was meant to silence Daniels and help Trump win the election, making the payment would be a felony crime.

The allegations in the Stormy Daniels lawsuit against Trump would appear to confirm that the hush money payment did, in fact, violate election laws and could be the subject of criminal prosecution.

Above, Stormy Daniels at the 2018 AVN Awards Show; photo by Jeff Koga
THE NETHERLANDSShots Media announced the hiring of Brad Taylor to he the companys new European account manager.

In his new role, Taylor will serve as account manager for the UK, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Cyprus, as well as Central and Eastern Europe.

I am delighted to be on board with the Shots family, I have been an admirer of how Shots do business for a long time and to land this role is, I think, a fabulous fit for both of us, Taylor said. I look forward to bringing my A game and taking Shots forward in my territories.

Originally coming from a background of biomedical sciences, Taylor has been working in the industry since 2013bringing with him five years of business sales expertise as well as experience at both distribution and manufacturing levels.

Customers from the U.K. will now have the benefit of a sales rep based in the British Isles, which will allow maximum customer contact and support. Hein Schouten, who has been proudly serving U.K. customers for seven years at Shots, previously looked after Brads U.K. customers. Brad and Hein will be contacting customers and handing over in the coming weeks, including visits to customers throughout the British Isles to ensure a smooth transition.

There will also be a greater focus on the regions of Central, Eastern and Southern Europe; with Brad working on strategies for this region on a country-by-country basis. This will include not only existing customers but will also be exploring new customers in these regions. He will be using his experience to gain a greater understanding of these markets and adapt strategies accordingly; this will include visits to each of these markets on a frequent basis.

Brad also brings strong experience with the USA market and will be assisting Shots America with trade shows on a regular basis and working with a select number of U.S. accounts.

Brads regions are the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Czech Rep, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia and select U.S. accounts.

Taylor will be contacting customers in all his regions via email, call or visit. Brad can be contacted via email at [email protected] or over the phone: +44 (0) 7813 497214

For more information about Shots, visit shots.nl or shotsamerica.com.
As I watched the antics of the hooded "Antifa" mobs at Berkeley and other large universities last year, I thought that I'd missed something in my many years as a college professor. Unlike Milo Yiannopoulos, Ann Coulter, Charles Murray, and other dissenters from the leftist academic consensus, I had never been assailed by raging anti-fascist students.Then, last October 25 and 26, I was invited by the Alexander Hamilton Institute and its director, history professor Robert Paquette, to deliver two classroom lectures on fascism and conservatism at Hamilton College, to be followed by an appearance at Bob's institute. Since I have written on both subjects voluminously, asking me to speak on them should not have caused any waves.Or so Bob and I thought.To our surprise, we were greeted by protesters on our way to each of the classes where I was to speak, first on American conservatism and the second on fascism and Nazism. The protesting students and their campus advisers were appalled that I had been allowed onto campus before the administration obtained their permission. From their shouts and taunts, I gathered that they were angry because I supposedly advocate white supremacy (which I never have) and because I don't think all cultures are equally good (which I do). Those students didn't find my presence acceptable and accused me of "hate speech."Each of my two talks went off without any trouble. The professors allowed students who were not enrolled to sit in on the classes and some of the protesters did so. They were allowed to ask questions after my lectures and I was asked if I identified with the "alt-right" and thought it an important political force. I replied that I regard myself as part of the Independent Right and do not see the alt-right as anything more than a punching bag for the mainstream media. Some students also seemed upset that I do not think that fascism poses a threat to the United States. (For a good discussion of my time at Hamilton, along with several photographs, see this article by Dr. Mary Grabar.)Within a few days of my departure, I learned that my visit to Hamilton had stirred up quite a disruption. The Government Department saw fit to send around a statement to the Hamilton community. It said that the faculty members were concerned overin his talks. Nothing I had said could be regarded as "racist" except in that "racist" has become a universal smear for any disagreement with leftist thinking. The statement went on toOf course, not one such remark was specified. In retrospect, I can't imagine anything that I said in classes could be viewed as those "racist remarks" I "allegedly" made. The charges may well have been drawn up before I ever lectured.Not content to let matters rest, Hamilton's President David Wippman then sent out his own letter to the community. In his letter, Wippman wrote toover my appearance on campus.he wrote,Again, I made no such claims and would oppose anyone who made them.Wippman wrote,Agreed-but in fact I have written a great deal on the topics I was invited to discuss, so it's hard to see what he is getting at.President Wippman concluded with the typical limp defense of academic freedom:Like so many other academics, Wippman pays lip service to academic freedom, but then sides with those who would stifle discussion of ideas that might upset any hypersensitive student or professor. But Wippman's statement did not assuage all the student protesters. One of them wrote a letter to the student newspaper arguing that he was "too tolerant." The student wrote,No, I have not inspired any terrorist movement.I am glad to have had the opportunity to speak at Hamilton College, despite the fact that a few students and faculty were unhappy. But I am not at all happy about the fallout. Soon afterwards, Bob Paquette resigned in disgust from his own post as a senior faculty member in the history department, where he had gained fame as one of the leading scholars on the history of slavery in the Western Hemisphere. Also, Bob's assistant at the Hamilton Institute, who taught a course on American conservatism, lost his post as a lecturer at the college-apparently a case of guilt by association. One should expect anger and collateral damage whenever you deviate from PC sentiments on college campuses these days.
Now that it is fully apparent, to all who have the ability to pay some modicum of attention, that Imposter President Biden has extreme cognitive issues, in addition to being an inveterate liar: Can OUR Republic continue with this Executive Office that has completely failed, so many times, on far too many issues here at this early date in this abysmal presidency?

No, Joseph R. Biden is completely unqualified, morally and cognitively, to represent real Americans, and lead this Republic of disparate peoples.

Yes, Joseph R. Biden has started whispering again, even softer now than before; so, I know he still cares, plus, OUR media will soon stop reporting on Afghanistan in favor of OUR Socialist issues.
All eyes are suddenly fixed on Nick Freitas, a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates, now that he's ticked off a lot of Democrats with his powerful speech on guns that quickly went viral, raking in over 12 million Facebook views since Friday.The powerful and aggressive speech, which touched on inconvenient truths about the Democrat Party's history, even triggered some Democrats to walk off the House floor.Freitas delivered his remarks on Friday as a response to the very heated gun control debate. wrote the delegate on Facebook captioning his speech, which he dubbed as his "response" to such attacks.The Republican first debunked the leftist notion that deterring so-called "gun violence" means further infringing on Second Amendment rights. Digging deeper than gun control measures that he noted have proven ineffective in areas like Chicago and Washington, D.C., he said Americans should be looking at why so many shootings happen in " gun-free zones ." And he called attention to the high likelihood that killers come from a broken home , which he connected to the growing welfare state and the abortion industry, and how hardening schools could be a practical, proactive step.Addressing the Left's dirty tactics of impugning Republicans' moral character to push their gun control agenda, Freitas listed off some hard truths about the history of the Democratic Party, which ruffled some feathers.he said, adding that it was particularly offensive that GOP members were also compared to "segregationists."Freitas unleashed:he said.slammed the Republican.He also noted the lame talking point that Republicans representatives are "paid off" by the National Rifle Association (NRA).he said.A true conversation, he said,Democrats were ticked off by the Republican's remarks. It was apparently the acknowledgment of the disturbing history of the Democratic Party that made them so uneasy. So they cried racism. As reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Delegate Lamont Bagby said he viewed Freitas' remarks as racial "dog-whistling." said Bagby.Remember: it's fine to suggest Republicans are choosing NRA money over saving children's lives, or branding them as Nazis and segregationists for disagreeing with Democratic talking points, but it is unacceptable - a racial dog-whistle actually - to bring up historical truths about the Party of Slavery.This is why we can't have a conversation.
Contact: White House

White House Press Office

Thank you very much. Thank you. I'm honored to be joined by Prime Minister Lofven of Sweden at our first meeting in the White House.Sweden is one of our oldest and closest partners, and was among the first European nations to offer the United States an unsolicited treaty of friendship - a treaty signed, believe it or not, in 1783. That's a long time ago.My daughter, Ivanka, had a wonderful time watching American and Swedish athletes compete in the recent Men's Curling Final at the Olympics. (Laughter.)(Inaudible.)PRESIDENT TRUMP: That was something, huh? That was a little upset. But that wasn't expected, but that's okay. We'll take it. Right? All of the athletes should be immensely proud of the great job they did.The Prime Minister and I have just concluded a series of very productive meetings. The relationship between the United States and Sweden is one based on shared values, including respect for individual rights, the rule of law, and human dignity. These common principles are the foundation of our partnership. And we have had a great partnership for many years.We look forward to exploring further opportunities to increase our security and our cooperation in every other way. And we encourage nations around the world to share responsibility for our common defense.We appreciate Sweden's leadership on the United Nations Security Council, and look very much forward to working together in the coming months.The United States is also grateful to Sweden for advocating for Americans detained in North Korea. I particularly want to thank the Swedish government for its assistance in securing the release of American college student Otto Warmbier last year. Terrible, tragic event. We continue to pray for Otto's parents, Fred and Cindy - two terrific people - over the tragic death of their son.And we remain determined to achieve a denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. And there's been a lot of news on that today. Hopefully, it's positive. Hopefully, it will lead to a very positive result.In economic matters, we are striving for a relationship grounded in fairness and reciprocity. The United States is one of the largest investors in Sweden, and the Swedish investments in the United States support over 200,000 American jobs.Earlier this afternoon, I heard from several Swedish business executives - some of the greatest in the world. Where are you, folks? Please. Some of the great executives in the world. People I've known for a long time and certainly know of. And they're investing tremendous amounts of money in the United States and supporting, also, vocational training for American workers. We are grateful for those investments, and we are committed to working with Sweden to pursue even greater economic cooperation.We're also continuing to pursue bilateral agreements to advance mutual prosperity. I'm pleased that Sweden intends to procure the Patriot air and missile defense system - finest in the world - in a deal worth over $3 billion. This system will increase stability and security in the Baltic Sea region.A strong and balanced economic relationship strengthens security and prosperity in both of our countries. And this is just the beginning. We have a lot of things that we're working on. And we're working on them, really, very hard.Mr. Prime Minister, I want to thank you again for joining us. And I want to thank your great staff, who we've met with, and your great business leaders. It was a very interesting and productive meeting.The longstanding friendship between our people, anchored in our shared beliefs and values, has greatly enriched both of our countries. And this is just the beginning. Our relationship has never been better. An honor to have you here. Thank you. Thank you very much.Thank you, Mr. President, for a warm and generous welcome. It is a true pleasure to be here at the White House. This year, Sweden and the United States celebrate 200 years of diplomatic relations, and this meeting reaffirms the strength of our relations.History has shown that our two nations share fundamental values and interests, such as democracy and human rights. We also share a strong partnership that continues to evolve.Today, we have discussed how to further strengthen our country's prosperity and security. As for prosperity, Sweden is one of the largest per capita investors in the United States, and my country may not be big, but we support, directly and indirectly, almost 1 million jobs in the United States. And some key executives of the companies that provide these jobs are also here with me at this visit.At the same time, the United States is our most important foreign employer, and many U.S. companies play a vital role in providing investment and creating jobs in Sweden. President Trump and I have discussed how our nations can support jobs and growth. It's a crucial issue.For Sweden, that means embracing new sustainable technologies which permit our economy to grow, but at the same time reducing emissions, and also how we can secure good jobs in a labor market constantly changing due to automation and digitalization.Sweden and the United States are two of the most innovative economies in the world, and we see great opportunities ahead. Swedish prosperity is built on cooperation, competitiveness, and free trade, and I am convinced that increased tariffs will hurt us all in the long run. And as a Swede, I, of course, support the efforts of the European Union to achieve trade with fewer obstacles and as few as possible.Turning to security, the President and I have discussed some key regional and global security challenges, such as the situation on the Korean Peninsula, but also the developments in Sweden's neighborhood.We have also addressed the constructive cooperation between Sweden and the United States in the United Nations Security Council.I would like to underline that the transatlantic link is strong, and it remains crucial to responding to global security challenges. Sweden is a military non-aligned country, but we build security in partnership with others, and we greatly value our broad security and defense cooperation with the United States.One important example of that is our joint efforts to fight and combat terrorism. Sweden and the United States stand shoulder to shoulder in the global coalition against ISIS and also in the resolute support mission in Afghanistan. And these vital military efforts must go hand in hand with strong political, diplomatic, and also civilian support to create sustainable results.So, in conclusion, as we celebrate 200 years of diplomatic relations, we're also planning for shared prosperity and security for many, many years to come. And once again, I thank you, Mr. President, for a constructive and successful meeting, and for the very warm welcome that both my delegation and I received. Thank you so much.Thank you very much.John.Thank you, Mr. President. You spoke about North Korea in the Oval Office, so I'd like to turn to trade, if I could. My understanding is that the Prime Minister came to you with a message from the European Union Commission President saying, if you put tariffs on steel and aluminum, we'll slap you back with punitive tariffs on bourbon and jeans and the motorcycles that you talk about from Wisconsin. Are you still planning on going ahead with these tariffs? There are some people in your party who have suggested it's not a good idea.And, Prime Minister Lofven, what's your perspective on tariffs? And what message did you convey to the President from Sweden and from the European Union? Thank you.Well, the United States has been taken advantage of by other countries, both friendly and not so friendly, for many, many decades. And we have a trade deficit of $800 billion a year, and that's not going to happen with me. We have been mistreated by many, sometimes fairly, but there are, really, very few instances where that's taken place.And I don't blame the countries. I blame our leadership for allowing it to happen. When I was with President Xi in China - as an example, we lose $500 billion a year on trade. We have a deficit of approximately $500 billion a year with China. And we're doing things with China which are very strong, but they understand it. But I was with him and I said to him in public, I said, "Look, I'm not blaming you. I blame our people for not doing a better job, for allowing this to happen."But it's like that with many countries, other than small - the European Union has been particularly tough on the United States. They make it almost impossible for us to do business with them, and yet they send their cars and everything else back into the United States. And they can do whatever they'd like, but if they do that, then we put a big tax of 25 percent on their cars. And believe me, they won't be doing it very long. The European Union has not treated us well, and it's been a very, very unfair trade situation.I'm here to protect. And one of the reasons I was elected is I'm protecting our workers, I'm protecting our companies. And I'm not going to let that happen.So we're doing tariffs on steel. We cannot lose our steel industry. It's a fraction of what it once was. And we can't lose our aluminum industry. Also a fraction of what it once was.And our country is doing well. The massive tax cuts and all of the deregulation has really kicked us into gear. But I have to work on trade deals. We're working on NAFTA right now. And if we're able to make a deal with Canada and Mexico in NAFTA, then there will be no reason to do the tariffs with Canada and Mexico.But again, other countries we won't have that choice, unless they can do something for us. As an example, if the European Union takes off some of the horrible barriers that make it impossible for our product to go into there, then we can start talking. Otherwise, we're going to leave it the way it is.So the fact is we've been mistreated as a country for many years, and it's just not going to happen any longer.How do you avoid this escalating - how do you avoid this escalating into a trade war?Well, we'll have to see. You know, when we're behind on every single country, trade wars aren't so bad. You understand what I mean by that? When we're down by $30 billion, $40 billion, $60 billion, $100 billion, the trade war hurts them; it doesn't hurt us. So we'll see what happens.You know, you can also take it - in some cases, we lose on trade, plus we give them military where we're subsidizing them tremendously. So not only do we lose on trade, we lose on military, and hence we have these massive deficit numbers in our country. We're going to straighten it out. And we'll do it in a very loving way. It will be a loving, loving way. They'll like us better and they will respect us much more. Because even they say - right now, they say, "We can't believe we've gotten away." I mean, two countries have said, "We cannot believe, to be honest with you, we've gotten away with this so long." Now, one of them made that statement before I got elected. He said, "I can't believe I made that statement before I got elected." But it's one of those things.We have to straighten it out. We really have no choice.And, Mr. Prime Minister, how forceful was your message to the President on what the consequences will be if he goes ahead with tariffs?First, trade is a European Union mandate, so we're a member of the European Union. It's a European mandate to handle the trade issues. But as a member of the European Union, I think it's important for us to try to find a way to cooperate between the European Union and the United States.I fully understand and respect the President's view that they have to look after his own country - the country that you're leading. I under that fully. That's my primary task, as well.But for me, leading a small country, depending on open trade, the best way for us is to do that with others, because our export equals to 50 percent of our GDP. So for us, it is crucially important that we have this open and free trade.Today, also, I believe that the supply chains are very, very complicated to see. I know that, for example, when we sell our fighter aircraft, which is a very good aircraft, the content is perhaps 50 percent American. So we want this to be resolved in cooperation. And when it comes to steel, yes, we have an overcapacity in the world. That's obvious. But at the same time, it is China that is producing about 50 percent of the steel in the world, and European Union perhaps 10 percent and less than that.So, to summarize, I think it was a pity. Again, it's a European Union mandate. But it was a pity, also, that the T-TIP negotiations ended, because perhaps with negotiations and talks, we can come into a situation where the European Union and the United States can cooperate. I think that would be a very good solution.Just to add maybe a little bit further: If you talk China, I've watched where the reporters have been writing, 2 percent of our steel comes from China. Well, that's not right. They transship all through other countries. And you'll see that a country that doesn't even have a steel mill is sending us 3 percent steel for our country. And many countries are doing it, but it comes from China.So China doesn't send us 2 percent; they send us a much, much higher level than that. But it's called transshipping. So it doesn't look good when it all comes out of China, so they send it through other countries, and it comes to us. And it's putting our steel mills out of business. Our aluminum mills are going out of business. And we need steel and we need aluminum.And you know there's a theory that if a country doesn't have steel, it doesn't have a country. And it's true. So this is more than just pure economics. This is about defense. This is about the country itself.But again, remember this: We lose $800 billion a year in trade. And I think I was elected, at least partially, on this issue. And I've been saying it for 25 years - our country has been taken advantage of by everybody. By everybody. Almost everybody. And we cannot let that happen any longer, not for our companies and not, most importantly, for our workers. So we're not going to let it happen.Please.Okay. Tina, TT News Agency.So, Mr. President, thank you for hosting us. You mentioned that Sweden has helped the United States with North Korea. How do you see your collaboration in the future to create a future of a peaceful Korean Peninsula? How do you see Sweden's role there? How do you both view the collaboration?And as a follow-up to that, if I may - Mr. President, I know that you follow the development in Sweden closely, especially when it comes to immigration politics. Now that you've spent some time with our Prime Minister, how do you view Sweden in general? What is your take? And also, on our immigration politics? Thank you.I think you have a wonderful Prime Minister, I have to say. We've gotten to know each other. Certainly, you have a problem with the immigration. It's caused problems in Sweden. I was one of the first ones to say it. I took a little heat, but that was okay because I proved to be right. But you do have a problem, and I know the problem will slowly disappear - hopefully, rapidly disappear.But as far as our relationship with Sweden, it's going to be only stronger, only better, both in a military sense and a trading sense, and economic sense. You know, Sweden is, I think, the largest - the eighth largest investor in the United States. And they like me very much because the market is up almost 40 percent since Election Day. So I've made a lot of these business geniuses look even better. So they like Trump. But, you know, it's been up very substantially.But I believe Sweden is about the eighth largest investor in the United States, and that's quite an achievement.What about the collaboration on North Korea?We've been working on North Korea. Sweden has somewhat of a relationship with North Korea. We've been working with North Korea. As I said, Otto was really brought home, unfortunately in very poor condition, but Otto was brought home largely with the help of Sweden. They're terrific - terrific people. People from Sweden, the Swedish people, are fantastic people. I have many friends in New York and Washington from Sweden, and they are fantastic people.Thank you.And, Mr. Prime Minister, how do you view Sweden and North Korea and the U.S.?We have to find a dialogue. I know it's not easy, but that's the way it has to be. It's a very dangerous situation, and we need all to be very concerned about the development of nuclear weapons.But we must look at the Peninsula, the region, the world, and this has to do with world peace or something else. So the key actors is obviously the two countries, South and North Korea, as well as the United States and other big countries. They're the key actors.We've said that we can provide - we can be a channel or do whatever we can to see that the dialogue is smooth. Not being naive. It's not up to us to solve this problem, but we can definitely, with our long presence on the Peninsula - both in South and North. We have an embassy in Pyongyang, for example. We've had that since 1973.So with that relation with North Korea, I believe that they trust us. We are a non-aligning country, and - on military, non-aligning country. And I think if we can - if the President decides, the key actors decide if they want us to help out, we'll be there.They really have been terrific. Really terrific.Saagar Enjeti, Daily Caller. Please, Saagar.Thank you, Mr. President. Since it's my first time before you, I thought you might indulge me with two questions. First, sir, do you believe that North Korea's recent willingness to talk is sincere, or is it an effort to buy time for their nuclear program? And to what do you owe this recent openness to talk?Me. No, I think that - (laughter). Nobody got that. (Laughter.) I think that they are sincere, but I think they're sincere also because the sanctions and what we're doing with respect to North Korea, including, you know, the great help that we've been given from China. And they can do more, but I think they've done more than, certainly, they've ever done for our country before. So China has been a big help. I think that's been a factor.But the sanctions have been very, very strong and very biting. And we don't want that to happen. So I really believe they are sincere. I hope they're sincere. We're going to soon find out.Sir, you tweeted today that you would like to see some change in the people around you. Does that include your Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, or either of your Cabinet secretaries?No, I don't really talk about that. I just said that the White House has tremendous energy. It has tremendous spirit. It is a great place to be working.Many, many people want every single job. You know, I read where, "Oh, gee, maybe people don't want to work for Trump." And believe me, everybody wants to work in the White House. They all want a piece of that Oval Office; they want a piece of the West Wing. And not only in terms of it looks great on their resume; it's just a great place to work.It's got tremendous energy. It's tough. I like conflict. I like having two people with different points of view, and I certainly have that. And then I make a decision. But I like watching it, I like seeing it, and I think it's the best way to go. I like different points of view.But the White House has a tremendous energy, and we have tremendous talent. Yeah, there will be people - I'm not going to be specific - but there will be people that change. They always change. Sometimes they want to go out and do something else. But they all want to be in the White House. So many people want to come in. I have a choice of anybody. I could take any position in the White House, and I'll have a choice of the 10 top people having to do with that position. Everybody wants to be there.And they love this White House because we have energy like rarely before. Okay? Thank you very much.Thank you, sir.Please.Mr. Prime Minister, last year you criticized the President for drawing a link between immigrant crime and the recent arrivals of refugees. This week, one of our own flagship papers, The New York Times, actually profiled a link between hand grenade violence and immigrant gangs in your country. Do you stand by your criticism of the President?First, Sweden - we have our share of domestic challenges, no doubt about that. And we inherited a legislation that was not sustainable legislation on migration, which meant that, in 2015, we received 163,000 refugees seeking refuge. Bear in mind, we're a country of 10 million inhabitants. So that was a lot. Seventy percent of them came from September to December, which meant it was a dramatic increase.We changed the legislation, so now we have decreased the number of refugees entering Sweden, and we're also putting pressure on the other European Union countries to take their share of the responsibility. This is not a responsibility for one, two, three or four countries. It is a shared responsibility. We are working with that now, within the European Union.And we, of course - we also have problems with crime, organized crime, in Sweden - shootings. But it's not like you have these no-go zones. We have dealt with it. I'm dealing with it every day, allocating more resources to the police, more policemen trained, more resources to the security police, tougher law on crime, tougher law on terrorism, supporting terrorism. So we do a lot to combat that.And we can also see some results now in our three major cities - decreased shootings - because we're attacking the organized crime very tough. And we'll keep on doing that because there is no space in Sweden for organized crime because they decrease freedom for ordinary people.At the same time, Sweden has a high growth. Unemployment is going down; employment is going up. We have high investment rates. We are allocating resources to the welfare. We have a strong, strong economy with a surplus - huge surplus - that we're now using to develop our society with, for example, the welfare that we want.So the pictures we need to be - it's two pictures. Yes, we have our share of domestic problems and challenges, no doubt about that. But we're dealing with them. And we also have a good foundation for dealing with them, not least with the strong economy and the shrinking unemployment.Okay. So it's (inaudible), Swedish Radio.Thank you. This is an election year for both of our countries, and I want to ask you, Mr. Trump: What do you think Sweden should learn from how the Russian influence campaign affected the presidential election in the U.S.?Well, the Russians had no impact on our votes whatsoever. But, certainly, there was meddling and probably there was meddling from other countries and maybe other individuals. And I think you have to be really watching very closely. You don't want your system of votes to be compromised in any way. And we won't allow that to happen.We're doing a very, very deep study, and we're coming out with some, I think, very strong suggestions on the '18 election. I think we're going to do very well on the '18 election, although, historically, those in the White House have a little bit of a dip. But I think we're going to do well because the economy is so good and because we're protecting our job, like - our jobs are being protected, finally, like with what we're doing with the tariffs.But the big thing would be the tax cut and the regulations cuts. Also, the judges. I mean, we have outstanding judges. Judge Gorsuch in the Supreme Court, and many, many judges going onto the bench all over the country.So I think we're going to do very well, and I think it will be a tremendous surprise to people how well. The economy is so good; jobs are so good. Black unemployment, Hispanic unemployment at all-time lows. I mean, we're really doing well.So based on that, I guess we should do pretty well, and I hope so. But you have to be very vigilant. And one of the things we're learning is, it's always good - it's old-fashioned, but it's always good to have a paper back-up system of voting. It's called "paper," not highly complex computers - paper. And a lot of states are doing that. They're going to a paper backup, and I think that's a great idea.But we're studying it very closely. Various agencies, including Homeland Security, are studying it very carefully.But are you worried about Russia trying to meddle in the midterm election?No, because we'll counteract whatever they do. We'll counteract it very strongly. And we are having strong backup systems. And we've been working, actually - we haven't been given credit for this, but we've actually been working very hard on the '18 election and the '20 election coming up. Thank you very much.Q Mr. Lofven, are you guys on the same page when it comes to evaluating the threat from Russia when it comes to meddling in elections, you think?Well, we both agree upon that the election in a country should - the result of the election in a country should be decided by nobody else but the voters in that country. And that is also our clear stance.And that is why our intelligence agencies now also increase in their own capacity to detect and counter, whether it's hacker attacks or financing, or producing or spreading propaganda, whatever it is. We are increasing our capacity to handle that. We are cooperating with other European Union countries. Some of our agencies are also cooperating with American counterparts. And this we'll continue to do.So any foreign power that believes that they can interfere with our election, we will find out and we will call them out very clearly, loud.And since this is the first time that you two meet, just the two of you, where did you find most common ground and where do you differ most on political issues.(Laughs.) We - First, we -Maybe almost everything?(Laughs.) Yeah. We - no, first, we - I mean, we both come from outside politics, into politics. I've spent 30 years in industry as a welder but also as a trade unionist - trade union leader - spending 75, 80 percent of my time cooperating with the company leaders, with the employers' organization in an effort to strengthen our industry. So that's, perhaps, a similar background. Not similar - because it's different - but we come from outside politics.But, of course, also, friends differ from time to time. The Paris Agreement, the importance of the Paris Agreement, we stand by that. We think it's very important that we implement and fulfill the Paris Agreement because of the climate issue. And on that, we might differ. Terrorists, as well.But having said that, still we know that the relationship is a good - yes, so we can take - that we differ as well, because the values are there and we cooperate very, very good on economic issues, making sure that we create jobs and growth, and also on security issues, both when it comes to combatting terrorism but also when it comes to defend ourselves.Just finally, a follow-up for Mr. Trump. Do you think that trade is where Sweden and the U.S. differ most right now?Oh, I think we have very good relationships on trade. We have had, and we are constantly in touch. We have, on the military, great cooperation, including design of various components of aircraft, et cetera. And we are - we were discussing that. We have some of the great makers of these components in the room with us today.No, we have a very good relationship on trade, and we always will have. Sweden is a great country. It's small, but it's very sharp, I will tell you. They are very sharp.Thank you very much, everybody. I appreciate it. Thank you
The Grow with Google Developer Scholarshipa US-focused program offering learning opportunities to tens of thousands of aspiring developershas given rise to a wealth of powerful stories from amazing individuals who are using their scholarships to pursue their goals and achieve their dreams. Some are creating new beginnings in new places. Others are reinventing their paths and transforming their futures. Still others are advancing their careers and growing their businesses.

Rei Blanco, Paul Koutroulakis, and Mary Weidner exemplify what the scholarship program is all about.

A New Beginning in Lansing, Michigan

Rei Blanco immigrated to Lansing, Michigan from Cuba seven years ago. He began learning English, and found opportunities to practice his skills in jobs ranging from housekeeping to customer support. Today, as a Grow with Google Developer Scholarship recipient, he is learning a whole new languageJavascriptas well as HTML and CSS. Rei earned himself a spot as a student in the Front-End Web Developer challenge course, and is now fully-immersed, and loving every part of his journey to becoming a developer.

When I get home, I immediately go to the basement and start coding!

Rei studies several hours every night. He credits his partner for the non-stop encouragement she gives him. He embraces a daily workout routine that keeps him focused and energized. He also praises the student community for helping him to advance successfully through the program.

The live help channel in our Slack workspace is great. Once you get stuck, you get immediate help or you can help out others.

As his skills grow, so does his confidence. A year ago, when he first began taking online coding courses, he felt out of place attending a local developer meetup. These days, hes a busy member of a student group working on outside projects, and has plans to attend many more in-person events. Rei is taking his developer career step-by-stephes bolstering his chances of earning freelance work by steadily adding new projects to his portfolio, and has his sights set on a full-time job in front-end web development.

A Reinvention in Columbia, South Carolina

Paul Koutroulakis was a 20-year restaurant industry success story. For 10 of those years, he even owned his own establishment. But like it was for so many others, 2008 was a terrible year. Sales dropped, and the burden became too great. Paul lost his restaurant, and ultimately, his home.

Despite the hardships, Paul retained the spirit that had made him a success in the first place, and he was determined to persevere. But he also saw the writing on the wall, and knew he needed to make a change.

This was a wakeup call with my resume. I didnt want to be an old man managing a restaurant.

From his research, he learned that demand for web developers was growing rapidly, and he recognized the opportunity he was looking for. From that moment forward, Paul focused his energy on becoming a developer.

He worked daytime hours at a logistics company, and started taking computer programming classes at night at a local technical college. Paul earned his associates degree, but he wasnt done. He felt the pressure to go the extra mile, and made the commitment to do so by competing for, and ultimately earning, a Grow with Google Developer Scholarship.

I need to make myself more marketable. I would like to show that age doesnt matter and that anyone can make a great contribution to a company or field if they are passionate about learning.

Today, Paul is focused on building a project portfolio, and wants to land a job as an entry-level web developer. His long-term goal is to enter the field of cybersecurity. Despite the hard work and long hours, hes excited by the skills hes learning, and by the transformation hes undergone. Best of all, he knows its all worth it.

Even if its a late night of studying, its better than coming home at one or two in the morning after a long shift at the restaurant.

A Leap Forward in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Mary Weidners degree was in finance, and after graduating, she went right into the field, spending several years in a series of finance-related roles. Simultaneously, she was nurturing an interest in coding, even going so far as to take a few free online courses. Everything changed for her when a friend asked her to join him as co-founder for a fitness app he was developing. She was intrigued, and agreed to take the leap. As one-half of a two-person team, she found herself immediately supporting all aspects of the fledgling operation, from launching the database, to filming videos.

Marys hobbyist-level interest in coding transformed into a primary focus, as she realized early on that building her tech skills would significantly enhance her ability to grow the business. But there was more than just operational necessity at workMary recognized she was facing an additional set of challenges.

Not only do I want to learn how to code in order to help my company, I also want to be more respected in the industry. Being a woman and a non-technical co-founder is not the easiest place to be in tech.

As a Grow with Google Developer Scholarship recipient, Mary is now engaged in an intensive learning program, and her skills are accelerating accordingly.

Strongr Fastr officially launched in January 2018, and has already been downloaded by thousands of users, boasting a user rating of 4.7 stars. Its an impressive start, but neither Mary nor her partner are resting on their laurels. Theyre motivated to grow and improve, and are focused on finding traction channels that work, and trying to find that scalable groove.

Despite her head-down determination and focus, Marys approach to learning is a spirited one, and shes enjoying every minute of her big leap forward.

Im loving it. Its really cool to have apps on my phone that Ive made, even if theyre the most simple thing. Its very empowering and just  cool!

Growing Careers and Skills Across the US

Grow with Google is a new initiative to help people get the skills they need to find a job. Udacity is excited to partner with Google on this powerful effort, and to offer the Developer Scholarship program.

Grow with Google Developer scholars come from different backgrounds, live in different cities, and are pursuing different goals in the midst of different circumstances, but they are united by their efforts to advance their lives and careers through hard work, and a commitment to self-empowerment through learning. Were honored to support their efforts, and to share the stories of scholars like Rei, Paul, and Mary.
Stormy Daniels' new lawsuit against Donald Trump says their "hush agreement" is invalid because 'David Dennison' (the president's sex pseudonym) never signed it.

Donald Trump never signed the nondisclosure agreement that his lawyer Michael Cohen arranged with porn performer Stormy Daniels, according to a lawsuit filed by Daniels today in Los Angeles and later obtained by NBC News.

My story tonight: Stormy Daniels sues Trump, says 'hush agreement' invalid because he never signed https://t.co/2vrcTuRp5T

MSNBC News reports:

The suit alleges that her agreement not to disclose her "intimate" relationship with Trump is not valid because while both Daniels and Trump's attorney Michael Cohen signed it, Trump never did.

Stephanie Clifford, known professionally as Stormy Daniels, signed both the agreement and a side letter agreement using her professional name on October 28, 2016, just days before the 2016 presidential election. Cohen signed the document the same day. Both agreements are appended to the lawsuit as Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 2.

The "hush agreement," as it's called in the suit, refers to Trump throughout as David Dennison, and Clifford as Peggy Peterson. The side letter agreement reveals the true identities of the parties as Clifford and Trump.

Each document includes a blank where "DD" is supposed to sign, but neither blank is signed.

According to the lawsuit, Clifford and Trump had an intimate relationship that lasted from summer 2006 "well into the year 2007." The relationship allegedly included meetings in Lake Tahoe and at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

The 2016 hush agreement directed that $130,000 be paid into the trust account of Clifford's then-attorney. In return, Clifford was not to disclose any confidential information about Trump or his sexual partners to anyone beyond a short list of individuals she'd already told about the relationship, or share any texts or photos from Trump.

The suit alleges that Cohen has tried to keep Clifford from talking about the relationship as recently as Feb. 27, 2018.

"To be clear, the attempts to intimidate Ms. Clifford into silence and 'shut her up' in order to 'protect Mr. Trump' continue unabated," says the suit. "On or about February 27, 2018, Mr. Trump's attorney Mr. Cohen surreptitiously initiated a bogus arbitration proceeding against Ms. Clifford in Los Angeles." Binding arbitration is specified as a means of dispute resolution.
The U.S. State Department today announced the United States has determined that the North Korean government used chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Un's half-brother.

Kim Jong-Nam, the half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, was killed on February 13, 2017 in Malaysia.

The State Department says it will impose additional sanctions on North Korea over the assassination. The announcement from a Trump administration spokesperson for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson came just hours after North Korea agreed to denuclearization talks with the United States, the result of weeks of talks with South Korean envoys following the Olympic games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

From the Associated Press:

The United States has determined that North Korea used chemical weapons, an apparent reference to the killing of leader Kim Jong Un's half-brother last year. The State Department did not provide justification for the finding publicized Friday. But it comes nearly one year after Kim Jong Nam died at an international airport in Malaysia in an attack authorities said used VX nerve agent. The determination, made by the department's international security and nonproliferation bureau, carries restrictions on U.S. foreign aid and financial and military assistance that North Korea's heavily sanctioned government is already subject to. It was posted on the website of the Federal Register and takes effect Monday. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has previously referred to Pyongyang's use of chemical weapons. He told reporters in January, "we know they've been used by the North Koreans." According to the Pentagon, North Korea probably has a long-standing chemical weapons program with the capability to produce nerve, blister, blood, and choking agents and likely possesses a chemical weapons stockpile that could be used with artillery and ballistic missiles.

.@statedeptspox: "On February 22, 2018, the United States determined under the Chemical & Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 that the Government of North Korea used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Nam, in the Kuala Lumpur airport"  Ryan Browne (@rabrowne75) March 7, 2018

#BREAKING US finds North Korea killed Kim brother with VX agent  AFP news agency (@AFP) March 7, 2018


I've just finished a wonderful time at the Adelaide Festival and now I'm headed to the last stop on the Australia/New Zealand tour for Walkaway: Wellington!



I'm doing a pair of events at Writers & Readers Week at the New Zealand Festival; followed by a special one-day NetHui on copyright and then a luncheon seminar for the Privacy Commissioner on "machine learning, big data and being less wrong."

It starts on the 9th of March and finishes on the 13th, and I really hope I see you there! Thanks to everyone who's come out in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide; you've truly made this a tour to remember.
The Office of the Special Counsel, a Federal ethics watchdog agency, has once again found Kellyanne Conway in violation of the Hatch Act.

In publicly supporting child molester Roy Moore from the White House lawn and using her government job title, in a harsh political attack on his opponent, Conway broke ethics rules over using a government office for political ends. Conway will of course claim she did not do any of these things by pointing out in fact that she did do all them several times.

The OSC has sent information surrounding her offense to the Trump Administration that will probably reprimand her with a large bonus and champagne lunch.

Via NPR:
On a CNN Tonight's panel last night with Don Lemon, CNN economics analyst Stephen Moore cracked a stupid joke about Stormy Daniels, and it didn't go over well with Lemon and the other panelists.

On the subject of Daniels and her lawsuit against Trump, Lemon asks political commentator Kevin Madden to react to Daniels' claim that Trump's long-time attorney Michael Cohen has attempted to silence her as recently as last week. Madden says her claims are credible, and he's incredulous that we're even having to have this kind of discussion about a sitting president.

Then Moore jumps in and says, "Are you saying that a porn star would actually try to call attention to herself? Shocking, right?"

The atmosphere becomes awkward as the panelists quietly stare straight ahead with expressions of suppressed cringes on their faces. Moore tries to breaks the ice with, "I mean, that's what porn stars do!" He digs himself deeper with, "My only point is, I mean, a porn star?" He then makes that horsey sound people make when they blow air between loose lips, to show that a porn star's remarks are to be dismissed.

Political Analyst Kirsten Powers, one of the other panelists, says, "I don't think it's appropriate to be demeaning this woman."

The ignorant drivel coming from Moore continues until the video finally cuts off.
Michael Madigan has served as chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party for 20 years (prior to that, he was Speaker of the Illinois House for decades); if you donated to the party in Illinois, Mr Madigan used your money to fund mailers that smeared progressive Democratic hopefuls as being secret Tea Party members, Donald Trump supporters and opponents of universal health care.

Among those targeted by Madigan are Elizabeth Lindquist and Art Bardsley, running for seats on the State Central Democratic Committee with the backing of Our Revolution, whose platform includes universal health care, ending gerrymandering, campaign finance reform, and other anti-corruption, pro-worker measures. According to Madigan's mailer, these two are actually "members of a group supported by Tea Party activists" who advocate "slashing Medicare and Medicaid, repealing Obamacare, privatizing Social Security, and dangerous anti-environment policies."

In reality, Lindquist is publicly opposed to cuts to social programs, including all those named in Madigan's mailer; Bardsley is running on a platform of renewable energy, free state colleges, and preserving natural habitats.

Madigan targeted several other progressive Democrats in Illinois  including those standing in races where there are no other Democratic candidates, who represent the only alternative to a Republican incumbent.

This is why you shouldn't give a dime to establishment Democratic organizations (donate to Our Revolution instead, and support progressive Democrats).





Madigan's office has been wracked by a series of sexual assault scandals that he has failed to take action on. Many Democrats have called for his resignation.



"I've been an FDR-style Democrat my entire adult life, I'm 67 and current second vice-chair for the Winnebago County Democratic Party and never have I been called a 'fake' Democrat until the 'leader' of my state party attempted to smear me as such by spending at least $16K on not one, but two full-color, front-and-back, full-page flyers accusing me of being everything I have stood against for as long as I can remember," Bardsley said in an interview. "Madigan knows if I'm elected that I will cast a vote against him for party chairman." Madigan's committee also sent out mailers in the race for Illinois' 5th District, favoring incumbent Cynthia Santos over Melissa Lindberg, the chair of Democracy For America's Chapter in Northside Chicago. The mailers portray Santos as a candidate who stands up to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who, in fact, appointed Santos to the State Pollution Control Board in 2016. Santos served as an elected commissioner of Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago since 1996, before leaving the position to serve in Rauner's administration, and was first elected to the State Central Committee in 2000. "I believe the Democratic Party is at a junction: either it changes or it dies," Lindberg told The Intercept in an interview. "I think 'Friends of Michael J. Madigan' is sending out mailers in support of Cynthia Santos because otherwise the voters of the 5th District would have no idea who she is  and she has been an elected official since 1996."

Illinois Democratic Party Chair Funds Mailers Attacking Progressive Candidates [Michael Sainato/The Intercept]
Whaling isn't as cool as it used to be, and it's far from necessary. Many of the products we used to make from whale carcasses, such as lamp oil or whale bone baleen  which was used to make everything from typewriter springs to shirt collars  have been replaced by modern technologies. So it's puzzling to hear that Norway has announced a 28% increase of its whaling quote this year.

According to The Guardian, the new quota will raise the number of whales that the Norwegian fisheries are allowed to harvest to 1,278 animals. The increase smacks of political bullshit, given the fact that, in recent years, Norway's fishing industry wasn't able to kill enough whales to meet the existing quota. In 2017, Norwegians only killed 432 whales. Two years earlier, their fisheries took out 660 animals. That sounds like an industry in decline to me. But Norway has a different spin on the falling numbers: high fuel prices and too few whale processing plants have kept the nation's fishing industry from fulfilling its quota.

Greenpeace disagrees:

"Greenpeace believes Norway should take the logical consequences of the International Whaling Commission's ban on commercial whaling, the widespread opposition to whaling, as well as the lack of local market for the products, and close down this unnecessary and outdated industry."

The increased quota might be a stab at stimulating Norway's fishing industry, creating new jobs and infrastructure spending. If that's the case, it's a shortsighted plan, at best. There's only three countries in the world that still authorize whaling: Norway, Japan and Iceland. With an international moratorium on whaling in place and the cultural acceptability of the practice shifting, it's only a matter of time until  with the exception of the indigenous cultures who hunt whales to eat and as part of their culture  that the industry will become a relic of the past, just like lamp oil.

Image: Evadb; Edit by jjron.  Own work, Public Domain, Link
Entertainment / Music

by Agencies

This Friday 9 March 2018 fastjet and music legend Dr. Oliver Mtukudzi will host a Zimbabwean first when the superstar performs at 34 000 feet, on a fastjet flight, between Harare and Victoria Falls. Tuku' will deliver an acoustic set comprising tracks from his new album titled Hany'ga (Concern); the collection of newly penned songs was initially launched on 7 February at Pakare Paye, Tuku's recording studio based in Norton."Passengers travelling on flight FN 8003 this Friday will have front row seats to one of the most intimate Tuku performances staged," says fastjet Zimbabwe spokesperson Faith Chaitezvi, "and it is a first for Zimbabwe."Chaitezvi adds that the performance forms part of the airline's promotion of Victoria Falls, domestic and inbound regional tourism. "We are passionate about promoting domestic and regional tourism to Zimbabwe, and what better way than to leverage innovative events in partnership with a musical legend."Commenting on the initiative, Tuku said, "This is revolutionary for us as well. There is no better interaction with fans than meeting and sharing with them, mid-flight, music from my new album!" Continuing, Tuku added, "we are proud to be associated with fastjet who are bringing locals and international tourists to the Victoria Falls."He adds that the party does not end on-board the flight but will later continue on a Zambezi river. "Thereafter, a performance at the Elephant Hills Hotel on Saturday 10 March 2018 at 8pm for a full performance with my band."Fastjet presently operates 24 weekly flights between Harare and Victoria Falls, 3 weekly flights between Johannesburg and Victoria Falls as well as 4 daily flights between Harare and Johannesburg. When adding the airline's popular flights between Harare and Dar es Salaam, it amounts to a tally of 78 weekly flights in Zimbabwe."Fastjet is the airline for everyone in Zimbabwe."
News / National

by Staff reporter

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has accused his Cabinet ministers of shielding him away from critical developments happening in the country.Mnangagwa made the remarks during a tour of Univern Enterprises in Harare's Workington Industrial area on Saturday, where he was exposed to cutting edge technology including live monitoring of toll plazas by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara)."I did not know we have this kind of technology in the country. I am sure in some instances you are world-class. This is an eye opener. This has not been shown to us and I do not think even people in my Cabinet know about this. If they do then it means they have been keeping this away from me," said Mnangagwa in what seemed as a thinly veiled attack on Transport minister Jorum Gumbo.Gumbo was conspicuous by his absence during the two-hour tour of the institution that runs the nerve centre of Zinara. Univern entered into a partnership with Zinara, in a bid to plug loopholes and stem the tide of corruption that had driven the parastatal to the top of THE graft ladder in the country. Zinara now boasts some of the best systems in the country and Mnangagwa said he had been pleasantly surprised at the level of technological innovation that the public private partnership has brought."In some areas I think we are at the top of the ladder in terms of the modernity of the technology we have. That is the way to go and that is where we are going."We cannot remain mediocre; this is why we say Zimbabwe is open for business because we want to catch up, to leapfrog and catch up with other countries. And my mantra now, besides Zimbabwe is open for business, is that by 2030 we must be a middle-income country," said Mnangagwa while calling for unity of purpose.The President quipped that the level of technology that Univern has established allowed the company to monitor the whole country from Harare."I am so happy you have this drive and realise you can monitor the whole country from here except the Office of the President."As the old generation we must create the climate, but the young generation can adapt to technology easily. So I wish you more innovation," he said.Univern chief executive officer Phil Mushosho said his organisation had been energised by Mnangagwa's visit."That he took time off his busy schedule and on a weekend to visit us shows the depth of his appreciation of what the private sector can bring to this economy. We have different systems for different departments in government, but the good thing is that these are fully integrated to allow for cross-pollination of ideas and technological transfer as well as skills sharing," Mushosho said.
News / National

by Simbarashe Sithole

Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has bemoaned people who are criticising Former Mashonaland East Minister of State Retired Brigadier-General Ambrose Mutinhiri for resigning from ZANU PF and joining National Patriotic Front.Mliswa said Mutinhiri has the democratic and constitutional right of freedom of association."Hon. Mutinhiri was a commander par excellence during his time & one of the most humble men I've had the privilege to meet. Whilst I may not agree with his political ideologies, he has the democratic & constitutional right to freedom of association & shouldn't be criticised for it," said Mliswa via micro blogging Twitter.Apparently, Mutinhiri resigned from ZANU PF and Parliament last Friday over the alleged unconstitionality of the military coup that illegally imposed Emmerson Mnangagwa as President of Zimbabwe and led to the Army's usurpation of the power and authority of civilian institutions including ZANUPF.
News / National

by Simbarashe Sithole

The MDC presidential candidate for 2018 elections Nelson Chamisa has vowed no one will lose land in his government but will issue title deeds to farmers.Chamisa took it to micro blogging Twitter saying, "Land is the most sensitive issue in every society. Let me assure you that under MDC Gvt no one will lose Land but will issue tittle deeds so that it becomes a blankable asset."Will also ensure equal distribution as well as maximum utilisation Zim will never be the same."
News / National

by Staff reporter

A Mufakose man, Kundishora Gava, appeared in court yesterday for allegedly murdering his girlfriend and dumping the body at railway lines behind Bhadhela Wholesalers in Mbare, Harare.The court heard that on September 27, the now deceased was at Fly High Bar soliciting for clients for the purposes of prostitution.It was alleged that Gava saw her with another man and confronted her before dragging her out of the bar.He reportedly assaulted her until she became unconscious.Gava fled from the scene, the court heard.It was alleged that her body was recovered the following day and ferried to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals Mortuary.A post mortem was carried out and concluded that death was due to haemoperitoneum, haempneumothorax, left pneumothorax, subdural haematoma - all secondary to blunt trauma.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has appointed Utoile Silaigwana as the acting chief elections officer while the hunt for a substantive office holder gets underway.This comes after Zec cut ties with its chief elections officer, Constance Chigwamba, after she fell out of favour with commissioners at the electoral management body.Zec commissioner Netsai Mushonga - who had taken to Twitter to make the announcement - confirmed the development."Silagwana comes with a lot of experience as the former deputy chief elections officer in charge of operations," Mushonga told the Daily News.Silaigwana was first appointed to the electoral commission when it was still called the Election Supervisory Commission (ESC) led by the chief executive officer of the-then ESC, Douglas Nyikayaramba.Silaigwana was a major with the Army Education Corps and a serving soldier when he was first appointed to Zec.Silaigwana was the deputy chief elections officer in the 2008 elections when Zec was accused of tinkering with election results to fit the matrix of a run-off election after the now late opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai had failed to beat then president Robert Mugabe by enough votes to avoid a second round.Observer groups said a one-month delay in announcing results of the March 29, 2008 polls undermined the impartiality of the Zec.Silaigwana then attributed the delays to lengthy "initial consultations" and to polling agents arriving late.The axed Chigwamba was handed a letter terminating her employment with the commission after the Zec board's meeting a fortnight ago, advising her that she was being sent back to the Public Service Commission (PSC) with effect from March 1.A former permanent secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Chigwamba was seconded to the post of Zec chief elections officer in June 2015 by Mugabe.Zec chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba told the Daily News that the decision to have Chigwamba recalled was arrived at by the commissioners who unanimously felt that having a chief elections officer on secondment from the PSC undermined the organisation's independence.Chigwamba, who could not be reached for comment, had since her appointment in 2015 continued to earn her pensionable remuneration such as salary, housing and representation allowance from the PSC while also drawing allowances from Zec.Chigwamba's ouster came less than two months after Rita Makarau resigned from the commission under unclear circumstances.While the reasons behind Makarau's exit from Zec are not known, speculation has it that her resignation was part of the domino effects arising from Mugabe's ouster.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

POLICE in Chivhu in Mashonaland East province on Tuesday made a volte-face and sanctioned a demonstration organised by a residents association, which the law enforcement agents had banned on flimsy grounds.The Chivhu Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (CHRRA) had through their chairperson Collen Zvarevashe on 22 February 2018 notified the ZRP of its intention to hold a protest march demanding the expulsion and arrest of some corrupt officials at Chikomba Rural District Council.But the ZRP on Tuesday turned down CHRRA's request on the basis that there was a threat that the residents' protest would result in serious disruption of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.The blockade of the residents' protest march compelled CHRRA to engage lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, whose lawyer Fiona Iliff filed an urgent chamber application in the High Court on Tuesday 05 March 2018 challenging the ZRP's refusal to sanction the residents' demonstration.Through the urgent chamber application, Iliff argued that the ZRP's ban of CHRRA's protest was in violation of the residents association and the Chivhu residents' constitutional rights to peacefully demonstrate and petition without unlawful interference from the police as set out in Section 59 of the Constitution.The human rights lawyer asked the High Court to issue an order compelling the ZRP not to interfere directly or indirectly with the residents' march without a valid court order and to provide sufficient manpower of police officers to redirect traffic and keep peace during the demonstration.But after the filing and service of the urgent chamber application on the respondents who included Chief Superintendent Stephen Baleni the Officer Commanding Chivhu District, ZRP Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and Home Affairs Minister Obert Mpofu, the ZRP made an about turn and sanctioned the demonstration.In a letter, which was received by CHRRA around 7: PM on Tuesday 06 March 2018, Chief Superintendent Baleni, the ZRP Officer Commanding Chivhu District sanctioned the residents' demonstration and advised that participants should remain "peaceful" during the protest.Despite, the volte-face by the ZRP, Iliff is pressing ahead with pursuing the setting down of the urgent chamber application seeking an order declaring the ZRP's refusal in the first place to sanction the residents' protest as unconstitutional.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Zanu-PF party has warned opposition political parties to desist from violent activities, saying that they should conduct themselves in a manner that is "acceptable to the citizens" ahead of the country's crunch elections later this year, a report says.Zanu-PF's harsh warning came amid intense infighting within the country's main opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) party - over the party's top job, following the death of its long-time leader Morgan Tsvangirai last month.The party's power struggle between - presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa and two deputy presidents Thokozani Khuphe and Ellias Mudzuri - surfaced even before the death of Tsvangirai on February 14.Some of the party's youth allegedly aligned to Chamisa had in recent weeks been involved in violent acts, attacking Khuphe and other senior leaders.Following the incidents of violence, Zanu-PF's spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo issued a stern warning saying that the "intra-party violence" within the MDC was "scaring away would be election observers and investors", according to New Zimbabwe.com."We as government condemn any form of violence. Of late, we are witnessing some barbaric activities championed by some opposition parties' intra-violence and this cannot be acceptable in any civilised society."We also want to be very clear that as the president has said, the coming election must be free, fair and credible. Indeed, having invited observers from all over the world we do not want observers to fear to come because of some activities we are witnessing from some opposition political parties; activities which would scare away would be observers, activities which would also scare away would be investors," Moyo was quoted as saying.Zimbabwe was set to hold its elections before the end of July after President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently pointed to an earlier date than expected following the ousting of long-time ruler Robert Mugabe.Mnangagwa, 75, took office in November after a shock military takeover ended Mugabe's 37-year reign.He vowed to hold fair elections to ensure Zimbabwe "engages the world as a qualified democratic state", signalling a break from Mugabe's era.
News / National

by Byo24News Reporter

Newly formed political party, National Patriotic Front has written to the country's elections body formally introducing the organisation.NPF interim leader, Retired Brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri wrote to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and notified the body of the party's intention to contest in the forthcoming harmonized elections."This is to notify that we, the National Patriotic Front, are a political party duly established by a constitution adopted by the founders of the party on December 7 2017 in accordance with the laws of Zimbabwe."It is our intention, and indeed the objective of our party, to contest local, parliamentary and presidential elections as they constitutionally occur," Mutinhiri wrote to ZEC.The party also expressed interest to participate in future meetings should the electoral body organize any. "In this connection, we avail ourselves, and we would be pleased to be invited, to participate in meetings for political parties which the commission periodically convenes," wrote NPF which is linked to disposed former president Robert Mugabe and his G40 allies.Mutinhiri quit Zanu PF and resigned from parliament citing unconstitutional take over of government by the Zimbabwe Defense Forces which installed Emmerson Mutinhiri.
News / National

by Byo24News Reporter

Zimbabwe's main opposition party MDC-T has thanked government for assistance rendered during the death of the founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai.Government accorded Tsvangirai who was also Zimbabwe's Prime Minister during the Government of National Unity which spanned from 2009 to 2013, a state assisted funeral.Thanking government on behalf of his party, Nelson Chamisa who was recently confirmed as MDC-T substantive leader said the party appreciates the gesture extended by the state."We want to thank you for putting aside party differences and recognizing the role played by Morgan Tsvangirai," Chamisa said in parliament."We want to thank you for everything," he said.Chamisa said unity shown during the death of Tsvangirai must extend to all facets of life.Tsvangirai died of cancer of the colony at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Johannesburg on 14 February.He was buried at his rural Humanikwa village in Buhera, Manicaland Province.
Opinion / Columnist

Over the past few days, we have seen some troubling developments in the opposition parties, which should concern all Zimbabweans as we approach the 2018 elections.The most obvious cause for concern is the wanton violence that seems to have pervaded the MDC following the death of Morgan Tsvangirai. First we saw violent attacks on MDC Deputy President Dr Thokozani Khupe and Secretary-General Douglas Mwonzora by cadres loyal to Nelson Chamisa at the funeral of former leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Then, at a party press conference last Thursday, Chamisa supporters harassed journalists who dared to question their leader, causing one foreign journalist to write that she no longer feels safe attending MDC headquarters, and the Media Institute of Southern Africa to describe the event as 'deplorable'.The latest example of this violence came on Sunday with attacks on Dr Khupe and her followers at party offices in Bulawayo that left several party members severely injured. The graphic images and videos from the attacks that are circulating in the social media should leave us in no doubt that this wave of violence is organised and being carried out by a 'militia' fiercely loyal to Nelson Chamisa, which seems determined to nullify any criticism or questioning of their leader.One might have expected a party claiming to be democratic and non-violent to come down hard on these incidents. However, anyone expecting such a response was left disappointed by the limp reaction of the party leadership, best expressed through Tendai Biti's shocking comment that "we are a violent society. That's what we know."At the same time as the MDC leadership were essentially condoning violence committed in their name in Bulawayo, 400 km away in the Blue Roof mansion, another 'opposition' was plotting.Soon after a meeting between former President Mugabe and former Minister of State Ambrose Mutinhiri, it was announced that Mutinhiri will lead the New Patriotic Front party. So far, few details have been released about the NPF - we know little of its policies, its vision and its manifesto  but what we know so far is enough. This is a party whose raison d'etre is to reverse the changes that occurred in November 2017, presumably by returning Robert Mugabe to power, or worse still, his wife.This should leave us under no illusions about the party's real purpose. The NPF is little more than a front for Grace Mugabe, Jonathan Moyo and their discredited cabal formerly known as G40, to try and regain control of our country.The common thread between these two events  the violence of the MDC and the launch of the NPF  is that it reveals an opposition that is stuck in the past, and is unable to grasp the fact that Zimbabwe is changing. The NPF wants to return Zimbabwe to how it was before our revolution in November. They are explicit about that. The MDC, though calling for change and progressive policies, appears to believe that violence is an acceptable way to realise this change in the new Zimbabwe. Though these two opposition parties may have differing visions, they are misguided.What these two parties seem unable to grasp, is that Zimbabwe has changed in the last few months. For evidence of this, we only need to look at President Mnangagwa's Facebook page over the past few days (as if that sentence isn't evidence enough of change!). On Sunday, he issued a post congratulating Nelson Chamisa on his selection as opposition leader, committing once again to a positive and peaceful election campaign. On Monday, he spoke to church leaders emphasising the sacred shared values of peace, love, unity and forgiveness. And on Tuesday he released a video in which he directly addressed pressing questions from members of the public, explaining his actions to the people of Zimbabwe.Here is a leader that understands, and embodies, the new era. While others embrace violence, he preaches peace time and again. While others vilify and attack their political opponents, he congratulates them and embraces them. While others seek to silence dissent and criticism, he answers it head on. And while others seek to refight the battles of the past, he refuses to divert his attention from the future.With the election campaign coming up, I call on our opposition leaders, be they Grace Mugabe or Nelson Chamisa, to join our president in embracing the new era. Let all leaders renounce violence, focus on the future, engage with the public, even those that disagree with them, and commit to a peaceful and forward-looking campaign.
Opinion / Columnist

We have always maintained on the perception that the fight for Mthwakazi cause is a Godly fight. God has shown his favour once more by revealing the murderous intentions of the government of Mnangangwa. We woke up today to the intelligence news that the coup government has hatched a plan to assassinate Mqondisi Moyo, the MRP President.The details of this plan as revealed by our inside sources, is to be executed in Bulawayo.They are planning to intimidate the people of Bulawayo, with the intention of enticing MRP to intervene. In the process of the toytoying, Mqondisi Moyo would be shot and the shooters will defend themselves by claiming that they would have misjudged him to be an aggressor. They would claim to have shot him as an act of self defense.This information surfaced after a meeting of JOC ( Joint Operations Command) that was held last Monday the 5th of March. This deadly evil grouping comprise of the police, military, prison services and the CIO.We therefore expect some political violence in Bulawayo in the near future, and we urge our people to be vigillant.It is extremely worrying that the people of Bulawayo can have their peace disturbed for the planned assassination of one man who has chosen to lead a fight for the freedom of the people.We would like to appreciate the few sane people within government who keep us admonished of all the evils fashioned against MRP leadership by this monstrous government.We will continue to fight for the people of Mthwakazi, even before the face of death.It is the final kick of a dying horse that is very fatal. Freedom is coming tomorrow. Let's all hold on.Sisonke Sibambene singuMthwakazi SizokulungisaMRP Security Department
Opinion / Columnist

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) strongly condemns the continued eruption of intra-party political violence and the endless conflict among leaders and supporters of the MDC-T political party.On Sunday 04 March 2018, violent clashes broke out among supporters of MDC-T party leaders Hon. Nelson Chamisa and Hon. Thokozani Khupe reportedly over the control of the opposition party's provincial offices in Bulawayo. The bloody skirmishes left some party supporters hospitalised and nursing severe injuries.ZLHR condemns the disgraceful and growing culture, which shockingly seems to have been embraced by the MDC-T party leadership and supporters, of resorting to the use of violence as a means to resolve and settle political differences.It is imperative for the MDC-T leadership and its supporters to realise that tolerance of differing opinions is a core value of democracy and employing violent tendencies and actions limits the fundamental right of people to exercise their constitutionally protected freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and expression, which are all guaranteed in Section 58 and 61 of the Constitution and Zimbabwe's regional and international human rights obligations.ZLHR is worried that despite cautioning the MDC-T party in recent months, particularly in August 2017 and recently on 21 February 2018, the lack of decisive and punitive actions and sanctions on perpetrators of violence is encouraging repeated incidences and impunity.The MDC-T party must embrace a strict, bold and consistent intolerance to any forms of violence and conflict within the opposition political party.ZLHR calls upon the MDC-T party leadership and its supporters to urgently take swift action and amicably resolve differences and put their house in order without the needless resort to violence.Political party supporters must understand that no matter any differences that may arise or people may have, any resort to violence cannot be justified and tolerated.As an organisation committed to fostering a culture of human rights, ZLHR urges the MDC-T party leadership and its supporters to foster peaceful strategies of resolving conflict and unequivocally denounce violence and stop committing political violence.
Opinion / Letters

Dear Editor,I was disappointed by the flawed analysis of the MDC official Discent Collins Bajila which concluded "that Neither Banda nor Ncube are Shona and therefore if this violence is to be put in its proper context it can't be said to be a Ndebele Vs Shona fight".This simplicity in approach to national matters is a poor advertisement of the dearth of strategic insights in these opposition political parties leadership. Enos Nkala the chief architect, brutal enforcer and zealot of Gukurahundi was Ndebele on self-hate steroids. He foolishly sort for tribal cleansing water to wash himself clean of his Ndebele ancestry. He died a bitter, little man with nothing to show for his tribal bigotry and I have no doubt where he is today. His inflammatory statements led to the Entumbane disturbances that left hundreds of his fellow tribesmen dead. He visited Gwanda where there are homesteads belonging to Nkalas and told them to their face that if they did not dish PF-ZAPU for his ZANU-PF they will be visited by 'inyosi". This sarcastic characterization of Gukurahundi as bees in front of his own relatives was an illustration of the depth of his depravity. Indeed true to his word the Gukurahundi tribal militia left 20 000 innocent civilians dead. Their crime was either belonging to the wrong tribe or supporting the wrong party or both. For any self-respecting official to therefore believe that counting the number of Ndebeles in a cause is good enough to test whether it is tribal or not as a weak argument devoid of common sense. The deposed Vice-President who spewed vile against Gukurahundi victims and laughed at their pain was a Ndebele. Does this disabuse the Gukurahundi crime of its tribal tone?Thokozani Khuphe cannot be President of the MDC-T because she is not Shona. Buhera was a reenactment of the Gukurahundi. She was called a dissident from Matabeleland. Who can forget that allegation in the 1980s whose witness was 20 000 corpses? She was in a hut which was meant to be set alight while she was inside. Who can forget the chilling cries of those innocent families in Silwane area in Lupane and indeed other areas who were burnt to ashes in huts bolted from outside?They only had one escape route. Death. As Thokozani Khuphe pondered on how to survive from the unrelenting militia she was saved by Chamisa who calmed the militia. Reminds one of the surrender Unity Accord of 1987 where Dr Joshua Nkomo prostrated himself in front of Zanu-PF and delivered all the seats that ZAPU had held on a blooded silver plate.So we are watching the replay of the tribal politics. Politics that have pronounced certain tribes too inferior to lead. Politics that have endowed certain tribes with perpetual rights t govern others. Politics of exclusion. To provide a veneer of nationality modern Enos Nkalas have risen prepared to walk on the corpses of their tribesman in return for assimilation and thirty pieces of silver. These are the worst threats to our people. In 1984 the destruction of ZAPU structures was swift and brutal because Gukurahundi had the list of officials. It was not Shonas that gave them the list but Ndebeles. That such a tribute of thuggery happened at the burial of Morgan Tsvangirai is a fitting send-away for a man who in his life never condemned violence nor apologized for Gukurahundi as he was part of the ZANU-PF functionaries during that period.Regards,S. Dube
A counter-offer made by the union representing striking staff at York University has been rejected by the school's bargaining team.

Hours after contract faculty and teaching assistants walked off the job CUPE 3903, made an offer through a conciliator on Monday to try to resume talks on a new deal.

In a statement issued by the school on Tuesday, York said the union's overture included demands that were beyond the university's reach.

According to a statement released by York, the union proposed that 30 contract faculty get full-time positions in each year of the collective agreement, with 20 of those jobs being tenured-stream positions that would be filled without an "open collegial search," which is the current practice in universities across Canada.

York's statement also added that the counter-offer proposed a 3.5 per cent wage increase per year, which it claims is roughly double the Ontario university average increase.

While the two sides have not resumed talks, the school urged CUPE 3903 to respond with a realistic counter-offer, saying "it's In the best interests of the entire York community, especially our students."

In a statement released by CUPE 3903, the union responded by saying they are ready and available to meet with the school on short notice.

"The place to resolve this dispute is at the bargaining table but York needs to be across the table for that to happen," said Devin Lefebvre, chairperson of CUPE 3903.

Contract workers at York University have taken to the picket lines for the second time in three years.

Around 3,000 contract faculty, along with teaching, research and graduate assistants, are taking part in the job action, which was set into motion when CUPE 3903 members rejected the university's latest offer Friday.

The union is demanding better job security; better funding for assistant positions; improved equity and accessibility in the workplace; and for the school to replace at least some of the 800 jobs that were recently cut.

Story continues

"I've seen all the proposals and sat in the room, and heard 'No, no, no, no, no,' that's not how you negotiate," said a frustrated Maija Duncan, who works as a teaching assistant in the social sciences department.

Standing at a road blockade set up by her striking colleagues, Duncan said the university has not yet come to the bargaining table in good faith.

"I want an employer where we can actually talk, where we can actually negotiate," she said.

'I learn everything from tutorials'

Four out of every 10 classes at York have been suspended by the strike, while the rest are operating as usual, according to the university.

Second-year mechanical engineering student Aryaman Doctor has had his labs and tutorials cancelled, since they are usually run by assistants.

"It is annoying that we have to wait," he said, expressing concern that the strike could drag on deeper into the semester.

"Feedback is really important to us, and we're not able to get that and that makes it a lot harder to know if we're on the right track."

Other students echoed those worries, and said the loss of assistant-led lessons will have a profound effect on their studies.

"I learn everything from tutorials," said Marwane Elsawi.

While Elsawi said the suspension of those courses has been irritating, he's also backing the union members in their demands for better pay and security.

"Administration is horrible, they don't help us at all," he added. "The TAs are right, I agree with the TAs."

York offer 'the best in Ontario'

Administration at York University refute the claims being levelled by union members.

Instead, the university says its latest offer made several improvements to areas including wages, pensions, benefits, child care funds, professional development and job security.

"We're really proud that we've put forward an excellent offer, it's actually the best in Ontario in the sector," said Barbara Joy, York's director of media relations.

The university  the third largest in Canada with some 53,000 students  says CUPE 3903 has not yet tabled a counter offer.

Joy says the school would also be open to a binding arbitration process with the union.

"We really just want to get a deal and end the strike," she said.

While the strike continues, York is advising students to monitor the school's website for updates on the negotiations and class schedule. The school has also set up a hotline for students with urgent questions.
By Tom Westbrook SYDNEY (Reuters) - Strong aftershocks rocked Papua New Guinea's remote and rugged highlands on Monday, as the death toll climbed to 55 from a 7.5-magnitude earthquake a week ago, and is expected to rise further. Three aftershocks of magnitude greater than 5 shook the mountainous Southern Highlands, about 600 km (370 miles) northwest of the capital Port Moresby early on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, including a shallow magnitude 6 quake. "We haven't slept. It's been shaking all through the night," William Bando, provincial administrator of Hela Province, said by telephone from Tari, about 40 km (25 miles) from the site of the shocks. "What we experienced this morning could have caused more damage, but we don't know ... it almost threw me out of bed." The region had already been badly damaged on Feb. 26, when the largest quake to hit the seismically-active highlands in nearly a century flattened buildings, triggered landslides, and closed oil and gas operations. The toll on Monday stood at 55 killed, said James Justin, a research officer at the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy in Port Moresby, as news of more deaths arrived in the capital by shortwave radio. Most of the confirmed fatalities were in and around the provincial capital of Mendi and the township of Tari, he said, where landslides buried homes and buildings collapsed on families. "People are in great fear of their lives as the quakes are continuing ever since it started," he said. "They actually want to know when it will stop." While the region has no major urban centres, around 670,000 people live within 100 km (62 miles) of the epicentre, according to the Red Cross. (For a graphic on 'Papua New Guinea quake' click http://tmsnrt.rs/2ow1YLR) The quake has been felt on global natural gas markets, with ExxonMobil Corp declaring force majeure on exports from Papua New Guinea, according to an industry source, pushing Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices 5 percent higher. The company declined to comment on the force majeure, but said production would be knocked out for about 8 weeks. Aid agencies have said nearly 150,000 people remain in urgent need of emergency supplies. Australia, New Zealand and the Red Cross have all pledged aid, though reaching the remote area has proven challenging as forbidding terrain, bad weather, as well as damaged roads and runways have delayed aid efforts. "The only way for people to go out is by chopper, and it's slow for information to come through", said Martin Mose, director of Papua New Guinea's National Disaster Centre, which has yet to complete a full assessment of damage. (Reporting by Tom Westbrook in Sydney; Additional reporting by Charlotte Greenfield in Wellington; Editing by Robin Pomeroy and Clarence Fernandez)
Updated| Pennsylvanias attorney general announced Monday that he was suing Uber over a massive data breach in 2016 that the company didnt reveal until November of last year.

Uber knew for more than a year that a data breach potentially impacting 57 million passengers and drivers around the world had happenedbut the company failed to disclose the breach until last November, said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiros office in a statement Monday.

Shapiro is suing the company for violating Pennsylvanias data breach notification law. The states law requires that a company notify its customers in a reasonable amount of time that their data had been hacked. At least 13,500 of the states residents had personal data like their first and last name and drivers license numbers taken by hackers, according to Shapiros office.

Trending: Rare Sumatran Tiger Killed by Villagers Who Thought It Was a Shape-Shifting Spirit

Instead of notifying impacted consumers of the breach within a reasonable amount of time, Uber hid the incident for over a yearand actually paid the hackers to delete the data and stay quiet. Thats just outrageous corporate misconduct, said Shapiro in the statement.

GettyImages-696041476

Spencer Platt/GETTY

It was revealed in November that Uber had paid the hackers $100,000 in order to delete the data. Uber did not report the breach to authorities at the time. The breach and subsequent ransom payment came under the regime of controversial former CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick. He resigned as CEO in June 2017, but still sits on the companys board of directors.

Don't miss: Eric Trump Trolls CNN With Poor TV Ratings Report, While FOX News Dominates Viewership

Ubers new CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, took over in August of last year and chose to disclose the hack. Khosrowshahi said at the time two people were fired over the incident.

While we make no excuses for the previous failure to disclose the data breach, Uber's new leadership has taken a series of steps to be accountable and respond responsibly. We investigated the incident, disclosed the circumstances to state and federal regulators, and reached out to state Attorneys General, including Attorney General Shapiro, to express Uber's desire to cooperate fully with any investigations, said Uber in a statement to Newsweek. While we dispute the accuracy of some of the characterizations in the Pennsylvania Attorney General's lawsuit, we will continue to cooperate with them and ask only that we be treated fairly.

Story continues

Shapiros office is seeking $13.5 million in the lawsuit, $1,000 for each violation, the maximum under Pennsylvanias law. The suit was filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on Monday. The suit also claims that Uber violated the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.

Most popular: Merkel Dismisses German Official's 'Gender Neutral' National Anthem Proposal

Shapiro joins Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson who filed a multimillion-dollar suit against the company last year.

This story was updated to include a response from Uber.

Travis Kalanick

Robert Galbraith/Reuters

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
Canada had a small military team on standby to take part in a high-profile United Nations peacekeeping mission in Colombia, but foot-dragging on Ottawa's part saw other countries fill up the mission's ranks instead, newly released documents reveal.

The army "identified, screened and trained" 19 Spanish-speaking soldiers to act as cease fire observers in the South American country, which is emerging from five decades of guerilla war.

The troops were, according to a briefing note prepared for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, ready to go by October 2016  just weeks after the Liberal government committed itself to deploying 600 troops and 150 police officers in support of UN-led peace operations.

The soldiers remained on standby for months.

A decision to deploy them, however, remained in limbo  until it was too late.

"No [Canadian Armed Forces] nominations were submitted to the UN and, as of March 2017, the mission is currently fully manned with no foreseen additional requirements from Canada," said the March 30, 2017 briefing note, obtained by CBC News under access to information legislation.

Worries about troop security

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance, the country's top military commander, said the mission was considered  but he had concerns about how well protected the troops would be in the event of trouble.

He said concerns about force security are "a good reason for everything as to why we do, and do not, do everything the UN asks of us."

Canada did end up deploying two police officers to support the special political mission in that country.

Ultimately, it would have been up to the federal cabinet to decide whether to participate in the mission.

The UN mission in Colombia was one of the more benign deployments available to Canada in terms of mandate and risk.

A lower-risk mission

Over 450 unarmed soldiers, in 40 locations, acted as observers supervising the disarming of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)  a mission that is more in line with the Canadian public's perception of peacekeeping.

Story continues

The mission certainly presents a lower risk to peacekeepers than the tribal, jihadist-fuelled bloodshed in Mali, or the civil war in the corruption-tainted Democratic Republic of Congo  both sites of current UN peacekeeping operations.

"It is startling that we had the personnel trained and we didn't deploy them," said Walter Dorn, a professor at the Canadian Forces Staff College.

He said Canada's failure to send soldiers to the one of the most auspicious missions on the UN's plate throws into doubt the Liberals' election pledge to return to peacekeeping in a meaningful way.

Since the 2015 election of the Liberal government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's declaration that "Canada is back" on the world stage, the UN has offered Canada a number of marquee posts and opportunities.

Multiple missions rejected

According to documents uncovered last summer by CBC News, Canada was: offered command of the mission in Mali; asked to deploy troops to replace the Dutch contingent in the same country; bombarded with multiple requests for helicopter support and; asked to establish a police training mission in the volatile Central African Republic.

All of the requests were turned down, much to the frustration of UN officials and diplomats with the European Union who were courting Canada on separate, but complementary peace deployments and training in the region.

"The cabinet is just not able to make up its mind about where it wants to deploy," said Dorn. "It seems there is eagerness at some levels of the Canadian government, but not others."

Last fall, Trudeau laid out the Liberal government's roadmap for rejoining peacekeeping, which includes phased deployments of transport planes, helicopters, military trainers and a 200-strong rapid reaction force over a five-year period.

Where they'll go, and when, is still the subject of discussions.

The federal government also made an important social commitment to deploy more women peacekeepers and to end the exploitation of child soldiers.

Dorn said Canada's contribution to UN missions is at an all-time low.

At the end of December, Canada had only 43 peacekeepers deployed on various missions.
There's little doubt the governor will wait until after the March 20th GOP primary to make his move - but those conservatives that were disappointed and angered by Rauner's rejection of the IL GOP Platform positions on abortion and immigration expect him to sign those laws into effect. Why wouldn't he?

SPRINGFIELD - A hot topic among Second Amendment rights advocates in Illinois is whether the Carhartt jacket wearing, hunting rifle toting Bruce Rauner we saw in the days leading up to the 2014 GOP primary will "stick to his guns" and veto three gun control bills that passed the Illinois legislature last week and are now sitting on his desk.

The governor didnt say whether he would sign a bill to require gun retailers to get state licenses, saying that hes ready to work on a number of things," the Chicago Tribune reports.

And here's the mushy response that should make hunters and gun rights advocates very nervous about the governor adding them to his list of betrayed Republican faithful:

We need to have a good conversation about how do we keep our citizens safer, how do we protect our students, our children, our families, Rauner said when asked about his position on gun store licensing. And this should be done on a bipartisan basis. I believe we need to come together and we can come together to do a number of things.

Yep. That's what we expected. He's going to betray the last bastion of conservatism in the IL GOP. Just watch.
Red River College has put the brakes on a $95.4-million expansion project at its campus in Winnipeg's Exchange District.

"RRC's decision to halt construction of the four-storey, 100,000-square-foot Innovation Centre is the result of a disagreement with the federal government over what constitutes a reasonable timeline for completion of the major infrastructure project involving a heritage building in downtown Winnipeg," said college spokesman Conor Lloyd.

To keep the federal contribution of $40.6 million, the project slated to be built on Elgin Avenue would have to be completed by Nov. 30. The funding agreement was signed and finalized at the end of June 2017, he said.

Meeting that deadline is impossible because the project involves the renovation of a heritage building, which requires complex and time-consuming work, Lloyd said, adding that RRC has been working to get a deadline extension but the government has been unwilling to grant it.

As a result, the companies working on six tenders for the project have been told to discontinue, at least for the time being.

"We still very much want to proceed, but we need to iron out this deadline disagreement with the feds first before we can carry on with construction, and we are very hopeful that we will find a solution," said Lloyd.

Work already completed includes demolition of 325 Elgin (the former Metro Motors garage) and remediation of the site, consultations with more than 100 user groups, refining of the centre's design, site surveys and traffic flow studies.

"The Innovation Centre would allow Manitoba to keep pace with other provinces that are investing in similar centres and moving away from old-style classrooms and learning," Lloyd said.

"The centre's focus is on innovation, entrepreneurship and collision space  creative interactions between students, faculty, business, applied research and the community."

The centre would bring more than 1,200 additional students, staff and faculty to the college. It also would be a significant expansion of RRC's Exchange District campus, which has included the restoration of several heritage sites and helped revitalize the neighbourhood, Lloyd said.

Story continues

A spokesperson with federal Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains's office said the original pledge was part of the federal Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, first launched in 2016.

The program was meant to stimulate short-term economic activity and support long-term innovation and environmental projects.

Red River submitted an application for funds for the Innovation Centre prior to April 30, 2018, the federal spokesperson said.

"Recently, the program initiated a process whereby projects can apply for an extension to Nov. 30, 2018, in response to unforeseen delays in the construction process," a statement from Bains reads.

"This extension remains consistent with the original objectives of the program."
Students, profs want UPEI included in Freedom of Information Act

Three groups, including students and professors, are jointly calling for the University of Prince Edward Island to be included under provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy legislation.

The legislation is under review. Currently, the university and municipalities are not regulated by the act.

The UPEI Student Union, UPEI Faculty Association and CUPE want that to change.

"Nearly half of UPEI's revenues are derived from government funding," said UPEI Student Union vice president Taya Nabuurs, in a news release.

"It is long overdue that we bring Prince Edward Island up to speed with every other province and territory in Canada in bringing its post-secondary institutions under FOIPP legislation."

UPEI Faculty Association president Nola Etkin said UPEI's internal access to information system is inadequate.

"[It] leaves the institution to decide when  or even if  information is made public. This is unacceptable in modern Canada," Etkin said.

CUPE 1870, which represents 280 support staff at UPEI, called for UPEI to be included in FOIPP in the same news release.

All three organizations have recently made submissions to government on the issue.

CBC has also made a submission to government for its review of the FOIPP Act, suggesting post-secondary institutions and municipalities be covered by the provincial legislation.

- MORE P.E.I. NEWS | Dairy producer welcomes 4-H members who don't live on farms

- MORE P.E.I. NEWS | Province should've added more infant spaces in western P.E.I., moms say
On Monday, a U.S. aircraft carrier and two other vessels landed in Danang, Vietnam marking the largest U.S. military presence in the country since the end of the Vietnam War.

The presence of the USS Carl Vinson, a U.S. Navy supercarrier, highlights the growing alliance between the U.S. and its erstwhile foe, and it could rattle the regional superpower China. The show of U.S. naval power in Vietnam will demonstrate to China that Washington and Hanoi are looking to expand their military cooperation in the South China Sea, experts say.

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is the epitome of modern naval power, Carlyle Thayer, emeritus professor at the Australian Defence Force Academy and an expert on the South China Sea, wrote in a policy briefing in late February. The message the USS Carl Vinson sends is that the U.S. will maintain its naval presence in the South China Sea and that Vietnam supports the presence of the U.S. Navy as long as it contributes to regional peace and stability.

Trending: WhatsApp New Feature: Users May Soon Have an Hour to Recall Embarrassing Chats

669900818

U.S. Navy via Getty Images

In July 2016, an international court ruled that the so-called nine-dash linea demarcation line China uses to lay claim to parts of the South China Seais inconsistent with international laws governing maritime resources. In response, the administration of former President Barack Obama launched a policy of using U.S. Navy vessels and aircraft to patrol the South China Sea and assert freedom of navigation rights.

The Trump administration has been quietly increasing the number of U.S. patrols in the South China Sea, but China has failed to respond as negatively to the patrols as it did during the Obama era. Instead, Chinese ships generally trail the U.S. vessels in an effort to assert Beijings sovereignty in the waters.

Story continues

Don't miss: Robot Flips Burgers for California Restaurant Better Than a Human

The U.S. and Vietnam first announced in January that the USS Carl Vinson would be making a stop in Vietnam, and Hanois diplomats have been working to calm their Chinese counterparts ever since. Some Vietnamese officials are concerned that China could respond to the U.S. visit by maintaining its own presence in Vietnamese waters.

The USS Carl Vinson has a crew of around 6,700 people and is often described as a floating city. Destroyers and other vessels generally accompany the aircraft carrier, providing additional protection. The ships will be stationed in Vietnam for five days.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
Nova Scotia's Criminal Code Review Board has approved unescorted day passes for a man found not criminally responsible for killing his mother and two grandparents.

The passes will allow Codey Hennigar to leave the East Coast Forensic Hospital in Dartmouth, N.S., for brief periods.

Hennigar, 33, was arrested in January 2015 after the bodies of his mother, Ann Ward, and her parents, Bill and Ida Ward, were found inside the burnt remains of their home in Wyses Corner, N.S.

He has been at the secure psychiatric hospital since not long after his arrest, and last year was found not criminally responsible on three counts of first-degree murder.

Hennigar has already been out of the hospital while escorted by staff. The team treating him proposed he be allowed out on unescorted trips, and argued the passes would help prepare Hennigar for gradual reintegration into society.

The Criminal Code Review Board conducted a hearing Tuesday in Halifax to consider the hospital's request to grant the leave privileges. Members of Hennigar's family are opposed to him getting release privileges.

Strict conditions

Due to concerns expressed by family and community members at Tuesday's hearing, Hennigar's release comes with strict conditions.

In addition to the requirement to provide an itinerary and keep in contact with hospital staff, he must stay away from the Musquodoboit Valley, where the crimes occured. The Crown also provided the board with a long list of names of family and community members who do not wish to have contact with Hennigar.

Because of the number of people who wanted to watch and speak at the hearing, and security concerns expressed by board chair Peter Lederman, the board arranged to hold its hearing in a courtroom at the Law Courts in downtown Halifax.

People entering the courthouse, including a large contingent of family and community members, had to pass through a metal detector on their way into the building.

The CBC's Blair Rhodes was live blogging from the hearing. Those on mobile can follow along here.
Martin Sherman is the founder and executive director of the Israel Institute for Strategic Studies.





Find this article interesting? You can find more in depth articles on Israel and the Middle East @en.mida.org.il

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

.

....04 March '18..(18151890)Senior IDF officers have publicly warned in the past few days, that the chances of war on Israels northern border in 2018 are growing significantly (see for examples here and here .) The specter of renewed fighting presents Israel with a daunting dilemma.Since the end of the 2006 Lebanon War, poorly conductedand even more poorly concludedby the Olmert government, the arsenal of the Iranian terror proxy, Hezbollah has grown exponentially in both the quantity and quality of its weaponry. It is now reportedly over ten times its pre-war size, and vastly enhanced in terms of its precision and destructive capacity.Indeed, no one even vaguely familiar with the brutal nature of the organizationits gory past, and chilling proclamations of future intentcould even remotely entertain the hopelessly naive belief that it was stockpiling over 100,000 missiles just for show.Accordingly then, the working assumption underlying Israels strategic planning must be that, at some stage, they will in fact be used against Israel and its civilian population centers. Certainly, any policy discounting such a possibility as implausible would be wildly irresponsible.As Israeli military sources point out, the likelihood of such a grim scenario has been increased by several other factors, over which Israel has little to no control.The one is the winding down of the civil war in Syria, in which Hezbollah has been embroiled to support their ally, Bashar al-Assad, who appears to have regained control of much of the country. This allowed Hezbollah forces to begin disengaging from the fighting and to refocus their attention on the hated Zionist entity to the south.The other is the undisguised efforts of Iran to establish a permanent military presence in both Syria and Lebanon. This includes the deployment of troops and the production of weapons in these two client states and the completion of a Shia crescent , creating an effective land bridge from Iran to the Mediterranean coast.Given the assumption that, bolstered by its patrons pervasive physical presence, Hezbollah will in all likelihood eventually use the vast arsenal at its disposal, the inevitable question is: Will Israel allow its deadly adversary to choose the time, place and circumstances for a major attack against it? Indeed, more to the point, can Israel afford to allow Hezbollah such a choice?To grasp the consequences of permitting Hezbollah the chance of a large-scale first-strike, it is necessary to understand that the organization now poses a much graver threat than that of an asymmetric war with a guerrilla army, as it did in the past. Thus, a study prepared in July 2017 by a well-known security studies institute warned:Accordingly, Hezbollah has become a strategic danger to Israel. While on its own it is clearly unable to invade and conquer large tracts of territory, it is eminently capable of wreaking massive damage on Israels civilian population and its strategic infrastructure.Both the sheer numbers and greatly improved precision of Hezbollahs weaponry, relative to 2006, could pose an almost insurmountable challenge to Israels missile defense systems. For now, not only would a far greater number of missiles be launched but far fewer would be off target, and could therefore be left to fall un-intercepted, causing neither damage nor casualties. The previously cited study cautions:As the authors, former government minister, Gideon Saar and experienced Israeli air force veteran, Ron Tira, point out:The effects of the accompanying civilian casualties, the disruption of vital services and socio-economic routine and consequent corrosive impact on public morale of such an assault are difficult to overstate. Indeed, there are certainly liable to be far-reaching and irreversible ramifications for the future resilience of the county, which must be averted at all costs.Moreover, if a surprise precision missile attack were launched at Israels major air bases, even if the aircraft were left unscathed, damage to runways and infrastructure could render them inoperative. Thus crippling, or at least severely curtailing, Israeli ability to retaliate.After all, the very perception of the feasibility of such a scenario on the part of the enemy could, in itself, erode Israeli deterrence, based as it isat least in conventional contextslargely on air power. This might well prompt the enemy to launch such an attack, in the belief that if successful, it could then proceed to bombard the country with relativealbeit temporaryimpunity.Indeed, the very concept of ongoing deterrence, as the term has been used in the enduring Arab-Israeli conflict, in which large-scale military clashes flare up regularly, typically after a tense interbellum of several years, should be critically examined. In the intervening period between fighting, Israeli sources attributed the relative calm to the effectiveness of Israeli deterrence.However, Israels adversaries, whether Hamas or Hezbollah, have not been deterred in the sense that they have had their will to engage in combat broken. Quite the reverse. Not only have they emerged from each engagement still spoiling for a fight, but after a period, they have emerged with new and vastly enhanced capabilities to be employed in the next round of battle.So rather than being deterred, both Hamas and Hezbollah have merely been forced to regroup, rearm and redeployready to attack when the time appears opportune.Certainly, with regard to Hezbollah, these claims seem to be charitable, unpersuasive. After all, what adversary, if deterred, proceeds immediately to expand their offensive capabilities by over a thousand percent?! Indeed, it is an open question as to whether Hezbollahhad it not been enmeshed in the Syrian civil war in 2014would have joined Hamas during Operation Protective Edge, in a coordinated bombardment of Israeli cities to overwhelm the defensive capabilities of the Iron Dome anti-missile system.It is an equally openand ominousquestion as to whether it will do so in a fourth round of fighting in Gaza. Something numerous pundits consider unavoidable.Regarding the situation on the northern border, several pundits have advocated a process of limited strikes on specific targets to foil the Iranian buildup and convey the message, that Israel will not tolerate such developments. Nor will it finch from escalation to prevent them.This however, is a prescription that is very likely to fail, increasing dangers rather than diminishing them. Indeed, given manifest Iranian resolve and proven difficulty in breaking Hezbollahs will to fight, it is liable to lead not only to the hardening of targets for example by converting them from surface to underground sitesbut to familiarizing the enemy with Israels methods and capabilities.So what then, should Israel do to confront the emerging strategic peril in the north?I have been warning for years that successive Israeli governments have been backing away from confrontations in which Israel can prevail. By doing so, risking backing the country into a confrontation in which it may not, or only do so at exorbitant costs.Such a situation may well be brewing on the northern border today. Iran is at the gates in Syria with Hezbollah deploying in the Golan. A massive arsenal in the Lebanon is trained on much of the country, with the possibility of a coordinated attack in the south from Gaza. If Israel waits until Iran can spread an effective nuclear umbrella over its Judeocidal proxies, what then?Simple common sense and survival-based logic would seem to mandate one course of strategic action to contend with these ominous developments: Massive preemption to destroy the enemies ability to attack, not deter them from doing so.In this regard, it is important to gasp that there is a doctrinal clash between the ability to attain effective deterrence and to achieve successful preemption. After all, in order to deter adversaries one needs to convince them that they will suffer unacceptable damage were they to attack. To convey such a message though, one needs to reveal ones capabilities to wreak such devastation. Otherwise, how could ones potential attacker be convinced not to attack?By contrast, successful preemption typically calls for surprise to overwhelm the enemy with an unexpected assault. This requires concealing ones capabilities so that the enemy cannot make preparations to thwart them.The choice of which of these somewhat antithetical doctrines to adopt may soon be upon Israeli policy makers.In weighing this strategic dilemma, Israels leadership will in effect, have to decide whether they are willing to risk sacrificing Israeli lives to appease the deity of political correctness. For in the past, restraint has often proven ruinous.So the choice is between incapacitating the enemy while you can; or continuing to deter the enemyuntil you cannot!In making this decision, it may well be instructive for todays policymakers to look back at the nations history and compare the triumph preemption brought in 1967, to the trauma wrought by deterrence failure in 1973.Seen in this light, the lesson seems unequivocal Or is that just me?____________________
WEDNESDAY, March 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Breast cancer screening guidelines are based mainly on scientific data from white women, and that bias could cause delayed detection of the disease in minorities, researchers report.

"While a lot of attention has been focused on improving the 'cultural competency' of clinical care -- caring for patients in ways that accommodate their cultural and language differences -- we are concerned that we haven't paid as much attention to the scientific research process," said David Chang, from Massachusetts General Hospital's department of surgery.

"If the science upon which clinical guidelines are based was not done in a way that respects racial differences, there is little that can be done at the point of delivery to improve patient care," Chang added in a hospital news release.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines recommend beginning breast cancer screening at age 50 for women at average risk. But it hasn't been clear if a single guideline can be applied to different racial or ethnic groups, the researchers noted.

To learn more, the investigators analyzed U.S. National Cancer Institute data on women aged 40 to 75 who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 1973 and 2010.

The average age at diagnosis was 59 for white women, 56 for black women, 55 for Hispanic women and 46 for Asian women, the findings showed.

Percentages of patients diagnosed before age 50 were: 31 percent for blacks, 35 percent for Hispanics, 33 percent for Asians, and 24 percent for whites.

Advanced cancers were diagnosed in 47 percent of black patients, 43 percent of Hispanic patients, 37 percent of white patients and 36 percent of Asian patients, according to the study.

The researchers said their findings indicate that some groups of nonwhite women should begin breast cancer screening at an earlier age than whites.

The report was published March 7 in the journal JAMA Surgery.

"The situation with breast cancer is one of the best examples of how science done without regard to racial differences can produce guidelines that would be ultimately harmful to minority patients," Chang explained.

"Flawed science can harm more people than flawed clinical care, which is why it is so important to detect and eventually eliminate these sorts of hidden biases in the scientific literature," he added.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more on breast cancer screening.
WEDNESDAY, March 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Someday soon, a simple touch of a finger to a smartphone case might be enough to provide instant, accurate blood pressure readings.

That's the promise of new technology detailed by developers in the March 7 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

Researchers say they've invented a special phone case, using high-tech 3-D printing, that contains an embedded optical sensor on top of a "force" sensor.

When the user presses a finger onto the sensor embedded in the case, "it provides measurable pressure on an artery in the finger in the same way that a blood pressure cuff squeezes an artery in the arm," according to a journal news release.

That information is then fed to a smartphone app that converts the data to a real-time blood pressure reading, displayed on the phone, says a team led by Ramakrishna Mukkamala of Michigan State University.

The researchers tested the usability of the device on 30 people, and found that about 90 percent could position their finger correctly and get consistent readings after only one or two attempts.

Two heart specialists said the device might one day be a game-changer.

"An accurate blood pressure measurement technique is critical for making helpful decisions in the management of hypertension," said Dr. Joseph Diamond. He directs nuclear cardiology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

He stressed, however, that more rigorous testing must be done before any new blood pressure measuring technology becomes standard.

Dr. Rachel Bond helps direct women's heart health at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She noted that recent changes to the American Heart Association's blood pressure guidelines -- lowering the threshold for high blood pressure to 130/80 mmHg -- means "more people will likely need access to blood pressure monitoring devices that are simple to use outside of the doctor's office."

Still, "with the use of any [portable] device, I strongly encourage the patient bring them in to the office to test for accuracy and allow for validation," Bond said.

The research was funded by a grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains how to prevent high blood pressure.
WEDNESDAY, March 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Living in sunnier climes when young might help shield you from multiple sclerosis decades later, new research suggests.

The main factor may be the sun's ultraviolet B (UV-B) rays, which help the body produce vitamin D, according to a Canadian team. They noted that lower levels of vitamin D have been associated with a rise in risk for multiple sclerosis (MS).

The finding isn't entirely new -- other studies have shown lower MS rates in sunnier regions. But, "our study went further, looking at exposure over a person's life span," explained lead study author Helen Tremlett, of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Tremlett's team tracked the histories of 151 women with MS who were diagnosed at an average age of 40, and 235 women of similar age without MS. The women lived across the United States and nearly all were white.

Women who lived in sunnier regions and had the highest exposure to UV-B rays were 45 percent less likely to develop MS than those who lived in regions with the lowest UV-B exposure, the study found.

Sun exposure in youth was key: Women who lived in regions with the highest levels of UV-B exposure between the ages of 5 and 15 were 51 percent less likely to develop MS than those with the lowest UV-B exposure between ages 5 and 15, Tremlett's group found.

More time spent outdoors in summer in youth was similarly tied to lower MS rates decades later, the researchers reported March 7 in Neurology.

"Our research showed that those who did develop MS also had reduced sun or outdoor exposure later in life, in both summer and winter, which may have health consequences," Tremlett said in a journal news release.

Still, exposure to the sun's UV rays has a big down side, too: skin cancer. The American Cancer Society has long warned that tanning and burning, especially, are a prime cause of potentially deadly forms of the disease, such as melanoma.

Regarding the MS study, one expert said its findings are in tune with prior research.

"While geographic location during adolescence was previously known to be associated with MS risk, the current study demonstrates that sun exposure even later in life affects MS risk," said Dr. Asaff Harel, a neurologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

Harel noted, however, that almost all of the study group was white, so, "it will be interesting to determine whether the same relationship applies in a more multi-ethnic study."

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more on multiple sclerosis.
Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



New York, March 6, 2018  Yemeni authorities in Aden should investigate an attack on a media foundations office and ensure that journalists working in areas under their control can operate freely and safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Armed men raided the offices of al-Shomou Foundation on March 1 and set fire to the presses it uses to print the weekly Al-Shomou and daily Akhbar al-Youm, according to the local human rights group Rights Radar and news reports.

The arson attack on al-Shomou Foundations newspapers shows that journalists are being targeted with impunity across every inch of Yemen, said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour in Washington, D.C. All authorities holding power in Aden must immediately investigate this attack and ensure the safety of journalists operating in areas they purport to control.

Video footage from one of the foundations security cameras shows armed men rushing inside the building and ushering the staff out at gunpoint. Footage from a second camera inside the printing room shows the attackers pointing guns at the staff and ordering the press to be shut off. After herding staff out of the room, one of the gunmen is seen pouring a liquid into the printing press and over the newspapers, before retreating to the door and setting light to the liquid.

The media foundation and its papers, which focus on Yemeni news, are considered close to the internationally recognized government and Vice-President Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, Yemeni Journalists Syndicate co-chair Nabeel Alosaidi told CPJ.

Saif al-Haderi, president of al-Shomou Foundation, told CPJ the attackers arrived in vehicles and wore uniforms consistent with the Security Belt forces that operate in and around Aden, the seat of the internationally recognized Yemeni government. The forces are under the control of the Yemeni government, but are armed, funded, trained, and work as part of a coalition led by the United Arab Emirates. CPJ could not immediately determine if the foundation will be able to continue publishing.

The UAE military attache did not immediately respond to CPJs request for comment, sent via the website of the UAE Embassy in Washington, D.C. CPJ could not verify the affiliation of the assailants.

The attack came a little more than a week after CPJ documented how Yemeni Army elite forces, which also work under the UAE coalition, detained Yemeni journalist Awad Kashmeem at a checkpoint near Mokalla in Hadramout province on February 21. Kashmeem, who wrote critically about the coalitions campaign, is still in custody, according to Alosaidi.
Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



New York, March 7, 2018The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed news that Equatoguinean cartoonist and blogger Ramon Nse Esono Ebale is free from prison after serving more than five months in a Malabo jail on false charges of money laundering and counterfeiting.

Judge Agustin Chicampo Barila, of the Malabo Provincial Chamber, acquitted Ebale after the states main witness, a policeman, recanted under cross-examination on February 27 and said he had only been following orders when he implicated Ebale in criminal activity, said Tutu Alicante, executive director of EG Justice, a U.S. based organization advocating for human rights in Equatorial Guinea. The state indicated it could not proceed with the case and the judge formally acquitted Ebale, who was released from prison today.

We are pleased that Ramon Nse Esono Ebale is free, but the fact that he was acquitted after the states chief witness recanted underscores the point that authorities manufactured these charges in the first place, said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal. This prison stint was straight up retaliation for Ebales cartoons and blogs that were critical of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

Ebale, known by the pen name Jamon y Queso, was arrested on September 16 and interrogated by police about his work as a cartoonist, specifically his online drawings of Obiang, according to CPJ research. Cartoonists abilities to transcend borders and languages and to simplify complex political situations exposes them to unique threats, CPJ found in its 2015 special report, Drawing the Line.

CPJ worked with a global #FreeNseRamon coalition of human rights groups to advocate for Ebales release, and today signed onto a joint press release upon his being freed.
Its time for Americans to face facts. With few exceptions, our governments  local, state, and federal  are not constructed to be competent. The permanent class of civil servants the career officials who work for multiple presidents, governors, mayors, or town officials  work within bureaucracies that are designed from the ground up to be insulated from effective accountability and discipline. They enjoy a job security that private-sector workers cant begin to imagine.

A few years ago, a USA Today report rocketed around the Internet for a few days and then faded into obscurity. Too bad. It should have triggered an extended national conversation and extensive legal reform. The headline was sensational, but true: Some federal workers more likely to die than lose jobs. It traced the number of employees laid off or fired in multiple federal agencies and found that turnover was microscopic to nonexistent.

Even assuming that a federal worker is a better class of employee than your average private-sector employee (a debatable presumption), the numbers were amazing. The Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission collectively employed 3,000 people. They fired no one. NASA employed almost 19,000 and fired 13. The EPA employed almost 19,000 and fired 19.

In other words, incompetence is baked into the bureaucratic cake.
Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



EDITORS NOTE: Immediately after distributing this alert, CPJ learned that Ezimakor was freed just prior to publication. CPJ issued a separate statement concerning his release.

Lome, March 6, 2018Nigerian authorities should release immediately Tony Ezimakor, the Abuja bureau chief of the privately owned Daily Independent newspaper, and stop trying to compel him to disclose his sources, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Nigerias domestic intelligence agency, the Department of State Services (DSS), called in Ezimakor for questioning on February 28 at its headquarters in Abuja in relation to an article he wrote about the release of the Nigerian schoolgirls, known as the Chibok girls, who were captured by the militant group Boko Haram in April 2014, according to media reports and the journalists lawyer Douglas Ekhator.

In the article, Ezimakor wrote that President Muhammadu Buharis administration had paid millions of dollars in ransom to Boko Haram for the release of some of the kidnapped girls. The Nigerian government has denied paying ransom to insurgent groups, according to Ezimakors article.

Following the questioning, the DSS detained Ezimakor. The journalist is still being held by the DSS without charge, beyond the three days provided by Nigerian law, Ekhator told CPJ.

The lawyer told CPJ that DSS agents threatened Ezimakor with terrorism charges if he refuses to reveal his sources to DSS.

Nigerias intelligence agency must stop trying to force Tony Ezimakor to disclose his confidential sources, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa Program Coordinator, from New York. Ezimakor must be released from detention without condition and allowed to continue investigating alleged corruption without fear of reprisal, including being forced to violate his journalistic ethics, she said.

CPJs repeated attempts to contact DSS Director-General Lawal Musa Daura, the DSSs Director of Operations Gbeteng Bassi, and President Buharis special adviser on media and communication, Femi Adesina, on their cell phones and on their office landlines were unsuccessful.

Ezimakor has refused to disclose his sources, and asked to be arraigned before a court if there was any evidence against him, said Ekhator.

Ekhator told CPJ on March 5 that Ezimakor was in poor health and suffered from high blood pressure. He is under immense pressure to admit he lied and to agree to retract the story, the lawyer told CPJ.

The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called for Ezimakors unconditional release, according to media reports.
Tamil and Kerala: Cyclone Ockhi: 263 missing people considered dead; death toll at 365

by Trisha Thomas

March 07,2018 | Source: Ultra News

The governments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have classified 263 fishermen missing since cyclone Okhi as dead, taking the total death toll so far to 365 from the cyclone. A total of 102 people from Kerala and 191 people from Tamil Nadu had been registered as missing in the aftermath of the cyclone.



Out of this, the government of Kerala considers all 102 missing persons from the state to be dead, while the government of Tamil Nadu is still waiting for information about 30 people who went missing during the cyclone. As such, the Tamil Nadu government considers 161 of the missing persons to be dead. These numbers are in addition to the 102 people who have been confirmed to be dead during the cyclone and whose bodies were recovered. With the latest numbers, the total dead from the cyclone that hit India in early December has reached 162 in Kerala and 203 in Tamil Nadu, with 30 still missing.



The central government released Rs 280.50 crore to Tamil Nadu from the State Disaster Response Fund on Dec 8, and Rs 76.50 crore to Kerala from the same fund on Dec 11. Subsequently, it released Rs 133 cr each to both states from the National Disaster Response Fund. Rs 15 cr was also released to Lakshadweep.
We are barely into the third month of 2018 and already the state of Alabamas attempts to carry out the death penalty have gone from bad to worse.





In late January, 30 minutes before he was supposed to die, the court stayed the execution of Vernon Madison because there were questions as to whether he could understand why he was being killed.





Madison, 67, has been on death row for more than three decades after having been found guilty of the murder of Mobile police officer Julius Schulte. His attorneys say multiple strokes have left Madison with dementia and he no longer has a memory of his crime. They also say he is legally blind, cannot walk on his own and has urinary incontinence. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said the state will continue to pursue Madisons execution.





In late February, Alabama tried to kill Doyle Lee Hamm, 61, in what has been described as a horrifically botched execution. Hamm, who has spent more than 30 years on death row for the murder of Patrick Cunningham, a motel clerk in Cullman, has been diagnosed with lymphatic cancer. While strapped to a gurney for more than two-and-a-half hours, Hamm was repeatedly punctured through his groin as officials attempted to find a vein for the lethal injection. Half an hour before his death warrant was to expire, the state called off the execution. U.S. Chief District Judge Karon Bowdre is expected to begin a review of the execution attempt on Tuesday.





On April 19, Alabama is scheduled to execute Walter Leroy Moody, 83, the oldest inmate on the states death row. Moody was convicted of killing federal appeals court judge Robert Vance with a pipe bomb he mailed to Vances home in Mountain Brook in 1989.





Thirty years is a long time to wait to die, but the state is persistent. Alabama has spent a lot of money and a lot of energy to usher out these old and infirm inmates before nature takes its course. Were sure a lot of readers would agree that Madison, Hamm and Moody are examples of why the death penalty process should be shortened. But there are six men in the past 25 years who are glad it wasnt.





Walter McMillian was convicted of murder and sentenced to die in 1988 in Monroeville. On March 2, 1993, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals voted 5-0 to exonerate him and set him free. He sat on death row for six years. Larry Randal Padgett was sentenced to death in 1992. Five and a half years later, he was exonerated. Gary Drinkard was sentenced to death in 1995. In 2001 he was exonerated. Wesley Quick was sentenced to death in 1997. He was exonerated in 2003. Daniel Wade Moore was sentenced to death in 2002. He was exonerated in 2009.





Anthony Hinton was sentenced to death in 1986. He was exonerated in 2015, after awaiting his execution for 29 years for crimes he did not commit.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Ukraine to cut anthracite consumption by 20% in 2018

The official also notes the ongoing rise in gas grade coal consumption.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter
Ukrainian grain exports to Egypt grow by 10.5% in 2017

Spain ranked second in the TOP-10 of Ukrainian grain importers, having increased grain purchases by almost 10% compared to 2016.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter
Ukraine sets new record in grain exports in 2017

The country sold 41.8 million tonnes of grain on foreign markets in 2017, three time the volume exported in 2010 and 4% up against 2016.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter
No resting on oars for Ukraine in gas war with Russia  experts

The chances remain significant that the Kremlin might tip the scales in its favor in the Nord Stream 2 project.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter
Ukraine going to seize Gazprom's international assets

Ukraine's government expects to recover $8.5 billion from Gazprom under the Stockholm ruling and a decision by Ukraine's Anti-Monopoly Committee.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter
President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed that Russian President Vladimir Putins recent statements on nuclear weapons development are irresponsible, according to a readout of President Trumps recent telephone call with the Prime Minister.

In a recent speech to the two houses of Parliament weeks prior to the Russian presidential election on March 18, Mr. Putin claimed that Russia has and is on course to develop new additions to its nuclear arsenal, some of which he claims can defeat any missile defenses the U.S. or NATO can deploy.

Mr. Putin accompanied his speech with a video animation showing a variety of weaponry, including nuclear-powered underwater vehicles, nuclear-powered cruise missiles which he boasted had practically unlimited range, and a new heavy intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a broad range of powerful nuclear warheads. One missile appeared to be targeted at the U.S. southern state of Florida.

Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert said the Kremlins display of that kind of imagery is not the behavior of a responsible international player. She noted that with his speech and animation, Mr. Putin confirmed what the United States has known for a long time and which Russia has previously denied: that Russia has been developing destabilizing weapons systems for more than a decade

Ms. Nauert declared that President Trump understands the threats facing America and our allies in this century and is determined to protect our homeland and preserve peace through strength. U.S. defense capabilities are and will remained second to none, she added. We have a new defense budget thats over 700 billion dollars. We believe that our military will be stronger than ever. The Presidents nuclear posture review addresses some of this. It made clear that were moving forward to modernize our nuclear arsenal and ensure that our capabilities remain unmatched.
A key U.S. objective in the broader Middle East said Commander of the U.S. Central Command General Joseph Votel is to neutralize and shape the destabilizing impact that Iran has across the region.

Speaking before Congress, General Votel stressed that Irans malign activities across the region pose the long-term threat to stability in this part of the world.

He added that the recently published National Defense Strategy rightly identifies the resurgence of great power competition as the principal national security challenge.

One of those vying for power is Russia, said General Votel. Its support of the Assad regime in Syria has not only propped them up, but has added complexity to the Defeat ISIS campaign. Diplomatically and militarily, said General Votel, Moscow plays both arsonist and firefighter, fueling tensions among all parties in Syria. . .then serving as an arbiter to resolve disputes, attempting to undermine and weaken each party's bargaining positions.

Despite the key role that the Syrian Democratic Forces and the coalition have played in dealing a defeat to ISIS, Russia has placed this progress at risk with their activities, said General Votel. Indeed, Russia is not focused on defeating ISIS, he said, but rather on preserving their own influence over the outcome of the situation.

Another power player in the region is China. It is improving its military posture by connecting ports such as Gwadar in Pakistan with its first overseas military base in Djibouti, adjacent to the critical Bab-el-Mandeb, a strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

While Beijing claims both locations support peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, the new military base and port bolsters China's force projection into the region, warned General Votel.

Both China and Russia are increasing defense cooperation and sales of their equipment to U.S. regional partners and cultivating multidimensional ties to Iran. Russia, supported by Iran, continues to bolster the Assad regime in Syria, attempts to limit the U.S. military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, and creates friction among NATO partners.

We in CENTCOM, vowed General Votel, stand ready with all of our partners to defend U.S. interests against these and other threats. . . .We are postured for purpose, proactive in pursuing opportunities and resolved to win.
CHICAGO - The Rauner campaign is funding a website appealing to those golden suburban women votes called "Women Working for Change" - and here's how the group describes itself:

We joined together on the core principle that if we listen to each other and elevate the conversation above the constant political fighting we can reach real solutions to the problems we face in our state.

The current political environment has many of us reconnecting to our personal values and principles, rather than to political parties. This has offered us an incredible opportunity to drop our defenses and come together to focus on our states biggest obstacles.

This year Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation that ensures all women in Illinois, no matter of income, have access to reproductive health servicesboldly taking the issue off the table. For many of us this issue has defined our vote.

We can move forward confident that womens reproductive rights are protected, and on to other important issues stifling our state.
The United States condemns the ongoing military slaughter that the Bashar al-Assad regime, backed by Russia and Iran, is perpetrating against the people of Eastern Ghouta. It is one of the last major rebel-held enclaves in the country, which has been ravaged by war for almost seven years. Since the offensive began on February 18, more than 700 have been killed, and more than 4,000 wounded according to Doctors Without Borders.

After repeatedly delaying the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2401, which demanded a 30-day cessation of hostilities across Syria, Russia has gone on to ignore its terms and to kill innocent civilians under the false auspices of counterterrorism operations, said the White House in a written statement.

This is the same combination of lies and indiscriminate force that Russia and the Syrian regime used to isolate and destroy Aleppo in 2016, where thousands of civilians were killed.

Since the UN's ceasefire resolution, not only has the violence failed to stop, it has actually escalated, according to Panos Moumtzis, U.N. Regional Coordinator for the Syria Crisis. Indeed, between February 24 and 28, Russian military aircraft conducted at least 20 daily bombing missions in Damascus and Eastern Ghouta from Humaymim Airfield in northwest Syria. We continue to see more fighting, more death, and more disturbing reports of hunger and hospitals being bombed," Mr. Moumtzis said. "This collective punishment of civilians is simply unacceptable.

The U.S. calls on pro-regime forces to immediately cease targeting medical infrastructure and civilians as part of the brutal campaign in Eastern Ghouta. The civilized world must not tolerate the Assad regimes continued use of chemical weapons.

The Assad regime, along with its backers in Moscow and Tehran, should adhere to UN Security Council Resolution 2401, cease hostilities in and around Eastern Ghouta, and allow unfettered delivery of humanitarian aid to the nearly 400,000 innocent civilians in critical need.
After six days of detention, eight workers from the Iran National Steel Industrial Group (INSIG) were released on bail on March 6, reported the website of the Iran Free Trade Union (IFTU).

Nine INSIG workers were detained on March 1, and one was released two days later.

In a statement, the IFTU described the workers detention as hostage taking by the private owner of the steel mill and security forces of Ahvaz, southwestern Iran, to force the workers to continue working without their overdue wages being paid.

Nearly 4,000 INSIG workers have been on strike for more than two weeks. They are demanding two months delayed wages and bonuses.

The workers are expecting the employer to pay their rightful claims, and they have no work to do due to a lack of financial resources and the raw materials needed for production, said Ahmed Shajirati, a labor official for Khuzestan Province, on March 3.

The head of the judiciary in the province, Farhad Afsharnia, however, said the protests do not comply with the law and said, Our patience is limited, and if the protest assemblies persist, we have to deal with the other workers, as well.

This statement shows that the trade union claim of "hostage taking" by authorities is not too much off the mark.

Speaking to the state-run Iran Students News Agency (ISNA), Afsharnia said that officials have heard the workers complaints and continued protests are not right.

Without referring to the delayed wages or poor living conditions, Afsharnia said, A company can pay its staff and workers their salaries only when they have production.

In recent years, hundreds of workers have been detained for demanding delayed wages and unfulfilled rights across Iran.

However, in the heat of momentous labor protests over delayed salaries and a debate over a minimum wage, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused enemies of fomenting discord among Irans work force.

One of the major activities of our enemies has been to create a recession and obstacles in our factories and among our groups of laborers -- particularly the big ones -- so they can provoke the workers, Khamenei said on February 5.

He praised Iranian workers for their firm support of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, saying, Our workers have always stood firm. They have always rejected the enemy in an insightful manner.

The enemy, as a rule, is a word used by Iranian authorities to denote the United States or Israel.

Without reference to the current widespread labor protests or the fact that many labor activists were arrested, forced into exile, or executed during the 1980s, Khamenei maintained, Anti-revolutionaries have failed to agitate workers against the Islamic Republic.

Iranian workers have argued that the official monthly minimum wage is not even enough to cover 10 days of expenses.

The current monthly minimum wage in Iran is roughly $200 and was set two years ago. The independent trade unions say $1,050 per month is needed for the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB), defined by the United Nations as goods a household requires to meet basic needs.

Furthermore, according to labor activists, the protracted nonpayment of workers salaries is one of the major problems facing Iranian workers. The problem has led to labor unrest in various parts of Iran.
The president of the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee (IKRC) says the number of applicants seeking assistance from the charity has nearly gone up 50 percent.

In an interview with state-run Channel 2 TV on Monday evening, Parviz Fattah announced, As soon as the IKRC along with the President, his administration and the parliament announced that we were going to increase our clients monthly allowances threefold, the number of applicants for being covered by IKRC has nearly gone up to 50%.

Meanwhile, he maintained that the institution under his supervision is trying to identify the real clients to assist them.

Fattah, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander and energy minister under President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, also said, The IKRC has nearly 5 million clients, of whom 3 million are directly covered and receive monthly allowances, while 2 million are receiving assistance according to their cases.

Fattah, who was appointed directly by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said there are nearly 11 million people receiving allowances from Iranian state-run institutions.

He admitted that the number of Iranians living under the poverty line is increasing every day.

After the surprise uprising against poverty, dictatorship, corruption, and unemployment that broke out on December 28 in the city of Mashhad and spread to more than 100 cities across Iran, officials have repeatedly raised the alarm over the danger of poverty and its consequences.

The government supplies us with 75 percent of our finances, Fattah said. More than 10 percent of popular donations go to our foundation, too.

While the head of another state-run foundation, Mohammad Mokhber Dezfuli, has recently announced that 12 million people live below the absolute poverty line and 25 million to 30 million more live under the poverty line in Iran, the IKRC has spread its wings beyond the country.

Last June, the Iranian Embassy in Tajikistan was forced by Emomali Rahmons administration to shut down its economic and cultural offices in northern parts of the country. The move came after Tajik authorities ordered the directors of Iranian government organizations in Khujand, the second-largest city in Tajikistan, to suspend activities in the north without explaining the reason behind the latest government crackdown on Iranian activities in the country, the BBC reported.

Over the past two years, several Iranian government organizations and charities have also been forced to suspend activities in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, including the IKRC, the Cultural Center of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and a hospital jointly run by the Tajik government and the Red Crescent Society of Iran.

Analysts in Central Asia maintain that the IKRC is another Iranian state-run organization disguised as a charity devoted to advancing Tehrans geopolitical and ideological ends in the broader region.

Furthermore, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, The IKRC in Lebanon is a Hizballah social service organization that was created by the Government of Iran in the 1980s and is directed and run by Hizballah members or cadre. Iran has provided millions of dollars to the Hizballah-run branch in Lebanon since 2007. The IKRC has helped fund and operate Hizballah youth training camps, which have been used to recruit future Hizballah members and operatives. Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah has acknowledged the IKRC branch in Lebanon as one of Hizballah's openly functioning institutions linked to and funded by Iran.

The IKRC, mainly financed by the government, receives government assistance but never presents a balance sheet.

It claims to provide support to foreign countries, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chechnya, Comoros, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Somalia, and Syria.
The U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Heather Nauert has expressed regret over the death of Mohammad Raji in custody, in Tehran.

We are saddened to hear that yet another prisoner of conscience has passed away while in custody.

Raji who belonged to Irans Gonabadi Dervish community was arrested in February during clashes with security forces in Tehran. Irans conservative law enforcement and judiciary authorities have been putting pressure on the Sufi dervishes, which led to tension and eventual clashes in the capital.

Several people including security personnel died during the skirmishes and hundreds of dervishes were arrested.

It is not clear if Raji died as a result of beating during his arrest or torture later in prison. His daughter Tayyebeh who spoke with Radio Farda said that she save him moving his hand after his arrest. There are reports that indicate he was transferred to a hospital one day after his arrest.

We also continue to receive disturbing report of Iranian regimes ongoing forceful crackdown on Gonabadi Dervish community across the country, in which hundreds have been reported arrested and some have been hospitalized, Nauert said in her statement.

She also called on Iranian authorities to respect the rights of its citizens and release all prisoners of conscience.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Gulgiz Muradova  Trend:

There is no acceptable military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while the current status quo is not sustainable over the long term, the US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict's resolution, Andrew Schofer, said in an exclusive interview with Trend.

Schofer emphasized that the United States supports a negotiated settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and will continue to engage actively with the sides as a co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

"The United States longstanding policy, shared by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, is that a just settlement must be based on international law, which includes the Helsinki Final Act and the core principles of the non-use of force or threat of force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination. We also agree that the current status quo in the region is not sustainable over the long term, and that there is no acceptable military solution to the conflict," he said.

The commitments of presidents Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan in Geneva to intensify negotiations and to take additional measures to reduce tensions reflect this reality, he said, adding that it should be viewed as positive first steps in a reinvigorated effort to resolve the conflict peacefully through negotiations.

"As co-chairs, we have worked hard with the sides in the months since Geneva to move these commitments towards implementation, and will continue to do so," he added.

Stressing that as a Co-chair country, the United States remains firmly committed to the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair process, Schofer said that the Co-Chairs are prepared to work with the parties in any way that can help bring a lasting settlement.

"We continue to encourage the presidents and foreign ministers to meet at the earliest opportunity to continue discussions on key issues, including the importance of respecting the ceasefire and taking steps towards fully implementing decisions taken in Geneva in 2017, as well as in Vienna and St. Petersburg in 2016," he said.

Touching upon the expansion of the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Schofer noted that this would represent an important signal from the sides regarding their stated commitment to taking steps to calm tensions along the line of contact.

"It would also enhance the Missions ability to fulfill its mandate in a timely and efficient manner. The co-chairs will continue to engage the sides toward realizing this important confidence building measure as soon as possible," he said.

Schofer further noted that the OSCE MG co-chairs have been discussing with the parties for some time the possibility of a follow up to the 2010 assessment mission to the territories affected by the conflict.

"During the January 2018 meetings in Krakow, the co-chairs indicated to the ministers their interest in continuing this discussion, and we will continue to engage the sides regarding the possible terms of such a mission," he said.

Asked about how close are Baku and Yerevan to achieve the sustainable peace, Schofer said that there are no simple solution to the conflict.

"I assumed the role of U.S. co-chair to the OSCE Minsk Group in August 2017. In my time in this position, I have met with a wide range of people focused on all aspects of this conflict. While I have heard many strong views and many good ideas, it is clear that there are no simple solutions to the conflict, and it would be unrealistic to expect that a comprehensive breakthrough will be achieved without a lot more work and preparation, which will take time," he said.

"Moving the process forward in a positive direction will require continued good faith efforts on the part of the parties themselves, the co-chairs, and the international community, and will ultimately require some very tough decisions on all sides."

As for the next visit to the region, he said that the MG co-chairs currently do not have a schedule for the next visit, but will continue to consult with the parties on an appropriate date, taking into account the current electoral period in the region.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow the author on Twitter:@GulgizD
Upon an order of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, a group of Azerbaijani women was awarded with Tereggi medal for their active and fruitful participation in the social life of the country and on the occasion of the International Womens Day on March 8.

Associate professor of Petroleum Engineering department of Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) Khanum Jafarova is among the recipients of this honorable award.

At a meeting with the awardee, the Higher School rector Elmar Gasimov extended his congratulations to Khanum Jafarova on high appreciation of her professional activities. He wished her every success in the future and new achievements in her teaching profession and research and scientific work.

The associate professor of Petroleum Engineering department of the Higher School Khanum Jafarova is an author of more than 20 academic papers. She is also an author of Mathematics-1 textbook for the students who receive their education in English language.

Previously, Khanum Jafarova whose teaching experience exceeds 20 years was awarded an Honorable Certificate of the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan for her successful professional activities. She is also a recipient of the Honorable Certificate from SOCAR, which was presented to her by the company President Rovnag Abdullayev.
SACRAMENTO CA - Wednesday morning, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said California passing three state laws that defy federal immigration laws. "It's a rejection of the law, it's a rejection of the law," Session said at a law enforcement conference at the state's capital city. "The United States is a 'nation-state,' not an idea."

"How dare you, how dare you needlessly endanger our law enforcement officers?" Sessions said in response to Oakland's mayor defying immigration law and notifying illegals that federal immigration authorities were planning to conduct a law enforcement action to arrest illegals with criminal records.

Tuesday, Sessions Department of Justice filed lawsuits to stop the implementation of three state laws that defy federal immigration laws.
Today, thanks to joint efforts between the governments of the United States and Azerbaijan and local citizens, residents of the villages of Nurulu and Shahverdili in the district of Imishli celebrated the completion of feed and seed-grinding centers that allow local farmers to make their own affordable animal feed for their cows and poultry.

Even though many villagers grow their own clover, corn and barley, before the feed-grinding centers they would have to travel long distances to the nearest city to grind their feed. Local residents now can use their own crops to make feed for their animals in their own communities.

These new centers will help save the time, money, and energy of the nearly 600 families in these agricultural communities whose livelihoods depend on livestock. The idea for the centers came from the communities themselves, who formed a council of local leaders to develop the project. The American people, through USAID, and the Government of Azerbaijan co-financed the construction of the feed-grinding centers, which was managed by the East-West Management Institute (EWMI).

Together the United States and Azerbaijan have completed 116 community projects in 101 Azerbaijani communities, 62 in the Aran region alone. These projects have benefited more than 189,000 people.

The projects are made possible by assistance provided by the American people, through USAID, and are implemented by the East-West Management Institute (EWMI). EWMI promotes cooperation between citizens, civil society organizations, and the government to develop their communities and improve quality of life in rural areas.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

Trend:

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will formally launch the missions activities on the upcoming presidential election in Azerbaijan on March 9, the OSCE said in a message on March 7.

Corien Jonker, the head of the ODIHR election observation mission, will introduce the role of the mission and its upcoming activities during a press conference scheduled for March 9.

Previously, it was reported that ODIHR recommended to send 280 people to Azerbaijan to observe the election process on the voting day (short-term observers), as well as 30 long-term observers.

The presidential election will be held in Azerbaijan on April 11.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

Trend:

The OSCE monitoring held along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops on March 7 passed without incidents, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry.

The monitoring was held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative along the line of contact in Azerbaijans Fuzuli District, according to the message.

On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was held by Ognyen Yovic and Martin Schuster, field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative.

On the Azerbaijani territories occupied and controlled by Armenian armed forces, the monitoring was held by Andrzej Kasprzyk, personal representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office, and his field assistants Mikhail Olaru and Simon Tiller.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to OSCE has made clarifications with regard to the allegations surfaced in the Armenian media claiming that at the initiative of the agents of the unlawful separatist regime in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan a so-called statement was disseminated as an official document in OSCE.

In line with established practice within OSCE, the Secretatriat of the organization distributes at the request of any participating state any document received from that state without altering its content, said the message from the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to OSCE.

The delegation of Azerbaijan to OSCE on a number of occasions has raised this issue with the Secretariat and Secretary General of the organization, drawing attention to the inadmissibility of allowing Armenia to abuse the OSCE Document Distribution Center for promoting its annexationist aspirations with regard to the territories it has occupied through military force and where it has carried out ethnic cleansing on a massive scale, in violation of the OSCE principles and commitments set forth in the Helsinki Final Act and the OSCE documents and decisions, said the message.

As a result of negotiations with the Secretary General, the OSCE Secretariat distributed among the participating states a Note Verbale, in which it restated the official policy of the organization that the Secretariat carries no responsibility for the content of the document received for distribution from any participating state and that such distribution is without prejudice to the OSCE decisions as set out in documents agreed by OSCE participating states, said the message.

The sole responsibility for the content rests with the particpating state, requesting distribution of the document, according to the message from the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to OSCE.

The OSCE as an intergovernmental organization carries out the consensus-based decisions and exercises collective will of all 57 particpating states. Only consensus documents reflect the position of the organization. Consequently, dissemination of the mentioned "statement" is irrelevant and has no effect whatsoever on the declared OSCE position with regard to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, said the message.

This position is reflected in the relevant OSCE documents and decisions adopted by consensus since 1990s, which underlined the respect for the inviolability of all borders, whether internal or external and unequivocally recognized that Nagorno-Karabakh region is a part of Azerbaijan, according to the message.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

Trend:

The opening of new administrative building of Baku City Statistics Department of Azerbaijans State Statistics Committee was held on March 7.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the event.

The head of state cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the building and was informed on the conditions created there.

Chairman of the State Statistics Committee Tahir Budagov briefed President Aliyev on the done work and the conditions created in the building.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

The opening ceremony of Independent Media Center Election-2018 of the Central Election Commission (CEC) has been held in connection with the presidential election scheduled for April 11 in Azerbaijan.

Chairman of Central Election Commission Mazahir Panahov, CEC members and representatives of its Secretariat attended the event.

CEC chairman gave recommendations in connection with the free receipt of information by the media, as well as better and more efficient provision of services to other participants in the electoral process.

The main goal of the Media Center, equipped with high-standard equipment, is broad, prompt and objective coverage of elections, as well as assistance to representatives of local and foreign media in obtaining information related to elections and promptly delivering it to the public.

The Independent Media Center, which will work round the clock during the April 11 presidential election, is open for holding press conferences and other events.

Registered presidential candidates can post their election campaigning materials on the Centers website (secki-2018.az), functioning in Azerbaijani, Russian and English.

The website presents opinions of experts and authorized persons, photo and video materials in connection with the election.

The presidential election will be held in Azerbaijan on April 11.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Elchin Mehdiyev  Trend:

Candidates for the presidency of Azerbaijan should not conduct propaganda before the start of pre-election campaigning as part of the April 11 presidential election, Chairman of the countrys Central Election Commission (CEC) Mazahir Panahov told reporters in Baku March 7.

He noted that this is a violation of the law.

It is possible that such actions are committed not by themselves, but by others who wish to discredit them. All parties must be careful. Citizens of Azerbaijan are able to correctly assess such moments. A candidate who resorts to such actions loses voters, Panahov added.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Elchin Mehdiyev  Trend:

Chairman of Azerbaijan's Central Election Commission (CEC) Mazahir Panahov will not be able to observe the presidential election in Russia.

"The Chairman of the Russian CEC has personally invited me to observe the presidential election in Russia, scheduled for March 18. However, at that time, the campaigning period will start in Azerbaijan in connection with the upcoming presidential election," Panahov told reporters on March 7.

He noted that other representatives of the Azerbaijani CEC will take part in observation of the election in the Russian Federation.

"Representatives of the Azerbaijani CEC are also members of the CIS observation mission and two representatives of the CEC will also be in the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission. The Azerbaijani CEC has been cooperating with this organization for more than a decade, and CEC representatives participate in missions for monitoring elections in various countries," Panahov said.

The presidential election will be held in Azerbaijan on April 11.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Elchin Mehdiyev  Trend:

Registration of three more candidates for the April 11 presidential election was considered at a meeting of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan on March 7.

The candidacies of self-nominee Zahid Oruj, Araz Alizade from the Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, and Gudrat Hasanguliyev from the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party were discussed at the meeting.

Firstly, the registration of Zahid Oruj's candidacy was discussed and it was noted that the signatures and documents submitted by him were checked. It was confirmed that there is a legislative basis for registration of his candidacy.

Then Zahid Oruj's candidacy was registered.

Further, the registration of Araz Alizades candidacy was considered, and it was noted that there are legal grounds for registration of his candidacy.

The registration of Alizades candidacy was put forward for voting and a positive decision was made.

Gudrat Hasanguliyevs candidacy was also registered after relevant discussions.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

Trend:

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order to increase the monthly salary (tariff) for the Azerbaijani Emergency Situations Ministry's military servicemen, employees with special rank and civilian workers, who are not public servants.

Under the decree, monthly salary (tariff) for the Emergency Situations Ministry's military servicemen, employees with special rank and civil workers, who are not public servants, has been increased on average by 10 percent from March 1, 2018.

The Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to address issues arising from the order.

President Ilham Aliyev also signed an order to increase the monthly salary (tariff) for the Azerbaijani State Border Service's military servicemen and civilian workers, who are not public servants.

Under the decree, monthly salary (tariff) for the State Border Service's military servicemen and civil workers, who are not public servants, has been increased on average by 10 percent from March 1, 2018.

The Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to address issues arising from the order.
The military is facing a manpower crisis. A lack of education, poor health or physical fitness, and a history of criminality have made most young Americans unable to serve in the military. Thomas Spoehr and Bridget Handy write:

According to 2017 Pentagon data, 71 percent of young Americans between 17 and 24 are ineligible to serve in the United States military. Put another way: Over 24 million of the 34 million people of that age group cannot join the armed forceseven if they wanted to. This is an alarming situation which threatens the countrys fundamental national security. If only 29 percent of the nations young adults are even qualified to serve, and these negative trends continue, it is inevitable that the U.S. military will suffer from a lack of manpower.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

Trend:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has extended condolences to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in connection with fire in the Republican Drug Rehabilitation Center which led to casualties.

"Dear Mr. President, dear brother. I was deeply saddened by the news of death of 25 Azerbaijani citizens and many injured in a fire in a treatment center in Baku," the message reads.

"We feel the sorrow of the brotherly Azerbaijan in the depths of our hearts," he said, further extending his deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who died and wished recovery to the wounded.

"Dear Mr. President, taking this opportunity, I wish you good health and well-being to the brotherly Azerbaijani people," Erdogan told President Aliyev in the letter.

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic also sent a message of condolences.

"Dear Mr. President. I was deeply saddened by the news of death of Azerbaijani citizens in the Republican Drug Rehabilitation Center in Baku. On behalf of Croatian people and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest condolences to you, the letter said.

"We share the sorrow of the citizens of your country and wish patience to the families of the killed."

Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov also sent a letter of condolences to President Ilham Aliyev.

"Dear brother, I was deeply saddened by the news of death of many people in a fire in a treatment center in Baku," the message reads.

"I express my deep condolences to the relatives and friends of the victims and share their sorrow. I wish all those injured as a result of this incident to recover soon."
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 8

Trend:

The influential Dutch Diplomat Magazine has published an article devoted to Azerbaijani women.

Azerbaijan recently hosted its first Global Startup Weekend Women in Baku attracting 50 entrepreneurs leading the countrys fast-growing startup ecosystem. Two women from a human resources and job-seeker startup called TalentPort won this competition and represented Azerbaijan at the Global Startup Weekend Women in Paris, wrote the author of the article Geovanny Vicente Romero, founder of the Dominican Republic Center of Public Policy, Leadership and Development (CPDL-RD, international consultant.

The author writes that TalentPort is described as the first Azerbaijani corporate social responsible company aimed to provide students and disabled people with temporary jobs to build their skills and provide a reliable, cost-effective source of labor.

This company is an excellent example of the valuable contributions women leaders make in Azerbaijans modern society with a strong track record of womens empowerment reflected in the countrys political leadership and educational attainment, Romero notes.

The author asks: How has Azerbaijans human development set itself apart from its neighbors?

A small Muslim-majority nation squeezed between Russia and Iran, Azerbaijan is no different from its Muslim neighbors, yet the progressive government of the short-lived republic in 1918-1920 ensured that women became full members of the liberal and secular society, said the article.

Romero pointed out that a renowned Polish-American historian Tadeusz Swietochowski wrote in his seminal book Russian Azerbaijan, 1905-1920 that the National Councils law on Constituent Assembly providing proportional representation to minorities and political groups, and universal suffrage effectively made Azerbaijan the first state in the Muslim world to grant women their political rights.

Thus, Azerbaijani women were enfranchised even ahead of many developed nations of Europe and the United States of America, wrote the author.

Romero noted that the US passed the 19th Amendment to its Constitution giving American women their voting rights in 1920.

Since 1918, women have become a sign of progress in Azerbaijan. This tradition continues into the 21st Century, he added.

In March 2000, Azerbaijans President Heydar Aliyev signed an executive order on a new State Policy on Women, instructing the administration to ensure proportional representation of women in government based on the principles of equality; make sure women have their deserved place in business and economics, and consistently check the progress of women in the society, recalled the author.

The new law may have solidified the path that was already leading women in Azerbaijan to new heights, according to the article.

At present, Azerbaijan has a female cabinet member and 16 percent of its 125-member National Assembly are women. According to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Womens report on Azerbaijan, the poverty rate among women decreased from 49 percent in earlier years to 5.9 percent in 2014, a statistic that can be attributed both to the overall economic development of the country with equal participation and benefit to its women, Romero wrote.

The author pointed out that Azerbaijan society values education, with 90 percent of women graduating from secondary school education.

Since enforcing the 2000 law on the state policy on women, women by 2015 made up 18 percent of Azerbaijan entrepreneurs. Azerbaijani women are also serving in the military, with an estimated 1,000 women in active military duty alongside men. The power of women in Azerbaijan also extends to minorities. Such is the case of Tatyana Goldman Alexander, an Azerbaijani Jew holding a seat in the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan, a testament to the countrys special attention to ethnic minorities and women, said the article.

Romero pointed out that some modern-day inspiration for women in Azerbaijan is coming from the influential First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva.

In her tenure as the First Lady, she has served as the Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, taking her philanthropic work beyond Azerbaijan, said the article.

Heydar Aliyev Foundation that shes led since its formation in 2004, has made substantial contribution to enhancing cultural and economic development, especially when it comes to young women, noted the author.

With the efforts of the organization, new hospitals, museums, schools were built in Azerbaijan and other countries, including Egypt, Romania, Russia, the Netherlands, Pakistan and Georgia, said the article.

Recently, the First Lady become the highest ranking woman official in Azerbaijans history when she was named Vice President in 2017, wrote Romero.

The case of Azerbaijan demonstrates how stereotypes of women can be dismantled, how equality can be established and most importantly, how the world can be made a better place. Women contribute to the highest positions of power, because they have knowledge and expertise to share that enrich public policies and political discussions. Women improve the representativeness of the decisions that emerge from the political system resolving many of the globes most entrenched conflicts and leading humanity into the future. Azerbaijans future is being written by a concert of voices, of which women represent an integral part, said the article.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 8

Trend:

Today, Azerbaijan marks the March 8  International Womens Day, the international day of solidarity of women in the struggle for economic, social and political equality.

The decision to celebrate the International Womens Day was adopted at the second international conference of the socialist women in Copenhagen in 1910.

The first countries celebrating this day were Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark. In Russia this day was celebrated in 1913, while in Azerbaijan in 1917.

Until 1914, the International Womens Day was celebrated on different dates. Celebrating the International Womens Day on March 8 became a tradition after several countries started to celebrate this day simultaneously.

Since that time, March 8 is the day of solidarity for peace in the world. It is a day-off since 1965 when the former USSR declared March 8 a holiday. After gaining the independence, Azerbaijan celebrates March 8 as the International Womens Day.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

Trend:

The 3rd Baku Shopping Festival will be held from May 1 to May 31, the Azerbaijan Convention Bureau told Trend on March 7.

Nearly 800 stores in Baku will join the festival.

During the festival, both locals and foreign citizens will benefit from discounts, and those who make purchases worth more than 100 manats at stores labeled with "Baku Shopping Festival - Tax Free" stickers have an opportunity to get back a part of the value-added tax (VAT) from the amount spent.

This amount can be refunded in cash or by transfer to a card/bank account.

In addition, during the festival, it is planned to organize a lottery, games, fashion shows and other events where participants can win valuable gifts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

Trend:

"Azeraeronavigation" Air Traffic Control Department (AZANS) of Azerbaijan Airlines and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation in a number of key areas on March 7.

The agreement was signed by Director of AZANS Farkhan Guliyev and IATA Vice President Rafael Schwartzman in Madrid as part of the annual World Air Traffic Management Congress.

The agreement envisages cooperation in organization of air traffic, air traffic management, training of air navigation personnel, the development of PANS/OPS flight procedures and accreditation of services. The cooperation between AZANS and IATA will help ensure safe and efficient air traffic services in the region.

Director of the AZANS Farkhan Guliyev also met with the Director General of the Organization for Safety and Air Navigation Support of Singapore (CAAS) Kevin Shum. During the meeting, the sides discussed cooperation in the field of planning transit flights and air traffic safety.

Presentation of new Airspace Supervision & Efficiency Center (ASEC) of AZAL, which was opened at Heydar Aliyev International Airport jointly with Thales, was also held as part of the World Air Traffic Management Congress.

Within the event, the launch of a new high-tech project on introducing the "Virtual Air Traffic Control Tower" with the AZANS Control Center at Heydar Aliyev International Airport was also announced. President of Azerbaijan Airlines, Jahangir Askerov and Vice President of Thales International, Raphael Eskinazi signed the corresponding contract in Baku on February 8. The project will be implemented in a consortium with the French company Thales and the Canadian company Searide, which specializes in introducing innovations in the aviation industry and is a "pioneer" in the development of digital air traffic control towers.

"Virtual tower" will allow to control air traffic in the airfield and provide flight information services remotely with the use of artificial intelligence and digital systems. At the same time, the required level of operational safety, equivalent to the level of a real tower controlled by air traffic controllers, is fully complied with, which will allow to timely adapt the business to the growing demands and the rapidly changing market of services.

The World Air Traffic Management Congress is the largest international professional event in the field of ATS. Unique exhibition and conference attracting over 7,500 specialists from all over the world each year, is held as part of the event. Operated by the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) in partnership with the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA), World Air Traffic Management Congress brings together the worlds leading product developers, experts, stakeholders, and air navigation service providers.
The top management of AzerTelecom LLC, a backbone internet provider connecting Azerbaijan to the international internet network, attended the GSMA Mobile World Congress organized in Barcelona, Spain in February 26-March 1.

The aim of the participation in the Mobile World Congress of the delegation headed by Fuad Allahverdiyev, AzerTelecom CEO was to familiarize with the modern trends, state-of-art technological updates in the information and communication technologies as well as to conduct various business meetings with the managers and representatives of giant telecommunication companies.

The topics such as Internet technologies, digitalization, IoT (Internet of Things), M2M (Machine-to-Machine), Fintech (Financial technologies) were included in the meeting discussions. Useful exchange of opinions was also held towards enhancing the relations with foreign partners and mutual cooperation opportunities.

In GSMA Mobile World Congress, different events were organized regarding the topics such as content and media, 4th industrial revolution, future service providers, network, digital consumer, technology in the society, innovation artificial intelligence, delegates from various government authorities, private and international organizations had discussions on the mobile communication development perspectives. Top managers and representatives of GSMA, Ericsson, Deutsche Telecom, Airobotics, TATA Communications, IBM, HTC, European Commission, World Bank, China Mobile were the keynote speakers.

About AzerTelecom:

AzerTelecom LLC is a dynamically developing telecommunication operator of Azerbaijan. The company was established in 2008 and Bakcell, the first mobile operator of Azerbaijan is the main shareholder of AzerTelecom. AzerTelecom provides such services as wholesale Internet, leased line, mobile backhaul, international transit, SIP telephony, FTTx (Fiber-to-the-x), Data Center services, VSAT services, Corporate network, Backbone services, Leased line over GSM, VPN (Virtual Private Network), local VoIP, DDOS protection, etc.

For more information please visit web page www.azertelecom.az and social media pages on Facebook (www.facebook.com/azertelecom.az) and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/azertelecom.az).
Azercell Telecom LLC, paying special attention to Career Fairs aimed to support students and graduates in the country, has joined the 1st Career Fair organized by ASAN kadr career center of ASAN Volunteering School and Baku Higher Oil School.

Azercell stand prepared by the representatives of Human Resources Department of the company was welcomed with great interest. The visitors were informed about work principles of the company and criteria that are taken into account the most during the recruitment process.

The stand also provided information about job opportunities for students and graduates, as well as programs and projects aimed for the development of young fellows. Azercell representatives held information sessions for graduates, wishing to get employed at Azercell, answered their questions and gave career advice as needed.

The event was aimed to provide some advice to young jobseekers in their field of specialization and help them build their future career. It should be noted that Azercell Telecom continuously helps talented youth to build career. With its own initiative, Azercell has organized Career Days on a regular basis. Azercell supported students at 12th International Career Fair which was organized last year by ITECA and the Ministry of Education.

For more information, please contact [email protected]

The leader of the mobile communication industry, the largest taxpayer and the biggest investor of the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996. With 48% share of Azerbaijans mobile telecom market Azercells network covers 80% of the territory (excluding 20% of the occupied territories) and 99,8% of population of the country. Currently, 4,5 million subscribers choose Azercell services.

Azercell has pioneered an important number of innovations in Azerbaijan, including GSM technology, advance payment system, mobile internet services, Metro coverage, 24/7 call centre service, 7 day/week Front Office service, M2M services, one-stop-shopping approach Azercell Express offices, Online Customer Care and Social Media Customer Care services, Mobile Customer Care office, mobile e-signature service ASAN Imza etc. Azercell deployed first 4G  LTE services in Azerbaijan in 2012. According to the results of mobile network quality surveys of Global Wireless Solutions company and international systems specialized in wireless coverage mapping such as Opensignal and Testmy.net, Azercells network demonstrated the best results among the mobile operators of Azerbaijan.
The International Monetary Funds Managing Director Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday that nobody wins in a trade war and that the macro-economic impact of U.S. tariffs on imports would be serious if other countries respond with tariffs of their own, Reuters reports.

The macro-economic impact would be serious, not only if the United States took action, but especially if other countries were to retaliate, notably those who would be most affected, such as Canada, Europe, and Germany in particular, Lagarde said on French radio RTL.

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his plan to slap big tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, warning the European Union it would get hit with a big tax for not treating the United States well when it comes to trade.

In a so-called trade war, driven by reciprocal increases of import tariffs, nobody wins, one generally finds losers on both sides, Lagarde said, adding that she hoped that Trump would not implement the tariffs threat.

We recommend an agreement between the different parties, and talks, talks, she said.

However, she indicated that Trump might have a case for threatening to slap tariffs on some imports, saying there were a few good reasons to protest against the current situation.

There are some countries in the world that do not necessarily respect the World Trade Organisation agreements, and which impose technology transfers. China is a case in point but it is not the only country with such practices, she said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Irans First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri leading a high-ranking delegation has left Tehran for Iraq for political and economic talks.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, as well as Governor of Central Bank of Iran Valiollah Seif, are accompanying the vice-president during the three-day visit to the neighboring country.

Jahangiri is scheduled to meet Iraqi president as well as prime minister and parliament speaker during the visit.

The Islamic Republics commercial attache to Iraq, Nasser Behzad earlier said that Iran exported $5.5 billion worth of goods to Iraq during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year (started March 20).

The average price for each ton of Iran's non-oil exports to Iraq in the 11-month period was around $460, which is 1.2 times more than the average price of Irans exported goods, Behzad said.

Iraq was the third largest market for Iranian goods over the current fiscal year.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Ilkin Shafiyev - Trend:

Az-Granata, a producer of juices and alcoholic beverages in Azerbaijan, intends to increase the export of its products abroad, the company's director for alcohol production Vugar Mikayilov told Trend.

He said that the company has already concluded a number of contracts and holds new negotiations with foreign companies from the CIS and Europe.

"In the near future, we will conclude a contract worth $60,000 for supply of 30,000 bottles of wine to the plant in St. Petersburg. Negotiations are also underway with companies from China, Lithuania and Germany. The volumes are still small, but, nevertheless, now the main task for us is to familiarize the foreign buyer with our products, "Mikayilov said.
Robin Schmidt, a member of the Springfield Park Board and widow of the late John Schmidt, will start work next Monday as a prosecutor in the Sangamon County states attorneys office.

click to enlarge Robin Schmidt





Schmidt will be an assistant states attorney and will be handling felony cases, said states attorney John Milhiser. Schmidt previously worked for the office for several years in the 1990s, starting out as an intern while still in law school and becoming head of the traffic and misdemeanor section before leaving to take a job with the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Milhiser said that Schmidt approached him about a job prior to her husband's unexpected death in December. The late John Smith had been Sangamon County state's attorney prior to becoming a circuit court judge. He had been appointed an appellate court judge shortly before his death. Robin Schmidt is replacing an assistant states attorney who has left the office, Milhiser said.

Were very excited about having her back in the office, Milhiser said.

Schmidt said that she will continue to serve on the park board.

I love prosecuting, Schmidt said. Ive always looked for an opportunity to get back to the states attorneys office.  Obviously, Ive had some pretty significant life changes the last few months. This isnt exactly the way Ive planned things. Its a good time for me.

Milhiser is believed to be a leading candidate to become U.S. attorney in Springfield. If Milhiser moves on, would Schmidt be interested in replacing him as states attorney?

I would never say never to anything like that, Schmidt said. Its always been a lifelong goal of mine to be a top prosecutor.  I serve at the pleasure of John Milhiser. Im very fortunate that hes given me this opportunity.

Contact Bruce Rushton at brushton@illinoistimes.com.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Ali Mustafayev  Trend:

The US plans to use Kazakhstans Aktau and Kuryk ports of for transit of special cargo, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said at a meeting of the parliament, Kazakh media reported.

The parliament of Kazakhstan approved a draft law on ratification of the protocol on amendments to the agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan and the United States on provision of commercial railway transit of special cargo through Kazakhstan.

The agreement illustrates Kazakhstans support to the US efforts for stabilization and restoration of Afghanistan.

"The list of checkpoints in the agreement is supplemented by the Aktau and Kuryk ports. This work fully corresponds to the interests of the Republic of Kazakhstan as a strategic partner of the United States, a country that seeks to maintain peace and stability in Afghanistan," Abdrakhmanov said.

He added that the signed protocol does not change the essence of the agreement, but complements the list of checkpoints with the ports of Aktau and Kuryk.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

Trend:

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an order on measures to prepare design estimates, overhaul and construction of the Baku suburban railway on March 7.

According to the order, 100 million manats will be allocated to Azerbaijan Railways CJSC to prepare the design estimates of the Baku suburban railway, its overhaul and construction.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Azerbaijan's SOCAR exported about 370 million cubic meters of gas to Georgia in January-February 2018, a source in the state oil company told Trend on March 7.

"As of March 1, SOCAR exported to Georgia about 370 million cubic meters of gas, while average daily export rate hit about 6.2 million cubic meters as in winter the supplies increase due to growing demand. In general, there were no problems with exports to Georgia," the source said.

In 2017, SOCAR exported 1.38 billion cubic meters of gas to Georgia.

The company supplies its own gas to Georgia via the Hajigabul-Gazakh-Gardabani pipeline. The pumping capacity of the gas pipeline after its modernization exceeds 3.5 billion cubic meters per year.

SOCAR operates gas distribution networks in various regions of Georgia via SOCAR Georgia Gas.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Huseyn Valiyev  Trend

Azerbaijans payment system Goldenpay postponed the holding of an initial public offering (IPO) until 2020, founder of Goldenpay company and chairman of its Board of Directors Farid Ismayilzade told Trend on March 7.

Previously, the company reported that the possibility of holding IPO will be considered in 2018.

Ismayilzade said that this year the company's all resources will be directed to realization of new projects, including renewal of the payment portal hesab.az.

"It is possible that this issue can become relevant in 2019," Ismayilzade said.

Earlier, the company said that one of the issues being considered is to whether hold an IPO in Azerbaijan or outside the country. The company will inform about IPO four months before it starts.

Goldenpay was established in 2007. It is possible to pay for services via Goldenpay system by using Visa and MasterCard. The company also has its own online services portal, at hesab.az.

The portal allows one to make online payments for utilities, mobile and fixed communication services, Internet services, cable TV services, etc. Along with this, users are also able to pay for bank loans and online insurance.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Ali Mustafayev - Trend:

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon will visit Kazakhstan on March 14, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said.

He was speaking at a plenary session of the Kazakh Parliament, the Kazakh media reported March 7.

The visit will revive bilateral cooperation and partnership, the minister said.

Diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan have always been based on mutual trust and support, and thanks to this, the two countries achieved significant results in a number of important spheres, he added.
Chief of the General Staff of Armed Forces of Kyrgyzstan Major-General Rayimbedi Duyshenbiev met with Commander of the Central Military District (CMD) of Armed Forces (AF) of the Russian Federation (RF) Lieutenant-General Alexander Lapin, Kabar reports.

The sides exchanged ideas on current international situation, discussed current directions for further cooperation, as well as the course of joint command and staff training in the republic, the press service of the General Staf of Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic reported.

The participants of the meeting emphasized successful implementation of bilateral cooperation, operational and combat training of the units in the Armed Forces and stressed readiness for further activization of the United Group of Forces.

After the meeting, the Commander of CMD of AF of the RF departed for Balykchy to participate in the active phase of joint command post training with the participation of the units of Ground Troops of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic and the CMD of AF of the RF.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

Trend:

Representatives of Germany and Tajikistan expressed interest in the development of joint business projects, TajikTA agency reported.

Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan, Sharif Said, met in Dushanbe with heads of the German Economy Representative Office in Central Asia, Robert Breitner and Jorg Hatch.

The parties viewed the prospects of development of cooperation in the business sphere, the press center of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan said.

Sharif Said noted that the German experience of small business development is important for Tajikistan. The country is interested in attracting German industrial, energy and environmental technologies, engineering products, motor vehicles, advanced medical equipment and diagnostics to the country.

Robert Breitner, for his part, emphasized that the German business is ready to develop joint economic and business projects with Tajikistan and contribute in every way to the development of bilateral relations.

The new head of the Representative Office assured that he will urge the business circles of his country to preserve and develop the trade and economic partnership with Tajikistan.

Moreover, Breitner offered to develop cooperation with German trade and investment organizations that work in the field of marketing.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, March 7

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Discussions about the OSCEs support for Turkmenistans ongoing efforts to promote gender equality were the focus of meetings held during the visit of the OSCEs Senior Gender Adviser, Amarsanaa Darisuren, to Ashgabat, says a message of the organizations Ashgabat office.

During her first working visit to Central Asia, which was hosted by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, Darisuren met national and international partners in Turkmenistan.

Representatives of the Mejlis, Turkmenistans parliament, informed the OSCE on the progress made in strengthening national legislative and policy frameworks on human rights and gender equality.

They stressed that sharing experiences with other countries was important for effective implementation of international and national norms.

Darisuren encouraged making use of the OSCE as a platform for sharing good practices and experiences.

During the roundtable discussion about national mechanisms regarding gender equality the participants touched upon the importance of sharing best practices with other countries in the Central Asian region.

Ambassador Natalya Drozd, who opened the event, noted that the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat has agreed with the Turkmen authorities to focus more on gender equality issues in its future work.

The discussions with representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights and the Womens Union of Turkmenistan covered such important topics as the situation of women with disabilities and domestic violence.

The government representatives highlighted that data and analyses are being gathered to develop further measures to implement the 2015 National Action Plan on Gender Equality in Turkmenistan.

It was also mentioned that womens participation in the labor market has increased, and the government is making efforts to develop vocational education and flexible working arrangements for women.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

Experts of the Institute of Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRS) under the president of Uzbekistan as well as other Uzbek specialists will get training in the leading US universities such as Harvard and Tufts.

Corresponding agreements have been achieved during the visit of the Uzbek delegation headed by the ISRS director Vladimir Norov to the US, the Uzbek news agency Sputnik reported on March 7.

According to the information, the sides discussed cooperation in the educational sphere, training of specialists and establishment of contacts between Uzbek and American analytical bodies during the round table held at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at the Harvard University.

We have reached agreement on organization of training for the ISRS specialists in Harvard, as well as on holding of live and video-conference master classes for Uzbek civil servants by the Harvard specialists. On top of that, we discussed possibility to organize visits of the Harvard students groups to Uzbekistan, the ISRS said.

The Uzbek delegation also met with the John Kennedy Management Schools Dr. Christopher Smart and dean of the Fletcher Law and Diplomacy School at the Tufts University James Stavridis, who was a head of the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

The news agency noted that the Harvard University is one of the most renowned and old universities in the US and the whole world. Harvard is alma mater for 75 Nobel Prize winners and 8 US presidents, including Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, George Bush Jr. and Barak Obama.

Fletcher Law and Diplomacy School, founded in 1933, is the first university in the US to train the international relations specialists. The schools masters program is considered to be the worlds best in training of diplomats.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Gazenfer Hamidov  Trend:

Italian company Carlo Maresca will build a solar power plant in central Iran.

The company signed a contract with the government-owned Industrial Development & Renovation Organization of Iran (IDRO) to build a solar power plant in Garmsar Special Economic Zone in the central province of Semnan, IDRO said in a message.

During a visit to Tehran, the companys representatives signed a contract worth $100 million for construction of the power plant with a capacity of 100-megawatts in an area of 200 hectars.

The power plant will be constructed within 15 months and will provide electricity needed for industrial units located in the economic zone.

Earlier in 2016, Carlo Maresca signed an agreement with the Qeshm Free Zone Organization to build a 50-megawatt solar power plant in Qeshm Free Trade Zone in southern province of Hormozgan within eight months. The first phase of the power plant became operational last month.

In 2016, another Italian company, Finergy, reached an agreement with the Islamic Republics energy ministry to build three solar power plants in Irans Kerman, Yazd and Shiraz cities with a total capacity of 10 megawatt (MW) of electricity.

Irans power generation capacity currently stands at around 78,343 MW, some 322 MW of which accounts for renewables or 0.41 percent of the countrys total power generation capacity.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend:

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is expected to arrive in Baku in mid-March to attend a quadripartite meeting to discuss issues of interest.

An informed source has told Trend that the ministerial level meeting is planned to take place on March 14-15.

According to the source, Foreign Ministers from Georgia and Turkey are also scheduled to attend the meeting.

Earlier in December 2017, Mohammad Javad Zarif attended a trilateral meeting with Azerbaijani and Turkish counterparts in Baku to discuss regional and international issues, including economic cooperation.
Sweden will participate in the NATO-Georgia military drills in 2019, Georgian and Swedish defence ministers announced in Tbilisi, Agenda reports.

The Georgian Defence Minister Levan Izoria has hosted his Swedish counterpart Peter Hultqvist to discuss bilateral ties.

It is Hultqvists first official visit to Georgia.

Izoria highlighted the importance of Swedish experts involvement in the activities of the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre near Tbilisi, who shared his experience with his Georgian colleagues.

Izoria paid particular attention to participation in joint trainings and highlighted the importance of Swedens involvement in the drills.

The Swedish official expressed his support to Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity and revealed his concern over the latest developments in the occupied Tskhinvali region, referring to death of Archil Tatunashvili.

Hultqvist has already met with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili.

The Swedish official will complete his visit tomorrow.
NATO commended on Tuesday Jordan's contribution to regional and international security and called on continued cooperation with the kingdom in various areas, Xinhua reported.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said so in a joint press conference in Amman with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi.

He said NATO remains committed to the international fight against terrorism, and the organization strongly "values the partnership with Jordan."

Jordan plays key role in the fight against Islamic State, Stoltenberg said.

"We have to make sure that it will not be able to re-emerge and we need to continue the political fights against these ideologies," he added.

Jordan has been a key ally of NATO for more than 20 years, he said, adding that Jordan was a key for regional stability as well.

He voiced appreciation for Jordan's contribution to NATO missions and operations.

"We work in cyber defense and border security and we will continue to work with Jordan," he added.

Prior to the conference, the NATO official met with Safadi and discussed ties and regional developments.

Safadi stressed the importance of cooperation with NATO in various areas to entrench stability and security in the region.

Also Tuesday, King Abdullah II of Jordan met with the NATO chief, saying Jordan was keen on increasing cooperation with NATO.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday that many online trading platforms for cryptocurrencies should be registered with the regulator and subject to additional rules, in a further sign regulators are cracking down on the digital currency sector, according to Reuters.

In a statement, the SEC said these potentially unlawful platforms may be giving investors an unearned sense of safety by labelling themselves as exchanges. The regulator said many of these platforms likely need to register with the SEC as a regulated national securities exchange or an alternate trading system (ATS).

The new statement marks the latest effort by the SEC to apply existing federal securities laws to the rapidly growing cryptocurrency sector. SEC Chief Jay Clayton has repeatedly expressed concern about cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings, or ICOs, and has urged investors to exercise caution.

The SEC staff has concerns that many online trading platforms appear to investors as SEC-registered and regulated marketplaces when they are not, the agency said in the statement.

Clayton has said in the past that he generally considers ICOs to be securities offerings subject to certain regulatory requirements.

On Wednesday, the SEC went further by suggesting the majority of secondary market trading in those digital tokens was also subject to its jurisdiction.

The regulator said any platform providing trading of digital assets that behave like securities and which operate like exchanges must register with the SEC as a national securities exchange, or seek an exemption such as ATS registration.

While there are dozens of platforms offering trading in cryptocurrencies, Reuters could only identify one, Liquidity M  which is the broker dealer for Templum  that had registered with the SEC as an ATS, according to SEC data.

The regulator added that some cryptocurrency platforms may not behave like exchanges but offer related services - such as digital wallets - that trigger other registration requirements, such as becoming a clearing agent or broker dealer.

The SEC statement follows media reports on Tuesday that the US Treasurys financial crime division told Congress in a letter last month that some ICOs may also be subject to the Treasurys money transmission registration, antimoney laundering and Bank Secrecy Act requirements.
Brazil respects international decisions but will not take US Sanctions into account when considering possible new projects with Russia, Brazils Secretary Of Oil, Natural Gas and Biofuels Marcio Felix Carvalho told Sputnik on the sidelines of the CERAWeek conference on Wednesday.

"No," Carvalho said when asked whether Brazil will take US sanctions into consideration when evaluating new projects with Russia. "The challenge for Russian companies is more related to getting finance to invest in Brazil."

Brazil respects international and UN decisions but relies on its own independence, he added.

He also said that Brazil was waiting for Russias participation in the next round of oil exploration and production bids at the end of March.

"We are waiting for their [Russian companies] participation in our next exploration and production bid rounds at the end of this month," the minister said.

Earlier, Brazil energy giant Petrobras CEO Pedro Parente said that the company would be glad to consider expanding cooperation with Russia.

Parente also noted that part of the discussion needs to be government to government "and the discussions with us need to be at the level of companies." CEO said that between Brazil and Russia in the energy sector was not strong, noting that it could be bigger.
On Wednesday, the Birmingham Police Department announced that two students were shot in an accidental shooting at Alabama's Huffman High School. One of the students sustained life-threatening injuries, Sputnik reported.

According to local reports, a school employee was evacuated from the scene, but it is unclear whether he sustained any injuries.

Following the shooting, which took place around 3 p.m. local time, the Birmingham City School system released a statement on the incident.

"Two students were involved in a shooting during dismissal today at Huffman High School," the statement reads. "The school was placed on a brief lockdown, and police were called to the scene. Students have been released and police are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting."

It is unclear what caused the shooting.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkey has ratified an agreement with China to open a cultural center in this country, the Turkish official newspaper Resmi Gazete reported March 7.

In turn, the Chinese cultural center will open in Turkey.

The document also envisages mutual holding of cultural events.

The agreement on cultural cooperation between the two countries was signed on May 13, 2017 in Beijing.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The Turkish Armed Forces and the Free Syrian Army forces are 10 kilometers from the center of Syrias Afrin district, the Turkish media reported March 7 citing a military source.

A total of 700 square kilometers of the territory, including 147 settlements, were liberated from terrorists as part of the Operation Olive Branch.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the time has come for the offensive towards the center of Syrias Afrin.

On Jan. 20, the Turkish Armed Forces, together with the Free Syrian Army, launched the Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Ankara has urged Greek President Prokopios Pavlopoulos to respect Turkeys territorial integrity, said Hami Aksoy, Turkish Foreign Ministrys spokesperson, according to the message of the Turkish Foreign Ministry on March 7.

The statements of President Pavlopoulos that Greece must return its historical lands are violation of international law, Aksoy noted.

He added that Turkey also urges Pavlopoulos to refrain from statements violating international law, which may lead to increased tensions between the two countries.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkey has detained 13 people suspected of preparing a terrorist attack at the US Consulate in the Adana province, the Turkish media reported March 7.

All detainees are citizens of Syria.

On March 6, people suspected of preparing a terrorist attack at the US Embassy in Ankara were detained in Turkeys Samsun province.

Earlier, the US Embassy in Ankara said in a statement that it will suspend its work on March 5 for security reasons.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey has appealed to the Greek authorities with a demand to detain persons who burned the Turkish flag, according to a message of the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

The message says that Ankara condemns the burning of the Turkish flag during the protests of right-wing radical groups, held on March 5, 2018.

The Greek authorities must immediately fulfill the demand of Turkey and punish the guilty people, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The Turkish Armed Forces will use the new tank armor system Pulat in Syrias Afrin in April this year, Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said, Turkish media reported March 7.

He noted that the new system has fully passed the tests. Previous reports said the new system would be installed on to the Leopard 2 and M 60 tanks.

On Jan. 20, the Turkish Armed Forces, together with the Free Syrian Army, launched the Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria.

F-16 fighters of the Turkish Air Force are involved in the operation, inflicting strikes on the positions of PYD/YPG on the Syrian-Turkish border.

Turkey began drawing its military to the Syrian border from the late June, 2017. The forces were being concentrated in Turkish Kilis province bordering Syrian territory controlled by YPG/PYD.

On Aug. 24, 2016, Turkish Armed Forces, with the support of the Syrian opposition, launched the Euphrates Shield operation against the IS militants and liberated the city of Jarabulus as well as the city of Al-Bab in northern Syria.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

Russia proceeds from the importance of normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia in the interests of these two countries, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on March 7 as commenting on the cancellation of the Zurich protocols between Turkey and Armenia.

"A Russian delegation was in Zurich and took an active part [in preparing the protocols]. We assessed the agreements and the assessments remain relevant. We proceed from the importance of normalizing the relations between Turkey and Armenia in the interests of both countries. We, on our part, have always done everything to achieve this goal," Zakharova said.

On March 1, 2018, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced the cancellation of the protocols signed for normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations in 2009.

The protocols on normalization of relations between the two countries were signed by the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia on Oct. 10, 2009, but they were never ratified.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 7

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey expects that Germany will extradite the ex-head of the PYD terrorist organization, Salih Muslim, Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said, Turkish media reported March 7.

Kalin said the extradition of the leader of terrorists is envisaged within the framework of international agreements.

He noted that earlier the Czech Republic did not comply with Turkey's demands to extradite Salih Muslim.

In early February, the Turkish Interior Ministry included Muslim into the list of especially dangerous criminals. He is accused of attempt against the integrity and unity of Turkey and in a number of other serious offenses. The ministry announced a $1 million bounty for cooperation in his capture.

--

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
By Mai Iida, KYODO NEWS - Mar 7, 2018 - 17:39 | All, Feature

For Akio Sato, whose electronic components company and home were decimated in the massive Tohoku tsunami seven years ago, starting a fashion business that would one day receive a royal endorsement was all but impossible to imagine.

The magnitude 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami destroyed Japan's northeastern coast on March 11, 2011, dealing a devastating blow to the lives of many, including Sato and his Minamisanriku-based business which produced cables and other parts used in electronic devices.

Sato, 67, resumed operation of his company less than a month after the calamity by renting an office in a neighboring city. At the time, he was living in a crowded evacuation center in the tsunami-hit town where electricity had not yet been restored and gas was in short supply.

"I never thought about closing my company or firing (workers)," said Sato, who runs Asutoro Tech, which now employs around 20 workers in Minamisanriku. "If you lose your home and family, losing your job, too, is just too much to bear."

In order to restore a sense of normalcy to his and his employees' lives, Sato said he went back to work.

A few months after restarting his business, Sato got an offer from apparel company officials who were visiting from Tokyo for a cherry blossom planting project in the area. The officials engaged in "Loom Nippon" support activities for the disaster's victims were seeking a local partner to make bags. Sato said he was their man.

Although his company had no experience in the fashion industry, Sato jumped at the chance. "I knew nothing (about fashion) but said 'I'll do it' right away." "I was hoping that it would generate jobs, even just one or two."

Sato's workers, who were more accustomed to making miniature componentry, transferred those skills to dexterously weaving leather, and within a year had gone from making just one part of the bags, to producing them entirely.

Sato brought his company's operations back to Minamisanriku in October 2012 after taking on debt to build a new plant.

The company's first bag, which retails for 60,900 yen ($570), features a black leather weaved design with contrasting white leather to represent "the stars that shined so brightly" on the night after the towering tsunami extinguished all of the town's lights, Sato said.

In an unlikely turn for the new venture, one of the company's bags found its way into the possession of Japan's Empress Michiko. The 83-year-old royal used it while traveling with Emperor Akihito to disaster-hit sites, including Minamisanriku in July 2014.

"I was speechless," said Sato, who cried when he saw the empress holding his company's product. "This shows how the empress gives her heart to disaster-stricken areas and it just happened to be our bag, it could have been anything," he said. "But it definitely serves as an emotional moment for us."

Minamisanriku, a small fishing town in Miyagi Prefecture, was among the hardest-hit. The tsunami flooded most buildings in its downtown area, including the town's three-story disaster prevention center where 43 people hunkering down on its roof were swept away and killed.

Over 800 people died or remain unaccounted for in the town which had a population of around 17,700 at the time of the disaster.

On the day of the earthquake, Sato was out of town visiting the neighboring city of Kesennuma. Soon after the 2:46 p.m. temblor, Sato, who had experienced a tsunami in Japan caused by the Valdivia earthquake in Chile in 1960, evacuated soon and began driving back to Minamisanriku.

Usually, the trip would take about an hour but it was almost midnight when he arrived because he was forced to detour far inland and could not drive the final kilometers because the roads were strewn with debris.

Houses had been reduced to splintered wood and twisted metal while cars and fishing vessels had been tossed aside, he recalled. Stunned beyond belief by the sheer devastation, he got out of his car and started walking.

"(The town) was in total darkness because of the blackout and only the stars were shining brightly. Thanks to the light of those stars, I somehow figured out the direction and reached the school" where he reunited with his family although his home had been washed away.

Today, construction continues to significantly lift from sea-level the town's once-thriving waterfront hub to take it out of the reach of a future tsunami, while residential areas have been moved to higher ground inland.

The skeleton of the tsunami-ravaged disaster prevention center remains in the former central district, with construction vehicles and huge dirt piles left over from earthworks.

Asutoro Tech now juggles the production of electronics and its bag manufacturing business.

The bags made famous by the empress became so popular at retail stores and online that orders sometimes outstripped the company's ability to make them. But Asutoro Tech has branched out with original designs to ensure further growth.

The company has more than doubled sales since the pre-disaster level and has not laid off a single employee.

Sato believes manufacturing basics remain the same, no matter what the product: always keep the customer in mind.

"This may be an audacious dream, but I'd like to make this town a major fashion manufacturing hub," he said.

Minamisanriku's population has been on the decline and the issue was only exacerbated by the quake and tsunami, with its population now more than 30 percent lower than pre-disaster levels. To recapture the town's vibrancy, jobs are vital, Sato said.

"If we can show that the jobs available in Minamisanriku are not only those on the seas or in the mountains, it would mean that there are an increased number of work options for people who left the town but would like to return."

"I want to play a part in reconstruction, not just to restore things to their previous state, but also to contribute to an evolution of my town."
By Mohammad Gharebag, KYODO NEWS - Mar 7, 2018 - 19:30 | World, All

Iran intends to again accuse the United States of violating the landmark 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers at next week's meeting on the agreement in Vienna, a senior Iranian diplomat said Wednesday.

"The U.S. is regularly violating the nuclear deal and this is a source of concern for Iran. Therefore, we will raise this issue in Vienna," Iranian Ambassador to Britain Hamid Baeidinejad said in an interview with Kyodo News in London.

On March 16, deputy foreign ministers of Iran and the so-called five-plus-one countries -- Russia, China, Germany, France, Britain and the United States -- will meet in the Austrian capital to review the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal and address concerns.

Tehran has recently accused European countries of taking a hypocritical stance regarding the deal and appeasing U.S. President Donald Trump.

Iran specifically believes that Washington is scaring European traders about the consequences of working with Iranian companies and it is necessary for the European Union to resolve the matter for the sake of the deal.

Since Trump entered the White House in January 2017, he has repeatedly criticized the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, calling it the "worst deal ever negotiated." He has also threatened to exit the deal.

Earlier this year, Trump said he will refuse to waive sanctions against Iran in May if his administration cannot reach an agreement with Europe.

Iran and the European Union have differences over some crucial issues including the former's ballistic missile program. Iran insists its missile program is defensive.

"All we have agreed is that nuclear deal has no link to the other issues," Baeidinejad said.

A day before the Vienna gathering, European powers will meet with American officials in Berlin.

"The agenda of the Berlin meeting is not to prepare for another negotiation over Iran's missile or regional issues. We have been assured that Britain's position in the Berlin meeting will be to convince the U.S. to keep adhering to the deal," he said.

"Britain has declared to us that they will have a very frank dialogue with U.S. and they will expect Trump's administration to adhere to its commitment in nuclear deal," he added.

Regarding the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian aid worker imprisoned in Tehran in 2016 for espionage, Baeidinejad said the Iranian Foreign Ministry is trying to find "exit avenues and legal ways for Zaghari-Ratcliffe to be released in the shortest time."

Britain has pushed hard for the release of the 38-year-old mother on humanitarian grounds.

Baeidinejad said her case involves "complicated" legal issues but that the judiciary is positively looking at the humanitarian aspects of it, adding that no date for her release has been scheduled.

Iran and Britain severed diplomatic ties in 2011 after a group of hardliners stormed the British Embassy in Tehran. In 2016, diplomatic relations were restored to their pre-2011 level, with Baeidinejad, a senior Foreign Ministry official, being appointed ambassador in London.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 7, 2018 - 21:00 | World, All

Japan plans to work with the United States and South Korea to push for inspections of North Korean nuclear facilities to verify the North's intentions to denuclearize, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.

The plan follows South Korea's announcement on Tuesday that it has agreed with the North to hold the first summit between the countries in over a decade in late April and that Pyongyang has expressed readiness to start a dialogue with the United States.

(Photo courtesy of South Korea's presidential office)

North Korea also pledged to halt its missile and nuclear tests during the period of dialogue and said there is no reason to possess nuclear arms in the presence of security guarantees and the absence of threats, according to the South Korean government.

According to the sources, Japan wants to push for North Korea to let inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency into its nuclear facilities, primarily the Yongbyon nuclear complex around 100 kilometers north of Pyongyang.

"Inspections of the Yongbyon facility are essential in verifying North Korea's denuclearization," a source said.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog has not had direct access to North Korean facilities since its inspectors were expelled in 2009.

The call for the inspectors reflects Japan's dissatisfaction with North Korea's agreement to merely freeze its nuclear and missile tests.

"It reads as if the development (of the weapons) will continue," a Foreign Ministry source said.

The agreements were reached in a meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and special envoys representing South Korean President Moon Jae In in Pyongyang.

The Japanese government expressed wariness about the pledges, vowing to keep pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile ambitions.

"We will not change our policy to maximize pressure on North Korea by any means to force it to commit to abandoning its nuclear and missile development in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and to taking concrete steps toward denuclearization," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has not made any public comment on the latest development on the Korean Peninsula, but an aide quoted the premier as saying it is necessary to adopt a cautious stance and monitor the situation surrounding North Korea.

Suga stressed the significance of coordinating policies with the United States and South Korea, adding Tokyo is in support of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's statement on Tuesday reiterating the policy of President Donald Trump's administration of keeping all options -- including military action -- on the table in addressing Pyongyang.

The top government spokesman's remarks reflected concerns that North Korea's charm offensive launched in the run-up to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics last month was meant to drive a wedge between Washington, Seoul and Tokyo and buy time to continue developing the country's nuclear arsenal.

Amid signs of easing tensions on the peninsula, Tokyo has repeatedly warned Seoul not to be deceived by Pyongyang's "smile diplomacy," referring to the country's diplomatic approach.

Asked what lay behind North Korea's eagerness for dialogue with the United States, Suga declined to comment, saying the Japanese government has not received official reports from the South Korean government on the results of the latest inter-Korea talks.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters at his ministry, "There is a need to cautiously assess the intention" of North Korea, considering its past behavior of hinting it will halt nuclear arms development even as it continued to do so.

South Korea will likely send to Japan next week Suh Hoon, director general of the National Intelligence Service, a Japanese government source said. Suh was part of the South Korean delegation to the North Korean capital.

Suga suggested at a press conference that Suh and Foreign Minister Taro Kono are likely to hold a ministerial-level meeting.

In Washington, Katsuyuki Kawai, Abe's special diplomatic adviser in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, quoted the prime minister as saying Japan "will cooperate with other countries and monitor the situation (surrounding North Korea), while raising pressure" on the Asian country.

Kawai told reporters that Abe believed the recent mood for dialogue was a sign that sanctions against North Korea and strengthened monitoring of "ship-to-ship transfer" of goods involving North Korean vessels aimed at evading sanctions have been effective.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 7, 2018 - 12:14 | World, All

The sense of unease in the Japanese government over a thaw between North and South Korea heightened Tuesday with Seoul's announcement that the two Koreas will hold a leaders' summit at the end of next month.

The fear in Tokyo is now that the United States, the shared defense ally of Japan and South Korea, will agree to dialogue with the North without preconditions -- something a Japanese Foreign Ministry source said would leave Japan "out of the loop."

(Photo courtesy of the South Korean presidential office)

Japan has been trying to write the script for the international community to "maximize pressure" on North Korea, insisting that no dialogue should be held with the North until it agrees to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Japanese officials are now preparing to change tack should the situation shift dramatically and compromise the relevance of the pressure campaign, according to government sources.

After talks held in Pyongyang on Monday between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and envoys representing South Korean President Moon Jae In, the South Korean government said North Korea expressed its readiness to talk with the United States about denuclearization and the normalization of bilateral relations.

Ahead of this announcement, the Japanese government's top spokesman struck a wary tone about the envoys' meeting with Kim.

"When dealing with North Korea, we should reflect fully on the lesson that past dialogue has not led to denuclearization," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference Tuesday morning.

That remark was in keeping with what the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been arguing on the international stage for months: that North Korea has a track record of taking advantage of dialogue frameworks to buy time for developments in its nuclear program.

The Japanese government has raised as an example the 1994 "Agreed Framework" between the United States and North Korea, by which the North was supposed to freeze its nuclear program and be provided with alternative energy sources. North Korea continued to enrich uranium despite the framework.

Similarly, North Korea went back on a 2005 commitment to abandon all nuclear weapons, made in a joint statement at the six-party talks between North and South Korea, Japan, the United States, China and Russia. It carried out its first nuclear test the following year.

"This is proof that we were deceived by North Korea," a senior Foreign Ministry official said.

But very few in the Japanese government now believe that South Korea is on the same page as Japan on this matter.

Foreign Minister Taro Kono expressed a hope Monday that the South Korean envoys and Kim could "take a step toward denuclearization" in their talks, but warned the South "not to be dazzled by North Korea's 'smile diplomacy'."

On Tuesday, he suggested Kim's treatment of the envoys suggests the economic sanctions on North Korea are having an effect.

The United States is the true focus of Japan's efforts now, with a State Department spokeswoman hinting last month at the possibility of Washington engaging in "preliminary" talks with the North.

Kono is set to visit the United States later this month, meeting Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington to counsel him to stay committed to the pressure campaign.

"If the United States swallows South Korea's argument that it should place importance on dialogue, Japan will be put in an awkward position with its pressure stance," a Foreign Ministry source said.

At the same time, the Abe administration is aware that maintaining too rigid of a stance could risk Japan becoming isolated if Washington and Pyongyang do start exchanges, resulting in a slight softening of Japan's position.

Abe, despite having long asserted that "pressure, not dialogue, is what is needed," briefly exchanged words with North Korea's ceremonial leader Kim Yong Nam at an event in Pyeongchang, South Korea, while both were there for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics last month.

Kono, who called in September last year for all countries to break off diplomatic relations with North Korea, told reporters last month that "making contact with North Korea is important in order to tell it to abandon its nuclear and missile programs and come to the table for dialogue."

According to a Japanese government source involved in North Korea policy, "the situation on the Korean Peninsula is anyone's guess."

"We have to be prepared for everything, because anything could happen," the source said.
Livestock and wildlife graze on rangelands, grasslands, savannas and marshes that cover 45 percent of Earth's land surface. Damage or degradation on these lands is a major concern globally, and the subject of widespread scientific study in countries including Mongolia.

An estimated 70 percent of the rangelands in Mongolia are damaged by livestock and unregulated land use. But new research led by Colorado State University found less irreversible damage -- up to 10 percent at most -- from livestock in Mongolia's rangelands. This positive news is countered by findings that show key areas in the country may be reaching a tipping point of irreversible damage.

The study, "Applying a dryland degradation framework for rangelands: the case of Mongolia," is published in Ecological Applications.

Lead author Chantsaa Jamsranjav, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship at CSU, said the research team hopes the findings will generate greater understanding about the deterioration of what Mongolia's citizens call the "green gold" or vast grasslands that cover three quarters of the country.

Scientists said that they are also hopeful that the study will help guide management of these extensive natural resources.

"We wanted to build a clear definition of degradation that can be commonly used in Mongolia," said Jamsranjav. "Having a unified understanding can lead to more targeted national policies for rangeland management, as well as providing help for herders on how to better manage resources by rotating herds and resting pastures."

The Mongolian herding tradition dates back at least 4,000 years -- well before the time of Genghis Khan -- and breeding and caring for sheep, cattle and other livestock contributes up to 15 percent of the country's total gross domestic product. Irreversible land degradation is a growing concern, as these areas must continue to support livestock that outnumber Mongolians 20-1, a ratio consistently among the highest in the world.

Defining degradation

To study grazing impacts, the research team sampled data in 36 counties (soums, as they're called) across 10 provinces, or aimags. Scientists analyzed climate and ground measurements, and chose winter shelters and pastures as a focal point for the project. Families that raise livestock live in these shelters only during the winter, which allows the pastures to rest from livestock use during the summer growing season.

The team collected extensive ecological field data for the study to better measure degradation or damage. Based on these measurements, they classified each sampled area into a different stage, or step, of degradation. The first step, 0, is considered "undergrazed" in rangelands that, like Mongolia, have evolved with many native grazers. Step 0 also incorporates natural climatic fluctuations as part of these natural rangeland ecological processes. Step 4, on the other end of the scale, indicates potentially irreversible changes in vegetation and soil surface due to excessive grazing or other human-driven disturbances, including development of roads and industrial land use.

The research team also compared this new set of measurements with data from two other national studies, and found the same conclusion: very severe or irreversible damage is rare in Mongolia, with most rangelands only slightly or moderately degraded.

Pinpointing vulnerable areas

CSU's study linked livestock use to ecological impacts on winter pastures throughout Mongolia's steppe region. Winter pastures are a critical resource for herders through the long, cold winters. Livestock rely on exposed vegetation for food during this frigid time.

"Even though overall permanent damage was less than expected, our findings suggest that the steppe environments are changing the fastest under persistently high levels of forage use, which could push these pastures towards a point where damage becomes irreversible," said Jamsranjav.

This could be attributed to 15 years of heavy animal grazing and trampling reported in steppe areas near human settlements, according to the study. Livestock populations on a national level have increased dramatically, bouncing back from two large-scale dzuds, or harsh winters that caused considerable livestock casualties. Some parts of the country saw livestock numbers remaining stable.

Jamsranjav said winter ranges in steppe areas require the most immediate attention by policymakers, managers and herders. Preventing or slowing down further damage by a continuously growing national herd can ensure these areas are still available for grazing in the future, just as they have been for millennia.

"Addressing the effects of livestock is low-hanging fruit to consider," she said. "Unlike a variable climate, grazing practices can be altered by management and policy."

Researchers said the study's framework can be applied in other arid rangelands around the world, which could help balance the growing pressures of herds and other human-caused disturbances on other rangelands.

###
Workforce

How can agencies focus on the workforce during reorgs?

The nation's top human resources officer said that even agencies planning for lower budgets and reduced headcount can't skimp on employee engagement.

"We can't lose sight of needing to maintain a high-performance workforce where these changes are occurring," said Office of Personnel Management Acting Director Kathleen McGettigan at a March 6 event hosted by Government Executive.

"In the months to come, you'll see more on how to rescale and upscale employees," especially as automation and robotics continue to gain more workplace prominence, she added. "We must think about how to rescale and retrain In other words, we have to keep positions technologically current."

OPM's 2018 Workforce Priorities Report, released in February, highlighted ways agencies could combat insufficient training and low staffing levels while modernizing and supporting "the administration's initiatives to reshape the workforce and maximize employee performance."

The White House's fiscal year 2019 budget proposal reinforced its plans to cut civilian-side funding, reorganize government and freeze pay for civilian employees.

Agency reorganization plans were due to the White House in February, and are expected to be released sometime this month, in conjunction with revised agency and cross-agency priority goals.

"I think we're going to see more emphasis on those this year, particularly as we've now come out with some tools on how you restructure," said Sara Ratcliff, executive director of the Chief Human Capital Officers Council. "And once the political leadership gets on board, there'll be a stronger emphasis in how they do it and which piece."

Jason Bossie, the director of the Office of Performance Management at the Small Business Administration, said his agency's priority goals as part of the President's Management Agenda include retraining staff, communication and other initiatives "connecting back to IT modernization."

However, the administration also faces problems within the civil service it's trying to reform.

For one, persisting vacancies in senior leadership  as well as low approval scores of senior leaders  present an additional challenge to employee engagement.

"Senior leadership is the number one driver of satisfaction," said Andrew Marshall of the Partnership for Public Service, which releases annual rankings of the best places to work in government. In its annual rankings, senior leadership is consistently among the lowest-rated workplace categories. Performance-based rewards and advancement also ranked towards the bottom.

Another priority in the OPM report, as well as the 2017 SES Onboarding Report, is training federal employees.

The White House's budget proposal calls for the creation of a $1 billion interagency fund, to be included in fiscal year 2018 appropriations, to "reward and retain high performers and those with the most essential skills."

Ratcliffe said she anticipates the workforce fund, if appropriated, will lead to the prioritization of training by agencies.

Currently, the 106-day average hiring time is "a real nonstarter, particularly for your very competitive employees, students coming out of college," she said. "Skinning that cat is probably one of the highest priorities we have."

Ratcliff added government will "probably need to explore with the private sector" possible remedies.

But legislative civil service reform may still prove a heavy lift, said Robert Shea, an OMB official in the George W. Bush administration and currently a principal in Grant Thornton's public sector practice.

"It's going to be really hard to get it done, and the closer we get to the midterm elections, the harder it will be," he said.
Congress

Senators press DNI on Russian interference, cyber

Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats takes questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The Director of National Intelligence was grilled by senators from both sides of the aisle about the apparent reluctance on the part of the Trump administration to respond forcefully to efforts by Russia to interfere in U.S. elections.

At a March 6 hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, DNI Daniel Coats, who testified alongside Defense Intelligence Agency Director Robert Ashley, found himself frequently on defense, with senators expressing both impatience with the administration's lack of a cyber warfare doctrine and the lack of ownership of the election threat and information warfare issue inside government.

"The discussions, I think, are ongoing. It is just the plan of action and the direction to take action that seem to be missing," said Ranking Member Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.)

New Mexico Democrat Sen. Martin Heinrich complained that he was weary of hearing the election interference problem requiring a "whole of government approach," a phrase that Coats leaned on in his response to member questions.

"I hear that the phrase 'whole of government approach' has become a catchall for 'it's someone else's job,'" Heinrich said. "Saying whole of government approach is not a substitute for action and not a substitute for real cyber doctrine."

In response to questioning from Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who chairs the defense panel's cybersecurity subcommittee, Coats said that progress on cyber policy has been slow.

"I don't think the progress has been made quick enough to put us in a position where we have a firm policy and understanding of not only ourselves but what our adversaries know relative to how were going to deal with this," Coats said.

In his written testimony, Coats expressed concerns about U.S. retaliation and still developing adversary capabilities as well as the increasingly damaging effects of cyber operations and the apparent acceptance by adversaries of collateral damage, naming Russia, China, Iran and North Korea as the greatest cyber threats.

Coats agreed with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) that Russia was likely to repeat its 2016 efforts to disrupt U.S. elections with information warfare and social media campaigns during the 2018 election cycle, but he said that the intelligence community was not sure yet what form it would take.

"We have not seen evidence of a robust effort yet on the part of Russia, but we know their malign activities continue," Coats said. "It's highly likely that they will be doing something, we just don't know how much and where and when."
Airbnb held an event in San Francisco on Feb. 22 to reflect back on the 10 years since it made its debut as airbedandbreakfast.com. That was back when it was still considered crazy to sleep in a stranger's house -- or to get into a stranger's car.

The story goes that the idea for Airbnb came in 2007 when Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia decided to rent out space in their San Francisco apartment to people coming into the city for a big design conference.

At the time, this spur-of-the-moment idea helped the two men make rent for the month. Today, the company says Airbnb hosts who offer some of the most-booked "Experiences" on the site have made more than $200,000 in a year.

Airbnb's Experience feature, launched in November 2016, allows users to book activities on vacation, like a cooking class in Paris, an overnight sailing adventure on Cyprus, or a photo-shoot session in Times Square. The idea behind Experiences is that tourists would be booking these with hosts in the area, allowing travelers to experience a new place like a local.

Over the last 10 years, Airbnb has had over 300 million guest check-ins, and Airbnb hosts have earned over $41 billion in total. In the next decade, Chesky hopes that its relatively new Experiences feature will help the company reach 1 billion guests per year.

AirBnB CEO Brian Chesky speaks on stage in front of a backdrop that features Airbnb photos from around the world

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky speaking at a company event in Los Angeles in 2016. Image source: Airbnb.

Airbnb aims to make you feel like you belong

The site's Experience tab now has 5,000 choices across 60 travel destinations and the company plans to expand Experiences to 1,000 destinations by the end of the year. It says the number of people booking Experiences has been growing fast.

Experience Hosts must be approved by Airbnb. "[H]igh quality is important and we select our Experience hosts based on expertise, local access and their ability to offer great hospitality," said the company. Chesky told Fortune in October 2017 that tens of thousands of people are on the waiting list to be an Experience host.

Story continues

Chesky also told the publication that he had some "pretty audacious" revenue expectations for 2018, partly due to the success of Experiences. He said Airbnb had earned about $500,000 just from "social impact experiences," which allow guests to work with local charities when they travel.

Experiences are just starting

When asked why the Experiences feature hasn't become a common topic of conversation, like the homes on Airbnb, Chesky said in the interview that it takes time for trends to catch on. The homes section of Airbnb was launched in 2008, but didn't start to catch on until a few years later. As of now, the Experiences feature is growing about 13 times faster than the homes business was in its first few years, Chesky said.

These Experiences are important for the company because it's looking more and more like a full-fledged travel company, rather than just a room-sharing site. It's similar to how ride-sharing app Uber has expanded into food delivery with Uber Eats. Both companies saw opportunities and took them. This added value for Airbnb users is also another reason for them to continue avoiding the typically higher-priced traditional hotels.

Airbnb is giving people a chance to avoid cookie-cutter hotel rooms in favor of a more authentic and personable experience. Chesky said during the event on Feb. 22 that he wants to focus on the company's core mission -- helping people feel like they belong anywhere they go -- rather than on taking the company public in 2018. On Feb. 25, Chesky was quoted in an interview as saying, "Weve seriously considered a lot of things around aviation and weve spent a lot of time exploring different concepts. ... We definitely want to make sure, though, that we can get into the end-to-end trip business." This cranked up chatter that Airbnb was considering starting an airline.

Airbnb, now valued at $31 billion, has $5.5 billion on its balance sheet, according to Chesky.That, combined with the popularity of Experiences helps explain why Airbnb isn't in a rush to go public. For now, Airbnb has its work cut out: Make Experiences as popular as it has made the original home-sharing business.

More From The Motley Fool

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
(Reuters) - Magic Leap, a secretive startup working in the augmented reality space, said on Wednesday it raised $461 million in its latest funding round, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's sovereign investment arm.

The company said it raised $963 million in the series D round, taking the total funding to over $2.3 billion to date.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund joins a clutch of global names such as Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google, Alibaba Group (BABA.N), Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O), Time Warner's (TWX.N) Warner Bros and J.P. Morgan Investment Management which have invested in Magic Leap.

Magic Leap in October raised $502 million in a capital funding round, led by Singapore government-owned investment firm Temasek Holdings [TEM.UL].

The latest financing round comes as Magic Leap readies to ship in 2018 its long-awaited debut product, "Magic Leap One, Creator Edition", an AR headset built for developers.

Magic Leap said Allen & Co LLC served as its financial advisers.

(Reporting by Arjun Panchadar and Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
Its now been several months since China admitted that it had completely lost control of its Tiangong-1 space station, explaining that without the ability to adjust its position in orbit the huge manmade object will eventually come falling back down to Earth. In late 2017 the Chinese government offered a very rough forecast of when the satellite could collide with our planet, and now its looking more and more like March might be the month when it happens.

According to the latest information from the European Space Agency, which is tracking the objects movement, the space station is now expected to come tumbling down somewhere between March 24th and April 19th. Scientists believe that it will reenter Earths atmosphere between 43 degrees north and 43 degrees south latitudes. Thats a pretty imprecise estimate, but the ESA says its more likely that the object will land somewhere in the northern latitudes, meaning the northern US, parts of Spain, Portugal, Greece, China, much of the Middle East, and a handful of other countries.

Don't Miss: I might love this $40 Apple Watch accessory even more than my Apple Watch

The space station, whose name means Heavenly Palace, will be subjected to the full brunt of friction from Earths atmosphere and, thankfully, will be incinerated almost completely before any remaining debris finally lands on the surface. However, its still possible that the spacecraft could cause some problems if it lands on hard ground, especially in a populated area.

Some of the material on board the space station is indeed toxic, including chemicals used in rocket fuel, and China has noted that if that material finds its way to the ground it could be hazardous to anyone who stumbles upon it.

That being said, the odds of any debris actually landing near you or, even worse, striking you is incredibly small. Space debris experts put the chances of being struck by space debris at around a million times less likely than winning the lottery. Thats somewhat reassuring, but its still problematic that a developed nation managed to completely lose control over an eight-ton space station.

Story continues

In any case, the ESA and other space agencies will be keeping a close eye on the space station and will hopefully be able to forecast its fall from the sky with greater accuracy as the day draws near.

BGR Top Deals:

Trending Right Now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
BRASILIA, March 7 (Reuters) - Aldemir Bendine, the former chief executive of state-controlled oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA and Banco do Brasil, was found guilty on Wednesday of corruption charges and sentenced by a federal judge to 11 years in prison.

Judge Sergio Moro ruled that Bendine used his position at Petrobras to take 3 million reais ($924,527) in bribes from construction firm Odebrecht.

"The condemned took his position as CEO of Petrobras amid a corruption scandal and with the expectation that he would solve problems," Moro wrote in his ruling. "The last behavior one would expect from him would be corruption, once again putting at risk the reputation of the company."

Bendine's legal team did not immediately reply to requests for comment. His attorneys said throughout the trial that he was innocent and that no company received special benefits from Petrobras or Banco do Brasil under his leadership.

He served as CEO of Petrobras, as the company is known, from 2015 to 2016, and was brought in to clean up the firm after its central role in a huge corruption scandal that has embroiled politicians and business executives.

Bendine, who led state-owned lender Banco do Brasil from 2009 to 2015, was charged last August.

Prosecutors alleged that Bendine sought 17 million reais in bribes when he led Banco do Brasil to authorize the rollover of a loan to Odebrecht. Odebrecht refused to pay him, according to testimony from its executives.

Shortly before taking over as head of Petrobras, he demanded and received payment of 3 million reais from Odebrecht so that it could receive unspecified favorable treatment from Petrobras, Moro found in his ruling.

($1 = 3.2449 reais) (Reporting by Ricardo Brito; Additional reporting by Brad Brooks in Sao Paulo; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Ajit Pai speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, Maryland, U.S., February 23, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. telecoms regulator proposed on Tuesday directing $954 million to restore and expand communications networks in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands that were heavily damaged during the 2017 hurricane season.

Wireless and broadband communications networks in the U.S. island territories were devastated after Hurricanes Maria and Irma swept through the region in September.

As of Monday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said 4.3 percent of cell sites in Puerto Rico and 14 percent of sites in the U.S. Virgin Islands remained out of service.

"The FCC's work is far from over," FCC chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement. "With the 2018 hurricane season less than three months away, we need to take bold and decisive action."

Pai wants to spend $64 million on short-term restoration, $631 million on long-term funding for the restoration and expansion of fixed broadband and $259 million on medium-term funding for the restoration and expansion of 4G LTE mobile broadband connectivity.

The plan needs FCC approval and would be largely funded by the Universal Service Fund, which provides federal subsidies to companies to make communications services more accessible and affordable in places where the cost is high.

In October, the FCC approved $77 million to fund repairs in the islands.

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat, is visiting Puerto Rico this week and Pai will visit Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands later this week.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Diane Craft and Rosalba O'Brien)
Former President George W. Bush is reportedly pleased by at least one element of the Donald Trump presidency: Its making him look better.

While Bush doesnt often address Trump or his policies directly, he does have a zinger he likes to deliver when the issue comes up. Tom DeFrank, a contributing editor for The National Journal, reported:

Without chiming in with the Trump critics, Bush is often heard to remark, unable to stifle his trademark smirk: Sorta makes me look pretty good, doesnt it?

The relationship between Trump and the Bush family hasnt been a warm one. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was widely considered the frontrunner for the 2016 GOP nomination until he was steamrolled by Trump, who famously dismissed him as low energy.

Neither Jeb nor George  nor their father, former President George H.W. Bush  attended the 2016 Republican National Convention, in which Trump was nominated. None of the three Bushes voted for Trump either.

Over the weekend, Trump reportedly called George W. Bushs decision to invade Iraq in 2003 the single worst decision ever made. However, last week he also endorsed George P. Bush  one of Jebs three children  for re-election as Texas land commissioner.

(h/t Raw Story)

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story indicated Trump called George P. Bush Trumps Man in Texas. In fact, he used that phrase to refer to another Texas politician.

Also on HuffPost

Prescott Bush (Center)

This undated and unlocated picture shows Senator Prescott Bush (C) posing with son George Herbert Walker Bush on the left. (AFP/Getty Images) -- Father of George H.W. Bush, Prescott Bush Jr., Nancy Walker Bush Ellis, Jonathan Bush, William H.T. Bush

George H.W. Bush

Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush at Reliant Stadium on December 1, 2013 in Houston. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) -- Son of Prescott Bush -- Husband of Barbara Bush -- Father of George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, Pauline Robinson Bush, Neil Bush, Marvin Bush, Dorothy Bush Koch

Barbara Bush

On Aug. 22, 2013, former first lady Barbara Bush listens to a patient's question during a visit to the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File) -- Wife of George H.W. Bush -- Mother of George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, Pauline Robinson Bush, Neil Bush, Marvin Bush, Dorothy Bush Koch

George W. Bush

Former President George W. Bush speaks during a conference at the Bush Institute Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero) -- Husband of Laura Bush -- Father of Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Pierce Bush -- Brother of Jeb Bush, Pauline Robinson Bush, Neil Bush, Marvin Bush, Dorothy Bush Koch

Laura Bush

Former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush speaks during the Georgetown University Symposium Advancing Afghan Women on November 15, 2013 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) -- Wife of George W. Bush -- Mother of Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Pierce Bush

Barbara Pierce Bush

Barbara Bush attends the 5th Annual Women In The World Summit at the David Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center on April 3, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images) -- Daughter of Laura Bush & George W. Bush

Jenna Bush Hager

Bing and Jenna Bush Hager host the Bing in the Classroom Launch Event on April 23, 2014 at Clarion School in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for Bing) -- Daughter of George W. Bush & Laura Bush -- Wife of Henry Chase Hager

Henry Chase Hager

Henry Hager and UNICEF Next Generation Chair, Jenna Bush Hager attend The Ninth Annual UNICEF Snowflake Ball at Cipriani, Wall Street on December 3, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for UNICEF) -- Husband of Jenna Hager Bush

Jeb Bush

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush speaks during a Long Island Association luncheon on February 24, 2014 in Woodbury, New York. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images) -- Son of George H.W. Bush & Barbara Bush -- Husband of Columba Bush -- Father of George P. Bush, Noelle Bush, Jeb Bush Jr.

Columba Bush

Columba Bush attends the 2012 Lincoln Center Institute Gala at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on March 7, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images) -- Wife of Jeb Bush -- Mother of George P. Bush, Noelle Bush, Jeb Bush Jr.

George P. Bush

In this photo taken June 25, 2013, George P. Bush, 37, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Benny Snyder) -- Son of Jeb Bush & Columba Bush -- Brother of Noelle Bush, Jeb Bush Jr.

Jeb Bush Jr. (left)

(L-R) Jeb Bush, Jr., Kairos Fellow Jonathan Shriftman, and guest attend the welcome dinner at the Kairos Society Global Summit at Espace on February 22, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Kairos Society) -- Son of Jeb Bush & Columba Bush -- Brother of George P. Bush, Noelle Bush

Noelle Bush

Noelle Bush (R), pictured on January 24, 2003 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Chris Livingston/Getty Images) -- Daughter of Jeb Bush & Columba Bush -- Sister of George P. Bush, Jeb Bush Jr.

Neil Bush

Neil Bush speaks during an event at the White House on July 15, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) -- Son of George H.W. Bush & Barbara Bush -- Father of Lauren Bush Lauren, Ashley Bush, Pierce M. Bush -- Brother George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, Pauline Robinson Bush, Marvin Bush, Dorothy Bush Koch

Maria Bush

Maria and Neil Bush at Becca Cason Thrashes residence. Becca Caason Thrash Honors Plum Sykes Second Novel 'the Debutante Divorcee' in Houston. (Bill Olive/Getty Images). -- Second Wife of Neil Bush

Lauren Bush Lauren

FEED founder Lauren Bush Lauren arrives at the FEED USA Target launch event on Wednesday, June 19, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) -- Daughter of Neil Bush & Sharon Smith (Bush's first wife)

David Lauren

David Lauren (L) and Lauren Bush Lauren attend the Ralph Lauren fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2014 at St. John Center Studios on February 13, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week) Husband of Lauren Bush Lauren

Ashley Bush

Ashley Bush (L) and Lauren Bush attend a special screening of 'I Love You Phillip Morris' hosted by The Cinema Society and DeLeon Tequila at the School of Visual Arts Theater on November 22, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images) -- Daughter of Neil Bush & Sharon Smith (Bush's first wife)

Pierce Bush (center)

Lauren Bush Lauren, Pierce Bush and Ashley Bush attend The Hollywood Reporter & Samsung with The Cinema Society screening of A24's 'The Spectacular Now' at The Crow's Nest on July 26, 2013 in Montauk, New York. (Photo by Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images) Son of Neil Bush & Sharon Smith (Bush's first wife)

Marvin Bush

U.S. President George W. Bush and brother Marvin Bush watch a basketball game at the Summer Olympics on August 9, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images) -- Son of George H.W. Bush & Barbara Bush -- Brother of George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, Pauline Robinson Bush, Neil Bush, Dorothy Bush Koch

Dorothy Bush Koch

U.S. President George W. Bush kisses his sister Mrs. Doro Koch at a fundraiser at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Dec. 5, 2003 in Baltimore, Maryland. (PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images) -- Daughter of George H.W. Bush & Barbara Bush -- Sister of George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, Pauline Robinson Bush, Neil Bush, Marvin Bush

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
The scene is at once cathartic and symbolic: A worker uses a crowbar to peel the name TRUMP from a hotel in Panama City, Panamadumping the flimsy-looking letters in a plastic tub and into the back of a Hyundai. The now-viral video shows the de-Trumping of Donald Trumps Panama City luxury hotel, the third to shed the Trump name since the US presidents inauguration.

The Panama tower was one of 12 properties remaining in Trump portfolio of hotelsproperties which his firm mostly manages rather than owning the actual real estate involved. Since taking office, the Trump moniker has also been erased from hotels in Toronto and Manhattan, though the Panama de-flagging was the most dramaticwith some Trump Organization staff forced to leave the property in handcuffs (paywall).

So how does a hotel, once branded under the presidents controversial name, fare once its no longer Trump?

Life after Trump

The Adelaide: The cursed Trump Toronto is reborn

Toronto investor Alex Shnaide hoped that Trumps reputation and celebrity would draw in guests and investors when he paid to brand the 65-story Trump International Hotel and Tower. But when it debuted in 2012, the streets around the hotel were shut down due to falling glass debris from the building. Five years later, a majority of the rooms were still empty, and lingering debt payments put the property into receivership (i.e. it went bankrupt).

Following a series of anti-Trump protests around the hotel, management reached an agreement to remove the Trump name from the building (paywall). The hotels new owners said the break was amicable, and had more to do with the citys struggling luxury hotel sector than Donald Trumps political reputation. Today, the building is getting a face lift: New interior design will scrap the Trump-style champagne-and-caviar lobby of black marble. And the hotel will soon become part of the St. Regis portfolio of propertieswhich means little change to its luxury pampering and service as far as guests are concerned.

Story continues

Partial de-Trumping.

The Dominick: New Trump SoHo owners paid the Trumps to exit

The Trump SoHo made its debut on The Apprentice 11 years ago, but its bad luck began during construction when a worker plunged 42 stories to his death (paywall). The 46-story skyscraper immediately drew local opposition for violating zoning laws, followed by protests during the 2016 election. There was also a 2011 settlement in which the Trumps and other defendants paid millions after reporting false sales figures to condo buyers, and an investigation into the buildings ties to Russian deal maker, felon, and FBI informant Felix Sater (paywall).

Today, the property is managed by the CIM group, which paid the Trumps an undisclosed amount to terminate ownership. It is henceforth know as the the Dominick Hotel.

TBD: The Trump Panama soap opera comes to a close

The 70-story hotel was the Trumps only Latin America venture before new majority owner Orestes Fintiklis launched a legal battle to remove the Trump Organization after its abysmal management plummeted the propertys profits thanks to rooms that remained virtually empty.

After a two-week standoff that involved shouting and shoving matches, Fintiklis obtained a court order authorizing a change of administration. What happens next remains to be seen.

Full de-Trumping.

More to come?

Trumps rapidly thinning hotel portfolio is beginning to resemble an episode of The Apprentice, but watchdog groups have warned the president that his refusal to divest from his company could lead to such predicaments. Since inauguration, for instance, his Washington hotel has come under repeated criticism for failing to disclose the flow of money from foreign governments into the property.

Despite the drama, the Trump Organization is currently attempting to launch two different chains of budget-friendly hotels with the Scion and American Idea. They, however, will not bear the Trump name.

Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news.

More stories from Quartz:
In case you missed it, here are some of Benzinga's top stories from Tuesday, March 6, 2018.

Attention, Crypto Trust Fans

The minds that brought the market the Bitcoin Investment Trust (OTC: GBTC) are back with four new products, Learn more, in Wayne Duggans The Creator Of GBTC Launches New Products For Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin And XRP.

Related Link: Jack Dorsey's Big Monday

When You Think Of Crypto, Youll Think Of Wyoming

Wyoming and digital currency may seem a less than intuitive match, but lawmakers in The Equality State are looking to change all that. Wayne Duggan writes How Wyoming Could Become The Crypto Capital Of The US.

Spotify Speculation

Fresh on the heels of news the streaming music platform Spotify would launch an IPO, sell-side analysts are already prognosticating as to what type of growth the company could see in the short-term. MKM Partners Rob Sanderson sees a path to $70 billion, as Jayson Derrick reports.

Latest Ratings for GBTC

Feb 2018 Buckingham Initiates Coverage On Sell Jul 2015 Wedbush Initiates Coverage on Outperform

View More Analyst Ratings for GBTC

View the Latest Analyst Ratings

See more from Benzinga

 2018 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Jaguar Land Rover has priced its first all-electric vehicle, a sporty looking 2019 I-PACE crossover sport utility vehicle, at $69,500 in the U.S. market, a base cost that puts it $10,000 below the standard Tesla Model X.

Jaguar unveiled the 2019 I-Pace March 2 ahead of the International Geneva Motor Show. At the time, the British brand announced pricing of 63,495 pounds ($87,152) in the UK. (The UK price includes 20% valued added tax, while U.S. prices are listed pre-tax.)

The lower U.S. pricing will certainly help Jaguar remain competitive in the luxury electric vehicle market, which has been dominated by Tesla for several years. However, the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X arent exactly equal competitors.

The Model X is larger, seating seven people, while the Jaguar I-Pace seats five. The Tesla Model X also has different battery pack sizes, which for a pricey upgrade gets owners up to 295 miles to a single charge. Tesla also has a growing network of fast-chargers called Superchargers that are located on U.S. highways in an effort to promote long-distance travel.

Jaguar Land Rover is intent on catching up. The company has committed to invest $1.5 billion on new facilities and enhanced owner experiences over the next five years in North America. There are 207 total dealerships in the United States, including 166 Jaguar franchises, which have started installing electric vehicle charging equipment to prepare for the I-PACE.

Retailers are also investing in training their sales and service personnel to better understand the electric vehicle market. Its a critical step that other automakers and their dealership networks have failed to do correctly, depressing sales of hybrid and electric vehicles.

The vehicle will hit U.S. dealerships in the second half of the year as a 2019 model in three trim levels, the S, SE, and HSE versions. A first edition model in the HSE will also be available.
* Government blocks Facebook, other social media for three days

* Curfew imposed in central district to prevent violence

* Severed head of youth found in Muslim district of capital (Adds grenade attack, death, prime minister's statement)

By Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal

COLOMBO, March 7 (Reuters) - A grenade blast killed one person in further violence between majority Buddhist Sinhalese and minority Muslims in Sri Lanka on Wednesday despite the government's blocking of social messaging networks in efforts to halt the bloodshed.

The South Asian country has been rocked by communal clashes in its central highlands since Sunday following attacks on Muslims by nationalist Sinhalese crowds.

Communal tensions have grown over the past year with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalising Buddhist archaeological sites. Muslim groups deny these allegations.

Some Buddhist nationalists have also protested against the presence in Sri Lanka of Muslim Rohingya asylum seekers from mostly Buddhist Myanmar, where Buddhist nationalism has also been on the rise.

Police declared a curfew until 4 p.m. (1130 GMT) Thursday in the central highlands district of Kandy, epicentre of the violence following the death of a Buddhist youth after an altercation with a group of Muslims.

Buddhist mobs attacked mosques and businesses belonging to Muslims overnight, residents told Reuters on Wednesday, even after President Maithripala Sirisena decreed an emergency for seven days to curb the violence.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said there had been several disturbances throughout Tuesday night in the Kandy area, renowned for its tea plantations and scenic hills.

"One person was killed and three were injured during the day after a hand grenade exploded," Gunasekara told Reuters, without elaborating. Police have arrested seven people and three police officers were injured in the incidents, he said.

The severed head of a youth was found in a mainly Muslim area in the capital Colombo, adding to tensions, residents said. Police said they were investigating.

Story continues

Some of the violence has been instigated by Facebook postings that threatened more attacks on Muslims, the government said. On Wednesday, it said Facebook, Viber and Whatsapp would be blocked across Sri Lanka for three days.

The crisis spurred opposition parties to shelve a no- confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for alleged mismanagement of the economy that was originally set to be filed on Monday.

On a visit to Kandy, President Maithripala Sirisena urged religious leaders to do more to rebuild inter-communal peace.

FACEBOOK POSTINGS

Muslims in Colombo said they fear for the safety of relatives living in Kandy.

Mohamed Khan, a 71-year-old worker in a soap factory in Colombo, said his relatives in Kandy were in hiding. "They say the police and military are...not taking any action," he said.

Analysts said Muslim-owned businesses were being targeted as many Sinhalese believe that the minority group holds disproportionate economic power.

Sri Lanka is still healing from a 26-year civil war with Tamil separatist rebels that was plagued by atrocities and ended in 2009. Sinhalese comprise around 70 percent of the South Asian nation's 21 million population, ethnic Tamils - who are mainly Hindu - about 13 percent, and Muslims around 9 percent.

U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said he was alarmed by recurring episodes of violence against ethnic and religious minorities in Sri Lanka and wanted accountability.

"There should be no impunity, either for the incitement that led to the attacks, or the attacks themselves," he said in a speech to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The U.S. State Department issued a security alert warning of the possibility of further unrest in Kandy.

Tourism, one of the foreign exchange mainstays of Sri Lanka's $81 billion economy, could take a serious hit from the violence as Kandy is a prime destination for foreign travellers.

Kandy is located in the heart of the Indian Ocean island nation's tea-growing region but an Indian trader said the crisis was unlikely to affect global tea markets in the near term.

"This will delay shipments, but won't have any impact on global prices, as Kenya and India have ample supplies to substitute. If supplies remain disrupted for more than a month, then prices could go up," said a tea broker in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata.

Sri Lanka is the world's third biggest tea exporter. (Additional reporting by Stephanie Ulmer-Nebehay in Geneva and Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai writing by Sanjeev Miglani editing by Mark Heinrich)
Some two thirds of kidney transplant recipients are men, although the gender difference was less pronounced for donations by deceased men and women (AFP Photo/PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU)

Paris (AFP) - Women are statistically far more likely to donate a kidney to a partner than receive one, according to a study released Thursday to coincide with World Kidney Day and International Womens Day.

Based on European data assessed, 36 percent of women donate a kidney to their husband in clinically suitable cases.

That compares with just seven percent of clinically suitable men donating a kidney to their spouse, said the study by the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations.

It highlights how women are also liable to suffer from the most serious stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) as they tend to live longer than male sufferers and take longer to reach a stage requiring a transplant.

"Although it is hard to pinpoint a specific reason for higher numbers of wives being donors than husbands, the evidence suggests women are motivated by reasons such as altruism and the desire to help their family continue to survive," said Adeera Levin, a Professor of Medicine at Canada's University of British Colombia.

The study data shows some two thirds of kidney transplant recipients are men although the gender difference was less pronounced for donations by deceased men and women.

Worldwide, the study found 14 percent of women suffer from CKD compared with 12 percent of men.

Although the data showed higher proportions of women live with advanced CKD, "experts believe that systemic failures to detect or manage CKD in women leave women at a higher risk of progression and complications."

This year's World Kidney Day is closely focusing on CKD sufferers who are either pregnant or wishing to conceive.

"In women who have had a successful kidney transplant, fertility can be at least partly restored and chances of successful birth increase," said Dr Giorgina Piccoli of Italy's University of Torino and the Centre Hospitalier Le Mans, France.

"However, complications in these women remain more common than in the general population, and preconception medical counselling should always be sought," added Piccoli.

Story continues

She stressed the "clear need for higher awareness of CKD in pregnancy, to timely identify CKD in pregnancy, and to follow-up women with CKD during and after pregnancy."

Dr Piccoli also indicated pregnancy-related complications can increase the risk of kidney disease.

"Women face unique issues in relation to kidney disease and donation, and since this years World Kidney Day coincides with International Womens Day, we decided now was the time to highlight these issues," said Professor Levin.
Wyoming_bill2.jpg





In a landmark development for blockchain advancement, Wyomings state legislature has cleared what is known as House Bill 70 (HB 70), which exempts various types of crypto assets from securities laws. The bill was originally passed by Wyomings House of Representatives last month on February 20. It is now headed to Governor Matt Mead for signature.

According to public records, it passed by a vote of 273, with no senators abstaining. This final vote, which was expected to occur last week, was held up at the last minute for further discussion. Nevertheless, lawmakers completed work on legislation to exempt cryptocurrencies from state money transmission laws. They also approved the use of blockchain-based records for corporations.

Through this legislation, lawmakers hope to carve-out space for tech developers involved in the creation of what are known as utility tokens. The exemption would be directed at those utility tokens which are not marketed or promoted as investments and are able to be exchanged for goods and services.

The first of its kind, HB 70 provides legal guidelines on how certain types of cryptographic tokens are accounted for. And in a similar development, HB 19, a Bitcoin-friendly bill, is also steadily making its way through the Wyoming legislature. Also unanimously passed in the House, it exempts cryptocurrencies from the states money transmission laws.

Wyomings History of Setting Precedence

Wyoming is a state known for its rugged individualism with the desire to achieve first mover advantage in key areas of legislation. It is often dubbed the Equality State: the first state to grant women voting rights and the first state to elect a female governor.

With respect to business and commerce, it originated the Limited Liability Company (LLC) in 1977. Today, nearly two-thirds of businesses formed throughout the U.S. choose the LLC corporate entity format. LLCs formed in the state of Wyoming are on par with better-known Nevada and Delaware corporations in offering stellar asset protection.

Story continues

A Wyoming native and former Wall Streeter, Caitlin Long, the co-founder of the Wyoming Blockchain Coalition and former chairman and president of enterprise blockchain company Symbiont, has been an enthusiastic champion of this blockchain legislation.

Long said in an email response to Bitcoin Magazine: HB 70 is one of five blockchain bills supported by the Wyoming Blockchain Coalition, and four are already in the Governors inbox (the fifth is likely to pass tomorrow). The Governor has three days to sign the bills, and most of them take effect immediately after he signs. All five are designed to attract software companies to move to Wyoming, as well as to attract businesses to register in Wyoming even if they dont move there.

According to Long, HB 70, coined the "utility token bill," represents the first time in the world that an elected body has recognized utility tokens as a distinct asset class that is neither a security nor money. She said that while the bill gives the industry a friendly state in which to base operations, it does not resolve the federal regulatory questions for utility token issuers. Regardless, she said, it can help set precedence in litigation and influence federal policy.

Long said that two of the other five bills are designed to be cryptocurrency-friendly, exempting cryptocurrencies from both Wyomings money transmitter laws and property taxes. Wyoming, she explained, already has zero income taxes or franchise taxes, so these bills are quite friendly to crypto businesses and crypto owners who want to move to the state.

Finally, she pointed to the last two bills aimed at attracting more businesses to register in Wyoming, which ranks third behind Delaware and Nevada in the number of new business registrations. She concluded: The race is on to see which state, Wyoming or Delaware, will be the first to accept registrations in blockchain form. Game on, Delaware!

This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine.
(Reuters) TASKHENT -- Uzbekistan wants to establish a new venue for peace talks between the government of neighboring Afghanistan and the Taliban, it said Tuesday, having invited the world's top diplomats to a conference later this month.

The Tashkent government hopes the March 26-27 conference will jump-start the "Afghan-owned, Afghan-led process for national reconciliation," its foreign ministry said in a statement.

It is unclear, however, whether any Taliban representatives will be present at the meeting where Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is set to deliver a keynote speech.

The meeting will be the first such event to be hosted by Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who came to power in 2016 and has pledged to open up the resource-rich nation of 32 million to the outside world.

Tashkent has invited U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, to the conference, as well as EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, and her counterparts from China, Russia, the United States, Britain and many other countries.

It is, however, uncertain whether all of them will attend.

Mirziyoyev's office said last week that U.S. President Donald Trump supported the conference in a message, saying his "administration is considering the composition of the relevant delegation of the United States."

The Uzbek foreign ministry said it expected the meeting to adopt the resolution calling for "guaranteed integration of the armed opposition into the political life of Afghanistan" while condemning "all forms and manifestations of terrorism."

"Initiating the Tashkent Conference, Uzbekistan by no means intends to confine itself to arranging it as a one-off event, but to continue with vigorous efforts  both bilaterally and multilaterally  to promote a peaceful political process in Afghanistan," it said.

Mirziyoyev took over the predominantly Muslim former Soviet republic after the death of President Islam Karimov, who had run it for more than a quarter of a century.

Tashkent's ties with the West were strained under Karimov, who was often criticized over his government's human rights abuses.

Mirziyoyev has promised to liberalize the resource-rich nation and has embarked on a diplomatic campaign to bring in much-needed foreign investment.
Is FirstNet secure enough for law enforcement?

Although California eventually decided to opt into the FirstNet national public-safety wireless broadband network, the director of Californias Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) has raised concerns about FirstNets compliance with Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) requirements.

AT&Ts core network is not presently Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) and California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) compliant, states the Dec. 28, 2017, letter from CalOES Director Mark Ghilarducci to FirstNet CEO Mike Poth notifying FirstNet of California's decision to opt in. AT&T won the contract to build the countrys first nationwide public-safety network on March 17, and by the end of December, all 50 states had opted to use it.

The FBIs CJIS policy provides standards for the creation, viewing, modification, transmission, dissemination, storage and destruction of criminal justice information such as fingerprints or criminal history. To be compliant with CJIS, providers must implement access controls such as multifactor authentication, encrypt data at rest and in motion, lock users sessions after a set period of inactivity, and monitor usage, including password changes.

If law enforcement community is going to use this system, then it must be secure and meet the [the Justice Department's] security requirements, Mitch Medigovich, deputy director of public-safety communications at CalOES, said in an email. If the system is not compliant, then agencies will find another secure system.

In an emailed response, an AT&T spokesman listed the many security features the $40 billion network will have, such as end-to-end FIPS 140-2-compliant virtual-private network solutions, radio, transport and network core encryption, and advanced physical and logical security protocols.

As we have previously explained to California and will continue to work with them on the matter, the system was never designed to meet all the elements of the FBIs CJIS Security Policy (CSP), the spokesman wrote, as many of these elements are the responsibility of individual criminal justice agencies or each states CJIS System Agency as required under the shared management philosophy of the CSP. 

California is the only state that raised concerns about FirstNets compliance with CJIS, the spokesman added. Others may have made their own determinations on how FirstNet can help to meet their CJIS compliance requirements. This shows that an entitys compliance needs can vary from the state level down to the agency.

AT&T recommended that California implement tools from NetMotion, a provider of mobile performance and analytics solutions that are in use at 80 percent of state law enforcement agencies nationwide. AT&T would charge users for this application.

The state took issue with that proposal. We did not feel we should be charged extra, Medigovich said. If the agencies that are going to be using the system require it to be secure, we shouldnt have to pay more.

NetMotion officials cautioned that their solutions dont translate to automatic CJIS compliance, which has no standardized approach. Although the companys tools protect criminal justice information end to end, agencies still must customize the solution to meet their specific requirements.

We do provide a substantial part of what is needed to be compliant [with CJIS], but you dont just go deploy NetMotion and suddenly youre CJIS-compliant, the company's Vice Presidents of Products John Knopf said. Every department has to read through the CJIS specification and implement that the way in which they need.

If agencies do that, they can be CJIS-compliant regardless of the network, added Steve Fallin, Netmotion mobility product manager. For instance, if you bought services from Sprint, Verizon, some other division of AT&T mobile  were going to support you and your security mission on those networks as well, Fallin said. From that perspective, the FirstNet offering that AT&T is putting together is just another network of the type that were very familiar with.

California was the last state to opt in to FirstNet. In November 2017, it issued a request for proposals from vendors that would build and maintain the radio access network should the state opt out, but on Dec. 28, Gov. Edmund Brown announced, While California remains concerned that the proposed plan does not address all our States needs, California is opting into the plan with the expectation that our concerns will be address throughout our partnership.

AT&T is committed to ensuring that our criminal justice and non-criminal justice FirstNet customers with a need to be CJIS-compliant are fully aware of the value-added services that the FirstNet ecosystem provides, the spokesman said. Our FirstNet Strategy and Policy Team stands ready to help such agencies fully understand the mobile device and network compliance requirements of the CJIS Security Policy and how the FirstNet ecosystem does or does not meet such requirements on its own or through the use of value-added or external services and solutions.

Medigovich said the state continues to work with the company to ensure a long-term partnership."
MilCloud 2.0 gets IL5 authorization

Nine months after the Department of Defense awarded a potential eight-year, $498 million contract to CSRA for the next iteration of milCloud, the Defense Information Systems Agency granted CSRA a DOD Provisional Authorization Impact Level 5 for milCloud 2.0.

IL 5 authorization allows government users to hold unclassified national security systems, high-sensitivity systems containing controlled, unclassified, information as well as mission-critical Information in the cloud. DISA rolled out the first version of milCloud in 2014 as a government-operated private cloud with both classified and unclassified versions.

Operated by CSRA, MilCloud 2.0 includes a self-service cloud portal for real-time provisioning and management in addition to scalable deployment environments based on application requirements. Customers can also select from a joint pool of resources in an on-demand basis and tailor their virtual environments to meet mission needs.

For the next 60 days we will be working with our early adopters to fine-tune our business processes, Caroline Bean, DISA milCloud 2.0 program manager said in a statement. The next step will be to open the doors for business to everyone else who is waiting to onboard. Our target is early May.

CSRA is launching milClouds provisioning portal, which gives customers continuous monitoring of their usage and a cost estimator tool to help them estimate cloud computing costs in real time.

On March 6, DISA also announced Oracle has received DOD Provisional Authorization IL5 for its federal cloud managed service offering. The Oracle platform is a hybrid platform-as-a-service model that allows for shared service zones in a community cloud and individual zones for federal customers.
SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) announced the expansion of their unmanned ocean observation fleet of Wave Gliders to the 9th Regional District, headquartered in Niigata, Japan. This growth is part of JCGs multi-year, ocean monitoring program to provide enhanced, real-time situational awareness of ocean currents, wave activity, and weather along Japans coastlines. Prior to this expansion, JCG deployed fleets of Wave Gliders in four regional districts, forming the first, unmanned ocean observation network in Japans history.



In addition to extending this service to the 9th Regional District, JCG is publishing the environmental data for free and in real-time to Japans commercial fisheries and tourism industries. The availability of both current and historical oceanographic data from more geographic locations provides the commercial and tourism industries with increased insight into weather patterns and ocean conditions that could adversely affect the safety and efficiency of their maritime operations.

We are honored to support JCGs leadership to improve the level of maritime monitoring and safety around Japan through the use of autonomous ocean observation platforms like the Wave Glider, said Gary Gysin, President and CEO of Liquid Robotics. Together with Hydro Systems Development, we are excited to support the next phase of growth and are committed to their continued success.

Wave Gliders are environmentally safe and a more effective way to expand national ocean observation systems when compared to traditional methods such as ships. By utilizing a network of unmanned systems, JCG is able to provide access to continuous, real-time meteorological and oceanographic information from seas where monitoring ships often cannot operate and without putting personnel at risk.

It has been our pleasure to support the Japan Coast Guard in their mission to enhance monitoring and safety of Japans maritime environment, said Takashi Kitsuda, President of Hydro Systems Development. We applaud Liquid Robotics for far exceeding all expectations in support of this truly innovative endeavor.

About Liquid Robotics, A Boeing Company:

Liquid Robotics designs and manufactures the Wave Glider, the first wave and solar powered unmanned ocean robot. With our partners, we address many of the planets greatest challenges, by transforming how to assess, monitor, and protect the ocean. We solve critical problems for defense, commercial, and science customers. Visit www.liquid-robotics.com to learn more.

Liquid Robotics and Wave Glider are registered trademarks of Liquid Robotics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company.

For media questions, please contact: Joanne Masters at press@liquid-robotics.com.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asia Cruise Cooperation (ACC) is growing from strength to strength, with Korea recently joining the alliance. It now spans 20 ports in six destinations  Hainan, Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan and Xiamen  all of whom have joined forces with a strong commitment to maximize the growth of cruise tourism in Asia.



Founded by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and the Taiwan Tourism Bureau in 2014, ACC provides a one-stop platform to support cruise lines strategies in Asia. Key areas of its work include facilitating itinerary development, sharing industry and market insights, enhancing cruise lines marketing efforts with funding support, and creating consumer demand for cruising.

At Seatrade Cruise Global 2018, the leading annual global business-to-business event in the cruise industry, ACC held a dedicated cocktail reception to update the trade on the alliances developments. In addition to encouraging cruise lines to include ACC member ports in their itineraries, the alliance will step up collaboration by proactively reaching out to consumers in key source markets.

Some of these initiatives include joint promotions to attract consumers to choose cruise products featuring ACC member ports and a partnership with a regional television network to raise consumer awareness of the appeal of partnering destinations and the attractiveness of cruise vacations.

Mr. He Junlin, Deputy Director for Tourism Planning of the Hainan Provincial Tourism Development Commission, said, ACC has continually combined the cruise resources of its member ports to promote intra-regional exchanges and cooperation, following the international cruise industrys excellent development concept. This helps all ACC members speed up the upgrading of their own cruise tourism industry, and also greatly raises Hainans tourism visibility around the world.

Mr. Anthony Lau, Executive Director of the HKTB, said, Im delighted to see that there has been a boost in synergy in Asias cruise development, as more destinations join the alliance. ACC has given all member ports the reach, resources and ambition to attract more cruise ships from around the world, and pooling the unique charm and competitive edge of each destination significantly enhances the draw of Asia as a cruise destination. The HKTB will continue to work with all ACC partners to recruit more member ports to further expand the scale and scope of this successful regional collaboration. By working closely together, we are navigating exciting new horizons as a new world of cruise tourism opens up in Asia.

Mr. Yoon Hyun-soo, Director of Koreas Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, Korea joined ACC last October, and we are confident that ACC will drive dramatic growth in cruise tourism in Asia through cooperation among destinations. Last month, all eyes were on Korea for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Now Korea is about to take another step to reach out to international travellers, but this time the focus is cruise vacations. Korea is an attractive country, with highly advanced cities juxtaposed with longstanding traditions, not to mention the beautiful natural environment. At present, coastal cities in Korea are attracting more than a million cruise passengers a year.

Mr. Benito C. Bengzon, Jr., Undersecretary for Tourism Development of the Philippine Department of Tourism, said, ACC continues to be a driver of growth in the Asian cruise industry. In this years Seatrade Cruise Global, ACC will showcase the alliances latest initiatives, among which is a research project that will support cruise lines in fully developing sustainable, cruise-related business opportunities in the region. The Philippine Department of Tourism, together with the rest of the ACC members, re-affirms our commitment to be at the forefront of this growing industry and to continually stir the wheel towards making Asia as the next important cruising region.

Dr. Chou Yung-hui, Director-General of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau (TTB), said, ACC has brought significant growth in the number of ship calls and cruise tourists in Taiwan. After three years effort, ACC members finally collaborated with Star Cruises last year to develop a whole new cruise route, which includes ports in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. A total of 15 sailings on this new route have brought more than 20,000 international cruise tourists to southern Taiwan. It is no exaggeration to say that ACC will create a better cruise market environment in Asia and heighten the interest of international cruise companies in our regional market.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Paul M. Garcia/Jackie Alvarez

Hong Kong Tourism Board

(323) 938-7265 / (323) 938-7274

Paul.Garcia@HKTB.com / Jackie.Alvarez@HKTB.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8a43b5be-45c7-4ae2-831e-983c8f03fd06
Few of the replies here explain why whether is the correct word choice. Here's a great excerpt that details that logic:Although in informal writing and speech the two words are often used interchangeably, in formal writing, such as in technical writing at work, it's a good idea to make a distinction between them because the meaning can sometimes be different depending on which word you use. The formal rule is to use if when you have a conditional sentence and whether when you are showing that two alternatives are possible. Some examples will make this more clear.Here's an example where the two words could be interchangeable:Squiggly didn't know whether Aardvark would arrive on Friday.Squiggly didn't know if Aardvark would arrive on Friday.In either sentence, the meaning is that Aardvark may or may not arrive on Friday.Now, here are some examples where the words are not interchangeable.Squiggly didn't know whether Aardvark would arrive on Friday or Saturday.Because I used whether, you know that there are two possibilities: Aardvark will arrive on Friday or Aardvark will arrive on Saturday.Now see how the sentence has a different meaning when I use if instead of whether:Squiggly didn't know if Aardvark would arrive on Friday or Saturday.Now in addition to arriving on Friday or Saturday, there is the possibility that Aardvark may not arrive at all. These last two sentences show why it is best to use whether when you have two possibilities, and that is why I recommend using whether instead of if when you have two possibilities, even when the meaning wouldn't change if you use if. It's safer and more consistent.Here's a final pair of examples:Call Squiggly if you are going to arrive on Friday.Call Squiggly whether or not you are going to arrive on Friday.The first sentence is conditional. Call Squiggly if you are going to arrive on Friday means Aardvark is only expected to call if he is coming.The second sentence is not conditional. Call Squiggly whether or not you are going to arrive on Friday means Aardvark is expected to call either way.So to sum up, use whether when you have two discrete choices or mean "regardless of whether," and use if for conditional sentences.From: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if ... ether.aspx
Several Hope College projects have received grants from the Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC).

A total of nine projects from Hope received funding from the consortium through its 2017-18 grant period. The awards to Hope projects, which total $50,000, include six fellowships for students conducting collaborative research with members of the faculty, a seed grant for faculty research, and two program awards for Hope initiatives focused on pre-college and teacher training.

Hope will provide additional support for each of the projects, including stipends for the students as they conduct research during the summer, and matching funds for the faculty and institutional projects.

The students receiving fellowships were: sophomore Marcus Brinks of Holland, who will work on The Integration of NIR Active Azo-Dyes into an Elastomeric Polymer System through use of Thiol-Yne Click Chemistry with Dr. Jason Gillmore, professor of chemistry, and Dr. Matthew Smith, assistant professor of engineering; sophomore Carmen Chamberlain of Owosso, who will work on Synthesis and Characterization of Strontium-Doped Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles with Iron Oxide Cores with Dr. Amanda Eckermann, assistant professor of chemistry; junior Allie Donaldson of Deer Park, Illinois, who will work on Using remote sensing to study ecological changes associated with hydrologic fluctuations in an interdunal wetland with Suzanne DeVries-Zimmerman, adjunct assistant professor of geological and environmental science; junior Tyler Gast of Wanatah, Indiana, who will work on Classifying mass shooting incidents across the United States with Dr. Yew-Meng Koh, assistant professor of mathematics; freshman Madeleine Rabitoy of Wyoming, who will work on Population synthesis with realistic magnetospheric emission geometry with Dr. Peter Gonthier, professor of physics; and junior Jacob Stid of Mason, who will work on Using Remote Sensing Information from Drone Flights to Create Sensitivity to Mobilization Maps of Coastal Dune Systems with Dr. Edward Hansen, professor of geology and environmental science and department chair.

The faculty member who received a seed grant is Dr. Joseph Stukey, assistant professor of biology, for Natural selection of bacterial virus genome architecture drives new gene creation and expands Earths genetic diversity.

The program-award support for pre-college science and engineering experiences was awarded to Susan Ipri Brown, who is director of ExploreHope and an instructor of engineering, and Dr. Eric Mann, assistant professor of mathematics. ExploreHope, Hope's outreach center, will coordinate both programs.

Ipri Brown is the faculty lead for Air Quality Monitoring in the Middle and High School Grades, which is engaging middle and high science classes in collecting and analyzing data related to air quality in the area using sensors at locations such as their homes and schools. The grant will expand the technical capabilities of the monitors, allow longer-term projects with area teachers and establish continual monitoring sites to provide additional data for student learning. The Holland/Hope College Sustainability Institute is partnering to support community events related to the project.

Ipri Brown and Mann will both be working with initiatives through the Engineering the Future Summer Academies, continuing a program established four years ago to provide access to high-quality summer academic programs to area students regardless of socioeconomic status. Through the awards, Hope will partner with Holland Public Schools new STEM initiative to provide teacher professional development and a week-long summer program for up to 75 students. Hope engineering, science and education majors will serve as staff for the programs, through which they practice valuable pre-professional skills.

The Michigan Space Grant Consortium, which is part of the National Space Grant Consortium, seeks to foster awareness of, education in, and research on space-related science and technology in Michigan, and is part of the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. Hope and Calvin College are the only undergraduate colleges that are members of the consortium, which also includes Eastern Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, Oakland University, Saginaw Valley State University, the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Western Michigan University.
As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ
Insurance Back Following the XL Group acquisition announcement, FITCH places AXA entities on Rating Watch Negative

Fitch Ratings has placed AXA entities' Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) ratings and AXA SA's Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) on Rating Watch Negative (RWN). Find bellow the rating agency's press release.



The rating actions follow yesterday's announcement that AXA plans to acquire XL Group Ltd (XL) for EUR 12.4 billion, which will be paid entirely in cash. AXA expects to finance the cash consideration via EUR 3.5 billion available cash resources, EUR 6 billion from the IPO of AXA's US operations (Life & Savings and Alliance Bernstein) planned in 2Q18, and related pre-IPO transactions and EUR 3 billion via issuance of subordinated debt. The target completion period is 2H18, subject to regulatory approvals and approval by XL shareholders.



KEY RATING DRIVERS



The RWN reflects Fitch's view that there are execution risks associated with the planned IPO of AXA's US life operations that could a have a negative impact on AXA's credit profile in relation to the planned acquisition of XL. If the IPO is not concluded successfully, AXA may, at least in part, draw on a EUR 9 billion credit line the group has lined up as a contingent funding facility to fund the acquisition of XL. This scenario would increase AXA's financial leverage and weaken the group's fixed-charge coverage beyond the tolerance of AXA's ratings. Had the transaction not been partly financed by the successful completion of the IPO, Fitch would have affirmed the IFS rating with a Stable Outlook.



Fitch believes that AXA's Prism FBM score will remain 'Very Strong' once the acquisition of XL is completed. However, Fitch expects AXA's financial leverage post transaction to increase by around 7pp to 30% based on a pro-forma calculation on FY17 financials, assuming the successful IPO of the group's existing US life operations. If the goodwill generated by the transaction is excluded, financial leverage would rise to around 32%. Fitch notes that AXA's management has committed to reduced debt gearing by the end of 2020, irrespective of the subsequent sell-downs of AXA US life, by the end of 2020.



Fitch believes the planned acquisition is positive for AXA's Property and Casualty (P&C) business profile and would carry low to moderate execution and integration risks, given the limited overlap in the businesses and our expectation that XL will continue to operate as an independent franchise. However, while XL is expected to contribute strong earnings to AXA, these are likely to be volatile given XL's business mix, as demonstrated by the net loss of USD 560 million reported by XL in 2017.



AXA's planned acquisition of XL is consistent with the group's strategy to expand into commercial P&C. However, the reduced presence in the US life business following the IPO reduces the diversification of the group's business mix and thereby offsets the benefit of the XL acquisition to some extent. Overall, Fitch views the planned acquisition of XL as broadly neutral for AXA's global business profile.



RATING SENSITIVITIES



Fitch will resolve the RWN upon completion of the IPO of AXA's US life business. The IFS ratings are likely to be affirmed at 'AA-' if the IPO is completed successfully and the risk of AXA having to draw on the credit facility recedes, provided that the Prism FBM score remains 'Very Strong'.



The ratings could be downgraded if AXA's Prism FBM score falls to 'Strong' or financial leverage increases above 30% on a sustained basis, which could occur if the planned IPO of the US life business proves unsuccessful.





Author: press.release on 07.03.2018





Archive



Comment this article

0 comments



Atention! "Comment" and "E-mail" are mandatory

Name:



If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered If you are not logged on, your name will appear preceded by '(Anonymous)'. For authentication, click here If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered E-mail:

Comment:

< 10.000 car.

Fill in the code from the image:








New York, Mar 7 (JEN): The United Nations refugee agency warned Tuesday that ongoing instability in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) poses a grave risk to civilian safety, including for several hundred refugees recently returned there from Angola.

Congolese Government forces have regained control of large areas of the Kasai, but there is sporadic fighting between the armed forces and militia groups, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Tensions remain high between different ethnic groups, threatening to plunge the region into new violence, said UNHCR spokesperson Aikaterini Kitidi told reporters in Geneva.

Last month alone, more than 11,000 people fled the conflict. This is in addition to the roughly 900,000 Congolese who have already been internally displaced since the Kasai crisis erupted in 2016. Some 35,000 Congolese have sought refuge in Angola.

UNHCR believes that returns are not yet safe or sustainable, since peace and security are lacking.

However, some 530 Congolese were forced to return from Angola between 25 and 27 February.

The returns were carried out despite UNHCRs requests to the Angolan authorities to undertake joint screening of the unregistered group, the spokesperson said.

UNHCR urges the Angolan authorities to refrain from further forcible returns of Congolese to their country. Should conditions change, UNHCR stands ready to assist the authorities in DRC and Angola in voluntary repatriation discussions.

Support for the returnees to rebuild their houses is often absent, as humanitarian funding does not at present allow for a major rebuilding programme.

For 2018, UNHCR has requested $368.7 million to help those affected by the crisis in the country. So far, just one per cent of this has been received.



UNHCR/Rui Padilha




Colombo, Mar 7 (IBNS) In the wake of violence erupting in the central districts of Sri Lanka, the UN, on Wednesday, urged the people of the island nation to resolve their issues through dialogue, today.

The UN under-secretary-general for political affairs Jeffrey Feltman is due to arrive Sri Lanka on Friday for a three-day visit to Sri Lanka

The UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric informed the media that his trip was planned before the recent state of emergency and confirmed that he will visit as scheduled.

He is expected to visit Kandy and also to meet religious leaders there, Dujarric told the Inner City Press.

Meanwhile, he has said that the UN has welcomed the the Sri Lankan government's commitment to addressing the tensions and achieve reconciliation. We urge all Sri Lankans to resolve their differences through dialogue, he said.

Meanwhile, the United Nations in Sri Lanka, which has condemned the incidents of communal violence, has urged the government to take immediate action to punish the perpetrators who ignited the violence.

The UN also urges authorities, and all citizens to ensure that the rule of law is upheld, human rights are protected, and security and safety is ensured for all, it said.

The US State Department in its tweet said : The Sri Lankan Government declared a State of Emergency and curfews have been imposed in some regions, including Kandy Administrative District, due to communal unrest. Further incidents are possible over the next few days. Monitor local media for updates,

Meanwhile, US, UK and Australia have issued travel advisories after the Sri Lankan government declared a one-week long State of Emergency.

The Australian Foreign Ministry has also requested Australian travelers to avoid protests and large public gatherings as they have the potential to turn violent and exercise normal safety precautions while in Sri Lanka.

(Reporting by Shanika Sriyananda)




Ottawa, Mar 7 (IBNS): Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife Sophie Trudeau said she was shocked to know that she was seen in a picture with convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal during her recent India visit with her husband, media reports said.

n a picture from Trudeau's meet with Bollywood celebrities during his India visit, Atwal was seen in a picture with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.

In an interview with CTV News, Sophie said: "When we stand in a photo line or when people come up to ask [for] pictures, its always a moment where I remind myself, it is their moment, and it is my moment because these people are showing me trust and confidence."

She added, "So I stand there with all my presence and I take a picture with pleasure, then something shocking comes along. That's life, right?"

Atwal was convicted in Canada for attempting the murder of then-Punjab minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu on Vancouver Island in 1986.

Atwal's invitation to the dinner hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner in India came as an embarrassment for Trudeau as he had ensured Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh of Canada's distance from all those who are allegedly involved with the Sikh separatist movement.

Trudeau later said he will take actions against all who want the Indian state of Punjab to be a separate country, named Khalistan.

As a damage control, the invitation to Atwal was later rescinded.




It followed an incident just days before, when a Qeshm Air Fokker 100 made an emergency landing at Mashhad Airport.

Photographs and videos clips of the crash, as well as the emergency landing, flooded social media.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) reports that so far this year, Iranian fatalities make up 45 percent of the total air crash fatalities. During the last decade, there have been 20 airplane crashes in Iran, with a total of 303 fatalities, according to ICAO reports. Irans share of fatalities is six percent. Statistics show that an airplane incident in Iran is three times more likely to have a fatality compared to the global average.

Prior to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Irans aging air fleet and lack of parts for maintaining aircraft standards were believed to be the cause of aviation industry suffering such a large number of incidents and accidents. Following the nuclear deal in 2015, many thought these sorts of incidents would stop, but they didnt.

After several airplane crashes in 2009, IR-CAO banned the use of Russian-made aircraft in Iran, but the aircraft continued to be used. In summer 2014, there was another fatal accident. The Russian-made aircraft crashed seconds after taking off from Mehrabad airport, killing all on board. Shortly after this occurance, the Iranian government banned the aircraft.

After the ban, Iranian airlines replaced their fleets of Russian planes with aging Airbus 320 and MD 82/88 aircraft.

Western-made airplanes also continue to crash in Iran. Theyve skidded off runways, lost engine power, and experienced malfunctions in their landing gear. These signs point to poor maintenance and safety checks.

Iran Air has received licenses from the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control to receive 38 Airbuses, 15 Boeings, and 20 ATR 72-600s by the end of 2020. This one-fifth of Boeings total orders and two-fifths of the total orders for Airbus planes. Still, Iran Air must continue to use many of its old airplanes in its fleet to operate all of its routes.

And Iranians will continue to mourn their loved ones as new airplanes for use on Iranian fleets arrive at Mehrabad Airport.
The NCRI had previously reported that those demonstrations continued beyond their peak in early January. It is not always clear whether individual incidents, such as protests by organized labor, are connected to the larger movement. However, it is clear that there have been notable clashes between protesters and security forces in the weeks since the uprising was largely suppressed.

Prominent among these were the clashes the resulted from mass protests on February 19 by members of the Sufi religious group known as the Gonabadi dervishes. Those protests reportedly stemmed from the groups fears over the possibility that their leader, Noor Ali Tabandeh, would be arrested as part of the security forces sweep of activist communities in the wake of the January uprising. The homes of a number of activists were raided as part of that crackdown, and some reports indicate that members of the basij civilian militia attempted to raid Tabandehs home but were thwarted by the overwhelming presence of his supporters.

Although such news may be viewed as a victory by opponents of the Iranian regime, it does not represent a halt to the broader pattern of repression against political activists in general and against the Gonabadi dervishes in particular. In fact, IW reported on Monday that one member of the religious minority, Mohammad Raji, was arrested on February 20 and died on March 3 after being held in isolation without contact from his family.

IranWire spoke to Rajis daughter Tayebeh Raji, who was arrested alongside him. She explained that when she last saw her father he was bloodied and badly beaten, suggesting that his death on Saturday placed him in the company of the 14 individuals identified by the NCRI as having been tortured to death since January. In keeping with the practice exhibited by regime authorities in some of those cases, Rajis family was largely prevented from viewing the body and from requesting an immediate autopsy.

The families of some murdered detainees have been warned against speaking to the media about the deaths of their loved ones, and in some cases other family members have been arrested in an apparent effort to intensify this message. Mohammad Rajis son is currently in custody in Fashafuyeh Prison, according to IranWire.

While cases like those of Azami and Raji speak to a worsening crackdown on persons who are allegedly affiliated with recent mass protests, other human rights crises continue to carry on from before the start of the nationwide uprising in late December. For instance, the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported on Saturday that pressure were still increasing on approximately two dozen political prisoners who were forcibly transferred in August to a ward of Rajai Shahr Prison that was outfitted with extraordinary repressive infrastructure.

The ward in question is subject to round-the-clock video surveillance, including in private cells and bathrooms. It also lacks ventilation and adequate water supplies, and all personal belongings that might have alleviated the associated problems were confiscated by prison authorities when the inmates were forcibly transferred. HRANAs update on their situation notes that the prisoners were forced to take it upon themselves to cover windows with nylon in light of the lack of heating systems and despite the fact that this further restricted airflow in the stifling ward.

The initial transfer sparked a hunger strike among the affected prisoners and a number of supporters in other facilities. Some participants persisted in this protest action for several weeks before downgrading their hunger strikes in the midst of severe health effects and following apparently false promises of a review of their situation.

According to HRANA, some of these same inmates once again began refusing food on December 27, although it is not clear how long these renewed hunger strikes lasted or whether they are still ongoing. In any event, it is notable that the start date for the protest was the same as the date on which economic protests began in Mashhad and a number of small towns, leading to the nationwide uprising days later.

While this suggests that the prisoners may have taken their latest action in support of the broader activist movement, another report indicates that some beleaguered political prisoners have halted their own protests, partly out of concerns about distracting attention from the uprising and its possible resurgence. The report specifically points to Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi, who ended his hunger strike after 39 days and issued a public statement calling attention to the mass protests.

My hunger strike began to protest against inhumane conditions imposed on me and lasted for 39 days, he explained. During this time, I received the attention of my fellow citizens and their increasing attention. However, this strike coincided with the national protests across the country. He then went on to call upon all those who had taken up his personal cause to now focus on supporting the Iranian peoples movement.
The Iranian regime has indeed expanded its military investment. In his article for Arab News, Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist, leading expert on Iran and US foreign policy, and president of the International American Council explains the factors behind this.

He calls the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, a key issue  specifically the economic profits that came from the deal.

Over the last three years Irans oil revenues have more than doubled, and trade between the regimes state-owned firms and European countries has brought in profits worth billions of dollars. Before the sanctions were lifted, Tehran was financially limited, but after 2015, Iran has had the funds to back groups that have become major players across the region.

According to Dr. Rafizadeh, In Iraq, the Iranian regime currently supports at least 40 militia groups under the banner of the Popular Mobilization Forces. Some of these militias are known for committing war crimes, serious violations of international laws, and egregious crimes against humanity. After the nuclear deal, the Iranian leaders have even pushed and succeeded at making the Iraqi government officially recognize these militias and incorporate them into its political and security establishment.

He also asks that we consider another proxy of Iran: the Houthis. Dr. Rafizadeh says, It was after the JCPOA that Iran significantly increased its financial and military assistance to the militia. And it was after the nuclear agreement that the Houthis became empowered and emboldened to such a level that they became capable of destabilizing the country on such a large scale, as well as involving the nation in a bloody war.

Tehran has also increased its military, intelligence, advisory, and economic assistance to the Assad regime, since the JCPOA went into effect.

Dr. Rafizadeh notes that the latest protests in Iran proved that the increased revenues, have not been distributed among the Iranian people. Instead, the budgets for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Quds Force, which is in charge of extraterritorial operations, and their affiliated groups have increased significantly. In fact, President Hassan Rouhani recently increased the budget for military spending by at least 145 percent.

As well, the JCPOA has brought Iran enhanced diplomatic ties with the EU, kept it out of isolation, and enhanced its international legitimacy. Because of this, Dr. Rafizadeh believes that global powers will be less likely to hold the Iranian regime accountable and responsible for its actions.

This legitimacy has facilitated Tehrans logistical, military and illegal connections with terrorist groups, Dr. Rafizadeh writes, and adds, Thanks to the nuclear deal, Iran is continuing to pursue its regional hegemonic ambitions and achieve its objectives, but at a much faster pace.
All forces are focused on locating and apprehending the attacker.

An incident near the Lisova metro station in Kyiv late Tuesday where, reportedly, two hand grenades were thrown at a Toyota Camry, burning the car down and injuring a man, has started to clear up, according to media reports.

Apparently, operatives of the Kharkiv office of the SBU Security Service conducted a sting operation to reveal those involved in an illegal ammo sales scheme, according to Obozrevatel. During the operation, the investigation target, who was a Kyiv policeman resisted arrest and managed to throw a grenade at the vehicle with the SBU operatives inside, according to the outlet's source.

As a result of the explosion, one SBU officer was wounded.

The culprit fled the scene.

Kyiv police said early Wednesday that all forces were focused on locating an apprehending the attacker.
Aid efforts for an area of Damascus that is under siege recently had to be cut short when Syrian government forces began bombing the area.

A local council reported that the incident took place in the Ghouta suburb of Syrias capital city. It said government attacks on the area appear to be intensifying.

The council said aid trucks had to leave before they could finish unloading their supplies.

Monday appeared to be the worst day of violence since the United Nations Security Council demanded a 30-day cease-fire for Syria.

A U.N. Security Council resolution was passed unanimously on February 25, but it has not been observed.

The Syrian American Medical Society organization supports hospitals in eastern Ghouta. It said 79 people were killed as the government, supported by Russia's military, pushed its attack on the rebel-held suburbs. The U.N. says nearly 400,000 people are trapped by the violence.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports on the conflict. It said 80 civilians were killed on Monday.

Monday's aid shipment was the first to enter eastern Ghouta after weeks of a siege. Government attacks there have killed nearly 800 civilians since February 18.

Aid agencies, however, said Syrian officials took basic health supplies, including trauma and surgical equipment from the trucks. For years, U.N. officials have protested such actions by the Syrian government.

The U.N. said airstrikes and bombing in eastern Ghouta and the attacks on Damascus continued for hours while the trucks were unloading supplies.

Jens Laerke is deputy spokesman for the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. He said, "After nearly nine hours inside, the decision was made to leave for security reasons. He added that organizers were concerned about the safety of the aid team.

As a result, 14 of the 46 trucks were not able to unload important supplies. Of the 14, four unloaded a small part of their aid before leaving.

Laerke said the team found people who have lived through months of violence and who are desperate for humanitarian aid.

"Food for civilians was in short supply, he said. Laerke also noted that any food was very costly and the aid workers saw evidence of malnutrition.

It is unclear if any additional aid will be possible. Organizers plan to send more aid trucks to eastern Ghouta Thursday. However, Laerke said security must be guaranteed before the trucks leave for the area.

Aid workers from The ICRC, the International Committee for the Red Cross, and the U.N. also had to leave before unloading all their supplies on Monday.

Ingy Sedky is the ICRC spokeswoman in Syria. She said most of the aid from 46 trucks arrived at the town of Douma in eastern Ghouta. But unloading was stopped because of the violence.

Iyad Abdelaziz, a member of the Douma Local Council, said nine aid trucks had to leave the area because of government shelling and airstrikes.

Airstrikes continued Tuesday. The opposition's Syrian Civil Defense search-and-rescue group reported at least nine people were killed in airstrikes in eastern Ghouta.

The group, also known as the White Helmets, said that two of its volunteers suffered from breathing problems after the bombing of the town of Hammouriyeh on Monday night.

The group accused the government of using "poison gas." The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 18 people suffered breathing problems but did not give a reason.

It was the eighth allegation of chlorine gas use reported by the Syrian American Medical Society this year. Russia has used its Security Council veto to stop the work of a U.N. body investigating reports of the illegal use of gas.

The United States has said it could take military action against the Syrian government for using chemical weapons on its own people.

The Syrian government, through the SANA state news agency, denied using chemical weapons in eastern Ghouta.

Russia's Defense Ministry has said it was making an offer to permit armed rebels to leave eastern Ghouta with their families and weapons.

Russia has been a strong ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, helping him gain control of much of the country during its deadly civil war.

On Tuesday, the Associated Press reports that a Russian military cargo plane crashed near an air base in Syria killing all 39 Russian service members on it.

Turkey's foreign ministry said the country plans to build camps in nine areas in northern Syria for refugees from the fighting.

A foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday that the camps would be built in an area controlled by Turkish-supported forces. The would also be built in Idlib province where Turkish forces are trying to make a "de-escalation zone." It is part of an agreement reached between Turkey, Russia and Iran.

The spokesman said the camps would host a total of 170,000 people.

Im Susan Shand. And Im Jonathan Evans.

Susan Shand adapted this Associated Press story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

___________________________________________________

Words in this story

siege  n. when a city, building, etc., is surrounded with soldiers who try to take control of it

suburb  n. a town or other area where people live in houses near a larger city

unanimously  adj. agreed to by everyone

trauma  n. a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes someone to have mental or emotional problems usually for a long time

surgical  adj. of or relating to the process of performing a medical operation

desperate  adj very sad and upset because of having little or no hope

malnutrition  n. the unhealthy condition that results from not eating enough food or not eating enough healthy food

allegation  n. a statement saying that someone has done something wrong or illegal

de-escalation  n. stopping a bad situation from becoming worse or improving it.
A public event for Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is being moved after the Indian government told top officials to stay away from such activities.

India reportedly added that this was a very sensitive time for relations with China.

The event will mark the Tibetan spiritual leaders 60th year in exile in India.

The ceremony was to be held in New Delhi, but will instead take place in Dharamsala, the home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile.

A spokesman for the government-in-exile told VOA, "we came to know about the Indian government's circular and we decided we respect the position and we shifted it to Dharamsala."

A difficult time

The Dalai Lama's "Thank You India" public event, on April 1, was the high point of a series of yearlong events planned by the Tibetan exile government. A tree planting ceremony by the Dalai Lama, set for March 31 in New Delhi, has been cancelled.

The Indian governments move to avoid the events is seen as an effort to not anger China at a time when relations between the two countries are tense.

The Dalai Lama and tens of thousands of Tibetan refugees live in India. Yet the government has usually been careful to avoid showing official support for him.

The Chinese government considers the Dalai Lama a dangerous separatist. It says he is trying to end Chinese rule in Tibet.

The note advising Indian officials not to attend the Dalai Lamas event apparently came from the Indian Foreign Secretary, Bijay Gokhale. He went to Beijing last month in what some observers said was a visit to improve relations with China. They said that relations between the two countries hit a low point last July when they were involved in a tense military standoff in the Himalayan Mountains.

Resetting relations

Observers see this as a change in the position taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government over the past two years. Last April, Indian officials gave the Dalai Lama permission to visit the sensitive border area of Arunachal Pradesh. China claims partial control of the area. The Chinese government had warned that his visit would damage relations.

Earlier, the Tibetan leader and other Nobel Peace Prize winners were invited to a meeting with the Indian president about children's rights. This invitation also angered China.

Alka Acharya is a professor of Chinese Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. He says the latest Indian move is a way for the government to reset relations with China.

"They are reverting back to a much more formally and officially correct position which is that the government will distance itself from activities of the Dalai Lama which may have a political implication," said Acharya.

After news of the Indian decision became public, the foreign ministry said in a statement that the Dalai Lama is "deeply respected by the people of India, and there is no change in that position. It added that the Dalai Lama will continue to be free to carry out his religious activities in India.

Im Phil Dierking.

Anjana Pasricha reported this story VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

Do you think it awas a good idea for the government to distance itself from the Dalai Lama? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

circular - n. a printed sheet (such as an advertisement) that is given or sent to many people at the same time

implication - n. a possible future effect or result  usually plural

shift - v. to move or to cause (something or someone) to move to a different place, position, etc.

standoff - n. an argument, contest, etc., in which there is no winner

revert - v. to go back or return to 
International Womens Day is a celebration of womens social, economic, cultural and political successes worldwide.

The observance falls on March 8.

International Women's Day events around the world are aimed at supporting womens causes. A major campaign theme this year is #PressforProgress.

A group called Women for Women International operates in countries affected by war. Its communications director, Teisha Garrett, told VOA Learning English by email that the group has planned International Women's Day activities in places like the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She said it is organizing marches and programs to celebrate the power of women.

Some activists note findings from a report on gender equality by the Swiss-based World Economic Forum last November. The report found that it will take more than 200 years for women to reach what it calls gender parity with men.

Researchers examined areas like economic opportunity, education, health and political empowerment.

In a short video, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke about International Womens Day. He said, The empowerment of women is our most important objective. Guterres called the issue of empowerment the greatest human rights challenge of our time.

Recent movements like #MeToo and TimesUp have encouraged people to publicly share their stories of sexual harassment and abuse. Many women have come forward to accuse well-known and powerful men in the industries of film, politics and more.

Teisha Garrett of Women for Women International says her group is organizing its own social media campaign. The group is asking men and women to send a #MessageToMySister.

Garrett explained, People are submitting a message online at womenforwomen.org or sharing a message of support on social media. She said the group plans to share the messages with thousands of women...around the world.

A day with a long history

International Womens Day has been observed in one way or another for more than 100 years.

Possibly the earliest observance took place in the United States in 1909. A group of about 15,000 women marched through the streets of New York City to demand shorter work hours, better pay and voting rights. Since then, the event has developed into a collective day of global celebration and a call for gender parity.

In 1911, people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland celebrated the first International Womens Day on March 19. More than one million women and men attended demonstrations in support of a womans right to work, vote, study and hold public office.

The United Nations officially recognized International Womens Day for the first time in 1975.

Mario Ritter wrote this report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

theme  n. the main subject being discussed or dealt with

gender  n. the state of being male or female

parity  n. a state of being equal

challenge  n. a test or a difficult problem to be dealt with

harassment  n. making repeated attacks against someone or something

submit  v. to present or propose something for consideration to someone else

achievement  n. the result of an effort; success

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.
This years top award in architecture goes to Balkrishna Doshi. This is the first time an Indian has won in the 40-year history of the award, known as the Pritzker Prize. Some compare the award to the Nobel Prize.

Doshi has been an architect, city planner, and educator for 70 years. In contrast to other Pritzker winners, Doshi works almost only in his home country. In Ahmedabad, Doshis designs can be seen in the concrete Life Insurance Corporation Housing buildings to the flowing curves of the Amdavad ni Gufa art gallery.

But he is best known for designing low-cost housing. The Aranya project in Indore is home to more than 80,000 people, many of them poor. It includes a system of houses, courtyards, and pathways.

Doshi says the housing can change how home owners see their world. Now, their life has been changed. They feel hopeful, he said. They have ownership of something.

Doshi said his lifes work has been to help the have-nots, the people who have nothing.

He called the prize an honor both for himself and for India.

Doshi was born in 1927 in the city of Pune. He studied architecture in Mumbai and later worked under the architect known as Le Corbusier. Doshi was the first director of Ahmedabads School of Architecture and Planning, now known as CEPT University.

He founded his own company in 1956, and lives and works in Ahmedabad.

The Hyatt Foundation, which sponsors the Pritzker Prize, called Doshis work poetic and functional. It noted that Doshis buildings both respect eastern culture and improve the quality of life in India.

My work is the story of my life, Doshi said in the award announcement. He said he was always moving forward, changing and searching, to look beyond architecture to look only at life.

Doshi will be given the $100,000 prize in May at a ceremony in Toronto, Canada.

I'm Susan Shand.

Susan Shand adapted this story from an AP reports. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in this Story

architect  n. a person who designs buildings

curve  n. a smooth, rounded line, shape, path,

concrete  n. a hard, strong material that is used for building and made by mixing cement, sand, and broken rocks with water

functional  adj. designed to have a practical use


Among todays hottest selling personal technology devices are smart digital assistants for the home.

Google Home, Amazon Echo and Apple HomePod are all artificial intelligence (AI)-powered systems that respond to voice commands. The systems connect to the internet to look up information, play music or movies, or control household devices.

Now, researchers have developed the first AI assistant for use in space. European aerospace company Airbus cooperated with U.S.-based IBM on the system. It will be deployed to the International Space Station (ISS) during a mission in June.

Airbus says it is the first time an AI system will be used aboard the ISS.

The assistant is called CIMON, which stands for Crew Interactive Mobile Companion. It is a round device weighing about five kilograms. It is designed to move around by itself and follow the movements of humans. It has a computer-like display in front for showing many kinds of information.

An official from Airbus describes it as a kind of flying brain designed to support astronauts in their daily work. The digital brain is powered by IBMs AI processing system called Watson.

Just like digital assistants for the home, CIMON uses AI to learn and predict human behaviors from repeated interactions over time. The system is trained to recognize voices and faces so it can respond directly with people.

CIMON will be tested by German astronaut Alexander Gerst during the European Space Agencys upcoming Horizons mission aboard the ISS from June to October. Gerst will command the space station during the second half of the mission.

Flight tests will be carried out before the mission to make sure CIMON operates correctly in conditions of weightlessness.

Gerst will perform three specific experiments with CIMON. One will examine the effects of space on crystals. He will also team up with CIMON to solve a Rubiks cube. A third medical experiment will use CIMON as a smart flying camera.

The researchers say these experiments are just a start. They hope to use CIMON to interact and assist astronauts on many future missions. They especially see the system as an important safety tool that can provide early warnings signs of technical problems in space that may not be seen by ground controllers.

Till Eisenberg is one of Airbus lead researchers on the project. He says in addition to providing the crew with important information and instructions, the system will closely observe astronaut behavior.

We want to study the psychological effects of long space missions on crew members and try out suitable countermeasures, especially those that reduce stress, Eisenberg said.

Mobile 4G network on the moon

In another space-tech development, it was recently announced that the Moon will be getting its own mobile 4G phone network. The new network - a project between Vodafone Germany and Nokia  will be in place sometime next year, the companies say.

The question many people are asking is: Why is such a network even needed on the moon? The answer: 2019 is the year the first privately-financed mission to the moon is set to launch.

The Mission to the Moon project is being led by Germanys PTScientists. The group has promised to launch a moon lander and two small rovers aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket next year.

Vodafone officials say the special space-grade mobile network will only require a small piece of equipment weighing less than one kilogram.

The company says the network should allow two moon vehicles - designed by German automaker Audi - to communicate and send scientific data and HD video back to earth.

The head of Germanys PTScientists, Robert Boehme, said the private moon project marks an important first step for new exploration of the solar system in years to come.

In order for humanity to leave the cradle of Earth, we need to develop infrastructures beyond our home planet. With Mission to the moon, we will establish and test the first elements of a dedicated communications network on the moon.

Next years planned mission comes exactly 50 years after the first American astronauts landed their Apollo 11 spacecraft and became the first humans to walk on the moon.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Quiz

Quiz - Meet CIMON, a Floating Space Assistant for Astronauts Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

digital  adj. using or related to computer technology

artificial intelligence  n. the ability of a machine to reproduce human behavior

display  n. electronic device (such as a computer monitor) that shows information

suitable  adj. acceptable or right for something

countermeasure  n. an action intended to stop or prevent something dangerous or bad

stress  n. feelings of worry caused by difficult situations

network  n. system of computers or devices that are connected to each other

rover  n. vehicle used for exploring the surface of a planet

infrastructure  n. the bridges, roads, and buildings required for an activity

dedicated  adj. designed to be used for a particular purpose
GlaxoSmithKline Plc is a healthcare company, which engages in the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. It operates through the following segments: Pharmaceuticals; Pharmaceuticals R&D; Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare. The Pharmaceuticals segment focuses on developing medicines in respiratory and infectious diseases, oncology, and immuno-inflammation. The Pharmaceuticals R&D segment focuses on science related to the immune system, the use of human genetics and advanced technologies, and is driven by the multiplier effect of Science x Technology x Culture. The Vaccines segment produces pediatric and adult vaccines to prevent a range of infectious diseases including, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella, polio, typhoid, influenza, and bacterial meningitis. The Consumer Healthcare segment develops and markets brands in the oral health, pain relief, respiratory, nutrition and gastro intestinal, and skin health categories. The company was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Middlesex, the United Kingdom.

Read More
Randgold Resources Limited is engaged in gold mining, exploration and related activities. The Company's activities are focused on West and Central Africa. The Company operates through the gold mining segment. The Company operates various mines, such as Morila, Loulo, Gounkoto, Tongon and Kibali. The Company is exploring in African countries, such as Mali, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Company also holds an interest in the Massawa project. The Company holds Morila Limited, which holds interests in the Morila mine in Mali. As of December 31, 2016, Morila mine has produced 122,370 ounces (oz) of gold. The Company holds a controlling interest in the Loulo mine, located in Mali, through Societe des Mines de Loulo SA (Loulo). The Loulo mine is mining from over two underground mines. As of December 31, 2016, Loulo mine has produced 350,604 oz of gold. It has a controlling interest in the Gounkoto mine through Societe des Mines de Gounkoto SA.

Read More
The following companies are subsidiares of Franklin Resources: AdvisorEngine, AdvisorEngine Inc., Alumcreek Holdings LLC, Athena Capital Advisors, Balanced Equity Management, Balanced Equity Management Pty. Limited, Benefit Street Partners, Bissett & Associates Investment Management, Brandywine Global Investment Management Europe Limited, CCPF GP Holdco No.2 Limited, CCPF No.2 (GP) Limited, CCPF No.2 LP, CP Industrial Management LLC, CP Intermediate Holdco Inc., CRM Software LLC, Clarion Gramercy (Deutschland) GmbH, Clarion Gramercy (UK) Limited, Clarion Gramercy Limited, Clarion Partners Europe Ltd., Clarion Partners Holdings LLC, Clarion Partners LLC, Clarion Partners Securities LLC, Clarion REIM South America Holdings LLC, Clarion REIM South America Invsetimentos Imobiliarios Ltda, ClearBridge RARE Infrastructure (North America) Pty Limited, ClearBridge RARE Infrastructure International Pty Limited, Darby - Hana Infrastructure Fund Management Co. Ltd., Edinburgh Partners, FT FinTech Holdings LLC, FT Opportunistic Distressed Fund Ltd., FTC Investor Services Inc., FTCI (Cayman) Ltd., FTPE Advisers LLC, Fiduciary International Holding Inc., Fiduciary Investment Management International Inc., Fiduciary Trust (International) Sarl, Fiduciary Trust Company International, Fiduciary Trust Company International of Pennsylvania, Fiduciary Trust Company of Canada, Fiduciary Trust International LLC, Fiduciary Trust International of California, Fiduciary Trust International of Delaware, Fiduciary Trust International of the South, Franklin Advisers GP LLC, Franklin Advisers Inc., Franklin Advisory Services LLC, Franklin Marketplace Loan GP LLC, Franklin Mutual Advisers LLC, Franklin SystematiQ Advisers LLC, Franklin Templeton Alternative Investments (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Asset Management (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Franklin Templeton Asset Management Mexico S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, Franklin Templeton Austria GmbH, Franklin Templeton Capital Holdings Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Chile SpA. V., Franklin Templeton Companies LLC, Franklin Templeton Digital Advisory Services GmbH, Franklin Templeton Fund Management Limited, Franklin Templeton GSC Asset Management Sdn. Bhd., Franklin Templeton Global Investors Limited, Franklin Templeton Holding Limited, Franklin Templeton International Services (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton International Services S.a r.l., Franklin Templeton Investment Management (Shanghai) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited, Franklin Templeton Investment Services GmbH, Franklin Templeton Investment Services Mexico S. de R.L., Franklin Templeton Investment Trust Management Co. Ltd., Franklin Templeton Investments (Asia) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments (ME) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Australia Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Corp., Franklin Templeton Investments Japan Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Poland sp. z o.o., Franklin Templeton Investments South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Franklin Templeton Investor Services LLC, Franklin Templeton Investimentos (Brasil) Ltda., Franklin Templeton Luxembourg S.A., Franklin Templeton Magyarorszag Kft., Franklin Templeton Management Luxembourg S.A., Franklin Templeton Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Franklin Templeton Private Equity LLC, Franklin Templeton Services (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Services LLC, Franklin Templeton Servicios de Asesoria Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Franklin Templeton Slovakia s.r.o., Franklin Templeton Social Infrastructure GP S.a r.l., Franklin Templeton Strategic Investments Ltd., Franklin Templeton Switzerland Ltd., Franklin Templeton Trustee Services Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Turkey Advisory Services A.S., Franklin Templeton Uruguay S.A., Franklin Venture Partners (Talos Cayman GP) LLC, Franklin Venture Partners LLC, Franklin/Templeton Distributors Inc., ITI Capital Markets Limited, K2 Advisors, LM (BVI) Limited, LM Holdings 2 Limited, LM Holdings Limited, LM International Holding LP, Legg Mason & Co (UK) Limited, Legg Mason & Co. LLC, Legg Mason (Chile) Inversiones Holdings Limitada, Legg Mason Asset Management Australia Limited, Legg Mason Asset Management Hong Kong Limited, Legg Mason Asset Management Singapore Pte. Limited, Legg Mason Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Legg Mason Holding (Switzerland) GmbH, Legg Mason Inc., Legg Mason Investment Funds Limited, Legg Mason Investments (Europe) Limited, Legg Mason Investments (Switzerland) GmbH, Legg Mason Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor LLC, Legg Mason Royce Holdings LLC, Onsa Inc., RARE IP Trust, RARE Infrastructure Limited, REDROSE Caesar S.a r.l., Random Forest Capital, Random Forest Capital LLC, Rensburg Sheppards plc, Riva Financial Systems Limited, Royce & Associates GP LLC, Royce & Associates LP, Royce Fund Services LLC, Royce Management Company LLC, TSEMF III (Jersey) Limited, TSEMF IV (Jersey) Limited, Templeton Asset Management (Labuan) Limited, Templeton Asset Management (Poland) TFI S.A., Templeton Asset Management Ltd., Templeton Global Advisors Limited, Templeton Global Holdings Ltd., Templeton International Inc., Templeton Investment Counsel LLC, Templeton Restructured Investments III Ltd., Templeton Restructured Investments IV Ltd., Templeton Restructured Investments L.L.C., Templeton Turkey Fund GP Ltd., Templeton Worldwide Inc., Templeton do Brasil Ltda., Templeton/Franklin Investment Services Inc., WHITEROSE Caesar S.a r.l., Western Asset Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Western Asset Management (Brazil) Holdings Limitada, Western Asset Management (Cayman) Holdings Limited, Western Asset Management Company Distribuidora de Titulos e Valores Mobiliarios Limitada, Western Asset Management Company LLC, Western Asset Management Company Limited, Western Asset Management Company Pte Ltd., Western Asset Management Company Pty Ltd, and Winfield & Company.
The new domestic air carrier in Angola will be able to operate with Q-400 type aircraft produced by Canadian company Bombardier, thereby correcting several years of errors in which Boeing 737-700 aircraft were used for short-haul flights and little demand, said Transport Minister Augusto da Silva Tomas.

The minister, who made the remarks at the end of a working visit to Canada, said that the longstanding mistakes he mentioned had clearly contributed to the airlines negative financial results.

Tomas, quoted by Angolan state news agency Angop, said that the means and equipment that will drive the business have been identified, and are intended to reduce distances between Angolas regions, at low competitive prices, while complying with international civil aviation standards.

The minister also said that flagship airline TAAG will lead the consortium providing domestic air transport and said that the consortium will become one of the countrys private air operators.

Last January, Chinas Xian Aircraft Industry Company, a subsidiary of state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China, announced it had sold two MA-60s to Angola.

MA-60s are short-to-medium-range turbo- prop aircraft certified by the China Civil Aviation Administration in June 2000 and which due to low operating and maintenance costs are popular in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. MDT/Macauhub
Chinas government said yesterday it asked for a hold on a U.S. request for United Nations sanctions against ships accused of helping North Korea evade sanctions imposed over its weapons programs while it looks into who would be affected.

Beijing needs time to investigate because the request to ban violators from global ports and blacklist trading companies covers a large number of ships and entities, said a foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang.

Washington requested the sanctions following reports foreign traders are helping North Korea violate limits on oil imports and other trade imposed in an effort to pressure leader Kim Jong Un to stop nuclear and missile development.

China was long North Koreas diplomatic protector and accounts for most of its trade but has supported the latest sanctions out of frustration with Pyongyangs weapons development. Beijing has argued against measures that might destabilize Kims government.

It takes some time for us to look into the matter together with other agencies, said Geng at a regular news briefing.

We put a hold on the relevant proposal for a technical reason, he said. We will make our decision in light of the Security Council resolutions requirements and on the basis of the fact.

U.S. and Japanese authorities say they have photographer traders transferring oil at sea to North Korean vessels in violation of the sanctions.

South Korean authorities have seized two vessels suspected of moving oil to the North. Taiwanese authorities are investigating a businessman suspected of arranging oil sales. Australian authorities have arrested a man accused of trying to broker sales of goods including components for ballistic missiles to North Korea.

Last week, the Maldives government denied a report by Japans foreign ministry that a Maldivian-flagged ship transferred goods to a North Korean-flagged tanker at sea. AP
Yesterday, tents and an exhibition board that had been set up in front of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) at the Tap Seac Square fell due to strong winds, injuring two mainland tourists. Afterwards, the two tourists, who were members of a mainland group tour, were admitted to hospital. After the accident, IC personnel immediately went to the scene to learn about the situation and to accompany the wounded to the hospital for examination, according to a statement released by the IC yesterday afternoon. the IC said that the two victims did not sustain any serious injuries. the IC has also reported the case to the Tourism Crisis Management Office.

Worker found dead in air conditioner room

A 45-year-old mainland employee of the Four Seasons Hotel was found dead in the hotels air conditioner room, according to the Judiciary Police (PJ). The mans corpse was discovered by his colleagues. Prior to his death, he had been ordered to carry out some work at said location. Injuries were found on the mans head and arms. No suspicious wounds were discovered. The PJ suspects the case might have been caused by an industrial accident. Staff from the Labour Affairs Bureau also visited the scene of the mans death.

1,727 public housing project applications canceled

The Housing Bureau (IH) has announced the disqualification of some of the public housing project applications it has received, according to a statement the Bureau released on Monday. Between February 8 and March 2, the IH received a total of 7,894 submissions for the new round of public housing applications. Some 1,727 of these applications were delivered with insufficient documents. Applicants that had submitted incomplete applications were given until March 2 to supplement their applications with the needed documents. On Monday, the IH announced the cancelation of 1,727 incomplete applications. Besides this update, the IH also announced that it has already initiated evaluation procedures regarding the remaining applications.

Broad money supply increases in January

Macaus money supply continued to grow in January, the Monetary Authority of Macau said yesterday. The currency in circulation and demand deposits grew 2.7 percent and 8.6 percent month-to-month respectively. Resident deposits grew 2.6 percent from the preceding month to MOP591.6 billion, while non-resident deposits also rose 1.3 percent to MOP257.5 billion. Meanwhile, public sector deposits with the banking sector decreased 0.4 percent to MOP191 billion. At the end of January, loans as a proportion of deposits for the resident sector dropped from 59.7 percent at the end of December 2017 to 58.6 percent. Similarly, the ratio for both the resident and non-resident sectors fell from 87.6 percent to 87 percent.

Two arrested for transporting drugs

One Cameroonian man and one Malaysian woman have been arrested for transporting drugs to Macau. According to the Judiciary Police, the Cameroonian man was spotted on Sunday at the Macau International Airport by a PJ officer. After being taken to the hospital, the suspect excreted 67 grains of methamphetamine, weighing a total of 1.02 kg, an amount that is worth approximately three million patacas. On Monday, the police then arrested the woman, who was supposed to receive the drugs from the Cameroonian. The male suspect admitted that he had been promised USD4,000 for smuggling the drugs into Macaus neighboring regions.

Community wants Earth Deity temple

Some senior citizens living in Seac Pai Van public houses expressed their hope of having a location near their houses where they can worship the Earth Deity. The only Earth Deity worship space in Macau was previously demolished. Many of the Seac Pai Van public house senior residents hope to have a place to worship the Earth Deity, provided the facility does not affect public safety. Cultural Affairs Bureau deputy director Leong Wai Man said that IC will communicate with the related government department regarding the matter.
Four China-based construction firms will pay nearly USD14 million in back wages and damages to thousands of Chinese workers for construction of a casino in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Investigators found the contractors paid employees less than what was required by law, according to a U.S. Department of Labor statement released Monday.

The settlement by the companies will affect more than 2,400 employees.

U.S. officials say workers entered on tourist visas and without proper visa authorization. They were also forced to incur debt of thousands of dollars for airfare and recruitment fees prior to their employment in Saipan, according to the settlement.

These settlements ensure that thousands of workers will receive the wages they legally earned, while simultaneously sending a strong, clear message to other employers, said Bryan Jarrett, the Labor Departments Wage and Hour Acting Administrator in a statement. Employers who evade the law in an attempt to reduce expenses must not gain a competitive advantage over those who play by the rules. Regardless of where work is performed in the U.S. or its territories, we will continue to enforce the law and level the playing field.

The Chinese laborers worked 13 hours a day without weekends or holidays, and had their passports confiscated upon arrival in Saipan, said Li Qiang, the executive director of New York- based China Labor Watch, an advocacy group. Li communicated with the affected workers and liaised with U.S. officials to seek retribution for owed wages.

More Chinese companies are expanding abroad, and in regions like the U.S. and Europe, hiring labor there can be expensive, Li said. Firms will prefer bringing Chinese workers. But oftentimes, the workers are lured with false promises such as high wages and even help in obtaining a green card  none of which materializes once they arrive. Higher fines and penalties levied by U.S. authorities will help combat these practices, Li said.

Hong Kong-based Imperial Pacific International contracted with the four Chinese firms for construction on Saipan. The company said in a statement Tuesday that its pleased a settlement was reached.

Mondays settlements are part of a wider investigation into the companys casino and hotel project on the island.

Saipan island in the western Pacific is the seat of government of the Northern Mariana Islands. Sophia Yan, Honolulu, AP
Taiwan will look to its domestic arms industry as well as foreign suppliers to respond to Chinas continuing military buildup, but has no interest in engaging in an arms race with its cross-strait rival, the defense ministry said yesterday.

The remarks from spokesman Chen Chung-ji came a day after China announced an 8.1 percent rise in its military budget for this year to 1.1 trillion yuan (USD173 billion), the worlds second largest after the United States.

Taiwan has no intention of getting involved in an arms race with China, or with neighboring countries, Chen told reporters at a briefing. However, we expect to strengthen our capabilities in self-developing arms, including locally built vessels and aircraft, or even information and communication warfare.

China regards Taiwan as Chinese territory to be eventually brought under its control, by force if necessary.

Under China-imposed diplomatic isolation, Taiwan has few avenues for purchasing arms abroad apart from the United States, which despite only having unofficial ties with the self-governing island democracy, is legally bound to ensure it has a credible defense.

Under President Tsai Ing-

wen, Taiwan has also sought to reinvigorate its domestic arms industry including in building trainer aircraft and possibly ships and submarines.

Such foreign and domestic weapon systems aimed to satisfy the needs of defensive warfare, and assure the security of Taiwan, as well as to maintain regional stability and peace, Chen said.

With the worlds largest standing military of between 2 million and 2.3 million members, China is preparing to launch its second aircraft carrier while integrating stealth fighters into its air force and fielding an array of advanced missiles able to attack air and sea targets at vast distances.

Taiwans armed forces are far smaller, although the island has universal conscription and a pool of reserves nearly 3 million strong. Its commanders have sought to capitalize on the physical barrier posed by the 160-kilometer-wide Taiwan Strait to fend off a possible Chinese attack.

As part of a pressure campaign against Tsai, China has sent bombers and fighter planes to fly around Taiwan and sailed its sole operating aircraft carrier through the strait with its battle group. Chinas missile arsenal is also considered a key component in any assault, able to overwhelm Taiwans air defenses by sheer force of numbers. Johnson Lai, Taipei, AP
The president of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Mok Ian Ian, said yesterday at a press conference for the Maca0 Arts Festival that she was not aware of any censorship over Macaus cultural activities.

The statement comes in response to the cancelation of several authors scheduled to appear at The Script Road  Macau Literary Festival 2018. Organizers said they canceled the authors appearances after authorities officially warned them that the visit to Macau was inconvenient, hence their entry in Macau was not assured.

I also learned about it yesterday from the media that four of them cant come, the IC president said yesterday. Regarding all Macau clubs or individuals who organize cultural activities, or conduct activities which will benefit Macaus cultural career and cultural industrys development, [the IC] always holds a positive, supportive and open attitude.

Im convinced Macau is a free, safe and open city, added Mok.

Among the canceled authors is headliner Jung Chang, the acclaimed author of Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, which the Asian Wall Street Journal has called the most read book about China. She is also the writer of Mao: The Unknown Story, a controversial biography of the PRC founder Mao Tse-tung.

In November last year, Chang appeared at the 2017 Hong Kong International Literary Festival to discuss another of her books; a less controversial account of Empress Dowager Cixi.

Interviewed by the South China Morning Post during her stay in Hong Kong, Chang hinted that she was allowed to enter mainland China. A lot of good things have happened, but it doesnt mean Im ecstatic when I go to China. Im always torn because there are problems with development. And, of course, my books are banned. How can I be entirely happy in China? she told SCMP.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has agreed to hold a landmark summit meeting with South Koreas president next month and impose a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests if his country holds talks with the United States, a senior South Korean official said yesterday.

Chung Eui-yong, South Koreas presidential national security director, said the two Koreas agreed to hold their third-ever summit at a tense border village in late April. He also said the leaders will establish a hotline communication channel to lower military tensions, and would speak together before the planned summit.

Chung led a 10-member South Korean delegation that met with Kim during a two-day visit to Pyongyang, North Koreas capital. They returned yesterday.

The agreements follow a flurry of cooperative steps taken by the Koreas during last months Pyeongchang Olympics in South Korea. Tensions had run high during the previous year because of a barrage of North Korean weapons tests.

The two past summits, in 2000 and 2007, were held between Kims late father, Kim Jong Il, and two liberal South Korean presidents. They resulted in a series of cooperative projects between the Koreas that were scuttled during subsequent conservative administrations in South Korea.

Chung said North Korea agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests for as long as it holds talks with the United States.

North Korea also made it clear that it would not need to keep its nuclear weapons if military threats against it are removed and it receives a credible security guarantee, Chung said. AP
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un grins, just on the verge of a belly laugh, as he grasps the hand of a visiting South Korean official. He sits at a wide conference table and beams as the envoys look on deferentially. He smiles broadly again at dinner, his wife at his side, the South Koreans seeming to hang on his every word.

Kim is used to being the center of gravity in a country that his family has ruled with unquestioned power since 1948, but the chance to play the senior statesman on the Korean Peninsula with a roomful of visiting South Koreans has afforded the autocratic leader a whole new raft of propaganda and political opportunities.

Photos released by North Korean state media yesterday showing Kim meeting with the envoys on Monday evening are all the more remarkable coming just months after a barrage of North Korean weapons tests and threats against Seoul and Washington had many fearing war.

North Korean TV later broadcast video from the meetings that showed Kim smiling and laughing during the meeting, proposing a toast at the dinner reception, and waving as two limousines carrying the South Korean delegates left the main building of the ruling Workers Party.

It wasnt immediately clear how the images were reported in North Korea, but they spread rapidly across the southern part of the peninsula a day after the North said Kim had an openhearted talk with 10 envoys for South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Kim reportedly expressed his desire to write a new history of national reunification during a dinner that the South Korean government said lasted about four hours.

The meeting marked the first time South Korean officials have met with the young North Korean leader in person since he took power after his dictator fathers death in late 2011. Its the latest sign that the Koreas are trying to mend ties after one of the tensest years in a region that seems to be permanently on edge. The South Korean delegation led by presidential national security director Chung Eui-yong returned to the South yesterday, hours before Moons office was to hold a media briefing on the outcome of the visit.

Given the robust history of bloodshed, threats and animosity on the Korean Peninsula, there is considerable skepticism over whether the Koreas apparent warming relations will lead to lasting peace. North Korea, some believe, is trying to use improved ties with the South to weaken U.S.-led international sanctions and pressure, and to provide domestic propaganda fodder for Kim.

But each new development also raises the possibility that the rivals can use the momentum from the good feelings created during North Koreas participation in the Souths Pyeongchang Winter Olympics last month to ease a standoff over North Koreas nuclear ambitions and restart talks between the North and the United States.

The role of a confident leader welcoming visiting, and lower-ranking, officials from the rival South is one Kim clearly relishes. Smiling for cameras, he posed with the South Koreans and presided over what was described by the Norths official Korean Central News Agency as a co-patriotic and sincere atmosphere.

Many in Seoul and Washington will want to know if, the rhetoric and smiling images notwithstanding, theres any possibility Kim will negotiate over North Koreas breakneck pursuit of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can viably target the U.S. mainland.

The North has repeatedly and bluntly declared it will not give up its nuclear bombs. It also hates the annual U.S.-South Korean military exercises that were postponed because of the Olympics but will likely happen later this spring. And achieving its nuclear aims rests on the North resuming tests of missiles and bombs that set the region on edge.

But there was nothing about the Koreas very real differences in the North Korean report. Kim was said to have offered his views on activating the versatile dialogue, contact, cooperation and exchange between the countries.

He was also said to have given important instruction to the relevant field to rapidly take practical steps for a summit with South Korean President Moon, which the North proposed last month.

Moon, a liberal who is eager to engage the North, likely wants to visit Pyongyang, its capital. But he must first broker better ties between North Korea and Washington, Seouls top ally and its military protector. Foster Klug, Seoul, AP
The director of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Helena de Senna Fernandes, met with representatives of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and industry operators in Beijing on March 5 and 6 (yesterday) and signed a memorandum of understanding to foster cultural exchange, according to MGTO.

The memorandum concerned cooperation for the International Film Festival & Awards  Macao, with the aim of fueling the tourism development in Macau with culture as an enhancer.

The memorandum of understanding was signed with the China International Culture Communication Center (CICCC).

The film festival is jointly organized by MGTO and the Macau Films & Television Productions and Culture Association, with the primary aim being to showcase the city through the works of international filmmakers and thereby attract more visitors to Macau.

With the next edition of the film festival to be unveiled in December, the memorandum helps to build a platform for cultural dissemination, help propagate traditional Chinese culture across the world as well as promote Macaus tourism growth through cultural elements, according to Macaus tourism authority.

Senna Fernandes also met with the director general of the Department of Affairs on Tourism of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan of the CNTA, Li Yaying, on Monday.

The two parties exchanged opinions regarding the Creative City of Gastronomy designation bestowed on the MSAR last year. They also discussed developments regarding the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area and the outlook of the regional tourism industry.

Later, at an evening banquet hosted by MGTO, Senna Fernandes remarked that following the new designation of Macau as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, the tourism authority is keen to build relationships with other member cities in the Creative Cities Network.

Furthermore, MGTO will use the gastronomy designation as a key driver to attract visitors from Beijing to Macau to experience the MSARs culinary experiences.

According to MGTO, over 350,000 Beijing residents traveled to Macau in 2017, up by 8.8 percent compared with 2016. A total of 25 flights currently run weekly between the two cities.
The president of the Legislative Assembly (AL), Ho Iat Sang, said that Chinas latest government work report lays out Chinas clear development plan.

While attending the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, Ho praised the Central Governments plan, expressing the view that China will undergo significant changes over the next five years.

Regarding the omission of the statements, Macau people governing Macau and Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong from the work report of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Ho expressed a belief that it is not always necessary to repeat these phrases in Chinas work report, according to Macao Daily News.

In Hos opinion, the CPPCC report clearly indicated Chinas support for the two SAR governments and the two chief executives administrations.

As well as Ho, other CPPCC Macau members raised their proposals during the CPPCC in Beijing.

Chan Meng Kam suggested that China should amend the regulation of the Greater Bay Area development policy, in particular the article which defines Macau residents as outsiders [people living outside China].

Cheong Meng Seng wants China to grant the SARs residents Home Return Permits in the form of mainland ID cards.

Ma Iao Lai suggested that the Central Government should coordinate all types of interests and competition among Macau, Hong Kong and Guangdong, in terms of the Greater Bay Area development, to avoid further contradictions and problems which might unwittingly be generated due to the two systems.

Melinda Chan expressed her hope that China can establish facilities for Macau students in Hengqin.
Australia and East Timor will sign a treaty that draws the first-ever maritime border between the neighbors, resolving years of bitter wrangling with a deal that carves up billions of dollars of oil and gas riches that lie beneath the Timor Sea.

Australia and its impoverished half-island neighbor are to sign the agreement at the United Nations today (Tuesday), putting to rest a dispute that has dominated and soured relations since 2002, when East Timor emerged as a fledgling nation independent of Indonesia.

The terms of the deal negotiated in The Hague through the Permanent Court of Arbitration have not been made public. But achieving East Timors ambition of a border midway between the two countries would encourage Indonesia to renegotiate its own much longer maritime boundary with Australia agreed in 1971 under outdated international law. The Indonesian border with Australia extends east and west of the new East Timor-Australia boundary and the vast expanse Indonesia allowed Australia is a source of increasing irritation in the capital Jakarta.

The revenue split from the new agreement is crucial for East Timor, with a population of 1.3 million people who are among the poorest in the world. Unemployment is high and young people are increasingly looking abroad for work.

East Timors oil revenues, which finance more than 90 percent of government spending, are rapidly dwindling due to the exhaustion of existing fields in its territory. The countrys USD16 billion sovereign wealth fund could be empty within 10 years because the governments annual withdrawals are exceeding its investment returns, according to Lao Hamutuk, an East Timorese research institute.

Influential East Timorese Catholic Bishop and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo welcomed the border resolution as an economic boon for his deeply Catholic country.

We thank God because our sea becomes more widespread [] our economic zone becomes bigger, Belo said. In the sea and on the sea bed, there is much wealth. Timorese will diligently explore and make this wealth contribute to us.

Portugal, East Timors former colonial master, never had a border with Australia. Australia began negotiating a border with Indonesia after the Indonesian militarys brutal 24-year occupation of East Timor began in 1975.

But by 1989, after a decade of talks, Australia and Indonesia agreed to disagree on where the line should be drawn for the sake of allowing oil and gas drilling in the resource-rich Timor Sea to proceed. The rival border options became the north and south edges of a box called the Joint Petroleum Development Area. Australia and Indonesia shared the royalties piped from that disputed seabed.

Australia pressured East Timor into accepting the same border compromise in a 2002 treaty to provide legal certainty for developers of the massive Greater Sunrise oil and gas field, an untapped resource in the Timor Sea worth tens of billions of dollars.

East Timors negotiating team was led by independence hero Xanana Gusmao, the nations first president.

Australia was widely criticized in 2016 over its unsuccessful rejection of the Permanent Court of Arbitrations jurisdiction to hear East Timors border complaint. Many saw Australia as undermining its lecturing of China to abide by international law on Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Australia and East Timor signed a 2006 treaty on sharing of future Greater Sunrise revenue. But the relationship plumbed new depths when East Timor later accused Australian spies of bugging its Cabinet discussions to achieve an unfair negotiation advantage. Australia denied the allegation.

Don Rothwell, an Australian National University professor of international law, said the new border could trigger a trilateral negotiation over an Indonesian claim for a share of Greater Sunrise.

Rothwell expects the East Timor border will extend further south than Indonesias border with Australia, giving it more territory.

Indonesia might then say: Well, look. If Australia has been prepared to do this deal with East Timor, then we think we should revisit the boundaries negotiated in the 1970s, Rothwell said. Rod McGuirk, Canberra, AP
A Singapore-based company has called off a USD2 million initial coin offering backed by a 2.08-carat blue diamond that gave investors a chance at a raffle for a luxury dinner. The events organizer, V Diamonds, said yesterday that it would process thousands of refunds for investors who bought tokens for an ownership stake in the ring. V Diamonds founder Ville Oehman agreed to buy the ring and dinner from the Russia-based World of Diamonds Group as part of a wider promotion. In November he began selling the tokens for $2 or more. Investors had a chance to win a lavish dinner on a private jet, enlivened by fireworks.

In a joint statement, V Diamonds and the World of Diamonds Group said the cancellation was a mutual decision.

Japan | Kobe Steel chief quits as report finds new misconduct cases

The chief executive of major Japanese steelmaker Kobe Steel is stepping down over a scandal that surfaced last year involving massive falsification of data from inspections of the companys products. Hiroya Kawasaki, who is also chairman and president, said yesterday he is stepping down from all three positions. Kawasaki, 63, resigns after Japans third-biggest steelmaker said an independent investigation into its faked data scandal found further instances of misconduct. He will step down April 1 and his successor will be selected in coming days, the company said in a statement.
Sri Lankas president declared a state of emergency yesterday amid fears that anti-Muslim attacks in a central hill town could spread.

Details of the emergency decree were not immediately announced, and it was unclear how it would affect life on the South Asian island nation, where Buddhist-Muslim tensions have flared in recent years as extremist Buddhist organizations have spread.

A tweet from the office of President Maithripala Sirisena said the decree would redress the unsatisfactory security situation prevailing in certain parts of the country. It said the countrys security forces have been suitably empowered to deal with criminal elements in the society and urgently restore normalcy.

The announcement came after Buddhist mobs swept through the town of Kandy on Monday, burning at least 11 Muslim-owned shops and homes. The attacks came after a Buddhist man was reportedly killed by a group of Muslims. Police later announced a curfew in the town.

Lakshman Kiriella, a lawmaker from Kandy, said in Parliament that the attacks were carried out by outsiders.

I am ashamed as a Buddhist and we must apologize to the Muslims, he declared.

So far no violence has been reported in any other part of the island nation.

Sri Lanka has long been divided between the majority Sinhalese, who are overwhelmingly Buddhist, and minority Tamils who are Hindu, Muslim and Christian. The country remains deeply scarred by its 1983-2009 civil war, when Tamil rebels fought to create an independent homeland. While the rebels were eventually crushed, a religious divide has taken hold in recent years, with hard-line Sinhalese groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert and destroying sacred Buddhist sites. AP
The Omani government has arrested and deported 138 expat workers for violating labor law at the time the state embarks on the Omanization of the work sector.

According to press reports, 82 of the deportees are accused by the ministry of Manpower of not being legally part of a private businesss workforce. The other 56 workers are charged for violating the labor law.

The move coincides with the governments plans to make more place for national skills.

In January, the ministry issued a temporary six-month ban on hiring foreign expats in 10 private sectors.

The targeted sectors are information systems, sales, marketing, administration, human resources, insurance, media, airports, engineering and technical professions.

The ban was meant to correct the attitude of companies, which are more inclined to hire foreign skills.

The governments decision and the new visa rules dealt a blow to some sectors such as real estate, as rent prices dropped.
Credit: American Heart Association

One of the longest and most comprehensive studies to date has found more evidence that people diagnosed with a type of rapid or irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation may be at greater risk for cognitive decline and dementia.

The new study can't say whether the association is more than a correlation, and there is no evidence showing atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is an actual cause of cognitive decline or dementia.

"That is the crux of the matter," said Dr. Lin Yee Chen, a cardiac electrophysiologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis who led the study. "The short answer is we don't know. It is too early to say that atrial fibrillation directly causes cognitive decline."

The new findings, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, come from data collected on 12,500 women and men from Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi and North Carolina enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. More than half the participants were women and about a quarter were African-American.

The study participants were followed for 20 years. At three points during the study, they underwent cognitive testing.

Overall, 2,106 of the study participants were diagnosed with AFib and 1,157 were diagnosed with dementia. After accounting for people who had suffered a stroke, individuals with AFib had a 23 percent higher risk of developing dementia. They also had a greater decline in their cognitive score than those who did not have the heart condition.

Some previous, smaller studies also found an association between AFib and dementia; others did not.

Dr. Philip B. Gorelick, medical director of the Hauenstein Neuroscience Center at Saint Mary's Health Care in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who was not involved with the study, said while the new findings show a relationship, "more work needs to be done to precisely elucidate the mechanism or mechanisms that underlie the association."

Gorelick, lead author of a recent American Heart Association presidential advisory on brain health, said possible biological reasons for why AFib increases the risk of cognitive decline or dementia are that patients can develop brain atrophy or a slow or fast heart rate, which can affect blood flow to the brain.

It's also possible, said Chen, "that there could be confounding"shared risk factors for both AFib and dementia. "For example, we know that people with hypertension, diabetes or coronary heart disease are at high risk for cognitive decline and dementia and for atrial fibrillation," he said.

Another hypothesis that needs to be investigated, Chen said, is whether "some other factor that is closely related to AFib, such as [an abnormal upper left heart chamber], may be the underlying mechanism for cognitive decline or dementia."

More than 2.7 million Americans are living with AFib. The most common symptom is a quivering heartbeat that occurs when the two upper chambers of the heart (the atria) do not beat in sync with the two lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles).

Some people have no symptoms. Others experience heart palpitations, weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath and anxiety. The symptoms can come and go, or they may be constant and require treatment.

AFib itself isn't typically life-threatening. However, studies have found that, left untreated for stroke prevention, women and men with the heart problem are five times more likely to have a stroke than those who haven't been diagnosed with AFib. The condition is often treated with anticoagulants to prevent stroke.

The new study didn't look at whether patients taking anticoagulants are less likely to be diagnosed with dementia. But Gorelick said "one may speculate that early detection of atrial fibrillation and effective treatment with oral anticoagulants  might reduce the risk of cognitive decline or dementia."

Explore further Irregular heart rhythm may affect walking and strength in older adults

More information: Association of Atrial Fibrillation With Cognitive Decline and Dementia Over 20 Years: The ARICNCS (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study). Journal of the American Heart Association. doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.117.007301 Journal information: Journal of the American Heart Association Association of Atrial Fibrillation With Cognitive Decline and Dementia Over 20 Years: The ARICNCS (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study).
Young neurons (green) decrease in the human hippocampus across the lifespan, vs more mature neurons (red). Credit: Alvarez-Buylla lab / UCSF

One of the liveliest debates in neuroscience over the past half century surrounds whether the human brain renews itself by producing new neurons throughout life, and whether it may be possible to rejuvenate the brain by boosting its innate regenerative capacity.

Now UC San Francisco scientists have shown that in the human hippocampusa region essential for learning and memory and one of the key places where researchers have been seeking evidence that new neurons continue to be born throughout the lifespanneurogenesis declines throughout childhood and is undetectable in adults.

"We find that if neurogenesis occurs in the adult hippocampus in humans, it is an extremely rare phenomenon, raising questions about its contribution to brain repair or normal brain function," said Arturo Alvarez-Buylla, PhD, the Heather and Melanie Muss Professor of Neurological Surgery at UCSF, whose lab published the new study March 7, 2018 in Nature.

Alvarez-Buyllaa member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCSF, the UCSF Weill Institute for Neuroscience, and the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Centeris a leading expert in brain development who over the past 30 years has played a key role in convincing the scientific establishment that new neurons are born throughout life in animals such as songbirds and rodents. In recent years, however, the Alvarez-Buylla lab and others had already cast doubt on whether neurogenesis persists into adulthood in the human olfactory bulb, as it does in rodents, and have shown that while new neurons integrate into the human frontal lobe after birth, this process also ends during early infancy.

The lab's new research, based on careful analysis of 59 samples of human hippocampus from UCSF and collaborators around the world, suggests new neurons may not be born in the adult human brain at all. The findings present a challenge to a large body of research which has proposed that boosting the birth of new neurons could help to treat brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and depression. But the authors said it also opens the door to exciting new questions about how the human brain learns and adapts without a supply of new neurons, as in seen in mice and other animals.

Rodents and Songbirds Produce New Neurons Throughout Life, but Do Humans?

It was once neuroscientific dogma that the brain stops producing new neurons before birth. In the 1960s, experiments in rodents by Joseph Altman, PhD, at MIT first suggested that new neurons could be born in the adult mammalian brain, but these results remained highly controversial until the 1980s, when Fernando Nottebohm, PhD, at Rockefeller University, conclusively showed that new neurons are born and put to use throughout life in several parts of the songbird brain. As a graduate student in the Nottebohm lab at the time, Alvarez-Buylla contributed to understanding the mechanism of adult neurogenesis in songbirds.

These findings launched a whole field of research aimed at understanding how new neurons contribute to brain function in other animals and exploring the potential therapeutic effects of boosting brain regeneration in humans. Much work has focused on a region of the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus (DG), where rodents produce newborn neurons throughout life that are thought to help them form distinct new memories, among other cognitive functions.

Rodent studies have shown that DG neurogenesis declines with age, but is otherwise quite malleableincreasing with exercise, but decreasing with stress, for exampleleading to popular claims that we can boost brain regeneration by living a healthy lifestyle. Animal experiments have also suggested that neurogenesis-boosting therapies could treat brain disorders of aging such as Alzheimer's disease, and leading researchers have proposed that antidepressant medications like fluoxetine (Prozac) may work by increasing DG neurogenesis.

Beginning in the late '90s, a handful of studies reported evidence of adult neurogenesis in the human brain, either by estimating the birth dates of cells present in postmortem brain specimens or by labeling telltale molecular markers of newborn neurons or dividing neural stem cells. However, these findings, some of which were based on small numbers of brain samples, have remained controversial.

In particular, researchers have questioned whether the limited number of markers used in each study were truly specific to newborn neurons, and have suggested alternative explanations, such as the inadvertent labeling of dividing non-neuronal cells called glia (which are well known to continue regenerating through life).

Comprehensive Search Reveals Early Loss of Neural Stem Cell Niche in Human Brain

In the new study, Shawn Sorrells, PhD, a senior researcher in the Alvarez-Buylla lab, and Mercedes Paredes, PhD, a UCSF assistant professor of neurology, led a team that collected and analyzed samples of the human hippocampus obtained by clinical collaborators on three continents: Zhengang Yang, PhD, in China; Jose Manuel Garcia Verdugo, PhD, in Spain; Gary Mathern, MD, at UCLA; and Edward Chang, MD, and Kurtis Auguste, MD, at UCSF. The brain specimens included 37 postmortem tissue samples and 22 surgically excised samples from patients who had been treated for epilepsy.

Sorrells and Paredes analyzed changes in the number of newborn neurons and neural stem cells present in these samples, from before birth to adulthood, using a variety of antibodies to identify cells of different types and states of maturity, including neural stem cells and progenitors, newborn and mature neurons, and non-neuronal glial cells. The researchers also examined the cells they labeled based on their shape and structureincluding imaging with high-resolution electron microscopy for a subset of tissue samplesin order to confirm their identity as neurons, neuronal stem cells, or glial cells.

The researchers found plentiful evidence of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus during prenatal brain development and in newborns, observing an average of 1,618 young neurons per square millimeter of brain tissue at the time of birth. But the number of newborn cells sharply declined in samples obtained during early infancy: dentate gyrus samples from year-old infants contained fivefold fewer new neurons than was seen in samples from newborn infants. The decline continued into childhood, with the number of new neurons declining by 23-fold between one and seven years of age, followed by a further fivefold decrease by 13 years, at which point neurons also appeared more mature than those seen in samples from younger brains. The authors observed only about 2.4 new cells per square millimeter of DG tissue in early adolescence, and found no evidence of newborn neurons in any of the 17 adult post-mortem DG samples or in surgically extracted tissue samples from 12 adult patients with epilepsy.

"In young children, we were able to see that substantial numbers of new neurons continue to be made and integrated into the dentate gyrus, but neurogenesis fades away completely by early adolescence," Paredes said. "The fact that we could compare newborn brains, where new neurons were clearly present, to the adult, where we saw no evidence for young neurons, gave us added confidence that what we were seeing was correct."

The researchers then turned to studying the stem cells that give birth to new neurons. They found that neural progenitors are plentiful during early prenatal brain development, but become extremely rare by early childhood. They noted that these cells fail to cluster early on into a concentrated "niche" in a region of the human DG known as the subgranular zone (SGZ). The researchers suspect that this configuration, which is seen in mice, could be necessary for prolonged neurogenesis, suggesting a potential explanation for why neurogenesis falters by adulthood in humans.

Research Raises New Fundamental Questions for Neuroscientists

The authors acknowledge that however comprehensively and carefully they searched, it would be impossible to definitively show that there are never any new neurons in the adult hippocampus. "But I think that we need to step back and ask what that means," Sorrells said. "If neurogenesis is so rare that we can't detect it, can it really be playing a major role in plasticity or learning and memory in the hippocampus?"

The absence of neurogenesis in the human brain may not be a bad thing, the researchers point out, but instead point the way to understanding what makes the human brain distinct from other animals and set researchers on a better path to developing treatments for human brain diseases.

After coming full circle in the study of neurogenesis, from playing a role in proving its existence in other animals, to demonstrating that it appears not to play a major role in humans, Alvarez-Buylla is philosophical. "I always try to work against my assumptions in lab," he said. "We've been working on adult neurogenesis so long, it is hard to see that it may not happen in humans, but we follow where the data leads us."

Explore further Creation of new brain cells may be limited, mouse study shows

More information: Shawn F. Sorrells et al. Human hippocampal neurogenesis drops sharply in children to undetectable levels in adults, Nature (2018). Journal information: Nature Shawn F. Sorrells et al. Human hippocampal neurogenesis drops sharply in children to undetectable levels in adults,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/nature25975
Credit: University of Birmingham

Some memories containing inaccurate information can be beneficial to dementia sufferers because it enables them to retain key information researchers say.

The University of Birmingham researchers suggest that distorted memories play a role in preserving knowledge for someone with dementia and that the role they play should be evaluated.

The findings published in the journal Mind & Language, suggests that it might be better not to challenge the distorted beliefs of someone with dementia.

Research already suggests that some memory distortions make people feel better about themselves, especially when the memory presents them as more talented or independent than they actually are.

But in the study Professor Lisa Bortolotti and Dr. Ema Sullivan-Bissett suggest that memory distortions help people preserve important information about themselves that would otherwise be lost.

Professor Lisa Bortolotti, University of Birmingham said: "Imagine that an elderly woman with Alzheimer's disease tells you that in the morning she was walking on the beach with her parents. Actually, her parents died long ago and she did walk on the beach with them, but not this morning, rather sixty years ago, when she was a young woman.

"Should we challenge her report? If we do not confront her, she will feel more confident and we avoid creating additional stress for her, but we go along with her distorted picture of reality where her parents are still alive.

"If we do confront her, we correct her mistaken representation of reality, but the challenge is likely to cause her stress and make her feel insecure, and as a result of this she may be unwilling to share information with others in the future."

The researchers suggest that these sorts of distorted memories in people with dementia may contribute to both their well-being and their knowledge.

Dr. Ema Sullivan-Bissett, University of Birmingham explains: "The woman who remembers walking on the beach with her parents retains some key information about herself by reporting the memory that she lived near the sea, that her parents loved spending time with her, and so on.

"Because she lacks autobiographical information and her memory is going to get worse, it may not be possible for her to correct the distorted memory and gain true beliefs about her parents and herself from an external challenge."

The researchers made a number of key recommendations:

To evaluate the role that memory distortions have in preserving knowledge when considering challenging a distorted memory.

If distorted memories enable the person to communicate and retain some important beliefs about themselves, then there are reasons for not challenging those distorted memories for as long as they deliver the benefits.

To consider whether it is possible for the person to replace the distorted memory with an accurate one that preserves important beliefs about themselves.

If the person does not have the resources to correct the misrepresentation, then the challenge may not be beneficial.

Explore further Half of people believe fake facts

More information: Lisa Bortolotti et al. The epistemic innocence of clinical memory distortions, Mind & Language (2018). Lisa Bortolotti et al. The epistemic innocence of clinical memory distortions,(2018). DOI: 10.1111/mila.12175
Valerie Evans at UMass Amherst, with others in England, used World Health Organization guidelines for approving metformin fixed-dose combinations (FDC) to assess the efficacy and safety of top-selling diabetes drugs in India. They call for a government ban on their use to be reinstated. Credit: UMass Amherst

India has one of the highest rates of type 2 diabetes in the world, and there is now "growing national and international concern" about the drug regulatory system there, which allows use of a drug treatment that has not been shown effective or safe, say researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the U.K.'s Newcastle University in a paper published today in the British Medical Journal.

In what they believe is the first study of its kind, lead author Valerie Evans, now a biostatistician at UMass Amherst's School of Public Health and Health Sciences, with legal advisor Peter Roderick and senior author Allyson Pollock, now at Newcastle, used World Health Organization guidelines for approving metformin fixed-dose combinations (FDC) to assess the efficacy and safety of those top-selling diabetes drugs in India.

Evans, who did this work while at the University of Edinburgh with senior author Pollock, says "This work is relevant to an active case in the courts in India. We are in the six-month review window ordered by India's Supreme Court right now."

FDCs combine two or more drugs in a fixed ratio into a single dose form, usually a tablet or capsule, which is appropriate for some conditions. FDCs can make medications more convenient and less costly for patients. However, no national or international treatment guidelines recommend use of FDCs for type 2 diabetes, because individual monitoring and adjustment of blood sugar is so important in the disease, the authors say.

Multinational corporations manufacture all five of India's 500 top-selling FDCs for diabetes, they add, and Pollock, who is director of the Institute of Health and Society at Newcastle University, says, "The lack of good trial evidence for these five top-selling metformin combination medicines for treatment of type 2 diabetes is of deep concern."

Evans points out that India's pharmaceutical companies are drug distributors for the world, "so if there's a problem it can go everywhere," she says. "You hope that the regulatory systems in the consumer countries can filter out problems, but that's not always the case. We feel that people really need to know about this. We want the medicines that doctors prescribe for their patients to be safe and effective and for that to be supported by sound evidence and by properly conducted, transparent clinical trials."

The authors point out that in March 2016, the government of India banned 344 unapproved FDCs that lacked clinical support or that were found to be potentially harmful. The ban included different doses of three of the five top-selling metformin FDCs. But the ban was overturned by the state-level Delhi High Court in December 2016. When the government later appealed this to the Supreme Court, it gave the country's Drugs Technical Advisory Board six months to consider the banned drugs.

In their current paper, Pollock and colleagues state, "Our examination exposes serious deficiencies in the evidence base for metformin FDCs for type 2 diabetes and raises questions about the role of multinational corporations in manufacturing these for sale and use." They urge India's regulatory drug agency, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, to make public its evidence for approving the FDCs now in use, to provide "confidence in their efficacy and safety."

Further, Evans and colleagues say if that evidence does not extend beyond the clinical trials they reviewed, "those FDCs should be banned immediately." Pollock urges, "The Government's 2016 ban on FDCs should be reinstated and a review of FDCs mandated by the Indian Parliament."

For this work, the researchers searched the published literature, clinical trial registries and other data on the use of metformin FDCs in adults with type 2 diabetes in India. Evans says this work grew out of a larger project supported by the European Commission's FP7 and led by Pollock that is looking at seven pharmaceuticals, one of which is metformin, and tracing them from production to consumption in India, South Africa and Uganda.

Explore further Multinational companies continue to produce unregulated antibiotics in India

More information: Adequacy of clinical trial evidence of metformin fixed-dose combinations for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in India, British Medical Journal (2018). Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ) Adequacy of clinical trial evidence of metformin fixed-dose combinations for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in India,(2018). gh.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjgh-2016-000263
March 7, 2018)Mount Sinai researchers have shown, for the first time, the complex web of links between physical and behavioral characteristics, like age, body mass index (BMI), and substance use, and specific patterns of brain structure and function in patients with psychosis. The study is important because many of these characteristics can be targeted clinically to improve brain health in these patients.

The researchers found, among other things, that brain health declines as age, BMI, and substance use increase. Buthigher IQs were positively associated with multiple measures of brain health in people with psychosis.

The results of the study will be published online in JAMA Psychiatry on Wednesday, March 7.

Psychosis is a term used to describe severe mental disorders characterised by symptoms in which an individual has sensory experiences of things that do not exist or beliefs with no basis in reality. Approximately 100,000 people experience psychosis each year in the United States and as many as 3 in 100 people will have an episode at some point in their lives. The findings of this study have important implications for clinical care as they identify multiple modifiable factors that can be targeted to improve brain health in patients with psychosis.

The research team, led by Sophia Frangou, MD, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, examined data from 140 patients diagnosed with psychosis. They took high-resolution MRI brain scans to measure brain volume, cortical thickness, connections between brain regions, and connectivity of brain regions during mental tasks. The team then used a statistical method called sparse canonical correlation to discover the relationships between these features of brain integrity and measures of age, cognitive ability, BMI, substance use, physical activity, psychological trauma, family history of mental problems, and symptom severity. They found that higher age, higher BMI, and more severe psychotic symptoms were negatively associated with cortical thickness and brain activation during mental tasks. Conversely, higher IQ showed positive associations. In addition, substance use was negatively associated with measures of brain volume and brain wiring.

"These new results provide new insights on the many factors that influence brain integrity in patients with psychosis and provide evidence for the need for integrated physical and cognitive interventions in addition to psychiatric care," said Dr. Frangou.

"Patients with psychosis often have multiple health problems that impair their daily function and reduce life expectancy compared to the general population. Improving physical well-being and brain health should be the two pillars of clinical care for patients with psychosis."

Explore further Working memory positively associated with higher physical endurance and better cognitive function
Students skills in reading and playing an unknown piece of music is related to their ability to immediately recognise single notes, Leikvoll's research showed. Credit: University of Stavanger

Many music students find it difficult to learn to play an instrument, and struggle with music reading. Even after long practice, few children are able to sight read music off the page in the same way they read a book.

"Can this be explained by differences in how they learn to read text and music?" Katarzyna Julia Leikvoll wondered. In March 2017, she defended her Ph.D. thesis in Literacy Studies at the University of Stavanger.

Her Ph.D. thesis focuses on how writing, visual recognition and understanding may provide a more efficient way of learning to read and play music.

Leikvoll examined how beginner piano students learn to read music in the Norwegian extra-curricular music schools. She then compared this to how reading and writing is taught in primary schools.

The researcher points out that text reading and music reading have many similarities.

Similarities in the reading process

In both cases, it is a matter of decoding larger units such as words, chords (several notes played at the same time) and scales (groups of notes moving stepwise) instead of individual letters and notes.

Moreover, we anticipate what the next word or group of notes will be, based on the context. Leikvoll points out that this helps to maintain fluency in reading and playing.

Recognition and understanding

Recognising individual letters and common words is emphasised in Norwegian methods for teaching reading and writing in primary schools. Writing is an integral part of literacy learning. Writing and text comprehension is therefore emphasised in teaching methods.

Other frequently used teaching activities are listening and demonstration by using objects that can be seen and touched. The lesson books also come with detailed instructions for teachers.

The first sentences pupils are presented to usually consist of two or three words, and textbook illustrations help to focus on understanding what is being read.

Understanding is prioritised right from the beginning as the pupils have to reflect upon whether or not the illustration corresponds to the text.

Learning to read music

The most popular piano methods for beginners are on the other hand usually based on using single notes as commands to the fingers on which keys to press.

"Piano teachers explain music reading to beginners by pointing to the sheet music saying 'This is note C, D, E. Here are the C, D and E keys. Now play!' No child is taught how to read by being told 'This is the letter A. This is B. This is C. Now read!', " Leikvoll points out.

"Furthermore, there are no exercises for writing music and no information as to what is important to look for in an unfamiliar sheet of music. Notes are not explained as visual symbols representing particular sounds, but as commands on which keys to press," she continues.

Lack of writing and understanding

Katarzyna Julia Leikvoll calls for exercises in music writing and focus on understanding how harmonic relationships between groups of notes form a kind of scaffold which the piano piece is built upon. Then harmonic structures can be recognised as meaningful units when you read and play unfamiliar music.

"This approach seems to be absent in the most popular piano methods for beginners," she says.

Harmony involves set rules for what goes together, the reason why, and what to expect next.

"If you learn these rules, reading music becomes more meaningful. You will see the big picture and think harmony instead of individual notes," the researcher says.

A new method for teaching music reading

Based on the methods for teaching reading and writing used in Norwegian primary schools, Leikvoll has developed a piano method for beginners called "Listen, write, play". It includes a lesson book, an exercise book and a detailed teacher's guide.

The method was tested out experimentally during a school year on a number of piano students and teachers.

How to achieve the best learning

Much time was spent playing by ear and learning about the basic harmonic structure of pieces. In addition, the method emphasises automatic recognition of single notes and being able to read larger units. The students also spent time writing down familiar and unfamiliar melodies.

The research showed that students' skills in reading and playing an unknown piece of music was related to their ability to immediately recognise single notes. There was also a connection between how the pupils could explain the meaning of musical symbols on a sheet of music and their ability to write down simple, unfamiliar melodies played on the piano.

Keeping the same music teacher is important

It turned out that the pupils that achieved the best results also were the ones with the most lessons with their regular music teacher.

"Frequent and regular lessons with a teacher who knew the students well gave the best results in learning to read music. Other important activities were writing music; single notes, familiar and unfamiliar melodies, and composition," Leikvoll explains.

Discussing patterns

Discussing the different elements of a sheet music, for example seeing when patterns recur, also proved to be important.

The location of a note on a specific line or in a space between two lines decides the pitch.

"My research showed that students who could explain things such as 'Note G lies on the second line. A note that is white on the inside lasts for two beats and you must count to two' did better than students who were unable to explain such things orally," Leikvoll says.

For beginner piano students to acquire good music reading skills the researchers recommends varied teaching activities, including writing music, talking about the meaning of musical symbols, and using body movements.

"These teaching activities enabled the children to quickly recognise pitch and rhythm patterns," she says.

Explore further Efficiently reading piano musical scores by analyzing geometrical information in musical notes
Representative CT and PET/CT images of 3 patients with non-small cell lung cancers. (A) Patient with an EGFR exon 19 E746-A750 deletion who did not receive EGFR-TKI treatment, with a tumor in the right upper lobe of the lung (red arrow) (B) Patient with an EGFR exon 21 L858R point mutation, 15 days after gefitinib treatment. Tumor in the right upper lung lobe (red arrow) and spinal metastasis (yellow arrow) were observed both on 18F-MPG and 18F-FDG images. (C) Patient with wild-type EGFR who did not receive EGFR-TKI treatment. Tumor in the left hilum (red arrow) was prominently observed on the 18F-MPG image. Credit: X. Sun et al., Science Translational Medicine (2018)

Doctors contemplating the best therapy for lung cancer patients may soon be able to predict the efficacy of a widely used lung cancer drug based on an imaging agent and a simple scan, according to the findings of a new clinical trial co-led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

The researchers developed a PET scan-compatible imaging agent engineered to seek out a specific mutation found in nonsmall cell lung cancer (which accounts for about 80 percent of lung cancers), bind to it and emit a radioactive signal that flags its presence. In addition to exposing the molecular roots of tumors, the imaging agent reveals potential weak spots in the cancer where specific therapeutic drugs can be administered to counteract the pro-tumor mutation.

"Some people wonder, 'Can't you just prescribe the drug and wait to see if the tumor shrinks? If it shrinks, then you know it's working,'" said Sanjiv "Sam" Gambhir, MD, PhD, professor and chair of radiology at Stanford.

While in broad strokes that's true, there's a flaw to that approach: If the therapy isn't effective, the tumors will not only continue to grow, but continue to become more molecularly complex. "In the time you waited to see if the tumors shrank, those tumors continued to evolve, and that makes it more difficult to treat with the next round of therapy," Gambhir said.

That's where a relatively quick scan could come in very handy; patients whose tumor sites don't emit the tracer's signal while undergoing a PET scan likely don't harbor the mutation, and can be spared the treatment.

A paper describing the findings of the trial will be published March 7 in Science Translational Medicine. The senior authors of the paper are Gambhir, who also holds the Virginia and D. K. Ludwig Professorship in Cancer Research; Zhen Cheng, PhD, associate professor of radiology at Stanford; and Baozhong Shen, MD, PhD, director of the Molecular Imaging Research Center at Harbin Medical University in China. The lead author is Xilin Sun, MD, former trainee in the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford and now an associate professor of radiology at Harbin.

'Like a full-body biopsy'

As with many cancer-imaging agents, the new tracer, called F-MPG, works with a PET scan, a common imaging technique used to spot signs of disease while using radioactive tracers. While there's no shortage of PET scan tracers, Gambhir likens the development of these imaging agents to the development of drugs.

"There are hundreds of drugs, just like there are hundreds of imaging agents; we have to keep building new ones for different purposes," he said. "We have to keep looking for different ways to interrogate the underlying biology of the tumor, and the new method we've developed goes after actually measuring mutations in the tumor."

A novel molecular imaging strategy for determining molecular classifications of NSCLC. Credit: Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRC) of Harbin Medical University

Most PET scans use a tracer that can only tell if a tumor is active in terms of its metabolism. In this case, F-MPG can tell doctors whether the tumor cells are present and whether they contain a mutated version of a protein called epidermal growth factor, which when overexpressed spurs cell division. The F-MPG tracer floats throughout the body, glomming onto any mutated epidermal growth factor proteins. Once latched on, it emits blips of detectable energy in the form of gamma rays, revealing the location and mutational details of the culprit protein.

"If the PET scan shows a high signal from the tracer in a patient's lung cancer, that's predictive of someone who is going to respond well to the specific epidermal growth factor therapy," Gambhir said. "For those who show low signals, they're likely not going to respond, so you need to look into other treatment options."

Gambhir points out that biopsies, or a sample of the tumor, can also tell doctors what mutations are present. But tumors are so complex that a single biopsy may not accurately capture the spectrum of mutations present in the mass, and it's even less likely to characterize the mutations present in multiple tumors including those that have spread throughout the body.

"One way to think about this imaging technique is like it's taking a biopsy of the entire body, and that gives a much more complete picture of the mutational status of the primary tumor, which allows you much better information to treat the cancer," Gambhir said.

Guided by the glow

At Harbin Medical University, members of the research team conducted a 75-participant clinical trial with the tracer, monitoring which tumors lit up (or had a high signal) on a PET scan and which had a low signal. Among the participants whose tumors appeared with the help of the tracermeaning their tumor cells had the epidermal growth factor mutationmore than 80 percent saw a positive response from the targeted drug: Either their tumors shrank or tumor growth slowed. In contrast, only 6 percent of participants who lacked PET scan evidence of the mutation benefited from the drug.

Gambhir noted that the clinical trial was the first time this tracer had been used in humans. The next stage of the research, he said, is to recruit more participants for an even larger trial and, barring unexpected complications, eventually use the tracer's data to guide treatment plans for lung cancer patients. Currently, the tracer is only approved for use in China, so the studies will continue at Harbin.

"We'd like to continue to build our collaboration with the terrific group at Harbin, and work toward a clinical trial network in China for testing many different tracers," he said.

The team's work is an example of Stanford Medicine's focus on precision health, the goal of which is to anticipate and prevent disease in the healthy and precisely diagnose and treat disease in the ill.

More information: X. Sun el al., "A PET imaging approach for determining EGFR mutation status for improved lung cancer patient management," Science Translational Medicine (2018). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine X. Sun el al., "A PET imaging approach for determining EGFR mutation status for improved lung cancer patient management,"(2018). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/  scitranslmed.aan8840

Provided by Stanford University Medical Center
Multiple neuropsychiatric diseases are major predisposing factors for functional decline in older people and may play a greater role in this age-related phenomenon than cardiovascular diseases, according to a new study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet published in PLOS Medicine.

A progressive decline in physical function, commonly referred to as functional decline, is a strong health determinant in older people. The accumulation of chronic diseases, multimorbidity, plays a major role in functional decline and has a negative impact on quality of life. Cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric diseases are common in older people and tend to cluster in the same individuals. Understanding the associations between cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric multimorbidity and functional decline may assist in managing the health and care of people with multimorbidity.

In a new study, researchers at Karolinska Institutet aimed to find out how the increasing number and the combination of cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric diseases are associated with two important measures of physical function in older people: walking speed and activities of daily living (ADL). Using data from the Swedish National study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K), they examined how these functions were affected in 2,385 older people with and without cardiovascular disease (such as ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation) and neuropsychiatric disease (such as mood disorders, dementia, and stroke).

Neuropsychiatric diseases may play a greater role

During the 9-year follow-up, individuals with multiple cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric diseases had the steepest declines in walking speed and ADL independence. The researchers observed significant declines over time for both walking speed and ADL in older people with one or more neuropsychiatric diseases, but only for walking speed in those with cardiovascular multimorbidity.

"Our findings suggest that the presence of multiple neuropsychiatric diseases may play a greater role in functional decline in older people than multiple cardiovascular diseases. Both patients and physicians should be aware that neuropsychiatric diseases are major predisposing factors for functional decline", says Davide Vetrano, Ph.D. student at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society.

Explore further For adults younger than 78, risk for heart disease linked to risk for problems walking

More information: Davide L. Vetrano et al. Trajectories of functional decline in older adults with neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular multimorbidity: A Swedish cohort study, PLOS Medicine (2018). Journal information: PLoS Medicine Davide L. Vetrano et al. Trajectories of functional decline in older adults with neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular multimorbidity: A Swedish cohort study,(2018). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002503
Researchers from the University of Birmingham have found that people with intellectual disabilities receive much lower levels of support and guidance when making difficult decisions, especially those related to legal issues such as wills, advance decisions and power of attorney.

The new findings come from the "Everyday Decisions" project, undertaken by academics from University of Birmingham's, Law School. The project explored how people with intellectual disabilities make everyday decisions and how care professionals support them when they do.

The research looked at how mental capacity law works in practice, in order to identify good practice and where practical changes, shifts in social attitudes and legal reforms are needed to secure the rights of intellectually disabled people.

Although the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 are enshrined in policies relating to providing assistance to people with intellectual disabilities, including those with learning disabilities and acquired brain injuries, current levels of support fall short of the expectations and requirements of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Professor Rosie Harding, University of Birmingham said: 'instead of offering more support for more difficult decisions, such as medical, legal and financial decisions, professionals often defaulted to making 'best interests' decisions.

"Capacity assessments were not always used on a decision-by-decision basis, with many frontline care professionals being uncertain about how to undertake them."

It was found that support around making other decisions, such as those pertaining to day-to-day activities, food and clothing, was very good.

The researchers also found that the tools developed in care practice to support everyday decisions could be extended to help intellectually disabled people make more difficult life choices and decisions.

Professor Harding added: "The implementation of aids and improved methods of communication were a step towards this goal. Other techniques involved education, skills development and 'scaffolding' people towards making their own decisions."

The researchers cited easy-read bank statements as an example of a simple solution making difficult activities, around managing finances, easier for disabled people.

Other key findings include:

Community services aimed at disabled people, especially those run by and with them, like self-advocacy organisations, can make an essential contribution to helping people with intellectual disabilities build decision-making skills, access appropriate support for everyday decision-making, and build supportive peer networks;

Formal independent advocacy services such as those provided by Mental Capacity Act Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCAs) are highly valued by care professionals, especially when mediating between service users and their families;

Greater awareness of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, training for care professionals in its requirements, and implementation of the changes proposed by the Law Commission in 2017 to the MCA's 'best interests' element would provide additional legal and policy drivers for extended support for decision-making.

Jayne Leeson MBE, Chief Executive of Changing Our Lives, a West Midlands-based organisation working in partnership with disabled people and those with lived experience of mental health difficulties, to find solutions to social injustice and health inequality, added:

"People with learning disabilities often find themselves trapped in situations where they are not afforded their basic human rights.

"Family members, professionals and staff working with the person are also ill equipped to enable the individual to act upon their rights, and the poor application of mental capacity legislation often compounds this situation.

"This is why research emerging from the "Everyday Decisions' project is of such importance as it shines a light upon these inequalities and suggests solutions that contribute towards a cultural shift where disabled people, families and professionals would have greater awareness of legal rights and solutions."
Credit: Monash University

A world first study of suicide amongst Australian nursing home residents has found that 141 people killed themselves while in care over a 13 year period. The study found that the 12 month period surrounding entering the home is a high risk period for suicide.

The study, published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, was led by Monash University's Briony Murphy (now Jain) and Professor Joseph Ibrahim from the Department of Forensic Medicine.

Currently 170,000 Australians live in aged care facilities and Australia spends less that 1% of its gross domestic product on aged care services, ranking it 17th out of 96 countries globally.

Over a 12 month period, Ms Jain examined the electronic and hard copy records of the deceased generated for coroners investigations into their deaths, travelling to each State and Territory Coroners Office to collect and analyse the data on individuals' health status, personal circumstances, and care history. The aim of the study was to describe the frequency and nature of suicide among nursing home residents in Australia, specifically to examine individual, incident, and organisational factors associated with suicide in this population, and describe the medico-legal investigation of such deaths.

The study found that residents most commonly died by:

hanging (31.9%)

falls from height (17%)

or plastic bag asphyxia (14.2%)

The majority of residents who died by suicide were male (68.8%) and had a diagnosed mental illness (75.8%), most commonly depression (66.0%).

Major life stressors contributing to suicide were determined by the researchers based on primary and secondary sources of information contained within the coroners' records. The study found that the most common factors included: health deterioration (79.4%); isolation and loneliness (42.6%); and maladjustment to nursing home life (29.8%).

Ms Jain said the research is extremely timely and topical in Australia given multiple Commonwealth and State inquiries into the quality of care and management of mental health aged care facilities. "Hopefully, the current level of scrutiny will lead to changes focused on improving the mental health of residents so they receive the help, care, and services they need." Ms Jain explained the importance of reducing social isolation and making nursing homes a place where people can enjoy life.

The study also found that suicides within nursing homes are:

Twice as likely to occur on a Monday compared to a Sunday

Occur more frequently in Summer than other seasons

Are three times more likely to occur in a holiday period

Explore further World first study reveals increase in premature deaths in Australian nursing homes
Young women enrolled in high schools and colleges told Washington State University researchers that people routinely make sexual comments, both in-person and online, about them and their bodies.

Stacey J.T. Hust, associate professor in WSU's Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, and Kathleen Boyce Rodgers, associate professor in WSU's Department of Human Development, talked with more than 100 young people from across Washington state in focus groups about media and their romantic and sexual relationships. Hust and Rodgers also conducted in-depth interviews with 16 individuals.

Although Hust and Rodgers talked to adolescents before the start of the #MeToo campaign, the researchers noted that the young women they spoke with shared stories similar to those shared on social media as part of the grassroots campaign.

"Even most of our youngest female participants, who were freshmen in high school, had already experienced some form of sexual harassment," Hust said.

The young women viewed such sexual harassment as normative, Rodgers said.

Disengaging

"When these women experienced harassment," Hust added, "they typically disengaged from the situation, whether that meant deleting an online app or avoiding boys in the school hallway. They did not feel comfortable confronting or reporting the harassment because they didn't think they had the power to change the behavior."

Double standard, differing perspectives

"Our qualitative data suggest that adolescents and young adults identify a pervasive sexual double standard in which boys are rewarded for sexual aggression and girls are shamed for sexual agency," Rodgers said.

Some of the men Hust and Rodgers spoke with in their interviews rejected these gender stereotypes and said they wouldn't comment on a woman's body. "Others, however, didn't seem to understand that such comments could be unwanted," Rodgers said.

Such gender stereotypes affect how they interpret sexual media content and how they act in their romantic and sexual relationships, Hust said. "The information we gathered in our focus groups and in-depth interviews support what we have found in our surveys of young people," Hust said.

Hust's and Rodgers' previous studies of young people have consistently identified a relationship between young people's perceptions of media content and their intentions to have healthy sexual relationships. The authors' found women who believed in gender stereotypes and endorsed music that degraded women were significantly less likely to engage in healthy sexual consent negotiation.

In another study, Rodgers & Hust found women who accepted the sexual objectification of women and who found music videos as entertaining were more accepting of sexual comments about their bodies. Further, young women who accepted female objectification and viewed music videos as realistic were more accepting of unwanted physical sexual harassment (i.e. being touched or grabbed).

Adolescents talk about romance

Hust and Rodgers report their findings in a book titled "Scripting Adolescent Romance: Adolescents Talk about Romantic Relationships and Media's Sexual Scripts," by Peter Lang Publishing Group. In addition to sexual harassment, the authors share adolescents' and young adults' stories related to media, gender stereotypes, virginity, romantic relationships, sexual activity and dating violence.

"We wanted to share our participants' stories so that parents and practitioners can empower adolescents' and young adults' to participate in healthier romantic and sexual relationships" Hust said

Hust said she and Rodgers are hopeful that the book will provide a "resource for young people who may feel isolated by or uncomfortable with their experiences." It provides a "springboard" for conversations between parents and teens about "romantic relationships, setting boundaries, and how to have healthy relationships."

Hust and Rodgers will present an overview of their findings March 26-27 at WSU's annual Murrow Symposium.

Explore further Sexual stereotypes can lead to unhealthy sexual relationships
Generation of PolyUb-FC: a useful tool for atypical polyubiquitin chain analysis. Credit: Gastroenterology and Hepatology,TMDU

Homeostasis refers to the idea that cells have evolved an intricate set of systems allowing them to respond to their environment while maintaining an internal, physiologically healthy balance. These systems are especially important when cells are stressedfor example, during exposure to extreme temperatures or UV radiation from the sunas quite a lot can go wrong if cells are unable to respond to environmental stressors.

Autophagy is a process that cells use to maintain homeostatic balance. Translating as "to devour oneself," autophagy breaks down toxic materials that build up inside of cells under duress. For example, autophagy removes proteins that fail to fold properly, which would otherwise form harmful aggregates. Autophagy is, in effect, a kind of cellular housekeeping protein.

In a study published in the journal Autophagy, researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) describe a new experimental method that may illuminate the molecular details of autophagy. Their focus was on ubiquitin, a key signaling molecule in this process.

Ubiquitin is a tiny protein that attaches itself to other proteins in the cell, like misfolded proteins, and targets them to be degraded. Ubiquitin is added in repeating units, creating a ubiquitin "tail" that the autophagy system can recognize. This stepwise process, called ubiquitination, is critical for the cell to determine which proteins need to be removed. Many complicated arrangements of ubiquitin tails can form on these proteins, though, and only some of them have been studied in detail.

Colocalization between PolyUb(K33)-FC and LC3 was impaired by SQSTM1/p62 deficiency. Credit: Gastroenterology and Hepatology,TMDU

"Ubiquitin actually has eight different residues that it can potentially use when it forms a polyubiquitin chain on a target protein," lead author Yoichi Nibe explains. "We know that the particular residue used for linkage can determine which degradation pathway a protein will follow during autophagy, but so far only two of these residues have been characterized. The function of the other six is largely unexplored territory. What we needed was a system that would allow us to analyze any ubiquitin residue we choose."

To achieve this, the research team devised a system that expresses two genetically engineered ubiquitin molecules at once. The key is that each ubiquitin is fused to one-half of a fluorescent protein called Kusabira Green. When both halves of Kusabira Green are next to each other, green light is emittedso the net result is that a cell will light up wherever the two ubiquitin molecules are attached to one another.

"Genetic tagging with a split-fluorescent protein is not in itself a new technique," corresponding author Shigeru Oshima notes. "The difference is that this system allows us to visualize ubiquitin assembly in real time, in living cells. We can tightly control the expression of ubiquitin using experimental induction, which is ideal for studying a highly dynamic process such as ubiquitination. Most importantly, though, we can manipulate individual residues of ubiquitin to force specific chains to form in the cell."

To date, only two residues involved in forming ubiquitin chains, lysine 48 and lysine 63, have been linked to autophagy. The new system allowed the team to add a third residuelysine 33to ubiquitin's repertoire in controlling this cellular housekeeping system. The team is hopeful that their imaging technique will eventually bear even more fruit.

"The system is very versatile," Oshima adds. "Given the complexity of ubiquitination, we expect to uncover some interesting functions in the future."

Explore further Snapshot of DNA repair

More information: Yoichi Nibe et al, Novel polyubiquitin imaging system, PolyUb-FC, reveals that K33-linked polyubiquitin is recruited by SQSTM1/p62, Autophagy (2017). Yoichi Nibe et al, Novel polyubiquitin imaging system, PolyUb-FC, reveals that K33-linked polyubiquitin is recruited by SQSTM1/p62,(2017). DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2017.1407889

Provided by Tokyo Medical and Dental University
UW-Madison researchers found that regular cleaning with sporicidal disinfectants was among the most effective ways of containing the spread of superbugs. Credit: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928and arguably changed the course of history as the drug not only saved thousands of lives during World War II, but also laid the foundation for the antibiotic era that gave us decades of relative protection from previously deadly diseases.

Not even a century later, our excessive use of these miracle antibiotics has turned the tide against us and requires a renewed search for drugs that target the same kinds of bugs we've known for centuries. Now, however, they've become "superbugs," due to the genetic resistance they have developed against our original line of defense.

For the World Health Organization, antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health and food security today, and researchers in the College of Engineering are helping to reduce that threat by limiting the spread of superbugs in hospitals and by developing new drugs that are less likely to elicit microbial resistance.

Containing hospital-acquired infections

Industrial and Systems Engineering Professor Oguzhan Alagoz first became interested in infectious diseases in 2009 when physician Nasia Safdar in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health alerted him to the bacterium Clostridium difficile, which often infects the colon of patients after they have been admitted to the hospital. It's a growing concern, both for her patients in Madison and for many others around the world.

These diarrhea-causing colon infections can be deadly for the already compromised immune system of patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy or receiving an organ transplant. The emergence of several drug-resistant C. diff. strains has contributed to an alarming increase in disease during the past decade, with almost half a million estimated infections and 30,000 deaths in 2011.

For Alagoz, the weapon of choice against C. diff. is an agent-based simulation: a mathematical model that mimics its transmission and identifies the best interventions for containing its spreadall while being much less expensive than a clinical trial. The "agents" in the model are hypothetical patients, doctors, nurses and visitors who interact with each other in rooms that may also become contaminated with C. diff.

Programmed by MD/Ph.D. student Anna Barker, whose advisors are Alagoz and Safdar, a network of computers simulates the movement of these agents within their environment during the course of a year and reflects the complex reality of an actual hospital much better than traditional epidemiologic models.

The simulations rely on data from previous studies and recent hospital admissions records, such as the length of a patient's stay; the frequency and duration of interactions between patients, healthcare workers and visitors; the probability of C. diff. transmission during person-to-person and person-to-environment contact; and the ability of nine different interventions, such as hand washing or room cleaning, to reduce transmission probabilities and limit the spread of C. diff.

Armed with a plausible range for these quantities, the model generates millions of possible infection paths and tests the effect of each intervention on these paths.

The results could be a game-changer: The model delivers estimated success rates (and their precision) for one intervention at a time and for any desired combination. "We found that the two most effective interventions were daily room cleaning with a sporicidal disinfectant and the C. diff. screening of patients' stool samples when they are first admitted to the hospital," Alagoz says.

Sporicidal disinfectants destroy the dormant and drug-resistant cells, or spores, that C. diff. forms to survive periods of nutrient deprivation, while the screening identifies patients who harbor the bacteria, but have not yet developed symptoms that would trigger existing intervention protocols.

Implemented together, these two strategies reduced hospital-onset infection by more than 80 percent in the simulations and were much more effective than visitor hand hygiene and contact precautions.

Alagoz and Safdar have submitted a grant proposal for follow-up work. The two most important next steps, they say, are to compare the model's predictions with actually observed infections and to identify the best sequence of interventions a hospital should implement, given its patient volume and budgetary constraints. "If our proposal is funded and our model can be validated, I believe it could be used in four to five years by any hospital in the country to contain the spread of C. diff. infections," Alagoz says.

Collaborators David Lynn, the Duane H. and Dorothy M. Bluemke professor and Vilas Distinguished Achievement professor, and Helen Blackwell, a professor of chemistry at UW-Madison, approach the control of bacterial infections not by blasting them with toxic antibiotics, but instead by inhibiting the ability of bacteria to become infectious in the first place. Credit: Stephanie Precourt

Designing next-generation antifungal drugs

Across the street from Alagoz's office, chemical engineers Sean Palecek and David Lynn have teamed up with Chemistry Professor Samuel Gellman to tackle the superbug problem from a basic science angle.

They are studying antimicrobial peptides, a promising class of pharmaceuticals that could make it more difficult for microbes to become drug-resistant. The researchers are currently focusing on fungi, whose cells are much more similar to our own than to those of bacterial and viral microbes.

"Because of this similarity, it's very challenging to develop selective antifungal drugs that aren't toxic to human cells," says Palecek, the Milton J. and A. Maude Shoemaker Professor in chemical and biological engineering.

Yet, the clinical demand for such drugs is high since hospital-acquired fungal infections have increased steadily since the early 1990s, especially in cancer and HIV/AIDS patients whose immune system is weakened by the drugs they receive and in organ transplant patients who are given immunosuppressants to prevent their bodies from rejecting their new organs.

Palecek's strategy is to engineer synthetic antimicrobial peptides. He aims to mimic the desirable properties of their naturally occurring counterparts while improving upon the undesirable ones, such as their chemical instability. His lab has used peptides extracted from the skin of Australian bell frogs as a starting point.

The frog's peptide and Palecek's synthetic version both target cell membranes. However, the synthetic peptide is designed to resist degradation by cellular enzymes and to disrupt the external membranes of fungal, but not human cells. Since the peptide interacts with multiple components on the fungal cell pores, the fungi are less likely to develop drug resistance.

"The better we can mimic the folded structure of native antimicrobial peptides, the more effective they seem to be, which is an encouraging finding," Palecek says.

While he tweaks the drug's chemical properties, David Lynn, the Duane H. and Dorothy M. Bluemke Professor and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor in chemical and biological engineering, focuses on delivering it only to the cells it is supposed to attack.

These cells typically gather on the surface of catheters and other medical devices. For example, Candida albicans, the most common fungal pathogen in humans, forms a biofilm on such devices that often gives rise to drug-resistant cells.

"Since the synthetic peptide is toxic, we can't just shoot it into a person's bloodstream," Palecek explains. "But if we coat a catheter with the special layer of chemicals that Dave's lab has developed before we put it in, a slow and sustained drug release at that specific site will kill the fungal calls while only a small amount will reach the rest of the body."

Alagoz relies on Safdar's clinical intuition to decide which variables to include in his agent-based model. Similarly, Palecek and Lynn collaborate with infectious disease physician David Andes in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health to evaluate their strategies in clinically relevant settings.

In 2016, Palecek, Lynn and Andes showed that coating a catheter with the slow-release antimicrobial peptide reduced the severity of C. albicans infection in a rat model. Andes says it is difficult to put an exact timeline on moving the research findings from the lab to the clinic, but believes that preclinical efficacy and safety studies will begin in the next few years.

The fight against microbes continues

Almost 100 years ago, Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin was serendipitous and it took 12 more years until Howard Florey and Ernst Chain proved its power to treat infectious diseases in 1940. The three scientists shared the Nobel Prize for these achievements in 1945.

Now that the superbugs have mounted their defense, the next stage of our battle against them requires a concerted effort on a global scale that unites engineers, physicians and many other researchers under the World Health Organization's global action plan on antimicrobial resistance.

The WHO's goal of continuing to treat and prevent infectious diseases with drugs that are used responsibly and available to all who need them is a tall order, but whether it's reached by systematic pursuit, serendipity or a combination of both, few stones will be left unturned along the way.

Explore further New molecule can kill five types of deadly drug-resistant superbugs
The Department of State informed that the U.S. has imposed sanctions on North Korea for using a chemical weapon to assassinate Kim Jong-nam, the brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in February 2017, reported RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.

These sanctions are in addition to existing U.S. comprehensive sanctions against targeting unlawful North Korean activities, reads the press statement by the U.S. Department of State. The sanctions took effect upon publication of this determination in the Federal Register on March 5, 2018.

According to the statement, on February 22, 2018, the United States determined that the Government of North Korea used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Nam, in the Kuala Lumpur airport.

The United States strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons to conduct an assassination, the press statement also reads. This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of North Korea and underscores that we cannot afford to tolerate a North Korean WMD [weapon of mass destruction] program of any kind.
Those apprehended outside jewelry center in Yerevan are tourists from Iran, not Turks or Azerbaijanis

Frances Macron cancels Swiss counterparts visit

Manny Pacquiao to run for Philippine president

Yerkir.am: 2 Turks or Azerbaijanis apprehended outside jewelry center in Yerevan

Details of Iran nuclear physicists assassination by Israel intelligence are disclosed

France MFA announces crisis in US relations

UK lawmakers accuse Johnson of more casual approach to national security

Goris city deputy mayor: Azerbaijan military hit Armenian young man with handheld transceiver antenna

Khatibzadeh: Iran hopes Iranian truckers detained by Azeris in Armenia's Syunik will be released immediately

Turkeys Erdogan: Georgia premier conveyed Armenia PMs proposal to hold meeting

Australia plans to soon buy or lease submarines from US or UK

Protest being staged outside Armenia government building

Colorado killer sentenced to 1,282 years, in addition to life in prison

Armenia village mayor: Those who ended up in Azerbaijan-controlled territory are 20-, 21-year-old boys

Kazakhstan, Belarus to arm CSTO

Cement plant opens in Artsakh

Goris deputy mayor on probability of Armenia residents ending up in Azerbaijan: 4 people, they disappeared by car

Armenia National Security Service: 2 residents end up in Azerbaijan-controlled territory

Islamic State claims responsibility for Syria natural gas pipeline attack

507 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Final day of elections in progress in Russia

Birds dying en masse in New York

Armenia parliament to hold hearings on September 22

Drone mistakenly drops package of drugs into US schoolyard

Researchers uncover risk of mutated coronavirus

Several hundred people go on protest action at US Congress

France: One person dies in a fight with participation of 150 bikers

Nuclear Chief of Iran does not plan to negotiate nuclear transaction in Vienna

US Capitol is preparing for rally of Trump supporters

21 people detained in Yerevan protests

Armenia Parliament Speaker on yesterday's incident with children of Artsakh on Goris-Kapan road

8 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Artsakh

Karabakh President receives Deputy Director of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund

Presidents of Tajikistan and Iran sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Situation at Charles Aznavour Square in Yerevan is tense, police are apprehending demonstrators

Yerevan citizens hold demonstration demanding cancelation of Independence Day event

Veterans of 44-day Karabakh war awarded

Erdogan to visit discuss situation in Idlib with Putin during visit to Russia

Opposition "Armenia" faction says authorities are leading session devoted to Syunik situation to failure

Explosion in Afghanistan's Jalalabad leaves at least 3 dead

Russia citizen breaks window of Yerevan bank and enters, police disarm him (PHOTOS)

Armenia police chief signs orders

Displaced residents of Karabakh's Shushi discuss Artsakh status and other issues during consultation

1,011 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Karabakh Parliament Speaker receives acting Rector of Yerevan State University

US Embassy in Armenia: Former Ambassador John Ordway is in Yerevan

Mined car explodes in Kabul

Karabakh President receives acting Rector of Yerevan State University

The Taliban draft new Constitution of Afghanistan

Thousands of Haitians are amassed near US borders

Azeri policeman threatens Armenian children on Goris-Kapan road - "There is no more Nagorno-Karabakh"

Turkey expects construction of first reactor of Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant to end in May 2023

Armenia PM's assistant and daughter of deceased serviceman get into dispute

Taliban forcing young Afghans to go to war

Karabakh National Security Service says news about Azerbaijanis working with Iranian passports is false

Armenia high-tech industry minister receives UK Ambassador

Opposition "Armenia" alliance cancels Robert Kocharyan's visit to Moscow due to court decision

Relatives of deceased Armenian soldiers demand that Independence Day event be canceled

Assistant to Armenia PM: There is no Turkish equipment at Republic Square

Azerbaijanis stop microbus transporting children of Artsakh, very obscenely tell them to get off

Digest: Karabakh soldier injured near border, Azerbaijanis stop car carrying bread to Armenia soldiers

Armenia PM's assistant to relatives of fallen soldiers: 30th anniversary of Independence Day event must be held

Deceased Armenian officer's daughter: Pashinyan is causing relatives of the fallen servicemen pain again

Armenia Freedom of Information Center hosts discussion on transparency of real owners

Parent of deceased Armenian soldier: There won't be a vivid fireworks display

Karabakh emergency situations service: Searches for remains of Armenian servicemen fruitless for 2 days

Armenian cross-stone consecrated in Mariupol

Armenia President at Summit of Minds: War was not only against Azerbaijan

Armenia official: No company with dominant position in countrys liquefied gas market

Kremlin assesses need for summit of "five" of UN Security Council

Fallen soldiers families protesting at Republic Square in Yerevan

Iran President: Countries of region need to create conditions for Afghanistan's development

Armenia, France FMs discuss Karabakh conflict

US Department of State approves defense treaty with Saudi Arabia

Putin to vote in Russian State Duma elections online

Armenia air defense trainings kick off

Dollar still going down in Armenia

Russia defense minister becomes a grandfather

Putin: Russia supports process of Iran's accession to Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Russian peacekeepers ensure safety during construction of road leading to mobile phone tower in Karabakh

Ombudsman briefs Baroness Caroline Cox on Azerbaijan violations against Armenia border residents

Armenia Deputy PM: I hope natural gas price stays the same

Pashinyan: Armenia interested in effective restraint of threat of terrorism in CSTO, SCO regions

Prosperous Armenia Party leader on upcoming local self-government elections

Artsakh MOD: Azerbaijan violated ceasefire, Defense Army soldier wounded

Russia company holding arms supply negotiations with Armenia

Azerbaijan nominates occupied Armenian Shushi for cultural capital of Turkic world

Armenia State Committee of Science has new General Secretary

Deputy PM: Armenia is considering possibility of importing natural gas from other countries, but...

Eurasian Economic Union minister: Armenia sees 19% growth of exports to EEU countries, 12% growth of trade

Armenia deputy PM is for starting border demarcation, delimitation with Azerbaijan

Azerbaijanis stop car carrying bread to Armenia soldiers

Armenia opposition MP: Border demarcation occurs when countries have no problems with each other

Armenia legislature majority faction: Yerevan, Baku must finally begin border delimitation, demarcation phase

Opposition Armenia Faction MP: Lawsuit filed with UN against Azerbaijan was correct, logical

Armenia deputy premier: Solution for unblocking regional communications more visible in terms of railways

GeoProMining announces completion of 2nd stage of Agarak Copper-Molybdenum Combine modernization project

Armenia deputy PM: Situation on Goris-Kapan road may affect economy

Opposition Armenia Faction in parliament: Security crisis in country not overcome yet

Armenia Police, Europol sign collaboration agreement (PHOTOS)
There is no acceptable military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while the current status quo is not sustainable over the long term.

US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Andrew Schofer, told the aforesaid to Trend news agency of Azerbaijan.

Schofer emphasized that the United States supports a negotiated settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and will continue to engage actively with Armenia and Azerbaijan, as a co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

The United States longstanding policy, shared by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, is that a just settlement must be based on international law, which includes the Helsinki Final Act and the core principles of the non-use of force or threat of force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination [of people], he said. We also agree that the current status quo in the region is not sustainable over the long term, and that there is no acceptable military solution to the conflict. he said.

The Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents commitments in Geneva to intensify negotiations and to take additional measures to reduce tensions reflect this reality, Schofer added.

As co-chairs, we have worked hard with the sides in the months since Geneva to move these commitments towards implementation, and will continue to do so, he noted.

Stressing that as a co-chair country, the United States remains firmly committed to the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair process, Schofer said that the co-chairs are prepared to work with the parties in any way that can help bring a lasting settlement.

We continue to encourage the presidents and foreign ministers to meet at the earliest opportunity to continue discussions on key issues, including the importance of respecting the ceasefire and taking steps towards fully implementing decisions taken in Geneva in 2017, as well as in Vienna and St. Petersburg in 2016, he said.

Touching upon the expansion of the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Schofer noted that this would represent an important signal from the sides regarding their stated commitment to taking steps to calm tensions along the line of contact.

It would also enhance the Missions ability to fulfill its mandate in a timely and efficient manner, he added. The co-chairs will continue to engage the sides toward realizing this important confidence building measure as soon as possible.

Asked about how close Baku and Yerevan are to achieve a sustainable peace, Schofer said there are no simple solutions to the conflict.

I assumed the role of U.S. co-chair to the OSCE Minsk Group in August 2017, he noted. In my time in this position, I have met with a wide range of people focused on all aspects of this conflict. While I have heard many strong views and many good ideas, it is clear that there are no simple solutions to the conflict, and it would be unrealistic to expect that a comprehensive breakthrough will be achieved without a lot more work and preparation, which will take time.

Moving the process forward in a positive direction will require continued good faith efforts on the part of the parties themselves, the co-chairs, and the international community, and will ultimately require some very tough decisions on all sides.

As for the next visit to the region, he said that the Minsk Group co-chairs currently do not have a schedule for the next visit, but will continue to consult with the parties on an appropriate date, taking into account the current electoral period in the region.
YEREVAN.  The National Assembly on Wednesday passed in the second readingand in fullthe draft law on the procedure for granting pardon in Armenia.

Under this bill, the Prime Minister shall submit to the President the proposal for granting pardon.

Also, the President can no longer grant pardon on his own, and he can do this solely if there is a respective proposal by the PM.

Furthermore, even if the President does not agree with this proposal, the latter may still be accepted if the Premier submits the same proposal yet again.

The President can just return this proposal to the PM with his objections, and he can also appeal to the Constitutional Court.
WASHINGTON, DC  Five members of a visiting, multi-party Armenia-U.S. Parliamentary delegation took part today in a policy briefing at the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), kicking off a week-long series of meetings and events in Washington, DC.

The Armenia-U.S. Parliamentary Delegation is headed by Arpine Hovhannisyan, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia and includes Parliamentarians Armen Ashotyan, Edmon Marukyan, Aghvan Vardanyan and Naira Zohrabyan. Their visit is aimed at strengthening U.S.-Armenia political, economic and military relations, deepening the enduring friendship between the American and Armenian peoples, and encouraging continued constructive engagement by the United States on a range of regional development and conflict resolution priorities.

We were pleased to host the Parliamentary delegation at our national headquarters today for a policy briefing at the start of what promises to be a very busy and productive week for them here in Washington, DC, said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. As always, we value the opportunity to discuss our Armenian American policy priorities with legislative leaders from Armenia, to hear directly from them about their own hopes and aspiration, and to explore together how we can each contribute the continued growth of the U.S.-Armenia partnership.

Hamparian and his colleagues offered the visiting legislators a 360-degree view of Armenian American advocacy priorities focusing on U.S.-Armenia relations, Artsakh, Armenian Genocide, the FY 2019 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill and ties with Turkey.

Meanwhile, Congressional Armenian Caucus leaders continued to welcome Armenian Parliamentarians to Washington, DC on the eve of a Capitol Hill reception to be hosted in their honor on Wednesday, March 7th.

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair David Valadao (R-CA) shared with the ANCA, As Representative to a Congressional District with a significant population of Armenian-Americans, I am excited to welcome the Armenia Parliamentary Delegation to our Nations Capital. I appreciate their dedication to advancing relations between the United States and Armenia and look forward to continuing to strengthen ties between our great nations.

Id like to welcome my friends from the Armenian Parliamentary delegation, Congressional Armenian Caucus Vice-Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) told the ANCA. We look forward to a productive discussion about how our two nations can advance our mutually beneficial interests.

The Armenia-U.S. Parliamentary Delegation visit follows a Congressional Armenian Caucus visit to Armenia last year by Rep. Speier along with Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and David Valadao (R-CA) and Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) and James Sensenbrenner (R-WI). Representatives Pallone, Valadao and Gabbard also visited the Republic of Artsakh, where they reviewed the U.S. funded demining work of The HALO Trust and offered remarks at the Artsakh Parliament in addition to visits with government leaders and various schools and historic sites.

Armenia-US parliamentary delegation arrives in Washington
YEREVAN.  We perceive the US ambassadors assessments not so much as a sharp criticism, but a recommendation, or a healthy criticism by a caring associate.

National Assembly Vice Chairman and ruling Republican Party of Armenia spokesperson Eduard Sharmazanov on Wednesday told the aforementioned to reporters in parliament. He noted this commenting on US Ambassador Richard Mills statement, according to which corruption in Armenia holds American investors back from investing, and influential people create an unfair climate in the country.

In Sharmazanovs words, however, anticorruption measures and the democratization of Armenia are at the special focus of the countrys authorities.

We are making efforts for that toward making legislative amendments, he said, in particular.

Also, Sharmazanov expressed the hope that mechanisms would be introduced within the framework of law initiatives, and which will enable to more effectively fight against the shortcomings.

No one is more interested than Armenias incumbent authorities that democratic values develop in Armenia; we have a [respective] political will, he stressed, above all. We will listen carefully to constructive proposals by all our foreign partners. And if there is a need, we will start implementing reforms with a new order.

Newspaper: US is concerned that influential people in Armenia create unfair climate in country
Russia has given its assessment of the Armenia-Turkey protocols, as the Russian delegation was in Zurich during the signing ceremony and played an active role, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said.

Her remark came in response to comment on Armenia's decision to annul Armenian-Turkish protocols.

The Russian side stems from the importance to normalize relations between these countries which is in the interests of both. For our part, we have always done everything to achieve this goal, said Zakharova.

On October 10, 2009 in Zurich, the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Turkey  Edward Nalbandian and Ahmet Davutoglu  signed the Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey and Protocol on development of relations between of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey.The signing ceremony was attended by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

The Armenian authorities sent the protocols to the National Assembly for ratification in April next year, however, Turkey delayed the ratification for a long period of time. Moreover, Ankara put forward preconditions and links the ratifications to the Karabakh conflict.

Taking into account the call of the Political Council of the parties-members of the ruling coalition, on April 22, 2010 the President of Armenia signed a decree on the suspension of the process of ratifications of the Protocols. The notification has been sent to Turkey.

In 2015 President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan recalled Armenia-Turkey protocols from the parliament.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly session in September 2017 Sargsyan said that the Turkish government is putting forward ridiculous preconditions for the ratification of the Zurich protocols. According to the president, as there is no positive progress on Turkeys ratification of these agreements, Armenia will annul agreements.
The residents of Ohanavan village of Armenias Aragatsotn Province, and who on Tuesday blocked the road leading to this rural community, have closed this road on Wednesday, too.

They say Russia does not allow trucks from Armenian to enter Russia via the Upper Lars checkpoint on the Georgia-Russia border, and therefore they are unable to export their agricultural produce to Russia.

Hayk, an Ohanavan resident, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that some of these trucks, which are waiting for more than twelve days at the aforesaid checkpoint, on Wednesday were sent back to Armenia. And these vehicles are now waiting at Armenias Bagratashen checkpoint with Georgia, so that the problem with the documents is resolved and are permitted to cross the border.

In this Ohanavan residents words, the governor of Aragatsotn came to speak with the protesting villagers on Wednesday, too, and promised that he will take steps to resolve this matter.
Coming relatively late compared to Croatians or Poles the first Armenian settlers arrived in Hungary in the 13th century. At least that is what the first records about a settlement named Terra Arminium suggest. Some chronicles also mention Armenians coming to the Carpathian Basin alongside Arpads army, but probably only in smaller numbers, Daily News Hungary reported.

The first direct contact between Hungarians and Armenians was when King Andrew IIs crusaders reached Armenia. After the conquest, Andrew II intended to marry his son to the daughter of Armenian king Levon II. The Hungarian king returned to his homeland, bringing a considerable number of Armenian settlers to the area of Esztergom: that was the region where Terra Arminium was founded.

Another wave of Armenian immigrants worth mentioning came to Transylvania between the 11th and 14th centuries  though there are not too many sources about them. They fled to Hungary from the disasters striking their homeland: the Seljuq assault in 1064, the Mongolian raids in 1236  which reached Hungary as well, only five years later  and an earthquake destroying the city of Ani. The population of the City of 1001 Churches moved to the Caucasian region first, continuing their journey through Crimea and Moldavia, finally ending up in Hungary.

The first time when Armenians were considered full members of the Hungarian society was after 1672 when they received a right to settle and certain privileges from Prince Mihaly Apafi.

Concerning their professions, most of the Armenian settlers were mostly craftsmen, e.g. skinners, tanners and merchants. The skills of Armenians on the field of tanning was legendary, and they have dominated almost the entire skin market in Hungary, especially in Transylvania. Thanks to their contribution to building the Hungarian economy and their professionalism in commerce, more than 50 Armenian families received or purchased noble rank by the end of the 19th century. Their society, however, had different customs from the customs of the Hungarian population, as the Armenian communities were partly ruled by the priesthood, who represented not only clerical but also political power.

There are not any organised clerical Armenian communities in Hungary outside the capital. There are four settlements in Transylvania having Armenian Catholic churches, but none of them has a proper clergyman. The Armenian Catholic Church follows the Latin customs, celebrating Christmas and Easter with unique Armenian liturgies.

In Hungary West Armenian is the most widespread, as in many other territories in Europe where Armenian refugees fled through.
European officials have outlined their potential response to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium that could hit $3.5 billion in American goods as trade war rhetoric between the world's two biggest economic blocs intensifies.

The European Commission said Wednesday that it hoped the United States would not follow-through on its threat to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, but warned it would reply with its own set of levies and restrictions under World Trade Organisation rules if need.

The Commission's top trade official, Cecilia Malmstrom, told reporters in Brussels she "still hoped" that the EU would be excluded from the list of countries that would be hit by the import tariffs, but stressed that the bloc would "respond proportionately" and said the EU rejected the idea that European exports of steel into the United States would constitute a national security threat.

"We are trying to co-ordinate what we are planning and we are trying to be as transparent as possible," she said, but also insisted the EU was "eager not to escalate the situation."

"I'm still hoping we can everything we can to offer a dialgoue, because the (U.S.) proposals would be very damaging for the European economy," she said. "We want to comply with WTO rules in order to move swiftly, and we don't want to escalate the situation, but we can neither stay silent when such a major measure would be taken."

The response follows comments from President Donald Trump on Tuesday, where he told journalists at a press conference alongside the Prime Minister of Sweden that the EU has been "very tough on the U.S ... they make it almost impossible to do business with them." However, Trump also said that "we can put a tax of 25% on their cars and believe me they won't be doing It for very long."

The EU has identified a list of potential tariff targets which would be hit by the same 25% levy Trump has suggested for steel imported into the United States, according to media reports, that includes Harley Davidson Inc. (HOG) - Get Harley-Davidson, Inc. (HOG) Report motorcycles, t-shirts, blue jeans and bourbon. It also adds orange juice, corn and various agricultural products alongside cosmetics and yachts. Collectively, Bloomberg reported, the list could impact 2.8 billion in U.S. goods.

"Certain types of bourbon are on the list as are other items such as peanut butter, cranberries, orange juice," is all Malmstrom would say with respect to possible retaliatory tariffs.

"In a so-called trade war, driven by reciprocal increases of import tarifs, nobody wins, one generally finds losers on both sides," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told France's RTL radio Wednesday. ""We recommend an agreement between the different parties, and talks, talks."
Home | News | General | INEC discovers ineligible voters in Taraba

- The Taraba state chapter of INEC said it has discovered that some ineligible voters have registered in the ongoing voters registration

- The commission said it has taken appropriate actions to address the irregularity

- It, however, did not clarify the details of the ineligible voters; whether they are underage or foreigners

The Taraba state chapter of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it found some ineligible persons who were registered in the ongoing continuous voters registration (CVR), Premium Times reports.

NAIJ.com gathered that Fabian Yame Vwamhi, the head of the department of voter education and publicity, INEC, Taraba state office disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, March 7.

The statement in part: Following its laid down process, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Taraba State office, has discovered that some ineligible persons have been registered in the ongoing continuous voters registration (CVR) exercise.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Court grants wife who allegedly killed ex-PDP chairman's son bail

This is not only contrary to INEC guidelines for registration but it is also a violation of the electoral act.

However, the commission did not provide details on the ineligible voters; whether they are underage, foreigners or other factors that make them ineligible.

The commission said it has therefore taken the decision to: query the electoral officers as well as the registration officer of the registration centre, inform the commissions headquarters in Abuja and draw the attention of the security agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution of all found to have been involved including INEC staff.

The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) is an exercise meant for the registration of citizens who turned 18 years of age after the last registration exercise and those who for one reason or another could not register in the previous exercises.

The main activities for the Nationwide CVR are fresh Registration, transfer of Voters and distribution of Permanent Voters Card (PVCs).

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

To be eligible for CVR, a person must be a citizen of Nigeria, must have attained the age of 18 years, on or before the registration day, be above 18 years and could not register in any of the previous registration exercise and is resident or works in, or originate from the LGA/Area Council or RA/Ward covered by the Registration Area Centre.

The person must present him/herself to the CVR officers for registration and is able to provide proof of identity, age and nationality, among others.

If a person has registered before but his/her name, photograph or fingerprints were not captured, such a person must provide his/her Temporary Voters Card (TVC).

NAIJ.com previously reported that a former minister of state for the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, in a meeting on Thursday, February 15, urged INEC to delist underage voters captured in its voting list.

The meeting, which was the 2018 Peoples Democratic Party Youth summit, was held in Ibadan, Oyo state.

The former minister, who was represented by her media aide, Isiaka Kehinde, called on the commission to remove the names of underage children who reportedly registered to vote in the northern part of the country.

Who is Nigeria's greatest president ever? - on NAIJ.com TV

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Abbas must stop supporting terrorists to achieve peace with Israel  Netanyahu

President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine must embrace peace and stop paying terrorists in order to end the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in Washington, DC.

Netanyahu

To get peace, President Abbas has to embrace peace and to stop supporting terror  He pays about $350 million a year to terrorists and their families, Netanyahu said during remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference.

Netanyahu added that he is committed to achieving peace with all of Israels neighbors, including the Palestinians.

On Monday, Israeli Foreign Ministrys Deputy Director-General Alexander Ben-Zvi said Israel is still ready for direct talks with the Palestinians, but a meaningful proposal is needed in order to start the dialogue.

For decades, Israel has been in conflict with the Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which are partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.

NAN

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Nigerians on social media have reacted to report of President Muhammadu Buhari promising to help Ghana fight corruption.

Buhari had during his visit to Ghana on her 61st Independence Anniversary celebrations, which held at the Independence Square, promised to help the country in its fight against corruption.

Ghanaians have since reacted to the Nigerias Presidents promise, asking him to go and fight a snake that allegedly swallowed 36 million naira ($102,409, the cedis equivalent of over 470,000 cedis from the office of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Meanwhile, here are some reactions by Nigerians on social media:

@africanfact, Nigeria, which is ranked at number 148 out of 180 on Transparency Internationals CPI (Corruption Perceptions Index) 2017 has pledged to help fight corruption in Ghana, which is placed at number 81 out of 180!!!

@rogue__kvng, So this Nigeria we live in now is fighting corruption in Ghana. How did Buhari convince you people to vote for him. Buhari, greatest con artist Nigeria has ever produced.

@Mariam_soalio, Corruption in Ghana is blowing faster than @PatapaaGh one corner.

@Ndlimo Them rushing to solve corruption in Ghana. Them solving it at home.

@ceno_ken Are u serious? Nigeria help to fight corruption or help to increase corruption in Ghana?

@shakibobor President Buhari has totally failed Nigerians now a friend with another albatross in Ghana.

@Citi973 Gen. Buhari has the guts to talk about helping to fight corruption in Ghana..when monkeys are busily swallowing millions of dollars in Nigeria..interesting.

@capitalGIFFY @MBuhari Is fighting corruption and yet the International community rates the country under this administration 148 out of 181 in corruption and @MBuhari still wanna help fight corruption in Ghana which is rated 81. This administration is a complete embarrassment!

@AyotundeImoru You cant offer what you dont have. Fighting corruption in Ghana when you are struggling to fight it in your domain.

@skippogh When nigeria mother of corruption says it will help in fighting corruption in Ghana daughter of corruption.

@BobbyDimas, I saw that the president wants to help fight corruption in Ghana. So our country is no more corrupt.
Home | News | General | US lady leaves her husband to coincidentally fall in love with his look-alike in Ghana

It has always been said that love is a beautiful and thing and its sting, leaves many people feeling in touch with themselves and the idea of staying in love forever.

This is the story of an American lady who was married in the United States and eventually separated from her husband only to hook up and fall in love with a Ghanaian on Facebook who looks just like her ex-husband.

A lady known by the Facebook name, Envy Tiecy, recently shared a rather bizarre love story of how she met the new love of her life who happened to be a Ghanaian called Philip but known to her family members by the nickname, Charlie.

Philip, according to Envy, was a 43-year-old self-employed DJ in Accra. He had been married before but only for five months.

READ ALSO: Toyin Lawani gets dragged by baby daddy

Envy Tiecy

According to the lady, she had fallen so much in love with the Ghanaian that she scheduled coming to Ghana for the first time to seal their engagement.

Envy Tiecy, who happens to be a 33-year-old divorcee and mother of four children, said she met her Ghanaian lover on Facebook.

She revealed that earlier, she was ignoring the messages sent to her by Philip because she was married at the time.

Envy's ex-husband, Jeremy

As time went on, her marriage of eight years came to an end after requesting for divorce from her now ex-husband. With her husband out of her life, Envy said she received yet another message from Philip and she decided to just open up and be friendly by responding to his message.

READ ALSO: Lovely new photos of Yemi Alade as she flaunts her beauty and figure

She said that: He told me straight up 'I want you to be my Girlfriend' Like I don't even know you dude! He actually thought I was in Africa because I was telling him that I live in Louisiana. And he was adamant about talking on the phone, So after dodging his calls while trying to chat, something in me said "I bet his voice sound s*xy AF" And thats when I actually answered that MAGICAL call. His voice was EVERYTHING!!! Deep, S*xy, Accent, and to top it ALL OFF, HE LOOKS JUST LIKE MY EX HUSBAND!"

Envy indicated that she had a feeling that her ex-husband and Philip could be related because their resemblance was too striking to be just a coincidence.

However, all may not be too rosy for the new lovebirds since according to Envy, Philip had also been married before and divorced his ex-wife because she was crazy.

She added that Philip wanted both of them to keep their relationship rather private since his ex-wife could sabotage their plans of getting married.

Envy revealed that if everything went according to plan, she was going to fly to Ghana to advance plans of getting married to Philip even though her ex-husband is also upset about her decision.

She added that some of her friends and church members hinted that she was going to end up in s*x-trafficking should she decide to come to Africa to see Philip.

Envy's Ghanaian fiance, Philip

She added that even in the face of opposition from her own family members, she was loved and adored by Philips family members in Ghana.

Envy also revealed that a prophet in Ghana had told Philip that he was going to travel abroad but he did not know when and where.

If everything goes according to plan, Envy Tiecy would be making her very first trip outside the United States to marry the love of her life in May this year.

PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app

Would you take a bullet for your partner? | Street Gist on NAIJ.com TV:

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Wattana Kunwongse, ambassador of Thailand to Nigeria, has denied the claim of Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture, that rice mills are collapsing in the Asian country.

On Friday, Ogbeh had claimed that Thailand said President Muhammadu Buharis policy on local rice sufficiency was responsible for the collapse of seven of its mills.

Just like two weeks ago, the ambassador of Thailand came to my office and said to me that we have really dealt with them, he said.

But I asked what did we do wrong and he said unemployment in Thailand was one of the lowest in the world, 1.2 percent, it has gone up to four percent because seven giant rice mills have shut down because Nigerias import has fallen by 95 per cent on rice alone.

TheCable fact-checked the ministers claims and found them to be false.

According to a statement published by Premium Times on Tuesday, Kunwongse said there is no proof of the shutdown of Thailands major mills.

The ambassador said that at the meeting, he praised the governments Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and assured the minister of Thailands support in the field of agriculture.

The report is not only misleading but a distortion of the actual conversation between myself and the honourable minister of agriculture at the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development on 30th January 2018, which was nothing short of positivity and optimism on both sides, the statement read.

During which I praised President Buharis Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), the essence of which is the endeavour to move the country to a self-sufficiency and export-oriented economy, and to that worthy cause, Thailand stands ready to work closely with the Nigerian government in the field of technological transfer and agricultural machineries.

At the same meeting, the honourable minister and I had reached the conclusion that I as ambassador of Thailand to Nigeria will be working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and rural development to establish a platform to discuss our mutual benefits in the form of MOU on Agricultural Cooperation and by forming a bilateral Working Committee toward that end.

Thailands rice export to the world in 20 (January-December 2017) reached 11.48 million tons equalising to $5.1 billion (USD), a 15.54 per cent increase compared to previous years, which is one of the highest figures on the history Thailands rice exportation.

There is no proof of any shutdown of Thailands major rice mills.
AS part of moves to ensure that Nigeria as a country was not expelled from the Egmont Group, the Senate, on Wednesday considered and passed the conference committee report on a bill to establish the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU as an independent entity from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The passage followed the presentation of the Conference report on Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency( Est, etc.) Bill, 2018(SB.535) by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti- Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, PDP, Enugu North and for consideration, but it was later laid.

It will be recalled that Nigeria is currently serving a suspension from Egmont Group, a body of 154 financial intelligence units, FIUs across the world, which provides a platform for the secure exchange of expertise and financial intelligence to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

It accused Nigeria of sharing confidential information and constant leakage of sensitive intelligence to the media, contrary to global best practices it signed up for.

The NFIU, which represents Nigeria in the Egmont Group, was suspended at its July 2017 meeting in China, following Nigerias failure to grant operational autonomy to the financial intelligence unit, a situation which the group has objected to for years.

Also recall that the group had threatened to expel Nigeria permanently by March 11 if the Nigerian government failed to grant the unit the autonomy required to become its member.

The Senate and House of Representatives had differed over the passage of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency, NFIA Bill establishing the NFIU as an independent entity.

Senator Utazi had last week raised a point of order, accusing his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Kayode Oladele of frustrating efforts to expeditiously pass the bill and warned that failure to pass the bill ahead of the next Egmont Group meeting would cause a major economic crisis for the country.

Reacting to the allegation, Hon. Oladele, said he never frustrated the process, and instead accused Senator Utazi of putting off all efforts for them to meet.

Both lawmakers, according to Senator Utazi, however, met on Monday evening and came up with the report.

With the passage, it is now for transmission to the President for assent and if signed, the bill is expected to act as the central body in Nigeria responsible for requesting, receiving, analysing and disseminating financial and other information to all law enforcement and security agencies and other relevant authorities in the country.
Home | News | General | 2019: Youths of the oil communities endorse Imo deputy governor to contest

- The Niger Delta Youths Forum has endorsed deputy governor of Imo state, Prince Eze Madumere to contest for governorship

- According to the group, they are backing Madumere, because he is a visionary leader that has the political will to take Imo state, to the next level

The deputy governor of Imo state, Prince Eze Madumere, on Wednesday, March 7, got another endorsement from youths of the oil communities in the state, to contest for the governorship position of the state, Vanguard reports.

The latest in the series of endorsement for the deputy, came from the Niger Delta Youths Forum, led by one Chukwuemeka Nwaopara, which took place at his country home, Achi Mbieri in Mbaitoli local government area.

This is coming at a time when the deputy governor, was reportedly asked to step down his gubernatorial ambition for Governor Rochas Okorochas son-in-law, Uche Nwosu.

READ ALSO:Senate urges President Buhari to rescind decision on Peace Corps Bill

This time, the youths were said to have come from 11 wards of the Oguta local government area in the state.

According to the Nwaoparas group, their conclusions for backing Madumere, was that he is an astute administrator, competent, passionate and a visionary leader that has the political will to take Imo state, to the next level of inclusive governance.

He argued that, Madumere is the only politician in Okorochas cabinet that understands better the workings in the rescue mission government of Okorocha.

According to an earlier report by NAIJ.com, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state stated that God and 24 out of the 27 local government areas in the state support the ambition of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, to succeed him in office, Vanguard reports.

The governor said that because the opposition had seen his son-in-law as the aspirant to beat in the 2019 gubernatorial election in the state, it now resorts to use the church against the project.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

He said: We say this for posterity sake. Imo people, including youths, students, men and women have 'thrown their unalloyed support behind' the youthful chief of staff, Uche Nwosu, for the 2019 governorship in the state."

What is cooking in Imo state? - on NAIJ.com TV.

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Breaking: Court grants wife who allegedly killed ex-PDP chairman's son bail

- Maryam Sanda accused of killing her husband has been granted bail by a court

- Sanda was granted bail on health ground after telling the court she is pregnant

Maryam Sanda, a woman standing trial for allegedly killing her husband, Bilyamin Bello, has been granted bail by the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Wednesday, March 7.

Sanda was granted bail by judge, Yusuf Halilu, on health grounds after telling the court she is pregnant and needed adequate medical attentions, Premium Times reports.

READ ALSO: Opinion: Is President Buharis rejection of Peace Corps bill appropriate?

An FCT court had earlier struck out an application for bail by Sanda, daughter-in-law of former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)s chairman, Haliru Bello. It was the second time Sanda's request was declined after a previous request for bail made by Sandas lawyer, Joseph Daudu, had been refused in December.

NAIJ.com previously reported that the CCTV footage in the residence of Bilyamin Bello, the son of a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman who was allegedly stabbed by his wife, Maryam Sanda, has been obtained by the Abuja police command.

The command has also arrested three private security guards who were stationed at the premises when the alleged stabbing of Bello occurred, The Punch reports.

An anonymous police source, who confirmed the retrieval of the CCTV footage, indicated that the clips show the last moments the deceased.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

At what point should a person walk out of an abusive relationship? - on NAIJ.com TV

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Thousands will be employed if Peace Corps is allowed to exist - Senate tells Buhari

- President Buhari has been urged to review his position in withholding assent on the bill to establish Peace Corps of Nigeria

- Senator Dino Melaye said if the Peace Corps is given an opportunity to exist, thousands of Nigerians will be employed

- Melaye noted that youths of the country must be given priority and they must be respected by the government

The Senate on Wednesday, March 7, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to review his position in withholding assent on the bill to establish Peace Corps of Nigeria.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this followed the adoption of a Point of Order raised by Senator Dino Melaye during plenary.

Relying on the Senate rules, Melaye urged the Senate to revisit the bill with a view to veto the president if he failed to rescind his rejection of the bill.

READ ALSO: Ex-governor Aliyu Akwe-Doma of Nasarawa is dead

President Buhari had cited duplication of duty and funding challenges in declining assent to the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill, 2017 recently passed by the National Assembly.

However, Melaye said that the bill should be given priority by Buhari.

Melaye said: ''The same thing happened when the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was to be established; there was also the same complaint that there was no money and all of that.

''But today we can see the advantages of the civil defence and how they have helped in safeguarding the government infrastructure.

About 5.5 billion dollars was borrowed from euro bond; what part of it will the youths of this country benefit from.

''About one billion dollars is to be spent on security and how does this affect the youth of this country.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

''Without fear or favour, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in 16 years, borrowed N6 trillion and this government in three years, has borrowed N11 trillion but there is no specific programme that will empower the youth.

''Also, N500 billion was earmarked for the social investment programme of the Federal Government but we have not seen any impact.

''If the Peace Corps is given an opportunity to exist, thousands will be employed and this will help to fight unemployment in this country.

''We may need to write president to review his position if not we have the power on behalf of the Nigerian youths who voted us to veto him so that people will become the ultimate beneficiaries of this bill. The youth of this country must be given priority and they must be respected.''

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that a presidential aspirant under the NCP, Thomas Ikugbese, has urged President Buhari to reconsider signing of Peace Corps of Nigeria bill into law.

The non-signing of the Peace Corps of Nigeria bill by the president was generating ripples among stakeholders especially youths in Ondo state.

EXCLUSIVE: Be patient with President Buhari, Femi Adesina tells Nigerians on NAIJ.com TV:

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Breaking: INEC moves against own staff over illegal registration

- INEC says illegal voters have been removed from its register

The commission draws the attention of security agencies on the issue for further investigation

- INEC to begin PVC distribution mid May

Some senior officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Taraba state have been reported to security agencies for allegedly registering ineligible voters during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

The head of voter education and publicity in Taraba state, Fabian Vwamhi, stated that the report was made by the Taraba state office after it discovered that some ineligible voters were imputed in the ongoing CVR exercise, The Punch reports.

The commission said the illegal voters had been removed from the register and that the electoral officer as well as the registration officer for the centre had been queried over the issue.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Ex-governor Aliyu Akwe-Doma of Nasarawa is dead

Following its laid down processes, INEC Taraba office has discovered that some ineligible voters have been registered in the ongoing CVR exercise. This is not only contrary to INECs guidelines for registration but is also a violation of the Electoral Act," the statement read in part.

Consequently, the Taraba State office has flagged these illegal registrations for removal from the voter register. In addition it has queried the Electoral Officer as well as the Registration Officer for the centre.

It has informed the headquarters of the commission in Abuja and drawn the attention of security agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution of all found to have been involved including INEC staff"

Meanwhile, INEC says the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to their owners will begin by middle of May.

The Ebonyi INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Godswill Obioma, disclosed this at a strategic security interactive meeting on Wednesday, March 7, in Abakaliki.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the strategic meeting involved INEC officials, representatives of security outfits involved in the conduct of the election as well as the National Orientation Agency (NOA), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Obioma said that the commission would commence the distribution of the PVCs to eligible electorate, who registered between 2017 and 2018.

He urged security officials, who were yet to register, to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) to register.

INEC official at Abuja court on NAIJ.com TV

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | 4 killed, 1 kidnapped as suspected pirates invade Bayelsa state community

- Suspected sea pirates attacked Ayama community in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa state

- The armed men were said to have killed four people and made away with some speedboats

- After the Ayama operation, the suspected pirates were said to have invaded Ogbia town and kidnapped one Augusta Apaga

Armed men suspected to be sea pirates on the night of Monday, March 5, and noon of Tuesday, March 6, invaded Ayama community in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa state, killing four people.

According to a report by The Guardian, the hoodlums stormed the community around 9pm and shot sporadically, while residents ran helter-skelter.

NAIJ.com gathered that a member of the House of Assembly representing Ogbia constituency 2, Munalayefa Edwin Gibson, confirmed the attack. He condemned the attack and stated that the robbers sprayed bullets in the community for over 30 minutes before towing away with more than ten speedboats.

READ ALSO: Security: Even our worst critics will agree we've tried - Buhari applauds himself

After perpetrating their crimes in Ayama, the same suspected pirates wreaked havoc on Ogbia town around 12.30pm on Tuesday, March 6, and kidnapped one Augusta Apaga. They also went away with four 75-horse power engine boats parked at the waterfront.

The lawmaker alleged that with the way and manner the gunmen operate, there are collaborators from the communities who act as informants and benefit from the loot. He called on security agencies to their possible best in arresting the culprits.

After confirming the crime, the spokesman of the state police command, Asinim Butswat, said that investigation had commenced.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that some yet-to-be identified gunmen believed to be sea pirates attacked a marine police base at a waterfront in Ogbia local council area where former President Goodluck Jonathan hails from and allegedly killed two officers.

It was reported that the gunmen also disappeared with two 200 horse-power engines on the gunboats belonging to the police after the attack.

The chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Maritime Workers Union confirmed the incident, saying that the gunmen stormed the area at about 10pm on Monday, January 22 and operated till about 1.30am on Tuesday, January 23.

See the faces of newly arrested criminals in Lagos state - on NAIJ.com TV

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | It's time for honesty, righteousness in govt. - Olapade Agoro says as he eyes Aisha Buhari as running mate

- Olapade Agoro, the national chairman of the National Action Council (NAC), has said that he is sure of winning the 2019 presidential election

- Agoro said he is willing to take the president's wife, Aisha Buhari, as his running mate in the coming election

- He stated that the presidency's reinstatement of the formally suspended executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), was unsatisfactory

The national chairman of the political party, National Action Council (NAC), Olapade Agoro, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to forgo his plans to go for a second term in 2019.

The NAC national chairman said that he is not satisfied with the president's delivery so far. In his opinion, Agoro believes that the present administration has not performed to its fullest.

He further said that he wishes to take the wife of the president, Aisha Buhari, as his running mate come 2019 presidential election, New Telegraph reports.

READ ALSO: Two Nigerians docked for drinking alcohol in front of police station

Agoro stated: I am sure and certain that I am coming to power in 2019 and people will start seeing the sign before June. The sign would be in the horizon. I know that by the grace of God, whether APC, PDP or third force; they will see me in power. This is my time; this is the time for honesty and righteousness in government.

Buhari wont contest. If his wife, Aisha is interested in being my running mate, I will take her. She is a nice woman."

He also commented on the reinstatement of Usman Yusuf, the suspended executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), by the president after he was suspended for allegations of corrupt practices by the minister of health, Professor Isaac Adewole.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

Agoro said the move by the presidency was improper, considering the fact that the secretary had been suspended by the minister for claims of financial fraud.

Agoro remarked: The reinstatement is wrong. It hurts me to the bone marrow that the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, is still staying in that office. What duty does he have in that office after being insulted?"

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that the national vice chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), south-south, Honourable Hillard Etta had expressed optimism that President Muhammadu Buhari would win in 2019.

NAIJ.com gathered that the APC chieftain noted that although a lot of things had not gone well in the administration, the successes recorded were enough to convince Nigerians to vote for the party again.

Buhari 2019 posters have flooded the streets; too early or too bad? On NAIJ.com TV

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Insecurity: Gov. Ortom canvasses review of ECOWAS protocol

Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has called for the review of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol, saying it has become a tool used by foreigners to undermine Nigerias security.

Ortom made the call on Wednesday in Makurdi during a courtesy call on him by the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammed Babandede.

Ortom

If the ECOWAS protocol has become a cog in the progress of Nigeria, it is high time we reviewed it, he said.

The governor also called for strict adherence to provisions on procedures for trans-human movement within ECOWAS member countries.

He further called for the enforcement of the provisions for quarantine services for livestock and prohibition of movement with arms as well as regulations that apply to human beings for improved security in the country.

According to Ortom, security reports revealed that the heightened insecurity in the country is linked to foreign herdsmen who enter the country without valid documents and compliance with regulations.

He urged NIS to curtail the incursion of immigrants into the country, pledging his continued support to the service for optimal performance.

The governor, however, requested for the recruitment of more Benue indigenes into NIS while promising to assist in providing land for the construction of its state office.

Earlier, Babandede had expressed sympathy with the government and people of the state over the killings by suspected herdsmen.

He pledged the support of the service in addressing the security challenges in the state.

Babandede said that he was in the state to patrol the border area at Abande in Kwande Local Government Area with a view to checking the influx of illegal foreigners into the country.

NAN

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | 2 men docked for allegedly drinking alcohol in front of police station

Two men, Wole Broad, 49, and Wale Oludare, 40, were on Wednesday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates Court in Lagos for allegedly drinking alcohol in front of a police station.

The two men were also accused of conducting themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by drinking alcohol in front of the Akinpelu Police Station at Oshodi, Lagos.

They are facing a two-count charge of felony and breach of peace.

Broad, residing at No.17, Olakunle Ajibade St., Ojota, is self-employed, while Oludare, a labourer, resides at No. 8, Akinpelu St. in Oshodi.

The duo conspired to commit felony by conducting themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace, the prosecution alleged.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Rachael Williams, told court that the accused committed the offences on March 1 at about 11.55 p.m. at No. 5, Akinpelu St., opposite the Akinpelu Police Station.

The accused drank alcohol in front of Akinpelu Police Station after the commissioner of police had warned that on no account should anyone operate a beer parlour around any police station, Williams stated.

According to her, the offences contravene Sections 57 and 412 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Newsmen report that Section 57 prescribes six months imprisonment for offenders.

The two men, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Magistrate, Mrs L. Y. Balogun, granted them bail in the sum of N5, 000 each with one surety each in like sum.

She adjourned the case until March 16.

NAN

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Maku, others mourn Doma, say he was a very peaceful man

Mr Labaran Maku, former Minister of Information, on Wednesday expressed shock over the death of former Nasarawa governor Aliyu Akwe Doma, describing his exit as a a great loss to the country.

Newsmen report that Akwe died in an Israeli hospital on Tuesday. He was aged 75.

Maku, in a statement in Lafia, described Akwe as a very peaceful man whose tenure as governor will always be remembered for its tranquility.

Labaran Maku

Doma (Akwe) was a very peaceful man who did everything to promote peace. He was a seasoned civil servant, a kind administrator, a fair politician and peaceful man, he said.

He said that throughout Domas four-year tenure as governor, Nasarawa did not witness any major crisis between herdsmen and farmers.

Of all the governors we have had in the state, Aliyu Domas tenure was the most peaceful because he treated everyone equally and promoted mutual respect among all, he said.

Maku commended Akwes commitment to rural development, especially the construction of roads to open up the hinterlands, saying that posterity would remember him kindly.

He also showcased the indigenous culture of the people at the global level and won laurels at national and international cultural festivals, he recalled.

Maku condoled the Alago community in Nasarawa State and the entire people of old Benue-Plateau State over the loss, and prayed God to grant Nigerians the fortitude to bear the loss.

Mr Innocent Lagi, former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in the state, who also reacted to Akwes death, said that the deceased lived a fulfilled life and contributed his quota to societal development.

The former governor paid special attention to agriculture and changed the lives of many farmers, especially those in the rural areas, he said.

Lagi said that Akwe would be remembered for the loans, credit facilities, farm inputs and various interventions he secured for farmers which boosted their income.

People will miss him greatly; he died a great man and has left a good legacy for us to emulate, Lagi added

NAN

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Oshiomhole speaks about proposed minimum wage

- Adams Oshiomhole said the implementation of the new minimum wage has nothing to do with politics

- The former Edo governor said it has to do with political will

- He noted that some states failed to implement N18,000

A former governor of Edo, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, says the federal governments proposal to implement a new minimum wage is not a political gimmick to win the 2019 general elections.

Oshiomhole said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the 26th convocation lecture of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu.

The title of the lecture was Crisis of Governance, Governance of Crisis: The Role of Education in Nibbling Governance Crisis in Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Senate urges President Buhari to rescind decision on Peace Corps Bill

According to the former governor, the government has said it will begin implementation of workers minimum wage by the third quarter of 2018.

Oshiomhole, who is also a former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said the governments pronouncement on the minimum wage is only about a political will.

He said there was already a case to review the wages prior to the election, adding that he was not bothered about when the implementation of the new minimum wage would start.

According to him, he is only bothered by the fact that some workers in some states are still not paid the current N18,000 minimum wage in use.

He said denying a worker the minimum of N18,000 was enough to prick the conscience.

Oshiomhole quoted President Muhammadu Buhari as saying that he does not know how anyone who has not paid workers for two, three months or even one year is able to sleep.

As governor of Edo, I increased the minimum wage from N18,000 to N25,000 a month for the least paid worker.

And I did that to dismiss and to close the debate whether a higher minimum wage is desirable.

Rather than going to be giving a lecture on why a higher minimum wage is inevitable, I thought it is better to use my executive power to increase the minimum wage and to pay it.

Not only did I pay it for as long as I was governor, my successor has continued to pay it.

And Edo has continued to deliver on infrastructure and on its mandate to the admiration of its residents, the former governor said.

NAN reports that the Federal Government, through the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, had on Feb. 27 said implementation of the new minimum wage would begin in the third quarter of the year.

NLC had proposed N56,000 for the least paid worker to the Federal Government.

A 30-member committee on minimum wage headed by a former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms Ama Pepple, was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2017.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

NAIJ.com had reported that the minister for labour and productivity, Chris Ngige, on Monday, March 5, assured Nigerian workers that implementation of a new minimum wage in the country would be done.

He said the committee set up for that purpose by the federal government had already started work. Ngige gave the assurance while speaking with journalists shortly after witnessing the swearing in of newly-elected chairmen of the 18 local government councils in Edo at the Government House, Benin.

Who should get higher salary - doctors or teachers? - on NAIJ.com TV

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Jigawa police command issues 10-day ultimatum to militias, bandits to surrender arms

- Jigawa police command forms committee for recovery of arms in the state

- The commissioner of police in the state warns that those found with firearms after the expiration of a 10-day ultimatum would face the wrath of the law

- Suspected pirates kill 4, steal boats in Bayelsa community

The police commissioner in Jigawa, Bala Zama, has issued a 10-day ultimatum to militias, bandits and vigilance groups to surrender prohibited arms in their possession.

Zama gave the ultimatum in a statement he personally signed in Dutse on Wednesday, March 7, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

He said the ultimatum followed a directive to all Commissioners of Police nationwide to commence the disarmament and recovery of all prohibited firearms in possession of militias, bandits and vigilante groups.

The IGP, Ibrahim Idris, directed all Commissioners of Police nationwide to immediately commence the disarmament and recovery of prohibited firearms, ammunition and weapons in possessions of all militias, bandits and vigilante groups.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Ex-governor Aliyu Akwe-Doma of Nasarawa is dead

He said the ultimatum affected "groups of any kind or individuals/bodies bearing prohibited, locally fabricated and modified weapons manufactured for the purpose to cause security breach, or threat to law and order in the country.

Therefore, members of the public, individuals and groups, under any guise other than statutory security agencies recognised by law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to bear firearms of specified category, are hereby warned.

They are given up to 15th of March, 2018 to surrender them to the Commissioner of Police.

For avoidance of doubt, the Robbery and Firearms Act cap R11 LFN 2004 and Firearms Act cap F28 LFN 2004 are explicit on punishment for dealing in arms and ammunition, Zama warned.

He added that a committee had been formed to execute the exercise in the state.

The commissioner of police further explained that operation of the committee would include cordon and search, raid, seizure from premises and hideouts across the state where it is reasonably suspected that firearms and ammunition are kept.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

According to him, it will also be carried out in dwelling houses, completed or uncompleted.

Zama, therefore, urged all stakeholders to advise their wards, vigilante watch men and all those in possession of prohibited firearms and ammunition to surrender them within the stipulated time.

He further warned that those found with firearms after the expiration of the notice would face the wrath of the law.

The CP also urged members of the public to report any person they noticed in possession of firearms in the state to the nearest police division in their localities.

Members of the public who notice any person in possession of these firearms across the state are advised to promptly report such to the nearest Police Division or to the committee via the following contacts: 08033610652, 08065670314/08073632600/08026589866/08033678972, he urged.

Meanwhile, armed men suspected to be sea pirates on the night of Monday, March 5, and noon of Tuesday, March 6, invaded Ayama community in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa state, killing four people.

According to a report by The Guardian, the hoodlums stormed the community around 9pm and shot sporadically, while residents ran helter-skelter.

NAIJ.com gathered that a member of the House of Assembly representing Ogbia constituency 2, Munalayefa Edwin Gibson, confirmed the attack.

He condemned the attack and stated that the robbers sprayed bullets in the community for over 30 minutes before towing away with more than ten speedboats.

Suspected traffickers reject Police accusations | Naij.com TV

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | JAMB releases full list of 2018 examination centres in Nigeria

- Board has directed candidates for the 2018 UTME to start printing their examination notification slip before Friday, March 9

- The spokesperson of the board Fabian Benjamin said printing of slip is important for candidates in order to get the date and time scheduled for their examination early

- About 1.6 million candidates are expected to write the UTME in 602 centres across the country

Ahead of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) which will begin on Friday, March 9 to March 17, the full list of the examination centres across the country has been released.

About 1.6 million candidates are expected to write the examination in 602 centres across the country.

READ ALSO: Senate urges President Buhari to rescind decision on Peace Corps Bill

The spokesperson of the board Fabian Benjamin in a phone interview with Premium Times, said the notification slip also carries the time and date allocated to each candidate.

Benjamin said the candidate should ensure they print before Friday noting that the board will not reschedule exam.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

According to him, ''Printing of the E-slip is important for candidates in order to get the date and time scheduled for their examination early, also lateness will not be tolerated.''

The full list of the address is here

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that JAMB directed candidates for the 2018 UTME to start printing their examination notification slip from Tuesday, March 6.

The boards head of media and information department, Fabian Benjamin, said in Lagos on Sunday, March 4, that arrangements had been concluded for the successful conduct of the exam scheduled to hold from March 9 to March 17.

He said: ''With have successfully conducted the Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Monday, February 26, and based on that, we can confidently say, we are good to go.

The mock UTME was to expose the candidates to the process as well as test the level of preparedness of the various centres.''

Nigerians express mixed feelings as JAMB reduces admission cut-off to 120 - on NAIJ.com TV:

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Governor Obiano's sacking of 18 commissioners, political appointees fits his new tenure - Special assistant

- Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra has sacked 18 commissioners and many other political appointees in his cabinet

- Oliver Okpala, a special assistant to the governor, said that Obiano's action was proper as he needs a fresh set of cabinet members in his new tenure

- Okpala said that if the governor intends to reappoint any of the sacked officers, it would be on the basis of a different contract

The state governor of Anambra, Willie Obiano, has relieved 18 commissioners in his cabinet of their official duties. Other persons sacked by the governor were political appointees in ministries, departments and agencies.

In a letter signed by Solo Chukwulobelu, the secretary to the state government, the governor ordered the affected officers to submit to their various permanent secretaries of their ministries, departments and agencies or to the senior civil servants in the absence of permanent secretaries, The Punch reports.

READ ALSO: Senate urges President Buhari to rescind decision on Peace Corps Bill

The memo directed the affected appointees to hand over any project/vehicles in their possession to the office of the secretary to the state government on or before Friday, March 16.

The memo, copied to the office of the deputy governor, read: "His Excellency, Chief (Dr) Willie Obiano, Governor of Anambra State, has directed that all political appointees and non-civil servant, heads of MDAs in the state submit their handover notes/reports on or before Friday 16th March, 2018 to the Permanent Secretary of their respective MDAs, or to the most Senior Civil Servant there in the absence of a Permanent Secretary.

All SSAs/SAs are to submit their Handover notes/reports to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the SSG. A copy of the Handover Note/Report must be submitted to the Secretary to the State Government on or before Friday, 16th March ,2018.

Further to the above, Political Appointees and non-civil servant, heads of MDAs and SSAs/SAs under reference, are to also handover any Government Project/Utility Vehicles in their custody to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to the State Government on or before Friday, 16th March 2018.

The contents of this letter are for your attention and necessary actions, as I assure you of my high regards.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

The memo was copied to the office of the deputy governor, amongst others. Oliver Okpala, a special assistant to the governor on media, also confirmed the incident.

Okpala remarked: "Its the proper thing to do in the circumstance. When a government is transiting to a new term, its proper to disengage all those who served in the former tenure.

Governor Willie Obiano will start his second term on 17th of March. So, all those who served in the first term should go. If the governor wants to reappointment anybody; then it is a fresh contract. So, the disengagement of the political appointees is normal and proper.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that the senator representing Anambra South senatorial district, Senator Andy Uba, had condemned the violence between youths of Umunze and agents of the State Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).

Senator Uba stated this on Monday, March 5, in a statement sent to NAIJ.com by his media office. He said he had mandated his constituency office staff to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and report back to him.

NAIJ.com special report on Anambra governorship election - On NAIJ.com TV

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Nigerian senators are paid N13.5 million running cost every month - Shehu Sani

- Senator Shehu Sani has revealed that Nigerian senators receive 13.5 million running cost every month

- The senator, who is representing Kaduna Central senatorial district, said that the running cost must be accounted for

- He also said that senators earn about N750,000 monthly salary and that N200 million is earmarked for constituency project for each senator

The lawmaker representing Kaduna Central senatorial district in the Senate, Shehu Sani, has revealed that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million monthly as running cost.

Sani made this revelation in an interview he granted The News magazine, in which he said apart from the running cost, senators also earn N750,000 monthly salary, Sahara Reporters reports.

NAIJ.com noted that the senator stated that there is no specific instruction on what the running cost should be used for. But he said lawmakers must provide receipts to back up their expenses from the running costs.

READ ALSO: Security: Even our worst critics will agree we've tried - Buhari applauds himself

Sani said: I think what we can say is that the running cost of a senator is N13.5 million every month. But what I am saying is that that money (N13.5 million per month) must be receipted for what you do with it. But what you are given to go and spend without any accountability is N750,000.00.

The constituency project itself is given on a zonal basis and almost every senator will go with a constituency fund of about N200 million, but it is not the cash that is given to you.

You will be told that you have N200 million with an agency of government for which you will now submit projects equivalent to that amount. And it is that agency of government that will go and do those projects for you.

Now, the corruption comes when the projects are not done and the money is taken. But right now, it is difficult to do that because NGOs and transparency groups have come into it. They track every allocation made to you and where they are being used. So, its becoming difficult for what used to happen in the past to happen now.

But I can tell you that I would love a situation where we do away with running costs, constituency projects and leave senators and members of House of Reps with salaries.

"And also, the public should be informed that nobody should come to any senators house asking for any kobo. That also would be helpful.

The only money you are not expected to account for is your salary and the salary of a senator is about N750, 000.00 per month. The other one, the running cost of office must be accounted for. You must provide a receipt for every expense you make."

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Senator Shehu Sani advocated the sum of $300 (about N150,000) as minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

The senator made the statement on Monday, May 1, 2017 during the workers celebration in Kaduna. He described the current N18,000 minimum wage as a big insult to Nigerian workers adding that, the amount was not even enough to feed a politicians dog in a month.

Kogi West senatorial district to recall senator Dino Melaye from the Nigerian Senate - on NAIJ.com TV

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Dont turn Kogi into a Confluence of Blood, Group warns politicians

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA- Following last weekends reign of terror unleashed on some parts of Kogi state, especially Ebira land by youths suspected to be political thugs, the Ebira Youth Elites Organisation of Nigeria, EYEN has noted with dismay, the growing resort to brigandage and the recent attempts to prime our youths to self-destruct.

In a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja and signed by the groups president, Yunusa Jimoh, the community based organization said Kogi is a Confluence of Peace, not of blood.

It also condemned the violent attacks and reported counter-attack on political opponents and wish to refresh our memories to the not-so-recent past when we had a terrible war of attrition among brothers. That dark period, no doubt, set us back for several decades.

Part of the statement reads; While some few altruistic youths are daily racking their brains, networking and rallying forces to draw attention to the long-neglected Ajaokuta Steel Company, it is shameful that some members of the political class who have lost their voices as regards this noble national endeavour are now trying to come back to political reckoning by using as a launchpad, crude underhand tactics, including violence just in the lead-up to the 2019 General Elections.

In case our politicians have forgotten or do not know, may we kindly remind them that even in Katsina, President Muhammadu Buharis home state, there are still several opposition parties and for them, the sky is big enough for each one to pursue its legitimate aspirations.

Ours is a Confluence of Peace, not of blood. As we approach a crucial election year, partisans must play by the rules and avoid this gradual descent into anarchy or a return to the dark days of organized terror and thuggery.

We make bold to say that an eye for an eye would soon make all of us go blind.

From our research, poverty and drug abuse are at the root of the wave of violence that is threatening to engulf the land. While we urge the political class to do more to stem the rising tide of poverty in the land, we call on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA and other security agencies in the state to devise workable mechanisms of tracking the suppliers and sellers of these hard drugs.

We also call on security agencies who are saddled with the onerous task of maintaining law and order to act on actionable intelligence at their disposal to rein in the forces of terror in our land.

EYEN also commend those who have intervened and helped in putting an end to the impending disaster, among who is the Governor of Kogi State Alh. Yahaya Bello and his intervention team led by Engr. Abubakar Ohere. We implore all that are affected to adhere to wise counsel as we pray God to continue to sustain his peace in our hearts, our homes and in our community.

EYEN sympathizes with the injured and those whose properties were destroyed. We urge them not to make a resort to the use of brute force by trying to retaliate.

We certainly do not want a day whereby few forces of evil would reduce Ebiraland to a Hobbesian state where life would become hellish, nasty, brutish and short. May that day never come.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Implementing minimum wage not gimmick to win 2019 elections  Oshiomole

A former governor of Edo, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, says the Federal Governments proposal to implement a new minimum wage is not a political gimmick to win the 2019 general elections.

Gov Oshiomhole

Oshiomhole said this in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the 26th convocation lecture of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu.

The title of the lecture was Crisis of Governance, Governance of Crisis: The Role of Education in Nibbling Governance Crisis in Nigeria.

According to the former governor, the government has said it will begin implementation of workers minimum wage by the third quarter of 2018.

Oshiomhole, who is also a former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said the governments pronouncement on the minimum wage is only about a political will.

He said there was already a case to review the wages prior to the election, adding that he was not bothered about when the implementation of the new minimum wage would start.

According to him, he is only bothered by the fact that some workers in some states are still not paid the current N18,000 minimum wage in use.

He said denying a worker the minimum of N18,000 was enough to prick the conscience.

Oshiomhole quoted President Muhammadu Buhari as saying that he does not know how anyone who has not paid workers for two, three months or even one year is able to sleep.

As governor of Edo, I increased the minimum wage from N18,000 to N25,000 a month for the least paid worker.

And I did that to dismiss and to close the debate whether a higher minimum wage is desirable.

Rather than going to be giving a lecture on why a higher minimum wage is inevitable, I thought it is better to use my executive power to increase the minimum wage and to pay it.

Not only did I pay it for as long as I was governor, my successor has continued to pay it.

And Edo has continued to deliver on infrastructure and on its mandate to the admiration of its residents, the former governor said.

Newsmen report that the Federal Government, through the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, had on Feb. 27 said implementation of the new minimum wage would begin in the third quarter of the year.

NLC had proposed N56,000 for the least paid worker to the Federal Government.

A 30-member committee on minimum wage headed by a former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms Ama Pepple, was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2017.

NAN

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | CIIN gives NAICOMs industry initiatives pass mark  President

Mrs Funmi Babington-Ashaye, the President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), says the institute is happy with some initiatives of National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to expand the industry.

Babington-Ashaye made the commendation at a breakfast seminar for practitioners in Abuja on Wednesday.

A statement by the institutes spokesman, Mr Seun Banwo, quoted Babington-Ashaye as saying that according to the feedback we received, our members are happy with the various initiatives.

NAICOM

The initiatives include: Market Development Development and Restructuring (MDR), Product Pricing, Micro insurance Guidelines, Financial Reporting Reforms, No Premium, No Cover, Corporate Governance Code and Risk-Based Supervision.

Others are Information and Communication Technology Advancement, Financial Inclusion, Claims Settlement, Market Conduct and Expansion of Distribution Channels.

All these initiatives are aimed at building confidence, trust and enhancing our market value, Babington-Ashaye said.

She said that members were looking forward to the next initiatives with great enthusiasm because of the value and the opportunities they derived.

The CIIN President said that the key statutory functions of NAICOM to regulate and develop initiatives for the industry had improved standards for the conduct of insurance in the country.

She said that Industries without regulations and initiatives would be characterised by unethical practices like unhealthy rivalry, stunted growth and weak being at the mercy of the powerful.

No meaningful business can take place in such an environment and to prevent such unacceptable practices and ensure a level playing field, NAICOM has put these initiatives in place.

I urge underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, actuaries and agents to reciprocate and consistently play by the rules as a long-term strategy for the sustainability of the Insurance industry.

This is a survival mandate we can ignore at great cost as a practice that sacrifices the ethics of the profession will lead to regulatory sanctions.

It can also lead to loss of financial resources, loss of business and goodwill, among others. Babington-Ashaye said.

NAN

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | DPR seals Al-Ihsan Oil and Gas in Ajah

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Wednesday sealed Al-Ihsan Oil and Gas Nig. Ltd. in Ajah, Lagos, over alleged illegal operations.

Mr Wole Akinyosoye, the Zonal Operations Controller, Lagos, who led the officials of DPR and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to the site, said the operator had licence for road haulage.

Oil

According to the Zonal Controller, the team discovered that the operator of the oil and gas site was doing an illegal business at the location.

He accused the operator of blending, transloading and storing petroleum products without a licence to do so.

Akinyosoye said an operator is supposed to fulfill certain parameters before he will be issued such licence.

This will include safety, health and environment and other measures and we discovered that he has not fulfilled these.

The owner of this site is operating an illegal business and we are going to seal it, he said.

Ayosoyoye said the licence obtained by the operator of the site was to obtain products from depot and deposit it at filling stations or direct third party.

He said that what he was doing at the site was to get the product from depot and bring it to his facilities, blend it and sell to the public.

What he is doing here is transshipping, storing, blending and selling of diesel product to people.

When one is doing this kind of business, there is latitude for adulteration, meanwhile he did not have licence for storage.

The permit issued by DPR to him was for road haulage, petroleum products haulage and not a transshipment licence, storage or blending licence, he said.

Akinyosoye said the operator of the company would be made to face the law.

Also speaking, Mr Tajudeen Balogun, the Commandant, NSCDC, said there were rules and regulations for any business transaction anybody wanted to do.

According to the Commandant, the operator of the oil and gas site was operating beyond what he was allowed, therefore he has to face the music.

Presently, this place is under seal and there is no way anybody can unseal it except the department.

We are working in conjunction with the DPR to sanitise the sector, he said.

Alhaji Muhammed Al-Ihsan, the Chairman of the company, however, said he was operating a legal business as permitted by the department.

He said that he was surprised to see the officials of DPR coming to seal his office because they claimed he was engaging in illegal businesses.

Al-Ihsan said it was annoying to hear them telling him that he did not have permit to store and sell diesel to its customers.

What we do here is to buy diesel from depot, store it in our storage facility before transloading to our peddler that distributes our product.

We are not selling adulterated products here, if they have evidence, they should produce it, he said.

NAN

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Ike Ekeweremadu, deputy president of the senate, says the countrys democracy is receding and it is not unlikely for the military to take over.

Ekeweremadu said this on Wednesday while contributing to a debate on a motion sponsored by Ahmed Ogembe, senator representing Kogi central.

Ogembe had alleged that Bello sponsored thugs disrupted an empowerment programme he organised for his constituents.

But the deputy senate president said such incident shows that efforts must be made to protect the countrys democracy.

He cited different instances where federal lawmakers have been harassed, warning that democracy must not be turned into a joke.

Ekeweremadu also told the governor of Kogi state that the road he is travelling will not lead him anywhere.

You will recall that sometime last year when they wanted to recall Dino I advised the governor that they are wasting the resources of that state, that it is mission impossible, Ekeweremadu said.

They took three pages in the newspaper abusing me. Are we still hearing the recall today? Money has been wasted. Money that has been used to pay salaries of people in Kogi state was used to mobilise people to recall senator Dino yet those people have not been paid and Dino is still here.

So today I am advising the governor again, that road he is travelling will not lead him to anywhere. Ultimately, these people he is seeing here will be back here and he will leave office.

If he doesnt stop, there is no how he will come back in 2019, never, no he will not. God will show him that he is a God of justice and this is a message to all those people who have caused all kinds of problem in Nigeria at different level. The problem in Nigeria is that our democracy is receding. Who says army cannot take over, let us not joke with our democracy that is the issue.

The house of a senator was destroyed in Kaduna state, we are talking about Kwankwaso who was stopped from going to his state where he ruled for eight years. In Kaduna, Shehu Sani cannot organise a meeting and we are about a democracy? The international community needs to know this because they helped us install democracy.

On his part, Senate President Bukola Saraki said Nigerias democracy ought to be a good example to other countries.

This is not what democracy is all about. For the role we play in the comity of nations we need to be good examples to other parts of the world, Saraki said.

These kind of actions are unacceptable, it starts with one state  many of us have been privileged to be governors and we are almost 20 years in democracy, this is not the democracy that we should be talking about. We saw the case in Kaduna state, how a governor would go and bulldoze a house, in Nigeria? At this time and we are all still keeping quiet. These are things we must condemn totally.

Thereafter, the senate set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the incident.
Home | News | General | Tears, Sorrow And Pain As Parents Of Dapchi School Girls Kidnapped By Boko Haram Speak

Parents of the kidnapped Dapchi schoolgirls have told the painful stories of how they wait with beating hearts every day for some help in rescuing the girls.

Over a fortnight since their daughters were taken away from their school, parents of the missing schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe State continue to suffer the agony of waking up every morning not knowing when or whether they will ever set eyes on their children again.

Between February 19 abduction of the 110 girls from Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, by suspected Boko Haram militants and now, the parents had cautiously been waiting for news of eventual rescue of their daughters from their abductors.

Their hope was not without basis: President Muhammadu Buhari had few days after the adduction directed the military and the Police to deploy all the assets necessary to search for and rescue the girls.





In the same vein, Nigerias Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar had relocated from his base in Abuja to North East to help in search of the girls, with a promise that the Air Force will deploy all its assets to aid military efforts to find the girls.

But over two weeks after, and with no positive news from the government about ongoing efforts to free the girls from their abductors, the parents are becoming weary and frustrated. It is getting harder each day for parents of the missing children who now believe the government is being lackadaisical in efforts to free their daughters from Boko Haram.

The parents told SaharaReporters during a visit to Dapchi that the agony of not knowing what could be happening to their daughters is getting harder on them each day and the government has to do more to end their suffering.

We are not satisfied with what government is doing about this issue, Alhaji Bashir Manzo who is the chairman of Dapchi Abducted School Girls Parent Association formed to rally parents whose daughters were among the Boko Haram abductees told SaharaReporters.

Seriously, we the parents of the children are not happy with how the government is handling this issue. Government is behaving like it is not serious about this matter, the chairman of Dapchi Abducted School Girls Forum said.

Alhaji Manzo noted that while there has been so much talk by the government on the ongoing efforts to rescue the girls, there are vital clues which can lead to where their daughters were taken which were being neglected in the efforts to free them.

They are supposed to bring many soldiers in Dapchi and trace the road through which the abductors passed, following the road till they get to where the girls were taken to. But we did not see that happen. One team came and went to Gumsa to confirm, after which they went back to Damaturu.

He added that since the girls were heard shouting while their abductors were taking them away through the same route they had used to come to the town, troops should have been deployed along the same route to track the Boko Haram invaders.

They (Boko Haram fighters) put the girls who kept shouting in their trucks and drove away. People heard the cries of the girls in all the villages they passed through. They went back through the same road they took to Dapchi when they were going with the girls. My daughter Fatima Bashir, is among the abducted girls, and till now, nothing is heard about them, he said.

Speaking on the claims of deployment of more aircraft by the Airforce to search for the girls, Alhaji Manzo said the parents have not seen any aircraft other than the ones that came to the town immediately after the incident.

Though we are hearing that they sent some aircraft, but we have not seen any, he said. Since after the one that came the day it happened and the day the governor came, and the days the minister came and went back, that is, Friday evening, we have not seen any aircraft.

Alhaji Manzo also briefly narrated how the girls were abducted: We got the information that Boko Haram came into town on that Monday evening. At that time, some of us were in the mosque, while others were yet to go to the mosque. And they started shooting in the town. Many fled, but some people stayed around. They (Boko Haram members) came looking for the school. While searching for the school, they went to the primary school, and they said this is not the school they were looking for. Some of them eventually located the girls school (GGSTC Dapchi), and they went there and abducted our children and went with them.

The chairman called on the government at state and federal level to step up efforts to rescue the girls.

He vowed that the parents will keep up pressure on government until the girls are rescued.

We are hereby begging the federal government under Buharis leadership, and the state government under Ibrahim Gaidams leadership, to be more serious in getting back our children from these people.

And now, some parents, especially the mothers, have been rendered useless with anxiety, having sleepless nights and some are hospitalized as they keep wondering what could be happening to their children. Even, we, the men who are a bit stronger, we are not really doing well emotionally. We can only be fine when we see our children. That is all I can say.

One of the parents of the abducted girls, Hauwa Abubakar, also called on the government to step up the search for the students now.

Hauwa, a single mother, said her daughter, Zara Brema Dabo, a 15- year- old SS1 student, was just three weeks old in the school before the incidence occurred.

In her words: Ever since their father died nine years ago, I am the one taking care of them (the abducted girl and her other children.) Now my daughter is 15. I trained her myself to this time; I dont have any problem until when I took her to a boarding school. She is three weeks old in the boarding school before this incident occurred. That is why Im begging the government to do more to rescue the girls.

However, Hauwa said the abduction was an act of God, and a test of faith, even as she prayed that God gives the parents the strength to pass the test.

Government should please help these female students because they are little children who are not yet matured. Please, in whoever hand they may be, help us rescue our children. We dont have anything else to say, but to beg for their freedom. This is an act of God on us and our children, and we cannot crossover Gods will. And I know this is a test from God. May God give us the strength to pass the test, she said.

Also, a mother, Aisha A. Danjuma, whose daughter was also abducted lamented governments inability to rescue the girls up till now. She said many of the parents of the abducted girls are finding it difficult to sleep.

My daughters name is Aisha A. Danjuma. I am not happy now at all. If I go inside to lay down to sleep, I only enter for the sake of the children, so that they can sleep. But I am not able to sleep myself. The way I entered (the bedroom), that is the same way I will come out.

My mind is bitter now, I cant sleep. If we were staying with our children peacefully at home, they will say we refused to take the children to school. We take them to school, and this is what happened to them. How can I sleep? Our prayer is that God should bring them back safe. And may ours be among the lucky ones, she added.

Yahaya Yusuf Tela, another parent who spoke to our journalist and whose two daughters, Hajara and Rabi, were among the students abducted called on the global community to help in the rescue mission, saying it is now beyond a Nigerian issue.

Tela said neighboring countries like Cameroon and Chad need to join the search too as similar abduction can also happen in their countries.

I am calling on the global community, as this is not just a Nigerian issue, to step into this case and help to rescue these girls, he said. They should also mount pressure on security agencies in other neighboring countries sharing borders with Nigeria such as Chad and Cameroon, to help in the search for these girls, since we all are affected by this. Im calling on the support of Chad and Cameroon as well as the global community to join in this fight.

Im calling on Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria to help us get our children back because a child does not belong to just one person. The children are ours, but the pain is being felt by so many Nigerians, he added.

But Tela said the solution to the abduction is not to close down the school in Dapchi. According to him, the ultimate solution is for the government to look for ways of ending Boko Haram militancy.

He warned that failure of the government to end Boko Haram militancy in the north can lead to the collapse of Nigeria as a country.

He said, if nothing is done to stop these militants called Boko Haram, their activities can consume the whole of this country. They (Boko Haram) are succeeding here today, tomorrow they go there, and next tomorrow go to another place. That is why we want the government to check Boko Haram and provide our security agencies with more equipment which they can use to track where these children are. The government can do this.

We want the government to act fast, the problem of insecurity is causing a lot of havoc to northerners. We need help from Nigerians and even outside Nigeria, they should help us with all they can. We need help to find the missing children so the parents of the missing children can have peace of mind and have time to rest and eat and do their daily businesses. For now, I dont even go to work because of the tension of not seeing my children. I dont even eat, he said.

Another parent, Alhaji Adamu Mohammed, whose daughter Maryam was also abducted, commended government over the prompt set up of the search and rescue mission.

Evidently, we see that this government has stood up to ensure that it rescues these children, he said.

And we are really happy with the reports we are getting that government and other parties are working on bringing back the children. We received reports that the President has asked Airforce commanding officers to relocate to Maiduguri, together with their equipment to ensure that they find these children. We are grateful to both the federal and state governments for their efforts.

I am calling on the federal government to save our children by any means possible. This issue is really troubling us, and not just us, but the entire society.

Those children were abducted from a governments school. No responsible government will keep quiet and watch while this kind of thing happens. Any reasonable government must stand up and tackle this kind of problem when they occur, he said.

Fatima Garba who escaped the abduction by Boko Haram narrated how the incident happened:

Firstly, they entered the school on Monday, at about 7 p.m. Many of us fasted that day in the school. We had never fasted like that in the school before. It was at about 7 p.m., some students were in the Mosque, some had just broken their fast while others were yet to. Then we heard a gunshot. We all went silent. We then heard another gunshot.

Then the students came out, understanding that these gunshots were evidently not of soldiers, it could be that of Boko Haram. The whole school then went out to the gate, which is the exit gate. Already, they (Boko Haram invaders) were in two groups. Some of them were at the staff gate, and the others were at the students gate. They were all wearing military uniforms, and their faces were all masked, we could only see the eyes.

Children began to scale the fence. Then the men began to call on the students saying: Come and enter, we are here to save you. Come and enter, (their trucks) lets save you, Boko Haram have come to attack, come and enter.

Meanwhile, I did not go out, I was still standing. This was because I couldnt find my sister. I looked for her, kept calling her name, but I was still inside the school, I didnt go outside the gate. But the children kept entering (Boko Haram trucks) like that. Later when their vehicles got filled, they now fired a gunshot, which scattered all of us that were by the gate. Some were running from this side to that side, while we ran to staff quarters.

Some scaled the fence and ran into the bush, while we ran to the staff quarters and met the teachers hiding in the quarters. We joined the teachers, and that was where we spent the night. We, the students, together with the Principal and many teachers, all spent the night there. Some others who ran to the bush, go to some nearby villages and spent the night there.

The morning, the next day, we returned back to the school and soldiers were manning the school.

***

Source: SaharaReporters

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Sad! Kenyan Dancer Dies Inside Kirikiri Prison Two Months To Her Release (Photos)

It is a sad time for the family members of a Kenyan woman who died in prison in Nigeria while serving a sentence.

A 42-year-old Kenyan female dancer, Susan Samira Odhiambo Johnson has died last month inside Kirikiri prison. She was serving a sentence after being arrested on April 2015 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in possession of narcotics.

A memorial service was held for Johnson, on February 20, at the chapel in Kirikiri Female Prison in Lagos.

It was gathered that the Kenyan woman was caught with 5.345kg of drugs concealed in a school bags. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said the four blue parcel of white powdery substance found in her possession tested positive for cocaine.

The deceased, who was born in Mombasa travelled with Kenyan International passport with number A1536020. She departed Bujumbura in Burundi en-route Nairobi to Lagos on a Kenyan Airways flight.

During routine screening, she was found with four parcels of cocaine concealed in school bags. Susan said she is a professional dancer in Kenya.

In her defence, the Kenyan argued that the bags were given to her by a friend to carry to Lagos and she had no idea what they contained.

I was given the school bags in Bujumbura by a friend to deliver in Nigeria. When I got to the airport in Lagos, they searched my luggage and found the drugs, she had said.





On December 7, 2015, she was sentenced at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, and on the same day, began her incarceration at Kirikiri. Susan ailed in prison for a few months and died on February 16 on her way to hospital. According to reports, Susan was two months away from completing her term.

Fellow inmates, observed by the female guards, came to the chapel to pay their respects. Some wept openly while others sat pensively through the liturgy. Her immediate family knew about the mass, having been informed of her death and of the chaplains plans by the Kenyan Embassy.

Mr Onyancha, the Kenyan Consular Officer attached to Lagos, and two Kenyans were also present. Presiding over the mass was Fr Cletus Udoh, the Parish Priest in charge of St Josephs Kirikiri, Lagos.

On his side was Fr Emmanuel Likoko, a Kenyan priest in charge of St Mathews Catholic Church in Amukoko, Ifelodun, who had been of much support to Susan in her final months of her life.

Father Likoko said late Susan was looking forward to going back home.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Sunday Igboho distances self from any ties with alleged assassin, Ade Lawyer

By Rotimi Agbana

Nigerian politician and businessman, Chief Sunday Adeyemo famously known as Sunday Igboho has distanced himself from all criminal acts and having any relationship with suspected assassin, Adeola Williams, famously known as Ade Lawyer.

It would be recalled that Ade Lawyer was recently apprehended alongside former National Union Road of Transport Workers (NURTW) Chairman, Lagos State chapter, Alhaji Rafiu Akanni Olohunwa in connection with the murder of Ganiyu Ayinla, popularly known as Pinero, the Personal Assistant to the NURTW Chairman in Idumota, Azeez Lawal, known also as Kunle Poly.

Chief Sunday Adeyemo famously known as Sunday Igboho

Mr Igboho, in a press statement made available on Monday, February 26, 2018 stated that he had no relationship with Ade Lawyer until a land dispute saga ensued between some area boys and his friend, Prince Kazeem, over the latters family land in Lagos.

It was the land dispute that brought us together. Thats all. I hadnt met him before until the land dispute saga and he has never run an errand for me, he stated.

Narrating his encounter with Ade Lawyer, Mr Igboho said: I can remember vividly that sometimes ago, I was at Apapa with my clearing agent, when I was called upon that some miscreants are disturbing my friend, Prince Kazeem on land boundary issues. I rushed to the place hoping that my presence would bring normalcy and Kazeem would leave there unharmed.

Fortunately, the police were already at the disputed land before I got there.

He said there was neither a fight nor any physical assault of any sort before they were invited to the police station for further interrogations.

According to him, a particular NURTW official came with some area boys to protect Prince Kazeem from being harmed by the other group, and Ade Lawyer came with them.

Igboho also said that when the police were searching for the killers of Pinero, he assisted them in arresting one of the suspects, who he named as John Ibafo.

On the role he played in the arrest, Igboho said he tricked him (Ibafo) when he (Igboho) discovered that after they carried out the crime, they ran to Ibadan where he (Igboho) lives.

He said, I was called personally by Kunle Poly, their main target, to assist the police in their arrest and he gave me their names and addresses in Ibadan.

I brought John Ibafo out for the police to arrest him. I also led the police to Ade Lawyers house at Elekun, but he escaped by scaling the fence. When I got the information that he ran to Akure, I informed the police, thereby helping in his arrest.

Igboho, who affirmed he was part of the Police Search Team that carried out the arrest, said his move greatly angered the alleged killer, so much that he kept threatening him (Igboho) on the phone with text messages.

He threatened me that if he was caught, he would implicate me that I am one of his loyal errand boys. I ignored his threats and assisted the police in their investigations, which led to his arrest, he said.

Meanwhile, reacting to insinuations that he is troublesome, Igboho described the claims as nothing but propaganda to tarnish his good image and reputation in the society.

He said, Ive been a politician and businessman in this country for over 10 years. I sell vehicles with my registered company; AdeSon International Concept Limited and I pay tax to the government regularly. Since my participation in politics started, there has been no record of societal unrest caused by me.

Yes, I help people very well. Whenever people are duped or swindled of their properties, I help them to recover such. This I have done a countless number of times. He (Ade Lawyer) is aware that I am always very much interested in protecting peoples lives and properties and also love fighting for peoples rights. I am a human rights activist, he said.

All their moves are just to drag my good name in the soil since they know I am a politician who might be vying for the Governorship seat very soon, Igboho added

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | You will find herdsmen in every part of Nigeria - Oshiomhole speaks about herdsmen-farmers crises

- Adams Oshiomhole asked Nigerians not to politicise the herdsmen-farmers clashes

- He noted that herdsmen are in all parts of the country

- The former governor asked those that commit crimes to be punished

Former Edo Governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, has urged Nigerians not to politicise the herders/farmers problem affecting some parts of the country.

Oshiomhole spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the 26th Convocation Lecture of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH).

READ ALSO: Senate urges President Buhari to rescind decision on Peace Corps Bill

He said a crime committed should be treated as a crime.

The ex-governor said if a crime is committed by anyone, it should be dealt with as such.

According to him, there is no need to mix crime with politics.

Oshiomhole said that such problems become more difficult to resolve once they begin to assume political context, whipping up sentiments.

The former governor said that once people mix criminality with politics, then it becomes complex.

He said that anyone who commits a crime, regardless of his or her trade, should be dealt with according to law.

According to him, the business of the government is to find long term sustainable solutions.

Oshiomhole said that the herdsmen were as old as the Nigerian nation and had been living in peace with other members of the community.

He said what was needed to resolve the herders/farmers problem was long term sustainable policies.

In every part of Nigeria and most communities, you will always have an area domiciled by the herdsmen and they move about their lawful business, here and there.

 In my house, I have a herdsman who is managing my cattle and Im sure there are a lot of other people too who have them.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

 But like every other aspect of Nigeria, a couple of things might have deteriorated, including environmental and security issues among others, he said.

The former governor, however, said that the government has a duty to protect life and properties as provided by the constitution, and that is not negotiable.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE) on Tuesday, March 6, complained over the adverse effects of clashes between herdsmen and farmers on nomadic education across the country, The Punch reports.

Prof. Bashir Usman, the executive secretary, disclosed this at a workshop for nomadic teachers in the South-South region held in Benin, Edo state.

Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers - on NAIJ.com TV

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Dana Airline Mishap: Buhari orders full audit

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA  PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has ordered full audit of the Dana Airlines following the recent near mishap the airline suffered at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State.

The full audit came few hours after the Senate summoned management of Dana Airlines to explain the circumstances surrounding the air mishaps in the country.

Recall that on February 8, 2018 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport, Abuja, the door of one of the aircrafts fell off after it had successfully landed, but management of the airline attributed it to a passenger who attempted to open it.

Another incident occurred in Port Harcourt when the aircraft had successfully landed, then overshot the runway in Port Harcourt.

Briefing State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting that lasted over seven hours presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu explained that President Buhari approved the investigation of the airline following a report presented by the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, for deliberation at the Federal Executive Council meeting.

He said the investigation would involve the staff strength, technical capacity and general operations and that Government has already suspended the operational license of both pilots.

According to him, A lot of quality time was spent discussing air safety, the government of Nigeria is very much concerned about safety and the life of Nigerians, this is following the recent air incidents minor as they were because they are no fatalities.

The government did feel concern and the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Siriki presented a report to the Council on steps that were taken, following the last incident in Port Harcourt, Dana aircraft overshooting the runaway.

As soon as that happened, a few seconds, a rescue team was there on the ground and few moments thereafter made every passenger on board were evacuated, there was no harm to persons and this is something that should be celebrated.

Within 24 hours an official investigation had commenced because investigators arrived in Port Harcourt and began work.

One week after that a preliminary report was prepared and it was about this that the Council was briefed. Consequently as announced by the aviation authorities, the engineer and Pilot of that particular aircraft got their licenses both suspended and beyond that the government has ordered a complete audit of Dana airlines in terms of personnel, operations and technical capacity.

Shehu also said that FEC approved the augmentation of the contract sum for the rehabilitation of Burnt Marina Bridge and the Maintenance of Eko (Apobgbon) and Ido bridges in Lagos.

He said the contract was awarded in favour of Messrs. Buildwell Plant and Equipment Industries Limited, in the sum of N114,424,225.05 representing 12 percent of original contract sum, thereby revising the contract sum from N957,053,316.45 to N1,071,29,541.40 with additional completion period of six months.

Shehu also noted that Council approved the augmentation for Mangu Dam, in Plateau State with N7.66 billion from the original cost of N5.66 billion making the total contract sum to N13.2 billion.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Home | News | General | Ifeoma Fafunwas Hear Word preaches change on stage

By Japhet Alakam

After a successful tour of US where they thrilled their audience to splendid performances of the play, Hear word; Naija Woman Talk True at Harvard Universitys American Repertory Theatre, the entire cast and crew of the play led by its Executive Director ,Ifeoma Fafunwa had an interactive session with the media in Lagos.

The cast of the play, Hear Word; Naija Woman Talk True

The press conference and Cocktail which was organised to mark the International Womens Month afforded the team the opportunity to interact with the media on the outcome of their tour and the message of the play which is the need for women to speak out.

The play featured a cast of 10 Nigerian women who take a piercing look at the double standards in their homeland. They include Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Joke Silva, Bimbo Akintola, Ufuoma McDermott, Elvina Ibru, Zara Udofia-Ejoh, Omonor, and Rita Edward. Others are Debbie Ohiri, Oluchi Tochukwu with master percussionist Blessing Idireri and Emeka Anokwuru.

The women expressed their joy of being part of the change agent. Though tasking, but it was a good outing.

Speaking about the show, the Executive Director, Ifeoma Fafunwa described it as great. It was a successful outing as the play has a global message. The message is universal so people welcomed it. After the show we have been getting a lot of invitation letters from different countries and we believe that we will be touring soon.

She charged women to be involved in politics so that the system can be changed. According to her, if we find a woman that is interested we will support her , but what we want is someone with a policy that will affect women and children.

Also speaking,Taiwo Ajai-Lycett who commended the cast for demonstrating the resilience and dexterity of African women on stage called for a revival of theatre life in Nigeria. We took the best of Nigeria forward and we surprised them over there. We need focus more on theatre because it is intellectually entertaining but engages the audience to think.

HEAR WORD! provides a collection of monologues based on true-life stories of Nigerian women, aimed at challenging social, cultural, and political norms that limit the potential and contribution of women. Told by some of Nigerias most talented actresses, the performance piece combines artistry, social commentary and true-life stories of inequality and transformation. The stories are based on real issues affecting the lives of girls and women across Nigeria and examine what factors limit their potential for independence, leadership and meaningful contribution.

The show not only gives a voice to women; it provides the world with insight into their unique or universal challenges. Tackling topics such as circumcision and barrenness as well as more universal challenges like child molestation, gender-based violence and woman trafficking, HEAR WORD! bravely serves up the cultural and societal norms that oppress and limit African women. It empowers women to break the culture of silence, unite, challenge the status quo, move beyond barriers and create solutions.

Hear Word!, which debuted at the MUSON Centre in 2014, and has been performed to audiences across the world, and this period from Harvard to Connecticut to Amsterdam.

It was the first Nigerian stage play to be invited by Harvard University and the prestigious American Repertory Theatre.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General

Loading...
Police killings in Harare has attracted criticism from many human rights groups including the U.K. based Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation and Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe who jointly organised today's protest at the Zimbabwe Embassy.

Other organisations included MaZimbabweYesWeCan, Women Of Justice Arise (WOJA), MDC, and ZAPU.

The protesters gathered outside the Zimbabwe Embassy demanding the arrest and punishment of the police officer(s) who killed civilians on Thursday - 22 February 2018 - They are further demanding an end to police brutality and the militarisation of state institutions. Other demands include the return of missing people who have been taken into custody.

The shooting came as a result of skirmishes caused by the ban imposed on commuter omnibuses from the Harare Central Business District.

The shootings incident sparked public outrage that saw members of the public descend on the Harare Central police station demanding the arrest of the police officer(s) involved in the senseless act.

The diaspora protesters called on the authorities to carry out a credible investigation into the shootings and bring the culprit(s) to justice. No police officer has yet been arrested in connection with the killings. Reports of Human rights violations by security forces in Zimbabwe are common, while officers are rarely held accountable for their actions .

Demonstrators also chanted, "Justice now," as they marched towards the Embassy to submit the petition. The Embassy staff called in the London Metropolitan Police who sent in 2 vehicles and 2 motorbikes and arrived in a space of 10 minutes. They urged the demonstrators to say outside the Embassy. No one was arrested.

"We are here at the Embassy because Police brutality has become endemic, it is slowly becoming part of the Zimbabwean culture". Said Philip Mahlahla, one of the vigil coordinators.

Although the Zimbabwe Republic Police has an internal investigations department that is responsible for investigating complaints against the police -there is no threat of a civil suit - the most likely outcome of a case against the police is no outcome at all.

It has been contended that police investigatory procedure are fraught with bias against anti-police testimony while police Officers are reluctant to testify against their peers.

Police misconduct is often met with impunity. The ZRP has failed to put in place credible grievance and investigatory procedures that do not expose complainants to retaliation or victimisation therefore an independent inquiry is needed.

This continues to undermine the morale and public trust in ZRP officers. Whereas in other countries people fear criminals and thugs, Zimbabweans fear the police and soldiers. The security forces are more an instrument for Zanu Pf to coerce.

The ZRP is responsible for crime prevention, property protection, law enforcement, assisting in emergency situations and state security. Out of these they emerge repressive, punitive, militaristic, centralised and Zanu Pf controlled. The ZRP seem to prioritise public order maintenance and prevention of crime comes second. The fundamental duties of a police force have long eroded.

Lack of resources, politicisation, poor conditions of service, and corruption are all as a result of Zanu-Pf's poor governance. Human rights organisations have found that there are no proper internal police mechanisms for investigating cases of police and that incidents of torture and excessive use of force are rarely investigated.

"One of the anti-corruption commission's job is to investigate abuse of power but there is no hope in this toothless bulldog whose members have been appointed on the basis of patronage" said ZHRO Chairperson, Chipochedenga Parirenyatwa.

George Shambela, Philip Mahlahla, Rufaro Zondesa and Barbara Kachidza and Namatirai Nzira officially presented the petition to the Embassy staffs.

Those who signed the petition included: Namatirai Angela Sithole, George Shambela, Philip J Mahlahla, John Burke, Rashiwe Bayisayi, Chipochedenga Parirenyatwa, Sarah Bayisayi, Rufaro Zondesa, Roseline Mukucha, Zondiwe Gumede, Kingstone Jambawo, Silvanos Mudzvova, Farai Nhakaniso, Memory Chinake, Salome Nkiwane, Sindile Patience Ncube, Ebson Chigwedere, Barbara Kachidza, Susan Chiwenga, Junior Madzimure, Shiellah Mushunje, Sibongile Bvungidzire, Nunurai Machakaire, Nehemiah Musonza, Peter Sidindi, Memory Chinake, Pride Stuart Nyandoro, Gibson Mberi, Musawenkosi Dladla, Nancy Mukurira.
He should have had St. Vincent and Anna Calvi on the album. They have collaborated before.

Reply

Thread

Link

I am surprised he didn't have Annie on there considering all of their work together.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Im legit confused why annie isnt featured

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link





Critics often brush over the details: Byrne made her audition three times to keep her spot in the band  something no other member was asked to do. In the 2015 documentary Girls in Bands, she recalled Byrne telling her that he thought "a woman's role shouldn't really be in the big world because it was a dangerous place for women."



Whenever something wasn't working, Byrne blamed Weymouth. "Anytime David felt insecure, I was his whipping boy. Every time he couldn't come up with something, he'd beat me up about it. The whole time, it was so painful for me," she recounted to Bowman.



http://www.papermag.com/40-years-late-talking-heads-most-valuable-member-is-still-its-most-under-recognized-1-2482571556.html?curator=MusicREDEF

Chris Frantz recently asserted in an email thread I'm on that David Byrne "repeatedly demeaned, humiliated and marginalized" Tina Weymouth when they all were in the Talking Heads. https://t.co/wnmqgwNEwy  Dylan Stableford (@stableford) March 6, 2018





I hope he has changed but he treated Tina like shit and it obviously still (rightfully) bothers her.





Edited at 2018-03-07 12:15 am (UTC) I've always been lukewarm on him tbh even if I love his work.I hope he has changed but he treated Tina like shit and it obviously still (rightfully) bothers her.

Reply

Thread

Link

Well damn. :(

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Annnd there it is!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

ugh thats awful 

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

yikes i didn't know that. he's playing here later this month and i'd like to go but the tickets are already expensive and this doesn't help

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

"tortured artist" types are the fucking worst.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

k but she also said that he killed a boy using voodoo and that people who interact with him should "watch out for the autism." So there's obviously some shit between the two of them.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

other people around that time corroborated how he treated her, so I'd have to pretend they're all lying too.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I had no idea this happened. This is so disappointing. Poor Tina :/

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I don't understand this. He's collaborated loads with women in the past; how do you not realize your latest album is a sausagefest and have to have people point that out to you?

Reply

Thread

Link

Sometimes I don't get how men like...look at images like that or do projects like this and don't think for even a second about the type of people they are collaborating with or the diversity of the set. Like, we have a commission at our school that is literally 28 older white dudes, one white woman, and one black man. They all acted SHOCKED that anyone criticized the lack of diversity and are acting like they had NO IDEA they hired almost all white dudes.



Like, how do not notice? Sometimes I think people are playing dumb, but also I think sometimes guys are just so used to being represented everywhere that that seems natural and normal. Like, they really don't notice because life is great for them and they are represented everywhere, in everything, so that continuing feels natural and like it is supposed to be that way. But like, you can do better if you want to, which I guess a lot don't...



I don't even know what I am trying to say. The title is especially funny to me though-like, it reveals what some think IS the American Utopia lol.



Edited at 2018-03-07 12:19 am (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link

Representation and diversity have never mattered to them so they're oblivious.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

idk how they not notice, but i think we're maybe more prone to noticing differences than similarities. it's like that study where men thought women talked most of the time but they only talked for like 30% of the time as compared to the imagined statistic of 60% or smth.



like, white men are so entitled they think allowing these people to speak a few sentences it counts as diversity bc they're different and maybe stand out more, but there's a lot to say about hypervisibility for people who aren't in positions of societal power that're in institutionally powerful positions.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Yeah, it's the same thing with racial bias, too. I think it's a similar value, that if ~30% of a neighborhood is non-white, people think of it as a black/brown/whatever neighborhood.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Tagging onto the other comment to add another study on ratio of men and women in groups. This one found that if there's 17 percent women, the men in the group think it's 50-50. And if there's 33 percent women, the men perceive that as there being more women in the room than men



In other news men are delusion and entitled

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

he misspelled dystopia

Reply

Thread

Link

decent response IMO. i am a fan of his music but he seems like a guy i wouldnt want to meet in person - a little too far up his own ass.

Reply

Thread

Link

"I am happy that we live in a time that this conversation is happening"



How very Mark Ruffalo of him. It's time we have this conversation!

Reply

Thread

Link

ikr - I could give two shits abt his happiness

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Nothing is pissing me off more today than the constant answer to hard questions of "I think it's important we're having this conversation." As if that is an answer itself. STOP TALKING ABOUT THE CONVERSATION AND CONVERSE YOU FUCKTARDS.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Every time I see it, I think of Kendall's Pepsi commercial where that was one of the generic protest signs.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Love men showing their true colours and then saying "it's not who I am!"



But...it is lmao. It's exactly who you are.

Reply

Thread

Link









Edited at 2018-03-07 12:37 am (UTC) I'd rather listen again to the David Byrne/Fatboy Slim concept album of the musical Here Lies Love featuring Tori Amos, Florence Welch, Natalie Merchant, Santigold, Sia, Kate Pierson, Roisin Murphy, Cyndi Lauper and many other women instead of this new album. I mean, can any of those men sing an electro disco bop like this one? I don't think so.

Reply

Thread

Link

I think I'll check this out and pass on his latest outing.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

tired old excuse. it's exactly who you are.



almost all men would choose without hesitation to work with each other rather than a woman if given the freedom to do as they please.

Reply

Thread

Link

It pisses me off that I grew up being told girls can grow up to be anything. When in reality this happens, a competent woman candidate loses the presidency to the cheeto clown, literally 90% of the people on movie posters on itunes right now are men, etc. But we're told that women and the me too movement "won" 2017. fuck that.

Reply

Thread

Link

oh yeah! women! i knew i forgot something! i didn't even think about it when i was trying to find 60 collaborators, i was too busy trying to find two black dudes and one asian i totally forgot about women!

Reply

Thread

Link

don't fucking do this david, don't disappoint me

Reply

Thread

Link





my fondest david byrne memory

Reply

Thread

Link
15 Empowering Movies to Get You in the Mood for International Women's Day https://t.co/HHrADw3yj3 pic.twitter.com/z3GHS30VL2  Marie Claire (@marieclaire) 6 mars 2018

BELLE

MULAN

WONDER WOMAN

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON

REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES

: BELLE is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy Captain. Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield and his wife, Belle's lineage affords her certain privileges, yet the color of her skin prevents her from fully participating in the traditions of her social standing. Left to wonder if she will ever find love, Belle falls for an idealistic young vicar's son bent on change who, with her help, shapes Lord Mansfield's role as Lord Chief Justice to end slavery in England.: Disney's cross-cultural retelling of a popular Chinese folk tale about a peasant girl who disguises herself as a man and takes her ailing father's place in the emperor's army turns the traditional fairy tale ending on its head. This time, the princess rescues the prince.: Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when a pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers and her true destiny.: In 19th century Qing Dynasty China, a warrior gives his sword, Green Destiny, to his lover to deliver to safe keeping, but it is stolen, and the chase is on to find it. The search leads to the House of Yu where the story takes on a whole different level.: Ana, a first generation Mexican American teenager living in East Los Angeles, has just graduated from high school. Because she is a talented writer, a caring teacher urges her to apply to college. Ana secretly is excited about the possibility, but her overbearing and hypercritical mother, Carmen, insists that it is time for her to help provide for the family by working in her sister's sewing factory. When a crisis arises at the factory, it seems as if Ana's fate is unhappily sealed, but her indomitable will to reach beyond sweatshop life eventually leads her to burst, defiant and resplendent, through every restriction on her life. what's your favorite female lead movie??


"challenging fun"

- Entertainment Weekly

Dear Paul, I just dreamed of airships flying between raindrops. I just returned from 2042 CE, where I sold my hardcover copy offor seventy million Neo-Euros, because it had your response to this e-mail from way back in 2007 scotch-taped onto the inside of the cover. A Paul Levinson collector paid top Neo-Euro, because of the authentic archaic e-mail printout from you. It turns out that not many of your e-mails from before your tenure as CEO of HBO/Cinemax and terms as United Nations Secretary General will survive that far into the future. So, please respond to this e-mail, to help found my great-grandchildren's fortune. My Will will stipulate that they must share with your great grandchildren. Thanks! Tom
" " Largely due to an obscure rider known as the Dickey Amendment, there is relatively little existing or ongoing federally funded scientific research attempting to shed light on how to prevent gun violence from occurring. Paul J. Richards/Getty Images

After a teenage gunman armed with a magazine-fed semi-automatic AR-15 rifle killed 17 people at a Florida high school on Feb. 14, 2018 in still another of the mass shootings that have become increasingly common in the U.S., a grieving nation, yet again, loudly debated what to do to prevent further violence. Some want tighter restrictions on gun ownership and the types of weapons that can be sold  particularly military-style assault weapons of the sort favored by mass killers. Opponents of gun control, in turn, counter that the real problem is mental health, not access to firearms, and once again are floating the idea that teachers should be allowed  and encouraged  to carry guns, so that they can respond to a school attack with deadly force.

Advertisement

Where's the Research?

What makes the impassioned public debate even more difficult to resolve is that there is relatively little federally-funded scientific research to shed light on how to prevent mass shootings  or firearm violence in general  from occurring. Many public health experts say the reason is the so-called Dickey Amendment, a rider in federal spending bills that blocks the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from using funds allocated for injury prevention research to "advocate or promote gun control."

The rider gets its name from Jay Dickey, the late Republican congressman from Arkansas who first introduced the ban in 1996. At the time, it was coupled with elimination of funding for an existing CDC research effort focused on gun violence. Since then the rider has been inserted repeatedly into spending bills.

The Dickey Amendment doesn't completely ban any sort of research or data-gathering on firearm violence, CDC spokesperson Courtney Lenard explains via email. "CDC does not receive direct funding for firearm-related research, but it does do data collection and research that includes firearms as one mechanism of these types of violence issues," Lenard writes.

But critics say the amendment has inhibited scientists from probing the tough questions. "Precisely what was or was not permitted under the clause was unclear," researchers Dr. Arthur L. Kellermann and Dr. Frederick P. Rivara argued in this 2013 opinion piece in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "But no federal employee was willing to risk his or her career or the agency's funding to find out. Extramural support for firearm injury prevention research quickly dried up."

Advertisement

What Spurred the Amendment?

Rivara says the Dickey Amendment was a reaction in part to studies such as this one that he, Kellermann and other researchers published in the New England Journal of Medicine in October 1993. They found that having a gun in the home actually was associated with an increased risk of homicide rather than making a person safer. Such research "brought to people's attention the idea that gun violence was a public health problem," Rivara explains.

But the view of gun rights supporters was that the government-funded researchers were biased. "It's not objective data gun control advocates seek," Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, argued in this 2015 opinion piece in Politico. "They have a predetermined outcome. Now, they just need some government-sponsored, taxpayer-funded data points to validate their anti-gun agenda."

Opponents of gun control in Congress reinforced the research ban. Two years after a 2009 study, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, found that individuals in possession of a gun were 4.46 times more likely to be shot in an assault than those not in possession. Congress expanded the research restrictions to all agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services.

This ban expansion has had a profound impact. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Jan. 3, 2017 found that between 2004 and 2014, the U.S. saw about 350,000 firearms-related deaths. Based upon the amount of funding for research on other top causes of death, a statistical model predicted that gun research should have received nearly $1.4 billion in federal funding, and generated nearly 39,000 published studies. Instead, gun research got just $22.1 million, and produced only 1,738 studies in that period. (Here's a 2017 article from The Trace that explains the research.)

"I think it's set us back tremendously in terms of research on the impact of guns on public health," Dr. David Satcher, who headed the CDC at the time the Dickey Amendment originally was imposed, says. Satcher, who also later served as Surgeon General during the Clinton Administration, says the Dickey Amendment "sent a couple of messages. It said, you won't have the money, but also we don't want you doing the research."

Advertisement

Even Dickey Finally Favored Repeal

Satcher and others have noted that even the Dickey Amendment's author eventually came to see it as a mistake. In a 2012 opinion piece in The Washington Post, Dickey and Mark Rosenberg, who in the mid-1990s oversaw the CDC gun research that the amendment ended, wrote, "Firearm injuries will continue to claim far too many lives at home, at school, at work and at the movies until we start asking and answering the hard questions."

Rivara says he doesn't think it make any sense to impede federally-funded gun research when science has helped remedy other public health problems. Case in point: Motor vehicle fatalities have fallen dramatically since the 1990s. "Research into why people get hurt in cars, how to make roads safer and trauma care better contributed to the decrease," he notes. The effort to make roads safer was aided by federal and state efforts to systematically amass data  not just on fatalities, but also on the number of drivers and cars registered, driving records and other useful information.

When it comes to guns, in contrast, such national databases don't exist, and nobody even knows exactly how many guns there are in the U.S.

"If you can't measure it, you can't fix it," Rivara says. "That's the problem with guns."

Now That's Interesting In 2016, a letter from 141 medical organizations asked Congress to end the Dickey Amendment prohibition. "Americans deserve to know that we are working with the best tools and information in the fight to reduce gun violence deaths and injuries," the group wrote.
"KL Special Force" will screen in Singapore and Brunei Syafiq Yusof's movie will screen in Malaysia this 8 Mar and then go to neighbouring countries



Director Syafiq Yusof with the cast of "KL Special Force".



7 Mar  Director Syafiq Yusof continues to excel with his latest action blockbuster, "KL Special Force" which has been widely praised since its preview.

Although his latest movie centres on the police force, it is a more serious film without any room for comedy.

"This idea came to fruition when I wanted to make a more serious police story with no comedic elements and have actors who can portray challenging characters. From there, "KL Special Force" was born," he said during the premiere of "KL Special Force" at mmCineplexes, eCurve yesterday.



Mustaqim Bahadon, Josiah Hogan, Shaharuddin Tambi, Sabrina Ali, Fattah Amin, Tania Hudson,

Ramona Zamzam, and Datuk Rosyam Nor at the premiere.



Syafiq, who is known for being a director who likes to pair up new talents with more seasoned actors, does the same in his latest movie, pairing Fattah Amin and Datuk Rosyam Nor in leading roles.

"There is a junior police and a senior police in this movie. The choice of having Fattah on board was made because this is his first movie and I always knew he was capable of bringing a serious character. For Datuk Rosyam Nor, his acting credibility and experiences in an action movie like this one is obviously undoubted."

Syafiq also praised all of his actors and actresses who were so committed and willing to do their own stunts even when stunt performers were readily available on set.

Besides Fattah and Rosyam Nor, the movie which costs around RM 4 million to produce also stars Syamsul Yusof as one of the main characters, along with Sabrina Ali, Puteri Balqis, Tania Hudson, Esma Daniel, Josiah Hogan, Ramona Zamzam, and many more

The Skop Productions, Damofa Productions, and Viper Studios joint production will also be released in neighbouring countries which includes Singapore and Brunei.

"KL Special Force" will premiere in Malaysia this 8 March.

Meanwhile, when asked about his hopes for this movie, Shafiq, also the son of acclaimed producer and director Datuk Yusof Haslam said that he hopes that it will be well-received by fans, thus continuing his excellent streak after "Abang Long Fadil 2".
MANILA, Philippines  Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said that the bilateral agreement on the protection of Filipino migrant workers is already 85-percent complete.

The governments of Kuwait and Philippines have agreed on several provisions stated in the agreement.

These include matters on passport and communication issues.

The said provision states that OFWs should have with them their passports and should be allowed to use telephones or mobile phones so they could communicate with their families and the Philippine Embassy.

They are not against it  iyong tungkol sa hindi dapat kinonfiscate iyong passport ng OFW, said the labor secretary.

(They are not against it  the provision that says employers should not confiscate passports of OFWs.)

Kuwaiti and Philippine authorities are now finalizing the provision that states, government representatives should approve the transfer of OFWs to other employers.

Kailangan with written consent of the employee and the approval of the labor attache or kung walang labor attache iyong head of the embassy, said Bello.

(It should be with the written consent of the employee and the approval of the labor attache. If there is no labor attache, it should be the head of the embassy.)

Despite the agreement being 85 percent complete, Bello noted that the labor department could not yet reveal all the provisions of the agreement pending the signing of the Kuwaiti government.

He said there is a huge possibility the said deal might be signed at the soonest possible time.

Medyo maghintay-hintay lang sila dahil kapag hindi nagkaroon ng bilateral agreement sa pagitan ng ating bansa at ng kanilang bansa, at hindi nabigyan ng katarungan ang ating kaibigan at OFW na si Joanna Demafelis ay malabong ma-lift iyong deployment ban, said the labor chief.

(They might have to wait a bit. Until there is no final bilateral agreement between our country and Kuwait, and until the death of our fellow Filipino Joanna Demafelis has yet to be given justice, we will not yet lift the deployment ban.)  Aiko Miguel | UNTV News & Rescue

The post Kuwait agrees to PHs conditions for OFW protection appeared first on UNTV News.
A lattice design in a repeating crisscross structure. The pattern in which a materials polymer strips are arranged, according to UWMadison engineering researchers, can confer added strength and durability. Credit: RODERIC LAKES

An engineering physics professor at the University of WisconsinMadison has created new materials that behave in an unusual way that defies the standard theory engineers use for designing things like buildings, airplanes, bridges and electronic devices.

It's an advance that could open the door to designing novel materials for applications that require high toughnessfor example, airplane wings that are more fracture-resistant.

The classical elasticity theory works well for predicting the behavior of most ordinary materials, including steel, aluminum and concrete, and ensuring structures can withstand mechanical forces without breaking or deforming too much. But for some materials, the theory is limiting.

Roderic Lakes and graduate student Zachariah Rueger used 3-D printing to make their new polymer lattice materials. Their designthe pattern in which the materials' polymer strips are arrangedis a repeating crisscross structure. When it's twisted or bent, a bar of this polymer lattice is about 30 times stiffer than would be expected based on classical elasticity theory.

The Wisconsin researchers described their new lattice materials in the journal Physical Review Letters on Feb. 8, 2018.

Performing measurements in the lab, Lakes determined that the materials' behavior was consistent with Cosserat elasticity, a more descriptive theory of elasticity that takes into consideration the size of the underlying structure in a material.

"When you have a material with substructure in it, such as some foams, lattices and fiber-reinforced materials, there's more freedom in it than classical elasticity theory can handle," Lakes says. "So we're studying the freedom of materials to behave in ways not anticipated by the standard theory."

This increased freedom offers a potential path to creating novel materials that are immune to stress concentration; in other words, materials with improved toughness. Such materials would be useful for a variety of applications, including making airplane wings more resistant to cracks.

If a crack forms in an airplane wing, stress is concentrated around the crack, making the wing weaker. "You need a certain amount of stress to break something, but if there's a crack in it, you can break it with less stress," Lakes says.

Using the Cosserat theory of elasticity to inform materials design will yield tougher materials in which stresses are distributed throughout the materials differently, according to Lakes.

These same effects are present in materials such as bone and certain types of foams. However, when engineers make foam for a seat cushion, for example, they don't have much control over the foam's substructurethe tiny bubbles that form and make up the cells inside the foam. As a result, they have limited ability to tailor the Cosserat effects.

In contrast to foam, the UWMadison researchers can tune the Cosserat effects in their lattice materials and make them very strong.

"We developed a material in which we have exceptionally detailed control over the fine structure of our lattice, and that enabled us to achieve very strong effects when bending and twisting the material," Lakes says.

Explore further The shape of things to come for quantum materials?
In this Nov. 1, 2017 file photo high power cables hang from a pole on a field in Hattersheim, Germany. Millions of Europeans who arrived late to work or school Wednesday March 7, 2018 have a good excuse: an unprecedented slowing of the frequency of the continent's electricity grid. The Brussels-based European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, or ENTSO-E, says the problem began mid-January and affects 25 countries, from Portugal to Poland and Greece and Germany. (AP Photo/Michael Probst,file)

Millions of Europeans who arrived late to work or school Wednesday had a good excusean unprecedented lag in the continent's electricity grid that's slowing down some clocks.

The problem is caused by a political dispute between Serbia and Kosovo that's sapping a small amount of energy from the local grid, causing a domino effect across the 25-nation network spanning the continent from Portugal to Poland and Greece to Germany.

"Since the European system is interconnected ... when there is an imbalance somewhere the frequency slightly drops," said Claire Camus, a spokeswoman for the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity.

The Brussels-based organization, known as ENTSO-E, said in a separate statement that "this average frequency deviation, that has never happened in any similar way in the Continental European power system, must cease."

The deviation from Europe's standard 50 Hz frequency has been enough to cause electric clocks that keep time by the power system's frequency, rather than built-in quartz crystals, to fall behind by about six minutes since mid-January. The problem mostly affects radio alarms, oven clocks or clocks used to program heating systems.

ENTSO-E said it's working on a technical solution that could bring the system back to normal within "a few weeks," but urged European authorities and national governments to address the political problem at the heart of the issue.

"This is beyond the technical world. Now there needs to be an agreement between Serbia and Kosovo about this lack of energy in the Kosovo system. You need to solve it politically and then technically," Camus told The Associated Press.

The friction between Serbia and Kosovo is part of a broader dispute that goes back almost 20 years. Since the war in Kosovo ended in 1999, the Serb-dominated north of Kosovo that remains loyal to Belgrade, haven't paid the Kosovo government for the energy they consume.

A 2015 agreement was meant to resolve the dispute, but Serbia has blocked its implementation.

Serbia's power grid company EMS blamed the problem on Kosovo, claiming that in January and February the country "was uninterruptedly withdrawing, in an unauthorized manner, uncontracted electric energy from the Continental Europe synchronous area."

Kadri Kadriu, deputy manager of Kosovo's grid operator KOSTT, acknowledged that electricity from elsewhere was diverted to the Serb minority in the north, but said consumers there hadn't paid for their electricity, causing considerable financial burden to the company.

ENTSO-E warned that "if no solution can be found at political level, a deviation risk could remain."

So far the only consequence seems to be the effect on clocks.

"The system is built in such a way that all your basic needs are really secured by the distribution and the transmission system operators," Camus said. "Frankly, there is no risk other than those clocks running behind."

Explore further Europe's electricity operators prepare for March solar eclipse

 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

New research shows that sections of the San Francisco Bay shoreline are sinking at rates of nearly half an inch (10 millimeters) a year.

Knowledge of where the ground in the Bay Area is sinking, and by how much, is not included in the official planning maps that authorities use to assess the local flooding risk from rising sea levels.

The new findings appear in a paper published March 7 in the journal Science Advances. The lead author is Manoochehr Shirzaei, assistant professor in ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) and a member of NASA's Sea Level Change planning team. His co-author is Roland Burgmann of the University of California, Berkeley.

The scientists measured how much the land along the Bay's shoreline has sunk with interferometric imaging using synthetic aperture radar from Earth orbit to detect elevation. The technique is sensitive enough to measure year-to-year changes in local ground elevation as small as a millimeter. Their study used data from 2007 to 2011.

"Although we found that most of the Bay's shoreline is sinking by less than two millimeters a year," says Shirzaei, "in several areas we discovered subsidence rates of 10 millimeters a year and more."

He points to San Francisco Bay's Treasure Island as an example of land that is subsiding at a relatively high rate. The island, located in the Bay midway between San Francisco and Oakland, was created as landfill for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, but is now mostly a mix of historic buildings. The northwest corner of Treasure Island is sinking at a rate of half an inch to three-quarters of an inch (12 to 20 millimeters) a year.

It is, the scientists say, typical of most areas of land subsidence in the Bay area. Many are former landfills that are slowly compacting, while others are places where streams and rivers are depositing successive layers of mud as they flow into the Bay.

Not on FEMA's planning maps

The scientists note that state, county, and municipal administrations currently use maps prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make plans for dealing with possible flooding.

FEMA's Increased Flooding Scenario Maps use data from the agency's San Francisco Bay Area Coastal Study to estimate how the coastal floodplain would change with a 1-foot, 2-foot, and 3-foot rise in Bay water levels.

When Shirzaei and Burgmann examined different sea-level rise scenarios, they found that for the San Francisco Bay shoreline by the year 2100, some 20 to 160 square miles (51 to 413 square kilometers) face a risk of flooding.

The San Francisco Bay shoreline, where yellow indicates areas where a projected rise in sea level (SLR) will result in flooding by 2100. Red shows where local land subsidence (LLS) will combine with SLR to increase the flood-prone areas. Credit: ASU/Manoochehr Shirzaei

But that was just from rising sea levels. When they added the effects of sinking ground along the shoreline, they found the area threatened by rising water was notably larger: 48 to 166 square miles (125 to 429 square kilometers).

"There are many estimates and models for sea-level rise," Shirzaei says, "but they all fall short because they don't take into account land elevation changes."

These estimates are conservative, the researchers add. Extreme high tides, major storms, and periods of high runoff from rain and snowmelt in the rivers that feed into the Bay can raise the Bay's water level temporarily above that projected from rising sea levels.

"Flooding from sea level rise is clearly an issue in many coastal urban areas," co-author Burgmann says. "This kind of analysis is probably going to be relevant around the world, and could be expanded to a much, much larger scale."

High economic impact

When formerly dry land becomes flooded, it causes saltwater contamination of surface and underground water and it accelerates coastal erosion and wetland losses.

But the scientists spotlight two areas of sinking ground on the Bay's shoreline where flooding would have a high economic impact. These are San Francisco International Airport and Foster City.

The airport, built mostly on landfill, handles more than 200,000 annual landings and sees 56 million passengers passing through it each year. The airport is both a destination for travelers to the Bay Area and a hub for domestic and international flights. The scientists' data show that when land subsidence is combined with projected rising sea levels, water will cover nearly half the airport's runways and taxiways by the year 2100.

Foster City, which lies halfway between San Francisco and San Jose, was built in the 1960s, partly on engineered landfill. It has become home to a growing number of high-tech and IT companies because real estate is limited and expensive in the Bay Area to the north and south. However, the parts of the city that were built on landfill are subsiding and, coupled with rising sea levels, significant parts of the city will be at risk of flooding by 2100.

Looking forward

The researchers note that the FEMA maps of the Bay Area need to be updated with the measurements of land subsidence as well as recent projections of rising sea level so that local authorities can make better flood resilience plans.

Unfortunately, Shirzaei says, sinking ground along the shoreline greatly magnifies the effects of sea level rise because both processes work together to worsen the situation.

He says, "The ground goes down, sea level comes up, and flood waters go much farther inland than either change would produce by itself."

Explore further NASA finds Virginia metro area is sinking unevenly

More information: M. Shirzaei at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ el al., "Global climate change and local land subsidence exacerbate inundation risk to the San Francisco Bay Area," Science Advances (2018). advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/3/eaap9234 Journal information: Science Advances M. Shirzaei at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ el al., "Global climate change and local land subsidence exacerbate inundation risk to the San Francisco Bay Area,"(2018). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aap9234
Glacial isostatic adjustment is the ongoing movement of land once burdened by ice-age glaciers. Credit: NASA/John Sonntag

A new study has, for the first time, cut a clear path through a nettlesome problem: accurately measuring a powerful effect on global sea level that lingers from the last ice age.

Just how quickly Earth's deep, rocky mantle is rebounding from the heavy burden of ancient ice sheets and oceans remains somewhat uncertain. But this rebound effect, known as glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA), is critical to properly understanding the causes of sea level change.

Even getting a solid handle on the level of uncertainty associated with estimates of GIA has proven elusive. The new study offers a more rigorous way out of this thicket  establishing a formal system for assessing this uncertainty. That should lead to more realistic estimates of sea level change, and greater precision in projections of future sea level rise, according to the study's authors.

"Knowing how much we don't know is the first step," said Lambert Caron, a post-doctoral researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California and lead author of the new study published today in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union,

Try out a NASA simulation of GIA from JPL's Virtual Earth Systems Laboratory here.

While new findings based on strong data get most of the headlines, gauging levels of uncertainty also is important to scientific investigations. It's an especially thorny problem in the study of sea level change.

Interpreting data from NASA's twin GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellites offers one example. By measuring subtle shifts in gravity across Earth's surface, the GRACE satellites gathered an important 15-year-long data set, now being used to help determine how much sea level rise is caused by additional water mass. GRACE also can be used to track varying quantities of ocean water, changes in polar ice and the movement of water between oceans and land.

GIA looms in the background of such measurements. Pinning down the uncertainty connected with it more precisely helps scientists separate ice age and present-day processes, including how much of sea-level rise is driven by expansion of ocean water as it warms. Knowledge of GIA also helps clarify trends in water storage on land, measured by satellite as well as ground-based instruments. Another question it can help clear up: how alterations in the shape of ocean basins caused by GIA contributes to apparent sea level changes.

Measurement and uncertainty

Previous studies attempted to put a fence around uncertainty using various methods, Caron said. These included running repeated computer models and culling out all but a handful that seemed to provide the best match, or "fit," to what the data gathered by GRACE and other observation platforms show.

Differences among the "best fit" models then can be used to reveal likely levels of uncertainty in interpreting the data.

"People started comparing a handful of models, some of them relying on similar assumptions and setups, and concluding that the differences between them were essentially how much uncertainty we had over GIA," Caron said. "That's fine, but it doesn't allow us to explore the entire range of possible scenarios. We need a more formal approach."

The new study relies on technological improvements, which have only become possible within the past decade, to carry out a high number of computer simulations  in this case, more than 100,000. By more systematically exploring the range of GIA scenarios, Caron's team seeks to turn discrepancies among different models into a virtue. They framed the question in a new way: How different can models be while still matching the data? From this spread of models and a method called the Bayesian approach, better statistics on uncertainty can be retrieved.

The new assessment also is based on GPS time series measurements from 459 sites in Europe, North America and Antarctica, and more than 11,000 records of relative sea level  that is, sea level in relation to coastal elevation. This allows the parameters controlling the GIA rebound to be more thoroughly scrutinized.

The new framework translates into what Caron calls the first formal uncertainties for GIA on a global scale.

The study reveals an underestimate of uncertainty levels for GIA estimates, he said  from a typical 20 percent uncertainty in previous studies to a median value of 44 percent. In polar regions, GIA has a large impact on the interpretation of gravity data.

That leads to refinements in uncertainty levels for sea level rise in specific locations around the world. In the New Orleans region, for example, applying the new method yields a prediction of a 1 millimeter rise in relative sea level per year, with an uncertainty of 0.4 millimeters per year.

Caron said he hopes the new formal uncertainties will be a useful tool not only for researchers, but for city planners as well.

"We want to give them a measure of confidence for the average scenario, and what is the worst-case scenario they would have to plan for  how much the country has to invest in modernizing infrastructure, reconstructing piers, or to mitigate flooding," he said.

Explore further Research team detects an acceleration in the 25-year satellite sea level record

More information: L. Caron et al. GIA Model Statistics for GRACE Hydrology, Cryosphere, and Ocean Science, Geophysical Research Letters (2018). Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters L. Caron et al. GIA Model Statistics for GRACE Hydrology, Cryosphere, and Ocean Science,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/2017GL076644

Provided by AGU

This story is republished courtesy of AGU Blogs (http://blogs.agu.org), a community of Earth and space science blogs, hosted by the American Geophysical Union. Read the original story here.
Advanced gasification methods can turn any waste except metal and rubble into fuel for electricity. Credit: Pixabay/ Prylarer

Landfill is both ugly and polluting. But a new breed of technology promises to make it a thing of the past, transforming a huge portion of landfill material into clean gas.

It's thanks to a process called gasification, which involves turning carbon-based materials into gas by heating them to a high temperature but without burning them. The gas can be stored until it is needed for the generation of electricity.

According to its developers, advanced gasification can be fed by plastic, biomass, textiles  just about anything except metal and rubble. Out of the other end comes syngas  a clean, easily combustible gas made up of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

The basics of the technology are old. Back in the 19th century, gasification plants existed in many of Europe's major cities, turning coal into coal gas for heating and lighting.

Gasification waned after the discovery of natural gas reserves early last century. Then in the past 20 years or so, it had a small renaissance, as gasification plants sprung up to process waste wood.

In a new, advanced implementation, however, a much broader range of materials can be processed, and the output gas is much cleaner. "Gasification is clearly gaining a lot of traction, but we've taken it further," said Jean-Eric Petit of French company CHO Power, based in Bordeaux.

Gasification

Gasification involves heating without combustion. At temperatures greater than 700C, a lot of hydrocarbon-based materials break down into a gas of carbon monoxide and hydrogen  syngas  which can be used as a fuel.

For materials such as wood, this is relatively straightforward. Try it with other hydrocarbon materials, and especially hard-to-recycle industrial waste, however, and the reaction tends to generate pollutants, such as tar.

But tar itself is just a more complex hydrocarbon. That is why Petit and his colleagues have developed a higher temperature process, at some 1200C, in which even tar is broken down.

The result is syngas, which, unline other thermal processes, does not create dangerous pollutants. In fact, it is high-quality enough to be fed directly into high-efficiency gas engines, generating electricity with twice the efficiency of the steam turbines used with conventional gasification, says Petit.

CHO Power has already built an advanced gasification plant in Morcenx, France, which converts 55,000 tonnes of wood, biomass and industrial waste a year into 11 megawatts of electricity.

The gas produced by CHO Power's gasification process is refined at 1,200C in their turboplasma facility (left) so that it can be used in a gas engine (right) to generate electricity. Credit: CHO Power

In December the EU announced that the company will receive a 30 million loan from the European Investment Bank to construct another plant in the Thouarsais area of France.

The company is not the first to attempt advanced gasification on a commercial scale. But, said Petit: "We think we're the first to crack it."

CHO Power's gasification plants still need to have waste delivered to them. Hysytech, a company in Torino, Italy, however, plans to bring gasification to industry's door.

The idea is to build a small gasification plant, processing at least 100 kilos per hour of waste, next to any industrial plant that deals with hydrocarbon materials  a textiles or plastics manufacturer, for instance.

Then, any waste the industrial plant generates can be turned straight into syngas for electricity generation on site, avoiding the emissions associated with transporting waste to a distant gasification plant.

Small-scale

The problem is that, historically, gasification on this scale has cost too much to be in an industry's interests. But Hysytech believes it has made small-scale gasification cost effective, by developing a novel reactor known as a fluidised bed.

When waste materials are fed into this reactor, a fluid is passed through them to create an even temperature and to allow the gas to leave easily. If the materials need a lot of time to turn to gas, they remain in the reactor until they are gasified, but the fluid can be sped up if the materials turn to gas quickly.

The result, for smaller plants at least, is a more efficient and cost-effective process. "Our system is designed and built to operate year-round with a good efficiency, easy operation and little maintenance," said Andres Saldivia, Hysytech's head of business development.

Hysytech has built a pilot plant that has about one-tenth the envisaged output, processing 10 kilos of waste an hour into syngas. Currently, its engineers are constructing a full-sized demo plant that will include an additional power-to-gas system, to link the gasification to surplus energy from wind turbines and solar panels so the energy is not wasted.

With this additional system, the surplus energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Using a carbon source, this hydrogen is then converted into methane, which can be used like everyday natural gas.

"Our goal is to have it ready for the market (by) 2019," said Saldivia.
This illustration from NASA shows Parker Solar Probe spacecraft approaching the sun. NASA is accepting online submissions until April 27, 2018, for sending your name on the spacecraft all the way to the sun. (NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben via AP)

NASA will fly you to the sunor at least your name.

Now until April 27, NASA is accepting online submissions for this hottest ticket in town. The names will be sent on the Parker Solar Probe all the way to the sun.

Once launched this summer from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the probe will eventually come within 4 million miles of our star, closer than any other spacecraft. Temperatures will reach 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,300 degrees Celsius), as the spacecraft zips in and out of this atmospheric hot zone. Until now, the materials for such a grueling journey were unavailable.

Actor William Shatner, who portrayed Capt. James Kirk in the old "Star Trek" TV series, is NASA's pitchman for the send-your-name-to-the-sun campaign.

 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
An international research team at UMass Amherst, the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and others in Ireland report evidence that native pine martens are suppressing invasive gray squirrels in Scotland. Credit: University of Aberdeen

For many years, populations of a little red squirrel with cute ear tufts, a native of Great Britain, Ireland and Europe, have been in serious decline because of competition for food from an invasive North American gray squirrel and a pox it carries for which the native animal has no defense. Now, new research suggests that native pine martens, also once on the decline, are suppressing the invading squirrels' numbers.

An international research team including Christopher Sutherland of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Xavier Lambin and Emma Sheehy of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and others at the Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland, report in the current issue of Proceedings of the Royal Society B that native pine marten suppression of the invasive gray squirrels in Scotland is helping recovery of native red squirrel populations.

Sheehy says, "Our study has confirmed that exposure to pine martens has a strong negative effect on grey squirrel populations, whereas the opposite effect was observed in red squirrel populations who actually benefitted from exposure to martens."

UMass Amherst's Sutherland, who did his doctoral work at the University of Aberdeen with Lambin, adds, "Our state-of-the-art analysis suggests that we can achieve conservation objectives twice over by allowing a native species, the pine marten, to spread naturally while conserving our precious red squirrel."

"There has been a vigorous effort to eradicate the gray squirrel at the same time pine martens had retreated north, but the evidence is, that is changing," he points out. "Pine martens are now turning up in areas where they used to be and are suppressing gray squirrel populations just through the natural order. They keep the invasive squirrel in check, if not in decline, and we are seeing a recolonization of the red squirrel. We've potentially found an answer that doesn't require the high cost of eradication."

In their paper with its title beginning, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend," the authors point out that most studies of this kind "mostly consider the impact of a single enemy, despite species being embedded in complex networks of interactions." By contrast, they modeled not only the two squirrel species "linked by resource and disease-mediated apparent competition," but also a second enemy-mediated relationship, with the native marten.

They used DNA forensics and state-of-the-art analyses by combining spatial techniques to estimate pine marten density and squirrel site-occurrence and found that the occurrence of non-native grey squirrels is strongly negatively affected by exposure to pine martens. On the other hand, exposure had a positive effect on red squirrel populations, reversing the previous trends of squirrel interactions.

Sutherland, an expert in ecological and population modelling who carried out the connectivity and spatial capture-recapture analyses for this work, says the researchers deployed feeders in the field that had sticky tabs to capture hair samples of both squirrel species and pine martens. Using DNA from the hair samples, they were able to identify individual pine martens in each study area and map where they were spending most of their time.

Sheehy and colleagues state, "Our evidence that, in addition to their intrinsic value, pine martens provide an ecosystem service by suppressing invasive grey squirrel populations is good news for both red squirrel conservation efforts and the timber growing industry, due to the detrimental impact of the invasive grey squirrel on both."

The current study, which took place between 2014 and 2017, built on evidence from a 2014 investigation by Sheehy which suggested that pine martens may be responsible for the decline of gray squirrels in Ireland. Kenny Kortland, a species ecologist for Forest Enterprise Scotland, notes, "The findings of this research are extremely encouraging. It seems we have a very welcome ally in our efforts to protect red squirrel populations on the national forest estate. The research demonstrates that the return of native predators can have beneficial impacts for other native species."

Explore further Grey squirrels are bad for the British countryside

More information: The enemy of my enemy is my friend: Native pine marten recovery reverses the decline of the red squirrel by suppressing grey squirrel populations, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, rspb.royalsocietypublishing.or  .1098/rspb.2017.2603 Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B The enemy of my enemy is my friend: Native pine marten recovery reverses the decline of the red squirrel by suppressing grey squirrel populations,
Credit: Dr. Craig Heinselman

With the unprecedented promise that the EU-supported EISCAT3D radar infrastructure holds for investigation into near-earth space phenomena, system accuracy and efficiency is paramount. The recently closed EISCAT3D_PfP project successfully demonstrated the viability of the initiative, launching it into the implementation phase.

EISCAT3D provides a powerful new research infrastructure, using radar observations to explore how the Earth's atmosphere is coupled to space around the planet, as well as providing wider support to solar system and radio astronomy sciences. Using versatile computer technology, it will also help new areas of research, such as micrometeor measurements and asteroid imaging.

The project's recently completed implementation phase, dubbed EISCAT3D_PfP, has established the necessary approach for EISCAT3D to make its detailed, three-dimensional measurements of the ionised portion of the top of the atmosphere.

The location for the EISCAT3D tool is under a region where the coupling between the atmosphere and space is most direct and dynamic, the night-time auroral zone in the Fenno-Scandinavian Arctic. As project coordinator Dr. Craig Heinselman explains, "When we watch the aurora or measure it with optical instruments, we are seeing the effects of charged particles guided in part by the Earth's magnetic field, as they deposit large amounts of energy and momentum to the top of the neutral atmosphere. While this is impressive to see, it is only part of the story because energy also goes into ionising the atmosphere."

EISCAT3D will allow scientists to see the results of this atmospheric ionisation and to use the ions and electrons as tracers indicating the processes that drive it, such as electric fields. It is hoped that following the phenomena as it unfolds will lead to a better understanding of where the energy goes, how it interacts with the larger system and what impact this has.

The project has been designed with phased array radars. Altering the radar electronics for both transmission and reception, results in them changing their direction very rapidly. If required, its design allows it to look in a different direction every 1/1000 th of a second. This contrasts with the more typical dish-shaped radars, which are only able to look in different directions by using large powerful electric motors to move their heavy antennae hardware.

Additionally, two of the EISCAT3D antennae will be receive-only, meaning that as well as following the rapid movement of the transmitter beam, they will be able to look in 100 different directions at the same time. This enables them to simultaneously see the transmitted signals at all altitudes, not only at a single altitude as is the case with some current operating systems.

One major challenge that the EISCAT3D_PfP project was able to overcome was being able to development a system with sufficient computing capacity to fulfil the design brief. As Dr. Heinselman recalls, "When the design study was conducted it was simply not affordable to provide 100 simultaneous narrow beams on receive, so the initial design supported just seven. Fortunately, advances particularly in field programmable gate array technology, made the 100 beams practical and affordable."

Given the accuracy of the measurements required, another challenge was that of building a system whose internal computer clocks wouldn't generate noise which could overwhelm the signals it seeks to measure. An extremely intricate task given that the radar's receiving signals, when combined, are approximately 20 orders of magnitude (0.000000000000000001 %) smaller than the signal transmitted. Achieving this project aim required not only careful design but also extensive testing on the part of the project team.

EISCAT3D_PfP has now demonstrated the feasibility of the EISCAT3D project goals and launched it into the implementation phase. EISCAT3D's systems are anticipated to be available to scientists by the end of 2021.

Looking to the future Dr. Heinselman says, "As EISCAT3D is a scientific instrument for research it is difficult to say definitively where work will lead, but one very promising area is for the scientific underpinnings predicting Space Weather effects. These effects have, and will certainly continue to have, a growing impact on a society increasingly dependent on space-based technologies."

Explore further Most advanced space weather radar in the world to be built in the Arctic
Credit: Adobe Stock/Florida International University

In Miamithe most Latin and most Spanish-speaking metropolitan region in the United Statespeople likely judge others on how they speak Spanish, according to a new study.

In the study out of Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, participants listened to audio recordings of three native Spanish speakers from Barcelona, Spain; Bogota, Colombia and Havana, Cuba and rated the accents for different attributes tied to income, profession and family background.

People who speak European Spanish are perceived as being more educated, having higher income and having a white-collar job, as well as coming from a family with more money, according to FIU sociolinguist Phillip M. Carter. People who speak Cuban Spanish are perceived as being less educated, having lower income and coming from a family with less money than Spaniards, as well as having blue-collar jobs. People who speak the Colombian variety fall somewhere in between, depending on the category, but participants had the strongest opinions on the European and Cuban varieties.

Carter, an associate professor in FIU's Department of English, says oftentimes, people will identify country of origin based on how someone speaks. Yet, when someone uses language and language differences to make assessments about non-linguistic attributes, including education, employment and income, it may reinforce stereotypes.

"What if instead of participating in a research study, these listeners were in charge of making education, employment, housing or health care decisions?," Carter said. "People can make life-changing decisions based on how others speak. That's a really, really big deal."

Carter points out stigmatized Spanish varieties are associated with countries with large indigenous, black and low-income populations. Spanish varieties with more prestige are associated with countries where people think of themselves as being ethnically European and middle-class. This, Carter says, comes out in the way people perceive each other in Miami.

"On the one hand, I'm not surprised given Eurocentric ideologies that build Spain up as 'la madre patria,' but on the other hand I'm surprised this is happening here in Miami," Carter said. "Cubans have had the most success here, yet people don't embrace Cuban Spanish, at least when making snap judgements about income and employment. You'd think people in Miami would look favorably on it given the successes of Cuban-Americans in these domains."

In Miami-Dade Countythe seventh most populous county in the United States, where nearly 64 percent of people spoke Spanish at home between 2009-2013, according to the U.S. CensusCubans and Cuban-Americans are the numerical majority, and they are among the economic and political elite. Compared to other Hispanic groups in the country, Cubans have higher incomes, are more educated, are more likely to own a home, and are more likely to have health insurance.

The study was completed by nearly 300 participants67 percent identified as Latino/Latina and 52 percent identified as native Spanish-speakers. Most of the participants were undergraduate college students from FIU. The audio recordings were of three men who read the same passage. Each man is in his early 30s, college-educated in his native country, and has lived and been employed in Miami-Dade County for at least one year.

In the study, participants assessed different statements related to income, employment and family background on a scale of 1 to 5, where one indicates disagreement and five indicates agreement.

On the likelihood of working as an attorney, participants gave the European voice an average of 3.4, the Colombian a 2.8 and the Cuban a 2.7.

On the likelihood of working in a cell phone store, participants gave the Colombian and the Cuban an average of 3.1 and Spaniard an average of 2.6.

On the likelihood of coming from a family that provided opportunities to get ahead, participants gave the European voice an average of 3.7, the Colombian an average of 3.3 and the Cuban an average of 3.2.

On the likelihood of coming from a family that was poor, the Cuban voice was given an average of 3.4, the Colombian an average of 3.3 and the European an average of 2.9.

The Spaniard was assigned an annual income of $62,300, which was $12,625 more per year than the Cuban and $13,125 more than the Colombian.

The study is a collaboration with the University of Texas at Austin. It was recently published in the journal Latino Studies and is part of a special volume examining different Latino and Latina populations in Miami.

Explore further Spanish use is steady or dropping in U.S. despite high Latino immigration

More information: Phillip M. Carter et al. The social meaning of Spanish in Miami: Dialect perceptions and implications for socioeconomic class, income, and employment, Latino Studies (2018). Phillip M. Carter et al. The social meaning of Spanish in Miami: Dialect perceptions and implications for socioeconomic class, income, and employment,(2018). DOI: 10.1057/s41276-017-0105-8
Carl Borgquist wants to spend more than $1 billion to transform a remote butte fringed by pine trees into a giant water battery.

This might seem a madman's folly if not for the roller-coaster nature of wind and solar power production, which can soar when few need electricity, then fade in the evenings when people come home to turn on the lights.

When demand is low, Borquist would store energy in the form of water pumped from a low-lying pond to another pool carved out of the rim top. When demand is high, this flow would be reversed and run through turbines to produce hydropower for Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Borgquist is betting this technologycalled pumped storagewill claim a role in a cleaner grid as the region's utilities move off coal. On a wintry day, he walks through the sagebrush and grass, where the wind has sculpted a rippled crust of snow, and he imagines what could be.

"We are ready to build," declares Borgquist, whose Bozeman-based company has spent six years planning and gaining permits for the Gordon Butte project. "The world is moving in our direction."

This might appear a big leap of faith as President Donald Trump pledges to revive coal and rejects the 2015 Paris Agreement to cut carbon emissions. But Borgquist is making his pitch, here, in the Pacific Northwest, where carbon-free electricity is forecast to play a pivotal role in the transition to cleaner energy, providing power for light, heat and vehicles as the internal combustion engineWashington's largest source of greenhouse-gas emissionsloses favor.

In Montana, where the export of coal-fired electricity offers high-wage jobs and important tax revenues, this future would mean plenty of economic pain. Yet this pathway also could offer opportunity in the development of pumped storage and power wrested from fierce winds that blow hardest in the winter, when Washington and Oregon most need electricity.

But it remains unclear how muchand how fastthe regional grid will go green, and whether Montana will grab a piece of the action.

Federal support for renewable energy has withered under Trump, who has repeatedly disparaged the science linking the combustion of oil, natural gas and coal to rising temperatures and sea levels.

In Washington and Oregon, the governors have committed to trying to comply with the Paris Agreement and have set an ambitious 2050 goal of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by 80 percent from 1990 levels. They also have backed legislation that would put a price on carbon, and help drive motorists away from fossil fuels.

But the political challenges of that task have been starkly evident during the current legislative session in Olympia. Even with Democrats in control, lawmakers could not muster enough votes to pass a carbon tax, and a carbon-pricing bill also failed to move in the 2018 Oregon Legislature.

There are also big questions about how fast some utilities will move off coal, and how big a role natural gas, which also contributes to climate change, will play as a substitute.

Puget Sound Energy (PSE), Washington's largest energy utility with more than 1 million customers, still gets nearly 60 percent of its electricity from these two fossil fuels.

Company officials are now charting a course that includes stepped-up conservation, Washington solar power and moving off coal-fired power generated in Colstrip, Montana, by the early 2030s, maybe sooner.

But the current planning document that looks ahead 20 years also favors building more natural-gas plantsand does not find Montana pumped storage or wind power as the best bargain for renewables.

"By law, we have to look at the least-cost view," said John Mannetti, the utility's director of operations planning.

Fresh interest

Wind and solarbolstered by declining costs and favorable government policiesalready form the hottest growth sector in the global power industry.

But the output from these renewable-energy farms may vary hour by hour and minute by minute. This creates big challenges for utility managers, who must ensure that demand and supply are constantly in balance. Otherwise, they risk blackouts.

So more energy storage could make power generation more consistent. Investment has poured into developing technologies such as large lithium-ion batteries or the solar heating of sand that can release its energy at night.

Then there is pumped storage, an old technology that in Europe and China already has made a comeback with a new generation of plants.

In the United States, some pumped-storage projects were built decades ago, often in conjunction with nuclear and coal-fired power plants that might crank out more power than needed.

Today, the big dollars required for construction are a formidable obstacle, and power markets have not fully valued the storage they provide. But there is fresh interest in the West, where the rugged terrain makes for good sites, and surging power production from California solar farms and regional wind projects offer opportunities.

London-based National Grid hopes to develop two pumped-storage sitesone in southern Oregon and another near Goldendale in southern Washington. Those projects collectively could yield enough power to provide electricity to more than 1 million homes.

A prime place for wind

Gordon Butte, in central Montana, would be smaller. But it is further along. Last year, it cleared a significant hurdle and obtained a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Yet so far, no utility or major power user has committed to the project.

The project would be built near Martinsdale, an aging ranch community with fewer than 60 people that still has a bar but years ago lost its grocery store, bank and last gas station.

Borgquist was drawn here by an ample source of water, which is now used to irrigate an alfalfa field and could be diverted to fill the 60-acre bottom reservoir and 80-acre top reservoir more than 1,000 feet above. The sitemost importantis less than 6 miles from the Colstrip transmission lines that now carry coal power west, but could one day send Gordon Butte hydropower.

"I knew the property, and I said, oh my Godthis is my site, right here," said Borgquist, an attorney-turned-renewable-energy-developer.

The butte also is a prime place for wind. Six turbines have operated atop the plateau since 2012, and have turned in a strong performance that ranks among the best in the nation.

Bryan Rogan, a partner in a local Montana group that developed this wind project, would like to expand to provide electricity for Washington or Oregon. But it would cost tens of millions of dollars to build a substation to hook up to the lines that could carry the power out of state. That would probably only happen if the much-larger pumped-storage project helped to foot the bill, Rogan said.

Montana's formidable wind has drawn other developers.

In the southeastern part of the state, California-based Orion Renewables has proposed putting in as many as 350 turbines some 80 miles north of Colstrip.

The project would represent a roughly $1 billion investment, employ from 20 to 40 people and over the years pay tens of millions of dollars in taxes and lease fees to landowners, according to Michael Cressner, Orion's business development manager.

But plenty of people in the Colstrip area aren't impressed. They see wind as a poor substitute for coal that employs more than 700 through the mine and power plant people that sustain their town.

"There's not a lot of jobs. There's no parking lots set up in front of those windmills," said John Williams, Colstrip's mayor.

"There is no doubt that a wind farm is a different animalit is not a silver bullet in terms of an economic impact," Cressner said. "But what I think is unfortunate is to make wind the enemy when it can provide benefits to this community."

Does PSE owe Montana?

For Puget Sound Energy, Montana is familiar territory.

Utility officials shuttle back and forth to the state to visit Colstrip or testify at the state Capitol in Helena as they have wrestled with the difficult decision of when the coal plant shuts down.

To help make peace with Colstrip, the utility has offered $10 million to assist the town's adjustment to the closure of the first two generating units by 2022. And a PSE official now serves on a task force convened by Montana's governor to help overcome barrierssuch as transmission tariffsto developing renewable energy.

But a PSE official says there is no special responsibility to develop new sources of electricity in Montana.

"It sounds good to say 'We owe Montana,'" but let's not forget we paid to build that (Colstrip) plant and paid to operate it," said Ron Roberts, the utility's director of thermal resources. "I do understand, you know, the sense of wanting to do renewables in Montana ... You have got to remember, the other obligation is to get a good cost for our customers."

So far, PSE sees a significant role for natural gas, which is in abundant supply as fracking technology has unleashed vast new reserves. It is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas about 28 times more potent than carbon emissions over the course of a century. And the methane often leaks into the atmosphere during production, transport and use of this fuel.

A 2017 PSE planning document predictsafter 2025adding new gas turbine plants able to produce enough electricity for more than 1 million homes. But PSE officials say the plants would only be occasionally used during peak demand.

The document sketches out an alternative that involves no new gas plants, but plenty of conservation and renewables. That scenario was estimated to cost 20 percent more, and thus is not the preferred option.

Environmental groups accuse the utility of an institutional bias that favors natural gas.

"Their long-term planning consistently favors replacing that coal with new fracked gas plants,'' said Caleb Heeringa, a Seattle-based spokesman for the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign.

PSE does have deep ties to the gas industry.

The utility's largest owner, Australia-based Macquarie Group, is heavily involved in international gas trading. The utility's chief executive Kimberly Harris now serves as chair of the American Gas Association, an industry trade group.

But for PSE, the continued reliance on natural gas also poses risks in a region with strong support for cleaner fuels.

Big regional power customerssuch as Microsoftwant carbon-free power, and so do a lot of customers.

PSE officials say they are prepared to rethink their long-term strategy, and that the new gas plants may never be built if, in the years ahead, technology and carbon policy combine to create better options.

This year, PSE executives even backed a legislative bill to place a substantial price - $40 per tonon carbon when estimating the costs of new power production from gas plants. That price would escalate over time, and make renewables a lot more attractive.

Borgquist hopes that means the utility will take a fresh look at Montana, and the butte that holds his dreams for the region's energy future.

Explore further Does energy storage make the electric grid cleaner?

2018 The Seattle Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The new stone centipede species Lithobius (Ezembius) tetraspinus. Credit: Dr Huiqin Ma

Scientists described two species of previously unknown stone centipedes from China. Now housed at the Hengshui University, China, where all members of the team work, the studied specimens were all collected in the leaf litter or under rocks in larch forests.

Having conducted their research across China, researchers Dr Sujian Pei, Yanmin Lu, Haipeng Liu, Dr Xiaojie Hou and Dr Huiqin Ma announced the two new species - Lithobius (Ezembius) tetraspinus and Hessebius luculentus - in two articles published in the open access journal ZooKeys.

Stone centipedes are the species which belong to the order Lithobiomorpha. These centipedes are anamorphic, meaning that they grow additional pair of legs as they moult and develop additional body segments. By the time they are fully grown, these count 15 in total. Unlike earlier predecessors, stone centipedes do not have the compound eyes we know from insects. Instead, stone centipedes see through simple eyes, sometimes a group of simple eyes, or, if living exclusively underground, they might have no eyes at all.

One of the newly discovered species, Lithobius (Ezembius) tetraspinus, is recorded from Hami City, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, northwestern China. The studied specimens were collected from moderately moist larch forest habitats at altitude of 950 to 1000. There, the small predominantly brown centipedes, measuring no more than about 13 mm in body length, were hiding under rodeside stones and leaf litter.

The new stone centipede species Hessebius luculentus. Credit: Dr Sujian Pei

The second previously unknown centipede, Hessebius luculentus, discovered in Shandan County, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is slightly larger - reaching up to 20 mm. Its colours are a mix of yellow and brown with the odd grey or red hue. While it has the same preference for relatively moist habitats, this species lives at greater altitude. It has been reported from forest floor at about 1400 m above sea level.

In both papers, the authors point out that while the myriapod fauna of China remains generally poorly known, even less attention has been given to the order of stone centipedes.

The research articles are included in the special issue "Proceedings of the 17th International Congress of Myriapodology, Krabi, Thailand". The congress, organised by Prof. Somsak Panha, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, was held in July 2017.

Explore further First widespread look at evolution of venomous centipedes

More information: Sujian Pei et al. Lithobius (Ezembius) tetraspinus, a new species of centipede from northwest China (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae), ZooKeys (2018). Journal information: ZooKeys Sujian Pei et al. Lithobius (Ezembius) tetraspinus, a new species of centipede from northwest China (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae),(2018). DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.741.19980
An international research team has found strong evidence that passerine birds near the equator live longer than their higher latitude counterparts.

Their findings, published today in the journal The Auk: Ornithological Advances, underscore the pervasiveness of broad latitudinal patterns in avian life history. The article summarizes six years of bird survey results from a tropical forest site near Manaus, at the center of the Amazon basin, and compares the Manaus results with findings from eleven other sites over a latitude span of more than sixty degrees across the Americas.

It has been well known for more than half a century that birds from tropical areas tend to lay fewer eggs per clutch than birds from temperate or higher-latitude regions. This might suggest that tropical bird populations grow slower than populations from higher latitudes, but there is no empirical support for such difference in population growth rates. As a consequence, ornithologists have thought that some other aspect of bird life history must show a latitudinal variation that offsets the clutch size trend.

Adult survival probability, which translates into lifespan, has often been assumed to be the offsetting life history variable. Higher survival rates in tropical regions would offset the smaller clutch size. Nonetheless, there has been scarce evidence to support the idea of high tropical survival. Indeed, arguably the most careful comparison of bird survival rates to date, a 1990 study by James R. Karr and colleagues, found no support for a latitudinal trend and was subtitled "Will the dogma survive?"

An alternative idea is that, in the absence of a latitudinal trend in adult survival, there might be one in juvenile survival rates. Accordingly, a 2011 study led by Corey Tarwater, now at the University of Wyoming, documented exceptionally high juvenile survival in one Central American passerine species and suggested that this could be part of a broader trend. With little variation in adult survival and higher juvenile survival in the tropics, however, one should expect relatively little difference between tropical adult and juvenile survival rates.

The authors of the present study, led by Goncalo Ferraz from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, set out to measure the difference between juvenile and adult survival rates for a set of forty species from their Manaus site, in the Brazilian Amazon two degrees south of the equator. Their first key finding was that mean juvenile survival in the Manaus sample is clearly lower than mean adult survival. Subsequently, they carried out a meta-analysis of the variation of survival with latitude, combining data from 175 species and twelve sites from Peru to Alaska.

"It became clear that, on average, forest passerines tend to live longer in tropical than in temperate regions," says Ferraz. The statistically negative relationship between latitude and survival holds even when the analysis jointly accounts for common ancestry among study species, for the time at which the survival estimates where obtained, and for species migration mode.

The main methodological difficulty of this study, say the authors, was that tropical birds are particularly hard to age. While in high-latitude regions birds have a common and well-delimited breeding season, tropical birds often breed throughout the year whenever conditions are appropriate. As a result, while temperate-zone ornithologists encounter juvenile birds in discrete pulses of similarly aged individuals, tropical ornithologists sample populations that contain all possible ages at the same time.

The solution was two-fold: in-depth study of age determination in the field and statistical accounting for unknown-age birds. "Aging tropical birds in the field is an exercise on reading plumage molts," says Alejandra Munoz, a Colombian biologist and first author of the study. Alejandra and her field team aged birds with the increasingly popular Wolfe-Ryder-Pyle (WRP) system. WRP divides the lifetime of any bird into distinguishable molt cycles and uses the cycle information to tell whether birds are in their first or subsequent years of life.

Still, after the best efforts to age birds in the field, a non-negligible number of individuals had to be placed in an "unknown-age" category. "The poor man's solution would be to throw away the unknown-age data," says Marc Kery, a research scientist at the Swiss Ornithological Institute and co-author of the study. Kery devised a statistical "mixture-model," which uses the difference between juvenile, unknown-age, and adult survival estimates to estimate the proportion of unknown-age birds that are adults and incorporate their information in the study.

The fact that tropical forest passerines have higher survival rates than their higher-latitude counterparts can help ornithologists understand how the long-held latitudinal trend in clutch size could be maintained without latitudinal differences in population growth rate. The idea of longer-lived tropical birds may no longer be seen as a "dogma." What remains to be understood is the relative importance of survival among other possible offsetting traits and the mechanism by which the observed latitudinal trends evolved.

Explore further Researcher discover songbird habitat affects reproduction, survival

More information: Alejandra Pizarro Munoz et al, Age effects on survival of Amazon forest birds and the latitudinal gradient in bird survival, The Auk (2018). Alejandra Pizarro Munoz et al, Age effects on survival of Amazon forest birds and the latitudinal gradient in bird survival,(2018). DOI: 10.1642/AUK-17-91.1
3-D rendering of the atomic structure of graphene. Credit: Shutterstock

Electrons in graphenean atomically thin, flexible and incredibly strong substance that has captured the imagination of materials scientists and physicists alikemove at the speed of light, and behave like they have no mass. Now, scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have demonstrated how to view many-particle interactions in graphene using infrared light. The research will be presented at the American Physical Society meeting this week in Los Angeles.

Deep in the sub-basement below Washington University's historic Crow Hall, a research team led by Erik Henriksen, assistant professor of physics in Arts & Sciences, conducts its work in a custom-built vessel cooled to a few degrees above absolute zero. They use a small sliver of graphene sandwiched between two boron-nitride crystals and placed on top of a silicon wafer; at approximately 16 microns long, the entire stack of material is less than one-sixth the size of a human hair.

"Here we have constructed a system that narrowly focuses infrared light down to the sample, which is inside a large magnet and at very low temperature," Henriksen said. "It allows us to literally shine a flashlight on it, and explore its electronic properties by seeing which colors of light are absorbed."

Graphene has generated a lot of excitement in the materials-science research community because of its potential applications in batteries, solar energy cells, touch screens and more. But physicists are more interested in graphene because of its unusual electron structure, under which its electrons behave like relativistic particles.

Interband Landau level transitions in monolayer. Credit: arXiv:1709.00435

Under normal conditions, electrons always mutually repel each other. Henriksen and his team study how this behavior changes when the electrons seem to have no mass.

By gathering simultaneous measurements of optical and electronic properties in the presence of a high magnetic field, the researchers were able to track the movement of charged particles between orbits with discrete energy values, called Landau levels. A pattern began to emerge.

"A strong magnetic field provides a kind of glue to their motionit slows them down in some ways," Henriksen said. "You would think it would be a very difficult system to look at. But sometimes, at very specific ranges of the magnetic field strength and the interaction strength, you'll find that, all of a sudden, the system simplifies enormously."

"You would expect a flat line, essentially, in the absence of these interesting interactions that we're looking for," said Jordan Russell, a doctoral candidate in physics and co-author of a new paper on graphene. "This non-monotonic behavior is a signature of the interactions we were looking for."

The March Meeting of the American Physical Society is expected to bring together nearly 10,000 condensed-matter physicists. Other recent work from Henriksen's lab will also be showcased at this forum, including a recent discovery that graphene can be used to measure a "quantum spin liquid" in magnetic materials.

Explore further Atomically thin building blocks could make optoelectrical devices more efficient

More information: B. Jordan Russell et al. Many-Particle Effects in the Cyclotron Resonance of Encapsulated Monolayer Graphene, Physical Review Letters (2018). Journal information: Physical Review Letters B. Jordan Russell et al. Many-Particle Effects in the Cyclotron Resonance of Encapsulated Monolayer Graphene,(2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.047401
NASA develops technologies that aid first responders in search and rescue efforts. Credit: US Coast Guard photo by PAC Tom Sperduto

The same satellites that identify severe weather can help save you from it.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) constellation monitors Earth's environment, helping meteorologists observe and predict the weather. GOES observations have tracked thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and flash floods. They've even proven useful in monitoring dust storms, forest fires and volcanic activity.

The recently launched GOES-S (planned to replace the current GOES-West later this year) and other GOES series satellites carry a payload supported by NASA's Search and Rescue (SAR) office, which researches and develops technologies to help first responders locate people in distress worldwide, whether from a plane crash, a boating accident or other emergencies.

Over its history, the SAR office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, has developed emergency beacons for personal, nautical and aeronautical use, along with ground station receivers that detect beacon activation. Space segment SAR instruments fly on many spacecraft in various orbits around the Earth. The GOES SAR transponders are geostationary, meaning that they appear "fixed" relative to a user on the surface due to their location over the equator and orbital period of 24 hours.

GOES-S, carrying a search and rescue instrument, launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on March 1, 2018. Credit: NASA/Bill White

"The SAR space segment isn't just one instrument in one orbit," said Tony Foster, SAR's deputy mission manager. "Rather it's a series of instruments aboard diverse satellites in various orbits, each working together to provide first responders with highly accurate locations."

The GOES search and rescue transponders, unlike SAR instruments in other orbits, are only able to detect the beacon signals, not help to determine location. This detection rapidly alerts the global SAR network, Cospas-Sarsat, of a distress beacon's activation. This gives the system valuable time to prepare before the signal's origin can be determined by SAR instruments on low-Earth-orbiting satellites.

Additionally, beacons with integrated GPS technology can send their location data through GOES to the SAR network. The network can then alert local first responders to the location of the emergency without the aid of the low-Earth-orbiting constellation of search and rescue instruments.

NASA's SAR team provides on-orbit testing, support and maintenance of the search and rescue instrument on GOES. The GOES satellites and SAR instruments are funded by NOAA.

GOES satellites view large swathes of Earth from their vantage points 22,236 miles above the equator. Download in HD: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4618. Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

"We are proud to support the Cospas-Sarsat program by hosting a search and rescue transponder aboard our satellites," said Tim Walsh, GOES-R series program acting system program director. "SAR is one of the many NOAA-NASA collaborations that translate into life-saving technology."

In the future, first responders will rely on a new constellation of instruments on GPS and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems currently in medium-Earth orbit, an orbit that views larger swathes of the Earth than low-Earth orbit due to higher altitudes. These new instruments will enable the SAR network to locate a distress signal more quickly than the current system and calculate their position with accuracy an order of magnitude better, from one kilometer (0.6 miles) to approximately 100 meters (328 feet).

In the meantime, the SAR transponders aboard GOES cover the time between the activation of a distress signal and detection by SAR instruments in low-Earth orbit.

"NASA's SAR office dedicates itself to speed and accuracy," said Lisa Mazzuca, SAR mission manager. "The instruments and technologies we develop endeavor to alert first responders to a beacon's activation as soon as possible. The GOES search and rescue transponders are crucial to this goal, providing near-instantaneous detection in the fields of view of the Earth."

Explore further Galileo to support global search and rescue
Credit: European Commission Joint Research Centre

2017 was one of the worst years on record for fires in Europe, with over 800,000 hectares of land burnt in Portugal, Italy and Spain alone.

As the world gets warmer and Europe's land gets drier, fires are set to get even worse - and not just for the hottest countries around the Mediterranean. Even relatively safe Alpine mountain regions will see a rapid increase in fire danger unless action is taken to limit climate change and reduce the main causes for wildfires starting and spreading.

These warnings come from a JRC study of factors affecting fire danger across the continent. Scientists modelled fire danger for several weather and climate scenarios. The study compares a high greenhouse gas emissions scenario to one in which global warming is limited to 2C above pre-industrial levels, run across several models to assess patterns of danger up to the end of the century.

The effect of climate change on rainfall, temperature, wind and humidity will cause countries around the Mediterranean to become drier. By drawing moisture from deep layers of wood, leaves, soil and other organic matter, extreme weather events such as droughts could leave kindling waiting to ignite. The dryness is set to push northwards to central Europe, putting a larger area at risk. Land surrounding the Alps and other European mountain systems, in which wildfires are currently much less common, show a fast pace of danger increase.

Successful action to limit the level of global warming can prevent the situation from spiralling out of control, although the danger is set to increase even in the most optimistic climate scenario. This means that effective adaptation strategies will be crucial to minimising the severity and occurrence of forest fires - and the havoc that they can wreak on European communities.

The study identifies three key factors that could help reduce the risk:

Human activity: data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) confirms that nearly all forest fires in Europe start due to human activity. Minimising this factor involves exploring the causes that lead people to start fires, as well as increasing awareness of fire danger, encouraging good behaviour and sanctioning offenders.

Vegetation management: reducing the fire risk in dry forests and minimising the likelihood of severe fires. These measures need to be carefully adapted to the different forest ecosystems.

Sustainable forest composition and structure: managed forests often have lower tree density, which makes them less prone to fire than unmanaged forests. Some old-age forests are associated with less severe fires than densely-packed, young trees. Particular tree species and ecosystems are more resistant to drought and better adapted to post-fire recovery. However, climate change will have differing effects on the habitat suitability for these trees. Therefore, careful landscape design is key to a well climate-adapted forest composition that ensures sustainable, less fire-prone forests.

Europe's increasingly urbanised population further highlights the importance of minimising fire risk. As the world becomes more urbanised, abandoned agricultural land could leave behind more fuel to feed wildfires. This exposes new settlements built in transitional areas between cities and wildland to increased fire risk. Hence, careful landscape design must also frame strategic agricultural land use planning, with the aim to avoid the abandonment of agricultural land.

The report argues that, as well as taking account of these factors, policymakers should look at wildfires as a natural hazard and consider designing defensible space from a social and policy perspective.

In reponse to the 2017 forest fires, the Commission has taken a number of iniatives to further strengthen EU civil protection capacity and to enhance disaster prevention, preparedness and response across Europe. For instance, the Commission proposal to amend the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, published last November, aims to reinforce overall collective capacities to respond to disasters, and to strengthen the focus on prevention.

Explore further Despite rise in Pacific Northwest fires, critical unburned areas remain
Cape Town, in South Africa, has been declared a natural disaster. Credit: Phillip Gardner/University of Melbourne

Nature has declared that the world's supply of water is fixed. As a means of keeping humanity alive, it has no substitute.

Recently, Cape Town has become painfully aware of the value of water.

The unwelcome combination of a once-in-a-century drought, a booming population and a relatively inflexible water supply, means the South African city will have its taps turned off on 9 July. The dreaded Day Zero will mean people will be forced to queue for their water under police or military supervision.

Experts say that Cape Town could be the first of many cities around the world to experience the brutal reality of water demand far outstripping supply.

It raises a particularly dystopian question: could water, one of the world's most abundant resources, ever be more expensive than one of its rarest, oil?

"It already is," says Dr Brian Cook, a researcher in Development Geography.

He's right.

In Australian supermarkets, a bottle of Mount Franklin Spring Water costs around $3.33 a litre. At the pumps in mid-February 2018, the average cost of a litre of unleaded petrol is less than half that, at $1.38.

The end of days already stalks our supermarkets.

Of course, Dr Cook stresses, it is more complicated and less alarmist than that. Unlike petrol, clean drinking water is available from a drinking fountain or a tap, in some instances for free.

"My point is that context matters," he says. "In certain contexts, water is already more expensive than gas or petrol. It has to do with where you are, how much you are purchasing, and whether your country subsidises that resource."

And it depends how a country values that resource: is it a commodity or a right? Most countries seem to agree that water is a right, keeping it cheap or free to access.

For example, during the current crisis in Cape Town, now officially decreed a natural disaster, the price of bottled water has remained at the same levels as it was before the drought.

Indias six biggest cities are among those most affected by water shortages. Credit: Getty Images

"If we want things to be cheap, society has pretty good ways of doing that," says Dr Cook. Politicians can use economic levers such as tax breaks, subsidies and tariffs to do this.

"Some might suggest it is the market that drives this, but the value of things is a social construction."

However, market forces could soon test our commitment to cheap water as a human right.

Economist Dr David Byrne says that political sensitivities around water keep the cost low to ensure universal access. "However," he adds, "the bigger question becomes, in the long run, how hard do we stick to those beliefs?"

The temptation for water-rich countries is the creation of an international water market.

Unlike valuable commodities like oil and gold, there is no explicit global market for water and therefore no agreed universal price for trading.

But should one arise, says Dr Byrne, this could cause the domestic price of water to escalate rapidly.

"Areas such as China and India, or in the longer term, Africa are developing rapidly," he says. "They have booming populations that require fresh water to live and they might be willing to pay exorbitant amounts for fresh water from places like Canada, even though it is regulated.

"That asks the question: do governments need to secure water resources for their own countries, and then exploit their water resources for economic benefit just like any other resource like oil or minerals? There's no reason why that wouldn't happen in the case of water and the price overseas could go through the roof."

However, even if governments try to keep water prices low for its own citizens, Dr Byrne says an international water market could still overheat domestic prices.

He cites the example of gas prices in Australia, which are tied to international demand. Despite having the second biggest reserves of natural gas in the world, domestic prices in Australia are high because it is being sold at a premium to gas-poor countries.

"Why? Because there was a signal to the market," says Dr Byrne. "We have cheap gas here, huge demand elsewhere, we have invested in expensive new gas platforms, and all of a sudden the international market has a say."

The international water market may still be unrealised, but Australia is one of the few places in the world where there is an agreed price of water.

Some water-rich countries could be tempted to create an international water market. Credit: Phillip Gardner/University of Melbourne

A limited water market began in the 1980s in rural Victoria, tightly regulated by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, allowing water to be moved to its most economically productive areas.

It was eventually expanded across the Murray-Darling basin, with water moving among rivers and catchment lines to the irrigators, farmers, and environments with greatest need. Its annual turnover is now worth between A$1 and A$3 billion.

According to Dr Angus Webb, from the Environmental Hydrology and Water Resources in the Department of Infrastructure Engineering, the market is "revolutionary on a world scale".

By following classic supply and demand principles, he says, the price of water in rural Australia accurately reflects its value. It is expensive in years of drought, cheap in years of plenty.

"The price fluctuates widely, but not quickly, depending how much water is in the system," says Dr Webb. "I wouldn't be exaggerating to say it could fluctuate by a factor of ten between the high and low prices on the temporary water market."

During the Millennium Drought that hit Australia at the turn of the century, the price of a megalitre (one million litres) of water reached A$1000. In years of abundant rainfall, the price hovers around A$80.

At the height of the drought, in 2006-07, it meant that water was more valuable to farmers than another day-to-day commodity: milk.

Dairy farmers in the Goulburn catchment, part of the Murray-Darling basin, mothballed their operations when their water quota became more valuable than the operational costs and sale of their milk.

They sold their allowance on the water market to producers of more expensive, water-hungry products, such as almond horticulture, giving the dairy farmers an income. Once water became more abundant and the price fell again, the dairy farms resumed operations.

Some experts believe that without the water markets, both the dairy and the horticulture industries in the area would have collapsed.

Yet some are uncomfortable with market forces leaking into water management.

Dr Cook warns that treating water as a commodity threatens its future as a resource available to all.

"I just hope that we debunk the notion that we need to commoditise something to conserve it," he says. "That argument is lovely but simplistic. Almost all the research shows that as soon as you put a value on something, people want to use it.

"But the truth is, if you live in a capitalist society, water is already a commodity. But, I hope that we don't swing too far and abandon the aspiration that water is a human right."

Explore further Drought-stricken Cape Town tightens water restrictions
March 7, 2018 in iWork (E)

[prMac.com] Vilnius, Lithuania - Jumsoft's Toolbox applications have been steadily gaining traction in worldwide markets. Toolbox for Pages, Toolbox for Keynote, Toolbox for iWork, and Toolbox for Office have been updated with 5 new languages: Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Swedish, and Thai. The new additions bring the total number of languages supported in Jumsoft's Toolbox apps to 14.



"Our Toolbox apps are some of the highest-rated products on the App Store. Users worldwide love them for the quality, variety, and amount of content they offer for productivity. In 2017, we brought more than 12,000 new designs into our Toolbox apps, added new languages, and we are continuing this trend in 2018," said Algirdas Unguvaitis, CEO of Jumsoft. "People are discovering our apps all across the world. Some of these markets have genuinely surprised us with user growth rates. We want to make sure that users in these markets can enjoy all the possibilities offered by our Toolbox apps and have them presented in their native languages."



Jumsoft have added a total of 12,714 new original productivity items and designs across the 4 Toolbox applications in 2017, which translates into an average of 1060 items per month or 35 items a day. This makes Jumsoft's Toolbox apps by far the largest collections of specialized productivity templates and items for any productivity suite, including Apple's Pages and Keynote, or Microsoft Office.



Toolbox for Keynote, Toolbox for Pages, Toolbox for iWork, and Toolbox for Office are currently available in 14 languages total: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, and Thai, with more planned in the future.



Jumsoft Toolbox applications provide productivity templates and designs for the specific productivity suites as indicated in their names (e.g. Toolbox for Keynote). They include everything from individual decorative items such as doodles, badges, and clipart, to completely formatted document and presentation themes and layouts. They are popular among home and business users because the designs are highly adaptable, and can be used with other software as well. The latest versions of Toolbox applications are already available on Mac and iOS App Stores.

Based in Vilnius, Lithuania, Jumsoft is a privately funded company, founded in 2002. Committed to developing highest-quality applications, Jumsoft consists of a team of macOS and iOS experts and enthusiasts who dedicate their time to develop amazing tools for personal and professional use. Copyright 2002-2018 Jumsoft. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iWork and macOS are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

###
Texas Pacific Land Corp. operates as a landowner in the State of Texas. Its surface and royalty ownership allow revenue generation through the entire value chain of oil and gas development, including through fixed fee payments for use of the firm's land, revenue for sales of materials used in the construction of infrastructure, providing sourced water and treated produced water, revenue from its oil and gas royalty interests, and revenues related to saltwater disposal on land. The company also generates revenue from pipeline, power line and utility easements, commercial leases, material sales and seismic and temporary permits related to a variety of land uses including midstream infrastructure projects and hydrocarbon processing facilities. The company operates through following segment: Land and Resource Management and Water Services and Operations. The Land and Resource Management segment focuses on managing oil and gas royalty interest and surface. The Water Services and Operations segment offers operators an unparalleled breadth of service across the majority of the Permian Basin. The company was founded in April 2020 and is headquartered in Dallas, TX.

Read More
Wall Street analysts have given Pareteum a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Pareteum wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
iStar, Inc. is a real estate investment trust company, which engages in financing, investing, and development of real estate and related projects. It operates through the following business segments: Real Estate Finance, Net Lease, Operating Properties, Land and Development, and Corporate and Other. The Real Estate Finance segment includes all of the activities of the company related to senior and mezzanine real estate loans and real estate related securities. The Net Lease segment comprises activities of the company and operations related to the ownership of properties generally leased to single corporate tenants. The Operating Properties segment focuses in the activities and operations related to its commercial and residential properties. The Land and Development segment refers to the developable land portfolio of the company. The Corporate and Other segment represents all the corporate level and unallocated items, joint venture, and strategic investments, which are not included in the other reportable segments. The company was founded by Jay Sugarman in 1993 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Read More
You would think that, coming from such a small country, the rest of the world would seem huge to Singaporeans. But its actually quite the opposite. Singaporeans are insanely frequent travellers, with the average Singaporean reportedly taking 5.2 trips in a year according to a 2017 survey.

Despite the fact that there are less than 4 million Singapore citizens in the entire world, you can hear that familiar accent even when travelling to fairly exotic destinations. So its understandable that some people reach the point where theyve simply run out of places to visit.

Sure, theres still Timbuktu or Bora Bora, but for a short getaway of no more than a week, it can often feel like youve already explored every single destination within a 4-hour flight of Singapore.

Luckily, with budget airlines list of destinations constantly expanding, there are always new places that you might not have thought of visiting.

Here are five destinations not often visited by Singaporeans that you can reach via budget flight.

Brunei

Brunei - MoneySmart

Bruneis main claim to fame, as far as Singaporeans are concerned, is the fact that their currency can be used in Singapore. And oh, that theyre very rich thanks to oil. This tiny Southeast Asian country might be worth a visit if youve never been, if only to feel a strange sense of deja vu, as theyre culturally quite similar to Malaysia and, by extension, Singapore, with Malay being the official language and a sizeable ethnic Chinese population that speaks dialects like Hokkien and Teochew.

Cost: Air Asia flies to Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei for about $200 to $250 for a return journey.

Khon Kaen, Thailand

Khon Kaen - MoneySmart

Khon Kaen is located in Thailands Isaan region, which is also one of the regions that sees the fewest foreign tourists. While you wont find the huge shopping malls and party scene of Bangkok in Khon Kaen, which is a university town, it offers an excellent peek into day-to-day life in Thailand, and also has its fair share of temples and stupas to visit.

Story continues

Cost: You get a return ticket to Khon Kaen with a stopover in Bangkok for $300 to $350 on Scoot, Lion Air, Air Asia, Jetstar, or a combination of these airlines.

Nha Trang, Vietnam

Nha Trang - MoneySmart

When people think of beach destinations in Southeast Asia, the first countries that spring to mind are Thailand or Malaysia. But Vietnam has a very long coastline that is home to stunning beaches and great resorts at affordable prices. The most well-known of these seaside towns is Nha Trang, which is also a good option for getting your scuba diving licence.

Cost: Fly to Cam Ranh (43 minutes from Nha Trang) and back for about $200 to $220 on Jetstar, Vietjet Ai, Air Asia or a combination of the three.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Sihanoukville - MoneySmart

Theres more to Cambodia than Angkor Wat and volunteering at orphanages. Beautiful beaches are also occasionally a part of the equation, which Sihanoukville proves. Other than sunbathing on Serendipity Beach, Victory Beach and Otres Beach, you can also enjoy the towns backpacker-centric nightlife or enjoy seafood and massages.

Cost: Fly to Sihanoukville and back for about $220 to $280 on Air Asia.

Chongqing, China

Chongqing - MoneySmart

Chongqing is obviously not part of Southeast Asia, but this major Chinese city is well worth a visit for being one of the best places to sample authentic, spicy Szechuan cuisine. The area is particularly well-known for its firey hotpot. Other activities to enjoy include a cruise on the Yangtze River, a bath in one of the areas many hot springs and the UNESCO-listed Dazu Buddhist Rock Carvings, located about three hours away from the city.

Cost: Return tickets can be had for as little as $290 to $320 on airlines like China West Air and SilkAir.

Have you visited any of the above destinations? Share your experiences in the comments!

Image credits: Bernard Spragg. NZ, Stefan Maurer, Aleksandr Zykov, bamml82, faunggs photos

The post 5 Affordable Holiday Destinations Not Often Visited by Singaporeans appeared first on the MoneySmart blog.

MoneySmart.sg helps you maximize your money. Like us on Facebook to keep up to date with our latest news and articles.

Compare and shop for the best deals on Loans, Insurance and Credit Cards on our site now!





More From MoneySmart


A senior Bangladesh cabinet minister has accused Myanmar of obstructing efforts to repatriate roughly 750,000 Rohingya refugees, saying it was unlikely the displaced Muslims would ever return to their homeland. Finance minister A.M.A Muhith said the repatriation deal signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh in November would likely fail despite his government's official stance that the refugees must eventually go back. "I do not believe the Rohingya can be sent back," Muhith, an outspoken minister from the ruling party, told reporters late Tuesday in Dhaka after meeting with a British charity. "You can speculate that very few will return to Burma. The first reason is that Burma will only take a few and secondly is that the refugees will never return if they fear persecution," he added, using another name for Myanmar. Bangladesh insists the repatriation process will go ahead, last month submitting to Myanmar the names of 8,000 refugees expected to return to Rakhine state where the Muslim minority has been persecuted for generations. But the plan has courted controversy from the outset. Rights groups and the UN have warned that conditions for their return are not close to being in place. Refugees living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh have also resisted the idea, fearing they will not be safe if they return to Rakhine. Close to one million refugees from the persecuted Muslim minority live in squalid camps in Cox's Bazar, having fled successive waves of violence in Myanmar's westernmost region. Under the agreement, the first of a proposed 750,000 returnees were scheduled to begin crossing the border in late January. But the process stalled, with Myanmar and Bangladesh blaming the other for a lack of preparedness for the huge undertaking. Muhith said Myanmar would "take 15 a day when there is one million", referring to the Rohingya in camps strung along the border. "They (Myanmar) are absolute evil," he added. A UN human rights envoy said Tuesday that Myanmar was continuing its "ethnic cleansing" of the Rohingya with a "campaign of terror and forced starvation" in Rakhine state. Rohingya are still streaming across the border from Rakhine state more than six months after a Myanmar army crackdown sparked a massive refugee crisis.
The motorised sampan used by boatman Tan Poh Teck in Chew Eng Hans escape bid. Photo: Wong Casandra/Yahoo News Singapore

The boatman accused of helping former City Harvest Church fund manager Chew Eng Han in his alleged attempt to flee Singapore was handed a new charge on Wednesday (7 March).

Tan Poh Teck, 53, was charged for abetting another man to leave the country illegally, and now faces three charges under the Immigration Act.

According to court documents, Tan abetted a Goh Chun Kiat to leave Singapore illegally on 17 August last year.

He allegedly took Goh on a motorised boat from a beach near Changi to a fish farm near Pulau Ubin. Goh then boarded another boat, which left for Malaysia.

Tan was previously charged on 22 February for allegedly helping Chew attempt to leave Singapore from Pulau Ubin.

On 1 March, he was also charged over abetting another person, a Shanker Mahalingam, to leave Singapore on a motorised boat from a beach near PA Water Venture, Changi, on 17 December last year.

From there, Tan allegedly conveyed Shanker to the fish farms near Pulau Ubin, before Shanker boarded another boat for Malaysia.

Tan is out on $25,000 bail, and will be back in court on 29 March.

Chew, who was remanded for a week after being charged in court for one count of leaving Singapore illegally, began serving his jail term of three years and four months for criminal breach of trust and falsification of accounts on 1 March.

Anyone found guilty of abetting another to leave Singapore illegally faces a jail term of between six months to two years and a fine of up to $6,000.

Related

Malaysian charged with taking $8,000 from Chew Eng Han to help him flee Singapore
Seven EU countries including the Netherlands and Hungary will on Wednesday face unprecedented criticism from Brussels for "aggressive" tax policies that undercut other member states, the bloc's economic affairs commissioner said. The European Commission, the EU's powerful executive arm, will hand down the harsh judgment in its regular report on the economies of the union's member states, Pierre Moscovici said on Tuesday. "For the first time, the Commission is stressing the issue of aggressive tax planning in seven EU countries: Belgium, Cyprus, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta and The Netherlands," he said. "These practices undermine fairness and the level playing field in our internal market, and they increase the burden on EU taxpayers." Many of the targeted countries serve as EU headquarters for global multinationals, offering complicated tax schemes that help companies -- such as Google, Apple or Facebook -- to shift profits and avoid big tax bills. In January former French finance minister Moscovici accused Ireland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Malta and Cyprus of being "black holes" and promised to pressure them to change their ways. The addition of Hungary to the list also threatens to further strain ties between Brussels and Budapest, which are already difficult because of tensions over migration and the rule of law. Moscovici on Tuesday added: "While we recognise the steps some of these member states have taken to adapt their tax model recently, clearly more needs to be done. "We must ensure that fair taxation becomes the rule without exceptions." The criticism of its own member states comes after Brussels published a blacklist of non-EU countries accused of tax avoidance.
European power operators called Wednesday for an end to a row between Serbia and Kosovo that has sapped the continent's electricity grid and caused electronic clocks to run several minutes late. The Brussels-based power operators association ENTSO-E said "political disagreements" between the Balkan neighbours have caused a decrease in the electric frequency in the continental network since mid-January. "The decrease in frequency average is affecting also those electric clocks that are steered by the frequency of the power system and not by a quartz crystal," it said in a statement. Clocks for radio alarms, ovens and heating system currently, it said, "show a delay of close to six minutes" in European countries, including Belgium. "ENTSO-E is urging European and national governments and policy makers to take swift action," it said. "The political disagreements opposing the Serbian and Kosovar authorities have led to the observed electricity impact." Kosovo energy expert Agron Dida told AFP that Serbia has prevented Kosovo, whose decade-old independence it refuses to recognise, from importing the cheaper energy it needs from neighbouring Albania. "Serbia blackmails the optimisation of the regional energy system," Dida said. "It is possible that this creates problems and affects negatively the whole electricity network in Europe." Serbia's electrical power grid company EMS AD blamed the missing power on Kosovo "uninterruptedly withdrawing, in an unauthorised manner, uncontracted electric energy" from the synchronised European grid. EMS AD, which is tasked with balancing the Kosovo grid, said it "has committed all its resources to resolving this issue in a swift and efficient manner." The statement added that Kosovo operator KOSTT had "ceased, as of March 3, its unauthorised power withdrawal." Aca Markovic, special advisor for the Energy Agency of Serbia, told AFP that EMS AD had covered Kosovo's energy needs for a while but had to stop because of the costs and its breach of rules. In Pristina, KOSTT deputy director Kadri Kadriu said that the problem was in northern Kosovo, an area populated with some 40,000 minority Serbs who refuse to recognise the ethnic Albanian authorities. "KOSTT is supplying the north of Kosovo with electricity and it is considered as a loss... so the production-spending balance has been deviated causing an imbalance of the system," Kadriu said in a statement. Serbia has refused to recognise its former breakaway province since it declared independence in 2008 and tries to block its attempt to join UN and various international organisations, including ENTSO-E. Both are seeking to join the European Union.
Fears grow for Chinese woman missing in Malaysia, as embassy says investigation under way

The Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur is working with local authorities in an effort to trace a 25-year-old Chinese woman who has been missing for two weeks, after arriving in the Malaysian capital on February 7.

He Yuting, who lives in southwestern Chinas Sichuan province but frequently travels to Malaysia for work, has been out of contact since February 22, her family told the South China Morning Post on Wednesday.

Hes mother, Wang Lunyan, said that the last time she spoke to her daughter, she told her she was well and not to worry. But since February 22, Hes phone has been turned off and none of her mothers messages have been returned.

Wang said that He worked as a daigou  a kind of personal shopper who buys goods in foreign countries to take advantage of preferential prices  and had been travelling to Malaysia two or three times a year since 2015.

How kindness and swift action of strangers saved life of sick Chinese girl

He left her home in the city of Mianzhu for her most recent visit to Kuala Lumpur on February 7, but did not tell her family the exact purpose of the trip.

She didnt tell me why she was going to Malaysia  I asked her if she was going to see her boyfriend, she just smiled and didnt say yes or no, Wang said.

Wang, who works as a waitress, said she had applied for a visa to visit Malaysia so she could report her daughter missing to the police, and was waiting for the paperwork to come through. The process usually took seven days, she said.

The Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur said it had already begun working with the local police.

We are very concerned about the personal safety of He Yuting, a worker at the consular protection department told the Post.

We have communicated with the Malaysian government and police, and they will contact us once they have an update.

Chinese subway passenger arrested after refusing to put handbag through dirty scanner

Hes family said they knew little about her life in Malaysia, apart from the fact she had a Chinese boyfriend who lived there, and that when she stayed in Kuala Lumpur it was with a female friend, who is also Chinese.

Story continues

Luo Bin, the missing womans cousin, said He began video-calling a man about a year ago, whom she described as a good friend who could become a boyfriend.

All he knew about him was that he was 29, about 1.7 metres (5 feet 7 inches) tall and came from Fuzhou, the capital of southeast Chinas Fujian province, Luo said.

Hes female friend treated her like a sister, Wang quoted her daughter as saying.

Neither Luo nor Wang have any contact information for Hes two friends.

Chinese toddler disables iPhone for 47 years

Luo said that his cousin told him she did not want to return to China for the Lunar New Year holiday, which started on February 16, but did not give a reason.

He said he thought it was probably because when Hes family got together they tended to put pressure on her to get married and settle down.

The atmosphere at home is not very good, and her mother is on her own, Luo said. Her relatives are always telling her that, as a girl, she shouldnt just be drifting around, but should find a local job and get married.

Despite the pressure put on her, He was an independent and ambitious person who wanted to provide a better life for her family, Luo said.

I have a very good relationship with my daughter, Wang said. She bought me some face masks before she left [for Malaysia] and told me to take care of myself.

The faces of the people pictured in this story were pixelated at the request of Wang Lunyan, the mother of missing Chinese woman He Yuting.

This article Fears grow for Chinese woman missing in Malaysia, as embassy says investigation under way first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.
Eight members of a German far-right group were jailed Wednesday on terrorism and attempted murder charges for a series of explosives attacks targeting refugees and anti-fascist activists. Based in Germany's ex-communist east, the so-called "Freital group" had sought to create "a climate of fear" at the height of Germany's refugee and migrant influx in 2015, the court was told. Its leaders Timo Schulz, a 29-year-old bus driver, and Patrick Festing, 26, a pizza delivery and warehouse worker, were sentenced to 10 and nine-and-a-half years in prison respectively. The other five men, aged 20 to 40, and a 29-year-old woman received custodial terms of between four and eight years in the trial held under high security in the city of Dresden. The eight right-wing extremists had modified pyrotechnics bought in the neighbouring Czech Republic for five explosives attacks between July and November 2015. They twice struck Freital refugee homes, leaving a Syrian man with "multiple cuts" to the face, and also attacked an office and a car of far-left Die Linke politicians and a Dresden left-wing residential complex. The Freital group is named after the members' hometown, which drew notoriety beyond German borders in 2015 when enraged protesters there railed against "criminal foreigners" and "asylum-seeking pigs". Nearby Dresden, capital of the eastern state of Saxony, was the birthplace of the anti-Islamic street movement Pegida, which has ties with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) that has since entered Germany's parliament. Pegida and the AfD have raged against Chancellor Angela Merkel's policy to allow in more than one million asylum seekers, about half from war-torn Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, since 2015. - Racist ideology - The trial was held under tight security in a temporary courtroom complex with on-site holding cells located, ironically, in a former refugee accommodation centre on the outskirts of Dresden. A dozen police secured the trial attended by more than 100 visitors, most of them family, friends and supporters of the accused, who watched through a glass partition. The trial heard that Schulz and other group members had attended rallies of Pegida -- short for Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the Occident -- and were members of a local "citizen's self-defence" group in Freital. Some onlookers cried when the jail terms were announced, others laughed sardonically when judge Thomas Fresemann declared that the verdict was just and not aimed at making an example of the accused. Prosecutors argued that the group had casually accepted the risk of more victims and possible deaths in their attacks. "Some in the media and in the population have treated these as boyish pranks," said prosecutor Joern Hauschild. "The evidence shows this is not the case," he added, labelling the group a threat to Germany. On the final day of hearings in February, Festing had apologised to the victims without however clearly distancing himself from far-right and racist ideology, reported regional newspaper Saechsische Zeitung. "I am sorry," he said. "I can't explain why I did it." Prosecutors are investigating another 10 suspects -- two alleged members of the Freital group and eight alleged supporters -- MDR public radio reported.
Italy's anti-establishment Five Star Movement reached out to leftist parties on Wednesday in a bid to end the stalemate from a general election, even as a rightwing alliance lobbied for its right to rule. The Five Star Movement (M5S) became the country's largest single party in Sunday's ballot after picking up nearly 33 percent of the vote. But it finished second behind a rightwing coalition which obtained 37 percent. Both formations would need allies to form a parliamentary majority. Observers say the most likely end to the impasse is an alliance between the M5S and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD). "It's the most accessible road to take, even if the route is uphill, and steep," wrote the Corriere Della Sera. Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio outlined his government programme on Wednesday in a letter to La Repubblica, Italy's main centre-left newspaper. "Ten million poor people can't be ignored... The security of our cities day and night can't be ignored. Unemployment, especially among the young, can't continue to run rampant," Di Maio wrote. "That is the message that has come loud and clear from the polls." The ruling PD's coalition collapsed to third place with just under 23 percent of the vote, but could play kingmaker for a future government. Matteo Salvini, head of the far-right League party which picked up the most votes in the rightwing coalition, has made his own overtures to rival parties. He has however ruled out allying with the M5S. Salvini, who finished ahead of his coalition partner Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (Go Italy), has said he is open to negotiating with anyone who "shares our programme". Crucially, Salvini on Tuesday received the endorsement from three-time former premier Berlusconi who said he would respect their pre-election deal that whichever party came first could put forward a prime ministerial nominee. - 'We have made history!' - Di Maio celebrated his victory at a rally with hundreds of supporters late on Tuesday in his home town of Pomigliano d'Arco, an industrial city near Naples. "We have made history!" the 31-year-old told the crowd. The Five Star Movement is by far Italy's biggest party, followed by the PD who picked up under 19 percent of the vote, squeaking ahead of the League's 17.4. Projections by Opinio Italia for state broadcaster Rai suggest that an alliance between the PD and the M5S should easily have enough seats for a majority. With the vote count not yet official, the M5S is looking at between 230-240 seats in the lower house Chamber of Deputies and between 109-119 in the Senate. Meanwhile the centre-left is set for between 110-120 in the Chamber and 47-55 in the Senate. In the Chamber, 316 seats are needed for a majority and in the Senate 158 seats are required. - 'Back to the polls' - The M5S has to walk a fine line on any post-election deal, as any perception of cosy arrangements with other parties risks alienating its core supporters angered by traditional politics. Di Maio commands a party on the up and knows that the PD risks handing power to the anti-EU far-right by refusing to form an alliance. "If they don't let us do anything, we can always vote on a new electoral law with the League and go back to the polls," La Repubblica quoted him as saying on Tuesday. But the PD is split between those opposed to working with the M5S and those who are categorically opposed. On Tuesday outgoing party leader Matteo Renzi ruled out the prospect a deal with those who "have insulted us for years and who represent the opposite of our values". Renzi announced his resignation as party leader on Monday but said that it would only be effective once a new government was formed, allowing him to block moves to create a majority with the M5S.
For many migrants arriving in Europe, it's difficult to talk about the toll taken by the journey. But Ibrahim Soumahoro is unusually frank: the four years spent getting to France have been "lost years". "I wouldn't make this journey again for anything in the world," the 20-year-old Ivorian said, struggling to control his emotions as he tells his story. "It's not worthy of a human being, all this humiliation." After a trip that saw him go through hell in Libya and lose his best friend in the Mediterranean, Soumahoro wound up in Briancon, a town perched high in the French Alps. In jeans and a hoodie, his hair in short dreadlocks, Soumahoro looks like any other young man, but he has seen enough horror for a lifetime. "I don't know how many times I've flirted with death. Frankly, I've lost four years of my life." Soumahoro is one of hundreds of young west African men who have trudged over the Alps from Italy in the past two years, using one of the lesser known routes on Europe's migrant trail. Born to poor parents in a remote village in Ivory Coast, he was raised by an uncle in the economic capital Abidjan. But the uncle died in the fighting that followed Ivory Coast's disputed 2011 election, and Ibrahim was left to fend for himself at 13. He ended up hanging out with street gangs in the city. "I had a friend who was like a big brother to me, and we said to ourselves that this wasn't a life," he related. The pair packed their bags and set off on an international adventure when Soumahoro was just 15. At first they scraped by in neighbouring Burkina Faso, but that country was also soon plunged into crisis, when anti-government protesters forced out a long-sitting president in 2014. So the two youths moved on, first to Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, and then to Libya, where they heard there was work to be had rebuilding after the war that toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi. They had no idea of the horrors that awaited them there. They ended up in the desert town of Sabha, where African migrants were kept in slave houses as forced labour -- "one for the Gambians, one for the Guineans, one for the Ivorians", as Soumahoro recalls it. - Filmed fighting for bread - At first the boys tried to stay inside, terrified of being kidnapped. But eventually they ran out of money, and went looking for work. Before they knew it Dosso had been kidnapped. After his family finally managed to scrape together the money for a ransom, the two Ivorians decided to leave Libya. They headed to the capital Tripoli, where Soumahoro found odd jobs as a labourer, but his employers were often abusive, warning him off at gunpoint when he demanded his wages. In 2016, he himself was abducted and spent several weeks in a prison. Every day was filled with appalling humiliations, fed on scraps of bread, detained in filth. "There were a hundred of us and the guy would throw in 70 pieces of bread. People would fight for them and the prison guards would film us. It made them laugh," he recalled. People smugglers, meanwhile, painted Europe as an easy escape. "They tell you the crossing will last 30 minutes and then you'll be in Italy. "Your friends are already there, and you say to yourself, why don't you take your chance too? This idea gets sold to you, to come to Europe whatever the cost." In late 2016, Soumahoro and Dosso set sail for Italy in two inflatable boats packed with 120 people. Dosso drowned after his boat capsized leaving a shaken Soumahoro to plough on alone. - 'Family to family' - Soumahoro ploughed on, moving up through Italy, sleeping seven to a tent in the middle of winter. Eventually he heard that west Africans like him were heading to France through the Echelle pass in the Alps -- perilous, at 1,762 metres (5,780 feet), but with no border crossing. He entered France in January 2017, taking two days to cross the mountain. With the help of local volunteers, he has finally been accepted onto a training course as a carer while still waiting for his asylum claim to be processed. But his days are lonely and full of uncertainty. "I don't have a fixed place where I can stay, I go from family to family," he said. "You ask yourself what you're doing here. You tell yourself you're good for nothing. A man's life shouldn't be about staying put and doing nothing; you want to feel useful. "You want to feel like you're contributing something positive to society."
Dust cover the statue of assassinated former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al Hariri in Beirut, Lebanon September 10, 2015. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi/File Photo

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The 2005 bombing that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was a terrorist act, judges at the U.N.-backed tribunal in the Hague set up to investigate it said in a ruling on Wednesday.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon also said that evidence presented by prosecutors "could" lead to the convictions of four suspects. That means lawyers for the four, who remain at large and are being tried in absentia, must present their defences.

Prosecutors rested their case last month. Lawyers for one of the suspects, Hussein Hassan Oneissi, had asked for early acquittal, saying all evidence against him was circumstantial.

But Judge Janet Nosworthy said that evidence, including cell phone records presented by prosecutors, showed Oneissi may have been involved in an elaborate attempt to blame the attack on a fictional terrorist group.

It also could imply he knew the attack itself was being prepared.

"The trial chamber has sufficient evidence from which it could convict Mr. Oneissi of his involvement in the attack on Mr. Hariri," she said.

The court ordered an organizational meeting with all defence lawyers for Thursday, 8 March.

Judges underlined that they have not concluded any of the suspects are actually guilty, only that they have a case to answer.

Defence lawyers for the other suspects, Salim Jamil Ayyash, Hassan Habib Merhi and Assad Hassan Sabra, did not seek early acquittal.

Elsewhere in the decision, Presiding Judge David Re said the attack, which killed Hariri and 21 others, was an act of terrorism, intended to sow fear among the Lebanese people, and could only have been carried out by a sophisticated group, with intricate planning over a long period of time.

Re said Wednesday's decision did not say anything about whether the facts against the suspects had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

(Reporting by Toby Sterling, Editing by Catherine Evans, William Maclean)
NewsBytes

Pluto was controversially stripped of its designation as a planet in 2006. A planetary scientist who was the fiercest advocate of the celestial body's demotion claims he has now found another celestial body worthy of recognition as a planet. The astronomer claims his newly-discovered celestial body is six times bigger than Earth and could become the fifth-largest in our solar system. Here's more.
PSA Group, the makers of Peugeot, Citroen, and DS Cars, has entered into a contract with Malaysian company Naza to partner on the production of PSA-branded cars for Malaysia and other Asian markets. The move is part of PSAs plans to enhance its presence in the region after its much-touted partnership with Proton holdings failed to materialize.

In a statement, the French car manufacturer declared that a share sale agreement has been signed between them and their Malaysian counterparts, which stipulates the creation of a shared manufacturing hub in Gurun, Kedah, in Malaysia. PSA will have a 56 percent stake in the property, which would have a capacity of 50,000 vehicles. Peugeot 3008s are set to be the first vehicles to be produced for 2018, followed by the Citroen C5 Aircross for 2019.

In its own released statement, Naza said it is targeting to export 20,000 cars from the plant in the next three years. The Naza Group will have sole responsibility for the distribution of Peugeot, Citroen and DS Automobiles in the domestic market and, with PSA, will explore distribution prospects in other ASEAN markets, the statement said.

The PSA Group said that the deal with Naza is part of the companys Push to Pass strategy to boost sales. The goal of the strategy is to help PSA achieve a 10 percent sales increase by 2018 and another 15 percent by 2021.

The creation of the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) hub in Gurun, Kedah, is a significant leap forward for PSA that will lead to the development of a profitable business in the region as part of our Push to Pass strategic plan, PSA CEO Carlos Tavares said.

PSAs foray into the Malaysian market mirrors that of Geelys move last year, when the Chinese car brand bought a 49.9 percent stake in Malaysias Proton, promising to inject the ailing national automaker with some needed financing to strengthen its presence in its home country as well as neighboring regions. PSA was also one of the companies running after Proton, but the Malaysian brand chose Geely instead.

The post PSA Inks Deal with Malaysias Naza to Boost Asian Presence appeared first on Carmudi Philippines.
The startup, led by founder Jonathan Lui, has raised S$2.75 million (US$2 million) to date

Sohos founder Jonathan Lui

In a small and competitive real estate market that is being fought over by two rival property marketplaces 99.co and PropertyGuru, Singapore-based startup Soho believes it can have a slice of the pie by offering a larger suite of tools.

Describing itself as the LinkedIn for the real estate market (meaning that just like not all users on LinkedIn are hunting for jobs, not all properties on Soho are currently on the market), Soho offers homeowners and real estate agents to list properties.

It also provides management tools that allow them to track important property documents such as their financials, and investment data such as capital gains, yields, and strata fees.

Additionally platorm facilitates ease of communication by allowing homeowners and real estate agents to chat with buyers and renters via a real-time chat tool. For renters, there are tools that allow them to pay for rental bonds and other fees online.

All properties are free-to-list on the Soho.

For its solution, Soho, which was founded by Jonathan Lui, who co-founded Australian startup Airtasker in 2012, bagged a funding of S$1.71 million (US$1.3 million) today from Australia-based fund Bridgelane Capital.

This brings its total funding to date to S$2.75 million (US$2 million). Its previous investors includes Hub Ventures Fund, an early-stage investment company launched by Impact Hub Singapore.

Also Read: Blockchain-based energy startup ELECTRIFY raises US$30M funding

It will use the newly-raised capital to growth of the companys headquarters in Singapore; it will double the size of its software development team, who will work on integrating Sohos platform with existing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, making it easier for property agents to come onboard.

The startup is currently in Singapore and Australia and has seen more than 10,000 downloads since its launch, with over 5,000 properties and listings added to the platform worth over S$3.5 billion (US$2.7 billion).

Story continues

Property agents from major companies such as ERA, Propnex and Huttons in Singapore, and Ray White, McGrath and Harcourts in Australia, have registered on the platform.

Were seeing solid support for Soho as its not only free to list, but also has capabilities well beyond just the transaction itself. Our view is that the classifieds pay-to-list business model will phase out over the next 5 years, and we will see significant changes to the online property searching experience, said Lui, in an official press release.



Image Credit: Soho

The post Singapores online property network Soho raises US$1.3M to grow its headquarters appeared first on e27.
A truck driver kept driving for three miles after losing the trailer roof in a collision with an overpass in Philadelphia on March. Pennsylvania Leslie Stahl captured video showing the truck dragging trailer wreckage.

The truck driver, Marcos Almanza, failed to clear an overpass in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Philadelphia and the roof was peeled off, according to a WPVI report. Almanza told WPVI he was aware of the wreckage trailing his truck but he had to keep driving until he found a safe spot to stop. No charges have been filed against the driver, according to reports. Credit: Leslie Stahl via Storyful
A Cameroon-born actor says he almost lost an eye on Saturday after a white woman assaulted him at a restaurant in Madrid.

Marius Makon, who is also known as Elton Prince, told the Spanish newspaper El Pais he was ordering coffee with friends when a couple approached him.

Makon said the woman, who police later described as a 32-year-old from El Salvador, told him, I dont want black people in this place or in front of me.

Makon said he told the woman hed be leaving in a moment and added, I dont have any interest in staying near you for long.

The woman allegedly called Makon a black piece of shit. According to The Washington Post, she said: Im white. I can kill you and nothing will happen.

The woman allegedly smashed a beer bottle against the actors head twice, causing cuts and other injuries that required medical attention.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

After the attack, other customers helped Makon with his injuries while the restaurant owners called police.

After witnesses identified the suspect, Makon filed a report at the local police station. The woman was arrested, according to The Associated Press, but was released shortly after she provided a statement to police, according to El Pais.

Makon went into detail about the incident on his Facebook page, and said he does not feel any hatred toward his assailant:

Now I am in my house and I look through these images [of my injuries] I do not feel any hate towards the woman. I want to say that I am not angry with her and I dont know why. I am sad that she feels such hate, that she lives with hate. It saddens me that she does not enjoy life, that she doesnt leave a small space in her heart to love.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Spains Migration Network, a group of nongovernmental organizations and groups fighting discrimination, is asking prosecutors to investigate the incident as a hate crime. However, the Civil Liberties Union for Europe notes that Spain does not have any comprehensive and united policy against racism.

About 1 million people of African origin live in Spain and deal with frequent racism, according to El Pais.

Story continues

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Bullying

Even kids who share the same identity -- be it racial or gender -- can be guilty of bullying and discrimination against each other. Ontario's Ministry of Education defines bullying as "a form of repeated, persistent, and aggressive behaviour directed at an individual or individuals that is intended to cause (or should be known to cause) fear and distress and/or harm to another person's body, feelings, self-esteem, or reputation."

Cyberbullying

Social media can be a platform for bullying to continue even after school is out. Cyberbullying occurs when young people take malicious actions online. through chat rooms, email, social sites and instant messaging.

Stock Answer To 'What Are You?'

"You don't need to go into full confessional mode, but have fun with it, if that helps. Or be perfectly honest," author Jonathan R. Miller said. Miller writes e-books with multi-ethnic characters and themes. You don't have to talk about all the nuances of your family tree every time you're asked about your background, he said. That can be exhausting. Find something that works for you personally.

Real Answer To 'What Are You?'

"I like the word 'mixed' because it's a messy word, and in my experience growing up mixed is exactly that," Miller said. He suggests that it's important to allow yourself to truly wrestle with questions of identity in environments you consider safe.

A Friend To Confide In

If you are struggling with your identity, you don't have to tell the whole world, but confide in a friend that you trust. Having someone to confide in is important. "If you can, find someone who you can talk to about your most honest, ever-evolving, often-messy answer to the question, 'What am I?'" Miller said.

If You Can't Speak, Write

"Maybe you don't have anyone trustworthy to talk to honestly about your experiences. Write about them. It helped me, sometimes, to get those out," Miller said. It may not make a lot of sense initially and it might feel uncomfortably personal, but write. Keep a journal, write short stories and rename the characters, try your hand at poetry -- whatever feels best.

Let Your Identity Be An Open Question

"You are likely being told at different times, more or less, to hurry up and get off the fence, pick a side and get on with it," Miller said. It's not necessarily a bad thing to be unsure of who you are, even if your peers seem to have their acts together, he said. Teenage years are discovery years. Miller also quoted author Rainer Maria Rilke: "'Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. ... Live in the question.' That's good advice. Difficult to follow, but good."

Embrace The Chameleon

When it comes to mixed heritage, "you don't have to be 'both' or 'other' or 'all of the above' all of the time. Sometimes the only way to figure out what you are is to choose one thing and be it for a while," Miller said. Explore how it feels to fully embrace a single aspect of your identity, for short period of time. See "what stick and what slides off." It's simply learning, Miller said.

Don't Be Afraid To Abandon The Labels Altogether

"I can't tell you how many multi-racial people I've met who have chosen a single race or ignored race entirely and been perfectly content with the decision. A biracial friend of mine used to tell me, 'I'm black and white, yes, but I'm black. Period,'" Miller said. He said he knows many people have chosen to identify with only one aspect of their multi-background, while others have embraced the blend.

Get Involved In Life

Find creative ways to occupy your time, Miller said. Join a group or do an activity (with others) where you are empowered to be who you are, instead of having to act how others think you need to be in order to fit in.

Be Proud Of Who You Are

Take pride in your ethnic (culture, color or religion) heritage. You have no control over your heritage, and you can't change that fact that this is who you are. So embrace it and learn as much as you can. "You may feel like it would be an insult to your heritage to embrace one aspect of yourself above the others, but trust me, it wouldn't be. This is important: it is not your job to uphold, with perfect equity and grace, all of the elements that went into your making," Miller said.

Have A Ready Defense Against The Identity Police

"Often they're the 'gatekeepers' that decide whether you're 'in' or 'out.' But what you can do is have a ready answer for the 'charges' they level against you. Whether you use humour, earnestness, or self-righteous anger, it helps to have your defense lined up and ready," Miller said. Sometimes people think all the "members" of their cultural or ethnic community must behave, dress and think a certain way. But as an individual, you can do whatever you want and find your own identity.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Explainer: The polar vortex, climate change and the Beast from the East

Posted on 7 March 2018 by Guest Author

This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Robert McSweeney

While much of Europe is shivering in subzero temperatures, the Arctic and eastern US have basked in unseasonably warm conditions in recent weeks.

Arctic temperatures during February hit record highs, including nine separate days where temperatures were above zero. This is more than 30C warmer than expected for an Arctic winter.

Numerous news reports have pointed the finger at the polar vortex for this unusual combination of weather extremes. Some have suggested that climate change is making these events more likely, driven by declining Arctic sea ice.

So what is the polar vortex? How does it affect mid-latitude weather? And what role  if any  is climate change playing?

Beast from the East

Many of the news headlines this week have been dominated by two sides of the same story. On one hand, the Beast from the East has swept across Europe, bringing freezing conditions and blizzards, leaving transport systems at a standstill in many countries.

Temperatures across Germany tumbled to below -10C; homeless people in Brussels were detained overnight if they refused shelter; and roofs of dozens of houses collapsed under the weight of snow in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Snow even made a rare appearance in Rome.

On the other hand, a warm air intrusion has brought extraordinarily mild conditions to the Arctic.

Despite being in perpetual winter darkness, Arctic temperatures have soared in recent weeks. Siberia have been as much as 35C above average this month, reported the Guardian, while the northernmost tip of Greenland has already experienced 61 hours above freezing in 2018  more than three times as many hours as in any previous year.

These unusual weather extremes are two sides of the same coin. The culprit is a circulation pattern up in the stratosphere called the polar vortex, which has  temporarily  split into two, allowing warm air into the Arctic and pushing a blast of cold air over Europe.

But such warm Arctic conditions have concerned scientists. Cape Morris Jesup, Greenlands most northerly point, has been consistently and extraordinarily warm for the last week or so, says Dr Ruth Mottram, a climate scientist at the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI). She tells Carbon Brief:

The DMI weather station recorded 10 consecutive days where the temperature was at least 0C or warmer for some or all of the day. This is the 3rd time in the record it has happened  the others were 2011 and 2017  but the persistence of this weather event, as well as the magnitude of the warming is what has made it so unusual.

The warming has also been boosted by foehn-effect winds, which have pushed ice away from the coast of Greenland and created open water, Mottram adds.

The warm Arctic conditions have seen sea ice melt when it is supposed to be growing through the winter. Arctic sea ice in January hit a new record low for the month, while InsideClimate News reported last week that in just eight days in mid-February, nearly a third of the sea ice covering the Bering Sea off Alaskas west coast disappeared.

Newspaper reports have speculated on the role that human-caused climate change could be playing  and whether the conditions are a sign of things to come. Wednesdays Guardian, for example, led its frontpage with the headline, Arctic heatwave triggers climate meltdown fears.

But the potential link between the climate change, the polar vortex and mid-latitude weather is a complicated, uncertain and  at times  contentious one.

What is the polar vortex?

The term polar vortex is perhaps an unfortunate use of words, says Dr James Screen, assistant professor in climate science at the University of Exeter. He tells Carbon Brief:

Most atmospheric scientists would say, I think, that the polar vortex is a specific feature of the wintertime stratospheric circulation (more fully, the stratospheric polar vortex). In recent times, the terminology has increasingly been used to describe the tropospheric circulation.

That needs a bit of unpacking. The first thing to note is that the polar vortex is in the stratosphere, around 8km above the Earths surface at the poles.

The stratospheric polar vortex is a low-pressure weather system that sits over the Arctic (there is an equivalent one over the Antarctic). Its main feature is the strong west-to-east winds which encircle the north pole. These winds are known as the polar night jet because they only appear during the dark Arctic winter.

The polar night jet forms a boundary between the very cold Arctic air and the warmer air over the mid-latitudes.

As Screen pointed out earlier, the stratospheric polar vortex is often confused with a second vortex  this time in the troposphere.

The tropospheric polar vortex is a year-round feature of mid-latitude weather, driven by the temperature difference between the Arctic and the mid-latitudes. Its boundary winds are more commonly known as the jet stream. As seen in the illustration above, it is much larger than its namesake in the stratosphere.

The position and strength of the jet stream have a big impact on mid-latitude weather. When the jet stream is strong, its fast-flowing winds provides a barrier between the cold air over the Arctic and the milder air further south. When it weakens, the jet stream slows and can develop kinks. This allows the cold Arctic air to spill out into the mid-latitudes and for warmer air to spill in  as has been the case recently.

The strength and position of the jet stream can be gauged by a metric called the Arctic Oscillation (AO). When the AO is positive, the jet stream is strong. When its negative, the jet stream is weak.

The similar names and characteristics of the two polar vortices can cause confusion, says Screen:

Typically, polar vortex was reserved for the stratospheric, but now it seems polar vortex is being used to essentially describe the jet stream.

The distinction is important when it comes to talking about what has been happening to the weather this week and the potential impacts of climate change (more on that later).

Sudden stratospheric warming

The trigger for this weeks unusual weather started with a sudden stratospheric warming event.

Sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) occurs when something knocks the stratospheric polar vortex out of kilter. This can be caused by large weather patterns in the troposphere.

The resulting wobbles in the polar night jet can cause the circulation to slow down, reverse in direction and even split into two separate vortices. This allows air to collapse in over the Arctic, compressing the atmosphere and causing temperatures to rise dramatically in the stratosphere  by as much as 50C in just a couple of days.

When this happens, the knock-on impacts for the troposphere can mean the usual westerly winds that swirl around the mid-latitudes also reverse and become easterlies. This might take a few days or weeks to materialise.About two weeks ago, the stratospheric polar vortex weakened and then split into two. You can see this happen in the clip below. The fast-flowing winds shown by the purple lines wrench from neat single circle into two vortices swirling side-by-side.

What is being seen now is consequence of the split, explains Mottram:

This has allowed warmer air to move up into the high Arctic Ocean and, at the same time, the remnants of the high pressure are now lodged over Scandinavia, bringing cold air to northern Europe and the Labrador Sea  so southwest Greenland is actually very, very cold and [Greenlands capital city] Nuuk will probably have a below-average temperature this month.

This is a classic weather pattern that occurs throughout the observed record, says Mottram. However, this time around, the pattern has been deeper and longer than normal, prompting the question of whether climate change is playing a part  particularly as research has shown an increasing frequency and duration of Arctic winter warming events, where daily temperatures peak above -10C.

Mottram says scientists do not yet have enough data about these events to say for sure whether these conditions are related to climate change, or that they will occur more frequently. However, such a warm Arctic could have had a helping hand, Mottram adds:

Its probably safe to say, though, that the warming associated with this event has been boosted by climate change to an extent. We see these warming spikes all the way through the record, but the baseline is shifting upwards. The atmosphere is warmer and so is the ocean.

However, as well as background warming, some researchers argue that the rapid decline in Arctic sea ice is making extreme mid-latitude weather more likely.

Arctic amplification

Temperatures in the Arctic are increasing around three times as fast as the global average  a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification.

One of the main reasons is the loss of sea ice in the region. As Arctic sea ice melts, energy from the sun that would have been reflected away is instead absorbed by the ocean.

The links between Arctic amplification and mid-latitude weather has become a prominent topic of climate research. Just last month, the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences published a special issue on the subject.

Scientists have put forward various mechanisms for how the two could be connected. For example, as the Arctic warms rapidly, the temperature difference between the Arctic and mid-latitudes declines. This could be weakening the jet stream, causing it to meander more and allow cold air to be pulled down to the mid-latitudes.

At the same time, some climate model projections suggest that while declining sea ice could amplify year-to-year variability in mid-latitude weather in the near-term, total variability will ultimately decrease under high emissions scenarios with major loss of summer sea ice.

The weakening of the stratospheric polar vortex is a possible route for Arctic amplification to influence mid-latitude weather, Screen explains:

It has been argued that Arctic sea ice loss has weakened the polar stratospheric vortex and that this might make the negative AO [a weakened jet stream] and severe winters more likely.

However, this theory is still contentious, he adds.

Other scientists are more certain. Prof Jennifer Francis, a research professor in the department of marine and coastal sciences at Rutgers University, tells Carbon Brief theres definitely a connection:

At least a dozen studies now have made the link between sea ice loss  especially in the Barents and Kara seas  to the jet stream into the stratospheric polar vortex and back to mid-latitude weather.

The process starts with sea ice loss allowing Arctic waters to absorb more heat from the sun during summer, explains Francis. This warmth slows ice formation in the Barents and Kara seas in early winter.

There is usually a bulge in the jet stream over this region, says Francis. The warming creates an area of high pressure just to the east of the bulge, along with stronger cold winds from the Arctic going into central and eastern Asia, she explains:

This effectively creates a larger north-south wave in the jet stream, which under the right conditions, transfers wave energy upward into the stratosphere. When large pulses of wave energy go into the stratospheric polar vortex, the vortex can be disrupted from its usual circular shape centered over the pole.

This can, therefore, be the trigger for a sudden stratospheric warming event and, in turn, unusual weather in the mid-latitudes.

One of the studies that has made this link was published last month in the Bulletin of the American Meteorology Society (BAMS). Led by PhD researcher Marlene Kretschmerat the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), the study identifies seven different states that the stratospheric polar vortex displayed during winter (January-February) over 1979-2015.

Of these states, the frequency of a weak distorted vortex has increased from around three days per winter during 1979-96 to seven days during 1998-2015, the paper finds, while days of a strong vortex have declined from from approximately 12 days per season to just six days.

A weak vortex is usually accompanied by subsequent cold extremes in midlatitude Eurasia, the study notes.

In an earlier journal paper, Marlene Kretschmers research also identified sea ice cover in the Barents and Kara seas ice as important external drivers of mid-latitude weather patterns in winter.

But despite the flurry of work in this area, the research in understanding the stratospheric pathway from Arctic Amplification and sea ice is still very young, notes Zack Labe, a PhD candidate in climate science at the University of California at Irvine.

Indeed, there is still significant research ongoing in understanding the dynamical relationships between stratosphere-troposphere interactions, Labe tells Carbon Brief.

As such, for the time being, there is not a clear consensus on how sea ice and Arctic amplification may affect the polar vortex, he concludes.
Donald Trumps new trade war appears to have claimed its first casualty. The New York Times reports that Gary Cohn, the presidents top economic adviser, is preparing to quit the White House.

Anonymous officials tell the paper there is no single factor behind Cohns decision to resign. But the timing is rather hard to ignore. Trump is preparing to impose large tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, a move that Cohn opposes. The National Economic Council director has been mounting an internal persuasion campaign to convince Trump to water down the plan he unexpectedly announced last week. But as of now, it looks like protectionists in the White House are winning the debate, and Cohn has had enough.

Advertisement

Gary has been my chief economic adviser and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again, Trump said in a statement to Times. He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

That may sound like pro forma praise for a departing lieutenant. But while Cohn may be exiting on a bit of a low note, having lost an important brawl over economic policy, one could argue that of all the major Trump administration officials to bail thus far, he is the only one to have accomplished his major goal.

As the former president of Goldman Sachs, Cohn was the unofficial leader of the White Houses Wall Street wingcapitals inside man on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., a status that earned him the not-so-subtly anti-Semitic nickname Globalist Gary from the administrations Breitbart contingent. (Cohn is Jewish.) With his commanding frame and ex-traders personality, he quickly won the presidents esteem, and for a while, Trump even considered picking Cohn to be the next Federal Reserve chair. But Cohns chances at the job apparently collapsed after he decided to publicly criticize the Trumps response to the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, during which the president blamed neo-Nazis and counterprotesters for the deadly violence that erupted.

Advertisement

Cohn reportedly considered leaving the White House after the Charlottesville disgrace, going so far as to draw up a resignation letter (a fact which someone of course leaked to press, just so everybody knew just how upset Cohn was). But instead, he stayed on, and ultimately helped oversee the administrations successful push to massively slash taxes for corporations. He wasnt always the smoothest public salesman for the effort. He once kvelled that corporate CEOs were the most excited group out there about the bill, thus undercutting the Republican Partys message that their tax cuts would mainly help workers. There was the awkward hand-raising incident. But ultimately, Cohn helped get the job done. And his friends in the banking industry were, of course, one of the biggest winners from the bill.

Gary Cohn: The man who swallowed the presidents racism and personal humiliation in order to guide tax cuts for his old employer at Goldman Sachs, and then quit over some steel tariffs. Wall Street is sure to welcome him back as a hero.
When I spend $65 on a vintage Jaws T-shirt in a closely watched eBay auctionclosely watched by me, anywaymy marriage of 11 years hangs in the balance. At least, it used to. Once upon a time, such spending was a huge, homewrecker of an issue for us. But in September of 2010, my husband, Chris, and I adopted an allowance system. Ever since, weve granted each other $500 a month to spend however we want, no questions asked. And this is how were still married.

Advertisement

Couples fight over money. We know this because an entire subgenre of depressing stock photography exists to accompany articles about the issue. But even this development isnt recent: Married couples fighting about money are depicted in 18th-century Hogarth-esque drawings. Even the great 19th-century novels about adultery turn on issues of domestic finance. In Madame Bovary, Emma kills herself when her secret debts, not her secret dalliances, are about to be discovered. Financial worries and disagreements animate much of the marital drama in Anna Karenina, too.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Doling out allowances hasnt just ended one money fight, but effectively all of them.

Then theres that onetime staple of stand-up comedy, the wives be shoppin  joke. Someone stole all my credit cards, but I wont be reporting it, quipped Henny Youngman, in one example. The thief spends less than my wife did. I feel the specter of such jokes hanging over me even as I write this. The stereotype these jokes underline is that men earn money and women spend it, and while it may seem thin-skinned to be offended by punchlines from the 50s nightclub circuit, you have to consider the forces that shaped them. Women were kept from high-paying work and full workforce participation. Then their dependence was held up for ridicule, their small comforts mocked as frivolous.

Advertisement

I want to say that my husband and I are enlightened, that none of the gendered stuff touches us or is relevant. We both work and we both earn decent salaries, which get direct-deposited into our shared checking account. At the risk of seeming like Im humble-bragging about our egalitarian bona fides, well, it bears on the matter. Chris mother immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico, alone, when she was 16 years old; eventually, she earned a Ph.D. from William & Mary, which is how she supported Chris and his sister. Chris has never known from female breadwinning, or even female borderline-obsessive career ambition. In short, theres no leap to be made, because there was never any disconnect.

Advertisement

Advertisement

No, the money thing is my own deep-seated hang-up. In a 2016 essay for the New York Times, Alain de Botton suggested that a good question to ask your partner before getting married would be: And how are you crazy? This is how I am crazy. The reason we had to institute an allowance system was because I cannot be questioned about buying Jaws T-shirts, or sneakers, or the occasional out-of-print biography going for $55, used, on Amazon. I am so wary of dependence that the merest suggestion makes me break out in hives. I have to feel that I am independent or I cannot be married, as much as I love Chris.

Advertisement

Its because of how I grew up, of course. My dad was essentially the sole earner, and I was still in elementary school when I noticed (and envied) the cool clothes he got to wear and, even more importantly, his free comings and goings from the house. As a teenager, Id sometimes join him for lunches downtown, near his office, enjoying the poached salmon and the busy, important-seeming restaurant atmosphere. I wanted to have money and freedom and a cosmopolitan life, too. This desire kept me going through the rocky years of transitioning from liberal-arts major to full-time employee. I would never underrate the effort and sacrifice my mom put into running the house; Id say my view grows directly out of recognizing the larger implications of her choice.

Advertisement

Advertisement

There was another dimension, too. My family was middle-class, but because there were seven of us kids, my childhood involved a lot of hand-me-downs, and at school I was keenly aware of not having things that were brand-new, name-brand, specially purchased just for me. Twenty years later, I still crave the items I craved then. I still want real Steve Madden sandals (not the Target knockoffs), a T-shirt that says Abercrombie & Fitch, a pair of Vans Old Skool sneakers.

Spending money on such things is key to my enjoyment of adulthood, and really my ability to accept its conditions at alltheres no way Id put up with all the BS it takes to earn money if these freedoms went away. Besides, blowing small amounts of cash can be an effective way of blowing off steam, and doesnt leave you with a hangover. I have talked myself down from some very big ledges just by dropping $40 on a fat stack of glossy magazines.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Of course, it took me years to realize my hang-ups and put them into words. Chris and I got married in June of 2006, when I was 24 and he was 25, and for years afterward our worst, most knock-down, drag-out fights were about money. He couldnt understand how I could spend $300 on, say, an experimental Japanese hair treatment, and I couldnt understand why his questioning this made me so incredibly angry, right on the brink of calling up a lawyer.

Advertisement

It was in the middle of one of these fights that Chris came up with the idea for an allowance system. We were housesitting that weekend, sitting on my sister-in-laws couch and talking about the new job Id been offered in a bigger, more expensive city. I was arguing that the salary increase would be significant even with the higher cost of living; Chris didnt believe me. So, for the first time ever, we ran the numbers, made a spreadsheet. This helped me prove my point. Seeing the benefit of the formalized math, Chris said we should institute an allowance system for discretionary spending, so that we could at last stop fighting about small purchases with their wildly outsize and disproportionate emotional valence.

Advertisement

I was appalled. An allowance? Nothing could sound drearier or speak more clearly of cramped, crabbed freedom. Why re-create the (relatively) financially constrained circumstances of our childhoodsthe ones wed only just escaped? I could imagine in vivid detail, too, what my single friends might think if I ever told them about this system. Is there anything dorkier and more boringly domestic than an allowance?

Most of us would never dream of having an informal financial relationship with a roommate, yet theres a tendency to assume that informal financial relationships best serve a marriage. This is part of the magical thinking inherent in our notion of partnership. Now that we marry for love, its supposed to follow that were exactly alike. But no two people really are. Humans and chimps share 98.8 percent of their DNA, and still you dont see us marrying them. The same holds true for you and the person you love most in the world. Youre going to value different things, and the little-acknowledged truth is that functioning partnerships often come down to small, jury-rigged systems built to accommodate your differences. You save yourself time and heartache when you stop resisting the need for them. Far from being detrimental, a little formalized math doesnt hurt anybody. In fact, its clarifying.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I know this because our allowance-experiment has been running for seven years, six months, and counting. In all, weve each received around $44,000 in distributions. Ive saved one-third of this money while Chris has saved about half. We keep the money in separate online brokerage accounts linked to our checking. While initially we did some end-of-month accounting, weve gone to an honor system that works just fine. As to what falls under the discretionary umbrella, its video games, rare books, clothes beyond an undefined reasonable limit, solo weekend trips with friends, and Japanese hair science.

As time has gone on, our systems secondary benefits have become clear. The allowances tend to contain our discretionary spending, and make us feel comfortable about the rest of our money going into a common pot and common savings. Since we adopted the system, weve paid off all our student debt, opened a joint brokerage account, and even bought a modest housedespite some circa-2008 layoffs and other depredations of the financial crisis. Its also allowed us both to build up personal savings for longer-term goals, like the rare lavish gift for ones parents or charitable donations of size. Also Jaws T-shirts.

Doling out allowances hasnt just ended one money fight, but effectively all of them. If we could only settle the Battle of the Thermostat now, Id touch wood and call it all smooth sailing till our golden jubilee. I only wish we could solve other problems for $1,000 a month; Id happily pay my hard-earned cash to accommodate some of my other deep-seated, irrational responses to the world. It makes the periods of sanity, of mellow contentmentyou, me, the cat, and some takeoutpossible and longer-lasting. What a bargain.
On the night of Feb. 22, Doyle Lee Hamm lay strapped to a gurney, hoping to die. Earlier that evening, the Supreme Court had voted 72 to let Hamms execution proceed despite grave doubts about the ability of executioners to access his compromised veins. Those doubts proved prescient. For several hours, employees of the Holman Correctional Facility in Alabama stuck needles in Hamms body in an effort to flood his veins with deadly drugs. They allegedly punctured his bladder and femoral artery, releasing a torrent of blood. But the executioners were unable to find a suitable vein for lethal injection. At 11:30 pm, they gave up, sending the still-conscious Hamm back to death row, where he has languished for 30 years.

Advertisement

I wouldnt necessarily characterize what we had tonight as a problem, Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn told reporters shortly thereafter.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Hamms botched execution is not the first time that American executioners have tortured an inmate on the gurney. But it does raise a relatively novel legal question: Now that Alabama has tried and failed to kill Hamm once, does it have the constitutional authority to try again? Supreme Court precedent provides no clear answer. And Hamms attorney, Bernard Harcourt, may now have a real shot at saving the life that Alabama could not extinguish.

Harcourt has represented Hamm since 1990, just three years after Hamm was sentenced to death for killing a night clerk during a motel robbery. There are numerous irregularities in Hamms case: His earlier attorney, William Travis Gobble, ignored mitigating evidenceincluding severe childhood abuse and brain damagethat mightve persuaded a jury to spare Hamms life. Gobble also failed to investigate Hamms prior conviction for a robberya crime that contributed to his death sentence, but one which he had not actually committed. The judge who refused to give Hamm a new sentencing hearing on the basis of this evidence issued an opinion that was literally written by prosecutors.

Advertisement

But none of these issues were on the table as Hamms execution date drew closer. (Alabama appears to have moved up the date so it could stop treating him for cancer.) Because the courts had foreclosed a new sentencing hearing, Harcourt argued that Hamms death by lethal injection would violate the Eighth Amendments ban on cruel and unusual punishments. Hamm has lymphatic cancer, carcinoma, and Hepatitis C; his cancer treatment, combined with his age (61) and past use of intravenous drugs, have made his veins extremely difficult to access.

Hamms botched execution is not the first time that American executions have tortured an inmate on the gurney.

The Supreme Court has ruled that an execution violates the Eighth Amendment when it presents a substantial or objectively intolerable risk of serious harm. It has also held that an inmate who wishes to avoid a certain method of execution must propose a less risky alternative. So Hamm suggests that Alabama kill him using the protocol that Oregon doctors administer to terminal patients under their death with dignity law. Alabama refused and fought for the right to kill him through lethal injection.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Harcourt asked Mark Heath, a doctor and professor of medicine at Columbia University, to examine Hamm for usable veins. He found just one, which still had a high chance of rupturing. Two U.N. human rights experts also called on Alabama to delay the execution, declaring that failed lethal injection may amount to torture. But the prison procured its own doctor, who declared that several of Hamms veins could be accessed. On the advice of this doctor, a federal judge allowed the lethal injection to move forward. Over the dissent of Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Supreme Court declined to stay Hamms execution.

And so, on the night of Feb. 22, prison staff took Hamm to the execution chamber and tied him to the gurney. They began inserting needles into his legs and ankles, to no availas predicted, they could not access a vein. The team flipped Hamm on his stomach and slapped his legs to generate a vein, but that didnt work, either. Having failed to establish peripheral venous access, the team decided to attempt central venous access, a more complicated (and painful) procedure.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Suddenly, an unidentified man and womanwho wore business suits and no protective clothing other than glovestook over. The woman used an ultrasound to locate a vein in Hamms right groin. Executioners attempted to access the vein but failed and seem instead to have punctured Hamms femoral artery as well as his bladder. Blood began gushing out of the wound they had created. Finally, the team gave up. Hamm had been conscious the entire time, silently hoping that the executioners would just get it over with. Several executioners unstrapped him and lifted him off the gurney; he promptly collapsed in agony. Over the next few days, he urinated blood and developed a painful infection in his lymph nodes.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Now Alabama wants a do-over. But Harcourt doesnt think the state deserves a second shot at killing his client. In fact, he argues that another execution attempt would violate the Constitution. Harcourt has clear proof that lethal injection causes Hamm the kind of needless and severe suffering prohibited by the Eighth Amendment. He also asserts that a second execution would run afoul of the Fifth Amendments bar on double jeopardy, which forbids the government from putting any person in jeopardy of life or limb twice for the same offense.

Advertisement

In 1947, the Supreme Court ruled that attempting a second execution after the first one fails does not automatically violate the Eighth or Fifth Amendments. But the case involved a surprise equipment failurenot willful ignorance on the states partand the court splintered badly in its reasoning. Four justices found that a second execution is permissible only when an unforeseeable accident  for which no man is to blame thwarts the first. Justice Felix Frankfurter concurred only in the judgment, holding that a single, cruelly willful attempt at execution may violate the Constitution and prevent the state from trying again. Four justices dissented.

Advertisement

Hamms case presents an entirely different set of facts. Here, the botched execution was not unforeseeable, but predicted. Alabama was well aware that it might wind up torturing Hamm; it moved forward with the execution anyway. As Harcourt notes, Hamms failed execution was caused by the states deliberate decision to disregard the significant risk, raised for months prior to the execution, of a botched and bloody execution. Alabamas first effort to kill Hamm therefore looks a lot like the single, cruelly willful attempt that Frankfurter warned about.

Harcourt is now asking a federal judge to rule that a second lethal injection would infringe upon Hamms constitutional rights, thereby sparing his life for the foreseeable future. With luck, the courts will be chastened by their misplaced trust in the states previous claims, which have been graphically refuted. Alabama has already ignored medical experts and tortured Hamm once. The Constitution does not give executioners a mulligan.
Written by ZAINAB GAZALA

We always heard these lines for Kashmir:- Agar firdous baroye zameen ast, hami asto, hami asto hami ast

If there is paradise on earth, It is here, it is here, it is here. But the question is, Is this what Paradise is meant to be?

Civilians are being killed in cold-blooded murder in Shopian since 27 Jan 2018. The killing was an inhuman and barbaric act Govt forces are carrying the genocide in the valley. Why international human Rights organisations are not breaking their silence on the human rights violation in Kashmir. The international organisations should take cognizance of the bloodshed going in Kashmir.

Youth were killed in cold blood and to shield the guilty stories are being made up. The Army officials are making concocted story to cover up the fake encounter. The killing of civilian is a well thought out genocide policy. It was worst example of barbarism, centre and its armed forces are working under a well designed plan of genocide of Kashmir. Killing of civilians has become routine in the disputed region. The day to day killing of Kashmiri people have proved beyond doubt that Government forces have been tasked to kill the freedom of people living in the valley. Freedom to live peacefully is dream for the people of Kashmir. The people of Kashmir are being killed by well planned conspiracy. More than 15 million people of the State of J&K have been denied justice for the past six decades. Kashmir exist in a permanent state of violent . The violence has turned the valley into an open air prison in the world.

In July 1990 when the Indian military was given special powers under an Armed Forces Special Powers Act(AFSPA), which human rights groups claim gives the security force virtual immunity for crimes committed.The law provides them a shield, when committing human rights violations. This law is widely condemned by human rights groups. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillayhas urged India to repeal AFSPA.

All three special laws in force in the state assist the government in shielding the perpetrators of human rights violations from prosecution, and encourage them to act with impunity. Provisions of the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act clearly contravene international human rights standards laid down in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as members of the UN Human Rights Committee have pointed out. One Committee members felt that provisions of the act including immunity from prosecution were highly dangerous and encouraged violations of the right to life.

Thousands in multiple funerals in Shopian, #Kashmir; forces fire teargas shells to disperse

 A report published by the Amnesty International, 1995.

Human rights watch has also accused the Indian security forces targeted reporters and human rights activists, they have also been accused of committing over 200 rapes. International Committee of the Red Cross briefed US officials in India, alleging that India condoned torture and that sexual penetration formed part of the maltreatment of victims. The ICRC alleged that of the 1296 detainees interviewed, 681 had reported of being tortured. Of those, 304 individuals complained of sexual torture and abuse.

In 2005 Medecins Sans Frontieres conducted a survey in Kashmir and found that the number of people who had witnessed rape in Kashmir since 1989.

In 2005 Medecins Sans Frontieres conducted a survey in Kashmir and found that the number of people who had witnessed rape in Kashmir since 1989 was comparably far higher than the number of people who had witnessed a rape in other zones such as Chechnya and Sri Lanka. Dr Seema Kazi states that rapes committed by Indian security forces outstrips the rapes committed by militants in both scale and frequency. Professor William Baker stated at the 52nd United Nations Commission on Human Rights that rape in Kashmir was an active strategy of the Indian forces to humiliate Kashmiri people.According to local human rights organizations estimates about 70,000 youths mainly belonging to the age group of 15-25 years have been killed by the security forces and about 40,000 youths have been tortured in the interrogation centres and jailed more than 20,000 are missing equal number have become disabled due to injuries, torture, and psychological Breakdowns.

Since the armed uprising of 1989 thousands of Kashmiris have fallen victims to these stage-managed encounters undertaken by different security agencies to get out of turn promotions and other rewards.The custodial death of Sopore youth Nazim Rashid and a fake encounter of a beggar in Poonch have again brought disgrace to the repute of men in uniform.

There are list of incidents recorded which shows how military forces are violating human rights in the Valley and are humiliating the people of Valley.

Like the incident of Kunan-Poshpora in 1992

Lal Chowk , Bijbehara Massacre , Sopore Massacre of 1993

Murder of Jalil Andrabi in the year 1996

In 2009 Shopian Rape and murder case

Handwara Incident of 2016 and The Kashmir unrest since 2016 after the Burhan Wanis Death.The Radiance Weekly reported statement of Kuldip Nayar in June 1993 that numerous people,professors,doctors,lawyers and students have been picked up by the security forces on mere suspicion and given the third degree at various interrogation centres before release. Many have died in custody. According to a leading newspaper of India The Hindu (12 June 1994) A team of human rights activists comprised of Dr Ritu Dewan(Professor at University of Bombay), Ms Manimala(a correspondent) Ms Gouri Choudhry(a social activist) and Sheba Chhachhi(an artist) visted Kashmir in 1994 and reported every home that they visited in the valley whether rich or poor told a story of humiliation, loss, pain and death.

Apart from AFSPA another Act was granted in the year 1978 the PSA (Public Safety Act) which also helps in large scale human rights abuses. It gives sweeping powers to the Indian security forces to enter any house at any time, to interrogate anyone anywhere to detain anyone for any length of time. The Chief Justice of J&K High Court Bahauddin Farooqi remarked the abuse of human rights in valley as unprecedented and also says in theory we are governed by the constitution but in practice we are governed by methods unknown to law,unknown to any civilized society (The Guardian 3 August 1991)

The International Commission of Jurist Geneva visited the valley in March 1995 and issued a report which stated the frequent military crackdown the inhuman torture of innocent persons,the indiscriminate shooting at people and occasional rapes committed by the security forces have increased the disgust and resentment of the people of Valley. They also added that it is important to keep in mind the sheer scale of security forces and the extent of their operations.

As far as the Shopian incident is concerned forces are making stories to get out of the matter. The civilians were killed in the cold blooded murder they were not caught in the crossfire. Army frame the civilians as Over Ground Workers (OGWs) ,they are trying to justify the killing by quoting civilians as OGWs . OGW is essentially a non-combatant isnt this a violation of International Law? How the hell can they get away with this? You cant kill anybody who supports militants there is a clear difference between A combatant and a non-combatant ,How does the army of the largest democracy of world not know this. Giving such statements to the press are not justifiable. If this is not an extra-judicial killing then what the hell does that even mean. Words fail in describing this barbaric act. Actually they dont even need an excuse anymore to kill a Kashmiri.

As far as the Shopian incident is concerned forces are making stories to get out of the matter. The civilians were killed in the cold blooded murder they were not caught in the crossfire.

Politicians are realising their statements by condemning the act, mere condemnation is not enough to justify the barbaric killing. Situation in Kashmir is extremely grim by the day 13 civilians have been killed by forces in the last six weeks, where eight civilians have been shot dead by armed forces. Our government is not taking cognizance of the matter they are just busy in saving their seats and power. Apart from this J&K Govt in Supreme Court says no accused named in the police FIR registered in the brutal killing of civilians in Shopian,while all along they were beating the drum that the accused has been identified and named and Justice will be delivered.Abdul Rashid Bhat father of Javaid Ahmed Bhat one of the civilian who were brutally killed states We have no faith in Govt ordered probe. He added it is useless to wait for the govt report. He also says show a single instance when the magisterial probe has achieved anything in hundreds of like incidents since 1989.

Father of Suhail Javaid said His son was at home on that day and was not part of the protest. Around 3PM an indiscriminate firing started in the village which continued for at least 30 mins and Suhail was beside me at our home when he heard the firing has stopped he went outside and forces from some 100 meter of distance fired on him.

Another civilian Sohail Khalil Wagay who has been killed was on his way to drop his mother to his sisters home and was returning with some labourer when he was shot dead with two others.

I asked what was the fault of these civilians only because they were Kashmiri.

The case filed against the Army official is prejudice in the Court and on 5th March 2018 The Supreme Court order to stay the probe into the Shopian firing case till 24 April came after the central government underlined that the state police could not have registered a case against Major Aditya Kumar and other personnel without the centres permission.

The investigation into the death of civilians killed in the Shopian firing case in J&K in January has been put on hold by the Supreme Court on 5th March. The Courts came after the J&K government underlined that Major Aditya Kumar had not been named as an accused in the FIR registered by the police but as the army officer leading the police convoy. A bench chaired by Chief Justice Dipak Misra ordered the state government to put the investigation on hold till April 24 when it would deliver its ruling in this case. Besides Supreme Court Order our Govt is taking no cognizance over the incident not only this incident there are list of like cases still unsolved. The Govt cant talk or take action over any issue of Valley as they are busy in saving their seats.

HUM KO TO WIRAST ME HATH AYI HAI GHULAMI_WA_TABHAYI

DEKHTE RAHE KARISHME HUM APNE HUKUMRANO KI HUKUMAT KE

Zainab Gazala Sheikh is pursuing Law from The Law School, Jammu University.

Opinion expressed in this article are writers own.
On Wednesday morning, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sent a fundraising plea to the email list of the New York State Democratic Committee. The subject line: NY Stands with #MeToo.

In the message, Cuomo praises women across the country for courageously speak out about facing sexual assault and harassment while Donald Trump and the GOP are throwing their support behind the likes of alleged child molester Roy Moore and alleged domestic abuser Rob Porter.

If that makes you angry, thats good, Cuomo writes, before his ask for donations. But dont just get angry, get involved and get even.

Advertisement

Cuomo is an unlikely choice to headline the New York Democrats response to #MeToo. The governor, who today accused possible primary challenger Cynthia Nixon of being a plant from either New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio or Vladimir Putin, has drawn criticism for hiring Sam Hoyt as a senior aide in 2011three years after Hoyt copped to having an extramarital affair with his 19-year-old intern. Emails between the two showed Hoyt, then a state legislator, telling the young woman that he wished that i could see you do that little cheerleader movethat i could be your human lollipopthat you could tell me i am yummy (i love that)that i could tell you that no woman has ever done for me physically what you do for methat i could shower in your shower with all that girly stuff.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Hoyts affair, and his emails, were widely publicized in 2008, three years before Cuomo appointed Hoyt as a top official at the Empire State Development Corporation. So the governor couldnt have been too surprised when Hoyt was later accused by another woman of a yearlong spell of sexual harassment. State employee Lisa Marie Cater said Hoyt got her a job at the Department of Motor Vehicles in 2015, then used the favor to excuse repeated unwanted kisses, forcible genital touching, and nonstop phone calls, emails, and sexts. Per the lawsuit she filed, she called the governors office on two separate occasions to complain about Hoyts alleged harassment, emailed Cuomo through his website, and sent a message to his Facebook page.

Advertisement

According to Cater, Hoyt said the governors office told him to make this go away, so he paid her $50,000 to keep quiet. Indeed, Cuomos office admits that three different state agencies looked at Caters complaint against Hoyt, but took no action. Cater claims she spoke to Noreen Van Doren, a lawyer with Cuomos office, who asked, What is that you want, money? About a year after that conversation, in the midst of a state investigation into his behavior, Hoyt resigned his position. Hoyt has denied the allegations, saying they are the result of a consensual relationship that went sour.

Advertisement

Cuomos undeserved trust in Hoyt put him in a position of power, from which Hoyt was able to allegedly sexually manipulate and assault a fellow government employee. Thats bad enoughbut Cuomos response to the whole debacle was even worse. In December, at the height of conversations about sexual misconduct in the media, journalist Karen DeWitt asked Cuomo if he would do anything, in light of Hoyt, to root out sexual harassment in the state government. Cuomo, in a manner reminiscent of President Trump, tried to deflect the question by asking DeWitt what she was going to do to stop harassment in her own industry. Its about you. And journalism. And its about you and journalism. And its about state government. And its about carpentry. And its about trade forces, Cuomo said. Well have policies in state government, obviously, that affects state government, but I think you miss the point. When you say its state government, you do a disservice to women, with all due respect, even though youre a woman. Its not government, its society.

Advertisement

Advertisement

I understand. But can you just name one thing? DeWitt asked, returning to her initial question. No, Cuomo said.

Advertisement

Huh! Its kind of rich to see the name of the man who couldnt think of a single thing hed do to combat harassment in the From field of todays fundraising email, which announced a new campaign to capture the momentum of the #MeToo movement and turn it into action. Ostensibly, that action is legislative change. But from the outside, it looks like it just means money. Cuomo and the New York Democrats noticed unprecedented numbers of women speaking up about sexual abusers in their workplaces and everyday lives, and they saw a marketing opportunity.

Unlike other unseemly co-optations of pop culture phenomena (see: Pokemon Go-to-the-Polls), the #MeToo movement has real political implications for legislation that addresses campus sexual assault, sexual harassment settlements in Congress, and forced arbitration, among other issues. In that sense, its right for politicians to take cues from constituents who are making demands for reform. Cuomo, like Democrats in Congress, has proposed a ban on using taxpayer dollars to settle sexual harassment claims within the government and a requirement that all such settlements be publicly disclosed. But the email he sent this morning included no mention of #MeToo-related legislative or executive actions he or the party hope to pursue. All he offered was a blanket statement in support of a hashtag, effectively turning an urgent, deeply felt reckoning with abuse into a tagline. The emails closing line was even cornier and further divorced from the spirit of the movement: If you continue to turn a blind eye to sexual harassment, this November your #TimesUp! To Cuomos constituents, many of whom surely recall the governors mishandling of the Hoyt debacle, that line probably read a bit different than intended.
Note: This posts headline originally asserted that Betsy DeVos reportedly refused to meet with [Parkland] students. The post and headline have been updated to reflect a subsequent account, which indicates DeVos did, in fact, meet with some students.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visited Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Wednesday morning. While the event was closed to members of the media, DeVos said afterward that she was accompanied by student reporters during her time at the schoolan account that was disputed by a senior student reporter named Carly Novell:

Advertisement

One student from each publication (tv prod./newspaper/yearbook) was able to see her and take pictures of her, no one followed her. We are part of a school publication and it's our job to report on a public figure visiting the school. https://t.co/zE48UAFZky  Carly (@car_nove) March 7, 2018

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

[Update, 5:20 p.m.: While Novell said DeVos didnt take questions from any students during her trip to Parkland, the student papers writeup of the event later reported that the secretary answered a couple questions from student journalists during the hour-long visit and introduced herself to other students in the schools auditorium. One student who spoke to DeVos, however, complained to the student paper that she wasnt informative or helpfulin her response and didnt come to inform us or talk about how we are going to fix this issue. Another wrote on Twitter that the secretary spoke to only a handful of students and did not properly answer my only question. And heres anothers summary:

Advertisement

Betsy Devos came to my school, talked to three people, and pet a dog. This is incase the press tries to say something else later  Alanna//#NEVERAGAIN (@_Archaide_) March 7, 2018

Thatd be one of the therapy dogs at the school, presumably.]

Advertisement

The Los Angeles Times Joy Resmovits wrote that DeVos press conference after the visitheld at a nearby Marriottended abruptly:

DeVos leaves the press room after answering only a few questions following her visit to MSD:



OH from reporters:

"Hmm?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"That was so abrupt."



That's all, folks. I'll be looking to see what @car_nove and #MSDstrong Eagle Eye reporters write.  Joy (@Joy_Resmovits) March 7, 2018

Advertisement

Advertisement

A video posted by a writer from the Daily Beast indicates that DeVos press conference lasted about eight minutes, during which time she took five questions:

Education Secretary @BetsyDeVosED only answered around five questions during her press conference here in #Parkland #Florida I was lucky enough to get one of them along with a follow up. You can watch here https://t.co/6IWW7kn0Jr #BetsyDeVos  James LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) March 7, 2018

As you can see, DeVos avoided endorsing or really even addressing any of the specific school/gun-safety policies, ranging from arming teachers to re-banning assault rifles, that have been proposed since the Parkland attack.
In The Womans Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote, Elaine Weiss chronicles the final moments of the ultimately successful battle to grant women the franchise. Thirty-six states had to ratify the 19th Amendment, and by the summer of 1920, 35 had done so. That left Tennessee, where Weiss narrative takes place. She looks at the women who led the struggle, and the myriad forces opposed to them, and examines the political and structural obstacles they faced. In the process, she raises a number of questions relevant to our own day, about how political change is accomplished and just why America seem so uncomfortable granting women power.

Advertisement

I recently spoke by phone with Weiss, whose previous book was Fruits of Victory: The Womans Land Army of America in the Great War. During the course of our conversation, which has been edited and condensed for clarity, we discussed why racists were so worried about giving women the vote, what drove the suffragettes to a life of activism, and the disturbing similarities between the rhetoric of 1920 and the rhetoric of today.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Isaac Chotiner: There have been a lot of movements for social change in American history. What is it about this fight that stands out or is unique?

Elaine Weiss: What strikes me is that the movement takes so long and takes such persistence. Now thats true in lots of social and social justice movements, certainly other civil rights movements. But this comes out of the abolitionist movement, which is the first great civil rights campaign in our history. The women who begin the move towards the expansion of womens rights come out of this movement and this idea that all people are created equal. The idea that black and white were equal led them to think, well, women could be equal too.

Advertisement

Most of the early pioneers that we know ofElizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthonyare actually abolition workers. Theyre organizers. Theyre part of the underground railroad. And they go out on the stump for abolition and then begin to sneak in these references to womens rights, which theyve been awakened to. And their fellow abolitionists are not so sure they like this idea. Theyre fine with black men getting their rights, but theyre not so sure they want their mothers and sisters and daughters to have these rights, so this leads to a bit of a friction. And it comes to a head after the Civil War.

There are speeches where they say, Listen, we have to maintain our white nation. This is a nation for white people.   Elaine Weiss

Whats so interesting is that the women that we know as that first wave of suffragists, Stanton and Lucy Stone and Susan B. Anthony, are working furiously for both the Union and abolition and then emancipation. Theyre the ones gathering over a half million signatures to press President Lincoln to bring about the Emancipation Proclamation and then the 13th Amendment. So they are really startled and upset after the Civil War, when they expect that universal suffrage will be the policy and are told, No, its not the time for women to demand to vote. This is, as it was called then, the Negros hour. This is the time when black men need the vote, its a matter of life and death for them because theyre being killed. So theres a huge split between the women abolitionists and most of the male abolitionists and they have to go off on their own. And they form their own organization. And its a very bitter split and theres all kinds of racial animosity that comes out of that.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The other aspect of racial animosity had to do with the vote itself, in 1920. I didnt realize how much of the fear about giving women the vote was tied to race and black women.

Advertisement

Precisely. Its 1920 and Congress, after stalling for 40 years, has passed the 19th Amendment. They sat on it for 40 years. It finally comes out, it has to be ratified by three-quarters of the states, and in the Southern states, its rejected. The 19th Amendment is rejected by almost all the Southern states, and there are two reasons that are most prominent.

One is states rights, which well hear a lot about again later in the 20th century when the same states will press against integration and voting rights. And two is the idea that this would enfranchise black women as well as white women. And at this point in 1920 the Southern states had pretty much figured out how to disenfranchise black men. There are literacy tests and physical intimidation and violence and lynching to make sure black men dont vote. But they are afraid it will look unseemly if they try to attack black women in the same way and so they are very, very nervous about allowing black women to vote.

Advertisement

Once the amendment passed, they tried to keep black women from voting too. They really stuck to their principles.

Oh yeah, they were equal opportunity with that. But the racial aspect of the fight is really shocking. The confederate flag is waved in defiance. There are posters and pictures of the anti-suffragists posing with Confederate flags and the battle insignia of the Civil War. There are speeches where they say listen, We have to maintain our white nation. This is a nation for white people.

Advertisement

Advertisement

One of the characters in your book is Woodrow Wilson, who, lets say, did not have the most progressive racial record and also did not initially support giving women the right to vote either. What did you make of him and to what degree do you feel like any change that he underwent was sincere?

Advertisement

Woodrow Wilson is just a fascinating character in many ways and in many aspects of his career, but I found that his evolution, shall we say, was interesting. He certainly has no background that would lead him to be progressive on womens rights. He comes out of a very conservative, Southern background as a Presbyterian ministers son. And he says over and over in his career that he really doesnt think women should vote.

He relies on women. Hes very close to both of his wives, to his daughters. He very much likes to be coddled by women, but he doesnt want to see them as equals.

Remind you of anyone?

There are lots of analogies to be made. But when it comes to womens suffrage, he tries to duck. When hes governor of New Jersey he says, No, this is not my fight. And then when he becomes president, he says he cant make any decisions because its his party who has to make those. And hes being hounded by the suffragists at this point. Theyre picketing in front of the White House. Theyre burning him in effigy. Its very embarrassing, and he slowly, slowly comes around to supporting a federal amendment, which is the only way that all women, in every state will be able to vote.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Of course by this time hes a lame-duck president. Hes also an invalid, he has been suffering the after effects of a major stroke. Hes not able to really do his job and his wife, Edith, his second wife, is actually really doing a lot of the work in the White House. And she is a rabid anti-suffragist. So its a very interesting dynamic going on inside the White House, at this moment.

Advertisement

And he finally does come around to believe that women should get to vote, but one of the prime reasons he makes this change of heart is that hes having trouble getting the League of Nations approved by Congress. The Senate has already rejected it and his thought is that women tend to be more attuned to peaceful resolution of conflict and so might actually support his League of Nations idea. If they can vote in the 1920 election, maybe they will save the League of Nations for him. Thats why I believe he really does do his best to try to convince the politicians who are being equivocal in Tennessee in that last fight.

Advertisement

Revolutionary people can be really difficult people, I think its fair to say. What did you make of the women in your story?

Advertisement

I think a prime example is Alice Paul, who for many years was forgotten in the history books because she was of a rival faction of the movement. She was almost monklike in her devotion to the cause. She lives in suffrage headquarters in Washington and will continue to do this for the next 50 years. She lives there, she eats, breathes, and sleeps the cause. She is working at it night and day. She has no social life. She never marries. She does not seem to have very close friends, so its a very interesting devotion. Complete devotion to a cause, and I dont see that in some of the other leaders, [such as] Carrie Chapman Catt, whos married twice and has a domestic partner at this time and always has many, many relationships. But you could say she does not continue with the cause. After 1920, when women get to vote, she goes on to other causes like world peace and disarmament and the League of Women Voters, which she founds.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Alice Paul keeps at the feminist agenda and just two years, three years, after winning the vote, thats a new law called the Equal Rights Amendment that she has [pushed] into Congress in 1923, so she works on that until her death in the 1970s. And she is pushing the next frontier for womens rights. But she is a very enigmatic person. Theres very few personal writings of hers; its all political. I found that very interesting. I dont know of very many other women who were dedicated so completely and at the exclusion of almost all other social contact, over such a long time.

Advertisement

Did you notice any parallels in the language used to argue against giving women the right to vote, and the language used in the 2016 campaign?

Advertisement

It was almost unnerving, all the kinds of parallels that I heard: states rights and racial intolerance and the idea that this is a mans world and women have no place in it. I found that extremely disturbing. There was also a comic aspect to it. The Republican candidate for the presidency in 1920 was Warren G. Harding, and he was sort of my comic relief; hes quite the bumbler. But one of the things that is fascinating is hes a notorious womanizer, and at the time of his nomination hes being blackmailed by one of his several mistresses, and the Republican National Committee is having to pay hush money to one of the mistresses whos blackmailing him, and even sends her on an around-the-world cruise to be away from the press.
Lots going on in conservative media Tuesday as the rightand everyone elseis still grappling with the implications of President Trumps proposed tariffs and the potential escalation of a trade war. (Early Tuesday evening, the tariff row coincided with top economic adviser Gary Cohns resignation.) The move reveals a significant, if previously latent rift in the Republican Party between the now old school free-trade, the-market-solves-everything ethos and the more pugilistic economic nationalist message that has dominated the partys rhetoric in the age of Trump. The initial response from Republicans, namely mainstream establishment Republicans from Speaker of the House Paul Ryan to Sen. Lindsey Graham, was dismay. But here comes the pushback to the pushback!

Advertisement

Pat Buchanan (yes, that one) writes in Townhall: Whats the big deal with tariffs? From Lincoln to William McKinley to Theodore Roosevelt, and from Warren Harding through Calvin Coolidge, the Republican Party erected the most awesome manufacturing machine the world had ever seen, Buchanan writes. And, as the party of high tariffs through those seven decades, the GOP was rewarded by becoming Americas Party. Far from fretting over tariffs, Buchanan sees economic nationalism in its various forms as part of the GOPs heritage. He continues: The principles behind a policy of economic nationalism, to turn our trade deficits, which subtract from GDP, into trade surpluses, which add to GDP, are these:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Production comes before consumption. Who consumes the apples is less important than who owns the orchard. We should depend more upon each other and less upon foreign lands. We should tax foreign-made goods and use the revenue, dollar for dollar, to cut taxes on domestic production. The idea is not to keep foreign goods out, but to induce foreign companies to move production here. We have a strategic asset no one else can match. We control access to the largest richest market on earth, the USA. And just as states charge higher tuition on out-of-state students at their top universities, we should charge a price of admission for foreign producers to get into Americas markets. And  someone get a hold of Sen. Grahamits called a tariff.

Advertisement

Why, then, this terror of tariffs that grips the GOP? Buchanan asks.

Seton Motley couldnt agree more in RedState and shows just how much significant portions of the right have warmed to the idea of ditching free trade in favor of punitively flexing Americas economic muscle. President Donald Trump wants to fix the nightmare mess that is DCs crony globalist fake free tradeand conservatives all across the nation are up in arms, Motley writes, channeling his inner Steve Bannon. Globalist big business robber barons have spent the last half-century-plus lobbying DC for more and more one-sided, America Last trade deals.

Advertisement

In other news

Alexi Sargeant extends the logic of the current #MeToo moment to question the ubiquityand impactof hypersexualized advertising in the public sphere for National Review. We should seize the opportunity to dismantle the architecture of sexual entitlement, the systems that foster harassment and shield harassersand one of those systems is the ubiquitous presence of sexually toxic advertising, he writes. Sargeant points to the example of Calvin Klein billboards featuring a sprawl of underwear-clad Kardashians to make the point that the company is recapitulating the harassers logic of sexual entitlement on a monumental scale. Advertising is not the direct cause of the abhorrent behavior of the likes of Harvey Weinstein, he concedes, [b]ut much of our advertising does a great deal to normalize the idea that women should be constantly sexually available, by presenting them as objects displayed for the pleasure of the consumer. I hope both progressive feminists and social conservatives can agree that advertisers have no right to rule our gaze. When they push demeaning content on us, we should fight back. We need to reclaim the space these ads take up in our attention and our cities.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Elsewhere on National Review, Jonathan Tobin wonders if Democrats will refuse to accept the legitimacy of the upcoming midterm elections, if things dont go their wayor far enough their way. Another unexpected Republican triumph, like Trumps upset of Hillary Clinton, wont be treated as just bad luck by the opposition. Anger is likely to bubble over into more street protests as well as a refusal to treat defeat as anything but the result of more Russian mischief-Making, Tobin writes. Its clear the Democrats have become so invested in a misleading narrative that has essentially absolved them of responsibility for their 2016 defeat that its not clear theyll accept anything short of decisive victory this year a legitimate result.

Advertisement

Advertisement

For the Weekly Standard, Chris Deaton profiles the latest political scion in the Bush family, George P. Bush, who, after a promising early career, appears to be hanging on by a very thin thread in Texas, where he could very well lose in the Republican primary to hold on to his present job as Texas land commissioner. The current politically perilous moment has led the 41-year-old son of former presidential candidate Jeb Bushperhaps Donald Trumps favorite punching bag during the nomination battleinto the unlikely role of unabashed Trump booster. Heading into primary day, Bush aired a 30-second spot about his support of President Trumpnot support of a particular policy on which his office and the executive branch may overlap. Just support of the man and his Washington agenda, Deaton writes. The younger Bush eventually endorsed Trump during the general election in 2016, but did so without hype or even an organized announcement. A year and a half later, handshakes have turned to bear hugs.

Advertisement

In a staff editorial titled A Little Nation Does the Right Thing, the editors at the Weekly Standard lauded Guatemalas move to follow the U.S.s lead in announcing that it too will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It is important to be among the first, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said Monday at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference, but it is more important to do whats right.

Joe Cunningham at RedState has the final word on former Trump adviser Sam Nunbergs epic, half-cocked journey on cable television Monday, where he appeared defiant in refusing to comply with a subpoena issued by Robert Mueller as part of the Russia investigation, before changing his mind, kinda sorta. Nunbergs performance, Cunningham writes, is a reminder of the yahoos the Trump campaign attracted. But its also a Friendly Reminder, Democrats: You Lost to These Guys.
A New York Times report Tuesday that Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, who was served with a grand jury subpoena in January after arriving in the U.S. en route to Mar-a-Lago to celebrate President Trumps first year in office, has been cooperating with Robert Muellers investigation, including testifying before a grand jury last week, is the latest indication that Muellers investigative team is eyeing a January 2017 meeting in the Seychelles as a possible financial link between Trump World and Russia.

Advertisement

Nader serves as an adviser to the ruler of the U.A.E., Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, who called the meeting on the small island nation off the east coast of Africa that was attended by Nader, Russian investor and Putin confidante Kirill Dmitriev, and founder of the private security firm Blackwater Erik Prince, who has also been an informal Trump adviser.

Mr. Mueller appears to be examining the influence of foreign money on Mr. Trumps political activities and has asked witnesses about the possibility that the adviser, George Nader, funneled money from the Emirates to the presidents political efforts, the Times reports. Mr. Naders presence at the Seychelles meeting appears to connect him to the primary focus of Mr. Muellers investigation: examining Russian interference during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The exact purpose of the Seychelles meeting remains unclear, but the men who attended have multiple overlapping histories, relationships, and interests. Nader used to work at Blackwater as a consultant and introduced Prince, the companys founder, to Dmitriev, a former Goldman Sachs banker who was picked by Putin to manage an unconventional Russian state-run investment fund that in 2013 was the recipient of $6 billion in funding from Abu Dhabi. Mr. Dmitriev became a frequent visitor to Abu Dhabi, and Emirati officials came to see him as a key conduit to the Russian government, according to the Times. In the weeks after the 2016 presidential election, Crown Prince Mohammed aroused the suspicions of American national security officials when they learned that he had breached protocol by visiting Trump Tower in Manhattan without notifying the Obama administration of his visit to the United States.
On Tuesday, 17 members of the Democratic conference in the Senate joined the Republican majority to weaken banking regulations passed under Dodd-Frank. Their case for backing the bill, which opponents say will damage oversight needed to prevent another financial crisis, is partly practicalDemocrats like Mark Warner of Virginia are worried that small banks and lenders are overburdened by current regulationsand partly political.

Supporters like Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, and Jon Tester of Montana are centrist Democrats in deep-red states that voted overwhelmingly for President Trump. By showing their bipartisan bona fides, they hope to win crucial support back home. But as they champion a bill that raises the odds of another financial crisis, they should remember that voters dont always reward displays of bipartisanship.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Take the Senate Democrats who tackled the 2009 stimulus package.

President Obama, facing a dire economic outlook, wanted $800 billion to pump into the economy. Following this recommendation, the House of Representatives, under Speaker Nancy Pelosi, approved an $819 billion plan for stimulus. The Senate, in its initial push, went even further, assembling $930 billion in spending.

The economic case was straightforward: By the end of 2008, the recession had produced an output gapthe difference between actual production and the economys potential production at full capacityof $2 trillion. Multiple economists outside the transition team urged at least $1 trillion in spending, while within the Obama circle, economic adviser Christina Romer argued for a stimulus that topped out at $1.2 trillion.

Advertisement

The political case was easy too: Voters reward performance, and a larger stimulus would likely mean a faster recovery. Democrats would fare better in a world where they pumped as much money into the economy as they could manage. Mitch McConnell made this point as he planned Republican opposition to the stimulus package, reminding members that the economic boom that carried Ronald Reagan to re-election also delivered victory to congressional Democrats. Stop or damage the stimulus, and they could do the same to Obamas political prospects.

Advertisement

But rather than run with momentum, a group of centrist DemocratsBen Nelson of Nebraska, Evan Bayh of Indiana, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Mark Begich of Alaska, and Claire McCaskill of Missouriworked with several moderate Republicans to pare down the Senate package. The overall number was getting way too big to manage, said Begich. The goal was to get a lid on it. We said, under 800 [billion], no more, we cannot go above that.

Advertisement

They won the fight. The stimulus that passed the Senate, and eventually became law, was just $787 billion. The moderates had shown their willingness to get tough and impose some fiscal discipline. Unfortunately, it came at the expense of the economy. The stimulus was just big enough to arrest the nations economic free fall but not so big that it could spur a rapid recovery. The country would face a prolonged period of slow growth.

Advertisement

Were these Democrats at least able to save their seats? No. The only senator in the group to survive the subsequent midterm elections, in 2010 and 2014, was McCaskill. The others either lost their seats or retired before they could face voters again. Their posturing meant little, in the end, and came with a real cost.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The situation in 2018 is obviously different. Proponents of the Senate bill, called the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protect Act, say they are correcting a mistake in the original Dodd-Frank legislation. Literally, from the night of the conference on Dodd-Frank, there have been discussions about the need to go in and make some fixes, said Senate Banking Chairman Mike Crapo, a Republican from Idaho and the lead author of the bill. To reduce risk in the financial sector and prevent another meltdown, Dodd-Frank established tight thresholds for federal oversight. Under the law, banks with assets of $50 billion or more are considered systematically important financial institutions and subject to enhanced scrutiny from the Federal Reserve.

Advertisement

The Senate bill would lift the threshold to $250 billion, giving some small and regional banks relief from federal regulators. The bill would also give relief to small banks and credit unions by allowing them to expand the kinds of mortgages they offer and exempting them from the Volcker Rule, which prohibits banks from making risky investments with their customers money. In a less conspicuous move, the bill also exempts the great majority of lenders from reporting requirements that help the federal government monitor discriminatory practices or predatory lending.

Advertisement

The first change, at least, isnt without merit. Former Rep. Barney Frank, who helped write Dodd-Frank and retired after its passage, believes the threshold could be lifted to $125 billion to create space for more competition among small banks. But, he argues, the Senate bill goes too far. A fact sheet from the Center for American Progress is blunt about the impact. Under the law, 25 of the 38 largest banks in the United States would no longer be subject to stronger capital and liquidity rules, despite holding a collective $3.5 trillion in assets and taking tens of billions in relief from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Perhaps voters will ignore the actual policy at hand and reward Democratic supporters for reaching across the aisle. Perhaps Democratic base voters in states like Virginia and Colorado will forgive their senators for handing a win to Wall Street and increasing the odds of another financial crisis. Or perhaps, in an age of hyperpolarization and anti-Trump intensity, bipartisanship for its own sake is far more likely to backfire than win votes.

The lessons of the past eight years say these Democrats are setting themselves up for failure. But with just eight months before the midterm elections, well find out soon enough.
The first primary results of 2018 are inand the Democratic establishment is off to a rough start. The Texas Tribune is projecting that Laura Moser, a journalist and anti-Trump activist whom national Democrats had desperately hoped to knock out of the race, will proceed to a runoff against Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for the nomination in Texas 7th Congressional District.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee made it clear last week that they think Moser is too liberal to win in a general election this November. That strategy appeared to backfire on Tuesday. Moser had already made something of a name for herself on the left even before the DCCC went after her, but the public attacks gave Bernie Sanders supporters flashbacks to the 2016 primary and spurred a new round of support for Moser.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

With more than 75 percent of precincts reporting, Fletcher, a Houston-area attorney, still led the seven-candidate Democratic field with about 29.8 percent of the vote, but Moser was in second with 24.2 percent. Cancer researcher (and honorary Jedi) Jason Westin was in third with 19.6 percent, and nonprofit executive Alex Triantaphyllis followed in fourth with 15.6. A candidate needed 50 percent of the primary vote to win the nomination outright and avoid squaring off with the runner-up in a runoff on May 22. The winner of that will challenge Republican Rep. John Culberson in November.

The DCCC fears that if Moser secures the nomination, she will cost them a winnable race in a district that has been represented by Republicans for the past half century but went for Hillary Clinton in 2016. And so in the final days of the primary, the national group dumped its opposition research file on Moser, an unusually aggressive attack on a fellow Democrat made all the more remarkable by the fact the group published the memo on its own website instead of trying to launder it through a third-party group or the press. That memo, which branded Moser a Washington insider because she used to live in D.C., turned the local race into the latest front in the ongoing battle between progressives and the Democratic establishment. And unlike similar Democrat-on-Democrat skirmishes taking place in California, Chicago, and Boston, this one does not involve an incumbent.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Moser is the creator of Daily Action, the popular text message service that provides users with one specific task they can do each day to resist the Trump agenda. She has also written for a number of national outlets, including Slate, and wrote critically of Democratic New Mexico Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, the chairman of the DCCC, last summer in Vogue after he promised that the group wouldnt use support for abortion rights as a litmus test. Democracy for America, the PAC founded by Howard Dean to encourage progressives to run for office, was among her early backers.

Advertisement

But it was the DCCC attack that turned her into a cause celebre on the left. Sanders-aligned Our Revolution quickly came to her defense with an endorsement of its own, which opened a national small-donor spigot that fueled Mosers campaign in the closing days of the race. She says she raised more than $100,000 in the six days following the attack, a significant slice of which, the campaign proudly trumpeted, came from small donors outside of her district.

Advertisement

While the DCCC did not publicly back one of Mosers competitorsand the Democratic National Committee tried to stay out of things altogethersome establishment-leaning allies like EMILYs List lined up behind Fletcher. But Fletcher also found herself the target of some not-so-friendly fire from liberals. The Working Families Party and the Texas AFL-CIO both took issue with Fletchers law firm once representing a commercial cleaning company in a lawsuit against a union, and they urged Texans to vote for anyone but her. Those groups were unmoved by Fletchers defense that she was not personally involved in that case. According to a local union official, her firm turned the courtroom into an anti-union and anti-immigrant circus.

Fletcher and Moser will now have an additional two months to make their respective cases, and the importance of the first-in-the-nation race will fade a little as other states start to hold their own contests. But Tuesday night is likely to have an immediate lasting impact on how the DCCC approaches these contested races for the rest of 2018.
A federal watchdog organization has found that Kellyanne Conway violated federal ethics rules by using her public platform to engage in politics.

That ruling found Conway had twice violated the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from using their office for partisan politics. In two separate incidents, in November and December, Conway spoke out against now-Sen. Doug Jones in live television interviews from the White House lawn ahead of his Alabama Senate election against Roy Moore.

She is unlikely to face any repercussions. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal agency, could only submit its findings to the president for the appropriate disciplinary action. The White House, however, has already dismissed the findings of the report, arguing that Conway was not advocating for or against a candidate but was instead simply express[ing] the Presidents obvious position that he have people in the House and Senate who support his agenda, according to a statement from the deputy press secretary Hogan Gridley. In fact, he said, Kellyannes statements actually show her intention and desire to comply with the Hatch Act  as she twice declined to respond to the hosts specific invitation to encourage Alabamans to vote for the Republican.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Ms. Conways statements during the Fox & Friends and New Day interviews impermissibly mixed official government business with political views about candidates in the Alabama special election for U.S. Senate, the report concluded.

The final report cited interviews on Foxs Fox & Friends and on CNNs New Day. In speaking on Fox & Friends in November, Conway warned the audience not to be fooled, saying that Jones is weak on crime; weak on borders and strong on raising your taxes. In another instance, in December speaking on CNN, Conway asserted that Trump doesnt want a liberal Democrat in the Senate and that he wants a reliable vote for taxes, for life.

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley was also reprimanded by OSC for a Hatch Act violation after she retweeted Trumps endorsement of a South Carolina congressional candidate, and White House social media director Dan Scavino was scolded for using the White House Twitter account to lash out against a Republican congressman before an upcoming primary.

Conway herself ran into trouble with the OSC in February 2017 when she plugged Ivanka Trumps fashion line during an interview on Fox & Friends. She was not disciplined.
Porn star Stormy Daniels crawled back into the news Tuesday after she sued Donald Trump to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement she signed shortly before the 2016 election that paid the actress $130,000 in return for her silence about a decade-old affair with Trump. The suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges Trump never actually signed the agreement and it therefore is invalid, unenforceable, and/or void under the doctrine of unconscionability. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, signed the agreement as did Trumps longtime lawyer Michael Cohen.

Advertisement

From NBC News:

[Daniels] signed both the agreement and a side letter agreement using her professional name on October 28, 2016, just days before the 2016 presidential election. Cohen signed the document the same day. Both agreements are appended to the lawsuit as Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 2. The hush agreement, as its called in the suit, refers to Trump throughout as David Dennison, and Clifford as Peggy Peterson. In the side letter agreement, the true identity of DD is blacked out, but Cliffords attorney, Michael Avenatti, says the individual is Trump. Each document includes a blank where DD is supposed to sign, but neither blank is signed.

Trump himself has not addressed the alleged Stormy Daniels affair, which, the porn star, despite the NDA, has freely hinted at, if not explicitly confirmed. The terms of the nondisclosure agreement also prohibit Daniels from sharing texts from or photos of Trump. Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, however, has been intimately involved in the whole affair, providing the hush money to Daniels, and going so far as to set up a shell company in Delaware to funnel the payment through in order to obscure the trail leading back to the now-president.
On Tuesday, after he comfortably won the Republican primary for his Senate seat, Ted Cruz asserted his Lone Star State bona fides by dropping a country music radio ad aimed at educating Texans about what real Texas men are not.

Apart from repeating over and over that a Lone Star man is not a liberal (If youre gonna run in Texas, you cant be a liberal man, the listener is reminded three times in the one-minute ad), the jingle seemed to emphasize that there was something particularly non-Texan about his opponent: his name.

Advertisement

Cruzs opponent, Robert ORourke, a white man of Irish ancestry from El Paso, goes by the name Beto, a Spanish-language nickname. ORourke told CNN that his parents called him Beto on day one and that he has gone by the name his whole life.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

But apparently concerned that simply mocking Beto for his name wasnt folksy enough, the jingle writer reminisced about stories he heard, which I can assume were only passed around on porches or sitting around campfires:

I remember reading stories, liberal Robert wanted to fit in. So he changed a name to Beto and hid it with a grin.

But thats not the only problem with liberal man Beto, who, its implied, is not tough as Texas. The real problem is he wants to open borders and take away our guns. (The jingle writer rhymes guns with Texans, which I guess is fine.)

Advertisement

Dont forget that, despite the existence of a two-party system, and despite the states thriving multicultural cities, evolving identity, and diversified economy not based solely on wrangling cattle, if youre gonna run in Texas, you cant be a liberal man.

Advertisement

Update, March 7, 2018, at 3:15 p.m.: ORourke responded on Twitter with some preeeetty solid evidence in his defense.
11 stranded Nepali workers rescued from Oman

The Nepali Embassy in Oman has rescued 11 stranded Nepali workers from a local company and sent them back to Nepal.
Could be bad: The Republicans could very well suffer in future elections if (or when!) Trumps recent decision on tariffs turns out to hurt economies in several key states, Will Saletan writes.

No chaos: Liberals love to read stories about the Trump White Houses total confusion, and this past week they had many of them to enjoy. But Ben Mathis-Lilley has seen all this before.

Chance to waste: North Koreas apparent willingness to talk about its nuclear weapons is a good sign, Fred Kaplan writes. But now we have to trust the Trump administration to handle the talks just right.

New level: The Bachelors finale, which aired on Monday night, was fiendishly cruel and compelling, Willa Paskin hates to admit. The show figured out whole new ways to milk the sadness and embarrassment of the competitions losers.

For fun: A very joyful person named Ibba experienced one very fun A Wrinkle in Time screening.

Sounds great,

Rebecca
It is about the lowest-hanging fruit around to point out that Donald Trump has not drained the swampi.e. addressed Washingtons corporate lobbying and corruption problemsdespite having made such drainage one of his main campaign promises. ProPublica has provided a valuable service, however, by actually doing the legwork on this observation and finding out just how many lobbyists the Trump administration has hired. The answer is at least 187, many of whom have been appointed to positions in which they can do favors for the clients they used to represent. (And who they will no doubt represent in the future.) From a New York Times write-up of the data:

Advertisement

The administration has granted at least 31 waivers to some former lobbyists and others who had private-sector jobs that overlap with their new federal assignments, according to the database. Among them is Erik Baptist, a senior deputy general counsel at the Environmental Protection Agency. He previously worked for the American Petroleum Institute as a lobbyist on federal regulations related to renewable fuels.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Here are some other fun ones:

 Environmental Protection Agency official Troy Lyons worked as a lobbyist for British Petroleum.

 EPA deputy administrator nominee Andrew Wheeler lobbied on behalf of Murray Energy, which describes itself as the largest underground coal mining company in America.

 EPA official David Ross is a lawyer who represented industry clients in suits against the EPA.

 Health and Human Services official Laura Clay Trueman worked as a lobbyist for Aetna.

 Health and Human Services official Courtney Austin Lawrence worked for a health insurers lobbying association.

 Housing and Urban Development official Michael Kelley worked as a lobbyist for several real estate companies.

 FDA counsel Rebecca Kathleen Wood worked for Bayer Pharma and the pharmaceutical-industry lobbying group PhRMA.

Mmm  swamp water. (Disclosure: The author of this piece is registered to perform paid legislative advocacy on behalf of the Swamp Water Vendors Trade Association.)
The big story out of Tuesdays Texas primary is that the brewing civil war taking place in a Houston-area congressional district where Democrats appear destined to relitigate the 2016 primary will go on for at least the next two months, as the two candidates settle things in a runoff. Several of the states most competitive races are headed to runoffs, including the Democratic primary for governor and a handful of House races.

A few things did get settled on Tuesday night: Beto ORourke won the right to take on Sen. Ted Cruz in the fall, and George P. Bush, the last prince of that Republican royal family, held on with a little help from Donald Trump.

Advertisement

Heres where things stand in a few of the other Texas races of note, based on the projected results from the Houston Chronicle and the Texas Tribune.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Governor

On Tuesday, nine Democrats were competing for the chance to lose to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott this November. On Wednesday, only two will remain: Lupe Valdez and Andrew White. Both candidates easily outpaced the rest of the primary field, but neither was projected to have secured the majority needed to avoid a runoff. Democrats will now need to decide which of the two they want on the top of the ballot this fall: White, a Houston businessman and the son of a former governor who has deep pockets but stands accused of being wobbly on reproductive rights, or Valdez, a progressive former Dallas County sheriff who also happens to be gay and Latina.

Advertisement

Senate

No surprises here: Republican Sen. Ted Cruz easily won his partys nomination and so, too, did Democratic Rep. Beto ORourke. The two will now face off in a race that nonpartisan handicappers believe represents a possible pickup opportunity for Democrats in their uphill battle to take control of the Senate next year. ORourke is well liked but largely unknown, and he appeared to underperform expectations against two unknown challengers. Cruz is, well, Cruzwhich is both a reason the general election is expected to be competitive and why he will still enter it as the clear favorite.

Advertisement

State Land Commissioner

George P. Bush is projected to have won the GOP primary outright for Texas land commissioner, which makes him more or less a lock for a second term in that office. (Hes unlikely to get much competition from projected Democratic nominee Miguel Suazo in a state that hasnt elected a Democrat in a statewide race since 1994.) Four more years overseeing state-owned lands and mineral rights isnt exactly the dream job for someone related to two U.S. presidents, but a defeat would have been particularly painful for a man who was once considered to be on a path to the governors mansion or maybe one day even the White House. The victory did not come without a price, though. Despite Donald Trump humiliating his father Jeb during the Republican primary, George broke with his dad and publicly backed Trump in the 2016 general and has continued to stand by him since. That loyalty earned Bush a Trump endorsement of his own, something he made central to his pitch to Republican voters.

Advertisement

Advertisement

State Agriculture Commissioner

Bush had the benefit of a Trump endorsement in his race; Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller had to rely on his Trump-like buffoonery. Miller, one of the few politicians who can rival the president for offensive comments and ethical transgressions, was likewise projected to clear the 50-percent threshold in his primary. Miller, whose Twitter account once called Hillary Clinton a cunt and whose first official act as agriculture commissioner was to declare amnesty for cupcakes, was facing a strong challenge from Austin attorney Trey Blocker. As I put it before the votes started to come in, this race was a test of whether the kind of norm-breaking behavior that has failed to sink Trump might have consequences further down the ballot. In this case, it did not.
The relationship between Serbia and its former province, Kosovo, has been complicated, to say the least, for quite some time. Now a dispute between the two countries has apparently slowed digital clocks around Europeand it may have been going on for close to two months.

Twenty-five countries on the continent are connected in an electric grid that runs on a synchronized frequency. The frequency is responsible for keeping time on many devices, such as digital clocks, oven clocks, and central heating timersthough not smartphones, according to BBC News. But since mid-January, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, or ENTSOE, reports that the system frequency has deviated, causing delays of up to six minutes on clocks on the grid.

Advertisement

The problem stems from a long-running feud over energy (among many other issues) between Serbia and Kosovo. In the late 1990s, the former province broke away from Serbia in a bloody war and then, in 2008, declared independence, which Serbia has never recognized. Since mid-January, Kosovo failed to produce enough energy to meet its needs. Serbia is legally obligated to make up the difference to stabilize the grid, but it didnt, causing the frequency deviation. With the decreased frequency, the clocks began to run slowjust as they would run fast with an increase in frequency. The clocks can be manually set to the correct time, and they will automatically reset when the grid stabilizes.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The deviation stopped Tuesday when Kosovo generated enough energy to meet its needs, but not before 113 gigawatt hours of energy had been lost, ENTSOE spokeswoman Susanne Nies told BBC News. Nies said a surplus of energy will be pumped into the system in the next few weeks to normalize the grid and provide balance across the continent. However, ENTSOE warned that until Serbia and Kosovo solve their political disagreements, a deviation risk could remain.

Since the war ended 19 years ago, primarily Serb municipalities in the north of Kosovo have refused to pay for the energy they use. As a result, the rest of the population has had to pay extra. But in December, the Kosovo government announced consumers would no longer be required to pay for the Norths energy use. Instead, the Kosovo government will cover the costs.
Diss tracks are a chance for YouTube stars to air their grievances with other internet celebrities, a musical accompaniment to the drama between rich and glamorous personalities. Much of the content they post on their vlogs is supposed to give viewers a peek into their seemingly tempestuous personal lives. They prefer to let their fights play out in front of their millions of young fans, like storylines on Bravo. Infusing these squabbles with music often does wonders for viewership, but the flashy production values and ridiculous lyrics occasionally downplay disturbing subject matter.

Advertisement

The elaborate music videos for these tracks are often wildly successful, racking up tens of millions of views. Some have even charted on the Billboard Hot 100, a weekly record chart of singles that takes three factors into account: radio play, sales, and streaming. The list began including YouTube plays in the streaming category in 2013; when YouTube stars chart on Billboard, its because their throngs of young fans keep clicking play.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Logan and Jake Paul, brothers who helm two massively successful channels, are likely the best known YouTube diss track rappers, with 16 million and 13 million subscribers, respectively. Logan, the older of the two, recently faced widespread scorn from the YouTube community and beyond after he posted footage of a hanging victim in Japans suicide forest. (The platform removed him from its Google Preferred program for premium advertisers, canceled his YouTube Red film, and temporarily suspended ads on his videos.) Jake is also no stranger to controversy: Hes landed in the news for obnoxiously disturbing his neighbors and throwing out the N-word in a freestyle rap.

Advertisement

Perhaps the most famous YouTube diss track is Jake Pauls Its Everyday Bro, which has the YouTube star trumpeting his successes as a (now former) Disney Channel star over a trap beat. He notes, while brandishing his Rolex in a Lamborghini, that he and the cast of actors on his vlog known as the Team 10 crew are racking up money and views on YouTube. Its Everyday Bro was wildly popular. It peaked at the No. 94 spot on Billboards Hot 100 and rose to No. 2 on iTunes. It has more than 180 million views on YouTube. The track gained enough traction that Gucci Mane even hopped on the remix.

Advertisement

Advertisement

YouTube diss tracks are often just whimsical and funny, and the disputes they evince are usually fake. Logan Paul released a Santa Diss Track in December, and he and his brother traded musical barbs over the summer that looked like they were largely in good fun. Yet, the conflicts that spawn other diss tracks sometimes do seem real and darker than petty reality show drama.

For example, Jake Pauls Its Everyday Bro isnt just an ode to viral success and conspicuous consumption. Its also widely seen as a veiled attack on his ex-girlfriend, YouTube star Alissa Violet. The two had a painfully public breakup that led to Paul kicking her out of the Team 10 house and predicting that shes gonna make up a ton of stuff. Several verses in Its Everyday Bro refer to the conflict between the two:

Advertisement

Advertisement

This is Team 10, bitch, who the hell are flippin you? And you know I kick them out if they aint with the crew Yeah, Im talking about you, you beggin for attention Talking shit on Twitter too but you still hit my phone last night It was 4:52 and I got the text to prove And all the recordings too, dont make me tell them the truth

While the lyrics portray their falling out as harmlessly inane, Violet came out with a video eight days after the tracks release in May accusing Paul of emotional abuse while they were together. In response to Its Everyday Bro, Violet and another prominent YouTuber who goes by RiceGum released a diss track titled Its EveryNight Sis. The song has more than 130 million YouTube views and debuted at No. 80 on Billboard. In the video, the two internet stars frolic in flowy Gucci robes while ridiculing Pauls sexual competence and accusing him of soliciting prostitutes.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Then, in August, Alissa further alleged that Paul had physically attacked her on multiple occasions by spitting on her, throwing her phone, and dragging her down stairs during disagreements. One of her videos purports to show the resulting scars. (This came after her boyfriend was accused of assaulting Pauls assistant. Paul subsequently denied the allegations of abuse.)

Oh you want to talk about assault, jake? Sit your ass down. Do you guys know why I have a bunch of scars and permaninant bruises on my body?  Alissa Violet (@AlissaViolet) August 18, 2017

Advertisement

Bryan Le, the YouTuber better known as RiceGum, who has more than 9 million subscribers, is among the more prolific and aggressive diss track rappers on YouTube. Hes become so popular on the platform that he even starred in a Super Bowl ad this year for Monster headphones alongside Iggy Azalea.

One of his most questionable songs is an April release titled I Didnt Hit Her (TheGabbieShow Diss Track), which has garnered more than 42 million views and is his third most popular upload. On its surface, the track itself is standard fare for the genre. It takes its beat from Drakes trap-heavy Portland and features RiceGum in a spacious, ivory-white apartment on the day after an implied three-way with two models. He frolics through his morning routine while rapping about his wealth, as evidenced by the ice [diamonds] on my wrist, his $2,000 sweater, the requisite Lamborghini, and a gag in which he pretends to speak into a stack of cash like a phone. Yet these scenes of carefree luxury belie the darker subject matter of the song: the flashy music video is RiceGums response to assault allegations against him from another YouTuber.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Last March, Gabbie Hanna, of The Gabbie Show fame, claimed that she and RiceGum had gotten into an argument at a party. The spat allegedly turned violent: She accused him of grabbing her arm, twisting it, hitting her, and holding her down so that he could snatch and smash her phone. She later posted a video purportedly showing the resulting bruises and scratches. There doesnt appear to have been any sort of official investigation confirming or disputing the account. RiceGums diss track response to the incident offers a peek into how such conflicts are being settled in this cyberspace.

RiceGum degrades Gabbie throughout I Didnt Hit Her (TheGabbieShow Diss Track) by making fun of her big nose and repeatedly slamming her for being a liar. Here is a sampling of the lines addressing the allegations:

Advertisement

Made it seem like I beat her ass, I aint lay a finger on that bitch at all. Showing all those scratches on you, but I really think those are stretch marks. Got these hoes mad like a feminist when you just assume they gender.

He also admits that he did break her phone but uses that assault as an opportunity to gloat about his nimbleness, comparing himself to New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. You can watch the entire video here:

Advertisement

Advertisement

(RiceGum didnt respond to Slates Facebook message and emails requesting comment.)

Its possible that some of these conflicts are staged for the sake of engrossing more young followers and that the perturbing accusations of assault are all part of a storyline. Its also possible that these YouTube stars are actually addressing abuse with well-produced music videos.

YouTube has of late come under scrutiny for a myriad of problematic videos that it hosts on its site, like those espousing conspiracy theories about school shootings or targeting children by perverting popular cartoons. It would be difficult to make the case that objectionable diss track videos deserve the same level of moderation from the platform, though YouTube does seem to be thinking of ways to improve the quality of the content it hosts.

Advertisement

Advertisement

In a February interview, YouTubes chief business officer Robert Kyncl said, Were thinking very deeply every single day now, on how do we create the right incentives and disincentives for creators to do the right thing on YouTube. That means a lot of different things. That means do the right thing for advertisers, do the right thing for their users, for the platform organically, and not chase sensationalism; not chase views for the sake of views, and not chase drama for the sake of viewsand not use drama at our expense for the sake of views.

Polygon, Vox Medias gaming site, lists diss tracks among the symptoms of a YouTube culture and payment structure that incentivizes this drama. Sensationalist content, like dangerous and abusive prank videos, heightens a creators popularity and earning potential through mere shock value. Grievous personal conflicts that deserve careful adjudication have become fodder for content creators, and their young fans are watching with rapt attention.
Were at the start of a new year, and for many the beginning of a new fiscal year. So now is a great opportunity for small business leaders to pause and consider how theyre progressing on efforts to create a better and more inclusive work environment for their employees. Theres a strong business case for diversity that small businesses simply cant afford to ignore.

Companies that embrace equality in the workforce can enjoy real and tangible financial gains. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates gender parity could add $12 trillion to the global economy, and suggests gender diverse companies are 15 percent more likely to financially out-perform their peers. Similarly, ethnically diverse companies are 35 per cent more likely to do the same.

Its clear that leaders who prioritize more diverse and inclusive workforces elevate the effectiveness of their businesses, the satisfaction of employees and their overall success. In fact, a recent Salesforce report, The Impact of Equality and Values Driven Business, revealed that employees who feel their voice is heard at work are nearly five-times (4.6X) more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work, and employees who say their company provides equal opportunities are nearly four times (3.8X) more likely to say they are proud to work for their company.

So how can todays small business leaders foster a culture of equality? Here are some key ways to get started:

Hire Talent from all Walks of Life

In business, as with anything else, you dont know what you dont know. Companies with a workforce where everyone thinks and looks the same are limited to the narrow experiences their employees share, whether from a cultural, gender or skillset perspective.

Bringing diverse voices into the mix can help your company glean insight into customers, foster new ways of thinking and innovating, and increase the likelihood that bad ideas will be challenged earlier on. Adding diversity means everything from including creatives in technical discussions (and vice versa) to broadening your talent base make up.

A good way to start is to prioritize diversity and make inclusive hiring a mandate. Seek out candidates who might have the will, but dont yet have the skill, and find alternative ways to bring new thinking into your environment. Its not just about ticking a box. Its about making sure that your employees, from all walks of life, are included in discussions and feel they have earned a seat at the table.

Diversity plus inclusivity sets companies apart, and knowing that more than one third of the working-age population will belong to a visible minority group, and that nearly half of all Canadians could be an immigrant or the child of an immigrant by 2036, the time to put this combination into practice is now.

Ensure Everyones Voice is Heard

Weve all heard stories about the brand new intern who pipes up with a great solution to a problem or a quiet employee who changes the course of a company with an innovative idea, but these scenarios simply arent going to happen if meetings are conducted in a way that people feel their voice or point of view isnt going to be heard.

Some organizations address these situations by making meeting etiquette a part of clearly defined workplace culture statements. These statements might, for example, include clear language about giving everyone a chance to participate and offer input in meetings  without interruption. Or they might ban using laptops or other electronic devices in meetings that would otherwise distract employees from giving their undivided attention to colleagues while theyre speaking.

Everyone should have a right to add value to meetings; no one should be made to feel invisible. If employees feel respected, they can be solid contributors to the companys mission.

Understand the Impact of Unconscious Biases

Biases are created based on our upbringing, personal relationships and experiences. Often, theyre subtle or hidden. But they can still come to the forefront at times and influence our interactions with employees.

Business leaders committed to creating a culture of equality must look at ways to reduce the effects of unconscious biases, and the best way to do that is through awareness and education. Start with yourself and lead by example.

Its also important to look at ways to reduce unconscious biases at work. Consider creating educational videos, webcasts or podcasts to raise awareness of the issue and train employees on how to identify and understand the impact of unconscious bias. Online learning tools like Trailhead, for example, offer free and interactive learning paths which can train participants on the business value of having a diverse, inclusive workforce.

To succeed today, equality and diversity need to be a priority for every small business leader. The good news is that its never too early to start thinking about how to create a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Republished by permission. Original here.
Standing desks were being hyped as a cure-all for the sedentary nature of the way most of us work today, but a new study says otherwise. Curtin University in Australia has found standing desks can lead to discomfort and deteriorating mental reactiveness with prolonged use.

Standing Desk Research Study

In the study, the researchers found acute negative health effects during two hours of prolonged standing. The participants experienced increased discomfort in the low back, lower and upper limbs (to varying degrees) and lower limb swelling.

The result of the study impacts companies of all sizes. Even small businesses are trying to curb the negative effects of sitting all day in the office, and standing desks have been used to combat the problem.

Professor Alan Taylor, a physiotherapy expert at Nottingham University, told the Daily Telegraph, The bottom line is that this expansion has been driven more by commercial reasons than scientific evidence. But the evidence is catching up and its showing there are some drawbacks.

The Result

The Curtin University study looked at 20 individuals (7 male, 13 female) working at standing desks for two hours. All of them reported a clinically meaningful increase in discomfort. And although the study had a small number of participants, it backs previous studies with large numbers of individuals.

The American Journal of Epidemiology published a study in its September 2017 issue involving more than 7,000 people on the effects of occupational standing. In that study, workers who stood more at work were twice as likely to develop heart disease as opposed to those that sat more often.

As far as cognitive functions, there was a statistically significant slowing in reaction time from the Sustained Attention to Response Test results, as much as 78 ms over the two hour period.

Balance

The study is quick to point out the clear association between excessive sedentary behavior and negative health outcomes. This includes increased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes and cancer, as well as musculoskeletal disorder concerns.

Finding the right balance is key to ensure you are doing all you can to safeguard your health against the negative effects of sitting or standing for too long.
Wages in Slovakia keep increasing at a steady pace driven by the growing economy, lack of labour force and administrative measures of the third Robert Fico cabinet. Arguing that companies should share their good economic results with their employees, they are increasing the minimum wage and the surcharges for night, weekend and holiday work, as well as introducing voluntary summer holiday and Christmas bonuses, partly exempt from payroll taxes.

Today, as the labour minister, my first task is not only to reduce unemployment but to secure a sufficient labour force which is a much greater challenge, said Labour Minister Jan Richter, adding that higher work surcharges should dissuade people from leaving Slovakia to work abroad. In spite of this, labour costs in Slovakia are still far below the EU average and will remain so for years even though their growth is faster than the EU average.

Wage growth breaks records

The wage increase in 2017 was the biggest seen in the past seven years, based on data collected by the Platy.sk website. The basic gross wage, i.e. the wage without bonuses, rose by 6.6 percent compared to 2016, while the average basic monthly wage in 2017 amounted to 980 gross. In 2016, wages increased by 4.8 percent, while it was significantly less in 2013 and 2014, 1.8 percent each year.

Basic wages have grown the most in the Nitra and Trnava Regions, up by more than 8 percent. The Kosice Region followed with a 7.4 percent increase. The Bratislava Region reported the lowest increase of 5.1 percent, but this is because the average basic gross wage in this region is significantly higher than in others. It amounted to 1,336 for 2017 with the second highest rate of 982 in the Kosice Region.

The PwC PayWell 2017 study, based on the data from 300 companies across 17 sectors, also confirmed the strong growth in wages.

For 2017, the original forecast for wage and salary increase was 3.5 percent, the study reads. However, the actual increase was 3.9 percent.

Dynamic growth in the manufacturing sector was reflected by salary changes for the job position of production worker.

Compared to an increase of 5.3 percent between 2015 and 2016, the overall average year-to-year income increase was 9.5 percent, points out the study.

Firms in Slovakia plan to increase base wages and salaries by an average of 3.4 percent in 2018, which is a lower increase than planned for 2017, based on the study.

Labour costs up but still far below EU average

Even though labour costs in Slovakia are increasing faster than the EU and eurozone average, they are still low compared with the older EU members. While labour costs amounted to 10.4 per hour in 2016 in Slovakia, an increase of 3.5 percent y/y, the EU28 average was 29.8, up 1.4 percent y/y, according to Eurostat. In the case of the eurozone, the average labour cost amounted to 25.4, up 1.6 percent y/y.

What employers and economic analysts point out is that labour costs are increasing faster than productivity.

This means that the window where our labour force is still of interest within Europe is narrowing, said Andrej Arady, analyst with the VUB bank, adding that further growth of wages should be supported by higher growth in productivity. It is necessary to focus on sectors with higher added value. Put simply, if this trend continues, assembly services will no longer be interesting to foreign investors in terms of price.

(Source: Statistics Office of the Slovak Republic)

Minimum wage goes up

The Fico government keeps upping the minimum wage. After the social partners failed to agree on an increase for 2018, the government stepped in and increased it by 45 to 480 from the beginning of 2018. Fico would like to see the minimum wage at 520 or more in 2019.
Journalists from competing media form a team to finalise Kuciaks stories

Investigative journalists across a wide media spectrum have joined forces, forming a team dealing with the stories of the murdered reporter Jan Kuciak. Foreign media from four countries also joined.

Investigative and data journalists as well as those working in the field announced on March 6 that they would join to investigate the cases of the late Jan Kuciak, reporter of the Aktuality.sk website: journalists from Aktuality.sk, the Sme, Dennik N, Hospodarske noviny, and Novy Cas dailies, the Trend weekly, the Postoj website, the public-service RTVS as well as the private Markiza and Joj TV broadcasters.

Foreign media added their own forces: the Swiss Blic, the Polish Onet, the Czech public radio Cesky Rozhlas and the German Die Welt.

We want to connect the best journalists and offer editorial teams a chance to cooperate on the cases Jan Kuciak opened but did not conclude, said editor-in-chief of Aktuality.sk, Peter Bardy, as quoted by the Medialne.sk website. It is evidence of solidarity and an effort to fight for a good thing.

Reporters first meeting

The reporters met for the first time on March 6 in the editorial room where Kuciak worked. Aktuality.sk gave them Kuciaks notes and materials, which he could no longer use. They agreed on terms of cooperation.

They said they would exchange information and shared the documents they would access thanks to open data or their sources. They will publish stories jointly, or individually, with a reference to Kuciaks work.

In recent months, Kuciak had been working mostly on the Italian businesspeople active in Slovakia and their ties to politicians, prosecutors and state officials. He was following a track hinting that they are close to the Italian Mafia. However, there are more unfinished stories he did not get to finalise, since his notes suggest he was working on oligarchs close to the ruling Smer party. Currently, the journalists are checking the information previously mentioned by Pavla Holcova of the Czech Centre for investigative journalism, suggesting that Kuciak discovered another connection between the Italians and a top Smer politician that has not been published yet.

Some other journalists may join this team, Medialne.sk wrote.

7. Mar 2018 at 13:51 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Abbasi, Nepali leaders discuss BRI, Saarc

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi wrapped up his two-day official visit to Kathmandu on Tuesday, after discussing with Nepals leaders the Belt and Road Initiative of China and a proposal to revive the stalled Saarc process.
Kosice airport may gain a new route through popular vote

More information about travelling in Slovakia

Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide

A new flight route may be open from Kosice to Germany, with the eastern Slovak city having the chance to acquire a regular air connection through the low-cost airline Eurowings, starting this October.

The decision will be made within the Vote and Fly! campaign, with competing destinations including the Aarhus, Denmark, Cork, Ireland, Friedrichshafen, Germany, Ljubljana, Slovenia and Stavanger, Norway. The public can vote for their favourite destination from March 6 to March 12, the Sme daily wrote.

Read also:

Read also: Wizz Air is shutting down its base in Kosice Read more

The wider public can cast their vote through the vote-and-fly.com website between March 6 and 12, to support their favourite destination, Kosice airport informed the TASR newswire, adding that the three most popular destinations will reach the final round, which will take place live on Facebook, on March 13.

Airport representative appeals voting for Kosice

CEO and chair of the Kosice airport board, Michael Tmej, asked not just people from the Kosice Region for support, but from all over Slovakia. He argued that Slovaks living in Germany can come home more often and more quickly, and that it would help the region attract more German tourists, thus aiding the development of the more than 60 German investors in eastern Slovakia, as reported by TASR.

video //www.youtube.com/embed/sRmQLJAwOYA

Kosice is now losing the connection to Cologne it has had since last summer, with Wizz Air.

Eurowings flies to more than 160 destinations in more than 50 countries. In 2017, it was pronounced the best German airline.

7. Mar 2018 at 13:57 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Activists condemn a gathering before a court trying an extremist

Municipal officials slammed for letting supporters of an extreme-right politician tried for defamation of nation, race and belief to rally in front of court, disrupt traffic, etc.

Font size: A - | A +

Local activists in Banska Bystrica have been enraged by what occurred on the first day of the court trial of MP Milan Mazurek (far right People's Party  Our Slovakia or LSNS), which started on February 26 at the Specialised Criminal Court located in this central Slovak city.

They sent an open letter to Mayor Jan Nosko on March 6, demanding an explanation why the competent bodies did not intervene against the unannounced rally in front of the court, the Pravda daily wrote. They allegedly complained that Mazurek supporters had blocked traffic, pavements and disturbed the public order.

Supporters from all over Slovakia gathered in the city, about 300 of them arriving at the court, blocking the traffic, sidewalks, public transport bus stop, and disturbing the public peace  close to an elementary school, moreover, activists complained in a letter to the mayor, the My Banska Bystrica regional newspaper wrote. The gathering was not announce in advance as required by law. The activists want an explanation as to how this could happen and why the city office did not intervene.

What happened in Banska Bystrica?

The main trial of the LSNS MP Milan Mazurek, who has been charged with defamation of nation, race and belief in concurrence with the crime of defamation and threatening people due to their race or the origin, continued with a hearing of the officially appointed expert whose findings comply with the lawsuit.

Read also:

Read also: Extremist MP sentenced for racism Read more

Mazurek, however, raised an objection against the expert in his case, stating that he is a Jew. The judge rejected the objection, the Sme daily wrote on February 27. Since some of the witnesses excused themselves and the criminal evidence before the court will continue, the trial has been adjourned.

Mazurek is being tried for some of his public statements, in a radio interview for Radio Frontinus in October 2016. He fully denies all wrongdoing.

7. Mar 2018 at 14:03 | Compiled by Spectator staff
PM Fico wants to keep Most-Hid in coalition

At his March 7 press conference, the prime minister avoided directly supporting the interior minister and police president and said he wanted to keep the coalition party Most-Hid ultimately as partner.

Font size: A - | A +

Continuing his tactic of attacking President Andrej Kiska  who reacted to the recent murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova by saying either the cabinet should be re-formed, or there should be early election  Prime Minister Robert Fico summoned a press conference for the morning of March 7. There, he repeated that Kiskas efforts are aimed at initiating a coup, the Sme daily wrote.

Read also:

Read also: UPDATED: PM: I will not allow anyone to badmouth Slovakia Read more

President Andrej Kiska is receiving representatives of the opposition and civil activists on March 7. Prime Minister Fico comments on that are the following, as cited by Sme: Today, a scenario begins in the presidential palace whose aim is to change the situation in the state, and to negate the results of democratic elections.

Fico answered - while not answering

Unlike the previous two days, Fico allowed the media to pose three questions at the morning press conference. Asked whether he would dismiss Interior Minister Robert Kalinak and Police President Tibor Gaspar, the PM answered he expected bilateral talks with the chairman of coalition partner Most-Hid, Bela Bugar, on March 12, and then the coalition council would meet. Smer would answer the requests of its coalition partner on March 13 at the latest.

We will offer such solutions as to keep Most-Hid in this cabinet, Fico said, as quoted by Sme.

He added that he stood fully behind Gaspar.

He is an absolute professional and has my full trust, the prime minister said, as quoted by Sme.

Asked how could Smer ex-MP and current secretary of the State Security Council, Viliam Jasan, who was doing business with the Italians suspected of Mafia ties, have received security clearance, Fico answered: "There may come a time when you will have to apologise to many people.

Journalists stand up to PMs tactics

Meanwhile, the Trend weekly announced it would not report on Ficos statements as long he spreads nonsense about conspiracy theories involving George Soros and the participants of Kuciaks burial, while covering serious suspicions and escaping from media questions.

Read also:

Read also: Who is George Soros and why is Ficos mention of him a problem? Read more

Shortly before the PMs press conference, reporter Eugen Korda of the Tyzden weekly called on the media to turn their backs on the irresponsible prime minister, for whom his power is more important than peace in the country.

A no-confidence motion

Going further than his party boss, Labour Minister Jan Richter (Smer) claimed on the same day that Robert Kalinak has the full support of the party leadership.

At their joint press conference around noon, the opposition parties announced that they would initiate a no-confidence vote in the cabinet. However, they lack the votes to possibly succeed in the parliament, unless some coalition MPs join them in the effort, Sme wrote.

Two weeks ago, it may have been sufficient to sack Kalinak and Gaspar, but now even that is insufficient, Boris Kollar of Sme Rodina said.

7. Mar 2018 at 14:09 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Murder investigation: What we know so far and what are the main independence concerns

Presence of prominent criminal agency head at the crime scene raises concerns of impartiality. Vadala speaks out.

Antonino Vadala, the man whom the murdered reporter Jan Kuciak linked with the Italian mafia and people close to Prime Minister Robert Fico in his last article, claims not to have ties to any Italian mafia. But the documents that the Italian police sent to Slovakia as early as 2013 disprove his claim.

Following the request of General Prosecutor Jaromir Ciznar, the police are no longer providing information on the investigation of the murder case connected to Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova. So far they have mostly informed on the investigation of what came to be known as the Italian connection, but it is not clear what other connections they are following in the investigation and to what extent.

The opposition and journalists have pointed out the links between some top police officers and people linked with the Smer party, raising further concerns about the impartiality of the investigation.

Read also:

Read also: A murderer, an MP, a model: Who is who in the case Kuciak was investigating Read more

Vadala speaks out

On March 6, the Korzar weekly published an interview with Vadala that they conducted at his own request. In the interview the Italian who has lived and done business in eastern Slovakia for more than 15 years denies any links between himself and the Calabrian organised crime group, Ndrangheta.

7. Mar 2018 at 16:16 | Michaela Terenzani
Troskova attended meeting with Merkel, despite disagreement

A person referred to asa secretary by the interior minister was instantly turned into an expert in foreign policy, writes former diplomat.

The meeting between the Slovak prime minister and German chancellor, attended by Maria Troskova despite the objections of German diplomats, was one of the moments I felt extremely ashamed, Slovak diplomat Ondrej Gazovic wrote in his blog post published on the Dennik N dailys website.

Gazovic, who worked as diplomat in the years 2012-2017 and spent time at the Slovak Embassy in Berlin, described the meeting that took place last year.

Read also:

Read also: Murder investigation: What we know so far and what are the main independence concerns Read more

Though he does not consider it right to tell stories from previous jobs, especially in the current political atmosphere when PM Robert Fico is talking about the planned coup organised abroad, he felt the urge to write the blog.

Questions over Slovak delegation

One of his last jobs was to prepare the visit and negotiations between Fico and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Then-Czech PM Bohuslav Sobotka was also supposed to attend the meeting.

For Germans, the talks were also to be attended by Christoph Heusgen, Merkels then right-hand man and advisor for foreign policy, and Uwe Corsepius, Merkels advisor for European policy and former secretary general of the Council of the EU. For the Czech Republic, several diplomats were to attend the meeting, including ex-European commissioner Vladimir Spidla.

However, the Slovak delegation raised several questions, Gazovic wrote. Apart from two respected diplomats the talks were to be attended by Troskova whom he described as a not very successful model with a dubious reputation.

Read also:

Read also: A murderer, an MP, a model: Who is who in the case Kuciak was investigating Read more

This person compensated for a lack of expertise in foreign policy with a close relationship to the prime minister, Gazovic wrote.

According to him, it is not very nice to hear German diplomats indicating they have problem with the Slovak delegation, especially if you understand they are right.

Its the worst if you know the Governments Office wont back away, Gazovic wrote.

Questions remain

A person Interior Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer) is now calling a secretary was instantly turned into a foreign policy expert and attended the meeting, he added.

Read also:

Read also: Murder of journalist: A short guide to the current political situation in Slovakia Read more

The same was repeated three hours later, when the delegation met with German President Frank-Walter Steimeier.

Gazovic went on to say that Troskova also attended other meetings with top representatives of various countries where sensitive topics concerning national interests were discussed. He questioned the people Troskova could have shared the information with.

7. Mar 2018 at 22:41 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Kiska: The government has ignored Mafia warnings

The president also confirmed he will meet with Andrej Danko and Robert Fico on March 9.

The Slovak Information Service (SIS) intelligence agency has been warning government members of the activities of the Italian Mafia in eastern Slovakia for a long time. However, the government has been ignoring it for years, said President Andrej Kiska, referring to the information obtained by SIS head Anton Safarik.

Kiska is convinced that the public deserves to receive the information now, not after a month or a year.

Read also:

Read also: Murder investigation: What we know so far and what are the main independence concerns Read more

People have the right to know why our institutions have been ignoring the warnings from the Italian authorities concerning the activities of people linked to Mafia in eastern Slovakia, Kiska said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. They have the right to hear why government members have been ignoring the warnings from our own intelligence service for years.

The president repeated that the solution to this situation is either a government reshuffle or early elections.

SIS warns against speculations

The intelligence service provided the president with the information in compliance with the law, said SIS spokesperson Branislav Zvara. However, he refused to give more details about the meeting with the SIS head and the president concerning the results of their intelligence activities, claiming it's confidential information.

At the same time, SIS has warned against media speculation and wrong interpretation of this kind of information.

Regarding its confidentiality, SIS considers it undesirable to discuss this information in public, Zvara said, as quoted by TASR.

Talks with political parties

The president meanwhile started talks with parliamentary parties on March 7, meeting with the representatives of Sme Rodina and the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO).

Read also:

Read also: PM Fico wants to keep Most-Hid in coalition Read more

Kiska is pleased that not only him, but also Speaker of Parliament Andrej Danko wants to calm down the current political situation.

He also confirmed his participation in a March 9 meeting with the top three constitutional representatives initiated by Danko. PM Robert Fico also confirmed he would come.

The constitutional representatives need to speak with one another, Danko said, as quoted by TASR. Such meetings are important for stopping political moods whose aim is to destabilise the state. The tensions emerging in society harm Slovakias reputation. Its our duty to do everything possible to solve the current situation.

7. Mar 2018 at 22:48 | Compiled by Spectator staff
The following companies are subsidiares of Barclays: Adler Toy Holding Sarl, Aequor Investments Limited, Alymere Investments Limited, Alynore Investments Limited Partnership, Analog Analytics, Analog Analytics Inc, Analytical Trade Holdings LLC, Analytical Trade Investments LLC, Analytical Trade UK Limited, Archstone Equity Holdings Inc, Ardencroft Investments Limited, B D & B Investments Limited, B.P.B. (Holdings) Limited, BB Client Nominees Limited, BBAIL SAS, BCAP LLC, BIFML PTC Limited, BMBF (No.24) Limited, BMI (No.9) Limited, BNC Brazil Consultoria Empresarial Ltda, BNRI ENG 2013 Limited Partnership, BNRI ENG 2014 Limited Partnership, BNRI ENG GP LLP, BNRI England 2010 Limited Partnership, BNRI England 2011 Limited Partnership, BNRI England 2012 Limited Partnership, BNRI Limehouse No.1 Sarl, BNRI PIA Scot GP Limited, BNRI Scots GP LLP, BPB Holdings SA, BVP Galvani Global S.A.U., Barafor Limited, Barclay Leasing Limited, Barclaycard Funding PLC, Barclaycard International Payments Limited, Barclays (Barley) Limited, Barclays Aldersgate Investments Limited, Barclays Alzin Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Asia Limited, Barclays Asset Management Limited, Barclays BR Investments S.a r.l., Barclays BWA Inc., Barclays Bank (Suisse) S.A., Barclays Bank Delaware, Barclays Bank Ireland PLC, Barclays Bank Ireland Public Limited Company, Barclays Bank Mexico S.A., Barclays Bank PLC, Barclays Bank UK PLC, Barclays Bayard Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Bedivere Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Bordang Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Brasil Assessoria Financeira Ltda., Barclays CCP Funding LLC, Barclays Cantal Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Capital (Cayman) Limited, Barclays Capital Asia Holdings Limited, Barclays Capital Asia Limited, Barclays Capital Canada Inc., Barclays Capital Casa de Bolsa S.A. de C.V., Barclays Capital Derivatives Funding LLC, Barclays Capital Effekten GmbH, Barclays Capital Energy Inc., Barclays Capital Equities Trading GP, Barclays Capital Finance Limited, Barclays Capital Futures (Singapore) Private Limited, Barclays Capital Holdings (Singapore) Private Limited, Barclays Capital Holdings Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., Barclays Capital Japan Securities Holdings Limited, Barclays Capital Luxembourg S.a r.l., Barclays Capital Mauritius Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees (No.2) Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees (No.3) Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees Limited, Barclays Capital Principal Investments Limited, Barclays Capital Real Estate Finance Inc., Barclays Capital Real Estate Holdings Inc., Barclays Capital Real Estate Inc., Barclays Capital Securities Client Nominee Limited, Barclays Capital Securities Limited, Barclays Capital Securities Mauritius Limited, Barclays Capital Trading Luxembourg S.a r.l., Barclays Claudas Investments Partnership, Barclays Claudas Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Commercial Mortgage Securities LLC, Barclays Converted Investments (No.2) Limited, Barclays Corporation Limited, Barclays Direct Investing Nominees Limited, Barclays Directors Limited, Barclays Dryrock Funding LLC, Barclays Electronic Commerce Holdings Inc., Barclays Equity Holdings Limited, Barclays Equity Index Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Europe Client Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Europe Firm Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Europe Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Executive Schemes Trustees Limited, Barclays Financial LLC, Barclays Financial Planning Nominee Company Limited, Barclays Funds Investments Limited, Barclays Funds and Advisory Japan Limited, Barclays Global Service Centre Private Limited, Barclays Global Shareplans Nominee Limited, Barclays Group Holdings Limited, Barclays Group Operations Limited, Barclays Group US Inc., Barclays Index Finance Trust, Barclays Industrial Development Limited, Barclays Industrial Investments Limited, Barclays Insurance Guernsey PCC Limited, Barclays Insurance Services Company Limited, Barclays Insurance U.S. Inc., Barclays International Luxembourg Dollar Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Investment Management Limited, Barclays Investment Solutions Limited, Barclays Investments & Loans (India) Limited, Barclays Korea GP Limited, Barclays Lamorak Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Leasing (No.9) Limited, Barclays Leto Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Long Island Limited, Barclays Luxembourg EUR Holdings S.a r.l, Barclays Luxembourg Finance S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg GBP Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Global Funding S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Holdings SSC B, Barclays Marlist Limited, Barclays Mauritius Overseas Holdings Limited, Barclays Mercantile Business Finance Limited, Barclays Merchant Bank (Singapore) Ltd., Barclays Nominees (George Yard) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Manx) Limited, Barclays Oversight Management Inc., Barclays Payment Solutions Inc., Barclays Pelleas Investments Limited Partnership, Barclays Pelleas Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Pension Funds Trustees Limited, Barclays Principal Investments Limited, Barclays Private Asset Management (Monaco) S.A.M, Barclays Private Bank, Barclays Private Clients International Limited, Barclays Receivables LLC, Barclays SAMS Limited, Barclays Securities (India) Private Limited, Barclays Securities Japan Limited, Barclays Security Trustee Limited, Barclays Services (Japan) Limited, Barclays Services Corporation, Barclays Services Jersey Limited, Barclays Services LLC, Barclays Services Limited, Barclays Shea Limited, Barclays Singapore Global Shareplans Nominee Limited, Barclays Switzerland Services SA, Barclays Tenedora De Immuebles SL., Barclays Term Funding Limited Liability Partnership, Barclays UK Investments Limited, Barclays US CCP Funding LLC, Barclays US Funding LLC, Barclays US GPF Inc., Barclays US Investments Inc., Barclays US LLC, Barclays Unquoted Investments Limited, Barclays Unquoted Property Investments Limited, Barclays Wealth Management Jersey Limited, Barclays Wealth Nominees Limited, Barclays Wealth Services Limited, Barclays Wealth Trustees (India) Private Limited, Barclayshare Nominees Limited, Barclaytrust Channel Islands Limited, Barcosec Limited, Barsec Nominees Limited, Blossom Finance General Partnership, Branchcall Computers (Pvt) Limited, Braven Investments No.1 Limited, CP Flower Guaranteeco (UK) Limited, CP Newco 1 Limited, CP Newco2 Limited, CP Newco3 Limited, CP Propco 1 Limited, CP Propco 2 Limited, CP Topco Limited, CPIA Canada Holdings, CPIA England 2008 Limited Partnership, CPIA England 2009 Limited Partnership, CPIA England No.2 Limited Partnership, CPIA Investments No.1 Limited, CPIA Investments No.2 Limited, CRE Diversified Holdings LLC, CREW Tahoe Holdings LLC, CREW Tahoe LLC, Calthorpe Investments Limited, Capton Investments Limited, Carnegie Holdings Limited, Central Platte Valley Management LLC, Chapelcrest Investments Limited, Charles Schwab Europe, Claudas Investments Limited, Claudas Investments Two Limited, Clydesdale Financial Services Limited, Cobalt Investments Limited, Compania Regional del Sur S.A., Compania Sudamerica S.A., Condor No.1 Limited Partnership, Cornwall Homes Loans Limited, Crescent Crown Land Holding SPV LLC, Crescent Legacy LLC, Crescent Plaza Residential L.P., Crescent Plaza Residential LLC, Crescent Plaza Residential LP LLC, Crescent Real Estate Member LLC, Crescent Resort Development LLC, Crescent TRS Holdings LLC, Crescent Tower Residences GP LLC, Crescent Tower Residences L.P., Curve Investments GP, DBL Texas Holdings LLC, DMW Realty Limited, Desert Mountain Development LLC, Desert Mountain Properties Limited Partnership, Develop Training Group Limited, Dorset Home Loans Limited, Durlacher Nominees Limited, EWRD Summit LLC, Eagle Financial and Leasing Services (UK) Limited, East West Resort Development V L.P. L.L.L.P., East West Resort Development VII LLC, Equity Limited Partnership, Equity Value Investments No.1 Limited, Equity Value Investments No.2 Limited, Erimon Home Loans Ireland Limited, Expobank, FIRSTPLUS Financial Group Limited, Finpart Nominees Limited, First Assurance, Foltus Investments Limited, Full House Holdings Limited, Gallen Investments Limited, Global Dynasty Natural Resource Private, Globe Nominees Limited, Gracechurch Services Corporation, Grays Station LLC, Grupo Financiero Barclays Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hawkins Funding Limited, Heraldglen Limited, Holding Stuttgarter Strae GmbH, Hurley Investments No.1 Limited, Imalivest Mineral Resources LP, Investors In Infrastructure Limited, J.V. Estates Limited, JV Assets Limited, Kirsche Investments Limited, LTDL Holdings LLC, La Torretta Beverages LLC, La Torretta Hospitality LLC, La Torretta Operations LLC, Lagalla Investments LLC, Leonis Investments LLP, Liability Partnership, Long Island Assets Limited, Long Island Holding A LLC, Long Island Holding B Limited, MK Opportunities GP Ltd, MK Opportunities LP, MVWP Investors LLC, Maloney Investments Limited, Marbury Holdings LLC, Menlo Investments Limited, Mercantile Credit Company Limited, Mercantile Leasing Company (No.132) Limited, Meridian (SPV-AMC) Corporation, Mintaka Investments No. 4 Limited, Mira Vista Development LLC, Mira Vista Golf Club L.C., Mountainside Partners LLC, Murray House Investment Management Limited, Naxos Investments Limited, Nile Bank, North Colonnade Investments Limited, Northstar Mountain Properties LLC, Northstar Trailside Townhomes LLC, Northstar Village Townhomes LLC, Northwharf Investments Limited, Northwharf Nominees Limited, OGP Leasing Limited, Oakes Millers Ltd, Ownership Trustee Limited, PIA England No.2 Limited Partnership, Palomino Limited, Pecan Aggregator LP, Pelleas Investments Limited, Pelleas Investments Two Limited, Pippin Island Investments Limited, Preferred Liquidity LLC, Preferred Liquidity Limited Partnership, Procella Investments LLC, Procella Investments No.1 LLC, Procella Investments No.2 LLC, Procella Investments No.3 LLC, Protium Finance I LLC, Protium Master Grantor Trust, Protium Master Mortgage LP, Protium REO I LP, R.C. Grieg Nominees Limited, RVH Limited, RVT CLO Investments LLP, Razzoli Investments Limited, Real Estate Participation Management Limited, Real Estate Participation Services Limited, Relative Value Holdings LLC, Relative Value Investments UK Limited, Relative Value Trading Limited, Roder Investments No. 1 Limited, Roder Investments No. 2 Limited, Ruthenium Investments Limited, SPM GP Limited, Securitized Asset Backed Receivables LLC, Servicios Barclays S.A. de C.V., Societe Civile Immobiliere 31 Avenue de la Costa, Solution Personal Finance Limited, Southern Peaks Mining LP, Standard Life Aberdeen, Surety Trust Limited, Surrey Funding Corporation, Sussex Purchasing Corporation, Sutton Funding LLC, Swan Lane Investments Limited, TPLL LLC, TPProperty LLC, Tahoe Club Company LLC, Tahoe Club Employee Company, The Logic Group Enterprises Limited, The Logic Group Holdings Limited, Third Energy Holdings Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No. 2 Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No.1 Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No.3 Limited, US Secured Investments LLC, Union Center LLC, United Counties Bank, Verain Investments LLC, Walbrook Group Ltd, Wedd Jefferson (Nominees) Limited, Wessex Investments Limited, Westferry Investments Limited, Wilmington Riverfront Receivables LLC, Woolwich Homes Limited, Woolwich Plan Managers Limited, Woolwich Qualifying Employee Share, Woolwich Surveying Services Limited, Woori BC Pegasus Securitization Specialty Co. Limited, and Zeban Nominees Limited.
Wall Street analysts have given Enel Generacion Chile a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Enel Generacion Chile wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
Air Asia X given extra time by TIA to pay dues

Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has given Malaysian-based low-cost carrier Air Asia X three months extra time to pay its dues totalling about Rs400 million, airport officials said Tuesday.
Bristow Group Inc. provides industrial aviation services to the offshore energy companies in Europe Caspian, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers helicopter charter services to transport personnel between onshore bases and offshore production platforms, drilling rigs, and other installations, as well as to transport time-sensitive equipment to these offshore locations. It also provides search and rescue services for the oil and gas industry, and governmental agencies; and aircraft support services. The company was formerly known as Offshore Logistics Inc. and changed its name to Bristow Group Inc. in February 2006. Bristow Group Inc. was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Read More
The following companies are subsidiares of Banco Santander: 2 & 3 Triton Limited, A & L CF (Guernsey) Limited (f), A & L CF June (2) Limited, A & L CF June (3) Limited, A & L CF March (5) Limited, A & L CF September (4) Limited, AFB SAM Holdings S.L., ALIL Services Limited (b), AN (123) Limited, ANITCO Limited, Abbey Business Services (India) Private Limited, Abbey Covered Bonds (LM) Limited, Abbey National, Abbey National Beta Investments Limited, Abbey National Business Office Equipment Leasing Limited, Abbey National International Limited, Abbey National Nominees Limited, Abbey National PLP (UK) Limited, Abbey National Property Investments, Abbey National Treasury Services Investments Limited, Abbey National Treasury Services Overseas Holdings, Abbey National UK Investments, Abbey Stockbrokers (Nominees) Limited, Abbey Stockbrokers Limited, Ablasa Participaciones S.L., Administracion de Bancos Latinoamericanos Santander S.L., Aduro S.A., Aevis Europa S.L., Afisa S.A., Albert., Aljardi SGPS Lda., Alliance & Leicester, Alliance & Leicester Cash Solutions Limited, Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments (Derivatives) Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments (No.2) Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments Limited, Alliance & Leicester Limited, Alliance & Leicester Personal Finance Limited, Altamira Santander Real Estate S.A., Alternative Leasing FIL, Amazonia Trade Limited, Andaluza de Inversiones S.A., Aquanima Brasil Ltda., Aquanima Chile S.A., Aquanima Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Aquanima S.A., Arcaz - Sociedade Imobiliaria Portuguesa Lda., Argenline S.A. (b), Asto Digital Limited, Athena Corporation Limited, Atual - Fundo de Invest Multimercado Credito Privado Investimento no Exterior, Atual Servicos de Recuperacao de Creditos e Meios Digitais S.A., Autodescuento S.L., Autohaus24 GmbH, Auttar HUT Processamento de Dados Ltda., Aviacion Antares A.I.E., Aviacion Britanica A.I.E., Aviacion Centaurus A.I.E., Aviacion Comillas S.L. Unipersonal, Aviacion Intercontinental A.I.E., Aviacion Laredo S.L., Aviacion Oyambre S.L. Unipersonal, Aviacion Real A.I.E., Aviacion Santillana S.L., Aviacion Suances S.L., Aviacion Triton A.I.E., Aymore Credito Financiamento e Investimento S.A., BEN Beneficios e Servicos S.A., BRS Investments S.A., BZW Bank, Banca PSA Italia S.p.A., Banco Bandepe S.A., Banco Madesant - Sociedade Unipessoal S.A., Banco PSA Finance Brasil S.A., Banco Popular, Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A., Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso 100740, Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso 2002114, Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso GFSSLPT, Banco Santander - Chile, Banco Santander Consumer Portugal S.A., Banco Santander International, Banco Santander International SA, Banco Santander Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Banco Santander Peru S.A., Banco Santander Rio S.A., Banco Santander S.A., Banco Santander Totta S.A., Banco Santander de Negocios Colombia S.A., Banco de Albacete S.A., Bansa Santander S.A., CCAP Auto Lease Ltd., Canyon Multifamily Impact Fund IV LLC, Capital Street Delaware LP, Capital Street Holdings LLC, Capital Street REIT Holdings LLC, Capital Street S.A., Carfax (Guernsey) Limited (f), Carfinco Financial Group, Carfinco Financial Group Inc., Carfinco Inc., Casa de Bolsa Santander S.A. de C.V. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Cater Allen Holdings Limited, Cater Allen International Limited, Cater Allen Limited, Cater Allen Lloyd's Holdings Limited, Cater Allen Syndicate Management Limited, Centro de Capacitacion Santander A.C., Certidesa S.L., Chrysler Capital Auto Funding I LLC, Chrysler Capital Auto Funding II LLC, Chrysler Capital Auto Receivables LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding 2 LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding 4 LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding LLC, Cobranza Amigable S.A.P.I. de C.V., Community Development and Affordable Housing Fund LLC (g), Compagnie Generale de Credit Aux Particuliers - Credipar S.A., Compagnie Pour la Location de Vehicules - CLV, Comunidad Laboral Trabajando Argentina S.A., Comunidad Laboral Trabajando Iberica S.L. Unipersonal en liquidacion (b), Consulteam Consultores de Gestao Lda., Consumer Lending Receivables LLC, Crawfall S.A. (b), Cantabra de Inversiones S.A., Cantabro Catalana de Inversiones S.A., Darep Designated Activity Company, Decarome S.A.P.I. de C.V., Deva Capital Advisory Company S.L., Deva Capital Holding Company S.L., Deva Capital Investment Company S.L., Deva Capital Management Company S.L., Deva Capital Servicer Company S.L., Digital Procurement Holdings N.V., Diners Club Spain S.A., Direccion Estratega S.C., Dirgenfin S.L. en liquidacion (b), Ebury, El Corte Ingles, Elavon Mexico, Electrolyser S.A. de C.V., Entidad de Desarrollo a la Pequena y Micro Empresa Santander Consumo Peru S.A., Erestone S.A.S., Esfera Fidelidade S.A., Evidence Previdencia S.A., Financeira El Corte Ingles Portugal S.F.C. S.A., Financiera El Corte Ingles E.F.C. S.A., Finsantusa S.L. Unipersonal, First National Motor Business Limited, First National Motor Contracts Limited, First National Motor Facilities Limited, First National Motor Finance Limited, First National Motor Leasing Limited, First National Motor plc, First National Tricity Finance Limited, Fondos Santander S.A. Administradora de Fondos de Inversion (en liquidacion) (b), Fortensky Trading Ltd., Fosse Funding (No.1) Limited, Fosse Master Issuer plc, Fosse Trustee (UK) Limited, GTS El Centro Equity Holdings LLC, GTS El Centro Project Holdings LLC, Gamma Sociedade Financeira de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Gesban Mexico Servicios Administrativos Globales S.A. de C.V., Gesban Santander Servicios Profesionales Contables Limitada, Gesban Servicios Administrativos Globales S.L., Gesban UK Limited, Gestion de Instalaciones Fotovoltaicas S.L. Unipersonal, Gestion de Inversiones JILT S.A., Gestora de Procesos S.A. en liquidacion (b), Getnet Adquirencia e Servicos para Meios de Pagamento S.A., Global Vosgos S.L. Unipersonal, Grupo Empresarial Santander S.L., Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico S.A. de C.V., Grupo Financiero Santander SAB de CV, Guaranty Car S.A. Unipersonal, HQ Mobile Limited, Hispamer Renting S.A. Unipersonal, Holbah II Limited, Holbah Santander S.L. Unipersonal, Holmes Funding Limited, Holmes Master Issuer plc, Holmes Trustees Limited, Hyundai Capital Bank Europe GmbH, Iberica de Compras Corporativas S.L., Independence Community Bank Corp., Insurance Funding Solutions Limited, Interfinance Holanda B.V., Inversiones Capital Global S.A. Unipersonal, Inversiones Maritimas del Mediterraneo S.A., Isla de los Buques S.A., Klare Corredora de Seguros S.A., Landcompany 2020 S.L., Langton Funding (No.1) Limited, Langton Mortgages Trustee (UK) Limited, Langton Securities (2008-1) plc, Langton Securities (2010-1) PLC, Langton Securities (2010-2) PLC, Laparanza S.A., Liquidity Limited, Luri 1 S.A. en liquidacion (b) (e), Luri 6 S.A. Unipersonal, Master Red Europa S.L., Mata Alta S.L., Merciver S.L., Mercury TFS, Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.A. de C.V., Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.L., Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.p.A., Moneybit S.L., Mortgage Engine Limited, Motor 2016-1 PLC, Motor 2017-1 PLC, Mouro Capital I LP, Multiplica SpA, NW Services CO., Naviera Mirambel S.L., Naviera Trans Gas A.I.E., Naviera Trans Iron S.L., Naviera Trans Ore A.I.E., Naviera Trans Wind S.L. (b), Naviera Transcantabrica S.L., Naviera Transchem S.L. Unipersonal, NeoAuto S.A.C., Norbest AS, Novimovest  Fundo de Investimento Imobiliario, Open Bank Argentina S.A., Open Bank S.A., Open Digital Market S.L., Open Digital Services S.L., Operadora de Carteras Gamma S.A.P.I. de C.V., Optimal Investment Services SA, Optimal Multiadvisors Ireland Plc / Optimal Strategic US Equity Ireland Euro Fund, Optimal Multiadvisors Ireland Plc / Optimal Strategic US Equity Ireland US Dollar Fund, PBE Companies LLC, PECOH Limited, PI Distribuidora de Titulos e Valores Mobiliarios S.A., PSA Bank Deutschland GmbH, PSA Banque France, PSA Finance UK Limited, PSA Financial Services Nederland B.V., PSA Financial Services Spain E.F.C. S.A., PSA Renting Italia S.p.A., PagoFX Europe S.A., PagoFX HoldCo S.L., PagoFX UK Ltd, PagoNxt Merchant Solutions S.L., PagoNxt S.L., Parasant SA, Patagon.com, Pereda Gestion S.A., Pingham International S.A., Popular Spain Holding de Inversiones S.L.U., Portal Universia Argentina S.A., Portal Universia Portugal Prestacao de Servicos de Informatica S.A., Prime 16  Fundo de Investimentos Imobiliario, Punta Lima LLC, Punta Lima Wind Farm LLC, Retop S.A., Return Capital Servicos de Recuperacao de Creditos S.A., Return Gestao de Recursos S.A., Riobank International (Uruguay) SAIFE (b), Rojo Entretenimento S.A., SAM Asset Management S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, SAM Investment Holdings S.L., SAM UK Investment Holdings Limited (b), SANB Promotora de Vendas e Cobranca Ltda., SCF Eastside Locks GP Limited, SDMX Superdigital S.A. de C.V., SMPS Merchant Platform Solutions Mexico S.A de C.V, Sancap Investimentos e Participacoes S.A., Santander (CF Trustee Property Nominee) Limited, Santander (UK) Group Pension Schemes Trustees Limited, Santander Ahorro Inmobiliario 1 S.A., Santander Ahorro Inmobiliario 2 S.A., Santander Alternatives SICAV RAIF, Santander Asesorias Financieras Limitada, Santander Asset Finance (December) Limited, Santander Asset Finance plc, Santander Asset Management - S.G.O.I.C. S.A., Santander Asset Management Chile S.A., Santander Asset Management LLC, Santander Asset Management Luxembourg S.A., Santander Asset Management S.A. Administradora General de Fondos, Santander Asset Management S.A. S.G.I.I.C., Santander Asset Management UK Holdings Limited, Santander Asset Management UK Limited, Santander Back-Offices Globales Mayoristas S.A., Santander Banca de Inversion Colombia S.A.S., Santander Bank & Trust Ltd., Santander Bank National Association, Santander Bank Polska S.A., Santander Brasil Administradora de Consorcio Ltda., Santander Brasil Gestao de Recursos Ltda., Santander Brasil Tecnologia S.A., Santander Capital Desarrollo SGEIC S.A. Unipersonal, Santander Capital Structuring S.A. de C.V., Santander Capitalizacao S.A., Santander Cards Ireland Limited, Santander Cards Limited, Santander Cards UK Limited, Santander Chile Holding S.A., Santander Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Santander Consumer (UK) plc, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2013-B2 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2013-B3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L4 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L5 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-B1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-L2 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-L3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-B1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-L1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-L2 LLC, Santander Consumer Bank AG, Santander Consumer Bank AS, Santander Consumer Bank GmbH, Santander Consumer Bank S.A., Santander Consumer Bank S.p.A., Santander Consumer Banque S.A., Santander Consumer Credit Services Limited, Santander Consumer Finance Benelux B.V., Santander Consumer Finance Global Services S.L., Santander Consumer Finance Oy, Santander Consumer Finance S.A., Santander Consumer Finance Schweiz AG, Santander Consumer Financial Solutions Sp. z o.o., Santander Consumer Finanse Sp. z o.o. (b), Santander Consumer Holding Austria GmbH, Santander Consumer Holding GmbH, Santander Consumer International Puerto Rico LLC, Santander Consumer Leasing GmbH, Santander Consumer Mediacion Operador de Banca-Seguros Vinculado S.L., Santander Consumer Multirent Sp. z o.o., Santander Consumer Operations Services GmbH, Santander Consumer Receivables 10 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 11 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 3 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 7 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables Funding LLC, Santander Consumer Renting S.L., Santander Consumer S.A., Santander Consumer S.A.S., Santander Consumer Services GmbH, Santander Consumer Services S.A., Santander Consumer Technology Services GmbH, Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc., Santander Consumer USA Inc., Santander Consumo S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.R. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Santander Corredora de Seguros Limitada, Santander Corredores de Bolsa Limitada, Santander Corretora de Cambio e Valores Mobiliarios S.A., Santander Corretora de Seguros Investimentos e Servicos S.A., Santander Customer Voice S.A., Santander Digital Assets S.L., Santander Drive Auto Receivables LLC, Santander Equity Investments Limited, Santander Espana Merchant Services Entidad de Pago S.L. Unipersonal, Santander Espana Servicios Legales y de Cumplimiento S.L., Santander Estates Limited, Santander F24 S.A., Santander Facility Management Espana S.L., Santander Factoring S.A., Santander Factoring Sp. z o.o., Santander Factoring y Confirming S.A. E.F.C., Santander Finance 2012-1 LLC, Santander Financial Exchanges Limited, Santander Financial Services Inc., Santander Financial Services plc, Santander Finanse Sp. z o.o., Santander Fintech Holdings S.L., Santander Fintech Limited, Santander Fundo de Investimento SBAC Referenciado di Credito Privado, Santander Gestion de Recaudacion y Cobranzas Ltda., Santander Global Consumer Finance Limited, Santander Global Facilities S.A. de C.V., Santander Global Facilities S.L., Santander Global Operations S.A., Santander Global Services S.A. (b), Santander Global Sport S.A., Santander Global Technology Brasil Ltda., Santander Global Technology Chile Limitada, Santander Global Technology S.L., Santander Global Trade Platform Solutions S.L., Santander Guarantee Company, Santander Holding Imobiliaria S.A., Santander Holding Internacional S.A., Santander Holdings USA Inc., Santander ISA Managers Limited, Santander Inclusion Financiera S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.R. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Santander Insurance Agency U.S. LLC, Santander Insurance Services UK Limited, Santander Intermediacion Correduria de Seguros S.A., Santander International Products Plc. (d), Santander Inversiones S.A., Santander Investment Bank Limited, Santander Investment Chile Limitada, Santander Investment I S.A., Santander Investment S.A., Santander Investment Securities Inc., Santander Investments GP 1 S.a.r.l., Santander Inwestycje Sp. z o.o., Santander Lease S.A. E.F.C., Santander Leasing LLC, Santander Leasing S.A., Santander Leasing S.A. Arrendamento Mercantil, Santander Lending Limited, Santander Mediacion Operador de Banca-Seguros Vinculado S.A., Santander Merchant Platform Operations S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Services S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions Mexico S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions S.A., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions Uruguay S.A., Santander Merchant Platform SolucoesTecnologicas Brasil Ltda., Santander Merchant S.A., Santander Mortgage Holdings Limited, Santander Paraty Qif PLC, Santander Pensiones S.A. E.G.F.P., Santander Pensoes - Sociedade Gestora de Fundos de Pensoes S.A., Santander Private Banking Gestion S.A. S.G.I.I.C., Santander Private Banking UK Limited, Santander Private Banking s.p.a. in Liquidazione (b), Santander Private Real Estate Advisory & Management S.A., Santander Private Real Estate Advisory S.A., Santander Real Estate S.A., Santander Retail Auto Lease Funding LLC, Santander Rio Asset Management Gerente de Fondos Comunes de Inversion S.A., Santander Rio Trust S.A., Santander Rio Valores S.A., Santander S.A. Sociedad Securitizadora, Santander Secretariat Services Limited, Santander Securities LLC, Santander Seguros y Reaseguros Compania Aseguradora S.A., Santander Servicios Corporativos S.A. de C.V., Santander Servicios Especializados S.A. de C.V., Santander Technology USA LLC, Santander Tecnologia e Inovacao Ltda., Santander Tecnologia Argentina S.A., Santander Tecnologia Espana S.L.U., Santander Tecnologia Mexico S.A. de C.V., Santander Totta SGPS S.A., Santander Totta Seguros Companhia de Seguros de Vida S.A., Santander Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych S.A., Santander Trade Services Limited, Santander UK Group Holdings plc, Santander UK Investments, Santander UK Operations Limited, Santander UK Plc, Santander UK Technology Limited, Santander Wealth Management International SA, Santander de Titulizacion S.G.F.T. S.A., Santusa Holding S.L., Services and Promotions Delaware Corp., Services and Promotions Miami LLC, Servicio de Alarmas Controladas por Ordenador S.A., Servicios de Cobranza Recuperacion y Seguimiento S.A. De C.V., Sheppards Moneybrokers Limited, Shiloh III Wind Project LLC, Sociedad Integral de Valoraciones Automatizadas S.A., Sociedad Operadora de Tarjetas de Pago Santander Getnet Chile S.A., Socur S.A., Sol Orchard Imperial 1 LLC, Solarlaser Limited, Sovereign Community Development Company, Sovereign Delaware Investment Corporation, Sovereign Lease Holdings LLC, Sovereign REIT Holdings Inc., Sovereign Spirit Limited (f), Sterrebeeck B.V., Suleyado 2003 S.L. Unipersonal, Summer Empreendimentos Ltda., Super Pagamentos e Administracao de Meios Eletronicos S.A., Superdigital Argentina S.A.U., Superdigital Colombia S.A.S., Superdigital Holding Company S.L., Superdigital Peru S.A.C., Suzuki Servicios Financieros S.L., Swesant SA, TIMFin S.p.A., TOPSAM S.A de C.V., Taxagest Sociedade Gestora de Participacoes Sociais S.A., Teatinos Siglo XXI Inversiones S.A., The Alliance & Leicester Corporation Limited, The Best Specialty Coffee S.L. Unipersonal, Time Retail Finance Limited (b), Tonopah Solar I LLC, Toque Fale Servicos de Telemarketing Ltda., Tornquist Asesores de Seguros S.A. (b), Totta (Ireland) PLC, Totta Urbe - Empresa de Administracao e Construcoes S.A., Trabajando.com Mexico S.A. de C.V. en liquidacion (b), Trabajando.com Peru S.A.C., Trans Rotor Limited (b), Transolver Finance EFC S.A., Tresmares Growth Fund Santander SCR S.A., Tresmares Santander Direct Lending SICC S.A., Tuttle and Son Limited, Universia Brasil S.A., Universia Chile S.A., Universia Colombia S.A.S., Universia Espana Red de Universidades S.A., Universia Holding S.L., Universia Mexico S.A. de C.V., Universia Peru S.A., Universia Uruguay S.A., Uro Property Holdings SOCIMI S.A., WIM Servicios Corporativos S.A. de C.V., WTW Shipping Designated Activity Company, Wallcesa S.A., Wave Holdco S.L., Waypoint Insurance Group Inc., and Wirecard (Technological Assets).
The following companies are subsidiares of HCA Healthcare: 2490 Church LLC, 360 Community Alliance LLC, 4600 Waters Avenue Professional Building Condominium Association Inc., 52 Alderley Road LLP, AC Med LLC, ACH Inc., ADC Surgicenter LLC, AOGN LLC, AOSC Sports Medicine Inc., AR Holding 1 LLC, AR Holding 10 LLC, AR Holding 11 LLC, AR Holding 12 LLC, AR Holding 13 LLC, AR Holding 14 LLC, AR Holding 15 LLC, AR Holding 16 LLC, AR Holding 17 LLC, AR Holding 18 LLC, AR Holding 19 LLC, AR Holding 2 LLC, AR Holding 20 LLC, AR Holding 21 LLC, AR Holding 22 LLC, AR Holding 23 LLC, AR Holding 24 LLC, AR Holding 25 LLC, AR Holding 26 LLC, AR Holding 27 LLC, AR Holding 28 LLC, AR Holding 29 LLC, AR Holding 30 LLC, AR Holding 31 LLC, AR Holding 4 LLC, AR Holding 5 LLC, AR Holding 6 LLC, AR Holding 7 LLC, AR Holding 8 LLC, AR Holding 9 LLC, ASD Shared Services LLC, Acadiana Care Center Inc., Acadiana Practice Management Inc., Acadiana Regional Pharmacy Inc., Access 2 Health Care Physicians LLC, Access Health Care Physicians LLC, Access Management Co. LLC, Ace Leasing II LLC, Acute Kids Urgent Care of Medical City Childrens Hospital PLLC, Acworth Immediate Care LLC, Administrative Physicians of North Texas PLLC, Advanced Bundle Convener LLC, Advanced Plastic Surgery Center of Terre Haute LLC, Advanced Practice Providers of Gulf Coast PLLC, Alaska Regional Medical Group LLC, Albany Family Practice LLC, Aligned Business Consortium Group L.P., All About Staffing (India) Ltd., All About Staffing Inc., All About Staffing Philippines Inc., Alleghany General and Bariatric Services LLC, Alleghany Hospitalists LLC, Alleghany Primary Care Inc., Alleghany Specialists LLC, Alliance Surgicare LLC, Alpine Surgicenter LLC, Alta Internal Medicine LLC, Alternaco LLC, Altitude Mid Level Providers LLC, Ambulatory Endoscopy Clinic of Dallas Ltd., Ambulatory Endoscopy Holdco LLC, Ambulatory Laser Associates GP, Ambulatory Services Management Corporation of Chesterfield County Inc., Ambulatory Surgery Center Group Ltd., American Medicorp Development Co., Anchorage Surgicenter LLC, AppleCare/Memorial Immediate Care Joint Venture LLC, Appledore Medical Group II Inc., Appledore Medical Group Inc., Appomattox Imaging LLC, Arapahoe Surgicenter LLC, Arlington Diagnostic South Inc., Arlington Neurosurgeons PLLC, Arlington Primary Care PLLC, Arlington Primary Medicine PLLC, Arlington Surgery Center L.P., Arlington Surgicare LLC, Arthritis Specialists of Nashville Inc., Ashburn ASC LLC, Ashburn Imaging LLC, Athens Community Hospital Inc., Atlanta Healthcare Management L.P., Atlanta Home Care L.P., Atlanta Market GP Inc., Atlanta Outpatient Surgery Center Inc., Atlanta Surgery Center Ltd., Atlantis Surgicare LLC, Atrium Surgery Center L.P., Atrium Surgicare LLC, Augusta CyberKnife LLC, Augusta Inpatient Services LLC, Augusta Management Services LLC, Augusta Multispecialty Services LLC, Augusta Primary Care Services LLC, Augusta Specialty Hospitalists LLC, Augusta Urgent Care Services LLC, Aurora Endoscopy Surgicenter LLC, Austin GI Surgicenter LLC, Austin Heart Cardiology MSO LLC, Austin Medical Center Inc., Austin Physicians Management LLC, Austin Urogynecology PLLC, Aventura Cancer Center Manager LLC, Aventura Comprehensive Cancer Research Group of Florida Inc., Aventura Healthcare Specialists LLC, Aventura Neurosurgery LLC, BAMI Property LLC, Backlogs Limited, Bailey Square Ambulatory Surgical Center Ltd., Bailey Square Outpatient Surgical Center Inc., Bannerman Family Care LLC, Barrow Medical Center CT Services Ltd., Basic American Medical Inc., Basil Street Practice Limited, Bay Area Healthcare Group Ltd., Bay Area Surgical Center Investors Ltd., Bay Area Surgicare Center Inc., Bay Area Surgicenter LLC, Bay Hospital Inc., Bayonet Point Surgery Center Ltd., Bayshore Family Practitioners PLLC, Bayshore Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Bayshore Occupational and Family Medicine PLLC, Bayshore Partner LLC, Bayshore Radiation Oncology Services PLLC, Bayshore Surgery Center Ltd., Bayside Ambulatory Center LLC, Bedford-Northeast Community Hospital Inc., Behavioral Health Sciences of West Florida LLC, Behavioral Health Wellness Center LLC, Bellaire Imaging Inc., Belleair Surgery Center Ltd., Belton Family Practice Clinic LLC, Big Cypress Medical Center Inc., Blacksburg Family Care LLC, Blossoms Healthcare LLP, Blue Ridge-TKC LLC, Bone & Joint Specialists Physician Group LLC, Bonita Bay Surgery Center Inc., Bonita Bay Surgery Center Ltd., Bountiful Surgery Center LLC, Boynton Beach EFL Imaging Center LLC, Bradenton Cardiology Physician Network LLC, Bradenton Outpatient Services LLC, Brandon Imaging Manager LLC, Brandon Regional Cancer Center LLC, Brentwood ASC LLC, Brigham City Community Hospital Inc., Brigham City Community Hospital Physician Services LLC, Brigham City Health Plan Inc., Brighton Surgicenter LLC, Brookwood Medical Center of Gulfport Inc., Broward Cardiovascular Surgeons LLC, Broward Healthcare System Inc., Broward Neurosurgeons LLC, Brownsville Specialists of Texas PLLC, Brownsville Surgery PLLC, Brownsville Surgical Specialists PLLC, Brownsville Surgicenter LLC, Brownsville-Valley Regional Medical Center Inc., Buford Road Imaging L.L.C., Byron Family Practice LLC, C. Medrano M.D. PLLC, C/HCA Capital Inc., C/HCA Development Inc., C/HCA Inc., CAREOS Surgicenter LLC, CC Clinic PLLC, CCBH Psychiatric Hospitalists LLC, CCH-GP Inc., CFC Investments Inc., CH Systems, CHC Finance Co., CHC Holdings Inc., CHC Management Ltd., CHC Payroll Agent Inc., CHC Payroll Company, CHC Realty Company, CHC Venture Co., CHC-El Paso Corp., CHC-Miami Corp., CHCA Bayshore L.P., CHCA Clear Lake L.P., CHCA Conroe L.P., CHCA Mainland L.P., CHCA Pearland L.P., CHCA West Houston L.P., CHCA Womans Hospital L.P., CHCK Inc., CJW Infectious Disease LLC, CJW Wound Healing Center LLC, CLASC Manager LLC, COL-NAMC Holdings Inc., COSCORP LLC, CP Surgery Center LLC, CPS TN Processor 1 Inc., CRMC-M LLC, CUC PLLC, CVMC Property LLC, Calder Immediate Care PLLC, California Imaging Center Manager LLC, California Urgent Care LLC, Calloway Creek Surgery Center L.P., Calloway Creek Surgicare LLC, Cancer Centers of North Florida LLC, Cancer Services of Aventura LLC, Capital Anesthesia Services LLC, Capital Area Cardiology, Capital Area CareNow Physician Associates, Capital Area Multispecialty Providers, Capital Area Neurosurgeons, Capital Area Occupational Medicine PLLC, Capital Area Primary Care PLLC, Capital Area Primary Care Providers, Capital Area Providers, Capital Area Specialists PLLC, Capital Area Specialty Providers, Capital Area Surgeons PLLC, Capital Division - CCA Inc., Capital Division Inc., Capital Network Services Inc., Capital Professional Billing LLC, Capital Regional Healthcare LLC, Capital Regional Heart Associates LLC, Capital Regional Psychiatry Associates LLC, Cardiac Surgical Associates LLC, Cardio Vascular Surgeons of North Texas PLLC, Cardiology Associates Medical Group LLC, Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio PLLC, Cardiology Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Texas PLLC, Care for Women LLC, CareNow, CareOne Home Health Services Inc., CarePartners HHA Holdings LLLP, CarePartners HHA LLLP, CarePartners Rehabilitation Hospital LLLP, CareSpot Professional Services of Middle Tennessee LLC, CareSpot of Brentwood (210 Franklin Road) LLC, CareSpot of Cool Springs (100 International Drive) LLC, CareSpot of Donelson (2372 Lebanon Road) LLC, CareSpot of Hendersonville (280 Indian Lake Boulevard) LLC, CareSpot of Hermitage (5225 Old Hickory Boulevard) LLC, CareSpot of Lebanon (1705 West Main Street) LLC, CareSpot of Mt. Juliet (S. Mt. Juliet Road) LLC, CareSpot of Murfreesboro (1340 Broad Street) LLC, CareSpot of Nashville (2001 Glen Echo Road) LLC, CareSpot of Nashville (West End Avenue) LLC, Career Staffing USA Inc., Carlin Springs Urgent Care LLC, Carolina Forest Imaging Manager LLC, Carolina Regional Surgery Center Inc., Carolina Regional Surgery Center Ltd., Cartersville Medical Center LLC, Cartersville Occupational Medicine Center LLC, Cartersville Physician Practice I LLC, Catalog360 Limited, Cedar Creek Medical Group LLC, Cedars International Cardiology Consultants LLC, Cedars Medical Center Hospitalists LLC, Centennial Cardiovascular Consultants LLC, Centennial CyberKnife Center LLC, Centennial CyberKnife Manager LLC, Centennial Heart LLC, Centennial Hospitalists LLC, Centennial Neuroscience LLC, Centennial Psychiatric Associates LLC, Centennial Surgery Center L.P., Centennial Surgical Associates LLC, Centennial Surgical Clinic LLC, Centennial Womens Group LLC, Center for Advanced Diagnostics LLC, Center for Advanced Imaging LLC, Center for Digestive Diseases LLC, Center for Occupational Medicine LLC, Centerpoint Cardiology Services LLC, Centerpoint Clinic of Blue Springs LLC, Centerpoint Hospital Based Physicians LLC, Centerpoint Medical Center of Independence LLC, Centerpoint Medical Specialists LLC, Centerpoint Orthopedics LLC, Centerpoint Physicians Group LLC, Centerpoint Womens Services LLC, Central Florida Cardiology Interpretations LLC, Central Florida Division Practice Inc., Central Florida Health Services LLC, Central Florida Imaging Services LLC, Central Florida Management Services LLC, Central Florida Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates LLC, Central Florida Physician Network LLC, Central Florida Regional Hospital Inc., Central Health Holding Company Inc., Central Pasco LLC, Central San Antonio Surgical Center Investors Ltd., Central Shared Services LLC, Central Tennessee Hospital Corporation, Central Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Physicians PLLC, Centrum Surgery Center Ltd., Charleston CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Chatsworth Hospital Corp., Chattanooga ASC Acquisition Inc., Chattanooga Diagnostic Associates LLC, Chattanooga Healthcare Network L.P., Chattanooga Healthcare Network Partner Inc., Chelsea Outpatient Centre LLP, Chesterfield Imaging LLC, Chicago Grant Hospital Inc., Childrens Multi-Specialty Group LLC, Chino Community Hospital Corporation Inc., Chippenham & Johnston-Willis Hospitals Inc., Chippenham & Johnston-Willis Sports Medicine LLC, Chippenham Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Chippenham Pediatric Specialists LLC, Chiswick Outpatient Centre LLP, Christiansburg Family Medicine LLC, Christiansburg Internal Medicine LLC, Christina Cano-Gonzalez M.D. PLLC, Chugach PT Inc., Church Street Partners, Citrus Memorial Hospital Inc., Citrus Memorial Property Management Inc., Citrus Primary Care Inc., Citrus Specialty Group Inc., Citrus Surgicenter LLC, City of San Antonio H2U Employee Health and Wellness Center PLLC, Clarksville Surgicenter LLC, Clear Creek Surgery Center LLC, Clear Lake Cardiac Catheterization Center L.P., Clear Lake Cardiac GP LLC, Clear Lake Family Physicians PLLC, Clear Lake Medical Tower Owners Association Inc., Clear Lake Merger LLC, Clear Lake Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Clear Lake Regional Medical Center Inc., Clear Lake Regional Partner LLC, Clear Lake Surgicare Ltd., ClinicServ LLC, Clinical Education Shared Services LLC, Clinishare Inc., Coastal Bend Hospital CT Services Ltd., Coastal Bend Hospital Inc., Coastal Carolina Home Care Inc., Coastal Carolina Multispecialty Associates LLC, Coastal Carolina Primary Care LLC, Coastal Healthcare Services Inc., Coastal Imaging Center L.P., Coastal Imaging Center of Gulfport Inc., Coastal Inpatient Physicians LLC, Coliseum Health Group Inc., Coliseum Health Group LLC, Coliseum Medical Center LLC, Coliseum Park Hospital Inc., Coliseum Primary Care Services LLC, Coliseum Primary Healthcare - Macon LLC, Coliseum Primary Healthcare - Riverside LLC, Coliseum Professional Associates LLC, Coliseum Same Day Surgery Center L.P., Coliseum Surgery Center L.L.C., College Park Ancillary LLC, College Park Endoscopy Center LLC, College Park Radiology LLC, Colleton Ambulatory Care LLC, Colleton Diagnostic Center LLC, Colleton Medical Anesthesia LLC, Colleton Medical Hospitalists LLC, Colleton Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery LLC, Collier County Home Health Agency Inc., Collin County Diagnostic Associates PLLC, Colorado Health Systems Inc., Columbia ASC Management L.P., Columbia Ambulatory Surgery Division Inc., Columbia Arlington Healthcare System L.L.C., Columbia Bay Area Realty Ltd., Columbia Behavioral Health Ltd., Columbia Behavioral Healthcare Inc., Columbia Behavioral Healthcare of South Florida Inc., Columbia Call Center Inc., Columbia Central Florida Division Inc., Columbia Central Group Inc., Columbia Champions Treatment Center Inc., Columbia Chicago Division Inc., Columbia Coliseum Same Day Surgery Center Inc., Columbia Development of Florida Inc., Columbia Doctors Hospital of Tulsa Inc., Columbia Eye and Specialty Surgery Center Ltd., Columbia Florida Group Inc., Columbia GP of Mesquite Inc., Columbia Good Samaritan Health System Limited Partnership, Columbia Greater Houston Division Healthcare Network Inc., Columbia Health System of Arkansas Inc., Columbia Healthcare System of Louisiana Inc., Columbia Healthcare of Central Virginia Inc., Columbia Hospital Corporation at the Medical Center, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Arlington, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Bay Area, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Central Miami, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Corpus Christi, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Fort Worth, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Houston, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Kendall, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Massachusetts Inc., Columbia Hospital Corporation of Miami, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Miami Beach, Columbia Hospital Corporation of North Miami Beach, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Broward, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Dade, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Florida, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Miami, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Tamarac, Columbia Hospital Corporation of West Houston, Columbia Hospital Corporation-Delaware, Columbia Hospital Corporation-SMM, Columbia Hospital at Medical City Dallas Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Hospital-El Paso Ltd., Columbia Integrated Health Systems Inc., Columbia Jacksonville Healthcare System Inc., Columbia LaGrange Hospital LLC, Columbia Lake Worth Surgical Center Limited Partnership, Columbia Medical Arts Hospital Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center Dallas Southwest Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center at Lancaster Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Arlington Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Denton Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Las Colinas Inc., Columbia Medical Center of Lewisville Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of McKinney Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Plano Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Group - Centennial Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Daystar Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Parkridge Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Southern Hills Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Southwest Virginia Inc., Columbia Medical Group - The Frist Clinic Inc., Columbia Midtown Joint Venture, Columbia North Alaska Healthcare Inc., Columbia North Central Florida Health System Limited Partnership, Columbia North Florida Regional Medical Center Limited Partnership, Columbia North Hills Hospital Subsidiary L.P., Columbia North Texas Healthcare System L.P., Columbia North Texas Subsidiary GP LLC, Columbia North Texas Surgery Center Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Northwest Medical Center Inc., Columbia Northwest Medical Center Partners Ltd., Columbia Ocala Regional Medical Center Physician Group Inc., Columbia Ogden Medical Center Inc., Columbia Oklahoma Division Inc., Columbia Palm Beach GP LLC, Columbia Palm Beach Healthcare System Limited Partnership, Columbia Park Healthcare System Inc., Columbia Park Medical Center Inc., Columbia Parkersburg Healthcare System LLC, Columbia Pentagon City Hospital L.L.C., Columbia Physician Services - Florida Group Inc., Columbia Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Primary Care LLC, Columbia Psychiatric Management Co., Columbia Resource Network Inc., Columbia Rio Grande Healthcare L.P., Columbia Riverside Inc., Columbia South Texas Division Inc., Columbia Specialty Hospital of Dallas Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Specialty Hospitals Inc., Columbia Surgery Group Inc., Columbia Surgicare of Augusta Ltd., Columbia Tampa Bay Division Inc., Columbia Valley Healthcare System L.P., Columbia West Bank Hospital Inc., Columbia Westbank Healthcare L.P., Columbia-CSA/HS Greater Canton Area Healthcare System L.P., Columbia-CSA/HS Greater Cleveland Area Healthcare System L.P., Columbia-Georgia PT Inc., Columbia-Osceola Imaging Center Inc., Columbia-Quantum Inc., Columbia-SDH Holdings Inc., Columbia/Alleghany Regional Hospital Incorporated, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation of Central Texas, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation of Northern Ohio, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation of South Carolina, Columbia/HCA Heartcare of Corpus Christi Inc., Columbia/HCA International Group Inc., Columbia/HCA John Randolph Inc., Columbia/HCA Middle East Management Company, Columbia/HCA Physician Hospital Organization Medical Center Hospital, Columbia/HCA San Clemente Inc., Columbia/HCA of Baton Rouge Inc., Columbia/HCA of Houston Inc., Columbia/HCA of New Orleans Inc., Columbia/HCA of North Texas Inc., Columbine Psychiatric Center Inc., Columbus Cardiology Inc., Columbus Cath Lab Inc., Columbus Cath Lab LLC, Columbus Doctors Hospital Inc., Commonwealth Perinatal Services LLC, Commonwealth Specialists of Kentucky LLC, Community Hospital Family Practice LLC, Comprehensive Radiation Oncology LLC, Comprehensive Radiology Management Services Ltd., Concept EFL Imaging Center LLC, Concept West EFL Imaging Center LLC, Congenital Heart Surgery Center PLLC, Conroe Hospital Corporation, Conroe Montgomery Physicians Group PLLC, Conroe Orthopedic Specialists PLLC, Conroe Partner LLC, Conroe Specialists of Texas PLLC, Continental Division I Inc., Coral Springs Surgi-Center Ltd., CoralStone Management Inc., Corpus Christi Healthcare Group Ltd., Corpus Christi Heart Clinic PLLC, Corpus Christi Primary Care Associates PLLC, Corpus Christi Psychiatric Specialists PLLC, Corpus Christi Radiation Oncology PLLC, Corpus Christi Surgery Center L.P., Corpus Christi Surgery Ltd., Corpus Christi Surgicenter LLC, Corpus Surgicare Inc., Countryside Surgery Center Ltd., Crewe Outpatient Imaging LLC, Cumberland Medical Center Inc., Cy-Fair Medical Center Hospital LLC, DFW Physicians Group PLLC, DOMC Property LLC, DS Real Estate Holdings LLC, Daleville Imaging L.P., Daleville Imaging Manager LLC, Dallas CardioThoracic Surgery Consultants PLLC, Dallas Cardiology Specialists PLLC, Dallas Hand Surgery Center PLLC, Dallas Medical Specialists PLLC, Dallas Neuro-Stroke Affiliates PLLC, Dallas Pediatric Neurosurgery Specialists PLLC, Dallas/Ft. Worth Physician LLC, Davie Medical Center LLC, Daytona Medical Center Inc., Dean 4641 LLC, Deep Purple Investments LLC, Del Sol Bariatric Clinic PLLC, Delray EFL Imaging Center LLC, Denton Cancer Center PLLC, Denton County Hospitalist Program PLLC, Denton Pediatric Physicians PLLC, Denton Regional Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Denver Clinic Surgicenter LLC, Denver Mid-Town Surgery Center Ltd., Denver Surgicenter LLC, Derry ASC Inc., Diagnostic Breast Center Inc., Diagnostic Mammography Services G.P., Diagnostic Services G.P., Dickson Surgery Center L.P., Doctors Bay Area Physician Hospital Organization, Doctors Hospital (Conroe) Inc., Doctors Hospital Columbus GA-Joint Venture, Doctors Hospital Surgery Center L.P., Doctors Hospital of Augusta LLC, Doctors Hospital of Augusta Neurology LLC, Doctors Osteopathic Medical Center Inc., Doctors Same Day Surgery Center Inc., Doctors Same Day Surgery Center Ltd., Doctors-I Inc., Doctors-II Inc., Doctors-III Inc., Doctors-IV Inc., Doctors-IX Inc., Doctors-V Inc., Doctors-VI Inc., Doctors-VII Inc., Doctors-VIII Inc., Doctors-X Inc., Doctors Memorial Hospital of Spartanburg Limited Partnership, Dominion Hospital Physicians Group LLC, Dublin Community Hospital LLC, Dublin Heart Specialists LLC, Dublin Multispecialty LLC, Dura Medical Inc., E.P. Physical Therapy Centers Inc., EASTSIDE URGENT CARE LLC, EHCA Diagnostics LLC, EHCA Eastside Occupational Medicine Center LLC, EHCA LLC, EHCA Metropolitan LLC, EHCA Parkway LLC, EHCA Peachtree LLC, EHCA West Paces LLC, EIRMC Hospitalist Services LLC, EMMC LLC, EP Health LLC, EP Holdco LLC, EPIC Development Inc., EPIC Diagnostic Centers Inc., EPIC Healthcare Management Company, EPIC Properties Inc., EPIC Surgery Centers Inc., EPSC L.P., East Falls Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery LLC, East Falls Family Medicine LLC, East Falls Plastic Surgery LLC, East Florida - DMC Inc., East Florida Behavioral Health Network LLC, East Florida Cardiology Network LLC, East Florida CareNow Urgent Care LLC, East Florida Division Inc., East Florida Emergency Physician Group LLC, East Florida Healthcare LLC, East Florida Hospitalists LLC, East Florida Imaging Holdings LLC, East Florida Primary Care LLC, East Houston Primary Care PLLC, East Houston Specialists PLLC, East Layton Internal Medicine LLC, East Orthopedics PLLC, East Pointe Hospital Inc., Eastern Idaho Brachytherapy Equipment LLC, Eastern Idaho Brachytherapy Equipment Manager LLC, Eastern Idaho Care Partners ACO LLC, Eastern Idaho Care Partners Holdings LLC, Eastern Idaho Care Partners LLC, Eastern Idaho Health Services Inc., Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center Inpatient Services LLC, Eastside Behavioral Health Associates LLC, Eastside General Surgery LLC, Eastside Heart and Vascular LLC, Eastside Medical Center LLC, Eastside Surgery Center LLC, Edmond General Surgery LLC, Edmond Hospitalists LLC, Edmond Physician Hospital Organization Inc., Edward White Hospital Inc., El Paso CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, El Paso Healthcare Provider Network, El Paso Healthcare System Ltd., El Paso Healthcare System Physician Services LLC, El Paso Nurses Unlimited Inc., El Paso Primary Care PLLC, El Paso Surgery Centers L.P., El Paso Surgicenter Inc., Eldridge Family Practitioners PLLC, Elite Family Health of Plano PLLC, Elite OB-GYN Services of El Paso PLLC, Elite Orthopaedics of El Paso PLLC, Elite Orthopaedics of Irving PLLC, Elite Orthopaedics of Plano PLLC, Elstree Outpatient Centre LLP, Emergency Physicians at Wesley Medical Center LLC, Emergency Providers Group LLC, Emergency Psychiatric Medicine PLLC, Encino Hospital Corporation Inc., Endocrinology Associates of Lees Summit LLC, Endoscopy Surgicare of Plano LLC, Endoscopy of Plano L.P., Englewood Community Hospital Auxiliary Inc., Englewood Community Hospital Inc., Envision Stakes LLC, Eye Care Surgicare Ltd. a Missouri limited partnership, FHAL LLC, FMH Health Services LLC, Fairfax Surgical Center L.P., Fairview Medical Services LLC, Fairview Park GP LLC, Fairview Park Limited Partnership, Fairview Partner LLC, Family Care Partners LLC, Family Care of E. Jackson County LLC, Family First Medicine in Brownsville PLLC, Family Health Medical Group of Overland Park LLC, Family Health Specialists of Lees Summit LLC, Family Medicine of Blacksburg LLC, Family Practice at Forest Hill LLC, Family Practice at Retreat LLC, Family Practitioners of Montgomery PLLC, Family Practitioners of Pearland PLLC, Fannin MOB LLC, Fannin MOB Property Management LLC, Far West Division Inc., Fawcett Memorial Hospital Inc., Florida Care Partners LLC, Florida Care Partners Orlando LLC, Florida Home Health Services-Private Care Inc., Florida Outpatient Surgery Center Ltd., Flower Mound Surgery Center Ltd., Focus Hand Surgicenter LLC, Foot & Ankle Specialty Services LLC, Forest Park Surgery Pavilion Inc., Forest Park Surgery Pavilion L.P., Fort Bend Hospital Inc., Fort Chiswell Family Practice LLC, Fort Myers Market Inc., Fort Pierce Immediate Care Center Inc., Fort Pierce Orthopaedics LLC, Fort Pierce Surgery Center Ltd., Fort Walton Beach Medical Center Inc., Fort Worth Investments Inc., Forward Pathology Solutions LLC, Four Rivers Medical Center PHO Inc., Frankfort Hospital Inc., Frankfort Wound Care LLC, Freeport Family Medicine LLC, Fremont Womens Health LLC, Frisco Surgicare LLC, Frisco Warren Parkway 91 Inc., Frist Clinic Express LLC, Ft. Pierce Surgicare LLC, Ft. Walton Beach Anesthesia Services LLC, G. Rowe M.D. PLLC, G. Schnider M.D. PLLC, G. Voorhees M.D. PLLC, G.P. Martin Fletcher & Associates LLC, GA PHYSICIAN SERVICES LLC, GA Urgentcare Holding LLC, GHC-Galen Health Care LLC, GI Associates of Denton PLLC, GI Associates of Lewisville PLLC, GME Services of Osceola LLC, GPCH-GP Inc., GYN-Oncology of Southwest Virginia LLC, Gainesville GYN Oncology of North Florida Regional Medical Center LLC, Gainesville Physicians LLC, GalTex LLC, Galen (Kansas) Merger LLC, Galen BH Inc., Galen Center for Professional Development Inc., Galen College of Nursing, Galen Diagnostic Multicenter Ltd., Galen GOK LLC, Galen Global Finance Inc., Galen Health Institutes Inc., Galen Health Partners Limited, Galen Holdco LLC, Galen Hospital Alaska Inc., Galen Hospital of Baytown Inc., Galen Hospital-Pembroke Pines Inc., Galen International Holdings Inc., Galen KY LLC, Galen MCS LLC, Galen MRMC LLC, Galen Medical Corporation, Galen NMC LLC, Galen NSH LLC, Galen Property LLC, Galen SOM LLC, Galen SSH LLC, Galen Virginia Hospital Corporation, Galen of Aurora Inc., Galen of Florida Inc., Galen of Illinois Inc., Galen of Kentucky Inc., Galen of Mississippi Inc., Galen of Virginia Inc., Galen of West Virginia Inc., Galen-Soch Inc., Galencare Inc., Galendeco Inc., Galichia Anesthesia Services LLC, Galichia Emergency Physicians LLC, Garden Park Community Hospital Limited Partnership, Garden Park Hospitalist Program LLC, Garden Park Investments L.P., Garden Park Physician Group - Specialty Care LLC, Garden Park Physician Group Inc., Gardens EFL Imaging Center LLC, Gastroenterology Specialists of Middle Tennessee LLC, General Hospitals of Galen Inc., General Medical Clinics Limited, General Surgeons of Houston PLLC, General Surgeons of North Richland Hills PLLC, General Surgeons of Pasadena PLLC, General and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Conroe PLLC, Generations Family Practice Inc., GenoSpace LLC, Georgia Health Holdings Inc., Georgia L.P., Georgia Psychiatric Company Inc., Glemm SA, Good Samaritan Hospital L.P., Good Samaritan Hospital LLC, Good Samaritan Surgery Center L.P., Goppert-Trinity Family Care LLC, Grace Family Practice LLC, Gramercy Eye Surgicenter LLC, Gramercy Surgery Center Ltd., Grand Strand Regional Medical Center LLC, Grand Strand Senior Health Center LLC, Grand Strand Specialty Associates LLC, Grand Strand Surgical Specialists LLC, Grandview Health Care Clinic LLC, Grant Center Hospital of Ocala Inc., Grayson Primary Care LLC, Greater Gwinnett Internal Medicine Associates LLC, Greater Gwinnett Physician Corporation, Greater Houston Preferred Provider Option Inc., Greater Tampa Bay Physician Network LLC, Greater Tampa Bay Physician Specialists LLC, Greater Tampa Bay Physicians - Pinellas LLC, Green Oaks Hospital Subsidiary L.P., Greenview Hospital Inc., Greenview PrimeCare LLC, Greenview Specialty Associates LLC, Gulf Coast Division Inc., Gulf Coast Electrophysiology Associates PLLC, Gulf Coast Inpatient Specialists LLC, Gulf Coast Medical Center Primary Care LLC, Gulf Coast Medical Ventures Inc., Gulf Coast Multispecialty Services LLC, Gulf Coast Physician Administrators Inc., Gulf Coast Provider Network Inc., Gwinnett Community Hospital Inc., Gynecology Specialists of Utah LLC, H2U Wellness Centers - Del Sol Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers - Las Palmas Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers - Medical City Dallas PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers - St. Davids Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers LLC, H2U Wellness Centers  Clear Lake Regional Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers  Conroe ISD PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers  Conroe Regional Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers  Corpus Christi PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers  El Paso PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers  PISD PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers  San Benito CISD PLLC, HBP Lone Star Inc., HCA - IT&S Field Operations Inc., HCA - IT&S Inventory Management Inc., HCA - IT&S PBS Field Operations Inc., HCA - IT&S TN Field Operations Inc., HCA - Information Technology & Services Inc., HCA - Raleigh Community Hospital Inc., HCA - Viera ALF LLC, HCA - WHS Progressive LLC, HCA - WHS Services LLC, HCA ASD Financial Operations LLC, HCA ASD Sales Services LLC, HCA American Finance LLC, HCA Carenow Limited, HCA Central Group Inc., HCA Central/West Texas Physicians Management LLC, HCA Chattanooga Market Inc., HCA Development Company Inc., HCA Eastern Group Inc., HCA Global Capital LLP, HCA Gulf Coast GME PLLC, HCA Health Services of California Inc., HCA Health Services of Florida Inc., HCA Health Services of Georgia Inc., HCA Health Services of Louisiana Inc., HCA Health Services of Miami Inc., HCA Health Services of Midwest Inc., HCA Health Services of New Hampshire Inc., HCA Health Services of Tennessee Inc., HCA Health Services of Texas Inc., HCA Health Services of Virginia Inc., HCA Health Services of West Virginia Inc., HCA Healthcare Mission Fund LLC, HCA Healthcare UK Limited, HCA Holdco LLC, HCA Human Resources LLC, HCA Imaging Services of North Florida Inc., HCA Inc., HCA International Holdings Limited, HCA International Limited, HCA LewisGale Regional Cancer Centers Clinical Co-Management Company LLC, HCA Long Term Health Services of Miami Inc., HCA Luxembourg 1 Sarl, HCA Luxembourg 2 Sarl, HCA Luxembourg Equities Sarl, HCA Luxembourg Finance Limited, HCA Luxembourg Investments Sarl, HCA Management Services L.P., HCA Medical City Limited, HCA Medical Services Inc., HCA Midwest Comprehensive Care Inc., HCA Outpatient Clinic Services of Miami Inc., HCA Outpatient Imaging Services Group Inc., HCA Patient Safety Organization LLC, HCA Pearland GP Inc., HCA Physician Services Inc., HCA Plano Imaging Inc., HCA Property GP LLC, HCA Psychiatric Company, HCA Purchasing Limited, HCA Realty Inc., HCA Richmond Cardiac Clinical Co-Management Company LLC, HCA SF LLC, HCA SFB 1 LLC, HCA Sarasota Orthopedic and Spine Clinical Co-Management Company LLC, HCA Squared LLC, HCA Staffing Limited, HCA Swiss Capital 1 LLP, HCA Swiss Capital 2 LLP, HCA Switzerland Finance GmbH, HCA Switzerland Holding GmbH, HCA Switzerland Limited, HCA UK Capital Limited, HCA UK Holdings Limited, HCA UK Investments Limited, HCA UK Limited, HCA UK Services Limited, HCA Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital Inc., HCA Western Group Inc., HCA-Access Healthcare Holdings LLC, HCA-Access Healthcare Partner Inc., HCA-California Urgent Care Holdings LLC, HCA-EMS Holdings LLC, HCA-EmCare Holdings LLC, HCA-Georgia Urgent Care Holdings LLC, HCA-HBPS Holdings LLC, HCA-HealthONE LLC, HCA-Solis Holdings Inc., HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of Continental LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of Gulf Coast LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of North Texas LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of TriStar LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Services LLC, HCA-Solis Master LLC, HCA-Urgent Care Holdings LLC, HCAPS Anesthesia Manager LLC, HCAPS Conroe Affiliation Inc., HCOL Inc., HD&S Corp. Successor Inc., HDH Thoracic Surgeons LLC, HHBY Holdings LLC, HHNC LLC, HICCH-SCL LLC, HM Acquisition LLC, HM OMCOS LLC, HMMG 1226 LLC, HPG Energy L.P., HPG Enterprises LLC, HPG GP LLC, HPG Solutions LLC, HSS Holdco LLC, HSS Systems LLC, HSS Virginia L.P., HTI Gulf Coast Inc., HTI Health Services of North Carolina Inc., HTI Hospital Holdings Inc., HTI MOB LLC, HTI MSO LLC, HTI Memorial Hospital Corporation, HTI Physician Services of Utah Inc., HWCA PLLC, Hamilton Memorial Hospital Inc., Hamsard 3160 Limited, Harley Street Clinic @ The Groves LLP, Hathor Chelsea Ltd., Healdsburg General Hospital Inc., Health Care Indemnity Inc., Health Insight Capital LLC, Health International Billing Partners Limited, Health Midwest Medical Group Inc., Health Midwest Office Facilities Corporation, Health Midwest Ventures Group Inc., Health Partners of Kansas Inc., Health Service Partners Inc., Health Services (Delaware) Inc., Health Services Merger Inc., Health to You LLC, HealthCoast Physician Group LLC, HealthONE Aurora Investment LLC, HealthONE Care Partners LLC, HealthONE CareNow Urgent Care LLC, HealthONE Clear Creek LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Bariatric Medicine LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Behavioral Health LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Cancer Care LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Cancer Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Cardiovascular LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Medical Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Neurosciences LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Obstetrics and Gynecology LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Occupational Medicine LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Oncology Hematology LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Orthopedic Specialists LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Otolaryngology Specialists LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Pediatric Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Primary Care LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Spine Specialists LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Spine Surgeons LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Surgery Neurological LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Surgical Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Transplant Services LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Womens Services LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Youth Rehabilitation LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services LLC, HealthONE High Street Primary Care Center LLC, HealthONE IRL Pathology Services LLC, HealthONE Institutes for Clinical Research LLC, HealthONE Lowry LLC, HealthONE Radiation Therapy at Red Rocks LLC, HealthONE Radiation Therapy at Thornton LLC, HealthONE Ridge View Endoscopy Center LLC, HealthONE Surgicare of Ridge View LLC, HealthONE Urologic LLC, HealthONE at Breckenridge LLC, HealthONE of Denver Inc., HealthOne Heart Care LLC, HealthOne Lincoln Investment LLC, HealthOne Westside Investment LLC, HealthTrust Europe Company Limited, HealthTrust Europe LLP, HealthTrust Locums Inc., HealthTrust Workforce Solutions LLC, Healthcare Oklahoma Inc., Healthcare Purchasing Alliance LLC, Healthcare Sales National Management Services Group LLC, Healthcare Technology Assessment Corporation, Healthco LLC, Healthnet of Kentucky LLC, Healthserv Acquisition LLC, Healthtrust Inc. - The Hospital Company, Healthtrust MOB Tennessee LLC, Healthtrust Purchasing Group L.P., Healthtrust Utah Management Services Inc., Healthy State Inc., Heart Specialist of North Texas PLLC, Heart of America ASC LLC, Heart of America Surgicenter LLC, Heartcare of Texas Ltd., Hearthstone Home Health Inc., Heartland Womens Group at Wesley LLC, Heathrow Imaging LLC, Heathrow Internal Medicine LLC, Hendersonville Hospital Corporation, Hendersonville Hospitalist Services Inc., Hendersonville OB/GYN LLC, Hendersonville ODC LLC, Hendersonville Primary Care LLC, Henrico Doctors Hospital - Forest Campus Property LLC, Henrico Doctors Neurology Associates LLC, Henrico Doctors OB GYN Specialists LLC, Henrico Surgical Specialists LLC, Heritage Family Care LLC, Heritage Hospital Inc., Heritage Medical Care LLC, Hermitage Primary Care LLC, Hidalgo County Family Practitioners PLLC, Hidden Lakes Health Center PLLC, Highlands Regional Medical Center, Hip & Joint Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Homecare North Inc., Hometrust Management Services Inc., Horizon Orthopedics LLC, Horizon Surgical LLC, Hospital Corp. LLC, Hospital Corporation of America, Hospital Corporation of Lake Worth, Hospital Corporation of Tennessee, Hospital Corporation of Utah, Hospital Development Properties Inc., Hospital Partners Merger LLC, Hospital Realty Corporation, Hospital-Based CRNA Services Inc., Hospitalists at Centennial Medical Center LLC, Hospitalists at Fairview Park LLC, Hospitalists at Greenview Regional Hospital LLC, Hospitalists at Horizon Medical Center LLC, Hospitalists at Parkridge LLC, Hospitalists at StoneCrest LLC, Hospitalists at Wesley Medical Center LLC, Hospitalists of the Wabash Valley LLC, Houston - PPH LLC, Houston CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, Houston Healthcare Holdings Inc., Houston NW Manager LLC, Houston Northwest Concessions L.L.C., Houston Northwest Operating Company L.L.C., Houston Northwest Surgical Partners Inc., Houston Obstetrics and Gynecology for Women PLLC, Houston Pediatric Specialty Group PLLC, Houston Urologic Surgicenter LLC, Houston Womans Hospital Partner LLC, ICU Associates of West Houston PLLC, IMX Holdings LLC, IRL Pathology Services MidAmerica LLC, Idaho Behavioral Health Services LLC, Idaho Physician Services Inc., Illinois Psychiatric Hospital Company Inc., Imaging Realty LLC, Imaging Services of Appomattox LLC, Imaging Services of Jacksonville LLC, Imaging Services of Louisiana LLC, Imaging Services of Louisiana Manager LLC, Imaging Services of Orlando LLC, Imaging Services of Richmond LLC, Imaging Services of Roanoke LLC, Imaging Services of West Boynton LLC, InVivoLink Inc., Independence Neurosurgery Services LLC, Independence Regional Medical Group LLC, Independence Surgicare Inc., Indian Path Hospital Inc., Indianapolis Hospital Partner LLC, Institute for Womens Health and Body LLC, Institute of Advanced ENT Surgery LLC, Integrated Regional Lab LLC, Integrated Regional Laboratories LLP, Integrated Regional Laboratories Pathology Services LLC, Intensive Care Consortium Inc., Internal Medicine Associates of Huntsville PLLC, Internal Medicine Associates of Southern Hills LLC, Internal Medicine of Blacksburg LLC, Internal Medicine of Pasadena PLLC, Internist Associates of Houston PLLC, Isleworth Partners Inc., J. M. Garcia M.D. PLLC, JCSH LLC, JDGC Management LLC, JFK Internal Medicine Faculty Practice LLC, JFK Medical Center Limited Partnership, JPM AA Housing LLC, Jackson County Medical Group LLC, Jackson County Pulmonary Medical Group LLC, Jacksonville CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Jacksonville Multispecialty Services LLC, Jacksonville Surgery Center Ltd., James River Internists LLC, John Randolph Family Practice LLC, John Randolph OB/GYN LLC, John Randolph Surgeons LLC, Johnson County Neurology LLC, Johnson County Surgery Center L.P., Johnson County Surgicenter L.L.C., Jordan Family Health L.L.C., Jupiter EFL Imaging Center LLC, KC Pain ASC LLC, KC Surgicare LLC, KPH-Consolidation Inc., Kansas CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Kansas City Cardiac Arrhythmia Research LLC, Kansas City Gastroenterology & Hepatology Physicians Group LLC, Kansas City Neurology Associates LLC, Kansas City Pulmonology Practice LLC, Kansas City Surgery Center Properties LLC, Kansas City Vascular & General Surgery Group LLC, Kansas City Womens Clinic Group LLC, Kansas Healthserv LLC, Kansas Pulmonary and Sleep Specialists LLC, Kansas Trauma and Critical Care Specialists LLC, Kathy L. Summers M.D. PLLC, Kendall Healthcare Group Ltd., Kendall Regional Medical Center LLC, Kendall Regional Urgent Care LLC, Kennedale Primary Care PLLC, Kingwood Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Kingwood Surgery Center LLC, Kingwood Surgicenter LLC, Kissimmee Surgicare Ltd., Kyle Primary Care PLLC, L E Corporation, LAD Imaging LLC, LGMC Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, LOC @ The Christie LLP, LOC @ The London Bridge Hospital LLP, LOC Partnership LLP, LPN TeleBehavioral Health PLLC, Lafayette OB Hospitalists LLC, Lafayette Urogynecology & Urology Center LLC, Lake City Imaging LLC, Lake City Regional Medical Group LLC, Lake Forest Family Health PLLC, Lakeside Radiology LLC, Lakeside Womens Services LLC, Lakeview Cardiology Specialists LLC, Lakeview Hospital Physician Services LLC, Lakeview Internal Medicine LLC, Lakeview Medical Center LLC, Lakeview Regional Medical Center Inpatient Services LLC, Lakeview Regional Physician Group LLC, Lakeview Urology & General Surgery LLC, Lakewood Surgicare Inc., Laredo Medco LLC, Largo Medical Center Inc., Largo Physician Group LLC, Las Colinas Primary Care PLLC, Las Colinas Surgery Center Ltd., Las Encinas Hospital, Las Palmas Del Sol Cardiology PLLC, Las Palmas Del Sol Internal Medicine PLLC, Las Palmas Del Sol Urgent Care PLLC, Las Vegas ASC LLC, Las Vegas Surgicare Inc., Las Vegas Surgicare Ltd. a Nevada Limited Partnership, Lawnwood Cardiovascular Surgery LLC, Lawnwood Healthcare Specialists LLC, Lawnwood Medical Center Inc., Layton Family Practice LLC, Leaders in Oncology Care Limited, Leadership Healthcare Holdings II L.P. L.L.P., Leadership Healthcare Holdings L.P. L.L.P., Lees Summit Family Care LLC, Leslie Cohan M.D. PLLC, Lewis-Gale Hospital Incorporated, Lewis-Gale Medical Center LLC, Lewis-Gale Physicians LLC, Lewisville Primary Care PLLC, Lewisville Surgicare LLC, Lincoln Surgery Center LLC, Live Oak Immediate Care Center LLC, London Oncology Clinic LLP, London Pathology Limited, London Radiography & Radiotherapy Services Limited, Lone Peak Hospital Inc., Lone Star Intensivists at Gulf Coast PLLC, Lonestar Provider Network, Longview Regional Physician Hospital Organization Inc., Lorain County Surgery Center Ltd., Los Gatos Surgical Center a California Limited Partnership, Los Robles Regional Medical Center, Los Robles Regional Medical Center MOB LLC, Los Robles SurgiCenter LLC, Loudoun Surgery Center LLC, Louisiana Psychiatric Company Inc., Loveland Surgicenter LLC, Low Country Health Services Inc. of the Southeast, Lowry Surgicenter LLC, M. Jamshidi D.O. PLLC, MCA Investment Company, MCA-CTMC Holdings LLC, MEC Endoscopy LLC, MFA G.P. LLC, MFM Fact PLLC, MGH Medical Inc., MH Anesthesiology Physicians LLC, MH Angel Medical Center LLLP, MH Asheville Specialty Hospital LLC, MH Blue Ridge Medical Center LLLP, MH Eckerd Living Center LLLP, MH Highlands-Cashiers Medical Center LLLP, MH Hospital Holdings Inc., MH Hospital Manager LLC, MH Master Holdings LLLP, MH Master LLC, MH McDowell Imaging LLLP, MH Mission Hospital LLLP, MH Mission Hospital McDowell LLLP, MH Mission Imaging LLLP, MH Physician Services LLC, MH Transylvania Imaging LLLP, MH Transylvania Regional Hospital LLLP, MHS Partnership Holdings JSC Inc., MHS Partnership Holdings SDS Inc., MHS SC Partner L.L.C., MHS Surgery Centers L.P., MMC Sleep Lab Management LLC, MOSC Sports Medicine Inc., MOVCO Inc., MP Management LLC, MRT&C Inc., MSL Acquisition LLC, MVH Professional Services LLC, Macon Healthcare LLC, Macon Northside Health Group LLC, Macon Northside Hospital LLC, Macon Psychiatric Hospitalists LLC, Madison Behavioral Health LLC, Mainland Family Medicine PLLC, Mainland Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Mainland Primary Care Physicians PLLC, Management Services Holdings Inc., Manatee Surgicare Ltd., Marietta Outpatient Medical Building Inc., Marietta Outpatient Surgery Ltd., Marietta Surgical Center Inc., Marion Community Hospital Inc., Mark Gottesman M.D. PLLC, Martin Fletcher & Associates L.P., Martin Fletcher Associates Holdings Inc., Mary Alice Cowan M.D. PLLC, Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialists of Corpus Christi PLLC, Maternal Fetal Services of Utah LLC, Maury County Behavioral Health LLC, Mayhill Cancer Center LLC, McAllen Comprehensive Upper Extremity Center PLLC, McKinney Surgeons PLLC, Mechanicsville Imaging LLC, Mecklenburg Surgical Land Development Ltd., Med City Dallas Outpatient Surgery Center L.P., Med Corp. Inc., Med Group - Southern Hills Hospitalists LLC, Med-Center Hosp./Houston Inc., Med-Point of New Hampshire Inc., Medi Flight of Oklahoma LLC, MediCredit Inc., MediPurchase Inc., MediStone Healthcare Ventures Inc., MediVision Inc., MediVision of Mecklenburg County Inc., MediVision of Tampa Inc., Medical Arts Hospital of Texarkana Inc., Medical Associates of Ocala LLC, Medical Care America Colorado LLC, Medical Care America LLC, Medical Care Financial Services Corp., Medical Care Real Estate Finance Inc., Medical Care Surgery Center Inc., Medical Center - West Inc., Medical Center Imaging Inc., Medical Center Surgery Associates L.P., Medical Center of Baton Rouge Inc., Medical Center of Plano Partner LLC, Medical Center of Port St. Lucie Inc., Medical Center of Santa Rosa Inc., Medical Center of Southwest Florida LLC, Medical Centers of Oklahoma LLC, Medical City Dallas Hospital Inc., Medical City Dallas Partner LLC, Medical City Dallas Primary Care PLLC, Medical City Frisco, Medical City OB-GYN PLLC, Medical City Pediatrics PLLC, Medical City Specialty Surgicenter of Dallas LLC, Medical City Surgery Center of Alliance LLC, Medical City Surgery Center of Frisco LLC, Medical City Surgery Center of Lewisville LLC, Medical City Transplant PLLC, Medical Corporation of America, Medical Group - Dickson Inc., Medical Group - Southern Hills of Brentwood LLC, Medical Group - Southern Hills of Nolensville LLC, Medical Group - StoneCrest FP Inc., Medical Group - StoneCrest Inc., Medical Group - Stonecrest Pulmonology LLC, Medical Group - Summit Inc., Medical Imaging Inc., Medical Imaging of Colorado LLC, Medical Office Buildings of Kansas LLC, Medical Oncology Associates LLC, Medical Partners of North Florida LLC, Medical Plaza Ambulatory Surgery Center Associates L.P., Medical Specialties Inc., Memorial Family Practice Associates LLC, Memorial Health Primary Care at St. Johns Bluff LLC, Memorial Healthcare Group Inc., Memorial Neurosurgery Group LLC, Memorial Satilla Specialists LLC, Memorial University Medical Center, Menorah Medical Group LLC, Menorah Urgent Care LLC, Mercy ASC LLC, Metairie Primary Care Associates LLC, Methodist Ambulatory Surgery Center of Boerne LLC, Methodist Ambulatory Surgery Center of Landmark LLC, Methodist Cardiology Physicians, Methodist CareNow Physician Associates, Methodist CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio Ltd. L.L.P., Methodist Inpatient Management Group, Methodist Medical Center ASC L.P., Methodist Physician Alliance, Methodist Physician Practice Services LLC, Methodist Physician Practices PLLC, Metroplex Surgicenters Inc., Metropolitan Multispecialty Physicians Group Inc., Miami Beach EFL Imaging Center LLC, Miami Beach Healthcare Group Ltd., Miami Dade Surgical Specialists LLC, Miami Lakes Surgery Center Ltd., Miami-Dade Cardiology Consultants LLC, Michael Mann M.D. PLLC, Mid-America Surgery Center LLC, Mid-America Surgery Institute LLC, Mid-Cities Surgi-Center Inc., Mid-Continent Health Services Inc., MidAmerica Division Inc., MidAmerica Oncology LLC, Middle Georgia Hospital LLC, Middle Georgia Urgent Care Services LLC, Middle Tennessee Neurology LLC, Midtown Diagnostics LLC, Midwest Cardiology Specialists LLC, Midwest Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery LLC, Midwest Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Kansas LLC, Midwest Division - ACH LLC, Midwest Division - CMC LLC, Midwest Division - LRHC LLC, Midwest Division - LSH LLC, Midwest Division - MCI LLC, Midwest Division - MMC LLC, Midwest Division - OPRMC LLC, Midwest Division - RBH LLC, Midwest Division - RMC LLC, Midwest Division Spine Care LLC, Midwest Doctors Group LLC, Midwest Heart & Vascular Specialists LLC, Midwest Holdings Inc., Midwest Infectious Disease Specialists LLC, Midwest Medicine Associates LLC, Midwest Metropolitan Physicians Group LLC, Midwest Oncology Associates LLC, Midwest Trauma Services LLC, Midwest Womens Healthcare Specialists LLC, Mikrod Services Inc., Mill Creek Outpatient Services LLC, Millenium Health Care of Oklahoma Inc., Mission Bay Memorial Hospital Inc., Mission Community Anesthesiology Specialists LLC, Mission Employer Solutions LLC, Mission Health, Mission Health Partners Inc., Missouri Healthcare System L.P., Mobile Corps. Inc., Mobile Heartbeat, Mobile Heartbeat LLC, Montgomery Cancer Center LLC, Montgomery Hospitalists LLC, Montgomery Regional Hospital Inc., Montgomery Surgery Associates LLC, Mountain Division - CVH LLC, Mountain Division Inc., Mountain View Hospital Inc., Mountain View MRI Associates Ltd., Mountain West Surgery Center LLC, MountainStar Behavioral Health LLC, MountainStar Brigham General Surgery LLC, MountainStar Canyon Surgical Clinic LLC, MountainStar Cardiology Ogden Regional LLC, MountainStar Cardiology St. Marks LLC, MountainStar Intensivist Services LLC, MountainStar Medical Group - Cache Valley LLC, MountainStar Medical Group - Ogden Regional Medical Center LLC, MountainStar Medical Group - St. Marks Hospital LLC, MountainStar Medical Group Neurosurgery-St. Marks LLC, MountainStar Medical Group Timpanogos Primary Care LLC, MountainStar Medical Group Timpanogos Specialty Care LLC, MountainStar Specialty Services LLC, MountainStar Urgent Care LLC, MountainView GME Primary Care LLC, Mountainstar Brigham OBGYN LLC, Mountainstar Cardiovascular Services LLC, Mountainstar Ogden Pediatrics LLC, Movement Disorders of North Texas PLLC, Mt. Ogden Utah Surgical Center LLC, NPAS Inc., NPAS Solutions LLC, NT Urgent Care PLLC, NTGP LLC, NTMC Management Company, NTMC Venture Inc., NTX Pathology Program PLLC, Nashville Psychiatric Company Inc., Nashville Shared Services General Partnership, Nashville Surgicenter LLC, Natchez Medical Associates LLC, Natchez Surgery Center LLC, National Association of Senior Friends, National Contact Center Management Group LLC, National Patient Account Services Inc., National Transfer Center Management Services LLC, Navarro Memorial Hospital Inc., NeighborMD Management LLC, Network MS of Florida Inc., Network Management Services Inc., Neuro Affiliates Company, Neuro-Hospitalist of Clear Lake PLLC, NeuroHospitalist of McAllen PLLC, Neurological Eye Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Neurological Specialists PLLC, Neurological Specialists of McKinney PLLC, Neurology Associates of Hendersonville LLC, Neurology Associates of Kansas LLC, Neurosurgery Atlanta LLC, Neurosurgery of Kingwood PLLC, Neurosurgical Associates of North Texas PLLC, Neurosurgical Specialists of El Paso PLLC, Neurosurgical Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Nevada Surgery Center of Southern Hills L.P., Nevada Surgicare of Southern Hills LLC, Nevada Urgent Care Holdings Inc., New Iberia Healthcare LLC, New Iberia Holdings Inc., New Port Richey Hospital Inc., New Port Richey Surgery Center Ltd., New Rose Holding Company Inc., Niceville Family Practice LLC, North Augusta Imaging Management LLC, North Augusta Imaging Services LLC, North Augusta Rehab Health Center LLC, North Austin Plastic Surgery Associates PLLC, North Austin Surgery Center L.P., North Brandon Imaging LLC, North Central Florida Health System Inc., North Central Methodist ASC L.P., North Charleston Diagnostic Imaging Center LLC, North Florida Cancer Center Lake City LLC, North Florida Cancer Center Live Oak LLC, North Florida Cancer Center Tallahassee LLC, North Florida Division I Inc., North Florida Division Practice Inc., North Florida GI Center GP Inc., North Florida GI Center Ltd., North Florida Immediate Care Center Inc., North Florida Neurosurgery LLC, North Florida Outpatient Imaging Center Ltd., North Florida Physician Services Inc., North Florida Physicians LLC, North Florida Radiation Oncology LLC, North Florida Regional Company Care LLC, North Florida Regional Freestanding Surgery Center L.P., North Florida Regional Investments Inc., North Florida Regional Medical Center Inc., North Florida Regional Psychiatry LLC, North Florida Regional Trauma LLC, North Florida Rehab Investments LLC, North Florida Surgical Associates LLC, North Georgia Primary Care Group LLC, North Hills Cardiac Catheterization Center L.P., North Hills Catheterization Lab LLC, North Hills Orthopaedic Surgeons PLLC, North Hills Surgicare L.P., North Houston - TRMC LLC, North Miami Beach Surgery Center Limited Partnership, North Miami Beach Surgical Center LLC, North Palm Beach County Surgery Center LLC, North River Physician Network LLC, North Shore Specialists of Texas PLLC, North Suburban Spine Center L.P., North Tampa Imaging LLC, North Texas - MCA LLC, North Texas Cardiology PLLC, North Texas Craniofacial Fellowship Program PLLC, North Texas Division Inc., North Texas General L.P., North Texas Geriatrics PLLC, North Texas Heart Surgery Center PLLC, North Texas Internal Medicine Specialists PLLC, North Texas Medical Center Inc., North Texas Neuro Stroke OP PLLC, North Texas Pulmonary Critical Care PLLC, North Texas Sports and Orthopedics Center PLLC, North Texas Stroke Center PLLC, North Texas of Hope PLLC, North Transfer Center LLC, Northeast Florida Cancer Services LLC, Northeast Methodist Surgicare Ltd., Northeast PHO Inc., Northern Utah Healthcare Corporation, Northern Utah Healthcare Imaging Holdco LLC, Northern Utah Imaging LLC, Northern Virginia CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Northern Virginia Community Hospital LLC, Northern Virginia Hospital Corporation, Northern Virginia Surgicenter LLC, Northlake Medical Center LLC, Northlake Physician Practice Network Inc., Northlake Surgical Center L.P., Northlake Surgicare Inc., Northside MRI Inc., Northwest Fla. Home Health Agency Inc., Northwest Florida Healthcare Systems Inc., Northwest Florida Multispecialty Physicians LLC, Northwest Florida Primary Care LLC, Northwest Medical Center Inc., Notami (Opelousas) Inc., Notami Hospitals LLC, Notami Hospitals of Florida Inc., Notami Hospitals of Louisiana Inc., Notami Hospitals of Missouri Inc., Notami LLC, Notco LLC, Nuclear Diagnosis Inc., OB Hospitalists of Womans Hospital PLLC, OB/GYN of Brownsville PLLC, OB/Gyn Associates of Denton PLLC, OBS Diagnostic and Treatment Centre LLP, ODP Holdings LLC, ODP Manager LLC, ODP Properties LLC, OHH Imaging Services LLC, OPRMC-HBP LLC, Oak Hill Acquisition Inc., Oak Hill Family Care LLC, Oak Hill Hospitalists LLC, Oakwood Surgery Center Ltd. LLP, Ocala Health Company Care LLC, Ocala Health Imaging Services LLC, Ocala Health Primary Care LLC, Ocala Health Surgical Group LLC, Ocala Health Trauma LLC, Ocala Regional Outpatient Services Inc., Ocala Stereotactic Radiosurgery LLC, Ocala Stereotactic Radiosurgery Partner LLC, Occupational Health Services of PRH LLC, Occupational and Family Medicine of South Texas, Ogden Imaging LLC, Ogden Internal Medicine & Urology LLC, Ogden Regional Health Plan Inc., Ogden Regional Medical Center Professional Billing LLC, Ogden Senior Center LLC, Ogden Tomotherapy LLC, Ogden Tomotherapy Manager LLC, Okaloosa Hospital Inc., Okeechobee Hospital Inc., Oklahoma Holding Company LLC, Oklahoma Outpatient Surgery Limited Partnership, Oklahoma Physicians - Medical Specialties LLC, Oklahoma Physicians - Obstetrics and Gynecology LLC, Oklahoma Physicians - Primary Care LLC, Oklahoma Physicians - Surgical Specialties LLC, Oklahoma Surgicare Inc., Old Fort Village LLC, On-Site Primary Care PLLC, Oncology Services of Corpus Christi LLC, Oncology Services of Corpus Christi Manager LLC, OneSourceMed Inc., Online Pathology Services Limited, Orange County Healthcare LLC, Orange Park Hospitalists LLC, Orange Park Medical Center Inc., Orlando CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Orlando Outpatient Surgical Center Inc., Orlando Outpatient Surgical Center Ltd., Orlando Surgicare Ltd., Orthopaedic Specialty Associates L.P., Orthopaedic Sports Specialty Associates Inc., Orthopedic Hospital Ltd., Orthopedics Specialists LLC, Osceola Neurological Associates LLC, Osceola Physician Network LLC, Osceola Regional Hospital Inc., Osceola Regional Hospitalists LLC, Osceola Surgical Associates LLC, Outpatient Cardiovascular Center of Central Florida LLC, Outpatient GP LLC, Outpatient Services - LAD LLC, Outpatient Services Holdings Inc., Outpatient Surgical Services Ltd., Outpatient Womens and Childrens Surgery Center Ltd., Overland Park Cardiovascular Inc., Overland Park Medical Specialists LLC, Overland Park Orthopedics LLC, Overland Park Surgical Specialties LLC, Oviedo Medical Center LLC, Ozarks Medical Services Inc., P&L Associates, P/SL Hyperbaric Partnership, PET CT LLP, PMM Inc., POH Holdings LLC, PSG Delegated Services LLC, PTS Solutions LLC, Pacific Partners Management Services Inc., Palm Beach EFL Imaging Center LLC, Palm Beach General Surgery LLC, Palm Beach Healthcare System Inc., Palm Beach Hospitalists Program LLC, Palmer Medical Center LLC, Palms West Gastroenterology LLC, Palms West Hospital Limited Partnership, Palms West Surgery Center Ltd., Paragon Physicians Hospital Organization of South Texas Inc., Paragon SDS Inc., Paragon Surgery Centers of Texas Inc., Paragon WSC Inc., Paragon of Texas Health Properties Inc., Parallon Business Solutions LLC, Parallon Enterprises LLC, Parallon Health Information Solutions LLC, Parallon Holdings LLC, Parallon Payroll Solutions LLC, Parallon Physician Services LLC, Parallon Revenue Cycle Services Inc., Park Central Surgical Center Ltd., Park Ridge Surgery Center LLC, Park South Imaging Center Ltd., Park View Insurance Company, Parkersburg SJ Holdings Inc., Parkland Hospitalists Program LLC, Parkland Oncology LLC, Parkland Physician Services Inc., Parkridge East Specialty Associates LLC, Parkridge Hospitalists Inc., Parkridge Medical Associates LLC, Parkridge Medical Center Inc., Parkridge Professionals Inc., Parkside Surgery Center Inc., Parkway Cardiac Center Ltd., Parkway Hospital Inc., Parkway Surgery Services Ltd., Parthenon Insurance Company Limited, Pasadena Bayshore Hospital Inc., PatientKeeper, PatientKeeper Inc., Patients First Neurology LLC, Pavilion 2 Condominium Property LLC, Pavilion 2 Medical Office Building Condominium Association Inc., Pavilion Surgicenter LLC, Peach State Anesthesia Partners LLC, Pearland Institute for Womens Health PLLC, Pearland Partner LLC, Pediatric Anesthesia Consultants of San Antonio PLLC, Pediatric Cardiac Intensivists of North Texas PLLC, Pediatric Critical Care of Clear Lake PLLC, Pediatric Hospitalists of Conroe PLLC, Pediatric Intensivist Group LLC, Pediatric Intensivists of El Paso PLLC, Pediatric Intensivists of North Texas PLLC, Pediatric Specialists of Clear Lake PLLC, Pediatric Specialty Clinic LLC, Pediatric Surgicare Inc., Pediatrics of Greater Houston PLLC, Pensacola Primary Care Inc., Physician Associates of Corporate Woods LLC, Physicians Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Physicians West Surgicenter LLC, Pinellas Medical LLC, Pinnacle Physician Network LLC, Pioneer Medical LLC, Plains Healthcare System Inc., Plano Ambulatory Surgery Associates L.P., Plano Heart Institute L.P., Plano Heart Management LLC, Plano Surgery Center - GP LLC, Plano Surgery Center Real Estate LLC, Plano Surgicenter Real Estate Manager LLC, Plano Urology PLLC, Plantation General Hospital L.P., Plaza Medical Specialists PLLC, Plaza Primary Care PLLC, Plaza Transplant Center PLLC, Podiatry of Clear Lake PLLC, Poinciana Medical Center Inc., Port St. Lucie Surgery Center Ltd., Portland Primary Care LLC, Portsmouth Regional Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Portsmouth Surgicenter LLC, Preferred Hospitals Inc., Preferred Works WC LLC, Premier ASC LLC, Premier Medical Management Ltd., Primary Care Medical Associates Inc., Primary Care Plano PLLC, Primary Care Services of Orlando LLC, Primary Care South PLLC, Primary Care West PLLC, Primary Care of West End LLC, Primary Health Asset Holdings Ltd., Primary Health Group Inc., Primary Health Inc., Primary Health Network of South Texas, Primary Health Physicians PLLC, Primary Medical Management Inc., Proaxis Therapy HealthOne LLC, Provident Professional Building Condominium Association Inc., Psychiatry Services of Osceola LLC, Pulaski Community Hospital Inc., Pulaski Urology LLC, Pulmonary Renal Intensivist Group LLC, Putnam Community Medical Center of North Florida LLC, Putnam Hospital Inc., Putnam Radiation Oncology LLC, Putnam Radiation Oncology Manager LLC, Putnam Surgical Group LLC, Quantum/Bellaire Imaging Ltd., Quick Care Centers LLC, Quivira Internal Medicine Inc., RCH LLC, RMC - Pulmonary LLC, RMC Transplant Physicians LLC, RMCA Professionals Mgmt LLC, ROi CPS LLC, Radford Family Medicine LLC, Radiation Oncology Center of Thornton LLC, Radiation Oncology Manager LLC, Raleigh Community Medical Office Building Ltd., Rapides After Hours Clinic L.L.C., Rapides Healthcare System L.L.C., Rapides Regional Physician Group LLC, Rapides Regional Physician Group Primary Care LLC, Rapides Regional Physician Group Specialty Care LLC, Rapides Surgery Center LLC, Raulerson GYN LLC, Raulerson Gastroenterology LLC, Raulerson Primary Care LLC, Raymore Medical Group LLC, Red Rock Holdco LLC, Red Rock at Smoke Ranch LLC, Red Rocks Surgery Center LLC, Redmond Anesthesia Services LLC, Redmond Hospital Services LLC, Redmond Neurosurgery LLC, Redmond Park Health Services Inc., Redmond Park Hospital LLC, Redmond Physician Practice Company, Redmond Specialty Services LLC, Regional Hospital Healthcare Partners LLC, Research Cardiology Associates LLC, Research Family Physicians LLC, Research Internal Medicine LLC, Research Neurology Associates LLC, Research Neuroscience Institute LLC, Resource Optimization & Innovation L.L.C., Reston Hospital Center LLC, Reston Hospitalists LLC, Reston Surgery Center L.P., Retreat Cardiology LLC, Retreat Hospital LLC, Retreat Internal Medicine LLC, Retreat Surgical Associates LLC, Rhodes Limited-Liability Company, Richmond Imaging Employer Corp., Richmond Multi-Specialty LLC, Richmond Pediatric Surgeons LLC, Ridgeline Surgicenter LLC, Rim Building Partners L.P., Rio Grande Healthcare MSO Inc., Rio Grande NP Inc., Rio Grande Regional Hospital Inc., Rio Grande Valley Cardiology PLLC, Rio Grande Valley CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, Rio Grande Valley Urology PLLC, Riverside CyberKnife Manager LLC, Riverside Healthcare System L.P., Riverside Holdings Inc., Riverside Hospital Inc., Riverside Imaging LLC, Riverwalk ASC LLC, Roanoke Imaging LLC, Roanoke Neurosurgery LLC, Roanoke Surgery Center L.P., Roanoke Valley Gynecology LLC, Robotic Radiosurgery LLP, Rocky Mountain Pediatric Hematology Oncology LLC, Rocky Mountain Surgery Center LLC, Rome Imaging Center Limited Partnership, Roodlane Medical Limited, Rose Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Rose Health Partners LLC, Rose Medical Plaza Ltd., Rose POB Inc., Rosewood Medical Center Inc., Rosewood Professional Building Ltd., Round Rock Hospital Inc., Round Rock Trauma Surgeons PLLC, Royal Oaks Surgery Center L.P., S.A. Medical Center Inc., SAPN LLC, SCRI Global Services Limited, SCRI Holdings LLC, SCRI Scientifics LLC, SJMC LLC, SSHR Holdco LLC, SSJ St. Petersburg Holdings Inc., STPN Manager LLC, SWMC Inc., Sahara Outpatient Surgery Center Ltd., Salem Hospitalists LLC, Salem Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Salt Lake City Surgicare Inc., Samaritan LLC, San Antonio Division Inc., San Antonio Regional Hospital Inc., San Antonio Surgicenter LLC, San Bernardino Imaging LLC, San Joaquin Surgical Center Inc., San Jose Healthcare System LP, San Jose Hospital L.P., San Jose LLC, San Jose Medical Center LLC, San Jose Pathology Outreach LLC, San Marcos ASC LLC, San Marcos Surgicenter LLC, Sante Fe Family Practitioners PLLC, Sarah Cannon Development Innovations LLC, Sarah Cannon Research Institute LLC, Sarah Cannon Research Institute UK Limited, Sarasota Doctors Hospital Inc., Savannah Behavioral Health Associates LLC, Savannah Health Network LLC, Savannah Health Services LLC, Savannah Inpatient Services LLC, Savannah Multispecialty Associates LLC, Savannah Pediatric Care LLC, Savannah Primary Care Associates LLC, Sebring Health Services LLC, Selma Medical Center Hospital Inc., Senior Health Associates LLC, Short Pump Imaging LLC, Silicon Valley Health Holdings LLC, Silicon Valley Surgery Center L.P., Silicon Valley Surgicenter LLC, Sky Ridge Spine Manager LLC, Sky Ridge Surgery Center L.P., Skyline Medical Group LLC, Skyline Neuroscience Associates LLC, Skyline Rehab Associates LLC, Skyline Specialty Associates LLC, Smith Laboratories Inc., Solis Mammography at Bayshore Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Clear Lake Regional Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Conroe Regional Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Denton Regional Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at HCA Houston Tomball LLC, Solis Mammography at Kingwood Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Las Colinas Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center Alliance LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center Arlington LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center of Lewisville LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center of McKinney LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center of Plano LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical City Dallas LLC, Solis Mammography at Pearland Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Rose Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Skyline Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at StoneCrest Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at West Houston Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Womans Hospital of Texas LLC, Solis Mammography of Cedar Hill LLC, Solis Mammography of CyFair LLC, Solis Mammography of Dallas LLC, Solis Mammography of Flower Mound LLC, Solis Mammography of Frisco LLC, Solis Mammography of Garland LLC, Solis Mammography of Grand Prairie LLC, Solis Mammography of Houston NW LLC, Solis Mammography of Katy LLC, Solis Mammography of Louetta/249 LLC, Solis Mammography of Mainland LLC, Solis Mammography of Mansfield LLC, Solis Mammography of Mesquite LLC, Solis Mammography of Montgomery LLC, Solis Mammography of North Cypress LLC, Solis Mammography of North Loop LLC, Solis Mammography of Sugar Land LLC, Solis Mammography of West Plano LLC, Solis Mammography of Womans Place LLC, South Atlantic Division Inc., South Austin Surgery Center Ltd., South Austin Surgical Management LLC, South Austin Surgicenter LLC, South Brandon Imaging LLC, South Florida Division Practice Inc., South Texas Surgicare Inc., South Transfer Center LLC, South Valley Hospital L.P., Southeast Georgia Health Services LLC, Southern Hills Medical Center LLC, Southern Hills Neurology Consultants LLC, Southern Kentucky Medicine Associates LLC, Southern Kentucky Surgicenter LLC, Southern Texas Physicians Network, Southpoint LLC, Southtown Womens Clinic LLC, Southwest Florida Health System Inc., Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center Inc., Southwest Medical Center Family Practice LLC, Southwest Medical Center Multi-Specialty Group LLC, Southwest Medical Center Surgical Group LLC, Southwest Medpro Ltd., Southwest Surgical Clinic Inc., Southwest Virginia Orthopedics and Spine LLC, Spalding Rehabilitation L.L.C., Specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology PLLC, Specialty Associates of West Houston PLLC, Specialty Physicians of Northern Virginia LLC, Specialty Surgicare of Las Vegas LP, Spotsylvania Condominium Property LLC, Spotsylvania Medical Center Inc., Spotsylvania Multi-Specialty Group LLC, Spotsylvania Regional Surgery Center LLC, Spring Branch Family Practitioners PLLC, Spring Branch Medical Center Inc., Spring Hill Hospital Inc., Spring Hill Imaging LLC, Spring Hill Physicians LLC, Springview KY LLC, Spruce Pine Healthcare LLC, St. Davids Austin Area ASC LLC, St. Davids Cardiology PLLC, St. Davids CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, St. Davids Healthcare Partnership L.P. LLP, St. Davids Heart & Vascular PLLC, St. Davids Neurology PLLC, St. Davids OB Hospitalist PLLC, St. Davids Ortho Neuro and Rehab PLLC, St. Davids Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation PLLC, St. Davids Quality Alliance LLC, St. Davids Specialized Womens Services PLLC, St. Davids Trauma Surgeons PLLC, St. Lucie Hospitalists LLC, St. Lucie Medical Center Hyperbarics LLC, St. Lucie Medical Center Walk-In Clinic LLC, St. Lucie Medical Specialists LLC, St. Lucie West Primary Care LLC, St. Marks Ambulatory Surgery Associates L.P., St. Marks Gynecology Oncology Care LLC, St. Marks Investments Inc., St. Marks Physician Billing LLC, St. Marks Professional Services LLC, St. Marks South Jordan Family Practice LLC, St. Martins Healthcare Limited, St. Martins Ltd., St. Martins Medical Services Limited, St. Petersburg General Surgery LLC, Stafford Imaging LLC, Statland Medical Group LLC, Steamboat Springs Surgicenter LLC, Sterling Primary Care Associates LLC, Stiles Road Imaging LLC, StoneCrest Surgery Center LLC, StoneSprings Medical Office Building Property LLC, StoneSprings Surgicenter LLC, Stonecrest Medical Group - Family Practice of Murfreesboro LLC, Stonecrest Medical Group - SC Murfreesboro Family Practice LLC, Stones River Hospital LLC, Suburban Medical Center at Hoffman Estates Inc., Sugar Land Surgery Center Anesthesia LLC, Sugar Land Surgery Center Ltd., Sullins Surgical Center Inc., Summit Convenient Care at Lebanon LLC, Summit General Partner Inc., Summit Heart LLC, Summit Outpatient Diagnostic Center LLC, Summit Research Solutions LLC, Summit Surgery Center L.P., Summit Surgical Associates LLC, Summit Walk-in Clinic LLC, Sun Bay Medical Office Building Inc., Sun City Hospital Inc., Sun City Imaging LLC, Sun Towers/Vista Hills Holding Co., Sun-Med LLC, Sunrise Flamingo Holdings LLC, Sunrise Flamingo Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center LLC, Sunrise Mountainview Hospital Inc., Sunrise Mountainview Multi-Specialty Clinics LLC, Sunrise Outpatient Services Inc., Sunrise Physician Services LLC, Sunrise Trauma Services LLC, Surgery Associates of NTX PLLC, Surgery Center of Atlantis LLC, Surgery Center of Aventura Ltd., Surgery Center of Bay Area Houston LLC, Surgery Center of Greenview L.P., Surgery Center of Independence L.P., Surgery Center of Overland Park L.P., Surgery Center of Port Charlotte Ltd., Surgery Center of Rome L.P., Surgery Center of the Rockies LLC, Surgical Associates of Southwest Virginia LLC, Surgical Care Medical Group LLC, Surgical Center of Irving Inc., Surgical Facility of West Houston L.P., Surgical Park Center Ltd., Surgical Specialists of Clear Lake PLLC, Surgical Specialists of Conroe PLLC, Surgical Specialists of Corpus Christi PLLC, Surgicare America - Winter Park Inc., Surgicare Merger Company of Louisiana, Surgicare Outpatient Center of Baton Rouge Inc., Surgicare Outpatient Center of Jackson Inc., Surgicare of ADC LLC, Surgicare of AGI LLC, Surgicare of Alpine LLC, Surgicare of Altamonte Springs Inc., Surgicare of Anchorage LLC, Surgicare of Arapahoe LLC, Surgicare of Arlington LLC, Surgicare of Ashburn LLC, Surgicare of Augusta Inc., Surgicare of Aurora Endoscopy LLC, Surgicare of Aventura LLC, Surgicare of Bay Area Endoscopy LLC, Surgicare of Bay Area LLC, Surgicare of Bayonet Point Inc., Surgicare of Bayside LLC, Surgicare of Bountiful LLC, Surgicare of Brandon Inc., Surgicare of Brentwood LLC, Surgicare of Brighton LLC, Surgicare of Brooksville LLC, Surgicare of Brownsville LLC, Surgicare of Buckhead LLC, Surgicare of CAREOS LLC, Surgicare of Central Florida Inc., Surgicare of Central Park Surgery Center LLC, Surgicare of Central San Antonio Inc., Surgicare of Chattanooga LLC, Surgicare of Chippenham LLC, Surgicare of Citrus LLC, Surgicare of Clarksville LLC, Surgicare of Corpus Christi LLC, Surgicare of Countryside Inc., Surgicare of Dallas Specialty LLC, Surgicare of Denton Inc., Surgicare of Denver Clinic LLC, Surgicare of Denver LLC, Surgicare of Denver Mid-Town Inc., Surgicare of Dickson LLC, Surgicare of Eastside LLC, Surgicare of Evans Inc., Surgicare of Fairfax Inc., Surgicare of Florida Inc., Surgicare of Flower Mound Inc., Surgicare of Focus Hand LLC, Surgicare of Fort Worth Co-GP LLC, Surgicare of Fort Worth Inc., Surgicare of Ft. Pierce Inc., Surgicare of Good Samaritan LLC, Surgicare of Gramercy Inc., Surgicare of Greenview Inc., Surgicare of Hanover Inc., Surgicare of Houston Kingwood LLC, Surgicare of Houston LLC, Surgicare of Houston Womens Inc., Surgicare of Indianapolis Inc., Surgicare of Kansas City LLC, Surgicare of Kingwood LLC, Surgicare of Kissimmee Inc., Surgicare of Lakeview Inc., Surgicare of Las Vegas Inc., Surgicare of Laurel Grove LLC, Surgicare of Lorain County Inc., Surgicare of Los Gatos Inc., Surgicare of Los Robles LLC, Surgicare of Loveland LLC, Surgicare of Madison Inc., Surgicare of Manatee Inc., Surgicare of McKinney Inc., Surgicare of Medical City Dallas LLC, Surgicare of Memorial Endoscopy LLC, Surgicare of Merritt Island Inc., Surgicare of Miami Lakes LLC, Surgicare of Mountain West LLC, Surgicare of Mt. Ogden LLC, Surgicare of Nashville LLC, Surgicare of Natchez LLC, Surgicare of Newport Richey Inc., Surgicare of North Austin LLC, Surgicare of North San Antonio Inc., Surgicare of Northeast San Antonio Inc., Surgicare of Orange Park II LLC, Surgicare of Orange Park Inc., Surgicare of Orange Park Ltd., Surgicare of Orlando Inc., Surgicare of Overland Park LLC, Surgicare of Palms West LLC, Surgicare of Park Ridge LLC, Surgicare of Pasadena Inc., Surgicare of Pavilion LLC, Surgicare of Physicians West El Paso LLC, Surgicare of Pinellas Inc., Surgicare of Plano Inc., Surgicare of Plantation Inc., Surgicare of Port Charlotte LLC, Surgicare of Port St. Lucie Inc., Surgicare of Portsmouth LLC, Surgicare of Premier Orthopaedic LLC, Surgicare of Reston Inc., Surgicare of Ridgeline LLC, Surgicare of Riverside LLC, Surgicare of Riverwalk LLC, Surgicare of Roanoke LLC, Surgicare of Rome Inc., Surgicare of Rose LLC, Surgicare of Round Rock Inc., Surgicare of Royal Oaks LLC, Surgicare of Silicon Valley LLC, Surgicare of Sky Ridge LLC, Surgicare of Sky Ridge Womens Center LLC, Surgicare of South Austin Inc., Surgicare of Southeast Denver Inc., Surgicare of Southern Hills Inc., Surgicare of Southern Kentucky LLC, Surgicare of Southwest Houston LLC, Surgicare of Spotsylvania LLC, Surgicare of St. Andrews Inc., Surgicare of St. Andrews Ltd., Surgicare of St. Davids Austin LLC, Surgicare of Steamboat Springs LLC, Surgicare of StoneCrest LLC, Surgicare of StoneSprings LLC, Surgicare of Stuart Inc., Surgicare of Sugar Land Inc., Surgicare of Swedish LLC, Surgicare of Tallahassee Inc., Surgicare of Terre Haute LLC, Surgicare of Thornton LLC, Surgicare of Travis Center Inc., Surgicare of Tulsa Inc., Surgicare of Utah LLC, Surgicare of Wasatch Front LLC, Surgicare of West Hills Inc., Surgicare of Westlake Inc., Surgicare of Wichita Inc., Surgicare of Wichita LLC, Surgicare of Willis LLC, Surgicare of Wilson County LLC, Surgicare of Winchester LLC, Surgicenter of East Jefferson Inc., Surgicenter of Johnson County Ltd. a Kansas limited partnership, Surgicenter of Kansas City L.L.C., Surgico LLC, Swedish MOB Acquisition Inc., Swedish MOB I Ltd., Swedish MOB II Inc., Swedish MOB III Inc., Swedish MOB IV Inc., Swedish MOB LLC, Swedish Medpro Inc., TBHI Outpatient Services LLC, TCMC Madison-Portland Inc., THN Physicians Association Inc., TUHC Anesthesiology Group LLC, TUHC Hospitalist Group LLC, TUHC Physician Group LLC, TUHC Primary Care and Pediatrics Group LLC, TUHC Radiology Group LLC, Tallahassee Community Network Inc., Tallahassee Medical Center Inc., Tallahassee Orthopaedic Surgery Partners Ltd., Tampa Bay Health System Inc., Tampa Surgi-Centre Inc., Tarrant County Surgery Center L.P., Tchefuncte Cardiology Associates - Lakeview LLC, Teays Valley Health Services LLC, Telehealth Physician Services LLC, Tennessee Healthcare Management Inc., Tennessee Valley Outpatient Diagnostic Center LLC, Terre Haute Hospital GP Inc., Terre Haute Hospital Holdings Inc., Terre Haute MOB L.P., Terre Haute Obstetrics and Gynecology LLC, Terre Haute Regional Hospital L.P., Texas CareNow Physician Associates, Texas HSS LLC, Texas Institute of Medicine and Surgery, Texas Psychiatric Company Inc., The Austin Diagnostic Clinic PLLC, The Cancer Care Center of North Florida LLC, The Cardiovascular Partnership for Quality LLC, The Charter Cypress Behavioral Health System L.L.C., The Christie Clinic LLP, The Glynne Medical Practice Limited, The Harley Street Cancer Clinic Limited, The London Breast Institute UK Ltd, The Medical Group of Kansas City LLC, The Neurohealth Sciences Center LLC, The Physicians Clinic Limited, The Prostate Centre Limited, The Rankin Foundation, The Regional Health System of Acadiana LLC, The Wasatch Endoscopy Center Ltd., The West Texas Division of Columbia Inc., Timpanogos Pain Specialists LLC, Timpanogos Regional Medical Services Inc., Total Imaging - Hudson LLC, Total Imaging - North St. Petersburg LLC, Total Imaging - Parsons LLC, Town Plaza Family Practice LLC, Travel Medicine and Infections LLC, Travis Surgery Center L.P., Tri Cities Health Services Corp., Tri-City Multi-Specialty LLC, Tri-County Community Hospital Inc., Tri-County Surgical Specialists LLC, TriStar Bone Marrow Transplant LLC, TriStar Cardiovascular Surgery LLC, TriStar Family Care LLC, TriStar Gynecology Oncology LLC, TriStar Health System Inc., TriStar Joint Replacement Institute LLC, TriStar Maury Behavioral Healthcare LLC, TriStar Medical Group - Centennial Primary Care LLC, TriStar Medical Group - Legacy Health LLC, TriStar Medical Network LLC, TriStar OB/GYN LLC, TriStar Orthopedics LLC, TriStar Physicians LLC, TriStar Radiation Oncology LLC, Trident Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Trident Behavioral Health Services LLC, Trident Eye Surgery Center L.P., Trident Medical Center LLC, Trident Medical Services Inc., Trident Neonatology Services LLC, Tulane Clinic LLC, Tulane Professionals Management L.L.C., Tuscan Imaging Center at Las Colinas LLC, U.S. Collections Inc., Ultra Imaging Management Services LLC, Ultra Imaging of Tampa LLC, University Healthcare Specialists LLC, University Healthcare System L.C., University Hospital Ltd., Uptown Primary Care Associates LLC, Urgent Care Enterprise LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Ann & Simmons LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Cactus & Southern Highlands LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Charleston & Decatur LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Charleston/Sloan LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Craig & Clayton LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Craig & Decatur LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Durango & Cheyenne LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Durango & Flamingo LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Eastern & Horizon Ridge LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Rainbow/Mardon LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Warm Springs & Green Valley LLC, Urgent Care Extra Silverado & Maryland LLC, Urgent Care Extra-Tropicana & Jones LLC, Urgent Care Nevada LLC, Urological Specialists of Arlington PLLC, Urology Associates (London) Limited, Urology Center of North Georgia LLC, Urology Services of El Paso PLLC, Urology Specialists Devonshire LLP, Urology Specialists London LLP, Urology Specialists of Kingwood PLLC, Urology Specialists of Richmond LLC, Urology Surgery Center of Colorado LLC, Utah CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Utah Imaging GP LLC, Utah Medco LLC, Utah Surgery Center L.P., VH Holdco Inc., VH Holdings Inc., VHSC Plantation LLC, VIP Inc., Valify, Valify Inc., Value Health Holdings Inc., Value Health Management Inc., Vascular and Endovascular Specialists LLC, Venture Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Venture Medical Management LLC, Village Oaks Medical Center Inc., Virginia Care Partners ACO LLC, Virginia Gynecologic Oncology LLC, Virginia Hematology & Oncology Associates Inc., Virginia Hospitalists Inc., Virginia Psychiatric Company Inc., Virginia Quality Care Partners LLC, Vision Consulting Group LLC, Vision Holdings LLC, W & C Hospital Inc., WCP Properties LLC, WHG Medical LLC, WHMC Inc., WJHC LLC, Walterboro Community Hospital Inc., Warren County Ambulance Service LLC, Wasatch Front Surgery Center LLC, Washington Holdco LLC, Waterway Primary Care LLC, Weatherford Health Services LLC, Weatherford Mammography JV LLC, Weatherford Regional Medical Center, Welbeck Street Diagnostic Centre LLP, Wellington Diagnostic Services LLP, Wesley Cath Lab LLC, Wesley Manager LLC, Wesley Medical Center LLC, Wesley Physician Services LLC, Wesley Physicians - Anesthesiologist LLC, Wesley Physicians - Cardiovascular LLC, Wesley Physicians - Medical Specialties LLC, Wesley Physicians - Obstetrics and Gynecology LLC, Wesley Physicians - Primary Care LLC, Wesley Select Network LLC, Wesley Urgent Care LLC, West Boynton Beach Open Imaging Center LLC, West Creek Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, West Creek Medical Center Inc., West Florida - MHT LLC, West Florida - PPH LLC, West Florida Behavioral Health Inc., West Florida Cardiology Network LLC, West Florida Cardiology Physicians LLC, West Florida CareNow Urgent Care LLC, West Florida Division Inc., West Florida Gulf Coast Primary Care LLC, West Florida HealthWorks LLC, West Florida Imaging Services LLC, West Florida Internal Medicine LLC, West Florida PET Services LLC, West Florida Physician Network LLC, West Florida Professional Billing LLC, West Florida Regional Medical Center Inc., West Florida Specialty Physicians LLC, West Florida Trauma Network LLC, West Florida Urgent Care Network LLC, West Hills Hospital, West Hills Surgical Center Ltd., West Houston ASC Inc., West Houston Healthcare Group Ltd., West Houston Internal Specialists PLLC, West Houston LLC, West Houston Medical PLLC, West Houston Outpatient Medical Facility Inc., West Houston Surgicare Inc., West Jacksonville Medical Center Inc., West Jordan Hospital Corporation, West LPN Fort Worth Oncology PLLC, West LPN Inc., West Los Angeles Physicians Hospital Inc., West McKinney Imaging Services LLC, West Paces Services Inc., West Park Surgery Center L.P., West Valley Imaging LLC, West Valley Medical Center Inc., West Valley Medical Group LLC, West Valley Medical Group Specialty Services LLC, West Valley Therapy Services LLC, Westbury Hospital Inc., Western Plains Capital Inc., Westlake Surgicare L.P., Westminster Community Hospital, Westside Surgery Center Ltd., Wichita CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Wildwood Medical Center Inc., Willis Surgicenter LLC, Wilson County Outpatient Surgery Center L.P., Womans Health Group PLLC, Womans Hospital Merger LLC, Womans Hospital of Texas Incorporated, Women Practitioners of Houston PLLC, Women Specialists of Bayshore PLLC, Women Specialists of Clear Lake PLLC, Women Specialists of Mainland PLLC, Womens & Childrens Center LLC, Womens & Childrens Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Center LLC, Womens & Childrens Pulmonology Clinic LLC, Womens Center at Brookside LLC, Womens Health Center of Central Florida LLC, Womens Health Center of SWVA LLC, Womens Hospital Indianapolis GP Inc., Womens Hospital Indianapolis L.P., Womens Link Specialty Obstetrical Referral Clinic PLLC, Womens Multi-Specialty Group LLC, Womens Surgical Specialists of Texas PLLC, Womens and Childrens Professional Management L.L.C., Womens and Childrens Specialists LLC, hInsight-Airstrip Holdings LLC, hInsight-BMA Holdings LLC, hInsight-Customer Care Holdings LLC, hInsight-Digital Reasoning Holdings LLC, hInsight-Healthbox Holdings LLC, hInsight-I2 Holdings LLC, hInsight-InVivoLink Holdings LLC, hInsight-LS Holdings LLC, hInsight-Loyale Healthcare Holdings LLC, hInsight-Mobile Heartbeat Holdings LLC, hInsight-NX LLC, hInsight-PWS I Holdings LLC, hInsight-Procured Holdings LLC, and hInsight-VAI Holdings LLC.
Contempt case against Kantipur sent to full bench

A contempt of court case against the Kantipur daily has been referred to a five-member full bench of the Supreme Court (SC).
Govt tells hospitals to make charges public

The Health Ministry has decided to ask all the health facilities, especially hospitals, to make public the fees they charge for services.
IBN directors to decide fate of West Seti hydro

The fate of the West Seti Hydropower Project, which was thrown into doubt after its potential developer China Three Gorges Corporation (CTGC) said it would not go ahead with the scheme if the power purchase rate was not increased, will be decided at an upcoming meeting of the board of directors of Investment Board Nepal (IBN).
Amazons head of sales in Singapore would be in Vietnam later this month for an e-commerce forum held in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where the executive is expected to sign a deal with the Vietnam E-Commerce Association (VECOM), a VECOM representative said on Tuesday.

The 2018 Vietnam Online Business Forum (VOBF 2018) will open in Hanoi on March 14, before moving to Ho Chi Minh City on March 16.

The Amazon sales executive will take to the stage at both events to outline the companys analysis of Vietnams fast-growing e-commerce market, as well as its strategies in the Southeast Asian nation.

The upcoming deal, which was discussed at a meeting late last year between Amazon and VECOM, would open the door for Vietnams small and medium-sized enterprises to reach foreign markets through Amazons platform.

The move is seen as the companys first step in wading into Vietnams ludicrous online retailing market, which reported a growth rate of 25 percent in 2017 and is showing no signs of slowing down, according to VECOM.

There are reportedly thousands of websites offering online shopping experience in the Southeast Asian country of 93 million people, which posted an average increase in revenue of 35 percent last year, VECOM said.

As online retailing blooms in Vietnam, delivery services also saw hiking growth rates of between 62 percent and 200 percent in 2017, the association added.

A customer receives delivery for a product she bought online in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The entrance of Amazon into Vietnam is forecast to be warmly welcomed by local consumers, who have resorted to ordering via third parties or paid extra shipping fees to buy products sold on the platform.

Amazons Vietnam venture will not be entirely smooth sailing, economic experts predict, as the U.S. tech giant will face fierce competition from local powers and Chinese investors that have spearheaded the foreign invasion into the market.

Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com recently poured US$44 million into Tiki, one of Vietnams first and largest Internet retailing platforms, to become a strategic shareholder at the company.

Chinas Alibaba, the worlds top online retailer by total sales, has also spent nearly $1 billion taking over the control of the Southeast Asian business of German e-commerce company Lazada, including its operations in Vietnam.

Singapores Shopee and South Koreas Lotte have announced their multimillion-dollar plans to remain in the race for a fair share of Vietnams e-commerce market as well.

Amazons chief executive and founder Jeff Bezos is the worlds first centi-billionaire, according to the latest Forbes rich list.

Bezos' net worth has now surpassed the $112 billion mark, making him the only person on the ultra-wealthy list worth more than $100 billion.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Over a thousand tax-free automobiles from Japanese carmaker Honda have been imported from Thailand into Vietnam, and their prices are expected to fall by nearly VND200 million ($8,784) apiece.

A total of 1,054 duty-free Honda cars arrived at Hiep Phuoc Port in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday.

A zero percent import tariff was applied on the vehicles instead of 30 percent like in the past, in accordance with the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA).

ASEAN is short for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which is a political and economic organization whose members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

According to an official announcement from Honda Vietnam, compact SUV Honda CR-V prices were listed at between VND958 million ($42,076) and VND1.068 billion ($46,907).

Compared to their previous cost, when the 30 percent tax was in place, the CR-V 1.5E and CR-V 1.5G decreased by VND178 million ($7,818) and VND188 million ($8,257) per car, respectively.

The price reduction was also applied to the Honda Jazz, which sells for VND539 million ($23,673) to VND619 million ($27,187) apiece, and Honda Civic, whose highest price is VND898 million ($39,441).

However, there are no changes to the cost of the Civic 1.5L and Accord, which sells for VND898 million and VND1.198 billion ($52,617), respectively.

A reduction was already applied to these two lines of cars last year, a Honda representative explained.

According to local car dealers, customers still need to wait until April to be able to purchase these automobiles.

The vehicles will need to undergo several tests as part of the customs clearance process, a customs officer at Hiep Phuoc Port stated.

About VND250 billion ($10.9 million) is expected to be contributed to the state budget following the purchase of these cars, thanks to a 35 to 40 percent excise tariff and value added tax (VAT), he continued.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Indian man held with Rs 4.5m

An Indian national has been arrested in possession of Rs 4.5 million from Biratnagar Metropolis-15 on Tuesday.
Once a victim of an acute cancer, P.T.N.T., 67, is now a healthy and hard-working woman.

T. is the devoted owner of a jelly candy business selling handmade sweets to customers in and out of Vietnam.

She is still passionate about making jelly candy and designing new shapes to make her sweets more appealing.

Nobody would suspect this hard-working and life-loving woman is a survivor of an acute lung cancer thanks to her cheerful yet professional look.

She, living in Ho Chi Minh City, was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, a rare and highly fatal cancer with rapid progression, over 20 years ago, when she just began learning how to make jelly candy.

T. was admitted to hospital in a critical condition, with pleural and pericardial effusion and shortage of breath.

Unable to sit up, she had to lie down on bed for four months.

Doctors then said she could only live for another four years at best.

Her family was told to prepare for her funeral after her first chemotherapy round.

The power of love

T. did not quit despite getting tired from chemo sessions and having to lie down all day.

She was worried about her budding business as she had not yet entrusted it to anyone.

She had to finish what she had started.

Her biggest motivation, however, came from her boyfriend, her companion throughout the harsh time when she got admitted.

I didnt marry him, yet my boyfriend was always there for me, right from the moment I got diagnosed up until the day he passed away, T. recalled.

He might not be my husband, but he was more than my family. He took care of my business in the day and took care of me at night. He even slept in the hospital hallway to make sure that I was still okay.

He had my meals prepared every day. He also caringly inquired my conditions from the doctors.

He held my hands tight and lovingly looked into my eyes whenever I inclined to give up, telling me to hold on to my dear life irrespective of what might come.

There, I found my motivation. He gave me the reason to live on.

Her companion gave all he could to support, to encourage, and to endear her through the harshest time.

That was when T. realized how lucky she was to have such a caring partner by her side.

The power of will

I believe that the best weapon against acute cancer is your will, T. said.

Thanks to sheer willpower, I could fight off the disease and became a survivor as I am today.

So dont be afraid. Once youre feeling down, your health will spiral and the battle is lost.

My relatives had given great support and taken great care of me, not to mention my companion, a devoted person who was always there when I needed.

They made me realize I have to fight back, because this beautiful and meaningful life is worth fighting for.

Dr. Diep Bao Tuan, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, commented: I have never witnessed such extraordinary display of willpower from severely ill patients during my 20 years of working in this hospital.

She suffered from hair loss, vomiting, and fatigue after every session, yet she still managed to get herself to eat something so that she could go for another chemo round, Dr. Tuan said.

She displayed unwavering willpower and an absolute commitment to treatment procedures.

The support and care from her relatives also played a decisive role in her recovery.

Her health began to stabilize and she showed no sign of relapse after three years of treatment [from 1993 to 1996].

T. still amazes the doctors upon her regular health checks for being a survivor of small cell lung cancer.

She has been even visited and documented by a few doctors from the U.S. for her case.

She managed to do the unthinkable, and now leads a happy life she deserves.

Thanks to the love and support of her family and her partner, she can now continue the career she has always wished for.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
SYDNEY -- A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Papua New Guineas mountainous Southern Highlands on Wednesday killing at least 18 people, an official said, a week after a larger quake flattened villages and killed at least 55 people.

The tremor, shortly after midnight local time, struck just 31 km (19 miles) southwest of the epicenter of last Mondays magnitude 7.5 quake that has left government and aid agencies scrambling to provide emergency supplies to the remote region.

Australia and New Zealand said on Wednesday they would increase aid to Papua New Guinea.

Australia will deploy three helicopters this week to deliver aid, while New Zealand will send a second military plane to distribute medical equipment, hygiene kits and tarpaulins.

Wednesdays quake was the most severe of a series of aftershocks that have rattled the resource-rich region, about 600 km (370 miles) northwest of the capital Port Moresby.

William Bando, the administrator of Hela Province, said initial reports put the death toll from the aftershock at 18.

It appears Hides was hardest hit. We havent heard about potential casualties there yet, but it is a big village with many people, he added.

Manasseh Makiba, Papua New Guineas Vice Minister for Petroleum & Energy who represents parts of Hela Province in parliament, said victims were still being found.

People are still being extracted from mud. People are still being taken to hospitals, he said.

Local media outlets reported the death toll from the original quake had risen to 75, after government officials said previously that 55 people had been killed.

A spokeswoman at Papua New Guineas National Disaster Center said on Wednesday that authorities were finalizing a final report into the casualties from the first quake.

James Komengi, a United Church project officer, speaking from Tari, the capital of quake-affected Hela province, said his churchs assessment and response center had counted up to 67 deaths in that province alone.

Aid efforts are being hampered as rescue workers struggle to reach the highlands area as many roads are either badly damaged or blocked.

The International Red Cross warned the situation could deteriorate if heavy rains hit the region.

We are anxious to reach communities while there is a lull in what is usually a season of heavy rain. A big downpour could bring landslides in hillsides already destabilized by the earthquake, cause floods and contaminate water, said Udaya Regmi, Director the International Red Cross in Papua New Guinea.

The Red Cross said its initial assessments indicate that as many as 143,000 people could have been affected, with an estimated 500 people injured and 17,000 people displaced from their homes. Even in more accessible areas of the country, health facilities have been damaged.

ExxonMobil, which shut its $19 billion PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project after the first quake, said on Wednesday its facilities in Hides, where it runs a gas conditioning plant, were safely shut in. All employees and contractors were safe.
Hanoi will keep having its advertisements run on a major American news channel in 2018 as part of a large contract made two years ago, in a bid to attract more foreign visitors to the Vietnamese capital.

An official document by the Hanoi Department of Tourism said that the continuation conforms to a memorandum of cooperation and a $2 million agreement signed in 2016 by Hanoi and CNN, valid from 2017 through 2018.

On March 1, the department received a letter from CNN informing it of the broadcast schedule on CNN International of the advertisements, which are produced by the channels editorial staff and have the content checked by Hanoi.

The network is expected to show three 30-second advertisements of the city, namely Hanoi-Vietnams Heart, Hanoi-Cradle of Heritage and Hanoi-History, Culture and People.

They are broadcast in three periods, lasting from March 5 to December 23, on the CNN network covering the Asia-Pacific, Europe & the Middle East, North America and South Asia.

The minimum number of times of carrying the advertisements is 1,510.

One million dollars worth of advertising has been spent on the channel so far.

The remaining $1 million will be used to pay for promoting the image of Hanoi and its businesses, said Nguyen Duc Chung, chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee.

The purpose is to draw international visitors to Hanoi and Vietnam, Chung added.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Vietnamese State President Tran Dai Quang has urged local businesses to boost their investment in Bangladesh, thus creating a new momentum for stronger ties between the two countries.

The Vietnamese head of state attended the Vietnam-Bangladesh Business Forum in Dhaka on Tuesday, as part of his state visit to the South Asian country from March 4 to 6, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

Speaking at the event, President Quang expressed his joy at the progress of the bilateral relationship, affirming that visits by senior officials of the two nations have helped create new impulses for their relations.

Cooperation mechanisms have been forming across fields, especially trade and investment, he stressed.

Vietnam always attaches importance to boosting the traditional relationship and cooperation with Bangladesh, and is willing to share its experience in various fields, the leader continued.

He encouraged Vietnamese businesses to expand their investment in Bangladesh, in such areas as telecoms, information technology, agriculture, food processing, oil and gas, infrastructure development, and services.

The economies of Vietnam and Bangladesh share many similarities, which is an important condition for their businesses to increase investment ties.

Quang asked Bangladeshi authorities to provide further support and favorable conditions for Vietnamese firms to access Bangladeshs market.

Bangladeshi enterprises are also welcomed to invest in Vietnam, he noted, expressing his belief that the two nations bilateral trade will surpass $1 billion this year and top $2 billion in 2020.

Vietnam will provide the best possible conditions for the businesses in both countries to cooperate in an effective and long-term manner for the sake of each nations sustainable development, the leader said.

Later on the same day, President Quang, the First Lady, and a high-level Vietnamese delegation attended the opening ceremony of a Vietnam Culture Days event in Bangladesh, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (1973-2018).

The Vietnamese president left Dhaka in the evening, concluding his three-day trip to the country.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Here are the news stories you should not miss today:

Politics

-- Businesses in Vietnam and Bangladesh should contribute to stronger trade and investment links between the two countries, State President Tran Dai Quang said during a business forum in Dhaka on Tuesday, as part of his state visit to Bangladesh from March 4 to 6.

-- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is scheduled to pay official visits to New Zealand from March 12 to 14 and Australia from March 14 to 18.

Society

-- A serious traffic jam occurred along Ring Road 3 in Hanoi from Tuesday morning to the afternoon after a container truck encountered an accident.

-- A unit under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) has signed a deal with Canadas Morfund Financial Inc. regarding a US$5 billion investment in a high-speed railway route connecting Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

-- The construction of a bridge connecting Gia Rai Commune with Dong Hai District in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu has been delayed for six years because one household does not agree to relocate.

-- Police in the northern province of Lang Son are hunting for the suspect who murdered a man and his son as the two were looking for honey in a local forest on Friday of last week.

-- A man in Da Lat City, located in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, committed suicide after stabbing his wife to death over an intense argument on Tuesday.

Business

-- The Peoples Committee in the north-central province of Quang Binh has urged businesses from the United States to invest in wind and solar power projects in the locality.

-- The first batch of tax-free Honda automobiles was imported from Thailand into Hiep Phuoc Port in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday. Their prices decreased by nearly VND200 million ($8,784) per car.

-- During this years Vietnam Online Business Forum (VOBF 2018), online retail giant Amazon is expected to initiate its cooperation program in the Southeast Asian country, allowing local businesses to sell their products via the Amazon platform, a representative from the Vietnam E-Commerce Association said on Tuesday.

-- Four Vietnamese people have been named among the The Forbes World's Billionaires list in 2018, which includes 2,208 richest people across the globe.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The investment in the form of a public-private partnership (PPP) has been formalized in a memorandum of understanding signed between MorFund and Phuong Nam Science and Technology Institute (PNSTI), which was responsible for the projects feasibility study.

PNSTI said the investment deal was the last legal ground needed for a complete feasibility report on the project, which would be submitted to the Ministry of Transport, the prime minister and the lawmaking National Assembly later this year for approval.

Construction of the high-speed rail, which would shorten travel time between Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho to roughly 45 minutes, is expected to commence in late 2018.

The project has been studied for five years by PNSTI and the Southern Transport Engineering Design Inc. (TEDI South), with professional assistance from local experts.

According to the research teams proposal, the upcoming high-speed rail will run 139 kilometers from Tan Kien Metro Station in Ho Chi Minh Citys Binh Chanh District to Cai Cui Port in Can Tho, with stops in the provinces of Long An, Tien Giang and Vinh Long.

A map of the proposed high-speed rail between Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho City in southern Vietnam. Graphic: Tuoi Tre

New urban areas will be planned for development around each stop, each with its own industrial park, residential neighborhoods, schools, hospitals and supermarkets.

Passenger trains will be able to reach top speeds of over 200 kilometers per hour and take roughly 45 minutes to travel the entire length of the route.

According to Prof. Dr. Tran Cong Hoang Quoc Trang, president of PNSTI, the Canadian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City has pledged to provide professional and technical support for the projects development with its experience in modern rail technologies.

At present, the Mekong Delta region in southern Vietnam is not connected to the countrys north-south railway network, which has its last station in Ho Chi Minh City.

Traveling by road from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho takes roughly three and a half hours.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Security and flight safety have been compromised in many airports across Vietnam due to poor construction of perimeter fencing systems and loose security.

Security fences around multiple airdromes are not secure enough to prevent both accidental and intentional break-ins, while lax security steps and improper surveillance camera systems at some facilities exacerbate the problem.

Earlier this week, a mental patient managed to climb the fence into Vinh International Airport, located in the namesake city in the north-central province of Nghe An, before getting onto an aircraft without anyones notice.

The flight attendants only figured out the situation after the man failed to present his boarding pass.

Following the incident, five airport employees were fined for their carelessness, whereas the airdrome itself was also slapped with a VND40 million (US$ 1,756) pecuniary penalty.

Dinh Viet Thang, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the employees in charge of aviation security and airline procedures had not fulfilled their duties regarding the supervision and inspection of the airfield.

Flyers undergo security checks at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A probe also showed that the surveillance camera system does not cover all areas at the airport, while several sections of the perimeter fences can also be easily compromised by trespassers, Thang continued.

Hoang Van Thu, director of the Vinh airport, stated that the facility management is planning to add barbed wires to the fences around the airport.

A new security post has also been constructed, while around-the-clock supervision will be in place.

In October 2017, flights at Cam Ranh International Airport were delayed for 20 minutes after a dog ran onto the runways.

In 2012, operations at Phu Bai Airport in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue were ceased for a day and 60 people were mobilized to catch a gaur that had entered the facility.

In another case, a drunk man managed to trespass on an airport in Buon Ma Thuot City in the Central Highlands during a night in 2011. He then took a nap on one of the aircraft.

The perimeter fence at Phu Bai Airport in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Reassessment

Thang, director of the CAAV, stated that the agency will review the quality of all perimeter fencing systems of airports across the country.

Reinforcement will be carried out if necessary, he added.

The CAAV will also task the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) with assessing security systems, infrastructure, and procedures at local airdromes.

Sudden examinations will be conducted to make sure that the facilities comply with regulations on aviation safety.

According to Do Tat Binh, deputy general director of the ACV, more cameras will be added to the CCTV systems of all airports.

That many airdromes are located near residential areas is also a reason for the problem, Binh stated.

During an interview with Tuoi Tre, a representative of a local carrier considered that solving issues of airport security requires the responsibility of many sides including CCTV operators, aviation security employees, airline procedure officers, flight attendants, and cabin crews.

The gaur is captured after running into Phu Bai Airport in 2012. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
New foodie series Luke Nguyens Food Trail begins next week on SBS.

The 13 part sees Luke Nguyen trace his personal history and career, with lots of tasty dishes along the way.

Episode 1 begins in Sydney.

Luke Nguyens Food Trail tracks Lukes life and career from where it all started in Sydney  moving to Saigon and then onto Hong Kong. Throughout the series Luke is joined by close friends, local chefs, and of course his family, which play such a large part of this life.

Along the way Luke visits fish markets and producers cooking some delicious Vietnamese dishes, and is joined by celebrated local chefs who cook a variety of Asian and Caribbean cuisines.

Series One, Episode One: Sydney Australia

Luke explores and reminisces about his childhood growing up in Cabramatta. He meets with his high school friend, Thai, to cook a traditional Vietnamese Curry. Luke then takes us behind the scenes at his Sydney restaurant and cooks mouth-watering Pork Belly and a coconut milk fish.

Thursday, 15 March at 8.05pm on SBS.
Create NSW and ABC Arts this week opened applications for the 2019 Documentary Feature Fund, now in its third year.

Each feature length arts documentary receives a world premiere at the Sydney Film Festival prior to screening on ABC, with Create NSW contributing $100,000 to each production and the ABC allocating a $150,000 license fee.

Previous projects Kriv Stenders The Go-Betweens: Right Here and upcoming 2018 film Double Happiness: China Love have also received additional major production funding from Screen Australia.

Create NSW Director of Sector Investment Sophia Zachariou said, From rock music to the fascinating phenomenon of Chinese pre-wedding photography, this is a great chance for filmmakers to really explore the unexplored and captivate audiences with their chosen subject  whatever that may be!

Kriv Stenders The Go-Betweens: Right Here was a fantastic production and were very excited about unveiling Double Happiness: China Love later this year. Good things come in threes as they say, so were looking forward to seeing what we can discover in this third year of a fantastic partnership with the ABC.

ABC Manager of Arts Richard Buckham added, The ABC is proud to have partnered with Create NSW to initiate the Documentary Feature Fund. Initiatives like this are integral to the Australian filmmaking industry, allowing us to invest in quality local content and highlight the rich and diverse range of Australian stories. I look forward to reviewing some exciting applications for our 2019 fund.

Applications are now open and close midnight Sunday 15 April 2018.
Kris Smith takes to The Living Room couch this Friday, with a travel story about the Nullarbor Plain.

Joining Amanda Keller, Miguel Maestre and Grant Denyer, Kris comes to the table with a spectacular travel story, exploring Australias vast and imposing stretch of desert: the Nullarbor Plain. Infamous for vexing countless English explorers before him, Kris decides to tackle the Plain via plane, but not before seeing the beauty from ground level, choosing to cruise the desolate highway by car before hitching a ride on a 140 tonne road train.

Grant Denyer seems to have made himself at home on The Living Room couch, so it is only fair that Amanda pays a visit to his real home: a farm on the outskirts of Bathurst that he shares with his wife Chezzi and daughters Scout and Sailor. Amanda meets all of Grants loveable companions, from cows to some aptly named chickens and, of course, his prized 65 Mustang Audrey.

Also exploring the rural side of Australia is Miguel, who visits an organic dairy farm in regional Victoria to learn the secrets of how to make delicious yoghurt, while Cherie Barber stays in the city to provide tips on storage and styling dilemmas in small, inner-city apartments.

Friday, 9 March at 7.30pm on TEN.
Leaders vow to work together for prosperity

Top leaders of the ruling and opposition parties have vowed to work together for the countrys prosperity saying that time had come to focus on development with the elections ending a prolonged political transition.
Aussie fans of Vicki Pattison can catch her in UK bridal reality series Say Yes to the Dress: UK (yep, thats actually her!).

This episode aired in the UK in early February amid reports her wedding has been pushed back by a year. Pattison, however, maintains she is dead happy with her bloke.

Shes battled her fear of heights hanging 600m up off a cliff, consumed the unthinkable and come face to face with a deadly brown snake in the South African jungle; but how will former Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattinson fare in the battle to find her dream wedding dress? All will be revealed when Say Yes to the Dress: UK, hosted by designer David Emanuel, returns to TLC Wednesday 21 March at 8.30pm AEDT

Every bride deserves to wear the perfect dress on their big day, and David Emanuel  best known for designing Princess Dianas iconic wedding dress  is back at bridal store Confetti & Lace in Essex to help the dreams of brides-to-be become a reality.

The series return kicks off with Vicky Pattison enlisting the help of David to help her find her dream gown ahead of her wedding to fiance John Noble. However, it seems David is going to have his work cut out for him, as Vicky is on a mission to find not one but two wedding dresses for her special day. The bride has kept her expectations high; she wants a dress that will not only knock peoples socks off, but that also embodies class and sophistication, and shes come with an entourage that isnt afraid to voice their opinions.

Vicky Pattison, who won the British version of Im a Celebrity  Get Me Out of Here! in 2015, is currently in the South African jungle competing in the final week of the Australian version of the show.

Other episodes this season see David take on the challenge of assisting a bride who has tried on more than 100 dresses, but still hasnt found the one, and he finds himself caught between a bride who wants to amp up the sexy factor for her special day, while her mum wants her to #savethesexyforanotherday.

There will be no shortage of drama as David Emanuel and his dress-obsessed consultants at Confetti & Lace strive to find Vicky and a host of new demanding and devoted brides their dream gowns in Say Yes to the Dress: UK.

Wednesday 21 March at 8.30pm on TLC
In iran, the recent round of 2017/2018 protests has brought fresh scrutiny to the Iranian regime, which claims to be in control of their country. Yet the protests demonstrate that there are cracks and the Iranian people are vocalising their dissatisfaction with the mullahs and the Iran government.

During the current session of the UN Human Rights Council, a meeting on the human rights situation was held, focusing in the aftermath of the popular uprising that began in 2017. The meeting was hosted by France Libertes, Mouvement Contre le racisme et pour lamitie entre les peuples (MRAP), the Womens Human Rights International Association (WHRIA), and the International Educational Development (IED).

The various panellists included individuals who have continued to speak out regarding the human rights situation within Iran, particularly the efforts of the regime to quiet any opinions or potential gatherings that the mullahs see as a threat to their power.

The role of the PMOI/MEK in recent uprising in Iran

One of the points made at the meeting is that the regime is concerned about the continuing role of People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran or the Mojahedin-e Khalq - PMOI/MEK in Iran, despite efforts to stamp out this opposition group, which is the main group in the coalition of Iranian opposition groups, known at the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). The PMOI/MEK have pointed out that there is no reforming the regime and that the only hope for Iran is regime change.

In the introductory comments of the meeting, it was pointed out that 90% of the executions in the Middle East happen in Iran.

The response from the regime against the protestors included arrests, the use of malware to track those who participated in the protests, sending in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to gun down protesters in the streets, and of those arrested, 16 have died in custody.

The EU must understand the true nature of the so-called justice system in Iran, where the current Justice Minister Ali Reza Avaei has been listed on EU and UK terrorist lists since 2011, said Struan Stevenson, Member of the European Parliament (1999-2014) and Coordinator for the campaign for a change in Iran. He called on the United Nations and the international community to hold Iran responsible for its actions against the Iranian people, especially in regard to the 1988 massacre of political prisoners and to demand the release of those arrested in the recent protests.

The human rights situation in Iran has deteriorated dramatically over the past few months, said Giulio Terzi, former Italian Foreign Minister. He then went on to quote statistics of how many individuals were arrested as part of the recent protests and the injuries and killings that resulted as the regime attempted to impose its will upon the Iranian people, many of whom are dealing with poverty while the regime spends billions on its military endeavours throughout the Middle East.

Terzi noted that killing prisoners through torture and then claiming that they committed suicide has become a regular practice of the regime.

All of the speakers called on the international community to investigate the 1988 massacre, but also to hold Iran accountable for its actions, and not believe that the regime can be moderate.

Speakers

Other speakers at the event included Taher Boumedra, former Chief of the Human Rights Section of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI); Gerry Horkan, member of the Irish Senate; Nicola Ciraci, member of the Italian Parliament; Parviz Khazai, former Ambassador, member of the International Association of Jurists (Norway), and NCRI Representative in Scandinavia; and Simin Nouri, President of the Iranian Womens Association in France. The meeting was moderated by Hanifeh Khayyeri.
FILE PHOTO - F1 - Formula One - British Grand Prix 2017 - Silverstone, Britain - July 14, 2017 Force India Team Owner Dr. Vijay Mallya during the press conference REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff

VALLETTA (Reuters) - A super-yacht owned by Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya has been impounded in Malta after its crew demanded payment of back wages, authorities said on Wednesday.

The Indian Empress was blocked in Valletta harbour after the 40-member crew began legal action claiming they are owed almost a million dollars.

The mariners union Nautilus International said the yacht was abandoned by its owners. The crew, including Indians, Britons and East Europeans, have not been paid since September, the union said.

It said the court action impounding the yacht is based on a "maritime lien", under which the crew of a vessel can declare a claim over it to the value of unpaid wages.

A spokeswoman for Mallya's company, UB Group, had no immediate comment.

The 95-metre Indian Empress, registered in the Isle of Man, is estimated to be worth some 93 million dollars (67.04 million pounds).

Mallya is in Britain pending extradition proceedings initiated by India.

He stands accused of fraudulently palming off losses from his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines onto banks by taking out loans he had no intention of repaying.

He denies all wrongdoing and his defence team argue that he is being used as a scapegoat by Indian politicians to deflect public anger at the accumulation of bad debts by state-owned banks.

The 61-year-old, nicknamed the King of Good Times after the slogan on bottles of one of his premium beers and his hard partying lifestyle, has business interests ranging from aviation to liquor.

He is also co-owner of Formula One motor racing team Force India.

(Reporting by Chris Scicluna; Additional reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Editing by Philip Pullella and Peter Graff)
NEW YORK (AP)  The promoter of a failed Bahamas music festival has pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges.

Billy McFarland entered the plea Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, agreeing not to appeal any sentence between 8 to 10 years.

The 26-year-old McFarland admitted using fake documents to trick investors in the Fyre Festival.

The festival was promoted as an ultra-luxurious event on the Bahamian island of Exuma over two weekends in April and May.

Customers hoping to see Blink-182 and the hip hop act Migos arrived to learn music acts were canceled. Their upscale accommodations and gourmet food consisted of white tents and cheese sandwiches. McFarland declined comment outside court.

McFarland has been free on $300,000 bail since his June arrest. Sentencing was set for June 21 before Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald.

See Also:
Man bludgeons wife to death in Ramechhap

A man killed his wife by hitting her with a wooden stool at Priti of Umakanda Rural Municipality-4 in Ramechhap district on Tuesday.
Asteroid 2017 VR12 is due to pass within just 900,000 miles of Earth in the early hours of March 7. According to NASA, the space rock could outstretch the Empire State Building, being somewhere between 700 ft and 1600 ft in diameter.

Its size and close approach to Earth mean 2017 VR12weather permittingcould be visible through a humble backyard telescope.

'Easily visible' to amateurs with the right equipment

3_5_Goldstone Observatory

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Trending: WHO IS GEORGE NADER? MUELLER INVESTIGATING WHETHER MAGAZINE EDITOR HELPED U.A.E. BUY WHITE HOUSE INFLUENCE

It will get as bright as about 12 magnitude, easily visible to northern hemisphere amateur astronomers with moderate-sized telescopesperhaps even as small as six-inch telescopes, Paul Chodas, manager of the Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, previously told Newsweek. Observers will still need a dark sky and a good ephemeris to find the object, however.

An ephemeris is a precise prediction of where to look in the sky to see the asteroid, based on the time and your location.

Look towards Virgo

Don't miss: 'The Big Lebowski' at 20: Newsweek's Review of the Coen Brothers' Stoner Classic

EarthSky recommends stargazers in eastern North America look to the skies at about 11:00 p.m. ET March 6. If youre based in the West, look through your telescope after 9.30 p.m. PT. The asteroid is predicted to reach its closest approach to Earth at about 2.53 a.m ET on March 7.

If you have access to a computerized telescope, use star HIP 65106 as a marker at 12:00 a.m. ET. The asteroid is due to pass in front of the constellation Virgowhere HIP 65106 sitson the night of March 6/7. At this time, it should move slowly in front of the stars.

Just after 4:00 a.m. ET, the asteroid will move through the skies near our view of HIP 65198. Look through your telescope, wait ten minutes, and take another peek to identify the asteroid. EarthSky recommends you cover your head with a dark cloth for a better view. The moon will be relatively bright that night, but it should still be possible to spot the asteroid.

Story continues

Most popular: How a Paralyzed Man Reinvented the Wheelchair to Help People Walk Again

Huge scientific value

2017VR12_5mar2018_tenagra

Gianluca Masi/Virtual Telescope Project/Michael Schwartz/Tenagra Observatories Ltd

Near-Earth objects like 2017 VR12 can be excellent targets for scientific exploration. NASAs Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS) has been cataloguing accessible near-earth objects since 2010. It lists 2017 VR12 as a possible target and gives details of potential mission trajectories.

Although no mission is planned for 2017 VR12, learning more about such objects can help scientists prepare for dangerous incoming asteroids. Scientists could learn about asteroid composition, density, porosity, rotation state and more, Chodas said. If we ever had to deflect a threatening asteroid, we would need to know physical properties like this, as well as other properties, like the expected internal strength, he added. We know very little about these topics right now.

In the meantime, the close approach of 2017 VR12 offers a wealth of valuable information for astronomers. "As the asteroid approaches and brightens, ground-based observers will be able to obtain data on its rotational properties, spin rate and pole direction, and its spectral class, which is an indicator of its general composition, Chodas said.

If you want to spot 2017 VR12 but dont have your own telescope, or you dont feel like venturing outside, you can watch the asteroids progress online. The Virtual Telescope will livestream 2017 VR12s path through the skies with coverage starting at 7:00 p.m. ET March 6.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Activists accused South Sudan's government on Monday of funneling cash from the state oil company to militias responsible for atrocities and attacks on civilians.

South Sudan dismissed the report by The Sentry, a group co-founded by actor George Clooney. "The oil money did not even ... buy a knife. It is being used for paying the salaries of the civil servants," said presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny.

The Sentry said it had found documents, including payment logs from state oil operator Nilepet, suggesting that cash from the company had been used to fund fighters caught up in the country's civil war. Nilepet was not immediately available for comment.

"The documents appear to describe how top officials used Nilepet funds to support a group of (ethnic) Padang Dinka militias active in northeastern Upper Nile state and implicated in widespread attacks against civilians and other atrocities," the Washington D.C.-based group said in a statement.

South Sudan has been racked by an ethnically charged civil war since late 2013, pitting forces loyal to President Salva Kiir, a member of the Dinka group, against rebels linked to former vice president Riek Machar, a Nuer.

The Sentry said it had also received a log kept by South Sudan's Ministry of Petroleum and Mining detailing $80 million worth of security-related payments made by Nilepet.

It did not publish any of the documents and Reuters was not able to verify the accusations independently.

WAR CRIMES

The ministry of petroleum had funded food, fuel and satellite phone airtime and sent money to militias accused of attacking civilians, The Sentry said.

"They have used the country's oil to buy weapons, fund deadly militias, and hire companies owned by political insiders to support military operations that have resulted in horrific atrocities and war crimes," J.R. Mailey, who leads special investigations at The Sentry, said in a statement.

Story continues

The government dismissed the accusations as a fabrication designed to damage its image.

"South Sudan is not looking for guns now, South Sudan is at peace. I don't know why The Sentry is putting wrong stories against South Sudan," Ateny told Reuters.

The United States and other powers have been stepping up pressure on South Sudan to stop the war, which erupted less than two years after the country declared independence from Sudan.

Last month the U.S. imposed an arms embargo, following sanctions on some South Sudan leaders late last year.

U.N. investigators last month said they had identified more than 40 South Sudanese military officers who may be responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Their report detailed mutilations, sexual crimes and killings of civilians.

The war has forced more than 4 million South Sudanese to flee their homes, creating Africa's largest refugee crisis since the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

(Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

See Also:
Last month, an exploratory rover on Mars sent photos back to Earth of strange rock indentations on the Red Planet. NASA said the markings were evidence of ancient water crystals. One scientist, however, believes the formations are proof of ancient alien life in the form of fossilized impressions or drag marks.

In August 2012, Curiosity, a car-sized space exploration vehicle, landed on the surface of Mars. The rovers mission was to take photographs of the Martian surface and send them back to Earth for further analysis. Earlier this year, NASA received images from Curiosity of strange rock formations from an area of Mars called the Vera Rubin Ridge. The photographs showed small indentations on the rock that look similar to ancient crystals found on Earth.

mars1

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Trending: New Nanoparticle Eye Drops Correct Vision Without Surgery or Glasses

These shapes are characteristic of gypsum crystals," said Sanjeev Gupta, a Curiosity science-team member at Imperial College, London, according to NASA. "These can form when salts become concentrated in water, such as in an evaporating lake."

Barry E. DiGregorio, an honorary research fellow at the Buckingham Center for Astrobiology at the University of Buckingham, disagrees with that assessment. In an email to Newsweek, the veteran astrobiologist explained how the indentations may instead be evidence of ancient marine activity on Mars, dating to a time when the planet had several lakes billions of years ago. Together with two other colleagues, DiGregorio is preparing a scientific paper on the subject.

mars2

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Don't miss: Canadian Companies Could Be Forced to List Salaries in Job Postings in Bid to Close Gender Pay Gap

Story continues

The Vera Rubin Ridge, located on Mount Sharp, stands out as an erosion-resistant band, according to NASA. The marks in the photos are tiny, about the size of a sesame seed. According to Curiosity Project scientist Ashwin Vasavada, the tiny dents are unique and may be evidence of saltwater on the Red Planet, whereas most past evidence of water on Mars suggested that it was relatively fresh, nonsalty water.

"In either scenario, these crystals are a new type of evidence that builds the story of persistent water and a long-lived habitable environment on Mars," Vasavada said.

DiGregorio says it's unlikely that the formations are water crystals. The markings, he says, look more like ancient marine trace fossil activity on Earth, such as ancient footprints or drag marks, than they do crystals. DiGregorio plans to reveal further supporting evidence for this hypothesis in a report to be published within the next two months.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
A man stands next to a grafitti in favour of abortion outside the Congress in Buenos Aires A man stands next to a grafitti that reads "Legal abortion to not die" outside the Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 6, 2018. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci

By Nicolas Misculin

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Dozens of Argentine lawmakers of all political stripes presented a bill to legalise abortion on Tuesday, launching a debate that promised to divide a deeply Catholic nation.

Amid cheers from activists, around 70 members of the lower house of Congress unveiled a bill that would allow women in Argentina to interrupt pregnancy during the first 14 weeks, according to a copy of the proposal seen by Reuters.

While Argentina's Congress has debated abortion before, the topic has garnered more attention since center-right President Mauricio Macri said he was in favour of debate and would encourage his allies in Congress to vote as they saw fit even though he was personally opposed.

Argentina, like most countries in Latin America, currently permits abortion in specific cases, including rape and risk to the mother's life. Rights groups have criticized a requirement for a judge's permission, which often results in lengthy delays or denial of the procedure.

An issue that has divided political parties, the abortion proposal could pass the lower house but will likely face resistance in the more conservative Senate.

The bill emphasizes the danger Argentine women face in seeking clandestine abortions, particularly poor women. About a third of maternal deaths in the country are related to such procedures, the bill says.

"This is a topic of equality and inequality, because those who do not have money pay with their health or their bodies," said opposition lawmaker Aracelia Ferreyra during the presentation of the bill.

Argentina's neighbour Uruguay is an outlier in Latin America in permitting abortions. A Chilean court last year upheld a law legalizing abortion in certain cases. Chile had been one of only a handful of countries worldwide where the procedure was banned without exception.

(Writing by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia will shut land and waterway migration checkpoints for 70 hours ahead of legislative elections and presidential primaries on Sunday, the country's migration authority said on Wednesday, noting that this is standard procedure.

This year, thousands of Venezuelans have been pouring across the border, some as migrants, others as visiting shoppers seeking basic goods as a devastating economic crisis has made many items scarce in their home country.

"Like we have done historically every time there are elections in national territory, the close of the our country's borders has been ordered, with the goal of maintaining public order during the voting period," Christian Kruger, the head of the migration agency, said in a statement.

Borders will shut at 6 p.m. local time on Thursday and re-open after polls close at 4 p.m. on Sunday, the statement said. There will be extra staff on hand to process waiting travellers once the checkpoints re-open, it said.

More than half a million Venezuelans have fled to Colombia, while another 650,000 are said to have entered the country on their way to other destinations or on a visit before returning home. The figures do not include thousands who are estimated to have crossed the border illegally.

(Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Helen Murphy and David Gregorio)
The Lost City in the Atlantic Ocean





One of the world's most important sites of scientific interest has been officially designated as part of a mining exploration zone, Sky News can reveal.

Scientists believe life on earth may have begun in deep sea vents such as the ones discovered in the Lost City, an area deep on the sea floor in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

The hydro-thermal vent system in which warm alkaline waters from the rocks react with seawater and create hydrocarbons - the building blocks of life - is the only such formation yet discovered in the world.

But the International Seabed Authority - a UN organisation charged with managing the use of the seabed in the high seas - has now allotted the Lost City, along with 10,000 sq km of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, to Poland to explore for mining.

Deep sea mineral extraction is regarded as one of the most important global industries of the future, with billions of dollars of gold, copper and other key metals lying on the seabed.

However, scientists have warned of the possibility that miners may inadvertently destroy precious species and geological structures in their quest for minerals.

Gretchen Fruh-Green, from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, was the scientist who first discovered the Lost City, on an expedition in 2000.

She (Munich: SOQ.MU - news) told Sky News she and her colleagues had written a letter of concern to the ISA but had not received a reply.

She said: "We could destroy this place before we've understood it - before we can really appreciate the significance of these unique white towers and these very strange fluids that are coming out of the ocean floor.

"The significance of that for understanding the origin of life, for understanding processes in early Earth.

"It's our history, it's the Earth's history, and if we perturb it we don't know how fast it will recover, or what influence the perturbation would have on ocean chemistry."

Story continues

The ISA, which is based in Kingston, Jamaica, confirmed that the Lost City was part of the area designated to Poland for seafloor exploration.

But its secretary general, Michael Lodge, told Sky News that there was no suggestion that it would damage the site.

"The Lost City is a site of scientific interest," he said. "It's been explored and studied scientifically for many years. There is no suggestion that Poland is necessarily going to mine the Lost City."

He said that the ISA may introduce rules to prevent miners from exploiting areas of scientific or ecological interest but that those rules were still in the process of being written.

"We're actually actively engaged with the scientific community. The major element of exploration which applies to Poland as it does to others is to conduct environmental studies.

"So actually we expect that we'll find out much more about the Lost City and other similar sites over the next few years."

Nonetheless, some have asked questions over whether the ISA has been transparent enough about the process, or has made the requisite environmental checks.

Deep sea mining is expected to become a commercial reality next year, thanks to advances in the autonomous technology necessary for working on the seafloor.

The UK is seen as a leader in the industry, with one Gateshead-based company, SMD, developing the machines to be used in an upcoming project in Papua New Guinea.

And with a global push under way to develop more electric vehicles - which are reliant on metals found in significant quantities under the sea, and increasingly scarce on land - pressure on the ISA is only set to increase.

:: In Too Deep airs on Sky Atlantic on Tuesday at 8pm and on Sky News on Friday at 9pm.
CAIRO (AP)  Egyptian aviation officials say a passenger on an EgyptAir flight from the Gulf state of Oman to Cairo assaulted crew members but was quickly overpowered.

The officials say the Boeing 737-800 with 78 passengers returned to Muscat, Oman's capital, 30 minutes after it took off from there and the crew handed over the passenger to the police.

The plane later left for Cairo, arriving four hours behind schedule. The officials say the passenger, who is Egyptian, was not armed.

They say Egyptian authorities have questioned the crew and the other passengers about the incident. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the incident was terrorism-related.

EgyptAir issued a brief statement confirming the incident.

See Also:
NCs Laxmi Rai files candidacy for presidential election

Nepali Congresss Laxmi Rai has filed her candidacy as for the presidential election scheduled for March 13.
A detachment of F-35B stealth fighters landed on the assault ship USS Wasp on March 5, marking the first time the combat aircraft has been deployed aboard a US Navy ship in the Indo-Pacific.

This is a historic deployment, Colonel Tye R. Wallace said in a press release. The F-35B is the most capable aircraft ever to support a Marine rifleman on the ground. It brings a range of new capabilities to the MEU that make us a more lethal and effective Marine Air-Ground Task Force.

The USS Wasp is currently conducting patrols in the East China Sea after leaving Sasebo Naval Base in Japan.

The United States naval presence in the Pacific has increased in recent months, with the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson docking in central Vietnams Da Nang port on March 5  the first instance a US aircraft carrier has been stationed in the country since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Credit: US Navy via Storyful
PARIS (Reuters) - The French government is not prepared to accept Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn's reported proposal to let Nissan buy the French state's stake in carmaker Renault, an official at the French finance ministry said on Wednesday.

Ghosn has proposed a closer tie-up between the two carmakers that would see the Japanese company buy the bulk of the French state's 15 percent Renault holding, people close to the matter told Reuters earlier.

"We totally deny that the French state is prepared to sell its shares to Nissan," the finance ministry official told Reuters.

The official, who declined to be named, added that the government was against the idea of a Dutch foundation for the merged group's future base.

"For the government, a Dutch foundation is not an option," the official said.

(Reporting by Laurence Frost, writing Michel Rose)
FILE PHOTO: A display featuring missiles and a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seen at Baharestan Square in Tehran, Iran September 27, 2017. Nazanin Tabatabaee Yazdi/TIMA via REUTERS

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will press on with its missile programme regardless of Western pressure to halt it, a senior military commander was quoted on Monday as saying.

"Iran's missile programme will continue non-stop and foreign powers have no right to intervene on this issue," the semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Masoud Jazayeri as saying.

He also said no Iranian official had permission to "discuss this issue with foreigners," Tasnim reported.

France's foreign minister was in Iran on Monday to reaffirm Europe's commitment to a nuclear deal reached between Iran and six major powers, but also to echo concerns raised by U.S. President Donald Trump who has threatened to quit the accord.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Ireland's Supreme Court has ruled that state protections for unborn babies do not extend beyond the right to life.

Sky News' Ireland Correspondent, Darren McCaffrey, said the ruling appears to have cleared the way for the government's planned abortion referendum in a country where artificially ending a pregnancy is illegal.

The Supreme Court's seven judges unanimously ruled that the unborn does not have inherent constitutional rights outside the right to life in the contentious Eighth Amendment.

The amendment gives unborn children the right to life, which renders abortion illegal other than in exceptional circumstances.

Ireland's Chief Justice Frank Clarke told the Supreme Court in Limerick: "The present constitutional rights for the unborn are confined to the right to life guaranteed in article 40.3.3 (the Eighth Amendment)."

In January the Irish government mooted holding a referendum to change abortion laws at the end of May - the first time in 35 years in which voters would have the opportunity to change some of the world's strictest laws on the issue.

Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the exact wording and date could only be set after the Supreme Court judgement in today's appeal case.

He said if voters back a change to the constitution through a referendum the Government will table legislation which would allow for unrestricted abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

In the rest of the UK, pregnancies can be terminated up to the 24th week.

The ruling was sparked by a case in which a Nigerian man who was trying to revoke a 2008 deportation order made against him on the basis his Irish partner was pregnant at the time.

The High court found his unborn child had rights under the constitution beyond the right to life.

But the state appealed the finding and today reversed the High Court's decision, finding the couple's child had no constitutional rights beyond the Eighth Amendment while it was unborn.

Story continues

If the Supreme Court had found the child's rights extended beyond the Eighth Amendment, the referendum might have needed to be broadened to take in other elements of the constitution, which could have delayed a vote.

Senator Catherine Noone, welcomed the decision, said: "Today the Supreme Court made a landmark decision.

"This judgment will allow us to move forward to a May referendum on the 8th Amendment."

Ms Noone added: "It is my belief that the only rights afforded to the unborn under the current constitutional status, is the right to life provided for in the Eighth Amendment and this does not extend to other areas of the constitution.

"I urge us all to accept the Court's judgment in good faith and move forward in a civilised and respectful manner, as has been the case for the most part so far."

More follows...
President Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner is scheduled to meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City on Wednesdaydespite last weeks White House announcement that he had his security clearance downgraded.

Related: Jared Kushner's Temporary Security Clearance Sets Dangerous Precedent and Should Be Revoked, Watchdog Tells White House

The meeting will center on immigration, trade, security and economics, a Trump administration official told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. It comes 10 days after the U.S. and Mexico canceled a meeting due to disagreements on funding Trumps promised border wall.

Trending: Woman Spent $19,000 for Cat's Kidney Transplant and Then Adopted His Donor

Kushners Mexico trip is the first true indication that he will continue to play an integral role in the administration's foreign policy, even though his downgrade has barred him from accessing classified information that is presumably key to doing his job. That includes the presidents daily briefing featuring the most pressing information that U.S. intelligence agencies collect from around the world.

Chief of staff John Kelly, who made the decision to downgrade Kushners security clearance, said in a statement last week, I have full confidence in his ability to continue performing his duties in his foreign policy portfolio including overseeing our Israeli-Palestinian peace effort and serving as an integral part of our relationship with Mexico.

However, Kelly did not elaborate on how Kushners downgrade would affect his work, which includes leading relations with Mexico and China and creating a Middle East peace plan.

Don't miss: in Pictures: Trump White House Staff Who Have Resigned or Been Fired

03_07_18_KushnerMexico

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

A White House spokesman for Kushner did not respond to a request for comment from Newsweek on Wednesday.

Story continues

It is not the first time Trump has deployed a member of his administration without permanent security clearance to take on foreign affairs issues.

Most popular: Paris Jackson on Skin Bleaching: 'Please Stop Lightening My Skin to Make Me Look More White'

Last month, Kushners wife and fellow senior White House adviser Ivanka Trump briefed South Korean President Moon Jae-in before the Winter Olympics closing ceremony on her fathers new North Korea sanctions despite reportedly only having temporary a security clearance.

Asked if the first daughter had the appropriate security clearance to administer such a talk, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin dodged the core of the question and said, she has the appropriate access to brief the president.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
North Koreas state newspaper ran a column defending its nuclear arsenal Wednesday, a day after South Korean envoys indicated that North Korea was interested in candid talks with the United States involving possible denuclearization.

We came into possession of nuclear weapons in a righteous manner with a goal of defending the country's top interest against U.S. nuclear threats, read the column in state newspaper Rodong Sinmun. The peace and security of the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and the world have been secured thanks to our strengthening of nuclear deterrence.

The column was translated into English by South Korea newswire Yonhap.

Trending: Trump Approval Ratings Show These States Still Love the President

Our nuclear [program] is aimed at punishing and securing peace from aggressors and warmongers, not threatening anyone, the column continued.

The state's defense of the weapons comes despite South Korean diplomats saying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was possibly interested in giving up his nuclear arsenal in a statement Tuesday.

The North Korean side clearly stated its willingness to denuclearize, the envoys said. It made it clear that it would have no reason to keep nuclear weapons if the military threat to the North was eliminated and its security guaranteed.

GettyImages-916050890 (1)

KCNA/AFP/GETTY

South Korea also said that North Korea could pause its weapons tests.

The North expressed its willingness to hold a heartfelt dialogue with the United States, the statement continued. It made it clear that while dialogue is continuing, it will not attempt any strategic provocations, such as nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

Story continues

Don't miss: International Women's Day Google Doodle: 12 Stories From Female Artists

William Keylor, professor of international relations at the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, is skeptical as to whether North Korea will disarm.

Without nuclear weapons, North Korea is a state with a fourth-world economy and no allies, other than China, in the world. Not a very impressive record, said Keylor in an email to Newsweek.

The one and only thing [Kim] cares about is the survival of his regime," Keylor said. "If he can no longer divert attention from the catastrophic situation in the North Korean economy by hyping the threat from abroad, he may even find himself having to face opposition at home.

North Korea has indicated an interest in denuclearization to past presidents, but had reversed course and not followed through. President Donald Trump was cautiously optimistic about the news nonetheless.

GettyImages-689969568

KCNA/AFP/GETTY

I hope so, said Trump when asked if the development signaled a breakthrough with North Korea in a press conference Tuesday. I want to see what happens. Were in very close contact. We have come, certainly, a long way, at least rhetorically, with North Korea. It would be a great thing for the world. It would be a great thing for North Korea. It would be a great thing for the Peninsula.

Most popular: The Walking Dead Jadis Actor Discusses Rumored Ties to Alpha

The South Korean's visit ended Tuesday with the promise of an April summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

It was unclear what exactly North Korea would want to see in order to begin any future process of denuclearization. South Korean officials said that Kim was surprisingly open-minded about joint U.S.South Korea military exercises, a longtime sticking point for North Korea.

Kim Jong Un simply said he could understand why the joint exercises must resume in April on the same scale as before, said Chung Eui-yong, head of Moons National Security Office, to reporters. But he said he expected them to be readjusted if the situation on the Korean Peninsula stabilizes in the future.

Last year, North Korea tested numerous ballistic missiles and its most powerful nuclear weapon to date. North Korea also tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with the theoretical range of striking anywhere in the U.S.

American intelligence officials dont yet believe North Korea has demonstrated the ability to arm an ICBM with a nuclear warhead capable of striking the U.S., however.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.









This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
Nepal expects Chinese assistance: Defence Minister Pokharel

Newly appointed Defence Minister Ishwor Pokharel has said that the agreement signed between Nepal and China should be implemented.
May defends Saudi ties as crown prince gets royal welcome in London

By William James

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May defended Britain's links to security ally Saudi Arabia on Wednesday as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Queen Elizabeth for lunch on a high-profile visit that drew protests over Riyadh's human rights record.

A fiery exchange in parliament between May and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn underlined tension in Britain over Prince Mohammed's trip, which was aimed at building a broader economic partnership between the two countries, but has sparked anger about alleged human rights abuses and the war in Yemen.

"The link that we have with Saudi Arabia is historic, it is an important one, and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country," May said, pausing her answer briefly as opposition lawmakers cried "Shame!". She was alluding to intelligence-sharing on Islamist militant suspects.

The debate took place as Prince Mohammed lunched with the British monarch on the first leg of a trip packed with displays of diplomatic affection designed to help widen long-standing defence ties into a more far-reaching partnership.

May later met Prince Mohammed at her Downing Street office, extending a warm diplomatic welcome to the conservative kingdom's heir apparent and agreeing a 65 billion pound ($90.29 billion) trade and investment target.

Britain is looking for trading partners as it exits the European Union, and energy powerhouse Saudi Arabia needs to convince sceptical investors about its domestic reforms.

"This is a significant boost for UK prosperity and a clear demonstration of the strong international confidence in our economy as we prepare to leave the European Union," a spokeswoman from May's office said after the meeting.

But demonstrators gathered outside May's office amid a heavy police presence to protest at both countries' role in Yemen, where war has killed around 10,000 people. A Saudi-led coalition intervened militarily in Yemen in 2015 and critics say Riyadh has been using British-supplied weapons in devastating strikes.

Story continues

"I don't believe that someone like Mohammed bin Salman should be welcomed in Britain," said Hassan Yassine, a 25-year-old customer service worker from London. "It is definitely not ethical, bearing in mind what is going on in Yemen every single day, every single second, even as we speak."

Corbyn said British military advisers were "directing the war" in Yemen. May's spokesman said British personnel had no role in carrying out coalition air strikes, and were not involved in Saudi targeting decisions.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

Police said a man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after an egg was thrown at a police vehicle as bin Salman's motorcade arrived in Downing Street.

Wednesday's first official engagement was a trip to Buckingham Palace to see Queen Elizabeth - a rare honour usually reserved for heads of state.

The Saudi delegation then met May at her offices to launch a UK-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council.

The meeting set out the mutual trade and investment target, which would include direct investment in Britain and new Saudi public procurement with British companies. This would be spread across sectors including finance, education, healthcare, renewable energy and defence, May's office said.

Britain is vying to land the stock market listing of state oil firm Saudi Aramco, but no decision is expected this week.

"We would like the Aramco share option to be issued in the United Kingdom and we will continue to suggest the City would be the best place for it," junior foreign office minister Alistair Burt told parliament.

Later this month Prince Mohammed visits the United States, which also wants the lucrative listing, although sources said both countries might miss out.

British officials were privately delighted at the decision by Prince Mohammed, 32, to choose Britain as the major Western destination on his first foreign trip since becoming heir to the Saudi throne last year.

The British government is keen to develop a two-way trade and investment relationship, eyeing both an expanded market in Saudi Arabia for service sector exports, and attracting Saudi cash to finance domestic projects.

For his part, Saudi Arabia's ambitious heir wants to show that "shock" reforms have made his country a better place to invest and a more tolerant society.

Photographs posted online showed London taxis displaying advertising graphics welcoming Prince Mohammed, and electronic billboards around the capital promoted pro-Saudi messages with the hashtag #anewsaudiarabia.

Business deals are possible with British defence group BAE Systems and European weapons maker MBDA, and initial agreements could be concluded on gas exploration, petrochemicals and other industries, according to British and Saudi sources.

ROYAL TREATMENT

The three-day visit will include a second Royal audience - dinner with the Prince Charles and Prince William on Wednesday - and a prestigious visit to May's country residence on Thursday.

The prime minister intends to use the private dinner at Chequers, a 16th-century manor house 40 miles (60 km) northwest of London, to further press her concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, her spokesman said.

The Saudi-led coalition is fighting the Iran-allied Houthi movement in Yemen in a campaign to restore its internationally recognised government, generating what the United Nations said in January is the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Demonstrators are protesting against Britain for licensing 4.6 billion pounds of weapons sales to Saudi Arabia since 2015.

May said all arms sales were strictly regulated, that Saudi Arabia's involvement in the conflict was backed by the U.N. Security Council and her government supported it.

"The prime minister and crown prince agreed on the importance of full and unfettered humanitarian and commercial access, including through the ports, and that a political solution was ultimately the only way to end the conflict and humanitarian suffering in Yemen," the statement from May's office said.

($1 = 0.7199 pounds)

(additional reporting by Hesham Hajali editing by Mark Heinrich)
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks during the news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, April 3, 2017. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

By Tatiana Jancarikova

BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will hold talks next week with coalition partners, including the Most-Hid party which wants the interior minister sacked, in a bid to shore up his government.

Slovakia was thrown into crisis when an investigative journalist was shot dead at the end of February. President Andrej Kiska has called for a government revamp or early election to rebuild public trust.

Two opposition parties said on Wednesday they would trigger a no-confidence vote against Fico in the parliament where his three-party coalition holds 78 seats in the 150-member chamber.

Opponents need 76 lawmakers to win a vote and topple the government, but this would not trigger a snap election. The government could be threatened if Most-Hid withdrew support but might survive with backing from the far-right People's Party (LSNS).

"We will offer solutions so that Most can continue in government. I am aware of the reality and I am ready to discuss things," he told a news conference, adding that he would meet Most-Hid leader Bela Bugar on Monday.

He said the president's call for a revamped government or early election "aimed at changing the power balance in the country and deny the results of parliamentary elections."

Fico, who accused the president of siding with the opposition, said he would hold talks with the other coalition partner, Slovak National Party (SNS), after meeting Bugar.

Most-Hid has called for the sacking of Interior Minister Robert Kalinak, a close ally of Fico in the Smer party they founded. SNS has not announced its position on the minister's fate.

The death of investigative reporter Jan Kuciak, found murdered with his fiancee on Feb. 25, rocked the nation. Kuciak had been looking into suspected mafia links among Italian businessmen in eastern Slovakia.

One of the subjects in Kuciak's last article had past links to two people who went on to work in Fico's office. Both have resigned and denied any connection to the killing.

Story continues

Thousands of people marched in support of Kuciak in the capital Bratislava and other cities on Friday. More protests are planned this Friday to demand a "new trustworthy government".

The interior minister has faced previous calls to quit. Last year, thousands protested to demand Kalinak's resignation over ties he had with a developer investigated for tax fraud. Both denied any wrongdoing.

(Reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova; Editing by Janet Lawrence and Edmund Blair)
A damaged mosque is seen in the besieged town of Douma in eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria, March 1, 2018. REUTERS/ Bassam Khabieh

By Tom Perry and Angus McDowall

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government forces bombarded eastern Ghouta anew on Wednesday in an effort to slice the rebel enclave in two, intensifying a campaign to deal the opposition its biggest defeat since 2016.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said pro-Syrian government forces had managed to bring the strip of territory linking the north and south of what remains of rebel-held eastern Ghouta within firing range, effectively bisecting the densely populated region on the outskirts of Damascus.

There was no immediate confirmation of this from the rebels or Syrian government.

The Syrian government onslaught on eastern Ghouta, which began more than two weeks ago, has become one of the fiercest campaigns of a war now entering its eighth year, with bombardment killing hundreds of people.

Live footage broadcast by Syrian state TV from the outskirts of the town of Mesraba earlier on Wednesday showed enormous clouds of smoke rising into the sky. The sounds of explosions and jets could be heard.

A state TV correspondent said militant defences in the town were being hit by "preparatory fire" in advance of a planned infantry assault. "Mesraba is under heavy attack today," said Khalil Aybour, a member of an opposition council in Ghouta.

Capturing Mesraba would be a major step towards severing the northern half of Ghouta, including its biggest town Douma, from the southern part. Government forces have seized more than 50 percent of the territory so far.

On Wednesday pro-government forces advanced, taking the small town of Beit Sawa to Misraba's south, a Hezbollah-run media unit said. The Observatory said this advance deeper into the centre of the enclave enabled them to bring the remaining north-south link within firing range.

Civilians have been fleeing frontline areas into Douma and hiding in cellars, with aid workers saying many children had told them they had not seen daylight in 20 days. [L5N1QP5D5]

Story continues

"It's bad in the basement, but it's better than the bombing," Adnan, 30, a Douma resident who has been sheltering below ground with his wife and two-year-old daughter together with 10 other families, told Reuters by telephone.

The United Nations says 400,000 people are trapped in the towns and villages of the eastern Ghouta, under government siege for years and already running out of food and medicine before the assault. An aid convoy reached the area this week but government officials had stripped out most medical supplies.

The United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinator in Syria, Ali al-Za'tari, asked the government to commit to a ceasefire on Thursday to let in more aid.

AT LEAST 867 CIVILIANS KILLED

Russia, President Bashar al-Assad's most powerful ally, has offered rebels safe passage out with their families and personal weapons. The proposal echoes previous agreements under which insurgents, in the face of military defeat, were permitted to withdraw to opposition-held areas along the Turkish border.

The Observatory said that at least 867 civilians have been killed by government bombing and shelling in this offensive, with at least 62 killed on Wednesday.

The Observatory said an extra 700 pro-government militia fighters had arrived at the front as reinforcements to join the operation.

The U.N. Security Council called on Wednesday for its Feb. 24 resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire across Syria to be implemented and it voiced concern about the country's humanitarian plight, the council president said.

Netherlands U.N. Ambassador Karel van Oosterom was speaking after the Council was briefed behind closed doors on the situation in Syria at the request of Britain and France.

Despite the ceasefire resolution, Moscow and Damascus have not halted the campaign to retake eastern Ghouta, arguing that the fighters they are striking are members of banned terrorist groups unprotected by the truce.

Russia's defence ministry said some rebels wanted to accept the proposal to evacuate. So far rebels have dismissed it in public. The military spokesman for one of the main eastern Ghouta rebel groups said rebels would defend the territory and there were no negotiations over a withdrawal.

"The factions of Ghouta and their fighters and its people are holding onto their land and will defend it," Hamza Birqdar of Jaish al-Islam told Reuters in a text message sent overnight.

The opposition says such evacuation agreements amount to a policy of demographic change by which Assad has forcibly displaced those who oppose him.

In an interview on state TV, a Syrian army colonel expressed confidence that Ghouta would fall quickly, saying the people there would return to the "state's embrace ... very, very, very soon".

Russian warplanes have taken part in the eastern Ghouta operation, and the White House has accused Russia of complicity in the killing of civilians there.

Defeat in eastern Ghouta would mark the worst setback for the anti-Assad rebellion since the opposition was driven from eastern Aleppo in late 2016 after a similar campaign of siege, bombing, ground assaults and the promise of safe passage out.

Moscow and Damascus say the Ghouta campaign is necessary to halt rebel shelling of the capital. The Observatory says such shelling has killed at least 27 people in Damascus since Feb. 18.

Syrian state media have given a higher death toll and said at least five people were injured on Wednesday due to rockets falling on government-held Damascus.

A commander in the military alliance fighting in support of Assad said he anticipated rebels would end up cornered in Douma and accept a withdrawal deal.

(Additional reporting by Ellen Francis, Laila Bassam and Lisa Barrington in Beirut, Maria Kiselyova in Moscow, Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Peter Graff, Mark Heinrich, Toni Reinhold)
BERLIN (AP)  Turkey's foreign minister is urging Germany to reconsider its travel advice for his country, which has seen a slump in German tourists in recent years.

Mevlut Cavusoglu says the guidance, which warns against travel to southern provinces and the arbitrary arrest of German citizens, doesn't reflect "good friendly relations" between the two countries.

Before a meeting with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, Cavusoglu said Turkey was no less safe than European cities. The number of Germans visiting Turkey fell from 5.6 million in 2015 to 3.5 million last year amid security concerns following a failed coup and several extremist attacks.

Asked about Turkey's request for the extradition of Syrian Kurdish politician Salih Muslim, Gabriel said Berlin would treat it "in accordance with the rule of law."

See Also:
LUANDA (Reuters) - The U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) is deeply concerned about rekindled tension in the violent Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo and criticized the Angolan government for forcing some 500 refugees to return.

Angola's government forced 530 Congolese to return to Congo between Feb. 25 and 27, UNHCR said in a statement on Tuesday.

Of those sent back, 480 were unregistered refugees staying at the Cacanda centre managed by aid agencies in the frontier town of Dundo, the statement said.

"Continuing instability poses a grave risk to civilian safety, including for several hundred refugees recently returned there from Angola," it said. "UNHCR urges the Angolan authorities to refrain from further forcible returns of Congolese."

Angola's Ministry for Social Assistance and Integration, which manages refugees, did not respond to a request for comment.

Nearly a million people have been forced to flee their homes in Kasai since the second half of 2016 due to a vicious cycle of inter-ethnic violence, anti-government fighting and a crackdown by the army.

The bloodshed has seen 35,000 refugees cross Congo's southern border into Angola, seeking safety in and around Dundo.

Some have been moved to a settlement outside Dundo but many live with relatives or friends in the town itself, complicating official registration by international agencies.

Angola has publicly offered to help by providing land to host the refugees.

However, the country has also long been nervous about security on its northern border and the risk of illegal immigrants crossing into Angola, many of whom seek to work in artisanal diamond mines along the provinces rivers.

Angola has greatly increased its military and police presence in the area since the violence in Kasai broke out and has put pressure on DRC to resolve the situation.

(Reporting by Stephen Eisenhammer; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
Team PokerStars Online Pros Randy Lew and Celina Lin Engaged

March 07 2018 Pamela Maldonado

This might be the best thing to happen all week. Two of poker's most prominent online players are set to be married. On Tuesday, Randy Lew announced on Twitter that he proposed to longtime girlfriend Celina Lin, but she didn't quite say "yes."

As said in his tweet, Lin's response was No way!" But of course that just meant she was probably overjoyed and reacted by shock. Lew also commented about how much of a luckbox he is to have Lin as his lady.

I cant believe I just luckboxed @CelinaLin the most wonderful girl in the world! Although I was worried when I mad https://t.co/tPVoJroDYl  Randy Lew (@nanonoko)

We reached out to Lin and got the full story on this fairytale engagement.

The two have been part of PokerStars Team Online for a number of years and have been dating since November 2016. Lin remembers this specifically because it was the time of the DreamHack eSports tournament in Sweden.

Based on that timeline, this may be their first photo together as a couple posted to social media.

Although the relationship is fairly young, the two have actually known each other "for a really long time." In fact, Lin first met Lew after she interviewed him during APPT Macau back in 2010. According to Lin, Lew was floored because she had never heard of Lew or of his online achievements.

The Engagement

Lew proposed to Lin at Papamoa Beach in New Zealand. But for Lew, it wasn't so easy to pull off. According to Lin, the two had a bit of a "heated discussion" the day before over not spending a lot of quality time together. As a poker player, a sponsored pro, and an eSports enthusiast, it's understandable that schedules get busy and free time becomes precious.

Recently, the pair expressed how they love to travel together and appreciate that they both have a passion for poker as it makes their relationship all the more interesting, even though at times, consuming.

The story goes that the following morning, Lin woke up to see a card of riddles written all over it.

The riddles: I am something you consume at a restaurant for free and you can find me in the word breathe. Time is ticking.

At first glance, Lin admittedly had trouble figuring it out, but then she recalled an hour glass the two have in their home.

The hour glass the two share in their home

Put two and two together, you get water + sand and you think of beach! Following a list of instructions, Lin made her way to a beach they visit often in Te Ranga, Papamoa, and that's where it all began. "Go to the bottom of the steps, find two logs, and start digging." After digging, she found a box with a lock and a note that read, "Will you marry me?"

Her initial response, "What the hell? No way!" But of course it was just confusion over the situation and not her actual response. Lin was taken aback because she thought it was a gesture for the day before and not a proposal.

"But then I realized he was kneeling and I said, 'yes'."

The Ring

The ring was actually handmade from a piece of gold cellophane held together by a sticky price tag. According to Lin, "in terms of being in a poker relationship, it's hard to do something when you are always together - tournaments, travel, events, etc. - so he handmade this ring with the idea that we'd go shopping for one together."

On the whole experience, Lin said, "the whole treasure hunt thing is special to me  he's somewhat of a lazy guy  so that kind of effort, the thought of it all is so special to me."

Funny story though, she lost the ring! Not even one day after the proposal, Lin confessed that she placed the box, the lock, the note, and the ring in her suitcase on an Emirates flight and her bag was lost. Even though the two will go shopping for a real engagement ring together, Lin says, "that ring, itself, is so special to me that it's something I will hold on to forever..."  if they find it.

She also confessed that she not so secretly has the wedding planned out. "It's probably going to be a destination wedding. I would say a beach wedding, somewhere along Great Ocean Road in Melbourne."

Here's a look at some of their cutest moments, courtesy of their Instagram accounts.

And then there's this. OK, you two - you win for most adorable. Congrats on the engagement!
Fertiliser producer Harvest Minerals saw its share price shoot up on Wednesday after the company signed a deal with a Brazilian distributor.

Agrocerrado Produtos Agricolas e Assistencia Tecnica LTDA, a major distributor of fertiliser and agriproducts in one of Brazils main agricultural belts, signed a contract for an initial supply of 36Kt of KPfertil which is Harvests multi-nutrient, slow release organic fertiliser.

The two companies have agreed on a sales price of 200 Brazilian real (45/$62) per tonne for the product, with delivery set to begin in early May and further sales discussions on-going.

Brian McMaster, Harvest's executive chairman, said: Agrocerrado is one of the largest established fertiliser and agribusiness distributors in the region; this agreement not only underpins the opportunity in the local market for Harvest, but fully justifies our decision to expand our production capacity, which will stand at 320,000 tonnes annually by early Q2.

The planned expansion, announced by the company in January, is underway at Harvests wholly owned 14,946 hectare Arapua Project in the northern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais where it produces KPfertil fertiliser.

The project is a shallow, low cost mine with an indicated and inferred resource of 13.07Mt at 3.1% K2O and 2.49% P2O5, based on drilling under 7% of the known mineralization and is expected to support over 100 years of production, according to Harvest.

As we stated at the start of the year, with the de-risking of our project over the past two years, the focus is now on sales and revenue growth as we transform Harvest into a profitable business with the aim of providing significant returns to all our shareholders, said McMaster.

As well as expanding sales, the company has submitted an application to certify KPfertil as a remineraliser to the Brazilian ministry of agriculture, livestock and supply, which McMaster said would confirm the efficacy of our completely natural product and its recognised potential.

As of 0836 GMT, Harvest Minerals shares were up 9.50% at 19.30p.
Natural resources business Rose Petroleum announced on Tuesday that it has now received all necessary final approvals for its 3D seismic survey on its oil and gas exploration acreage in the Paradox Basin, Utah, and the permitting process for the proposed survey is now complete.

The AIM-traded company had received its final approvals from the Bureau of Land Management on 24 July, which covered the federal acreage of the Paradox Acreage.

It had now received final approval from the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration in respect of the state acreage of the Paradox Acreage.

The SITLA approval was the final stage in the overall permitting process.

Rose said the permits for the seismic survey cover an area of 61 square miles within the Paradox Acreage, and under the terms of the permits, the company is able to commence operations from 1 September.

The securing of the approvals is a landmark moment for the company and I'd like to thank everybody involved in the permitting process for their hard work and commitment in finally getting us to this point, said Rose CEO Matthew Idiens.

We have all been waiting for this moment for some time, to be able to commence operations in the Paradox Basin, which will finally enable us to initiate the value creation from the project.

As it announced on 2 May, the company assembled a highly experienced technical and operational team with specific Paradox Basin experience to assist in the completion of the seismic survey and the subsequent drilling programme.

The team had now been mobilised to finalise the optimisation and design of the survey within the permitted area, Roses board confirmed.

Our seismic shoot team has already commenced the optimisation designs for the final shoot parameters and as a result of their significant operational experience within the basin, we expect to be able to cut costs and maximise the efficiency of the shoot, Idiens explained.

Rose described the Paradox Basin as a natural fracture driven basin, meaning that the drilling process targets fracture swarms to enable the natural fracturing to provide the commercial flow rates so hydraulic fracking is not usually required.

It said the 3D seismic survey formed an essential part of identifying those fracture networks, and therefore was an essential path to unlocking the value of the Paradox Acreage.

The company said it was in dialogue with a number of third parties about potential funding options for both the 3D seismic survey and the subsequent drilling programme.

We look forward to keeping the market updated in respect of both the progress on the ground and in respect of our funding options, Matthew Idiens added.
Germany-focussed branded business parks operator Sirius Real Estate announced on Wednesday that its shares have qualified for inclusion in the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Global Real Estate Index, Developed EMEA region.

The AIM-traded firm said the latest inclusion would effective on 19 March, and followed its entry into the FTSE/JSE SA Listed Property Index 18 December.

It described the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Global Real Estate Index as a stock market index series jointly managed by EPRA in Europe, FTSE in the UK and NAREIT in the US, and was composed of all major real estate company constituents that trade on the world's leading exchanges.

The SAPY comprises the top 20 property companies in the South African real estate sector by market capitalisation, with a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

The FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Global Real Estate Index is the benchmark index for institutional property investors and we are therefore delighted to be included in the index from 19 March, said chief executive Andrew Coombs.

This, together with our inclusion in the SAPY last December will all add to Sirius's investment appeal.
Nepali ginger traders eye Italy as potential market

Nepal will be sending a shipment of ginger to Italy for the first time in a move to diversify the export market for the spice which is currently limited to India.
1357 : Several Goldman Sachs staff in London have been "put on notice" about moving to Frankfurt within weeks, Reuters is reporting. The US investment bank has apparently begun to take the steps to minimize disruption to clients, with the first to move being derivatives and debt capital markets teams working on German accounts.

1340: Synthomer has been upgraded by Credit Suisse to 'neutral' from 'underperform', with forecast earnings increased by an average 5% and increased the target price to 460p per share from 390p. "We believe negative risks surrounding oversupply & raw materials prices are now abating and 2018 pricing risk is skewed to the positive. We credit Management for successfully limiting the negative profitability impact of nitrile oversupply and significant raw material price inflation in 2017 - we believe the business is now well positioned for further cost saves in 2018, organic growth in 2019 and potential large-scale M&A."

The Swiss bank remained neutral on Royal Bank of Scotland with an unchanged 290p target price on Wednesday. Despite "disappointing cost guidance and larger forecast litigation" driving EPS lower in 2018/19E, Credit Suisse's 2020 expected EPS is unchanged at 29p due primarily to better net interest margin. "We remain 'neutral' given up/downside is largely dependent on litigation/pension settlements coming in better/worse than expectations."

1255: European Council President Donald Tusk is tearing a few holes in Theresa May's Brexit speech from last Friday. This line is quite a stinger: "One thing must be clear: there's no possibility to have some sort of exlcusive access to the single market for some parts of our economies."

Draft guidelines from the EU on the next phase of Brexit talks were revealed earlier, with a renewed warning-off about "cherry-picking". However, there was the sort of glimmer of light that will have David Davis licking his lips, with the EU's suggestion that it is ready to change its stance if the UK position "evolves". As the famous Lloyd Christmas line goes: "So you're telling me there's a chance." The pound was down 0.2% against the euro to 1.1171.





EU27 wants UK as close friend & partner and will enter talks on future with open, positive mind. But given UK red lines only an FTA is possible. It will be the first FTA in history to loosen, not strengthen economic ties. Drifting apart is essence of #Brexit.  Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) March 7, 2018

President Trump said: trade wars are good and easy to win. But the truth is trade wars are bad and easy to lose. EUs goal is to keep world trade alive and if necessary to protect European by proportionate responses.  Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) March 7, 2018

1249: Wall Street is expected to open with sizeable losses today. US futures pointed to heavy losses at the open as investors react to confirmation of Cohn's resignation, reigniting fears of a damaging trade war. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were down 0.97%. Stocks ended in the black on Tuesday as Cohn's resignation was announced after the closing bell.

1220: The London midday report has stocks paring losses, helped by a stellar performance from Rolls-Royce, which is up around 13%. However the resignation of US President Trump's chief economic advisor Gary Cohn and the prospect of a trade war is keeping investors on edge. The FTSE 100 was off 0.1% to 7,138.86, while the pound was down 0.2% against the dollar at 1.3860 and 0.3% weaker versus the euro at 1.1159.

The European Union responded to Trump's plans on Wednesday, with commissioner for trade Cecilia Malmstrom saying that the EU is working hard to ensure any tariffs imposed comply with WTO rules. Malmstrom tweeted: "We have made it clear that a move that hurts the EU and puts thousands of European jobs in jeopardy will be met with a firm and proportionate response."

1154: Capita's forthcoming financial restructuring and rights issue is seen as likely to be "significantly dilutive" to current equity holders in order to attract new investors, reckons Shore Capital, with recent media reports that private placement bond holders are seeking representation to protect their interests, which analysts assume is with the view of the circa 1.0bn of cash and some sort of ring fencing arrangement. "We also fear a significant overhang from unsold rights from investors unwilling to subscribe."

ShoreCap has removed Capita from its 'sell' but said instigating a 'hold' stance was done "with no great enthusiasm".

"To be clear, we are fully behind CEO Jonathan Lewiss strategy of restructuring the group, simplifying operations and refocusing upon a core of technology based service solutions. We simply fear that the groups complexity and past growth by acquisition strategy hides a myriad of issues that may cost more and take longer to resolve than can yet be judged with any great visibility."

1028: Ahead of Inmarsat's results on Friday, Numis was rather cautious. Management should give FY19 guidance for the first time this Friday and if Maritime is still in recession, the company "may well miss consensus forecasts for its revenue growth in FY18 and FY19". According to the company, consensus expects +2% and +3% year-on-year growth in FY18 and FY19, respectively but Numis thinks these numbers may instead be -1% and +1%, respectively.

1025: Looking at Royal Mail, Barclays has raised its forecasts and price target and reiterated its 'overweight' rating following the recent agreement with unions. "We regard the recent broad set of agreements between the two parties as a landmark. To have closed, with a small surplus, one of the larger defined benefit pension schemes in the UK; to have replaced it with an affordable defined contribution scheme (possibly collective subject to government negotiation); and to have agreed on a pay deal to April 2020, without industrial action, is a remarkable and forward thinking effort by all involved, in our view."

The bank also hiked its price target for Ibstock's shares after the brick-maker's full year operational results were broadly in line with forecasts. Analysts said the focus of the day was on Ibstock's capital allocation as the company announced its new supplementary dividend policy. "With a confident outlook into 2018, a supplementary dividend is expected to be announced in August 2018. We believe shareholder returns will remain the main priority as long as the company's above-average cash generation features are maintained."

1021: Real GDP in the Eurozone rose 0.6% quarter-on-quarter in Q4, in line with the consensus and initial estimate. The year-over-year rate fell to 2.7% year-over-year in Q4 from 2.8% in Q3, also in line with the consensus and first estimate.

The final reading on Q4 growth came with details on its constituent parts, showing investment performed strongly, rising 0.9% quarter-on-quarter, but also revealing a significant downward revision of the Q3 data to a 0.2% fall in contrast to the original estimate of a 1.1% increase.

"This is a huge change, but unfortunately not unprecedented given the large share of construction and intellectual property expenditure in the gross capex data," said Claus Vistesen at Pantheon Macroeconomics. "Consumers spending rose 0.2%, slowing from an already lacklustre 0.3% rise in Q3. January hard data have been soft, but we are confident that Q1 as a whole will see a rebound in spending. Government spending increased 0.3%, slowing from an upwardly-revised 0.4% rise in Q3. Net trade continued to perform strongly, in part as a result of higher oil prices lifting the import price deflator."

0959: Chinas foreign exchange reserve figures suggest that the Peoples Bank did not dabble much in the market last month. FX reserves fell to $3.13trn in February from $3.16trn in January, below the consensus $3.16trn.

"But its pledge to allow a more market-driven exchange rate will be tested if the renminbi comes under renewed pressure due to trade tensions or weaker economic growth," says Capital Economics.

0941: More comment on the theme that investors are worried that Cohns departure removes a key calming influence on Trump and an opponent to the President's protectionist leanings.

Matt Simpson, market analyst at Faraday Research, said: "The revolving door in the Whitehouse gets another spin, but the ramifications from Cohns exit has the potential to be huge. As his departure was announced after the US markets closed were yet to see a real reaction from the US. But as Cohn was Wall Streets main man in Washington, we doubt theyll be so happy about it. An advocate of free trade and the biggest critic of tariffs, markets fear his absence from the White House could make the tariffs inevitable. Such tariffs didnt work out well for the Bush administration, so its difficult for markets to fathom a better outcome this time around."

0847: Commenting on the latest personel changes in the White House overnight, Jim Reid at Deutsche Bank says: "[the news suggests] that Trump is leaning heavily towards some form of protectionist measures. Needless to say that Cohns resignation also leaves further question marks around Trumps economic agenda. On a similar note, overnight, news has also emerged that Trump is considering further measures, specifically for China imports and investments, supposedly following theft of intellectual property rights. An investigation by the US Trade Representatives office into Chinas intellectual property practices is expected in the coming weeks."

0840: China's official FX reserves slipped by $27bn in February to $3.134trn (Consensus: $3.15trn). On the back of today's data and given the current backdrop, Julian Evans-Pritchard at Capital Economics says: "concerns about US protectionism continue to build, it will weaken global investors appetite for EM assets. In both cases, capital outflows from China will likely pick up. If the PBOC has learnt the lessons from the renminbi panic a couple of years ago, they will promptly step up FX sales to prevent the currency from weakening too rapidly as a result. If they dont, it would spark speculation that the PBOC wants the renminbi to weaken which, regardless of whether true or not, would spur further outflows and depreciation pressure."

0804: The top flight index has gotten off to a poor start following news overnight of White House economic adviser Gary Cohn's decision to step down after failing to convince the US administration to reconsider proposals for steel and aluminium tariffs, which served to send US equity futures duly lower, although they have since cut their losses.

Against that backdrop, as of 0804 GMT the FTSE 100 is down 28.09 points to 7,116.78, while the S&P 500 'mini' futures contract is down by 22.0 points to 2,702.0.

To take note of, according to Bloomberg USTR was conducting a probe into China's practices with regards to intellectual property.

Rolls Royce is an early top riser, with shares rocketing 10%.

On the economic calendar for Wednesday, the two main risk events scheduled are the US ADP jobs report at 1315 GMT, followed by Bank of Canada's rate decision at 1500 GMT. The latter is of special interest given ongoing negotiations with the US and Mexico on NAFTA.

Chinese foreign reserve figures for February may also be released.
Stocks on the Continent finished higher despite news that White House economic adviser Gary Cohn had stepped down in protest over US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross's proposed steel and aluminium tariffs.

"Not only does this mean that the tariffs are likely to be implemented, but Cohn, a former Goldman Sachs executive, was seen as a beacon of reason and conventional economic thinking in an erratic administration. His departure adds to the impression of chaos in the White House," surmised Marshall Gittler at ACLS Global.

Cohn's decision reportedly came after he chose not to publicly support those tariffs, even after being asked to do so by Trump.

Despite that backdrop, by the closing bell the benchmark Stoxx 600 was trading 0.36% or 1.34 points higher to 372.71, alongside a 1.09% or 131.49 point jump for the German Dax to 12,245.36 and a 0.34% or 17.60 points on the Cac-40 to 5,187.83.

Also weighing in on the latest news from the White House, Jim Reid at Deutsche Bank said: "[the news] suggests that Trump is leaning heavily towards some form of protectionist measures. Needless to say that Cohns resignation also leaves further question marks around Trumps economic agenda.

"On a similar note, overnight, news has also emerged that Trump is considering further measures, specifically for China imports and investments, supposedly following theft of intellectual property rights. An investigation by the US Trade Representatives office into Chinas intellectual property practices is expected in the coming weeks."

Meanwhile, in economic news, Eurostat reported that the euro area's gross domestic product expanded at a 0.6% pace quarter-on-quarter over the three months to December, as expected.

On the corporate front, Vestas was in the spotlight after Denmark's Business minister said US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had shown sympathy for the impact that his proposed tariffs would have on the wind turbine maker's US operations.

Siemens's initial public offering of its Healthineers unit appeared to be on track, following reports that the flotation was already fully subscribed.

In other German news, BMW announced that the R&D associated with its next electric 'mini' would be carried out in China.

Further South, Air France's unions called a strike for 23 March after wage talks fell through.

Within the same sector, reports indicated the Elysee was set to decided on its final plans to privatise Aeroports de Paris during the following weekend.
Draft guidelines for a trade deal with the UK showed the EU wants tariff-free and quota-free trading of goods. But the document demanded continued access to UK fishing waters and said there could be no cherry-picking or partial participation in the single market.

The document said the EU would work towards an arrangement similar to its trade deal with Canada. That means services will only be included with restrictions.

The EU said it was ready to soften its position if the UK scraps its so-called red lines such as leaving the single market and no longer being subject to the European Court of Justice.

Being outside the customs union and the single market will inevitably lead to frictions, the EU said in the draft. Divergence in external tariffs and internal rules as well as absence of common institutions and a shared legal system, necessitates checks and controls to uphold the integrity of the EU single market as well as of the UK market. This unfortunately will have negative economic consequences.

Work must continue on the Irish border and a transition period and other issues will only be agreed as part of the final deal, the paper said.

The bloc also intends to resist Mays suggestion of some sort of associate membership of the EU's agencies, including in aviation. The European council further reiterates that the union will preserve its autonomy as regards its decision-making, which excludes participation of the United Kingdom as a third-country to EU institutions, agencies or bodies, the draft document said. The role of the court of justice of the European Union will also be fully respected.
NMC Health s annual profit jumped by more than a third as the United Arab Emirates private healthcare operator treated more people and increased revenue per patient.

Net profit for the year to the end of December rose 38% to $209.2m (151m) as revenue rose 31% to $1.6bn. Pre-tax profit rose 39% to $210.4m.

Revenue rose 41% to $1.2bn at NMCs core healthcare division as patient numbers increased by a third to 5.8m as the FTSE 100 company expanded existing facilities and made acquisitions including Al Zahra Hospital in the emirate of Sharjah. Revenue per patient from healthcare services increased 7.6% to $189.80 as NMC added higher value services such as long-term care.

NMC is expanding rapidly to tap into growth in the Gulfs healthcare market as an increasingly affluent population becomes more prone to diseases such as diabetes. It paid $560m for Al Zahra in March and funded the purchase with debt and a share placing.

Prasanth Manghat, NMCs chief executive, said the company was confident about its prospects and would continue to expand, possibly through further acquisitions.

Manghat said: Sustained ramp up of utilization at facilities we opened in recent years, integration of acquired assets and continued discipline in organic and inorganic expansions should all translate into a very promising 2018 and beyond.

The company continues to benefit from ready access to debt financing and a supportive shareholder base that we will not take for granted. While we continue to apply strict criteria to our expansion opportunities this backdrop gives us confidence in addressing any future funding requirements to support our ambitious growth plans.

Group debt increased to $1.4bn at the end of December from $1.05bn a year earlier. Financing costs rose to $63.8bn from $41.7bn.

NMC shares fell 7.5% to 3,102p at 08:33 GMT. The shares had more than doubled since the start of 2017, sending the company into the FTSE 100 index.
Rank Group chief executive Henry Birch has chosen to stand down from his role with the Casino operator after four years.

Birch, who'd been in the role since May 2014, gave Rank twelve months notice of his resignation from the business on Wednesday, allowing him to join London retailer Shop Direct as its group chief executive.

Rank told investors further announcements would be made when a successor had been identified and that, in the meantime, Birch would remain in his current role to "ensure an orderly handover".

"The board would like to thank Henry for his significant contribution to Rank over the past four years and will continue to work closely with him and the executive management team during this leadership transition," Rank said in a note to shareholders on Wednesday.

As of 0830 GMT, shares had lost 2.90% to 218.00p.
Big box logistics asset specialist Tritax Big Box reported its full year results for 2017 on Wednesday, confirming dividends declared for the year totalled 6.40p per share, in line with the boards target.

The FTSE 250 real estate investment trust said its EPRA net asset value per share increased 10.3% to 142.24p as at 31 December, while its total return - being the increase in EPRA net asset value plus dividends paid - for the year was 15.2%, compared to its target of at least 9% per annum over the medium term.

Adjusted earnings per share totalled 6.37p per share, down 2.2% year-on-year.

Tritax had a market capitalisation of 2.03bn as at 31 December.

Its portfolio was independently valued at 2.61bn at year-end, across 46 assets plus 114 acres of strategic land.

The portfolio's contracted annual rent roll improved to 125.95m from 99.66m at the end of 2016, which the board said included all forward funded commitments.

Tritax further diversified its sources of borrowing during the year, with its debut unsecured loan notes totalling 500m.

The companys weighted average unexpired debt term extended to 8.9 years from 4.8 years over the period, with its loan-to-value ratio as at 31 December sitting at 26.8%.

A reducing EPRA cost ratio of 13.1% was reported, from 15.8%, which Tritax said reflected the benefits of increased scale.

The firm raised 350m of equity during 2017, through a substantially-oversubscribed share issue.

On the operational front, the company acquired 11 big box assets during the year, with an aggregate purchase price of 434.99m, further diversifying its portfolio by geography and tenant.

As at year-end, its portfolio comprised 46 assets, covering more than 22.7 million square feet of logistics space.

A total of 114 acres of strategic land was also acquired at Littlebrook, Dartford for 62.5m.

The firms average net initial yield of the portfolio at acquisition was 5.7%, against the boards year-end valuation of 4.6%.

Its portfolio was fully let, or pre-let and income producing, during the year.

At year-end, the weighted average unexpired lease term was 13.9 years, against the boards target of at least 12 years.

Since 31 December, the board announced a progressive dividend target of 6.70p for 2018. And acquired a further three big box assets, totalling 139.81m.

One pre-let forward funded asset was also conditionally exchanged, totalling 81.8m.

We have a sector-leading portfolio of UK big box assets that are benefiting from structural change driven by increasing e-commerce penetration, and the operational and financial benefits which they can provide to our customers, said Tritax Big Box chairman Richard Jewson.

The fundamentals of our market remain positive and are largely unaffected by current geopolitical and economic uncertainties.

Despite the uncertainties it brings, Brexit may provide a silver lining, since with increased border controls our customers will require more warehousing domestically, further supporting our business case.

Jewson said that, through the excellent relationships enjoyed by the companys manager, the board saw opportunities to acquire high-quality assets and forward-funded developments to further diversify its portfolio.

The continued imbalance between occupational supply and demand means that we expect rental growth and values to remain robust in 2018.

The assets we acquired towards the end of 2017 will add to our rental income in 2018.

Coupled with our largely fixed cost base, this will contribute to earnings growth and support our progressive dividend target of 6.70p for 2018.

Tritax Big Box declares 1.6p interim dividend

The company declared an interim dividend for the period from 1 October to 31 December on Wednesday, of 1.60p per ordinary share.

Tritax said the dividend would payable on or around 29 March to shareholders on the register on 16 March.

It said the ex-dividend date would be 15 March, with the dividend being a property income distribution.

Following the payment of this dividend, the company will have paid, in aggregate, 6.40p per share in dividends in respect of the year to 31 December, in line with its stated target, the Tritax board said in its statement.

The company is targeting an aggregate dividend of 6.70p per ordinary share for the year ending 31 December 2018 - an increase of 4.7% over the aggregate dividend paid for 2017.
Broadcast and photographic products and solutions provider, the Vitec Group , has completed the acquisition of Adeal for a total investment of AUD 5m (2.8m), it announced on Wednesday.

The London-listed firm said the acquisition was expected to be earnings neutral in 2018 and marginally accretive in 2019.

Adeal is a distributor of consumer and professional imaging products and accessories based in Melbourne, Australia, and Vitec's former imaging solutions distribution partner in Australia.

The board said the acquisition of Adeal was in line with its strategy to expand in the Asia-Pacific region, and get closer to its customers through owning more of its own distribution channel.

In addition to sales growth, margin consolidation and full control of channel management, Vitec's ownership of Adeal would reportedly enable the group to consolidate its imaging solutions brands under one national distributor.

Adeal would become part of Vitec's imaging solutions division, led by Marco Pezzana.

David Burlew, Adeals current managing director, would remain with the company post acquisition.

This acquisition is a further step in the group's strategy to get closer to our customers and will build on our presence in the rapidly expanding Asia-Pacific market, said group chief executive Stephen Bird.

This is an exciting time for Vitec as we continue to launch innovative, new products for the fast growing image capture and sharing market, and I am delighted to welcome the Adeal team to the group.
One of the most talked about issues with Donald Trump has been whether or not he's prejudice. In defense of the president, Donald Jr. made a curious claim for why he doesn't think he father is racist.

Junior on dad

It all started when Donald Trump kicked off his campaign for president back in the summer of 2015. During his speech, Trump referred to illegal immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and "murderers," planting the seed to what would grow into a fight against constant charges of racism and other forms of prejudice. Since becoming president just over a year ago, Trump has been caught in various situations where he's defended himself against charges of racism, including his controversial remarks about the white supremacist march in Charlotesville, and his "sh*thole" comments about several foreign nations.

As reported by the New York Daily News on February 5, Donald Trump Jr. spoke with the right-wing Daily Caller over the weekend and claimed his father couldn't be racist because of his history of hanging out with African-American rap artists. "It's been terrible to watch," he said. "All the Rappers, all the this, all his African-American friends, from Jesse Jackson to Al Sharpton," the younger Trump said, before adding, "I have pictures with them."

Donald Trump Jr. then went on to say that it was only after his dad got into politics that people started to say he was "the most terrible human being ever." Despite his remarks, the president's son never elaborated on what rappers his father used to allegedly hang out with.

Donald Trump Jr. says his dad isn't racist, "all the rappers" and "African-American friends" he used to hang out with just abandoned him for political reasons https://t.co/kUcbMpeXWa  Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) February 5, 2018

Moving forward

While Donald Trump, his family, and his administration continue to push back against the allegations of racism, the majority of the country is still in opposition to the president.

In recent weeks, the commander in chief has been touting the unemployment rate for African-Americans which ended 2017 at its lowest point in recent history. However, despite a strong January jobs report, African-American unemployment actually increased by nearly a full point, though the White House has yet to offer a comment on the change.

Heading into the 2018 mid-term elections, and later the 2020 presidential election, African-American voters, as well as other minorities, will continue to be key voting blocs that are projected to be a major negative on Trump and the Republican Party. With a current approval rating of 40 percent, Trump's favorability with the African-American community remains in the single digits.
US Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced bipartisan legislation yesterday (March 5) and asked for its inclusion in the Senate Banking Committee's bill S.2155 (the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act). The legislation, known as the Protecting Children from Identity Theft Act, was written to prevent the theft of children's identity by means of synthetic ID fraud. This type of fraud consists of using a child's stolen Social Security number and falsified personal information. A file is falsely built up around this SS number, and once it has a good credit rating, it is used to apply for bank accounts, credit cards, loans, mortgages, or other financial opportunities that will never be repaid.

A report from the Senate provided most of the information used in this article.

Increase verification

The theft of children's Social Security numbers has become very profitable on the dark web and is considered the second biggest category of fraud committed. Senator Scott, along with cosponsors Senators Cassidy (R-LA), McCaskill (D-MO), and Peters (D-MI) agree that utilizing resources already available in the Social Security system could detect this kind of fraud. Synthetic ID fraud abuse affects 1.3 million children annually, and although it may not affect them today, it will have a big impact on them in their future. For this reason, the Senators sent a letter last month to Social Security Administration asking them to implement the use of an individual's consent electronically.

Protect our youngest victims

This would not only prevent this type of identity theft but would also help to weed out and combat those who commit synthetic identity fraud. Statistics showed that child ID theft is 51 times higher than the rate for adults in the same population. The youngest victims being five-months-old. Michigan, Florida, California, Maryland, and Nevada were shown to have the highest per capita rates of identity theft in 2017.

Senator Gary Peters stated this legislation can give lenders a tool to verify identities, put a stop to the estimated $6 billion annual loss from fraud and help give children a secure financial future.

Fine tuning S. 2155

Today (March 6), the Senate Banking Committee opened debate on the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act.

S.2155, authored by Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), is expected to be passed on a bipartisan vote. The bill's main purpose is to ease regulations for small financial institutions but it also includes bipartisan measures that will improve access to mortgage credit, consumer protections to real property retrofit loans, consumer protections, protecting veterans' credit, safeguards for victims of fraud and measures on housing. There will also be a number of minor bills that have already passed the House. The bill is scheduled for a cloture vote next Tuesday (March 13).
On Sunday, ISIS released a propaganda video that showed US special forces along with Nigerian forces being ambushed and killed by ISIS militant fighters. The ambush took place on October 4th, 2017 and resulted in four US soldiers Being Killed as well as several Nigerian soldiers. Among the American soldiers that were killed that day were, Sgt. La David Johnson, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson, Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright, and Staff Sgt. Bryan Black.

The ambush

The Footage seems to be taken from a helmet camera of one of the US soldiers. During the nine-minute video, US and Nigerian forces are ambushed by ISIS militant fighters and engage in close contact combat.

Two US soldiers are seen running and taking cover behind a SUV that is being strategically driven by a third US soldier. The US forces dodge incoming rounds from the ISIS fighters that are not far off in the distance and try to make it to a few red smoke bombs that had been deployed to provide cover and time to reorganize.

Before making it to the smoke bombs, one US soldier is badly wounded and pulled behind the SUV by his comrades. The remaining two US soldiers quickly assess his wounds. Seconds after realizing he had been killed, the other two American soldiers are shot by ISIS fighters while trying to run from their over-run position. The graphic video ends with two of the ISIS fighters walking past and shooting the US soldier wearing the helmet camera several more times.

The controversy

Many people, including soldiers within the special operations community, were upset by the publishing of the video by American news agencies and journalists. Some individuals claimed journalists are spreading ISIS propaganda and disrespecting the four US military members that were killed that day in October.

SOFREP, a widely known news agency among the special forces community, that was founded by a former US military member, took heat for reposting the ISIS propaganda video.

Jack Murphy from SOFREP in return published an article titled From the Editor: Why we published the Niger video to explain their decision in publishing the disturbing video.

In the end, the video is absolutely disturbing and all viewers should be advised before watching it. The debate still remains surrounding videos like the Niger ambush. Should journalists spread this to the public or quietly push it under the rug and leave it to groups like ISIS to use as propaganda?
Nepali tea industry lacks technology, expertise

Nepali tea industry is lagging behind in terms of technology and expertise, putting a damper on the countrys attempt to promote the Himalayan product in the international market.
On Monday night, the Florida State Senate narrowly passed bill 7026, the Marjory Douglas High School Public Safety Act. This contentious bill introduces several restrictions to increase safety at school. Reaction to the bill has been mixed. Some believe it doesn't go far enough, while others object to certain elements of the bill.

What is bill 7026?

This piece of legislation introduces several restrictions. The age at which an individual can purchase a gun has been increased from 18 to 21. Furthermore, the bill imposes a three-day waiting period for the majority of gun purchases, while also banning bump stocks which accelerate the firing rate of semi-automatic rifles.

No doubt, one of the most contentious elements of this bill is the voluntary school marshall's program. Here, school districts have the option of allowing some staff members to carry concealed weapons. Participating school staff would have to undergo a 132-hour firearms training program as well as a 12-hour diversity training program.

The Marjory Douglas High School Public Safety Act also furnishes further funding for mental health agencies. It also allows officers of the law to temporarily seize guns and ammunition from people suffering from mental illness or threatening violence.

Even though the bill was sponsored by the GOP, some Republican senators opposed it because they didn't agree with raising the age to buy a rifle from 18 to 21.

In the end, bill 7026 was narrowly passed by 20 to 18 votes and is set to make its way to the Florida House.

Reaction to the passing of the Marjory Douglas high school public safety act is mixed

According to a report in the LA Times, the bill's failure to ban AR-15 rifles met with a lot of disappointment, especially from many Parkland parents and students.

In the aftermath of the shooting, many students had called for immediate action.

The bill's provision, allowing trained school staff to carry concealed weapons, has also gained considerable criticism, with many believing that arming school staff would make schools less safe rather than safer.

LA Times sources also described the reaction from Democrat senators as mixed.

While some have welcomed the bill as an important first step toward stricter gun control laws, other Democrats believe that this bill doesn't go far enough and may, in fact, harm the chances of introducing adequate controls.

Miami Senator, Jose Javier Rodriguez, suggested deleting the name Stoneman Douglas from the bill because it failed to adequately address the demands of the Parkland students. However, some of the students welcomed the passing of the bill:

These are the baby steps we need!! We have a lot further to go, but progress is progress and thats not to be denied. https://t.co/cvEDvAKqsS  Delaney Tarr (@delaneytarr) March 6, 2018

Parkland students unlikely to let the gun debate die down

Other students were much more critical of the bill.

One thing seems certain, the Parkland students are unlikely to fade into the background. In fact, they are planning a demonstration to take place on 24 March 2018, in Washington, D.C.
Today on "Live With Kelly and Ryan" they had an appearance from Arie Luyeyndyk Jr. The fans have been watching Arie on "The Bachelor" every Monday night and now he is sharing a bit about how he is doing.Of course, Arie can't give away any spoilers. They were in the Bahamas for this show instead of in New York.

What did Arie have to share?

Arie Luyendyk Jr. actually didn't share too much on this episode, but he did get to go to the Bahamas to be on it. He was there by himself because of course he can't spoil who he picks in the end and have them there with him for the show.

Kelly started talking to him about how he was on the show five years ago with Emily Maynard. You could tell Ryan Seacrest knew who his story from the show.

Arie explained that when he was with Emily on the show it was really only the time in his life that he felt ready to get married and ready to get engaged. It just made sense to Arie to go back to the show once again. Arie shared that he was friends with Jef Holm after the show and it would have been weird to go after Emily at that point after they split.

Arie talks about everyone watching and more

He shared that watching the show back he does see that he told some of the girls the same things. Arie admits all of the relationships are different, but ABC only shows a little bit of it.

They also touched about how Bekah was on the show and ended up on a missing person's list. He teased that you should call your parents. Kelly says that this made her think that this is the girl Arie picks in the end and that she went so far underground that her mom thought she was missing.

Kelly Ripa admits that she doesn't really watch the show.

They are in Paris tonight on the show. Kelly doesn't get why they get to go on these great dates and says they should do things more like what the future looks like such as going to Costco. Arie says in the start of relationships there is romance. Arie revealed that the group dates can last about 12 or 14 hours. Ryan even teased Arie to get rid of Krystal, and that could happen tonight seeing that she does go on a 2 on 1 date, which means it is time for someone to go home.

Arie admits that he fell in love, but won't admit if he is engaged or anything. He said that he wants everyone to see the ending. He says that he is very happy right now, though.

Are you excited to see who Arie Luyeyndyk Jr. ends up with this season? Don't miss new episodes of "The Bachelor" with Arie Luyendyk Jr. on Monday nights on ABC.
Briana DeJesus is coming for Kailyn Lowry. These two have been intertwined since it was announced that Teen Mom 2 would be welcoming DeJesus. Fans knew there would be drama, but adding Javi Marroquin to the mix added much more than just a little bit of chaos. Now, the two are trading insults on social media, and the man who dated both of them is laughing all the way home.

Twitter feud reignites

It was revealed that Javi Marroquin was with Briana DeJesus in Miami after the two had split. Kailyn Lowry talked about spilling the tea but didn't elaborate.

Teen Mom 2 fans figured out that Bri was with Javi from Snapchat, and from there, things went downhill. DeJesus took to Twitter to call out Lowry for talking about her on her podcast, something that has happened quite frequently. Briana went off on Kail when it first happened but came back over the weekend for round two.

According to In Touch Weekly, things got pretty brutal on Twitter with Briana DeJesus calling Kailyn Lowry out for getting Teen Mom 2 production involved in their battle. In fact, she claims that they were told she is being mean to the mom of three and ex-wife of Javi Marroquin. Fans aren't surprised the two can't get along, especially with the way Javi has played them both.

Interestingly enough, it looks like both girls are happy to engage the other, though Briana is tougher than Kailyn when it comes to words.

The bigger person

It looks like Kailyn Lowry will end up being the bigger person in the battle. She has yet to swear off social media or disappear when confronted regarding her action. Lowy has taken a lot of grief from others, especially about her love life and appearance.

If there is anything she can handle, it is Briana DeJesus' word vomit. Things can get pretty real when you come face to face with the one you have beef with, and the Teen Mom 2 specials and reunions should be filled with plenty of gossip and tea. It appears that a new season is filming, which could bring in high ratings for MTV.

With a brand new season coming soon, the behind-the-scenes looks will provide fans with more information. The Briana DeJesus and Kailyn Lowry drama has people intrigued, so they may as well play up on it. Javi Marroquin started a world of trouble with these two women, and now, he isn't attached to either one. The new season will be filled with the Briana/Javi relationship, and possibly some of the Kail/Bri feud. "Teen Mom 2" is going to be intense.
Fans of Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar would love the chance to meet them and now there is a way that you can do it. In Touch Weekly shared the details about how for just $15 you can meet this couple from the show "19 Kids and Counting." They do events now and then, but it isn't like they have these often.

Details to meet these two

They will actually be in St. Johns, Michigan and not at home in Arkansas to meet fans. This will all go down on Valentine's Day. They will be having "Date Night with the Duggars," at Grove Bible Church. This couple has been married for 33 years and seems to know the secret to their marriage lasting.

Before the event, Michelle Duggar will be having a special Q&A for mothers. She does know a lot about being a mom having so many children. It sounds like Jim Bob won't be there for that part of the evening.

If you want to go, then it only costs $15 and this even includes dinner. This sounds like a great way to spend your Valentine's Day if you are a fan of the Duggars. This could be a great date night or you could go along with your friends to check out the Duggars and get to know them better. They don't seem to have plans to bring any of the children along with them for the event.

What could they talk about at this event?

There aren't any exact details out yet about what they will talk about, but you can assume that they will explain the reason that they do things the way they do.

Dating like a Duggar would mean having a courtship and not kissing before marriage. Of course, they also don't have sex before marriage. This family likes to take things really slow when they are getting to know someone before marriage. A lot of people don't do it that way now, but it does seem to really work for the Duggar Family.

Jim Bob Duggar is also very involved in helping out with picking out the guys that his daughters date. He thought that Derick Dillard would be a perfect match for Jill and set them up to start talking. It worked out and they are now married with two children. Some people might not agree with getting advice from Jim Bob after what happened with his son Josh Duggar, but they will have to decide that on their own.

Do you want the chance to meet Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar? Will you be going to meet them? Sound off in the comments below on your thoughts, and don't miss new episodes of "Counting On" when they start airing again on TLC later this month. It is almost time for a new season that will be full of courtships and babies.
Heather Locklear's bizarre behavior during a February 25 domestic violence altercation with boyfriend Chris Heisser has landed her back in a medical treatment facility, according to TMZ. Not only is Locklear back in rehab, she has criminal charges of domestic violence and three counts of battery against a Police officer to contend with when she faces the judge on March 13.

Family and friends fear for Heather Locklear's life

Things appear to be getting worse for Heather Locklear following her arrest. Things between her and her daughter Ava Sambora are rocky, to say the least.

Ava was at her mom's house when all the commotion went down and had to watch her mom get carted off to jail, but not before she physically attacked and threatened to shoot her arresting officers.

Drugs and alcohol have driven a wedge between Locklear and daughter Ava

As previously reported, Ava is now in Hawaii with her dad former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, who took his daughter on vacation to get her away from all the craziness surrounding her mother's recent arrest. Ava is reportedly very upset and traumatized by her Locklear's crazed behavior. TMZ reports police arrived back at Heather Locklear's home early Tuesday, March 6, with a search warrant to hunt for a gun that Locklear had threatened to use against the police if they "ever returned to her home." The police searched the gun permit records and found that Locklear has a gun permit from 1985.

Officers searched her Thousand Oaks home for several hours looking for the said weapon. Nothing was found on the premises, but that doesn't get Locklear off the hook. In fact, the former "Melrose Place" actress may find even more charges awaiting her when she appears before the judge. Family And Friends close to Locklear have reportedly revealed that they have been very concerned for the actress.

They feel that if something drastic doesn't take place to snap her into reality sooner rather than later, the outcome will be tragic.

It comes as no surprise to celebrity news followers that Heather Locklear has returned to treatment, especially since she was reportedly very intoxicated at the time of her arrest. It is a common move made by celebrities who are facing possible jail time after such an incident.

However, it is not believed that the judge will have much mercy for her, considering her long and extensive history with the law and drug and alcohol abuse.

This is Heather Locklear's seventh attempt at treatment, her fourth in the last year. How do you believe the court will handle Locklear's recent arrest, do you believe jail time is awaiting her?
In yet another breaking story on Tuesday night, adult film star Stormy Daniels is reportedly suing Donald Trump. Once the news became public, the story quickly went viral on social media.

#BREAKING: Stormy Daniels sues Trump, says nondisclosure agreement is not valid https://t.co/ZJaOVaxoEV pic.twitter.com/o5jAPnCO4l  The Hill (@thehill) March 7, 2018

Stormy sues

Earlier this year the bombshell story broke detailing the alleged affair between Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels, a popular adult film star. The affair allegedly took place between 2006 and 2007, just a year after the president was married to his wife Melania Trump, and also while she was pregnant with their son Barron.

Additional reporting revealed intimate details about the affair, including Trump wanting to be spanked with a copy of Forbes magazine with himself, his daughter Ivanka, and son Donald Jr. on the cover. Follow-up reports found that Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid Daniels $130,000 in hush money during the 2016 election to stay quiet about the relationship.

FULL STORY: Stormy Daniels, the adult film star, sued President Trump, saying that her agreement not to disclose their "intimate" relationship was invalid because he did not sign it. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, was obtained by @NBCNews. https://t.co/4ROELsLigr  NBC News (@NBCNews) March 7, 2018

While there was a nondisclosure agreement signed by Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's signature was nowhere to be found, as reported by NBC News on March 6.

The agreement refers to Daniels as Peggy Peterson and Trump as "David Dennison," with additional documents revealing the true identity of the names in question. The civil suit was filed earlier this week and first obtained by NBC News. While the commander in chief has not acknowledged the alleged affair in public, it's been reported that it has caused a strain in his marriage with Melania Trump, as the first lady has reportedly not been happy with the news of the relationship.

Twitter responds

Following the news of the lawsuit filed by Stormy Daniels, critics of the president took to social media. "All news coming from the WH seem to read like the front cover of the national enquirer," one tweet read.

I'd say this is more chaos for the #FakePresident who insists there is no chaos in the WH!  bdr2go (@pojamapeople) March 7, 2018

All news coming from the WH seem to read like the front cover of the national enquirer  Tamara (@nana2hallie) March 7, 2018

"I'd say this is more chaos for the Fake President who insists there is no chaos in the WH!" a Twitter user wrote.

"Which wouldnt be an issue is there wasnt anything to hide... hmmm," yet another tweet stated. "What?!!! And I didnt think today could trump yesterday" a follow-up tweet noted.

It could not happen to a better guy or bigger creep than Trump. Wish others would also come out and share their experiences about Trump.  Michael Anderson (@Micand307) March 7, 2018

Aww, Stormy has a story to tell (and we want her to tell it). #gostormy  C R (@Mydogrex12) March 7, 2018

Wtf?!!! And I didnt think today could trump yesterday   Janet Bryant (@8furryfriends) March 7, 2018

"Aww, Stormy has a story to tell (and we want her to tell it)" an additional tweet pointed out. "Now we know why the Florida House was more worried about p*rn than guns," a social media user added. "It could not happen to a better guy or bigger creep than Trump. Wish others would also come out and share their experiences about Trump," a tweet read.
Dwayne The Rock' Johnson gave a big shout-out to everyone who helped him and his family over the weekend after his two-year-old daughter Jasmine Johnson was rushed to the hospital. Though the family has not given any details of the ordeal, The Rock took to his Instagram account to thank all the doctors, 911 operators, the UCLA medical team and LAFD first responders. The award-winning actor shared the video with his 101 million Instagram followers.

Dwayne also gave parents who have experienced such incidents some good advice by asking them always to stay calm as children always pick on their parents' reaction during a stressful situation.

He explained how they had to spend the whole night in the emergency room, but luckily his daughter is okay.

The Johnsons

Dwayne is expecting another girl with his girlfriend, Lauren Hashian. The unborn baby will be his second daughter with his daughter. The couple announced their second baby with a picture of Jasmine and a note saying ITS A GIRL The 45-year-old star joked about how he was surrounded by beautiful estrogen and powerful female mana. Dwayne also has a 16-year-old daughter from his former relationship with Dany Garcia.

The Rock and his daughter share an unbreakable bond and he never fails to mention her during his interviews. In a 2015 interview, Dwayne talked about how he once asked her what she loved most about their relationship.

The 13-year-old Simone replied that her shared trust and bond with her father is what matters most to her. Dwayne recalls this as one of the proudest moments of his life, saying he couldn't ask for anything else.

Who is Dwayne Johson?

Dwayne Johnson is a Canadian-born wrestler and Hollywood actor who has won numerous awards in his career.

The renowned actor is worth more than $67 million, amassing most of the money from his acting career, according to Forbes Magazine. Dwayne started off as a wrestler and finally made his debut into the film industry as the "Scorpion King" in 2001, "The Mummy Returns."

From then on his acting career has continued to thrive appearing in films like "Driver" (2010) and the "Fast and Furious" (2013-2015) trilogy and the recent "San Andreas" (2015), "Baywatch" and "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" (2017).

The Hollywood star also makes time-to-time appearances in "WrestleMania" including the 2014 appearance with wrestling legends, Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 30. Johnson recently announced that he would be hosting a 10-episode unscripted competition show, "The Titan Games" for people to showcase their extraordinary talents.
When it comes to cryptocurrency, the market remains volatile and unpredictable. To make things more secure, nations such as china and South Korea have implemented sweeping reforms to protect the cryptocurrency industry.

A closer look at China and South Korea

Now, China has implemented drastic changes in hopes to rectify all that. According to Fortune, the Asian superpower now has banned its people from searching bitcoins and initial coin offerings (ICOs) as a means to prevent financial risk.

This move primarily shuts down offshore cryptocurrency platforms when the local ban failed to put off the interest of the people who sought refuge in platforms abroad.

The nations government vows to release stricter regulations on local investors participating in offshore cryptocurrency platforms.

China has made similar moves before when it banned social media platform Facebook using the vaunted Great Firewall of China. It seems the nation is bent on completely doing away from any form of cryptocurrency and trade. With the highly volatile market, the investors are easily triggered and this increases the chance of social unrest. Now, online ads promoting cryptocurrency are banned, too, in Baidu and Weibo.

On the other hand, South Korea has also implemented some changes, although not as drastic as that of Chinas. Per Reuters, officials from South Korea are mulling over banning cryptocurrency investors from using anonymous banks when doing transactions.

The country is swept with the Bitcoin fever and the bug has caught up with everyone, from housewives to college students and office workers.

Now, investors must identify themselves first in order to make transactions with their virtual coin wallets. Their names must match with their respective bank accounts. The authorities promise to release the detailed guidelines for local banks and clients in the coming days.

Is it still safe to invest in cryptocurrency?

There are still risks involved because cryptocurrency is not regulated, but it can be lessened with the right platform for investors. Blockchain, the backbone of Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, has many benefits and applications in different industries that removing it altogether brings more harm than good.

Global Blockchain Technologies (OTCMKTS:BLKCF, TSXV:BLOC) tries to solve this issue by having industry leaders and pioneers run the platform. Since the people behind Global Blockchain are experts in the field, the risk is lessened for clients and investors. What this new company does is to give exclusive access to members in new ICOs that have massive opportunities to invest in.

Led by Chairman Steve Nerayoff, CEO Rik Willard, and President and COO Shidan Gouran, the company knows the risks that are involved and their years long experience will make sure it is lessened or avoided.

Blockchain acts as a third-party ledger, and it is decentralized. Each transaction made is traceable and transparent, which minimizes the occurrence of fraud and wrongdoing.

Each transaction is recorded without the use of any intermediary. Hackers will also have a hard time penetrating blockchain because of the many users it has.

With the help of Global Blockchain, new investment opportunities were discovered in sectors not thought of possible before. These include investments in energy supply, KODAKCoin, Millennial Esports, high-performance analog semiconductor products and online games.

As more nations are opting to ban cryptocurrency transactions in their country altogether, they are missing out on massive investment opportunities. The market remains unpredictable and volatile but with the help of the right people who know what they are doing, investors in bitcoins and ICOs should not worry about anything.
New regionalism

A major point of interest arising from the bilateral talks between Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Pakistan prime minister Shahid Khaquan Abbasi, who completed a two-day visit to Nepal yesterday,
CONSOL Coal Resources LP produces and sells high- British thermal unit (Btu) coal in the Northern Appalachian Basin and the eastern United States. It owns a 25% undivided interest in the Pennsylvania mining complex, which consists of three underground mines and related infrastructure that produce high-Btu thermal coal located primarily in southwestern Pennsylvania. The company markets its thermal coal principally to electric utilities. CONSOL Coal Resources GP LLC operates as a general partner of the company. The company was formerly known as CNX Coal Resources LP and changed its name to CONSOL Coal Resources LP in November 2017. CONSOL Coal Resources LP was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

Read More
New York museum to return stolen Nepali idols

Nepal has signed an agreement with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to return stolen idols of Uma Maheshwor and Lord Buddha to the country.
Nominations for prez race today

Nominations for the presidential race take place on Wednesday with the elections scheduled for March 13, the Election Commission (EC) announced on Tuesday.
GETTY IMAGES

Age and ill health, particularly dementia or other conditions that affect memory and cognition, can impair a person's ability to responsibly manage one of the most important components of their livelihood: their money.

That makes it all the more important to have the uneasy but essential conversation with loved ones about who will oversee their finances, and how, if they no longer can. Here are some important legal and financial tools to understand and potential problems to look out for if you need to take on the role of money manager or find someone else who can.

Joint account

While your loved one is still able to do things like write checks and use an ATM, discuss adding a trusted family member or friend to their bank account.

This sensible precaution may never be needed. But it can only be taken when the account holder is fully mentally competent and can help ensure that bills continue to get paid if a stroke, short-term memory loss or other health issue leaves your loved one unable to make payments, comprehend money or use sound financial judgment.

If your loved one is in the early days of a progressive disease such as dementia or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), having a second person on the account is essential. When needed, that person can step in as a money manager to pay bills, make deposits and withdrawals, and monitor the balance to make sure your loved one is not being scammed or financially exploited.

Once they take over, a money manager should cancel your loved one's credit cards, PayPal, Venmo, department store cards and other lines of credit and payment channels.

If mixing family and finances makes your loved one uncomfortable, there are money-management programs that help with bill paying. To find one, contact an Area Agency on Aging.

What can go wrong?

Many people find a joint account to be the easiest way to pay a loved one's bills and keep track of expenses. But it is not without risks:

The second person on the account could use the signing or ATM privilege to steal from your loved one's account.



Creditors of either person may try to collect debts from the account.



Money in the account when either person dies belongs to the surviving account holder. This can create conflicts among siblings or other potential heirs (see below).

Depending on where your loved one lives, you may be able to avoid these pitfalls with a convenience account, which about half the states allow. With convenience accounts, a second person can be designated to make transactions, but only for the benefit of the original account owner. The second person does not get to use the money or inherit it when the original holder dies.

Be transparent

Money managers are obliged to make decisions that are in the best interest of their client or loved one. An open-book policy establishes transparency and can prevent suspicions from taking hold.

Keep a written record of expenses paid from the joint account.



Never borrow from the account.



Write the reason for all checks in the memo field.



Never use the account to pay for something that benefits you or a third party, even if it also benefits your loved one  for example, buying a car to drive your loved one to the doctor but also using it to go to work.



If you are being paid to be the primary caregiver under an agreement with your loved one, it's best to ask another trusted family member or friend to be the second on the account. That way you are not paying yourself.

Fiduciary

While still healthy, your loved one should choose a trusted family member or friend to serve as fiduciary  a legal guardian of their assets.

A fiduciary makes financial decisions for someone who becomes unable to manage money. This can be done only if your loved one is fully competent. Consult a lawyer to draw up the legal documents.

There are several ways to become a fiduciary for a loved one.

Sometimes called durable power of attorney, this is a legal document in which one person assigns another the power to make financial decisions on their behalf, should the assignor become unable to make sound decisions. The person assigned power of attorney is called an agent or attorney-in-fact."

Without power of attorney or a trust, the family risks having to go to court later to file for guardianship of a loved one who becomes incapacitated, a process that can be expensive, time-consuming and potentially divisive. Your loved one must be of sound mind to grant power of attorney, and must also be of sound mind to revoke it.

Trustee

While of sound mind, your loved one transfers assets to a revocable living trust and names a trustee. If, in the future, your loved one loses the capacity to make sound financial decisions, the trustee becomes responsible for keeping the trust's property safe.

Among other things, this could mean putting valuable items in a safe-deposit box, maintaining insurance, paying taxes and making careful investment decisions. As long as your loved one can make decisions and the terms of the trust allow it, he or she can change or end the trust.

Professional fiduciary

You may want to hire a professional with experience in money management to oversee financial decisions, particularly if your loved one has extensive or complicated assets or doesn't live near you.
At a time of massive growth in shipments of packages from China as a result of e-commerce, the FDA, the U.S. Postal Service and other government agencies are struggling to intercept shipments of opioids such as fentanyl to U.S. buyers.

International shipments processed by the U.S. Postal Service nearly doubled in just three years, to 275 million in fiscal year 2016, from 150 million in 2013, according to federal records.

Gottlieb said opioid producers often turn synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, which is cheap and extremely potent, into pills and tablets that resemble other prescription drugs, including antidepressants. Fentanyl can be up to 50 times more potent than heroin, according to federal authorities.

He wants the FDA to have sufficient personnel to inspect 100,000 packages per year that have been flagged as suspicious by customs agents, up from its current capacity of roughly 40,000. That would require more than doubling FDA staff, which now consists of 23 people dispersed among the nation's nine international mail facilities, according to the agency. That number has tripled since September, when the agency had just seven full-time employees assigned to the posts nationwide.

The work is time-intensive. Shipments must be tested in a lab and put through a legal review before they can be destroyed.

At the facility at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, the FDA's five inspectors open and process about 75 packages a day, according to Gottlieb.

He visited the New York hub Monday with members of Congress and their staff. He's hoping lawmakers will approve increased spending for his agency. "The reason why we had members of Congress here today is because we're looking at trying to step up our footprint in those facilities even more," Gottlieb said.

Lawmakers have been debating new measures aimed at stemming the flow of opioids in the mail.

Earlier this year, Senate investigators said incomplete tracking data used by the U.S. Postal Service allows Chinese sellers to ship fentanyl to U.S. buyers. Legislation introduced in Congress would require the Postal Service to collect tracking data for all shipments to the U.S., but it's not clear that foreign mail authorities would comply.

The opioid epidemic was initially driven by prescription painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin. But prescriptions of those drugs have been declining since 2011 because of policies by government, medical and law enforcement officials designed to reverse years of overprescribing.

The majority of opioid deaths now involve illegal drugs, especially the ultra-potent fentanyl. Deaths tied to fentanyl and related drugs doubled in 2016, to more than 19,000, dragging down Americans' life expectancy for the second year in a row.
Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

En espanol | All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for election. Currently, there are 238 Republicans and 193 Democrats, with four vacancies. In the U.S. Senate, comprised of 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats, 35 seats will be up for grabs.

Across America, 36 governors will be chosen. Now, there are 33 Republican governors, 16 Democratic and one independent. Thousands of state senators and representatives are also on the ballot. These races are particularly important because the state leaders elected this fall will be the ones to decide how congressional redistricting lines are drawn after the U.S. Census in 2020.

Who can vote in primaries varies widely by state. Some primaries are closed, meaning only those individuals registered in a party can vote in that primary. In partially closed primaries, each party decides whether the contest is open to voters not registered in any party.
NSU football overcomes 15-0 deficit to down Upper Iowa 40-22

Slow first quarters aren't anything new for Northern State football, but the Wolves continued the trend of clawing back in the following quarters.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump appears to have gotten what he wanted from North Korea: a willingness to suspend nuclear testing and a promise to put its entire arsenal of atomic weapons on the negotiating table. But is it too good to be true?

After a year of threatening fire and fury and ridiculing North Koreas young leader Kim Jong Un, Trump is now touting diplomatic progress between the rival Koreas. He even says he thinks North Korea, under intense sanctions pressure, is sincere in wanting an end to the nuclear standoff.

Other U.S. officials voiced greater skepticism Tuesday, reflecting the mammoth questions about North Koreas intentions. The biggest one of all, perhaps: Why would the isolated nation suddenly change tack after coming so close to achieving its decades-long goal of nuclear weapons that could threaten to hit anywhere in the United States and  in Kims view  guarantee the survival of his totalitarian government.

Developments on the Korean Peninsula can often move with head-spinning speed, Mark Fitzpatrick, a nuclear expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies said. We seem to be in such a period now.

Trump had his own version, including the Winter Olympics and himself, of the tick-tock leading to Tuesdays dramatic diplomatic developments in Pyongyang. He contended the lead-up to the South Korean-hosted Games was not going well until North Korea came in out of the blue and decided to participate.

That made the Olympics very successful, according to Trump, who said South Korean President Moon Jae-in credited the United States for having a lot to do with that, if not everything.

Later, Trump was asked at a news conference what he thought had made North Koreans open to talks. Me, he joked, before crediting U.S.-led sanctions that, with Chinas help, are punishing North Koreas economy.

It was hard for Trump not to relish the moment after being accused so often over his first year in office of taking the world closer to a nuclear confrontation than at any point since the Cold War.

The initial readout from the South Korean talks with Kim seemed to exceed all expectations. Chung Eui-yong, South Koreas presidential national security director, said North Korea was willing to discuss its nuclear disarmament and halt weapons tests if the two countries enter a negotiation.

Those are precisely the types of concessions Washington has been seeking to start a diplomatic process with the reclusive socialist state. In exchange for their commitments, Chung said, the North Koreans want an end to military threats and a credible security guarantee.

North Korea didnt confirm the details, and top U.S. officials eyed the news more warily than Trump.

Maybe this is a breakthrough. I seriously doubt it, the presidents intelligence chief, Dan Coats, told a Senate hearing.

A senior Trump administration official, who briefed reporters on the developments on condition he not be quoted by name, referenced North Koreas 27-year history of them breaking every agreement they have ever made. The official said the United States is open-minded and we look forward to hearing more, but the North Koreans have earned our skepticism.

As Trump never tires of saying, past diplomatic efforts with North Korea all have failed. Although an aid-for-disarmament deal in 1994 shut down North Koreas production of plutonium for bombs for nearly a decade, it collapsed when the U.S. accused the North of running a clandestine uranium program instead.

The latest attempt at dialogue unraveled much more rapidly in 2012, when North Korea upended a nuclear freeze-for-food aid agreement by launching a rocket into space in defiance of the United Nations.

Since then, the North has risked the last remnants of international goodwill with its work on a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland. A series of tests in the past year appeared to take North Korea to the brink of such capability, even as the country suffered one round of economic sanctions after another.

Whatever Kims motivation, Trump now faces a new set of diplomatic challenges. In raising the pressure on North Korea, Trump has shocked the world with his seemingly throwaway insults of Kim, who has responded in kind. The tit-for-tat sparked fears of the two nations stumbling into a sequel of the devastating 1950-53 Korean War, which ended without a peace treaty.

If the enemies can get to talks, Trump will have to weigh his own concessions to shepherd the process to an agreement. That could mean delaying or altering military drills with South Korea, which the North sees as rehearsals for invasion. Another question will be whether to ease or at least hold off on new sanctions that would risk driving North Korea away from negotiations.

If Pyongyang demands sanctions relief as a price for coming to the table, then it will fail. The U.S. wont pay just for talks to start, Fitzpatrick said. But Trump may have to show flexibility in some other capacity.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the House Intelligence Committees top-ranking Democrat, urged Trump to use diplomacy to test Kims seriousness about disarming, or to see if he is just seeking to create a wedge between the U.S. and its South Korean ally.

As Churchill once famously said, to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war,' Schiff said.

An AP News Analysis
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump greeted North Koreas reported willingness to negotiate away its atomic weapons with both hope and skepticism Tuesday, insisting a potential diplomatic breakthrough be tested against the Norths long history of deception and threats to target U.S. cities with nuclear missiles.

I really believe they are sincere, Trump said at a White House news conference, sounding more optimistic than his intelligence chief, Dan Coats, who told a Senate hearing he has very, very low confidence that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un intends to give up his nuclear arms.

Maybe this is a breakthrough. I seriously doubt it, Coats said.

A senior South Korean presidential adviser said Tuesday that Kim expressed a willingness to discuss nuclear disarmament and halt nuclear and missile tests during future talks with the United States. The North didnt confirm those concessions, which would amount to a dramatic about-face for a nation that has frequently vowed to preserve its nuclear arsenal at any cost.

Chung Eui-yong, the South Korean official who spoke after participating in talks with Kim in Pyongyang, also said the North Korean dictator had agreed to meet with South Koreas president at a border village in late April.

North Korea didnt announce what South Korea on Tuesday described as agreements between the rivals. But the Norths state media earlier reported Kim had openhearted talks with South Korean envoys, expressed his willingness to vigorously advance North-South relations and made a satisfactory agreement on the inter-Korean summit talks.

Trump, who last fall told Secretary of State Rex Tillerson he was wasting his time trying to talk with the North, tweeted Tuesday that possible progress had been made in North Koreas capital and that all sides were making serious efforts. He added: May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!

Later, in an Oval Office photo session with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Trump said the North Koreans seem to be acting positively, but that the prospects will be clearer when diplomacy moves to the next stage.

We have come certainly a long way, at least rhetorically, with North Korea, Trump said. Of the possibility for peacefully resolving the nations deep differences, he said: Itd be a great thing for the world, would be a great for North Korea, it would be a great thing for the peninsula. But well see what happens.

In Chungs account, Kim indicated he would not need to keep nuclear weapons if military threats against North Korea were removed and his nation received a credible security guarantee. That suggests the possibility Kim will insist in any deal that the U.S. withdraw its nearly 28,000 troops from South Korea. The North sees those forces and their periodic exercises with South Korean troops as a threat to invade the North.

The White House issued a brief statement from Vice President Mike Pence suggesting nothing has changed in that area. A U.S. official said there were no plans to scrap the war games envisioned for next month.

All options are on the table, and our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible, verifiable and concrete steps toward denuclearization, Pence said.

Separately, highlighting a less-discussed dimension of the standoff with North Korea, the Pentagons military intelligence chief told a Senate hearing that Kim has taken a far different approach to military preparedness than his father, Kim Jong Il, by imposing greater rigor and discipline in army training. Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, called it a big change and implied the improvements should be taken into account in considering the prospect of war on the Korean peninsula.

North Koreas willingness to hold a candid dialogue with the United States to discuss denuclearization and establish diplomatic relations follows a year of increased fears of war, with Kim and Trump exchanging fiery rhetoric and crude insults over Kims barrage of weapons tests. The Trump administration also pushed through some of the harshest economic sanctions any country has ever faced.

Trump said Kims apparent willingness to negotiate is likely due to the sanctions, and Chinas role in applying them.

Still, there is wide skepticism that Tuesdays developments will bring genuine peace between the Koreas, which have a long history of failing to follow through with major rapprochement agreements. The United States has made it clear it doesnt want empty talks with North Korea and that all options, including military measures, are in play until the North actually surrenders its nuclear weapons, believed to number around 30.

We have seen nothing to indicate  that he would be willing to give up those weapons, Coats said.

Chung said the two Koreas would hold a summit at a South Korea-controlled facility. He said Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will establish a hotline communication channel to lower military tensions, and would speak together before the get-together.

It would be the third such summit since the Koreas 1945 division. Kim Jong Il met liberal South Korean presidents in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007. They resulted in a series of cooperative projects that were scuttled during subsequent conservative administrations in South Korea.

___

Hyung-jin Kim reported from South Korea.
Province 7 CM wins majority to run govt

Province 7 Chief Minister (CM) Trilochan Bhatta has won a two-thirds majority in a vote of confidence motion in the Provincial Assembly.
TriCore Reference Laboratories announced today that its board of directors has appointed Michael Crossey as CEO and president.

Crossey was serving as interim CEO, and was previously the companys chief medical officer.

He replaces Khosrow Shotorbani, a high-profile figure in the New Mexico health care industry, who left the company at the end of last year under unknown circumstances.

TriCore is a not-for-profit organization co-sponsored by Presbyterian Healthcare Services and University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Its core labs perform about 10.5 million clinical tests a year, and the company has 30 patient care sites throughout the state. TriCore employs about 1,300 people in New Mexico.

Robin Divine, chairwoman of TriCores board of directors, said in a statement that the company couldnt be happier with Dr. Crossey accepting this position and moving us down the path of continued success.

Crossey said in the statement that he was honored.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  New Mexicos Catholic bishops arent backing away from accusations that racism played a role in the defeat of a proposed constitutional amendment for early childhood education  a proposal they supported.

And a Republican lawmaker, in turn, says hes offended that anyone would attribute his opposition to the proposal as having something to do with race, noting that hes Hispanic himself.

The intense back-and-forth between 33 Republican lawmakers and the three top officials of the Catholic Church covering all of New Mexico centers on a proposal that narrowly cleared the state House this year before dying in the Senate.

House Joint Resolution 1 called for tapping into New Mexicos Land Grant Permanent Fund to pay for home visiting, pre-kindergarten services and other programs to help children arrive at school ready to learn.

The New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops was a leading voice in support of the proposal. And the groups executive director, Allen Sanchez, told The Associated Press last month that there was an element of racism in the opposition to the proposal.

The 33 Republican lawmakers asked the bishops this week to confirm or disavow the comment  which they described as a deliberately inflammatory and false statement.

In a letter Tuesday, the bishops didnt directly confirm the earlier comment, but they said the community must work together to purge racism.

In fact, they said Tuesday that much of the land that now provides hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for New Mexico each year was actually seized from Native Americans and that Spanish and Mexican claims to the land have also been denied.

This structural racism took root long before our time, Archbishop of Santa Fe John Wester and bishops Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces and James Wall of Gallup wrote.

It makes sense, then, to put more of that revenue to use helping impoverished children in New Mexico and address inequality, the bishops said.

The status quo yields traumatic and inexcusable inequities, especially for young children of color, they said. No one individual has been accused of racism. Rather, weve highlighted deep flaws in a system in dire need of substantial reforms.

Rep. Larry Larranaga, R-Albuquerque, said he was disappointed in the bishops letter. There should be a civil debate about how to help New Mexicos children, he said, and a recognition that all sides share that goal.

I was, needless to say, disappointed that they would double down on the idea that this is institutional racism, Larranaga said.

He added that hes Catholic himself and grew up poor.

House Minority Whip Rod Montoya, R-Farmington, said he hadnt yet read the response. But he said the initial racism comment is offensive.

Im actually very offended  that actually being Hispanic  that anyone would say that because youre not willing to steal from the permanent fund, its based on racism, Montoya said in an interview. Im a Hispanic man married to Native American woman.

He was one of the legislators who signed on to the GOP letter earlier this week. They described the comment as a direct attack on the character of legislators.

The political debate is divisive enough in this country and this state without unwarranted accusations of racism being thrown about without any evidence, the lawmakers said in the letter.

The proposed constitutional amendment would have gone to voters if it had cleared both chambers of the Legislature.

It would have increased distributions from the Land Grant Permanent Fund by 1 percentage point, from 5 percent to 6 percent.

Most of the money raised by the increase  perhaps roughly $150 million a year  would have gone to school districts and tribes to provide services to children before they reach kindergarten.

Supporters described it as a way to infuse money into programs that have a proven track record of boosting student achievement.

Opponents said the proposal would have damaged the financial health of a fund that already contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the state each year for education.

Trust lands generate revenue for the state through grazing fees, oil and gas royalties, and other activities.

The proposal passed the House 36-33, with opposition from two Democrats and 31 Republicans.

All the supporters were Democrats.

The proposal stalled in the Senate when the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, refused to hold a hearing on it, arguing that it didnt have the votes to pass anyway.

Last month, Smith called Sanchezs comments a stretch of emotion.

I obviously know what racism is, but thats not in my vocabulary, Smith said, adding that his grandchildren are half-Hispanic. Its somewhat appalling that someone would resort to that.
Prosecutors have filed an unusual set of requests in an attempt to keep Nehemiah Griego in juvenile custody on the chance the states Court of Appeals doesnt make a ruling in his case by March 20, when Griego turns 21 and will be freed five years after he killed his parents and three siblings.

Griego was sentenced as a juvenile in the case, prompting an appeal by the state to have him reclassified as an adult and thus subject to 120 years in prison.

Prosecutors with the states Attorney Generals Office and the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office contend that Griego will pose a danger to the community if he is released.

Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office officials said at the time of the killings that Nehemiah, then 15, had been planning the shootings for days. He first shot his mother, Sarah Griego, and 9-year-old brother, Zephaniah, with a .22-caliber rifle at around 1 a.m. on Jan. 19, 2013. Then he went into his younger sisters room and shot Jael, 5, and Angelina, 2. After that, he waited for his father, Greg Griego, a former pastor at Calvary Church in Albuquerque, to return home from an overnight shift at an Albuquerque homeless shelter. He killed his father with a different rifle.

In their filings Monday, prosecutors with the DA in Bernalillo County seek to have Griego held under the states fairly new pretrial detention rule, which allows dangerous defendants to be held pending trial. They also filed a motion to keep Griego in custody under a state law that allows defendants to be held pending an appeal after a dismissal of their case.

Griegos public defender, Stephen Taylor, said Tuesday that neither theory applies to Griegos case because he has already pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder, hence no pretrial, and his case has not been dismissed.

The AGs Office, which has led the appeal to have Griego reclassified as an adult, was pleased by the course of action taken by the Second Judicial District Attorneys Office pending the outcome of our appeal currently before the New Mexico Court of Appeals, spokesman James Hallinan said in a statement.

His office, along with the states Children, Youth and Families Department, has advocated for changes to New Mexico laws that would allow the state to have some oversight of qualifying juveniles after their release from youth prison. Changes could include probation or the threat of continued incarceration at an adult prison.

Prosecutors also include in their filing a New Mexico State Police report written after a January investigation into allegations that Griego was making threats against people and possibly planning to hurt them once he is released.

That investigation, which included interviews by 10 investigators with 14 people who know Griego, was closed without a recommendation of charges, State Police spokeswoman Lt. Elizabeth Armijo said. It wasnt clear from the 43-page report what threats initiated the investigation or who reported them to police. The report indicates several people, including Griegos relatives, are afraid of him, but the only verified possible threat was a statement offering to fight a jail guard.

Police interviewed Griego, who said he wants to move out of state when he is released so he can have a normal life. Taylor said he couldnt determine what prompted the investigation and emphasized that Griego was not charged for any threats.
WASHINGTON  The notion of due process has been much in the news, thanks to President Donald Trump, whose devotion to fairness is characteristically situational: Hes all for due process when it comes to alleged spouse abusers or sexual harassers; less so, maybe, for gun owners. But as is too often true in the age of Trump, the presidents antics eclipse our capacity to focus on anything not specifically Trump-related. In recent days, that includes an all-but-ignored Supreme Court ruling that should worry anyone who believes in the importance of due process.

The fundamental question presented by the case is this: Is it constitutional to detain people in the United States, for months or even years, without providing a hearing to determine whether they should be released on bond? If that sounds like a no-brainer question of due process, it is. We do not  or should not  have in this country a system of indefinite detention without judicial review.

As Justice Stephen Breyer explained in dissenting from the courts 5-3 ruling  Justice Elena Kagan was recused  The Constitution does not authorize arbitrary detention. And the reason that is so is simple: Freedom from arbitrary detention is as ancient and important a right as any found within the Constitutions boundaries.

This case involves the rights of non-U.S. citizens detained while authorities decide whether they should be deported. For a change, it does not reflect excesses and constitutional insensitivities peculiar to the Trump administration; indeed, the dispute dates to the Barack Obama administration, which also argued that these detainees did not have the right to a bail hearing. But Trumps announced policy to end the so-called catch-and-release of those facing deportation makes the stakes even higher.

Its important to remember that the right to due process applies to all persons within the United States, citizens and noncitizens alike. As Breyer put it, No one can claim, nor since the time of slavery has anyone to my knowledge successfully claimed, that persons held within the United States are totally without constitutional protection. Whatever the fiction, would the Constitution leave the government free to starve, beat or lash those held within our boundaries? If not, then, whatever the fiction, how can the Constitution authorize the government to imprison arbitrarily those who, whatever we might pretend, are in reality right here in the United States?

So who are we talking about here? One group involves people who arrive at the border claiming the right to asylum; for these individuals, an immigration official has already made an initial determination that they have a credible fear of persecution if sent home. In the end, about two-thirds of these asylum seekers eventually receive permission to remain in the United States. But in the interim, they can be held for months and, in some cases, years, pending a final decision on their asylum claim. This is un-American.

Another category, admittedly less sympathetic, involves noncitizens detained by immigration authorities after being convicted of crimes and serving their sentences. If your instinct is that we should throw these bums out, fine. But consider: This group is being held for an average of 14 months while their fates are being decided, and about 40 percent eventually win the right to remain.

They include the plaintiff in the Supreme Court case, Alejandro Rodriguez, a lawful permanent resident who arrived here as an infant and was working as a dental assistant when he was picked up by immigration officials after convictions for misdemeanor drug possession and joyriding. Rodriguez served no jail time for the underlying offenses, but was then held for more than three years before challenging his detention, after which authorities concluded he was entitled to stay.

This is a complicated case involving impenetrable immigration laws. The majority, in an opinion by Justice Samuel Alito, found that the statute did not allow for bail hearings and sent the case back to the lower court to decide whether that meant the law is unconstitutional. The dissenters said the constitutional imperative of due process meant that the appeals court was correct to essentially write into the law a right to a bail hearing every six months.

My point in focusing on this case is not only to bring attention to the real risk of a constitutionally repugnant outcome. It is also to highlight the distorting effect of our Trump-centric news universe. The Trump administrations soap opera occupies so much media attention that other matters of enormous importance go unremarked; I am as guilty of this as my peers. But we must find a way to cover Trump and cover other news at the same time. That is, if you will, the process due our readers.

E-mail: ruthmarcus@washpost.com. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group.
At least one officer opened fire on a man, killing him, during a police standoff Tuesday morning at a Motel 6 in Farmington, according to a New Mexico State Police spokeswoman.

Lt. Elizabeth Armijo said 25-year-old Andrew Rossi died at a hospital after being shot by Farmington police around 1 a.m.

Armijo did not release the names of the officers, say how many were involved, or say if Rossi was armed at the time of the shooting.

She said Farmington Police officers and San Juan County Sheriffs deputies responded to the Motel 6, at 1600 East Bloomfield, after Rossis vehicle was seen in the parking lot.

Armijo said Rossi was wanted on aggravated battery with a deadly weapon charge out of Ignacio, Colorado.

She said a search warrant was obtained and the SWAT team responded to the motel soon after officers figured out what room Rossi was in.

Armijo said a woman left the hotel room and told police that Rossi was inside and did not want to surrender.

She said thats when police attempted to negotiate a peaceful surrender with Rossi, which did not happen.

FPD officers entered the motel room and shots were fired by at least one FPD officer, striking Rossi, Armijo said.

She said State Police are still investigating.
Facing his first re-election bid since being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012, Martin Heinrich is sounding an upbeat tone about New Mexicos economic future.

In a video posted today on his campaign website, Heinrich touted his work on renewable energy issues and efforts to secure funding for the states national laboratories and military bases.

Heinrich said Tuesday that the video, which will be used by his re-election campaign in digital ads, shows his vision for the states future, one that includes fully embracing solar and wind energy projects.

New Mexico has lagged behind other states in recent years in terms of job creation, and the state had the nations second-highest unemployment rate  behind Alaska  as of December.

Heinrich, a Democrat who previously served two terms in the U.S. House, has come under criticism from his opponents in this years election cycle for being out of touch with New Mexicos economic struggles.

Republican Mick Rich, an Albuquerque contractor, recently launched his own video highlighting the states economic struggles and ridiculing Heinrichs role in passing 2016 legislation designating the bison as the U.S. national mammal.

And Libertarian Aubrey Dunn, the state land commissioner, said he decided to run for Heinrichs seat because he thought it would be more feasible than running for governor.

Heinrich is not facing any opposition from fellow Democrats in the primary election.

ballot appeal: Former congressional candidate Angel Pena isnt giving up his hopes of landing on the June 5 primary ballot.

Pena, a Las Cruces Democrat, filed a last-ditch appeal with the New Mexico Supreme Court earlier this week after his initial disqualification was upheld last week by a state district judge.

The case hinges on changes made to some of Penas petitions  on which campaign volunteers had trouble printing the letter n on forms used for signature-gathering.

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Olivers office, which made the initial decision that Pena did not qualify for the ballot, flagged other problems as well  including one header that was partly obscured by unrelated text.

Invalidating those pages left Pena without the 623 signatures required to make the ballot, according to the Secretary of States Office.

There are two other Democrats running for the southern New Mexico-based 2nd Congressional District seat, along with four Republicans. The seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, who announced last summer that he would forgo a re-election bid and instead run for governor.

Dan Boyd: dboyd@abqjournal.com
FARMINGTON  A 9-year-old boy was shot and killed by a 7-year-old boy Friday at a residence in Arboles, Colorado, during an incident to which the San Juan County Sheriffs Office initially responded.

The Archuleta County Sheriffs Office and members of the Southern Ute Police Department and paramedics were dispatched around 2:58 p.m. Friday to a residence in Arboles on reports of a juvenile shot, according to Undersheriff Tonya Hamilton of the Archuleta County Sheriffs Office.

During the course of the investigation, it was determined three juvenile boys  ages 7, 9 and 10 years old  had forced entry into an unoccupied summer home.

In the home, Hamilton said the juveniles gained entry into a locked cabinet with two firearms.

One of the firearms held by the 7-year-old was loaded and was discharged, striking the 9-year-old.

The other two juveniles ran back to a residence and told an older sibling about the incident, according to Hamilton.

The 9-year-old later was pronounced dead at the scene.

No charges have been filed in the case, Hamilton said.

Members of the San Juan County Sheriffs Office were dispatched on reports of the shooting taking place in northeast San Juan County. They left the scene once Colorado law enforcement arrived.

Hamilton said people who call 911 around Arboles sometimes get routed to dispatch in San Juan County or in La Plata County, Colorado, due to cell service repeaters and towers.

She added the routing of calls occurs like that because those dispatch centers are closer to the caller.



2018 The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.)

Visit The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) at www.daily-times.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

_____
LAS CRUCES  New Mexico State University continues to move forward with plans to establish a campus in Mexico by fall 2020.

During a work session and regular meeting Tuesday, the NMSU Board of Regents unanimously voted to sign a letter of intent to consider building a campus in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

We think that Mexico is really right. The window of opportunity to really have an impact in Mexico is open now and it will not be open forever, said NMSU Provost Dan Howard. We think now is the time for us to establish a campus in Mexico that will really identify New Mexico State University as a special partner to Mexico.

The letter of intent with El Grupo Promotor provides the maximum time of a year for exploration, which will allow the university to look into academic programs, develop an understanding of regulatory environment, create a facilities plan and understand the costs and benefits, Howard said. It is a non-committal agreement, only requesting a good-faith attempt to see if the two parties can come to an agreement, he said.

The branch campus would offer courses in English only with the primary goal of allowing Mexican students to receive an American education in Mexico. However, American and International students will be welcomed to study there, Howard said.

The university also hopes to encourage faculty and students to teach or study in San Luis Potosi for a semester or a year, if they so choose, Howard said.

San Luis Potosi is in central Mexico. It is a major industrial center and it is also a beautiful city, Howard said. Its considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico and one of the most successful cities in Mexico with regard to industry.

San Luis Potosi is at the triangular center for three Mexican cities  Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City  and is also a hub for companies such as BMW and Goodyear Tires, he said.

Howard said several NMSU deans are in support of working with this campus, as well as the governor of San Luis Potosi, Fernando Toranzo Fernandez.

NMSU will control the curriculum and would plan to recruit faculty from both Mexico and the United States, Howard said.

Initially there would be between five and seven degree programs paralleling courses at the NMSU home base, Howard said.

The cost to attend the branch campus would be more expensive than to attend the main branch in Las Cruces, as the university believes it would be inappropriate to offer the NMSU education outside of New Mexico for less money than in-state tuition.

This is the time. Mexico is emerging as an economic power, Howard said. (Opening the campus is) appropriate for us because New Mexico has a special relationship with Mexico and that affinity is one of the reason why the investors have looked at us and said that we are a university they want to affiliate with and want to work with.

Chancellors report

NMSU Chancellor Garrey Carruthers updated the regents on the universitys attempt to recruit for the fall.

As of last week, NMSU was up 17.7 percent in undergrad admission applications and 16.5 percent in admitted first-time freshman and transfer students for the upcoming school year, compared to the previous year, Carruthers said.

The university has also awarded 6,068 scholarships to date and 3,135 students have been advised for the federal aid they are eligible for, Carruthers said.

We really think this is going to help recruit hopefully a very large freshman class, Carruthers said.

Newly appointed faculty

It was the first regents meeting for Chris Saucedo, the new NMSU regent.

Saucedo was appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez on Jan. 19 and is replacing Mike Cheney, whose appointment expired in 2016.

Saucedo is lawyer out of Albuquerque who received his undergraduate degree in finance at NMSU in 1994.

It was also the first day for Monica Dunivan as the employee council chair. She took over Adam Cavottas seat.

The regents also conducted their own officer elections during the meeting. Debra Hicks was re-elected as chair of the Board of Regents, Kari Mitchell was re-elected as the vice chair and Jerean Hutchinson was re-elected as secretary and treasurer.

Search committee update

More than 50 people have applied to become NMSUs chancellor.

The university is working with Wheless Partners, an executive search and leadership consulting firm, to locate and narrow down candidates to replace Garrey Carruthers, who has announced he will retire this summer.

While the position will remain open for applications until mid-April, Mitchell said the committee has identified at least 10 potential candidates and is looking into holding Skype interviews on April 2 to 4.

The committee aims to have a short list of about five candidates, which the university will invite to the campus by the end of April or beginning of May. The next chancellor will be expected to start July 1.

We remain on a very aggressive but on-schedule response, said Mitchell, who sits in the searchs subcommittee. Were excited about where we are at this juncture, and I think the receptions been significant and certainly the amount of interest is very encouraging.

Ali Linan can be reached at 575-541-5476, alinan@lcsun-news.com or @Ail__Linan on Twitter.



2018 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.)

Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

_____
COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Four people are missing after a serious fire erupted on a Singapore-flagged cargo ship in the Arabian Sea belonging to the shipping branch of the Danish group A.P. Moller-Maersk, authorities said Wednesday.

Maersk Line says the fire broke out late Tuesday on Maersk Honam and firefighter efforts were unsuccessful.

The crew sent out a distress signal and a total of 23 crew members were safely evacuated to the nearby vessel ALS Ceres, the shipper said in a statement.

Maersk Line says the fire is still burning and the situation of the vessel is very critical.

The shipper initially described the vessel as being about 1,000 miles off the coast of Oman. The Indian Coast Guard put the ship near the Agatti Island, some 650 nautical miles from the port city of Kochi in India.

The Press Trust of India news agency said one of the missing sailors was Indian and that authorities believe the fire started in one of the many shipping containers on board the vessel.

The cause of the blaze is still unknown. Denmarks TV2 said the ship was transporting dangerous cargo without giving further details.

Two crew members (were) currently receiving medical first aid onboard the ALS Ceres, said Toft, adding Maersk will offer the families of missing crew members all the support we can in this very difficult situation.

The nationalities of the 27 crew members on the Singapore-flagged Maersk Honam include 13 from India, nine from the Philippines, two from Thailand, and one from Romania, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

The vessel, built in 2017, is carrying 7860 containers. The Maersk Honam has a nominal capacity of 15262 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit).

The U.S. Navys 5th Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In September, another cargo ship loaded with construction material sank off the Omani coast, though all 20 sailors abroad the vessel survived.

___

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
BRUSSELS  The European Union says its ready to retaliate against the U.S. over President Donald Trumps proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum  with counter-measures against iconic U.S. products like Harley Davidson motorcycles, Levis jeans and bourbon.

The EU threat and Trumps insistence that the tariffs will go ahead escalate the risk of a trade war, in which countries try to punish each other by increasing taxes on traded goods. In the end, that tends to hurt all sides as exporting producers suffer but so do consumers who face higher costs, experts say.

There was some hope that free trade proponents in the White House, like economic adviser Gary Cohn, would dissuade Trump from going ahead with the tariffs. But Cohns resignation Tuesday dealt a blow to that expectation.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said Wednesday that the EU is circulating among member states a list of U.S. goods to target with tariffs so that it can respond as quickly as possible.

The list so far includes U.S. steel and agricultural products, as well as other products like bourbon, peanut butter, cranberries and orange juice.

She did not say what level of tariffs the EU would set, leaving it unclear what the economic impact would be.

This is basically a stupid process, the fact that we have to do this. But we have to do it, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had said Friday. We can also do stupid.

The EU considers itself to be caught in the crossfire of this particular trade dispute, in which Trump has mainly singled out China for being unfair in its commercial deals.

Trump last week said his government would levy penalties of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports, but did not say whether traditional allies like the EU and Canada would be exempt. On Wednesday, Cabinet members suggested Canada and Mexico might escape and that the announcement was due at the end of this week.

Once Trump officially announces the tariffs, they would start almost immediately, experts say.

So the EU has moved ahead with preparations for the worst.

Malmstroem said that the EU, the worlds biggest trading bloc, rejects Trumps reasoning that the tariffs are backed by the international legal right to protect national security.

We cannot see how the European Union, friends and allies in NATO, can be a threat to international security in the U.S., Malmstroem told reporters. From what we understand, the motivation of the U.S. is an economic safeguard measure in disguise, not a national security measure.

The EU itself already has tariffs on many imports. But Malmstroem said Trumps motives in this case do not appear compatible with World Trade Organization rules and that this means the EU can activate safeguards to protect its own markets.

The WTO said Wednesday that, so far, 18 members  including China, Australia, Brazil, the EU, India, Japan, Norway and Russia  have expressed concerns about Trumps proposed tariffs.

At the origin of the problem is overproduction by China, which has flooded world markets with steel and aluminum, driving prices down and intensifying pressure on producers in the U.S. and Europe. Nearly half the steel produced globally in December, for example, came from Chinese mills, according to the World Steel Association. China accounted for more steel production than the United States, Russia, Japan and 28 countries of the EU combined.

But the U.S. has already thrown up barriers to Chinese imports. As a result, China ranks only 11th in steel and fourth in aluminum imports to the United States. Trumps tariffs appear far more likely to hurt a staunch ally, Canada, which is No. 1 in both supplies of steel and aluminum to the U.S.

Chad Bow, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, estimates that Trumps tariffs would cost Canada $3.2 billion a year and the EU $2.6 billion. By contrast, they would cost China only $689 million.

EU Council President Donald Tusk, who chairs summits of presidents and prime ministers, said the blocs leaders will discuss the issue at their next meeting on March 22-23.

He rejected Trumps assertion in a tweet that trade wars are good and easy to win. The truth is quite the opposite: trade wars are bad and easy to lose, said Tusk.

Fragkiskos Filippaios, of the University of Kents business school in England, says that the damage from a trade dispute will depend on whether the sides try to resolve their differences through the arbitration of the WTO, whose verdicts have so far always been accepted.

Moving away from WTO dispute settlement means that retaliation can easily escalate and we might find ourselves in the middle of a trade war between the two most important trade regions in the world, he said.

Malmstroem urged Washington to work with the Europeans to address the root causes of oversupply in the global market.

She recalled that similar U.S. action on steel in 2002 by then president George W. Bush cost thousands and thousands of U.S. jobs and said she hoped that Washington has not forgotten this.

At that time, the EU compiled a list of items for retaliatory tariffs that included steel products, but also orange juice, apples, sunglasses, knitwear, motor boats and photocopying machines. It represented $2.2 billion in U.S. exports to the EU. Bush withdrew the steel tariffs and the list was never acted upon.

___

Paul Wiseman in Washington and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.
Sighting of male gharials offers park officials hope

Conservationists have been elated by the sighting of two male gharials, one apiece in Rapti and Narayani rivers that flow through the Chitwan National Park (CNP).
CHARLESTON, W.Va.  Schools across West Virginia reopened Wednesday as families got back into their daily routines following a nine-day teacher strike.

The strike was declared over Tuesday after the Legislature passed and the governor signed a 5 percent pay raise to end whats believed to be the longest strike in state history. The last major strike, in 1990, lasted eight days.

Now the states 35,000 public school employees are back to work  and 277,000 students back to their books. At schools across the state, school buses and long lines of cars dropped off children, who were a bit slow afoot to get inside despite snow flurries in the air.

But in a way, it had the feeling of the end of summer vacation as families try to adjust to a new, yet old, routine, especially not being able to sleep in.

I feel really good today that school has re-started and I think the teachers had every right to do the strike because they deserve more money, said Stonewall Jackson Middle School student Braycen Foster.

Some parents had a more difficult time with the restart because the 13-day layoff helped them bond more with their kids.

Im not one of those parents that actually want my kids to go  I like her home, Brandie Barber said as her sixth-grade daughter got out of her car, grabbing her backpack filled with softball bats. I want her in school. But when shes off, its fine with me. I want to keep her as young as I can for as long as I can.

Nannette Higginbotham had mixed feelings as she said goodbye to her daughter.

I love having her home, but Im glad theyre getting back to school and getting it over with, she said.

County superintendents now must determine whether to make up the missed time.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has asked them to be flexible in their decisions to meet the requirement of having 180 days of school, saying Tuesday that students have suffered enough. He wants families to have time for summer vacation and doesnt want summer feeding programs placed in jeopardy if classes go too far into June.

Some superintendents are mulling whether to cut short spring break, typically in late March, although families often have vacations already slotted during that time.

I think these two weeks they had off should be their spring break, Higginbotham said. Some people have plans. We dont.

At the Capitol on Tuesday, teachers expressed relief and exhilaration by breaking out into song after legislators approved the pay raise bill, which Justice swiftly signed.

Im so thrilled that its over, and that I get to go back to my special ed kids, back to our regular routine, and that were going to get some great work done the rest of the school year, said Melinda Monks, a special education teacher at Bridgeview Elementary in South Charleston.

The deal ended a paralyzing strike that shut students out of classrooms statewide, forced parents to scramble for child care and cast a national spotlight on government dysfunction in West Virginia.

The West Virginia teachers, some of the lowest-paid in the country, had gone without a salary increase for four years. They appeared to have strong public support throughout their walkout.

Teachers walked off the job Feb. 22, balking at an initial bill Justice signed that would have bumped up pay 2 percent in the first year as they also complained about rising health insurance costs.

Justice responded last week with an offer to raise teacher pay 5 percent  a proposal the state House approved swiftly but that senators werent so eager to sign off on. Instead, the Senate countered with an offer of 4 percent on Saturday.

Leaders of all three unions representing the states teachers held firm, announcing that the walkout would continue, and the lawmakers gave in. The vote for 5 percent raises for teachers, school service personnel and state troopers in the House of Delegates was 99-0. The Senate followed, voting 34-0.

Senate Finance Chairman Craig Blair said lawmakers will seek to cut state spending by $20 million to pay for the raises, taking funds from general government services and Medicaid. Other state workers who also would get 5 percent raises under the deal will have to wait for a budget bill to pass.

Some students also were eager to return to school after the long layoff.

I felt like my brain was rotting, said middle school student Emma Patterson. And Im just like excited to see a book again.

___

Associated Press writers Robert Ray in Charleston, West Virginia, and Michael Virtanen in Morgantown, West Virginia, contributed to this report.
NEW YORK  For the second time in less than a week, a storm rolled into the Northeast with wet, heavy snow Wednesday, grounding flights, closing schools and bringing another round of power outages to a corner of the country still recovering from the previous blast of winter.

The noreaster knocked out electricity to hundreds of thousands of customers and produced thundersnow as it made its way up the coast, with flashes of lightning and booming thunder from the Philadelphia area to New York City. A New Jersey middle school teacher was struck by lightning but survived.

Officials urged people to stay off the roads.

Its kind of awful, said New York University student Alessa Raiford, who put two layers of clothing on a pug named Jengo before taking him for a walk in slushy, sloppy Manhattan, where rain gave way to wet snow in the afternoon. Id rather that it be full-on snowing than rain and slush. It just makes it difficult.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning into Thursday morning from the Philadelphia area through most of New England.

The storm unloaded snow at a rate of 2 or 3 inches an hour, with some places in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut getting well over a foot by Wednesday night. Butler, New Jersey, got 22 inches, Sloatsburg, New York, 23 inches and Newtown, Connecticut, 14 inches.

Major cities along the Interstate 95 corridor saw much less. Philadelphia International Airport recorded about 6 inches and New York City received a little over 2.

More than 2,600 flights across the region  about 1,900 in the New York metro area alone  were canceled.

It wasnt much better on the ground, with Pennsylvania and New York banning big rigs from some major highways and transit agencies reducing or canceling service on trains and buses.

The storm wasnt predicted to be as severe as the noreaster that toppled trees, inundated coastal communities and caused more than 2 million power outages from Virginia to Maine last Friday.

But it still proved to be a headache for the tens of thousands of customers still in the dark from the earlier storm  and for the crews trying to restore power to them.

In New Jersey, the states major utilities reported more than 300,000 customers without power by Wednesday night, with some left over from last week. PECO, Pennsylvanias largest electric utility, reported more than 100,000 homes and businesses without power.

Wind gusts up to 60 mph were forecast on Cape Cod, 45 mph at the Jersey shore and 30 mph around suburban Philadelphia.

The wind knocked gobs of slush and snow off buildings and trees in Philadelphia and New York, forcing pedestrians to watch out. Across the region, power lines and tree branches sagged precariously under the weight of the wet show. Suburban streets were littered with downed trees and branches.

I dont think Im ready for this to happen again, Caprice Dantzler said as she walked through Philadelphias Rittenhouse Square. She said many trees that crashed into cars and homes and blocked streets during the last storm had yet to be removed.

A few hardy tourists waded through puddles and slush to visit the World Trade Center memorial, where Juan Escobar, visiting from Cali, Colombia, with his wife, Daniela, snapped a selfie in front of one of the reflecting pools. Escobar said it was the second time in his life he had seen snow.

Its awesome! he said. We are cold as hell, but we are happy.

Ten people were taken to hospitals with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning after running a generator inside a home in North White Plains, New York, police said. All were expected to survive.

A teacher was struck by lightning while holding an umbrella on bus duty outside a school in Manchester Township, New Jersey, police said. The woman felt a tingling sensation but didnt lose consciousness. She was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

Members of the Northeastern University womens basketball team pushed their bus back on course after it was stuck in the snow outside a practice facility in Philadelphia. The Huskies were in the city to compete in the 2018 CAA Womens Basketball Tournament. The team posted a video of the feat on its Twitter account.

Amtrak suspended service between New York City and Boston until at least 10 a.m. Thursday. New York Citys Metro-North commuter railroad suspended service on lines connecting the city to its northern suburbs and Connecticut because of downed trees, and the Long Island Rail Road also was experiencing delays. School districts and government offices from Delaware northward closed, and the governors of New Jersey and Pennsylvania declared states of emergency.

Officials warned homeowners of the danger of heart attacks from shoveling heavy snow.

In New Jersey, a volunteer firefighter used the snow to save a house from major fire damage.

Stillwater firefighter Joe McAllister didnt have any firefighting equipment when he got to the house, so he improvised, grabbing a shovel and tossing snow onto the fire, according to nj.com. McAllister knocked down most of the flames by the time other firefighters arrived.

___

Porter reported from Newark, New Jersey. Associated Press writers Michael Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania; Michael Sisak and Rod Hicks in Philadelphia; Wayne Parry in Atlantic City, New Jersey; and Bruce Shipkowski, in Toms River, New Jersey, contributed.
BEIRUT  Government forces carried out punishing airstrikes against an opposition-held suburb of Damascus Wednesday, seeking to divide the besieged enclave in two and further squeeze rebels and tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside, state-run media and opposition activists reported.

The government, determined to wrest the suburbs from the control of rebels after seven years of war, has resorted to extreme levels of shelling and bombardment to clear the way for its troops to advance on the ground.

The state-affiliated al-Ikhbariya TV station on Wednesday broadcast live shots from the region, showing dense columns of smoke rising above the town as explosions and rockets could be heard flying overhead. SANA news agency said troops were on the outskirts of Misraba and Beit Sawa, two rebel-held towns in the heart of the enclave.

Dramatic videos released by the oppositions Syrian Civil Defense on Wednesday showed rescuers digging away hard-packed rubble to rescue a dust-covered little boy and a baby girl in the town of Arbeen.

In Geneva, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein denounced what he said were attempts by Syrias government to justify indiscriminate, brutal attacks on hundreds of thousands of civilians by the need to combat a few hundred fighters in eastern Ghouta, calling it legally and morally unsustainable.

When you are prepared to kill your own people, lying is easy too. Claims by the government of Syria that it is taking every measure to protect its civilian population are frankly ridiculous, he said.

Civilians are not safe anywhere in eastern Ghouta, and aid workers who entered briefly on Monday said some residents hadnt seen sunlight for two weeks because they were sheltering underground.

At least 800 civilians have been killed since the offensive started Feb. 18, according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights monitoring group. Russias military by its own admission is playing a key role supporting the assault.

Russias military announced Monday it was offering safe passage for rebels and their families out of eastern Ghouta, where some 400,000 people have been trapped under a relentless government campaign of shelling and airstrikes.

Rebel spokesman Wael Olwan dismissed the offer on Tuesday, saying it was psychological warfare.

Olwan said Wednesday that rebels had plugged their defensive lines after they crumbled in the early days of the assault.

The opposition generally rejects evacuation agreements, saying they amount to demographic engineering  a tactic through which the government forcibly displaces its opponents.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged all parties to abide by a 30-day cease-fire ordered by the Security Council on Feb. 24 to allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians in desperate need. A rare humanitarian aid convoy made it to eastern Ghouta on Monday but was forced to cut short its mission amid severe bombardment by the government. It was not clear whether another convoy, planned for Thursday, would go through. Aid agencies said they were negotiating security guarantees ahead of the mission.

The Security Council was expected to meet Wednesday to address the stillborn cease-fire.

Meanwhile, Turkey called on the United States to prevent U.S.-backed Kurdish forces from sending fighters deployed against the Islamic State group to shore up Kurdish forces battling a Turkish offensive in an enclave in northwest Syria.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogans spokesman said Turkey wants the United States to step in and prevent the redeployment.

A spokesman for Arab militias within the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Tuesday that as many as 1,700 fighters would be redeployed.

Turkey sent troops into the Afrin enclave on Jan. 20 to drive out Syrian Kurdish fighters it considers to be terrorists.

U.S. officials have warned that Turkeys offensive could undermine the fight against the IS.

Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin rejected that, saying the aim was to clear Syria of all terror groups.

Meanwhile, Russias military said a general was among 39 people killed in the crash of a Russian military transport plane in Syria. Russian military identified him as Maj. Gen. Vladimir Yeremeyev.

The An-26 twin-engine turboprop crashed Tuesday while preparing to land at the Hemeimeem air base in Syria, killing all 33 passengers and six crew on board, the Defense Ministry said. The plane was flying from the Kweires air base near Aleppo in northern Syria to Hemeimeem, which serves as the main hub for the Russian campaign in Syria. It said the plane did not come under fire and that the crash was likely caused by a technical failure.

___

Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.
PHOENIX  Officials say residents should not be alarmed if they see Marines in combat gear and military aircraft in unexpected areas around Phoenix over the next few days.

About 100 Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit will be conducting exercises and drills in areas of Phoenix, Glendale and Mesa.

Communication strategy officer Capt. Diann Rosenfeld told The Arizona Republic that the Marines will be in Arizona for Realistic Urban Training. The Camp Pendleton, California, Marines will train in an unfamiliar area before they deploy this summer.

Officials say the training will be conducted in restricted areas mostly at night and should be out of sight to the public.

Officials say the Marines have worked with police to ensure a minimal military footprint.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

In what might end up being one of her final major acts as New Mexicos governor, Susana Martinez signed into law Wednesday a $6.3 billion spending plan for the budget year starting in July that will provide the first across-the-board pay raises for state workers and teachers since 2014.

Unlike last year, when she struck down huge chunks of the budget in a move aimed at making lawmakers return to Santa Fe for a special session, Martinez used her line-item veto authority sparingly this time around, cutting about $11.7 million from the bill.

Its my pleasure to report Ill be handing the next governor a balanced budget, Martinez said during a news conference at a State Police substation in Albuquerque. The next governor will have it much better than I did when I came in.

However, the states two-term Republican governor did shoot down some budget proposals, including a plan to give $5 million to school districts statewide to help restore some of their cash balances. Lawmakers took more than $40 million from districts last year to help plug a gaping budget hole.

Martinez also axed some proposed reporting requirements for state agencies, prompting claims of retribution from an influential Democratic lawmaker.

Were increasingly interested in looking at outcomes, said Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. I think she wants to be out and bid good riddance to the Legislature.

Meanwhile, Martinez also vetoed a provision that would have given teachers unions the ability to decide whether to participate in a bonus pay plan for educators who receive top marks on the states teacher evaluation system.

One state teachers union leader suggested Wednesday that unions might still be able to block the bonuses  set at $5,000 and $10,000  by invoking their collective bargaining rights under state law.

School employees can rest assured our local associations will use negotiations to locally determine whether their district will go forward with this wildly unpopular merit pay program that undermines collaboration among school teams, said Betty Patterson, president of the National Education Association-New Mexico.

The head of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation, which represents 54 percent of Albuquerque Public Schools teachers, had previously said the union would not participate.

But top Martinez administration education officials have argued that all exemplary teachers should get the bonuses, as part of a broad effort to keep high-performing educators in the profession.

Revenue boost

Martinez had clashed with the Democratic-controlled Legislature in recent years over budgetary matters, but a recent revenue uptick driven by an oil drilling boom in southeastern New Mexico seemed to soften debate during this years 30-day session, which ended Feb. 15.

It doesnt surprise me shes on board with what we did regarding the budget, Smith said Wednesday.

Overall, the bill signed into law Wednesday will increase state spending by about $248 million  or roughly 4 percent  over current levels. It will also set aside more than $636 million  or about 10 percent of state spending  in cash reserves. The reserves were depleted last year, after two straight years of lower-than-expected revenue collections prompted spending cuts and other cost-saving moves.

While some state agencies still have high vacancy rates, this years budget bill will provide a funding infusion for public schools, child care assistance programs, Medicaid and crime-fighting efforts in Albuquerque.

I think the funding (situation) is much better, Martinez told reporters on Wednesday. Businesses dont want to come to a state that cant balance its budget.

Bernalillo County District Attorney Raul Torrez is in line for one of the biggest bumps, as the budget calls for an additional $4.3 million for the DAs Office to hire more prosecutors and give pay raises to existing employees, among other expenditures.

Martinez had pushed for the increase during this years legislative session, saying the money was needed to help prosecutors tackle a crime wave in the states largest city.

In other budget action, Martinez left intact a $1 million special appropriation for guardianship reform, to be administered by the Administrative Office of the Courts. The funds will come from a nearly $3 million surplus at the state Office of Guardianship, which serves low-income people who are appointed guardians.

Backers of separate legislation that Martinez signed last week to increase transparency in the guardian/conservator process and permit more involvement by family members had feared the reforms would be ineffective if funding werent included. The reforms take effect July 1.

Pay raises

More than one-third of the increased spending on the budget plan  more than $90 million  will go toward salary increases for state employees and teachers.

Most state workers will get a 2 percent pay raise starting in July, while teachers will get pay hikes of 2.5 percent. Minimum starting teacher pay will also increase from $34,000 to $36,000 per year, starting this fall.

Meanwhile, State Police and corrections officers will be among those  at 8.5 percent  receiving even larger salary increases.

The governor said Wednesday the pay raises will help crack down on crime, as New Mexico recently received the dubious distinction of having the nations second-highest violent crime rate.

Martinez also signed off Wednesday on a $170 million package of public works projects that includes $11.2 million to purchase a new State Police helicopter.

However, she line-item vetoed 119 projects totaling $8.1 million from the infrastructure bill, which funds projects by using bonds backed by future severance tax revenue.

Vetoed projects included $259,500 for a robotic dinosaur exhibit at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque and $60,000 to install security cameras at the 1st Judicial District courthouse in Santa Fe.

For the eighth straight year, the capital outlay bill passed by the Legislature contains some of the same pork projects that continue to trouble the state of New Mexico, Martinez wrote in executive message to lawmakers. These projects do not create jobs, nor have a lasting impact on our economy.

Martinez, who took office in 2011, is barred from seeking a third consecutive term in office and will step down at the end of this year.

Journal staff writers Colleen Heild and Shelby Perea contributed to this report.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

It wasnt the bill-killing massacre of last year.

But Gov. Susana Martinez used her veto authority liberally Wednesday, striking down parts of a broad bipartisan crime package and rejecting the entirety of a bill aimed at allowing the state to continue taxing whoever operates Los Alamos National Laboratory, even if a not-for-profit group wins the contract.

Some of the debate may linger well beyond Wednesday, the deadline for signing bills passed in the closing days of the legislative session.

Lawmakers are already reviewing whether Martinez overstepped her authority by vetoing parts of the bipartisan crime bill, which passed both chambers by enormous margins.

In any case, her veto pen wasnt in danger of running out of ink this year.

Altogether, she vetoed 31 of the 111 bills passed in this years legislative session, a rejection rate of 28 percent. She approved all or parts of the other 80 bills.

It was a different story a year ago, when Martinez vetoed more than half the bills passed by lawmakers, even bills that passed without any dissenting votes.

Martinez said Wednesday that much of the Legislatures work this year was acceptable, though she believes lawmakers didnt go far enough to address crime.

I think we could have done more, she told reporters Wednesday.

New Mexico had the nations highest property crime rate and second-highest violent crime rate, after Alaska, in 2016, the last year for which FBI data are available.

Anti-crime bill trimmed

House Bill 19  the legislation Martinez vetoed parts of  emerged this year as one of the main anti-crime proposals in the Legislature. Democrats and Republicans alike agreed to roll some of their ideas into the bill.

The measure includes tougher penalties for violent felons caught with a firearm, in addition to efforts to help people who cycle in and out of jail as they struggle with mental illness or substance abuse.

It also calls for retention bonuses for veteran police officers.

All those provisions were approved by Martinez on Wednesday.

But in a message to lawmakers, the governor said she was vetoing parts of the proposal that focused on reducing the penalties for some minor offenses.

She objected to a section of the bill that would have reduced penalties for people who fail to show up in court to resolve a citation and a provision that would have prevented the state from suspending someones license for failure to pay a penalty assessment.

Martinez accused lawmakers of sticking to the status quo on crime.

I am extremely disappointed that in response to a statewide crisis of violent crime, the Legislature responded by passing a bill that is more concerned with decreasing penalties and eliminating valuable enforcement mechanisms than addressing the significant problems the people elected them to resolve, Martinez said in an executive message to legislators.

Supporters said the reduced penalties were aimed at allowing prosecutors to focus on more serious crimes.

Rep. Antonio Moe Maestas, D-Albuquerque, has pushed repeatedly for reduced penalties as a way to ease the burden on the legal system.

Jail is for people were scared of, not the people were mad at, Maestas said Wednesday in a written statement.  When a police officer spends two hours arresting someone for failure to pay fines, that is two hours that officer is not protecting our communities from violent crime.

Veto dispute over bill

In addition to arguments over the merits of the crime bill, theres also a question of whether Martinez had authority to issue a partial veto.

The state Constitution empowers Martinez to veto parts of any bill appropriating money. Its generally known as line-item veto authority.

For any other bill, she must approve or reject the legislation in its entirety.

The crime legislation includes a provision allowing cities and local governments to apply for funding to provide $15,000 bonuses to veteran officers approaching retirement as an incentive to stay on. The state would provide half the money.

That triggers Martinezs line-item veto power, according to her administration.

The fact that it provides funds for police officers demonstrates she has that authority, Martinez spokesman Michael Lonergan said.

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, in turn, argues that the bill doesnt contain an appropriation, meaning she cant veto just part of the bill.

We urge our state legislative leaders to study this matter closely and take any action necessary to protect their authority and the separation of powers required by our state Constitution, said Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico.

Other action

Martinez had about 40 bills left to consider this week as Wednesdays deadline approached.

She didnt act at all on 22 bills by the deadline, meaning they died by a pocket veto. Those are part of 31 vetoes she issued overall.

Among the Wednesday actions, the governor:

 Signed House Bill 98 to consolidate most nonpartisan elections into one day in November.

Albuquerque would be forced to move its October election either back to November  a move that would require dropping a voter-approved photo ID requirement  or to March, when most New Mexico cities have their elections.

 Vetoed Senate Bill 17, which sought to ensure New Mexico could keep levying a tax on contractors that run the states national laboratories.

The current operating contract for Los Alamos National Laboratory expires in September, and three university systems are among the groups bidding for a new contract.

That means New Mexico might lose out on $25 million more in annual tax revenue, according to a fiscal analysis of the bill, because not-for-profit groups dont currently pay gross receipts tax.

Martinez said the Legislature should have passed legislation overhauling New Mexicos tax system as a whole to make it more fair, instead of taking a piecemeal approach.

Last-minute action



Signed

Part of a broad anti-crime package, House Bill 19.

Consolidation of local nonpartisan elections, House Bill 98.

Part of a $6.3 billion operating budget, House Bill 2.

Setting base amounts for lottery scholarships, Senate Bill 140.

Vetoed

Taxing operators of national laboratories, Senate Bill 17.

Allowing regional districts to redevelop old military bases, House Bill 197.

Pocket-vetoed

Reinstating an income tax credit for solar panels, Senate Bill 79.

Nominating rather than electing lieutenant governor candidates, Senate Bill 178.
Prev 1 of 3 Next

A man who was reportedly fleeing from police on a motorcycle without a license plate crashed into a familys SUV, dying instantly, on Central and Wyoming Wednesday afternoon.

The family was not hurt.

Simon Drobik, a spokesman with the Albuquerque Police Department, said an officer had first spotted the man and the motorcycle several blocks away on Zuni SE around 12:45 p.m. and were about to try to make a traffic stop when he fled.

There was no pursuit at all, no lights and sirens used, no traffic stop initiated at all, Drobik said. There was eye contact made, (the officer) was trying to call out that he was trying to make a car stop, and the guy just took off.

He said about a minute later the motorcyclist crashed into the back of a Santa Fe familys SUV. He was not wearing a helmet and suffered severe brain and head injuries.

Drobik said officers came upon the gruesome scene about 20 seconds later.

Unfortunately this guy chose to flee, drive up Central at a high rate of speed and it cost him his life, he said.

He said internal affairs personnel were called to the scene but witnesses and officers said police were not chasing the man when he crashed.

Well get video corroborating evidence up Central, Drobik said.

Bystanders and people waiting for the bus gathered to watch as crime scene investigators examined evidence around the crashed motorcycle and the mans body  which lay on the pavement, partially shielded from view, for several hours.

Drobik said investigators had not identified the man yet. He said they also hadnt determined if the motorcycle was stolen.

Jolene Romero said she had just gotten off the bus and was walking home when she saw the motorcycle speed past her at speeds around 100 miles per hour. She said she yelled at him to slow down as he weaved in and out of the lanes.

Oh God, please God slow down, Romero said, remembering the scene. Please Jesus let him slow down. And not even twenty seconds later
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect the correct location for the March 24 March for Our Lives event in Albuquerque.

Large crowds are tricky for 17-year-old Jessica Barresi.

Barresi, a Digital Arts and Technology Academy student, lives with anxiety. While she has seen improvements in recent years, masses of people still create uneasiness, making her feel nervous and small.

But shes keeping those gnawing feelings at bay with the goal of giving DATA, a tuition-free public charter school, and New Mexico a voice in a national gun control debate.

Barresi, along with a group of about 20 students and three teachers, is aiming to join hundreds of thousands marching in Washington, D.C., on March 24 for the March for Our Lives event.

On March 24, the kids and families of March For Our Lives will take to the streets of Washington, D.C. to demand that their lives and safety become a priority and that we end gun violence and mass shootings in our schools today, the March for Our Lives website describes the event.

The march was launched in the wake of the 17 deaths in Parkland, Fla., after a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month.

We feel its really important, especially for a small state like us who tends not to do much about it, to not particularly share one opinion but getting a whole group of different voices to start conversations, Barresi said.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas students are among those expected to attend the March for Our Lives.

I would go up and hug them right away, she said about what shed do if she ran into the students.

The Parkland shooting shocked DATA and put students on edge, Barresi recalled.

Our school has had threats before, she said. It was something that hit home for us. The high-schoolers are working to raise $25,000 to get the group to D.C. The deadline for the funding is Friday. Donate at gofundme.com/datatodc.

Barresi said DATA CEO Evalynne Hunemuller and principal Lisa Myhre had the idea to start DATAs GoFundMe, which shows the group had raised $3,240 as of Wednesday afternoon. If the group doesnt raise all the money, organizers will send as many people as they can.

Theres a lot of people, because we are teenagers, they think we really dont have a voice, she said.

Barresi hopes this trip is a chance to refute those ideas, saying the group is taught government in school and has the ability to speak well on the topic.

Its very important to me to try to push my civil participation, she said.

Barresi, who already has registered to vote, said she feels this trip could help her make more informed decisions as she gears up to vote in her first presidential election in the coming years.

The main march is taking place in Washington, but hundreds of events are taking place worldwide on the same day in solidarity.

The March for Our Lives website shows four marches planned for New Mexico. In Albuquerque, a march is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Tiguex Park in Old Town.
A familiar face on New Mexico television news will be the next news director at KOB-TV, station officials announced Tuesday.

Tim Maestas, who has worked as a reporter and anchor for more than 10 years in the Albuquerque market, will join the NBC affiliate in mid-May. Maestas is wrapping up law school in Memphis, Tenn., where he has also worked as a producer at station WREG.

I am so happy to be moving back to the state I am proud to call home, Maestas said in a prepared statement. It is my goal to build on the stations history of providing viewers with the best local news in New Mexico.

Michelle Donaldson, the vice president general manager at KOB, said she conducted a national search for news director after she was named to her current position from news director late last year.

Maestas started working at CBS Southwest, which is now KRQE, in 1999 and briefly left to work at station at KOIN in Portland, Ore. He then returned to Albuquerque, where he worked until 2014, according to a news release from KOB.

He left New Mexico in 2014 for Memphis, so his wife, Dr. Jessica Valdez, could continue her education as a pediatric oncologist. She has accepted a job at University of New Mexico Hospital, according to KOB.

My wife and I knew wed return to the state we both love, Maestas said. My family has been in New Mexico for literally hundreds of years.

Donaldson said Maestas will be in charge of making editorial decisions for the station and planning news coverage.

The stories we cover are very legally complicated and sensitive, Donaldson said. Having someone who is both a journalist and a lawyer is a great combination.
Editors note: An earlier online version of this story contained a quote about an improper request made during the local filming of a courtroom scene. That quote was deleted after an individual informed the Journal he was the person referred to in the quote, and he denied making any such comment.

One of New Mexicos most prominent union leaders has been accused of harassment and discrimination by a former employee, who also alleges that the states largest film industry union abetted his behavior.

Jon Hendry, the president of the New Mexico Federation of Labor and a business agent for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 480, is the subject of a lawsuit filed Tuesday in state District Court in Santa Fe . In it, Christa Valdez, who was hired by IATSE as a public relations representative, accuses Hendry of harassing and intimidating her and then orchestrating her termination when she rejected his advances. Valdez also names IATSE as a party in the lawsuit.

In an email to the Journal, Hendry said he was unaware of the lawsuit and directed further questions to IATSEs attorney, Robert Giolito. Giolito said the union does not comment on current litigation.

The attorney representing Valdez, Trent Howell, declined a request for comment.

In the lawsuit, Valdez accuses Hendry of targeting her with sexual propositions and inappropriate conditions to maintain employment. In one example provided in the filings, Valdez claims Hendry sent her a text on Aug. 30, 2016 that said, Sorry. Could you send me a pic of your naked, sweaty, skinny body. At least one of us will feel much better. Valdez also alleges that Hendry grabbed her buttocks and frequently bragged about ruining the careers of people in the industry who crossed him, according to the complaint.

Valdez argues that threat came to fruition when she was terminated last summer under explanations she claims changed multiple times. After winning a public relations contract with a casting company, Valdez alleges she was let go a few days later because Hendry had told the company it would not be able to work on IATSE-related projects if they continued to work with Valdez.

The lawsuit also alleges that at least two local IATSE leaders were aware of similar complaints against Hendry and terminated her employment in part because she rejected Hendrys advances. Valdez is seeking damages against both Hendry and IATSE and is also requesting a trial by jury.

The lawsuit comes as Hollywood continues to grapple with allegations and admissions of harassment throughout the industry, many of the stories emerging in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

Randy Moore, an at-large board member with the local union, recently wrote a Facebook post telling union members to contact the international organizations West Coast office if they had concerns about harassing texts, unwelcome pictures of body parts, and offers of trading sex for work. Moore told the Journal he had not seen the lawsuit and was not familiar with the allegations against Hendry.
SSF-N decides to join government

The Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal has decided to join the government led by CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli.
Haseena Parkar, the film is a courtroom drama that gives viewers a glimpse into the life of the sister of India's most wanted don, Dawood Ibrahim. The film keeps switching to flashbacks to establish Haseena's character and how she was accused of heading her brother's underworld business in Mumbai. Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, the movie stars Shraddha Kapoor in the lead, while her brother, Siddhanth Kapoor plays Dawood Ibrahim and Ankur Bhatia plays the role of Haseena's husband, Ibrahim Parkar. Zee Cinema - Home of Blockbusters, will air the heart wrenching story of Haseena Parkar on Sunday, 11th March 2018 at 2:30 PM.

As Haseenas brother turns into a notorious goon in the underworld, his number of enemies also increase rapidly. One of Dawoods enemies murders Ibrahim Parkar to dislodge the dons standing in the world of crime. On the other hand, the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai send shockwaves across the globe. Haseenas brother is named as one of the masterminds behind the heinous crime. However, Dawood escapes to Dubai and Haseena falls into trouble. This is when she realizes that she can no longer be a victim  she hits back and arises as aapa and takes over the mantle from her brother.

Haseena Parkar (Shraddha Kapoor) visits the court in relation to the 88 cases registered against her for her liaisons with the D-Company and her brother Dawood Ibrahim. However, Haseena claims that she is not included in the process of extortion and shares the story about her whole life; from childhood to middle age, from one of the many children of a modest police constable to a child bride who tragically becomes a widow too soon, becoming a grandmother, a godmother and a suspect in the bomb blasts that rocked Bombay in 1993.

Watch this engrossing story of Haseena Parkar on Sunday, 11th March 2018 at 2:30 PM only on Zee Cinema

To read more click here
Aarambham Okka Aduguthone, translated into The Beginning Is With One Step, is what the Zee Telugu Kutumba believes in. As an ode to this, the channel joined hands with Hyderabad-based NGO, Abhaya, that focuses on empowering women for a breast cancer awareness programme this International Womens Day (IWD). As part of the programme, the NGO organized a walkation in the city, on Saturday morning, encouraging women across Hyderabad to be aware of breast cancer and its symptoms.

Actress Naveen Yata from Zee Telugus That is Mahalakshmi, led the group during the walk, inspiring women in the city to take that one small step towards breast cancer awareness.

I am honoured to be supporting such an important cause for Zee Telugu and I believe this this is one small step that all of us can take, Actress Naveena Yata said.

Zee Telugu has always encouraged women across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to take that one small step. With yoga workshops and self-defence classes organized in rural towns, the channel believes that it is important to imspire women to #PressForProgress.

To read more click here
Writ filed at SC against PM Oli

A writ has been filed at the Supreme Court against newly appointed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Wednesday.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  The Palestinian Authority (PA) was voted in as a full member of Interpol in September, and the Palestinian membership was approved in Beijing by 75 to 24, with 34 abstentions.

The PA recently completed the technical procedures to connect the Palestinian police force to the organizations databases in the Lyon headquarters on Feb. 21.

With this new status, the Palestinian police have access to information on criminal activities from police agencies around the world and will be able to issue red notices, international requests for the detention of wanted individuals for extradition.

The step has raised concerns among the PAs exiled political rivals. Dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan and others such as Mohamed Rachid and Walid Najb fear that the PA might use Interpol to track them down and extradite them.

Fatah leader Rabah Muhanna told Al-Watan Voice Jan. 17 that the PA has been following the necessary procedures to request the arrest of Palestinian fugitives charged with corruption. Muhanna said that Dahlan is likely to top the list of names.

Maj. Gen. Hazem Attallah, the head of Palestinian police in the West Bank, received a technical delegation from Interpol Feb. 21 to complete the process of linking the Palestinian police to Interpol through the I-24/7 network.

Majed Abu Shamala, a leader in Fatahs reformist movement close to Dahlan, told Al-Monitor that any move by President Mahmoud Abbas against Dahlan will be invalid, as the Palestinian Legislative Council is the only body authorized to revoke his diplomatic immunity. He pointed out, Should the PA succeed in issuing red notices for fugitives, how will it manage to bring them to the West Bank, where all border crossings are controlled by the Israeli authorities?

Palestines membership in Interpol is also unnerving Israel, which strongly lobbied against the admission to protect Israeli military and political leaders in European countries.

Shamala said that the judicial system in the Palestinian territories needs drastic restructuring after 11 years of division into two judicial bodies: one based in the West Bank controlled by Abbas and the second in the Gaza Strip established and controlled by Hamas. He stressed that Interpol should not take sides, as doing so would mean the other had been in violation of the law during the years of division.

Mahmoud Salahudin, the director of Interpol in the Palestinian territories, told Al-Monitor that currently the bureau is working on the cases of several Palestinian fugitives, whose names and numbers he declined to share.

We are a law enforcement liaison between the Palestinian judiciary and the Interpol General Secretariat. We carry out orders coming from the pertinent Palestinian jurisdictions," he said.

Salahudin stressed that the bureau's work is limited to criminal and terrorism-related issues as part of the international organization. He said that the Palestinian Interpol staff have extensive experience in their field of work and received training from European police forces in 2016 and 2017.

Salahudin also said that with the new electronic data exchange system, the Palestinian branch will be able to communicate with the other 191 Interpol members, including Israel, which he hopes will cooperate in the extradition of Palestinian fugitives in Israeli territories.

Shaawan Jabareen, director of Al-Haq human rights organization in the West Bank, told Al-Monitor that several human rights organizations have documented torture in PA prisons. He said, A series of judicial procedures must be performed before Palestine could request the arrest of wanted Palestinians abroad. The concerned countries will have to carefully study the files of the Palestinian convicts before extraditing them. Interpol strictly observes its procedural guidelines, which means it will take steps to verify that the extradited fugitives will not face torture in the prisons in their home countries.

Muhammad Shalaldeh, a professor of international law at Al-Quds University, told Al-Monitor that contrary to what many believe, Interpol has no agents that are able to make arrests. It is an international network of law enforcement agencies providing database and communication assistance in pursuing individuals wanted on suspicion of criminal activities. It is not Interpol's role to track individuals on the basis of religious or political issues.

He added that Interpol helps in extraditing wanted individuals and does not prosecute them.

The concerns of Abbas rivals abroad are not baseless, as the judicial authorities in the Palestinian territories have charged them with criminal offenses. But as Abdul Sattar Qassam, a professor of political science at An-Najah University, told Al-Monitor, The PA should take advantage of becoming a permanent member in Interpol to fight crime and not seek to use the organization to track down and arrest its rivals.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the United States of failing to deliver on promises to rein in Kurdish militants in Syria, breaking a brief rhetorical truce that followed a visit by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last month to ease strained ties between the NATO allies.

Erdogans anger may have been reignited by reports this week that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is sending 1,700 fighters to the province of Afrin to fight the Turkish military, which invaded the border region in January to thwart Kurdish territorial gains along its border.

The terrorist corridor that is being set up all along our border has but one target, and that is Turkeys territorial integrity, Erdogan told his party in parliament March 6.

You were supposed to be our friends. What kind of friendship is this? You were supposed to be our allies, were supposed to be together in NATO. They are like ostriches sticking their heads in the sand, he said, without explicitly naming the United States.

Erdogan and other Turkish officials have lately limited their verbal attacks on the United States; this reached a crescendo in the days before Tillersons Feb. 15 visit to Ankara. Erdogan even threatened US troops with an Ottoman slap if they got in the way of the Turkish military in northern Syria.

Tempers cooled after Tillerson sat with Erdogan, even agreeing to forgo his own translator, for a three-hour meeting in which they reportedly discussed setting up joint patrols in the Kurdish-controlled town of Manbij, a buffer zone in Afrin and working groups to sort out their disputes. The first meeting between US and Turkish officials is scheduled for March 8 in Washington and will focus on points of contention on Syria and Iraq.

It is clear that despite all of the diplomatic contacts following Tillersons visit to Ankara, Erdogan will not easily give up on his tough criticism of the United States, wrote columnist Sedat Ergin in Hurriyet. The president is making a conscious choice to escalate the rhetoric.

The Turkish wrath stems from the United States support of the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), the Syrian Kurdish militia that dominates the SDF and is the United States most reliable partner in repelling the Islamic State (IS) from swaths of Syria. Ankara says the YPG is an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency within Turkey at a cost of more than 40,000 lives.

Turkey is angry at its ally. And its ally is trying to stay cool, which makes Turkey even angrier. As long as we have this dynamic, this isnt going to go away. If the Americans want to resolve this, they are going to have to make the difficult decisions that they are shying away from, Selim Koru, a senior analyst at the Ankara-based think tank TEPAV, told Al-Monitor.

Washington lists the PKK as a terrorist organization but makes a distinction with the YPG. The Western-oriented YPG denies it has designs on Turkish territory.

That campaign could be undermined as the YPG dispatches fighters to Afrin, an enclave it has controlled since 2012, when Syrian government forces withdrew early in the civil war. Erdogan vows to soon encircle and take the provincial capital in what could prove a tough battle.

We have made our warnings about a group of YPG being transferred to Afrin  through official channels. We absolutely expect our allies to intervene, Erdogans spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said March 7. The United States, which controls the YPG, absolutely must prevent this.

The redeployment would pit forces armed and trained by the Pentagon against the Turkish army, NATOs second-biggest standing force.

Supporting a group that Turks believe poses an existential threat to their national unity while trying to improve relations with a country hosting US warplanes at its bases and that has sent troops to fight alongside US soldiers in wars from Korea to Afghanistan has proven a precarious balancing act for Washington.

Turkey now has a border with the PKK, and it is very long, and the threat is very high, said Koru. Turkey is still trying to push the United States into a position where it has to choose. The United States still pretends it doesnt have to do that, hoping that if it pretends long enough, it wont have to.

In the meantime, Erdogans frustration is mounting again. They can tell us as many lies as they like, use as many diversionary tactics and diplomatic games as they want. We see this reality, and we slap them in the face [with it], he said.

Erdogans condemnation came amid a security threat against US missions in Turkey, prompting the embassy to close March 5 and 6.

On March 7, Turkish police arrested 13 IS suspects, mainly Syrians, who were allegedly planning an attack on the US Consulate in the southern city of Adana as well four Iraqis in the Black Sea province of Samsun earlier this week thought to be targeting the embassy.

So embittered are US-Turkish relations that one pro-government columnist suggested the embassy closure may have been a ploy to disrupt the Turkish military operation in Afrin.

On March 6, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert thanked Turkey for foiling a potential attack and said the SDFs redeployment to Afrin was not helpful.

She also reiterated her call to Turkey to respect a Feb. 24 United Nations Security Council vote for a cease-fire across Syria. Turkey supports the UN truce for the rebel enclave of Ghouta, where Syrian government forces have killed hundreds of people in recent weeks, but insists it does not apply to its Afrin campaign.

We also understand that Turkey, a NATO ally, has some legitimate security concerns, Nauert said. The more that we would see Turkish forces enter into Syria proper, deeper into Syria, the more that it stands to create a potential humanitarian crisis.  This further underscores the importance of the UN Security Council resolution that calls for a nationwide cease-fire.

Turkey claims no civilians have been harmed in its operation in Afrin, where it says it has lost 41 soldiers and killed 2,795 Kurdish and IS militants. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports 61 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in the Turkish bombardment as well as 323 YPG fighters. It puts the Turkish sides death toll at 68 soldiers and 296 combatants aligned with them.
Iran continues to face obstacles in silencing its armed opponents in Iraqi Kurdistan, where authorities recently offered Tehran assurances to prevent Iranian Kurdish militants from causing tension with Tehran.

At 4 p.m. March 1 in Binaslawa town just outside Erbil, Salah Rahmani, a veteran peshmerga forces commander with the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), got into his car outside his house with his 32-year-old son Sabah. Shortly after the vehicle was started, a blast from a bomb stuck on the vehicle echoed across the town popular with Iranian Kurdish exiles. While Rahmani suffered minor injuries, his son  who worked in a bakery and has a 3-year-old daughter  died from his wounds the following morning. Rahmani, a peshmerga since 1980, is known for his fighting qualities earned from years of battling the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

While Iran has not claimed responsibility for the attack, Kurdish opposition groups that have been targeted in the past concluded quickly that Iranian agents or their hired assassins were behind the bombing. "This is not their first assassination, and it won't be their last one, Rahmani, bruised and believed to be the target of the car bomb, told NRT on March 2 as he buried his son in Koya town, where the main KDPI base is located.

"We as the KDPI have no enemy except the Islamic Republic. Therefore, any attack such as this on our party is from the Islamic Republic," Mustafa Hijri, secretary-general of the KDPI, told NRT during the funeral.

The targeting of a veteran KDPI peshmerga forces commander on the outskirts of the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan marks a dangerous escalation in the decadeslong enmity between Iranian Kurdish militants and the Islamic Republic. Iran sees the KDPI and other armed Kurdish groups as existential threats and has engaged in everything from assassinations, cross-border raids, detentions and executions to silence the organizations.

The KDPI and a number of other opposition groups fought a bloody battle in the 1980s against Iranian security forces in which thousands of fighters from both sides were killed. In the early 1990s, as the Kurds of Iraq gained autonomy, the KDPI and other groups set up bases in northern Iraq. Iran is said to have launched a campaign of assassination against these groups in Sulaimaniyah and Erbil. Fouad Khaki Beygi, a member of the KDPI media department, told Al-Monitor that 289 members and cadres of various opposition groups, including 153 from the KDPI alone, were assassinated back then. From the mid-1990s until three years ago, the Iranian Kurdish parties  except on a few rare occasions  refrained from taking action against Iranian security forces in consideration of the interests and authority of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). But from early 2015, as the Iraqi Kurds became more confident over their role in fighting the Islamic State, they appear to have allowed the KDPI to deploy hundreds of their peshmerga forces to border areas, where they became involved in clashes with both Iranian border guards and members of the IRGC. The KDPI, for its part, announced a new form of struggle against the Islamic Republic carried out by what the group termed the Urban Peshmerga  which essentially consists of sleeper cells inside Iran. These sleeper cells appear to have been behind clashes and dozens of assassination attempts on alleged IRGC agents in Iranian Kurdish areas in recent years.

Concerned by the upsurge in violent clashes in the Kurdish areas in Iran, IRGC Brig. Gen. Hussein Salami in 2016 threatened to take action against the Iranian Kurdish groups in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region unless the KRG halted them from launching attacks inside Iran. This state of affairs continued until the Iraqi Kurds held their independence referendum in 2017 amid vehement opposition from the international community, including Iran and Turkey.

Following the referendum, Iran  perhaps worried about the implications of the referendum involving the Islamic Republic's own Kurdish minority  moved quickly to aid Iraqi forces in their retaking of the disputed areas, putting the Kurds on the verge of bankruptcy as they lost half their oil revenue.

When KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani visited Tehran on Jan. 21, the Iranians told him in stark terms that for them to intervene on behalf of Erbil in Baghdad, the KRG had to stop allowing Iranian Kurdish militants to launch cross-border raids. As the KRG gave in to Tehrans demand, KDPI officials said they would continue their efforts using their cells inside Iran.

On Jan. 3, the KDPI reported that a unit of its Urban Peshmerga killed six IRGC members in clashes near the Iranian town of Piranshahr. On Feb. 27, the KDPI-affiliated media outlet Kurdpa reported the assassination of an IRGC member of Kurdish origin in Irans Kurdistan province. The Eagles of Zagros, an underground group reportedly affiliated with the KDPI, claimed responsibility.

Two days later, the car bombing that claimed the life of Rahmanis son took place. The KDPI is not alone in pointing the finger at Iran; in January, another Kurdish opposition group accused the Iranians of planting bombs in their bases.

On March 7, an offshoot of the KDPI announced that one of its senior commanders, Qader Qaderi, had been found dead with 20 bullets in his body near Rania town in Sulaimaniyah province. Qaderi was a senior commander with over 35 years of experience fighting as a peshmerga. Two years earlier, the KDPI headquarters was a target of twin bombings in Koya in which six people  including five peshmerga fighters  were killed and over a dozen wounded.

The recent wave of strikes appears to be a warning that Iranian agents or their proxies can strike the KDPI and other opposition groups anywhere in the Kurdistan Region. Meanwhile, the Urban Peshmerga of the KDPI inside Iran reiterated their commitment to fight the Islamic Republic on March 2 and avenge the blood of Rahmanis son.

It is difficult to predict how the KDPI and the IRGC will react to the recent developments, but if both parties decide to escalate the violence, it would add yet another piece to the multitude of conflicts that are already raging in the region. This is a threat to the security of the [Iraqi] Kurdistan Region and a threat to the safety of the members of opposition groups, Khaki Beygi told Al-Monitor. The Kurdistan government needs to make its position clear that it will not tolerate such activities.
Based loosely on a real incident involving the intense psychological dichotomy of a potential suicide bomber, the film "The Journey" ("Al-Rihla") by Iraqi director Mohamed al-Daradji made its debut in Iraq on March 1 in six provinces and was screened at the same time in three cinemas in Baghdad.

Before its Baghdad screening, the film appeared at 15 international film festivals, the first being the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival in September. But it is the in-country, in-cinema showings that are most significant to many of the country's motion-picture fans.

The film is the first Iraqi film to be shown in Iraqi theaters in more than 25 years, since the 1991 uprisings. It was a joint production effort among Iraq, the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands.

The Iraqi Independent Film Center, run by a group of young filmmakers, simultaneously launched a movement dubbed the 1 million viewers campaign." Daradji talks about reaching a million viewers, though he admits that is far-fetched.

We are aiming for 1 million viewers, which is a little bit unlikely. But we will not abandon our efforts. I think we might reach 150,000 or 200,000 viewers in Iraqi cinemas, he said in an interview with Al-Monitor at the National Theater.

Yet the film, which will also screen in theaters in 12 Arab countries, reflects a real comeback for Iraqi cinema  one that rises to international film standards.

Iraqi film critic Mahdi Abbas told Al-Monitor, The film touches on real social, intellectual and security issues in real Iraqi life. The fact that the film is an Iraqi production and the work of an Iraqi director is groundbreaking for the Iraqi cinema, which is making a comeback after a 27-year hiatus.

The film tells the story of a female suicide bomber about to blow herself up in Baghdad's only train station on Dec. 30, 2006, the day former President Saddam Hussein was hanged. As she considers her situation, she is reluctant to press the button and finds herself in a state of inner conflict. Through her psychological journey, the director tries to convey the message that even terrorists can find compassion and humanity within themselves, even if it's only a small bit.

Daradji focuses on the possibility of combating terrorism intellectually rather than militarily.

We're trying to fight terrorism through ideas and to get rid of extremist and fanatical behaviors and concepts through dialogue, understanding and rapprochement between people, Daradji said.

The film also touches on some social problems such as child labor and forced marriages. It highlights the violent behaviors of some US soldiers during their time in Iraq before the United States withdrew in 2011.

"The Journey" did not feature professional actors but rather new faces  with the exception of Amir Jabara, who had previously worked with Daradji in the film "In the Sands of Babylon."

"The Journey" was the acting debut for Zahraa Ghandour, the lead female actor who portrayed the suicide bomber in the 90-minute motion picture.

The idea of the film is that no one has the right to take other peoples lives, and differences among people shouldn't be a threat to the different societies and communities, but rather a drive to coexist peacefully," she told Al-Monitor.

We're hoping to revive the cinema in Iraq and emphasize the need for the state to support cinema, as it's an art that can help raise awareness among people," she added.
Lawmakers unveiled the latest iteration of a bill meant to crack down on boycotts of Israel and its West Bank settlements just in time for the pro-Israel lobbys annual advocacy day on Capitol Hill.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., proposed an amendment to his Israel Anti-Boycott Act on Monday that he hopes will assuage concerns that the legislation violates free speech rights. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is championing the bill as part of its annual conference in Washington this week but some critics remain unconvinced by the changes.

Cardin told Al-Monitor that hed had several conversations with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and taken its input after the group opposed his initial bill. But while the ACLU approved of some of the changes, they still maintain that the latest iteration of the bill is unconstitutional.

This bill is unconstitutional because it seeks to impose the governments political views on Americans who choose to express themselves through boycotts, said Ben Wizner, director of the ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project. The proposed changes are improvements, but the revised bill continues to penalize participants in political boycotts in violation of the First Amendment. If it is enacted in this form and takes effect, we will strongly consider fighting it in court.

The bill seeks to prohibit companies from providing information to multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union that could be used to publicly list businesses operating in the West Bank. The latest version of the bill would make US-based companies and their employees legally liable if they comply with, further or support attempts by foreign countries or international governmental organizations to either boycott Israel or to collect information that could lead to a boycott.

A press release from Cardins office said the Democratic senator and the bills lead Republican cosponsor, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, made the changes after months of a healthy dialogue with the public and consultations with outside groups, lawmakers and other legal experts.

Prior to the latest changes, the bill boasted 51 cosponsors from both parties. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., dropped her support after the ACLU voiced its concerns. Her office did not respond to Al-Monitors request for comment on the revised legislation. Meanwhile, the amended bill did gain one new cosponsor this week: Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.

Despite the changes, some critics still maintain that the bill violates constitutional protections on free speech.

The only concrete thing softened by the new text is the removal of jail time for violations, said Lara Friedman, the president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, a nonprofit opposed to Israels West Bank settlements. The bill, she said, was also tweaked so that the law does not necessarily apply to individuals if they are acting in an exclusively personal, private capacity.

Under the initial bill, violators could theoretically have faced up to 20 years in prison. The new version stipulates that only a monetary penalty shall apply. However, that still leaves violators open to a civil fine of up to $250,000 and a criminal penalty of up to $1 million.

The new version includes an expansive definition of boycotting Israel that would make it US law to basically treat any distinction between Israel and settlements as an anti-Israel boycott, Friedman told Al-Monitor.

While the original version of the bill would have applied to any US person, Cardins updated legislation would apply to any US-based company or its employees acting in an official capacity for the company.

AIPAC first began pushing anti-boycott legislation in Congress last year following a 2016 UN Human Rights Council resolution calling for a database of all companies that enable or profit from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Although it has yet to publicly name any businesses, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights announced in January that it had found 206 firms doing business in the West Bank, 22 of which are US companies. The January announcement created a new sense of urgency for the powerful pro-Israel lobby to convince Congress to act.

Congress must continue to fight the delegitimization of Israel and insist that the United Nations end its anti-Israel bias, a press backgrounder distributed at AIPACs annual conference states. Congress should pass legislation that prohibits US companies from cooperating with efforts by international governmental organizations  including the UN  to boycott Israel.
On one side of the Atlantic was a packed conference hall, where 18,000 American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) delegates cheered on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington. On the other side of the ocean was the crammed police interrogation room of the Lahav 433 unit in Lod. The distance between them on March 6 had never been greater.

Having met with President Donald Trump at the White House on March 5, the following day Netanyahu addressed AIPACs annual conference. He put on his usual show, exhilarating the delegates, who frequently burst into tumultuous rounds of applause. Meanwhile, at the nerve center of the Israel Police Investigations Unit, a string of state's witnesses tighten around the prime minister. So far, three of the people closest to Netanyahu have signed agreements with the police and the Attorney Generals Office to testify against their former boss in exchange for reduced sentences. Nothing this big has ever happened in Israel.

The third and most recent person to flip was Nir Hefetz, the former head of the National Information Directorate and Netanyahu spokesman who went on to become the spokesman for the Netanyahu family. No one could be closer to the Netanyahus. Hefetz is also more colorful and more dangerous than the other state's witnesses: former Netanyahu Chief of Staff Ari Harow and former Ministry of Communications Director General Shlomo Filber.

There is a news blackout on details concerning Hefetzs testimony, but what is known is that he was granted immunity for whatever evidence he provided. Hefetz will not be indicted. He will not be convicted. He will not serve time, and he will not pay a fine. There is no greater proof that Hefetz is the ace in the hand of Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh. He is the piece completing the puzzle. Hefetz will be spending many long days giving testimony at a government compound.

The safe assumption for now is that Netanyahu will not survive the cases piling up against him. If Case 4000  involving Netanyahus relations with communication mogul Shaul Elovitch  proves to be an unimpeded case of bribery, it would be worse for Netanyahu than anything he ever imagined. It would most likely mean following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Ehud Olmert, to jail. He would be the second Israeli prime minister to end up in prison. All that remains unknown is the timetable, which Netanyahu is currently working on.

From Netanyahu's perspective, the situation isnt quite so grim. The paradox is that the worse his legal situation becomes, the higher his poll numbers rise. Every investigation and every state's witness earn him and his party more seats. Recent polls paint a remarkable picture of Likud winning 29 seats, its strongest showing since the 2015 election, in which it won 30 seats.

Netanyahu owes his long political lifespan to his success in convincing the Israeli right that anyone opposed to him remaining in power is, by definition, a leftist. Although the investigations against him are being conducted by a police commissioner and an attorney general from Netanyahu's own circle and appointed by him, he has managed to drill into the minds of Likud supporters that the investigations are nothing more than political persecution and a coup attempt by the left and the media against a serving prime minister.

Netanyahus message is replete with fake news and other manipulations, but it works. Senior Likud members have so far avoided criticizing the prime minister, fearing revenge. Thus the Israeli right has closed ranks and come out to defend him. Public trust in law enforcement and the media is at a low point, with the legal system quickly losing respect as well. This phenomenon has implications for how determined Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, a former Netanyahu Cabinet secretary, will be in proceeding against the prime minister. It is also why Mandelblit has approved agreements with so many state's witnesses. He wants to be absolutely certain, so he is playing it safe and slow.

Hefetz is expected to open a Pandoras box involving almost the entire Netanyahu family. Because of him, Netanyahu will face more than just the legal issues pertaining to Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000. Recent comments by Hefetz to his associates suggest that he could reveal involvement by the Netanyahu family in decision-making on state security and other sensitive matters. It has already been leaked that Hefetz claims that Netanyahu is controlled by his wife, Sara, and his son Yair, and that they have influenced several of his decisions, including some that put the nation's security at risk. In one such instance, Netanyahu apparently acted counter to the advice of the Israel Defense Forces, Mossad and Shin Bet.

It is thought that this relates to the crisis that erupted with Jordan and the Palestinians over installing metal detectors on the Temple Mount following an attack in which Israeli Arabs killed three Border Patrol officers at the entrance to the holy site last July. Netanyahu tried a tough approach, ignoring the professionals' recommendations. In the end, he was forced to climb down and succumb to the demands of the Jordanians and Palestinians. Furthermore, Netanyahu received in his office the Israeli security guard who shot and killed two Jordanians in Amman that same month. He also spoke with the Israeli ambassador to Amman, Einat Schlein, by phone and posted images of the talk and even a transcript of the conversation on social media. This infuriated King Abdullah II and exacerbated the brewing crisis with Jordan. As a result, Jordan insisted that Israel replace its ambassador. Bilateral relations were downgraded for many months.

That Hefetz signed an agreement to serve as state's witness has increased the sense that the clock is running out on the Netanyahu era. Even senior state attorney officials think it for the first time, and legal commentators are reporting an alignment among law enforcement authorities over the issue. The only person who refuses to accept it is Netanyahu himself.

The prime minister is currently deliberating whether to call early elections for June. If elections are held, Netanyahu hopes to come out of them even more empowered. He could then wave the results in front of the attorney general as proof that he represents the will of the people, despite all the investigations, reports and even the state's witnesses.

Investigations legally are not supposed to be influenced by elections. On the other hand, Netanyahu knows that with all his recent efforts at incitement, the public mood will make it difficult for the attorney general to arrive at a decision. Meanwhile, Netanyahu continues to incite those closest to him with attacks on law enforcement and the rule of law.

Netanyahu is certainly not afraid of conflict. He wants a confrontation and is constantly increasing the flame. The resulting impression is that he plans to fight until the bitter end. He will burn down the clubhouse and everyone in it if he deems it necessary. That's because Netanyahu knows that he is no longer fighting for his job, but for his freedom.
Labor Chairman Avi Gabbay is currently visiting Washington on the occasion of the American Israel Public Affairs Committees (AIPAC) annual conference. Gabbays tweet, directly from Capitol Hill, could not have better demonstrated the difference between his peaceful sojourn in Washington and the warfare waiting for him in Israel.

Gabbay tweeted about a successful meeting he held with Sen. Dick Durban, the Democratic whip from Illinois. An important meeting for continued cooperation with the Democratic delegate for support for Israel, Gabbay wrote, attaching a photo of the two in the midst of conversation. The tweet was one of a series of updates from his diplomatic tour in Washington that included a speech at AIPAC, meetings with decision-makers and interviews, but the hemorrhaging Labor Party he will return to will soon snap him back to reality.

As he was preparing for his speech at AIPAC, Channel 10 published a disastrous poll for the Zionist Camp (of which Labor is the largest partner), predicting 12 mandates for the list if elections were to be held now  half of its power today. While Yesh Atid headed by Yair Lapid is stable with 24 mandates and the Likud headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu grows to 29 mandates despite his ongoing criminal investigations, Gabbay and his party are collapsing. Gabbay needs time to minimize the damage, to rebrand himself and try to regain the mandates he lost to Lapid. A head-to-head match with Netanyahu is out of the question right now.

Despite the tense situation, the Labor Partys Knesset members are uncharacteristically silent, making no moves to depose Gabbay. According to the poll, most of them will not return to the Knesset after the next election, but they are quietly watching Netanyahu grow stronger.

Labor's former chairman, Knesset member Amir Peretz, who could have been predicted to be the first to publicly criticize Gabbay, is avoiding making waves even though he understands the significance of the situation as well as anyone. Peretz even backed Gabbay at the Sderot conference March 6, saying, Gabbay made mistakes and he knows it. We are giving him a chance. Former chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich, who supported Gabbay, is also keeping quiet. Still another former chairman, Knesset member Isaac Herzog, who serves as the chairman of the opposition, also remains loyal.

An external observer of the Labor Party and its leaders might see weakness and despair, certainly not the energy needed for an election campaign. Most of the Knesset members are busy calculating the chances that they would find a seat in the next Knesset if few are available to their party. After Gabbay uses his right to reserve seats for some star players and Hatnua Party leader Tzipi Livni takes her own reserved spot, there will hardly be any seats left.

With no possible heir with any chance of changing the situation, Gabbay is unconcerned with the risk of an ouster. Although he will return to a dispirited team that is worried for its future, Gabbay can expect quiet. However, he will still have to make a change in direction within a short time or face internal opposition.

I truly cant understand this phenomenon. The corrupt Netanyahu is gaining in the polls. Lapid, who I think is just a sham, accumulates power at our expense, and we collapse with Avi Gabbay, who is a man with impressive abilities, a Labor Knesset member despaired to Al-Monitor this week on condition of anonymity.

According to another Knesset member, Gabbay should have spoken at AIPAC but returned immediately when talk started in Israel about the possibility of early elections. I understand that he needs these photo ops portraying him as a statesman, but at this decisive political moment, he should have gotten on a plane and unified the ranks here. His tweets from Capitol Hill are disconnected.

When Gabbay was elected chairman, he had an unusual opportunity. The public was excited about the new and refreshing figure. The polls flattered him and pulverized Lapid. Later, the party gave Gabbay inflated power and authority, enabling him to change its constitution. But the corporate management methods he brought with him clashed with the party mechanisms and the lawmakers he had excluded. His bald and awkward courtship of Likud members while abandoning the partys base, especially his statement that the left has forgotten what it means to be Jewish, caused great damage and weakened him. Gabbay apologized for it in an interview to Yedioth Ahronoth, but the mandates that fled to Lapid havent returned.

Gabbays current strategy will focus on bringing back voters who have abandoned him and moved to Lapid. That means that very soon, a front will open in the center-left bloc between Gabbay and Lapid. A senior member of the Zionist Camp said on condition of anonymity, The idea will be to expose Lapid to the public as a hollow figure who is enmeshed in the business of money in politics, as was revealed in the episode concerning his friend Arnon Milchan, and as someone who changes his story regarding his military service.

Such an internal battle, a worst-case scenario, would serve Netanyahu and the Likud, especially in an early election. Gabbay and Labor need time to regain their relevance. And in this fight for survival, perhaps the most dramatic the Labor Party has experienced, the burden rests solely on Gabbays shoulders.
Writing, publishing news can't be contempt of court: FNJ

Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has said that it stands firm in its belief that writing news article does not amount to contempt of court.
The reports surfacing about the impending resignation of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are nothing new. Over the past year, similar rumors emerged repeatedly only to be proven false. Now, however, all indications suggest that the end of the Abbas era is imminent.

The PLO and its largest faction Fatah, both headed by Abbas, are preparing for a change of guard. A Palestinian source told the popular London-based Al-Hayat newspaper that when the Palestinian National Council convenes in May, the PLO institutions are expected to name a successor to the president, with Abbas lobbying for his associate Mahmoud al-Aloul. In February 2017, the Fatah Central Committee meeting in Bethlehem chose Aloul as deputy head of the party, a post that had not previously existed. He had served as the commander of Fatahs armed wing, the Tanzim, but was a relatively unknown figure and his appointment surprised many.

Top Fatah officials claimed that Abbas chose Aloul to head off more popular would-be successors, among them Palestinian senior official Jibril Rajoub, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and even senior Fatah member Marwan Barghouti, who is serving several life sentences in an Israeli prison. The officials also said Abbas did all he could to prevent the participation of representatives from the Gaza Strip in the Central Committee meeting, fearing they would sway the vote in favor of his bitter enemy from Gaza, former Fatah senior Mohammed Dahlan.

A year on, Abbas now appears determined to name his deputy as his successor to lead the Palestinian Authority (PA).

According to the latest reports, Fatah may not even wait until the Palestinian National Council meeting in May, as previously reported by Al-Hayat, and would announce Alouls appointment in the coming days or weeks given Abbas deteriorating health.

Al-Akhbar reported March 5 that at a meeting of the Fatah Revolutionary Council last week in Ramallah to discuss the crisis in ties with the United States and the demise of President Donald Trumps promise of an ultimate deal for Israeli-Palestinian peace, Abbas told participants that it might be their final meeting. He also sought to change the Fatah bylaws so that Aloul could stand in for him in case he was absent until the movement holds elections.

Concern for the 82-year-old leader and the upheaval his departure is expected to generate prompted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to call Abbas this week and inquire about his health. No other information has been made available about their conversation.

Abbas recent hospitalization in Baltimore strengthened speculation that he is ill with cancer, although his aides insisted the chairman had simply undergone routine tests. Upon his return to Ramallah, he was quick to convene the Revolutionary Council and begin proceedings to change the bylaws concerning the appointment of his successor.

Alouls impending appointment is a clear sign that we are nearing the end of the Abbas era and the start of a succession battle. Anyone who thinks Alouls appointment will find smooth sailing within Fatah is wrong.

A Fatah source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that Abbas will not disappear from the Palestinian political arena tomorrow morning. He declined to confirm or deny reports about Abbas health, but said, One thing is clear: Its important to establish a protocol so that everything goes smoothly once the president decides he wants to step down. He said senior Fatah officials will support the changes Abbas seeks and will act to forestall chaos in the PA.

However, a Palestinian source close to Dahlan said on condition of anonymity that the changes could encounter obstacles if no consideration whatsoever is given to the role or wishes of Dahlan. This source claimed most Palestinians hate Abbas and will be happy to see a different leadership take over. He pointed to reactions on social networks, saying, "People are expressing joy and saying its time for him to go. Popular social activist Fadi Elsalameen, who in the past exposed corruption scandals within the PA, demanded that Abbas inform his people that he has cancer so that all Palestinian institutions can properly prepare for a change in government and avoid chaos in the West Bank. People have started buying weapons, and the West Bank will turn into a battleground among Palestinian factions warring for control of the PA, he warned.

According to Dahlans associate, I dont foresee a war and bloodshed, but there will certainly be tension. People will not be willing to accept a leader picked by Abbas. He noted that Dahlan will not make any political moves for now and would not do anything to harm his people  certainly not try to take power by undemocratic means. Nonetheless, he once again cautioned that the Palestinian people will not want to see an Abbas loyalist assuming his role at the helm of the PA.

Abbas has been serving as Palestinian president for 14 years, since the death of PLO leader Yasser Arafat in 2004. He will probably strive to steer the leadership change gently in small, measured steps to preserve the PAs integrity. However, he will not escape blame for consistently undermining any potential successor who enjoys public support. If the process of succession deteriorates into chaos and even violence, Abbas will be held accountable.
"Chutzpah" is not just a Hebrew word. Other languages also recognize the word as a trait that is ubiquitous in the Jewish persona. The word appears in the Book of Daniel (2:15), albeit with a different meaning, and later in the Babylonian Talmud. Chutzpah eventually made its way into Yiddish and is frequently used in English and German.

"Chutzpah" has also appeared in fiction and nonfiction: Science fiction author Isaac Asimov had a spaceship named Chutzpah in his Nine Tomorrows book of short stories and "Chutzpah" also is the name of a nonfiction book about the Jewish people in the United States by attorney Alan Dershowitz.

The English-speaking world generally uses chutzpah with a positive connotation  someone who is bold, has grit and acts outside the box. By contrast, in Israel, the term carries more of a negative connotation and describes the actions of people who try to get something they want by ignoring the needs of others or harming them. It describes rude behavior toward others, even vulgarity.

The Holon Institute of Technology, an academic body that integrates art and technology, attempted to examine the meaning of the expression Israeli chutzpah through the lens of photographers. Michal Chill, the head of the institute's library and the curator of the exhibition, put out an appeal last year on social networks for photographers  both professional and amateur  to send her their photographs with their interpretation of the term chutzpah.

The exhibit opened Jan. 2 and ran until Feb. 8 at the institute in Holon, a city south of Tel Aviv.

Chill told Al-Monitor that the positive aspects of the word in its Yiddish pronunciation (as it is used abroad) captured more space in the exhibition than she had anticipated. We did receive many pictures of Israeli garbage and vulgarity [that addressed chutzpah] with its negative connotation, but that was not all. Many of the pictures expressed bravery, originality and fearlessness. While selecting [the photos for display] among the many pictures we received, we ourselves underwent a real process, she said. More and more pictures presented original, daring things to express Israeli chutzpah.

What transforms chutzpah into an Israeli trait? Chill argued that the very establishment of the Jewish state in the heart of an Arab region can be viewed as a type of unusual bravery or audaciousness. The same holds true for some of Israels military operations and even the establishment of the nuclear reactor in Dimona. When the photographers asked what direction to take [in representing the term], we gave them full freedom to express chutzpah through their own eyes, wherever it took them, she said.

One photo submitted by Dafna Yosha represented feminist audacity with a photo of three full-figured, aged women on a beach, with bathing suits that do not exactly compliment them. The photo caption read: The bravery of Israeli women who publicly challenge a world that sanctifies the concept of beauty as exemplified by pencil-thin models.

Tel Aviv photographer Dafna Yoshas photo, from her series Street Art Tel Aviv, challenges the concept of beauty. (photo by Dafna Yosha)

Three photographs by Dubi Feiner were selected for the exhibit, but one was removed due to the opposition of an ultra-Orthodox man who did not like the way he was portrayed. Feiner told Al-Monitor that when the curator of the exhibit turned to him with the idea of Israeli chutzpah, he could not think of any picture he had taken previously that would fit the bill. I had to really think about it. In the past when I was a newspaper photographer, I observed things with a more critical eye. I assume that at the time I would have chosen less positive photos to exemplify chutzpah, he said.

The theme he chose to adopt for his contributions to the exhibit was creative externalization, namely extroverted creative behavior. According to Feiner, Israelis like to use creative means to externalize themselves, to show off their courage or their willingness to adopt unconventional behaviors. This led him to create a picture in the trash the dress style in which we see couples who have already married splashing about in water, in the sea or even in foodstuffs or mud, wearing their wedding outfits. Ostensibly they are destroying their sumptuous clothes acquired specially for the festive occasion.

Even though this wedding photography trend didnt start in Israel, Feiner said it truly characterizes Israelis, who also tend to take freakish, startling actions in public spaces. In the exhibit he displayed a photograph in which a couple wearing wedding clothes are lying down under a waterfall, completely wet, while the wedding photographer photographs them while he is lying on a rock above the waterfall, a daring act in and of itself. Feiner said that only meters away from the couple being photographed were several ultra-Orthodox youths splashing about in the water. The couple represents the provocative Israeli character that wants to show it is not embarrassed to be daring and audacious in front of a crowd of passersby.

Feiners second photograph shows a couple spending time with their child at the airport in Tel Aviv on a wooden balcony looking out on the ocean. Although they are in a public place, the parents are lying down and embracing one another, ignoring the people around them, as if to say, We can do anything we want, wherever we want. Feiner views this as a clear expression of the Israeli perception of freedom. According to him, no other people in the world can allow themselves to act like this  neither Europeans nor Americans nor citizens of other countries in the Middle East  only the Israelis.

Nino Herman shows four young people splashing their feet in a blow-up pool placed in the middle of the sidewalk, seemingly unaware that they are blocking everyones way. (photo by Nino Herman)

Photographer Nino Herman displayed a picture in which four Tel Aviv young people are, on a hot summer day, splashing their feet in a blow-up pool placed in the middle of the sidewalk, while blocking passage for everyone else. One of the young men has turned his face to the camera with an expression of defiance.

Yigal Ofirs photo presented a street artist painting graffiti in black and white, while only wearing underpants and a scarf on his head. The stance of the artist implies that he is not even aware of being half naked, or at least not at all concerned by it. He doesnt even view himself as being especially daring.

A photographer called Milik presents an image of an ultra-Orthodox boy with long sidelocks who is smoking and holding a cup in his hands, evidently an alcoholic drink. Here the defiance is also internal, toward ultra-Orthodox society and its customs. His prayer shawl hangs on him with pretentious negligence and his hair is disheveled surrounding the wide skullcap that characterizes the Hasidim of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.

Do all these represent Israeli chutzpah? Chill said that many of those who visited the exhibition left saying simply, "Indeed, these [faces, images] are us."
After Hamas had been absent from Arab officials media statements, supporting and opposing Arab officials issued several political statements during the last week of February, prompting Hamas to respond with both positive and negative statements. Hamas has been seeking to stay away from the tension plaguing the region, but the Palestinian cause seems to form an integral part of the regional disputes.

During a conference in the Gaza Strip on Feb. 25, Mohammed al-Emadi, Qatars ambassador to Gaza and the chairman of Qatar's Gaza Reconstruction Committee, blamed the Palestinian Authority, Egypt and Israel for the worsening economic situation in Gaza. Following Emadi's arrival in Gaza on Feb. 19, Hamas lauded Qatar's positions and assistance to the Palestinian people.

Meanwhile, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Feb. 24 in a speech to the European Parliament in Brussels that Hamas was an extremist movement. He accused Qatar of allowing Hamas to raise funds and spread hatred. On the same day, Hamas denounced Jubeirs statement and said it was aimed at encouraging Israel to commit crimes against the Palestinian people.

Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas' political bureau and head of Arab and Islamic relations for the movement, told Al-Monitor, Hamas is seeking to unite Arab and Islamic efforts in a bid to defend Palestinian national rights.

He said, We are seeking to strengthen our relations with all of the countries and actors supporting our just cause in both the region and the world and defending our legitimate right to resist the occupation and liberate our lands and holy sites."

Hamas welcoming of the Qatari ambassadors speech and condemnation of the Saudi minister's statement are proof of the state of polarization facing the movement in light of the Arab differences plaguing the region.

Emadi said Feb. 25 that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt were working on dealing a blow to his country on the grounds that it provided help to the Gaza Strip.

Jubeir announced on June 6 of last year that Qatar should stop supporting Hamas. And on Nov. 20, he called on Qatar to abandon the movement in order for Egypt to be able to achieve reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. Saudi Ambassador to Algeria Sami al-Salih described Hamas as a terrorist movement on July 12.

Last year, Emadi had said that the total cost of projects implemented by Qatar in the Gaza Strip between 2012 and 2017 amounted to $500 million. Qatar's Gaza Reconstruction Committee has repeatedly said that its projects in Gaza contributed to the running of 65 Palestinian companies, thus benefiting 100,000 Palestinian professional and technical cadres. In July 2016, the Qatar Red Crescent announced the implementation of $1.5 million worth of health projects in Gaza. During that period, Qatar implemented housing and building projects, constructed 1,000 housing units and rehabilitated agricultural buildings and laboratories.

Qatari journalist Adnan Abu Halil told Al-Monitor, Qatar supports the Palestinian people as a whole and not just a particular organization. Today, particularly, it might be in Qatars interest to declare that it is not providing any financial aid to Hamas for fear of being accused by US or Israeli parties of supporting terrorism.

He added, Qatar and Hamas are friends, not partners. And Hamas regional options are not limited to Qatar, as they include Egypt and Iran among others."

A banner reading Thank you, Qatar was hung at al-Katiba Square in western Gaza City on Feb. 24 along with pictures of Qatari Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, his father Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Emadi.

On Feb. 26, Fatah denounced Emadis blaming of President Mahmoud Abbas and said it contradicted Qatar's humanitarian role in Gaza. A Palestinian official close to Abbas told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, The Palestinian cause cannot bear the negative consequences of the tension between Qatar and Turkey on the one hand, and Saudi Arabia and Egypt on the other.

The official said, We need all of these countries. It is true that Hamas is trying to redress the balance of its regional relations, but the fact remains that it is influenced by its proximity to some capitals, such as Doha, Ankara and Tehran.

On Feb. 25, the Alliance of Palestinian Forces condemned Jubeirs attack on Hamas and said his statements were dictated by the United States in the context of Saudi Arabias direct alliance with Israel. The alliance also condemned Jubeirs attempt at misleading Arab public opinion in favor of Israel and distorting the image of the Palestinian resistance.

Saudi political researcher Abdul Hameed al-Hakeem attacked Hamas in a Feb. 25 tweet calling on the movement to choose between the trench of peace with Israel and the trench of what he termed "the Iranian Nazi regime."

In March 2017, Palestinian Minister of Public Works and Housing Mufid al-Hasayneh announced a grant worth $80 million from Saudi Arabia for the reconstruction of Gaza. In February 2016, Saudi Arabia provided $59 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees to implement projects in Gaza, the West Bank and Jordan.

Hassan Abu Haniyeh, a Jordanian researcher focusing on Islamic movements, told Al-Monitor, The Saudi attack on Hamas sets the stage for Israel's integration into the region by establishing an alliance between Washington, Israel and Arab dictatorships such as Saudi Arabia in a bid to confront the common threat of armed organizations, including Hamas. Saudi Arabia is trying to present itself as a partner in the war against terrorism by subduing Hamas, and one can only understand the Saudi insistence on attacking Hamas in the context of liquidating the Palestinian cause.

Hamas may have realized that its foreign relations are moving in a minefield and is consequently trying to avoid potential crises with certain states. This is why it is running its positions very delicately out of fear of raising the ire of certain capitals.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al-Monitor, Hamas foreign policy consists of strengthening the steadfastness of Palestinians and getting states to issue positions in favor of the Palestinian people. To serve the interest of our people, [Hamas] is moving away from regional alignments and staying at the same distance from everyone without interfering in the internal affairs of any country.

On Feb. 24, Emadi accused Egypt of making money out of helping Gaza with Egyptian fuel oil, which it started selling to the Palestinians in June 2017. The diesel was trucked into into Gaza at a price of 3.5 Israeli shekels per liter, equivalent to $1, while its international value was 1.8 Israeli shekels. He also said Egypt was selling bad cement to the Gaza Strip.

Hussam al-Dajani, an expert on Hamas affairs, told Al-Monitor, Hamas regards Egypt as Gazas only outlet to the outside world, and the least expensive option for Hamas would be building a strong relationship with it to ease the siege. Hamas also fears the Islamic States control over the border between Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula, and it seems eager to strengthen Cairo's role in the Palestinian cause by granting it the ability to calm the situation through understandings with Israel that consist of preventing the latter from escalating the situation in Gaza. In addition, the movement is seeking to grant [Cairo] the ability to conclude a prisoner swap with Israel and achieve reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah in the hopes that Egypt would work with Western countries to remove the movements name from the lists of terrorism.
After initially jumping on every pro-Israel decision, statement or tweet by US President Donald Trump, Palestinian leaders appear to have adopted a new tactic. They seem to have come to the conclusion that many of Trump's actions and words are intended for his base rather than part of a well-thought-out foreign policy. This shift is exemplified by the most recent decision by the White House on the US Embassy.

The announcement that the ribbon cutting for the embassy in Jerusalem would take place May 14 caught many off guard. During a visit with Jordanian King Abdullah II on Jan. 22, US Vice President Mike Pence had publicly said that the move would not take place until late 2019. Palestinian reaction has been muted regardless of the motivation behind the latest statement or whether the event will only be the hanging of a sign on a building in Jerusalem.

Normally bombastic Nasser Laham, the editor-in-chief of Maan News Agency, downplayed the matter during the Feb. 24 edition of his popular TV program, Harvest. Laham, a supporter of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, told the Saudi-based Arab News that he thinks the decision to move the embassy in May was designed to cause panic in the ranks of the Palestinian leadership. He argued, A muted response was, therefore, the best way forward.

Laham also said, The Palestinian message should be that our goal is to support the steadfastness of our people in Jerusalem and not to jump at every provocative decision coming out of Washington.

Mahdi Abdul Hadi, the director of the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs, told Al-Monitor that the Palestinian leadership has assessed that both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump are sinking in their own scandals and domestic problems, and therefore their actions and statements are mostly intended for internal consumption.

Both Netanyahu and Trump are dangerous because they are weak as a result of their own internal scandals and problems, Abdul Hadi said. Because of these problems, the two leaders are using Jerusalem to distract from their domestic difficulties.

Anees Sweidan, the director of external affairs for the PLO, views the Palestinians' change in response differently. He told Al-Monitor, As a result of the Palestinian leadership's strategic decision not to engage in US-only negotiations and to seek French and Russian engagement, the leadership is not interested in further escalation with the Americans. Sweidan also said it is clear that the Palestinians are trying to pick their battles with the Americans, rather than jumping on every decision.

Ofer Zalzberg, a senior analyst at the Belgium-based International Crisis Group, told Al-Monitor he believes the Palestinians' muted response represents a deliberate effort to focus their attention on the bigger issues.

The leadership in Ramallah is deliberately careful and low-profile with its public messaging now, said Zalzberg. Not knowing whether and to what extent the Trump-sponsored ultimate plan has been updated since first presented to Abbas by [Saudi Crown Prince] Mohammed bin Salman, the Palestinian leadership awaits its official publication to know whether to categorically reject it or to secure support from other major international stakeholders to generate a negotiations platform in which the plan is further revised toward traditional international positions.

The Palestinians feel that they have made their point to Trump by their steadfast decision not to talk to the Americans following his announcement on Jerusalem in early December. US reporter Aaron Magid believes that Abbas' boycott of the Americans has rattled Washington and turned the tables on Trump. Last month in the Israel Policy Forums online publication Matzav Review, Magid wrote that Abbas boycott has become the Palestinian trump card.

Abbas spurning Trump administration-led peace processes, which a vast majority of Palestinians consider hopelessly biased, actually strengthens his position domestically, Magid wrote. The White House slowly may have realized just how much they alienated Ramallah during their recent overtures toward Netanyahu.

The Palestinians are clearly the weak party in the ongoing debate over the peace process, and they have decided that they need to be prudent in how they tackle the United States staunch pro-Israel positions. They want to set the record straight, but they need to choose their political battles wisely.

It seems that Palestinian leaders have decided that Trump's bark is much worse than his bite and that they need to focus their energy rather than wasting it after every American pronouncement.
Ghouta, Syria, might be a world away, but Ghouta.com is bringing Ghouta to the world. The website documents the Syrian regimes siege of Eastern Ghouta from the end of 2013 until the present. There are tallies of people awaiting medical evacuation and people who have died while waiting for transport. The days under siege are also tracked. The latest reports challenge the imagination, leaving one searching for words.

More than 700 Syrians have been killed in aerial assaults that began Feb. 18. More than 4,000 were injured Feb. 18-27, according to international medical organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, which supported 13 local medical facilities, all of which have been hit in attacks. Residents suffer daily from barrel bombs dropped from helicopters along with missile strikes and ground offensives. Activists in Eastern Ghouta described the sky as the biggest killer in Syria, sending residents looking for shelter underground.

A suspected chlorine gas attack was reported the day after the UN Security Council unanimously called for a 30-day nationwide cease-fire. The regime of President Bashar al-Assad and its local and international allies have ignored the call, as has Turkey in Afrin. Since the beginning of the Syrian uprising in 2011, more than 465,000 people have died, and over 1 million have been injured.

During the last few months, determined individuals and organizations have worked to inform the outside world about daily life in besieged Eastern Ghouta. These include local activists, some of them working in local councils, as well as citizen journalists collaborating with local media centers and international outlets, together with civil society organizations concerned with women's empowerment, child care, relief and skills training.

The idea of the [Ghouta.com] website and campaign was born in October 2017 as the siege intensified and the frequency of aerial bombings increased, said Marcel Shehwaro, an activist from Aleppo speaking to Al-Monitor via Skype on behalf of the campaign. The main goal was to gather all the information about Eastern Ghouta, make it easier for people to find details about the siege and the attacks, select articles, reports, photos, statistics. Another main purpose was to break the language barrier since most of the information circulating from inside the siege was only in Arabic.

The group managing the website consists of some 10 volunteers based in Ghouta and a few living in Turkey. They took advantage of Skype in establishing the platform and deciding how to proceed, especially the roles to be played by the people outside the siege possessing the requisite language and communication skills and, of primary importance, stable internet connections.

One of the eight infographics on the website provides information about transportation and communication: The regime cut off all kinds of communication including telephone, cellphone and the internet. People depend on local internet providers who, in turn, depend on satellite internet. Sometimes people manage to receive a signal from the cell towers in regime-controlled areas nearby Ghouta and use the cellular network for internet. The other infographics concern water, electricity, food, health, the siege, general information about the population in Ghouta and local administration and civil society.

Shehwaro described what it is like communicating with people in Ghouta: Most of the team is inside Ghouta, and we try to carefully choose the content to publish  articles, reports and statistics from other websites. Bombardments in the background. During a meeting, someone might say, Sorry, 2% charge guys or Sorry, the generator was bombed yesterday. Our web designer from Ghouta hates basements, and so we are always worried about his safety.

One page of the website is Ten Ways to Help the People of Eastern Ghouta. The first point, Stay informed, links to reports, statements and articles so people can do just that. We keep being asked about ways to help, Shehwaro said. We are being contacted by nice people from around the world who want to do something, so we created the list to make it easier to find a way to show solidarity.

The Ghouta.com activists organized a 24-hour event, Anything You Want to Know About Eastern Ghouta, during which people could submit questions via Facebook. They have also called on people to take action for Ghouta by writing local and national leaders and politicians to amplify the voices of the besieged and put Eastern Ghouta in the headlines. They ask people to march in the streets, organizing protests and candlelight vigils, displaying the infographics and artwork from the website. They encourage journalists and artists to dedicate pieces to those under siege and urge creative and other people to offer their time and skills, including helping with translations, design, video editing and research.

On Valentines Day, the website published Love Is: Five Love Stories From Eastern Ghouta, featuring real stories of love amid the brutal siege and its constant bombing. The goal was to focus on an aspect of ordinary life that is not typically touched on in stories coming out of Syria.

We asked different people to share their love stories, and artist Dima Nachawi illustrated them, Shehwaro said. It was a way to honor their love in such difficult conditions. But we were all shocked when we realized that one of the women died at the same moment we were sharing her love story on social media.

Love is to hold your partner close until the last breath, the text of one vignette states. Another story, about a smuggled Christmas tree decorated with handmade lights run by a generator, is captioned, Love is to smuggle joy for your beloved ones.

With the siege intensifying, on March 3 the website published Open Letter: The World Must Act Now on Syria, signed by more than 200 Syrian writers and intellectuals, most of them in exile. On March 5, the first aid convoys in weeks entered Ghouta, but the Syrian military did not allow medical supplies to be brought in.

Peace still looks far from Syrias horizon.
The Weddell Sea in Antarctica is the coldest sea on the planet yet is home to an extraordinary ecosystem.

From the golden age of polar exploration a century ago to modern day scientific expeditions, the wind-bitten city of Punta Arenas is the Chilean gateway to the Antarctic. The culture and history of this frontier-town are entwined with the Southern Ocean.

In the main square of Plaza Munoz Gamero, a statue of Ferdinand Magellan looks out towards the strait that bears his name, a route he discovered in 1520 that allowed mariners to avoid the shipwreck hell of Cape Horn until the building of the Panama Canal.

To reach Antarctica from Punta Arenas today, you have two options. Fly or sail. Fly and youre there in 90 minutes. Go by ship and it can take six days. We flew out. And sailed back, which is another story.

Leaving sunny, leafy Punta Arenas and landing on King George Island on the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula just one and a half hours later is a mind-blowing experience. Its Earth but not as we know it.

Welcome aboard

Its murky and biting cold. The wind is slashing horizontal rain across the runway. A dirty yellow vehicle on caterpillar tracks whirrs by. In the distance, shrouded in swirling mist, a group of cruise ship tourists huddle, hoods up, surrounded by their luggage, resignedly awaiting their flight out.

On top of a hill, you can just make the surreal sight of a Russian Orthodox Church overlooking the research base it serves. In this parallel universe, Russias immediate neighbour is Chile, two of several bases on the island conducting various degrees of atmospheric and environmental research. Uruguays down the road and theyre neighbours with China.

And then as I try and gather myself, a penguin walks by, looks up at me slightly quizzically, potters about for a bit, and waddles off.

Within moments Im whisked off by the Greenpeace team, bundled into a bright orange survival suit and hurtling across freezing rough Antarctic waters, salt spray stinging the eyes.

Next, our boat is slapping into the green painted side of a ship and across the din of the engine and a howling wind, an Argentinian deck hand grabs my collar, hauls me up the ladder and she shouts: Welcome Aboard!

And there I am on the Arctic Sunrise, an icebreaker. In Antarctica. Home for the next two weeks.

The campaign

Warmed up and dried out, I chat to the Greenpeace campaign leader, Will McCallum, who tells me were making way immediately for the Weddell Sea, the site of the proposed ocean sanctuary, five times the size of Germany.

Its not certain how far well get, said Will. Theres a fair amount of ice in the way but we hope at least to get to the 64th parallel, which is where the proposed protected area would begin.

Its described by everyone as a pretty inhospitable place so thats the feeling were going to get as we round the corner! he said, pointing at a map showing our route along the Antarctic Sound into the Weddell Sea.

So I spend my first night on board. Its a ship with hot showers, hot meals and comfortable cabins. But despite modern comforts, our hopes of success depend on factors no different to those of the polar explorers of a century ago  weather, ice conditions and a good deal of luck.
Chinas National Peoples Congress will be asked to approve changes to constitution that will allow presidents to serve more than two terms.

Beijing, China  To many Chinese people, Tiananmen Square is a haunted place.

It has been the setting of the best and worst in Chinese history.

In 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China here. Forty years later, tanks and soldiers were sent to end weeks of occupation by students demanding greater democracy.

Those tumultuous events are still regarded by many sinologists as the greatest threat to the survival of the Communist Party of China.

At the edge of this square now, a new political drama is unfolding as Chinas Parliament, the National Peoples Congress (NPC), is holding its annual session.

Often described as a rubber stamp legislature, it is controlled by the Communist Party, just like the mainland media organisations who have fielded 2,000 journalists to cover the event.

Chinas political season is a carefully choreographed event where displays of dissent are rare.

This year, the loyalty of the roughly 3,000 delegates is especially important.

{articleGUID}

On Sunday, they will be asked to approve changes to the constitution that restricts the presidents from serving more than two terms.

Chinas parliamentarians know what is expected of them. Besides, the NPC does not do surprises.

Those capable people should stay in their posts as long as possible, said a female delegate dressed in the traditional costume of the ethnic Zhuang group.

Another one was more forthright.

The decision is made by the party. As a delegate I fully support it, she said.

Given the vast majority of delegates feel the same way  at least in public  its fair to assume that President Xi Jinping will get his way when the vote takes place on Sunday.

Warning to rivals?

But why is Xi making this power grab now? He has only just started his second term. He could have waited another three or four years.

According to analysts, the most likely reason is that he wants to send a warning to any potential rivals.

Deng Xiaoping, the late paramount leader, was responsible for the two-term limits being written into the constitution in 1982.

He wanted to prevent what is taking place now  a repeat of the cultish devotion that had surrounded Mao and which eventually led to the chaos cultural revolution.

There are a few commentators in China today who are prepared to criticise the proposed amendment.

I dont think the attempt to revise the constitution is welcomed by the public, even among those whore loyal to the party, said Deng Yuwen, not afraid of speaking out.

It was considered difficult to overthrow this tradition. But Xi has done so with a snap of his fingers.

Deng added that people find whats happening unbelievable.

There are no opinion polls in China so its not possible to gauge what the public truly thinks. But on a busy Beijing street last weekend, a few people were willing to share their views.

Surprisingly, it was not all positive.

Can I say what I mean, asked a young woman. Her caution was understandable but she wanted to answer our question.

This has not happened in other countries before. If he changed the constitution like this, then its back to the old days.
When the rest of the world is talking about #MeToo, in the South Asian nation the conversation feels like a non-starter.

Kathmandu, Nepal  On March 8, 2015, six-year-old Puja Saha finally died.

For more than two weeks, her small body had been attached to life-saving machines at the intensive care unit of Kathmandus Kanti Childrens Hospital.

A police officer stood guard outside the room. Pujas father, Badri Narayan Saha sat outside, desperate with agony, crying intermittently.

Those who talked to him ended up crying too.

The details of the crime were shocking. The young girl had not only been raped but the rapist had inserted pieces of wood inside her vagina.

She was found in a rubbish pile the day after she disappeared. The violence with which she was attacked, abused, violated and eventually shocked the nation for a while.

An average of three rapes are reported in Nepal every day.

Nobody knows how many are not reported. Two times? Five times? Ten times that number?

It takes unbelievable amounts of courage for most women and girls to put themselves out there and report rape.

When Badri Narayan realised that his daughter was missing, late evening one day back in late February 2015, he had a bad feeling.

There had been a series of incidents of rape in Bara. Puja was found the next day.

Writhing in pain

The local police took her to Narayani Zonal hospital.

When Badri Narayan rushed there, he found his daughter unattended, writhing in pain, blood all over the hospital bed.

Since the police were involved, the doctors did not want to intervene.

Badri Narayan asked the state to help him. When he called the Chief District Officer (CDO), the panicked father was told that he should have done a better job of protecting his daughter.





Was I to carry her on my shoulders? Would she not play around our shop? Badri Narayan said.

It did not occur to him that it was the CDOs job to maintain law and order. It was the CDO who had failed, not him.

As a street vendor of cheap cosmetics, Badri Narayan had little authority at the best of times.

When the broken man was told that it would cost him over a thousand dollars to get his daughter to Kathmandu, he fainted.

He pleaded with the police before Puja finally was brought to Kathmandu in a helicopter.

For 17 days, the city watched Puja as Badri Narayan kept vigil for his daughter, afraid to pull the ventilator from the girl pronounced brain dead.

Anger of women

On international womens day, three years ago, with Pujas death, a small part of humanity died.

The anger of women spilled onto the streets. When Bara district court finally gave the rapist, Kanhai Gupta, a 35-year sentence, the anger quietened.

The maximum penalty for rape under the Nepalese Penal Code is 20 years.

Rape has been normalised by now. It is the background wallpaper for news, as Rebecca Solnit says in her essay The Longer War.

Its only when the violations are outrageous, when small children are raped, when women are assaulted by gangs, when the police refuse to register cases, when survivors are victimised by state and non-state actors, that the stories get space in the newspapers.

On the eighth page of Nepals largest daily, a day before the third anniversary of Pujas death, sits a story about a 12-year-old girl who was raped and killed.

The man simply took the liberty to help himself to a young girl who was out gathering fodder.

Then he took her shawl, wrapped it around her neck and squeezed the life out of her.

And again, last month, an eight-year-old was raped and killed in Khotang.

Urgency for action

There are stories of judges letting go of perpetrators, of police refusing to file the cases, and stories of state representatives forcing women to get married to their rapists, so that they can be raped for the rest of their lives.

Its 2018. The rest of the world is talking about #MeToo and in Nepal, like much of South Asia, the conversation feels like a non-starter.

Stories of violence against women and girls are omnipresent and there is an urgency for action.

Once again, women in Kathmandu have to and will protest against rape on International Womens Day.

Their minds will be crowded by the Puja, Sita and Gita.

Fear, anger and rage is a good way to divert women.

It will exhaust us and it will silence us.

It will give us very little time to think about all the other things that we might want.
Unsuccessful attempts at reform and the growth of private schools are hurting underprivileged families.

Rabat, Morocco  Overcrowding, the lack of an efficient strategy and poor administration are harming public schools in Morocco and diminishing the opportunities available to underprivileged children, experts, teachers and students have told Al Jazeera.

The crisis in the education sector comes despite repeated efforts by successive governments to reform the archaic system.

Meanwhile, social disparity is widening with the growth of private schools as higher-income families increasingly opt to pay for better services, threatening those who rely on free and quality education.

Despite high tuition costs, the number of those shifting from public to private schools soared from 4 percent in 1999 to 15 percent in 2015.

A World Economic Forum report in 2015 placed Morocco at 101 out of 140 countries in a quality of education index.

According to a 2014 Unesco report, Morocco was ranked among the 21 worst countries in the field of education, with more than half of students in public schools failing to acquire necessary reading and maths skills.

It has become very difficult for students at public schools to pursue a decent career. Anas Mrabti, high school student

Moroccos King Mohammed VI has highlighted the dire situation on several occasions.

The education system faces many difficulties and problems especially due to adopting some programmes and educational curricula, which do not suit the requirements of the labour market, King Mohammed said in a speech on August 20, 2013.

The current situation in the education and training sectors requires an assessment process that measures achievements and identifies the weaknesses and imbalances, he added.

Anas Mrabti, a high school student at a public school in Rabat, expressed concern over the future of underprivileged pupils.

It has become very difficult for students at public schools to pursue a decent career, he told Al Jazeera. The majority of students at public schools come from poor families, who cannot afford to send their kids to private schools. The dilemma is that there is a big gap between the public and private schools in terms of quality education and services.

He added that financial disparities could affect higher education.

Students from public schools find it very difficult to compete with students from private schools to access reputable institutions and universities. Parents normally send their kids to private schools because they know that those schools can earn their kids higher marks, he said.

Because privately-educated children usually attain better grades, it becomes very difficult for students from public schools to  access major universities and institutions, said the student.

Students not equipped

In recent years, successive governments have tried to implement structural adjustments to increase access to education and improve the education systems performance, the latest of which is the Council of Educations Strategic Vision for the Reform of the Moroccan School.

This strategy was first implemented in 2015 and is expected to continue until 2030.

But so far, there have been few solutions.

According to Mohammed, a headmaster of a public school in Tetouan who declined to give his last name, the educational field has been suffering for a while from the gap between theory and practice, and of the gap between ideas and application.

He told Al Jazeera: Students are not equipped with the practical skills they need to integrate them into the job market.

Our public schools are like buildings lacking pillars that keep them standing. Any major reform bid needs to transform goals into practical solutions.

An academic researcher, who preferred not to give his name, agreed that the Ministry of Educations previous and current attempts at reform were superficial.

All reform attempts were inspired by Western models that do not take into consideration the possibility of application, and whether the country is ready to apply such reforms on ground.

The country has its own identity and characteristics. The setup of any effective reform plan can only be achieved through a participatory approach that should include academics, educational syndicates, researchers and trainers.

Securing logistics and funding are not enough to ensure good educational quality. Public schools used to enjoy a good reputation in the past, and the authorities in this country should restore that dignity by finding solutions for such a vital sector.

Mohamed Jouji, a retired father who has two daughters in private schools, said Morocco is far from achieving its goals in the public education sector.

The issues are mainly school dropouts, weak numbers of schooling in the rural world, the high illiteracy rate, and the deterioration of educational performance, Jouji told Al Jazeera.

The end of free education?

Another headache added to the Moroccan burden is a new draft bill introduced by the government, which aims at putting an end to free education in the kingdom.

The bill proposes that preschool, primary and secondary education should remain free of charge for all Moroccans, but suggests registration fees for high schools and universities for middle and high-income families.

The draft law has angered parents and education syndicates, who consider the move a violation of Moroccan citizens right to free education.
Rabat, Morocco  A new law in Morocco criminalising violence towards women has divided opinion, with some observers applauding the legislation as progress while critics claim some women would still be left at risk.

Until recently, women were vulnerable to various types of violence in private and public spheres, including rape, sexual harassment and domestic abuse.

Much of this abuse had gone unreported, with such incidents considered private matters and not criminal.

In a bill approved by parliament on February 14 after years of debate among political parties, civil and womens rights groups, the new law defines violence against women as any act based on gender discrimination that entails physical, psychological, sexual, or economic harm to a woman. It also criminalises cyber harassment and forced marriage.

The new law imposes tougher penalties on perpetrators, including prison terms ranging from one month to five years and fines from $200 to $1,000.

The law, however, does not explicitly outlaw marital rape or spousal violence and does not provide a precise definition of domestic violence.

Domestic violence

Bassima Hakkaoui, minister of Family, Solidarity, Equality and Social Development, praised the bill as defining all kinds of violence against women, offers preventive and protection measures and increases penalties for people who commit violent acts against women.

Human Rights Watch said the law includes positive provisions, but leaves women at risk of being abused in a marriage.

The law allows for protection orders that prohibit an accused person from contacting, approaching, or communicating with the victim, the rights group said. But these can only be issued during a criminal prosecution or after a criminal conviction. Moreover, the orders can be cancelled if spouses reconcile which will only add more pressure on women to drop such orders.

In 2009, in a survey of 8,300 women, 62.8 percent said they had been subject to psychological, physical, sexual or economical violence, according to High Planning Commission (HCP), an independent government statistical institution.

The main problem of the new law is the way it defines abuses. Articles of the law lack clarity and are not as precise as international norms. Hayat Ndichi, activist

Miloud Kaouass, professor of Islamic studies at Ibn Tofail University in the city of Kenitra, applauded the law, but stressed the importance of raising awareness for such a move to be effective.

The law is good but we need to enhance the importance of moral values and manners among our youths both in school and at home. As long as we get away from ethics, morality and manners, violence and harassment against women would never stop.

Teaching our youth Islamic values will also help. Islam considers even looks with some kind of sexual attraction as harassment, Kaouass told Al Jazeera.

Kaouass claimed it would be difficult for the new law to address claims of violence by married women against husbands, saying loopholes in the legislation could lead to false accusations.

A relationship between a husband and wife is supposed to be based on love and consent. In the case of a married couple, it is difficult to differentiate if the relationship was with or without consent, he said.

Hayat Ndichi, a member of the Aspiration Feminine NGO, said the law lacks clarity, which in turn would not deter molestation or limit violence.

The main problem of the new law is the way it defines abuses. Articles of the law lack clarity and are not as precise as international norms. This means opening the door for many legal loopholes and interpretations, she told Al Jazeera, adding conjugal rape had been ignored.

However, she praised the bill for getting tough on perpetrators and including cybercrimes.

I didnt know what to do. I was so afraid

Fatima Zahra, a 17-year-old journalism student, said proving violence against women could be challenging.

If you dont have evidence that someone did something bad to you, you cant prove it and police cant prove it as well. So how the law would be implemented? she said.

When a man harasses you, he knows you can do nothing about it. Because you will be afraid of those people who are around who will think that you are the reason because you attracted him.

The problem is always you. This is why there are many places where I cant wear whatever I want, especially if I am alone, she told Al Jazeera.

I got into a taxi, which is supposed to be a safe place. He started to feel my leg with his hand. I didn't know what to do. I was so afraid. Sarah, university student

Sarah, a 22-year-old university student, remembers with bitterness one of many incidents where harassment went beyond words.

I dont know from where some men get the nerve to  start touching you.

I remember once, I was in my first year of high school and I got into a taxi, which is supposed to be a safe place. He started to feel my leg with his hand. I didnt know what to do. I was so afraid, she told Al Jazeera.

Maha Naami has contributed reporting to this piece.
Two women share their stories of how they peacefully protested during both Intifadas and challenged Israels occupation.

Ramallah, occupied West Bank  Movements that welcome women into leadership positions are more likely to achieve their goals. This is because their use of non-violent tactics is almost 100 percent more likely to be successful than violent campaigns.

These are the findings of a study of 323 major political conflicts from 1900-2006.

Non-violent movements are less likely to cause physical harm and typically lead to more peaceful and democratic societies.

The greatest predictor of a movements decision to adopt non-violence is its ideology regarding the role of women. When a movement includes gender equality in its discourse, it dramatically increases the chances it will adopt non-violence and the likelihood it will succeed.

Two Palestinian women shared with Al Jazeera their stories of how they led successful non-violent protests against the Israeli occupation during the First and Second Intifada.

First Intifada 1987-1993

After two decades of Israeli military occupation, it was an Israeli truck that collided with a civilian car in Gaza  killing four Palestinians  that proved to be the last straw.

People were enraged and protests erupted and spread to the West Bank  an uprising had ignited.

Naila Ayyash was in her mid-20s at the time and soon saw leaflets being distributed in Ramallah, which listed Palestinians demands and directives. Ayyash and her husband printed the leaflets and travelled to Gaza to distribute them.

There was some preparation for this Intifada. The situation on the ground, especially in Gaza, it was moving day by day, Ayyash told Al Jazeera.

All the political parties agreed to be under the unity of the Intifada. At that time, all the political parties were very strong, but especially the womens movement inside the parties.

Every major Palestinian faction formed a womens committee, disguised as a homemaking group. Since it was illegal to be a member of any political party and student union, these womens committees called for knitting, sewing and cooking meet-ups in public, but secretly their meetings consisted of planning the Intifada.

{articleGUID}

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) had left a leadership void, since many were exiled in Tunisia after being removed from Lebanon. Countless Palestinian men had either been deported, killed or imprisoned. The women filled this gap and formed the backbone of the uprising.

This marked the first time that people were taking action without waiting for directions from the PLO abroad. It was the women who organised mass civil strikes and medical teams to provide healthcare, visited and supported families of those killed, and organised alternative locations for universities and schools when Israeli authorities shut them down. If there was any problem at the governmental level, the women addressed it.

They organised a successful, mass boycott of Israeli goods that eventually forced the Israeli government to negotiate, after Israeli firms suffered declines in sales. They reached such a low point that then Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres warned the economy was in danger.

Up until then, the Palestinian economy had depended on Israeli goods, but the women then organised farming cooperatives and taught women how to grow their own food in their backyard.

We worked with women to empower them in society, economically, to support their families. They learned how to knit, sew and work on any traditional project that would help them earn an income. We tried to change the traditional picture of women, especially in Gaza, Ayyash said.





Being a woman at a time of unrest was an advantage. Unlike men, women could move more freely during curfew hours. They went from one location to another, distributing the communiques hidden in breadbaskets. The Israeli authorities never placed them under suspicion.

The mentality of the Israelis was that only men participate [in the intifada], Ayyash explained. They didnt think that these women were active.

In these womens eyes, liberation was on the horizon. They had made great strides and were sure they were about to get an independent state of Palestine.

Several women formed the Palestinian delegation that participated in the Madrid conference in 1991, where they demanded an end to settlements as a precondition for negotiations.

However, simultaneously and unbeknown to them, the PLO was signing a secret deal with Israel in Norway, a deal that allowed the occupation to continue and brought far less than what they negotiated for in Madrid.

Their tough negotiating in Madrid came to a halt with the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, with the creation of the Palestinian Authority, which usurped their grassroots resistance.

Occupation not only continued; it worsened, with more checkpoints and a 140-percent increase in illegal Israeli settlers.

Furthermore, women would now require a guardian in order to apply for a Palestinian Authority passport.

Despite the deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, Ayyash said liberation is inevitable.

Civilian resistance is powerful because it makes problems for Israelis. It makes noise for them, she explained.

Palestinians will continue struggling until they have their rights. Its difficult and I dont know after how many years, but in the end the Israelis must know that there is no other option. Either give Palestinians their rights, or continue like this  They have tried all options to force Palestinians to leave, to quit. But Palestinians will continue.

Second Intifada 2000-2005

Iltizam Morrar encouraged women to join the non-violent campaign against the Israeli separation barrier in her village of Budrus in the occupied West Bank [Mersiha Gadzo/Al Jazeera]

In 2003, 15-year-old Iltizam Morrar from the village of Budrus heard about a separation wall that was being built in the occupied West Bank for security reasons, but she didnt know much else about it as there was no media coverage and she had never heard of any marches taking place against the wall.

Soon enough the wall reached Budrus, stretching some 170 kilometres from the northern tip of the West Bank in Jenin.

The planned separation barrier would cut through their village, confiscate about 2,023 hectares of their land and uproot 3,000 olive trees, critical for the villages economic survival.

Its residents quickly realised the wall wasnt about security, but, rather, it would steal a huge part of their property.

Iltizams father Ayed Morrar formed the Popular Resistance Committee Against the Wall, and they began to organise protests.

As Iltizam grew up listening to stories about how her family participated in the First Intifada, she was eager to contribute to the resistance movement in Budrus and decided to join the protests that consisted of only men at the time.

Many young women were hesitant to join her in an activity perceived to be just for men. Initially, she managed to muster five female classmates to join her in the protest after school.

But, soon, she had galvanised more women to join. At the end of their first protest, as the men started to leave, the women continued to protest and chant  they werent leaving just yet. From then on, whenever a future protest was announced, the organizers were sure to say, Everyone is welcome  men and women.

An Israeli camera in the distance overlooks the village of Budrus. [Mersiha Gadzo/Al Jazeera]

The movement transformed into a 10-month unarmed struggle led by women. The odds of saving their village were stacked against them, yet they managed to subvert the planned wall that would have destroyed their village and saved 95 percent of their land.

The more people are involved, the bigger the result that you can expect from such a movement, Iltizam explained, while stepping over a tear-gas canister as she walked through a field in Budrus.

When women began participating, the number doubled, the movement became way bigger.

If everyone participates, it means less criticism and more encouragement from everybody  When we stand together, it shows what people can do when they work together as a community. It was a whole village movement.

The scariest moment for her was when she jumped in front of a bulldozer that was set to destroy hundreds of olive trees.

That day, a cordon of about 200 Israeli soldiers had formed, protecting their bulldozer and blocking the villagers from their olive trees. The bulldozer had already destroyed some 60 olive trees, and, as it continued to dig, the villagers werent sure what to do.

I had never in my life seen so many soldiers, Iltizam said. It was also the first time the villagers experienced tear gas.

Iltizam, however, noticed a space between a cactus tree and the soldiers, and pushed through. Suddenly, she found herself in front of the bulldozer and quickly jumped in the hole it was digging  a life-threatening decision. Earlier that year, an Israeli bulldozer had killed American activist Rachel Corrie in Gaza when she made the same move.

I was looking the whole time at [the drivers] face. It was so scary. Any single move from him would kill me, even if it was by mistake, Iltizam said.

But when you have a goal to stop the bulldozer from confiscating the land, all you see is that goal in front of you  The whole time youre focused on how to get to the bulldozer, how to get to the olive trees, how to get behind the soldiers.

{articleGUID}

However, the soldiers quickly followed her, breaking off their cordon, and the villagers rushed to swarm the bulldozer. The soldiers and their machine were soon forced to retreat.

It was a huge victory for all of us. Moments ago we were desperate, waiting, standing there, we didnt know what to do  It was a very beautiful feeling, Iltizam said.

The reason for the villagers success in defending Budrus was that they were consistently protesting, every day, Iltizam explained.

The moment Israelis began construction, everyone would be instantly notified and, within minutes, the entire village would rush to the scene to protest, until the soldiers retreated.

The thing about Budrus is that it was constant. We knew what to do, we knew what we wanted, and we fought for it daily, Iltizam said.

We were so organised. We had a goal to achieve and we achieved that goal  In Budrus, our goal wasnt to make clashes; soldiers werent our goal. Our goal was to protect our land.

It became apparent to Ayed as well that movements that include women have drastically different results than those that do not.

You must use 100 percent of your power and we know that women are half of our power, Ayed said. Everybody knows that women make up half of the people, but few of them understand that women are half of our power.
When Libya declared its independence as a constitutional monarchy under King Idris Sanusi on December 24, 1951, it became one of the first former European colonies in Africa to gain independence and achieve autonomy through the United Nations.

The United Kingdom of Libya, as it was officially known back then, consisted of three provinces: Tripolitania in the west, Cyrenaica in the east and Fezzan in the south. Each province had its own regional government, but they were united as one country under a federal system.

Initially, the newly formed Libyan state was very poor, had nearly no infrastructure to base its development on and was relying heavily on UN aid to feed its population. But only 10 years later, the discovery of oil transformed the country considerably and made it one of the regions most prominent oil produces.

But Libyas new-found riches also brought about new problems. International oil producing companies were not happy with the countrys federal structure and demanded to deal with a single central authority rather than several local governments when doing business with the kingdom. As a result, Libya abandoned the federal system and unified its three provinces under a central government in 1963.

Ironically, almost 50 years after precipitating its transformation into a unitary state, Libyas vast oil resources are now a threat to its future and its unity. Over the years, the Libyans failed to strike a social contract that would guarantee the fair distribution of the countrys wealth. Also, the regional powers that want to benefit from Libyas resources are refusing to stop interfering in the countrys affairs. In the words of the former US ambassador to Libya, Deborah K Jones, given its geography and energy resources, Libya matters too much for others to ignore it.

Chad and Sudan in the south

Following the February 2011 revolution, Libya entered into a state of transition and the last seven years have been characterised by instability and violent conflict in the country. There has not been a strong central authority that can maintain security and protect Libyas long borders (about 4500km with six neighbouring countries). As a result, foreign military interference and infiltration through the borders became almost a daily occurrence during this unstable period.

Foreign interference of this kind is most prominent in Libyas southern Fezzan region as the countrys southern border with Niger, Chad and Sudan is some 1500km long, highly porous and has hardly any governmental control. This makes it very easy for foreign armed groups to infiltrate the area.

One of the groups that are active in this region is a Chadian rebel group called the Front for Alternation and Concord in Chad (FACT), which is believed to be fighting alongside local groups opposed to Khalifa Haftar. But Haftar has also relied on the support of foreign armed groups in the Fezzan region. For example, fighters from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), a Sudanese opposition group, are believed to be fighting alongside forces loyal to Haftar in this region.

Late last month, the situation in the Fezzan region escalated further when foreign fighters participated in clashes between local groups just outside the of Sabha.

Clashes between the fighters from the Sixth Brigade, an armed militia attached to Haftars Libyan National Army (LNA), and rival fighters from the Tebu ethnic group left six civilians dead and wounded many others. According to media reports, several foreign armed groups were active in the fighting. The elected Mayor of Sabha, Hamed Al-Khayali told reporters that There are Chadian and Sudanese fighters with their flags on attacking the Libyan Defence Ministrys Sixth Brigade in Sabha and they aim to control the city and the entire south. The Chadian forces were reported to have temporarily taken over key sites in the city.

But foreign actors are not only active in Libyas impoverished and conflict-ridden south, Libyas east is devastated by a slightly different form of foreign interference.

The UAE and Egypt in the east

In June 2017, a report by the UNs Libya Sanctions Committee revealed that the United Arab Emirates, as part of its ongoing support for Khalifa Haftar, was operating a military base in Libyas Al Khadim, about 100km east of Benghazi. This is currently the largest military base the UAE has outside its borders, and it allows the emirate to have a significant and permanent military presence in Libya. The Sanctions Committee report also established that the UAE has supplied attack helicopters and other military aircraft to the Libyan forces of Haftar, in violation of UN-backed international sanctions against the regime.

Haftars LNA, which is aligned with the Tobruk-based House of Representatives and refuses to recognise the UN-backed government in Tripoli, has taken control of large swaths of territory in eastern and central Libya over the last couple of years, with significant help from the UAE.

But Haftar could not have established his military control without the support of Egypt as well, his other major Arab backer. Egypt, especially in the last four years, has provided Haftars forces with training and the delivery of all kinds of ammunition, weapons and military equipment, including attack helicopters and fighter jets. It has also launched direct air raids against strongholds of Haftars opponents, especially in the city of Derna and elsewhere.

A divided Libya

The sad reality today is that Libyans are deeply divided along regional, tribal and political lines. Also, as result of continuous foreign interference, the country is de-facto divided into three parts, with each region battling with different but equally grave problems.

The supposedly legitimate and internationally recognised government is sitting in the capital Tripoli in western Libya. The east is completely under the control of Haftars military, mainly as result of the military assistance provided by the UAE and Egypt. The south is effectively a no mans land with many foreign and local groups, including Haftar loyalists, jockeying for control. The increasing presence of Chadian and Sudanese armed groups, estimated in their thousands, is threatening to significantly change the demography of southern Libya and making it increasingly difficult for any Libyan central government to ever regain control of the region.

Ultimately, the Libyans themselves  and especially Libyan leaders  are responsible for this situation. Driven by greed and self-interest, they failed to agree on a social contract that would distribute Libyas wealth and resources fairly among the countrys many groups and factions. But some Libyans went even further and agreed to become proxies for regional powers. They invited foreign militaries and armed groups into their own country for personal gain.

Now, these foreign forces are the most significant threat to Libyas future and unity. But there is still a way for Libya to leave this prolonged state of conflict behind, and prosper as a unified and peaceful country.

Another way to unity

As Italian researcher Federica Saini Fasanotti put it Libyans will continue to be their own worst enemies-unless they, in partnership with the international community, can figure out a political model that benefits from their diversity rather than trying to override it.

Former US Ambassador to Libya Debora Jones has recently warned that unless Libyans make the necessary compromises to form a unity government that can exercise sovereignty over the entire country, they will be forced to accept the inevitability of remaining the playing field of external regional powers in a state of endless uncertainty.

Since the revolution in 2011, every single attempt to form a sustainable central government in Libya has failed. Now, it is time for Libyans to face this reality and adopt a different approach in order to save their country.

It has become almost impossible for the central authority in Tripoli to maintain border security, unity, and sovereignty of a vast country that has a small population. So perhaps, instead of a top-down approach, what is needed, and may well work, is an approach that will deconstruct and then reconstruct the Libyan state from the bottom up.

This means real decentralisation. The power to govern, and the oil revenue that is necessary for development, must be transferred from the central government to elected local authorities. Over 100 municipalities that have been formed across Libya since 2014 can be used as the basis of this new system, or the country can be divided into larger regional authorities. These regional or local authorities, with help of transferred oil revenues, can help re-build Libya from the bottom up. These local authorities can also solve the countrys ongoing security problem, by forming local security forces which can later be amalgamated into a national force.

This bottom-up, decentralised approach may well succeed in bringing sustainable peace to Libya and preserve it as a unified state. However, this ambitious plan can only work if regional powers like the UAE end their destructive interference in Libyas affairs. Otherwise, the breakdown and disintegration of Libya, and the suffering of the Libyan people, will continue for many years to come.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Benjamin Ladraa is walking from Sweden to Palestine to raise awareness of the Israeli occupation.

Twenty-five-year-old Swedish activist Benjamin Ladraa is on a treacherous walk from Sweden to Palestine to raise awareness about human rights violations in the occupied territories.

As of Wednesday, he is in Bulgaria and should reach Istanbul on March 20, walking 30-50km a day.

Ladraa began his 5,000km journey from Gothenburg, Sweden, on August 8 last year.

The plan is to continue through Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and again through Syria to Jordan, and if I cannot get into Palestine, I will try to inform the media about it, he said.

Journey

Each day is a different experience, Ladraa says. Sometimes he sleeps in his tent or a hostel. Dinner may mean eating canned food by a campfire or a meal shared with hosts he meets during his journey.

Ladraa sometimes holds lectures, where he tells his audience what he saw during his Palestine trip.

With the exception of some isolated incidents, he says most people welcomed him.

In Prague, he says, he was detained by Israeli embassy guards because he was carrying a Palestinian flag and pushing a trolley.

He was released after a bomb squad ensured he was not dangerous.

However, the guards scanned his passport, and Ladraa fears border troops will not let him enter Palestine.

He posts pictures of his journey on his Facebook and Instagram accounts under #walktopalestine.

Ladraa, who occasionally worked for the Red Cross, saved for about a year for this trip.

He says he has sold everything he owns. Sometimes, he receives donations.

He is expected to complete his journey in June or July.

Raising awareness

Ladraa says he was so moved by a three-week trip to Palestine in April 2017 that he decided to tell the world about the situation in Palestine.

I was shocked by what I saw there, seeing all the walls, soldiers walking along the streets carrying M-60 machine guns. I heard stories about 300 children in prisons, rapes in homes.

After three weeks, I returned and wanted to do something to raise awareness about human rights violations in Palestine, said Ladraa, who was born to Jewish parents.

On the move, Ladraa carries the Palestinian flag on his back and a keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian independence, over his shoulder.

I think everyone can and should give a little time to do something for other people, said Ladraa as he set off from Belgrade on February 10.
Argentine Congress to debate legalising abortion

Meanwhile, Argentinas centre-right government has said it would consider holding a referendum on legalising abortion, a controversial issue in the largely Catholic nation.
The SDF is trained and equipped by the US-led coalition.

UN investigators have accused the Syrian Democratic Force (SDF), together with other warring parties, of human rights violations and attacks on civilians in Syria.

The report, issued on Tuesday by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria records violations that occurred between July 2017 and January 2018, is based on more than 500 interviews.

Across Syria, places of worship, civil defense centers, homes, medical facilities, markets, bakeries and schools continue to be regularly attacked with impunity by warring parties, the report added.

Forced conscription

In the 37-page report issued by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, the SDF is accused of conscripting children, including girls and 13-year-olds, against their will. The report reads:

As part of forced conscription campaigns in areas under its control, the Syrian Democratic Forces continued to conscript men and children for military service throughout the reporting period.

Conscripts, including children as young as 13, receive basic training before being deployed to active front lines.

In July 2017, two boys, aged 15 and 16, enlisted with the Syrian Democratic Forces in Tabaqah (Raqqah). The youngest subsequently sustained an arm injury in battle.

In another instance, one Raqqah resident who had fled the city in mid-July 2017 was stopped with his family upon arrival in the territory held by the Syrian Democratic Forces and interrogated by a Kurdish teenage boy in uniform.

Although less frequent, girls have also been recruited; a teenage girl was recruited by the Syrian Democratic Forces in Raqqah in October 2017.

The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, which the Syrian Arab Republic adopted in 2003, sets  without reservation  18 years as the minimum age for direct participation in hostilities, recruitment into armed groups and compulsory recruitment into armed forces by governments.

US partner

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters dominated by the Syrian Kurdish armed group YPG.

In January, the Public Affairs Office for the US-led coalition in Syria, told Al Jazeera: What we can tell you is that the international coalition is resolved to train, equip and support our SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) partners to attain the lasting defeat of ISIS.

Also in January, the US-led coalition had announced that it will train about 15,000 SDF fighters to be part of a 30,000-strong border force in the countrys north.

The YPG is considered by Turkey to be a terrorist group with ties to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Anti-ISIL coalition

The UN report said although attacks to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) in the cities of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor seem to have successfully dislodged the ISIL group, the battles came at an extremely high cost to civilians.

Even before the campaign to take Raqqa city began, the international coalition failed to take all feasible precautions to protect civilians and civilian objects, in violation of international humanitarian law, when it launched an airstrike in al-Mansoura which killed at least 150 internally displaced persons, including women and children, the report said.

It also said that trapped residents of Raqqa were later used by ISIL as human shields.
Architect and educator Balkrishna Doshi, best-known for his innovative work designing low-cost housing, has been awarded the 2018 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the first Indian to win architectures highest honour in its 40-year history.

The award was announced Wednesday by Tom Pritzker of the Chicago-based Hyatt Foundation. The prize will be formally awarded in a May ceremony at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.

Doshi has been an architect, urban planner, and educator for 70 years. The foundation called the 90-year-olds work poetic and functional, and noted his ability to create works that both respect eastern culture and enhance quality of life in India.

Among Doshis achievements: the Aranya low-cost housing project in Indore, which accommodates over 80,000 people, many of them poor, through a system of houses, courtyards and internal pathways.

Doshis reaction

Reached at home in the western city of Ahmedabad, Doshi said his lifes work has been to empower the have-nots, the people who have nothing.

The housing itself, he said, can transform how residents see their world. Now, their life has changed. They feel hopeful, he said. They have ownership of something.

He called the prize an honour both for himself and for India.

What I have done for close to the last 60 years, working in rural areas, working in low-cost housing, worrying about Indias future. Now all this comes together and gives me a chance to say Here we are!' he said.

My work is the story of my life, continuously evolving, changing and searching  searching to take away the role of architecture, and look only at life, the prize announcement quoted him as saying.

Indian architecture

Doshi was influenced early on by two of the great 20th-century architects, Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, and Louis Kahn. The prize citation noted how their influence can be seen in the robust forms of concrete which he employed.

But he grew into his own. With an understanding and appreciation of the deep traditions of Indias architecture, he united prefabrication and local craft and developed a vocabulary in harmony with the history, culture, local traditions and the changing times of his home country, India, the citation read.

Doshis work ranges from the blocky, concrete Life Insurance Corporation Housing buildings in Ahmedabad to the naturalist curves of that citys Amdavad ni Gufa underground art gallery.

While the works of Pritzker winners are often scattered across the globe, Doshi is known for working almost completely in his homeland, designing buildings for government offices, companies and universities.

Born in 1927 in the city of Pune, Doshi studied architecture in Mumbai and later worked under Le Corbusier, overseeing his projects in the cities of Chandigarh and Ahmedabad. He was the founding director of Ahmedabads School of Architecture and Planning, which is now known as CEPT University.

He founded his own practice in 1956, and lives and works in Ahmedabad.
Demonstrators and opposition politicians call on British PM to challenge kingdoms policies and military campaign.

London, England  Protests have erupted in London, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman beginning his visit to the UK with a meeting with Theresa May, British prime minister.

Hundreds of demonstrators stood on Downing Street, holding signs with Hands off Yemen and No more profits from bin Salmans wars outside Mays office.

According to Downing Street, the meeting between the 32-year-old Mohammad bin Salman, better known as MBS, and May will tackle international challenges, such as terrorism, extremism, the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Yemen and other regional issues such as Iraq and Syria.

Saudi Arabia is currently heading a US-backed military coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have maintained a blockade on food and much needed medicine in the Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen, resulting in a cholera outbreak and widespread hunger.

Robin McGhee, 26, told Al Jazeera he came to the protest because British government support for Saudi [Arabia] is an exceptionally bad act in the history of British foreign policy and Im frankly just embarrassed that my country is doing something as unethical as actively helping the Saudi government in its devastating war in Yemen.

Grotesque foreign policy

Garry, a 35-year-old teacher who declined to give his last name, agreed. He thought MBSs visit was an absolutely grotesque crystallisation of what is wrong with British foreign policy  we are selling arms to Saudi when it is bombing Yemen, causing death, starvation and famine on a catastrophic scale.

Labour MP Chris Williamson, who was in attendance at the protest, echoed the feelings of protesters during a speech.

Williamson told the crowd he was [a]bsolutely appalled with the humanitarian disaster that is being perpetrated in Yemen by the Saudi regime and it is being made possible by the armament of this country.

Demonstrators called attention to Saudi Arabias human rights record outside the PMs office [Claire Gilbody-Dickerson/Al Jazeera]

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said during a fiery debate with May that British military advisers based in Saudia Arabia were directing the war in Yemen and that the UK government was colluding in what could be war crimes.

The UK government made over 1.1bn ($1.5bn) from arms sales to Saudi Arabia in 2017 alone, according to government figures.

The number caused widespread outrage and calls for May to end sales to Saudi Arabia.

However, the Conservatives, as well as the royal family, with whom MBS is scheduled to meet, are giving MBS the red carpet equivalent of a state visit, Vince Cable, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, said.

In a newspaper opinion piece on February 28, Boris Johnson, British foreign secretary, praised MBSs Vision 2030 national programme, said to be aimed at modernising the Arab Gulf state, adding that he deserved Britains support.

The Financial Times newspaper reported on Monday that Saudi Arabia and the UK will sign a series of agreements during the visit, in deals that diplomats said could be worth more than $100bn.

The UK government recognises Saudi Arabia is very profitable for British arms exports and so the issue of human rights in the kingdom is not to the fore in current government thinking, in the sense of money talk, Paul Rogers, professor at Bedford Universitys Peace Department, told Al Jazeera.

Seems to be a number of propaganda trucks driving around London as well to help us welcome him pic.twitter.com/aqfsBcCKVk  Jack Stewart (@jjstewart457) March 6, 2018

Leading up to the visit, there had been visible efforts in London to both welcome and reject the crown prince.

While demonstrators have driven vans through Londons streets with posters saying The UK should not welcome war criminal Mohammad Bin Salman, social media users posted images online of other vehicles carrying messages such as: #Welcome Saudi Crown Prince.

MBS is also credited with leading a series of social reforms, such as allowing women to drive and lifting a 35-year ban on cinemas.

However, activists have warned against interpreting these reforms as heralding new freedoms.

They contend Saudi Arabia still has a poor human rights record both domestically  the kingdom carried out over 100 executions in 2017 alone  and internationally.





Since the Saudi-led military intervention started in Yemen in March 2015, the Arab worlds poorest country has found itself on the brink of a devastating humanitarian crisis, with at least 10,000 people killed.

British arms companies are some of the biggest suppliers of weapons to Saudi Arabia, and the British government has approved billions of pounds in export licences over the past three years.

Campaigners accuse MBS of being the chief architect of the Yemen war, which has led to what the UN describes as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

According to Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), one of the groups leading Wednesdays protests, the UK has licensed 4.6bn ($6.4bn) worth of arms to Saudi Arabia in the past three years, including 2017.

The pictures of the crown prince on the steps of Downing Street will be projected around the world, and will be used by the regime to legitimise it on the world stage. Theresa May is handing a major propaganda coup to the dictatorship. Andrew Smith, Campaign Against Arms Trade

The crown prince has overseen the brutal repression and abuse of Saudi people, as well as terrible atrocities that have been carried out against the people of Yemen, Andrew Smith, head of CAAT, told Al Jazeera.

He accused Britain of failing to hold the Saudi government to account.

Smith called on May to halt all arms sales, saying: For decades now, the UK has prioritised the interests of arms companies over those of Saudi people. For the last three years, it has prioritised them over the lives of Yemeni people, too.

Tens of thousands of Britons signed online petitions that called on May to cancel the trip and demanded Saudi Arabia halt executions.

Sophie Turner, a 24-year-old protester on Downing Street, told Al Jazeera that short-term arms sales profit should not be valued above human rights and we should not be giving more practical and PR support to the Saudi regime after weve already licensed nearly 5bn worth of arms since the Yemen war began.

This has to stop, Turner told Al Jazeera.
Footage shows destruction in Sinai Peninsula a month after Egyptian military began its campaign against armed groups.

Al Jazeera has obtained exclusive footage from the Sinai Peninsula that shows the aftermath of a major Egyptian military operation that began a month ago against armed groups in the desert region.

Witnesses told Al Jazeera the military has demolished schools and dozens of homes, using heavy weapons and arms machinery that range from howitzers, fighter jets, tanks and attack helicopters.

Tawfik Hamid, an Egypt domestic affairs analyst, said that there was a deliberate message behind the show of arms.

It has a very strong symbolic meaning by sending a message both to the radicals and Egyptian people [who] want to feel that something is being done seriously, Hamid told Al Jazeera.

Yet the destruction in the Sinai has displaced many residents, who say they have nothing to return to.

One woman, who was not named, told Al Jazeera that those responsible for forcing them to leave their homes and lands will be punished by God.

We have been here since our great grandfathers, she said. We are very sad but we can do nothing. We will always hope to come back again to our houses and land.

State of emergency

For years, Egypt has been battling an armed anti-government campaign in the rugged and thinly populated Sinai Peninsula, which has gained pace since the military overthrew democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in mid-2013.

In 2014, following a suicide bombing that killed 33 soldiers, current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi declared a state of emergency in the peninsula, describing it as a nesting ground for terrorism and terrorists.

Most of the attacks have targeted soldiers and police, but civilians have also been killed. Hundreds of people have died in the conflict so far.

In one of the worst rounds of violence, at least 235 people were killed last year in November in a bomb and gun attack on a mosque in Bir al-Abed, a town in North Sinai province.
President Donald Trumps top economic adviser has resigned after clashing with the president over planned tariffs on steel and aluminium.

Gary Cohns departure is the latest in a long string of departures. Cohn is expected to leave in a matter of weeks, the White House has confirmed on Tuesday.

Cohn, a free trade proponent and Goldman Sachs veteran, had been counselling the president against his proposal to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel and 10 percent tariff on aluminium imports.

Cohn was critical of Trumps singular, major legislative victory, playing a central role in the development of the Republican tax overhaul.

Trumps tariff plan has raised widespread concern about sparking trade wars with the US trading partners, including from Cohn and the presidents allies on Capitol Hill.

Trump response

Following the critics narrative that the White House is in continued chaos, Trump denied the criticism as fake news, saying on Twitter that people will always come & go.

I want strong dialogue before making a final decision. I still have some people that I want to change (always seeking perfection). There is no Chaos, only great Energy! he said.

The new Fake News narrative is that there is CHAOS in the White House. Wrong! People will always come & go, and I want strong dialogue before making a final decision. I still have some people that I want to change (always seeking perfection). There is no Chaos, only great Energy!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 6, 2018

Voicing gratitude

After Cohns departure was made public, Trump struck a thankful tone, saying he did a superb job.

Gary has been my chief economic advisor and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again. He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people, Trump said in a statement.

Cohn voiced his gratitude to the president in a statement issued by the White House.

It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular the passage of historic tax reform. I am grateful to the President for giving me this opportunity and wish him and the Administration great success in the future, Cohn said.
Protesters will live in tents erected at the nearest point from the border with Israel.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are planning a six-week-long tent city protest near the Israeli border, starting on March 30, demanding that Palestinian refugees be allowed to return to their homes in Israel, organizers said on Wednesday.

Such a demonstration, envisaging families camped out along the border area, could present a dilemma for the Israeli military that enforces a no-go zone for Palestinians on land adjacent to Israels frontier fence.

Palestinian protesters along the Gaza border are frequently confronted by Israeli soldiers with tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition.

Ahmed Abu Ayesh, a spokesman for a coordinating committee, said plans were for hundreds or thousands of people, including entire families, to live in tents erected at the nearest, safe point from the border. The United Nations, Abu Ayesh said, would be notified of the rally.

A statement issued by the organizing committee urged Palestinians in Gaza to take part in this national project that endorses peaceful resistance as a new way to win our rights, foremost the right of return of refugees to what is now Israel.

46-day protest

The protest is set to begin on March 30, the annual Land Day commemorating the six Arab citizens of Israel who were killed by Israeli forces during demonstrations in 1976 over land confiscations.

It will end, the organizers said, on May 15, the day Palestinians call the Nakba or catastrophe, marking the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians by the creation of Israel in 1948.

Organizers said the protest is supported by several Palestinian political parties. The parties, the organizers added, would have no formal presence at the venue, where portable toilets and food would be supplied.

In the town of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, a Palestinian journalist got a jump-start on the protest, erecting two tents about 450 meters from the border fence, to promote the planned demonstration.

I admired the idea, Muthana an-Najar told Reuters, predicting that Israeli forces will be confused about how to handle the protest.

The Palestinians right of return has been a cornerstone of their demands for any settlement of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestinians demand that about five million of their compatriots be granted the right to return to lands and homes in Israel that they or their kin lost.

Israel rules this out, fearing that the Palestinians return would eliminate its Jewish majority, and argues the refugees should resettle in a future Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, territories it occupied in the 1967 war.

One of the rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is the right of return. Article 13(b) of the UDHR states: Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Dresdens high court sentences seven members of the Freital Group to between five and 10 years for attempted murder.

A German court sentenced seven men and one woman to four to 10 years in jail on Wednesday for founding a far-right terrorist group responsible for attempted murder and bomb attacks on refugee shelters and politicians.

Prosecutors accused the group of being driven by xenophobic, right-wing views and a Nazi ideology and of wanting to create a climate of fear that would drive out foreigners.

The individuals were members of the Freital Group, named after their base in the state of Saxony, a bastion of support for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), which won the most votes there in a September federal election.

After a year-long trial, Dresdens high court sentenced seven members of the group to between five and 10 years behind bars. The eighth got a youth sentence of four years, a spokeswoman said.

At least some of the defendants have appeared in court covering their faces with hoodies during their trial.

The charges against them included belonging to a terrorist organisation, attempted murder, setting off explosives, grievous bodily harm, attempted grievous bodily harm, and damage to property.





In one of the attacks cited by prosecutors, the suspects detonated explosives next to windows at a refugee shelter, knowing that there were people inside. One resident suffered cuts but prosecutors argued it was luck that no one was seriously hurt or even killed.

The suspects also set off explosives on a car belonging to a local politician from the Left Party.

The prosecutors say the group targeted refugees, aid workers, and leftist politicians and acquired large quantities of explosives in the Czech Republic that are illegal in Germany.

About one million refugees arrived in Germany in 2015 alone, many of them fleeing the war in Syria.

There were 950 attacks reported against Muslims and mosques in the country in 2017, according to new government figures.

According to the Interior Ministry, at least 33 Muslims were injured in the attacks, which included assaults against Muslim women wearing headscarves.
Import tariffs on Australian beef set to fall

The United States has pulled out of the original Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, and while some see that as a problem, for farmers in Australia it is an opportunity.
New Delhi  Residences and offices of the high-profile Gupta business family, who are being probed for allegations of influence-peddling in the South African government, have been raided by Indian tax authorities.

The investigation is ongoing, and we will divulge all information after the probe is completed, Harish Kumar, a senior tax official in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, told Al Jazeera.

{articleGUID}

The Indian-born billionaire Gupta brothers, Atul, Ajay and Rajesh, have been accused by the South African opposition and anti-corruption campaigners of allegedly exploiting their close alliance with former President Jacob Zuma, to unduly influence government affairs and win big state contracts for their family businesses.

The Gupta family and Zuma have denied the allegations.

Zumas successor and South Africas new President Cyril Ramaphosa, after his inauguration last month, promised a crackdown on corruption in the country.

Indian tax authorities on Tuesday conducted multiple raids in the remote town of Saharanpur in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, and one of the properties belonging to the three Gupta brothers in the Indian capital, New Delhi.

A tax official, who was at the ancestral home of the Guptas, confirmed the raids but refused to divulge further details.

Hemindra Hazari, an Indian financial research analyst and banking expert says he is not surprised by the raids.

This Indian action could be based on an official request sent by the South Africa government, to try to retrieve some of the money that the Guptas have allegedly taken out of South Africa. The other reason is also that the Bank of Baroda, which is a majority government-owned bank has been acutely impacted because of the Gupta connection, Hazari told Al Jazeera.

The Guptas are clients of Indias Bank of Baroda, the third-biggest state-run lender in India. Earlier last month, the bank pulled the plug on its South African business, an exit reportedly resulting from the Gupta scandal.

The Gupta connection has been a blot on the Bank of Baroda, Hazari added. This is huge negative publicity. The government wants to pressurise the Guptas for having done this to one of its premier banks, with a very old solid presence in one of the leading economies in the African continent.

South African authorities also raided the Gupta family compound in Johannesburg in February [EPA]

Fugitive from justice

South Africas main commercial banks have all cut ties with the Guptas, citing risk to their reputation.

An Indian businessman in New Delhi who is close to the Gupta family, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the raids pressure tactics.

This is unfair and wont work. What exact offences are they investigating? There are allegations against them of wrongdoing in South Africa. Why are Indian tax authorities raiding their ancestral home here as is being reported in certain sections of the media? he said.

{articleGUID}

Guptas funding of the construction of a proposed multi-million dollar Hindu temple in Saharanpur is the mainstay of the investigations, according to a report in the Indian daily, Times of India.

Indian tax authorities are eager to block the passage of illicit money into India earned by the Gupta brothers outside the country, Amrendra Kumar, a senior tax official told Reuters news agency.

In February, one of the brothers, Ajay Gupta, was declared a fugitive from justice by South Africas chief prosecutor and South African police raided Gupta properties in the country as part of anti-graft probe.

In Indias Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, where the family owns a palatial residence, the two brothers Ajay and Atul have been provided security by the state government.

Ajay was reportedly in the state capital Dehradun last month when African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma resigned as president of South Africa.

India has historical and deep-rooted political ties with South Africa, dating back to the period during which Mahatma Gandhi started his political movement against colonial rule in South Africa over a century ago. India was also one of the strongest supporters of the anti-apartheid movement.
Palestinians slam new breach of loyalty legislation as extremely racist and a violation of international law.

The Israeli parliament has passed a law that allows the minister of interior to revoke the residency rights of any Palestinian in Jerusalem on grounds of a breach of loyalty to Israel.

The bill, ratified on Wednesday, will also apply in cases where residency status was obtained on the basis of false information, and in cases where an individual committed a criminal act in the view of the interior ministry.

Under the new measure, Israels Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, leader of the ultra-Orthodox political party Shas, will be able to strip the residency documents of any Palestinian whom he deems a threat.

Hanan Ashrawi, a senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), described the law as an extremely racist piece of legislation.

By unethically stripping the residency of Palestinians from Jerusalem and depriving the rights of those Palestinians to remain in their own city, the Israeli government is acting in defiance of international law and is violating international human rights and humanitarian laws, said Ashrawi, according to a statement published on Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency.

Security of Israeli citizens

Despite Israels claims that occupied East Jerusalem is part of its eternal, undivided capital, the Palestinians who are born and live there do not hold Israeli citizenship, unlike their Jewish counterparts.

Palestinians in the city are given permanent residency ID cards and temporary Jordanian passports that are only used for travel purposes. They are essentially stateless, stuck in legal limbo  they are not citizens of Israel, nor are they citizens of Jordan or Palestine.

The new bill will only worsen the difficult conditions for the 420,000 Palestinians living in occupied East Jerusalem, who are treated as foreign immigrants by the state.

{articleGUID}

Any Palestinian who has lived outside of Jerusalem for a certain period of time, whether in a foreign country or even in the occupied West Bank, is at risk of losing their right to live there.

Since 1967, Israel has revoked the status of at least 14,000 Palestinians.

In a statement on his Twitter page, Deri, the interior minister, said this law would allow him to protect the security of Israeli citizens.

Deri, who was, in the past, convicted of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, said the law would be used against permanent residents who plan to carry out attacks against Israeli citizens.

Illegal under international law

Adalah, a Palestinian rights group in Israel, said the law is illegal under international humanitarian law.

East Jerusalem is considered occupied territory under international humanitarian law (IHL)  like all other areas of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip  and its Palestinian residents are a protected civilian population. It is therefore illegal under IHL to impose upon them an obligation of loyalty to the occupying power, let alone to deny them the permanent residency status on this basis, a statement by the group said.

In a recent report, Human Rights Watch said such residency revocations, which force Palestinians out of Jerusalem, could amount to war crimes under the treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

{articleGUID}

The development comes amid heated tensions in Jerusalem, after US President Donald Trump decided to publicly recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital in December. Trump also vowed to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv  the Israeli commercial capital  to Jerusalem.

No country in the world recognises Jerusalem as Israels capital, with the exception of the US and Russia. The latter had recently announced its recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and East Jerusalem as the capital of the future Palestinian state.
Islamabad, Pakistan  The United States has lauded Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis offer to open negotiations with the Afghan Taliban, with senior US State Department official Alice Wells saying the armed group has some legitimate grievances over governance.

Weve always said that the legitimate grievances raised by the Taliban over justice, over corruption, over predatory governance of the past  those issues need to be resolved, said Wells at a press briefing in Washington on Monday.

Last week, President Ghani offered the Taliban peace talks without preconditions, with a view towards recognising the armed group, which has been fighting US and Afghan forces for 16 years, as a legitimate political party.

Wells welcomed Ghanis proposal, saying the Kabul conference at which it was made was a really historic and benchmark event.

The Afghan Taliban have yet to formally respond to the offer. The group has been resurgent in the battlefield in recent months, with a US watchdog reporting in October that 43 percent of the country was being contested between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

In January, a BBC study found that the Afghan Taliban directly controlled four percent of the country, but were openly active in 70 percent of Afghanistan.

Pakistans legitimate concerns

Responding to a question on relations with Pakistan, Wells appeared to soften the US position on Afghanistans eastern neighbour, with whom relations have been fraught since last year.

Pakistan has a very important role to play in a peace process. We believe that Pakistan can certainly help to facilitate talks and to take actions that will put pressure on and encourage the Taliban to move forward towards a politically negotiated settlement, she said, pointing out that Pakistan had legitimate concerns in Afghanistan.

{articleGUID}

They have concerns over border management; over the [Pakistani Talibans] presence in ungoverned space in Afghanistan; refugee concerns, she said.

Pakistan and the US have sparred in a war of words since last August, when US President Donald Trump announced his Afghanistan and South Asia policy, singling out Pakistan for particular criticism.

In January, Trump cut $1.1bn in security aid to Pakistan, saying the country was not doing enough to fight elements of the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network allegedly present in its territory. Pakistan denies the charge.

Despite the aid freeze, diplomatic contacts between the two countries have continued, and Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua is in Washington for high-level talks this week.

Her visit follows a trip to Islamabad by senior US National Security Council official Lisa Curtis last week.

Ms. Curtis urged the government of Pakistan to address the continuing presence of the Haqqani network and other terrorist groups within its territory, and reiterated the international communitys long-standing concern about ongoing deficiencies in Pakistans implementation of its anti-money laundering/counterterrorism finance regime, a statement released after that visit said.

Pakistan recently faced an international setback at a meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Paris, where it was decided to place the country on the international organisations grey list, for not doing enough to clamp down on the financing of armed groups, including those that target regional rival India.

Asad Hashim is Al Jazeeras Web Correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim
Former PMs killing was an act of terrorism and could only have been carried out by sophisticated group, judge says.

Judges at a United Nations-backed tribunal have rejected a request for acquittal by one of four suspects on trial in absentia for their alleged roles in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

In a lengthy decision issued on Wednesday at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, judges said the case against Hussein Hassan Oneissi will continue.

Lawyers representing Oneissi called for his acquittal after the presentation of the prosecutions case, saying his trial should be halted because of insufficient evidence to convict him.

Judges disagreed saying the evidence was strong enough for the long-running trial to go forth against Oneissi and the three others, who are suspected members of the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Hariri  father of current Prime Minister Saad Hariri  was killed along with 21 others on February 14, 2005, when a massive truck bomb blast hit his convoy in the capital Beirut. More than 200 people were wounded in the explosion.

Military precision





Presiding Judge David Re said the attack was an act of terrorism intended to sow fear among the Lebanese people, and could only have been carried out by a sophisticated group, with intricate planning over a long period of time.

The assassination of Mr Hariri was obviously a carefully planned and rehearsed event requiring  military precision, said Re.

Judge Janet Nosworthy said evidence  including mobile phone records presented by prosecutors  showed Oneissi may have been involved in an elaborate attempt to blame the attack on a fictional terrorist group. It also could imply he knew the attack itself was being prepared.

The trial chamber has sufficient evidence from which it could convict Mr Oneissi of his involvement in the attack on Mr Hariri, she said.

Lawyers for the four, who remain at large and are being tried in absentia, must now present their defences in the months to come after Wednesdays ruling. Prosecutors rested their case last month.

Lawyers for the other suspects  Salim Jamil Ayyash, Hassan Habib Merhi, and Assad Hassan Sabra  did not seek early acquittal.
Moon Jae-in: Seoul has no plans to ease sanctions on N Korea

South Koreas President Moon Jae-in says he has no plans to ease sanctions against Pyongyang, ahead of a historic summit with leader Kim Jong-un next month.
Myanmar accused of using starvation against Rohingya

UN high commissioner for human rights says Myanmar is now using starvation as a weapon against the Rohingya after months of violent crackdowns.
Estranged half-brother of North Korean leader was killed using highly toxic nerve agent VX, US probe concludes.

The US has determined that Pyongyang used a highly toxic nerve agent VX to kill Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, according to the US state department.

Heather Nauert, the state department spokeswoman, said in a statement published online on Tuesday that Washington strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons to conduct an assassination.

This public display of contempt for universal norms against chemical weapons use further demonstrates the reckless nature of North Korea and underscores that we cannot afford to tolerate a North Korean WMD program of any kind, she said, referring to weapons of mass destruction.

She also said the US conducted the investigation into the death of Kim Jong-nam in the airport of Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur last year under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (CBW Act).

In response to the probe conclusion made on February 22, Washington imposed further sanctions on Pyongyang that took effect on Monday, Nauert said.

On February 22, the United States determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 that the Government of #NorthKorea used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Nam, in the Kuala Lumpur airport. pic.twitter.com/sxsjeUxTFJ  Morgan Ortagus (@statedeptspox) March 7, 2018

Kim Jong-nam fell suddenly ill at Kuala Lumpur airport on February 13 last year after two women smeared a substance on his face.

He had been living in exile, under Beijings protection, in the Chinese territory of Macau, and had criticised the regime of his family and his half-brother.
London, England  Mohammad bin Salman is starting his visit to the UK on Wednesday, with the ruling Conservative Party and royal family rolling out the red carpet for Saudi Arabias crown prince as opposition politicians and rights groups call on British Prime Minister Theresa May to use the trip to challenge the kingdoms record on human rights.

Protesters are expected to gather outside Downing Street in London on Wednesday from 17:00 GMT to demonstrate against the visit.

The trip by the crown prince, who is known as MBS, includes a stop at Mays countryside residence for talks on Thursday, a lunch with the queen and a dinner with Prince Charles and Prince William.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had praised the 32-year-olds Vision 2030 national programme, a series of reforms to modernise the Gulf state, writing in a newspaper column on February 28 that the Gulf royal deserved Britains support.

In the kingdom, Mohammed bin Salman is credited with leading a series of social reforms, such as allowing women to drive and lifting a 35-year ban on cinemas.

However, activists say Saudi Arabia still has a poor human rights record and have warned against interpreting these reforms as heralding new freedoms.

On Tuesday, Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, joined a chorus of activists, saying that May should tell the crown prince that Britain would no longer supply arms to Riyadh while the devastating Saudi-led bombing of Yemen continues.

May should also make clear Britains strong opposition to widespread human and civil rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, he said.

Caroline Lucas, former leader of the Green Party, tweeted on Tuesday: Isnt it time we stop giving the red carpet treatment to despots and dictators?

Chief architect of Yemen crisis

According to Downing Street, the meeting will tackle international challenges, such as terrorism, extremism, the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Yemen and other regional issues such as Iraq and Syria.

Since the Saudi-led military intervention started in Yemen in March 2015, the Arab worlds poorest country has found itself on the brink of a devastating humanitarian crisis, with at least 10,000 people killed.

British arms companies are some of the biggest suppliers of weapons to Saudi Arabia, and the British government has approved billions of pounds in export licences over the past three years.

Campaigners accuse Mohammad bin Salman of being the chief architect of the Yemen war, which has led to what the United Nations describes as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

According to Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), one of the groups leading Wednesdays protests, the UK has licensed 4.6bn ($6.4bn) worth of arms to Saudi Arabia in the past three years.

The pictures of the crown prince on the steps of Downing Street will be projected around the world, and will be used by the regime to legitimise it on the world stage. Theresa May is handing a major propaganda coup to the dictatorship. Andrew Smith, Campaign Against Arms Trade

The crown prince has overseen the brutal repression and abuse of Saudi people, as well as terrible atrocities that have been carried out against the people of Yemen, Andrew Smith, head of CAAT, told Al Jazeera.

Despite his reputation as a liberal and a reformer, he is the figurehead for a regime with one of the worst human rights records in the world.

He accused Britain of failing to hold the Saudi government to account.

The UK has been totally complicit in these abuses. It has armed and supported the Saudi military for years, with UK fighter jets and bombs playing a central role in the destruction of Yemen.

The pictures of the crown prince on the steps of Downing Street will be projected around the world, and will be used by the regime to legitimise it on the world stage. Theresa May is handing a major propaganda coup to the dictatorship.

Smith called on the prime minister to halt all arms sales, saying: For decades now, the UK has prioritised the interests of arms companies over those of Saudi people. For the last three years it has prioritised them over the lives of Yemeni people too. No matter how bad the conflict has got, May and her colleagues have continued pouring weapons into it.

Welcome Saudi Crown Prince vans spotted in London

The Financial Times newspaper reported on Monday that Saudi Arabia and the UK will sign a series of agreements during the visit, in deals that diplomats said could be worth more than $100bn.

Professor Paul Rogers from Bedford Universitys Peace Department, told Al Jazeera: The UK government recognises Saudi Arabia is very profitable for British arms exports and so the issue of human rights in the kingdom is not to the fore in current government thinking, in the sense of money talk.

Seems to be a number of propaganda trucks driving around London as well to help us welcome him pic.twitter.com/aqfsBcCKVk  Jack Stewart (@jjstewart457) March 6, 2018

Leading up to the visit, there have been visible efforts in the capital to both welcome and reject the crown prince.

While demonstrators have driven vans through Londons streets with posters saying The UK should not welcome war criminal Mohammad Bin Salman, social media users posted images online of other vehicles carrying messages such as: #Welcome Saudi Crown Prince.

It is a pretty widespread view in the UK that Britain is so willing to go along with the Saudis because there are good markets [and] it turns a blind eye to these abuses, not least in Yemen, said Rogers.

In the lead up to the trip, tens of thousands of Britons signed online petitions calling on May to cancel the visit and demanding Saudi Arabia halt executions.

The delegation accompanying the crown prince includes Adel al-Jubeir, the foreign minister, in addition to the Saudi ministers of commerce, health, education, culture and economy and planning.
Sierra Leone: Voters head to polls to elect new president

Leaders of 16 political parties are vying to succeed President Ernest Bai Koroma, but many voters doubt the candidates will be able to revive the ailing economy.
Israel and Egypt have been working to halt disruptions to mobile phone service after Egyptian jamming against fighters in the Sinai caused outages in Israel and the Gaza Strip, Israeli officials said.

Under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypt has quietly cooperated with Israel on security in the Sinai, a desert peninsula demilitarized as part of their US-sponsored 1979 peace treaty.

The jamming appeared to catch Israel by surprise, however, prompting what its communications minister said were talks across the border to resolve what he called a crisis on Wednesday.

Egypts military did not immediately comment.

Signal jamming

According to Israeli officials, Egyptian forces began jamming a range of mobile phone frequencies in Sinai since February 21, disrupting reception in the neighbouring Gaza strip and in Israel.

Earlier in February, Egypt launched a major military operation in Sinai against ISIL-linked fighters.

Weve never seen anything this intensive or protracted. Even the Palestinians have been coming to us, appealing to make it stop, one Israeli official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Phones had been disrupted as far away as Jerusalem and northern Israel, depending on weather, the official said.

Several Palestinian residents of Gaza, close to the Egyptian border, told Reuters they had been experiencing problems with phone service.

A source at one of the two Palestinian mobile phone companies said its services were disrupted for a day in the past week in southern Gaza but that the problem had been resolved.

Israeli mobile phone provider Partner said several hundred of its customers had complained about reception problems, but that its 4G network was working well. Other Israeli providers, Cellcom and Pelephone, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Gadi Yarkoni, a mayor representing Israeli communities near Gaza, criticized the Communications Ministry and threatened to sue the phone companies, saying the failure to fix disruptions shows disrespect for the residents of the Gaza periphery.

Interviewed by Israels Army Radio, Communications Minister Ayoob Kara said: Without getting into details, for the first time in the south we have been experiencing an uncomfortable situation.

Kara also said that understandings were reached after a very important meeting across the border on Tuesday, and he believed the disruptions would end within the next three days.

Egyptian response

An Egyptian official who also asked not to be identified confirmed electronic warfare was being waged in the Sinai. Obviously, we want to stop terrorists from communicating, he told Reuters.

The Egyptian official said that some fighters in the Sinai were suspected of using Israeli SIM cards, close enough to the border to link up with Israeli mobile phone reception, which means that we may need to work against a wide range of frequencies.

The Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), an international body set up under the Israel-Egypt peace agreement to monitor the Sinai, declined to comment.
Death toll in southern Pacific island state tops 100 as aftershocks continue after a magnitude 7.5 quake in February.

A magnitude 6.8 aftershock has killed at least 18 people in Papua New Guinea, bringing the total number of deaths to more than 100 since a powerful earthquake struck the southwestern Pacific island state in late February.

The aftershock was one of the six strong quakes that hit the country since midnight on Wednesday, Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the 18 fatalities were from the province of Hela north of the capital Port Moresby.

{articleGUID}

DPA news agency also reported seven more deaths in two separate districts.

The country is still dealing with the aftermath of the magnitude 7.5 earthquake that hit on February 26, which brought widespread destruction to infrastructure and left thousands homeless.

State of emergency

Prime Minister Peter ONeill had declared a state of emergency on March 1 in the disaster-stricken provinces.

So far, the United Nations has released $1.4m in aid to the victims, covering medical services and emergency shelters. Australia has also committed aid close to a million dollars.

The Papua New Guinea government has allocated $138m for relief supplies to victims and for the restoration of basic services, according to the countrys The National newspaper.

The newspaper reported that, in some areas, help has yet to reach the survivors nine days after the disaster.

We are yet to fly one bale of rice to one particular location; were yet to take medication, water. No shelter, no nothing, Eric Aliawi, a helicopter pilot involved in the disaster relief, told The National.

Landslides and damaged roads and bridges have made it impossible to reach some of the areas by land.

On Tuesday, The National reported that in Southern Highlands province, 11 people were buried by landslides caused by the earthquake.

Basic supplies and emergency kits were also reportedly flown into the disaster areas with the aid of the Australian government.

Papua New Guinea, which has a population of seven million, is located on the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, east of Indonesia.

Like many Pacific islands, Papua New Guinea is located along the so-called Ring of Fire, which stretches in a horseshoe shape around the Pacific Ocean, and where most quakes and volcanic activities are recorded.
It is Turkeys natural right to ask the US to halt such moves.

Turkey expects the US to stop shifting YPG fighters from Manbij to Afrin in Syria, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters at the presidential complex in the capital, Ankara, Kalin said: It is particularly expected [by Turkey] that the US must certainly step in and halt the shifting of YPG/PYD forces, which move under its control, in Manbij to Afrin. This is our natural right.

With this regard, we [Turkey] took the necessary steps via official channels, and we will continue to take [such steps].

US partner

On January 20, Turkey launched a military operation against the YPG militia from Afrin.

Turkey sees the YPG  trained, armed and supported by the US to fight against ISIL  as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

The US has about 2,000 soldiers based in Manbij  100 kilometres east of Afrin  and, in January, it announced that it will train about 15,000 fighters to be part of a 30,000-strong border force in the region.

As part of its ongoing operation, Turkey said it will eventually launch a military operation against the YPG in Manbij, also.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along the Turkey-Syria borders.
British police say substance used has been identified but will not be communicated to public at this stage.

British police say the mysterious illness that befell a former Russian spy and his daughter is the result of a nerve-agent attack.

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, who did not specify the exact nature of the substance, announced on Wednesday that the incident was being treated as attempted murder.

This is being treated as a major incident involving attempted murder, by administration of a nerve agent, he said.

Having established that a nerve agent is the cause of the symptoms  I can also confirm that we believe that the two people who became unwell were targeted specifically.

The police officer who first arrived at the scene of Sundays events is also said to be in critical condition.

Sergei Skripal, a former colonel in Russias foreign military intelligence agency, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia Skripal, were found unconscious on Sunday near a shopping centre in the city of Salisbury in southern England.

Sally Davies, chief medical officer, said the agent posed little risk to the general public.





A spokesperson for Russias Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed on Tuesday allegations of Russian involvement as groundless.

This [Skripal] story will end the same way. The media buzz will be cranked up, there will be groundless allegations without any proof, and then it will all be declared secret, and neither journalists nor society nor politicians and officials will know what really happened, she said.

A public inquiry in 2006 concluded that the Kremlin was likely behind the death of Alexander Litvinenko.

A former spy himself, Litvinenko, died three weeks after drinking green tea laced with radioactive polonium-210 at Londons Millennium Hotel.
The bill's creator, Rep. Richard Hudson, justified the Reciprocity Act by saying, "Our Second Amendment right doesn't disappear when we cross state lines, and this legislation guarantees that."

When the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act was first introduced in January of 2017, it quickly garnered support from a number of Republicans in the House of Representatives, but this was not an indication of how the average American gun owner feels about the controversial legislation.

For libertarians, this bill is not a matter of our Second Amendment right; rather, it's a matter of federal overreach. Under Concealed Carry Reciprocity, state gun laws would be rendered null and void, as anyone with a concealed carry permit in one state would be able to travel across state lines while armed.

A 2017 study indicates that it's not just those who value state autonomy who are opposed to the bill. A national survey found that 83 percent of Republicans and 84 percent of independents believe that people with a legal right to carry concealed should have to pass a test demonstrating that they can "safely and lawfully handle a gun in common situations they might encounter."

The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence is also ardently against the bill. The group has taken to social media to urge the public to join its fight to block the law. Some states have already made their position known. As of February 1st of 2016, Virginia no longer recognizes concealed handgun permits from 25 other states. Other states are likely to follow Virginia's lead.

Why?

Because the Constitution acknowledges that different states have different cultures and different needs where guns are concerned. Public safety, policing, and right to carry are dependent on several factors, factors that the current bill does not take into consideration.

Law enforcement officials in the state of New Jersey have already expressed concern about the Reciprocity Act. Jersey City public safety director James Shea told a reporter, "Each state has the right to determine what's right for them, but if you're telling me that the other 49 states have to acknowledge this law, we better get together and have standards we can all agree on."

The National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence released a statement last year opposing "attempts to mandate concealed carry reciprocity nationwide because such schemes severely undermine successful, well established state laws governing carrying concealed firearms."

The concealed carry bill, which is has made its way through the House, has approximately 213 co-sponsors and the full support of President Trump. Among those who have espoused it are some unlikely proponents.

Six Democrats  Georgia rep. Sanford Bishop, Texas rep. Henry Cuellar, Texas rep. Vicente Gonzalez, Wisconsin rep. Ron Kind, Minnesota rep. Collin Peterson, and Oregon rep. Kurt Schrader  have voted in favor of Concealed Carry Reciprocity.

Rep. Bishop has voted against his party on five gun control bills in total. If we go on his example alone, one would think liberals are getting more liberal in their views on guns, but this is far from the truth.

This month has seen the Dems piling on when it comes to pushing gun control, relying on the Parkland shooting to sway Republicans on the issue of "red flag" legislation. The red flag law would grant courts the power to strip gun owners of their firearms at the behest of an owner's family member or spouse.

The law, which is designed to remove weapons from those who are deemed a potential threat, is unlikely to be effective. On the contrary, such a law could set a dangerous precedent. After all, a manipulative individual could persuade a judge of his partner's altered mental state for malicious reasons or even in an attempt to leave that individual bereft of guns and, therefore, more vulnerable.

The recent wave of gun bills misses the boat when it comes to self-defense. In the case of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, the bill fails to consider the implications it might have. Not only does it infringe on states' independent rights, but it also leaves those states vulnerable to crimes that might otherwise not be committed.

The types of handgun best suited for concealed carry are compact and easy to conceal, hence the name. They sometimes feature a manual safety, which ensures that they cannot go off without warning. And one thing that's seldom mentioned is the fact that folks with a CCW permit can actually save lives rather than taking them.

In July of 2009, the Richmond Times-Dispatch ran an article about a CCW permit-holder wounding and subduing a robber after the criminal opened fire on a convenience store clerk and store patrons. The permit-holder saved eight lives that night, something that would not have been possible had he not been armed at the time.

There is a substantial number of cases like this in the U.S. and plenty of evidence that concealed carry can prevent crime. According to the Department of Justice's Uniformed Crime Report, states with right-to-carry laws have a 30 percent lower rate of homicides.

Concealed carry shoulder holsters complement compact handguns in a way that allows for easy concealment and comfort. These are irrefutable facts that all parties should be able to agree on. But a concealed carry law that blocks states' rights to enforce their own laws is something that is neither constitutionally sound nor lawful.

States and their citizens need to be more vocal about their opinions where this sort of legislation is concerned. We the People need to let the government know what we feel is right. It is important for responsible, law-abiding gun owners to let their voices be heard.

The government is supposed to work for us, not against us.

Thus far, there have been two roll call votes on the bill. It has passed the House and is expected to pass the Senate. Now is the time for Americans to have a discussion about this problematic piece of legislation.
Mayor Schaaf recently acted as the functional equivalent of a gang lookout , shouting ICE! upon learning of a raid on criminal illegal aliens in her city.

Realizing that in the era of crime monitor Jeff Sessions, who plays attorney general on TV, no crime by a public official gets prosecuted for anything, one can only hope that for the safety of the people of Oakland that its mayor, one Libby Schaaf , is arrested and prosecuted for harboring criminal illegal aliens in her city.

Acting ICE director Thomas Homan told Fox News Wednesday morning that the organization will still enforce the law, despite Oakland Mayor Libby Schaafs warning of the Northern California ICE operation.

Ill say this to the mayor and every other politician that wants to vilify the men and women of ICE: Were not going away, were going to keep enforcing the law, Homan said.

Schaaf issued an alert last Saturday after she learned of impending immigration raids set to take place Sunday.

Earlier today, I learned from multiple credible sources that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to conduct an operation in the Bay Area, including Oakland, starting as soon as within the next 24 hours, she said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle on Saturday. As Mayor of Oakland, I am sharing this information publicly not to panic our residents but to protect them.

Does she means the way Kate Steinle was protected by the sister sanctuary city of San Francisco, gunned down by s criminal illegal alien that has been deported multiple times? The Justice Department says it is looking into filing charges of harboring criminal fugitives and obstructing justice against Mayor Schaaf

The White House said Thursday that the Justice Department is looking into whether the Oakland mayor can face federal charges after she warned illegal immigrants of an impending enforcement sweep. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also called Mayor Libby Schaafs warning outrageous, as White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly rose to the defense of immigration agents and other Homeland Security employees, saying they are being unfairly tarred. You take the face shots every single day from people who dont have a clue what theyre talking about, Mr. Kelly said at a 15th anniversary celebration of the Homeland Security Department, which he used to head.

It was the ICE agents conducting the raid who were protecting the citizens of Oakland, not Mayor Schaaf. Rather than a random sweep of convenience stores and the like, immigration enforcement critics charge happens, the ICE raid was targeted and effective:

ICE began arresting people one day after Schaafs warning message as part of a targeted immigration enforcement operations, according to Fox News. Around half of the illegal immigrants arrested have past criminal history, including assault and weapons charges as well as other violent crimes. One of the illegal immigrants arrested in the sweep is a well known gang member who has served over 15 years of prison time and has been deported by ICE four times. Armando Nunez-Salgado, 38, from Mexico, was arrested Sunday.

So explain to us again, Mayor Schaaf, how you are protecting the residents of Oakland by harboring criminal fugitives like Armando Nunez-Salgado? She should be reminded, as a defendant in a court of law, that the laws of the United States give the President control of immigration policy and the Constitution gives the President, not sanctimonious mayors, control of foreign policy and border security.

Title 8 U.S.C. 1324 makes it quite explicit that harboring and concealing from detection illegal aliens is a felony, whether committed by individuals or sanctuary city officials:

Harboring -- Subsection 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii) makes it an offense for any person who -- knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, conceals harbors, or shields from detection, or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection, such alien in any place, including any building or any means of transportation.

Sanctuary city mayors are in clear violation of federal statute so for anyone to argue that withholding federal funds from those violating federal law is unconstitutional is, again, nonsense.

Sanctuary city officials could very well be prosecuted for breaking the law and recklessly endangering their citizens by harboring and shielding from scrutiny illegal aliens among whose number may include assorted Islamic State agents, sympathizers and potential lone wolf recruits, along with assorted criminals, like the one charged with the murder of Kate Steinle in the sanctuary city of San Francisco. They are accomplices in crime.

That is the suggestion of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Jindal made the case on recently on Boston Herald Radio:

Absolutely, I would hold them as an accomplice. Make them criminally culpable, the Republican presidential candidate said when asked if hed arrest mayors of sanctuary cities. Id also make them civilly liable so that families, victims families, could sue. Especially if the prosecutor isnt taking action or the mayors not changing their ways, Id allow the families to go to court as well to recover damages.

Kate Steinle is not an isolated case. On Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, Jamiel Shaw Sr. testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on how his son, Jamiel Shaw, Jr., was killed by an illegal alien in 2008 harbored by the sanctuary city of Los Angeles

Shaw was a Los Angeles high school star dreaming of a good life ahead when he was gunned down on March 2, 2008, while walking home. He was picked at random, police said, possibly as part of a gang loyalty test for the illegal alien who shot him. Charged with the crime was Pedro Espinoza, who'd been released just hours earlier from Los Angeles County Jail where he spent four months for brandishing a firearm and resisting arrest. Espinoza is an illegal alien.

Shaw Sr. warned of the consequences of sanctuary cities harboring criminal illegal aliens and not deporting them, of not enforcing existing immigration laws, and of open borders:

"My son, Jamiel Shaw II, was murdered while walking on his own street, three houses down from his home. An illegal alien on his first gun charge was visiting a neighbor when my son was coming home," Shaw testified. "He shot my son in the stomach and then in the head, killing him." Shaw then asked an obvious question: "Do black lives really matter? Or does it matter only if you are shot by a white person or white policeman?"

If any of the felons alerted by Mayor Schaaf harms, rapes, or kills one of her constituents, she should be charged with aiding and abetting. Many commentators, mostly on the left, but including talking heads on Fox News like Juan Williams and Geraldo Rivera, claim that illegal aliens commit crimes at a rate lower than American citizens. That is debatable, but they miss the point entirely which is that the crime rate for illegal aliens should be zero since none of them should be here in the first place. American citizens like Kathryn Steinle and Jamiel Shaw Jr. should be alive today.

The son of Donald Rosenberg would also be alive today if he hadnt been run into while riding his motorcycle by an illegal alien who had made an illegal left turn in 2010, then ran over him three times as he tried to flee the scene. Rosenberg, who describes himself as a lifelong, very liberal Democrat calculated that his son was among 3,000 Americans killed by illegal aliens in car crashes in 2010. In a letter quoted by the Washington Times that he wrote to President Obama, Rosenberg said:

My son and all of the others are considered collateral damage in the quest for votes and campaign contributions, he wrote. Illegal immigration is not a victimless crime.

Indeed, it is not, and the question asked by many families like, the Shaws, the Steinles and the Rosenbergs is -- wasnt America supposed to be our sanctuary?

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
The Blessings of Judaism and Christianity

While Jews prepare for Pesach and Christians prepare for Easter, it is a proper time to consider and to grasp the enormous blessings of these great faiths of Jews and Christians, both of which are reviled and slandered and despised not because of their failures, but because of their triumphs. It is part of Judaism and of Christianity to accept the grim fact that the world despises those who follow these religions. This hatred is profoundly irrational. Consider the rage vented on Israel, which wishes only peace on that narrow strip of land that is holy to Jews. Consider the rage vented on Christians in the media for following the Gospel of Love. Yet nearly every good and noble movement or deed has its roots in Judaism or Christianity.

The status of women, for example, found liberation in the rights granted to women in Judaic law and the special honor bestowed on the many great women in the Tanakh, something revolutionary in the ancient world. The status of women under Christianity was so deeply ingrained that as Christian Europe colonized India, China, and the rest of the Old World, such hideous practices as the suttee and foot-binding were suppressed. Slavery in the ancient world was a horror, but slaves, uniquely, had rights under Jewish law. Christianity explicitly recognized the spiritual equality of slaves and masters, and from Africa to Ireland, Christian leaders campaigned against this evil. Slavery was essentially abolished in Europe during the Middle Ages. Pope Paul III in 1537 issued the bill Sublimis Deus, which expressly declared any slavery, regardless of race or creed, null and void. The global anti-slavery movement in the 19th century was championed by men like William Wilberforce whose voices compelled the Christian world to embrace the abolition of slavery and ended that institution in the lands ruled by Christians. Compassion for animals also has deep roots in Judaism, and it is not for nothing that the Psalms of the Tanakh read so movingly about animals. The campaign to outlaw cruelty to animals was almost exclusively waged by Christians, and the Massachusetts Bay Colony passed a law against cruelty to animals in 1641. American Evangelical Christian preachers in the 19th century were required to have sermons at least once a year on the evils of cruelty to animals. Jews and Christians also dramatically elevated the intellectual life of the world. The first people to have universally literate males were Jews, whose requirement for Bar Mitzvah was to read Torah in Hebrew. The first nation to have universally literate people, regardless of sex, was Scotland, whose church required all boys and girls to be literate. Jews also engaged in spirited intellectual debates almost as soon as the Babylonian Captivity ended, and this produced a tradition of free discussion and inquiry. The modern university evolved exclusively out of the cathedral schools of the Middle Ages and became the pinnacle of scientific and analytical thinking for the whole world for the next several centuries. Anyone who imagines that medieval Europe was ignorant or backwards is bigoted and wrong. The geniuses of that era dwarf our modern "thinkers," and a single work, Friar Bacon's Opus Magnus, reveals one of the greatest and most comprehensive minds in human history. Why, then, are Judaism and Christianity so reviled and condemned? This hatred is the result not of its failures, but rather of its triumphs. The lands that began as Israel were poor and miserable until the Jews made the deserts flourish. The world Christendom changed was a nightmarish realm of helpless women, brutalized slaves, and tormented animals until Christians forced change upon these lands. We are in danger, as the long cold war against Judaism and Christianity programs more and more people to hate and fear the only thing that brings love and peace into the world, of losing the only true hope of mankind. All the economic growth, all the technological gadgetry, all the plans of all the politicians in the world will fail if these faiths are reduced to irrelevance in our lives. The hour is near when, one way or the other, humanity will embark on a course that will either save us or reduce us to pathetic and hopeless drones.
Can Democrat stalwart, Florida's Rep. Alcee Hastings, stay out of trouble? Apparently not. He's in hot water again on a new corruption rap and doesn't seem to be fazed at all. It's just another day in the life of Alcee Hastings. Long failing upward, Hastings got his congressional seat after he was thrown out of the Florida judiciary for corruption.

A convicted money launderer employed by Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings (Fla.) in one of his Florida district offices received a pay increase for "part-time" work last year, new salary data filings show. Additionally, Hastings's longtime girlfriend Patricia Williams appears to have received a promotion, though she did not get a raise since she is already receiving the maximum salary that is allowed to be paid to congressional staffers.

His gamy past as a judge is now being repeated in a new ethics violation around the matter of two staffers, one in what looks like an inflated salary for a no-show job for a crook, and the other a girlfriend in a title scam. It follows a House ethics violations investigation in 2014 on sexual harassment allegations, which the House verified but did nothing about. Apparently, that one cost taxpayers big. He got listed by a government watchdog last December at the fourth most corrupt person in Congress, for the girlfriend stuff. Looks as if there are two over-compensated girlfriends from his taxpayer payroll here, so it's hard to keep track.

Same old Alcee Hastings. He's like one of those bottom-feeding creatures in the depths of the swamp who can be nourished by toxic garbage that would take any other beast out of circulation.

Did he change any after the bad experience of getting thrown out as a judge for malfeasance? Did he present himself as a "new Hastings" to get voters to reconsider him? It's normal for someone who's been in that kind of trouble to become super-vigilant about dotting is and crossing ts and avoiding even the appearance of corruption, but, well, not him. He got elected just fine on the record he had and apparently took that as a signal to just keep doing what he was doing.

It's an odd thing, well outside the political mainstream, in fact. Over here in San Diego, one of our Republican congressmen with the best voting record, Rep. Duncan Hunter, Jr., is under fire for misusing campaign contributions and is now up to his neck in primary challengers. No such misfortune for Hastings, who keeps getting re-elected again and again and experiences no pressure to clean up his act from the Democrats.

I actually spent time with Hastings, on what's called a congressional delegation, or "codel," traveling to Colombia as part of the official press delegation with then-secretary of state Condoleezza Rice in 2008. The congressmembers were all Democrats. Hastings was on the flight. As a member of the press, I found Hastings one of the most cordial and reasonable and likable of members, just as a person, and apparently pretty reasonable about trade, which most Democrats are not. He was easy to talk to, and yes, he knew I was a hardcore conservative, so he gets points for that, because a lot of Democrats aren't housebroken on that front. My sense is, he keeps getting re-elected because he's a nice person.

But cripes, why can't he get his hand out of the till? Is it always a "love" thing with him? "I steal from the till to show love to people?" Is that it? I don't know. What is it that allows such behavior to keep going on, most significantly, without consequence?

It boils down to him being a Democrat and understanding that in his party, there are few standards. Just the brouhaha over throwing Sen. Al Franken out of office shows how hard it is for any of them to be held accountable. Franken was thrown out only because Democrats wanted to get on the #MeToo movement's good side, not because any Democrat objected to his behavior. Hastings is black and represents a district with a black-majority plurality of 45.7%, which probably gives him an extra coat of protection among the Democrats, but the fact that he represents a voting district with a large black voting bloc means there ought to be other competition out there with the right racial composition, including people who are not corrupt. Yet somehow, Hastings seems to keep going, given the Democrats' habit of taking the black vote for granted. It allows them to shovel anything at them. Hastings proves it.

Republicans should hammer on this in the upcoming midterms since the Democrats won't. The guy gets away with anything because he's golden to Democrats. If this is their idea of gold, well, he's ready to become a campaign issue over his continuous corruption.
The Department of Justice has filed suit against the state of California that alleges obstruction of federal immigration enforcement. The suit is against three California laws that were passed this year that make it harder for the federal government to enforce immigration law.

Politico:

The litigation is modeled on a lawsuit the Obama administration filed in 2010 against a controversial state law in Arizona that sought to crack down on illegal immigrants [sic], SB 1070. That case resulted in a Supreme Court ruling finding that some provisions of the Arizona law unconstitutionally intruded into Congress' right to set federal immigration policy. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is traveling to California to tout the new lawsuit on Wednesday morning in a speech to law enforcement officials in Sacramento. "The Department of Justice and the Trump administration are going to fight these unjust, unfair and unconstitutional policies that have been imposed on you," Sessions will tell the California Peace Officers Association meeting, according to excerpts of his planned remarks. "We are fighting to make your jobs safer and to help you reduce crime in America. And I believe we are going to win." California Gov. Jerry Brown and Attorney General Xavier Becerra, both of whom were named as defendants in the suit, denounced the Trump administration's action. "At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America. Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they don't work here. SAD!!!" Brown wrote on Twitter.

How about the irony of using an Obama administration procedure that targeted state enforcement of immigration law to battle sanctuary cities? Sweet.

The state attorney general says they are following the Constitution. But of what country?

"We're following the Constitution and federal law," the state attorney general said in a conference call with reporters. "We're doing nothing to intrude in the work of the federal government to do immigration enforcement. We recognize and respect that the federal government has authority over immigration enforcement." The state Senate leader, Kevin de Leon, said California won't help federal officials "rip children from the arms of their mothers."

Oh, the humanity! Don't liberals ever get tired of gross exaggeration?

The Trump administration's lawsuit comes as top federal immigration officials are seething at California officials for flouting federal immigration laws. Just last week, the senior official at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Thomas Homan, blasted Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf for warning residents about impending immigration raids. Homan said the move put officers at risk. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen lauded the decision to file the suit. "California has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and the responsibility of the Congress to protect our homeland," Nielsen said in a statement. "I appreciate the efforts of Attorney General Sessions and the Department of Justice to uphold the rule of law and protect American communities." Some Republicans immediately praised the lawsuit as putting the federal government's authority first. "Homeland security and immigration is primarily a federal government responsibility," Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford tweeted. "To keep families safe and maintain an orderly immigration system, states must work with, not against, federal entities."

On a practical level, this suit will be tied up in court for years and will almost certainly land at the Supreme Court. What will the make-up of the court be at that time? I know many people who hated Trump who voted for him because they were terrified of what would happen if Hillary Clinton got to name two or three Supreme Court justices  not to mention continue the Obama administration's assault on the federal judiciary.

Yes, elections have consequences. Republicans who are disgusted with their party should think about that before deciding to stay home next November.
To hear the media tell, it, Texas's early primary shows that the great blue wave against President Trump is on us and Democrats will be ruling the U.S. once again. Here's how an over-excited Associated Press reported it :

Energized and angry Democrats in Texas, where the GOP has dominated for decades, came out in force to surpass 1 million voters Tuesday  the first time the party has eclipsed that benchmark in a midterm primary since 2002, just months after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Smashed? Oh they love that word, redolent of rock stars smashing their guitars in ecstasy, I guess. They had higher turnout, OK? In reality, there's plenty of good news for Republicans. Here are five points in a flash analysis:

1. Democrats made gains in some areas, yes, but they didn't actually win. And they certainly didn't win enough to take over. They just had higher turnout, which is a sign of enthusiasm, which of course is having their candidate lose to President Trump. The press is calling it a milestone, a blue wave, and all that, but it also has been slavering for a Democratic victory, and such reportage shows the press willing to declare overwhelming victory any place it can find good news. No need to believe the hype.

2. There does seem to be a natural pendulum swing going on here, and that's a sign of a healthy democracy. Democrats now seem to be doing better in Texas, but it's from a very, very low base. Here's the flip-side: if Democrats can turn a red state blue, it's also a fact that in areas that are not all that badly rigged and in maybe some that are, Republicans can turn a blue state red. There have been significant gains in New England for the Republicans that the press has ignored, save for Salena Zito. No, we don't want to swap them Texas for New England, but New England is a prize, and things can easily go the other way for Democrats, too. The press isn't mentioning that.

3. Money. The Democrats flooded the zone in Texas with money. Mountains of money, and money they don't really have. What's left has been billionaires carrying the whole thing, which is a risky picture for a supposed mass movement leftward and individual candidates attracting a lot of money. Real wave elections, as Donald Trump demonstrated, don't need to be flooded with cash if the spirit of change is there. If Democrats have to buttress this whole "blue wave" thing with just billionaire cash and individual-candidate cash, it's far from certain that the phenomenon will last, given that it thus far has produced nothing. When the little people start giving in waves big enough to notice, it will be more of a sign of a mass movement and shift. Right now, it seems too early for that, and we are fresh off the Trumpquake, which is likely to last, given the effort it took for people to become believers.

4. The quality of Democrats who are winning. They aren't loud leftist firebrands, but rabbity sneak-under-the-wire low-key Democrats, anxious to make you forget their party's socialist and leftist orientation, given that such a record has such a bad smell with voters. They could win on this strategy, to be fair, but the dynamic would be similar to how Bill Clinton (or, in the U.K., Tony Blair) retook office for his party in the wake of the Jimmy Carter (or, in the U.K., Sunny Jim Callahan) horror and the sun-king blaze of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher that followed. Carter-Reagan = Obama-Trump. In other words, Democrat-lite. They aren't going to act like Obama once they get into power. That era is going to be over for a long, long time, given the disaster of that presidency.

5. The great Democratic Party bum fight. Take a look at the New York Times charts and graphs on the primary election. Notice the gray bars in the Democratic Party column under the House race and governor's race categories. Those are significant. They represent split votes among the Democratic electorate. The AP and other press are reporting the supposed Democratic gains as if the Democrats were a monolith, but the reality is, they still remain badly split between the Bernie Sanders socialists among them and the Hillary Clinton leftists. The bum fight among Democrats remains a live force, as I wrote about here, and once the Democrats come up with one candidate from the primary (and the May 22 runoff in some cases), a lot of the Democrats will be out of sorts and stay home. Advantage: Republicans.
"After more than 25 years of fighting as part of the League's big family, I'm about to start another great adventure," Iwobi wrote, going on to thank leader Matteo Salvini and his other fellow party members.

Senator-Elect Iwobi legally immigrated to Italy 40 years ago, initially coming as a student and marrying an Italian woman and starting an I.T. company. Like a number of Nigerian immigrants to the United States whom I know personally, he is a hard-liner on the values that make America and Italy great: personal responsibility, hard work, honesty, and the rule of law. My surmise is that the experience of living in Nigeria, chronically corrupt and infected by tribal rivalries and a religious divide, has made these expats better appreciate the blessings of Western civilization than those people gifted with them by birth.

Before running for senator he represented the League as a municipal councillor in Spirano back in the 1990s, and more recently headed Salvini's national committee on immigration.

In that capacity, he helped write the League's anti-migration platform, in which it proposed among other things to make it easier to deport migrants, to use economic incentives to get countries to agree to repatriate their nationals from Italy, to refuse to take in migrants rescued by NGOs from the Mediterranean, to renegotiate EU agreements that oblige Italy to house migrants that arrive here while their application to stay is processed, to threaten withdrawal of the right to seek asylum or benefits if migrants commit a crime or break the rules of the reception centre where they're housed, and to stiffen existing requirements for the children of immigrants applying for citizenship to include a test on Italian "language, culture and traditions".

While his positions may seem surprising given his own experience, Iwobi says that he does not oppose immigrants who  like himself  come to Italy legally and seek to integrate; instead, he says, his problem is with what he calls "the clandestine invasion": people who seek to stay in Italy illegally.

Campaigning with the slogan "Stop Invasion", Iwobi says his concern isn't just for Italians but for migrants, who the League claims it prefers to help "in their own home" rather than in Italy  though its "Italians First" programme contains few proposals for international development aid.
Background checks for February 2018 reached the second-highest February level ever, even exceeding the February 2013 level reached after President Obama issued 23 executive orders on gun safety as a response to the Newton, Conn. shooting.

A liberal media " eager to find a tipping point in the gun debate" declare that Second Amendment-supporters "are losing the culture war against guns" and that gun sales are " plummeting " because "Americans don't buy gun control threats." But the FBI's new report on firearms background checks contradicts that media narrative.

February 2018 background check numbers were exceeded only by February 2016, when Hillary Clinton, who had previously advocated "an Australian-style" "gun buyback," was the frontrunner for president. And February 2018 results were all but completed when President Trump made comments in a meeting with lawmakers that unnerved Second Amendment-supporters on the last day of the month.

Statistics on firearm background checks, it should be noted, "do not represent the number of firearms sold, as the FBI says, but are viewed as a proxy estimate for actual gun sales numbers.

The media campaign to promote new gun controls and demoralize Second Amendment-supporters has featured such recent headlines as:

"Conservatives are losing the culture war over guns"

"Trump gun slump: Sales plummet as Americans don't buy gun control threats"

"'Trump slump' for gun sales isn't reversing

"Thanks To 'Trump Slump,' shops have more guns than buyers"

Peter Beinart's culture war column at theatlantic.com cites corporations cutting ties with the NRA, along with the CNN town hall booing of NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch, to make that case "Americans' attitudes" toward guns "are changing." Beinart may be describing the intent, rather than the result, of the media campaign:

Even when conservatives win elections and pass laws, they look at the trend among cultural elites  the media, Hollywood, universities, even corporations  and feel like they're losing.

But could it be the cultural elites who are losing? The FBI report also indicates that by the end of this year, there will have been more than 300 million background checks in the twenty years of record-keeping. Americans like firearms, and they like them more than ever, no matter what the cultural elites want us to think.

Two anecdotal accounts from recent gun shows illustrate another trend (emphasis added):

At a Tampa, FL gun show one vendor "estimated that only 10 percent of gun show shoppers were firearms aficionados. The rest, he said, are either newcomers or dabblers."

And at a Waukesha, WI gun show a vendor said "I think a lot of new buyers do come into the market as soon as it's in the news. They're going well maybe I should go get one before they ban them."

One could argue that the media culture war campaign is having the opposite effect of that intended: Alana Abramson at time.com writes that "membership in the NRA and gun rights groups across the country ... is spiking."

Abramson quotes the head of Georgia Gun Owners, who says, "As soon as anti-gun attacks started coming in on Twitter, Facebook, and in the media, we began to hear from people who didn't even own guns who wanted to join up or contribute out of solidarity in defense of the Second Amendment to the Constitution."

The head of the Nevada Firearms Coalition says: "Gun owners themselves weren't being demonized [after Las Vegas], [b]ut after the Florida shooting, there was a definite push to demonize honest gun owners and to demonize the NRA. And I think that's what's provoked their response."

Describing the post-Florida increase in gun control activism, Abramson quotes an NRA board member who says:

We've never had this level of opposition before, not ever. It's a campaign of lies and distortion, but it's very well funded and they are playing on the sympathy factor of kids getting killed.

The time.com piece gives the last word to Shannon Watts, "the founder of Moms Demand Action," who, in another case of projection by the left, says of "the gun lobby" what really applies to the anti-gun movement:
Whatever it is, they can't help themselves. Take Iran's "moderate" president, Hassan Rouhani. Just what is it that's so "moderate" about this thug? Is it that he doesn't want to kill the Jews as fast as the radicals do? Is it that he supports allowing women to wear their burlap sacks a few inches above the ankle? Rouhani would not have been allowed to run for president unless he supported eliminating Israel and enforcing the radicals' religious laws. That's a given, since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei chooses all candidates for president.

What is it about ruthless, brutal dictators that liberals can't resist? Is it that they treat their citizens the way liberals think all lesser beings than themselves should be treated?

The New York Times has been given glowing coverage to the North Korean leadership recently. The Times went gaga over Kim Jong-un's sister when she attended the Olympics. And now this gushing article about how surprising it is that Kim is, at least, half-human.

When senior South Korean envoys sat down this week with North Korea's reclusive leader, Kim Jong-un, they had a series of talking points in hand for a man whose diplomatic experience was limited to meetings with officials from China, Cuba and Syria. It was a rare chance to make the case for nuclear disarmament directly to Mr. Kim, but it was also an unusual opportunity to size up a young dictator who has remained an enigma even as his weapons tests have terrified the world. Even so, South Korean officials said, the envoys were not prepared for how "forthcoming and daring" Mr. Kim was over the course of more than four hours on Monday.

I wonder where they got that quote. I don't see it in any quotes from the summary of the meeting released by South Korea. I guess the reporter decided to quote himself.

Mr. Kim, who is just 34, surprised the much older South Korean diplomats not only by accepting joint South Korean-United States military drills but also by expressing his willingness to start negotiations with Washington on ending his nuclear weapons program. He also told them he would suspend all nuclear and ballistic missile tests while talks were underway.

Is it that Kim is such a "surprise" that he would halt nuke and missile tests? Or does it have to do with the probability that another such test will turn his country into rubble?

It was an eye-catching debut for Mr. Kim in international diplomacy.

How can it be a "debut" if he has already met with officials from "China, Cuba and Syria"? What are those countries, chopped liver? Don't they read their own articles?

It was also a remarkable shift coming from Mr. Kim just months after he raised fears of war on the Korean Peninsula by launching a barrage of nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests. Often considered a ruthless dictator with a reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons, Mr. Kim was now breaking the usual protocols in hosting the South Korean envoys, who came to appeal to him to change course.

Mr. Kim's "shift" is hardly "remarkable" if you consider his concern that his country will be blown to bits if he doesn't start talking. And Kim is not "[o]ften considered a ruthless dictator with a reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons." He is a ruthless dictator with a reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons. The only people on Planet Earth who don't think so write for the New York Times.

Thankfully, South Korea has a more realistic, mature view of Kim:

"As a leader of a rogue state, he is a tough case to deal with," said Kim Sung-han, a former vice foreign minister of South Korea who teaches at Korea University in Seoul, the South's capital. "He has the guts but also is very strong in details. He is ambitious and has a desire to win."

And there's nothing "remarkable" about that.

Kim is engaging in the classic diplomatic game of "if we're talking with each other, we're not shooting at each other." I expect Kim to drag these denuclearization talks out until his own son  whom he hasn't had yet  is safely ensconced in power.
If anyone wants to see pure bias, it is when reporters think it is appropriate to ask Ivanka questions about her father but will not ask Chelsea about her father or mother. What is worse is when Chelsea is asked if Ivanka should answer the questions, and Chelsea says yes, and neither the reporter nor Chelsea is smart enough to understand how pathetic they are.

Last week, Ivanka Trump got heat from the media for refusing to answer a question from an NBC reporter about the sexual assault allegations against her father. NBC's Peter Alexander grilled Ivanka, asking if she "believed the women" who accused her father of sexual assault. Slamming the question as "inappropriate," Ivanka said reporters probably wouldn't have pressed past first daughters on that issue, clearly a reference to the Clintons. Turns out, she was right. On March 6's The View, the ABC hosts had the audacity to ask former first daughter Chelsea Clinton to weigh in on Ivanka's response to that question, without noting that Chelsea had also refused to answer a similar question posed to her in 2008, while she was campaigning for her mother's presidential run. But host Sunny Hostin wanted Chelsea to judge Ivanka for doing the same thing, asking: SUNNY HOSTIN: Last week, Ivanka Trump told a reporter it was inappropriate for him to ask her about her father's sexual assault allegations even though she is a member of the administration. Do you think that was a fair question by the reporter? CHELSEA CLINTON: I think that anyone who works for the White House should be expected to answer any question about the White House. About the president, about the White House's policies, practices. So, yes, I do think it was a fair question.

Since Chelsea thinks it is appropriate to ask a daughter very personal questions, and since Chelsea is an adult and was very involved in trying to put her parents back in the White House in 2016, here are some questions for her:

Do you think your mom was smart enough to know that she should have used government computers and should not have intentionally destroyed documents?

Do you believe that your mom should have paid $10 million to produce a false Russian dossier as an attempt to destroy her opponent, or do you think she should have lied about her policies instead?

Why do you think your mom was given questions in advance of a town hall meeting by Donna Brazile?

Do you believe that when your father traveled with pedophile Epstein on the Lolita Express to Orgy Island, it was part of community outreach or his global initiative?

Why do you think your and your father's speaking fees went up when your mom was secretary of state?

Did you father use a Cuban cigar on Monica?

Do you think it was appropriate for a young woman who was a subordinate of your father who now calls it a "gross abuse of power" to repeatedly perform oral sex on your dad? Do you agree that it was a gross abuse or power, or do you agree with your father that it depends on the definition of sex?
U of Chicago working to raise self-esteem of teachers afraid to teach science

Teachers are usually comfortable teaching "bread and butter" subjects like race, sex, class, and gender. But other subjects, like science, aren't so easy for some teachers, who are confused by the "hard facts" of science and don't always know what to tell their students. That's why so many teachers are actually afraid to teach science. The University of Chicago recognizes that this is a problem and is working to raise teachers' self-esteem (at the 36-minute mark of the PBS Newshour) so they will be more comfortable teaching about subjects with which teachers have so little familiarity. This is Edward Marshall. He's a Head Start teacher. And he finds teaching science intimidating! He becomes anxious when children ask him questions about science because often he doesn't know the answers.

University of Chicago researchers tell teachers it's okay if they don't know the answers to basic science questions. In the photo above, students are learning which objects float in water. In the exercise, Marshall did not always know which objects would sink or float and was surprised along with his students. A University of Chicago researcher assured Marshall that it was okay not to know the answer. Marshall said the UC interviewers gave him the courage to teach science. He said that now that he understands that there are no wrong answers, he no longer feels silly or afraid. This entire story was presented on the PBS Newshour as described above. Not once did the reporter raise the issue of whether teachers who are unprepared to teach basic science should be in the classroom at all. Our federal tax dollars pay for Head Start, and I believe that much of the money is wasted because many of the "teachers" doing the teaching are blatantly unqualified. Instead of doing a serious investigative piece to expose unqualified teachers, the Newshour instead lauds a program to cover up teacher deficiencies by teaching them "self-esteem." How does self-esteem help a teacher who is so ignorant that he doesn't know which objects will float in water? This in a nutshell is the problem with our educational system: an inability to hold teachers accountable, as they would be if they worked in any other profession. This in a nutshell is also the problem with our mainstream media, who cover up the basic inadequacies of the educational system by talking of the need for greater "self-esteem." Ed Straker is the senior writer at Newsmachete.com.
Why Trump will demand Jeff Sessions's resignation

Why haven't James Comey, Hillary Clinton, and certain DOJ leaders been investigated by a special counsel as the Trump team members have? There's certainly enough evidence for an investigation. A second special counsel needs to be created to investigate the FISA warrant abuses, the classified information found on Hillary's and her staff's personal electronic devices, and the huge donations the Clinton Foundation received when Hillary signed off on the Uranium One deal.

In order to properly investigate these potential crimes, a special prosecutor must be appointed by the attorney general, Jeff Sessions. How can there be an impartial investigation if the DOJ is investigating itself? When we look at Jeff Sessions, we find that he recused himself from the Trump-Russia investigation and later said his inspector general  who has no prosecutorial authority  will investigate the alleged abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act by the FBI. This action on the part of Jeff Sessions was condemned by President Trump on February 28, 2018, because without a second special counsel, Hillary Clinton, James Comey, and other members of the FBI and the DOJ will never be brought to justice. Any hope of bringing justice upon the alleged perpetrators lies with President Trump. He has the authority to demand Jeff Sessions's resignation and can appoint a new attorney general, who will then appoint a second special prosecutor. Why hasn't the president already done so? Perhaps he is afraid of retaliation by the Democrats, that the same thing will happen over again that occurred when he fired James Comey. The president knows that if he asks the attorney general to resign, the Democrats will seize upon the resignation and say it's a pattern with Trump, possibly giving them probable cause to have Mueller's special counsel investigate him for obstruction of justice. One of Donald Trump's campaign promises was to "drain the swamp." His supporters, most of whom are American citizens living in the flyover states, will hold him accountable. They want to see justice served, so it makes political sense for Trump to ask for Jeff Sessions's resignation if Sessions continues to avoid appointing a second special prosecutor to investigate the FBI, the DOJ, and Hillary Clinton. Robert Steven Ingebo is president of FRI Corporation. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr.
Well, times have changed, and the liberal media now feel so confident in pushing their illegal immigration agenda that they not only trumpet the fact that illegals are on welfare programs, but complain when not enough of them are taking taxpayer money!

I remember a time, not so long ago, when the liberal media's position was that illegal aliens didn't go on welfare; in fact, we were repeatedly reassured, it was prohibited by law for illegals to go on welfare.

It seems that the Trump administration is preparing a rule which would make it less likely to grant citizenship to illegal aliens who are on welfare, and illegals, who are also scared of being deported, are dropping out of welfare programs.

The Department of Homeland Security has drafted a regulation that would allow officials to factor in the use of benefits  like WIC, SNAP, the Children's Health Insurance Program and even housing and transit subsidies  when deciding whether to approve some visa or green card applications. A leaked draft of the proposal first published by Vox showed that immigrants seeking an adjustment of status, such as those applying for permanent residency, "must establish that they are not likely at any time to become a public charge" or rely heavily on long-term government assistance, lest they be deemed "inadmissible." A study conducted by the National Academies of Sciences showed that 45.3 percent of all immigrant-headed households with children use a food assistance program. In New Jersey, three neighboring counties  Union, Essex and Hudson  have immigrant populations above 25 percent, according to census data. In those counties, participation in some elements of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey's outreach programming fell by almost half between 2016 and 2017, according to Julienne Cherry, the bank's director of agency relations.

A drop of 50%. We are constantly told that there are "only" 11 million illegal aliens, but when they are "above 25%" of the populations of some counties and half the case load of welfare programs, there's got to be a lot more.

By the way, the article above uses the word "immigrant," which, when used by the media, has now become virtually synonymous with "illegal alien."

Adele LaTourette, the director of the New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition, said a church food pantry specifically organized as a safe space for immigrants has seen "unprecedented decline," as have reduced-cost breakfast and lunch programs in schools.

I guess the immigrant safe space isn't so safe.

Missing entirely from this article is a discussion of whether we should be admitting immigrants, legally or otherwise, who are a burden to the federal taxpayer.

We are constantly told how virtuous illegal aliens are, how hardworking they are, and how much they contribute to our economy. It troubles me that the above line of propaganda, that virtuous illegals are not receiving welfare, is at cross purposes with the propaganda that all illegals are big contributors to society. It reminds me of 1984, when Winston Smith was forced to believe two contradictory facts at the same time.

As for me, I would be more interested in an exploration of counties that have greater than 25% "immigrant" populations. After a certain point in time, citizens become a minority in their own country. But don't expect a New York Times article about that.

Ed Straker is the senior writer at Newsmachete.com.
Google on Wednesday launched the first developer preview of Android P, the next major iteration of its operating system meant to succeed Android 8.1 Oreo. While the final, stable build of the software is likely to include a wide variety of features that still havent been announced, the initial experimental version of Android P already reveals many new functionalities users can expect from Googles new take on a contemporary mobile experience, provided app developers opt to utilize them.

Possibly the most controversial addition is the new lineup of display cutout APIs meant to help developers create Android implementations for devices with screen notches akin to those seen on the Apple iPhone X and the recently announced ASUS ZenFone 5. The tools will allow software creators to easily identify non-functional areas of targeted device displays and program their user interfaces around them. Programming such interfaces doesnt require a testing unit with a physical notch as the first developer preview of Android P is capable of simulating such a design cue. To do so, enable the systems Developer options and locate the Drawing section on the following menu where youll find a corresponding functionality that will allow you to create a digital notch and adjust its size by pixels.

Android P is also coming with a broad range of notification improvements, as well as new functionalities meant to enhance the operating systems notification management, particularly quick replies introduced with API level 24 that debuted with Android 7.0 Nougat. All messaging notifications can now include images, which is a feature that some apps such as WhatsApp have already been supporting independently for some time now, though native integration should make it much more widely available. Android P also allows developers to easily integrate saving notification replies as drafts and provides them with a new class that can be leveraged for quickly identifying notification participants with avatars and uniform resource identifiers. Messaging notifications in Android P can also natively determine whether particular chats are of a one-on-one or group variety and label them accordingly, whereas messaging notification actions such as replies, deletes, and full-screen toggles can now be given semantic meaning. The latter point has yet to be elaborated upon but likely has implications for machine learning and general artificial intelligence applications. Finally, Googles suggested replies service is also being integrated into Androids native Smart Reply functionality and will hence be available to third-party developers.

Advertisement

The initial developer preview of Android P introduces indoor positioning support utilizing the Wi-Fi Round-Trip-Time (RTT) protocol which leverages specific hardware to track a compatible device in a closed area based on its distance to various Wi-Fi access points. Apps with a permission to track hosts location can take advantage of the functionality, with the solution itself working even if the device isnt connected to any Wi-Fi access point. The method still isnt two-way and doesnt allow devices like routers to read the determined position of a compatible smartphone or tablet so as to ensure a certain level of privacy, the Alphabet-owned tech giant said. Wi-Fi RTT tracking requires at least three separate APs and is accurate within one to two meters (3.23 feet) on average, according to the Android P team. While Google is expected to demonstrate the capabilities of the technology in the near future, the company is already predicting a wide variety of possible applications ranging from simple location service improvements to highly accurate voice controls, such as the ability to tell your phone to unlock this door when youre standing near it. Augmented reality is another field that could benefit from Wi-Fi RTT tracking, whereas the hardware requirements of the solution indicate it will likely find the most usage in environments equipped with mesh networks.

Multi-camera support is now part of the package, allowing apps to access viewfinders or streams of two or more physical sensors. Google claims the ability to separate streams at an OS level should allow developers to deliver better bokeh-generating software, more seamless zoom functionalities, and various other features meant to enhance the mobile photography experience theyre striving to create. Support for stitched streams is also included, both in the sense that Android P can display a feed that switches between different sources based on some logical operators or literally show a fused image, with that functionality being yet another technology that may encourage developers to experiment with mobile cameras more aggressively going forward. Android P finally offers native support for display flashes that can be used for illuminating selfies and can provide third-party apps with optical image stabilization timestamps to accelerate their own optimization efforts. System-level compatibility with USB and UVC cameras is also included but will be hardware-dependent, i.e. not available on all smartphones and tablets.

Android P is being positioned to improve on the Notification Channels introduced by Android 8.0 Oreo with the goal of allowing users to granularly control the priority of their notifications based not just on their app of origin but also their type. Google is now primarily seeking to streamline existing functionalities instead of adding entirely new ones, with one such change coming in the form of an ability to block channel groups. E.g. while Android 8.0 Oreo allowed you to block all promotional notifications, you had to tell it to do so for each app individually, whereas that problem may now be eliminated unless many developers of your regularly used apps insist on custom channels or completely ignore the functionality. Apps will now also be able to determine the current channel group settings that affect them so that they dont waste resources on attempting to send notifications guaranteed to get blocked. This two-way communication is being further deepened with the introduction of broadcast intent types meant to notify apps of blocked channels and provide them with data to alter their behavior.

Advertisement

Google introduced new tools for decoding images and drawing WebP and GIF animations that developers can leverage in order to make user interfaces of their apps more seamless. Android P debuts support for the High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) meant to optimize still images more aggressively but without major trade-offs on select devices. The company is encouraging developers to give the specification a go as it could significantly reduce the size of image-heavy apps, regardless of whether theyre pre-loaded with imagery or designed to download it on the go. The systems media backend has also been ennobled with the addition of the High Dynamic Range (HDR) VP9 Profile 2 which will enable HDR streams on YouTube, Google Play Movies, Netflix, and other services on devices whose displays support the standard. A new media player and additional media metric infused in certain classes are now also part of the package, as are improvements to the MediaDRM class meant to make the anti-piracy solution more effective.

The JobScheduler tool should be better at managing network loads on Android P, whereas the Neural Networks API from Android 8.1 Oreo now supports nine new operations, including a Squeeze function that appears to be solely targeting pressure-sensitive frames such as the ones found inside the HTC U11, Pixel 2, and the Pixel 2 XL. Oreos autofill framework is also getting more versatile and may soon be fully embraced by Google itself, with some of its popular apps like Chrome still using the legacy solution relying on Androids Accessibility Services over half a year after Oreo hit the stable channel. Support for system backup encryption tied to a client-side secret is included in Android P, as is a unified fingerprint authentication dialog and a new prompt meant to verify user intent in regards to completing highly sensitive transactions. Tracking individual apps windows in scenarios when multiple redraws are occurring should also be easier in Android P, courtesy of one newly included API which provides developers with a native service for detecting new titles in panes, disappearing panes, and other such phenomena that were previously much harder to track.

Googles first experimental build of Android P includes several Convenience Actions meant to serve as development tools for creating apps that can take screenshots and lock devices without resorting to system workarounds, as well as manage tooltip text prompts. Many new Accessibility services have also been included, with the new OS being capable of providing more detailed information about its section titles, in addition to coming with support for more streamlined heading-based and group navigation actions. The first developer preview of Android P can presently be manually flashed onto the Pixel and Pixel 2-series smartphones; developers and enthusiasts interested in giving it a go can obtain all of the necessary files to do so by referring to the banner below. Google is likely to debut the second preview build of the mobile OS at its annual I/O developer conference which is scheduled to start on May 8 in its hometown of Mountain View, California.
Update [March 7, 2018]: More images of the Nubia N3 were discovered on Weibo, including those that reveal the contents of its retail packaging, all of which can be seen in the gallery below. The original story is as follows.

A real-life image of a device thats said to be the Nubia N3 leaked online on Wednesday, having originally appeared on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo. The photograph that can be seen above shows a device with a tall display panel using the elongated 18:9 aspect ratio, the same image format thats been gaining significant traction in the mobile industry for over a year now. Nubia already commercialized a slim form factor with the Z17s last year but is expected to embrace such a design with even more models throughout 2018, with the alleged N3 apparently being one of them.

The newly emerged handset features regular-sized bezels but lacks a physical Home button and instead relies on virtual system keys, whereas its fingerprint reader is presumably mounted on its rear plate. The leak shows the supposed Nubia N3 as running the companys nubia UI software whose last commercialized version was based on Android Nougat, though the firm is soon expected to make the jump to Android 8.0 Oreo. The device is depicted as featuring a single front-facing camera and a glossy black finish, with no other discernible details being seen on the image. If the Chinese original equipment manufacturer is truly planning to release such a product this year, its likely to launch it this spring.

Advertisement

Nubia had a sizeable presence at this years Mobile World Congress where it bought a booth used for showcasing its latest advancements, including several prototypes of an extremely aggressive-looking gaming smartphone. The company is looking toward the gaming segment of the market in an effort to expand its business to more niches, with its current portfolio still being primarily targeted at price-conscious consumers. The Android OEM didnt share many availability details on its gaming handset but confirmed the device is planned for commercialization in 2018 and should be powered by the Snapdragon 845 and 8GB of RAM.
Google released the seventh developer preview of Android Things on Tuesday, just over three months after last revising its embedded operating system which was announced in mid-2015 as Project Brillo before being rebranded a year and a half later. The latest experimental build of the platform debuts improved camera support, pushing the boundaries of what Android Things can work with in terms of recording resolutions and effectively allowing Internet of Things apps to leverage the full capabilities of any camera hardware theyre controlling should they be programmed to do so. MIDI support is now also part of the package and comes in the form of a new MidiManager API that can be used for interfacing with physical MIDI controllers or creating virtual MIDI devices from scratch. Both of the new additions are a direct result of developer feedback, Google said, pointing to external comments as the primary reason why the new preview build also streamlines the process of naming APIs and offers better testability for Android Things apps through various tweaks.

The main focus of the new Android Things version was still placed on a range of device updates and console improvements, with Google working to facilitate product sharing by introducing multi-account support for device management and releasing new tools for easily managing multiple software variants designed for the same hardware. The latter addition is likely to facilitate the process of developing and maintaining numerous region-specific IoT devices. Basic product analytics are now also part of the package, as is support for beta channels meant to enable easier software testing on select devices.

The Mountain View, California-based tech giant still hasnt provided a specific timeframe for when the Android Things platform is meant to exit its experimental phase of development, though it may share more details on the matter come its next I/O developer conference scheduled to take place in May. Android Things primarily targets low-power IoT products such as sensors and anything that can feasibly be fueled by a single-board computer such as the Raspberry Pi. The platform will be natively compatible with the main version of Android and the upcoming Android P OS is already expected to offer deeper Android Things integration.
Mobile hardware and software maker BlackBerry has officially brought suit against Facebook and its subsidiaries, including Instagram and Whatsapp, on the grounds that they have violated the companys intellectual property in regards to the design and function of messaging apps. BlackBerrys complaints are far-reaching in the messaging app ecosystem, and cover a number of features that debuted or were perfected in BlackBerry Messenger, and went on to go into just about every messaging app out there. BlackBerry has chosen to zoom in on Facebook in its complaints, it says, because the social media giant and its subsidiaries, Instagram and WhatsApp, have not only profited from feature ideas that belong to BlackBerry, but have driven customers away from BlackBerry products in the process.

Among BlackBerrys complaints, one can see features that clearly entered the consumer mindset and became integral during their time in BBM, such as notification badges and time stamps on messages both incoming and outgoing. There are also some arguably more dubious features listed in the complaints; BlackBerry alleges, for example, that it originated the idea of tagging friends and family in photos on social media, a feature that is generally thought to have risen into popularity due to Facebooks emphasis on it. Another feature that BlackBerry claims for its own is encryption to keep user data secure. While BBM was easily the most popular encrypted or encryptable messenger before the privacy boom following Edward Snowdens revelations about United States Government organizations spying on citizens, ways to send and receive encrypted messages via a computer and even a mobile device have existed since long before BBM rose to prominence.

Facebook, for its part, is essentially accusing BlackBerry of patent trolling. According to Facebook Deputy General Counsel Paul Grewal, Having abandoned its efforts to innovate, Blackberry is now looking to tax the innovation of others. Facebook does intend to go into court against BlackBerry in this matter. While BlackBerrys complaints do contain a number of valid points, its hard to deny that Facebook has deeper pockets with which to fund a legal battle, and quite likely has consumer mindshare on its side, somewhat discrediting BlackBerrys allegations that the BBM features it touts would have been its saving grace if not for Facebook and its ilk.
Broadcom on Wednesday said its proposal to merge with Qualcomm would turn the United States into a global 5G leader, vowing to finance additional wireless research and development efforts should the two entities manage to consolidate. The Singapore-based company also criticized Qualcomms licensing practices, having deemed them anticompetitive and asserted it will still support the San Diego-based chipmakers 5G innovation efforts independently of the companys other ambitions if they end up merging. The tech giant vowed to create a $1.5 billion fund meant to finance educational initiatives focused on American engineers so as to support the countrys efforts in the wireless segment.

The fund itself is meant to be focused on 5G R&D through what Broadcom deems lawful practices, with the company calling Qualcomms existing activity in the segment predatory. The semiconductor giant used the pledge as an opportunity to assert its an American company in every important respect, pointing to its Hewlett-Packard roots and the fact that its presently in the process of redomiciling its operations to the U.S., with that feat being expected to be completed by May 6. The U.S. Treasurys national security panel that postponed the Broadcom-Qualcomm showdown originally scheduled to take place yesterday as part of Qualcomms annual shareholder meeting is set to lose its jurisdiction over the matter once Broadcom successfully relocates its headquarters to San Jose, California. Broadcom is also quick to point out that its top management is primarily made up of Americans and that its institutional owners largely consist of the same entities which are invested in Qualcomm. Due to that state of affairs, the company believes its tie-up with the chipmaker could be completed within a year of being agreed without major setbacks.

Qualcomm still insists the $117 billion bid is materially undervaluing its assets due to interim setbacks faced by its licensing business in recent years. Previous reports suggested the firm would be prepared to accept a $160 billion bid but that offer remains unlikely. Qualcomm is expected to aggressively pursue its attempt to acquire Dutch NXP Semiconductors and resolve some of its patent royalty disputes over the next month so as to try to convince more investors to vote against Broadcoms directorial candidates the company is trying to install to the chipmakers board with the goal of winning a majority vote necessary to accept its current bid.
Windows, Mac, and Linux users will notice a new Google browser update is available: a stable upgrade to Chrome 65. The version was announced today on Googles blog and presents a host of improvements, fixes, and enhancements. According to the blog post, the update includes forty-five security fixes that developers helped Google isolate and respond to via the developer channel versions of Chrome. With the help of private developers and a plethora of software programs, Google announced it aims to provide users with the most secure platform for web navigation and socializing. One of its incentives involves paying users for discovering and reporting known bugs and security compromises to Google personnel.

As the sixty-fifth version of Google Chrome suggests, the Mountain View tech giants browser has seen many updates and revisions. Many internet browsers allow a user to surf the web and afford a secure means of accessing the web, but Chrome provides a continually user-friendly experience. The Chrome browser file size is not a small one, but it is generally regarded as the most popular tool for internet exploration. Some of the changes Chrome has adopted over the years include tabs for multiple pages in a single explorer, auto-filling of personal information, and synchronized data across multiple devices for picking up where one left off. Chromebook computers recently received the Chrome 63 browser version, while the Android mobile version has been updated to Chrome 64.

Google isnt stopping with version 65, however. According to a recent announcement, the Californian tech company intends to reimagine how the internet works, and what the capabilities of a mobile or desktop browser include. One such idea is the adaptation of integrated augmented reality (AR) in its browser. The plan could enable users to play games or see visual effects right from the browser without the necessity of downloading side applications or additional software. Google also intends to make high definition videos more widely available across its Chrome browser. Other tests recently include a material design overhaul where boxes separate data and images into neat compartments for easy viewing. The new Chrome 65 update doesnt reimagine the Google browser, but it brings some new options to the table.

Advertisement

UPDATE: Chrome for Android has also been updated to version 65, and it brings a new languages menu with it, which is also the biggest change in this update.
Google may have been in talks with a startup in Seattle, called HyperSciences, prior to its decision to acquire Geo-Connections and fold that into the Google X spin-off, Dandelion. Thats according to some mysterious statements made by HyperSciences CEO Mark Russell prior to the deal being made, which were later officially retracted by the company. The executive reportedly commented approximately a week ago to say that the companies were in talks but that more information wouldnt become available until the South by Southwest festival, which takes place this week in Austin. Unfortunately, when HyperSciences was contacted on March 5 to confirm the talks, the company went on record to say that there were no ongoing talks between Google and HyperSciences. Dandelions Geo-Connections acquisition was made on March 6, so its entirely possible that the two companies were in talks but that a decision was reached and talks came to an end.

Leaks about possible partnerships are generally speculative at best but what makes this interesting is that the initial leak actually originated with HyperSciences CEO. A leak from a high-up executive tends to add a substantial amount of weight to such claims and, more often than not, can be taken at face value. The idea that talks may have been underway would make sense since both companies are currently investing heavily in geothermal energy solutions and technology. More directly, HyperSciences is working to create new drilling systems that center around firing concrete projectiles at hypersonic speeds  more than 5 times the speed of sound  as a supplement to a more traditional drill bit. That makes the earth in front of the bit much easier to move through and the company says it works up to ten times faster than existing systems. Thats an interesting idea that may have proved useful to aid in Googles own geothermal ambitions.

Whatever the case may be, Googles Dandelion is currently working with Geo-Connections software suite to improve the reliability of its own offerings. The general focus of Dandelion is on creating affordable geothermal heating, cooling, and ventilation, and the software will assist in managing the hardware and underground infrastructure associated with that enterprise.
Tech giant Google provides its TensorFlow AI framework to the Pentagon and the United States Department of Defense for use in analysis of drone imagery, according to a report from Bloomberg. The versatile machine learning framework is fully open-source and can be used by anybody, but Google is working closely with the Pentagon on this particular project as part of an ongoing effort to score more government contracts for its cloud and AI service businesses. Googles expertise in this field could be put to work for any number of uses, but according to a Google spokesperson, all that this particular AI is being trained to do is analyze drone footage and flag certain things for human review. Furthermore, the Google spokesperson specified that TensorFlow is by no means meant for use in any kind of offensive combative capacity.

In relation to this development, Secretary of Defense James Mattis visited Alphabet to discuss possible business interests involving AI and the cloud back in August of 2017. Despite a Google spokesperson saying that the companys technology is not being used in any sort of combat capacity, some company employees who learned of this development were reportedly not too happy about the company being involved with a military project that amounts to surveillance via drone. This comes after a meeting back in July, where Google executive Milo Medin, who is a member of a federal committee called the Defense Innovation Board, said that the government is essentially wasting valuable data that could be used to train AI programs. Presumably, this new drone program is meant to help determine what data is safe to discard, and what should be kept for training. What that training is for, exactly, was not touched upon.

Googles founding motto of Dont Be Evil and its new modus operandi of Do the right thing could both be argued to be violated by working with any kind of military organization. Ethics, however, can be subjective, and Google has likely taken all possibilities into consideration. It is worth noting that other tech companies have not been nearly as shy about working with the government in the past, and even the military. Though it sounds complacent, even if TensorFlow winds up being used for evil purposes, it could be said that Google is merely profiting from a situation that would happen with or without its involvement. Given Googles well-known political leanings, it is also quite likely that this program could allow the company to help ensure that AI technology is not used for evil by inserting its own technology and policing its use.
The Huawo 6081 is basically a copy of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro. This handset was actually announced at this years Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, though it flew under the radar, until now. Interestingly enough, the Huawei 6081 was not displayed at MWC 2018, the company only showed off renders of the device, as a real-life unit has not been manufactured yet, which is quite odd considering that Huawo actually made the trip to Barcelona.

In any case, Huawo also shared some specs of the Huawo 6081, which well talk in a minute, but lets check out the provided renders first. As you can see, the phone looks just like the Huawei Mate 10 Pro, at least in the provided renders, even its color options have been copied. There are two cameras on the back of this phone, theyre vertically aligned, and a fingerprint scanner sits right below them. An LED flash is located on the back as well, and so is a sensor which looks like a laser autofocus sensor, but were not sure what it is exactly. If Huawos renders are to be believed, the Huawo 6081 will sport rather thin bezels, though renders can be quite deceiving, so it remains to be seen what will happen. This handset will be available in Black, Gold, Blue, and Gray color variants, according to the info provided by Huawo.

Now, as far as specs are concerned, the Huawo 6081 will sport a 6-inch fullHD+ (2160 x 1080) InCell display, while it will pack in 4GB of RAM and 64GB of native storage. Were not sure if that storage will be expandable, though. A 13-megapixel shooter will be included on the back of this smartphone, while an 8-megapixel camera will sit on its front side. Android 8.0 Oreo will come pre-installed on the Huawo 6081, while the device will utilize a 3,200mAh non-removable battery. MediaTeks MT6750T 64-bit octa-core SoC will fuel the Huawo 6081, while it will be clocked at 1.5GHz. The phone will support 4G LTE connectivity, and the same can be said for wireless charging, which is quite surprising. An NFC chip will be included here, as will a Type-C USB port, through which you will be able to utilize fast charging as well. The phone will measure 158.5 x 76 x 8.3, according to Huawos press materials.
Lenovo Group VP Chang Cheng recently took to Chinese social network Weibo to tease an upcoming smartphone which will be officially unveiled on March 20. The original post on Weibo was submitted by Mr. Chang from an unannounced smartphone called the Lenovo S5, and this quickly led to speculation that the upcoming model will bear the same moniker. Furthermore, this isnt the first time the VP used the so-called Lenovo S5 to publish content on Weibo, and near the end of February when Mobile World Congress was underway, the VP hinted that at least one upcoming Lenovo handset could make use of ZUKs proprietary Android-based OS  ZUI.

The latest teaser pertaining to the March 20 unveiling was also accompanied by a couple of hardware details, and according to the original post, the upcoming device may be powered by a generous 6,000mAh battery. In addition, the VP hints that despite the large battery capacity, the smartphone will be thin and resilient, and finally, the teaser suggests that the handset will boast AI capabilities at the hardware level. No details regarding the software were revealed, but given that the first time the Lenovo S5 moniker emerged was back in February when Chang Chen mentioned the adoption of ZUKs ZUI by Lenovo handsets, there is a possibility that the Lenovo S5 could make use of that particular OS.

Back in January, Mr. Chang shared an image which depicted the bottom half of a back panel belonging to an unannounced smartphone bearing the Lenovo branding. This particular image was photographed and shared using the ZUK Z2 Pro, and a few Chinese media outlets now speculate that this partially revealed handset may have actually been the Lenovo S5. The device appeared to feature a metal frame segmented by two antenna stripes located on its bottom, along with a highly reflective, almost mirror-like finish covering its back panel, which could hint at the adoption of a glass sandwich design.
Qualcomm and Huawei have been embroiled in a patent royalty dispute for some time now but the two companies are reportedly in talks to settle and could reach an agreement in the next few weeks. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reports that the negotiations between Qualcomm and Huawei are in advanced stages. No decision is yet set in stone and the talks may still fall apart, insiders claim. Qualcomm is currently trying to resist a hostile takeover attempt from Broadcom and the tense situation might also affect its negotiations with Huawei.

The chipmaker was previously said to have been involved in legal disputes with two major customers that license its patents: Apple, which told its contract manufacturers to stop paying Qualcomm, and another licensee that was not named. It now looks like the other major licensee was Huawei, and it stopped paying royalties to Qualcomm back in April. Should Qualcomm manage to reach an agreement with Huawei, the development could help it resist Broadcoms $117 billion takeover bid, some industry watchers believe.

Qualcomm had an annual board meeting set for Tuesday when its shareholders were supposed to vote whether six out of eleven directors should be replaced with Broadcoms nominees. A U.S. government committee in charge of investigating national security concerns associated with foreign acquisitions has postponed that meeting until April 5. If Qualcomm reaches agreements with device makers and patent licensees by then, it could obtain the royalties its due and earn some additional goodwill from investors. In turn, this could bolster its position at the shareholder meeting next month and allow it to fend off Broadcoms hostile takeover bid. Settling disputes with device makers could translate to billions of dollars in revenue, which should significantly strengthen Qualcomms overall position. The chipmaker already announced back in January that it reached a set of licensing and research agreements with Samsung, and Huawei could be the next one to settle. With Apple, meanwhile, Qualcomm is involved in several lawsuits in the United States and other markets, and no end to that legal clash is still in sight.
When it comes to trusted consumer mobile charging solutions, RAVPower is a well-known brand that pumps out a substantial number of brilliant options and the Savior Series 10,000mAh AC Portable Powerbank is no exception to that rule. At just $27.99, this charger  which can be found under the model number RP-PB066  is neither the cheapest nor the most expensive such offering on the market. Its also not going to charge every device as quickly as some other chargers, though its output rating is in line with what most phones require. Bearing that in mind, it does bring some great features to the table and it will charge the vast majority of devices at least twice. Better still, it comes with several accessories that are certainly worth having.

With regard to what ships in the box, most wireless chargers either ship with a cable and no adapter or with no cables at all. Users are generally expected to use their own as the standard for charging technology has become so ubiquitous. That is absolutely not the case with RAVPowers 10,000mAh Savior Series. In fact, consumers will open the box to find that this charger has a folding standard wall plug built right in and includes two micro USB to USB cables  one 8-inch cable and one 2-foot cable  so users can charge it that way instead if theyd prefer. A soft-touch grey cloth carrying case is included as well. The pouch features a cinch-top and pocket for storing cables. While it probably wont provide a lot of protection for the battery, it does look good and its a nice touch for such an affordable portable power pack. Aside from that, theres a customer service contact card, complete with a 12-month warranty extension and a short user manual. As usual, the warranty extends for 18 months from the purchase date.

Charging via USB will mean that users need to supply their own 5V/2A adapter plug, but it is a thoughtful inclusion since there isnt always a wall plug available nearby when charging is required. One of the micro USB cables included in the package is undoubtedly meant to offer a way to charge the device. The other can be used to charge up a phone, tablet, or anything else chargeable via micro USB. In addition to the standard 5V/2A micro USB input for charging the charger itself, there are two standard USB ports for outbound charging at up to 5V/2.4. The actual rating on the outflow is 5V/3.4A, so it goes without saying that charging speed will be somewhat reduced when charging two devices at once. That wont necessarily be too big of a deal since 10,000mAh  around 36Wh  of power means that this portable power bank should offer enough juice to charge the vast majority of devices between two and three times with ease.

Advertisement

Since this is a charger nearing the bottom end of the cost-spectrum, it goes without saying that this is not the most refined-looking portable chargers, let alone the slimmest. Theres also a clear gap in the seam running around the entire edge. From an aesthetic standpoint, that may bother some users but this charger feels like it was designed to be far more utilitarian than some of the prettier options that are available. Thats not necessarily a bad thing since it still feels exceptionally well-built and sturdy. The company does explicitly warn against exposure to liquids and dropping the portable charger as there isnt any ruggedization available. With that said, it does feel like it can take quite a beating before any serious damage to the charger will occur. The soft-touch plastics used in the casing also add a smooth in-hand feel, while the matte black color prevents oil and other substances from building up and becoming too much of a problem  aside from what might get caught in the aforementioned gap. With the charging prongs fold away, there are no sharp or jagged edges to speak of. So this power bank does, at very least, have a premium feel even if it doesnt look like the most high-dollar item on the shelf.

With the wall plug folded away, the Savior Series 10,000mAh AC Portable Powerbank measures in at just 138 x 66 x 28mm. That means it is somewhat smaller from edge to edge than most modern smartphones but substantially thicker. Meanwhile, the weight comes in at just 290 grams. Thats comparable to but just slightly heavier than many of the more bulky smartphones on the market. Even accounting for the few extra millimeters and grams added by its carrying pouch, that means it should be relatively easy to carry around in a coat pocket, handbag, suitcase, or a backpack. It could also fit in the pockets on some pants but thats bound to be uncomfortable, whether it fits or not.

Advertisement

Four blue-colored LED lights are included on RAVPowers Savior Series to provide information about the level of charge that remains. When all four are lit, the 10,000mAh battery pack has between 76-percent and 100-percent remaining. Three lights indicate that the percentage is between 51 and 75, while two means that it has dropped from that range to a maximum of 26-percent. A single LED is light when the percentage drops to anywhere between five and 25-percent. Falling below that point causes that last indicator to flash.

Once this power bank does run out of juice, charging is made much easier by the fact that a wall plug is part of the package. Users simply fold down the prongs and plug the Savior Series in. It takes between seven and eight hours to charge that way from completely dead according to the included user manual  we saw a charge time of around six hours and 30 minutes from just under five-percent remaining. If there arent any wall sockets available, users can also charge via the included micro USB port. The company recommends using a wall adapter rated at 5V/2A or less but charging at the maximum rate will provide a complete recharge in as little as six hours. Of course, the use of a cable means that this power bank can be charged through an in-vehicle USB port or DC connector adapter. RAVPower also recommends that a solar charger could be used as well to provide power. Of course, charging will be slower across the board if the power bank is charging up while also utilizing passthrough to charge one or two other devices. The company also recommends that the battery needs to be recharged at least once every six months in order to maintain the integrity of the power cells contained inside.

Advertisement

Taking all of that together, this portable power bank is arguably among the most high-value offerings of its type on the market. It wont charge at Quick Charge speeds and it isnt the most beautiful in terms of pure aesthetic value. However, it is very solidly built  as is to be expected of a RAVPower product  and is packed to the brim in terms of options for powering up the charger itself. The ability to charge via passthrough, the number of times a given device can be recharged, included cables and carrying pouch, and easy portability means consumers are getting much more than just portable power. With the RAVPower Savior Series 10,000mAh AC Portable Powerbank putting function over form, nobody should need to be concerned that theyre going to run out of power while theyre out and about.
Demand for Internet of Things (IoT) chipset is projected to increase 50 percent in China as the global market for IoT chip is on track to reach a sharp growth this year. According to a new report by Digitimes, which cited industry sources, the growth in IoT chipset demand in China will be buoyed by the Chinese governments large investment in efforts to develop IoT applications. On a global scale, Gartner recently predicted that the IoT and artificial intelligence segments are expected to help boost information technology investments with a 4.5-percent increase in financial commitments this year alone.

More specifically, MediaTek, Taiwans leading fabless semiconductor company, has seen an increase in the adoption of IoT modules designed to enable connection and for monitoring activities, thanks to the companys modem chipset solutions that can last up to five years. Last January, during the Consumer Electronics Show 2018, MediaTek unveiled a new lineup of specialized system-on-chip products for the home automation and IoT connectivity market including MT7622, which features 44 MIMO on 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 on a chip with a Wi-Fi accelerator. The chip also comes with Smart Quality of Service to automatically allocate network resources among network devices based on their individual requirements. Meanwhile, China Mobile and China Unicom have been working together since 2017 in collaboration with other IoT service providers to tap the business opportunities in this segment in the country. MediaTek also saw its IoT chip shipment to China rise to more than 10 million units last year after China Mobile and China Unicom started dabbling in the IoT market in 2017.

As demand for IoT chip in China is expected to drastically rise this year, major Chinese companies are already making impressive accomplishments in terms of IoT sales in the past year. For example, Xiaomis IoT products sold as part of its Home lineup eclipsed ten million sales on a global scale last December, three years after the Chinese electronics and software company made a formal commitment in the IoT industry. The companys accomplishment in the IoT market also marks a success in its strategy to diversify its business as well as a big boost to Chinas IoT market as a whole.
Samsung no longer considers LG to be one of its competitors within the mobile sector, according to comments provided by a company spokesperson during MWC 2018. The spokesperson was initially explaining to AndroidHeadlines how Samsungs latest smartphones  the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus  have less [sic] pre-installed apps than our competitor. After mentioning LG, the same representative clarified the position stating we dont see them as our competitor, I meant Apple.

Samsung and Apple have endured an interesting relationship, with the two companies often taking shots at each other. In some cases, these have manifested in the courts with one suing the other for, among other things, patent infringements. While in other instances, promotional videos have been made public designed to downplay the products, features, and services offered by the other. However, this is often seen as a byproduct of the two operating systems, Android and iOS, as it is not solely a Samsung and Apple situation. In contrast, within Android, it has always been assumed Samsung was battling to maintain its position as the dominant Android smartphone manufacturer, with part of that position maintenance typically involving fending off attacks from rival Android phone makers, including LG. However, as time has gone on, LGs ability to compete with Samsung has waned, with its mobile division struggling to keep up. According to recent figures from IDC highlighted by the end of 2017, Samsung occupied a 21.6-percent global smartphone market share, with Apple in second place with 14.7-percent. Figures that have largely remained unchanged over the previous year, with the two companies noting a market share of 21.1-percent and 14.6-percent, respectively. This is in contrast to LG who no longer registers as an independent entity on the IDCs list as the South Korean manufacturers figures are now buried within Others.

Advertisement

With Samsung and Apples combined market share for 2017 (36.3-percent) only barely changing compared to 2016 (35.7-percent), LGs drop in the market has not come at the hands of Samsung or Apple. Instead, it would seem LGs largest issue has come from the rise of Chinese manufacturers (such as Huawei, OPPO and Xiaomi). An aspect LG itself picked up on when it announced its financial results for 2017. As part of that announcement, and in spite of what the company stated were strong sales of the LG V30 and other premium smartphones and an improved business structure, LG also noted 2017 had seen the company face a challenging marketplace and strong competition from Chinese brands. IDC figures from earlier years further add evidence to this as when looking at the market share for the entire 2013, LG was accredited with accounting for 4.8-percent of the smartphone shipment market.

While this figure significantly pales in comparison to the 31.3-percent Samsung occupied during the same year, the difference is how LG was at the time recognized by the IDC as a direct competitor  with its 4.8-percent figure placing the company firmly in the fourth position, behind Samsung, Apple, and Huawei. A thats now occupied by OPPO as of 2017, according to the same industry tracker. For further comparison, during the same year, and in spite of Huawei still ranking higher than LG at the time, Huaweis market share stood at 4.9-percent, representing a 0.1-percent market share increase over LG. Even more revealing was the change that was taking effect up until that point. As the 2012 market share figures showed Huawei registering 4-percent and LG at 3.6-percent. Therefore, over the twelve months between 2012 and 2013, LG had effectively closed the gap on Huawei from 0.4-percent down to only 0.1-percent. Resulting in a greater year-over-year change for LG and in spite of Huawei seeing a year-over-year increase in market share of nearly 1-percent. Compare this to the most recent year-end figures, while LG has been relegated to the Others camp, Huawei has managed to maintain its third-place position with a 10.4-percent market share. Fast-forward just a year and by the end of 2014, the picture looked very different for LG who was no longer recognized as a top 5 vendor with Lenovo and Xiaomi filling out the list. Since then, LG has struggled to regain the market traction it saw up until 2014 even though the market has become more accessible, with Samsung and Apple both seeing their own market share decreasing.
Samsung is set to play a major part in 5G deployment efforts in the United States following a number of lucrative deals it made with several wireless carriers in the country. The company so far confirmed it will be supporting the initial 5G push of both Verizon and Sprint, with the former already awarding it a supply contract for its upcoming fixed wireless access service in January. Last month, Verizon also selected Samsung as a 4G LTE Open RAN provider meant to assist the largest stateside wireless carrier in its next 4G LTE initiative. The South Korean tech giant is also involved in Sprints early 5G buildout plans, together with Ericsson and Nokia, the Overland Park, Kansas-based telecom giant revealed at this years Mobile World Congress.

The next generation of wireless connectivity hence seems to be beneficial to Samsungs infrastructural ambitions in the U.S. where its still not among the most relevant players in terms of its overall physical footprint. The Seoul-based original equipment manufacturer is now looking to change that by leveraging its leadership in 5G, with many industry watchers estimating its chances of doing so are relatively high. Stefan Pongratz of DellOro Group believes Samsungs ambitions to increase the value of its $1.8 billion network business five-fold by 2022 is largely dependent on its success in the U.S. market where its presently gaining momentum due to its sub-6GHz Massive MIMO offerings and millimeter-wave technologies, both of which are expected to be crucial components of the 5G revolution, FierceWireless reports. Samsung is also likely to steal additional market share from Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE that have been effectively blocked from doing business in the country as Washingtons intelligence agencies recently raised spying concerns surround their equipment due to their close ties to Beijing.

Large-scale 5G deployment is expected to start in early 2019, with the technology being pioneered by the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Australia, and China. Stateside network operators are all targeting nationwide coverage by 2020, though it remains to be seen whether their fully commercialized networks end up relying on Samsung-made equipment as much as their experimental configurations do.
Small cells are already dominating Verizons wireless deployment efforts, having accounted for 62-percent of all of its 2017 installations, the largest mobile service provider in the United States revealed in a recent filing with the Federal Communications Commission. The New York City-based telecom giant is expecting its focus on small cell stations to continue growing going forward, primarily due to the advent of 5G. Verizon deems small cells a crucial component of its long-term wireless ambitions, having asserted such stations are meant to be the backbone of its plan to meet the growing demand for data on the part of both consumers and enterprises.

The percentage cited by Verizon doesnt just include individual small cell stations but also wireless facilities equipped with such solutions, as well as 5G base station equipment and distributed antenna nodes, according to the companys latest filing. The firm hasnt attached a specific unit figure to its 2017 wireless deployment claims, though the number of its new small cell stations installed over the course of the last year may be in the tens of thousands, according to some estimates. Verizon isnt the only telecom in the country thats counting on small cells to drive its 5G efforts as virtually anyone except for T-Mobile is pursuing the same infrastructural strategy, even though the four largest national carriers in the country are prioritizing different 5G services. In Verizons case, the company is adamant to introduce 5G connectivity via a fixed wireless access solution its looking to commercialize in select cities in the second half of the year, using network equipment provided by Samsung.

A 5G FWA solution wont just provide Verizon with some early return on its massive infrastructural investments but is simultaneously allowing the company to densify its network in preparation for the rollout of a real, truly wireless 5G service thats presently planned to begin in early 2019, some industry analysts previously said. Verizon and its rivals are still lobbying against small cell red tape thats preventing them from installing their portable stations in a more affordable manner, with the FCC and Capitol Hill still looking into their complaints.
T-Mobile has announced recognition by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a partner in its Green Power Partnership, following the companys recently reported efforts to go green. For those who may not be aware, the Green Power Partnership is a membership group that pools together and recognizes businesses and companies that are leading renewable energy programs in their industry. Its inclusion shouldnt be too much of a shock since the carrier recently made a public commitment to operate its business on 100-percent renewable energy sources by 2021. Interestingly enough, T-Mobile is reportedly the only major U.S.-based mobile services provider to be included in that group.

However, the company claims to have inspired AT&T to follow a similar path. Part of its commitment included donations of $500,000 to a non-profit organization in support of the advancement of green energy initiatives. It went further to promise a donation three times as large if other companies committed to operating on 100-percent clean energy by June 1. AT&T subsequently announced a plan to hit 20-percent renewable energy consumption. T-Mobile has claimed to be the inspiration behind that plan but it isnt immediately clear whether thats a direct correlation or pure coincidence. It is equally likely that AT&T had already intended to launch a green initiative and the company isnt even approaching the 100-percent stipulation set by T-Mobile. So, on the surface, its own plan doesnt appear to be motivated by anything but self-interest in sustainability. Irrespective of whether or not T-Mobile was the source of inspiration, the EPA certainly agrees that the carrier is providing a clear example for the industry to follow.

With that said, the self-proclaimed Un-Carrier is not the first tech giant to make that push. Google, for example, has been driving towards a fully sustainable operation since it signed its first wind power agreement back in 2010. Despite its best efforts, it has still fallen well short of its environmental goals but it has made commendable progress with consideration for how widespread and large the search giant is. T-Mobile should arguably have an easier time attaining its own goals, though it still wont be an easy achievement.
Xiaomi has just released yet another Mi MIX 2S teaser, and in that image, the company reconfirms the phones release date, while it also teases its design. If you take a look at the provided image, you will notice that the phone will get announced on March 27, which is something that we already knew, as the company confirmed it a while back. Now, this image also hints that the phone will not sport a notch, while its bottom bezels will be thicker than its side and top bezels, as only the bottom bezel is not shown in the image Xiaomi provided.

This probably means that the phone will resemble its predecessor, the Mi MIX 2, quite a bit, but it will probably offer thinner bezels than the Mi MIX 2, including its chin below the display. If you take a look at the city shown in the provided image, you will notice that this is Shanghai, well, some of you will. This is quite interesting, actually, considering that this is more or less a confirmation that the phone will be announced in Shanghai, not Beijing, which is not something were used to seeing from Xiaomi. This China-based company almost always hosts its press conferences in Beijing, so this is a nice change of pace, and an interesting move at the same time. A front-facing camera will probably be included below the display on the Mi MIX 2S, as was the case with front-facing snappers of both the Mi MIX and Mi MIX 2.

If an image, which leaked yesterday, is to be believed, the Mi MIX 2S will sport a vertically-aligned dual camera setup on its back. This dual camera setup actually resembles the one on the Redmi Note 5 Pro, and an LED flash will be included in-between those two snappers. A fingerprint scanner will sit on the back of the Mi MIX 2S, while the phone will be made out of metal and glass, though a ceramic unibody variant is a possibility as well. The phone will be fueled by the Snapdragon 845 64-bit octa-core SoC, that much was confirmed by Xiaomi, while the device is also expected to support wireless charging. The Mi MIX 2S will utilize on-screen buttons, and it is quite possible that both 6GB and 8GB RAM variants will be available.

Advertisement

Buy the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2
Best Tattoo Creams and Lotions

Tattoo Aftercare 101: Everything You Need to Know

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

Product photos from retailer sites.

Getting a tattoo isnt exactly like spoiling yourself with a mampering treatment. The pain of a needle penetrating deep into your skin can never be likened to that of whats experienced when given a clean shave by your barber or facial at a luxury spa. But youve endured the pain routinely, so youre practically comfortable with the inking process at this point.

RELATED: Got a New Tattoo? Here's How to Take Care of It, the Right Way

Yet youre still wondering why the branding on your biceps is starting to fade out. Or why its emitting heat. Or why its oozing. In other words, you caught a serious ill last time by not taking the proper measures to ensure the safety of both your cool new artwork and your skin's health. The one item that was missing from your tattoo aftercare arsenal: a tattoo cream or lotion.

What Not to Do After Getting a Tattoo

No tattoo aftercare product in the world will help undo the damage you can potentially do to your fresh ink in the first few days after getting it done. To that end, do not do the following:

Submerge your tattoo in water

Stretch the skin or underlying muscles via exercise

Wear skin-tight clothing over your tattoo

Scratch, rub, or pick at your new tattoo

Spend too much time in direct sunlight

If you don't do any of those things, you're on the right path, but you can take proactive steps to ensure your tattoo looks as good as you imagined it would, well into the future. That starts with choosing the right aftercare cream or lotion. Don't use any of the following creams or lotions on a fresh tattoo:

Alcohol

Aloe

Baby Oil

Bag Balm

Mineral Oil

Neosporin

Noxzema

Peroxide

Vaseline

Vitamin E

Benefits of Tattoo Creams and Lotions

Improves appearance : It can preserve colors and designs to maintain the "brand-new" look, while masking any peeling skin.

: It can preserve colors and designs to maintain the "brand-new" look, while masking any peeling skin. Nourishes skin : Many are specially formulated with nutrients and vitamins to enhance and expedite the healing process.

: Many are specially formulated with nutrients and vitamins to enhance and expedite the healing process. Prevents infections : Moisturizing the tattooed area stops scabs from forming and seals lacerations to keep bacteria from spreading.

: Moisturizing the tattooed area stops scabs from forming and seals lacerations to keep bacteria from spreading. Relieves irritation: New ink can make skin more sensitive, therefore a salve helps reduce itchiness, rashes, and other skin-irritant conditions.

Quite the easy sell, huh? Nothing a certified dermatologist or your tattooist wouldnt share, but key information that proves why applying lotion to your newly crafted body marks is the sensible thing to do. Also knowing that no ordinary body lotion or cream will suffice is reasonable thinking.

What to Look for in a Tattoo Aftercare Product

We say "reasonable" because in all actuality a lot of over-the-counter lotions tend to work well. It's highly recommended that you seek out ones formulated for sensitive skin and that use natural ingredients. Avoid all the harmful stuff such as artificial coloring, fragrances, and parabens.

RELATED: Keep Her Coming Closer - Pick Up These Body Lotions For Perfectly Smooth Skin

Youre likely to stumble upon butters composed from organic additives, along with specialized creams containing special blends of nutrients designed specifically for tattoo healing. Talk about mad options to work with right there. But how do you separate the best from the worst? Why should you? Leave that to us. These are the best tattoo creams and lotions youll want to maintain your new ink.

Best Lotions and Creams for Tattoo Aftercare

Best Overall Tattoo Ointment

Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Healing Ointment

A mainstay for the dry and chapped crowd, Aquaphors remedial lotion comes highly recommended by both dermatologists and tattoo artists. Besides giving forth serious healing power, its medicated to seal cuts and soothe any discomfort in affected areas  creating a barrier between skin and bacteria that prevents infections from spreading. Chaffing and wind burn becomes an afterthought too. No fragrance or preservatives are used, making it suitable for sensitive types. Still, its most appealing attribute proves to be the unbeatable price tag. An Amazon Best Seller badge doesnt hurt its pedigree either.

Promising Review: "This forms part of my tattoo healing regimen. I couple this with Eucerin. Apply a thin layer of Aquaphor after sanitizing the tattoo wound with non-scented anti-bacterial soap. Massage the Aquaphor onto the skin for three to five minutes at least twice daily for the first five days after having gotten the tattoo done. The Eucerin comes after as the itching process begins, keeps the skin hydrated and healthy. Thats how I keep my tattoo beauties looking nice. Cant do without Aquaphor."  Bri

$13.74 at Amazon.com

Best Inexpensive Tattoo Lotion

Lubriderm Daily Moisture Hydrating Unscented Body Lotion

Lubriderm is a go-to for guys and gals alike when it comes to easy, affordable tattoo protection. The creamy vitamin B5-enriched concoction goes anywhere ink goes and is proven to moisturize skin for a full 24 hours while also helping improve skin's natural moisture barrier  a crucial benefit when it comes to skin just inked. In fact, the fast-absorbing, non-greasy formula of this body lotion helps keep tattooed skin looking its best. Plus, this dermatologist-developed brand is the number one recommended brand by tattoo artists for tattoo care and aftercare. If youre a big fan of the ink, we suggest you just buy in bulk now.

Promising Review: "I have to start off with saying I really, really don't like lotion. I rarely use it. I hate the greasy feeling and it taking forever to soak in. I bought this because I was getting a larger tattoo colored and didn't want to use Aquaphor the entire time, and I'm so glad I gave this a try. It is a large bottle that will last me forever, has a light scent, soaks in within minutes and moisturizes well!"  Claudia

$7.28 at Amazon.com

Best Vegan Tattoo Butter

Hustle Butter Deluxe

Made 100 percent vegan, this tub of butter was formulated to safeguard skin before, during, and after you get inked up. Inside is a special mix of aloe, mango, and shea butters that when combined with a series of carrier oils offers tremendous skin-repairing properties. Its basically a mending ointment that moisturizes skin just as good as top-notch body lotions. Most professional artists rely heavily on the product to reduce redness and swelling. And unlike other tattoo aftercare products, this one doesnt create petroleum build-up, nor does it affect or remove stencils. Best of all, its made to work underneath clothing without staining or leaving marks on the fabric.

Promising Review: "Hustle Butter is the absolute best. I have tried many creams and oils for tattoos, both to heal a new tatt or to restore appearance of old tattoos. This cream has a pleasant scent; honey and mango to me. The photo shows a new tattoo I am using Hustle Butter to heal. I have had ZERO pain or discomfort healing, and no sloughing or ZERO color loss. Keeps the tattoo moist and supply and application goes on smoothly and lasts all day. Hustle Butter is also amazing on old or existing tattoos. Restores color intensity to old tatts, and makes your skin moisturized and supple. Don't throw your money away on worthless products for tattoo care that fall short on delivering what they promise. Hustle Butter is the only product you need ~ before and after your tattoo. Best product I have found. I will definitely be reordering."  RascalCat

$12.99 at Amazon.com

Best Gentle Exfoliating Tattoo Lotion

Billy Jealousy Tattoo Lotion

Much like many of the products in the Billy Jealousy line, this special care lotion not only smells amazing, but polishes and exfoliates skin just right without stripping your artwork of its fine detailing. Niche elements such as cucumber extract and hydrolyzed oat protein retains color and moisture to enhance a tattoos appearance. Essential oils and shea butter provide more definition too. Its a non-irritant salve that doesnt clog pores, so to remove dead skin cells with finesse. Feel free to pick up the lotion by itself or ensure the fullest skin protection possible by picking up the Marked IV Life Tattoo Kit, which packages a tattoo wash and salve extra.

Promising Review: "Awesome product! Makes tattoos like vibrant including ones I had for decades."  Chazz

$45 at Amazon.com

Best Lightweight Tattoo Cream

H2Ocean Ocean Care Tattoo Aftercare Cream

This water-based formula is another vegan-friendly choice that absorbs nicely onto skin and penetrates it to deliver enough nourishment for preserving ink color. Youll find a wide range of minerals, vitamins, and USP-grade ingredients on the label, each one selected to speed up the healing process to bolster healthier results. Another benefit of it being petroleum-free is it wont stick or stain your finest threads. Cleanse any tattoo instantly and reduce scabbing by simply letting it dry on the body. Scent might be a bit overpowering for some, but its no deal-breaker. The cream also comes part of a three-step tattoo aftercare kit with antibacterial soap and moisturizer included.

Promising Review: "I love this stuff! I have a 15 hour back piece that's for days old and this stuff works like magic. I don't feel sticky or oily under my clothes, it rubs in super well, and i don't have to reapply it nine times a day (I only need morning and night. 10/10. I will DEFINITELY buy this again."  Robbyn

$9.99 at Amazon.com

Best Tattoo Lotion for Large Areas

After Inked Tattoo Moisturizer and Aftercare Lotion

After Inked remains one of the most respected brands in the tattoo makeup industry. This vegan-friendly salve is living proof, supporting great consistency and healing features. Its a non-greasy, fragrance-free lotion that moisturizes incredibly well thanks to several carrier oils and shea butter. You might appreciate its amiable scent with hints of grape refreshing your senses and skin. The lotion is perfect for those whove undergone laser tattoo removal as well. While safe for all skin types, some reviewers claimed it causes a sting when used on fresh tattoos, though the pain is temporary. So the manufacturer recommends reading the instructions first before applying.

Promising Review: "Finally a lotion that I can use on very sensitive skin. I have been suffering from mild psoriasis for a while now, And i'm able to use this one my forehead without it irritating it. This stuff was a god send, My tattoo buddy gave it to me after I got my last tattoo's. I had tried it out on my hands and face with the extra that I had out of the sample pack fell in love. So I ended up ordering the tube of it, Thought it was kinda pricey but a little goes a long way so in theory its not. Im happy to have accidentally find this product! Great for your tattoo's or everyday care. Thanks after inked for such an awesome product!"  Mitchell

$19.99 at Amazon.com

Best Tattoo Lotion for Long Term Use

Tattoo Goo Original Aftercare Lotion

A little goes a long way with this 2oz. tube of Goo. Much of its appeal comes from its uniformity, spreading evenly to form a thin layer that doesnt interfere with your skins natural moisturizing factors, while still penetrating deep enough to enhance pigmentation on new and old tattoos. It employs vitamins, herbs, and other nutrients to accomplish this. The formula is gentle for everyday use and wont clog pores, so you'll have more leverage to exfoliate when necessary. Past users have raved over its ability to heal flakiness, plus made note of how it makes colors pop and blacks even blacker. Theres no reason why you shouldnt either.

Promising Review: "I have used this product on four tattoos and highly recommend it. Two of them were large shoulder pieces and I had no itching whatsoever during the healing period. I applied it at least four times a day until all scabbing was completely gone. It quickly absorbs into the skin and clothing can be worn over it immediately after applying. Great aftercare lotion!"  Working Man

$6.25 at Amazon.com

Best Bronzing Tattoo Lotion

Ed Hardy Get Ripped Cooling Bronzer Tattoo Fade Protection Tanning Lotion

Rip on the fashion line all you like. But to the surprise of many (well, everyone), its aftercare tattoo solution might be the only product under the Ed Hardy imprint you cant knock. The oil-free serum features a tattoo fade protector complex made to stimulate tyrosine activity to produce longer results. Despite its masculine scent bringing back memories of your youthful and tacky fashion sense, youll find much value in its efficacy to eliminate after-tan odor. Fuller pigmentation. Improved skin elasticity. Unique cooling effect. Learn to maintain tattoo vibrancy leaving no designs untouched.

Promising Review: "I have tried 20+ lotions in all price brackets. As a guy, this is one of my new favorites."  Lunesta

$33.99 at Amazon.com

Best Tattoo Lotion for Extended Care

Ink Fixx All Natural Tattoo Lotion

Ideal for extended care, Ink Fixx serves better in the later stages of tattoo healing by doing away with itchiness and redness. Its said to have all-natural moisturizers and vitamins that keep tats looking shiny and provide them more definition. Healing might not be its biggest strength, but it holds enough key ingredients to rejuvenate and revitalize skin over time. Moisturization won't ever be a problem since aloe, sunflower seed oil, and vitamin E extract take on the duty of keeping your bark hydrated.

Promising Review: "Ink Fixx has the best tattoo care products bar none. This stuff is the real deal, and it is worth the extra buck. Would you rather have your tattoo fade/blur while using the cheap stuff, or spend a couple bucks more once a year and have your ink last forever?

I originally got Ink Fixx because my tattoo artist threw it in with the deal he gave me. I have used it from day one since I got my tattoo (which has lots of reds, blues, and some yellow in it). Now, three years later, people who have never met me before ask me when I got my tattoo (thinking I just got it a few weeks ago). Then I tell them it's been three years, and they are stunned. Since then I have researched what kinds of ingredients help keep your ink shiny ... and this stuff as all of them.

This stuff works so well that my tattoo still is raised along most of the lines. I don't let my ink see the sun and I put Ink Fixx on it almost daily. From the looks of it I will have nice definition on my tattoo for a long time to come because of this stuff.

I tend to alternate between using the Ink Fixx lotion and the ointment. As my artist put it ... the lotion is your daily driver, and the ointment is the car wax to make it sparkle when you want to show it off."  Micah

$6.99 at Amazon.com

Chances are you dropped top dollar for your new ink, so by using one of these lotions or creams, you'll make sure to get the highest return on your investment.

You Might Also Dig:

AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use.
Most People Don't Feel Safe Using Tinder Abroad, Survey Finds

Trending News: Is Tinder Safe In A Foreign Country?

Long Story Short

Plenty of people are still iffy about using Tinder in a foreign country, according to a new survey.

Long Story

With spring break coming up  WOOO SPRING BREAK YEAAHHH  plenty of people will be traveling abroad to places like Mexico, the Dominican Republic, or perhaps somewhere like Ibiza in Spain or Lagos in Portugal. If you're trying to find someone to take care of you the morning after far too many poolside daiquiris  should you get to swiping?

AskMen and Offers.com surveyed 1,000 Americans and found that among those planning on using dating apps, 36% will be on Tinder while on spring break, followed by Bumble (24%), Zoosk (13%), Grindr (10%), Happn (9%), OkCupid (7%) (here's how to find the best dating site for you).

But, there's a general chill when it comes to using dating apps in foreign countries  and I'm not talking about a chilly Corona. Just 15.7% of people feel safe using dating apps abroad and 63.4% say they never would, according to the survey. The rest, 20.9%, said it depends on the country.

Everyone's swiping at home  let's be honest  so why not in another country? It might have to do with some weird idea (if you ask me) about a language barrier. A whopping 67.7% of people say they wouldn't meet up  not even so far as dating  with someone who doesn't speak English.

I honestly find this baffling. Don't know how to hablar espanol? That's nothing some Spanish pickup lines can't fix. Got through to the first date and wondering if they're into it or not? Read their body language. Dating someone from another country is a great way to learn about a new culture, as well as another language. Heck, it beats sitting in front of your computer using Rosetta Stone.

As long as you keep your wits about you and make sure the person's not catfishing you  some Google sleuthing might help  there's not much to worry about when swiping abroad. On the contrary, Tinder is actually a great way to meet locals and find out cool non-touristy spots.

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

Can a relationship ever work out if you don't speak the same native language as your partner?

Drop This Fact

Want to give your iffy Spanish a try while abroad? Drinking alcohol might help.
Lawyers across Utah opened an official email from the states bar association on Monday afternoon only to be greeted by an inappropriate image.

Utah State Bar officials have apologised after an email sent to a mailing list of all practising lawyers featured an image of a topless woman. The email, which began with an image of Lady Justice, was promoting the bars annual spring convention that starts today in the city of St. George. The email was encouraging walk-in registrations for the three-day event.

The bar sent out an apology email about 20 minutes after the promotional email was sent.
The judge handling Slater and Gordons billion-dollar claim against Watchstone Group is worried about a glut of witness statements in the case.

Justice Christopher Butcher said during an application hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice that he is concerned by applications that rely on eight witness statements. Each of these statements could be more than 30 pages, the Law Society Gazette said.

The judge said that there is no cap on these statements, and that he is not very keen on what could be an enormous amount of witness statements. The inclusion of witness statements of more than 30 pages have been made subject to separate applications, the Law Society Gazette said.
In 2013, he co-founded NewLaw firm LawPath, with which NRF formed an alliance in early 2016. He is also the co-creator of the worlds first artificial intelligence chatbot, which is built on IBMs Watson.

At NRF, he regularly advises on tech-related M&A and investment, IT procurement, telecommunications, and data privacy and cyber-security matters. Since 2012, he has advised on TMT-related transactions worth more than $3bn around the world.

Abraham is also involved with the government as the only lawyer on the Australian federal governments consultative working group on cyber-safety. He has been appointed by the New South Wales finance minister to the states procurement advisory board and is a past president of the Australian Communications and Media Law Association.

Right across our firm, we are focussed on working with the big global technology companies as well as those fast growing scale-ups that are going to be the global players of the future, Abraham said.

In its focus on client service, the firm is leveraging its global capabilities in disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, blockchain, fintech, and cryptocurrencies, he said.
In order to keep up with work, criminal barristers in the UK routinely skip lunch.

The revelation comes from Angela Rafferty QC, who chairs The Criminal Bar Association of England and Wales. The comment comes as the UK reforms its Advocates Graduated Fee Scheme after a consultation proposed paying criminal advocates based on complexity of a matter rather than the pages of a case.

Everyone is ground down and the latest fee reform will feel like another huge worry. I know that you are all being asked to do more and more for less and less including training outside work hours and the constant drafting of documents and reading of huge volumes of material you know you will never be paid for, Rafferty said in a note to criminal barristers.
CVT

The European brother of the Fit in X-Road specification is gifted with black-painted plastic moldings around the wheel arches and side skirts. The front and rear underruns, by contrast, are finished in silver. Nothing special at all, isnt it?Prepare to get disappointed again, for the 16-inch alloy wheels are nothing to write home about. Hopping inside the X-Road isnt all that different from the regular Jazz , the X-Road-branded floor mats being the only add-ons worthy of mention.As if this wasnt a half-baked effort, the engine lineup wont get your pulse racing either. The 1.3-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder is the sole choice, tuned to develop 103 PS (102 horsepower) and 123 Nm (91 pound-feet). With peak torque available from 5,000 rpm, youll have to rev the hell out of the engine to pass at higher speeds.In addition to the six-speed manual transmission that comes standard, Honda offers afor those who couldnt care less about shifting their own gears. Why didnt the automaker offer the 1.5-liter i-VTEC as an option, well, nobody but Honda knows the answer to that.Pricing has yet to be announced, but dont expect anything too peppered from the X-Road. The 1.3-liter Jazz with stick shift, for reference, retails from 16,640 euros in Germany. The UK-spec model, on the other hand, will set you back 14,115 pounds sterling.In addition to the X-Road, the Jazz received the so-called Chrome Pack at the Swiss show. As the name implies, it consists of front lower, tailgate, and window decorations, and thats all there is to it. The highlight of the Honda stand, however, is the all-new CR-V in European specification, which ditches turbo diesel for hybrid power
However, the Angelholm people did give us something more important to talk about - the carmaker is developing a successor for the Agera RS, its internal combustion-only model.During the Koenigsegg press conference, Christian von Koenigsegg revealed that the Regera hybrid is set to receive a stablemate."We are working on a replacement for the Agera RS, which you will see at the next [2019] Geneva motor show," the Koenigsegg helm man said, as Car Magazine writes Returning to the Regera specials we mentioned in the intro, these are present at the Swiss venue to showcase two opposite specs for the gas-electric model, one focused on speed and the other emphasizing luxury.We'll start with the latter - the Regera d'Elegance comes dressed in Swedish Blue, featuring blue tinted and exposed carbon fiber, along with green stripes. The automaker's Tresex carbon fiber wheels are also on duty.As for the first special, we're looking at the Ghost package, whose Crystal White features exposed carbon fiber and orange details, with the car featuring the company's most extreme aero package.Both machines pack a gas-electric powerplant working with the automaker's Direct Drive transmissionless hardware to put 1,500 ponies to the road.When it comes to the CCX accompanying the pair of Regeras, this is here to help the carmaker celebrate 25 years of market presence. The company stated that the CCX was its first machine to receive worldwide homologation.And now that we've gone through the details of the K stand, we're inviting you to feast your eyes on the said Regeras in the live photo gallery above.
AWD

The latest concept in a series that started in 2013 by the Viziv and Viziv Evolution, the Tourer could be a preview of the second body style of the next-generation WRX and WRX STI. On the other hand, this might be wishful thinking on our part, more so if you consider the that automakers R&D budget is limited.On the priorities list, Subarus biggest is electrification. Battery-powered electric vehicles are confirmed to launch in 2021, but until then, plug-in hybrid models such as the boxer-engined Crosstrek with Toyota Prius Prime technology will have to suffice. Thats right; the R&D budget is so tight, Subaru called up Toyota for help.4,775 millimeters long and with a wheelbase of 2,730 millimeters, the Viziv Tourer Concept has seating for four people, an undisclosed boxer engine, and Symmetrical. What that translates to is the lack of mild-, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid technology , which could make some people raise their eyebrows with discontent.On the plus side, the Tourer is the prettiest concept in the series, make no mistake about it. The latest evolution of the Dynamic x Solid design language is a step in the right direction, with Subaru in dire need of a visual reinvention to keep customers interested in their products. Also worthy of mention is the next version of the EyeSight system, which in this case, promises to reduce driver fatigue on long journeys.Series production of the next-generation driver-assist technologies is scheduled for launch in 2020, with Subaru underlining that the internal combustion engine will soldier on past the year 2020. Through advances to the Global Platform of the Impreza and Ascent, the brand also aims to pursue ultimate levels of safety, with the end game being the elimination of automobile accidents.
This graduation season, Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Philippines, offers multiple cash discounts, low down payment, and low monthly payment on all their passenger cars. From the A-segment Eon all to the way to the people mover Grand Starex, customers may avail of this promo in any authorized Hyundai dealership nationwide.

Buyers of any Hyundai passenger vehicle may avail of multiple packages available for their vehicle. They may either avail of a cash discount, a low down payment plan or low monthly plan for their vehicles. Those opting for a low monthly payment plans require a 50-percent downpayment on SRP and is coupled with a 60 month term.

Starting with the Hyundai Eon, those paying in straight cash may can avail of a Php 50,000 discount on both variants. For those who want a low down payment, they may choose between Php 101,000 for the GLX MT a Php 104,600 down payment for the GLX MT w/ Navi. Low monthly payments begin at Php 6,241 per month.

For one of Hyundai's best selling vehicle, the Accent, cash buyers may avail of a Php 50,000 discount for all variants, be it hatchback or sedan. Low down payment scheme begins at Php 138,000 for the base 1.4 GL MT sedan and tops out at Php 194,000 for the 1.6 CRDi GL 7AT-DCT (Dsl). Low monthly payment option which ranges from Php 8,527 to Php 11,988.

Cash buyers of the Elantra can save up Php 95,000 for the 1.6-liter models and Php 150,000 for the 2.0-liter variants. Low downpayment can be had for as low as Php 193,000 for the base 1.6 model. A low monthly payment for the Elantra which begins at Php 11,926 can also be availed .

All variants of the Tucson may now be had with a Php 100,000 discount for cash buyers. Those paying via financing can avail of low down payment plans which ranges from Php 231,600 to Php 343,000 depending on the variant. Low monthly payments begins at Php 14,311 for the base model and tops out at Php 21,195.

Those needing a large people carrier can also avail of the Starex with this promo. Cash discounts varies from Php 100,000 to Php 150,000 depending on the variant. Low down payment plans starts at Php 249,600 for the seatless variant and goes up as high as Php 411,000 for the range topper. The low monthly payment for the Starex ranges from Php 15,423 up to Php 25,396.

The Santa Fe can be availed with a cash discount of Php 100,000. Buyers may also choose to have low down payment plan for this vehicle is at Php 368,000 or have a low monthly payment of only Php 22,739. Meanwhile, the Veloster is being offered with a Php 80,000 discount for cash transactions while low down payment is at Php 321,600. The sporty hatchback can also be had with a low monthly payment of Php 19,872.

For the Sonata, cash buyers may enjoy as much as Php 200,000 discount on both variants. Low down payment schemes begins at Php 339,600 with low monthly payments starting at Php 17,104.

Hyundai's new 'Graduate Na' promo runs from March 1 to 31, 2018. For more information, you may visit the Hyundai Philippines website or visit a dealership near you.
image: USAF

The U.S. Air Force is losing its pilots to lucrative airline jobs, according to a report in this weeks Air Force Times, and thats likely to continue if the military pilots dont get more flight time and upgraded airplanes. We are seeing an Air Force that is back on its heels, John Venable, a former F-16 pilot, told the Times. Theyre all on the back side of the power curve. Part of the problem is that the mission-capable status of aircraft is deteriorating, with fewer than half of the F-22 Raptor fleet ready to fly. Maintenance workers are scarce, with a shortfall of about 200 positions, and many of the workers now on staff have minimal experience. Top-ranked maintainers, who can supervise and sign off on work, are in alarmingly short supply, according to the Times.

The Air Force is currently about 2,000 pilots short, and many pilots are getting fewer flying hours than they should to maintain their skills. Flying hours is the big one. Thats where the rubber meets the road, Venable said. They fly four times a month, or five times a month, and thats what youre going to give them? Why would anybody want to stay in that force? To fix the situation, Gen. Hawk Carlisle, former head of Air Combat Command, told the Times: We need to buy more airplanes, we need to increase our end strength, and we need to modernize and recapitalize our fleet.
Nine advocacy groups representing general aviation interests wrote to members of Congress this week urging support for the FAAs contract tower program. About $172 million in funding is needed for the 254 towers now in the program, plus several new towers that are expected to be added in the next fiscal year, according to the letter. These towers now handle about 28 percent of all ATC tower operations, and because they cost less to operate than FAA towers, they save taxpayers about $200 million every year, the advocates said. Among the groups signing the letter (PDF) are AOPA, NBAA, NATA and the Regional Airline Association.

FAA contract tower controllers do an excellent job of handling ATC services at hundreds of our nations smaller airports in rural communities, said AOPA President Mark Baker. We believe funding for this program is essential to secure aviation safety and promote economic development. We encourage bipartisan support of this cost-effective government/industry partnership. The program supports towers at small airports in 46 states.
The Department of Justice is suing the State of California, alleging "obstruction of federal immigration enforcement," Politico reports.

Why it matters: The Trump administration has been battling California over sanctuary laws and immigration enforcement for months now. Just last month, Trump said he would consider pulling Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials out of the state because they were getting no support.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said: "California has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and the responsibility of the Congress to protect our homeland .... I appreciate the efforts of Attorney General Sessions and the Department of Justice to uphold the rule of law and protect American communities.

said: "California has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and the responsibility of the Congress to protect our homeland .... I appreciate the efforts of Attorney General Sessions and the Department of Justice to uphold the rule of law and protect American communities. Per Politico, the three laws the lawsuit mentions , are:

, are: SB 54  which keeps state and local officials from "sharing information with immigration authorities under certain circumstances and...bars transfers of certain immigrations to federal custody."



AB 450  keeping private employers "from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement at the workplace."



AB 103  seeking "to regulate contract detention facilities used to hold federal immigration prisoners."

What to watch for: Per Politico, Attorney General Jeff Sessions is going to California on Friday, to "tout the new lawsuit...in a speech to law enforcement officials."
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke speaks during the Georgetown to Austin March for Democracy rally on July 31, 2021, in Austin, Texas. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Former Rep. Beto ORourke is preparing to run for governor of Texas in 2022, with an announcement expected later this year, Texas political operatives tell Axios.

Why it matters: O'Rourke's entry would give Democrats a high-profile candidate with a national fundraising network to challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbott  and give ORourke, a former three-term congressman from El Paso and 2020 presidential candidate and voting rights activist, a path to a political comeback.
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said on Wednesday that there are "potential carve-outs for Mexico and Canada based on national security," regarding the tariffs announced by President Trump.

Why it matters: The tariffs announced on steel and aluminum have been a controversial topic, getting backlash abroad and at home. Sanders said Trump "will sign something by the end of the week."
Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday officially announced the DOJ's lawsuit against California, charging that state officials are undermining the Trump administration's immigration agenda and that the states radical sanctuary cities law is advancing an open borders philosophy.

Why it matters: Almost every immigration policy proposal or executive order has been met with litigation, and several items have been blocked in California courts. Sessions also directly attacked Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf for warning immigrants of an ICE raid. "How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open borders agenda," he said.
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 93 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said March 7.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Rashid Shirinov

It is no secret that today there is a terrible situation with unemployment in Armenia. It is one of the factors that lead to the very problematic demographic situation in the country.

Armenias population has long realized that President Sargsyan and his team do practically nothing to ease the life of ordinary people. The situation has reached such a point that many Armenian men have to live and work in other countries whereas their families remain in Armenia.

This is quite understandable  the economy of Armenia is replenished by transfers. Those who are dissatisfied with life in Armenia, those who cannot find a decent job in their homeland, leave for other countries  mainly in Russia  and monthly send money to their families in Armenia.

American actor of Armenian origin Levon Sharafyan recognized in his recent interview with 1in.am that in Armenia there is a whole stratum of people leading a dependent life, who are waiting for their relatives from abroad to send $200-$300 every month.

As for those who stay in Armenia and work there, their salaries are mainly low, and there is no social protection for these people. The Armenian media often write about employers refusal to pay salaries to their employees or multi-month delays in their payment.

For example, the former employees of the liquidated clothing factory Continent Text, which operated under the Armenian police, demand payment of their eight-month wages, and this continues for five years already. Moreover, some employees of the factory were injured at work, but the company did not pay the compensation. There are many such cases throughout Armenia.

Business culture in Armenia is at a very low level, since business in the country was developed by people who were bad at this  former managers of USSR large enterprises, factories, as well as servicemen, people who fought in Karabakh and criminal elements, Gagik Makaryan, chairman of the Union of Employers of Armenia, told Armenian media.

These are the very reason why Armenians opt to leave their homeland. People want to work in a country where their work would be valued, where they would see respect from the employers. Todays Armenia still cannot provide the population with this.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Azerbaijans Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FIMSA) proposes to apply preferences for companies admitted to the exchange list, Javid Nazarov, director of the Financial Market Supervisory Department of the FIMSA, told Trend March 6.

He said this is widely used in the world.

For example, investors hold securities for a certain period of time and when they sell them, they are exempted from income tax on the transaction, Nazarov said. We want to apply similar experience in Azerbaijan, in order to boost the facilities entrance to the exchange list.

Nazarov also commented on the issue of creation of national ratings agencies in Azerbaijan.

We have conducted a number of studies and are waiting for information from markets, Nazarov said. The Association of Stock Market Participants of Azerbaijan should also make its proposals. Only after a comprehensive analysis we will be able to give a concrete answer on this issue.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Kamila Aliyeva

A high-level delegation of Azerbaijan headed by Azerbaijan's Economy Minister, Chairman of the coordination council for transit and cargo transportation Shahin Mustafayev visited Georgia to discuss economic cooperation, as well as prospects for expanding relations in the transport and transit sphere.

The main goal is to increase the volume of cargo transportation via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, Mustafayev said during Azerbaijani delegation's visit to Georgia on March 6.

The main goal is to increase the volume of goods transported via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and to explore ways to make more efficient use of existing opportunities. A great interest in passenger transportation via the BTK, which will create broad opportunities for tourism development, should also be taken into account. Thanks to joint efforts we will reach our goal, he said.

On the first day of the visit, at a meeting with the first vice-premier of Georgia, Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Dmitry Kumshishvili and Interior Minister Georgy Gakharya, the importance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project for the economic development of the participating countries, cooperation between countries in the field of economy, investment, transport and transit were noted.

Mustafayev said that the relations between the countries are developing in all spheres and the two countries take part in joint projects of international importance. It was noted that Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and other projects contributed to the welfare of the two peoples.

The sides also noted that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, as well as other projects, will play an important role not only for development of the South Caucasus, but also for the development of Europe, the unification of Europe and Asia.

Kumsishvili, in turn, spoke about the economic, political and cultural relations between the two countries, and said that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and other regional projects play an important role in developing cooperation.

Recalling his meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Kumsishvili highly appreciated the special attention the head of state paid to the BTK and other regional projects.

Mustafayev noted the expansion of trade relations between the two countries.

The Azerbaijani delegation included high-ranking officials of the Ministries of Economy and Finance, the State Oil Fund, Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, Baku International Trade Port CJSC and Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company CJSC.

New infrastructure will be built along the Akhalkalaki-Kartsakhi section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway following a regular meeting of the BTK Coordination Council in Tbilisi, according to the Azerbaijan Railways.

The official opening ceremony of the BTK railway was held in Baku on October 30. The BTK railway, which is of great importance for Azerbaijan, was constructed on the basis a Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement.

The main purpose of the project is to improve economic relations between the three countries and gain foreign direct investment by connecting Europe and Asia.

The railways peak capacity will be 17 million tons of cargo per year. At an initial stage, this figure will be one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Georgia in 2017 increased by 17 percent, and exports to Georgia jumped up by 13 percent.

To date, Azerbaijan has invested $3 billion in the economy of Georgia. More than 300 Georgian companies are registered in Azerbaijan, and about 1,300 Azerbaijani companies are registered in Georgia. Azerbaijan's SOCAR is successfully operating in Georgia.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Laman Ismayilova

Art installation by famous German artist Mischa Kuball will be shown in Baku on March 10.

The idea to make "Space-Speech-Speed" inspiration in Kapellhaus came to German artist while he was visiting Baku in December upon invitation of Goethe-Zentrum Baku, the local branch of international cultural organization  Goethe-Institut.

For one month the main hall of Kapellhaus will be transformed into magnificent light installation that calls for relaxation, Report.az informs.

The exhibition will last until April 8. The event starts at 18:00.

By the way, an artist talk (in English with consecutive translation into Azerbaijani) starts at 19:00.

Mischa Kuball, conceptual artist, has been working in the public and institutional sphere since 1977.

Since 2007 he has been a Professor for public art at the Academy of Media Arts, Cologne, and associate professor for media art at Hochschule fur Gestaltung/ZKM, Karlsruhe. Since 2015 he has been a member of the North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences, Humanities and the Arts, Duesseldorf. In 2016 he was honoured with the German Light Award.

German artist works extensively with light that he describes as an effective tool to operate in the urban structure. The artists interventions enchant the space by equally powerful use of light and darkness that highlight previously unnoticeable details, convert ordinary into unordinary and transform the space unrecognizably.

Less is more and minimalism is eloquently strong in Mischa Kuballs works. Throughout his 40 years artistic practice Mischa Kuballs has focused on giving a platform and creating opportunity to many to express themselves through the means of his art.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Laman Ismayilova

British Council brings a unique and renowned UK dance company comprised of male professional deaf

dancers to Azerbaijan.

The British Council in Azerbaijan in cooperation with the British Embassy and in partnership with the Yarat Contemporary Space and Nizami Cinema Centre has announced the performance of "Ten" dance staged by Deaf Men Dancing.

The dance number will be staged at Yarat Contemporary Art Space on March 12 and the Nizami Cinema Centre on March 13 at 19:00.

Deaf Men Dancing is an all-male deaf dance company with a fusion of different styles of dance incorporating British Sign-Language.

Deaf Men Dancing, led by Artistic Director, Mark Smith, a choreographer and Director is a collaboration of professional male dancers who, like Mark, are deaf. Together they have created and developed a fusion of different styles of dance with sign-language incorporated into choreography creating a unique, interesting and original aesthetic.

Their Artistic Director/Choreographer Mark Smith in collaboration with designer Ryan Dawson Laight and composer Sean Chandler, is proud to present their new work called Ten, inspired by double acts like Laurel & Hardy, Flanagan & Allen, Morecambe & Wise, Abbott & Costello and Gilbert & George.

The performance will host representatives of Human Foundation (Human Deaf) community and people with hearing impairment.

Moreover, "A Place in the Sun" will be staged at State Theatre of Young Spectators on March 9 and Nizami Cinema Centre on March 13 at 19:00. Admission is free.

YARAT is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to nurturing an understanding of contemporary art in Azerbaijan and to creating a platform for Azerbaijani art, both nationally and internationally. Based in Baku, YARAT (meaning CREATE in Azerbaijani) was founded by Aida Mahmudova in 2011.

It realizes its mission through an on-going program of exhibitions, education events and festivals. YARAT facilitates exchange between local and international artistic networks including foundations, galleries and museums.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Rashid Shirinov

The U.S. position on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is clear  the country supports the position of Baku on the issue of territorial integrity, said U.S. expert Paul Davis.

Azerbaijan pursues a consistent policy, is committed to international legal norms and joins NATO initiatives. The U.S. positively assesses all these initiatives and especially the active role of Azerbaijan in the fight against international terrorism, the expert said in his recent interview with Day.az.

Davis mentioned that Azerbaijan earned all these bonuses thanks to its balanced foreign policy.

As part of the anti-terrorism fight, the peacekeeping contingent of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces has been serving in Afghanistan since November 20, 2002. Today, the Azerbaijani peacekeepers, along with those from other countries, provide security in Afghanistan.

Azerbaijan has several times made substantial donations to the Afghan National Army (ANA) Trust Fund. Moreover, Azerbaijan allowed the NATO planes carrying non-combat loads for a mission in Afghanistan to fly through Azerbaijans airspace and to use the countrys airports. About 40 percent of all cargo destined for the NATO mission in Afghanistan pass through Baku.

During his interview, Davis also touched upon the recent appeal of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) to the U.S. Senate Committee on preparing the draft law on foreign aid for the 2019 fiscal year. In an open letter, ANCA requests to allocate aid of about $70 million for Armenia and the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Davis said that such attempts are in the traditional style of Armenian lobbyists. He noted that the U.S. decision to reduce aid to Armenia to $6.2 million in 2018 seriously affected the interests of Armenians.

Obviously, todays Armenian lobby is much weaker compared to the 1980-1990s, although their goals and tasks remain the same. The Azerbaijani side should take advantage of this and more actively lobby the national interests abroad, especially considering that there are no problems in relations between the U.S. and Azerbaijan, the expert said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh region is an integral part of Azerbaijan, and therefore ANCAs appeal to the U.S. Senate Committee is completely illegal since it is contrary to the norms and principles of international law.

Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions from Azerbaijan in a war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million were displaced as a result of the war. Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal.

Unfortunately, peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. within the OSCE Minsk Group have produced no tangible results so far due to Armenia's unconstructive position on the issue.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order providing funding for the construction of Imishli ASAN Hayat Complex.

Under the order, 19.9 million manats were allocated from the state budget for 2018 to the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Seven candidates submitted signature lists and other necessary documents to the Central Election Commission (CEC) for registration in connection with the upcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan, Head of the CEC working group Etibar Guliyev told reporters on March 6.

He said that all candidates must submit signature lists and other documents to the CEC for registration before 6 pm on March 12.

Noting that the necessary documents for registration of the candidate are considered by the working group, Guliyev said that this process is underway.

"The Central Election Commission has announced the process of verifying the signatures open. That is, anyone can get acquainted with the verification process of signatures," Guliyev said.

Representatives of the media familiarized themselves with the process of verifying voter signatures submitted by the candidates. It was noted that previously, representatives of political parties, plenipotentiary representatives of the candidates had already observed the process.

The presidential election will be held in Azerbaijan on April 11.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Abu Amr, Deputy Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mirko Sarovic and Romanian Vice Prime Minister Ana Birchall will attend the 6th Global Baku Forum in Baku on March 15-17.

The forum will be organized by the State Committee on Work with Diaspora and Nizami Ganjavi International Center.

The State Committee told Trend that three countries government representatives are expected to address the Forum, during which such issues as peace and security in the Middle East, the current geopolitical situation in the Balkan region, and the growing role of youth in social and political life in the modern world.

The Forum will be attended by presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers of many countries, including President of Albania Ilir Meta, President of Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov, President of Moldova Igor Dodon, President of Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mladen Ivanic, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Moreover, about 500 guests, including former presidents and heads of governments, well-known public and political figures who are the members of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, are expected to participate in the 6th Global Baku Forum.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin spoke over the phone about the ongoing human tragedy in besieged Eastern Ghouta and other latest developments in Syria late Tuesday, according to diplomatic sources, Anadolu reported.

During the conversation, delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians and ending the disaster in Eastern Ghouta was termed as "essential".

Additionally, in accordance with the UN Security Council's decision, Turkish, Russian and Iranian joint efforts were termed crucial to fully implement a truce in Eastern Ghouta.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Over 15.405 million tons of crude steel was produced in Iran during the first 10 months of the current fiscal year (March 20, 2017-Jan. 20).

The figure shows a rise by 10 percent compared to the same period of last year, the Iranian Steel Producers Association said in its latest monthly report, released March 4.

Irans privatized (state-run companies which recently have been handed over to the private sector) steel companies produced 11.983 million tons of crude steel during the period (3 percent increase), meanwhile output of the private sector producers stood at 3.422 million tons (45 percent increase).

Iranian steel producer companies also produced about 15.003 million tons of various steel products including beam, wide sheets, hot rolled sheets, galvanized steel and tubes during the 10-month period, indicating a rise by 1 percent compared to 14.871 million tons of products in the same period of the preceding year.

The privatized steel companies produced 9.443 million tons of steel products (4 percent decrease), meanwhile the share of the private sector producers stood at 5.56 million tons (1 percent increase).

Iran exported 2.844 million tons of crude steel (110 percent increase year-on-year) and 1.582 million tons of various steel products (12 percent fall) in the first 10 months of current fiscal year.

The country also imported 2.458 million tons of steel products in the 10-month period, 26 percent less year-on-year.

Meanwhile 186,000 tons of crude steel was imported in the same 10 months (130 percent more).

Based on a 2025 outlook, Irans steel output is to reach 55 million tons, 15 million of which should be exported. For the current Iranian year, it is predicted that Iran will produce 18 million tons of steel, exporting 6 million tons of it.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Kamila Aliyeva

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed to submit proposals on the creation of a low-cost airline at Uzbekistan Airways, the National Air Company of the country, to the government until May 1, 2018.

This is stipulated by the Presidential Decree On Measures to Ensure the Security of Citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan during their Departure on Transport from the Republic for the Implementation of Temporary Employment.

Earlier, Umid Khusanov, the deputy chairman of Uzbekistan Airways said that we are now studying international experience and developing a certification program for a low-cost operator.

In particular, the airline is studying the experience of Russias Aeroflot and its low-cost airline Pobeda.

The representative of the airline noted that the main directions will be Russia, Turkey and Egypt.

Speaking about pricing, he noted that the ticket prices will depend on many factors, including airport dislocation, a set of services on board and others.

Uzbekistan Airways was established on January 28, 1992 upon the presidential decree, wholly owned by the state.

The aircraft fleet of the Uzbek airline currently has 31 aircraft of western production, including thirteen Boeing passenger aircraft, thirteen airbuses (three A-310 and ten A-320-200), three medium-haul RJ-85s and two cargo planes Boeing-767-300BCF.

The Uzbek airline operates flights to over 20 cities in Europe, America, the Middle East, Asia, 22 cities of the CIS countries and 11 destinations on local airlines.

Uzbekistan Airways has 11 airports located on the territory of Uzbekistan, six of which are international. The company has representative offices in 25 countries.

Recently, Uzbekistan Airways was granted a right to sell air tickets for international flights below the prime cost. This is stipulated in a resolution On measures for development of inbound tourism signed by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Under the resolution, Qarshi International Airport was also removed from the structure of Uzbekistan Airways and transferred to the management of a specialized company.

Later it was announced that the "open sky" regime will be introduced on the territory of the three more international airports of Uzbekistan - Andijan, Nukus and Navoi.

Uzbekistan Airways transported more than 2.703 million passengers in 2017. Last year, Uzbekistan Airways performed 22,950 flights compared to 22,387 flights in 2016.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Kamila Aliyeva

A joint Uzbek-Korean business forum and cooperative exchange with the participation of entrepreneurs of the two countries was held in Tashkent on March 7.

A delegation of business circles of South Korea was led by head of Evergreen Motors Group Kim Chang Keon.

The purpose of this event is to promote the establishment of trade relations between Uzbek and South Korean companies, to work out the issues of creating new joint ventures and implementing new investment projects.

The forum was attended by more than 150 representatives of major South Korean companies engaged in construction, food, trade, information and communication and business technologies, medicine, metallurgy, chemical industry, energy, engineering, automotive, ICT, logistics, pharmaceuticals, fruit and vegetable processing and production of finished products, as well as about 200 representatives of large enterprises and companies from various regions of Uzbekistan.

During the business meeting, issues of mutual cooperation on strengthening cooperation between entrepreneurs of the two countries were discussed.

Uzbekistan is Korea's main trade partner among the countries of Central Asia. Uzbekistan accounts for over half of Korea's trade with the countries of the region.

In January-October 2017, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and South Korea has grown by 36 percent, thus reaching $1.1 billion.

The activity of South Korean investors plays an important role in the development of trade and economic ties between the two countries.

The volume of Korean investments attracted to the economy of Uzbekistan exceeds $7 billion. Currently, there are more than 460 enterprises in Uzbekistan with the participation of Korean capital (386 joint ventures and 75 enterprises with 100 percent Korean capital).

These enterprises successfully operate in the oil and gas, petrochemical and chemical, machine-building, electrical and textile industries, information and communication technologies, transport, logistics and tourism.

Representative offices of 75 companies of Korea are accredited in Uzbekistan. The main areas of their activity are oil and gas, petrochemical and chemical, mining, engineering, electrical engineering, textile, information and communication technologies, transport and logistics, tourism, production of building materials, as well as processing of agricultural products.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Attorneys Tina Bradley and Melody Chappell will face off again in a run-off election in May to determine the Democratic candidate for the 172nd District Court Judge's bench after neither secured a majority in Tuesday's primary.

Chappell, 51, who represented the Beaumont ISD board of trustees before the 2014 state takeover, received just under 44 percent of the votes.

About 36 percent of Democratic primary voters chose Tina Bradley, 50.

Kent Johns, 60, was eliminated from the race after receiving just over 2,800 votes for 20.5 percent.

Judge Donald Floyd, 73, did not seek re-election due to age limits on the bench. According to state law, district court judges must be between the ages of 25 and 74.

Just under 15 percent of the 146,351 registered Jefferson County voters cast ballots in the primary, and about 13.6 percent voted in the race for the 172nd, which handles civil cases.

Chappell won precincts in Port Arthur and most of Beaumont, while Bradley earned votes in Mid-County and Beaumont's West End. Johns did not win any of the 109 precincts.

"I can't say I'm surprised," Chappell said of the results. An attorney with Wells, Peyton, Greenberg and Hunt, LLP, Chappell primarily practices school and employment law. She has represented Port Arthur ISD since 2006, and said she thinks low turnout in Port Arthur, due to displacement and damage from Harvey, likely cost her some votes.

Asked if her work defending BISD is an advantage or a liability, she said she's "had positive interactions with all voters in this race," who have come to an understanding that "the racial divide has to go away in Jefferson County, and we've got to all come together to make this a better place."

Bradley, a partner at Hobson and Bradley who handles primarily personal injury cases related to chemicals and other toxic substances, said she was excited by the results, having entered the race later than other candidates. "We're just getting started," she said.

"I think I picked up a lot of the Republican crossover vote," she said. To voters return to the polls in May, she said "I hope they realize I did what I promised, I ran a clean race and I hope that they appreciate that and that it entices voters."

Her fundraising far-outpaced her competitors. She raised almost five times as much money as Chappell and more than six times as much as Johns, according to contribution records from the Texas Ethics Commission. The winner of the May 22 run-off will face attorney and Beaumont ISD manager Mitch Templeton, who was unopposed in the Republican primary, in the Nov. 6 general election.

LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/LizTeitz
The state's highest criminal court has denied a request for a new trial from the Port Arthur woman convicted of abusing her infant daughter.

Christine Johnson, 24, was sentenced in 2015 to 20 years in prison for recklessly causing injury to a child by pulling her baby, Faith, from her bed and fracturing her neck. She was sentenced to 65 years for causing serious bodily injury to a child and not seeking medical treatment, a first-degree felony.

> > RELATED: 2013 victim of horrific child abuse has new 'forever family'

An appeals court vacated that sentence in April, then decided to uphold it in October.

In December, she asked the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals for a new trial, alleging there was insufficient evidence to support her conviction.

The court denied her request Wednesday.

Johnson brought Faith to a hospital in August 2013 at her cousin's insistence. Doctors determined the baby was having a seizure, had multiple fractures, and was bleeding internally, according to court documents. The injuries were determined to have been caused over a two to three week period. Faith was just over one month old at the time.

In October, the Thirteenth Court of Appeals upheld her conviction, ruling that "the numerous, obvious, life-threatening injuries and resulting symptoms constitute evidence supporting the jury's finding that Johnson was aware that a lack of medical care was reasonably certain to cause serious bodily injury."

Attorney Jamie Matuska argued in the December petition to the Court of Criminal Appeals that the state did not prove that Johnson's delay in seeking medical care for Faith created separate or more severe injuries than she had already suffered and that they didn't present evidence to prove that she "intentionally or knowingly" caused the injuries by failing to seek medical treatment.

The court did not explain why they denied the petition.

Darrell Mason, Faith's father, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to the first-degree felony charge of injury to a child.

LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/LizTeitz
9:45 p.m.

Kenneth Weeks leads in the race for Newton County Judge with 493 votes, and is expected to unseat the incumbent Paul Price.

Bobby Fillyaw is in second with 203 votes, Price has 114 votes and Ricky Holmes has 68. The Newton County Clerk's office said there are 11 boxes still to be counted.

"I'm just as humbled as I can be," Weeks said. "I'm surprised, really."

9:20 p.m.

Attorneys Tina Bradley and Melody Chappell will face off again in a run-off election in May to determine the Democratic candidate for the 172nd District Court Judge's bench, after neither received more than half of the votes in tonight's primary.

With all precincts reporting, Chappell received just under 44 percent of the vote, while Bradley had just under 36 percent.

The winner of the May 22 run-off election will face Republican Mitch Templeton in November.

9:15 p.m.

Incumbent Glenda Alston is set to retain her position as Hardin County Clerk after closing in on a victory over challenger Jerry Jordan in Tuesday's primary election.

Alston, a Republican, received 2,491 votes compared to 788 votes for fellow Republican Jordan with three precincts left to report.

"I ran a clean, fair race and Jordan bashed me on Facebook," Alston said. "He told me he's going to run again in four years and I will too."

There were no Democratic candidates, so Alston will run unopposed during the general election on Nov. 6.

Alston, 70, has been Hardin County Clerk since 2002 and has 33 years of political experience.

"I'm excited and looking forward to serving Hardin County for four more years," Alston said.

9 p.m.

Incumbent Bo Alfred, 60, has won the race for Jefferson County Commissioner Precinct 4 over Earl W. Wheaton, Sr. Alfred received nearly 85 percent of the vote to earn his fifth-straight term. He'll run unopposed in November's general election.

8:52 p.m.

Updates from Jasper County:

Criminal District Attorney: Anne Pickle, 2120; J. Keith Stanley 802

Jasper County Commissioner Precinct 2: Roy Parker, 346; Raymond Hopson 301

Justice of Peace Precinct 1 (Republican): Ronald Billingsley, 926; Jillian Whittington, 143

Justice of Peace Precinct 1 (Democrat): Ebony Owens Scott, 143; Amy J. Williams, 84

Justice of Peace Precinct 2 (Republican): Jimmy E. Miller, 275; Joe Hawthorn, 245

Justice of Peace Precinct 2 (Democrat): L.V. Rasberry, 198; Marcus Barber, 59

Justice of Peace Precinct 4 (Republican): Gina Cleveland, 233; Nathen Ross, 193; Rachel Lopez, 68; Jason Wilkinson, 38

8:45 p.m.

CORRECTION: The Enterprise received incorrect voting information at 8:27 p.m. from Orange County indicating that all 34 precincts were reporting. A person answering the phone at the county clerk's office said the numbers released were just early voting figures and she wasn't sure why the election totals said 100 percent complete. An earlier post indicated all incumbents had been ousted. All were trailing.

Orange County incumbents are trailing tonight in races that drew challengers.

Republican challenger Dean T. Crooks is leading Judge Stephen Brint Carlton.

Vidor Mayor Robert Viator is leading Precinct 4 Commissioner Jody Crump.

Republican Theresa Beauchamp is leading Precinct 2 Commissioner Barry Burton.

None of the primary winners will face a Democratic challenger in the November general election.

8:30 p.m.

With just 12 of the 109 precincts left to report, Chappell remains in the lead, but without a majority, which would send her to a May run-off election against Bradley.

Chappell leads in most of the precincts that have not yet reported, where votes are still being counted.

8:10 p.m.

With 82 of 109 precincts reporting, Melody Chappell and Tina Bradley appear to be heading for a run-off election. Chappell has 43.07 percent of the votes, ahead of Bradley's 36.41 percent. To take the election outright without a run-off, the winner needs to receive more than 50 percent of the votes.

Kent Johns remains in third in the 172nd Court race with just over 20 percent.

Of the precincts that have reported, Chappell has won Beaumont's North and South Ends, as well as downtown Port Arthur, while Bradley leads in Mid-County and Beaumont's West End.

7:55 p.m.

Incumbent Glenda Alston has an early lead over Jerry Jordan in the Republican race for Hardin County Clerk.

Alston has 921 votes compared to Jordan's 283 votes.

The winner will be unopposed in November's general election.

Incumbent Jackie Werner has an early lead over Amy Enloe for Hardin County's Justice of the Peace Precinct 6.

Werner has 56 votes compared to Enloe's 19.

The winner will be unopposed in November's general election.

Early votes are in from Jasper County: Criminal District Attorney candidate Anne Pickle leads J. Keith Stanley by more than 1000 votes, with 1717 to 712.

Other early voting numbers in from Jasper County:

Jasper County Commissioner Precinct 2: Roy Parker, 312; Raymond Hopson 280

Justice of Peace Precinct 1 (Republican): Ronald Billingsley, 656; Jillian Whittington, 102

Justice of Peace Precinct 1 (Democrat): Ebony Owens Scott, 99; Amy J. Williams, 63

Justice of Peace Precinct 2 (Republican): Jimmy E. Miller, 239; Joe Hawthorn, 228

Justice of Peace Precinct 2 (Democrat): L.V. Rasberry, 141; Marcus Barber, 46

Justice of Peace Precinct 4 (Republican): Gina Cleveland, 233; Nathen Ross, 193; Rachel Lopez, 68; Jason Wilkinson, 38

7:45 p.m.

In the Republican race for Newton County Judge, Kenneth Weeks has the lead after early voting with 233 votes. Bobby Fillyaw has 122 votes, incumbent Paul Price has 64 and Ricky Holmes has 34.

Phillip A. White leads in the Democratic primary for Newton County Commissioner Precinct 2, with 88 votes. Red Watson has 23 votes. That race will be decided tonight, as no Republicans filed for the seat.

7:15 p.m.

Incumbent Bo Alfred is out to a steady lead over fellow Democrat Earl W. Wheaton, Sr. in the race for Jefferson County Commissioner Precinct 4 . Alfred has 85.11 percent of the early votes so far.

The winner will be unopposed in November's general election.

7:05 p.m.

In the three-way Democratic primary for the 172nd District Court Judge, former Beaumont ISD attorney Melody Chappell leads with 43.75 percent of early votes, ahead of Tina Bradley with 35.48 percent and Kent Johns with just over 20 percent.

The winner will face Republican Mitch Templeton in November, who is unopposed in his primary.

7 p.m.

Polls have closed across Texas. Early voting results should be released by counties soon.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman penalized EmblemHealth with a $575,000 fine after thousands of social security numbers were disclosed in a mailing, the Cheektowaga Chronicle reports. Here are six insights.

1. On Oct. 13, 2016, EmblemHealth mailed paper copies of its Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Evidence of Coverage with policyholders' social security numbers printed on the envelopes instead of the unique identifiers it typically includes on mailings.

2. The error exposed the social security numbers of 81,122 Medicare recipients. About 55,000 were New York residents.

3. Along with the financial penalty, the settlement requires EmblemHealth to conduct an analysis of security risks associated with mailing policy documents and revise its policies and procedures based on the findings.

4. For three years, EmblemHealth must submit reports to the attorney general's office otherwise not required by New York state law, regarding security incidents involving the loss or compromise of New York residents' data.

5. EmblemHealth provides health plans for 3.1 million people in the New York metropolitan area.

6. Mr. Schneiderman made an effort to combat data breaches and close gaps in New York's data security laws by introducing the Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act in November 2017.
New Jersey Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers President Jeff Shanton said a report by The Record and NorthJersey.com misrepresents ASCs and the quality of care they provide by using anecdotal information and allegations from ongoing lawsuits. Here are four insights.

1. Mr. Shanton's letter published on NorthJersey.com said the article failed to contextualize adverse events at ASCs by not evaluating hospitals or other healthcare facilities.

2. While expressing deep regret for any adverse event that takes place in an ASC, Mr. Shanton said the number of adverse events occurring at ASCs relative to other care settings is extraordinarily small.

"Had your writer made that comparison, she would have been compelled to conclude that ASCs operate under the same level of regulation, follow the same protocols and employ the same highly qualified professionals and most importantly, provide high-quality outcomes for patients that match or exceed those achievements in hospital outpatient departments," Mr. Shanton wrote.

3. Mr. Shanton highlighted surgery centers' efforts to maintain safe care settings and provide high quality care. He pointed out the New Jersey Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers' efforts in advocating for the passage oflegislation requiring all ASCs in the state to be licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health. The legislation passed on Jan. 15.

4. At the beginning of March, Ambulatory Surgery Center Association CEO William Prentice criticized a similar article by Kaiser Health News and USA Today, calling the reporting "a terrible disservice" to the media organizations' readers.
GoldPoint Partners, GCM Grosvenor and Hamilton Lane invested in Spectrum Vision Partners.

Here's what you should know.

1. Spectrum Vision Partners is a ophthalmology-facing management services organization.

2. The new investors are joining SVP's lead private equity partner Blue Sea Capital.

3. SVP helps ophthalmology practices and ASCs in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut grow. SVP partnered with Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island (N.Y.); Island Eye Surgicenter in Long Island; Ophthalmic Consultants of Connecticut in Fairfield; and New Vision Cataract Center in Norwalk, Conn.

4. SVP CEO Tom Burke said, "We are excited to welcome these world-class investors to the Spectrum family. We have ambitious plans for rapid growth through strategic affiliations and acquisitions throughout the Tri-State region, and these new institutions provide additional firepower for us to aggressively execute on our strategy."
Two former employees at Orlando-based Florida Hospital, who were tasked with releasing patients' personal information for medical and business needs, allegedly stole and sold an undisclosed number of patient records between January 2012 and May 2014, reports WFTV.

The two ex-employees, Tanganica Corbett and Kevin Weaver, have been indicted in a federal case. Prosecutors claim the pair accessed and sold patient records for personal gain with malicious intent.

The two employees' illegal activity began in January 2012 and lasted two years, according to court filings. Both employees left their jobs in May 2014.

The hospital declined to comment on the pending lawsuit and did not confirm how many patients were affected.
Arkansas is the latest state to impose work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries.

Here are seven things to know.

1. CMS approved the state's request to implement the requirements March 5, according to The New York Times. However, federal officials delayed a decision on whether Arkansas may set a new limit for Medicaid expansion.

2. Arkansas' work requirements mandate people under age 50 spend at least 80 hours each month working, training or job searching; going to school full time or volunteering, according to the report.

3. There are consequences for noncompliance. NYT reports Arkansas residents who fail to meet the work requirement three months out of a year will be locked out of Medicaid for a period of time.

4. Arkansas' Medicaid work requirements do not apply to certain people including individuals with opioid addiction and parents with dependent children, according to Kaiser Health News.

5. Arkansas joins Kentucky and Indiana as the only states to impose Medicaid work requirements thus far. The state plans to begin ushering in its work requirements in June.

6. While CMS approved Arkansas' request to implement the requirements, it delayed granting permission for the state to cut back its Medicaid expansion. According to NYT, Arkansas has sought to change its income threshold for Medicaid from 138 percent of the federal poverty level to below the poverty level. The move would kick about 60,000 people off Medicaid.

7. CMS Administrator Seema Verma did not provide details as far as the reasoning behind the delay, except to say, "We are still working through some issues in that particular area," according to NYT.

Read the full NYT report here. Read the full KHN report here.

More articles on leadership and management:

Oregon Senate will not consider bill to declare healthcare a right

What new CEOs can accomplish with a strategic plan

Scripps promotes 6 physicians to lead system's restructuring
Healthcare is constantly at the forefront of today's news cycle. A recent Wall Street Journal article discussed the future of hospitals and a shift from the traditional inpatient, full-service hospital to ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient clinics and microhospitals, while an op-ed in The New York Times questioned if the hospital was obsolete.

Obsolete is a strong word. Where I am  at HSS  we are a healthcare organization that includes a hospital (the New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery). The hospital is not obsolete; it is a very important part of the healthcare system and offers a broad array of services.



We are seeing new examples of traditional players blurring the lines in healthcare, with mergers like CVS and Aetna, and UnitedHealth and DaVita making top headlines.



Organizations outside of the healthcare industry are also becoming players, with the collaboration between Amazon, JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway front and center. Additionally, there is the previously announced Health Transformation Alliance  two groups of employers 'taking the bull by the horns' and working to change how healthcare is delivered.



With all of this going on, there is constant talk that the healthcare system is broken. It's not 'broken'. Every day, millions of people receive care, with lives being saved or improved. Researchers and providers constantly develop new knowledge to help improve care, allowing the industry to do things we never thought possible.



The healthcare system is not broken. It is complicated. Too complicated. And it certainly can be made better. Much better.



With all of this in mind, the key word to focus on in 2018 and beyond is disruption. Words that begin with 'dis' are typically construed as negative, but in this case, it's not negative. Disruption in the industry can contribute to positive changes and impact the way we provide care, as well as the cost of that care.



The industry is not structured in the way that it needs to be in order to be successful. Consolidation, blurred lines between organizations and employers asserting their influence all provide an opportunity for disruption. The question is will this disruption happen from the outside-in or from the inside-out?



Disruption from the outside-in will come from organizations like Amazon and Google using their technological intelligence to drive change or utilizing their size to encourage innovation. Inside-out disruption will come from historically separate players in the healthcare industry blurring the lines between them and using their influence to change how and where healthcare can be delivered, as well as how it may be paid for.



Then there is the continued consolidation of hospitals and health systems becoming bigger (and bigger). In my view, bigger isn't better. Bigger is just bigger. Better is better.



Finally, there are those organizations that have the potential to make significant contributions to disruption by leveraging their quality, value and knowledge. Let's use the organization I work at as an example. HSS is a leader in the field when it comes to musculoskeletal health. Other organizations have similar knowledge and expertise in other areas of medicine. We have a responsibility to either contribute to disruption from the inside-out on our own, or to partner with an another organization to cause disruption, which can make a real difference in providing affordable and effective care, and a stronger healthcare industry.

More articles on leadership and management:

Steal this idea: The call center that enables Erlanger to care for 1,500 more patients a year

Arkansas gains approval for Medicaid work requirements, CMS delays decision on expansion cutback: 7 things to know

How tax reform has affected executive compensation
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health approved the proposed merger between Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Burlington, Mass.-based Lahey Health and three other healthcare organizations March 5, according to The Boston Globe.

Beth Israel Deaconess and Lahey Health announced their plan to merge last January after roughly six years of on-again off-again negotiations. The deal later grew to encompass Boston-based New England Baptist Hospital; Cambridge, Mass.-based Mount Auburn Hospital; and Newburyport, Mass.-based Anna Jaques Hospital.

Here are four things to know about the state DPH's decision.

1. The state DPH issued a report March 5 endorsing the proposed transaction, stating, "Research has shown that hospital mergers have historically resulted in more consolidated markets with reduced competition and higher prices. However, [the proposed merger] asserts that this transaction will introduce competition into the healthcare market in a way that will make care more affordable," according to The Boston Globe.

2. While the department's approval carries significant weight, the deal must still be approved by the Public Health Council, which is scheduled to consider the proposal in April, and the state attorney general's office. The state Health Policy Commission, a watchdog agency, will also review the proposed merger to determine if the deal is in the best interest of consumers. The agency will reportedly issue a report on the transaction this summer.

3. If the merger is successful, the combined 13-hospital entity will become a major competitor to Boston-based Partners HealthCare, which received state approval to move forward with its acquisition of Boston-based Massachusetts Eye and Ear last month. The Health Policy Commission reports the Beth Israel Deaconess-Lahey Health entity would account for 24.7 percent of Massachusetts hospital discharges for patients with commercial insurance, while Partners will be responsible for a 27 percent market share, according to The Boston Globe.

4. However, those opposed to the proposed deal argue the state DPH's decision to back the deal without completing a full cost analysis of the merger was irresponsible, The Boston Globe reports. The Make Healthcare Affordable Coalition, which is backed by Northwind Strategies, a lobbying and consulting firm with ties to other healthcare organizations, claims people of color may lose access to affordable healthcare because of the proposed merger.

Editor's note: Becker's Hospital Review reached out to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Lahey Health for comment and will update the article as more information becomes available.
A federal judge from the Northern District of Ohio is tasked with overseeing more than 400 federal lawsuits brought by Native American tribes, cities and counties against drugmakers, drug distributors and retail pharmacies for the companies' alleged role in the opioid crisis, according to The New York Times.

The lawsuits collectively accuse these companies of engaging in deceptive marketing tactics to promote the widespread use of opioids, thereby contributing to the nation's opioid addiction and overdose crisis. The suits seek to recoup funds expended by these entities responding to the crisis.

1. Here are four things to know about Judge Dan Polster.Judge Polster is a graduate of Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Mass., and spent the early part of his career in public service, serving in the Justice Department's Cleveland antitrust division and in the Cleveland U.S. attorney's office, where he prosecuted economic crimes. Former President Bill Clinton appointed him to the federal bench in 1998.

2. In January, Mr. Polster informed attorneys he intended to forgo certain legal norms  like discovery  in the combined opioid case. He also said he would not preside over a years-long "unraveling [of] complicated conspiracy theories," according to the Times. The judge ordered attorneys on both sides to begin preparing for settlement talks immediately in hopes of generating an agreement that would provide meaningful solutions to the national opioid crisis.

"These are bold things for a judge to say, and it's exciting and intriguing to follow," Abbe Gluck, a professor at Yale Law School in New Haven, Conn., told the Times. "But to say that his goals are ambitious would be an enormous understatement."

3. Off the record, attorneys on both sides of the case told Times they questioned the judge's grasp of the issue and predicted that an expedited timetable was not sustainable.

4. Polster told the Times the stakes in the case were high and that he was aware his approach to the case is unorthodox.

"The judicial branch typically doesn't fix social problems, which is why I'm somewhat uncomfortable doing this," Mr. Polster said. "But it seems the most human thing to do."

To read the full report from The New York Times, click here.

More articles on opioids:

Trump calls for federal opioid lawsuit against drug companies

10 Colorado EDs cut opioid use by 36% in 6 months: 5 things to know

DOJ aligns with states in opioid lawsuit, increases scrutiny on drug companies: 4 things to know
The family of Dr. Timothy Cunningham, a CDC employee who has been missing for more than three weeks, increased their reward for information regarding his whereabouts to $15,000 Tuesday, reports Fox5 Atlanta.

Dr. Cunningham, team lead for the CDC's division of population health, was last seen leaving work Feb. 12. Before he left the CDC facility, Dr. Cunningham spoke to a supervisor about why he'd been passed over for a promotion a week earlier. He also called in sick to work Feb. 8-9 and told colleagues he didn't feel well when he left on Feb. 12.

Police believe Dr. Cunningham made it to his Atlanta home after leaving work, as all his personal belongings were at the house, which was secure, except for a few open windows on the second floor.

"The most unusual fact, in this case, is that every single belonging that we are aware of was located in the residence," Atlanta Police Maj. Michael O'Connor said, according to Fox5 Atlanta. "So his keys, cellphone, credit cards, debit cards, wallet, all of his identification, passports  anything you can think of, we've been able to locate."

Dr. Cunningham's family partnered with Crime Stoppers of Greater Atlanta to offer the $15,000 reward for information that results in an arrest and indictment in connection with the case, according to the report. Police told The New York Times they have not found any evidence of foul play in the ongoing investigation.
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Ozaukee County, Wis., March 6, alleging county-owned Cedarburg, Wis.-based Lasata Care Center discriminated against a former nursing assistant's religious objections to receiving a flu vaccine.

The suit claims Barnell Williams, a former nursing assistant at the care center, requested exemption from the center's vaccination requirement due to her "sincerely held religious belief that Bible-based scriptures prohibited flu shots," according to a statement from the department obtained by CNBC.

The center allows employees to opt out of receiving the vaccine due to religious beliefs only if they provide a written statement from their clergy leader agreeing to the request. Since Ms. Williams did not belong to a church with a clergy member and could not obtain this written statement, she was denied exemption, according to the suit.

Ms. Williams opted to receive the flu shot after the nursing home allegedly told her refusing the vaccination would result in her termination, the suit claims. However, the nursing home's vaccination policy labeled this termination as a "voluntary resignation," since employees refused the flu shot and did not achieve an exemption, according to the lawsuit.

The complaint also alleges Ms. Williams went through "severe emotional distress," experienced sleep problems, anxiety and a "fear of 'going to Hell.'"

The DOJ is arguing the requirement to receive a statement from a clergy member violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects employees against employer discrimination based on race, gender and religion.

The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages for Ms. Williams, "in addition to injunctive and other appropriate relief."

An administrator at the center did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the suit.

Editor's note: Becker's Hospital Review reached out to Lasata Care Center for comment and will update the article as more information becomes available.

More articles on healthcare quality:

CMS to offer $30M in grants to develop new quality measures

Another Sparrow Carson executive departs amid infection control issues

How OSU Wexner physicians are using 3-D heart models to improve valve replacement surgeries






Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, criticized pharmacy benefit managers and health plans for inking contracts that don't favor biosimilars, Bloomberg reports.

"Consolidated firms  the PBMs, the distributors, and the drug stores; team up with payers," Dr. Gottlieb told attendees at America's Health Insurance Plans' health policy conference in Washington March 7. "They use their individual market power to effectively split monopoly rents with large manufacturers and other intermediaries; rather than passing on the saving garnered from competition to patients and employers."



Dr. Gottlieb's comments concern giant PBMs like Express Scripts, CVS Health and UnitedHealth Group's OptumRx. He further criticized rebates that incentivize biotech drug producers to arrange exclusive contracts with insurers and PBMs under which the producer's old drug is preferred.



"The rigged payment scheme might quite literally scare competition out of the market altogether," Dr. Gottlieb said. "I fear that's already happening," he added, pointing to the weak biosimilar market. Biosimilars are less expensive versions of complicated biotech medications.

The FDA has little control over PBMs. However, Bloomberg reports Dr. Gottlieb's comments make the federal government's stance clear: high drug costs are the fault of PBMs too, not just pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology.



Dr. Gottlieb called on insurers and PBMs to use biosimilars as a default option for patients with new diagnoses. He also asked the industry to assist the FDA in assuring physicians that biosimilars are effective alternatives.
The complex is on a prime site in the Co Down seaside town

A former Indian restaurant in a prime location in Newcastle has gone on the market for 450,000.

The Cinnamon Club restaurant on Downs Road retains much of its original interior - however a plan has been drawn up to showcase the property's full potential.

Suitable for a range of uses, an indicative redevelopment scheme proposes two ground floor shop units and nine upper floor apartments, subject to approval.

The three-floor property is in the "commercial heart" of Newcastle, said TL Graham and Son, the firm handling the sale.

As it stands, the ground floor and first floor feature the original restaurant fit-out with a bar, while the second floor has two bedrooms.

It is located opposite the gates of the Slieve Donard Hotel, and is close to shops including Lidl and the town's main post office.

The interior provides more than 5,000sq ft of space.

Meanwhile, three former pubs are also on sale at an Osborne King property auction later this month, ranging in price from 45,000 to 160,000.

The Embankment Bar on Old Market Place in Omagh has a maximum reserve price of 160,000.

The ground floor features the main public bar and restaurant areas while the first floor was previously used as a nightclub. The building features an external balcony overlooking the River Strule.

The Tavern Bar on Bridge Street in Portadown is on the market from 45,000.

It comprises a two-storey end-terrace building with a single-storey flat roof extension to the side of the property.

The ground floor previously provided a bar/lounge area to the front and a private lounge area to the rear.

In Larne, what was formerly Dan Campbell's bar on Bridge Street in the harbour town is up for grabs with a starting price of 70,000.

The four-storey building has a pitched slate roof and is made up of a ground floor bar area, a second floor lounge, and the upper two floors feature en-suite bedrooms.

Elsewhere, Radius Housing has been granted planning approval for the regeneration of the former Visteon site in west Belfast.

The 35m development will see the construction of 244 homes and access to community and workspace facilities.
There are fears that Brexit will hit cross-border trade

Northern Ireland is the number one destination for exports from the Republic of Ireland, according to new research.

InterTradeIreland's 'cross-border trade and supply chain linkages' report found that 51% of Republic exporters ship more than half of their goods to Northern Ireland.

The report also found that more than a quarter of Republic firms ship almost all of their exports (95%) to here.

Northern Ireland accounts for between 10% and 12% of the total exports from the Republic to the UK as a whole, and accounted for between 7% to 8% of imports, according to the figures.

The report found a significant share of cross-border trade is accounted for by firms which trade simultaneously in both directions.

These two-way traders make up around 18% of firms, however they accounted for over 60% of exports, and over 70% of imports.

The report highlights a high level of product turnover among trading firms which regularly introduce new products to the market, with many goods traded for one year only.

This pattern is consistent across companies of all sizes, as well as between food and non-food firms - showing a high degree of innovation among cross-border traders.

Companies that trade across the border were also revealed to be more likely to introduce new goods and services, with 35% introducing products for just one year

Aidan Gough, director at InterTradeIreland, said: "This report shows the disproportionate importance of cross-border trade for businesses across the island.

"The high degree of connectivity in supply chains, which the report underlines, shows the importance of firms planning for a number of post-Brexit scenarios."

He added: "Now is not the time for complacency or apathy in relation to Brexit."
A budget for Northern Ireland is "still not a done deal" as businesses have met with senior officials to air their views ahead of an expected announcement this week.

A series of Northern Ireland's business lobby groups met officials from the Northern Ireland Office, ahead of an announcement by Secretary of State Karen Bradley.

Ms Bradley is expected to present a budget to the House of Commons tomorrow.

It's understood much of the discussion around the budget centred around a briefing paper which was published shortly before Christmas.

Speaking after the meeting, Glyn Roberts of Retail NI and Colin Neill of Hospitality Ulster, said: "Both our organisations would much rather be engaging with devolved ministers on a budget.

"However, with no Executive in place, the NIO will have to produce a budget.

"Our members deserve much more than a 'care and maintenance' administration and emergency budgets.

"At the meeting we were very clear that the proposal to hike business rates by 10%, end the small business rate scheme and increase car parking charges are complete non-starters.

They added: "If the NIO is serious about growing the Northern Ireland economy, then adding to the already heavy burden of business rates bills that our members struggle with should not even be considered."

FSB NI policy chair Tina McKenzie has written to the Secretary of State to outline the organisation's main priorities for small business in Northern Ireland. She said: "At FSB we recognise the value of having a devolved, locally accountable Executive to make decisions for the people of Northern Ireland.

"However, given the present circumstances, and in order to provide certainty for the private sector and aid the delivery of public services, we are urging the Secretary of State to bring forward a budget as a matter of urgency.

"We have written to the Secretary of the State to outline the priorities of the small business sector in the next budget.

"Of the highest importance is the continuation of the small business rate relief scheme, which provides a modest but often vital reduction in a major cost to over 25,000 businesses in Northern Ireland.

"Removing this crucial relief would be the very definition of penny-wise and pound foolish, and would damage growth and risk jobs being lost, given that small businesses employ more people than all large businesses and the entire public sector combined."

If Ms Bradley does reveal a budget tomorrow, she may also reveal whether the government will move to cut MLAs' pay, following more than a year without devolution.
Northern Ireland staff at supermarket giant Sainsbury's will be among workers across the UK to benefit from a new pay rise

Northern Ireland staff at supermarket giant Sainsbury's will be among workers across the UK to benefit from a new pay rise.

It will increase the basic rate of pay by 1.20 an hour to 9.20. The company is also raising its basic rate in London to 9.80.

But a bonus usually paid in the spring will end, as will paid breaks. The new pay rate is planned to start in September.

Sainsbury's, which has 14 stores in Northern Ireland, said it will be investing 100m in its employees this year, adding that the pay rise will be funded by cost savings within the business.

A new contract is being introduced for all 130,000 staff, which the company said will ensure "consistency and fairness" across all its stores, regardless of age or length of service.

The number of types of roles will be cut from 22 to five - trading assistant, food services assistant, online assistant, general merchandise and clothing assistant, and services assistant.

Sainsbury's said a small number of staff may be adversely affected, adding that top-up payments will be made for 18 months to ensure no-one earns less than they do today.

Sainsbury's retail and operations director Simon Roberts said the retail sector has "never been more competitive" and that its customers value the high standard of service provided by its employees.

"Which is why we think it is so important to invest further in our colleagues so they feel rewarded and motivated to do the best possible job for our customers every day," he said.

"We expect the best from our teams and that's why we're committing to a leading rate of pay."
Dalradians project in Co Tyrone has been described as Irelands flagship mining venture and potentially the second-biggest gold mine in Europe

The Northern Ireland mining sector has untapped potential that could transform the economy, an international conference has heard.

The province is now rated among the top 10 in the world for some of its attributes to prospectors.

Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSNI), part of the Department for the Economy, was at the 2018 conference of The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) as part of its remit to boost our attractiveness as a location for foreign direct investment (FDI).

GSNI is also responsible for maintaining around 2,000 disused mines here.

Firms including Dalradian Resources, which plans a gold mine in Co Tyrone, are operating in Northern Ireland. It has 53 direct employees and uses around 50 contractors.

And salt is also mined in an extensive operation by the Irish Salt Mining Exploration Company in Co Antrim.

Dr Marie Cowan, director of the Geological Survey of NI, said it had been travelling to the conference for many years to raise the profile of NI to potential investors.

It had a number of selling points, she said. "It has a relatively low cost to operate here and you can get from one end of Northern Ireland to another in two hours.

"It has an excellent road and rail network."

Such amenities made the province attractive to firms used to locations which were not even served by roads, she added.

The four-day conference in Toronto is geared towards raising funds for early to mid-stage mining projects like Dalradian's Curraghinalt project near Gortin. The event attracts around 25,000 people from 130 countries.

An Ireland-focused event at the conference heard Dalradian's project described as the island's "flagship" mining venture and potentially the second-biggest gold mine in Europe.

Dr Cowan said the province had significant potential: "We have a very rich mining history in our 14,000sq km.

"We have the most diverse geology on the planet and we have a very diverse mining heritage dating back to Celtic times, with sub-surface mining going back to the 17th century." Historically, mining had taken place for lignite between Ballymoney and the western shores of Lough Neagh, while coal had been mined in Coalisland and Ballycastle. And the village of Derrynoose in Co Armagh was also a location for lead and zinc mining.

But Dr Cowan said gold mining was the "21st century story" for mining here.

And she said that industry think-tank the Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies had now ranked NI highly in its chart of the world's most 'investable' locations. "Last year was the first year a request was made to include NI in its own right," she added.

"In its first year it was listed at number 10 out of 104 in the policy perception index. Now it's moved up to number six in the world in terms of the administration established to enable foreign direct investment."

That rating related to the work of GSNI to provide data on geology, as well as the fact that activity had been taking place since the 17th century.

"It has the potential to be a significant player in the Northern Ireland economy and a game changer in attracting industry," Ms Cowan said.

Dalradian Resources has submitted a planning application for a mine at Curraghinalt.

But the plans have attracted opposition from groups in the area who fear it will ruin the natural beauty of the Sperrins.

Dr Cowan said part of its remit was to ensure that the environment was protected through the mining process.

That included preserving an area at the end of a mine's life.

She said some of Northern Ireland's most famous natural sights, including Co Down's Castle Espie and Scrabo Tower, had formerly been quarrying locations which had been later restored.

In November Dalradian said it had secured a 46.3m investment following the exploration of the Curraghinalt site. It said the mine would generate $1bn for the economy over 25 years.
Australia and East Timor signed a historic treaty drawing their maritime boundary, ending years of bitter wrangling over billions of dollars of oil and gas riches lying beneath the Timor Sea and opening a new chapter in relations.

The agreement was doubly historic because it also marked the successful conclusion of the first-ever negotiations to settle maritime differences under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a process that UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres urged other countries to use to peacefully resolve such disagreements.

Before a crowd of cameras, diplomats and officials, two copies of the treaty were signed by Australias foreign minister, Julie Bishop, and East Timors minister for delimitation of borders, Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira.

The chairman of the independent Conciliation Commission that led negotiations, Danish Ambassador Peter Taksoe-Jensen, then signed as a witness.

It is a landmark event for our two nations, but also for international law, Ms Bishop said. Both our governments have deemed this to be a just and equitable outcome.

Expand Close Undated map provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shows Australias maritime arrangements with East Timor (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Undated map provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shows Australias maritime arrangements with East Timor (AP)

Mr Pereira agreed, saying: Today is indeed a momentous day that will be recorded in East Timors history and be remembered and celebrated.  With the signing of this treaty today, we write a new chapter in the friendship between our two countries.

For East Timor, a half-island nation of 1.5 million people who are among the poorest in the world, the treaty is crucial to economic development and employment opportunities. Mr Pereira said 65%, mostly young people, are looking for jobs.

Ms Bishop told reporters that under the treaty East Timor will get the biggest share of revenue from exploiting the oil and gas. It will be split either 80-20 if gas is piped to Australia for processing or 70-30 if it is piped to East Timor, she said.

It is a landmark event for our two nations, but also for international lawJulie Bishop, Australian foreign minister

We are talking billions of dollars over the life of such a resource project, Ms Bishop said.

Mr Pereira said companies have told East Timor that it is feasible to build a pipeline to the country.

We believe seriously that a successful pipeline to the south coast of Timor would be a game changer and have a transformational impact on the socio-economic status of the country, he said.

Today, Australia and Timor-Leste signed a new maritime boundary agreement showing the effectiveness of peaceful resolution of disputes. It is a pleasure to witness this historic event. https://t.co/h1hENDG4iQ  Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 6, 2018

The dispute has dominated and soured relations since 2002, when East Timor emerged as a fledgling nation independent of Indonesia.

The terms of the deal negotiated under the Conciliation Commission in The Hague, Netherlands, through the Permanent Court of Arbitration are expected to be made public shortly, Australian diplomats said.

East Timor achieving its ambition of a border midway between the two countries could encourage Indonesia to renegotiate its own much longer maritime boundary with Australia, agreed in 1971 under outdated international law.

In the sea and on the sea bed, there is much wealth. Timorese will diligently explore and make this wealth contribute to usCarlos Filipe Ximense Belo, Nobel laureate

The Indonesian border with Australia extends east and west of the new East Timor-Australia boundary and the vast expanse Indonesia allowed Australia is a source of increasing irritation for the Indonesian government.

Ms Bishop told reporters that she had kept Indonesian officials informed of the negotiations with East Timor on the maritime boundary.

Carlos Filipe Ximense Belo, the influential East Timorese Catholic bishop and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, welcomed the border resolution as an economic boon for his deeply Catholic country.

We thank God because our sea becomes more widespread  our economic zone becomes bigger, Mr Belo said. In the sea and on the sea bed, there is much wealth. Timorese will diligently explore and make this wealth contribute to us.
Rebekah Knight from Ballymoney with her book The Girl With No...

A young Co Antrim woman who was born with a rare condition which prevented her reproductive organs from developing has penned a powerful book on her life story.

The Girl With No... charts 25-year-old Rebekah Knight's journey with Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Hauser syndrome (MRKH).

MRKH is a congenital abnormality, characterised by the absence of the vagina, cervix and the uterus (womb), which affects only one in every 5,000 women.

Rebekah, who works as a steward in the SSE Arena in Belfast, was 18 before she realised there might be something wrong. While her friends were all developing she still hadn't taken her period in her late teens and went to her GP. It was the start of a lengthy medical process which led to her shock diagnosis, followed by complex surgery to build her a normal vagina.

The shock of being told she had no womb and would never have children was the hardest blow for Rebekah.

Now fully accepting of her condition, she says she has shared her story in a book to help other women who are coming to terms with their diagnosis.

"While it has been traumatic I want to show that there is light at the end of the tunnel. At the end of the day, it is not life-threatening and people wouldn't even know you had it because you can't see it," says Rebekah.

"There is a UK support group on Facebook and a lot of women are posting on it who have just been diagnosed, and that's why I wrote my book. I want to do something positive and the book is my journey of what I went through and how I coped.

"The missing word in the title of the book gives the story a little bit of mystery as to what it might be.

"It is a unique condition and I hope that by writing my story it will help others going through it. The book's purpose is also to create awareness of this condition.

"I hope it might even help mothers and fathers whose daughters are going through it, as well as their sisters and brothers, to better understand."

Rebekah lives in Ballymoney with her parents Benny (56) and Debbie (52) and younger brothers Thomas (24) and Matthew (15).

Her book starts when she was at Ballymoney High School and just becoming aware that her menstrual cycle would soon be starting.

But while all her friends started to have periods, her periods never came. She waited years before her mum, who is a nurse, decided that it should be medically investigated.

Rebekah says: "Every year another birthday would pass me by and I still didn't feel a change in my body, the way that every other girl I knew was going through.

"My female family members would often ask me if I had any signs of getting my period and my response was always 'not yet'.

"So, when I turned 18 my mum thought it would be a good idea to go to the doctors and check to see why my period had not appeared yet.

"The doctor ordered blood tests and then there were different stages when I had to have scans and more tests and an MRI scan before I was told that I had no womb.

"I was told that my vagina was there but it was very small, and I had to go through surgery to get a normal vagina.

"It was quite heartbreaking. Every woman wants to be able to carry a child, and to be told at 18 that you won't was very hard. However, they explained that I could consider surrogacy or adoption.

"At the beginning it didn't seem real but I've learnt to live with it now as I have got older. It broke my mum's heart, though I now know lots of women can't have children for various reasons."

In her book Rebekah describes the emotion of receiving such a devastating diagnosis. In one of many very moving parts of her story, she writes of the moment the gynaecologist broke the news that she could not have children: "When I heard that my heart just stopped and dropped at the same time. Fighting back the tears was so difficult.

"I looked at my mum and she had already started to cry before I did. She went on to say that the MRI scan also picked up that I only had one kidney and then explained that my vagina was very small and would need reconstructing.

"When I came out of the doctor's office, I cried my eyes out. I was completely heartbroken by the news. All I could think of was my future and how I was supposed to tell anyone about this situation.

"I didn't want anybody to know for a long time because I had to get over the shock of it myself; every time I thought about it, I just cried even more.

"I started to yell at God for doing this to me; I'd say: 'Why did you do this to me Lord?'. I really started questioning it.

"But I am so thankful for my family and close friends who do know and have been so supportive throughout the whole journey so far, and even though I was really mad at God, I still trusted Him and I knew that this was part of His plan for a reason, as He always knows the bigger picture."

Surgery was major as it is an operation which is rarely carried out in Northern Ireland. In 2012 Rebekah had the first of many visits to Belfast City Hospital to discuss her options with a consultant in reconstructive surgery.

She had to have two operations, which took place in the summer of 2013 when she was 20.

The first surgery was to expand the tissue on the outside of her vagina and afterwards she was confined to her hospital bed for 12 days.

The second operation involved using the tissue created during the first surgery to reconstruct the vagina on the inside, making what was a very small vaginal area into a normal one.

She talks in her book repeatedly about her fear of hospitals, and the ordeal of being ordered to lie in bed for 12 days after her first surgery proved very traumatic for her.

She recalls: "I had to spend over a week just lying in bed. I couldn't even get up for a walk or anything. It truly was horrible, not to mention that I also had a catheter in. Anyone who has had surgery in the past will know how annoying and uncomfortable those things really are.

"I started to question whether it was all worth it and I really had my down and out moments. When you can't simply get up to go for a walk or to do everyday things, it is a struggle.

"I just wanted out of that bed, but I had nowhere to go. It felt like the longest 12 days of my life."

After her reconstructive surgery Rebekah rested for a couple of days and then had to learn to walk again with the help of hospital physiotherapists. She faced a long, slow recovery during which she spent a total of a month in hospital.

However, the relief that it was all over and the surgery had been a success was the beginning of her healing both physically and emotionally from the ordeal. Three years ago she started to write her book, which she has self-published on Amazon and Kindle.

While Rebekah has come to terms with her condition it has had its challenges, especially when it comes to dating. She feels that with any new partner she needs to tell them that she will never be able to have children.

"I was going with a boy at the time I was diagnosed and he was quite understanding and did support me," she says.

"We did break up for other reasons some time afterwards and it was for the best.

"It has been hard to tell everyone I meet that I can't have children, but it is only fair. I am not with anyone at the moment."

She hasn't ruled out becoming a mum and says one day she would like to have a family by adoption if it is meant to be.

Rebekah talks often in her book about her strong faith in God, which has helped her through the past few years.

"Having my faith has helped me a lot to get through it all. There were a lot of prayers and my church congregation were also thinking of me in their prayers, which helped a lot too," she adds.

"I have come out the other side now and I just hope my book can help people who have just found out they have MRKH."

The Girl With No... by R J Knight is available now on Amazon, paperback 10, Kindle edition 5
Paul Golding (third right) and Jayda Fransen (centre), leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First and supporters upon arrivial at Folkestone Magistrates' Court / Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Paul Golding (third right) and Jayda Fransen (centre), leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First and supporters upon arrivial at Folkestone Magistrates' Court / Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, the leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First, have been found guilty at Folkestone Magistrates' Court of religiously-aggravated harassment in Kent in May last year.

Independent unionist Belfast councillor Jolene Bunting was in attendance at the trial of the Britain First leaders.

Verdicts were handed down on Wednesday afternoon.

The pair are from Penge, south east London.

They were arrested in May last year over the alleged distribution of leaflets and posting of online videos during a trial at Canterbury Crown Court, where three Muslim men and a teenager were convicted of rape and jailed.

Fransen (31) allegedly went to the Kent home of one of the defendants, Tamin Rahmani, and shouted racist abuse through the front door.

His pregnant partner Kelli Best said she was alone with their two children, aged three years and 18 months, at the time of the incident on May 9 last year.

On a video played in court, Fransen (36) could be seen banging on the door and shouting: Come out and face me you disgusting rapist, come on.

Fransen denied using the phrase Muslim bastards, or saying that all Muslims are rapists.

Golding said he was only acting as Fransens cameraman, and that it was her campaign.

Expand Close Belfast councillor Jolene Bunting outside Folkestone Magistrates' Court / Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Belfast councillor Jolene Bunting outside Folkestone Magistrates' Court / Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire
George Henry Patrick Crossett, whose eldest victim was 91, took almost 150,000 from them over a two-year period with his sob stories of being in "dire trouble" or under death threat

A 53-year-old shop owner who preyed on friends and vulnerable elderly customers, fleecing them of "tens of thousands of pounds", has been jailed for 18 months.

George Henry Patrick Crossett, whose eldest victim was 91, took almost 150,000 from them over a two-year period with his sob stories of being in "dire trouble" or under death threat.

One of his victims died blaming himself, feeling he had let his family down, Belfast Crown Court heard.

Judge Gordon Kerr QC told the bankrupted Crossett that his was "one of the most serious cases of fraud I have come across in this jurisdiction".

He said that while such offending normally attracted a sentence of six years on a contest, he was entitled to credit for his guilty pleas - and the delay in the case, with some of the offences dating back seven or eight years.

Crossett, from Lyndhurst Drive in north Belfast, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 fraud charges and five of theft, committed between 2011 and 2013.

Judge Kerr said that when Crossett found himself in financial difficulties, "to obtain monies he preyed on his customers and on older people in the area ... taking their monies from them knowing all too well he would not be paying them back".

Quoting from a victim impact report, Judge Kerr said it showed the extent of Crossett's fraud and his behaviour in willingly being prepared to prey on the vulnerable and elderly on Belfast's Shankill Road, where he operated an electrical shop.

The statement, supplied by the daughter of two of his victims, told how they were left devastated by the crime, which "literally knocked their confidence". Her father died blaming himself "because he thought he had let the family down".

The statement also told how Crossett, even after fleecing his victims, would often turn up at their home, "unannounced and uninvited".

Prosecution counsel Philip Henry had told the court there were a number of "recurring themes" to Crossett's offending, "often targeting the most vulnerable and elderly", many in poor states of health or even suffering from Alzheimer's.

Crossett, he added, had his "set stories" backed with extraordinary promises of repaying them within weeks, and large amounts in interest.

He claimed he needed funds to restock after break-ins, or to invest in buying up stock at knock-down prices.

Then, after getting their sympathy, he would drive them to their banks to collect their cash.

On occasions he would also talk the same victim into handing over even more money, none of which they ever saw again.

Defence lawyer Charles MacCreanor QC said that what might have started out with Crossett borrowing money with the thought of paying them back "rapidly became a criminal offence". However, Mr MacCreanor added, "it was obvious all of this was always going to come back to his door".

Crossett was jailed for 18 months, with a further 18 months to be spent on licence.
A car park attendant operated a ticketing scam to pocket up to 70 customer payments because he was bored and lonely, a court heard today.

Paul Tait, 19, was given 150 hours community service after admitting the fraud against his employers at McCausland in Belfast city centre.

Prosecutors said it was unclear how much money had been taken during the six months he worked at the car park on Grosvenor Street.

Belfast Magistrates' Court was told police were contacted in October last year after cancelled payments were noticed on the system.

CCTV checks carried out by a manager revealed Tait, of Glenwherry Place in the city, had been on duty and dealing with customers.

Part of the scam involved generating an invalid ticket on the computer to falsify car parking records.

Investigations also uncovered other cash transactions where Tait manually lifted the car park barrier for customers before putting their cash in his wallet.

A Crown lawyer said the relevant CCTV recordings only go back as far as last September.

"Managers have worked out that there are around 70 occasions from September where Mr Tait has fraudulently obtained money for himself," she told the court.

Police and bosses at the car park were also unable to establish when he first started taking the money.

Tait pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud by false representation between September 10 and October 1, 2017.

Referring to the admissions he made in interview, the prosecutor added: "He stated that he was experiencing a period of depression at the time, and that subsequent loneliness and boredom of the job led him to discover he could commit this fraud.

"He stated that it was just money to subsidise his low income."

Tait also expressed remorse and said he was willing to pay the money back to the company.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall described it as a breach of trust case which passed the threshold for custody.

But based on Tait's early plea of guilt and lack of record, she instead imposed the community service order.
A permanent memorial to a Northern Ireland Victoria Cross hero is to be installed in his home town in honour of his remarkable bravery during the Great War.

James Bell Crichton, who was born in Carrickfergus, had the Army's most prestigious military accolade bestowed on him for his incredible courage.

His heroics included facing a barrage of enemy machinegun fire and snipers to remove explosives from a vital bridge, and swimming across a river while under attack to deliver key messages.

Mr Crichton's Victoria Cross citation read: "Though suffering from a painful wound, he displayed the highest degree of valour and devotion to duty."

Members of Mid and East Antrim Borough council have agreed to the permanent memorial to Mr Crichton.

Mayor Paul Reid said: "James Crichton was one of just eight Victoria Cross recipients from what is now Northern Ireland, during the Great War. The installation of a permanent memorial paving stone in memory and honour of James Crichton is a fitting tribute to this inspirational man and will further ensure his story is remembered and celebrated for generations to come."

Mr Crichton was born in Carrickfergus before the family moved to Scotland.

Later he emigrated to New Zealand.

He died in September 1961 and is buried in the Soldiers' Cemetery at Waikumete, Auckland.
The DUP has demanded amendments to a "cornerstone of the Belfast Agreement" in a bid to give extra protections to veterans.

The party's leader Arlene Foster watched on from the visitors' gallery in the House of Commons as chief whip Sir Jeffrey Donaldson warned the Government benches that greater protections for ex-service personnel in Northern Ireland formed "part of the confidence and supply deal".

In an opposition day debate, Sir Jeffrey told MPs there was still a "culture of fear" among veterans in the country and proposed a number of moves to remedy this.

Sir Jeffrey, backed by his nine other colleagues, called for section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to be amended to include provision for the armed forces.

The section states that public bodies should carry out functions promoting equality of opportunity between "persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation, between men and women generally, between persons with a disability and persons without and between persons with dependants and persons without".

Sir Jeffrey said: "I do remind the House that this was something that was part of the confidence and supply agreement between the Democratic Unionist Party and the Conservative Party.

"We identified that this should be a priority for the Government, full implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland.

"So in that context, I repeat our call to see the aftercare service currently operated by the Royal Irish Regiment in Northern Ireland, that welfare service, that vital support service for those who served in the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Home Service, to be extended.

"And that consideration be given to enhancing the level of support that is available to those veterans in Northern Ireland who did not serve in the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Home Service but are equally deserving of welfare support.

"Secondly we want to see the Government amending section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act to make specific provision for veterans of armed forces to ensure that Government departments and agencies in Northern Ireland have to have regard to the needs of veterans in bringing forward policies and implementing those policies."

Sir Jeffery also called for the appointment of an "armed forces champion" in Northern Ireland.

Defence Minister Mark Lancaster resisted the calls however, saying: "Some may suggest that it's time to introduce further statuary instruments to increase uptake, but whilst I'm ready to listen to the arguments on a case by case basis I would make the point that the problem isn't about a lack of mechanisms.

"Let's not forget, as has been mentioned, beside the instruments already in place there is section 75. I listened very carefully to what he had to say, but it is a cornerstone of the Belfast Agreement."

He added: "If honourable members are aware of any disadvantage suffered by members of the armed forces community in Northern Ireland then they should report it to me or to colleagues in the MoD so that we can attempt to address them quickly.

"Let me reassure honourable members as with every single man and woman in our armed forces, we are utterly committed and determined to make sure all those who have contributed so much to our nation should continue getting the support they deserve."

The DUP's non-binding motion, which asked the Commons to reaffirm its commitment to ensure the covenant is "fully implemented" in Northern Ireland, was approved unopposed.
Arlene Foster has branded as a "complete and utter lie" a claim that her deputy leader Nigel Dodds was in the room when a draft agreement to restore power-sharing was passed between herself and Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill.

The DUP leader was responding after BBC presenter Stephen Nolan said a senior politician in the party had told his show that Mr Dodds was in the room when the document was exchanged.

The source told the BBC that while final details had yet to be agreed, there was a broad agreement, including on Irish language provisions.

The DUP insider told Mr Nolan that Mr Dodds was present when Mrs Foster gave the document to Ms O'Neill.

Speaking in Brussels yesterday after talks with the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, Mrs Foster described the claims as "a complete and utter lie".

She said: "I can clarify categorically that Nigel Dodds did not attend any meeting where any document was handed over to Sinn Fein.

"It is disappointing that there are some people who want to sow discord amongst unionists when there is none."

Mrs Foster claimed the latest round of talks had failed because Sinn Fein had wanted a "one-sided" deal.

"In a divided society, any deal must be fair and balanced. There was never any agreement reached," she said.

"Papers were exchanged, but a paper on the Irish language had no more standing than a paper on Sinn Fein ministers implementing the military covenant.

"On the final Friday of the talks, I released a statement saying there was more work to do. The selectively leaked papers show there were square brackets showing no agreement.

"Commentators even concluded there was no agreement. Regardless of spin or document titles, the evidence points to there being no agreement."

Mrs Foster said that with "little to no prospect" of devolution being restored soon, she was "focused on getting decisions made for everyone in Northern Ireland through Westminster".

Arguing over "the scraps of negotiations" ignored the serious issues that need addressed, she added.

Mrs Foster said if DUP members had briefed hardline loyalists linked to paramilitary groups about the contents of the disputed draft plan to restore Stormont, they were not doing it on her or the party's behalf.

The DUP leader was responding to an Irish News report claiming loyalists with links to the UDA and UVF were briefed that a deal had been reached.

The newspaper claimed the loyalists were told by the DUP that legislation would "only enshrine in legislation" rights already available to Irish speakers.

When asked about the report during a Press conference in Brussels, Mrs Foster did not deny briefings took place, but insisted she had no knowledge of them.

"If people were briefing organisations, they were doing it on their own behalf," she said.

"Certainly, they weren't doing it on behalf of me or the DUP.

"I am not saying it didn't take place, I am saying they didn't do it on my behalf or on behalf of the DUP."

The reports were the latest challenges to the DUP's ongoing insistence that it had not reached a draft agreement with Sinn Fein last month to see devolution return to Stormont.

The party has been accused of getting cold feet at the eleventh hour in the face of an internal revolt from grassroots members angry about potential concessions to Sinn Fein on the vexed dispute over the Irish language.

The DUP has vehemently denied its negotiating team agreed a draft deal prior to the Valentine's Day break-up of talks.
A man holds a picture of murder victim Karol Kelly who was murdered in Derry at the weekend. There was a heavy Police presence at the court in Londonderry. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 07.03.18

A man holds a picture of murder victim Karol Kelly who was murdered in Derry at the weekend. There was a heavy Police presence at the court in Londonderry. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 07.03.18

A man holds a picture of murder victim Karol Kelly who was murdered in Derry at the weekend. There was a heavy Police presence at the court in Londonderry. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 07.03.18

Family and friends of the Kelly family outside Derry Court on Wednesday after two men were charged with the murder of Karol Kelly. Mr Kelly was murdered in Derry on Sunday morning. Picture Margaret McLaughlin 7-3-18

Police reinforcements were called to the Magistrate's Court in Londonderry on Wednesday when two brothers appeared charged with the murder of father-of-five Karol Kelly.

The 35-year-old was killed during an altercation on Grafton Street in the Rosemount area of the city in the early hours of last Sunday morning.

Read More

In Courtroom 2 relatives and friends of the victim, and relatives and friends of the two defendants faced each other from behind lines of police officers during the brief hearing.

The defendants are Gary Anderson, 20 and his brother Sean Anderson, 19, both from 8 Grafton Street outside which Mr Kelly was murdered.

Both men spoke only to confirm that they understood the charge against them and to confirm their names and dates of birth. They're jointly charged with Mr Kelly's murder.

Almost twenty police officers were in the courtroom prior to the defendants being produced in the dock but the hearing was temporarily delayed to allow for the arrival of extra police officers who were deployed both inside and outside the courtroom.

One man carrying a large photograph of Mr. Kelly was removed from the courtroom before the hearing started and two men were arrested for contempt of court during the proceedings by verbally abusing both defendants. All three men were cheered and applauded by people in the section of the public gallery where the relatives and friends of the murder victim were seated or standing.

Before the remand hearing started District Judge Barney McElholm warned that he would not tolerate any unacceptable behaviour by anyone in the public galleries.

"A man is dead here. These are court proceedings and they will be conducted in a dignified and respectful manner so I will not be brooking any bad behaviour by any party. This is a necessary part of the court process and it will be conducted in a dignified manner. Anyone who does not do that risks an immediate prison sentence. Bear in mind the dignity of the deceased. We do not want this turning into a circus", he said.

Meanwhile in her evidence a detective inspector in the PSNI's Major Investigations Team told Mr McElholm that she believed she could connect both defendants to the murder charge.

Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Karol Kelly who was killed in Grafton Street, Derry in the early hours of Sunday 04 March 2018 Karol Kelly Police and forensics officers at the scene of the murder of Karol Kelly Lorcan Doherty / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Karol Kelly who was killed in Grafton Street, Derry in the early hours of Sunday 04 March 2018

Questioned by Kevin Casey, solicitor for both defendants, the police officer confirmed that police inquiries had revealed that prior to the murder of Mr Kelly, the deceased had made a number of threats towards the defendants.

"Can you also confirm that police inquiries also reveal that shortly before this incident that lead to the brothers being charged, the deceased and another man, not before the court, entered the family home of the two brothers and assaulted them and that both brothers received injuries as the result of this?" Mr Casey asked the police witness.

The detective inspector replied "I can confirm that your Worship. Gary Anderson lost part of two of his teeth".

The witness also confirmed to Mr Casey that the other man with the deceased had been arrested by the police on suspicion of burglary with intent to cause grievous harm and that witnesses had told the police that the deceased had "made a threat to kill anyone who went to the police" as he left the Grafton Street home of the defendants.

There was no bail application and both defendants were remanded in custody until March 29.

Mr McElholm also granted a defence application for a ban on any photographs of the two defendants being used by any media or social media outlets.

Meanwhile the two men who were arrested in court for contempt later apologised for their behaviour.

A solicitor for one of them said his client was a trained first aid responder who was at the murder scene on Sunday morning and who had applied CPR to the fatally wounded Mr Kelly, who was his best friend. The solicitor said his client had neither slept nor eaten since the incident.

A solicitor for the second man arrested in court said his client accepted that he had not behaved in a dignified manner against a background filled with tension and emotion.

Mr McElholm said the problem with crowd dynamics was when one person started everyone else followed on behind as well. He then told the defendants he was taking no further action against them and that they were free to go.
IRA victims have slammed a children's charity in the Republic for promoting its 'Lost Childhood' campaign with a tweeted photograph that includes Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams and former IRA prisoner Dessie Ellis TD.

Barnardo's Ireland's campaign is about how homelessness can cause many children to lose their childhood, but the presence of the senior republicans prompted an angry backlash online.

Victims last night criticised the charity for associating itself with the senior Sinn Fein members, given how they had lost their own childhoods to the IRA.

Valerie Hetherington was just nine when her RUC officer father Alfie Woods was murdered by the IRA in 1981.

Her mother died a year later, leaving six children without their parents.

"We were robbed of our childhood and it seems to have been forgotten about," she said.

"I think Sinn Fein have a very short memory when they present themselves like this. I also think Barnardo's have portrayed themselves as very one-sided," she added.

Craig Agar was eight when his soldier father Thomas Agar was killed in an IRA bomb blast in 1984.

"If it wasn't such a serious subject I'd be laughing," he said.

"Gerry Adams is the stealer of so many childhoods," he claimed.

"I definitely felt mine was robbed. I had a fear of letter bombs - no eight-year-old should have to worry about that.

"For a time I had a pure hatred of anyone with an Irish accent. I felt very alone and couldn't form relationships or trust anyone.

"It hurts to see Gerry Adams speaking about lost childhoods when I was deprived of mine."

He added: "I think Barnardo's have been caught out. Charities might have to shake hands with people they don't want to but did they really need to bring Gerry Adams in to help their cause?"

West Belfast woman Mairia Cahill, who accused an IRA member of raping her when she was a teenager, said: "I lost my childhood within a split second when that man laid a finger on me. That's the same for every other young victim of IRA sexual abuse.

"But the image that resonates with people is that of Jean McConville's 10 children who lost their childhoods when she was 'disappeared' by the IRA."

She continued: "I really think Barnardo's have put out a really badly worded tweet. They should also have thought about the picture and the particular association with Gerry Adams and the movement which he did head up."

Sinn Fein and Barnardo's Ireland were contacted but have yet to respond.
The funeral of a Kincora abuse survivor who spoke out for other victims has taken place in Bangor.

Clint Massey revealed he had terminal lung and brain cancer in January, passing away this month, aged 60, after contracting a chest infection.

He was sexually abused at the age of 16 during an eight-month stay in the notorious Kincora boys' home in east Belfast.

Years later he waived his right to anonymity, bravely speaking out in support of other victims.

Before his death, he urged local politicians to stop bickering and implement recommendations in the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry report, which include compensation for victims and a State apology.

Mourners gathered yesterday for a celebration of his life at Clark's funeral home in Bangor.

Journalist Colin Breen became good friends with Mr Massey. He said speaking out about Kincora had been a healing experience for Mr Massey, and that he would remember an intelligent and good-humoured friend.

"The person who would have enjoyed the funeral service most in terms of the celebration wasn't there - that was Clint," he said.

"He enjoyed the craic as much of the rest of us."

Mr Breen said he was initially concerned when Mr Massey decided to go public about what had happened to him as a boy.

"I wasn't sure if he was strong enough to cope but it ended up being quite therapeutic for him," he commented.

In 1981, three senior care workers at Kincora were imprisoned. Claims of security force or State collusion into the abuse were later dismissed by the chairman of a public inquiry into the scandal, Sir Anthony Hart.

The failures of the health authorities and RUC were raised, however, after dozens of residents complained.

Days after the inquiry's recommendations were made, the Stormont Assembly collapsed, meaning none of the funds can be released to survivors.

Mr Massey always denied any suggestion of political or intelligence service involvement in the abuse, maintaining the perpetrators were local.

"He was a very intelligent guy. It made me wonder how his life would have ended up in normal circumstances," Mr Breen said.

"He read and retained a lot. I wondered sometimes if it was because he was withdrawn, that's why he read so much," he added.

Mr Massey's cancer diagnosis was revealed after a physiotherapist raised concerns during a routine check-up.

"It was a big shock to him," said Mr Breen.

"After visiting him just last week, the last thing I expected to hear was that he died."

Having met with a group of friends after the funeral, Mr Breen was told the service was "a proper celebration".

"There's a sadness today among us, but there was a lot of laughter looking back on the happy days as well," Mr Breen added.
Police carry out a search operation in the Mulberry park area of west Belfast on March 7th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police carry out a search operation in the Mulberry park area of west Belfast on March 7th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police carry out a search operation in the Mulberry park area of west Belfast on March 7th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police carry out a search operation in the Mulberry park area of west Belfast on March 7th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police carry out a search operation in the Mulberry park area of west Belfast on March 7th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

A 37-year-old man has been arrested under the Terrorism Act as part of an investigation into the murder of Raymond Johnston.

Mr Johnston (28) died after being shot at a house in Glenbawn Avenue, Belfast, just before 8pm on February 13.

He was killed by a shotgun blast in front of an 11-year-old girl and his partner.

On Wednesday police also conducted searches in west Belfast and Lisburn.

Last month four men were arrested in connection with the death of Raymond Johnston and were subsequently released.
Police at the scene of an incident in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on March 6th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police at the scene of an incident in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on March 6th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

A man is in a serious condition in hospital following reports of an assault in Great Victoria Street in Belfast.

A police spokesman said two men have been arrested following the incident.

A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service told the Belfast Telegraph: "We got a call just before 6.30pm from the police reporting an assault in Great Victoria Street. We took the patient to the Royal Victoria Hospital and he is in what is described as a serious condition."

The Belfast Telegraph understands the incident happened on the upper floors of a building on Great Victoria Street.

Expand Close Police at the scene of an incident in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on March 6th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Police at the scene of an incident in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on March 6th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police remain at the scene tonight.
1. Yes. Several other districts factor them in. It would provide a more complete picture.

2. Yes. Theyre not as accurate, but they can be useful in spotting a trend in infections.

3. No. The district is keeping tabs on those numbers, so the public doesnt need to.

4. No. As long as the public health district is aware of those stats, thats all that matters.

5. Unsure. The district isnt obligated to include them, but it might be helpful.

Vote

View Results
The DUP's Ian Paisley sparked confusion yesterday with a tweet saying a police officer had come under attack from terrorists.

He corrected his post an hour later to say that the car fire at the centre of the claim was in fact a "malfunction of the vehicle".

The MP for North Antrim tweeted: "I understand that a terrorist attack on police officer in Ballyrobert, Co Antrim, has taken place. Suspected under car booby trap device. My concern is for the officer and family of officer. Terrorism will never prevail."

He added: "Dastardly and cowardly attack!"

However, he later sent a correction out to his 15,400 followers, saying: "UPDATE reports suggest this was a major malfunction of the vehicle and not terrorist related. If so that's a huge relief and I hope those involved are uninjured."

The incident also took place at Ballyrobert near Bangor, not Co Antrim.

Mr Paisley's original tweet was shared 87 times and picked up by news outlets across Northern Ireland and the UK.

Before the correction went out, DUP leader Arlene Foster condemned the reported 'attack' during a press conference in Brussels, saying her thoughts were with those affected and describing reports as "very disturbing".

North Down Ulster Unionist MLA Alan Chambers also condemned the incident. In a statement, the PSNI confirmed the car fire at the centre of the security alert was the result of a mechanical fault.

The statement said: "Following initial enquiries at the scene, ATO (ammunition technical officers) were tasked to conduct an examination of the vehicle. Police can confirm that a mechanical fault is believed to be the cause of a car fire on A2 between Belfast and Bangor this morning, Tuesday March 6."

The police also said the driver of the car was not a serving officer.

The Army bomb squad was sent to examine the car which burst into flames on the outskirts of Bangor. Shortly before 8.30am a report was made that it had caught fire at the junction of the main Belfast/Bangor carriageway and Ballyrobert Road.

There were long delays for most of the morning while Army experts carried out their investigations before the road was reopened just before 2pm.

The threat posed by dissident republicans has been lowered in the rest of the UK, but it remains "severe" in Northern Ireland. Prison officer Adrian Ismay (52) died in March 2016 from injuries he sustained when a bomb exploded under his van in east Belfast. Christopher Robinson from Dunmurry is due to stand trial in September for his alleged involvement in the murder. At a hearing last week Mr Robinson pleaded not guilty.
The chase was also likened to television sitcom Benidorm

A pensioner motorist was pursued by police through a public park and just avoided pedestrians in a scene reminiscent of The Benny Hill TV comedy show, a court heard today.

Robert McCann drove into the Falls Park in west Belfast last month in a borrowed Mercedes car after panicking over a tobacco purchase, his lawyer said.

The 70-year-old, of Divis Tower in the city, was banned from driving and fined 650 after admitting a series of motoring offences.

Defence counsel Michael Boyd told Belfast Magistrates' Court: "If it hadn't been so frightening for the people he narrowly missed it would be comical."

Police tried to get McCann to stop after checks revealed no insurance for the car he was driving in the Falls Road area on February 7.

A prosecution lawyer said Mercedes failed to halt, instead travelling into the nearby Falls Park.

She told the court the vehicle narrowly missed a number of pedestrians, including a woman walking a pram.

The car was then abandoned before the driver fled.

McCann was arrested close to the scene and subsequently made admissions.

In court today he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, having no licence and using a motor vehicle without insurance.

His barrister described the case as "utterly bizarre".

Mr Boyd said: "He got in a friend's car to do a message and panicked when police wanted to speak to him.

"He had some tobacco that he had purchased from an individual who had brought it in from Spain."

District Judge Fiona Bagnall likened the explanation to something out of television sitcom Benidorm.

Mr Boyd responded: "Or Benny Hill maybe. It was a moment of madness, thankfully no-one was hurt."

Imposing the disqualification and fines, Mrs Bagnall also ordered McCann to pay a further 15 offender levy.
Simon Hamilton said he did not think an agreement between his party and Sinn Fein to restore devolution would materialise in 2018 (Paul Faith/PA)

The powersharing impasse in Northern Ireland is likely to extend throughout the year and potentially beyond, a senior Democratic Unionist has said.

Simon Hamilton said he did not think an agreement between his party and Sinn Fein to restore devolution would materialise in 2018.

I think the prospects of a return to devolution in the short-term are bleak, he told MPs at Westminster.

Mr Hamilton added: It gives me no pleasure to say that I dont think that is going to happen in the short-term.

Expand Close Stormont powersharing talks PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Stormont powersharing talks

I dont see it happening this year and perhaps even beyond.

Mr Hamilton, who was briefing members of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on the long-running powersharing crisis, blamed Sinn Feins scorched earth policy for poisoning relations between the parties.

The DUP continues to reject Sinn Fein claims it had struck a draft agreement last month before reneging in the face of a grassroots backlash from party supporters angry that potential concessions on the vexed issue of the Irish language were in the offing.

Mr Hamilton said media reports suggesting that a draft deal had been done, with claims DUP leader Arlene Foster had handed over a hard copy to Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill, were the result of mischief making and selective leaking by the republican party.

Expand Close Stormont powersharing talks PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Stormont powersharing talks

The Strangford Assembly member has been a key member of the DUPs negotiating team through the various rounds of ill-fated negotiations during the 14-month impasse.

He defended the leadership of Mrs Foster and said she had headed up the negotiations at all stages of the process.

Mr Hamilton claimed reasons preventing the restoration of devolved government included Sinn Fein intransigence and the partys continued eulogising of the IRA.

Their behaviour in recent days and their behaviour in recent weeks suggest to me that they are not serious about getting devolution back, he said.

The powersharing institutions first imploded last January amid a row over a botched green energy scheme.

The dispute subsequently widened to take in more long-standing disputes over the Irish language; social issues like the regions ban on same sex marriage; the treatment of members of the Armed Forces; and mechanisms to deal with the legacy of the Troubles.

The DUP has called for a return to Westminster direct rule to stabilise the regions rudderless public services amid the continued absence of a Stormont executive.

Sinn Feins Conor Murphy said Mr Hamiltons remarks showed the DUP had checked out of powersharing.

He said the only option was for the UK and Irish governments to chart the way ahead through the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference  a peace process structure that gives the Dublin administration a consultative role on certain Northern Ireland issues.

If these comments reflect the position of the DUP leadership, then clearly that party has checked out of the powersharing institutions or any renewed effort to restore them, Mr Murphy said.

This follows their decision to renege on the draft agreement and to crash the talks process in the face of opposition from their own most right-wing, anti-agreement elements.

But our public services and the rights of citizens cannot be held to ransom by the DUPs refusal to close on an agreement which they negotiated over 14 months.

So in that context, there is a renewed onus on the two governments to urgently convene the British-Irish intergovernmental conference to implement previous agreements and pave the way for a restoration of the Executive by addressing the British government commitment to an Irish Language Act, the release of funds for legacy inquests, progressing the legacy mechanisms and safeguarding the rights of citizens including the right to marriage equality.
Queen's University has moved to distance itself from a professor who accused the BBC's Stephen Nolan of "escalating tensions" in Northern Ireland and questioned why Jim Allister appeared so often on radio and TV.

Professor Brian Walker rang the Nolan Show a fortnight ago to complain about its "constant negativity".

While the TUV leader was on "every day", the academic asked why Nolan couldn't "bring on people from the universities who would have more moderate views about the Irish language".

Following Professor Walker's interview, Mr Allister wrote to Queen's expressing "strong disquiet".

The TUV leader said the academic had "issues with my politics, beliefs and of course he is quite entitled to his views".

However, Mr Allister said he took "strong exception" to a Queen's professor allegedly "using his position to seek to censor the media and dictate who they should and should not allow on the airwaves".

He said: "It is one thing for Professor Walker to claim we need more 'moderate' voices and seek to be one of those himself.

"It is quite another for him to go on and rant about the supposedly 'extreme' views that others articulate and suggest they should not be permitted air time.

"It is the very antithesis of liberal democracy for an academic to seek to suppress debate and dictate to broadcasters in the fashion in which Professor Walker did."

Mr Allister asked the university if Professor Walker's views represented its "approved ethos" and if Queen's had a "policy of suppressing political expression" of those its academics viewed as "extreme".

The TUV leader also asked the university how Professor Walker's remarks could be "squared with the international principle of academic neutrality".

In its response, Queen's moved to distance itself from Professor Walker's remarks. In correspondence to Mr Allister seen by the Belfast Telegraph, the university said: "The views he expressed on the Nolan Show were entirely his own and in no way represented the views of the university or the School of History, Anthropology Philosophy and Politics."

In the letter to Mr Allister, the university's acting president and vice-chancellor James C McElnay revealed that Professor Walker wasn't currently a member of Queen's academic staff and had retired from the university in 2012.

The Queen's website lists Mr Walker as an Emeritus Professor in the Centre for Irish Politics.

The university said that Queen's pro-vice chancellor Professor Richard English would be "very happy to meet" Mr Allister to "provide a personal reassurance around the university's commitment to academic neutrality".

On the Nolan Show on February 23, Professor Walker chided the BBC broadcaster for his "constant negativity" and said he was "part of the problem" in Northern Ireland.

He said that in order to allow politicians to reach an agreement, Mr Nolan should encourage them rather than highlighting their climbdowns. He said the Nolan Show had become a platform for extreme views.

"How many times have you had Jim Allister on in the last two weeks? He's on every day isn't he? Why didn't you bring on people from the universities who would have more moderate views about the Irish language," he asked Nolan. "Can you tell us please how many times Jim Allister has been on BBC radio in the last two weeks? I'm sure you have researchers. And the other thing I'd like to know is how many MLAs does Jim Allister have in Stormont?"

Professor Walker complained he had tried to get on the show five times that week.

The Belfast Telegraph contacted Queen's for comment about the controversy, but it did not reply.
There are fears leaving the EU digital single market may lead to the return of roaming charges

There are fears Prime Minister Theresa May's plans to withdraw from the European Union (EU) digital single market may lead to the return of roaming charges for people from Northern Ireland when travelling abroad.

The move could also affect mobile phone signals along the Irish border.

In 2015 EU countries reached an agreement to bring roaming charges to an end throughout all member states.

This meant people from Northern Ireland travelling abroad to EU member countries would no longer run up large mobile phone bills for using data, making calls and sending texts.

People from Northern Ireland were also affected by the charges when travelling to the Irish Republic.

The agreement abolishing the roaming charges came into effect in June 2017.

Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed her intention to leave the EU digital single market in a speech last week.

"On digital, the UK will not be part of the EUs Digital Single Market, which will continue to develop after our withdrawal from the EU," she said.

"This is a fast evolving, innovative sector, in which the UK is a world leader. So it will be particularly important to have domestic flexibility, to ensure the regulatory environment can always respond nimbly and ambitiously to new developments."

After the announcement SDLP Economy Spokesperson Daniel McCrossan MLA said it was clear that the British Government has no idea of the real depth of the border challenge and how many areas of cooperation Brexit threatens to sever.

As a result of our combined membership of the European Union, people in the North and the South no longer pay mobile roaming charges on calls, texts or data. And even before that, European Union directives saw a cap on the costs for roaming charges," the West Tyrone MLA said.

Theresa Mays order that Britain should leave the digital single market may mean that she has to pay more on a trip to the south of France but it will have a significant impact on people living in border communities or those who cross the border for work here."

Mr McCrossan said the new plans would have repercussions for people across Northern Ireland.

People living in border communities are aware of how often their phone switches to a southern network, depending on which phone mast theyre closest to. They have genuine cause for alarm at the prospect of a return to roaming charges, especially those in a non-EU state," he said.

A white van man living in Strabane could soon face a call from Dublin costing the same as one from Dubai around 30 times the cost before roaming charges were abolished. And the difference in mobile data could be even more unsettling. Surfing the internet on your phone in Navan could return to the same cost as in New York  over 100 times more expensive than before charges were scrapped.

The British Government needs to get real about dealing with the Irish border. The EU has proposed workable solutions based on agreement from the last phase of talks. If Theresa May wants to diverge from her word, then her government must come forward with proposals of its own. The vacuum of leadership cant continue.
The leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First have been found guilty of religiously aggravated harassment.

Paul Golding, 36, and Jayda Fransen, 32, both of Penge, south-east London, stood trial in January at Folkestone Magistrates Court charged with three and four counts respectively of the hate crime.

They were arrested in May last year as part of an investigation into the distribution of leaflets and online videos which were posted during a trial at Canterbury Crown Court in the same month, after which three Muslim men and a teenager were convicted of rape and jailed.

Judge Justin Barron, handing down his verdict at the court on Wednesday, said their words and actions demonstrated hostility towards Muslims and the Muslim faith.

He said: I have no doubt it was their joint intention to use the facts of the case [in Canterbury] for their own political ends.

The victims suffered the distress of the abuse followed by additional stress when the footage was uploaded to the internet. This offending also related to an ongoing criminal trial and the actions taken by Fransen and Golding could easily have derailed the justice processJaswant Narwal, prosecutor

It was a campaign to draw attention to the race, religion and immigrant background of the defendants.

He found Fransen guilty of three charges and Golding guilty of one charge.

Both Fransen and Golding were convicted on a joint charge of religiously aggravated harassment after an incident on May 5 at 555 Pizza takeaway in Ramsgate, Kent, last year.

Fransen banged on the windows and doors of the shop and screamed paedophile and foreigner while two children were playing in the middle of the shop and Jamshed Khesrow, a friend of the owners, was inside.

Judge Barron dismissed a second charge against the pair alleged to have taken place outside Canterbury Crown Court later that day.

Fransen was accused of telling defendant Tamin Rahmanis brother Faiz that Muslims are bastards and rapists.

Judge Barron said that section of the conversation was not recorded and the video that was played to the court did not amount to threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

Fransen was convicted of abuse after visiting a house she wrongly believed to be the current address of another defendant, Sershah Muslimyar. But Golding was cleared of uploading a video of this incident.

Fransen was also convicted of visiting the Kent home of Tamin Rahmani, and shouting racist abuse through the front door while his pregnant partner Kelli Best was there.

Jaswant Narwal, Chief Crown Prosecutor in the South East for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: The prosecution case demonstrated these defendants were not merely exercising their right to free speech but were instead aiming religiously aggravated abuse at innocent members of the public.

The victims suffered the distress of the abuse followed by additional stress when the footage was uploaded to the internet.

This offending also related to an ongoing criminal trial and the actions taken by Fransen and Golding could easily have derailed the justice process.

The pair are due to be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon.
Supporters of far-right group Britain First hurled abuse at a left-wing press and justice system as their leaders were jailed for launching a political campaign in which Muslims were branded paedophiles and rapists.

Leader and deputy leader Paul Golding, 36, and Jayda Fransen, 32, both of Penge, south east London, were found guilty at Folkestone Magistrates Court on Wednesday of religiously-aggravated harassment.

They were arrested on May 10 last year in an investigation into the distribution of leaflets and online videos during an on-going trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

Expand Close Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen with Britain First supporters (Gareth Fuller/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen with Britain First supporters (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Three Muslim men and a teenager were later jailed for raping a 16-year-old girl in a flat above the 555 Pizza takeaway in Ramsgate, Kent.

Judge Justin Barron, jailing Fransen for 36 weeks for three charges and Golding for 18 weeks for one charge, said the crimes were deliberately planned against targeted victims.

The court descended into chaos as he attempted to continue, but Fransen, dressed in a black suit, spoke over him and said: This is a very sad day for British justice. Everything I did was for the children of this country and they are worth it.

This caused cheers and applause to erupt from the public gallery as the pair were led away and Judge Barron temporarily left the court room before concluding his directions.

As supporters left the court room, they hurled abuse at court staff and members of the press, branding the proceedings a shambles and shouting: Left-wing twats, scumbags, no surrender and adding: If we say anything these days we get sent to prison.

The pair visited the 555 Pizza takeaway on May 5. Golding was filming while Fransen banged on the windows and doors, screaming paedophile and a foreigner as two children played in the middle of the shop and Jamshed Khesrow, a friend of the owners, was inside.

Mr Khesrow said Fransen was shouting: Come out you paedophile. Youre a rapist. Come outside, I want to talk to you.

He said he was so scared and she was aggressive and angry.

Later, she shouted out: Im not scared of the police. I dont care about the police.

Judge Justin Barron said the crimes were deliberately planned against targeted victims

Mother-of-two Kelli Best blamed Fransen for her daughter being stillborn after she was subjected to racist abuse in her home.

Fransen shouted through the front door of defendant Tamin Rahmanis home when Miss Best, who was pregnant, was alone with their two children  aged three and 18-months-old  on May 9.

Giving evidence from behind a screen, she said: She (Fransen) was making racist remarks: Dirty Muslim rapist, come out, were not going to leave until youre gone, come out. Dirty scumbags.

It was directed at Tamin because she thought he was in there but he wasnt.

She said two days later she started to bleed heavily and her daughter was stillborn, adding: I blame Jayda Fransen because there was no other reason for it to happen.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Miss Best said she was traumatised by the ordeal and had panic attacks. She said her three-year-old son was still scared when someone came to the door and would follow her around the house.

Judge Barron said it was impossible to find Britain First responsible for the stillbirth based on the evidence he saw, but accepted their actions caused further stress to those associated with the defendants who had been on trial at the time.

Ikram Safai was told to move house by social services after Fransen mistakenly targeted his home, believing it to be that of Sershah Muslimyar  another defendant in the trial.

Mr Safai, originally from Afghanistan, found a video on the Britain First website which showed Fransen knocking on his door, identifying it as the home of Muslimyar  but he had moved out some two years earlier.

In the video she shouted: Come out dirty Muslim. Rapist Muslim. Come out and speak to me face-to-face if youre man enough.

The group distributed leaflets wrongly identifying Faiz Rahmani, the brother of defendant Tamin Rahmani, as Muslimyar.

Golding was cleared of his involvement in this incident.

Judge Barron said their words and actions demonstrated hostility towards Muslims and the Muslim faith, adding: I have no doubt it was their joint intention to use the facts of the case [in Canterbury] for their own political ends.

It was a campaign to draw attention to the race, religion and immigrant background of the defendants.

Restraining orders were granted to stop the pair contacting victims and witnesses in the case. Fransen was ordered to pay 2,000 in compensation to those affected and Golding was told to pay 500.

Another charge against the pair, based on allegations Fransen told Faiz Rahmani that Muslims were bastards and rapists when approaching him outside Canterbury Crown Court, was dismissed.
Theresa May will raise deep concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Yemen during talks with Saudi Arabias crown prince as he embarks on a three day visit to the UK.

Mohammed bin Salman will be received by the Queen at Buckingham Palace at the start of a trip that is set to be dominated by protests over his countrys role in the bloody civil war in Yemen.

The Prime Minister will call for urgent progress on securing a political resolution to the crisis when she meets the crown prince.

You can expect them to discuss Yemen and the Prime Minister to raise deep concerns at the humanitarian situation, the PMs official spokesman said.

Expand Close Mohammed bin Salman visit to UK PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Mohammed bin Salman visit to UK

Yemen has been embroiled in a bloody civil war since 2014 when rebels took over the capital city of Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia is the main player in a coalition supporting the Yemeni government against the Houthis in a war which has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.

The PM will acknowledge the steps taken recently by Saudi Arabia to address the crisis but will stress the importance of full and unfettered humanitarian and commercial access through the ports of Hodeidah and Salif, which have previously been hit by coalition blockades.

She will also reiterate how seriously we take allegations of violations against international humanitarian law and emphasise the need to ensure that these are investigated swiftly and thoroughly, the spokesman added.

She will make clear that we urgently need to see progress on the political track, which is ultimately the only way to end the conflict and humanitarian suffering in Yemen.

The crown prince has been the driving force behind a modernisation programme, Vision 2030, in Saudi Arabia, but the reforms have been dismissed as a mirage by campaigners.

On Wednesday he will have lunch with the Queen and dinner with the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge as the UK rolls out the red carpet for the controversial figure.

The inaugural meeting of a UK Saudi strategic partnership council , which will meet annually to discuss bilateral and international issues, will be held at No 10 and attended by UK and Saudi ministers.

It is hoped the forum could lead to Saudi investment in and through the UK of up to 100 billion over the next 10 years.

The crown prince has also been granted rare access to a briefing on foreign policy issues, including Yemen, by national security officials.

On Thursday the crown prince will head to Chequers for talks and a private dinner with the PM that will focus on foreign policy issues, including Yemen and Iran.

On Friday, he will meet Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson for talks.

The Government has faced criticism over its arms sales to the kingdom but Downing Street insists it operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world.

Human rights campaigners are planning to stage a protest outside Downing Street at 5pm on Wednesday.

Wed like to see Theresa May finally showing some backbone in the UKs relationship with Saudi ArabiaAmnesty International UK director Kate Allen

According to analysis by human rights charity Reprieve, executions have doubled under the Crown Prince.

The organisation said since his appointment in July 2017, 133 people had been executed compared with 67 in the previous eight months.

Amnesty International said reforms in Saudi Arabia were largely a mirage, with peaceful critics of the government thrown in jail and women reliant on permission from men if they want to travel, be educated or get a job.

UK director Kate Allen said: Wed like to see Theresa May finally showing some backbone in the UKs relationship with Saudi Arabia.

Mrs May and her ministers should challenge the Saudi authorities over their atrocious human rights record, not swallow the unconvincing spin from Riyadh.

Rob Williams, chief executive at War Child UK, a charity for children affected by conflict, said: Britain is complicit in the humanitarian crisis in Yemen through providing diplomatic support to Saudi Arabia, as well as selling our most high tech and deadly weapons to a coalition that the United Nations has verified as committing grave violations against children.

I urge Theresa May to now stand for values that Britain can be proud of, a nation that sets an example to the world, that is principled and compassionate and prioritises childrens lives over trade deals.
Jeremy Corbyn has accused the Government of colluding in war crimes by Saudi forces engaged in Yemens bitter civil war.

As Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman began a three-day visit to the UK, the Labour leader said British military personnel were directing Saudi military operations responsible for large-scale civilian casualties.

During heated exchanges at Prime Ministers Questions, he called on Theresa May to halt British arms sales to Saudi Arabia and to demand an immediate ceasefire in Yemen.

"The link that we have with Saudi Arabia is historic. It is an important one." PM tells Jeremy Corbyn she will be raising concerns about human rights with Saudi Crown Prince https://t.co/M0oDTPMuiB #PMQs pic.twitter.com/tEMhit6RfG  BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) March 7, 2018

A spokesman for the Labour leader said he had been referring to the presence of British military personnel to advise on targeting by the Saudi air force attacking the Houthi rebels.

He said that if their role was  as the Government has stated  to prevent collateral damage, they had proved to be a disastrous failure.

In the Commons, Mrs May strongly defended the UKs historic ties with the Saudis, saying they had saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country  a reference to UK-Saudi counter-terror co-operation.

"It has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country"



.@theresa_may calls link with Saudi Arabia "historic" saying it's saved British lives at #PMQs. pic.twitter.com/6EvM5Z313N  RT UK (@RTUKnews) March 7, 2018

However Mr Corbyn said a humanitarian disaster was taking place in Yemen as a result of the Saudi-led aerial bombing campaign and its blockade of Yemeni ports.

Germany has suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia but British arms sales have sharply increased and British military advisers are directing the war, he said.

It cannot be right that her Government is colluding in what the United Nations says is evidence of war crimes.

Mr Corbyns spokesman told reporters: British military advisers advise the Saudi military on targeting and so there is a direct involvement in the conduct of the war.

British military personnel are in the operations room where these bombing campaigns are being conducted. They are advising directly on the targeting of infrastructure and operations in Yemen.

If they are trying to avoid civilian casualties, it has been a disastrous failure since the civilian casualties have been extremely high and the targeting of schools and hospitals in Yemen by the Saudi air force is on a very large scale.

There is clearly evidence of war crimes having been carried out in Yemen by the Saudi air force. Targeting of civilian infrastructure, hospitals and schools  which has happened on a large scale in Yemen  is a war crime. It is essential that stops.

The British Government is colluding with this military campaign and that includes the disastrous humanitarian effects of the aerial operations.

Mrs Mays official spokesman said: The suggestion that British military advisers are directing the war is simply not true.

The UK is not a member of the Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen. British personnel are not involved in carrying out strikes, directing or conducting operations in Yemen and are not involved in the Saudi targeting and decision-making process.

We have a long-standing relationship with Saudi Arabia in terms of supporting Saudi compliance with international humanitarian law and in armed forces training.
Plaid Cymru led calls highlighting how many people identified as European as well as British, English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Ministers have said they would be very happy to discuss the prospect of Britons retaining European Union citizenship after Brexit.

The pledge came as Plaid Cymru led calls in the Commons highlighting how many identified as European as well as British, English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish.

The party led an opposition debate on the issue and wrote to Theresa May beforehand urging her to make retaining European citizenship an objective in Brexit talks.

The letter was backed by the SNP, Liberal Democrats and the Green Party, as well as a number of pro-EU groups.

Labour refused to commit directly to the policy, but during the debate shadow Home Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said: We shouldnt be ruling any options off the table.

Immigration minister Caroline Nokes told MPs the Government would be very happy to discuss the specific issue with the European Union.

85% of 18-24-year-olds want to retain their EU citizenship. They are the generation that will deal with the long-term fallout of #Brexit. #IAmEuropean pic.twitter.com/c7x5c5MNzK  Hywel Williams AS/MP (@HywelPlaidCymru) March 7, 2018

Plaid MP Hywel Williams, a former leader of the party at Westminster, said the move was just one part of the effort to salvage something from the wreckage of this slow, this very slow motion, disaster.

He added: European Union citizenship did not replace UK citizenship when it came into force. It is indeed additional.

Both continue to co-exist, and leaving the EU does not entail the end of EU citizenship for UK citizens.

This government is, by default, unfortunately, intent on taking away something of significant value to the people of these islands.

They should not do so. In fact, they should make the retention of EU citizenship an important, sensible plank of future negotiations.

European citizenship allows UK nationals to live, work and study in the 27 other member states, as well as other countries which are members of the European Economic Area or the European Free Trade Association.

Mr Williams said there were different legal interpretations, with some arguing citizenship was a fundamental right that should not be affected by Brexit.

"Young people I meet feel strongly about retaining the rights associated with European citizenship," says @BenMLake. "For many these rights are synonymous with opportunity." #IAmEuropean pic.twitter.com/e2aVHZm76B  Plaid Cymru  (@Plaid_Cymru) March 7, 2018

Speaking later in the debate Ms Nokes said: We are content to listen to proposals from the EU on associate citizenship for UK nationals, however to date this has not been formally proposed to the UK in the negotiations.

EU treaty provisions state that only citizens of EU member states are able to hold EU citizenship, therefore when the UK ceases to be a member of the European Union UK nationals will no longer hold EU citizenship unless they hold dual nationality with another member state.

After the ministers comments Tory MP Matt Warman (Boston and Skegness) went on to dismiss the comments of Sir Martin Donnelly, former boss of Liam Foxs international trade department, who said that Brexit was like exchanging a three course meal for a bag of crisps.

Mr Warman said: I dont want to say you can have your cake and eat it, but you can have a three course meal and a bag of crisps.

I do think it is important to bear in mind that it is always tempting to say if you were on one side of the argument that it will all be brilliant and if you were on the other side of the argument it will all be terrible.

There is a compromise somewhere in the middle and that is what I think we will be seeking.

His comments were in marked contrast to Tory former minister Anna Soubry who said Brexit was the stuff of madness.

This is #BrexitReality the choice is between a Norwegian style deal or Canadian FTA. End of. The ball is in our court. No more ideology & head in the clouds stuff. Govt must get real, rub out the red lines, put the economy first and choose #SingleMarket & #CustomsUnion https://t.co/BrxitpIVJf  Anna Soubry (@Anna_Soubry) March 7, 2018

She said: It must be the first government ever in the history of our country to admit that a free trade agreement, even if we got what the Prime Minister wants, would actually make this country less prosperous than it is now.

This is the stuff of madness.
The Duke of Cambridge has climbed into the cockpit of an RAF Typhoon jet as he visited one of the bases at the forefront of the UKs air defence.

Expand Close (Phil Noble/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (Phil Noble/PA)

William accepted an invitation to sit in the pilots seat of the multi-role combat aircraft at RAF Coningsby  a decade after he flew in the back seat of the fighter from the same station.

Expand Close (Phil Noble/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (Phil Noble/PA)

The Lincolnshire base is one of two which provide 24 hour-a-day, seven days-a-week fighter cover to intercept threats ranging from Russian bombers to commercial airliners suspected to have been hijacked.

Expand Close (Phil Noble/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (Phil Noble/PA)

Wearing a suit, the duke spent 10 minutes in the cockpit discussing the controls and the aircrafts capabilities with Wing Commander Andy Chisholm.

His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge is visiting @RAFCGY today in his role as the Honorary Air Commandant to the Station. pic.twitter.com/hkX575FNEI  Royal Air Force (@RoyalAirForce) March 7, 2018

Meanwhile, Prince Harry has visited the Silverstone motor racing circuit to officially mark the start of construction of a British motorsport visitor experience.

Expand Close (Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA)

Harry, who urged more youngsters to study science, technology and engineering in order to keep Britain a world-leader in the sport, was greeted by staff working on the Silverstone Experience, which is due to be launched in 2019.

As Patron of the Silverstone Experience, Prince Harry is visiting @SilverstoneUK today to officially mark the start of the construction of the new educational centre. pic.twitter.com/XXE2DTK1aX  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 7, 2018

He first met with students of Silverstone University Technical College and its alumni who are now successfully working in the motorsport industry, before visiting the hangar where the experience will be installed.

Prince Harry first met @SilverstoneUTC students, a college located on the side of the famous racing track, which helps 18-14 year olds into careers in High Performance Engineering and Business & Technical Events. pic.twitter.com/RWuN5rh2gS  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 7, 2018

The project, of which Harry is a patron, is due to open in spring 2019 and is designed to bring the extensive heritage of Silverstone and British motor racing to life.

Prince Harry has made several visits to @SilverstoneUK before. In 1994, he accompanied his mother Diana, Princess of Wales to present the trophy at the Grand Prix. pic.twitter.com/9b2tbGOZ1q  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 7, 2018

And Kensington Palace could not resist tweeting a picture of Harry when he visited Silverstone as a youngster with his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

Expand Close Prince Harry talks to Lord Baker during the visit (Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Prince Harry talks to Lord Baker during the visit (Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA)

Expand Close Harry getting animated as his passion shines through (Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Harry getting animated as his passion shines through (Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA)
The crown prince of Saudi Arabia arrived on Wednesday for a historic meeting with the Queen at Buckingham Palace amid widespread protests over the Middle Eastern countrys human rights record.

Expand Close Three billboards protesting against the visit are driven around Parliament Square (Kirsty OConnor/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Three billboards protesting against the visit are driven around Parliament Square (Kirsty OConnor/PA)
A car is driven through water from a burst water main in Green Street, east London (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Water companies said they have restored supplies to most customers after days of weather-related problems as an apparently unrelated burst pipe led to more woes for a fifth day.

Ministers have announced a review into how water firms handled last weeks bad weather after thousands of homes were left without their supply.

In London, Thames Water issued a fresh apology today after a main water pipe in Tooting burst, affecting around 20 properties, most of them commercial, and forcing road diversions.

Expand Close Winter weather March 7th 2018 Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Winter weather March 7th 2018

The company said the burst was unrelated to the weather, adding that customers may have noticed a drop in pressure as a result but this was returning to normal.

A spokesman said: Were really sorry to customers who were affected by our burst water main in Tooting this morning.

We worked really quickly to stop the flow of water from the pipe, which is receding, and will have a dedicated team in the area to ensure all customers are looked after.

Elsewhere, the supplier said a large number of customers in the SW and SE postcodes had their supply back, although localised airlocks continued to affect some properties.

Industry regulator Ofwat has criticised companies for their lack of preparation, support and communication with customers, saying a number of firms appeared to have fallen well short on forward planning leaving some customers high and dry.

On Wednesday Severn Trent said all of its customers in south Birmingham should have seen their supplies restored back to normal and the company was closing two stations distributing bottled water.

Water supplies are getting back to normal in South Birmingham this morning so we'll be closing down our two bottled water collection points in the city. More here: https://t.co/dvJTeEm8CX  Severn Trent (@stwater) March 7, 2018

Welsh Water warned of a risk of leaks and bursts as supplies were reconnected.

On Tuesday night the firm said the vast majority of customers whose supplies had been interrupted had been restored, although 1,000 properties in rural areas in parts of east Anglesey, mid-Ceredigion and rural Pembrokeshire were still off-supply.

South East Water also said some people in Sussex remained without water, although teams had reconnected restored supplies to 15,000 customers in 24 hours.

Over the last 24hrs weve restored supplies to 15,000 customers. Rotherfield, Mayfield & Cousley Wood #Sussex may still be without water this morning. Pipes are refilling so supplies will be returning all the time. Bottled water stations will stay open today @nus_ghani pic.twitter.com/GdJRdDnY0U  South East Water (@sewateruk) March 7, 2018

Ofwat chief executive Rachel Fletcher criticised some water companies, saying they lacked readiness and support for customers.

She said: When the taps are back on, we will take a long, hard look at what has happened here and we wont hesitate to intervene if we find that companies have not had the right structures and mechanisms in place to be resilient enough.

Environment minister Therese Coffey said regulator Ofwat would be encouraged to take action to ensure water companies up their game.

She said a review would consider whether statutory compensation should be paid, adding that it was for water companies to consider how they can compensate customers on a discretionary basis.
A bottled water station set up by Thames Water outside Homebase Streatham Vale in London (PA)

Water companies have said most customers have had their supplies restored after burst pipes caused shortages, however some lingering issues remain five days after problems first emerged.

Ministers have announced a review into how water firms handled last weeks bad weather after thousands of homes were left without their supply.

Industry regulator Ofwat has criticised companies for their lack of preparation, support and communication with customers, saying a number of firms appeared to have fallen well short on forward planning leaving some customers high and dry.

Water supplies are getting back to normal in South Birmingham this morning so we'll be closing down our two bottled water collection points in the city. More here: https://t.co/dvJTeEm8CX  Severn Trent (@stwater) March 7, 2018

On Wednesday Severn Trent said all of its customers in south Birmingham should have seen their supplies restored back to normal and the company was closing two stations distributing bottled water.

In London, Thames Water said a large number of customers in the SW and SE postcodes had their supply back, although localised airlocks continued to affect some properties.

As the company worked to iron out the issues an important route into south London was closed after a water pipe burst, although it is not known if it was directly linked to the wider problems.

Motorists and pedestrians are advised to avoid Tooting High Street, SW17 following a suspected burst water pipe. Road closures are in place #Wandsworth pic.twitter.com/Z4w3SMk0h3  Wandsworth Police (@MPSWandsworth) March 7, 2018

Welsh Water warned of a risk of leaks and bursts as supplies were reconnected.

On Tuesday night the firm said the vast majority of customers whose supplies had been interrupted had been restored, although 1,000 properties in rural areas in parts of east Anglesey, mid-Ceredigion and rural Pembrokeshire were still off-supply.

South East Water also said some people in Sussex remained without water, although teams had reconnected restored supplies to 15,000 customers in 24 hours.

Over the last 24hrs weve restored supplies to 15,000 customers. Rotherfield, Mayfield & Cousley Wood #Sussex may still be without water this morning. Pipes are refilling so supplies will be returning all the time. Bottled water stations will stay open today @nus_ghani pic.twitter.com/GdJRdDnY0U  South East Water (@sewateruk) March 7, 2018

Ofwat chief executive Rachel Fletcher criticised some water companies, saying they lacked readiness and support for customers.

She said: When the taps are back on, we will take a long, hard look at what has happened here and we wont hesitate to intervene if we find that companies have not had the right structures and mechanisms in place to be resilient enough.

Environment Minister Therese Coffey said regulator Ofwat would be encouraged to take action to ensure water companies up their game.

The environment minister said a review would consider whether statutory compensation should be paid, adding that it was for water companies to consider how they can compensate customers on a discretionary basis.
A man is in trial following the attack on Parsons Green station in 2017 (Jonathan Brady/PA)

A teenage asylum seeker packed a bomb with screwdrivers, knives and nails to cause maximum carnage on a rush hour Tube at Parsons Green, a court heard.

Commuters fled in fear and panic when the carriage containing 93 people was engulfed by a large fireball at the west London station, jurors were told.

Iraqi Ahmed Hassan, 18, is accused of planting the homemade device containing 400g of explosives on the District Line carriage on September 15 last year.

Expand Close Ahmed Hassan Mohammed Ali court case PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Ahmed Hassan Mohammed Ali court case

The Old Bailey heard the passengers were fortunate because it only partially exploded.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan told jurors: On Friday 15 September shortly before 8.20am an improvised explosive device partially detonated on a District Line Tube train very shortly after it had arrived into Parsons Green Station. It was a rush hour and the train was crowded.

There were approximately 93 people in the carriage when the device detonated. The partial explosion created a large fireball.

Some in the carriage were caught by the flames and sustained significant burns.

Many ran in fear and panic. They were fortunate . Had the device fully detonated, it is inevitable that serious injury and significant damage would have been caused within the carriage.

Those in close proximity to the device may well have been killed.

Expand Close Parsons Green incident Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Parsons Green incident

The jury was shown CCTV footage of the explosion from inside the Tube.

It showed a fireball engulfing the carriage, as people ducked from the flames.

The court heard how hundreds of people tried to get down the narrow staircase and out of the station following the explosion.

But Hassan had got off the carriage at Putney Bridge Station before the bomb went off on a timer, the court heard.

Ms Morgan said the device was made from the volatile chemical explosive TATP and contained a large amount of shrapnel to cause maximum harm and carnage.

The 2.2kg of sockets, screws, bolts, nails, knives and screwdrivers had been put inside a white bucket, and an improvised initiator and explosives placed inside a Lidl bag.

Hassan arrived in Britain in the back of a lorry via the Channel Tunnel in October 2015. He had no identity documents and claimed asylum, saying he was born in June 1999.

From 2016, he was living with foster parents in Sunbury, Surrey.

Expand Close A forensic tent on the platform at Parsons Green station (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A forensic tent on the platform at Parsons Green station (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Hassan denies attempted murder and using the chemical compound TATP to cause an explosion that was likely to endanger life on September 15 last year.

The court heard how Hassan researched the ingredients for TATP explosives and bought sulphuric acid on Amazon.

To avoid suspicion, he allegedly used a friends address for the delivery of the largest component  hydrogen peroxide.

Ms Morgan said some of the preparations were done while Hassans foster parents were on holiday in early September.

The court heard Hassan bought shrapnel from Asda and Aldi the day before the bombing.

On September 15, the defendant left his home shortly before 7am and took the train from Sunbury to Wimbledon, walking through schoolchildren and commuters carrying his bomb, jurors heard.

In the privacy of the toilet on the concourse, he set the timer on the device before boarding the District Line, four stops from Parsons Green.

CCCTV stills showed Hassan spent 13 minutes in the station toilet.

Ms Morgan told jurors: At any point, should he have wanted to, he could have stopped the timer. He could have pulled the wires out of the device. He could have stopped the detonation.

The CCTV footage from inside the carriage shows that at no stage did the defendant reach inside the bag to do anything.
Police activity in the cul-de-sac in Salisbury that contains the home of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Nerve agents have been used to deadly effect in assassinations and conflicts of the past.

The toxic substance disrupts signals in the nerves, causing debilitating side effects which can be fatal.

Vladimir Putin  now in the frame following the attempted murder plot in Salisbury  drew international condemnation for defending the Syrian regime after it launched a suspected Sarin gas attack on its own people last year.

Earlier this week the United States said North Korea used the toxin VX to assassinate leader Kim Jong Uns half-brother in Malaysia in 2017.

Here, the Press Association answers questions about the lethal substances.

 What are nerve agents?

Expand Close G20 meeting  Germany PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp G20 meeting  Germany

Nerve agents take different forms. Contrary to popular belief, they are a liquid, rather than a gas, and can seep through the skin.

They were first discovered by accident in the 1930s, when scientists were attempting to find a more cost-effective pesticide.

It proved to be incredibly toxic and posed a risk to mammals, leading it into the hands of the German military, which crafted a weapon of war.

Russia came across such chemical agents for the first time when they swept into East Germany following World War Two and took control of the plants where they were made.

 How do they work?

The toxins interfere with the central nervous system, causing the body to become overstimulated.

Different forms of it have evolved, including Sarin, VX and Tabun, all of which have very similar structures and appear to work in the same way.

Dr Simon Cotton from the University of Birmingham said: They interfere with the transmitting of nerve impulses.

Our bodies use a molecule called acetylcholine that migrates the gaps between cells  it goes from one cell and slots into the second and triggers a nerve impulse.

The body has to get rid of acetylcholine that is docked in the receptor because it builds up and you keep getting nerve impulses and become overstimulated.

Our bodies have got an enzyme that breaks up acetylcholine called acetylcholinesterase  what a nerve agent does is bind to the acetylcholinesterase and stops it from working.

 What are the symptoms?

Expand Close Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, centre, is one of the women suspected of killing Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur airport last year (Sadiq Asyraf/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, centre, is one of the women suspected of killing Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur airport last year (Sadiq Asyraf/AP)

If you have ever sprayed insect repellent at a fly, you might have seen it drop to the ground and lie on its back, legs twitching.

This is the result of nerve agents taking hold.

Dr Cotton added: It is basically overstimulated to death because of the build-up of acetylcholine.

Twitching, spasms, heart failure and respiratory arrest are among the more common side effects.

 How much is needed to make an impact and how long does it take?

Part of the allure a nerve agent holds for assassins is that only tiny amounts are required for it to take effect.

It is so toxic that it would usually be transported in something tightly sealed and those who apply it will need protective clothing.

A drop would be needed, that is all, it is that sort of scale  a tiny scale, Dr Cotton said.

Victims will not have to wait long until they realise something is wrong, as was demonstrated in a Sarin attack on the Tokyo subway which left 12 dead in 1995.

People would start feeling funny within a few seconds, but it would depend on the dose, Dr Cotton added.

 How is it applied?

On February 22, the United States determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 that the Government of #NorthKorea used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Nam, in the Kuala Lumpur airport. pic.twitter.com/sxsjeUxTFJ  Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) March 7, 2018

Again, this can vary. Doses might be turned into an aerosol can spray, for example.

In the Tokyo attack, liquid sarin was placed in plastic bags which were pierced by umbrellas with sharpened tips.

When Kim Jong Nam was killed at Kuala Lumpur airport last year, a cloth doused with VX was smeared on his face.

 Can victims be treated?

Antidotes do exist, including a medication called atropine  which works by blocking the receptor that acetylcholine usually binds to.

 How easy is it to procure?

In the UK, the ingredients required to create a nerve agent are carefully regulated.

Scientists can access some of the components for perfectly legitimate purposes, but will have to explain what their intentions are with it.

Overseas regulation can be less stringent.

Dr Cotton said: Sarin and VX arent that difficult to make if you have access to the chemicals you need.
File photo of a sub machine gun recovered in a police raid (Fiona Hanson/PA)

European police have smashed an international weapons-smuggling ring operating in at least four countries.

Police say the group traded firearms in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France.

Rudolf Welte of Rottweil police in southern Germany said on Wednesday that the gangs operations came to light following an investigation in Toulouse, France.

Mr Welte said simultaneous raids in the four countries in November led to several arrests and the seizure of large numbers of firearms.

Uta Bachmann of the domestic intelligence service in Austrias western state of Vorarlberg said more than 150 firearms and hundreds of kilograms of ammunition were seized in that country alone.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Bregenz, Austria, investigators said the investigation was not terrorism-related.
The story of the deal that was nearly done is one the DUP has been trying to kill off since the Valentine's Day talks collapse.

Not only did it fail to strangle it at birth, but the tale has taken new twists and turns every day with the cast of characters rapidly expanding. Gregory Campbell, Edwin Poots, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Arlene Foster, Dr Phiip Weir, and now Nigel Dodds have become embroiled in the story that just won't go away.

Blame for the mess the DUP finds itself in lies solely at the party's own door. From the get-go it ducked and dived around the existence of a draft agreement.

Sinn Fein took ownership of the story and drove the narrative. The DUP looked as if it had something big to hide, and that's because it did. The party negotiators were on course to agree to measures on the Irish language that would have their supporters shouting "sell-out!".

In what now can be clearly seen as a strategic disaster, the party did no preparatory work with its grassroots on the give-and-take that a return to power-sharing would mean. When those compromises began to leak into the media, the party buried its head in the sand and adopted a policy of "deny, deny, deny".

While DUP voters are unlikely to be sporting 'I Believe Mary Lou' badges, their trust in the party has been deeply tested in recent weeks. The DUP is very likely telling the truth when it says Nigel Dodds wasn't in the room when Mrs Foster and Michelle O'Neill exchanged the draft deal, but the party's problem is that the waters have already been so muddied by its own ambiguity and erroneous assertions in recent weeks.

Mrs Foster said on Monday that she had a "lever arch folder" containing papers some of which related to how Sinn Fein ministers would implement the military covenant. But if the DUP has material that would embarrass Sinn Fein, then why not release it?

Despite its current pickle, the DUP is saved by two factors: there won't be an election until next year's council poll, and there is no viable alternative to the party in the unionist community.

Neither the Ulster Unionists nor Jim Allister's TUV are serious competitors breathing down the DUP's neck.

So the party's tactic of just battening down the hatches until the media storm passes will likely work. The real casualty in the talks' fallout leaks is trust between the two big parties, which is totally gone.

Sinn Fein has won the propaganda battle but at the cost of a future DUP that will bring new meaning to the word immoveable.

Last time round its negotiators were prepared to bend but got cold feet after seeing their grassroots reaction. In any future talks, expect Mrs Foster to be totally rigid and unbending.

Not an inch will be conceded in emails, documents or private conversations.
In the run-up to the UK referendum on Brexit, the DUP, under Arlene Foster's leadership, sensibly took a low-key approach to the issue and, although they were officially for leaving, it was widely regarded as a purely notional stance. Indeed, some senior DUP people admitted privately that they voted to remain. Like Sinn Fein, the DUP did not campaign vigorously in the referendum and were, like most others, surprised by the strength of the Leave vote.

Unionist voters in Northern Ireland were split over Brexit, many farmers voting to stay in the EU, together with an assortment of business people and professionals, who voted Remain. It is estimated that at least 34% of unionist voters voted against leaving Europe.

For many unionists, the EU was an important commercial partner. The Ulster Unionist Party openly allowed their members to vote as they pleased on the issue. The 56% majority Remain vote here could not have been achieved without sizeable unionist support.

In light of all this, it is reasonable to suppose that many ordinary unionists simply took a pragmatic decision to vote Remain. They were not - and are not - natural europhiles, but saw the economic good sense in remaining in a huge European market and political community, which did not threaten their political identity.

The fact that it opened up the border between north and south was acceptable, made common sense and was non-threatening. It is, therefore, perplexing why the DUP are now taking such a strong pro-Brexit line.

Arlene Foster's reaction to the Brexit negotiations has been uncompromising, even though she, along with her party, wants to see a soft border. But she does not want the UK to be a member of the current customs union, nor the single market.

She has emphasised that she does not want a border in the middle of the Irish Sea, which would, in her words, "damage the constitutional integrity of the UK". She, apparently, wants a Brexit similar to Jacob Rees-Mogg MP.

Historically, unionism has been self-protecting, pragmatic and independently minded. Its primary strategy was to secure and safeguard its people in Ireland.

What the DUP is doing is to abandon pragmatism on Brexit and to threaten the long-term interests of unionism.

It is, surely, in the objective political interest of unionists to be pro-European, as membership with the Republic guarantees a stable and friendly political environment that has drawn out the toxin of partition and the border.

What Brexit does is to reintroduce the toxin of partition and destabilise the relationship between Ireland and the UK. Ironically, it is this destabilisation that will adversely impact most on unionism.

Therefore, for the DUP to reject the EU's pragmatic proposals to give Northern Ireland special consideration that would have mitigated the mess of Brexit is absurd.

The EU's aim is to establish a soft border (with which the DUP officially agree) between north and south and to effectively replicate the status quo.

DUP objections are dangerous, because they threaten to undermine Theresa May's exceptionally difficult process of facilitating a stable and smooth exit by the UK from the EU.

The DUP say that they will not permit a border in the Irish Sea between Britain and Northern Ireland, because that would undermine the constitutional relationship between the UK and Northern Ireland.

But nothing that the EU has proposed would mean any constitutional change at all, but would merely safeguard trading and economic relations within the island of Ireland to the mutual benefit of all.

The DUP will, ultimately, have to decide whether their politics are driven by sentiment or a pragmatism that will protect the unionist position.

But everything that they have done so far regarding Brexit has undermined the unionist position.

Whether or not they realise it, Leo Varadkar is their best friend. He is working diligently to construct a practical solution, while respecting the British decision to leave, providing maximum protection for the economic and political relations between Northern Ireland and the EU.

Arlene Foster should realise that Northern Ireland retaining membership of the customs union and the single market is the best way to avoid a hard border.

And if this proposition is politically unacceptable to the DUP, then the only alternative is the continued membership of the UK in the customs union and single market, which would thereby avoid a border in the Irish Sea. She cannot have it both ways.

This is not a fanciful position, as Corbyn's Labour Party is halfway there with membership of a customs union and will probably move to accept the membership of the single market soon.

Arlene Foster's DUP needs to adopt a pragmatic position on Brexit that protects their medium and long-term interests.

Their present position does not do that and, if that continues, they will ultimately come to grief.
Radio Ulster's Nolan Show is the biggest in the country. We know that it is because Stephen Nolan never stops going on about it. On radio. On television. On Twitter. He sometimes even puts it in capital letters, so that it becomes "The Biggest Show In The Country". It's a wonder the BBC presenter doesn't add a trademark symbol at the end, just in case others are tempted to try and steal his crown.

Let's just say it doesn't take a psychologist to conclude that Nolan may, just possibly, have a big ego. Perhaps even one as large as his licence fee-funded salary.

But what of it? Racked with insecurity as they are, stars of radio and TV are notorious for bigging themselves up in this way. Undeservedly, most of the time.

Just because someone's blagged their way to a high-profile job doesn't automatically mean they're any good at it. The number of people who excel at work is always a minority in every industry. That includes the media. The airwaves crackle each day with the deadening sound of mediocrity.

Nolan is different. That's probably what drives the haters mad. They deride his combative style of pot-stirring (that's the polite version), but what really gets under their skin is how good he is at his job.

Day after day he muscles his way into the public consciousness, putting himself right at the heart of breaking stories. That's what makes him interesting. That's why we're talking about him again now.

It's this same quality, though, which regularly leaves him open to getting caught in the political crossfire.

There's been a 'Boycott Stephen Nolan' page on Facebook for years now and the hashtag #boycottnolan is merrily doing the rounds on Twitter as well. He won't be too bothered. It just reiterates how central Nolan is to the national conversation. Better to be talked about than not.

But there's something more troubling about this new campaign.

And that's the growing accusation that he's not just making mischief with Northern Ireland's traditional woes, but is himself part of the problem. That he's creating instability and division, bringing discord where there would otherwise be sweetness and harmony.

This concern was articulated by Queen's University academic Professor Brian Walker, who tackled Nolan directly about it on air; but it took a more sinister turn when Sinn Fein became involved.

That party has always been keen to shut down anyone who refuses to play the role of uncritical cheerleader. It's now shamelessly leaping on the anti-Nolan bandwagon, using the hackneyed charge that anything which discomforts certain politicians must, by definition, be a threat to the fragile order.

On one level, this is so ridiculous as to be almost comic. There we were for years imagining that the biggest threat to the community was terrorists shooting anyone with the audacity to disagree with them.

Foolishly, we even thought it was Sinn Fein who had cynically brought down Stormont, citing the now conveniently forgotten Renewable Heat Incentive, and the DUP, which was telling porkies about the existence of a possible deal to get the Assembly back up and running.

But, no, it turns out that it was the media all along. If only those irresponsible newshounds hadn't been whipping up tension this mess would have been solved long ago. Does any intelligent person seriously believe such nonsense?

The thinking behind the attacks on Nolan seems to be that Northern Ireland just isn't ready for a mischief-maker on his epic scale. That the peace is too fragile to cope with him loudly pointing out that the emperors have no clothes.

What an egregious insult to people here to suggest we are the sort of "snowflakes" who can't cope with having our most cherished prejudices robustly challenged.

The rest of the world can deal with disagreement, but apparently we must be shielded from it, like a Victorian gentlewoman whose frazzled nerves must never be jangled in case she swoons.

During the Troubles, fair enough, there may have been a case to be made for toning it down.

Back then it needed a moderator, such as TalkBack's David Dunseith, who could navigate his way diplomatically through the minefield of any overheated political row.

By now most of us ought to be capable of hearing fellow human beings express differing opinions without losing our minds; and if some still can't manage it, then it's even more important that they start learning fast.

That the civic space has opened up here sufficiently to accommodate a broadcaster in Nolan's pugnacious mould, and that he's not merely tolerated but inspires genuine affection from a huge swathe of his audience, should be celebrated as a sign of resilience and progress.

Blaming Nolan for our ills is a kind of transference of guilt. Nolan does not cause division. He merely holds up a mirror to Northern Irish society.

Inevitably, there's some distortion, because radio and TV studios are artificial environments, where normality is exaggerated; but it's still an authentic version of what we are. If the reflection is unflattering, don't blame the mirror.

Political stalemate exists because of zealots who see every item on the agenda as a zero-sum equation, in which success can only come from humiliating opponents and they only have the power to keep doing that because we consistently reward their dysfunctional behaviour at the ballot box.

It's easier to blame Stephen Nolan than admit that the stalemate might ultimately be our fault.

Clipping Nolan's wings would not only be foolish, but dangerous. The one thing that those who are not very skilled at advancing their point of view consistently attempt to do is silence anyone putting the opposite argument.

Free speech is always the first casualty, because lying is so much easier when no one's around to challenge it.

The urge to silence Stephen Nolan is part of the same insidious movement which "no-platforms" controversial individuals by refusing them permission to speak and characterises every opinion with which one disagrees as "hate speech".

A study last year by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust found only seven out of more than 100 universities in the UK where there were no restrictions on free speech. Sadly, Queen's University, where Professor Walker taught, was not one of them.

It wasn't the worst, by a long shot, but it was a reminder that the fight against censorship can never be relaxed.

In this climate, the Nolan Show must be a line in the sand, a test case about how committed we are to defending the value of free speech in all its messy, muddled beauty.
Two of 17 suspected drug dealers are handcuffed after their arrests during a day-long anti-drug operation in September 2016 in the northern city of Dagupan.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday that the International Criminal Court could not bring charges against him even as it moves forward with a preliminary investigation into thousands of killings tied to his drug war.

Speaking to local officials in the northern city of Tarlac, Duterte dismissed the ICC threat as hollow and said it was only meant to distract him from governance.

You dont have jurisdiction over me, Duterte said, referring to The Hague-based ICC.

Dutertes police force counts more than 4,000 deaths in the drug war, lower than the estimated figure of 12,000 deaths that rights groups have claimed. The official figure excludes deaths blamed on pro-government vigilantes.

On Tuesday, Duterte said he was not responding to a statement by the black lady because he did not believe in the probe.

While he did not name anyone, Duterte apparently was referring to ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. The attorney last month announced the preliminary investigation into accusations that Duterte and other officials may have committed crimes against humanity in the course of his deadly drug crackdown.

You cannot acquire jurisdiction over me, not in a million years, Duterte said.

Last month, Dutertes spokesman said the president welcomed the investigation as a chance to prove his government had nothing to hide.

Duterte: dealers were forewarned

The president on Tuesday reiterated that drug dealers and addicts were forewarned before he was elected.

When I became the president, I said dont destroy my country. Do not make this into a Colombia or Mexico, Duterte said. Do not do that or I will kill you.

He said he had a duty and a solemn promise to the Filipino people, about 16 million of whom voted him into office, to eradicate the drug problem.

So the war against drugs will continue with or without the ICC, with or without the human rights, with or without the politicians, Duterte said. It will last until the last day of my term as president.

Facing mounting international and local criticism after the deaths last year of three teenagers, Duterte removed the police from the lead role in the drug war. The official police versions said that the teenagers were drug couriers who were killed because they fought it out with arresting officers.

But in one of the cases, a closed-circuit television camera showed the police carting away the suspect before he was killed. The incident triggered widespread protests, including from the politically influential Catholic Church, and galvanized opposition to Dutertes drug war.

The ICCs investigation is based on a 77-page complaint filed by a former police officer and a self-proclaimed assassin who claimed he was employed by Dutertes death squad during his reign as mayor of Davao city before being elected president.

That complaint, filed in April 2017, includes crimes against humanity through mass murder allegedly committed by Duterte and his death squad. Duterte has denied the allegations and the existence of the group.

Duterte spokesman Harry Roque has sought to play down the inquiry, saying the ICC prosecutor was exercising her mandate to check if there was reasonable basis to proceed forward, but called the action a waste of the courts time and resources.
Labor abuse including unfair pay and deception still exist in Thailands fishing industry, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said Wednesday in a report that praised the government for implementing regulations to improve working conditions for migrants.

The report by the U.N. agency came almost three years after the European Union castigated Bangkok for not taking sufficient measures against illegal fishing and warned that it could face consequences, which could lead to a ban in its seafood imports.

The ILO report, Ship to Shore Rights Project, pointed out positives and negatives in the fishing industry.



Since 2014, changes have been made to Thailands legal and regulatory framework that have contributed to positive developments, the report said. When the ILO compared responses to similar questions from the ILO 2013 survey on working conditions in Thai fishing  we found indications of progress.

Thailand ranked fourth last year among global exporters of seafood, behind Vietnam, Norway and China. In 2017, the Thai fishing and seafood processing sectors employed more than 600,000 people, including 302,000 registered migrant workers, according to official statistics.

Reports in recent years of human and labor rights abuses committed in the Thai commercial fishing and seafood processing industries  particularly against migrant workers  triggered dramatic reactions, ILO said, apparently referring to Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting by the Associated Press (AP) in 2015.

The AP investigation turned the spotlight on the labor problem and uncovered severe rights abuses, including incidents of holding some workers in cages. The report contributed to the freeing of more than 2,000 men from Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos, leading to more than a dozen arrests and changes in U.S. laws.

The ILO report said its survey found fewer reports of physical violence. It also said less than 1 percent of workers were younger than 18 and 43 percent of the interviewed workers reported having written contracts while some reported increases in wages.

We want competitiveness in the global seafood trade to mean more than low price and high quality, Graeme Buckley, ILO country director for Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, told reporters. We want it to mean decent work for all the industrys workers  from the boat to the retailer.

The survey was based on interviews with 434 foreign workers in small- and large-scale businesses, on- and off-shore, in 11 Thai provinces from March to April 2017. It covered recruitment practices, wages, hours worked, safety and health, support services, complaint mechanisms, living conditions, forced labor indicators and legal-compliance levels.

Shortcomings noted, threats issued

APs yearlong investigation led to the European Commission issuing a statement on April 21, 2015 that denounced Thailands shortcomings and threatened to ban its imports to the EU.

Failure to take strong action against illegal fishing will carry consequences, Karmenu Vella, EU commissioner for environment, maritime affairs and fisheries, said in the statement at that time.

The commercial fishing and seafood industries contributed 206.8 billion baht (U.S. $6.6 billion) to Thai exports in 2014. More than 57,000 migrant fishermen worked on about 6,700 Thai commercial fishing ships in 2017, according to official figures.

The ILO survey found that 34 percent of seafood industry workers receive less than the daily minimum wage of 300 baht (U.S. $9.50), while 24 percent of foreign fishermen said the ship owners sometimes held up their pay for 12 months or longer and 34 percent did not have access to their own identity documents.

The reactions and results of labor reform in Thailand are of interest to Cambodia and Myanmar  home to the vast majority of the foreign workers  and to buyers of Thai seafood, such as Wal-Mart, Costco, Tesco, Coles, Simplot, Migros, Mars and Nestle, the ILO report said.

Also watching closely are governments in the region as they attempt to take the measure of labor practices in their own fishing industries, the report added.

Jakrin Jakkaphak, permanent secretary for the Thai labor ministry, said the ILO research was a collaborative effort among partners aiming to meet international standards.

Im very confident that the living and working condition of migrant workers is getting better compared to decades ago, Jakrin told BenarNews. The Thai government is working very hard to amend the laws to protect migrant worker rights in the same level with Thai labors.
The Michael & Sara Kuhlin Center, home of Bowling Green State Universitys School of Media and Communication, has been selected as a recipient of the Outstanding Design for Renovation/Modernization award by American School & University magazine.

Reopened in 2016, the building formerly known as South Hall underwent a complete renovation, including the addition of a wing to the west side of the previous building. The center includes a media convergence lab, active-learning classrooms, video and audio production suites, a media effects lab, and lecture spaces with studio control rooms. This dual purpose allows production and teaching to occur simultaneously.

In the award notification, the Kuhlin Center was called a rare-for-Ohio example of international-style architecture. The notification went on to say, this adaptive reuse is a lesson in sustainability and effective shepherding of financial resources.

The School of Media and Communication includes the communication, journalism and public relations, and media production and studies departments. In addition to undergraduate programs in those areas, the school also has masters and doctoral programs in media and communication.
Goldman Sachs is moving a string of UK bankers to Frankfurt in what sources say could be seen as a "dry run" for the first Brexit-related moves by the Wall Street lender.

Plans are in motion to relocate around half a dozen investment banking staff - most of whom are involved in debt capital markets - to the German financial centre within the coming months, the Press Association understands.

It is part of a larger global strategy by Goldman Sachs to bring employees closer to clients, and follows an internal announcement last month regarding the relocation of Jens Hofmann, managing director of Goldman's financing team, and whose coverage focuses on Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Further moves will see bankers relocate to other Goldman offices - likely to include Stockholm and Madrid.

While the shifting of UK staff to Frankfurt is not in direct response to Brexit, a source with knowledge of Goldman's European strategy suggested that the process will be closely monitored in light of the EU divorce and seen as a "trial run for more to come".

"It is clear that some of these moves are becoming part of a bigger scheme, and while Goldman's offices are not yet ready, it is obvious that these people moving (can be seen as) the first dry run."

Goldman Sachs declined to comment.

The news comes as UK Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered a speech that made the case for preferential access for Britain's financial services industry to the EU single market.

But Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, said on Wednesday that Brussels was hoping for a free trade agreement that would scrap tariffs on goods, but provide limited access for services after Brexit.

Without an agreement for financial services, firms are expected to start shifting staff and key operations to the EU - although the timing of such moves could be slowed if Britain is able to strike a transition deal in the coming months.

Goldman Sachs - which employs 6,500 UK staff - is set to at least double its Frankfurt office to 400 staff through a mix of relocations and local hires and has also signed a lease on a yet-to-be built skyscraper that can house up to 800 employees with options to take up additional space.

Paris - where Goldman currently employs around 150 staff - will serve as a dual hub alongside Frankfurt, with additional moves made to offices including Milan, Madrid, Stockholm and Dublin.

The bank's management has not shied away from commenting on Brexit, with chief executive Lloyd Blankfein taking to Twitter last year to express worries over continued uncertainty.

In October, the banking boss tweeted: "In London. GS still investing in our big new Euro headquarters here. Expecting/hoping to fill it up, but so much outside our control. #Brexit"

It followed an earlier tweet where he detailed a recent trip to Frankfurt, saying he would be "spending a lot more time there".

#Brexit decision belongs to UK citizens, and I'm not one. But GS built its Euro biz in the UK on certain assumptions, pays taxes and employs thousands of UK citizens concerned about the economy and their futures. On their behalf, at least, I have to be interested in the outcome. https://t.co/CteE8Kjayo  Lloyd Blankfein (@lloydblankfein) December 17, 2017

- Press Association
Jaguar Land Rover is waiting for more information on trading conditions after Brexit before it decides whether to make electric cars in its home market, the boss of the UKs biggest carmaker has said.

The Indian-owned car maker, which makes just under one in three of the UKs 1.7 million cars at three factories, is building its new I-Pace electric model in Austria.

The company is due to decide this year whether to build electric vehicles in the UK but, like its peers, is worried about the imposition of tariffs or customs checks after Brexit, snarling up supply chains and adding costs to production.

That makes the decision this year very, very critical and I dont know whether we can make it, chief executive Ralf Speth said at the Geneva Motor Show.

London and Brussels hope to agree on a transitional deal this month to maintain free and unfettered trade until at least the end of 2020 ahead of a long-term Brexit agreement to be decided by the end of the year.

Speth cited the need for support from government and academia but when asked whether Brexit was a factor in the decision- making process, he said:

We are waiting for these kinds of decisions. It goes without saying because uncertainty is really challenging us very much and not only us, its for the complete industry.

You hardly see inward investment anymore or every decision is taking longer from every faculty. Therefore it would be ... appropriate to get more information about these kinds of deals, he said.

Last week, Toyota said it will keep its plant in the UK as the sole European producer of its Auris hatchback in a bet the UK can remain competitive after it negotiates an exit from the EU. The worlds second-biggest car manufacturer will make the third-generation Auris at its Burnaston factory near Derby, powered by engines from the Deeside facility in Wales.

The decision, which safeguards about 3,000 jobs, comes as a boost for the UK industry as uncertainty over terms of the Brexit settlement causes manufacturers to review production plans.

Around 85% of Toyotas British output is exported, so continued free and frictionless trade between the UK and Europe will be vital for future success, Johan van Zyl, the companys regional president, said at the time.

The company said last year it would spend 240m (269m) on updating equipment and technology in Burnaston. n Reuters and Bloomberg
By Randall Jensen

Global stocks rose yesterday, while US Treasuries pared gains as signs mounted that US president Donald Trump could be dissuaded from enacting tariffs that may spark a trade war.

The S&P 500 pushed to near its highs for the session after Senator Sonny Perdue suggested Trump is open to changes on his position. The comments add to pressure from the presidents allies, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and White House economic adviser Gary Cohn.

Investors remained focused on the potential for severe protectionist policies from the Trump administration, while an apparent diplomatic breakthrough on the Korean Peninsula added to optimism.

Whats got us all in a tizzy is clearly the tariffs, Ryan Detrick, senior market strategist at LPL Financial, said.

Every hour, we have a different voice come out and voice some displeasure or back it up. And the bottom line is the market really doesnt like uncertainty, he said.

Meanwhile, emerging-market stocks rose after five days of declines, and Europes peripheral bonds advanced. Italian stocks advanced with bonds as the potentially lengthy process of forming a new government got underway.

And the chances of a Qualcomm takeover appeared to dim as the US warned over security risks. Broadcoms hostile takeover attempt of chipmaker Qualcomm could pose a national security risk because of Qualcomms leadership in developing critical semiconductor technology, said the US Treasury Department, setting up a potentially insurmountable hurdle to getting a deal done.

Qualcomms sale to Singapore-based Broadcom could hurt the chipmakers competitiveness by reducing research and development, which would threaten US security, the Treasury said in a letter released by Qualcomm. Harm to Qualcomms innovation would allow China to expand its influence in key wireless technology, the US said.

The US has identified potential national security concerns that warrant a full investigation of the proposed transaction, the US Treasury said. Qualcomm has postponed a shareholder vote on Broadcoms nominees for Qualcomms board after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, which the Treasury leads, ordered a delay to review the deal.

Bloomberg
Still searching for the perfect Mother's Day gift for a sweet-toothed mammy? Look no further.

Deliveroo has teamed up with floral food company, IncrEdible Flowers, to make their bespoke chocolate boxes available for Cork customers.

"We think the Berry Box Love is the perfect way to show your mum youre thinking of her this Mothers Day - its thoughtful, unique, and thanks to Deliveroo - it couldnt be easier to get your hands on," said Deliveroo's Joe Groves.

IncrEdible Flowers, which is based in Ballincollig, Co. Cork, have created the 'Berry Box Love', a mouth-watering assortment of chocolate dipped strawberries decorated to perfection with red glimmer heart and pearlised red dragees.

The sweet treat can be delivered to your or your mums door by a Deliveroo rider.

"At IncrEdible Flowers we aim to create elegant and unique chocolates for every occasion. With the help of Deliveroo, those who might have forgotten Mothers Day need not live in fear as help is just a few taps away," said Denisa Slastanova at IncrEdible Flowers.

The custom made Berry Box Love will be available on Deliveroo for 28 and can be pre-ordered exclusively via Deliveroo on Saturday for delivery on Sunday, March 11 while stocks last.

Ideal for a thoughtful person living far from home - or just someone who will otherwise forget to pick up a gift.
With the entire country under a blanket of snow last week, all schools and third-level colleges were closed.

This resulted in thousands of teachers and children left housebound around the country, well, more like snowbound.

Mid-snowmageddon, the teachers of Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School in Sandyford, Dublin decided to make use of the time off and raise money for Benat, a 14-year-old boy in their school with Cystic Fibrosis.

Introducing the Snow Dive Challenge.

This involved the staff, including Principal Barbara Mulhall and Deputy Principal Sallie Ennis, (safely) jumping into the biggest pile of snow they could find, nominating a friend to do it, and then donating 20 to Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.

Some attempts are brilliant while others  well, let you see for yourselves.

Benat has been so touched by the staff's fundraising efforts and told us since he's joined the school they've taken an amazing interest in his condition and have been extremely supportive towards it.

Benat was recently in the hospital for a two-week course of IV antibiotics as he, unfortunately, developed a chest infection, even then the amount of support he received from his classmates, teachers, and the staff was amazing.

Well done, guys!
A Cork man has today been found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of IRA membership, writes Daniel Hickey.

Sean Walsh (aged 51) of St John's Well, Fair Hill, Co Cork had denied membership of an unlawful organisation, styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh Na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on December 14, 2016.

Previously, the court had heard evidence from Chief Superintendent Barry McPolin of his belief that Walsh was a member of the IRA on the date in question based on confidential information given to him.

Delivering judgement today, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge Ann Ryan, said that the court accepted the Chief Supt's assurance that he would not have presented an opinion had he been in any doubt.

The court was satisfied he was a "careful and diligent witness", the judge said.

Mr Justice Hunt later added that there was "significant confirmation and support for the accuracy" of the Chief Supt McPolin's belief evidence.

Supporting evidence had been presented by Detective Sergeant Patrick Murphy, who had told the court there were a number of surveillance operations taking place at the time which focused on Walsh's activities.

The defendant met with his co-accused Joseph Walsh and Michael Gilmartin and a fourth man suspected of IRA membership at a house on Old Commons Road, Blackrock in Cork on November 29 and there was a second meeting between the men on December 6.

A fourth man, who was due to carry out work on the house, was shot dead by two assailants when he was walking towards Old Commons Road on December 7.

Det Sgt Murphy went to the house on Old Commons Road later that evening and conducted a search of the attic where he inspected a bag which contained two firearms, 14 rounds of ammunition, latex gloves and a black woolly hat. The hat contained a DNA profile which matched Walsh's DNA profile.

Det Sgt Murphy then received confidential information on December 14that a group calling itself the New IRA were to come into possession of firearms that evening.

Later, Michael Gilmartin was seen at a petrol station in Newtown in Cobh carrying a bag. Sean Walsh and Joseph Walsh then arrived in a gold-coloured Toyota Avensis and the three men had a long conversation before making their way to a house at Chestnut Drive, Cluain Ard, Newtown in Cobh.

Joseph Walsh was carrying the bag when he entered the house and the Armed Support Unit entered the premises shortly afterwards. Walsh was found in the bathroom and the two other men were in a childs bedroom.

Det Sgt Murphy later inspected the bag which contained a sawn-off shotgun, a smaller bag with a Walther pistol and loose ammunition.

The court had also heard that Walsh was observed with Anthony Crowley on September 6, 2014. Crowley had been convicted before the Special Criminal Court in 2005 for unlawful possession of firearms.

The case was adjourned for sentencing on March 16.
Update 8.45pm: The Dail has tonight approved the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Ireland signed the agreement back in 2007, and is the last EU country to formally approve it.

The convention is designed to ensure people with disabilities have equal rights in all areas of life.

There was unanimous support for the proposal, but some including independent TD Michael Harty said it must be backed up with more funding.

The passing of the motion has also been met with a commitment to participation in the monitoring of the Convention by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.

Emily Logan, Chief Commissioner, said the UN Convention ratification represents a step-change in approach to one based on independence, dignity and self-advocacy for persons with disabilities.

The Convention is, in its own way remarkably simple. It does not reinvent the wheel. It does not draw up or confer any new human rights. What it does is mark out in clear, unambiguous terms that the rights of persons with disabilities are human rights. It makes plain that our body of international human rights norms apply equally to persons with disabilities.

In a statement tonight the Commission said that over the coming year with the Convention in force, the Commission will be taking forward a number of steps:

* Developing a mechanism for State monitoring, including the establishment of a specific advisory committee.

* Developing public information in relation to promoting an understanding and awareness of the Convention.

Protesters at a previous UN Disabilities Rights Protest

Reacting tonight the Minister of State for Disability Issues, Finian McGrath T.D., said the approval of the terms of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities marked a key moment not only for people living with a disability, but also for their families, friends and support networks and for Irish society generally.

"The purpose of the Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

"The next step will be for the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to sign the instrument of ratification and arrange for it to be deposited with the Secretary General of the United Nations. The Convention enters into force for Ireland 30 days thereafter."

Minister McGrath paid tribute to the committed family members, carers, public representatives and activists who have worked tirelessly to ensure that the voices of persons with disabilities are heard so that they can take up their rightful place as visible and active members of our society.

Ratification of the Convention was a key commitment in the Programme for Government and has been one of the highest of priorities for me since becoming Minister. I am very pleased to now be able to deliver on that commitment.

"Becoming parties to the Convention provides a focus and structure to our journey, reaffirms our aspiration to improve the lives of persons with Disabilities in Ireland and holds us to account in our commitments.

"It rebalances the right of people with disabilities to make decisions for themselves, rather than have decisions made for them. With ratification soon to be in place, I can now focus on using the Convention to better equip and resource people with disabilities to improve their quality of life.

Earlier: Dail debate approval of UN convention on disability rights

The Dail is debating the approval of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Ireland signed the agreement back in 2007, but it needs Oireachtas approval to come into force.

The convention is designed to ensure people with disabilities have equal rights in all areas of life.

The proposal was brought forward by the Minister for State with responsibility for Disability Issues, Finian McGrath.

He said: "The convention offers us an opportunity to reassess our attitudes to people with disabilities and place a renewed focus on their place in society.

"To rebalance the right of people with disabilities and make decisions for themselves rather than have their decisions made for them."

The proposal received support from all sides of the house.
By Sarah-Jane Murphy

David Drumm wrote to senior Anglo colleagues and suggested they meet to discuss key issues with a war cabinet urgency in November 2008, a jury has heard.

In an email sent on November 12 2008, the chief executive said a large group should get around the table to manage key issues which the bank was facing at that time.

People who can contribute to strategic discussion, keeping the tone light, but with a war cabinet urgency, Mr Drumm wrote .

Mr Drumm's trial has heard that he accepts that transactions worth 7.2 billion between Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent took place in 2008 but he disputes they were fraudulent or dishonest.

Matt Moran, former chief financial officer at Anglo, was continuing his evidence on day 35 of Mr Drumm's conspiracy to defraud trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Today the witness told Mary Rose Gearty SC, prosecuting, that when John Bowe told him of the 7.2bn ILP transaction it was larger than he thought.

He said Mr Bowe, former head of capital markets at Anglo, said something to the effect of You should ring ILP, you should ring Denis Casey to thank him.

Denis Casey was the chief executive officer of ILP in September 2008.

This conversation took place in Mr Drumm's office, on the evening of September 30 2008.

Mr Moran told the jury he had thought the ILP transaction amount would be less than seven, maybe above three, somewhere in between.

He said that the Government bank guarantee, issued on the same day, took a little pressure off Anglo's funding position.

However he said if the ILP transaction hadn't been done, the balance sheet would have been perceived more negatively.

When asked by Ms Gearty how negatively, he replied it was difficult to say, adding that deposits were being closely watched by the market due to the general banking crisis.

Matt Moran

Mr Moran told the jury he was concerned whether the ILP transactions had been discussed with the financial regulator, and said Mr Drumm and Willie McAteer, former director of finance at Anglo, assured him they had been.

David said Willie had discussed it with Pat Neary and Con Horan in a meeting at the Regulator's. Willie said something along the lines of they would be managing the balance sheet, he said.

Ms Gearty asked the witness if he had personally asked Willie about his conversation with the regulator.

I did. He (the regulator) said something to the effect of fair play to you Willie, Mr Moran told the jury.

The jury also viewed an email written by Mr Drumm in September 2008, wherein he told Anglo colleagues it was crunch time for us.

A massive push is needed guys, look under every rock, he wrote, as liquidity levels at the bank continued to plummet.

Mr Moran told the court that he believed a massive push referred to the need to urgently reduce the level of lending at the bank.

My interpretation of looking under a rock is that it means to look at all options and make sure the level of lending can be managed to a minimum, he said.

Mr Drumm, with an address in Skerries, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring with former bank officials Denis Casey, William McAteer, John Bowe and others to defraud depositors and investors at Anglo by dishonestly creating the impression that deposits in 2008 were 7.2 billion larger than they were.

He has also pleaded not guilty to false accounting on December 3, 2008, by furnishing information to the market that Anglo's 2008 deposits were 7.2 billion larger than they were.

The trial, nearing the end of its fifth week, continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
Ireland's highest court is expected to deliver judgment on a landmark case on the rights of the unborn later today.

The Supreme Court will rule on the extent of protections conferred by the constitution, with its findings potentially set to impact this summer's referendum on Ireland's restrictive abortion laws.

The contentious Eighth Amendment enshrines the right to life of the unborn - a provision that renders abortion illegal other than in exceptional circumstances.

Supreme Court judges have been considering whether unborn children are entitled to further rights under other sections of the constitution.

The ruling could impact the wording and timing of the anticipated referendum on the fate of the Eighth Amendment.

The case reached the floor of the Supreme Court after the State appealed a High Court judgment that ruled the unborn child did have enshrined rights beyond the right to life.

The High Court case was related to an immigration dispute involving a Nigerian man who argued that he should not be deported because the unborn child being carried by his Irish partner had multiple rights, including the right to the company of its father. The High Court essentially found that the unborn child is entitled to the same constitutional protections as a child.

The State appeal to the Supreme Court was fast-tracked because its outcome could have consequences for the Government's referendum plan.

Citizens are due to be asked whether they want to remove the Eighth Amendment, which gives equal right to life to the mother and the unborn, and replace it with wording that would allow politicians to set Ireland's abortion laws in the future.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said if the referendum backs a change to the constitution the Government will table legislation that would allow for unrestricted abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

If the Supreme Court was to uphold the High Court decision, the referendum may need to be broadened to take in other elements of the constitution that confer rights on the unborn. That could delay the timetable for holding the referendum.

The seven senior judges will deliver their findings in the newly built court complex in Limerick - the first time the Supreme Court has sat in the city.

- PA
Ann O'Loughlin

Property developer Garrett Kelleher has been refused an order for disclosure of certain documents for his defence of NAMA's High Court case seeking to enforce guarantees he gave for 46m on loans.

NAMA company, National Asset Loan Management (NALM) is seeking judgment against Mr Kelleher relating to guarantees on some 350m loans provided by the collapsed Anglo Irish Bank for developments in Ireland, the US and Belgium.

Dublin-born Mr Kelleher, who along with his company Shelbourne North Water Street Corporation, was involved in the now-stalled "Chicago Spire" which at 610 metres was to be the second tallest building in the world and the tallest residential building in the world.

Only last week, US lawyers representing him filed a lawsuit in Illinois seeking damages of $1.2bn (975m) against NAMA, alleging that the agency destroyed his chances of building the Spire.

In his defence of the 46m judgment case here, Mr Kelleher says he was assured he would not be pursued under his guarantee, given his "extensive co-operation" with NAMA.

As part of that defence he sought and obtained a High Court order in October 2016 requiring NAMA to make discovery of certain documents. That decision was later affirmed by the Court of Appeal.

NAMA provided affidavits of discovery in December 2017 but Mr Kelleher then brought a new application to the High Court seeking that the agency make discovery in accordance with the previous High Court and Court of Appeal orders.

Refusing that application, Mr Justice Michael Twomey said Mr Kelleher complained about the lack of discovery about his co-operation with NAMA in relation to the foreclosure process on the Chicago Spire project and about the locating a purchaser for the loan involved. He also complained about the lack of documentation on meetings and a lack of internal documentation.

The judge, who also described Mr Kelleher's application as "curious", said, in essence, the developer did not believe Nama has complied with its discovery obligations in relation to those matters.

He is not alone among litigants in believing the other side is not being completely open and frank, the judge said.

While he might ultimately be proved "correct in his scepticism", there was not an easy answer to his concerns when there are sworn averments from NAMA to the effect that full discovery has been provided, he said.

However, he is not without recourse because, if it turns out those averments are incorrect, there are significant implications for Nama and those swearing the affidavits.

In this case, the court was not provided with any documents Mr Kelleher can show were not discovered. For the court to take the "very significant step" of concluding a party had given false sworn evidence, it ) would need more compelling evidence than he had provided.

Mr Kelleher essentially believes NAMA had misunderstood the issues in the action and the agency may not have used the correct search terms for their electronic discovery, the judge said.

In the circumstances, the court cannot see how it can "simply disbelieve the sworn averments of two employees of NAMA that they had provided all relevant documents to Mr Kelleher", he said.
By Sarah-Jane Murphy

Anglo Irish Bank's chief executive David Drumm told senior colleagues in September 2008 to look under every rock as liquidity levels at the bank continued to plummet.

In an email on September 10, 2008, Mr Drumm wrote that it was crunch time for us and a massive push is needed guys, look under every rock

Matt Moran, former chief financial officer at Anglo, was continuing his evidence on day 35 of Mr Drumm's conspiracy to defraud trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Today he told Mary Rose Gearty SC, prosecuting, that he believed a massive push referred to the need to urgently reduce the level of lending at the bank.

My interpretation of looking under a rock is that it means to look at all options and make sure the level of lending can be managed to a minimum, he said.

Mr Drumm's trial has heard that he accepts that transactions worth 7.2 billion between Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent (ILP) took place in 2008 but he disputes they were fraudulent or dishonest.

When asked by Ms Gearty if he believed Mr Drumm was looking for funding in this email, Mr Moran said he did not think so, and said all recipients of the email were lending people at Anglo.

Mr Moran told the court that he attended regular 3pm liquidity meetings on Friday afternoons in Mr Drumm's office, up until mid-September 2008.

Mr Moran said potential funding initiatives were discussed at these meetings which were often preceded by a meeting of the executive directors at the bank, the content of which flowed into our meetings.

A detailed spreadsheet was shown to the jury, with headings that included best case, worst case, most likely preference, timing and customer funding.

He said the spreadsheet outlined transactions which it was hoped would enhance the bank's capital position by year end, and also flagged which staff member was dealing with each one.

When asked by Ms Gearty what financial acumen Mr Drumm had, the witness described him as a very experienced lender.

Mr Drumm had run the Anglo business in the US and in Ireland and he chaired and drove these meetings, he said.

Mr Moran told Ms Gearty that from around mid-September on he didn't receive the spreadsheet and was no longer on the email distribution list.

Yesterday the jury viewed an email sent in March 2008, in which Mr Drumm suggested Anglo executives zoom in on what has to be done to make the magic number.

Mr Drumm, with an address in Skerries, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring with former bank officials Denis Casey, William McAteer, John Bowe and others to defraud depositors and investors at Anglo by dishonestly creating the impression that deposits in 2008 were 7.2 billion larger than they were.

He has also pleaded not guilty to false accounting on December 3, 2008, by furnishing information to the market that Anglo's 2008 deposits were 7.2 billion larger than they were.

The trial, nearing the end of its fifth week, continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
A Dublin man has been charged at the Special Criminal Court in relation to the murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in Dublin.

Mr Barr was shot dead at the pub almost two years ago.

Martin Aylmer (aged 31), of Casino Park, Marino, Dublin 3 was charged today at the three-judge, non-jury court with participating in or contributing to activity intending to facilitate the commission by a criminal organization or any of its members of a serious offence, namely the murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House, Summerhill Parade, Dublin 1 on April 25, 2016.

He was also charged with participating in or contributing to activity being reckless as to whether said participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of the murder of Mr Barr.

Michael Barr

The offences are alleged to have occurred between April 23 and April 25, 2016.

Garda David Chapman, of Bridewell garda station, gave evidence of the arrest of Mr Aylmer.

He told State solicitor Michael O'Donovan that he arrested Mr Aylmer at his home address on Wednesday morning and informed him of a number of charges he was facing.

He then conveyed the accused to Bridewell garda station, the court heard.

Gda Chapman said that Mr Aylmer made no reply when cautioned.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge Ann Ryan, remanded the accused man in custody until tomorrow when a bail application is expected to be made.
A 25-year-old Dublin man has been jailed for six and a half years for sexually exploiting a teenage girl online.

The court heard that Darragh Meehan from Dargle Wood in Knocklyon asked his victim to be a friend on Facebook before engaging with her over Skype.

The accused Darragh Meehan was 19 years old and the victim was aged 13 when they first met in Dublin in 2011.

He then asked her to be a friend on Facebook before they began communicating via Skype and texting.

Meehan then asked the teenage girl to perform or watch certain sexual acts via Skype on different dates over five months.

They also met up once in Dublin where he sexually abused her.

The gardai were notified when the victims mother found concerning messages on her laptop.

Judge Patrick McCarthy said the victim was at a vulnerable age when these offences occurred. She was an adolescent, he said, which is a difficult time of psychological and physical changes.

He noted the accused Darragh Meegan pleaded guilty, has no criminal convictions until now, and said he is unlikely to offend again in the future.

But he said the punitive element of the sentence must be significant and jailed him for six and a half years.

He has also been placed on the sex offenders' register.

- Digital desk
The DUP has demanded amendments to a "cornerstone of the Belfast Agreement" in a bid to give extra protections to veterans.

The party's leader Arlene Foster watched on from the visitors' gallery in the House of Commons as chief whip Jeffrey Donaldson warned the Government benches that greater protections for ex-service personnel in the North formed "part of the confidence and supply deal".

In an opposition day debate, Mr Donaldson told MPs there was still a "culture of fear" among veterans in the country and proposed a number of moves to remedy this.

Mr Donaldson, backed by his nine other colleagues, called for section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to be amended to include provision for the armed forces.

The section states that public bodies should carry out functions promoting equality of opportunity between "persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation, between men and women generally, between persons with a disability and persons without and between persons with dependants and persons without".

Mr Donaldson: "I do remind the House that this was something that was part of the confidence and supply agreement between the Democratic Unionist Party and the Conservative Party.

"We identified that this should be a priority for the Government, full implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland.

"So in that context, I repeat our call to see the aftercare service currently operated by the Royal Irish Regiment in Northern Ireland, that welfare service, that vital support service for those who served in the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Home Service, to be extended.

"And that consideration be given to enhancing the level of support that is available to those veterans in the North who did not serve in the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Home Service but are equally deserving of welfare support.

"Secondly we want to see the Government amending section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act to make specific provision for veterans of armed forces to ensure that Government departments and agencies in the North have to have regard to the needs of veterans in bringing forward policies and implementing those policies."

Mr Donaldson also called for the appointment of an "armed forces champion" in the North

Defence Minister Mark Lancaster resisted the calls, however, saying: "Some may suggest that it's time to introduce further statuary instruments to increase uptake, but whilst I'm ready to listen to the arguments on a case by case basis I would make the point that the problem isn't about a lack of mechanisms.

"Let's not forget, as has been mentioned, beside the instruments already in place there is section 75. I listened very carefully to what he had to say, but it is a cornerstone of the Belfast Agreement."

He added: "If honourable members are aware of any disadvantage suffered by members of the armed forces community in Northern Ireland then they should report it to me or to colleagues in the MoD so that we can attempt to address them quickly.

"Let me reassure honourable members as with every single man and woman in our armed forces, we are utterly committed and determined to make sure all those who have contributed so much to our nation should continue getting the support they deserve."

The DUP's non-binding motion, which asked the Commons to reaffirm its commitment to ensure the covenant is "fully implemented" in Northern Ireland, was approved unopposed.
By Eoin Reynolds

A father accused of murdering his six-month-old son told the doctor who first arrived at the scene to "do something", a trial heard today.

Dr Diarmuid Murray added that as soon as he arrived he formed the opinion the baby was dead.

Dr Murray was giving evidence on day two of the trial of John Tighe (40) of Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo who has pleaded not guilty to murdering his son Joshua Sussbier Tighe at his home on June 1, 2013. He is on trial a the Central Criminal Court.

Dr Murray told prosecuting counsel Paul Murray SC that he was on call on June 1, 2013 when a call came in at 12.53pm that help was urgently needed in Lavallyroe where a six-month-old baby was choking on a baby wipe.

He knew Lavallyroe well as it is within his catchment area and arrived there at about 1.10pm. He jumped out of the jeep and ran up to the steps leading to the house when Mr Tighe came running out the door with the baby in his arms. They both ran inside but Dr Murray said that as soon as he saw the baby he formed the impression he was dead. He was flaccid and his lips were blue.

Inside the house Mr Tighe placed the baby on the floor and knelt at his feet. The doctor knelt at Joshua's head and put his index finger in the baby's mouth. He could feel a tissue in the pharynx, immediately above and blocking the larynx.

He tried but could not move it and he could not see it. He said the effect of a piece of tissue lodged in this position would be asphyxiation and death within minutes.

Paramedics arrived and attached a defibrillator to Joshua's chest but the heart showed no signs of electrical activity and Dr Murray formally pronounced death at 1.40pm.

He said he did not have any conversation with the accused other than to tell him his baby was dead.

Under cross examination Dr Murray told Micheal O'Higgins SC that when he arrived and they knelt with baby Joshua in the house, Mr Tighe was, "quite upset and was exhorting me: "Do something"." There was nothing he could do, he said.

The tissue was "lodged very tight" in the baby's throat, he said, and demonstrated with his index finger how he attempted to dislodge it.

He explained that he was able to get his finger down one side of it but could not dislodge it. He agreed that this was similar to what Mr Tighe had said when talking to emergency services before Dr Murray arrived, that he could feel the tissue but couldn't move it.

The jury also heard today from nurses Liz Watson and Aine Watts who took the emergency call and tried to instruct Mr Tighe how to save the baby's life. Ms Watts told Mr Murray that she formed the opinion that Mr Tighe wasn't following her instructions because when she asked him to hit the baby to dislodge the blockage she couldn't hear him doing it.

Then when she asked him to take the baby to the door to wave down the doctor she didn't believe he took the baby with him.

The trial continues tomorrow in front of Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine women and three men.
By Tom Tuite

A father-of-one has been refused bail after he was charged with handling 1,400 of stolen goods taken during looting at a supermarket in Dublin.

During last weeks snow storm, the Lidl at Fortunesown Lane in Tallaght was extensively damaged after it was raided and looted while another shop was broken into, on Friday night.

Liam Walsh, 26, from Ard Mor Drive, Tallaght, appeared at Dublin District Court on Wednesday charged under the Theft and Fraud Act.

Mr Walsh, who is accused of handling stolen property taken from the Lidl supermarket, made no reply when charged, Garda Stephen Murray told Judge Grainne ONeill.

Objecting to bail due to the seriousness of the offence, Garda Murray told the court that on March 2 the Lidl supermarket was burgled and "extensive damage was caused by a large excavator". Numerous video appeared on social media showing the building collapse, he said.

Gardai learned that perishable as well as electrical goods were stored in the back bedroom and in the kitchen of Mr Walshs home, it was alleged.

A search warrant was obtained resulting in the goods being recovered, the court heard.

They were found in several black sacks and pictures of goods had been circulated by phone, Garda Murray said.

The court heard that Walsh, who is unemployed, lived at the house with his partner and their child and was arrested on Tuesday and detained for five hours before he was charged.

Garda Murray said that he expected that given the circumstances the case would go to the circuit court. He also cited fears that if bailed the accused would not answer the charge which can result in a sentence of up to 10 years.

The garda said it was his belief the accused intended to sell the stolen goods.

Defence solicitor Michael French suggested that given the value of the goods it was more likely that the case would remain in the district court. He submitted that other people had access to the house.

Mr Walsh, who was wearing grey jeans and black jumper, denied the charge, his solicitor said.

Mr French asked the garda if Mr Walshs fingerprints or samples of his DNA had been found on the items. The garda replied that the accused had said that they could be found on the items as he may have picked them up.

Swabs had been taken from him but analysis had not yet been carried out, the court also heard.

Asked if a phone was seized from the accused, the garda said Mr Walsh told him he did not own a mobile phone.

Mr French said his client could be trusted to turn up for his trial and that there had been a "media furore" about the incidents. Pleading for bail, he argued that the charge had been brought prematurely and the investigation was still on-going.

Other people still had to be interviewed and the evidence was circumstantial, he submitted.

Judge ONeill said the accused still enjoyed the right presumption of innocence. However, she refused bail and remanded Mr Walsh, who did not address the court, in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on March 13 next for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions to be obtained. Legal aid was granted.

On Saturday nine other men appeared at the district court and faced a range of charges in connection with the raiding and looting at the Lidl and a break-in at a nearby Centra shop. Six were released on bail while the remaining three were remanded in custody.
Update 4pm: The Government intends to publish the legislation for the planned abortion referendum on Thursday paving the way for the voters to decide whether to liberalise the country's abortion laws.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Cabinet will meet on Thursday morning to discuss the wording of the referendum bill.

If ministers give it approval it could be debated in the Dail as early as that evening.

Mr Varadkar said he had agreed to a request from the Attorney General for a day to consider the written judgment by the Supreme Court.

His advice will be considered at the Cabinet meeting.

"It's important that we get this right," Mr Varadkar said.

"It's important that we dot the Is and cross the Ts.

"We don't want to make any unforced errors when it comes to a referendum on changing our constitution."

The Taoiseach said the introduction of the bill into the Dail would allow the Government to formally establish a referendum commission and its work would begin almost immediately.

"That is certainly what I wish to do," Mr Varadkar said.

The Referendum Commission is an independent statutory body that must be set up in advance of any referendum in Ireland.

.@SimonHarrisTD says the cabinet will consider the final wording of referendum bill on #8th amendment tmw @rtenews pic.twitter.com/4h09baHueN  Martina Fitzgerald (@MartinaFitzg) March 7, 2018

Update 3.20pm: The Government remains hopeful a referendum on abortion can be held in May.

The Supreme Court ruled this morning that the unborn have no rights in the constitution outside the 8th amendment, paving the way for a referendum.

The cabinet will meet tomorrow to approve a referendum bill which they hope can go before the Dail tomorrow or Friday.

Health Minister Simon Harris does not believe a slight delay in their timeline will mean putting off the date of the referendum.

He said: "I do hope we can all work together in a cooperative manner to ensure the people of Ireland have a say.

"Yes politicians, their voice is important, it's representative of the people, but no voice is more important than the voice of every single Irish citizen.

"I certainly hope nobody in this Oireachtas would endeavour to prevent the Irish people from having their say, but I don't think that'll happen.

"I expect we will be able to deliver a referendum this May."

Update 1.08pm: Taoiseach aims to introduce Abortion Bill tomorrow following Supreme Court ruling

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says efforts will be made to introduce legislation to the Dail tomorrow on the abortion referendum following a Supreme Court ruling on the rights of the unborn, writes Juno McEnroe.

The court has ruled that the unborn do not have rights in the Constitution beyond the Eighth Amendment, which the government is preparing to put to a vote in late May.

Mr Varadkar said Attorney General Seamus Woulfe had asked and was being given a day to review the Supreme Court judgement.

Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald, in the aftermath of the ruling, called on the Cabinet to immediately meet and approve the referendum wording so the Dail can debate this and the vote process begin.

But Mr Varadkar said the Attorney General needed the time.

The Cabinet will meet tomorrow to consider the final wording, which is expected to ask voters whether or not the amendment should be repealed and whether the Oireachtas should be empowered to then legislate for terminations, in line with a Government decision.

Mr Varadkar said that, if possible, the legislation could be introduced in the Dail tomorrow evening - if it is ready.

Proposed follow-on health legislation allowing for unrestricted abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy will also be published when the wording is introduced in the Dail.

The Government wants the abortion referendum introduced this week, so that a timeline for a planned vote in the last week of May is not "jeopardised", as the Taoiseach told the Dail.

Earlier: Ministers welcome 'clarity' provided by Supreme Court ruling on rights of the unborn

A landmark Supreme Court ruling on the rights of the unborn will allow the Government to press ahead with a planned abortion referendum, Health Minister Simon Harris said today.

Reacting to a Supreme Court ruling which will now allow Government press ahead with a referendum on abortion, Health Minister Simon Harris said: "If you believe that it is wrong that women who is brutally raped and has to carry her pregnancy to full-term in this country, you have to repeal the Eighth Amendment.

"If you believe it is wrong that a women who has a fatal fetal abnormality in her pregnancy finds herself having to travel to Britain to bring back her baby's remains in the boot of her car you have to repeal the Eighth Amendment.

"If you believe it is wrong that women from every county in this country on a daily basis, or a weekly basis, travel abroad for a termination you have to repeal the Eighth Amendment.

"And if you believe it is wrong that women, our sisters our daughters, our mothers, our wives, our neighbours, our work colleagues access abortion pills without medical supervision in the privacy and loneliness of their bedroom or their home, if you believe that's wrong, you have to repeal the Eighth Amendment," said Mr Harris.

Welcoming the fact that the Supreme Court ruling has brought "clarity to very important issue", Mr Harris said a special cabinet meeting tomorrow morning to agree on the final wording of the referendum.

Mr Harris now hopes to bring the Referendum Bill before the Dail as early as tomorrow evening and will move to set up the Referendum Commission this week.

"I think it was right and proper that the Government waited until the Supreme Court had made its ruling.

"What the Government will now do is move ahead with preparing for a referendum that will take place before the end of May."

He added: "As a country, we are entering a very important number of weeks where people are going to have an opportunity to have their say in a democratic way in the ballot box on deeply complex, personal and sensitive issue.

"I have no doubt that during those weeks there will be much discussion about legal technical and medical issues and I think all that is important.

"But I think it is also very important that that doesn't drown out a very fundamental fact that if you believe there needs to be change in this area in this country you need to repeal the Eighth Amendment.

Children and Youth Affairs Minister Katherine Zappone said the court's ruling had provided clarity.

She tweeted: "I welcome the clarity offered by today's Supreme Court decision and look forward to continuing the process of putting the 8th amendment before the Irish people by way of referendum."

Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD said: I welcome the clarity that this Supreme Court judgement provides regarding the status of the unborn within the constitution.

"In relation to the implications for the status of potential deportees from the state with regard to their family status; this is a detailed and comprehensive judgement, and my Department, along with others will analyse it fully.

The judgement was criticised by RENUA Ireland, however.

Todays rushed Supreme Court Judgment does not change the fundamentals this government must now face when it comes to its fatally flawed proposal and attempt to repeal the 8 th Amendment," the party said in a statement.

"We have a process which must fill thinking voters with concern and unease."

The statement added: "Taoiseach Mr Varadkar is engaging in a fundamental act of disrespect to the people by bringing a proposal which has inspired such levels of opposition in his own party, let alone the country.

"The Fianna Fail leadership is at direct odds with its own grassroots, membership and Ard Fheis votes."

The Pro Life Campaign said this mornings Supreme Court ruling shows the importance of keeping the 8th Amendment in the Constitution.

Commenting immediately after the Court ruling, Pro Life Campaign legal adviser, Professor William Binchy said: The Supreme Courts judgment makes it all the more necessary to oppose the Governments proposal to introduce abortion on demand.

"The Court has made it clear that unborn babies, up to birth, would have no constitutional protection against the legislation that the Government intends to introduce.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone said she welcomed the clear and unanimous Supreme Court decision regarding the rights of the unborn.

Ms Noone chaired the all-party parliamentary committee on the Eighth Amendment, which recommended the Eighth Amendment of the Irish Constitution be repealed.

Currently, terminations are only allowed when the life of the mother is at risk, including from suicide, and the maximum penalty for accessing an illegal abortion is 14 years in prison.

Campaigners are seeking to liberalise the regime to allow for unrestricted abortion up to 12 weeks into pregnancy.

If the referendum goes ahead, voters will be asked whether they want to remove the section of the Constitution which gives equal right to life to the mother and the unborn, and replace it with wording to allow parliament to regulate for the termination of pregnancy.

Senator Noone said: "Today the Supreme Court made a landmark decision.

"This judgment will allow us to move forward to a May referendum on the 8th Amendment".

She added: "It is my belief that the only rights afforded to the unborn under the current constitutional status, is the right to life provided for in the Eighth Amendment and this does not extend to other areas of the constitution.

"I urge us all to accept the Court's judgment in good faith and move forward in a civilised and respectful manner, as has been the case for the most part so far".

Labour Party TD Jan O'Sullivan said she welcomed the clarity provided by the ruling.

Ms O'Sullivan said: "The decision paves the way for the Oireachtas to debate with clarity the wording of the proposed Government referendum, which is coming before the Dail this week.

"I look forward to engaging in the debate with my Oireachtas colleagues, and would again call on the Government to ensure it keeps to its timetable of a May referendum on the Eighth Amendment so that the maximum number of people will be available to vote on the issue, many for the first time."

The government in January formally agreed to hold a referendum on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution.

The move came after the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment published its report recommending repeal of Article 40.3.3, which recognises the equal right to life of the mother and the unborn.

The report stated that Constitutional provision prohibiting the termination of pregnancy in Ireland was unfit for purpose and in need of reform.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said he welcomed the unanimous ruling. "[It] offers real clarity, and paves the way for a referendum on the 8th Amendment in May," he said.

"We look forward to seeing the Government's legislation later this week, and to the debate in the Dail on Friday."

- PA & Elaine Loughlin
A new app has been created that helps to identify vacant properties in Dublin that could be turned into homes.

Users simply take a photo of a house they believe is not being used, and it is added to an interactive map.
Six closure orders, one prohibition order and one improvement order were served on food businesses during the month of February for breaches of food safety legislation, Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) revealed today.

Four closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

The Carrickdale Hotel (Closed part: Bar area: Food area only), Carrickarnon, Dundalk, Louth

Apache Pizza (take away), 108 Pearse Street, Dublin 2

Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, 93 Great William O'Brien Street, Blackpool, Cork

Hennessy Garden Centre, (Closed part: Hennessy Garden Centre Cafe), Carlow Road, Gowran, Kilkenny

Two closure orders were served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:

China Kitchen (restaurant/cafe), 14 Market Street, Clonmel, Tipperary

Flame Street Food (restaurant/cafe), 38 Washington Street, Cork

A prohibition order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on premises occupied by Agnieszka Karpowicz (manufacturer), Unit 13, Kernanstown Industrial Estate, Hacketstown Road, Carlow

An improvement order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on Trattoria Toscana (restaurant/cafe), Main Street, Donegal Town, Donegal

Some of the reasons for the Closure Orders in February were: mouse activity in the bar area; substantial rodent droppings in the kitchen; large amount of rodent droppings throughout the premises; the premises had not been cleaned in a considerable time; food stored in dirty, defective, chipped containers; lack of proper hand washing; lack of proper cleaning on the premises; raw and ready-to-eat food prepared on the same countertop; and no hot water at the kitchen sink and wash hand basin.

Commenting on the Enforcement Orders served in February, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI stated that food businesses must prioritise food safety requirements to ensure the food they are serving is safe to eat.

Food businesses must recognise that the legal onus is on them to make sure that the food they sell or serve is safe to eat," she said.

"Some of the recurring findings are filthy premises and premises that are not pest-proofed. These are basic requirements and there are no excuses for bad practice.

"Maintaining a food business requires ongoing compliance with food safety and hygiene standards.

"Non-compliances are not tolerated and breaches of food safety legislation are dealt with to the full extent of food law.

"Food businesses should take full advantage of the information and support provided by the inspectorate and the FSAI.

- Digital desk
By Ann O'Loughlin

Update: The unborn has no constitutional rights outside the right to life in the Eighth Amendment the Supreme Court has ruled.

The seven-judge court unanimously found the High Court was wrong to find the unborn has constitutional rights outside Article 40.3.3 and was also wrong to find the unborn is a child within the meaning of Article 42a.

The most plausible view of the law before the 1983 amendment was there was uncertainty concerning the constitutional position of the unborn which the Eighth was designed to remove, it held.

Its conclusions do not mean the unborn child is either constitutionally or legally invisible, it stressed. The terms of Article 40.3.3; the fact account must be taken of rights that will be acquired on birth and the provisions of common law and statute all recognise and protect the interests of an unborn child.

The State, in legislating, is entitled to take account as a factor the respect which is due for human life as an aspect of the common good, it added.

However, the Supreme Court upheld other findings by the High Court that the Minister for Justice is required to consider the prospective constitutional rights of an unborn Irish citizen child when considering whether or not to deport their non-Irish citizen parent.

In so doing, it dismissed the States appeal against a High Court declaration requiring the Minister to consider those rights.

The 125-page judgment clarifies the constitutional position of the unborn in advance of the planned referendum on Article 40.3.3. Until now, there were a number of conflicting High Court decisions concerning whether the unborn had constitutional rights beyond Article 40.3.3.

The judgment was delivered by the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Frank Clarke, sitting with Mr Justice Donal ODonnell, Mr Justice William McKechnie, Mr Justice John MacMenamin, Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne, Ms Justice Iseult OMalley and Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan, during a historic first sitting of the Supreme Court in Limerick.

The Chief Justice said the judgment was contributed to by all its members.

The State had secured a fast-track appeal to the Supreme Court against findings by the High Courts Mr Justice Richard Humphreys in an immigration case involving a Nigerian man, his Irish citizen partner and their daughter, born in August 2015, but who had not been born when the case was initiated in July 2015.

The case concerned the factors the Minister for Justice must take into account when considering an application relating to deportation where it was expected the potential deportee would become the father of a child.

The High Court found the rights of the unborn were not confined to the right to life in Article 40.3.3 and said the unborn enjoyed rights under the personal rights provisions in Article 40.3.1 and Article 40.3.2. It also said the unborn is a child within the meaning of Article 42A, inserted as a result of the 2012 Childrens Referendum, which requires the State to protect the rights of all children.

Based on his findings, Mr Justice Humphreys held the Minister had invalidly stated he was not obliged to give any separate regard to the position of the unborn and declared the Minister is obliged to have regard to the fact of pregnancy and the likely impact of deportation on the rights the Irish citizen child would acquire on birth. The unborn, at the time the Minister was asked to revoke her fathers deportation order, had existing constitutional rights not limited to Article 40.3.3 and particularly to the care and company of her father, he said.

He granted a declaration the Minister, when considering an application to revoke a deportation order, must consider the current and prospective situation of the applicant, including the prospective child, unborn at the time of the application.

In its appeal against his judgment, the State maintained the unborns constitutional rights are confined to the right to life in Article 40.3.3 and any other rights become effective only on a live birth.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled the Minister must consider the pregnancy of the partner of the proposed deportee, the likely birth in Ireland of a child of the potential deportee and the fact an Irish citizen child will, on birth, acquire constitutional rights which may be affected by deportation. Having done so, the Minister is not precluded from refusing to revoke deportation, it stressed.

The High Court decision on that aspect was therefore correct and the Ministers appeal in that regard must be dismissed, it ruled.

It also found that the various common law cases, statutory provisions and pre- and post-Eighth Amendment cases that the High Court had relied on to find the unborn has constitutional rights outside Article 40.3.3 did not support such findings.

While stressing its decision in that regard did not alter the overall decision dismissing the appeal, it said the Minister is not obliged to treat the unborn as having constitutional rights outside Article 40.3.3 and reversed the High Court findings the unborn has rights outside that article and is a child under Article 42A.

Supreme Court overturns ruling on constitutional rights of the unborn

The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that the unborn has no constitutional rights outside the right to life in the Eighth Amendment.

In a landmark judgment today, the seven-judge court ruled the High Court was wrong to find the unborn has constitutional rights outside Article 40.3.3 and was also wrong to find the unborn is a child within the meaning of Article 42 A.

However, it upheld findings by the High Court that the Minister for Justice is required to consider the prospective constitutional rights of an unborn child when considering whether or not to deport their non-Irish citizen parent.

The decision clarifies the constitutional position of the unborn in advance of this summers planned referendum on Article 40.3.3, which guarantees equal protection for the right to life of the unborn and its mother.

The judgment was delivered by the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Frank Clarke, sitting with Mr Justice Donal ODonnell, Mr Justice William McKechnie, Mr Justice John MacMenamin, Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne, Ms Justice Iseult OMalley and Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan, during a historic first ever sitting of the Supreme Court in Limerick.

The judgment was broadcast on the RTE News Now channel.

The State had sought and secured a fast-track appeal to the Supreme Court against findings by the High Courts Mr Justice Richard Humphreys the unborn has constitutional rights beyond the right to life set out in Article 40.3.3.

The unborn, the High Court found, enjoyed other rights under the personal rights provisions in Article 40.3.1 and Article 40.3.2. It also said the unborn is a child within the meaning of Article 42A, inserted as a result of the 2012 Childrens Referendum, which requires the State to protect and vindicate the rights of all children.

Although the judgment was given on an immigration case, the Supreme Court agreed with the State the High Court findings had implications well beyond such cases.

In agreeing to hear the appeal urgently, the Supreme Court said there was a clear advantage in seeking to address the issues sooner rather than later, given the systemic importance of the matters debated, not just in the field of immigration law but more widely.

During the appeal, heard over two days last month, the State insisted the unborn has no constitutionally protected rights beyond the right to life in Article 40.3.3 and cannot invoke, or have invoked on its behalf, any other constitutional rights.

It argued the unborns only constitutionally protected right is to be born and any other rights only become effective on a live birth. Article 40.3.3, it said, recognises the unborn as a distinct class from the constitutional terms citizens, persons and children.

Lawyers for the family at the centre of the case  a Nigerian man, his Irish citizen partner and their daughter, who was unborn when the case aimed at having the Minister revoke an order for his deportation was initiated in May 2016  opposed the appeal.

They argued the essential question was whether an unborn child, outside Article 40.3.3, is a constitutional cipher or nullity whose existence and rights do not have to be given any recognition or weight whatever in assessing whether to revoke the deportation order.

The Minister for Justice, they insisted, was required both to consider the rights of the unborn child to the care and company of her father and his rights as the prospective parent of an Irish citizen child.

They also disputed Article 40.3.3 contains an exclusive statement of the constitutional rights of the unborn.

This ruling means the Government can proceed with trying to call a referendum on the Eighth Amendment.

It is likely a special Cabinet meeting will be called tomorrow to approve the referendum bill, which outlines the question people will be asked in a vote.

That then needs to be approved by the Dail and Seanad before the date of the referendum will be known.

The Taoiseach wants the Dail to sit on Friday to start debating the bill.

If it does not then a May referendum will be hard to bring around, because the Dail does not sit next week and is off for a further two weeks over Easter.
Web users are being warned today that cyber criminals are gathering information on us all the time.

Skimming, phishing and vishing are scams used by criminals to collect personal details from individuals and companies.
Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned the country may face early elections due to a coalition crisis.

Speaking at the Economic Club in Washington, Mr Netanyahu said he wants his government to complete its term in November 2019.

He said: "If all parties in this coalition ... agree that's what we do, and if not then we will go to elections now."

The country's finance minister Moshe Kahlon has said his Kulanu party will leave the coalition if the budget does not pass in the next few weeks.

Coalition partners are feuding over whether to include military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Mr Netanyahu also made light of the corruption investigations against him back home.

When asked what the pleasure of his job is, Mr Netanyahu jokingly replied: "investigations."

- PA
Trade between the EU and UK will be "more complicated and costly" under any outcome of upcoming negotiations, the president of the European Council has warned, adding: "That is the essence of Brexit".

Donald Tusk was unveiling draft guidelines for the negotiations, due to be adopted at a summit later this month by the 27 remaining members of the EU.

The guidelines say that Brussels wants "as close as possible a partnership" with the UK after Brexit, but expects there will be "negative economic consequences".

Speaking at a press conference in Luxembourg just hours after sending the guidelines to the EU27 capitals, Mr Tusk said Brussels hoped for an "ambitious and advanced" free trade agreement (FTA) with zero tariffs on goods but limited access for services.

But he added: "This positive approach doesn't change the simple fact that because of Brexit we will be drifting apart."

Mr Tusk said: "Our agreement will not make trade between the UK and EU frictionless or smoother.

"It will make it more complicated and costly than today for all of us. This is the essence of Brexit."

After Theresa May set out her vision for the future EU/UK relationship in her Mansion House speech on Friday, Mr Tusk said that the only option available in negotiations was an FTA of the type signed with Canada.

And in a clear demonstration of Brussels's reluctance to deliver the kind of bespoke deal outlined by the British Prime Minister last week, he said: "I fully understand and of course I respect Theresa May's political objective, to demonstrate at any price that Brexit could be a success and was the right choice.

"But sorry, it is not our objective."

Mr Tusk was speaking shortly before a keynote speech from Philip Hammond, in which the British Chancellor was due to make the case for preferential access for Britain's financial services industry to the single market.

Rejecting the arguments of "sceptics" who claim there has never been an FTA including financial services, Mr Hammond was set to say: "I am clear not only that it is possible to include financial services within a trade deal but that it is very much in our mutual interest to do so."

The draft European Council guidelines call for zero-tariff trade in goods but warn that access for services will be limited by the fact that Britain will be outside the EU and will no longer share a common regulatory and judiciary framework.

And they warn that there can be "no cherry-picking" of participation in the single market for particular sectors, such as financial services.

Existing reciprocal rights of access to fishing waters should be maintained, and there should be "appropriate" customs co-operation, the guidelines state.

Speaking alongside Mr Tusk, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, who will meet Mrs May in London next week, said that the goal of a post-Brexit FTA would be "minimising the losses and limiting the negative impacts as much as possible".

But he added: "There will be no winners after Brexit. Both sides will be losing."

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: "Unless we take back full ownership and control of our waters, Brexit will have been betrayed."

- PA
An incurably-ill man has brought the latest stage of his legal fight for a "dignified death" to the High Court in England.

The 54-year-old, who can only be referred to as Omid T, is involved in an ongoing legal battle against the UK's "blanket ban" on assisted suicide.

He is in the advanced stages of multiple system atrophy (MSA), diagnosed in 2014, and has been effectively bed-bound for the past two years.

The former property developer finds life "intolerable" and wants to die, but is unable to do so without help.

Omid's lawyers are asking two senior judges for permission to challenge expert evidence on behalf of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), which is defending the case.

His barrister Paul Bowen QC argued at a hearing in London today that it was "appropriate and necessary" for an expert on palliative care in the UK to be cross-examined.

Lawyers for the MoJ contend the court should not allow the cross-examination of the witness and are urging Mr Justice Irwin and Mr Justice Phillips to dismiss the case.

Mr Bowen said Omid plans to travel to Switzerland to end his life when he has the funds to do so, but this may be sooner than he would choose if he could be helped to die in the UK.

He added: "Due to the unbearable suffering caused by his deteriorating physical condition, which cannot be cured or alleviated, life has become intolerable to him.

"He wishes to end his life and has been assessed as having the capacity to do so."

Ahead of the hearing Omid wrote on his CrowdJustice page, where he is raising funds for the legal action: "My health is very poor now and I just hope all this can be over soon so I can end my life.

"I want to get a date set soon to have a peaceful ending in Switzerland.

"I never thought it would be this difficult, it is torture for me and I don't understand what is the use of all this suffering."

Omid's action is against what he describes as the UK's "cruel and unjust" law on assisted dying.

He claims the "blanket ban on assisted suicide" amounts to a breach of his human rights and is calling for a change which would allow him and others with an incurable illness to end their lives.

He also proposes a system of "safeguards" including an assessment of mental capacity by two independent doctors and the need for judicial oversight.

His case raises similar issues to that of 68-year-old retired lecturer Noel Conway, who has motor neurone disease and has been given the go-ahead for a hearing in the Appeal Court.

The High Court hearing is due to continue tomorrow, following which the judges are expected to reserve their decision.

- PA
The leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First have been jailed after launching a "political campaign" in which Muslims were branded paedophiles and rapists.

Paul Golding, 36, and Jayda Fransen, 32, both of Penge, south-east London, were found guilty at Folkestone Magistrates' Court on Wednesday of religiously-aggravated harassment.

They were arrested on May 10 last year in an investigation into the distribution of leaflets and online videos during an on-going trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

Three Muslim men and a teenager were later jailed for raping a 16-year-old girl in a flat above the 555 Pizza takeaway in Ramsgate, Kent.

Judge Justin Barron convicted Fransen of three charges and Golding of one charge.

Sentencing Fransen to 36 weeks and Golding for 18 weeks in jail, he said the crimes were "deliberately planned against targeted victims".

The court descended into chaos as Judge Barron attempted to continue his sentence and impose restraining orders so the pair could not contact victims and witnesses in the case.

But Fransen spoke over him and said: "This is a very sad day for British justice. Everything I did was for the children of this country and they are worth it."

This caused cheers and applause to erupt from the public gallery as the pair were led away and Judge Barron temporarily left the courtroom before concluding his directions.

As supporters left the courtroom they hurled abuse at court staff and members of the press, branding the proceedings a "shambles" and shouting: "No surrender."

They added: "If we say anything these days we get sent to prison."

- PA
An unusual stand-off between police in England and a man suspected of swallowing a drugs stash has ended after he spent 47 days in custody refusing to go to the toilet.

Lamarr Chambers, 24, was arrested in Harlow, Essex, on January 17 and officers tweeted updates of what they described as "poo watch".

Essex Police decided to release him from custody on March 5 "following medical and legal advice", despite him not having been for a poo.

The Crown Prosecution Service discontinued charges of intent to supply a Class A drug and driving matters, but Chambers was rearrested by Essex Police on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug.

He has been released on bail and was taken by police car, in company with a medical professional, to hospital for treatment.

Deputy Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington took the decision to release Chambers from custody.

"On the basis of all the medical evidence in this case it is most appropriate, both in the interests of Mr Chambers and of justice, to ensure he receives the hospital treatment he needs," he said.

Police had applied for custody extensions at seven court hearings as they waited for Chambers, of Brixton, London, to go for a poo.

He had been arrested by officers from Essex Police's Operation Raptor West, the gangs and urban street crime unit for Harlow, Epping Forest, Brentwood and Thurrock district.

Officers said Chambers was seen daily by doctors, was constantly watched and routinely supplied with food and water.
Update - 5.33pm: Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia are believed to have been poisoned in Salisbury by a nerve agent, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley of the Metropolitan Police said.

Mr Rowley said the poisoning was being treated as attempted murder and said the pair had been targeted specifically.

A police officer who was one of the first on the scene in Salisbury is critically ill in hospital, Mr Rowley said.

He said: "In summary, this is being treated as a major incident involving attempted murder by administration of a nerve agent.

"As you know, these two people remain critically ill in hospital.

"Sadly, in addition, a police officer who was one of the first to attend the scene and respond to the incident is now also in a serious condition in hospital.

"Wiltshire Police are, of course, providing every support to his family.

"Whilst we are now in a position to confirm that their symptoms are as a result of exposure to a nerve agent, I will not be providing further information at this stage about the exact substance which has been identified."

12.20pm: UK: 'We do know more about the substance' that put double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter into hospital

Speaking after a meeting of the British Government's emergency committee Cobra this morning, Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: "There will be more information published by the police this afternoon about the substance."

She added: "I want to make sure that this investigation responds to evidence, not to rumour, but I can reassure the public ... that all action is going to be taken to keep everybody safe."

"We need to keep a cool head and make sure that we collect all the evidence we can, and we need to make sure that we respond, not to rumour, but to all the evidence that they collect, and then we need to decide what action to take.

"We do know more about the substance and the police will be making a further statement this afternoon in order to share some of that.

"We must let the police carry on their work. They will share what they can this afternoon, but I'm sure there will be more updates as the investigation continues."

11.23am: Russia: Allegations around double agent Sergei Skripal intended to 'further exacerbate relations between UK and Russia'

The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that the incident with double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in England is being "used to further incite anti-Russian campaign in Western media".

Mr Skripal, 66, and 33-year-old Yulia remain fighting for their lives in hospital after being exposed to a mystery substance which has triggered a diplomatic row and prompted crisis talks in Whitehall.

The British Government this morning called a meeting of its emergency committee Cobra, to be chaired by Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

The cross-departmental meeting - previously held after terror attacks to plot the Government's response to national emergencies - comes as relations between the UK and the Kremlin soured after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson went on the offensive in the House of Commons.

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said that "what happened to Skripal has been immediately used to further incite anti-Russian campaign in Western media".

She added that the allegations were intended to "further exacerbate relations between our countries".

At the UK Government's Cobra meeting, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson noted that this case had "echoes" of the death of Alexander Litvinenko, a Russian dissident who was fatally poisoned in London in 2006.

He said: "While it would be wrong to prejudge the investigation, I can reassure the House that should evidence emerge that implies state responsibility, then Her Majesty's Government will respond appropriately and robustly."

In a fresh sign of the deterioration in relations between the countries, Mr Johnson also claimed Russia is "in many respects a malign and disruptive force".

The Russian Embassy said it was "completely untrue" to suggest the country's special services were involved and criticised Mr Johnson for speaking "in such a manner as if the investigation was already over".

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory in nearby Porton Down, which has state-of-the-art equipment to look for trace amounts of substances, is believed to be involved in examining what could have caused Mr Skripal and his daughter to fall ill.

British counter-terrorism detectives have urged anyone in Salisbury city centre on Sunday to come forward to help with the "missing pieces" in the probe into how a Russian double agent and his daughter fell critically ill.

As the high-profile investigation enters a fourth day, counter-terror officers have extended the cordon yet further after the pair were found unconscious in Salisbury, Wiltshire, shortly after 4pm on Sunday.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the head of counter-terrorism policing, stressed to people in the city, particularly those who visited the Bishop's Mill pub or Zizzi restaurant, that any details could help investigators.

He said: "We would like to hear from anybody who visited the area close to the Maltings shopping centre where these two people were taken ill on Sunday afternoon, and may have seen something that could assist the investigation.

"The two people taken ill were in Salisbury centre from around 1.30pm. Did you see anything out of the ordinary? It may be that at the time, nothing appeared out of place or untoward but with what you now know, you remember something that might be of significance.

"Your memory of that afternoon and your movements alone could help us with missing pieces of the investigation. The weather was poor that day so there were not as many people out and about. Every statement we can take is important."

Scotland Yard said detectives were "keeping an open mind as to what happened", and that the situation had not been declared a terrorist incident - adding that it would not "provide a running commentary" on the investigation.

Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Mr Skripal was convicted in 2006 of passing state secrets to MI6 before being given refuge in the UK as part of a spy swap.

The former colonel in Russian military intelligence, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison, was among four convicts who were given pardons and one of two sent to Britain in 2010 in a deal that was said at the time to be the largest exchange since the Cold War.

He was found along with his daughter on a bench in The Maltings in Salisbury after police were called by a concerned member of the public at around 4.15pm on Sunday.

The pair did not have any visible injuries and were taken to Salisbury District Hospital, where they are being treated in intensive care for "suspected exposure to an unknown substance".

Officers "secured" a number of scenes - including the Zizzi restaurant on Castle Street and the Bishop's Mill pub in The Maltings - as well as setting up a cordon at Solstice Park in Amesbury, a business park around eight miles north of the city which is home to restaurants and an ambulance station.

Scotland Yard said: "This is linked to the investigation and is a precautionary measure."

At least two people left a contamination tent inside the cordon wearing protective suits and gas masks on Tuesday night.

People could also be seen inside Zizzi's restaurant wearing protective gear and masks.
A teenage asylum seeker told British authorities he had been trained by Islamic State "to kill" before he allegedly planted a bomb on the Tube at Parsons Green in England, a court has heard.

Iraqi Ahmed Hassan, 18, is accused of packing shrapnel into a device containing 400g of TATP then leaving it to go off on a timer at the west London station during rush hour on September 15 last year.

There were 93 commuters on board when the District Line carriage turned into a "furnace engulfed in flames", leaving many with serious burns or crushed in the stampede to get away.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan told jurors: "Had the device fully detonated, it is inevitable that serious injury and significant damage would have been caused within the carriage."

Hassan had arrived in Britain in the back of a lorry via the Channel Tunnel in October 2015 and claimed asylum, saying he was in "fear of Islamic State" because of what happened to him in his home country.

A forensics officer on the platform at Parsons Green station in west London last September.

Asked by British Home Office officials in 2016 if he ever had any training with IS, he said: "They trained us on how to kill. It was all religious-based."

He said he was recruited on his own and trained with 1,000 people until Iraqi soldiers came into IS territory and told everyone to go.

He denied he had been sent to Europe to work for IS, the court heard.

Jurors were told that while in the care of Barnados, a member of staff who spoke Arabic caught him listening to a "call to arms" song with lyrics along the lines of: "We are coming with you to the slaughter... in your home/country".

The court heard how Hassan seized a "window of opportunity" to prepare a home-made bomb while his foster parents were on holiday in early September last year.

He researched online how to make explosives, ordering an ingredient on Amazon and using a friend's address to take delivery of the largest component.

The day before he set off from his home in Sunbury, Surrey, England, he bought metal items for shrapnel from Asda and Aldi in Feltham.

A bucket on fire on a tube train at Parsons Green station in west London last September.

The court heard Hassan that had packed the bomb with 2.2kg of screwdrivers, knives and nails to cause "maximum carnage".

On September 15, the defendant left his home shortly before 7am and took the train from Sunbury to Wimbledon, walking by schoolchildren and commuters carrying his bomb, jurors heard.

In the privacy of the toilet in the concourse, he set the timer before boarding the District Line and getting off at Putney Bridge, one stop before Parsons Green.

Ms Morgan told jurors: "At any point, should he have wanted to, he could have stopped the timer. He could have pulled the wires out of the device. He could have stopped the detonation.

"The CCTV footage from inside the carriage shows that at no stage did the defendant reach inside the bag to do anything."

An expert concluded it was "a matter of luck" that the bomb did not fully explode.

The initiator could have come loose when it was transported or the device may not have been well constructed, the court heard.

Passenger Jelena Semenjuk had noticed a bag on the floor and a man fitting the description of Hassan before she heard a "loud bang" and noticed her coat was on fire, the court heard.

She suffered burns to her legs, hands, and face, causing her eyebrows and lashes to be singed off, the court heard.

Aimee Colville saw "shards of glass flying through the air and then flames".

Then she could "smell herself burning and saw her hair was on fire".

Stephen Nash noticed a "blinding light and the feeling that he was in a furnace engulfed in flames", the court was told.

Hassan searched the BBC website for news of the bombing as he fled to Dover after changing into a Chelsea shirt.

When he was arrested at the Kent port, he had 2,320 in cash and told police he was responsible for the device.

Hassan denies attempted murder and using the chemical compound TATP to cause an explosion that was likely to endanger life on September 15 last year.
The Commonwealth Bank expects to refund $16 million to up to 140,000 people after it admitted customers were sold insurance despite the fact that they were not eligible to make claims.

Ahead of royal commission hearings that are set to delve into CBA's problems with "consumer credit insurance" (CCI), the country's biggest bank on Wednesday also said it would stop selling two types of insurance that promised to cover consumers for their credit card and personal loan repayments.

It made the decision after internal reviews into the products, which have been criticised heavily by regulators.

CBA will face scrutiny over the insurance at the royal commission. Credit:James Allcock

CCI products are promoted to customers as helping them meet their repayments if they lose their job, get sick or die, but the corporate watchdog has previously found the product was inappropriately sold to consumers, and was associated with "poor consumer outcomes."
It was a bromance of epic proportions. Billionaire heir to a media and gaming empire, James Packer and the high profile and successful investment banker from UBS Matthew Grounds.

The relationship that endured both Packers corporate triumphs and blow-ups has now itself imploded. But who jilted who?

While the break-up only became apparent this week when Packers Crown Resorts replaced UBS as its adviser on a share buyback transaction, some say the fraying in the relationship started a few years back during negotiations between James and his sister Gretel over the spoils of the family inheritance. Packer was being advised by Grounds on the deal.

James Packer and Matthew Grounds in happier times.

Gretel emerged from re-negotiations with her brother with what is reported to be a fortune of around $1.25 billion - an amount some say James was not happy with and for which he laid some blame at the feet of Grounds.
Some of Sydney's 23 wealthiest private schools received a share of more than $62 million from taxpayers in 2016, to supplement their combined income of $950 million from fees, contributions and private sources and offset the cost of massive building projects, figures published on Wednesday reveal.

Knox Grammar School, which had an income of $76.3 million from school fees, charges and parent contributions and $6.7 million from "other private sources" in 2016, also received federal and state government funding of $9.5 million, the latest My School figures show.

Knox spent $11.1 million on capital projects in 2016, and spent $64 million on capital works between 2014 and 2016.

Scots College recently submitted plans to the NSW government for a $25 million redesign of its library to look like a Scottish castle.

In comparison, the nearby Turramurra High School received $14.6 million from federal and state governments in 2016, and spent a total of $143,420 on capital projects.
Evacuation

Raphael Jerusalmy; trans., Penny Hueston

Evacuation. By Raphael Jerusalmy.

Text, $19.99

Young filmmaker Naor and his mother are on a road trip through Israel, and Naor is telling his near-silent mother the story of the recent events in his life. In this tale, he and his writer grandfather and his artist girlfriend, Yael, have defied the order to evacuate Tel Aviv and are living in the near-abandoned city under threat of being bombed. This is the contemporary world but there is no indication of a date, reinforcing the real-world fact that Tel Aviv is frequently under threat, most recently from Iran. Raphael Jerusalmy, a former member of the Israeli military intelligence services turned humanitarian worker turned antiquarian book dealer and novelist, lives in Tel Aviv. Like the famous photograph of the string quartet amid the ruins of Sarajevo, his book celebrates the persistence of art in times of chaos, and like another recent novella of the Middle East, Mohsin Hamid's Exit West, it combines a jolting realism with the timeless quality of fables.
Annihilation

Netflix, from Monday

Netflix's sudden bounty of new sci-fi grows even bigger as Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh tear things up in Alex Garland's spectacular, intelligent and bloody Annihilation.

Natalie Portman plays Lena in Annihilation. Credit:Paramount Pictures

Made for the big screen but being kept out of cinemas outside the US  reportedly because an executive producer thinks it "too intellectual" and "too complicated" for movie-goers  it deftly blends horror, psychological suspense and philosophical rumination into an immensely enjoyable whole.

Portman plays biology professor and army veteran Lena, who is mourning the presumed death of her soldier husband, Kane (Oscar Isaac), who has been missing on a top-secret mission for 12 months. When Kane suddenly returns, profoundly disoriented, and is just as suddenly snatched away again, Lena finally learns the truth.
It's just such a Tim Roth character (or, perhaps, Tim Roth characters) that we find in small-town sheriff Jim Worth.

Even the most amiable-looking Tim Roth characters tend to have an edge of irritable danger about them. And when one amiable-looking Tim Roth character is wearing a police uniform over the top of what looks like a bunch of gang tattoos  and he happens to have a distinctly less amiable Tim Roth character glaring back at him out of the bathroom mirror  well, there's a bear that doesn't need poking.

You really don't want to make Tim Roth mad.

Jim is a former London copper and recovering alcoholic whose wife, Angela (the estimable Genevieve O'Reilly), convinced him to move their little family to Canada and leave his dark past behind.

Happily enough, he's landed a gig as sheriff of a picturesque little town so quiet that his deputies encourage him to take the day off and go fishing.

He and Angela have a big and spectacularly situated house, an adorable five-year-old son (Rupert Turnbull) and a politically energised teenage daughter (Abigail Lawrie), and all's right with the world.

Of course, such peace can't last.

The town is being invaded by an oil company whose Machiavellian stakeholder-engagement woman (Christina Hendricks) and menacing security chief (Christopher Heyerdahl) are determined to get their new refinery built and keep it running at any cost.
Knitting nannas celebrate 100 consecutive weeks of protesting against CSG mining in NSW.

Its not obvious that someone knitting in front of their television could be trying to save the world. But they could be. Craftivism  the use of craft for activism  is experiencing a surge. Craftivist Sarah Corbett has recently published a book on the topic, How to be a Craftivist, which will sit in the craftivist library alongside other recent titles such as Protest Knits, Really Cross Stitch, and Crafting the Resistance. Sure, craft is quiet, and repetitive, and its often done inside and alone, but its proving to be an effective means of campaigning for change.

Craftivism has already played a memorable role in protesting US President Trump at Womens Marches around the world. In reference to the uncouth comment Trump made about grabbing women by the pussy, protesters handmade and wore pussy hats (pink and shaped like cats ears). They made a strong visual statement  a sea of pink-clad crowns  to show Trump the collective force of those women he degraded.

The pussy hats worn by women to protest the election of Donald Trump.

We see craftivists closer to home with the knitting nannas who sit in public areas, simply knitting, in protest of fracking. We see dozens of other, smaller examples on Instagram, under the #craftivism hashtag  people creatively responding to injustices with embroidery, cross stitch, and knitting projects. We will see more again on the international stage. Upcoming protests for increased gun control in the US in the aftermath of the Florida school shooting will take place on March 24. Activists are currently knitting fingerless gloves with eyes embroidered on them to show that the survivors, the families of victims, and the whole world are closely watching policy makers as they respond to the atrocity.
As the Leukaemia Foundations Worlds Greatest Shave turns 20 next week, Nyssa Scott is one of the many young women making history.

Traditionally dominated by male participants, it is the first time in the fundraisers history that the gender balance is equal.

This year, 39 per cent of shavers are women over the age of 18. Credit:Shutterstock

For 20-year-old Scott, who is partaking in this years fundraiser with her 17-year-old sister Airlie, it was the death of a school friend that inspired her to be brave and shave.

I have been out of high school for three years now, but there was a boy in my year, Jackson who had cancer from a young age, Scott told Fairfax Media.
When Rachel first developed lower abdominal cramping, she thought nothing of it. But, after the pain continued for a week, the HR manager decided to get it checked out.

A few tests later, Rachels doctor delivered unexpected  but joyful  news. For the first time in her life, Rachel, then aged 44, was pregnant.

Ovarian cancer was not on Rachel's radar when she started to experience cramping. Credit:Stocksy

She was sent for an ultrasound and was absolutely delighted to be told there was a viable pregnancy.

But there was still the issue of cramping.
A Canberra woman has won a national award for entrepreneurs by using 21st century technology to bring alive the ancient stories of indigenous people, including those embedded in rock art thousands of years old.

Indigenous woman Mikaela Jade, a mother-of-two from Red Hill, has created the free app - Indigital Storytelling - which uses augmented reality, the same technology as Snapchat - to tell the stories to a modern audience, including literally showing ancient rock art figures dancing, singing and interacting with the user.

Indigenous Canberra woman Mikaela Jade, founder of digital storytelling app Indigital is winner of Veuve Clicquot New Generation Award. Credit:karleen minney

The technology has been developed in close consultation with Aboriginal elders and 50 per cent of profits are returned to country.

Mikaela, who turns 39 on Friday was named in Sydney on Tuesdayas the winner of the a "New Generation Award" run by Veuve Clicquot.
The United States guarantees its citizens can pursue it. Norwegians apparently have more of it than others.

Happiness has become the business of governments, but a new Australian National University study says differences within countries, and not between them, have a greater influence on well-being.

The happiness of Australians may be less to do with national wealth than previously thought.

Annual world rankings of happiness are routinely dominated by Scandinavian nations, but they may be less reliable than they appear, according to study author Richard Burns.

His report, published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, found differences within nations in wealth, and trust in the political and legal system, had a greater influence on people's happiness than disparities between countries on the same measures.
She said the email was personally addressed to her and when she contacted Stopline to find out how her information had been provided to the college, they said they forced us to give your names out. To have written to all of us after we were promised confidentiality is appalling and was intimidating, the former employee said. Loading Id like to see the college properly investigate the claims and if they give confidentiality to the whistleblowers, make sure they stick to it. In a copy of an email seen by Fairfax Media that was allegedly sent by Professor Talley, he wrote he had been advised of an email sent by Stopline, which included an anonymous letter from a college employee.

The email from Stopline was sent without the knowledge or consent of the college, and I wish to apologise for any inconvenience or concern which it has caused, Professor Talley wrote. I would appreciate if you kept the matters raised in the letter confidential, and if you have any concerns about the college, please feel free to communicate them to me directly. A college spokeswoman said the claims made in the original anonymous report to Stopline in 2016 were investigated and found not to be substantiated. They said it was incorrect that the college was able to access details of college employees contacted by Stopline, and that Stopline had instead provided employees who had made reports a letter from Professor Talley. The employees were invited to discuss their concerns with an external independent facilitator, in line with the colleges whistleblower policy, the spokeswoman said.

Stoplines contact was terminated in May 2016, and an internal complaints procedure introduced, because, the spokeswoman said, the board was concerned that Stopline acted beyond its remit under the colleges whistleblower policy, including in the manner in which it was communicating with college employees. The spokeswoman said reports sent to Stopline contained a number of statements which were false or misleading. However, two former college staff members who spoke to Fairfax Media on the condition of anonymity insisted there was a culture of bullying at the college around this time, which saw a high turnover of staff. One former employee said when she first started working at the college she was mailed an anti-bullying policy that was thicker than her employment contract. To say there was no culture of bullying is a lie as it clearly was a problem and the college was trying to address the problem, she said.

The woman said she believed the poor culture stemmed partly from some of the physicians, who would talk down to junior staff. That would spill over to the teams themselves, she said. It was just generally a really unhappy place. There was almost like a petty, high school feel to it  people banding together and leaving people out of conversations and social engagements. The allegations have emerged at the beginning of elections for the college president and director and amid ongoing tension over whether it has been overly corporatised.

Professor Paul Komesaroff. Credit:Eddie Jim Professor Komesaroff, president elect of the colleges adult medicine division who is running for election again in 2018, has been the most highly critical of the college  questioning its handling of previous elections, financial management and transparency. He has called for an independent review of the colleges processes. For many years there has been a growing sense among college members that the organisation has become remote, unresponsive to their needs, communicates poorly, and lacks transparency and accountability in the use of their funds, Professor Komesaroff said. Details of the bullying complaints were first provided to Fairfax Media amid the escalating tensions over the modernisation of the college, with some accusing those critical of management as pining for the days where the college was run as a doctors gentlemens club.
Frank Taylor was a senior opthalmologist responsible for the adoption of new techniques such as the use of lasers and plastic lenses and in using microscopes to undertake delicate surgery.

Born in Orange, Frank Taylor spent his early years in Coolah in western NSW, where his father was a general medical practitioner. He embodied his father's ideals of care and service in his own practice of ophthalmology learnt when he accompanied him on house calls deep into the countryside.

Frank Taylor, ophthalmologist and early-adopter of new techniques.

He received primary school education in Coolah and then, following his father's footsteps, went to St Joseph's College at Hunters Hill and then St John's College at Sydney University.

On graduation in medicine and after two years at the Mater Hospital in Sydney, he met and married Colleen Nader, a pharmacist, and they travelled to England by ship  a journey taking six weeks. Taylor was the ship's doctor on the princely sum of one shilling per month (10 cents), but with free passage for Colleen and himself.
A Spring Hill coffee shop manager claims his store was scammed by the same group of women who claimed they found glass in their food at a Fortitude Valley restaurant last week.

The Small Coffee Co. manager said four or five women, along with their children, had come into the Turbot Street store last Thursday and ordered sandwiches.

CCTV footage of a bystander watching a group of women in Fortitude Valley last week who are allegedly scamming Brisbane restaurant and bars. Credit:7 News Brisbane.

When he asked them for payment, he was told they had been given the wrong food the day before and wanted the meals for free.

The manager, who did not want to be named, said he had been working that day and had not seen them come in.
An Australian woman who contracted a deadly strain of malaria while volunteering in Cambodia is considering taking legal advice against her GP who allegedly said she did not need to take antimalarial medication.

Shelley Hill contracted a deadly strain of malaria after volunteering in Cambodia.

Shelley Hill, from Byron Bay, returned from volunteering at an elephant sanctuary in Cambodia in January and within a matter of days she was suffering multi-organ failure and on life support.

The 46-year-old has since made small improvements but will require amputation of some fingers and toes after she suffered irreversible damage to her extremities from circulation deprivation.

Ms Hills friend Mel Wilson said the 46-year-old visited her GP in the Byron Bay area before she departed in mid-January.
A Sydney man is stuck in Vanuatu after he suffered facial fractures in a cruise ship brawl with another man who allegedly made lewd comments to a female relative and threatened to kill him.

Anthony Titow, 45, was kicked and punched in the head during the late-night fight on board the Voyager of the Seas cruise that left Sydney on February 25.

His brother, David Titow, said Anthony was bloodied when he was locked in the ship's holding cell with the man before he was booted from the 14-night South Pacific cruise a couple of days ago.

Sydney man Anthony Titow, 45, suffered facial injuries in a cruise ship brawl allegedly sparked by inappropriate comments directed towards a female relative.

Mr Titow, whose family was holidaying on the ship, said the fight broke out days after the same man allegedly approached his wife and made sexually inappropriate comments and gestures.
The NSW Arts Minister, Don Harwin, has demanded an urgent report from the director of the Powerhouse Museum, Dolla Merrillees, into allegations that museum executives participated in a night of drunken revelry after a museum fundraiser.

People attend the MAAS Fashion Ball at the Powerhouse Museum in February. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party MP Robert Borsak, who heads the upper house inquiry into the relocation of the Powerhouse Museum, raised in Parliament on Tuesday evening reports that senior security personnel attended the museum's executive offices after the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences' inaugural Fashion Ball last month after a noise complaint and found several prominent museum staff ''intoxicated, drinking Moet & Chandon in the presence of a white powder''.

Mr Borsak has called for an immediate investigation into this "code of conduct breach'' to establish if members of the museum's senior executive team were present and asked that the matter be referred to police. Under its ethics code, all museum employees are barred from using alcohol or drugs or smoking on museum premises and while performing their duties.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has promised to find out if a person received a government job after their resume was sent to Labor front-bencher Mark Bailey's private email account.

Mr Bailey, the then energy minister, received and then forwarded an email from former Electrical Trades Union state secretary Peter Simpson containing the resume to his chief-of-staff in their first term in power.

Queensland minister Mark Bailey's private email was first investigated in 2017.

Ms Palaszczuk on Wednesday said she did not know who the resume belonged to or if that person was then given a government job, but committed to looking into it.

"I don't know, I know all those issues about the emails were canvassed at length by the Crime and Corruption Commission," she said.
In 2013, an unusual post appeared on Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook page. It was from a user called Khalil Shreateh.

"Dear Mark Zuckerberg," Shreateh wrote, "Sorry for breaking your privacy, I had no other choice to make after all the reports I sent to Facebook."

Tech giants are using 'ethical' hackers to discover flaws in their systems.

Shreateh, a security researcher from Palestine, had discovered a critical bug in Facebook's software that allowed anyone to post directly on to any user's wall. After he was ignored by the company's security team, he took the direct approach to demonstrating the bug - hacking Mark Zuckerberg's own page. While the incident showed the difficulties of getting cyber reporting right, Facebook has since become something of a pioneer in the growing field of "bug bounty" programmes.

Bug bounties pay freelance hackers to find flaws in software, and the potential rewards are only increasing.
New York: A US federal appeals court has rejected the American government's bid to halt a lawsuit by young people claiming that President Donald Trump and his administration are violating their constitutional rights by ignoring the harms caused by climate change.

Students at a climate rally in San Francisco last week. Credit:AP

By a 3-0 vote, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said the administration had not met the "high bar" under federal law to dismiss the Oregon lawsuit, which was originally brought in 2015 against the administration of Barack Obama.

The lawsuit started during the Obama administration. Credit:AP

The potentially far-reaching case is one of a handful seeking to have courts address global warming and its causes.
Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC

They want this plan to stay buried.

Officials approval of a developers long-gestating proposal to dig up a tree-lined courtyard behind a Brooklyn Heights building to make way for an underground parking garage sandwiched against the BrooklynQueens Expressway could send the roads already crumbling triple cantilever crashing down before it is repaired, warned residents and their reps.

Whatever work they are doing is threatening the integrity of the BQE, said Joel Kupferman, an attorney in charge of the New York Environmental Law and Justice Project, who is representing the buildings tenants fighting the project along with lawyer Stephen Dobkin of Manhattan-based firm Collins, Dobkin and Miller, LLP.

The chief of builder Pinnacle Group, Joel Weiner  who owns the Riverside Apartments at the corner of Joralemon Street and Columbia place within the nabes designated historic district  wants to excavate the complexs backyard to install 97 parking spots that would sit about 11 feet below the ground, according to the Department of Buildings.

But the project  which would also unfreeze some tenants rents that were locked in place after the ca. 1890 buildings previous landlord paved over part of its original outdoor courtyard to add parking in the 90s  has sat in purgatory for much of the last decade, because it requires approval by both the city and the states Division of Housing and Community Renewal.

State leaders panned the proposal back in 2009, but Weiner revised his then Landmarks Commissionapproved plan  moving the entrance of the proposed garage after officials objected to its former location, among other tweaks  and the division eventually green-lit his scheme last December.

And the citys Buildings Department issued the developer a permit to start construction back in 2014, according to a spokesman.

But as concerns over the complicated city-led rehabilitation of the BrooklynQueens Expressways three-tiered triple cantilever heat up, Riverside tenants are demanding Weiner halt work on the garage until a thorough environmental study proves the job wont sabotage the Department of Transportations impending repairs to the roadway.

Of the utmost concern is the fact that the outer wall of our courtyard is the actual BQE triple cantilever bridge wall, said Lenore Mitchell, who leads the Riverside Tenants Association. We are at a loss as to why DOT has not acknowledged the risks posed by such a project.

The Transportation Department, however, didnt need to officially sign off on the parking-garage project since it falls within the jurisdiction of the Buildings Department, according to a rep, who said local transit leaders reviewed the proposal anyway to ensure it complied with the agencys regulations, and gave it a thumbs up because they said it wont affect their engineers expressway rehabilitation, which is still a few years off.

This project has been reviewed by NYC DOT, meets the guidelines previously mentioned, and should not impact the rehabilitation of the BQE, said a spokeswoman for the city agency.

Weiner is still waiting for the states final go-ahead because the tenants association filed an administrative appeal in January to combat the Division of Housing and Community Renewals approval of the plan. A rep for the state-run division declined to comment on the issue, citing the pending appeal.

But if the division upholds its green light, Weiner can start digging immediately, and ultimately unfreeze those tenants rents that havent budged in decades  which a rep for the builder said would initially decrease by about three percent  after finishing work on the garage and fully restoring the courtyard to a state that the rep claimed will surpass its current condition.

The plans for what goes on top of it are a rather beautiful new courtyard with considerably more trees, said former Brooklyn Heights Councilman Ken Fisher, a spokesman for Weiner.
Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC

62nd Precinct

BensonhurstBath Beach

Shopping spree

A liar stole a 78th Street residents identity to open two store credit cards and make more than $25,000 in purchases at some point between Jan. 31 and Feb. 28, the woman told police.

The woman, who lives between 17th and 18th avenues, told police at around 10 am on the last day of February that someone opened Macys and American Eagle store accounts, and also made purchases of more than $9,000 on her existing Macys and Express store accounts.

Surprise delivery

A trio of louts assaulted a deliveryman on 11th Street on Feb. 27, punching him in the face and his body before stealing $80 and then fleeing in a car.

The group approached the man between Avenues S and T just after 8:30 pm, with one coming at him from the front and two from the back. They drove away in a dark blue car going towards Avenue S, according to the report.

Destination: jail

Police arrested four men who they say intimidated a man on a D train en route to Bay Parkway on March 4 in order to steal his money.

The group approached the man around 2:45 am, and two sat down next to him and told him to give them his money, while the two others stood above him, intimidating him to do so, according to the report.

When the train arrived to the station at W. Seventh Street, the man called the police, who met and arrested the men at the Stillwell Avenue station.

Wheels thief

A thief got into an 85th Street residents 2003 Nissan Pathfinder on Feb. 28 and drove off as if it were his own after stealing the keys from another car in the same driveway.

The son of the homeowner saw the no-goodnik take the keys to his car parked in the driveway of the home between 14th and 15th avenues around 4 pm and then get into his fathers car and speed away.

Shopping by stealing

A thief stole jewelry and a fur coat from a womans 85th Street home on Feb. 24.

The perp forced his way through the rear basement door of the home between 15th and 16th avenues just after 7 pm, while the homeowner was on vacation.

A camera behind the home captured the intruder in the back of the house, but didnt capture the rest of the theft because it was facing up, cops said.

Hit the jackpot

A good-for-nothing broke a womans door locks with toothpicks and stole $3,000 plus jewelry and designer sneakers from her Bay Ridge Avenue home on March 1.

The woman found the picks in her locks when she returned to her home between 14th and 15th avenues just after 1:15 pm, and discovered her room was a mess and the cash and pricey items were missing.

Caught red-handed

A would-be thief tried to break a basement door frame and door window in an attempt to break into a W. Eighth Street home on March 3  but got caught in the act.

The victim returned to the home between Avenues T and U just before 11 pm, turning the lights on to find the lout trying to get in before getting scared off and fleeing in a car, leaving behind a wooden plank that he used to damage the door.

 Julianne McShane
Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC

78th Precinct

Park Slope

Brutal assault

A lowlife tore out a chunk of a womans hair during an argument on a train near Union Street on Feb. 23.

The woman told police that she was on the Manhattan-bound R train near Fourth Avenue around 9:05 am when she asked a man sitting beside her to move into a different train car. The pair got into into an argument, which escalated when the lout shoved her onto a row of seats across from her, and pulled her hair, causing a chunk of it to rip out, according to officials.

Booze and lose

Cops say a bandit stole a beer from a Ninth Street store on Feb. 20.

The thief entered the shop near Fifth Avenue just after midnight and took a can of beer before fleeing the scene, according to police.

Harsh words

A menace threatened an employee at an Atlantic Avenue market on Feb. 20.

The victim told cops that he was at the store around 8 am when, for some unknown reason, the troublemaker followed him around the market and began making threats toward him.

Cops say the nogoodnik told the victim I will kill you. Im from Crown Heights, and he feared for his life, according to the report.

Close, but no squat

Cops arrested a man for squatting at a Warren Street public housing building on Feb. 22.

Police say the suspect went inside the building near Third Avenue around 7:20 pm and said he was going to drop something off, according to the police report. Officers say the suspect is a known repeat offender and is barred from entering any public housing complex in the city.

Not so fast

Cops busted a man who they say tried to shoplift several items from a Ninth Street pharmacy on Feb. 22.

Police say the suspect walked into the drugstore near Sixth Avenue around 9:35 am and took an estimated $93 worth of items and stuffed them into his waist band and left the store without paying.

A pharmacy clerk pointed out the suspect to police and the items he took were recovered an hour later, according to authorities.

Would-be feast

Officers cuffed a man who they say an estimated $138 worth of groceries at a Fifth Avenue supermarket on Feb. 23.

Cops say the suspect entered the market near Baltic Street around around 9:46 am and placed four packs of chicken, two packs of hot dogs, cheese, a bag of shrimp, and a bouquet of flowers in his shopping cart, and left the store without paying, according to the report.

Police apprehended the 60-year-old suspect and recovered all items.

Litterbug

Some brute assaulted a man for telling him not to litter in front of a Park Place eatery on Feb. 22.

The victim told police that he was at the restaurant near Flatbush Avenue around 7:39 pm when he asked the litterbug to pick up his trash he dropped on the ground. Instead, the nogoodnik spat on and attacked him, causing bruising to his lip, before fleeing police reported.

 Alexandra Simon
Within just six years of its launch, Vijay Shekhar Sharma has taken the e-payment platform Paytm to a level where only a few Indian companies have reached. The 39-year-old billionaire, with a net worth of over $1.7 billion, has now made it to the prestigious Forbes list of billionaires. The entrepreneur is also the only Indian billionaire under 40 who has made it to the rich list. That's not all. Sharma's Paytm - acronym for 'Payment Through Mobile' - has over 13,000 employees with 3 million offline merchants across India. "One of the biggest beneficiaries of India's demonetisation, Paytm has notched up 250 million registered users and 7 million transactions daily. Sharma owns 16 per cent of Paytm, which is now valued at $9.4 billion," Forbes said in a statement.

Initially started as an e-commerce and digital payment and recharge app, Paytm has now ventured into multiple platforms, including Paytm Mall, Paytm Bank, and Paytm Wallet, among others. The app acts as a one-stop destination for services ranging from banking, shopping, recharge, bill payment to digital payments.

Paytm's rise to fame

The company shot to fame after the Narendra Modi government announced a country-wide ban on the old currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 in November 2016. As people were asked to deposit old notes in banks before a specific deadline, they faced a huge crunch of new currency notes despite the government's efforts. Paytm provided an easy solution to the problem by connecting people having smartphones with traders. Just a month after the demonetisation, Paytm was making around Rs 120 crore a day through digital payments and other services. Soon, other mobile wallets also picked up the pace but Paytm was way ahead in the race. In March 2017, Paytm also launched its services in Canada.

Funding from investment giants

Chinese e-commerce major Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and investment firm SAIF Partners had pumped in $200 million in Paytm's online marketplace unit in 2017. Now the company's subsidiary Paytm Mall is in talks with Japanese investment group SoftBank to raise Rs 3,000 crore. This is in addition to its talks with Singapore's Temasek Holdings and China's Primavera Capital Group to raise another Rs 1,000 crore. Once the SoftBank deal goes through, Paytm Mall is likely to be valued at Rs 13,000 crore, putting it in the 'unicorn' bracket or a billion dollar startup. With the valuation of $10 billion, Paytm is also the second most valuable internet firm in India after Flipkart, which has a valuation of $12 billion.

Mukesh Ambani named 19th richest man

The Forbes' billionaires list also includes industrialist Mukesh Ambani as the 19th richest man in the world. The world's billionaires list has total 2,208 names, out of which 119 are Indians. After adding 18 new names to the group, India came in third after China with 373 names and USA with 585 names. In the list, 63 individuals named are under the age of 40, while 34 are self-made entrepreneurs.

Ninety two-year-old Samprada Singh, Chairman Emeritus of Alkem Laboratories, is the oldest Indian billionaire named in the list. Singh has been ranked 1,867th on the list with a fortune of $1.2 billion. She founded Alkem Laboratories 45 years ago. Singh worked in a chemist's store before venturing out on her own distributing pharmaceuticals. "Shares of the generics maker, known for its antibiotics Clavam and Taxim, have more than doubled since its November 2016 IPO. For the year ended March 2017, Alkem reported a 20 per cent rise in net earnings to USD 139 million on revenues of USD 913 million," Forbes said.

With inputs from PTI
An arbitration tribunal on Tuesday restrained Reliance Communications Ltd (RCom) and two of its companies from transferring or selling any assets without its permission. The order came after Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson moved a petition to recover unpaid dues from the Anil Ambani-led company.

The tribunal's restraining order was a setback to RCom which wanted to trim down its debt by selling its wireless assets to Reliance Jio. However, the company has filed an appeal before the Bombay High Court against the tribunal's ruling. In a BSE filing, RCom said: "We wish to inform you that the company has filed an appeal before the Bombay High Court to protect the interests of secured lenders."

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio has signed an agreement to acquire Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Communications' mobile business assets including spectrum, mobile towers and optical fibre network. The deal was expected to be completed by March 2018 and RCom had planned to use the proceeds of the sale to reduce its mammoth debt burden. As of March 2017, RCom owed around Rs 45,000 crore to banks.

Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson's Indian subsidiary, which signed a seven year deal in 2014 to operate and manage RCom's nationwide network, had filed the insolvency petitions in September 2017, seeking a total of Rs 1,155 crore. According to a filing with BSE, Ericsson is aiming to recover Rs 491 crore from Reliance Communications, Rs 535 crore from Reliance Infratel and Rs 129 crore from Reliance Telecom.

On Tuesday, the tribunal comprising Justice Swatanter Kumar, Justice SB Sinha and Justice VS Sirpurkar barred RCom from selling its assets. It said: "We direct that the claimant (RCom) and its affiliates are restrained from transferring, alienating, encumbrances or disposing of any of its assets without specific permission/leave of the arbitral tribunal.''

The tribunal further said that the Ericsson has made out an arguable case and the applicant could not be denied a legal remedy that was available under the law. Lenders that have extended loans to RCom have invoked strategic debt restructuring programme to recover dues from the company.

(With inputs from agencies)
With 25 days to go before the deadline for mandatory Aadhaar linkages with everything from bank accounts and welfare schemes to SIM cards and PAN cards, procrastinators might have cause to rejoice. The Centre told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it may push back the March 31 deadline since some more time would be needed to conclude the prolonged hearing of the Aadhaar case.

"We have extended the deadline in the past and we will extend the deadline again but we may do it by the end of month to enable the petitioners in the case conclude the arguments," said Attorney General K.K. Venugopal. The five-judge Constitution bench, comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.K. Sikri, A.M. Khanwilkar, D.Y. Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan, are hearing the petitions contesting the validity of the Aadhaar law agreed with his contention. "It is a very valid point raised by the Attorney General and the court would not allow repetitive arguments made by the petitioners' counsel in the matter," added the Bench.

Earlier, senior advocate Shyam Divan, who led the arguments challenging Aadhaar and its enabling Act, had asked that the deadline of March 31 be extended as it was highly unlikely that the hearing in the case would conclude. Justice Chandrachud, too, had pointed out that even if the court reserved its verdict on March 20, the banks and other institution would have only 10 days left, which might be difficult. The Bench then called the Attorney General for assistance in the issue.

This development comes just a couple of days after Industry body Assocham urged the government to relax the deadline for seeding bank accounts, especially the public sector banks. "Notwithstanding judicial scrutiny and government's well-intentioned moves, the banks, particularly those in the PSUs, may find it hard and challenging to complete the task of linking Aadhaar with the accounts of all the customers by March 31, 2018, thus necessitating relaxation of the deadline," Assocham had said in a statement. Following the unearthing of the massive fraud at Punjab National Bank and a few other banks, the PSBs are anyway fire-fighting to protect their core business and are hard pressed for human and other resources required to take up the job of Aadhaar linkage, it explained.

The body further noted that even those who have already submitted Aadhaar details are getting KYC reminders. "There is a lot of confusion which may lead to further problems as we approach the deadline ... It is best advised that the banks be allowed to come out of the crisis like situation before they are given the additional task of Aadhaar seeding to customer accounts," said Assocham.

The hearing in the apex court continues today.

As of March 2017, India issued 1.14 billion Aadhaar cards, covering 85% of the population, as per the State of Aadhaar Report 2016-17. A year on, over 1.2 billion residents have enrolled. According to the government, that's 99% of the country's adult population.

The deadline for Aadhaar-linking with PAN cards was initially extended from June 30, 2017 to end-August and then December 31. In that period, the number of linked Permanent Account Numbers (PANs) went up from around 20 percent of the total to 30 percent and then a whopping 47 percent. The figure is obviously higher now. Similarly, so far, around 80 percent of the estimated bank accounts have already been seeded, up from 70 percent in mid-December.

With PTI inputs


In fresh trouble for former Union Minister P Chidambaram's son, Karti Chidambaram, INDIA TODAY TV has accessed documents which indicate that investigating agencies are not limiting their probe to just the INX Media and Aircel-Maxis cases. INDIA TODAY TV has accessed the affidavit that has been filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) before Supreme Court which says that at least 54 files of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) are under the scanner.

This was confirmed by Union finance ministry officials who were examined by the ED. Attempts to get a reaction from Karti's side proved unsuccessful. The Congress has dubbed the arrest as the Narendra Modi government's continuing "vendetta" against Chidambaram and a diversionary tactic to hide "scams and colossal corruption".

According to the agency's affidavit, these FIPB approvals were wrongfully given - 2,721 related files have been scanned by it. These clearances were given from May 2004 to 2009 and August 2012 to May 2014, the affidavit says. "54 files of FIPB were shortlisted and examined further in respect of said approval by the then finance minister given to Aircel Ltd on 20.03.2006 in Aircel-Maxis deal," reads the document.

The ED's affidavit also indicates that the role of then finance minister P Chidambaram is under the scanner. In fact, agencies have also informed the court about the alleged role played by him. "As per government policy and FIPB guidelines as applicable in 2006 where the total foreign inflow is Rs 600 crore and above, the competent authority was CCEA to give approval for foreign investment.

As the total inflow of foreign exchange involved in the acquisition of shares of Aircel Ltd was Rs 3,520 crore, therefore, CCEA was competent authority to give FIPB approval, but the approval was given by then finance minister," adds the affidavit.

In the statement, the agency has also mentioned certain suspect financial transactions which were made after the FIPB approval to Aircel.

The former finance minister's son is also being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, or CBI, for allegedly asking a bribe to use his father's influence to regularise investments made by television company INX Media a decade ago.

Indrani Mukerjea and husband Peter Mukerjea, both in jail for the murder of Indrani's daughter Sheena Bora, had founded the company. The CBI says it arrested Karti after Indrani's testimony before a magistrate. She and Peter told the ED that they had met P Chidambaram in his North Block office when he was the finance minister, to seek government approval to foreign investment proposals.

The couple alleged he had asked them to help his son's business and to "make foreign remittances" for this purpose. The Chidambarams have denied the allegations, and cited an inquiry by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office ordered by P Chidambaram against the INX group.

According to the ED, it also found evidence against Karti of receiving illegal gratification in the Aircel-Maxis case. The affidavit adds that Aircel Televentures Ltd paid over Rs 26 lakh on 11 April 2006 to Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt Ltd (ASCPL) - allegedly owned by Karti Chidambaram and associates of Maxis. The purchaser of Aircel purportedly paid about Rs 90 lakh in tranches to Chess Management Services Pvt Ltd, which is allegedly owned by Karti Chidambaram.

ED sources have also told INDIA TODAY TV that FIPB officials are being examined in connection with the case. Notices had also been sent to all the members of the board. These officials were also examined last month in the Aircel-Maxis case. In another crucial development, sources say the ED will soon examine the role of a "senior politician".

The agency has stumbled upon transactions from Karti's Royal Bank of Scotland account to the politician's bank account. According to sources, crores have been moved to the politician's account from Karti's Chennai bank account. The money in question was transferred in instalments between 2006 and 2009. The agency claims that it will question Karti on the purpose of this transaction.
India's state-run banks - already bruised by the sprawling Punjab National Bank fraud case and soaring provisions for bad loans - are facing much higher losses on their bond holdings, said brokerage firm Credit Suisse.

The brokerage warned that state-run banks, which are typically the largest investors in sovereign securities, could lose more than 200 billion rupees ($3.1 billion) in the January-March quarter, due to a continued spike in bond yields and as they held more bonds than are required by the regulator.

That would be three times more than their losses on bonds in the preceding quarter.

The brokerage report, coupled with a stream of negative news on the banking sector, sent financial shares tumbling further on Wednesday.

This comes close on the heels of news on Tuesday that Indian investigators have widened a probe into the $2 billion fraud in Punjab National Bank - the biggest bank fraud in the country's history by summoning top management of more banks.

It also adds to the woes of the sector which saw sour loans hit a record of close to $150 billion in 2017, triggering a $32 billion bailout announcement from the government.

The government is in the process of injecting $14 billion of the recapitalisation outlay into the banks during the current quarter, which is also the deadline for the lenders to achieve a central bank-mandated minimum 50 percent provisioning on the loans to companies in bankruptcy court.

"Rising bond losses will add to concerns about the adequacy of the recap plan," Credit Suisse analysts led by Ashish Gupta wrote in a March 6 note to clients, adding they continued to prefer private sector banks despite a steep corrections in the state bank stocks.

Credit Suisse estimates that India's state banks hold on an average about 10 percent more sovereign bonds than required by regulations, putting bank bond holdings at the highest level in 12 years.

The firm said the spike in bond holdings has been driven by weak loan growth and a surge in liquidity after a surprise bank note ban in late 2016 prompted banks to pile up on bonds.

The Reserve Bank of India may need to act to help contain the mark-to-market blow for the banks, the brokerage said, suggesting it could either raise the held-to-maturity threshold or buy back treasuries.
Fuels dependency can't be avoided but its effects on environment can be altered by blending ethanol extracted from sugarcane in petrol. If used to its full potential, ethanol usage could also help reduce India's oil dependence, which at present is 80 per cent. To realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for reducing oil import by 10 per cent in the next four years, the country has set high targets for this year. As part of the ambitious target, the centre plans to blend a record 140 crore litres of ethanol with petrol in 2018.

According to the government norms, 10 per cent of ethanol extracted from sugarcane can be mixed with petrol. However, the government till now was not able to achieve the target due to a steady supply. "With the supply of 66.5 crore litres of ethanol in 2016-17, we had 2.1 per cent blending in petrol," Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said at the European Union-India Conference on Advanced Biofuels, reported PTI. The minister said the increased production of ethanol in 2017-18 (139.5 crore litres) will "help us achieve 4 per cent blending target".

In 2016-17, the country's ethanol production was hampered as two big producers, Maharashtra and Karnataka, faced drought situation. India produced 111 crore litres of ethanol in 2015-16, while the production was 38 crore litres in 2013-14.

10% oil import reduction target

India imported 77 per cent of fuel in 2015-16 (202.8 MT), while the number was 213.9 MT in 2016-17. It was the time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi set an ambitious target for the country to cut the import dependence by 10 per cent by 2022. Presently, Iraq has overtaken Saudi Arabia by a wide margin to become India's top crude oil supplier, meeting more than a fifth of the country's oil needs.

"We are also setting up commercial plants based on advanced biofuels. To attract investments from other potential investors, oil marketing companies have agreed to provide guaranteed offtake of 2G ethanol from suppliers for a period of 15 years," Pradhan said, adding that oil PSUs were also exploring possibilities of commercial production of bio-CNG from municipal solid waste, sewage water and crop residue, the agency reported.

How ethanol is produced, its benefits

Sugarcane is produced through the fermentation of sugarcane juice with molasses. It generates oxygen when combined with petrol, which helps in cutting the emission of harmful gases. It also improves the engine's efficiency by using less fuel. Being one of the biggest polluters in the world - and a signatory of the Paris Climate deal - India's ethanol dependence can certainly help it reduce the pollution problem.

Methanol blending target

In December 2017, Union Roads Minister Nitin Gadkari had said the government would soon announce a policy, which calls for 15 per cent blending of methanol in petrol to make it cheaper and also reduce pollution. "In the upcoming Parliament session, I am announcing a policy of blending 15 per cent methanol in petrol," Gadkari said. He said methanol gets made from coal and costs only Rs 22 per litre as against the prevailing price of about Rs 80 per litre for petrol and added that China is making the coal byproduct for Rs 17 per litre itself. "The costs will go down, pollution will go down," the Union minister said.
Denmark-headquartered Novozymes is one of the world's largest biotech companies and the global leader in industrial enzymes, used in things ranging from laundry detergent and dishwashing soap to baking and brewing.

Novozymes, which posted a revenue of $2 billion-plus in 2016, has a client list in India that includes Hindustan Unilever, Nestle, P&G and Colgate. During a recent visit to India, the company's CEO, Peder Holk Nielson, discussed market opportunities and competition with Venkatesha Babu. Edited excerpts:

Q: With presence in five major segments - household care, food and beverages, bioenergy, agriculture and feed, and biopharma - how have you been faring?

Peder Holk Nielson: India is an exciting arena for us, not just from a market perspective but also because we do significant research here. Though China and the United States are much bigger markets, India holds much promise for Novozymes. It currently contributes only low single digits in terms of our overall revenue but is growing very fast.

Food and beverages is a very large unit in India. We have some household care business too, and our textiles business is pretty big. We are hoping to develop our bioenergy business as well as agriculture & feed business, which are still small, here.

How many people do you have in India?

A: Our Indian presence of about 600 employees (roughly 10 per cent of our global workforce of 6,200 employees) is much larger than our Indian business alone warrants. But we have research and back office operations, which support our global network. The 600 (in India) include those in sales, manufacturing, research and back office operations.

With several FMCG companies, including Colgate, Unilever and P&G, as your customers, have you been able to sell to newer entrants like Patanjali, which has grown large very fast?

A: Yes. A large part of our growth in the food and beverages segment has come from newer players, regional players in emerging markets like India. There is also significant support and interest from the political class about the emergence of a biofuel market in India.

You have been in India longer than China. How does enzyme consumption in these two markets compare?

A: As a larger middle class emerges in India, we will see a bigger opportunity for our technologies that happened in China too. Currently, India as a market is where China was 15 years back, but as the economy grows, our opportunity, too, will grow.

The Indian government has a stated goal of doubling farmers incomes. Your agriculture business focuses on enhancing yields and improving productivity. Have you been tapping this opportunity?

A: Yes, but the opportunity until now has been slow. Hopefully, it will accelerate.

In terms of research, what is being done out of India?

A: A large part of the world bakes and eats bread. India is more of a flat bread market. We are looking at ways to adapt our technologies to add value to the Indian market. We are conducting research in rice-related products, like processing it better, dealing with by-products, and the like. We are also looking at extracting spices and colours. We are also looking at unique cleaning solutions for India.

Take, for instance, the process of cleaning a shirt. The adaptations in each country are different. A European wash in a front-loading machine can take very little water but a long time to wash, and with very limited use of chemicals. In the US, the water usage could be four-five times the European level and they prefer top-loading machines. There you need a higher dose of chemicals to get the same effect.

In Asia, water temperatures drop, water quality is different. In humid conditions, there could be more dirt. In India, a large part of washing is still done by hand, so the chemicals required (in a bar of detergent soap) are different. Research addresses these different needs.

Much of the research we do here is also part of our global initiative.

Many cities, including Delhi, are choking with smog. Does Novozymes have any solutions to offer?

A: Yes, we do. There are different avenues and everything depends on how industrial and agricultural waste is handled and treated. The textile industry is a good example. We have several solutions which have reduced textile waste. But there should be (regulations and incentives) to adapt them rather than just pass responsibility down the chain.

If we can convert agricultural waste into renewable fuels and use them in vehicles, it is a good fit. G.S. Krishnan (Regional President at Novozymes South Asia) and his team are working with the Indian government to highlight the available solutions.

You bought Biocon's enzymes business for $115 million in 2007. Apart from global competitors like DuPont, are there any other players in the Indian market?

A: In South-east Asia, China and India, there are some smaller, regional players.

What is the status of the `300 crore investment Novozymes announced last year for setting up a new manufacturing facility near Mumbai?
The Tata Motors stock hit a near two-year low in Wednesday's trade after market regulator Sebi directed the firm to conduct an internal inquiry into leakage of unpublished price sensitive information related to its quarterly financial results through WhatsApp. At 9:45 am, the stock was trading 0.82% higher at 349.50. The stock hit an intra day and 52 week low low of 342 level on BSE.

The stock is down 18 percent since the beginning of this year. It has fallen 25% or 117 points during the last one year. Market capitalisation of the company stood at Rs 1.10 lakh crore on BSE.

Tata Motors in response to a BSE query said "It would like to state that it is fully committed to ensuring confidentiality of such price sensitive information. This incident pertains to the financial results for the quarter ending December 2015. While the company has robust policies and processes to manage such price sensitive information, we will investigate this incident thoroughly to identify and address process gaps and fix accountability."

Tata Motors is the third Sensex company related to whom the regulator has passed an order in the high-profile case of leakage of sensitive financial details prior to formal announcement of quarterly results. Earlier, Sebi had passed orders in the leakage case with respect to Axis Bank and HDFC Bank.

In a detailed order, the watchdog said that prima facie appeared that the financial results of Tata Motors for quarter ended December 2015 were finalised on or before February 9, 2016, which was before circulation of WhatsApp message on February 11, 2016.

It is observed that the financial figures pertaining to the quarterly results of Tata Motors were matching with the figures that were in circulation prior to its official announcement by the company, the order noted.

The watchdog has asked Tata Motors to conduct an internal inquiry into the leakage within three months to ascertain the possible role of any officials.

Besides, the auto maker has been asked to strengthen its processes to ensure that such instances of leakage of unpublished price sensitive information do not recur in future.
After making waves in the Indian smartphone market, Xiaomi is making headway in the TV segment too. The company launched its affordable smart TV line-up, Mi TV 4A, in India on March 7, close on the heels of launching its flagship Mi TV 4 in the country. The new offerings from the Chinese tech major are a 43-inch and a 32-inch smart TV which offer much more than just lucrative price tags.

Xiaomi has claimed that the specifications and the price point of the the new TV series will let the Indian market shift to a Smart TV segment. The new televisions offer features that have been limited to high-end TVs, at a very affordable price. With desired features and an even more desirable price, the Mi TV 4A is expected to replicate the success of Mi TV 4 55-inch that was launched just two weeks ahead of the new SmartTV series.

Below are the top five features of the new Mi TV 4A:



Patchwall

The Mi TV 4A comes equipped with PatchWall, similar to the flagship Mi TV 4 launched by Xiaomi a while back. The PatchWall is an AI-enable TV system which classifies content and makes personalised recommendations based on user preferences.

PatchWall offers more than 5,00,000 hours of content via several content partners like Voot, Sony Liv, Hungama and others. Almost 80 per cent of this content is free to watch. Xiaomi has shared plans to add to this repertoire of content in future. The PatchWall system can be upgraded too.

Universal Search

A part of the PatchWall user interface, Universal Search on Mi TV 4A allows users to find content on both online and offline channels at the same place. Viewers also receive personalised recommendations at Universal Search according to their viewing habits. Based on what you watch frequently, PatchWall suggests content from both online and offline directories when using the search function.

Hardware

The Mi TV 4A runs Amlogic 64-bit quad core chipset coupled with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. On the connectivity front, both variants of Mi TV 4A are fitted with three HDMI ports, two USB ports, Ethernet port, WiFi and a headphone jack. The bigger 43-inch variant comes with an additional USB port and a S/PDIF port, allowing more devices to be connected to the TV.

The Mi TV 4A comes with the same 11-button MI Remote shipped with the on the Mi TV 4. The simplified design allows ease of use. The screen on 32-inch Mi TV 4A is a HD Ready panel whereas the 43-inch variant boasts a full HD resolution.

India-centric features

Xiaomi has collaborated with several content partners to bring content in 15 Indian languages on Mi TV 4A. The sound output on the new smart TV has been streamlined with DTS and 20W dome speakers specifically for India.

With PatchWall on MI TV 4A, viewers can switch between content from their set top box operators and that available online. Xiaomi said this has been done considering the amount of content Indian viewers peruse via their set top boxes.

Pricing

The 43-inch variant of Mi TV 4A has been priced at just Rs 22,999 and the 32-inch variant is going to be sold at Rs 13,999. Xiaomi is offering an instant cashback of Rs 2,200 on Mi TV 4A with a JioFi connection.

The Mi TV 4A will go on sale from March 13 via flash sales held every week on Tuesdays and Fridays. The new smart TV will be sold through mi.com, Mi Home and Flipkart. With buyers complaining of stocks running out surprisingly fast, Xiaomi has assured that adequate stocks will be put up for sale from the very first flash sale.
The chief executive of Aer Lingus-owner IAG is confident a deal will be done to secure Britain's flying rights after Brexit, he said on Tuesday, dismissing a recent media report and a rival airline's prediction of disruption.

IAG's Willie Walsh told the Airlines For Europe conference that he expects Britain to secure deals to allow planes to keep flying and that he is relaxed about Brexit.

"I am a firm believer that this will get resolved," Walsh said on a panel.

He dismissed a report in Britain's Financial Times newspaper on Tuesday that said the United States had offered Britain a worse deal than it has under the EU-U.S. Open Skies agreement.

"The people who are involved in the negotiations say we're going to get a deal," Walsh said.

"There will be a comprehensive Open Skies agreement. Anyone who doesn't believe that is living in cloud cuckoo land."

Ryanair's chief executive was less optimistic, however, saying he expects disruption to flights between Britain and the rest of Europe in the immediate aftermath of Britain's planned exit from the European Union on March 29 next year.

"I think there will be a real crisis in April 2019. I believe there will be disruption to flights between the UK and Europe," Michael O'Leary told the conference.

After Brexit, British airlines want to be able to continue to benefit from EU flying rights and the British government has said it will try to secure an open-access deal.

Flying rights to, from and within the European Union, as well as between the United States and Britain, are currently covered by EU-wide Open Skies agreements.

Britain needs to agree new deals because, without membership of the EU, the country's aviation sector does not have a natural fallback arrangement that will keep airlines flying.

Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said on the sidelines of the conference that he expected a longer transition period would be needed because of complexities of the overall Brexit process. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Spending growth has returned to the Irish public finances according the latest Exchequer returns published yesterday. Government spending grew by 9% yoy in the first two months of the year.

Goodbody Stockbrokers say a large part of this growth, however, is due to a substantial increase in Irelands EU contribution, which doubled relative to the same period of the previous year (some of which is simply a timing issue).

The figures show voted current spending, expenditure over which the government has direct control, rose by 4.9% yoy in the opening two months. Surprisingly, capital spending fell by 2% yoy. Despite the growth in spending overall, it came in 167m (1.6%) below expectations for the first two months.

Furthermore, tax revenues continued to be robust at the start of 2017. On a like-for-like basis, tax revenues grew by 3% yoy in the first two months. Income tax grew at a robust pace, up by 7% yoy, pointing to an ongoing robust performance from the labour market. Most categories of tax were in line with expectations over the first two months, with the notable exception being VAT, which fell by 2%, and was 78m below expectations. Revenue overall was 110m below expectations.

According to Goodbody Stockbrokers, "It is very early in the year to identify trends, but the early evidence points to trends that are largely in line with government expectations. For 2018 overall, the government is expecting a budget that is very close to balance. We concur with this expectation."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD today announced the creation of 231 jobs in Dublin across eight high growth companies from Europe and the US.

The investments are supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

The new jobs will be spread across the technology and business service sectors with a range of activities such as Sales and Marketing, Software Services and Tech Support.

The companies creating the new jobs are:

 (50) Affirma Consulting, the award-winning global technology consultancy that offers a variety of services to clients across industries and countries, today announced the opening of its Dublin office. As part of their plan for growth into European markets, Affirma will make 50 jobs available at its Dublin office by 2020. The Dublin office will offer the full services of Affirmas business units. Dublins widely available talent has helped fuel Affirmas Irish growth.

 (50) SentryOne is a technology company that provides software solutions to monitor, diagnose and optimize server performance across physical, virtual and cloud environments on the Microsoft data platform. The Company is opening SentryOne EMEA, its first international office, with plans for 50 employees in sales, engineering, R&D, product management and customer support by the end of 2021.

 (36) Sojern the global demand engine for reaching, today announced the continued expansion of its European headquarters in Dublin for its RevDirectTM offering, with plans to more than double in size by 2020 growing to a team of 56 with the creation of 36 new jobs.

 (20) ADvendio, the cloud based advertising sales and booking software solution, announced today that it has established its Sales and Marketing hub in Dublin, creating 20 jobs across sales, marketing and professional services over the course of 3 years. With the opening of this new hub in Dublin, ADvendio is looking to further grow an offering already used by some of the best known publishers and media companies in more than 25 countries.

 (20) Enfusion, a leading provider of innovative, cloud-based investment management software, outsourced fund services and a data warehouse, is adding 20 more professionals to its Dublin team by 2020. Headquartered in Chicago, with offices in New York, London, Dublin and Hong Kong. Enfusion's Dublin office serves as the EMEA hub for the firm's Outsourced Fund Services and Product Consulting divisions. Roles will include Fund Accounting and Hedge Fund Operations.

 (20) Krypt Inc. today announced the expansion of its international operations by establishing its European headquarters in Dublin. The leading SAP consulting partner for Global Trade and Supply Chain solutions will hire 20 people for operations, sales, and marketing roles as well as SAP technical and functional consultants to support its EMEA business.

 (20) Lifesize, a global innovator of video conferencing technology, announced a new centralised business development and customer acquisition base in Dublin. Lifesize expects to employ up to 20 people over three years with jobs focusing on multilingual (German, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Swedish and Portuguese) sales operations, business development and customer success positions. The roles will include a range of skill sets, all of which will require a qualification in a relevant technology discipline. Recruitment is already underway.

 (15) Vivino, the worlds most downloaded wine app and largest wine marketplace which began operations in Ireland in early 2017 currently employs 12 and will add 15 jobs in 2018. Vivinos team in Ireland work across its customer experience, sales and operations verticals.

Speaking at todays announcement, Minister Heather Humphreys said, "Ireland has indeed been the beneficiary of significant FDI from some of the biggest companies in the world. We intend to be just as successful in securing investment from companies in new and emerging sectors. All of the companies here today, who are at the forefront of their technologies, have been identified as having high growth potential. It is terrific news that they have decided to locate in Ireland. I look forward to their future expansion here and wish them all the best."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
No one emerges victorious from a trade war, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday, warning that the economic impact of U.S. import tariffs would be serious if other countries respond with their own barriers.

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his plan to slap big tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, warning the European Union it would get hit with a "big tax" for not treating the United States well when it comes to trade.

"The macro-economic impact would be serious, not only if the United States took action, but especially if other countries were to retaliate, notably those who would be most affected, such as Canada, Europe, and Germany in particular," Lagarde said on French radio RTL.

Trump's comments have sparked cries of foul play from U.S. trading partners and warnings from U.S. lawmakers and businesses of the potential for a tit-for-tat trade war that could hurt the U.S. economy. Trump has said the United States could win such a war, since it was running such a large trade deficit.

"In a so-called trade war, driven by reciprocal increases of import tariffs, nobody wins, one generally finds losers on both sides," Lagarde said, adding that she hoped that Trump would not implement the tariffs threat.

Trump's top economic advisor Gary Cohn, seen as a voice for Wall Street in the White House, said he would resign after he lost the fight against Trump's plans for hefty steel and aluminum import tariffs.

However, Lagarde indicated that Trump might have a case for threatening tariffs, saying there were "a few good reasons" to protest against the current situation.

"There are some countries in the world that do not respect the World Trade Organisation agreements, and which impose technology transfers. China is a case in point but it is not the only country with such practices," she said.

Lagarde called international trade an engine for growth, innovation and competitiveness and cautioned that any threat to trade was risky for world growth.

"If world trade were jeopardized by such measures (tariffs), they would become a vector for lower growth and a slowdown of commerce. The impact on growth would be a formidable," she said.

Lagarde said she had the impression that the White House had not thought through the risks of retaliation.

"It looks like two camps have fought over whether or not to implement such measures and that one of the camps won the upper hand," she said.

The former French finance minister also warned against growing income inequality.

"The worsening of excessive inequalities is a barrier for durable growth," she said.

Lagarde said governments need to put fiscal, social, educational and health policies in place to fight inequality. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
The Xiongan New Area is seen in this April 3 photograph. The Politburo Central Committee said that significant progress has been made in the drafting of the blueprint for the area, and a number of major infrastructure projects will be kicked off at proper times, Photo: VCG

Central authorities have vowed to roll out a series of measures to facilitate the development of the Xiongan New Area, a flagship new economic zone south of Beijing established a year ago to boost the development of North China.

The Communist Partys Politburo Standing Committee, Chinas top decision-making body, held a meeting on Thursday in Beijing to listen to a report on the drafting of the blueprint for the new area. Xi Jinping, the Chinese president and head of the Communist Party, also attended the meeting.

Xiongan New Area, slightly more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Beijing in Hebei province, was announced in April as a place to catalyze the development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, while also easing some of Beijings metropolitan burdens.

The planned new zone has been described as comparable to the special economic zone in South Chinas Shenzhen and the Pudong New Zone in East Chinas Shanghai, which were established decades ago. The two zones have often been credited as drivers of Chinas economic reform and opening-up.

The committee said at the Thursday meeting that significant progress has been made in the drafting of the blueprint for the Xiongan New Area, and a number of major infrastructure projects will be kicked off at proper times, according to a report from the state-owned Xinhua News Agency.

The authorities have created high expectations for the new area, in which a new city will be built on what was once swamps and farmland. The authorities have said that it will be a smart, eco-friendly city that will foster creativity and technological innovations and be a model for the whole nation.

Thousands of polluting factories have been shut down around the areas Baiyangdian lake, and hundreds of millions of yuan is being invested to treat its polluted waters. Dozens of state-owned and private companies, including China Telecom, Peoples Insurance Company of China, and tech giants Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu, have announced plans to set up branches in Xiongan, according to earlier reports.

When British Prime Minister Theresa May visited China earlier this month, the two countries also agreed to jointly build a finance and technology industrial park in Xiongan.

Contact reporter Wu Gang (gangwu@caixin.com)
Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission has released an employment notification calling out for aspirants to apply for the post of UDC cum Accountant in group C category. Those interested can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here. Selected candidates can earn up to INR 23000. There are totally 9 vacancies and the last date to apply is Apr 6, 2018.

7 Civil Service Jobs 2018 You Must Not Miss

Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details

Name Of The Post UDC cum Accountant Category Group C Organisation Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission Educational Qualification Gradue from any field Age Limit 18 to 30 years Skills Required Proficiency in accounting and knowledge in computer applications Number Of Positions 9 Salary Scale INR 5200 to INR 20000 with grade pay INR 2800 Job Responsibilities Look after the accounts of APPSC Job Location Arunachal Pradesh Industry Civil Services Application Start Date Mar 1, 2018 Application End Date Apr 6, 2018

Also Read: What Are The Opportunities For Those Who Fail To Clear UPSC?

How To Apply For Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018

In order to apply for Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018, follow these steps:
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has released an employment notification calling out for aspirants to apply for the post of Trade Apprentices in various disciplines. Those who have completed their class 12 along with industrial training (ITI) are eligible to apply.

Interested candidates can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here. The last date to apply for the post is Mar 20, 2018.

ISRO Recruitment 2018 For Various Posts: Earn Up To INR 208700!

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Post Trade Apprentices (Fitter, Welder, Carpenter, Turner, Machinist, Electrician, Wireman, Electronic Mechanic, Instrument Mechanic, AC and Refrigeration, Diesel Mechanic, Draughtsman, Sheet Metal Worker, Programme and Systems Administration Assistant, Forget and Heat Treater, Plumber and MLT Pathology) Number Of Positions 918 Organisation Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited Educational Qualification Class 12 pass with one year industrial training (ITI) Age 18 to 27 years Skills Required Knowledge and experience in the relevant disciplines Experience Required One year Salary Scale INR 9892 to INR 11129 Job Location Trichy Job Responsibilities Work as a trade apprentice under engineers in relevant field Industry Electrical Application Start Date Mar 5, 2018 Application End Date Mar 20, 2018



Also Read: Bharat Electronics Limited Recruitment 2018 For Deputy Engineers: Earn Up To INR 140000

How To Apply For Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited Recruitment 2018

In order to apply for Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited Recruitment 2018, follow these steps:
Mass communication, as the name suggests, is basically the art of conveying information to a wide range of people. Now addressing an individual or a small group of people is something that we all do on a daily basis. This is very different from talking to a larger group.

While talking to a larger group, things become much more complex because it is almost impossible for us to access what is going on in the minds of each individual. In fact, there are times when you are not even fully sure about the group of people you are addressing. It is at times like this that all that you learnt in your mass communication classes comes to play.

Now as is evident, no matter how effective your tactics may be you will not succeed in this field unless and until you have exceptional communication skills. Thus, if you want to pursue a career in this field, instead of pursuing a professional degree in mass communication, you can also go for a bachelor's degree in English with mass communication as one of the subjects.

Language - The Basis Of Communication

The techniques and finer nuisances of the subject are some things that are not achieved by textbook learning. For that to happen you need to be able to apply all that you learn inside the classroom to the world beyond.

In fact, for a subject that is as dynamic as mass communication, there are quite a few things that only experience can teach you. In such a situation, it is a good idea to have your basics sorted. This will ensure that a solid foundation of learning can be built upon. Hence, it is a good idea to opt for a course in English honours so that you have a very good base of knowledge.

Requisites Of The Course

It is important to realise that mass communication and English are not exactly the same thing. While studying English literature gives you a thorough understanding of prose, poetry and all things good, mass communication makes you come to terms with the not-so-good aspects of modern life.

In this context we are talking of things like media management, advertising and public relations.

Hence, it is understandable that studying two things that are so diverse will not be child's play. Students who opt for this course must have a sharp mind, will power, concise and effective mannerisms and they should be able to express themselves clearly both orally as well as verbally.

However, it can be assured that students who put in the required effort and fare well in a course like this will be able to land themselves with worthy jobs in a number of sectors.

What Sets It Apart

Today's era is one of multitasking. In such a situation one who can perform two tasks simultaneously is always given preference in the job scene. In such a situation one who has completed a dual specialisation by studying both English as well as mass communication will have much greater preference over someone who just has a BA in English or one who has a BA in mass communication.

That is why a number of top-notch firms like CNN, NDTV, Indian Express and FM 92.5 prefer such candidates. In fact, some of the colleges that offer this out-of-the-box course also have the provision of in-campus placements, wherein the students land themselves with jobs in some of the top-notch companies even before they graduate.

What The Future Holds

All schools, colleges and universities will have scope of employment for people who have completed this course in the academic sectors as teachers and professors. Embassies require copywriters and documentation specialists. People with a BA in English with mass communication as a subject of study will be preferred for this type of a job.

Other than that, almost all news and media houses require content writers, copy editors and public affairs managers. Students from the aforementioned background with relevant experience will be preferred.
Little Nemo is truly an unlimited source for astonishing adventures, Soumache told Variety, which first reported the project. McCay created a world made for cgi a century before the technology existed. Its a passion project at the heart of On Animations philosophy: a beloved property leading to a story of emotional truth, set against a never-before-seen world.

Osmond, 40, had worked at Disney for his entire professional career, starting on the 2008 film Bolt. In addition to heading up the animation on Moana,, he also animated on Tangled, Prep & Landing, Wreck-It Ralph, and Zootopia. On Frozen, he was the supervising animator of Olaf.

Osmond told Variety: Little Nemo in Slumberland is a masterpiece that has influenced generations all over the world, breaking new ground in visual storytelling. I look forward to joining the amazing team at On Animation to bring this beloved work to life.

Lino DiSalvo and former Illumination vp of development Tito Ortiz will both serve as producers on Little Nemo. In addition to guiding this film, DiSalvo and Ortiz are also in charge of creative development at the studio, and will lead the companys efforts to develop projects in-house at its Montreal studio.

Besides Osmond and DiSalvo, others who have left Disney recently include directors Nathan Greno (Tangled), Leo Matsuda (Inner Workings), John Kahrs (Paperman), and Patrick Osborne (Feast), as well as Tangled animation supervisor Clay Kaytis.
Photo: Contributed

Raise awareness about depression and funds for mental health at Beat The Blues in Vernon March 15.

The Kal is partnering with the Canadian Mental Health Association to host an event talking about seasonal affective disorder [SAD], a type of depression that usually begins in the fall when the days get shorter and lasts throughout the winter.

We want to have an evening to put the spotlight on depression, especially this time of year in Vernon. We are thrilled to have The Good, The Bad and The Blues come all the way from Chicago with their unique, powerful sound for an evening of great music for a great cause, said Joel Maddigan, general manager of The Kal.

SAD, less commonly, affects some people even the summer months.

Up to 18 per cent of Canadians will experience a mild or moderate form of seasonal affective disorder in their lifetime.

It is inspiring to partner with The Kal on this event that will raise funds for critical community services while also highlighting a common mental health issue in our community," said Julia Payson, CMHA executive director. "Its easy to forget how the weather can affect our mental health, and if one person learns more about SAD and how they can access help, it will be an incredible success."

"Beat The Blues and other events like this help to make changes in our community and improve mental health for everyone,

Beat The Blues will feature live music by The Good, The Bad and The Blues, an award-winning blues band from Chicago and will highlight depression linked to seasonal affective disorder caused by a lack of sunlight in the winter.

The event is March 15 at The Kal from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

A $10 donation is suggested and $5 from all house pizza sales will go to CMHA.

Tips to ease winter SAD symptoms:
Photo: RCMP

RCMP and YLW have a message for amateur drone pilots  stay clear of YLW!



The message comes after a potentially hazardous drone flight last month near Kelowna International Airport, which prompted a police search.

RCMP were made aware of a remotely piloted aircraft system, commonly referred to as a drone, being flown in the vicinity of YLW. Police responded to the area, but were unable to locate the drone or its operator.

The incident has now prompted a warning from YLW and the RCMP around the dangers remotely piloted aircraft systems pose to commercial and non-commercial aircraft.

"Flying a (drone) in the vicinity of an airport not only poses a significant safety risk to the passengers and crew members on board all incoming and outgoing flights, but also to the members of the general public," says Neil Drachenberg, manager of airport safety and security at YLW.

"Kelowna RCMP encourage you to call the police immediately if you notice suspicious activity or witness the dangerous operation of a remotely piloted aircraft towards persons, properties, other aircrafts, or within 5.5 kilometres of any airport," adds Cpl. Jesse ODonaghey, spokesperson for Kelowna Regional RCMP.

Police recognize that guidelines and regulations around the use of drones continue to evolve, and they ask operators to respect the safety tips and guidelines as outlined by Transport Canada.
Even with the increase in An additional fee is charged on the electricity bill For the Brazilians, the total amount...
Pakistan's capacity utilisation stands 91%

07 March 2018

The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) reports that the domestic cement industry's capacity utilisation in the first eight months of this fiscal year (July 2017-Feb 2018) stood at 91 per cent of the total installed capacity of the sector.



In 8MFY17-18 the country's cement industry dispatched 31Mt of cement compared with dispatches of 26.3Mt in the corresponding period of last year, an increase of almost 18 per cent. In February 2018 alone, the total cement dispatches were 3.781Mt.



A spokesman of APCMA said that the cement industry is among the highest contributors to the national exchequer over the last few years. The contribution has increased to PKR117bn (US$1bn) in FY16-17 from PKR39bn in FY12-13. In FY16-17, the impact of duties and taxes was PKR3082/t or PKR154/bag. This incidence of high taxation negatively affects domestic consumption, said APCMA.



Presently, federal excise duty (FED) on cement is PKR1250/t, or PKR62.5/bag. The government should honour its promise and gradually reduce FED to zero to encourage cement off-take as this would support housing and infrastructural development in the country and create more employment, the association argued.



An APCMA spokesman, attributing domestic sector growth to government policies and its thrust on mega infrastructure projects, said that the local production could increase substantially if the smuggling of this commodity from Iranian border is checked.



Moreover, APCMA appealed that the customs duty on import of both clinker and cement should increase to a uniform rate of 35 per cent to support the local cement industry.



"Moreover, import of cement should not be allowed until Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority certifies the quality of cement being imported into the country," the association added.

Published under
Central's CATique offers luxuries styles at an affordable price

Both Pueblo school district students can find affordable dresses, shoes, sport coats and other formal wear at the school's CATique.
Faithful followers in one of Bolivia's biggest cities recently held a protest rally against an artist who released a painting of its patron saint, the Virgin of Socavon. Rilda Paco's rendition, however, earned a lot of criticisms and outrage because she depicted the holy figure as wearing red lingerie and black stockings while surrounded by people drinking alcohol.

Despite the rain, protesters sang, prayed and heard mass in front of a religious painting of the Virgin of Socavon in Oruro, Bolivia, last Thursday. Archbishop Cristobal Bialasic, on the other hand, took the rain that poured as "a sign of purification before such a serious offense," referring to Paco's painting.

Officials in the government also condemned Paco's work of art, especially since President Evo Morales hails from Oruro. Cuture Minister Wilma Alanoca reportedly wants legal sanction for the artist.

"A criminal proceeding will be initiated to obtain the sanction that corresponds to those who have dared to discredit our most holy virgin of the Socavon and to whom intends to destroy the patrimonialism and intangibility of the Oruro Carnival," the government official stated.

The artist, however, defended her work and stated she meant no offense in how she had depicted the patron saint. She explained that the Virgin of Socavon represented the annual Carnival celebrations in the city. Unfortunately, the Carnival also has one of the highest alcohol consumption, rape and violent incidents in Bolivia year after year.

"The Virgin is a mother and as mother she is a woman before a saint," Paco said. "Painting her like this denounces how we feel as women when we are victims of harassment, femicide and rape."

Paco also criticized some of her fellow citizens who take advantage of the religious celebration to commit harassments against women. A number of people on social media threw their support for Paco and the country's Minister of Justice, Hector Arce, who also believes that the artist was well within her rights to free speech and religious freedom.
The Christian parents of Isaiah Haastrup, the one-year-old boy who has suffered brain damage since birth, recently asked the European Court on Human Rights in France to intervene in their son's case after judges of a High Court ruled that the boy should no longer receive life support at the hospital. Their appeal, however, has been rejected.

Lanre Haastrup and Takesha Thomas did not give up on their son even as the King's College Hospital in London did. At least three High Court judges have also ruled in the hospital's favor, which means that Isaiah should be transferred to palliative care as soon as possible. They cited that treating the boy in intensive care had become "futile, burdensome and not in his best interests," since he was technically brain-damaged.

The boy's parents then made an appeal to the ECHR despite the judges' ruling and continued with Isaiah's treatment while waiting for the results. However, on Tuesday, the ECHR said the appeal was inadmissible and added that its decision was final.

Isaiah was born at King's College Hospital with severe brain damage on Feb. 18, 2017. He was apparently deprived of oxygen during birth and thus did not exhibit consciousness or independent movements. The baby also does not respond when stimulated, which his mother denied.

"When I speak to him he will respond, slowly, by opening one eye," Thomas explained to the judge. She also said that she saw her son quiver his tongue to indicate he was crying.

"I think everybody deserves the chance to live," she further said and added that only God can say who lives or dies.

Thomas also expressed her mistrust for the hospital staff by saying that they did not check in on her son regularly, while she was with him most of the time. They could not attest to Isaiah's responsiveness because, according to the mother, the nurses and doctors assess the baby for just two minutes and then leave.

The lawyer for King's College Hospital, Fiona Paterson, reiterated that while they sympathize with the boy's parents, medical evidence proved that stopping Isaiah's treatments would be the best course for the baby.

The parents, however, had hoped that the European Court would allow them to look into another option called hyperbaric therapy instead of palliative care. But with the recent ruling from the ECHR, it has yet to be seen what actions they will take next.
A 48-year-old woman who claimed God commanded her to hurt herself arrived at a psychiatry emergency hospital in Switzerland with deep cuts and stab wounds to her chest. Doctors initially thought she suffered from a mental illness but a further assessment revealed that was not the case.

Dr. Sebastian Walther from the University Hospital of Psychiatry told reporters that the woman, who is known only as Sarah, actually suffered from a slow-growing brain tumor. Scans showed that the tumor was in a critical part of her brain and disrupted the processing of sound.

Sarah, who had always been spiritual, claimed that she often heard a few distinct voices that talked to her for hours to either give instructions or to commend her when she did something good. Despite the voice telling her to harm herself, she described what she heard as "divine," which ultimately left her "distinctly feeling blessed."

Psychiatrists first said Sarah had psychosis, where a person loses touch with reality, and Walther confirmed that religious delusions commonly happen to people with this type of mental illness.

A team of experts, however, assessed that Sarah did not have the classic symptoms of the mental condition. Following a routine MRI for her psychiatric evaluation, it was then that the doctors saw the brain tumor.

Walther suspects that the tumor started growing during Sarah's transition from child to adolescent, to her young adult years. This also likely led to her auditory hallucinations, which made her "hear God" as a reflection of her strong interest in spirituality. Walther particularly took note that Sarah had four instances or cycles in her life where she felt heightened interest in religion and even joined the Jehovah's Witnesses for two years.

"All the brain areas related to speech processing and auditory processing seem to be very intimately involved in generating the experience of hallucinated voices," neuroscientist Kristiina Kompus from the University of Bergen explained.

Sarah's tumor remains in her brain as the doctors assessed it no longer showed signs of growth. Its delicate position also made it impossible to do surgery or radiation. She manages the auditory hallucinations with medication.

The doctors presented Sarah's unique case in the Frontiers of Psychiatry journal.
5 beliefs about hair that just aren't true

Hair is every person's crowning glory, and this is why beauty companies earn millions selling everything from shampoo to spa treatments to achieve those silky tresses. However, there are some beliefs about hair care that just aren't true.

One of these, according to the Huffington Post, is that blowdrying hair on a daily basis is wrong. While blowdrying hair will cause damage to the hair's surface, allowing it to dry naturally can actually damage the inside of the hair.

Whenever hair is exposed to water for extended periods of time, it actually swells up and puts pressure on the proteins that keep hair intact. So in order to protect the hair, the best bet is to actually allow the hair to dry naturally until the hair is 75 percent dry, then put the blowdryer to a low heat setting to finish it off.

Another myth is that dandruff is caused by a dry scalp. However, the truth is that dandruff is caused by a type of yeast that thrives in an oily environment, the Huffington Post reports. So for those suffering from a flaky scalp, the best solution is to wash their hair every day with a medicated shampoo.

The third myth is that stress causes grey hair, but the real culprit is apparently genetics and aging. As for the myth that brushing hair daily makes it more healthy, people should proceed with some caution. Brushing causes the distribution of natural oils, which is good, but too much brushing can create friction and cause frizz and thus actually break the hair.

Another common myth is that frequent cuts can make your hair grow longer faster. But Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, told Health there's no basis to that myth.

"Trimming your hair doesn't affect growth," he said. "That happens at the scalp." Melissa Piliang, MD, a dermatologist and hair specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, said the only upside of frequent cuts is that "frayed ends make hair look thinner and cause breakage, so when you cut them off, your hair appears fuller."
'Change is in the air': What do Christians in Saudi Arabia think of the reforming Crown Prince?

Saudi Arabia's crown prince will meet Theresa May today as part of a three-day visit to the UK where he hopes to promote his economic reforms as well as his PR image as a moderniser.

The 32-year-old Mohammed bin Salman is considered the presumptive heir to the 82-year-old King Salman and it will be his first visit to the UK since taking up the role of crown prince last year. As well as meetings with the prime minister and the heads of MI5 and MI6, he will have lunch with the Queen and dinner with Prince Charles and the Duke of Cambridge.

However he is expected to face noisy protesters outside Downing Street for his country's role in the Yemen conflict, which the United Nations has branded 'the world's worst humanitarian disaster for 50 years'. The war has killed an estimated 10,000 people with 8.3 million people depending on food aid and 400,000 children have life-threatening levels of malnutrition.

Saudi-backed airstrikes, supported by the UK and US, are battling the rebel Houthi movement, which is backed by Iran.

The prince is attempting to move Saudi Arabia's economy away from a reliance on oil and is instilling sweeping reforms that included arresting a number of senior politicians on charges of corruption last year. He is also credited for lifting the ban on women driving and is hoping to promote his Vision 2030 plan while in the UK.

However questions are also being raised about Saudi Arabia's tolerance of other religions.

The persecution charity Open Doors ranks the Islamic country the 12th worst to be a Christian in the world.

However a number of Christians in Saudi Arabia, most of whom are migrant workers, are optimistic about their prospects under the new crown prince.

'Change is in the air. That is for sure,' one Western Christian working in Saudi Arabia told the charity. 'Everything is changing. Some people are more open to the gospel, but others are radicalising.

'This is a crossroads. If it works, it will bring huge change and more freedom to this country. If it fails, Saudi might be the next Yemen  only worse. If the fundamentalists win the battle that is now being fought behind the curtains and spark a civil war, this place will go back to the dark ages. So, this is either going to be a huge awakening or it will be one of the biggest bloodbaths in history.'

Another said that with Mohammed bin Salman's focus on reforming the economy and tackling corruption, targeting Christians is no longer a focus.

'Christians are plankton compared to the whales that are now being hunted. So, they simply don't have time to care. As long as believers keep their heads low and don't get themselves reported in the government, they will be fine,' she told Open Doors.

However not everyone is optimistic about the widespread changes.

'Change can lead to disruption. No-one knows what will happen if large groups of people start feeling left behind in their own country,' warned one man.

And despite promises to return the kingdom to a more 'moderate, balanced Islam that is open to the world and to all religions and all traditions and peoples', all Saudis are still considered Muslims and conversion to another religion is punishable by death.

Most converts are forced to keep their newfound faith a complete secret from their families and places of worship for non-Islamic religions are banned.

However Open Doors insists that despite the ongoing pressure the 'numbers of Christians are growing'. What is not yet clear is whether the crown prince's reforms will include an easing of laws restricting religious freedom and freedom of expression.
Five Pakistan Christians attacked by mob while building a church wall

Five Christians were attacked by a mob of 20 as they tried to build a wall around their church in Pakistan on Sunday, according to the persecution website World Watch Monitor.

'Our church elder, George Masih, who is 70, was overseeing masons and labourers who were constructing the wall. We were praying [inside the church] when we heard shouting and yelling, and, when we rushed outside, we saw about 20 men, armed with clubs and axes, [who] were beating Masih and others,' said the pastor of the Pakistan Gospel Assemblies church in Yousufwala village, on the outskirts of the Punjabi city of Sahiwal.

The dispute is thought to centre around the use of the land, which was originally set apart for communal purposes though the pastor said they had obtained permission to build the church on the land three years ago.

'The attackers told us to stop building the wall as the land belonged to them. But we told them that this belongs to the church. At this they descended into fighting with us. Then our women tried to intervene but they too were beaten and their clothes were torn,' the pastor, who cannot be named for security reasons, said.

Sami Minhas, chairman of the Muthida (United) Christian Movement in Sahiwal, told World Watch Monitor: 'The incident took place during a worship service but the police are treating it as a land dispute between two parties.'

He added the church has been warned by police not to file a case against their attacks as this would fuel tensions between Christians and Muslims in the area.

'[Christians] are also told that if they would seek filing of blasphemy charges against the perpetrators, then blasphemy cases would be filed against them as well, as there had been requests [to do so] from local mosques,' Minhas added.
George Carey criminal investigation would be attack on 'biblically faithful Christianity'

A criminal case against the former archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, would be an attack on all 'biblically faithful Christianity', according to a handful of conservative Anglicans.

A letter signed by the Marquess of Reading, who is a friend to Prince Charles, and the former bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, dismissed the notion that George Carey, 82, could be investigated for misconduct in public office as 'bizarre'. They said 'an attack on him is an attack on us all'.

It comes after the Metropolitan Police said they were considering a report that laid bare how George Carey 'colluded' with Peter Ball, the former bishop of Gloucester, who was jailed in 2015.

Ball was sentenced to 15 months for indecent assaults against a string of young men and also 32 months for misconduct in public office, opening up the possibility that other senior clergy could be jailed for their role in abuse.

However in a letter to the Telegraph, the 10 signatories including the former bishop of Woolwich, Colin Buchanan, said current investigations into child sexual abuse, such as Operation Yewtree and Operation Hydrant, 'have investigated hundreds of cases of suspected misconduct in public office and have yet to bring a case to trial'.

It added: 'No one has been charged with any offence in relation to the misdemeanours of Jimmy Savile. The cases against Lord Bramall, Leon Brittan, Edward Heath and Cliff Richard were all dropped.

'Why is Lord Carey being targeted at this time? Certain public leaders appear to be being attacked by insinuation without due process.

'The notion that a criminal case could be brought against Lord Carey is so bizarre that we can only surmise that the object of the persistent pressure that brings these public attacks is not only Lord Carey but what he represents of biblically faithful Christianity. An attack on him is an attack on us all.'

There is no indication that a criminal investigation into Carey is under way.

The concern comes after a statement from the Metropolitan Police indicated it was open to the possibility of criminal charges and were looking into a report by Dame Moira Gibb to see if there were any indications of criminal conduct.

'The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) continues to consider the report by Dame Moira Gibb into the Church of England's handling of the Bishop Peter Ball case to identify if there are any criminal matters that the MPS should investigate,' a spokeswoman said.

The Gibb report, published last June, found that Carey was told of Ball's abuse in the 1990s but failed to pass on six letters detailing allegations to the police and also failed to put him on a 'black list' of clergy unfit for ministry.

The wake of the highly critical report the current archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, asked Carey to step down from his role as an honorary bishop in Oxford.

Operation Hydrant officers are working on allegations emerging from the current independent inquiry into child sexual abuse. They are also looking into whether an investigation into Lord Carey should be launched.

A Hydrant spokeswoman said: 'The matters under consideration are complex, and advice is being sought from CPS to understand whether anything contained within the report suggests criminal offences have been committed. This does not equate to a criminal investigation being under way.'
Is God jealous? How we should really translate Exodus 34:14

One of the many misunderstandings of Judaism stems from how we view words translated by Christians from Greek and Latin, which themselves are often faulty translations from the Hebrew (which many think is deliberate).

On Shabbat we studied passages from Exodus 30:11 to chapter 34. These include the famous sin of the Golden Calf, G-d's anger, Moses smashing the first set of two tablets bearing the 10 sayings (not commandments) and the carving out by Moses of the second set of 10 sayings.

Once again Moses ascends Mount Sinai and G-d descends to meet him. G-d passes before Moses and reveals his 13 Attributes of Mercy, a salient moment in Jewish history.

G-d then reminds Moses to be particularly vigilant against committing commit the sin of idolatry, 'for the Lord whose name is "Jealous" is a jealous G-d.'

The idea of a 'jealous Jewish G-d' as opposed to the Christian deity who is all sweetness and light has had a devastating effect on Jewish communities throughout the ages, including today, when Christian leaders do not hesitate to attack the most visible contemporary sign of Jewishness, the State of Israel, at every opportunity.

But what did 'jealous' mean to the 16th and 17th century people who worked, with no Jewish input (how could they, as no Jews had been allowed in the country since 1290?) on the translations from Latin and Greek, with sometimes also a smattering of Hebrew, poorly understood.

So I did some research, and found that originally 'jealous' meant 'devotion' in the sense of what we would now term 'passionate commitment'.

In addition the Hebrew word 'k-n-a' is closely related to the word k-n, which means 'nest'.

So to me the whole concept of 'jealous G-d' actually means a G-d who cares like a mother for his people (and for the whole world, because the law against idolatry is an injunction for everyone) and also connotes his holding us tight and fiercely protecting us.

Is that jealousy, or total and utter commitment, I wonder?

As G-d is beyond male and female in Judaism, divinity encompasses both male and female and it is only convention that we use the term 'he' for the divine.

And quite by chance (although nothing is really by chance) I have just discovered an American author called Marilynne Robinson. Marilynne describes herself as a Christian thinker and hails from Idaho, with time in Iowa.

I researched the Jewish populations of Idaho and Iowa and found that Idaho is bereft of Jews: it comes 48th out of the 50 states of America for Jewishness. And Iowa comes 39th, and both states are rural, and not normally the sorts of places in diaspora where observant Jews 'hang out'.

So how on earth did Marilynne Robinson come to her amazing conclusions on Judaism in general (the most accurate I have come across in the English language) and on the 'jealous G-d' in particular?

This is what she says in her wonderful set of essays entitled When I Was a Child I Read Books, specifically on Moses and the 10 sayings: 'These are the laws of a passionate G-d. "Impassioned" is usually used by Jewish Publication Society to translate the word other English translations render as "jealous". The Hebrew stem apparently means "to grow red". "Jealous" comes from the same Greek root as "zealous," and the Greek words that derive from it are usually translated in the New Testament as "zeal" or "zealous".

'In its earliest English uses, for example in John Wycliffe's14th-century translation of the Old Testament, "jealous" often has that meaning, suggesting ardour and devotion. In modern translations the Hebrew word is usually translated as "zeal" when the subject is a human being (as in 1 Kings 19:10), which must indicate an awareness of the wider meaning of the word.

'But "jealousy" is virtually always imputed to G-d. Jealousy has evolved into a very simple and unattractive emotion, in our understanding of it, and G-d is much abused for the fact of his association with it. Since translations are forever being laundered to remove complexity and loveliness, and since tradition is not a legitimate plea in these matters, one cannot help wondering how this particular archaism manages to survive untouched.'

What Robinson seems to be asking is why so many academic scholars, Christians and atheists, insist on retaining an out-of-date vocabulary in describing the Old Testament G-d, when in other cases, more accurate translations (using Jewish translations into English) would yield up far more accurate and far more positive interpretations of the attributes of the Jewish G-d.

After all, if, as Christians think, Jesus was himself G-d, how is it that he does not at all resemble his own father in this respect?

I think we all know the answer to that one: vested interests always need a 'straw man', so vested interests, including in the officially recognised Christian-Jewish dialogue world, want to paint a pretty picture of what both Christianity and Judaism are about.

But Judaism and Christianity aren't pretty: they are raw in tooth and claw, and only a mother can understand the utter devotion that a divine being is capable of.

Mothers aren't jealous: mothers are committed  from day one and for always  and this is why the term so wrongly translated as 'jealous' is actually far more comparable to a mother bird guarding her nestlings  with the passionate devotion that G-d shows us by safeguarding us, like a mother bird, against all types of idolatry, and not only those of the ancient 'false gods' variety.

And Robinson appears to be one of a kind, because she reads, she thinks, she translates, she appreciates how Jewish values inform her own country and state, even without Jews, and she understands that her own religion of Christianity is completely impossible without Judaism and Jewish values  and that religion is not about sweetness and light but about passionate commitment  at all times.

Dr Irene Lancaster is a Jewish academic, author and translator who has established university courses on Jewish history, Jewish studies and the Hebrew Bible.
Microsoft Surface Pro LTE review: 'Always Connected' PC lets users enjoy LTE speeds without the help of smartphone hotspots

Microsoft just released a Long-Term Evolution (LTE)-capable version of the Surface Pro 2-in-1 computer. While the new product's improvements may be seen as minimal compared to the Wi-fi Only version, getting an LTE-ready laptop actually turns out to offer a lot more convenience. This is especially evident for users who are constantly in need of high-speed cellular connections.

The Microsoft Surface Pro LTE is one of the many models that carry the "Always Connected PC" trademark. Its modem, of course, is made by leading mobile processor manufacturer Qualcomm. "Always Connected" refers to a series of PCs capable of receiving cellular data without the help of a smartphone.

This means that the Microsoft Surface Pro LTE does not need a phone's Wi-fi hotspot in order for it to connect to an LTE network, as it can receive these signals on its own. It is equipped with a Qualcomm X16 modem, which is capable of receiving up to 20 bands of LTE service. The manufacturers did not say which specific carriers are supported, but so far all major United States carriers like T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint seem to work well with the device.

As for the hardware, the Microsoft Surface Pro LTE is run by a 7th Generation Core i5 7300U Intel processor. It has 8 GB of random-access memory (RAM) and 256 GB of solid state drive (SSD) storage. Physically, there is not much difference with the design from the Wi-fi-only model other than a thin strip of polycarbonate that the LTE version has.

Also, unlike the Wi-fi Only model, there is no option to upgrade the LTE model to an i7 processor.

As for battery life, the computer was tested to last about 12.5 hours during a looping video test. However, tests run by The Verge place the battery's actual lifespan at closer to seven hours.

The Microsoft Surface LTE is a solid choice for people who need to work on-the-go. It is available for preorder now for $1,449.
Why conservative Christians should stop defending George Carey

Might former archbishop of Canterbury George Carey be guilty of misconduct in public office? We don't know  but some (fairly) prominent Anglicans are outraged that the question is even being asked.

It emerged this week that police are considering whether to press charges against him over his conduct in the Peter Ball case. However, an extraordinary letter in the Daily Telegraph suggests what it describes as 'attacks' on him are motivated by a hatred of 'biblically faithful Christianity'.

To refresh readers' memories: Carey, while he was archbishop, colluded with the sex abuser Bishop Peter Ball, jailed for his crimes in 2015. A report by Dame Moira Gibb found that he received seven letters warning of Ball's abuse in 1992 but failed to pass six of them onto the police.

The current archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, asked Carey to step down from public ministry as a result of the Gibb report findings, a move bitterly resented by Carey.

However, according to the Telegraph letter, there are darker forces at work. It's not just Carey in the frame, but conservative Christianity in general.

The signatories to the letter  among them the Marquess of Reading, who chairs the Barnabas Fund, former bishop of Rochester Michael Nazir-Ali and Christian Concern chief executive Andrea Williams  represent a particular strain of conservative evangelicalism.

This kind of evangelicalism is fundamentally oppositional. It divides the world into those who hold the right beliefs and those who don't. But doctrinal orthodoxy is not enough: it's also a mindset that sees modern society as deeply opposed to the gospel, with culture and church locked not in dialogue but in conflict. Everything from gay marriage to judgments against Christians at employment tribunals  usually, when all the evidence is read, richly deserved  is seen as evidence of a 'war on Christianity'.

George Carey  particularly since his retirement  has seemed increasingly to belong to this sub-set of evangelicals, with the result that he is seen by them as 'one of us', to be defended at all costs. As the Telegraph letter concludes, 'An attack on him is an attack on us all.'

Well, it isn't.

Let's be clear: Carey is not being 'attacked'. Whether he should be charged for his conduct regarding Peter Ball is not, with respect, something on which the non-specialist should have a view. The law should take its course. If there is a case to be answered, he should answer it, and the fact that he is a conservative evangelical former archbishop should have absolutely nothing to do with it.

It is, to say the least, particularly unfortunate that a letter like this should appear as the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is in full swing. The horrifying revelations emerging every day underscore exactly what happens when the Church marks its own homework.

If George Carey ends up facing criminal charges it would be deeply embarrassing for the CofE, though Justin Welby's swift action in response to the Gibb report might draw some of the sting. It would undoubtedly be a personal tragedy for him. But the failures of the Church during many decades to deal with abuse have wrecked too many lives for it to claim any moral high ground whatsoever. All it can claim  and rightly  is that it is doing its utmost to make sure such things never happen again. That does not mean that there shouldn't be a reckoning for its past errors.

In that light, an 'attack' on Carey is only 'an attack on us all', if the 'all' are those who won't acknowledge the failures of the past, who persist in seeing relations between church and state in terms of conflict rather than collaboration, and who are deaf to the victims who cry out for justice.

And that has nothing to do with 'biblically faithful Christianity'.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
S.H. Raza in 10 questions

A primer on the Indian Modernist whose richly coloured canvases fused Western avant-garde ideas with the spirituality of his homeland. Illustrated with superb examples of his work offered at Christies

1

Who was S.H. Raza?





The son of a forest ranger, Sayed Haider Raza was born in 1922 in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. He would go on to become one of his countrys most important 20th-century painters. The most tenacious memory of my childhood is the fear and fascination of Indian forests, Raza said in 2001. We lived near the source of the Narmada river in the centre of the dense forests of Madhya Pradesh. Nights in the forests were hallucinating; sometimes the only humanising influence was the dancing of the Gond tribes. Daybreak brought back a sentiment of security and wellbeing. On market day, under the radiant sun, the village was a fairyland of colours. And then, the night again. Even today I find that these two aspects of my life dominate me and are an integral part of my paintings.

Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Village en Fete, 1964. Oil on canvas. 81 x 74 in (207.3 x 190.2 cm). Sold for $1,859,750 on 20 March 2013 at Christies in New York.  2021 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / DACS, London

2

What is he best known for?

Raza experimented with a number of Modernist styles, but its probably his works in Abstract Expressionism and, later, Geometric Abstraction, for which he is most famous. What remained constant throughout his career, however, was his engagement with nature and the landscape, and his mastery of colour, which he deployed in variously rich combinations.

3

Is it true he founded India's most radical art movement?

Yes, Raza co-founded the Progressive Artists Group (PAG) in Mumbai in 1947, the same year that India gained independence. He had moved to the city in 1943, and his early paintings include watercolours of its busy streets at different times of day and in different weathers.

Raza, who studied at the prestigious Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, felt that Indian painting needed to advance to ensure that it kept up with European trends, and formed the group with fellow artists Francis Newton Souza, Krishnaji Howlaji Ara and Maqbool Fida Husain.

Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Saurashtra, 1983. 78 x 78 in (200 x 200 cm). Sold for 2,393,250 on 10 June 2010 at Christies in South Kensington.  2021 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / DACS, London

Broadly speaking, its adherents advocated combining an avant-garde style (Fauvist colours, Cubist forms and/or Expressionist brushwork) with Indian subject matter.



Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), La Terre, 1985. 78 x 78 (200 x 200 cm). Sold for $1,930,500 on 15 September 2010 at Christies in New York.  2021 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / DACS, London

4

Why did Raza leave his homeland for France?

He accepted a painting scholarship at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1950. He would live in Paris for the next 60 years, using it as a base from which to take painting trips across France (Brittany and Provence were favourite destinations).

Sayed Haider Raza in his studio in Paris in the 1960s. Image courtesy The Raza Foundation. Artwork:  2021 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / DACS, London

From the mid-1950s to mid-1960s, French landscape scenes dominated his work, characterised by gestural brushstrokes and an impasto application of paint. He saw the paintings of Post-Impressionists like Cezanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh, and began to use colour as a tool of construction, switching from gouache and watercolour to more tactile oil-based pigments.

Over time, his landscapes would become increasingly abstract. Rooted in Razas childhood memories of life growing up in small and densely forested villages, Tapovan  meaning forest of meditation  fuses abstract, symbolic forms into a powerful expression of the mood and atmosphere of the Indian nightscape. Painted in 1972, Tapovan is a seminal work that belongs to a key period in Razas career, when his artistic path brought him full circle and he began to integrate vital elements of his Indian childhood and cultural heritage into his paintings. Raza married a French artist, Janine Mongillat, and returned to live in India only after her death in 2010.

5

What is the concept of bindu and why was it so crucial to Raza's work?

In Sanskrit, the word bindu literally means point, or dot. It has the related connotation in Indian philosophy of being the point of all creation; the source of space, time and consciousness.

Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), La Terre, 1973. 74 x 74 in (189 x 189 cm). Sold for $3,105,000 on 18 March 2014 at Christies in New York.  2021 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / DACS, London

By the 1970s, Raza was seeking a new artistic direction, and turned to his homeland for inspiration. He made numerous visits to India, immersing himself in the metaphysical ideas of its historic texts. Eventually, he hit upon the bindu as a motif. It took the form of a perfect circle, which appeared regularly in his paintings thereafter. The bindu is now widely regarded as Razas trademark. Its the centre of my life, he said in 2010.

6

Did Razas work bridge traditions of Indian and Western art?

Very much so. His Geometric Abstract works are a good example. They are sometimes compared to the paintings of American Abstractionist Frank Stella, renowned for his simple shapes, methodical repetition and minimalistic patterns. Raza saw these during a stint as an art lecturer in the United States in the early 1960s, and greatly admired them.

Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Prakriti, 2013. Acrylic on canvas. 39 x 39 in (100.3 x 99.6 cm). Estimate: $80,000-120,000. Offered in South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art on 22 September 2021 at Christies in New York

Where Stella wanted to eradicate any sense of the spiritual from his work, however, Raza looked to infuse his with it. As well as the bindu, he rendered other aspects of Indian cosmology with geometric shapes: the complementary forces of male (purush) and female (prakriti ) energy, for instance, represented by upright and inverted triangles.

7

Is it true that he was a big admirer of Rothko?

Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Paysage, 1964. Oil on canvas. 59 x 19 in (149.9 x 49.5 cm). Estimate: $150,000-200,000. Offered in South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art on 22 September 2021 at Christies in New York

Yes. In 1962, Raza was invited to teach at the University of California in Berkeley, where he worked with Sam Francis and fell in love with the work of American Abstract Expressionists, particularly Mark Rothko. Rothkos work opened up lots of interesting associations for me, he said. It was so different from the insipid realism of the European School. It was like a door that opened to another interior vision.

8

Has he been the subject of major international exhibitions?

In addition to numerous solo shows in galleries around the world, his work has been included in international exhibitions in cities such as New York, Washington D.C., and Oxford, at the Royal Academy of Arts in London and at the Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi, and in the Biennales of Venice, Sao Paulo and Menton (France).

Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Untitled (Houses), 1953. Charcoal on paper. 19 x 25 in (49.5 x 63.5 cm). Estimate: $20,000-30,000. Offered in South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art on 22 September 2021 at Christies in New York

9

Is Raza still alive?

No, he passed away in 2016, aged 94. By the end of his life he had received many awards, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan (three of the four highest civilian honours from the Indian state). He had also been awarded the French Legion of Honour.

10

Is there a robust market for Razas work?

Sayed Haider Raza (1922-2016), Tapovan, 1972. 62 x 74 in (159.7 x 188.9 cm). Sold for $4,452,500 on 21 March 2018 at Christies in New York.  2021 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / DACS, London
5 minutes with... A Pala-period sculpture of a warrior goddess

Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art specialist Isabel McWilliams on a depiction in stone  around 1,000 years old  of the Hindu goddess Durga killing a shapeshifting buffalo demon. On 21 March it will be offered in our Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art Sale

From day one, many female deities have been commonly associated with fertility, says Isabel McWilliams, specialist in the Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art department in New York. But in this stone figure from northeast India of the Hindu goddess Durga we see one of the most popular examples of a female deity who is harnessing a much wider range of cosmic powers. Durga, also known as Devi or Shakti, is an omnipotent, fearsome deity who combats evil forces, McWilliams explains. A warrior goddess, she is frequently depicted in Hindu sculpture atop a tiger or lion, often carrying weapons. Here Durga is depicted in her manifestation as Mahishasuramardini, slayer of the shapeshifting buffalo demon Mahishasura. According to Hindu myth, Mahishasura could not be killed by man or god. Power-crazed, he conquered the heavens, whose deities were unable to stop him, says McWilliams. In response, the gods cried to the goddess Parvati for help and asked her to summon the collective shakti or divine power of all the female deities in the creation of Durga, who could destroy Mahishasura. After nine days of battle, Durga vanquished Mahishasura and his army and restored the heavens to the gods.

In this sculpture, just over 4 ft (131 cm) high and carved in an almost velvety, rich dark grey stone, Durga is seen in the precise moment of spearing Mahishasura. You see that the buffalos head is severed from the body, the specialist points out. And in killing the buffalo, shes also killing Mahishasura, seen here as the demon figure atop the animal. Its quite a dramatic image that captures the decisive moment in the narrative. Between the 8th and the 12th centuries, the regions of Bihar and Bengal (modern-day northeast India and Bangladesh) were politically and culturally unified under the reign of the Pala kings. Stone sculptures of the later period  carved from grey or black schist, which is reminiscent of slate in its foliate structure and colour  reflected an eclectic mix of Buddhist and Hindu iconography.

McWilliams admires the sculptures typical minute detailing
Michael Ciaglo, Staff / Houston Chronicle

At some points in the economic cycle, debt is good. But in the mature phase of the current economic recovery, lenders to the oil and gas industry are hyper-focused on cash flow and aren't willing to finance debt for growth's sake -- whether it is to add new acreage or invest in capital equipment.

"The model is changing," Tim Perry, global co-head of oil and gas investment banking at Credit Suisse, said at a panel discussion on financing investments in exploration and production.
The lusty gypsy at the heart of "Carmen" provides compelling material for a bravura ballerina. Perhaps because of the earthy weight of Georges Bizet's popular opera score, the best dance productions of recent years have been contemporary, rather than classical.

American dancer Kayoko Everhart, a principal with Spain's Compania Nacional de Danza, leads the cast of the latest take on the French writer Prosper Merimee's early-19th-century Spanish story. The production, a highlight of Society for the Performing Arts' season, arrives at Jones Hall Saturday.

Compania Nacional de Danza's "Carmen" is filtered through the contemporary Swedish sensibilities of choreographer Johan Inger. In addition to Bizet's score, it incorporates music by a few others.

If that sounds like quite a brew, consider Everhart's own journey: Japanese was her first language.

Born in Tokyo to a Japanese mother (who danced many Western styles) and a father who was in the U.S. military, she grew up in the Pacific Northwest. After starting her career with the Tulsa Ballet in Oklahoma, she moved to Spain a decade ago after falling for the dances of contemporary choreographer Nacho Duato.

During a decade as director of Spain's national dance company, Duato had built a repertoire in his intense, contemporary style. In some ways, for Everhart, taking that leap meant throwing away years of ballet perfection.

"I was fine with giving up pointe shoes," Everhart said recently. She even thought she'd never wear them again.

More Information Compania Nacional de Danza's "Carmen" When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Where: Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana Details: $34-$109; 713-227-4772; spahouston.org See More Collapse

But Duato left soon after Everhart arrived in Madrid, and the company's board tasked his replacement, Jose Carlos Martinez, with rebuilding a classical repertoire - bringing back works that inevitably meant tutus and toe shoes.

Everhart had doubts about staying, but Martinez let his female dancers choose their ballets. And he broke them in with hard-edged contemporary ballets, including dances by William Forsythe that were too tempting for a dancer of her skills to resist.

"My body definitely fought back - especially my ankles," Everhart said. "But I got used to it and ended up liking it.

And Martinez continued to let his soft-shoe-leaning dancers grow with contemporary ballets. "Carmen," which debuted in 2015, offers a perfect example.

Inger added a mysterious figure to the story of the naive soldier Don Jose, whom Carmen seduces, to make the tale his own. He focuses on the passion and violence through the pure vision of a child who could be interpreted as any number of characters - a young Don Jose or Micaela, or the unborn child of Carmen and Don Jose, "or any one of us, with a primitive goodness," he has said.

And Everhart has been encouraged to interpret Carmen in a way that makes the role her own.

Moving closer to the earth, in soft shoes, no doubt helped.

"There's a freedom I feel onstage that I don't feel in pointe shoes," she said.
For families staying put during spring break, which is next week, there are plenty of ways to keep the kids active without sitting them in front of screens for hours a day. Here's a day-by-day breakdown of suggested things to keep the kids busy. And, maybe, they won't even notice they're learning along the way.

Monday

Master airplane mechanics

Families can tour the airplane maintenance shop at the Lone Star Flight Museum, meet the mechanics, see vintage planes and even use tools to help assist with basic repairs like turning a screw (11 a.m.-2 p.m.). The museum's weeklong exploration of flight also includes hands-on drone demos, pilot meet and greets, flight simulation and Helicopter Day.

More info:lonestarflight.org

Tuesday

Take salsa lessons

Discovery Green hosts activities all day (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.), including salsa dance lessons for all ages (1-2 p.m.), slime-making and marshmallow slingshotting and Touch-A-Truck Tuesday - an event when, in the past, visitors have interacted with a variety of vehicles, including a Waste Management truck, firetrucks, art cars, and a Rolls-Royce. The park's seasonal outdoor ice-skating rink also is open extended hours during spring break (11 a.m.-11 p.m.).

More info:discoverygreen.com

Wednesday

Meet Albert Einstein

To celebrate Pi Day, which is also Albert Einstein's birthday, the Children's Museum of Houston will host a lookalike of the scientist. Other activities planned around the infinite, nonrepeating number include a shaving-cream pie-throwing contest - the public can register online in advance to participate - science demos and magic shows. Also, during spring break, kids can climb the new rope challenge course on the lower level, make themselves dizzy in human hamster wheels and watch demos by contestants of the "American Ninja Warrior" television series.

More info:cmhouston.org

Thursday

Make egg ornaments to celebrate Persian New Year

Each day at Asia Society Texas (noon-3 p.m.), guests can celebrate a different Asian holiday with hands-on crafts and activities. Other crafts next week include water gun painting and kite building.

More info:asiasociety.org

Friday

Enroll in astronaut training

NASA employees serving as volunteers assign jobs on the simulated Space Station Observer during Family Day at the Expedition Learning Center at the George Observatory in Needville (4 p.m.). While there, guests can look through the observatory telescopes, including the 36-inch Gueymard Research Telescope, one of the largest in the U.S.

More info: hmns.org/calendar

Saturday

See a teen fashion show

Local teen fashion designers have created the looks that will be shown during a runway-style presentation, featuring teen models, on the ramp outside the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (3:30-4 p.m.). It's part of Family Day (1-4 p.m.), when kids can wear provided costumes, rehearse and join in a performance with Hope Stone Dance. There's also a photo scavenger hunt and hands-on art.

More info:camh.org
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON

1001 Bissonnet; mfah.org

"Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me"

Film documentary about the legendary entertainer. 7:30 p.m. Saturday

"Shalom Bollywood: The Untold Story of Indian Cinema"

The unlikely story of the 2,000-year-old Indian Jewish community. 5 p.m. Sunday

"A Quiet Heart"

A psychological thriller about the clash between conservative and liberal Israelis. 7 p.m. Sunday

ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE CINEMA

531 Mason, Katy; drafthouse.com/houston

"Labyrinth"

A teen girl must rescue her baby brother from the Goblin King. 7:30 p.m. Thursday

"Steel Magnolias"

A young beautician finds work at a local salon, where a group of women share a close bond. 7:30 p.m. Friday

"Maniac Cop"

A killer dressed in a police uniform murders people in New York City. 9:15 p.m. Friday

"Maniac Cop 2"

A supernatural killer cop teams up with a serial killer. 9:15 p.m. Friday

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"

Four teenage mutant ninja turtles protect New York City from criminals. 10 a.m. Saturday

"The Darjeeling Limited"

A year after their father's funeral, three brothers travel across India by train. 4:15 p.m. Saturday

"Citizen Kane"

Following the death of a publishing tycoon, news reporters scramble to discover the meaning of his final utterance. 7:30 Saturday

"Real Genius"

A professor uses some of the finest young minds in the country to build a weapon for the CIA. 10 p.m. Saturday

"Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy"

A pharmaceutical scientist creates a pill that makes people remember their happiest moment. 8:30 p.m. Sunday

"Fantastic Mr. Fox"

An urbane fox cannot resist returning to his farm-raiding ways. 12:15 p.m. Monday

"Breakthrough: Portraits of Women in Science"

Six scientists overcome obstacles to pave new paths in STEM. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday

MARKET SQUARE

301 Milam; marketsquarepark.com

"Wayne's World"

Two slacker friends try to promote their public-access cable show. 7 p.m. Friday

RIVER OAKS THEATRE

2009 W. Gray; landmarktheatres.com

"The Room"

A successful banker's fiancee tempts and manipulates his best friend. Midnight Friday

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show"

A couple has a breakdown in an isolated area and must pay a call to a bizarre residence. Midnight Saturday

14 PEWS

800 Aurora; 14pews.org

"Big Sonia"

A Holocaust survivor revisits her harrowing past after being served an eviction notice. 7 p.m. Saturday
Theater

"We Are Proud to Present "

Six actors present a historical tragedy set in Africa. Presented by Stages Repertory Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, through April 1; $25-$59. 3201 Allen Parkway; 713-527-0123, stagestheatre.com.

"C.S. Lewis Onstage: The Most Reluctant Convert"

Max McLean portrays the famous Christian author. 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, 7 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, through March 18; $45-$85; 5420 Westheimer; 713-526-2721, adplayers.org.

"Broadway at the Box 2018"

A new concert production. Presented by The Music Box Theater. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, through April 21; $29-$39; 2623 Colquitt; 713-522-7722; themusicboxtheater.com.

"Satchmo at the Waldorf"

On the night of his final show, jazz great Louis Armstrong reminisces. Presented by Alley Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, through March 18; $26-$69; 615 Texas; 713-220-5700, alleytheatre.org.

"Ann"

Texas Gov. Ann Richards brought to life. Presented by Stages Repertory Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, through April 8; $25-$85. 3201 Allen Parkway; 713-527-0123, stagestheatre.com.

"Men on Boats"

All-female cast charts this play about mapping the Colorado River. 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday; $45; 2540 Times; 713-524-6706, mainstreettheater.com.

"Lover, Beloved"

Suzanne Vega portrays novelist Carson McCullers. Presented by Alley Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday; $35; 615 Texas; 713-220-5700, alleytheatre.org.

"Bright Star"

Steve Martin and Edie Brickell created this musical about love and redemption in the South. Presented by Theater Under The Stars. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, through March 25; $30-$108; Hobby Center, 800 Bagby; 713-558-8887, tuts.com.

Dance

"Collective & Hope"

Hope Stone Dance Company founder Jane Weiner celebrates its 20-year vision of art for all with a performance featuring audience favorites, returning dancers and guest artist Christopher Gray from Houston Ballet. 7:30 p.m. Friday; $15-$50; Hobby Center, 800 Bagby; 713-315-2525, thehobbycenter.org.
With spring break approaching, plenty of Texans will be packing up for beach towns. But adventurers wanting something off the beaten path may also want to seek out ghost towns.

Texas Parks and Wildlife said forgotten towns "abound" across the state, but narrowed its Wanderlist down to six dilapidated areas, complete with tips on what to see if travelers take a trip to find them.

According to the list, maps of the Lone Star State show nearly 1,000 towns -- some bustling places where thousands of residents once lived -- that "were...and then were not."

The list spans from West Texas to the coast, including: Terlingua, Aldridge, Grapetown, New Birmingham, Lobo and Indianola. Reasons for being left behind vary by town.

RELATED: Spring break 2018: Here's the tubing outfitters opening this week

Some were smote by bad luck, like fires, while others were wiped out by natural disasters.

Aldridge, one of the abandoned towns in east Texas, originally attracted settlers due to its rich forests, especially the Aldridge Lumber Company. The business started operations in 1898, but by August 26, 1911, fire ravaged the mill and the owners went into debt while trying to rebuild.

The mill, as well as the post office, burned again in 1915. The Texas and New Orleans Railroad extended the BFB&C line through the town, but the local timber resources had been depleted and recovery was unsuccessful, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

TPWD also highlighted the history of Grapetown, which can be found by traveling down a "back road" near Frederickburg, and was once settled by German immigrants in the mid-19th century.

Check out the gallery above for more photos of Texas' ghost towns.

Madalyn Mendoza is a digital reporter for MySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| mmendoza@mysa.com | Twitter: @MaddySkye
A small act of kindness at a Houston-area Waffle House has gone viral.

On Saturday at 2900 Fm 1764 in La Marque, Evoni Williams, 18, was working behind the counter when an older customer with an oxygen tank was struggling to cut his food.

"Without hesitation, she took his plate and began cutting up his ham," wrote Waffle House patron Laura Wolf on Facebook along with a photo she took of Williams and the man. "This may seem small but to him, I'm sure it was huge. I'm thankful to have seen this act of kindness and caring at the start of my day while everything in this world seems so negative."

READ MORE: Houston-area boy banned from school because of long hair

Wolf's photo has since been shared more than 35,000 times on Facebook and netted more than 55,000 votes on Reddit.

Williams, originally from Galveston, graduated from Texas City High School in May and started at Waffle House a month later. She never expected the act of kindness to grab so much attention.

"I didn't know the photo was taken until a couple hours later. When I saw it, it's just something I would do for anybody," Williams told Chron.com on Wednesday afternoon.

The city of La Marque will recognize Williams at 1:45 p.m. Thursday at Waffle House.

"City of La Marque is proud to have this thoughtful young woman working in our city and we'd like to acknowledge and honor her," city spokeswoman Colleen Merritt said in a provided comment. "La Marque Mayor Bobby Hocking is passionate about our community's youth and wants to encourage her dreams of attending college."

A request for comment has been placed with Waffle House.

Fernando Alfonso III is a digital reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on twitter at @fernalfonso.
Federal regulators accused a hospital food service provider of refusing to promote a female supervisor to sous chef because the company considered it a mans job. And when the applicant complained, regulators alleged, she was transferred to another facility and demoted.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Compass Group USA in federal court in Galveston last week for sex discrimination and retaliation on behalf of Patricia Joyce, a shift supervisor who worked for Compass. The company provides food and nutritional services to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Compass, through its subsidiary Morrison Management Specialists, operates a cafe on the premises and provides meals to patients in their rooms. A Morrison spokesman said the company has not been served so it would be premature to comment.

Joyce was hired by Compass in 2014 to work as a shift supervisor, responsible for managing kitchen staff and meal preparation, according to the EEOC complaint. That same year she applied for a job as sous chef, the second in command over the kitchen operations.

The job went to a male applicant and Joyce asked the then-executive chef Jeffrey Inman why she didnt get the job. The EEOC cited an email from Inman in which he allegedly said professional kitchens are a mans domain and he was trying to get it back that way, according to court documents.

Inman said in an interview that he never wrote that email nor did he write a subsequent email attributed to him in the EEOC lawsuit in which he allegedly referred to himself as untouchable because he is a "god" at the company.

"This whole thing is fabricated," said Inman. "You have to be an idiot to send emails like that."

Joyce wasnt the top scorer on the exams, said Inman, who said the EEOC never interviewed him as part of the investigation. Inman is not a defendant in the case.

Kathy D. Boutchee, EEOC senior trial attorney in Houston and the lawyer in charge of the case, said she could not divulge the particular details of the investigation, including whom she interviewed, but said it was thorough.

"I have no doubt about the veracity of the evidence," she said.

After a complaint was lodged with human resources the lawsuit did not specify who lodged the complaint  Joyce was transferred to another facility in Webster to work as a line cook which resulted in a cut in pay, according to the EEOC lawsuit.

The EEOC is seeking back pay and other unspecified damages for Joyce.
Expedia CruiseShipCenters is expanding its physical presence in Texas, where the Port of Galveston ranks as the country's fourth-busiest cruise terminal and 1.09 million Texans boarded floating vacations in 2016.

One franchise location is open in Webster and three more are in the Dallas area. With seven more sites under development, Expedia CruiseShipCenters plans to have a total of 23 of the retail cruise travel agencies operating in Texas over the next three to five years. Much of that expansion will be in Dallas-Fort Worth, the company said.
Voting has ended in the March 6 primary elections and results are starting to trickle in. Early voting results for local races in Liberty County show the following results:

Republican Primary
Roughly an hour south of Houston is the city's favorite island: Galveston, with its wealth of history, character and stunning waterfront real estate.

Currently, the median list price in Galveston County, for residential properties, is $130 per square foot. That's slightly higher than greater Houston's $118 per square foot. That encompasses Bay Area houses just north of the island, too.
A reward up to $5,000 is available to anyone who can help Houston police capture a man they believe earlier this year robbed two businesses in Kingwood .

On Tuesday, the Houston Police Department released a surveillance photo of a suspect wanted in the two January 7 robberies.

Authorities say the man is described only as a white male, 5 feet 7 to 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 120 to 150 pounds. He was wearing sunglasses, a black hooded sweatshirt and pants, based on the surveillance photo.

According to police, the first incident was at the Kroger at 3410 Northpark Drive at about 1 p.m. when the suspect approached the customer service booth, demanded money and showed a black pistol from his waistband.

When the employee told the suspect she had to call her manager, the suspect fled the store without any money, according to police.

The second incident happened about 1:40 p.m. at the Walgreens at 1210 Kingwood Drive when the man demanded money and showed a gun to an employee at the cash register.

When he placed a black bag on the counter, the employee complied with his demands and gave him an undetermined amount of money from the cash register.

The suspect then walked out of the store.

Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect or his whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
The University of Houston thinks more freshmen will want to live on campus in future years  and on Thursday, regents will hear a presentation on dorm renovation and construction.

Richard Walker, UH's vice chancellor for student affairs and enrollment, told the Chronicle in January that UH wants to raise the percentage of new-in-college freshmen who live on campus to 60 percent. About half do so today, he said.

The university says demand is up for housing. Enrollment at UH has grown about 30 percent since fall 2007, though about a quarter of credit hours are now taken online, according to a fall presentation from UH President Renu Khator.

Development off-campus has eased some pressure on on-campus housing, according to the presentation. UH has argued previously that if students live on campus, they are more likely to earn better grades.

Also on the agenda Thursday:

Medical school: Regents will consider the approval of a doctoral degree in medicine as UH seeks to establish a medical school by 2020.

After, UH will need to turn outward for approval. The states higher education coordinating board and accreditors need to sign off, and state lawmakers must agree to give $40 million in support in the next legislative session. UH also needs support from donors.

UH named Stephen Spann, who has served as planning dean, as the schools founding dean in late February. Regents initially voted to create the school in November. Getting the medical school is one of UH President Renu Khators top goals.

Tuition and fees: UH plans to ask regents to raise undergraduate tuition 3.5 percent for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years. Texas Tech University, Texas State University and Texas A&M University increased tuition between 2.8 percent and 4.3 percent for those years, according to a UH document.

A presentation to regents says UH believes the increase is necessary to better support students en route to graduation and says that the state gives less money per credit hour today than it did in 2011, adjusted by the consumer price index.

UH indicates in the presentation that it will guarantee free tuition and fees for in-state students whose parents incomes total $50,000 or less, up from the current $45,000. Now, 832 students participate in the program.

The University of Houston Clear Lake, University of Houston Downtown and the University of Houston Victoria would see tuition increases of between 4.3 percent and 4.5 percent over the two years.

Sexual misconduct: Regents will consider a system-wide sexual misconduct policy. Documents connected to that change were not immediately available before the meeting.

Board committee meetings will begin at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

Lindsay Ellis writes about higher education for the Chronicle. You can follow her on Twitter and send her tips at lindsay.ellis@chron.com.
Sending a resounding message that they are fed up with transparency and ethics issues, Montgomery County voters resoundingly defeated incumbents in the county judge and county treasurer races while also forcing runoffs involving first-term commissioners in Precincts 2 and 4.

Mark Keough, a two-term state representative in House District 15 who lives in The Woodlands, soundly defeated first-term County Judge Craig Doyal, who had 30 years of service to the county, including 12 as a county commissioner. Keough earned 57.83 percent of the votes (27,134) to Doyal's 42.17 percent (19,786).

Keough will face Democrat Jay Stittleburg in the November general election to determine the next county judge.

Conroe ISD board president and Better Bookkeepers owner Melanie Bush also handed incumbent Stephanne Davenport a decisive defeat. Bush received 66.06 percent of the votes (29,614) to Davenport's 33.94 percent (15,213).

Bush will face Democrat Mandy Sunderland in the fall.

In addition incumbent commissioners Charlie Riley (Precinct 2) and Jim Clark (Precinct 4) also were forced into runoffs.

In Precinct 2, challenger Greg Parker, a former Comal County commissioner, received 42.93 percent of the votes (6,510), slightly behind Riley's 43.51 percent (6,597 votes). Challenger Brian Dawson finished a distant third with 13.56 percent (2,056).

In Precinct 4, challenger James Metts, who vacated his justice of the peace seat to run for commissioner, garnered 40.02 percent of the votes (3,455) to finish ahead of Clark's 34.47 percent (2,976). Montgomery County Hospital District board member Bob Bagley finished a respectable third with 25.52 percent of the votes (2,230). Bagley lost in a runoff to Clark four years ago.

A candidate must earn more than 50 percent of the votes to avoid a runoff, which will be May 22,

The winner of the Precinct 2 race will battle Democrat Ron Keichline in November. There is not a Democrat running in the Precinct 4 race.

Those four races tell the election season tale of transparency and ethics as a major theme and consideration of voters. Doyal and Riley are under indictment for allegedly conspiring to circumvent the Texas Open Meetings Act, while Davenport created a firestorm in December by requesting an Attorney General's ruling after Bush sought procedural manuals through an Open Records request. Clark also was indicted in the TOMA case but had his charge dismissed to testify in the case.

In the rest of the contested races in Montgomery County, experience ruled the day for voters.

House District 15

Former District 15 state Representative Steve Toth, vying to win back his former seat, dominated Jackie Waters, earning 78.36 percent of the votes (13,055) to Waters' 21.64 percent (3,602).

Toth will meet Democrat Lorena Perez McGill in November to replace Keough, who stepped down to run for county judge.

284th state District Judge

Kristin Bays won handily over Jo Ann Linzer to replace the retiring 284th state District Court Judge Cara Wood come Jan. 1, 2019. Bays earned 66.42 percent of the votes (29,348) to Linzer's 33.58 percent (14,839).

District Clerk

Melissa Miller dominated in her first race to replace the retiring Barbara Adamick as district clerk. Miller, who has 19 years of experience in that office, received 74.88 percent of the votes (32,235) to Cynthia Jamieson's 25.12 percent (10,814 votes).

Miller battles Democrat John-Brandon Pierre in November.

County Clerk

Twenty-year incumbent Mark Turnbull also won by a commanding margin over challenger Jeanie Stewart to retain his seat as county clerk. Turnbull received 67.43 percent of the votes (30,030) to Stewart's 32.57 percent (14,508).

Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace

Matt Beasley, the project manager in Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack's office, avoided a runoff in the Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace race by outpacing his two opponents with 63.56 percent of the votes (9,854). Precinct 3 Constable's Capt. Dan Zientek finished second with 21.61 percent (3,350), while Grimes County Assistant District Attorney Ronnie Yeates came in third with 14.83 percent of the votes (2,300).

Beasley will face Democrat Claire Lindsay in November.

Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace

In a race to replace Judge James Metts, Houston Police investigator and local school board member Jason Dunn won with 70.44 percent of the votes (4,201) to Precinct 4 Constable's Office Deputy Ronald Willingham's 2956 percent (1,763).

County Chairman

Dr. Walter Wilkerson, the 53-year incumbent, won comfortably over challenger Terrence Boggs. Wilkerson earned 57.27 percent of the votes (23,370) to to Boggs' 42.73 percent (17,434).
With early voting numbers released Tuesday night, challengers Mark Keough and Melanie Bush appeared in great position to pull off major upsets in the county judge and county treasurer races, respectively, with substantial leads over incumbents Craig Doyal and Stephanne Davenport in the Montgomery County Republican Party primary election.

Keough had garnered 15,734 votes (57.68 percent) to Doyal's 11,546 (42.32 percent) in the county judge race. While Bush had earned 17,111 votes (65.39 percent) to Davenport's 9,055 votes (34.61 percent) for county treasurer.

Keough has served one term as the House District 15 representative and is a pastor in The Woodlands. Bush is the Conroe ISD board president and owner of Better Bookkeepers.

In a tight Precinct 2 Commissioners Court race, incumbent Charlie Riley held a slight lead with 3,940 votes (44.37 percent). Challenger Greg Parker was running second close behind with 3,796 (42.75 percent), while challenger Brian Dawson was a distant third with 1,144 votes (12.88 percent).

Also in tight race in Precinct 4, challenger James Metts, who is the justice of the peace in that precinct, had 1,955 votes (40.48 percent) in his bid to knock off one-term incumbent Jim Clark, who had garnered 1,734 votes (35.90 percent). MCHD board member Bob Bagley was running third with 1,141 votes (23.62 percent).

In other races:

House District 15

Former District 15 state Representative Steve Toth, vying to win back his former seat, was dominating in early voting with 7,541 votes (78.45 percent). Opponent Jackie Waters had received 2,071 votes (21.55 percent).



284th state District Judge

Kristin Bays was winning handily over Jo Ann Linzer in a battle to replace the retiring 284th state District Court Judge Cara Wood. Bays had earned 16,950 votes (65.78 percent) to Linzer's 8,818 (34.22 percent)

District Clerk

Melissa Miller was dominated the race to replace the retiring Barbara Adamick as district Clerk. Miller, who has 19 years of experience in that office, had received 19,688 votes (78.02 percent) to Cynthia Jamieson's 5,548 (21.98 percent)

County Clerk

Twenty-year incumbent Mark Turnbull also had a commanding advantage over challenger Jeanie Stewart. Turnbull had received 17,463 early votes (67.04 percent) to Stewart's 8,584 votes (32.96 percent).

Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace

Matt Beasley, the project manager in Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack's office, appeared headed for victory with 5,991 votes (66.09 percent). Precinct 3 Constable's Capt. Dan Zientek was running second with 1,968 votes (21.71 percent), followed by Ronnie Yeates with 1,106 votes (12.2 percent)

Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace

In a race to replace Judge James Metts, Houston Police investigator and lcoal school board member Jason Dunn had 2,379 votes (69.48 percent) to lead easily over Precinct 4 Constable's Office Deputy Ronald Willingham, who had 1,045 votes (30.52 percent).

County Chairman

Dr. Walter Wilkerson, the 53-year incumbent, had a comfortable lead over challenger Terrence Boggs. Wilkerson had received 13,305 votes (55.92 percent) to Boggs' 10,486 votes (44.08 percent).

See all vote totals at Montgomery County Elections Central here: http://legacy.mctx.org/electioninfo/eResultsMain.aspx.
Police are searching for a suspect who sexually assaulted a University of Houston student early Friday morning.

The female student was walking onto campus about 2 a.m. from an unknown location when a man approached her and brought her underneath the Gulf Freeway overpass at Cullen Boulevard. He then sexually assaulted her, according to the University of Houston.

Detectives with the Houston Police Department are investigating the assault and urge anyone with information to come forward.

TABC INVESTIGATING: Alcohol agency investigating circumstances surrounding deadly crash

The suspect is described as a light-complexion white man, about 5-foot 11-inches tall, weighing 140 to 175 pounds. He was wearing a black shirt and blue jeans at the time of the assault.

Anyone with information can call Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

Jay R. Jordan is a breaking news reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan.
A deputy north of Austin is jobless after being charged with resisting arrest and public intoxication.

Williamson County sheriff's deputy Jack William Danford, 42, was the subject of a disturbance call about 7:45 p.m. at Oakwood BBQ in the 300 block of East Braker Lane in north Austin on Saturday, according to KVUE-TV. Austin Police Department officers arrived at the barbecue joint and found Danford sprawled out on the ground, according to the TV station.
A Tomball woman accused of hindering the sale of her neighbor's home by gluing his door locks, spray painting his windows and tearing down open-house signs was arrested Wednesday afternoon.

Dallas Rose Lott, 64, has been charged with criminal mischief, accused of vandalizing a Tomball home that Rodrigo Camus purchased in October. A representative with the Harris County Constable's Office Precinct 4 confirmed Lott was arrested at 12:47 p.m in the 16400 block of North Eldridge Parkway.

HAVE YOU SEEN THEM?: Cops say masked men are wanted in two Memorial-area armed robberies

Camus told Chron.com that he purchased the home with the intention of flipping it and claims he's had trouble selling the home due to Lott's alleged actions.

"The Realtor would call me and say we had a showing, but the neighbor scares off everyone who comes to see the home," Camus said. "She put crazy glue inside of the doorknob so I had to replace the doorknobs. It was noted, but the police didn't do anything about it. She then did it again and then spray painted my windows."

Camus provided surveillance video to Chron.com, which he says shows Lott tearing down signs and taping up a surveillance camera lens. He also provided photos of signs he claims Lott left on his home and other damages he said she caused.

SHOCKING: Young teenagers charged with capital murder in Houston-area shooting

Camus said the home has been on the market since December and claims that's when his neighbor started her attacks on his home. He also accuses her of attacking his contractors and leaving intimidating notes on his door. He said she is disputing his ownership of the home.

Lott made a court appearance overnight, and her bond was set at $1,100. She was released on bond Thursday, under the condition that she makes no contact with Camus or with his home, according to a Harris County Probable Cause Court judge who set the amount.

Camus told police of five separate occasions where he believed Lott vandalized his home, a prosecutor said at the overnight bail hearing.

Lott caused almost $3,500 in damage, the prosecutor said. She was charged with one felony offense and one misdemeanor offense of criminal mischief.

DANGER ZONE: 28 million Americans live in flood zones and don't know it, study finds

Will Axford is a digital reporter for Chron.com. Read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter.
The Republican primary defeat of embattled Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal  and close contests in two county commissioner races headed for runoffs  could signal major leadership changes and a shift further to the right in the fast-growing Houston suburb.

State Rep. Mark Keough, who defeated Doyal, was among several candidates favored by the countys influential tea party movement  and like-minded statewide groups  who fared well Tuesday. Others in this cohort include Steve Toth, who overwhelmingly won the Republican nomination for the legislative seat that Keough is vacating, and Greg Parker, who got 43 percent of the vote in a three-person race and forced County Commissioner Charlie Riley, with 43.5 percent, into a primary runoff.

Toth and Parker have staked out positions aligned with the most far-right elements of their party. Parkers campaign website says he wrote a book described as a critical look at the myth and liberal hysteria surrounding climate change. Toth, who was instrumental in the formation of the countys tea party movement, has advocated eliminating property appraisal districts and freezing appraisals at the purchase price of a home.

Toth held the state House seat from 2013 until 2014 and unsuccesfully challenged U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady in a primary in 2016. He will face Democrat Lorenza Perez McGill in November to represent District 15.

In the highest-profile race on Tuesdays ballot, Keough, 64, captured 58 percent of the primary vote to end Doyals bid for a second term.

Doyal, 56, who could not be reached for comment, served as a county commissioner for 13 years before ascending to the countys top office in January 2015. His campaign was dogged by allegations that he and others violated the Texas Open Meetings Act later that year by discussing a controversial $280 million road bond in private before placing it on the ballot.

A district judge had dismissed the charges after finding part of the law unconstitutional, but weeks before the primary, a state appeals court reinstated the charges against Doyal, Riley and political consultant Marc Davenport, sending them back to district court for trial proceedings. No date has been set for the proceedings.

Davenports wife, County Treasurer Stephanne Davenport, lost her bid for renomination to Melanie Bush, the president of the Conroe ISD board, who got 66 percent of the vote. Bush had tea party support, and her victory was among several celebrated in an article on the website of Empower Texans, a statewide conservative group aligned with tea party ideology.

Bush will face Democrat Mandy Sunderland in the general election.

Keough will face Democrat Jay Stittleburg in the November general election, with the winner taking the helm of the Montgomery County Commissioners Court starting next January.

In Precinct 2, the winner of the Riley-Parker runoff will face Democrat Ron Keichline, a management systems auditor, in the general election in the heavily Republican county.

"Im excited that the folks came out to vote," said Parker, a two-term commissioner in Comal County from 2005 to 2012. "They are looking for change; and it is clear from the votes they are looking for changes because more people voted against the incumbent than voted for him."

Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack, who represents The Woodlands, has already thrown his support behind Parker.

"Im supporting Parker," Noack said Tuesday night. "I look forward to a change the people are looking for on Commissioners Court."

Riley declined to comment.

In Precinct 4, Justice of the Peace James Metts was the top vote-getter with 40 percent of the vote, followed by incumbent Jim Clark at 34.5 percent and Bob Bagley at 25.5 percent. Metts and Clark will face each other in a runoff, which will decide the race as Democrats didnt field a candidate.

Clark was initially charged with an open-meetings violation along with his two colleagues and Davenport, but he was granted a pretrial diversion in exchange for his testimony against the others, Clarks attorney said last year.

Political observers agreed that toll roads emerged as a dominant issue in the county, where tea party groups carry a lot of clout, particularly in The Woodlands. Texas lawmakers have gone from championing to criticizing toll roads, a shift that some Houston-area leaders worry has gone too far and could limit coming projects.

"Without toll roads and that funding, I dont know what we are going to do," Doyal said late last year, citing the need for new roadways in rapidly growing parts of the Houston area.

Keough took a hard stance against toll roads.

"I think toll roads are another form of taxation," Keough said last December. "Im out on toll roads. Toll roads are about a bigger issue; its about big government."
Jason Farmer, a 34-year-old registered sex offender, is behind bars charged with manslaughter, accused of strangling his fiancees sister last week during sex.

Angela Montante, 23, was found Friday in a motel room in southwest Houston after Farmer allegedly called police and reported the death. Farmer told police it was consensual sex gone awry, a common defense when an intimate partner is killed during sex.

It is the second time Farmer, a registered sex offender, has been accused of choking an intimate partner, and the alleged manslaughter happened just days before Farmer was expected to go on trial for the alleged molestation of two girls.

The escalation of violence that allegedly led to Montantes death is a trend prosecutors are trying to slow through a new initiative with law enforcement agencies to aggressively go after suspects who choke or strangle intimate partners but dont kill them.

Montante was the countys fifth victim of fatal domestic violence this year  including strangulations and shootings  a troubling statistic for prosecutors.

A person who can strangle an intimate partner is determined to maintain power and control over their victims, said Carvana Cloud, a chief prosecutor in Harris County District Attorneys Office who recently created a strangulation task force. So they look for victims who are susceptible or vulnerable to their manipulation and abuse. Its a different type of rage that a strangler has to have.

A non-fatal strangulation is often the last step before domestic violence turns deadly, usually in a fatal shooting, according to prosecutors and experts.

Harris County leads the state in the number of domestic violence homicides, Cloud said. We need to punish these offenders and hold them accountable. In the escalation of violence from strangulation theres only one thing left, and thats homicide.

Cloud, after taking over the Family Criminal Law Division under DA Kim Oggs administration, put together a strangulation task force that includes experts in domestic violence and representatives from law enforcement agencies, including the Houston Police Department and the Harris County Sheriffs Office, to address domestic violence deaths. The group, which meets monthly, realized that first responders have not been trained to look for all the signs to record, or the right questions to ask, when filing paperwork in a felony case.

Because only about half of women who have been strangled have easily observable marks around their neck, many cases filed as misdemeanor assault or not filed at all could have been filed as felonies. Police had not known to look for symptoms commonly observed when the flow of blood or oxygen is obstructed.

There are signs that police can ask about, Cloud said. Like raspiness in the throat, a sore throat, ringing in the ears, or if she says she lost consciousness or she says she couldnt see or she says she saw stars.

She noted that strangling a domestic partner was not generally filed as a felony until 2009, when legislators passed a bill to strengthen existing law and make obstructing breath or blood by restricting the neck a more serious form of domestic violence. But police usually just looked for the telltale red marks on the neck. By training law enforcement officers and prosecutors that there are more observable signs of strangulation than just red marks, felony filings in domestic violence cases rose by almost 1,000 last year.

History of assault

Before the DAs initiative, felonies were difficult to prosecute because of a lack of recorded evidence and the unfortunate fact that many victims recant out of fear or even go back to their attacker, hoping it doesnt happen again.

We were either dismissing them or reducing them down to a lesser offense at a rate of about half, Cloud said. And its really not a good idea ever to let these guys off with a slap on the wrist.

Defense attorneys said they welcome more training for officers, especially in identifying evidence that may be conclusive in high-stakes cases.

So many of these cases are the proverbial he said, she said with no evidence, said Tucker Graves president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association. If theyre going to take the time to single out these cases, they need to train these officers to make sure theyre investigating them properly.

In Farmers case, he spent three years in prison for a 2009 rape at knife point of a woman in her home. After confronting her with a knife, he put his hand around the womans throat to get her into a bedroom where he raped her while her small children remained in the living room. It took her three days to come forward because she was so terrified, court records show. Farmer was arrested for a first-degree felony, a charge that was reduced to a second-degree felony when he pleaded guilty in exchange for three years in prison.

After getting out of prison, he apparently lived with friends and family and allegedly continued sexually abusing people around him.

A 10-year-old he knew said she woke up near him on a couch one evening in 2013 and realized his hand was under her shirt, a violation that left the girl sobbing. There apparently was not enough evidence to arrest him, so investigators continued to interview the girl and one of her family members, a 13-year-old girl.

Almost two years later, the older girl allegedly told investigators that Farmer continually sexually assaulted her for eight months beginning in 2012. She told police he offered her money not to tell and when she refused, he said he would burn down her familys house if she told, according to court records. She said he once gave her a slush that tasted weird that made her sleepy and she woke up to find him sexually assaulting her.

In addition to her ordeal as a victim of sexual assault, the young girl learned she had contracted a sexually transmitted disease.

Farmer, when he was arrested Friday for manslaughter, was free on a total of $200,000 bond after being charged with indecency with a child and continuous sexual abuse of a child, accused of repeatedly molesting the 13-year-old victim.

He was scheduled to go to trial Monday, where he faced a minimum of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life if convicted. He remains in the Harris County jail, in lieu of a $1,000,000 bail. His court-appointed attorney, Miranda Meador, did not return calls for comment.

Farmer apparently called the HPD officers about 7 p.m. Friday and said he killed a woman between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Thursday.

When police got to the Americas Inn in the 8200 block of Southwest Freeway, Farmer allegedly said he had killed his fiances sister and took officers to the womans body inside the motel room he rented.

He told police that he choked Montante while they were having sex, prosecutors said. Farmer told police that Montante panicked and he stopped choking her while she continued to freak out. Her body went limp three to five minutes later.

Common defense

The rough sex defense, such as that offered by Farmer, is common in similar cases, said prosecutors and experts who do not believe it.

Theres no way she consented to that strangulation, said Kelsey McKay, an expert in domestic violence strangulation cases who worked as a prosecutor in Austin for 12 years. During rough sex, if you strangle someone, they go unconscious in about 10 seconds. It takes another 60 to 111 seconds for them to then die. So, their body would be limp and unconscious and you would have to continue that pressure up to two and half more minutes. That defense is such B.S.

McKay has been working with the DAs office to increase awareness among law enforcement. A tangible result of the task force has been the creation of checklist for police and first responders that is the size of a business card. McKay, Cloud and others are teaming up to train law enforcement officers to look for evidence of strangulation to get more domestic abusers off the street.

Studies show that after one non-fatal strangulation, the offender is eight times more likely to murder (the woman), McKay said. When you look at an intimate partner homicide, 43 percent of the women who were killed by an intimate partner were strangled in the year leading up to it.

Its a mission for McKay who said research shows that men who commit domestic violence, especially stranglers, are linked to serial killings, mass shootings and shooting police officers.

These are the kinds of perpetrators who are more violent and have more disregard for human life, and they are the ones who go on to be serial killers and mass shooters, she said. A strangulation means you like to feel what its like to kill someone, you are feeling the pulse in their body go limp, you are playing God. Serial killers like to play God.

She acknowledged that not everyone who strangles someone is a serial killer, but said serial killers grow out of that action.

Still, when a man is accused of killing a woman during sex, the defense is often that rough sex got out of hand.

Women are not consenting to strangulation in sex like people want to think they are, McKay said. Its because theyre dead and perpetrators have to come up with something thats mitigating, and they use that all the time. Theyre outsmarting the criminal justice system over and over and over.

Houstonians were shocked in 2014 when 18-year-old Eddie Herrera was arrested for strangling 17-year-old Jacqueline Gomez during sex in a hotel room after her prom at Aldines MacArthur High School. She was found dead the next morning in the hotel bed.

Herrera told police he and his mother worked together to rent the hotel room, get two bottles of whiskey and at least 20 pills of hydrocodone, a prescription painkiller. He told detectives that he and Gomez drank a bottle and a half of whiskey and took most of the pills before having consensual sex.

It was during sex, he told police, that she asked him to squeeze her neck. Prosecutors at trial told jurors Herrera choked Gomez past the point where she was unconscious during a brutal episode of rough sex. He then passed out next to her and woke to find her dead.

Herrera was later convicted of assault and faced life in prison. Jurors sentenced him to 25 years in prison.

One of the members of the strangulation task force, Barbie Brashear with the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, said the recent emphasis on raising awareness is important to increase safety for survivors across Harris County.

Brashear said her agency conducted a study that showed systemic problems in how the DAs staff handled the prosecution of domestic violence cases, including critical protections such as obtaining restraining orders against a violent partner.

We found some pretty glaringly obvious changes that needed to be made, Brashear said. With this administration, weve seen a willingness to listen and to work together.
AUSTIN  Houston entrepreneur Andrew White and former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez appeared headed for a runoff late Tuesday in the Democratic primary for governor, leading a crowded field of seven other candidates vying to oust incumbent Republican Greg Abbott.

Statewide early voting results showed Valdez, 70, maintaining a steady lead over White, 45, in a primary that had been watched nationally, as the first in the nation, in a test of Democratic turnout for a predicted Blue Wave of backlash against Republican policies.

As expected, Valdez was running ahead of White in her home county and in the Latino strongholds in South Texas, and White was ahead of her in Harris County.

Abbott, meanwhile, cruised to victory by a wide margin in the Republican primary over two little-known GOP candidates, avowed secessionist Larry Secede Kilgore and Plano chemistry teacher Barbara Krueger. He claimed victory at 8:30 p.m.

I am truly humbled by the outpouring of support Texans have shown this evening, Abbott said in a statement. This campaign is about laying the ground work to elevate our state to new heights, building a brighter future for the next generation of Texans and upholding the Texas promise of individual liberty and limitless opportunity. We cannot afford to take Texas for granted. This is a fight for our future and it begins now.

Based on early results Tuesday night, both Valdez and White conceded they will likely face each other in a May 22 runoff where Valdez could hold an edge because she has the support of the partys liberal elite that considers White too conservative. Usually, only the die-hards in either party turn out to vote in a runoff, and that group likely may favor Valdez.

In Dallas, Valdez told supporters that she was ready to push her campaign to the next step to continue taking on Abbott. Well do more of the same and harder, she said, referring to her campaign so far.

Opportunity in Texas should be as big as the Texas sky, she told the cheering crowd, noting that her campaign so far has discovered that all of Texas is excited about change.

At his election-night party at Houstons Raven Tower, a hipster bar north of the downtown, White likened his campaign to a Davis versus Goliath fight  and remember, David won that fight.

If winning in November is important to you, Im your candidate, he told cheering supporters. We beat the expectations tonight and were going to do it again . . . Today is an historic day. Theres a Blue Wave building here.

As Republican officials cheered Abbotts sizable margin of victory, as well as other wins by GOP incumbents, Democratic state party chair Gilberto Hinojosa said his party is mobilized with a strong turnout. Our grassroots energy and enthusiasm are unmistakable, and Trump Republicans should be terrified, he said of the initial primary results.

Among the other Democrats running for governor, former Balch Spring mayor Cedric Davis Sr. trailed the front-runners in third place  a surprise from earlier polls  followed by retired Flint educator and perennial statewide candidate Grady Yarbrough, Dallas leather bar owner Jeffrey Payne, Flower Mound private equity firm owner Adrian Ocegueda, San Antonio hospice owner Tom Wakely, Austin businessman James Jolly Clark and Houston businessman Joe Mumbach.

Compared with Texas gubernatorial primary campaigns in recent decades, the 2018 Democratic race had attracted relatively little attention and money as the party faithful, energized by hatred of President Trump and Republicans in general, focused on congressional and statehouse races they hoped would help them regain control of the U.S. House and increase their numbers in Austin to become players again.

It has been more than 28 years since a Democrat occupied the Governors Mansion in Austin, and more than two decades since a Democrat won statewide office in Texas.

Democrats predictions of a Blue Wave to reverse that trend started out slow in the governors race.

After top Democrats hinted strongly they would field a high-profile challenger to the popular and well-funded Abbott, several turned down the chance to become the latest loser and no one but first-time unknowns emerged as candidates until December, when White and Valdez got in at the filing deadline.

White, the son of the former Gov. Mark White, who died last August, said he decided to run soon after the death of his father, a consensus-builder who served one term in the 1980s, and watching the growing political dysfunction in Austin as GOP state leaders have pushed state policies and priorities further and further to the right. Invoking a quotation attributed to iconic Texas hero Sam Houston, White has promised to Do right and risk the consequences.

Im running for governor to bring sanity and reason back to state government, so Texans can have hope again, White has said his his campaign speeches. Its easy to create division. It takes a leader to build consensus. Lets take a four-year break from what divides us and come together as Texans to restore our states leadership in jobs, education, and prosperity.

Valdez, a San Antonio native and daughter of migrant farm workers, said she decided to run after sensing that her voice was needed in the campaign, at a time when immigration and the bathroom bill and other GOP-driven policies were dividing Texas. She served as sheriff in Texas second-largest county since 2005, after careers in the U.S. Army and in federal law enforcement.

Her stump speech: Opportunity in Texas ought to be as big as this great state, but it is out of reach for far too many, thats why Im running for Texas governor.  I believe good government can make peoples lives better, and I intend to do just that.

Valdez and White generally have agreed on many of the key issues: They oppose a ban on sanctuary cities, raising minimum wage, abolition of the death penalty, LGBTQ equality initiatives, school finance reform and a pay raise for teachers. They both support the Second Amendment, but have called for universal background checks for gun purchases.

White also opposes deporting Dreamers, wants to repeal a $5 billion tax break for commercial property owners to increase funding for schools and supports cutting Texas $800 million state allocation on border security.

Recent polls have repeatedly shown Valdez running ahead of White, and early-voting results Tuesday night seemed to confirm those forecasts.

In campaign cash, White outdistanced Valdez during the primary by nearly 10-to-1 by raising more than $1.4 million, including a $1 million loan to himself that ran up the total, while Valdez raised $181,000, including $25,000 in loans to herself. Other Democrats trailed were several decimal points behind.

Four years ago, when Democrat Wendy Davis, a state senator nationally known for her impassioned filibuster to block abortion bill, ran against Abbott she had raised more than $10 million by this point in the campaign, according to campaign finance reports. In all, she eventually spent $36 million and lost by 20 percent. Abbott spent about $47 million, records show.

This time, Abbott has more than $41 million in the bank and polls that show he is far ahead all other candidates, including Valdez and White.

In winning his primary Tuesday, Abbott coasted to victory without much effort.

He has campaigned little in recent months and has never debated or even publicly acknowledged his challengers. In campaign appearances, he has announced new policy initiatives on property-tax reform, veterans benefits and public safety and human trafficking.

On Tuesday night, the governor was in Dallas where he planned to do his own election show on FacebookLive where his campaign staff and unnamed guests were to be breaking down the outcomes of races across the state, aides said.

In acknowledging they were likely headed for runoff, both Valdez and White made it clear Abbott will be their main target.

What I am afraid of is four more years of Trump-lovers pushing their agenda on Texas, White said. But the fight is not over yet. Its only beginning.

Lomi Kriel contributed to this report.
State Rep. Mark Keough, exploiting the vulnerability of an opponent under criminal indictment, defeated Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal in a sharply contested Republican primary Tuesday.

Keough, 64, has represented a Woodlands-based legislative district for two terms. His campaign for county judge focused on property taxes, ethics and opposition to toll roads attracted the support of local tea party groups.

Doyal, 56, in his fourth year as the countys chief executive, campaigned for a second term on his record of cutting the tax rate, limiting spending and guiding the countys response to Hurricane Harvey and other floods. Just weeks before the primary, however, a state appeals court reinstated misdemeanor charges alleging that Doyal, Commissioner Charlie Riley and a political consultant violated the Texas Open Meetings Act in 2015. A district judge had dismissed the charges after finding part of the law unconstitutional.

The primary victory virtually assures Keough of claiming the county judge position in the overwhelmingly conservative county north of Houston. The lone Democratic candidate, Jay Stittleburg, a project manager in the oil and gas industry, has about $3,200 in campaign funds available compared to almost $94,000 for Keough, based on their most recent filings.

Im overwhelmed. Im thankful, Keough, a pastor, said Tuesday night. Most importantly, I just thank the Lord, and I cant wait to get started.

Doyal, who served as a county commissioner before he became county judge, could not be reached for comment.

Two county commissioners, Riley of Precinct 2 and Jim Clark of Precinct 4, were headed for runoffs against GOP primary opponents. Melanie Bush, the president of the Conroe ISD board, soundly defeated the county treasurer, Stephanne Davenport, in the GOP primary.

Riley will face Greg Parker, a former Comal County commissioner, in the May 22 runoff for the Republican nomination. Ron Keichline, a management systems auditor, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Clark finished second in his three-person primary race, behind Justice of the Peace James Metts. No Democrat sought the position in Precinct 4.

Keough, who announced last May that he would challenge Doyal, pledged to improve ethics and transparency in county government. This theme gained momentum when the charges against Doyal were reinstated in early February.

Keoughs campaign sent out several mailers focused on the indictment. One featured an image of Doyal behind bars, with a bag of cash in the foreground. (Doyal has not been accused of any crimes involving money, and no one can be jailed based on an indictment.)

Asked about the mailers in an interview prior to election day, Keough said, I have a consulting company that does these things for me. He added: Doyal has had no problem telling lies about some of my stuff.

Bush, the winner of the GOP primary for county treasurer, will face Mandy Sunderland, the lone Democratic candidate, in November. Republican County Clerk Mark Turnbull won renomination, while Melisa Miller won the GOP nomination to replace retiring District Clerk Barbara Adamack.
An unidentified Katy woman forced to work without pay as nanny to five children has received a big check to cover two years of missing wages, officials said Wednesday.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick heralded the case, at a news conference Wednesday in Houston, as an unprecedented example of a victory for victims facilitated by keenly observant neighbors in a cul-de-sac in Cinco Ranch who called a tip to a human trafficking task force and were coached by experts about earning the woman's trust.

"It took them many months to be able to get that trust and speak with her openly, and ultimately it was the neighbors that hatched the plan to get her out of the neighborhood, get her out of the house," Patrick said.

"This is what modern slavery looks like," the top federal prosecutor in Houston said.

MORE - Katy couple ordered to prison for "enslaving" nanny

The couple who helped the woman travel to the U.S. from their native Nigeria  Sandra Nsobundu, 50, and Chudy Nsobundu, 58  were sentenced in January to seven months in federal prison. The wife previously admitted she had aided and abetted in creating documents that enabled the forced labor and her husband pleaded guilty to visa fraud. U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas determined the Nsobundus owed the domestic worker $121,000 in compensation.

"We believe the case is the first of its kind in the entire country," said Patrick, noting authorities not only prosecuted the crime but were able to make the victim whole.

Patrick lauded the efforts of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance, a coalition of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and community organizations founded in 2004, for making Houston a hub for human trafficking prosecution and taking care to help victims recover physically and economically from these predatory crimes.

The U.S. State Department sent officials to interview the woman's family members in her hometown. A Houston police officer who was fluent in Igbo helped with the inquiry locally. The YMCA assisted the victim with counseling, helped with medical care for a poorly healed arm she had broken in Nigeria and discussed employment options. The victim earned protected status because of the trafficking case and is on the path to becoming a citizen, according to Jeff Watkins, vice president of global initiatives at the YMCA.

In the meantime, investigators in the Houston area discovered that the Nsobundus had significant assets, including multiple houses and bank accounts.

Ruben R. Perez, a former federal prosecutor who brought the case, said focusing on the victims of trafficking is vital to delivering justice.

"You have these abject poverty people from other counties who are subjected to labor servitude, who are victimized," said Perez, who now works for the Harris County District Attorney's Office. "Sometimes they feel like there's nobody who will voice their situation."

RELATED - Katy couple pleads guilty to 'enslaving' nanny from Nigeria

The victim in this case worked in the couple's Katy home as a maid and nanny between September 2013 and October 2015.

Court records indicate the couple admitted they kept the nanny's passport and threatened harm if she did not cook, clean and tend to their five children. The victim told investigators she was forced to sleep on the floor, bathe in cold water, eat leftovers and work nearly 20-hour shifts seven days a week from 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. She could not take breaks, sit down or watch TV. She could not use the telephone, see a doctor for a poorly healed arm, attend church regularly or walk beyond the immediate neighborhood with the young children.

She was forced to sleep on the floor in the children's bedroom, in the space between their beds. If she wanted milk for her tea, it had to be drained from the children's cereal bowls.

According to court documents, defendants also subjected her to physical and emotional abuse. They called her "the idiot" and hit and slapped her in the neck, arms and back on a weekly basis until the situation came to the attention of federal investigators, thanks to a concerned neighbor.

Patrick encouraged anyone with possible information about any such case to contact the National Human Trafficking hotline at 888-373-7888, citing the motto, "If you see something, say something."

Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and send her tips at gabrielle.banks@chron.com.
Cliff Vacek, a retired Fort Bend County district judge, easily defeated Sugar Land attorney Shawn McDonald in the Republican primary for district attorney, a post held for a quarter-century by John Healey.

With nearly all precincts reporting, Vacek held a commanding lead over McDonald, a former county prosecutor.

The district attorney has to make some hard decisions, for example what charges to accept and which ones to reject,  Vacek said by phone on Tuesday, before the final votes were counted. Ive been making those decisions for over 10 years, when determining whether or not to grant search warrants or arrest warrants. Those kinds of decisions take experience and good judgment and I think I have that.

Vacek, 71, will face Democratic candidate Brian Middleton in the November election in the fast-growing and increasingly diverse county of more than 700,000 residents. Middleton, who runs his own law firm in southwest Houston, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

A native of Fort Bend County, Vacek served as a judge in the 400th District for a decade before starting his own law practice and serving as managing partner of another. He was endorsed by the outgoing Healey and two local mayors. McDonald touted his endorsement by Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls and other law-enforcement officials, prompting Vacek to suggest that his opponent might feel beholden to those groups. McDonald called the suggestion hypocritical.

Another closely contested GOP primary race was for Fort Bend County treasurer, which drew three candidates. Tina Gibson, a Sugar Land resident whos been active in the Fort Bend community, will face Bill Rickert, who has a business and finance background, in a May runoff.

There were no Democratic candidates running for the position, now held by Jeff Council, who is not seeking re-election.

In the County Court at Law No. 3 race for judge, Republicans Harold Kennedy and Tricia Krenek were the top two finishers. They will face off again in a runoff. The winner will vie against Democratic candidate Juli Mathew in November.

In County Court at Law No. 6, former Sugar land Mayor Dean Hrbacek defeated Lewis White. Hrbacek will face Democrat Sherman Hatton, Jr., in the fall.

More Information brooke.lewis@chron.com Twitter/brookelewisa See More Collapse

In the DAs race, Healey announced last year that he would retire at the end of his 2018 term.

McDonald, 44, who started his law firm in 2006, said he knew immediately after Healey announced his retirement that he had to run in the race. The lawyer said he felt like an unknown within the political community and knew it would take a lot of work for him to be recognized by others.

I knew that I had to outwork everybody, not just in my race but in the county, McDonald said by phone on Monday. No one knew who I was. Im not a politician. Im not embedded in the political organizations. My reputation in the courthouse is stellar, but that only goes so far. I hit the ground running, trying to make an impact for people to get to know me.

Vacek feels ready to take over for Healey, and stressed his expertise in the criminal justice system. He said he has clear goals for the Fort Bend County criminal justice system, such as reducing the number of times witnesses are called to the courthouse and testimony is not used because the case doesnt go to trial.

Ive had several (people) tell me that the next time the police ask if they saw anything, theyre going to say they didnt see it because they dont want to be bothered, said Vacek. The public is the eyes and ears of the police and if people quit cooperating, the police cant do their job. We need to rectify that situation.
A coalition of civil rights groups has called on Harris County election officials to consider reforms to longstanding voting practices, citing complaints about long lines or delays in polling place openings during the Tuesday primary.

In a press release, the Texas Election Protection Coalition asked to meet with local officials to discuss, among other things, operating countywide polling places ahead of what are likely to be high-turnout runoff elections in May and the general election in November.

"Based on trends during this primary and in other recent elections across the country, there is every reason to believe that turnout in the May 22 primary runoff election and in the Nov. 6 general election will be unusually high for a midterm cycle," the group said.

"Harris County  and every other county in Texas  must be ready to handle turnout levels that are above the norm, and ensure that every eligible voter can cast a ballot that is fairly and accurately counted."

The coalition cited eight polling places where there were problems, including issues with election poll books that delayed openings or caused long lines early Tuesday morning.

Visit the Chronicle's election day page for updates on the Texas primary

"Polling place breakdowns like these would be less significant if Harris County joined other counties in the state in operating countywide polling places  rather than the current system that forces voters on Election Day to vote at a single, specified polling place underscoring that Harris County should immediately take steps to implement a countywide polling place system," the coalition said.

Election officials said early Tuesday that any such snags were because precinct judges did not properly set up their machines.

County Clerk Stan Stanart said the shortage of election judges ahead of this year's primary meant that some were inexperienced, but that the two parties are responsible for training their respective judges.

"This is their primary," he said.

A spokesman for Stanart's office also said some of the changes proposed by the election coalition - including a move to countywide polling - would have to go through various state and local bodies.

"The Texas Secretary of State, the governing authority of the County (Commissioner Court), the public and stakeholders have an important role as it relates to the implementation of such program in any county," wrote Hector de Leon, the spokesman. "Election administrators cannot willy-nilly change the voting process."

Spokespersons from both the county Democratic and Republican parties similarly downplayed the significance of any reported issues.

But at some polling places, there were clearly problems. At the Monte Beach Park Community Center, for example, the coalition said they received calls on its 866-OUR-VOTE hotline from people who said they waited longer than an hour to vote.

State Sen. Sylvia Garcia said she waited in line there from about 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., when she cast her ballot. Garcia is running in the Democratic primary for the 29th Congressional District.

Garcia said she will be filing a formal complaint so similar polling issues don't happen there again.

"One voter not being able to vote because of this hiccup is too much," she said. "It's unacceptable."

Robert Downen covers crime for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter or email him at robert.downen@chron.com.
ABC News(WASHINGTON) -- Jared Kushner, senior adviser and son-in-law to President Donald Trump, will be making a trip to Mexico Wednesday as the head of U.S. delegation meeting with President Enrique Pena Nieto.



Kushner has seen an increase in unwanted attention over the past few weeks after a series of embarrassments. First and foremost, Kushner had his security clearance downgraded by Chief of Staff John Kelly under strict new White House rules over interim clearances.



Nonetheless, the president has tabbed the husband of daughter Ivanka to meet with Pena Nieto, a neighbor Trump has rarely seen eye-to-eye with on a number of issues. Mexico's Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray will also be present for talks, according to the Mexican government. Kushner will be joined in the U.S. delegation by officials with the National Security Council and State Department.



Kelly stripped all White House staff who had yet to pass an FBI background check of their interim clearances. Kushners background investigation stretched 15 months while officials examine significant issues in his application, sources have told ABC News. Privately, the president has raised questions of his closest advisers about recent reporting on Kushner's White House role and potential ties to his family business, musing that the couple may have to go, sources told ABC News last week.



Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos on Sunday that Kushner has "got to go" if reports were true his position on a Qatar blockade were shaped by his family's business interests.



Kushner's visit to Mexico is not a minor one, though. It was just two weeks ago that plans for a visit to the U.S. by Nieto were cancelled after a testy call with Trump. An official told ABC News in late February that Trump brought up his much-touted border wall in the phone call and reiterated his campaign promise for Mexico to pay for it.



"The two leaders mutually agree now was not the immediate right time for a visit, but that they would not their teams continue to talk and work together," the official told ABC News.



The border wall is just one of a host of issues the two countries have battled over since the early stages of Trump's presidential campaign. In Trump's campaign announcement two years ago he singled out Mexicans crossing the U.S. border, saying they're "bringing crime," "bringing drugs" and are "rapists." An NSC spokesman told ABC News last month, however, that the two countries have "a great relationship."



The Mexicans say the agenda for Tuesday's meeting will cover the "diverse topics of the bilateral agreement." It's unclear how much will be discussed about border security, but it's likely the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will be discussed as well.



Trump tweeted early Monday that his proposed tariffs on aluminum and steel could "come off" for Mexico and Canada if a "new and fair" NAFTA agreement is signed.



"We've had a very bad deal with Mexico, a very bad deal with Canada -- its called NAFTA," Trump said in a press conference Monday. "For many years, NAFTAs been a disaster.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Former Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia easily avoided a runoff Tuesday in his bid to become the Democratic nominee for Harris County Commissioner Precinct 2, setting the stage for what could be one of the Houston areas highest-profile local November matchups.

Garcia, who is returning from unsuccessful bids for congress and Houston mayor, will square off against Republican Commissioner Jack Morman for the chance to represent east Harris County.

Wow. You just made my night, Garcia said after learning of his lead from a Houston Chronicle reporter. It means that we ran a good, disciplined campaign, worked hard to engage the community. I think we had a good message that obviously resonated with folks. So, were just going to double, triple, quadruple the efforts and take it into November.

Morman welcomed the challenge.

I never take any race lightly, Morman said, referencing his 2010 victory over then-Commissioner Sylvia Garcia. Ive got a great team, and we all work very, very hard. So, at the end of the day, I expect well be victorious.

Garcia is among the candidates Democrats hope will help turn Harris County bluer this fall. The party has struggled in recent midterm elections to field a robust slate of candidates for local offices long held by Republicans, but their deeper roster  paired with higher-than-expected turnout  has stoked liberals hopes.

Republicans, meanwhile, are looking to popular state- and countywide incumbents to hold down the partys longtime advantage in Harris County.

Its really a critical look in the mirror for both parties to see, What is the energy level? What are the get out the vote operations looking like? local Republican consultant Jim McGrath said. Its your tried-and-true, dependable voters that are turning out today, but still its a good bellwether.

In other races for Harris County administrative posts, attorney Penny Shaw was set for an easy win in the Democratic primary for Harris County Commissioner Precinct 4, a seat currently held by Republican Jack Cagle.

Republican Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, meanwhile, is expected to cruise to re-election against Democrat and first-time candidate Lina Hidalgo. Both ran unopposed in their primaries.

Other local races were less settled with nearly all precincts reporting.

Democrat Marilyn Burgess, a certified public accountant, was leading Roslyn "Rozzy" Shorter, who works in international travel, by a wide margin for the opportunity to challenge Harris County District Clerk Chris Daniel, a Republican running unopposed. Burgess and Shorter still appeared headed to a runoff, however.

The Democratic primary for Harris County Clerk was set for a runoff between County School Trustee Diane Trautman and Gayle Young Mitchell, who formerly worked for the clerks office. The winner will face Republican Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart.

The race to challenge Republican County Treasurer Orlando Sanchez was poised for a runoff, as well. Dylan Osborne, who works for Houstons Planning and Development Department, narrowly led Cosme Garcia, who previously worked in the countys voter registration department.

Voters on both sides of the aisle also weighed in on an abundance of judicial races, a task West University Place-area voter David Washburn called ridiculous.

Even as a lawyer, I have no clue, Washburn, a Democrat, said. But I actually went through all the Chronicle endorsements, then I got on the Harris County Democratic Party and looked at all the bios.

Harris County Republican Party Chair Paul Simpson was leading in his bid for re-election against attorney Chris Carmona.

Mike Morris contributed to this report.
AUSTIN -- Tuesday's Democratic primary outcome that pushed two gubernatorial candidates into a May runoff has curious ties to the governor's race in 1990 that eventually propelled Ann Richards into office, officials noted Wednesday.

Back then, the primary pitted then-state Treasurer Ann Richards, former Attorney General Jim Mattox and former Gov. Mark White against each other in what was an ugly campaign marred by personal attacks.
As Britain struggles to negotiate its exit from the European Union, some observers have speculated that the U.K. might rejoin the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), to which it belonged before joining the EUs predecessor organization, the European Community. Such a move would put Britain outside of the EU but keep it inside the European Economic Area (EEA), the EUs internal market.

The EFTA consists of four countriesSwitzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Icelandall of which, except Switzerland, are also in the EEA. For Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland, belonging to the EEA but not the EU means that the governments of these three countries, while having no input into EU legislation, are nonetheless compelled to incorporate a great deal of that legislationincluding social policies, laws governing the establishment and administration of companies, and environmental, health, and safety regulationsinto their own national bodies of law. They are also committed to make annual payments into the EU treasury.

In other words, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland are, in many ways, de facto members of the EU, even if officially they are not. It is a bizarre position. The entire reason for the pro-Brexit vote was that a majority of Britons recognized that the U.K., even as a full member of the EU, was steadily losing its sovereignty to that organizationin which the power to propose and formulate laws is vested in the unelected European Commissionand that they, the voters of Britain, therefore had less and less say over the laws that governed them. In short, Britons understood that continued EU membership meant increasing subjugation.

Yet the deals that Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland have struck with the EU have put those countries voters into an even more powerless position than that of their British counterparts. Norway, where I live, finds itself in a particularly unfortunate position. Of the three EEA-but-not-EU countries, it is by far the largest. In 1972, it held a national referendum on joining the European Community, and another in 1994 on joining the EU. Both times, Norwegian voters said no by sizable margins. Their reasons varied. Those on Norways far left hated the whole idea of the free market, or for that matter any kind of market, and thus loathed the idea of being part of an economy founded on the concept of market liberalism. Norwegians in the center and on the right, for their part, voted no on the grounds that membership in this increasingly powerful supranational union would mean surrendering at least part of the democracy that Norway had lost during the wartime Nazi occupation, and part of the sovereignty that it had won, after centuries of subjugation to Denmark and then Sweden, as recently as 1905.

So it was that Norwegians twice said no to being part of what became todays European Union. Yet things did not turn out as many voters expected. Even at the time of the first referendum, Norway was an EFTA member, though in 1972, the EFTA was nothing more than a trade bloc for countries not wanting to be part of the European Community. Norways two major political parties, the Laborites on the left and the Conservatives on the right, have always favored closer ties to a united Europe. Labor politicians like the idea of joining the EU because it is precisely the kind of remote, technocratic international body that leftists always endorseand, selfishly, because, like the UN and NATO, the World Bank and World Health Organization, it would provide ambitious Labor politicians with positions to aspire to after they had already made it to the top in Norwegian politics. (Former Norwegian prime minister Jens Stoltenberg is now Secretary-General of NATO, and former prime minister Thorbjrn Jagland is now Secretary-General of the Council of Europe; another former prime minister, Gro Harlem Bruntland, went on to become Director-General of WHO.) The Conservatives, meanwhile, liked the EU because they believed that membership in the common market would be good for Norwegian business, which forms the partys base.

Hence, even after the Norwegian electorate voted twice to stay out of the EU, those two powerful, pro-EU parties managed to arrange a remarkably intimate relationship between Norway and the EU. As the EU gradually expanded its powers over its own member states, the EU enthusiasts holding the reins of government in Norway ensured that their country, too, by way of its membership in the steadily evolving EFTA, fell increasingly under the thumb of Brussels.

Every year, under current EFTA arrangements, approximately $1 billion of Norwegian taxpayers money is transferred to Europepartly to fund the EUs innumerable agencies and programs, partly to pump up the economies of some of the poorer EU members, and partly for other purposes. (In January, the Guardian reported that Norway makes larger financial contributions to the EU per capita than the UK.) Norways extremely generous welfare state is also obliged to pay child allowances to parents who hold EU citizenship and who are living within Norways borders, even if those parents children are living in other countries. (We cannot be Europes social office, Progress Party leader and Minister of Justice Siv Jensen recently grumbled.)

Because of the principle of free movement within the EU/EEA region, one of the results of the 2007 admission of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU was that the streets of cities, towns, and villages all over Norway now swarm with Romani (or gypsy) beggars. Because Norways membership in the EEA prohibits it from closing its thousand-mile-long border with Sweden, Norwegians worry that Swedens immigration and integration policieseven more reckless and self-destructive than Norwaysmay end up causing problems for their country, too.

EFTA membership benefits some Norwegian companies, but not all. Despite Norways huge EU contribution, Norwegian firms that export seafooda major national productto the EU must pay tariffs. If theyre exporting processed fish, they have to cough up a stiff value-added tax. So much for a common market.

Every day that the Norwegian parliament is in session, it automatically adopts no fewer than five EU lawsa dramatic illustration of the EUs legislative hold over this non-EU country. Norways own leaders have nullified the wishes of their citizens, twice expressed at the ballot box. But the Norwegian governments submissiveness to Brussels goes further still. It is often said that Norway is quicker to comply with new EU rules, however absurd or capricious, than most full-fledged EU members. Even The Economistone of the worlds most sober journals and a supporter of the EUs common markethas acknowledged that Norways relationship to the EU is a democratic outrage, a diplomatic relic and an international oddity.

Erik O. Eriksen, a professor of political science at the University of Oslo, referring to Norways self-inflicted subservience to the EU, maintains that, though Norwegians voted in 1994 for the right to self-determination, sovereignty and democracy, the countrys government since then has brought it closer to the EU and subjected it to the hegemon of the suprastate, whereby EU law must apply and take precedence over domestic law. Because Norway is excluded from common decision-making procedures, writes Eriksen, Norwegians are, in effect, second-rate Europeans whose leaders lack of input intoand even knowledge aboutEU decision-making renders them vulnerable. One depressing aspect of this state of affairs is that, even as many Norwegians gripe about having to follow the rules of an over-officious, foreign-run entity, generations of Norwegians have grown up accustomed to their countrys strange subordination to the EU, acquiescing in their loss of self-determination, sovereignty, and democracy.

In their readiness to comply with EU edicts, Norways leaders make a sharp contrast with their counterparts in fellow EFTA member Iceland. Recently, Icelands finance minister, Bjarni Benediktsson, complained to his countrys parliament, the Althing, that the EU, in violation of the EFTA agreement, is constantly demanding that the three EFTA countries that also belong to the EEA subject themselves to direct orders from Brussels. Benediktsson also charged that while Iceland has done its best to resist this pressure, it has had to stand up to Brussels alone, because Norwaythe heavyweight of the three countries in questionhas repeatedly yielded to EU control. Benediktsson told his colleagues that, given the degree of EU pressure to which Iceland is subjected, it is time for the country to revisit the EFTA arrangement. Benediktssons own view is that the EU, in its efforts to dominate the EFTA nations that are also EEA members, is engaged in an illegitimate power grab. He pointed specifically to the EU demand that Norway surrender control of its energy resources to an EU agencya proposal that, in his judgment, is completely out of bounds, though it appears that the Norwegian parliament may capitulate.

The lesson for Britain in all this: to leave the EU and join the EFTA would be to jump out of the frying pan into the fire. Nonetheless, the EFTA option has supporters. Last August, Business Insider reported that some Britons, including members of both the Remain and Leave camps, believe that this softer version of Brexit would allow the U.K. to get as close to having its cake and eating it as possible. On the contrary, as Norways experience shows, being a member of the EFTA is more like not having a cakeand not getting to eat any, either.

Photo: alexsl/iStock
Just after noon yesterday, two mothers were walking their young children in the kid-friendly Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. At Ninth Street and Fifth Avenue, they crossed the intersection in the crosswalkwith the lightalong with several other pedestrians, witnesses say (and video evidence confirms). Dorothy Bruns, a 44-year-old driver from Staten Island, appears to have sped up in her white Volvo at the red light, crashing into the crowd of pedestrians. The two children died at the scene; the four-year-old girls pregnant mother was taken to the hospital in critical condition. The second mother and a man suffered injuries as well.

Its not yet clear why Bruns failed to see a crowd of people or why she lost control of her vehicle and plowed into the pedestrians. Police said that the crash didnt appear to be a terrorist attack or an incident of deadly rage, both of which plague New Yorks streets. The superintendent of Brunss apartment building told the New York Post that she had a history of seizures. If so, state law would have prohibited her from driving. Last year, a Bronx green-cab driver pled guilty to homicide after deciding to drive despite his potentially incapacitating medical condition; he killed two children on the Grand Concourse. And, of course, drivers fail to pay attention all the time, despite obvious cues: they become immersed in their cellphones, or, keeping an eye out for cars, somehow dont see the people standing right in front of them.

What is clear, though, is that Bruns, or someone with regular access to her car, has a history of this kind of behavior. Over the past two years, according to the silive.com news site for Staten Island, where Bruns lives, her car has racked up eight infractions for potentially deadly driving in three boroughs, including Brooklyn. Brunss car has been caught on camera speeding through school zones four times and has been caught blowing through red lightsas she did in Mondays crashfour times. And on yet another four occasions, Brunss vehicle was parked in an illegal manner that creates danger for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers.

Why, then, was Bruns behind the wheel on Monday? One explanation is that she was caught speeding and running red lights on camera, not by a police officerand under New York States camera-enforcement law, the Department of Motor Vehicles cant cite automated enforcement in determining whether to revoke a persons license. As the city notes, unlike a traditional speeding ticket, the speed-camera violation is not made part of the operating record of the person receiving the violation . . . nor is it used for insurance purposes. The same holds for red-light violations. If Bruns had racked up these charges through traditional, human-enforced speeding and red-light tickets, she could have accrued enough points under the states penalty system to lose her license.

Clearly, the New York system is seriously flawed. Driving with a suspended or revoked license is not a felony until a driver has done so 10 times or more. New York governor Andrew Cuomo and the state legislature should strengthen these penalties. A New Yorker caught just once with an illegal, loaded handgun faces a felony charge, with serious prison time. Why should drivers get so many opportunities to do harm?

New York is under no obligation to treat dangerous driving more leniently when it is captured by remote camera. Yes, the owner may have loaned his vehicle to someone else; in California, he must identify the driver. In New York, state lawmakers could update camera-enforcement provisions to require the owner of a car that has incurred a second red-light offense to disclose the real drivers identity or face points on his or her license. California also levies a much higher fine for red-light running: $480, compared with New Yorks paltry $50.

The disparity makes less sense as New York moves toward more automated enforcement. Police officers are expensive; cameras are not. Moreover, cameras dont discriminatea camera wont let a driver with, say, a public-sector union sticker get away with bad behavior while stopping an out-of-state driver. Nor can cameras be accused of disparate treatment on the basis of race. The city wants more cameras from Albany, and Cuomo, at least, has been receptive to that request. His state budget would allow for new block-the-box cameras in Midtown Manhattan to prevent intersection gridlock. Box-blocking (when vehicles stop in intersections) is another potentially deadly behavior, as it forces pedestrians to walk into traffic and underneath truck drivers sight lines in order to cross the street.

Why does New York go so easy on dangerous drivers? While most lawmakers dont identify or empathize with gun-toting gangbangers, they do seem to sympathize with deadly motorists. State Senator Marty Golden of Brooklyn, for example, has fought against New York Citys camera system. Driving in 2005, Golden hit and killed an elderly woman at a Brooklyn intersection. He was never charged and has consistently won reelection. Just 24 hours after Bruns killed two children, police told reporters the driver likely wont face chargesa rather fast provisionary conclusion to an investigation that should involve cell-phone records, toxicology reports, medical records, and interviews with family and friends. Mayor Bill de Blasio, to his credit, has supported measures to reduce traffic deaths, from better intersection design to more camera enforcement, but his government motorcade has been caught speeding andon the same troubled street where the two children lost their lives on Mondayparking illegally.

Changing the law is not that hard, but making lawmakers want to change the law is hard. Its still too easy for bad drivers to get away with the I didnt see them excuseeven after theyve amply demonstrated that they dont belong behind the wheelbecause culturally, driving is still seen as a right, not a privilege. Dont be surprised if Dorothy Bruns drives again.

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Audio Transcript

Brian Anderson: Hey, everyone. Welcome back to 10 Blocks. This is your host, Brian Anderson, Im the editor of City Journal.

Coming up on the podcast, we have a special treat for listeners.

As many of you know, our contributing editor, Heather Mac Donald, the Thomas Smith Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, is probably one of the most provocative political commentators in America today.

In April of last year, Heather was invited to speak to students at Claremont McKenna College in California, about policing, Black Lives Matter, and her bestselling book, the War on Cops.

When she arrived, Heather was greeted by hundreds of angry activists bent on preventing her talk. Though these protesters did manage to disrupt the event, the story subsequently set off a media fire storm.

Not long after that controversy, we held a live discussion with Heather to talk about her experience at Claremont and at other campuses. It was an event entitled Whats Happened to the University?

And today were delighted to share that conversation with you on the podcast.

Heather was joined by two others on the stage.

Professor Frank Furedi, a sociologist from the University Kent, and the author of a number of books on college free speech.

And the first voice youll hear after the intro is that of City Journals Howard Husock, who moderated the discussion.

Howard Husock: It's my pleasure to introduce our speakers tonight. From the University of Kent in the U.K., where he's the Emeritus Professor of Sociology, is Professor Frank Furedi. He's the author of the book which is featured at the bookseller's table in the back, "What's Happened to the University?: A Sociological Exploration of its Infantilisation."

It's the latest of about a dozen books that he's published, an impressive list since 2001, including, "Authority: A Sociological History," particularly intriguing.

Heather MacDonald, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, contributing editor to "City Journal," and the author of, "The War on Cops," a most timely book which has really galvanized discussion around the nation.

I'd like to try to set the scene for this discussion about academic freedom and the upheavals that we've been seeing around the country by asking Heather to set the scene for us by actually recounting, in a compressed fashion, the incident to which Greg referred.

What actually happened when you were at Claremont McKenna, and, as Bob Dylan once asked, how did it feel?

Heather Mac Donald: As one who does not believe in discussions of feelings, I'm a little reluctant to get into that, but I guess if forced I will share some with you.

The day before I was supposed to speak at Claremont McKenna, I got an urgent one of those red-flagged emails from one of the administrators that they'd gotten wind of a brewing protest, and they were thinking of moving the event to a building with fewer plate-glass windows and better means of egress. This was not exactly reassuring.

The Facebook protest had said, "We refuse to give fascism a platform. We refuse to have Heather MacDonald speak." Recall these are the people that purport to be against unbridled exercises of power.

When I got to campus, they had decided to keep it in the original venue known as the Athenaeum on Claremont McKenna College because they hadn't heard any further agitation going on, but I was put in what was essentially a safe house with the blinds drawn, from which I couldn't see the event venue, but I could hear what was happening, which was increased chanting and increased drumming.

I saw a girl walk by with her face covered. This is a petite blond with her face all covered with a Palestinian head scarf with a bullhorn amplifier on her back. Underneath my safe house on the stairs were students sort of guarding me, and I did not have the courage to wave to them, I'm afraid.

I will admit, without wanting to adopt the same sort of model and rhetoric of the victimologist [phonetic], that it did cross my mind to imagine what it felt like in the French Revolution as you hear the mob growing evermore hysterical.

So I was brought into the Athenaeum via a secret passageway with police escort to a huge, empty room. What had gone on, which again was outside of my vision, was that students, 300 of them, had blockaded the building, completely making mincemeat of the little police barricades that were erected to try to keep the entrances open.

The police, as is typical in our Black Lives Matter era now, stood down. They didn't want to offend the student darlings and they certainly didn't want to be caught on video using force, so the students took over. The protocol was that the white students were supposed to stand between the police and the students of color because, of course, the campus police at Claremont would have been so brutal to the students of color.

Chants were things like, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Heather Mac has got to go," "From Portland to Greece, F the police," "Shut down the F-ing fascist."

So I was in the room. Nobody else was, except for a contingent of police officers. I gave my speech to an empty room and to the buffet that had been planned. I was supposed to have met with students beforehand and talk with them about my book.

By the way, what I was going to say that was so violently unacceptable to these students was that there is, in fact, no police agency more dedicated to the proposition that Black Lives Matter and that there is enormous unreported support for the police and minority communities.

There were counter-protesters. One guy brought a sound system to try to play "Stars and Stripes Forever." The audio cable was promptly stolen. A student from the campus alternative newspaper that was trying to live stream found himself attacked. A faculty who tried to get in was basically beaten up.

So I gave my speech to an empty room. It was live-streamed. The university is very proud of itself that it allowed me to livestream my talk. But what was most disconcerting was the few people that were in the room were not paying attention to me. They were riveted by what was happening outside.

Students were pounding on the plate-glass windows and shouting. The lectern had been moved before the speech away from the windows, so that when the lights went on inside I would not be visible. So I was put, basically, behind an actual transparent-opaque wall.

I took two questions via livestreaming, and at that point the police decided they could no longer protect my safety. An escape plan was quickly devised and I was hustled through the kitchen and into a waiting police van, and sped away to the Claremont Police Department.

So it was not the high point of open-mindedness in academic history. That's for sure.

Howard Husock: I know our hats are off to you for going through that.

Heather Mac Donald: Thank you.

Howard Husock: I think what we're going to do in this panel discussion is to figure out how we came to this. I want to start with Frank and ask him for his view, as encapsulated in his book. How did we get to this point?

Frank Furedi: I think you have to remember that the horrible experience that Heather had is really just the tip of the iceberg, because fortunately, they are still very rare. But for every terrible mob scene that Heather described there are large numbers of banal, everyday incidents that are going on within classrooms, within seminars and in cafeterias all over in all the universities.

To me, that's far more of a problem, that when you walk around and talk to people you have to deal with the fact that a lot of students, for example, are self-centering themselves. For example, there would have been a lot of students on that campus who were horrified by what happened, but at the moment they haven't got the moral and the intellectual resources to do very much about it.

Instead of reacting and instead of supporting you, what they do is they censure themselves, or alternatively they acquiesce or pretend it's not happening. They kind of conform to the prevailing climate.

The main challenge that we all face is that at the moment the current - - works in such a way that they're the ones that dominate campus culture or campus life, and everybody else just either reacts to it defensively or alternatively goes along with it.

So the question becomes how we deal with and how we manage these things.

Howard Husock: I think the conventional wisdom is this is put in political terms. "PC enforcement mobs" of some kind that Heather's views are what are being objected to. In your book you have a slightly more nuanced take.

Frank Furedi: I think what's really important to realize, because you're all American, is that it actually has very little to do with any of the American institutions, the American laws, or anything specifically American, because pretty much the same kind of atmosphere, the same kind of cultural processes are at work in Canada which is a very different political system than the American one.

If you look at Australia or if you go on an Australian campus, very similar attitudes have crystalized and work in the same way, and also in England which is, again, a very different political system. Yet miraculously, in all of these different places with very different political traditions and institutions, they are the same cultural zygotes [phonetic] on campuses. So why is that?

What I argue in my book is that it actually has nothing to do with 1960s radicalism, or very little. There is no real continuity. I mean, I'm probably the oldest person in this room. I've been in campuses since 1965 as a student, so I've seen it all, and there's very little in common with 1960s radicalism.

Also, the main impulse behind it does not begin at the university. If you go and talk to children when they are five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten, they've already been through a process of a culturalization where they come home from school with smiley faces.

I still remember my son the first time he came home, age nine, with 20 smiley faces, you know, a little Einstein. I said, "Well, how come you got so many smiley faces." He says, "We all did." Everybody in the classroom got smiley faces.

So you had the suggestion in schools, instead of socializing young people into proper values, teaching them character, teaching them resilience, what we do is we validate them. That's the basic approach. We validate them. We affirm them. We raise their self-esteem. We teach them that they are relatively perilous, weak individuals, who need continuous therapeutic support of some form or another.

For example, in my country in England, it got to the stage where safe-space pedagogy was introduced in schools a long time before students began to demand safe spaces at universities. We had a situation in England where, for examine, trigger warnings--you all know what trigger warnings are and the demand for trigger warnings.

We had a situation students where high school students were told that you don't have to listen to lectures about suicide or lectures about difficult subjects because we know you're going to be traumatized by this.

So already by the time they come to the university they basically are validated to the point at which they feel that they are entitled to validation. They actually feel that they are entitled to be told that they are kind of nice people and if you don't validate them then that's a cultural crime.

Howard Husock: And so for you, the discussion of safe spaces and trigger warnings, these are not rationalizations. These are real feelings that have been inculcated [phonetic]. It's a kind of extra-political analysis that you offered. Does that sound right to you, Heather?

Heather Mac Donald: Well, I recommend Professor Furedi's book to everybody. It's an astounding compendium of a cultural shift with examples that are mindboggling. One of the great discoveries of it is how the whole Anglo world has been taken over by this. So it's a must-read.

However, I disagreed to a certain extent with both FIRE's Jonathan Hades [phonetic] and Professor's Furedi's diagnosis, because I think a psychological explanation is not right. I think this is an ideological issue.

Note that white male students on campus, heterosexual white male students, are perhaps the most stigmatized, the most vilified group on campus, and they are not demanding safe spaces.

Greg rightly says, "Well, what happened in 2013?" Arguably, at that point we reached the critical mass of the dominant ideology in the universities for the last 20 years, which is victimology, and particularly racial victimology. Universities today are dedicated to the proposition that the U.S., Canada, Australia, or Britain, represents a literally threatening environment of bigotry and oppression to people of color.

You have minority students at Brown meeting with the provost and demanding that they be exonerated from any kind of academic expectations, like showing up to class, because they have to protect their right and ability to exist on the campus of Brown.

This type of model and rhetoric is now standard, and the idea is that to be a minority on campus is to be at literal risk of your life.

As far as I'm concerned, the threat to free speech, the betrayal of the academic mission of rational discourse, of civil disagreement, is of course a terrifying development, but it is not the worst aspect of academic culture today.

The worst aspect is this cultivation of racial victimology and the belief in permanent endemic [phonetic] racism. Even if we were to allow civil debate, that racial victimology would persist, and it is poisoning civil discourse.

Frank Furedi: Can I just come back on that?

Howard Husock: Yes, please.

Frank Furedi: Everything you described, except for one thing, is absolutely true. I don't think the debate is between psychological, political or cultural, because what we're seeing is an intertwining of all of these trends.

I think where I actually disagree with you is if you actually look at the dynamics of it. Who are in the forefront of promoting these things?

As it happens, in England it's in Oxford and Cambridge University, which is the equivalent of Yale, Harvard, and Ivy League universities here. If you look at the leaders of the movement, they're not people of color. They're not minorities of any sort. They come from the most privilege background. They're all white. A very large percentage of them are actually white heterosexual men.

In my experience they are as busy demanding safe spaces as anybody else is. Actually, the safe-space movement began with feminists off-campus, but men on campuses just loved it. If you went to a private school in upstate New York, or in England to a public school that was a privileged school, you went through the whole business. You arrive on campus, and a safe space is your maguey [phonetic]. This is really what you are really into.

The interesting thing is that in all of these colleges it has been the white privileged students who have led the way, and then constructed an alliance with people. In England the expression is "slumming it." What they're doing is, they look for minority of various sorts and kind of converge and establish a relationship with them.

It seems to me that you should focus on the ideology. The ideology should be taken up. We overlook the fact that American - - Society is failing to socialize its young people, that the American education system, instead of educating young people for freedom and independence, it teaches young people to become passive and to feel victims. That's really where the victim mentality really begins to kick in.

Unless we confront the problem way before these kids get to universities, unless we do something with our educational system, then this problem is going to get worse.

One point that hasn't been mentioned at all is to look at the speed that these changes have occurred. I don't know that you noticed that one day you hear about trigger warnings. Somebody mentions it, murmurs it, and you say, "It's just going to go away. It's just some bunch of idiots," you know, in a university. "It's just going to go away."

In a month, it's mainstreamed, institutionalized. One day you hear about the fact that there's a new identity group on campus. They have trends. They have this and they have that. You say, "Well, they're just playing games," or you know, "What are these children doing? It's going to go away."

Within a month it's like everybody loves them and it becomes this new cause that needs to be catered to and cultivated. So the change is very, very rapid.

The problem for me is that if this dynamic is anything to go by, and if you really understand the dynamic, then the situation is going to get worse unless we do something about it.

Howard Husock: Let me just try to play with this friendly disagreement, if you will, in the question of, "Is it an ideological versus a socialization underlying matter?" It seems to me it's typically politically conservative speakers who are challenged.

Let's say Ta-Nehisi Coates came to the campus. Would white conservative students then feel threatened because they're being accused of racism and then try to block Ta-Nehisi Coates. So why isn't it ideological?

Frank Furedi: It is ideological, but the ideology is not the driving force. The point is that if you look at, for example, conservative students on campus, they are very different ideologically than lefting-students are.

Yet when push comes to shove, when they feel sort of under pressure, you'll find that members of the alt-right are just as likely to play the victim card as the social justice warriors. I think it's very, very interesting that there's a mirror image process that's kind of unfolding in front of our eyes.

I find it very disturbing when people who argued for free speech and against censorship yesterday, that all of a sudden feel that they need to shut down the free speech of an anti-Zionist, potentially anti-Semitic, anti-Jewish speaker. There is kind of a double-standard that has been built in.

I think that the mirror image whereby all the youth are ultimately playing the victim card is what we should be disturbed about.

Howard Husock: So not confined to the left, is your strong view.

Frank Furedi: Yeah. As it happens, I mean, they're the main guilty party at the moment. But what I'm worried about is that whenever there's any kind of reaction by conservative students, instead of independent standing up for freedom and putting forward a clear, liberal ideology--"liberal" in the proper sense, what we really are all about--they kind of fall back on the safe space sort of therapeutic argument, just like their nemesis.

Howard Husock: Heather, you've written a lot about sexual harassment suits on campus, which is a corollary to what's been going on. You wrote about what you call a kind of a neo-Victorianism that's emerging about the need to have these codes for sexual behavior and all of this stuff as a kind of safe space, if you will. Don't you think there's a cultural aspect to all of this as well?

Heather Mac Donald: Not necessarily, because I think the whole campus rape [phonetic] myth is also ideological. It's a feminist take on the alleged rape culture that is Western society. I agree that I think that the anti-BDS [phonetic] movement is a very good counter-example, that you do have more right-wing, you know, the David project or whatever, so you have Jewish students claiming that they are victimized on college campuses, which I would say is also not particularly believable given the academic success of Jewish students.

But I still think that the dominant motive here overwhelmingly grows out of the narrative of racial oppression. I can't speak specifically to the leaders at Oxford and Cambridge, the white male leaders there. But my guess is that they are demanding safe spaces not for them, not for a white male - - member, but on behalf of minorities or trans students, or females that are oppressed.

To be honest, I think that the claim of psychological injury is a pretext. I don't believe it. I don't believe that these people are literally feeling psychological injury. I think they are leveraging that rhetoric in order to make their case against the hetero-normative, racist--I can reel off one of the petitions that went around against me after Claremont McKenna, transphobe, Colonialist, white privilege, - - .

But to point to Professor Furedi's point about the speed with which this stuff gets absorbed, another example is that the Justice Department of the United States has an office called the COPS [phonetic] Office, which was created under Bill Clinton to dole out money to police departments to allow them to expand their size during the 1990s, when we still had rising crime rates. So it's a fairly kind of white-bred-type institution.

But in the final year of the Obama Justice Department they published a report on policing in American that had a sidebar on the concept of intersectionality. Now, you probably have to be into campus politics to have heard about intersectionality, but this is a very - - concept that rates the hierarchy of victimhood, and saying that if you can check off multiple victim boxes in the great totem pole of victimhood, so that you're not just black, and you're not just female, and you're not just trans, but you're also disabled, you are like the best victim ever and you're intersectional.

So the COPS Office and DOJ would be talking about intersectionality. If you see how it's used on campus, it's kind of mindboggling.

Frank Furedi: Can I just say something about one point? Heather was suggesting that it's inconceivable that people would really be as mentally or emotionally upset as they pretend to be. Obviously, there is an incredible - - performance in all this, especially when the cameras are around. People cry and they hug each other, and being in the middle of all that is a bit like a medieval passion play [phonetic]. You almost expect people to kind of hit themselves.

So there's the performative [phonetic] element to that. But you know, I've been a chief examiner in my department for 20 years. I remember 20 years ago when it all began to happen. What happened is that exams would occur, and usually about two people out of a hundred would report mental health problems, or their girlfriend left them or their boyfriend left them, and that meant they were so traumatized they couldn't do their exams.

I used to laugh about it and I'd say, "Well, you know, tough. Go do your exams." Ten years ago the number increased to about 15% of students. By the time I stopped being an examiner, one out of four students sort of used these excuses not to write their exams, and we allowed them not to do their exams.

The trouble was that at a certain point, when people start talking about their mental health problems, they do begin to internalize their own rhetoric. One of the things that we're finding on campuses is that when you talk to these young people they genuinely are traumatized. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

We know from human history that if psychologically you play a certain part and you dogged the status of a victim, no matter how privileged you are, you are going to feel hardened [phonetic] by it, no matter what. Every single sort of smile that a person makes towards you will be miscommunicated as a sign of disrespect. What we're finding is that actually we do end up with young people being mentally disoriented and confused.

My argument is that if it was simply the case that they were playing at mentally ill, it would be a much easier problem to deal with. It would be much easier to expose that to confront that or to isolate it. But when you have people just being literally paralyzed, literally frozen to the ground, you know, when Trump gets elected or England Brexit gets voted through, my university begins to look like a clinic. It is a clinic. It as - - become a clinic.

People end up being what they kind of pretended to be. So in that sense we are talking about a public health problem.

Heather Mac Donald: But I think the data shows that actually, compared to Baby Boomers, Millennials have less mental health problems. There's less drug addiction. There's less suicide. There's less depression. I think your performative analogy is absolutely right. You have self-engrossed narcissistic students acting out little psycho-dramas of oppression--and here's the key part--to an appreciative audience of diversity bureaucrats.

There's a co-dependent relationship between the ever-expanding diversity bureaucracy that is self-dedicated to the proposition of endemic American racism and oppression.

My guess is, if you could take away the diversity bureaucrats, so nobody would be paying these students with any attention for their little fits, it would go away very quickly.

Howard Husock: Well, let's talk about that. What is the best way forward. Greg urged us to be of good cheer about all this. It's a little hard after these discussions. But there's a cry to - - for civility, and Heather said we need civility to be restored. Is that the best kind of wedge to get back to a freer campus, in your view?

Frank Furedi: I think we need to work on different levels. I think that everybody in this room can play a positive role, depending on your status and your resources. It seems to me that whatever we do, we've got to address the students. I think we need to build up a larger cohort of students who are able to stand on their two feet, who are independent-minded, who actually think that freedom and democracy are good things, but most of important of all, students who feel confident to kick back against all of these developments.

Initially they will be a minority, but the way that I look at it is that there are already a large number of students who feel like that. It's just that there is no mechanism through which they can gain a voice. They are pretty much on the defensive.

I think whatever we couldn't do in terms of providing the moral and the intellectual resources to strengthen those young people by educating and training them. In England, one of the things is Amywalvan [phonetic], which is providing them with classes on how to speak in public. It's really, really important. It's all done in public.

If you can get more young people to get up on their two feet and debate and argue in public, the same age as their opponents, that makes a huge difference.

Howard Husock: I must say, I never felt that was a cultural shortfall of the United Kingdom, but that may be just me.

Frank Furedi: Come to England and you will see.

Howard Husock: Heather, is it an argument? Is it discipline? Is it alumni? Is it alumni not contributing? What can change things?

Heather Mac Donald: Well, I think it's not going to change unless we confront head-on the lie that campuses are filled with racism and that American society is filled with racism. Students are claiming they want to shut down speech because they thing it is literally threatening their existence because they're so at threat by racism.

So I think everybody has to start telling the truth. The next time the students demand to shut down a speaker or a safe space, and claim that they are oppressed on an American college campus, that college president should stand up and say, "Are you kidding me? You are the most privileged human beings in history. You have at your fingertips the thing that Pahle [phonetic] sold his soul for, which I knowledge.

"You have books. Every book that has ever been written is available to you. My faculty are not bigots. What I find so amazing is the students make these claims that they are oppressed by racism. They're basically saying that their faculty are racist. There has never once been a college president that had the balls to get up and say, "My faculty wants everybody to succeed. There has never been a more compassionate, tolerant environment in human history."

If he wanted to be really accurate he could say, "There's not a single faculty search that is not one, mad desperate search to find minority candidates and we are admitting students with racial preferences."

If you really want to end this you use meritocratic [phonetic] admissions, because there is nothing that is more driving minority students' sense of being oppressed than the fact that they're being admitted with lower qualifications, and that is an extraordinary handicap to put on them.

They have two options. When they end up at the bottom of their class, which is what happens, whether it's in law school or undergraduates, they have two alternatives. They can say, "I am not qualified," or they can say, "I am surrounded by systemic racism." Guess which one they choose?
The Department for International Development has announced new UK aid to help support the voices of women and girls in developing countries, in memory of murdered MP Jo Cox.

The international development secretary Penny Mordaunt paid tribute to Cox and her humanitarian work, and in a speech will call for everyone to raise their game in order to make gender equality a reality, ahead of International Womens Day which takes place tomorrow.

She will announce the new UK aid support of up to 10m which will help grassroots organisations working on issues that were close to Jos heart in a speech later today.

The one-off competitive UK Aid Direct funding round of up to 10m focuses on two themes said to be close to the former MP for Bradford and Spens heart.

These are womens social, economic and political empowerment, for which grants of up to 100,000 will be available; and strengthening civil society capacity for early prediction of identity-based violence, for which grants of up to 1m will be available.

This is the third round of money from UK Aid Direct, DFIDs centrally managed fund for small and medium sized civil society organisations. The fund supports civil society organisations to deliver sustained poverty reduction and achieve the global goals.

A dedicated humanitarian

Ahead of her speech, Mordaunt said: Jo was a dedicated humanitarian who fought for gender equality at home and in developing countries and her passion and commitment will continue to support the worlds most disadvantaged and disenfranchised women through these new UK aid grants.

The MeToo movement has sent shockwaves around the world and given a voice to millions of women, but the majority of women and girls in the poorest countries are still not heard.

We all have the power to change this injustice and thats why UK aid is keeping girls in school, stamping out violence and giving a voice to women both at home and in shaping the future of their countries.

It is only by everyone raising their game and making gender equality a reality that we will build a more peaceful, safe and prosperous world for us all.

Mordaunt will say that if progress on gender equality is not sped up, the Global Goals will not be met by 2030.

The Jo Cox Memorial Grants will be given to projects in developing countries that are working to get the voices of girls and women heard when holding power-holders to account, helping them find jobs and become financially independent and making access to family planning services easier.

The fund will also help strengthen grassroots organisations capacity for predicting identity-based violence earlier.

Jo Coxs sister Kim Leadbeater said: Its wonderful to have the Jo Cox Memorial Grants being launched today - for every life that is touched by these grants, they will make a real difference and they will be money well spent.

Its so fitting to have these grants created in Jos name, which will reach a range of different countries and projects that encompass Jos passion for both womens empowerment and bringing local communities together.

Jo spent 20 years working in the voluntary sector and working overseas. These grants are a reminder of that and a reminder of her passion and her determination to hopefully inspire others with similar desires. Jo would be over the moon.

Applications for the news funding will open on Wednesday 4 April, more information on eligibility and how to apply is available here.

1.5m fund to tackle gender pay gap

Elsewhere the minister for women and equalities has announced a 1.5m fund for projects that support people back to work after taking time out for caring committments.

Amber Rudd said: "It is truly striking that nearly 90 per cent of people out of paid work because they are caring for the home or family are women.

"Too often people struggle to get back into paid work after taking time out to care for others. That is a huge loss not only to those individuals, but to our economy and to businesses all over the country.

"Thats why Im delighted to announce this government will be launching a 1.5m fund to support people, particularly women, back into work after time out looking after children and other relatives.

"By offering meaningful work that pays, the fund will give people who want to return to employment the opportunity to use their valuable skills, talents and experience.

"A toolkit and guidance have been created to support companies that would like to employ returners. The guidance, which was developed by Timewise and Women Returners, is aimed at employers across sectors and of all sizes. The toolkit, sponsored by Vodafone, explains the business benefits of employing returners."

The deadline for expressions of interest is 20 March. More details here.
All charities must take recent concerns about safeguarding seriously, the minister for civil society warned yesterday, as she revealed that the Cabinet Office is looking to tighten-up its grant standards following the scandal.

Tracey Crouch, minister for sport and civil society, was speaking at a summit co-hosted by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Charity Commission yesterday, a day after the Department for International Development and the Commission hosted a similar event focused on the aid sector.

Crouch told delegates that she was shocked and disgusted when she first saw the allegations relating to Oxfam.

She said government will do its part, and that the Cabinet Office is seeking to strengthen cross-government grants standards to include a code of conduct which will ensure high standards of safeguarding from all grant recipients.

But she said the sector must lead this change.

Meeting safeguarding responsibilities and getting safeguarding right is not a difficult concept; it is simple and essential. If it means that you have to explain higher administrative costs to donors; then so be it, she said.

Not just about aid charities

But she said that domestic charities could not ignore the issue.

So far the focus has been on international aid charities, but domestic charities could also come under intense scrutiny. We can all think of examples of safeguarding failings in the domestic charity sector, which is far larger and much more diverse than the international aid sector.

Crouch praised the steps that the Charity Commission was taking on safeguarding, and said: Given the issues that weve seen in the international aid sector, saying this is not a problem in the domestic sector is simply not an option.

She said that while many charities are leading the way, there are some that havent taken their safeguarding responsibilities seriously enough.

The worrying increase in Charity Commission casework relating to safeguarding failings in charities means that we must act, she said.

Not a nice to have

Crouch stressed that safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone involved.

Proper safeguarding is non-negotiable. It is not nice to have. It is not a regulatory burden, she said.

She said having right policies and practices were important but that leadership was critical so that and that people felt able to whistleblow.

Policies and procedures, including vetting, are important, but they can only go so far - it is really only leadership and culture that can drive sustainable change, she said.

Charities commit to improvements

The summit was attended by charities, and umbrella bodies as well as OSCR, the Scottish Charity Regulator and the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

A statement issued by the Commission after the event said: Attendees acknowledged the impact on public trust in charities from the recent revelations around sexual exploitation by individuals involved in international aid agencies. They committed to working together to lead a meaningful response to safeguarding concerns facing the domestic charitable sector, and to achieve the highest standards of safeguarding.

Attendees agreed four priority action areas:

Leadership, culture and values

Law, regulation and the statutory framework

Capacity and capability in charities around safeguarding, and

Responsibilities and reporting, accountability and transparency

Helen Stephenson, chief executive of the Charity Commission for England and Wales, said: I am encouraged by the commitment shown today by UK charities to lead and drive improvements around safeguarding. That commitment must be followed by firm action, and we as regulator will work with and support charities in developing practical, workable changes.

Attendees will now develop action plans for each of the themes and meet again in two months time to discuss the next steps.

The Commission also said it was undertaking a deep dive of its serious incident reporting records to ensure any gaps in full and frank disclosure are identified and responded to.
In late February, the mother of Martina Kusnirova, a 27-year-old Slovak woman, was worried: She hadnt heard from her daughter in several days. After the mother raised the alarm, police found Kusnirova dead at her home, a gunshot wound in her head. Whoever killed her also killed her fiance, Jan Kuciak, also 27, whod been shot in the chest and was found alongside her. The couple were likely targeted because Kuciak was a journalist investigating a rash of Italian mafia activity in Slovakia, with tendrils snaking to the top levels of government.

ICYMI: A journalist is approached by a man. He fires a pistol and she collapses.

The murders shocked Slovakia, a peaceful Central European country where this sort of thing simply doesnt happen. Ten days later, the reverberations continue. Two senior government advisers named in Kuciaks posthumously published expose stepped down, while a posse of implicated Italian businessmen were detained and later released. Over the weekend, Slovaks in 25 cities marched in Kuciak and Kusnirovas memory and against corruption, and President Andrej Kiska delivered a televised address calling for a shakeup of the government.

Kiskas speech put him at loggerheads with Slovakias left-nationalist prime minister, Robert Fico, who accused Kiskaand the news mediaof dancing on Kuciaks grave. It wasnt the first time Fico has assaulted the press. In November of 2016, he responded to questions about dubious spending by calling a group of reporters dirty, anti-Slovak prostitutes, while late last year he offered ignorant journalists a crash course in investigative reporting. In January, members of the Slovak National Party, a junior partner in Ficos ruling coalition, themselves amped up attacks on the countrys public broadcaster. These threatsand now Kuciaks assassinationhave come in a country that Reporters Without Borders ranked as the worlds 17th best for press freedom (out of 180) in 2017 (the US ranked 43rd).

In recent months, mild media climates in several other European countries have been rocked with the force of a bomb cyclone. In October, Daphne Caruana Galizia, a tenacious journalist investigating corruption among Maltas ruling class, was killed by a car bomb near her home on the island. In Poland last week, a group close to the ruling Law and Justice Party sued an Argentinian newspaper under a widely criticized new law that makes it a criminal offense to suggest Polish state complicity in the Holocaust. And Trump-style verbal attacks on the press have been in vogue almost everywhere: in Slovakia and Poland, and also in Italy. Elections there on Sunday returned large vote shares for the far-right League party and for the populist Five Star Movementwhose leadership has perpetrated industrial-scale dissemination of online misinformation (according to BuzzFeed), and whose founder, Beppe Grillo, once called for randomly selected public juries to determine whether news stories are real or fake.

ICYMI: Paper rattled by racist cover controversy

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

Journalists arent buckling in these headwinds: Slovakian newspapers jointly ran Kuciaks mafia investigation last week, and their Argentinian counterparts did likewise with the article targeted by Polands Holocaust defamation law. Such camaraderie and resilience are encouraging, and physical threats to journalists in most European countries shouldnt be overstated. But its hard to shirk the feeling that nowhere is quite safe if youre an investigative reporter in 2018. As Drew Sullivan, who worked with Kuciak as editor of the international Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, told Deutsche Welle, [Kuciak] was only pulling records. He was only making freedom of information requests, which is normally a very safe thing to do.

Below, more media news from Europe

Other notable stories

Subpoenaed former Trump aide Sam Nunbergs bizarre Monday tour of cable news shows gripped the media sphere for a second day. Axios called the coverage awful scandal porn (which Erik Wemple and Andrew Beaujon agreed was a bit rich, coming from Axios), but commentators like Jack Shafer and Tim OBrien defended Nunbergs newsiness.

On Monday, Pentagon officials warned news outlets they would be complicit with ISIS should they choose to disseminate footage purporting to show a deadly ambush involving four US soldiers in Niger in October. Many news organizations, including CBS News, did not heed their words.

The agony continues for former employees of shuttered New York news sites DNAinfo and GothamistThe Daily Beasts Max Tani says the company didnt withhold city taxes from some of their paychecks.

For CJR, Alexandria Neason examines the nationwide uptick in school shooting threats since Parkland, and the ramifications for local education reporters.

The Hudson Reporter newspaper chain in New Jersey published this lengthy look at the hyperlocal implications of fake news and online misinformation.

Baltimore Beat, the successor to the shuttered Baltimore City Paper, has shut down just four months after it opened. Publisher Kevin Naff told The Baltimore Sun that while faltering ad revenue was to blame, This is not a story about the death of print or of journalism or of the alternative press.We heard from many businessesrestaurants, bars, theaters and morethat they cut their marketing budgets due to declining revenue, which many attribute to the crime problem and dwindling visits from suburbanites.

In February, I reported on the Bay Journal, a part-EPA-funded environmental newspaper that launched a First Amendment challenge after the agency cut some of its funding. Last week, the EPA folded, promising to restore the grant.

ICYMI: The source: How hacked emails and a yacht in Monaco ended my career at The Wall Street Journal

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
In just over two short months, a significant shift in EU regulation will begin to have ripple effects on digital publishing and dissemination across the globe.

On May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)a comprehensive set of privacy regulations affecting any organization in the world that serves EU residents and, in the process, collects data about themwill enter enforcement. The new rules will be most transformative for social media and advertising companies that principally traffic in user data. But publications that host those ads and use the data from those platforms will be no less liable for compliance than the technology giants themselves. The penalties for violation are significant, too. Failing to meet GDPR requirements will mean fines of 20 million or 4 percent of a companys annual global revenue, whichever is greater.

While the implications for both technology companies and publishers are potentially enormous, the regulation has seen little public discussion in the US. A new report from the Tow Center for Digital Journalism details how the GDPR will affect the publishing world. Below is what you need to know.

RELATED: The new billion-dollar problem for platforms and publishers

What is the GDPR?

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

The GDPR is an extensive regulation designed to bring uniformity to both the nature and enforcement of data privacy for residents of the European Union. The EU has a stronger history of privacy regulation than the US, going back to the 1995 Data Privacy Directive. The GDPR builds on and expands this prior legislation, offering greater clarity about who is subject to its privacy rules (in this case, any organization that collects data about EU residents, regardless of where in the world the organization is located) as well as how complaints are filed and resolved. In addition, because the GDPR is a regulation rather than a directive, interpretation and implementation is not left up to EU member states. Instead, the regulation applies immediately and uniformly across the EU.

How will this affect news organizations?

Although news publishers are arguably not the primary target of the GDPR, as organizations that use tools and host advertisements that collect data about readers, they are nonetheless required to comply.

Obtaining consent

News organizations will be responsible for obtaining specific, proactive consent from their users before collecting any data about them, either through advertisements or analytics scripts. Although opinions vary about what obtaining consent might look like, CNIL, the French Data Protection Authority, has articulated that this may require a splash page or pop-up that blocks new visitors from viewing pages where ads are hosted until consent has been obtained. As one editor from the French newspaper Le Monde told us: No French editor wants to do this because . . . 15 or maybe 20 percent of your traffic will disappear. As a result, the consent requirement may also hurt the most valuable advertising real estate that news sites have: their homepages and section fronts.

Right to Be Forgotten

On the other hand, the GDPR is much less likely to affect typical news gathering. Though the GDPR grants individuals the right to have data thats been collected about them erased, it does exempt from erasure data gathered or processed solely for journalistic purposes, for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information, and for documents in the public interest.

At the same time, some scholars are worried that the Right to Be Forgotten (RTBF)which is already in practice in the EU, is baked into the GDPR but with a more definitive scopemay have a chilling effect on the dissemination of newsworthy information online, especially via social media. In a recent paper, Daphne Keller, director of Intermediary Liability at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society, points out that whether and how content hostssuch as social media companiesmust honor RTBF requests under the GDPR is unclear. While current RTBF case law is largely limited to search engines like Google, what constitutes search and listing could include search results on platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Given that the regulation imposes stiff penalties for failure to remove personal data content in a timely way, Keller speculates that these hosts may simply remove material without first weighing the interests of readers alongside those of complainants. Though the European Commissions advisory group on the GDPR specifically stipulates that RTBF complaints will not result in removing content on a publishers website, for example, the implications for content posted directly (and sometimes only) to social media sites is not yet apparent.

A silver lining for quality content

Though the GDPR will bring fundamental changes to the online publishing landscapefrom consent to data collection and storage, to searchto industry experts the news isnt all bad. Chris Pedigo, a senior vice president at the industry organization Digital Content Next, actually believes that the GDPR will strengthen the position of well-regarded news organizations within the online advertising ecosystem. Since quality publishers should be able to leverage their strong relationships with readers in order to get consent to collect data, media companies stand to reclaim some of their role as data intermediaries for advertisers. Platforms, by contrast, may struggle to obtain the consent they seek since, since as Pedigo puts it, theyll have to list out all the reasons that they want to track the consumer.

For news organizations, the GDPR may actually prompt a return to first principles, where a focus on quality content beats adapting to the latest social media algorithm. And while it will take months (and, more likely, years) for the full ramifications of these regulations to be felt, there is little question that the era of Wild West online data collection is coming to a close.

For a more detailed analysis of the GDPR and its potential impact on news organizations, see the Tow Centers recent report: Understanding the General Data Protection Regulation: A Primer for Global Publishers.

RELATED: Jarrod Dicker on what the blockchain can do for news

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Susan McGregor is Assistant Director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism and Assistant Professor at Columbia School of Journalism.
Executive Summary

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a major piece of EU legislation that will transform the operating landscape for any organization that handles data about EU residents. While the regulation, which goes into enforcement effect on May 25, 2018, will have the greatest impact on technology companies and advertising networks that directly monetize user data, the media companies that often depend on them for both reach and revenue will also be significantly affected by the changes it bringsboth directly and indirectly.

The goal of this report is to provide an overview of the regulation and its likely impacts for news organizations and publishers with primary audiences outside the European Union. Unlike its predecessors, the GDPR applies to organizations that collect data about EU residents, whether or not that organization has a physical presence in the EU. Whats more, violations can incur fines of twenty million euros or more. Thus, while non-EU news organizations may be less likely to come under immediate scrutiny because of the GDPR, they are still subject to its provisions and will benefit from thinking strategically about many of the issues it addresses. Moreover, the GDPR is likely to cause substantial changes in the operations of both digital platform and advertising companies, the effects of which will have undeniable consequences for publishers.

Key findings

The GDPR applies to any organization that offers goods or services to EU residents and wishes to collect data about them. In particular, global publishers will be considered data controllers with regard to some of the personal data they collect through their websites, and therefore will be partly responsible for ensuring their lawful use. This includes publishers located outside the EU who target content toward EU residents and host digital ads that collect data about site visitors, etc.

The GDPR definition of personal data is far broader than is typically understood in the United States. The GDPR considers any data that can be linked to a personeven if only in combination with other datato be personal data. This greatly expands the types of data that require consent to collect.

Consent must be obtained before any data is collected. Consent must also be specific and easily withdrawn. Web pages that load data-collecting ads before consent is obtained may violate the GDPR. Likewise, consent notices that employ legalese or require users to provide information unrelated to the services provided are invalid under the regulation. Finally, data subjects must be able to access, transfer, correct, or erase their data at any time, as well as withdraw consent for its continued use.

Despite added complexities, media organizations with strong user trust may gain increased leverage with platform companies and ad networks once the GDPR is in place. Experts suggest that because these other players will have difficulty obtaining the consent they need from data subjects directly, publishers with strong user relationships will be able to do so more effectively and will therefore have more negotiating power in transactions with these companies.





Introduction

On May 25, 2018, one of this centurys most significant pieces of technology regulation will take effect. For all residents of the European Union (EU), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will fundamentally transform the relationship between organizations that collect data and the people whom that data is about. While data regulations in the EU are hardly newEurope has had digitally oriented legal frameworks for data in place since the mid-1990sthe GDPR differs substantially from its predecessors in the scope and immediacy of its impact. Specifically, this generational regulation is both immediately binding on all Member States, applies to data collected about EU residents by organizations located anywhere in the world, and carries significant financial penalties for non-compliance: fines of up to twenty million euros or four percent of the companys annual global revenue.

While there is little doubt that global technology organizationsfrom software producers to service providerswill be the most impacted by the GDPR, because the new regulation applies to any organization that collects data about EU residents, media companies that target EU audiences will also be subject to the regulation. As many news organizations websites and apps may be the vehicle for collecting data about userssince they host, for example, third-party advertisements or even in-house analytics tools that place cookies on users devicesthey will also be subject to GDPR requirements. Indeed, though the simple availability of a website in the EU is not sufficient for triggering GDPR applicability, any publisher that targets content to the EU may be subject to the regulation, whether or not they have an office or other physical presence in the region. Even for media organizations without an EU audience, the essential ways in which the GDPR will transform both social media and digital advertising will no doubt have strong reverberations throughout global publishing.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

The purpose of this report, therefore, is twofold. First, it is meant to act as a primer and reference on the key provisions of the GDPR, with a focus on how they differ from previous EU regulation, and from prevailing U.S. customs and law. Second, through review of policy papers and interviews with industry experts, we offer an overview of the potential impacts of this regulation on technology platforms, digital advertisers, and publishers. We also cover how media companies around the world can begin to prepare for the challenges and opportunities this regulation will present.





Background: Privacy, Data Protection, and the GDPR

The GDPR is designed to bring consistency and uniformity to the governance of personal data in the EU. As adopted by the European Parliament, the GDPR enshrines and enforces Articles 7 and 8 of the Charter of the Fundamental Rights of the European Union drafted in 2000, which considers the privacy of communications and the protection of personal data to be fundamental human rights.1 Although the Charter itself only became binding in 2009,2 general EU attitudes toward data privacy were first articulated in 1995 with the adoption of the Data Protection Directive, establishing the Article 29 Working Party (WP29, officially the Data Protection Working Party).3

While the Data Protection Directive outlined many key data rights for European citizens and created the Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) upon which the GDPR also relies for enforcement, unlike the GDPR, the actual implementation of the Directive was left up to Member States. Moreover, territorial applicability of the Data Privacy Directive was ambiguous:4 to be subject to the Directive, an organization had to use processing equipment located in the EU. This led both to uncertainty in enforcement and a series of legal disputes over whether this condition was met in the case of different digital equipmentsfor example, web cookies, JavaScript, ad banners, and spyware.

Adequacy Decisions and Safe Harbor

Where applicable, the Data Privacy Directive stipulated how information about EU citizens could be transferred to a country outside the EU, a circumstance only possible if the European Commission determined that the country in question offered an adequate level of personal data protection with particular consideration given to the nature of the data, the purpose and duration of the proposed processing operations, the countries of origin, and final destination of the data, and that countrys laws, rules, and security measures.5 These decisions are known as adequacy decisions.

While adequacy decisions were reached for a number of non-European countries in the years following the Data Privacy Directive adoption (including Andorra, Argentina, Canadian commercial organizations, the Faeroe Islands, Guernsey, Israel, the Isle of Man, Jersey, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Uruguay), the absence of a single, overarching data privacy and protection framework6 in the United States prevented it from receiving an adequacy decision under the Data Privacy Directive.

To ensure that the absence of an adequacy decision did not prevent the transfer of personal data between the EU and the United States, however, in 2000 both parties agreed on the Safe Harbor Privacy Principles. This agreement allowed U.S. companies to meet the adequate level of protection required by the Data Protection Directive by self-certifying annually to the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) that they adhered to certain data privacy requirements.7 The key principles of these requirements included: notice, choice, onward transfer, security, data integrity, access, and enforcement.

Although participation in Safe Harbor was open to any U.S. organization subject to regulation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Department of Transportation (DOT)for example, U.S. air carriers and ticket agents8it was not the only mechanism through which American organizations could transfer EU data to the United States. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC) approved by the European Commission and Binding Corporate Rules (BCR) were another option for multinational organizations. Moreover, the European data protection framework provides derogations under which data can always be transferred, such as: the performance of a contract, legal situations, and any time an organization has obtained the free and informed consent of the data subject. For example, this could include having the user accept the Terms of Service or privacy policy of a website or mobile app.

In principle, Safe Harbor required U.S. companies to self-regulate for privacy, while persistently failing to do so could potentially expose those companies to lawsuits in the United States and interrupt their EU-U.S. data flows. In fact, however, it would not be until an Austrian national, Maximillian Schrems, filed a lawsuit in Ireland in 2015 that Safe Harbor would come under review once again.

The U.S. Context

Although the U.S. Constitutions Fourth Amendment is often broadly construed as providing a right to privacy, the reality is that, unlike the EU, the United States does not have a single, overarching data privacy and protection framework.9 Instead, its data privacy laws are often described as a patchwork of federal and state statutes.10 In particular, the U.S. framework rests largely on the concept of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), which is similar but not nearly as comprehensive as the EU concept of personal data.

The U.S. Privacy Act of 1974, for example, addresses how the federal government should manage the personally identifiable information it possesses (such as Social Security numbers), while the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 extended government restrictions on telephone wiretapping to include computer transmission of electronic data. Yet for the most part, federal consumer privacy laws in the United States are almost exclusively industry-specific. For example, the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), along with its associated Privacy and Security Rules, places limits on who can access, share, and transfer many kinds of health data.11 In the education space, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) limits the ability of educational institutions to disclose information about a students educational record without the individuals consent (or parental consent, if the student is under eighteen years old).12 Individual U.S. states may also have more general privacy protections in place. For example, Section 1 of the State Constitution of California names privacy as one of individuals inalienable rights.13 In general, however, data collected and shared in the course of regular business operations not governed by these specific regulations is not considered private and can be freely bought, sold, and exchanged.

In general, U.S. officials and industry representatives contend that the U.S. approach is nimbler than the one-size-fits-all EU approach; they also argue that the U.S. approach promotes and sustains technological innovations by enabling companies to use personal data in innovative ways, unhindered by cumbersome data protection regulations. Privacy-related U.S. advocacy groups in the United States, on the other hand, have long expressed concerns with the inconsistencies of the U.S. approach, and continue to urge Congress to enact comprehensive data protection legislation.14

Failure of Safe Harbor

On October 6, 2015, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) declared the Safe Harbor invalid. This decision stemmed from the complaint brought to the Irish DPA by Austrian Maximillian Schrems, concerning the transfer of his data from Facebooks EU-based servers in Ireland to Facebooks servers in the United States.15 Schrems argued that the United States does not provide for an adequate level of data protection since U.S. authorities may access personal data that is transferred over to Facebooks U.S. servers.16 Initially, the Irish DPA dismissed the complaint, finding that it had no basis to evaluate the complaint since Facebook adhered to Safe Harbor.17 Schrems then took his claim to the Irish High Court, which referred the case to the CJEU.18

The CJEUs October 2015 decision declaring Safe Harbor invalid was based principally on the finding that Safe Harbor has too many loopholes.19 For example, Safe Harbor may not apply if national security, public interest or law enforcement requirements are at stake, all relatively vague conditions which may be broadly interpreted. Moreover, U.S. public authorities such as local and national law enforcement agencies were not required to comply with Safe Harbor requirements.20 The CJEU concluded that the Safe Harbor scheme therefore enables interference by U.S. authorities, in part because it does not refer to U.S. rules or effective legal protections for data subjects, such as the option of judicial redress.21

Safe Harbor 2.0: EU-U.S. Privacy Shield

The CJEUs ruling led to months of negotiations between the United States and the EU to replace Safe Harbor. On February 2, 2016, the European Commission and the U.S. Government reached a political agreement based on a new framework: the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. The Commission adopted the framework on July 12, 2016, and it became operational shortly thereafter on August 1, 2016.22 At that time, the European Commission also committed to reviewing the Privacy Shield on an annual basis, to determine if it continued to ensure an adequate level of protection for personal data.23

The Privacy Shield framework is substantially longer and more detailed than the Safe Harbor, and was designed in large part to address the prior agreements perceived shortcomings. While the changes are far-reaching, they focus on addressing three main areas of concern, specifically, the handling of Europeans personal data by U.S. companies, the placement of limits and restrictions on U.S. Government access to and sharing of Europeans data, and the creation of judicial redress options for EU citizens who believe their data has been misused. In addition, companies participating in the Privacy Shield commit to abiding by the following seven Privacy Principles, which expand on the principles laid out in the Safe Harbor Agreement: notice requirements, limits on use, opt-out choices, security assurances, access rights, rights of recourse and liability, and accountability for onward transfer.

Umbrella Agreement, Judicial Redress, and the Trump Administration

Foundational to the Privacy Shield negotiations were two key agreements: the Umbrella Agreement and the Judicial Redress Act of 2015. The Umbrella Agreement24 protects the personal data of European citizens when it is exchanged between U.S. and EU law enforcement authorities, while the Judicial Redress Act extends protections under the U.S. Privacy Act of 1974 to citizens of covered countries, a list whose membership the U.S. Attorney General has the discretion to amend. On January 23, 2017, then-U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch extended this list to include all EU countries.25

The efficacy of both these agreements and the Privacy Shield in general, however, became the subject of uncertainty and concern just two days later when, on January 25, 2017, President Trump issued an Executive Order for Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States.26 The Order requires, in part, that:

agencies shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, ensure that their privacy policies exclude persons who are not United States citizens or lawful permanent residents from the protections of the Privacy Act of 1974 regarding personally identifiable information.27

This raised questions about whether the Order undermined privacy protections addressed by the Privacy Shield.

The U.S. Department of Justice has assured that this Order will not affect the privacy rights extended to EU citizens under the Umbrella Agreement, Judicial Redress Act, and Privacy Shield, though privacy advocates argue that this Order represents a changed approach to privacy protections for non-U.S. citizens.28

The 2017 Privacy Shield Review

The European Commission report of the first Privacy Shield review was published in October 2017. According to the report, the Privacy Shield continues to ensure an adequate level of protection for the personal data transferred from the EU to participating companies in the United States.29 The report confirms the United States has the necessary structures and procedures in place to ensure proper functioning of the Privacy Shield, including options for redress.30 It does, however, offer several recommendations to ensure the Privacy Shields continued success, including:

More proactive and regular monitoring of companies compliance with their Privacy Shield obligations by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The U.S. Department of Commerce should also conduct regular searches for companies making false claims about their participation in the Privacy Shield. 31

More awareness-raising for EU individuals about how to exercise their rights under the Privacy Shield, notably on how to lodge complaints. 32

Closer cooperation between privacy enforcers, i.e. the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Federal Trade Commission, and the EU Data Protection Authorities (DPAs), notably to develop guidance for companies and enforcers. 33

Enshrining the protection for non-Americans offered by Presidential Policy Directive 28 (PPD-28), as part of the ongoing debate in the U.S. on the reauthorization and reform of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). 34

To appoint as soon as possible a permanent Privacy Shield Ombudsperson, as well as ensuring the empty posts are filled on the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB). 35

The WP29 also conducted a review of the Privacy Shield in November 2017,36 and outlined many of the same concerns, prioritizing the nomination of PCLOB members and of a Privacy Shield Ombudsperson, as well as legal protections for the privacy of EU citizens in U.S. law and demanding that they be resolved by May 25, 2018, when the GDPR enters into force. Thus, despite the relatively positive review of the Privacy Shield, concerns and uncertainty remain as the GDPRs enforcement date approaches.





GDPR: Overview, Structure, and Governance

The first version of what would become the GDPR was released by the European Commission on January 25, 2012,37 as a proposal designed to put individuals in control of their own data and reinforce legal and practical certainty for economic operators and public authorities.38 The goal of the GDPR is to work toward a Digital Single Market by harmonizing and strengthening data privacy laws across Europe, thereby reshaping the way organizations across the region (and beyond) approach data privacy.39 Arguably, the most significant aspect of the GDPR is that it also applies to any company that handles the data of EU residents, wherever they are located:40

The GDPR will apply to the processing of personal data by controllers and processors in the EU, regardless of whether the processing takes place in the EU or not. The GDPR will also apply to the processing of personal data of data subjects in the EU by a controller or processor not established in the EU, where the activities relate to: offering goods and services to EU citizens (irrespective of whether payment is required) and the monitoring of behavior that takes place within the EU. Non-EU businesses processing the data of EU citizens will also have to appoint a representative in the EU.

Moreover, the fact that the GDPR is a regulation makes it immediately binding upon all Member States in its entirety. This stands in contrast to its predecessor, the Data Protection Directive, which had to be implemented separately by Member States. The GDPR will enter in force on May 25, 2018.41

Data Collection Model and Requirements

The GDPR does not, of course, simply prohibit the collection or use of individuals data by companies. While the general model for data collection under the GDPR can be broadly construed as informed consent, the GDPR spells out in substantial detail how (and when) consent must be obtained, and places important limits on how personal data can be stored and transferred. Likewise, the GDPR requires certain companies to appoint Data Protection Officers (DPOs), specific individuals who are responsible for ensuring and demonstrating compliance. In addition, it provides concrete avenues for individuals to file complaints about data misuse, and outlines the procedures by which such complaints will be evaluated and resolved.

Though the GDPR expands on many of the provisions of the Data Protection Directive, it also adds many new rules and concepts, including principles governing the processing of personal data, new rights for data subjects, more obligations for data controllers and processors, and provisions regarding redress.

Principles governing the processing of personal data

Accountability: the GDPR provides that the controller shall be responsible for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with [the principles related to processing of personal data] (GDPR, 5). The designation of a Data Protection Officer, the conduct of audits, or the publication of Data Protection Impact Assessments for the most sensitive information all go toward this principle of accountability.

the GDPR provides that the controller shall be responsible for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with [the principles related to processing of personal data] (GDPR, 5). The designation of a Data Protection Officer, the conduct of audits, or the publication of Data Protection Impact Assessments for the most sensitive information all go toward this principle of accountability. Child protection: the GDPR includes the necessity to receive authorization from the holder of parental responsibility over the child, when the child is below sixteen years oldor thirteen years old in certain jurisdictions (GDPR, 8).

Rights of the data subject

User interface: the information related to data processing should be concise, transparent, intelligible and easily accessible form, using clear and plain language (GDPR, 12).

the information related to data processing should be concise, transparent, intelligible and easily accessible form, using clear and plain language (GDPR, 12). Right to erasure: the GDPR includes a right to obtain from the controller the erasure of personal data concerning him or her without undue delay (GDPR, 17).

the GDPR includes a right to obtain from the controller the erasure of personal data concerning him or her without undue delay (GDPR, 17). Data portability: the GDPR includes a right to receive the personal data concerning him or her, which he or she has provided to a controller, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and have the right to transmit those data to another controller without hindrance from the controller to which the personal data have been provided (GDPR, 20).

the GDPR includes a right to receive the personal data concerning him or her, which he or she has provided to a controller, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and have the right to transmit those data to another controller without hindrance from the controller to which the personal data have been provided (GDPR, 20). Automated decision-making opt-out: the GDPR includes a right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produces legal effects concerning him or her or similarly significantly affects him or her (GDPR, 22).

Obligations for data controllers and processors

Privacy by design: the GDPR provides that data protection should be protected by design (implement appropriate technical and organizational measures, such as pseudonymisation, which are designed to implement data-protection principles, such as data minimisation, in an effective manner and to integrate the necessary safeguards into the processing) and by default (only personal data which are necessary for each specific purpose of the processing are processed. (. . .) In particular, such measures shall ensure that by default personal data are not made accessible without the individuals intervention to an indefinite number of natural persons (GDPR, 25).

the GDPR provides that data protection should be protected by design (implement appropriate technical and organizational measures, such as pseudonymisation, which are designed to implement data-protection principles, such as data minimisation, in an effective manner and to integrate the necessary safeguards into the processing) and by default (only personal data which are necessary for each specific purpose of the processing are processed. (. . .) In particular, such measures shall ensure that by default personal data are not made accessible without the individuals intervention to an indefinite number of natural persons (GDPR, 25). Data breach notification: the GDPR provides that the controller shall without undue delay and, where feasible, not later than 72 hours after having become aware of it, notify the personal data breach to the supervisory authority. (. . .) Where the notification to the supervisory authority is not made within 72 hours, it shall be accompanied by reasons for the delay (GDPR, 33).

Provisions for redress

Compensation and liability: the GDPR gives any person who has suffered material or non-material damage as a result of an infringement of this Regulation (. . .) the right to receive compensation from the controller or processor for the damage suffered, under the following conditions: Any controller involved in processing shall be liable for the damage caused by processing which infringes this Regulation. A processor shall be liable for the damage caused by processing only where it has not complied with obligations of this Regulation specifically directed to processors or where it has acted outside or contrary to lawful instructions of the controller (GDPR, 82).

the GDPR gives any person who has suffered material or non-material damage as a result of an infringement of this Regulation (. . .) the right to receive compensation from the controller or processor for the damage suffered, under the following conditions:



Changes in Enforcement Mechanisms

As with the Data Protection Directive, the key actors for the enforcement of the GDPR are the national Data Protection Authorities (DPAs), which have significantly more power than they did previously. For example, under the GDPR, DPAs can levy fines of up to twenty million euros or four percent of annual global turnover, whichever is higher. Previously, national DPAs like the French CNIL were only able to levy a maximum fine of 300,000 euros.

Classes of administrative fines

The GDPR also creates two categories of administrative fines. Depending on the nature, gravity and duration of the infringement, its intentional or negligent character, any action taken by the controller or processor to mitigate the damage suffered, as well as the degree of cooperation with the supervisory authority, and whether notification was done properly, the GDPR outlines two tiers of penalty:

The first tier can be subject to fines up to 10 000 000 EUR, or (. . .) up to two percent of the total worldwide annual turnover of the preceding financial year, whichever is higher. This category includes infringements of the following provisions by the controller and the processor: Childs consent

Data protection by design and by default

The responsibilities of the Data Protection Officer

The obligations of organizations related to certification schemes The second tier can be subject to fines up to 20 000 000 EUR, or (. . .) up to four percent of the total worldwide annual turnover of the preceding financial year, whichever is higher. This category includes infringements of the following provisions by the controller and the processor: The basic principles for lawful processing of personal data, including conditions for consent and the provisions for special categories of personal data

The rights of the data subject, as defined in the Regulation

The obligations in the case of an international transfer of personal data

In the case of non-compliance with an order by a DPA to suspend processings of personal data or data flows, as well as a failure to provide access to all information required by the DPAs, including access to the premises and equipments

Lead supervisory authorities

The GDPR also creates a lead supervisory authority for every organization established in the EU, which corresponds to the country where the organization has its main establishment (in most cases, its headquarters). While data subjects will be able to file complaints in their own Member State (as well as States where they work or suspect the infringement occurred), the lead supervisory authority of the company will always have the option of ruling, or delegating to the non-lead authority where the complaint was filed. This gives companies a one-stop shop for data protection issues, while giving the citizens the option to file their complaints in their home country. DPAs will also be able to pursue infringement actions on their own accord. Organizations subject to the GDPR that do not, however, have an EU establishment will be required to deal with the supervisory authority of any member state in which a complaint is filed. A full map of the complaint process follows.42





The GDPRs Impact on the Media Industry

No one in the news business needs to be told that nearly everything about the process of producing, distributing, and funding journalism has changed dramatically over the past twenty years. Yet arguably one of the most challenging aspects of the digital transformation has been its impact on the advertising ecosystem, and on publishers roles within it.

In a print-dominated journalism landscape, publishers were a requisite intermediary in the two-sided market between advertisers and consumers: publishers gathered readership and advertisers paid to reach these audiences. In addition to providing a channel for advertising, however, in a print-based world publishers had an effective monopoly on the data about their readers, as well as on the access to them. Through subscription data and direct surveys, publishers collected and controlled the vast majority of reader data, which, combined with the relatively limited amount of available ad real estate available in print publications, created a premium market for advertising alongside traditional journalism. The rise of the web, of course, broke these models in multiple ways.

As speciality sites rose to prominence (Craigslist being an oft-cited example), they siphoned off standing streams of revenue that had demanded little investment or ongoing development from publishers. In mid-2003, the constraints on available ad space were shattered by the launch of both WordPress and Googles AdSense43the former making organized, visually appealing web publishing accessible to non-programmers at little or no cost, and the latter allowing even small websites to place contextual advertising alongside their content. For the first time, advertisers were able to reach audiences without going through media publishers.

Moreover, with the 2005 launch of Google Analytics44 and its subsequent purchase of DoubleClick in 2008,45 publishers control over audience data also began to erode. This process was accelerated by the launch of Facebook Marketplace (2009) and even by organizations like BuzzFeed, which in 2010 made its viral dashboard available to other publishers (including partners like Time, Fox News, and Huffington Post46) in exchange for their organizations audience data. With these, the intermediary function that publishers played as data brokers between advertisers and audiences was lost. As the CEO of one online data-brokerage site told Julia Angwin at The Wall Street Journal in 2010, Advertisers want to buy access to people, not Web pages.47

Today, it is difficult for publishers to compete with advertising networks on the market for online advertising because they control only a fraction of both the advertising space and their audience data. The result is that there are essentially four players in the internet data and advertising ecosystem:

Platforms (such as Google and Facebook), which collect both original data provided directly by consumers (in the form of shares, web searches, and the like) in addition to operating advertising networks Ad networks, which typically collect incidental data (e.g., web-browsing activity) and place ads Advertisers, which collect little data and rely on both ad networks and platforms to conduct data-collection and targeting on their behalf Publishers, which create and host content where ads are served

While arguments about platform versus publisher designations surely abound,48 49 50 the GDPR defines actors responsibilities under the regulation not by these categories, but by their role in handling personal data: either as controllers or as processors. In short, data controllers (of which there may be more than one) determine why data is being collected, while data processors are only in charge of the processing. Crucially for media organizations, data controllers are in charge of ensuring that data processors abide by the consent of users throughout the data life-cycle. This is a new responsibility that publishers will have to adopt: they will be in charge of ensuring that every organization processing data collected on their website does so for purposes compatible with the purposes for which it was collected.

Who is a controller? Who is a processor?

According to the GDPR a controller is:

the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data (GDPR, 4 [7]).

By contrast, a processor is:

a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller (GDPR, 4 [8]).

Given the above definitions, of course, whether a particular organization is a controller or a processor in a given situation is not always obviousand in certain situations a single organization may be a controller, a processor, or both, depending on the particular data collected and how it is used. For example:

Case 1: Direct marketing/in-house ads

If a news organization collects personal information from subscribers that is then processed by the marketing team for sales purposes, the news organization would be both controller (i.e., the party deciding what gets collected and how it is used) and the processor (because it is also doing the analysis in-house).

Case 2: Publishers contract third-party services

For example, if a news organization uses third-party services such as MailChimp to manage and send a newsletter, MailChimp would be a processor, since its services involve hosting, accessing, and querying data that the news organization (the controller) has decided to collect and use.

Case 3: Publishers sell ad space on their websites

In many cases, news organizations host third-party content (such as digital advertisements) that collects data about visitors. Although in some ways it is the ad network that determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data, in this circumstance the news organization is at least one controller of the data because it technically has the option of not providing any data to the ad network, though clearly at the cost of ad revenue. In most of these cases, however, the ad network itself is also both a controller and a processor. As a result, news organizations and digital ad networks may often be joint controllers (GDPR, 26).

In almost every circumstance, then, news organizations are at least data controllers, if not also data processors. What this means is that news organizations that target content or services to EU residents will need to plan carefully how they collect, handle, and share any information about their readers. Given news organizations direct relationships with their readers, we posit that well-prepared news organizations may actually benefit from the GDPR, especially relative to other actors in the space.

Impact on Platforms, News Organizations, and Ad Networks

Arguably, the GDPR will have the largest impact on platforms, for whom the rules requiring that consent be freely given by a clear affirmative act (GDPR, 32) and limits on further processing of data may reduce their ability to accumulate long-term profiles about individuals, as well as use what data they do have for ancillary purposes.

This is particularly likely given the very specific way in which the GDPR determines whether consent is, in fact, freely given. Specifically, the regulation states that consent is not freely given if the data subject has no genuine or free choice or is unable to refuse or withdraw consent without detriment (GDPR, 42). Similarly, the regulation does not view consent as freely given if the provision of a service . . . is conditional on consent to the processing of personal data that is not necessary for the performance of that contract (GDPR, 7 [4]). Thus, any free app or service that is, in fact, monetized through the use or resale of personal data (especially unrelated to the specific service being provided) will only be successful to the extent that it can persuade users to actively consent to such uses.

Further complicating the landscape for large platforms in particular are the logistical challenges posed by the GDPRs right to access provisions, which give data subjects far-reaching rights around the personal data held about them by companies. For example, the GDPR specifies that data subjects have the right to an electronic method for requesting, free of charge, access to and rectification or erasure of personal data (GDPR, 59). The regulation then goes on to specify that these requests should be fulfilled without undue delay, but more specifically, within one month (GDPR, 59).

These provisions may raise particular challenges for companies that aggregate data for the purposes of analysis, during which a direct connection between the data subject and the data itself may, under current systems, no longer be explicitly maintained. In fact, such processes help comply with the GDPRs mandate for privacy by design (GDPR, 78; GDPR, 25).

Yet removing explicit identifiers (such as name, address, handle, or user ID, etc.) may also not be enough to ensure that aggregated data is no longer considered personal data under the GDPR, which treats as personal data any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (GDPR, 4). As both substantial reporting and academic research have shown, truly de-identifying data is not a simple task. For example, in 2000, Harvard professor Latanya Sweeney demonstrated that eighty-seven percent of the U.S. population could be uniquely identified using a combination of their gender, birth date, and five-digit zip code; in 2006, researchers Arvind Narayanan and Vitaly Shmatikov demonstrated that the Netflix prize dataset could be used to identify individual users, despite the removal of identifying information.51 52 53 In the decade since, thanks in part to the volume and prevalence of online information, the ability to re-identify individuals using data that has no explicit identifiers has only grown, and has been frequently highlighted in the press using data sets like taxi rides54 55 56 and online browsing histories,57 among others.

This raises the question of whether the GDPRs right to erasure and correction will require companies to maintain these links in some form or simply discard data more promptly. Either way, these regulations imply serious technical and business-practice overhauls that are likely to be felt more acutely by companies whose business models are built on large-scale data collection and analysis.

News organizations

Although news organizations do collect and process personal data, the majority of GDPR-relevant personal data collection by news organizations is done via their websites or apps for advertising purposesand this data is often not retained by the news organization itself. However, since, as we explained, news organization are at minimum a joint controller of such data, they will be responsible both for obtaining consent from data subjects and for ensuring that the data handling processes of any vendors with whom they contract (e.g., online advertising networks) are compliant with the regulation. To the extent that news organizations do collect and store such information for internal purposes, of course, they will be responsible for its proper processing as well.

On the one hand, these requirements suggest significant new burdens for news organizations that may not currently have well-defined processes or oversight for the handling of such data. For example, many news organizations may not even have a comprehensive inventory of all of the companies that are collecting personal data on their websites and what those companies are doing with that data. As one editor from Le Monde told us: On any page, youll find between five and fifteen ad trackers and you try to find out . . . what theyre collecting and what theyre doing with the data . . . And some of them just dont say.

Indeed, recent research indicates that perhaps most website owners doand potentially cannoteffectively audit the trackers and other materials that are loaded on their sites. A recent post from Princeton researcher Arvind Narayanan and his colleagues detailed which websites may potentially host session replay scripts,58 which record user interactions on websites as if they were looking over your shoulder. Among the sites that may load such services are realclearpolitics.com, cbsnews.com, and others. In addition to being able to capture data like passwords and other personal information,59 these scripts often cannot be effectively detected by site owners.60 Under the GDPR, news organizations will be responsible for ensuring that any third-party scripts or advertisements loaded by their pages comply with the regulations requirements, or risk liability for the mishandling of audience data, essentially putting a due diligence requirement on website owners to clean their websites and make sure that no third parties are tracking users, with or without the owners knowledge.

One particular topic of concern is that the GDPR requires that consent be obtained from site visitors before any data is collected about them. If enforced strictly, news organizations may have to rethink the timing and placement of advertisements and other scripts on some of the most valuable ad real estate they have: the homepage. In conversations with the CNIL (the French DPA), for example, Le Monde editors said they were struggling to devise a plan for their homepage that would satisfy the regulation without cutting homepage traffic and ad revenue off at the knees. While many European sites currently use small pop-up notices to inform readers that a site uses cookies (as part of their compliance with the Data Privacy Directive), the CNIL has indicated that this may not qualify as genuine consent under the GDPR, since some ads may be loaded (and data collected) before the required consent click has taken place. As a result, a more radical solution, such as a roadblock consent agreement or splash page for new users, might be required. However, as a Le Monde editor described it:

Basically, [a splash page is] what CNIL would like all of us to do because in theirin their opinion, [its] the only way to make sure that the proper consent is given. And, of course, no French editor wants to do this because you know that if you do that youll have fifteen or maybe twenty percent of your traffic that will disappear.

Moreover, its unclear as yet whether consent to data-collection can be made the price of access to a site; while the European IAB has interpreted the GDPR as allowing this,61 other organizations disagree.62 Regardless, publishers who are already reluctant to put up paywalls may be understandably hesitant to demand that users consent to tracking instead. Either way, the risk to homepage ad revenue could be serious, especially given the importance of those ads to publishers revenue streams. As a Le Monde editor put it: [Homepage ads are] the ones you sell at the highest price. You cant cut them unless youre willing to take [something like a] forty percent drop in your ad revenue.

Yet as tricky as GDPR compliance will be, compared to other businesses news organizations may, on balance, actually gain from the new regulation. Because all organizations will need to obtain consent in order to collect data, the direct and trusted relationship with consumers that news organizations have (or can repair) may help them obtain this consent more readily, giving them a valuable edge over ad networks that lack name recognition, or even large platforms about whom users may be conflicted.

Chris Pedigo, a senior vice president for Digital Content Nexta trade organization for digital content companies including the Associated Press, Bloomberg, the Financial Times, Hearst, and The Washington Postbelieves that media companies will be in a favorable position, especially as compared to their platform and ad network counterparts:

Think about, you know, a publisher like The New York Times. They tend to want to know more about their audience so that they can see how they use the site, so they can recommend other articles that they might be interested in, remember a customer when they come back . . . [but] thats the sort of extent of it . . . But even if you had to go to a customer and say, you know, Hey, we would like consent to track you while youre on our site so we can recommend other articles for you, so that we can remember you when you come back to visit us, mostmost people are going to say thats fine. They get that relationship with The New York Times.

By contrast, said Pedigo, platform companies like Google and Facebook will have a harder time getting consumers consent under the GDPR because theyll have to list out all the reasons that they want to track the consumer. Many of these reasons may include the types of activities that consumers feel are simply an invasion of privacy,63 making them less likely to agree. Moreover, given the limited revenue that publishers actually garner from these platforms,64 publishers may choose to hold on to the audience data they do collect, and attempt to strike more favorable terms than they currently provide.

An editor at The Guardian shared a similar view, saying, I think some publishers are more positive than others about the impact that the GDPR will have because, in theory, you just have more trust in news brand websites than . . . any other websites.

Advertisers

Perhaps the sector that will face the most challenges under the GDPR will be the third-party ad networks that are not already part of one of the large platform companies (e.g., Google, Facebook). As of 2017, Google and Facebook claim seventy-seven cents of every dollar spent on digital advertising in the United States, with no other single company claiming even as much as three percent of the total market share.65 While the GDPR may hinder some of these companies data collection and/or sharing activities, the regulation may well squeeze smaller advertising networks even more, potentially magnifying the dominance of this duopoly in online advertising. These smaller ad networks, for example, typically lack the direct consumer relationships needed to secure consent from users on their own behalf, but may also find that media publishers and other website hosts are reluctant to ask for user consent for the broad range and volume of data that these advertisers can presently access without hindrance. Without access to the data on which they currently rely, smaller advertising networks may be simply cut out of the online market altogether unless they can find a way to gain some advantage over the platforms in compliance, user-friendliness, or rates. In this environment, platform companies and website hostssuch as media companiesthat have a brand-name relationship to their users are likely to have more success in persuading individuals to give up their information, and therefore may have increased power in the advertising market under the GDPR.

Other Concerns for News Organizations

While the impact of the GDPR on both business processes and revenue streams is understandably the focus for many companies, the impact for news organizations which rely on information gathered about people to do their work may have other ramifications.

Journalistic data gathering and retention

While the GDPR does explicitly note that exemptions should be made for data processed solely for journalistic purposes, and that it is essential to interpret artistic, academic, and journalistic activities broadly (GDPR, 153), some journalists are still concerned about the impact that data subjects right to erasure, for example, may pose to newsgathering. As one Guardian editor put it: I think from a journalism perspective, if you had to get rid of data that you processed after a certain amount of time, you [might] lose . . . long-term investigations.

Although the GDPR does provide a public interest exception when it comes to the removal and erasure of information, it explicitly stipulates this only in the case of official documents. Instead, the GDPR specifies exemptions on any data processing required for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information (GDPR, 17 [3]), but these are left up to the Member States to define and implement (GDPR, 153). Thus, there is the possibility for uneven interpretations of these exemptions from country to country.

The Right to Be Forgotten

When the Right to be Forgotten (RTBF) was established in Europe in March 2014, many in the news industry feared that the result would have a chilling effect on both news gathering and publishing.66 Yet in the three years since it was enacted, research suggests that the impact of the Right to Be Forgotten on access to news information has, in fact, been minimal.67 Though the GDPR unsurprisingly enshrines this right, it also modifies the methods of redress in ways that some experts fear may ultimately be problematic for freedom of expression.

In the landmark RTBF case, Google Spain v. AEPD and Mario Costeja Gonzalez, the courts rejected the idea that the news publisher should be forced to take down content.68 Google was, however, ultimately forced to remove links to the specified material in some of its search results. With the increased penalties imposed by the GDPR for failing to delist content in a timely way, some scholars fear that digital intermediaries (such as social media sites) will be too quick to comply with removal requests once the GDPR is in effect, which may chill online speech by placing liability concernsand stiff financial repercussionsahead of the freedom of information and expression rights of other parties that might be affected.

As Daphne Keller, director of Intermediary Liability at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society, explains in her recent paper, The Right Tools: Europes Intermediary Liability Laws and the 2016 General Data Protection Regulation: Even Data Protection experts cant say for sure how the GDPR answers hugely consequential questions, like whether hosting platforms must carry out RTBF removals.69

Keller also points out that different interpretations exist as to whether hosts like Facebook or Twitter are, indeed, engaging in the kind of data indexing and profiling described in the Google Spain case, which was the foundation of the order requiring Google to delist content. As Keller notes, however:

Another possible interpretation is that hosts trigger RTBF obligations when they let users search hosted content for names, generating a search result profile based on content stored on the hosts servers. If that were correct, and if Twitter were a Controller, it would not have to delete my tweet about Matilda Humperdinkbut it might have to delist it from results in the Twitters search box.

Keller thus highlights an important issue that may arise: the path of least resistance for content hosts would be to avoid both fines and additional scrutiny by removing reported material inconspicuously, without acknowledging any Controller status or legal obligation, [and] by classing the removal as voluntary. An obvious potential consequence of this is that even valid content may be hidden from view, even in cases where the complaints themselves are substantially invalid.

However, while delisting does make it harder to access this content, the WP29 guidelines on the implementation of this RTBF clearly state that the original information will still be accessible using other search terms [that the data subjects name], or by direct access to the publishers original source,70 which reduces the impact of systematic removal by content hosts.

Keller also addresses a second potential issue: a threat to freedom of expression. She argues that relying on the existing Intermediary Liability laws under the eCommerce Directive for notice-and-takedown and absolving content hosts of any Right to be Forgotten obligations would be effective in mitigating the risks that the GDPR currently poses to freedom of expression. While the RTBF clearly has not had the impact on freedom of expression that some of its opponents thought it would, it is currently unclear how some GDPR provisions will be interpreted and enforced.

In this respect, despite its nature as a Regulation and not a Directive, the GDPR relies on DPAs for enforcement. While the network of DPAs has been preparing to cooperate and coordinate post-May 25, 2018, logistical challenges still remain. The road to EU-wide consistent enforcement of the GDPR is uncertain.





Preparing for Enforcement

Who is affected?

As noted throughout this report, the GDPR applies to all organizations offering goods and services to individuals in Europe, regardless of whether or not the service requires payment (GDPR, 23), or whether the organization has a physical presence in the EU. At the same time, the fact that a website or service is available to EU residents is insufficient to trigger governance by the GDPR:

The mere accessibility of the controllers, processors or an intermediarys website in the Union, of an email address or of other contact details, or the use of a language generally used in the third country where the controller is established, is insufficient to ascertain [applicability]; factors such as the use of a language or a currency generally used in one or more Member States with the possibility of ordering goods and services in that other language, or the mentioning of customers or users who are in the Union, may make it apparent that the controller envisages offering goods or services to data subjects in the Union (GDPR, 23).

In other words, virtually any media organization with content directed toward European audiences might be considered liable for enforcement under the GDPR, especially if subscriptions are offered within the EU (whether or not a subscription requires payment, or is mandatory for access to all content).

Who can complain?

As illustrated in Figure 1, there are actually multiple parties that can file a complaint under the GDPR. In addition to an individual whose data is being collected (the data subject), supervisory authorities can initiate complaints as well. Moreover, the GDPR does allow for a kind of class action suit, in which a data subject may:

mandate a not-for-profit body, organisation or association . . . to lodge a complaint on his or her behalf with a supervisory authority, [and] exercise the right to a judicial remedy on behalf of data subjects or, if provided for in Member State law, exercise the right to receive compensation on behalf of data subjects (GDPR, 142).



Obtaining Consent

While the GDPR does not specify particular mechanisms for obtaining consent, the regulation stipulates that consent must be obtained before any data is collected. As previously noted, in practical terms this may mean requiring a splash page for organizations that have ads on the homepage, or delaying the display of ads until consent has been obtained. While it is not yet clear whether such extreme measures will be required, it is worth noting that the notion of consent under the GDPR is far broader and more nuanced than U.S. organizations might expect.

For example, the regulation requires that:

Consent should be given by a clear affirmative act establishing a freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subjects agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her (GDPR, 32)

While this may seem straightforward enough, the regulation is extremely particular about what constitutes freely given consent. For example:

Consent should not be regarded as freely given if the data subject has no genuine or free choice or is unable to refuse or withdraw consent without detriment (GDPR, 42).

Finally, it states:

When assessing whether consent is freely given, utmost account shall be taken of whether, inter alia, the performance of a contract, including the provision of a service, is conditional on consent to the processing of personal data that is not necessary for the performance of that contract (GDPR, 7 [4]).

In other words, the GDPR puts significant limits on the ability of companies to collect data from users that is not directly related to the provision of the service being offereda regular practice of many apps.71 72 73 74

The regulation also describes the manner in which consent must be obtained. Given that most people do not read privacy policies75 (perhaps because they do not have time76), the regulation stipulates that:

The request for consent shall be presented in a manner which is clearly distinguishable from the other matters, in an intelligible and easily accessible form, using clear and plain language. Any part of such a declaration which constitutes an infringement of this Regulation shall not be binding (GDPR, 7 [2]).

In other words, requests for consent cannot be obfuscated within long illegible terms and conditions full of legalese.77

Withdrawing consent

Embedded within the consent provisions of the GDPR is the requirement that just as companies must obtain consent to collect data, they must provide an equally easy method for withdrawing consent:

The data subject shall have the right to withdraw his or her consent at any time . . . It shall be as easy to withdraw consent as to give it (GDPR, 7 [3]).

Yet while withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal (GDPR, 7 [3]):

a data subject should have the right to have his or her personal data erased and no longer processed where . . . a data subject has withdrawn his or her consent (GDPR, 65).

From a data management perspective, this requirement presents a fundamental departure from prior practice, especially in the United States. For example, when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) revised the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) in 2012, it explicitly exempted from the (then) newly introduced parental consent requirements any data (including images or videos of children, or audio of their voices) collected before the rule went into effect on July 1, 2013.78 Under the GDPR, once a user has withdrawn consent, no further processing of their data may take place, even if collected prior to the withdrawal, which might force companies to audit their data centers for such data.

The potential technical challenges to complying with the consent withdrawal process, moreover, are significant. As previously discussed, the association between a given piece of data and the person to whom it pertains may not be maintained in many existing data storage systems, and relying on the removal of explicit identifiers to maintain privacy may be materially insufficient under the GDPR. Given that the GDPR considers personal data to be any data which could be attributed to a natural person [including] by the use of additional information (GDPR, 26), the impact on technical systems that are not designed to easily identify and erase the data of a particular individual could be significant.

This is even truer for larger systems, where backup copies of data may be kept in multiple locations (including cold backups in offsite warehouses) in order to protect against power loss, data corruption, or simply to improve system performance. For the managers of such systems, the imperative to both withdraw consent and allow erasure (discussed in the next section) has far-reaching business implications.

Handling Breaches, Access, Erasure, and Portability

In addition to the broad scope of the organizations and data types that are governed by the GDPR, the regulation provides detailed stipulations about how data must be handled once it has been collected.

Breaches

According to the GDPR, a personal data breach constitutes:

a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data transmitted, stored or otherwise processed (GDPR, 4 [12]).

Given the relatively broad definition of personal data under the GDPR, these breach notification requirements apply to a much greater volume of incidents than in the United States. For example, though breach notification laws vary from state to state, they often apply only to data that contains some kind of account or ID number, such as drivers license, credit card, debit card or social security number, or data that permits access to accounts (such as passwords and security questions).79

The GDPR also places much more stringent time requirements on notifying both authorities and consumers about personal data breaches. In any case where a breach is deemed to pose a risk for the rights and freedoms of individuals,80 the notification must be made within seventy-two hours of its discovery, unless early disclosure could unnecessarily hamper the investigation of the circumstances of a personal data breach (GDPR, 88). By contrast, only a handful of U.S. states even specify a time frame, with those that do allowing from thirty to ninety days.81 To cite a recent example, Ubers disclosure of a data breach more than a year after it took place would almost certainly be a violation of the GDPR and would leave the company open to hefty fines.82

Right to access, data portability, and transfer

In line with the right to withdraw consent, the GDPR also stipulates that data subjects be given the right to access and, where applicable, correct any data held about them:

Modalities should be provided . . . to request and, if applicable, obtain, free of charge, in particular, access to and rectification or erasure of personal data and the exercise of the right to object (GDPR, 59).

Moreover, an electronic means for making these requests must be provided, and:

The controller should be obliged to respond to requests from the data subject without undue delay and at the latest within one month (GDPR, 59).

In addition to being able to access and correct their data via electronic means, under the GDPR data subjects must also be able to retrieve any data that is processed via automated means in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable and interoperable format (GDPR, 68). Moreover:

The data subject shall . . . have the right to transmit those data to another controller without hindrance from the [original] controller . . . the data subject shall have the right to have the personal data transmitted directly from one controller to another, where technically feasible (GDPR, 20 [12]).

To support this, the GDPR encourages the development of such interoperable formats, but little guidance is offered as to how this should be approached.

Right of erasure/Right to Be Forgotten

The GDPR also uses Right to Be Forgotten language to describe its erasure stance, which requires that individuals be given:

the right to erasure should also be extended in such a way that a controller who has made the personal data public should be obliged to inform the controllers which are processing such personal data to erase any links to, or copies or replications of those personal data (GDPR, 66).

Importantly, this informing of other controllers may also explicitly include technical measures (GDPR, 17 [2]), such as automated notification or, presumably, programmatic flags or notices.

Demonstrating Compliance

There is, of course, no one-size-fits-all solution to GDPR compliance. It would be unrealistic to suggest that compliance requires less than a comprehensive examination of an organizations data collection, handling, storage, and retention practices. For organizations whose data-analysis activities are large-scale and central to their business (read: platforms companies, though media companies that do significant data analysis and cross-targeting might potentially qualify), the GDPR requires the appointment of a Data Protection Officer (DPO) who must be provided with sufficient access, independence, and resources to monitor and ensure compliance with the GDPR within the company. Crucially, in its accountability provision, the GDPR stipulates that controllers need to be demonstrably compliant with the law (GDPR 5 [2]).

For other organizations, sufficient guidance should be available via the Data Protection Board, whose composition, authority, and duties are also laid out in the GDPR.

Compliance, then, is essentially a matter of identifying the risks to personal data within an organization and the best practices for mitigating those risks, followed by the implementation of approved codes of conduct, approved certifications, guidelines provided by the Board or indications provided by the Data Protection Officer (GDPR, 77). Exactly what those codes of conduct, certifications, and other guidelines will be remains to be seen, but organizations would do well to stay aware of the Data Protection Boards proceedings on these topics.

Privacy by design

While the current dearth of approved policies and codes of conduct may seem daunting, documentation of efforts to meet the above-mentioned requirements with respect to consent and data rights will no doubt play a role in any evaluation of potential violations, especially in the early days of the regulations enforcement. To support this, the GDPR advocates a general approach of privacy by designa methodology which stipulates that privacy considerations be represented at every stage of design and engineering processes. In the language of the GDPR:

Such measures could consist, inter alia, of minimising the processing of personal data, pseudonymising personal data as soon as possible, transparency with regard to the functions and processing of personal data, enabling the data subject to monitor the data processing, enabling the controller to create and improve security features (GDPR, 78).

Data minimization, moreover, might include:

technical and organisational measures for ensuring that, by default, only personal data which are necessary for each specific purpose of the processing are processed . . . In particular, such measures shall ensure that by default personal data are not made accessible without the individuals intervention to an indefinite number of natural persons (GDPR, 25 [2]).

Certification bodies

The Data Protection Board may designate certification bodies that are authorized to certify specific processes and practices, and may also:

adopt implementing acts laying down technical standards for certification mechanisms and data protection seals and marks, and mechanisms to promote and recognise those certification mechanisms, seals and marks (GDPR, 43 [9]).

The criteria for accrediting such certification bodies will be made public and transparent (GDPR, 43 [6]) by the Data Protection Board.

Deploying New Technologies

Like most regulations, the specifics of the GDPR are designed to address the data privacy and control issues presented by current technologies. However, just as data collected before the adoption of the GDPR is not exempt from its rules (such as the right of erasure or withdrawal of consent), the regulation stipulates that the impact of new technologies on data rights be evaluated before they are deployed. Specifically:

Where a type of processing in particular using new technologies . . . is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, the controller shall, prior to the processing, carry out an assessment of the impact of the envisaged processing operations on the protection of personal data (GDPR, 35 [1]).

Though at first glance this may seem like a straightforward requirement, the reality is that evaluating the privacy implications of a new process is far from a simple proposition, and identifying privacy-preserving ways to perform tasks like large-scale computation and data analysis remains an area of active computer-science research.83 84) While GDPR compliance may realistically slow the deployment of new data-analysis technologies, it may simultaneously spur more active research and development in the areas of privacy- and security-related technology.





Conclusion

There is no doubt that GDPR compliance will have a radical impact on the operations and business practices of any organization that deals with data about people, which in todays web-driven environment means virtually every organization imaginable. While news organizations and media companies whose work makes them subject to the GDPR will certainly have some changes to make, the most substantial impact will be felt by technology platforms and advertising companies, whose cross-purpose data use and complex user relationships will likely complicate the process of obtaining consent for the types of business practices upon which some of their revenue streams currently depend.

Of course, any fallout for platforms and advertisers will necessarily have an impact on media companies, many of whom rely on the reach and revenue that these industries provide in order to disseminate and support their work. Yet on balance, the regulation may ultimately strengthen the position of news organizations that have strong relationships with their audiences, and may even partially restore news organizations role as intermediaries for reader data. This would then allow news organizations to more selectively (and profitably) share this data with advertisers and/or platforms companies. Thus, while the direct impact of the GDPR on news gathering is likely to be minimal, media organizations with European audiences would do well to not only prepare themselves to be compliant with the regulation, but to avoid business decisions that may be profitable in the short term at the cost of reader trust, clearly a reinforced asset post-GDPR.

For media companies without a substantial EU audience, of course, the implications of the GDPR are less clear. Yet while non-EU-facing news organizations will not have to immediately concern themselves with GDPR compliance in their own practices, it is unlikely that they will be fully shielded from the effects of the regulation, especially as it necessarily transforms the practices of platforms and advertisers. In the short term, for example, non-EU markets may see an increased share of online advertising dollars, as the complexity of the regulation and concerns about compliance and liability temporarily make less-regulated markets more attractive for both ad networks and advertisers. As the markets in Europe normalize, however, news organizations in other regions may experience a set of longer-term secondary effects.

For example, unless GDPR enforcement produces dramatically negative economic effects (as was predicted around the Right to Be Forgotten,85 but has not clearly materialized as argued), it is possible that similar regulations may be imposed in other regions; Brazil, for one, may be headed in this direction,86 and in September 2017 the UK introduced legislation designed to substantially mirror the protections of the GDPR87 in advance of Brexit. Given Americans increasingly negative attitudes toward third-party informations sharing (see Pews recent work on Privacy and Information Sharing,88) and even some indications from Congress that companies should be held liable for information collected about consumers,89 it is not unthinkable that increased data regulation will come to U.S. markets in the next several years.

More immediately, companies subject to the GDPR must decide whether they will achieve compliance by building separate, parallel systems and processes for use in European markets, or whether they will simply convert all of their business processes to conform to the regulation. Especially for large, multinational corporations (such as platform and technology companies) the cost of lost interoperability and maintaining parallel systems may make a fully compliant approach more cost-effective in the long run. The result is that their global practices may change substantially, in ways that all organizations dependent on their services (as so many news organizations are) will likely feel.

While the GDPR is not the only significant piece of privacy legislation that will affect publishers in the near futurethe ePrivacy Regulation90 provides some complementary detail around cookie use, in particularthe GDPR will have global impact, as both a test case and a precedent for increased privacy protection and data collection accountability on the internet. Fortunately for media companies and their audiences, the net effect of these regulations may well be positive in the long term, especially for organizations that cultivate strong reader relationships. Though few may welcome the new complexities the GDPR promises in the near future, eventually it may prove a valuable mechanism for helping rebalance the scales among advertisers, platforms, ad networks, publishers, and audiences.





Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank staff and fellows of the Tow Centerespecially Emily Bell and Abigail Hartstonefor their ongoing support and interest in this project. We would also like to thank the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and School of International Public Affairs, which were our respective home sduring the conception and execution of this report. Finally, wed like to thank those professionals and experts who so graciously shared their time and insight with us as we attempted to unravel the implications of this important and complex piece of legislation.





Appendix I: Safe Harbor Detailed Definitions

Notice: Organizations must inform individuals about the purposes for which their information is being collected and used and by whom; individuals must also be provided with information about who and how to contact about inquiries or complaints. 91

Organizations must inform individuals about the purposes for which their information is being collected and used and by whom; individuals must also be provided with information about who and how to contact about inquiries or complaints. Choice: Organizations must offer individuals the opportunity to choose whether their personal information is disclosed to a third party or used for a purpose that is incompatible with the purpose(s) for which it was originally collected or subsequently authorized by the individual. Notably, for sensitive information, individuals must explicitly opt in when personal data is to be transferred to a third party or used for a purpose other than the one for which it was originally collected or subsequently authorized. 92

Organizations must offer individuals the opportunity to choose whether their personal information is disclosed to a third party or used for a purpose that is incompatible with the purpose(s) for which it was originally collected or subsequently authorized by the individual. Notably, for sensitive information, individuals must explicitly opt in when personal data is to be transferred to a third party or used for a purpose other than the one for which it was originally collected or subsequently authorized. Onward transfer: In transferring information to a third party, organizations must apply the Notice and Choice Principles. Third parties acting as agents must provide the same level of privacy protection either by subscribing to Safe Harbor, adhering to the Directive or another adequacy finding, or entering into a contract that specifies equivalent privacy protections. 93

In transferring information to a third party, organizations must apply the Notice and Choice Principles. Third parties acting as agents must provide the same level of privacy protection either by subscribing to Safe Harbor, adhering to the Directive or another adequacy finding, or entering into a contract that specifies equivalent privacy protections. Security: Organizations creating, maintaining, using or disseminating personal information must take reasonable precautions to protect it from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. 94

Organizations creating, maintaining, using or disseminating personal information must take reasonable precautions to protect it from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. Data Integrity: Personal information must be relevant for the purposes for which it is to be used. Organizations should take reasonable steps to ensure that data is reliable for its intended use, accurate, complete, and current. 95

Personal information must be relevant for the purposes for which it is to be used. Organizations should take reasonable steps to ensure that data is reliable for its intended use, accurate, complete, and current. Access: Individuals must have access to the information about them that an organization holds and must be able to correct, amend, or delete that information where it is inaccurate, except where the burden or expense would be disproportionate to the risks to the individuals privacy or where the rights of others would be violated. Furthermore, the Safe Harbor principles may be limited to the extent necessary for national security, public interest, or law enforcement requirements. 96

Individuals must have access to the information about them that an organization holds and must be able to correct, amend, or delete that information where it is inaccurate, except where the burden or expense would be disproportionate to the risks to the individuals privacy or where the rights of others would be violated. Furthermore, the Safe Harbor principles may be limited to the extent necessary for national security, public interest, or law enforcement requirements. Enforcement: Effective privacy protection must include mechanisms for verifying compliance, provide readily available and affordable independent recourse mechanisms in cases of noncompliance, and include remedial measures for the organization when the Principles are not followed. Sanctions must be rigorous enough to ensure compliance. 97





Appendix II: Privacy Shield Provisions

Handling Europeans Personal Data: U.S. companies transferring personal data from the EU must commit to satisfying, robust obligations regarding how that data is processed. U.S. DOC and FTC will monitor and enforce these commitments, and any company handling personal data from the EU must commit to comply with decisions by European data protection authorities. 98

U.S. companies transferring personal data from the EU must commit to satisfying, robust obligations regarding how that data is processed. U.S. DOC and FTC will monitor and enforce these commitments, and any company handling personal data from the EU must commit to comply with decisions by European data protection authorities. USG Access to Data: The United States has given the EU written assurances that access to information by public authorities for law enforcement and national security purposes will be subject to clear limitations, safeguards, and oversight mechanisms. There will be an annual joint review conducted by the EC and the DOC to ensure that the agreement is functioningand the first annual review was published on October 18, 2017. 99

The United States has given the EU written assurances that access to information by public authorities for law enforcement and national security purposes will be subject to clear limitations, safeguards, and oversight mechanisms. There will be an annual joint review conducted by the EC and the DOC to ensure that the agreement is functioningand the first annual review was published on October 18, 2017. Redress: Under the agreement, EU citizens who believe that their data has been misused will have several redress possibilities, and companies to which complaints are directed will have deadlines to respond to such complaints. European data protection authorities may refer complaints to the DOC and the FTC, and for complaints of suspected access to information by national intelligence authorities in the US, a new ombudsperson will be created within the U.S. Department of State. 100

Companies participating in the Privacy Shield commit to abiding by the following seven Privacy Principles,101 which expand on the principles laid out in the Safe Harbor Agreement:

Notice: This principle provides that organisations are obliged to provide information to data subjects on a number of key elements relating to the processing of their personal data. Furthermore, organizations must publicize their privacy policies together with a link to the DOC website for further information, a Privacy Shield List to be drafted, and a dispute settlement provider.

This principle provides that organisations are obliged to provide information to data subjects on a number of key elements relating to the processing of their personal data. Furthermore, organizations must publicize their privacy policies together with a link to the DOC website for further information, a Privacy Shield List to be drafted, and a dispute settlement provider. Data Integrity and Purpose Limitation: This principle provides that personal data must be limited to what is relevant for the purpose of the processing, reliable for its intended use, accurate, complete and current. In particular, personal data can only be retained for as long as it serves the purpose(s) for which it was initially collected or subsequently authorised.

This principle provides that personal data must be limited to what is relevant for the purpose of the processing, reliable for its intended use, accurate, complete and current. In particular, personal data can only be retained for as long as it serves the purpose(s) for which it was initially collected or subsequently authorised. Choice: This principle provides that, if the purposes are materially different from (but still compatible with) those for which the data was collected, subjects must be given the choice to opt out.

This principle provides that, if the purposes are materially different from (but still compatible with) those for which the data was collected, subjects must be given the choice to opt out. Security: This principle provides that organizations must take reasonable and appropriate security measures that account for the risks involved in the processing and the nature of the dataand this remains true when the data is handled by vendors.

This principle provides that organizations must take reasonable and appropriate security measures that account for the risks involved in the processing and the nature of the dataand this remains true when the data is handled by vendors. Access: This principle gives data subjects the right (. . .) to obtain from an organization confirmation of whether such organization is processing personal data related to them and have the data communicated within reasonable time. Furthermore, denials of this right of access must benecessary and duly justified by the organization rejecting the request. In addition to mere access, this principle also gives data subjects the right to correct, amend, or delete personal information where it is inaccurate or collected in violation of the Privacy Principles.

This principle gives data subjects the right (. . .) to obtain from an organization confirmation of whether such organization is processing personal data related to them and have the data communicated within reasonable time. Furthermore, denials of this right of access must benecessary and duly justified by the organization rejecting the request. In addition to mere access, this principle also gives data subjects the right to correct, amend, or delete personal information where it is inaccurate or collected in violation of the Privacy Principles. Recourse, Enforcement, and Liability: This principle forces companies to provide robust mechanisms to ensure compliance with the other Principles and recourse for EU data subjects whose personal data have been processed in a noncompliant manner, including effective remedies.

This principle forces companies to provide robust mechanisms to ensure compliance with the other Principles and recourse for EU data subjects whose personal data have been processed in a noncompliant manner, including effective remedies. Accountability for Onward Transfer: This principles provides that onward transfers can only happen under three conditions: (i) for limited and specified purposes, (ii) on the basis of a contract (. . .) and (iii) only if that contract provides the same level of protection.





Appendix III: GDPR Detailed Definitions

Controller

controller means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data (GDPR, 4 [7])

Processor

processor means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller (GDPR, 4 [8])

Recipient

recipient means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or another body, to which the personal data are disclosed, whether a third party or not (GDPR, 4 [9])

Data Protection Officers

where, in the private sector, processing is carried out by a controller whose core activities consist of processing operations that require regular and systematic monitoring of the data subjects on a large scale, or where the core activities of the controller or the processor consist of processing on a large scale of special categories of personal data and data relating to criminal convictions and offences, a person with expert knowledge of data protection law and practices should assist the controller or processor to monitor internal compliance with this Regulation (GDPR, 97)

The core activities of the controller or the processor consist of processing operations which, by virtue of their nature, their scope and/or their purposes, require regular and systematic monitoring of data subjects on a large scale (GDPR, 37 [1][b])

The data protection officer may be a staff member of the controller or processor, or fulfil the tasks on the basis of a service contract (GDPR, 37 [6])

The controller and the processor shall ensure that the data protection officer is involved, properly and in a timely manner, in all issues which relate to the protection of personal data (GDPR, 38 [1])

The controller and processor shall support the data protection officer in performing the tasks referred to in Article 39 by providing resources necessary to carry out those tasks and access to personal data and processing operations, and to maintain his or her expert knowledge (GDPR, 38 [2])

The controller and processor shall ensure that the data protection officer does not receive any instructions regarding the exercise of those tasks. He or she shall not be dismissed or penalised by the controller or the processor for performing his tasks. The data protection officer shall directly report to the highest management level of the controller or the processor (GDPR, 38 [3])

Tasks of DPO

to monitor compliance with this Regulation, with other Union or Member State data protection provisions and with the policies of the controller or processor in relation to the protection of personal data, including the assignment of responsibilities, awareness-raising and training of staff involved in processing operations, and the related audits (GDPR, 39 [1][b])

to act as the contact point for the supervisory authority on issues relating to processing (GDPR, 39, [1][e])





Citations

Martin A. Weiss and Kristin Archick, U.S.-EU Data Privacy: From Safe Harbor to Privacy Shield, Congressional Research Service, 2016, https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44257.pdf. Ibid. Data Protection Glossary, https://edps.europa.eu/data-protection/data-protection/glossary/a_en. Lokke Moerel, The Long Arm of EU Data Protection Law: Does the Data Protection Directive Apply to Processing of Personal Data of EU Citizens by Websites Worldwide? International Data Privacy Law, no. 1 (2011), doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/idpl/ipq004. Weiss and Archick, U.S.-EU Data Privacy: From Safe Harbor to Privacy Shield. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Office of Civil Rights, Your Rights Under HIPAA, HHS.gov, https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html. U.S. Department of Education, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html. State of California, California Constitution, Article 1, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=CONS&division=&title=&part=&chapter=&article=I. Electronic Privacy Information Center, The Privacy Act of 1974, https://epic.org/privacy/1974act/. Weiss and Archick, U.S.-EU Data Privacy: From Safe Harbor to Privacy Shield. Daniel Alvarez, Safe Harbor Is Dead; Long Live the Privacy Shield? Business Law Today, May 2016, https://www.americanbar.org/publications/blt/2016/05/09_

alvarez.html. Weiss and Archick, U.S.-EU Data Privacy: From Safe Harbor to Privacy Shield. Alvarez, Safe Harbor Is Dead; Long Live the Privacy Shield? Ibid. Ibid. Weiss and Archick, U.S.-EU Data Privacy: From Safe Harbor to Privacy Shield. European Commission, European Commission Launches EU-U.S. Privacy Shield: Stronger Protection for Transatlantic Data Flows, July 2016, https://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-2461_en.htm. European Commission, European Commission Launches EU-U.S. Privacy Shield: Stronger Protection for Transatlantic Data Flows. Ibid. Office of the Attorney General, United States Department of Justice, Judicial Redress Act of 2015; Attorney General Designations, Federal Register 82, no. 13 (2015): 78607861, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2017-01-23/html/2017-01381.htm. Steven R. Chabinsky et al., Privacy Shield: Recent Developments, White & Case, April 10, 2017, https://www.whitecase.com/publications/article/privacy-

shield-recent-developments. Ibid. Ibid. European Commission, EU-U.S. Privacy Shield: First Review Shows It Works but Implementation Can Be Improved, October 2017, https://europa.eu/rapid/

press-release_IP-17-3966_en.htm. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, EUU.S. Privacy ShieldFirst Annual Joint Review, November 2017, https://iapp.org/media/pdf/resource_center/

Privacy_Shield_Report-WP29pdf.pdf. European Commission, Data Protection: Rules for the Protection of Personal Data Inside and Outside the EU, https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection_en. Ibid. eugdpr.org, GDPR Portal, https://www.eugdpr.org/eugdpr.org.html. Ibid. European Parliament, New EU Rules on Data Protection Put the Citizen Back in the Driving Seat, December 17, 2015, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20151217IPR08112/new-eu-rules-on-data-protection-put-the-citizen-back-in-the-driving-seat. Anna Myers, The Privacy Advisor | Top 10 Operational Impacts of the GDPR: Part 10Consequences for GDPR Violations, IAPP, March 2016, https://iapp.org/news/a/top-10-operational-impacts-of-the-gdpr-part-10-consequences-for-grpr-violations/. Google, Google Expands Advertising Monetization Program for Websites, June 2003, https://googlepress.blogspot.com/2003/06/google-expands-advertising-monetization.html. Brian Clifton, Google Analytics Is 10 Years OldWhats Changed? www.brianclifton.com, November 2015, https://brianclifton.com/blog/2015/11/10/google-analytics-is-10-what-has-changed/. David Lawsky, Google Closes DoubleClick Merger After EU Approval, Reuters, March 11, 2008, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-google-doubleclick-eu/google-closes-doubleclick-merger-after-eu-approval-idUSBFA00058020080311. Bob W. Lord and Ray Velez, Converge: Transforming Business at the Intersection of Marketing and Technology (Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2013). Julia Angwin, The Webs New Gold Mine: Your Secrets, The Wall Street Journal, July 30, 2010, https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB100014240527487039409 Brooke Masters, Facebook Is More Than Just a PipeIt Is a Publisher Too, Financial Times, April 21, 2017, https://www.ft.com/content/da427af2-2670-11e7-8691-d5f7e0cd0a16. Emily Bell, Technology Company? Publisher? The Lines Can No Longer Be Blurred, The Guardian, April 2, 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/apr/02/facebook-google-youtube-inappropriate-advertising-fake-news. Josh Constine, Zuckerberg Implies Facebook Is a Media Company, Just Not a Traditional Media Company, TechCrunch, December 21, 2016, https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/21/fbonc/. Latanya Sweeney, Simple Demographics Often Identify People Uniquely, Carnegie Mellon University, 2000, https://dataprivacylab.org/projects/identifiability/paper1.pdf. Steve Lohr, Netflix Cancels Contest Plans and Settles Suit, The NewYork Times, March 12, 2010, https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/netflix-cancels-contest-plans-and-settles-suit/?mtrref=undefined. Arvind Narayanan and Vitaly Shmatikov, How To Break Anonymity of the Netflix Prize Dataset, CoRR abs/cs/0610105 (2006), https://arxiv.org/abs/cs/ J.K. Trotter, Public NYC Taxicab Database Lets You See How Celebrities Tip, Gawker, October 23, 2014, https://gawker.com/the-public-nyc-taxicab-database-that-accidentally-track-1646724546. Todd W. Schneider, Analyzing 1.1 Billion NYC Taxi and Uber Trips, with a Vengeance, www.toddwschneider.com, 2015, https://toddwschneider.com/posts/analyzing-1-1-billion-nyc-taxi-and-uber-trips-with-a-vengeance/. Julia Franz and Christine Taylor, Uber Is Making Ride-Booking Data Publicly Available. Is This a Privacy Pandoras Box? Public Radio International, February 4, 2017, https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-01-21/uber-making-ride-booking-data-publicly-available-privacy-pandora-s-box. Kaveh Waddell, Your Browsing History Alone Can Give Away Your Identity, The Atlantic, February 6, 2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/02/

browsing-history-identity/515763/. Steven Englehardt, Gunes Acar, and Arvind Narayanan, Data Release: List of Websites That Have Third-Party Session Replay Scripts, Princeton University, 2017, https://webtransparency.cs.princeton.edu/no_boundaries/

session_replay_sites.html. Steven Englehardt, Gunes Acar, and Arvind Narayanan, No Boundaries: Exfiltration of Personal Data by Session-Replay Scripts, Princeton University, 2017, https://freedom-to-tinker.com/2017/11/15/no-boundaries-exfiltration-of-personal-data-by-session-replay-scripts/. Steven Englehardt, Gunes Acar, and Arvind Narayanan, Website Operators Are in the Dark about Privacy Violations by Third-Party Scripts, Princeton University, 2018, https://freedom-to-tinker.com/2018/01/12/website-operators-are-in-the-dark-about-privacy-violations-by-third-party-scripts/. GDPR Implementation Working Group, Consent, IAB Europe, 2017, https://www.iabeurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171128-Working_Paper03_Consent.pdf. Johnny Ryan, Can Websites Use Tracking Walls to Force Consent Under GDPR? PageFair, 2017, https://pagefair.com/blog/2017/tracking-walls/. Lee Rainie and Maeve Duggan, Privacy and Information Sharing, Pew Research Center, January 14, 2016, https://www.pewinternet.org/2016/01/14/privacy-and-information-sharing/. Lucia Moses, Google and Facebook Make Up Less Than 5 Percent of Publishers Digital Revenue, Digiday, February 8, 2018, https://digiday.com/media/google-facebook-make-less-5-percent-publishers-digital-revenue/. Lara OReilly, The Race Is On to Challenge Google-Facebook Duopolyin Digital Advertising, The Wall Street Journal, June 19, 2017, https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-race-is-on-to-challenge-google-facebook-duopoly-in-digital-advertising-1497864602. Amelia Rufer, The Creeping Right to Be Forgotten,  Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press, 2015, https://www.rcfp.org/browse-media-law-resources/news-media-law/news-media-and-law-winter-2015/creeping-right-be-forgotten. Minhui Xue et al., The Right to Be Forgotten in the Media: A Data-Driven Study, in Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies, vol. 2016, 4 (2016), 389402, https://doi.org/10.1515/popets-2016-0046. Right to Be Forgotten, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_be_forgotten#Spain. Daphne Keller, The Right Tools: Europes Intermediary Liability Laws and the 2016 General Data Protection Regulation, 2017, https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Papers.cfm?abstract_id=2914684. Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, Guidelines on the Implementation of the Court of Justice of the European Union Judgment on GoogleSpain and Inc c. Ag
DAYS AFTER THE ASSASSINATION of Martin Luther King, Jr., an amateur photographer named Karega Kofi Moyo took his camera to the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago. At the intersection of Spaulding and West Madison, Moyo photographed a young black boy standing near a group of armed National Guardsmen, their faces hidden by gas masks. In one photo, the boywhose name remains a mystery to Moyocovers his face. Like hes in distress, Moyo says.

The photo is one of dozens that Moyo took during the days of looting and violence that engulfed the city after Kings killing. Moyo, who taught science at a nearby school at the time, followed his curiosity and sense of purpose to what Chicago newsrooms called a riotand what journalist Gary Rivlin later described as one of the most traumatic events in the citys history. The unrest left 11 dead, dozens injured from police gunshots and two miles of charred rubble where a thriving business district once stood.

Moyo developed his negatives in a darkroom at the Chicago Defender, but did not publish the photographs. While Moyo had friends in Chicagos vibrant black press, he wasnt part of the journalism world.

ICYMI: Paper rattled by racist cover controversy

Twenty years later, Rivlin wrote in the Chicago Reader that a lack of retrospectives on the April 1968 eventsespecially compared to anniversary coverage of the citys 1968 Democratic National Conventionconfirmed the suspicions of a great many Chicagoans about the mainstream white medias lack of interest in the west side and in the black population in general.

While journalists scoff and shudder at the suggestion, what can explain the disparity in coverage if not a sort of racial tunnel vision? Though whites actually constitute a minority in Chicago, around 90 percent of the reporters, producers, and editors who shape our news are white. Many of them came of age during the 60s; many were forming their political views at the time of the Democratic Convention, and a few probably went into journalism as a direct result of the events that surrounded it. It would be unfair to fault these journalists for looking back at such a pivotal event in their lives, but one cant help believing that if there were more blacks in positions of power in the media, some editor would have penciled in his calendar a reminder to commemorate the King riots in this their 20th anniversary year.

Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project

Moyos photographs are an essential and vivid piece of the story of the April 1968 uprisings. However, with just one exceptiona print exhibited in Lagos, Nigeria, as part of the 1977 Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culturethe images stayed in a box, and went unseen by the public for nearly 50 years.

THIS YEAR, MOYO exhibited five photos from April 1968 in the tiny Rootwork gallery in the Pilsen neighborhood on Chicagos West Side. The sequence of photos documents Moyos chance encounter with the young boy and the National Guardsmen. In one photo, shoeboxes from a nearby store litter the street as the boy surveys the soldiers. Click. In another, the boy brings his hands to his face. Click. After the boy walked away from the guards, Moyo turned his lens to the crowd gathered in front of Harolds Chicken Shack. A little girl looked at himexpectant, almost urgentas the soldiers lined up. Theres a question in her face, Moyo says. Did you get this? Click.

Moyo, who is now 78 years old, went out to photograph the April 1968 events to see how far I could get, he tells CJR in a recent interview. I had no press credentials. I just wandered.

Tracie Hall, founder and owner of Rootwork, says she spoke with Moyos former wife and business partner about his work, and was intrigued that the photographs had never been published. Moyo was a first-hand witness to the West Side weve inherited, how it got to that place, what kinds of circumstances really led to the landscape weve inherited, she says.

ICYMI: Covering protests has become the riskiest job in journalism

The photographs, for Hall, link the West Sides ongoing struggles with poverty and crime to a critical moment in the citys history. Before the uprising, the area around the intersection where Moyo photographed the boy was a thriving neighborhood with a busy commercial district. After the fires and the looting, and after the city bulldozed the destruction, it became a neighborhood completely altered, Hall says. Thats why I really left like I needed to show this work.

Though they are decades old, the photos also now echo contemporary tragedies like the death of Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old boy fatally shot by police in Cleveland in 2014. They could be the images of any black child in American today.

And, both literally and figuratively, Moyos photographs depict a historical event through a new lens. The press, the media, called this a riot, says Moyo. I saw it as a rebellion.

MOYOS IMAGES COMPLICATE the longstanding narrative about what happened in Chicago in April 1968. Their appearance, decades later, remind viewers that the historical record, which can draw heavily on press coverage, is manmade. They remind us of the moments we dont see in photographs, and the importance of ensuring and fostering diversity among journalisms practitioners.

At the request of CJR, Greg Foster-Ricea Chicago photo historian and an associate professor at Columbia College Chicagocompared Moyos photographs with others taken at the time. He pulled out a book from The City Lost and Found, a groundbreaking exhibition in 2014 at the Art Institute of Chicago, co-curated by Foster-Rice, that focused on a pivotal shift in American cities during the 1960s and 70s.

In the book, Foster-Rice located what appears to be the same boy from Moyos images, in a picture by a photographer named Kenneth Lovette. The boy wears the same clothes and shoes as in Moyos image. However, in Lovettes photo, the boy has written the words black power in shaving cream on the street. The Chicago Sun-Times published Lovettes photo on April 7, 1968.

Moyo doesnt recall the exact date he took his photographs. But Foster-Rice is convinced the boy from Moyos pictures is the same person in Lovettes photo. Moyos pictures, then, help to capture a remarkable evolution in the boy, from an apparent distress to what Foster-Rice calls a certain kind of resistance in the street.

Richard Cahan, a former picture editor of the Chicago Sun-Times, book author and publisher, says Moyo wasnt alone in photographing the MLK uprising, but he likely was one of few African-American street photographers documenting reactions at the time.

It wasnt something people generally would do, he says. People didnt just wander into the neighborhoods.

The uprisings were a dangerous place even for photographers with press credentials. It was kind of tough in the beginning because it was crazy, says Bob Black, who grew up on Chicagos South Side and joined the Sun-Times photography staff a month before Kings assassination. Things were moving all around you. You had to be careful not to be too involved. You were careful not to get in the way of the police and not get too close to the people creating the situation. It was a juggling act.

Black was injured during the riots after being beaten by police. It was dangerous, he recalls. The cops were, they were very aggressive, over-the-top aggressive. It was tough. You had to be very careful.

THE YEAR AFTER the so-called riots, Moyo joined the University of Chicago press office as a photographer, where he worked for 11 years. With his former wife, Yvette, he went on to start the Real Men Cook, a network of community charity events that share a name with Moyos cookbook.

Even though Moyo is not well-known within Chicagos larger photojournalism community, his work is important, says Romi Crawford, associate professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She recently has begun to inventory Moyos collection, which is stored in her studio.

Its an archive that Im just becoming familiar with, says Crawford, who hints that there is more to be discovered in Moyos previously unseen work. What I see is remarkable and exciting for what it shows and tells about Chicagos South Side and African American community from the 60s and 70s. What I see so far is a remarkable storytelling of that period of that time in the city.

ICYMI: Photographer behind graphic Charlottesville image recounts near-death experience

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Jackie Spinner is CJRs correspondent for Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. She is an associate journalism professor at Columbia College Chicago and a former staff writer for The Washington Post. Follow her on Twitter @jackiespinner.
When a driver gets into a crash on the highway, auto body repair shops can replace fenders and broken windshields.

But who steps in when a vehicle strikes a public monument or demolishes a section of guardrail owned by the local community?

For more than 20 years, North Attleboro-based Muni-Tech Inc. has been one of the few companies in Massachusetts that make it their business to fix town commons, bridge abutments, parks and memorials that sometimes become the innocent victims of a drunk driver or rogue delivery vehicle.

The company gets paid by billing a responsible partys insurance rather than having taxpayers foot the bill.

We fix things and do jobs that possibly the highway department doesnt do, said company president Paul Maher, a former state trooper who has worked with subcontractors to restore damaged bridge abutments, repair historic stone walls and put back heavy public monuments knocked down or damaged by vehicles.

When the historic ornamental entry gate to Capron Park was toppled and heavily damaged by a delivery truck a few years ago, the city of Attleboro brought in Muni-Tech for a solution.

That was a complex piece of work, says Maher. The ornamental metal arch with the words Capron Park was actually made in three sections and contained many, many pieces.

Mahers company found a subcontractor with machinery large enough to straighten and restore the twisted metal framework. Muni-Tech also found a source of granite to match a masonry portion of the gateway that needed to be reconstructed.

In Wrentham, Muni-Tech responded when a vehicle struck a historic watering trough and caused other damage in the center of town. The giant cast iron fixture is in the process of being restored and repainted.

From rebuilding historic stone walls to repairing damage left behind by a shattered water main, Muni-Tech is often called to provide safety barriers as well as to start the process of making permanent repairs.

Muni-Tech experts are on call 24 hours a day, Maher said.

In emergencies, employees can be on the scene within hours to set up barriers and make locations safe until a fix can be made.

Since its incorporation in 1994, Muni-Tech and its subcontractors have handled hundreds of jobs from cleaning up after fires to fixing damaged sections of parks.

The thing about this job is that its all different, Maher said. You dont know whats up next.

Tracking down the party responsible for the damage and billing the insurance company sometimes requires a bit of detective work.

Recently, while investigating a broken section of guardrail, Maher found a license plate  presumably from the offending vehicle  embedded in a section of planking.

Its all in a days work, Maher said.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Fifteen students in one Florida school district are facing felony charges and prison time for making alleged threats since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre. Meanwhile, an autistic Minnesota high school student whose alleged threat led to a six-hour lockdown is in juvenile court and has received an outpouring of sympathy.

The Feb. 14 killings of 17 people in Parkland, Florida, have ignited a wave of copycat threats, as happens after nearly every high-profile school shooting. Most prove unfounded, but cause big disruptions to schools while tying up police for hours or even days.

Experts say authorities swift responses are underscoring a climate in which even idle threats will result in serious consequences.

Kids make bad decisions and I think that in decades past those decisions would have been addressed behind closed doors with the principal and parents, said Ken Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services, a Cleveland-based consulting company. Now theyre being addressed behind closed doors in the police station and the courtroom.

The Volusia County Schools system in east-central Florida isnt taking chances. Sheriff Michael Chitwood made it clear he had a zero-tolerance policy as threats began after Parkland. On Thursday, he went further, saying students or their families would have to pay the costs of the investigations  at least $1,000 and sometimes much more.

District spokeswoman Nancy Wait said the message is clear: Were not joking around.

Unfortunately that word didnt get to the students and we started seeing more students making threats in the classroom, and that was frightening to their classmates, she said. Most of the time these students didnt have access to weapons, but they were still making threats to shoot up their schools.

Don Bridges, president of the National Association of School Resource Officers and a veteran of 16 years on duty at Franklin High School in suburban Baltimore, said the number of threats goes down when districts send a strong message that they wont be tolerated.

The Educators School Safety Network, which tracks reports of school threats and violent incidents across the country, has documented a spike since Parkland. The Ohio group counted 797 as of Sunday. Most (743) were for threats of various kinds, including gun and bomb threats. The threats were made mostly via social media (331) and verbally (119).

That amounts to about a sevenfold increase in the usual rate, director of programs Amy Klinger said.

The mentality has shifted in a very short period of time from kids being kids to this is very serious stuff, she said. She expects consequences of post-Parkland threats to be harsher than before.

They almost have to be, she said. Do we want to do this for the rest of the school year? Do we want to have this constant chaos and fear, and people being upset? How much learning is going on?

Tom Clark, a defense attorney in Santa Fe, New Mexico, represents a 14-year-old boy whose threat preceded Parkland but who faced tough consequences.

Clark said the boy had been having a bad day and wrote a list of people he wanted to shoot. After someone found the list in November, the boy, who had never been in trouble before, was jailed, facing hefty charges and a lifetime expulsion. He eventually was sentenced to probation.

After the initial harsh reaction, at least the district attorney stepped back and the superintendent of schools stepped back and looked at it in a more compassionate light, Clark said.

Probation officers worked with the boy to find an alternative program where he could attend school at night.

No one wants to be the judge or the police officer or the security guard who doesnt take action and something awful happens, Clark said. So the initial reactions are swift and harsh and then ultimately people are able to get a better handle on whats going on with these children individually.

Its not clear yet what the consequences will be for an autistic boy whose social media threat to shoot up Orono High School in suburban Minneapolis prompted a lockdown Feb. 21 that kept students confined to classrooms for nearly six hours. Prosecutors wont say what the charges are because its a juvenile case.

The communitys reaction was unusually sympathetic. Another students mother set up a GoFundMe campaign with the boys familys permission that by Sunday was near its $40,000 goal to help cover the familys legal and treatment expenses. Claire Wnuk Berrett wrote on the fundraising page that some kids on the autism spectrum dont have the language or social skills to adequately express their needs.

When verbal or written threats are made, they are usually an attempt to express the severity of the adolescents distress, Berrett wrote. It is not necessarily a true indication of a desire to hurt themselves or others. They do not have the social awareness to recognize this is the wrong thing to say.

Principal David Benson said the outpouring shows, We have a caring and supportive community for sure.

(Associated Press reporter Amy Forliti contributed to this story from Minneapolis. AP researcher Jennifer Farrar contributed from New York.)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Employers are struggling to hire workers in the tightening U.S. job market. Marijuana is now legal in nine states and Washington, D.C., meaning more than one in five American adults can eat, drink, smoke or vape as they please. The result is the slow decline of pre-employment drug tests, which for decades had been a requirement for new recruits in industries ranging from manufacturing to finance.

As of the beginning of 2018, Excellence Health Inc., a Las Vegas-based health care company with around 6,000 employees, no longer drug tests people coming to work for the pharmaceutical side of the business. The company stopped testing for marijuana two years ago. We dont care what people do in their free time, said Liam Meyer, a company spokesperson. We want to help these people, instead of saying: Hey, you cant work for us because you used a substance,' he added. The company also added a hotline for any workers who might be struggling with drug use.

Last month, AutoNation Inc., the largest U.S. auto dealer, announced it would no longer refuse job applicants who tested positive for weed. The Denver Post, owned by Digital First Media, ended pre-employment drug testing for all non-safety sensitive positions in September 2016.

So far, companies in states that have legalized either recreational or medicinal marijuana are leading the way on dropping drug tests. A survey last year by the Mountain States Employers Council of 609 Colorado employers found that the share of companies testing for marijuana use fell to 66 percent, down from 77 percent the year before.

Drug testing restricts the job pool, and in the current tight labor market, thats having an impact on productivity and growth. In surveys done by the Federal Reserve last year, employers cited an inability by applicants to pass drug tests among reasons for difficulties in hiring. Failed tests reached an all-time high in 2017, according to data from Quest Diagnostics Inc. Thats likely to get worse as more people partake in state-legalized cannabis.

The benefits of at least reconsidering the drug policy on behalf of an employer would be pretty high, said Jeremy Kidd, a professor at Mercer Law School, who wrote a paper on the economics of workplace drug testing. A blanket prohibition cant possibly be the most economically efficient policy.

Companies are having a hard enough time hiring, with unemployment hovering around 4 percent. Employers are really strapped and saying Were going to forgive certain things,' said James Reidy, a lawyer that works with employers on their human resources policies. Reidy knows of a half-dozen other large employers that have quietly changed their policies in recent years. Not all companies want to advertise the change, fearing it might imply they are soft on drugs. (Even former FBI director James Comey in 2014 half-joked about the need for the bureau to re-evaluate its drug-testing policy to attract the best candidates.)

Why the change? Pre-employment testing is no longer worth the expense in a society increasingly accepting of drug use. A Gallup poll in October found that 64 percent of Americans favor legalization. Thats the most since the company first started asking the question in 1969, when only 12 percent supported changing the plants status. Drug tests costs from $30 to $50 a pop, but the potential costs to an employer are far greater than the actual test.

In addition to helping ease the labor market, eliminating drug testing could have even broader benefits for the economy, said Kidd. Employers could hire the best, theoretically most-productive workers, he said, instead of rejecting people based on their recreational habits. Companies have said they lose out to foreign competitors because they cant find people who can pass drugs tests, a particularly acute problem in the areas most affected by the opioid crisis.

Some jobs, such as those involving the use of heavy machinery, will always require drug tests. Excellence Health still drug-tests any employee working on a government contract, even in states where weed is legal. Companies are also reserving the right to test after an accident or if an employee comes to work notably impaired.

Not all companies are ready to change course. Restaurant Brands International Inc., which owns Burger King, hasnt altered its corporate marijuana policy, said Chief Executive Officer Daniel Schwartz. Ford Motor Co. still treats pot as an illegal substance, according to a company spokeswoman.

Weed-averse employers have a notable ally: Attorney General Jeff Sessions. A longtime opponent of legalization, Sessions rescinded in January the Obama-era policies that enabled state-legalized cannabis industries to flourish. The uncertainty caused by the Justice Departments actions may discourage companies from making changes.

Employers can also get discounts on workers compensation insurance for maintaining a drug-free workplace by, in part, drug-testing workers. But the types of workplaces forgoing pre-employment tests already enjoy relatively small savings. A job in an office setting, for example, wont have very many workers compensation claims, compared to a factory. The money saved by meeting the qualifications for a drug-free zone isnt worth it.

We assume that a certain level of employees are going to be partaking on the weekends, said Reidy, the employment lawyer. We dont care. Were going to exclude a whole group of people, and we desperately need workers.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.
A nearly-century-old Southern California hospital that sits on an active earthquake fault will close because it cant meet state earthquake safety requirements, officials said Monday.

Community Medical Center Long Beach announced it has submitted a four-month lease termination notice to the city, which owns the land.

A seismic study last November found an active fault under the facility, which has 200 beds and is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of downtown Los Angeles, City News Service reported.

CEO John Bishop said much of the hospital, founded in 1924 and currently operated by MemorialCare, would have to be demolished in order to meet a June 30, 2019 deadline for complying with Californias seismic safety rules. The plan was determined to be not feasible, and the decision was made to shut down, he said.

We exhaustively explored all options to continue operations at Community Medical Center as an acute care hospital, Bishop said.

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said the city is still looking at ways to keep a hospital on the site  including state legislation, other possible operators and potential solutions to seismic challenges, he said in a statement.

Hospitals across the state are struggling with finding the money to pay for upgrades under state seismic laws strengthened following the deadly and destructive 1994 Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles, said spokeswoman Jan Emerson-Shea of the California Hospital Association.

The seismic requirement is a very worthy public policy goal but it poses numerous challenges for compliance, Emerson-Shea said. First and foremost: funding.

The CHA doesnt track the number of hospitals statewide potentially affected by the law, she said. A message seeking information from Californias office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, which collects data about the states health care infrastructure, was not immediately returned Monday.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Chevron is continuing to see "great gains" in its shale business, CEO Michael Wirth told CNBC on Tuesday.

In fact, the company just announced it has grown its position in the Permian Basin by 10 percent  from 2 million to 2.2 million acres.

"We're in early innings in terms of shale really performing," Wirth said in an interview with "Closing Bell."

While OPEC cut its production output last year, there has been a resurgence in U.S. production. According to the International Energy Agency, the U.S. will fulfill most of the world's growing demand for oil over the next five years.

However, former EOG Resources CEO Mark Papa, a pioneer in the industry, recently told The Wall Street Journal that he doesn't think U.S. production will keep growing as fast as the market thinks.

On Tuesday, U.S. crude futures rose 3 cents to settle at $62.60 a barrel. Brent crude futures rose 25 cents to settle at $65.79 a barrel.

Wirth, who took the helm of Chevron on Feb. 1, said the company's break-even price this year is $50 a barrel or better, without any asset sales.

The company also expects to generate about $14 billion in free cash flow this year, with about $8 billion going to the dividend. That leaves the company about $6 billion in excess cash flow, he said.

"We have a strong track record in both" dividends and cash buybacks and "intend to keep that up," he said.

However, while there is talk about reinstituting share buybacks, it is the fourth priority right now after the dividend, maintaining the business and reinvesting in the business.
China's insurance regulator on Wednesday greatly expanded rules that govern shareholding in the country's insurers in a bid to make ownership structures more transparent.

The rules, which now have 94 provisions from 37 before, come after the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) seized Anbang Insurance Group, a firm dogged with allegations of opaque shareholding structures.

Chinese authorities are in the second year of a widening campaign to reduce risks in the financial system, which includes a crackdown on riskier investment products sold by some insurers and probes into whether they are providing covert funding to local governments.

Under the new rules, an insurance company should have clear and reasonable shareholding structure and must reveal the actual controlling entity to the regulator, according to a document handed out in Beijing at a press conference.

He Xiaofeng, head of the commission's working group in control of Anbang and a director at the CIRC, said the regulator faces difficulties authenticating fund sources.

Shareholding structure problems are the root of financial chaos, said He.

The rules, effective from April 10, cover requirements for the qualifications and conduct of shareholders and the management of stock rights.

Also under the new rules, a single shareholder cannot control more than one third of an insurance firm's registered capital, while investors cannot entrust others to hold shareholding in an insurer.

Investors must use their own, legally obtained capital to acquire a stake in an insurer and cannot use a holding company or the transfer of expected returns to bypass restrictions.

Investors are also forbidden from misappropriating insurance funds or repurposing funds for investment.

Money from asset management plans and trust products can be used to acquire listed insurance company stocks, subject to strict conditions.
Gary Cohn is apparently the exception to Donald Trump's rule about working in the Oval Office.

President Trump boasted on Tuesday afternoon that "everybody wants to work in the White House"  just a couple hours before his key economic advisor announced he's leaving.

At a news conference at the White House, the president spoke at length about the "tremendous energy" that draws the "best talent" to his administration.

"They all want a piece of that Oval Office. They want a piece of the West Wing," he said. "And not only in terms of, it looks great on their resume  it's just a great place to work."

Cohn, a former Goldman Sachs president who worked as White House chief economic advisor, resigned shortly afterward.

Trump made his comments as part of an effort to push back against reports that the White House is in turmoil in the wake of a several high-profile departures.

The idea of Cohn's resignation was feared by markets, which had seen him as a stable, experienced presence and pro-trade voice within the White House.

U.S. stock futures pointed sharply lower after news of Cohn's imminent departure.
Pyongyang, March 5 2018: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (R) shakes hands with South Korean chief delegator Chung Eui-yong (C), who traveled to the North as an envoy of South Korean President Moon Jae-in. STR/AFP/Getty Images

North Korea is reportedly willing to hold talks on denuclearization in exchange for security guarantees from the U.S. If true, the development marks a fresh milestone in the global quest to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula. But the rogue state's latest olive branch may just be another ploy to gain concessions. Following a two-day visit to the North by South Korean envoys  the latest chapter in peace efforts between the two neighbors  the head of the Southern delegation Chung Eui-yong said on Tuesday that the reclusive regime expressed a "willingness to denuclearize the Korean peninsula." But that's only if "the military threat to the North was eliminated and its security guaranteed," Chung noted. Such comments are a welcome respite amid escalating tensions between President Donald Trump and Kim. Still, they aren't expected to produce any breakthroughs.

We believe a breakdown in dialogue is possible at any time, particularly if Pyongyang fails to obtain significant concessions Miha Hribernik senior Asia analyst, Verisk Maplecroft

The news "represent the next step in North Korea's 2018 charm offensive," Miha Hribernik, senior Asia analyst at global risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, said in a note. "If past experiences are anything to go by, Kim Jong Un is hoping to extract a loosening of sanctions or other assistance by feigning a willingness to disarm," Hribernik explained. "The North Korean economy is straining under the weight of sanctions, forcing the country to resort to a well-worn playbook." Years of failed negotiations, most notably during the 2003-2009 Six-Party Talks, indicate the North's long-standing pattern of offering talks in exchange for fuel oil, aid or a release of frozen funds. A breakdown in dialogue is possible "at any time, particularly if Pyongyang fails to obtain significant concessions," according to Hribernik. President Bill Clinton's administration provided a security guarantee to Pyongyang in 1994 as part of a deal to halt the country's nuclear program but both parties didn't keep to their side of the bargain. The Clinton administration promised Pyongyang heavy fuel oil shipments and construction of light-water reactors, but these were delivered only partially or not at all, noted Leonid Petrov, a Korean studies researcher at the Australian National University.

As a result, "North Korea suspended its nuclear and missile programs partially and resumed it when it became clear that the George W. Bush administration was not going to honor the promises," Petrov added.

So, what does Pyongyang want now?
Clients such as UnitedHealth Group will benefit largely from service companies that move into artificial intelligence, Alan Trefler, founder and CEO of Pegasystems, told CNBC on Tuesday.

"We try to position ourselves as being at the heart of what today is called digital transformation," said Trefler, whose firm creates industry-specific software applications to help businesses.

"That's really trying to connect organizations in ways that their customer's touch the outcomes," he told CNBC's Jim Cramer during an interview on "Mad Money."

Trefler's firm Pegasystems, a cloud-focused business management software specialist, has help businesses with comprehensive visual tools to build, extend, and evolve applications to meet strategic business needs.

The company was founded in 1983 and now has regional offices across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia.

The CEO told Cramer that the company made a big move into artificial intelligence 7 years ago.

"We have a real coherent architecture that makes it easy to bring the A.I. into conjunction with the operations," Trefler said.

"UnitedHealth, for example, as do a number of larger health-care payers use us in a variety of ways," he said. "[United], for example, would have used us to credential the physicians ... to help make sure the physicians that would be in a position to treat you all have the proper board certifications and all were part of the right plans."

Last week, the company posted a higher than expected 2018 guidance in its fourth-quarter earnings results. The quarterly report made up for a bad third quarter that had humbled the stock a few months ago and getting shares back on track.

Shares of Pegasystems were up 29 percent year-to-date, with a large chunk of those gains coming in the past week.
Former Vice President Joe Biden campaigns for Democratic congressional candidate Conor Lamb, seated, outside of Pittsburgh, PA on March 6, 2018.

Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden returned to his home state on Tuesday to help Democrats win over working-class voters in a tight contest for a House seat in Pennsylvania's Trump country.

In two campaign rallies, the ex-senator from Delaware aimed to drum up enthusiasm for 33-year-old Conor Lamb  the Democrat trying to pull off a victory in a district that President Donald Trump carried by 20 points in 2016.

Voters head to the polls a week from Tuesday in Pennsylvania's 18th District, which political observers around the country are watching as a measure of Democrats' ability to potentially gain a House majority in November's midterms.

Speaking to Lamb supporters outside of Pittsburgh, Biden praised the Marine veteran and former prosecutor's character, comparing Lamb to his late son, Beau. The former vice president cast Lamb as a champion for workers, saying he would protect labor unions and fight against possible cuts to Social Security and Medicare funding.

"It's always been about the other guy with Conor. Not just about him," Biden said at one campaign event with dozens of union members.

The race between Lamb and 60-year-old Republican state representative Rick Saccone appears neck-and-neck in the final stretch before voters head to the polls on March 13.

Polls in February showed Saccone with an edge of 3 or more percentage points, but an Emerson poll released Monday showed Lamb with a 3-percentage point advantage.

Saccone has positioned himself as a defender of Trump's agenda. He has pledged to cut regulations to support the energy industry in the southwest part of the state, praised the GOP tax cuts passed into law in December and pledged to control what he deems reckless government spending.

Biden is only one of the national Democratic figures making appearances with the Lamb campaign. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley campaigned in Pennsylvania late last month, while progressive Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, will reportedly head there later in the week.
Adult film actress Stormy Daniels appears during an autograph signing for Wicked Pictures at the 2012 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino January 20, 2012 in Las Vegas.

The suit claims her agreement not to disclose a supposed intimate relationship with Trump is invalid, because the president never signed it, although his attorney Michael Cohen did.

Adult film star Stormy Daniels filed a civil lawsuit against Donald Trump alleging that a nondisclosure agreement she signed with the president's attorney is invalid, NBC News reported on Tuesday evening.

The lawsuit claims that Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, had an intimate relationship with Trump in 2006 and 2007.

The civil lawsuit was filed by Daniels in Los Angeles on Tuesday and obtained by NBC News.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, signed the nondisclosure pact in October 2016, just prior to the national election that swept Trump into office.

Trump has never talked about the alleged relationship publicly.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment from NBC and CNBC.

Read the full NBC News report here.
Peter Navarro suffered any number of humiliations in his first year in the White House, where the trade advisor was out of favor with President Donald Trump and his superiors for months.

But nothing was more degrading than an order handed down by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly: Navarro had to copy his boss, Gary Cohn, on every single email he sent at the White House.



"The chief wanted him under control," a senior administration official told CNBC on Tuesday, referring to Kelly.



But now the free-trading Cohn is stepping down as National Economic Council director, and Navarro's brand of protectionist nationalism is in the ascendency.

Presumably, there will be no one else at the White House looking over Navarro's email now.



"Peter was quietly effective for nine months," said an administration official. "He helped his reputation by keeping a low profile and being a model prisoner during his period of captivity. And when his opportunity came, he took it and he won."

Another administration official told CNBC that Cohn's resignation is "a huge victory for the nationalists."

"Peter Navarro won the trade battle and now Gary's given up," that administration official said. "It literally reestablishes the intellectual framework and the personnel who were originally envisioned after Trump won the election. We can let Trump be Trump."
It's "unfortunate" that President Donald Trump is castigating Europe but is treating China with "kid gloves" when it comes to trade, former diplomat Nick Burns told CNBC on Tuesday.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Trump said the U.S. has been "taken advantage of" by other countries "for decades" and said the European Union has been "particularly tough." His comments come after the announcement last week that the U.S. will impose steel and aluminum tariffs.



"They make it almost impossible for us to do business with them," the president said in a joint news conference with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven of Sweden. "The European Union has not treated us well. It's been a very, very unfair trade situation."

In an interview with "Closing Bell," Burns said, "The president continues to go after the European Union and describe them as strategic competitor rather than partner."



"This is a really difficult place for the United States to be, and it's not a good place to be. These are our allies in Europe," he added.

Meanwhile, it is China that's the major trade violator in the world, said Burns, who served as U.S. ambassador to NATO and was the State Department's third-ranking official during George W. Bush's presidency. He also advised the administrations of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

"The president just doesn't have it quite right. I understand  he's trying to treat China respectfully because he needs them on North Korea," he said. "You've got to be a little bit more honest and transparent about our long-standing trade differences with the Chinese government."

During the news conference Tuesday, Trump said the U.S. has a deficit of about $500 billion a year with China. "We're doing things with China which are very strong, but they understand it," he said.

The tariff talk has spurred fears of a trade war. When asked if that would happen, Trump said, "We'll have to see," but added, "When we're behind on every single country, trade wars aren't so bad."

The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Burns' remarks.
This picture taken on March 5, 2018 and released from North Korea's official KCNA on March 6, 2018 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) meeting with the South Korean delegation in Pyongyang.

The United States has decided Pyongyang used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Malaysia in 2017 and has imposed additional sanctions on the country, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement the U.S. government made the determination on Feb. 22 under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991. Additional sanctions on Pyongyang went into effect on March 5 after the finding was formally published, she said.

Kim's estranged half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, was killed at the airport in Kuala Lumpur when two women smeared his face with the banned chemical weapons agent VX.
More than one hundred Republican members of Congress on Wednesday signed a letter "urging" President Donald Trump to trim down his proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum.

"We urge you to reconsider the idea of broad tariffs to avoid unintended negative consequences to the U.S. economy and its workers," the GOP lawmakers said in the letter.

The letter, released by the House Ways and Means Committee, comprised signatures from 107 Republican U.S. representatives.

In the letter, Republicans applauded the Trump administration's successes on tax reform, but warned that "adding new taxes in the form of broad tariffs would undermine this remarkable progress."

Read more

Here's how Congress can stop Trump's tariffs  if lawmakers want to

Trump's tariff plan blows up party divisions in critical Pennsylvania special election

Exxon CEO: Trump tariffs move us 'in the opposite direction' from tax cut and deregulation benefits

Rather than impose tariffs of 25 percent on all steel imports and 10 percent on all aluminum imports, the Republicans called on Trump to focus on "China's unfair practices" if tariffs cannot be avoided.

In a statement accompanying the letter, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said, "We're urging the President to tailor these tariffs so American businesses can continue to trade fairly with our partners, sell American-made products to customers all over the world, and hire more workers here at home."
U.S president Donald Trump asserted on Tuesday that "everybody wants to work in the White House." But outgoing National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn doesn't, and neither does Austan Goolsbee, Barack Obama's former economic advisor.

Speaking to CNBC on Wednesday, Goolsbee said he wouldn't take Cohn's position "if it was the last job on Earth."

The leading economist, who is currently a University of Chicago professor, cited disagreements with the administration's policy focus, and concern over recent departures of White House staffers.

The president's intention to slap tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum imports could potentially trigger "an escalating trade war if not an outright global recession," he warned.

Moreover, the administration's "unprecedented turnover of personnel" indicates that the White House "isn't a healthy environment," he continued.

If all the moderates leave, the only people left could be the president's own family members, or those who are really desperate for the job, Goolsbee warned. "That doesn't bode well for policy making," he said.
Nobody spends money on defense like the United States, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., wants to know why so much of taxpayer dollars are going to the CEOs of defense companies.

"I think the elephant in the room here is the relationship of the DoD to defense contractors. I think that's the area that needs the most research," Sanders said during a Senate Budget Committee hearing Wednesday on the Department of Defense's business operations.

The Pentagon requested one of the largest budgets in history with its recent proposal of $686 billion and an additional $30 billion for non-defense agencies including the Department of Energy, which maintains the country's nuclear weapons.

For perspective, the U.S. allocates more money to the military than the next 10 highest spending countries combined.

Sanders hit on two points during the session:

R oughly half of the Pentagon's budget goes directly to defense contractors.

The CEOs of the top five defense contractors in the U.S. earned a cumulative of $96 million in compensation last year.

As the Pentagon's top weapons supplier, Lockheed Martin takes the lion's share of DoD funds with nearly 90 percent of revenue coming from the federal government.

Essentially, Sanders said, "Lockheed Martin is a government agency, a private one, but a government agency virtually fully funded by U.S. government."

"Does it make sense that we pay the Secretary of Defense $200,000 or less and we give a contractor, who gets 92 percent of his revenue from the taxpayers of this country, $18 million in taxpayer money," Sanders asked Pentagon comptroller David Norquist.
U.S. planemaker Boeing has snared a Hawaiian Airlines order for widebody long-haul jets from European rival Airbus, the carrier announced on Tuesday, in a striking blow to Airbus amid dwindling widebody sales.

Hawaiian said it had placed an order for 10 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with the first expected to arrive in 2021. The carrier dropped an earlier order of Airbus A330neos to go with the Boeing series.

"We ran a competitive process between two great aircraft types. It was a complex decision that factored in many aspects of aircraft capability, passenger experience, fleet complexity and the total lifetime cost of ownership, and the 787 came out on top," Hawaiian spokesman Alex Da Silva said.

Airbus is under mounting pressure to defend its A330neo jet against the Boeing 787, with American Airlines also expected to announce a decision soon on a potential order for 25-30 wide-body jets, industry sources said earlier.
U.S. government debt yields rose slightly Wednesday after the White House suggested that Canada and Mexico could be exempt from tariffs on steel and aluminum.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note was lower at around 2.888 percent at 3:48 p.m. ET, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was slightly higher at 3.156 percent. Bond yields move inversely to prices.

Yields ticked upward late Wednesday afternoon after White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that the U.S. may exempt Canada and Mexico from tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

Questioned about whether the Trump administration would consider exemptions from tariffs, Press Sec. Sanders left the possibility open.

"We expect that the President will sign something by the end of the week. And there are potential carve-outs for Mexico and Canada based on national security and possibly other countries as well based on that process," she said at a press briefing Wednesday. "That will be a case by case and country by country basis. It would be determined whether or not there is a national security exemption."

President Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on steel and 10 percent tariff on aluminum last Thursday, sparking criticism from Capitol Hill to Wall Street. Proponents of free trade, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, have advised the president that the move could have widespread implications for the broader market.

The debate on tariffs seemd to peak Tuesday after White House Chief Economic Advisor Gary Cohn chose to resign from President Donald Trump's administration. News of his impending departure initially weighed on equities and bond yields alike.

Cohn, the free trade advocate and former Goldman Sachs president, chose to step down from his position after Trump announced that he would impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, a move that has frustrated Capitol Hill and Wall Street alike.

"The Cohn exit creates more uncertainty with regard to economic policy. ... Markets do not like uncertainty," said Gary Pollack, head of fixed-income trading at Deutsche Bank Private Wealth Management. "This will remove some support from risky assets like equities and it should add some support to bonds."

Cohn was widely respected for his market knowledge and pro-trade view; equity futures sank following the announcement of his exit, with the Dow Jones industrial average set to fall triple digits.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC on Wednesday that President Donald Trump has indicated a degree of flexibility on tariffs for Canada and Mexico.

"We're not trying to blow up the world. There's no intention of that," Ross said in an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Box." "The president indicated the other day he has a willingness to provide an exemption to Canada and Mexico."

"We're not looking for a trade war. We're going to have very sensible relations with our allies," Ross added. "We hope and we believe that at the end of the day, there will be a process of working with the other countries that are our friends."

A few hours before Ross spoke, the European Union outlined a three-pronged retaliation for the proposed Trump tariffs. It said such U.S. imports as peanut butter, cranberries and orange juice could see higher charges in Europe.

In a tweet on Monday, Trump dangled the possibility of dropping his call for steel and aluminum tariffs if NAFTA is renegotiated to terms more favorable to the U.S.

Tweet

During a hearing with Congress on Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin indicated that once a new NAFTA deal is reached, the trading partners wouldn't be subject to the tariffs.

Ross dismissed the notion that Gary Cohn's resignation Tuesday night as Trump's top economic advisor was part of a "palace coup." Cohn had clashed with Trump's protectionist advisors on the issue of tariffs.

"He's done very good work on the taxes, he's done very good work on the infrastructure," Ross told CNBC. "Gary, as you know from all kind of media, has been contemplating some sort of a move for some little while."

The Commerce Department recommended imposing heavy tariffs or quotas on foreign producers of steel and aluminum last month in the interest of national security. Ross said at the time that steel is important to U.S. national security and that current import flows are adversely affecting the steel industry.

The Commerce secretary "concludes that the present quantities and circumstance of steel imports are 'weakening our internal economy' and threaten to impair the national security," the department said Feb. 16.

Shortly after Trump announced the tariffs, Ross told CNBC the plan for tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum products is "no big deal." He used cans of Campbell's Soup and Coca-Cola to stress his point about what he called insignificant price increases from Trump's tariffs.
ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance says the energy sector wants investors to like it again.

"Most investors are underweight energy, not by a little but by a lot," said Lance when he appeared at the CERAWeek conference in Houston this week.

A big focus at the annual energy conference was how to keep costs low, while using technology to maximize efficiencies. Lance said it's been difficult over the past year in the stock market. "We're trying to attract value investors back," he said.

The Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE), for instance, is down 6.5 percent over the past year, while the S&P 500 is up more than 14.5 percent. The S&P energy sector was down more than 11 percent in the month of February as the stock market sold off, its worst monthly performance since 2011.

ConocoPhillips shares, trading at just under $54, are midway between a 52-week high and low.

Lance was not alone among the oil CEOs looking to attract investors back to the spurned sector, with Royal Dutch Shell CEO Ben van Beurden saying Shell and the industry are working to achieve better shareholder returns through strong free cash flow and lower debt.

"One of the things you're seeing is a trend to return cash to shareholders," said Kevin Brown, research analyst with Tortoise Capital Advisors.

Lance said a key is to give money back to shareholders through buybacks, as well as dividends.

A goal is to keep sustainable capital as low as possible, and that level is now $3.5 billion for ConocoPhillips. That is the amount the company needs to maintain its production, while its cost per barrel is about $40.

"We believe 20 to 30 percent of capital should go to shareholders," Lance said.

ConocoPhillips' production is now about a quarter shale and growing.

More from CERAWeek:

Energy investors are acting as if the next bust is already too close



GM CEO ramping Bolt production, says transition to EVs 'won't take decades'

BP's Bob Dudley says oil has settled into 'fairway' of $50 to $65
Divorcing couples can face enough agony as it is dividing up possessions and agreeing on custody of children, let alone splitting retirement assets. Yet that nest egg often represents a divorcing couple's largest pot of money. And if the process for the division of those assets is not done properly, there can be a steep price to pay in taxes, penalties or an unintended amount of money going to an ex-spouse. Even if you have an attorney  whether for a courtroom battle or mediation  experts say it's important for splitting couples to understand what's at stake. "You are own best advocate in divorce," said certified financial planner Ann Zuraw, president of Zuraw Financial Advisors in Greensboro, North Carolina. "You might think your lawyer won't [miss anything], but you should really know as much as you can to make sure everything gets covered."

Tetra Images | Getty Images

Dividing 401(k)s and similar accounts ranks high on the list of things commonly fought about in divorce, according to a 2016 American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers survey of its members. The top three contentious items are alimony (83 percent), retirement accounts and pensions (62 percent) and business interests (60 percent.) (It's worth noting that for divorces executed after 2018, alimony will no longer be a tax deduction for the paying spouse and will not be taxable income for the recipient. While the change is expected to make divorce messier, experts say it should have a minimal impact on the division of retirement assets.) The type of retirement account being split up determines the process for making that division happen smoothly.

Workplace retirement plans

If your soon-to-be ex has a workplace retirement plan and you are entitled to a piece, the only way to legally access your share is through what's called a qualified domestic relations order, or QDRO. This is the case whether it's a 401(k) plan or traditional pension plan. A QDRO is separate from a divorce agreement, although it is based on the contents of that decree. Because these court orders are a specialized legal area, make sure the attorney who drafts it has some expertise. Ideally, that lawyer  who may or may not be your divorce attorney  will contact the plan's administrator to ensure the required steps are taken for a smooth transfer of your share of 401(k) funds or pension plan benefits (whether immediate or future).

Before this document is submitted to the court, you and your divorce attorney should review it to ensure the intent of the divorce agreement is reflected in the QDRO. If more than one retirement account is getting split, a separate order is required for each one. "If none of that review occurs and the [QDRO] happens in a vacuum, mistakes can happen," said certified financial planner Lili Vasileff, founder and president of Divorce and Money Matters in Greenwich, Connecticut. If 401(k) funds are getting transferred to a rollover IRA, the QDRO needs to spell that out. This so-called trustee-to-trustee transfer is not a taxable event for either the 401(k) account holder or the recipient. However, some ex-spouses choose to receive the money directly instead of transferring it to a rollover IRA. While divorce is one of the few times that 401(k) funds can be accessed before age 59 without incurring an early withdrawal penalty of 10 percent, the recipient would pay ordinary income taxes on the money. This type of distribution must be specified in the QDRO.

You are own best advocate in divorce. Ann Zuraw President of Zuraw Financial Advisors

Although experts generally agree that retirement money should be off-limits for anything but funding your golden years, an individual's financial circumstances sometimes necessitates the distribution in divorce, Zuraw said. Once the QDRO is in place, your 401(k) plan administrator must approve it and then the transfer will take place.

Things to watch out for

For the recipient of the 401(k) funds, it's important that you do not agree to a change of beneficiary before the divorce is final. As long as you remain married, account owners cannot name anyone other than a spouse without your approval, Zuraw said. The reason this matters is that if your soon-to-be ex passes away before the divorce is final, you might no longer have any rights to the 401(k). Additionally, make sure that if the intent is for each spouse to get, say, 50 percent of the 401(k) assets, the divorce decree and QDRO state that percentage instead of a fixed amount. Here's why: Say there's $100,000 in the 401(k) and the non-account-owner is to receive 50 percent. If the QDRO states the receiving spouse should get $50,000  which represented 50 percent at the time it was written  and the account posts gains or losses before the transfer is made, $50,000 no longer represents 50 percent. Also, be aware that if you are headed for bankruptcy, assets in 401(k)s are protected in that process, while IRAs are fair game for creditors. If this is your situation, consider leaving your share in the 401(k) plan (in your own account, of course).

Individual retirement accounts

While a QDRO is not required to split up assets in an IRA (traditional or Roth), you still need to make sure the split is done properly so no tax or penalties are incurred. The divorce decree itself must specify the division, including the amount and when it is to occur. The custodian of the IRA  i.e., a bank, brokerage or other financial services company  will need a copy of the agreement and require paperwork to be filled out. There also should be a rollover IRA account ready to receive the funds. "Generally speaking, it's a straightforward thing to do," Vasileff said. However, she said, just because a QDRO isn't needed, it doesn't mean that IRA owners can take matters into their own hands. If funds in a traditional IRA are withdrawn and then given to the ex-spouse  i.e., it is not a trustee-to-trustee transfer  it is considered a taxable event for the IRA's original owner. Not only would that person potentially owe regular income taxes on the money, a 10 percent early withdrawal penalty could be due if they're under age 59 (the age when you can begin withdrawing from a traditional IRA without incurring that penalty, with few exceptions). While Roth IRA withdrawals are treated differently because the contributions have already been taxed, it's still important to do a trustee-to-trustee transfer. The Roth owner could face taxation or penalties upon withdrawal depending on their age and how long they've owned the Roth IRA. More from Personal Finance:

When it comes to divorce, not all assets are equal

When credit card debt becomes a relationship killer

Same-sex divorce poses complications for some splitting couples

WATCH: 2018 could be a big year for divorce
The European Union threatened on Wednesday to impose duties on U.S. bourbon, peanut butter, cranberries and orange juice if President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on steel and aluminum.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom also said Brussels would take the case to the World Trade Organization and coordinate with other trade partners against the proposed U.S. tariffs.

She confirmed that the EU has prepared a provisional list of U.S. products that would see higher tariffs in Europe if Trump moves ahead with the tariffs. According to media reports, the EU's tariffs could amount to 2.83 billion euros ($3.52 billion).

"Certain types of bourbon is indeed on the list as is other items, such as peanut butter and cranberries, orange juice, etc.," she said, adding that "very soon" the list will be made public.

In an interview Wednesday on CNBC, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross played down the impact of the tariffs. "We're not trying to blow up the world," he said.

Malmstrom said the EU was getting ready to put safeguard measures in place to prevent metal flooding in the EU, as a result of the tariffs.

"There are indications that President Trump, very soon, in the coming days, we don't know for sure, may sign off a decision on import tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum, which he announced on the March 1," Malmstrom said.

"This is done under something that's called Section 232, which refers to internal or national security. We have serious doubts about that justification, we cannot see how the European Union's friends and allies in NATO can be a threat to national security in the U.S. We find that assumption deeply unjust," she added.
European stocks closed provisionally slightly higher Wednesday, as the resignation of President Donald Trump 's economic advisor and the European Union's threat of tariffs on U.S. goods heightened fears of a global trade war.

Looking at individual stocks, Rolls-Royce surged to the top of the European benchmark after the firm said it remained on course to meet its financial goals for 2020. The British engine-maker reported better-than-expected operating profit for 2017, sending shares more than 11 percent higher.

Basic resources, meanwhile, were down 0.2 percent, amid concerns the Trump administration will proceed with protectionist tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Fresnillo , Randgold Resources and Hydro were the worst performers of the sector.

Europe's auto stocks were among the best performers, up 0.6 percent. Renault shot up by 8 percent after Reuters reported that it was in talks with Nissan to sell most of the French government's stake in the car-maker to its Japanese alliance partner. The stock later pared those gains as traders pointed to a denial of the plans by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance. The auto sector was rattled recently after Trump threatened a levy on imports of European cars.

On Wall Street, stocks traded lower on the back of Gary Cohn's resignation from the White House.

Cohn, Trump's top economic advisor and the former president of Goldman Sachs, announced Tuesday that he would resign following disagreement with Trump over plans to slap tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Cohn was seen as a voice of reason in the White House and well-liked by Wall Street.

The European Union outlined a three-pronged response to proposed metals tariffs from Trump's administration Wednesday, including items such as peanut butter, cranberries and orange juice that could see higher charges in Europe.

Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, Cecilia Malmstrom, the EU's commissioner for trade, said the institution would take the case to the World Trade Organization and would coordinate its actions with other trade partners that are also against the proposed tariffs from the U.S.

In the U.K., Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is to begin a three-day state visit to London. He will meet U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and senior royals at Windsor Castle. Protests against his visit are planned.

Meanwhile, a political stalemate continues in Italy as parties vie for the leadership of a governing coalition after Sunday's inconclusive election. The leader of Italy's far-right Lega  the largest party within a center-right coalition in last week's vote  has said that he is the only option for prime minister. Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has put his name forward as the "coordinator of the center-right" coalition, according to Reuters.



 CNBC's Silvia Amaro contributed to this report.
Mark Zuckerberg David Ramos | Getty Images

As concerns about inappropriate content on Facebook increase, some advertising agencies are recommending against buying certain types of Facebook ads. But so far, advertisers are not heeding their warnings  Facebook's audience is too large and its targeting too good. Facebook is maxing out on places to put ads in the Facebook News Feed and Instagram areas without annoying its users. Instant Articles and Audience Network provide alternate Facebook-owned venues to put ads and gain revenue, but several agencies have become concerned enough about fake news and trolling to warn their clients away from these products. Digitas, whose clients have included Buick, Dunkin' Donuts and Whirlpool, has expressed concerns about Facebook's Audience Network, a program that lets advertisers buy ads on a network of third-party websites. It is also cautious about Instant Articles, a way for publishers to upload their articles onto the Facebook platform. "Digitas advises clients against running [ads] in Audience Network or Instant Articles until the point at which Facebook provides 100 percent transparency on the partners within its network and simplified tools for us to control where our ads are placed," said Jeanne Bright, vice president and group director of paid social at Publicis' DigitasLBi.

The majority of the Facebook ads Digitas buys for its clients are in the Facebook News Feed, Instagram and Instagram Stories, all of which are safe for advertisers, Bright said. Noble People, an ad agency that has worked with Coca-Cola and PayPal, is also concerned about Audience Network. Noble's media director, Matt Borchard, explained, "there's no control as to where you show up and video is served as mid-roll which as a consumer I absolutely loathe."

Transparency tools 'continuously delayed,' complains one agency

Facebook does have tools to prevent ads from appearing next to questionable items, including options to blacklist certain categories and topics. Companies can also blacklist specific websites and apps within Audience Network and Instant Articles. It also increased standards for which types of publishers can receive ad revenue in an effort to boost quality. But Facebook's main olive branch to advertisers has been a promise to list exactly where ads could potentially run and did run, especially on Instant Articles and Audience Network. That feature was announced in September, and still isn't available. Digitas' Bright points out this feature is "continuously delayed."

"My issue with these lists is that they aren't 100 percent transparent with listing every single site/article/video your ad runs against  that's what we'd need to feel absolutely comfortable running there," said Bright. "From what I've heard from Facebook, the lists will be 90 percent-plus transparent  though that percent isn't firm  mostly because they have agreements with some publishers that don't allow them to be completely transparent. They won't share who those publishers are either." A source close to Facebook said while the company can provide all the places an ad may potentially run, it's still working on being able to provide where ads actually ran. Ideally Facebook would allow third parties to audit for brand safety like DoubleVerify, Oracle's Moat or Integral Ad Science as other digital media companies allow, Bright said. However that option isn't being discussed, she said. A source with knowledge about the situation said Facebook plans on fully launching pre-ad-campaign lists for those two products by the end of Q1, while post-campaign lists should be available to all advertisers by mid-2018.

No other options

But though companies are aware of the dangers, most won't leave Facebook, said Noble People's Borchard. So far, none of its clients have pulled money for safety issues. "Facebook's pure size and targeting capabilities make it easily the best place to capture sales, next to Google," Borchard said. "CPMs (ad price of 1,000 views) are cheap and targeting is excellent. The duopoly is strong and shows no signs of slowing down." Overall Facebook is still a "low level of risk" for advertisers, said Interpublic's Huge CEO Aaron Shapiro. The company's move to include more personal content is helping because it highlights better content and increases quality engagement, Shapiro said. Facebook users self-censor because they don't want to embarrass themselves in front of family and friends, who are likely to see their posts. That makes it generally safer than platforms like YouTube, where people can post freely without people in their personal lives knowing, he said. "Brands are concerned about it, but right now at the end of the day it's a very manageable problem," Shapiro said, whose agency's clients have included LG, Nike, Pfizer and Proctor & Gamble. Meanwhile, both Facebook and Google are hiring thousands of people to review content, and Shapiro believes both platforms will be able to eliminate most of the advertiser concerns. "Look at what China is doing with censorship," he said. "If China can censor the internet when the Chinese internet is bigger than the U.S. internet, it can be done."

WATCH: How Facebook can fix its PR problem
Insurance is designed, theoretically, to protect against the catastrophic: tornadoes, floods, hurricanes  or, where our health is concerned, cancer or another devastating disease.

To make that financial protection affordable, many pay into the system: the healthy are supposed to subsidize the sick.

But at a conference Wednesday organized by the health insurance industry, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb delivered a startling message: You're doing it wrong.

"Sick people aren't supposed to be subsidizing the healthy," Gottlieb told an audience at the National Health Policy Conference of AHIP, the health insurer industry group. "That's exactly the opposite of what most people thought they were buying when they bought into the notion of having insurance."

Gottlieb's remarks were focused on the health of the market for biosimilars  copycats of complex, biologic medicines  and his concerns that industry consolidation and what he called rigged payment schemes may be stifling their development.

But they rang out as a critique of the U.S. system for pricing and paying for drugs more broadly, a system in which Gottlieb said each faction of the health-care industry is complicit in thrusting prices upward  at the expense of the sickest patients.

In his critique of health insurance constructs, he homed in on an increasingly popular target in the drug pricing debate: rebates. Those are discounts on medicines negotiated by pharmacy benefit managers on behalf of insurers.

But because the rebating system is opaque, and because of consolidation among PBMs and insurers, that system can result in ever-higher drug prices and everyone from drugmakers to the middlemen to insurers taking a slice of the pie, Gottlieb said.

Moreover, he posited, there's a "perverse incentive" to spread the benefit of those rebates across plan members, rather than applying them directly to lower the costs of drugs for the sickest patients  thus, a system where the sick subsidize the healthy.

"Patients shouldn't face exorbitant out-of-pocket costs, and pay money where the primary purpose is to help subsidize rebates paid to a long list of supply chain intermediaries, or is used to buy down the premium costs for everyone else," Gottlieb said.

What reason is there, he asked, for a cancer patient to shoulder a large co-pay on their costly medicine?

"Is a patient really in a position to make an economically based decision?" he continued. "Is the co-pay going to discourage overutilization? Is someone in this situation voluntarily seeking chemo?"

The answer, of course, is no. "Yet the big co-pay or rebate on the costly drug can help offset insurers' payments to the pharmacy, and reduce average insurance premiums," Gottlieb said.

His comments were applauded by industry observers.

"Too many benefit plans operate like reverse insurance," Adam Fein, CEO of Drug Channel Institute, wrote in an email to CNBC. "The sickest people taking medicines for chronic illnesses generate the majority of manufacturer rebate payments. These funds are then used to subsidize the premiums for healthier plan members."

Others heralded Gottlieb's citation of rebates as a key deterrent to uptake for biosimilars.

"This is impressive, from the head of the FDA," tweeted Walid Gellad, director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Policy & Prescribing at the University of Pittsburgh.

Health insurers and pharmacy benefits managers, unsurprisingly, disagreed.

This is impressive, from the head of the FDA. Read the speech.

"It's unfair to blame payers  who pay 2/3 the cost of drug benefits  for seeking the lowest costs in a marketplace where they have no control over the prices drugmakers set," the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, the PBM industry group, said in a statement. "Likewise payers  not the pharmacy benefit managers they hire to negotiate discounts  determine how rebates and other savings are allocated to reduce premiums, out-of-pocket costs and other expenses."

AHIP took issue with the idea that insurers play a role in rising drug prices.

"Health plans welcome the introduction of generic biologics, or biosimilars, as a way to give patients quicker access to more affordable medicines," the group said in a statement. And it pointed fingers back at drugmakers. "The trend among pharmaceutical companies to hike the prices of brand name biotech drugs before generic competition arrives is forcing makers of biosimilars to set their prices higher."

Some pointed out Gottlieb's position is an unusual one for an FDA commissioner to take; the agency officially doesn't take a role in drug pricing.

Gottlieb told CNBC Wednesday afternoon that ensuring biosimilars have a pathway to market is a public health concern.

"Part of my job is to worry about the effectiveness and viability of the biosimilars pathway and achieving the access and competition it was intended to create," Gottlieb said. "If ill-conceived payment arrangements serve to discourage investment in a way that forestalls that pathway from ever really taking root, that's a public health concern. And when I look at the biosimilars pipeline, I'm worried that may be happening."

The focus on rebates is spurring change: this week, UnitedHealth said it would apply drug rebates directly to lower costs for patients on their prescriptions starting next year. The company said it's part of a move to "simplify pharmacy benefits, deliver savings directly to its customers and improve their healthcare experience."

Alex Azar, newly minted secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, praised the move, calling it a "prime example of the type of movement toward transparency and lower drug prices for millions of patients that the Trump Administration is championing."

But, as many analysts pointed out, it may mean premiums across the board go up.

"Most plan sponsors use manufacturer rebates in aggregate to subsidize the cost of beneficiary premiums, keeping the premiums artificially low," RBC Capital Markets' George Hill wrote in a Tuesday research note. "This strategy has historically been effective, but has in recent years created a disconnect where the sickest and most expensive patients have been generating the rebates used to subsidize much healthier patients."

So by reversing that trend, as Gottlieb and Azar encourage, the health insurance model may become less backwards. But it won't necessarily result in lower costs, just a redistribution of them.
PAL-V said the first delivery will be made in 2019 once the production model has received final safety certifications.

Dutch firm PAL-V revealed its final production model Tuesday and is now taking pre-orders for the car/aircraft on its website.

The world's first flying car that you can buy has been unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show in Switzerland.

The firm claims the two-person vehicle has a top road speed of about 100 miles per hour (mph) while it can reach 112 mph in the air. With a maximum altitude of 11,000 feet, the air range is estimated to top out at around 350 miles.

Transforming from road to air isn't quite as simple as pushing a button, requiring manual intervention, but Pal-V claims this can be done in less than 10 minutes.

The first limited edition model will retail at an expected 499,000 euros ($621,500) with only 90 available for sale. Thereafter a "Liberty Sport Edition" will be available for an expected price of 299,000 euros.

Flying lessons are included in the price and the company's website is taking orders tied to hefty non-refundable reservation fees.

The flying car is certified to fly under the rules of U.S. and European safety agencies but owners will need a pilot's licence. Pilots will also need access to a small airstrip to take off and land.
Tariffs on steel and aluminum will likely have only a small effect on General Motors' bottom line, which the automaker can "more than offset," CEO Mary Barra told CNBC Wednesday.

GM sources 90 percent of its steel and the majority of its aluminum from the United States, Barra told CNBC's "Power Lunch" in an interview from the annual CERAWeek energy conference in Houston. The automaker would find ways to save elsewhere, but there is a larger concern for the industry.

"I think you do have to look at if changes occur that drive the cost up, it will have a direct impact on demand, because there is an affordability issue with cars we have to stay cognizant of," Barra said. "If there is an increase to the point that people stop buying cars and used cars, that will affect jobs."

GM said it still needs to see what the government's next move will be.

"Tell me exactly what is going to happen, and then we will figure out what the outcome should be," she said.

Barra also said she thinks the North American Free Trade Agreement needs to be "modernized" to account for the increasing level of technology found in cars today. GM also announced at CERAWeek that it is ramping production of its all-electric Chevy Bolt later this year as part of its path to a zero-emissions future.

And she does worry about a trade war.

"Give us a level playing field and let us compete, and we will win the customer," she said.

President Donald Trump has suggested the U.S. should impose a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum and a 25 percent tariff on steel. The administration has not released a formal plan, but that could change later this week.

The proposed tariffs are still in a state of limbo, Kristin Dziczek, director of the Industry, Labor & Economics Group at the Center for Automotive Research, told CNBC.

"It is important to point out that none of this is policy yet," she said. But she added that, so far, the process has been quite different from what the industry has been accustomed to in the past.

The tariffs are being proposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. That provision typically is meant to allow the Commerce Department to impose a tariff on any material that might be essential to national security.

But when Section 232 has been invoked in the past, it is usually pretty specific, targeting a specific metal originating from a particular trading partner, Dziczek said. Even the grade of the material is often specified.

But this is far broader. It names no specific trading partner and includes all steel and aluminum coming into the United States, she said.

There is a larger problem looming though, Dziczek said. There is already a global oversupply of steel, and while tariffs might cause a supply shortage in the short term they could lead U.S. producers to boost capacity, eventually further contributing to the oversupply in the global market.

General Motors' U.S. rival Ford has said in recent months that it has had trouble managing the effects of swings in metals prices.

More from CERAWeek:

GM CEO Barra says transition to EVs won't take decades

The little industry that may take a big bite out of oil demand

Fed's Kaplan says market doesn't appreciate risk of oil price spike
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with leaders of the steel industry at the White House March 1, 2018 in Washington, DC. Getty Images

To implement new taxes on imports of steel and aluminum, President Donald Trump is relying on a law last applied in the early 1990s. The law  specifically, Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962  allows the president to bypass Congress and impose tariffs by executive order. In this case, Trump made his determination on Thursday, announcing with little prior indication at a White House meeting that his administration would impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum. The legal justification for the tariffs came in the form of a report from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, which outlined the national security threats from the imports in question and provided a framework for retaliation. Ross' report originally suggested a 24 percent tariff on steel; Trump nudged it up to 25 percent. "Your guess is as good as mine" for why Trump increased the number, said Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonpartisan think tank. "Twenty-five sounds better, probably." The Commerce Department did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

Executive tariffs

What can Congress do?
In honor of International Women's Day on March 8, Google is swapping out its usual rainbow-colored search page logo in order to celebrate the work of 12 female artists from around the world through interactive Doodles.

Each artist shared a personal story through a series of visual narratives that represent "a moment, person or event that has impacted their lives as women," according to a Google blog post, while also conveying universal themes of womanhood.

"We hope that the combined power of words and images help bring these stories to life in a way that invokes feelings of understanding, empathy and spirit of the day," wrote Lydia Nichols and Alyssa Winans, Google's project leads for International Women's Day, in the post.

Here are the 12 female artists Google is honoring as well as their artwork.
Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) attends a news conference on the world economic outlook during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland January 22, 2018 .

The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde has warned a global trade war would create a lose-lose situation for everyone, amid an escalating war of words between the U.S. and several of its trading partners.

Speaking to French radio station RTL on Wednesday, Lagarde said: "The macroeconomic impact would be serious, not only if the United States took action, but especially if other countries were to retaliate, notably those who would be most affected, such as Canada, Europe, and Germany in particular."

Last week, President Donald Trump condemned the U.S. trade deficit with other countries and proposed plans to impose hefty tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.



That prompted a firm global response from Washington D.C.'s trading partners, as well as criticism from the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Matteo Salvini leader of Lega Nord party speaks during the Lega Nord demonstration in Piazza Duomo on February 24, 2018 in Milan, Italy.

Silvio Berlusconi will support the leader of Italy's euroskeptic partner the League in attempts to form a government, the former prime minister said in a newspaper interview on Wednesday.

The four parties in the center-right coalition agreed during the campaign that the leader of the party that won the most votes would head a government.

In a personal defeat for Berlusconi, the far-right League surpassed his Forza Italia (FI) party in Sunday's elections, winning about 17 percent of the vote to 14 percent for FI.

"In full respect of our agreements, we will now loyally support attempts by (Matteo) Salvini to form a government," Berlusconi told Corriere della Sera.

"I am here to support him, to guarantee the solidity of the coalition and keep our commitments with the voters," he said.

The vote produced a hung parliament and talks to form a government will take weeks and possibly months. The League and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement both say the president should name their own leaders as prime minister.
As the White House struggles with ongoing departures of its senior staff, key vacancies throughout the executive branch charged with rooting out waste, fraud and abuse remain unfilled more than a year after President Donald Trump took office.

The latest example of the importance of those watchdogs came Wednesday with the release of a stinging internal investigation of the Department of Veterans Affairs, which found "failed leadership at multiple levels" during the Obama administration that put patients at a major hospital at risk.

The 150-page report painted a grim picture of communications breakdowns, chaos and spending waste at the government's second-largest department. The report found that at least three program offices directly under current VA Secretary David Shulkin's watch knew of "serious, persistent deficiencies" when he was VA undersecretary of health from 2015 to 2016.

The report represented the latest blow to Shulkin, whom Trump promoted to VA secretary last year. Shulkin told government investigators that he did "not recall" ever being notified of problems.

Despite Trump's campaign vows to "drain the swamp," his administration has been slow to hire agency watchdogs, known as inspectors general, tasked with reviewing the way the government conducts its business and spends taxpayers' money.

Of the 73 inspector general offices housed in various government agencies and departments, 14 of them are vacant or lead by temporary appointees, according to the Project on Government Oversight, an independent watchdog group.
Longtime economic analyst Larry Kudlow told CNBC on Wednesday he did not want to get into whether he's being considered by President Donald Trump to replace top economic advisor Gary Cohn.

"I don't have any comments on that stuff," said Kudlow, a Trump confidant who also served in the Reagan administration. "I just don't want to walk through all those scenarios."

Cohn announced his resignation as director of the National Economic Council late Tuesday after clashing with protectionist forces within the administration over imposing trade tariffs.

Ever since Trump unveiled his tariff plan last Thursday, Kudlow, a former Wall Street economist, has said repeatedly that he urged Cohn to stay.

Kudlow's name has been bandied about as a possible candidate to replace the departing Cohn. But like Cohn, Kudlow has said he's no fan of the president's plan to impose broad import tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum.

"I don't like blanket tariffs," Kudlow told CNBC, where he is a senior contributor.

Kudlow said sometimes "targeted tariffs" can work in getting the true culprit's attention. "I would have started with China," he argued. "Go after China. Canada is not our enemy."

Wall Street wants to know whether Canada and Mexico would be exempted from the tariffs. Negotiators for those two nations and the United States are currently trying to overhaul the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement.

While there's been no confirmation from the White House on whether such exemptions are in the works, Trump signaled an openness to them if a new NAFTA deal can be reached.
The race to Mars is on, and a new generation of space companies is providing a challenge to incumbents.

Lockheed Martin is one of several legacy companies working to be a part of future Mars missions, while SpaceX and its founder Elon Musk are pushing to begin colonizing Mars as early as 2022. Despite the newcomers, Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson is undaunted in her outlook for the company's future in space.

"In terms of being the first to Mars, we have been on every Mars mission from the very first one," Hewson told CNBC. "I think we will continue to be on every mission to Mars."

After the successful maiden flight of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, Musk told reporters he wants "a new space race." Falcon Heavy  more powerful than any other rocket available and at a fraction of the price of any competitor  can launch payloads as far as "Pluto and beyond," Musk has said. But SpaceX is continuing work on its BFR program, which the company hopes will become the backbone of its Mars program.

Hewson pointed to two of Lockheed Martin's ongoing projects for NASA as backing for her declaration that the company will remain on any future Mars missions: the InSight lander and the Orion deep space capsule. The former is set to launch this May, while the latter awaits its first flight aboard the Space Launch System rocket in 2020.

InSight will assess "the environment of Mars," Hewson noted, while Orion is not anticipated to make the trip to Mars until after several SLS flights. The deep space capsule will fly uncrewed until at least 2022, when the second SLS mission is expected to take four astronauts around the moon.

"Someday, it'll be going to Mars," Hewson said of Orion.

In the same manner as Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg on Feb. 15, she offered a measure of praise to the new commercial ventures in space, which received a record amount of private investment last year.

"The new entrants into that over the last several years have helped to raise a lot of the excitement and innovation, and I think that's great for the space program," Hewson said.

"It's great for attracting talent into the space programs that we're working on," Hewson added.

 CNBC's Morgan Brennan contributed to this report.
General Motors CEO Mary Barra announced her company will expand production of its Chevrolet Bolt electric car, during a speech plotting GM's path to a zero-emissions future at one of the biggest energy conferences of the year.

Barra's address came on the heels of a day focused on the viability of oil at the annual CERAWeek by IHS Markit conference in Houston, where many energy executives challenged the notion that alternative fuels and electric vehicles will soon displace the internal combustion engine.

On Monday, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser told CNBC it would take "generations" for a transformation toward electric vehicles in the transportation industry to take place.

"I think it's going to happen more quickly than decades," Barra told CNBC in an interview on the sidelines of the conference.

"As more and more people recognize that we have the right range, understand that we have a charging infrastructure so they don't think you're going to be stranded, I think you're going to see EV adoption continue," the GM CEO said.

GM will increase production of the Chevrolet Bolt later this year at its Orion Assembly plant near Detroit to meet growing demand around the world for the all-electric model, Barra announced on Wednesday.
A nor'easter has closed schools and disrupted travel across the East Coast on Wednesday. But storms can also cost companies billions of dollars in damage and lost revenue, so knowing when and where they're going to strike is a big business in and of itself.

"The weather impacts everything one way or the other," AccuWeather founder Joel Myers recently told CNBC. From their base in State College, Pennsylvania, AccuWeather works with half of the Fortune 500, Myers said, to forecast weather and tell those companies how to prepare for extremes. (Watch the full interview below.)

Shifting weather patterns can wreak havoc on crops. Airlines are forced to cancel thousands of flights in anticipation of big winter storms. CNBC has reported before on corporate executives blaming poor company performance on extreme weather.

Having an advance warning of severe weather can also help protect employees. In 2008 a Caterpillar factory in Oxford, Mississippi, was hit by a tornado. Fortunately, everyone inside sheltered in time, Myers said, thanks to an AccuWeather warning. The plant was damaged, but no one was seriously hurt, The Wall Street Journal reported at the time.

"Tornadoes could kill," Myers said. "The average advanced notice of a tornado warning by the national weather service is eight minutes, ours are 20."

But it's not just extreme weather that can have a big effect on business. Retail companies see different customer patterns based on the weather in a given area. By applying data analytics, AccuWeather predicts what consumer demand will be and sells that information back to the companies.
Peter Thiel is Silicon Valleys homegrown Cassandra. He warned for years that the big tech companies were arrogant and clueless and less good for mankind than they believed.

Comeuppance, the billionaire investor warned, was coming.

Trouble has now arrived. Unfortunately for Mr. Thiel, the storm is centered on Facebook, whose board he has been a member of practically since its founding. The social network, which billed itself as bringing democracy and enlightenment to the world, was used by the Russians to subvert democracy and sow confusion in the United States.

Even people paid to see the future didnt see that one coming.

The boards role is to help think about some of the medium- and longer-term problems coming around the corner, Mr. Thiel said. We were far from perfect in doing that.

Mr. Thiel, 50, is at the center of nearly every issue that roils Silicon Valley, ranging from the tech elites fascination with New Zealand hideaways (Mr. Thiel obtained New Zealand citizenship) to Bitcoin (he is a major investor) to the problems of herd thinking (he is moving from San Francisco to Los Angeles to escape it) to the evolving role of content on the internet (he has been exploring the creation of a media company that would outflank Breitbart and Fox for a younger audience).

Two subjects are currently overwhelming everything else: President Trump, whom Mr. Thiel aggressively backed for president, and Facebook, whose core mission is being called into question in the wake of the Russian revelations. In a typical Thiel move  he tends to run toward controversy even as his Silicon Valley peers try to make themselves inconspicuous  he agreed, in a rare interview, to talk about both.

Its been a crazier two years than I would have thought, Mr. Thiel said in his new Midtown Manhattan apartment, which is so far up in the clouds that it literally looks down on Trump Tower.

More from The New York Times:

For two months, I got my news from print newspapers. Here's what I learned.

How Canada's tech scene is thriving (including the Instant Pot)

Why companies and countries are battling for ascendancy in 5G

Despite the proximity, the mutual enthusiasm between Mr. Thiel and Mr. Trump seems to have cooled. After Mr. Thiel spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2016, there were unsourced media reports that said Mr. Trump wanted to put him on the Supreme Court. But now even photo ops are rare.

The investor said he had last spoken to the president a few months ago.

We dont talk that often, he said, but added, I can get access anytime I want.

The Trump whom Mr. Thiel touted at the Republican convention was a candidate who would end the era of stupid wars and rebuild our country, move us past fake culture wars and start projects the equivalent of the Apollo space program. That does not seem to be the president he got.

There are all these ways that things have fallen short, Mr. Thiel said. But he said he had no regrets about his endorsement. Its still better than Hillary Clinton or the Republican zombies, he said, referring to the other candidates.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Thiel is routinely labeled a libertarian. On a bookshelf in the apartment, as if in confirmation, is a hardback copy of Ayn Rands Atlas Shrugged, the bible of the movement. A gift, he said.

A lesser-known but possibly deeper influence was the French philosopher Rene Girard, who taught at Stanford University when Mr. Thiel was an undergraduate there. For 15 years, on and off, Mr. Thiel sat in on a study group about Mr. Girards ideas. Mr. Girard believed human beings were deeply mimetic, which is to say they copy one another.

Its very anti-Ayn Rand: There are no self-contained autonomous figures, Mr. Thiel said. Our desires are not our own. They get shaped powerfully by the society around us.

It was this illumination that helped him see the potential of Facebook  where people could find out in intimate and addictive detail what their friends were up to  when it was barely a year old. He was the first outside investor, buying 10 percent of the company for $500,000.

He sold most of his holdings in 2012 as Facebook went public. A few months ago, with Facebooks market capitalization at about $500 billion, he sold most of what he had left.

Last summer, there was a flap when a memo by a fellow board member, Reed Hastings, the chief executive of Netflix, appeared in The New York Times. In the memo, Mr. Hastings wrote to Mr. Thiel that he displayed catastrophically bad judgment in supporting Mr. Trump.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive, did not ask him to step down from the board, and reports that he wants to leave the board are incorrect, Mr. Thiel said, noting that among other things that he brings ideological diversity. He declined to say exactly how much or what kind of advice the Facebook board was offering Mr. Zuckerberg, but defended the company from criticism that it was slow to wake up to what the Russians did.

Remember when Trump said the election was going to be rigged? People said that was crazy  How dare you question the integrity of the electoral process? That was the view of most of the people working at Facebook, too, he said. They did not think things were so hackable. It was a mistake, but an understandable mistake. Facebook declined to comment.

The anger now being turned on Facebook, Mr. Thiel argued, is less about Russia specifically and more about tech arrogance  its failure to do so much for so many. It is a sentiment that helped put Mr. Trump in the White House.

The Trump campaign slogan, Make America Great Again, was perhaps the single most offensive thing you could say to Silicon Valley, he said. Silicon Valley says the future is going to be better than the past. That is the propaganda, if you will.

A friend of his in Silicon Valley had the idea of running for governor of California this year. Mr. Thiels advice was that he had better have a good answer to this question: Why is tech good for the average person in California? The answer, he cautioned, couldnt be a banality, such as its making us more connected, and it couldnt be utopian, such as its going to cure all diseases.

He wasnt able to come up with an answer, and I couldnt come up with one, either, Mr. Thiel said. He declined to identify the friend, but it is well known in tech circles that Sam Altman, the president of Y Combinator, the prominent start-up accelerator, was thinking about running. Mr. Altman confirmed it was him and said he had decided not to run for many reasons.

There is a big painting of a cresting wave in Mr. Thiels living room, and it might as well be a visual metaphor for what is going on in big tech now.

Having some ambition that transcends just making money is a critical thing for a company, he said. But there is some point where it gets crazy and self-delusional. He added that the companies are probably in some trouble  maybe its a little, maybe its a lot. The prospect of government regulation looms.

In 2015 and 2016, Mr. Thiel gave $300,000 to Josh Hawley, who was campaigning to become Missouris attorney general. Mr. Hawley won, and in November he opened an antitrust investigation of Google. A spokeswoman for Mr. Hawley, a Republican who is now challenging the states Democratic senator, Claire McCaskill, said there was no connection between Mr. Thiels donation and the investigation. Google declined to comment.

The news last month that Mr. Thiel is moving from San Francisco to Los Angeles reflects a shift that is as much mental as literal. Getting out of the tech bubble, he figures, will give him more clarity about his investments.

Network effects are very positive things, but theres a tipping point where they fall over into the madness of crowds, he said.

Another of Mr. Thiels contentious ideas was destroying Gawker, the online publisher. He secretly financed the privacy lawsuit that Hulk Hogan, the former pro wrestler, filed against the media company, which Mr. Hogan won. That led to Gawkers bankruptcy in 2016.

A news operation that specialized in deflating the arrogance of Silicon Valley should have been to Mr. Thiels liking. But he argues that his philosophy is consistent here.

Gawker was trying to cut people down to size for not conforming, he said. The ability to speak and not have every word you say get distorted, to have wrong ideas and then be able to correct them  these notions were powerfully undercut by Gawker.

Mr. Thiel is still pursuing the remnants of Gawker in court, which has prompted accusations that he wants to remove all of its content from the internet as a final victory.

He denied this. Terry Bollea, a.k.a. Hulk Hogan, is still owed some money from the Gawker sale, and that is what I am trying to get, he said. I dont want the archives. I dont think it makes sense to destroy them. Preserve them, study them instead.
Forecasters tweaked their snowfall predictions several times Wednesday as another powerful winter storm slammed into the Northeast, but many airlines weren't taking any chances.

Airlines canceled more than 2,400 flights scheduled to or from major airports in the Boston, Philadelphia and New York area, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.

More than half of the scheduled departures, 353 flights, from Newark Liberty International Airport were canceled. The airport is large hub of United Airlines. Carriers canceled 342 flights from LaGuardia Airport and 266 from John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to FlightAware. A similar number of flights to those airports were also canceled. Airlines canceled more than 320 flights were canceled to and from Boston Logan International Airport.

Most major airports in the Northeast were operating with minimal delays, despite the cancellations, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Newark's airport closed briefly Wednesday afternoon and inbound flights to Philadelphia International Airport were delayed because of ice and other poor weather conditions.

Airport officials warned travelers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport.

Airlines including United, Delta, JetBlue, American waived change fees for travelers affected by the storm if those individuals could move their trips to the coming days.

While forecasts are still changing, airlines often cancel flights ahead of severe weather to avoid stranding crews and passengers, which can lead to even bigger logistical headaches.

WATCH: Second nor'easter in a week takes aim at the northeast
A group of nuns and religiously-affiliated investors said Wells Fargo & Co. has agreed to publish a review that shows the root causes of the systemic lapses in governance and risk management that have led to ongoing controversies, litigation and fines. As a result of the company's commitment, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility will withdraw a resolution filed for the 2018 proxy calling for the review.

Sister Nora Nash of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia led the engagement with Wells Fargo, along with 22 other co-filers who are members of the ICCR, a shareholder coalition that has been engaging the top seven U.S. banks on controversies around risk, ethics and culture for several decades. ICCR members were joined in the filing by the Offices of the Treasurer of the States of Rhode Island and Connecticut.

The group had sought to put its resolution to a vote at the lender's annual meeting in April.



More from Philadelphia Business Journal:

Pennsylvania is a frontrunner for new Apple campus, says Bloomberg

Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan hits back at critics

Arts groups get nearly $1M for boardroom diversity, innovation & more



"ICCR first requested this review in 2014 when Wells Fargo came in last in a benchmarking survey on risk management, responsible lending and other metrics," Nash said in a statement. "With each new scandal and penalty as a result of aggressive cross-selling, car loan insurance issues, and mortgage fraud, we tried to impress upon management the need for a comprehensive review that will lead to systemic change. We are encouraged that they are finally agreeing to take this first step towards what we hope will be authentic reform."

San Francisco-based Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC), Philadelphia's largest bank by deposits, said in a brief statement that it had agreed to publish the review and looks forward to working with the ICCR.

The ICCR said the company has agreed that its published review will include the following six elements:

Analysis of the impacts on the bank, its reputation, customers, and investors of the continuing scandals;

Identification of the systemic cultural and ethical root causes of recent scandals, including at the board level;

A framework to address the issues and embed systems throughout the company, including changes already implemented, establishment of grievance mechanisms, and plans to strengthen corporate culture and instill a commitment to high ethical standards at all employee levels;

Key performance indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of changes instituted over time;

A commitment to ongoing and regular disclosure of progress;

Description of how the identified issues will be factored into employee and executive incentive and compensation decisions.

The ICCR originally filed the shareholder resolution in October 2016, one month after Wells Fargo admitted that its employees opened as many as 3.5 million checking, savings and credit card accounts without customer authorization in order to meet sales goals. The scandal led to a $185 million settlement with regulators and the departure of CEO John Stumpf. It has also set in motion more regulatory settlements, replacing several members of the bank's board and states and municipalities severing or suspending business ties.

Locally, Philadelphia City Council voted unanimously last May to approve legislation to remove Wells Fargo as the bank handling the city's payroll account. Citizens Bank secured the winning bid to handle those services at the start of the city's fiscal year in July 2017.

The city also filed a lawsuit accusing the bank of engaging in discriminatory mortgage lending practices targeting minority borrowers. Wells Fargo's motion to dismiss was recently rejected by a federal judge, but the bank is vigorously disputing the claims in the suit.
Last week, President Donald Trump announced his plans to put stiff tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports.

Both candidates in the tight House special election in Pennsylvania have supported some form of tariff on steel and aluminum.

Democrat Conor Lamb, a former U.S. attorney and US Marine Corps veteran running to represent Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, before a speech to an audience at the American Legion Post 902 on January 13, 2018 in Houston, Pennsylvania. Getty Images

Few policies championed by President Donald Trump have caused more blurring of political party lines than proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. The president's trade goals have ruptured partisan divisions southwest of Pittsburgh, where Republicans and Democrats are fighting for blue-collar votes in a tight House special election. In the race for Pennsylvania's 18th District seat in Trump country, Republican candidate Rick Saccone and Democrat Conor Lamb have both signaled support for some form of tariff on metals. The contenders in next Tuesday's election aim to not alienate key constituencies in the district, like workers in the steel and aluminum industries or unions representing the region's laborers.

The reaction to the tariffs in parts of the district shows working-class areas may again react well to anti-trade rhetoric as Republicans and Democrats battle for control of Congress this year. Trump hopes his proposed tariffs can give Saccone an edge with blue-collar voters as the GOP tries to avoid losing in an area the president carried by 20 points in 2016, partly thanks to his pledges to crack down on unfair trade practices and protect American workers. But as Democrat Lamb has warmed to at least modest protectionist measures, it may not be a deciding factor for voters in the region. Political observers consider the election a key indicator of whether Democrats can win House seats in red pockets of the country and gain a majority in the chamber in November.

President Donald Trump speaks during a tour of the H&K Equipment Company in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania on January 18, 2018. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images

Trump's proposal has brought together strange bedfellows in Pennsylvania's 18th District. The traditionally Republican area has a wealthier and more educated populace than the median congressional district and a strong steel and energy industry presence. Saccone, a 60-year-old GOP state representative, "supports free trade as long as it's fair," his campaign said in a statement. If tariffs are required "to protect steel and aluminum jobs in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Rick would support those measures," the campaign added. At a recent debate, the Democrat Lamb said "we have to take some action to level the playing field," calling trade measures "long overdue." The 33-year-old former prosecutor added that he backs tariffs that "focus on China more so than our friends" like Canada. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who served in the Obama White House that defended the North American Free Trade Agreement and pushed for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, mentioned the need for "tougher" or "fairer" trade laws while campaigning for Lamb with union members outside of Pittsburgh on Tuesday. He did not specify what it would take to make trade laws more fair.

Key supporters back the tariffs

Two polls of the race released this week showed a statistical dead heat between Saccone and Lamb. A Gravis poll released Wednesday found Saccone held a 3-percentage point advantage, while an Emerson poll out Monday showed Lamb with a 3-percentage point edge. Both of those leads fell within the surveys' margins of error. Prevailing in the close contest means mobilizing key constituencies for both Saccone and Lamb. Saccone rallied with members of the district's energy industry this week, while Lamb spent part of his day Tuesday with union members.

David Podurgiel, a Rick Saccone supporter Jacob Pramuk | CNBC

Supporters of both Saccone and Lamb within those groups who spoke to CNBC largely showed support for steel and aluminum tariffs. "I love it," said David Podurgiel, a 52-year-old Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, resident and vessel operations manager for coal company Murray Energy's shipping operation. At a Saccone event Monday at a VFW post in the town of Waynesburg, Podurgiel told CNBC that he feels the tariffs fit with the "America First" polices Trump pledged as a candidate. He noted that Murray's shipping business counts U.S. Steel, a major steel producer based in Pittsburgh, as a customer. Jim McCaffrey, a senior vice president for coal sales at Consol Energy who backs Saccone, also told CNBC he thinks the tariffs could "revive the American steel industry." Some similar views on the tariffs emerged at Lamb's event with union members, who hardly support the president's overall platform.

Conor Lamb Jacob Pramuk | CNBC
Broadcom is pledging to make the U.S. the "global leader" in 5G cellular with a $1.5 billion investment if the company's proposed acquisition of Qualcomm is allowed by the U.S. government to go through, the company said Wednesday.

"Broadcom has a proven track record of managing R&D for maximum impact and investing in core franchises. Broadcom will not only maintain the R&D resources Qualcomm devotes to 5G and innovation in future wireless standards  we will also focus R&D spend to those critical technologies that are essential to the U.S.," the company said in a statement.

U.S. officials this week deemed a potential merger of the rival chipmakers a national security risk and a threat to the country's standing in the race to 5G.

The review by CFIUS  the U.S. Treasury's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States  has already delayed a proxy vote by a month and could force Broadcom to abandon its bid.

The company, currently based in Singapore, is in the process of re-domiciling in the U.S. and pledged Wednesday to create "a stronger combined American company" in its purchase of Qualcomm.
Perry said the energy industry, leveraging the continent's substantial oil and gas reserves, can create a North American strategy that is powerful around the world.

"As we renegotiate NAFTA there are going to be some uncomfortable things, but we realize at the end of this, we are so much stronger together than we are divided."

"Competition is an uncomfortable thing, and relationships are uncomfortable from time to time. Incredibly close relationships are uncomfortable from time to time, and we work our way through those," he said.

The United States' relationship with both countries has come under strain as negotiations over NAFTA stretch out and President Donald Trump threatens to slap broad sanctions on steel and aluminum.

Perry made his comments during a panel with Canadian Minister of Natural Resources James Gordon Carr and Mexican Secretary of Energy Pedro Joaquin Coldwell at CERAWeek by IHS Markit in Houston.

U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry on Wednesday said his country's relationship with Canada and Mexico could become "uncomfortable" during negotiations over their free trade agreement.

Competition is an uncomfortable thing, and relationships are uncomfortable from time to time.

To be sure, the White House hinted on Wednesday that any steel and aluminum tariffs could include carve-outs for Mexico and Canada.

The ministers frequently evoked their close relationship, but there was an undercurrent of tension as the threat of trade war and the prospect of NAFTA's collapse loomed over the panel.

Carr appeared to allude to that tension in his opening remarks.

"We come to Houston every year, and we meet in between. The three of us have been on panels together virtually all over the world. It's something which you never want to end but politics being what they are, I don't know how many more we'll have," he said.

Carr said there is perhaps no better example of how a free trade agreement is in the interest of all the countries than the energy sector.

North American energy markets are closely intertwined. Canada ships nearly all of its crude oil exports to the United States, and Mexico's appetite for natural gas has driven a boom in U.S. pipeline shipments in recent years.

Coldwell said the relationship with the United States represents interdependency, not dependence on Mexico's part. He noted that Mexico sells crude to the United States, while importing natural gas and gasoline at some of the best prices in the world.

Mexico's energy reforms, which are opening the sector to private companies, present great opportunities for investors from the United States and Canada, according to Coldwell. He said 17 Canadian and U.S. companies have won contracts for oil and gas exploration, and he partnerships with the two countries will build 7,500 kilometers of pipeline in Mexico.

"I think that now is the time. This opens an opportunity for companies on the other side of the border to come into Mexico," he said.

"I think Mexico is much more open now to cooperation with our partners in the north."

Carr, in an appearance on CNBC, noted that the three countries are dependent on each other and create jobs for each other. He stressed that the U.S. and Canada are allies and major trading partners.

"We are absolutely joined, integrated," he said, "which is healthy for all three countries."

He declined to comment on whether the United States' threats on tariffs are a tactic to push trade talks.

"I wouldn't want to speculate on the tactics of the negotiators," he said.

Canada believes the current NAFTA agreement is very good, but it could be refreshed, Carr said.

More from CERAWeek:

GM's Barra says ramping Bolt production as world moving to all-electric

Rick Perry's 'new energy realism' means fewer regulations

Spurned energy stocks go looking for love in Houston
The CEO of widely-followed payment network Ripple has a request for everyone in the cryptocurrency industry: Cooperate with regulators.

"It's incredibly important that the entire industry recognizes that we have to work with the regulators, we have to work with the system, " Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said in an interview that aired Wednesday on CNBC's "Fast Money." "The blockchain revolution is happening from within the system it's not going to happen from outside the system."

Bitcoin dropped below the key $10,000 level Wednesday after the Securities and Exchange Commission said it will require digital asset exchanges to register with the agency. The SEC statement follows weeks of subpoenas to rein in control over the growing number of exchanges.

"There are some within the bitcoin community that really advocated not just down with banks but down with governments, we have been a contrarian relatively speaking in that regard," said Garlinghouse, who has an estimated net worth of $3.7 billion and ranked 210 on Forbes' list of richest Americans.

San Francisco-based Ripple is developing a network for fast, global financial payments. XRP is the name of the digital token that financial institutions on the network can use to transact quickly.

The digital currency, which was trading near 88 cents Wednesday according to Coinmarketcap data, is listed on more than 60 exchanges but is not yet available on popular U.S. exchange Coinbase.

A CoinDesk article and some Twitter users speculated earlier this week that Garlinghouses's appearance on "Fast Money" the same day as Coinbase President and Chief Operating Officer Asiff Hirji signaled an announcement was coming soon.

"Coinbase will have to decide what they want to do and make the announcements that are appropriate for them," Garlinghouse said, adding that he would not "comment on the status of those sort of things."

Garlinghouse highlighted Cirlcle's acquisition of Poloniex in late February and predicted more deals as the asset class grows.

"I think there's going to more consolidation and I think they will grow in size," Garlinghouse said. "The Fidelitys of the world will be in this space."

Ripple the company has about $60 billion worth of the digital currency XRP, Garlinghouse said, which it plans to use as an asset to invest back into XRP development.

In the last half year, Ripple has announced a handful of financial firms are at least testing the use of XRP for cross-border payments.

Just Thursday, global payments company Fleetcor and its subsidiary Cambridge Global Payments will test the use of XRP. The announcement follows news in January that MoneyGram will test XRP, as will MercuryFX and IDT.
OPEC, Russia and other non-OPEC nations are likely to turn their production-cutting deal into a longer-term relationship to help fend off the next downturn and make the oil market less volatile. The agreement to reduce oil output by 1.8 million barrels a day extends through the end of the year, and multiple ministers endorsed retaining a relationship that could help prevent another destabilizing collapse in oil prices, like the one in 2015 and 2016. "We realized it was a negative sum game; all of us producers and consumers were losing when the oil price went down," said Mohammed Saleh Abdullah Al-Sada, Qatar Minister of Energy and Industry. Al-Sada, speaking at IHS Markit's annual CERAWeek conference, was instrumental in bringing fellow OPEC ministers into agreement on a deal in 2016, when they met on the sidelines of an industry conference in Algeria. "A year earlier we opened channels with Russia, and again we found they were thinking alike," he said. "We found once we agreed among ourselves, Russia was very positive." The thorn in the side of major oil-producing nations has been U.S. shale, which started to boom in the last decade as the industry applied and continued to improve new technologies. The message from CERAWeek was that OPEC will continue to hold the market steady, for now.

OPEC and Russia motivations may ultimately diverge

While OPEC and Russia agreed to cut back, shale drillers are driven purely by economics and they increased production as prices stabilized. Now at record oil production of more than 10 million barrels a day, the United States is ahead of Saudi Arabia since it pared back production. "Russia and OPEC have a major problem in the long run. The fact that the Saudis are pegging to the U.S. dollar and the Russians have a floating currency means in the long run the Saudis want more dollars and the Russians want more barrels," said Francisco Blanch, head of global commodities and derivatives research at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. "It's worked out well for the last year and a half, and they are investing in each other's countries," he said recently. "At the end of the day, if the Russians extend the deal into 2020, they lose more market share to the U.S., and I don't think they're willing to do that."

OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo described the agreement, which will be reviewed in June, to be "as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar. Here he is seen shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) at the Russian Energy Week 2017 forum in Moscow in October. Sputnik | Kremlin | Reuters

But OPEC General Secretary Mohammad Barkindo describes a larger relationship with non-OPEC producers as an "insurance policy" against future volatility and cycles. He is also reaching out to shale players, and he and OPEC oil ministers met with producers at a dinner during the CERAWeek conference for a second year in a row. He plans to do it again next year. "It was obvious this would trigger more rapid rise of shale production," said Alexey Texler, Russia's First Deputy Minister of Energy, and he said the rise of more than 1 million barrels was taken into consideration when Russia entered the agreement. Prices have recovered to above $60 per barrel after crashing down to about $30 in early 2016, and Barkindo described the agreement, which will be reviewed in June, to be "as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar." The deal will be reviewed again in December. "The need to work together is obviously so needed by the market," Texler said. "We do not have plans to join OPEC as a a member," he added, but there is a desire to continue the relationship, and the format is being debated. "I don't think there's a strong need to cement something or cast it in stone," he said, but he thinks the alliance would help with coordinating on technology and other issues. Texler said the goal of rebalancing the market has not yet been met, but it could come in the second half of the year, "maybe third quarter." "The Russians care more about volume than price, and the Saudis care more about price. ... I think they appear to be working through those strains, which will show up in the June meeting," Blanch said. "My expectation is it takes three years to unwind the deal and in those three years, Russians are the first to bring back capacity and the Saudis are the last ones to bring back capacity." The growth in demand, with the growth in the global economy, is also helping stabilize the market. BP CEO Bob Dudley, also speaking at the CERAWeek conference, said the oil industry has learned to be more cost efficient and use technology and big data better as a result of the downturn. "We just recovered from one of the most protracted downturns we ever encountered," Dudley said. He sees oil prices steady in a $50-$65 range for the next couple of years. Dudley said he knew of the meeting between shale companies and OPEC but that the international major was not part of it. More from CERAWeek: OPEC: $1 trillion lost investment sowing seeds for global energy crisis Saudi and US oil producers are looking past their rivalry Putin's power play in the Middle East born in oil crisis

WATCH: Saudi Aramco on relationship with Russia
Remember, a slate of itemized deductions is on the way out.

Have a kid? Take a credit of up to $1,050 on child and dependent care expenses.

You can squirrel away up to $6,750 in a health savings account if you have a family insurance plan.

Getty Images

Procrastinators, rejoice: You still have time to cut your 2017 tax bill. We're officially in the middle of tax season. Filers have until April 17 to submit their returns and pay Uncle Sam. The IRS predicts that it will receive more than 155 million returns this year. More than 7 in 10 taxpayers are expected to scoop up refunds this year, according to the agency. If you're holding off on sending your return, here's an incentive to get moving: You only have a few weeks to implement these tax-savings tactics. "The strategies for reducing your tax bill for 2017 revolve around claiming all of the deductions and tax credits you legally deserve," said certified public accountant Debbie J. Freeman, director of financial planning at Peak Financial Advisors in Denver. "Focus your attention on three separate items: deductions for adjusted gross income, tax credits and itemized deductions," she said. Here are a few savings opportunities that are worth another look, according to Freeman.

Above the line

These breaks are best because they're accessible to everyone, regardless of whether they itemize. Health savings account: If you're eligible, make a tax-deductible contribution to your HSA by April 17. HSAs have a triple-tax benefit: Contributions are either tax deductible or pretax, savings grow on a tax-free basis and users can make tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical costs. You can save up to $6,750 in this account if your family is covered in a high-deductible health plan. Contribution limits for self-only coverage is capped at $3,400.

Peter Cade | Getty Images

IRA: You can put away up to $5,500 a year in your IRA ($6,500 if you're over 50) and snag a deduction, provided you meet certain income requirements. Single filers with a modified adjusted gross income of up to $62,000 ($99,000 for married filing jointly) may deduct up to the amount of their contribution limit. Beyond those thresholds, filers with a MAGI of up to $72,000 if single ($119,000 if married) may collect a partial deduction. SEP IRA: Put away as much as $54,000 into your SEP IRA if you run your own business. Be aware that the amount you can deduct for your own SEP IRA contribution will vary based on your net earnings. You have until April 17  Oct. 15 if you file an extension  to make a contribution and have it count for 2017.

Insurance premiums: If you're an entrepreneur, you may be eligible to deduct premiums for health and dental insurance coverage. This is known as the self-employed health insurance deduction. Student loan deduction: If you've paid at least $600 in interest on a qualified student loan, you may be eligible to deduct up to $2,500. Be aware that this break is subject to limits: It begins to phase out for single filers with modified adjusted gross income over $65,000 ($135,000 for married filing jointly). Moving costs: If you moved, you may be able to deduct these expenses, provided you pass a three-part test. Your move must relate to the start of work.

Your new workplace must be at least 50 miles farther away from your old home compared with the distance between your old job and old dwelling.

Finally, if you're an employee, you must work full time for at least 39 weeks during the first 12 months after your arrival. Self-employed individuals must meet this time test, and they must work full time for at least 78 weeks during the first 24 months after arriving at their new location.

Tax credits

Simon Jarratt | Corbis | VCG

Child and dependent care costs: This break is designed to help working parents with child-care costs. This credit can be worth up to $1,050 for one child under age 13 or $2,100 for two kids under 13. Saver's credit: If you stashed up to $2,000 into an IRA or a 401(k), you may receive a credit of up to 50 percent of your contribution. Joint filers with adjusted gross income over $62,000 can't grab this break, and neither can single filers whose AGI exceeds $31,000. You have until April 17 to make a contribution and have it count for 2017. Educational credits: If you have a child in college, consider the American opportunity tax credit, which offers a maximum annual credit of $2,500 per eligible student. There's also the lifetime learning credit worth up to $2,000 per tax return. There's also the deduction for qualified tuition costs, which Congress revived for 2017: You may be able to deduct tuition, books and supplies for your studies by up to $4,000.

Itemized deductions

Photo by Hero Images via Getty Images

Medical: Gather your receipts, including info on long-term care insurance premiums paid. You may be able to deduct medical costs to the extent they exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income. "Don't forget medical miles driven," said Freeman. "You'll need documentation of it." The medical rate is 17 cents per mile. Charity: You'd probably remember making a large donation of cash or appreciated stock, but don't forget to count your noncash items. Goodwill and the Salvation Army offer guides that will help you place a value on donated goods. Donors also often overlook miles they drove to serve charitable organizations: When calculating your deduction, consider the rate of 14 cents per mile.
If you're married, you could be missing out on one way to sock away even more money for retirement.

Spousal individual retirement accounts let you save money toward retirement for a non-working spouse. Individuals can contribute up to $5,500 per year to an IRA. If you're 50 or over, you can contribute as much as $6,500.

"That's $5,500 or $6,500 every year that people are leaving on the table," said Ed Slott, an IRA expert and founder of Ed Slott & Co.

Better yet, there's still time to make these contributions for 2017, even though the year has ended, Slott said. Those contributions would need to be made by tax day  April 17  in order to count for last year.

"It's one of the biggest missed opportunities," Slott said. "People just don't think of it."

Spousal IRAs are subject to those annual limits, as well as other restrictions.

First, one spouse has to have wages or earned income to qualify to put money in either a pre-tax IRA or post-tax Roth IRA.
Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell:

General Motors, Boeing  Shares of GM and Boeing fell more than 1 percent in the premarket after President Donald Trump's top economic advisor Gary Cohn resigned amid a steel and aluminum tariffs debate. GM and Boeing heavily use metals, so tariffs on steel and aluminum could adversely impact their businesses.

Netflix  Analysts at Stifel downgraded the streaming giant's stock to "hold" from "buy," citing its recent appreciation in value. "We are attracted to Netflix's business and competitive position but believe share price may have sprinted ahead of fundamentals in the short-term," the analysts said.

American Outdoor Brands, BlackRock  American Outdoor Brands, known for manufacturing Smith & Wesson guns, defended their safety efforts in a letter to asset manager BlackRock, its largest shareholder. "The solution is not to take a politically motivated action that has an adverse impact on our company, our employees, our industry,  but results in no increase in public safety," the letter said.

Ross Stores  The off-price retailer reported quarterly earnings and revenue that beat analysts' expectations. Same-store sales, a key metric for retailers, rose 5 percent in the previous quarter, surpassing an expected gain of 3.1 percent.

H&R Block  Shares of H&R Block rose nearly 5 percent in low-volume premarket trading after the company reported a smaller-than-expected loss for the previous quarter. H&R Block lost $1.16 per share last quarter. Analysts polled by Reuters expected a loss of $1.29 a share. The company said in a release it had a "strong tax season."

Autodesk  The design software maker posted a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss, sending its stock surging by 10 percent in the premarket. The company's subscription revenue more than doubled in the previous quarter, totaling $293.7 million.

CVS  The pharmacy chain sold $40 billion in bonds Tuesday to help finance its acquisition of Aetna, a health insurer. CVS agreed to buy Aetna last year for $69 billion.

Amazon  Amazon Prime head Greg Greeley is leaving the e-commerce giant to run Airbnb Homes, one of the company's four business units.

Coca-Cola  Coca-Cola is planning to launch its first alcoholic drink ever in Japan. Multiple reports say the soft drinks company is eyeing Japan's market for "Chu-Hi."
A lawyer for President Donald Trump last week reportedly obtained a secret restraining order barring porn star Stormy Daniels from disclosing details of what she has said was an intimate relationship with Trump and on Wednesday again "threatened" her if she talks.

NBC News revealed Wednesday that Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen  who has admitted facilitating a $130,000 payment to Daniels  obtained from a private arbitrator an order prohibiting her from disclosing "confidential information" related to a nondisclosure agreement she signed in exchange for that cash.

In a statement sent to CNBC, Cohen's lawyer Lawrence Rosen said:

The Settlement Agreement contained an arbitration clause that permitted EC, LLC. to seek an injunction in the event of a breach or threatened breach of the agreement. The designated judge from the arbitration tribunal found that Ms. Clifford had violated the agreement and enjoined her from, among other things, filing this lawsuit. We intend to pursue our recourse in the context of the arbitration as agreed to by the parties and continue to categorically refute the claims alleged by Ms. Clifford and her counsel.

EC is a reference to Essential Consultants, a company set up by Cohen that was used to pay Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

NBC's story came a day after Daniels sued Trump in a Los Angeles court in an effort to void that nondisclosure agreement, which she signed in October 2016, right before the presidential election that Trump won.

And it came hours after Daniels' lawyer told NBC's "TODAY" show that Daniels had had sex a decade ago with Trump  and that Trump had to have known about Cohen's arrangement to pay Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet before the election about their tryst.

Michael Avenatti, Daniels' attorney, also said that she is "prepared" to return that money if need be.

Avenatti said that agreement is not legally valid because Trump never signed it.

The lawyer said he believed Trump did not sign that document  which used pseudonyms for the parties involved  "so that he could later claim deniability" about the affair with Daniels.

"It's our position that the entire document is null and void," Avenatti said.

If Avenatti's conclusion is accurate, then the agreement's requirement that disputes between the parties to the deal would be settled by arbitration likewise would not be binding.
Every university has its own specific  and in some cases, surprising  strength. For instance, the University of Pittsburgh has the best philosophy program in the world. Colorado School of Mines offers the best engineering program. University of California, Davis is home to the number one veterinary sciences program in the world.

That's according to UK-based higher education analytics company Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).

QS calculated statistics from hundreds of universities worldwide to see which institutions were the strongest in 48 different subjects, from accounting to veterinary science. They found that 10 institutions consistently landed in the top 10 places of these subject rankings.

Here are the 10 universities with the most top 10 subject rankings:
Here's the recipe for a market rally in the days ahead  get President Donald Trump talking softer on tariffs and get a benign wage growth report from the closely watched jobs numbers on Friday.

That was the bull scenario for this week, but the case for a rally was made much cloudier with the departure of Trump's top economic advisor Gary Cohn. Stock futures pointed to a sharply lower open after Cohn resigned late Tuesday.

True, the markets have had issues with the whole Trump tariff story. It's not about whether a soup can would cost a fraction of a penny more under the tariffs, as Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross famously noted on CNBC last week. It's vastly bigger than that.

"We are in the best environment for global trade in more than a decade," Jeff Kleintop, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab, said Tuesday on CNBC. "The economic trade and earnings backdrop is the best it's been in a very long time."

Joe Duran, CEO of United Capital, is one of many who have noted it is a much broader story. "It's not so much the tariffs on steel, it's the knock-on effects of that. All tariffs are basically a tax, and they are a zero-sum game. There's no winner when you have a tariff battle because typically you get retaliation, and the scale and scope of retaliation dictates how much we should be concerned," he said Tuesday on CNBC.

"This is a derail from what is a great underlying story."

That "great underlying story" includes tax cuts, more buybacks, but most importantly it's "synchronized global growth," which has now become one of the most crowded trades on Wall Street.

This story  the belief that global economies are expanding at the same time and that earnings are at record highs  has driven up the prices for cyclical stocks (industrials, materials, technology) to multiyear highs, while defensive stocks (consumer staples, utilities, real estate investment trusts) have lagged notably.

The "pain trade," which would cause the most damage to most market participants, is any interruption of that "synchronized global growth" story.

That's why the tariff story is causing the markets to flutter and why the bulls are so cranky. It interrupts the "synchronized global growth" narrative.

Traders are uncertain about the extent these tariffs could spark a wider trade war, so the markets will move on any headlines that clarify the story  for good or ill.

Kleintop is well aware of this: "The market is behaving logically given its volatility, falling back on days when those threats seem front and center but coming back when it recognizes the backdrop is still the strongest its been in 10 years."

We saw it again Tuesday afternoon. After a modest up opening, markets meandered until about 1 p.m. ET, when Trump ally Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., said the president might be open to changes on his plan to raise tariffs. The rose 8 points within minutes, but with no further headlines, it stopped advancing.

Traders who were looking for Trump to soften his stance on tariffs were disappointed late Tuesday. In a press conference with the Swedish prime minister, the president did not back down on his threat to slap tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, claiming that China sends much more steel to the U.S. than most people think and disputing earlier reports said that China imports only about 2 percent of the steel brought into the U.S.

Where will this end? Bulls are praying for a one-two punch. Their wish is that by the end of the week Trump will indeed sound more conciliatory on tariffs, and Friday's February jobs report will show subdued wage growth. January's year-over-year wage growth of 2.9 percent was the strongest since 2009; it caused a 50-point drop in the S&P 500 and was the start of much of the chaos in the markets in February.

If we get that one-two punch, markets will rally.

Until then, the bulls are on edge. Jim Lacamp, UBS senior portfolio manager and another strategist who remains bullish, acknowledged that the trade wars could get worse but "I'm not operating under that assumption now. If we start seeing the charts break down and start seeing the global moving averages slip below the 200-day moving averages, if we start getting the message that we have a bigger problem here, absolutely I'm going to readjust my thinking."
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is looking to apply securities laws to everything from cryptocurrency exchanges to digital asset storage companies known as wallets.

"If a platform offers trading of digital assets that are securities and operates as an 'exchange,' as defined by the federal securities laws, then the platform must register with the SEC as a national securities exchange or be exempt from registration," the commission said in its "Statement on Potentially Unlawful Online Platforms for Trading Digital Assets."

The statement marked an expansion of scrutiny to companies involved with trading, in contrast to previous publications that focused on the digital coins and their developers.

"I think it's one more message from the SEC that they view coins as securities and they encourage everyone in the space to ... follow securities laws," said Jason Gottlieb, partner at Morrison Cohen, where he leads the cryptocurrency litigation team.

The SEC statement did not specifically name bitcoin, which fell 10 percent below the psychologically key $10,000 level following the statement release.

Current views on whether an asset is a security tends to follow the "Howey Test," which comes from a 1946 U.S. Supreme Court case. The ruling says a security involves the investment of money in a common enterprise, in which the investor expects profits primarily from others' efforts.

"I think the next step here will likely be subpoenas to exchanges, if they haven't already started. That alone may prompt some voluntary de-listing of tokens that clearly run afoul of securities laws," said Ryan Schoen, senior financial services policy analyst at Washington Analysis.

Analysts generally said the SEC's focus is less on bitcoin and more on new digital coins released through fundraisers known as token sales or initial coin offerings. The commission has increased its efforts to crack down on fraudulent initial coin offerings, which tend to promote their potential returns to investors and have attracted billions of dollars globally.

"The challenges are probably going to come up for these smaller or second-tier companies that are making a market or trading the non-foundational assets [or] ICOs," said Ryan Gilbert, partner at Propel Venture Partners, which is indirectly a minority investor in Coinbase. The statement "could also be a precursor to some enforcement actions."

Coinbase is the leading U.S. marketplace for a handful of major cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum. The company declined to comment on the SEC's statement Wednesday.

Another U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange called Bittrex said in a statement to CNBC that "Bittrex uses a robust digital token review process to ensure the tokens listed on the exchange are compliant with U.S. law and are not considered securities."

The company states on its website that it supports more than 190 cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin and dash.

In addition to online trading platforms, the SEC statement also called out companies offering "digital wallet services" for holding or storing digital assets.

"These and other services offered by platforms may trigger other registration requirements under the federal securities laws, including broker-dealer, transfer agent, or clearing agency registration, among other things," the statement said.

In February, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton said in a Senate Banking Committee hearing that he is open to exploring with Congress whether increased regulation of cryptocurrency trading platforms is necessary or appropriate.

"And I'm very unhappy that people are conducting ICOs like public offerings of stock when they should know that they should be following the private placement rules unless they're registering with us," Clayton said.

Brian Quintenz, commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, said Wednesday that setting policy through enforcement is "something agencies in general need to avoid."

"A private cryptocurrency body could help bridge the gap between the status quo and future government regulation," Quintenz said at the Chamber of Digital Commerce's DC Blockchain Summit. "We've come to a point in cryptocurrencies where an independent body must step up to establish and enforce the rules of the game."

While the SEC has issued subpoenas and information requests around initial coin offerings, lawyers and analysts who spoke with CNBC Wednesday generally did not expect an immediate, broad crackdown on cryptocurrency exchanges in the U.S.

"I just don't know how much leverage [the SEC regulators] have over the exchange," said Joe Saluzzi, co-founder and partner at Themis Trading, an equities brokerage. "It's certainly another sign that a [bitcoin] ETF is never going to be approved until they clean up the underlying."

"It sounded more like a warning to me, almost like a disclaimer," he said. "The statement is a reminder that cryptocurrencies are "the wild west, and investor beware."
President Donald Trump's threats to impose global duties might be a shrewd political move ahead of November's mid-term elections, analysts at Barclays said Wednesday.

After more than a year of stirring support from skeptical conservatives with an economic agenda of tax cuts and deregulation, Trump announced plans to slap hefty tariffs on steel and aluminum imports last week. The contentious decision prompted a global backlash and heightened fears of a tit-for-tat trade war.

"Although raising tariffs on steel imports will be economically costly, it might be smart politics, since free trade has become particularly unpopular with Republican voters," Barclays' analysts said in a research note.

In acknowledging investors were likely concerned about the broader consequences of Trump's proposals, Barclays said the U.S. president's protectionist rhetoric could be a "useful political strategy."

"Since the benefits of free trade are widely dispersed among many, the beneficiaries are likely to protest only mildly to protectionist measures. Meanwhile, the costs of free trade tend to be acutely borne by a few, with whom protectionism resounds strongly," the analysts said.
CEO Ariel Cohen said he and co-founder Ilan Twig came up with the idea after selling a previous start-up and working for another company. They realized they were booking corporate travel based on their own preferences, not their employer's.

The company has raised $51 million in series B funding to help fuel a global expansion, TripActions announced Wednesday. The funding from Lightspeed Venture Partners and Zeev Ventures brings investment in the company to a little bit under $80 million.

The Palo Alto, California-based company created a corporate travel platform that aims to keep businesses' costs down by rewarding employees with gift cards and other perks for saving their employers money.

How do companies encourage employees from veering from the company travel policy? More often than not: guilt. Corporate travel start-up TripActions is trying Amazon gift cards.

TripActions, available in a web-based version or an app, gives employees a goal, a "price to beat" for the average hotel costs in that city. Over the last six months, nearly three-quarters of TripActions' users have booked a trip below the "price to beat" for that city, Cohen said.

Employees who meet the goal are rewarded with gift cards or credit toward a vacation if they succeed. Each booking costs $20 and the company also gets commissions for selling hotel inventory and other products. Its hotel-price data come from Booking Holdings, formerly known as the Priceline Group, and other sites.

It's a different approach than most travel managers. Nearly 90 percent of corporate travel managers surveyed by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives said they use "visual guilt," these cues to remind travelers they're about to veer from the company policy, by booking a certain airline, accommodation or price.

Less than a fifth said they use monetary rewards, a tool that other corporate travel companies like competitor Rocketrip use.

TripActions and other smaller corporate travel companies face tough competition from growing corporate travel giants that dominate company business travel such as Carlson Wagonlit and American Express Global Business Travel. The latter may soon get even bigger: Last month it said it would purchase British travel management company Hogg Robinson Group.

But TripActions is growing its client list, which includes online storage company Box Inc. and location-tracking platform Foursquare. On its side is the growth in business travel spending. Globally, business travel spending in 2016 was near $1.3 trillion, according to the Global Business Travel Association. The group estimates that figure grew by more than 5 percent last year and will increase 6 percent this year.

TripActions has 100 employees and plans to triple that this year. Cohen said he wants to open offices in New York, London, Tokyo and possibly other cities.

Cohen said he has no plans to sell the company.

Correction: This story has been revised to reflect TripActions' CEO said he was ruling out the company being acquired, not an IPO.
As Gary Cohn flees the White House, financial markets are discovering that elections have more than one consequence.

President Donald Trump thrilled investors by delivering the combination of tax cuts and deregulation that has helped push stock prices higher during his 14 months in office. But he is also delivering two things that threaten to bring the economic party to an end.

One is a poorly managed, scandal-ridden administration. Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation poses an existential threat to the Trump presidency, but lesser hazards corrode its day-to-day operations.

Trump's first national security advisor pleaded guilty to a felony after getting fired; his second, H.R. McMaster, is estranged from his boss and is rumored to be leaving soon. Trump's staff secretary, Rob Porter, was forced to quit over published allegations of domestic violence that the White House had tolerated.

His first Health and Human Services secretary, Tom Price, resigned over his use of taxpayer-funded private jets. Housing Secretary Ben Carson, after the revelation that he had ordered $31,000 worth of taxpayer-funded dining room furniture, was forced to rescind it. The president himself is collecting money from the Republican National Committee for office space in Trump Tower.

Routine dysfunction has defied White House chief of staff John Kelly's efforts to impose order. As Cohn joins Trump confidante Hope Hicks in the extraordinary rush for the White House exit door, the administration has failed to fill even half of the top jobs requiring Senate confirmation.

Internal chaos produced the abrupt, haphazard announcement of Trump's tariff plan that rattled markets last week. And that underscores the second big danger facing investors: a decisive turn toward protectionism that provokes a trade war and tips the economy into recession.

Steel and aluminum tariffs alone won't do that. Retaliation by U.S. trading partners may be limited. Any mainstream replacement for Cohn as Trump's economic advisor will share his opposition to provoking or escalating trade disputes.

Yet Trump may not have exhausted his longstanding impulse for truculent nationalism.

Recent Republican presidents, on core economic questions, have sided with the GOP's pro-business wing over its blue-collar voting base. On taxes and regulation, so has Trump. But he responds to political trouble by drawing closer to his dwindling base, and intense support from blue-collar white voters delivered him the Republican nomination and the presidency.

Trump has recently embraced a sharp reduction in legal immigration despite strong opposition from corporate America. He announced his tariffs decision in the run-up to next week's special House election in southwest Pennsylvania. He plans a last-minute campaign visit this weekend to save a GOP district Trump won by 20 percentage points in 2016.

More significantly, Trump will soon decide how to handle a major pending trade case involving China's abuse of intellectual property rights. The administration pegs the cost to the U.S. of Beijing's transgressions at hundreds of billions of dollars. If Trump chooses to hit China hard, and China responds aggressively, the risk of a wider, economically damaging trade war would sharply escalate.

Paradoxically, Wall Street can take some comfort on trade from Trump's freewheeling operating style. He has few fixed beliefs and a fleeting attention span, rendering any action he takes subject to reversal when he encounters resistance.

He has made clear that he considers stock prices a real-time report card on his presidency. The reaction of financial markets  in either shrugging off Cohn's departure or plunging in fear  will exert its own influence of what Trump does next.
President Donald Trump will reportedly dine Wednesday night with officials from the pro-Trump nonprofit America First Policies, just one week after a group representative told CNBC that it maintains "very clear lines and high walls" intended to keep its work separate from the White House.

The president's dinner companions are to include oil billionaire Harold Hamm, who recently joined the board of America First Policies, and Brian O. Walsh, the group's executive director. The setting will be the cream-colored Georgetown mansion of Boyden Gray, a former official in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations. CNN first reported details of the dinner.

The dinner will take place less than a week after CNBC published an in-depth report on America First Policies, a secretive group built around a web of connections between the White House, the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee.

Founded by former Trump campaign staffers in early 2017, the group's stated purpose is to advance Trump's policies. But CNBC found that America First Policies is also conducting a large-scale polling operation that appears designed to benefit the president, a situation which raises a number of legal concerns, according to election law experts.

As a tax-exempt nonprofit group, America First Policies is permitted to keep its donors secret as long as it doesn't get too political, and it doesn't coordinate with candidates or campaigns.

Speaking to CNBC, Walsh, the executive director, denied that America First Policies coordinates its work with the White House or the Trump campaign. But campaign finance lawyers and polling experts told CNBC that the evidence of AFP's work suggests otherwise.

Following the publication of CNBC's report, the nonprofit watchdog group Common Cause filed complaints with the Federal Election Commission and the Department of Justice, both alleging that America First Policies had violated campaign finance laws that require groups to disclose any money they spend on elections or campaigns.

"There's ample reason to believe that President Trump and his outside groups are illegally coordinating their fundraising and other activities, including flagrant violations of the soft money rules," said Stephen Spaulding, a former FEC special counsel who is now with Common Cause.

"As the guest list for tonight's dinner makes clear, America First Policies' supposedly 'high walls and sharp lines' are an absurd defense," Spaulding said. "Any 'high walls' that exist between this group and the Trump campaign have gaping holes in them, which Trump is driving a truck through."

By attending a small, private dinner with key figures at American First Policies, "Trump is saying, in effect, that America First Policies has the White House's blessing," said Brendan Fischer, an election law expert at the nonprofit Campaign Legal Center. "It also sends a signal to deep-pocketed financial interests that they can buy influence with the administration through secret donations to the White House's preferred dark money group."

The dinner also presents an opportunity for America First Policies "to make sure that its political spending is of maximum value to the president, which in turn means that donations to the group can buy maximum influence with the president," Fischer said.

In recent weeks, the ties between the nonprofit group and the White House appear to have deepened, with Vice President Mike Pence holding a series of events around the country sponsored by America First Policies. Pence was at one of these events in Kentucky on Wednesday afternoon, just hours before Trump's dinner.

Officials at America First Policies did not respond to multiple requests for comment from CNBC, and a White House spokesman did not reply to an inquiry from CNBC about the event.

The dinner party is also significant in that it represents a rare outing for the president to a private home in Washington. If Trump leaves the White House after dark, it's almost always to eat at the restaurant in his Trump International Hotel.

All of which leaves Campaign Legal Center's Fischer deeply concerned about the secrecy that America First Policies, as a nonprofit, is allowed to offer to potential donors.

"Are they taking money from foreign donors, or from lobbying groups that want something from the White House? We don't know!" Fischer exclaimed. "But if President Trump learns anything about America First Policies' funding sources over dinner tonight, I sure hope he lets the public know."
[The stream is slated to start at 2:30 p.m., ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.]

Press secretary Sarah Sanders is set to address reporters in the White House on Wednesday.

It's the first press briefing since a number of late-breaking stories on Tuesday raised new questions about the White House staff, the special counsel's Russia probe and President Donald Trump's increasingly public personal life.

Gary Cohn, Trump's top economic advisor, announced his resignation on Tuesday  a decision that many speculate was catalyzed by Trump's decision last week to impose new tariffs on steel and aluminum. Cohn fought behind the scenes to stop the new import taxes, or at least tamp down their effects.

The White House has yet to announce Cohn's replacement, though a number of names have surfaced in news reports. Stocks sank on Wednesday as the departure of Cohn, a former Goldman Sachs executive and Wall Street darling, echoed through the market.

Trump aims to announce the details of his plan to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum on Thursday or Friday, White House officials told CNBC.

As another official stepped away from the Trump White House, special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation has reportedly expanded all the way to the United Arab Emirates.

The New York Times reported Tuesday night that Mueller has acquired Emirates aide George Nader as a cooperating witness in the probe of potential collusion between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign, according to two people familiar with the matter. Nader reportedly attended a January 2017 meeting in the Seychelles with a Russian investor connected to President Vladimir Putin, as well as Erik Prince, founder of the private security firm once known as Blackwater and an informal advisor to Trump.

In recent weeks, the special counsel has collected guilty pleas from former Trump campaign aide Rick Gates and foreign attorney Alex van der Zwaan, and has issued indictments against 13 Russians and three Russian entities alleged to have waged a misinformation campaign to tip the 2016 election toward Trump.

On Monday, former Trump campaign aide Sam Nunberg participated in a series of forthright and occasionally heated interviews after saying he would refuse to comply with the stipulations of a subpoena from the special counsel. The subpoena, Nunberg said, asked for all communications between him and a number of Trump-connected figures, including Roger Stone and Hope Hicks, going back to November 2015.

While claiming that he would not go along with the special counsel, he did say "I think they may" have something on Trump when asked. He also said that Mueller's team had asked about Trump's business endeavors, including the Miss Universe 2013 pageant in Russia and the Trump Tower Moscow building.

Nunberg later stepped back from his hard-line stance, saying in an interview that he likely would cooperate with Mueller.

Meanwhile, former adult film star Stephanie Clifford filed a lawsuit against the president over a pact she signed shortly before the 2016 election that barred her from discussing an alleged affair with Trump. The suit alleges that the nondisclosure agreement was never validated by Trump's signature, though his lawyer, Michael Cohen, did sign it.

Cohen said days earlier that he had paid Clifford, whose stage name is Stormy Daniels, out of his own pocket.

In another lawsuit, the Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, sued California over "sanctuary" policies designed to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York.

Definition

While mutual funds that aim to change the world for the better have existed for over 45 years, it's not clear even in 2018 what to call them. The term "socially responsible" seemed most apt for a while, then the awkward abbreviation E.S.G. came into vogue. It stands for environmental, social and governance. The environmental part is easy enough to understand, and there are plenty of yes-no questions you can ask about how a company governs itself. But "social," an echo of "socially responsible," could mean nearly anything.

Jon Hale, who is the director of what the research firm Morningstar refers to as "sustainable investing," suggests that people begin with two questions. First, do you want to align your investments with the transition to a low-carbon economy? Second, do you want to contribute to the development of a global economy that works for more people? If you answer yes to either, you're a candidate for sustainable investing. And you can move on to the next challenge.

Measurement

What funds are worth considering, and who evaluates them? In a report in January, Morningstar published a list of 235 funds that you could use as a kind of menu. In 2016, the company also introduced a "sustainability rating" for more than 20,000 funds of all sorts. It describes the rating as a measure of how well funds handle environmental, social and governance issues compared with their peers. There is no substitute, however, for examining the actual holdings of any fund. You never know, for instance, when a coal stock may somehow end up in your socially responsible fund. If that happens, it is worth figuring out why and determining whether it's a deal killer for you.

Exclusions

What do you not want in your portfolio and why? In the first couple of decades of sustainable investing, the funds that aimed to invest on principle often avoided, say, oil stocks. Some of this still goes on today. One fund company called Inspire, according to one of its prospectuses, avoids companies that have "any degree of participation in activities that do not align with biblical values." It includes among that list "the LGBT lifestyle," without further elaboration. Do you want gun stocks out of your portfolio? There may be mutual or exchange-traded funds that exclude them, but how far do you want to go? Publicly traded retailers like Walmart and Dick's Sporting Goods sell guns, after all, even if they don't make them. (This week, both companies announced new restrictions on gun sales.)

Performance

The knock on this group of funds has always been that they tend to underperform the closest comparable index fund. That notion, however, may prove to be outdated. A 2015 study in the Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, which rounded up and examined about 2,200 pieces of research, found that about 90 percent of those studies showed no negative relationship between concern for social factors and corporate financial performance. A large majority, in fact, showed positive findings that were stable over time.

Cost and diversification

If you're a committed index fund investor, seeking to own every stock or bond (or every sustainable one) in a particular market segment (say, small European companies), it may not be easy to do so cheaply if you can at all. And low costs, after all, are a primary attraction of index funds. Betterment, one of the so-called roboadvisers that use software to put people in inexpensive portfolios, introduced its socially responsible investing offering last year. The company announced it with an accompanying written lament about how it simply could not find low-cost ways to put customers in any comprehensive, socially responsible market-spanning funds except for ones that invest in large United States stocks. "Currently, most accessible S.R.I. approaches make investors choose between a well diversified, low-cost portfolio and an inadequately diversified and/or higher-cost portfolio comprised of S.R.I. funds," wrote Alex Benke, who is now company's vice president of financial advice and planning.

Access

Many people make the majority of investments through workplace retirement plans, but so far most employers haven't included these sorts of funds in the offerings for 401(k) and similar plans. According to one industry study of 421 plans, just 14 percent offered at least one sustainable fund and only about 1 percent of assets ended up in the investments. Employers these days are reluctant to make their investment menus too long, so it is hard for any fund that is not plain vanilla to make the cut. Bloomberg is one exception; it guessed correctly that some employees would embrace the option.

Control
The departure of top Trump economic advisor Gary Cohn should not be viewed as a radical change in the White House, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC on Wednesday.

"This is not about some sort of a palace coup," Ross said on "Squawk Box," one day after Cohn announced his resignation as director of the National Economic Council. Cohn clashed with Ross and other protectionist forces within the Trump administration over imposing trade tariffs.

"I have a great deal of respect for Gary," Ross said. "He's made a very big contribution to this improved economic environment. He did very good work on the taxes. He's doing very good work the infrastructure."

Stocks were down sharply in reaction to Cohn's resignation, but Ross said investors should not have been surprised. "Gary, as you know from all kinds of media has been kind of contemplating some sort of a move for a while."

Talking to reporters Wednesday morning, Ross declined to comment on potential candidates for Cohn's replacement. "Oh, I'm not going to speculate," he said. "This is a very important position. There are lots of very well-qualified people."

Cohn, who had been the No. 2 executive at Goldman Sachs before joining the administration, was against the plan that President Donald Trump announced on Thursday to levy broad import tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum.

In Wednesday's CNBC interview, Ross tried to reassure Wall Street that the White House is not acting rashly with the tariffs.

"We're going to have sensible relations with our allies," said Ross, who has consistently echoed the president's tough talk on trade.

In Brussels, the European Union threatened on Wednesday to impose duties on U.S. bourbon, peanut butter, cranberries and orange juice if Trump imposes the tariffs.

Ross has also been a key player in the administration's efforts to overhaul the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico.

While refusing to say whether the U.S. neighbors would get an exemption from the tariffs, Ross did say the president has indicated a degree of flexibility on the matter. "We're not trying to blow up the world," he told CNBC. "We're not looking for a trade war."

In his separate interview with reporters, Ross said the administration is trying to take "a surgical approach," a reply to House Speaker Paul Ryan's concerns about the tariffs.

"The president indicated that, if we can work something out with Canada and Mexico, they will be exempted," Ross said. "It's not inconceivable that others could be exempted on a similar basis."

Before joining the White House, Ross made a fortune in the investment world, running W.L. Ross & Co., and buying stakes in distressed assets.

 CNBC's Eamon Javers contributed to this article.
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
Every time there is a big wireless, telecom or technology trade show, the big question I am always asked by the media as a telecom and wireless analyst, is simple. What was the key message or take away from the show? Last week, at the worlds largest wireless trade show, Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona, Spain, the answer was clear. First it is about 5G, with plenty of AI and IoT mixed in. Yes, our world is rapidly changing.

So, what will 5G, AI and IoT do for us? Today, in our 4G world, we can download a movie we want to watch in roughly 6 minutes. Using 5G, we will download the movie in roughly six seconds. It will change everything. It will encourage new business creation. It will empower new ideas and new companies just like we have seen with Uber and Lyft in recent years.

Smartphones: Apple iPhone, Google Android, Samsung Galaxy

So, 5G is like comparing a modern Telsa to the Ford Model T. Both are exciting for their time, but going forward with IoT, the cloud and AI, all the exciting innovation will be turned up to high. This is a very exciting time the industry is getting ready to move into.

It is exciting for handset makers like Apple iPhone and iPad, as well as Google Android, Samsung Galaxy and more. In fact, as we move rapidly into AI and IoT, expect competition to heat up between Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Microsoft Cortana, Apple HomePod with Siri and more.

Networks: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, Xfinity Mobile, Project Fi

This is also a great growth opportunity for wireless players like AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile and Sprint. These were just networks, but as these other technologies continue to grow, these companies will also continue to grow as content providers as well as service providers. This is a huge new growth opportunity for them.

Plus, there are so many new competitors as well. Companies like Google Project Fi, Comcast Xfinity Mobile and many more. As we move rapidly into these new areas, real growth opportunities are there for the taking. The next question is, which companies will be successful going forward?

At MWC18, there were so many new areas to focus including fintech, which is digital money, digital economy, mobile apps, health and fitness, industrial IoT, security, smart cities, mobile advertising and more.

New smartphones were introduced like Samsung and their new Galaxy S9. This seemed to be one of the highlights of the show. Initial thoughts are this is an exceptional device for those who like Android smartphones. Ill let you know more after I take a closer look. Sony Xperia XZ2 was another new device that looks good initially.

In fact, there were many other smartphone introductions as well. At the same time, there were also other smartphone makers which did not launch anything. This was interesting as we see this sector mature. Smartphone leaders are still Apple iPhone, Google Android and Samsung Galaxy.

Google Android Go discussed their new operating system, which will appear in the marketplace later this year. This is a clean and stress-free version of an Android only operating system. This is compared to the other versions on popular handsets like Samsung Galaxy for example. These devices often combine Android OS with handset OS, and often creates confusion and customer dissatisfaction.

MWC was full of smartphones, wireless phones, laptops, tablets, wearables, operating systems and so much more. There were business and consumer services and equipment. Speakers from a variety of companies who fuel this transformation were also there.

Ajit Pai of FCC, Marcelo Claure of Sprint and Glenn Lurie of Synchronoss Technologies

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai, Marcelo Claure CEO of Sprint, Timotheus Hottges CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG, Jeff Zucker CEO of CNN and many others also gave a keynote address.

Glenn Lurie, new CEO of Synchronoss Technologies gave a keynote address and is punching the company back into the spotlight. They help the wireless carriers future-proof their business. They have recently joined AT&T Smart Cities Strategic Alliance and they also struck a deal with Sprint to help them prepare for the future.

All in all, MWC 2018 was another incredible wireless show. It is important for everyone to keep their eye on the ball going forward. While every company will try, and while there will be plenty of innovation, only some companies will be real winners. The rest will try and fail. So, the next several years will be interesting to follow and comment on.

Picking the right companies, technologies and industry trends is always the toughest nut to crack. New technologies like self-driving cars, telemedicine, drone technology and so much more are waiting for us with 5G.

It is an important key to success for investors, business customers, consumers, workers and partners. Every company must stay on the growth wave I often talk about. Either they stick with this growth curve, or it will pass them by and leave them behind. And that is always the big challenge in these early days of the 5G, AI, IoT and cloud revolution.
Despite the hype, there is a case to be made that CIOs and other IT leaders do not need to know about blockchain technology. It is so new, so slow and so deeply unhelpful for many business processes that that one CIO described it as a joke." And when it does eventually arrive, it will largely operate behind the scenes and be run by third-party suppliers, meaning there will be no real need to understand the different flavors of technology at work.

Even so, it is always useful to have an understanding of the broader market to provide context on what all this might mean down the road. This is, after all, an emerging technology  it is both over played and misunderstood  but it is still likely to have an important impact on business. And despite the usual emphasis on western players, there are Chinese equivalents popping up that dont get as much attention.

What is the Chinese blockchain?

Broadly speaking, the majority of conversations around blockchain tend to focus on Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. But this is not the case in a business setting and makes the Chinese clampdown on ICOs largely irrelevant. In the west, most of blockchain's potential revolves around the smart contracting possibilities in Ethereum and new approaches to securing IoT through unique  2.0  players like IOTA. In China both Ethereum and IOTA already have fairly direct equivalents.

Although NEO may beat Ethereum on some fronts  it may be seen as younger and shinier from a technology standpoint, said Csilla Zsigri, senior analyst at 451 Research. Ethereum is an established platform and NEO is unlikely to overtake it in western markets.

However, NEO has the potential to establish itself as China's platform or even as the platform of the east alongside OnChain (OnChain's Decentralized Network Architecture targets Chinese businesses and government). Given this, NEO doesn't necessarily have to compete with Ethereum.
Ben Roback is Head of Trade and International Policy at Cicero Group and a member of the US Embassys Young Leaders UK programme.

Donald Trump started the new month in predictably unpredictable fashion. On March 1st, he announced  amidst some confusion  tariffs of 25 per cent on imported steel and ten per cent on imported aluminium.

The President used an executive quirk based on national security to implement the tariffs. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act allows him to circumvent Congress, granting the executive the ability to impose tariffs on any country if it is deemed to pose a risk to national security.

Presidential protection for Americas manufacturing rust belt could start the trade war Trump has always wanted, long before he took residence in the White House and acquired the executive capacity to ignite one. It is yet another example of where he is grossly at odds with the root and branch of his Republican Party.

It is a decision based on politics over economics. The United States is a net user of steel, in far greater proportion to the extent to which it is a steel producer. Manufactures consuming steel in the production process are responsible for more than 6.5 million workers, whereas the steel industry itself only employs about 140,000 workers.

If the cost of steel goes up, so will the cost of production for those American firms who rely on it to make up the core of their products. This clearly hasnt made its way into White House thinking.

The unintended economic consequences could extend much further. Because of measures imposed on Chinese steel exports by Barack Obama, the Chinese are no longer a major steel exporter to the United States. Stepping into the void since then has been Canada (16 per cent of US steel imports), Brazil (13 per cent), South Korea (ten per cent) and Mexico (nine per cen)  all traditional allies of the United States who will bear the brunt of the tariffs levied.

Source: Atlas

A proxy war for control in an ever-fractured White House

Opposing factions in the White House are fighting out the battle for ideas  and the Presidents ultimate decision  when it comes to the trade war. It is symptomatic of an administration that is preoccupied with whos up and whos down, instead of getting on with the job at hand.

Before his resignation Gary Cohn, the White House Economic Adviser, is leading the charge against tariffs. A Goldman Sachs alumnus (one of many in this White House), Cohn has persistently made the case that tariffs could lead to retaliatory trade measures that hurt American consumers and manufactures.

Meanwhile Peter Navarro, Director of Trade and Industrial Policy, Robert Lighthizer, US Trade Representative, and Wilbur Ross, Commerce Secretary, have made the case that protectionist measures are the only way to level the US trade deficit, even if it ignites trade wars. It is clear that, for now at least, the protectionists are winning the battle for the Presidents heart and mind.

Does the Special Relationship make any difference here?

The working relationship between Theresa May and Trump remains resolute, something we should all welcome given the historic strength of transatlantic relations. But the initiation of a US-led trade war presents more awkward politics for the Prime Minister. She used a phone call with the President to express her deep concern, adding that multilateral action was the only way to resolve global steel overcapacity. Those claims will fall on deaf ears; May wont be able to persuade Trump to stand down and it seems unlikely that anyone or anything will.

Instead, a global trade war is in the offing, voluntarily instigated by the United States  the very same government and administration that the UK is desperate to sit down at the negotiating table with to thrash out a Free Trade Agreement. A willingness to take sudden action at the expense of traditional friends and allies shows the office of the US Trade Representative will be far from easy to do business with.

The experience of this trade battle, highlighting the volatility of the US as a trading partner, will be a real cause for concern at the Department for International Trade as it begins to lay the groundwork for trading relationships in post-Brexit Britain.
Gary Porter: Co-location is delivering better value for money in the public sector

Lord Porter is Chairman of the Local Government Association.

In recent years, Conservative councils have pioneered collaboration with other local authorities and partners across the public sector to secure efficiencies through new ways of working. A common theme of such work is that it often results in improved service outcomes for users whilst simultaneously reducing costs.

Such initiatives at a local or sub-regional level have been complemented by an exciting project: the One Public Estate (OPE) programme which is delivered by the Cabinet Office Government Property Unit and the Local Government Association.

The core purpose of OPE is to support cross-public-sector working to deliver property-led projects that create local economic growth, integrate public services, and drive efficiency savings. At its heart, its about local and central government working with other public bodies to transform local public services whilst delivering better value for money.

OPE, which was launched in 2013 in 12 pilot areas, now includes 319 councils in England (over 90 per cent) across 76 partnerships. By any measure, this is a nationally significant initiative.

To date, early OPE projects have directly raised 70 million in capital receipts, cut running costs by 20 million, created 5,700 new jobs, and released land for over 1,300 new homes.

As a result of OPE partnerships in my own authority, South Holland District Council, and similar work at Breckland District Council (with whom we share a management team and a number of services), I have been able to witness the success of OPE first hand.

For example, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently moved one of its local offices into Elizabeth House, Breckland Councils headquarters. As part of this process, the reception area at Elizabeth House was renovated to make it more accessible for users of both services (with the council and DWP sharing the costs of this).

The immediate benefit to Breckland of the co-location is that it now receives rental income from DWP of 30,000 per annum, representing a welcome contribution towards the annual running costs of its headquarters, whilst DWP themselves are now paying less rent than at their previous location. The benefit to local residents is the convenience that comes with being able to access council and DWP services in one location.

South Holland is now undertaking a very similar project with DWP which will see it relocating its local office to our headquarters from the end of March. A significant capital investment has allowed for a refurbishment that will make the reception area more accessible for users of both services, whilst the council will also receive rental income from DWP. As was the case in Breckland, alongside the financial aspects it is hoped that there will be wider benefits for the local community arising from service co-location and integration.

As the Prime Minister has made clear, getting more homes built and helping people to get on the property ladder is a key priority of this Government.

OPE can play in crucial role in supporting this ambition by unlocking public sector land for housing. For example, with the Ministry of Defences Better Defence Estate Strategy envisaging a 33 per cent reduction in the size of its built estate by 2040, OPE is supporting joint work with councils across the country to release surplus land for new homes.

By 2020 it is predicted that OPE partnerships will have unlocked land for 25,000 new homes whilst also raising 615 million in capital receipts and cutting running costs by 158 million.

All of these localised projects are supported by the Government Property Unit (based in the Cabinet Office) and the Local Government Association. This support ranges from providing access to central government decision makers, providing advice on project management  and acting, when required, as a broker between partners to unlock barriers to delivery.

OPE is a great example of cooperation between local and central government which simultaneously reduces costs and secures better outcomes for people. I am proud of the role that Conservative councils have played in making it a success and of the ambitious plans that so many are currently taking forward.
Tom Tugendhat: We must try to steer Saudi Arabia, during the Crown Princes visit here, away from its failing strategy in Yemen

Tom Tugendhat is Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, and is MP for Tonbridge and Malling.

This weeks visit by Prince Mohammed bin Salman to London has rightly been heralded by the Foreign Secretary. Boris Johnsons strong relationship with the Crown Prince has been forged in a country undergoing almost revolutionary change. The Princes visit to the UK should not just be used to welcome an old friend, but to turn a new page on our relationship with the Guardian of the two Holy Places. It will also be a yardstick for our commitment to British values in our post-Brexit referendum foreign policy.

In the eight months since bin Salman became Crown Prince, Saudi Arabia has made important reforms which the government has been right to support and encourage. But we have also witnessed the crisis in neighbouring Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition has been mired in a three-year battle against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The situation has deteriorated to the point that a panel of UN experts stated that Yemen, as a State, has all but ceased to exist. Millions of Yemenis, and Saudis, look to this meeting to see an end their suffering and the end of a regional threat.

After Houthi rebels overthrew Yemens capital and ousted the elected government, Saudi Arabia intervened in 2015 with laudable aims of protecting their borders, restoring a legitimate government and countering Irans destabilising influence. But the aims have been hard to achieve. Despite a relentless bombing campaign by the Saudi-led coalition  averaging one airstrike every 90 minutes over nearly three years  Riyadh is no closer to achieving them.

The Houthi forces are stronger now than at any time in the conflict, and Irans influence is growing rather than diminishing as it continues to flout a UN arms embargo. The conflict has created the worlds largest humanitarian catastrophe on Saudi Arabias doorstep. A shocking 8.4 million people are now on the brink of famine  a figure almost equivalent to the entire population of London. As long as the war in Yemen drags on, it is not only the suffering of the Yemeni people that escalates, but the threat to both our countries, and the region.

I saw from my time with the British Army in Afghanistan and Iraq that you cant just bomb your way to victory. Extremists prosper in the ungoverned spaces filled with rubble and grievance. Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups are profiting from the vacuum created by the total collapse of Yemeni government institutions over three years of war. And separatist voices are gaining credence in the south, threatening the integrity of Yemen as a united country.

From Riyadhs perspective, none of this is solving the immediate problem of securing Saudi Arabias borders and preventing the neighbouring state becoming an Iranian proxy.

Instead, the Saudi blockade imposed in November 2017, which cut off access for food, fuel, medicines and humanitarian aid, failed to stem the illicit flow of weapons into Yemen and served only to draw international condemnation. We need to work together with the region to focus international energy on meaningful efforts to enforce the arms embargo and prevent further deplorable Houthi attacks on Saudi civilians. To do that we must break the war economy that sustains the devastating cycle of violence. Saudi Arabias partial lifting of the blockade and its humanitarian efforts are welcome, but there is more that the Prince could do.

Saudi generosity in the two months before Ramadan could transform the country and the political situation ending the threat of a famine the UN has warned is possible without a commitment by all parties.

The key test of friendship is ability to steer allies away from self-harm. This week, as the Government works to reinforce our longstanding friendship with Saudi Arabia, we have the chance to help the Crown Prince away from a counterproductive military strategy and towards a political settlement.

The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretarys statements in response to the Saudi blockade were clear: the UKs continued support for Saudi Arabias efforts in Yemen will be contingent on a shift in approach by the Saudi-led coalition, because true friends are seen in times of trouble, not joy. That is why we can call for an immediate end to all attacks on civilians, allowing vital goods into and around the country, and crucially, abandoning pre-conditions to engage constructively in peace talks.

Mohammed bin Salmans long-term vision for his country represents bold leadership to move Saudi Arabia forward and offers hope to a new generation of Saudi citizens. The Crown Prince could do the same for Yemenis by abandoning a failing military strategy securing in peace talks what could never be achieved in battle. For Britain, the advantage is that our remains true to our strategic and moral compass, the Government should use our alliance to help the Crown Prince change his self-defeating course.
Esther McVey sounds like the name of a Victorian novel whose heroine endures terrible trials and tribulations before at length achieving a degree of tranquillity. But she is actually the new Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and in February leapt to second place in ConHomes Cabinet League Table, behind only Michael Gove.

Conservative activists hail her as a genuine star, but Labour has for years subjected her to venomous attacks, of which the most notorious, by John McDonnell, now the shadow Chancellor, was made at a Stop The War event on Remembrance Sunday 2014, at which he declared:

I was up in Liverpool a fortnight ago where Alec McFadden, one of our organisers, launched the Sack Esther McVey Day on her birthday. I spoke at a packed public meeting. There was a whole group in the audience that completely kicked off quite critical of the whole concept, because they were arguing Why are we sacking her? Why arent we lynching the bastard?'

There have been many demands for McDonnell to apologise for this grotesque remark, which sounds like a call to lynch McVey. But this McDonnell has declined to do, for he says he was only quoting other peoples words.

And it is true that in the circles in which McDonnell moves, such abuse is normal, as Clark Vasey has noted on ConHome. For McVey has the insolence (as it seems to some on the Left) to be a Liverpudlian who is also a staunch Conservative, born into a family of grafters and determined to enable working-class people to better themselves through hard work, instead of sinking into the motionless despondence which so often accompanies long-term unemployment.

Vasey, whose father worked in a biscuit factory, stood in 2015 as the Conservative candidate in Birkenhead, a safe Labour seat, and spent a vast amount of time during the campaign helping McVey in her attempt to hold the neighbouring, highly marginal seat of West Wirral, which she had captured from Labour in 2010, after just failing to do so in 2005.

The attacks on McVey were relentless and highly personal, for as Vasey said while I was preparing this profile:

Labour despise her more because theyre scared of her. Shes like the people Labour has neglected. Corbyn doesnt speak for those people, Momentum doesnt speak for them, and McDonnell certainly doesnt speak for them.

On the doorstep, and also on television, McVey in her Liverpool accent cuts through to working-class Labour voters, many of whom think it is entirely fair that if you work harder, you do better.

In Mondays Knutsford Guardian, McVey, who has long promoted social mobility for women and men who start out in life with very little, promoted a new version of her book If Chloe Can, first published in 2010, which she persuaded the National Youth Theatre to turn into a play, and which is intended to inspire young girls and boys to believe they can achieve anything they want with hard work.

She practises what she preaches, working extremely hard for many years to take and then hold Wirral West, only to fall short in 2015 by 417 votes. At the general election of 2017, she returned to the Commons as MP for George Osbornes old seat of Tatton, which she holds with the altogether easier majority of 14,787.

McVey was born in Liverpool in l967. Her family are of Irish Catholic origin, her grandfathers were a docker and a railway worker, and her father, Jimmy McVey, set up his own business, first in demolition and then in property. He is a self-made man and she gets her work ethic from him.

She can remember, during the 1970s, buying candles on the way home from school in case there was a power cut, and finding there was no bread or sugar in the local shop. She went to an independent school, Belvedere School in Toxteth, read law at Queen Mary University of London, decided to pursue a media career, and was quite soon to be seen as a presenter on GMTV.

It was here that she met the talent agent Jonathan Shalit, who suggested she pursue a political career. Her mentor was Iain Duncan Smith, but just about any Conservative leader would have wanted to bring her to the fore, and this David Cameron did.

On entering the Commons, she served as PPS to Chris Grayling before becoming Minister for Disabled People and then Minister of State at the Department of Work and Pensions, led by Duncan Smith.

Labour continue to find her infuriating, and because they cannot wage class war against her, instead accuse her of wanting to grind the faces of the poor. She seems impervious to this criticism and insists that what she actually wants to do is to get the poor into work. Although she has never married, she has a group of close and loyal friends, who give no appearance of having been selected because they can help her career. One of them said:

Shes very funny  funny ha ha  and shes very good at gently taking the mickey out of people without their taking offence. She has a Scouse sense of humour and irreverence, and oodles of charm. Shes not the policy wonks pin-up, but she gets on with the job. Shes media savvy and has lots of emotional intelligence.

Another close observer observes that she is really quite right-wing, and remarks that while Camerons A-listers, of whom she was one, were generally reckoned to be a bit drippy, that could certainly not be said of her. She shared a flat with Philip Davies, another Conservative MP who could not be called drippy.

The same observer said a question hovers over her  has she got the brains? This does keep coming up. On returning to the Commons in 2017 she served first as Deputy Chief Whip, before being put in charge of the DWP in Theresa Mays somewhat botched January reshuffle.

But she knows the department well, having served in it as a junior minister, and her commitment to turning it into an engine of social mobility is undoubted. And if the Conservatives are to take the fight to Labour in the North of England, in a way that did not fully come off last summer, McVey is indispensable.

Jacob Rees-Mogg admires her resilience  she just takes it on the chin, she doesnt get intimidated  and describes her as very principled, a clear-sighted, thinking Conservative, unquestionably Eurosceptic, and a very good communicator.

She comes from the class of outspoken business people, often running successful small enterprises of their own, which used to be quite well represented on the Tory benches, and has somehow almost died out there.

McVey now has the serious job of putting the welfare reforms into practice and running the biggest spending department in government. In part because she is so unabashed when she comes under fire, she is memorable, which is not something that can be said of most members of the present Cabinet.

And as a senior Conservative remarks, if thats not a platform for the leadership when the time comes, I dont know what is.
A systems integrator's close alliance with Amazon Web Services resulted in a massive Department of Defense contract falling apart after Oracle argued the selection unfairly benefited its cloud rival.

REAN Cloud, a Premier AWS partner, had announced the five-year contract, capped at $950 million, on Feb. 7 for a large cloud migration that involved implementing a custom solution for automating the procurement of cloud resources for the military while maintaining price stability.

Last month, Oracle lodged an official protest through the Government Accountability Office. REAN's deal was subsequently reduced, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday, to cover only a project for the U.S. Transportation Command on which the born-in-the-cloud solution provider had already worked, with a maximum price set at $65 million.

[Related: AWS Superstars Join Forces: REAN Cloud Buys 47Lining To Gain Big Data, Machine Learning Expertise]

Oracle argued the procurement process violated government procedures to ensure competitive bidding because the Defense Department selected an implementation partner before deciding on the cloud provider that would host those workloads.

A spokesperson for REAN said the company, and CEO Sekhar Pauli, aren't commenting on the Pentagon backtracking from the contract.

When REAN won the contract last month, the company said it would "provide a platform of options that lets agencies migrate legacy applications to a government-approved, commercial cloud environment of their choice."

Oracle didn't see it that way.

While REAN works with many technology vendors and is widely recognized for its DevOps expertise, AWS is the only hyperscale infrastructure provider it lists as a partner, and REAN is most commonly associated with the cloud leader.

REAN's original contract involved working with the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx), which looks to implement commercial technologies beneficial to the U.S military. It involved a project to speed procurement times to help the Pentagon achieve what it has identified as an important priority for maintaining a military edge over rival superpowersembracing the cloud.

The systems integrator based in Herndon, Va., was to implement an automated procurement system with Firm Fixed-Pricing, helping DoD agencies achieve efficiencies in running their IT infrastructure, developing applications and handling highly sensitive data. REAN would also offer consulting services to the agencies as they worked to meet complex and mission-critical infrastructure needs.

REAN had completed a prototype last year for the Transportation Command, called USTRANSCOM. That DoD infrastructure assessment and cloud migration project won the 2017 DoD CIO Cyber and IT Excellence Award.

REAN Cloud scaled its business rapidly in just a few short years to become a powerhouse AWS partner, making some big acquisitions along the way, including DevOps-focused Opex Software and big data specialist 47Lining.
The cruise industry continued to pump out news as it gathered at an industry event in Florida.

A look at some of Wednesdays news briefs:

**MV Werften has signed an agreement with Wismar to purchase land which will be used for a new warehouse to house prefabricated cabin units. The new facility will cost around 4 million euro. At approximately 83 meters long and 76 meters wide, the warehouse will create space for over 300 ship cabins. The cabins will be stored on three levels of custom-designed racking. Construction on the warehouse will begin in June, with commissioning scheduled for December.

**Costa will move the Diadema to the Middle East for the winter 2019-2020 season, according to a published brochure.

**Expedia CruiseShipCenters, the top cruise retail travel agency franchise in North America, has announced targeted expansion plans to bring additional travel franchise locations to Texas. Joining four locations already open, and an additional seven under development, the leading travel franchise brand plans to have a total of 23 locations open and operating in Texas over the next three to five years, the company said.

**Norwegian Cruise Lines is partnering with Custom Business Solutions for their fourth project, this time installing NorthStar point of sale software at two restaurants aboard the soon-to-be-launched Norwegian Bliss. Guests will be able to manage their dining experience by ordering directly from encased iPads on the table. Restaurant staff will also use iPads equipped with NorthStar for order processing.

**ShipServ, an e-procurement platform, and IB, a provider of technical fleet management software, formally announced a partnership agreement, which will see ShipServs e-procurement solution fully integrated with IBs InfoSHIP maritime software suite.

**Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has appointed GAC UK as its agent in Newcastle and Liverpool. Under the deal, GAC will manage 18 calls during 2018 for the 804-guest cruise ship Black Watch at its homeport of Liverpool, and a further 16 for the 1,350-guest Balmoral, at its home port of Newcastle.
Fortunate is the individual who volunteers to serve in the U.S. Navy and finds themselves assigned to work with and protect one of the nations most sensitive secrets, the United States nuclear command and control communication secrets.

What you don't want to do, however, is take that information and store it in your attic.

Thats apparently what Weldon Marshall did, according to court documents associated with the case of the U.S. vs. Marshall.

Marshall, who joined the U.S. Navy in 1999, was a member of the highly trusted Take Charge And Move Out (TACAMO) team. TACAMO refers to the methods and means for the U.S. military to maintain survivable communications to be used in nuclear warfare  the necessary communications between the decision-makers and the various nuclear weapons delivery systems within the U.S. military.

Sometime prior to his discharge from the U.S. Navy in 2004, Marshall, a trusted insider, copied a number of highly sensitive classified documents onto a CD that he labeled, My Secret TACAMO Stuff). He then took this CD with him upon his discharge and stored the CD at the house he shared with his now-ex-wife in Liverpool, Texas  perhaps in the attic, according to the Department of Justice.

Marshalls home in Liverpool, a tiny Texas town of fewer than 500 persons that is located about 40 miles west of Galveston, Texas, would hold these TACAMO secrets through at least January 2017.

Stealing government secrets and other items

While the CD sat in Marshalls house, Marshall went on to find employment at a number of government contractors, providing IT services to the U.S. Department of Defense on military bases in Afghanistan. He continued enjoy the trust of the U.S. government and maintained his Top Secret security clearance.

During that time, he was accused of stealing U.S. government property exceeding $1,000 in value  five Cisco switches.

It was then discovered that Marshall had stolen something more valuable than the five switches  he had been hoarding secret classified information associated with ground operations in Afghanistan. He had shipped from Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan to his home in Liverpool, Texas, seven hard drives  one 2TB in size and six 1TB in size  containing secret government information. He also shipped those five Cisco switches in the same manner as the hard drives: in boxes, trunks, and footlockers.

Marshall pleads guilty

Marshall, who was arrested in January 2017 for the theft of those five Cisco switches, signed a plea of guilty on March 5, 2018, in which he acknowledged not only the theft of the switches, but also that he took classified material during his time in the Navy and subsequently from the Department of Defense during his time in Afghanistan.

Marshall is due to be sentenced in May 2018, at which time he could face up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

Trusted insider lessons continued to be relearned

The fact that this trusted insider could copy and abscond with these secrets is troubling, and no doubt it has caused internal processes for the handling of classified information both within the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense to be reviewed.

It would appear Marshalls theft of classified information falls within the same bailiwick as the lessons learned as a result of the 2010 theft of classified information by Chelsea Manning.

The only bright spot in the whole debacle? The arrest of Marshall for the theft of the five switches led to the discovery of Marshalls hoard of classified information. And the hoard of secret information was not shared or discovered by an adversary of the United States, but rather only by the investigators of the Armys 902d Military Intelligence Group and the FBI.
BRIDGEPORT -A local barber, who reported a home invasion, is facing five years in prison after police found more than two pounds of cocaine in his East End home.

Daniel Gonzalez, 40, of Seaview Avenue, pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Robert Devlin to possession of cocaine with intent to sell.
DARIEN  A Stratford mans comment on Facebook about a newspaper story on school shootings led to his arrest on a charge of disorderly conduct.

On Feb. 24 Raymond Moerloer, of Sedgewick Avenue, wrote, Thanks for the reminder, I need to buy ammo, on the story, which was about a planned walk out in support of gun control. Police received several anonymous complaints about the comment.
From the very beginning, my co-founder Nicolas and I were very hands-on with the business. When we first secured office space, we drove straight to IKEA to purchase brand new furniture. Nicolas and I didn't have a large enough vehicle, so we befriended and convinced a fellow shopper with a flatbed truck to follow us to the office. We neglected to swap cell phone numbers in our rush and lost our new friend -- but after a few loops around the parking lot, we found his truck and made it to the office together.

Related: 7 Qualities Every Entrepreneur Should Look for in a Co-Founder

Sitting in our empty office, Nicolas, myself and our new recruit built -- by hand -- the furniture that would become seating for our first client meeting. The next morning, a party of 10 executives from a Fortune 500 company in Europe flew to San Francisco to hear our pitch. We were proud of our handiwork -- until the senior executive sat in one of the chairs, and it instantly fell apart! Despite this unexpected incident, a week later the company let us know that they wanted to move forward with the deal; they even mentioned that they loved the "startup vibe" our office exuded. We learned an important lesson that day: There will be ups and there will be downs.

Luckily, Nicolas and I had been friends for years at this point; his older brother was a long-time friend of mine, and Nicolas and I grew close over our shared passion for entrepreneurship while we were in college. By fostering each other's mutual interests as friends, we developed greater respect, collaboration and perseverance when it came time to launch our business together.

If you're thinking about launching a business with your best friend, the following three tips will help you balance the line between friendship and partnership.

Establish alignment on vision and values.

While I was living in Boston, I flew out to visit Nicolas in San Francisco the weekend of the Web 2.0 conference, and was inspired by the idea of crowdsourcing. When I first pitched the crowdsourcing idea to Nicolas, he thought it was terrible, and he was probably right -- but a week later, he called me to say we should start a business together. I moved to San Francisco the following week, and over the next few months we developed the blueprint for AppDirect.

Related: Why Co-CEOs Are a Bad Idea for Early-Stage Startups, Almost Always

During this early stage, we developed a strong vision for what we wanted our company to become -- a vision we would come to refer to as our "true north." By relying on each other, we maintained a strong conviction in what we were doing. Others will constantly tell you what they think is or isn't possible when you're building a business, which can lead to tension and negativity. But, by constantly aligning on our vision for the company we were able to push forward.

Divide and conquer.

In the early days, Nicolas and I learned to divide and conquer our focus and responsibilities. Due to this, we spent a good deal of our time building the company apart -- each meeting with different executives focused on our areas of new-found expertise. Therefore, we had to rely on good intent -- that we both wanted the business to succeed -- and have an inherent amount of trust in each other. To help establish this trust and prepare, we'd spent hours practicing for upcoming meetings, rehearsing and providing feedback. We took turns pitching to each other as if the other was the client until we felt confident and on the same page. After pitching to actual clients, we reviewed and brainstormed with each other on how to improve for next time.

Having a trusted friend as your business partner has the added perk of always keeping your spirits up, supporting you in your vision, challenging you to leave your comfort zone and making work fun.

Related: Getting Through Thick and Thin With Your Co-founder

Maintain your professional and personal relationship.

As you can imagine, working closely with your best friend in a professional setting can put a strain on your personal relationship. Therefore, it's super important to maintain both "structured" time -- time reserved exclusively to talk shop -- and "unstructured" time, otherwise known as hanging out and generally enjoying your friend's company. Nicolas and I try to spend as much "unstructured" time together as we can. Before starting the business, we climbed the glaciers in New Zealand; this past summer, my fiancee and I went on vacation to Canada with Nicolas and his wife. We also spend a good deal of time doing typical weekend activities -- such as brunch with our families and hiking/walking -- to pull ourselves away from the day-to-day aspects of work.

Nicolas and I have been lucky to have the of support of our families, friends and our mentors, but through the thick and thin of building this company the one constant we are grateful for is that we could rely on each other throughout the journey. Having a co-founder as a best friend grounds you, keeps you positive through challenges and able to persevere. Even before AppDirect, we always aligned on our values, including our passion for work/life harmony. We lean on and trust each other in the decisions we make, especially when it comes to our employees, clients and what's right for the business.

Related Video: Select Your Co-Founder Carefully

Related:

I Co-Founded a Startup With My Best Friend: How to Balance Friendship and Business

These 10 Entrepreneurial Couples Share How They Make It Work in Both Business and Love

Study These 9 Traps Even Successful Entrepreneurs Have Fallen For So You Won't



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


The Senate took an important procedural vote yesterday that sets the stage for the bipartisan Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (S. 2155) to pass the Senate, possibly by the end of the week. NAFCU continues to encourage all credit unions to reach out to their senators ahead of the vote to urge them to support the bill.

NAFCU Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and General Counsel Carrie Hunt yesterday sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urging senators to support the bill  which includes regulatory relief measures related to member business lending (MBL) and the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA)  as it would positively impact the credit union industry.

The association also ran an ad campaign in Tuesdays National Journal, urging support for the bill. Creating a positive regulatory environment for credit unions with appropriate and tailored regulations is part of NAFCUs 2018 advocacy priorities.
Through our academic institutes, centres and networks, research is an integral part of what we do at the University of Cumbria.
STORY LINK GBP/USD Exchange Rate Fluctuates as Trade Tensions Build

US Dollars (USD) Rocked by Increased Trade War Fears

Pound (GBP) Pressured by Brexit Uncertainty

GBP/USD Exchange Rate Forecast: UK Trade Deficit to Narrow?

Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues:

The Pound US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate was met by volatility on Wednesday as the risen threat of a global trade war weighed heavily on markets.The US Dollar came under renewed pressure today following the resignation of Donald Trump's top economic adviser, Gary Cohn over the Presidents decision to press ahead with controversial tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports.This has reignited fears that the US could spark a major trade war with Europe and other trading partners, with Cohns influence being seen as a possible limiting factor on some of Trumps more radical trade plans.Analysts at Royal Bank of Canada suggest;Cohn staunchly opposed the invocation of Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act to impose steel and aluminium tariffs and his resignation has been taken as a strong indication Trump would go ahead with a set of less measured tariffs, risking a larger trade war.Adding to those fears, Trump is said to be considering a clampdown on Chinese investment in the US and broader tariffs in retaliation for alleged intellectual property theft.Further compounding these fears was the announcement from the Europe Commission of a number of US imports that could face possible tariffs in response to Trumps new trade policies.European Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, suggests that a number of iconic American products could be hit, including bourbon, peanut butter and orange juice.Talking in Brussels Malmstrom said;Certain types of bourbon are on the list, as are other items such peanut butter, cranberries, orange juice, etc. Very soon that list will be public, so you will be able to plan your whisky drinking.Critics of Trumps trade proposals suggest that the steel tariffs are likely to hurt large parts of the US economy, in order to salvage a relatively small US industry.Meanwhile Sterling struggled to find traction today as Brexit concerns continued to weigh on market sentiment.The latest bout of uncertainty came as European Council President Donald Tusk is unveiled its guidelines for the second stage of Brexit negotiations.The document draws some clear red lines in Brexit talks, as they essentially reject Theresa Mays proposals that a free-trade deal may be possible if the UK remained closely aligned to EU regulation.The guidelines also appear to fly in the face of Chancellor Philip Hammond who wants to see financial services to be included in any Brexit trade deal.Hammond is expected to say later today;If it could be done with Canada or the USA... it could be done with the UK. I am clear not only that it is possible to include financial services within a trade deal but that it is very much in our mutual interest to do so.The second phase of Brexit talks are expected to get underway later this month, following a summit in which EU leaders will sign off on the guidelines.Looking ahead the GBP/USD exchange rate may be able to rally at the end of this weeks session as the UK publishes its latest trade balance.Economists forecast that the UKs trade deficit will have been slashed from -4.8bn to -$3.8bn at the start of there year, thanks to increased demand for UK exports.Analysts suggest that this will have also supported a rebound in the UKs industrial production, with factory output expected to jump from -1.3% to 1.5% in January.However any gains for GBP/USD may prove to be short lived as Friday is also set to see the release of the latest US payroll figures, with analysts suggesting that another robust raise in payrolls will see the US unemployment rate slide to just 4% in February.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

TAGS: Pound Dollar Forecasts
For Subscribers Week 4 headliners: Berlin has playmakers; Windber 'D'-termined; Township duo dominating

Week 4 HS football: What we learned from the players and teams across Somerset County including two, 4-0 squads.
Pakistan and Nepal agreeing to revive the SAARC process has send alarm bells ringing in New Delhi. The visiting Pakistan Prime Minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, met his Nepal counterpart KP Sharma Oli in Kathmandu and urged the leaders of Nepal to play their role as the chair of SAARC for early convening of the summit in Islamabad.

Abbasi also held meeting with chairman of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda", and addressed a programme organised by the SAARC secretariat in Kathmandu.

Abbsi and Oli now plan to corner New Delhi by holding the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad which was cancelled in 2016 due to boycott by all SAARC countries showing solidarity with India following the terrorist attack at Army base in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir.

Earliar, Nepal as the chair of SAARC could not boycott the summit, but had refused to convene the summit in Islamabad. Sources say that Nepal, as the current chair of SAARC now under a new PM - who is the chairman of the communist party of Nepal CPN-UML - wants China to join this regional grouping dominated by India.

Image: Reuters photo

The statement by Bishnu Rimal, the chief advisor to PM Oli, that the two PMs discussed to enhance regional development and agreed to make SAARC a more effective organisation by infusing more vigour into it by taking other initiatives, points towards the next moves by the duo to bring in China and isolate India, which founded and nurtured SAARC.

The move to revive the now-dormant SAARC by Islamabad and Kathmandu may also get support from other South Asian nations. Maldives is likely to support all moves by Pakistan at this juncture, especially as the bilateral relations between Male and New Delhi are at their lowest point ever.

Mohamed Nasheed, the exiled former president of the Maldives, who has received support from Beijing to remain in his seat would certainly like China to join the SAARC.

In the past, Bangladeshi diplomats in Dhaka have always been able to get more out of Beijing as compared to what was offered by New Delhi.They too will welcome China in SAARC to play a balancing game between the two biggies in Asia and extract the maximum benefits from both.

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani, who is trying to mend fences with Pakistan and has showed his willingness to share power with Taliban, may also agree to join the SAARC Summit in Islamabad.

As the scales tip in favour of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bhutan may not like to remain outside the grouping and may join the party in Islamabad at the 19th SAARC Summit.

China is keen to join the SAARC to undermine India and is offering huge incentives under the String of Pearls and One Belt One Road schemes. As the levers of control slip out of India's hands, it seems the decision by the mandarins of the Ministry of External Affairs to leave SAARC in hibernation has turned out to be counter-productive for New Delhi.

This development has upset India as this may have grave implications for the country's global standing as regional superpower in South Asia.

Also read: Despite a wily Pakistan, Modi must not allow SAARC to collapse
The Sri Lankan government has imposed a state of emergency for the first time since the civil war following days of fierce communal violence between the island's Sinhalese and Muslim communities.

The second such happening in less than four years, the Sinhalese majority community (70 per cent ) members have allegedly unleashed a spate of arson and violent attacks on the 9 per cent minority Muslims.

The violence, which broke out on March 4, has claimed at least two lives so far and unleashed wanton destruction of Muslim property, including mosques, in the otherwise peaceful tourist spot of Kandy, a centre of Buddhist faith and lush green tea estates.

According to various news reports, the unrest began after the funeral of a truck driver from the Sinhalese Buddhist community, who died days after he was involved in an altercation with four Muslims, the government has said.

Although the Sri Lankan government's intent to rein in the violence seems genuine with the special task force ( STF) personnel taking over the streets to quell disturbances. This, however, has so far failed to instil any confidence among the minority Muslims who perceive states complicity in such acts of violence.

Lankan security personnel stand guard a road after a clash in Digana, central district of Kandy. (Credit: Reuters photo)

As per intelligence sources, it all began over the arrival of Muslim Rohingya asylum-seekers from Myanmar. Judging by history, violence is not new to Sri Lanka. However, experts analysing the situation find it hard to comprehend as to how Buddhists, considered to be pacifists, could resort to such violence (perhaps said in the context of Myanmar).

While these fears could be exaggerated, they are not wide off the mark. As it is Sri Lanka had witnessed decades of civil war leading to thousands of killings, endless destruction of property and damage to the countrys peace and tranquil until the last regime brutally crushed the LTTE in 2009 and brought peace. Yet, barely five years later in 2014, Singhalese- Muslim riots spread almost all over the country. The worst-affected area was Aluthgama.

Its important to point out that Buddhist monks are highly agitated, as noticed in the recent past, and have been strongly protesting against the Muslims for alleged expansionism and forceful conversions. This is a charge many Singhalese leaders endorse with conviction. Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka, while accusing the Muslims, cite the example of Myanmar, especially Rohingyas, who have been accused of fomenting communal violence on multiple occasions.

The forceful expulsion of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, mainly to Bangladesh, too seems to have emboldened the otherwise peaceful Buddhists to check the rise of Islam in Sri Lanka which is manifested in what is described as Buddhist nationalism. Under these circumstances, we see a pattern in the Buddhists asserting to take on the Muslims.

Organisations such as Maha Sohon Balakaya and Bodu Bala Sena or BBS are allegedly on the forefront "saving" the Buddhists from any Muslim onslaught . They have the reputation of being the radical Buddhist groups who have emerged as the defenders of Buddhism .

Meanwhile, the atmosphere remains charged and any further rumour could engulf Sri Lanka in worst communal riots assuming monstrous proportions. President Maithripala Sirisena despite imposing a state of emergency has been facing widespread criticism. Also, questions have been raised over the government's capability to contain the situation, especially in the wake of a resurgence of Buddhist nationalism, as seen in neighbouring Myanmar, backed by outfits that are equally powerful. Meanwhile, Najah Mohamed, political activist secretary of the National Front of Good Governance Party, has blamed government inaction for the spread of attacks on the Muslims.

The Muslim leadership in the country has described the latest incidents as unprecedented and are not ruling out further spurt in violence in the near future. As of now, places such as Udispattuwa and Teldeniya remain as potential flashpoints in a country of 21 million population. It is worth mentioning that repeated calls by Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, urging Buddhists in Myanmar and Sri Lanka to cease violence towards the countries' Muslim minorities in the past have not stopped the anti-Muslims attacks. Reactions in India, both among the Buddhists and Muslims, too need to be carefully watched as a matter of precaution.

With violence continuing for the fourth consecutive day, Sri Lanka is likely to come under attack by Muslim countries particularly from the Gulf for not being able to protect Muslim lives and property. Saudi Arabia and other countries, who have been funding Muslim interests in Sri Lanka, are expected to come down heavily on the government for its perceived failure in maintaining law and order.

Besides, international human rights groups, in all likelihood, will also not refrain from castigating the Lankan government.

After the end of civil war in 2009, human rights groups have been on a tirade against Sri Lanka for its dismal and unimpressive human rights record. The latest spate of violence will only compound the island nation's problems.

Also read: How the international community failed Rohingyas
As all of India (or at least those with Twitter accounts) got out of bed early on a Monday to cheer American films (many nearly unwatched in India) to Oscar glory, our own tryst with similar glory has largely been fraught with disappointments - unless you count Slumdog Millionaire as an Indian film and Anil Kapoor's cheering as an acceptable Indian representation!

The norm is that the Film Federation of India appoints a separate committee to select and send films to the Academy Awards - presumably ones which they consider to be most worthy and/or capable of winning a nomination at least, if not the award.

Neither the information and broadcast ministry not the National Film Awards jury is not involved in this selection - though nothing seems to suggest that they would have done a better job than the FFI committee. And there is a clear divergence among the choices. Except for rare occasions, the winners of the Best Film at the National Film Awards have - by and large - not got sent to the Oscars.

So going back in jumps of ten years from the present year, here is a selection of India's entries at the Oscars. They pretty much cover the whole gamut of reasons why - forget the statuette - India has not even got nominated (in the top five).

Newton (2017)

A wry satire on India's electoral democracy made some small waves in the festival circuit and was discussed in India for some great acting performances. Compared to the other choices available to the committee, Newton was a good selection in terms of cinematic quality.

Newton (2017)

But it was severely hamstrung by the lack of a publicity budget for Hollywood. Observers estimate films spending anything between $3-10 million to lobby for and promote their nominations among the Academy members. Newton was made on a budget of $1 million. Sigh.

Ekalavya: The Royal Guard (2007)

On paper, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Ekalavya had a lot going for it. The director - Chopra - had been nominated (in 1978) for an Oscar in the Best Documentary Short Subject category.

Ekalavya

The film had garnered some praise in USA, including LA Times who called "a lost film by David Lean". But no go!

Lagaan (2001)

The only reason to break the ten-year back-jump is India's last nominee in the form of a grand historical saga, punched with an underdog story that involved a game completely unknown in USA.

Lagaan was buoyed by producer Aamir Khan's steely intent in making his film a winner.

Lagaan

He invested serious money in promoting the film among the Academy members, turning it into a nomination. The anti-climactic second in which a Bosnian film bagged the statuette while Aamir Khan and director Ashutosh Gowariker stood clapping remains a moment of heartbreak for Indian cinema.

Jeans (1997)

One of the greatest mysteries of Indian cinema is the question of how Shankar's Jeans reached Los Angeles - barring the connection that the film was set in Los Angeles.

Jeans

Whether its status as the "most expensive Indian film" till then had any impact on the committee is unknown but even in those pre-social media days, the amount of ridicule Jeans received for being sent to the Oscars was something quite unprecedented.

Salaam Bombay! (1988)

Mira Nair shot into international limelight as her emotional film about Bombay's (now Mumbai) street children became a festival favourite and India's second ever Oscar nominee.

Salaam Bombay!

Salaam Bombay proved (as did Slumdog Millionaire many years later) that a certain amount of "poverty porn" works for Academy voters as does a "message of hope" in the middle of Indian exotica. (Thinking on these lines, Newton probably had a very good chance this year!)

Nayakan (1987)

Mani Ratnam's classic gangster epic had Kamal Hassan in a role that is still reverentially referred to as an acting tour-de-force. The film itself has often been said to be in the "Godfather style" though the similarities are not much.

Nayakan

That Nayakan didn't get nominated could be because the songs and dances - so intrinsic to Indian cinema and beautifully picturized by Ratnam - were felt to extraneous by the American audience. As a sort of consolation, the film was included in Time magazine's All-Time Best 100 Films.

Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1978)

Satyajit Ray was an international film festival favourite - winning major awards at Cannes, Berlin, Venice etc - but missed out on Oscars (till, of course, the Academy gave him an award for lifetime achievement). Shatranj was the last of his films to be sent though - like the previous two - it didn't make it to the final nomination.

Shatranj Ke Khiladi

Ray's deep, ponderous explorations of the human condition were probably too heavy for the Academy. And of course, India had lived up to its whimsical reputation earlier by not sending one of his best works, Charulata (in 1964).

Manthan (1977)

You could say the Oscars were not as big in India in the 1970s as it is today. Probably that's why nothing about Manthan's Oscar foray is available to us.

An idealistic government officer's attempts to start a milk cooperative in a village checked all the boxes of hope, exoticism and poverty.

Manthan

Chances are that it probably got crowded out by the Italian and French films, industries that ruled the roost in the 1970s.

Aakhri Khat (1967): A Rajesh Khanna film at the Oscars is a tough one to swallow, but here it was. In deference to the "exalted sensibilities" of an international award, Indian cinema's entries to the Oscars have always been the films that "had a message" or were in the arthouse style.

So the film that took our Kaka to the Oscars was his debut, had him playing a sculptor separated from his estranged infant son and was a "realistic" depiction of urban life through the eyes of the lost baby.

Trivia: Aakhri Khat was directed by Chetan Anand. Earlier, Vijay Anand's Guide was an Indian entry. To complete the symmetry, Dev Anand gave himself an Oscar in his own film, Censor. (Yup, he played a filmmaker whose film was censored in India but ended up winning an Oscar after he smuggled it out to USA.)

Mother India (1957): India hit pay dirt in the very first year it sent a film to the Academy, by getting nominated for Mehboob Khan and Nargis' mega-epic. While it was occasionally ridiculed for its over-the-top poverty - a British reviewer called it "Blood, Flood, Fire and Mud with Mother" - the formula clearly worked with the US audience.

Mother India

It is rumoured to have lost to the winner by a solitary vote. A vote that could have set Indian cinema on an international trajectory, something that's been elusive even now.

A mix of bad choice, lack of financial clout and plain simple bad luck has kept India out of the Oscar list till now. But with brave new talent burgeoning, international studios expanding, it looks like only a matter of time before Anil Kapoor dances in the aisle for a bonafide Indian filmmaker!

Bioscope; Diptakirti Chaudhuri; Rs 359
The following companies are subsidiares of Becton, Dickinson and: (Bard Istanbul Healthcare Limited Company), Accuri Cytometers, Accuri Cytometers Inc., Adaptec, Alverix, Alverix Inc., Atto Bioscience, BD Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., BD Infection Prevention BV, BD Kiestra BV, BD Kiestra Total Lab Automation, BD Rapid Diagnostic (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., BD San Luis Potosi S.A. de C.V., BD Switzerland Sarl, BD Ventures LLC, BD West Africa Limited, BDX INO LLC, Bard (Thailand) Limited, Bard ASDI Inc., Bard Access Systems Inc., Bard Acquisition Sub Inc., Bard Australia Pty. Limited, Bard Benelux N.V., Bard Brachytherapy Inc., Bard Brasil Industria e Comercio de Produtos Para a Saude Ltda., Bard Canada Inc., Bard Chile S.p.A., Bard Colombia S.A.S., Bard Czech Republic s.r.o., Bard Devices Inc., Bard Dublin ITC Limited, Bard EMEA Finance Center Sp.z o.o., Bard European Distribution Center N.V., Bard Finance B.V. & Co. KG., Bard Financial Services Ltd., Bard Finland OY, Bard France S.A.S., Bard Global Holdings I LLC, Bard Global Holdings II LLC, Bard Global Holdings III LLC, Bard Healthcare Inc., Bard Healthcare Science (Shanghai) Limited, Bard Hellas S.A., Bard Holding SAS, Bard Holdings Limited, Bard Holdings Netherlands B.V., Bard Hong Kong Limited, Bard IP Holdings Inc., Bard India Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., Bard International Holdings B.V., Bard International Inc., Bard Korea Ltd., Bard Limited, Bard MRL Acquisition Corp., Bard Malaysia Healthcare Sdn. Bhd., Bard Medica SA, Bard Medical Devices (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical SA (Proprietary) Limited, Bard Mexico Realty S. de R.L. de C.V., Bard Norden AB, Bard Norway AS, Bard Pacific Health Care Company Ltd., Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc., Bard Poland Sp. z.o.o., Bard Productos Plasticos e Medicos Ltda., Bard Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Bard S.r.l., Bard Sdn. Bhd., Bard Shannon Limited, Bard Singapore Private Limited, Bard Sourcing Office Singapore Pte. Ltd., Bard Sweden AB, Bard UK Newco Limited, Bard de Espana S.A., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Management Limited, Becton Dickinson (Mauritius) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Pty) Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Thailand) Limited, Becton Dickinson A.G., Becton Dickinson A/S, Becton Dickinson Argentina S.R.L., Becton Dickinson Asia Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson Asia Limited, Becton Dickinson Austria GmbH, Becton Dickinson Austria Holdings GmbH, Becton Dickinson B.V., Becton Dickinson B.V. Saudi Limited Company, Becton Dickinson Benelux N.V., Becton Dickinson Biosciences Systems and Reagents Inc., Becton Dickinson Canada Inc., Becton Dickinson Caribe Ltd., Becton Dickinson Croatia d.o.o., Becton Dickinson Czechia s.r.o., Becton Dickinson Dispensing Belgium BVBA, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Denmark A/S, Becton Dickinson Dispensing France SAS, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Ireland Limited, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Norway, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Spain S.L.U., Becton Dickinson Dispensing UK Ltd., Becton Dickinson Distribution Center N.V., Becton Dickinson East Africa Ltd., Becton Dickinson Euro Finance Sarl, Becton Dickinson Europe Holdings S.A.S., Becton Dickinson France S.A.S., Becton Dickinson GSA Beteilgungs GmbH, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings I Inc., Becton Dickinson Global Holdings II LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings IV LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings V LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings VI LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings VII LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Services Centre Sdn. Bdn., Becton Dickinson GmbH, Becton Dickinson Guatemala S.A., Becton Dickinson Hellas S.A., Becton Dickinson Holdings Limited, Becton Dickinson Holdings Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Hungary Kft., Becton Dickinson India Private Limited, Becton Dickinson Industrias Cirurgicas Ltda., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy AB, Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Holdings UK Limited, Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Systems Inc., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Systems Inc. S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy UK, Becton Dickinson Insulin Syringe Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings II Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings III Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Israel Ltd., Becton Dickinson Italia S.p.A., Becton Dickinson Ithalat Ihracat Limited Sirketi, Becton Dickinson Korea Holding Inc., Becton Dickinson Korea Ltd., Becton Dickinson Ltd., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Finance S.a.r.L., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Global Holdings Sarl, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings II S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings III S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Malaysia Inc., Becton Dickinson Management GmbH & Co. KG, Becton Dickinson Matrex Holdings Inc., Becton Dickinson Medical (S) Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Products Pte. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Technology (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Global Holdings II C.V., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Holdings B.V., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Holdings II B.V., Becton Dickinson Norway AS, Becton Dickinson O.Y., Becton Dickinson Overseas Services Ltd., Becton Dickinson Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd., Becton Dickinson Penel Limited, Becton Dickinson Philippines Inc., Becton Dickinson Polska Sp.z.o.o., Becton Dickinson Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Becton Dickinson Pty. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Research Centre Ireland Limited, Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH, Becton Dickinson Rowa Italy Srl, Becton Dickinson S.A., Becton Dickinson Sample Collection GmbH, Becton Dickinson Scot Financing L.L.P., Becton Dickinson Scot Financing L.P., Becton Dickinson Sdn. Bhd., Becton Dickinson Slovakia s.r.o., Becton Dickinson Sweden AB, Becton Dickinson Sweden Holdings AB, Becton Dickinson Switzerland Global Holdings SarL, Becton Dickinson Technology Campus India, Becton Dickinson U.K. Limited, Becton Dickinson UK Financing I Ltd., Becton Dickinson UK Financing II Ltd., Becton Dickinson Venezuela C.A., Becton Dickinson Venture LLC, Becton Dickinson Verwaltungs GmbH, Becton Dickinson Vostok LLC, Becton Dickinson Worldwide Investments Sa.r.L., Becton Dickinson Zambia Limited, Becton Dickinson and Company Ltd., Becton Dickinson de Colombia Ltda., Becton Dickinson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson del Uruguay S.A., Benex Ltd., Biometric Imaging, Bridger Biomed Inc., C. R. Bard, C. R. Bard (Portugal)-Produtos e Artigos Medicos e Farmaceuticos, C. R. Bard Do Brazil Productos Medicos Ltds., C. R. Bard GmbH, C. R. Bard Inc., C. R. Bard Netherlands Sales B.V., CME America LLC, CME Ltd., CME Medical (UK) Limited, CME UK (Holdings) Limited, CRISI Medical Systems, CRISI Medical Systems Inc., Caesarea Medical Electronics, Cardal II LLC, Care Fusion Development Private Limited, CareFusion, CareFusion (Barbados) SrL, CareFusion (Shanghai) Commercial and Trading Co. Limited, CareFusion 213 LLC, CareFusion 2200 Inc., CareFusion 2201 Inc., CareFusion 302 LLC, CareFusion 303 Inc., CareFusion Asia (HK) Limited, CareFusion BH 335 d.o.o. Cazin, CareFusion Corporation, CareFusion D.R. 203 Ltd., CareFusion France 309 S.A.S., CareFusion Germany 318 GmbH, CareFusion Iberia 308 S.L., CareFusion Israel 330 Ltd., CareFusion Italy 312 S.p.A., CareFusion Manufacturing LLC, CareFusion Mexico 215 S.A. de C.V., CareFusion Netherlands 328 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 503 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 504 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands Financing 283 C.V., CareFusion Resources LLC, CareFusion S.A. 319 (Proprietary) Limited, CareFusion Solutions LLC, CareFusion U.K. 244 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 305 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 306 Limited, Carmel Pharma AB, Carmel Pharma Inc, Cato Software Solutions, Cell Analysis Systems Inc, Cellular Research, Cellular Research Inc., Clearstream Technologies Group Limited, Clearstream Technologies Limited, Clontech Laboratories Inc, Corporativo BD de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Cubex, Cytopeia, DLD (Bermuda) Ltd., DVL Acquisition Sub Inc., Davol Inc., Davol International Limited, Davol Surgical Innovations S.A. de C.V., Difco Laboratories Incorporated, Distribuidora BD Mexico S.A. de C.V., Dutch American Manufacturers (D.A.M.) B.V., Dymax Corporation, Embo Medical Limited, Enturia de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Enturican Inc., FJ International Inc., FlowCardia Inc., FlowCardia LLC, FlowJo LLC, Franklin Lakes Enterprises L.L.C., GSL Solutions, Gamer Lasertechnik GmbH, GenCell Biosystems, GenCell Biosystems Ltd., GeneOhm Sciences, GeneOhm Sciences Canada Inc., Gentest Corporation, Gesco International Inc., Gesco International LLC, HandyLab Inc, HandyLab Inc., IBD Holdings LLC, Ionotophoretics Corporation, JoHome LLC, Kabushiki Kaisha Medicon (Medicon Inc.), Liberator Health and Education Services Inc., Liberator Health and Wellness Inc., Liberator Medical Holdings Inc., Liberator Medical Supply Inc., LifeBond, Limited Liability Company Bard Rus, Loma Vista Medical Inc., Loma Vista Medical LLC, Lutonix Inc., Med-Design Corporation, Med-Design Investment Holdings Inc., Med-Safe Systems Inc., MedChem Products Inc., Medafor Inc., Medegen LLC, Medinservice.com Inc., Medivance Inc., NAT Diagnostics, NAT Diagnostics Inc., NOW Medical Distribution Inc., NOW Medical Distribution LLC, Navarre Biomedical LLC, Navarre Biomedical Ltd., Neomend Inc., Nippon Becton Dickinson Company Ltd., Omega Biosystems Incorporated, P.R.C.(Isialys)Societe a responsabilitie limitee(Societe a associe unique), PT Becton Dickinson Indonesia, PharMingen, PreAnalytiX GmbH, Pristine Access Technologies Inc., ProSeed Inc., Procesos para Esterilizacion S.A. de C.V., Productos Bard de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Productos Para el Cuidado de la Salud S.A. de C.V., Puls Medical Devices AS LC, PureWick Corporation, Roberts Laboratories Inc., Rochester Medical Corporation, Rochester Medical Ltd., Saf-T-Med, Safety Syringes, Safety Syringes Inc., Sendal S.L.U., SenoRx Inc., SenoRx LLC, Shield Healthcare Centers Inc., Sirigen, Sirigen II Limited, Sirigen Inc., Sistemas Medicos ALARIS S.A. de C.V., Specialized Cooperative Corporation, Specialized Health Products Inc., Specialized Health Products International Inc., Specialized Health Products International LLC, Staged Diabetes Management LLC, Straub Medical, Straub Medical, Straub Medical (US) LLC, Straub Medical (United Kingdom) Ltd., Straub Medical France, Surgical Site Solutions Inc., TVA Medical, TVA Medical GmbH, TVA Medical Inc., Touchstone Medical Limited, Tri-County Medical & Ostomy Supplies Inc., TriPath Imaging, TriPath Imaging Inc., Vas-Cath Incorporated, Vascular Pathways Inc., Venetec International Inc., Venetec International LLC, Y-Med Inc., and Y-Med LLC.
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through four strategic business units: Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; and Capital Markets. The company offers chequing, savings, and business accounts; mortgages; loans, lines of credit, student lines of credit, and business and agriculture loans; investment and insurance services; and credit cards, as well as overdraft protection services. It also provides day-to-day banking, borrowing and credit, investing and wealth, specialty, and international services; correspondent banking and online foreign exchange services; and cash management services. The company serves its customers through its banking centers, as well as direct, mobile, and remote channels. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Read More
Close Brothers Group plc, a merchant banking company, provides financial services to small businesses and individuals in the United Kingdom. It operates through five segments: Commercial, Retail, Property, Asset Management, and Securities. The company offers various deposit products, including fixed term deposits and notice accounts. It also provides asset finance, asset-based lending, commercial vehicle hire, short-term bridging finance, insurance premium finance, invoice discounting and factoring, and property finance products. In addition, the company offers funding services for general aviation aircraft, and various leisure and commercial vessels; sale and rent back services for the brewing sector; broker finance services to agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and transport industries; leasing services for construction, manufacturing, IT equipment, and specialist assets; and loan, hire purchase, leasing, and refinancing services to the professional service sector, including dental, medical, pharmacy, and veterinary sectors. Further, it provides financial education, investment management, and financial planning and advice services; self-directed services that help investors to manage their portfolio online; and services for financial advisers. Additionally, the company offers liquidity and flexible execution services to retail stockbrokers, wealth managers, and institutional investors; market making, sales, research, and corporate broking services; and dealing, custody, and settlement services to the institutional, wealth management, and brokerage clients. Close Brothers Group plc was founded in 1878 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Read More
The following companies are subsidiares of General Motors: 2140879 Ontario Inc., ACAR Leasing, ACAR Leasing Ltd., ACF Investment, ACF Investment Corp., AFS SenSub, APGO Trust, Adam Opel, Adam Opel GmbH, Aftermarket (UK), AmeriCredit, AmeriCredit Consumer Loan, AmeriCredit Consumer Loan Company Inc., AmeriCredit Financial Services, AmeriCredit Financial Services Inc., AmeriCredit Funding, AmeriCredit Syndicated Warehouse Trust, Annunciata Corporation, Argonaut Holdings, Argonaut Holdings LLC, BOCO (Proprietary), BOCO (Proprietary) Limited, Banco GMAC, Banco GMAC S.A., Baylis (Gloucester), Boco Trust, Boden Brussels, CHEVYPLAN, CHEVYPLAN S.A. Sociedad Administradora de Planes de Autofinanciamiento Comercial, Cadillac, Cadillac Europe, Cadillac Europe GmbH, Carve-Out Ownership, Carve-Out Ownership Cooperative LLC, Chevrolet Deutschland GmbH, Chevrolet Sales (Thailand), Chevrolet Sales (Thailand) Limited, Chevrolet Sales India, Chevrolet Sales India Private Ltd., Chevrolet Sociedad Anonima de Ahorro para Fines Determinados, Controladora General Motors, Controladora General Motors S.A. de C.V., Cruise, DCJ1, DCJ1 LLC, DMAX, DMAX Ltd., Dealership Liquidations, Dealership Liquidations Inc., Delphi Energy and Engine Management Systems UK, Delphi Energy and Engine Management Systems UK Overseas Corporation, EDS (Electronic Data Systems), FAW-GM, Fundacion Chevrolet, G.M.A.C., GCAR Titling Ltd., GM (UK) Pension, GM (UK) Pension Trustees Limited, GM APO Holdings, GM Administradora de Bens, GM Administradora de Bens Ltda., GM Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters Ltd., GM Auslandsprojekte, GM Automotive, GM Automotive Services Belgium, GM CME, GM Canada Holdings, GM Canada Limited, GM Components Holdings, GM Components Holdings LLC, GM Cruise, GM Cruise Holdings LLC, GM Cruise LLC, GM Defense LLC, GM Eurometals, GM Eurometals Inc., GM Europe Treasury, GM Finance, GM Finance Co. Holdings LLC, GM Financial, GM Financial AB, GM Financial Canada, GM Financial Canada Leasing, GM Financial Canada Leasing Ltd., GM Financial Colombia Holdings LLC, GM Financial Colombia S.A. Compania de Financiamiento, GM Financial Consumer, GM Financial Consumer Discount, GM Financial Consumer Discount Company, GM Financial Del Peru, GM Financial GmbH, GM Financial Holdings LLC, GM Financial Insurance Services, GM Financial Mexico Holdings, GM Financial Mexico Holdings LLC, GM Financial Real Estate, GM Financial de Mexico, GM Financial de Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.R., GM Financial del Peru S.A.C, GM Global Business Services, GM Global Propulsion Systems -Torino S.r.l., GM Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, GM Global Technology Operations, GM Global Technology Operations LLC, GM Global Tooling, GM Global Tooling Company LLC, GM Global Treasury Centre Limited, GM Holden, GM Holden Pty Ltd., GM Holdings U.K. No.1 Limited, GM Inversiones Santiago Limitada, GM Investment Trustees Limited, GM Korea, GM Korea Company, GM LAAM Holdings, GM LAAM Holdings LLC, GM Mexico Holdings, GM Mobility Europe GmbH, GM PSA Purchasing Services, GM Personnel Services, GM Personnel Services Inc., GM Philippines Inc., GM Plats (Proprietary), GM Regional Holdings, GM Regional Holdings LLC, GM Retirees Pension Trustees, GM Retirees Pension Trustees Limited, GM Subsystems Manufacturing, GM Subsystems Manufacturing LLC, GM Technical Center Korea Ltd., GM Viet Nam Motor Company, GM-DI Leasing, GM-DI Leasing LLC, GMAC - Instituicao Financeira de Credito, GMAC Administradora de Consorcios, GMAC Administradora de Consorcios Ltda., GMAC Banque, GMAC Continental, GMAC Espana de Financiacion, GMAC Holdings (U.K.), GMAC Lease B.V. (aka Masterlease Europe), GMAC Nederland N.V., GMAC Prestadora de Servicios de Mao de Obra Ltda., GMAC Servicios, GMAC UK, GMAC de Venezuela, GMAC-Prestadora de Servios de Mo-de-Obra, GMACI Corretora de Seguros, GMACI Corretora de Seguros Ltda, GMAM Real Estate I, GMCH&SP Private Equity II, GMCH&SP Private Equity II L.P., GMF Australia Pty Ltd, GMF Europe, GMF Europe Holdco, GMF Europe LLP, GMF Floorplan Owner Revolving Trust, GMF Funding, GMF Germany Holdings, GMF Global Assignment, GMF Global Assignment LLC, GMF International, GMF International LLC, GMF Leasing LLC, GMF Leasing Warehousing Trust, GMF Wholesale Receivables, GMGP Holdings, General Motors (China) Investment Company, General Motors (China) Investment Company Limited, General Motors (Thailand), General Motors (Thailand) Limited, General Motors - Colmotores, General Motors - Colmotores S.A., General Motors Advisory Services LLC, General Motors Africa and Middle East, General Motors Africa and Middle East FZE, General Motors Asia, General Motors Asia LLC, General Motors Asia Pacific Holdings, General Motors Asia Pacific Holdings LLC, General Motors Asset Management, General Motors Asset Management Corporation, General Motors Australia, General Motors Australia Pty Ltd., General Motors Austria, General Motors Austria, General Motors Auto, General Motors Auto LLC, General Motors Automobiles Philippines, General Motors Automobiles Philippines Inc., General Motors Automotive Holdings, General Motors Automotive Holdings S.L., General Motors Belgique Automobile NV, General Motors Belgium, General Motors Chile, General Motors Chile Industria Automotriz Limitada, General Motors China LLC, General Motors Daewoo Auto and Technology, General Motors Daewoo Auto and Technology CIS LLC, General Motors East Africa, General Motors Egypt, General Motors Egypt S.A.E., General Motors Espana, General Motors Europe Holdings, General Motors Europe Limited, General Motors Financial Chile, General Motors Financial Chile Limitada, General Motors Financial Chile S.A., General Motors Financial Company, General Motors Financial Company Inc., General Motors Financial International, General Motors Financial Italia, General Motors Financial Suisse, General Motors Financial UK, General Motors Financial of Canada, General Motors Financial of Canada Ltd., General Motors Finland, General Motors France, General Motors GBS Hungary, General Motors Global Service Operations, General Motors Global Service Operations Inc., General Motors Hellas, General Motors Holden Australia, General Motors Holden Australia NSC, General Motors Holden Australia NSC Pty Ltd., General Motors Holden Australia Pty Ltd., General Motors Holdings LLC, General Motors IT Services (Ireland) Limited, General Motors India Private, General Motors India Private Limited, General Motors International Holdings, General Motors International Holdings LLC, General Motors International Operations, General Motors International Operations Pte. Ltd., General Motors International Services Company, General Motors International Services Company SAS, General Motors International Services LLC, General Motors Investment Limited, General Motors Investment Management, General Motors Investment Management Corporation, General Motors Investment Participacoes, General Motors Investment Participacoes Ltda., General Motors Investments, General Motors Investments Pty. Ltd., General Motors Ireland, General Motors Israel, General Motors Israel Ltd., General Motors Italia, General Motors Japan, General Motors Japan Limited, General Motors LLC, General Motors Limited, General Motors Manufacturing Poland, General Motors Nederland, General Motors New Zealand Pensions, General Motors New Zealand Pensions Limited, General Motors Overseas, General Motors Overseas Commercial Vehicle, General Motors Overseas Commercial Vehicle Corporation, General Motors Overseas Corporation, General Motors Overseas Distribution, General Motors Overseas Distribution LLC, General Motors Peru, General Motors Peru S.A., General Motors Poland Spolka, General Motors Portugal, General Motors Powertrain (Thailand), General Motors Powertrain (Thailand) Limited, General Motors Research Corporation, General Motors South Africa, General Motors South Africa (Pty) Limited, General Motors Suisse, General Motors Taiwan, General Motors Taiwan Ltd., General Motors Technical Centre India, General Motors Technical Centre India Private Limited, General Motors Treasury Center, General Motors Treasury Center LLC, General Motors Turkiye, General Motors UK, General Motors Uruguay, General Motors Uruguay S.A., General Motors Venezolana, General Motors Ventures, General Motors Ventures LLC, General Motors Warehousing and Trading (Shanghai), General Motors Warehousing and Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., General Motors de Argentina, General Motors de Argentina S.r.l., General Motors de Mexico, General Motors de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., General Motors del Ecuador, General Motors del Ecuador S.A., General Motors do Brasil, General Motors do Brasil Ltda., General Motors of Canada, General Motors of Canada Company, General Motors-Holden's Sales, General Motors-Holden's Sales Pty. Limited, GigaPower LLC, Global Services Detroit, Global Services Detroit LLC, Global Tooling Service Company Europe, Global Tooling Service Company Europe Limited, Go Motor Retailing, Go Trade Parts, Grand Pointe Holdings, Grand Pointe Holdings Inc., Grand Pointe Park Condominium, Grand Pointe Park Condominium Association, H.S.H., Haines & Strange, Holden New Zealand, Holden New Zealand Limited, IBC Pension Trustees, IBC Pension Trustees Limited, IBC Vehicles, Lease Ownership Cooperative, Lease Ownership Cooperative LLC, Lidlington Engineering Company, Lidlington Engineering Company Ltd., Limited Liability Company "General Motors CIS", Master Lease Germany, Maven Drive, Maven Drive LLC, Millbrook Pension Management, Millbrook Pension Management Limited, Monetization of Carve-Out, Monetization of Carve-Out LLC, Motor Repris Automocio, Motors Holding, Motors Holding LLC, Motors Properties, Motors Properties (Trading), Multi-Use Lease Entity Trust, North American New Cars, North American New Cars LLC, Omnibus BB Transportes, Omnibus BB Transportes S. A., OnStar Connected Services Srl, OnStar Egypt Limited LLC, OnStar Europe, OnStar Europe Ltd., OnStar Global Services, OnStar Global Services Corporation, OnStar LLC, OnStar de Mexico, OnStar de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Opel Bank, Opel Danmark, Opel Group, Opel Group Warehousing, Opel Leasing, Opel Norge, Opel Sonderdienste, Opel Southeast Europe, Opel Sverige, Opel Szentgotthard Automotive Manufacturing, Opel Wien, P.T. G M AutoWorld Indonesia, P.T. General Motors Indonesia, PIMS, PIMS Co., PT. General Motors Indonesia Manufacturing, Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center Company Ltd., Prestadora de Servicios GMF Colombia S.A.S., Rapid Motor Vehicle Company, Reliance Motor Car Company, Riverfront Holdings III Inc., Riverfront Holdings Inc., Riverfront Holdings Phase II Inc., SAIC GM (Shenyang) Norsom Motors Co. Ltd., SAIC GM Dong Yue Motors Company Limited, SAIC GM Dong Yue Powertrain Company Limited, SAIC GM Wuling Automobile Company Limited, SAIC General Motors Corporation Limited, SAIC General Motors Investment Limited, SAIC General Motors Sales Company Limited, SAIC-GMAC Automotive Finance Company Limited, SAIC-GMF Leasing Co. Ltd., Servicios GMAC S.A. de C.V., Shanghai Chengxin Used Car Operation and Management Company Limited, Shanghai OnStar Telematics Co. Ltd., Sherwoods (Darlington) Limited, Sidecar Technologies, Skurrays Limited, Stam-Terberg Autobedrijven B. V., Strobe Inc., VHC Sub-Holdings (UK), Vauxhall Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Vehicle Asset Universal Leasing Trust, Vickers (Lakeside) Limited, Vision Motors Limited, WRE, WRE Inc., and Zona Franca Industrial Colmotores SAS.
The following companies are subsidiares of Lennar: 360 Developers LLC, Alliance Financial Services Inc., Ann Arundel Farms Ltd., Aquaterra Utilities Inc., Arbor Mill Veteran Project 2018 LLC, Asbury Woods L.L.C., Astoria Options LLC, Autumn Creek Development Ltd., Aylon LLC, Azusa Associates LLC, B2 Milpitas LLC, BB Investment Holdings LLC, BCI Properties LLC, BMR Communities LLC, BMR Construction Inc., BMTD LLC, BPH I LLC, Bainebridge 249 LLC, Bay Colony Expansion 369 Ltd., Bellagio Lennar LLC, Belle Meade LEN Holdings LLC, Belle Meade Partners LLC, Black Mountain Ranch LLC, Blue Horizons Estates LLC, Bonterra Lennar LLC, Bramalea California Inc., Bressi Gardenlane LLC, Breton Park Lennar LLC, CAP IL 1 LLC, CL Ventures LLC, CML INACTIVE LLC, CML-MO HAF LLC, CML-MO HAF PARKING LLC, CP Block 6aS LLC, CP Block 8aS LLC, CP Block 9aS LLC, CP Center Apartments LLC, CP Center Garage LLC, CP Red Oak Partners Ltd., CP Vertical Development Co. 1 LLC, CP/HPS Development Co. GP LLC, CP/HPS Development Co.-C LLC, CPFE LLC, CPHP Development LLC, CalAtlantic Financial Services Inc., CalAtlantic Group, CalAtlantic Group Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Arizona Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Georgia Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Texas Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Washington Inc., CalAtlantic Mortgage Inc., CalAtlantic National Title Solutions LLC, CalAtlantic Title Agency LLC, CalAtlantic Title Group LLC, CalAtlantic Title Inc., CalAtlantic Title LLC, CalAtlantic Title of Maryland Inc., Camarillo Village Park LLC, Cambria L.L.C., Candlestick Retail Member LLC, Cardiovascular Medical Specialists LLC, Carolina Blue LLC, Carson 175 LLC, Cary Woods LLC, Casa Marina Development LLC, Central Park West Holdings LLC, Cherrytree II LLC, Club Bonterra Lennar LLC, Coco Palm 82 LLC, Colonial Heritage LLC, Columbia National Risk Retention Group Inc., Commonwealth Incentive Fee LLC, Concord Station LLP, Coventry L.L.C., Creekside Crossing L.L.C., Crest at Fondren Investor LLC, DBJ Holdings LLC, DCA Financial LLC, DTC Holdings of Florida LLC, Darcy-Joliet L.L.C., Durrell 33 LLC, EL Ventures LLC, EV LLC, Eagle Bend Commercial LLC, Eagle Home Mortgage LLC, Estates Seven LLC, Evergreen Village LLC, F&R QVI Home Investments USA LLC, FLORDADE LLC, Faria Preserve LLC, Fidelity Guaranty and Acceptance Corp., Fidelity Land LLC, Fox-Maple Associates LLC, Friendswood Development Company LLC, GDI MANAGER LLC, Garco Investments LLC, Greystone Construction Inc., Greystone Homes of Nevada Inc., Greystone Nevada Holdings LLC, Greystone Nevada LLC, Greywall Club L.L.C., HCC Investors LLC, HPS Development Co. LP, HPS Vertical Development Co. LLC, HPS Vertical Development Co.-B LP, HPS Vertical Development Co.-D/E LLC, HPS1 Block 1 LLC, HPS1 Block 48-1A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-1B LLC, HPS1 Block 48-2A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-2B LLC, HPS1 Block 48-3A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-3B LLC, HPS1 Block 50 LLC, HPS1 Block 51 LLC, HPS1 Block 52 LLC, HPS1 Block 53 LLC, HPS1 Block 54 LLC, HPS1 Block 55 LLC, HPS1 Block 56/57 LLC, HSP Arizona Inc., HTC Golf Club LLC, Hammocks Lennar LLC, Harbor Highlands Group LLC, Harveston LLC, Haverton L.L.C., Heathcote Commons LLC, Heritage Pkwy East Holdings LLC, Heritage of Auburn Hills L.L.C., Hewitts Landing Trustee LLC, Hingham Properties LLC, Huntley Venture L.L.C., Inactive Companies LLC, Independence L.L.C., Independence Orlando LLC, Isles at Bayshore Club LLC, KMC Real Estate Investors LLC, Kendall Hammocks Commercial LLC, Kentuckiana Medical Center LLC, Kingman Lennar LLC, LB/L  Duc III Antioch 330 LLC, LCD Asante LLC, LCI Downtown Doral Investor LLC, LCI North DeKalb Investor GP LLC, LCI North DeKalb Investor LP LLC, LEN - Belle Meade LLC, LEN - OBS Windemere LLC, LEN - Palm Vista LLC, LEN BPT Investor LLC, LEN Mirada Investor LLC, LEN Notarize Investor LLC, LEN OT Holdings LLC, LEN Paradise Cable LLC, LEN Paradise Operating LLC, LEN-CG South LLC, LEN-Cypress Mill LLC, LEN-Ryan 1 LLC, LEN-Touchstone LLC, LENH I LLC, LENNAR HOMES OF TENNESSEE LLC, LFS Holding Company LLC, LH Eastwind LLC, LHI Renaissance LLC, LMC 10th & Acoma Holdings LP, LMC 144th and Grant Investor LLC, LMC 2401 Blake Street Holdings LLC, LMC 2401 Blake Street Investor LLC, LMC 360 Acoma Holdings LP, LMC 410 S Wabash Holdings LLC, LMC 808 Gateway Holdings LLC, LMC 808 Gateway Investor LLC, LMC 8th Avenue Apartment Investor LLC, LMC 990 Bannock Holdings LLC, LMC Axis Westminster Holdings LLC, LMC Axis Westminster Investor LLC, LMC Berry Hill Lofts Holdings LLC, LMC Berry Hill Lofts Investor LLC, LMC Block 42 Holdings LLC, LMC Build to Core III Investor LLC, LMC Build to Core III LLC, LMC Burnside Holdings LLC, LMC Burnside Investor LLC, LMC Chandler and McClintock Holdings LLC, LMC Charlestowne Holdings LLC, LMC Charlotte Ballpark Developer LLC, LMC Cityville Oak Park Holdings LLC, LMC Cityville Oak Park Investor LLC, LMC Cobalt Holdings LLC, LMC Costa Mesa Holdings LP, LMC Crest at Park West Holdings LP, LMC Denver Gateway I Investor LLC, LMC Denver Gateway II Holdings LLC, LMC Development LLC, LMC Downtown Doral South Holdings LLC, LMC Durham Gateway Holdings LP, LMC Evans School Holdings LLC, LMC Gateway Investor LLC, LMC Gateway Venture LLC, LMC Gilman Square Investor LLC, LMC Horton Street Holdings LLC, LMC Huntington Crossing Holdings LLC, LMC Inactive Companies LLC, LMC Lakeside Holdings LP, LMC Leya Holdings LLC, LMC Living Illinois LLC, LMC Living Inc., LMC Living LLC, LMC Living TRS LP, LMC Millenia Investor II LLC, LMC NE Minneapolis Lot 2 Holdings LLC, LMC New Bern Investor LLC, LMC North Park Holdings LP, LMC Parkfield Holdings LLC, LMC Parkfield Investor LLC, LMC Righters Ferry Holdings LLC, LMC River North Holdings LLC, LMC Spring Street Investor LLC, LMC Stonewall Station Investor LLC, LMC Triangle Square Investor LLC, LMC Venture Developer LLC, LMC Verbena Holdings LLC, LMC West Loop Investor LLC, LMCFX Investor LLC, LMCPNW Marymoor Holdings LLC, LMI - Jacksonville Investor LLC, LMI - South Kings Development Investor LLC, LMI - West Seattle Holdings LLC, LMI - West Seattle Investor LLC, LMI - West Seattle LLC, LMI Cell Tower Investors LLC, LMI City Walk Investor LLC, LMI Collegedale Investor LLC, LMI Collegedale LLC, LMI Contractors LLC, LMI Glencoe Dallas Investor LLC, LMI Lakes West Covina Investor LLC, LMI Largo Park Investor LLC, LMI Las Colinas Station LLC, LMI Naperville Investor LLC, LMI Pacific Tower LLC, LMI Park Central Two LLC, LMI Peachtree Corners Investor LLC, LMI Peachtree Corners LLC, LMI-JC Developer LLC, LMI-JC LLC, LMV 1640 Broadway REIT-DC LP, LMV 1701 Ballard REIT-DC LP, LMV 19H REIT-DC LP, LMV 2026 Madison REIT-DC LP, LMV 85 South Union REIT-DC LP, LMV ATown REIT-DC LP, LMV Annapolis REIT-DC LP, LMV Apache Terrace REIT-DC LP, LMV Block 42 REIT-DC LP, LMV Bloomington REIT-DC LP, LMV Bolingbrook REIT-DC LP (DE), LMV Central at McDowell REIT-DC LP, LMV East Village I REIT-DC LP, LMV Edina REIT-DC LP, LMV Fremont WS I REIT-DC LP, LMV Glisan REIT-DC LP, LMV Grand Bay REIT-DC LP, LMV II Grand Bay Pod V Holdings LP, LMV II Kierland Holdings LP, LMV II NoMo Holdings LP, LMV II Venture Developer LLC, LMV II Wynwood Holdings LP, LMV Kirkland REIT-DC LP, LMV Little Italy REIT-DC LP, LMV M Tower REIT-DC LP, LMV Millenia II REIT-DC LP, LMV Milpitas REIT-DC LP, LMV NE Minneapolis REIT-DC LP, LMV Oak Park REIT-DC LP, LMV One20Fourth REIT-DC LP, LMV QR Build to Core Manager LLC, LMV Rio Bravo REIT-DC LP, LMV Scottsdale Quarter REIT-DC LP, LMV Tysons REIT-DC LP, LMV Vallagio III REIT-DC LP, LMV Victory Block G REIT-DC LP, LMV Warren Street REIT-DC LP, LNC Communities II LLC, LNC Communities IV LLC, LNC Communities V LLC, LNC Communities VI LLC, LNC Communities VII LLC, LNC Communities VIII LLC, LNC Pennsylvania Realty Inc., LNC at Meadowbrook LLC, LNC at Ravenna LLC, LS College Park LLC, LS Terracina LLC, LV Opendoor Investor LLC, LV Opendoor JV LLC, LW D'Andrea LLC, Lagoon Valley Residential LLC, Lakelands at Easton L.L.C., Legends Club LLC, Legends Golf Club LLC, Len - Little Harbor LLC, Len FW Investor LLC, Len Paradise LLC, Len-Angeline LLC, Len-Hawks Point LLC, Len-Land LLC, Len-Land West LLC, Len-MN LLC, Len-Verandahs LLP, LenCom LLC, LenFive LLC, LenFive Opco GP LLC, LenFive Sub III LLC, LenFive Sub LLC, LenFive Sub Opco GP LLC, Lenalto CMBS LLC, Lencraft LLC, Lennar Aircraft I LLC, Lennar Arizona Construction Inc., Lennar Arizona Inc., Lennar Associates Management Holding Company, Lennar Associates Management LLC, Lennar Avenue One LLC, Lennar Berkeley LLC, Lennar Bevard LLC, Lennar Bridges LLC, Lennar Buffington Colorado Crossing L.P., Lennar Buffington Zachary Scott L.P., Lennar Carolinas LLC, Lennar Central Park LLC, Lennar Central Region Sweep Inc., Lennar Chicago Inc., Lennar Cobra LLC, Lennar Colgate Urban Renewal Development LLC, Lennar Colorado LLC, Lennar Colorado Minerals LLC, Lennar Commercial LLC, Lennar Communities Development Inc., Lennar Communities Inc., Lennar Communities Nevada LLC, Lennar Communities of Chicago L.L.C., Lennar Concord LLC, Lennar Construction Inc., Lennar Cory Road LLC, Lennar Courts LLC, Lennar Developers Inc., Lennar Ewing LLC, Lennar Financial Services LLC, Lennar Flamingo LLC, Lennar Fresno Inc., Lennar Gardens LLC, Lennar Georgia Inc., Lennar Greer Ranch Venture LLC, Lennar Heritage Fields LLC, Lennar Hingham Holdings LLC, Lennar Hingham JV LLC, Lennar Homes Holding LLC, Lennar Homes LLC, Lennar Homes NJ LLC, Lennar Homes of Arizona Inc., Lennar Homes of California Inc., Lennar Homes of Indiana Inc., Lennar Homes of Texas Land and Construction Ltd., Lennar Homes of Texas Sales and Marketing Ltd., Lennar Homes of Utah Inc., Lennar International Holding LLC, Lennar International LLC, Lennar Lakeside Investor LLC, Lennar Layton LLC, Lennar Living LLC, Lennar Lytle LLC, Lennar MF Holdings LLC, Lennar MPA LLC, Lennar MPA WIP LLC, Lennar Mare Island LLC, Lennar Marina A Funding LLC, Lennar Massachusetts Properties Inc., Lennar Middletown LLC, Lennar Monmouth Redevelopers LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP Subsidiary LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP Victory Block G Mezz LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II GP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II GP Subsidiary LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II LP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II Manager LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture LP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture Manager LLC, Lennar Multifamily Builders LLC, Lennar Multifamily Communities LLC, Lennar Multifamily Venture DC LP, Lennar New Jersey Holdings LLC, Lennar New Jersey Properties Inc., Lennar New York LLC, Lennar Northeast Properties LLC, Lennar Northwest Inc., Lennar OHB LLC, Lennar PI Acquisition LLC, Lennar PI Property Acquisition LLC, Lennar PIS Management Company LLC, Lennar Pacific Inc., Lennar Pacific Properties Inc., Lennar Pacific Properties Management Inc., Lennar Plumsted Urban Renewal LLC, Lennar Point LLC, Lennar QR Build to Core GP LLC, Lennar QR Build to Core LP LLC, Lennar Realty Inc., Lennar Reno LLC, Lennar Riverwalk LLC, Lennar Sacramento Inc., Lennar Sales Corp., Lennar Sierra Sunrise LLC, Lennar Spencer's Crossing LLC, Lennar Sun Ridge LLC, Lennar Texas Holding LLC, Lennar Ventures LLC, Lennar West Valley LLC, Lennar Winncrest LLC, Lennar at Franklin LLC, Lennar at Jackson LLC, Lennar at Marlboro 79 LLC, Lennar at Monroe LLC, Lennar.com Inc., Longleaf Acquisition LLC, Lori Gardens Associates II LLC, Lori Gardens Associates III LLC, Lori Gardens Associates L.L.C., Lorton Station LLC, Lyons Lennar Farms LLC, Madrona Ridge L.L.C., Madrona Village L.L.C., Madrona Village Mews L.L.C., Majestic Woods LLC, Maple and Broadway Holdings LLC, Menifee Development LLC, Mid-County Utilities Inc., Miralago West Lennar LLC, Mission Viejo 12S Venture LP, Mission Viejo Holdings Inc., Motomic Diagnostics LLC, Multibank 2009-1 CML-ADC Venture LLC, Multibank 2009-1 RES-ADC Venture LLC, NC Properties I LLC, NC Properties II LLC, North American Asset Development LLC, Northbridge L.L.C., OHC/Ascot Belle Meade LLC, One SR L.P., PD-Len Boca Raton LLC, PG Properties Holding LLC, POMAC LLC, PT Metro LLC, Pace Drive Holdings LLC, Palm Gardens At Doral Clubhouse LLC, Palm Gardens at Doral LLC, Palm Springs Classic LLC, Palm Vista Preserve LLC, Patuxent Infrastructure Inc., Pioneer Meadows Development LLC, Pioneer Meadows Investments LLC, Plaza Condominium Ventures LLC, Portside Marina Developers L.L.C., Portside SM Associates L.L.C., Portside SM Holdings L.L.C., Portside Shipyard Developers L.L.C., Prestonfield L.L.C., Quail Roost Lennar LLC, RCCF GP II LLC, RCCF GP III LLC, RCCF GP IV LLC, RCCF GP LLC, RES-FL EIGHT LLC, RES-FL SEVEN LLC, RES-FL VISION ONE LLC, RES-FL VISION TWO LLC, RES-GA CASCADE LLC, RES-GA DIAMOND MEADOWS LLC, RES-GA KAP LLC, RES-GA SOUTHERN PLANTATION LLC, RES-GA THIRTEEN LLC, RES-GA TWELVE LLC, RES-GA WEST LLC, RES-IL ONE LLC, RES-NC ONE LLC, RES-PA LSJ LLC, RES-PA POM LLC, RES-TX BOULEVARD LLC, RH Insurance Company Inc., RH MOA BBCMS 2017-C1 LLC, RH MOA CF 2017-C8 LLC, RH MOA LLC, RH MOA U 2017-C4 LLC, RH MOA U 2017-C6 LLC, RIAL 2014-LT5 CLASS B LLC, RIAL 2014-LT5 LLC, RL BB FINANCIAL LLC, RL BB INACTIVE LLC, RL BB-AL LLC, RL BB-FL ALHI LLC, RL BB-GA LLC, RL BB-GA RMH LLC, RL BB-IL LLC, RL BB-IN AA LLC, RL BB-IN KRE LLC, RL BB-IN KRE OP LLC, RL BB-IN KRE RE LLC, RL BB-MS LLC, RL BB-NC LLC, RL BB-OH LLC, RL BB-SC BROOKSA LLC, RL BB-SC CLR II LLC, RL BB-SC CLR III LLC, RL BB-SC CLR IV LLC, RL BB-SC CLR LLC, RL BB-SC CRRC LLC, RL BB-SC RACEDAY LLC, RL BB-TN BRISTOL LLC, RL BB-TN LLC, RL BB-TN RACEDAY TOWER LLC, RL BB-TX LLC, RL BB-WV LLC, RL CMBS Holdings LLC, RL CML 2009-1 Investments LLC, RL REGI ARKANSAS LLC, RL REGI Alabama LLC, RL REGI FINANCIAL LLC, RL REGI Florida LLC, RL REGI GEORGIA LLC, RL REGI INACTIVE LLC, RL REGI KANSAS LLC, RL REGI MISSISSIPPI LLC, RL REGI MISSOURI LLC, RL REGI NORTH CAROLINA LLC, RL REGI SOUTH CAROLINA LLC, RL REGI TENNESSEE LLC, RL REGI VIRGINIA LLC, RL REGI-AL HP LLC, RL REGI-AL VRC LLC, RL REGI-FL CRC LLC, RL REGI-FL ESH LLC, RL REGI-FL FT. PIERCE LLC, RL REGI-FL GDL LLC, RL REGI-FL ITALIA LLC, RL REGI-FL MRED LLC, RL REGI-FL RDI LLC, RL REGI-FL SARASOTA LLC, RL REGI-FL TPL LLC, RL REGI-FL VARC LLC, RL REGI-GA DRAD LLC, RL REGI-GA HAY DB LLC, RL REGI-GA MHU LLC, RL REGI-GA MPD LLC, RL REGI-GA RLR LLC, RL REGI-MO GMB LLC, RL REGI-MO MOSCOW MILLS LLC, RL REGI-MS Double H LLC, RL REGI-MS OCEAN SPRINGS LLC, RL REGI-NC CIL LLC, RL REGI-NC LITTLE WING LLC, RL REGI-NC MLD LLC, RL REGI-NC Mland LLC, RL REGI-NC RALEIGH LLC, RL REGI-NC SUGARM LLC, RL REGI-NM LLC, RL REGI-SC CTL LLC, RL REGI-SC LAKE E LLC, RL REGI-SC TDG LLC, RL REGI-SC TIG LLC, RL REGI-TN OAK LLC, RL REGI-TN SEVIERVILLE LLC, RL RES 2009-1 Investments LLC, RMF Alliance LLC, RMF Commercial LLC, RMF PR New York LLC, RMF Partner LLC, RMF SUB 1 LLC, RMF SUB 2 LLC, RMF SUB 3 LLC, RMF SUB 4 LLC, RMF SUB 5 LLC, RMV LLC, Raintree Village II L.L.C., Raintree Village L.L.C., Ral-Len BM LLC, Ral-Len LLC, Rannel Capital WeWork Series D LLC, Rannel Holdings LLC, Rannel Interests LLC, Rannel Investments LLC, Rannel Mortgage Investments LLC, Rannel Proprietary Investments LLC, Renaissance Joint Venture, Reserve @ Pleasant Grove II LLC, Reserve @ Pleasant Grove LLC, Reserve at River Park LLC, Reserve at South Harrison LLC, Rialto Commercial Mortgage Securities LLC, Rialto Credit Partnership GP LLC, Rialto Mezz Partners GP LLC, Rialto Mortgage Finance LLC, Rialto Partners GP II LLC, Rialto Partners GP III - Debt LLC, Rialto Partners GP III - Property LLC, Rialto Partners GP LLC, Rialto RSSF GP LLC, Riverwalk at Lago Mar LLC, Rocking Horse Minerals LLC, Rutenberg Homes Inc. (Florida), Rutenberg Homes of Texas Inc., Rye Hill Company LLC, Ryland Homes Nevada Holdings LLC, Ryland Homes Nevada LLC, Ryland Homes of California Inc., S. Florida Construction II LLC, S. Florida Construction III LLC, S. Florida Construction LLC, SC 521 Indian Land Reserve LLC, SC 521 Indian Land Reserve South LLC, SPIC CPCO Inc., SPIC CPDB Inc., SPIC CPRB Inc., SPIC Del Sur LLC, SPIC Dublin LLC, SPIC Mesa LLC, SPIC NC Fremont LLC, SPIC Otay LLC, SPIC Springs LLC, San Felipe Indemnity Co. Ltd., San Lucia LLC, San Simeon Lennar LLC, Schulz Ranch Developers LLC, Seminole/70th LLC, Siena at Old Orchard L.L.C., Sierra Vista Communities LLC, Silver Springs Lennar LLC, South Development LLC, Southbank Holding LLC, Spanish Springs Development LLC, St. Charles Active Adult Community LLC, St. Charles Community LLC, Standard Pacific 1 Inc., Standard Pacific Investment Corp., Standard Pacific of Colorado Inc., Standard Pacific of Florida, Standard Pacific of Florida GP Inc., Standard Pacific of Las Vegas Inc., Standard Pacific of Orange County Inc., Standard Pacific of Tampa GP, Standard Pacific of Tampa GP Inc., Standard Pacific of Tonner Hills LLC, Standard Pacific of Walnut Hills Inc., Standard Pacific of the Carolinas LLC, Stoney Holdings LLC, Storey Lake Club LLC, Storey Park Club LLC, Strategic Holdings Inc., Strategic Technologies LLC, Summerfield Venture L.L.C., SunStreet Energy Group LLC, SunStreet Manager LLC, TCO QVI LLC, TICD Hold Co. LLC, TIH Hold Co. LLC, Talega Associates LLC, Temecula Valley LLC, Terra Division LLC, Terra/Winding Creek LLC, The Baywinds Land Trust, The Bridges Club at Rancho Santa Fe Inc., The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe Sales Company Inc., The LNC Northeast Group Inc., The Oasis Club at LEN-CG South LLC, The Preserve at Coconut Creek LLC, The Vistas Club at LEN-CG South LLC, Titlezoom Company, Treasure Island Holdings LLC, Treasure Island Member LLC, Treviso Holding LLC, Two Lakes Lennar LLC, U.S. Home Corporation, U.S. Home Realty Inc., U.S. Home of Arizona Construction Co., U.S. Insurors Inc., U.S.H. Realty Inc., UAMC Holding Company LLC, UB 2018C14 MOA LLC, USH - Flag LLC, USH Equity Corporation, USH LEE LLC, USH Leasing II LLC, USH Leasing LLC, UST Lennar HW Scala SF Joint Venture, VII Crown Farm Investor LLC, Venetian Lennar LLC, Vineyard Land LLC, Vineyard Point 2009 LLC, Vista Palms Clubhouse LLC, WCI Communities, WCI Communities Inc., WCI Communities LLC, WCI Towers Northeast USA Inc., WCI Westshore LLC, WCP LLC, WIP Lennar OHB LLC, Waterview at Hanover LLC, West Lake Village LLC, West Seattle Project X LLC, West Van Buren L.L.C., Westchase Inc., Westchase Ltd., Westfield Homes USA Inc., White Course Lennar LLC, Wild Plum JV LLC, Willowbrook Investors LLC, Winncrest Natomas LLC, Woodbridge Multifamily Developer I LLC, Wright Farm L.L.C., and YLRichards4Acres 2015 LLC.
The following companies are subsidiares of Lloyds Banking Group: A G Finance Ltd, A.C.L. Ltd, ACL Autolease Holdings Ltd, ADF No.1 Pty Ltd, Addison Social Housing Holdings Ltd, Alex Lawrie Factors Ltd, Alex. Lawrie Receivables Financing Ltd, Amberdate Ltd, Anglo Scottish Utilities Partnership 1, Aquilus Ltd, Automobile Association Personal Finance Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services 2 Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 2) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 3) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland)) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 1 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 2 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 3 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 4 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 5 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 6 plc, BOS (USA) Fund Investments Inc., BOS (USA) Inc., BOS Edinburgh No 1 Ltd, BOS Mistral Ltd, BOS Personal Lending Ltd, BOSSAF Rail Ltd, Bank of Scotland (B G S) Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland (Stanlife) London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Branch Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Central Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Edinburgh Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Equipment Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Foundation, Bank of Scotland LNG Leasing (No 1) Ltd, Bank of Scotland London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Nominees (Unit Trusts) Ltd, Bank of Scotland P.E.P. Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Structured Asset Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Transport Finance 1 Ltd, Bank of Scotland plc, Bank of Wales Ltd, Barents Leasing Ltd, Barnwood Mortgages Ltd, Birchcrown Finance Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Financial Services Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Land Development Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Mortgage Services Ltd, Black Horse (TRF) Ltd, Black Horse Executive Mortgages Ltd, Black Horse Finance Holdings Ltd, Black Horse Finance Management Ltd, Black Horse Group Ltd, Black Horse Ltd, Black Horse Offshore Ltd, Black Horse Property Services Ltd, Boltro Nominees Ltd, British Linen Leasing (London) Ltd, British Linen Leasing Ltd, British Linen Shipping Ltd, C.T.S.B. Leasing Ltd, CBRail S.A.R.L., CF Asset Finance Ltd, CF1 Ltd, CM Venture Investments Ltd, Cancara Asset Securitisation Ltd, Capital 1945 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 12 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 3 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 5 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 9 Ltd, Capital Bank Property Investments (3) Ltd, Capital Personal Finance Ltd, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2018-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2019-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Cardnet Merchant Services Ltd, Cashfriday Ltd, Cashpoint Ltd, Caveminster Ltd, Cedar Holdings Ltd, Celsius European Lux 2 S.A.R.L., Central Mortgage Finance Ltd, Chariot Finance Ltd, Cheltenham & Gloucester plc, Cheltenham II Securities 2020 DAC, Cheltenham Securities 2017 Ltd, Chepstow Blue Holdings Ltd, Chepstow Blue plc, Chester Asset Options No.2 Ltd, Chester Asset Options No.3 Ltd, Chester Asset Receivables Dealings Issuer Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings No.2 Ltd, Chiswell Stockbrokers Ltd, Clerical Medical Finance plc, Clerical Medical Financial Services Ltd, Clerical Medical International Holdings B.V., Clerical Medical Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Clerical Medical Managed Funds Ltd, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Spanish Prop Co SL, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Prop Co SA, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Property Company S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Funding S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Investments S.A.R.L., Conquest Securities Ltd, Corbiere Asset Investments Ltd, Create Services Ltd, Credit Card Securitisation Europe Ltd, Dalkeith Corporation, Deva Financing Holdings Ltd, Deva Financing plc, Deva One Ltd, Deva Three Ltd, Deva Two Ltd, Dunstan Investments (UK) Ltd, Edgbaston RMBS 2010-1 plc, Edgbaston RMBS Holdings Ltd, Elland RMBS 2018 plc, Elland RMBS Holdings Ltd, Eurolead Services Holdings Ltd, First Retail Finance (Chester) Ltd, Fontwell Securities 2016 Ltd, Forthright Finance Ltd, France Industrial Premises Holding Company, General Leasing (No. 12) Ltd, General Reversionary and Investment Company, Gresham Nominee 1 Ltd, Gresham Nominee 2 Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 1) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 10) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 11) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 12) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 13) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 14) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 15) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 16) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 19) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 20) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 21) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 22) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 23) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 24) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 25) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 26) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 27) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 28) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 29) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 3) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 30) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 31) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 32) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 33) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 34) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 35) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 36) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 37) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 38) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 39) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 40) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 41) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 44) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 45) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 46) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 47) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 48) UK Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No 3) Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No.11) UK Ltd, HBOS Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS Final Salary Trust Ltd, HBOS Financial Services Ltd, HBOS Insurance & Investment Group Ltd, HBOS International Financial Services Holdings Ltd, HBOS Investment Fund Managers Ltd, HBOS Social Housing Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS UK Ltd, HBOS plc, HSDL Nominees Ltd, HVF Ltd, Halifax Credit Card Ltd, Halifax Financial Brokers Ltd, Halifax Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Halifax Financial Services Ltd, Halifax General Insurance Services Ltd, Halifax Group Ltd, Halifax Investment Services Ltd, Halifax Leasing (June) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (March No.2) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (September) Ltd, Halifax Life Ltd, Halifax Loans Ltd, Halifax Ltd, Halifax Mortgage Services Ltd, Halifax Nominees Ltd, Halifax Pension Nominees Ltd, Halifax Premises Ltd, Halifax Share Dealing Ltd, Halifax Vehicle Leasing (1998) Ltd, Heidi Finance Holdings (UK) Ltd, Hill Samuel Bank Ltd, Hill Samuel Finance Ltd, Hill Samuel Leasing Co. Ltd, Home Shopping Personal Finance Ltd, Horizon Capital 2000 Ltd, Housing Association Risk Transfer 2019 DAC, Housing Growth Partnership GP LLP, Housing Growth Partnership LP, Housing Growth Partnership Ltd, Housing Growth Partnership Manager Ltd, Hyundai Car Finance Ltd, IBOS Finance Ltd, ICC Enterprise Partners Ltd, ICC Equity Partners Ltd, ICC Holdings Unlimited Company, Inchcape Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Software Ltd, International Motors Finance Ltd, Kanaalstraat Funding C.V., Katrine Leasing Ltd, LB Healthcare Trustee Ltd, LB Motorent Ltd, LB Quest Ltd, LB Share Schemes Trustees Ltd, LBCF Ltd, LBG Brasil Administracao LTDA, LBG Capital Holdings Ltd, LBG Equity Investments Ltd, LBI Leasing Ltd, LDC (General Partner) Ltd, LDC (Managers) Ltd, LDC (Nominees) Ltd, LDC GP LLP, LDC I LP, LDC II LP, LDC III LP, LDC IV LP, LDC Parallel (Nominees) Ltd, LDC V LP, LDC VI LP, LDC VII LP, LDC VIII LP, LTGP Limited Partnership Incorporated, Legacy Renewal Company Ltd, Leicester Securities 2014 Ltd, Lex Autolease (CH) Ltd, Lex Autolease (VC) Ltd, Lex Autolease Carselect Ltd, Lex Autolease Ltd, Lex Vehicle Finance 2 Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing (Holdings) Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing Ltd, Lime Street (Funding) Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I Holdings Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I plc, Lloyds (Gresham) Ltd, Lloyds (Gresham) No. 1 Ltd, Lloyds (Nimrod) Specialist Finance Ltd, Lloyds America Securities Corporation1, Lloyds Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Branches) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Colonial & Foreign) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (I.D.) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (International Services) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Stock Exchange Branch) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Asset Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Scotland Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (HP) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.4) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Wertpapierhandelsbank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (LM) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds LLP, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 7) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 9) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales, Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Holdings Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 11) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 20) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 5) Ltd, Lloyds Bank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Hill Samuel Holding Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank International Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 6) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 8) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank MTCH Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 10) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 13) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No.16) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Offshore Pension Trust Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 1) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 2) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pensions Property (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Properties Ltd, Lloyds Bank Property Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank S.F. Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Subsidiaries Ltd, Lloyds Bank Trustee Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank plc, Lloyds Banking Group Pensions Trustees Ltd, Lloyds Capital GP Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Properties Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Property Investments Ltd, Lloyds Corporate Services (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Development Capital (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Engine Capital (No.1) U.S LLC, Lloyds Far East S.A.R.L., Lloyds General Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Group Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Hypotheken B.V., Lloyds Industrial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds International Pty Ltd, Lloyds Investment Bonds Ltd, Lloyds Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Lloyds Investment Securities No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Leasing (North Sea Transport) Ltd1, Lloyds Leasing Developments Ltd, Lloyds Nominees (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Offshore Global Services Private Ltd, Lloyds Plant Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Portfolio Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Premises Investments Ltd, Lloyds Project Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 3 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 4 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Secretaries Ltd, Lloyds Securities Inc., Lloyds TSB Pacific Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Rentals Ltd, Lloyds UDT Hiring Ltd, Lloyds UDT Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Ltd, Lloyds Your Tomorrow Trustee Ltd, Loans.co.uk Ltd, London Taxi Finance Ltd, London Uberior (L.A.S. Group) Nominees Ltd, Lotus Finance Ltd, MBNA, MBNA Direct Ltd, MBNA Europe Finance Ltd, MBNA Europe Holdings Ltd, MBNA General Foundation, MBNA Global Services Ltd, MBNA Indian Services Private Ltd, MBNA Ltd, MBNA R & L S.A.R.L., MBNA Receivables Ltd, Mainsearch Company Ltd, Maritime Leasing (No. 19) Ltd, Membership Services Finance Ltd, Mitre Street Funding S.A.R.L., Molineux RMBS 2016-1 plc, Molineux RMBS Holdings Ltd, Moor Lane Holdings Ltd, NFU Mutual Finance Ltd, NWS Trust Ltd, Nominees (Jersey) Ltd, Nordic Leasing Ltd, Ocean Leasing (July) Ltd, Oystercatcher Nominees Ltd, Oystercatcher Residential Ltd, PIPS Asset Investments Ltd, Pacific Leasing Ltd, Penarth Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Penarth Funding 1 Ltd, Penarth Funding 2 Ltd, Penarth Master Issuer plc, Penarth Receivables Trustee Ltd, Pensions Management (S.W.F.) Ltd, Peony Eastern Leasing Ltd, Peony Leasing Ltd, Peony Western Leasing Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 1) Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 2) Ltd, Permanent Holdings Ltd, Permanent Master Issuer plc, Permanent Mortgages Trustee Ltd, Permanent PECOH Holdings Ltd, Permanent PECOH Ltd, Perry Nominees Ltd, Prestonfield Investments Ltd, Proton Finance Ltd, R.F. Spencer And Company Ltd, Ranelagh Nominees Ltd, Retail Revival (Burgess Hill) Investments Ltd, SARL Coliseum, SARL Hiram, SAS Compagnie Fonciere De France, SCI Astoria Invest, SCI De LHorloge, SCI Equinoxe, SCI Rambuteau CFF, SW Funding plc, SW No.1 Ltd, SWAMF (GP) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (1) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (2) Ltd, Saint Michel Holding Company No1, Saint Michel Investment Property, Saint Witz 2 Holding Company No1, Saint Witz 2 Investment Property, Salisbury II Securities 2016 Ltd, Salisbury II-A Securities 2017 Ltd, Salisbury III Securities 2019 DAC, Salisbury Securities 2015 Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 Holdings Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 plc, Sandown Gold 2012-1 Holdings Ltd, Sandown Gold 2012-1 plc, Savban Leasing Ltd, Scotland International Finance B.V., Scottish Widows Administration Services (Nominees) Ltd, Scottish Widows Administration Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Annuities Ltd, Scottish Widows Auto Enrolment Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Europe, Scottish Widows Financial Services Holdings, Scottish Widows Group Ltd, Scottish Widows Industrial Properties Europe B.V., Scottish Widows Ltd, Scottish Widows Pension Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Property Management Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth (ACD) Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Wealth Holdings Ltd, Scottish Widows Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Funds Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Trust Managers Ltd, Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Society, Seabreeze Leasing Ltd, Seaspirit Leasing Ltd, Share Dealing Nominees Ltd, Shogun Finance Ltd, Silentdale Ltd, St Andrews Group Ltd, St Andrews Insurance plc, St Andrews Life Assurance plc, St. Marys Court Investments, Standard Property Investment (1987) Ltd, Standard Property Investment Ltd, Sussex County Homes Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Ltd, Swan Funding 2 Ltd, Syon Securities 2019 DAC, The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Plc, The British Linen Company Ltd, The Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, The Mortgage Business plc, Thistle Financing Holdings Ltd, Thistle Investments (AMC) Ltd, Thistle Investments (ERM) Ltd, Thistle Leasing, Three Copthall Avenue Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (10) Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (7) Ltd, Tranquility Leasing Ltd, Trinity Financing plc, UDT Budget Leasing Ltd, UDT Sales Finance Ltd, Uberior (Moorfield) Ltd, Uberior Co-Investments Ltd, Uberior ENA Ltd, Uberior Equity Ltd, Uberior Europe Ltd, Uberior Fund Investments Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments (No.2) Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Uberior Investments Ltd, Uberior Nominees Ltd, Uberior Trading Ltd, Uberior Trustees Ltd, Uberior Ventures Australia Pty Ltd, Uberior Ventures Ltd, United Dominions Leasing Ltd, United Dominions Trust Ltd, Universe The CMI Global Network Fund, Upsaala Ltd, Vine Street IX LP, WCS Ltd, Ward Nominees (Abingdon) Ltd, Ward Nominees (Birmingham) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees (Bristol) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees Ltd 1, Waverley  Fund II Investor LLC, Waverley  Fund III Investor LLC, Waymark Asset Investments Ltd, West Craigs Ltd, Wetherby II Securities 2018 DAC, Wetherby III Securities 2019 DAC, Wetherby Securities 2017 Ltd, Wood Street Leasing Ltd, and Zurich Insurance Group - UK Workplace Pensions and Savings Business.
Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; And Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment provides mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, group retirement and savings products, and institutional asset management services through agents and brokers affiliated with the company, securities brokerage firms, and financial advisors pension plan consultants and banks. The Insurance and Annuity Products segment offers deposit and credit products; individual life, and individual and group long-term care insurance; and guaranteed and partially guaranteed annuity products through insurance agents, brokers, banks, financial planners, and direct marketing. The Corporate and Other segment is involved in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance businesses; and run-off reinsurance operations, including variable annuities, and accident and health. It also manages timberland and agricultural portfolios; and engages in insurance agency, portfolio and mutual fund management, mutual fund dealer, life and financial reinsurance, and fund management businesses. Additionally, the company holds and manages oil and gas properties; holds oil and gas royalties, and foreign bonds and equities; and provides investment management, counseling, advisory, and dealer services. Manulife Financial Corporation was incorporated in 1887 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Read More
Royal Dutch Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company worldwide. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Oil Products, Chemicals segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver gas to market. The company also markets and trades natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), crude oil, electricity, carbon-emission rights; and markets and sells LNG as a fuel for heavy-duty vehicles and marine vessels. In addition, it trades in and refines crude oil and other feed stocks, such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil, aviation fuel, marine fuel, biofuel, lubricants, bitumen, and sulphur; produces and sells petrochemicals for industrial use; and manages oil sands activities. Further, the company produces base chemicals comprising ethylene, propylene, and aromatics, as well as intermediate chemicals, such as styrene monomer, propylene oxide, solvents, detergent alcohols, ethylene oxide, and ethylene glycol. Royal Dutch Shell plc was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Read More
Salzgitter AG, together with its subsidiaries, engages in steel and technology businesses worldwide. It operates through five segments: Strip Steel, Plate/Section Steel, Mannesmann, Trading, and Technology. The Strip Steel segment manufactures branded and special steels, such as hot-rolled strip steel and steel sheets, sections, tailored blanks, and components for the construction industry. The Plate/Section Steel segment produces various high-grade heavy plates for engineering, shipbuilding, and mechanical engineering, as well as trades in scrap. The Mannesmann segment is involved in the manufacture of line pipes, HFI-welded tubes, precision and stainless-steel tubes, and spiral-welded and longitudinal-welded large-diameter pipes; and seamless and welded tubes for the energy, automotive, and mechanical engineering sectors. The Trading segment operates a European sales network, as well as trading companies and agencies worldwide. The Technology segment engages in the provision of machinery and plants for the filling and packaging of beverages, as well as special machinery engineering for shoe manufacturing and elastomer production. The company also provides IT, facility management, logistics, automotive engineering, and research and development services, as well as supplies raw materials. Salzgitter AG was founded in 1858 and is headquartered in Salzgitter, Germany.

Read More
The following companies are subsidiares of Bristol-Myers Squibb: 1096271 B.C. ULC, 345 Park LLC, A.G. Medical Services P.A., AHI Investment LLC, AbVitro LLC, Abraxis BioScience Australia Pty Ltd., Abraxis BioScience Inc., Abraxis BioScience International Holding Company Inc., Abraxis BioScience LLC, Abraxis BioScience Puerto Rico LLC, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Adnexus, Adnexus a Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D Company, Allard Labs Acquisition G.P., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Amira Pharmaceuticals Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Apothecon LLC, B-MS Generx Unlimited Company, BMS Benelux Holdings B.V., BMS Bermuda Nominees L.L.C., BMS Data Acquisition Company LLC, BMS Forex Company, BMS Holdings Sarl, BMS Holdings Spain S.L., BMS International Insurance Designated Activity Company, BMS Investco SAS, BMS Korea Holdings L.L.C., BMS Latin American Nominees L.L.C., BMS Luxembourg Partners L.L.C., BMS Omega Bermuda Holdings Finance Ltd., BMS Pharmaceutical Korea Limited, BMS Pharmaceuticals Germany Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals International Holdings Netherlands B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Korea Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Mexico Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Netherlands Holdings B.V., BMS Real Estate LLC, BMS Spain Investments LLC, BMS Strategic Portfolio Investments Holdings Inc., Blisa Acquisition G.P., Bristol (Iran) S.A., Bristol Iran Private Company Limited, Bristol Laboratories Inc., Bristol Laboratories International S.A., Bristol Laboratories Medical Information Systems Inc., Bristol-Myers (Andes) L.L.C., Bristol-Myers (Private) Limited, Bristol-Myers Middle East S.A.L., Bristol-Myers Overseas Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Israel) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (NZ) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Proprietary) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (West Indies) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb A.E., Bristol-Myers Squibb Aktiebolag, Bristol-Myers Squibb Argentina S. R. L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Axia Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb B.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Business Services Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada International Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Delta Company Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Denmark Filial of Bristol-Myers Squibb AB, Bristol-Myers Squibb EMEA Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Egypt LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Epsilon Holdings Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Ltda., Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Portuguesa S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb GesmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH & Co. KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holding Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings 2002 Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Ireland Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Pharma Ltd. Liability Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Ilaclari Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Company Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Investco L.L.C., Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K., Bristol-Myers Squibb Kft., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg International S.C.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb MEA GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Marketing Services S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Middle East & Africa FZ-LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Norway Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Nutricionales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Peru S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (HK) Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (Thailand) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Holding Company LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Ventures Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Polska Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Products SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico/Sanofi Pharmaceutical Partnership Puerto Rico, Bristol-Myers Squibb Romania S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.A.U., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Service Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Services Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Spol. s r.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Theta Finance Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Trustees Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Colombia S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Guatemala S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb/Astrazeneca EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership, Bristol-Myers de Venezuela S.C.A., CHT I LLC, CHT II LLC, CHT III LLC, CHT IV LLC, CR Finance Company LLC, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals Inc., Celem LLC, Celem Ltd., Celgene, Celgene A.B., Celgene AS, Celgene Ab (Finland), Celgene Alpine Investment Co. II LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. III LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC, Celgene ApS, Celgene B.V., Celgene BVBA, Celgene Brasil Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda., Celgene CAR LLC, Celgene CAR Ltd., Celgene Chemicals Sarl, Celgene China Holdings LLC, Celgene Co., Celgene Corporation, Celgene Distribution B.V., Celgene EngMab GmbH, Celgene Europe B.V., Celgene Europe Limited, Celgene European Investment Company LLC, Celgene Financing Company LLC, Celgene Global Holdings Sarl, Celgene GmbH [Austria], Celgene GmbH [Germany], Celgene GmbH [Switzerland], Celgene Holdings East Corporation, Celgene Holdings II Sarl, Celgene Holdings III Sarl, Celgene Ilac Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Celgene Inc., Celgene International Holdings Corporation, Celgene International II Sarl, Celgene International III Sarl, Celgene International Inc., Celgene International Sarl, Celgene K.K., Celgene Kft., Celgene Limited [Hong Kong], Celgene Limited [Ireland], Celgene Limited [New Zealand], Celgene Limited [Taiwan], Celgene Limited [UK], Celgene Logistics Sarl, Celgene Ltd, Celgene Luxembourg Sarl, Celgene Management Sarl, Celgene NJ Investment Co, Celgene Netherlands B.V., Celgene Netherlands Investment B.V., Celgene Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, EWI Corporation, EngMab Sarl, F-star Alpha, FermaVir Pharmaceuticals L.L.C., FermaVir Research L.L.C., Flexus Biosciences, Flexus Biosciences Inc., Forbius, Galecto Biotech, GenPharm International L.L.C., Gloucester Pharmaceuticals LLC, Grove Insurance Company Ltd., Heyden Farmaceutica Portuguesa Limitada, IFM Therapeutics, Impact Biomedicines Inc., Inhibitex, Inhibitex L.L.C., Innate Tumor Immunity Inc., JuMP Holdings LLC, Juno Therapeutics GmbH, Juno Therapeutics Inc., Kosan Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences Incorporated, Linson Investments Limited, Mead Johnson (Manufacturing) Jamaica Limited, Mead Johnson Jamaica Ltd., Medarex, Morris Avenue Investment II LLC, Morris Avenue Investment LLC, MyoKardia, O.o.o. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Oy Bristol-Myers Squibb (Finland) AB, Padlock Therapeutics, Padlock Therapeutics Inc., Pharmion LLC, Princeton Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Receptos LLC, Receptos Services LLC, RedoxTherapies Inc., Route 22 Real Estate Holding Corporation, SPV A Holdings ULC, Seamair Insurance DAC, Signal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Sino-American Shanghai Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Societe Francaise de Complements Alimentaires(S.O.F.C.A.), Squibb Middle East S.A., Summit West Celgene LLC, Swords Laboratories, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Westwood-Intrafin SA, Westwood-Squibb Pharmaceuticals Inc., X-Body Inc., ZymoGenetics, ZymoGenetics Inc., ZymoGenetics LLC, ZymoGenetics Paymaster LLC, iPierian, and iPierian Inc..
Embraer SA engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of aircraft and its parts for commercial, defense, and executive aviation sectors. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Aviation, Defense and Security, Executive Jet Business, Service & Support and Others. The Commercial Aviation segment is involved in the development, production, and sale of commercial jets; and the provision of support services to regional aviation and aircraft leasing. The Defense and Security segment engages in research, development, production, modification, and support for defense and security aircrafts, as well as other integrated products and solutions including satellites and information and communication systems. The Executive Jet Business segment deals with the development, manufacture, and sale of executive jets. The Service & Support segment provides after-service solutions and support to its customers through a comprehensive portfolio of innovative and competitive solutions to ensure operational efficiency of products manufactured by Embraer and by other aircraft manufacturers, extending the useful life of commercial, executive and defense aircraft. The Others segment refers to

Read More
Wall Street analysts have given Just Eat a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Just Eat wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
It's a little late to say that homebrewing is sweeping the nation; the nation's already been swept. More than a million Americans are making beer at home! With homebrewing stores and groups springing up everywhere, getting into the hobby is easier than ever. Better yet, it's legal in all fifty states for you to make your own beer at home.

Ready to join the millions of Americans who are brewing their own beer? Read on to learn how you can get started. Plus, we've got some tips that'll help you save money while you're at it.

The Basics of Beer Brewing

So how do you brew? First, you sanitize all your equipment within an inch of its life. Then you boil water and add malt, hops, and yeast. Afterwards, you close this mixture up and wait a couple weeks. Then you can bottle your product  adding some sugar for carbonation  and wait a few more weeks. That's it; you've got beer!

Most beginner recipes require about a month from your 'brewing day' until your bottled beer is ready to drink.

Of course, the devil is in the details. You'll need specialized equipment, and your brewing experiment will take over your kitchen for a couple days. You'll also need to be fastidious about sanitation, timing, and temperature. And you'll want to do your homework. Don't just rely on the instructions in your kit; definitely watch a few tutorials on YouTube and/or seek out advice from more experienced brewers. Above all, you'll need patience. Most beginner recipes require about a month from your "brewing day" until your bottled beer is ready to drink.

Pick the Right Beginner's Beer Kit

If you're ready to get your feet (and the rest of your kitchen) wet, check out a beginner's brewing kit. These include the equipment you'll need to get started. Most beginner's kits range from $60 to $200, depending on what's included.

At minimum, you'll need a primary fermentation container (either a carboy or bucket), a bottling bucket (and some associated accessories, such as airlocks and siphon hose), a 5-gallon pot, a bottle capping tool, about 50 12-oz. bottles, and caps. You'll also want a way to boil 5 gallons of water in a reasonable amount of time. If you suspect your stove might not be up to the challenge, consider a propane-powered turkey fryer.

SEE ALSO: Let the Craft Beer Come to YOU: Here's 7 Sites That Ship Suds

If you want to save a couple bucks, you might be tempted to buy the cheapest beginner's kit you can find. Be careful: Most sub-$100 kits require you to supply some of your own gear. Cheaper kits will often lack bottles, caps, capping tools, and/or a 5-gallon stainless steel pot.

Northern Brewer Homebrew Supply makes a beginner's kit that includes everything you need to brew and bottle your first beer for $100. The kit even includes the ingredients  all you need to do is add water. It even includes a 20% off coupon for your next Northern Brewer purchase, so you can save a few bucks when it's time to upgrade your kit.

Want to Save Money? Buy Used

If you're getting into homebrewing to save fistfuls of cash, we have some bad news. Brewing your own beer isn't significantly cheaper than buying it.

Other outlets have done more comprehensive breakdowns, but here's the takeaway: you're probably going to spend around $1 per bottle. And even if you stick to the most basic homebrew kits, you're still going to spend at least $5 per 6-pack of beer. What's more, it's going to take you 4 to 6 hours of work and a month of waiting before you can taste the beer you've brewed.

Even if you stick to the most basic homebrew kits, you're still going to spend at least $5 per 6-pack of beer.

Luckily, you can keep costs down by buying second-hand brewing equipment. Facebook's marketplace and Craigslist often feature local listings for brewing supplies. Thrift stores are an excellent source of very large pots, which can be expensive to ship. If you're not ready to jump into 5-gallon batches of beer, consider opting for a small batch starter kit. It's cheaper than the 5-gallon kits, and you probably already have the required 2-gallon pot on hand. The only other equipment you'll need are a dozen 12-oz. beer bottles.

A Word on Carboys

Beginner kits will often come with opaque fermenting buckets; they resemble the plastic buckets you find in hardware stores. If you want to spend a little more, you can upgrade to a carboy. These clear brewing vessels will let you see exactly what's happening to your beer without disturbing things.

Carboys come in glass and plastic. While you can make excellent beer in either, we recommend plastic. It's cheaper, easier to carry, and can be ported to add a spigot  so you don't have to lift 40 pounds of proto-beer to transfer it into another container. That said, plastic carboys are easily scratched, and even small scratches can harbor bacteria that could ruin your beer.

SEE ALSO: You're Getting Less Than You Think With These 6 Things

No matter what, you'll want to store your beer someplace dark. Exposing beer to sunlight can ruin the flavor  that's why the beer you buy in the store comes in dark brown bottles. A brewing expert we spoke to recommended wrapping your carboys in old t-shirts. Alternatively, you can simply store them in a refrigerator. Used full-size fridges routinely sell for less than $150 on Craigslist.

Brewing Is Better With Friends

Like beer itself, brewing is often best enjoyed with friends. Plenty of cities have local homebrewing communities, which you should seek out. They're a great place to get brewing tips and advice, buy used equipment, and try new beers. Plus, making friends in your local homebrewing community can help you get in on group orders for ingredients, bottles, and other expendable supplies.

Once you've made your first beer, don't be afraid to expand your horizons! Wine and mead are becoming increasingly popular in the DIY community!

Readers, have you taken up brewing as a hobby? How much did it cost you to get started? Share your favorite brewing tips and tricks in the comments below!
At Mobile World Congress 2018, Samsung unveiled the new versions of its flagship phones, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. (If you missed the announcement, you can check it out here.) While these smartphones are available to preorder as of March 2, and can be purchased on March 16, the real question is when will their prices drop?

Read on to learn when you should expect a discount on the latest Samsung Galaxy smartphones, as well as how much you can save on previous-gen handsets like the S8.

What Are the Specs for the Galaxy S9?

On the surface, the Samsung Galaxy S9 looks pretty similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy S8. It features the same Super AMOLED panel with a 2960x1440 resolution, and has almost exactly the same dimensions. It comes with 64GB of storage and a microSD card slot, 4GB (S9) or 6GB (S9+) of RAM, and either an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, or an octa-core Samsung Exynos 9810 processor.

Improvements made to the camera and the camera app are the Galaxy S9's big selling points.

The most significant changes to the previous gen are that the fingerprint sensor has been moved to below the rear camera, and the rear camera itself has been upgraded. Indeed, the improvements made to the camera and the camera app are the S9's big selling points. It's the first phone to sport a mechanically adjustable aperture, which can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4.

The 12-megapixel camera also features dual-pixel autofocus and the the ability to record slow-motion video at up to 960 frames per second. It also has a feature called Intelligent Scan, which uses facial recognition and iris scanning to lock and unlock your phone. The Galaxy S9+ also comes with a second rear camera.

What Does the Galaxy S9 Cost Right Now?

If you order directly from Samsung, the new S9 is $719.99, while the S9+ is $839.99. You can break the price down into 24 monthly payments of $30 for the S9 (or $35 for the S9+), which ends up being a penny more. T-Mobile will have the same prices as Samsung, and you'll also be able to break this cost out into 24 monthly payments of $30, with no money down for the S9, and $120 due up front for the S9+.

That's a significantly better price than what Verizon ($800 or $930), AT&T ($790 or $920), and Sprint ($792 or $912) will charge.

SEE ALSO: Amazon's Prime Exclusive Phones Are Worth Buying Now

All of the carriers will also offer credit when you trade-in your old phone, with newer trade-ins  like the Galaxy S8  fetching as much as $350. Best Buy also offers credit for your old phone and will knock $100 off the price if you preorder your S9.

When Will the Galaxy S9 Go on Sale?

But what if you don't want to drop more than $720 on a new phone? As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. If last year's prices on the Galaxy S8 are any indication, you won't have to wait very long.

We saw prices begin to creep down from that phone's $750 list price shortly after its April release. By July, the S8 had reached an all-time low of $479  a 36% drop. The Galaxy S8+ took a little longer to come down in price, but it had fallen to $500 by November.

You could save as much as $200 on the Galaxy S9+ if you wait until June to buy it.

If you can exercise a little patience, you should be able to score a deal on the Galaxy S9; the best prices will most likely come this summer. And if you can wait until the fall, you'll get the best price for the Galaxy S9+. Still, you could save as much as $200 on the S9+ if you at least wait until June to buy it.

How Much Will Older Galaxy Phones Cost?

After the S8 was announced last year, we found deals on the unlocked 32GB Galaxy S7 for as low as $380 (or $370 off list price). We expect that once the S9 is released, there will be similar discounts on the S8, taking a few hundred dollars off.

Because the Galaxy S7 was mired by the Note 7's troubles, it's possible that the S7 was more aggressively discounted than the S8 will be. Still, as we get closer to when the Galaxy S9 will be available in stores, look for wireless carriers to at least discount the monthly installment costs of the S8.

Readers, what do you think? Will you wait for prices to drop, or buy the Galaxy S9 as soon as it goes on sale? Let us know in the comments below.
15 Aircrafts by ATR, Honda, Trujet, Gulfstream, Boeing, Embraer, Dassault, Club one Air, Aeroteck, Zoom Air, Air India, NAL and others will be on display at the static area.

Hyderabad: In an infrastructure boost for the UDAN scheme, the Centre plans to finish renovating 56 airports and 31 helipads in the next 18 months for them to meet the licensing requirements to ply flights under the UDAN scheme, a senior official said here on Wednesday.

The finance minister, in his 2017 budget speech, had allocated Rs 4,500 crore for the renovation of the airports so that they meet the licensing requirements. Over the next year and half, we are hopeful that the well be able to complete renovating 56 airports and 31 helipads for them to meet the requirements, the ministry of civil aviation joint secretary Usha Padhee said

Ms Padhee, who was in Hyderabad for the BizAVIndia 2018 summit organised by industry body BAOA, added, About 20 such airports have already been renovated and have been given the go ahead. The remaining will soon be finished.

When asked about the changes these airports and helipad had gone through, she said, Most of them are unserved or undeserved and required changes such as visibility clearance or needed an air traffic control building to get the requisite permissions.

Ms Padhee added, Considering the renovations, the budget allotted is sufficient. The surplus may be used to renovate additional airports and helipads.

The UDAN RCS (Regional Connectivity Scheme), a pet scheme of Narendra Modi, was launched in October 2016 as a major push to develop the regional aviation market.

In an unrelated development, a Parliamentary panel urged the civil aviation ministry to actively pursue efforts to get more funds. In the latest Budget, the ministry has been allocated Rs 6,602.86 crore, that includes Rs 4,469.50 crore towards purchase of two new aircraft for VVIP flights. Once that amount is deducted, then the allocation would be only Rs 2,133.36 crore, which is lower than the revised budget estimate of Rs 2,710.30 crore for the current fiscal (2017-18).

The issue of lower allocation for the ministry has been flagged by the Parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture.

Wings India 2018 all set for take off from Hyderabad

After successfully hosting several events in February, Hyderabad is gearing up for yet another event  International Exhibition and Conference on Civil Aviation sector Wings India 2018 organised by the civil aviation ministry and FICCI.

Earlier known as India Aviation, the biennial event, being held from March 8 to 11 at the Begumpet Airport, will be inaugurated by the civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati. With the theme India - Global Aviation Hub the event will see representation from 10 countries including the US, Japan, Russia, Singapore, France, Germany UK and 125 exhibitors.

The event will move forward with a special focus on connecting the cities and towns thus increasing regional connectivity in the country. At the static display area, 15 aircrafts by Air India, Honda, Trujet, Gulfstream, Boeing and others and 12 Hospitality Chalets will be showcased.

It may be mentioned here that India is one of the fastest growing aviation market and currently the ninth largest civil aviation market in the world with a market size of around $16 billion. It is projected to be the third-largest aviation market by 2026 and the largest by 2030.

This conference will provide much needed fillip to the aviation as the restructured focused forums shall be instrumental in attaining the objective of connecting the buyers, sellers, investors and other stakeholders. It would provide the platform for interactions, forging alliances, investments and air connectivity between the States and the global aviation players and stakeholders. The exhibition will be open for students, aviation institutes and general public on Saturday and Sunday.
Mumbai: Sridevi might have turned to ashes, but the work done by the actress and her contribution to Indian cinema will always remain immortal.

On this occasion, The Government of Mauritius has planned to honour the actress for her contribution towards the Indian cinema.

A source told DNA, This month, they (the Government of Mauritius) were keen to host a group of eight to 10 film personalities. They wanted Sridevi, accompanied by her husband Boney Kapoor, to be the Chief Guest at the Womens Day function, which is being hosted over the March 8 weekend. Now, this wont be possible.

The Mauritius Government was supposed to honour the actor in person for her immense contribution to Indian cinema on Womens Day. However, the unfortunate happened. They reached out to the late actors husband, Boney Kapoor, expressing their grief and informed that they would still be honouring her on the occasion. The condolence letter stated that she epitomised women empowerment, dignity and strength, and that she holds a special place in the hearts of Mauritians, a source close to producer Boney Kapoor informed Hindustan Times.
Ajays death is allegedly linked to 16-year old Neeraj Jatavs alleged murder by a mob on Holi following dispute over the songs that were being played. (Representational Image)

Jaipur: Three days after a youth Dalit Neeraj Jatav was killed, his friends charred body was found near UIT flats in the Phool Bagh police station area on Tuesday. The victim was identified as 18-year old Ajay Jatav who was found unclothed and half burnt.

Ajays death is allegedly linked to 16-year old Neeraj Jatavs alleged murder by a mob on Holi following dispute over the songs that were being played. The killing of two young Dalits over a short period of time has created panic among the locals as both Neeraj and Ajay were close friends.

"Family members have claimed that some unidentified persons burnt him alive in connection with clashes that took place in Bhiwadi on March 3. However, preliminary investigation has indicated that the victim was not present at the spot of the clashes, Additional Superintendent of Police, Pushpendra Solanki, said.

A large crowd had gathered outside the hospital while the body was being examined. Heavy police force has been deployed in the area as precautionary measure. Senior police officials rushed to the spot.

Solanki said that an FIR has been registered and the possibility of the two murders being connected will be explored.

We are investigating all the angles. Ajay was known to be close to Neeraj, however, whether this murder is linked with Neerajs murder is yet to be ascertained, said a senior officer.

This is the third murder of a Dalit in the last four days. Apart from these two murders, 26-year-old Jaswant Jatav, a labourer, was beaten to death and his thatched house set ablaze by a group of three to four people in Santa ka Nagla village in Bharatpur district on Friday night.

He was severely beaten up while going to the village to attend a musical programme on Holi. According to his brother Rajesh, a few days ago a bike was stolen from the village. The bike was later found but the accused suspected Jaswant of stealing the bike.
The probe agency sought an extension in his custody by nine days to confront him with "new facts", but the court allowed only three more days of questioning.

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday extended the CBI custody of Karti Chidambaram, an accused in the INX Media corruption case, by three more days even as the Supreme Court rejected his plea for interim protection against arrest by the ED in a related money laundering case.

The CBI, which confronted Karti Chidambaram with Indrani Mukerjea, a former director of the media company, in a Mumbai jail on Sunday, presented former finance minister P. Chidambaram's son before special judge Sunil Rana on Tuesday after his five-day custody of the probe agency expired.

The probe agency sought an extension in his custody by nine days to confront him with "new facts", but the court allowed only three more days of questioning.

Karti Chidambaram moved a bail application that will be taken up by the court on March 9.

Additional solicitor-general (ASG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, opposed his bail plea, saying the investigation was at a "crucial stage" and the CBI needs two weeks to file a detailed reply to his bail application.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Karti Chidambaram, said that the CBI just wants to keep him in custody by hook or crook.

"I have cooperated. I am not obliged to answer what you (CBI) want to hear. My duty is only to make myself available for questioning," Mr Singhvi said on behalf of 46-year-old Karti Chidambaram.

In the Supreme Court, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra refused to pass any interim order of protection againt arrest or anticipatory bail on Karti Chidambaram's petition challenging ED's summons in a money laundering case.

The apex court sought a response from the ED on Karti Chidambaram's petition but clarified that issuance of notice in the fresh writ petition will have no bearing on any other proceeding against the petitioner.

Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on February 28 at Chennai airport on his return from Britain, in connection with the FIR lodged on May 15 last year.

The FIR alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds worth `305 crore in 2007 when his father was Union finance minister.
Fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim is willing to come to India but with certain preconditions, his brother Iqbal Kaskars lawyer Shyam Keswani told a Mumbai court on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI)

Thane: Fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim is willing to come to India but with certain preconditions, his brother Iqbal Kaskars lawyer Shyam Keswani told a Mumbai court on Tuesday.

Renowned criminal lawyer Shyam Keswani said Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar had offered to return to India provided the authorities ensure that he is lodged only in the high-secure precincts of Arthur Road Central Jail (ARCJ) in Mumbai and nowhere else during the trial period.

Talking to the media outside the Thane Court, where he represented Iqbal Kaskar (Dawood's brother), the lawyer said the preconditions laid down by Dawood are not acceptable to the Indian government.

In fact, he had expressed his intent very clearly to senior counsel Ram Jethmalani (former union minister and eminent lawyer). But the government refused to accept his conditional return and till this day, Dawood has not been arrested, said lawyer Shyam Keswani.

Kaskar was produced in the court of chief judicial magistrate RV Thamadekar on Tuesday by Thane police for extension of his custody in an extortion case.

The anti-extortion unit of Thane police named Kaskar and his brother Dawood and Anees for threatening a builder at Mumbai's Mira Road.

The ARCJ is the same prison where the Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was lodged for nearly four years till his hanging for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

The statement of lawyer Shyam Keswani on Dawood's desire to return comes a little after six months when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray made a similar revelation in Mumbai.

In his explosive remarks, Raj Thackeray had claimed that not only was Dawood keen to come back but he was reportedly negotiating a 'settlement' with the Narendra Modi-government.

Also Read: Dawood negotiating with Centre for his return: MNS chief Raj Thackeray

Raj Thackrey also said that Dawood was very sick and wanted to breathe his last in India.

The chief judicial magistrate, on a lighter note, asked Kaskar if he has any kind of fear and knew about the whereabouts of his other family members and that he should share the information with the police. Kaskar response was a terse No.

The chief judicial magistrate then asked Kaskar if he had spoken to Dawood in recent times. The court went silent for a moment. Kaskar replied that he was not aware about his brothers location. Kaskar, however, said he did talk to Dawood on mobile phone, but his number was never displayed and so he was not aware about his whereabouts.

At this moment, Kaskars counsel Keswani stood up and told the court that Dawood wanted to return to India and Jethmalani had conveyed it to the government.

Keswani added that after Kaskar was deported from Dubai in 2003, he brought him in front of court and it was only then that the law enforcement agency came to know of Kaskars identity.

Keswani informed the court that his client is suffering from diabetics and necessary medical treatment should be made available to him. The court directed the investigators to take Kaskar to Thane Civil Hospital.

Kaskar was sent to police custody till Friday by the court on Tuesday in a land-grab and extortion case filed against him by the Thane Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC).

At least two others wanted in this case - Bhavar Kothar and Bharat Jain -- are absconding, said AEC chief Pradeep Sharma.

Opposing the police custody of Kaskar, currently in judicial custody for other cases, lawyer Keswani said it was puzzling when the crime was committed since his client (Iqbal) has been in police and judicial custody in Thane since his arrest on September 19 from Mumbai.

It is the same case in which the police, for the first time, have shown the three Kaskar siblings - Dawood, Anees (both absconding) and Iqbal - as accused.

The case pertains to alleged extortion of Rs 3 crore from a builder in a deal involving a 38-acre plot of land worth crores of rupees in Gorai, a coastal village in south-west Thane.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has exited from the light metro proposed in 35.12 km in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. Sources said that the offices of the DMRC in the two cities will be closed by March 15. This may prove to be a major setback to the transport infrastructure development in the state.

DMRC principal adviser E. Sreedharan has sent a letter to PWD principal secretary G. Kamalavardhana Rao apprising him of the decision after the state government failed to sign the turnkey consultancy agreement even 14 months after the contract was awarded to the DMRC.

The DMRC has also issued notices to eight employees working in its office at Pattoor here and five in Kozhikode asking them to return to the parent organisation in case of those working on deputation. Others have been asked to seek new jobs.

Though Mr. Sreedharan had written to Mr. Rao to sign the agreement before February 15, no steps were taken for it.

Moreover, the Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Ltd (KRTL), the special purpose vehicle set up for the project, refused to share with the DMRC the minutes of the last board meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan even after repeated requests.

The DMRC had sought six percent of the cost of the preparatory works as consultancy fee in the draft pact.

Flyovers were to be constructed at Sreekaryam, Ulloor, Pattom and Thampanoor in Thiruvananthapuram as part of the project from Technocity to Karamana.
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty (centre) was stabbed in his Bengaluru office by a person on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI | File)

Bengaluru: In a major security lapse, a man stabbed Karnataka Lokayukta or anti-corruption ombudsman Justice P Vishwanath Shetty thrice inside his office in Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon.

The attacker, identified as Tejas Sharma, has been taken into custody.

The attacker, a native of Tumkur and works as bus conductor, had appeared before the Lokayukta as a complainant.

After being stabbed, Justice Shetty, 74, fell to the floor bleeding. The attack was filmed on security cameras.

"A person stabbed the Lokayukta in Bengaluru, the accused has been taken into custody," said Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy in Bengaluru.

Within seconds of the assault, the police and security personnel who were outside the Lokayukta's office on the ground floor of Multi-Storey Building, also known as MS Building, pinned Tejas down. He was taken to Vidhan Soudha police station while the Lokayukta was rushed to Mallya Hospital for treatment.

The attacker identified himself as an advocate, according to an entry in the register at the Lokayuktas office.

The Karnataka Home Minister said, "According to information I have, someone claiming to be an advocate had gone to the office and stabbed him."

It is learnt that the metal detector at the office was defunct allowing the attacker to gain entry to the Lokayukta's chamber with a knife.

Attacker Tejas Sharma who stabbed the Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty at his office in Bengaluru has been taken into custody by the police. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

The Karnataka Home Minister said, "He (the attacker) complained to the Lokayukta about some tenders. He assaulted the judge and he was alone. The judge is out of danger now."

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited Bengaluru's Mallya Hospital to meet Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty.

The Chief Minister said, "It seemed like it was an attempt to murder the Lokayukta. He had a big weapon in his hand. We are checking if there was a security lapse. Everything about his background will be investigated."

The Vidhan Soudha police have registered a case and are investigating.

"The accused has been taken into police custody and is being interrogated. It has been found that the accused had complained against 15-17 public servants in connection with supply of furniture. His allegations were not proved," said T Suneel Kumar, Commissioner of Police Bengaluru.

The Police Commissioner added, "He (the attacker) took this step because of the reason that he was complaining against these contractors and still not getting the tenders. Further inquiry in the matter is going on."

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the attack on Karnataka Lokayukta in his office in Bengaluru was a serious issue of law and order.

According to an NDTV report, leader of Karnataka's ruling Congress said the Lokayukta prefers to be accessible to the people and there is hardly any security at his office.

"There was no bar for anybody. Anybody could access him with their grievances, there was no armed guard," said Brijesh Kalappa of the Karnataka Congress, describing the attacker as a "madman".

"There are multiple CCTV cameras...a metal detector and multiple people watching. How can we say there has been a security breach," Kalappa added.

Justice Shetty was sworn in on January 28, 2017 as the Karnataka Lokayukta, a year after the post fell vacant following a bribery scandal that had hit the office of the anti-graft ombudsman.
This is the second incident in three days when a policeman has shot himself.

Chennai: A 32-year-old police sub-inspector committed suicide at Ayanavaram police station by shooting himself during the early hours of Wednesday with his 9 mm service pistol. Sub-inspector R. Sathish Kumar, an M Tech graduate, had joined service in 2011 and was serving in the law and order wing at Ayanavaram police since October 2014. A suicide note has been recovered in which Sathish claimed that no one is responsible for his death, a police officer said, adding that reason for his suicide is yet to be ascertained.

This is the second incident in three days when a policeman has shot himself. On Sunday, an armed reserve constable M. Arun Raj posted at former chief minister J. Jayalalithaas memorial shot himself with his rifle.

The sub-inspector who left for his quarters in T P Chatram at around 8 pm on Tuesday after duty, returned to the police station at around 1. 30 am. Special sub-inspector Chiranjeevi was on duty at the station and the SI told him that he had to leave for an enquiry and needed the pistol. After the pistol was handed over to him, he was seen scribbling on a piece of paper and placing it on a desk.

He then walked out of the station, returned inside and placed the pistol to his forehead, a senior police officer quoted SSI Chiranjeevi as saying. Alarmed, the SSI pleaded with Satish Kumar to drop the weapon. It was then that Satish pointed the pistol towards Chiranjeevi for a moment and then walked outside the station and shot himself through his right ear. Police moved him to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Top brass of the city police including commissioner A.K. Viswanathan rushed to the station and conducted enquiries. The sequence of events was captured on CCTV cameras inside and outside the police station, a police officer said.

The suicide note written had claimed that no one was responsible for his death and had the phone numbers of his elder brother, Ganesh Kumar and cousin, Radha. Bereaved family members claimed that his death was mysterious and demanded a detailed investigation. Known to be close to his elder brother R. Ganesh Kumar, Satish met him on Tuesday and played with his two-year-old nephew before he left.

There were no symptoms of depression when I spoke to him. We have not seen the suicide note yet too, Ganesh Kumar told mediapersons.

A native of Melayur in Thanjavur district, Satish Kumar is the second of three sons in his family. He was a bachelor and lived at the TP Chatram police quarters. Further investigations are on.
Stating that police protection was not provided to Aircel, despite complaints and representations, Badrinath, counsel for the company insisted on issuing a direction to the police to provide protection immediately.

Chennai: The Director General of Police (DGP) has informed the Madras high court that instructions have been issued to all the superintendents of police and commissioners of police across the state, to take appropriate action on a plea from Aircel, which has filed an insolvency petition and whose network connection came to a standstill on February 21 due to lack of signal, seeking police protection in its office premises and showrooms.

Additional government pleader D. Raja produced a copy of the letter issued by the DGP before Justice M.S. Ramesh when the petition filed by Aircel Limited, which sought a direction to the DGP and CoP to provide protection to its office premises and showrooms in 53 places across the state, came up for hearing on Wednesday.

Stating that police protection was not provided to Aircel, despite complaints and representations, Badrinath, counsel for the company insisted on issuing a direction to the police to provide protection immediately.

Recording the submissions, the judge said Additional government pleader D. Raja on instructions from the Respondent (DGP) and by placing reliance on the letter dated March 1, 2018, of DGP, submitted that all the Superintendents of Police of various districts of Tamil Nadu as well as the Commissioners of Police of all the cities have been requested to take appropriate action on petitioners request for police protection.

The DGP and CoP shall take necessary precaution to avoid any untoward incidents and prevent the law and order problem in view of the intensity of the event that is anticipated, the judge added and posted to March 21, for reporting compliance.

Police protection was particularly required in six of the petitioners premises located in Chennai, Coimbatore, Trichy, Madurai and Salem as these premises contain the main switching centres which operate and connects the signal towers of the petitioner company throughout the state. If these switching centres were damaged, the public would be put to serious hardship since there would be no cellular connectivity to any of the customers across the state, which would further aggravate the present situation, the company added.
H. Raja who rushed to Delhi on Wednesday apologised for his Facebook post on social reformer Periyar (E. V. Ramasamy), which created a storm in Tamil Nadu.

CHENNAI: Faced by strong criticism within the party and spontaneous backlash for his controversial remark, BJP national secretary H. Raja who rushed to Delhi on Wednesday apologised for his Facebook post on social reformer Periyar (E. V. Ramasamy), which created a storm in Tamil Nadu.

Raja explained that the remark was posted by his admin and expressed his heartfelt regrets for what has happened. Blaming his Facebook administrator for the blunder, he said, the admin had put up a post comparing the razing down of Lenin statue in Tripura with that of E. V. Ramaswamy, popularly addressed as Periyar in Tamil Nadu. Views should be confronted by views only and not by violence. I have no intention of hurting anybody. Therefore, if anybody felt hurt by that post, I express my heartfelt regret, he said.

On the vandalisation of Periyar statue, he said, it is not acceptable to us to damage any statue of Periyar. Raja who was summoned by the BJP high command seeking his explanation on the issue, left for the national capital. He however declined to drawn further into the controversy which erupted in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday over his remarks indicating that statues of Periyar could be the next to be pulled down after a Lenin statue was razed in Tripura.

As caustic comments flooded over the Facebook post against late Ramasamy, founder of the Dravidian movement, Raja deleted it.

Soon after the post, like his BJP, the Tamil Nadu Brahmins Association too distanced itself from the comments expressed by Raja. The party neither likes nor endorses Rajas comments on Periyar statues. It is not the view of the BJP. It is purely his own comments, party president Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan had said. The Brahmins association said, the association strongly condemns the irresponsible remarks made by Raja. In future, he should avoid expressing such views.

Later, speaking to reporters in Delhi, he claimed that his Facebook admin had put up such a post while he was travelling to the national capital for a party event. I later removed the post and have also removed the admin, he said and once again expressed regret. However, the move failed to cut any ice with political parties and pro-Tamil outfits in Tamil Nadu.

Opposition DMK and various fringe outfits staged protests in several parts of the State, and some even burnt Rajas effigies at four places in Chennai alone.

The police detained scores of protesters including those who attempted to lay siege to the state BJP headquarters  Kamalalayam, here.
The orbiting satellite is almost as big as a city bus. (Photo: AP)

SpaceX is marking the 50th launch of a Falcon 9 rocket, its satellite-delivery workhorse. The latest Falcon took flight from Cape Canaveral, Florida, early Tuesday, successfully hosting a massive communications satellite for Spains Hispasat corporation. The orbiting satellite is almost as big as a city bus.

No attempt was made to recover the first-stage booster. Waves offshore were too rough for a barge landing. SpaceX has been flying the Falcon 9 since mid-2010. Fifty launches in less than eight years is a pretty good clip, by rocket standards.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk says via Twitter that he cant believe its already been 50 launches and that just 10 years ago, the company couldnt even reach orbit with the little, original Falcon 1.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Washington: Following several accusations made by women who claimed that they had been sexually harassed by Jorge Dominguez, the longtime Harvard University professor announced that he was retiring.

Dominiguez, who has been on the Harvard faculty since the 1970s is facing accusations that span over decades, the Washington Post reported.

The Antonio Madero Professor for the Study of Mexico said in an email to his peers that he was going to retire by the end of the semester and that he was stepping down immediately.

"I am retiring from my job at Harvard at the end of this semester. It has been a privilege to serve the university. I am not teaching this semester. I have stepped down immediately from my role at the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies and my other very few remaining academic coordinating roles. You may inform others as you deem best," he said.

Several women complained of sexual misdemeanour and of being kissed and touched inappropriately by Dominiguez, with the Chronicle of Higher Education reporting that the number of accusers had risen up to 18.

Earlier, Dominiguez was under fire for serious misconduct in a case involving a junior female professor in 1983.

Terry Karl, who is now a tenured professor at Stanford University, claimed that the professor had made repeated sexual overtures and groped her with his hand under her skirt.

"A quiet retirement is unacceptable. After more than three decades of harassment, the university must carry out a full, fair and transparent investigation of this professor's conduct, and there must be clear and visible consequences. Harvard also owes a transparent explanation for his continued promotion to positions of greater power when the university knew or should have known that his conduct was an abuse of power. This conduct created a hostile environment for decades, affecting women subject to his authority. What is the explanation?" she said to the Washington Post in an email.

Michael Smith, dean of Harvard's faculty of arts and sciences, said in a statement Tuesday, "I want to be very clear that Dominguez's forthcoming retirement does not change the full and fair process of review that is currently underwayHe remains on administrative leave until it is concluded."

Dominguez has held several senior positions, including vice provost for international affairs from 2006 to 2015.
SALT LAKE CITY  The Senate gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a pair of bills intended to allow patients with less than six months to live to try medicinal cannabis products produced from marijuana grown by the state.

Senate Minority Whip Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City, urged support of HB195, saying her late husband, former state Sen. Ed Mayne, was told a decade ago by his doctor that marijuana would ease his suffering from the "worst of the worst cancer."

Mayne said he decided against taking the advice because "he was a senator and didn't want to go there." She said although he was given two years to live, he died within nine months.

"We need to give relief. That's what we're here for. We're here to help," Mayne said. She said senior citizens "are using this and it is coming. You need to give guidelines for them, give relief to not just the patients, but the families."

The sponsor of HB195, Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, said the "right to try" bill gives a patient determined by a doctor as having less than six months to live the opportunity to try medicinal forms of marijuana other than smoking or inhalation.

"It is what it is," Vickers said of the bill, noting it is opposed by backers of an initiative to legalize medical marijuana that could go before voters in November. He said he doesn't understand their opposition.

This bill, Vickers said, "needs to stand on its own merits. It has the potential to help some people."

Senate Assistant Minority Whip Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, raised concerns about the definition of a terminally ill patient, asking, "If you get better because you get relief, is that not supposed to be the purpose of this?"

HB195, which has already passed the House, was advanced 22-4 to a final vote by the Senate.

A companion bill, HB197, that directs the Department of Agriculture to grow cannabis in the state for use by the approved patients, was given preliminary approval by the Senate, 22-3, and is awaiting funding before a final vote.

The House passed another Vickers' bill, SB130, directing the state to apply for a federal waiver for doctors to prescribe cannabidiol, or CBD oil, through a pharmacy. The product can't now be sold legally, though its available throughout the state.

Rep. Susan Duckworth, D-Magna, said she buys it at a health food store.

"Are they selling that illegally?" she asked on the House floor. "At the health food store?"

House sponsor Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, said the bill, which passed 49-20, allows the state to regulate CBD oil to ensure proper labeling and head off the sale of fake products.

Contributing: Dennis Romboy
ST. GEORGE  St. George police continued Tuesday to investigate why a student allegedly left a backpack with explosive materials in a high school and has been posting ISIS propaganda.

The student, whose name and age were not released Tuesday, was arrested Monday after a backpack with explosives was found in the commons area of Pine View High School, the area where students eat lunch.

Alert students spotted the backpack was "smoking" and immediately contacted school administrators and the school resource officer, according to police.

"From that initial investigation, it was determined that a homemade explosive device was inside the backpack," according to a prepared statement Tuesday from police. "After examining the device, bomb squad members indicted that if it had detonated, the device had the potential to cause significant injury or death."

The school was evacuated while local and federal officials investigated. A male student who attends a class at Pine View was identified as the suspect.

"A warrant was served on the residence of that juvenile and items were located that were consistent with the materials used to build the device placed at Pine View. Based on our investigation we can confirm this was a failed attempt to detonate a homemade explosive at the school," police wrote.

"It was also determined that the male had been researching information and expressing interest in ISIS and promoting the organization."

Police believe the same teen is responsible for graffiti spray-painted on a wall at Hurricane High School that stated, "ISIS is comi--" and for replacing the high school's flag with an ISIS flag in February.

The flag and message appeared the day after a shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17.

The student was arrested and booked into a juvenile detention facility for investigation of manufacture, possession, sale, use or attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.

According to the Washington County School District, the student was only taking one class at the high school because he was part of the Success Academy, a partnership with Dixie State University that allows students to enroll concurrently for high school and college classes. The program is typically for accelerated learning students, according to the district.

The student had attended the high school full-time in the past, according to the district.

St. George police on Tuesday praised the students who immediately reported the backpack that had smoke coming from it, as well as the Washington County School District for previously practicing evacuations, leading to "a quick and seamless evacuation" of Pine View High on Monday.
SALT LAKE CITY  Of all the predictions surrounding the Our Schools Now initiative that once hoped to put a tax increase for education on your ballot in November, one seems to have sticking power.

It goes like this: If voters were to reject it, public schools would be worse off than if the initiative never had been started. Lawmakers might feel emboldened to ignore future calls for increases in school funding. After all, the people would have spoken.

Thats the nature of initiatives, and its a central reason why they can be bad for democracies. Somebody sets an arbitrary figure for a tax increase and everyone gets to vote yes or no. Perhaps it fails when an increase half or even three-quarters as large would have passed.

The back and forth of legislative lawmaking  even in a Legislature dominated by one party, such as Utahs  serves the publics interest much better.

But if Our Schools Now accepts something like the proposal lawmakers were talking about Monday  drop the initiative in favor of a public vote on a 10-cent gas tax increase and a freeze on property tax rates  the basic risk remains.

If voters reject 10 cents extra for gas, that also could be seen as a rejection of the notion that Utahns want to give lots more money to schools. You might even say the risk of losing such a measure would be higher than voting on a straight tax hike for schools. Tying it to something else Utahns struggle with in their personal budgets  the cost of driving a car  complicates things.

The vote, at least as it stood Monday, would be nonbinding. It might, however, be psychologically binding on all concerned.

But lets read between the lines. That Our Schools Now would be willing to accept such a compromise seems to indicate the initiative is not getting the traction its organizers had hoped. A recent poll commissioned by Utahpolicy.com showed 54 percent of Utahns favored it, which is not too far statistically from the 50 percent in a poll last November, with a margin of error of 4 percent. Thats tepid support this far from Election Day.

What about freezing the basic property tax rate, which applies to schools?

Property taxes are unpopular, and this would put at risk a system that has kept a downward pressure on those rates for years.

The Utah Foundation reports Utahs property tax burden is the 34th highest in the nation. The reason it isnt higher is that lawmakers long ago passed a law known as Truth-in-Taxation.

Under that system, local governments may not collect more in property taxes than they did the previous year, other than to account for growth within their boundaries, without calling it a tax increase and holding hearings. If real estate values appreciate, property tax rates must be lowered to compensate. If the market is bad, rates can go up.

In 1996, lawmakers decided to apply this rule to the basic levy for schools as well. The results have been dramatic.

According to figures provided by the Utah Foundation, in 1995 the rate was about 26 percent. Since then, it has pushed steadily downward to about 15 percent. But freezing it there would mean you would have to pay more as the value of your house increased.

And as complicated as property tax forms are, the average Utahn wouldnt know whom to blame.

Of course, all of this could change by the time you read this. The last days of the annual legislative session are hectic. But some sort of compromise to diffuse Our Schools Now seems inevitable, as does the idea that schools would receive less of an increase than the initiative asked for.

Why did the initiative fail to generate enthusiastic support? For one thing, it wasnt specific enough. Organizers never said how the tax hikes they proposed were going to be spent. If the funds were earmarked for at-risk students or underfunded districts, it might have been more palatable than simply spreading it evenly.

Then again, maybe Utahns, ever suspicious of taxes and government spending, dont see tax hikes alone as the answer. Maybe they would like educators and politicians to be more innovative than that.
Students at the University of Central Oklahoma got a lesson in free speech as the 16,000-student public university welcomed a presentation by Ken Ham, a nationally known creationist who rejects Charles Darwins theory of evolution.

The lecture Monday (March 5) by the founder of the Ark Encounter  a $102 million, 800-acre Noahs Ark theme park that opened in Williamstown, Ky., two years ago  came weeks after the universitys student government association rescinded an invitation for Ham to speak on campus. Some students, who deem Ham homophobic, objected to student funds being used to bring him to campus.

After the student groups decision made national headlines, UCO President Don Betz stepped in and reinvited Ham to offer his talk on Genesis and the State of the Culture at the public universitys Constitution Hall.

University officials also built a forum on free speech rights around Hams visit: two days of programming on understanding and exercising the First Amendment guarantee.

Betz cited the historic commitment of the 127-year-old university, about 15 miles north of Oklahoma City, to critical and civil examination of ideas, no matter how controversial. And ultimately, Betz funded Hams $4,500 fee through unrestricted donations made to the university by individuals and organizations, said Adrienne Nobles, a UCO spokeswoman.

No tuition or state-appropriated funds were used, Nobles said.

Ham is president of the Christian apologetics organization Answers in Genesis, which also owns the $27 million, 75,000-square-foot Creation Museum, west of the Cincinnati Airport in Petersburg, Ky.

It never used to be controversial for a Christian to come and speak at a secular university, Ham told Religion News Service before addressing a crowd of about 500. But it certainly seems to be controversial today, not just for Christians  but for anyone who has conservative values  to come and speak at universities.

We have generations today that are so secular in their thinking, and they have this idea that you have to embrace all views, he added. But, of course, they dont want to embrace my view that I start with the Bible, and I have a particular worldview because of that.

Ham said his only surprise was that the furor involved a university in the heart of Bible Belt Oklahoma: The socially conservative state of 3.9 million residents is known as one of the reddest of the red states. Nearly two-thirds of voters (65.3 percent) supported President Trump in the 2016 election, the third-highest proportion behind Wyoming (68.2 percent) and West Virginia (67.9 percent).

Last month, Stockton Duvall, UCOs student body president, cited bullying by gay-rights activists as a contributing factor in his decision not to move forward with a speaking contract with Ham.

The idea for his visit to UCO came from a student group called Valid Worldview, which is associated with Fairview Baptist Church in Edmond. Ham gained fame not only through his theme park, website and museum, but his 2014 debate with Science Guy Bill Nye, which was watched by millions.

Ham believes God created Earth about 6,000 years ago, while scientists say the planet formed some 4.5 billion years ago.

Duvall said he was dismayed by the reaction of some of his fellow students to the invitation to Ham.

I am not the first person to be personally attacked by a very vocal group on campus that has little tolerance for opposing viewpoints, Duvall said in a Feb. 7 statement on Twitter. In his own statement, Ham said activists had opposed him speaking because of his belief that marriage is between one man and one woman.

Rachel Watson, president of UCOs Student Alliance for Equality or SAFE, a group that supports LGBTQ students and faculty, told Religion News Service on Monday that her organization also supports free speech and was not involved in pressuring the student government association.

We do support his right to free speech and his right to express his ideas, Watson, who describes herself as queer, said of Ham.

Watson said she neither attended Hams presentation nor protested it.

Joe Hight, a Pulitzer Prize-winning former newspaper editor who holds the the E.K. Gaylord Endowed Chair of Journalism Ethics at UCO, said the controversy is not just over the question of free speech but also whether student activities funds should be used to cover Hams fee.

The forum held by the university Monday and Tuesday was titled The Freedom of Expression: Teaching and Learning in Our Time. Sessions tackled civil discourse under the First Amendment and freedom of speech and expression at public universities, UCO officials said.

If more people can get exposed to what the First Amendment is all about, then I think were better off, because right now in our country, weve become so polarized without realizing what the First Amendment actually says, said Hight, director of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, which is housed at UCO.

That, to me, is so important  no matter if its Ken Ham or if its another speaker  that were constantly thinking about the importance of the First Amendment and the rights were guaranteed in this country, the journalism professor said. And that we all should come together at times to hear different perspectives in this country.

Before Ham spoke, Charlie Johnson, vice president of university communications, welcomed the crowd and warned that anyone causing a disruption could be removed.

I am proud to say that this is a place where the free exchange of ideas is encouraged, Johnson said of UCO, which was founded in 1890 and is the states third-largest public university.

Amen! someone shouted  a frequent refrain by some audience members during Hams discussion of the creation account in the Bibles Book of Genesis.

University police cars were highly visible outside the venue. Inside, officers stood watch at the top and bottom of the lecture hall. However, Police Chief Jeffrey Harp said he knew of only one or two protesters who showed up. No one was arrested.

If any opponents of Hams message came to his presentation, they seemed to maintain the respectful decorum requested. No boos were heard.

At the end, Ham and Answers in Genesis faculty member Georgia Purdom, who earned a doctorate in molecular genetics from Ohio State University, answered written, anonymous questions from the audience.

One questioner  a self-described spirit-filled Christian and member of the LGBTQ community  said: I sought the Lord and churches for why I feel attracted to the same sex. I found the church nor churches traditional view on (LGBTQ) fit my experience of hearing the Lord speak directly to me. Science, not the church, gave me peace. How can you say my experience of still being a child of God isnt valid?

Ham said he would start by asking how the person heard from God: My way of dealing with that would be to say, Lets judge what the actual written word of God says. Lets judge what youre saying against what it says.

Because I have a different worldview in relation to marriage and gender doesnt mean I hate that person, Ham added. Sometimes, people accuse us of hate speech because we disagree with them. Its a clash of worldviews. That doesnt mean we hate someone. In fact, the Bible commands us to love everyone, and thats what we do.

SAFEs Walker was raised Southern Baptist but isnt active in a congregation. She said shes not concerned with how Ham views marriage.

In the Old Testament, there are a lot of different kinds of marriages that take place, she said, mentioning polygamous marriages and brothers expected to marry a deceased siblings widow.

Another student, McKay Bronn, who describes herself as Christian, said the First Amendment gives Ham the right to speak and students who dont like his message the right to protest his speech.

I was home-schooled, so I was always raised on creationist-type philosophy and comparing that to evolution. So, I was just curious to hear what he had to say, Bronn, a 21-year-old accounting and forensic science major, said of why she came to Hams presentation.
SALT LAKE CITY  Though Gov. Gary Herbert appreciates some of what President Donald Trump has done, he said it might be too early to name a southern Utah highway after him.

"Its a little premature to me from the standpoint of doing it," he said Tuesday.

Herbert said roads and buildings in Utah are typically named for people who are no longer in office or have died, listing Bangerter Highway, James V. Hansen Highway and Matheson Courthouse as examples.

The governor said he hasn't been out front on the proposal but wouldn't say whether he would veto the bill if it rolls across his desk.

"I recognize the zeal and enthusiasm that some have for Donald J. Trump," adding he shares that enthusiasm when it comes to states' rights and the president surrounding himself with former governors.

Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, considers Trump a hero and wants to rename hundreds of miles of roads the Donald J. Trump Utah National Parks Highway.

HB481, which awaits a vote in the House, would replace the Utah National Parks Highway, taking in stretches of U.S. 89, I-15 and U.S. 191, as well as parts of southern Utah roads that trace the edges of some of Utah's national parks. It carries a $124,000 price tag to change 62 roads signs on the route.

"It's going," Noel said of the legislation Tuesday.

Noel sees the designation as a thank you to the president for shrinking Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. He called Trump a "champion" for public lands and national parks, and said he deserves credit for what he's done for Utah.

Rep. Susan Duckworth, D-Magna, hopes to derail the proposal on the House floor. She has a substitute bill to rename the route the Jon M. Huntsman Sr. Memorial Utah National Parks Highway. The billionaire industrialist/philanthropist died last month.

Noel's bill has drawn widespread criticism from Democrats and environmental groups, and just as much support from rural county commissioners and some young conservative Republicans.

Sen. Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake City, has another designation in mind should the bill reach the Senate. He said he'll present an amendment to name the frontage road along the Trump highway the "Stormy Daniels rampway."

Daniels is a former porn star to whom Trumps lawyer, Michael Cohen, reportedly paid $130,000 to keep quiet about her relationship with Trump.

"(Dabakis) wants to add that to the bill?" Noel said.

Herbert said he hadn't heard about that, but it "sounds like a joke."

Dabakis told reporters he's getting calls from a number of major media outlets, including the New York Times, about the Trump designation and his proposal.

Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, said Senate Republicans haven't talked about the proposed Trump highway yet and asked if this was the "big, long road" through the state's national parks.

Told it was, Niederhauser said, "I can see naming a highway as Donald Trump Highway. I think it makes it more difficult the more roads you put into that policy."

Senate Majority Whip Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said Trump has done more for hunters, fishermen and other outdoor recreation enthusiasts "than any other president." He said the highway designation would help economic development and bring tourists to the state.

"I don't think so," said Senate Minority Leader Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake City.

Contributing: Lisa Riley Roche
SALT LAKE CITY  What Hannah Beardall best remembers about her friend and former classmate Alaina Petty is the girl's kindness.

She remembers Alaina  an LDS 14-year-old who was among the 17 shot and killed last month at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School  volunteering with Mormon Helping Hands mucking out homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

"It's really physical work, but Alaina always did more than the physical work. She was just caring. She would do anything she could to make the families feel safe and to help them emotionally, too, to feel better," Hannah, 15, recalled.

Inspired by Alaina and the others who lost their lives in the Florida tragedy, Utah lawmakers plan to present a resolution, HCR22, on Wednesday naming the month of April #MSDKindness Month after the Florida school.

The idea for the resolution came from the state of Washington, where Ernie Geigenmiller, who attended BYU with Alaina's father Ryan Petty, decided to act.

In an article for southwest Washington's Lacamas Magazine, Geigenmiller describes his feelings upon hearing the news of the shooting and urged people to "be loving, respectful, charitable to those closest to you.  Lift others around you."

"Do something kind for those (who) in your mind may least deserve it. You never know whats happening in ones heart or mind. People act out because they feel anger, insecurity, pain, suffering, loneliness," Geigenmiller wrote.

He started a #MarchKindness campaign, in which he writes a daily feature story for the magazine about various acts of kindness from those in the Washington community.

In the first #MarchKindness article, for example, Geigenmiller shared the story of a group of more than 100 women who offered a check for $8,700 to a group that offers support to families in need of counseling and basic assistance.

The next story highlighted the efforts of a group of more than 100 high school students who volunteered at a Washington food bank.

Another act of kindness profiled two women who conduct weekly "street outreach," offering assistance, food and the use of a mobile shower to homeless people in their area with the help of local churches.

Less than two weeks after Lacamas Magazine announced the campaign in a YouTube video, Utah lawmakers decided to bring the idea to the Beehive State.

"We're going to pick it up in April and do the same thing, and we're encouraging other states to also do that, to carry it forward for the whole year," said bill sponsor Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield.

During April, lawmakers hope to encourage Utahns to "participate in random acts of kindness" and to record acts of service on the SafeUT mobile app, according to the resolution.

"(The Pettys) were part of the Helping Hands in Florida and different things," Ray said, noting Alaina's commitment to service.

Ray said he plans to present the resolution to Utah lawmakers in the state Capitol Thursday morning.

Ryan Petty, who was at Florida's state Capitol Tuesday with other families of victims advocating for the protection of children, will "most likely" visit the Utah Legislature on Thursday for the presentation of the resolution, Ray said.
I love so many things about Utah. Sometimes, though, I feel like we are about two decades behind the rest of the world and I want to yell at everyone to give up their handcarts and get with the program!

I felt this way when I read about the opposition to a breastfeeding bill in front of the Utah Legislature. HB196 takes Utahs current laws on breastfeeding a step further, explicitly allowing mothers to nurse their children in all public places and businesses. According to the bills sponsor, Rep. Justin Fawson, R-North Ogden, Utah is one of only two states (along with Idaho) that doesnt have this clear-cut allowance for nursing moms.

The bill passed the House last week and, as of Tuesday afternoon, it was sitting in the Senate as the legislative session heads to its final days. But before it made it out of the House, the language was quietly amended to take out a critically important piece at the end that says women enjoy this right to nurse in public irrespective of whether the womans breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breastfeeding.

Basically, the new message is, OK, you can feed your baby here if you have to, but that mammary gland better stay covered, young lady!

This message we send to women and girls about their bodies is getting old. Its the same one schools send when they require certain modesty standards for girls with the explanation that tank tops and short skirts are too distracting to male students.

Boys and girls internalize this harmful idea at a young age. Taking out this line in the bill pushes the same, insidious rationalization: Men are uncontrollable perverts, and its up to women to cover up to protect them.

I know some people worry their impressionable children may see a breast thanks to a nursing mother. Yes, this is a risk. But what if instead of making women feel ashamed of their divinely designed bodies, parents take a minute to talk to their children about it? Maybe teach them a little more about how breastfeeding is natural and wonderful and a sacred part of maternity. Maybe then when 12-year-old Junior sees a nip slip from a mother feeding her baby, he wont be so shocked, embarrassed and irrevocably damaged.

The fact is, this bill with its original language likely wouldnt change the world too much. Im going to go out on a limb and say very few, if any, of my playdates with nursing moms would turn into all-out topless romps around the park.

But legislators pass laws every year simply to send a message about our priorities as a state. I say put the language back in and lets send the message that we appreciate moms who breastfeed. Lets show that we respect womens bodies enough not to be horrified by them, and that were done clutching our pearls at the smallest impropriety and ready to adopt some commonsense legislation to value moms.

Heres the bottom line: Dont make our babies eat in bathrooms, and dont make our moms ashamed of doing the actual work of mothering.
SALT LAKE CITY  The Senate narrowly passed a bill Tuesday that would restrict the use of noncompete contracts in Utah broadcast media.

"The support from journalists has been overwhelming," said Sen. Dan Hemmert, R-Orem, the Senate sponsor of HB241. He said it "makes sense" to place restrictions on noncompete contracts to curb abuses in the broadcast industry.

Noncompete contracts prevent employees from going to work for a competitor or start a similar business for a prescribed period of time.

Utah's major television stations oppose the bill. They contend that they put many thousands of dollars into developing and promoting anchors and reporters who viewers have come to trust as credible sources of news.

Deseret Management Corp., which owns Bonneville International Corp., KSL, Deseret Digital Media and the Deseret News, uses noncompete agreements in some cases in its TV and radio properties.

HB241 would prohibit broadcasters from using noncompete contracts for employees who make less than $47,500 per year. Employees who earn more than that could enter into those agreement with certain restrictions, including limiting a contract to four years and the noncompete agreement to one year.

If an employee is fired for just cause or quits, the noncompete clause would be enforced. If the employer fires an employee without cause or doesn't renew the contract, it would not be enforced.

"I find that current law is really working quite well," said Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, who voted against the measure.

Lawmakers two years ago passed a law limiting noncompete clauses to one year in all industries.

The Senate passed the bill 16-12 with an amendment, sending it back to the House for final approval.
SALT LAKE CITY  As plans for homeless reform have taken shape, questions have lingered about how two 200-bed shelters in Salt Lake City and a third 300-bed shelter in South Salt Lake would serve the population currently living at the Road Home's nearly 1,100-bed downtown shelter.

Critics have worried the math wouldn't add up  that the 700 new beds wouldn't be enough and would leave 400 others unsheltered. Along the way, officials have said the gap would be offset by other programs meant to divert them from becoming homeless in the first place.

But Tuesday, even as the new homeless resource centers prepare to break ground this spring, Salt Lake City leaders worried the math may not add up afterall  and urged stakeholders to start discussing a backup plan.

Whether that means canceling the downtown shelter's state-mandated closure date of June 30, 2019, or setting up a new emergency shelter somewhere else, that discussion needs to be had, Salt Lake Council Chairwoman Erin Mendenhall said.

"June of 2019 is very soon, and especially when it's government that is leading the conversation. I am getting increasingly uncomfortable that that conversation isn't already happening," Mendenhall said Tuesday during a council update on the homeless resource center programming from Karen Hale, Salt Lake County deputy mayor of community and external affairs.

"I think the commitment to the Road Home closure is unreasonable and unlikely," she said.

While Mendenhall called efforts to create more services and housing are "exceptional," she said she does not believe "it's going to reduce that increased need as our natural population grows."

"I think it's high time for us to confront the reality that the closure of the Road Home in June of 2019 was a political conversation and not one based in reality," she said.

And lifting the 200-bed cap on the Salt Lake City homeless centers won't be an option, Mendenhall added.

It's the latest bump in a process that has already left deep political scars for both Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City leaders, as communities have fought viciously against plans to site homeless resource centers in their neighborhoods.

Councilmen Derek Kitchen, Andrew Johnston and James Rogers also voiced concerns.

"We know this isn't enough, right?" Rogers said. "We know it's not going to be enough. And my worry is we're going to be back to square one  that we start talking about, 'We need another facility' ... I'm kind of concerned that it's going to be Salt Lake City again bearing that brunt, and how do we collaborate with other cities and the county to make sure that's not the case?"

Hale, when Mendenhall asked what will happen when beds fill up, acknowledged that's a "difficult question," but again referred to the county's Collective Impact Steering Committee's work to make homelessness "rare, brief and nonrecurring," and "divert" people from emergency needs and reduce the number of people needing shelter.

In an interview after the council meeting, Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski said she, too, has concerns and the question about potential need for more emergency shelter faces all stakeholders.

But, the mayor said, success of homeless diversion services are "out of the hands of the city" since they're managed by the county and the state, and the city is already doing its part by "allowing" two resource centers to be built in the city.

"I think (the council) was just reiterating, 'What is your plan? What is the overall strategy to make sure people land somewhere?" Biskupski said. "And there wasn't a very good answer. And that is concerning  it's concerning to me, it's concerning to the council ... and hopefully this (plan) will actually play out the way they think it will and the way they have told us it will."

If not  and if there's need for more emergency shelter beds  Biskupski said any additional shelter "won't be here" in Salt Lake City.

"Other communities will have to do their part," she said.

Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, who leads the county's collective impact on homelessness work, said in a phone interview later Tuesday that "this is the first we're hearing" of city concerns since state, county and city leaders announced a revised plan to build three new shelters instead of four. He noted that the county has made "a lot of progress" in programs, including more than 200 new treatment beds and Pay for Success programs.

"But if Salt Lake City is second-guessing that direction we're heading in, I guess now's a good time to know and we'll look to them to tell us what suggestions they have," McAdams said.

McAdams previously had resisted a hard closure date for the downtown shelter, arguing it should only close when its demand has been completely drawn down by the new model  clashing with Biskupski last year over the issue. City council members had also worried the hard closure would leave residents out on the street.

At the time, a spokesman for Biskupski said she had "so much faith" in the new homeless model that by the time the centers are open, the demand for the downtown shelter will no longer exist.

"The Road Home closure date was a point that Mayor Biskupski vigorously advocated for, so if they are second-guessing whether that is appropriate, then we'll listen to their concerns if they want to go back on that," McAdams said.

McAdams added, however, that he believes funds are better spent on programs to divert people from homelenesses and help them "become stable and self-reliant" like job training, drug treatment and housing, rather than more emergency shelter.
WEST JORDAN  For the past 16 years, Alton Thacker, 82, and a group retirees have produced roughly 85,000 wooden cars a year to give to kids across the world  all from a toy factory in West Jordan.

Thackers act of service was recently recognized on the Facebook show, Returning the Favor, where host Mike Rowe honors people throughout the country who have gone well and beyond to serve their communities. Thackers episode, which was filmed in West Jordan last year, aired March 6.

Id like to make a million toys, Thacker said in the episode.

Today? Rowe asked.

Before I die, Thacker answered.

Thacker is hopeful hell be able to finish his goal by this year according to a comment made in the video.

Founded in 1996, Tiny Tim's Toys Foundation is dedicated to giving toy cars to children without cost. The foundation has employed the help of lumberyards, hardware stores and even the auto paint specialists at the Central Utah Correctional Facility, according to an article written by Lee Benson for the Deseret News.

Tiny Tim was a real person. We met him while we were in Mexico. He was severely handicapped, and he taught us that if you want to be happy, you do something for somebody else, Thacker told Rowe.

The factory, which opened in 2002, engages volunteers who average 72 years of age and who sacrifice their time creating toys for children out of wood that would otherwise be thrown away. Not only have the toys given the children joy, but also the toymakers. Thacker has described his work of managing the factory as a blessing to his life.

In the episode, Thacker, an ATV enthusiast, is rewarded for his efforts by Rowe and his production team by receiving a set of wheels himself.

This is the second time Thacker has been thanked for his deeds. In 2017, when Thacker was running into difficulties paying the rent, a KSL TV reporter gave him another chance to keep going. According to an article written by Ray Boone for KSL, Thacker was "overwhelmed" by the number of people who wanted to help  even committing to recurring donations.

If you want to be happy, you do something for someone else, Thacker said in the video.
SOUTH SALT LAKE  South Salt Lake police say it may be another day or two before they finish going through the massive amount of suspected stolen items stored in and around a man's property.

In fact, police say the big break in the case came because the man apparently ran out of space to store all of his stolen items.

Anthony Lee Cantrell, 38, of South Salt Lake, was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Tuesday for investigation of 10 counts of theft by receiving stolen property, and four counts of receiving or transferring stolen property.

On Tuesday, South Salt Lake police were investigating a parking problem near 66 W. Oakland Ave. (2475 South). A box trailer was illegally parked in the road, said South Salt Lake police detective Gary Keller.

When officers ran the serial number on the trailer, they discovered it had been stolen, he said. That prompted officers to check other trailers parked on the property, and they also came back as stolen.

From there, Keller said, the investigation snowballed.

As of Tuesday night, 21 stolen motor vehicles, including boats, jet skis, four-wheel ATVs, and trailers were recovered and impounded, according to a jail report. Keller said that number is expected to go up.

"It's going to end up more than that once we get to the bottom of it," he said. "There's just a massive amount of stuff."

Investigators called owners on Tuesday to come and retrieve their stolen property as quickly as they could track them down. One man had his boat stolen a year ago, Keller said.

"He said, 'I just bought that thing, and I never ever got to use it.'"

Another item recovered was a riding machine used to paint stripes in parking lots.

Police did not have a count Wednesday of how many items had been seized from the property, but Keller said detectives were expected to be in the back yard of the house all day recovering stolen materials.

Cantrell "claimed that he was purchasing the vehicles from local classifieds for well below market value," the report states.

Keller said investigators may have a hard time proving whether Cantrell was stealing the items himself or purchasing stolen items from classified ads.

"A reasonable person would have known that the vehicles were stolen" based on how cheap he allegedly bought them for, the report states.

Keller said the items are believed to have been stolen from Davis and Utah counties. Whether it was physically possible for Cantrell to solely be responsible for all of the stolen items on his property was still under investigation Wednesday.

When police questioned some of Cantrell's neighbors, Keller said they didn't seem overly alarmed at the growing amount of trailers, cars and jet skis on his property.

"'I just thought he was collecting junk,'" Keller said one neighbor told him. "He really didn't think much of it."

Cantrell was renting the house from Jack Erickson, who said he believed Cantrell was renting space to his friends.

"I would have never guessed it was all stolen goods," Erickson said.

Cantrell was first sent to the Utah State Prison in 1998 on a burglary conviction, according to court records. In 2002 he was sentenced to one to 15 years for burglary. Cantrell was sentenced to another term of up to five years in prison on a theft conviction in 2006. In 2008, he pleaded no contest to aggravated assault by a prisoner and was sentenced to an additional one to 15 years in prison.
Rick Ross Admitted In Hospital, May Have Suffered A Third Heart Attack!

Hollywood rapper and entrepreneur Rick Ross is known to have delivered many rap hip-hop chartbuster songs such as Purple Lamborghini, The Devil Is a Lie and Aston Martin Music. According to news published on deccanchronicle.com, the rapper is not well and is currently on the support of a machine which is performing the functions of his heart and lungs.





Earlier, Rick Ross was discovered unresponsive at his home in the wee hours of the early morning on Thursday. The rapper is currently under treatment at the cardiac unit of a hospital in Miami. It is being rumoured that he might have suffered a heart attack.





Previously, the rapper has suffered seizures. He has also experienced two heart attacks during two different flight journeys in his private jet in October 2011. His next solo studio album Port of Miami: Born to Kill is scheduled to release this year.





For latest movie reviews, ratings and trailers, download the Desimartini App.

Source: wallpapercave.com
Ambareeshs First Look From His Upcoming Next!

The popular Sandalwood actor, Ambareesh, is known for acting in pivotal roles in films. And, now it seems that the actor is excited about his upcoming film, Ambi Ning Vysaitho. Lets find more about his role in the movie.





The upcoming Ambi Ning Vysaitho, the remake of the Tamil hit Pa Paandi, has the Rebel star of Sandalwood gung-ho about his shoot according to reports. While talking about the film, the co-director Sanchith Sanjeev, said, We will begin Sudeep sirs portions from March 15. At the same time, we will have a change of look and can different portions of Ambareesh sir. While Gurudatha will helm the portions with Sudeep, I will direct Ambareeshs. We will be done with the first halfs shoot in another week.





There are reports that Ambareesh seems very excited about the script and is the most energetic person on the set. Directed by debutant Gurudatha Ganiga, the film stars Suhasini Manirathnam, Sudeep and Sruthi Hariharan. We are yet to see the film stealing the hearts of the audience.





For latest movie reviews, ratings and trailers, download the Desimartini App.





Source: indiatimes.com
Right across Africa, municipalities and national governments are looking to transform major urban areas into smart cities.

They envision cities where connected sensors and devicessuch as smart traffic lights, CCTV cameras, drones and sensorsdrive transport systems, emergency services, utilities like water and power, and even services such as garbage collection.

These sensors will produce massive pools of data that city managers can use to optimise the performance of infrastructure such as the power grid and water system and to manage urban problems such as energy efficiency, criminal activity and traffic congestion. Cities will have the big data at their fingertips they need to make informed decisions about housing development, deployment of police, and so much more.

For residents, too, the benefits are immense. The Digitisation of government services will allow them to enjoy seamless and reliable municipal services. Increasingly, they will also enjoy free Internet services provided by their cities, allowing them to easily access a wealth of government, educational, health and commercial services and information.

Commuters in Cape Town, South Africa, for instance, can already access Wi-Fi on the MyCiTi buses, as well as in many urban metros, allowing for the democratisation of internet access. In Kigali, Rwanda, a number of interesting smart city proofs of concept are currently been rolled out. Some examples include sensors in buildings to monitor air quality, smart buses with Wi-Fi connectivity, and a precision farming initiative that uses sensors to monitor water consumption and crop yields.

Bringing the smart city vision to life will demand significant investments in Africas fixed-line telecoms networks. One such investment, back in 2009, saw SEACOM launch the first submarine cable system along Africas east coast, connecting people, governments and businesses to fast, affordable Internet services. More submarine cables followed off the east and west coasts, creating a resilient ring of fast connectivity.

Meanwhile, local and regional telecoms players have invested in connecting metropolitan areas in major economies with fibre, as well as in building national and regional fibre backbones to connect towns and cities to these submarine cables and the rest of the world.

With fibre links from city-to-city and fibre rings around many key cities, the missing piece of the puzzle is ubiquitous fibre to the premises. The industry is making investments in fibre to the home and business, as well as LTE/4G in many of the larger cities, but weve only just begun. Much more must be done to deliver universal access to seamless, fast, high quality fibre connectivity in every African city.

Why fibre in a mobile-dominated continent like Africa?

Because only fibre can truly deliver the high bandwidth and performance we will need in cities where millions of people use content-rich applications from their mobile devices and where millions more connected sensors, robots and automated systems gather data and talk to each other.

Find out more...

A longer version of this article is published in Developing Telecoms new special report on Smart City Technologies in emerging markets. To continue reading and learn more about the benefits of fibre for mobile operators, governments and businesses in Africa and other emerging markets click here to download a free copy of this report.

About SEACOM

SEACOM is the preferred supplier and partner for African enterprises, network carriers and service providers, offering a full suite of resilient and scalable data services and a vast supply of high quality and affordable Internet bandwidth to Africas growing ICT community.

SEACOM has the best and most advanced data network in Africa and has earned trust from carriers, MNOs and ISPs to deliver their international data connectivity through its ownership of Africas most extensive ICT data infrastructure.

Follow us on Twitter: @SEACOM
Subtel, the Chilean telecommunications regulator, has issued two calls for tenders for extensions to its southern fibre network.

The US$100 million network, known as Fibra Optica Austral, will bring much needed advanced telecommunications to the Patagonian region of Chile. The latest tenders are for almost 4,000km of fibre optic infrastructure covering two terrestrial sections in Los Lagos and Aysen. The contracts for the work will be placed in July with completion deadlines of 22 to 24 months.

The new tender call is in addition to the award of the Austral Submarine Trunk to the company Communication and Rural Telephony (CTR), and the Magallanes Terrestrial Trunk, to the company Conductividad Austral Ltda, which were approved by the Council of Development of Telecommunications, CDT, in October 2017.

These contracts install a 3,000km submarine cable from Puerto Montt to Puerto Williams with landings at Caleta Tortel and Punta Arenas plus a land-based stretch from Puerto Natales to Porvenir in Magallanes.

At the time of this award, the Telecommunications Development Council, in addition to approving the tender for the underwater section and the Magallanes terrestrial section, concluded that the proposals submitted by the different bidders did not meet the technical requirements and chose to make a new call for the land sections of Los Lagos and Aysen.

"Today has been published in the Official Gazette the call for tenders for the land sections of Aysen and Los Lagos of the Fiber Optic Austral project. With this we have closed all projects committed by the Government of President Michelle Bachelet, "said Undersecretary of Telecommunications, Rodrigo Ramirez Pino, on Monday.

"The deployment of digital infrastructure in the extreme south of the country will give Chile a strategic autonomy, it will materialize and make real the aspiration of digital integration for the more than 300,000 Chileans who inhabit Patagonia and it will put our country in conditions optimal to become the Digital Hub of the Southern Cone," added the head of Subtel.

Among the main features of the new official announcement this Monday for the land sections of the regions of Los Lagos and Aysen, are the increase of 20% of the maximum subsidy available for each trunk optical infrastructure, compared to the previous competition, plus of a reduction of at least 50% in the commercial tariff of the terrestrial optical channel for projects approved by the CDT.

The new tender maintains the requirement that the deployment of infrastructure must have 15% of the total terrestrial optical channels for the service and exclusive use of public agencies, which will ensure the implementation of development plans and implementation of public policies in the different social areas necessary for the development of the area and the social welfare of its inhabitants.
BoConcept remains a force to be reckoned with more than 65 years after its first piece, a cabinet made of oak veneer and walnut, left the factory.

The award-winning design team has been credited with a number of firsts, including introducing the flexible furniture system to Scandinavia in 1979 and creating the first piece of ready-to-assemble Danish furniture according to the now-famous knock-down model in 1984.

Very impressive, you say, but what does that mean for me?

Were glad you asked. Let us paint a picture.

BoConcept whips up ingenious interior design solutions for the entire home and serves them on a platter of proud Danish heritage with a side helping of customisation.

For your living room, theres the Ottawa Sofa, a multifunctional modular piece that can be arranged and rearranged to suit any space. Combine the modules to create a larger, more spacious oasis with plenty of room for family and friends, or divide the pieces to provide seating for multiple rooms in your bachelor pad.

For your office, try the Cupertino or Copenhagen Desk. Cupertino is all about maximising utility while minimising space with features like integrated storage and a built-in writing pad.

Its a chic starter desk for the urban hustler whose big ambitions cant be contained by his diminutive city flat. If youve been on the grind for a while, try Cupertinos big sibling Copenhagen. Copenhagen offers a complete home office system and a stylish a statement for the man whos made it.

For your home office or bedroom, get hold of the Copenhagen Bookcase. The flexible wall unit can be customised with a variety of colours, finishes, and storage options to suit your space. Use it to showcase your watch collection or the books you swear youre going to start reading before bed instead of scrolling through Instagram.

Thats just the tip of this very Danish iceberg. BoConcept offers a wide range of pieces for the living room, bedroom, dining room and home office, from elegant armchairs, to practical console tables, to contemporary beds and decorative accessories.

And lucky for those who would rather read junk mail while queuing at the post office and listening to Kevin Federline than sort through swatches, theyll even help you put it all together.
The Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian has reiterated the churchs opposition to abortion in all cases, stating that it is a life or death issue.

He was speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland ahead of the ruling from the Supreme Court that the unborn have no rights under the constitution other than the right to life in the Eighth Amendment.

The landmark case came about after the State had appealed a High Court finding that the unborn has constitutional rights beyond the right to life.

Speaking from Maynooth where the General Meeting of the Irish Catholic Bishops Conference is being held, Bishop McGuckian said he will be issuing a pastoral statement on the issue of abortion.

He reiterated the churchs opposition to abortion in all cases.

Tragic cases

There are tragic cases of all kinds where a woman carrying a child in very difficult circumstances deserves the love and compassion that we can give to her and her husband and partner and family, but also there is a love for the unborn child and the unborn child as I believe the constitution has always recognised even before Article 40.3.3, the unborn child is one of us. We share this common humanity.

There is a real danger for us in Ireland, and we would hope and pray and ask people to pray, that the Irish people will not lose their clarity about this fundamental truth that we are all one and the unborn are one with us.

What we are talking about is a very fundamental principle that cannot be modified. This is a life or death issue and the choice that is made is about the life or death of a human being.

Bishop McGuckian said he did not accept the view of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists that the Eighth Amendment had caused grave harm to women, including death.

I think all of the evidence in Ireland is that pregnant women are safer almost more than any other country in the world. We have heard many people say that very, very clearly. There are medical professionals that are very clear that the situation of pregnant women in Ireland is safer and the medical system that we have had has protected pregnant women in Ireland as well and better than anywhere else in the world.

He said bishops have already issued pastoral statements on the issue and he intends to issue one.

Bishops are teachers and we have a duty to teach that this fundamental principle that really is in danger of simply being obliterated in Ireland. We are not campaigners, we are teachers.

In a democracy, it is not my job to tell people how they must vote, but it is my job to teach this very, very fundamental principle about the sacredness and preciouses of every human life.
Up to 10,000 spectators are expected to throng the streets of Bundoran for the annual St Patricks Day parade which will take place on March 17th at 3:30pm.

As the event falls on a Saturday this year, the town is expected to be extra busy on the weekend that traditionally kicks off the tourist season for the seaside town.

The theme of this years parade is celebration of the 100th anniversary of the female vote in 1918. Business and community groups are encouraged to theme their entries around this idea. Prizes will be on offer for the top 3 floats/entries in this years parade.

Parade Director John OConnell anticipates a large entry from the business and local community for this years parade.

He said: Judging by the amount of inquiries we have had over the past few weeks, we can expect a bumper turnout for this years parade. We have confirmed that two American colleges will take part this year, a Douzelage group from our twin town in Germany and the Women of Irish Heritage who will be with us from New Jersey. We also look forward to welcoming community, sporting and business groups from the locality who are always great supporters of our event. We would advise spectators to gather early to ensure a space along the route.

The parade will commence at 3:30pm on Saturday March 17th from East End (junction of Sea Road and Main Street), continuing along Main Street before turning at the West End Playground and finishing at Magh Ene College, where refreshments will be served to participants.

For those not in a position to be at the parade on the day, it will be broadcast live on the Discover Bundoran Facebook page and there will be regular updates on the Discover Bundoran Instagram feed throughout the day.

Groups interested in participating in this years parade are asked to fill out an online form here  https://goo.gl/forms/MUmxLFTWm bDDeYbh2. Other inquiries can be directed to John OConnell at 086 2266799 or email stpatricksday@discoverbundoran.com - further details on events happening on the day can be found at www.discoverbundoran.com/stpat ricksday.
AMG will go electric.

Mercedes performance division is preparing for a future not only with hybrids but also fully-electric vehicles in the pursuit of more efficient and more powerful models.

Speaking to Australian media at the 2018 Geneva motor show, AMG CEO Tobias Moers admitted electric AMGs are under consideration but no firm decision has been taken beyond introducing hybrid models, starting with the AMG GT 4-door Coupe. Future AMG hybrids are expected to carry the 'EQ Power+' branding already seen on the company's Formula One racers.

Asked if AMG could offer a fully electric model, Moers said: Thats a good question. Our portfolio we have today with 43s, and in future with the 35s, 45s and 53s, it doesnt need to be the top model in our portfolio has to be battery driven. It could be something in our portfolio. This is where were working on. Theres nothing decided but this is what were working on.

Mercedes is preparing to launch 10 battery electric vehicles (BEV) under the EQ sub-brand, starting in 2019 with the EQ C. When pushed if AMG will offer its own take on those models Moers was open-minded.

Maybe were going to pick one of the new BEVs and make an AMG derivative out of it,  he said. Its possible. Theres nothing excluded but nothing included as well.

While an electric AMG may sound strange to fans of the brand, which has a tradition of loud and powerful petrol engines, Moers concedes the world is changing and the brand needs to adapt.

AMG is a worldwide company and we are in the performance segment, he explained. I think that hybridisation and electrification is going to be the key, because you can think on a new dimension, you can think different. And this is what we do.

The company already some experience with electric power, selling less than 100 examples of the SLS E-Cell (pictured), which was powered by four electric motors instead of the regular 6.2-litre V8.
The four Ducati imported bikes are the Ducati Monster 1200, Monster 1200 S (red), Monster 1200 S (charcoal grey) and the Panigale R Final Edition.

Ducati also sells Completely Knocked Down (CKD) units in India, but the brand is not affected by the revision in prices.

The bike manufacturer imports almost most of its products from Thailand.

Since India and Thailand have a Free Trade Agreement, import duties are significantly lower.

Recommended Video - Watch Now! Ducati Panigale V4 India Specs

However, bikes are being imported from Italy gets a price reduction based on the new import duties.

Other brands such as BMW, Harley-Davidson, Triumph and Indian Motorcycles have announced a reduction in the price of their bikes.

Here's the revised and new Ducati bike price list:

Model Old Price New Price Difference Monster 1200 Rs 23.02 Lakh Rs 20.10 Lakh Rs 2.92 Lakh Monster 1200 S (Red) Rs 28.12 Lakh Rs 24.63 Lakh Rs 3.49 Lakh Monster 1200 S (Charcoal Grey) Rs 28.21 Lakh Rs 24.73 Lakh Rs 3.48 Lakh Panigale R Final Edition Rs 59.18 Lakh Rs 51.82 Lakh Rs 7.36 Lakh

DriveSpark's Thoughts About The New Ducati Bike Prices

While the Indian government has reduced the import taxes by 25 percent, bike manufacturer's are not passing on the entire benefit to customers.

Ducati's new price list reveals the reduction is in the range of 12 to 13 percent.

But this has to do with the new Goods and Service Tax (GST) and the Social Welfare Surcharge, which has replaced Educational Cess and Secondary and Higher Education Cess.

The Social Welfare Surcharge is 10 percent, while those of the educational cess was 3 percent.
A new high-fashion ladies boutique opened last week in Irish Street, Ardee, County Louth, bringing many top European labels to the region.

Venezuela Boutique markets an exclusive range of leading fashion brand-labels from Europe and further afield.

The new store joins the existing Venezuela Boutiques in Mullingar, County Westmeath and Skerries, County Dublin.

Venezuela Boutique says that they have been helping smart women dress well for over a decade and they say that their philosophy is to offer beautiful clothes that change lives.

Buying for the store is undertaken principally by founder and proprietor Sandra Cumisky who travels to leading fashion houses throughout Europe to ensure her clients can have the very best of the ever-evolving European fashion scene.

It is satisfying and exhilarating, she says, to know that the women we dress are among the most fashionable in the world.

The new Ardee boutique assures all visitors that they will receive a warm welcome to their new store.

Enquiries are always welcome also by calling 041 685 8725 - or by dropping an email to venezuelaboutique@gmail.com
Local entrepreneur John Teeling will be the special guest at a free enterprise lunch taking place in Dundalk later this week, rounding off a very busy week of Louth Local Enterprise Week events.

The free lunch, which will be held on Friday March 9th from 12.30pm to 3pm at the An Tain Theatre in Dundalk, is open to business owners and entrepreneurs from around the county.

After a busy Enterprise Week, we are rounding it off on Friday with an inspiring enterprise lunch featuring entrepreneur John Teeling as our very special guest," LEO Louth's Head of Enterprise Thomas McEvoy said.

Teeling (pictured above, right) is estimated to be worth 38 million and sold his Cooley distillery to Jim Beam for more than 70 million seven years ago. The veteran businessman is also active in the exploration sector via companies including Botswana Diamonds and Petrel.His sons Stephen and Jack have also developed a highly successful Teeling Whiskey business, based in Dublin.

A serial entrepreneur, John Teeling has the distinction of setting up more listed companies on the London Stock Exchange than any other Irishman. "John has particular expertise and involvement in the Irish whiskey sector - as well as having sold Cooley Distillery, he has recently led the development of The Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk," McEvoy said.

John Teeling also holds degrees in Economics and Business from University College Dublin.

This Friday's event will also serve as a showcase for three of Louths emerging business leaders.

"This year is the 20th anniversary of the National Enterprise Awards and at our Enterprise Lunch we will announce the three Louth category winners. We will also reveal which company will represent Louth in the National Finals in the Mansion House Dublin in May.

To book your place at the lunch, click here.

Local Enterprise Week Louth is hosted by Louth County Council and Local Enterprise Office Louth. It is running all this week - from the 4th to the 9th of March - across the county. Local Enterprise Week offers 12 free education and networking events for business of all types. Check out the full line-up and get more info on supports and more by visiting www.localenterprise.ie/louth.
A closure order was served for part of the The Carrickdale Hotel bar area last month for breaches of food safety legislation, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) have revealed today.

Six closure orders were served countrywide last month and the Carrickarnon venue saw the food area of their bar area issued with a closure order under the FSAI Act 1998.

According to the closure order issued to The Carrickdale Hotel, 'Current mouse activity was observed in the bar area.'

'The conditions observed pose or are likely to pose a serious risk of contamination rendering the foodstuffs in this area unfit or injurious to health,' the order read.

The whole premises was not ordered to close, but the bar area was ordered to shut from February 21st until the order was lifted on February 24th.

"Food businesses must recognise that the legal onus is on them to make sure that the food they sell or serve is safe to eat," Dr Pamela Byrne, FSAI Chief Executive said.

"Some of the recurring findings are filthy premises and premises that are not pest-proofed. These are basic requirements and there are no excuses for bad practice.

"Maintaining a food business requires ongoing compliance with food safety and hygiene standards," she continued.

"Non-compliances are not tolerated and breaches of food safety legislation are dealt with to the full extent of food law. Food businesses should take full advantage of the information and support provided by the inspectorate and the FSAI.

Under the FSAI Act, 1998, a Closure Order is served where it is deemed that there is or there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health at or in the premises; or where an Improvement Order is not complied with. Closure Orders can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the food premises, or all or some of its activities.
Kerry Foods workers in Carrickmacross began the first of three one day strikes on Tuesday this week - leading Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy to urge the company to implement a voluntary redundancy scheme.

SIPTU members at the plant commenced a 24-hour work stoppage on Tuesday in a dispute resulting from an attempt to make 31 workers redundant without agreement. There are over 300 SIPTU members employed in the plant, which employs 416 people.

Carthy visited SIPTU members at the factory as the strike began and said, "SIPTU members at Kerry Foods in Carrickmacross began a 24-hour work stoppage this morning over efforts force redundancy on 31 workers.

"Two other stoppages are scheduled to take place on Tuesday 13th and Tuesday 20th March. I had previously called on the company to use all avenues to avoid any redundancies if at all possible.

"In written correspondence and in phone conversation with a senior official in the company I further requested of Kerry Group, in the event that the loss of 31 jobs is unavoidable, to put in place a voluntary redundancy scheme as opposed to forced redundancy," he continued.

"I also made Sinn Feins position clear that there must be a fair and adequate redundancy package for those workers who may wish to leave.

Kerry Foods is held in high esteem in Carrickmacross and surrounding areas and with a little bit of goodwill I believe Kerry Group could limit the potential for distress and disruption among workers and the local community.

"Kerry Group made profits of 750million in 2016. There is certainly the capacity to be imaginative and fair in their response to this issue. SIPTU representatives have made it clear that they are available to meet with the company at any time to discuss a fair resolution to this dispute.

Kerry Foods has said that it can only offer voluntary redundancy in some cases - not all. It is looking to streamline it's operations.

The factory, based in the IDA Industrial estate in the town, makes frozen prepared meals for export to the UK. It is understood the implications of Brexit is playing a role in the company's decision.

In a statement made when the decision to make 31 staff redundant was first announced in January, they said no other plants are under threat and that Carrickmacross is uniquely vulnerable."

Carthy also called on Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys to intervene in the stand off between employers and SIPTU members.
Drogheda Coast Guard are reporting that an elderly woman has passed away today after she was rescued from the Boyne River earlier.

Drogheda Coastguard state on their Facebook page that they were called out to a report that an elderly lady was missing and had possibly entered the river Boyne in an unknown location this morning.

"Drogheda Coast Guard boat immediately began a search of the river Boyne", the statement began. "After about ten minutes searching, the DCG boat team located a female in the water at Donor's Green area of the river.

"The lady was taken on board DCG boat and CPR was immediately commenced. The casualty was taken to our station at Horse Lane where they were met by local ambulance crews.

"CPR was continued throughout the incident, assisted by members of the Boyne Fishermens rescue service. The lady was transferred by ambulance to Our Lady Of Lourdes hospital where she was sadly pronounced deceased.

"Drogheda Coast Guard unit would like to extend its deepest condolences to the lady's family and friends at this tragic time.

"We would also like to thank all services for their assistance during this incident."

Speaking to The Democrat, Drogheda Coast Guard stated that it has been a very busy period for them with four such incidents this week alone. People are reminded that if you see anyone in trouble on or near the water dial 112/999 for help.


Instantly delete email threats for Office 365

365 Threat Monitor scans all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Receive real-time phone alerts, get real-time security breach updates and instantly delete threats with just one click - for free! Learn More.

Amazon on Thursday began offering same-day delivery of grocery items from Whole Foods Market to Prime members in four select markets.

For a minimum order of US$35, Prime members get free two-hour delivery between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. One-hour delivery is available for a $7.99 fee.

Among the items customers can order for delivery are fresh produce, meat and seafood; grocery staples; flowers; and some alcoholic beverages. They can place orders at the Prime Now website or through the Prime Now app on an iOS or Android device.

The service is available in neighborhoods of Austin, Cincinnati, Dallas and Virginia Beach for now. It will be expanded across the United States later this year.

Eager Market

The delivery service is in line with Amazon's pledge to make Prime the customer rewards program at Whole Foods Market.

"Whole Foods customers are affluent, with an average income of $95,000 per year," noted Cindy Zhou, principal analyst at Constellation Research.

They "are digitally connected and busy, so grocery delivery services are attractive," she told the E-Commerce Times.

Consumer demand is high, according to Zhou.

"Companies like Instacart, which added 80 new markets last year, continue to grow," she pointed out.

"The rise and success of preplanned meal [services] like Blue Apron has shown retailers that people crave the experience and benefits of cooking at home, but they struggle to find the time and are willing to pay for convenience," said Greg Ng, VP of digital engagement at PointSource.

"This offering hits that sweet spot," he told the E-Commerce Times.

There's another benefit for Amazon in introducing the two-hour service.

It "will help Amazon grow their Prime membership numbers," Zhou said.

Prime Turf

Austin is home to Whole Foods, and Dallas, Cincinnati and Virginia are high-end cities that "are good test beds to see what would work across the country," noted Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research.

Amazon's announcement appears to indicate it's only focusing on select neighborhoods in the four cities instead of rolling out the delivery services throughout them.

"They want to test the infrastructure they have in place to serve the higher-end and denser neighborhoods," Wang suggested.

"They have cherry-picked the neighborhoods more likely to use Prime and buy Whole Foods," he told the E-Commerce Times. "They have also chosen very specific types of demographics in each neighborhood."

That selectivity is essential to the success of this project.

"Like any trial run, it's important to start out with a market size that's small enough to deeply analyze and be responsive to changes in real time while also being large enough to gather quality data," Ng noted. "The marketing, promotion, and employee enablement needed to roll out this program is very risky."

Supermarkets offering delivery services to customers won't be impacted by this service, Constellation's Wang said, because "Whole Foods offers high margin, high quality products."

Tricky Business

Delivering perishable items will be the new service's greatest challenge.

Perishables require a cold food supply chain, Wang pointed out. "Refrigerated trucks. Limited delivery times. It's harder than just delivering a package."

Non-perishable items ordered through Prime Now can be left on a customer's doorstep, Ng said, but "what happens when it's cottage cheese and the temperature's 95 degrees outside?"

Amazon's purchase of Whole Foods also gave it a toehold in arch-rival Instacart, which in 2016 signed a five-year deal with Whole Foods that would make it the grocery chain's exclusive delivery partner for perishables. As part of the deal, Whole Foods invested in Instacart.

That stake in Instacart could help propel Amazon to dominance in the food delivery industry, but perhaps at a steep price.

Instacart last year signed a deal with German grocery chain Aldi, which at the time had 1,300 stores throughout the United States and was planning to increase that number to 2,000.

Amazon might attempt to buy both Instacart and Aldi to acquire their business, although whether they will agree to sell remains to be seen.

Richard Adhikari has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2008. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, mobile technologies, CRM, databases, software development, mainframe and mid-range computing, and application development. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including Information Week and Computerworld. He is the author of two books on client/server technology. Email Richard.




Instantly delete email threats for Office 365

365 Threat Monitor scans all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Receive real-time phone alerts, get real-time security breach updates and instantly delete threats with just one click - for free! Learn More.

Samsung on Sunday raised the curtain on the latest models of its flagship Galaxy smartphones, the S9 and S9+, featuring improved imaging and audio performance.

Two standout features in the 12-megapixel rear-facing camera are improved low light performance and super slow-mo video.

By adding dual aperture capabilities to the camera (f1.5/f2.4), Samsung has boosted the unit's performance in challenging lighting conditions, allowing more light through the lens when conditions are dark and less in bright light.

Samsung also made improvements in the processing of low light photos.

"They've improved the noise reduction, which is important in a low light photograph," said Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticle Research.

"Very often, when you take a picture in low light, you'll see a lot of graininess," he told TechNewsWorld. "Samsung has taken advantage of the latest advances in processors, both theirs and Qualcomm's."

In North America, the S9 models are built around Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 processor.

Galaxy S9 and S9+ Specs

Super Slow-Mo

The camera also can capture video at super slow-mo speeds of 960 frames a second, which can drag out two-tenths of second of live action into six seconds of slow motion video.

"It's something that people are going to want to use sparingly to highlight a particular point of interest," Rubin said.

"Super slow-mo is very cool if you're into that, but not everybody is," Technalysis Research Chief Analyst Bob O'Donnell told TechNewsWorld.

The cameras made an overall favorable impression on Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy.

"The S9 and S9+ cameras look incredible, especially the S9+," he told TechNewsWorld.

"They're a melting pot of all the desired features users will find important, plus a few features, like Super Slow-mo, that people will want," Moorhead said. "While I need to test the S9+, it very well could be the best camera available."

AR Emoji and 360 Sound

The new Galaxy models support the creation of augmented reality emoji. The feature can analyze a two-dimensional image of a user and map out more than 100 facial features to create a three-dimensional model that reflects and imitates expressions, like winks and nods.

The AR emojis can be shared through video, as well as stickers and AGIF files, which are compatible with most third-party messaging platforms.

However, Samsung may need to work out some kinks in the feature.

"It doesn't work that well," Technalysis's O'Donnell said. "In my case, the emoji didn't look like me."

Samsung has beefed up the sound systems in the new S9s. The phones have stereo speakers tuned by AKG, and they support Dolby Atmos, creating a 360-degree sound effect.

The S9 models are about 40 percent louder than their S8 predecessors, Moorhead noted.

"If they do Dolby Atmos well," said O'Donnell, "it could be a real game changer for some people. It's a real nice feature and capability."

New Smart Home App

With the S9s, Samsung has introduced SmartThings, a new connected home app.

The app can serve as a central hub to control both Samsung and other brands' connected devices at home, in the office or on the go, the company said.

"Samsung is trying to solve one of the biggest issues in home automation, and that is having too many apps that don't work together," Moorhead explained.

"SmartThings pulls together hundreds of home automation devices, most non-Samsung, with one app to manage them and have them work together," he said.

"Conceptually, it looks great, but the devil is in the details of what it can actually talk to and what it can't," observed O'Donnell.

Samsung also introduced a new docking station with the Galaxy models. The Dex Pad allows the smartphones to connect to a monitor, keyboard and mouse.

"The new DeX Pad gives Samsung an enterprise competitive edge for sure," Moorhead said. "No other company has this kind of docking sophistication that turns the phone into a PC."

No Rush to Upgrade

Will the new features in the S9 models spur an upgrade rush among Samsung owners?

"It will be a tough sell for Galaxy S8 owners. The S8 already has strong imaging capabilities," Reticle's Rubin observed.

"It's really about providing some extra incentive for people with older handsets to upgrade now," he said.

The improvements in the phones are well executed but incremental, according to O'Donnell.

"The phone market has become one of incremental changes for everybody," he said. "It's getting harder and harder to make a significant distinction, which is why people are holding on to their phones longer, and why the market is starting to decline."

The 5.8-inch S9 and 6.2-inch S9+ have super AMOLED displays with resolutions of 2960 x 1440 pixels, and they include 64 GB of memory. Pricing varies from carrier to carrier, with the S9 costing about US$800 and the S9+ around $920, although trade-ins can knock off as much as $350 from those prices.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be available starting March 16 in select markets and will be offered in Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, Coral Blue and the new Lilac Purple.

John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John.


GENEVA  The UN has held an event in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss the impact of the fashion industry on the organisations target of achieving its self-imposed SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

The fashion sector has been cited by the UN as the industry responsible for the second highest levels of water consumption globally along with emitting 20 per cent of the worlds water waste.
The Arctic just experienced its warmest winter on record, scientists say. In the dead of winter, temperatures at the North Pole approached the melting point, the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colorado found.

"It's just crazy, crazy stuff," NSIDC director Mark Serreze told the Associated Press. "These heat wavesI've never seen anything like this."

Several areas in the Arctic have reported record-high heat. As the AP reported, Cape Morris Jesup, in the northernmost point of Greenland, saw temperatures normally seen in May. Not only that, 15 different Arctic weather stations clocked temperatures 10 degrees above normal .

Data from climatologist Brian Brettschneider of the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks show that the Arctic Circle in Barrow, Alaska, was 18 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than normal in February, and the entire winter, which spans from December to February, averaged 14 degrees above normal.

NASA remarked that temperatures have soared in the Arctic for the fourth winter in a row: "The heat, accompanied by moist air, is entering the Arctic not only through the sector of the North Atlantic Ocean that lies between Greenland and Europe, as it has done in previous years, but is also coming from the North Pacific through the Bering Strait."

"We have seen winter warming events before, but they're becoming more frequent and more intense," noted Alek Petty, a sea ice researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The region also experienced record-low sea ice for this time of year, with open water areas expanding rapidly in the Bering Sea off Alaska's west coast.

Climate scientist Zack Labe, who frequently shares striking graphs of the region's anomalies, illustrated the Bering Sea's disappearing ice pack.

Zack Labe

The sea ice should be thick and strong this time of year, but it's so low that there is now an unprecedented pathway.

"There is now connected open water from the Bering Sea into the Chukchi," tweeted Rick Thoman of Alaska's National Weather Service. "You could sail you[r] boat to north of the Arctic Circle. In February. Through the Bering Strait. Think about it."
By John Gibler

Midday on Friday, Mar. 2, as family and colleagues marked the second anniversary of the murder of Berta Caceres, Honduran federal police arrested Roberto David Castillo Mejia at the San Pedro Sula International Airport as he tried to leave the country.

Honduran authorities are charging Castillo Mejia with being an "intellectual author" of Caceres's assassination. "Castillo was in charge of providing logistical support and other resources to one of the material authors," authorities said in a press release.

Berta Caceres, a renowned Honduran environmentalist, feminist and indigenous leader, was murdered in her home just before midnight on Mar. 2, 2016, provoking widespread outrage in Honduras and across the world.

Gustavo Castro, a Mexican activist and close friend of Caceres's who had gone to her house that night to prepare for a workshop the following day, miraculously survived a close-range shot to the head. "When I saw in [the gunman's] eyes the decision to kill me, I instinctively moved my hand and head," Castro told me in an interview in Mexico City in 2016 during the course of investigating Caceres's murder for Sierra Magazine. "The killer experienced an optical illusion that he had shot me in the head."

Castillo Mejia's arrest is the ninth so far in the case. Previous arrests have included former and active military agents as well as mid-level executives from Desarrollos Energeticos, (DESA), the company behind the Agua Zarca dam that Caceres and her organization, the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), fought against.

Castillo Mejia graduated from West Point in 2004 and served in the Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence Department of the Honduran Armed Forces. In 2008, Castillo Mejia began working for the Honduran National Electric Energy Company while still on active duty with the Honduran Armed Forces. This led Castillo Mejia to come under investigation for corruption, as in Honduras it is illegal to take two distinct federal salaries at the same time.

Castillo Mejia became the executive president of DESA in 2011, a position he maintained during the years of conflict with COPINH and at the time of Caceres's murder.

I heard the name David Castillo Mejia repeatedly when I reported on Caceres's murder in Honduras at this time last year.

Brigitte Gynther, who has worked in Honduras with the School of the Americas Watch since 2012 and often accompanied Berta Caceres on her trips to Rio Blanco to coordinate anti-dam protests, told me that Castillo Mejia constantly harassed Caceres. "David Castillo called Berta a lot. And he wouldn't call to threaten her, but he would know things about her," Gynther said. She cited as an example one time when Caceres was preparing to travel to Cuba for a school graduation ceremony for one of her daughters. A few days before the trip, Castillo called Caceres (with Gynther there in her presence) and said, "We're going to let you leave the country to go to Bertita's graduation before the prohibition kicks in."

"She would always get these calls from him," Gynther told me last year. "He worked in military intelligence."

Rosalina Dominguez Madrid was one of Caceres' closest companions in the struggle against DESA's proposed dam in Rio Blanco. When I spoke with her at COPINH's headquarters last year, she told me that she heard David Castillo Mejia repeatedly try to offer Caceres money to negotiate. "Why did they kill Berta? Because she never sold out," Dominguez said.

Salvador Zuniga, Caceres's ex-husband and co-founder of COPINH, said that Caceres told him of repeated harassment from Castillo Mejia. "She told me clearly that David Castillo, who was the president of DESA's board of directors, was going to have her killed," Zuniga told me last year.

My repeated attempts in 2017 to reach Castillo Mejia and other DESA executives by email and telephone were unsuccessful.

DESA released a statement last week claiming, "David Castillo, like all members of DESA are (sic) completely unrelated to the unfortunate event that terminated the life of Ms. Berta Caceres."

COPINH also released a statement on March 2, saying, "David Castillo is only one piece" of the "the entire murderous, criminal structure behind the assassination of our sister Berta Caceres."

COPINH has adamantly called for the entire DESA board of directors as well as several high level federal officials to be investigated for their possible participation in ordering, planning and paying for Caceres's murder.

In November 2017, an independent panel of experts released a report arguing that Caceres's murder was "not an isolated event" but "the culmination of a series of aggressions against her" in which DESA executives and high-level state authorities participated.

Victor Fernandez, both a colleague of Caceres's and the family's lawyer, said in a video statement: "We learned that Mr. David Castillo was recently captured. The family and COPINH have been calling for his capture for a long time, since he clearly participated in the crime. He was the person who constantly called and had encounters with Berta. His capture is good news. But let us hope that his capture, especially on this very day [the second anniversary of Caceres's murder], does not correspond to some kind of manipulation on behalf of the federal authorities."

Castillo Mejia's arrest comes after both increased scrutiny of the Caceres murder and some three months of political turmoil in the country.

In late November and early December 2017, hundreds of thousand of Hondurans took to the streets to denounce alleged electoral fraud in the Nov. 26 presidential elections.

The Honduran electoral conflict itself stems from a bitter irony: the perpetrators of the 2009 military coup justified overthrowing then-president Mel Zelaya because, they claimed, he planned to change the Honduran constitution to allow for presidential reelection. Juan Orlando Hernandez supported the coup, later became president and then promptly changed the constitution so that he could run for reelection.

When Hernandez appeared to be losing in the first vote counts, all reports of the vote count were inexplicably interrupted for some 30 hours, provoking widespread protest and outcry.

On Dec. 17, the Honduran Electoral Tribunal declared Hernandez the winner with a 1.53 percent margin. After weeks of protest, security forces began to arrest activists at roadblocks and in their homes. Edwin Espinal, a long-standing Honduran activist who organized against the coup in 2009, has been in jail some 50 days.

Fernandez, in his statement posted online, emphasized the need to honor Berta Caceres and do justice for her by organizing against "the extractive model" and continuing the struggles to which Caceres was so dedicated.

"That is one of the most important ways we can do justice," he said, "to continue the fight for justice ourselves in the social sphere."

An initial hearing in the case against Castillo Mejia is scheduled for March 9.

Reposted with permission from our media associate SIERRA Magazine.
The people on the front lines of protecting the environment need some protection as well.



According to a Feb. 2 report by Global Witness and The Guardian, 197 activists were killed in 2017 for defending their communities and natural resources against agribusiness, mining companies, infrastructure projects and poachers.

The majority of these killings took place in Latin America, where mining or agricultural interests seek to exploit resources in rural, forested areas where legal enforcements are weak. That is why it's so encouraging that 24 Latin American and Caribbean nations have now signed an environmental rights agreement that includes protections for nature defenders.

The treaty, known as The Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC P10), is the first legally binding agreement focusing on environmental rights in the region.

The more than six-year negotiation process for the LAC P10 resulted in a final document during a conference that took place in Costa Rica from Feb. 28 to March 4.

The language protecting defenders comes from Article 9, which requires signing parties to both protect activists' "right to life, personal integrity, freedom of opinion and expression, peaceful assembly and association, and free movement," and to "take appropriate, effective and timely measures to prevent, investigate and punish attacks, threats or intimidations that human rights defenders in environmental matters may suffer."

Carole Excell, acting director of environmental democracy practice at the World Resources Institute, praised the agreement. "By adopting LAC P10, governments in the region have agreed to legally binding provisions that will help prevent and punish threats and attacks against environmental defenders," she said in a statement.

In addition to protecting environmental activists, the agreement also enshrines rights to "environmental information" and "participation in environmental decision-making."

Excell stressed the importance of these provisions as well. "I cannot understate how critical it is for communities to have access to environmental information, like data on local water pollution or nearby mining concessions," she said.

LAC P10's strong defense of activists' right to assemble in defense of the environment contrasts with legislative trends in the U.S.

For a Feb. 16 photo essay by Zoe Carpenter and Tracie Williams, focusing on the aftermath of the demonstrations against the Dakota Access Pipeline, The Nation ran the headline, "Since Standing Rock, 56 Bills Have Been Introduced in 30 States to Restrict Protests." These include bills introduced in half-a-dozen states that would protect motorists who hit demonstrators with their vehicles.

As photojournalist Tracie Williams told The Nation, "What happened at Standing Rock is indicative of the U.S. government's historical failures to acknowledge First Nation treaties and the current administration's complete disregard for public health, the environment, indigenous rights, and civil libertiesin favor of the extractive industries."

While the U.S. does not show up on The Guardian's list of dangerous countries for environmental defenders, the current push to criminalize dissent and exonerate those who would attack protesters risks changing that.
Despite governments around the world enacting measures to reduce carbon emissions to help fight climate change, the latest oil market forecast from the International Energy Agency (IEA) makes it clear that the world is yet to turn its back on fossil fuels.

According to IEA's Oil 2018, global oil production capacity is forecast to hit 107 million barrels a day (mb/d) by 2023. As TIME noted from the report, much of that growth is led by the U.S. due to oil produced from fracking the Permian Basin in western Texas, where output is expected to double by 2023.

"Non-OPEC supply growth is very, very strong, which will change a lot of parameters of the oil market in the next years to come," Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, told reporters at the CERAWeek energy conference hosted by IHS Markit. "We are going to see a major second wave of U.S. shale production coming."

The IEA predicts that growth in U.S. oil production will meet 80 percent of the growing global demand over the next three years, with Canada, Brazil and Norway able to supply the rest.

"Thanks to the shale revolution, the United States leads the picture, with total liquids production reaching nearly 17 mb/d in 2023, up from 13.2 mb/d in 2017," the analysis states.

Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska said at the CERAWeek energy conference "there has never been a more exciting time for the American energy sector."

"It is clear to me the American energy renaissance is now in full swing and is being supported by federal government policies," he added.

But environmental activist Josh Fox, the director of Oscar-nominated 2010 documentary Gasland, lamented the resurgent shale boom.

"A major second wave of fracking is coming," he tweeted. "Ok fractivists, time for a major second wave of organizing, because we don't have a major second planet to live on."
March certainly came in like a lion in the UK and Ireland, as "the Beast from the East" brought freezing temperatures, up to 20 inches of snowfall and travel disruptions to the British Isles.



But what was disruptive for the region's human inhabitants was deadly for its marine life. Hundreds of thousands of lobsters, starfish, crabs and other creatures washed up dead or dying on beaches on the UK's eastern coast, Buzzfeed News reported Monday.

"There are places where you are ankle-deep, or calf-deep, in animals," Yorkshire Wildlife Trust worker Bex Lyman said.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust worked with local fisherman to separate live lobsters from the dead, with the aim of returning them to the ocean when the weather warms.

It's worth saving them so that they can be put back into the sea and continue to breed," Lyman told The Guardian.

Rodney Forster, a marine biologist at the University of Hull, told Buzzfeed he'd counted 24 types of fish so far.

Forster explained the cold is likely to blame. Ocean temperatures dropped from 5 to 2 degrees Celsius in less than a week. "For a lot of creatures, that really pushes them to their lower limits, especially the warm-water species ... we've seen washed up," he told Buzzfeed.

Waves caused by the storm, as well as high tides, also contributed.



Colleen Suckling, a lecturer in marine biology at Bangor University, wrote in The Conversation that this isn't the first time cold temperatures have caused sea-life die-offs, since they tend to make the animals lethargic.

Previous starfish die-offs occured on the coasts of Maryland in 1960, the Isle of Man in 1999, and Ireland in 2009.

"Starfish may be at particular risk of strandings after storms because of a behaviour known as "'starballing,'" Suckling wrote. Starballing is when the creatures will tuck in their arms to create a spherical shape, allowing currents to move them swiftly across the ocean floor. But during storms, the waves move them too far and strand them on beaches.

But while these events have happened before, the concern is that they might become more frequent due to climate change. As Futurism pointed out, global warming could lead to increases in the factors that led to the die-off: a polar vortex event bringing cold weather from the arctic and an intense storm.

For now, there's still plenty of work to do cleaning up from last week's disaster.

As Lyman tweeted on March 6, "That's it, there's nothing left alive to rescue. So now we clean up the #plasticpollution."
By Friends of the Earth International

Berta Caceres, 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize winner, was murdered last night in her home. Reportedly, her assassins waited until well after dark before breaking into the house where she slept. Her brother was also injured in the attack.

Our condolences to her family, friends and all who worked alongside her.

This is a sad day for Honduras and the world," said Jagoda Munic, chair of Friends of the Earth International.

Given the situation in Honduras, in which indigenous, environmental and human rights activists like Berta Caceres are targeted by government and corporate security forces alike, international pressure is needed to bring the murderers to justice and protect those brave enough to speak out on behalf of their fellow citizens and the environment."

Caceres rallied her fellow indigenous Lenca people of Honduras and waged a grassroots campaign that successfully pressured the world's largest dam builder to pull out of the Agua Zarca dam.

According to the Goldman Environmental Prize website:

Since the 2009 coup, Honduras has witnessed an explosive growth in environmentally destructive megaprojects that would displace indigenous communities. Almost 30 percent of the country's land was earmarked for mining concessions, creating a demand for cheap energy to power future mining operations. To meet this need, the government approved hundreds of dam projects around the country, privatizing rivers, land and uprooting communities.

Among them was the Agua Zarca Dam, a joint project of Honduran company Desarrollos Energeticos SA (DESA) and Chinese state-owned Sinohydro, the world's largest dam developer. Agua Zarca, slated for construction on the sacred Gualcarque River, was pushed through without consulting the indigenous Lenca peoplea violation of international treaties governing indigenous peoples' rights. The dam would cut off the supply of water, food and medicine for hundreds of Lenca people and violate their right to sustainably manage and live off their land.

It's not yet known who is behind Caceres assassination, but as a indigenous, environmental and human rights activist she knew well the risks she faced. In 1993, she co-founded the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) to address the growing threats posed to indigenous communities by illegal logging, fight for their territorial rights and improve their livelihoods.

The work of COPINH is still sorely needed. Honduras has been called, the deadliest place for environmental activists," and is a country where corruption is a major problem. Twelve activists were killed last year alone for their efforts to defend land and the environment, according to a report by UK-based NGO Global Witnessmore per capita than any other country (a record Honduras has held for the last five years).

At Friends of the Earth International, we have for a long time admired the work of Caceres and COPINH, and at times worked together. In 2013, Friends of the Earth supporters joined voices around the world in support of Caceres when she and other activists were facing prison sentences.

Here's a video of Caceres when she accepted the Goldman Environmental Prize:

On threats to her own life, she said on Dec. 24, 2013:

"The army has an assassination list of 18 wanted human rights fighters with my name at the top. I want to live, there are many things I still want to do in this world but I have never once considered giving-up fighting for our territory, for a life with dignity, because our fight is legitimate. I take lots of care but in the end, in this country where there is total impunity I am vulnerable when they want to kill me, they will do it."

On Dec. 9, 2015, Caceres was interviewed about the death of a fellow activist, Tomas Garcia, who was shot at close range during a peaceful protest at the site of the same Agua Zarca hydro-electric dam. This is how she ended that interview:

We truly believe in solidarity and in hope despite how hurtful this process is. And we can only think of how our brother, Tomas, is no longer with us, of how much he is missed, not just by his familyhis sons and daughtersbut by COPINH as well. And despite everything that's happened, we still have hope in our people's struggle."

Here's a video from the Goldman Environmental Prize on Berta Caceres' work rallying the indigenous Lenca people of Honduras and waging a grassroots campaign that successfully pressured the world's largest dam builder to pull out of the Agua Zarca Dam:

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.: Syria, Another Pipeline War

Elephants Being Slaughtered for Ivory Faster Than They Can Reproduce

Trees Cut as Maple Syrup Farmers Lose Eminent Domain Battle Over Constitution Pipeline

Climate Change Could Kill Half a Million Annually by 2050
Anishinaabe economist and writer Winona LaDuke identifies two types of economies, grounded in different ways of seeing. Speaking in Vancouver recently, she characterized one as an "extreme extractive economy" fed by exploitation of people and nature. The second is a "regenerative economy" based on an understanding of the land and our relationship to it.

We now go to extremes to access fossil fuels. Hydraulic fracturing shatters bedrock to release previously inaccessible gas, requiring large amounts of water made so toxic through the process that it must be disposed of in deep wells. We extract bitumen from Alberta's oilsands using techniques that emit more than twice as many greenhouse gases as average North American crudes. The Pembina Institute reports that 1.3 trillion liters of fluid tailings have accumulated in open ponds in Northern Alberta since oilsands operations started in 1967.

Human innovation has made it possible to extract less-accessible fossil fuels, and that's provided jobs. But environmentally, socially and economically, this extreme behavior can't continue. We need new options. We must innovate and create jobs in a regenerative economy.

In her talk, LaDuke said, "The reality is that the next economy requires re-localization of food and energy systems, because it's more efficient, it's more responsible, it employs your people and you eat better."

Re-localization is happening in communities across Canada.

The David Suzuki Foundation's new, nationwide Charged Up program is collecting stories to help inspire people to take on renewable energy projects in their communities.

In Oxford County, Ontario, local farmers, community members, the Six Nations of the Grand River and Prowind Canada launched Gunn's Hill Wind Farm in 2016. It produces enough electricity to power almost 7,000 homes.

Miranda Fuller, head of the Oxford Community Energy Co-operative, said the project helps connect people with the power they use and gives them a stake in their energy system. Its revenues are helping stabilize rural farm incomes, which helps protect local food systems and the community's way of life.

The project created about 200 jobs through development and construction. Some revenue goes to a community vibrancy fund and to student bursaries aimed at giving young people opportunities.

Fuller makes an important observation: Community-led renewable energy projects provide a way for people to become active producers of energy rather than just passive ratepayers or consumers.

Oxford County became the second local government in Canada, after Vancouver, to adopt a commitment to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. Gunn's Hill makes up 15 percent of Oxford County's goal.

Indigenous communities are also innovating and leading on renewables.

Chief Patrick Michell of the Nlaka'pamux Nation in BC said meeting energy needs in concert with nature resonates with his nation's values. Nlaka'pamux is working toward food and energy self-sufficiency. The Kanaka Bar Indian Band, one of 17 bands in the nation, has solar projects and has partnered with Innergex Renewable Energy and others on a run-of-river project to generate power and income.

"What you do to the land, you do to yourself," Michell said, quoting a traditional saying.

He said his people have been food and energy self-sufficient for thousands of years, but recently his community has seen changes in weather patterns, water flows, precipitation, forest fires and ecosystems, often related to climate change.

Kanaka Bar is building more energy-efficient homes and retrofitting existing houses to reduce energy needs. That costs money up front, but Patrick said he's seen some of his neighbors' energy bills plummet.

Neighboring communities are asking about Kanaka Bar's experience, and Michell is happy to see the work rippling out. For him, these efforts represent a return to the land, to values that will help his community become more self-sufficient, vibrant and resilient.

LaDuke said, "Keep your eye on where you're going. Operate not out of a place of fear, but a place of hope." Good advice for us all, as we celebrate the efforts of these communities and look to put the lessons they've learned into action across Canada.

Let's focus on hope. On climate solutions. On renewable energy led by communities like Oxford County, Kanaka Bar and others rising to the challenge to create a regenerative economy for everyone.
President Trump's proposed steel and aluminum tariffs have reopened a confusing debate about trade, made harder to follow by the incoherence of the president's approach. But it's a debate we need to have, and clarify, because along with its incoherence, Trump's proposal correctly challenges the establishment wisdom that the current international trade framework is, broadly, the best the U.S. could hope for.

Begin with the incoherence. Trump is levying these tariffs because he thinksrightlyChina is gaming the trade system and hurting American manufacturing by exporting far more to the world (not only the U.S.) than it buys. But Trump plans to levy the tariffs not only on Chinese steel, but on countries like Canada which are not cheating and which run trade surpluses with the U.S. Steel Workers President Leo Gerard, who understandably favors help for U.S. steel and aluminum, has said he doesn't want Trump to go after Canada and other countries that play by the rules.

And Trump is not planning tariffs on goods manufactured abroad with cut-rate steel or aluminumfrom automobiles to construction steel to beverage cans. So prices will go up for U.S. manufacturers who rely heavily on steel and aluminum, but actually go down for their foreign competitors, likely hurting more U.S. manufacturing jobs among steel-using companies than will be created among steel-making ones.

It's a mess. The mess comes partly from Trump's attitude that trade agreements are fundamentally win-lose power struggles. But at its core is the refusal of current agreements like the WTO and NAFTA to take into account the incentives and price signals they send up and down the global supply chain.

Trump is performing a valuable service by raising the issue and forcing the establishment to confront it.

As pro-trade economists like Paul Krugman have pointed out, just as it makes sense to import sugar from warm tropical countries where it grows well, it makes sense to import aluminum, whose main production cost is electricity, from Canada which has abundant hydropower and a small population needing electricity. But it doesn't make sense to encourage countries like China to recklessly mine raw iron ore, aluminum, and coal, using quasi-forced labor, then smelt it in wasteful, inefficient mills, all the while ignoring basic air and water pollution controls, to produce steel or aluminum for export. We then give those seemingly cheap metals unlimited access to the U.S. market, penalizing U.S. companies that have to pay reasonable wages and spend substantial sums cleaning up their pollution. The pollution emitted by these processes doesn't stay in the country where it occurs; the carbon dioxide disrupts the global climate, costing everyone; the forced labor is, in effect, a massive, cruel form of modern slavery.

The current trade system encourages all of this bad behaviorit's nuts. But Trump's proposal won't fix itinstead of importing subsidized steel and aluminum, we'll just import subsidized cars and beer cans.

What's needed is a complete overhaul of the global trading system, so that instead of encouraging a race to the bottomlower wages, more dangerous working conditions, higher levels of pollution, escalating risks from climate changetrading rules instead encourage countries to use better technology, higher standards, fair sharing of profits with workers, so that trade does, indeed, deliver on its promise to lift all boats.

One important piece of this puzzle is climate. The "carbon loophole" refers to the fact that, so far, efforts by industrial nations to reduce their climate impact have combined two very different strategies. First, countries like Denmark and Germany, now China, and some states in the U.S., have begun replacing dirty fossil technologies with clean, efficient, and renewable sources of energy and transportation. These innovations are what we need much more of to avoid climate disaster.

But in some cases countries simply lowered their apparent rate of greenhouse pollution by taking pollution-intensive parts of their economy, like making steel, and shipping them overseas. So when steel that used to be made in California is now made in China, the greenhouse pollution actually goes up, because Chinese steel mills are less efficient than those in the U.S. (European mills are better yet.) (Not only carbon pollution increases, but also ozone and sulfur that poison our lungsand those become not only the infamous Beijing deadly air, but actually drift across the Pacific and increase lung disease on the West Coast.) Data suggests that a significant part of Europe's "climate progress" has actually been pollution "exported" through this carbon loophole.

How to fix this? Yale Economist William Nordhaus suggested the creation of a "Climate Club" in which countries committed to reducing greenhouse pollution levied a common tax on the carbon pollution embedded in goods made in their economies like aluminum, steel and cement, whether in raw form or embodied in cars, concrete and beer cans. Trade in carbon-intensive goods among these countries with a common carbon tax would flow as usual. But countries that refused to levy an equivalent carbon tax would see it collected on their goods at the customs dock. If, say, the EU joined a Climate Club of countries which levied a $40/ton tax on carbon dioxide emissions, and Donald Trump's administration refused to join the Club, when American steel beams were shipped to the EU, the Europeans could collect the carbon taxes Trump had refused to levy, eliminating the subsidy and leveling the playing field between American and Polish steel.

Europe has an emission trading system (ETS) which could serve as the model for such a Climate Club, and Europe is a likely leader in proposing such an ideaFrance has periodically floated the notion! (Europe's current ETS however, allows industries like steel, aluminum and cement free permits to emit carbon emissions, as an alternative to giving foreign competitors an advantage. Europe would have to decide to tax the carbon in all steel, instead of, as at present, eliminating the carbon fee on all steel.)

But it's possible that the desire to retaliate against Trump's crude and heavy-handed trade saber rattling might provoke the Europeans and other countries to take a major step forward towards improving both the global trading system and the effectiveness of the Paris climate agreement. A Climate Club doesn't need universal agreement by hundreds of countriesif Japan, the EU, Canada, Australia, Mexico and Korea were to join, the impact on global tradeand the climatecould be enormous. And anger at Trump might even bring unlikely first-movers like India and Brazil to the table.

Such clubs for trade would not solve the full array of problems with the WTO and NAFTA. What is needed is a more comprehensive definition of disallowed subsidies, a recognition that manufacturing processes and labor standards have global, not just local, impacts, and probably mechanisms to discourage countries from accruing unwarranted and persistent trade surpluses with the rest of the world. But in the specific context of tariffs on steel and aluminum, a Climate Club might constitute a major breakthrough, and a better alternative to a trade war.
Bangladesh was No. 6 on the Long Term Climate Risk Index of countries most affected by climate change from 1997 to 2016. The United Nations contents that climate change disproportionately impacts women, since they are more likely to be poor and dependent on local resources.

It is hopeful, then, that the UN's Green Climate Fund and Bangladesh's Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs will put $33 million towards helping Bangladeshi women and girls develop livelihoods that can withstand the changing climate, Reuters reported on Monday.

According to a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) release, the funds will go towards empowering 25,000 women living in Satkhira and Khulna, coastal districts especially vulnerable to sea level rise, more frequent storms, and the salinization of farmland and drinking water.

The project will increase the women's access to business development training and financial credit. In addition, it will help them develop climate-resilient skills such as hydroponic vegetable farming, UNDP climate change specialist Mamunur Rashid told Reuters.

The initiative, which is set to begin in July and has a six-year timeline, also aims to provide clean drinking water to 130,000 people through rainwater harvesting and involve women in cyclone-warning systems.

The focus on women's roles in adapting to climate change "marks a paradigm-shift in the way women are empowered as 'change-agents'" the UNDP release said.

"Under this project, women will [be] more in command of their, and their communities', own future," Mia Seppo, UNDP resident representative in Bangladesh, added.

The announcement comes little over six months after flooding in India, Nepal and Bangladesh killed 1,200 people and left one-third of Bangladesh underwater. According to The World Bank, 60 percent of worldwide cyclone deaths from 1988 to 2000 occurred in Bangladesh.

The salinization of farmland and drinking water is a less dramatic but more insidious problem for the low-lying country. According to studies of coastal river salinization in Bangladesh by The World Bank, The Institute of Water Modelling and World FishBangladesh, the best-case scenarios would still impact 2.9 million poor and 1.7 million extremely poor Bangladeshis.



While initiatives like this one show that Bangladesh is working hard to adapt to the climate challenge, the country is still set to lose 20 percent of its landmass if sea levels rise by 3 feet, even though it only contributes 0.3 percent to global emissions, according to Scientific American. This would turn more than 30 million people into climate refugees.
(Reuters/Zohra Bensemra)Less than 2% of Algeria's population are Christians.

Responding to increasing government pressure on churches and believers in Algeria, the World Evangelical Alliance's Religious Liberty Commission has called on its authorities to ensure religious freedom for people of all faiths.

At the same time, L'Eglise Protestante d'Algerie (EPA), WEA's national member body in Algeria, is calling on churches around the world to join them in a week of prayer and fasting for their nation, WEA said in a statement posted on its website.

In recent months, authorities in Algeria have stepped up restrictions against Christian churches in the country, orchestrating what appears to be a "coordinated campaign of intensified action against churches," said WEA.

Worryingly, the restrictions have also led to an increase in arrests of Christians in the North African country.

According to reports, in November 2017, WEA said Algerian authorities formed a committee to inspect churches on its compliance with safety regulations.

However, despite its main aim being safety issues, the committee has also questioned churches on whether it possesses permits to conduct religious activities.

The committee has accordingly ordered several churches, two bible schools, and a Christian-owned bookshop to close down.

In March 2006, the Algerian Parliament adopted Ordinance 06-03, which effectively confined non-Muslim worship to specific buildings approved by the National Commission for Non-Muslims Religious Groups.

However, to date, no permission has been granted, which has led to many complications for Algerian churches, which, as routine practice, rent buildings for worship activities and inform the authorities.

WEA said that Middle East Concern, one of its member organization said, "Church leaders inform local authorities about their activities and provide all relevant documentation, including statements confirming affiliation to L'Eglise Protestante d'Algerie (EPA), the only Protestant denomination officially recognized by the government."

Godfrey Yogarajah, the deputy secretary general of the WEA and head of its Religious Liberty Commission. said, "We call on the government of Algeria to ensure that the religious freedom of Christians is safeguarded in accordance with international law.

FREEDOM OF WORSHIP

"We also call on the government, in keeping with the country's constitution, to take all steps necessary to guarantee the freedom of worship for all religious groups in the country", he added.

WEA held a week of prayer and fasting for their Algeria at the end of Febraury and it calling on churches and believers around the world to join them.

Bishop Efraim Tendero, secretary general of WEA, said: "Please join me in uplifting the situation of our Algerian brothers and sisters in prayer, so that God may change the hearts of those in government and allow them to see the great blessing that Christians are to their nation.

"Religious freedom for people of all faiths is at the foundation of a healthy society and Algeria can only flourish as a country if believers  Christians and others  are allowed to worship freely and without discrimination," said the WEA head.

More than 90 percent Algeria's 40 million are Muslims, most of them Sunnis while Christian and Jews make up tiny minorities in country that gained its independence from France in 1962 after a bitter conflict in the country.
Arecibo, Puerto Rico

Hurricane Maria has taken people away from Yzmar Roman.

The 16-year-old Puerto Rican high school students two best friends moved to the U.S. mainland in the wake of last Septembers devastating storm, one to Florida and the other to Tennessee. Her father, a policeman, has been working long hours since Hurricane Maria and doesnt have much time to learn about her day when hes home. And her mothers job as a bank teller also means shes busy. Yzmar tries to lean on the friends she has, but she hears about their daily struggles since the storm and knows they have their own burdens.

So when a teacher at Dr. Maria Cadilla High School in Arecibo, about an hour west of San Juan, noticed a change in Yzmar and sent her to a social worker, Yzmar was grateful.

I needed help because I couldnt go and ask for help. I didnt feel like I could, Yzmar said. I started talking. It just helped me a lot.

The Puerto Rican governments efforts to rebuild and remake its educational system will take years. But so will a complex and in some ways more fraught battle for the U.S. territorys children and educators: helping them cope with trauma and meeting their emotional needs.

In February, the Puerto Rico Department of Education began a formal needs-assessment of all students from the 3rd grade up, as well as all teachers, to determine which schools have the most acute need for aid from counselors and social workers in managing trauma triggered by Hurricane Maria. The department is also training a team of 30 psychologists and other mental-health professionals to go into those highly affected schools to address the trauma of children and educators.

But research in the aftermath of other disasters shows that roughly six months after something like the hurricane, young Puerto Ricans could experience a wave of new symptoms stemming from Marias devastating effects. They may range from a fear of rain at night to violent behavior and suicide, said Joy Lynn Suarez-Kindy, a clinical psychologist and a consultant to the islands education department on social, emotional, and mental-health issues.

We could have a whole generation of people being depressed, traumatized, suicides going up, teenage pregnancies going up, addiction. Its a whole generation thats counting on the mental-health professionals to help them, Suarez-Kindy said. If we dont do it, we are going to have a whole generation of people who have severe mental-health issues.

Measuring the Impact

Roughly five months after the storm, hundreds of schools remain without power, and many others have only intermittent electricity and water. The effects on the mental health of those in Puerto Ricos schools, including about 320,000 students, are another part of the slow-motion, fragmented fallout from Hurricane Maria. And the department still doesnt want to treat schools like they all need just one solution when it comes to mental and emotional needs. To avoid that, its getting data.

In February, the islands education department began administering a 40-question mental-health assessment to all students in the 3rd grade and higher and to all teachers. Developed by the federally funded National Child Traumatic Stress Network, the needs-assessment asks respondents about a range of topics, from whether they have nightmares to whether they lost their houses or loved ones. (Children leave their names off the surveys and dont provide personal information.)

Rosaura Orengo-Aguayo, who translated the assessment and is helping to oversee its use in Puerto Rico, said it will help the department move beyond just assuming what the needs are in various communities.

Well be able to target interventions to schools according to those results, said Orengo-Aguayo, an assistant professor at the National Crime Victims Treatment and Research Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. She added that although the assessment has been used after other natural disasters, this has never been done before at this scale.

In addition, the island will seek additional funding to support trauma therapy in schools over the long term.

See Also: Putting Puerto Ricos Schools Back on Track

Nine days after the hurricane, Frank Zenere also arrived in Puerto Rico to help educators.

A school psychologist with the Miami-Dade County, Fla., district who also leads its crisis-management program, Zenere has helped schools in the immediate aftermath of disasters including the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, the Pentagon, and rural Pennsylvania, and the tsunami that hit Sri Lankan and other Asian countries in 2004. Upon his arrival in Puerto Rico, he set to work providing training to Secretary of Education Julia Keleher, her top staffers, and 250 mental-health professionals, as well as school faculty.

Immediately after a catastrophe like Hurricane Maria, Everyone is working to help one another, helping to staunch or put off emotional and psychological stress at least initially, Zenere said. But after that, Then you get a few weeks or months down the line, and you get into this longer period of disillusionment. For teachers, as high-profile members of their communities, these feelings can be particularly acute.

And the effects of trauma can be worsened by the cascading events and occurrences that aggravate the initial situation, such as family and friends leaving the island.

Based on disasters like Hurricane Katrina, Zenere added, the impacts of post-traumatic stress disorder on Puerto Ricans will last several years.

In addition, those on the ground must deal with Puerto Ricos taboo concerning mental health, said Orengo-Aguayo, who is Puerto Rican. She said that in many cases, if Puerto Ricans talk about experiencing difficult emotional or psychological issues, youre considered loco, like youre crazy.

Falling Through the Cracks

Sometimes, Maria P. Figueroas difficulties threaten to overwhelm her.

An English teacher at Dr. Maria Cadilla High School whos taught in public schools for four years, her roof caved in when the hurricane swept over her house. Her living room flooded, her furniture was destroyed, and she has young daughters to care for. She has grappled long and hard with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to stabilize her living situation.

And over the last several months, shes struggled to maintain her passion for her students and the school when her life has been so severely damaged.

Sometimes they teach us how to leave our problems in the outside and not in the classroom, but the reality of things is that, hello, weve been hit by a hurricane, Figueroa said. Not everybodys going to take it well, and so I was trying to be as normal as I can because Im supposed to be the teacher. Im supposed to be the strong one. I cant cry in front of my students. I cant do that.

Suarez-Kindy, the Puerto Rican Education Departments consultant, says she is acutely aware of the balance the island must strike with teachers. She said she plans to use all of a $2 million School Emergency Response to Violence grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education last November to create wellness programs for educators.

In addition, she cited plans to have staffers from the New York state health department begin working with Puerto Rican teachers on mental-health issues, starting with 6,000 teachers in March. There are about 28,000 active teachers in public schools on the island.

We expect too much from teachers. Weve got to give them their own skills to handle their own [issues] as well, Orengo-Aguayo said.

Zenere said theres a potent analogy for what teachers face and how they must approach their own mental health: When oxygen masks drop during a flight, you must put your own mask on first before helping a child with his or hers.

From day one, one of the groups that really keeps me up at night are the teachers. I feel that they fall through the cracks, Suarez-Kindy said. If you dont help yourself, ... I can give you 100 workshops on how to help the kids, and its not going to register.

That Wears on You Heavily

Veteran social studies teacher Edgar Esquilin, who will retire at the end of the year from Guillermina Rosada De Ayala elementary and middle school in Loiza, a coastal community east of San Juan, has a different roof about to crumblethe one over his classroom. Water gathers on the floor from leaks overhead. Small shards of paint flutter down on him as he speaks. He emphasizes the different roles he has to play at his school, which is about to transfer teachers and seal off an entire floor because of hurricane damage.

You have to be a clown, you have to be a psychologist, you have to be a surrogate father, public grandpa. Im everything here, man, Esquilin said.

His school highlights how the recovery for Puerto Rico varies depending on the community. Esquilin notes that Loiza is unusual, and was historically marginalized long before Maria, because of its geographical isolation imposed by a network of mangroves, as well as its large population of people of African descent via the slave trade. He said his school is crying out for help from the authorities, but educators worry that it could be shut down instead.

If I cant give my students what they need and what they deserve for my society and for my nation to thrive and get ahead, that wears on you heavily, Esquilin said.

The islands education department is trying to help teachers help students as well as themselves. Orengo-Aguayo of the National Crime Victims Treatment and Research Center also said teachers are being trained to notice childrens reactions that are linked to trauma, try to help them using simple coping skills, and direct them to a social worker for more thorough follow-up.

Kids actually feel comfortable disclosing whats showing up for them, as long as you provide them a confidential space and a structured space, she said.

Bad Timing

Mirelys Bilbraut, a social worker at the Marta Lafontaine school in rural Utuado, said it was a difficult time for the community when the school reopened. But she said the attitude of educators at Marta Lafontaine is that they dont want to make students dwell on their experiences with Hurricane Maria.

More than once, Bilbraut referred to the school as our home. In general, she thinks the students conduct themselves well.

When they came to school, they were calm. They feel secure here, Bilbraut said, through a translator, about the students. They were probably tired of being at home. They needed the school. They need to stop thinking about the hurricane.

Its not like that everywhere, however.

When students act up or refuse to do work in her class now, Figueroa, the high school English teacher, tends not to press them. Instead, she asks them about whats happened to them, trying to draw out their difficulties at home. She wants to demonstrate her understanding for the challenges they face.

Nevertheless, she thinks the hurricane has hardened her students and made them rough.

They changed. They changed, maybe a little bit for the worse, Figueroa said.

Angel Corchado, 15, a student at Cadilla High, knows his timing could hardly have been worse.

Last June, Corchado returned to the island, where he was born and lived until he was 9 before moving to Orlando for five years. After Hurricane Irma struck South Florida in early September, his mother left Puerto Rico to find a job in the states. Then Maria hit.

Since then, Corchado has been separated from his mother and living with his grandmother, a situation he calls very traumatizing. He waited about two months before power was restored at his grandmothers house, and at roughly the same time, he went back to school.

Corchado finds ways to entertain himself and reads about Greek mythology at home. But he finds the environment full of distractions at school, such as students playing loud music in the hallways when theyre supposed to be in class. He considers Florida home.

This was a bad year to come over here, Corchado said.

Pitfalls and Plans

Suarez-Kindy said she has leaned on advice she got from Miami-Dade school psychologist Zenere: that especially in a place like Puerto Rico, faith, family, and community prove key when people are struggling to rebound from traumatic events.

Still, shes also worried that over time, the gulf between the haves and have-nots in Puerto Rico will continue to grow as the recovery occurs at different rates in different places. That could, she said, exacerbate peoples emotional issues.

These lingering difficulties could lead to more domestic violence, more substance abuse, and increased crime on an island where public resources are already taxed beyond their limits, she said.

Definitely the island has been divided, she said.

Yzmar Roman has plans to follow her two best friends out of Puerto Ricobut not quite yet.

While her high school was closed during Hurricane Maria recovery, she downloaded an app to her phone thats helping her learn Italian. She works out after school in the hopes of one day attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

And shes relieved to be back in class.

There are a lot of things that intrigue me, so many languages that I can learn, so many things that I can do, she said. I just want to do it all, basically.

Related Videos

In this collection of videos from Deputy Director of Photography Swikar Patel, see how the people of Puerto Rico are responding to the devastation of Hurricane Maria and working to rebuild their livesand their schools.
Ministers discuss Brexit in Westminster



Chief Minister Howard Quayle with MP Robin Walker and the Chief Ministers of Jersey and Guernsey

The Chief Minister and Minister for Enterprise have held meetings in Westminster as Brexit negotiations continue.

Howard Quayle and Laurence Skelly travelled to London to meet with British politicians and business leaders earlier this week.

Mr Quayle hopes the meetings ensure the Island's position is taken into account throughout the Brexit process.

The Ministers were joined by the Chief Ministers of Jersey and Guernsey as part of the quarterly meetings between the Crown Dependencies and and UK's Department for Exiting the European Union.

As well as Brexit, Mr Skelly held talks with the business community about tax transparency and trade.
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

Philip Day discusses Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, a fine wine suitable for the most discerning palate.

This article about Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru includes history and viticulture.



The wines of Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg in the Burgundy village of Vosne-Romanee are frequently regarded as exceptional and, over the last decade or so, their fame has begun to catch up with the quality of their wines, which has been reflected by year-on-year increased demand, particularly in the North American market.

The domaine produces wine from high-quality Pinot Noir grapes and is located in the Cote de Nuits. Its vineyards, are some of the most famous and highly regarded in the Burgundy region, located in esteemed communes like Nuits-Saint-Georges, Gevery-Chambertin and Flagey-Echezeaux .

The domaines most sought after and expensive wines come from the the grand cru vineyards of Ruchottes Chambertin, Clos Vougeot and Echezeaux, and the premier cru vineyards: Les Chaignots, Les Vignes Rondes and Les Feusselottes.

In addition to their other premium wines, The Mugneret Sisters: Marie-Christine Teillaud and Marie-Andree Nauleau, who for the last two decades have run the domaine in partnership with their mother have certainly set the standard for what is possible in Clos Vougeot. They have created wines with an effortless harmony of complex flavours featuring roses, plums, and spicy red berries.

Marie-Andree and Marie-Christine

History

Until the summer of August 2009 there were two separate domaines: Mugneret-Gibourg and Dr Georges Mugneret. The former was created in 1933 following the marriage of Andre Mugneret (1905-1986), a descendant of an old Vosne Romanee family, and Jeanne Gibourg (1906-1997) in 1928. Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg made a name for itself producing: Bourgogne Rouge, Vosne- Romanee, Nuits-Saint-Georges and Echezeaux Grand Cru.

Dr Georges Mugneret (1929-1988), their only son, whose main profession was as an opthamologist in Dijon, decided to pursue the family profession in parallel with his own career in medicine. He enlarged and enhanced the Domaines vineyard holdings, using a label in his own name, with important acquisitions over the years, notably: Clos Vougeot Grand Cru in 1953, Nuits-Saint- Georges 1er cru in 1971, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru in 1977, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru

 Les Vignes Rondes  in 1982 and Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes in 1985.

Georges Mugneret met his future wife Jacqueline, a school teacher, in 1958, while undertaking his military service in Algeria. Upon their return to France they got married. They had two daughters, Marie-Christine and Marie-Andree.

When Dr. Mugneret suddenly passed away in 1988, his wife Jacqueline, whose family had a history of wine-making in the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and initially his daughter Marie-Christine, who had resigned her position as a chemist to specialize in oenology, assumed all operational responsibilities for the Domaine, including wine-making. After completing her studies in oenology from the Universite de Bourgogne in Dijon, in 1992, his other daughter Marie-Andree also joined them.
2018-03-07

Maeci

Finland: Almaviva group wins finnish railway tender

The Italian AlmavivA Group (Transportation & Logistics Division) has won the tender in a call for bids by the Finnish Transport Agency to create a new public information system in the over 200 stations of the Finnish railway network. The contract is worth seven million euros.

AlmavivA will design the infrastructure needed to provide the services and ensure the maintenance of the entire system for the next ten years. The system will then be connected to the circulation systems in Finland to support about 6,000 kilometres of the Finnish network. The project's priority is to centralise the management of customer services. The service will be provided in four languages: Finnish, Swedish, Russian and English. Mobile devices will be able to access it on line via audio and video.
2018-03-07

Maeci

I have instructed our Ambassador not to attend the meeting on the proposal to grant dual nationality to the German and Ladino-speaking people of Alto Adige scheduled in Vienna on 23 March. As was reaffirmed by my Austrian colleague Kneissl at the meeting in January, any eventual discussion on the theme can only occur between Rome and Vienna and not, on an equalitarian basis, with Bolzano, which is an Autonomous Province of the Italian Republic, stated the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Angelino Alfano. He added: The Italian position is well-known on the unfoundedness of the reasons brought forward by Vienna in defence of the dual nationality proposal which is inconsistent with the high levels of protection and development of minorities in South Tyrol, with existing bilateral relations, with Italys and Austrias common membership in the EU and with international law. On the other hand, Vienna too recognizes the sensitivity of the dual nationality issue within the context of Alto Adige, where peaceful coexistence between different language groups and an extraordinary socio-economic development are the fruit of the set-up designed under the De Gasperi-Gruber Agreement and are guaranteed by the Statute of Autonomy, a model widely appreciated worldwide which must be maintained. In this context, the proposal to grant dual nationality to the German and Ladino-speaking citizens of Alto Adige appears to be incomprehensible: it would risk having a heavy impact on the aforesaid positive context and undermine a history of success that is internationally recognized. We therefore expect a very deep reflection on the possible implications and we are ready to examine all possible ways of objecting to an act that would not be compliant with international law. Minister Alfano then went on to specify how the recognition of the statute of autonomy, as well as the protection of linguistic minorities, are founding principles enshrined in our Constitution, together with  allow me to emphasise  the principle of the unity and indivisibility of the Italian State.
2018-03-07

Maeci

On 22 and 23 February, the NATO Permanent Representatives of Italy (Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero), the United States, Germany and Turkey, along with Supreme Allied Commander, General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, travelled to Afghanistan to reaffirm the Alliances commitment to the country.

NATO Resolute Support (RSM) in Afghanistan is a non combat mission designed to provide training, advice and support for the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, as well as the Country's institutions. Aimed at improving the self-sustaining functions and capabilities of local institutions, RSM operates with one central hub, the capital city of Kabul, and four spokes in Mazar-e Sharif in the north, Herat in the west, Kandahar in the south and Laghman in the east. During the mission, Ambassador Bisogniero was able to personally confirm the significant progress made in the field: Italy, along with the other partner countries, reaffirmed NATO's united and cohesive presence in such a crucial area as Afghanistan, condemning all forms of terrorism. Engaging in peacekeeping and countering terrorism in the area is of a vital importance for the country, the region, and all the Allies. The Italian presence in the country currently comprises a maximum of 900 troops, 148 land vehicles and 8 aircraft, shared by staff stationed in Kabul and an Italian military contingent in Herat at the TAAC-W, led by General B. Gianluca Carai.
MINNEAPOLIS - People who live in areas where they are exposed to more of the sun's rays, specifically UV-B rays, may be less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, according to a study published in the March 7, 2018, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Exposure in childhood and young adulthood may also reduce risk.

While UV-B rays can cause sunburn and play a role in the development of skin cancer, they also help the body produce vitamin D. Lower levels of vitamin D have been linked to an increased risk of MS.

"While previous studies have shown that more sun exposure may contribute to a lower risk of MS, our study went further, looking at exposure over a person's life span," said study author Helen Tremlett, PhD, of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. "We found that where a person lives and the ages at which they are exposed to the sun's UV-B rays may play important roles in reducing the risk of MS."

For the study, researchers identified participants from the larger Nurses' Health Study, including 151 women with MS and 235 women of similar age without MS. Nearly all of the women, 98 percent, were white and 94 percent said they had fair to medium skin. Participants lived across the United States in a variety of climates and locations. Of those with MS, the average age at onset was 40. All of the women had completed questionnaires about summer, winter and lifetime sun exposure.

Researchers divided the women into three groups representing low, moderate and high UV-B ray exposure based on where they lived, specifically looking at latitude, altitude and average cloud cover for each location. In addition, seasonal sun exposure was explored, with high summer sun exposure defined as more than 10 hours per week and more than four hours per week in the winter.

They found that women who lived in sunnier climates with the highest exposure to UV-B rays had 45 percent reduced risk of developing MS across all pre-MS onset age groups when compared to those living in areas with the lowest UV-B ray exposure. When looking at specific age groups, those who lived in areas with the highest levels of UV-B rays between ages 5 to 15 had a 51 percent reduced risk of MS compared to the lowest group. A total of 33 of 147 people with MS, or 22 percent, had high exposure at ages 5 to 15, while 61 people, or 41 percent, had low exposure. In addition, those who spent more time outdoors in the summer at ages 5 to 15 in locations where exposure to UV-B rays was the highest had a 55 percent reduced risk of developing the disease compared to those in the lowest-exposure group.

"Our findings suggest that a higher exposure to the sun's UV-B rays, higher summer outdoor exposure and lower risk of MS can occur not just in childhood, but into early adulthood as well," said Tremlett. "The methods we applied to measure sun exposure could also be used in future studies."

Tremlett continued, "In addition, our research showed that those who did develop MS also had reduced sun or outdoor exposure later in life, in both summer and winter which may have health consequences."

A limitation of the study is that sun exposure was self-reported and memories of how much time was spent in the sun, particularly in youth, may differ from actual exposure time. However, the information related to UV-B exposure was captured using place of residence, which is less likely to be influenced by such factors. Another limitation was that almost all of the study participants were female and white, meaning the results may not apply to other populations.

###

The study was supported by the University of British Columbia, Canada, the Canada Research Chair Program and the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

To learn more about multiple sclerosis, visit http://www.aan.com/patients.

The American Academy of Neurology is the world's largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with over 34,000 members. The AAN is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, concussion, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Most people are cautious around gasoline and diesel for good reason, but some microbes love the stuff -- especially biofuels that contain fatty acid derivatives. So, as the world tries to go "green," it also has to consider the slime that such microbes leave behind, clogging up equipment and killing engines. An article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society explores the issue and what's being done about it.

Senior Correspondent Mitch Jacoby explains that these microbes are not much of a concern for the typical motorist. But for airlines and other organizations that store large amounts of fuel, contamination could be a problem. The U.S. Air Force, for example, has a mandate to rely more on biobased fuels in the coming years. Before using biofuels, military personnel made sure that the substances wouldn't interact badly with other materials it would come into contact with. However, they didn't consider the effects of microbiology. And as fleet operators started using blends of biodiesel and conventional fuels, they noticed contamination where none had existed. This caused some experts to look down on the alternative fuels.

But scientists are on the case. One team recently identified several bacteria and fungi wreaking havoc in actively used fuel tanks. The microbes coated metal panels placed in the tanks with orange and red slime, and caused corrosion and pitting. Another group has been analyzing genomes to help understand how microbes metabolize the fuels, and their findings could lead to safer ways of preventing contamination. Much more work is needed to sort through all of the possible factors, but scientists are well prepared to tackle this puzzle.

###

The article, "Why efforts to use green fuels sometimes run afoul," is freely available here.

The American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us on Twitter | Facebook
We all know that family and friends are important, and that the people close to us have a big impact on our health. Now, a team of researchers has found that family support is also important when older people with advanced illnesses think about how the type of care they would prefer as they age.

Understanding how we would prefer to be cared for as we age is vital to providing person-centered care. Person-centered care puts individual values and preferences at the heart of care decisions. It focuses attention on the health and life goals we have individually. Person-centered care is considered a gold standard for health care.

Until now, we haven't had a good understanding of how older adults form care preferences. To learn more about care preferences and how they might be influenced for older adults with advanced illnesses, a team of researchers from the United Kingdom searched for existing medical studies about the topic and collected the results. They published their findings in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The research team looked at 57 studies about the preferences of older adults with advanced illness. They included research that investigated preferences for where people wanted to be cared for, the kinds of communication and decision-making they wanted, and what quality of life they hoped to have over time.

The researchers found that support from family was the most important influence on care preferences for older adults. But people also usually formed their preferences based on a variety of factors. They also discovered that it was unusual for older adults to know their care preferences or to have a clear understanding of how they formed their preferences.

The key findings of this study were:

The level of support from families was the most important influence on care preferences. Often, older adults changed their preferences based on the concerns of family members or a wish to avoid "being a burden" to others. This was especially true for preferences regarding the places where people wished to receive care (for example, at home versus in a healthcare facility).

Older adults' experiences of previous illness and of caring for others also influenced preferences about their own future care.

Being more seriously ill strongly influenced care preferences, especially for older adults who were aware that they were unwell.

While this study tells us more about what influences people's preferences, the researchers noted that we still know very little about how people's preferences may change over time. Understanding this is important so that we can receive care in line with our preferences over the course of an illness.

The researchers concluded that healthcare practitioners should take these influences into account when considering an older adult's care preferences, and that they should make sure that family members or other caregivers important to an individual are included in discussions about preferences.

###

This summary is from "Influences on care preferences of older people with advanced illness: a systematic review". It appears online ahead of print in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are Simon Noah Etkind, MB BChir; Anna E. Bone, MPH; Natasha Lovell, MB ChB; Irene J Higginson, PhD; and Fliss EM Murtagh, PhD.

About the Health in Aging Foundation

This research summary was developed as a public education tool by the Health in Aging Foundation. The Foundation is a national non-profit established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society to bring the knowledge and expertise of geriatrics healthcare professionals to the public. We are committed to ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for high-quality care by providing them with trustworthy information and reliable resources. Last year, we reached nearly 1 million people with our resources through HealthinAging.org. We also help nurture current and future geriatrics leaders by supporting opportunities to attend educational events and increase exposure to principles of excellence on caring for older adults. For more information or to support the Foundation's work, visit http://www.HealthinAgingFoundation.org.

About the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Included in more than 9,000 library collections around the world, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) highlights emerging insights on principles of aging, approaches to older patients, geriatric syndromes, geriatric psychiatry, and geriatric diseases and disorders. First published in 1953, JAGS is now one of the oldest and most impactful publications on gerontology and geriatrics, according to ISI Journal Citation Reports. Visit wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/JGS for more details.

About the American Geriatrics Society

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals that has--for 75 years--worked to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Its nearly 6,000 members include geriatricians, geriatric nurses, social workers, family practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and internists. The Society provides leadership to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy. For more information, visit AmericanGeriatrics.org.
An international research team has found strong evidence that passerine birds near the equator live longer than their higher latitude counterparts.

Their findings, published today in the journal The Auk: Ornithological Advances, underscore the pervasiveness of broad latitudinal patterns in avian life history. The article summarizes six years of bird survey results from a tropical forest site near Manaus, at the center of the Amazon basin, and compares the Manaus results with findings from eleven other sites over a latitude span of more than sixty degrees across the Americas.

It has been well known for more than half a century that birds from tropical areas tend to lay fewer eggs per clutch than birds from temperate or higher-latitude regions. This might suggest that tropical bird populations grow slower than populations from higher latitudes, but there is no empirical support for such difference in population growth rates. As a consequence, ornithologists have thought that some other aspect of bird life history must show a latitudinal variation that offsets the clutch size trend.

Adult survival probability, which translates into lifespan, has often been assumed to be the offsetting life history variable. Higher survival rates in tropical regions would offset the smaller clutch size. Nonetheless, there has been scarce evidence to support the idea of high tropical survival. Indeed, arguably the most careful comparison of bird survival rates to date, a 1990 study by James R. Karr and colleagues, found no support for a latitudinal trend and was subtitled "Will the dogma survive?"

An alternative idea is that, in the absence of a latitudinal trend in adult survival, there might be one in juvenile survival rates. Accordingly, a 2011 study led by Corey Tarwater, now at the University of Wyoming, documented exceptionally high juvenile survival in one Central American passerine species and suggested that this could be part of a broader trend. With little variation in adult survival and higher juvenile survival in the tropics, however, one should expect relatively little difference between tropical adult and juvenile survival rates.

The authors of the present study, led by Goncalo Ferraz from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, set out to measure the difference between juvenile and adult survival rates for a set of forty species from their Manaus site, in the Brazilian Amazon two degrees south of the equator. Their first key finding was that mean juvenile survival in the Manaus sample is clearly lower than mean adult survival. Subsequently, they carried out a meta-analysis of the variation of survival with latitude, combining data from 175 species and twelve sites from Peru to Alaska.

"It became clear that, on average, forest passerines tend to live longer in tropical than in temperate regions," says Ferraz. The statistically negative relationship between latitude and survival holds even when the analysis jointly accounts for common ancestry among study species, for the time at which the survival estimates where obtained, and for species migration mode.

The main methodological difficulty of this study, say the authors, was that tropical birds are particularly hard to age. While in high-latitude regions birds have a common and well-delimited breeding season, tropical birds often breed throughout the year whenever conditions are appropriate. As a result, while temperate-zone ornithologists encounter juvenile birds in discrete pulses of similarly aged individuals, tropical ornithologists sample populations that contain all possible ages at the same time.

The solution was two-fold: in-depth study of age determination in the field and statistical accounting for unknown-age birds. "Aging tropical birds in the field is an exercise on reading plumage molts," says Alejandra Munoz, a Colombian biologist and first author of the study. Alejandra and her field team aged birds with the increasingly popular Wolfe-Ryder-Pyle (WRP) system. WRP divides the lifetime of any bird into distinguishable molt cycles and uses the cycle information to tell whether birds are in their first or subsequent years of life.

Still, after the best efforts to age birds in the field, a non-negligible number of individuals had to be placed in an "unknown-age" category. "The poor man's solution would be to throw away the unknown-age data," says Marc Kery, a research scientist at the Swiss Ornithological Institute and co-author of the study. Kery devised a statistical "mixture-model," which uses the difference between juvenile, unknown-age, and adult survival estimates to estimate the proportion of unknown-age birds that are adults and incorporate their information in the study.

The fact that tropical forest passerines have higher survival rates than their higher-latitude counterparts can help ornithologists understand how the long-held latitudinal trend in clutch size could be maintained without latitudinal differences in population growth rate. The idea of longer-lived tropical birds may no longer be seen as a "dogma." What remains to be understood is the relative importance of survival among other possible offsetting traits and the mechanism by which the observed latitudinal trends evolved.

###

"Age effects on survival of Amazon forest birds and the latitudinal gradient in bird survival" is available at http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1642/AUK-17-91.1.

For further information, contact:

Dr. Goncalo Ferraz

Departamento de Ecologia

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

Av. Bento Goncalves 9500

Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

goncalo.ferraz@ufrgs.br

gferraz29@gmail.com WhatsApp: +55 (51) 99595-0433

Dr. Marc Kery

Swiss Ornithological Institute

Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach

Switzerland

marc.kery@vogelwarte.ch
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] -- Brown University engineers have devised a new method of measuring the stickiness of micro-scale surfaces. The technique, described in Proceedings of the Royal Society A, could be useful in designing and building micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), devices with microscopic moving parts.

At the scale of bridges or buildings, the most important force that engineered structures need to deal with is gravity. But at the scale of MEMS -- devices like the tiny accelerometers used in smartphones and Fitbits -- the relative importance of gravity decreases, and adhesive forces become more important.

"The main thing that matters at the microscale is what sticks to what," said Haneesh Kesari, an assistant professor in Brown's School of Engineering and coauthor of the new research. "If you have parts of your device sticking together that shouldn't be, it's not going to work. So in order to design MEMS devices, it helps to have a good way of measuring adhesion in the materials we use."

That's what Kesari and two Brown graduate students, Wenqiang Fang and Joyce Mok, looked to accomplish with this new research. Specifically, they wanted to measure a quantity known as "work of adhesion," which roughly translates into the amount of energy required to separate a unit area of two adhered surfaces.

The key theoretical insight developed in the new study is that thermal vibrations of a microbeam can be used to calculate work of adhesion. That insight suggests a method in which a slightly modified atomic force microscopy (AFM) system can be used to probe adhesive properties.

Standard AFM works a bit like a record player. A cantilever with a sharp needle moves across a target material. A laser shown on the cantilever measures the tiny undulations it makes as it moves along the material's contours. Those undulations can then be used to map out the material's surface properties.

Adapting the method to measure adhesion would require simply removing the metal tip from the cantilever, leaving a flat microbeam. That beam can then be lowered onto a target material, where it will adhere. When the cantilever is raised slightly, some portion of the beam will become unstuck, while the rest remains stuck. The unstuck portion of the beam will vibrate ever so slightly. The authors found a way to use the extent of that vibration, which can be measured by an AFM laser, to calculate the length of the unstuck portion, which can in turn be used to calculate the target material's work of adhesion.

With slight modifications, an atomic force microscope could be used to measure adheasion in micro-materials. Credit: Kesari Lab/Brown University Fang says the technique could be useful in assessing new material coatings or surface textures aimed at alleviating the failure of MEMS devices through sticking.

"Once you have a robust technique for measuring the material's work of adhesion, then you have a systematic way of evaluating these methods to get the level of adhesion needed for a particular application," Fang said. "The main advantage to this method is that you don't need to change a standard AFM setup very much in order to do this."

The approach is also much simpler than other techniques, according to Mok.

"Previous methods based on interferometry are labor intensive and may require many data points to be taken," she said. "Our theoretical framework would give a value for the work of adhesion from a single measurement."

Having demonstrated the technique numerically, Kesari says the next step is to build the system and start collecting some experimental data. He's hopeful that such a system will aid in pushing the MEMS field forward.

"We have MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes, but I don't think the field has quite lived up to its promise yet," Kesari said. "Part of the reason for that is that people haven't completely understood adhesion at the small scale. We think that a more robust way of measuring adhesion is the first step towards gaining such an understanding."

###

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant 1562656) and a Brown Graduate School Presidential Fellowship to Joyce Mok.
Lead poisoning, air pollution and exposure to violent crime are all things that can negatively affect the health and well-being of children.

Unfortunately, social and environmental stressors like these don't occur in isolation. Particularly in poor urban communities, such exposures - from the water children drink to the structures they live in - are a complex fabric of experiences that isn't well understood.

At Colorado State University, a multidisciplinary research team is taking a deep dive on a multitude of environmental and social stressors, and how they affect health outcomes for young children. The researchers are supported by a three-year, $600,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Lead researcher Sheryl Magzamen is an assistant professor of environmental and radiological health sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She is an epidemiologist who previously studied lead exposure in vulnerable communities in southeastern Wisconsin, while completing postdoctoral work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For the EPA project, she will work with the same state of Wisconsin colleagues for access to data on local populations.

"In epidemiology, we tend to focus on one thing, whether that's lead, or air pollution," Magzamen said. "The question is, what if you have all of these? Does it make you so many times worse off than children who only have one or a certain combination of exposures? ... These exposures, they travel together. It's not just lead. It's also the built environment, air quality, poverty and other social determinants of health."

The EPA project will comprise a multi-factor, retrospective analysis of about 17,000 children in Milwaukee and Racine counties in southeastern Wisconsin. The studied populations will include children in Wisconsin's lead tracking database; Women, Infants and Children (WIC) enrollment data; and Medicaid claims data. The demographic profile of these groups is generally low-income and primarily non-white.

The researchers' goal is to develop new exposure models that reflect the children's chemical, social and physical environments. Their models will highlight how such exposures influence health outcomes from children's prenatal period through the age of 4. They will estimate the causal effect of "total environment" exposures.

Magzamen will be joined by experts in air pollution, housing quality, statistics and human development to complete the exposure models. All the CSU project collaborators are members of the Partnership for Air Quality, Climate and Health (PACH), established by the Office of the Vice President for Research. PACH conducts transdisciplinary work on specific problems related to air quality. Topics they study include wildfire smoke, motor vehicle emissions and ozone.

Working with Magazmen on the EPA grant is Ander Wilson, assistant professor in the Department of Statistics and an expert in environmental statistics. He specializes in developing novel methods and data science tools to learn how environmental factors influence human health. His role in the project will be to develop an overall statistical framework for the effort.

"There are a lot of very interesting and challenging statistical questions to address in these data," Wilson said. "That excites me as a statistician. It is an opportunity to think creatively as we analyze the data."

Another collaborator is Shantanu Jathar, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and a member of the CSU Energy Institute. Jathar is an expert in air quality modeling. His role will be to provide high-resolution (down to 1 kilometer) air quality estimates of pollution in the Wisconsin study area. The team will look at all exposures - including bad air -- and their links to health outcomes.

"What's exciting about this project is to see in action - for the first time for me - how air pollution data actually helps people who work with health data, and to examine these pollutant-to-outcome pathways," Jathar said. "Despite being an air pollution scientist, I have never had the opportunity, prior to this, to work with epidemiologists."

Ellison Carter, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, studies air quality and air pollution exposure, with a focus on the role of built environments and housing. She will lead the EPA team effort on answering how the study subjects' built environments relate to other exposures, and how they affect health.

Also joining the research team will be Janean Dilworth-Bart of the University of Wisconsin, a professor in human development and family studies, who will act as a senior consultant for the team.

###
This spectacular and unusual image shows part of the famous Orion Nebula, a star formation region lying about 1350 light-years from Earth. It combines a mosaic of millimetre-wavelength images from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the IRAM 30-metre telescope, shown in red, with a more familiar infrared view from the HAWK-I instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope, shown in blue. The group of bright blue-white stars at the upper-left is the Trapezium Cluster -- made up of hot young stars that are only a few million years old.

The wispy, fibre-like structures seen in this large image are long filaments of cold gas, only visible to telescopes working in the millimetre wavelength range. They are invisible at both optical and infrared wavelengths, making ALMA one of the only instruments available for astronomers to study them. This gas gives rise to newborn stars -- it gradually collapses under the force of its own gravity until it is sufficiently compressed to form a protostar -- the precursor to a star.

The scientists who gathered the data from which this image was created were studying these filaments to learn more about their structure and make-up. They used ALMA to look for signatures of diazenylium gas, which makes up part of these structures. Through doing this study, the team managed to identify a network of 55 filaments.

The Orion Nebula is the nearest region of massive star formation to Earth, and is therefore studied in great detail by astronomers seeking to better understand how stars form and evolve in their first few million years. ESO's telescopes have observed this interesting region multiple times, and you can learn more about previous discoveries here, here, and here.

This image combines a total of 296 separate individual datasets from the ALMA and IRAM telescopes, making it one of the largest high-resolution mosaics of a star formation region produced so far at millimetre wavelengths [1].

###

Notes

[1] Earlier mosaics of Orion at millimetre wavelengths had used single-dish telescopes, such as APEX. The new observations from ALMA and IRAM use interferometry to combine the signals from multiple, widely-separated antennas to create images showing much finer detail.

More information

ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile and by Australia as a strategic partner. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope and its world-leading Very Large Telescope Interferometer as well as two survey telescopes, VISTA working in the infrared and the visible-light VLT Survey Telescope. ESO is also a major partner in two facilities on Chajnantor, APEX and ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre Extremely Large Telescope, the ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky".

Links

Photos of ALMA - http://www.eso.org/public/images/archive/search/?adv=&subject_name=Atacama%20Large%20Millimeter/submillimeter%20Array

IRAM - http://www.iram-institute.org

Science paper - http://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1809/eso1809a.pdf

Contacts

Alvaro Hacar Gonzalez

NWO-VENI Fellow - Leiden Observatory

Leiden University, the Netherlands

hacar@strw.leidenuniv.nl

Richard Hook

ESO Public Information Officer

Garching bei Munchen, Germany

Tel: +49 89 3200 6655

Cell: +49 151 1537 3591

rhook@eso.org
By employing algorithms and digital imaging, Brazilian researchers design a non-invasive system which performs the tricky task of identifying different stages of fruit ripening with an accuracy rate of 95%

Common sense says a papaya is ripe when the peel is yellow, whereas a green peel is a sign the fruit is far from sufficiently mature. This is often correct, but there are many exceptions.

"Yellow peel doesn't always mean the fruit is ripe in the sense that its compounds have been completely converted into sugar, so that it's sweet and soft to the palate," said Douglas Fernandes Barbin, an investigator at the University of Campinas's School of Food Engineering (FEA-UNICAMP) in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. "Sometimes the peel is partly yellow and partly green."

As Barbin notices, this singularity makes it hard to decide whether a variegated papaya is ready for picking, obliterating farmers to accomplish an old cry for more productivity: mechanical harvesting of the golden papaya (Carica papaya L.) according to a reliable automated method.

Barbin leads a research project supported by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP that seeks a solution for the problem. His group at FEA-UNICAMP investigates the use of algorithms and computer vision to analyze agricultural products.

"The idea is to automate harvesting using non-invasive imaging technologies such as computer-aided analysis of digital images in visible light as well as infrared," said Barbin. Findings from the study were published in the February issue of the journal Computers and Electronics in Agriculture.

The researchers at FEA-UNICAMP, in partnership with a group at Londrina State University (UEL) in Parana, led by Sylvio Barbon, Jr., investigated the use of a portable sensor that illuminated and analyzed the fruit on the tree. The device emitted a luminous signal that was reflected by the fruit and captured for spectral analysis.

The electromagnetic spectrum comprises all forms of electromagnetic radiation, which can be highly energetic and dangerous (e.g., gamma rays and X-rays) or inoffensive (e.g., radio, TV and cell phone waves).

Visible light, the form human eyes have adapted to recognize, occupies a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Infrared radiation is invisible to humans but can be seen by many animals, including several bird species.

"In the case of papayas, the infrared portion of the spectrum supplies important information about the biochemical stage of fruit maturation," Barbin explained. This information can be used to supplement the data obtained from digital images, further enhancing the precision of the method.

In the study, golden papayas were purchased in a retail market in the city of Campinas and then measured and weighed. Peel color was determined using a colorimeter. The researchers also analyzed physicochemical properties such as pulp firmness, pH, soluble solids, total carotenoids, and ascorbic acid content.

The samples were classified into three maturity stages (MSs) according to pulp firmness, using a texture analyzer to measure compression force (N).

Papayas with the firmest flesh (higher than 33 N) were classified as MS1, while those with pulp firmness between 33 N and 20 N were classified as MS2, and those with less than 20 N - soft and ready for consumption - were classified as MS3.

"The device used to acquire data on fruit characteristics was a compact digital imaging camera positioned in a structure designed to provide suitable lighting and optimal representation of the fruit's surface," Barbin explained.

Two color images of each papaya were recorded, one of each side. The images were digitally processed to separate three color channels (red, green and blue) and also for evaluation in terms of hue, saturation, lightness, and feature extraction.

"In the digital images for each sample, we explored several color spaces to represent it with the aim of obtaining a better performance during fruit classification," Barbin said. "The color spaces that we studied included RGB, HSV, CIELAB and their mean values on the surfaces analyzed as descriptive attributes."

Decision tree

Barbin explained that these descriptive features were fed into a random-forest decision tree algorithm to model the fruit ripeness classification system.

Computational processing followed by statistical analysis of all properties and features produced indicators of pulp firmness for each papaya.

"We compared these predictions with the previous mechanically obtained values and found an accuracy rate of up to 94.7%," Barbin said.

Brazilian growers are keen on mechanizing the papaya harvest, he added. They stand to gain many benefits. In the irrigated plantations of the Sao Francisco River Valley in the Northeast region, for example, it would be possible to identify and pick papayas so they would reach the ideal stage of ripeness only some days later, upon arriving at markets in the Southeast (Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo).

"Less-ripe fruit could be selected for export, and mature papayas could be shipped to markets closer to the farm, such as cities in the Northeast," he said.

Next steps for the researchers include adapting the sensor to a portable manual device that can be used in the plantation to point the luminous signal directly at papayas on trees.

###

About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. For more information: http://www.fapesp.br/en.
HOUSTON - (March 7, 2018) - In a rare move, a Houston Methodist researcher is sharing his recipe for a new, more affordable way to make nanoparticles. This will empower any laboratory in the world to easily create similar nanoparticles and could lead to a whole new way of delivering biotherapeutic drugs and do it more quickly.

"We're the only lab in the world doing this," said Ennio Tasciotti, Ph.D., director of the Center for Biomimetic Medicine at the Houston Methodist Research Institute and corresponding author on a paper coming out March 7 in Advanced Materials. "There are several questions about how our system works, and I can't answer all of them. By giving away the so-called 'recipe' to make biomimetic nanoparticles, a lot of other labs will be able to enter this field and may provide additional solutions and applications that are beyond the reach of only one laboratory. You could say it's the democratization of nanotechnology."

In the article, Tasciotti and his colleagues show how to standardize nanoparticle production to guarantee stability and reproducibility, while increasing yield. Eliminating the need for multi-million-dollar facilities, Tasciotti and his team demonstrate this using a readily available and relatively affordable piece of benchtop equipment to manufacture nanoparticles in a controlled, adjustable and low-cost manner.

"Nanoparticles are generally made through cryptic protocols, and it's very often impossible to consistently or affordably reproduce them," Tasciotti said. "You usually need special, custom-made equipment or procedures that are available to only a few laboratories. We provide step-by-step instructions so that now everybody can do it."

For decades nanoparticles have been made out of bioinert, or inorganic, substances that don't interact with the body. In more recent years, nanoparticles were made to be bioactive, meaning they could respond to the environment. Now, Tasciotti is pushing the field forward by creating biomimetic nanoparticles that resemble cell composition and work in synergy with the laws that govern the physiology of the body.

"The body is so smart in the ways it defends itself. The immune system will eventually recognize nanoparticles no matter how well you make them," Tasciotti said. "In my lab, we make nanoparticles out of the cell membrane of the very same immune cells that patrol the blood stream. When we put these biomimetic, or bioinspired, nanoparticles back in the body, the immune cells do not recognize them as something different, as they're made of their same building blocks, so there is no adverse response."

Despite the complexity of this new class of particles, Tasciotti says it's incredibly simple how they put it together, which is why he decided to publish this paper.

"While our lab will remain fully devoted to this line of research, if somebody else develops some solutions using our protocols that are useful in clinical care, it's still a good outcome," he said. "After all, the ultimate reason why we are in translational science is for the benefit of the patients."

###

Other researchers collaborating with Tasciotti on this paper include his co-corresponding author Roberto Molinaro, Michael Evangelopoulos, Jessica R. Hoffman, Claudia Corbo, Francesca Taraballi, Jonathan O. Martinez and Kelly A. Hartman from Houston Methodist; Michael Sherman from University of Texas Medical Branch; and Donato Cosco, Giosue' Costa, Isabella Romeo, Donatella Paolino, Stefano Alcaro from the University "Magna Grcia" of Catanzaro in Italy.

The work was supported by grants from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (RP170466), the NIH's National Cancer Institute (R56CA213859), the Hearst Foundation and The Cullen Trust for Health Care.

Tasciotti is also the Director of the Center for Musculoskeletal Regeneration at the Houston Methodist Department of Orthopedics and Sport Medicine.

To speak with Ennio Tasciotti, Ph.D., contact Lisa Merkl, Houston Methodist, at 281-620-2502 or lmerkl@houstonmethodist.org. For more information about Houston Methodist, visit houstonmethodist.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

For more information: Design and Development of Biomimetic Nanovesicles Using a Microfluidic Approach. Advanced Materials DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.201702749 (March 7, 2018) R. Molinaro, M. Evangelopoulos, J.R. Hoffman, C. Corbo, F. Taraballi, J.O. Martinez, K.A. Hartman, D. Cosco, G. Costa, I. Romeo, M. Sherman, D. Paolino, S. Alcaro, and E. Tasciotti.
The foundation of the Republic of Latvia in November 1918 went hand in hand with significant changes for the Jewish population: From then on, Jewish citizens had equal rights as well as the opportunity to become politically active and set up and manage their own cultural institutions. A small minority of the Jewish population was thoroughly assimilated to German culture and occasionally referred to themselves as "Germans of Jewish faith." Very little is known about the milieu of this group that experienced a cultural renaissance in Latvia as a result of the tolerant legislative attitude towards minorities in the time between the world wars. A new research project at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) intends to address this topic and explore the lifestyle of German-acculturated Jews and their cultural interactions with Germans in the period in question. The project "Jews and Germans in Latvia 1919-1939: Routes of acculturation, Identity, Reception" is being sponsored by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Monika Grutters. Funding is being provided as part of the program on German-Jewish Lifeworlds in Eastern Europe and will amount to EUR 80,000 over the next four years.

In 1918, Jewish society in Latvia was diverse in terms of both its religious and cultural manifestations. Yiddish-speaking Jews who had migrated from Riga and Kurland during the second half of the 19th century formed the largest group. A smaller group of educated Jews had adopted a Russian cultural outlook. Especially characteristic of the city of Riga and the Kurland region in Latvia's east, however, was the group of so-called Kurland Jews who had been granted official protected status and had lived here since the 18th century and were already becoming increasingly assimilated to German culture by the beginning of the 19th century. They all enjoyed full cultural autonomy in the young nation state, as did the Russian and German minorities in Latvia.

Comparing the situation of Jews who had assimilated themselves to Russian or German culture

A good deal is already known about the situation of Jews who had become Russian-acculturated, in particular thanks to the groundwork of Dr. Svetlana Bogojavlenska, a researcher in the field of Eastern European History at Mainz University. "We know that it was the end of the Tsarist regime that gave this group the opportunity to consider themselves culturally Russian," said the historian. Around six per cent of all Jews in Latvia used Russian as their mother tongue in daily life. A common language and education gave rise to close relationships between Russian and Jewish intellectuals. Russian-language newspapers were published by journalists of Jewish ethnicity, Jewish lawyers joined the Russian judicial association, and Jewish families sent their children to Russian middle schools.

To date, the lifestyles, paths of acculturation, identity, and acceptance by the Germans living in Latvia of the actually larger number of German-acculturated Jews have been largely ignored by researchers. About 10 percent of the Jews registered as domiciled in Latvia in 1930 stated that German was the language they used at home. In Riga, 15 percent of Jews spoke German on a day-to-day basis, 21 percent in the towns of the Kurland region. "Jews therefore contributed to the spread of the German language in Latvia, as these figures show. This is also made evident by the fact that the Jewish education authority not only operated Yiddish- and Hebrew-speaking schools but also Russian- and German-speaking schools," added Bogojavlenska.

"Despite this highly interesting linguistic and cultural constellation in Latvia between the wars, we do not know how German culture specifically influenced Jewish cultural life during this period and how it was able to prevail," stated project head Jan Kusber, Professor of East European History at the JGU Department of History. As yet completely unresearched is how the German populace interacted with and perceived the Jews assimilated to German culture. The historians based in Mainz assume that most Germans had their reservations with regard to Jews, even though these latter spoke their language and had an affinity to their culture. This would be in complete contrast to the situation of Russian-acculturated Jews who were accepted by the majority of educated Russian society in Latvia and were able to participate in and contribute to Russian culture.

###
A team of Nizhny Novgorod researchers led by Dr. V.A. Vodeneev, head of the Laboratory for Optical Theranostics at the Institute of Biology and Biomedicine of the Lobachevsky University (UNN), is working to develop effective ways to combat cancer.

Currently, much attention is given to photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumors, a method of treatment based on the accumulation of photosensitive substances (photosensitizers) in the tumor. When these photosensitizers absorb light at a certain wavelength, they can generate toxic agents that kill cancer cells. Researchers' efforts are aimed at developing methods for targeted delivery of drugs to target cells. By solving this problem, it will be possible to minimize the impact on the surrounding normal tissues, reduce systemic effects, and achieve the maximum effectiveness of photodynamic therapy due to the specific accumulation of drugs in the affected tissue.

Preparations for PDT being developed at the UNN Laboratory for Optical Theranostics belong to the porphyrazine class. In 2015, a group of scientists from the London Imperial College (Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom), together with researchers from the Lobachevsky University and the Institute of Organometallic Chemistry of the RAS (Nizhny Novgorod, Russia) proved the unique possibility of their double use as photosensitizers and viscosity markers in photodynamic therapy. Intracellular viscosity measurement is very important for monitoring the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy. It allows one to evaluate structural changes at the cellular level (since cell death during therapy is accompanied by an increase in intracellular viscosity). These results were published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry [Izquierdo M.A., Vysniauskas A., Lermontova S.A. et al. (2015). Dual use of porphyrazines as sensitizers and viscosity markers in photodynamic therapy. Journal of Materials Chemistry B 3:1089-1096].

Nizhny Novgorod researchers propose to increase the effectiveness of these photosensitizers by loading them into special lipid capsules - liposomes. Scientists claim that liposomes will ensure effective delivery of the photosensitizer to the affected area due to the structural features of the tumor vasculature. In this case, it will be also possible to reduce systemic toxicity of anti-cancer agents.

According to Dr. Vodeneev, the studies carried out at the UNN Laboratory for Optical Theranostics show that the porphyrazine photosensitizer can be effectively loaded into liposomes consisting of phosphatidylcholine and its mixtures with cholesterol and phosphatidylglycerol.

"We have achieved a high rate of cellular uptake of the liposomal preparation and a strong photoinduced toxicity. This provides the prerequisites for the further use of the liposomal form of this photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy of tumors", notes Dr. Vodeneev.

###
A new model developed by Michigan Medicine researchers could change treatment guidelines for nearly two-thirds of men with localized prostate cancer

ANN ARBOR, Michigan -- One of the biggest challenges in treating prostate cancer is distinguishing men who have aggressive and potentially lethal disease from men whose cancer is slow-growing and unlikely to metastasize.

For years, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, cancer grade and tumor stage have been used to sort prostate cancer patients into risk groups established by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. These risk groups help determine treatment course.

But the longtime practice has shortcomings.

"These risk groups were developed decades ago and were optimized for what is called biochemical recurrence, which simply means that a man's PSA level rises again sometime after treatment," says Daniel Spratt, M.D., associate chair of research and assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Michigan Medicine.

"It was not optimized for more meaningful outcomes like identifying which men will ultimately develop metastases or die of prostate cancer."

That means men with prostate cancer are being left behind in the era of precision medicine, Spratt says.

The good news? Technology has advanced to the point where genetic information derived from tissue biopsied at diagnosis can much more accurately predict which men have aggressive prostate cancer. A genomic classifier score is assigned based on tests run on 22 genes known to increase the risk of developing metastatic disease.

The bad news? There has been no way to integrate these new gene expression biomarker risk scores into the NCCN risk groups that have traditionally been used to guide treatment.

"So what we did is basically say: We've got a flawed model," says Spratt. "We've got these new biomarkers, but we don't really know how to integrate them. Let's see if we can merge them together to create a new, integrated system that is simple and easy to use, and standardize the use of these biomarkers."

The study was reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

New reporting methods

Four multicenter, retrospective cohorts of nearly 7,000 men, all of whom had gene expression biomarker scores, were used to design, test and validate a new model for assigning risk groups. Two new clinical-genomic systems were created: a simple three-tiered system and a more granular six-tiered system.

When the researchers tested the new risk group models against conventional NCCN risk groups for the development of metastatic disease and death from prostate cancer, they found that the new clinical-genomic groups were much more accurate predictors than the traditional NCCN risk groups.

The team also found some noticeable differences.

"What our new system does is not only more accurately identify men who have either indolent disease or aggressive disease, but it reclassifies almost 67 percent of men, potentially changing recommendations for their treatment," says Spratt.

Implications for care

For men with a lower-risk, slow-growing disease who are much more likely to die of something other than prostate cancer, active surveillance is typically recommended. Through careful monitoring of the condition, they are able to defer treatment.

"It's great because you spare the cost and side effects of treatment," says Spratt. "However, in the community setting, only about 50 percent or less of men who we would normally say should go on active surveillance actually go on it. That's because clinicians don't have great confidence in the old NCCN risk grouping system."

This new system creates a much larger pool of low-risk men eligible for active surveillance, and it gives more accuracy and confidence to doctors prescribing treatment.

On the other hand, the new risk group classification also identifies a much larger pool of high-risk men who, if left untreated, are likely to die of prostate cancer. This group would receive more intensive treatment, possibly including radiation, hormone therapy or clinical trials.

"This is similar to what the oncotype recurrence score is for breast cancer," Spratt says. "Women who have a high oncotype score are told they have a large chance of absolute benefit from adding chemotherapy, while those with a low oncotype score may have a very small benefit -- but the absolute benefit is so small, it's not worth the side effects and cost of the therapy."

Spratt says this new clinical-genomic risk grouping system for prostate cancer is ready to be used today.

"This could radically change the way we perceive and treat localized prostate cancer," he says.

###

Funding: Supported in part by the Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award (to D.E.S) and the Department of Defense (W81XWH-16-1-0571).

Disclosure: None

Reference: Journal of Clinical Oncology, doi:10.1200/JCO.2017.74.2940

Resources:

University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, http://www.mcancer.org

Michigan Medicine Cancer AnswerLine, 800-865-1125

Michigan Health Lab, http://www.MichiganHealthLab.org
The same satellites that identify severe weather can help save you from it.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) constellation monitors Earth's environment, helping meteorologists observe and predict the weather. GOES observations have tracked thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and flash floods. They've even proven useful in monitoring dust storms, forest fires and volcanic activity.

The recently launched GOES-S (planned to replace the current GOES-West later this year) and other GOES series satellites carry a payload supported by NASA's Search and Rescue (SAR) office, which researches and develops technologies to help first responders locate people in distress worldwide, whether from a plane crash, a boating accident or other emergencies.

Over its history, the SAR office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, has developed emergency beacons for personal, nautical and aeronautical use, along with ground station receivers that detect beacon activation. Space segment SAR instruments fly on many spacecraft in various orbits around the Earth. The GOES SAR transponders are geostationary, meaning that they appear "fixed" relative to a user on the surface due to their location over the equator and orbital period of 24 hours.

"The SAR space segment isn't just one instrument in one orbit," said Tony Foster, SAR's deputy mission manager. "Rather it's a series of instruments aboard diverse satellites in various orbits, each working together to provide first responders with highly accurate locations."

The GOES search and rescue transponders, unlike SAR instruments in other orbits, are only able to detect the beacon signals, not help to determine location. This detection rapidly alerts the global SAR network, Cospas-Sarsat, of a distress beacon's activation. This gives the system valuable time to prepare before the signal's origin can be determined by SAR instruments on low-Earth-orbiting satellites.

Additionally, beacons with integrated GPS technology can send their location data through GOES to the SAR network. The network can then alert local first responders to the location of the emergency without the aid of the low-Earth-orbiting constellation of search and rescue instruments.

NASA's SAR team provides on-orbit testing, support and maintenance of the search and rescue instrument on GOES. The GOES satellites and SAR instruments are funded by NOAA.

"We are proud to support the Cospas-Sarsat program by hosting a search and rescue transponder aboard our satellites," said Tim Walsh, GOES-R series program acting system program director. "SAR is one of the many NOAA-NASA collaborations that translate into life-saving technology."

In the future, first responders will rely on a new constellation of instruments on GPS and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems currently in medium-Earth orbit, an orbit that views larger swathes of the Earth than low-Earth orbit due to higher altitudes. These new instruments will enable the SAR network to locate a distress signal more quickly than the current system and calculate their position with accuracy an order of magnitude better, from one kilometer (0.6 miles) to approximately 100 meters (328 feet).

In the meantime, the SAR transponders aboard GOES cover the time between the activation of a distress signal and detection by SAR instruments in low-Earth orbit.

"NASA's SAR office dedicates itself to speed and accuracy," said Lisa Mazzuca, SAR mission manager. "The instruments and technologies we develop endeavor to alert first responders to a beacon's activation as soon as possible. The GOES search and rescue transponders are crucial to this goal, providing near-instantaneous detection in the fields of view of the Earth."

###

NASA's SAR office is a project of Goddard's Exploration and Space Communications projects division. Programmatic oversight is provided by NASA's Space Communications and Navigation program office at NASA Headquarters in Washington. GOES-S was successfully launched on March 1, 2018, aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - One in five teachers who were the victims of physical or verbal violence at their schools didn't report the incidents to school administrators, according to a nationwide study.

The results showed that significant minorities of teachers who experienced violence also didn't tell their colleagues (14 percent) or family (24 percent).

Only 12 percent went to a counselor.

"You would think that the first thing a teacher would do after a violent encounter or threat would be to tell the school's administrators, but 20 percent aren't even doing that. That's disturbing," said Eric Anderman, lead author of the study and professor of educational psychology at The Ohio State University.

"Too many teachers aren't talking to anyone about what happened."

The study was published online this week in the journal Social Psychology of Education.

In collaboration with the American Psychological Association, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, Anderman and his colleagues surveyed 3,403 kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers from across the country. This study included the 2,505 teachers in the survey who said they were the victims of some form of violence.

Teachers were asked to describe in writing "the most upsetting incident" at school in which they were the target of students' verbal or physical aggression or intimidation.

One-quarter of the teachers reported actual physical abuse or assault, 20 percent reported threats of physical violence and 37 percent described verbal insults, disrespectful language or inappropriate sexual advances.

Another 8 percent didn't write about the details of the violent incident itself, but about a lack of support from school leaders and colleagues who were told about the abuse.

"That finding was very surprising to us. It was not something any of us thought we would find," Anderman said.

The study examined how teachers reacted to the violence against them, particularly concerning how much they blamed themselves for what happened.

On a scale of 1 to 5, teachers rated how much they blamed themselves for the violent incident through statements like "They do this to me because I won't fight back" and "I should have been more careful."

Teachers also rated the extent to which they experienced three reactions to the incident: feeling upset, becoming angry, and feeling physical symptoms like nausea or a fast heartbeat.

Results showed that the more teachers blamed themselves for the incident, the more likely they were to report feeling anger and having unpleasant physiological responses, which in turn was related to a greater likelihood of talking to others about the incident.

"Experiencing negative emotions like anger can potentially be helpful, if it leads teachers to reach out to colleagues or family. They often need help processing what they went through," Anderman said.

But those feelings of anger triggered by self-blame also were linked to a lower likelihood that teachers contacted the parents of the student perpetrator about the incident. Some research suggests teachers are more likely to talk to parents when they feel effective at work and are more committed to their job.

"It is possible that teachers who experience violence may sometimes become less committed to teaching and feel less effective," he said.

Anderman said he was concerned that only 12 percent of teachers spoke to a counselor about the violent incident they experienced. The study showed that teachers who rated feeling more upset and reported higher levels of physical symptoms were the most likely to see a counselor.

It may be that many teachers avoid seeing a counselor because they don't want to appear weak or ineffective, he said.

Anderman also noted that teachers were more likely to talk to their colleagues about violent incidents than with their administrators. That finding, coupled with the fact that 8 percent of participants wrote about the lack of support they felt, suggests schools need to be more effective at dealing with violence against teachers.

"Some schools may need to re-evaluate how they can support and help teachers who are victims of violence," he said.

###

This work was supported by the American Psychological Association's Center for Psychology in Schools and Education.

Anderman conducted the study with Dorothy Eseplage of the University of Florida; Linda Reddy of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Susan McMahon of DePaul University; Andrew Martinez of the Center for Court Innovation; Katherine Lynne Lane of the University of Kansas; Cecil Reynolds of Texas A&M University; and Narmada Paul of Ohio State.

Contact: Eric Anderman, (614) 688-5721; Anderman.1@osu.edu

Written by Jeff Grabmeier, 614-292-8457; Grabmeier.1@osu.edu
ATHENS, Ohio (March 7, 2018) - Ohio University Russ Professor Srdjan Nesic, who is also the director of the Russ College of Engineering and Technology's Institute for Corrosion and Multiphase Technology (ICMT), has received the prestigious 2018 Willis Rodney Whitney Award for his contributions to corrosion science and education.

Granted by the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE), the award honors significant contributions to research and/or the prevention of corrosion.

"The Whitney Award recognizes Professor Nesic as an exemplar of excellence in engineering research - research that advances fundamental scientific understanding and also provides practical solutions to current and future challenges," said Valerie Young, associate professor and department chair of chemical and biomolecular engineering.

Corrosion science is concerned with the gradual decay of materials through slow chemical processes. According to Nesic, his work in particular is concerned with understanding and predicting corrosion in the oil and gas industry, for which he has clarified the impacts of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide on the corrosion of pipeline steel. These acid gases, in combination with water that is present in the produced hydrocarbon fluids, can internally corrode the transport pipelines, leading to leakage and ultimately, environmental disasters and potential loss of life, he explained.

"This is the highest honor I think anyone working with the very broad field of corrosion can ever get," Nesic said. "What I think I have contributed over the years is to clarify the main effects of corrosion, to bring out the commonly accepted and reasonably well understood concepts and do away with the rest."

Srdjan collaborates with faculty, staff, and colleagues at the Russ College's Institute for Corrosion and Multiphase Technology, of which he has been director since 2002. He is responsible for obtaining more than $35 million in external research funding, almost all from private industry.

A fellow of NACE and associate editor of the CORROSION journal and Elsevier's Corrosion Science Journal, he is also the author of articles in respected corrosion references Uhlig's Corrosion Handbook and Shriers's Corrosion.

He has also authored 18 articles in books, 123 peer-reviewed journal papers, 225 conference papers, and more than 50 scientific reports in the field of corrosion. In addition, he has served as principal adviser for more than 50 master's and doctoral students, many of whom have moved on to become leaders in the oil and gas industry.

Aria Kahyarian, a chemical engineering Ph.D. candidate, said he is grateful for Nesic's mentorship.

"Dr. Nesic is a dedicated, kind, patient, yet charismatic teacher with a deep knowledge and a unique, student-oriented teaching philosophy, which I found very constructive especially at the graduate leveal," Kahyarian said. "He not only prepared me for my future career, but also taught me to be a better person, and I am forever grateful for that."

Nesic has received numerous awards and honors including CORROSION journal's best paper in 2010 and 2015, NACE's H.H. Uhlig Award in 2007, and the British Corrosion Journal's Bengough award in 1998. He also has extensively consulted on corrosion issues for the oil and gas industry.

###

Contact: Jim Sabin, media relations specialist, at 740-593-0858 or sabin@ohio.edu.

About Ohio University

Ohio University strives to be the best student-centered, transformative learning community in America, where more than 40,000 students realize their promise, faculty advance knowledge, staff achieve excellence, and alumni become global leaders. OHIO is committed to fostering, embracing, and celebrating diversity in all its forms. Our Athens Campus offers students a residential learning experience in one of the nation's most picturesque academic settings. Additional campuses and centers serve students across the state, and online programs further advance the University's commitment to providing educational access and opportunity. Visit http://www.ohio.edu for more information.
This week, publication of a special issue on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and multimorbidity begins in PLOS Medicine, advised by guest editors Carolyn S. P. Lam, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Kazem Rahimi, The George Institute for Global Health, University of Oxford, UK, and Steven Steinhubl, Scripps Translational Science Institute, USA.

CVD is the number one cause of death and disability globally, with an estimated 17.7 million deaths from CVD in 2015. The demographic shift towards older populations across the globe and the relatively slower decline in morbidity compared with mortality from CVD have resulted in increasing numbers of people with both CVD and other chronic and disabling conditions. Multimorbidity, commonly defined as the presence of two or more chronic medical conditions in an individual, is linked to poorer outcomes, lower quality of life, and increased healthcare utilization.

The Special Issue opens with publication of three original research articles:

In the first article, using data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, a population-based dataset including routinely collected data from 674 UK general practices, Kazem Rahimi of the George Institute for Global Health, Oxford, UK, and colleagues describe the prevalence of 56 clinically important and common comorbidities in 229,205 patients with newly diagnosed non-fatal CVD between 2000 and 2014. Using age- and sex-standardized estimates, the researchers found that while the incidence of CVD decreased by 34% between 2000 to 2014, the prevalence of having 5 or more comorbidities increased from 6.3% (95% CI 5.6%17.0%) in 2000 to 24.3% (22.1%34.8%) in 2014. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (28.9%), depression (23.0%), arthritis, (20.9%), asthma (17.7%), and anxiety (15.0%). While the findings rely on recorded diagnoses which could underestimate the actual prevalences in the general population, they emphasize the need to broaden the current single-disease paradigm in CVD management to account for the increasing burden of comorbidities.

In the second article, a population-based study using data from the Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project (England and Wales), Marlous Hall of the University of Leeds, UK, and colleagues identify multimorbidity patterns in patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) between 2003 and 2013. Of the 693,388 patients with AMI admitted over this period, 60% had at least one of the 7 conditions examined (diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, heart failure, renal failure, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, or hypertension). The researchers identified 3 multimorbidity phenotype clusters: (1) a high multimorbidity class, with concomitant heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, and hypertension, (2) a medium multimorbidity class, with peripheral vascular disease and hypertension, and (3) a low multimorbidity class. They estimated that patients who had high and medium levels of multimorbidity had average reduced life expectancies of 2.9 (95% CI 2.63.2) and 1.5 years (95% CI 1.31.7), respectively, compared with patients who had few comorbidities. While the authors did not examine all common comorbid conditions (e.g. dementia and cancer), the findings suggest that development of treatment guidelines for multimorbidity patient groups, rather than those currently available for single-diseases, has the potential to substantially improve post-MI outcomes for patients with multimorbid conditions.

In the third aricle, using data from the Swedish National study of Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K), Davide Vetrano of the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues examined trajectories of functional decline, measured by walking speed and activities of daily living (ADL), in 2,385 older adults with and without cardiovascular disease (e.g. ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation) and neuropsychiatric disease (e.g. mood disorders, dementia, and stroke). During the 9-year follow-up, individuals with multiple cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric diseases had the steepest declines in walking speed (up to 0.7 m/s; p < 0.001) and ADL independence (up to three impairments in ADL) compared with those without these diseases. The researchers observed significant declines over time for both walking speed and ADL in older adults with 1 or more neuropsychiatric diseases, but only for walking speed and those with cardiovascular multimorbidity. While the authors were not able to account for the specific contribution of individual diseases, these findings suggest that neuropsychiatric diseases may play a greater role in functional decline in older adults than cardiovascular disease.

The Special Issue will continue with further research and discussion articles appearing over the next several weeks.

###

Research Article - Rahimi et al.

Funding:

This work was supported by grants from the Oxford Martin School and the National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests:

KR receives a stipend as a specialty consulting editor for PLOS Medicine and serves on the journal's editorial board. KR also served as a guest editor on PLOS Medicine's Cardiovascular Disease Special Issue.

Citation:

Tran J, Norton R, Conrad N, Rahimian F, Canoy D, Nazarzadeh M, et al. (2018) Patterns and temporal trends of comorbidity among adult patients with incident cardiovascular disease in the UK between 2000 and 2014: A population-based cohort study. PLoS Med 15(3): e1002513. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002513

Author Affiliations:

George Institute for Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Deep Medicine, Oxford Martin School, Oxford, United Kingdom

George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Collaboration Center of Meta-Analysis Research, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom

In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002513

Research Article - Hall et al.

Funding:

MH was funded by the Wellcome Trust as a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellow (reference: 206470/Z/17/Z). CPG received funding from the British Heart Foundation (Project Grant PG/13/81/30474). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests:

I have read the journal's policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests to disclose: CPG has received speaker and consulting honoraria from AstraZeneca and Novartis. KAAF reports grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca, personal fees from Sanofi/Regeneron, grants and personal fees from Bayer/Janssen, personal fees from GSK, grants and personal fees from Lilly outside of the submitted work. MAM reports unrestricted educational grants for Terumo, Daiichi Sankyo, and personal fees from AstraZeneca, Cordis outside of submitted work. TJ has received speaker and consulting honoraria from AstraZeneca, MSD and Aspen. HH is a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator (grant NF-SI-0616-10066) and is funded by awards from the Medical Research Council, Arthritis Research UK, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Chief Scientist Office, Economic and Social Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, NIHR, National Institute for Social Care and Health Research, and Wellcome Trust (grant MR/K006584/1).

Citation:

Hall M, Dondo TB, Yan AT, Mamas MA, Timmis AD, Deanfield JE, et al. (2018) Multimorbidity and survival for patients with acute myocardial infarction in England and Wales: Latent class analysis of a nationwide population-based cohort. PLoS Med 15(3): e1002501. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002501

Author Affiliations:

Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Keele Cardiovascular Research Group, Keele University, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom

NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Barts Heart Centre, London, United Kingdom

National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research, University College London, London, United Kingdom

Department of Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

Farr Institute of Health Informatics Research, University College London, London, United Kingdom

NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University College London, London, United Kingdom

Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, York, United Kingdom

In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002501

Research Article - Vetrano et al.

Funding:

This work was supported by the funders of the Swedish National study on Aging and Care, SNAC: the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Sweden, the participating County Councils and Municipalities, and the Swedish Research Council. Specific grants were received from the Swedish Research Council for Medicine (521-2013-8676) and the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working life and Welfare (2016-07175), Catholic University of Rome, Lindhes Advokatbyra AB (LA2016-0450), Stiftelsen for Gamla Tjanarinnor (2016-00373), and Stonhes Stiftelse (4-3066/2016). No funding bodies had any role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests:

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Citation:

Vetrano DL, Rizzuto D, Calderon-Larranaga A, Onder G, Welmer A-K, Bernabei R, et al. (2018) Trajectories of functional decline in older adults with neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular multimorbidity: A Swedish cohort study. PLoS Med 15(3): e1002503. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002503

Author Affiliations:

Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

Department of Geriatrics, Catholic University of Rome, Rome, Italy

Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm Gerontology Research Center, Stockholm, Sweden

Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002503
Young Southern white rhinos may produce four distinct calls in differing behavioral contexts, according to a study published March 7, 2018 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Sabrina Linn and Marina Scheumann from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover and Serengeti-Park Hodenhagen, Germany, and colleagues.

Describing species' vocal repertoires can provide insights into how they communicate. Little is known about how young Southern white rhinos vocalize, and how their calls compare to those of adult rhinos. The authors of the present study characterized vocalizations in a small sample of rhino calves, aged between one month and four years old, at three zoos in Germany. They used audio and video to record the calls of seven calves reared by their mothers as well as one hand-reared calf.

The researchers found that the calves produced four distinct call types: "Whine", "Snort", "Threat", and "Pant". The call rate of Whines, which appeared to indicate an intention to suckle, decreased with age. Snort, Threat and Pant calls were used in differing social interactions with the mother, other rhinos and zookeepers, and have previously been described in adult rhinos. The hand-reared calf produced all four call types in similar behavioral contexts to the mother-reared calves, which might indicate that the calls have a strong innate component rather than being learnt from mother rhinos.

These observations were drawn from a sample of just eight young rhinos in captivity, and might not generalize to calves in the wild. Nonetheless, the authors state that their findings provide the first evidence that young white rhinos may produce specific context-dependent call types. They note that the semi-social lifestyle of white rhinos, where juveniles remain close to their mothers for several years, might lead to increased vocal communication compared to other solitary rhino species.

"Our study provides first systematic data on vocal communication of infant and juvenile white rhinoceros and first evidence that there is a strong innate component to the development of vocal usage and production in white rhinoceros," says Sabrina Linn.

###

In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS ONE: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0192166

Citation: Linn SN, Boeer M, Scheumann M (2018) First insights into the vocal repertoire of infant and juvenile Southern white rhinoceros. PLoS ONE 13(3): e0192166. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192166

Funding: This study was financially supported by the Serengeti-Park-Stiftung (MS; http://www.serengeti-park-stiftung.de/) and the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes (SL; https://www.studienstiftung.de/). Furthermore, this publication was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation within the funding programme Open Access Publishing. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests: The authors received funding from the Serengeti-Park-Stiftung (MS; http://www.serengeti-park-stiftung.de/), non-profit foundation, for this study. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products to declare. This does not alter our adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.
Scientists described two species of previously unknown stone centipedes from China. Now housed at the Hengshui University, China, where all members of the team work, the studied specimens were all collected in the leaf litter or under rocks in larch forests.

Having conducted their research across China, researchers Dr Sujian Pei, Yanmin Lu, Haipeng Liu, Dr Xiaojie Hou and Dr Huiqin Ma announced the two new species - Lithobius (Ezembius) tetraspinus and Hessebius luculentus - in two articles published in the open access journal ZooKeys.

Stone centipedes are the species which belong to the order Lithobiomorpha. These centipedes are anamorphic, meaning that they grow additional pair of legs as they moult and develop additional body segments. By the time they are fully grown, these count 15 in total. Unlike earlier predecessors, stone centipedes do not have the compound eyes we know from insects. Instead, stone centipedes see through simple eyes, sometimes a group of simple eyes, or, if living exclusively underground, they might have no eyes at all.

One of the newly discovered species, Lithobius (Ezembius) tetraspinus, is recorded from Hami City, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, northwestern China. The studied specimens were collected from moderately moist larch forest habitats at altitude of 950 to 1000. There, the small predominantly brown centipedes, measuring no more than about 13 mm in body length, were hiding under rodeside stones and leaf litter.

The second previously unknown centipede, Hessebius luculentus, discovered in Shandan County, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is slightly larger - reaching up to 20 mm. Its colours are a mix of yellow and brown with the odd grey or red hue. While it has the same preference for relatively moist habitats, this species lives at greater altitude. It has been reported from forest floor at about 1400 m above sea level.

In both papers, the authors point out that while the myriapod fauna of China remains generally poorly known, even less attention has been given to the order of stone centipedes.

The research articles are included in the special issue "Proceedings of the 17th International Congress of Myriapodology, Krabi, Thailand". The congress, organised by Prof. Somsak Panha, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, was held in July 2017.

###

Original source:

Pei S, Lu Y, Liu H, Hou X, Ma H (2018) Lithobius (Ezembius) tetraspinus, a new species of centipede from northwest China (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae). In: Stoev P, Edgecombe GD (Eds) Proceedings of the 17th International Congress of Myriapodology, Krabi, Thailand. ZooKeys 741: 203-217. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.741.19980

Ma H, Lu Y, Liu H, Hou X, Pei S (2018) Hessebius luculentus, a new species of the genus Hessebius Verhoeff, 1941 from China (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae). In: Stoev P, Edgecombe GD (Eds) Proceedings of the 17th International Congress of Myriapodology, Krabi, Thailand. ZooKeys 741: 193-202. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.741.20061

Contacts:

Dr Huiqin Ma

Email: mhq008@yahoo.com

Dr Sujian Pei

Email: peisujian@126.com
An immunotherapy drug embedded in a slow-release hydrogel invented at Rice University in collaboration with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) appears to be highly effective at killing cancer cells.

STINGel combines a new class of immunotherapy drugs called stimulator of interferon gene (STING) agonists with an injectable hydrogel that releases the drug in a steady dose to activate the immune system to kill cancer cells. It was developed by the Rice lab of chemist and bioengineer Jeffrey Hartgerink and Rice alum Simon Young, an assistant professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at UTHealth.

In clinical trials, immunotherapy drugs have demonstrated strong cancer-fighting abilities. Research has also found that the drugs are flushed quickly from the body, and current trials require multiple injections.

The new research, which is detailed in Biomaterials, showed that slow-release peptide gels could continuously deliver immunotherapy drugs to tumor sites for long periods of time.

Hartgerink is a pioneer in the development of self-assembling multidomain peptide (MDP) hydrogels, which mimic the body's extracellular matrix to encourage the growth of cells and vascular systems for tissue repair. The hydrogel is injected as a liquid, turns semisolid inside the body and slowly degrades over time.

The hydrogel in the new study is also welcoming to cells, but when the invaders are cancer cells, they're in for trouble. Immunotherapy drugs known as cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) await them inside the gel.

Hartgerink, a professor of chemistry and bioengineering, said the concentration of CDN in the hydrogel is important.

"The normal approach to CDN delivery is simple injection, but this leads to very rapid diffusion of the drug throughout the body and reduces its concentration at the site of the tumor to very low levels," he said. "Using the same amount of CDN, the STINGel approach allows the concentration of CDN near the tumor to remain much higher for long periods of time."

STINGel was studied both in lab cultures and in vivo. For the in vivo portion, six groups of 10 rodents each were treated with CDN alone, control collagens alone or with CDN, MDP alone or STINGel (CDN plus MDP). Only one in 10 CDN or collagen plus CDN animals survived 105 days, but six of 10 animals treated with STINGel survived. These also proved resistant to further implantation of cancer cells, meaning their immune systems were trained to successfully identify and destroy both the existing cancer and future occurrence of that cancer, Hartgerink said.

The lab tested more common hydrogels but found that they were unable to provide the same controlled release and also failed to provide an additional benefit over CDN treatment seen in clinical trials. "The MDP hydrogel provides a unique environment for the release of CDN that other gels just can't match," Hartgerink said.

"The CDN we used in this study is currently in clinical trials," he said. "We think that our STINGel approach has the potential to significantly broaden the scope of this powerful immunotherapy drug to a larger range of resistant cancers."

###

Rice graduate student David Leach is lead author of the STINGel study. Co-authors are Rice graduate student Tania Lopez-Silva; research associate Neeraja Dharmaraj and resident Stacey Piotrowski; Yu Lei, an assistant professor of dentistry and otolaryngology at the University of Michigan, and Andrew Sikora, vice chair for research and co-director of the head and neck cancer program at Baylor College of Medicine.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation, the Welch Foundation, the National Science Foundation and the Mexican National Council for Science and Technology.

Read the abstract at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142961218300498

This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2018/03/07/slow-release-hydrogel-aids-immunotherapy-for-cancer/

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.

Related materials:

Smart scaffolding aims to rebuild tissue from the inside: http://news.rice.edu/2012/11/12/smart-scaffolding-aims-to-rebuild-tissue-from-the-inside-2/

Hydrogels deliver on blood-vessel growth: http://news.rice.edu/2015/01/20/hydrogels-deliver-on-blood-vessel-growth-2/

'Sticky' ends start synthetic collagen growth: http://news.rice.edu/2014/10/27/sticky-ends-start-synthetic-collagen-growth-2/

Hartgerink Research Group: http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~jdh/

Simon Young: https://dentistry.uth.edu/directory/profile.htm?id=bd6db77d-7889-4e70-92ff-74d0a9139f7e

Andrew Sikora Lab: https://www.bcm.edu/research/labs/andrew-sikora-lab

Lei Lab: http://media.dent.umich.edu/labs/lei/

Rice Department of Chemistry: http://chemistry.rice.edu

Rice Department of Bioengineering: http://bioe.rice.edu

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,970 undergraduates and 2,934 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for happiest students by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview.
(New York - March 7, 2018) -- Mount Sinai researchers have shown, for the first time, the complex web of links between physical and behavioral characteristics, like age, body mass index (BMI), and substance use, and specific patterns of brain structure and function in patients with psychosis. The study is important because many of these characteristics can be targeted clinically to improve brain health in these patients.

The researchers found, among other things, that brain health declines as age, BMI, and substance use increase. Buthigher IQs were positively associated with multiple measures of brain health in people with psychosis.

The results of the study will be published online in JAMA PSYCHIATRY on Wednesday, March 7.

Psychosis is a term used to describe severe mental disorders characterised by symptoms in which an individual has sensory experiences of things that do not exist or beliefs with no basis in reality. Approximately 100,000 people experience psychosis each year in the United States and as many as 3 in 100 people will have an episode at some point in their lives. The findings of this study have important implications for clinical care as they identify multiple modifiable factors that can be targeted to improve brain health in patients with psychosis.

The research team, led by Sophia Frangou, MD, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, examined data from 140 patients diagnosed with psychosis. They took high-resolution MRI brain scans to measure brain volume, cortical thickness, connections between brain regions, and connectivity of brain regions during mental tasks. The team then used a statistical method called sparse canonical correlation to discover the relationships between these features of brain integrity and measures of age, cognitive ability, BMI, substance use, physical activity, psychological trauma, family history of mental problems, and symptom severity. They found that higher age, higher BMI, and more severe psychotic symptoms were negatively associated with cortical thickness and brain activation during mental tasks. Conversely, higher IQ showed positive associations. In addition, substance use was negatively associated with measures of brain volume and brain wiring.

"These new results provide new insights on the many factors that influence brain integrity in patients with psychosis and provide evidence for the need for integrated physical and cognitive interventions in addition to psychiatric care," said Dr. Frangou.

"Patients with psychosis often have multiple health problems that impair their daily function and reduce life expectancy compared to the general population. Improving physical well-being and brain health should be the two pillars of clinical care for patients with psychosis."

###

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest integrated delivery system encom-passing seven hospital campuses, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai's vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The System includes approximately 7,100 primary and specialty care phy-sicians; 10 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 18 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of top U.S. hospitals; it is one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Neurology/Neurosurgery, and in the top 50 in four other specialties in the 2017-2018 "Best Hospitals" issue. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked in six out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 12th nationally for Ophthalmology and 50th for Ear, Nose, and Throat, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai West are ranked region-ally. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
One of the liveliest debates in neuroscience over the past half century surrounds whether the human brain renews itself by producing new neurons throughout life, and whether it may be possible to rejuvenate the brain by boosting its innate regenerative capacity.

Now UC San Francisco scientists have shown that in the human hippocampus -- a region essential for learning and memory and one of the key places where researchers have been seeking evidence that new neurons continue to be born throughout the lifespan -- neurogenesis declines throughout childhood and is undetectable in adults.

"We find that if neurogenesis occurs in the adult hippocampus in humans, it is an extremely rare phenomenon, raising questions about its contribution to brain repair or normal brain function," said Arturo Alvarez-Buylla, PhD, the Heather and Melanie Muss Professor of Neurological Surgery at UCSF, whose lab published the new study March 7, 2018 in Nature.

Alvarez-Buylla -- a member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCSF, the UCSF Weill Institute for Neuroscience, and the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center -- is a leading expert in brain development who over the past 30 years has played a key role in convincing the scientific establishment that new neurons are born throughout life in animals such as songbirds and rodents. In recent years, however, the Alvarez-Buylla lab and others had already cast doubt on whether neurogenesis persists into adulthood in the human olfactory bulb, as it does in rodents, and have shown that while new neurons integrate into the human frontal lobe after birth, this process also ends during early infancy.

The lab's new research, based on careful analysis of 59 samples of human hippocampus from UCSF and collaborators around the world, suggests new neurons may not be born in the adult human brain at all. The findings present a challenge to a large body of research which has proposed that boosting the birth of new neurons could help to treat brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and depression. But the authors said it also opens the door to exciting new questions about how the human brain learns and adapts without a supply of new neurons, as in seen in mice and other animals.

Rodents and Songbirds Produce New Neurons Throughout Life, but Do Humans?

It was once neuroscientific dogma that the brain stops producing new neurons before birth. In the 1960s, experiments in rodents by Joseph Altman, PhD, at MIT first suggested that new neurons could be born in the adult mammalian brain, but these results remained highly controversial until the 1980s, when Fernando Nottebohm, PhD, at Rockefeller University, conclusively showed that new neurons are born and put to use throughout life in several parts of the songbird brain. As a graduate student in the Nottebohm lab at the time, Alvarez-Buylla contributed to understanding the mechanism of adult neurogenesis in songbirds.

These findings launched a whole field of research aimed at understanding how new neurons contribute to brain function in other animals and exploring the potential therapeutic effects of boosting brain regeneration in humans. Much work has focused on a region of the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus (DG), where rodents produce newborn neurons throughout life that are thought to help them form distinct new memories, among other cognitive functions.

Rodent studies have shown that DG neurogenesis declines with age, but is otherwise quite malleable -- increasing with exercise, but decreasing with stress, for example -- leading to popular claims that we can boost brain regeneration by living a healthy lifestyle. Animal experiments have also suggested that neurogenesis-boosting therapies could treat brain disorders of aging such as Alzheimer's disease, and leading researchers have proposed that antidepressant medications like fluoxetine (Prozac) may work by increasing DG neurogenesis.

Beginning in the late '90s, a handful of studies reported evidence of adult neurogenesis in the human brain, either by estimating the birth dates of cells present in postmortem brain specimens or by labeling telltale molecular markers of newborn neurons or dividing neural stem cells. However, these findings, some of which were based on small numbers of brain samples, have remained controversial.

In particular, researchers have questioned whether the limited number of markers used in each study were truly specific to newborn neurons, and have suggested alternative explanations, such as the inadvertent labeling of dividing non-neuronal cells called glia (which are well known to continue regenerating through life).

Comprehensive Search Reveals Early Loss of Neural Stem Cell Niche in Human Brain

In the new study, Shawn Sorrells, PhD, a senior researcher in the Alvarez-Buylla lab, and Mercedes Paredes, PhD, a UCSF assistant professor of neurology, led a team that collected and analyzed samples of the human hippocampus obtained by clinical collaborators on three continents: Zhengang Yang, PhD, in China; Jose Manuel Garcia Verdugo, PhD, in Spain; Gary Mathern, MD, at UCLA; and Edward Chang, MD, and Kurtis Auguste, MD, at UCSF. The brain specimens included 37 postmortem tissue samples and 22 surgically excised samples from patients who had been treated for epilepsy.

Sorrells and Paredes analyzed changes in the number of newborn neurons and neural stem cells present in these samples, from before birth to adulthood, using a variety of antibodies to identify cells of different types and states of maturity, including neural stem cells and progenitors, newborn and mature neurons, and non-neuronal glial cells. The researchers also examined the cells they labeled based on their shape and structure -- including imaging with high-resolution electron microscopy for a subset of tissue samples -- in order to confirm their identity as neurons, neuronal stem cells, or glial cells.

The researchers found plentiful evidence of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus during prenatal brain development and in newborns, observing an average of 1,618 young neurons per square millimeter of brain tissue at the time of birth. But the number of newborn cells sharply declined in samples obtained during early infancy: dentate gyrus samples from year-old infants contained fivefold fewer new neurons than was seen in samples from newborn infants. The decline continued into childhood, with the number of new neurons declining by 23-fold between one and seven years of age, followed by a further fivefold decrease by 13 years, at which point neurons also appeared more mature than those seen in samples from younger brains. The authors observed only about 2.4 new cells per square millimeter of DG tissue in early adolescence, and found no evidence of newborn neurons in any of the 17 adult post-mortem DG samples or in surgically extracted tissue samples from 12 adult patients with epilepsy.

"In young children, we were able to see that substantial numbers of new neurons continue to be made and integrated into the dentate gyrus, but neurogenesis fades away completely by early adolescence," Paredes said. "The fact that we could compare newborn brains, where new neurons were clearly present, to the adult, where we saw no evidence for young neurons, gave us added confidence that what we were seeing was correct."

The researchers then turned to studying the stem cells that give birth to new neurons. They found that neural progenitors are plentiful during early prenatal brain development, but become extremely rare by early childhood. They noted that these cells fail to cluster early on into a concentrated "niche" in a region of the human DG known as the subgranular zone (SGZ). The researchers suspect that this configuration, which is seen in mice, could be necessary for prolonged neurogenesis, suggesting a potential explanation for why neurogenesis falters by adulthood in humans.

Research Raises New Fundamental Questions for Neuroscientists

The authors acknowledge that however comprehensively and carefully they searched, it would be impossible to definitively show that there are never any new neurons in the adult hippocampus. "But I think that we need to step back and ask what that means," Sorrells said. "If neurogenesis is so rare that we can't detect it, can it really be playing a major role in plasticity or learning and memory in the hippocampus?"

The absence of neurogenesis in the human brain may not be a bad thing, the researchers point out, but instead point the way to understanding what makes the human brain distinct from other animals and set researchers on a better path to developing treatments for human brain diseases.

After coming full circle in the study of neurogenesis, from playing a role in proving its existence in other animals, to demonstrating that it appears not to play a major role in humans, Alvarez-Buylla is philosophical. "I always try to work against my assumptions in lab," he said. "We've been working on adult neurogenesis so long, it is hard to see that it may not happen in humans, but we follow where the data leads us."

###

Other authors on the study were Kadellyn Sandoval, Kevin W. Kelley, PhD, David James, Simone Mayer, PhD, Kurtis I. Auguste, MD, Edward Chang, MD, Arnold R. Kriegstein, MD, PhD, Michael C. Oldham, PhD, and Eric J. Huang, MD, PhD, of UCSF; Arantxa Cebrian-Silla, PhD, and Jose Manuel Garcia-Verdugo, PhD, of the Universidad de Valencia and Antonio J. Gutierrez Martin, MD, of the Hospital Universitario La Fe, in Valencia, Spain; Dashi Qi and Zhengang Yang, PhD, of Zhongshan Hospital at Fudan University in Shanghai; and Julia Chang, PhD, and Gary W. Mathern, MD, of David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

The UCSF researchers were supported by the National Institutes of Health (F32 MH103003, K08 NS091537, P01 NS083513, R01 NS028478), the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, and a generous gift from the John G. Bowes Research Fund.

Alvarez-Buylla is a co-founder and serves on the scientific advisory board of Neurona Therapeutics.

About UCSF: UC San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It includes top ranked graduate schools of dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy; a graduate division with nationally renowned programs in basic, biomedical, transitional and population sciences; and a preeminent biomedical research enterprise. It also includes UCSF Health, which comprises three top-ranked hospitals, UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland, and other partner and affiliated hospitals and healthcare providers throughout the Bay Area. Please visit http://www.ucsf.edu/news.

Follow UCSF

ucsf.edu | Facebook.com/ucsf | YouTube.com/ucsf
Irvine, Calif., March 7, 2018 -- As we get older, it's not uncommon to experience "senior moments," in which we forget where we parked our car or call our children by the wrong names. And we may wonder: Are these memory lapses a normal part of aging, or do they signal the early stages of a severe disorder such as Alzheimer's disease? Currently, there's no good way to tell.

University of California, Irvine-led researchers, however, have found that high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain can be used to show some of the underlying causes of differences in memory proficiency between older and younger adults.

The study, which appears today in the journal Neuron, involved 20 young adults (ages 18 to 31) and 20 cognitively healthy older adults (ages 64 to 89). The participants were asked to perform two kinds of tasks while undergoing fMRI scanning - an object memory task and a location memory task. Because fMRI looks at the dynamics of blood flow in the brain, investigators were able to determine which parts of the brain the subjects were using for each activity.

In the first task, participants viewed pictures of everyday objects and were then asked to distinguish them from new pictures. "Some of the images were identical to ones they'd seen before, some were brand-new and others were similar to ones they'd seen earlier - we may have changed the color or the size," said Michael Yassa, director of UCI's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory and the study's senior author. "We call these tricky items the 'lures.' And we found that older adults struggle with them. They're much more likely than younger adults to think they've seen those lures before."

The second task was nearly the same but required subjects to determine whether the location of objects had been altered. Here, older adults fared quite a bit better than in the prior task.

"This suggests that not all memory changes equally with aging," said lead author Zachariah Reagh, who participated in the study as a graduate student at UCI and is now a postdoctoral fellow at UC Davis. "Object memory is far more vulnerable than spatial, or location, memory - at least in the early stages." Other research has shown that problems with spatial memory and navigation do manifest as individuals progress toward Alzheimer's disease.

Importantly, by scanning the subjects' brains while they underwent these tests, the scientists were able to establish a cerebral mechanism for that deficit in object memory.

They found that it was linked to a loss of signaling in a part of the brain called the anterolateral entorhinal cortex. This area is already known to mediate communication between the hippocampus, where information is first encoded, and the rest of the neocortex, which plays a role in long-term storage. It's also an area severely affected in people with Alzheimer's disease.

"The loss of fMRI signal means there is less blood flow to the region, but we believe the underlying basis for this loss has to do with the fact that the structural integrity of that part of the brain is changing," Yassa said. "One of the things we know about Alzheimer's disease is that this region of the brain is one of the very first to exhibit a key hallmark of the disease, deposition of neurofibrillary tangles."

In contrast, the researchers did not find age-related differences in another area of the brain connected to memory, the posteromedial entorhinal cortex. They demonstrated that this region plays a role in spatial memory, which was not significantly impaired in the older subjects.

"This suggests that the brain aging process is selective," Yassa said. "Our findings are not a reflection of general brain aging but rather of specific neural changes that are linked to specific problems in object but not spatial memory."

To determine whether this type of fMRI scan could eventually be used as a tool for early diagnosis, the researchers plan to expand their work to a sample of 150 older adults who will be followed over time. They will also be conducting positron emission tomography, or PET, scans to look for amyloid and tau pathology in their brains as they age.

"We hope this comprehensive imaging and cognitive testing will enable us to figure out whether the deficits we saw in the current study are indicative of what is later to come in some of these individuals," Yassa said.

"Our results, as well as similar results from other labs, point to a need for carefully designed tasks and paradigms that can reveal different functions in key areas of the brain and different vulnerabilities to the aging process," Reagh added.

###

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Aging (grants P50AG05146, R21AG049220 and R01AG053555), a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, and fellowships from the UCI Chancellor's Club and the ARCS and Roche foundations.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www.uci.edu.

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.
Researchers at UC Davis Health and Albany Medical College have shown that the protein vascular endothelial growth factor A -- or VEGFA -- plays a major role in the inflammation and airway obstruction associated with asthma.

The finding, published online in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, may eventually lead to new asthma treatments targeting VEGFA.

"VEGFA was very strongly upregulated in asthma patients and animals that receive stimulations that cause asthma," said Angela Haczku, UC Davis professor of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine and co-senior author on the paper. "This mediator can actually elicit the symptoms of asthma in the mouse model and, if you target it, you eliminate the asthma symptoms."

For many years, the Haczku lab has been collaborating closely with Qi Yang, co-senior author of the new study and assistant professor of immunology and microbial disease at Albany Medical College. The two teams previously found that group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) help drive airway hyperresponsiveness, when lungs respond to allergens or toxic air pollutants such as ozone, and the process of a full-blown asthma attack begins.

Their next question was: What kinds of inflammatory molecules are ILC2s producing to generate this inflammation?

"We couldn't figure out what was actually causing the airway obstruction," Haczku said. "How do these innate lymphoid cells cause asthma?"

To answer this question, the researchers studied how a mouse model responded to a common allergen, Alternaria alternata. Within hours, immune cells had infiltrated the airways, generating inflammation. When the mice were treated with VEGFA inhibitor SU1498, however, both the immune response and the inflammation declined.

Further study showed that ILC2s are stimulated by interleukin-33, another inflammatory immune molecule, which also encouraged airway hyperresponsiveness and turned up VEGFA's cellular receptor, VEGFR2. Once again, treatment with SU1498 mitigated the reaction.

While VEGFA is best known for its activity in cancer and growing blood vessels to help feed hungry tumors, Yang and Haczku's research outlines its entirely different role in asthma. Illuminating this biology could eventually lead to new asthma treatments. In the past, glucocorticoid inhalers were the go-to treatment. More recently, monoclonal antibodies have been developed to hit more precise targets.

"Monoclonal antibodies can target very specific molecules rather than knocking out the entire immune system," Haczku said. "Some of these antibodies target cytokines that also mediate allergic symptoms and asthma. We hope that targeting VEGFA, or the VEGFA receptor, with such monoclonal antibodies would add to this armamentarium."

Still, the Haczku and Yang labs are not finished interrogating ILC2s, which could be significant in a variety of other lung conditions.

"These ILCs produce an influx of inflammatory neutrophils into the lungs, and we do not know exactly what mediates this cellular inflammation," Yang said. "These cells are very important in many diseases, including infections and pollutant-induced lung injury, which could be mediated by the inflammatory cells in the lungs."

###

Other researchers on the paper were Xiaofei Shen, Muhammad Asghar Pasha, Kelsi Hidde, Adil Khan and Mingwei Liang of Albany Medical College; and Wenxian Guan and Yitao Ding at Nanjing University Medical School in China.

Journalists can request a copy of the study, titled "Group-2 Innate Lymphoid Cells Promote Airway Hyperresponsiveness through Production of VEGFA," from Justin Byrne at the journal at 760-294-2494 or jbyrne@aaaai.org.

More information about UC Davis Health and its Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine is at health.ucdavis.edu.

More information about Albany Medical College is at http://www.amc.edu.
Someday we won't need curtains or blinds on our windows, and we will be able to block out light--or let it in--with just the press of a button. At least that's what Keith Goossen, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Delaware, hopes.

Goossen and Daniel Wolfe, who earned a doctoral degree from UD last year, developed panels that can switch between allowing light in and blocking it out. This "smart glass" technology could be utilized in eco-friendly windows, windshields, roof panes and building envelopes, absorbing light and heat in the winter and reflecting it away in the summer.

Although Goossen isn't the first scientist to make smart glass, his team's invention is about one-tenth the price of other versions. It is also more transparent in its transparent state and more reflective in its reflective state than competitors, he said.

Goossen shared his latest smart glass prototype on Monday, March 5 in a keynote address at the SPIE Smart Materials and Nondestructive Evaluation for Energy Systems IV conference in Denver.

Simple idea, clear results

The principles behind this smart glass technology are surprisingly simple. It starts with two sheets of plastic separated by a thin cavity. The plastic contains tiny cube-shaped structures that make the material retroreflective, meaning that it bounces light back to its source, like a bicycle reflector does.

Then the chamber is filled with a fluid called methyl salicylate--an inexpensive wintergreen extract that happens to be the active ingredient in some over-the-counter pain relief creams. This liquid has optical properties, or interaction with visible light, that match the optical properties of the retroreflective plastic. When combined, the light can pass through, and the system becomes transparent. This is called refractive index matching.

Goossen's smart glass system can switch from transparent to reflective a thousand times without degrading, as shown in a paper published late last year in the journal Optics Express.

At this week's conference, Goossen revealed a new, improved design.

Instead of utilizing cubes, this smart glass relies on the total internal reflection of one-dimensional structures layered perpendicularly. It is highly reflective at up to a 60-degree angle of incidence, an improvement over the previous prototype.

"It performed better than we thought it would based on our theoretical understanding," he said.

Goossen uses 3-D printing to make his prototypes, but this technology could eventually be manufactured at a high volume and low cost using injection molding. He is now testing his system over a wide range of temperatures to see how it performs, especially as it approaches temperatures that could cause the fluid within to freeze, which will be between 3 and 16 degrees Fahrenheit, depending upon the eventual fluid that is used. Every time Goossen talks to a roomful of engineers about this project, hands go up with lots of questions.

"There is a lot of interest in the capability this might represent," he said.

Commercialization may eventually follow--something Goossen is already well versed in. An author of 82 issued patents, he founded a startup company in 2001 that was later acquired. He passes his knowledge along to students as a co-teacher of High Technology Entrepreneurship, a course for undergraduate and graduate students that focuses on financial, legal, scientific and engineering issues facing tech startups.

Goossen also encourages students to be curious. This research project started with a hunch, which can be the impetus for scientific discovery.

"Sometimes it's just an instinct about what might be interesting," said Goossen.

###
Much of the global wildlife trade originates in nations with rich biodiversity and high levels of poverty as the act of trapping and trading local wildlife allows people to generate extra income.

Researchers from the University's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, within its School of Anthropology and Conservation, and the School of Economics, examined the extent to which this is the case in Madagascar, one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots.

They interviewed people in several villages in the country to ascertain how many were involved in the legal trade in animals. They found around 13% of households they surveyed were engaged in live animal collection - usually reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. From this they earnt an average of $100 per season. This accounted for a quarter of their yearly income.

However, despite the economic benefits this can have on their lives, the researchers found no difference in opinions between trappers and non-trappers on how important they perceive conservation of the local habitat and its wildlife to be.

Furthermore, the research found that trappers perceive the work they do as risky and without stable financial guarantees. As such the income derived from the trade, while important, is not enough to create incentives for species and habitat protection at a local scale in Madagascar.

The researchers hope the findings can lead to a better understanding of the social and economic benefits of wildlife trading to people in Madagascar and apply to other biodiversity-rich nations too.

This could help create policies for biodiversity conservation that better recognise the realities of the wildlife trade to local people. This in turn could help better incorporate them into on-the-ground action so that there is more engagement at a local level.

###

The findings have been published in a paper entitled Supplying the wildlife trade as a livelihood strategy in a biodiversity hotspot published in Ecology and Society.

The authors were Dr Janine Robinson, Dr David Roberts and Professor Richard Griffiths, from DICE at Kent, Professor Iain Fraser from the School of Economics at Kent, Jessica Raharimalala from Madagasikara Voakajy in Madagascar and Freya A. V. St. John from Bangor University.
AMHERST, Mass. - India has one of the highest rates of type 2 diabetes in the world, and there is now "growing national and international concern" about the drug regulatory system there, which allows use of a drug treatment that has not been shown effective or safe, say researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the U.K.'s Newcastle University in a paper published today in the British Medical Journal.

In what they believe is the first study of its kind, lead author Valerie Evans, now a biostatistician at UMass Amherst's School of Public Health and Health Sciences, with legal advisor Peter Roderick and senior author Allyson Pollock, now at Newcastle, used World Health Organization guidelines for approving metformin fixed-dose combinations (FDC) to assess the efficacy and safety of those top-selling diabetes drugs in India.

Evans, who did this work while at the University of Edinburgh with senior author Pollock, says "This work is relevant to an active case in the courts in India. We are in the six-month review window ordered by India's Supreme Court right now."

FDCs combine two or more drugs in a fixed ratio into a single dose form, usually a tablet or capsule, which is appropriate for some conditions. FDCs can make medications more convenient and less costly for patients. However, no national or international treatment guidelines recommend use of FDCs for type 2 diabetes, because individual monitoring and adjustment of blood sugar is so important in the disease, the authors say.

Multinational corporations manufacture all five of India's 500 top-selling FDCs for diabetes, they add, and Pollock, who is director of the Institute of Health and Society at Newcastle University, says, "The lack of good trial evidence for these five top-selling metformin combination medicines for treatment of type 2 diabetes is of deep concern."

Evans points out that India's pharmaceutical companies are drug distributors for the world, "so if there's a problem it can go everywhere," she says. "You hope that the regulatory systems in the consumer countries can filter out problems, but that's not always the case. We feel that people really need to know about this. We want the medicines that doctors prescribe for their patients to be safe and effective and for that to be supported by sound evidence and by properly conducted, transparent clinical trials."

The authors point out that in March 2016, the government of India banned 344 unapproved FDCs that lacked clinical support or that were found to be potentially harmful. The ban included different doses of three of the five top-selling metformin FDCs. But the ban was overturned by the state-level Delhi High Court in December 2016. When the government later appealed this to the Supreme Court, it gave the country's Drugs Technical Advisory Board six months to consider the banned drugs.

In their current paper, Pollock and colleagues state, "Our examination exposes serious deficiencies in the evidence base for metformin FDCs for type 2 diabetes and raises questions about the role of multinational corporations in manufacturing these for sale and use." They urge India's regulatory drug agency, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, to make public its evidence for approving the FDCs now in use, to provide "confidence in their efficacy and safety."

Further, Evans and colleagues say if that evidence does not extend beyond the clinical trials they reviewed, "those FDCs should be banned immediately." Pollock urges, "The Government's 2016 ban on FDCs should be reinstated and a review of FDCs mandated by the Indian Parliament."

For this work, the researchers searched the published literature, clinical trial registries and other data on the use of metformin FDCs in adults with type 2 diabetes in India. Evans says this work grew out of a larger project supported by the European Commission's FP7 and led by Pollock that is looking at seven pharmaceuticals, one of which is metformin, and tracing them from production to consumption in India, South Africa and Uganda.

###
No. 6 top paper ever published since global Altmetric records began, first of similar age

Twenty-five years after the first 'scientists' warning to humanity', a new report is continuing to gain momentum and is already the one of the most talked about papers globally since Altmetric records began.

The paper, World scientists' warning to humanity: A second notice, has prompted speeches about the research in Israel's Knesset and Canada's BC Legislature, with signatories increasing with the specially formed Alliance of World Scientists.

The latest translation includes Polish, with universities set to discuss the recommendations later this month and a push by the University of Silesia for city-wide implementation.

Co-author at the University of Sydney Dr Thomas Newsome has helped the report go viral, which has prompted almost 9,000 Tweets. The paper is inspiring responses such as the publication of a friendly satirical high-profile "final warning".

The paper's cumulative score is currently in sixth place out of more than 9 million publications, since Altmetric started tracking attention to research more than six years ago.

Three letters in comment, as well as a response companion piece by the Warning authors publishes today in the peer-reviewed journal BioScience.

The response piece, "Role of Scientists' Warning in shifting policy from growth to conservation economy", highlights two key areas for action in policy and science:

1. Nobel Prize in Economics incorporating the limits of the biosphere - The Economic Sciences Prize Committee should give greater weight to externalised environmental limits. 2. Carbon pricing globally - already implemented or planned by some 42 countries and 25 states, provinces and cities but there is an urgent need for higher carbon prices.

"There are critical environmental limits to resource-dependent economic growth," the authors state.

Lead author of the warning letter and new response paper, ecology Professor William Ripple at Oregon State University said: "Our scientists' warning to humanity has clearly struck a chord with both the global scientific community and the public."

The "second notice" warning paper has received an additional 4,500+ endorsements by scientists since it published in November 2017.

There are now approximately 20,000 expert endorsements and/or co-signatories to the paper online; signatures and donations are encouraged at scientistswarning.forestry.oregonstate.edu/. Updates continue from co-author @NewsomeTM on Twitter.

The paper's Altmetric of about 7100 is gaining ground on the top paper for 2016, former United States President Barack Obama's review of the healthcare system, which accumulated a score of 8063 in four months; most of the top 100 of all time have an Altmetric below 6000.

###
The University of South Florida-led study is another step toward more effective treatments for a population disproportionately affected by this chronic cardiovascular disease

TAMPA, Fla. (March 7, 2018) -- Heart failure is more common, develops earlier and results in higher rates of illness and death in African Americans than in whites.

Now, the first genetic study of its kind to examine the genetic basis of heart failure in African Americans, led by the University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, Fla., has identified a genetic defect linked specifically to heart failure in this population. The discovery could lead to more precise and effective treatments for African Americans, who are more likely to suffer from a common form of heart failure of unknown cause called idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). IDC is a condition in which the heart weakens, cannot pump blood properly and becomes progressively enlarged.

The study was published Feb. 26 in the Journal of Personalized Medicine.

"We know that this form of heart failure has a worse prognosis in African Americans and does not respond as effectively to most therapies as compared to the same treatments in Caucasian individuals of European descent. Yet, there had never been a genome-wide association study performed exclusively in African Americans," said senior author and project director Stephen B. Liggett, MD, professor of internal medicine and vice dean for research at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

"We undertook this study because of the severe under-representation of African Americans in these types of trials, and, our idea that the genetic causes might be different in this population," Dr. Liggett added. "Our genome-wide analysis suggests that is indeed the case, and we may need to develop new drugs to target IDC in African Americans."

The Genetics of African American Heart Failure consortium examined genetic variations in the genomes of 662 African-American patients recruited from five U.S. academic medical centers: the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, University of Maryland College of Medicine, and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. All the study participants had no history of heart attacks and were diagnosed with IDC.

The researchers found that a variation in one gene, called CACNB4, could contribute to causing IDC in African Americans. That same genetic defect has not been found in white patients with IDC. More study is needed, Dr. Liggett said, but CACNB4 plays a key role in regulating calcium signaling important for cardiac muscle contraction, so a variation that interferes with the gene's function may lead to diminished pumping of blood by the heart.

In addition, variations in other genes suggested an association with IDC in individuals with African-American ancestry. So, the researchers mapped the biochemical pathways of these 1,000 genes, which created a network indicating the potential action by which these variations lead to IDC, and possible targets for new drugs. The consortium's analysis showed that genetic variations in African Americans account for 33 percent of the risk for IDC. And, many genes forming the pathway map were involved in how calcium regulates the work of heart muscle cells.

Dr. Liggett and his collaborators use various research methods, including examining genetic variation in different ethnic groups, with the aim of understanding how to best devise new drugs for treatment or prevention of heart failure. "Every time we perform these genetic studies, we learn something new and find another piece of the puzzle," he said, "Ultimately the dissection of this cardiovascular disease will lead to drugs that strike at damaging pathways with a high level of precision, resulting in personalized medicine for heart failure."

Nearly 6 million people in the United States have heart failure, a figure projected to increase to 8 million by 2030, according to the American Heart Association. The five-year mortality rates range from 30 to 50 percent, greater than for some cancers.

###

USF Health's mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, the Biomedical Sciences Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs, and the USF Physicians Group. The University of South Florida, established in 1956 and located in Tampa, is a high-impact, global research university dedicated to student success. USF is ranked in the Top 30 nationally for research expenditures among public universities, according to the National Science Foundation. For more information, visit http://www.health.usf.edu
PULLMAN, Wash. - Young women enrolled in high schools and colleges told Washington State University researchers that people routinely make sexual comments, both in-person and online, about them and their bodies.

Stacey J.T. Hust, associate professor in WSU's Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, and Kathleen Boyce Rodgers, associate professor in WSU's Department of Human Development, talked with more than 100 young people from across Washington state in focus groups about media and their romantic and sexual relationships. Hust and Rodgers also conducted in-depth interviews with 16 individuals.

Although Hust and Rodgers talked to adolescents before the start of the #MeToo campaign, the researchers noted that the young women they spoke with shared stories similar to those shared on social media as part of the grassroots campaign.

"Even most of our youngest female participants, who were freshmen in high school, had already experienced some form of sexual harassment," Hust said.

The young women viewed such sexual harassment as normative, Rodgers said.

Disengaging

"When these women experienced harassment," Hust added, "they typically disengaged from the situation, whether that meant deleting an online app or avoiding boys in the school hallway. They did not feel comfortable confronting or reporting the harassment because they didn't think they had the power to change the behavior."

Double standard, differing perspectives

"Our qualitative data suggest that adolescents and young adults identify a pervasive sexual double standard in which boys are rewarded for sexual aggression and girls are shamed for sexual agency," Rodgers said.

Some of the men Hust and Rodgers spoke with in their interviews rejected these gender stereotypes and said they wouldn't comment on a woman's body. "Others, however, didn't seem to understand that such comments could be unwanted," Rodgers said.

Such gender stereotypes affect how they interpret sexual media content and how they act in their romantic and sexual relationships, Hust said. "The information we gathered in our focus groups and in-depth interviews support what we have found in our surveys of young people," Hust said.

Hust's and Rodgers' previous studies of young people have consistently identified a relationship between young people's perceptions of media content and their intentions to have healthy sexual relationships. The authors' found women who believed in gender stereotypes and endorsed music that degraded women were significantly less likely to engage in healthy sexual consent negotiation.

In another study, Rodgers & Hust found women who accepted the sexual objectification of women and who found music videos as entertaining were more accepting of sexual comments about their bodies. Further, young women who accepted female objectification and viewed music videos as realistic were more accepting of unwanted physical sexual harassment (i.e. being touched or grabbed).

Adolescents talk about romance

Hust and Rodgers report their findings in a book titled "Scripting Adolescent Romance: Adolescents Talk about Romantic Relationships and Media's Sexual Scripts," by Peter Lang Publishing Group. In addition to sexual harassment, the authors share adolescents' and young adults' stories related to media, gender stereotypes, virginity, romantic relationships, sexual activity and dating violence.

"We wanted to share our participants' stories so that parents and practitioners can empower adolescents' and young adults' to participate in healthier romantic and sexual relationships" Hust said

Hust said she and Rodgers are hopeful that the book will provide a "resource for young people who may feel isolated by or uncomfortable with their experiences." It provides a "springboard" for conversations between parents and teens about "romantic relationships, setting boundaries, and how to have healthy relationships."

Hust and Rodgers will present an overview of their findings March 26-27 at WSU's annual Murrow Symposium.

###
The US dollar to yen (USD/JPY) exchange rate saw a sharp correction higher on Monday as stock markets broke higher and some of the knee-jerk reaction to Trumps Tariffs faded.

From a technical perspective the pair had looked a bit oversold, and as a result, a bounce was probable if only from a positioning standpoint.

The Yen still faces a very dovish central bank, but Deutsche Bank has now seen enough to give up on their 110 call of a few weeks ago, instead, seeing the pair moving steadily lower over the coming years.

Key USD/JPY Quotes

We lowered our USD/JPY forecast after the rate broke the technical watershed of 107 in mid-February.

"One week ago we updated our end-of-period forecasts to 102-105-108-110 for each quarter-end of 2018, 100 for end-2019 and 90 for end-2020.

"However, in today's "FX Forecasts & Valuations" report in which we comprehensively coordinated our currency forecasts, we have further adjusted our USD/JPY forecast to 100-102-105-105 for 2018, 95 for 2019 and 90 for 2020, respectively.

"Last week's end-2018 forecast rate of 110 could not be stressed as a strong view while the markets were still nervously rapidly moving.

"Our new forecast of flatter path at 105 in 2H 2018, while lower than our previous forecast, can be seen as a core of the 100-110 range which we still covers a recovery scenario to 110.

"Centered on these provisional forecasts, we plan to flexibly react to next market developments
Privacy Settings

This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit.

NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using.
Belgian police seized a rocket-launcher, guns and Nazi paraphernalia as they arrested 12 suspects in a crackdown on biker gangs, the authorities said Wednesday.

The swoop saw a total of 18 operations focused on Hells Angels meeting places or support clubs mainly in the Dutch-speaking border province of Limburg, Genk police official Rudi Schellingen told a press conference.

The charge list that led to Tuesday nights arrests includes extortion, drugs, weapons, membership of a criminal organisation, theft, violence, prostitution, arson and more, federal prosecutors spokesperson Wenke Roggen told state broadcaster RTBF.

Police seized 50 knives and guns, a rocket-launcher, 800 round of ammunition, knuckle-dusters, pepper sprays, hashish, and 10,000 euros in cash, the Belga news agency reported.

The haul also included bullet-proof vests, police badges and Nazi SS equipment.

Ten of the 12 arrested were Hells Angels, Belga added.

Criminal biker gangs, which are banned abroad or closely watched, are looking for a new operations base in Limburg province, Roggen said.

She was referring to the Netherlands which has a tough policy against biker gangs.

The Bandidos, a group named after a Californian biker gang from the 60s, was outlawed in the Netherlands in December.

The Hells Angels, like their rivals the Bandidos, are accused of promoting violence and organised crime across Europe.
In front of a sold-out crowd of over 1,500 in the Swiss city, former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon spoke about the reasons for right-wing resurgence in Europe, and why the coming years will be far from stable.

The list of items banned from the Zurich venue is long: guns, knives, axes, handsaws; fireworks, megaphones, hi-fi systems; photography equipment and laptops; umbrellas, selfie-sticks, pets; even, oddly enough, roller shoes.

But neither the airtight security nor the dreary March evening has stopped a huge crowd turning out to see the European debut of Steve Bannon  former chief strategist of Donald Trump and editor of alt-right Breitbart News  on Tuesday night, where he was invited to speak on the future of global populism by Swiss magazine Weltwoche.

At 6:30 pm the queue to enter the Halle622 venue in the Oerlikon district stretches 20 metres down the street; by 7, half an hour before the event is due to start, its ballooned almost as far as the local train station. Ausverkauft! Weltwoches website has proclaimed for the past week  sold out Those present are the ones lucky enough to have signed up on time.

Whats the attraction? Bannon is no longer the Svengali of the upper echelons that he was this time last year  when Time magazine called him the second most powerful man in the world. But Swiss media and public have been breathlessly anticipating (both positively and negatively) the visit for days.

I bought a ticket as a birthday present for my father, who is a bit more conservative than me, says Christoph, a young man from Bern. Bannon is too extreme for him personally (I think hes a bit crazy), but hes looking forward to hearing something interesting, he says by the venue bar.

This is echoed by others. One blogger tells me he wants to see Bannons charisma in the flesh; my audience neighbour, scientist Oliver from Luxembourg, reckons its important to witness such figures for yourself. Its not dangerous to listen to people, he says, its only dangerous to vote for certain people.

The symbiosis of European populism



Perhaps moderator Roger Koppel, Weltwoche editor-in-chief and Swiss conservative right parliamentarian, sums up the interest best when he introduces him, lengthily, as the architect of the surprising electoral victory of Donald Trump. Bannons current status may be mitigated, but his legacy and reputation were cemented by the 2016 coup.

The anticipation in the hall, usually used as a music venue, builds under a backdrop of warm-up songs ranging from Eye of the Tiger to Tonights Going to be a Good Night. After the rock concert-style queuing, the waiting audience is calm. Will he live up to the hype?

The applause when he finally climbs on stage reflects the caution: not the thunderous reception demanded by Koppel, nor a barn rally in Alabama, as Bannon put it, but hearty. A few approving whistles ring out. There are no (vocal) protestors in attendance, though reports later said a left-wing demonstration had passed off peacefully outside.

Bannon quickly finds his stride. Speaking without notes for the next half hour, he begins with the Brexit vote (for which Breitbart London must take large credit, he says) before running through a global host of current preoccupations, all revolving around what he calls the global populist revolt: a bottom-up anti-establishment tide that took Donald Trump to power and is now sweeping across Europe.

The revolt in fact began right here, he said. In 1992, when Christoph Blocher (Trump before Trump) stood alone against the elites to save Switzerland from entry into the EU. He says this is one of the reasons he chose Switzerland as venue for such a speech; the others being the extraordinary direct democracy system and the countrys innovation on cryptocurrencies, which he sees as the decentralised future of people-led financing.

He swiftly runs through the reasons for this populist revolt (central banks and central governments are debasing currencies and citizenship); the fact that the movements are different in each country yet linked by a certain symbiosis; the threat to the West of the rise of China (it must be combatted by import tariffs); the threat of financial crisis, of instability, of the turmoil which is coming down the road once established structures are overthrown.

Most of the audience seems convinced, or at least entertained. Spontaneous applause, hardly a Swiss speciality, breaks out frequently. None more frequently that when he makes several digs at the corrupt Clintons and the opposition mainstream media (I know youre out there); and when he bigs up his hosts country (Switzerland is a financial superpower!).

Overall, the presentation is smooth and polished, if confrontational. As for his previous boss, President Trump, who said that Bannon had lost his mind after several comments by the latter were published in Michael Wolffs bestselling Fire and Fury, Bannon retains a respect bordering on reverence: I love the guy, I think hes done a great job, he says. Even if they dont talk so much anymore

Prophet of future upheaval?



Beyond the talk, the reasons for Bannons foray into European politics are not fully clear. Is he looking to reinvent himself after his fall from political grace in the US over the past year? Is it simply a money-maker with media exposure? Koppel has not said how much Bannon was paid to attend; but at CHF40 a head, and with a 1,600-strong crowd, somebody has made a tidy profit.

Yet, as political scientist Daniel Warner wrote on Monday, there is something deeper that attracts so many to Bannon: thatideology, that he touches on tonight, theparticular brand of barn-burning nationalist populism (as he phrases it himself) that is socrude but so clear  and highly persuasive in turbulent times.

People, deep down, are determined to chase out the political class, he said in a Weltwoche interview published in the lead-up to the talk. We might not read about it every day in the media, but the groundswells of discontent are simmering, he maintains.

Just before his Zurich appearance, Bannon was in Italy, to advise and witness the victory of anti-establishment parties in national elections on Sunday. Another to add to the list spreading across the continent. Does he see himself as the revolutionary leader to foment such sentiments through Europe?

He doesnt go so far. But his confidence is palpable. The populist surge is not over, he says. Its just beginning. The tide of history is on our side.




Following recent gun law debates in the United States, many readers wanted to know more about how gun issues are handled in Switzerland. Here are answers to some of the most frequently-asked questions, including why a country with so many guns in private hands has so few mass shootings.

What kind of guns are ordinary people allowed to own? Are there any conditions or requirements they have to meet?

Theres a clear right in Swiss law for ordinary Swiss citizens to possess a gun. However, there are some requirements that need to be fulfilled first.

Notification requirement

Certain types of firearms only have a notification requirement. This means youll need a written contract that details the person selling or transferring the weapon and the person acquiring it. Specifics of the weapon need to be included. The person transferring the weapon has to send this contract to the new holders cantonal authorities within 30 days.

The guns falling under this category include manual repeating firearms for sport and hunting, rabbit stunners, airsoft guns, alarm or starting pistols, paintball guns, imitation firearms, air and CO2 weapons, and certain Swiss ordnance repeating firearms.

Licensing requirement

A licence is needed for other types of guns including pistols, revolvers and semi-automatic firearms.

Youll have to make sure you fulfill these criteria:

Be at least 18 years of age

Not be subject to a deputyship or a supervision order

Not give any cause to assume that you could harm yourself or anyone else with the weapon

Not have a criminal record for violent or dangerous offences or repeated felonies or misdemeanours

In order to obtain such a permit, youll need to send the following documents to your cantonal weapons office:

An application form

A copy of your criminal record certificate

A copy of your passport or ID card

The rules are slightly different for people who live abroad or do not have a C residence permit, and some foreign nationals are completely banned from acquiring or shooting guns.

What are the differences in acquiring and being allowed to own a hand gun and an automatic weapon?



In order to acquire or own a hand gun, you will need a licence (see above). Fully automatic guns are banned outside of military purposes, as are most semi-automatic guns that were once fully automatic. The list of banned weapons for ordinary citizens also includes heavy machine guns, silencers and grenade launchers, for example.

Are there restrictions placed on people who are deemed as posing a security risk or not psychiatrically suitable to own a gun? How is this judged?

Criminologist Martin Killias, who is a permanent visiting professor at the University of St Gallens law school, told swissinfo.ch that the background check people have to undergo to be able to acquire a gun is very precise. For example, although the Swiss army has a draft system, many potential recruits are not taken because theyre considered unsuitable.

They have to undergo a psychiatric test, says Killias. That test is constructed in such a way that it identifies the presence of a risk. It does not say the person is dangerous, just that they are not without risk. Then this person is not eligible to get a gun.

In 2018, for example, there were 10,200 new recruits for military service; 53 were rejected in a pre-screening for potentially presenting a danger to themselves or others.

There are just not that many people with access to a gun in Switzerland.

Why are there so few mass shootings in Switzerland but so many guns in private hands?



Switzerland has had two mass shootings in the last 20 years. Killias told swissinfo.ch that what matters is how many people have access to a gun, at home or in the office or wherever. In Switzerland, he said, this number is just above average for Europe, once the army-issue weapons are taken out of the equation.

There are just not that many people who have access to a gun in Switzerland, he says. Thats basically a big misunderstanding. Americans see Switzerland as an NRA (National Rifle Association) country, and it is not. There is a serious misconception.

He described a number of other reasons why he thinks there are so few mass shootings in Switzerland: although soldiers take home their guns they do not receive any ammunition for them (see question below); the army has shrunk considerably in size and therefore fewer people have access to army guns; and traditional hobbies which involve guns, such as hunting or target shooting, have become considerably less popular than a few generations ago.

Killias also pointed out that automatic and semi-automatic weapons are not generally available.In America there is an ideology that we do not have in Switzerland: that we need guns to defend our liberty. That is absolutely not European and not Swiss, he added.

Do the individual cantons cooperate with each other and the federal government on laws/regulation?

Switzerland has had a federal law since 1999 that banned specific types of guns nationwide and introduced permits for others. Up until the introduction of this national law, each canton had different rules. Today, all 26 cantons keep track of the guns held within their borders as well as the ammunition.

Cantons may authorise exceptions to certain aspects of Swiss federal weapons laws, such as the nationalities which may not own weapons and the types of weapons that may be owned.

Ive heard that there are strict limitations on ammunition in Switzerland. Who can buy ammunition and how much can they acquire?

The Swiss weapons law places similar restrictions on purchasing ammunition as it does on purchasing guns. Namely, adults who are not under a supervision order, who do not indicate posing a danger to themselves or others and who have not committed an offence which expresses a violent or dangerous attitude towards the public may purchase ammunition.

How do munitions dealers check that those conditions are met? The law states that dealers of ammunition may assume the person purchasing it meets the conditions if there is no evidence to the contrary, and if the person can produce a license for the weapon he or she is seeking ammunition for, which is no more than two years old. A valid European firearms passport is also sufficient to purchase ammunition.

If the dealer has reason to believe that the person does not meet the legal conditions for buying ammunition, he or she must request a background check from the potential customer before making the sale.

Ammunition dealers must also check the identity and age of the customer.

The following types of ammunition are not allowed in Switzerland:

Ammunition with hard-core projectiles;

Ammunition with projectiles containing explosive or explosive devices

Ammunition withprojectiles for the release of substances that permanently damage human health

Ammunition, projectiles & missiles for military launchers equipped with an explosive effect

Ammunition with projectiles for the transmission of electric shocks

Ammunition for hand guns with a deformation effect

There is generally no limit on the amount of legal ammunition a gun owner may acquire.

How is ammunition regulated in the army?

According to Daniel Reist, head of communications for the Swiss Army, every soldier doing target practice is issued exactly as many bullets as he or she needs for the training. If a soldier is practicing shooting in the field, returning any unused bullets is required. Army supervisors also carry out random checks where they tell soldiers to empty their bags and pockets and check for ammunition that wasnt accounted for.

Although every soldier gets a military-issued weapon, they are not allowed to take home even a single bullet for it.

If soldiers cant take home any bullets, then why are army weapons still kept at home? It clearly has nothing to do with a soldier fighting his way to his troop if necessary.

Soldiers take them home because they are personalised, Reist says. They are custom fit for the person they belong to so that they can shoot accurately. The firing mechanism is unique to each gun, and for safety the soldier must store the firing mechanism and the gun separately.

During the Cold War years, soldiers received a small tin of ammunition to take home as well so that they could fight their way to their unit in case of an invasion or military incident. But that practice ended more than a decade ago.

What kinds of guns are you allowed to take home if youre in the army?

Soldiers can take home their personal assault rifle or their personal pistol, depending on what theyve been trained to use in the army.

All other weapons remain under lock and key in the barracks or the army logistics centre.

Could a soldier sell a military-issued weapon?



At the end of military service, each soldier has the chance to purchase his or her service weapon, under the terms of the civilian weapons law. That means it must be properly registered and the sale recorded. If the owner of that weapon then wants to sell it, thats also allowed under the terms of Swiss weapons law.

You can contact the authors of this article on Twitter: Veronica DeVore and Jo Fahy, and on Facebook.




Another rape complaint has been filed against Swiss-born Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan, who is being detained in France.

On Wednesday a 45-year-old woman filed her case with Parisian justice officials. Hers follows two others submitted there last month. Last November, four women in Geneva accused Ramadan of sexual abuse and misconduct.

+ Why Tariq Ramadan is taking a leave of absence from Oxford University

The latest plaintiff has accused Ramadan of violent sexual assault on multiple occasions between 2013 and 2014. The attacks allegedly took place at her home in Lille as well as in hotels.

Ramadans lawyers could not be reached for immediate comment, reported the Swiss News Agency. Last month, he was ordered to remain in custody in France as the rape allegations are being investigated. He has denied the accusations.

The 55-year-old Swiss theologian, who was arrested on February 2, says he suffers from multiple sclerosis and neuropathy. However, his appeal against detention on medical grounds was rejected.













SDA-ATS/swissinfo.ch/sm






Switzerland and 17 other members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have expressed their fears over United States President Donald Trumps decision to slap tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, with most urging the United States to reconsider.

In Geneva, leading trading partners of the US outlined their misgivings over Trumps proposed tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium, and fears of tit-for-tat trade actions, a WTO spokesman said on Wednesday.

China raised the issues at a closed-door WTO general counsel meeting on Wednesday, and ambassadors and other officials from Australia, Brazil, the European Union, India, Japan, Norway and Russia warned US action would be unjustified and improper.

Our concern is that this measure, which iswidely contested by various countries, may cause other protectionist reactions. This could cause an undesirable chain reaction, Swiss ambassador to the WTO Didier Chambovey told swissinfo.ch.

Certain Swiss interests are also potentially affected. Its not the main market but its hard to estimate the impact on the Swiss economy as we dont know the details of the measure, which will be published at the end of the week.

In 2017, Switzerland exported to the US aluminium products worth CHF30 million ($32 million) and steel products worth CHF57 million.

Trump has long complained against what he deems unfair trade practices by states and has outlined plans to impose duties on steel and aluminium to counter cheap imports, especially from China, that he says undermine US industry and jobs.

The EU, however, says it is ready to retaliate against the US over Trumps proposed tariffs on steel and aluminium, with counter-measures against iconic US products like Harley Davidson motorcycles, Levis jeans and bourbon.

WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo has expressed concerns about a trade war and appealed for cool heads to prevail.

Many [states] said they feared tit-for-tat retaliation which could spiral out of control, damaging the global economy and the multilateral trading system, WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell said.

Chambovey said it was hard to predict what would happen next.

We need to see how far the US measure goes and the reactions of countries affected by this plan. Its probable that certain countries may try to file a complaint with WTOs Dispute Settlement Body if they believe the US measure does not meet American obligations at the WTO, he declared.

The ambassador would not be drawn on whether Switzerland would sign up to such a complaint, adding simply we intend to defend our interests and it will depend on how far this measure goes.

This would not be the first time that countries have contested American steel plans before the WTO. In 2001-2002, Switzerland and seven other countries, including China and Brazil, appealed to the WTO against US safeguard measures on a wide range of steel products and won the appeal.




Germany's powerful chemicals sector booked a strong first quarter as global growth fired demand, an industry federation said Wednesday, but it warned of lurking risks from trade wars and other political upsets.

In the first three months, revenues in the sector grew 5.7 percent year-on-year, to around 51.1 billion euros ($60.5 billion), while production was 6.7 percent higher, the Federation of the Chemical Industry (VCI) said in a statement.

Our firms are still mostly confident that the upwards trend in the chemicals business will continue this year, VCI president Kurt Bock said.

But he added that risks to the business cycle have increased, checking off potential trade wars between the US, China and the European Union, lacking progress in Britains EU exit talks, and smouldering crises in the Middle East.

Nevertheless, the VCI confirmed its March forecast of 4.5 percent growth in revenues in 2018, to around 204 billion euros.

Looking at the first quarter more closely, firms sales to customers in Germany grew 3.7 percent, while exports added 7.0 percent.

The expansion in cross-border business was powered especially by 11.6-percent growth in sales to the nations nearest neighbours in the so-called EU15 like France, the Netherlands or Italy.

North America was the only region worldwide to buy less German chemicals than at the start of 2017, shedding 3.2 percent.

Pharmaceuticals firms saw the most spectacular first-quarter growth, at 16.2 percent year-on-year, while other types of chemicals added 2.5 percent.

Germanys third-largest industry by revenue after car production and machine tools, the chemical and pharma sector employs around 455,000 people in Europes largest economy.

It is made up of companies ranging from small- and medium-sized Mittelstand firms to global giants like Bayer, BASF or Merck.

tgb/mfp/ser
German prosecutors Wednesday laid charges against a suspected Vietnamese agent over last year's Cold War-style kidnapping of a fugitive state company official in Berlin which has badly strained bilateral ties.

The 47-year-old man  identified only as Long N.H. in keeping with German privacy rules in judicial cases  was charged with working for a foreign intelligence service and aiding in an abduction.

The charges each carry up to 10 years prison. No trial date has been announced.

Germany believes Long N.H. took part in the brazen kidnapping, denied by Hanoi, of state company executive Trinh Xuan Thanh, who has since been sentenced to two life terms in Vietnamese high-profile corruption trials.

Thanh, who was in Germany seeking asylum, was snatched last July 23 while walking in Berlins central Tiergarten park and reappeared days later, in police captivity, on Vietnamese state TV.

Vietnam has insisted he voluntarily turned himself in, but Germany says he was abducted in a scandalous violation of its sovereignty in a kidnapping that Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said evoked thriller movies about the Cold War.

German federal prosecutors charge that the detained suspect rented a Volkswagen van in Prague and drove it to Berlin, where several armed men dragged Thanh and a female companion into the vehicle.

The prosecutors said Thanh and the woman were first taken to the Vietnamese embassy in Berlin before she was flown to Hanoi and Thanh was abducted to Vietnam by unknown means.

The kidnapping was carried out by Vietnamese intelligence officials and other Vietnamese embassy staff in Berlin and several Vietnamese nationals living in Europe, including the accused, said the prosecutors.

Long N. H. was tasked with renting the abduction van in Prague and later returning it, and with also driving back a rented BMW sedan that had been used for observation, they said.

He was arrested in the Czech Republic on August 12 and extradited to Germany on August 23.

The one-party state of Vietnam has waged an aggressive anti-corruption purge but analysts say it is often driven by infighting within the wealthy business-political elite as much as a true commitment to ending graft.

Thanh, the former head of PetroVietnam Construction Corporation, in two high-profile trials early this year received two life prison sentences for embezzlement and causing losses to the state.

bur-fz/hmn/cw
Roman Escolano, vice-president of the European Investment Bank (EIB), was appointed Spain's new economy minister Wednesday, the government announced, replacing Luis de Guindos who is heading to the European Central Bank.

Escolano, an economist born in 1965 who has experience both in the private and public financial sectors, will take up a key posting in the cabinet of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who regularly vaunts Spains strong growth after years of crisis.

Since 2014, Escolano has been vice-president of the EIB, the European Unions nonprofit lending institution.

Before that, he headed up Spains state-run Official Credit Institute, a public bank that invests in sectors that are key to the national economy.

A former economic advisor to then prime minister Jose Maria Aznar, he has also worked in the private sector as director of institutional relations at BBVA bank.

Escolanos predecessor Luis de Guindos served as economy minister since Rajoys conservative government came to power in 2011.

During that time, he oversaw the clean-up of Spains banking industry with European rescue funds Madrid was forced to ask for in 2012. In exchange Spain had to impose tough austerity measures to reduce the countrys public deficit.

De Guindos is due to be appointed vice-president of the European Central Bank later this month.

av/mbx/mck/jh
The chief executive of French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen on Tuesday warned that Brexit threatened the future of a key car plant run by its UK-based Vauxhall division.

Carlos Tavares, speaking to BBC television, said that uncertainty over Britains eventual exit from the European Union has placed in doubt the future of PSAs Ellesmere Port factory in northwest England.

The lack of clarity over the terms of Britains EU departure due in one year was a big concern for the carmaker, he said.

We cannot invest in a world of uncertainty, Tavares told the BBC.

No one is going to make huge investments without knowing what will be the final competitiveness of the Brexit outcome, he added.

Vauxhall in January announced it would axe 250 jobs on top of the 400 already planned at Ellesmere Port.

PSA bought Vauxhall in 2017 and has become Europes second biggest carmaker after Volkswagen after buying also German brand Opel from US giant General Motors.

jbo-rfj/jh
A man was fighting for his life in a Paris hospital Tuesday after being attacked with a machete and a sword while having dinner in a restaurant with his wife, investigators said.

The attack took place shortly after nightfall in the citys 10th arrondissement, home to a large South Asian community.

Diners watched in horror as two assailants stormed the restaurant and struck the 35-year-old man of Sri Lankan origin in the head and arm before fleeing.

The man was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.

A source close to the probe said on Tuesday that investigators suspected a settling of scores in the Sri Lankan community.
A Moroccan accomplice of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind of the deadly 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, is in detention in Poland over suspected terrorist activity, Polish prosecutors said Wednesday.

During our investigation we found that between December 2014 and September 2016 Mourad T. was involved with an armed crime organisation  an international terrorist organisation called Islamic State, prosecutors said in a statement.

This marks the first Polish investigation of an Islamic State member, which the domestic counter-intelligence agency ABW undertook after receiving information from its EU counterparts.

According to local media, the first intel came from the CIA.

Mourad T., born in Casablanca and now 28 years old, was detained September 5, 2016 in Poland. If the court in the southern city of Katowice convicts him, he could be sentenced to between six months to eight years in prison.

Prosecutors added that Mourad T. was an accomplice and scout for Abaaoud, who planned the November 2015 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.

Mourad T. notably met with Abaaoud in the Turkish city of Edirne in late 2014, along with Sofiane Amghar and Khalid Ben Larbi, two jihadists who were killed in a terror raid in Belgium in 2015.

He communicated regularly with these people, met with them and along with them took part in actions linked to terrorist activity, prosecutors said.

Mourad T. used false identities and spent time in several EU countries as well as in Turkey and Serbia.

Prosecutors added that they found instructions on how to make explosive devices and photos of potential targets on his telephone.

In December 2014, he left Turkey along with other people engaged in terrorist activity planning to go to Germany.

Instead, he entered Greece illegally, passed through Macedonia and Serbia before reaching Hungary. From there, he entered Austria, then the Czech Republic and finally Poland.

Having left his passport in Turkey, he used false documents in Serbia to pass as an under-age Syrian named Mourad Sultan.

He arrived in Austria in February 2015 and requested a permanent residence permit, which he later used in Vienna and Poland, where he was found in possession of small amounts of hashish, marijuana and MDMA tablets.
A French court sentenced a mother of five to a year behind bars for slapping one of her children's teachers in the face, prosecutors said Wednesday, confirming a penalty seen as unusually harsh.

The court in the central town of Roanne went beyond the states recommendations in sentencing Elizabeta Elmaz for smacking the principal of her childs primary school several times and pulling her hair in front of other children, parents and teachers.

The public prosecutor had called for Elmaz, an ethnic Roma woman from Kosovo, to be given a six-month custodial sentence.

Her lawyer Hugues Roumeau called the sentence absurd and accused the court of bowing to pressure from dozens of teachers who demonstrated outside the courthouse over the attack to make an example of his client.

The incident took place in March 2017 at a school in the town of Mably, near Roanne.

On noticing a bump on her daughters head, the Elmaz lashed out at the teacher.

The teacher said she was shocked by the verdict.

She didnt expect that, she wanted the court to recognise the harm caused but not for a mother to be sent to prison, the teachers lawyer told AFP.

On Tuesday evening, Elmaz, who was reported by the local Le Progres newspaper to be aged 28 and who is still breastfeeding her youngest child, was sent to prison on the outskirts of Saint-Etienne, about 90 kilometres (56 miles) from Mably.

In court she claimed she was acting in self-defence after being hit by the teacher  claims refuted by witnesses.

Her lawyer lambasted the courts failure to supply her with a translator, forcing her husband to step in.

He did not say whether she would appeal.
The UN Security Council will on Wednesday hold urgent talks on the failure of a 30-day ceasefire to take hold in Syria, diplomats said.

France and Britain requested the meeting that will be held behind closed doors at 1500 GMT, as air strikes and clashes continue in the Syrian enclave of Eastern Ghouta.

Backed by Russia, the council unanimously adopted on February 24 a resolution demanding the 30-day cessation of hostilities to allow deliveries of humanitarian aid and evacuations of the sick and wounded.

A first aid convoy reached Eastern Ghouta on Monday but the operation was cut short as air strikes pounded the enclave, killing at least 68 civilians, according to a human rights monitor.

Air strikes, and artillery and rocket fire on the last major rebel-held enclave near the capital Damascus have killed hundreds and devastated residential areas since they began on February 18.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 800 civilians  including at least 177 children  have been killed since Russia-backed Syrian forces launched an assault on the besieged enclave outside Damascus on February 18.
Moscow on Wednesday accused British politicians and journalists of using the suspected poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain to whip up anti-Russian sentiment.

This story was straight away used to boost an anti-Russian campaign in the media, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

Ex-double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia are in critical condition in hospital after being exposed to an unknown substance, which led them to collapse on a bench in the southwestern English city of Salisbury on Sunday.

Several British news outlets have pointed the finger at Russia and Boris Johnson, Britains Foreign Minister, promised the UK would take whatever measures we deem necessary if Moscow was found to be behind the incident.

It is difficult to see (in the story) anything other than provocations aimed at harming the relations between our two countries, Zakharova said.

This affair will end up as usual: first, baseless accusations, then it will all be classified and neither journalists nor the people nor the politicians will actually know what happened, she added.

On Tuesday, Zakharova called Johnsons statements wild.

How can a man charged with foreign affairs, who has no relation to security organs, make such statements? she said.

Skripal was a former colonel in Russian military intelligence who spied for Britain and moved there in a spy swap in 2010.

Johnson noted echoes with the 2006 poisoning in London of former Russian spy and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko, which Britain has blamed on Moscow.

British authorities have yet to publicly identify the source of the Salisbury poisoning, but experts said it was unlikely to be radiation as in Litvinenkos case.
The former Russian double-agent who collapsed in a British town alongside his daughter was the victim of attempted murder with a nerve agent, police said Wednesday.

This is being treated as a major incident involving attempted murder by administration of a nerve agent, said Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Mark Rowley.

Sergei Skripal, who moved to Britain in a 2010 spy swap, is in a critical condition in hospital along with his daughter Yulia after they collapsed on a bench outside a shopping centre in the southwestern English city of Salisbury on Sunday.

Sadly, in addition, a police officer, who was one of the first to attend the scene is now also in a serious condition in hospital, said Rowley.

We believe the two people who originally became unwell were targeted specifically, he added, saying that there was no evidence of a widespread health risk.

Police say they are keeping an open mind about what happened, but Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Tuesday pointed the finger at Russia.
The suspected poisoning in Britain of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal is the latest in a string of spy scandals between the countries.

 The Cambridge Five 

This notorious spy ring, active in the 1940s and 1950s, was made up of upper-class men from the British establishment who were recruited to work for the Soviet Union during their time at Cambridge University.

Perhaps the most well-known member was former British intelligence officer, Kim Philby, who was exposed in 1963 and defected to the Soviet Union.

In footage of Philby giving a lecture to spies in then communist East Germany in 1981, he revealed how he had befriended archivists of Britains MI6 foreign intelligence agency so as to be able to take home their secret files that would then be copied by his Soviet contact.

 Double agent 

British Cold War spy and Soviet double agent George Blake is seen as one of the Wests most damaging traitors and claimed to have betrayed hundreds of agents to Russias KGB, for which he started working in the 1950s.

One of his first major scoops was the exposure of a secret tunnel to spy on Soviet communications in East Berlin. He also claimed to have betrayed all of the hundreds of agents operating for the British in Germany.

Blake confessed after being arrested in London and was sentenced to 42 years in prison, breaking out in 1966 and fleeing to Russia where he was celebrated as a hero.

 The Profumo affair 

Revelations that a 19-year-old would-be model was sleeping with both the British war minister and a Russian defence attache, at a critical time in the Cold War, scandalised 1960s Britain and rocked the political establishment.

After British Secretary of State for War John Profumo started a relationship with Christine Keeler in 1961, she revealed that she also was also seeing a Russian intelligence officer based in London.

Worries grew about information leaks that could compromise British national security and Profumo was forced to resign in 1963.

Keeler said on several occasions that the man who had introduced her to Profumo, osteopath Stephen Ward, asked her to record conversations with him in a bid to obtain military secrets.

 Expulsions 

There have been a series of tit-for-tat expulsions on allegations of spying, the record number being in September 1971 when Britain kicked out 105 Soviet officials. Moscow in turn expelled 18 Britons.

In 1985 Moscow and London engaged in a furious six-day exchange of spy expulsions, declaring a draw after 31 on each side had been sent packing. This followed the defection to Britain of the KGBs London station chief, Oleg Gordievsky.

Eleven British diplomats and journalists were expelled from the Soviet Union in 1989 in retaliation for London throwing out 11 alleged Soviet spies.

 Suspicious deaths 

The 2006 poisoning of ex-Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko is the most notorious of a rash of suspicious deaths of high-profile Russian exiles in Britain.

The former FSB agent fled Russia in 1999 after revealing an alleged plot by the agency to kill tycoon Boris Berezovsky, a supporter-turned-foe of President Vladimir Putin.

Litvinenko fell ill after having tea with two Russians in a London hotel and died three weeks later. A British inquiry said later that Putin probably approved the killing.

Seven years later Berezovsky himself was found dead at his mansion near London, his favourite scarf around his neck with its other half tied to the shower curtain rail.

Police did not find evidence of foul play but there were suggestions of murder.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday praised female bosses and their "typically feminine traits" during a visit to a pastry factory ahead of International Women's Day.

March 8 is a public holiday in Russia but is mainly celebrated by giving flowers and chocolates to women rather than stressing the need for gender equality.

To be a major shareholder or the head of a business, you have to have particular qualities, said Putin as he met with female entrepreneurs in the city of Samara on the Volga river.

I think that women do have these qualities, and even certain advantages, said the president, who cultivates a macho image and is often photographed topless and playing sports.

Men are, as they say, tougher. But if these leadership qualities are combined with typically feminine traits, then the result is often much superior to the assertiveness of strong men.

Russias last female leader was Catherine the Great, who died in 1796, and the only woman standing in a presidential election this month, Ksenia Sobchak, has around one percent of the projected vote.

Communist candidate Pavel Grudinin has pulled out of televised presidential debates, which Putin has refused to take part in, but briefly returned Wednesday to wish Sobchak the best on the upcoming holiday.

He apologised to the former reality TV host and socialite on behalf of all men for the insults she suffered during a previous debate, at which an ultra-nationalist candidate called her a whore.

Grudinin then handed Sobchak a bouquet of flowers and left the stage.

Moscow Metro said it had set up temporary beauty salons in one of the capitals major underground stations to offer free make-up and styling to female passengers.

A group of feminist activists were detained on International Womens Day last year after protesting near the Kremlin with banners calling for an end to male rule.
The prominent Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan, detained in France over rape allegations, paid a woman to stay silent about their relationship in 2015, the Belgian judiciary said.

Ramadan, 55, paid the Belgian-Moroccan woman 27,000 euros ($33,000) to stop posting details about their affair online, Luc Hennart, president of the Court of First Instance in Brussels, confirmed to AFP Wednesday.

The Oxford professor was detained by a French court in February over charges that he raped two Muslim women in France.

A third woman has since made further allegations of rape. Ramadan denies all the charges.

Hennart said a public judgment was made in Brussels in May 2015 between the professor and the woman, Majda Bernoussi, after she posted online about his psychological grip on her.

She did not accuse him of rape or sexual assault.

The agreement provides that Majda Bernoussi deletes her online posts and stops publishing new ones, for a sum of money given by Tariq Ramadan, Hennart said.

Bernoussi also agreed to no longer send offensive or threatening messages to the professor and his family, according to French news website Mediapart.

Ramadans two accusers in France went to the police in late October, both alleging that he had raped them in French hotel rooms.

A professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford, Ramadan has been on leave since November after the allegations emerged.

One of European Islams best-known figures, he has dismissed the accusations against him as a smear campaign by his enemies and his lawyers argue there are inconsistencies in the womens accounts.
From: Joyce L. Gioia, CMC, CSP -- The Herman Group Austin , TX Wednesday, March 7, 2018

The Herman Trend Alert March 7, 2018 Teaching Young Kids Dollars and Sense Imagine being in elementary school and having the opportunity to learn how to manage money and run a business from Warren Buffet, possibly the most successful investor on the planet, himself? That is exactly what his "Secret Millionaires Club" delivers! The problem is simple



According to the Council for Economic Education, only 17 of the United States require high school students to take a course in personal finance, so most of them graduate without this important life skill. Though some states are beginning to add personal finance to their Kindergarten to 12th Grade standards, there is almost a universal lack of financial education. This lack of education leaves the task to parents, many of whom are not very good at managing their own finances. It is widely believed that the habits students develop while they are young can make a huge difference throughout their lives. The solution is elegant



With webisodes featuring the Oracle of Omaha himself, Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club (SMC) Learn & Earn program provides kids with an opportunity to learn about financial fitness, entrepreneurship, and business in a fun and engaging manner. Now in its 5th successful year, no other program combines animated episodes with teaching financial and entrepreneurial lessons to ensure lifelong good habits. Not additive, it is the math curriculum for that grade



This proven educational initiative is different from other programs which are additive to the regular math curriculum, placing teachers in the difficult position of deciding what not to teach to make time for financial literacy. Developed in partnership with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, this regular math curriculum engages students 7 to 14 with an animated series featuring Warren Buffett as a cartoon character who mentors students through entrepreneurial and life adventures. Brilliantly executed, this multi-platform program introduces concepts through in-school, at-home, and after-school activities aligned with each online animated episode. There is also an online comic book created by Archie Comics. No stone has been left unturned! Challenging students to start and run their own businesses



The accompanying Grow Your Own Business Challenge (GYOB) is an annual national entrepreneurship contest that offers a real-world challenge for these young students. GYOB finalists enjoy all-expenses-paid trips to Omaha and lunch with Buffet himself, plus shares of Berkshire Hathaway B-class stock. The two top contestants each win $5000USD. Enormous media success



Having been covered in the US on every major network, including NBC, FOX, ABC, CBS, CNN, CNBC, AP, Business Week, Reuters, and more, this successful program has garnered 3.2 Billion media impressions to date---a remarkable achievement for any single program. A model for teaching youngsters



This program offers an effective role model for teaching young children important life skills. The program team that produces this unique program calls itself "Genius Brands International". We think the name is altogether fitting! The program manager is By Kids For Kids (BKFK.com); it is also obvious that young people helped to design this successful learning opportunity for their peers. We hope to see other programs from celebrities, teaching vital skills for a productive life. What a remarkable contribution they could make! To see a program documentary, visit: https://www.youtube.com/embed/0i-YWha7FyQ ******** LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY: SPONSOR SMC



In the past, Warren Buffet's Secret Millionaires Club has been sponsored by Experian and Fairholm Investment Fund. This year, it is looking for a new sponsor. Under the circumstances of the phenomenal marketing reach and the sponsor email badge given with sponsorship, SMC is a bargain. Interested? Contact Norm Goldstein of BKFK at (203) 321-1235or email Norm at norm@bkfk.com. The Herman Group is a firm of Strategic Business Futurists concentrating on workforce and workplace issues. We forecast the future and advise clients regarding relevant trends and how those trends may affect their lives. Applying our expertise as Certified Management Consultants, we advise corporate leaders regarding employee retention and organizational development to help them build workforce stability. We help organizations become Employers of Choice. We also work with Employer of Choice, Inc. to formally recognize employers that meet the stringent standards dictated by the labor marketplace. As authors of management books and as active professional speakers, we inform and inspire people to make a positive difference in the world of work. You did really get the ball rolling with our retention presentation, overall we have seen a move in the right direction with our turnover. In practice since 1980, we have served a wide variety of clients throughout the United States and in other countries. Our global affiliates assist us in sharing our expertise and advice with clients internationally. Our team of professional consultants and trainers is supported by an administrative staff that gets things done. We also have consultants certified to deliver our programs in your local area. Delivering to both small and large groups across 100 industries, The Herman Group has provided over 2,500 educational and informative keynote speeches and training seminars worldwide. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, we travel extensively to meet the needs of our clients. We can always be reached through the support team in our office at (800) 227-3566. Overseas callers may reach us through 336-210-3547. Should you have any questions after touring our website, please call or e-mail us at info@hermangroup.com. Get started now on improving the stability and performance of your workforce and increase your chances for success in the future.


MEDINA COUNTY  Linda Finger doesnt mince words. Only meat.

If youre in Medina County, youre a parisa fan. Period. Finger owns The Country Mart in DHanis, one of several Medina County meat markets that specializes in parisa.

The dish, at its most basic, is composed of ground or finely chopped raw beef, American cheese, onion, salt and black pepper. Many butchers add spice in the form of jalapeno, cayenne or serrano chiles and lemon juice, which has a cevichelike curative effect on the raw meat. If youre not interested in drawing funny looks, you eat it on saltine crackers and wash it down with cold beer.

For most people out here, its an at least once a week grab-your-parisa-and-go-watch-a-ballgame kind of thing, Finger said. If youre having a social event, youre having parisa.

Finger and many others Medina County residents attribute parisas origin to Alsatian immigrants who settled the area under empresario Henri Castro in the mid-1800s. Each town has a slight variation on the dish, as documented in the 1977 cookbook Old Favorite Receipts published by the Castro Colonies Heritage Association.

Finger said parisa has been a staple at her shop for several generations, possibly since it opened in 1908, but a direct link to the Old World is a bit harder to establish.

Parisa is often compared to steak tartare, a raw beef preparation with capers, onion and other seasonings French restaurants popularized in the early 20th century  well after Medina County was settled. To further complicate things, at the time, the French called the dish steack a l'Americaine, or American steak.

It also closely resembles mett, a German dish of raw ground pork seasoned with salt, pepper and onion typically eaten on bread. Unabashed raw meat enthusiasts, German settlers in the Dakotas and other Midwest states are credited with a dish commonly called tiger meat, which is virtually identical to mett and a close cousin to parisa, except its made with beef instead of pork.

Whether the roots are French or German, theres no denying parisa is puro Tejas with the frequent addition of New World chiles.

Thats what happened when the Mexicans got a hold of it, joked Bobby Alvarez. The recipe his family makes at Alvarez Food Mart in Hondo recently won top honors at the first ever Parisa Pachanga, a cook-off hosted by the Hondo Chamber of Commerce in August as part of the citys annual Hunt Hondo event. Attendees had the opportunity to purchase commemorative T-shirts emblazoned with slogans such as If You Dont Like Parisa, We Cant Be Friends and Parisa: The Original Chips & Salsa.

While its still an intensely regional dish, parisas profile has grown in recent years.

San Antonio chef Jason Dady serves an interpretation at Range, his River Walk chophouse that opened in September. Jess Pryles, an Austin-based author and founder of the Hardcore Carnivore line of cooking products, includes a version in her cookbook Hardcore Carnivore: Cook Meat Like You Mean It, which published in February.

They both take liberties youd never see in an old-school Medina County meat market with their preparations. Dady dresses his up with microgreens and dollops of Kewpie mayonnaise, where Pryles adds garlic powder and paprika.

The dish has evolved in Medina County hands, as well. Rachel and Tyler Luce opened Silver Creek Meat & Gear in Hondo last year. Not having a family recipe to work from, they cobbled together one of their own.

We found some paper clippings with parisa recipes from way back in the day, Rachel Luce explained. Basically, we took those, mashed them up and changed them until we found a parisa we liked.

They settled on one version that rang true to tradition, but also unleashed a new-wave parisa recipe given a burst of fire from cheese spiked with bhut jolokia, aka the notoriously hot ghost pepper.

Increased tourism to Castroville and a broader interest in regional cuisine has prompted the Castro Colonies Heritage Association to print another run of Old Favorite Receipts. Marvin Dziuk, co-owner of Dziuks Meat Market in Castroville, said demand recently hit a record level with about 280 pounds ground for New Year celebrations alone.

We used to just have it on weekends, but theres been such a demand over the last few years that we try to have a limited amount on hand every day, Dziuk said. The community has grown, and the product has become more popular. Theyre coming form everywhere to get it. People want it shipped all over the country.

Fortunately for the health of Medina County expats, none of the area butchers will send raw meat off in the mail, and this is a good time to say that the USDA advises against consuming raw or undercooked ground beef, especially for the very young. very old or those with weakened immune systems.

But for those who can handle it, weve included a classic parisa recipe and a few other raw beef dishes popular around the globe.

Recipe: Parisa (Medina County steak tartare)

Recipe: Yukhoe (Korean steak tartare)

Recipe: Kitfo (Ethiopian steak tartare)
As waves of students slowly filled the Witte Museums main exhibit space, more than 700 adults filed into its conference rooms Tuesday to discuss the current state of education for Texas 4-year-olds.

Preschool sets the foundation for a lifetime for success, or failure. Success is only going to happen if we offer kids high-quality pre-K  but most programs are not high quality, said Steven Barnett, founder and co-director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University.

He was the keynote speaker at the San Antonio Regional PK-12 Public Education Forum. Heavy on the minds of a panel of local educators, nonprofits and business owners was that while Texas has a solid ratio of 4-year-olds attending preschools, it lags behind other states in preschool quality.

Texas as a whole makes only 4 of 10 benchmarks of preschool quality, Barnett said, and imposes no limits on class size or student-teacher ratios.

The discussion was moderated by Robert Rivard, publisher of the nonprofit news site Rivard Report, and co-sponsored by more than 40 organizations. The main panel featured Cynthia Osborne of the University of Texas at Austins Center for Health and Social Policy; Kelsey Clark of the Boston Consulting Group in Dallas; Alejandra Barraza, principal of Carroll Early Childhood Education Center; and Sarah Baray, CEO of Pre-K 4 SA.

The formula for quality is pretty simple  youve seen it, said Barnett, referencing Pre-K 4 SA, a citywide program that was lauded throughout the forum as a model for early childhood education. Its not easy, its difficult, but its simple.

At an earlier breakfast panel, local and state leaders proposed increasing the role of churches in early childhood education as one possible way to expand access to it. Rosita Wilson, a bishop of Greater Faith Institutional Church, said her church and others needed to open the doors to more preschoolers, adding, One way that we can do this is if the pastors would come from behind the pulpit, and get out and feel what the mission really is.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg reminded audience members that they all have a role to play in leveling the playing field for all of our kids.

An estimated 6,000 preschool-age children in San Antonio dont attend a preschool program, said the Rev. Ann Helmke, the citys faith liaison, suggesting that the leaders map out where those children are, find out which congregations are closest to them and begin working to connect the two.

Within each and every child, there is infinite potential and infinite brilliance, and their dreams are absolutely worth investing in, said Laura Saldivar Luna, executive director of San Antonios Teach for America program. And it is our job as adults to get it right  to make sure that the light that is within each of them gets to shine brightly throughout this world.
Jurors in a biker racketeering trial heard wiretap and body wire recordings Tuesday that a judge says establish the Bandidos Motorcycle Club was a conspiracy at the time it was steered by its former two top leaders.

Before testimony began Tuesday, Senior U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra ruled outside the presence of the jury that prosecutors could introduce the four recordings as part of their evidence against former Bandidos national president Jeffrey Fay Pike and then-vice president, John Xavier Portillo. The pair are charged in a 13-count racketeering indictment and face up to life in prison if convicted.

The excerpts came from intercepted phone calls by other Bandidos or recordings captured by body wire worn by a former high-ranking member, Johnny Downtown Johnny Romo, who is awaiting sentencing for his role in a racketeering murder.

The recordings, all made in 2015, captured Portillo discussing with Romo or other Bandidos how the club maintained order among its members, raising club dues to help members with legal fees for arrests or charges stemming from a war the Bandidos declared on rival motorcycle clubs, how Bandidos members  upon arrest  were told to provide court paperwork to the leaders as part of an effort to weed out Bandidos who turned police informants, and how the club imposes fines for not attending mandatory motorcycle runs.

Pikes lead lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, challenged the admissibility of the recordings , arguing that no conspiracy existed and that the discussions had nothing to do with the furtherance of a conspiracy.

There has been enough evidence to find by a preponderance of evidence that a conspiracy exists, Ezra said in announcing his ruling.

The judge, going through each recording, also said it was clear the talks were not merely idle chatter as DeGuerin claimed, but discussions in furtherance of the Bandidos conspiracy.

The Bandidos dont have general court martials, Ezra said. ....Youre not dealing with an old ladys knitting club.

After the ruling, prosecutors played the recordings and other wiretap evidence, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Chad Lloyd gave his interpretation of what the conversations were about.

Under cross-examination, Lloyd acknowledged Romo is one of several Bandidos who cooperated with the feds in the investigation in exchange for reduced charges or other benefits.

Lloyd testified that Romo agreed to cooperate with the government after the DEA arrested him in February 2014 on cocaine charges. Romo wore while meeting with various Bandidos, including Portillo, over a year.

The feds helped him get a reduced sentence of 24 months, rather than the 60 months the drug charges mandated, Lloyd testified under cross-examination by DeGuerin and Portillos lead lawyer, Mark Stevens.

Lloyd also said Romo did not initially tell federal agents about his involvement in the 2006 killing of rival biker Anthony W. Benesh III in Austin. And when later asked if he or his brother were involved, Romo was untruthful when he denied it, Lloyd acknowledged to Stevens and DeGuerin.

In September, Romo, his brother and two other then-Bandidos pleaded guilty in September 2017 to murder and discharging a firearm, both in aid of racketeering.

Also Tuesday, a former high-ranking member of the Texas Mexican Mafia testified that his gang had an agreement with the Bandidos in which members of the biker club did not have to pay a street tax to deal drugs on Mexican Mafia turf.

Testimony continues Wednesday.
As violence behind bars continues to rise, Texas prisons over the past 10 years have seen a 71 percent increase in the use of chemical agents on inmates, often on those attempting suicide or self-harm.

The shift comes amid an increase in the number of violent offenders and a growing mentally ill population  factors that prison officials and officers cite in explaining the growing reliance on tools such as pepper spray and tear gas.

It might be controversial, but when you have somebody whos cutting himself with a razor blade, thats the best approach, said Lance Lowry, a Huntsville officer and former union president. Their focus goes from, Hey, I wanna kill myself to, Hey, this stuff burns.

But some advocates forcefully disagreed about the value of using chemical agents  a category of less-than-lethal weapons including everything from pepper foggers to rubber ball grenades  on prisoners in a mental health crisis.

Thats horrifying, said Doug Smith, a policy analyst with the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. Im really too horrified to comment.

In 2007, officers used chemical agents just over 3,000 times, according to data in monthly Emergency Action Center reports obtained by the Houston Chronicle. Last year, staff used chemical agents more than 5,200 times.

Typically, thwarting suicide and self-harm has been one of the key reasons listed for deploying the nonlethal weapons. Other commonly cited reasons include disturbances or assaults and refusal during strip-search and handcuff procedures.

In May 2008, about 20 percent of chemical agent uses were on inmates attempting suicide or self-harm. By December 2011, that number had risen to 24 percent. In the last four months of 2017, it was consistently over 29 percent.

Over the same time frame, inmate suicide attempts more than doubled, though the Texas Department of Criminal Justice attributed that shift to a broadened definition of what counts as a suicide attempt.

Meanwhile, serious inmate assaults  another possible reason for using chemical agents  increased by 35 percent between 2007 and 2017.

Staff is dealing with a more hardened, violent inmate population, TDCJ spokesman Jason Clark said. In 2007, there were 75,124 prisoners serving time for violent offenses. By last year, that number had risen to more than 80,000.

Over the same timeframe, Clark said, the number of mentally ill inmates increased by 17 percent.

In an article published recently in the San Antonio Express-News, an official with the University of Texas Medical Branch, which oversees mental health and medical care at most Texas prisons, estimated that the number of mentally ill inmates may have doubled.

Some officers saw the uptick in chemical agent use as a positive sign that suicide prevention is truly a top priority.

Honestly I would rather go home knowing a guy was uncomfortable but alive than dead, said one corrections officer, who asked to remain anonymous as he was not authorized to speak publicly.

Sometimes, he said, there arent enough officers to safely enter a cell and stop a suicide attempt  and deploying a chemical agent from outside the cell might be the next best option, especially if the prisoner has a sharp object.

Also, he added, theres always the possible threat of prisoners trying to lure an officer into the cell to assault them.

I would rather accidentally use chemical agents and be wrong than not and he commit suicide, the officer said. I can do probation for the mistake. At least he lives.

Michele Deitch, an attorney and criminal justice consultant who teaches at UT-Austins LBJ School of Public Affairs, decried the practice.

I do not think there is any legitimate justification for use of such weapons, she said. Staff should be trained in appropriate practices for de-escalating the situation, calling in mental health staff, and using a nonviolent approach towards these suicidal individuals.

Greg Hansch, public policy director with National Alliance on Mental Illness Texas, called it concerning and touted the use of de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques.

That said, there are scenarios that come up in which something else is needed to address the situation and there should be less restrictive means pursued to restrain the person, he said. Chemical restraint should be more of a last resort than a standard practice.

Dr. Joseph Penn, the director of mental health services at UTMB, said he had did not have an opinion on the use of chemical agents on inmates attempting self-harm or suicide.
Update: 12:25 a.m.

Trey Martinez Fischer has edged Diana Arevalo for House District 116 with just over 50 percent of the vote. That result could be overturned by mail-in ballots counted Tuesday.

Update: 11:25 p.m.

Precinct 2 County Commissioner Paul Elizondo is in a runoff. The Democrat, a fixture in the West Side district, ended up with 45 percent of the vote with 90 percent of precincts reporting. Hell face Queta Rodriguez, who brought in 29 percent of the vote, in the runoff.

Update: 11:15 p.m.

With 95 percent of precincts in Congressional District 21 reporting, Matt McCall had 17 percent of the vote and was headed to a runoff with Chip Roy in the Republican primary.

Update: 11:10 p.m.

After losing to the Bexar County Democratic Party Chairs post to Monica Ramirez Alcantara by a 2-to-1 margin, Manuel Medina publicly conceded the race. He congratulated Alcantara on her victory. I am excited at the record turnout and optimistic about our prospects of victory in November, Medina said in a text message sent to the San Antonio Express-News after his concession speech.

Update: 10:55 p.m.

Leo Pacheco is headed to the Democratic nomination for Texas House District 118, easily defeating Tomas Uresti. The surprise showing comes after a highly publicized trial that resulted in Urestis brother, Carlos, convicted on 11 felony counts in federal court last month.

Update: 10:45 p.m.

Joseph Kopser and Mary Street Wilson are headed to a runoff in the Democratic primary for Congressional District 21. Each has about 20 percent of the vote. Whoever wins will face an uphill battle in the reliably red district against whoever prevails in the crowded Republican primary.

Update: 10:40 p.m.

Matt Beebe and Steve Allison are headed to a runoff in House District 121, which is being vacated by Speaker Joe Straus. Beebe has 29 percent of the vote and Allison has 26.5 percent with almost all precincts reporting.

Update: 10:30 p.m.

The race between state Rep. Diana Arevalo and Trey Martinez Fischer, whos trying to win back his old seat after abandoning it in a failed bid for the Texas Senate, is down to a margin of fewer than 300 votes. Martinez Fischer has 4,519 votes, just over 51 percent of the vote, and Arevalo has 4,296.

Update: 10:15 p.m.

Who will face Chip Roy in the Republican primary to replace U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, remains up in the air. Roy has more than 26 percent of the vote with 35 percent of precincts reporting. But Matt McCall and William Negley are neck and neck for the second place spot. McCall has edged out Negley with 17.5 percent of the vote. Negley has just shy of 17 percent.

UPDATE: 10:05 p.m.

Land Commissioner George P. Bush claimed victory in the Republican primary Tuesday, fending off three challengers who campaigned against his handling of the ambitious Alamo redevelopment project.

Bush has 57 percent of the vote with 32 percent of precincts reporting and was on track to avoid a runoff against his chief critic, Jerry Patterson, who led the land office for 12 years before Bush.

At an election night party in Austin, Bush thanked supporters.

We set out to do big, audacious things such as saving the Alamo, making sure that its around for another few hundred years and thats exactly what we did, said Bush, who stood beside his father, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Bush will face Miguez Suazo, who had 69 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary.

UPDATE: 10 p.m.

Lyle Larson, the GOP incumbent in Texas House District 122, appeared at ease at his watch party with results from early voting posted. With the expectation that the lead would hold through the night, the lawmaker pushed back against the attacks he's faced from within the party. Larson was cruising to an easy victory with 59.5 percent of the vote with 44 percent of precincts reporting.

With opposition coming from both Gov. Greg Abbott and the conservative Empower Texans group, Larson said voters were sending clear messages across the state that they were upset with the negativity coming from within their own ranks.

Though he'll face a Democratic challenger in November, Larson was talking about his plans in the 2019 legislative session, and despite the attacks from Abbott, said he's looking forward to working with the governor on issues from education and transportation to statewide water policy.

Among his supporters in the North Side cafe were former Councilman Joe Krier and his wife, Cyndi Taylor Krier.

Update: 9:45 p.m.

While Gina Ortiz Jones seems sure to go to a runoff in the Democratic Primary for Congressional District 21, theres a tight race for second place with 11 percent of precincts reporting statewide. Ortiz Jones, a former Air Force intelligence officer, has 38.31 percent of the vote. Judy Canales has 19.05 percent of the vote, San Antonio school teacher Rick Trevino has 17.47 percent, and former federal prosecutor Jay Hulings has 16.56 percent.

UPDATE: 9:20 p.m.

Bexar County Democratic Party Chair Manuel Medina, fresh off his loss in the mayoral race last year, is trailing challenger Monica Ramirez Alcantara with 25 percent of precincts reporting.

Alcantara has 66.5 percent of the vote.

UPDATE 9:15 p.m.

Leo Pacheco, who had a healthy lead over Democratic State Rep. Tomas Uresti with 14 percent of precincts reporting, credited his campaign adviser, former University of Texas at San Antonio political science professor Richard Gambitta, with his surprise showing.

Dr. Gambitta and I studied this race and this opponent and felt that this was a very winnable race, Pacheco said. We decided that we were going to a blitzkrieg of signs the day after Thanksgiving. I mean, we hit it hard and caught him (Uresti) by surprise. We caused others who were thinking about running to drop out when they saw how strong we were.

Pacheco was a virtual unknown, but Urestis brother, Carlos, was recently convicted in a high-profile federal trial. Pacheco was not yet ready to claim victory.

UPDATE: 9:05 p.m.

With 5 percent of returns in statewide, Chip Roy seems headed to a runoff in the Republican primary for Congressional District 21, but its not clear who hell face. William Negley has 17.88 percent of the vote in the district that stretches from San Antonio to Austin. Matt McCall has 17.43 percent.

UPDATE: 9 p.m.

Local attorney Joe Gonzales, the Democratic nominee for District Attorney, alluded to a confrontation hed had with current District Attorney Nico LaHood last year during his victory speech. Gonzales had alleged that LaHood threatened to destroy his practice in a conversation in a local judges chambers. Gonzales said that prompted him to run.

Speaking to supporters Tuesday night, Gonzales thanked his wife and daughter for their support.

They knew that what happened to me wasnt right.  They allowed me to disrupt their lives, they allowed me to follow my dreams, Gonzales said. These are the two ladies I live for.

For tonight, let us savor this victory and tomorrow. Lets start working onward toward victory in November, he said.

Security guards initially denied Express-News journalists access to LaHoods campaign party, although a photographer was later let in.

UPDATE: 8:30 p.m.

District Attorney Nico LaHood said voters were unfairly influenced by outside money spent to unseat him in the Democratic primary, according to a livestream broadcast of his concession speech.

Throughout my life I have faced many challenges and enjoyed many blessings. My wife Davida and I are raising our kids to always tell the truth and always do the right thing, LaHood said. I am proud that throughout the campaign we stuck to those principals and didn't waver. In my opinion, the voters were unfairly influenced by one million dollars worth of lies. There's no other way to say it. But the voters have spoken and I respect their voice.

A political action committee backed by George Soros spent nearly $1 million to support defense attorney Joe Gonzales, who successfully challenged LaHood.

LaHood himself was a benefactor of outside largesse. Personal injury attorney Thomas J. Henry gave Lahood more than $1.2 million to help his election four years ago.

UPDATE: 8:24 p.m.

UPDATE: District Attorney Nico LaHood has conceded the Democratic primary, according to reports from inside his election night party. LaHood had barred Express-News journalists from attending the event.

Update: 8:15 p.m.: Republican Senator Ted Cruz has declared victory in the Republican primary. Democratic challenger U.S. Rep. Beto ORourke had a safe lead with 61 percent of the vote after early voting.

Update: 8 p.m.: In the GOP race for Texas House District 122, incumbent Lyle Larson led in the early vote with about 59 percent. His challenger, Hollywood Park Mayor Chris Fails, acknowledged that he had a gap to close with Election Day turnout. He remained hopeful Tuesday night. The campaigns television advertising didnt begin until early voting and he said voters were receptive to him and his volunteers working the polls.

Fails said he spent the day at a polling site in Timberwood Park, where Larson lives.

Fails received support in his quest to oust Larson from Empower Texans, a conservative limited-government advocacy group, and Gov. Greg Abbott, who filmed a TV ad for him.

7:30 p.m.

Defense lawyer Joe Gonzales had 61 percent of the vote in his bid to unseat District Attorney Nico LaHood in the Democratic Primary as early voting returns came in Tuesday.

LaHood, who's trying to win a second term, has had a bruising race with Gonzales, a local defense attorney. Their confrontation dates to a 2017 murder trial in which Gonzales alleged prosecutorial misconduct by LaHood.

Democratic State Rep. Tomas Uresti, whose brother was recently convicted in a high-profile federal trial, is losing to unknown challenger Leo Pacheco after early voting results came in. Pacheco was leading in the South Side Texas House district with 57 percent of the vote.

Matt Beebe and Steve Allison were leading the crowded field of six people in the Republican Primary vying to replace Speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus after early voting results were released Tuesday. Bebee had 29 percent of the vote and Allison had 27 percent.

Straus, a moderate who represents a district that stretches from Alamo Heights to the North Side, announced in October he'll retire at the end of this term.

In another packed GOP primary contest to replace a vacant seat, William Negley and Chip Roy were at the top of the race for U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith's CD 21 with 27 percent and 24 percent of the vote respectively in Bexar County. Smith is also retiring at the end of this term. Eighteen Republicans are competing to replace him in the district that includes parts of Bexar County, Travis County and the Hill Country.

Both races for the safely Republican seats are expected to go to runoffs.

George P. Bush was leading in his bid for a second term as Texas Land Commissioner with 52 percent of the vote. Bush's predecessor, Jerry Patterson, returned to politics to challenge the scion of the presidential family over what Patterson alleges is mismanagement of the Alamo.

State Rep. Lyle Larson led the Republican primary for his district in northern Bexar County with almost 59 percent of the vote. That contest drew attention because Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed Larson's opponent, Chris Fails.

In the Democratic primary, Precinct 2 County Commissioner Paul Elizondo led with 46 percent at the end of early voting, but had not secured enough of the vote to avoid a runoff.

Former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez led Andrew White in the race to win the Democratic nomination for governor. With 42 percent of the vote, however, Valdez could still face a runoff.

Former Air Force intelligence officer Gina Ortiz Jones led with 46 percent of the vote in Bexar County in the Democratic primary for CD 23, a sprawling district that stretches from San Antonio to El Paso. Former federal prosecutor Jay Hulings had 21 percent of a vote and could force a runoff. The winner of that race faces U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, who is the likely winner of his primary challenge, in the general election.

Former State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer was in position to retake his old Texas House seat with 52 percent of the vote after early voting returns.

County officials are still tallying the results of today's voting.
As Bexar County district attorney, Nico LaHood made an art form out of dodging responsibility.

At last, on Election Day, LaHood couldnt dodge the will of Democratic voters faced with his record of arrogant behavior and conservative rhetoric that at times conjured President Donald Trump. It was an analogy reinforced by LaHoods opponent, defense attorney Joe Gonzales, with the aid of nearly $1 million from a group backed by liberal billionaire George Soros.

Nico LaHood and Donald Trump have a lot in common, one pro-Gonzales television ad declared, pointing out their shared conservatism, opposition to sanctuary cities and disdain for the media.

LaHood had campaigned with Bexar County Democratic Party Chairman Manuel Medina, a staunch ally who also evinced Trumpian qualities  sometimes deliberately, as when the chairman declared, DRAIN THE LOCAL SWAMP! while running unsuccessfully last year for mayor.

Medina lost on Tuesday to a political neophyte, paralegal Monica Alcantara Ramirez. Likewise, Gonzales was a virtual unknown before he chose to challenge LaHood. Their upset victories were due less to their own strengths than the shortcomings of the incumbents; in ousting LaHood and Medina, Democrats were purging impurities from a party reinvigorated by the indignities of the Trump era.

Late Tuesday, Gonzales noted that LaHoods maddening habit of ducking responsibility actually inspired him to run, particularly after LaHood refused to admit he had threatened to destroy Gonzales law practice in a judges chambers during a murder trial.

We made some comparisons to (LaHood) and the president, his refusal to accept responsibility when he makes poor decisions, Gonzales said. His doubling down is just like the president. Its no secret that part of my reason for running is his refusal to take responsibility for the incident that happened in the murder trial.

Like Trump, the DA gave an impression during his tenure that he would not obey ordinary boundaries  that he was somehow above them  a defiant posture that extended to campaign finance laws.

In the waning days of the race, a mail piece that claimed to come from the desk of Nicholas Nico LaHood told voters the district attorney was writing straight from (his) heart because there had been too much political chatter.

The DAs pieties aside, the letter was nonetheless a campaign ad, one that derided his opponent as a horrible choice while lacking a political disclosure required by law. And there was another problem with the piece; in a postscript, LaHood declared, I will not engage in the same type of negative and misleading attacks that my opponent has used.

Thats an egregious dodge of responsibility, considering the gutter politics LaHood embraced in the last week of his campaign  in hindsight, likely a sign of desperation. One ad equated Gonzales with sexual diseases. Another displayed a photo of a prostitutes backside. (Gonzales inspired those attacks by saying he considers prostitutes victims of human trafficking.)

In fact, LaHood seemed eager to go negative virtually the moment Gonzales entered the race, an unwise strategy for an incumbent who could have leaned on his record and ignored an opponent with no name identification. Instead, LaHood told the Express-News as early as November: I fight to protect children, (Gonzales) fights to get people that prey on children back on the street.

It was one unforced error among many. Despite a campaign slogan of Seek Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly, LaHood, like Trump, was often itching for a fight.

More than humility, LaHoods short tenure was defined by arrogance: a pride that preceded the fall. As a result, he bled support; many who voted for him four years ago had peeled away by the primary.

For many defectors, the breaking point came in the summer of 2016, when the DA appeared in a video, seated at his desk in his office, and declared, I'm Nico LaHood. I'm the criminal district attorney in San Antonio, Texas. I'm here to tell you that vaccines can and do cause autism.

Criticized for the statement, LaHood once again dodged responsibility, explaining it was his personal opinion based on his experiences as a father. Few actions by an elected official, though, could cause more harm to the public, particularly to children, who face a higher risk of contracting diseases in the absence of vaccines.

Nonetheless, in both 2014 and this year, LaHood ran on a platform of protecting children. This time, his actions spoke louder than words, and voters reacted in turn.
Its house-cleaning time in the Democratic Party.

Three of the partys best-known elected officials went down Tuesday in emphatic fashion. There was no mistaking the message, no question about the intent.

It wasnt necessarily a surprise that District Attorney Nico LaHood lost to veteran defense lawyer Joe Gonzales. Political observers sensed that Gonzales was surging in the final weeks as the weight of LaHoods various public dramas began to submerge his candidacy. But nobody predicted that Gonzales would win in a landslide.

The same applied to Manuel Medinas re-election campaign for party chair, which went down in a flaming pile of demagogic rubble to Monica Ramirez Alcantara.

For pure shock value, however, its hard to match what happened in Texas House District 118, where Tomas Uresti, an incumbent facing a little-known challenger named Leo Pacheco, should have been utterly safe.

But Uresti paid the ultimate political price for the sins of his better-known younger brother, state Sen. Carlos Uresti. Only two weeks ago, Carlos was convicted on 11 felony counts related to his involvement with a now-defunct frac-sand company called FourWinds. Carlos, who has a separate public-corruption case looming, also has faced numerous allegations of sexual misconduct.

Tomas Uresti, a former Harlandale School Board trustee, swept into the Texas House in 2016 primarily on the strength of his brothers name and history on the South Side. This year, that same name is toxic and Tomas couldnt overcome it.

Its not an insult to Leo Pacheco, 60, who served as party chair in the 1990s, to say that one of his greatest assets in this primary was that his last name was not Uresti.

To Pachecos credit, however, he didnt rely on anti-Uresti sentiment. He went out and took that seat from the incumbent, with the strategic help of Dr. Richard Gambitta, former UTSA political science professor.

Dr. Gambitta and I studied this race and this opponent and felt that this was a very winnable race. We decided that we were going to a blitzkrieg of signs the day after Thanksgiving. I mean, we hit it hard and caught him (Uresti) by surprise.

Democrats in this state are not merely determined to sweep out Republicans in November. Before they got there, they wanted to sweep out any Democratic incumbents who seemed suspect, whether it was because they were scandal plagued, ideological traitors to the party or, in Tomas Urestis case, because they carried the whiff of guilt by association.

Pacheco said he knew something was brewing when he reviewed the early vote numbers on Monday night and realized that nearly 1,000 of the 3,758 early voters in District 118 were new voters.

When you have a whole bunch of brand new voters who have come out to vote, that makes incumbents very nervous, because they dont know who they are, Pacheco said.

New voters hold the key for Democrats this year. The argument presented repeatedly by Dems in this state is that this ever-expanding state has enough Democratic leaners to win statewide races or take control of the Legislature. They just need to get those voters to the polls.

Its a process that has frustrated Battleground Texas since that organization formed in 2013. But this cycle, the first one to feel the effects of the grassroots Indivisible movement that has mobilized in congressional districts around the country, feels different.

The activists behind the Indivisible groups are energized by their disgust with President Donald Trump. But they also have little patience for Democrats who have sold out their partys progressive principles.

That sensibility explains why Rick Trevino, a school teacher and uncompromising Bernie Sanders liberal, displayed surprising strength in the sprawling U.S. District 23.

One local activist with the Indivisible TX21 group  which is hoping to flip the U.S. District 21 seat being vacated by Republican warhorse Lamar Smith  described Tuesday nights happenings as being like a cloud lifted from our corrupt politics.

Medina used the partys headquarters as a base for his own lucrative consulting business, played fast and loose with party finances and allied himself with tea party conservatives when he ran for mayor. LaHood not only used his office to promote an anti-vax campaign and got into trouble for allegedly threatening local defense attorneys (including Gonzales) in court, he also defined himself as a social conservative.

Local Democrats saw him as a Republican in disguise. And this year, for party activists, simply having a D by your name isnt enough.
AUSTIN  Land Commissioner George P. Bush claimed victory in the Republican primary Tuesday, fending off three challengers who campaigned against his handling of the ambitious Alamo redevelopment project.

Bush had more than 58 percent of the vote, avoiding a runoff against his chief critic, Jerry Patterson, who led the land office for 12 years before Bush.

At an election night party in Austin, Bush, 41, thanked supporters.

We set out to do big, audacious things such as saving the Alamo, making sure that its around for another few hundred years and thats exactly what we did, said Bush, who stood beside his father, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. When thanking his competitors for a "spirited campaign," a few laughs rang out.

Everybody had their say in this race, there were four of us, but you know what the people of Texas had their say tonight, he said. They spoke loudly and clearly and they said that they validate the work we have been doing.

Patterson, who had escalated his attacks against Bush in the final weeks over the Alamo and housing relief for hurricane victims, conceded later in the night, having received less than 30 percent of the vote.

While I didn't win, Texas did, he wrote in a statement. As a result of our campaign, there is finally at least some transparency at the Alamo, and there are Harvey victims who now have shelter. Neither would've happened without being made an issue in this campaign.

The two other GOP candidates, land surveyor Davey Edwards and former school teacher Rick Range, each pulled in less than 7 percent of the vote.

Bush, a scion of a political dynasty that includes two past presidents, captured national attention as he faced the fight of his young political future. Bush's campaign spent more than $500,000 on advertising over the last month, while shying away from GOP candidate forums where Patterson was a regular.

Bush defended his unconventional campaign Tuesday.

I took my message directly to the people through social media and getting out wherever I could," he said. "Tonight, I think speaks volumes about that."

In the campaign, Bush regularly touted his support for President Trump and earned an endorsement from the Republican, who had mocked Bush's father as "low energy" during the 2016 presidential race. Jeb Bush addressed the issue with reporters Tuesday, saying: "He supported President Trump, President Trump reciprocated, for which I am grateful and thats it."

Bush's apparent outright victory in the primary deals a blow to critics who oppose aspects of his multiyear Alamo plan and who argue the shrines management structure is too secretive. With the election results in, Bush said work with the city of San Antonio on the potentially $450 million master plan will pick up.

Bush will go on to face the Democratic primary winner Miguel Suazo in the November election and faces strong odds. A Democrat hasnt won statewide election since 1994.

Beyond the Alamo, the General Land Office oversees state mineral rights and veterans programs. In the past, it has served as a stepping stone to higher political office.

Bush easily won a first term leading the land office in 2014  gathering more than 70 percent of the vote in that years primary  Patterson proved a formidable challenger.

The former state senator and three-term land commissioner jumped into the race at the eleventh hour last year, after failing to recruit another challenger. He accused Bush of mismanaging the Alamo and botching housing recovery for Hurricane Harvey victims.

Looking back on the campaign Tuesday, Patterson said if he could have changed one thing, it would have been to start sooner than December.

Throughout the campaign, Bush largely dismissed criticisms as political motivated. Starting with a $3 million war chest, he sought to put focus on conservative accomplishments at the land office, including shrinking staff size.

While Bush raked in far more campaign dollars than his rivals, he faced scrutiny for taking contributions from executives of several companies that received millions of dollars in contracts to rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey.

Despite heated disagreement, few of the campaign fights took place in person. Bush rarely advertised public campaign appearances and he attended few GOP candidates forums, which Patterson and his other rivals relied on to get out their messages.

Rice University political scientist Mark Jones said Bush dodged a bullet by avoiding a runoff election, which typically draws substantially reduced turnout and a more activist electorate.

Bush survived a scare that could have threatened the continuation of the Bush political dynasty, he said.
WASHINGTON  Chip Roy, a former top aide to Sen. Ted Cruz, and campaign veteran Matt McCall will meet in a runoff for the Republican nomination to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith of San Antonio.

On the Democratic side, Mary Street Wilson, an Austin mathematician turned minister, and entrepreneur Joseph Kopser will battle in the May 22 runoff in Smiths 21st District.

In the 23d District, Gina Ortiz Jones of San Antonio was gathering twice as many votes as her nearest challenger and will make it to a runoff. Rick Trevino of San Antonio and Judy Canales of Eagle Pass are neck and neck for the second spot. The nominee will take on incumbent U.S. Rep. Will Hurd.

Weve run the campaign we knew we needed to run from day one, a campaign that reflects the priorities of this district, Jones said as votes were being counted. We will keep talking about the ways we will fight for this district.

There are a lot of things that point in that direction, she said about Hurds vulnerability.

Hurd, a second-term Republican, was swamping his primary opponent, Uvalde dentist Alma Arredondo-Lynch, in the vast district stretching from western San Antonio to the outskirts of El Paso.

The district, which has a nearly even partisan split, will be among the most closely watched in the country this year, with Democrats needing a net gain of 24 seats to regain control of the U.S. House.

In other San Antonio-area congressional districts, U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio and Henry Cuellar of Laredo, both Democrats, drew no opposition this election season.

RELATED: Check all the results of Tuesday's primaries here

San Antonio Democrat Lloyd Doggett, who had no primary opponent, will face one of two Republicans, either David Smalling, who lists a Maxwell address, or S.K. Alexander of Austin.

In the seat opened by the retirement of GOP Rep. Blake Farenthold, who was accused of sexual harassment and mistreating employees, former Texas Water Development Board Chairman Bech Bruun and Victoria County Republican Chairman Michael Cloud were leaders in early returns.

Democrats in the race include former Bastrop County Judge Ronnie McDonald and Raul Roy Barrera, a former Robstown police officer and Nueces County constable.

Smiths surprise announcement in November that he would leave Congress after this term - his 16th - triggered an outpouring of 18 candidates seeking the GOP nomination in the district, which runs north from San Antonio into the Hill country and stretches to Austin.

Roy, who is based in Austin, was Cruzs chief of staff until late last year and has worked for several other top Texas Republicans, among them Attorney General Ken Paxton, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and former Gov. Rick Perry. He also was director of the Center for Tenth Amendment Action at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank.

McCall became known in the district by twice challenging Smith in the primary.

William Negley, a former CIA operative who has never sought elective office, was knocked out of the runoff late Tuesday. He is a seventh-generation Texan who has been aided financially in his campaign by his family and allies that include San Antonio billionaire B.J. Red McCombs.

Former Bexar County Republican chair Robert Stovall was one of the first to announce, and he has in his corner Brad Parscale, the Trump campaign digital advertising specialist who was selected last week to run the presidents 2020 re-election drive.

But Stovalls fundraising stalled, as did former U.S. Rep. Francisco Quico Cansecos and the efforts of several others viewed as potentially significant challengers for Smiths seat.

The Democratic contest between Kopser and Wilson mirrors the debate among Democrats around the country about how the the out-of-power party should redefine itself.

Kopser, 47, an Iraq war veteran who became wealthy after developing a transportation app, is embraced by many in the national party who believe Democrats best hope is moderate candidates.

RELATED: Keep up with all of ExpressNews.com's election coverage

Weve got to start being inclusive again of all different perspectives and all different takes, he said. Thats how were going to solve immigration. Thats how were going to solve gun rights. Thats how were going to were going to come to a solution on so many problems in Congress that seem to be intractable today. Kopser said.

Kopser likened ardent liberal groups to tea party organizations.

I dont want any group or party or ideology to do that kind of stuff again because we see how our government grinds to a halt when compromise, civility and cooperation become dirty words, he said.

Wilson, 58, raised less than $40,000 for her campaign. She remarked recently in an interview, Being a female candidate and being the only one in the race benefits me in the era were in.

Democrats will vie to take on Hurd in the district that gained the distinction two years ago of hosting as Texass most expensive congressional race ever.

Hurd already has raised $2 million for the campaign, and together Jones and Hulings have raised more than $1 million.

Jones, 37, is a former Air Force intelligence officer who was deployed to Iraq and who served under the U.S. militarys former dont ask, dont tell policy on military service by gays, bisexuals, and lesbians begun under the Clinton administration.

She has drawn endorsements and financial backing from an array of national organizations, among them VoteVets and the Serve America PAC, established by U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., to support military veterans.

Jones also has enjoyed the backing of Emilys List, which supports Democratic women candidates who endorse abortion rights.
State Rep. Lyle Larson overcame attacks from his primary opponent, an ultra-conservative political action committee and Gov. Greg Abbott in a decisive win for the GOP nomination in House District 122, covering much of northern Bexar County.

Heading into the November general election against a Democrat in a conservative district, Larson already is talking about the next legislative session. And while he said hes dismayed by Abbotts decision to weigh in on his race, the lawmaker said hes eager to get back to work with the governor and his team on major issues.

I think it accelerates the demise of our party when leadership is turning on its own members and spending resources against them, looking at whats happening across the country, he said at his campaign party. With the Democrats being motivated, we need to close ranks and unify.

Larson also said Abbott didnt do himself any good in Bexar County by coming after him.

Abbott stepped into the race last month with a televised attack ad and a campaign stop in San Antonio, where he painted Larson as Liberal Lyle and threw his support behind challenger Chris Fails, the mayor of Hollywood Park.

During the primary, Fails also won the backing of Empower Texans, an ultraconservative advocacy group focused on personal liberty and limited government.

Fails and his allies attacked Larson, alleging hes not conservative enough to serve the district. They claimed he voted to weaken a law cracking down on sanctuary cities, and that the lawmaker voted against real property tax reform.

The group sent nearly 30 mailers to District 122 voters, Larson said, that distorted the truth, were lying and misleading.

Larson said Empower Texans, which appeared to have lost significantly in elections across the state Tuesday, was sent a clear message by voters that theyre tired of the negativity. He also pointed out that the group doesnt spend in general elections but focuses on primary races.

Theyre trying to tear down the party, Larson said.

The lawmaker, whos held the seat since 2010, will face Democrat Claire Barnett in November.

While Larson, a former member of the San Antonio City Council and Bexar County Commissioners Court, said hes looking forward to working with the governor, the legislation that originally drew the ire of Abbott may be headed back.

Larson said it doesnt matter whether hes talking to Republicans, Democrats or independents  voters in Texas dont think major donors to the governors campaign then should win political appointments.

Larsons bill to restrict that made it out of the House in the last session but died in the Senate. He signaled Tuesday it could come back.

His motivations were pretty clear, Larson said of Abbotts decision to wade into his race. He didnt like the ethics bill. I still feel we need to clean that up.

Abbott also targeted two other GOP incumbents. He favored Susanna Dokupil, who challenged incumbent Sarah Davis of West University Place in Houstons District 134, and Mayes Middleton of Chambers County over District 23 incumbent Rep. Wayne Faircloth, R-Galveston.

Faircloth and Davis supported Larsons proposed ban on pay-for-play appointments by the governors office.

A couple miles to the east of Larsons party, Fails watched returns with supporters at Walk-On's Bistreaux & Bar.

Fails remained positive while acknowledging his team had significant ground to make up in election day votes.

The candidate said he spent the day at a polling place in Timberwood Park, where Larson lives, and that voters were warm and receptive there to his message.
In a hard-fought contest to become the first elected judge in the 451st Judicial District, Republican voters in Kendall County rejected veteran jurist Bill Palmer in favor of challenger Kirsten Cohoon.

Cohoon, a former corporate lawyer who has served as the city attorney for Boerne since 2010, garnered 4,011 votes to Palmers 2,791. Neither contender could be reached for comment.

Other local Republican incumbents fared better than Palmer in primary election results.

District Attorney Nicole Short Bishop  who, like Palmer, was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to launch the new 451st District Court serving Kendall County in January 2017  soundly defeated attorneys Dave Parent and Nick Socias.

Bishop tallied 3,575 votes, against 2,477 for Parent and 590 for Socias.

Im going to do everything I can to keep Kendall County safe, said Bishop, a former assistant county attorney whose campaign stressed honesty, integrity and Kendall County values.

Abbott endorsed Palmer and Bishop in the primary.

RELATED: Check all the results of Tuesday's primaries here

No Democrats filed for Kendall County offices, so Cohoon, Bishop and other Republicans chosen in Tuesdays primary are all but certain to prevail in the general election in November.

Precinct 2 County Commissioner Richard Elkins soundly defeated challenger Ron Cisneros, a Boerne city councilman, 1,380 votes to 583.

This is really a very humbling experience for me, for people to come out and support me at this level, Elkins said. I was hoping for it, but I didnt expect it, and I just want to thank them.

Incumbent Justice of the Peace Debby S. Hudson thumped challenger John JT Tipton, 963 votes to 613.

Cohoon has little criminal trial experience, compared with Palmer, whod served as a defense attorney, prosecutor and court-at-law judge for 16 years before it was abolished when the Legislature removed Kendall County from the 216th Judicial District, a change that took effect 14 months ago.

But her self-assured and animated campaign clearly resonated with voters weary of sniping between Palmer and Bishop over difficulties getting the new court up and running.

I have the energy, the knowledge and the compassion to turn it around, Cohoon said at a candidate forum last month, eliciting calls of You go girl! from supporters in the audience.

RELATED: Keep up with ExpressNews.com's election coverage

During the primary race, Palmer was the subject of regular negative remarks posted on a community Facebook page from past litigants unhappy with rulings in their cases.

He also faced criticism during the campaign for twice not being available at night to law enforcement agencies to sign evidentiary search warrants, an issue separate but related to a conflict he had with Bishop last year over his hesitancy to issue warrants for blood draws from all suspected drunken drivers who refused breath tests.

Palmer discounted the warrant issue as electioneering and noted that seven other local magistrates are authorized to issue the warrants for blood draws under Bishops no refusal anti-DWI initiative.

The sheriff has made a concerted effort to make search warrants an issue in this election. It first started in 2017 when his candidate Ms. Cohoon said she was going to run, Palmer said in a Feb. 24 Facebook post.
Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood, who gained national attention for his anti-Islamic comments and support of a debunked claim that vaccines cause autism, was decisively defeated after just a single term by Joe Gonzales, a one-time business associate.

Gonzales jumped into what became a bitter and divisive race after LaHood, in front of a judge, threatened to destroy his legal practice.

His race was aided by nearly $1 million in donations from liberal hedge fund magnate George Soros. LaHood struck back with lurid attack ads that claimed Soros owned Gonzales while deriding his commitment to not prosecute prostitution.

Gonzales will face another local defense attorney, Republican Tylden Shaeffer, in the general election.

Wearing a short-sleeved campaign T-shirt and jeans, LaHood conceded the election shortly before 8:30 p.m. after early voting results put Gonzales up by more than 20 points. Gonzales maintained the advantage after 11 p.m., leading 59 to 41 percent with about 91 percent of precincts reporting.

Gonzales victory speech at Tomatillos Cafe carried a tone of unity. He called the win a team effort, acknowledging in particular his two campaign managers, Robert Vargas and Laura Barberena.

RELATED: Check all the results of Tuesday's primaries here

When we first talked about running for district attorney, I was the unknown, I was the challenger, I was going up against a very popular incumbent, Gonzales said. But I knew I had to do this. I knew that I had to send a message to this community that you cannot run the district attorneys office through intimidation.

In his concession speech, LaHood ran through a list of accomplishments and acknowledged the work of the 479 employees in the DAs office. He said morale in the office is, or was, at an all-time high.

Whomever the next DA is, they will be starting off in a much better position than I started off in, LaHood said, speaking from the San Antonio Firefighters Banquet Hall.

He added: As the Bexar County DA, my work is not finished. I was not elected for three years and three months. I was elected for four years. I still have nine months or so to do everything I can to continue the progress we have made.

The race contained everything from bitter personal feuding to substance-based discussions about criminal justice reform.

LaHoods already controversial profile drew outside attention from the start, yet the race made further noise in conservative circles with the release of campaign finance reports showing Soros had supplied Gonzales, through a political action committee, with about $900,000 worth of ads.

LaHood chalked the loss up to Soros influence.

In my opinion, the voters were unfairly influenced by $1 million worth of lies, he said in conceding. There's no other way to say it. But we have a system and the voters have spoken, and I respect their voice, even if I know they were fed these misconceptions and dishonesty by my opponent.

Since taking office, LaHood has expanded a diversion program to include some nonviolent felonies and created special units to investigate potentially wrongful convictions. He also established a unit to focus on cases of child abuse, his top campaign issue.

Periods of turbulence have defined part of his tenure, notably when his biggest political donor in 2014, Thomas J. Henry, represented the family of a man shot to death by Bexar County deputies. LaHood promised to investigate, though Henry downplayed the conflict-of-interest concern.

LaHood also drew flak for failing to report a business interest in an LLC owned by Gary Cain, who last month was convicted of defrauding investors in a sand fracking company.

He also gained notoriety for stating vaccines can and do cause autism, a view disproved by scientific research, and for calling Islam horrifically violent.

RELATED: Keep up with all of ExpressNews.com's election coverage

Running on his experience, Gonzales throughout the campaign said LaHoods demeanor and sparse prosecutorial background made him unfit to hold the office. LaHood defended his first-term record, claiming Gonzales platform consisted of restorative justice measures his administration had already created.

Gonzales said LaHood hadnt done enough. He pointed to the high cost of entry to the offices pretrial diversion program and LaHoods slow rollout of a cite-and-release program.

The animosity between the candidates dated to an episode in a judges chambers in 2017, when LaHood reportedly threatened to shut down Gonzales legal practice if he sought to dismiss a murder case LaHood was prosecuting. LaHood denied making the charge but the judge backed up Gonzales account under oath.

Months later, LaHood lobbed one of the campaigns first major bombs, accusing Gonzales in an interview of specializing in child sex crime defense.

Throughout the race, he sought to juxtapose Gonzales record with his own focus on protecting children, though as a defense attorney LaHood represented similar clients .

In an interview, Gonzales said he was surprised at the wide margin of victory, but thought it had to do with the tone of LaHoods attacks.

One thing that may have played in was the whole negative attack he had on me, in regard to what I do for a living, Gonzales said. I believe the voters saw right through that.

During the last six weeks of the campaign, Gonzales received about $900,000 from Soros, allowing him to extend the LaHood-Trump strategy to TV ads.

Gonzales acknowledged Soros contributions in his victory speech.

There have been a lot of negative attacks about that group Gonzales said. But they're a group of people that are looking for progressive prosecutors All they want is for people to be treated fairly. They never asked anything from me.
Voters ousted Manuel Medina as Bexar County Democratic Party chair on Tuesday, opting instead for a paralegal with little name recognition in political circles.

Monica Ramirez Alcantara defeated Medina by a 2-to-1 margin, capturing 67 percent of the vote to Medinas 33 percent.

The unofficial tally was 49,534 votes for Alcantara, 24,184 votes for Medina, with 91 percent of precincts reporting.

It was Alcantaras first bid for elected office. She will be sworn in as the new chair at the partys county executive committee meeting July 3.

Medina, a controversial figure first elected to lead the countys Democratic Party in 2012, publicly conceded the race. In a text message sent to the San Antonio Express-News after his concession speech, he congratulated Alcantara on her victory.

RELATED: Check all the results of Tuesday's primaries here

I am excited at the record turnout and optimistic about our prospects of victory in November, Medina said in the text message.

Medina had angered fellow Democrats in recent months. He was accused of recruiting candidates to run against Democratic incumbents and had openly criticized two Democratic state representatives, Diego Bernal and Ina Minjarez. Critics also said Medina sought the support of tea party Republicans when he unsuccessfully ran for San Antonio mayor last year.

Bernal, Minjarez and former state senator Leticia Van de Putte endorsed Alcantara. Van de Putte told the San Antonio Express-News last month that Medina had lost his credibility and that she had lost confidence in him.

RELATED: Keep up with ExpressNews.com's election coverage

Medina said the party recruited more volunteers, registered more voters and raised more money than ever before under his leadership.

In the race for Bexar County Republican Party chair, Cynthia Brehm held a decisive lead Tuesday, capturing 45 percent of the vote with 91 percent of precincts reporting. She appears to be headed for a runoff election with Jo Ann Ponce Gonzalez, who drew 23 percent of the vote. Dwight Parscale came in third place with 21 percent of the vote, while Andres Holliday trailed in last place, capturing 11 percent of ballots cast.
AUSTIN  The popular big-hat-wearing rodeo cowboy who roped himself into a string of controversies in his first term won by a solid margin in the Republican Party primary race for agriculture commissioner, winning more than double the votes either of his challengers got.

Sid Miller got 56 percent of the vote. Jim Hogan, a former insurance agent and farmer who refused to campaign, came in ahead of Trey Blocker, a former ethics lawyer and lobbyist who runs a conservative podcast and who was promising to restore integrity to the office.

In other races, conservative Houston Republican Dan Patrick won his race for another four-year term to lead the Texas Senate, outpacing his challenger, Scott Milder, who is seen as a public school champion, with 76 percent of the vote. In the Democratic primary, businessman Michael Collier beat retired automobile executive Michael Cooper with 52 percent of the vote.

The race for agriculture commissioner was viewed by many as a litmus test on whether GOP voters will overlook a candidates past indiscretions so long as his brand of Republicanism matches theirs.

Blocker, a conservative Republican like Miller, sought to test the theory, opting to run a campaign based on lower taxes and chiding Miller as corrupt and unethical as well as a hindrance to those who do business overseen by the department.

You know, as they say, it aint my first rodeo. Ive been through this before, Miller said at his election night party in an Austin bar. Its been a long, grueling campaign; we put a lot of hard work into it.

RELATED: Check all the results of Tuesday's primaries here

Miller is finishing his first term in office and began his tenure by taking two taxpayer-funded out-of-state trips: one to Oklahoma to obtain a so-called Jesus shot, billed to take away all pain for life; the other to Mississippi to compete in a rodeo. Miller, who later paid the state back, said he was trying to meet with state officials in those states and struggled to navigate how to properly take those trips. Texas Rangers, who investigated the trips, declined to bring charges.

Miller has also raised department fees and issued some $400,000 in bonuses to department employees in his first nine months. Several industries are frustrated with Miller. Some barbecue restaurant owners have dogged him for enforcing long-ignored rules that barbecue restaurants keep certified scales where customers can see them, although others have stuck by Miller this election.

Dubbed Trumps man in Texas by President Donald Trump, Miller is backed by political celebrities including Energy Secretary and former Gov. Rick Perry, immigration hard-liner and former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Joe the Plumber.

Miller commands a massive social media following, with more than 660,000 people following his Facebook page. However, several controversies have stemmed from his social media accounts.

The commissioner is responsible for overseeing a $6 billion agency that spends all but about $1 billion administering the National School Lunch Program. The Agriculture Department also inspects gas pumps and checks the integrity of food scales at restaurants and grocery stores. The department also regulates the use of pesticides on corn fields, cotton fields and vineyards, among others, and it facilitates the export of cattle around the world.

Miller will face retired Air Force Col. Kim Olson in the November election. She was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

RELATED: Keep up with ExpressNews.com's election coverage

In other statewide races:

Joi Lynne Chevalier, founder and owner of The Cooks Nook, defeated attorney Tim Mahoney in the Democratic primary for comptroller of public accounts with 52 percent of the vote. The winner faces incumbent Republican Glenn Hegar in the general election.

Six-year incumbent Christi Craddick easily won re-election with 76 percent of the vote in her race against businessman Weston Martinez in the Republican primary for railroad commissioner. In the Democratic primary, urban planner Roman McAllen defeated financial consultant Chris Spellmon.

For the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, 5th Court of Appeals Justice David Bridges lost his challenge against Presiding Judge Sharon Faye Keller in the Republican primary for Place 1 on the bench, who won 52 percent of the vote. The winner goes on to run against Democrat Maria T. Terri Jackson in the November election.

In Place 8 on the same court saw District Judge Michelle Slaughter take 53 percent of the vote, besting prosecutor and attorney Jay Brandon and District Judge Dib Waldrip.

GOP Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic challenger Justin Nelson were unopposed in their primary races.
A Bexar County probate judge who faced criticism after firing a well-known associate judge who oversaw the courts mental health docket will run against him in the November general election.

Judge Kelly Cross, who has been on the bench for four years, turned away a challenge by probate attorney Anna Gordon Torres with roughly 64 percent of the vote in the Republican primary.

Cross will now face challenger Oscar Kazen, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary race, for the County Probate Court No. 1 judgeship, which handles wills, guardianships, eminent domain, mental health and estates.

Gordon Torres, a St. Marys University graduate who has been an attorney for 20 years, could not be reached for comment.

Cross faced criticism in 2016 after she fired Kazen, who had anchored the mental health docket for nine years, and replaced him with her staff attorney, Art Rossi, who had no history in mental health.

RELATED: Check all the results of Tuesday's primaries here

Kazen had created an assisted outpatient treatment court seen as a model nationwide. He received the termination letter at his home and was given no reason for the dismissal. Kazen said the position had become a calling and he couldnt see himself returning to private practice. A year later, he filed a report signaling his intent to run for Crosss position.

Vangie Mathis, Cross campaign manager, said Cross did well in the Republican primary because shes very popular in the community.

She had a lot of positive engagement with the (public) at community meetings and different neighborhood associations, Mathis said.

Shes not campaigning, but explaining to people the importance of having a will or a medical directive. And shes visiting all neighborhoods, not just select neighborhoods. These are issues that affect all people.

Mathis said that will be key as Cross prepares for the race against Kazen.

Were going to keep doing what were doing, Mathis said. Continue to meet with the community.

Meanwhile, the race for County Probate Court No. 2 will head for a May 22 runoff election.

RELATED: Keep up with ExpressNews.com's election coverage

Julie Hardaway, a Texas Tech University law school grad and an estate specialist with Broadway National Bank, led the race with 35 percent of the vote.

In striking distance of a runoff with 26 percent of the vote was Laura Heard, a St. Marys law school grad who has practiced probate law for 30 years.

Rossi, who replaced Kazen in 2016 and was seeking the GOP nomination for the Probate Court No. 2 bench, and David Balmer, a probate attorney, followed with 20 percent of the vote each.

The winner of the runoff will face Veronica Vasquez, a staff attorney at Catholic Charities and director of the nonprofits guardianship and probate department. Vasquez ran unopposed in the Democratic primary race for County Probate Court No. 2.

Cross campaign manager is Vangie Mathis. A previous version of this story incorrectly spelled her name.
In San Antonio-area races for the Texas Legislature, a Democratic incumbent was unseated in a surprise upset, while another incumbent lost by a little more than 100 votes to her veteran political opponent, according to final unofficial results.

In the race for House District 118, incumbent Tomas Uresti fell to Leo Pacheco, 43 percent to 57 percent. Meanwhile, after trailing opponent Trey Martinez Fischer throughout the night, incumbent Diana Arevalo finished with 49 percent of the vote, just 115 fewer votes than Martinez Fischer.

The remainder of the races featured easy victories; three sitting state representatives drew no challengers.

In the Republican primary for Senate District 25, Republican incumbent Donna Campbell, who was elected in 2012, held a comfortable lead throughout the night over her opponent, Shannon McClendon of Dripping Springs. With all precincts reporting, Campbell had 58,796 votes across the six counties that comprise Senate District 25, while McClendon had 20,952 votes.

On the Democratic side, Steven Kling of Dripping Springs held a slight edge over opponent Jack Guerra of San Antonio, as the two were locked in a tight race. With all 1,012 precincts reporting, Kling had 22,846 votes to Guerra's 21,947.

The Republican race for House District 121, formerly held by longtime House Speaker Joe Straus, featured a crowded field. Six Republicans  Steve Allison, Matt Beebe, Carlton Soules, Adrian Spears, Charlotte Williamson and Marc Whyte  jostled Tuesday for the north Bexar County seat, raising the likelihood that the primary race would result in a runoff.

Based on the final results, Beebe and Allison will head to a runoff.

Throughout the night, Beebe held the lead, finishing with 29 percent of the vote. He was followed closely by Allison, who garnered 26 percent.

With so many candidates in contention, Beebe said a runoff was expected.

Im honored and excited about the momentum that we developed, Beebe said. Ive run a very consistent campaign, a very positive campaign.

Allison did not return calls seeking comment.

The eventual winner will go up against Celina Montoya, the sole Democratic candidate, in the general election in November.

In District 116, Democratic incumbent Arevalo faced Martinez Fischer, a former state representative seeking to take back his old seat after a failed run for the Texas Senate.

RELATED: Check all the results of Tuesday's primaries here

Things were close early on, and the race only got tighter as the night progressed. Arevalo consistently trailed Martinez Fischer by several percentage points, but the gap continued to narrow, with the candidates within 208 votes at one point. By the end of the night, that difference fell to 115 votes. With all 60 precincts reporting, Arevalo had 4,627 votes to Martinez Fischers 4,742.

The victor will face Fernando Padron, the sole Republican candidate, in the general election..

Throughout the night, Democratic incumbent Philip Cortez held a strong lead early on over his opponent, Terisha DeDeaux. He eventually won with 63 percent of the vote. Cortez, a former San Antonio councilman, has held the House seat since 2012.

In the Republican primary, Michael Berlanga led the race with 72 percent of the vote, ahead of Carlos Antonio Raymond, who ran as an independent for the seat in 2016.

Last year, Connie Prado, a longtime trustee for South San Antonio Independent School District, filed to run for the House seat as an independent candidate. In order to get onto the November ballot, she must submit a certain number signatures from district voters.

In a surprise turn of events in the Democratic primary, incumbent Uresti, brother of Sen Carlos Uresti who was recently found guilty of fraud, trailed early on and remained behind Pacheco. Uresti, who was elected to the House seat in 2016, had just 43 percent of the vote compared to Pachecos 57 percent, based on final unofficial results.

Pacheco, 60, told the Express-News that his campaign strategist, Richard Gambitta, a former political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, felt Uresti could be beat.

RELATED: Keep up with ExpressNews.com's election coverage

Dr. Gambitta and I studied this race and this opponent and felt that this was a very winnable race, Pacheco said. We decided that we were going to a blitzkrieg of signs the day after Thanksgiving. I mean, we hit it hard and caught (Uresti) by surprise. We caused others who were thinking about running to drop out when they saw how strong we were.

Pacheco will face John Lujan, the sole Republican candidate, in November.

Rep. Roland Gutierrez, the incumbent Democratic representative for House District 119, will retain his seat by default after no challengers filed to run against him.

Both primary races for House District 120 were uncontested. In November, Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, the Democratic incumbent, will go up against Republican candidate Ronald Payne.

Rep. Diego Bernal, (D-San Antonio), will keep his seat in House District 123 after Democratic challenger Robert Escobedo withdrew from the race and no Republicans filed to run against him.

Democratic incumbent Ina Minjarez held a strong lead later in the night over challenger Sergio Contreras. With all precincts reporting, Minjarez won handily with 78 percent of the vote.

In November, she will face off against Republican candidate Johnny Arredondo.

Like Bernal and Gutierrez, Democratic Rep. Justin Rodriguez, the incumbent for House District 125, will return to the Texas House next year after drawing no challengers.
Newly appointed Republican Judge Joey Contreras appeared headed for a runoff with Bexar County prosecutor Karl Alexander for the 187th state District Court bench.

Four district court races in the primary election  three criminal and one civil  were contested.

With 90 percent of precincts reporting, Alexander had 32 percent of the vote, while Contreras garnered 24 percent of early returns. Alexander was one of four challengers who sought to unseat Contreras, a former federal prosecutor who has argued cases against the Mexican Mafia and Texas Syndicate. Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott in October after Judge Steven Hilbig retired before his term was to expire Dec. 31, Contreras was officially sworn in during a formal investiture ceremony in November.

The victor between Alexander and Contreras in the runoff will meet Stephanie Boyd, a Bexar County prosecutor, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

RELATED: Check all the results of Tuesday's primaries here

He had the advantage of the top place on the ballot spot, but I have the advantage of my qualifications and reputation, Contreras said Tuesday night.

I want to thank my family, friends and all the voters who helped make tonights result possible, Alexander said late Tuesday. I am truly humbled by the love and support my hometown has shown me. I look forward to the runoff in May.

In a tight race to lead the 226th state District Court, defense attorney Libby Wiedermann, a criminal law instructor and former Bexar County magistrate judge, and Todd McCray, a lawyer who has practiced law for 28 years as both a prosecutor and defense attorney, were neck-and neck, each with 27 percent of the vote, and appeared headed for a runoff. They were among four contenders competing to fill the seat being vacated by Judge Sid Harle, who held the bench for 30 years and was recently appointed by Abbott to be the presiding judge of the Fourth Judicial Region.

The winner in that runoff will likely face Democrat Velia J. Meza, who was leading opponent Joel Perez on Tuesday night with 66 percent of the vote.

RELATED: Keep up with all of ExpressNews.com's election coverage

Republican Clint Lawson appeared headed for victory over opponent Joseph P. Appelt in the race for the 288th Civil District Court. Lawson was leading Appelt with 57 percent of the vote. In the Democratic primary, Cynthia Marie Chapa was leading with 51 percent of the vote over contender Aida Rojas, who had 37 percent of the vote.

Defense lawyer Jennifer Pena garnered 74 percent of the vote in her second bid to oust Judge Melisa Skinner from her 290th state District Court as returns came in Tuesday night.

Pena was leading opponent Stephanie R. Brown, also a defense attorney, in the Democratic primary. The winner will face Skinner, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, in the November general election. Skinner, first elected in 2010, defeated Pena in the general election on Nov. 4, 2014, receiving 52.8 percent of the vote.
AUSTIN  The nine-way Democratic race for governor was whittled down to two Tuesday, with former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez and Houston businessman Andrew White headed to a May 22 runoff election.

The early voting results had Valdez leading White, but not enough to avoid a runoff. Results were slow in posting on the Secretary of States elections site, but by 9:30 p.m., the Associated Press, which has its own figures coming in from most counties, declared there would be a runoff.

With neither snagging a majority, the two leading vote-getters face another stretch of campaigning to determine who will carry the Democratic banner against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in the general election.

We have discovered that all of Texas is excited and energized about change... Now, weve got a lot of work to do, Valdez, who was leading in early returns, said at a Dallas Democratic election-night party.

White told the San Antonio Express-News by telephone from his Houston election-night party, Were looking forward to May 22, when the voters can pick between my vision for Texas and Lupes vision for Texas.

May 23 is when I get busy running against Greg Abbott and raising money and catching up on his $40 million headstart, White said.

Abbott, who easily won the GOP nomination for a second term against SECEDE Kilgore and Barbara Krueger, said the fight goes beyond November.

RELATED: Check all the results of Tuesday's primaries here

This campaign isnt just about the 2018 election. This campaign is about laying the groundwork to elevate our state to new heights, building a brighter future for the next generation of Texans and upholding the Texas promise of individual liberty and limitless opportunity, Abbott said in a statement. We cannot afford to take Texas for granted. This is a fight for our future and it begins now.

The general election can serve as a proxy for a battle over the leadership of President Trump, who has angered Democrats with his policies and rhetoric on issues such as taxes and immigration but who has strong support among staunch Republicans.

Voters in the Valdez-White runoff will have a clear choice in deciding who has the best chance in the uphill battle against the Trump-endorsed Abbott, a formidable candidate with more than $41 million in his campaign war chest, a highly organized state campaign and a determination to run up the score in November.

Neither Valdez nor White has yet raised big money for the statewide race, according to the latest campaign finance reports, and each has only been a candidate for a short time.

Valdez, who comes from a family of migrant farmworkers, has been talked up by Democrats who see her compelling story as a way to drive up turnout. As the first woman, Hispanic and lesbian elected Dallas County sheriff, some see her as a natural to carry a progressive message.

White, son of the late Democratic former governor Mark White, is a moderate who has laid out specific policy positions on core issues including education.

Some see White as the best bet to win over voters who are politically in the middle and take on Abbott  especially since the incumbent has spent political capital on such issues as restricting the public restrooms that transgender people can use.

RELATED: Keep up with all of ExpressNews.com's election coverage

White also raised the largest amount in the Democratic gubernatorial race, most strikingly through a $1 million loan he made to his campaign.

Each Democrat, however, has challenges to address in the runoff battle.

Valdez has not advanced detailed policy positions, and she has been criticized for not knowing enough about state issues.

White got off on the wrong foot with a number of Democrats when, in describing his middle-ground position, he said he didnt care if people called him a moderate Republican or conservative Democrat. He also drew suspicion from those who favor abortion rights when he said he personally is pro-life, although he since has emphasized that if governor he would oppose laws that would infringe on a womans right to choose abortion.

A runoff race provides a challenge and an opportunity for the candidates.

The glass-half-empty perspective is that instead of focusing on Abbott, the two will need to be raising money to compete against each other between now and May 22, said Rice University political scientist Mark P. Jones.

But theres another way to look at it.

The advantage of the long runoff campaign is that will lead to increased media coverage of each of them, which will benefit the winner in terms of enhancing their name recognition and introducing themselves to the Texas voters who dont know anything about them, Jones said.
GREENWICH  With about 150 people still without electricity from last weeks storm, Greenwich is facing another blast of late-winter fury in the form of another powerful noreaster.

Road crews, tree workers and emergency-service personnel were prepping for another fierce storm, one that could drop a foot of snow amidst powerful wind gusts on Wednesday.

Were ready to go  as always, Assistant Fire Chief Robert Kick said.

Debris and problems from last weeks storm will add complications to the towns response to this latest surge of snow and rain, Town Emergency Management Director Dan Warzoha said.

In a number of areas, downed poles and wires that belong to telecommunications companies are lying in the streets. That will have an impact on plowing operations both for town and private crews, Warzoha said. Some streets will not be able to be plowed.

The town administration declared a snow emergency, taking effect just after midnight Wednesday, that prohibits on-street parking on designated snow emergency routes. Public and private schools will be closed on Wednesday.

The coming storm complicates the work needed to finish repairs and fully restore electricity in Greenwich. As of late Tuesday afternoon, there were still more than 150 customers reported without service in town. Eversource spokesman Mitch Gross said the outages were spread around town due to the extensive tree damage in Greenwich.

The utility was keeping a close eye on the forecast on Tuesday, Gross said, with a goal to restore all service as quickly as possible, hopefully before the snow started on Wednesday. Greenwich remained the most affected of all of Eversources territory in the state Tuesday, with more than twice as many customers without power than any other town.

We are all hands on deck, Gross said. We are pushing to get everyone their power back by Wednesday.

Eversource is prepared for back-to-back storms, he said. Work crews are ready to be resupplied, and outside crews have already been brought in to help with repairs from last weeks noreaster. Work was continuing around the clock  and it will continue even with the snow, Gross said.

We will do whatever it takes and we will stay with the job as long as it takes, he said.

But the nature of the repairs is a mitigating factor given the severity of the damage.

Many of the repairs that are ongoing are so complicated that it takes multiple crews to be able to do the work, Gross said. We are talking about locations where there are multiple broken poles.

The town was also prepared for the possibility of additional tree damage with Wednesdays heavy snowfall, Tree Warden Bruce Spaman said.

But the risk of tree damage is lessened, he said, with less wind in the forecast than in last weeks storm, which had heavy, sustained gusts. The storm will be monitored as snow could pile up on tree limbs, he said.

At the Feinsod True Value hardware store in Old Greenwich, manager Larry Weiner said the latest weather reports required a change of plans: The spring planting items had to be put away from the front of the store, and the winter materials were retrieved. We were putting out the grass seed. We stopped what we were doing, we had to go in back and get the snow shovels, said Weiner.

The hardware manager was expecting a busy day Wednesday.

People always wait for the last minute, but were prepared. Weve got shovels, ice breakers and ice melt, he said, And were always open. Never closed from the weather. Weve got a big generator.

Greenwich police are issuing an advisory to the public to avoid driving during the storm.

Heavy wet blowing snow as much as 2 inches an hour may make driving difficult at times during the height of the storm, said police Lt. John Slusarz, While we should hope for the best we should be prepared for the worst. Snow accumulations up to 12 inches, more wind, and coastal flooding are expected. Traveling on Wednesday is expected to be hazardous due to the heavy wet and blowing snow conditions.

The town police were advising residents to go over a checklist of necessary items  such as batteries and a flashlight, a first-aid kit and other emergency materials  in case of more power outages.

The latest storm is likely to cause more power outages in its path, according to forecasters.

With the wet snow, well probably see more power outages, and more damage to trees weakened by the previous storm, AccuWeather.com meteorologist Mark Mancuso said.

The Greenwich Public Library and Greenwich Town Hall will be closed Wednesday.

With many of our town employees traveling from out of town, it is with an abundance of care that we have made the decision to close Town Hall on Wednesday, First Selectman Peter Tesei said.

Under the snow emergency, residents can park in their driveways or in their yards, and municipal parking lots can also be used. Property owners are responsible for keeping all sidewalks along their property clear of snow and ice.

The snow emergency will remain in place until it is lifted by the Board of Selectmen.
The Red 24 group of isolates, known to play a key role in the unexpected disease levels in 2016, is now established in the UK wheat yellow rust population.

Red 24 is relatively damaging compared to other isolates, and its continued presence in the UK is "not welcome news" according Dr Sarah Holdgate, UKCPVS project manager based at the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB).

Red 24 was first known to be present in the UK in 2016, and the group probably played a key role in the unexpected disease levels and revision of disease ratings in that year.

Recent tests on yellow rust isolates present in crops in 2017 reveal Red 24 is now the most dominant group in the UK yellow rust population.

These findings were presented at the annual UK Cereal Pathogen Virulence Survey (UKCPVS) Stakeholder Event, which took place today (7 March) in Cambridgeshire.

Dr Holdgate said: Autumn 2016 was quite dry, and cold snaps last spring seemed to have dampened the disease going into the summer. Weve also only received two yellow rust samples so far this year, most likely due to the cold weather this winter.

'Damaging'

In total, 114 wheat yellow rust samples were received by UKCPVS in 2017, this compares to 340 samples received in 2016.

Tests on the samples received during 2017 revealed the continued dominance of Red-group isolates.

Red 24 isolates were the most commonly found (36 per cent frequency), followed by Red 28 (29 per cent frequency) and Red 11 (14 per cent frequency).

Dr Holdgate continued: Work is underway to establish if Red 24 isolates are outcompeting other isolates. Its important to understand the make-up of the yellow rust population to understand the impact on varieties.

For example, Red 24 is relatively damaging compared to other isolates and its continued presence in the UK is not welcome news.

Progress in research looking to introduce durable yellow rust resistance in wheat crops was also outlined at the event today.
A new animation has been launched which highlights the existing importance of GM feed imports to the UK livestock sector.

The animation, launched by the Agricultural Biotechnology Council (ABC), aims to highlight the importance of better regulation for the agri-tech sector after Brexit to the UK economy and environment.

The Council say that improved regulation will enable the UK to realise the full potential of innovation in agricultural technology and better protect the environment after leaving the EU.

The resource is clear that the UK must build on this base once outside the EU to realise the potential of new technologies in plant breeding  and will be able to do so provided science-based regulation prevails.

With the right regulation of agri-tech, ABC has found that the UK could benefit from more global markets for UK farmers, becoming a more attractive place for inward investment, greater food security and the potential economic benefits of new agri-tech innovations such as gene editing.

'Better regulation'

Mark Buckingham, ABC Chairman said GM is already a "vital part" of the livestock industry, and that it must be protected as the UK leaves the EU.

This animation aims to illustrate the many ways in which better, science based regulation of agri-tech products, including GM, in the UK offers a range of benefits for the country as we leave the European Union, Mr Buckingham said.

GM is already a vital part of the livestock industry, and this must be protected as we leave the EU. But, more than this, the UK has a great opportunity to capitalise on the strength of the science base we have in this country.

Appropriate regulations will deliver both economic and environmental benefits for the UK which are currently out of reach under the malfunctioning EU system.

Chief Executive of the Crop Protection Association, Sarah Mukherjee, also welcomed the animation, saying a its "great" to see a "position vision" for the post-Brexit future of agricultural technologies in the UK.

Mr Mukherjee said: With the right regulatory environment we can encourage investment in innovation, support productive agriculture and at the same time protect and enhance our environment.
German agri-chemical giants Bayer and BASF are it talks on the sale of Bayer's entire vegetable seeds business, it has been announced.

On October 13, 2017, Bayer had already agreed to sell selected Crop Science businesses to BASF for 5.9 billion euros.

This first package covers Bayers global glufosinate-ammonium business and the related LibertyLink technology for herbicide tolerance, essentially all of the companys field crop seed businesses, and the respective research and development capabilities.

The seed businesses being divested include the global cotton seed business (excluding India and South Africa), the oilseed rape/canola business in North America and Europe, and the soybean seed business.

Any sales and licenses would be subject to a successful closing of the proposed acquisition of Monsanto, which remains subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals.

The European Commission recently extended the examination deadline for the acquisition until April 5.

In a statement, Bayer said it is confident of fully addressing all concerns of the European Commission.

The multinational company said it is working closely with the authorities worldwide in order to successfully close the transaction in the second quarter of 2018.
An MP has been accused of 'nimbyism' by a senior Conservative minister after he told Parliament how fracking will affect a Cheshire farmer.

Liz Truss, Chief Secretary to the Treasury and former-Defra Secretary, used social media to describe a question put forward at Prime Minister's Questions by Labour MP Mike Amesbury as a "NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard)" question.

Mr Amesbury, MP for Weaver Vale, spoke in the House of Commons last week. He called on the government to halt fracking in England due to its perceived negative consequences.

The Labour MP used an example to back his call, which included how fracking will affect a farmer in his constituency.

Farmer Alison Davies was given a pre-named contract from multinational chemical and fracking company Ineos, agreeing to a geological survey on her land with the offer of payment should shale gas be found.

The company has already acquired licences to extract shale gas for a large part of Cheshire, in an area which covers Runcorn and other parts near.

'Door-stepped'

During Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Amesbury said: Agents from the shale gas company Ineos recently posted a pre-named contract to my constituent Alison Davies, asking her to agree to a geological survey on her farm.

Alison had already rejected this request when she was door-stepped a few days earlier.

Does the Prime Minister know what it feels like to get an unsolicited letter from a group who will not take no for an answer, and will she join the Welsh and Scottish Governments by saying no to fracking in England?

Prime Minister Theresa May answered: Shale gas extraction could be a very important part of ensuring energy security in this country, and I am sure all the Honourable Gentlemans constituents and the constituents of others represented in this House will want to ensure the Government are doing everything they can to make sure we maintain our energy security and we do not see the lights being turned off.

After the session, Mrs Truss used social media to tweet: Good to see PM supporting fracking against NIMBY question. #frackontrack.

However, Mr Ambesbury replied: If standing up for my constituents, local farmers and calling for a nationwide ban on fracking makes me a nimby, then I take this as a compliment.

The Government have turned their back on our farmers and on rural England and on all the others who have serious, legitimate concerns about fracking which is now banned in the Republic Of Ireland, Germany, Scotland and France among others.

Farmer criticism

Some farmers have been critical of fracking and the direct consequences of the activity on nearby farms.

A North Yorkshire farmer has spoken of her fear of pollution after a local authority gave the go-ahead for fracking operations in the UK for the first time in five years.

She told FarmingUK that her cattle were reliant on water from a borehole, which she feared could be contaminated by the fracking operations.

The farmer said that evidence was emerging from the United States, where fracking has been used for some years, that water sources had been polluted.
Pregnant sheep have been mauled by an out-of-control dog in Scotland on Friday, leaving uncertainty over the fate of dozens of unborn lambs.

The attack happened in Earlshaugh, near Camptown in the Scottish Borders on Friday (2 March).

Two sheep came out of the attacks with severe injuries, and the fate of over a hundred unborn lambs remain unseen.

Pet owners have been called to keep their dogs on a lead at all times when near sheep, especially during lambing time.

Farming couple Ann and John Lamb farm 66 north country cheviots. The out-of-control dog was on their land for over half an hour.

Ann Lamb told The Southern Reporter: The whole lot were worried and two were mauled.

The vet stitched them all together but it was through to the bone. You could see the scull, they will be disfigured but they will live.

One of them that was attacked, we think might have lost her lambs, but we dont know about the rest as yet. We wont know until we start finding wee bodies in the sheep shed, Ann said.

They might look alright on the outside but we dont know what damage is done on the inside.

The incident follows news of two women charged after separate alleged incidents of sheep-worrying in Scotland.

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 says that if a dog worries sheep on agricultural land, the owner and/or the person in charge of the dogs is guilty of a criminal offence.
Clarkson urges government to boost UK food self-sufficiency

'It should be much more like 80%, were capable of it'
Your films Dedh Ishqiya and Gulaab Gang won appreciation but didnt work at the box-office. Were you disappointed?

Madhuri Dixit is still on top of her game. She might not have had a slew of hits, but shes still topping the headlines. Her fan following hasnt dwindled from her pre sabbatical days. Even today shes enjoying an enviable popularity and it all boils down to her timeless charisma. Her yummy mummy image only adds to her star value. Her efforts to promote the arts via her dancing school have fetched her even more attention. With Madhuri, the key factor is to maintain an intricate balance between her off screen and onscreen endeavours. Shes in sync with the times. Still playing lead roles but her characters have matured like she has. Theyve also gotten bolder. Her character in Dedh Ishqiya was a lesbian and her role in Gulaab Gang was staunch and violent. The actress realises that reinventing is the key to success. Despite all her efforts to stay ahead of the curve, Madhuri hasnt joined the rat race. Shes maintained a respectable distance as always far enough to pursue personal quests with ease. Its fun, its challenging and its as good as it gets for Madhuri Dixit.Well, I was spending time with my children, I was looking at different opportunities and I was taking my time. Then I concentrated on working on Dance with Madhuri. I was busy with that because when I saw these dancers who were learning from the web, I was validated that what I was doing is right. Because you can learn from the internet and what Im doing is something which is very today, we are teaching people different dance styles; we are giving them the skill set so that they can do something with their lives. They learn different styles, they can teach others and they can become teachers.(Laughs) It was my Guruji. When I was three years old, I used to stand behind my sisters and imitate them when they danced. One day my Guruji observed that and asked, You think you can dance? I said, Yes. To which he said, Are you ready to dance if Ill teach you?' and then he turned to my mother and said, yeh vaise bhi inke peeche dance karti hai, toh ise bhi bhejo meri class mein, main ise bhi dance seekha dunga. (she anyways imitates her sisters dancing, why not send her too to my classes. I shall teach her to dance.) Thats how I learnt dancing.Id seen Pandit Birju Maharaj performing in Rang Bhavan when we were really young. He kept dancing till 5am in the morning and we just watched him dance. That was the first impression for me. That time I was into classical dancing.I have been in this industry far too long to be upset by such things. But I believe Dedh Ishqiya was a good film. Its disturbing that it didnt do well. But my work was appreciated. Ive nothing left to prove to people. I just want to be associated with cinema that is different. Both the films were unique in that sense.Yes, Dedh Ishqiya was a deep film. The language was different, the era created was beautiful and the humour tongue in cheek. Abhishek Chaubey is an excellent director.(Laughs) What kind of question is this? Ive heard about such relationships. Its part of life. I dont judge people by their choices. As long as they are good and honest people, nothing else matters.I believe love is love. One should live and let live. Thats my philosophy in life.That wasnt the reason. But the audience is God. They decide whether they like the film or not. The film mirrored the exploitation in society. But sometimes an audience just wants to watch a mindless, entertaining film with songs and larger-than-life stuff. Its their choice.Everything doesnt depend on the success and failure of your films. I am disciplined, those who work with me once want to work with me again irrespective of a hit or flop. They know that if they give me a good subject, I will do justice to it. Thats what matters in the end.It all depends on what the role is. If they ask me to play a father, Id play that too. The role has to be exciting.He just gets better and better every year. Hes an outsider who made it. When we were shooting for Dil Toh Pagal Hai, hed say that he wanted to be a producer and he achieved that. To be focussed and achieve whatever youve set out to do is something I respect. And though hes so successful, he has not lost himself. Hes the same Shah Rukh I knew during our Anjaam days. He shows the same respect to people. I love the way he treats his fans. Thats something spectacular. Generally, Im patient but I can get annoyed sometimes. But hes always loving towards his fans.Sometimes its hard to be patient. Like you are walking and the camera is pushed in your face. That can get unnerving. Because Im a private person. Im not someone who is out there. But it doesnt mean Im rude to my fans.Todays generation is disciplined, focussed and confident. Whereas we picked up these strengths along the way. We were like college se uthakar laya ho. I did Abodh (1985) just after completing my 12th standard. I came from a non-film background. But these girls are groomed to be in the movies. But I dont regret anything. I enjoyed every bit of the learning.I dont think they would remake Ram Lakhan as it was. They will have to keep it in tune with todays times. I guess they wont retain the gaaon ki gori character of Radha, which I played. Above all, its up to Karan Johar (producer) to decide.Creativity is give and take. You get inspired by a work of art. But to reproduce it you have to be legally sound. Sometimes the scripts are worked upon and made relevant to the times. Basically, its just an exchange of creativity.Not really! It was Sanjay Leela Bhansalis fascination for Devdas that brought about the film. It was his vision of Devdas (written by Saratchandra Chattopadhyay). Dilip saabs (Kumar) Devdas was realistic, it was true to its time. But Sanjay made his own version, he lent grandeur to it, he made every frame beautiful. The way he developed the characters was different. Today we have writers, who think differently. Our films look different now. Its for the better.Thats my nature. I have to keep doing something. I have to keep challenging myself creatively. I love dancing so I do shows. I cannot say abhi bahut ho gaya because thats not my personality. Its not about being ambitious; its about wanting to be creative. I am like a busy bee. I want to be the best in whatever I do. If Im with the family, I am completely with them. I want to be the best mom. If I am on stage,I want to be the best performer. If I am doing a film, it has to be my best.I strive towards it. If Im performing in a show, I rehearse for it. When I am with my kids (Ryan and Arin), then I make sure I give them quality time. They have to get something from me and Ive to get something from them. Its a give and take. We should share the best moments when together. Life is short. Every moment should be lived to the fullest.They have so many questions nowadays. Baap re, so I have to sit with an iPad to be able to answer them. They are curious, full of life and its wonderful to hear their opinions on everything. Todays generation cannot be told stories like there was an old woman on the moon. They immediately ask, Mom, how can she survive on the moon? What about gravity? Theres no atmosphere there! They are more informed than us. Its a challenge to keep up with them. It helps me too.Not too much junk food for them. I am also particular about oral health. I see to it that they brush their teeth twice a day. No matter how tired they are or how late it is. But otherwise Im not demanding. I believe the tighter you clench your fist, the more easily the sand will slip through. I want to be their friend. I want them to trust me and share everything with me, to confide in me at every point in life. I wont judge them. Rather I will explain to them what is right and wrong. These are the values I imbibed from my parents.Its the body of work you have done that brings you integrity. Companies believe they can associate their name with mine. I bring value to their product. It shows people believe in you, you can be the standard for people. Its a matter of great respect achieved through years of hard work.Im the advocate for childrens rights. But Im working for both mothers and children. Because a childs well-being depends on the mother.I dont feel Ive spent so much time here. Time flies and you have to make the most of every moment. (Laughs) Happy I always am. There have been few low moments in my life. One was last year, when my dad (the late Shankar Dixit) passed away. Id say that was the lowest moment because Id never witnessed death this close. Dad and I would argue about everything even politics. Hed say woh tumhari party did this and that. I miss the lovely relationship we shared.Dreams can be unlimited. I want to develop Dance With Madhuri (DWM), my online academy further. I want to teach more styles. We already have 140,000 students enrolled all over the world. We want to take it to a million. Students can learn classical dancing and also do something which can help them earn their livelihood. I want to make a difference in peoples lives. A dance institute is also something on my mind.Meanwhile, Madhuri may soon enter the Marathi cinema with her next project.
What Anil Had Revealed..

During the course of the conversation, a journalist had asked Anil Kapoor the reason why he signed Mr India as it was a big risk for his career. To which Anil had replied, "For all of us, the film is the most important, the script needs to be good and then, of course, comes all the characters - characters achche honge to film achchi hogi.''

Sridevi Was The Biggest Actress Of Our Country

''At that stage of my career, my high was that Javed (Akhtar) sir was writing the film, Boney (Kapoor) was producing it and Sridevi of course was and is the biggest actress of our country.''

It Was A Dream To Act Opposite Her

''Acting opposite her was a dream for me always. I knew that inke saath kaam karke mujhe bahut faayda hoga aur main bhi ek A-list hero bann jaoonga."

And Do You Know Who Was Sridevi's Favourite Co-star?

Once a Stardust interviewer asked Sridevi to name her favourite male co-star, she answered saying everyone'. When he further insisted on revealing a name, she said, 'Anil Kapoor'.

Reason Why Anil Was Her Favourite..

"Because he talks a lot! And he takes great interest in discussing the scene before the shot."

Only Memories Left Now

Sridevi was found unconscious in her bathtub, in Dubai, on February 24, by husband Boney Kapoor. The death certificate said that death was caused due to "accidental drowning."

Those Who Are Unaware

Sridevi, Boney along with daughter Khushi, had gone to Dubai to attend Mohit Marwah's (Boney's nephew) marriage. While Boney and Khushi left, Sridevi planned to extend her stay for a few days more.

The Final Goodbye

Sridevi's mortal remains were flown into Mumbai from Dubai on February 27, she was cremated with state honours on February 28.
Get Set Groove

In the said picture, we see Aayush and his leading lady practicing a dance step with choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant. Well, we just can't wait for these two to hit the dance floors.

The Plot

For those who came in late, Warina plays a ballet dancer in the film and Aayush essays the role of a Gujarati boy. The duo meet during Navratri and the love story follows.

Here's What Aayush & Warina Did To Get Into The Skin Of Their Characters

Aayush is leaving no stone unturned to get into the skin of his Gujarati character. We hear that the actor along with Warina took extensive Garba lessons to meet their character requirement. Aayush even took lessons from a Gujarati trainer to add a Gujarati flavour through the dialect.

Salman Has Been Guiding Aayush On This Film

Aayush had earlier shared, "Salman Bhai has been very helpful in every way. He has been helping me in learning the craft and guiding me. Bhai has been teaching me how to get the character and understand it. He has been really helpful as he's been training me for the past four years.

He's practically involved in every aspect of the film but yes, he has also given us a lot of creative freedom - like you go and explore the character, play with it, do something different and if you are going overboard I will let you know. Bhai just wants to make sure that everything's fine but also believes in giving me and my director a lot of creative freedom in how we want to make the film, how the script is working etc."

Mark The Release Date!

Directed by debutante Abhiraj Minawala, Loveratri was earlier slated to release on 21st September. But the makers have now pushed the release date to 5th October, 2018.
Actor Priyanka Chopra's mother, Madhu Chopra, today said that when they backed their first project, a Bhojpuri film, under their production house, a lot of people from within the industry sneered at them.

The actor started her banner, Purple Pebble Pictures in 2015 and released a Bhojpuri film "Bam Bam Bol Raha Hai Kashi" the next year.

Chopra said when the project was on the brink of release, many colleagues of theactor told her that it does not go with Priyanka's "brand image".

"The first film we did was a Bhojpuri one. You can't imagine what reaction I got from Mumbai, Priyanka's colleagues and peers. They said, 'Your mom has gone mad, why are you all even making Bhojpuri films? It doesn't go with your brand image'."

"But I told Priyanka, you are uplifting a region that needs your attention. You are doing it for passion, for a cause. I can say it with great pride that commercial success or business was not on our mind. It was forging a path and becoming an option for new regions," she said.

Chopra was speaking at a panel discussion at the ongoing FICCI Frames. The producer said they wanted to make regional films "not limited to a particular region, but every part of the country".

"If you have good content, people will come. But for regional films, distribution is a major challenge because people are still testing the waters," she added.

Chopra said her production house has stayed away from taking the cast of a quintessential Hindi movie to make a regional film.

"We are in our third year and we have nine films, all from different regions. We have made Assamese, Marathi, Punjabi, Sikkimese films... The thing about our production house is, we don't take Hindi film industry to various regions but take the cast and crew from that region, make the film in that region and give them a platform," she said.

The session, titled 'Beyond Bollywood: Does regional cinema make better sense?', had filmmakers such as Aniruddha Roy Chaudhary, Rima Das, Vijay andIshaan Randeria on the panel.

Credits - PTI
She Had Visited The Temple On Sunday

"The temple administration has filed a complaint against Raveena Tandon at Lingaraj Police Station for shooting an advertisement film in the no camera zone," said Rajiv Lochan Parida, the management-in-charge of the temple administration.

'Clear Case Of Violation Of The Security Norms'

Admitting that such an FIR has been lodged, Bhubaneswar DCP Satybrat Bhoi said the police are examining the allegations. Only servitors are allowed to carry mobile phones inside the temple, Parida said adding it is a clear case of violation of the security norms.

Raveena Hurts Devotees' Sentiments

The incident has also hurt sentiments of the devotees, he said.The Archaeological Survey of India has also launched an investigation into the matter.

Here's What Raveena Has To Say..

On the other side, when Raveena was asked about the same, she told TOI, "I had absolutely no idea about the people who were filming me. Everyone around me was carrying cell phones and many clicked selfies with me.

One of them asked me about my fitness regime and sought some beauty tips. He filmed me while I was replying to his questions."

Raveena: Police Didn't Frisk Me

"I now wonder why the local authorities who were aware of the temple restrictions did not stop the people who were carrying cell phones. The police did not even frisk me or look at my handbag while I was entering the temple," she said.

She Further Added..

The Mohra actress further added that she had full respect for the rules of all temples. "I have visited several shrines and have never tried to flout any of their rules."
It's Absolutely Shameful

While Irrfan had earlier requested everyone to not speculate things, there were some people who still ended up spreading harmful rumours about his heath.

Reports started doing the rounds that the actor has a brain tumor called Gliboblastma Multiforme (GBM) Grade IV, which in other words, is called death on diagnosis and has been admitted in a Mumbai hospital.

More White Lies

These reports also suggested that Irrfan had been having convulsion attacks along with slurring of speech.

Here's The Truth

Amidst all these disgusting speculations, trade analyst and Irrfan's confidante Komal Nahta has rubbished all rumours about his hospitalization and said that the actor is currently in Delhi.

These Reports Are Just 'Fake News'

He took to Twitter and wrote, "Although Irrfan Khan is unwell, all malicious news being spread about him and his condition since an hour or two are untrue. Likewise, all other horrendous news relating to his hospitalisation are fake. By God's grace, Irrfan is in Delhi and that's the only truth."

Irrfan Khan's Shocking Revelation

The actor had earlier shared this shocking piece of news on his Twitter handle which read, "Sometimes you wake up with a jolt with life shaking you up. The last fifteen days, my life has been a suspense story. Little had I known that my search for rare stories would make me find a rare disease. I have never given up and have always fought for my choices and always will.My family and friends are with me and we are working it out the best way possible. In trying times, please don't speculate as I will myself share with you my story within a week - ten days, when the further investigations come with a conclusive diagnosis. Till then, wish the best for me!- Irrfan"
Aishwarya Reminisces About Her Dad

"With daddy, it had to be about smile, it had to be about celebrating everything that he has taught me, that we have passed on through me to Aaradhya, it had to be about smiles."

Aish On Her Dad & Aaradhya

The Jazbaa actress further added, "The year before was, in fact, the first time, his last, that I celebrated Aaradhya and dad's birthday together. So this year was particularly emotional for us as a family."

Aishwarya On Her Parents

Earlier, while talking about her family, Aishwarya was quoted as saying, I have a very realistic family. I have always sat down without any rebellion or fight and talked out everything with them about each of my decisions."

'Aishwarya's Parents Never Handled Her Career'

"They have never handled my career or had any meetings for me. I always did that myself as in my head, this was my career.

I was a working woman and that's how I approached it right from the beginning. I would be sitting across the table and do my contractual jargon very seriously myself."

'They're Very Normal'

"My parents are not the kind who will be spoiling you and over engulfing you with compliments. They are very normal. You go to an awards function, get your awards and it's back to normal life."

Aishwarya's Mom Appreciates The Daughter She Is!

"There is no sitting around and going on and on about the moment. There is a wonderful normal atmosphere at home. While my mom had never said that to me but my mausis have told me that mum appreciates the daughter I am."

Aishwarya Said She Likes Behaving Like The Eldest Daughter

Aishwarya further added, "She won't gush to me but I am a very connected daughter. I like to behave like the eldest daughter and I thank my brother and my parents for it."

Aishwarya On Her Elder Brother

"He is three years older to me and he not only looks younger, he also behaves younger. I will behave elder than my father, mother, my brother and they have allowed for it.
Shaheer Sheikh Approached For Kasauti Zindagi Kay 2!

As per Spotboye reports, Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi actor, Shaheer Sheikh (in place of Cezzane Khan) has been approached for the show. It is also said that he was the first actor to get a call from Ekta, to be cast as one of the leads on the show!

Shaheer Sheikh

But, while chatting with his fans, when a fan asked, "Hero there is news about this starplus show u comng bck with..pls clear kar do uss bare main (sic)," to which Shaheer replied, "It was a pilot. Not signed anything till now." - (Sic)

Shaheer Sheikh In Yash Patnaiks New Show!

Since the fan mentioned Star Plus, many of them assumed it to be Kasuati Zindagi Ki 2. There were also reports that Shaheer has been roped in for Yash Patnaik's new show. It was said that in the show, Shaheer would be seen playing the role of an intense lover!

Erica Fernandes Approached For Kasauti Zindagi Kay 2!

Also, there are reports that Shaheer's KRPKAB's co-actress, Erica Fernandes has also been approached for the show! But the actress has denied the reports.

Erica Denies Being Part Of Kasauti Zindagi Kay 2

She was quoted by India-forums as saying, "Oh no! that's completely not true. Having said that, it's great to know that Kasauti is making a comeback, as it was a really nice show. If I sign something, I would break the news myself. Until then, I am just going to travel around the globe and explore."
Nakuul Mehta On Ishqbaazs Supervising Producers Suicide

Commenting on Sanjay's death, Ishqbaaz's actor Nakuul Mehta told IE, "It's a huge loss and the entire team is saddened by the sudden and untimely passing away of Sanjayji. He was one of the coolest and most relaxed people on set, always creatively involving himself in various departments of Ishqbaaz."

Nakuul On Sanjay Bairagi's Death

"We took a day off from filming to be part of his final journey, and hope and pray that the family finds peace and is able to move ahead. Sanjay ji will be missed on set and in the industry."

Mansi Srivastava On Sanjay Bairagi's Suicide

Another lead actress of Ishqbaaz, Mansi Srivastava was quoted by the leading daily as saying, "We shared quite a cordial association. Whatever happened was really sad, he was quite a sweet person."

Gul Khan Says Sanjay Was An Efficient Worker

The producer of the show, Gul Khan had earlier told Spotboye, "Sanjay was an efficient worker and was controlling the entire production work. He wasn't directly reporting to me hence I wouldn't know the cause of death. We (the team) went to the funeral yesterday and have still not recovered from what we saw."

Sanjay Bairagi

It is being said that during Holi, Sanjay enjoyed the celebration with his friends. He had also shared a few pictures on his Facebook account. But after he returned to home, he allegedly had a fight with his wife and later locked himself in his bedroom. (Image Source: Facebook)

Sanjay Commits Suicide

After writing suicide note, he jumped off his balcony! His wife got to know about this incident from watchman. Sanjay was rushed to the hospital, but was declared dead! (Image Source: Facebook)

Sanjays Suicide Note

In his suicide note, Sanjay wrote, "It's my fault. My family is suffering and I have financial troubles. No one should be held responsible." Sanjay is survived by his wife and two kids. (Image Source: Facebook)
I may be a little behind the timing curve here. Is the engine still available? If yes, send be a PM to open the dialogue. Thanks...Roger

I would of thought more than $300 to $1000, everynow and then i'll come across a 390 rotating assembly and they want about $300 just for it.

You want that in USD or Canadian $$$eh ?

I have bought two in the last 4 years. Paid $300 for a long block. And $700 for a complete motor.

Used motors don't pull good $$ for what you listed for parts . Probably $500 -$1000. If you get the right guy and have receipts.

I don't think you'll get a concrete answer. If you have receipts for the parts, and a machine shop who did the work, maybe. Otherwise, it's whatever the market will bear. eBay (completed items) is a good indicator of what people will pay for certain parts if you're thinking of breaking it apart.

I have my old 390 on an engine stand, it maybe had 5000 on a refresh, with a new crane cam, eldebrock performer and a holly 750 on top. We pulled it out due to lack of power pulling the 30' v nose with two commanders and all the hunting gear inside, and went on to build that 545cc. in my photos.any input would help.

Posting Quick Reply - Please Wait Quick Reply: what is a 390 engine worth these days?

The following errors occurred with your submission Okay

Quote message in reply?
McLaren suffered a second consecutive day of limited running due to reliability issues, with Alonso stopping on track after 47 laps due to an oil leak. Ten further laps were possible right at the end of the day, but their final tally was Wednesdays lowest and leaves them with the least mileage covered out of all ten teams so far.

Despite sitting bottom of the charts in terms of laps completed in pre-season testing so far, McLaren would have no major problems racing if 2018s first race in Australia were tomorrow, according to Fernando Alonso.

In terms of fundamental answers that we need over the winter test, they are already okay and we have all of them

Asked if he will be ready for Australia with just one more day in the car during testing, Alonso replied: Yeah, I think so.

Actually we probably need the last day to do some laps, some long runs, to check extra things that you always discover about the new car, but in terms of fundamental answers that we need over the winter test, they are already okay and we have all of them. So I dont need the last day to be honest.

I will be in the car, I will drive  hopefully we will keep discovering new things on the car  but if Australia was tomorrow its okay.

With Wednesdays opening two hours proving particularly productive as Alonso completed 47 laps and posted a 1m 19.856s on the hypersoft tyre, the Spaniard downplayed the impact of the oil leak that saw his MCL33 confined to the garage until the final 15 minutes of the day.

Definitely we would like to do a few more laps today. The problem was a little bit longer obviously that [McLaren only did] 50 laps, but at the end of the day we discovered things  yesterday with Stoffel (Vandoorne) and today with myself. But this is part of testing and hopefully these things wont happen in lap 10 in Melbourne.

So in a way Im happy to keep making the car stronger and stronger. All the important parts and all the important things in the programme we managed to do in the morning, so the rest of the day was going to be about long runs and putting laps on the car but we did not need any information at that time. So I am not too stressed about the laps we lost today.

With team boss Eric Boullier calling for patience with the new McLaren-Renault partnership earlier on Wednesday, Alonso points to his experience as the reason he is so calm with two days of testing to run.

I think this is more or less normal in every new car, maybe you are new to this, but I am 18 years in and in winter testing I keep discovering things every year. It is the same not only in winter testing but before when testing was free we would test in between races like before Monaco and Canada going to Paul Ricard and doing 20 laps a day and there was no coverage.

Now I understand we have hundreds of media so every red flag attracts a lot of attention but from a team point of view we are more or less okay and there is nothing fundamentally a problem with the car and the issues we had are well under control, but unfortunately we keep discovering small things every day.

That is putting us in a strong position for Australia in the way we can enforce these small issues. As I said before it is better it happen here than in two weeks time.
Valvoline Launches Engine Oil Approved for Use in Natural Gas, Diesel and Gas Heavy Duty Engines

Premium Blue One Solution 9200 is a unique engine oil delivering on the company's longstanding commitment to meet changing industry and engine technology needs.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - March 7, 2018 // PRNewswire // - Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) - a leading worldwide supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services - today introduced Valvoline Premium Blue One Solution 9200, an engine oil approved for use in natural gas, API CK-4 application diesel and API SN application gas fleet engines.

"The purpose of Premium Blue One Solution is to dramatically simplify the fill process for fleet managers, enabling one proven product to be used across a number of engine applications," said David Young, vice president of Valvoline Heavy Duty. "We've taken our innovation to the next step in terms of natural gas engine oil, bringing a new brand product to the marketplace."

The new Premium Blue One Solution was officially unveiled today at a press conference during the TMC Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia.

"In our 150-plus years, we have consistently focused on innovation to develop better products and solve the business challenges of our customers," said Heidi Matheys, Valvoline chief marketing officer. "With One Solution, we are pleased to introduce another unique product to the industry."

Valvoline Premium Blue One Solution was initially developed as part of Valvoline's close relationship with Cummins Westport (CWI), which has introduced a new series of low-emission engines. Through that partnership, Valvoline created an engine oil that is the recommended product for those Cummins engines - and can also be used in engines from other manufacturers.

"Our customers have been very clear that a high-performance engine oil compatible with both mobile natural gas and diesel engines would be a critical benefit to their bottom line. Valvoline Premium Blue One Solution meets that need," said Yemane Gessesse, CWI director of engineering. "From a technology standpoint, this a huge advancement in the engine oil industry."

"While there were previously oils in the marketplace that could be used in diesel and gas engines, there was not one approved across all fuel types - until now," Young added. "With this product, manufacturers across multiple engine types can be confident in the selection of Premium Blue One Solution to elevate performance and extend protection."

An engineering innovation, Valvoline Premium Blue One Solution is formulated with:

Excellent high temperature oxidation resistance and TBN retention to support long oil life

Outstanding wear protection

Superior deposit protection compared to industry requirements

To join Valvoline's online community of auto enthusiasts, visit TeamValvoline.com.

About Valvoline

Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a leading worldwide marketer and supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, with sales in more than 140 countries. Established in 1866, Valvoline's heritage spans over 150 years, during which it has developed powerful brand recognition across multiple product and service channels. The highly trusted brand ranks as the No. 3 passenger car motor oil brand in the DIY market by volume and the No. 2 quick-lube chain by number of stores in the United States. The company operates and franchises more than 1,100 Valvoline Instant Oil ChangeSM centers in the United States. It also markets Valvoline lubricants and automotive chemicals, including the new Valvoline Modern Engine Full Synthetic Motor Oil, which is specifically engineered to protect against carbon build-up in Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI), turbo and other engines manufactured since 2012; Valvoline High Mileage with MaxLife technology motor oil for engines over 75,000 miles; Valvoline Synthetic motor oil; and Zerex antifreeze. To learn more, visit www.valvoline.com.

 Trademark, Valvoline or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries

SM Service mark, Valvoline or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries

SOURCE Valvoline Inc.

###

Comments:

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

Disqus
Wheat growers gained two new weapons last season, bringing extra firepower to their fungicide programmes, one of which has cemented its place in fungicide programmes on two farms in the Cotswolds and Suffolk.

Bayers Ascra and Syngentas Elatus Era are both based on SDHI chemistry and partnered with the azole prothioconazole.

However, one key difference with the newcomers is that the Syngenta product contains an SDHI never seen before in the UK  benzovindiflupyr.

See also: Advice on getting ready for the yellow rust onslaught

Two farmers in contrasting areas, the Cotswolds and drier East Anglia, saw the benefits of using Elatus Era in their wheat crops last season, with the delivery of high yields.

Great Tew Estate, Oxfordshire

Rust risk

Farm facts: Great Tew Estate, Oxfordshire Area : 1600ha, of which 900ha is arable

: 1600ha, of which 900ha is arable Arable cropping: wheat, winter and spring barley, oilseed rape, plus winter and spring beans

wheat, winter and spring barley, oilseed rape, plus winter and spring beans Soils: heavy brash, ironstone loam and clay in valley bottom

heavy brash, ironstone loam and clay in valley bottom Varieties: Skyfall, Siskin, Crispin and Sundance

Skyfall, Siskin, Crispin and Sundance Five-year average: 9.5t/ha

Delivering high wheat yields in a high disease pressure area means Colin Woodward takes no chances in his fungicide choice, and last season he took the unusual step of using the newcomer fungicide at the T1 timing.

Usually, the most powerful fungicides are saved for the T2 timing to target the flag leaf, which contributes the most to grain yield.

However, there was a real risk of yellow rust taking hold at Great Tew estate in Oxfordshire, threatening yields.

Mr Woodward, the estates farm manager and AICC agronomist, faces the challenge of growing wheat on the eastern edge of the Cotswolds, at 800ft.

Not only does he farm in a wetter climate than the wheat fields of East Anglia, he has wooded margins around fields on the estate that create the damper conditions that foliar diseases like rusts love.

Septoria, yellow rust and brown rust are all threats in his 300ha of wheat, and without the right fungicide strategy they will undermine yields.

He grows both feed and milling varieties, the breadmaker Skyfall on the more drought-prone land. His aim is to push wheat yields and so he uses a twin SHDI fungicide strategy.

Last spring was cool and dry and there was some yellow rust bubbling about. The dry spell was likely to break and result in high disease pressure.

There were signs of the disease and he wanted to protect the yield, so opted for newcomer Elatus Era, being the best protectant for yellow rust.

Syngenta field technical manager Ian Hamilton recalls that there were also reasonable levels of septoria, together with early yellow rust.

Despite this, the dry, cool conditions in April and May sparked a wider industry debate on whether to cut back and drop the SDHI at the T1 spray timing.

Mr Woodward resisted the temptation to cut back, having seen yellow rust in his Skyfall, and has been increasingly concerned about the speed with which some wheats can succumb to yellow rust.

It was dry for so long and if it started to rain we would see very high pressure. Our land does yield well, so I can justify investing in fungicides.

His spend last year was 95/ha.

You can cut back a bit later on if it is bone dry summer, he says.

Defra data

This strategy turned out to be a good call as the rain arrived in May, around the crucial flag leaf.

Disease pressure increased and Mr Hamilton highlights Defra data showing that 2017 ended up with higher amounts of septoria than in 2015 and 2016.

If you see rust early, you have to get rid of it and you cant take the risk, especially in high pressure situations, says Mr Hamilton.

Another reason why Mr Woodward opted for Elatus Era at the T1 was that the partner azole, prothioconazole, would tackle the eyespot and mildew that were also being spotted.

Mr Hamilton points to Defra surveillance data showing mildew levels last year were the highest since 2011.

At the T2 timing, Librax (fluxapyroxad + metconazole) protected the flag leaf. The result was that the farm delivered a double-digit average of 10.2t/ha in 2017. This is well above the farm average of 9.5t/ha.

Looking to this spring, crops are much further forward than this time last year and he is planning to revert to the more conventional approach of Elatus Era at T2.

Harnessing varietal resistance Varietal resistance has a key role in helping keep diseases at bay at Great Tew, with Colin Woodward opting for varieties with good scores. We cant risk growing dirty varieties this far west, he says. His choice in 2017 was Revelation, Sundance and Skyfall. Sundance has the highest septoria resistance, at 7.6. Skyfall is his weakest variety, but still has a respectable yellow rust score of 6. Skyfall really suits our farm, performing well on our drought-prone land being a bearded wheat. It is worth the slightly higher [disease] risk for the milling premium. This year, Revelation has been replaced by Siskin and Crispin as he wanted to avoid having two varieties that are more prone to sprouting in the ear in a bad harvest.

Fungicide strategy T0  Amistar Opti (azoxystrobin + chlorothalonil) for second wheats, Cherokee (chlorothalonil + cyproconazole + propiconazole) on Skyfall and chlorothalonil on Revelation T1  Elatus Era (benzovindiflupyr + prothioconazole) + chlorothalonil T2  Librax (fluxapyroxad + metconazole) T3  Tebconazole on Revelation and prothioconazole on Skyfall

Wickhambrook, Suffolk

Farm facts: Wickhambrook, Suffolk Area: 250ha

250ha Arable cropping: wheat, winter and spring barley and spring beans

wheat, winter and spring barley and spring beans Soils: heavy boulder clay

heavy boulder clay Varieties: Skyfall and Reflection

Skyfall and Reflection Five-year average: 10+t/ha

Maintaining leaf green area for several days longer delivered an extra 0.2t/ha of wheat yields on one heavy land farm in west Suffolk.

Paul Jolland, who manages 250ha of combinable cropping, is successfully achieving double-digit wheat yields with both milling and feed wheats.

He grows Skyfall, being well-suited for the dryer areas and Reflection feed wheat, which is more susceptible to yellow rust.

Refection, with a yellow rust score of 3, requires a robust and well-timed fungicide programme.

It performs well on our land and I know its shortcomings, which I can manage, says Mr Jolland.

He typically uses a two-SDHI strategy at the T1 and T2 timing on the early maturing variety.

Tramline comparison

Last season, on the advice of his agronomist Tim Martin, he tried Elatus Era on the Reflection wheat and had some left over. He applied this to some of his Skyfall, as part of a tramline comparison trial with his farm standard approach of Wolverine.

We always do trials to test products or varieties before adopting them, he says.

I like to see how they perform on our soils and varieties, he says, adding that the farm is in the second highest area in Suffolk (400ft). This can make a few days difference compared with neighbouring farms.

A fortnight later, I noticed the tramline looked different to the rest of the field. You could see a difference when you opened up the crop to examine the leaves.

He was surprised to find it resulted in a 0.2t/ha difference in yield, resulting from the canopy staying green for a few more days. This nudged the yield to 11.2t/ha.

The Reflection wheat treated with the fungicide yielded above average, close to 13t/ha.
According to Marcus Sellars, the insider who leaked Dark Souls Remastered well ahead of its official announcement, Sony has already shipped PlayStation 5 development kits to third-party software houses.

Based on a tweet by Sellars, the Japanese platform holder has done the move, which might look a bit surprising at this point of PlayStation 4s lifecycle, early this year. So that would have happened just a couple months ago, at max.

PS5 dev kits went out early this year to third-party developers, the insider told his followers on Twitter, without adding anything else apart from responding to a question about whether it was a joke or not. Nope, he said, of course.

PS5 dev kits went out early this year to third party developers.  Marcus Sellars (@Marcus_Sellars) March 6, 2018

Nope  Marcus Sellars (@Marcus_Sellars) March 6, 2018

As I said, it might look a bit too early, but that isnt actually. Consider that estimates point at a 2019/2020 release, and even if we take into account the possibility that PS5 drops in 2020 developers would need at least a couple years to ship their titles at launch or in the launch window.

Since were just started with 2018, it, sure enough, seems like well have more and more rumors/leaks/reports about these dev kits, as were still around two years from the official release. Or could it be that Sony drops the bomb (launch the console) as early as the end of next year?

PS4 still has couple games without a date, like Ghost of Tsushima, Death Stranding and The Last of Us Part II, which are supposed to release in 2019. So itll be interesting to see how Sony shapes up its lineup both in terms of software and hardware in the next few years.

Everything is really still up in the air and well update you as soon as more details begin to pop in.
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 2i to soon go on sale via Amazon and Flipkart News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu You might soon be able to buy Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 2i via Flipkart and Amazon.

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 2i that is made locally in India might soon be listed for sale via Flipkart and Amazon India. The company launched these power banks in India in November 2017 in two variants - 10,000mAh and 20,000mAh battery capacities. The suffix 'i' in the name indicates that these power banks are a part of Xiaomi's 'Make in India' initiative.

Notably, the Xiaomi power banks are manufactured at the new factory set up by Xiaomi in Noida. Also, the Mi Power Bank 2i carries the credits for being the first accessory from Xiaomi to be assembled locally in India.

The 10,000mAh Mi Bank 2i flaunts an anodized aluminum alloy case. Xiaomi claims that this build can make the power bank withstand impacts and collisions and also resist sweat and daily wear and tear. The accessory features two dual USB outputs but lacks support for Quick Charge. Though the maximum capacity of this power bank is 10,000mAh, the actual output that it can deliver can be throttled down to 6500mAh to increase the recharge cycle.

Talking about the Xiaomi Mi Bank 2i with 20,000mAh battery capacity, the accessory features dual USB ports. One of these ports offer support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. When one port is used for charging, the power bank will initiate the quick charging technology, provided the smartphone that is plugged into the power bank for charging supports this feature. This power bank is capable of adjusting the power distribution when two devices are plugged to it simultaneously.

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 2i can charge low-power devices including fitness bands and Bluetooth headsets as well. The power bank will be available in two color variants - white and black.

Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime 5 Tips & Tricks

The company has priced the 10,000mAh Mi Power Bank 2i at Rs. 799 and the 20,000mAh Mi Power Bank 2i at Rs. 1,499. As of now, these power banks made in India are available for sale from Mi.com only. Having said that these might be listed on Flipkart and Amazon India soon, the company will be able to cater to a wider base of audience and Mi fans.

Best Mobiles in India

Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications
Nokia 9 and Nokia 8 Pro flagships to be launched later in 2018 News oi-Samden Sherpa The much-rumored Nokia 8 Pro and Nokia 9 is still in works according to new reports.

HMD Global took to the stage at MWC 2018 to announce five new smartphones for consumers in the market. However, with these smartphones, Nokia seemed to be more focused on bringing Android Go devices and as a result, we did not see any upgrade in terms of hardware. But there is some good news for the fans.

According to NokiaPowerUser, the much-rumored Nokia 8 Pro and Nokia 9 is still in works. Further, the reports suggest that the smartphones could be unveiled together later this year. The details about the devices are scarce right now but they are expected to come with top-of-the-line-hardware and other features.

As such, Nokia 8 Pro which has been tipped to launch later in August is expected to be powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 meaning it will be a flagship device. However, rest of the features and design may be similar to Nokia 8 Sirocco the report notes. While the smartphone is also rumored to feature a Penta-lens camera module with rotating Zoom camera tech it is still not confirmed. And this could be the other differentiating factor.

The Nokia 8 Pro as per leaked image is seen with a fingerprint sensor below the camera module on the back The smartphone is also expected to feature a 3D glass back and front. Some of the earlier rumors have also said that Nokia 8 Pro will come with an 18:9 display.

Talking about the Nokia 9, this smartphone is said to be even better than the Nokia 8 Pro. According to Gizchina, Nokia 9 will be HMD's 2018 top flagship and that it will come with "best-in-class camera", design, and some unique features. While Nokia 8 Pro has been said to come with Penta-Lens camera module, Nokia 9 camera is expected to be even more powerful and packed with features.

Further reports have suggested that Nokia 9 might come with a 5.7-inch screen and the same Snapdragon 845 chipset. Nokia 9 as it will basically feature flagship specs it should also come with a premium price tag. But not many details have been given out.

Right now we can only speculate and try and dig out information about the alleged devices. But it will be interesting to see what the company has in mind for consumers as well as fans in the coming months.

What is RAM Explained - GIZBOT

Currently, there is no news as to when Nokia will be unveiling the smartphones but there is a possibility that HMD Global might launch them at the IFA conference 2018 which is scheduled to happen on 31 Aug 2018 - 5 Sep 2018 in Berlin, Germany.

Best Mobiles in India

Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications
Chance of Rain: 3% Sunrise: 06:59:27 AM Sunset: 07:15:36 PM Humidity: 32% Wind: WSW @ 14mph UV Index: 5 Moderate

Sunday Night

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 48F. WSW winds shifting to ENE at 10 to 15 mph.
UofG Funding for world-class research in the English language



The University of Glasgow announced additional investment in its world-class research on the evolution of the English language.

The funding of more than 400,000 by the University will be invested over the next five years in the second edition of the Historical Thesaurus of English and the creation of new Lectureship in Historical Thesaurus Studies.

The first edition of Glasgows Historical Thesaurus was key to developing our modern understanding of the last thousand years worth of meanings in English.

The funding announcement was made on the 22nd of February as the University of Glasgow was presented with its Queens Anniversary Prize for Higher Education in recognition of a half century of work on the Historical Thesaurus. The project is described as a unique resource for scholarship, education and creativity.

At a ceremony in Buckingham Palace, London, HRH The Prince of Wales with HRH The Duchess of Cornwall made the presentation to the University. The Prize is the highest accolade for any academic institution.

Among those in attendance from Glasgow were Professor Marc Alexander, Director of the Historical Thesaurus; Professor Sir Kenneth Calman, University Chancellor; Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and University Vice-Chancellor and Professor Roibeard O Maolalaigh, Vice-Principal and the Head of the College of Arts.

The Historical Thesaurus has 793,733 words arranged by their meaning, spanning more than 1000 years of the English language and is online.

The second edition, which todays announcement funds, will mean 35% of the 800,000 entries in the Thesaurus will be re-dated with new evidence, over a third of the meaning categories will be revised, and 20,000 new words added.

Professor Alexander, the Universitys Professor of English Linguistics, is the third Thesaurus Director after Professor Michael Samuels and Professor Christian Kay.

Speaking outside Buckingham Palace today, Professor Alexander said: There is nothing like the Historical Thesaurus of English for any other language, and it has been wonderful to see its importance recognised here today. For years it has been my daily joy to direct the Thesaurus and be surrounded by all the richness of a millenniums worth of English. This prize, our new University investment, and our external funding successes will enhance Glasgows standing as a university at the forefront of the study of the language.

Of course, this award is very much owed to my predecessors, Christian and Michael, who had the vision and determination to drive forward this glorious and long-lived treasure-store of our language, and I am sure they both would have been delighted to see their Thesaurus lauded on the national stage.

Professor Roibeard O Maolalaigh, Vice-Principal and the Head of the College of Arts at the University of Glasgow, said: The announcement of additional funds and a new post in the Historical Thesaurus reflects the University and Colleges continued and ongoing commitment to support our outstanding research in the Arts and Humanities and to ensuring the sustainability of the Thesaurus project. This prestigious prize deservedly honours the dedicated work of our world-leading staff and students over the last 50 years.

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, said: Our aim at the University of Glasgow is to be an exceptional home for game-changing research and todays presentation is a national testament to the outstanding scholarship our institution provides to the world.

The announcement of additional University funding for the Historical Thesaurus will continue this incredible work into the roots and development of the English language.

This is the 4th time that the University of Glasgow has won a Queens Anniversary Prize. Previously the University won in 1994, 1998 and 2013.

Since 15 January 1965, more than 230 linguists have worked to arrange every known word in English into the extensive system of categories which made up the first edition of the Historical Thesaurus, published in 2009.

Royalties from the printed Historical Thesaurus are used to fund more research into the English language at Glasgow, principally through undergraduate and postgraduate prizes and scholarships.

The Prize, unique in the honours system, is granted to an institution as a whole not an individual. As a national honour the prize carries no cash value, consisting of a silver-gilt medallion and a Prize Certificate signed by Her Majesty The Queen.

In 2015, for its 50th anniversary, an enhanced digital version of the Historical Thesaurus was made available online. The second edition of the Historical Thesaurus is currently underway. In the online version, people can either search for individual words or browse the full series of 235,249 categories.





For more information contact Aine Allardyce in the University of Glasgow Communications and Public Affairs Office on 0141 330 7126 or email aine.allardyce@glasgow.ac.uk
U.S. Intelligence Chief: Russia Will Meddle in U.S. Midterm Elections

Mike Eckel March 06, 2018

A top U.S. intelligence official has predicted that Russia plans to interfere in the upcoming U.S. congressional elections, but says officials are unsure exactly how and when.

The comments on March 6 by Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, before a U.S. Senate committee, were the latest in a series of statements by U.S. officials warning of Russian efforts to interfere in elections in the United States and other Western countries.

Moscow has repeatedly denied any past or current effort to interfere in the U.S. political system. In the latest such statement, President Vladimir Putin told NBC News in an interview last week that Moscow had asked Washington for hard evidence of such meddling.

But since the U.S. intelligence community concluded in January 2017 that Russia engaged in a wide-ranging hacking-and-propaganda campaign to sway the 2016 presidential election, there has been mounting evidence pointing to an organized effort.

Last month, Special Counsel Robert Mueller announced indictments of 13 Russians, along with three companies, who allegedly used social media and other tools to sway U.S. voters, in violation of U.S. election and other laws.

U.S. officials have warned with increasing frequency that there will be more efforts to influence the November elections, which will among other things determine which party controls Congress.

"It's highly likely that they will be doing something. We just don't know how much and when and where," Coats told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"We have not seen evidence of a robust effort yet on the part of Russia, but we know their malign activities continue to exist," he said.

The question of Russian interference has overshadowed President Donald Trump's administration. Three congressional committees are probing the issue, and Mueller has indicted or secured guilty pleas from 19 people and three companies, including the Russian ones.

But the Trump White House has downplayed both the intelligence findings, and questioned the need to push back against Moscow.

U.S. lawmakers, particularly Democrats, have expressed mounting concern, accusing the Trump administration of not doing enough to thwart any potential hacking of the election. During the hearing, senators pressed Coats on how the White House was responding.

"The White House is actively engaged. This is a high priority for them," Coats said.

At the hearing, senators also pressed Coats and the head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, Lieutenant General Robert Ashley, about new weaponry under development by both Russia and China.

Last week, Putin unveiled a series of new weapons that appeared aimed largely at the United States.

Ashley said both countries were aggressively developing new state-of-the-art systems, including so-called hypersonic vehicles that travel 20 times faster than the speed of sound.

"Developments in hypersonic propulsion will revolutionize warfare by providing the ability to strike targets more quickly, at greater distances, and with greater firepower," Ashley said.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-russia-coats-testimony- senate-elections-meddling/29083376.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Russian Double Agent in Critical Condition After Exposure to 'Unknown Substance'

Sputnik News

03:36 06.03.2018(updated 08:10 06.03.2018)

At least two people, including a former double agent who spied on Russia for the British, have been hospitalized after being exposed to an "unknown substance." The two individuals were transported to a local medical facility and are currently in critical condition.

The incident occurred in the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire, in southern England. Local police reported a "major incident" of distress at a shopping center on Sunday. An eyewitness to the incident told the BBC that she saw a man and woman sitting on a bench, looking "like they'd been taking something quite strong."

She added that the woman appeared to unconscious while the man was making strange gestures with his arms. "They looked so out of it that I thought even if I did step in, I wasn't sure how I could help," she added.

Paramedics arrived and transported the duo to Salisbury District Hospital, reported Wiltshire Police. The hospital later issued a statement of their own in which they implied that more than just these two were involved.

"SalisburyNHS is currently dealing with a major incident involving a small number of casualties, with a multi-agency response," Salisbury Hospital said. "We are not asking additional staff to come to site unless contacted directly."

A spokesman for the hospital told the Sun that the incident involved a small number of casualties. "It involves under 10 people, but I cannot say any more," he said. No fatalities have been reported.

Unnervingly, Public Health England also involved themselves in the incident, deploying personnel from their Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards to observe the victims. They added that the victims had been "decontaminated" and that there was no "wider risk" to the public.

The plot further thickened when it numerous British media sources reported that one of those affected was Sergey Skripal, a Russian military colonel and intelligence agent who was flipped by British intelligence agency MI-6. The double agent reportedly gave away numerous of his former comrades before being exposed and jailed by Russian authorities in 2004. Skripal was released as part of a spy exchange between Russia and the US in 2010.

Due to Skripal's involvement, British media speculated if the incident was a targeted attack against him. The Telegraph reported that Skripal had recently told the police he feared for his life, while the Sun reported that MI5 and MI6 are coordinating with local police to investigate the incident.

"This has not been declared as a counter-terrorism incident and we would urge people not to speculate," Wiltshire Police's Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Craig Holden told reporters. "However, I must emphasize that we retain an open mind and that we continue to review this position."

A spokesperson of the diplomatic mission told Sputnik on Monday that the Russian embassy in the United Kingdom had not received any requests from relatives or legal representatives of a man sent to a hospital in the town of Salisbury.

Local reports have claimed that emergency services believe the substance to be fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid commonly used as an anesthetic, but also is commonly mixed with heroin and sold as an illegal recreational drug.

The popularization of fentanyl, dozens of times stronger than heroin, has been linked to the dramatic increase of deaths from opioid overdoses, particularly in the US, which logged 20,000 fentanyl overdose deaths in 2016 alone according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

British outlets have also compared the incident to the death of Alexander Litvinenko, another former FSB agent and dissident who fled Russia for the UK in 2000. Litvinenko was infamously poisoned with polonium-210 in 2006.

London claimed Litvinenko, a frequent critic of Moscow, was assassinated by the FSB. In 2015, the US National Security Agency claimed to have intercepted Russian official communications that proved the British claim. Moscow has denied any involvement in the death, and Russian media has suggested that Litvinenko was actually killed by Russian millionaire and former State Duma member Boris Berezovsky, who left Russia after the election of Vladimir Putin in 2000.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Africom Continues Efforts for Stable, Secure Continent

By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2018  U.S. Africa Command's commander said today that his command will continue its strategy of "by, with and through" partner nations on the continent.

Marine Corps Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser spoke to the House Armed Services Committee about the investigation into the incident in Niger in October that claimed the lives of four Army Special Forces troops. He said he has completed his review of the investigation and it is with Defense Secretary James N. Mattis.

"Once the secretary completes his review and the families have been briefed, I intend to provide a comprehensive and detailed account of the investigation to you as soon as possible," Waldhauser told the committee.

Africom is adjusting its strategy on the continent to comply with Mattis' direction stemming from the National Defense Strategy. The command partners with nations to strengthen security forces to counter transnational threats. It also stands ready to respond to crises on the continent and to promote regional stability, security and prosperity.

"Very few -- if any -- of the challenges on the continent can be resolved through the use of military force," Waldhauser told the committee. "Africom's first strategic tenet stresses the military activities are designed to support and enable U.S. diplomatic and development efforts."

The command aims to give national leaders the time and space they need to establish firm governance, he said, which will give the nations the stability to grow their economies.

Pressuring Terror Groups

The goal is for national defense forces to provide for their own security, the general said. While African nations have tremendous potential, they are often beset by instability and exploitation stemming from the disruption caused by violent extremist organizations, he said. "These groups take advantage of vast ungoverned spaces and recruit from populations lacking economic opportunities," Waldhauser explained.

The groups operating on the continent are all too familiar: al-Qaida, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Boko Haram and al-Shabab. Smaller groups operate in other areas.

The command approaches these threats by keeping pressure on the terror networks in order to mitigate their destabilizing influences.

Waldhauser said his staff is working changes in the strategy and the command's campaign plan to take into account the changes in the National Security Strategy and in the operating environment.

The general gave the committee a tour of the continent from Africom's perspective. In East Africa, the command is part of the international commitment to help Somalis to implement their national security architecture. Al-Shabab remains a threat to Somalia and the region, as reflected by the bombing of a hotel in Mogadishu on Oct. 14, 2017, that killed more than 500 people. The challenges to Somalia are enormous, yet the government -- also working with the African Union and European Union -- continues to make progress, Waldhauser said.

In North Africa, Libya remains politically and militarily divided with leaders and factions vying for power ahead of potential elections later this year. "As part of an international effort, Africom supports diplomatic objectives for political reconciliation. Government of National Accord and maintain pressure on ISIS, and al-Qaida networks," he said.

The Sahel is a wide swath of the continent that bridges the Sahara and the savannah. The region has tremendous problems that international terror networks capitalize on. Africom supports international efforts in the Western Sahel and in the nearby Lake Chad region of West Africa. The command works with the G5 countries of the region -- Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger and Mauritania -- to provide training, advice and assistance.

Africom also works with a multinational joint task force consisting of Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin, Chad and Niger in order to contain violent extremism and to help the nations secure their borders from the Boko Haram terror group.

Continental Concerns

"Violent extremist organizations are a huge challenge to African nations," Waldhauser said. "At the present time, [the terror networks] really do not have the capability to conduct operations, for example, in the United States. But they certainly aspire to do that".

Africom looks to forestall those aspirations to the point that local security forces can handle the treats. "We're trying to prevent something from happening before it does," the general said.

There is a strong desire for U.S. leadership and involvement on the continent. There are 1.2 billion people living in Africa today, a figure that is due to increase to 2.4 billion by 2050. "That's one in four people on the planet [living] on the African continent," Waldhauser said. "Any type of situation -- whether it be humanitarian or security -- the scale of potential problems there is really enormous. If there were outbreaks of some sort of disease -- Ebola, the HIV virus continues to spread -- the numbers we would talk about would be significant."

He noted that U.N. statistics indicate that half the population of Somalia is "food insecure." Last year, that was six million people. This year it is around 5 million.

"These are numbers of a scale and scope that if security issues or humanitarian issues were left unchecked or if we didn't participate in trying to contain those, we would have significant challenges of a large scale for a long time," the general said.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Sri Lanka's president declares emergency amid anti-Muslim violence

Iran Press TV

Tue Mar 6, 2018 04:59PM

Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena has declared a nationwide state of emergency after Buddhist mobs attacked mosques and businesses belonging to Muslims.

According to a message posted on Twitter on Tuesday by the presidential office, the decree would "redress the unsatisfactory security situation prevailing in certain parts of the country."

It added that security forces "have been suitably empowered to deal with criminal elements in the society and urgently restore normalcy."

Cabinet minister Rauff Hakeem said after a meeting with the president that the government would "act sternly against groups that are inciting religious hatred."

Mano Ganesan, the Sri Lankan minister for co-existence, said the special measures permitting soldiers to be deployed in civilian areas would initially apply for 10 days.

"There were concerns that communal violence would spread," Ganesan said, adding, "We don't want to spread communal disharmony and hate speech."

A curfew is already in place in the central district of Kandy, where crowds from the Buddhist Sinhala majority attacked a mosque, Muslim-owned shops and homes.

The mob violence started on Monday after a man from the ethnic Sinhalese population, who allegedly had been injured by Muslims in an accident, died in hospital.

The emergency announcement came after Buddhist mobs swept through towns outside Kandy, burning at least 11 Muslim-owned shops and homes.

Lakshman Kiriella, a lawmaker from Kandy, said in parliament that the attacks were "carried out by outsiders."

"I am ashamed as a Buddhist and we must apologize to the Muslims," he declared.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the government condemned the "racist and violent acts."

"As a nation that endured a brutal war we are all aware of the values of peace, respect, unity and freedom," he said on Twitter.

The country remains deeply scarred by its 1983-2009 civil war, when Tamil rebels fought to create an independent homeland.

Sri Lanka has long been divided between the majority Sinhalese, who are overwhelmingly Buddhist, and minority Tamils who are Hindu, Muslim and Christian.

The largely cordial relationship between diverse faiths in Sri Lanka has soured in recent years with Buddhist monks and hard-line Sinhala groups cracking down on others, accusing them of making efforts to spread their influence.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Another Steele revelation: Russia 'Blocked' Mitt Romney as Secretary of State

Iran Press TV

Tue Mar 6, 2018 01:04AM

Christopher Steele, a former British MI6 spy and renowned author of the Trump Dossier, reveals that Moscow reportedly had influence on US President Donald Trump when he was in the process of deciding his secretary of state, namely that the Russians vetoed Mitt Romney.

According to Steele, the first person to report on Trump's relations with the Russians to US authorities, "a senior Russian official," relaying talk circulating in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told him that the Kremlin had intervened to block Trump's initial choice for Secretary of State, Mitt Romney.

During Romney's run for the White House in 2012 he was notably hawkish on Russia, calling it the single greatest threat to the US.

Steele's memo on the subject says that the Kremlin, through unspecified channels, had asked Trump to appoint someone who would be prepared to lift Ukraine-related sanctions, and who would cooperate on security issues of interest to Russia, such as the conflict in Syria.

Romney was reportedly under consideration for the State Department post, and met with Trump during the transition period. But the president ultimately chose current Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. In a humiliating public spectacle, Trump dangled the post before Romney until early December, then rejected him.

Tillerson was a surprise to most, and a happy one in Moscow, because Tillerson's business ties with Kremlin were long-standing and warm. In 2011, Tillerson had brokered a historic partnership between ExxonMobil and Rissia's Rosneft. After the election, Congress imposed additional sanctions on Russia, in retaliation for its interference in US elections, but Trump and Tillerson have resisted enacting them.

Steele compiled an unverified and controversial dossier detailing Trump's alleged ties to the Kremlin. That document became a flashpoint in the probe into Russia's election meddling and any possible ties between the Trump campaign team and Moscow.

Steele's sources suggested that the Kremlin not only had been behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign but also had compromised Trump and developed ties with his associates and campaign.

Trump has repeatedly denied allegations that his campaign colluded with Russians and has called Steele's dossier 'pile of garbage.'

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Fernandez Faces Trial On Charges Of Covering Up Iran's Role In Bombing

RFE/RL March 06, 2018

Former Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will face trial on charges she covered up Iran's role in a 1994 bombing at a Jewish center in Buenos Aires that killed dozens, judicial authorities said.

An Argentine judge in a ruling released on March 5 referred Fernandez and 11 senior members of her government to a higher court for public trial on charges of cover-up and abuse of power.

Judge Claudio Bonadio's ruling closes the investigative phase of the case. A start date for the trial has not yet been set.

Four of the accused have been detained so far. In December, Bonadio asked lawmakers to remove Fernandez's immunity from prosecution, which she gained last year when she was sworn in as a senator.

Legislators have not acted on the judge's request. The immunity protects her from being arrested, but she can still be tried.

Fernandez, who was president from 2007 to 2015, denies any wrongdoing or involvement in any cover-up involving Argentina's worst terror attack.

The 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association Center in Buenos Aires killed 85 people and wounded hundreds. Iran denies any involvement.

Bonadio in his ruling said he supported claims made by prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who led the investigation into the bombing before his death in 2015.

Nisman charged that Iranian and Hizballah officials involved in the attack were given assurances that they would escape prosecution in Argentina as part of a deal Fernandez reached with Tehran in 2013 in exchange for favorable deals on oil.

Nisman was found dead in his apartment with a bullet wound in his right temple four days after first making the allegations against Fernandez. His case remains unsolved.

Last year, an investigation by Argentina's border police agency concluded that Nisman was murdered, contradicting earlier official findings that Nisman likely killed himself.

Fernandez, a left-leaning politician, blames the accusations against her on what she says is the bias of judges following the orders of her conservative successor, President Mauricio Macri.

She recently said she wanted to go on trial as soon as possible to prove the "arbitrariness of the accusation."

Fernandez has said her 2013 memorandum of understanding with Iran, which set up a joint "truth commission" to investigate the bombing, was needed to solve the bombing case.

The agreement was approved by Argentina's Congress, but Iran's parliament never approved the deal and no "truth commission" was ever set up.

With reporting by AP and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/argentina-ex-president- cristina-kirchner-fernandez-face-trial-charges-covered-up-iran- role-1994-jewish-center-bombing-hizballah/29081899.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






US Mulls Opportunities to Cooperate With China at Military Base in Djibouti

Sputnik News

20:47 06.03.2018

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Chinese military base in Djibouti provides an opportunity to work with the nearby US military base on issues such as humanitarian medical relief, even as the US closely monitors China's likely counterintelligence activities in the African port, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) head Gen. Thomas Waldhauser said on Tuesday.

"We are not naive to think that some of the activities the Chinese are doing in terms of counterintelligence are taking place, but it just means that we have to be cautious," Waldhauser told the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee. "However, because but it's under the rubric or the framework of our overall national strategy, there are opportunities [for cooperation] on the medical side, there are opportunities training wise."

Waldhauser noted that China has about 2,500 peacekeepers in Africa and that their base is "right there, right next door to us."

AFRICOM is working with the Defense Secretary and the State Department to develop ways the United States and China can work together, Waldhauser said.

Waldhauser also said that China plans to establish additional bases in Africa on the continent's eastern coast because the region ties into the Beijing's "One Belt, One Road" concept.

The Chinese infrastructure plan aims to establish highway links along corridors linking Europe and Asia, however, the initiative also extends to eastern Africa, according to published reports.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Mounting Inter-Ethnic Tensions in DRC's Kasai Region Threaten New Violence

By Lisa Schlein March 06, 2018

The U.N. refugee agency warns mounting inter-ethnic tension in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo threatens to plunge the region into renewed violence, with fears of more civilian displacement.

Last month, inter-ethnic fighting caused more than 11,000 people to flee their homes in the northern part of the Kasai. The number is small when compared to the 900,000 Congolese who have become internally displaced since the Kasai crisis erupted in 2016. But the U.N. refugee agency takes the situation very seriously. It notes that Congolese government forces have regained control of large areas of the Kasai. But it says sporadic fighting between the armed forces and militia groups continues, as ethnic tension grows and more people flee.

An additional complication concerns more than 35,000 people who have fled to Angola. UNHCR spokeswoman Aikaterini Kitidi says her agency only recently learned that Angola has forcibly deported some 530 Congolese between February 25 and 27. She told VOA she does not know why the Angolan government took the action.

"We are in contact with the authorities to make sure that there are no further deportations of people of concern to the UNHCR, of refugees. We have reiterated in our talks with the government counterparts [that] they need to respect the international principles. And we continue to monitor the situation in Angola, while noting that protection and humanitarian assistance for the returnees in DRC is, indeed, very challenging, due to security and funding difficulties," she said.

Since September, Kitidi said some of the refugees have returned spontaneously to the Kasai, only to find it impossible to regain their former homes. She said many found their homes have been burned down and their property looted. She said many are living in churches and mosques, while others are forced to move to different provinces.

Kitidi said the UNHCR would like to help the returnees rebuild their homes, but that is not possible because the agency has received just 1 percent of the $369 million it needs to help people affected by the DRC crisis.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Russia Working on Military Satellite Grouping to Counter US Space Warfare Plans

Sputnik News

15:47 06.03.2018(updated 16:13 06.03.2018)

The Russian military's announcement comes just two weeks after remarks by US Air Force top brass that America must prepare to fight and win wars in outer space.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu emphasized Tuesday that Russia must deploy a modern orbital constellation of military satellites to support the army and navy.

"Only with support from space will it be possible for the Armed Forces to reach maximum effectiveness. Therefore, we are paying special attention to this area," Shoigu said, speaking in a conference call with representatives of the rocketry and space industry.

"The Russian president has repeatedly stressed that our army and navy must not only meet the requirements of today, but to be prepared for tomorrow's means of conducting armed struggle. The solution of this problem doubtlessly depends directly on the availability of a modern orbital constellation of military satellites," Shoigu added.

According to the defense minister, the subject of his meeting included the production of the Pion-NKS, a next-gen radio surveillance satellite, and the Bars-M, Russia's newest electro-optical area surveillance satellite. The defense minister noted that the A.I. Berg Central Science & Research Institute of Radio Engineering and the Progress Rocket Space Center are engaged in the development, manufacture and modernization of Russia's rocket and space technology.

Shoigu's announcement comes just two weeks after the US Air Force declared that it was putting "tremendous emphasis" on preparations for space warfare. Late last month, US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said he believed that America was "going to be fighting from space in a matter of years." Accordingly, the commander said, it was "time for us as a service, regardless of specialty badge, to embrace space superiority with the same passion and sense of ownership as we apply to air superiority today."

Last week, in a speech to lawmakers, Russian President Vladimir Putin showed off a series of advanced missile weaponry designed to preserve the global strategic balance amid Washington's deployment of components of its missile defense system along Russia's western borders and in East Asia.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






China Building Trenches and Helipads at Doklam - Indian Defense Minister

Sputnik News

12:22 06.03.2018(updated 12:23 06.03.2018)

India's defense ministry has informed the nation's parliament about the massive infrastructure construction by the Chinese People's Liberation Army at the Doklam plateau, which was the site of a bitter standoff between the Indian Army and Chinese forces last year.

New Delhi (Sputnik): After repeatedly failing to back down in a standoff with China atop the disputed Doklam plateau (a tri-junction of India, China, and Bhutan) for almost seven months, the Indian defense ministry has acknowledged that China has been building massive infrastructure near the face-off site post-disengagement, in August last year. Nirmala Sitharaman, India's Minister of Defense, informed parliament that the strengths of both sides have been reduced after a truce, but incessant infrastructure build-up is in progress in the region held by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA).

"After disengagement from the 2017 standoff, the troops of both sides have redeployed themselves away from their respective positions at the face-off site. The strengths of both sides have been reduced. In order to maintain these troops during the winter, the People Liberation Army (PLA) has undertaken the construction of some infrastructure, including sentry posts, trenches, and Helipads," Nirmala Sitharaman replied to query in Parliament Monday.

Last week, Subhash Bhamre, India's Minister of State for Defense had said during the Army's annual conference that the situation along India's border with China was "sensitive" and had the potential to escalate.

On whether India has taken up the matter with China, Sitharaman replied that issues related to the border are regularly taken up with the Chinese through diplomatic channels and at border personnel meetings, flag meetings and meetings of the working mechanism for consultation and coordination on India-China border affairs.

The revelation comes against the backdrop of New Delhi's effort to normalize the situation on the Chinese border ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Qingdao for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit on June 9 later this year. Earlier this month, the English daily The Indian Express had reported that the country's topmost bureaucrat PK Sinha had sent a directive to all the government officials and state governments to avoid the events being staged by the Tibetan government in exile to celebrate the Dalai Lama's life in India. However, India's Ministry of External Affairs on Friday denied having imposed any restrictions on the Dalai Lama's activities.

"There is no change in that position. His holiness is accorded all freedom to carry out his religious activities in India," Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson for India's Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Indian and Chinese troops were involved in a bitter standoff which lasted for 73 days last summer at Doklam after Indian troops, on the behest of Bhutan, stopped the Chinese Peoples' Liberation Army from constructing a road in the area that is claimed by both China and Bhutan as their own.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Israel to Prevent Iran From Building Missile Factories in Syria, Lebanon - PM

Sputnik News

19:30 06.03.2018(updated 19:31 06.03.2018)

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Israel will stop Iran from developing or building factories in Syria and Lebanon for the construction of missiles that would be used to attack Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday in Washington, DC.

"In addition to moving its army, its air force, its navy to Syria to be able to attack Israel from closer hand, it's also seeking to develop, to build precision-guided missile factories in Syria and Lebanon against Israel. I will not let that happen," Netanyahu said during remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference.

Last week US media reported that recent satellite photos from ImageSat International that were taken outside Syria's capital Damascus show that Iran has likely constructed a base from which missiles can hit anywhere in Israel. Fox News reported the images showed two white hangars which could be used to store short and medium-range missiles.

Tehran has been backing Damascus in its struggle against terrorist groups in the course of the deadly conflict that broke out in 2011. Within the framework of Iran's support, Tehran has sent military advisers to train troops loyal to Damascus.

However, Israel has said the Iranian activities are a threat to its national security and repeatedly warned that Iran was building a permanent military base south of Damascus.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Another ex-aide to testify against Netanyahu in graft case

Iran Press TV

Tue Mar 6, 2018 07:39AM

Another former aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to turn in evidence against him and his wife in a high-profile corruption case that is likely to end Netanyahu's political career.

Nir Hefetz, a former senior communications aide to Netanyahu, was released from custody on Sunday after he signed a deal under which he agreed to testify against Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, in return for full immunity from prosecution, jail time, and payment of fine, Israeli police announced on Monday.

Hefetz reportedly agreed to testify against Netanyahu after police persuaded him that the prime minister had no chance of getting acquitted in the case.

According to the Israeli daily Jerusalem Post, Hefetz also made the decision after police leaked Sara's remarks against him during her interrogation on Friday. The former official was also further angered after he realized that Netanyahu had postponed his own questioning despite knowing that the delay would mean Hefetz would stay in prison for a much longer period.

Hefetz is a suspect in two legal cases against Netanyahu, including the so-called Case 4000, which involves bribery to Israeli telecommunications company Bezeq, and the "Attorney-General Job Affair," in which judge Hila Gerstl is said to have been offered the job of attorney-general in exchange for closing criminal cases against Sara Netanyahu.

Reports say Hefetz's bargain with the police will lead to the closure of the Attorney-General Job Affair, but it was not clear in which of the cases Hefetz would be turning in evidence.

Hefetz is not the first former official to agree to testify against his ex-boss. Under a plea deal, Netanyahu's former campaign manager and director-general of the communications ministry Shlomo Filber previously accused Netanyahu of directing a complex media bribery scheme.

Police investigators questioned Netanyahu and Sara for the first time on Friday as part of the investigation into Case 4000.

Israeli police say that Bezeq owner Shaul Elovitch had instructed the Walla news website, which is fully owned by the telecom company, to provide favorable coverage of Netanyahu and his wife in return for favors from communications regulators. The company has denied wrongdoing.

A criminal trail

The Netanyahus are expected to be interrogated again shortly after returning from the United States.

Investigators have also been grilling Netanyahu for corruption over his involvement in cases 1000, 2000, and 3000.

Case 1000 revolves around alleged illicit gifts given to Netanyahu and his family by different businessmen, most notably the Israeli-born Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan.

The prime minister and his wife have denied wrongdoing in the case, claiming that the value of the items was significantly lower than reported, and that they were only "trifles" exchanged between close friends.

Case 2000 focuses on an alleged clandestine deal made between Netanyahu and Yedioth Ahronoth publisher and owner Arnon "Noni" Mozes, in which the 68-year-old chairman of the Likud party promised Mozes he would support a bill to reduce the circulation of Yedioth's main commercial rival, the Hebrew-language freebie Israel Hayom, in exchange for favorable coverage of himself in Yedioth.

Reports emerged recently that the president of the World Jewish Congress and Netanyahu's long-time ally, Ronald Lauder, had given the premier and his son gifts, including expensive suits. The accounts prompted Israeli police to interrogate the prime minister.

Netanyahu is also under probe over suspicions that he accepted one million euros (about 1.1 million dollars) from accused French fraudster Arnaud Mimran for campaign funds during elections in 2009.

There are also calls for Netanyahu to be investigated for his role in Case 3000, otherwise known as the "Submarine Affair." The case involves a billion-dollar deal to purchase three submarines from German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Netanyahu's personal lawyer and one of his closest confidants, David Shimron, reportedly represented the German company behind the submarine contract.

The Israeli prime minister, in an apparently unrelated case, is also subjected to accusations that he and his spouse misappropriated public funds to pay for private expenses, ranging from laundry to ice cream.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






'No other conclusion,' ethnic cleansing of Rohingyas in Myanmar continues  senior UN rights official

6 March 2018 - The "frenzied" scale of unspeakable violence against the minority Muslim Rohingya community in Myanmar has shifted to a "lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation," seemingly intended to drive the remaining Rohingyas from their homeland, a senior United Nations human rights official has warned.

"The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya from Myanmar continues. I don't think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Cox's Bazar," Andrew Gilmour, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, said at the end of a four-day visit to Bangladesh which is hosting more than 800,000 Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled Myanmar this past August in the wake of a crackdown by the country's security forces.

According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), a number of refugees told Mr. Gilmour that Rohingyas who try to leave their villages or even their homes "are taken away and never return."

They recounted incidents where family members were taken away by Myanmar's security forces and later found dead. Furthermore, people are too afraid to ask what happened  or in cases where they question or protest, are beaten badly.

There is also a "recurring theme" of women and girls being abducted, never to be seen again. Their relatives fear the worst  that they were raped and killed, added OHCHR.

Additionally, while the rate of killings and sexual violence in Myanmar's Rakhine province has gone down as compared to August and September last year, recent refugees arrivals narrated that towns near the country's border with Bangladesh are already largely emptied of its Rohingya population and the refugees arriving now are coming from places further inland.

"It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists," added Mr. Gilmour, noting that the nature of the violence "has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh."

Safe, dignified and sustainable returns impossible under current conditions  Andrew Gilmour

The senior UN human rights official also warned that while the Government of Myanmar is "busy telling" the international community that it is ready to receive Rohingya returnees, its forces are continuing to drive them away into Bangladesh.

"Safe, dignified and sustainable returns are of course impossible under current conditions," stressed Mr. Gilmour.

He underlined that it is inconceivable to expect refugees to return given the immediate threat of almost certain killings, rape and other forms of violence; the impossibility of living at the places of origin, given that all sources of food and livelihood have been destroyed or declared off-limits for most of the remaining Rohingya; and the apparent absence of any will to address the root causes of the violence, which has resulted from decades-long policies of discrimination against the Rohingya, particularly the refusal of Myanmar authorities to recognise their right to self-identification and to grant them citizenship.

Donors must reciprocate Bangladesh's generosity

While in Cox's Bazar  once a sleepy fishing town in southern Bangladesh that has now transformed into the world's largest refugee camp  Mr. Gilmour also drew attention to the fragile living conditions and the threats posed by upcoming, potentially devastating, rains.

In the capital, Dhaka, Mr. Gilmour also met with Government officials and hailed the country's generosity in welcoming the massive influx of refugees.

"Bangladesh has shown a level of generosity that is sadly lacking in many parts of the world, including in this region," he said, urging the international community to make long-term commitments to assist the refugees, as well as Bangladeshi host communities, in order to share the burden.

He also called on the Government of Bangladesh to ensure that while the refugees remain in the country, they can live in dignity, including by permitting access to some livelihood opportunities and by upholding the right to education of all Rohingya children.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Foreign ministers of Iran, Russia, Turkey to meet on Syria crisis in Kazakhstan

Iran Press TV

Tue Mar 6, 2018 01:52PM

The Iranian, Russian and Turkish foreign ministers plan to hold a meeting in Kazakhstan's capital of Astana next week in line with the three countries' efforts to pave the way for ending the nearly seven years of war in Syria.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Turkish and Russian counterparts Mevlut Cavusoglu and Sergei Lavrov, respectively, are set to meet on March 16 "without observers or Syrian sides," Kazakhstan's foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

It added that the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura would be invited to the Astana meeting.

The Astana peace talks, which have usually involved delegations from the Syrian government and opposition, began in January 2017 with the mediation of Russia and Iran, two Syria's allies, as well as Turkey, which backs several armed opposition groups operating against Damascus. Together, the three countries have been acting as guarantor states for the peace process.

Capitalizing on the achievements of Astana, Russia on January 29-30 convened a high-profile meeting on Syria  the Syrian Congress of National Dialog  in the Russian port city of Sochi.

The Astana process came after the guarantor states helped bring a ceasefire to Syria's second city of Aleppo, and then to entire Syria, which has been witnessing foreign-backed militancy since 2011.

It resulted in the establishment of four deescalation zones across Syria in mid-September last year, and was hailed by the United Nations for its contribution to a parallel process, which the world body has been mediating between Damascus and the so-called Syrian opposition in Geneva.

The new round of talks in Astana would be held as Syrian government troops made major gains on their path of freeing Eastern Ghouta from terrorist groups.

According to al-Masdar news agency on Monday, Syrian troops have fully recaptured the al-Muhammadeya village and all farmlands surrounding it following heavy clashes with the militants. Government troops are also making advances in the Harasta district.

Eastern Ghouta, a besieged area on the outskirts of Damascus, has witnessed deadly violence over the past few weeks, with Takfiri terrorist outfits, one of which is made up of militants from al-Qaeda's ex-affiliate, have been launching mortar attacks on the Syrian capital in the face of an imminent humiliating defeat, killing around 20 civilians in two weeks.

Eastern Ghouta is one of four de-escalation zones in Syria aimed at separating extremist groups, including Daesh and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham -- formerly known as al-Nusra Front -- from other militants as an attempt to reduce violence in the war-torn Arab country.

Last week, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is sympathetic to the militants operating against the Damascus government, claimed a suspected chlorine attack had taken place in the militant-held al-Shifuniyah village of the Eastern Ghouta region on February 25.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday rejected allegations that the Syrian government is using chemical weapons, stressing that only an international body can rule on the issue based on an "impartial" probe.

"The provocations are continuing that spawn such insinuations and unfounded accusations against the Syrian leadership," Peskov told reporters.

On Monday, The Washington Post quoted US officials as saying that the government was considering new military action against the Syrian government in response to reports of suspected chemical weapons use.

Damascus denied the accusation of being behind the alleged gas attack and described it as a "fabrication" to justify the subsequent US missile strike.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Fighting Rages On in Ghouta, One Day Before UN Meeting on Syrian Violence

By VOA News March 06, 2018

Heavy fighting continued unabated Tuesday in the Syrian rebel enclave of eastern Ghouta, one day before the U.N. Security Council meets to discuss the escalating violence.

Continuing violence has undercut a U.N.-demanded nationwide cease-fire in Syria, as well as Russia's self-declared daily "humanitarian pause" meant to allow civilians to leave eastern Ghouta. The cease-fire's failure prompted Britain and France to request a closed-door meeting of the Security Council on Wednesday.

Also Tuesday, a Russian plane crashed in Syria as it was attempting to land, killing 39 Russian servicemen. Russia's defense ministry said the crash was caused by technical error and the plane was not shot down.

Russia's defense ministry said earlier Tuesday that Syrian rebels, in addition to civilians, are free to use evacuation corridors to leave the besieged eastern Ghouta area.

A ministry statement said the fighters could take their guns and their families, but did not specify where they would go.

On Monday, an international convoy of humanitarian aid trucks cut short its mission to deliver supplies in eastern Ghouta after government forces continued their aerial bombardment and ground assault. The United Nations says another attempt is planned for Thursday.

Monday's convoy of 46 trucks left the region's main town of Douma on Monday evening to return to Damascus without being able to fully unload its supplies due to the violence.

"We delivered as much as we could amidst shelling," UNHCR's Syria representative Sajjad Malik tweeted. "Civilians are caught in a tragic situation."

U.N. officials said all the aid workers are safe.

In addition to the shortened mission, the United Nations and International Red Cross said the Syrian government blocked rescue workers from loading most of the medical supplies they had planned to transport and would not allow them to be replaced by other items.

It was the first aid shipment to reach the area outside Damascus since mid-February, when a deadly Russian-backed assault began on the rebels, branded as "terrorists" by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 68 people were killed Tuesday. That pushed the death toll to 760 in the last three weeks.

Syrian troops have reclaimed a third of eastern Ghouta, according to the Observatory, and are advancing further in an apparent attempt to split the rebel stronghold in two.

The United Nations says 400,000 people are trapped in besieged eastern Ghouta, which it says was already running out of food and medical supplies before airstrikes began two weeks ago.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Erdogan Slams NATO's Negative Reaction to S-400 Deal With Russia

Sputnik News

19:49 06.03.2018(updated 20:33 06.03.2018)

ANKARA (Sputnik) - President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday accused NATO of having double standards following the alliance's reaction to Ankara buying an anti-aircraft S-400 missile system from Russia.

"Let those who criticize us for purchasing the S-400 to fight terrorism look at themselves. Why are they silent about the S-300 which Greece has? And they tell us that this is a wrong step. What kind of alliance, what kind of solidarity is this? This would fly, but not with us," Erdogan said in parliament.

In December, Russia and Turkey signed a loan agreement on the purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defense missile systems. According to the deal, Russia will supply Turkey with four batteries of S-400s. The initial delivery of the batteries to Ankara is planned for the first quarter of 2020, and the systems will be operated by the Turkish Armed Forces independently of Russia.

The deal has become a major concern for NATO. Earlier this month, NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller said that the S-400 does not integrate with NATO members' systems, while NATO's Military Committee Chairman Petr Pavel warned that although the nations had sovereignty in decision-making, they are also "sovereign in facing the consequences of that decision."

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu stated that Turkey opposed the use of threats in relation to the deal.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






In just a little over a decade, the co-working phenomenon has revolutionized the way millions of people work. International co-working giant WeWork is now the largest corporate occupier of commercial real estate in London, second in size only to the British government. Founded in New York City in 2010, WeWork recently received a $20 billion valuation (according to Forbes' Steven Bertoni), a testament to how much the model has taken off. The only U.S. startups with higher valuations are Airbnb and Uber.

Related: What Will Coworking Spaces Look Like in 2020?

Co-working spaces aren't just for digital nomads and startup entrepreneurs anymore, either. Fortune 500 companies like GM, GE, IBM and Microsoft all rent office space from WeWork. In fact, big businesses now comprise 30 percent of WeWork's monthly sales, according to Bertoni.

Companies that size can undoubtedly find more economical office space, but they flock to WeWork for something more intangible than square footage. WeWork, in fact, sells a culture of work far removed from the staid office environment of past decades. The emphasis is on community and work as fun. The company's hybrid of hospitality and technology has made its co-working model by far the most successful in the world.

While WeWork is based primarily in the United States and Europe, the company is also expanding aggressively in Asia. And, there, WeWork is far from the only game in town. In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Circo recently more than doubled in size and has plans for further expansion. Indeed, different iterations of the coworking model exist in virtually every major city in the world.

If you're an entrepreneur who's just starting up or looking to expand into new markets, you may be trying to decide if joining the co-working revolution makes sense for you and your business. Certainly, advantages and disadvantages exist to choosing a co-working space over a traditional office. Here are several of them.

Cash flow and freedom from friction

If you're a solo entrepreneur or part of a very small team, co-working is likely the best choice for having a dedicated location for work. Yes, it's more expensive than working from home or a coffee shop, but co-working spaces offer an environment that's much more conducive to work.

Also, expenses like office furniture and renovations will be included in your rent, as will electricity, high speed internet and other utilities. Another aspect of the attraction of co-working spaces is that they allow you to work in a professional environment without high up-front costs or long-term commitments.

Related: Why Big Corporations Are Moving Into Coworking Spaces

When your team expands

But what happens when your team begins to grow? I spoke to Karl Kangur, founder of MRR Media, whose team grew fivefold in 2017. Kangur recently opted to lease a dedicated office in the co-working space where the company began, he told me: "Co-working spaces," he explained, "take all the hassle and admin out of setting up and running an office. It allows my team and me to focus on the work and growing our business."

Kangur said he sees enough value in co-working culture and flexibility that he's willing to pay a premium over what a private office of similar size might cost. "When you're growing rapidly, it's easier to upgrade and move to a new space. You're usually not locked into a long-term lease, and co-working-space owners are more flexible than traditional landlords," Kangur said.

Paying an additional expense for flexibility may be unnecessary or something your company can ill afford. When your team grows beyond a handful of people, it makes sense to evaluate whether moving to a private office makes better fiscal sense.

Facing your clients

One of the biggest potential disadvantages of establishing your team in a co-working space is the lack of control you have in presenting your business and brand to your clients. While spaces like WeWork and many others place a high premium on design and the creation of a trendy environment, their focus will be on their own brand, not yours.

That's why, even if you have a dedicated office within a co-working environment, there are likely to be restrictions on how much of a stamp you can put on your space. If you have a business that relies largely on face-to-face interaction with clients, consider the impression that your being in a non-dedicated office will leave on your clients.

From a practical perspective, meeting privately with clients is unlikely to be an issue. Most co-working spaces offer dedicated meeting and conference rooms to members. But it is difficult, in a co-working space, to create the level of gravitas that a private office does.This may be of particular concern for businesses that value confidentiality. The open-plan layout of co-working spaces is unlikely to inspire the sense of privacy and security that a private office can convey.

Related: Is a Coworking Space Worth the Cost if You're Already Working From Home?

When deciding between a co-working space and a private office, ask yourself how your current and target clientele will perceive your business. The perception of coworking spaces not being "serious" enough is changing, but the presence of Ping-Pong and foosball tables may still be off-putting to a more traditional client base.

Staying focused

One of the attractions of a co-working space for many businesses is that they foster an environment conducive to socializing. Typically, you'll find yourself surrounded by other entrepreneurs and their teams. This makes co-working spaces a hotbed for networking. For many people, these are positive attributes, but they can come at a cost.

A co-working space, for instance, affords you less control over whom you surround yourself with and your ability to minimize distractions. While most co-working spaces place a high value on maintaining a quiet, professional environment -- with dedicated phone booths for meetings and calls, etc. -- there is still a higher likelihood that you will be surrounded by distractions than in a private office.

If you have difficulty staying focused on your work, you may find it challenging to be as productive as you would in a private office. But consider that many co-working spaces offer free or reduced priced trials. So make sure to test-drive any prospective work location before you commit.

Final thoughts

Whether a co-working space or private office is best for you and your business depends on the intricacies of your operation. Evaluating your desire for ease of scalability, the impression you want to leave on clients and the kind of working environment you think would be best for your day-to-day tasks will be the key factors to decide on when choosing an office.

Perhaps there is no one universal answer -- indeed, we started out in a co-working space and found that as our business grew, it made more sense to scale up our headquarters in a private office. What you need from your environment will change as your business changes. Keeping an open mind and maintaining an attitude of self-evaluation are the best ways to ensure you're in the right space.

Related:

A Co-working Space vs. a Private Office: How Do You Choose?

This Start-up is Building a Hip Office Culture

This Entrepreneur is Ending Monday Blues, One Office at a Time



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


The password, the most common way to authenticate users around the globe, has been in slow decline for over a decade. Bill Gates famously asserted at an RSA conference in 2004, "There is no doubt that over time, people are going to rely less and less on passwords ... they just don't meet the challenge for anything you really want to secure."

To maintain acceptable security standards that protect company assets and employees, businesses need to start seriously considering how to implement alternatives to their password-based systems.

The main problem with passwords is twofold: For starters, passwords just arent that secure. Every company in the world uses them to authenticate users to confirm they are who they say they are, but a recent Verizon study showed that a majority of hacks leverage weak or guessable passwords. Additionally, passwords are susceptible to being stolen or extracted by hackers using various methods, like impersonating someone you know or trust to gain login information or personal details.

Careless practices such as exposing hard or digital copies of passwords are also a major contributor to their becoming compromised. Think about that the next time you write down your work account password on a piece of paper and stick it in a desk drawer at the office.

There are numerous examples that demonstrate the vulnerabilities of passwords to theft. In 2017, online image sharing community Imgur made headlines when it had troves of user passwords stolen from the company database because of weak security protocols. The hack left 1.7 million accounts compromised.

In 2018, flaws were exposed that had been embedded on Intel processors for years, allowing hackers to gain device memory access and authentication credentials. Even more recently, US researchers identified the re-circulating of the Zyklon virus, a malware program that exploits vulnerabilities in Microsoft applications to steal passwords and other personal details. The list goes on.

A second aspect to the problem is that passwords require users to remember numerous letter/number/character combinations for most accounts, which if were honest, is totally unrealistic. Limiting the variety of passwords by, say, simply repeating the same password for multiple accounts only increases security risk.

While passwords are still used across almost all industries and companies, a slew of alternative tools have begun to make their way into our daily routine and will, one day in the not so distant future, replace passwords altogether.

Here are some of the pros and cons of the most popular password alternatives that may be right for your company, since all passwords are going the way of the dodo.

Security tokens

Tokens, both soft and hard, provide a reasonable level of security in that they require any user to possess a specific item at the time of login. Tokens are not connected to a network, but rather generate one-time passwords based on a seed record synchronized with a central server. Many current token technologies dont even require a user to manually type a password but rather transmit them to a PC or laptop via a device's near field communications.

Related: The Dos and Don'ts of Cyber Security Measures to Help You Protect Your Business and Assets

One company making headway in this industry is the New York-based Tokenize. The product allows a full range of operations and devices to be synced to a small wearable ring-token, from credit card purchases to unlocking computers.

However, tokens present a serious logistical challenge to businesses for a number of reasons. First off, a token-based system is expensive to deploy, since every user is required to have their own device. Additionally, the method requires users to have their tokens with them any time they want to log on while also needing to safeguard them from loss and theft.

Biometrics

Biometrics are identifiers like fingerprint and facial scans. This method has become increasingly popular among users, with applications like Apples Touch ID and Face ID now extremely common. What gives biometrics a leg up from a security perspective is that the technology is based on something that the user is. A fingerprint, for instance, cant be lost or hacked the same way that other authenticators can be. Biometrics also tend to offer a better user experience as well, since many metrics are quick and easy to authenticate.

Many tech leaders have begun to offer scalable biometric solutions to authentication. Microsoft Hello for PCs now features fingerprint and face recognition options, and increasingly, more devices compatible with the application will be made available by the company in the future.

Biometrics has its drawbacks, though. Many common biometric systems still suffer from accuracy issues and may be prohibitively expensive. Biometrics are also vulnerable to hackers. Findings by Japanese researchers last year showed that biometric markers can be forged by simply using high resolution photographs.

More important, the infrastructure supporting biometrics has been decentralized in recent years to avoid a central database of biometric information that may be stolen by attackers. As a result, the authentication actually boils down to a private/public key-based exchange -- which means that merely stealing a key allows stealing a users identity, even without forging or possessing any biometric data at all.

With all of these risk factors in mind, its no surprise that the National Institute for Standards and Technology has recommended against the use of biometrics as a lone method of authentication.

Phone-based authenticators

Phone authenticators are quickly becoming the leading solutions within the tech world. There are currently three methods that utilize mobile phones for authentication.

Related: How Digital Wallets and Mobile Payments Are Evolving and What It Means for You

Push notification apps work by a user sending an access request to a server, which responds immediately with either a security challenge or a message that authentication has taken place. One of the big advantages of this approach is that it offers a smooth user experience, since theres no need to look up one-time passwords or carry an otherwise redundant device.

Additionally, user experience is good since theres no need to remember passwords or carry an additional device. Push only requires the response to an apps notifications, which are sent straight to the users mobile device.

Secret Double Octopus leverages secret sharing encryption to provide password-free, high-assurance access to a users online platforms, internet applications and networks such as Active Directory.

Software tokens, or soft tokens for short, are similar in concept to hard tokens. However, instead of carrying around an extra piece of hardware, it uses a smartphone to calculate the one-time code using the smartphones clock and the algorithm contained in an apps software installed on the device.

Among the leaders in authentication software is the Dutch company CM.com. CM offers a range of one-time-password generating apps specifically designed to be applied at the enterprise level.

Soft tokens have a downside, though. Because soft token one-time passwords are located on a network-connected device, they become inherently more vulnerable because they are left open to the threat of hackers remotely intercepting and copying the app's passwords.

Related: Here Are the 25 Worst Passwords of 2017

Text messaging a one-time password is known as SMS authentication. Initially, SMS was used in addition to passwords. However, since the password itself can be reset with the acceptance of an SMS, the value of the password diminished, and more applications began using SMS as a password alternative. The biggest advantage of SMS one-time passwords is that they do not require the installation of any app on the users mobile device.

Gemalto, a digital security company operating out of Belcamp, Maryland, offers a user-friendly, business-compatible solution for SMS password delivery. The companys one-time-password application allows users to configure settings that optimize security based on the business environment and can be synced with a PC or laptop.

The downside is that SMS messages are weak on security. Passwords delivered via SMS can be compromised in any one of three ways: impersonating a phone's owner, hacking a cellular network and secreting malware onto a mobile device itself.

A coming paradigm shift

All the signs are pointing to a shift away from password authentication. Big tech firms have been busy producing innovative alternatives, and users are also beginning to demand replacements. Armed with the knowledge of the pros and cons of different methods, companies and individual users can find the authentication solution that best fits their needs.

Related:

Passwords Are Scarily Insecure. Here Are a Few Safer Alternatives.

8 Bad Computer Habits You Need to Break and Why You Should

A Rant Could Be Your Best Sales Pitch



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Huawei P20 Lite arrives at TENAA: dual camera on the back, notch on the front

Vodafone Spain already spilled the beans on the Huawei P20 Lite, now its TENAAs turn. Note that while they appear similar, this Huawei P20 is a different model.

The specs line up, starting with the 5.84 screen with 1,080 x 2,280px resolution  thats a 19:9 screen.



Huawei P20 Lite (photos by TENAA)

Unfortunately, the photo of the front is too dark to see if theres a notch, though it certainly looks like one is present. This unconfirmed photo shows a piece missing from the screen.



Unconfirmed photo of the Huawei P20 Lite in the dark shows off its notch clearly

The single selfie camera (24MP) will be on that notch. Around the back, theres a dual camera (16MP + 2MP) with an LED flash sitting beside it. The camera tops out at 1080p video (TENAA hasnt been all that reliable on this front, but the presumed Kirin 659 cant go higher). The P20 Pro will have a similar setup but with an extra camera.

Its interesting that TENAA has photographed two color options  one has a blue back and blue sides, the other is a dual tone paintjob. Look at the side photos, the main body of the phone is black and some elements (buttons, camera) are painted in blue. We dig it.



Huawei P20 Lite (photos by TENAA) - note the dual tone paint job

Anyway, the P20 Lite will launch on Android 8.0 Oreo (with EMUI 8.0) and sport an octa-core processor  pointing to the Kirin 659 chipset. It will have 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage (plus a microSD card), though there may be some variety.

The battery is slightly smaller than Vodafone reported  2,900mAh (potentially, one is typical the other minimum capacity). The phone measures 148.6 x 71.2 x 7.4mm and weighs 145g. Mark March 27 on your calendar, Huawei has planned a big event to unveil the P20 series.

Source (in Chinese) | Via
These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales.
We received a message from Vodafone UK confirming that the carrier will carry three upcoming variants of the yet-to-be announced Huawei P20: the P20, P20 Lite, and P20 Pro. Moreover, this confirms that Huawei will be announcing at least three P20 models in Paris.

The message only said that the phones will be available soon at Vodafone UK. So we can expect to hear about UK availability as soon as the phone is announced in Paris later this month on March 27.

Earlier today, Huawei teased that the P20 will have a triple camera setup arranged horizontally, which we expect will have at least two Leica-branded lenses and will likely feature Huaweis own Kirin 970 chipset with the same AI features that we saw on the Huawei Mate 10 Pro.

Weve also heard rumors of the controversial notch making an appearance in the P20. Given that yesterdays alleged promo was delegitimized because of todays teaser, were pretty much crossing our fingers hoping that the P20 wont further legitimize the notch.
By Vasia Orion | Published on 2018/03/06

Upcoming melodrama "Let's Watch the Sunset" has revealed some nice visuals of its four leads with new character posters, and the show's dramatic concepts ooze right out of the images and taglines. There is so much going on in the series, that I wonder how the creators will cover it all.

Advertisement

Han Hye-jin's heroine, Nam Hyeon-joo says "I have someone I like", hinting at her newfound love for a man other than her husband. Said husband's tagline is rather ominous, as he assures someone that "we will keep that promise". I hope we're not in for a clingy man, especially since it looks like he has skeletons in the closet.

Meet Kim Do-yeong's (Yoon Sang-hyun) skeleton, former lover Sin Da-hye (Yoo In-young). Her tagline reads "I have the right to take you", cementing that evil second female lead image of this femme fatale. Last, but not least, we have the heroine's doctor, Jang Seok-joon (Kim Tae-hoon). The man has a simple, but very fervent wish. "I want to save her. I want to save her no matter what".

This highlights the information previously released on the characters, as well as the fact that this is one packed series in terms of content build for conflict. I have a hard time trusting creators who try to juggle more than a couple focal elements, but we'll see how it goes.

"Let's Watch the Sunset" will be premiering on the 21st of this month on MBC, so we still have some time to get familiar with its developing promotional goods.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'

Sources (1)
Support over 1,500 youth and take part in the largest convention in Montana

Press release

BOZEMAN  Opportunities to be a trade show vendor, volunteer, advertise and sponsor are available at the 88th Annual Montana FFA State Convention in Billings April 4-7, hosted by Rimrock Auto Group.

Over 2,000 high school and middle school FFA members, teachers, and supporters from across the Big Sky state are headed to 2018 Montana FFA State Convention the first week of April. Students will take part in numerous competitive career development events, leadership trainings, local service projects in the Billings community, and they can explore the Career and trade show. There are still numerous spaces available for businesses in the Trade Show, and many judges and volunteers are needed for the competitive events.

The Career and Trade Show takes place April 5-6 of convention. Standard booth sizes are 10 feet by 10 feet. To find more details about the Trade Show and secure a booth, fill out online registration form. Vendors do have the option to sell merchandise.

Lifelong supporter of the FFA or people new the organization who wish to get involved can check out opportunities to volunteer throughout convention at the online volunteer sign up. Over 300 judges and volunteers are needed to put on student contests including public speaking, sales, agriscience fair, and mechanics.

The convention program is distributed to all 2,000 plus convention attendees and still has advertising available. For inquiries about advertising in the convention program, people can contact Gwynn Simeniuk at the Montana FFA Foundation. Questions about Montana FFA Convention opportunities and events can be directed to Gwynn Simeniuk at 406-582-4118 or [email protected], or visit the Montana FFA website at http://www.montanaffa.org.

Individuals who wish to help support students at this years convention should visit the donation page. Every donation counts to help develop the next generation of leaders.

The Montana FFA Foundation supports 94 FFA chapters across the state of Montana, representing over 5,100 members. The Montana FFA Foundations mission is to cultivate partnerships, promote awareness and secure resources to enhance Agricultural Education and the Montana FFA Association.
Havre Police Department

Officers issued a summons on a charge of under age tobacco possession or consumption to a 14-year-old after a Havre Middle School employee reported Tuesday at 2:33 p.m. that a boy was vaping in the bathroom.



Officers investigated after a 16th Street West caller reported Tuesday at 3:22 p.m. a complaint. No further information was available.



Officers investigated after a Second Street caller reported Tuesday at 5 p.m. that someone had violated a temporary restraining order.

Hill County Sheriffs Office

Curtis Pete Onco III of Box Elder, 44, was transported from Rocky Boy Police Department to Hill County Detention Center Tuesday at 9:20 a.m. on two state District Court warrants.



Deputies arrested Autumn Cree Alexander of Box Elder, 18, on a shoplifting charge and a Justice or City court warrant after a U.S. Highway 2 West business caller reported Tuesday at 6:51 p.m. a female shoplifter.



Deputies assisted the Rocky Boy Agency with an arrest at a U.S. Highway 87 business Tuesday at 9:53 p.m.

Havre Fire Department

Emergency medical personnel responded to three calls Tuesday.

Havre Animal Shelter

This morning the shelter held five medium-hair cats whose sex is listed as unknown; one female and two male short-hair cats; and one female long-hair cat.



The shelter this morning held a 1-year-3-month-old female Australian shepherd, a 1-year-old male Labrador retriever-pug mixed-breed, an 8-month-old pit bull-hound mix, two male mixed breed dogs, one 2 years, the other 9-month-old, a 6-year-old female Labrador retriever, a 2-year-old Jack Russell terrier-Australian Cattle dog-blue heeler mix and a 9-week-old male chihuahua.

Births

A girl was born Saturday, February 10, 2018, to Salvador and Christina Rivera of Havre.
Press release

GREAT FALLS  The Montana Grain Growers Association and the Montana Grains Foundation will each offer scholarships to be used for the 2018-2019 school year.

MGGA will award two $1,000 scholarships to students pursuing an agricultural related degree at the college of their choice. Applicants or their parent, grandparent or legal guardian must be a current producer member of MGGA.

MGF will award two $2,500 scholarships to Montana State University juniors or seniors  appy through MSU  and two $2,500 scholarships, one of which is funded by CoBank, to graduate students, pursuing agricultural degrees in specific disciplines.

Applications must be received no later than April 1 and the winners will be announced by May 1. More information and application forms are available by calling the MGGA office at 406-761-4596 or online at http://www.mgga.org.
Press release

GREAT FALLS  The Wheat Quality Council held its 68th annual meeting, forum and technical review sessions Feb. 21-22, in Kansas City, Missouri, with over 125 university and industry participants in attendance, and some new Montana lines of wheat were ranked highly at the meeting.

The WQC is the only industry wide organization that brings together all wheat interests from breeders and producers to millers, processors and bakers. These participants are provided information on the milling and baking qualities of wheat varieties that will be released, grown and processed in the upcoming years. Wheat breeders have an opportunity to network with the industry to determine what quality characteristics the millers and bakers would like to see in new wheat varieties.

Ten hard red spring wheat lines were evaluated across the northern plains region. Montana Wheat and Barley Committee Director Randy Hinebauch of Chinook, who sits on the Hard Red Spring Wheat Committee for WQC, helped facilitate a new spring wheat grow-out nursery at the Northern Agricultural Research Center in Havre. This nursery, managed by Peggy Lamb, had excellent results for the 2017 lines, and will continue to be a valuable research asset going forward. Future lines must be evaluated in a variety of climates and growing conditions, and the Havre site and Lamb have done an excellent job showcasing Montana.

There were 32 winter wheat lines evaluated, ranging from Montana to central Texas. The Montana State University winter wheat breeding program entered one common check, Jagalene, one local check variety, Yellowstone, as well as two experimental lines. Within the group of eight public and private breeding programs involved in hard winter wheat submissions, the Montana program lines ranked third for both milling and baking scores and second for overall performance. One of Montana State Universitys experimental lines was approved for release in January 2018 and will be given the name FourOsix. The new variety will be available to seed growers in fall 2018. The Montana set of lines won the coveted Millers Award, the second time MSU has received this honor since 2008. This award highlights quality characteristics desired in the milling and baking industry, and emphasizes how important it is for up and coming varieties to possess traits that not only help producers in the field, but that benefit the entire supply chain.

The Montana Wheat and Barley Committee is a producer-funded and directed check-off organization for wheat and barley growers in the state. Its mission is to protect and foster the health and prosperity of the Montana wheat and barley industry. Visit http://montanawbc.com for more information.
Editor,

Ahead of us is the June primary and some very important races. One important race is the Public Service Commission race in PSC District 1 which includes 19 counties. Please allow me to tell you just how important this race is.

There are two main candidates. One who supported the disastrous Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribe water compact that will cost the Montana taxpayers $55 million and in Federal tax dollars $2.3 billion and hand over control of virtually all the water in western Montana. This compact is also against the Montana Constitution as our constitution states the waters within Montanas boundaries belong to our state for the benefits of Montanas citizens, thats you and I.

The taxpayer money and invaluable water will forever be given to a supposedly sovereign nation, the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribe of western Montana. Only a fool would have supported this. The candidate who supported this disastrous water compact is Rob Cook. Clearly he should hold no office as he has done much damage to Montana already.

However, there is a great candidate who fought hard for us to kill this disastrous water compact while serving as a state legislator in House District 19 and he is Randy Pinocci. Pinocci also realized that a precedent could be created for other tribes to ask for off-reservation water effecting all of us across the United States.

A Billings Gazette article stated that Cook lives out of this district and is moving in with his significant other in Shelby. Cooks voting record is so poor that perhaps he should have moved to Missoula which would be a better fit.

Pinocci brings a level of knowledge, experience, and work ethic that no other candidate has.

Pinocci had a perfect attendance record serving in the Legislature never missing a single day, while many others did, working hard for us. Vote for Pinocci.

Thank you.

Ron Hepp

Great Falls
An estimated 150,000 more men than women are promoted each year within Australias 12 million-strong workforce.

The study is the largest of its kind in Australia, examining the promotion prospects and confidence levels of more than 7500 working men and women across Australia.

Economic researcher Dr Leonora Risse said the findings challenge the prevailing assumption that the best way to improve gender equality in the workplace is to encourage women to become more assertive.

This suggests that popular approaches like the lean in movement championed by Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg could be misguided.

Confidence is a factor in success at work, and we see that, on average, women are less confident than men in putting themselves forward for a challenge, said Risse.
The findings are part of a survey of 2109 working women and 500 men, who shared their thoughts on everything from job security, equality, skills and aspirations.

Moreover the new national report by University of Sydney researchers found Australian workplaces are not ready to meet young women's career aspirations or support their future success.

The co-author of the report Professor Rae Cooper said we are talking more about robots than we are about women in the future of work debate  this must change.

The Women and the Future of Work report reveals the gaps and traps between young working womens aspirations and their current working realities.

Dr Elizabeth Hill, co-author of the report added that there are significant gaps in job security, respect, access to flexibility and training.
Like any change, it will take our team members a while to get used to a new environment and a new way of working, she told HRD. Well be working on a detailed transition plan to make the move as smooth as possible for everyone. Its very important for us that our leaders are involved and are leading the change from the front with their teams. For us the most important thing is that our team members get the opportunity to give input and have their say to help shape our new environment.

In order to secure that buy-in and to put employees at ease, Foodstuffs implemented a number of communication measures including face-to-face briefings for teams with their leaders, so everyone had the opportunity to hear what was happening and ask any questions in person.

We have loads of resources available for our team members, she said. Our open culture at Foodies means our people are comfortable talking to their leaders and asking questions.

With the build and transition still in its early stages, Hammonds says the organisation has no option but to accommodate a few unknowns.

Were still working out the details of what our move will look like, but well be working closely with our team members to make sure everyone is comfortable with what the move means for them, she said. Like any change, it will take our team members a while to get used to a new environment and a new way of working.
Rice labs injectable gel feeds steady dose of drugs to tumor cells

An immunotherapy drug embedded in a slow-release hydrogel invented at Rice University in collaboration with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) appears to be highly effective at killing cancer cells.

STINGel combines a new class of immunotherapy drugs called stimulator of interferon gene (STING) agonists with an injectable hydrogel that releases the drug in a steady dose to activate the immune system to kill cancer cells. It was developed by the Rice lab of chemist and bioengineer Jeffrey Hartgerink and Rice alum Simon Young, an assistant professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at UTHealth.

In clinical trials, immunotherapy drugs have demonstrated strong cancer-fighting abilities. Research has also found that the drugs are flushed quickly from the body, and current trials require multiple injections.

The new research, which is detailed in Biomaterials, showed that slow-release peptide gels could continuously deliver immunotherapy drugs to tumor sites for long periods of time.

Hartgerink is a pioneer in the development of self-assembling multidomain peptide (MDP) hydrogels, which mimic the bodys extracellular matrix to encourage the growth of cells and vascular systems for tissue repair. The hydrogel is injected as a liquid, turns semisolid inside the body and slowly degrades over time.

The hydrogel in the new study is also welcoming to cells, but when the invaders are cancer cells, theyre in for trouble. Immunotherapy drugs known as cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) await them inside the gel.

Hartgerink, a professor of chemistry and bioengineering, said the concentration of CDN in the hydrogel is important.

The normal approach to CDN delivery is simple injection, but this leads to very rapid diffusion of the drug throughout the body and reduces its concentration at the site of the tumor to very low levels, he said. Using the same amount of CDN, the STINGel approach allows the concentration of CDN near the tumor to remain much higher for long periods of time.

STINGel was studied both in lab cultures and in vivo. For the in vivo portion, six groups of 10 rodents each were treated with CDN alone, control collagens alone or with CDN, MDP alone or STINGel (CDN plus MDP). Only one in 10 CDN or collagen plus CDN animals survived 105 days, but six of 10 animals treated with STINGel survived. These also proved resistant to further implantation of cancer cells, meaning their immune systems were trained to successfully identify and destroy both the existing cancer and future occurrence of that cancer, Hartgerink said.

The lab tested more common hydrogels but found that they were unable to provide the same controlled release and also failed to provide an additional benefit over CDN treatment seen in clinical trials. The MDP hydrogel provides a unique environment for the release of CDN that other gels just cant match, Hartgerink said.

The CDN we used in this study is currently in clinical trials, he said. We think that our STINGel approach has the potential to significantly broaden the scope of this powerful immunotherapy drug to a larger range of resistant cancers.

Rice graduate student David Leach is lead author of the STINGel study. Co-authors are Rice graduate student Tania Lopez-Silva; research associate Neeraja Dharmaraj and resident Stacey Piotrowski; Yu Lei, an assistant professor of dentistry and otolaryngology at the University of Michigan, and Andrew Sikora, vice chair for research and co-director of the head and neck cancer program at Baylor College of Medicine.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation, the Welch Foundation, the National Science Foundation and the Mexican National Council for Science and Technology.

RICE UNIVERSITY
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.)  Researchers at UC Davis Health and Albany Medical College have shown that the protein vascular endothelial growth factor A  or VEGFA  plays a major role in the inflammation and airway obstruction associated with asthma.

The finding, published online in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, may eventually lead to new asthma treatments targeting VEGFA.

VEGFA was very strongly upregulated in asthma patients and animals that receive stimulations that cause asthma, said Angela Haczku, UC Davis professor of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine and co-senior author on the paper. This mediator can actually elicit the symptoms of asthma in the mouse model and, if you target it, you eliminate the asthma symptoms.

For many years, the Haczku lab has been collaborating closely with Qi Yang, co-senior author of the new study and assistant professor of immunology and microbial disease at Albany Medical College. The two teams previously found that group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) help drive airway hyperresponsiveness, when lungs respond to allergens or toxic air pollutants such as ozone, and the process of a full-blown asthma attack begins.

Their next question was: What kinds of inflammatory molecules are ILC2s producing to generate this inflammation?

We couldnt figure out what was actually causing the airway obstruction, Haczku said. How do these innate lymphoid cells cause asthma?

To answer this question, the researchers studied how a mouse model responded to a common allergen, Alternaria alternata. Within hours, immune cells had infiltrated the airways, generating inflammation. When the mice were treated with VEGFA inhibitor SU1498, however, both the immune response and the inflammation declined.

Further study showed that ILC2s are stimulated by interleukin-33, another inflammatory immune molecule, which also encouraged airway hyperresponsiveness and turned up VEGFAs cellular receptor, VEGFR2. Once again, treatment with SU1498 mitigated the reaction.

While VEGFA is best known for its activity in cancer and growing blood vessels to help feed hungry tumors, Yang and Haczkus research outlines its entirely different role in asthma. Illuminating this biology could eventually lead to new asthma treatments. In the past, glucocorticoid inhalers were the go-to treatment. More recently, monoclonal antibodies have been developed to hit more precise targets.

Monoclonal antibodies can target very specific molecules rather than knocking out the entire immune system, Haczku said. Some of these antibodies target cytokines that also mediate allergic symptoms and asthma. We hope that targeting VEGFA, or the VEGFA receptor, with such monoclonal antibodies would add to this armamentarium.

Still, the Haczku and Yang labs are not finished interrogating ILC2s, which could be significant in a variety of other lung conditions.

These ILCs produce an influx of inflammatory neutrophils into the lungs, and we do not know exactly what mediates this cellular inflammation, Yang said. These cells are very important in many diseases, including infections and pollutant-induced lung injury, which could be mediated by the inflammatory cells in the lungs.

Other researchers on the paper were Xiaofei Shen, Muhammad Asghar Pasha, Kelsi Hidde, Adil Khan and Mingwei Liang of Albany Medical College; and Wenxian Guan and Yitao Ding at Nanjing University Medical School in China.

This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health (grants R01AG057782, 31K22AI116728 and R21AI116121), Albany Medical College, the UC Davis Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine and the National Key Clinical Specialist Construction Program of China (grant 2012-649).

Journalists can request a copy of the study, titled Group-2 Innate Lymphoid Cells Promote Airway Hyperresponsiveness through Production of VEGFA, from Justin Byrne at the journal at 760-294-2494 or [email protected].

More information about UC Davis Health and its Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine is at health.ucdavis.edu.

More information about Albany Medical College is at www.amc.edu.
Legislators talk jobs, schools and mental health

Related Stories

MILLS RIVER  Breakfast at the Sierra Nevada taproom Friday featured legislative leaders from Henderson, Transylvania and Buncombe counties talking about their priorities in the upcoming legislative session.

Speaking at the event were North Carolina State Sen. Chuck Edwards and state Reps. Cody Henson and Chuck McGrady. Before the General Assembly convenes in May, the breakfast gave the legislators a chance to discuss their priorities going forward. Some of the topics included workforce training, mental health care and drug addiction.

Edwards opened by emphasizing the economic strength of North Carolina, saying that if it was its own country it would boast the 19th largest economy in the world. Despite that, he feels that the Legislature can do more to grease the wheels for business.

Theres a study by Appalachian State University and North Carolina State University from a short time ago that indicates in North Carolina theres $25 billion of revenue annually that is not taking place because of unnecessary regulation, he said.

Edwards went on to address the skills gap, saying that there are 6,000 information and technology jobs and other jobs in the medical and mechatronics industries that are currently unfilled because of a skills gap. However, both Edwards and representative Henson said that the community college system in North Carolina has been effective in helping to close that gap. Henson pointed to Blue Ridge Community Colleges brewing, distilling and fermentation partnership with Oskar Blues as an example of relevant job training.

McGrady emphasized that education funding will be a priority. Henson said that the state House is working on streamlining the process of moving money from the state down to local school systems, but claimed that currently that money changes hands too often in the trickle-down process.

All three legislators agreed that mental health is a priority issue, if a complicated one.

Groups have coalesced and so youve got major mental health providers, hospitals, the sheriffs department, the education system and all the non-profits currently working to try to come up with maybe a local approach to dealing with mental health that they would then come back to us, the legislators, and say can we do a trial process here in Henderson County? McGrady said.

Henson said mental health facilities will bring greater ongoing costs.

We can fund to have a bed for every single person in the state of North Carolina, but at the end of the day we got to have providers to take care of those people as well and actually evaluate them and give them the treatment that they need, Henson said.

The event was produced in partnership by the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and the Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce and was sponsored by Park Ridge Health and Duke Energy.
A man who tried to get back into a shop as he fled would-be attackers - and was later assaulted - has been awarded more than 750,000 by a High Court judge.

Mr Justice Kevin Cross said Cian McCarthy was an innocent party and had suffered a "most significant and serious brain injury" in the assault outside the Centra supermarket on Grand Parade, Cork, seven years ago.

Psychiatric nurse Mr McCarthy had earlier been escorted from the Centra store after a disagreement at the deli counter when somebody jumped the queue.

Confrontation

Mr McCarthy (32), of Dwyer Road, Midleton, Co Cork, had sued Herlihy Supermarket Group, the owner of the Centra supermarket on Grand Parade, and Tekken Security, which provided security at the shop, for removing him on October 31, 2011 and preventing him from re-entering.

Mr Justice Cross found the defendants' duty of care did not stop at the door of the premises.

While they were entitled to eject Mr McCarthy - though he was entirely innocent - in order to avoid confrontation, a security guard should have noticed the three people involved in the row following him and advised a second security guard of the situation.

An eviction "cannot involve the person in effect being thrown to the wolves", Mr Justice Cross said.

He further ruled that in failing to re-admit Mr McCarthy and in pushing him back towards the danger, the defendants knew or ought to have known as a matter of virtual certainty that Mr McCarthy would suffer some assault and some harm.

The judge said Mr McCarthy had attended the supermarket with his fiancee at around 2am on Halloween night 2011.

He said CCTV cameras showed a very large number of people milling around in front of the supermarket and there was "clearly a fancy dress engagement going on nearby as people are to be seen in drag and other fancy dress outfits".

There was a large number of patrons in Centra, along with staff and two security guards.

Mr McCarthy joined the queue at the deli counter.

A man with a cardboard box on his head attempted to jump the queue and Mr McCarthy and his fiancee objected.

The man with the box on his head is seen in footage manhandling his way up to the front, which the judge said caused some protest from Mr McCarthy.

Mr McCarthy is seen calling out that people should mind their manners and he was then assaulted around his mouth.

The judge said the security guard wanted to separate Mr McCarthy, who was in a row with three people at this stage, and he escorted Mr McCarthy from the shop.

Mr Justice Cross said the first security guard handed the care of Mr McCarthy over to the second security guard but omitted to tell him Mr McCarthy was the innocent party.

The three people involved in the row followed Mr McCarthy from the shop, chased him and attempted to hit him on the head.

The judge said Mr McCarthy offered no resistance and backed away, trying to cover his head.

Pursuers

Mr McCarthy managed to break loose from his pursuers and made for the front door of the shop, seeking safety.

The judge said the second security guard, who did not know Mr McCarthy was the innocent party and did not witness him being beaten and pursued outside, barred Mr McCarthy's re-entry to the shop.

Mr Justice Cross concluded that the security guard pushed Mr McCarthy back towards the crowd, where a young woman was knocked to the ground.

"Unfortunately, the young woman's boyfriend intervened with a massive fist to Mr McCarthy's head, causing him to fall to the ground, crack his head and suffer a serious head and brain injury," Mr Justice Cross said.

That man was later sentenced at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to five years in prison, with the last two years suspended, for the assault on Mr McCarthy.

Mr Justice Cross granted a stay in the event of an appeal.
Aonghus McCarthy claimed drugs in his wallet were not his. Photo: Courtpix

A solicitor caught with cocaine in his wallet during a professional visit to Mountjoy Prison has been granted a strike out after he donated 1,250 to the Merchant Quay drug addiction treatment centre.

Aonghus McCarthy (32), who insisted someone else put the drugs in his wallet at a party, had been told last month he would be spared a criminal conviction if he made the donation.

Judge Gerry Jones had said at Dublin District Court that McCarthy was in a "noble profession" but was being treated the same as any other defendant, adding: "He will get one chance and one chance only."

Cocaine worth 26 and weighing 0.33g was found when his wallet was searched.

The case resumed yesterday when Judge Grainne O'Neill, now presiding, noted from defence solicitor Miska Hanahoe that there was a receipt to confirm he had made the donation.

Charge

The solicitor had originally been charged in November under Section 15c of the Misuse of Drugs Act for conveying a controlled drug into Mountjoy Prison or to a person in the prison on February 8, 2017, a charge he denied.

But in January, an additional but less serious charge for unlawful possession of the drug was brought in the case.

On February 5, when the case resumed, Judge Jones noted the State was not proceeding with the more serious allegation for conveying the drug into the prison, which can carry a possible 12-month jail sentence.

A guilty plea was then entered to the less serious charge of possession.

The court earlier heard that when the solicitor, of Wellington House, Clancy Quay, Dublin, was interviewed by Garda Finbarr Brennan over the find, he said: "I absolutely 100pc did not put it in my wallet. Someone else must have put it in there."

He added: "I do not do drugs and I would not risk the entirety of my career."
Ryanair is threatening to ground its planes after the UK withdraws from the European Union to persuade voters to "rethink" Brexit.

Chief executive Michael O'Leary said he wants to "create an opportunity" by making people realise they are "no longer going to have cheap holidays".

"I think it's in our interests - not for a long period of time - that the aircraft are grounded," he told an audience of airline leaders in Brussels.

"It's only when you get to that stage where you're going to persuade the average British voter that you were lied to in the entire Brexit debate.

"You were promised you could leave the EU and everything would stay the same. The reality is you can leave the EU, yes, that's your choice, but everything will fundamentally change."

Mr O'Leary warned that there would be a "real crisis" as flights between the UK and the EU are disrupted after Brexit.

Misled

"When you begin to realise that you're no longer going to have cheap holidays in Portugal or Spain or Italy, you've got to drive to Scotland or get a ferry to Ireland as your only holiday options, maybe we'll begin to rethink the whole Brexit debate," he said.

"They were misled, and I think we have to create an opportunity."

Carsten Spohr, the boss of giant German carrier Lufthansa, said: "In theory, if we could use this industry to prove to the British how wrong the decision was, that might be a good thing."
Richard Satchwell spoke out as the hunt for his missing wife Tina goes on

The husband of missing woman Tina Satchwell has said she wouldn't go near remote woodland by herself or in the company of anybody else, adding: "She wouldn't even go near strange woods with me".

Richard Satchwell told how his wife is not a very trusting person. He said he "can't imagine" her going to Mitchell's Wood outside Castlemartyr in east Cork, where gardai are currently carrying out an extensive search.

Ms Satchwell (45) disappeared from her Youghal home last March 20. Despite a huge search operation and repeated garda public appeals for information, no trace of her has been found.

"I don't believe Tina has ever been there," Mr Satchwell told RTE's Prime Time.

Vouch

"The only wood she ever trusted to go to is just outside Fermoy," he said. "I just know, and I can vouch for this now, Tina would not go near those woods on her own or in the company of anybody. She wouldn't even go near strange woods with me."

Mr Satchwell said he has been reflecting on the time period leading up to his wife's disappearance, explaining how she was suffering from depression.

"I am my own worst critic. I have said it to Tina's friends today, and I said it to Tina's family, should I have gone to the doctor and explained how I was feeling about how she was and stuff like that," he said.

"I have always gone by Tina's own wishes and she always made me promise not to let her get anti-depressants."

He also said his wife is the kind of person who would not go down without a fight.

"Say if somebody walked past Tina and insulted her... Tina would have her say," Mr Satchwell said.

He then explained how he was the total opposite, and that's what attracted her to him.

"When we first met I was a lot bigger than I am now. It was my quietness [that attracted her to me], the fact she felt safe," he said. "I'm not the type of person to just fly off the handle. My arms have only ever held Tina in a loving manner."

Mr Satchwell said people in his local area have been coming up offering him support in recent days.

"I respect those kind of people who walk up to you and shake your hand. It's a nice gesture," he said.

Gardai sealed off Mitchell's Wood and began a massive search operation this week after a phone call led to a tip that a person matching the description of missing Ms Satchwell was seen in the vicinity of the woods last year.

She was apparently accompanied by someone at the time.

The caller saw a blonde-haired woman near the woods - but did not see her subsequently leave the area. Gardai have heavy excavating equipment and ground-mapping radar on standby as the search for Ms Satchwell intensifies.

A 60-strong specialist search team supported by Defence Forces engineers and canine units are searching 40 acres of forest looking for clues to her whereabouts.

Supt Colm Noonan, of Midleton Garda Station, who is leading the operation, said searches will continue for the next three weeks.

The search operation is the biggest undertaken in Cork for nearly 20 years. A team from Search Dogs UK is assisting the operation, as are Defence Forces engineering units.

"There have been 220 separate lines of inquiry conducted. These have included liaising with Interpol, and we are now conducting a search at Mitchel's Wood," Supt Noonan said.

"We are looking for evidence in relation to Tina's disappearance, and I would appeal to members of the public to stay away from the area - there will be no public access for the duration of this search."

A specific 40-acre section has been identified in the 200-acre woodland as the initial focus of the search. This has been broken up into various zones, with ground examination beginning in earnest yesterday.
A Dublin man who was caught transporting more than 1.36m of drugs following a garda surveillance operation has been jailed for six years. (stock photo)

A Dublin man who was caught transporting more than 1.36m of drugs following a garda surveillance operation has been jailed for six years.

Jason Hughes (35) is one of four men who have been jailed by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for their various roles in the drug dealing operation.

The men were caught through an investigation led by the Garda National Drugs Unit during which 3.5m of drugs, as well as guns and ammunition, were seized.

Hughes, of Castlefield Park, Clonsilla, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of 757,280 of cannabis resin and 603,000 of MDMA on Park Avenue, Castleknock, on April 17, 2014. He had no previous convictions.

Detective Garda Darragh O'Toole told Cathleen Noctor BL, prosecuting, that a surveillance operation was initially set up by the Garda National Drugs Unit in a business park in Finglas following a garda tip-off.

Tablets

Hughes was observed driving a van that had been under surveillance.

He was later stopped, the vehicle was searched and almost 38kg of vacuum-packed cannabis resin and 60,000 MDMA tablets were found in the back.

Hughes told gardai he did not know what was in the van and claimed he had only been asked to collect the vehicle.

He said he was doing it for "Russians and Travellers".

During interview, Hughes said he was picking up the van and dropping it off for another individual.

He claimed he owed this man money for a car and that was how he "got roped into it".

Det Gda O'Toole said gardai did not accept Hughes's explanation and were satisfied his role in the operation was to transport the drugs for some sort of reward.

Judge Nolan said Hughes was part of a large drug dealing operation.

"I have to infer that no person would take this up without expectation of reward," the judge added, before he jailed Hughes for six years.
1 / 4 Composer Alan Menken, known best for writing music for Disney films including "Newsies," performs onstage. The renowned musician will perform at BYU Wednesday and Thursday. Courtesy of Columbia Artists Management Inc. 2 / 4 Composer Alan Menken, known best for writing music for Disney films including "Pocahontas," performs onstage. The renowned musician will perform at BYU Wednesday and Thursday. Courtesy of Columbia Artists Management Inc. 3 / 4 Composer Alan Menken, known best for writing music for Disney films including "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin," will perform at BYU Wednesday and Thursday. Lisa Crosby 4 / 4 Composer Alan Menken, known best for writing music for Disney films including "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin," performs at the piano. The renowned musician will perform at BYU Wednesday and Thursday. Courtesy of Columbia Artists Management Inc.  

The man behind the music of Disney classics like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin is paying a special visit to Provo this week.

Alan Menken, a musical theater and film composer who has won 11 Grammys, eight Oscars and a Tony Award to date, will share some of the stories behind his songs and musical career as part of Brigham Young Universitys BRAVO! series this week.

Bringing this performance to BYU has been years in the making, said Bridget Benton, BRAVO! series producer and presenter. The music of Mr. Menken has become iconic not only for current students at BYU but also for members of our campus community, young and old alike. We are delighted to welcome Mr. Menken to BYU and for our audience to feel nostalgic and uplifted by this legend of music.

Menken is best known for his work on Disney films including Pocahontas, Newsies, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Enchanted and Tangled, as well as onstage musicals like Little Shop of Horrors, A Christmas Carol and Sister Act. This week constitutes the artists first visit to Utah, which he perceives as a beautiful and unique environment.

I know that they love musical theater at Brigham Young because Ive seen some of the things theyve done with some of my songs, Menken said. Some of the a capella things are outrageous.

The concert Menken will give at BYU is one that has toured both nationally and internationally in locations including Tokyo, Los Angeles and, of course, Disneyland. Menken said he likes demystifying songs that have taken on an enormous importance to others by talking about the process behind their creation at these concerts. He also enjoys addressing students and young people in the crowd.

I love the audiences that come to my shows. Theres an openheartedness about them because thats what my songs are about, so its very satisfying, Menken said. The emotional stories behind the songs and behind the process and behind my career is really satisfying to share with people.

Menken said his compositions are inspired by the story, characters and moments he is writing about, and sometimes by the collaborator he is working with. He has worked with many writers and composers including Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Stephen Schwartz throughout his career.

Thats very inspiring when you get into a room with another artist that you respect, and sometimes you want to almost show off for each other like, Look, were writing our first song together. Whats it going to (be)?  Menken said. Like the first song I wrote with Stephen Schwartz was Colors of the Wind. The first song I wrote with Tim Rice was A Whole New World. Its crazy. And it often happens that way.

The artist has also worked with and influenced a new generation of composers including Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, songwriters for The Greatest Showman and La La Land, Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of Broadway musical Hamilton, and Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, songwriters for Frozen and Coco.

Menken said he is currently working with Pasek and Paul on a live adaptation of Disneys Aladdin and with Miranda on The Little Mermaid.

This next generation coming up, theyre my boys and girls, Menken said. I knew Lin-Manuel Miranda when he was a kid because my niece went to school with him, and he kept pestering her because he loved The Little Mermaid so much he wanted me to sign posters, and even as a kid, he was just this fanatic fan, and thats what makes him so special besides his talent.

The musician said although he originally thought he would have to become a dentist like all the other men in his family, he always wanted to become a composer. He said he hopes through his work to put something wonderful in the world.

You set something in motion, and then you see what happens, Menken said. Its nice to earn money, its nice to get awards, its nice to have the perks of a successful career, but I think the best thing is the moment of creation and then the moment when you see it living out in the world and having that ripple effect. Its a wonderful thing when that happens, and its what we all want from our lives is to have that ripple effect.

Menkens advice to students and message to BYU will be, Your voice as an artist or just as a person is precious, and thats what you need to protect.

Know that what is precious is your talent and your gift, and that gift needs to grow, and you have to always feed it and allow it to grow, Menken said. Dont get impatient for results. Just keep putting work out there. Keep imagining what you want to put into the world and then put it into the world.

A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF ALAN MENKEN

What: An evening of stories and songs with composer Alan Menken, who has written the music for many Disney films including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.

Where: de Jong Concert Hall, Harris Fine Arts Center, Brigham Young University, Provo

When: Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Cost: $30-$70

Info: (801) 422-2981, byuarts.com
A Provo man was booked Tuesday into the Utah County Jail after he broke into the victims house and got into the bedroom after slashing at the door.

Police reports state James Covington and another male entered a residence uninvited. The other male shot at the homeowner, and Covington was arrested Sunday on suspicion of aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony, according to the probable cause statement.

Covington and another male broke into a Provo residence, breaking in to retaliate against a man with whom they had fought the prior evening, according to a police report.

The man had been worried about the two men breaking into his residence, so he put his mattress against the door of his bedroom in an effort to fortify himself as he slept, reports state.

Covington began kicking at that door after getting into the house, using a knife as he slashed and stabbed the door several times to try to get into the room, according to the report.

After a kick, the door buckled before Covington saw the victim flee through his window, reports state. Covington and the other suspect took off after the victim. Then, Covingtons associate shot at the victim as the victim was running away, reports state.

Covington and the suspect fled the scene, according to the report.

Covington was also cited with two class-A misdemeanors for possession or use of a controlled substance, reports state.
SALT LAKE CITY  Utah lawmakers are working on a deal that would raise gas taxes and send more money to schools in order to stop a ballot initiative that would hike sales and income tax rates.

A bill unveiled Tuesday afternoon would ask voters in November to raise gas taxes by 10 cents a gallon.

Legislative leaders say that combined with a freeze on statewide property taxes would boost education spending by $375 million. They say raising gas taxes is better than hiking sales and income taxes because that could discourage businesses from moving to Utah.

Gov. Gary Herbert supports the deal and says hes talking with organizers of the Our Schools Now initiative to see if theyre willing to end their effort that would boost education funding by $715 million.

Our Schools Now organizers did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
The family of a missing woman is offering a $5,000 cash reward for information that could lead to her whereabouts or a arrest and conviction for anyone involved in her disappearance.

The family of Jerika Binks and Fast Gas Convenience Stores is offering the reward to help find the 24-year-old missing woman.

Over the weekend volunteers, K-9s and the Utah County Sheriffs Office Search and Rescue team searched areas around American Fork that Binks commonly visited in the hopes of finding her.

Binks was last seen at a residential treatment center near North County Boulevard in American Fork the morning of Feb. 18, according to information from the Utah County Sheriffs Office. She told roommates she was going running, left all her belongings except for her cellphone in her room and never returned.

Binks is white, female, 5-foot-4, 120 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

Foul play has not been ruled out, according to the Sheriffs Office.

To give relevant information on Binks or her whereabouts, call (801) 851-4013 or (801) 794-3970.
Before I turn to Jared Kushner, let me ask: Do you believe the U.S. government does the right thing all or most of the time?

The Gallup organization started asking this question in 1963, when more than 70 percent of Americans said they did. Since then, the percentage has steadily declined. By 2016, before Donald Trump became president, only 16 percent of Americans said they did.

Why the decline? Surely various disappointments and scandals played a part  Vietnam, Watergate, Iran-Contra, weapons of mass destruction, the Wall Street bailout.

But the largest factor by far has been the rise of big money in politics. Most people no longer believe their voices count.

That view is backed by solid research. Princeton University professor Martin Gilens and Northwestern University professor Benjamin Page analyzed 1,799 policy issues that came before Congress and found the preferences of the average American appear to have only a miniscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy.

Instead, Gilens and Page concluded, lawmakers respond to the policy demands of wealthy individuals and moneyed business interests  those with the most lobbying prowess and deepest pockets to bankroll campaigns.

Its likely far worse now. Gilens and Pages data came from 1981 to 2002, before the Supreme Court opened the floodgates to big money in its Citizens United and McCutcheon decisions.

Trump and Bernie Sanders  authoritarian populist and progressive populist, respectively  based their shockingly successful campaigns on the publics outrage at the corruption of our democracy by big money. Sanders called for a political revolution. Trump promised to drain the swamp.

Trump hasnt drained it, of course. Hes turned the entire government into a giant bog of lobbyists, real estate moguls, Wall Streeters and billionaires.

Which brings us to Kushner, the putative swamp-drainers son-in-law and adviser.

Kushner may yet be indicted in Robert Muellers investigation. But it could turn out that Kushners most significant contribution to the stench of this administration will come from his financial conflicts of interest.

When he took the White House job, Kushner chose not to follow the usual practice of wealthy people when they join administrations  putting their assets into blind trusts managed by outside experts.

Instead, Kushner retained control over the vast majority of his interest in Kushner Companies, worth as much as $761 million, according to government ethics filings.

So how has Kushner separated his business dealings from his dealings on behalf of the United States? He hasnt.

The New York Times reported last week that after the CEOs of Citigroup and Apollo Global Management attended White House meetings set up by Kushner, the two firms loaned the Kushner family business more than $500 million.

Furthermore, the Securities and Exchange Commission dropped an inquiry into Apollo Global Management after the company had granted the loan to the Kushner family business.

Last spring, Kushners real-estate firm sought hundreds of millions of dollars directly from the Qatar government for its distressed property on Fifth Avenue in New York City, the Intercept reported. Soon after Qatar turned down the request, Kushner reportedly backed a diplomatic assault on Qatar that sparked a crisis continuing today.

Kushner is such an easy mark that officials in at least four countries have privately discussed ways to manipulate him with financial deals, U.S. officials told the Washington Post.

Kushner insists that hes done nothing wrong, and that theres no direct evidence he has profited from his position in the White House or put personal financial interests ahead of the interests of the American public.

But thats not the point. Conflicts of interest are always difficult to prove, which is why we have ethics rules to avoid even the appearance of such conflicts.

And it sure looks as if Kushner is using his White House perch to make money for himself, just as his father-in-law is.

Its as bad for a government official to look as if hes lining his pockets as it is for him to actually do so, because the appearance of corruption undermines public trust just as readily as the real thing. And trust is what distinguishes an advanced democracy from a banana republic.

But Trump and the family members hes brought into his White House dont give a hoot about public trust. They have utter contempt for the common good. Government ethics officials have compared Trumps administration to a game of Whac-a-Mole  go after one potential violation, and others pop up.

Perhaps Kushner tells himself that the American public is already so cynical about big moneys takeover of our democracy that his own apparent (or real) conflicts are chicken feed by comparison.

Which may be true. But by adding to the distrust, Kushner is doing his own bit to destroy American democracy  actions almost as treasonous as if he colluded with Russians to make his father-in-law president.
COVID clarifies, but we still ignore what we see
Two former legislators including one from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party joined the Congress, giving the party a fillip before the assembly elections slated for November-December this year.

The former MLAs include Abhay Mishra (50) from Rewa in Vindhya region who joined the Congress on Sunday and Paras Saklecha (63) from Ratlam in Malwa region who followed the suit on Tuesday. Both joined the party at the AICC headquarters in Delhi.

Mishra from the BJP and Saklecha both have been MLAs in the 13th state assembly (2008-2013) and both were first timers. Saklecha was an independent MLA. While BJP gave the party ticket to Mishras wife instead of fielding him, for 2013 assembly elections Saklecha contested the elections unsuccessfully and had to be content with the third position.

This is just a beginning, said KK Mishra, Congress chief spokesperson. Many more ex-MLAs, other BJP leaders and at least 20 incumbent MLAs are in touch with us. I cannot disclose the names at this juncture given their trust in us, he said.

Saklecha, who has been one of Vyapam scam whistle blowers, said, I have always been opposed to BJP and its government. Vyapam scam is the biggest scam in the history of Madhya Pradesh which deprived talented candidates of government jobs or their chances to become doctors. I have no faith in BJPs ideology which was exposed further in police firing at farmers in my region (Malwa).

Abhay Mishra said, I was forced to quit the BJP. There is centralisation of power now. There are only three persons who wield power- PM, CM and DM. Moreover, there is parallel power system in the districts too where certain BJP leaders behave like local CMs. When any leader in the BJP raises his voice against anything wrong at the state or district level he is tortured and suppressed.

However, the state BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal, however, downplayed the two former MLAs joining the Congress.

He said, Only those leaders are joining the Congress who are a spent force. BJP is a cadre based party and is not weakened by such switching over of any party worker or leader.
Actor Amit Sadh believes in taking one step at a time. After working with bigwigs like Salman Khan (Sultan, 2016), Amitabh Bachchan (Sarkar 3, 2017), he is now sharing screen space with another superstar, Akshay Kumar in Reema Kagtis Gold.

While theres still some time for the film to release, Amit, who cant stop gushing about his co-star, says, Akshay is a talented actor and an amazing human being. Theres so much to learn from him. Just being in his presence and company has brought a lot of change in me as an actor and a person. I look forward to work with him again , says Amit, who has worked in movies such as Kai Po Che (2013) and Guddu Rangeela (2015) and Running Shaadi (2017).

Asked if sharing screen space with such big names has helped him bag lucrative offers in Bollywood, Amit says thats not the case. I dont know the outcome... whether [or not] I got more films but it has [always] been an experience, and I have learned a lot of lessons on life as well as how to conduct oneself as an actor.

He adds, For me, just watching these amazingly beautiful and diverse people has been a blessing.

Unlike many who often give up on facing failures, Amit admits that hes only learned to rise and shine again. It feels bad when you dont get validation, or success or the desired results, which you have in your mind for anything that you invest your energy, time and talent in, says the actor, adding, But Ive have always also believed that to succeed spectacularly, you need to be willing to fail spectacularly. And I feel I have done a PhD and DPhill in failing. Hence, I have the right to succeed now. I just want to continue working hard, listen to my inner voice and do the basics  eat light, deep breathe, dance, love and walk.

Interact with Monika Rawal Kukreja at Twitter/@monikarawal
The authorities of Sri Lingaraj Temple have lodged an FIR against Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon for allegedly shooting an advertisement in the No Camera Zone inside the premises of the 11th century and ASI protected lord Shiva shrine.

The incident come to the fore after a video surfaced in social media featuring Tandon offering beauty tips inside the temple premises and it is recorded by a person with a mobile phone. She had visited the temple on Sunday.

The temple administration has filed a complaint against Raveena Tandon at Lingaraj Police Station for shooting an advertisement film in the no camera zone, said Rajiv Lochan Parida, the management-in-charge of the temple administration.

Admitting that such an FIR has been lodged, Bhubaneswar DCP Satybrat Bhoi said the police are examining the allegations.

Only servitors are allowed to carry mobile phones inside the temple, Parida said adding it is a clear case of violation of the security norms.

The incident has also hurt sentiments of the devotees, he said.

The Archaeological Survey of India has also launched an investigation into the matter.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
The third look from Mental Hai Kya is out and Bollywood actors Rajkummar Rao and Kangana Ranaut are certainly flaunting some mental attitude in the latest pictures.

Kangana is seen inside a bathtub with a toaster, hair straightener and few makeup items lying around as she uses a knife as a mirror to apply her lipstick! With the dark maroon lipstick smeared unevenly around her lips, the entire picture can actually scare you. Sharing the latest images, Balaji Motion Pictures posted on Twitter, #KanganaRanaut and @RajkummarRao are Killing it... Quite literally! Presenting #MentalHaiKyaLook3 @ektaravikapoor @pkovelamudi @RuchikaaKapoor @KanikaDhillon @ShaileshRSingh @balajimotionpic @KarmaFeatures.

Rajkummar, on the other hand, holds an apple and a knife but the apple is oozing blood on his hands as he puts his knife to it.

Mental Hai Kya is directed by National Award-winner Prakash Kovelamudi and produced by Ekta Kapoors Balaji Motion Pictures and Shaailesh R Singhs Karma Media. Kovelamudi is a popular Telugu actor-filmmaker who bagged a National Award in 2006 for Bomelatta.

The film goes on floors this month in Mumbai and the crew will also shoot in London.

Earlier, Kapoor said in a press statement, Mental Hai Kya celebrates the beauty in imperfections and in being different and shouts out, sanity is overrated! Im thrilled to work with Kangana and Raj on this one.

Rajkummar Rao and Kangana had last shared screen space in the critically acclaimed Queen in 2014. Mental Hai Kya has been written by Kanika Dhillon.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
The controversy faced by Padmaavat has not deterred banner Viacom18 Motion Pictures, its co-producers, from making films on stories that deserve to be told, says a top official of the company. In a big and diverse country like India, we never know what will offend whom, which community will get disheartened by watching a film. In Padmaavat, we celebrated the bravery of a community and they only protested to stop releasing the film. I think the Padmaavat episode cannot fear us to go three steps back and make our creative mind extra conscious to make a film. It should be treated as an incident that was an exception, Viacom18 Motion Pictures Chief Operating Officer Ajit Andhare told IANS in an interview.

Padmaavat, a period drama directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, was caught in a long-stretched row after Rajput organisations opposed its release by protesting over alleged distortion of history facts. The film finally released on January 25, with the audience praising it for its visual exuberance and impactful performances.

Andhare said as a company, their basic criteria of approving a project is a good story that can potentially connect with the larger audience. I think now, with the success of Padmaavat, the fact has been proven. There are stories that deserve to be told. As a responsible filmmaking company, we were cautious about the subjects that we chose even before Padmaavat, but we do not want to add an extra lens of caution thinking which political wind will blow or which section of the community will get offended. That is certainly not the right way to choose a film, added Andhare on the sidelines of the Ficci Frames 2018.

Viacom18 Motion Pictures has produced popular biopics in Bollywood -- from Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Mary Kom to Manjunath and Manjhi - The Mountain Man.

Considering how most biopics tend to fictionalise certain parts of an individuals story to bring out the drama in a feature film, does it justify the truth of someones lifes journey? I think that depends on who is telling the truth. When we make a biopic, and we have done quite a few of them, we take the permission of that individual or their family. That is how one can authenticate facts. Beyond that, if XYZ startS painting a truth, then it is difficult to explain. Truth is not based on others perception or imagined reality, it is what the source of authentic information provides us, he said.

In a retrospect of 2017-2018, of the films that the company produced, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Padmaavat managed to be commercially successful. Whereas, films like Rangoon and Lucknow Central failed.

While small budget films are recovering the money faster, isnt it better to budget movies wisely to avoid commercial failure? I do not subscribe to the idea that a budget is responsible for the commercial failure of a film. That is a myth and simplification of failure. A film is successful if only our audience gets connected to the story. There is no other formula than the human connection to a narration. Budget has everything to do with how we are mounting the film. If our audience dont connect to the story, no matter how small the budget is, the film fails, or how big the budget is, the film succeeds. We have examples of both sides of the story.

Will he commission a film like Rangoon or any experimental film with a risk of recovering the money? Yes, we will do that, because when we heard the story of Rangoon, we loved it. It was a beautiful story. Maybe the audience could not accept it, but such things happen in our business. Our discipline is making a film on a good story... That remains the same.
Janhvi Kapoor celebrated her 21st birthday on Tuesday, just a few days after her mother, the iconic Sridevi, died suddenly in Dubai. The young actor, who will make her film debut in Dhadak later this year, was photographed cutting several cakes, with her father Boney Kapoor, sister Khushi, and cousins Shanaya Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor around her.

You can see the pictures and videos here:

 A post shared by Sanjay Kapoor (@sanjaykapoor2500) on Mar 6, 2018 at 10:52am PST

Janhvi started her day by visiting an old age home, a tradition started by Sridevi. Several pictures and videos of her were shared online.

A few days after her mothers death, Janhvi posted an Instagram post for her followers, asking them to love their parents. Cherish them and devote yourself to making them feel that love. They have made you. And I ask that you remember my mother fondly, pray for her soul to rest in peace, she had written in a long post, followed by a few lovely family pictures.

On Tuesday, Sonam wished Janhvi a happy birthday and said that she was the strongest girl she knows, and now she had become a woman.

Sridevi died on February 24 in Dubai, where she was attending the wedding of nephew Mohit Marwah. She was found unconscious in a bathtub by Boney Kapoor. The official cause of death was declared to be accidental drowning. She was cremated with full state honours upon her return to India.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Theres no running away from the past in Asbestos, Quebec.

Its most prominent landmark is a crater more than a mile wide--and deep enough to hold the Eiffel Tower--a testament to the worlds once-bottomless appetite for the deadly mineral that sustained the local economy for decades and gave the town its name. Quebec once produced half of the worlds asbestos and offered the highest-paying mining jobs in Canada before concern about cancer led to the fire-resistant fiber being banned in more than 50 countries, with the mine finally shutting down in 2012.

But now it turns out that the future of Asbestos may actually be in asbestos. Well, not in asbestos, per se, but in the millions of tons of discarded residue that piled up over more than a century of mining for it. The crushed rocks, known as tailings, are rich in magnesium, a mineral that can be transformed into a light metal thats used in everything from medical implants to Tesla electric cars.

The prospects are attracting companies eager to cash in, including Quebec-based Alliance Magnesium Inc., which has been running a pilot plant and raising funds to scale up production. If Alliances plan works, it could ultimately add 350 jobs and strengthen an economic revival thats starting to take hold as government loans and ready-for-use industrial lots lure an eclectic mix of companies to the once-vibrant mining town.

We had to manage economic decline for a long time, said Alain Roy, whos been an Asbestos town councilman since 2005. Now we have to manage growth.

Key to the growth strategy is keeping magnesium production costs low enough to compete with Chinese companies that have dominated the roughly $2.5 billion market since pricing out many rivals in the early 2000s--including two in Quebec.

The market has changed a lot; technologies have improved, Joel Fournier, the scientist who started Alliance Magnesium, said in an interview at the plant. Many users are waiting for a producer like us to provide a stable supply. Theyre worried about the geopolitical risks of having China as the quasi-sole supplier.

Demand for magnesium, which is a third lighter than aluminium, is set to grow as carmakers rush to cut vehicles weight to comply with carbon-emissions standards. At Minneapolis-based Twin City Die Castings Co., which makes auto parts and components used in medical devices, the magnesium business has doubled in the past four years, said Chief Financial Officer Todd Olson.

The US market is particularly enticing to Alliance, which could bypass tariffs slapped on Chinese magnesium that keep prices there as much as 60 percent higher than in Europe. Its currently in talks with metal traders to sell parts of its future production.

Workers prepare to make a magnesium ingot at Alliance Magnesium. (Christinne Muschi/ Bloomberg)

For now, the company churns out only a few ingots per day, far from the 50,000 metric tons its vowed to produce by 2022  about 4.5 percent of global primary production in 2017. Fournier, who is chief executive officer, is in talks to raise C$100 million ($78 million) to start building a midsize plant this year and hopes to go public to fund a larger one.

On a recent Friday morning, a chlorine smell floated through the pilot site, a telltale sign of the electrolysis process used to produce magnesium. Acid helps extract the mineral and separate it from silica. The resulting brine is filtered and dried into salt, heated and submitted to a powerful electrical current, producing metal on one side and chlorine gas on the other.

The technology, which runs on hydroelectricity, is greener than the older, coal-fired method used in China. But it still uses a lot of energy and requires extra maintenance because of acid-related corrosion. Keeping a grip on manufacturing costs is the key to success, said Jerry Cole, a Detroit-based consultant who set up Ford Motor Co.s magnesium strategy in the 1990s.

They have to know every dime and how every fluctuation in their engineering cost would affect the price of the finished product, he said. Youre dealing with the automotive industry  if the price is 5 cents too high, they wont do it.

Fournier says circumstances have changed since lowball Chinese prices forced Norsk Hydro ASA and Noranda Inc. to close shop in the French-speaking province more than a decade ago. A power surplus has helped push down electricity prices, while China faces higher labor costs.

There are three other projects centered on the 400 million tons of mine residue around Asbestos, according to Mayor Hugues Grimard, who wants to turn his town into the technopole of magnesium. That includes one by British-Columbia based Mag One Products Inc., which is running its own production tests at a new, government-backed mining innovation center.

This time round, Asbestos is also mindful to diversify its economy. Its expanding industrial park is home to a duck slaughterhouse, a hemp-insulation maker and a semi-trailer manufacturer that took advantage of a C$50 million fund by the provincial government. The town even got its first Tim Hortons  Canadas iconic coffee-and-doughnut chain.

In a former church thats now the town hall, officials have to make unfamiliar decisions: where to invest.

We need to make space available for people to move here; we need to offer new services, said Roy, the town counselor.

Yet Roy says the economic buzz has yet to sink in for some of the 6,800 residents who lived through decades of asbestos decline. The population peaked near 11,000 in the 1960s--when the fiber was used to build everything from homes to pavements, according Jessica Van Horssen, a lecturer at Leeds Beckett University in the UK who wrote a book on the towns history.

It was a constant job, you didnt have to go far and your sons would have work, your daughters would have work, and you didnt have to worry about anything, she said in a phone interview.

That helps explain an enduring attachment to an industry thats banned as a danger to public health. Some companies complain the towns name is bad for business, but a discussion to change it last decade was quickly dropped.

The town of Asbestos may not exist today if not for the mine, said Yan St-Hilaire. In 2014, he and a childhood friend opened a pub filled with mine paraphernalia.

At Moulin 7, patrons can sample beer brewed on site called miner, white gold or 1949  a reference to a famous strike. Tables, chairs, lockers and even the alarm that signaled an impending blast were bought from the mine.

For us, it brought additional pride to share our history, he said as patrons of all ages filled the pub. To keep the past in mind and not forget where we come from.
The ruling BJP and its youth wing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha have accused Nainitals senior superintendent of police (SSP) Janmejay Khanduri of bias against their members.

A few days ago, BJYM activists had entered into an argument with some people near Thandi Sadak area of Haldwani and were beaten up by the people. After that they alleged that police were slow in their action.

After the incident, BJP leaders have come out openly against the SSP accusing him of being biased against the saffron party.

The police officer, however, said five people were arrested till now and his force has done whatever was expected of it.

BJP Kumaon spokesperson Tarun Bansal has made a complaint to party state unit chief Ajay Bhatt and chief minister TS Rawat saying the SSP misbehaved with him when he tried to apprise him of a case.

Bansal said the government servants must listen to grievances of public properly and should show an unbiased attitude.

SSP Khanduri has rubbished all the charges levelled against him and said he was neutral in every respect. It is just a blame game and a matter of egos of some so called leaders and activists, he said.

The opposition Congress, meanwhile, said the police officer was being stopped from doing his work and being targeted unnecessarily.

Congress leader Sumit Hridyesh said the manner in which the BJP was targeting the SSP of Nainital was unfortunate. This shows their true nature, he said.

In another incident, a case was registered against BJP leader Hemant Dwivedi for allegedly grabbing land in Bhimtal.

Dwivedis hotel is situated adjacent to a piece of land owned by Jitendra Singh Sunny of Niliyam Colonby, Haldwani. Sunny, who runs a hosiery shop, lodged the case with Haldwani police, alleging that Dwivedi has encroached upon his 1.5 naalis of land in Bhimtal. A bigha of land consists of 4 naalis.

Dwivedi, considered close to former chief minister and Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, said he had written a secret letter to party bosses eight months ago, saying some people were targeting him  a hint at factionalism in the Uttarakhand BJP unit.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said Wednesday that he might be stubborn but not violent, breaking his silence on the alleged attack on chief secretary Anshu Prakash by his party MLAs, and asserted that all officers are one family.

Observing that cowards indulge in physical fight, the Delhi chief minister said the allegations against him that he had called Prakash for a meeting at his residence and got him thrashed at night was baseless.

Its a baseless allegation that I called him in the night at my residence and got him thrashed. I am not a fool to to do so, Kejriwal said after meeting a delegation of Joint Council of All Employees Organisations.

Kejriwal may be stubborn but he is not violent. Cowards indulge in physical fighting. Kejriwal is not a coward, he stated.

The Delhi chief minister also said that he considered all officers and employees of the city government as part of one family, and added that a conspiracy was being hatched somewhere else against his government.

All the officers and employees are part of our family. The conspiracy is being hatched somewhere else. We will deal with it separately and the almighty will help us in this.

In the past 10-15 days a lie was propagated and an atmosphere was created by instigating the employees as though Presidents Rule will be imposed in Delhi, he said, referring to the developments following the alleged assault on Prakash.

There has been no dearth of conspiracies against us since the time of Anna Andolan. The Jan Lokpal movement was cheated but we never lost patience and adopted violence. Ever since our government has been formed, they have been saying Presidents Rule will be imposed, he said, without naming anyone.

He also shared his anguish with the delegation, saying the pain and hurt you receive from your own is more. What was our standing - we used to work in the streets and slums and now because of the grace of god and miracle by Delhi people we have been given this responsibility.

The chief minister also credited the officers and staff for the achievements of the AAP government in the past three years. We cannot do anything without you, he said.

He claimed that his government had solved various issues of officers of different cadres with greatest sympathy and promptness in the past three years.

The sympathy and promptness with which this government addressed the problems and issues of all the cadres of officers and employees, in three years, no other government ever did so, he claimed.

Kejriwal also appealed to the employees delegation to approach him whenever there is an issue in future.

One-sided version creates confusion. You should hear both sides. I appeal to you to come to me whenever there is any issue, he said.

The Joint Council in its memorandum to the chief minister said the dialogues among the public servant at every level should be proper, decent and brotherly. All the pillars of democracy including the political executive should function within the limits of the law.

It also demanded that all the meetings of executives, including political executives and bureaucrats, should be held in office hours except in case of emergency.

Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash was allegedly assaulted at Kejriwals residence by AAP MLAs on the intervening night of February 19-20.

Police have so far arrested two MLAs and also seized hard disk of the CCTV camera system installed at the chief ministers official residence in its investigation in the case registered on a complaint of Prakash.
The Class 12 physics paper of the Central Board of Secondary Education examination evoked a mixed response from students on Wednesday as some said it was good and others complained about lengthy and tricky questions.

Most students at Delhis Evergreen Senior Secondary School said they were quite happy even though they found the paper lengthy but easy.

The questions tested our analytical skills. Section C had some tricky questions. The numericals were easy, Evergreens Harsha said.

Harshas classmate Snigdha shared her views and added that the questions tested the knowledge of basic concepts. Puneeth Tejas, another student from Evergreen, said the questions were mainly from National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) syllabus.

Aditya Shrimali of Pragati International School in Rajasthans Kota said the paper was not as tough as he expected it to be. Shrimali also said he did not find the questions tricky or paper lengthy and added that those who had revised the course would have found it easy.

Harshit Poddar of the same school said that one question on ray optics was tricky otherwise the difficulty level was not tough. He added there was an equal distribution of questions from every topic of the subject.

Students in Uttarakhands capital Dehradun, who were expecting a tougher paper, said they were happy with the questions. Ankur, a student of SGRR School Race Course, said he personally had a good time answering it.

The difficulty level of the question paper was average, Iram, another student of SGRR School, said.

In Bihars Patna, Anvay Rai of DAV School said the numerical section was tough and questions from derivation were very moderate but most of them were direct.

I had seen the pattern of questions asked in 2016 and 2017. The questions were tough in 2017 but it was easy this year. I found the questions on magnetism a bit difficult but the overall questions were easy, Vaishnavi of Holy Mission School said.

Harsh Vardhan of DAV School in Khagaul too found the questions easier than last years.

I had prepared for the toughest questions but the questions asked were way too easy. I solved the paper half an hour before time, he said.

Astha Singh, a student at Allahabads Gangagurukulam School, said the question paper was balanced and easy.

Diagram based questions were scoring while value based questions like on electrostatic were easy to answer, she added.

Shivansh Tripathi, another examinee, said questions like that on the transistor and band energy were scoring. The 70 marks question paper was scoring and an average student will have performed well, he said.

Students of CBSE board Class 12 coming out after appearing in their physics paper at Cathedral school in Lucknow on Wednesday. (Deepak Gupta/Hindustan Times)

Students in Madhya Pradeshs Bhopal found the paper of medium difficulty level but most of said it was long with some tricky short questions.

The paper was primarily conceptual. I will not say it was that easy, Ali Zeeshan, a student of Campion School Bhopal, said.

The paper was medium in difficulty. There were thinking type questions, Piyush Tiwari, another student of Campion School, added.

Anushka Dixit from Sagar Public School in the city said that questions related to optics were difficult but overall the paper was OK. Dixits classmate Shivani Tiwari said many three-marks questions were very tricky.

The paper was conceptual and took time to comprehend at times, she said.

The paper was lengthy. I think many students didnt get time to complete the whole paper, Shivam Pandey from SP School said.

A student of Kolkatas Future Campus, who did not wish to be named, said for him the questions were moderate. However, it was quite lengthy and I was unable to complete my paper within time, he added.

For students in Lucknow, the physics paper was a tough nut to crack. Barring a few, most of them called it a tricky paper and a few blamed the exam date sheet, saying there should have been more gap between the English and physics exams.

It was a bad day for us. The paper was too much tricky to handle. It left us all bowled, Mahima Rai, a student of Awadh Collegiate in Daroga Kheda, said.

She said the paper was too lengthy and many of the students couldnt attempt all the questions.

The five marks section that is generally short and scoring was too lengthy this time and the three marks section was also equally time-consuming, Rai added.

Mansha Khan, another student, echoed the same concerns and said there was nothing from NCERT and one or two questions were even out of syllabus.

There was only one day gap between English and physics exam that is totally illogical. In just one day gap we couldnt even revise thus resulting in the bad performance, another student said.

Teachers speak

Most teachers said the questions were according to the syllabus and that the board prepares the papers keeping below average, average and intelligent students.

Some school principals in Mumbai said students complained that the physics paper was lengthy as compared to last year.

Each student has their own strengths and weakness but in todays physics paper, majority students found the paper very lengthy. Overall, there havent been any complaints about the exams as such, Rakesh Joshi, the principal of Apeejay School in Nerul, said.

Deepshikha Srivastav, principal of Rajhans Vidyalaya in Andheri (West), said the exam was on the similar level as last years.

As of now, we havent received any major complaints from students so looks like the difficulty level is almost similar to last year. Students were a little worried about the physics paper held today, Srivastav said.

Todays paper was a good one without any major difficulty, Chhaya Khanna, principal of Scholars Home School in Dehradun, said.

Virendra Tyagi, a physics teacher at Evergreen Sr Sec School, said the paper this year was comparatively easier than the those of the last three to four years.

Most of it is NCERT based. Numericals were easy and questions containing 2-3 marks were slightly tricky, Tyagi added.

Jitendra Yadav, a physics teacher at Allahabads Gangagurukulam School said, the paper was in accordance with the pattern prescribed by the board and most his students answered almost all the questions.

Almost all topics were covered besides diagram based questions were also scoring for students on topics such as wave optics and ray optics, current electricity, reflecting and refracting, etc, he added.

Sashikant Srivastava, another physics teacher at Maharishi Patanjali Vidya Mandir, said students did not have any problem as questions on the similar pattern were asked in the two pre-board exams held in the January and February.

The vice-principal of Kolkatas South Point High School, Joydeb Ghosh, said that out of the 70 marks, questions for 50 marks conformed to the NCERT level.

However, for remaining 20 marks, what I feel, the level was conceptual and out of the NCERT proforma. So some students faced difficulties in completing the examination in time, Ghosh added.

Anil Thakur, a physics teacher in Patna, said that the questions were direct but some sections were too lengthy.

But I guess my students will probably score above 85%, Thakur said.

Amit Kumar Sharma, a teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Bhopal, also said most of his students found the paper lengthy with some tricky questions.

It depends on your preparation. If you are well prepared, you dont find it difficult, he said.



(With inputs from Heena Kausar in Delhi, Nihi Sharma in Dehradun, Nandini in Patna, Kenneth John in Allahabad, Neeraj Santoshi in Bhopal and Sumanta Ray Chaudhuri in Kolkata, Oliver Fredrick in Lucknow, Shreya Bhandary in Mumbai and Aabshar Quazi in Kota)
Students and teachers say the CBSE Class 12 physics paper, the exam for which was held on Wednesday, stuck to the syllabus and gave a chance to score high marks.

Astha Singh, a student of Gangagurukulam School in Allahabad, said the question paper was balanced and easy. Diagram-based questions were scoring while value based questions, like on electrostatic, were easy to answer, she said.

Shivansh Tripathi, a class 12 student Gangagurukulam, said decrypting questions, like that on transistor and band energy, were scoring. The 70 marks question paper was scoring and an average student could perform well, he said.

Anvay Rai, a student of DAV School in Khagaul, Patna, said found questions on numbers tough. Numericals section were tough. Questions from derivation very moderate. The questions were direct.

I had seen the pattern of questions asked in 2016 and 2017. Questions were tough in 2017 but it was easy this year. I found the questions about magnetism a bit difficult but overall questions were easy, said Vaishnavi, of Holy Mission School, Patna.

Harsh Vardhan, another student of DAV School in Khagaul, said, The questions were easier than last year. I had prepared for the toughest but the questions asked were way too easy. I solved the paper half an hour before time.

Physics teacher Anil Thakur said that some sections of the exam were lengthy, but students can score above 85%.

Jitendra Yadav, a physics teacher at Gangagurukulam School, said he considered the question paper was fair.

The physics question paper of Class 12 was in accordance to the pattern prescribed by the board, which allowed the examinees to answer almost all the questions. Almost all topics were covered besides diagram based questions were also scoring for students on topics such as wave optics and ray optics, current electricity, reflecting and refracting, said Yadav.

(With inputs from Kenneth John in Allahabad and Nandini in Patna)
Indias power producer NTPC and top business school Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad on Tuesday announced a joint initiative to create a world-class research institute at NTPC School of Business with a focus on the energy sector.

We are proud to have entered an agreement, under which Indias marquee business school - Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad - will hand hold NTPC School of Business to replicate its management degree courses beginning this year with special focus on energy verticals not only for NTPC but for the entire power sector, Saptarshi Roy, human resource director of the state-run utility, said.

IIM-As HRM area chair and strategic management professor Sunil Kumar Maheshwari said that this is the first time the top business school is tying up with a leading academic institution for degree and other specialised courses.

We were blessed with hand-holding from IIM-A for five years and we are proud of it. We will be doing the same with NTPC School of Business (NSB) and hand hold it for five years, create a top-class faculty like our own and offer a host of specialised electives for various aspects related to energy and power sectors, Maheshwari said.

The NSB, guided and shepherded by IIM-A specialists, will seek applications from aspirants for an MBA degree from April this year for a two-year degree course with specialisation in the energy sector.

IIM, apart from bringing professionals from the parent organisation, will gradually create NSBs own faculty by the end of the fifth year.

We have the entire infrastructure at our NSBs Noida campus ready to start the courses from the academic year, including a residential facility for the students. We intend to enrol 120 students in the first year, AK Bhatnagar, executive director at Head of Power Management Institute and NSB, said.
Balaclavas, headscarves, feisty feminism and the warming glow of yellow and burnished gold... We pick out the biggest trends in the autumn-winter 2018-2019 collections as Paris fashion week ended on March 6.

Hoods and headscarves

It used to be that if you wanted to get ahead, you got a hat. But that is no longer enough. You now have to wear one on top of a hoodie  if the Paris catwalks over the last nine days are any measure  or simply pull your hood over your hat.

With Agnes b, the doyenne of French street fashion, giving the looks her imprimatur in her ever-elegant show on Monday, you know this is more than a tip of the hat but a full-blown trend. Even before Paris, the hood-hat-headscarf combination was gathering pace in New York with Raf Simons at Calvin Klein and Gucci in Milan.

But in the French capital, everyone from Chanel with a balaclava to newcomer Marine Serre was embracing skin-hugging head-coverings. Some of hers and Lanvins could easily pass for Islamic.

Balenciaga tied its scarves tightly around the head, channelling both 1950s film stars and housewives, while Agnes b let some of hers trail romantically from the forehead.

A model presents a creation by German designer Karl Lagerfeld. (REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol)

#MeToo, Im a feminist!

Just like Hollywood, the fashion world has been rocked of late by its own sexual harassment scandals involving some of its biggest name photographers. In such an atmosphere, labels are keen to prove they were on the right side of history. Agitprop met marketing in Maria Grazia Chiuris Dior show, which was thick with feminist and revolutionary slogans from 1968.

Agnes b, who was on the barricades herself back then, did not feel the need to prove anything while New Yorks Thom Browne summoned up Marie Antoinettes proto-feminist portrait artist, Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun, to immortalise his fantastically attired strong women who cannot be ignored.

Hips are hip

The hips of one of those strong women  Angela Merkel  became the weeks most unlikely leitmotif. Balenciagas Demna Gvasalia described his new silhouette for his Basque jackets as sculptural tailoring. Everyone else called them Merkel hips for their resemblance to the German chancellors outline and very personal sense of style.

Thom Browne also accentuated the hips in his beautifully worked silver and grey fitted jackets and dresses, insisting to AFP that the shapes evoke (womens) power and strength.

Margiela mania

The influence of Martin Margiela, the reclusive Belgian designer who walked away from his label nine years ago, hung over fashion week like Banquos ghost. With two new museum shows opening this month in Paris, the catwalk was full of his ideas.

A model presents a creation by British designer Stella McCartney. (REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol)

Stella McCartney showed dresses made from coat linings, while Sacai was a symphony of the deconstruction once practised so brilliantly by the Flemish master.

Two coats wrestled each other into submission on the backs of Yohji Yamamotos models  another Margiela trope  while his back to front jackets and hanging sleeves popped up at Thom Browne, McCartney and Balenciaga, where the young Georgian wunderkind Gvasalia regularly references his former employer.

Even the resurrected historic brand Poiret  which last showed 30 years before Margiela was born  quoted his duvet coats.

A model presents a creation by French designer Nadege Vanhee-Cybulski. (REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol)

Mellow yellow

While dark and earthy colours dominated  Paris can never have enough black  gold and yellows took the chill out of many collections including Natacha Ramsay-Levis much-admired second show for Chloe (watch out for plunging V-neck shirts and dresses).

Jacquemus used saffron yellow to conjure up a Moroccan souk while Dries Van Noten, Louis Vuitton, Lanvin and Leonard used orange and yellow touches, while Karl Lagerfeld brightened his wintry Chanel collection with burnished gold boots, trousers and jackets.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more
People, irrespective of gender, should be sensitised to and about menstrual hygiene and see it as a human rights issue, and a process of nature, said experts attending the second edition of the #YesIBleed Campaign held at the Amity University here on Tuesday.

Participating in a discussion on the subject, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Choubey described menstruation as a natural process and suggested that awareness needs to be created around the same pan-India. Sharing his experience of working with the rural population in Bihar, Chaubey said he was dismayed to be informed that only two percent of women in the state were using sanitary pads. Most, he said, were still using cloth and leaves when experiencing their periods.

Chaubey said it was lamentable to hear that funds allocated by the Centre for promoting menstrual health and hygiene in 2017-18, remained mostly unutilised in various states. Menstrual hygiene, he said, should be seen as a human rights issue since every girl has a right to lead a dignified life and stressed that only a Swachh Bharat (Clean India) can ensure a Swasth Bharat (Healthy India).

Rekha Sharma, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), said it is very important for both mothers and fathers to talk to their daughters openly about puberty and menstrual hygiene so that they are prepared before hand to deal with the onset of menstruation.

She stressed that menstruation is a normal physical and biological change in the body and there should be no social stigma attached to it. It was essential as well for educated students to move around in villages and talk to adolescent girls, and maked them aware about menstruation. A good way to start would be to pool in money and provide them with sanitary napkins, she added.

She also said that she was in favour of sanitary pad vending machines being installed in every Institution and to properly dispose of sanitary napkins, which otherwise, are a grave threat to the environment and human health overall.

Divya Khosla Kumar, director, producer and actress said it was alarming to note that 23% of adolescent Indian girls in the age group of 12-18 drop out of school once they reach puberty because of inadequate menstrual protection.

To maintain good menstrual health, she said it is essential to change a sanitary pad every four hours since 90 percent of them are made of plastic and if they enter the body, can cause blood-related complications. Kumar also flagged the issue of proper disposal of sanitary pads. She commended the work done by social outfit SheWings, the brains behind the menstrual hygiene campaign, and proposed that more such discussions should be held in future to provide momentum to the cause.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the CBSE not to make Aadhaar number mandatory for enrolment of students appearing in NEET 2018 and other all India exams.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by chief justice Dipak Misra directed the CBSE to upload the information on their website.

Earlier in the day, UIDAI had told the apex court that it has not authorised CBSE to mandatorily take Aadhaar number of students to get themselves enroled for appearing in NEET 2018 examination.

Attorney general KK Venugopal had said he has instructions from Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) that like in Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya and Assam other identity proofs like passport, voter card and ration card can be used by the CBSE for enroling the students in the examination.

The UIDAIs remarks came on a plea challenging the decision of CBSE seeking mandatorily the Aadhaar number or Aadhaar enrolment number from students who are aspiring to take up the NEET 2018 examination.

The Gujarat high court had dismissed the plea on February 27.

The appeal in Supreme Court challenges the order of Gujarat high court.
The opposition parties on Wednesday termed as shameful the incidents of damage to statues in Tripura and Tamil Nadu, alleging that intolerant Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members were involved in such acts.

Cutting across party lines, opposition leaders also demanded action against those vandalising the statues.

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the damage to the statue of Dravidian icon, social activist and rationalist leader EV Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, in Tamil Nadu was an insult to the entire country.

In Tamil Nadu, the statue of Periyar was removed and damaged. It is a very big insult of not only the people of Tamil Nadu, but also the people of the country who believe in his ideology, he told reporters in the Parliament House complex.

In a democracy, there are people who believe in all kinds of ideologies. There is no tolerance among the BJP people and they are turning intolerant, he added.

Highlighting the contribution of Periyar, Kharge said he worked for the upliftment of the Dalits, the oppressed, people of backward classes and women in the southern state. Periyar helped them get political power. It is an insult to all the poor in the country as Periyar believed in and fought for social justice, he said. My party and I condemn the incident. These are people with vested interests who are insulting leaders of rationalist movements in the name of religion. It is not right. People will not tolerate it, Kharge said.

He added that the Congress-led governments had worked to protect the countrys unity in diversity unlike what is happening under the BJPs watch.

These people want to break the countrys unity. Today, when their government has come, such people are getting encouraged, he said, condemning Tamil Nadu BJP leader H Raja for his remarks against Periyar. They should not take the law into their hands. They think the central government is in their hands, he said.

Kharge also hit out at the BJP for the vandalism in Tripura soon after it came to power in the state last week.

In a democracy, one should convince people by ones ideology, not by hooliganism....action must be taken against those who damaged the statues.

Attacking the BJP, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek OBrien called the incidents absolute shame and third class.

He alleged that the BJP workers may next break statues of other iconic leaders as well.

It is an absolute shame. In 2011, even we won the elections in Bengal. We do not endorse the philosophy of communists like Lenin, but you have to win political battles. This is like third class, but this is to be expected from this government, he told reporters.

CPI leader D Raja said Periyar was not just a great leader of Tamil Nadu but a global leader, who was the founder of the self-respect and rationalist movements and fought against the caste system. This kind of absurdity on the part of BJP leaders should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Till now, India is a country which believes in the rule of law. But law and order in Tamil Nadu is going into the hands of the Sangh and fascist forces, he alleged.

The CPI leader also demanded that the BJP leadership clarify its position on Rajas comments.
A day ahead of Chinas biggest holiday on February 16, the first day of the Lunar New Year, Beijing came out bristling with anger against Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Arunachal Pradesh or south Tibet as it is claimed here to be.

Instead of sitting down for the traditional family dinner on New Years Eve, a group of Chinese diplomats had to rustle up an angry response to the visit: The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called AP and is firmly opposed to the Indian leaders visit to the disputed area.

The Chinese Year of the Earth Dog, it seemed, had begun on a sour note for Sino-Indian ties; Nothing new, of course, after the low of the Doklam (Donglang in Chinese) military standoff near Sikkim that started in June and ended in August.

Eight days later, on Feb 23, foreign secretary, Vijay Gokhale landed in Beijing on an unannounced visit, which had been decided mutually soon after he had taken over as foreign secretary in January.

Gokhale held talks with the vice-foreign minister Kong Xuanyou, foreign minister Wang Yi and state councillor Yang Jiechi.

As it turns out, for one, Gokhale is likely to have assured the Chinese side that the Modi government had instructed government functionaries to avoid events arranged by the Tibetan government in exile to mark 60 years in exile of the Dalai Lama.

Dalai Lama is Chinas all-weather separatist and splittist and it was his visit to AP in April that, many say, partly set the dark tone for Sino-Indian ties in the year 2017.

The statements subsequently released by both sides were expectedly civil, talking about addressing differences and being sensitive to each others concerns.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, presenting a gift to mark the 30 years of statehood at the inauguration of the Dorjee Khandu State Convention Centre in Itanagar. (PIB)

Around the same time, in Paris China withdrew its opposition against a US-led move to place Pakistan on the Financial Action Task Forces (FATF) watch list.

It was a reminder of the declaration issued at the end of the BRICS summit held in China in September when the group had bracketed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed with global terror groups Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

So, the layered game of diplomacy between the worlds two most populated nations and neighbours continues: India and China balance decades-old strategic mistrust with diplomacy; balance the disputed border -- the unmarked root of all troubles -- with the promise of bilateral economic potential and balance domestic political compulsions with regional and global obligations.

India watchers here were not willing to comment why Beijing decided to withdraw support for Pakistan, its allweather strategic ally at FATF even if they knew it was for economic and strategic interests in the region crucial to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project under President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative.

They, however, had words of both optimism and caution for Sino-Indian ties.

Managing the relationship between India and China is like rowing a boat against the current  if you dont strive to move forward, you will naturally drift backwards. Cooperation benefits both parties, while confrontation will only hurt both, said Lan Jianxue, associate research fellow of China Institute of International Studies (CIIS).

However, the relationship now seems stuck in a strategic drift, and is running the risk of free falling down. It is, however, still possible for both parties to avoid hostility. A basic consensus on the relationship of the two countries still exists; all we need to do is to refocus on it, Lan Jianxue added.

The Indian foreign secretarys quiet visit to Beijing last week was of great significance as his visit may mark the turning point in bringing bilateral tries back on track, said Wang Dehua, south Asia expert at the Shanghai Municipal Centre for International Studies.

Much more, however, needs to be done to improve ties especially between the two armed forces, keeping in mind that soldiers from both countries are the ones who to have to deal with each other on hostile terrain through the year.

The hand-to-hand anti-terror exercise, which was to be held in China last year, for example, was cancelled because of the military standoff.

The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has held exercises on the high plateaus of the Tibet Autonomous Region and strengthened its forces, especially the air force, by deploying fighter jets along the disputed border.

Since the Donglang standoff, hostility between the militaries of China and India is obviously greater than cooperation. China is very dissatisfied with Indias foxy action, taking advantage of its ties with the US and Japan to contain Chinas posture in the east, said Ni Lexiong a Shanghai-based military expert.

The suspension of the military exercise is a direct consequence of the Donglang incident. It shows that the relations between the two countries and relations between the two armies are abnormal and trustless, Ni added.

Zhang Jiadong, director of the Centre for South Asian Studies at Shanghais Fudan University, cited the recent visit of Gokhale, army chief general Bipin Rawat, and NSA Ajit Doval to Bhutan as part of Indias attempts to prepare Thimpu in case of another military standoff in the region.

At the same time, Zhang was optimistic that a similar incident will not recur and bilateral ties are set to improve this year.

Traditionally, after a bad period, we will have a good period. Both governments are trying their best to have a better relationship this year. So, a state visit between China and India is very likely to happen this year, Zhang said indicating a visit by a top Chinese leader, possible Premier Li Keqiang, to India in 2018.

Modi, meanwhile, is likely to visit the coastal city of Qingdao in China in June for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit where both India and Pakistan will participate for the first time as full members of the group.

A number of high-level visits from India are expected in the run-up to the summit of the SCO, a security organisation led by China.

Interestingly, if the amazing success of Aamir Khans Dangal preceded the Doklam standoff, Khans Secret Superstar  which made some $120 million in China  was a hit here five months after the militaries disengaged.

It has to be remembered that Secret Superstar succeeded despite the Chinese governments concerted anti-India rhetoric through official and online media during and after the Himalayan face-off.

The recent success of Indian films in China shows us that we do share common values and these commonalities could be the basis that we build a healthier and more sustainable relation, Guo Suiyan, who focusses on south Asia at the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences said.

Easier said than done. But for the 2.5 billion people in India and China, bonding over Dangal would likely be more desirable than the dangerous uncertainty that another military standoff like in Doklam could trigger.
TDP president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu will clarify his stand on withdrawing from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre on Wednesday, a day after his partys legislators demanded to pull out from the coalition over the issue of special category status.

Naidu did not speak when all the lawmakers present at the TDP legislative party meeting on Tuesday favoured severing ties with the alliance. However, a party legislator said the chief minister will now take steps to end the alliance.

It will begin with the two central ministers stepping down, most likely on March 10, the party leader, who did not to be named, said.

Sources in the party said the chief minister would consult senior party leaders and the junior minister in the NDA government at the Centre YS Chowdary, who has been conducting negotiations with Union finance minister Arun Jaitley and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah. A delegation from the state met with Jaitley on Monday.

They added that Naidu will make a statement about the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 in the state assembly and may also talk about the future of the partys alliance with the NDA.

In Delhi, the BJP is bracing for what appears imminent parting of ways with the ally.

We are committed to the development of Andhra Pradesh and have done everything possible to help the state government. But, many of their demands are unrealistic, a BJP leader said on the condition of anonymity.

Reports said Jaitley told the delegation from Andhra Pradesh during their meeting on Monday that the Centre could only consider a special package for the state and that granting special category status was out of the question.

Jaitley said many others states, including Bihar and West Bengal, would also make the same demand if backwardness was the criterion and it would not be possible to give such status to many states, the reports added.

The TDPs demand for the special status, which allows tax concessions and 90% central grant as given to the Himalayan states, is the bone of contention. The Centre believes that the demand is unjustified and granting of special status has already been abolished with the implementation of the 14 Finance Commission.

The southern partys MPs have given notices for an adjournment motion in both houses of Parliament demanding a discussion on the act. Both the Houses have been adjourned several times in the past few days over the issue.

Naidu also said he would write letters to all the regional and national parties highlighting the injustices being meted out to Andhra Pradesh by the NDA government at the Centre and seek their cooperation in his fight for justice.

Ties between the BJP and the TDP have come under severe strain after the southern party accused the Centre of making insufficient allocations for Andhra Pradesh in the Budget 2018-19.

Naidu has said he is ready to move a no-confidence motion against the central government with the support of other parties to get justice for the southern state. However, he said such a move will be the last resort.
The armed forces are apolitical, the government told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, weeks after Army chief Bipin Rawats comment that the AIUDF was growing faster than the BJP in Assam sparked a row.

Armed forces in India are apolitical, Subhash Bhamre, minister of state in the Defence Ministry, said in a written response to a question in Parliament.

BJP MPs Manoj Rajoria and Raghav Lakhanpal had asked the government if it was aware of any attempts at the politicisation of the armed forces.

Rawats remarks last month that the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) had been growing faster than the BJP in Assam because of the support of Muslims, with Pakistan and China pushing Bangladeshi migrants into the northeastern part of the country to destabilise India, had stoked a political controversy.

AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal had then tweeted, By making such a statement, the Army chief has indulged in politics which is against the constitutional mandate given to him.
Hours before the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) quit the NDA on Wednesday night, the Union government held out an olive branch to its disgruntled ally by offering to grant Andhra Pradesh funding equivalent to that prescribed by the special category status for a state.

The announcement by finance minister Arun Jaitley came even as the TDP vociferously insisted on special category status  as promised during the states bifurcation in 2014  in Parliament.

Jaitley, in his response, said the provision of such a status is not possible because the 14th finance commission does not permit it for any state other than those in the north-east and three hilly provinces.

Every state in India has the right to central funds in the same manner. It is not sentiment, but the constitutional award of the finance commission which decides the quantum of funds that states get, he added.

While the finance minister admitted that Andhra Pradesh had suffered due to the bifurcation, he insisted on resolving the issue within the framework of the Centre-state relationship.

Provision of the special category status to a state entails that the Union government meet 90% of the funds required for a centrally-sponsored scheme, as opposed to the normal contribution of 60%.

Jaitley said although the Modi government had committed 90% of the funds for centrally sponsored schemes in Andhra Pradesh through other means, the Andhra government wanted funds to be routed through agri-lending bank NABARD.

He said the Centre may agree to that proposition, provided a suitable mechanism was worked out.

Provision of the special category status to Andhra Pradesh had lately become a sore point in the relationship between the BJP and the TDP, which has 16 MPs in the Lok Sabha and six in the Rajya Sabha. Andhra Pradesh goes to the polls in April-May next year, and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu is under immense internal pressure to take a call on continuing support to the NDA.

Political issue cannot increase the quantum of money because the Centre has no free-floating funds, Jaitley said, making light of Congress chief Rahul Gandhis announcement that his party would grant special status to Andhra Pradesh if voted to power.

The finance minister pointed out that while the 14th finance commission raised the share of states in taxes collected by the Centre from 32% to 42%, it clamped down on the practice of providing the special category status.

Instead, we are compensating states that are deficit in terms of revenue because everyone will get a hike of 10% to 42%-plus for a certain period, he said.

Jaitley also referred to a proposal made last month for a special purpose vehicle that would deal with development work in the state.

We are awaiting a response, and I hope it is a positive one, he said.
A statue of Dalit leader BR Ambedkar was vandalised in a village in Uttar Pradeshs Meerut district on Tuesday night, police said on Wednesday, after idols of Communist icon Vladimir Lenin in Tripura were pulled down and a bust of social reformer Periyar damaged in Tamil Nadu.

Circle officer of Mawana UN Mishra said a villager noticed that Ambedkars statue was vandalised and informed the police. Mishra said the police rushed to the spot and pacified the irate residents.

READ MORE: Lenin, Periyar, SP Mookerjee, Ambedkar: Statue attacks the new political flashpoint

We have asked the villagers to lodge an FIR in this connection. Stern action will be initiated against the culprits, Mishra added.

Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Ankur Srivastava, who also rushed to the spot with Mishra, said the damaged 17-inch statue has been replaced and action would be taken against the vandals.

The statue was damaged in the night ... An additional police force has been deployed in the area to avoid any confrontation, Srivastava said.

Fencing will be done around the statue to stop recurrence of such incidents, he added.

Villagers claimed that this was the second time that Ambedkars statue was vandalised. They said his statue was desecrated on August 4 last year and replaced with a new one.

Ambedkars statue was vandalised hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned earlier such incidents in from some parts of the country and warned of stern action against those found guilty.

Modi spoke to Union home minister Rajnath Singh and expressed his strong disapproval of the incidents, a government spokesperson said as members of an ultra-Left student outfit vandalised and defaced a statue of BJP ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee in Kolkata.

MHA (ministry of home affairs) has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents..., the spokesperson said.
An Army jawan was killed and three others were injured in a bomb explosion in Manipurs Tengnoupal district, police said on Wednesday.

The bomb, suspected to have been planted by militants, exploded Tuesday night at Phaisenjang village near the Myanmar border when the jawans were on patrol, the police said.

There were two other explosions in Kamjong and Imphal West districts Tuesday night but there was no report of any casualty, the police added.
Upper-caste Brahmins were assaulted on Wednesday in Chennai after the desecration of a statue of Dravidian icon EV Ramasamy, popular as Periyar, in Vellore in response to a senior BJP leaders inflammatory Facebook post, Tamil Nadu police said.

This happened on a day the Madras high court directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure law and order across the state after vandals desecrated the statue of rationalist leader Periyar on Tuesday evening.

According to police, four people on motorcycles attacked at least eight Brahmins in the Triplicane and Mylapore neighbourhoods of Chennai. These men, allegedly members of the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam, shouted Love live Periyar slogans and cut the sacred threads, or poonal, that the Brahmins wear across their shoulders, said an officer who asked not to be named.

The culprits allegedly chose these two sites, known for the popular Parthasarathy and Kapaleeswara temples, to send the message that they wont tolerate any disrespect to Periyar, the rationalist social reformer who fought for the rights of non-Brahmin Dravidians in southern India.

The four men surrendered in the evening and allegedly told police they were responsible for the violence.

Earlier in the morning, two petrol bombs were thrown at the BJP office in Coimbatore. No one was injured. Police said they took four men into custody for attack.

Police have also arrested BJP worker, identified as Muthuraman, and a CPI leader in connection with the Periyar statue desecration in Vellore. The BJP expelled Muthuraman as the situation remained tense amid protests across the state.

The attack on Brahmins is viewed as a retaliatory move after senior BJP leader H Raja posted, and removed later, remarks that Periyars statues in Tamil Nadu will fall next following communist icon Vladimir Lenins in Tripura.

Raja apologised for his comments, saying his social media team erroneously posted the remarks against Periyar and he had removed the people responsible for it. Damaging statues of Ramasamy cannot be condoned and I do not support this, the BJP leader said.

But most political parties, barring the ruling AIADMK, dismissed his apology. The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) organised a protest rally on Mount Road in Chennai and a large number of supporters courted arrest, demanding immediate arrest of the BJP leader under the goonda law.

Rajas effigies were burnt at several places in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai.

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader Vaiko described the BJP leader as a habitual offender.

Speaking for the government, state fisheries minister D Jayakumar said the matter should be put to rest since Raja has apologised. BJP state unit chief Tamilisai Soundararajan said the remarks were Rajas personal views and he has apologised. The party distanced itself from the controversial comments.

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan described the statue controversy as a ploy to divert peoples attention from real issues such as setting up the Cauvery Management Board for sharing the rivers water with Karnataka. Film star Rajinikanth, another political newcomer, didnt comment.
Congress leader Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan, a former home minister of the state, created a big flutter in the Kerala assembly on Wednesday when he pulled out a dud stun grenade while criticising police action on Youth Congress activists in the state capital last week.

He claimed the police used powerful stun grenades on party workers who were protesting against the murder of Youth Congress activist Shuhaib who was hacked to death allegedly by a group of CPI(M) workers in the trouble-torn distric of Kannur in North Kerala last month. Taking out the grenade from a cover, he said police raj was prevalent in the state.

When ruling legislators protested vehemently, the Congress leader said he brought the grenade, which he said was past its expiry date, the house to show its intensity. Later he handed over the grenade to security personnel.. Ruling MLAs sought action against the legislator and the Speaker later assured them that he would look into it. He said rules did not permit members to carry either explosives or weapons to the House. Later Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also said the member flouted all norms of the House.

This is not the first time such a case is being reported from the Kerala Assembly. In 2012, CPI(M) legislator EP Jayarajan had brought two used tear gas grenades to the House to show police atrocities. against the party cadres. Interestingly, Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan was the home minister then.
From Monday to Wednesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) underwent a quick transformation in its views on vandalising statues.

When images of Lenins statue being brought down emerged on social media on Monday night, there was a sense of jubilation in the BJP camp.

The partys general secretary, Ram Madhav, tweeted: People taking down Lenins statue....not in Russia. It is in Tripura. Chalo Paltai. The last phrase was the BJP slogan in the elections, announcing its determination to change the regime.

It got legitimacy from none other than the Tripura governor, Tathagata Roy, who wears his political credentials on his sleeve and calls himself a right wing socio-political economic thinker and writer. He said on Twitter: What one democratically elected government can do, another democratically elected government can undo. And vice versa. Other party supporters branded it as resistance.

But the party line changed decisively by Wednesday morning. Not only did Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemn the growing instances of vandalism, the home ministry issued strong advisories to states to crack down on such incidents.

BJP president Amit Shah called it extremely unfortunate, and said disciplinary action would be taken against anyone in the party associated with such activities.

The strong stance, party leaders said, came after the realisation that these incidents could be politically costly.

For one, the vandalism was beginning to assume a life of its own. It seemed like we were encouraging lawlessness of some sort when it was not the case at all. We responded quickly to show that the government cannot tolerate anarchy, said a person associated with the party.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yehchuri with other Politburo members Prakash Karat, Suryakanta Mishra, Brinda Karat, Biman Bose and other leaders at a rally in Kolkata. (PTI Photo)

By Wednesday morning, the statue of the partys own icon, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, had been vandalised in West Bengal.

The Tamil Nadu incident, where a BJP leader first said statues of EV Ramasamy Periyar would face the same fate, also led to alarm bells ringing.

Read | Lenin, Periyar, SP Mookerjee, Ambedkar: Statue vandalism the new political flashpoint

Across the state, there was uniform condemnation. The BJP is seeking to make inroads into the state, but has in the past been accused of seeking to impose Hindi. We realise that we were again coming across as insensitive, said the person quoted above.

And then there was the political calculus. The BJP began getting inputs from Uttar Pradesh in particular that this could result in attacks on Ambedkar statues, as was the case in Meerut on Tuesday night. This would then be seen as an anti-Dalit move, and thus could be politically costly, most immediately in the UP bypolls.

Once it decided, the party swung into action. The PMs categorical and unambiguous message set the tone.
Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi blamed on Wednesday good and faster roads in the state for the increase in road accidents.

The roads in Bihar are better than before and people were driving at higher speeds, Modi said in Purnia, 360km northeast of state capital Patna.

Modi was talking to reporters after returning from Narpatganj in neighbouring Araria district where he visited the house of a woman who was among five people killed in an accident Monday.

The bus driver failed to check the speed and the vehicle hit the JCB machine on national highway 57 in Araria, resulting in death of five people, he said.

Such accidents are increasing as the roads of Bihar have become much better. But the government is very much concerned and it will soon come up with safety rules to rein in speed and discipline drivers, he said.

The government has allocated Rs 17,000 crore in the state budget to improve the road infrastructure, he said, adding that six mega bridges would be opened in Bihar soon.

At least nine students of a government school in Muzaffarpur were killed when a speeding SUV ran them over while they were crossing NH-77 on February 25.

Earlier, 10 people were killed and 35 others injured on the outskirts of Patna when a private bus carrying a marriage party overturned on the Patna-Gaya state highway on February 19.
It was a usual scene inside the Haryana assembly on Tuesday as the Opposition and treasury benches indulged in a cycle of slinging match bordering on coarseness and sprinkled with attacks targeting individuals. The acrimony and the resultant commotion led to walkouts  a couple of them symbolic  by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Congress legislators.

Uproar began during the zero hour when assembly speaker Kanwar Pal rejected two adjournment motions on the issues  completion of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal and regularisation of anganwadi workers  proposed by the Congress party and INLD.

Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Kiran Choudhry persistently argued with the speaker over the rejection.

While the INLD MLAs raised anti-government slogans, the Congress legislators gathered in the well of the House to press home their point. When the speaker told them that SYL matter was in the court, the INLD and the Congress benches argued by saying that the Supreme Court had already given the verdict in Haryanas favour but the BJP governments, both at the Centre and the state, failed to get the apex courts order implemented. It has been more than a year since the Supreme Court answered the presidential reference in our favour, Kiran Choudhry said.

Chautala took a swipe at the BJP MLAs from southern Haryana saying that INLD was fighting for their cause but the elected representatives of the region were mute on the issue.

If you (BJP MLAs) make a statement here that SYL does not matter to you, I promise I will not bring up this issue henceforth, Chautala said.

The Chautala-Barala duel

Chautala entered into an argument with the BJP MLA from Tohana, Subhash Barala, after the latter purportedly passed some remarks on the INLD legislators staging a walkout.

How can he point finger at us when we were already on our way out of the House. This is not acceptable, an angry Chautala told the speaker. Barala, meanwhile, clarified that he did not mean to be disrespectful. However, both the BJP and INLD MLAs yelled at each other, adding to the noise levels in the House.

The leader of Opposition made certain oblique remarks about the BJP MLAs, which were later expunged by the speaker. Agriculture minister OP Dhankar, who came to Baralas defence, condemned the expression used by Chautala. Later, the speaker asked Chautala not to make remarks about an individual.

The Pakoda Politics

Earlier during the question hour, Parliamentary affairs minister Ram Bilas Sharma sparked off a meaningless discussion on Congress Pakoda Politics. Before the proceedings began on Tuesday, the Congress MLAs held a protest outside the assembly by selling pakodas (fritters) to ridicule the comparison drawn between pakoda selling and employment.

Taking a dig at Congress MLAs, the minister pointed out that Congress MLA Karan Dalal was busy frying pakodas in spurious cooking oil ignoring his questions during the question hour. Sharma also made a reference to Kiran Choudhry, who protested by saying that minister lacked good manners. Dhankar too joined the discussion saying he will pray to the almighty to bestow good sense on the Congress MLAs.

They have paid a heavy price for ridiculing chai wallahs. But, they havent learnt their lessons and are now targeting people selling pakodas for a living, Dhankar said.

When Khattar went for fritters

While the Congress MLAs were busy with their pakoda protest outside, CM Manohar Lal Khattar stopped by to purchase some. If anyone is getting employment by selling pakodas, its a good thing. They had become unemployed, but now they have got the pakoda-selling job ... a good thing, Khattar said, taking a jibe at the Congress legislators.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government will crush every trouble-making move of the Left-leaning trade unions.

Describing the alleged support of such unions to the recent protests as lal rang ki badmashi (hooliganism by the red colour (party)), the visibly combative chief minister said the ongoing agitation by the anganwadi workers across the state was a testament of protesters getting trapped in the net of lal rang.

The INLD and Congress attempted to ambush the Khattar government over the protests by the anganwadi workers, who have been demanding regularisation of their jobs.

Both Opposition parties started raising this issue soon after the assembly session began. These were competing with each other to emerge as the sole flag-bearer of the cause of the anganwadi workers.

The Opposition benches also managed to corner the treasury benches on this subject, forcing the Khattar government to clear its stand and the haze surrounding the demands of the protesters. The government fielded cabinet minister Kavita Jain to respond to the charges levelled by the Opposition, which accused the government of not fulfilling its election promise.

The BJP manifesto doesnt promise the regularisation of anganwadi workers, Jain, the women and child development minister, said amid noisy protests by the Opposition. The protesters are being misguided by certain political forces, she added.

In a bid to defuse the standoff, finance minister Capt Abhimanyu said government was even releasing the funds related to the share of the Centre to ensure that protesters get their salaries.

As the Opposition did not relent, Khattar made an impromptu statement. Lal rang ki badmashi is state me hum nahin chalne denge, the chief minister said in Hindi. Referring to these trade unions as lal rang (red colour) repeatedly, Khattar said, In West Bengal, a sizeable number of factories were shut because of such unions.

The government, he said, has put anganwadi workers in the skilled and semi-skilled bracket and hiked the monthly wages of skilled anganwadi workers to Rs 11,429. This is the highest in the country, the CM said.

Khattar said two unions of the anganwadi workers had in writing decided to call off their stir on March 1 and welcomed the decisions government had taken.

Now these people (anganwadi workers) are getting trapped in the web of red colour, he told the House and appealed the anganwadi workers to join their work.

At the end of around 50-minute debate over the stir by anganwadi workers, the Congress said the reply of the government was not satisfactory and staged a noisy walkout.
Indian architect Balkrishna Doshi, a pioneer of low-cost housing design, won the prestigious Pritzker Prize on Wednesday, considered architectures Nobel equivalent.

The 90-year-old Doshi -- one of the last living architects to have apprenticed with the Franco-Swiss trailblazer Le Corbusier -- distinguished his work by committing to sustainable architecture and inexpensive housing, bringing modernist design to an India still rooted in traditionalism.

He is the 45th Pritzker laureate and the first from India.

Balkrishna Doshi has always created an architecture that is serious, never flashy or a follower of trends, said the Pritzker jury, which said Doshi has continually exhibited the objectives of architectures highest honor.

Balkrishna Doshi constantly demonstrates that all good architecture and urban planning must not only unite purpose and structure but must take into account climate, site, technique, and craft, along with a deep understanding and appreciation of the context in the broadest sense, the jury said.

Projects must go beyond the functional to connect with the human spirit through poetic and philosophical underpinnings.

Exhibiting an aptitude for art and an acute sense of proportion at a young age, Doshi began studying architecture in 1947, the year India gained independence.

Balkrishna Doshi is the first from India to win architecture's highest honour. (AP Photo)

Working under Le Corbusier, he returned to his native country in 1954 to oversee two of his Modernist gurus projects in Chandigarh and Ahmedabad. The Indian architect also collaborated with Louis Kahn, another of the 20th centurys Modernist giants.

His accomplishments include everything from working on the Indian Institute of Management to designing the Aranya Low Cost Housing bloc in the city of Indore, completed in 1989 in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

The intricate labyrinth of houses, courtyards and internal trails today houses some 80,000 low- and middle-class people, with more than 6,500 units ranging from modest one-bedrooms to spacious homes.

The international prize, established by Chicagos Pritzker family in 1979, bestows laureates with $100,000 along with a bronze medallion.

My works are an extension of my life, philosophy and dreams trying to create treasury of the architectural spirit, Doshi said in a statement thanking the Pritzker jury, in which he also cited the influence of Le Corbusier.

Every object around us, and nature itself -- lights, sky, water and storm -- everything is in a symphony, said Doshi.

This symphony is what architecture is all about.
Karnatakas lokayukta Vishwanath Shetty was stabbed and injured at his office in Bengaluru on Wednesday, allegedly by a man angry over the anti-graft officials refusal to entertain his complaint, police said.

Shetty, who sustained four stab wounds, is said to be out of danger at a local hospital where chief minister Siddaramaiah met him shortly after the incident.

The accused, identified as Tejaraj Sharma, was arrested after he was overpowered by employees of the lokayuktas office.

Sharma, 33, a private furniture supplier from Tumakuru in southeast Karnataka, was said to be angry with the lokayukta who allegedly did not heed his complaints about a local government office, police said. Sharma said he was not awarded contracts because of suspected corruption in the office.

During interrogation he (Sharma) revealed that the lokayukta police dismissed his complaints as untrue, police commissioner T Suneel Kumar said at a press briefing.

He had visited the office around four times in the the past. It was premeditated and, hence, we have registered a case of attempted murder, Kumar said.

Accused Tejas Sharma being taken out of the Karnataka lokayuktas office in Bengaluru on Wednesday. (ANI Twitter)

The commissioner added that a metal detector in the lobby of the building was not functioning and the gunman provided to the lokayukta was waiting outside the cabin.

The office register showed Sharma entering the government complex, known as the Multi-storey Building, at around 12.45pm to meet the lokayukta, which is tasked with probing corruption charges against public servants.

An employee in the lokayukta office, who did not wish to be named, said she heard screams from Shettys chamber around 1.45 pm. Staff rushed into the room immediately and the gunman overpowered Sharma.

A former Karnataka high court judge, Shetty took over as the anti-corruption ombudsman in January 2017 amid allegations by activists who accused him of corruption. His family had allegedly amassed a large number of properties.

The governor had given his go-ahead for Shettys appointment after seeking clarifications from the government.

The southern state remained without a lokayukta following the unceremonious exit of justice Y Bhaskar Rao (retired) in December 2015. His tenure was marred by allegations of corruption and extortion.

BJP leader and Union minister Ananth Kumar blamed the Congress government for Wednesdays incident.

It is unfortunate that in broad daylight, there has been a murderous attack on the lokayukta...This incident shows the deteriorating law and order situation in Karnataka, Kumar said.

In Delhi, another Union minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, too termed the incident a serious issue of law and order.
The Kerala high court on Wednesday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the murder of a Youth Congress leader allegedly by activists of the ruling CPI(M), dealing a blow to the state government that opposed handing over the case to the central agency.

The court rejected the CPI (M)-led governments contention that there was no need for the CBI probe into the case as all accused were arrested, saying there were many loose ends in the inquiry conducted by the state police.

Shuhaib (28) was hacked to death in Kannur last month.

Immediately after the courts order, the Congress demanded resignation of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who also holds the home portfolio.

Shuhaibs parents on whose petition the court gave the order also welcomed the verdict.

While opposing the CBI inquiry, the governments attorney even questioned whether it was proper for a single bench to hear the case.

At that point Justice Kamal Pasha asked the attorney why was the government against a CBI probe if the investigation was on the right track.

On the government counsels argument that all the accused were in police custody, the court asked why weapons used in the murder could not be recovered.

The court said some weapons were recovered without the presence of the accused, which led to suspicion of foul play.

The court also made some scathing observations about recurring political killings in north Kerala. It said in many cases ordinary workers were made victims and those planned and conspired such killings were never brought to book.

Those behind such killings were easily let off the hook and conspiracy angle was never unearthed in political killings in Kannur, it observed.

The courts rap came just hours after chief minister reiterated in the state assembly his governments decision to oppose the CBI probe into the killing.

Initially the government was willing for a CBI probe but later backtracked following the reported pressure from the partys strong Kannur lobby.

Shuhaib, Youth Congress Mattanoor block secretary, was attacked by a group of alleged CPI(M) workers with sharp-edged weapons after hurling country-made bombs on Feb 12. He succumbed to injuries a day after.

The post-mortem revealed that he had received 37 stab wounds.

The murder of the young Congress leader belonging to a minority community caused embarrassment to the party.

Initially the party distanced itself from the cold-blooded murder. But all arrested were found to be active party workers and office-bearers.

The Congress also released photos of some of the accused with the chief minister and CPI (M)s Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan, embarrassing the party further.

Kannur has earned notoriety for clashes between supporters of Left parties and right-wing organisations. More than 200 persons belonging to both, RSS and CPI(M), were killed in the three-decade long bloodbath in north Kerala district.

The district, however, witnessed an attack on a Congress leader after a long time.
The attacks on statues of leaders that started in Tripura are spreading through the country with the latest incident reported from Uttar Pradesh. Statues of Communist, right-wing and anti-caste champions have been targeted in recent days.

The first incident was reported from Belonia in south Tripura, just days after the BJP won the assembly elections, ending the Lefts 25-year rule. This was followed by attacks in Tamil Nadu , West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. Heres a recap:

Remains of a five-feet statue of Lenin that was demolished by a payloader at Belonia in south Tripura district on Monday afternoon. (PTI)

March 5 A statue of Communist icon Vladimir Lenin was toppled with a payloader and another demolished. The second demolition happened earlier but was reported on March 6.

Where Belonia and Sabroom in Tripura

Fallout The incident triggered violence and clashes between the rival BJP and Left parties in different parts of the state. The CPI(M) claimed at least 200 cases of violence against its cadres as well as attacks on its offices.

-----------------

March 6 Dalit icon Dr BR Ambedkars statue vandalised by unidentified people, ANI reported

Where Meeruts Mawana

Fallout Members of the Dalit community held protest and blocked traffic in the morning. The protest ended after the administration assured a new statue would be installed.

A statue of social reformer EVR Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, was vandalised in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. (ANI)

March 6 A mob vandalised a statue of anti-caste champion Periyar, considered the father figure of the rationalist movement in Tamil Nadu, after senior BJP leader H Raja tweeted advocating the destruction of his statues.

Where Vellore in Tamil Nadu

Fallout DMK workers protested against the incendiary tweet by Raja, who later deleted it. The BJP worker  R Muthuraman  who defaced Periyars statue was expelled by the party. Petrol bombs were thrown at the BJP office in Coimbatore. Three members of the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TDPK) have been arrested for the Coimbatore attack, reported ANI.

Madras high court directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide protection to statues of all the leaders and advised it to ensure that there should not be a breakdown of law and order.

The vandalised bust of BJP ideologue SP Mookerjee in Kolkata. (Samir Jana/HT)

March 7 Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjees statue vandalised in Kolkata by six students allegedly belonging to Jadavpur University. The six are members of the Radical, believed to be a pro-Maoist students body.

Where Kolkata

Fallout Local Trinamool workers soon gathered at the spot, which is close to chief minister Mamata Banerjees Kalighat residence, and stopped the vandals. All six have been arrested. The state administration is preparing to repair the statue.

What political leaders had to say

Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly disapproved incidents of vandalism of statues in certain parts of the country and spoke to home minister Rajnath Singh on the matter.

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu described as shameful and mad the incidents of attacks on statues of iconic leaders in Tripura, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

BJP president Amit Shah I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge There is no tolerance in them. The government which is intolerant cannot be democratic. To run a democracy, they have to be tolerant. This is what the Constitution says. Unless there is liberty, equality, fraternity and tolerance, the government cannot be run in a democratic way.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar We live in a democracy and have various ideologies. I condemn such attack on statues and incidents of violence.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee What kind of politics is this? Today they are pulling down Lenins statue, tomorrow they will do the same with Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and Birsa Mudas statue. Till the time I am alive, I will not tolerate this and will continue to protest against these practices.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury We have severely condemned the manner in which our party offices, comrades and mass organisations were attacked and their houses burnt in the last 24 hours in Tripura. These attacks have been unleashed by the RSS and BJP along with the IPTF (Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura), which won the elections. In Belonia, they have brought down a statue of Lenin.

DMK leader Stalin No one can dare to touch Periyars statue in the state.

Home minister Rajnath Singh I appeal to everyone, all parties, that anyone indulging in such acts should be dealt with strictly. These incidents can never be justified.
From West Bengal to Tamil Nadu to Uttar Pradesh, India witnessed a rash of attacks on statues, prompted by the toppling of a Vladimir Lenin statue in Tripura on Monday. Some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members on Tuesday came out in support of the toppling of the Lenin statue but changed their tune after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he disapproved of such incidents.

Following a conversation between Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the ministry of home affairs sent out an advisory to the states asking them to prevent such incidents, according to a government statement. Later on Wednesday, the ministry issued a second advisory, asking the states to promptly investigate all such attacks. It asked states to make district magistrates and senior superintendents of police personally responsible for law and order in the context of the attacks.

WEST BENGAL

Kolkata: A group of students allegedly defaced a bust of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee in south Kolkata on Wednesday morning.

The students allegedly walked up to the Keoratala crematorium, where the statue is located, shouting slogans against the toppling of a statue of Russian communist leader Lenin in Tripuras Belonia on Monday. They used a hammer to chip away the right ear and eye of the bust and one student defaced it with black ink, police said. The Jana Sangh is the progenitor of the BJP.

Six male and one female (age 22-29) who tried to deface the bust of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee have been arrested from the spot by Kolkata Police and strong legal action initiated. No vandalism would be tolerated, tweeted Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar. Four of the seven are students of Jadavpur University and at least one is suspected to have links with extremist Maoist groups, police said. The accused are in police custody, facing charges of rioting, criminal conspiracy and destruction of property.

The ruling Trinamool Congress condemned the incident. We wont tolerate it on the soil of Bengal. We have suffered a lot at the hands of CPI(M) supporters, but we never dreamed of vandalising statues of Lenin, said power minister and local legislator Sovandeb Chatterjee.

Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party president Dilip Ghosh targeted students of Jadavpur University, which has a long tradition of Left politics on its campus. If you want to raise slogans in favour of Kashmir ki azadi (freedom for Kashmir), do it inside the campus. If you want to bring your slogans outside, we will distort?? your figure, said Ghosh.

UTTAR PRADESH

Meerut: A statue of Indias first law minister and Dalit icon BR Ambedkar was vandalised by unidentified people in Uttar Pradeshs Meerut district, police said on Wednesday.

The statue was vandalised in Mawana Khurana village on Tuesday night and a villager alerted the police, said circle officer UN Mishra. News agency ANI reported that the Dalit community blocked roads and held protests that were called off after assurances from the district administration.

We have asked the villagers to lodge an FIR (first information report) in this connection. Stern action will be initiated against the culprits, Mishra said. Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Ankur Srivastava said the damaged statue had been replaced and action would be taken against the vandals.

The statue was damaged in the night and we have replaced it with a new one. Additional police force has been deployed in the area to avoid any confrontation, Srivastava said. Fencing will be done around the statue to stop recurrence of such incidents.

Residents alleged that the Ambedkar statue in the village was also vandalised on August 4 last year and was replaced with a new one.

The BJP suggested that rival parties were behind the incident. The culprits should be identified and punished, said West UP president of the party, Ashwani Tyagi. The Congress blamed the BJP.

Great leaders remain in the heart of people and influence them, said Samajwadi Partys district president Rajpal Singh, demanding punishment for the vandals.

TAMIL NADU

Chennai: Unidentified bike-riding men threw petrol bombs at a BJP office in Tamil Nadus Coimbatore early on Wednesday, allegedly in response to a statue of social activist and rationalist leader EVR Periyar being vandalised on Tuesday night in Tamil Nadus Vellore, according to the state police.

No one was injured and there was no major damage to the party office located at VKK Salai in Coimbatore city. Three people have surrendered in connection with the incident, which happened around 3.30am, and they were arrested, the police told PTI.

In Chennai, four activists of the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam attacked Brahmins near the famous Parthasarathy temple in Triplicane and cut off their holy threads. According to the police, some eight people were attacked by the bike-borne men, who also shouted slogans Periyar vazhga, vazhga (long live Periyar).

Later in the evening, the four surrendered to the police.

On Tuesday, the Periyar statue was vandalised hours after political parties in the state raised a storm of protests against BJP national secretary H Rajas alleged statement that after the toppling of the Lenin statues in Tripura, it was the turn of Periyar statues in Tamil Nadu. Raja has regretted the statement and said it was published on his Facebook page without his permission.

The state police said two persons were arrested in connection with the incident that took place around 9pm on Tuesday. One of them was identified as a BJP worker, Muthuraman; the other person is from the Communist Party of India (CPI), the police said.

A revered figure in Tamil Nadu politics, Periyar, born Venkata Ramasamy in Erode, fought against the caste system. The vandals reportedly damaged the nose and glasses of the Periyar statue located inside the Tirupathur corporation.

The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) demanded Rajas arrest. Members of the DMK, Left parties and the Dravida Kazhagam (DK) burnt effigies of Raja. Reports of protests also came in from Pallavaram, Thanjavur, Mannargudi, Erode, Salem, Karaikudi and Tiruchirapally. No one can dare to touch EVRs statue, said DMK working president MK Stalin.

BJP state unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan sought to distance the party from the controversy. It is his (Rajas) personal view and not that of the party, said Soundararajan. Tamil Nadus ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, however, has remained silent over the issue.
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik inducted the owners of two regional media houses into his Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday and picked both as party candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections on March 23.

The chief minister announced the candidatures of Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, editor of Odia daily Sambad, and Achyuta Samanta, founder of the Kalinga Institue of Industrial Technology and owner of Kalinga TV, hours after welcoming them to the BJD.

The two media owners joined the BJD less than two months after the CM suspended party MP Baijayant Panda for alleged anti-party activities. Panda has described the allegations as false and baseless. Pandas wife owns Odisha TV (OTV), one of the most widely watched channels in the state.

The CM chose party MLA Prashant Nanda, a former Odia cine star, as the partys other candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls. Incidentally, the CM had dropped Nanda as higher education minister in 2001 amid allegations of corruption.

The CM described Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, 66, and Samant, 54, as tremendous assets to the BJD, which is facing an increasingly assertive Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the build-up to the Lok Sabha and assembly elections that would be held simultaneously in Odisha.

Soumya Ranjan Patnaik is the son-in-law of three-time Odisha chief minister Janaki Ballabh Patnaik and was in Congress till 2013, when the party expelled him. His elder brother, Niranjan Patnaik, is a former state Congress president. His media operations include a TV channel and an FM radio station. He also has six jatra troupes.

Asked if his move to the BJD was with an eye on a Rajya Sabha berth, Soumya Ranjan Patnaik said, I have not set any terms and conditions. I will continue my work for resolving issues of duped chit fund investors, and farmers of the state.

Soumya Ranjan Patnaik has had a chequered political journey. He contested the Bhubaneswar assembly election in 1995 on a BJP ticket against the CMs father, Biju Patnaik. He lost and soon quit the BJP to join the Congress. In 1996, he fought the Lok Sabha poll from Bhubaneswar on a Congress ticket and won. In the 1998 Lok Sabha election, he lost from Bhubaneswar, this time fighting on a BJP ticket. He joined Sharad Pawars Nationalist Congress Party in 1999, but was back in the Congress. Since 1998, he has lost every election, including the 2014 assembly election from Khandapara in Nayagarh district.

On the other hand, this is Samantas maiden foray into politics. He said the CMs pro-people efforts and social commitment were his reasons for joining the BJD. In the last 20 years that I have seen him (Naveen Patnaik), I have been inspired by his honesty.

Samanta is also the founder of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, known as the biggest tribal university in India.

Rajya Sabha elections are due for three seats in Odisha as the tenure of three members, BJDs AU Singh Deo and Dilip Tirkey, and BJD-supported Independent AV Swami, is coming to an end in the first week of April.
The results of Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya have further increased the national footprint of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A rise in the number of MLAs will also help the BJP in increasing its seats in the Rajya Sabha (RS), where the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) still lacks a majority. While the NDA will definitely add to its current strength of 83 RS seats, it will still be short of a majority until the 2019 elections.

A total of 61 RS seats will come up for election between now and the 2019 general elections, according to Rajya Sabhas retirement list. This figure includes seats held by four nominated members. These seats are spread over 17 states. The BJP currently holds 17 of these 61 seats while the Congress has 14. Other NDA allies account for six seats among these 61. Fifty-eight RS seats are scheduled for elections on March 23 , 2018.

These include seats other than those in the retirement list as members have resigned before the completion of their terms.

See Chart 1(party-wise and state-wise)

Calculations by Hindustan Times suggest that the BJP alone could add 10 or more seats to its current RS tally of 58 before the 2019 general elections. The gains will be much more for the NDA.

Elections to the RS work differently from the first past the post (FPTP) system, which is applied in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

The number of votes (N) a candidate requires to get elected is calculated using the following formula: N= (T/(S+1)) +1, where T is the number of voters and S is the number of seats up for elections.

Under normal circumstances, T will be the total number of MLAs in an assembly. An example will make it clear: Nine RS members from Uttar Pradesh are retiring on April 2, 2018. So the number of votes required for each candidate to win will be 41.3 (403/10 + 1).

Basic calculations suggest that the BJP and its allies have the required numbers to win half of the 61 RS seats which go to polls before the 2019 general elections.

The Congress and the Samajwadi Party will be the biggest losers in these elections.

The Congress will find it difficult to retain even half of the 17 seats where its members are retiring. The SP has six out of nine RS MPs from Uttar Pradesh who will retire in 2018. On its own it can get just one member re-elected.

BJPs biggest gains will be in Uttar Pradesh, where it will win at least seven out of the nine seats. It will lose some in the states of Gujarat and Karnataka.

See Chart 2 (required votes and BJP position)

These numbers could change somewhat depending on the degree of opposition unity and the behaviour of independents and even BJP allies such as the Telugu Desam Party and Shiv Sena in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra.

Voters (MLAs) also have the option of preferential voting, where they can rank candidates in order of preference. If all seats are not filled by first preference votes, subsequent preferences are taken into account. We have not accounted for such eventualities in our calculations.

Under its present leadership, the BJP has earned a reputation for pulling out all stops when it comes to RS elections and state government formations. It will not be surprising if the NDA aims for winning more seats than what these calculations suggest.

The wins will leave the NDA with 88 seats in the 250-member Rajya Sabha, short of the majority of 126. According to the RS website, there are currently 239 members in the upper house. For getting a majority in the RS, the BJP will have to wait till 2020 when 73 seats will open up for re-election. And that will happen provided the BJP does not suffer any drastic reversals in many states which go to polls before 2020.
Ahle Hadith, a large Sunni Muslim sect that emulates the ultra-orthodox Salafist brand of Islam, is set to declare terror tactics and the Islamic State (IS) as un-Islamic through a fatwa or a religious edict at an Islamic conference here on March 9-10, the bodys chief said on Wednesday.

In 2007, the influential Darul Uloom seminary in UPs Deoband had issued a similar anti-terror declaration, but this is the first time that a prominent religiously conservative group closely identified with Salafists will rule against the IS.

The fatwa has been endorsed by 40 senior scholars associated with the New Delhi-based Markazi Jamiat Ahle-Hadees Hind, the main body representing the sect, Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mahadi Salafi, the groups leader told HT.

Salafi said the edict is a public reiteration of an extraordinary fatwa passed against the self-made caliphate of Daesh on February 15, 2015. IS is popularly known as Daesh in Arabic.

A small number of Indians are believed to have joined IS and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has officially implicated the group for inspiring a train explosion in Madhya Pradesh on March 7, 2017.

Ahle Hadith was founded as a 19th century Islamic movement in north India.

Salafism is cited by several analysts as the ideological precept guiding the al-Qaeda and other jihadist organisations. This is to prevent our youth from being lured by the ISIS... Salafi said. An estimated 40,000 madrasas, or theological schools, in the country are affiliated to the Ahle Hadith sect.

Many Muslim social organisations have disavowed terrorism in recent years. I think its our Constitution, our judiciary and civil society which are great avenues of justice. This makes the Indian Islamic model the only pragmatic and workable model... said Akhtarul Wassey, former head of Islamic Studies at Delhis Jamia Millia Islamia.
Unidentified bike-borne miscreants threw petrol bombs at a BJP office in Tamil Nadus Coimbatore early Wednesday, hours after a statue of social reformer EVR Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, was vandalised in the southern state.

No one was injured and there was no major damage to the office located at VKK Salai in Coimbatore city, police said.

Three people have surrendered in connection with the incident and they were arrested, the police told PTI.

The suspects -- identified as Balan, Jeevanantham and Goutham -- are said to be members of the Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (TPDK). They surrendered in two police stations.

At around 3.30am, four people came on two bikes, hurled two fire bombs and escaped before a guard could catch them, police said. They seemed to know the area well as they made sure that their faces were not caught on CCTVs.

Police have stepped up security of BJP offices in the state after protests erupted over senior leader H Rajas Facebook post -- which has since been deleted  that talked about Periyar statues meeting the same fate as that of Lenin in Tripura.

Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India?... Lenins statue has been removed in Tripura. Today it is Lenins statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic EVR Ramasamy, he posted.

Raja was reacting to widespread outrage over toppling of a Lenin statue by alleged BJP supporters in South Tripuras Belonia on Monday, two days after the BJP and its allies scored a stunning win to end 25 years of Left rule in the northeastern state.

Late on Tuesday, reports emerged of one more statue being vandalised in another Tripura town.

Police have stepped up vigil near BJP offices after protests broke out against its senior leader H Raja for his statement on the Periyar statue.

(With agency inputs)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condemned incidents of vandalism reported from some parts of the country and warned of stern action against those found guilty.

Modi spoke to home minister Rajnath Singh and expressed his strong disapproval of the incidents, a government spokesperson said even as reports of another statue being defaced in West Bengal emerged.

MHA (ministry of home affairs) has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents..., the spokesperson said.

BJP chief Amit Shah had a warning for party workers. I have spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party, Shah tweeted.

The BJP chief was talking about party supporters being blamed for toppling the statue of Lenin in a town in Tripura, where the party and its allies swept to power ending 25 years of left rule on March 3.

A Facebook post, which has since been deleted, by senior Tamil Nadu party leader H Raja talked about Periyar statues meeting the same fate as that of Lenin in Tripura.

Who is Lenin and what is the connection between Lenin and India?... Lenins statue has been removed in Tripura. Today it is Lenins statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic EVR Ramasamy, he had posted on Tuesday, referring to social reformer popularly known as Periyar.

A few hours later, a Periyar statue was vandalised in Vellore and petrol bombs thrown at BJP office in Coimbatore.

In West bengal, members of an ultra-Left student outfit vandalised and defaced a statue of BJP ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Police arrested six members of the Radical, believed to be a pro-Maoist students body formed in Jadavpur University four years ago, over the incident at South Kolkatas Tollygunge.

According to a senior home ministry official, Singh spoke to Tripura governor Tathagata Roy after he appeared to justify the toppling of Lenins statue in South Tripura district.

What one democratically elected government can do another democratically elected government can undo. And vice versa, the governor had tweeted.

Responding to reports of Singhs intervention, Roy had tweeted, The Governor has received no such written communication from the Union Home Minister

Later on Tuesday Roy tweeted, I am advised that pulling down statues (Lenins or anyone elses) unless done by lawfully empowered authorities, qualify as Mischief under Indian Penal Code. They are bailable and non-cognizable offences. Trying to blow them up to something like rioting or murder is unwarranted.
Authorities on Wednesday imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar and Shopian district to maintain law and order in view of a strike and a protest march called by separatists against shifting of Kashmiri prisoners out of the Valley and killings in a firing incident on Sunday.

Restrictions have been imposed in seven police station areas of Srinagar and the entire Shopian district, a police official said here.

He said strict restrictions under Section 144 CrPc have been imposed in Shopian and in Nowhatta, Rainawari, Khanyar, Safakadal and M R Gunj police station areas of Srinagar.

Partial restrictions were in force in Maisuma and Kralkhud areas of the city, the official said.

He said curbs have been imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in view of the strike called by separatists.

Separatists Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) have called for a strike and a march to Shopian in south Kashmir to protest the killing of six persons, including two militants, in Sundays firing incident in Shopians Pahnoo area.

The JRL had called for a complete shutdown today against the shifting of Kashmiri prisoners to jails outside the valley. After the killings in Shopian, the separatists called for a march to Shopian as well.

While the Army has said the slain youth were militants and their overground workers, police has said they are investigating the incident.

Meanwhile, normal life was affected elsewhere in the city here as most of the shops, business establishments and fuel stations were shut, while public transport was off the roads, the official said.

He, however, said private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying in the areas of the city where there were no restrictions.

The official said similar reports were received from other district headquarters of the valley.

Police has issued an advisory for citizens, seeking their cooperation and asking them not to pay heed to rumours in the wake of restrictions.
Members of an ultra-Left student outfit vandalised and defaced a statue of BJP ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Police arrested six members of the Radical, believed to be a pro-Maoist students body formed in Jadavpur University four years ago, over the incident at South Kolkatas Tollygunge.

The incident follows toppling of statues of Communist icon Vladimir Lenin in Tripura and damaging of a bust of social reformer Periyar in Tamil Nadu.

Police and eyewitnesses said around 8am, a group of six students, including a woman, arrived near Mookerjees statue adjacent to the Keoratala crematorium, and damaged it.

They shouted slogans against the demolition of Lenins statues in Tripura, where BJP on March 3 won a historical election to end 25-years of Communist rule.

The students were also carrying placards that proclaimed their identity as members of the Radical.

#Correction West Bengal: Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee's bust was vandalized in Kolkata's Kalighat pic.twitter.com/BENhueIgiK  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018

According to Jadavpur University students, the group was led by Abhisekh Mukherjee, a former student of the institution. The police earlier alleged that Mukherjee was an associate of Maoist leader Kishenji.

The students used a hammer to break the right ear and right eye of Mookerjees statue. One of the students defaced it with black ink, police said.

Local Trinamool workers soon gathered at the spot, which is not far from chief minister Mamata Banerjees Kalighat residence, and stopped the vandals. They also informed the local police station.

State administration is preparing to repair the statue.

Power minister and ruling Trinamool Congress MLA Sovandeb Chatterjee, who rushed to the spot, condemned the incident, saying such act of vandalism would not be tolerated.

He also lauded police for prompt action in arresting the miscreants.

On Tuesday Bengal chief minister condemned the demolition of Lenins statues by BJP supporters in Tripura, asserting she would not tolerate such actions in her state despite her partys bitter rivalry with the CPI(M).

I will not tolerate the demolition of Lenins statue. The CPI(M) may be our opponents and Lenin is not my leader. But that does not mean I shall accept demolition of statues of Marx and Lenin, she had said at a public rally in Bankura district.

Meanwhile, a senior BJP leader claimed that both Tripura and Kolkata incidents were the handiworks of Communists.

In Tripura Communists broke the statue of Lenin to gain sympathy. In Bengal, too, Communists vandalised the statue of Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Nothing is beyond them. BJP supporters do not need to demolish statues of Communist leaders, for the Communists are withering away, said Rahul Sinha, BJP, national secretary and former president of Bengal BJP.

In 1951 SP Mookerjee founded Jana Sangh that was the precursor of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
A CBI court in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday acquitted Catholic priest Father Jose Poothrukayil in the murder of Sister Abhaya while ordering a nun and another priest to face trial in the 26-year-old case.

Sister Abhaya, a plus-two student, was found dead in a well on the premises of the Pius X Convent in Kottayam in 1992. It was initially described as a case of suicide by crime branch, but the CBI later concluded that it was a murder.

Besides, Father Jose, the investigating agency booked Father Thomas Kottoor and Sister Sefi.

All the three accused had moved the court with discharge petitions.

Hearing their pleas, the court ruled that there was no evidence against Father Jose and removed him from the accused list, but two others will have to face the trial.

The CBI has charged all three with murder, destruction of evidences and other offences.

It is gods grace that my innocence is proved after 26 years, said Father Jose after the verdict.

Two months ago, the court had made former crime branch superintendent of police K T Michael an accused in the case for allegedly destroying evidences.

Michael had initially probed the case and concluded that it was a case of suicide. Later Sister Abhayas dress and diary were submitted in a local court as exhibits from the crime scene. But these exhibits were allegedly destroyed before the CBI took up the case.

According to the CBI chargesheet, on the fateful day Abhaya got up early for her studies and went to the kitchen to wash her face.

There she reportedly witnessed some immoral activities involving two priests and a nun. She was killed fearing that she might spill the beans. She was first attacked with an axe and later dumped in the well.

Though the sensational case created enough ripples in the state, the church stood by the accused saying they were innocent.

There were allegations that a senior Congress leader from the state and a former judge of the Supreme Court had tried to scuttle the investigation.

The case was delayed inordinately citing many issues.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) would soon clear the air on whether KT Naveen Kumar, who is in police custody, is involved in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, Karnataka home minister Ramalinga Reddy said on Wednesday.

The SIT will answer it as early as possible, he said, when asked whether the police have picked up the right person in the case.

The SIT, probing the murder of the journalist-activist on September 5 last year, had recently taken Kumar into custody.

His family has said he was innocent and in no way connected to the case.

Reddy said the SIT has been pursuing its investigation and the government does not want to interfere in it.

The investigation is coming to an end, he said.

Reddy had said on September 9 that the SIT had gathered some clues in connection with the case.

The state government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) BK Singh, has announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the perpetrators of the crime.

The Lankesh family pleaded against giving a political colour to the case.

It has said the investigators should look into all angles, as reports had emerged about a possible Maoist hand in the crime other than the suspected involvement of right-wing extremists.

Lankesh (55), who was known as an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unidentified assailants at her home in Bengaluru.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday described as shameful and mad incidents of attacks on statues of iconic leaders in Tripura, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

The comments from Naidu, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, came after alleged BJP supporters razed a statue of Lenin soon after the BJP wrested power from the Left.

In Tamil Nadu, a statue of iconic Dravidian leader Periyar was vandalised while a statue of Jana Sangh leader Syama Prasad Mookerjee was targeted in West Bengal.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar said, We live in a democracy and have various ideologies. I condemn such attack on statues and incidents of violence.
Technology finally did him in. Mufti Waqas, the operational commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, who masterminded the attack on the army camp in Sunjuwan on February 10, was finally tracked down to a house in Kashmir Valleys Awantipora and shot dead after a two-hour encounter.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police had been hunting for him after the Sunjuwan attack that killed six soldiers and one civilian. It was sure of his involvement in the strike on the army camp after it intercepted conversations between him and the three terrorists who stormed the camp on the outskirts of Jammu.

Waqas, believed by officials to have infiltrated the Valley from Pakistan in mid-2017 was a key associate of Jaish chief, Masood Azhar, who was responsible for the attack on the air force base in Pathankot in January 2016.

SP Vaid, director general, Jammu and Kashmir Police, confirmed that the Sunjuwan terrorists were in touch with their handler, Waqas, during the terror strike that lasted over 48 hours.

The terrorists were communicating with a Pakistani national who they were reporting to in the Valley, Vaid said on February 13. He confirmed on Tuesday that the Pakistani national was Waqas, who was eliminated in an encounter Monday night. He was the one communicating with the terrorists, Vaid confirmed.

According to police officials, Waqass elimination is a big step in the fight against militancy because he is believed to have been instrumental in indoctrinating two local Kashmiri militants who carried out a suicide attack on a CRPF camp in South Kashmirs Lethpora on December 31.

The only other time a local blew himself up was in April 2000 when 17-year-old Afaq Ahmad Shah drove a stolen Maruti car laden with explosives into the high-security barrier of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps headquarter.

Waqass phone was being intercepted even before the Sunjuwan attack, a police official who did not want to be identified, revealed. The police, however, were not aware of the Sunjuwan terror attack till his voice surfaced once again after the army camp came under attack.
Senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu H Raja on Wednesday issued an apology for his remarks on social reformer EVR Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, on Facebook and said that the comment that sparked a controversy in the state was posted by an administrator without his permission.

Raja had said Periyars statues in Tamil Nadu will meet the same fate after Communist leader Lenins statue was razed in Tripura, where the Bharatiya Janata Party swept to power on March 3 and ended over two decades of Left rule.

The remark has since been deleted from Facebook as well as Twitter.

Damaging statues of Ramsamy (Periyar) is not agreeable, Raja said in his new post, expressing heartfelt regret if his post had hurt anyones sentiments.

Which is why, I have removed the same, Raja said in his post written in Tamil on Facebook.

The BJPs central leadership also swung into action to limit the damage to the party in the key southern state that sends 39 legislators to the Lok Sabha. It has found it difficult to make inroads in Tamil Nadu, which has been choosing between the two Dravidian parties since the late sixties.

BJP does not subscribe to any kind of provoking or disrespectful statements and actions of vandalism towards leaders like Periyar. We condemn outrightly those people who are indulging in such actions, the saffron partys general secretary P Muralidhar Rao tweeted.

But, political parties across Tamil Nadu refused to accept Rajas apology and said that action must be taken against him in accordance with the law.

State Communist Party of India leader TK Rangarajan condemned Raja for his statement and said his retraction or apology is not the issue. He said it is the thought that is dangerous and must be thwarted at all costs, and added that Rajas remarks only show what the BJP thinks of everyone else.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader K Balakrishnan said the BJPs central and state leadership was distancing itself saying that it was an individual view and not that of the party cannot be accepted.

Is the BJP not responsible for what their party persons say? The apology coming so late after furore across the state only betrays the real intention of the party, he added.

Congress leader Peter Alphons alleged that the BJP was preparing the ground for a civil war in the country and declared that his party was not ready to accept Rajas apology or retraction of his statement.

It must be noted that there has been no reaction from the BJP headquarters over a statement by its national leader that statues of Periyar were next after removal of Lenin statues in Tripura, the Congress leader said, wondering why no action was taken by the BJP against Raja.

VCK leader Ravi Kumar said this is not the first time that Raja tried to incite passions. ... He is a habitual offender ... There appears to be a sinister design of the BJP to disrupt peace in Tamil Nadu, Kumar added.

The AIADMK-led government, however, tried to downplay the incident.

State fisheries minister D Jayakumar told reporters that there is no issue after Raja apologised and withdrew his remarks.

The government will take action against anyone trying to indulge in vandalism, he said, and added that there was no need for action against Raja.

It has provided protection to several Periyar statues located in different district headquarters and main towns in the state after Rajas comments.

Police have also stepped up security at BJP offices in the state after protests erupted over Rajas Facebook post.

Four unidentified men on motorcycles threw petrol bombs at a BJP office in Tamil Nadus Coimbatore early on Wednesday, hours after a statue of Periyar was vandalised in the southern state.

No one was injured and there was no major damage to the office located at VKK Salai in the city, police said.

The police added they are examining the CCTV footage and investigating the incident and formed two teams to nab the culprits.

Two people were arrested in Vellore late on Tuesday night for desecrating a Periyar statue at Thirupattur corporation office in Vellore district.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) said on Wednesday that its ministers would quit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre after failing in its bid to secure special category status for Andhra Pradesh.

The decision came amid a persistent deadlock between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which leads the NDA, and the TDP over the issue, with the latter stalling Parliament for the third consecutive day. The Narendra Modi government refused to give in to the demand while making placatory gestures towards its largest ally in southern India.

The TDP announced that its two ministers in the Modi government, aviation minister P Ashok Gajapati Raju and junior minister for science and technology YS Chowdhury, would quit.

Before the announcement, TDP leaders said the BJP had pushed them to a position where taking a tough stand was the only option left. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said he will take a call on whether or not to remain in the NDA before the second leg of the budget session ends.

The TDP has 16 members in the Lok Sabha and six in the Rajya Sabha. To be sure, the BJP and the NDA have a comfortable majority, and the threatened pullout of TDP from the coalition would pose no crisis for the government.

As a first step, both our central ministers will resign from the Narendra Modi cabinet on Thursday morning, Naidu told journalists late in the night. With regard to alliance with the BJP, we will decide on party-to-party basis later, he said.

Naidu made the announcement after discussions with his partys members of Parliament in Delhi through teleconference and his own cabinet ministers in the state secretariat in Amaravati, following an announcement by Union finance minister Arun Jaitley in Delhi categorically ruling out special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

Naidu said Jaitleys statement clearly indicated that the NDA government was not interested in resolving the crisis in Andhra Pradesh and coming to the rescue of the state, which, he said, had suffered in the aftermath of its 2014 bifurcation. When the purpose of our joining the government is not served, we dont have any option but to come out of it, he said.

He said that as a courtesy, he called up the Prime Ministers Office to inform Modi of the decision. I could not reach the prime minister on phone. Our officials informed the PMO of the decision, the chief minister said.

Politicians in the TDP familiar with the situation said the party had weighed several options, such as pulling out of the NDA, MPs resigning and ministers quitting the government, and it was decided that the divorce should be a step-by-step process.

TDP leaders said pulling out ministers would send a signal to the BJP and will keep its hopes of special category status for Andhra Pradesh alive. If the demand is not met even after pulling out the ministers, the TDP will consider quitting the ruling coalition.

In New Delhi earlier in the day, the Centre tried to pacify its ally, saying every commitment made during the 2014 bifurcation of the state to create Telangana would be honoured. We are committed to giving monetary equivalent to special status to Andhra Pradesh, finance minister Jaitley said.

The minister said the special category status existed when the state was bifurcated, but such treatment is now constitutionally restricted to just the North-Eastern states and the three hilly states after the implementation of the 14th Finance Commission recommendations.

Jaitley said the Centre is committed to funding all of Andhra Pradeshs programmes to the tune of 90%, which is equivalent to the aid special category states get, through other means like external agencies. The Centre, he added, is even willing to accept the state governments suggestion of routing such funds through the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

At meetings last month, the Centre suggested creation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV; a company created for a specific purpose) with the funds from NABARD going into it. Jaitley said the Andhra Pradesh government is yet to come back on the modalities of such a transfer.

The TDP also has to deal with rival YSR Congress Party headed by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has announced that his party MPs will resign from Parliament on April 6, the last day of the second leg of the budget session, if the demand for special category status is not met by April 5.

YSR Congress won 8 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha election and remains TDPs main rival in Andhra Pradesh, a state which Chandrababu Naidu won from the Congress after 10 years. Jagan Mohan Reddy has made special category status an election issue for the party.

Of the total 175 assembly constituencies, the TDP won 102 seats in 2014. It doesnt have to depend on the support of the four BJP legislators to maintain a majority, an advantage that Naidu wants to leverage.

Naidu blamed state BJP leaders for launching a counter-attack on his government, rather than taking up the states issues with the Centre. You cannot run away from your responsibility by attacking us. The 130-year-old Congress party was completely routed from AP for hurting the sentiments of the people. If you continue to hurt our sentiments by denying the special category status, which is our right, you will have to meet the same fate, he said.

The BJP has two ministers in the Naidu government -- health minister Kamineni Srinivas and endowments minister P Manikyala Rao  and they will have to quit if he announces a parting of ways with the NDA. We are ready to get out of the state cabinet within minutes of getting the directions from the party leadership in Delhi, Srinivas said.
A teenager has been arrested for allegedly sodomising a three-year-old girl in Bundelkhands Tikamgarh district earlier this week.

According to a complaint lodged by the victims grandmother with the Kotwali police on Tuesday, the girl had stepped out of the house to play the previous day when she was sexually assaulted by 19-year-old Ashish Upadhyay from Uttar Pradesh. When she returned, the girl said Upadhyay had done something that was making her bleed, it added.

Kotwali SHO Naval Arya said a police team was formed within hours of the complaint being lodged, following which Upadhyay was arrested from Niwari village in Uttar Pradeshs Lalitpur. Police have filed a case under section 377 (unnatural sex) of the Indian Penal Code, besides various provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international working president Pravin Togadia escaped unhurt on Wednesday when a truck hit his vehicle from behind near Kamrej in Surat district, police said.

A truck hit the vehicle carrying Togadia and another person, about a kilometre away from the Kamrej town, when he was on his way to Surat to attend a function. Togadia escaped unhurt and we have seized the truck and arrested its driver, Surat rural superintendent of police MK Nayak said.

Togadia claimed he could have been killed had his SUV not been bullet-proof, and alleged that his Z-plus security was weakened deliberately by the Gujarat government.

Had the vehicle in which I was travelling not been bullet-proof, not a single person travelling in it could have survived, he said.

Togadia said that as per the Z-plus security protocol, he was earlier provided a pilot vehicle to move ahead of his car, an escort vehicle and an ambulance behind it, and a vehicle on one side.

This was the first time that while there was a police vehicle piloting our vehicle, no escort vehicle was provided behind our vehicle, as per directions from Gandhinagar, he alleged.

No information regarding this was given deliberately to the police. I would like to ask why this was so? In this situation, a truck hit my vehicle. After the truck hit our vehicle, it hit a divider. Despite that, the truck driver did not apply brakes, Togadia claimed.

My Z-plus security was weakened deliberately. If in such a situation my vehicle was hit and no brakes were applied, this is a matter of concern, he said.
Tripuras chief minister-designate Biplab Kumar Deb promised good governance, which he said the state has been missing in the 25 years of Left Front rule.

After the Bharatiya Janata Party upstaged one of the longest democratically elected communist governments in the country, with a thumping victory in this Februarys assembly elections, Deb said in an interview to Priyanka Deb Barman on Wednesday that his governments priorities would be to strengthen law and order, introduce better work ethics, generate more revenue, and boost education and health infrastructure.

The 47-year-old leader comes from a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS) background and his family adhered to the organisations ideology. His father, Hirudhan Deb, contested assembly polls thrice on a BJP ticket for the Kakraban constituency  the last time in 1998.

The young Deb was a graduate when he left his birthplace, Jamjuri, a small village in Gomati district, for New Delhi around 15 years ago, but returned to the state in 2015 as head of the Mahajan Sampark Abhiyan  an outreach programme of the RSS. He became the BJPs Tripura unit chief in 2016.

Deb thanked the people for choosing him to work for them. Excerpts:

From Mahajan Sampark Abhiyan state in charge to chief minister, how was the journey?

No journey can be planned in advance  A government is formed by the people and they have elected me. People here have been stuck with a regime of party cadre steeped in cruelty. If there is cruelty, there is no development. People have given me a chance to work for them and my focus will be to give them good governance.

What will be your priorities as chief minister?

We will strengthen law and order. We will not allow goondaraj [hooliganism] at any cost. Besides, we will develop education and health infrastructure, generate revenue, strengthen public-sector units and, above all, introduce a proper and unbiased work culture.

Earlier, the party used to control work culture. It will not happen anymore. I want to work together with opposition party MLAs for the states development. If required, I can contact former chief minister Manik Sarkar for his suggestions.

Will leftist leaders attend your swearing-in on March 9?

We will invite the CPI(M) leaders  Prime Minister Narendra Modiji will be here too. We will invite them, but there is no compulsion for them to be at the event.

Was it bad governance by the Left Front or the Congress failure as an opposition that gave the BJP such a huge victory in Tripura?

I should not discuss about the Congress or Trinamool Congresss failure now, but focus on how to move towards a bright future.

Will your government rename roads in the state and introduce a new education policy?

The Union human resource development ministry had revamped the NCERT curriculum. We will hopefully follow these guidelines and try not to promote bookish knowledge. We will try to find and fix the gaps in the education system. As for the roads, we will think about it later.

Students should know Indian culture and tradition as well as national and local heroes. Do we need to know so much about leaders in Russia? Local heroes such as Dipa Karmakar were not highlighted much. Budding gymnasts could be inspired to follow in her footsteps if we play up her feat. The history of Tripuras Manikya dynasty rulers were excluded from the curriculum after 1998.

Who will be your cabinet colleagues?

As of now I can say that Jishnu Devvarma will assist me. The names of cabinet ministers will be announced later.

Do you condemn the demolition of Russian communist icon Vladimir Lenins statues in Tripura after the polls?

I have heard but didnt get any report personally about these events. The intelligence bureaus reports say peace prevails in most parts of the state. The razing of the statues might be the anger of a section of CPI(M) workers who have changed their colour to saffron [the shade identified with the BJP].
Gaining further ground in Rajasthan, Congress Wednesday won four of the six zila parishad seats, 12 of the 20 panchayat samiti seats and four of the six municipal seats for which bypolls were held on March 5.

Of these 33 seats, BJP had won 18, Congress 11, and the independents four when the general municipal and panchayati raj elections were held in 2015.

The strong performance by the opposition party comes a month after it scored emphatic victories in the bypolls to two parliamentary and an assembly constituency.

The ruling BJP could win just one zila parishad seat, eight panchayat samiti seats, and two municipal body seats for which bypolls were held. Independent candidates won one each of zila parishad and panchayat samiti seats.

The results, an upbeat Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot said, indicated a certain ouster of the BJP from the state.

It is a yet another victory of party workers. In the last four years, the BJP has exploited every section of the society with its anti-people policies. Congress, on the other hand, played effective role of responsible opposition and raised peoples issue, Pilot said.

He said the Congresss voting percentage has increased in all the elections held in last four years. He claimed that in the assembly elections due by the end of this year, a similar result would follow. We will oust the BJP in the assembly polls.

Pilot said that the chief minister Vasundhara Raje made some populist announcements in the assembly but people know that it has been done to misguide them in the election year. The CM herself termed the defeat in bypolls to parliamentary and assembly constituencies as a wake-up call. It shows that they had been sleeping for the last four years, he said adding the results today have indicated farewell of BJP from the state.
The Rajasthan high court on Wednesday issued notices to the state government and the district administration for not releasing grant to the Gandhi Deaf and Dumb Residential Hostel for last eight months.

At present, there are 115 students in the residential hostel affiliated to the Gandhi Deaf Senior Secondary School, being run by the Jodhpur Badhir Kalyan Samiti in the Magra Punjala area of Jodhpur city since 1982.

The social justice and empowerment department releases a grant of 25 lakh every year for food and other facilities for the hostel inmates. But the department has not released the grant for the last 8 months. The society running the school has been arranging food for the students by borrowing money from other social institutions.

Taking suo motu cognisance on the basis of newspaper reports, Rajasthan high court Justice Sandeep Mehta has issued notices to the state government and the district collector. It is worrying that the government is not taking appropriate steps for the welfare of deaf children, said Justice Mehta.

The high court has appointed advocate Sandeep Shah and Aniruddh Purohit as amicus curiae in the case.

Jodhpur Badhir Kalyan Samiti president Kishan Lal Garg said the department had inspected the hostel eight months ago and found some deficiencies. After that the department did not inspect (the hostel). Grant is not being released since then. Two wardens, two assistant wardens, six cooks and watchman working in the hostel have not been able to get salaries for the last four months, he added.
Minister of state for power Pushpendra Singh on Wednesday said there has been 2,933 transformer related deaths in the state under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, up from 2,217 deaths during the previous Congress regime.

Singh blamed the higher number of deaths on people splitting the three-phase transformers to single-phase ones, which overloaded it.

Instead of 100 MP they are drawing 150 to 200 MP which overloads the power transformers and it either get burnt or blows up due to which fatal accidents take place, he said.

During the previous Congress regime there had been 1,071 deaths of department employees while in the BJP tenure 655 deaths had taken place, which was due to improvements undertaken by the government, he said.

Singh was replying to a question by Congress legislator Ghanshyam Mehar during Question Hour.

Mehar wanted to know the names of those killed in transformer blasts in the last four years as well as the compensation given to their families.

He asked if the government had taken any action against officials and transformer suppliers found guilty in these accidents.

Singh said the government had acted quickly after a transformer blast accident in Jaipurs Khatulai village in which 14 people were killed in November.

He said two engineers and the feeder in-charge were suspended and the transformers had been sent for inspection to a central laboratory.

A show cause notice of 30 days has been issued to the transformer manufacturing company and we will soon blacklist the firm after it sends its reply, he said.

In 962 accident cases in the Jaipur circle, 378 people had been given compensation while in 200 cases investigation was pending, the minister said.

In 384 cases, the demand for compensation had been dismissed, he said, adding that investigation in the pending cases will be completed within two months.

Compensation of  5 lakh that was paid for servicemen, was hiked to  10 lakh by previous Congress government, has now been enhanced to20 lakh by the BJP government, Singh said.

He further said that steps like feeder improvement programme had reduced feeder losses, meters had been installed on transformers, new poles have been erected, conductors changed and overlining of transformers had been done.

The government has decided that if a transformer breaks down during the guarantee period, it will not be repaired but will be replaced with a new one, he said.

Mehar, however, claimed that the government had not punished the guilty.

No responsibility had been fixed by the government and the minister was not answering his questions, he said.
BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari Wednesday accused his own partys government in Rajasthan of reneging on its promise of reservation to the Gujjars and the economically backward classes (EBC).

Speaking in the assembly during the debate on the Rajasthan Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions in the State and of Appointment and Posts in Services under the State) Amendment Bill, 2018, Tiwari said it was not legally tenable.

He moved a resolution against the bill, which was defeated by a voice vote.

Tiwari said that along with reservation to Gujjars, the BJP, in its manifesto, had promised 14% reservation to EBCs. He said if the promise made to EBCs was not fulfilled, he would go to every village and expose the government.

You can throw me out of the party and the assembly. But this is insult of those supporters who have been the backbone of the BJP, said Tiwari referring to the Brahmins, Banias and Rajputs.

Tiwari, who is a known detractor of chief minister Vasundhara Raje, harbours ambitions of launching his own political party.

He said the government, if it was serious about reservation to Gujjars, should have made efforts to get the 5% quota included in the 9th schedule of the constitution.

The bill providing reservation to Gujjars had been struck down thrice previously and will meet the same fate this time too, said Tiwari. People will agitate against and hold protests, there will be violence and the government will face embarrassment.

The bill providing 5% reservation to Gujjars, Banjaras, Gadiya Lohars, Rebaris and Gadariyas was tabled in October last year. It will take reservation in state to 54%, violating the Supreme Court ceiling of 50%. The bill was brought in after the high court, in 2016, struck down the Rajasthan Special Backward Classes Act 2015, granting 5% reservation to these castes. After the court quashed the act, the government moved them back into the OBC list in May 2017.

Minister of social justice and empowerment Arun Chaturvedi said the court had pointed to flaws in the SBC commission report after which the government appointed a committee headed by retired Justice SK Garg, which submitted its report in July last year.

He said both the commission and committee had recommended that the 5 castes be categorized as Most Backward Classes and be given reservation. In December 2017, the government through a notification announced creation of MBCs and giving 1% reservation.

Tiwari said the government was splitting the Gujjars into three categories  OBC, SBC and MBC. While 1% reservation is being given under MBC, 1252 Gujjars have already been appointed in government jobs under SBC. If anyone challenged this in court, it will be struck down. This bill should be taken back.

Parliamentary Affairs minister Rajendra Rathore said when the bill was brought in 2008, Tiwari was the law minister but he had suggested that it be included in the 9th schedule.
Art of Living (AoL) founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar got a lukewarm response to his attempt to mediate on the Ayodhya issue as no Muslim cleric, barring Tauqir Raza of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, met the spiritual leader during his visit on Tuesday.

Sri Sris meeting with Barelvi cleric-turned-politician Tauqir Raza, which lasted 20 minutes, also remained inconclusive.

While Muslim clerics decided against meeting Sri Sri during his maiden visit to Bareilly, he was also not allowed to enter a madarsa, Islamic Study Centre, which runs under the aegis of Dargah-e-Ala Hazrat.

We were not informed about his visit in advance. We do not allow arbitrary visits as it affects academic activities, said madarsa in-charge Akhtar Raza Khan, elder brother of Tauqir Raza.

Sri Sri later visited Alaknath temple.

Talking to media persons after meeting the AoL founder, Tauqir Raza said any decision on the Ayodhya issue would not be accepted if it was taken without considering the demands of both the parties.

We should strive to resolve the issue outside court but the concerns of all parties should be addressed before arriving at a conclusion, he said.

Before the meeting, Sri Sri said people of both the communities (Hindus and Muslims) wanted to live in peace. We are trying to ensure that the issue is solved amicably, he said.
The UP government will usher in new job opportunities for the women of the state as part of its International Womens Day celebrations on March 8.

The Model Career Centre, under the aegis of the National Career Service (ministry of labour and employment), along with the Directorate of Training & Employment UP (Lucknow) and the Regional Employment Exchange will organise a job fair from March 8 to 10 by. The opening day, Thursday, will be exclusively dedicated to women job seekers.

The fair will be organised at the Surya Group of Institutions at Mohanlalganj.

Overall, 10,973 vacancies in different sectors such as IT, automobile, manufacturing, education, health, retail, hospitality, insurance, banking and security will be up for grabs.

Employers like Sahara Hospital, Genpact, Teleperformance, Tata Motors, Welspun, Vardhman, Eureka Forbes, Apollo Homecare, Spencer's, Pizza Hut, Yash Foods (owners of Aryans and Curry Leaf), Thakur Publications and more will offer jobs for the positions of doctors, nurses, editors, managers, cashiers, developers, etc.

On March 8, the job fair will be exclusively for women, as a mark of respect for them. Never before, it has been done like this, said Rajeev Yadav, deputy director, Directorate of Training & Employment UP.

Out of the overall vacancies, around 3,000 will be only for women. 51 private sector employers, including top companies, will come to hire our youths, he added.

To participate in the mega event, all job seekers need to register themselves on the state portal sewayojan.up.nic.in and the national portal www.ncs.gov.in

Details of the job fair are also available on both the portals. Candidates must reach the venue on time along with all relevant documents, photocopies, curriculum vitae (CV), ID proof and passport size photographs. No travel allowance will be paid, clarified the organisers.

Rita Bahuguna Joshi, minister for women and child development and tourism, will inaugurate the fair at 1 pm on March 8. Also present on the occasion will be minister Manoharlal Mannu Kori, Member of Parliament Jagdambika Pal and additional secretary, labour and employment Rajendra Kumar Tiwari.

The offer letter distribution ceremony will be organised at 12 pm on March 10. Swami Prasad Maurya, minister for labour & employment, will hand over the job offers to successful candidates.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday displayed his hardline Hindutva stance in the UP assembly when he said: I dont celebrate Eid. I am a Hindu and I am proud of it.

Speaking on the motion of thanks to governor Ram Naiks address, Yogi referred to his recent visit to Mathura for Holi and said a journalist there asked him whether he would celebrate Eid too. I said I dont celebrate Eid. I am a Hindu and I am proud of it. If anybody wants to celebrate Eid peacefully, the government will cooperate and provide security, said Yogi, while reiterating his answer to the journalist.

Yogi further said There is nothing wrong in being proud of being a Hindu. We are not hypocrites who put on janeu (sacred thread) at home and don another cap when we are out.

He went on to flay the Samajwadi Party and advised the BSP to be wary of the SP in view of involvement of its leaders in the June 2, 1995 incident of the state guest house wherein SP leaders allegedly targeted BSP chief Mayawati.

Ask them (SP), if there will not be any incident like the one at the state guest houseWe will not allow them (SP) to do so, said Yogi while questioning BSPs support to SP in the by-elections to Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats.

You (BSP) carry them (SP) on your shoulders! I compliment you for this The poll results of Gorakhpur and Phulpur will give a befitting reply to the move, said Yogi.

We have brought down the red flag (Left Front rule) in Tripura. We will bring down the red cap (donned by Samajwadi Party leaders) here. This is the time for saffron, said Yogi amid commotion following protests from leader of the opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary and SP members.

Samajwadis worked for freedom of India, said Chaudhary while responding to Yogis observations, We will break those who speak about division of India.

Yogi, however, stepped up his attacks on the SP, saying I am responding only to what you spoke in the house.You (SP) are frustrated and this is why you have taken shelter in BSPs lap.

The chief minister reminded BSP legislature party leader Lalji Verma about the time when he requested him to protect the memorials built during BSP governments tenure and said: You had come to me to discuss the memorials. I told you the memorials had been built with states funds. They (SP) used to speak about demolishing the memorials. We will not allow the demolition.

Yogi quoted Acharya Rajnish on socialism to make his point against the Samajwadi Party and said, The soul of SP ideologue Dr Ram Manohar Lohia must be turning in the grave for the double speak of SP leaders and corruption during SP regime.

You (SP) shy away from teaching G for Ganesha in primary schools. Instead you teach G for gadha (donkey). This speaks of your mentality, said Yogi.
Five types of apples, once thought to be extinct, have been rediscovered in northern Idaho and eastern Washington.

The Lewiston Tribune newspaper reported on March 5 that apple detective David Benscoter located the trees growing near a butte in the rolling hills of the vast Palouse agricultural area.

Benscoter worked with apple experts at the Temperate Orchard Conservancy in Oregon and Fedco Seeds in Maine to positively identify the apple types. They were compared to written descriptions from old books and antique watercolour paintings.

Apples have as many 50 different identifiers, including stem length, shape, size, colour and structure. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The newly rediscovered apples include the Shackleford, Saxon Priest, Kittageskee, Ewalt and McAffee varietals. An estimated 1,7,000 named apple varieties are thought to have originated in North America, but Benscoter says only about 4,000 still exist today.

I just love the history of these old apples and what they meant to the first homesteaders that arrived here in eastern Washington and northern Idaho, Benscoter said. The apple was the most important fruit you could have, and it could be used in so many ways.

He first became interested in hunting down the almost-gone and nearly forgotten fruit when he helped a neighbour with chores on her property. He found an old apple tree and began to search the internet to try to figure out what variety it bore. By checking old county fair records in Whitman County, Washington, he discovered several apple types that were listed as extinct.

Since that time, he has discovered more than 20 varieties of apples that were once considered lost. Hes hoping area residents will let him know if they have old apple trees in neglected orchards or growing in back fields that he can examine.

Those apples have been forgotten about in the back of someones field or an old orchard nobody has taken care of in a hundred years, Benscoter said. Im hopeful, and obviously the search has been somewhat successful, and so I think there are still many apples out there that can be found.

Apples have as many 50 different identifiers, including stem length, shape, size, colour and structure. Benscoter thinks hes found an additional seven apples in the region that were also thought to be extinct or extremely rare, but they have yet to be confirmed.

Those include the Autumn Gray, Surprise No. 1, Flushing Spitzenburg, Republican Pippin, Bogdanoff Glass, Flory and Early Colton.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more
People keep asking me what my favourite restaurants are. The truth is that just as I dont have a favourite cuisine, favourite movie, favourite book or favourite drink, I find it hard to single out favourite restaurants or favourite anything, for that matter.

But here is a list of the restaurants I do go to in Delhi. Bear in mind that because I travel so much, I tend to eat at home when I am in Delhi and go out for dinner relatively rarely. And that I loathe driving for long distances. So my chosen restaurants tend to be places near my home.

Personal Choices

These are the restaurants where I would go for a quiet dinner with the family.

Shang Palace, New Delhi. (Shangri-La)

Shang Palace: The best Chinese food in India by a long way. The Shangri-La is a chain owned by overseas Chinese proprietors and there are many Shang Palaces all over the world, some with Michelin stars.

The Delhi outpost maintains the high standards of the brand but breaks slightly from the original format by including more Sichuan food than other Shang Palaces where menus tend to be a little more Cantonese-oriented.

I order the Shrimp Cheung Fan, the Crispy Barbecued Pork, the Double Fried Pork, the Sichuan Fish in Chilli Oil, the cold cucumber salad, the Lamb skewers with cumin and at the end, a simple stomach-filler of perfect Egg Fried Rice.

There are three expat Chinese chefs but I tend to deal with the hotels F&B Supremo, Neeraj Tyagi, who I have known through his various jobs and whose excellent food has helped turn the Delhi Shangri La around.

The China Kitchen: My other favourite Chinese restaurant. I usually leave it to Chef Zhang to decide what he wants to cook but of the regular menu items, the spare ribs on a bed of fried garlic and the magnificent Peking Duck are justly famous. I also like the French Beans with Minced Pork and the many home-style pork dishes that Chef Zhang keeps dishing up.

Setz: I loved this restaurant when my friend Prasanjit Singh opened it as Zest and I love it just as much now. The Thai chef (from Bangkoks Peninsula) is terrific and I usually leave the menu to her. But Setz is a multi-cuisine restaurant so I also order the silky Cheung Fan from the Chinese section, the crisp falafel from the Lebanese kitchen and the prawns fried with bedgi chillies from the coastal section. The Napoleon Pastry is an all-time classic, so order that if you want a memorable dessert.

Setz also runs two cafes on the ground floor of Emporio. One specialises in sandwiches but we tend to order the wada-pav and the Jhaal-Muri as well as the delicious house-made ice-creams, especially the Candied Walnut and Rose Petal flavours. At Cha Shi, the Oriental Cafe, everything on the menu is worth trying and the service is exceptional.

Simply Sushi: This is a small counter with half a dozen seats just outside the Directors Cut cinema at the Vasant Kunj Mall in Ambience. But the chef is from Megu and his assistant is from Sakura, two of the citys best Japanese places. There is a lot of delicious junk sushi. But these guys know how to make a perfect nigiri pellet. So real Japanese sushi is always an option. And it is less than half the price of the fancy Japanese places.

Sodabottleopenerwalla in Khan Market.

SodaBottleOpenerWala: My favourite of AD Singhs brands, this is helmed by my pal Chowder Singh (Mohit Balachandran) and Anahita Dhondy, one of Indias most talented young chefs. I go there for a taste of Mumbai. They joke that they know my order the moment they see me coming: the Parsi Papeta per eedu  fired eggs on a bed of sauteed potatoes. The kanda bhajiyas always transport me back to Khopoli, and the small cafes of Bombay.

I go to the Khan Market branch now but used to go to the one in Cyber Hub.

Sagar/Swagath: My locals; they have kept me going for years. I like to sneak into the Defence Colony Sagar at around 6 pm before the rush starts and eat a hot and crisp paper dosa. I eat at Swagath less often but we are always ordering food from there at home: the crab dishes, the fried bombil, the Mutton Sookha, the Gharwali Dal and so much more.

At home, we regularly order the Sagar idlis, the curd-rice, the medu vadas and the amazing dahi vadas.

The Town Hall in Khan Market. (Town Hall)

Town Hall: I have known Augusto Cabrera from the days when he introduced Delhi to sushi in his old avatar as the sushi chef at Threesixty. Augusto is a partner here and the menu is much more ambitious. But I go for some of the finest sashimi in town, his sushi rolls and his utterly brilliant Filipino Pork. (Augusto is from the Philippines). It is always packed (Rahul Gandhi is often spotted waiting for a table) so I book ahead.

Qube: During the day, the loveliest coffee shop in India with greenery all around and sunlight streaming in. If I have to meet people for a coffee or a quick lunch, this is where I always go. (I dont go for dinner because they screw up the lighting). It also has the best Sunday brunch in Delhi with a wide range of cuisines. (If you ask nicely they will make an off-menu Malayali Egg Roast with appams.)

Wasabi: Yes it is expensive but the food is so good these days that I find myself going back again and again. I go for the Whitefish Carpaccio and the sashimi, chiefly the scallops, the sea urchin and the tuna, all freshly flown in from Japan. And the team of General Manager Satyajeet Krishnan and Chef Arun have really turned the food at the Taj around.

With Other People

There are places you go to when you have to take people out. These are my favourites.

Indian Accent: Manish Mehrotra is a genius so the whole world wants to eat his modern Indian food at Indian Accent. But tables are hard to score, there are only two seatings and they boot you out if you stay too long after the first sitting.

Fair enough. A packed restaurant is a packed restaurant! If Manish is travelling, I am always in the capable hands of Shantanu Mehrotra (no relation), his Number two chef and the terrific Palki Singh who manages the room with style and charm (and always finds me wines I like).

Bukhara is consistently rated among the worlds best restaurants. (ITC Hotels)

Bukhara: Have you ever met a visitor who does not want to go to Bukhara? I havent. This is the most famous Indian restaurant in the world and people will wait hours for a table.

Under the team of Executive Chef Manisha Bhasin and JP Singh, who looks after all the Peshawaris (as Bukhara is called in other cities), the food is remarkably consistent. Nobody I have taken there has ever been disappointed.

Tip: order the chicken khurchan and if you want to freak your guest out, ask for the giant naan.

Masala Library: The most formal restaurant in Zorawar Kalras empire, this serves adventurous, cutting-edge Indian food. I must have taken half a dozen people there recently: they have all loved it. Saurabh Udinia is a brilliant chef and he has ensured that standards remain consistent even when he is away at one of the many Farzi Cafes around the world.

Annamaya: This is a long way from my home but I take people here to show them how a talented chef can create wonderful dishes with carefully sourced Indian ingredients.

There is nothing else like it in the rest of Delhi.

The Delhi Pavilion is an old Delhi favourite.

Delhi Pavilion: The coffee shop at The Sheraton New Delhi in Saket does outstanding Delhi food (from chaat to Butter Chicken to Biryani) at coffee shop prices. A real find: everyone I have taken there has raved about the Delhi cuisine.

ATM: There are times when you just want a quiet place to chat and eat simple French bistro cuisine. It is open to everyone at lunch but restricted to members during the evening, alas.

Delhi Club House: People love Marut Sikkas casual restaurant in the Sangam complex with its eclectic menu of nearly forgotten dishes from Indias clubland. Try the Eggs Kejriwal.

Threesixty: The drawing room of Delhi. If you want to take someone out to lunch at a place where the movers and shakers of the city hang out, this is the perfect restaurant. Its even better in this new avatar though I tend to give all the sophisticated food (sushi, pasta etc.) a miss and eat the Indian home-style food which never disappoints.
About 2,000 Sikhs from Navi Mumbai, Thane and Kalyan participated in a protest organised by Maharashtra Sikh Association (MSA) on Wednesday.

The protest was held outside the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) headquarters to demand justice for the community members killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. The protesters demanded action against Congress leaders accused of killing Sikhs.

Daljit Singh Bal, MSA president, said, It was necessary to protest so that the government heard our voice. It has been more than 33 years since we have been seeking justice, but it has been denied so far. The accused are roaming freely.

He added that during the Congress regime, the BJP had accused the then ruling party of shielding the accused.

The situation has changed. Despite being in power, the BJP too has maintained a silence. They made several promises before elections. This protest is to remind the BJP of its forgotten promises, he added.

The protesters will also submit a memorandum to mayor Jayawant Dattatray Sutar, which they want him to give it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Our protest will continue until we dont get justice. We are hopeful that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will intervene to ensure that justice is delivered at the earliest, said Bal.
After numerous failed attempts at fixing pothole-riddled roads in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now decided to manufacture the pothole mix at its plant at Worli.

The civic body, with the help of a German firm, will manufacture pothole mix that it had imported in the past.

Officials said that even though the civic body will be using better quality material, the move will help the BMC save money.

The decision to manufacture pothole mix was taken so that the expenditure on material imported from Austria and Israel could be reduced.
The Bombay high court came to the rescue of a school headmistress and struck down her prosecution for allegedly insulting the national flag by failing to lower it after sunset on Republic Day.

The facts of the case do not disclose commission of any offence, said the division bench of Justice Prasanna Varale and Justice Vibha Kankanwadi while striking down the criminal case registered against Dr Varsha Salunkhe, principal of the First Expression School at Aurangabad.

The judges said mere non-observance of the Flag Code, which is not a law within the meaning of Article 13 (3) (a) of the Constitution of India, cannot be said to be covered under Section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act 1971, and therefore the prosecution cannot be allowed to continue.

A police officer from CIDCO police station had filed a case against Salunkhe for alleged contravention of Section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act 1971. The FIR was registered after she failed to lower the tricolour after sunset, as mandated by the Flag Code.

She had approached high court seeking annulment of the criminal proceedings on the ground that the Apex Court has held the Flag Code as a mere set of instructions issued by the Centre and unintentional breach of the code could not result in initiation of criminal proceedings.

Her lawyers urged the court to strike down the prosecution contending that she had not committed any offence known to law, as mere failure to lower down the national flag after sunset was no offence under any law. The high court accepted the contentions and struck down the criminal proceedings against Salunkhe.
Commuters travelling on the Central Railways (CR) suburban network will now receive immediate medical aid during golden hour from railway personnel themselves.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is training the railway staff, to provide first aid services to passengers.

Those who will undergo the training will include ticket checker, station managers, and even the cleaners and shoeshine workers.

1019 CR staff, posted at various suburban railway stations, have already received training by the NDRF team.

The staff will trained to provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and to treat bites, foreign body obstruction, soft tissue injury, poisoning, bleeding, burns and cuts.

The aid will also be provided to people who fall from crowded trains and require immediate medical assistance.

The basic first aid treatment will help commuters during any medical emergency. We aim to train all the railway staff, which will prove to be a boon for people during golden hour, said SK Jain, divisional railway manager, CR.

Lata Argade, Vice President, Railway Pravasi Mahasangh, said, The move taken by the railways is welcome, as it was urgently needed. However, in case of accidents, the railways generally enlist the help of outsiders and not its own staff. The railways should use their own staff for assistance in such cases.

Both the Central and Western Railways have introduced Emergency Medical Rooms (EMR) at a number of railway stations to assist commuters in need of immediate medical attention. Currently, the CR is constructing such rooms at the Sion, Vikroli, Panvel, Kalwa, Ulhasnagar, Bhandup and Diva railway stations.

One  rupee clinic to assist passengers have also been introduced at the suburban railway stations.
The Congress on Wednesday questioned the extension of tenure granted to bureaucrat Radheshyam Mopalwar as the head of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, pointing to allegations of corruption against him.

Mopalwar, who retired from Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in February, was given a years extension starting March 1 by the government.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Radhkrishna Vikhe Patil, raised adjournment motion on this issue.

It was almost like CM opened a single window clearance for Mopalwar. The inquiry set up to probe his allegations quickly gave him a clean chit and then without any advertisement, he was granted one year extension on contractual basis, said Vikhe Patil.

Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan pointed out that this kind of extension was given only in rare cases and never to officials who faced graft allegations

The inquiry against him was announced in the House so the report has to be tabled in the house. What were the findings of this report ? Nearly 35 audio clips of his telephonic conversations were submitted against him. Have they been examined? asked Chavan.

The audio clips had conversations allegedly between Mopalwar and his aide and private investigator Satish Mangale. The conversations have several references to Mopalwars properties and income.

Chavan said that even if the audio tapes were found to be doctored or inconclusive the government needs to inform whether any investigation agency has probed claims made in the tapes about Mopalwars disproportionate assets.

By getting a dubbing artist record a clip sounding much like Mopalwar, they have tried to show that the clips in question can be easily doctored said Chavan, outside the assembly.

He added that these clips, along with a detailed complaint, had even been submitted to the Prime Ministers Office by a BJP MLA but there seemed to be a conspiracy of silence to shield the official across all levels of hierarchy.

Mopalwar has earlier denied any involvement in these tapes and said they were doctored in a bid to malign him.

The adjournment motion was denied by the speaker. There was also no response on the issue raised by the government.
Two men in their early 20s, both residents of Panvel, were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly killing their 23-year-old friend by smashing his head with a stone at Haji Malang, Kalyan, on February 23.

The Sufi saint Haji Malangs dargah is located halfway up a hill near Kalyan, around 47km from Mumbai.

The deceased, Pravin Farat, a resident of Mahalungi village, went out with some of his friends on the night of February 23, but did not return home. The next day, in the afternoon, his body was in a gorge at Haji Malang, the Panvel taluka police said.

Farats family members pointed us to some of his friends whom they suspected, and we had been looking for them. We arrested them finally on Tuesday, said Maloji Shinde, senior police inspector of Panvel taluka police station.

The two arrested have been identified as Vilas Dhongade, 24, and Akash Shelke, 21. They do various odd jobs. We are checking if they have criminal records, said a police officer from Panvel Taluka police station, who did not wish to be named.

Explaining the motive behind the murder Shinde said: Farat and the accused were good friends, but a few days before the murder, they had a small fight, and Farat reportedly slapped Dhongade. That offended Dhongade and he decided to take revenge by killing Farat.

On February 23, the accused called Farat to Haji Malang for a party. All three of them sat and had alcohol at the spot, and once Farat was drunk, the duo smashing his head with stones and killed him, Shinde said. Later, they dumped his body into a gorge.

Police officials recovered Farats bike at a spot little before the gorge where his body was found. We are now investigating to find out if more people were involved in the crime, Shinde said.

The police booked the duo under sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and produced them before court on Tuesday. They have been remanded in police custody.
Even as the Union environment ministry reported an increase in Mumbais mangrove forest cover, a Bombay high court (HC)-appointed committee for mangrove preservation said the city has lost at least 22 hectares of mangroves between 2013 and 2018.

Reji Abraham, a member of the committee formed in October 2016 to preserve mangroves in Konkan region, which include Mumbai, said the destruction happened at two sites in Malad-Malwani and in Charkop. The green cover lost is 15 times the area of Wankhede stadium (area: 1.48 hectares).

The committees report comes a few weeks after the Forest Survey of Indias State of the Forest Report 2017 reported a 33% increase in mangrove cover in Mumbai, with the suburbs recording a 16 sqkm (1,600 hectares) increase from 2015, taking the tally to 64 sqkm (6,400 hectares).

Abraham alleged debris was being dumped across a 14.2-hectare patch opposite the Indian Navy Station, Hamla, Marve Road, Malad (West). In the second and third case, debris was dumped across 6.25-ha and 1.5-ha patches behind Evershine Nagar, Malad (West) and Charkop village, Kandivli. He submitted satellite images from 2005 and 2018 to show how the forest has been destroyed.

Unabated destruction of mangrove trees continues in Mumbai without the fear of law. Land mafia, in connivance with civic officials and corrupt officers from the revenue department and mangrove cell, acquire land illegally through rabid dumping, said Abraham, founder and president, United Association for Social, Educational and Public Welfare Trust. In such a situation, the report regarding the rise in mangrove cover only seems to be a farce.

The destruction of mangrove forests across the state and construction within 50m of mangrove areas was banned by the Bombay high court in 2005, after a public interest litigation (PIL) by the Bombay Environment Action Group. In 2014, based on a PIL filed by environment group Vanashakti, the HC banned reclamation and construction on wetlands.

To avoid further contempt of court, we need strong prosecution of violators, removal of debris and regeneration of mangroves on priority, said Abraham.

Officials from the Mumbai Mangrove Conservation Unit (MMCU) under the state mangrove cell said they had begun investigating the cases. Prima facie, as per our records, mangroves were not present at Evershine Nagar and Charkop prior to 2005, which does not make it a violation. However, we have issued notices and have begun on-ground surveys to rectify it. Violators in the INS Hamla case were booked last year, but we will pursue the matter with the district collector to ensure there is better deterrence, said MM Panditrao, divisional forest officer, MMCU and member secretary of the HC committee.

Konkan commissioner Jagdish Patil, chairman of the mangrove committee, said, Mangrove destruction cases are being dealt with utmost importance. We have already asked the land revenue department to superimpose the 2005 baseline maps of these mangrove areas and compare them with the current maps. The investigation is underway but we need time to close such large-scale cases.

He said the action taken report in each case will be discussed during the next meeting on March 20.
The state government is now planning to tighten laws related to the sale of gutkha and tobacco products. Addressing the members of the legislative council, Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) minister Girish Bapat said that the existing laws are inadequate to tackle this menace.

We are introducing a law, according to which, those who sell gutkha will face three years of imprisonment, Bapat said.

As per the current law, the accused can be convicted for up to six months. However, many manage to secure bail within days of the arrest.

The central government has already given a green signal and the amendment to the law will be brought into effect soon, said Bapat.

The issue was raised by Opposition leader Dhananjay Munde, who expressed concern regarding the rise in death rates amongst youngsters due to the use of gutkha.

Despite being banned, gutkha continues to be sold and the culprits get away with it. Much of this comes in from the neighbouring states, said Munde.

Bapat agreed to the nexus between the officials and sellers, adding that officials involved in the sale will also face consequences.

Shops selling eatables such as biscuits or milk will not be allowed to sell tobacco products, he said, adding that anyone found in violation of this will face an imprisonment of up to seven years.
A day after a top Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT) official was arrested in connection with the Bhendi Bazaar building collapse, which killed 33 people last year, its defence lawyer put the responsibility squarely on the police, civic body and Maharashtra Housing Development Authority (Mhada).

Shoaib Wajihuddin, 55, SBUTs head of tenant management, was produced before Sewri metropolitan court on Tuesday.

Terming the investigation fraud, defence attorney Mihir Gheewala said: Is the police investigation done to safeguard Mhada and BMC officials? The police are putting blame on an individual who is working for the upliftment of his community.

Seeking police custody of Wajihuddin, an officer attached with JJ Marg police station said they are yet to take statements of witnesses, a few relatives of survivors and those living around the collapsed building. The prosecution told the court there is a likelihood of more names cropping up, and so they need police custody.

Gheewala went on to corner the police over the stated reasons and said, The arrest has been made on Monday, while the building collapsed on August 31 last year. Why do they [police] need his custody to record survivors statements now?

The defence, in their application, submitted that Mhada and SBUT had issued notices to tenants of Hussaini building, apart from five letters to those who died. The tenants and occupants responded on December 16, 2013, stating, they have decided to stay here and not to shift till the site is actually needed for redevelopment, the advocate told the court.

The 117-year-old structure was deemed dilapidated by the Mhada first on March 28, 2011, subsequent to which it served an eviction notice to the tenants. Five of the families vacated the premise following this notice.

SBUT has undertaken a redevelopment project for the old structures. An SBUT official said, Since the project was undertaken, we have shifted around 2,500 families to transit homes. Following the August incident, 500 families have been shifted.

The police told the court, It was the duty and responsibility of SBUT to vacate the premises. Wajihuddin, on whom the duty falls, failed to discharge it and thus is culpable.

Magistrate SN Shetty remanded Wajihuddin in police custody till March 9.

SBUT official was arrested hours after court directed police to file report

The JJ Marg police arrested 55-year-old Shoaib Hashimi Wajihuddin in connection with the Bhendi Bazaar building collapse on Monday, a few hours after the Bombay high court asked the police to submit its investigation report on the incident.

The HC was hearing a writ petition filed by Sayyed Sabir Usman, whose sister, brother-in-law and their two children were killed in the mishap.

Usman, the owner Usman S Mithaiwala, a sweet shop in Mira Road, had filed a petition before the HC seeking transfer of investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation or state CID or any other competent investigating agency.

Sayyed lost his 37-year-old sister Reshma, brother-in-law Zafar and the couples 18-year-old son Zama and daughter aged 13 named Fatima in the building collapse.

On Monday, the HC bench instructed the JJ Marg police officer to submit the report of investigations conducted so far during the next hearing on March 13.

In his petition, Usman submitted that no FIR was registered by the police until September 13 last year  almost 14 days from the incident. Considering the magnitude and seriousness of the incident, the delay in registering the FIR is suspicious to say the least.

The petitioner also stated he has reasonable apprehension that the police machinery, perhaps over-awed by the clout and influence of SBUT and its officials, are likely to scuttle the entire investigation, name a few less significant executives of the trust as accused, letting the big fish go scot free and conducting an eye wash to conclude the investigation in one way or the other.

As per the petition, on May 27, 2016, Mumbai Repairs and Reconstructions Board (MBRRB) issued NOC to SBUT to demolish 64 structures including the Hussaini Manzil building. None of the 64 buildings in the cluster redevelopment projects which are in dilapidated condition because of high risk to the lives of the residents have been demolished by SBUT till date, the petition states.

The petition claims that SBUT allowed illegal structural changes on the ground floor of by a sweet shop owner and let occupant construct large commercial ovens on the ground floor.

AN SBUT official, on condition of anonymity, said, We are unaware of the illegal alterations (if any) made by the sweet shop owner as it was sublet by the tenant without the landlord consent, an SBUT official said.
In an attempt to finish the assessment of answer booklets from the last semester, the University of Mumbai (MU) is trying to get help from colleges.

As the maximum number of answer scripts pending for assessment is from the law department, a meeting was called earlier this week to discuss the problem. It was attended by principals of Law colleges and the Department of Examination and Evaluation of the university.

College principals have been given clear instructions to get hold of all their faculty  permanent as well as visiting  to ensure that everyone completes their share of assessment work, said Arjun Ghatule, incharge Director of Board of Examination and Evaluation, MU. He said that all principals have been asked to encourage teachers from their respective colleges to finish assessment work over the next five days so the university can announce all pending results by early next week.

HT had recently reported how around 100,000 answer scripts are still pending for assessment and around 150 results have yet to be announced by the university.

In some cases, like the Bachelor in Mass Media (BMM) subjects, the university is also requesting colleges to share the names of teachers who can moderate (re-check) answer scripts.

BMM was one of the first examinations held in November 2017 and has less than 5,000 students. Still, three months later, we are awaiting the results, said a senior professor.

On-Screen Marking (OSM) system was introduced by MU in April 2017 and the unpreparedness of the university led to a delay of almost five months in announcing results. Not only did this delay affect students from last academic year as their wait for their results seemed endless, but also students from the current academic year, as their winter examinations as well as the academic schedule had to be postponed by a few weeks.

The university wants to announce the results of all courses in a week.

By this weekend, we also hope to release the examination schedule for the current semester and for that, we need to complete all pending assessment work from the previous semester, added Ghatule.

MU has also been personally contacting teachers and encouraging them to finish assessment work on a daily basis.

However, colleges are finding it difficult to tap all teachers and ensure their attendance for assessment duty.

Most law colleges heavily depend on professionals from the industry to teach regular classes as a visiting faculty. Three of my teachers, who are on board with us for the previous semester are not teaching in our college anymore and therefore, we cant even force them to report for assessment duty. Most Law colleges and many institutes running unaided professional course are facing the same problem, said the vice principal of a south Mumbai law college on condition of anonymity.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a red sanders smuggling racket and arrested four people. It has seized 7.1 metric tonnes of red sanders worth Rs2.85 crore from them. The seized logs were supposed to be smuggled to Dubai.

The DRIs Mumbai zonal unit officials said they intercepted two containers at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Nhava Sheva on Sunday. On examining the containers, 7.1 metric tonnes of red sanders (grade A) worth Rs2.85 crore were recovered.

The red sanders was concealed in bags containing 42 tonnes of Indian yellow maize and stone slabs. Maize was declared on the shipping bill.

The arrested people were Sujit Satam, Gaya Prasdad Chaudhary, Kamlesh Ghoghale and Rohan Awasare. Satam is said to be the mastermind of the racket. He has been arrested previously by DRI in red sanders smuggling case. His elder brother Ajit Bapu Satam too is a notorious smuggler of red sanders. He was arrested by DRI in 2001 for smuggling cigarettes and in 2006 for trying to export red sanders.

Talking about the modus operandi in this case, a DRI official said the accused will take export containers carrying foodgrains to an isolated factory outside Mumbai where the containers will be filled with red sanders logs.

For this, they had engaged Rohan Awasare, an expert who would remove the rivets/clamps of the door handles of the containers without disturbing the customs seal.

The other two were involved in the procurement, transportation, and concealment of red sanders.

They have been booked under relevant sessions (smuggling) of the customs act and the Indian Penal Code Act (forging shipping documents pertaining to the export).
If the municipal corporations plans materialise, you will see a decongested area on the east side of Thane railway station by 2020.

An elevated deck, a food court, citizens facilitation centre and an elevated road are some of the features of Station Area Traffic Improvement Project 2 (SATIS) which will be taken up by the Thane Municipal Corporation.

Recently, the railways gave its approval for construction of a deck  this has given a boost to the project, which aims at unclogging the east side of Thane.

After SATIS 1, on the west side of Thane station, was thrown open to the public in 2010, commuters have been complaining about the faults in the design.

The officials said that errors would not be repeated while designing the second SATIS.

A TMC official, requesting anonymity, said: We will construct a 6.5-metre deck on an area of 8,900 sqm, which is under the railways. It will be huge enough to accommodate buses and also give space to passengers to wait.

The railways has also given its approval for a commercial structure, with 3 floor space index, which will house a food court, citizen facilitation centres and shops.

A 2.23-km elevated road, which will connect the deck, will smoothen traffic outside the station.

In November last year, the railway authorities gave a no-objection certificate for construction of a 2.23-kilometre elevated road which will connect to the deck.

The elevated road will start from the gurdwara along the Eastern Express Highway, connect to the SATIS deck and extend till Kanhaiya Nagar. The road will be a three-lane one up to the SATIS deck and a two-lane from the deck to Kanhaiya Nagar.

The municipal corporation is finalising the design for the elevated road which will be approved by the railways. The work on designing the deck will begin by next month. The project is divided in two phases  the deck and the elevated road will be built first. The elevated road, which will start from Thane (West), will connect Kanhaiya Nagar to Eastern Expressway Highway, forming a loop.

SATIS 1 LACKS SPACE

The municipal corporation had received lot of flak on the first SATIS in the city. The decks height does not allow fire tenders and emergency vehicles to pass.

If a vehicle breaks down on the deck, it holds up traffic for hours. The project did not plan any parking space, leading to haphazardly parked vehicles outside the station.

A civic official said, The east side will have a huge deck. A crane can easily access the lane if vehicles break down. We have also planned parking plaza below the deck. The decks height is high enough to allow passage of fire vehicles in case of emergency.

He said SATIS 1 did not have faults in design but lacked space. We merely had 2,500 sqm of deck space in contrast to 8,900 sqm in the east. As Mass Rapid Transit System was planned on the deck area, we could not increase the height of the deck. Also, there was no scope for parking.

The official claimed that the congestion on the west side of the station is because of traffic mismanagement.

800 BUSES TO PLY FROM ELEVATED ROAD

After SATIS 2 is ready, around 800 buses can use the elevated road, thus decongesting the area below.

A TMC official said, Civic and private buses cause traffic congestion in Kopri. The east side of the station witnesses the movement of around 750 to 800 buses every day. These buses are either private buses or those belonging to Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport, Mira Bhaynder Municipal Transport, Vasai Virar and BEST buses. The buses can use the elevated road and halt at the deck. Passengers can alight on the deck and board the bus which will reconnect the highway from Kanhaiya Nagar in Kopri.

The corporation said they would accommodate even private buses on the elevated road so the present station road will be used only for light vehicles, easing the peak hour traffic.

Expert speak:

The municipal corporation did not take commuters suggestion nor experts opinion while planning SATIS 1. This was why it failed. Instead of constructing elevated roads, the focus should be on decreasing the number of vehicles going towards the station. The elevated road will take more vehicles to the station premises. Even if buses ply on the elevated road, other vehicles will still use the road below. This was the problem with SATIS 1. Although buses ply on elevated roads, areas like Shivaji Path are still congested. There is a need for a bypass road.

Mayuresh Bhadsavle, urban planner, Thane

About SATIS at Thane West

The Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme (SATIS) costing Rs35.5 crore was completed in 2010. There is an elevated deck for TMT buses, two skywalks connecting the north and south of the station and foot overbridges connecting the station. This will ensure that commuters can directly enter or exit the railway station and reach the bus stop.

About SATIS 2

Rs266 crore: The cost of the second SATIS project in Thane east

2.23-km long elevated road will connect the elevated road from Eastern Express Highway to Thane east

The Thane Municipal Corporation proposed the second SATIS project on the east side in 2012. The east side has narrow roads, illegally parked auto stands and haphazardly parked private buses.

WHAT IT WILL HAVE

Multilevel parking,

Separate deck for bus terminus

A commercial building with food plaza, rest rooms, ticket counter

Citizen facilitation centre
Inspector Younus Shaikh, former senior inspector of Virar police station, transferred recently to the Palghar control room, was arrested from Mumbai by the state CID on Monday, for abetting the suicide of two brothers. He has been remanded in police custody till Wednesday.

Since his transfer, Shaikh had been on leave and had not taken up his new posting, police sources said .

Just a week ago, on February 28, the CID took over the investigation of the case from the Arnala coastal police.

A couple, Amarnath Jha and his wife Mithelesh, had been arrested on January 23, and subsequently released on bail, by the Arnala coastal police. The main accused in the case, Munaf Baloch, a social worker and resident of Virar, is absconding.

On January 20, Amit Jha, 29, consumed rat poison at his home in Suram Park, Virar (east). He was admitted to the KEM hospital and later moved to Shushrut hospital in Dadar, where he died on Monday morning.

The day before he attempted suicide, Amit and his parents had gone to Virar police station demanding that an FIR be filed against Shaikh for threatening him as well as his younger brother Vikas, 22, who, fed up with the harassment, had killed himself in November 2017.

Vikas, who had eight criminal cases against him at Vasai and Virar police stations, had poured kerosene on himself, set himself on fire and tried to embrace Vasai deputy superintendent of police Vishwas Dalwi. Dalwi escaped unhurt, but Vikas suffered 80% burns and passed away a day later.

The report into Vikass suicide was submitted on January 16, and named Baluch, who was booked abetting suicide. His family was demanding that the charge of abetment to suicide be registered against Shaikh, too.

In a statement, Manjunath Singe, superintendent of police, Palghar, said he and other officers met the family and assured a fair probe into the death of Amits brother Vikas on January 19.Shaikhs role was not established in an internal inquiry, but he had been transferred as a precautionary measure, he added. The next day, Amit consumed poison.

The brothers father Vinay has alleged that Shaikh is responsible for both his sons deaths.
This is not another obligatory column on the International Womens Day. This is not to deride the relentless commercialisation of socially and politically significant days in our calendars, though it fully deserves such scorn.

This is to remember generations of women at the vanguard of social, educational, political and work breakthroughs. For we, the liberated and empowered ones, stand on the shoulders of these giants. The debt of gratitude we owe our foremothers is too high to be counted.

This is also to focus on four areas of concern for women in Mumbai. Of course, there are more but for a start, these four. This does not imply that women do not benefit from or participate in commonly-discussed areas such as infrastructure, investment, and economy; instead, that these four areas need special attention from local and state governments, and from society.

The first of these is womens safety. Mumbai is indeed safer than many cities in India, certainly safer than Delhi, but there is work to be done. There is a distinct urban geography to certain crimes and their reporting, per the National Crime Records Bureau report for 2016. Mumbai, at second place, had 5,128 cases of crimes against women (Delhi logged 13,800 cases) with 2,183 molestations, more than 1,140 kidnappings and 712 rapes. Mumbai also topped the list of crimes against senior citizens, a fair number of them were women.

These were cases reported to the police; it must be assumed that not all women report crimes that violate them. No amount of infrastructural heft and commercial glitz can redeem the city if its streets, schools, homes, offices, transport are not completely safe for its women. This does not mean only technologically-driven device-dependent safety as CCTV networks and mobile phone apps have lately seduced us into believing. Its not about pressing a button when we feel unsafe; its about feeling secure in those spaces.

The second is womens work. That Mumbai has a ridiculously low percentage of women in paid jobs and formal sectors, barely 16% to the national average of 27% according to official data, is well-known. Women find themselves either not prepared or not enabled to work. The former is because we do not have adequate education or requisite skills; the latter is due to a complex set of factors including socio-political conditions, family and logistical support, and non-discriminatory work environments and so on.

Indias record of female participation in the labour force is among the lowest in the world. And it has dropped alarmingly in the last 10-15 years. Mumbai, with its myriad opportunities for women, has not bucked the national trend. Surely this calls for reflection, study and policy interventions from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the Maharashtra government?

The third is the need for gender audit across policies and projects. That infrastructural development and institutional growth have similar and equal benefits for all genders, is so much dogma. Its well established that public infrastructure and creation or strengthening of institutions have different impacts on men, women, children and trans-genders. But gender auditing of projects has not even got off the ground.

Gender audits of budgets have been attempted by women economists but it is not a widely-accepted de facto practice yet. Gender audits of policies and projects are important too. We do not know how Mumbais women received new projects worth thousands of crores like the coastal road, metro corridors, Shivaji Memorial among others; gender-specific aspects of such projects are hardly studied.

The fourth is to do with political representation of women. Thanks to the reservation mandated in the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments, women occupy one-third of the total 227 seats in the BMC. But note that women won in only 15 out of 113 unreserved constituencies. Also, in the reserved constituencies, women with male relatives in politics were given the tickets to contest. Of the 36 members of Maharashtra Assembly from Mumbai, there are only four women. These statistics have to improve.

Till women acquire a political voice, till women are seen and addressed as a political constituency in itself, womens issues will get a limited play in the public domain.

Today or any other day.
The district administration on Wednesday gave the go-ahead to agencies for setting up waste-to-energy plants at Galand and Mohammadpur Amad Baghpat in Modi Nagar.

A committee of officials had identified and earmarked the land for the purpose, following which no-objection certificates were also obtained for developing the facilities.

At present, there is no solid waste management plant in Ghaziabad for processing the waste generated every day in the city. The district magistrate of Ghaziabad said that the administration has approved the municipal corporations plan for developing the plant.

At Galand, we have two patches of 10 acres each and the corporation has been asked to start construction of the plant. At the other site (21 acres at Modi Nagar), the entire team of forest, pollution and other officials went for an on-site inspection. The site is far away from habitation and also away from the Hindon airbases flying zone. Also, the land is owned by the government. The development of the two facilities will start soon, Ritu Maheshwari, district magistrate, Ghaziabad, said.

At present, around 1,000 metric tonnes of solid waste is generated every day in Ghaziabad district. The waste is currently dumped at a temporary landfill site in Pratap Vihar.

The two sites will cater to the entire district, which comprises areas falling under the jurisdiction of Ghaziabad Development Authority, Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation and the four nagar palikas of Loni, Modi Nagar, Murad Nagar and Khoda. The other nagar panchayats which will also be benefitted include Patla, Niwari, Farid Nagar and Dasna.

The site at Modi Nagar will process waste from Loni, Modi Nagar, Murad Nagar and Mohan Nagar zones of the municipal corporation. The site at Galand will cater to the solid waste generated from areas falling under the jurisdiction of the GDA, municipal corporation and Khoda Nagar Palika, Maheshwari said.

A private firm has also been awarded the contract to prepare the detailed project report for the solid waste management plant at Galand. The Construction & Design Services, a unit of UP Jal Nigam, has been assigned the construction work of the project at Modi Nagar.
Every parent who has a girl at home, asks her where she is going and when she will return. But have you ever asked your sons where they are going, why they are going and who their friends are ? After all, the person committing a crime is also someones son. In the first Independence day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort after the historic mandate of 2014, the prime minister managed to break a major gender stereotype.

For the millions of people who did not follow debates on social media, this could have been the most undiluted message of gender justice that they could receive. The message that the safety of women is not the onus of the woman alone had been shared by the prime minister himself and at an event that the whole country was a part of. This is the sort of justice and empowerment of women that the country needs and deserves. This is empowerment without the shackles of labels, freed from othering of genders and one that not only critiques situations but equips women to change these situations.

In the course of the past four years, the government has tried to reinforce this brand of womens empowerment through targeted interventions for women. This empowerment has made space for female leaders to thrive, has acknowledged women achievers, has disrupted status quo for gender justice, has created avenues for social and economic empowerment of women and has tailored policies to address discrimination.

Empowering women means equipping them with the best opportunities which could break old barriers. More than 16 crore women have been connected to the banking system under the Jan Dhan Yojana. This massive financial inclusion of women has been the bedrock on which women have now benefitted from direct cash transfers for multiple schemes, including the flagship Ujjwala Yojana and the Swachh Bharat Mission. Today, it is women who are writing the story of New India where 7.88 crore women have taken loans under MUDRA and have become job creators.

At the launch of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao programme in Haryana, the prime minister said that as a country we have regressed because we do not even allow girls to be born. Today, 104 districts, including the most affected districts in Haryana, have reported an improved sex ratio. The Sukanya Samridhi scheme targets the perception that girls lead to economic insecurity in the family. The scheme allows parents to save money at a higher rate of interest for the higher education or wedding of the girl child. Sustainable change towards bringing in gender equality lies in understanding local barriers and working around them rather than importing solutions from outside.

Empowerment of women is not possible without justice for social wrongs and that demands disruptions of the old orders in which women are victims. One of the landmark judgments of 2017 was the Supreme Courts ban on instant triple talaq. This victory truly belongs to the Muslim women of this country and the government has stood with them in their struggle for justice and dignity. The government brought in the triple talaq legislation to criminalise the act. But, as expected, political considerations made the opposition stall the bill in Parliament.

Invoking the ancient Indian culture of respecting Kinnars, the government has brought in the Transgender Person Rights Bill (2016). This bill intends to end the indifference towards the community, challenge dogma and address the discrimination meted out to transpeople in access to education, employment and healthcare

This government is dedicated to taking forward the individual aspirations of women, and making them an intrinsic part of the development story of the country. In fact, no development is possible if women are not equal partners in the process of development. Today, women lead the defence and the foreign affairs ministries, allowing thousands of young girls to believe that their gender can never limit their potential. Today, women do not have to walk for hours to fetch firewood and suffer with smoke in their lungs and eyes. Today, women are leading the Swachh Bharat Campaign across villages because it was they who had to undergo the indignity of open defecation. Today, women are not only managing their families, but are setting up their own businesses and defining new Indias aspirations. Today, women do not have to make an uncomfortable choice between motherhood and economic security because of the Maternity Benefit Act.

In the declining rate of maternal mortality, in the improved sex ratio, in the smoke-free kitchens of women, in the toilets in the schoolyard for girls, in the small shop set up by a woman, we see the new story of women empowerment defining the new India.

Nirmala Sitharaman is the minister of defence

The views expressed are personal
Girls and women, who make up 48% of the Indian population and contribute immensely to their families and society, are at unique risks for kidney diseases. Kidney diseases and the issues related to access to health care have a profound impact on the current and future generations.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 15-20 % of Indias adult population and is one of the top 20 causes of death worldwide. It impacts not only patients but their families with devastating economic consequences. CKD affects 195 million women worldwide and is the eighth leading cause of death in women, with close to 600,000 deaths each year.

In some studies, the risk of developing CKD has been reported to be higher in women than men. Also, diseases like Lupus Nephropathy (Lupus nephritis is inflammation of the kidney that is caused by systemic lupus erythematous (SLE)). Also called lupus, SLE is an autoimmune disease. With lupus, the bodys immune system targets its own body tissues. Lupus nephritis (when lupus involves the kidneys) and Chronic Pyleonephritis (chronic pyelonephritis is characterised by renal inflammation and fibrosis induced by recurrent or persistent renal infection, vesicoureteral reflux, or other causes of urinary tract obstruction) ar

e unique to women.

CKD is also a risk factor for adverse pregnancy and reduced fertility. Women who have CKD face increased risk for themselves and the baby. Pregnancies in women with advanced CKD are more difficult to manage with higher rates of hypertensive disorders and preterm births. There is a need for higher awareness about CKD in pregnancy, early diagnosis of CKD in pregnancy and follow-up checks for women with CKD during and after pregnancy.

Pregnancy may also be a valuable occasion for early diagnosis of CKD, thus allowing planning of therapeutic interventions. Pregnancy-related complications increase the risk of kidney disease. Pre-eclampsia (a syndrome in which a defect in the implantation of the placenta affects normal kidneys and induces hypertension and proteinuria) is one of the three leading causes of maternal mortality. Diseases like pre-eclampsia, septic abortion (infection of the placenta) and post-partum haemorrhage (severe bleeding after giving birth) are the leading causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in young women, and may herald CKD in survivors.

Kidney transplantation is also unequally spread, mostly due to social, cultural and psychological aspects. In India, the national figures show that 70-80% of the patients are male whereas 70- 80% of the donors are female. However, there has been a change in the last few years and one set of data shows that males constitute 67 % of the patients and 56% of the donors are females.

Improved access to care for women is critical for maintaining the health of families, communities and populations. There is need for creating greater awareness, early diagnosis and regular follow-up of CKD in pregnancy. This year, World Kidney Day and International Womens Day 2018 are commemorated on the same day, giving us an opportunity to highlight the importance of womens health and particularly the state of their kidneys.

Sanjeev Gulati is director of nephrology at Fortis Institute of Renal Sciences and Transplant

The views expressed are personal
The Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC) kicked a major row on Tuesday after its field officials razed a composting plant structure installed by the Panchkula MC on the border of the two cities near Sector 7 here last month. The Chandigarh officials claimed it had been installed illegally in their territory.

An infuriated Panchkula municipal commissioner Rajesh Jogpal slammed the Chandigarh MCs action and claimed the structure was within Sector 7.

Claiming a loss of Rs 6 lakh, Jogpal immediately moved a complaint with the area police station in Sector 5, accusing Chandigarh councillor Anil Dubey, MCs sub-divisional officer (SDO) Balraj Chikara and junior engineer Dalbir Singh  who were present at the demolition drive  of destroying public property. He even lodged protest with Chandigarh mayor Davesh Moudgil and MC commissioner Jitender Yadav.

However, by the evening, the Panchkula MC relented and did not press charges after SDO Balraj gave it in writing that the Chandigarh civic body will erect the demolished structures at the earliest.

MCs to conduct joint inspection

Chandigarh MC chief Yadav wrote to Jogpal proposing a joint inspection for demarcating the boundary between the two cities on the Manimajra side to prevent such disputes. Jogpal said he is open for a joint inspection to find any amicable solution to boundary disputes.

The Panchkula MC chief said the Chandigarh MCs conduct was wrong as it destroyed a public facility without even intimating his corporation.

Even if there is any confusion over the boundaries, it is wrong to carry out such mindless drives, he said, adding that it strained coordination between municipal bodies. We are hopeful of better support from the Chandigarh MC in all issues concerning the two cities, he said

Meanwhile, Chandigarh MC chief Yadav said he has sought a report from the chief engineer on why the officials concerned failed to consult their Panchkula counterparts before demolishing the structure. Their responsibility will be fixed, he said.

However, defending the Chandigarh MCs action, area councillor Anil Dubey said he had brought the illegal encroachment to the civic bodys notice after complaints from residents.
A 32-year-old woman and her mother, aged 53, were taken into preventive custody by the police after they threw around plates, cups, cutlery and tables and hurled abuses at the staff at Hotel Mountview in Sector 10, Chandigarh, on Tuesday morning.

Swati Katari, identified from her ID card as a lawyer, and her mother, Rani, both from Karnal, had gone to a cafe at the hotel at about 9.30 am, police said. Trouble broke out after they started eating from the buffet and were asked by the staff to go to their table as they had ordered paranthas from the a la carte menu.

Even as the place started getting packed as other guests walked in for breakfast, the two started abusing the staff and broke the plates, cups and cutlery stacked at the buffet table, SP Bhardwaj, security officer of Hotel Mountview alleged.

He lodged a complaint against the two women with the police on behalf of the hotel.

Security was called in and female guards overpowered the duo after they used pepper spray on the staff and police took them into custody soon after.

Both the mother and daughter were taken to the Government Multispecialty Hospital in Sector 16 for a medical examination.

We have registered a case against Swati and her mother. They are under preventive arrest and admitted to the hospital, Ram Gopal, DSP (Central), Chandigarh, said.

According to officials at Hotel Mountview, this is not the first time that the women have created trouble. They are in the habit of creating a ruckus every time they come to the hotel. Earlier too we had to call the police after they had refused to pay hotel bills, said Anurag Walia, deputy general manger, Hotel Mountview.

We have now passed instructions to ban the entry of the women into the hotel, he added.

Police said Swati had a sister in Chandigarh and a brother in Karnal, and both she and her mother had earlier failed to pay bills at not just Mountview, but at Hotel Icon in sector 8 and another one in Sector 43 as well.

Currently hospitalised, Swati and Rani could not be produced before the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) on Tuesday soon after their arrest. Rani refused to reveal her identify even at the hospital and gave her name as Buri Devi to doctors.

Both complained of uneasiness after using the pepper spray and were kept under medical supervision.

If they are discharged from the hospital we will produce them on Wednesday before the SDM, the DSP added.
A local court on Wednesday sent Saraj Singh Sandhu, alias Mintoo, 26, the gangster who is prime suspect in the murder of a right-wing Hindu outfit in Amritsar, to seven days of police remand.

He was produced into the court of judicial magistrate (1st class) Arun Soori at the district and sessions court by the organised crime control unit (OCCU) of Punjab Police.

Saraj allegedly shot Vipan Sharma, leader of Hindu Sangharsh Sena, last October. We expect more revelations after interrogation, said assistant inspector general (AIG), OCCU, Jalandhar, Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh.

Police had said that it was on a tip-off that a joint team of the OCCU and the Jalandhar (rural) police under AIG Khakh nabbed Saraj near a railway crossing on the Jalandhar-Amritsar road (NH-1) on Tuesday morning. He was going to Amritsar from Delhi, said the AIG at a press meet; two pistols and cartridges were seized from his possession.

At the time of Sharmas murder, Saraj had grown long hair and beard to conceal his identity, the security camera video footage of which fuelled the speculation of Sikh separatism as the reason behind the murder. But he later got the hair and beard cut. He also used to shift base to neighbouring states after crimes, police said.

Wanted in 15 cases of heinous crimes, Saraj has now too confessed to the cops that he killed Sharma to avenge the killing of his friend Shubhams father, a head constable, for which he held Sharma responsible.
The principal shooting of Ajiths Viswasam is expected to finally commence from March 23 in Hyderabad. As the makers are gearing up for full-fledged shoot, reports have emerged that Ajith might team up with actor-filmmaker Prabhudheva for his next project. Rumours have been doing the rounds Prabhudheva will direct Ajith next for producer Kotapadi Rajesh, whose recent production venture was Gulebaghavali, which featured Prabhudheva in the titular role. However, sources close to Rajesh have denied the reports and added that nothing is planned as of now, without denying a future collaboration.

Prabhudheva is currently shooting for Charlie Chaplin 2, a Tamil comedy with director Sakthi Chidambaram. His next Tamil release will be Karthik Subbarajs silent thriller Mercury. Interestingly, Prabhudeva plays the antagonist in Mercury, slated for April 13 release. He also has a danced-based film called Lakshmi, in AL Vijays direction, gearing up for release. On the directorial front, his next project is Salman Khan starrer Dabangg 3, which is expected to kick-off from April or May. Last year, Prabhudheva announced a multi-starrer project called Karuppu Raja Vela Raja, which would mark his return to direction in Tamil filmdom after a long hiatus. For various reasons unknown, the project never took off.

Meanwhile, Viswasam marks the fourth consecutive collaboration of Ajith and director Siva. While many believed that after the debacle of Vivegam, Ajith and Siva might take a break and work on a different combination. However, theyve reunited to bounce back strongly following the failure of Vivegam. Apparently, Ajith insisted that Siva works with him again on a rural-based script and itll feature Ajith in a brand new avatar. It is believed that Ajith will dye his hair black and sport a new look for the film and his new look has already leaked online. D Imman, who will be joining hands for the first time with Ajith, has been finalised to compose music. Nayanthara has been roped in to play the leading lady.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop
A day after internal squabbling within the fledgling Karnataka Pragnyavanta Janata Party (KPJP) came out in the open, Kannada film star Upendra on Tuesday announced his resignation from the party and his decision to float a new outfit.

The actor expressed hope that the party, Prajakeeya, would be able to contest the coming assembly elections in Karnataka, expected in April/May.

We have come to a unanimous decision that along with four to five people Im tendering my resignation from KPJP (Karnataka Prajnavanta Janata Paksha). We will not have any relationship with KPJP here on, Upendra said.

After meeting his supporters and well wishers, he told reporters, We have also decided that we will immediately prepare to launch a new party with the concept of Prajakeeya.

Differences had emerged between KPJP president Upendra and general secretary Mahesh Gowda on a host of issues related to decision making in the party, including selection of candidates and office bearers.

Upendra, who had earlier planned to take the political plunge by floating his own party, had in October announced his decision to join KPJP that Gowda had launched earlier.

Stating that the ideologies of Prajakeeya that he has been propagating would continue in the new party, Upendra spoke about ensuring transparent government, complete change in the education system and providing quality health care.

He said, We will launch Prajakeeya party as soon as possible. We will contest these (assembly) polls if possible. If it cannot be done, we will contest the next corporation or gram panchayat elections.

Our efforts will continue. At no cost I will do Rajayakeeya, leaving aside Prajakeeya, he said.

The real results between prajaakeeya and Raajakeeya will reveal on 6th of this month. Wait and watch. Upendra  Upendra (@nimmaupendra) March 3, 2018

Asked if his new party would be able to contest 224 assembly seats during the coming polls, Upendra said they would immediately commence the activities to start the party.

If the party is established and if we get the symbol, we will contest this time itself, he said.

He also said most of his candidates are ready, and what was needed was the formation of the party.

Upendra, who began his film career as a dialogue writer, has directed about 10 films and acted in about 50.



Follow @htshowbiz for more

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop
Telugu film industry seems to be satisfied with the newer terms provided by the Digital Service Providers (DSP). They have withdrawn the strike in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. New films will releases from March 9. The DSPs have offered 25% to 35% reduction and have also promised to decrease the fees levied next year.



On the other hand, the other main player in the strike - the Tamil film industry - is unhappy with the new terms offered by the DSPs and have refused to withdraw it.

As TFPC (Tamil Nadu Film Producers Council) - DSP stand off continues, there will be no new releases in theatres this week except for English and Hindi movies. Despite withdrawing strike in their own states, the other south Indian film industries supported TFPCs stand. As a result, there will be no new releases in Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam as well.

This has caused a major problem for theatre owners who have begun cancelling morning and noon shows for lack of audiences. In Tamil Nadu, the audience footfall has anyway decreased in the last 6 months, post the increase in ticket prices. Now with no new releases, some theatres are also temporarily shutting down services.

The #TFPC-#DSP stalemate continues in Tamil Nadu, over 'new Tamil releases'. Most screens other than a few in Chennai city have cancelled their day shows - Noon & Matinee, due 2 lack of audiences. An extraordinary meeting of TN Theater Associations is to be held tomorrow.  Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) March 7, 2018

Trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai tweeted, The #TFPC-#DSP stalemate continues in Tamil Nadu, over new Tamil releases. Most screens other than a few in Chennai city have cancelled their day shows - Noon & Matinee, due 2 lack of audiences. An extraordinary meeting of TN Theater Associations is to be held tomorrow.

As a result of this strike, Tovino Thomas and Pia Bajpais Abgiyum Anuvum , which was supposed to release on March 9 has been postponed.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop
The star-shaped walls of the hilltop town of Elvas dominate the plains of Portugals southern Alentejo region near the border with Spain. But despite being declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2012, Elvas receives few visitors aside from the occasional Spanish day-tripper. To try to change this, Portugals second largest hotel group, Vila Gale, is spending around five million euros ($6.0 million) to convert a former convent into a luxury hotel.

Dozens of builders are working on the 17th-century whitewashed building, last used as a military court, to transform it into an 80-room, four-star hotel that is set to open next year. We are convinced that with a quality hotel, tourists will stay in Elvas, said Jorge Rebelo de Almeida, the president of Vila Gale, which was awarded a 40-year lease to operate the state-owned building. Tourism has become a key driver of Portugals economy since 2014 when the country exited a three-year 78-billion-euro international bailout that imposed harsh austerity measures on its citizens.

Now, to attract visitors to places not currently on their radar, and help ensure a constant year-round flow of tourists, Portugals socialist government is leasing abandoned monasteries, forts and other historic sites to private groups to be turned into hotels and other leisure centres.

A former convent and military court will be restored to a luxury hotel in the town of Elvas. (AFP)

Record numbers

The building is one of 33 abandoned historical sites the government is offering to lease for up to 50 years under a programme dubbed Revive. Among the other available sites is a fort in the northwestern town of Caminha that has one of only three wells in the world located at sea. Another is a sanctuary in Cape Espichel near Lisbon where according to legend there was once an apparition of the Virgin Mary.

I am convinced that the future of tourism involves hotels with a differentiated offering, added Rebelo de Almeida, whose company posted revenues of 173 million euros last year, a 13 percent jump over 2016 as it benefited from Portugals tourism boom. Tourism accounts for 12.5 percent of the countrys economic output and has been growing steadily since 2011, with British, German and French nationals accounting for nearly half of all foreign visitors.

But most tourists from abroad head to the sandy beaches of the Algarve, Portugals southernmost province, the capital Lisbon, with its wealth of historical monuments, and the northern Porto region and its nearby terraced hillside vineyards that overlook the Douro river. And arrivals are concentrated in late spring, summer and autumn, with tourism activity slumping in winter. We want to get away from these traditional destinations, Portugals secretary of state for tourism, Ana Mendes Godinho, told AFP, before adding the government wanted to extend this activity throughout the entire year. Portugal welcomed a record 18.2 million foreign tourists in 2016 and, while official figures for last year have not yet been published, government and tourism sector officials believe the figure was even higher.

A table is laid by a window of the restaurant of the 'Pousada do Castelo' inn located in the medieval town of Obidos, central Portugal. (AFP)

Moment of euphoria

The country has seen a surge in visitors partly due to security concerns in other popular sunshine holiday destinations, such as Egypt and Turkey. Portuguese hotels welcomed 20.6 million guests in 2017, an 8.9 percent rise over the previous year, helping the tourism sector to create some 53,000 new jobs. These results show that the tourism sector can still grow a great deal in Portugal, said Godinho. Tourism leaders are optimistic the boom will continue in 2018.

The country has seen a surge in visitors partly due to security concerns in other popular sunshine holiday destinations, such as Egypt and Turkey. (AFP)

With the reservations we already have, we predict this year will be better than 2017, said Raul Martins, the president of the Portuguese Hotel Association (AHP), which represents more than 60 percent of the countrys hotels. Pestana, the countrys biggest hotel group which runs a chain of luxury hotels in historical buildings known as the Pousadas de Portugal, is equally optimistic. Portugal is going through a moment of euphoria, said the companys chief development officer, Jose Roquette.

The company will this year expand its hotel in the heart of the walled city of Obidos, which is crammed with whitewashed houses livened up with dashes of vivid yellow and blue paint, more than doubling the number of its rooms to 47 from 19 to meet strong demand. Obidos is today known as the little medieval corner of Portugal, said Nuno Ribeiro, who manages the hotel. The efforts to make other cultural destinations in the country have started to pay off, he added.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more
A South Korean female actor has accused award-winning film director Kim Ki-duk and a top actor of rape, as the countrys nascent #MeToo movement begins to spiral.

The fresh allegations against Kim come after his presence at this years Berlin Film Festival caused controversy following a fine for physically assaulting a different female actor.

In the latest case an actress, who refused to be named, said that Kim repeatedly tried to enter her hotel room when they were shooting a movie in a remote village several years ago.

It was a living hell... so many nights, he came to my room and slammed the door or phoned me at the room repeatedly until I responded, she told Seouls MBC television station.

Kim eventually summoned her to his room to discuss a script, she went on. Then he raped me.

The films male star Cho Jae-hyun also raped her, she said.

The two men shared stories of raping female actors and there was a sense of competition between them, she said in an investigation aired late Tuesday.

The female actor said she had quit acting afterwards and was in therapy for years.

Her accusations come as the #MeToo movement gradually gains ground in South Korea, which remains socially conservative and patriarchal in many respects despite its economic and technological advances.

Earlier this week a provincial governor and former presidential contender resigned after an aide accused him of multiple rapes.

Kim -- who has won prizes at the Berlin, Cannes and Venice film festivals -- was fined 5 million won ($4,600) by prosecutors last year for physically assaulting a female actor on set.

They dismissed sex abuse charges citing lack of evidence but the case sparked controversy at this years Berlinale, which invited Kim despite its support for the #MeToo campaign against abuse and mistreatment of women.

Actress Mina Fujii, South Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk and actor Lee Sung-jae pose during a photocall to present the film "Human, Space, Time and Human" (Inkan, Gonkan, Sikan Grigo Inkan) presented in the Panorama Special section during the 68th Berlinale film festival. (AFP)

- I am a sinner -

Kim told MBC television in text messages that he was only involved in consensual sexual relationships.

I never tried to satisfy my personal desires using my status as a film director, he added.

Kim has previously rejected abuse accusations against him, saying he ensures no one suffers on the sets of his ultraviolent, sexually explicit art movies.

Cho, who has starred in many of Kims movies and is known as his alter ego told the station he would talk about the accusations once an investigation begins.

Im panicking, he said. I am a sinner. But many of the things I see in news are so different from truth.

Cho apologised last month after being accused of sexually abusing female crew members and students. He was fired from the college where he was teaching and removed from a TV drama production.

Director Kim Ki-duk poses at the photo-call on the film 'Human, Space, Time and Human' during the 68th edition of the International Film Festival Berlin, Berlinale, in Berlin. (AP)

Another female actor interviewed by MBC Tuesday said Kim repeatedly asked to see her breasts and her naked body during an audition process that felt deeply humiliating.

All three of Kims accusers remain anonymous for fear of public shaming.

Women in South Koreas movie industry, both on screen or behind cameras, shy away from making open accusations against senior staffers or directors for fear of permanently damaging their careers.

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop
British investigators will update an emergency response committee of senior ministers on Wednesday about the mystery illness that struck down a former Russian double agent and his daughter.

Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russias GRU military intelligence service, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, were found slumped unconscious on a bench outside a shopping centre in the southern English city of Salisbury on Sunday afternoon.

Police said they had been exposed to an unknown substance. More than two days later, both are critically ill in intensive care.

Counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation and Britains military research laboratory at Porton Down is trying to identify the substance which caused Skripal, 66, and his daughter to fall ill.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd will chair the emergency response meeting.

This is an alleged image of the daughter of former Russian Spy Sergei Skripal, Yulia Skripal taken from Yulia Skipal's Facebook account on Tuesday March 6, 2018. (Yulia Skripal/Facebook via AP)

Britain has cautioned Russia that if the Kremlin was behind any poisoning then there will be grave consequences and British ministers have drawn parallels with the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko who was killed with radioactive polonium-210 in London.

A previous British inquiry said President Vladimir Putin probably approved the murder Litvinenko who died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at Londons Millennium Hotel.

Russia, which denied any involvement in the death of Litvinenko, has dismissed claims that it may have had a hand in the poisoning of Skripal.

Moscow says anti-Russian hysteria is being whipped up without any evidence to show its involvement in the Skripal case. Russia holds a presidential election on March 18, which polls show Vladimir Putin should comfortably win.

Skripal, who passed the identity of dozens of spies to the MI6 foreign intelligence agency, was given refuge in Britain after being exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport.

Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested Skripal in 2004 on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial.
Britain said on Wednesday that investigators now knew more about a mystery substance that struck down a former Russian double agent and his daughter in an English city, in a case that threatens to further damage already strained ties with Moscow.

Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russias GRU military intelligence service, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, were found slumped unconscious on a bench outside a shopping centre in the southern English city of Salisbury on Sunday afternoon.

Both remain critically ill in intensive care.

British politicians and media have speculated that Russia may have been behind the suspected poisoning of a man it regards as a traitor. Moscow has strongly rejected any involvement.

We do know more about the substance and the police will be making a further statement this afternoon in order to share some of that, interior minister Amber Rudd said after chairing the governments emergency response committee.

We need to keep a cool head and make sure that we collect all the evidence we can and we need to make sure that we respond not to rumour, Rudd said. Then we will need to decide what action to take.

Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation and Britains military research laboratory at Porton Down is trying to identify the substance which caused Skripal, 66, and his daughter to collapse.

The suspected poisoning prompted foreign secretary Boris Johnson to say on Tuesday that if Moscow were behind the incident then Britain could look again at sanctions and take other measures to punish Russia, which he cast as a malign and disruptive state.

A still image taken from video shows Sergei Skripal, a former colonel of Russia's GRU military intelligence service, attending a hearing at the Moscow military district court. (RTR via Reuters Photo)

On Wednesday, Russia reaffirmed its view that allegations of Russian involvement in the case were being cynically used to whip up an anti-Russian campaign in Britain.

Its very hard not to assess this (speculation) as provocative black PR designed to complicate relations between our two countries, foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters in Moscow.

A source close to the British investigation said that Russian involvement in the Skripal poisoning was just one of the versions being looked at by counter-terrorism investigators with assistance from the MI5 domestic intelligence agency.

Police said new cordons had been added near Solstice Park, a business park, in the town of Amesbury near to Salisbury. They have sealed off the area of Salisbury where Skripal was found as well as the Zizzi pizza restaurant where they dined and the Bishops Mill pub where they had a drink.

Some emergency workers were treated after the incident and one remains in hospital.

Need to deter Russia

The British capital has been dubbed Londongrad due to the large amounts of Russian wealth which have flowed westwards since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union. It is the Western city of choice for many oligarchs from the former Soviet Union.

Britain has specifically drawn parallels with the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko who was killed with radioactive polonium-210 in London.

A previous British inquiry said Russian President Vladimir Putin probably approved the murder of Litvinenko, who died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at Londons Millennium Hotel.

It took three weeks for British doctors to ascertain that Litvinenko had been poisoned by polonium-210 by which time he was at deaths door.

Russia denied involvement in the death of Litvinenko, which the British inquiry said had been hatched by the Federal Security Service (FSB), main successor to the Soviet-era KGB.

Former British defence minister Michael Fallon called for a stronger response if Russia was involved in the Skripal affair.

Weve got to respond more effectively than we did last time over Litvinenko. Our response then clearly wasnt strong enough, Fallon told Reuters. We need to deter Russia from believing they can get away with attacks like this on our streets if its proved.

Litvinenkos murder sent Britains ties with Russia to what was then a post-Cold War low. Relations suffered further from Russias annexation of Crimea and its military backing for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The suspected poisoning of Skripal has come shortly before Russias presidential election on March 18, which Putin is expected to win comfortably, extending his rule by a further six years. The former KGB officer has been president since 2000.

Russias FSB arrested Skripal in 2004 on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial.

In 2010, Skripal was given refuge in Britain after being exchanged for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport.
Canadas former National Security Advisor has dismissed the theory advanced by his successor that convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal was planted by rogue elements in the Indian establishment to embarrass Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his recent visit to India.

Atwal was convicted on terror charges related to the attempted assassination of a visiting minister from Punjab in 1985. His presence at an official event in Mumbai attended by Trudeau and an invitation to an official dinner reception hosted by the Canadian envoy in New Delhi caused embarrassment to Trudeau.

Asked during the course of an interview on a syndicated Canadian radio talk show by host Evan Solomon whether he did buy the conspiracy theory, Richard Fadden, who served as NSA to Trudeau and his predecessor Stephen Harper, said: I do not.

Even as Faddens rejection of the theory was being aired, Jagmeet Singh, leader of the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), waded into the controversy by seeking an investigation into the matter.

Singh tweeted, Canadians are concerned about the allegations of foreign interference by elements of the Indian government. If true, they do serious harm to our democracy. New Democrats are calling on the government to investigate their claims of interference and provide Canadians the truth.

Singh has been critical of the Indian government, especially its handling of the anti-Sikh riots in 1984, and was once denied a visa by India.

The allegations of Indian interference in Trudeaus visit did not resonate with Fadden, who told the radio talk show: If it were true, it would be very serious indeed. Which is why I think its probably not true because I still dont see the advantage to India of their doing this.

Its unclear to me, if this were the case, what the government of India or one of its agencies would be trying to accomplish. I dont see it. Yes, its theoretically possible, he added, in response to a similar question.

Fadden has also served as director of the spy agency, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

The Canadian government continues to blame Liberal Party MP Randeep Sarai for the fiasco involving Atwal.

He had forwarded Atwals name to be included in the list of invitees for the dinner reception at the residence of the Canadian high commissioner in New Delhi on February 23.

In an email responding to queries from Hindustan Times, Scott Bardsley, press secretary in the office of the minister of public safety and emergency preparedness, said, We have been clear the individual in question never should have received an invitation, and as soon as it was brought to our attention, the invitation was rescinded.

This individual was included by a Member of Parliament, and that member has taken full responsibility for his actions.

Bardsley did not reply to a question on whether the Canadian government is seeking to investigate the rogue elements claim by an unnamed national security official, later revealed to be NSA Daniel Jean.

Trudeaus support for that position, voiced in the House of Commons, was echoed by the spokesperson, as he said: Canadian security authorities performed their jobs in all of these circumstances exactly as they should. They provide independent, impartial, professional advice and information to the government of Canada and Canadians, and that is exactly what has happened in this case. Our professional, non-partisan public service does high-quality work.

However, Fadden felt the fault might lie in lax security protocols, as he said, I suspect that all of the other various institutions who should have caught it didnt because it was likely a last minute issue and there were too many other things going on.

He hoped there would be tighter procedures for such prime ministerial events because of this.
The official reason for Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasis visit to Nepal was to congratulate his counterpart KP Sharma Oli on the successful conclusion of elections. But Abbasis discussions with his interlocutors showed the visit was about much more.

Abbasi made a concerted effort to give a new direction to Pakistans ties with Nepal during his two-day visit that ended on Tuesday, raising issues ranging from the holding of the much-delayed Saarc Summit to the situation in Kashmir, and plugging Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

He raised the Kashmir issue and the ongoing human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir during his meeting with Oli, according to Pakistans state-run APP news agency.

He also made a strong push for Nepals support for holding the Saarc Summit in Islamabad, officials said. Abbasi said the full potential of Saarc was not being exploited and there is a need to hold the next summit on priority basis.

The summit was scheduled to be held in Islamabad in November 2016, when it was postponed after India and several other members of the grouping pulled out in the wake of terror attacks in Kashmir that were blamed on Pakistan-based groups.

India is taking part in Saarc meetings at various levels but has not given any signal about the hosting of the stalled summit. The key question is whether India and Pakistan will be able to sort out their differences. It is very unlikely that the summit will take place soon, said one Nepalese official.

Abbasi talked at length about the benefits of the BRI with Nepalese leaders and urged them to back the connectivity project. He was also very vocal about Nepal taking advantage of the BRI in two interviews with the local media.

This is a project of a generation, a paradigm shift, Abbasi said in an interview. The whole region needs to connect into BRI, which will then open markets and opportunities for us in the West and in Central Asia.

One observer remarked that it appeared as if Abbasi was acting as a Chinese spokesperson and an emissary of the BRI.

Nepal has signed an MoU with China to become part of the BRI. There has been a big push from Beijing for Kathmandu to select projects for inclusion in the project.

According to Nepalese officials who participated in the talks between Abbasi and Oli, the Pakistani premier also spoke of how the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor would be a game changer for South Asia.

At a time when Indias clout in South Asia is being challenged by China, the visit seemed to be aimed at giving a psychological counter to India, said a leader from Nepals ruling party.

Others noted that Abbasis visit came against the backdrop of the formation of a nationalist government in Nepal under the leadership of Oli, who shares warm relations with China and is seen as cool towards India.

Observers also noted that Abbasi did not meet Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, who skipped a dinner hosted by Oli after the Pakistani side did not arrange a bilateral meeting. Deuba is known as pro-West and pro-India.

In an interview published in two national dailies, Abbasi also suggested Nepal could facilitate India-Pakistan talks.

Yes, the Saarc forum is available here. The third forum always helps whatever confidence-building measures or whatever other issues you want to deal with. Nepal has a unique sense of history as well and that can help facilitate those initiatives, he said when he was asked if Nepal could mediate between India and Pakistan.
Farhatullah Babar,a lawmaker from the main opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has said that the country must shun a double game in the war against terrorism, virtually endorsing repeated allegations by the US that Islamabad is not doing enough against groups operating from its soil.

The PPP, however, distanced itself from Babars remarks and insisted that they were made in a personal capacity. Babar, who served as the spokesman for late premier Benazir Bhutto and her widower Asif Ali Zardari when he was the president, made the comments at a roundtable discussion in Islamabad on the Financial Action Task Forces (FATF) decision to put Pakistan on a terror financing watchlist.

Babar, who retires from the Senate or upper house of Parliament on March 11 after a six-year term, is regarded as a staunch critic of the security establishment and the policies it has pursued over the years.

These examples unfortunately have reinforced the perception that Pakistan might not be sincere in eliminating all terrorist groups, he said during the discussion on Tuesday.

He cited several examples to demonstrate Pakistans total failure in eradicating certain militant groups. He questioned former Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsans treatment as a state guest, especially since he had the blood of 150 innocent children on his hands.

Babar was also critical of the authorities for being unable to provide a rationale over the issuance of a national identity card to slain Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mansour. He said Pakistan has mainstreamed militants and allowed them to form political parties to contest elections.

Speaking about the move to put Pakistan on the FATFs grey list for not doing enough to choke funding for groups such as Jamaat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation, he said this was a consequence of Pakistans ignorant approach towards President Donald Trumps tweet on January 1 that accused Islamabad of giving only lies and deceit in return for billions of dollars in aid from Washington.

Pakistan kept on making fun of this tweet and Trump by calling him mentally ill rather than taking him or his tweet seriously, which no doubt has put Pakistan in serious trouble, he said.

Babar also said China and Saudi Arabia are significant allies of Pakistan but they had withdrawn their support at the FATF plenary meeting in Paris last month because of punitive pressure from the US.
Saudi Arabias crown prince says Qatar will not be barred from an Arab summit in Riyadh later this month, but predicted the standoff with Doha could last a long time.

Prince Mohammed bin Salmans comments were made to local editors during a visit to Egypt this week and published Wednesday in the independent Al-Shorouk newspaper.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar in June, accusing the tiny but super-rich Gulf state of supporting militant groups and forging close ties with Shiite Iran.

The prince described Iran, Turkey and militant groups as the contemporary triangle of evil.

He said Saudi Arabia was seeking to end the close relations between Iran on the one hand and Russia and Syria on the other.
A truck driver was on Tuesday found guilty of causing the deaths of eight Indians in one of Britains worst road accidents last year.

Ryszard Masierak, a 31-year-old Polish national, was convicted at the end of a trial at Reading Crown Court. The jury heard that he was two times over the legal drink-drive limit and had stopped in the inside lane of the highway when he was involved in the crash with a minibus and another truck near Newport Pagnell in southern England on August 26.

He had denied the charges of causing the deaths of Nottingham-based Keralite minibus driver Cyriac Joseph and seven of his passengers  all Indians.

The 52-year-old had been hired to drive his passengers from Nottingham to London to join a European holiday tour group when they met with the fatal accident.

The jury is yet to pronounce its verdict on David Wagstaff, a 53-year-old British citizen who was driving the second truck involved in the collision, and will continue deliberations tomorrow.

However, it reached a unanimous verdict on the guilt of Masierak, who was also convicted of four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, in relation to injuring four other passengers  including a four-year-old girl orphaned by the crash.

The trial was told that a drunk Masierak had stopped for 12 minutes in the slow lane of the highway just before the crash. His truck caused an obstruction on the motorway forcing others to slow down before moving around him.

As Joseph waited with his hazard lights on for a chance to go around the heavy goods vehicle (HGV), a second truck driven by Wagstaff smashed into the back of the van, forcing it to crash into and then go under Masieraks truck, the court was told.

In Mr Wagstaffs case, on a hands-free call, his lorry on cruise control and he on auto-pilot, completely failing to notice what was ahead of him in full view for some time, inattention on a gross scale, said Prosecutor Oliver Saxby.

The victims from Nottinghams Malayali community and their relatives  named as Panneerselvam Annamalai, Rishi Ranjeev Kumar, Vivek Baskaran, Lavanyalakshmi Seetharaman, Karthikeyan Pugalur Ramasubramanian, Subramaniyan Arachelvan and Tamilmani Arachelvan  were on their way to London to catch a bus to Disneyland in Paris. Among them were IT professionals employed by software major Wipro.

The sentencing in the case will take place after the jury has decided on both accused later this week.
US President Donald Trumps top economic adviser Gary Cohn announced his resignation on Tuesday amid reports of differences over stiff tariffs on steel and aluminum imports that have divided the White House and the ruling Republican party.

A former Goldman Sachs president, the 57-year-old Cohn was vehemently opposed to the Presidents protectionist trade policies and speculation about his departure had been around for months, going back to his criticism of Trumps position on Charlottesville race riots.

The departure of Cohn, director of the national economic council, is the latest in a very long list of high-profile aides leaving the White House and there is talk of more people taking the exit door.

Trump last week announced he planned a 25% tariff on steel and 10% on aluminum imports to protect American manufacturers. But the move ran into opposition within the administration, free-traders such as Cohn, and congressional Republican leaders such as speaker of the House Paul Ryan and other leading lawmakers.

Cohn had tried to stop the President from going through with the tariffs but is understood to have lost out to commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, trade adviser Peter Navarro and others.

Bloomberg wire service, citing sources, said Trump had sought Cohns cooperation at a meeting in the Oval Office on Tuesday but it didnt work and hours later, the White House announced the departure.

Cohns resignation comes within days of Hope Hicks quitting as communications director, the fourth in nearly 14 months of Trumps presidency.

Others who left include chief of staff Reince Priebus, press secretary and communications director Sean Spicer and NSA Michael Flynn.

There is speculation that NSA HR McMaster, attorney general Jeff Sessions and secretary of state Rex Tillerson could join the already crowded queue.

Cohns exit came hours after Trump sought to counter the perception chaos in his White House. People were always leaving and joining, he had tweeted, adding, I still have some people that I want to change. He refused to be specific at a news conference later. Cohns departure was announced shortly after.

Garydid a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again, President Trump said in a statement.

In the same statement from the White House, Cohn said it was an honour to serve the country and enact pro-growth economic policies.

A life-long Democrat, Cohn had come to be seen as a champion of free trade along with the Presidents daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Former chief strategist Steven Bannon, who led the economic nationalists, had derisively branded them the globalists.

Cohn had tried to prevent the President from going through with the tariffs but is understood to have lost out to commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, trade adviser Peter Navarro and other protectionists such as Trump.

Talk of Cohns exit had started in the aftermath of the race riots in August. He is reported to have drafted a resignation letter after Trump tried to blame both sides for the clashes that left a woman dead. Cohn changed his mind but did say publicly the administration must do better to condemn hate groups.
T he former headquarters of the Liberal Democrats has been let to an overseas billionaire family for a 1 million-a-year try before you buy rent after a lavish three-year renovation.

The Grade II listed Edwardian mansion, close to the Houses of Parliament, was the London base of the SDP after its formation in 1981 and the scene of some of the most momentous upheavals in recent British politics.

The Lib Dems  formed in 1988 when the SDP merged with the Liberal Party  moved out to save money in 2011.

It will be the first time that the seven bedroom house has been used as a private home and it is said that it will be the largest in Westminster.

The new tenants have agreed to pay a monthly rent of 84,000 for a year, with an option to buy for about 35 million.

It is the biggest try before you buy deal yet seen in London.

The arrangements are increasingly popular with foreign buyers due to the uncertainty hanging over the capital during Brexit negotiations, and the rise in the upfront costs of buying expensive homes following increases in stamp duty.

Becky Fatemi, managing director of agents Rokstone, which handled the letting, said: This ultra-prime lettings deal shows that the worlds super-rich still want and choose to live in central London.

"Traditionally, the international super-rich would simply have purchased a property in the capital, worth anywhere between 25 million to 100 million.

However, stamp duty, political weakness and Brexit have caused some amongst the global super-rich to delay buying homes in London. Instead, we are seeing an upturn in try-before-you-buy mega-rental deals.

Five years ago, there was just one of these deals, then three between 2014 and 2015, then it jumped to five in 2016 and six last year.

The house was built in the grand Edwardian Baroque style, between 1904 and 1905, to be the headquarters of the LNER railway company.

The property has five reception rooms, seven bedroom suites, eight main bathrooms with Italian "book-matched" marble and an eight-person lift.

After the renovation by developer Saigol DDC  run by former Goldman Sachs financier Faisal Saigol  the property now has five reception rooms, seven bedroom suites, eight main bathrooms with Italian book-matched marble and an eight-person lift.

The master bedroom suite is the size of a conventional two-bedroom flat. There is an entrance hall and grand inner hall with main staircase, a kitchen/breakfast room, study and wine room, as well as a 13-metre indoor pool, jacuzzi, gymnasium and private health spa.
Appointment

7 March 2018

Wyndham Hotel Group, the industry leader in hotel development and operations, has appointed Ben Schumacher to the role of Regional Director of Franchise Operations for South East Asia and Pacific Rim.

Ben first joined Wyndham in 2016 as Franchise Services Manager overseeing the South Pacific region. In his newly expanded role, Ben will lead a team of Franchise Services Managers in Asia to oversee and support a portfolio of 82 franchised properties across South East Asia and the South Pacific. He will continue to be based out of Wyndham's corporate headquarters on the Gold Coast, Australia and serve as the primary relationship manager for all South Pacific franchised hotels.

The team, led by Ben will be vital in growing Wyndham's relationships with master franchisees, individual franchised hotel operators as well as management companies representing hotel developers. They will provide expert assistance focused on strategic growth, dedicated onsite support and consultation on all areas of hotel operations, and provide training to on-property teams to maximise the use of Wyndham's global tools, systems and resources.

Before joining Wyndham, Ben was the Director of Operations at Hilton Surfers Paradise where he was responsible for the effective operational management of the hotel. During his 11-year tenure with Hilton hotels and resorts in Australia and New Zealand, Ben was also recognised with multiple accolades including New Zealand Young Hotel Manager of the Year in 2009.
Appointment

7 March 2018

Grant Lessard has been named director of Well & Being Spa, an award-winning, 44,000 square-foot resort spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. He is also a member of the resort's Executive Committee.

A collaborative hire between Well & Being's spa management company Trilogy Spa Holdings and the Fairmont executive team, Lessard joins the Fairmont Scottsdale as a seasoned professional in the industry, with 30 years of experience in spa management. In this new role Lessard will oversee daily spa operations, working with the resort management team to provide a seamless guest experience while implementing marketing strategies and promotional activities that boosts membership among locals. Lessard will also work with the Well & Being brand team to integrate regular menu and programming updates that evolve with wellness trends. As the spa director, Lessard will be responsible for providing hands-on employee training, drawing upon his tactical background in clinical massage therapy to energize and empower staff.

Most recently Lessard served as the director of spa, fitness and retail at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Spa Botanico in Puerto Rico. Agraduate of Western College of Remedial Massage Therapies in Canada with over 3000 hours of clinical massage training, Lessard has practiced in a variety of environments including holistic health care centers, medical facilities, combined and private practices. His professional studies include craniosacral, myofascial release, lymphatic drainage, muscle energy technique, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and exercise rehabilitation, as well as a wide variety of other spa modalities. Lessard has been an educator and director at top facilities including the Wellington Institute of Remedial Massage Therapy in Winnipeg; the Minneapolis School of Massage and Bodywork, the Cortiva Institute in Scottsdale and served as a guest instructor at Frederique Academy / Elemis Spa in Hong Kong.
Supplier News

7 March 2018

London and New York -- OTA Insight, the cloud-based data intelligence platform for the hospitality industry, is announcing the wide release of their latest business intelligence solution, Revenue Insight. The unprecedented tool delivers smart hotel analytics by combining historical and future performance for a hotel.

As part of the wider launch after successful testing at beta stage, Highgate, the premier real estate investment and hospitality management company, has announced it will begin the roll out of Revenue Insight to its portfolio of properties.

"It's a real game changer for our business. We've tracked a positive trend since implementing Revenue Insight," says Alexis Warburton Regional Director, Revenue Management and Distribution at Highgate. "In the past six months, we've seen a total revenue increase of over $400,000 and an RGI increase of 7.4% YoY by shifting business to more profitable segments at our 200+ room beta property."

The platform allows hoteliers to visualize their main business drivers by interacting with market segments, channels, source markets and groups. Hotels will have the opportunity to understand their stay patterns by comparing length of stay, the days of week guests are staying at their hotel, room types, and more parameters that drive profitable revenue. With Revenue Insight, users can compare their year-over-year performance in just a single click.

"Our goal at OTA Insight is to make hotel level reporting simpler, better and faster," says Adriaan Coppens, CEO and Co-Founder at OTA Insight. "We are thrilled to release Revenue Insight and are looking forward to helping hotels build a more successful revenue strategy."

Revenue Insight was developed as a simple-to-use, intuitive and interactive data visualization platform that helps hotels track and analyze key factors such as room nights, average daily rate (ADR) and revenue. OTA Insight is continuing to innovate and strive with its vision to become the global leader in data intelligence for the hospitality industry.

"Highgate is excited to be working with OTA Insight," says Ankur Randev, Highgate's Chief Revenue Officer. "We had been searching for the best analytics technology that could give us the advantage to maximize our revenue across our portfolio. With the new Revenue Insight platform, we have the next level of business intelligence we need to stay ahead of the competition."

OTA Insight will be showcasing Revenue Insight from March 7-11 at ITB Berlin. Feel free to visit the OTA Insight team at Hall 10.1, Booth 112B to learn more about how Revenue Insight can help hotels deliver visibility and transparency.

About OTA Insight

OTA Insight empowers hoteliers to make smarter revenue and distribution decisions through its market leading suite of cloud-based business intelligence solutions including Rate Insight, Parity Insight and Revenue Insight. With live updates, 24/7 support from our customer success team, and a highly-intuitive and customisable dashboard, the OTA Insight platform integrates with other industry tools including hotel property management systems, leading RMS solutions and data benchmarking providers. OTA Insight's team of international experts are based all over the world, including the UK, US, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Peru, Mexico, Singapore, Australia and India, that supports 20,000 properties in 140 countries. For more information, visit www.otainsight.com and follow us on Twitter @otainsight.

About Highgate

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu. Highgate also has an expanding presence in key European markets through properties in London, Paris, Barcelona, Vienna and Prague. Highgate's portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $10B and generates over $2B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate has created a portfolio of bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive outperformance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry's most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in New York, London, Dallas, Los Angeles and Seattle. For more information, visit highgate.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

[email protected]

212-334-9753
Supplier News

7 March 2018

TOKYO, JAPAN and DALLAS, TEXAS -- MIWA Lock Company, Japan's foremost provider of high-performance locks and security systems, announces a partnership and integration with OpenKey, the industry standard for Universal mobile key in hotels. The partnership will bring the enterprise grade security and stability of the OpenKey platform as the mobile keyless entry system for all MIWA digital locks with Bluetooth Low Energy functionality.

OpenKey is the largest mobile key company in the world with hotels in 10 countries on 4 continents. Financially backed by several of the largest publicly-traded REITs in the U.S., OpenKey has seen explosive growth since launching in 2014. In Nov 2017, OpenKey brought mobile keyless entry to China by establishing an office for OpenKey China in Shanghai.

"MIWA is a recognized name in the lock and hospitality industries as providing very high quality, reliable and stylish solutions appealing to the high end of the hotel sector," said TJ Person, Founder and CEO of OpenKey. "We welcome the opportunity to partner with MIWA to provide mobile key to the thousands of satisfied MIWA hotels worldwide"

MIWA is a true lock manufacturer and controls the quality of every aspect of every lock from start to finish. This dedication to high quality products and emphasis on research and development has ensured its customers receive the most advanced technology and materials, combined with a strong ecological manufacturing process that has earned the company various environmental management certifications.

MIWA provides high security solutions to hotels worldwide combined with superior service.

"MIWA is known as an innovator, so it makes total sense to form a partnership with the leading provider of mobile keyless entry, OpenKey," said Chris Lawrence, Vice President of Sales, Miwa Lock Co. Ltd. "With Mobile Key compatibility built-in to every smartphone in the world today, we are excited to launch our new combined product and look forward to bringing it to our leading global customer base."

MIWA Lock was established in 1945 and produced its first hotel card lock system in 1980. MIWA now has systems in most of the hotel brands around the globe as well as the finest unbranded properties. The company's ALV2 RFID locks comprise a stylish and slim design that has been installed at some of the world's leading hotels, including the Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center in Arizona, the Beresford Hotel & Beresford Arms Hotel in San Francisco, the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo, and the Park Hyatt in China.

About MIWA

Miwa Lock Company is a Japanese lock manufacturer headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Since 1945, Miwa has grown to become Japans foremost provider of high-performance locks and security systems used in approximately 50 countries around the world.

Our emphasis on research and development ensures the most advanced technology and materials are incorporated into our RFID Locking Systems. Miwa Lock Companys BLE technology enables your guests to use their smart phones for easy access. Please visit www.miwalock.com
It may come as a surprise, to even those intimately close to the rapper, but yes, Busta Rhymes has an island named in his honor. Due to a recent surge in twitter exploration, users have uncovered the actual coordinates of the island in question. A quick google search yields nothing short of official documentation. Avid Busta Rhymes fan Kevin O'Brien maintains the island, in Shrewsbury Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. There's a 508 number associated with the island, and Kevin is usually available for comment, even though his responsibilities don't equate to full ownership of the land.



Last we heard in '09, the island was a few key points away from its own constitutional order. O'Brien commented: "It's a very small little island (with) rope-swinging, blueberries, and stuff Busta would enjoy,"



Although this island has been up for discussion for the past decade, only now has twitter created a vacuum of media attention. Users and fans alike have searched on googlemaps to ascertain the real pieces to the puzzle. Check out some of these reactions below.

[via theBoombox]
Michael Mosley's been doing solid roles in TV and film as far back as 2002. He's now gearing up to star in Netflix's new show Sevon Seconds which revolves around an accident involving an African-American child and a police officer. The show's been catching a lot of attention over the past few weeks. At the early stages of his career, he was in Law & Order: SVU. In a recent interview, he spoke on a certain scene that he shot during the show with one of hip hop's OG's that resulted in him getting slapped repetitively.

Mosley recently chopped it up with HipHopDX and recalled a certain moment while shooting Law & Order: SVU where he played a junkie on the show. He recalled Ice-T having to repeatedly slap him while playing opposite to him as a junkie.

"I had one scene in it, and I was just starting out as an actor. Im supposed to play this junkie whos nodding off, and the scene opens with [Ice] smacking me across the face like Wake up. We do a little rehearsal and then the director calls action and this guy hits me so hard across the side of my face. Hes got a paw like a hubcap, and he just knocks me and the lines just go out my ear and Im [disoriented]," he said to them.

He continued to explain that because he was so new to the world of acting, he wanted to leave a good impression and not back out of it, even though he was in pain.

"Im this young actor and Im not gonna be a wimp about it," he explained. "So Im like, Ok, this is what were doing. This is method right? So we do take after take. It was probably at least 12 takes, and he just keeps hitting me, hitting me, hitting me and its getting harder and harder for me to maintain. When they cut in between scenes, he just pulled out his sidekick and wandered over here and then came back and it was like speed, sound, action and wap! And the crew wants to go home. Its Friday night and the director is like, Youre doing it weird. What is happening? And Im like, Well, hes hitting me."

Unfortunately, Mosley ended up feeling Ice-T's hit a few times for no reason. The show ended up cutting that scene out in the final scene.

Peep the trailer for Seven Seconds below.
Lil Uzi Vert is no stranger to luxury brands and fashion. Uzi has been on a genuine hot streak on Instagram, making all of the Reddit streetwear kids lose their minds over his extravagant 'fits. Since beginning the Australian leg of his tour, Uzi has been regularly updating his Insta feed with only fit pics. But these aren't just regular outfits. Uzi appears to be going above and beyond Down Under, proving that he deserves to be name-dropping all the brands that he does in his songs. From Chanel and Louis Vuitton to Off-White and Gucci, Uzi has been showing off plenty of versatility in his outfits and we've gathered all of them in one place to inspire us all.

Uzi started off his trip with this classic Burberry meets modern Balenciaga look. The bulky Chanel shoes help him to pull off a risky, yet well-executed 'fit. Not many people would be able to rock this one.

Here, the rapper goes into full construction worker mode, bringing back the classic Von Dutch trucker style. This actually isn't the only time Uzi was rocking the unexpected brand in Australia as he was also showing it off it in the post below.

This is likely one of the most "basic" outfits the star rocked throughout his tour. However, even this outfit is intricate as hell. From the shoes to that crazy belt. I mean, look at that belt!

Uzi took a page out of A$AP Ferg's book here, repping Gucci down to the socks. The silky, old-lady pajama look is from Gucci's "Blind For Love" and this is one of the best outfits we've seen incorporating the tough ensemble.

"If we talkin' 'bout fashion, do my name get brought up?" While not an Uzi lyric, we can confirm that, with this look, his name will be brought up in all things fashion. Uzi killed this vintage rockstar look seamlessly.

Lil Uzi Vert is really killing these 'fits. He makes sure to show off every aspect of his outfits, this time rocking Craig Green and continuing the dad shoe trend with Louis Vuitton runners.

What's special about Lil Uzi Vert is his passion for the art of a good outfit. He puts as much effort into his choice of clothing as he does in his full-length albums and, at this point, he may deserve to be near Rocky or Kanye status when it comes to innovation in the fashion game. Check out all of his posts on his Instagram and let us know which look is your favorite.
Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey helped save a 72-year old man's life after he fell about 20 feet onto a rock while hiking in Colorado, according to reports.

McCaffrey, who was a rookie with the Panthers last season, was reportedly on a hike with his brothers, Dylan and Max, and two friends when they witnessed a man fall two roughly stories and rushed to help.

Via the Panthers:

McCaffrey  along with his brothers Dylan and Max and friends Michael Mann and Brooke Pettet  went to Castle Rock. They were making their way to the top when they turned a corner and saw something that will stay with them forever. Eli Smoker was hiking with his grandfather, Dan Smoker, Sr. Then the 72-year-old fell  about 20 feet onto a rock. It felt like he was in the air for 10 seconds, Christian McCaffrey said. I had never seen anything quite like that in my life as far as the trauma and the sound. We were in shock.

McCaffrey, a Colorado native, said paramedics arrived within 11 minutes after he called 911. Smoker Sr. reportedly suffered a broken femur and broken pelvis among other injuries but he survived thanks to the help of the McCaffreys and their friends. Smoker Sr.'s son took to twitter to thank the group, who later visited with the family at the hospital after the harrowing ordeal.
Stormy Daniels, the famous porn star who was paid to keep quiet about her affair with Donald Trump, is reportedly suing the President now, alleging that her nondisclosure agreement before the 2016 election is invalid because Trump never signed it. The lawsuit alleges that Trump's attorney, Michael Cohen tried to "intimidate her into silence." The adult film star claims her obligation to keep quiet should've ended when Cohen breached the contract and publicly discussed the affair.

In the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, said she wanted to go public with the story of her affair with Trump in the weeks leading up to the presidential election in 2016 along with the dozen of other women who had came out. However, Trumps attorney, Michael Cohen had intervened in an attempt to keep Clifford from coming forward.

Cohen, and Danielss attorney, Keith Davidson, negotiated what the lawsuit called a "hush agreement in which she would be paid $130,000 dollars. After delays and even a wholesale cancellation of the contract, the payment arrived twelve days before the election, according to reports by the Washington Post. Cohen said recently that he used his own money to facilitate the payment to protect Donald.

The lawsuit also says Cohen has continued his attempts at silencing Clifford including as recently as February 27, 2018, but she's finally had enough and is taking things to court.

Well continue to keep you posted moving forward.

[Via]
The second studio album from Tory Lanez, Memories Dont Die, is a cathartic insight into the artists life. The project is a look back on the years hes lived up until now; a point where he can boast about his success because it comes on the back of hard work and grit. Within the album, he manages to experiment with the sound hes become renowned for while maintaining his aesthetic with aplomb. Throughout the sprawling sophomore album, were treated to some of the best work to-date by the Toronto rapper.

After a much-lauded series of mixtapes, there was a lot riding on the shoulders of Lanez. With I Told You, his debut album, delivering both commercially and critically, the Brampton-native needed to show that he wasnt just another flash in the pan-- in fact, for the majority of his career, this has been a sort of mission statement that has constantly fueled young Lanez: the insatiable desire to prove both his longevity and worth. Memories Dont Die serves as the project to cements the rapper's position.

With that insatiable desire, Lanez has often exhibited a sense of arrogance, perhaps before the time was right. If we wanted to dig deeper into the psychology behind this, (and apparently we do, briefly), it could be a mechanism of self-defense: a reaction to street life, never-ending comparisons to Drake, constant industry obstacles. Simply put, he had to believe in himself in moments where no one else did. The sense of braggadocio that arrives with Memories Dont Die, and undoubtedly in the interviews that come alongside, is now deserved, or perhaps, accepted, given his current success and wealth. There is a grand self-confidence on display throughout Memories Dont Die, its not just that though, there's also a sense of assuredness that lives behind the layer of confidence-- an important aspect to any ego. This sense of grandness, of confidence isnt just in verses (Dont need it tinted / I want you to know whos in it), its embedded into the music itself.

The 18-track album is littered with bits of soul, r'n'b, trap and rap, with Lanez never relying on any single genre too much, allowing the project to be an amalgamation, where the rapper is seamlessly picking at what he likes best from each. Its in this way that we see a confidence shining through the music itself: theres no sound Lanez is not afraid to try, borrow, or experiment with. When Lanez does borrow, whether it be a flow from Rick Ross or Drake (see: Benevolent; Hate to Say), or else a familiar soulful sound on the production side, it acts more so as a statement to his versatility.

That versatility has also become the artists distinctive, signature aesthetic. All that to say, we expect it from someone like Lanez. Whereas I Told You came across as rnb-heavy and relient, Tory brings back some of the fan-heralded styles hes used in mixtapes and loose cuts that helped forge his career: the long-winded rap. The 4 minutes and 9 seconds on Hate To Say are some of the most genuine lines youre going to hear in 2018; its Tory Lanez putting his heart out on the table, playing all his cards so that we, the listener, can glean a rare insight into his life. One of several rappity-rap records on the album, Lanez is showing us how memories are the main motivator for him to continue pushing himself.

Not only does Memories Dont Die offer a more hip-hop heavy style than its predecessor (which again, goes back to the Tory mission statement: its a way of proving his stature and status in the rap game first and foremost), it offers featured guests. The artists Tory Lanez does have on the album serve to be nothing more than extraneous fat, though. Future on Real Thing, Wiz Khalifa on Hillside, Fabolous on Connection, -- theyre all forgotten in the grand scheme of things. You pine for Lanezs return even on club-ready banger Dance For Me with NAVs auto-tuned vocals not doing the production justice. In a way, Lanez doesnt cede an ounce of himself or his bars on the album to the features. If anything, hes showing how he can stand up alongside some of the best in rap to do it-- he does so brilliantly on Pieces going bar to bar with 50 Cent.

aThe former G-Unit leader seems to travel back in time for his verse on Pieces. Easily one of the stand-out tracks on the entire album, and perhaps the only "necessary" feature, 50 spits bars like, Stunt, get jumped on, slashed or dumped-ons / Same block you pump on is the spot you get slumped on, while Torys storytelling is chilling. A heart-wrenching story about rape, pedophilia and living on the streets, its akin to songs like Kendrick Lamars Tammy Song (Her Evils) or Outkasts Da Art of Storytelling (Part 1 and 2). The theme of this album -- memories, like scars or tattoos, are with us everywhere we go and affect us more than we know -- is felt most prominently on these long, elaborate songs; the ones you want to go back to because you uncover new and crucial bars every time you replay it.

aRight as Pieces ends, Lanez hits listeners with a smooth dancehall and R&B-inspired track, Connections that cleanses the palette, allowing you to easily digest what you just heard and prepare you for the winding down that is to come. The transition into the slow, baby-making hit is even more prominent when you realize the juxtaposition of the entire track-list itself: placing songs purposefully next to each other for a better listen, Lanez trusts in the albums production to take you on a journey, and the transitions, either within the songs themselves, or else moving from song-to-song, helps facilitate this.

The projects overall production is cohesive and tight, with mainstay Play Picasso, as well as C-Sick and Dr. Zeuz handling the majority. The production isnt a stark departure from his previous work, with the beats ranging from fast-paced triplet hi-hats to anthemic club bangers. Though, he does switch out his anthemic sound for stark, darker, and more introspective production on tracks that warrant it, such as Happiness x Tell Me, Pieces Hate to Say.

There are haunting bits of Tory Lanezs memory coming to the fore on the album, pieces of his life placed together to create songs that are sure to stick. Its the culmination of the album, though, the excellent 3-minute-and-34-second-no-hook track, Dont Die that sums up Lanez and where he is in his life right now: on top of the world and still climbing. My life upgraded and I ain't going backwards / Closest thing going backwards is me rollin' Backwoods / Lookin' at you niggas like there's no more factors / Until the story over like there's no more chapters.
It seems as if the younger generation of up-and-coming rappers have yet to grasp one basic concept. If you disrespect your predecessors, particularly those who constitute as "legendary," you will be made a target. Lil Yachty previously elicited a heated response after calling the Notorious B.I.G. overrated, and now, Lil Xan is finding himself on the receiving end of some serious wrath. During an interview with Revolt TV, an extremely stoned Lil Xan ranked 2Pac Shakur a two on ten, calling his music boring. The interview immediately gained notoriety, and prompted heated responses from Waka Flocka Flame and T.I.

The former went so far as to "ban" Lil Xan from hip-hop, a motion which Tip publicly co-signed. "Pac help me get thru childhood!!! Shit hurt to see the youth disrespect man that paved the way for all of us literally," wrote Waka, on Twitter. "I hope nobody overlook me accomplishments when I leave." The backlash ultimately prompted Xan to announce a step-back from interviews; perhaps it's better to smoke copious amounts of weed after the interview is done. It's interesting to see young rappers so brazenly disrespect the pioneers of the genre. Still, Xan seems unfazed by the ban, promising he's not going anywhere.

Whether or not this "ban" will have any ramifications of Lil Xan's career is yet to be seen. Still, it has caused quite a stir in the hip-hop community, leading to many feeling obliged to throw in with one particular side. Do you feel like Xan's comments are out of line? If so, you're not alone; plenty out there feel as if the youngsters need to show some respect to their elders. Conversely, plenty of Xan fans have spoken out against the elder statesmen, defending the "Betrayed" rapper's right to speak freely.

Where do you stand?

Team Flocka
Flint's issue with clean water has been going on for nearly four years at this point and there's yet to be a solution to the problem. There's been studies that have shown the level of lead in the water are nearly 15 parts per billion higher than the federal limit. Many celebrities have done what they can to help the crisis and now, Will Smith and Jaden's company is using their platform to help the city until the lead levels decrease.

Will and Jaden Smith's eco-friendly water company, JUST, has vowed to donate water each month to the city until lead levels in the water at public schools significantly decrease. They've already donated 9200 bottles of water to Flint. JUST CEO Ira Laufer said donating water to the city was a obvious.

"This just makes sense for us to do," she said to MLIVE, "Jada Smith has visited Flint and met with the mayor. Flint is very dear to her heart ... After reading more about [Flint's] challenges and the mayor objecting to pulling bottled water from the schools, we thought 'Let's help these kids.'"

In February, results showed that five out of nine schools in Flint exceeded the federal water lead levels.

The father son duo launched JUST to help bring a greener alternative to plastic bottles. Their bottles come from renewable source and are 82% plant-based. Their water's comes from Glen Falls, NY and also contributes to the town's economy.
Pemex, Mexicos state-owned energy company, is in the throes of transformation. An overhaul of the nations energy policies in 2013 and 2014 opened its energy industry to foreign investment, prompting Pemex to enter new partnerships and streamline its operations in the face of new competition.

CEO Carlos Trevino, who took the helm in November, sees a future for the company in oil production and partnerships. Earlier this year, Pemex partnered with BHP Billiton on its Trion project, a deepwater discovery in the Gulf of Mexico. The company plans to open a bidding round for certain onshore projects in the coming weeks and expects to seek new partners for shallow and deepwater projects in the coming years.

Pemex also is allowing foreign companies to open gas stations while expanding its own chain of gas stations in the United States. Trevino spoke with the Houston Chronicle at the annual energy conference CERAWeek by IHS Markit.

What is your outlook for deepwater drilling, given the challenges the sector faced during the downturn?

The technology has improved a lot, and in a way, I think we may have a very competitive cost structure. The reserves and the resources that we have in Mexico are really big. Its going to be a very cost-challenged area, but where we are looking right now, we are performing very good.

With Mexicos general elections coming up in July, do you anticipate any significant changes in the countrys energy policies going forward?

To change the constitution in Mexico is a very big challenge. You need two-thirds of each chamber, the Senate and the lower chamber, and to have those votes is difficult. The contracts we have signed are going to be impossible to cancel or reject or reverse. And Mexico doesnt have the money to pay back the people or the companies who have signed those contracts. We also have a better arrangement in our corporate governance than we had four or five years ago. Our partners can feel OK because its very difficult to change those things.

Given the decline in natural gas production in Mexico, do you anticipate continued reliance on U.S. imports?

The gas you have in Texas is very cheap. This technology for exploiting the shale basins is amazing. It would be unintelligent for Mexican companies not to use that gas.

It would be great if we could have a very high price so that we could exploit our own fields, but right now what we have done is stop the investments in those fields. Were waiting for better times.

There are some talks in Pemex to build some LNG ports in the Pacific, but we need the pipelines so we can transport our gas or Texan gas. Maybe in the future, in the next five to 10 years, that could be a very good business. But for the short term, we are more focusing in oil production. We are trying to recover the levels of production we used to have.

Is the company still working to downsize, given that Mexicos energy reforms coincided with the global energy bust?

We are trying to focus on those businesses that are a better fit for Pemex. For example, we are spinning off our (hydrogen production operations) to a state-of-the-art performer to produce the hydrogen we need. We are divesting in areas that are not part of our core business, and we are focusing on the upstream and the refinery process.

When it comes to retail gasoline, Exxon, Shell, and BP are all opening stations in Mexico. How do you regard the competition?

We in Mexico used to have some laws that promoted a monopoly. Now, we have to be more competitive. A gas station in Mexico sells more than gasoline than one in the U.S. because of the of all the competition you have in the U.S. At the end of the day, the consumer is going to capture that benefit.

Do you have a growth plan for your U.S. gas stations?

Its not a plan yet. We are opening some in Houston, some in California. We are testing the market. The Pemex brand is very important. Its the most valuable brand in Latin America. What we are doing with this initiative is to put Pemex in different atmospheres. The stations in the U.S. are part of this new way of putting Pemex around the world.

katherine.blunt@chron.com

twitter.com/katherineblunt
Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle

Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Wednesday it was in U.S. interests to maintain a close trade relationship with Mexico and Canada, even as negotiations around the North American Free Trade agreement create some "uncomfortable" conversations.

"It's in our best interest to remove as many barriers as we can to trade, to send this message around the world that this is a region of people with common interests, common resources, that we are developing together," Perry said at the IHS Markit CERAWeek energy conference in Houston. "Incredibly close relationships are uncomfortable from time to time."
Hurricane Harvey destroyed the lower portions of Buffalo Bayou Park, devastating the beloved dog park and causing the loss of some 400 trees.

After hauling off 30,000 cubic yards of sediment -- at a cost of more than $1 million -- the Buffalo Bayou Partnership continues its costly efforts to repair what's become Houston's central park.

"We're encourage because we see grass sprouting up," Anne Olson, president of the Partnership, said.

RELATED: Some midcentury homes in Houston decimated by Harvey floods

Ultimately, the cost to restore the park and its trails could be several million dollars, some of which will come from Harris County Flood Control.

The surprise expenses and reconstruction efforts delayed the Partnership's longtime plans to improve the bayou east of downtown.

Yet, the first meetings with residents and community members took place a few weeks ago.

RELATED: What lurks in the sludge that Harvey left behind?

The Partnership's goal is to protect the area's cultural and industrial legacy amid gentrification that has already begun to remake parts of the area. Property values have up dramatically from a decade ago.

"People are very concerned about the gentrification taking place in the east end and in the Fifth Ward," Olson said. "We're working with both of those communities."

Olson joins the Chronicle's Nancy Sarnoff and Allyn West to discuss the Buffalo Bayou Park's future and the long-term plan for the bayou's east stretch.
When the Lil' Rustlers Rodeo kicked off Tuesday evening, Alexander Lowery was the first kid through the gate.

In the NRG Center's main arena, the 6-year-old motored his red wheelchair expertly through piles of green sawdust chips, headed straight for the barrel races.

"See if you can catch me!" said Kevin Norton, the rodeo volunteer who'd been paired up with Alexander. But Alexander didn't need any direction. He glided through and around the barrels, completing the course like an experienced racer.

Lowery and about 55 other children were part of Lil' Rustlers, a three-night RodeoHouston event designed for kids with special needs. For an hour Tuesday, they ran freely around the arena trying activities that let them sample rodeo life.

Some kids rode horses; others threw horseshoes and beanbags or tried their hand at twrirling a rope.

KID PHOTOS: Children participating in and having fun at the rodeo

They also could meet a trio of young goats, and before long a line had formed to pet them.

Genesis Reyes, 8, was a little shy as she approached Ireland, a black-and-white goat held by rodeo intern Jessica Minter.

"Do you want to touch her?" Minter said. "Open your hand. Lay it flat, like this."

She put a few food pellets in the girl's hand, and Ireland leaned in quickly to sweep them up.

Genesis, startled by the goat's tongue tickling her hand, jumped back a little. Then she giggled as she wiped her hand on her skirt.

'Expanding what the rodeo offers'

Lil' Rustlers, which started Tuesday and continues through Thursday, is organized by the Special Children's Committee, which is in its 66th year.

Lil' Rustlers is about "expanding what the rodeo offers," said vice chairman Suzanne Andrews.

"There's a lot for kids to do out here, but how much of it is really accessible?" she said.

A GIFT: A special teenager finds bliss at Houston rodeo

Each night, the program welcomes about 57 kids ages 4 to 10, Andrews said. The Special Children's Committee partners with schools and organizations that serve children with special needs, finding the ones who might benefit from having a rodeo experience.

The event is for parents, too, Andrews said  for once, they can sit in the stands, take some pictures and enjoy watching their children enjoy something from afar.

Alexander, the 6-year-old, rides with a horse therapy non-profit called Special CHEERS, but he didn't want to ride a horse Tuesday night. He did, however, agree to pet a brown one named Jet.

Jet leaned down gently and let Alexander gently stroke his nose.

Alexander smiled as he put his hand down. "What a sweet horse."

Goat encounters

The kids moved from station to station, doing whatever interested them. Some were shy about touching the goats, but not Willow Kreitz, a third-grader fighting leukemia. In jeans and a black cowboy hat, she was fully at ease with the animals, stroking their backs and noses.

"Awww," Willow said as she squatted down to greet a two-day-old black goat named Aggie. She held Aggie's head in her hand so gently, the animal briefly fell asleep.

"Now you can't move until he wakes up," teased Agventure superintendent Linsey Osbourn, who held Aggie in her arms.

When Aggie woke up, Willow was free to play with a bigger goat named Dublin. She rubbed his back, then plopped her cowboy hat gently on Dublin's head.

"Be careful," said volunteer Steffen Van Keppel, who knows something about goats. "He may eat it."
Storm Reid is taking the world, well, by storm.

The 14-year-old star of Disney's new movie, "A Wrinkle in Time," which opens Friday, plays Meg Murry, a bullied, insecure bi-racial teen who travels across dimensions to rescue her scientist father. She's guided by a trio of guardian angels (Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling), called "the Mrs."

The movie is based on Madeleine L'Engle's 1962 novel of the same name. The book, which was rejected more than 40 times by publishers, won a Newbery Prize in 1963.

Like the book, the movie is about finding light in times of darkness, practicing self-love and following the heart, all messages that Storm hopes young audiences will absorb.

"You are unique and beautiful. You don't have to change for anybody," she told students from Peck Elementary and the Young Women's College Preparatory Academy, both a part of Houston Independent School District, at a recent breakfast sponsored by NAACP Missouri City at City Hall. "You are perfect just the way you are. And like Meg, you can save the world in your way."

The students also were treated to a free screening of the movie. (The Peck Elementary students were part of the Year of Joy Project, which provides joyful experiences for children from underserved neighborhoods.)

"Our kids need to see more role models who look like them, like Storm," said Carlotta Outley Brown, principal of Peck Elementary, which has a mostly black and Hispanic enrollment. "Storm is not only inspiring but she also gives them hope. 'Wrinkle in Time' deals with so many important issues, like bullying and STEM. It teaches children that whatever they going though, they can have their dreams come true."

Marley Dias, teen founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks, talks to "A Wrinkle in Time" star Storm Reid about black girls saving the world on Elle.com

To that point, Storm is one of a few African-American actors to land the lead role in a science-fiction film. She also joins a diverse cast of A-list actresses and director Ava DuVernay ("Selma"), who is the first African-American woman to direct a live-action movie with a budget over $100 million.

Storm said she's known since age 3, when she had her first acting gig, that she wanted to be a superstar.

"I know there aren't a lot of 3-year-olds who know what they want to do with their lives, so I think it was my destiny or calling," she said.

A native of Atlanta who lives in Los Angeles with her family, Reid had a number of small TV roles, then in 2013, she landed her first major part as a slave girl in the Academy Award-winning Best Picture, "12 Years A Slave."

ICYMI: Interview with "A Wrinkle in Time" director Ava DuVernay

Storm said working alongside Winfrey, and the entire cast of "A Wrinkle in Time," gave her a needed confidence boost.

"I was very nervous because it was my first lead role in a film, but with playing Meg and seeing what she went through, I think I became more confident. I became more focused on the light within myself," she said.

Winfrey also gave the young star a few words of advice: "Ms. Oprah said that even with everything that is happening in my career right now, I wasn't going to change as a person. That was important for me to hear."

"A Wrinkle in Time" took six months to film, and most of its spectacular outdoor scenes were shot in the mountains of New Zealand and the sequoia forest in Northern California.

Storm, who read "A Wrinkle in Time" on her own a few years ago, said it was the best six months of her life.

"I had to pinch myself and ask, 'Am I dreaming? Like what's happening?' Ms. Oprah, Ms. Reese, Ms. Ava and Ms. Mindy were are all so amazing, grounded and humble."

The family-oriented film also incorporates strong messages about bullying and its impact on girls. Storm, who travels with a tutor, said she's knows a little about what it feels like to be bullied.

"I did experience kids picking on me for I don't know what reason," she said. "So I could relate, but I think Meg in the movie deals with it so well. I feel like when she starts loving herself, she doesn't really care what the bullies are saying."

Storm is also being hailed as the film's break-out star. The praise comes on the heels of the monster hit, "Black Panther," the super-hero action film with a nearly all-black cast.

"We are breaking barriers, which is so amazing. I feel like they are two different films, but they are able to connect with people and are so monumental in their impact," she said.

As she travels across the globe to promote the film, she is like a regular teen. She can't wait to spend time at home in Los Angeles with her three dogs - Bella, a pit bull; Prime, a boxer; and Cayenne, a red toy poodle.

She also hopes to attend regular high school, so she can have more real-world experiences. It'll help sharpen her acting, she said.

At City Hall, Storm wrapped up the breakfast event by answering students' questions that covered everything from her love of science to advice for young girls.

"I want them to know they are essentially goddesses and queens," she said. "I feel like if this generation knows that, it would be amazing."
Albert Kriemler was 20 years old when he joined Akris, the fashion house his grandmother launched in 1922.

In the four decades since, Kriemler has quietly built the Switzerland-based, ultra-luxe label into a powerful force in the luxury fashion world. He once told W magazine that he simply "cannot work with cheap fabrics" and his costumers know that all to well.

Akris' collections are structural beauties that embody a minimalist approach with an architectural functionality. Wearable luxury is Kriemler's mission, always.

Kriemler will present his spring collection March 20 at the Houston Chronicle Best Dressed and Fashion Presentation.

We spoke with the designer, who lives in St. Gallen, Switzerland, about his inspiration from art, how he manages the frenetic world of fashion and why jackets are his favorite thing to design.

Q. Your spring collection is focused on the work of American interior designer Alexander Girard. Why?

A. In 2016, I visited the Girard exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil, Germany, and I was so excited by the scope of his creativity and his unique sense of colors. In the end, I went there three times, also with my team. Alexander Girard was a genius in so many fields and in his desire to enhance people's lives at home and at work with utmost attention for detail in every project and object. The joy of life in his designs is exhilarating.

Q. Why is art such a significant part of your creative process?

A. It excites me, it gives me endless energy, sparks the desire to create, when I don't want to do something with it. For me it started at 19, on my first trip alone to New York, just before I joined the company. I went to galleries, and I have continued to come back to them ever since.

Q. Who are other artists, architects who inspire you?

A. Canadian artist Rodney Graham and his work "Coat Puller" inspired my last fall/winter 2017 collection, which focused on coats. I collaborated with Carmen Herrera, the Cuban-American painter and sculptor, for spring/summer 2017 and with Thomas Ruff, the German photo artist for fall/winter 2014.

Q. You've been described as very private, the antithesis of Karl Lagerfeld. Does it help you balance the crazy world of fashion and celebrity?

A. The Swiss say: "In der Ruhe liegt die Kraft," which translates "There is power in the quiet." In comparison to how it looks on the gleaming runways, creating collections in an ever-changing world can be grueling work. Life is not a catwalk, not even for fashion designers. In general, I feel like I need to protect my privacy. I am not really a public person. But I am happy to show my work and, of course, I am pleased when it is appreciated.

Q. Was there any childhood moment when you knew you would go into fashion?

A. I came a long way, the genes being in the family. I had started to draw fashion at a very young age, as a boy. I was deeply impressed when I had the opportunity to see an Yves Saint Laurent Couture show in Paris in the 1970s. It convinced me that I wanted to work in fashion.

Q. Any advice given to you by your father about the business?

A. So much more than advice. He gently led me into this world by taking me as a teenager to fairs and Haute Couture defiles in Paris and Rome, and he gave me the responsibility for design when I was only 19.

Q. What advice would you give your younger self about the fashion industry?

A. Have your eyes in the sky and your feet firmly on the ground.

Q. What are some of the biggest challenges leading a family-owned fashion house today?

A. It is staying true to yourself and, at the same time, (keeping with) the pace of an industry that is dominated by big conglomerates. Also when you are doing mainly women's fashion, not cosmetics nor perfume or sunglasses or shoes, you better make sure that these clothes and bags are worth every dime you ask for them. So far, I think we have always achieved this.

Q. What would you change about the fashion industry?

A. The frenetic pace of collections.

Q. If you could only design one thing in fashion, what would it be?

A. A jacket. It is the most difficult item to design, and it defines your posture and your look. The perfect jacket fits in every size and with every type of body. Jackets are a signature element of the Akris collections. I spent years making Akris jackets the best.

Q. What's your favorite aspect about designing?

A. Sensing the charisma of women who wear my designs.

Q. What are your personal wardrobe staples?

A. A cool pant, sometimes jeans; a great jacket, always in black, charcoal or navy; custom-made shirts. It is simple. Men have it so much easier!

Q. What's something surprising about you?

A. I am an avid mountain hiker and sometimes cyclist.

Q. When you are not working, what brings you the most joy?

A. Looking at art, discovering architecture, inviting friends to dinner at my house, traveling.
Harris County Constable Precinct 1 has arrested a man and charged him Monday in connection to a break-in at Houston's El Gato Coffeehouse Cat Cafe Feb. 21.

Jess Blakely, 33, has charges pending relating to the incident Feb. 21, spokeswoman Angelique Myers told Chron.com.

"Order has been restored and all of our kitties are back to safety with Wink's return on Saturday. We can now close the book on the tragedy that occurred and focus energy on finding homes for the adoptable gatos," the cafe wrote on Facebook March 5.

The burglary resulted in $250 being stolen and multiple cats being set loose.

Of the six cats living there and let out by the burglar around 3:45 a.m. Wednesday, one named Wink, 9, was missing for nearly 10 days.

"Wink returned on Saturday morning. She finally went after the food in the traps that we had been setting," Renee Reed, founder of the cafe, told Chron.com over Facebook.

VIDEO: Three Shipley's Do-nuts robberies in Houston captured on camera

Now Playing: Houston's El Gato Coffeehouse Cat Cafe was burglarized Wednesday morning, resulting in cats getting loose and the loss of $250. Video: El Gato Coffeehouse Cat Cafe

A surveillance video captured that morning appears to show the burglar trying to enter the cafe.

The cafe just celebrated its new partnership with "Friends For Life," a no-kill animal shelter in Houston. The cafe has also helped facilitate 108 adoptions, KHOU reported.

The cafe has also added more security cameras following the break-in, Reed said.

Fernando Alfonso III is a digital reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on twitter at @fernalfonso.
Booze shook the secret loose from the hunting staff. They arrived thirsty at the safari lodge in the Zimbabwe wilderness in July 2015. Their pockets were fat with cash.

Drinks went down and they became chatty, talking about a huge lion killed days earlier by a visiting trophy hunter. The lodge workers overhearing the boasts immediately wondered if the hunters were talking about Cecil, the 12-year-old lion who prowled the Kalahari woodlands of the Hwange National Park, according to a new book by Oxford University researcher Andrew Loveridge.

It would prove to be the first clue in unraveling how Cecil was killed. The big cat had not been seen since July 1. Jericho, the area's other male lion, had filled the recent nights with lonely, unanswered calls. The lodge workers relayed what they'd heard to a National Parks ranger.

Now Playing: Xanda, son of Cecil the lion has been shot and killed. Video: Brandpoint

Cecil's 2015 death created international controversy, with much of the fervor knotting around Walter Palmer, a 55-year-old Minnesota dentist and avid big game hunter. Palmer had reportedly paid local hunters and guides $50,000 to bring down Cecil with a bow-and-arrow on the Gwaai Conservancy, a private wildlife refuge bordering the park. The volume of the uproar rose when it was reported no lion hunting had been legally greenlit for the area.

Palmer later issued a public apology stating that he "had no idea that the lion (he) took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study." Although Palmer's guide was initially charged for his part in Cecil's death, a Zimbabwe high court later dropped the proceedings.

Loveridge's book, "Lion Hearted: The Life and Death of Cecil and the Future of Africa's Iconic Cats," offers the first detailed account of Cecil's last hours, including new information on how the hunters lured the lion out of the park to his death. The book, based on interviews with members of the hunt and the analysis of Loveridge's data, also corrects many of the factual errors plaguing news coverage of the death.

"What I find most difficult about the whole incident is the apparent callousness with which the hunters undertook this hunt," Loveridge writes in the book, which was excerpted this week in National Geographic. "The lion was a commodity to be collected, 'taken' in hunting parlance. Concern for the pain and suffering of the animal never seems to have been a particular consideration."

The book arrives as big game hunting again is a hot topic in the United States. Under President Donald Trump - whose sons are big game hunters - the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been rolling back restrictions on importing hunting trophies from overseas. In October, the agency began issuing new permits of lion carcasses from Zimbabwe.

Palmer's attorney was not immediately available for comment on Loveridge's book.

Loveridge studied Cecil for eight years, and the work was often beset by loss. Since the research began at the park in 1999, 42 collared male lions have been killed by trophy hunters, according to National Geographic.

"It's hugely sad to lose a study animal that you are very very familiar with, you spent a lot of time with," he told the BBC after Cecil's death. "You get very up close and personal with them. They all have personalities, so it's very distressing when they die, not only from trophy-hunting but from other causes as well."

According to the book, members of the research team began worrying about Cecil on July 6, when they noticed the animal's GPS collar had not transmitted data since July 4. The collar had new batteries. A malfunction was unlikely.

When the team heard rumors about a lion hunt, they hit the field, picking up the information from the safari lodge. Eventually, the team tracked the boastful hunters down to Antoinette farm, "a 25-five-square-kilometer parcel located in the Gwaai," Loveridge writes.

From interviews with staff there, the team learned an elephant carcass was transported 300 meters from where it was killed to a location for the Palmer hunt. Downwind from the dead elephant - an appetizing lure for a lion - staff members constructed a blind in a nearby tree. This is where Palmer initially shot Cecil, Loveridge writes.

The lion survived the first arrow hit.

"It is clear that Cecil was at this stage mortally wounded and hadn't moved far from where he was shot," the author writes. "This is corroborated by the GPS data from Cecil's collar, which allows a forensic reconstruction of events. The collar sent a position from the hunt site at just before 9 p.m. By 11 p.m. the collar's position had moved 80 meters roughly southeast from the carcass. It therefore seems probable Cecil was shot at some point between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on July 1."

Palmer and his hired team finished Cecil off "10 to 12 hours after being wounded."

"Cecil suffered incredible cruelty for at least 10 hours, severely wounded and slowly dying," the book states. "Clearly, although the wound was severe, the arrow had missed the vital organs or arteries that would have caused rapid blood loss and a relatively quick death. Certainly, the lion was so incapacitated that in all those hours he'd been able to move only 350 meters from the place where he was shot."
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - There have been three muses in Ramoncito "El Andino" Rodriguez's life: love, lament and la isla, Puerto Rico.

The founder of one of the oldest musical acts here, Rodriguez croons boleros and lyrical anthems that at times quicken the heart and at others create a daydreamy lull. Many of them are homages to his motherland, love songs to this Caribbean island. It was a place he never wanted to leave.

But leave, he did.

Rodriguez reluctantly abandoned Puerto Rico after several feet of floodwater spilled into his home during Hurricane Maria in September, destroying his instruments, albums and handwritten compositions. The 78-year-old joined hundreds of thousands of other islanders who boarded flights in the past five months, creating a growing diaspora that, as time passes, is increasingly unlikely to return. Rodriguez and his wife, like so many others, picked Florida, and their stateside sojourn was supposed to be temporary.

They didn't expect stability back home to be so elusive for so long.

"I'm still here," Rodriguez said with a sigh from his niece's house in Homestead, Florida, in mid-February. If the past decade of Puerto Rican history is any indication, his stay could become permanent. "Destiny will decide what happens next."

Even before Maria strafed the region, a record number of Puerto Ricans were realizing that the declining island might be where their heart is but cannot be where their feet stay. Nearly 500,000 people left Puerto Rico for the mainland during the past decade, according to the Pew Research Center, pushing the stateside Puerto Rican population past the number living on the island last year - an estimated 3.3 million.

The government of Puerto Rico's guess is that by the end of 2018, 200,000 more residents will have left the U.S. territory for good, moving to places such as Florida, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New England. It would mean another drop of more than 5 percent in the island's population.

Experts say the storm and its widespread devastation undoubtedly has sped up the pace of migration as residents have dealt with extended power outages, communication lapses, infrastructure failures and, in some cases, isolation. What already was the largest exodus in the island's history now includes people fleeing in droves simply to achieve some sense of normalcy.

Just this week, a power outage put nearly 900,000 residents in and around the capital city of San Juan in the dark and without water - again. Five months after the tempest, tens of thousands in Puerto Rico haven't had electricity since the hurricane, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates that 1 in 10 customers still won't have it back as of the end of March. The island's bankrupt public utility has struggled to restore power amid contracting scandals, material shortages and intermittent blackouts, and the biggest restoration contractor, Fluor Corporation, confirmed they are pulling out of Puerto Rico in the next several weeks after reaching the funding limit of their $746 million contract.

The governor announced plans last month to privatize the electric utility, sparking standoffs with unionized workers and arousing suspicions from residents. Some municipalities such as San Sebastian, a town in the island's northwest corner, didn't wait and formed their own volunteer brigades to string up power lines and return electricity to thousands of residents.

Nearly 58,000 homes here have roofs made of blue tarp while they await federal assistance; more than 437,000 residents - about 2 in every 5 who applied so far - have received money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for home repairs.

For many, the future feels ominous.

Victor Dominguez set a June deadline for his island. If Puerto Rico doesn't get the lights back on and move the economy, the mortgage banker will take his family elsewhere.

"I am very attached to my island, and my preference is to stay here, but I have to think what's best for my son," the 39-year-old said. "I'm in a moment in which I have to be very observant about what's happening and be flexible."

Immediately after the storm, Dominguez sent his family to the states for two weeks while he continued working and taking care of their home. When schools in Florida announced that they would take in Puerto Rican students, he and his wife considered enrolling their 10-year-old. But as long as he had a job on the island, the family decided to work and wait it out. Many of his colleagues and neighbors did not.

"Combined with this economic crisis, this was a perfect storm for the country to just empty," he said. "There's still a lot of people, but I hear about people who are leaving on a weekly basis. I've spoken to people who have this hope of coming back to Puerto Rico, but I've also heard from people who are happy to have permanent stability."

Jose Luis Rodriguez, 53, spends his nights in a wind-damaged wooden home pressed against a steep hillside in Comerio, in central Puerto Rico. The mosquitoes are relentless, but the loneliness is what stings; he lives by himself in a barrio where most of the residents rely on government assistance, and half of the homes are now vacant because of the hurricane.

The La Plata river that runs through the town swelled by more than 60 feet, inundating hundreds of homes, including that of Rodriguez's daughter, 24. Having lost everything, she joined her twin sister on the mainland, leaving behind their father, who is struggling.

"They are the only thing I have," Rodriguez said. "If I could, I would be there. My daughter said she would come back, but she doesn't have a place to live."

Puerto Ricans have moved back and forth between the island and the mainland for more than a century, after they received U.S. citizenship in 1917. The circular migration is a fundamental part of the Puerto Rican experience, immortalized in the island's art and music, because moving from the territory is as easy as moving between states.

The difference between the past decade's migration and that of previous generations is the character, size and speed with which it threatens to change Puerto Rico's economic and social future.

Migrants are looking for the things they can't find on the island: jobs and stability. Puerto Rico's teens and young adults don't know what kinds of opportunities will be available to them as the economic depression deepens.

Hector Camacho, 24, has tried to secure a job as a high school literature teacher for more than a year since graduating from the University of Puerto Rico. He now sends resumes to places such as Wyoming and Washington, D.C., hoping for an answer.

"Will I have a roof tomorrow? That's the worry I have," said Camacho, who is waiting tables here at a newly opened restaurant and arcade. "I also have loans to pay. It's been pretty tough here."

Camacho and his friend, Christopher Rosario - who left the island a year ago and joined the U.S. Army - were talking outside a laundromat near the university campus in San Juan last week when the power went out for the second time in 24 hours. Both grew up in Utuado, one of the hardest-hit regions of the island in the central mountains, and what they saw there killed any lingering hope.

"You try to see the bright side, but it's too dim to see anything good," Camacho said. "I'm done. Once I get a chance, I'm out."

Puerto Rico's government fears Camacho is not alone. The administration of Gov. Ricardo Rossello (PNP of Puerto Rico) published projections that put the island's population well below 3 million within a decade, a possible 10 percent decline in line with what researchers expect to see in war zones or what happened during the Irish potato famine in the mid-1800s.

"What we are observing is a major depopulation event that is not extremely common in modern history," said Lyman Stone, an independent migration researcher and economist at the Agriculture Department who provided models to Puerto Rico. "People kind of treated me like a crazy person when I put it out there."

Demographers and economists say Stone's projections appear to be on the high end, but they caution that the Puerto Rican exodus will cut deeply. The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College in New York estimates that between 114,000 and 213,000 people will leave the island in 2018, with the vast majority headed for Florida.

Most projections are based in part on volatile airline passenger data tracking the number of people boarding flights leaving the island. Three Florida airports reported 371,000 people traveling commercially from Puerto Rico since October. But so far, fewer than 40,000 people have visited the state's multiagency service centers set up to assist migrants, and far fewer - about 4,500 - have been issued state driver's licenses.

The center's director, Edwin Melendez, is using school enrollment data from six states receiving Puerto Rican children to more accurately pinpoint migration. Since the hurricane, more than 22,000 students from the island enrolled in stateside schools. More than half of those - 10,324 students - enrolled in school districts in Florida.

Pennsylvania State University demographer Alexis Santos said it is difficult to measure the magnitude of the outflow without also considering people like Rodriguez, the musician, who expect to return.

"It's all speculative," Santos said. "We have to be really careful with the numbers."

A more accurate migration head count won't be available for months from the Census Bureau, and even then it probably won't capture the entire picture of Puerto Rico's population fluctuations since the storm.

"Even before Maria, our ability to measure net migration in Puerto Rico wasn't very good," said Mario Marazzi, director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, an independent agency.

Economic predictions depend on good population statistics, said Puerto Rican economist Jose Joaquin Villamil. The island's economy had all but sputtered to a halt before the Category 5 hurricane hit, and there already was severe turmoil and job losses.

The central government had tried to borrow its way out of strife to the point of bankruptcy. Bondholders demanded payment, and Congress appointed a fiscal oversight board in 2016 that imposed austerity measures.

Nearly half of the island's population lives in poverty and has a household income of about $18,000, less than half that of Mississippi, the country's poorest state. The few jobs, low wages and rising cost of living caused young, working-age Puerto Ricans to head for the mainland, Villamil said. He estimates that nearly half of migrants are younger than 24. Falling birthrates led to deeper population decline, and Puerto Rico has been left with a rapidly aging populace.

Genesis Munoz, 19, a student at the University of Puerto Rico, wants to believe she can finish her bachelor's degree in art and painting. But money has gotten tighter since the storm. She doesn't eat well, her family home in Humacao was severely damaged, and attending classes 40 miles away is becoming too expensive.

"Everything is going badly," Munoz said. "It bothers me that there are people who live in their bubble of privilege saying everything is OK. It's not, and I can't judge those who leave because in the long term I know that I will also have to leave for my career."

Population decline is one of several factors Rossello's administration weighs in a fiscal plan revised this month, detailing how the government views its economic future and how it will find its way out of the red. Critics have said that plan depends heavily on billions in hoped-for federal spending.

"With a less-productive population, you are heading toward serious problems," Villamil said.

Despite the outlook, some Puerto Ricans who left immediately after the hurricane have returned to their homes and businesses, trying to salvage the lives they had here.

Carla Lopez was almost certain she would have to relocate her pop-up retail incubator, Santurce Pop, to central Florida in the days after the hurricane. She and her husband own a building in San Juan that provides affordable space to local entrepreneurs to build their small businesses, most of which specialize in locally sourced products and services.

Lopez, 33, took her two young children to Orlando, Florida, and began making arrangements with the local Chamber of Commerce to move her business there. But while she was shopping at a farmers market, she realized her heart was still in Puerto Rico.

"What am I doing here?" she said. "I felt bad being there knowing what was happening back home."

She and her husband decided to return to San Juan and give the business six months to see if they could rebound. Although they lost about half of their clients, the couple reasoned that there was an opportunity to find new customers because many entrepreneurs lost their storefronts or are unable to pay high rent. Since the storm, they have opened a second location in metro San Juan.

"We have a social responsibility to provide this space," Lopez said. "This is ours, this is our baby, and if we don't fight for it, who will?"

That's a decision over which, Rodriguez, the musician, agonized. He, too, chose to return to the island, arriving Thursday to his waterlogged home, carrying his blue binder of crinkled compositions. Among them is a new song he wrote during his time in Florida.

"It's called 'Puerto Rico Pa'Lante,' " said the crooner, smiling beneath the brim of his Panama hat, explaining that the title means that the commonwealth is moving forward. "The island beckoned me back."
How Houston ISDs Board of Education will replace outgoing Superintendent Richard Carranza remained unclear Tuesday after trustees announced at a press conference that they would postpone discussions relating to Carranzas departure until Thursday.

Board President Rhonda Skillern-Jones said the board will hold a closed-session meeting to discuss the choice of an interim leader. One board member, Sue Deigaard, was out of town Tuesday and en route to Houston, so trustees did not want to go any further into conversations, she said.

Those discussions have not taken place. We were just given the options today, Skillern-Jones said.

Skillern-Jones said Carranza essentially gave her his two-weeks notice when he called her Monday to reveal his decision, suggesting he will leave the district this month. The outgoing New York City schools chancellor is retiring at the end of March.

There is no other New York City Public Schools, Carranza said Monday. It was an opportunity that I could not say no to.

Carranza has been superintendent in Houston for 18 months. Before that, he spent five years atop the San Francisco public school system.

The board has three options to replace Carranza, Skillern-Jones said: name a short-term interim superintendent and immediately begin a search for a more permanent replacement; name a long-term interim superintendent and postpone a superintendent search for a couple months; or post the position and hire a new permanent superintendent immediately.

First, trustees have to let Carranza go. According to Carranzas three-year contract, which he signed in 2016, he can exit if both he and the board mutually agree on his departure. Skillern-Jones said trustees likely will discuss how they will handle Carranzas contract on Thursday.

Several Houston education and civic leaders, including Mayor Sylvester Turner and U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, offered warm words about Carranza during a news conference Tuesday while ensuring the district and city remains unified.

I know I was surprised by Superintendent Richard Carranzas decision to resign, Turner said. I wish him well, but we certainly will not let the abrupt departure create chaos for the states largest school district.

FALKENBERG: HISD Superintendent Richard Carranza hit the right notes but missed the mark

Carranzas announcement Monday caught the city and education leaders off guard, particularly given the multitude of challenges facing Houston ISD. Skillern-Jones said board members were not aware Carranza was interviewing in New York City until he called to inform them shortly before a press conference on Monday. The board may consider adding language to future superintendent contracts that would specify how much notice they would have to give the board before taking a job elsewhere, Skillern-Jones said, adding such a conversation would happen at a later date.

Houston ISD is grappling with a projected $115 million budget deficit, ongoing recovery following Hurricane Harvey and potential state sanctions due to chronically low-performing campuses. The district also is considering major changes to its magnet system and campus funding model, which Carranza has championed as an effort to create greater equity across Houston ISD.

Skillern-Jones said the board has not yet outlined qualities or characteristics trustees would like to see in a new leader. Instead, she said, trustees focused on three immediate goals: getting struggling schools out of the states improvement required accountability rating; keeping other schools from slipping into the states improvement required status; and making cuts to eliminate the districts looming budget deficit in a way that least harms classrooms.

The vision is set by the board, thats the operating procedure, and the superintendent and the cabinet are tasked with the how, Skillern-Jones said. Our vision on this board has not changed. The leader who comes in will simply be tasked with the how of the current vision.

Turner said that no matter who is tapped to lead HISD next, it will take efforts from city, state and federal leaders to help the district thrive.

This districts success is not predicated on one person, its collective, Turner said. It depends on all of us as partners.
WASHINGTON  In one of the most pivotal congressional races in the nation, two Houston Democrats in Tuesdays Texas primaries appeared headed for a runoff for the right to challenge nine-term GOP incumbent John Culberson in November.

Going first in an election year that could decide control of the U.S. House for the rest of President Donald Trumps first term, Texas voters whittled down the contenders in a slew of potentially competitive congressional races, including three ranked among the 20 closest contests in the nation.

In the statewide congressional primaries, large fields of Democrats vied to catch what they see as a blue wave in the 2018 midterm elections. Runoff elections appeared likely in several Democratic and Republican races in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio.

In Houstons 7th Congressional District, attorney Lizzie Pannill Fletcher and author-activist Laura Moser appeared to be the top vote-getters in a seven-candidate Democratic field of well-funded and organized rivals, according to early returns. But even with Fletcher comfortably ahead, she did not appear likely to secure a majority of the votes cast, meaning she would likely face a May 22 runoff against Moser.

A top-two finish for Moser, a progressive who has come under attack from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, guaranteed that the divisions between the insurgent and establishment wings of the party would play out well into spring.

Culberson, for his part, cruised easily to the Republican nomination in the district, which includes the western part of Houston and the Harris County suburbs. It is an affluent, majority minority district that has been targeted by Democrats since Hillary Clinton carried it in the 2016 presidential election.

Two other Republican-held districts in Texas where Clinton won also saw competitive Democratic primaries.

In the West Texas border district held by GOP incumbent Will Hurd, one Democrat appeared to emerge out of a field of five: Former Air Force intelligence officer Gina Ortiz Jones. She and former federal prosecutor Jay Hulings both far outraised the rest of the Democratic challengers, though there was no clear second-place finisher in the tightly-bunched group. Ortiz Jones was close to the 50 percent mark in early voting, but she, too, could potentially be headed for a run-off in May.

In the Dallas-area district represented by GOP incumbent Pete Sessions, seven Democrats were contending to advance to the general election in November. Closing in on the primary election, the three top fundraisers were Edward Meier, Colin Allred, and Lillian Salerno. But in early voting, Allred was out in front, with former television reporter Brett Shipp coming in second, though with nobody on the cusp of 50 percent.

Like Culbersons district in Houston, Sessions is a mix of city and suburban voters that Democrats hope can be peeled away from Trump-aligned Republican House members in a midterm election season that is traditionally tough for the party in power.

Another suburban district Democrats hope to put in play in November is the 22nd Congressional District around Fort Bend County south of Houston. It is represented by Republican Pete Olson, who most analysts consider safe. But with the areas influx of immigrants and minorities, at least four Democrats were vying in a primary to challenge Olson in November.

Leading the Democratic pack in early results was Sri Preston Kulkarni, a former foreign service officer. Close behind were Steve Brown, a health care advocate, and Letitia Plummer, who has a dental practice in Pearland. But none of the top vote-getters, appeared close to 50 percent in early voting, making another run-off likely.

Democrats also set their sights on at least two of the six House seats being vacated by retiring Republicans. One of the chief targets is the suburban Houston district where former judge and seven-term incumbent Ted Poe is stepping down after a bout with cancer.

Five Democrats were vying in Poes 2nd Congressional District, which wraps around the Houstons northern and western suburbs. By far the best funded and organized was attorney, non-profit executive, and Democratic activist Todd Litton, who appeared close to an outright win in early voting.

In a mirror image of many of Tuesdays Democratic primaries, the 2nd District featured a crowded field of nine Republicans as well. Heading into the primary, the Republican to beat appeared to be Kathaleen Wall, a largely self-funded conservative activist and fundraiser running with the backing of Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. But even with a campaign treasury of some $6 million, she trailed State Rep. Kevin Roberts in early voting, making a GOP runoff likely. Military veteran Dan Crenshaw also appeared to be vying for a second-place finish.

Another top prospect for Republicans moving up is the suburban San Antonio seat being vacated by House Science Committee Chairman Lamar Smith. No fewer than 14 Republicans were in contention, among them Chip Roy, Cruzs former chief of staff, and former Bexar County GOP Chairman Robert Stovall. Roy appeared to be running ahead in early results, but not by enough to avoid a runoff. Dark horse candidate William Negley, a former CIA officer, also was running strong.

Four Democrats also competed in the District 21 primary, with Joseph Kopser, a West Point graduate who served in Iraq, running ahead, but still short of 50 percent in early returns, despite easily winning the pre-primary money chase. Given the districts sprawling suburban makeup, Democratic strategists believe this district also gives them a badly-needed pick-up opportunity in a year where 24 are needed to win back Democratic control of the House.

But two other high-profile GOP retirements - despite accusations of sexual harassment or impropriety - do not appear like realistic opportunities for Democrats. One, represented by Corpus Christi Republican Blake Farenthold, is expected to stay in GOP hands.

Six Republicans were in the running Tuesday for Farentholds seat. Bech Bruun, who has worked in the administrations of Govs. Greg Abbott and Rick Perry, seemed to be in contention with Michael Cloud, a member of the state GOP executive committee, for a run-of.

In the seat outside Dallas represented by Arlington Republican Joe Barton - laid low last year by sexually explicit materials he emailed in an extramarital affair - there were seven Republicans and five Democrats in the primary. Conservative veteran Jake Ellzey seemed to have the edge in early results. Though no clear winners had emerged, but the district has historically been safe for Republicans.

Regardless of the primary results, Texans are certain to see new Republican faces replacing two other retiring GOP lawmakers: Jeb Hensarling in Dallas, and Sam Johnson in Plano.

One other prominent retirement was that of Houston Democrat Gene Green, one of the few Anglos in Texas representing a Hispanic majority district. Seven Democrats were competing in a primary that is all but likely to produce an eventual winner in November.
Late voting returns showed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Democrat Beto ORourke easily beating their respective primary opponents on Tuesday, putting them on the verge of their highly anticipated general election battle in November.

Cruz, in his first election since losing the Republican nomination for president, defeated Christian TV executive Bruce Jacobson Jr., Houston energy attorney Stefano de Stefano, Austin accountant Mary Ann Miller, and former La Marque Mayor Geraldine Sam.

Meanwhile, ORourke, an El Paso Democrat, making his first statewide run for office had no trouble beating out retired Houston postal worker Edward Kimbrough and Pasadena insurance agent Sema Hernandez.

Now Playing: FOX 7 Austin's Jacqueline Sarkissian has all the information you need to know as you head to the polls. Video: Fox7

Cruz, talking to Texas reporters Tuesday night, wasted no time in defining ORourke.

Tonights election marks the beginning of the general election in November, and the voters of Texas will have a clear and stark choice for the United States Senate, he said. Congressman ORourke is a left wing, liberal Democrat. He is running like Bernie Sanders across the state.

Cruz emphasized their clear differences on gun control and immigration, portraying ORourke as out of touch with Texas values.

Cruz acknowledged that ORourke has benefited from a surge of Democratic energy under President Donald Trump.

We will see, as a result, very large turnout from the far left in November, just as we have seen very high Democratic turnout in the early vote, he said. But the good news is there are more conservatives than there are liberals in Texas, and if conservatives show up and voteTexas will remain reliably red.

ORourke, in an interview before the polls closed, declined to characterize the race in ideological terms.

This campaign is not ideological, he said. Its definitely not partisan. Its solely focused on the interests and aspirations of the people I want to represent in Texas.

ORourke also rejected the idea that his race is being fueled by anti-Trump rage.

Come to any town hall meeting were having, he said. Theres very little rage. Theres almost no mention of Trump, or Cruz, for that matter. Its about the things we want to do.

ORourkes sharpest attacks center on his contention that Cruz, a 2016 candidate for president, has not focused on Texas.

The biggest laugh line I get is any town hall is asking when the last time Ted Cruz showed up for a town hall, he said.

No Democrat has won a seat in the U.S. Senate since 1992, but ORourke has drawn national attention by out fundraising Cruz for most of the last year and sparking a loyal following of supporters as he crisscrosses the state, often livestreaming the events on social media platforms.

O'Rourke has heavily outraised Cruz since the start of 2018, according to the latest campaign reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Cruz raised just $711,000 since the start of the year. O'Rourke has raised $2.2 million during the same period. Overall, Cruz still has more money in his campaign account than O'Rourke. O'Rourke had about $5 million in his main campaign account, while Cruz has about $6 million.

But that doesn't tell the full story of the financial battle in the race. Cruz is also expected to benefit from Super PACs that have been created by his allies. A new PAC called Texans Are has piled up $1.7 million.

Cruz, 47, has rarely addressed his opponent by name, but acknowledge during a stop in El Paso late last month that ORourke was raising a ton of money. Hes hinted that he will aggressively tag his opponent as a liberal. In El Paso he warned that liberals in Washington want a big government, pro-amnesty liberal representing Texas.

Meanwhile ORourke, 45, has made clear hell use Cruzs presidential ambitions against him. On the campaign trail, ORourke has made it a staple of his speeches to remind audiences that that Cruz spent months in places like Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina in 2015 and 2016 running for president and advancing his own political ambition, instead of looking out for Texas.

Despite O'Rourke's surprising fundraising numbers, he remains very much an underdog in the race. Many Congressional analysts, like D.C.-based Inside Elections has Cruz in a "solid Republican" re-election position. Others like the Cook Political Report still favor Cruz but consider the race slightly more competitive.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com twitter.com/jeremyswallace
The Houston superintendent who sought to connect with the districts Latino majority through his love of mariachi music is taking his song to a new city before he even finishes his first verse here.

Its unclear whether Houstonians should wail at his abrupt departure, or let out a joyful grito.

Without question, Houston ISD Superintendent Richard Carranza had charisma on the job, and energy, and a disarming approach that seemed to bolster morale in the district and endear him with parents and students.

But in the end, his song lacked substance. In his brief 18 months in Houston, he took his time fashioning a vision for the district, and when he did propose plans, they resembled a dramatic, cacophonous jumble of notes rather than a well-orchestrated composition.

Read more: HISD superintendent leaving for NYCs top job after 18 months here

Carranza, with substantial backing from the board, announced a catastrophic budget deficit of $208 million that would require painful cuts, in addition to an overhaul of the district governing and budgeting model, and a reimagining of the most sacred of HISD cows: the system of specialty schools known as magnets.

Then, after weeks of anger, anxiety and confusion over the proposed changes, the district did an about-face and changed its calculations to reduce the projected deficit to $115 million, prompting questions about the credibility and competence of district leadership.

Still, as recently as last Wednesday, I sat at a table with Carranza and board President Rhonda Skillern-Jones, who both assured me that HISD is still in crisis, that the sky is still falling, and that major changes were still needed to address systemic problems of inequity.

I cant sleep at night, Carranza told me last week, explaining how he walks schools every week and was deeply troubled by disparities between schools that cant afford the basics - a nurse, for instance -- and those that can afford more than a dozen assistant principals.

Read more: HISD officials need to rebuild trust with community

He seemed sincere, just as he had in his recent State of the Schools address when he vowed a commitment to equity and educating the whole child, despite the challenges wrought by Hurricane Harvey or chronic underfunding from the state legislature. Carranza talked of the future, of goals, of developing a 20-year capital campaign.

He stood up for immigrant students known as Dreamers, saying as long as Im your superintendent and as long as youre a student of the Houston Independent School District, we will do anything we need to make sure you have all the opportunities to be successful.

All the while, Carranza was talking to New York Citys mayor about a new gig. In one of his first meetings with Bill de Blasio, and his wife, Chirlane McCray, the New York Times reports that Carranza serenaded them with a mariachi song, Maria Elena.

Now, theres a lot of turnover in the education world, especially among superintendents. Carranza has said leading the countrys largest public school system was an offer he couldnt refuse. And board members said in a press conference Tuesday that they wish him well. Carranza shouldnt be vilified for his decision.

But the fact is that his abrupt departure creates another trust issue for HISD. Carranza asked HISD parents, students, and community members to trust him in implementing drastic reforms that would affect the future of Houston for years to come. Yet, he knew he probably wouldnt be around to see those changes through.

No one expects a superintendent to stay 10 years. But we thought hed invest more than 18 months. We didnt expect him to leave when the district needs a leader most.

Read more: HISD needs an audit, not a revolution and deep budget cuts

Perhaps that was naive. Perhaps the most surprising thing about Carranzas sudden exit is that we find it surprising at all.

Amid the gasps and dropped jaws are insiders who say they didnt expect Carranza to stick around for much longer, given all the obstacles he faced. In addition to the deficit and the threat of a state takeover of chronically low-performing schools, Carranza had a school board made up of single-district members, some prone to drama and racial politics. And he had state leaders such as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick intent on starving public schools to death.

When the going got tough, Carranza got going. Literally.

Can we blame him? Sure. But there are more important things to do.

Those include identifying, promptly, someone with the competency to take the wheel while a permanent replacement is decided. Skillern-Jones, the board president, said she and other members will begin that process Thursday.

Somewhere, there is someone who wants this job despite all the challenges. Theres someone who is willing to invest the heart, the time, and maybe even put down roots, to improve education for the betterment of our children and our future.

Somewhere, theres got to be someone who can do for HISD what Renu Khator has done as president of the University of Houston. Shes not only a skilled administrator, shes savvy enough to navigate tough politics without getting ensnared by them.

Yes, she brought charisma and vision, but she also brought the commitment to see that vision through.

At Tuesdays press conference, board members stood alongside Mayor Sylvester Turner, state Rep. Alma Allen, and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee - all vowing to stand in unity to do whats best for HISD students.

Turners presence was particularly reassuring, as he sought to rally Houstons can-do spirit while imploring us to remember the kids.

Right now, those kids, all 214,000 of them, need reassurance that life will go on, that the district wont spiral into chaos, and that, somewhere, theres a new leader who will stay long enough to lead.
Houston-area voters showed up in droves for the Democratic primary on Tuesday, building on record early voting numbers and easily topping turnout from previous midterm election cycles.

Political observers said increased enthusiasm among Democratic voters following President Donald Trumps 2016 election, combined with an abnormally crowded field of gubernatorial and congressional candidates, likely caused the spike in voter turnout. Democrats have been buoyed by a series of national election victories since Trumps victory, though the true test of liberal enthusiasm will come in Novembers midterm general elections, where Texas Republicans are in danger of losing a few seats in Congress.

In Harris County, the Democratic primary vote tally already had surpassed 165,000 with most precincts tallied late Tuesday  easily topping the 101,263 votes cast in the high-turnout 2010 primary.

In Fort Bend County, voters still cast far more ballots in the Republican primary, but Democratic voters were projected to narrow the margin. Slightly more Democratic voters cast ballots in Montgomery County compared to recent off-year primaries, but Republicans also increased turnout at a similar rate.

Statewide, Democratic primary turnout is projected to slightly exceed recent off-year elections, while Republican turnout likely will hold relatively steady. In 2010 and 2014, about 10 percent of registered voters cast Republican ballots and 5 percent voted for Democrats.

The record-breaking Democratic turnout numbers were widely expected after early voting totals trickled in from Texas largest counties. Some Republican leaders have heralded the Democratic turnout as a harbinger for much more competitive races in November, while others have been less alarmed by results to date.

There are at least five or six congressional district races where there were four-plus candidates running, and typically when you see that, its going to drive voter turnout up, said Derek Ryan, an Austin-based Republican political consultant. And, obviously, the national political scene is helping drive some turnout as well with the anti-Trump movement.

Harris County congressional primaries typically have drawn few candidates and relatively low voter participation. This year, five races drew five or more candidates, leading to higher turnout. Voters cast 20,845 ballots in those five races in 2014, compared to 74,277 this year with two-thirds of precincts reporting.

The increase was notable in the race for Texas 7th Congressional District, where Democrats hope to unseat nine-term Republican John Culberson. Democrats fielded two candidates in the 2014 primary, who garnered about 6,600 votes. This year, with Culberson seen as more vulnerable, seven Democratic candidates jumped into the race, collecting about 29,100 votes with two-thirds of precincts reporting.

A lot of people are very excited about those candidates, along with several other races around town, said Rob Icsezen, a lawyer who advises the Harris County Democratic Party. I think weve got a strong wave of Democrats, mixed with an extremely motived anti-Trump wave.

Increases in Democratic turnout extended to the Republican strongholds of Fort Bend and Montgomery counties. In the past three midterm primary cycles, roughly 75 percent of Fort Bend County primary voters cast ballots in Republican races. This year, the Republican share of votes likely will be closer to 60 percent, based on early and absentee votes.

John Oldham, elections administrator in Fort Bend County, said early returns showed Republicans had a slight increase in total votes cast from prior years, but Democratic turnout exceeded any total in recent history.

The Republicans might be attributable to growth in registration numbers, Oldham said. The Democrats, I dont know why its so high, other than that they may have more attractive candidates running this year.

Ryan said his analysis of early voter data, based on information provided by nearly 50 counties, shows nearly one-quarter of Democratic primary voters had not cast ballots in the past four primary elections  a potential indicator of Democratic enthusiasm. Another 6 percent of Democratic primary voters crossed party lines after recently casting ballots in the Republican primary.

Democratic turnout should give Republicans pause, Ryan said. Still, he noted Republicans maintain a solid electoral edge over Democrats  particularly in statewide races, such as governor and U.S. Senate  and many of the first-time Democratic primary voters have been casting ballots in general elections.

I dont think Texas is turning blue this election cycle, Ryan said. You may see a percentage or two drop for the statewide races on the Republican side versus what youve seen in the past. But I could see those numbers maybe impacting some congressional races, some legislative races and certainly down-ballot.

Predictions of a blue tide didnt worry Beau Langla, a Republican voter who cast his ballot Tuesday at Salyers Elementary School in Spring.

Its garbage. Its a ploy, said Langla, a business development manager in oil field sales. If they were going to do something, why didnt they do something in November 2016?

Staff writer Cindy George contributed to this report.

jacob.carpenter@chron.com

twitter.com/chronjacob
State Rep. Mark Keough, exploiting the vulnerability of an opponent under criminal indictment, defeated Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal in a sharply contested Republican primary Tuesday.

Keough, 64, has represented a Woodlands-based legislative district for two terms. His campaign for county judge focused on property taxes, ethics and opposition to toll roads attracted the support of local tea party groups.

Doyal, 56, in his fourth year as the countys chief executive, campaigned for a second term on his record of cutting the tax rate, limiting spending and guiding the countys response to Hurricane Harvey and other floods. Just weeks before the primary, however, a state appeals court reinstated misdemeanor charges alleging that Doyal, Commissioner Charlie Riley and a political consultant violated the Texas Open Meetings Act in 2015. A district judge had dismissed the charges after finding part of the law unconstitutional.

The primary victory virtually assures Keough of claiming the county judge position in the overwhelmingly conservative county north of Houston. The lone Democratic candidate, Jay Stittleburg, a project manager in the oil and gas industry, has about $3,200 in campaign funds available compared to almost $94,000 for Keough, based on their most recent filings.

Im overwhelmed. Im thankful, Keough, a pastor, said Tuesday night. Most importantly, I just thank the Lord, and I cant wait to get started.

Now Playing: FOX 7 Austin's Jacqueline Sarkissian has all the information you need to know as you head to the polls. Video: Fox7

Doyal, who served as a county commissioner before he became county judge, could not be reached for comment.

Two county commissioners, Riley of Precinct 2 and Jim Clark of Precinct 4, were headed for runoffs against GOP primary opponents. Melanie Bush, the president of the Conroe ISD board, soundly defeated the county treasurer, Stephanne Davenport, in the GOP primary.

Riley will face Greg Parker, a former Comal County commissioner, in the May 22 runoff for the Republican nomination. Ron Keichline, a management systems auditor, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Clark finished second in his three-person primary race, behind Justice of the Peace James Metts. No Democrat sought the position in Precinct 4.

Keough, who announced last May that he would challenge Doyal, pledged to improve ethics and transparency in county government. This theme gained momentum when the charges against Doyal were reinstated in early February.

Keoughs campaign sent out several mailers focused on the indictment. One featured an image of Doyal behind bars, with a bag of cash in the foreground. (Doyal has not been accused of any crimes involving money, and no one can be jailed based on an indictment.)

Asked about the mailers in an interview prior to election day, Keough said, I have a consulting company that does these things for me. He added: Doyal has had no problem telling lies about some of my stuff.

Bush, the winner of the GOP primary for county treasurer, will face Mandy Sunderland, the lone Democratic candidate, in November. Republican County Clerk Mark Turnbull won renomination, while Melisa Miller won the GOP nomination to replace retiring District Clerk Barbara Adamack.
AUSTIN  Land Commissioner George P. Bush handily won the Republican primary, edging past former commissioner Jerry Patterson and two other candidates in contentious race for the Texas General Land Office.

With final ballots being counted statewide, Bush held a sizable lead over Patterson, who did appear to have enough votes to force a run-off.

The victory is affirmation for the 41-year-old incumbent whose record was vigorously attacked by his political opponents, with some declaring Tuesdays election the possible end of the Bush political dynasty.

Instead, the results proved that Bush, a scion of the Bush family and son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, still had strong support among Texas Republicans.

"It's an overwhelming evening," Bush told reporters at his campaign party in Austin. "It's an incredible opportunity to build upon the great work we have done in the last three years at the Land Office."

Jeb Bush was in Austin celebrating his sons victory.

Its good to be tested, and he won with a sizable majority without a runoff, Jeb Bush said. I am proud of him.

Now George P. Bush's attention will turn to defeating his Democratic opponent, energy attorney Miguel Suazo, who beat Tex Morgan in the Democratic primary.

Bush, easily elected in 2014, faced a fierce race for the Texas General Land Office, a relatively unknown state agency tasked with managing state-owned lands, raising money for schools through oil and gas leases and helping communities recover from a natural disaster.

In all, six candidates  four Republicans and two Democrats  wanted a chance to lead the office and unseat Bush. Land surveyor Davey Edwards and former school teacher Rick Range trailed far behind Bush.

In the first test of his young political career, Bush faced intense opposition from Patterson, who led the Land Office for 12 years before stepping down to make an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor in 2014.

Patterson, 71, decided to challenge Bush late last year after accusing him of mishandling the duties of one of the states most critical agencies. Patterson criticized Bushs handling of housing recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and he accused Bush of bungling the preservation of the Alamo and the redevelopment of the area around the landmark.

Patterson said he was disappointed in the results, but said the campaign against Bush forced changes in the Land Office.

"The bloom is off the Bush rose. There is some transparency that finally emerged at the Alamo after we made that an issue," Patterson said. "And there are 5,000 people who got temporary emergency repairs after we made that an issue."

Patterson said given the chance to do something differently, he would have started his campaign earlier.

Patterson, Edwards and Range attended dozens of forums and rallies around the state selling their message that it was time to boot Bush. Bush, on the other hand, stayed out of public rallies and forums, choosing to quietly campaign at private events that often were not open to the public.

On Tuesday, Bush admitted he ran a "unconventional campaign focused on the actual job.

"I took my message directly to the media through social media," Bush said. "I relied upon my track record. I felt it was important getting people into homes in the wake of Harvey, rather than soapboxing and getting in front of the media.

In campaign ads and on social media, Bush highlighted his accomplishments: creating a coastal master plan to better prepare the state against natural disasters, saving the Alamo by undertaking repairs; and stopping an illegal Obama land grab near the Red River.

But some have raised questions about that record, however. State lawmakers have slammed Bush for putting the management of the Alamo under three nonprofits that are often shrouded in secrecy. An internal GLO audit, leaked to the media in February, found that the agencys use of the nonprofits to manage the storied landmark was overly complicated and led to practices that run afoul of state requirements.

The agency has also been marked by its slow response to Hurricane Harvey. Six months after the storm, the Associated Press found efforts to provide short-term housing and emergency repairs have lagged well behind previous post-disaster efforts in other states.

The Bush campaign has largely dismissed those critiques as baseless stories created by his political enemies.

Suazo, who will likely face Bush in November, said he is excited to show Texans his credentials to run an effective Land Office.

Bush can keep bragging about being endorsed by Trump, Suazo said. I am proud to be endorsed by the people of Texas.

Forrest Milburn contributed to this report.
Six million dollars was not going to stop Dan Crenshaw.

The former Navy SEAL has had to face much tougher odds  nearly losing his life in Afghanistan  than his uphill Congressional race he found himself in Tuesday. When the vote counting began, the 33-year-old Crenshaw was well back in third place in the Republican Primary for the 2nd Congressional District that covers large parts of northern Harris County.

With early voting and absentee ballots counted, Crenshaw was almost 2,000 votes out of second place.

And sitting in second place was Kathaleen Wall, a wealthy campaign donor who had plowed $6 million of her own money into her race for a bevy of television ads. She also had two of the biggest names in Texas politics on her side: Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

We knew we got a late start, Crenshaw said in an interview with conservative radio host Michael Berry.

But there was Crenshaw telling his supporters in northern Harris County on Tuesday morning that he had volunteers at every precinct in the district making a big final push.

Were feeling optimistic, he said early Tuesday. Were feeling good.

Then the surge took over. By the end of the day, Crenshaw was dominating at the polls, offsetting the hole he was in to start the day. Crenshaw was the leading vote getter on Tuesday, 8 percentage points ahead of State Rep. Kevin Roberts and 10 percentage points up on Wall.

The result allowed Crenshaw to slip into 2nd place by just 145 votes, according to unofficial results from the Harris County Clerks office. That puts Crenshaw into a run-off on May 22 against Roberts, who won the primary overall, but fell short of the 50 percent he needed to avoid the runoff.

We clawed our way in there, Crenshaw told Berry.

Crenshaw, a retired lieutenant commander spent 10 years in the SEALS that included tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan.Crenshaw nearly lost his vision when an IED blast in Afghanistan nearly cost him his life and put him into a coma for five days. He survived, but lost his right eye which forces him to now wear an eye patch.

MORE ON CRENSHAW: Wounded Navy SEAL makes bid for Congress

Roberts said he has immense respect for Crenshaw and said voters can expect a high-integrity campaign from both. He said hell continue to make the same case to voters that hes been making since November: that he has the proven conservative credentials. Elected to the state Legislature in 2016, Roberts has focused on his experience. He is the only one of the Republican candidates to hold elective office.

It really feels good, Roberts said on Wednesday about finishing first in the primary.

He said with one candidate spending $6 million, he wondered if the would be a difference maker early on. It shows you can still run an old school campaign - meeting people and listening to them and what they are going through, said Roberts, who manages the business side of the Lanier Law Firm in Houston. And money cant buy that.

Roberts and Crenshaw are expecting to get together later this month at a gun range, thanks to Roberts winning an auction to spend an hour shooting with a Navy SEAL, Crenshaw said.

Big spenders, bad results

Walls defeat is another stunning blow for wealthy self-financers who have consistently lost campaigns for Congress in Texas even while heavily out spending their opponents.

Since 2000, 21 candidates have put at least $1 million into their own campaign. Eighteen lost.

WALLS SPENDING SURGE: Republican spends $5.9M in race for Congress

What often happens is that self funders are often political novices who try to use their money to overcome their inexperience, said Larry Sabato, the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

In Walls case that inexperience showed up in her speaking engagements where she struggled to remember talking points during forums. Her campaign also avoided interviews with the media, turning down repeated interview requests with the Houston Chronicle.

On election night, Wall spoke to supporters late on Tuesday but never announced she had lost.

Thanks to everyone for running a good race, Wall told a couple dozen supporters at Cafe Adobe as election results came in. And thanks to the voters of Congressional District 2 for trusting me with their vote.

Roberts and Crenshaw are battling to see who will take on Democrat Todd Litton in November. Litton easily won his Democratic primary against four other Democrats.

The candidates are seeking to replace U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, a Republican from Atascocita who announced late last year that he would not seek re-election in 2018. The winner of the race will get a 2-year term that pays $174,000 a year.

Todd Ackerman contributed to this report.
AUSTIN  Gov. Greg Abbott won his Republican primary without breaking a sweat, but he lost his effort to knock out Houston state Rep. Sarah Davis, the moderate he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to defeat in a GOP primary.

With the vast majority of precincts reporting, Davis held a solid lead late Tuesday over Susanna Dokupil, a conservative businesswoman backed by Abbott in his attempt to wipe out House Republican incumbents who didnt embrace his hard-right agenda.

I will not be told by anyone in Austin whether I am a Republican, Davis told the crowd of several dozen people at her election-night party.

Davis said her contested race was not just about her but whether the Republican Party would be big enough to support diverse voices or whether we would have our voices silenced and our choices dictated to us by central planners in Austin.

Now Playing: FOX 7 Austin's Jacqueline Sarkissian has all the information you need to know as you head to the polls. Video: Fox7

Dokupil said that no matter the winner, the sheer number of voters who supported her campaign showed a portion of the district backs limited government, adding that property taxes were a key issue among her supporters. She said she would support Davis in the general election if she won fair and square.

The Texas House District 134 race was one of the most closely watched in Texas, serving as ground zero in the fight for the heart and soul of the Texas GOP.

The governor, who has grown more conservative this term, spent more than $223,000 running campaign ads against the fiercely independent Davis, now in her fourth term. Some of that money paid for ads in favor of Dokupil, who vowed to help the governor advance his agenda.

Davis, a lawyer from West University Place, is a member of the Texas House moderate leadership team, which has blocked several of Abbotts priorities, such as a bill that would block transgender people from using the bathroom corresponding with their gender identity.

Davis, who considers herself pro-choice, drew the ire of the governor last year when she questioned his commitment to ethics reform during a special legislative session in 2017. Abbotts major line of attack lambasted her as a liberal.

Abbott made this race about him, and about the Republican Party, Davis told the Houston Chronicle. She said she did not vote for Abbott or any gubernatorial candidate in Tuesdays election.

In November the winner of the GOP primary will face Democratic businesswoman Allison Lami Sawyer in what is expected to be another tough race. Hillary Clinton won the swing district by 15 percentage points in 2016 presidential election, making it a top priority for Democrats to win in the November election.

The district includes the Texas Medical Center, West University Place, Bellaire, Southside Place and stretches north past Memorial Park.

Eileen Glaser, a voter at Davis election-night party at Picos Mexican restaurant, said she saw nasty postcards against Davis, a lawmaker whose moderate record she respected. Glaser, who has worked for an advertising agency, said she took out a magnifying glass to see who was behind the messaging.

I think its very seedy for the governor to get involved, she said.

A half mile away at Balthazar Cellars, Dokupils supporters said Abbotts involvement in the race showed courage.

Davis is too liberal for my liking, said Peter Calkins, an investor who said property taxes are a key issue for him. He said he saw Abbotts endorsement in the race as a way to remove obstructions in the way of getting his agenda passed.

Davis isnt the only Republican whom Abbott targeted. The governor also endorsed opponents to Galveston Rep. Wayne Faircloth and San Antonio Rep. Lyle Larson.

Early returns suggested Abbott could go one for three with his preferred challengers. While his favored Mayes Middleton beat Faircloth, his candidate to go after Larson, Chris Fails, failed to gain traction.

Texas governors have traditionally avoided getting too deep in local primary races, particularly in challenging incumbents.

Heres how other important legislative races were shaking out:

State Sen. Joan Huffman, a Houston Republican and former district judge, appeared to clinch a win in a spirited primary against Kristin Tassin, the president of Fort Bend ISDs board of trustees. In a year with aggressive get-out-the-vote efforts among educators, Tassins campaign focused on the need to better fund schools  a task she argues Huffman and the Legislature have failed to accomplish. The 17th Senate district snakes south from the west side of Houston to the Gulf of Mexico.

The wife of Attorney General Ken Paxton took the early lead in a fierce race for a state Senate seat north of Dallas. Angela Paxton, a former educator, is running against Phillip Huffines, who owns a series of auto dealerships. The two campaigns have spent millions of dollars on the race, flooding the area with TV ads and leading the attorney general to help his wife snag $2.5 million in loans to help fuel her campaign.

State Rep. Ron Reynolds, the Missouri City Democrat who last year lost his appeal to a 2016 conviction on five misdemeanor charges related to ambulance-chasing, led early against Houston attorney Wilvin Carter in that primary election.

Lindsay Ellis contributed to this report.
Republican voters apparently will get another two months to determine who will win the partys nomination for the 2nd Congressional District seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Ted Poe.

Kevin Roberts, a state legislator, and former Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw were the top two vote-getters in the race, with 100 percent of precincts counted, according to unofficial results with the Harris County Election Division.

Kathaleen Wall, who spent $6 million of her own money to try to win the seat, was third, missing the runoff entirely. She had been in the top two for most of the night as numbers slowly rolled in. It was after midnight before it was clear she had lost out.

Now Playing: Kathaleen Wall campaigning differently than other candidates Video: Fox 26 Houston

If those numbers hold, Crenshaw and Roberts will battle in a May 22 runoff to determine who will take on the winner of the Democratic primary. Education nonprofit director Todd Litton had a commanding lead over Navy veteran J. Darnell Jones in that contest, potentially allowing Litton to avoid a runoff election.

Already the race for the 2nd Congressional District has become one of the most expensive in the nation, with more than $8 million spent in the race. Much of that is due to Wall, who had become the nations top self-funded candidate for a congressional seat.

The candidates are hoping to succeed Poe, R-Atascocita, who announced late last year that he was retiring from Congress. The seven-term congressman was treated for leukemia in 2016.

The heavily gerrymandered district covers areas in West Houston, loops up to Harris County's most northern edges and stretches east to take in Humble and Atascocita.

Six other Republicans in the race were well behind in early-voting returns. They are hospital executive David Balat, investment banker Justin Lurie, attorney Jonny Havens, businessman Rick Walker, attorney Jon Spiers and patent attorney Malcolm Whittaker.

The winner of the seat will get a two-year term that pays $174,000 a year.

Television ads

Wall has leaned heavily on her Texas roots to win over voters. In her first TV ad, she talked up her upbringing on a ranch near Centerville and how she studied engineering technology at Texas A&M University. Now she is an investor and consultant for small high-tech startup companies, she said.

"I am running to take Texas values to D.C. and get D.C. out of Texas," Wall, 51, told the Chronicle, using a phrase she repeats often.

Wall invested heavily in television advertising in her campaign.

Crenshaw raised just $171,000 for his campaign but appeared to still top Wall. The wounded Navy SEAL who lost an eye in Afghanistan is making his first bid for office. The retired lieutenant commander spent 10 years in the SEALS that included tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 2012, the now 33-year-old Crenshaw nearly lost his vision when an IED blast in Afghanistan nearly cost him his life and put him into a coma for five or six days. He survived, but lost his right eye which forces him to now wear an eye patch.

Elected to the state Legislature in 2016, Roberts has focused on his experience; he is the only one of the Republican candidates to hold elective office.

"I am the only proven conservative with actual accomplishments," Roberts said. "We need someone with legislative experience who can be a strong voice for the district and hit the ground running."

Roberts, 51, is an Amarillo native who was raised by his grandparents. The married father of two children has a bachelors degree from Texas Tech University and works as the executive director of the Lanier Law Firm

Roberts, who was endorsed by the National Rifle Association and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, ran TV ads in the final weeks that showed Wall stumbling over words at a candidates forum. Roberts said many voters had only seen Wall in her slick TV ads.

"Here is Mrs Wall unedited, Roberts said of the ad. It's up to voters to decide if Wall is capable or not,"

Wall, who was endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, has tried to tie herself to President Donald Trump, running ads that tout her support for Trump and his positions. She even includes photos of her and Trump together though the president has not officially endorsed a candidate in the race.

Besides the Abbott endorsement, Wall also has picked up support from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz as well as the Texas Right to Life PAC.

The 2nd District has been a solidly Republican district during Poe's tenure. However in 2016, Trump won just 52.4 percent of the vote in the district, giving Democrats hope that they could pull an upset in the congressional race under the right circumstances.
Borsboom also noted that Alps Travel failed to keep accurate time, wage, holiday or leave records and also made unlawful deductions from employees as a means of disciplining them for things like bus damage or negative customer feedback  measures which Borsboom deemed completely unacceptable under New Zealand employment law.

Initially, the company sought to avoid providing minimum standards by saying their workers were contractors, but went on to acknowledge during the Inspectorates investigation this was not the case, and accepted that minimum standards should be applied.

Employers in this industry should note that log books will not fully meet their record keeping obligations, that they cannot contract out of providing employees with their entitlements, and that daily rates will not necessarily meet the minimum wage, said Borsboom.

Where the Inspectorate finds employers seeking to gain an unfair advantage over their law-abiding competitors by breaching minimum standards, we will hold them to account, and we will be transparent in our dealings with these employers so consumers can make informed choices, she added.

In addition to paying the fine and reimbursements, Alps Travel has also had its Transport Service Licence for both passenger and rental services revoked by the New Zealand Transport Agency.
Late last year we took more than a dozen girls from high schools across Auckland, and in just four days taught them the coding to be able to build a website, she added.

Lynn Xu  Vodafones women in technology New Zealand lead  was among those who worked with the girls in the training program.

I really believe this experience can help in making future career choices, she said. They all came out with fantastic work, and had visions and plans on how to improve on it  something us adults often dont do well! I will never forget the sparks in their eyes.

Our hope is that #CodeLikeAGirl will hone that excitement, and open the doors to really considering a career in technology, which offers a range of well-paying roles, said Williams.

Vodafone also runs a two-year Discover Graduate program, which currently has 78 graduates fresh out of university working at the firm, with the opportunity to rotate across teams in order to pick up important transferrable skills.
Criticism in Thailand over Fukushima fish imports

March 07,2018 | Source: The Nation

Authorities have defended Thailands importation of fish from Fukushima, the scene of a major nuclear accident and radioactive leak in 2011.





The imported fish have passed radioactive standards of the [Thai] Food and Drug Administration [FDA], the Fisheries Departments deputy director-general Umaporn Pimolbutr said yesterday. She spoke after concern was raised about the imports.



FDA secretary-general Wanchai Sattayawuthipong, who later in the day appeared with Umaporn at a press conference, urged Thais not to panic.



You can have confidence in the FDA and relevant organisations, Wanchai said. If we detect any contaminated fish, we will destroy or immediately return the item.



A report by Japan Times revealed on March 1 that Fukushima prefectures first shipment of fish since the March 2011 accident had been exported to Thailand.



The crisis in Fukushima is often described as the worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl incident in 1986.





Criticism over Fukushima fish imports



national March 07, 2018 04:00



By THE NATION



AddThis Sharing Buttons

Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to LINEShare to Google+Share to More

AUTHORITIES HAVE defended Thailands importation of fish from Fukushima, the scene of a major nuclear accident and radioactive leak in 2011.





The imported fish have passed radioactive standards of the [Thai] Food and Drug Administration [FDA], the Fisheries Departments deputy director-general Umaporn Pimolbutr said yesterday. She spoke after concern was raised about the imports.



FDA secretary-general Wanchai Sattayawuthipong, who later in the day appeared with Umaporn at a press conference, urged Thais not to panic.



You can have confidence in the FDA and relevant organisations, Wanchai said. If we detect any contaminated fish, we will destroy or immediately return the item.



A report by Japan Times revealed on March 1 that Fukushima prefectures first shipment of fish since the March 2011 accident had been exported to Thailand.



The crisis in Fukushima is often described as the worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl incident in 1986.



Last month, a report by The Independent also revealed that lethal levels of radiation were still being detected at Japans Fukushima nuclear power plant, seven years after it was destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami.



I cannot confirm as to whether we are the first to import fish from Fukushima [since 2011]. But I can tell you that we have checked the imported fish, Umaporn said.



Thailand bans the importation of food that has more than 100 becquerel of iodine 131 per kilogram/litre or combined concentrations of caesium 137 and 134 more than 500bq/kg/litre.



Importers must produce certificates specifying the amount of radioactive substances and the origin of the food.



The certificate must be issued by a government agency from the country of origin or any institute recognised by the relevant government agency of the country of origin, Umaporn said.



She added that Thailand had never tried to block seafood exported from Japan.



If it passes radioactive standards set by the Public Health Ministry, then it can enter Thailand, she said.



She added that 130kg of flatfish and sole had arrived in Thailand on February 28.



The Japan Times reported that the fish would be served at 12 Japanese restaurants in Thailand.



Public opposition to the importation was expressed by one consumer in Thailand who wrote online: Is the only thing the Fisheries Department will do is just check certificates? There is no other responsibility here?



Another netizen sarcastically compared Thais to guinea pigs in labs to test the impact of fish that might have been contaminated.



Wanchai downplayed public concerns by emphasising that the FDA had worked closely with Japans Public Health Ministry to uphold the standards of imported food.



He said Japans Public Health Ministry had collected 7,408 seafood samples in Fukushima. Of them, only eight had a higher concentrations of radioactive substances than allowed. Of these eight samples, four were whitespotted chars and four others were cherry salmon.



Thailand has not imported these types of fish, Wanchai said.



He added that his agency had also conducted tests on various fish and other seafood samples in Thailand to determine if any had been contaminated with radioactive substances.



There has not been a single case of contamination, he said.



Wanchai said the Medical Sciences Department also conducted random tests between March and April, 2016 and found no contamination.



In the event you suspect that any food product may be harmful to health, alert us via Hotline 1556 or the Oryor Smart Application, he said.

 2017 by THE NATION

Theme(s): Post Harvest Technology and Trade.
Mass die-off of sea creatures follows freezing UK weather

by Damian Carrington

March 05,2018 | Source: The Guardian

Massive numbers of starfish, crab, mussels and lobsters have been washed up on the North Sea coast of the UK, following the recent freezing weather and storms.



Tens of thousands of creatures are piled up ankle-deep in places along the Holderness coast in Yorkshire and similar mass mortality has been reported in Kent and Norfolk.



There was a 3C drop in sea temperature last week which will have caused animals to hunker down and reduce their activity levels, said Bex Lynam, from the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. This makes them vulnerable to rough seas  they became dislodged by large waves and washed ashore when the rough weather kicked in.



The casualties are mostly invertebrates though some fish were also found. Larger animals such as dolphins are more mobile and can save themselves by swimming away when this sort of thing happens, said Lynam.



All the organisms piled up on the shores were dead, except some of the lobsters. Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts team worked alongside local fishermen to rescue the surviving lobsters, collecting them in buckets and taking them to tanks in Bridlington. The aim is to put them back in the sea when the weather improves.



Lynam said: This area is very important for shellfish and we work alongside fishermen to promote sustainable fisheries and protect reproductive stocks. Its worth saving them so that they can be put back into the sea and continue to breed.



Large numbers of dead animals were also found at the Norfolk Wildlife Trusts Holme Dunes reserve near Hunstanton. Local warden Gary Hibberd said he had seen crabs, squat lobsters, starfish, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, sun stars and whelks.



Dr Lissa Batey, senior living seas officer at the Wildlife Trusts, said: We cant prevent natural disasters like this. But we can mitigate against declining marine life and the problems that humans cause by creating enough protected areas at sea and by ensuring that these sites are large enough and close enough to offer fish, crustaceans, dolphins and other marine life the protection they require to withstand natural events such as this.



Holderness inshore waters are already designated as a Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) and the government is due to announce a consultation into more MCZs this year.



However, an 8m government consultation proposed 127 sites in 2011, only 50 of which have been designated so far. The most recent designations, in 2016, stretched from the coast of Northumberland down to Lands End and included Europes longest chalk reef off Cromer in Norfolk. The 50 MCZs, along with other types of protected areas, now cover 20% of all English waters, almost 8,000 sq miles (20,700 sq km).



The MCZs have been also criticised as useless paper parks that offer no real protection from the dredging and trawling that has devastated large areas of Englands seas for decades.



They have no management at all, so life within them remains unprotected, said said Prof Callum Roberts, at the University of York and one of the UKs leading marine conservation experts. They will be worse than useless, giving the illusion of protection where none is present.

 2018 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies

Theme(s): Others.
Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek.

This is the sad story of a man who didn't know what he'd done, until it was too late.

Which doesn't mean he should have known what to do.

It's just that sometimes the twisted ways of politics can come down on the little people far more than on anyone of any size.

Roy Jones was paid $14 to man Marriott International's Twitter account.

Some might decide this suggests Marriott doesn't care much about Twitter.

It certainly cared when Jones liked a tweet that complimented the hotel chain for doing something good.

Did it give him a bonus? No, you already know this is a sad story.

Here's the tweet.

Friends of Tibet congratulate global hotel chain #Marriott International for listing #Tibet as a country along with #HongKong and #Taiwan. pic.twitter.com/SXKWb20v3e -- Friends of Tibet (@friendsoftibet) January 9, 2018

It referred to a survey performed on behalf of Marriott.

The tweet seemed nice enough, didn't it?

As the Wall Street Journal reports, Jones must have thought it seemed nice too, because he liked it on behalf of his employers.

Sadly, there was someone who didn't like his like. The Chinese government. The tweet, you see, had come from a Tibetan separatist group.

China insists that Tibet is merely a part of China. And Marriott had inadvertently suggested that these places -- that many people think are countries -- were actually countries.

When China insists they aren't.

In January, Marriott apologized for its 'mistake.' The Chinese government shut the hotel chain's booking systems down for a week.

As for Jones, well, did I mention he was making only $14 an hour?

He told the Journal he had no idea what the problem was. "We were never trained in any of the social graces when it came to dealing with China," he said.

In its way, this view was supported by his former employer.

"We made a few mistakes in China earlier this year that suggested some associates did not understand or take seriously enough the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China. Those incidents were mistakes and in no way representative of our views as a company," Craig Smith, head of Asia-Pacific for Marriott, said in a statement.

But of course.

And of course Jones was fired.

Because, well, many U.S. companies want to make big money in China.

Why, recently Apple moved its Chinese iCloud accounts to servers that happen to be run by, oh, the Chinese government.

In the Marriott case, the Journal says that the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration told the hotel chain to "seriously deal with the people responsible."

Some might wonder who those responsible really were.

Was it Jones? Or might it have been those who trained him or were his bosses?

I contacted Marriott for its view, but didn't receive a reply.

Of course Jones isn't the first to man a Twitter account and lose his job for a social media faux-pas.

Who could forget the man who tweeted that no one in Detroit "knows how to f***ing drive"? On the Chrysler Twitter account.

Sometimes, those tasked with a corporate Twitter account mix up their own personal account with the corporate account.

And sometimes people just don't think.

Did you know that BlackBerry's Twitter account once tweeted from an iPhone?

In Jones's case, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time with apparently insufficient information.

Some might wonder why Marriott took such draconian action. Was there really no middle ground here? A reprimand, perhaps? Or a suspension?

It seems that when dealing with certain aspects of politics, there's no forgiveness or even forbearance.
But a new study from the Australian National University (ANU) suggests that all this business of ranking the happiest nations perpetuates a myth that political borders can determine individual happiness.

"All things considered, happiness does not actually vary very much between nations," said Dr. Richard Burns from the ANU Research School of Population Health. "Many of the reported happier nations, such as Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden and the Netherlands often report rates of suicide and psychiatric distress that are in the top 15-25 percent of the world's nations."

Instead Burns says his investigation found that inequalities within nations actually have a greater influence on how happy citizens are.

"The results showed that if government policy helped improve the capacity of people to live comfortably on their income, it could lead to an improvement in people's happiness," he said.



The research is published in the Journal of Happiness Studies and is based on 2006 European Social Survey data from 43,000 participants across 23 countries.

"Whether citizens in different nations are living with a sense of purpose, vitality and engagement, or of belonging to a community--strong indicators of people's happiness--is really unrelated to the nation in which they live," Dr. Burns said.

In other words, you could be just as happy living in Slovakia as in Sweden, especially if you make a comfortable living.
Peter Rahal started RxBar, a protein-bar company known for its sleek, minimalist packaging, in 2012. Five years later, he and co-founder Jared Smith sold their startup to Kellogg for $600 million. --As told to Danielle Sacks

Why did you start a food business?

My father's family is in the juice-concentrate business and my mother's is in juice manufacturing. Both sides are Lebanese, and my parents were set up at my uncle's funeral. I tried to get a job in the family business, but for internal political reasons, it wasn't a good time. In 2012, I read that it cost only $10,000 to start a nutrition-bar company--any dumbass can make a bar. The category was so competitive in places like Whole Foods, but CrossFits were getting popular, so we sold it to gyms and directly online. Jared and I each put in $5,000 and thought it could be a $10 million business. Last year, net revenue hit $131 million.

How did you find the right buyer?

We considered interest from 10 companies and met with four. We knew what we didn't want. We have an allergic reaction to private equity: They're not operators. They'd want to maximize profit and go public. We also didn't want to sell a portion of the company and then have to sell part of it again. We wanted to do a 100 percent sale, because the process takes a shitload of time. We first met with Kellogg in March, and it didn't close until October.

Why did you decide to sell?

We never planned on exiting. Then, around January 2017, potential buyers started asking us to meet. That stimulated a conversation between Jared and me about what we wanted RxBar to be when it grew up. Ultimately, there are two paths to take: being a family business and keeping it private for generations; or going public or rolling into a great organization. I had experience in nepotism--family businesses are complicated. They're subjective. We wanted to be objective and maximize the potential of the brand. So we chose the path of finding a partner that was culturally similar and had the muscle to accelerate our growth.

You're still running RxBar, but now within this huge corporation. How do you make sure you don't get swallowed up?
Startups in Russia must grapple with U.S. and E.U. economic sanctions, a dearth in venture funding, and their country's tarnished reputation. Yet they routinely overcome these challenges, offering entrepreneurs everywhere a lesson in perseverance.

This year, Moscow emerged as the No. 2 city for fast-growing private companies, according to the results of the fourth-annual Inc. 5000 Europe list. St. Petersburg clocked in as the ninth best city for fast-growth firms, according to the list, which tracks the three-year revenue growth of privately held companies. While Russia's two biggest cities ranked 19th and 20th for fast-growth companies on a per capita basis, they respectively accounted for 171 and 70 companies on Inc.'s annual list.

That includes companies like Moscow-based Varmega and Kompaniya Optima, which saw their respective revenue jolt 1,990 percent and 2,076 percent since 2013. Outside the list, the Moscow internet giant Yandex commands more than 54 percent of all online searches, generating as much as 94 billion rubles ($1.6 billion) in 2017 sales, up more than 24 percent from the year prior. And nearly two dozen smaller tech firms, including food delivery service ZakaZaka and the software service Flocktory, had successful exits.

"If it weren't for political risks, Russia could become a global startup powerhouse," says William Courtney, a retired diplomat and executive director of the nonprofit policy firm Rand Business Leaders Forum in Arlington, Virginia.

Risky Business

Still, those risks aren't nothing, adds Courtney. The U.S.- and E.U.-imposed economic sanctions, which started back in 2014 after the country's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, are having an effect. Not only are educated Russians flocking to less controversial locales like the U.S. and Paris to find work or start businesses, the effect on the venture community has been crippling.

American investors including Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers, Accel, and Intel Capital were once bullish on the Russian market--investing some $400 million collectively in Russian startups in 2012. However, last year, no Russian startups listed U.S. investors, according to Crunchbase data. "Capital flows have stopped, and most of the local funds have left," suggests Alexander Konoplyasty, a venture capitalist based in Moscow. His own firm recently expanded its focus to Eastern Europe and Asia more generally.

The tension isn't likely to abate anytime soon. The Trump administration is reportedly considering entirely new sanctions in response to Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. Meanwhile, recent discussion of Russian bots' interference on Facebook, intending to sow division among liberals and conservatives in the U.S., is sure to hurt the perception of Russia's business climate more generally. "The perception that Russia is a global hacking giant is quite harmful to startups," Courtney adds, referring to the more recent meddling after a mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida.

Too Big to Ignore

"It's a challenging environment for entrepreneurs, where you're not only fighting competition but also things you can't predict," says Konoplyasty. Even so, as the ninth most-populous country on the planet, according to research from the Washington, D.C.-based Population Reference Bureau, Russia is just too massive to ignore. It also boasts low tax rates and a relatively educated population, which is helpful for companies looking for talented workers.

Those factors helped Sergey Bulaev, the 36-year-old founder of the shopping-list app Buy Me a Pie, see Russia as a good place to start up. His business, which allows customers to track their grocery purchases and generates sales from both advertisements and a $13 annual subscription fee, has managed to clinch more than 500,000 monthly active users since launching in 2011.

In particular, Bulaev points to the relatively low corporate taxes in his native Ulyanovsk, a tech hub in Eastern Russia. The national tax rate in Russia is around 24 percent, and regional states may elect to decrease the rate by a maximum of 4 percent; that effective rate is about on par with the international statutory average, according to the Tax Foundation. That's well below the U.S.'s previous 35 percent maximum rate, as well as the rates of, say, India, Belgium, and Greece.

The entrepreneur, who spent some time working in the U.S. prior to launching his startup, estimates that it's as much as five times cheaper to hire employees in Russia than it is in Silicon Valley. (It's worth noting that Ulyanovsk, however, is far less expensive than Moscow, where the average price for an apartment is 167,000 rubles, $2,969 USD, per square meter according to the Russian language price tracker irn.ru.) With a population of nearly 12 million, Moscow houses top-tier talent from schools including Moscow State University, the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, and the National Research University of Electronic Technology.

Rand's Courtney meanwhile notes that Russians often have superior technical skills, as subjects like math and science were emphasized under the former Soviet Union and remain favored today. Russia has further invested in fields including missile defense that require a certain level of sophistication among workers. "The Russian mathematicians have, if you will, a deeper understanding of complexity because of these defense problems," he adds.
International Womens Day has been celebrated by Google with an interactive Doodle of a dozen female artists from 12 different countries.

Hailing from as far afield as Japan and Pakistan, the women share their personal stories in a series of visual narratives.

Comic strips, illustrated and penned by them, share their personal stories of a specific moment or event that has changed their life as a woman.

Philippa Rice, a comic artist and animator based in Nottingham, is among those whose work is featured.

Her story is about the daughter she had earlier this year.

She is keen to explore the occasions when her daughter invests trust in her and her feelings about that responsibility. Her works include autobiographical romance and animated crochet characters.

Phillipa Rice

My story is about how overwhelming it is to become a mother and how talking to others and sharing your troubles can make you feel better," Ms Rice, who creates animations and illustrations as well as making comics, said.

"I hope that if anyone reads it and identifies with it, then they can at least feel that they're not alone".

She added: I really enjoyed working on a Google Doodle! I was delighted to be asked to take part and to have my work alongside fantastic comic artists from around the world. I feel really lucky to get to share my story.

International Womens Day, she said, provided a powerful platform to applaud female artists from across the globe.

International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Show all 17 1 /17 International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Radical political activist Angela Davis speaks at a protest in Raleigh Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Poor pay, 14 hour days and dangerous working conditions led to a strike by around 1400 women and girls at a match factory in Bow, London, 1888. The action was later coined The Matchgirls Strike International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Christabel Pankhurst, one of the founders of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and a leading member of the suffragette movement, addresses a crowd in Trafalgar Square in a speech in which she invites the crowd to rush the House of Commons, 11 October 1908. Christabel Pankhurst and her mother Emmeline, alongside Flora Drummond, were arrested two days later charged with conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace. The rush on parliament went ahead without them however, with over 60,000 suffragettes attempting to break through the 5000 strong police cordon protecting parliament. Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Suffragette Emily Davison is hit and killed by King George V's horse Anmer during the 1913 Epsom Derby. She fell underneath the galloping horse after leaping from the crowd and trying to grab hold of the reins Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Striking women machinists from the Ford plant at Dagenham protest outside negotiations over their wages, 1968. The women went on strike over their lack of pay in relation to their male colleagues. The action helped to trigger the Equal Pay Act 1970 Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history The women's liberation movement march in Washington, August 1970 Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Protestors disrupt the 1970 Miss World competition. Original caption: The Miss World contest causes a feminist storm as demonstrators invade the Royal Albert Hall where the contest was held. Protestors fired ink at spectators and let off stink bombs in scenes resembling a school assembly. The unruly ladies were eventually expelled from the hall by security guards and policemen Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Somalians demonstrating in Mogadishu for the release of Angela Davis, March 1972, a Black Panther activist imprisoned in the USA after being charged with first degree murder. Davis was later acquitted Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Jayaben Desai, one of the mostly British-Asian women out on strike at the Grunwick factory in 1977, pictured on the picket line Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Women protest against nuclear weapons outside of RAF base Greenham Common, 1982 Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Indian protestors hold candles during a rally in New Delhi in December 2012, after the death of a student who was gang raped on a bus in the Indian capital Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history A feminist group Sisters Uncut protesting against cuts to domestic violence refuges occupy the red carpet during a protest at the Suffragette premiere, 7 October 2015 Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history People gather for the Womens March in Washington, January 2017 Reuters International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Protesters walk during the Womens March on Washington, with the US Capitol in the background, in January, 2017. Donald Trump was sworn in as president the previous day Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Women march as part of the gender equality protest in London, March 2017 AFP/Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Demonstrators march through during the March4Women event, 4 March 2018, London Getty International Womens Day: groundbreaking figures from history Placards are displayed during the March4Women, 4 March 2018, London Getty

For more than a century it has provided a time to look back at womens achievements and celebrate the movement for womens rights.

Ms Rice said it was "a great opportunity to support, promote and celebrate women artists and writers from around the world and to share our stories. I love to see my social media feeds filled with art from loads of my favourite artists and discover the work of so many women who I wasn't aware of before.
The great Rob Reiner turned 71 this week  he is perhaps the most underrated film director of the modern era. From his debut in 1984 to 1992, the son of comedy legend Carl embarked on one of the greatest runs of form in the mediums history: This is Spinal Tap, The Sure Thing, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally..., Misery and A Few Good Men.

To have made such diverse and rewarding films would be an achievement in and of itself, but to have done so in a row marks Reiner out as a remarkable talent. The streak came to an end in 1994 with North, a truly abysmal effort, but they cant all be winners.

The Sure Thing (1985) is the least acclaimed of the aforementioned films, but it is well worth a look. A kind of modern take on It Happened One Night, it stars John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga as college friends who fall in love on a cross country drive from New England to California, the journey clearly a progenitor of the early scenes in When Harry Met Sally. Gib (Cusack) has been set up with a beautiful girl hes never met (the sure thing of the title) while Alison (Zuniga) is en route to meet her insipid boyfriend.

Cusack was just 16 at the time of his casting and the director was reluctant to hire an actor so young. In fact, the lead actually had to seek legal emancipation from his parents in order to shoot on location. For the duration of the shoot, producer Roger Birnbaum became Cusacks legal guardian. It was worth the effort, however, since the central pair have the kind of chemistry that is essential for a romantic comedy to succeed. The genre might be predictable, but when a film is as funny and tender as this one, who cares?

A poster for This is Spinal Tap hangs on the closet of Gibs dorm room and its hard to believe this was Reiners sophomore effort. Eighties teen films tended to be raunchy sex comedies in the vein of Porkys, but heres a sweet road movie with the kind of charm and innocence that was falling out of favour.

The writing is sharp and focused, the direction is assured and the young leads ensure there is a laugh in just about every scene. The Sure Thing perfectly captures the joy of being young and falling in love, a pretty remarkable achievement so early in a directors career.
Dir Lynne Ramsay, 90 mins, starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov, Alessandro Nivola, Alex Manette, John Doman, Judith Roberts

Lynne Ramsay is a brilliant director  and that is the problem. In her latest feature, You Were Never Really Here, every scene appears intended to draw attention to her own ingenuity This is a self-conscious vigilante thriller which has clear echoes of Point Blank, Hardcore and Taxi Driver.

Adapted by Ramsay from Jonathan Amess novella of the same name, it has a central character, Joe (Joaquin Phoenix), whose vision of reality is distorted by the painkillers he takes. The blurred and fractured storyline reflects his very fuzzy state of mind.

Ramsay continually startles us with the beauty of her imagery. This beauty, though, is very incongruous considering the violence and squalid nature of the subject matter. She also cant film a traffic jam, a waiting room, a back alley or even a shot of someone eating a jelly bean without trying to give it a lyrical dimension.

The bloodiest scenes here always have a dream-like quality. Instead of showing us a fight directly, Ramsay will film it reflected on a mirror on a ceiling. If someone is shot in the head, shell find time to show us a poignant close up of the victims blood-smeared spectacles.

The most apocalyptic sequence in the movie  reminiscent of Travis Bickles assault on the brothel at the end of Taxi Driver  is shown through surveillance cameras. This has a distancing effect and makes it seem as if we are watching an old silent movie.

Joaquin Phoenix is a Janus-faced actor who can convey lightness and charm (as he did in Spike Jonzes Her) but who can also seem brooding and truculent. Here, as the private investigator Joe, he looks like a bulkier version of Charles Manson, a bearded figure in a hoodie.

He may dress like a hobo but he is ex-military and is very brutal indeed when it comes to the fight scenes. He takes a grim but obvious pleasure in using his hammers and guns to inflict as much pain as he can on the villains. He is also tormented.

We know as much from the elliptical flashbacks to scenes of him as a child, hiding away from an abusive father. Ramsay throws in constant scenes of asphyxiation and drowning. On every level, Joe is struggling for air.

Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

The plot involves Joes efforts to track down the teenage daughter of a politician. Nina (Ekaterina Samsonov) has been abducted, drugged and sold off into sexual slavery. Shes the equivalent to the Jodie Foster character in Taxi Driver.

Samsonov plays her in eerily detached fashion, a child so used to the monstrous behaviour of the adults around her that she has blanked out her emotions. Getting her back isnt just a job for Joe. It is a full-blown moral crusade.

Ramsay pays lip service to private eye movie conventions. The film has its share of corrupt cops, crooked and lecherous politicians and sudden, Chandler-like, narrative twists. Its storytelling is deliberately very oblique indeed.

Subliminal flashbacks are thrown continually into the mix but Ramsay leaves it to the audience to puzzle out what exactly is going on. It also very quickly becomes apparent that the film is more concerned with character than with plot. The real mystery here isnt who kidnapped Nina or why; it is what happened to Joe to leave him in such a fragile state.

Amid all the gloom, You Were Never Really Here has some lighter, more playful interludes. Many of these hinge on Joes relationship with his elderly mom (Judith Roberts), with whom he lives. He dotes on her but she drives him to distraction.

Its not just her habit of sitting terrified in front of the television, watching re-runs of Psycho, that irks him. Its the fact that she hasnt cleared out her fridge in decades. Food is in there that passed its sell-by date years before.

Ramsay also has the ability to include humour and tenderness at the least likely moments imaginable. For example, two bloody, battered figures whove just been trying to kill one another are shown holding hands and crooning together as they lie on the floor, listening to kitsch Seventies pop anthem, Ive Never Been To Me (with its bizarre lyrics about crying for unborn children).

Maybe its the drugs that Joe is taking but it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between what is actually happening and what are his drug-fuelled fantasies. Exquisitely shot underwater footage gives the film an unlikely mythical feel, as if Joe is a contemporary equivalent to an Arthurian knight, looking for redemption, or a prophet trying to baptise a sinner.

Ramsay also includes a ghoulish late scene in a diner in which a massacre seems to take place  and then we discover it may just be happening in the imagination of one of the main characters.

After so many testosterone-driven revenge thrillers, it is refreshing to encounter a film which takes such an idiosyncratic and personal approach. We are a very long way from the world of Michael Winners Death Wish. Ramsay creates many memorable images and evokes a disorienting atmosphere. We see events as if from Joes bleary perspective.

Its the storytelling that feels flimsy and contrived. The narrative never picks up momentum. The filmmakers deliberately withhold information about such matters as what exactly happened to Joe in his childhood and what drives the sleazy and violent behaviour of Governor Williams and his associates.

The elliptical style may add to the sense of mystery but it also leaves far too many questions unanswered.

You Were Never Really Here hits UK cinemas 9 March.
Fyre Festival organiser Billy McFarland has pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges and has subsequently agreed to serve up to 10 years in prison.

The 26-year-old entered the plea with prosecutors suggesting an eight-to-10-year sentence.

McFarland agreed to the plea deal in Manhattan for lying to investors and sending fake documents.

Recommended Fyre Festival founder facing federal fraud charges

"I deeply regret my actions, and I apologise to my investors, team, family and supporters who I let down", McFarland said to US District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald.

McFarland said he wanted to make "a legitimate festival" when he was planning Fyre Festival, making it an additional component to an app he made to help concert promoters and talent bookers.

"I grossly underestimated the resources that would be necessary to hold an event of this magnitude", he admitted. "In an attempt to raise what I thought were needed funds, I lied to investors about various aspects of Fyre Media and my personal finances. Those lies included false documents and information."

McFarland also admitted to giving fake information about Fyre Media's financial status to a ticket vendor last April to convince the vendor to buy $2m (1,440,000) in advance tickets.

Set on the island of Exumas in the Bahamas, Fyre Festival was initially described as the "culture experience of the decade" as a luxury event during the last two weekends of April and May in 2017.

The event was promoted on social media with models like Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner and Emily Ratajkowski trying to lure people into buying tickets ranging from $1,200 to over $100,000.

Models pose in the Bahamas for Fyre Festival (Instagram)

The festival boasted a lineup of Major Lazer, Disclosure, Lil Yachty, Blink-182, Migos and more.

When concertgoers arrived in the Bahamas, they learned that Blink-182 and Migos had cancelled, and they were stuck in a Lord of the Flies nightmare.

Gourmet food included slices of cheese on white bread and luxurious accommodations included flimsy, leaking tents.

Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

The hashtag #fyrefraud began trending after attendees were stranded on the island or in airports on their way to the festival.

Since June 2017, McFarland has been free on $300,000 bail.

He was due to be sentenced on 21 June.

Additional reporting by AP
Live at Leeds has added a bunch of great acts to its 2018 lineup.

The Vaccines have been announced to headline this year's festival, with Idles, Rae Morris, Nadine Shah, The XCERTS, Cosmo Pyke and Sea Girls also confirmed.

They join a massive bill for the festival taking place across Leeds City Centre, including Peace, Circa Waves, The Horrors, Blaenavon and Pulled Apart By Horses.

Rae Morris, who recently released her splendid second album Someone Out There, said: "I first played Live at Leeds in 2012 so I'm super happy to be returning again with new music. So many of my first gigging experiences happened around Leeds, with it being one of the closest cities to Blackpool where I grew up. It's a special place and audiences are always amazingly enthusiastic which I love."

The XCERTS, who dropped their acclaimed album Hold On To Your Heart in January, said: "We are very psyched to be playing Live at Leeds this year. This will be our first time at the festival and the lineup looks killer so we're delighted to be joining the party. We love playing in Leeds so we're going to have a hell of a time."

We caught up with frontman Murray Macleod to see what the Scottish three piece are looking forward to this year:

What are you guys listening to at the moment?

I just discovered the most recent Gang Of Youths record, Go Farther In Lightness and I am obsessed. I cant stop listening to it. Life affirming grandiose indie rock at its finest.

Whats your favourite festival memory?

We played the BBC Introducing stage at T In The Park in 2011 which i have wildly fond memories of! We were uncertain as to whether or not anyone would show up to watch us but the tent was completely packed out with everyone singalong and crowd surfing. It was mind blowing at the time and the fact our friends and families were in attendance made it even more special.

Tell us a few other bands/artists people should look out for on the Live at Leeds lineup

Dermot Kennedys recent releases have been fantastic so Im looking forward to checking him out. Pulled Apart By Horses always put on a hell of a rock show so if you like it noisy, go and see the local boys!

What was the first gig you ever played and whats been the best so far?

The first gig I ever played was at a venue in Aberdeen called Drakes. We played 3 songs opening for our friends bands who were older than us and I believe we played one origInal song entitled Ripping Away and covered Dammit by Blink 182 and Take A Look Around by Limp Bizkit. Needless to say we killed it and stole the show....

Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

We just played ABC in Glasgow which is now or biggest headline show to date and it was incredible. I also hold our last London headline show at Scala very dear to my heart. It felt like the stars aligned that night for sure.

Whats your favourite track to play live off your new album?

Im really enjoying playing everything from the new record but i think Feels Like Falling In Love is the most fun to play at the moment because of the crowd reaction. Its big!!

Live at Leeds takes place on 5 May, tickets are on sale now
One of Britains most beloved music magazines, NME (New Musical Express), has announced this weeks issue (Friday 9 March) will be the final free print edition.

Launched in 1952, the magazine prided itself on taking relatively unknown bands and propelling to mainstream success.

Following the news, multiple bands and journalists paid tribute to NME, which itself relaunched as a free magazine back in September 2015.

Very sorry to hear about the NME issuing its last print edition, wrote The Libertines on Twitter. Love to all the writers there whove helped us over the years, and to all of you that picked up a copy. Blessed to have had you in our corner.

The British band Slaves wrote: RIP NME. I still remember the feeling of our band first being mentioned in your hallowed pages. (And have a copy of every time weve been in it) Blessed to have been part of that historic magazine.

People also shared their favourite NME covers from over the years, including those featuring Kurt Cobain, Oasis, and David Bowie.

Time Inc, the owners of NME, said in a statement: "NME's free weekly print magazine will cease publication. This week's issue of the magazine out on Friday will be the final free print edition.

Paul Cheal, Time Inc. UK's group managing director for Music, added: "NME is one of the most iconic brands in British media and our move to free print has helped to propel the brand to its biggest ever audience on NME.com."

Recommended NME to end print edition and expand digital platforms

"At the same time, we have also faced increasing production costs and a very tough print advertising market. Unfortunately we have now reached a point where the free weekly magazine is no longer financially viable. It is the digital space where effort and investment will focus to secure a strong future for this famous brand.

Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

NME will focus on growing its digital platforms, a spokesperson said, which will include the website, its ticketing service, new music marketplace PledgeMusic, and two new radio stations.

Keith Walker, digital director of NME, said: "With these new developments, we are giving consumers even more of what they want from us. By making the digital platforms our core focus, we can accelerate the amazing growth we've seen and reach more people than ever before on the devices they're most naturally using."
When Get Out actor Daniel Kaluuya hit the red carpet for the 90th Academy Awards on Sunday evening, he looked extremely suave in a Brunello Cucinelli tuxedo paired with a mustard velvet jacket.

However, it's not just Kaluuya's attire that's been praised. He's also been complimented on his radiant complexion, which it turns out was accentuated by foundation.

Yesterday, the official Twitter account for Rihannas Fenty Beauty make-up company tweeted that Kaluuya was wearing two shades of the Pro Filtr foundation, and people are absolutely loving the revelation.

Now we finally know the formula to his flawless complexion, one Twitter account commented.

Dope actor. Dope make-up artist. Dope make-up, another individual wrote.

Hes even spurring other men to consider wearing make-up, with one man writing: Damn Im ready to go to Sephora and find my shade now.

Fenty Beauty has been universally praised for championing diversity, offering a multitude of different hues of foundation to suit an extensive variety of skin tones.

However, Kaluuyas advocation of Fenty Beauty on the Oscars red carpet also makes a powerful point that men shouldnt feel barred from wearing make-up.

According to hair and make-up artist Sara Clark, more men already wear make-up than we may realise.

She revealed to mens lifestyle website FashionBeans that actors such as Tom Hiddleston and Simon Pegg often have make-up applied before appearing in front of the camera.

However, its not just famous men who are updating their cosmetic regimes.

Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Show all 26 1 /26 Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Saoirse Ronan Praised for her leading role in Lady Bird, the Irish actress sweetened the sartorial stakes in this candy-coloured gown by Calvin Klein. Rex Features Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira The Black Panther stars dazzled in their respective gold and blush ensembles. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Sandra Bullock Stunning in lashings of sequins, the Academy Award-winning actress took to the red carpet in a halter-neck gown by Louis Vuitton. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Elizabeth Chambers and Armie Hammer The Call Me By Your Name star attended the ceremony in a crimson velvet tuxedo while his wife, American actress Elizabeth Chambers, opted for a slick, off-the-shoulder gown. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Meryl Streep She may not be the only lady in red at this year's ceremony, but with more Oscar nominations under her belt than any other Hollywood starlet, Streep certainly stands out in this elegant Dior gown. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Daniel Kaluuya The British actor added a touch of splendour to his Brunello Cucinelli tuxedo with a velvet jacket in a dusty mustard hue. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Nicole Kidman Few cut a razor-sharp silhouette on the red carpet like Nicole Kidman - and this Armani Prive gown is no exception. With its wide peplum waist and intricate-tailoring, the Australian actress makes a strong case for best-dressed guest at this year's awards. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Camila Alves, Matthew McConaughey and Timothee Chalamet The 22-year-old Call Me By Your Name actor posed alongside McConaughey and his model wife Alves, with all three coordinating in a triptych of monochromatic mastery. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Emma Stone She took home the coveted gong for best actress at last year's ceremony for her leading role in La La Land. This year, Emma Stone proved her red carpet style credentials yet again in a custom-made Louis Vuitton suit. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Emily Blunt The British actress chose a pale periwinkle couture gown by Schiaparelli complete with a ruffled Victorian neckline and a gently-pleated skirt. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Viola Davis At a first glance, Viola Davis' fluorescent fuchsia gown might have you seeing spots, but the Academy Award-winning actress somehow manages to pack a punch in pink while deterring any Barbie doll disaster comparisons in this Michael Kors gown. Rex Features Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Gal Gadot The Wonder Woman actress revolutionised Twenties glamour in this Givenchy Haute Couture flapper dress. Rex Features Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Margot Robbie The Australian actress looked like a Grecian goddess in this optic white Chanel haute couture gown. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Sally Hawkins Nominated for best actress for her role in Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water, the British actress cut a modest silhouette in this long-sleeved shimmering gown. Rex Features Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Jennifer Lawrence Staying true to her Dior loyalties, the Red Sparrow actress channelled metallic mastery in this spaghetti strap gown, hot from the luxury fashion house's pre-fall 2018 collection. Rex Features Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Jennifer Garner The American actress sashayed down the red carpet in this deep blue Atelier Versace gown complete with a dynamic neckline and a billowing train. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Greta Gerwig Taking to the red carpet in custom Rodarte complete with floral applique, the best director nominee complemented her golden gown with a slick of red lipstick and an understated chain necklace. Rex Features Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet James Ivory The Call Me By Your Name screenwriter donned a custom-made shirt adorned with none other than Timothee Chalamet's face. Unsurprisingly, Ivory's outfit choice proved to be a social media hit amongst fans of the 22-year-old actor, who is nominated for best actor for his performance in the 89-year-old's film. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Gina Rodriguez The American actress was a vision in sparkles in this plunging chiffon gown from Zuhair Murad's spring 2018 couture collection. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Helen Mirren If anyone can elevate the grandeur of regal blue it's British treasure Helen Mirren, who took home an Oscar for her stellar performance in The Queen in 2007. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Laura Dern Complementing her lithe figure, the Big Little Lies star proved that white needn't be dull in this elegant column gown by Calvin Klein. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Salma Hayek A firm friend of Alessandro Michele, it simply wouldn't make sense if Hayek took to the red carpet in anything other than a custom-made Gucci gown, which in this instance comes complete with globular sequins and a tiered Mermaid-like skirt. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Elisabeth Moss Taking to the red carpet in pastel-perfect pink, the Handmaid's Tale star put a sophisticated spin on girlish glamour in this off-the-shoulder Dior gown. Rex Features Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Allison Janney The I,Tonya star opted for an eye-popping scarlet gown by Reem Acra paired with a Roger Vivier clutch. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Zoey Deutch Making her Oscars debut, the 23-year-old actress donned a couture lilac gown by Elie Saab featuring intricate beading detail. Getty Images Oscars 2018: Best-dressed on the red carpet Allison Williams The Get Out star radiated in a pearlescent Armani Prive couture gown, complete with an opulent jewelled bodice and a softly-pleated skirt that gently folded out onto the red carpet. Rex Features

The increasing popularity of K-Pop music is apparently leading to a surge in Korean make-up sales for men.

David Cho, co-founder of Korean beauty website Soko Glam beauty website, explained to CBC News that the male make-up movement is on the rise.

I do believe men in North America are just behind on this, he said.
Coca-Cola has become one of the most recognised brands in the entire world ever since it was first launched 131 years ago.

However, the company is preparing to enter an entirely new sector by launching its very first alcoholic beverage in Japan.

According to president of Coca-Colas Japan business unit Jorge Garduno, there are currently plans in place for the company to release its very own version of Chu-Hi later this year.

Chu-Hi is a canned drink that originated in Japan and typically has a low alcohol content.

This is a canned drink that includes alcohol; traditionally, it is made with a distilled beverage called shochu and sparkling water, plus some flavouring, Garduno explained in an interview published on the companys website last month.

We havent experimented in the low alcohol category before, but its an example of how we continue to explore opportunities outside our core ares.

In November last year, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey spoke to CNBC about the prospect of experimenting with alcoholic products.

Philosophically, I never say never about most things, but the way I look at it, theres just so much more we already have strength and capability in, it just doesnt make sense to do that next, he said.

While Quincey may have initially been dubious about the advantages of dabbling in alcohol, it seems that Coca-Cola has now decided to that it is a worthy venture.

It makes sense to give this a try in our market, said Garduno .

However consumers from outside of Japan who are keen to try the new alcoholic drink may have to wait a while before they have the opportunity.

While many markets are becoming more like Japan, I think the culture here is still very unique and special, so many products that are born here will stay here, Garduno explained.

Even though Coca-Colas Chu-Hi drink will be its first alcoholic product, this isnt the first time the company has been involved in the alcohol industry.

In 1977, chairman, president and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company John Paul Austin helped to launch Coca-Colas Wine Spectrum unit, which included Sterling Vineyards, Monterey Vineyard and the Taylor Wine Company.

In 1983, the Wine Spectrum unit was bought by Joseph E. Seagram & Sons for more than $200 million (144 million).
If one were to venture to a culinary establishment that described itself as The best of China in New York City, they would surely expect to be presented with food of a heavenly nature.

However, when The New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells visited the acclaimed DaDong restaurant in Manhattan, he felt compelled to give it a terrible rating of zero stars.

Wells was curious to try DaDongs Peking duck dish, made famous by the original Beijing branch of the restaurant. Unfortunately, he was left feeling seriously dissatisfied.

[The meat] made very little impression at all, apart from my strong sense that there ought to have been more of it, Wells wrote.

Tasted on its own, it reminded me a bit of the lean, whitish, noncommittal supermarket pork chops I grew up on.

Slowly, gradually, with great mental resistance but still inexorably, it dawned on my that I had paid $98 [70.69] for a duck with almost no flavour.

Wells woes didnt end with the seemingly flavourless duck.

Kung pao shrimp with beet coins and raw mushrooms tasted like ketchup, he continued.

Sweet-and-sour pork ribs with preserved plums were as sweet as if theyd been stewed in Dr Pepper, and a dusting of powdered sugar at the table didnt help.

The DaDong restaurant was first opened in the Dongcheng District of Beijing in the 1990s by chef Dong Zhenxiang, with the Manhattan branch opening in December last year.

In 2011, it was featured in Patricia Schultzs book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die in which it was described as a winner.

While Wells was found wanting when sampling the Peking duck, he did admit in his review that other aspects of the restaurant were up to par.

He thoroughly enjoyed the Hot and Spicy Lobster and was impressed with the professionalism of the staff.

Servers sometimes seemed to be reading dish descriptions from a teleprompter, but they made up for that with a care and attentiveness that felt unforced, he wrote.

However, the beautiful interior of DaDong and the diligence of its staff wasnt enough to deter Wells from writing his scathing review.

Even the most gently priced bottle can go only so far to smooth over the potholes on the menu, and the suspicion that the best Peking duck in Beijing has turned into something that would struggle to stand out in Parsippany, he concluded.

Wells left DaDong a measly rating of zero stars, describing it as merely satisfactory.
Pepe The Frog's creator is suing US right-wing media platform InfoWars for copyright infringement.

Illustrator Matt Furie is bidding to reclaim his amphibian character after it was co-opted online as a popular meme associated with white supremacy and neo-Nazi values by members of the so-called alt-right.

The lawsuit, filed with a federal court in California, seeks damages from the Alex Jones-fronted brand over a poster featuring the allegedly unauthorised image of Pepe alongside Jones, Donald Trump and a number of other prominent anti-establishment right-wing figures, including Milo Yiannopoulos, Ann Coulter, Matt Drudge and Roger Stone.

The poster's slogan reads "MAGA", an acronym standing for President Trump's 2016 campaign slogan "Make America Great Again."

Furie's lawyers allege InfoWars used the character's likeness without prior authorisation and made the poster available for purchase in its online store without permission.

Originally conceived as a "peaceful frog-dude" in 2005, Furie's cartoon was first drawn on Microsoft Paint and appeared in an early online comic called Boy's Club, popularised on MySpace.

His hedonistic catchphrase "feels good man" became an in-joke on forums and Pepe's popularity spread via 4chan and Tumblr, going viral when it was shared by the likes of Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj.

Donald Trump retweeting an image of himself as Pepe in October 2015 saw it drawn into the mainstream political spotlight for the first time, a process accelerated when Pepe was Photoshopped into a spoof movie poster for "The Deplorables", based on The Expendables action franchise and riffing on a phrase Hillary Clinton used to critique the Trump team.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

Pepe has since been spread across the web among alt-right commentators and was worn as a lapel badge by white supremacist Richard Spencer at Trump's presidential inauguration last January.

Spencer was about to explain its significance to a reporter that day when he was punched in the face on-camera by a passing activist.
As the world's single women come to terms with a married Prince Harry, the good news is there is now a new royal bachelor to swoon over.

And, in addition to being a prince of Denmark, Prince Nikolai also happens to be a very good-looking newly-signed model.

The 18-year-old son of Prince Joachim and Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, just signed a modelling contract with Scoop Models - which the Denmark-based agency announced on Instagram with a series of headshots.

Recommended The Queen sat front row at London Fashion Week and it was amazing

Judging by the photos of his brown curly hair and smouldering eyes, Prince Nikolai clearly has what it takes - and Burberry thought so too.

The teen, who is sixth in line to the throne, showed off his modelling abilities on the catwalk during London Fashion Week, when he walked in the Burberry show alongside model Cara Delevingne.

A representative for Scoop Models told Danish newspaper Billedbladet: "I can confirm that he is with us and that it was us who booked him for the Burberry show at London Fashion Week."

And it looks like the in-laws would be pretty great too.

According to Billedbladet, Prince Nikolai has his parents full blessing to pursue his modelling career despite conflicting with royal protocol - which we cant help but be thankful for.

His father, Prince Joachim, told Billedbladet Nikolai should not be forced into something. Nikolais future shall be conducted entirely by his own plan.

However, this isnt the first time a royal has pursued an interest in fashion.

Queen Elizabeth II also made an appearance at London Fashion Week, where she made her debut appearance sitting front row and Lady Amelia Windsor, the granddaughter of the Queens cousin, walked for Dolce & Gabbana.

It isnt clear when his next runway appearance will be, but we cant wait.
When someone cant stop talking about themselves, youd be forgiven for thinking theyre a little self-obsessed.

Theres only so much me, me, me chatter one person can tolerate before rolling their eyes and glazing over, hearing nothing but flagrant narcissism.

However, new research reveals that those who say I a lot could be prone to more than just boring people with their egotistical chatter.

In fact, they might be more susceptible to a string of psychological problems such as depression and anxiety.

Following preliminary findings in 2015 that repeated use of I, or I-talk, may not indicate narcissism, a new study conducted at the University of Arizona has found that such rhetoric could actually indicate emotional distress.

In terms of what constitutes excessive I-talk, researchers explained that the average person uses 16,000 words on a daily basis with approximately 1,400 of these being first-person singular pronouns such as I or me.

However, the unbridled I-talker will use these words up to 2,000 times a day.

Published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the study illustrates strong links between I-talk and negative emotionality i.e. those who are easily-upset and may experience tension, anger, depression and/or anxiety.

Researchers gathered their findings by analysing a set of data based on 4,700 residents in Germany and the US.

This data measured levels of I-talk in addition to indications of negative emotionality via written and spoken tasks.

However, lead author Allison Tackman clarified that I-talk alone should not be considered as an indicator for depression.

"It may be better at assessing a proneness not just to depression but to negative emotionality more broadly," she said.

Recommended Social media is making it easier to conceal mental illnesses

She added that the correlation could also depend on the context in which I-talk occurs.

"If you are speaking in a personal context - so you're speaking about something that's of relevance to you, like a recent breakup - then we see the relationship between I-talk and negative emotionality emerge," Tackman said.

"But if you're communicating in a context that's more impersonal, such as describing a picture, we did not see the relationship emerge."

Interestingly, while repeated use of me and I was linked to negative emotionality, the frequent use of my was not.

Researchers explained this may be because people typically say my when they are also talking about another person or object, subsequently taking themselves out of the lexical limelight.

As for why I-talk may be so intrinsically linked with psychological distress, Tackman explains its often a case of people obsessing over negative life experiences and how theyve been affected by them.

"When you think back to being in those places, when you're just so focused on yourself, you may say things like 'Why can't I get better?'

"You're so focused on yourself that not only in your head are you using these first-person singular pronouns but when you're talking to other people or writing, it spills into your language, the self-focus that negative affectivity brings about."
Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster meets with the European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier at the EC headquarters in Brussels. Photo: Yves Herman

Theresa May has been accused of "double cherry-picking" on Brexit in a leaked report from the European Council that warned of "zero progress" on the Border question.

Brussels' analysis called the British prime minister's speech last week as "a change in tone, but not in substance".

It noted there was "no solution" when it came to ideas for an alternative to the UK or Northern Ireland staying in the customs union.

It noted "mutually contradictory UK objectives" of no single market or customs union, no hard Border, and yet no border in the Irish Sea. "Like with PM May's previous speeches, she addressed more her domestic audience, trying to bridge the gaps between the two poles of the debate on Brexit in the UK," the paper said.

"While the speech was long on aspirations, it was short on workable solutions that would respect the EU27 principles."

And Mrs May's latest Brexit proposals were dealt yet another blow by Stefaan de Rynck, the most senior adviser to EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.

He said all 27 EU member states were more concerned with protecting the rules of the single market than allowing the UK partial access as part of Mrs May's "broad and deep" trading arrangement.

He described the "unity" of the remaining states and said they "are more concerned with maintaining the integrity of the EU single market than any loss of access to British markets".

Speaking to a British audience at the London School of Economics, Mr de Rynck rebuffed claims by arch-Brexiteers like Jacob Rees-Mogg that the UK could decide that it simply won't build a Border in Ireland, and that it would be the EU that would impose one. "Who is asking for a Border? Brexit is asking for a Border," he said.

President of the European Council Donald Tusk is due to meeting the Taoiseach in Dublin tomorrow. Mr Tusk is again expected to reiterate the need for continued solidarity with Ireland, and call for the UK to publish plans for the Northern Ireland Border ahead of the crucial EU summit on March 22.

Read More

It comes after the DUP reiterated its position that Northern Ireland must leave the EU on the same terms as the rest of the UK.

DUP leader Arlene Foster met with Mr Barnier in Brussels, where she said the publication of the EU's draft Withdrawal Agreement was not a "faithful or fair translation" of what was agreed in December.

She said the draft legal text "over-reached" on the joint report agreed by the UK and the EU, but urged the EU to move on with trade talks.

"The fundamental problem as it currently stands is that it challenges the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom.

"It is important that the text accurately and fully reflects December's joint report," Ms Foster said.
International investors surged into Ireland in record volumes last year, pushing up merger and acquisitions activity to 14.9bn in 2017 with the unprecedented wave of dealmaking forecast to extend into this year as the economy heads into its fifth year of recovery.

Conditions are captured in William Fry's latest annual M&A report, published just as packaging giant Smurfit Kappa rebuffed a takeover approach from US rival International Paper.

Yet while 2018 has started with a bang, the survey shows the number of blockbuster transactions shrank last year, with just three deals exceeding 500m in value. Shell's sale of its 45pc in the Corrib natural gas field to Canada's Pension Plan Investment Board for 830m last summer topped the leader board.

Shane O'Donnell, partner and head of corporate/M&A at William Fry, pointed out the higher volume of mega-deals in 2016 resulted primarily from 'tax inversion deals', as companies sought an Irish address to lower their corporate tax bills.

The law firm's survey also shows private equity returning to M&A in 2017 after the US presidential election and the Brexit vote disrupted transactions in the second half of 2016.

A total of 37 deals worth a combined 12.2bn were struck by buyout firms last year, more than double the amount chalked up in 2016.

Financial services, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods and technology are the sectors most likely to see M&A volumes this year, said Mr O'Donnell.

But he warned macro economic risks represented the greatest threat to dealmaking, including withdrawal of quantitative easing, tax changes in the US and the spectre of a global tariff war, as key concerns.
An artists impression of the proposed redevelopment of 9-12 Dawson Street in Dublin city centre

Bank of Ireland looks set to cash in on the ongoing appetite of investors and developers for the Dublin office market with the sale of a prime property it owns in the city centre.

Agent Savills Ireland is guiding a price of 35m for the landmark premises of New Ireland Assurance at 9 -12 Dawson Street. Built between the late 1960s and early 1970s, the property is being sold with vacant possession and marketed as a development opportunity.

Savills Ireland director of development Mark Reynolds says the purchaser will be in a position to deliver an office and retail scheme significantly larger than the existing 4,461 sq m (48,018 sq ft) building occupied by New Ireland.

A feasibility study undertaken by Henry J Lyons Architects suggests there is substantial scope to redevelop and extend the building to accommodate up to 6,219 sq m (66,941 sq ft) of space - subject to the necessary grant of planning permission.

The Dawson Street area has undergone significant change over the past three years, with the development of several new office spaces by Green Reit and Iput.

These developments, coupled with the arrival of the Luas Cross City line, have seen both Dawson Street and neighbouring Molesworth Street become the most sought-after location in Dublin's central business district. Barclays Bank, AIB and Jet.com are just three of the major names who have decided to locate in the area.

Meanwhile, London's famed Ivy restaurant is due to open for business at One Molesworth Street in the coming months, adding to Dawson Street's bar and restaurant offerings, which include Fire, 37 Dawson Street, Cafe en Seine, and the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse.
A wind farm operator has lost a High Court challenge to a refusal of permission for 25 turbines - which would be among the tallest in the country - in north Meath.

North Meath Wind Farm (NWF), and its shareholder, Element Power Ireland (EPI), brought the challenge against An Bord Pleanala over a refusal for the wind turbines at Castletownmoor, about 2.9km north of Kells.

A central feature of NWF/EPI's challenge was over an alleged error and another admitted error in an inspector's report, which became part of the board's decision.

The alleged error related to the mischaracterisation of the surrounding landscape of the wind farm site as "hilly and farmland" rather than "hilly and flat farmland and flat peat land".

The admitted error was in relation to the number of buildings within a 1.31km radius of the turbines.

The board opposed the challenge.

Mr Justice Michael Twomey refused to quash the decision and remit it back to the board.

He said that despite the alleged error in relation to the description of the landscape and the admitted error in relation to surrounding buildings, there was a reasonable basis upon which the board could refuse permission.

It was irrelevant that NWF/EPI believed that, if the board had not made the alleged and admitted errors, that permission would have been granted, he said.

"This may be difficult for the applicant (NWF/EPI) to hear.

"However, the fact of the matter is that specialist administrative bodies, such as An Bord Pleanala, are entitled to make errors without their decision necessarily impacting on the validity of the decision, even if where those errors impact upon the decision reached", the judge said.
The Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association will be holding a series of meetings with their members to hear their views on the next CAP program.

National President Colm ODonnell outlined how the meetings, which are commencing this week, will give members the opportunity to develop and prioritise the organisations position in the forthcoming CAP negotiations.

"With CAP payments now forming a substantial part of farmer income it is critical that these payments reflect the needs of the majority of farmers, unlike what happened in the last reform, which saw the top 2000 recipients receive more than 52,000 of the lowest earning recipients.

A fairer re-distribution of payments is an issue that has been raised with me by numerous members over the last year and clearly this is something we will be prioritising. However, how we go about this is what the consultation with our members will seek to achieve," stated ODonnell.

He said the new CAP will we are led to believe, focus more on the environment through climate change measures and the protection of habitats.

"If this is the case then clearly the Natura 2000 sites which are EU Habitats should feature in any future payments and there is an option to pay farmers for these habitats out of either pillar 1 or 2.

On Pillar 2 or the Rural Development Program O'Donnell said "we will need to ensure any agri-environmental scheme is accessible to farmers, easy to apply and understand unlike what we have in GLAS".

"On land transfer would a Farm Retirement Scheme deliver better results in generational transfers than just prioritising increased payments to young farmers.

While on Basic Payment he said how options such as front loading of payments, capping of the overall payment, a flattening of the greening or all of the payments and the option of coupling for vulnerable sectors such as the suckler cow or the hill ewe will also need to be discussed.

ODonnell concluded by expressing the hope that all farm organisations will consult fully with their membership to get a true reflection of what all farmers want.
Fianna Fail is calling for the Government to establish a permanent weather compensation fund using EU Rural Development funding.

Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Agriculture Charlie McConalogue says farmers across a number of sectors have been badly hit by Storm Emma and the exceptional snowfall over the past week and hes urging Minister Michael Creed to ensure that funding is made available to help these farmers get back on their feet.



McConalogue said the agriculture sector has been very badly hit by last weeks weather event.

"Dairy farmers had problems getting their milk to creameries with some having to dispose of their milk stock because collections couldnt be made.

"Sheep and cattle farmers lost animals to the almost unprecedented snowdrifts, while others are concerned about fodder stocks as animals had to be housed for days. Some farms saw sheds and greenhouses collapse under the weight of the snow  resulting in tens of thousands of euro in damage.



There is no doubt that climate change is impacting on our weather patterns. Flooding is becoming more prevalent and last week we saw snow storms unlike anything witnessed in decades.

"Despite the increasing frequency of adverse and unusual weather events, the government refused the option of including a scheme in Irelands 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme (RDP), which would have provided an opportunity to compensate farmers from losses to agricultural land and production caused by bad weather.

"This was a very serious miscalculation, which has left farmers without an annual compensation scheme.



An application for a permanent weather compensation fund should be included in the next RDP amendment submitted to Brussels by the government.



The farmers affected by Storm Emma will need assistance to get back on their feet and Minister Creed should step up to the mark. His Department has been running huge underspends across a number of programmes over the past few years. Considering this, the Minister should allocate some of the underspend to a dedicated compensation fund.



We need to see a permanent scheme set up for farmers affected by adverse weather events, particularly when they are increasing in frequency and I am urging Minster Creed to act to protect farmers in the face of these conditions.
The Central Bank has said that it "remains concerned" by the continued evidence of a lack of diversity at senior level in regulated firms.

In an analysis of applications for regulatory approval for senior financial roles, the Central Bank found that there continues to be a pronounced gender imbalance at board level and in revenue generating roles.

At the board level, there were small increases in the number of female applicants for the most senior roles compared with previous years, but imbalances remain "a cause for serious concern", the Central Bank said.

"I welcome that there were increases in gender diversity in the applications for senior roles in some financial services sectors in 2017," Ed Sibley, Deputy Governor, Prudential Regulation, said.

"However, this was from very low levels and major imbalances remain. Much more needs to be done."

Last year, 18pc of applicants for executive director roles were female, compared with 15pc in 2016.

For board chairperson roles, 14pc of applicants last year were female, an increase of just 2pc on 2016, while 16pc of applicants for chief executive roles were female, a slight increase on 2016 figures.

Meanwhile in the areas of banking, credit union and asset management sectors there have been increases of between just 5 and 6pc in the proportion of women being offered senior level roles in 2017.

In addition, the report of over 3,600 applicants received in 2017, found there was a dis-improvement in the securities and market sector, which in 2017 was the largest sector by number of applicants. Overall the portion of female applicants in this sector was just 19pc, compared with 35pc of female applicants in the credit union sector.

"There is strong evidence that diversity, in all its forms, can mitigate the risk of groupthink, improve decision-making, increase the effectiveness of internal challenge and enhance the culture within firms," Mr Sibley said.

Age profile

The report, which breaks down the applications for regulatory approval by gender, age and country of origin, found that two out of three applications submitted in 2017 were from applicants in the 35-54 age range, while almost 40pc of the applications came from people in the 45-54 age group.

In terms of country of origin of applicants, three in four applications for regulatory approval for senior roles came from people born in Ireland or the UK (58pc Ireland and 18pc UK).

Going forwards the Central Bank said it would continue to prioritise driving meaningful change in the levels of diversity at senior levels in regulated financial services firms.

Female Entrepreneurs

Meanwhile a study by Mastercard has found that women make up just one fifth of all of Irelands entrepreneurs.

Ahead of International Women's Day, the study showed that a lack of self-belief can be especially potent in deterring women from starting their own businesses.

Overall Ireland placed 25th on Mastercards Index of Women Entrepreneurs, which tracks the progress and achievement of women entrepreneurs and business owners across 57 markets spanning five geographic regions  Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and North America.
CPM Managing Director, Lorraine Butler (centre) with Linda Smith (right) Manager of the Womens Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline and Nuala Smith, Operations Manager of Dress for Success at CPMs Annual International Womens Day event

CPM, a major employer in Ireland in outsourcing for business, is celebrating International Women's Day (IWD) by giving back to its staff.

Ahead of IWD 2018, the group encouraged employees to gather goods and clothing together to give to this year's chosen charities Women's Aid and Dress for Success.

Expand Close CPM Managing Director, Lorraine Butler (centre) with Linda Smith (right) Manager of the Womens Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline and Nuala Smith, Operations Manager of Dress for Success at CPMs Annual International Womens Day event / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp CPM Managing Director, Lorraine Butler (centre) with Linda Smith (right) Manager of the Womens Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline and Nuala Smith, Operations Manager of Dress for Success at CPMs Annual International Womens Day event

Donations from around 1,000 staff, both men and women, including donations and unwanted gifts to sell in the charity's stores.

There was a particular drive to collect women's business attire in order to help ladies 'dress for success' in the workplace.

Managing Director Lorraine Butler has organised a staff day on IWD 2018 - Thursday, March 8 - to thank them for their generosity over the last few weeks.

Staff smoothies and in-house masseuses will be on site throughout the day to show all the staff that their actions are appreciated.

Expand Close CPM Managing Director, Lorraine Butler (centre) with Linda Smith (right) Manager of the Womens Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline and Nuala Smith, Operations Manager of Dress for Success at CPMs Annual International Womens Day event / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp CPM Managing Director, Lorraine Butler (centre) with Linda Smith (right) Manager of the Womens Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline and Nuala Smith, Operations Manager of Dress for Success at CPMs Annual International Womens Day event

"We're recognising staff tomorrow but we're also raising money on the day for these charities," Ms Butler told Independent.ie.

"What's key to me is IWD 2018 is just a day, and while doing events like this is so important, pressing for progress on an ongoing basis is something we all have to strive for ."
Bank of Ireland has insisted that money apparently missing from customer accounts was a result of a "technical processing issue" and not a cyberattack.

The lender rushed to correct the fault which caused panic and distress to a number of customers and disrupted payments.

A number of agitated Bank of Ireland customers contacted the Irish Independent claiming money paid into their accounts had disappeared.

One woman said her wages, which were paid into her personal account last week, appeared to have been wiped. When she contacted Bank of Ireland she was told the missing funds were caused by a computer error.

Another customer said tens of thousands of euro in a business account had suddenly disappeared, which he only discovered when a business payment was declined.

The customer, who wished to remain anonymous, slammed what he described as the banks abysmal customer service and communications.

He said customers were forced to do all the footwork in relation to the source of the problem, and endured the embarrassment of payments being declined while Bank of Ireland made no attempt to contain a significant IT issue.

There were also reports of customers being challenged over payments into accounts  with the bank allegedly instructing customers to check whether payments had in fact been made, despite records documenting the transfers.

Affected Bank of Ireland customers claimed the problem emerged on Tuesday.

However, a spokesperson for Bank of Ireland declined to detail or clarify the scale of the computer error or detail when it occurred.

The bank blamed the glitch on a process issue that has resulted in some customers not seeing all transactions reflected in real time in their accounts.

She said the bank acknowledges the inconvenience this may cause some customers and added we wish to sincerely apologise for this delay. We are currently working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Bank of Ireland is in the midst of a 900m technology overhaul of its core processing capacity.

Bank of Irelands recently appointed CEO Francesca McDonagh has said some of the banks systems are 30 years old.
Former IBRC chief executive Mike Aynsley has claimed that the Cregan Commission of Inquiry will cost as much as 100m.

The probe was set up to examine deals where the State booked big losses when IBRC sold assets, including the sale of Siteserv to businessman Denis O'Brien, who is also a significant shareholder in INM which publishes this newspaper and others.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said last week that the probe could cost up to 25m.

In a statement issuedon Tuesday, Mr Aynsley said the final bill for investigating asset sales by IBRC, the former Anglo Irish Bank, could reach 100m and that it had been launched without firm evidence.

"It wouldn't surprise me if it's up to 100m when the costs of all parties are paid and we find ourselves many years down the road," he said.

Mr Aynsley said that in his view the Government had been urged to commence an "extraordinarily expensive investigation on dubious grounds".

"The IBRC Commission was set up based on misrepresentation of information by faceless people with an ulterior agenda," he claimed.

"Given the lack of validated detail and transparency around what and who has driven this outcome, I find it incredibly disappointing that the Irish taxpayer is yet again being lumped with this massive cost," he said.

In a wide-ranging statement, Mr Aynsley said more than 30 lawyers are now working at the commission.

He said the commission should also examine the motivation and sources of allegations that spurred its creation.

Last month, the Government refused to increase the fees paid to lawyers involved in commissions of investigation, in response to a request from Mr Justice Brian Cregan, the judge overseeing the IBRC inquiry..

Senior counsel working on commissions of investigation are paid 788 per day, while junior counsel earn 394.

In an interim report to the Government last December, Mr Justice Brian Cregan sought for fees to be brought in line with those paid to barristers working at the Disclosures Tribunal, where senior counsel are paid 1,500 per day, while junior counsel earn 800 per day.

The Taoiseach refused that request, following discussions with opposition parties and amid concerns about the knock-on impact on the cost of other commissions of investigation if the request were to be granted.
A survey from consulting firm PwC has found that there is a mixed reaction as to the benefits of GDPR.

Just over half of the roughly 100 respondents from businesses said that they see real business benefits emerging from GDPR compliance, but a sizeable proportion (49pc) still see no benefits arising, which PwC said was disappointing.

GDPR will be directly applicable in all EU member states from May 25. The EU-wide regime updates and overhauls European data protection law, and all companies that process the data of EU residents are obliged to comply with the new requirements.

Businesses or organisations could face fines of up to 20m or 4pc of annual global turnover for non-compliance.

Describing it as "concerning" that nearly one in two respondents still see no real benefits of GDPR, Pat Moran, PwCs cyber leader, said that there are several benefits of being GDPR compliant.

"It is good responsible business practice to hold personal data with care, know why you have it and delete it if it is not needed," Mr Moran said.

"Not only will your organisation have a cleaner data set, being GDPR compliant will ensure personal data is protected and secure and will reduce the risk of a data breach and consequent possible reputational damage."

According to the survey, some of the most difficult aspects of preparing for GDPR compliance include awareness of the consequences, interpretation of some aspects of the rules, clarity around the requirements, and new software and additional training.

In addition, respondents pointed to a lack of clear direction and guidance.

On the other hand, benefits listed included reputation and good governance, enhanced security practices, and improved communication with customers.

Of those surveyed, four out of ten said that they have already invested up to 50,000 in relation to GDPR compliance, with a similar proportion saying that they have invested between 50,000 and 500,000.

"Getting ready for GDPR is essential and required by law. While it may also be a costly exercise, especially for many SMEs, penalties for non-compliance will be far greater," Mr Moran said.
Smurfit Kappa said that the proposal from International Paper was heavily share-weighted

Smurfit Kappa has come a long way from the depths of the financial crisis. With a big debt pile and exposure to ailing consumer demand, its future then was uncertain.

But its fortunes were revived as it began a continuous cost take-out programme, deleveraged, saw its sales increase and profitability restored.

And now it's become a takeover target.

International Paper has spotted an opportunity to establish a leading presence in Europe, a market where it's a relatively small player. But how much does it really want it and how much will it be willing to pay?

There's also an issue of the make-up of a potential transaction. Smurfit Kappa said that the proposal from International Paper was heavily share-weighted.

That's something that could be an issue for some of Smurfit Kappa's institutional shareholders, which include its single biggest - with about 7pc - Norway's government pension fund. Others include Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, GIC, with 3.1pc .

Some investors' mandates may prevent them from owning US stocks.

"We don't know the split between cash and stock, but I would have thought that the higher the cash element, the potentially more attractive it might be to shareholders, rather than simply taking International Paper stock," said David Holohan, chief investment officer at Merrion stockbrokers. He also said that some shareholders unable to hold US stocks would benefit from a rival offer emerging for Smurfit Kappa.

"Broadly speaking, existing shareholders of Smurfit would be happy if a higher bid emerged, regardless of what their mandate is, because they would have the ability to sell into the market ahead of any transaction being closed, to avoid any challenges in the future."

Smurfit Kappa could pursue another path to thwart International Paper: trying to cement its own merger with another peer.

But that would go against board's determination to have an independent future.

Just how big a deal International Paper shareholders would be willing to back also has to be factored in to the whole scenario. One of the biggest shareholders the two companies share is Vanguard.

Any potential bidding war could make the whole thing seem too expensive.

Possible synergies would also have to be taken account of. Mr Holohan reckons they would be most readily achieved in areas such as head office operations and buying power.

Analysts have also pointed out how the approach from International Paper has shone a spotlight on a sector that could benefit from growing consumer resistance to plastic packaging, as well as a ballooning ecommerce sector.

"With a co-ordinated global fight against the use of plastics, the sector could well be ripe for consolidation," said Mark van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets.
US packaging group International Paper could have to fork out as much as 10.1bn to buy Irish group Smurfit Kappa, after the Dublin-based company rejected out of hand an unsolicited approach.

Any successful transaction at that price tag would make a deal one of the biggest-ever takeovers of an Irish company and be as much as a 50pc premium to Smurfit Kappa's closing share price on Monday.

Shares in Smurfit Kappa soared as much as 22pc yesterday as it revealed that Memphis-based International Paper had tabled a proposal within the past two weeks.

International Paper said last night that its cash and shares proposal equates to 36.46 per Smurfit Kappa share, valuing the Irish firm at 8.6bn. But Smurfit Kappa's shareholders will certainly now anticipate an improved offer. International Paper said it remains "ready to engage" with Smurfit Kappa's board and its shareholders.

International Paper insisted its takeover would be an "excellent strategic fit" that would create long-term value for both Smurfit Kappa and International Paper.

It was "disappointed" the proposal was made public by Smurfit Kappa, the firm said.

International Paper initially contacted Smurfit Kappa on February 14, and the two companies held a meeting on February 23 regarding the proposal, the US company said.

Smurfit Kappa's shares traded as high as 35.24 each yesterday.

Investec's Gerard Moore said that based on recent peer deals Smurfit Kappa shares could conceivably be worth as much as 43 each.

"This will come down to the price," he said. "If International Paper can offer an attractive enough price, such a transaction could happen."

He conceded that 43 per Smurfit share would represent a chunky premium, and that it's the upper end of where any potential bid from International Paper could be.

"At that type of level, it might be hard for shareholders in Smurfit Kappa not to take it."

Read more: Rival offer could be vital for shareholders

But speaking to the Irish Independent, Smurfit Kappa CEO Tony Smurfit insisted that the proposal put forward by International Paper significantly undervalued the Irish firm and its prospects.

"Our shareholders have been incredibly supportive of the strategy which we've been on," he said.

"We have always said that we were an undervalued share. We have been closing that discount as we reduced our leverage and improved our performance.

"That has been a work in progress, and that's why this [proposal] is very opportunistic to try and take advantage of Smurfit Kappa before that gap has closed fully and before we've been able to start implementing the fantastic plans that we have."

Smurfit Kappa reported revenue of 8.52bn last year, and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of 1.24bn.

International Paper, whose chairman and CEO is Mark Sutton, had sales of $21.7bn (17.6bn) last year, and net earnings of $2.1bn (1.7bn).

Smurfit Kappa is Europe's largest maker of paper-based packaging material, and also has operations across Latin America. International Paper generates the bulk of its profits in North America.

Mr Smurfit insisted that the two companies' cultural differences could also be an issue.

"The culture of International Paper will be very different to Smurfit Kappa's culture," he told the Irish Independent.

"That's just the way - they're based in Memphis, Tennessee, and that's a different type of culture of an international complex company like ourselves. So, therefore, the board sees no merit in the proposed transaction that's been put forward.

"Part of the great skill of Smurfit Kappa is a kind of culture we have within the company, to have a familial type of company in a very big organisation," said Mr Smurfit.
The Irish data suggests that one route to plugging emerging skills gaps in the economy here is to ramp up night courses and on-the-job training. Stock image

Irish workers are significantly less likely to participate in job-related training schemes than the European average - and the figures are even worse for lower-skilled workers here.

Across the European Union almost one in three workers participated in training courses related to their professional activity in 2016, according to figures from Eurostat.

In the Netherlands the figure is as high as 61pc, and Sweden and Finland both recorded significantly more workers who were also involved in some form of work-related training than not.

Here, the figure in 2016 was 23.3pc, below the EU average, though Ireland does beat a club of under-achievers in Greece and Romania (8pc each) as well as Italy (11pc).

The data counts those in training by including non-formal vocational education, formal courses and seminars, which improve knowledge, skill, competences and qualifications for professional reasons.

The Irish data suggests that one route to plugging emerging skills gaps in the economy here is to ramp up night courses and on-the-job training, or to encourage more workers to participate in schemes that are available.

The EU-wide data shows that workers with an already high qualification level are more likely to participation in further vocational training.

In the EU 27, 46pc of workers who already had a third-level education level participated in further training, compared to 28pc for workers whose education stopped after secondary school, and 16pc for those who didn't complete secondary school.

Here, more than 30pc of employees who already hold a third-level qualification also participated in job-related training in 2016, compared to 17pc for those with a secondary school education and just 8.4pc of those who left school without any qualification.

In some cases it reflects a formal demand for staff to engage in continuing education in sectors like law and architecture.

Here, the data shows women are significantly more likely to participate in training than their male peers, a feature also seen in almost all other EU member states - the largest gender gap was in Lithuania (44pc of women compared with 31pc men).

The most common reasons given for not participating in training are time, lack of interest and a lack of courses.

Here, skills gaps are emerging as a potential barrier to growth, and a Department of Education Action Plan for Education launched in 2016 set a goal to make Ireland's education and training system the best in Europe by 2026, including a focus on vocational and lifelong learning.

A government information campaign last month said there are over 12,000 apprentices with 4,900 employers participating in the Government-backed apprenticeship schemes.

Under the scheme, traineeships are now offered to people of all ages and backgrounds - including those who are already in jobs - and apprenticeships have been broadened from the craft and trade sectors to areas like accountancy and healthcare, information and communication technology, cybersecurity and animation.

This week, the Restaurants Association of Ireland criticised Government for what it described as potentially crippling skills shortage in the industry, including a shortfall of as many as 8,000 chefs that has forced employers to look oversees for staff.
Posted Thursday, February 15, 2018 11:18 am

Black Arts Matter. The message behind the charity concert lies within its namesake, but it has deep roots.

Weve been dealing with the issue of race on one level  police brutality, the criminal justice system and all these other things, but everybody wants to stop right there, said attorney and stand up comedian Robert Jenkins.

Those things are obviously important, but black people are three dimensional. Were artists, were entertainers, dancers, musicians and all these other things too.

Enter Black Arts Matter, an event that will carry that same political weight, albeit within a different medium, than outright protest. Black Arts Matter uses  well  art as its sole conduit for communication.

Several artists, musicians and performers will take over the Robin Theatre Friday for the second annual Black Arts Matter Celebration. The lineup includes host Jahshua Smith, Horn & Holland, Hakeem the Peoples Poet, Jared Autrey, Robert Jenkins and Mikeyy Austin & the Happy Medium.

Black Arts Matters organizer, Michael Austin, a self-described arts activist, says hes for new ways to reach people with deeper political messages.

Theres a lot of people you wont see at a Black Lives Matter rally, but youll see them at a concert, or a poetry jam, Austin said. I want to bring both types together. Its not just for black people, but for those who want to see what were doing and make that statement with us.

Austin said Black Arts Matter is a crucial cultural celebration that provides a well deserved platform for Lansings talented black artists.

This is a time for us to celebrate local black artists and those who advocate for black art, Austin said. And its not just about music. Were trying to incorporate all forms of art and put it together for the community.

Austin wants to reverse a trend of black artists failing to receive recognition for their work. He cited historical examples like the Harlem Rennassaince, where the art was appreciated but not the people behind it.

The art is there, but the people are not, Austin said.

This attitude puts Black Arts Matter squarely in line with a larger national movement for black representation and visibility in media.

Among the local artists Austin holds in high regard is Hakeem Witherspoon, who will perform under his stage name, Hakeem the Peoples Poet.

Witherspoon carries his own brand of positive spiritualism wherever he goes, and for an event like Black Arts Matter, his ideologies are right at home.

Black Arts Matter is multicultural and for the youth, which is one of the main reasons why Im excited to perform, Witherspoon said. We need more events, such as this one, in order to bring not only artistic people, but communities together.

By your standard definitions, Witherspoon could be deemed a slam poet. Yet he packs so much urgency into his prose that it feels misguided to lump him in with a genre where the emotions often come across as forced. Witherspoon avoids that trap with sheer electricity.

My poetry is something that flows through me, and its more than just an art, poetry is the written embodiment of the soul, Witherspoon said.

Jenkins is unafraid to touch on uncomfortable racial subjects.

Im not necessarily a storyteller. I talk about politics a lot, but all of those things are filtered through my experience as a 35-year-old black person from Detroit, Jenkins said. I use what Ive seen in the jokes that I write.

Black Arts Matter is making it tradition to donate its proceeds to young talented Lansing students. Last years incarnation raised $4,000, which was split between four high schoolers, who were each surprised with a $1,000 check of their own.

That was all done in the spirit of the arts matter, Austin said. To be able to shine a bright light on the positives art brings, especially in the black community, was really important for me.

And the nights artists are more than willing to help with Austins cause.

Helping children extend their education is one of the greatest things in the world, and Im glad Im being a part of something life changing, Witherspoon said.

Second Annual Black Arts Matter Celebration
East Timorese minister of state Agio Pereira and Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop sign a treaty during a ceremony at United Nations headquarters (Seth Wenig/AP)

Australia and East Timor signed a historic treaty drawing their maritime boundary, ending years of bitter wrangling over billions of dollars of oil and gas riches lying beneath the Timor Sea and opening a new chapter in relations.

The agreement was doubly historic because it also marked the successful conclusion of the first-ever negotiations to settle maritime differences under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a process that UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres urged other countries to use to peacefully resolve such disagreements.

Before a crowd of cameras, diplomats and officials, two copies of the treaty were signed by Australias foreign minister, Julie Bishop, and East Timors minister for delimitation of borders, Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira.

The chairman of the independent Conciliation Commission that led negotiations, Danish Ambassador Peter Taksoe-Jensen, then signed as a witness.

It is a landmark event for our two nations, but also for international law, Ms Bishop said. Both our governments have deemed this to be a just and equitable outcome.

Expand Close Undated map provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shows Australias maritime arrangements with East Timor (AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Undated map provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shows Australias maritime arrangements with East Timor (AP)

Mr Pereira agreed, saying: Today is indeed a momentous day that will be recorded in East Timors history and be remembered and celebrated.  With the signing of this treaty today, we write a new chapter in the friendship between our two countries.

For East Timor, a half-island nation of 1.5 million people who are among the poorest in the world, the treaty is crucial to economic development and employment opportunities. Mr Pereira said 65%, mostly young people, are looking for jobs.

Ms Bishop told reporters that under the treaty East Timor will get the biggest share of revenue from exploiting the oil and gas. It will be split either 80-20 if gas is piped to Australia for processing or 70-30 if it is piped to East Timor, she said.

It is a landmark event for our two nations, but also for international lawJulie Bishop, Australian foreign minister

We are talking billions of dollars over the life of such a resource project, Ms Bishop said.

Mr Pereira said companies have told East Timor that it is feasible to build a pipeline to the country.

We believe seriously that a successful pipeline to the south coast of Timor would be a game changer and have a transformational impact on the socio-economic status of the country, he said.

Today, Australia and Timor-Leste signed a new maritime boundary agreement showing the effectiveness of peaceful resolution of disputes. It is a pleasure to witness this historic event. https://t.co/h1hENDG4iQ  Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 6, 2018

The dispute has dominated and soured relations since 2002, when East Timor emerged as a fledgling nation independent of Indonesia.

The terms of the deal negotiated under the Conciliation Commission in The Hague, Netherlands, through the Permanent Court of Arbitration are expected to be made public shortly, Australian diplomats said.

East Timor achieving its ambition of a border midway between the two countries could encourage Indonesia to renegotiate its own much longer maritime boundary with Australia, agreed in 1971 under outdated international law.

In the sea and on the sea bed, there is much wealth. Timorese will diligently explore and make this wealth contribute to usCarlos Filipe Ximense Belo, Nobel laureate

The Indonesian border with Australia extends east and west of the new East Timor-Australia boundary and the vast expanse Indonesia allowed Australia is a source of increasing irritation for the Indonesian government.

Ms Bishop told reporters that she had kept Indonesian officials informed of the negotiations with East Timor on the maritime boundary.

Carlos Filipe Ximense Belo, the influential East Timorese Catholic bishop and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, welcomed the border resolution as an economic boon for his deeply Catholic country.

We thank God because our sea becomes more widespread  our economic zone becomes bigger, Mr Belo said. In the sea and on the sea bed, there is much wealth. Timorese will diligently explore and make this wealth contribute to us.
A consideration period of 48-72 hours will be required before a woman can have an abortion, according to the Government's planned legislation.

The full bill will only be drawn up if the referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment passes.

If enacted, the law will allow for the availability of abortion until 12 weeks in all circumstances, to be regulated by a GP or medical practitioner. Any woman requesting an abortion within this timeline will have to wait in the region of two or three days to consider her decision - details on how the process is to be operationalised haven't fully been worked out.

The time will begin to elapse from the patient's first appointment with a GP or practitioner. There are suggestions a woman could be given a post-dated prescription for abortion tablets after her initial appointment. Cabinet is also likely to rule out mandatory pre-abortion counselling as is common in some EU states.

The proposed legislation will also allow for the termination of pregnancy without time limit on grounds of a serious risk to the health of a woman with no "distinction between physical and mental health."

In this case, a termination will require two medical practitioners to assess the situation.

Health Minister Simon Harris is due to outline the Government's policy during the publication of the Referendum Bill at a special sitting of the Dail on Friday. Cabinet won't be able to agree the "repeal and enable" wording of the referendum bill until Thursday.

It has to await the outcome of today's Supreme Court case determining whether the unborn has rights to life outside those provided for in the Eighth Amendment.

Meanwhile, Irish Catholic bishops said they will "pray earnestly that Ireland will choose life".

A senior bishop said the hierarchy is "shocked" at the extent of what the Government is proposing in its abortion legislation, and warned that it could result in one of the most permissive abortion regimes in Europe.

In a statement, the bishops strongly defended retention of the Eighth Amendment, warning that to repeal Article 40.3.3 would leave unborn children at the mercy of permissive abortion laws in future.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, Bishop Kevin Doran said the Government's proposal on unrestricted access to abortion up to 12 weeks is "far more permissive than anything that is allowed in Britain".
Bishop Alan McGuckian, Bishop of Raphoe, has said that he believes pregnant women in Ireland are safer than they are in almost every other country in the world.

Bishop McGuickan said he prays that the Irish people do not lose their clarity and will vote to protect the rights of the unborn child in the abortion referendum in May.

"The unborn had rights before the Irish Constitution was ever written and they will have rights for all time. All of us were once unborn," Bishop McGuckian told RTE's Morning Ireland.

He said that he fears Irish people are becoming to desensitised to the rights of the unborn child.

"Rights are inherent, this is something that people whether they are of faith or of no faith know. Our big fear is that we are allowing ourselves to be desensitised to something that fundamentally every one of us knows."

Bishop McGuickan was speaking before the Supreme Court delivers its judgement today on a landmark case on the rights of the unborn.

The Supreme Court will rule on the extent of protections conferred by the State's constitution, with its findings potentially set to impact this May's referendum on Ireland's abortion laws.

Speaking to Morning Ireland, Bishop McGuickan said that the abortion referendum is a "life or death issue".

"The choice that is made is about the life or death of a human being."

When asked if Catholic bishops are opposed to abortion in all cases, including rape, incest and situations where the mother is told that the baby she is carrying won't survive beyond birth, Bishop McGuickan confirmed that they are.

"There are tragic cases of all kinds where a woman carrying a child in very difficult circumstances deserves all the love and compassion that we can give to her, her husband, to her partner and family," he said.

"But there is also a love for the child, the unborn child as I believe the constitution has always recognised, as one of us. We share this common humanity. We pray that Irish people do not lose our clarity."

Bishop McGuickan said he didn't accept the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' position that the "presence of Article 40.3.3. in our constitution gives rise to significant difficulties for doctors practicing in Ireland and has caused grave harm to women, including death".

Bishop McGuickan said that "the evidence says that pregnant women in Ireland are safer than they are in almost every other country in the world and we have heard many people say that very, very clearly".

"There are medical professionals who are very clear that the situation of pregnant women in Ireland is safer and the medical system that we have had has protected pregnant women in Ireland better than anywhere else in the world."

He said that he and a number of bishops will be issuing a pastoral statement on the matter of the rights of the unborn child.

"Bishops are teachers and we have a duty to teach this fundamental principle that is in danger of simply being obliterated in Ireland. We are not campaigners, we are teachers and that teaching has to be put out.

"In a democracy it is not my job to tell someone else how they much vote, but it is my job to teach."

Supreme Court judges have been considering whether unborn children are entitled to further rights under other sections of the constitution.

The ruling could impact the wording and timing of the anticipated referendum on the fate of the Eighth Amendment.
Rachel Gallagher leaving the Four Courts yesterday after the High Court approved a 10m award. Picture: Collins

An 11-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has settled a High Court action with a 10m payment over the circumstances of her birth at Mayo General Hospital.

This final payment brings to 12.2m the amount paid to Rachel Gallagher of Straide, Foxford, Co Mayo.

Her counsel Denis McCullough told the court Rachel's parents were of a strong mind that they wanted to finish the process with a final lump sum payment.

He said the family and Rachel herself found the ongoing process - where she has to undergo medical examinations and assessments before court appearances - very difficult.

Approving the settlement against the HSE, President of the High Court Mr Justice Peter Kelly said this would have been Rachel's third time in court. Before coming each time, she had to go through "a battery of tests and assessments" and this created a lot of stress for Rachel and her family.

The little girl put up her hand to be allowed to speak and said: "Thank you, your honour." Mr Justice Kelly said very few judges were thanked and he was very grateful.

The judge said it was a good settlement that would provide for Rachel for life.

Through her mother, Ciara Hynes, Rachel sued the HSE over the circumstances of her birth on September 28, 2006.

Ms Hynes was admitted to Mayo General on September 27 and the next morning they started to induce the birth and syntocinon was began after midday.

Rachel was born in poor condition. It was claimed there was a failure to properly manage and monitor the labour, delivery and birth of the baby.

Counsel said she was in fifth class at school and it was hoped she would go on to secondary school and university.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has confirmed the Attorney General has been given the rest of today to consider the Supreme Courts finding that the unborn does not have rights outside the right to life in the Eighth Amendment.

Mr Varadkar said he has spoken with Attorney General Seamus Woulfe today about the courts rejection of part of a High Court judgment. Mr Woulfe asked the Taoiseach for an opportunity to consider the finding today before offering advice to cabinet.

There will be a special cabinet meeting tomorrow where Mr Varadkar said he hopes the Government will be able to formulate a Referendum Bill to be debated in the Dail tomorrow.

He said he also hopes the Dail would sit on Friday, if necessary, to debate the Bill before the St Patricks Day recess next week.

Responding to Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald during Leaders Questions Mr Varadkar said he was keen to make sure there were no delays in holding a referendum but added he wanted to make sure no mistakes were made when tackling such a sensitive issue.

The Attorney General has asked for the remains of the day to study the judgement. I have agreed to that request and Cabinet will meet tomorrow at 11am to discuss the Bill and I think the Business Committee will meet after that meeting to determine how we will hopefully debate the bill tomorrow and possibly on Friday if necessary, he said.

I dont think anyone can accuse me of causing any unnecessary delays as Taoiseach but if the Attorney General asks for a day to consider the findings of the judgement he will get it.

Ms McDonald said she was keen to see the Bill brought before the Dail tomorrow and for the house to sit for debates tomorrow night. The Dail is not due to sit on Friday but she is among a cohort of TDs calling for an extra day this week.

The Supreme Court Judgement removes a potentially significant stumbling block to the staging of a Referendum before the end of May.

Chief Justice Frank Clarke said it was the unanimous view of the Supreme Court that the unborn does not have rights outside the right to life in the Eighth Amendment.

Delivering judgment this morning he said the court also found that the unborn was not considered to be a child for the purposes of Article 42A of the constitution, introduced with the passing of the childrens rights referendum in 2012.

Had the High Court findings been upheld, even if the amendment were to be repealed later this year, it was considered conceivable legal challenges aiming at safeguarding the unborn could be mounted.
FORMER Anglo Irish Bank CEO David Drumm told colleagues weeks after the bailout out that a team of executives should be put together with war cabinet urgency to tackle the issues facing the troubled bank.

Mr Drumm e-mailed bankers in November 2008 telling them the issues Anglo faced included an audit and future funding.

The e-mail was shown to the jury as Anglos then Chief Financial Officer Matt Moran gave evidence for a second day at Mr Drumms trial.

Mr Drumm (51) is pleading not guilty to conspiring to defraud Anglo investors by dishonestly creating the impression that the banks customer deposits in September 2008 were 7.2bn larger than they were.

The case centres on a series of multi-billion euro interbank loans which circulated between Anglo and Irish Life and Permanent ILP.

Mr Drumm also denies false accounting, by providing misleading information to the market.

Today, the jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was shown an e-mail Mr Drumm sent to bank officials on November 12, 2008.

Guys, just spoke with Matt (Moran) today and hes rightly pressing that we need to get a larger group around the table immediately to manage the key issues we are currently facing, including YE audit, ratings agencies action, funding plan going forward, capital, the email stated.

The suggestion is keeping the team tight and to key people who can contribute to the strategic discussion but with a war cabinet urgency to it.

Earlier the jury heard Mr Drumm had mailed executives before the bailout in September asking them to look under every rock to reduce lending as the 2008 financial crisis deepened.

Mr Drumm e-mailed Mr Moran and others on September 10, 2008, in the run up to Anglos financial year end on September 30.

The subject was loan balance projections.

Massive push needed, guys, look under every rock, this is crunch time for us, thanks, the email read.

The court heard Mr Moran had replied to the mail with projections for the loan balance to be down from 10.6 to 10.3bn.

This was the effort by the bank to reduce the net loan growth, Mr Moran told Mary Rose Gearty SC, prosecuting. Finance was asked to run ongoing forecasts.

Ms Gearty asked what he thought a massive push referred to.

I take that as relating to the lending and reducing the level of lending, Mr Moran said.

Ms Gearty then asked him what he believed looking under every rock to refer to.

My interpretation is that was, just look at all the options to make sure that the level of lending can managed to a minimum, he said.

Ms Gearty asked if it could refer to funding.

I dont think so, Mr Moran replied. He added that the recipients of the mail were all lending people.

The court also heard there were meetings held in David Dumms office on Friday afternoons from August to early September 2008. They were attended by a wide group of of people looking at funding and lending.

There would be meetings of the executive directors beforehand - Mr Drumm, Willie McAteer, Pat Whelan and Declan Quilligan. There were also and other meetings looking at the various balance sheet initiatives, which reported to the Friday meetings.

Mr Drumm chaired the Friday meetings which were usually attended by Anglo bankers including Mr Quilligan, Mr Whelan, Mr McAteer, Tony Campbell, John Bowe, Peter Fitzpatrick, Martina Whelan, Matt Cullen, Ciaran McArdle and Brian Lynch.

The meetings considered a wide range of funding initiatives in respect of contacts with corporate depositors, asset managers, capital transactions, short term trades that would enhance the capital position at the year end, and Repo transactions, Mr Moran said.

Mr Drumm chaired the meetings and various participants contributed, he continued.

Ms Gearty asked Mr Moran what his view was of Mr Drumms financial acumen, and what he contributed to the meetings.

He was the Chief Executive, Mr Moran said.

Ms Gearty asked what Mr Drumm had to offer with regard to contributions to meetings.

David was a very experienced person in the bank, a very experienced lender in the bank, Mr Moran said. He had run the business in the US, he had run the business in Ireland, he chaired and drove those meetings, he said.

Earlier, the court heard Mr Moran had quoted Mike Nurse, head of treasury risk, as saying the motivation for a June 2008 transaction with ILP was to reduce ILPs reliance on European Central Bank funding and position Anglo for future arrangements.

The jury was shown a balance sheet report from April 2008 that showed a reduction in customer deposits of 6.4bn, which was due to the maturing of half year end trades.

Steven Hiles, liquidity risk manager sent an e-mail on May 13 with the subject draft response to IFSRA re letter on corporate deposit movements.

This contained a draft response to a letter from Mary Elizabeth Donoghue, an IFSRA regulatory officer. Mr Moran told the jury this was looking at behavioural modelling in respect of liquidity. Behaviour modelling reflected what would happen in everyday business and was used to anticipate how money would move in the future based on past movements, he explained.

Ms Donoghue queried whether large short-term movements should be incorporated into the wider behavioural modelling.

The response to the request was that it would be inappropriate to incorporate the short term movements into the behavioural modelling because the movements were significant but only at the half-year end, Mr Moran said.

The jury was then shown a June 23, 2008 letter from The Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority to Anglo asking for additional information on loans and advances to banks after the March interim report was filed.

Mr Moran did not receive this but believed it included some of the March initiative transactions.

Mr Drumm responded that while the movements might appear large, they considered to be normal in the course of the banks business activities and were not considered to be unusual for a lending bank with assets of 100bn.

Mr Moran said he believed this referred to changes between September 30, 2007 and March 31, 2008.

Mr Drumms reply stated that the directors view was that there were no unusual events or transactions in respect of the balance sheet items identified which, due to their nature, size or incidence require disclosure.

Mr Drumm told IAASA that the board was very cognisant of its reporting obligations and endeavoured to ensure transparency of reporting.

In the directors opinion, this approach had resulted in a comprehensive interim report, Mr Drumm wrote on July 21, 2008.

All information and explanations that were significant to an understanding of the changes in the financial position and performance of the bank were provided, he said.

On July 25, the IAASA wrote that it would be useful to include an explanation of events and transactions and asked the directors to confirm that future half-yearly reports would include explanatory balance sheet notes.

Mr Drumm replied confirming future interim reports would include explanatory notes where necessary or material to an understanding of the period.

In 2009 a new board undertook a review and concluded that they were satisfied with the disclosures put out at the time, Mr Moran agreed.

Later in the afternoon, Ms Gearty asked Mr Moran when he first became aware of the size of the 7.2bn transaction.

I was in David Drumms office on the afternoon or the evening of September 30 when John Bowe arrived and informed me at the time of the size of the transaction, Mr Moran said.

Ms Geary asked what his reaction was.

It was larger than I thought or had been aware was going to be done, Mr Moran said.

Ms Gearty asked if it caused him to query in any way if there was a potential problem in processing the transaction.

Mr Moran said it did not and he did not know anything at the time about any issues in processing a payment, but Mr Bowe mentioned that the Government guarantee that had come into place had given ILP comfort and hence the amount was increased to 7.2bn.

Ms Gearty asked Mr Moran if he had any awareness of the capacity of Anglo to conduct a transaction of that size.

Mr Moran said there were significant inflows that day because of the guarantee. He was not aware of the capacity or mechanics of it until some time in early 2009, when it was questioned whether the monies were available to enact such a transaction.

Ms Gearty asked if the 7.2bn was available to Anglo at the time. Mr Moran said after the guarantee, Anglo gathered a lot of funding from the markets and the guarantee gave ILP comfort to do a larger amount.

Ms Gearty asked if anything else was said in the office on September 30.

I think John Bowe said something to the effect that you should ring ILP, you should ring Denis Casey (ILPs CEO) to thank him, Mr Moran said.

Ms Gearty asked if Mr Drumm had said anything.

Something to the effect that John had done well in terms of the capacity or size of the transaction that was done, Mr Moran said.

Mr Moran had not questioned at the time the mechanics of the transaction and had been aware of their back-to back-nature but not their circularity.

In a look back in 2009, it was seen that there had been a number of transactions to reach the 7.2bn. The March transactions had involved the placement of bonds with the Central Bank and Anglo getting cash back, while the September transactions were cash being placed and the same amount placed back, Mr Moran said.

He agreed that customer deposits as opposed to bank deposits were an indicator of the health of a bank, as was the loan to deposit ratio.

The 7.2bn would reduce this ratio, which would be seen as more positive, Mr Moran said.

Ms Gearty said Mr Moran had stated there was no attempt to hide the the nature of the ILP initiative at the banks meetings.

It was openly discussed, he agreed.

If the deal had not gone through, although the banks guarantee had taken the focus off funding, the balance sheet may have been seen more negatively at the year end, Mr Moran said.

Before the Sept 30 meeting, Mr Moran had understood the figure of the transactions to be less than 7bn but above 3bn.

A week earlier, he had had a concern that the transactions were discussed with the Financial Regulator but said he got reassurance from both Mr Drumm and Mr McAteer after they had met with IFSRA officials in the last week of September.

David said that Willie had discussed it with Patrick Neary and Con Horan in their meeting with the Regulator and something along the lines that they would be managing the balance sheet, Mr Moran said.

Did you personally ask Mr McAteer about this? Ms Gearty asked.

Mr Moran said he did and the response was something along the lines of fair play to you, Willie.

In the look back, the precise awareness of the Regulator was a subject of some controversy, Mr Moran agreed. Asked what his view of the transaction was, Mr Moran said it was a significant transaction in terms of size, relative to the balance sheet and the circularity point was questionable to me.

Asked about the materiality of the transaction to the balance sheet, Mr Moran said 10pc was considered the threshold, and while it was less than that it was a significant proportion of customer deposits.

The jury heard Anglo made a request for emergency funding to the Central Bank on September 29, the day before the Governments banks guarantee was announced.

David Drumm dictated the letter requesting emergency liquidity assistance and Mr Moran typed it.

In the letter, Mr Drumm said he was writing to confirm that in order to meet its financial commitments the following day, Anglo was obliged to apply for an overnight facility of 4bn against the security of assets set out.

Mr Drumm said in the letter that he recognised the request was outside the scope of Eurosystem monetary operations, and that such a facility would be granted on an exceptional basis.

The auditors were knowledgeable of the transactions that took place, they didnt capture it as an issue opf concern in their own report to the audit committee, Mr Moran said.

The trial continues.
The officer was taken to University College Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening lacerations

A JUDGE imposed sweeping reporting restrictions on a child welfare case in which 11 people were arrested by Gardai.

Eleven people, five men and six women, were arrested by Gardai but subsequently released without charge.

All were questioned about the alleged abuse and sexual exploitation of children.

A file is now being prepared in relation to the Garda investigation for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Judge Mary Larkin warned the media that strict reporting restrictions are in place over the matter and any breach of the court orders involved would result in serious consequences.

The judge issued the warning after an application from Tusla, the child protection agency, for clarity from the court in respect of previous orders made in respect of publicity over the ongoing case.

Muiris Gavin for Tusla asked for clarification given that orders were previously made by the court under Sections 28, 18 and 17 of the Childcare Act, 1991.

The Tusla request for clarification was supported by Thomas Wallace O'Donnell, for the Gardai, and by solicitors acting for the guardians of the children involved.

"There is no point in making such an order if the media is to trash and disrespect it," Judge Larkin said.

"This court expects the media to scrupulously comply with this order."

"This order was made to protect children."

"In this particular court, the children's court, (we are) solely concerned with the (protection of) family and the children."

Judge Larkin said careful consideration was given to balancing public confidence in justice and the protection of vulnerable parties.

"The court does not lightly make such an order," she said.

She said the court acts in the best interests of the child and children.

Judge Larkin warned that the media must be "vigilant and diligent" that nothing is ever published in the case which could lead to the identification, even by indirect means, of the parties involved.

"The court will not tolerate any breach of the order. There are consequences of breaching the order."

"I do require the media to be very careful about what they publish."

"The order is there to protect the most innocent and vulnerable of our citizens."

"The media must be aware this is rural Ireland. People are connected by by creche, school and work."

"Jigsaw identification is a real concern," she added.

Judge Larkin said she was concerned about media coverage of the case over the previous 48 hours and, in particular, about specific geographic locations being identified.

Her order also extends to social media platforms.

Tusla raised specific concerns about some media reports having comment boxes available online - some of which were used for commentary which included specific material leading to identification concerns.

In response to a query from Tusla, Judge Larkin said she had no difficulty with the media reporting the hearing in respect of their responsibilities and existing court orders.
Cian McCarthy leaves the High Court, Dublin yesterday, after he was awarded 750,000 in damages. Photo: CourtPix

A man who was assaulted after he was stopped from going back into a shop to seek safety against a street attack has been awarded over 750,000 against the shop and a security company.

Psychiatric nurse Cian McCarthy (32) was an innocent party who suffered a serious brain injury in the attack outside Centra supermarket on Grand Parade, Cork, Mr Justice Kevin Cross said.

He was struck by the boyfriend of a woman Mr McCarthy had fallen against after he was pushed away from the door by a security man and while he was trying to get away from another man attacking him.

The blow caused Mr McCarthy of Dwyer Road, Midleton, Co Cork, to fall and hit his head. The man who assaulted him was later given a five-year jail sentence, with the last two years suspended.

Mr McCarthy sued the Centra shop owners, Herlihy Supermarket Group, Patrick Street, Fermoy, Co Cork, and the security company, Tekken Security, Upper Clanbrassil Street, Dublin, for removing him from the store and preventing his re-entry.

The incident occurred at 2am on October 31, 2011, during the Cork Jazz Festival.

When Mr McCarthy joined the deli queue in Centra, a man tried to jump the queue.

That caused some protest from Mr McCarthy who was at one stage hit in the mouth.

A security guard tried to separate Mr McCarthy who was now in a row with three people and he escorted him from the shop.

The three people involved in the row followed Mr McCarthy, chased him and attempted to hit him. Mr McCarthy offered no resistance and backed away.

He broke loose and made for the front door of the shop. The second security guard did not know Mr McCarthy was the innocent party, barred his way and pushed him back towards the crowd.

While the defendants were entitled to eject Mr McCarthy in order to avoid confrontation, the first security guard should have advised the second guard of the situation, the judge ruled.
The Supreme Court has rejected part of a High Court judgment which found the unborn had rights beyond the right to life contained in the Eighth Amendment.

The keenly awaited judgment from the seven-judge court will remove much uncertainty over the proposed referendum on removing the amendment, which the Government hopes to hold in May.

Delivering judgment at the recently opened courthouse in Limerick, Chief Justice Frank Clarke said it was the unanimous view of the court that the unborn does not have rights outside the right to life in the Eighth Amendment.

It also found that the unborn was not considered to be a child for the purposes of Article 42A of the constitution, introduced with the passing of the childrens rights referendum in 2012.

Had the High Court findings been upheld, even if the amendment were to be repealed later this year, it was considered conceivable legal challenges aiming at safeguarding the unborn could be mounted.

Health Minister Simon Harris said he noted the clarity the Supreme Court had brought with its decision. He said he would consider the judgment and get advice from the Attorney General before bringing a memo to Cabinet shortly with the final wording of the referendum bill.

The judgment removes a potentially significant stumbling block to the holding of the abortion referendum.

The issue of the rights of the unborn arose in an immigration case involving a Nigerian man who was facing deportation and wanted the order revoked by the Justice Minister.

His Irish partner was due to give birth to a child three weeks after the proceedings began. The child was born in August 2015.

In the High Court Mr Justice Richard Humphreys found the unborn child had rights under the Constitution beyond the right to life. He also found the minister should take into account the impending birth when considering whether or not to revoke such orders.

The findings were appealed by the State, which argued the only right the unborn has is the right to be born. Other constitutional rights only kick in when a child is born, lawyers for the State argued.

Mr Justice Clarke said the Supreme Court found the Justice Minister was obliged to consider the fact that the pregnancy of the partner of a deportee was a relevant factor in any decision to revoke a deportation order and was obliged to give separate consideration to the likely birth in Ireland of the child of a potential deportee.

He also said the minister was obliged to take account of the fact that an Irish citizen child will acquire on birth constitutional rights which may be effected by deportation.

The weight the minister must accord to these factors was not an issue in this case, he said. It was not the case that the minister, having considered these matters, was precluded from refusing to revoke the deportation order.

Accordingly, Mr Justice Clarke said, the decision of the High Court on this aspect of the case was correct and it was incumbent on the minister to consider these factors in making a decision.

However, he said neither the common law cases and statutory provisions nor the pre and post amendment court decisions relied on by Mr Justice Humphreys supported the High Court judges conclusion that the unborn possesses inherent constitutionally protected rights other than those expressly provided for in Article 40.3.3, the Eighth Amendment.

The most plausible view of the pre-Eighth Amendment law was that there was uncertainty in relation to the constitutional position of the unborn which the Eighth Amendment was designed to remove, he said.

Mr Justice Clarke also said the Thirteenth Amendment, which says the prohibition on abortion does not limit the right to travel abroad, and the Fourteenth Amendment, which allows for the distribution of information about foreign abortion services, supported the Supreme Courts view that the present constitutional rights of the unborn are confined to the right to life contained in Article 40.3.3, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother.

He said: While it does not alter the outcome of this case, the minister is accordingly not obliged to treat the unborn as having constitutional rights other than the rights contained in Article 40.3.3.

It is accepted that the right to life is not impacted in the deportation or revocation decision in this case. The High Court determination in this regard is reversed.

Mr Justice Clarke said the High Court determination that the unborn is a child for the purposes of Article 42A was also being reversed by the Supreme Court.

During hearings last month, Mary OToole SC said if the decision was upheld, there would be difficult to predict consequences for the State.

She argued there would be ramifications for areas outside immigration, such as in medical treatment, succession law and for bodies such as the Child and Family Agency.

Would the Government, for example, have to make all women of child bearing age take folic acid to vindicate the rights of the unborn, she asked the court.

She argued birth was the brightline event marking when the unborn is entitled to the full extent of constitutional rights available to citizens.

Lawyers for the Nigerian man, his partner and their daughter argued the State had adopted and extreme and absolutist position of insisting the unborn is a constitutional nullity outside the Eighth Amendment.

Maurice Collins SC argued the State was effectively saying, when the people voted for the Eighth amendment in 1983, they were unwittingly excluding the unborn from every other constitutional protection.

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone welcomed the ruling.

I welcome the clarity offered by todays Supreme Court decision and look forward to continuing the process of putting the Eighth Amendment before the Irish people by way of referendum, she said.

Senator Catherine Noone, who chaired the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment, said the decision was a landmark one which would allow the Government to move forward with the planned referendum.

I urge us all to accept the courts judgment in good faith and move forward in a civilised and respectful manner, as has been the case for the most part so far, she said.

The Pro Life Campaign said the ruling showed the importance of keeping the Eighth Amendment in the Constitution.

The campaigns legal advisor, Professor William Binchy, said: The Supreme Courts judgment makes it all the more necessary to oppose the Governments proposal to introduce abortion on demand.

The court has made it clear that unborn babies, up to birth, would have no constitutional protection against the legislation that the Government intends to introduce.

Niamh Ui Bhriain of Save the 8th group said the decisions exposed the frightening reality of Government proposals on abortion.

It confirms that if the Eighth Amendment is abolished, then the only constitutional protections enjoyed by unborn children would be abolished along with it, she said.

She said if the referendum is passed it would give future Governments carte blanche to extend abortion on demand later in pregnancy without any approval from the public.

However, three organisations campaigning for the removal of the Eighth Amendment welcomed what they described as the certainty and clarity provided by the ruling.

Orla OConnor, director of the National Womens Council of Ireland, said: The judgment paves the way for a referendum on the Eighth Amendment and will hopefully allow the Government to bring the referendum bill to the Dail this week.

From talking to people across the country we know that people are looking for controlled change of our laws on abortion. They want to protect womens health and well-being and ensure that doctors can care for their patients here in Ireland. This is only possible if we remove the Eighth Amendment from our Constitution and allow the Dail to legislate for the provision of abortion care, in line with best medical practice.

Linda Kavanagh, spokesperson for the Abortion Rights Campaign, said the ruling meant nothing now stands in the way of the referendum taking place, while Ailbhe Smyth, convenor of the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment, said it was now looking forward to the confirmation of a date for the referendum.
RTE Director General Dee Forbes has said there are issues in the national broadcaster around equality and pay.

The Cork woman told how she is proud to be leading the way to make RTE a more inclusive organisation as its first female Director General.

RTE is not without its challenges. We get lots of good press and lots of bad press. Weve been around for a long long time and yes there are issues.

There are issues around pay, there are issues around gender, equality. The important thing is we are tackling them.

If anything has come out of the Me Too and Times up Movement, its that there is more awareness now.

There are conversations being had about, how do we have a more diverse organisation? How do we have an organisation that is more inclusive? How do we address the issues of pay?

All of this is ongoing in RTE now and I am very proud to be leading that charge, she said.

Its something we wont solve over night because some of these things have been around for a long time.

Speaking at the Press for Progress event at the National Concert Hall for International Womens Day, Forbes admitted that many people questioned her choice to accept a position in RTE after working in the media industry in London for 27 years.

I took the job, many wonder why. One of the main reasons for me was, I grew up with RTE. I grew up with one channel for most of my life.

Even though I was away for 27 years, being in media, I was intrigued by what was happening here anyway.

I always watched RTE. Its such an important part of the culture of this country. What RTE does is it champions Irish culture and I am very proud of that, she said.

Forbes recalled receiving letters of support from members of the public when she arrived in RTE and said there is a responsibility that comes with being the first female Director General.

I thought I would never come back to Ireland and then I got a phone call about the job in RTE.

I was approached about the role and got into the process and here I am.

I have to say, I am hugely proud to be the first female DG of RTE. That with it comes with a huge responsibility to RTE, our audiences, and other women, she said.

Forbes stated that she believes the only thing that may hold women back is a lack of confidence.

Once you get over the confidence hurdle, you can achieve anything, she said.
Posted Thursday, February 15, 2018 11:19 am

A crusading judge, a white nationalist, a marijuana advocate and a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer will provide plenty of opportunity to challenge the mind, as February gives way to March and the hope of spring.

Richard Spencer, a white supremacist, will speak on the MSU campus 4:30- 6:30 p.m., Monday, March 5. MSU first refused to let him speak due to concerns about violence, but following a lawsuit MSU agreed to let Spencer speak at the auditorium in the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education although students will be on spring break at the time. The event is ticketed and arrangements were not available at this time, but will be handled by MSU.

Former President Lou Anna K. Simon in announcing the agreement said, Michigan State is wholly dedicated to freedom of speech, not just as a public institution, but as an institution of higher education. Here, ideas, not people, are meant to clash and to be evaluated based on their merits.

This is not the first clash MSU had with a white nationalist wanting to speak on campus. On May 23, 1967, George Lincoln Rockwell, the head of the American Nazi Party, spoke to 4,500 students at the MSU Auditorium. According to media accounts at the time, Star of David stickers were distributed to the audience to wear and the audience was reserved.

Rockwell told the audience of primarily students that college campuses were the only place he could speak without violence. To ensure peace, police guarded every door at the Auditorium. A complete video of his MSU talk is available on YouTube.

Rockwells speech was one of the first times MSU allowed controversial speakers on campus. Less than a year earlier the San Francisco poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti was banned from speaking on campus. His event was quickly moved to the State Theater in East Lansing where more than 800 students, faculty and townies listened to his Beat poetry.

Ferlinghetti wasnt the first speaker MSU banned. On May 17, 1962, the MSU Board of Trustees took a straw vote to ban Robert G. Thompson, the former head of the Communist Party, from speaking on campus. At the time, the campus was split, with student government voting to allow him to speak while a faculty group voted no to his appearance.

In an enlightened move the fraternity Delta Sigma Phi, on Grand River, allowed Thompson to speak in their backyard which fronted the Red Cedar River.

The audience, reported to have exceeded 2,000, was not supportive, but there was no violence. The fraternity was chastised by the university and fined $500 by its national parent organization.

The Board of Trustees issued this statement: the decision re-emphasized the long-standing policy of not allowing a Communist to preach his treatises on our campus.

Soon after the Ferlinghetti blow-up MSU changed its policy and began to allow more controversial speakers on campus. A speakers series was sponsored by the Associated Students of MSU (ASM- SU). With that change, the floodgates opened to include speakers like Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg and Rockwell.

UPCOMING AUTHOR APPEARANCES: Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who needs no introduction, will be at Schuler Books in Okemos at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 8, to discuss her new mystery book, Triple Cross Killer. Judge Aquilina recently exploded on to the national scene when she allowed more than 150 victims of MSU physician Larry Nassar to make witness statements at the sentencing hearing.

The gut-wrenching stories of the women were often lead the evening news and front pages of every major newspaper, here and abroad. Due to the expected high level of interest, tickets must be picked up at the bookstore, in advance.

Finally, Amy Goldstein, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter for The Washington Post and author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book Janesville: An American Story will make an appearance at 12:15 p.m., Monday, March 26, at the MSU Museum Auditorium. The event is free.

Janesville tells the story of the closing of a General Motors facility in Janesville, Wisconsin and the tragic impact on the community. Goldstein follows the closing and its aftermath from 2005- 2013 with her eye on the devastating impact on individuals.

John Sinclair, who almost needs no introduction, will join artist Casey Loren, Saturday, March 31, 4-6 p.m. at the MSU Erickson Kiva, 620 Farm Lane, for a wide-ranging conversation about art and creativity with maybe a little radical politics thrown in. Sinclair who is mostly known for his advocacy for marijuana reform was also the founder of the Artists Workshop Society (now known as the Detroit Artists Workshop), the manager of the MC5 rock band, founder of the White Panther Party, along with founding the Ann Arbor Hash Bash. The event is free.

Sinclair also is the author of the book, Guitar Army, which explores his marijuana conviction and his role in the White Panther Party.

In addition to curating, Loren provided artifacts for the current MSU Broad exhibition, Detroit Artists Workshop, on view through May 18. The exhibit includes photographs by Leni Sinclair and writing by John Sinclair, Loren is an artist, musician, writer, and archivist and was a founding member of the Destroy All Monsters collective in 1973, along with Mike Kelley, Jim Shaw and Niagara. His work has been shown worldwide including the Whitney Biennial of American Art in 2002. He is co-owner of the Book Beat bookstore in Oak Park, Michigan, and serves as Chairman of the Detroit Artists Workshop steering committee.

Book Club meets March 1

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of that watershed year, City Pulse is sponsoring a monthly book club that will run through all of 2018.

Each book club meeting will be held at Schuler Books in the Mertidan Mall on the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. Exceptions come when the Thursday falls near a holiday, when the book club will meet on the second Thursday of that month.

March 1 - My Lai by Howard Jones.

Slouching Toward Bethlehem by Joan Didion, which was scheduled for March, has been moved to November, replacing House Made of Dawn.
Parents, students and universities have given broad support to a system of continuous assessment for the Leaving Cert - but teachers are opposed.

The views were aired at a meeting of the Oireachtas Education Committee to consider whether a change would reduce high levels of student stress blamed on the current exam model.

Assessment was at the heart of the row over the new Junior Cycle and will feature in the debate about Leaving Cert reforms. National Parents Council Post Primary president Geoffrey Browne said one-off exams did not "sufficiently assess a student's overall performance and learning".

Union of Students in Ireland vice president Oisin Hassan said it supported efforts to develop continuous assessment at third-level and was eager to see the efforts expand.

Irish Universities Association director of academic affairs Lewis Purser said international evidence showed that continuous assessment in State exams could benefit students and their learning, but there were risks that would have to be addressed if it was to become more common for the Leaving Cert.

Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland assistant general secretary Moira Leydon said continuous assessment was already used in State exams, with oral and aurals, projects and practicals. International research on education systems cautioned against assessment-heavy models, she said.

Teachers' Union of Ireland president Joanne Irwin said, in some cases, continuous assessment had simply led to students experiencing continuous stress.
Gardai have heavy excavating equipment and ground-mapping radar on standby as the search for missing Tina Satchwel (45) intensifies in a Cork forest.

Mitchel's Wood outside Castlemartyr in east Cork is cordoned off as a 60-strong specialist search team, supported by Defence Forces engineers and canine units, trawl through 40 acres of forestry for clues as to Tina's whereabouts.

Supt Colm Noonan of Midleton garda station, who is leading the operation, said searches will continue for the next three weeks.

Tina vanished from her Youghal home on March 20 last year.

Despite a huge search operation and repeated Garda public appeals for information, no trace of Tina has been found.

She was not seen on thousands of hours of CCTV security camera footage analysed, and no trace of her was found at any Irish or UK port and airport.

The current search followed a phone call to gardai from a member of the public after the broadcast last January of an RTe 'PrimeTime' special on Tina's disappearance.

That indicated activity was seen in the vicinity of Mitchel's Wood which may be significant to the Garda investigation.

A specific vehicle was noted in the area - and a woman, with blonde hair matching Tina's description, was also spotted.

Gardai determined the information was "reliable and credible" and decided to order a major search of Mitchel's Wood.

More than 100 metres of steel security fencing has been erected to cordon-off the entrance to the wood.

That has been covered in black plastic sheeting to guard the privacy of what searchers are doing.

A portacabin was brought to the site to act as a resource centre for the search team, as well as portable toilets, heavy industrial generators and lighting units.

A Garda incident command vehicle is also deployed on site.

A team from Search Dogs UK is helping the Garda operation, as well as Defence Force engineering units.

"There have been 220 separate lines of inquiry conducted. This has included liaison with Interpol and we are now conducting a search at Mitchel's Wood," Supt Noonan explained.

The woods have now been divided into various search zones.

Tina's husband, Richard Satchwell, was briefed by gardai in advance of the operation.

Mr Satchwell, an English-born truck driver, said he was "shocked" by the development.

"I was sick in the stomach with worry [when they contacted me]. I am still hoping Tina will be found safe and well.

"I didn't sleep a wink last night. I am hoping that Tina is out there and she is going to get in touch," he said.
A new flu vaccine will be made available to people next winter, which it is hoped will give patients better protection.

The new jab will swap this season's A (H3N2) component - known as Aussie flu - for one that performed better in recent years.

The influenza A (H3N2) virus causes relatively severe illness and is prone to mutation, making it difficult to protect against.

A study of nine countries, including Ireland, showed this winter's jab provided poor protection from A (H3N2). The inoculation was given to thousands of people in Ireland.

It was just 8pc effective against this strain, which caused around four in 10 flu-related deaths here.

The vaccine provided "moderate" protection against the other major strain circulating, influenza B.

The interim findings showed the response rate from patients to the jab varied between 39pc to 52pc against the B strain. The study concluded the conventional vaccine is least effective among the over-65s, who are hardest hit by the virus.

And it points to the recommendation in the UK to give older age groups a different winter jab known as adjuvanted trivalent inactivated vaccines.

Adjuvants boost our immune response to a vaccine and make it more effective and long-lasting.

This kind of flu vaccine has been available in Europe since about 1997.

The HSE said yesterday it is a matter for the national immunisation advisory committee to recommend the kind of vaccines which should be provided here next winter.

All eyes will be on how the new flu vaccine will perform in the Australian winter, which coincides with our summer.

The flu season in Ireland this year has been particularly long.
A hero army man and a paramedic walked almost 6km in the height of Storm Emma to get a child with complex medical needs to hospital.

Defence Forces Corporal Steve Holloway (30) and paramedic, Declan Cunningham were called in an emergency to take Logan Shepherd (7) from his rural home to hospital on Friday night.

However, as they headed up a back-road near Clearistown in Co. Wexford, they realised both routes to the house were impassable even with the use of snow-chains.

Given the seriousness of Logans illness, the pair decided to proceed towards the house by foot, with Logan and his mother Louise making their way in the opposite direction.

Expand Close Logan Shepherd and Corporal Steve Holloway / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Logan Shepherd and Corporal Steve Holloway

Louise said they decided they would have to call the emergency services when the electricity went in the house and the fuel line broke on the generator.

Without this the equipment to feed and hydrate Logan didnt work.

When Corporal Holloway and Mr Cunningham met up with the family, Louise had two bags full of equipment needed for Logan that was not available in the hospital.

All three took turns in carrying Logan through the snow and back to the defence forces vehicle amidst snow drifts of up to five feet high.

The whole operation took about four hours, starting at 11pm, with everyon e arriving at the hospital shortly after 3am.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, Louise said the two men were heroes.

Read More

They didnt have to come down when they saw that condition (snow) - they didnt have to carry on, they chose to carry on, its really hard to get words out, unless you meet them or speak to them you wouldnt realise how lovely the two of them are, she said.

Logan was mesmerised by a real-life action-man.

Corporal Holloway said Logan and his mother were the real heroes, but he was proud to have made a difference and there was no way they would turn back.

He was walking back behind us while the snow drifts werent too bad, but as they got to four or five foot I had the child on my back, he said.

Expand Close Logan Shepherd with men involved in the operation (l-r) Cpt Stephen Byrne,Ger Carthy A/P Supervisor ,Declan Cunningham Advanced Paramedic,corporal Steve Hollaway with Major General Kieran Brennan Deputy chief of staff , Anthony Byrne Assistant Chief and Mark Brown Defence Forces / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Logan Shepherd with men involved in the operation (l-r) Cpt Stephen Byrne,Ger Carthy A/P Supervisor ,Declan Cunningham Advanced Paramedic,corporal Steve Hollaway with Major General Kieran Brennan Deputy chief of staff , Anthony Byrne Assistant Chief and Mark Brown Defence Forces

He said he felt like the Hulk ploughing through the snow.

It was just a case of by hook or by crook get there.

Were used to working in challenging and dangerous environments both home and abroad in the military, but when you actually get to make a difference to the community, that makes it even more worthwhile, he added.

Corporal Holloway said he and Mr Cunningham - of the National Ambulance Service - have built up a friendship over the past week.

Im looking forward to having a drink with him when all of this dies down.

Mr Cunninghams colleague, and local councillor, Ger Carthy - who was overseeing the operation as an advanced paramedic - said they probably dont get enough credit for the work that they do.

To finish the job is a great achievement, he said.
The European farm funding budget faces a 10pc cut as a result of Brexit, while defence spending may be ramped up.

The European commissioner responsible for the EU Budget said that with the UK leaving, it was a "mission impossible" to plug the funding gap without cuts.

Gunther Oettinger said there were some EU countries looking for a cut to CAP payments of about 30pc. He said he believed an "acceptable" cut would be between 5pc and 10pc for both CAP and Cohesion funding, which aims to reduce economic and social disparities.

"UK leaving, to think there is no cut, nowhere, is a mission impossible," Mr Oettinger said.

"I want to speak about acceptable cuts. Means minus 5pc, up to minus 10pc, in Cohesion and CAP. But it's an open debate."

But he also suggested increases to defence spending were needed, in part because of the ongoing threat from Islamist terrorism.

"In the end, I think, we need more Europe even in defence," Mr Oettinger, the commissioner for Budget and Human Resources, told the Oireachtas Finance Committee.

"Because 'America First' can mean Europe has to give more for its own external and internal security," he added, referring to the often used slogan from US President Donald Trump.

Mr Oettinger said the annual funding gap left by the UK's departure, minus its existing EU commitments, is at least 12bn.

He said his proposal to close that gap is through an even split of cuts and additional contributions from member states.

Dangerous

Pressed by Solidarity TD Paul Murphy about defence spending in the EU, Mr Oettinger said: "I am convinced, if Europe is not investing more, it will be coming to a dangerous position.

"Seeing terrorists, seeing Islamists, and even seeing what Russia and others are investing, it's about our own security.

"I am totally convinced [of the need to increase defence spending] and I am sure Irish citizens, I can convince them as well."

Asked by Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty how a cut in CAP can be contemplated when there could also be an increase in EU defence spending, Mr Oettinger said: "Security is an increasing challenge, maybe."
The Dail erupted in a furious row over the Government's Strategic Communications Unit (SCU) as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar came under mounting pressure to disband the controversy-struck PR operation.

As Opposition leaders claimed the civil servant-staffed SCU was used to promote Fine Gael, Mr Varadkar insisted such allegations are "innuendo" and "conspiracy theories".

He hit back, accusing Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin of being "venomous" towards him and members of the civil service. Mr Varadkar did concede that the SCU has become a "distraction" from the work of the Government and "mistakes were made".

He said a review of the unit, being carried out by Department of the Taoiseach secretary general Martin Fraser, is to be concluded before Easter. He indicated he would be open to appearing at the Oirechtas Finance Committee to face questions on the matter.

The SCU is at the centre of a storm over claims its PR campaign for the Government's Project Ireland 2040 plan became a vehicle for promoting Fine Gael politicians. There are also allegations that regional newspapers were told by a private advertising subcontractor to make advertorials look like news reports.

Concerns over the campaign were raised by Independent ministers Denis Naughten, Katherine Zappone and Shane Ross. Mr Varadkar announced a review of the SCU last week.

Cabinet discussed the issue and a spokesperson for the Independent ministers said they are satisfied the review has been set up and are awaiting its outcome.

In the Dail, Mr Martin complained Mr Varadkar had caused a "blurring of the lines" between the independence of civil service and promotion of a political party. He alleged the Taoiseach's office was trying to centralise control over around 180m in communications spending across Government, including bodies like Bord Bia and Revenue. He asked if Mr Varadkar now accepts the SCU should be abolished.

Mr Varadkar claimed Mr Martin showed "misplaced priorities" in raising the issue at a time when the country has "just gone through the worst snow storm in 35 years". He denied there is a plan to bring PR for agencies like Bord Bia under his department's control.

Mr Martin said nothing is more fundamental than civil service independence, adding: "I will decide what I raise and when I raise it."

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the SCU is "mired in scandal". She added: "The Taoiseach can rant and rave... and talk about conspiracy theories, but that is now where it is at." She claimed there was a tactic to exploit the financial situation of regional media. Mr Varadkar accused Ms McDonald of engaging in "fake news", saying she should supply some evidence of her claims.
Permanent TSB has been accused of a "cop out" after the European Central Bank indicated options other than engaging vulture funds are available for it to reduce its non-performing loan book.

While EU regulators want banks to shrink their non-performing loans (NPLs), it does not have a preference for how this is achieved.

A letter from chair of the ECB supervisory board Daniele Nouy has prompted Fianna Fail to call for a rethink of PTSB's approach to 3.8bn of impaired home loans.

The expectation is the bank, 75pc owned by the State, will sell the loans to an unregulated vulture fund in the coming months.

Writing to Fianna Fail finance spokesman Michael McGrath, Ms Nouy said guidelines from the ECB say banks should look at NPLs with "not just a single strategic option, but rather combinations of strategies/options to best achieve their objectives over the short, medium and long term".

She cites a range of strategies for dealing with troublesome loans, including forbearance measures, active portfolio reductions, change of exposure type and legal options.

Ms Nouy adds: "The ESB has not expressed a preference for some NPS reduction tools rather than others."

Responding to the correspondence, Mr McGrath said the "significant takeaway" was that PTSB can select "a range of solutions" for reducing its NPLs.

The bank has emphasised the pressure imposed on it by "European authorities" to tackle its high stack of non-performing loans, which stand at 28pc of its loan book - the highest among the Irish banks.

PTSB said it is "not alone amongst banks in the eurozone or in Ireland in having to deal with a significant NPL issue".

But Mr McGrath said: "I certainly do not believe the banks have explored all of the options. Banks are outsourcing their dirty work. It's a cop out."

He introduced a bill into the Dail last night that will bring funds under the remit of the Central Bank.

The move comes after behind the scenes talks involving Mr McGrath and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe.

The Government has agreed to back the Fianna Fail bill, although it may suggest amendments as it progresses through the Oireachtas.

Speaking in the Dail last night, Mr Donohoe said banks off-loading mortgages to third parties is "an emotive issue and people are understandably fearful".

But the minister warned that politicians "must be careful that any actions we take to further protect borrowers whose loans are sold do not have unintended and very negative consequences".

He said even if the EU wasn't pushing banks to reduce NPLs it would have "been incumbent on the individual banks to take action".

Mr Donohoe said the Government will back the Fianna Fail bill but there are "significant drafting issues".

Among a list of concerns listed by Mr Donohoe was "how we square the circle of the practicalities of regulating loan owners who are based outside Ireland with the free movement of capital in the EU and with EU competition law".
More than 23,000 people are without water and an extra 39,000 have restricted supply following Storm Emma, Irish Water has confirmed.

The utility firm said that water pressure will be reduced across the Dublin network from 8pm tonight until 6am on Thursday morning in a bid to preserve supply, a decision they said "was not taken lightly but we needed to ensure the city continued to function."

They also said that restrictions are likely to be in place for the next few days.

Irish Water said that the extreme cold during Storm Emma damaged their water treatment plants and caused pipes to burst, they said their pipes were more vulnerable to damage as many are old and in poor condition.

Irish Water said in a statement on their website today that the decision to reduce water supply is a necessary one.

"Irish Water, working with the local authorities is attempting to minimise the impact of these restrictions by confining them to night time hours where possible.

"On Monday 5 March, the demand for drinking water across Dublin outstripped the supply by 28 mega litres which is the equivalent of the daily usage of Cork City.

"Irish Water had to act to protect homes and businesses in Dublin and avoid widespread outages in the capital. The decision to reduce pressure across the Dublin network for a 12 hour period was one that was not taken lightly but we needed to ensure the city continued to function," they explained.

Read More

They said three major bursts in Dublin - in the North Docklands, Infirmary Road and Skerries - have been repaired.

46,000 people in Donegal have their normal supply back, other major repairs have also taken place in counties including Kerry, Westmeath, Laois and Longford.

12,250 consumers in Tipperary, 4,000 people in Galway, another 4,000 in Waterford and 2,800 in Leitrim have no water.

Supply is also restricted in Leitrim, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Mayo and Meath - which Irish Water said is set to continue.

Saying: "Irish Water recognises that many of our water customers continue to face severe impacts from water interruption or restrictions, where customers only have water at certain times. These are likely to continue for a number of days."

Read More

They also stressed that those under the Fethard Public Water Supply Scheme in Tipperary should not drink their supply after a kerosene spill but they said they are working with Tipperary County Council to resolve the issue.

They said that water tankers have been deployed to help people in affected areas.

Irish Water said that supplying water to hospitals is the priority and they urged the public to conserve water when possible.

Some of their tips for preserving water include taking shorter showers, turning off your tap when brushing your teeth and only using devices like dishwashers and washing machines when they're full.
'Someone had to give a helping hand [to Tina] somewhere, you can't just up and leave without help from anybody' - Richard Satchwell

The husband of missing woman Tina Satchwell has said she wouldn't go near strange woodland by herself or in the company of anybody else, adding: "She wouldn't even go near strange woods with me".

Richard Satchwell told RTE's Prime Time how his wife is not a very trusting person.

He said he "can't imagine" her going to Mitchell's Wood outside Castlemartyr in east Cork, where gardai are currently carrying out an extensive search.

"I don't believe Tina has ever been there. The only wood she ever trusted to go to is just outside Fermoy," he said.

Expand Close Richard Satchwell with a photo of his wife Tina, who is missing from their home in Youghal. Photo: Kyran O'Brien / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Richard Satchwell with a photo of his wife Tina, who is missing from their home in Youghal. Photo: Kyran O'Brien

"I just know, and I can vouch for this now, Tina would not go near those woods on her own or in the company of anybody. She wouldn't even go near strange woods with me."

Mr Satchwell said he has been reflecting on the time period leading up to his wife's disappearance, explaining how she was suffering from depression.

"I am my own worst critic. I have said it to Tina's friends today, and I said it to Tina's family, should I have gone to the doctor and explained how I was feeling about how she was and stuff like that. I have always gone by Tina's own wishes and she always made me promise not to let her get anti-depressants."

He also said his wife is the kind of person who would not go down without putting up a fight.

"Say if somebody walked past Tina and insulted her... Tina would have her say," Mr Satchwell said.

He then explained how he was the total opposite, and that's what attracted her to him.

"When we first met I was a lot bigger than I am now. It was my quietness [that attracted her to me], the fact she felt safe. I'm not the type of person to just fly off the handle. My arms have only ever held Tina in a loving manner."

Mr Satchwell said people in his local area have been coming up offering him support in recent days.

"I respect those kind of people who walk up to you and shake your hand. It's a nice gesture."

Gardai sealed off Mitchell's Wood and began a massive search operation after a phone call led to a tip that a person matching the description of missing Ms Satchwell was seen in the vicinity of the woods last year.

She was apparently accompanied by someone at the time.

The caller saw a blonde-haired woman near the woods - but did not see her subsequently leave the area.

Mr Satchwell reported his wife missing four days after he last saw her on March 20, 2017.

He left their Youghal home on an errand that day and his wife was not there when he returned.

Mr Satchwell insisted he had nothing to do with his wife's disappearance - and said he believes she left to deal with personal issues, possibly with the help of someone else.
Tanya Sweeney learnt to live without a phone during her stay at the Digital Detox at An Tairseach Ecology Centre in Wicklow Town Pic: Tony Gavin

There are many questions you can ask yourself to find if you have an unhealthy relationship with your phone. Do you check it at night? Do you worry about not being able to contact your friends and family? Do you use it in the loo?

I asked myself these, and some uncomfortable home truths surfaced. I didn't just have an unhealthy relationship with digital devices - it was downright dysfunctional. And when I found myself forking out $20 on a long-haul flight for wifi recently - just in case anyone was looking for me, and to pass the time - I realised that things were bordering on the downright unhealthy.

Depending on who you ask, we smartphone users are sleepwalking into the next large-scale health crisis. It's rather telling, for a start, that tech giants like Bill Gates and the late Steve Jobs decided to raise their own children tech-free. Another former Facebook exec, Chamath Palihapitiya, expressed dismay at how social media is impacting the health and wellbeing of a whole new generation.

"It literally is at a point now we've created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works," he said in December. "If you feed the beast, the beast will destroy you."

Sadly, while most of us might be vaguely aware that screens and social media aren't healthy, we might feel we're in too deep.

New research, commissioned by Deloitte, shows that 90pc of 18-75-year-olds - or about three million people - in Ireland now own or have access to a smartphone, a figure which ranks among the highest in Europe. Deloitte's researchers also found that 16pc of those aged 25-34 said they have arguments once or several times a week with their partners over mobile phone usage.

Other research estimates that Irish people check their smartphone 57 times a day on average (compared to the European average of 41 times a day), with many spending five hours of the day staring at phones.

Data from the McKinsey Global Institute finds that the average office worker spends almost two-and-a-half hours tending to their inbox a day; almost 28pc of the time they are at work. Other research states that of the 200 emails the average employee receives a day, 36 are spam, 144 are irrelevant and 20 are useful.

According to other researchers, getting Facebook and Twitter notifications light up the pleasure centres in our brain, giving us a dopamine hit. The brain starts to get used to 'dopamine loops', meaning that we unconsciously keep checking our phones looking for the next 'hit'.

But a growing number of Irish smartphone users are becoming attuned to the benefits of 'digital detoxing'. Much as the name suggests, it's a process of not so much consciously uncoupling from devices, but fostering a more mindful, less dependent relationship with technology.

Last year, it was revealed that Selena Gomez - she of the 134 million Instagram followers - took a 90-day break from social media when she checked into a rehab facility for her mental health.

"During that time I did not have my cellphone," she is quoted as saying. "It was the most refreshing, calming, rejuvenating feeling. Now I rarely pick up my phone, and only limited people have access to me."

Along with her business partner Emily Duffy, Angie Kinsella runs Digital Detox Ireland. They hold regular residential workshops, encouraging attendees to take a break from the 'black mirror' and become more present in their own, offline lives.

On the way to one such weekend, held in the Dominican Convent in Wicklow town, I spend much of the 80-minute bus journey jumping from one app to the next. Facebook, then Twitter, then Instagram, then email, then the newspaper sites, followed by a 'relaxing' few rounds of word games, ad infinitum. To my utter shame, I doubt I even raised my head to look out at Wicklow's bounty of gorgeous scenery. (Of course, none of these distractions are truly relaxing. Smartphone addiction, I realise, has left me constantly restless, wired and muddled).

Arriving into the convent's meditation room, Angie's workshop is already underway. The dozen or so attendees are welcoming, engaging and, as I will find out over the weekend, have hugely interesting lives. Many of them are here for a new experience, others are aware that they are constantly 'on call' because of technology, while others again simply want to cast an examining, curious eye on their own smartphone use.

At the outset, Angie encourages us to hand over our devices, and soon iPads, Kindles and phones fill up a basket, to be locked away for the weekend. "Initially, we didn't take devices off people, but then we realised that some people would be sneaking off into their car and using their phones," says Angie. "They had a lot of anxiety around their families, and what might happen if they couldn't get in touch."

In the 'digital detox' workshop, we talk about our smartphone use, and what we might like to achieve from the weekend.

Because there is no screen to escape into, everyone is hugely present, and we bond right away.

That's not to say that being detached from our devices isn't hard. Several times throughout the weekend, it occurs to me to take a photo of something, or text someone, or to find out a fact during a conversation. During downtime, I reach several times for my pocket and then I remember.

For the first few hours, there's a niggling, antsy feeling. I'm worrying more about being present in a group full of strangers, kind though they are, than thinking of whether anyone outside the convent can contact me.

"Humorously, we often notice people going instinctively for their handbags," says Angie. "But many others have quite an uprising of emotions (on these weekends). Some people come on their own and they're out of their comfort zone. It can be emotionally overwhelming."

But soon, the niggling feeling gives way to a lightness. Even within a few hours, my breathing slows down. My anxiety abates. My mind is quieter. I am on the proverbial grid in a way that's impossible in 'normal' life.

Perhaps to take our mind off things, or to remind us of life beyond our devices, Angie holds a winter wellness workshop, informing us about superfoods, fermented foods and foraging. A yoga class also helps everyone to reset. And an informative astronomy talk by Lee Hurley of Astronomy Ireland is a subtle reminder that, in the overall scheme of things, we individuals are tiny, barely significant. A truism that, if you think about it, gets mangled everyday in the me-me-me world of social media. By 10.30pm, I fall into bed and rest like I haven't in months.

(Interestingly, experts note that the blue light from technology devices has contaminated our sleep of late, as it interferes with melatonin production, which promotes restful sleep).

By the end of the weekend, and after examining our relationship with technology - as well as a taste of life without it - I am brimful of resolve to change my ways. Initially, it isn't easy: once I turn the phone back on, several text messages ping at once. There are 145 emails flood my inbox, many of them spam. The many red notifications of Facebook make for a busy interface. And on Twitter, a piece I have written has been posted a couple of times, sparking off some new notifications. It all leads to mild panic. There's a breathless, instinctive rush to 'catch up'. One client has been persistent with his 'please ring me now' messages, but seeing as he's already waited for hours for a response, I reason he can wait a little longer.

This could be the most important point to take away from the weekend - we do not need to be constantly, immediately available. One attendee, who had previously attended and enjoyed a ten-day silent retreat, says the most sensible thing I've heard all weekend. "You'll find that when you put your phone back on, it's all nonsense that you could have easily lived without," she says. And she's right.

The truth is, I have missed nothing important, except one friend's impromptu drinks party. The FOMO that I had expected to experience doesn't actually materialise in the end. And what I have gained in awareness was well worth the time spent being off-radar.

"I find a lot of people will talk about using their smartphones as a distraction, or to kill time," says Angie. "But really, when you think about it, what is more precious in this life than time?"

 For more information on residential workshops at An Tairseach's Dominican Farm and Ecology Centre, check out ecocentrewicklow.ie. Digital Detox Ireland is at digitaldetox.info
Toyota Ireland chief Steve Tormey (pictured) is confident diesel car owners will not lose out in the decision to opt out of the fuel for passenger cars.

In an interview with Motors, he said he expected strong demand and value for used diesels to continue for years.

He said the decision to end diesel passenger car production had been flagged for a while, given their success with hybrid. The mix of diesel is now 20pc against nearly 50pc for hybrid.

He said that against diesel's declining background it was "probably inevitable" Toyota would go that way.

He doesn't see an issue with those who currently have a diesel. "There will still be demand for second-hand diesels. Supply and demand will dictate that for a period the residual value will stay quite strong."

He expected people will still want a good, used Toyota diesel in three years' time.

He added: "By the same token we have been doing our upgrade-to-hybrid for free campaign for some time now, so it has been very much our strategy (to switch from diesel)."

He pointed out that a key outcome of higher hybrid sales - to 50pc or so for the first two months - is that there has been quite an impact on emissions, with battery power driving cars for longer periods of time.

He confirmed the firm has plans for people to buy smaller-engined petrols. The Ploughing last year was instructive, he revealed. They found rural Ireland was asking a lot about hybrid.

"We would see ourselves steering diesel owners into petrol and hybrid for next year. We've transitioned people to 20pc diesel now. So we think we have the products to get a lot of people into petrol and hybrids."
Here's a brief snapshot of what's on at the show.

Audi's A6 is a major debutant and shares the limelight with the e-tron, the brand's electric SUV. All versions of the A6 will have fuel-saving mild-hybrid technology. And it will have the same radar, ultrasonic sensors, lidar and camera technology that will eventually enable level three autonomous driving capability on the A8 saloon and A7 fastback.

BMW's M8 600bhp concept is a 2019 arrival, but they are showing it anyway. We brought you the first pictures of the next X4 recently, with on-the-road prices expected to start at 67,195. It's here in late summer. A hot M40i variant of the X3 is coming too.

Citroen show their new Berlingo Multispace. It's heavily practical, with three independent/folding rear seats and 19 driving assistance technologies. Here late 2018 or first quarter of 2019.

Expand Close Volvo XC40 / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Volvo XC40

Ferrari's 488 Pista is powered by the most powerful V8 engine in the marque's history.

Ford's special edition Mustang Bullitt begins production for Europe in June: 5-litre V8, expected 464PS.

Important facelifts too for the Ka+ with the Ka+ Active (showing a bit of mini-SUV muscle). They'll be on sale later this year and will be side by side with a Fiesta Active.

Order books for Honda's retro-styled Urban electric vehicle - shorter than a Jazz - are to open early next year.

The new CR-V will not have a diesel, instead relying on a 1.5 petrol (late summer) and hybrid powerplants (October/November).

Jaguar's new I-Pace all-electric SUV gets its motor show debut. Its 90kWh lithium ion battery is capable of covering 480km, they claim (new WLTP cycle; 537km on the old NEDC test). They say public charging to 80pc capacity on a 50kW charger should take 1hr 25min. It is also compatible with 100kW public chargers (where available) which give an 80pc charge in 45 minutes. A 'home' 7kW wall box will charge to 80pc in 10 hours.

Expand Close Polestar 1 / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Polestar 1

At 4,682mm long it is similar to the XE saloon. And there is a 656-litre boot compared with 500 litres in a Macan.

The I-Pace is the first Jaguar to get over-the-air updates. They not only update infotainment and vehicle systems but also keep track of battery usage. There is an eight-year battery warranty.

Hyundai say their electric Kona SUV can cover 300km to 467km on a single charge, depending on model. It is expected here for the 182-reg period.

Their new Santa Fe will be a 191-reg motor for Irish buyers. Two engines are new to the car: The current 200PS 2.2-litre diesel may be accompanied by a new 2-litre diesel as well as a 2-litre turbocharged petrol.

Kia's Ceed (no longer cee'd) hatchback and estate are shown, with shooting brake and SUV models due to arrive later. Here by July. The estate's claimed 600 litres of luggage room is more than the BMW 5 Series Touring or Ford Mondeo Estate, according to reports. The underrated and revised Optima is shown too.

From Mercedes there are (at least): the new A-Class, facelifted C-Class, 4dr GT Coupe, G63, C43 saloon/estate facelift, plug-in hybrid C300de, E350e, G-Class, and Maybach S-Class.

Peugeot's family/fleet 508 saloon has been dramatically styled. This is a super looking car. Can it beat off the SUV mania?

The nicely styled Polestar 1, the brand's first model, is on show.

Lexus unveil their first compact SUV the UX - a rival for the likes of the Jaguar E-PACE. It looks stunning and is due here in the first quarter of next year.

Also a European premiere for the new RX L (three rows of seats, accommodation for up to seven).

Opel's new Combo Life passenger car - described as a key vehicle in its product offensive - goes on sale here from Q3 this year.

Renault say their EZ-Go concept aims to "reinvent the taxi". The new six-seater pod is hugely futuristic and fully autonomous but is a 2030 aspiration.

SEAT'S first fast SUV, the Cupra Ateca, is the initial step towards Cupra becoming a fully-fledged sub-brand.

Next year's Skoda e-Citigo has been confirmed as the brand's first all-electric model. A hybrid Superb will follow. Skoda's facelifted Fabia is at the show while their Vision X small SUV is previewed. The Kodiaq gets the L&K luxury treatment.

SsangYong showcases its e-SIV electric concept (a Qashqai rival). Also there is a European debut for its new Musso pick-up.

Subaru pushes on with its Viziv concept campaign - this time it's the Tourer concept. It's more or less an estate version of the Performance concept many regard as the forerunner for the next-generation WRX.

The next-generation Toyota Auris is also shown. As reported elsewhere, it is a 191-reg car for Irish buyers and will have three powertrains (no diesel): a 1.2-litre 4cyl turbo petrol (116 hp), a 1.8-litre hybrid, 1.8-litre 122bhp and a 2-litre, 180bhp hybrid.

Volkswagen's ID Vizzion saloon concept is unveiled. This concept follows the ID hatchback, ID Crozz SUV and the fun ID Buzz Microbus concepts.

As such it reveals another line into the future - very much electric.

With a claimed 297bhp on tap, its 111kWh lithium-ion battery pack is good for up to 660km. It's a 4WD in the sense that motors power all four wheels.

The important thing to note, however, it is the only current ID model member to have no driver controls.

That means it would be the first autonomous vehicle the carmaker has revealed. There are four seats, no pedals, steering wheel or infotainment.

Again that suggests fully autonomous or level five autonomy, where no driver input is ever required. Also looking forward to seeing the Cabrio version of Volkswagen's T-Roc when it arrives in 2020.

And Volvo, fresh from the XC40 being voted European Car of the Year, roll out their new V60 estate, with an S60 saloon to follow. Expect both early next year.
David Oyelowo has been hailed as a really talented actor as his latest film received its world premiere in Los Angeles.

The Oxford-born actor stars alongside Charlize Theron in Gringo, which premiered at the Regal LA LIVE on Wednesday.

Director Nash Edgerton praised Oyelowo, 41, on the red carpet.

I think hes a really talented actor. I had dinner with him, we got on really well and he totally got the tone of what I was trying to do, he said.

And I just knew halfway through dinner he was the guy I wanted to cast in this movie.

The movie is about Oyelowos characters run-in with the Mexican cartel as he tries to manufacture a legal cannabis pill and also sees Paris Jackson make her feature film debut.

Also appearing in the film is Devon-born Harry Treadaway, who said its release is timely because of the ongoing debate about the drug as it becomes increasingly decriminalised in the US.

Its use, even for medical purposes, remains illegal throughout the UK.

I think its a timely comedy which comes at a time when its an interesting stage. Youve got some states where its totally legal, youve got some states where theyll lock you up for 10 years for having pot, the 33-year-old said.

All debates are good and I can absolutely see there are advantages for a drug like that, theres a lot of medicinal uses for it.

 Gringo is released in UK cinemas on Friday.
A man accused of stealing Frances McDormands Oscar from an after party will deny a charge of grand theft of property, his lawyer has said.

Terry Bryant, 47, allegedly swiped McDormands best actress Academy Award for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, as she celebrated at the Governors Ball on Sunday night.

Lawyer Daniel Brookman said: We intend to forcefully resist the charges and defend our client very aggressively.

The lawyer was flanked by Bryants rabbi, Naomi Levy, who described him as a sweet, gentle man of faith.

Expand Close Last year's acting winners will be presenting the acting awards for 2019, as is tradition. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Last year's acting winners will be presenting the acting awards for 2019, as is tradition.

Mr Brookman made the comment at a press conference at Los Angeles Foltz Criminal Justice Centre where Bryant was due to appear.

Prosecutors have said Bryant was witnessed taking the statuette before being detained near an exit.

In a since-deleted video selfie posted to Facebook, Bryant was seen dressed in a tuxedo being lavished with praise while clutching the award and courting congratulations.

Look it, baby. My team got this tonight. This is mine, he said, before planting a kiss on the Oscars head.

Bryant was also captured on video leaving the ball while brandishing the award to photographers, one of whom confronted him after not recognising him as a winner.

Mr Brookman addressed the footage, saying: Theres a difference between holding an Oscar and what he is charged with, so that will play out in court.

The lawyer said that Bryants behaviour was out of character for anyone, but would not comment on his mental state.

Ms Levy, who said she has known Bryant for seven years, added: I think we are living in an unusual time in America.

I believe that maybe perhaps his story is a commentary on our whole society and its obsession with its 15 minutes of fame.

Police said he handed the bronze statue back without a struggle and was arrested.

Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said he faces up to three years in jail if convicted and that a 20,000-dollar (14,400) bail had been requested.

McDormand, 60, won her second best actress Oscar for Martin McDonaghs Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Her publicist said she celebrated being happily reunited with the bronze statuette with a double cheeseburger from Californias In-N-Out Burger chain.

Bryants case has been adjourned until the afternoon.
Frances McDormand with her best actress Oscar

A suspected Oscar thief is due in court charged with stealing Frances McDormands award from an after-party.

Terry Bryant, 47, will appear at Los Angeles Foltz Criminal Justice Centre on Wednesday charged with grand theft of property.

He allegedly swiped McDormands best actress Academy Award as she celebrated at the Governors Ball on Sunday night.

Expand Close McDormand flaunts her award with Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney and Gary Oldman / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp McDormand flaunts her award with Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney and Gary Oldman

Prosecutors said Bryant was witnessed taking the statuette before being detained near an exit.

A since-removed video selfie on Bryants Facebook appeared to show him dressed in a tuxedo having praise lavished on him after courting congratulations while clutching the award and dressed in a tuxedo.

Look it, baby. My team got this tonight. This is mine, he said, before planting a kiss on the Oscars head.

Bryant was also captured on video leaving the ball while brandishing the award to photographers, one of whom confronted him after not recognising him as a winner.

Police said he handed the bronze statue back without a struggle and was arrested.

Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said he faces up to three years in jail if convicted and that a 20,000-dollar (14,400) bail had been requested.

McDormand, 60, won her second best actress Oscar with Martin McDonaghs Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Her publicist said she celebrated being happily reunited with the bronze statuette with a double cheeseburger from Californias In-N-Out Burger chain.
Black Panther star Michael B Jordan has offered to replace a fans dental brace which she snapped in excitement while watching the Marvel film.

student Sophia Robb, from San Francisco, clenched her teeth so hard when Jordans character took his shirt off in the movie that she broke the wire on her retainer.

After the 18-year-old admitted the incident on Twitter, Jordan posted: Since I feel partly responsible for breaking your retainers, let me know if I can replace them.

.@pixyrue since I feel partly responsible for breaking your retainers  let me know if I can replace them   Michael B. Jordan (@michaelb4jordan) March 6, 2018

She replied: You are too kind, it was so worth it.

The story was originally revealed on Tumblr by Ms Robbs orthodontist, who wrote that one of his patients had come in for an emergency visit after snapping the brace.

His post was shared widely on Twitter before Ms Robb realised the story was about her.

She told BuzzFeed: So it was the scene where Killmonger took his shirt off for the battle to become king of Wakanda. I pressed my tongue against my permanent retainer and clenched my jaw so hard that the wire disconnected from my teeth.

Its a funny story and Im not embarrassed about it. If anything it speaks to how great of a movie Black Panther is.
Dwayne The Rock Johnson has praised emergency services after a scary medical incident involving his two-year-old daughter Jasmine.

In an Instagram post to his 100 million followers, the actor said the youngster was taken to hospital in Los Angeles on Saturday, but did not give any more detail on the reason.

We were up all night in the emergency room, we had something scary that happened with our baby girl Jasmine, the former WWE star said.

Shes OK now, thank God, but I just want to say thank you to everybody who was involved, so caring, compassionate and responsive.

The 911 operator who was on the phone with me, who was extremely calm walking me through some processes, the Los Angeles Fire Department first responders, UCLA medical team and staff, the doctors, the nurses. Again, everybody, thank you everybody so, so much.

The Baywatch star, 45, said he would never want any other family to go through the same experience, but shared some advice from the incident.

To all you mommies and daddies out there when emergencies like this happen, I would just highly recommend that you stay as calm and as focused as possible, because our little babies pick up on what we put out especially in times of stress.

Incidentally, the father-of-two, who is expecting his second daughter with girlfriend Lauren Hashian this spring, recently appealed to his Instagram followers to brush up on their baby first aid.

Johnson said his family and staff were being taught how to respond when babies, children and adults choke or need CPR.

You hope theres never an emergency where you never have to deploy the skill, Johnson wrote.
Earlier this year, there was a dark cloud hanging over the Irish blogging community: a number of accounts had been set up "calling out" influencers and personalities and what ensued was a very dramatic few weeks on social media.

It was over as quickly as it arrived and within a month, it was business as usual for everyone, but for Cork based Lisa Jordan, a former makeup artist who now makes a lucrative living full-time from her online life, the whole debacle left a sour taste in her mouth.

"It frustrates me because there are a lot of us out there that are genuine and so true to ourselves. I live with the ethos of empathy, kindness, transparency and honesty on my blog. It's the only way you'll be successful in anything as people know well if someone is not genuine, but when controversy arrives it does not affect everyone whether they are mentioned or not," she told RSVP magazine.

"I wasn't specifically mentioned but it did affect me because some of the girls are my friends and I didn't like the comments written about them. I don't think anyone has been weeded out, everyone is still driving on. I think it was an eye opener for some of the audiences, they are probably more aware and alert about certain people.

Expand Close Lisa Jordan at the Peter Mark VIP Style Awards 2017 at The Marker Hotel Dublin. Picture: Brian McEvoy / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Lisa Jordan at the Peter Mark VIP Style Awards 2017 at The Marker Hotel Dublin. Picture: Brian McEvoy

"But a lot for stuff was taken out of context and dragged up for the past. When you start out blogging, you don't think that you are going to be big, or that in 10 years time this might come back and bite you," she added.

Jordan was working part-time as a makeup artist in MAC for the last number of years to supplement her blogging income, but as her profile began to grow, and she welcomed daughter Pearl in October 2016, she is now focused full-time on being her own boss.

She's clearly trying to do things her own way, revealing that she has requested to be removed from sample lists from brands, and she says she pays tax on items considered benefit in kind.

And she's upfront when it comes to her appearance, admitting she is naturally slim ("there's no hidden agenda or secret workouts - this is me") and she intends to avoid cosmetic surgery.

Expand Close Lisa Jordan with her daughter Pearl. Picture: Instagram / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Lisa Jordan with her daughter Pearl. Picture: Instagram

"You're damned if you do and damned if you don't because if you don't say you have it, you're in trouble as you have the before and after pictures. I personally wouldn't touch my fact and I wouldn't do Botox."
21 migrants were missing and probably drowned after a rubber dinghy and a wooden boat set off from Libya for Italy and had to be rescued, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said yesterday (stock picture)

Twenty-one migrants were missing and probably drowned after a rubber dinghy and a wooden boat set off from Libya for Italy and had to be rescued, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said yesterday.

The 21 people missing were all among the 51 on the wooden boat, and two dead infants had reportedly been discovered on board, bringing the likely death toll to 23, IOM spokesman Joel Millman told a regular UN briefing in Geneva.

All 132 people on the rubber dinghy were rescued, he said.

Both incidents happened on Saturday, but survivors had only just reached the port of Pozzallo in Italy, Millman said. Other survivors were shipped back to Libya.

The probable deaths marked the largest incident in over a month on the central Mediterranean migrant route between Libya and Italy, usually the most lethal route, with only one body washed ashore in Libya since February 2.

"We continue almost every day to learn of deaths in Moroccan, Algerian and Spanish waters," Millman said.

"We understand the total for the first 63 days of the year is 105 deaths on that route, which is well ahead of what things were like a year ago, when we just had 44."
Liverpool full-back Andrew Robertson rewarded a young Reds fan who gave up his pocket money for charity before their Champions League match against Porto.

Robertson penned a letter and sent a signed shirt from team-mate Roberto Firmino to Alfie Radford after he had given up his savings to buy food for Fans Supporting Foodbanks before Tuesdays goalless draw at Anfield as Jurgen Klopps side advanced into the quarter-finals of the competitions.

The foodbank, which supports people in the Liverpool area, dubbed the youngster as fan of the month on their Twitter account on Wednesday morning, before his mother Amy Radford posted a picture on social media of her son with the Brazilians match shirt and letter from Robertson later in the day.

Alfie's story won't be reported by the media, why would it ?



Our "Fan of the Month" spent his pocket money to buy food to donate to those less fortunate.



The future of our City & the beautiful game is safe if we produce children like Alfie Radford.



RT If you agree #LFC #YNWA pic.twitter.com/p9cmPoTsB4  FANS SUPPORTING FOODBANKS #RightToFood (@SFoodbanks) March 7, 2018

The Scotland international wrote: I saw on Twitter that you did something very special for the foodbanks at Anfield last night.

I remember from being your age just how important pocket money is and hows theres hundreds of things you could have bought for yourself with it.

For you to give that up for people who are having a tough time and need some help to get by is absolutely amazing. Let me tell you now, that is brilliant from you and sets an example to the rest of us that showing a little care and thought for others is really important  its also very Liverpool! Foodbanks is a cause close to my own heart what youve done will stay with me for a long time.

Youve done something amazing for other people and expected nothing in return for it. Because of that I want to make sure it is rewarded.

Ive got one of Roberto Firminos match shirts from this season and asked him to sign it for you, by way of a thank you for what you did for the food banks. Lets be honest Alfie  no one wants a left-backs shirt  which is why I got you Bobbys instead. Hope thats okay.

Ill make sure all the lads hear about what youve done. Youve done LFC proud Alfie  your family will be made up with you Im sure.
Pepe the Frog is the subject of a lawsuit in the US (Matt Furie/Kickstarter screenshot)

The cartoonist who created Pepe the Frog has sued conspiracy-promoting website Infowars for selling a poster copying the character, which became hijacked by racist internet trolls and far-right extremists.

The copyright infringement lawsuit, filed on Monday in Los Angeles, is the second that California-based cartoonist Matt Furie has brought as part of a legal campaign to reclaim his creation.

Infowars website is the online platform for right-wing radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

Furies lawsuit says he didnt authorise the site to sell a poster that depicts the anthropomorphic frog alongside images of Jones, US President Donald Trump, far-right agitator Milo Yiannopoulos and other right-wing figures.

Jones described the lawsuit as a publicity stunt. Although he stressed that Infowars didnt produce the poster, Jones said he views it as an expression of political speech protected by the First Amendment.

My listeners understand this is all frivolous, Jones told The Associated Press. We dont have any choice but to fight back, and the law is on our side.

Expand Close Matt Furie. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Matt Furie.

Infowars is selling the Pepe-adorned MAGA (Make America Great Again) poster for $29.95 (21) and says it was created by renowned artist and patriot Jon Allen. Jones said Infowars has sold about 1,000 of the posters but added that its hardly one of the sites most popular items.

I think the frog is stupid looking. I think its a dumb meme, he said.

Last June, Furie launched a Save Pepe crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to raise money for a new comic book. He also enlisted help from lawyers to pursue legal action against people who appeared to be profiting from Pepes image without his permission.

I think there has been progress, said Louis Tompros, one of Furies lawyers. It is a little bit like whack-a-mole, candidly.

In October, Furie sued a woman in Kansas City, Missouri, for allegedly selling oil paintings featuring Pepe, including one in which a masked Pepe is holding a rifle in front of what appears to be the White House. The case is still pending.

Tompros said white nationalist Richard Spencer and other far-right fringe figures have complied with written requests to stop using Pepes likeness without permission.

Expand Close Pepe the Frog. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Pepe the Frog.

However, Tompros said Furies lawyers didnt email and mail requests for Infowars to remove the poster from its online store until after they filed the lawsuit.

Furies chill frog-dude debuted in a 2006 comic book called Boys Club and became a popular canvas for benevolent internet memes. But the user-generated mutations grew increasingly extreme and ubiquitous more than a year before the 2016 presidential election.

Furie has said he was horrified to see his creation become an online mascot for white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other right-wing extremists. The Anti-Defamation League branded Pepe a hate symbol in September 2016 and promoted Furies efforts to reclaim the character.

Jones said he views the MAGA poster as a symbol of the 2016 campaign.

Everybody knows Im not a white supremacist. Im not into that crap, Jones said. This is just purely harassment.

Texas-based parent companies Infowars LLC and Free Speech Systems LLC are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
A lizard has achieved internet fame by being photographed in a pose strikingly similar to a famous meme.

The photo of Petey the bearded dragon posted to Twitter by her owner Isabella Mione, 19, from Chicago has been likened to internet-famous Disaster Girl, who can be seen smiling devilishly at a camera as a fire rages behind her.

Disaster Girl is actually Zoe Roth, and the photo was taken during a fire brigade training session in 2004 as her family looked on.

Isabella snapped the photo of her eight-month-old bearded dragon on Monday when she spotted the likeness. I took (the photo) just because it looked exactly like the little girl in the meme and so I thought it would be hilarious to compare them, she told the Press Association.

Evidently, others on Twitter agreed. The original tweet showing her photograph has been retweeted over 23,000 times.

Isabella and her boyfriend have owned Petey since September, and originally thought she was a male. Now Petey the female has flourished into internet stardom.

Its very weird to have people recognise me because of my lizard! said Isabella.

boy this bath bomb sure is weird pic.twitter.com/FOBbhW5yER  izzy (@danisnobunk) February 24, 2018

This isnt Peteys first time in the spotlight. A more innocent-looking photo of her went viral in February, showing her drifting on a flamingo rubber ring in the bath with Isabella.

Isabella and her bearded dragon certainly do have a close relationship. Isabella loves to show her off and is pleased the people of the internet are enjoying her friend.

Im her number one fan and so Im definitely happy shes getting the fame I knew she deserved.

She does a lot of goofy things and Im really glad when I can share them and show people that lizards arent gross and they have personalities just like any other pet. Maybe this is why my friends call me the lizard lady!
A drunk man from the US has unfortunately managed to hit himself with the very car he was driving.

The man was fleeing the police in Fairfax, Virginia, when he decided to get out of the vehicle and run  a decision he soon regretted.

You asked, we answered. Heres the in-car video from this mornings #FCPDStrangerCalls post. CARma: Our officers tried to pull a man over. He sped off, then got out of his car to escape, but forgot to put it in park. Oops. He got hit by his own car. Hes okay physically, but is charged with DWI  3rd offense, and a long list of other charges. #FCPDStrangerCalls Posted by Fairfax County Police Department on Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Fairfax County Police Department said the man was OK physically following the moment of accidental self-destruction, so yes you you dont need to feel too bad for laughing.

The man fled after the local police force tried to pull him over.

He sped off, then got out of his car to escape, but forgot to put it in park, read the police departments Facebook post. Oops.

The man has now been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and a long list of other charges.
This handout from the presidential Blue House shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (right from centre) talking with the South Korean delegation, which travelled as envoys of the Souths President Moon Jae-in, during a dinner in Pyongyang. Photo: Getty Images

North Korea has vowed to halt nuclear and missile tests if it holds talks with the US, in a major diplomatic breakthrough that could lead to a peaceful resolution of military tensions, officials revealed yesterday.

The pledge was made during an unprecedented meeting between top South Korean security officials and Kim Jong-un, the reclusive North Korean leader, in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, on Monday evening.

Expand Close US President Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp US President Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters

US President Donald Trump welcomed the developments yesterday, praising the "possible progress" from the talks and saying that all sides were putting in "serious effort".

However, other US administration figures were more wary.

Mike Pence, the vice president, said "credible, verifiable and concrete steps toward denuclearisation" would be needed before America changed its stance of applying "maximum pressure" on the regime.

Dan Coats, the US director of national intelligence, said he was "quite sceptical" about the announcement, adding: "Maybe this is a breakthrough. I seriously doubt it. As I said, hope springs eternal."

In another significant development, North and South Korea agreed to hold their first joint summit in more than a decade in late April, according to Chung Eui-yong, who led the South's two-day delegation to the North.

The summit between Moon Jae-in, the South Korean president, and Mr Kim will be held in the border village of Panmunjom, within the highly militarised zone between the two countries who are still technically at war.

Mr Chung said yesterday that North Korea had expressed its willingness to talk to America "in an open-ended dialogue to discuss the issue of denuclearisation and to normalise relations".

Pyongyang indicated that it would not need to keep its nuclear weapons if military threats against the country were resolved and it received a credible security guarantee, said the South Korean envoy.

The North Koreans, who dined with their South Korean counterparts for four hours, also vowed never to use nuclear and conventional weapons against the South, Mr Chung added.

The promise to freeze its nuclear programme, in an apparent reversal of earlier statements that the US demand to denuclearise was "ridiculous", opens the door for talks with the Trump administration, which has previously stated it will negotiate "under the right conditions".

Mr Trump tweeted yesterday: "Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned.

"The world is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the US is ready to go hard in either direction!"

Hours later Mr Pence released a statement that adopted a cooler tone, promising: "Whichever direction talks with North Korea go, we will be firm in our resolve.

"The United States and our allies remain committed to applying maximum pressure on the Kim regime to end their nuclear programme.

"All options are on the table and our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible, verifiable, and concrete steps toward denuclearisation."

Meanwhile, Mr Chung said the South and North had agreed to set up a "hotline" between their leaders to allow "close consultations and a reduction of military tension".

The April summit will be only the third in recent memory.

The past two, in 2000 and 2007, led to a series of co-operative projects between the two Koreas but not, ultimately, peace.

Mr Coats warned yesterday that China was spending "an extraordinary amount of money" to increase its international standing, worrying its neighbours and threatening US influence.

"A report was recently released, an unclassified version, that China will spend about $8bn (6.5bn) in 68 different nations establishing its geostrategic positioning, not only for economic purposes and trade purposes, but also for use of military facilities," Mr Coats told a senate hearing on worldwide threats.

On Monday, China unveiled its largest defence spending increase in three years, setting an 8.1pc growth target this year, fuelling an ambitious military modernisation programme.

 Daily Telegraph, London

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
Australia and East Timor have signed a historic treaty drawing their maritime boundary, ending years of bitter wrangling over billions of dollars of oil and gas riches lying beneath the Timor Sea and opening a new chapter in relations.

The agreement was doubly historic because it also marked the successful conclusion of the first-ever negotiations to settle maritime differences under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea  a process that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged other countries to use to peacefully resolve such disagreements.

Before a crowd of cameras, diplomats and officials, two copies of the treaty were signed by Australias foreign minister, Julie Bishop, and East Timors minister for delimitation of borders, Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira.

The chairman of the independent Conciliation Commission that led negotiations, Danish Ambassador Peter Taksoe-Jensen, then signed as a witness.

It is a landmark event for our two nations, but also for international law, Ms Bishop said. Both our governments have deemed this to be a just and equitable outcome.

Mr Pereira agreed, saying: Today is indeed a momentous day that will be recorded in East Timors history and be remembered and celebrated.  With the signing of this treaty today, we write a new chapter in the friendship between our two countries.

For East Timor, a half-island nation of 1.5 million people who are among the poorest in the world, the treaty is crucial to economic development and employment opportunities.

Mr Pereira said 65%, mostly young people, are looking for jobs.

Ms Bishop told reporters that under the treaty East Timor will get the biggest share of revenue from exploiting the oil and gas.

It will be split either 80-20 if gas is piped to Australia for processing or 70-30 if it is piped to East Timor, she said.

We are talking billions of dollars over the life of such a resource project, Ms Bishop said.

Mr Pereira said companies have told East Timor that it is feasible to build a pipeline to the country.

We believe seriously that a successful pipeline to the south coast of Timor would be a game changer and have a transformational impact on the socio-economic status of the country, he said.

The dispute has dominated and soured relations since 2002, when East Timor emerged as a fledgling nation independent of Indonesia.

The terms of the deal negotiated under the Conciliation Commission in The Hague, Netherlands, through the Permanent Court of Arbitration are expected to be made public shortly, Australian diplomats said.

East Timor achieving its ambition of a border midway between the two countries could encourage Indonesia to renegotiate its own much longer maritime boundary with Australia, agreed in 1971 under outdated international law.

The Indonesian border with Australia extends east and west of the new East Timor-Australia boundary and the vast expanse Indonesia allowed Australia is a source of increasing irritation for the Indonesian government.
Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned the country may face early elections due to a coalition crisis.

Speaking at the Economic Club in Washington, Mr Netanyahu said he wants his government to complete its term in November 2019.

He said: If all parties in this coalition  agree thats what we do, and if not then we will go to elections now.

If all parties in this coalition ... agree that's what we do, and if not then we will go to elections nowBenjamin Netanyahu

The countrys finance minister Moshe Kahlon has said his Kulanu party will leave the coalition if the budget does not pass in the next few weeks.

Coalition partners are feuding over whether to include military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Mr Netanyahu also made light of the corruption investigations against him back home.

When asked what the pleasure of his job is, Mr Netanyahu jokingly replied: investigations.
Executives at collapsed construction giant Carillion were more concerned with awarding themselves bumper payouts as the company headed for disaster, according to the worlds biggest investor, Blackrock.

The accusation came during a Parliamentary committee hearing which saw former Carillion shareholders quizzed by MPs from the Business and Pensions Committees on Wednesday.

Blackrock managing director Amra Balic told them that members of the Carillion board paid greater attention to their wallets than to the deterioration of the business.

The most recent conversations (Blackrock had with the board) were around executive pay.

It seems that the board was focusing more, thinking again how to remunerate executives rather than actually what was going on at the business.

Definitely too much focus at the board level around remuneration.

The comments, which reference Blackrocks engagement with Carillion in 2017, come after anger over pay packets for a string of top bosses at the collapsed construction giant.

Richard Howson, who headed the company from 2012 until July 2017, pocketed 1.5 million in 2016, which included a 122,612 cash bonus and 231,000 in pension contributions.

As part of his departure deal, Carillion had agreed to continue paying him a 660,000 salary and 28,000 in benefits until October 2018.

Similar deals were struck for former finance chief Zafar Khan and interim chief executive Keith Cochrane.

During the hearing, Kiltearn Partners chairman Murdo Murchison raised concerns about shortcomings by both Carillions auditors and the companys non-executive directors.

Those closest (to the situation) dont seem to have any liability  one of the things I would look at much more closely is the tenure of auditors, he said, noting that KPMG had been auditors for Carillion since 1999.

He was then asked by MPs whether he thought the Big Four accounting firms  KPMG, EY, Deloitte and PwC  hold too much power.

There appears to be a lack of competition in a key part of the financial system, that periodically causes a lot of participants in that system a lot of trouble. Therefore, I would like to see a lot more competition.

Carillions liquidation left in its wake a 900 million debt pile, a 590 million pension deficit and hundreds of millions of pounds in unfinished public contracts.
Northern League party leader Matteo Salvini arrives at the party headquarters in Milan for a press conference ahead of Italys general election results. Photo: Getty Images

An Italian woman who has been in hiding from the Mafia for 27 years and unable to show her face publicly was elected as an MP for the Five Star Movement, encapsulating the extraordinary triumph of the anti-establishment party in the country's elections.

Piera Aiello, who was dubbed "the candidate without a face" by the Italian press, won 51pc of the vote in her constituency in Sicily, despite being unable to meet voters and campaign in the streets and piazzas.

The 51-year-old ran her campaign largely through television interviews, but had to conceal her face with a scarf for fear of reprisals by the mob.

She won a resounding victory in her constituency around the town of Marsala in western Sicily, 20 percentage points ahead of her nearest rival.

Ms Aiello grew up in western Sicily, where as a teenager she met a boy who happened to be the son of a local Mafia boss, who forced her into marriage with the young man.

After her husband was killed by a rival clan in 1991, Ms Aiello fled Sicily and became a pentita (state witness), giving the authorities information about the Mafia family and its criminal activities.

Now she has been elected, she says she will come out of hiding. "It will be like seeing the light again," she told the Italian press.

The success of Five Star was echoed by another unusual case, after a candidate who was suspended from the party and withdrew from campaigning over an expenses scandal ended up being elected with 35pc of the vote.

Andrea Cecconi, known as the "ghost candidate", beat Marco Minniti, the interior minister and architect of deals with Libya that have been credited with drastically cutting the number of migrant boats reaching Italy. Mr Minniti is from the governing centre-left Democratic Party (PD), which won just 19pc of the votes in the election.

The party is now in danger of tearing itself apart over whether to forge an alliance with Five Star, which took 32pc of the vote, so that a government can be formed.

Matteo Renzi, who has said he will resign as head of the party after a government is formed, is implacably opposed to a deal with Five Star, saying they hold "extremist" views on Europe, immigration and other issues.

"They're anti-European, anti-political and have used a language of hatred," he wrote on Facebook.

"They said we were corrupt, mafiosi, and that we have blood on our hands because of immigration. I don't think they've changed their mind overnight."

Others within the Democratic Party are in favour of a coalition.

While Five Star swept to victory in southern Italy, the north supported a centre-right coalition consisting of the hard-right League and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party, which secured 37pc of the vote.

 Daily Telegraph, London

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
Anti-Muslim rioting has flared up again in central Sri Lanka despite a state of emergency, with Buddhist mobs burning mosques and Muslim-owned shops in at least two towns, residents said.

The police ordered a curfew across much of the region for a third day on Wednesday in a bid to calm the situation.

Expand Close Sri Lanka Violence / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Sri Lanka Violence

One resident, who requested anonymity out of fear of reprisal attacks, said two mosques and some Muslim-owned shops were attacked in two towns in the central hills. The extent of the damage could not be verified.

Anti-Muslim riots began on Monday after a Buddhist Sinhalese man died after reportedly being attacked by a group of Muslim youths.

Expand Close Sri Lanka Violence / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Sri Lanka Violence

Sri Lanka has long been divided between the majority Sinhalese, who are overwhelmingly Buddhist, and minority Tamils who are Hindu, Muslim and Christian.

Meanwhile, an internet company official said the government has ordered popular social media networks to be blocked across a swathe of central Sri Lanka in an attempt to stop the spread of religious violence.

The official said the networks, including Facebook, Instagram, Viber and WhatsApp, were blocked in the central hills, scene of the violence. However, many people outside that region were also unable to access the social media sites.
Chancellor Philip Hammond will reject the arguments of 'sceptics' in his keynote speech (Toby Melville/PA)

Philip Hammond will tell European leaders that including Britains lucrative financial services sector in a Brexit deal is in the mutual interest of the UK and the EU.

In a keynote speech in London on Wednesday, the Chancellor will reject the arguments of sceptics who claim there has never been a free trade agreement which includes financial services.

He will say the deeply interconnected nature of the EU and UK economies means businesses and individuals have come to depend on cross-border financial services in their day-to-day lives.

His appeal comes as French economy minister Bruno Le Maire became the latest senior EU figure to reject the idea that financial services could be part of a final Brexit deal, saying the best the UK could hope for was an equivalence regime.

It's important that @theresa_may acknowledged that there would be no financial passport post Brexit

Financial services cannot be in a FTA,for reasons of financial stability,of supervision.We have an alternative system that works-its the equivalence regime &we should rely on that  Bruno Le Maire (@BrunoLeMaire) March 6, 2018

Meanwhile, Brussels will set out its position for the next phase of Brexit talks.

European Council president Donald Tusk is holding a press conference in Luxembourg on the draft guidelines for the future relationship with the UK.

A document drawn up by the council of the EU general secretariat, seen by the Guardian, dismissed Theresa Mays speech setting out her Brexit vision as a change in tone, but not in substance and accused her of double cherry-picking.

Mr Hammond will build on the Prime Ministers Mansion House address, in which she accepted so-called passporting rights for banks could not continue after Brexit as Britain was leaving the single market.

Instead, she argued for an agreement that allows Britain and the EU to access each others financial markets based on a commitment to maintaining the same regulatory outcomes.

In Luxembourg tomorrow Tusk @eucopresident will present the draft EU27 guidelines on the future EU-UK relations after #Brexit.



Thursday Tusk meets Taoiseach @campaignforleo in Dublin.



Updated public agenda here: https://t.co/gLFrNQl1Vn  Preben Aamann (@PrebenEUspox) March 6, 2018

In his speech, the Chancellor will point out the EU had previously sought ambitious financial services co-operation in trade negotiations with Canada and the United States.

Mr Hammond will say: Our markets are already deeply interconnected and we have demonstrated how we can work together over the past decade as we have repaired and defended the financial stability of our continent.

If it could be done with Canada or the USA, it could be done with the UK  the EUs closest financial services partner by far.

So I am clear not only that it is possible to include financial services within a trade deal but that it is very much in our mutual interest to do so.

He will seek to highlight the way cross-border financial services have become woven into the fabric of daily life.

A trade deal between the UK and the EU must start from the reality of today  that our economies, including in financial services, are interconnected; that our regulatory frameworks are identical; and that our businesses and citizens depend on cross-border financial services trade in their day-to-day lives, he will say.

Welcome to French finance minister @BrunoLeMaire.



We met today to discuss #Brexit and the strong relationship between our two countries   pic.twitter.com/LUJ08O7C6D  Philip Hammond (@PhilipHammondUK) March 6, 2018

However, during a visit to London on Tuesday, Mr Le Maire said the particular circumstances of the financial services industry meant it could not be covered within the scope of a free trade agreement.

The best solution, he said, would be for a system of equivalence, where both sides recognised each others standards.

We need a good deal. But once again we have to avoid any misunderstanding between the British people and the French people, between the UK and the EU, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

Financial services cannot be in a free trade agreement, for many reasons, for reasons of stability, for the sake of supervision because there are some very specific rules for financial services.

So financial services cannot be in a free trade agreement, but we have an alternative system which is called the equivalence regime.
After stepping out of his truck, Pawel Krzysiek looked around at a town that no longer seemed habitable. Until Monday, the aid worker had only seen the destroyed landscape in pictures.

From the wreckage of the neighbourhood of Douma, which has borne the brunt of the Syrian government's offensive on besieged rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, came families desperate for food.

Expand Close Hossam Hawari, 8, is treated for a shrapnel wound yesterday. Photo: AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Hossam Hawari, 8, is treated for a shrapnel wound yesterday. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

"My children have been living in the basement for 15 days to escape the bombs," one mother told Mr Krzysiek, who works for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), saying they had only mouldy bread and animal feed to eat. "Why is no one helping us?" she implored. "Why can't someone stop this? Will the world stay silent?"

The convoy of 46 trucks carrying UN aid was the first into the Damascus suburb since last month, and the ICRC's first since last November.

Surrounded by the forces of Bashar al-Assad, Syria's president, residents of Eastern Ghouta are struggling to find food, and it is getting worse every day.

"Everything is missing from their society. There is no society," Mr Krzysiek told 'The Daily Telegraph' by telephone from Damascus.

"There are no markets, no medicine, no basic supplies, they can't even go to medical facilities because they are afraid of being hit."

He said hundreds of people displaced by the fighting in other districts had gathered in makeshift shelters underground.

"The few people there who have food feel bad eating it in front of the others," he said. "So they go out on the street to eat, where they are dangerously exposed to air strikes.

"The residents appreciate the humanitarian aid that was brought in - of course they want food and medicine - but really they just wanted shelling to stop. They genuinely fear for their lives and how this will all end.

"They told us: all we want is to stay here and live in dignity, and if we can't live in dignity, at least let there be some for our children."

Anger towards the UN among residents has been building since the Security Council unanimously passed a resolution on a 30-day ceasefire last month without implementing it. More than 250 have died in the last 10 days.

"I thought people would be much angrier, much more aggressive towards us, which I would not blame them for at all," Mr Krzysiek said. "They have the right to be angry, the conditions they're living in are very difficult."

 Daily Telegraph, London

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
Florida school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz has been formally charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder.

It could mean a death sentence if he is convicted.

A grand jury in Fort Lauderdale returned the indictment on Wednesday against the 19-year-old for the Valentine's Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland in which 17 people died and 16 were wounded.

The indictment also charges Cruz with 17 counts of attempted murder.

Expand Close School Shooting-Florida / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp School Shooting-Florida

Cruz's public defender has said he will plead guilty if prosecutors take the death penalty off the table, which would mean a life prison sentence.

The Broward County state attorney has not announced a decision on the death penalty.

The couple who provided a home to Cruz before the massacre had earlier given evidence before the grand jury considering the case charges.

James and Kimberly Snead each spent about half an hour in closed-door evidence on Wednesday before the panel.

Their lawyer Jim Lewis says they answered all questions and were fully cooperative.

Mr Lewis says the couple were shocked by what happened and did not foresee Cruz doing something like the shooting.

Expand Close Supporters back returning pupils at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Supporters back returning pupils at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (AP)

The Sneads took in Cruz after he briefly lived with a family friend following the death of his mother in November.
Best in show: Frances McDormand with her Oscar alongside Jodie Foster and Jennifer Lawrence. Photo: Getty Images

The man accused of swiping Frances McDormand's Oscar at an Academy Awards afterparty on Sunday has been charged with felony grand theft.

McDormand won the Best Actress statuette for her role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri at the Hollywood ceremony, but misplaced the honour while attending the Governors Ball, where her name was engraved on the award's plaque.

Security officials reportedly found the gold prize in Terry Bryant's possession, and he was subsequently taken into custody by police.

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney officially charged Bryant with a felony count of grand theft, which carries a maximum punishment of three years in prison, reports TMZ.com.

Bryant remains behind bars on $20,000 (16,100) bail.

McDormand had allegedly expressed a desire not to press charges against Bryant, but Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences officials, who technically still own the statuette, have made it clear they want justice.

Bryant is said to have lifted the statuette from the actress' table at the Governor's Ball and posed for pictures and videos with it, sharing the footage on social media. He even reportedly told other attendees at the party that the Oscar was his and asked them if they wanted to snap a shot with it.

Meanwhile, Frances, 60, was seen desperately searching for her missing award around the Ray Dolby Ballroom, and was spotted "crying emotionally" outside the bash after giving up the hunt and going home with her director husband Joel Coen, according to USA Today.

After the Oscar was returned to the actress, her representative, Simon Halls, told the publication: "Fran and Oscar are happily reunited and are enjoying an In-N-Out burger together."
Pope Francis has cleared the way for murdered Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero to be made a saint, declaring that a churchman who stood up for the poorest of the poor in the face of right-wing oppression should be a model for Catholics today.

The Vatican announced on Wednesday that during Tuesdays meeting with the head of the Vaticans saint-making office, Francis had approved a decree confirming a miracle attributed to Mr Romeros intercession.

Also approved was the miracle attributed to Pope Paul VI, paving the way for his canonisation as well.

No date has been set for either ceremony, which Francis would be expected to celebrate.

Mr Romero was gunned down by right-wing death squads on March 24 1980, as he celebrated mass in a hospital chapel.

The countrys military dictatorship had vehemently opposed his preaching against the repression of the poor by the army at the start of the countrys 1980-1992 civil war.

Francis unblocked Mr Romeros stalled sainthood case at the start of his pontificate and declared him a martyr in 2015.

Expand Close A sculpture of Oscar Romero at Westminster Abbey (John Stillwell/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A sculpture of Oscar Romero at Westminster Abbey (John Stillwell/PA)

The case had been held up for years by the Vatican, primarily due to opposition from conservative Latin American churchmen who feared Mr Romeros perceived association with liberation theology would embolden the movement that holds that Jesus teachings require followers to fight for social and economic justice.

It was also delayed over related questions about whether Mr Romero was killed out of hatred for his faith or his politics.

If killed for his politics, it was argued, he could not be declared a martyr of the faith.

Expand Close A miracle has also been attributed to Pope Paul VI (PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A miracle has also been attributed to Pope Paul VI (PA)

In the end, Pope Francis decreed in 2015 that Mr Romero was killed as a martyr out of hatred for the faith, or in odium fidei.

He was beatified in San Salvador on May 24 2015, before a quarter of a million jubilant Salvadorans, and held up as model of peace and forgiveness for Francis home continent.

Details of the miracle that paved the way for his canonisation were not revealed, but rumours have circulated for more than a year that a possible miracle was being studied.

When Francis declared Mr Romero a martyr, officials said the decree had confirmed the acceptance of a new understanding that martyrs can be killed, even by churchgoing Catholics, out of hatred for their Gospel-inspired work in favour of the poor and disenfranchised.

Salvadorans celebrated the news with the countrys President Salvador Sanchez Ceren saying in a tweet that the news fills us with immense joy.

The countrys Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez said: This is a day of glory for the country, of rejoicing and hope.

He called it an answer from God to the outcry of a people which has suffered so much.
Light tributes placed during a silent protest in memory of murdered journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova (Bundas Engler/AP)

Slovak President Andrej Kiska says the countrys government ignored warnings from intelligence services about activities of an Italian criminal syndicate in the nation.

Members of the Ndrangheta syndicate are suspected of possible involvement in the slayings of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova last month.

Mr Kiska said on Wednesday the head of the SIS spy agency, Anton Safarik, told him some government ministers had been long been informed about the group.

The president gave no further details.

Seven Italians linked to the group were detained last week as suspects, and later released.

In his last unfinished story, Mr Kuciak reported on the influence of Ndrangheta in eastern Slovakia and its ties to people close to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Italian authorities said they had warned their Slovak counterparts about the group.
The promoter of the failed Fyre Festival in the Bahamas  once billed as the cultural experience of the decade  has pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges.

Billy McFarland, 26, entered the plea in Manhattan federal court in a deal with prosecutors that suggested he serve between eight and 10 years in prison.

I deeply regret my actions, and I apologise to my investors, team, family and supporters who I let down, McFarland told US District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald in Manhattan.

He said he planned to organise a legitimate festival when he planned the Fyre Festival as an outgrowth of a digital application he launched in May 2016 to help concert promoters and private individuals directly book musicians for concerts.

I grossly underestimated the resources that would be necessary to hold an event of this magnitude, he said. In an attempt to raise what I thought were needed funds, I lied to investors about various aspects of Fyre Media and my personal finances. Those lies included false documents and information.

Expand Close Fyre Festival Promoter Billy McFarland / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Fyre Festival Promoter Billy McFarland

The festival was promoted as the cultural experience of the decade, an ultra-luxurious event on the Bahamian island of Exuma over two weekends last April and May. It was promoted on social media by Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and other models and celebrities coaxing people into buying ticket packages ranging from 1,200 US dollars (863) to over 100,000 US dollars (72,000).

Customers hoping to see Blink-182 and the hip hop act Migos arrived to learn music acts were cancelled. Their luxury accommodations and gourmet food consisted of leaky white tents and cheese sandwiches. Customers lashed out on social media with the hashtag #fyrefraud.

A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles called the festival nothing more than a get-rich-quick scam. It said the festivals inadequate food, water, shelter and medical care left attendees stranded on a remote island in a dangerous and panicked situation.

As part of his plea, McFarland also admitted raising money for the festival by giving a ticket vendor false information about Fyre Medias financial condition last April to induce the vendor to pay two million US dollars (1.4 million) for a block of advance tickets.

McFarland and his lawyer, Randall Jackson, declined comment outside court.

McFarland has been freed on bail since his June arrest. Sentencing was set for June 21.
Rolls Royce was the best performing stock on the FTSE 100 (PA)

Surging Rolls Royce shares helped nudge the FTSE 100 into positive territory, with investors celebrating news that the engine maker had swung to an annual profit.

Rolls Royce jumped 11.4% or 95p at 924p, topping Londons blue chip index which ended the day up 0.16% or 11.09p at 7,157.84p.

It came as the company reported a return to profit with a pre-tax surplus of 4.9 billion, thanks to a 2.6 billion accounting boost from recent strengthening of the Brexit-hit pound that helped it bounce back from a record loss of 4.6 billion in 2016.

The swing to profit highlights how well the restructuring plan is goingDavid Madden, CMC Markets UK

David Madden, market analyst at CMC Markets UK, said: The swing to profit highlights how well the restructuring plan is going.

There is still more work to be done in relation to reorganising, as the company plans to reshape the business into three units, down from five at the moment.

Rolls Royce failed to comment on whether there will be a reduction in the head count. The stock hit its highest level since November today, and if the bullish move continues it could target 1,000p.

Across Europe, the French Cac 40 and German Dax were up 0.3% and 1.09%, respectively.

In currency markets, the pound was nearly flat against the US dollar at 1.388, and was up just 0.05% versus the euro at 1.120.

Brent crude prices tumbled 1.7% to 64.36 US dollars per barrel after the Energy Information Administration reported growing US oil stockpiles and a smaller than expected drop in gasoline inventories that raised concerns over a glut of global supplies.

In UK stocks, Paddy Power Betfair shares fell 280p to 7,940p despite reporting an 18% increase in full-year underlying earnings, as investors turned their attention to a spate of sporting upsets that benefited bookmakers but resulted in punters placing fewer bets themselves.

Expand Close Leopardstown Christmas Festival  Day Two / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Leopardstown Christmas Festival  Day Two

The betting industry is also facing a raft of regulatory changes aimed at cracking down on problem gambling, including curbs on fixed-odds betting terminals  though Paddy said it was well positioned to deal with any regulatory challenges.

Legal & General rose 2.5p to 260.3p after the insurer reported record annual profits  up 32% to 2.1 billion  helped by changes in life expectancy rates and a strong performance in its retirement division.

Customers are not living as long as expected, which helps life insurers such as L&G, who pay out bigger sums the longer an individual lives.

Shares in Restaurant Group jumped 17.2p to 254.6p after saying it was banking on healthier vegan and vegetarian dishes to boost its performance this year.

It seemed to soften the blow of a drop in adjusted pre-tax profits from 77.1 million to 56.7 million in 2017.

Debenhams edged lower by 0.12p to 27.76p amid news that it has struck a concession deal with French interiors brand Maisons du Monde in its latest move to revamp trading.

The group said it would include Maisons du Monde shop-in-shop concessions in three of its stores this spring  in Debenhams Westfield (London), Birmingham and Manchester.

The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Rolls Royce Holdings up 95p to 924p, Smurfit Kappa up 176p to 3,218p, Evraz up 15.4p to 455.1p, and Just Eat up 23.8p to 768.6p

The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were WPP down 49p to 1,210.5p, Paddy Power Betfair down 280p to 7,940p, NMC Health down 84p to 3,274p, and Intertek Group down 101p to 4,991p.
Voters wait to cast their ballots during a presidential elections in Freetown, Sierra Leone (Kabba Kargbo/AP)

Sierra Leones voters are choosing a new president from among 16 candidates in a race that has sparked debate over dual nationality and eligibility for the countrys highest office.

Poll workers said voting was peaceful after thousands lined up before the sun rose on Wednesday to cast their ballot.

This is a great moment  where the people have transformed Sierra Leone and joined the great democratic countries of the world, said outgoing President Ernest Bai Koroma after voting in the west end of Freetown.

Whoever wins we must congratulate and rally round him for the progress and development of the country.

Expand Close An electoral official stands next to empty ballot boxes (Kabba Kargbo/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp An electoral official stands next to empty ballot boxes (Kabba Kargbo/AP)

Front-runners are Samura Kamara, the incumbents pick as successor, and Julius Maada Bio, the man who was defeated in the 2012 election.

The race most likely will go to a second round later in March as observers say it is unlikely any one candidate will receive 55% of the vote.

It marks the fourth time elections have been held since Sierra Leones brutal civil war ended in 2002.

The incumbent Mr Koroma has served two terms and is barred by the constitution from running again.

Mr Kamara, his hand-picked successor, is largely seen as a favourite after emerging from a crowded field of more than two dozen seeking the ruling APC partys nomination.

Expand Close A woman casts her vote during the presidential election (Kabba Kargbo/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A woman casts her vote during the presidential election (Kabba Kargbo/AP)

He has served as Sierra Leones foreign minister, finance minister, as well as governor of the Central Bank of Sierra Leone.

His main challenger is expected to be 53-year old Mr Bio of the SLPP, a former military leader who received 38% of the vote in 2012.

Mr Bio ruled Sierra Leone for three months in 1996 after having overthrown his former boss and friend before returning the country to civilian rule.

Some say that divisions within the party over Mr Bios running mate and some of the parliamentary candidates could affect his chances.

A third candidate who has emerged with a strong following is Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, a serious contender to break Sierra Leones two-party hegemony.

Although his party was launched only three months ago, he has been able to mobilise a disgruntled base as a result of current economic hardship and austerity.

This is a great moment ... where the people have transformed Sierra Leone and joined the great democratic countries of the worldOutgoing President Ernest Bai Koroma

Mr Yumkella, the former director-general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organiation (Unido), has been attracting significant crowds especially in Freetown.

In a bid to get him off the ballot, the ruling party has been trying to enforce a previously ignored citizenship provision of the 1991 constitution

The provision purports to bar Sierra Leoneans with dual citizenship from contesting for parliament and therefore the presidency.

The petition maintains that Mr Yumkella also holds American citizenship.

Other plaintiffs led by presidential candidate Charles Francis Margai, are now challenging the ruling party candidate and maintaining he is ineligible for holding dual British-Sierra Leonean nationality.

The cases have been postponed until later in the month after the election.

Sierra Leone has three million registered voters in a population of seven million.

The youth vote, including those who have turned 18 since the 2012 general elections, are expected to make an impact in this election, with 800,000 voters.

Results are expected within 10 days.

If there is a run-off, it is expected two weeks after the declaration of the results.
After years without the drugs to do lethal injections, a US State senate has agreed to require condemned inmates go to the electric chair instead.

South Carolina law has empowered residents of death row to make a choice between lethal injection and the electric chair since 1995, so the lack of drugs enabled them to stay alive by choosing injections.

Capital punishment essentially ended in 2011 in South Carolina, a state that had been averaging close to two executions a year.

He picks out the option that cant be carried out, extending his life indefinitely, complained a sponsor of the bill, state Senator William Timmons.

S.C. has made its voice known, and has asked that justice be served - on those convicted of a capital crime - by the death penalty. The Senate has just given a key second reading vote to S.872 that allows the Department a mechanism to carry out a Court-ordered execution. (1/2)  SC Senate GOP (@scsenategop) March 6, 2018

The proposal passed 26-12 on Tuesday and faces a last procedural vote on Wednesday before being sent to the House, where it is expected to face even less opposition.

South Carolina has electrocuted more than 200 inmates since first installing the electric chair in 1912, according to the Death Penalty Information Centre , including 14-year-old George Stinney in 1944, who remained the youngest person executed in the United States in the 20th century.

A judge finally vacated the black teenagers conviction in 2014, saying he did not get a fair trial in the deaths of two white girls.

The sponsor of the bill, Senator William Timmons from the floor during today's debate: "our society is a society of laws. The people of South Carolina asked for justice to be served, and it's our responsibility to see that justice is carried out." (2/2) pic.twitter.com/D11z6hFcM2  SC Senate GOP (@scsenategop) March 6, 2018

The drugs South Carolina uses to perform lethal injections expired a few years ago, and pharmacies have refused to sell the state new drugs, either because they are ethically against their use in executions, or because they dont want their names made public if they do sell them.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin, right, looks at bread and confectionery during his visit to the Samara bakery (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo/AP )

Russias President Vladimir Putin has praised US President Donald Trump but expressed disappointment with the US political system, saying it is eating itself up.

Asked if he was disappointed with Mr Trump, Mr Putin told state TV that he had no such feeling, adding he had a very positive impression of Mr Trump, whom he met on the sidelines of international summits last year.

Mr Putin praised Mr Trump as a great communicator who is easy to talk to, a man with whom you can search for a compromise.

Mr Putin added in Wednesdays remarks he was disappointed in the US political system, which he said has demonstrated its inefficiency and has been eating itself up.

Moscows hopes for better ties with Washington have been dashed by allegations of collusion between Mr Trumps campaign and Russia.
The United Arab Emirates is barring ships carrying some 170 billion Yemeni rials (490 million) from entering the southern port of Aden, officials in Yemen have said.

They said the money is meant for the salaries of government employees who have not been paid for over a year.

There was no immediate comment from the UAE.

Aden is under the control of the UAE, a key partner in the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Shiite Houthi rebels, who control most of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.

The coalition is fighting on the side of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadis government, but the UAE has long been at odds with Mr Hadi.
The third edition of Tax, Accounting and Audit in India is updated for 2017, and provides an overview of the f...
Washington, Mar 7 (IBNS): In the history of the company, popular soft-drink brand Coca Cola has announced that it is planning to manufacture alcoholic drink for the first time, media reports said.

"Coca-Cola is planning to produce an alcoholic drink for the first time in the company's 125-year history - with an alcopop-style product in Japan," BBC reported.

As per the media report, the product might be between 3% and 8% alcohol by volume.

A senior Coke executive in Japan was quoted as saying by BBC that the move was a "modest experiment for a specific slice of our market".

"We haven't experimented in the low alcohol category before, but it's an example of how we continue to explore opportunities outside our core areas," Jorge Garduno, Coca-Cola's Japan president told BBC.

However, it is not clear whether the drink will be sold outside Japan.

Image: Coca Cola Twitter page
New Delhi, Mar 7 (IBNS): The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the signing of Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between India and France.

The Agreement is expected to be signed during the forthcoming State visit of the French President to India, read a government statement.

The Agreement represents a major milestone in enhancing people-to -people contacts, fostering mobility of students, academics, researchers and skilled professionals and strengthening cooperation on issues related to irregular migration and human trafficking between the two sides.

The Agreement is a testimony to India's rapidly expanding multi-faceted relationship with France and symbolizes the increasing trust and confidence between the two sides.

The Agreement is initially valid for a period of seven years, incorporates provision for automatic renewal and a monitoring mechanism through a Joint Working Group.
The University of Birmingham researchers suggest that distorted memories play a role in preserving knowledge for someone with dementia and that the role they play should be evaluated.



The findings published in the journal Mind & Language, suggests that it might be better not to challenge the distorted beliefs of someone with dementia.



Research already suggests that some memory distortions make people feel better about themselves, especially when the memory presents them as more talented or independent than they actually are.

But, in the study, Professor Lisa Bortolotti and Dr Ema Sullivan-Bissett suggest that memory distortions help people preserve important information about themselves that would otherwise be lost.



Professor Lisa Bortolotti, University of Birmingham said: Imagine that an elderly woman with Alzheimers disease tells you that in the morning she was walking on the beach with her parents. Actually, her parents died long ago and she did walk on the beach with them, but not this morning, rather sixty years ago, when she was a young woman.



Should we challenge her report? If we do not confront her, she will feel more confident and we avoid creating additional stress for her, but we go along with her distorted picture of reality where her parents are still alive.



If we do confront her, we correct her mistaken representation of reality, but the challenge is likely to cause her stress and make her feel insecure, and as a result of this she may be unwilling to share information with others in the future.

The researchers suggest that these sorts of distorted memories in people with dementia may contribute to both their well-being and their knowledge.



Dr Ema Sullivan-Bissett, University of Birmingham explains: The woman who remembers walking on the beach with her parents retains some key information about herself by reporting the memory that she lived near the sea, that her parents loved spending time with her, and so on.



Because she lacks autobiographical information and her memory is going to get worse, it may not be possible for her to correct the distorted memory and gain true beliefs about her parents and herself from an external challenge.

Image: Wikimedia Commons
Kolkata, Mar 7 (IBNS): The Kolkata Police on Wednesday morning detained six persons, including a woman, for vandalizing a statue of Bharatiya Janata Party's predecessor organization Bharatiya Jana Sangh's founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in Kolkata, officials said.

According to reports, to protest the vandalization of Lenin statue in Tripura, at least six persons, who have claimed to be students of city's prestigious Jadavpur University and activists of ultra-Left student outfit RADICAL, gathered at a park beside Keoratala crematorium under Kalighat Police Station limits in south part of the city at around 8 a.m. and they tried to damage the statue with hammers.

Shouting anti-BJP slogans, those students smeared Shyama Prasad Mukherjee's face with black ink.

Locals caught the protesters and called in the police.

Senior officials from nearby Kalighat Police Station rushed to the scene and detained the agitators.

"We have detained six students, including five boys and a girl, for allegedly trying to vandalize a statue at Keoratala and they are currently being interrogated," a local police official told IBNS.

Bengal unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned of the incident and demanded strict actions against the protesters.

"We are condemning the barbaric act of vandalizing the statue of the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh Bharat Keshri, Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee, at Keoratola Mohasoshan and demanding very strong action against the culprits who were involved in it," General Secretary of West Bengal BJP, Sayantan Basu, told IBNS.

"We want to give away the message that you just can't take away the contribution of Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee in building West Bengal by this shameful act and we will rebuild the statue with more grace," he added.

In last two days, at least two statues of Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin were razed by BJP supporters in Tripura, barely 48 hours after the saffron brigade came to power in the North-Eastern state.

Left leaders and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned of the incidents while BJP leaders and Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy condoned the act of hooliganism.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)
Kolkata, Mar 7 (IBNS): Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, Japan Self Defence Forces (JSDF) is in Kolkata on a two day visit.

He arrived in Kolkta on Tuesday, along with a delegation of five officers of JSDF.

The visit of the Chief of Staff of JSDF is a part of the bilateral visits as agreed during the visit of the Indian Defence Minister to Japan in September last year under the framework of India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

Admiral Kawano met Lt Gen Abhay Krishna, GOC-in-C, Eastern Command,on Wednesday at Eastern Command Headquarters Fort William.

The General officers stressed upon the recognition of bilateral strategic partnership and broad based co-operation in Defence and Security fields. They also discussed the current dynamics as prevalent in South East Asia.

Lt Gen Abhay Krishna felicitated Admiral Kawano with a memento to commemorate the first of such a visit by the COS, Jt Staff of JSDF.

Admiral Kawano also visited the historic Eastern Command Museum and Library at Fort William after interacting with the Army Commander.




New Delhi, Mar 7 (IBNS): Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, on Wednesday, appealed to all political parties to find a solution to end continued logjam in House to enable it to function properly, according to media reports.

Following the disruptions in the normal functioning of the parliament, she had called for a meeting with the House leaders of the political parties.

Media reports quoted Mahajan as saying that party leaders should meet each other and resolve the issues as the ruckus in the Lok Sabha creates a bad impression in the minds of visitors as well as those watching the proceedings on television.

On Wednesday, both houses of the Parliament saw storymy scenes and had to be adjounred.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned amid protests by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) over special category status for Andhra Pradesh, among other demands, media reports said.

According to reports, opposition parties as well as members of TDP and AIADMK stalled the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha, over the PNB banking fraud, special package for Andhra Pradesh and Cauvery Board issue.

Later, the House was adjourned till Thursday.
Kolkata, Mar 7 (IBNS): With the arrival of 11 foreign warships, the 10th edition of MILAN, a biennial congregation of friendly navies started on Tuesday in Port Blair.

The ships were escorted into the harbour by the Indian Naval Ships Baratang and Bangaram and also the Fast Interceptor Crafts of the Andaman & Nicobar Command.

These ships from the participating countries from Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean Regions, namely Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand, berthed at the Naval and Haddo jetties of Port Blair. Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri, Jyoti and Kirch from the Eastern Naval Command also reached Port Blair to participate in this multilateral exercise.

On their arrival at Haddo Jetty, all foreign warships were received ceremonially in the true naval tradition by the Army and Navy Bands, playing fanfare and martial tunes. Senior Officers from the Andaman and Nicobar Command including school children, waving flags of the participating countries also formed part of the welcome ceremony, read an officials statement.

In the evening, a band concert was held by the Andaman and Nicobar Command for the visiting foreign delegates and participants of MILAN 2018, including various dignitaries from the Armed Forces and the civil administration.

Admiral DK Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VSM, NM (Retd.), Lieutenant Governor, Andaman & Nicobar was the chief guest for this musical extravaganza.



Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, AVSM, ADC, Commander-in-Chief, Andaman & Nicobar Command was also present there. The Navy Band from the Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam with participation from the Army Band of 15 Assam, rendered a wide ranging repertoire which comprised of stirring martial music, arrangements of symphonies, overtures, concertos, Indian classical music, and a host of other forms of contemporary genres, including pop and folk music.



Commander Satish Champion, a licentiate in Military Music, was at the helm as the chief composer.

This prestigious international event will also see the participation of 39 delegates from 16 countries, making it the largest gathering since its inception in 1995.
Guwahati, Mar 7 (IBNS): The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police on Wednesday arrested three Agriculture department engineers in connection with a multi-crore rupees scam.

A top official of Assam Police CID said the engineers of the state Agriculture department were arrested after their involvement were found during interrogation.

The arrested officials were identified as Jayanta Sarma (Executive Engineer), Bhaskar Jyoti Das (Assistant Executive Engineer) and Mukul Chandra Deb (Junior Engineer).

The CID official said that investigating officer arrested them after their alleged involvement in the Rs 700 crore scam was found.

Investigation pointed to their involvement in anomalies relating to distribution of tractors, power tillers, other agricultural equipment among beneficiaries, the top CID official said.

CID has registered a case 56/14 under section 120(B)/420/406 of IPC and R/W section 13(1)(C)(2) of PC Act in connection with the scam which was placed during the previous Congress led state government.

Earlier, the Agriculture department officers were grilled by a CID team for several hours.

Last year, CID had arrested five officials of the state Agriculture department and three contractors in connection with the scam.

The arrested officials and contractors were identified as Dr Birendranath Sarmah (District Agriculture Officer, Jorhat), Lakheswar Gum (Assistant Executive Engineer, Gohpur, Sonitpur), Dilip Baruah (Executive Engineer (WM) Khanapara, Guwahati), Rohit Bharali (Junior Engineer, Nagaon), Ranbir Kakati (Executive Engineer, Nagaon) and three contractors Dipul Barman, Gautam Bhattacharjee and Kamakhya Agarwala.

The investigating agency had also grilled former state Agriculture director Kabindra Borkakty and former Chief Engineer Tibra Baruah for their alleged involvement into the scam.

(By Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Hyderabad, Mar 7 (IBNS): In a major development, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday announced that Telugu Desam Party has decided to pull out two of its ministers from the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

The pull out from the Union Cabinet is expected to take place on Thursday.

Naidu made the announcement just hours after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley expressed that it was difficult to give "special status" to Andhra Pradesh.

The decision was taken after Naidu met party lawmakers on Wednesday evening.

"As a first step, both our central ministers-civil aviation minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju and minister of state for science and technology Y S Chowdary- will resign from the Narendra Modi cabinet on Thursday morning, Naidu told media.

He said decision on alliance with the BJP will be taken later.

Naidu also tweeted to inform that their purpose of joining the Central government has not been fulfilled.

" The Centre has been taking one sided decisions and our patience has run out now. When the purpose of joining the union cabinet hasnt been fulfilled, its best to resign now," Naidu tweeted.

He said the decision to pull out minsters were taken for the benefit of the people of Andhra Pradesh.

"I am not angry with anyone. This decision has been taken only to benefit the people of Andhra Pradesh," he tweeted.

"I tried reaching out to the Prime Minister to inform him about our decision. But sadly, he was unavailable," he said.

Jaitley earlier in the day said his government is committed to giving Andhra Pradesh financial assistance equivalent to a special category state.

"We are committed to giving monetary equivalent to special status to Andhra Pradesh," Jaitley said.
Mumbai, Mar 7 (IBNS): Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai has denied the admission of actor Irrfan Khan, who is believed to be suffering from a rare disease, media reports said.

Dismissing several news reports, the hospital told NDTV India, "The news is not true. He is not admitted here for treatment."

Ever since actor Irrfan Khan said he is suffering from a 'rare disease', several Bollywood celebrities wished him speedy recovery.

Actor Abhishek Bachchan tweeted :" God speed."

Actor Suniel Shetty posted: " No matter what, I am sure you will emerge as a hero out of this too @irrfank All our prayers with you. Get well soon."

Irrfan, however, asked people not to speculate over the disease.

"Sometimes you wake up with a jolt with life shaking you up. The last 15 days, my life has been a suspense story," the Piku star wrote in a statement posted on Twitter days ago.

"Little had I known that my search for rare stories would make me find a rare disease," he said.

"I have never given up and have always fought for my choices and always will. My family and friends are with me and we are working it out the best way possible. In trying times, please don't speculate as I will myself share with you my story within a week - 10 days, when further investigations come with a conclusive diagnosis. Till then, wish the best for me," he added.

Irrfan has worked in Bollywood as well as international movies.

He entertained fans with his performance in movies such as Piku,Haider, Paan Singh Tomar, Jurassic World and Inferno.




New York, Mar 7 (JEN): Taking a stand against ongoing threats, harassment and murder of environmental defenders, the United Nations on Tuesday launched an initiative enlisting business communities to champion a clean and healthy environment.

Those who struggle to protect planet and people should be celebrated as heroes , but the sad fact is that many are paying a heavy price with their safety and sometimes their lives, Erik Solheim, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said Tuesday, launching the UN Environmental Rights Initiative in Geneva.

Its our duty to stand on the side of those who are on the right side of history. It means standing for the most fundamental and universal of human rights, he added.

By helping people to understand how to defend their rights, and by assisting governments to safeguard environmental rights, UNEP maintains that the initiative will bring environmental protection nearer to the people.

Although, since the 1970s, environmental rights have grown more rapidly than any other human right and are enshrined in over 100 constitutions, in January the international non-governmental organization (NGO) Global Witness documented that almost four environmental defenders are being killed weekly  with the true total likely far higher.

Many more are harassed, intimidated and forced from their lands. Moreover, around 40-50 per cent of the 197 environmental defenders killed in 2017 came from indigenous and local communities.

Violations of environmental rights have a profound impact on a wide variety of human rights, including the rights to life, self-determination, food, water, health, sanitation, housing, cultural, civil and political rights, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said, recounting recent visits to Papua New Guinea and Fiji where he was made keenly aware of the impact of extractive industries and climate change on individual rights.

It is crucial that those most affected are able to meaningfully participate in decisions relating to land and the environment, he stressed.

Two disturbing counter-trends are underway. The first is the escalating intimidation and murder of environmental defenders, and the second is some countries attempts to limit NGO activities.

States have a responsibility to prevent and punish rights abuses committed by private corporations within their territory, and businesses have an obligation to avoid infringing on the human rights of others, Mr. Zeid continued. I hope this new Initiative will be able to encourage States and businesses to comply with these obligations.

Leo Heileman, UNEP director for the office in Latin America and the Caribbean called it an opportunity to give environmental rights the same legal standing as human rights at the global level.

Among other things, the initiative will help governments strengthen institutional capacities to develop and implement policy and legal frameworks protecting environmental rights, and assist businesses to better understand their environmental rights obligations and provide guidance on how to advance beyond a compliance culture.

I am proposing to the UN Human Rights Council that the UN should join countries in recognizing a global right to a healthy environment, said John Knox Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment . The time has come to recognize this formal interdependence of human rights and the environment, not only at national level but at the UN level too.



World Bank/Curt Carnemark
New York, Mar 7 (JEN): The frenzied scale of unspeakable violence against the minority Muslim Rohingya community in Myanmar has shifted to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation, seemingly intended to drive the remaining Rohingyas from their homeland, a senior United Nations human rights official has warned.

The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya from Myanmar continues. I dont think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Coxs Bazar, Andrew Gilmour, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, said at the end of a four-day visit to Bangladesh which is hosting more than 800,000 Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled Myanmar this past August in the wake of a crackdown by the country's security forces.

According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), a number of refugees told Gilmour that Rohingyas who try to leave their villages or even their homes are taken away and never return.

They recounted incidents where family members were taken away by Myanmars security forces and later found dead. Furthermore, people are too afraid to ask what happened  or in cases where they question or protest, are beaten badly.

Additionally, while the rate of killings and sexual violence in Myanmars Rakhine province has gone down as compared to August and September last year, recent refugees arrivals narrated that towns near the countrys border with Bangladesh are already largely emptied of its Rohingya population and the refugees arriving now are coming from places further inland.There is also a recurring theme of women and girls being abducted, never to be seen again. Their relatives fear the worst  that they were raped and killed, added OHCHR.

It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists, added Gilmour, noting that the nature of the violence has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh.

Safe, dignified and sustainable returns impossible under current conditions  Andrew Gilmour

The senior UN human rights official also warned that while the Government of Myanmar is busy telling the international community that it is ready to receive Rohingya returnees, its forces are continuing to drive them away into Bangladesh.

Safe, dignified and sustainable returns are of course impossible under current conditions, stressed Gilmour.

He underlined that it is inconceivable to expect refugees to return given the immediate threat of almost certain killings, rape and other forms of violence; the impossibility of living at the places of origin, given that all sources of food and livelihood have been destroyed or declared off-limits for most of the remaining Rohingya; and the apparent absence of any will to address the root causes of the violence, which has resulted from decades-long policies of discrimination against the Rohingya, particularly the refusal of Myanmar authorities to recognise their right to self-identification and to grant them citizenship.

Donors must reciprocate Bangladeshs generosity

While in Coxs Bazar  once a sleepy fishing town in southern Bangladesh that has now transformed into the worlds largest refugee camp  Gilmour also drew attention to the fragile living conditions and the threats posed by upcoming, potentially devastating, rains.



Bangladesh has shown a level of generosity that is sadly lacking in many parts of the world, including in this region, he said, urging the international community to make long-term commitments to assist the refugees, as well as Bangladeshi host communities, in order to share the burden.In the capital, Dhaka, Gilmour also met with Government officials and hailed the countrys generosity in welcoming the massive influx of refugees.

He also called on the Government of Bangladesh to ensure that while the refugees remain in the country, they can live in dignity, including by permitting access to some livelihood opportunities and by upholding the right to education of all Rohingya children.

UNICEF/UN0136205/LeMoyne
Colombo, Mar 7 (IBNS) Sri Lankas telecom authority has taken immediate steps to lower the internet speed to interrupt social media to prevent transmitting fake news or rumors that arouse hate and violence in the country in the aftermath of the communal tension erupted in the Central parts of the country.

The government instructed the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) to lower the speed or cause interruptions when accessing the internet following the request of the Defence to prevent transmitting fake news or rumors that instill a fear psychosis or a threat to communal harmony.

The TRC has especially instructed the internet service providers to restrain internet access (4G/3G) in the Kandy District, where the clashes between group of Sinhalese and Muslims took place, until further notice.

The Defence Ministry has sought the help of the TRC to identify the persons who are involved in spreading malicious and false information through social media networks.

Meanwhile, Telecommunications, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment Minister Harin Fernando has confirmed access to certain social media websites and phone messaging applications are being restricted from today under extraordinary measures as a temporary response to limit the increasing spread of hate speech and violence.

The last few days have seen technology created to bring people together, being used to pull people apart. Social media websites such as Facebook, Whatsapp and Viber - which were created to bring us closer to our friends and family and make communication free and convenient, have been used to destroy families, lives and private property, he has stated issuing a statement.

He requested the youth to put down their smartphones, let go of their hate and help make a new Sri Lanka that is good for everyone.

Just before the government restricted social media, the former Sri Lankan batsman and Captain Mahela Jayawardana has today strongly condemned the recent acts of violence in his tweeter message.

Requesting the government to bring everyone involved in the incidents before the law regardless of race, religion or ethnicity, he tweeted saying: I grew up in a civil war which lasted 25 years and I dont want the next generation to go through that.

(Reporting by Shanika Sriyananda)
Kingston, Mar 7 (IBNS): A woman was arrested on Tuesday in eastern Ontario after she had participated at a protest against controversial Toronto professor Jordan Peterson, media reports said.

The woman was arrested near Queen's University in Kingston last evening.

Around 150 people had staged a protest against Peterson who has been accused of not using gender-neutral pronouns and opposing Bill C-16, which extends legal protections to transgender people of Canada.

However, the arrested woman was not a student of Queen's University.

The police said the woman was standing on one of the building's window ledges and banging the window. She later broke the window leading to her own injury.

Though she had tried to escape, police in informal clothes caught her.

She has been charged with mischief, assaulting police and in possession of weapon.

Peterson is a psychology professor in University of Toronto.



(Reporting by Suman Das)
"Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. Receive information of your transactions directly from Exchanges on your mobile / email at the end of day and alerts on your registered mobile for all debits and other important transactions in your demat account directly from NSDL/ CDSL on the same day." - Issued in the interest of investors." | "KYC is one time exercise while dealing in securities markets - once KYC is done through a SEBI registered intermediary (broker, DP, Mutual Fund etc.), you need not undergo the same process again when you approach another intermediary." | "No need to issue cheques by investors while subscribing to IPO. Just write the bank account number and sign in the application form to authorise your bank to make payment in case of allotment. No worries for refund as the money remains in investor's account."

www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others.
Two tribes are warning their citizens about recent overdoes from heroin in northern Wisconsin.

The Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians issued a warning on February and the Lac du Flambeau Band followed up a day later . Both tribes linked the overdoses to a "toxic and strong dose of heroin" in the region.

Stacy Stone, the Lac du Flambeau Band's state of emergency coordinator, told The Lakeland Times that the tribe was "being proactive" by warning people about the recent incidents.

According to the tribes, the heroin has appeared as a "white powdery substance" and been called "Batman" or "China White." It could be linked to fentanyl, an opioid that is known for being especially potent.

Both tribes are among the many in Indian Country dealing with the opioid epidemic. The Bad River Band declared a "public health emergency" last November in response to a rise in substance abuse.

The Lac du Flambeau Band has also seen problems with opioids and methamphetamine. A recent murder can be linked to drugs and gang activity, according to the tribe.

Elsewhere in Wisconsin, the St. Croix Chippewa Indians is suing the drug companies for not doing enough to address the crisis. At least seven other tribes are doing the same.

Read More on the Story: Bad River overdose cases prompt notice from LdF tribe (The Lakeland Times March 6, 2018)

Join the Conversation

Related Stories
Charlotte Little, a citizen of the Pueblo of San Felipe , has been appointed as the new clerk for the city of Albuquerque in New Mexico.

In her role, Little will oversee all elections in Albuquerque , the most populous city in the state. She will also be in charge of local government records, including those affecting lobbyists and campaigns, and of administrative hearings.

"I'm delighted to bring Charlotte on board as our new city clerk," Mayor Tim Keller (D) said in a news release on Wednesday. "Her past experience in tribal administration and working with a host of other government agencies will be extremely beneficial in the city clerk's office. The city is in good hands with Charlotte leading this crucial office."

Little previously served as an administrator and director of human resources for her tribe, whose homelands are about 30 miles north of downtown Albuquerque. She also worked for the Indian Health Service , a federal agency, in the city.

According to the mayor, Little is one of the first Native American women to lead a department in Albuquerque. About 4.6 percent of the population in the city is Native, and there are several reservations within close distance.

The All Pueblo Council of Governors , which represents the 20 Pueblo tribes in New Mexico and Texas, is based in the city and runs several businesses there. The Gathering of Nations , which is billed as the largest powwow in North America, takes place in Albuquerque every April.

In addition to the IHS, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians also operate headquarters in the city.

Despite the strong Native presence, Native people are under-represented in municipal life. They also face discrimination and, in some instances, are targeted for crime

Mayor Keller, who describes himself as a "lifelong heavy metal fan" on his social media accounts , called attention to the disparities during his campaign last year. He vowed to include Native Americans in his administration and develop programs and services to address the needs of Native residents. He took office on December 1.

Join the Conversation
If the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) manages to finish work by July, the city will become the first in India to have helipads for air ambulance to help in providing medical services in the 8 zones in Bengaluru. Earlier, this week the news of helitaxi- a helicopter taxi service made everyone eager.

reuters

These helipads will facilitate air ambulances to fly severely injured accident victims to hospitals. The construction of helipads in every BBMP zone to cater for air ambulances and for VIP movement could be finished in just four months, Mayor Sampath Raj said.

BBMP had announced the construction of the helipads during the civic budget on February 28.

The civic bodys initiative will be the first-of-its-kind wherein an urban local body will own its own helipads. The body has already identified piece of land in each zone and will soon call out tenders for the projects

Customers will be charged a nominal amount, which will go to the private firm building the helipads and running the air ambulance service.
In a major security breach, Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty was stabbed at least three times in his office while hearing a case on Wednesday in the ombudsmans office.

Justice Shetty who was rushed to the Mallya Hospital is said to be out of danger, but is still admitted in the ICU.

BCCL/ File

The incident is said to have happened when he was hearing a case. A man identified as Tejas Sharma has been arrested for the attack. The motive of the attack was not clear immediately.

ANI

It is even more shocking that how someone was able to get inside the Lokayukta office with a weapon.

Justice Shetty, a former judge of Karnataka high court took over as the anti-corruption ombudsman in January 2017.
The frenzy unleashed by a group of BJP supporters in Tripura following the historic election victory on Saturday seems to be spreading to other parts of the country like a wildfire.

It all began on Monday afternoon in Belonia town, when a group of BJP supporters celebrating BJP's historic victory in the polls, targeted a statue of Communist icon Vladimir Lenin. The statue which was erected over five years ago was brought down by the crowd using a bulldozer amidst 'Bharat mata ki jai" chants.

Many BJP, RSS leaders openly cheered the vandalism including Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy.

As violence and debate over the incident continued Tamil Nadu BJP leader and National Vice President of the party H Raja sparked another controversy in Tamil Nadu by claiming that today it is Lenins statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic EV Ramasamy. This appeared on his facebook page and was soon deleted.

Another BJP youth leader from the state, SG Suyash had also tweeted in similar lines.

The comments against the EVR invited sharp criticism from across party lines in Tamil Nadu with DMK's MK Stalin and MDMK's Vaiko daring Raja to touch EVR.

But less than 24 hours after Raja's Facebook post a Periyar statue in Vellore was defaced with stones.

Two people including a BJP party functionary, have been arrested in connection with the incident. According to police, R Muthuraman, 42, a native of Anna Nagar, who was the town secretary of the BJP, and his relative M Francis, 28, a native of Avai Nagar, who was the town deputy secretary of the CPI, were arrested for hurling stones at the statue of Periyar near the Tirupattur taluk office.

Following the incident security has been beefed up across the state to avoid any untoward incidents.

BJP leader Raja who ignited the controversy by his facebook post has since apologized claiming that it was posted by the admin of the page without his approval and that the admin has been removed.

ANI

The other youth leader Suyash, as of now has deleted his twitter account.

Meanwhile, another Lenin statue was razed down by BJP in Sabroom in southern Tripura on Monday night. According to the CPIM, the statue was erected there a couple of years ago.

In another case of vandalism, a statue of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, founder of the Jan Sangh, a party from which the BJP emerged was attacked in Kolkata by unidentified persons on Tuesday. Seven people are said to have been arrested in connection with the incident.

ANI

In what appears to be another unrelated incident a statue of BR Ambedkar was damaged in Aligarh late on Saturday night.

Aligarh mayor Mohd Furkan, who is from the BSP, said that the statue had "deliberately" been vandalized to create trouble.

As the situation remains tense, the PMO has stepped in and has taken a serious note on toppling of Lenin statues in Tripura and conveyed his displeasure to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The Tamil Nadu unit president Tamilisai said the BJP functionary who was arrested for damaging Periyar's statue in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu has been expelled from the party.
If all goes well, the distance between Jaipur and Delhi could be covered in 90 minutes in the future. Ministry of railways is planning to have a semi-high speed train on Jaipur-Delhi route which would run at a speed of up to 200 km/hour.

Through an MoU the ministry of railways has appointed an Italy-based railway engineering company FS-Italferr to do a feasibility study for the project at its own cost.

Also Read: You Can Reach Delhi From Gwalior In Just Three Hours, Thanks To Speed Of Gatimaan Express

TOI on Tuesday got the details of the project which is also being sent to the North Western Railways (NWR). Ministry of railways has signed an MOU with the company FS-Italferr to complete the feasibility report and has written to Northern Railways, Delhi and North Western Railways, Jaipur to give required support for the feasibility study.

twitter/representational image

In its recent letter to the authorities of the NWR, the ministry has asked them to nominate ADRM, Jaipur as a member of the project working group for the day-to-day interaction and coordination for the study.

They have also been asked to nominate an officer who will act as Nodal Officer for the railway for day-to-day interaction with the railway board for the study.

They have asked us to share the pattern of operation between two stations, pattern of passengers load, pattern of freight train, their speed and length, feature of the tracks, double or single, infrastructure of the track including bridges, platforms, signalling etc and number of level crossings between Jaipur and Delhi.

We are compiling the details which would be sent to them in the next 10 days, said a senior officer of NWR on the condition of anonymity. According to the sources, senior officers including General Manager, NWR, TP Singh and other concerned wings are keen and optimistic on the project.

bccl/representational image

When contacted, Tarun Jain, chief public relations officer, NWR, said, Some details have been sought from us. Yes, it is a part of rail ministrys initiative to introduce semi-high speed train. A company FS-Italferr will do a feasibility study.

The rail distance between Jaipur and Delhi is 309 kms and the existing tracks between the two routes can attain a maximum speed of 110 kms/hour. Usually the trains on the track maintain a speed of 80 kms/hour to 95 kms/hour to cover the distance in 5 to 8 hours depending on the number of halts.

twitter/representational image

With this project, people can think of completing the journey between the state capital and national capital in less than 2 hours.

Italferr is a consulting and project company belonging to FS (Ferrovie dello Stato), the Italian railway state company. It is Italian State Railways' Group engineering firm founded in 1984 with an aim to promote Italian engineering excellence in the railway sector in the national and international market.
"She was asking for it."

Statements like these in relation to a womans clothing and their rape have been whirling around since time immemorial. Rape survivors have been constantly targeted for being raped. Asserting that boys get excited on seeing girls in short clothes, womens attire have been constantly scrutinised and blamed for encouraging sexual assaults.

Making a strong statement against such dimwit arguments, male members of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) marched wearing shorts in the streets of the capital.

Some male volunteers of DCW's 'Rape Roko' campaign on Tuesday walked the streets of the capital wearing only their boxer shorts to give the message that 'clothes do not cause rape, sick mentality does'.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) had launched the 'Rape Roko' campaign after the brutal rape of an eight-month-old baby in January.

DNA

The volunteers marched from Mandi House to Central Park carrying boards and placards with slogans like "Her clothes are not short, your mentality is" and "What clothes was the eight-month-old baby wearing?" - in a bid to challenge the mentality that tends to shame the survivors, reported PTI.

Hundreds of young boys came out and took part in #BoxerRally under the #RapeRokoMovement by the womens panel.

Fueled by anger over the silence of society and government on rapes, the protesters appealed people to join the movement and reach Central Park, Connaught Place at 9.30 am on March 8, observed as International Womens Day, to form a peaceful human chain.

The volunteers demand strong action against rapists and completion of trials in sexual assault cases within six months. The DCW chief Swati Maliwal also demands death penalty for rapists.

Thanks @tweetfromRaghu for supporting #RapeRoko and DCW demand for ensuring trials in sexual assault cases are completed in 6 months.

Youth of today need to stand up against rapes. No more Baby Nirbhaya! https://t.co/l5R9ospzWf  Swati Jai Hind (@SwatiJaiHind) March 6, 2018

A Strong Initiative of #RapeRoko by DCW Chief @SwatiJaiHind

Do Join to make Human Chain to stop Rapes with Minors on 8th March at 9.30am Central Park, Rajeev Chowk

Demands of DCW from Central Govt seems logical & need of today to stop rapes in our Society. pic.twitter.com/OR59Hknyqn  Shalu (@Shalupcrf) March 4, 2018

DCW's male volunteers march to say clothes don't cause rapeshttps://t.co/hHKLPjx7t6 pic.twitter.com/fuY5ThteWx  Manjot Singh (@ManjotzSingh) March 7, 2018

They demanded strong action against rapists and completion of trials in case of sexual assault within six months.

Abhishek, a student of Delhi University, said, "I am walking half-naked but society allows me to. If a girl walks in a sleeveless top, men letch at her. This is not right."

Twitter

Another protester, Jatin, had a placard that read 'I feel safe in these Boxers. How much fabric does she need to feel safe?' Many girls also attended the rally to extend their support to the cause.

The Indian Medical Association and the district court bar associations in Delhi have also extended their support to the campaign.

In a letter to DCW chief Swati Jaihind, the IMA had said: "We strongly support the people's movement 'Rape Roko' launched by DCW chief to demand a robust criminal justice system which ensures cases of sexual crimes against women and children are tried by fast-track courts within six months and rapists of children are essentially accorded death penalty as a strong deterrent for others against such crimes".

The sight made heads turn, and hopefully, also deeply instilled the message of women security with the jolt that is the need of the hour.
It has been one heck of a day, throughout India, one of those days that makes you wonder what the hell is happening in this country.

The day began with the news of yet another case of statue vandalism. Following the unprecedented situation in Tripura, the rumbles were heard as far as down south in Tamil Nadu.

A statue of Periyar EV Ramasamy, one of the tallest figures in Tamil politics, the founder of Dravida Kazhagam, the predecessor of DMK and AIADMK was defaced by two men in Vellore, hours after BJP leader H Raja had posted about bringing down EVR statues in the state like how Lenin statue was razed down by BJP activists in Tripura.

The fallout of the incident was so bad that there was protests in Tamil Nadu. Seeing the damage his ill timed post has done, Raja apologised, blaming the post on the 'admin'.

That was just the beginning, in Tripura, where the whole mess started another Lenin statue found itself kissing the ground, thanks to some alleged BJP activists.

In neighbouring West Bengal, the once stronghold of the left, the BJP was on the receiving end of the statue vandals. A bust of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, one of the founder of Jana Sangh, the ideological predecessor of BJP was defaced in Kolkata angering the party.

ANI

Shortly to follow was the news from Meerut, UP where the statue of BR Ambedkar was defaced by unidentified men. This was the second Ambedkar statue to be destroyed in the state in the recent days another Ambedkar statue in Aligarh was allegedly destroyed by vandals on Saturday.

ANI

While protests and demonstrations across the state continued through the day, came the most shocking news of the day.

The Lokayukta of Karnataka, Justice Vishwanath Shetty was stabbed at least three times in his office while hearing a case on Wednesday in the ombudsmans office.

BCCL

This meant that someone managed to sneak in a weapon past the security and the metal dictators to inside a courtroom and attack a judge who had his own armed police guard.

Well, if that wasn't bad enough, an MLA in Kerala decided to go to the assembly with a grenade.

Former Home Minister and Congress MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan triggered a controversy after causing a 'security threat' by bringing firearms inside the House.

It is not everyday you get news about law and order being thrown out of the window from north, south, east and west, but this was one of such days...
Before he fled the country facing arrest over loan default, Vijay Mallya had become infamous for not paying salaries to his staff at Kingfisher Airlines, even pushing some of them to suicide.

Even after fleeing India, the disgraced business tycoon's reluctance to pay his employees seems to remain the same.

Mallya who currently lives in London is now accused of not paying the crew of his $93 million superyacht "Indian Empress", the largest private ship in the world.

AFP/ File

According to The Guardian, some 40 crew members have not been paid since September when Mallya  who is fighting extradition from the UK to India  abandoned the vessel.

The amount he owes the staff is said to be around $1 million.

Now acting upon the complaint filed by the crew, authorities in Malta have impounded the 95-95-meter-long luxury yacht in an effort to recover the dues.

The Isle of Man- flagged yacht, which features a 15-seat cinema and Sir Elton Johns baby grand piano, has been impounded in a maritime lien which gives the crew claim over the vessel to the value of the unpaid wages.

AFP/ File

"Our members onboard gave their employer and the shipowner multiple opportunities to pay monthly wages, displaying a loyalty and restraint greater than many would show in such situations," said strategic organiser of the maritime union Nautilus International Danny McGowan.

McGowan informed that the union has recovered secured $6,15,000 from the vessel's insurers under the International Maritime Labour Convention, but the still a large amount is to be paid.
As violence and debate over Tripura continued Tamil Nadu BJP leader and National Vice President of the party H Raja sparked another controversy in Tamil Nadu by claiming that today it is Lenins statue in Tripura, tomorrow it will be the statue of caste fanatic EV Ramasamy. This appeared on his facebook page and was soon deleted.

Two people including a BJP party functionary, have been arrested in connection with the incident. According to police, R Muthuraman, 42, a native of Anna Nagar, who was the town secretary of the BJP, and his relative M Francis, 28, a native of Avai Nagar, who was the town deputy secretary of the CPI, were arrested for hurling stones at the statue of Periyar near the Tirupattur taluk office. Read more

In A Shocking Security Breach, Man Enters Karnataka Lokayukta Office With Knife, Stabs The Ombudsman Multiple Times

In a major security breach, Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty was stabbed at least three times in his office while hearing a case on Wednesday in the ombudsmans office.

Justice Shetty who was rushed to the Mallya Hospital is said to be out of danger, but is still admitted in the ICU. Read more

Air India To Be Split In 4 Parts Ahead Of Sale, Sell-Off To Begin With Airline Arm

The process of Air Indias (AI) sell-off is likely to begin with the airline arm first being put on the block.

AI is to be split into four parts  AI-AI Express-AI SATS; ground handling unit; engineering units and Alliance Air  and be offered for sale individually. Read more

Man Who Brutally Killed Indian Techie Srinivas In Kansas In A Hate Crime Pleads Guilty, Could Face 50 Years In Jail

Adam Purinton a US national charged with the murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, an Indian techie working in Kansas has pleaded guilty in the case.

He also pleaded guilty of injuring two others including an Indian national in the shooting incident in February 2017 in a Kansas bar. Read more

Lawyer Claims Dawood Ibrahim Wants To Return Home, But Only If He Is Put Up In Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail

A magistrates court in Thane was informed that fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim had offered to return to India provided the authorities kept him locked in Arthur Road jail and nowhere else during the trial period.

In fact, he had expressed his intent very clearly to senior counsel Ram Jethmalani. But the government refused to accept his conditional return and till this day, Dawood has not been arrested, senior lawyer Shyam Keswani, who is representing Dawoods younger brother Iqbal Kaskar in an extortion case, said. Read more

Vijay Mallya's Rs 600 Crore Superyacht Seized In Malta After He Failed To Pay Rs 6 Crore In Wages To Crew

Before he fled the country facing arrest over loan default, Vijay Mallya had become infamous for not paying salaries to his staff at Kingfisher Airlines, even pushing some of them to suicide.

Mallya who currently lives in London is now accused of not paying the crew of his $93 million superyacht "Indian Empress", the largest private ship in the world. Read more
Adam Purinton a US national charged with the murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, an Indian techie working in Kansas has pleaded guilty in the case.

He also pleaded guilty of injuring two others including an Indian national in the shooting incident in February 2017 in a Kansas bar.

AP/ File

In November the 52-year-old had pleaded not guilty in the case.

Despite his guilty plea, he still faces federal hate crime charges and could face up to 50 years in jail. Federal prosecutors have not determined whether to seek the death penalty. The sentencing is scheduled for May 4.

32-year-old Kuchibhotla, who was from Andhra and worked with a US tech company was with his two friends having a drink at a bar when Purinton allegedly made derogatory comments on them and was asked to leave the. He returned a short time later with a gun and shot at the trio. Kuchibhotla who was fatally injured died in the hospital, while the two others survived with minor injuries.

Purinton is said to have inquired about the legal status of Kuchibhotla and his friend, implying that they were illegal immigrants and shouted "Get out of my country!" before firing at two men.

Purinton who fled the scene immediately after the firing had told a bartender that he had shot two "Iranians" and was looking for a place to hide.

The murder which came just two months after Donald Trump assumed office as President of the US had raked up fears of the Indian community becoming the target of racially motivated attacks.

AFP/ File

Earlier this year Donald Trump, for his first State of The Union Address, had invited Sunayana Dumala the widow of Kuchibhotla who had since the incident moved back to India.
Google doodles have been a wonderful medium for the company to celebrate important scientific and cultural milestones, and also take a stand on important issues.

Today, on the occasion of International Women's Day, the Google Doodle highlights unique stories from 12 talented women artists from different parts of the world -- one of which is Bangalore-based Kaveri Gopalakrishnan.

Google Doodle on Women's Day 2018

Ahead of International Womens Day, Google India launched its campaign #HerStoryOurStory, to unfold and uncover inspiring stories of everyday women.

Why? Because "Many studies show that one of the major barriers that prevent women in India from growing, is the lack of relatable and realistic role models from a similar background," according to Sapna Chadha, Director Marketing, SEA and India, Google.

Kaveri Gopalakrishnan's Google Doodle is part of this larger campaign, where Google is highlighting noteworthy women from every walk of life -- not just in India but from around the world. Each artist story reflects themselves, women in their lives, or womanhood more broadly.

An independent comic artist based out of Bangalore, Kaveri has been writing and drawing comics professionally since 2013. Her original comic artwork was exhibited at 'Comix Creatix: 100 Women Making Comics,' London. Here are excerpts from our interview with Kaveri Gopalakrishnan.

What's your Google Doodle all about?

My comic is a story about the magic of books, and how reading was a big part of my growth. Google approached me with the theme of Growth, and I instinctively wanted to make a story on my childhood and the books that surrounded me, and the sort of difference reading made: in this case, literally wings to fly.

How does it feel to have your art as part of a special Google Doodle and how did you get selected?

Im excited, and honoured! Im in the company of some wonderfully talented storytellers from around the world, and our stories are on a huge platform of reach, which is such a warm feeling. I was approached by the Art Directors, who wrote in saying that they liked my work and wanted me to be a part of special international Womens Day Google Doodle. The brief and personal theme provided was clear for myself, but I had absolutely no idea about who the artists were or what their stories would be like. The process was: free-ing, really. I developed three ideas for the comic, and the art directors guided me into honing my final story, throughout. Its been a really comfortable balance of working, wherein I definitely feel ownership over a personal story, while being supported and advised by a very encouraging team.

Do you have a mission for your work?

If there is any mission for my work, its to be as honest as I can with my storytelling. Im a harsh critic of my own work, and like challenging myself to get better while staying true to creating the kind of content that I can respect, at the end of the day. Im still discovering new artistic challenges with every project I take on.

What inspired you to take up a career as an artist?

Ive been drawing and making up my own stories and characters ever since I was little. Everyone around me has always called me an artist, and so I tried to become what I thought was a designer (but really an Animator) in college. It was through a process of trial and error that I dived into freelancing as an illustrator and comic artist, in 2013, after trying a design job for one year. I havent looked back since. Making comics keeps me fulfilled in my career.

Do you thinks comics / graphic novels have a bad rap in India? Like people don't take them seriously?

I guess there is a division of opinion on how graphic storytelling is perceived in India. It has come up a whole lot in the past few years, tho, mostly because of the accessibility and increasing number of web comics online. Im not sure if it is taken seriously beyond smaller circles (of those who are avid followers and those who are avid creators) but I do think that the more we integrate graphic storytelling into visual communication, the better. I see a lot of agencies looking for graphic content to communicate brand strategies, etc, and there are definitely select publishing houses who respect the medium and want to take it forward.

If you had to do everything all over again, what would you do differently?

Absolutely nothing. I think Ive struggled a lot: emotionally and financially: to support myself full-time in a career which can be incredibly lonely at times. If I didnt have those reality checks, I would not be the resilient freelancer that I am today or be able to still deal with those moments of doubt/exhaustion that happen. Actually, maybe I would have insisted on more contracts and enforced my legal rights in a better manner when I was just starting out freelance.

What's the message you want to share with everyone on Women's Day?

Lets try to stay informed, and engage in a healthy discussion. The little bits of wisdom and hope here and there, that I have accumulated as woman, and that keep me safe, are through these conversations. Also: I think we can push to make the public spaces in our country safer and better-lit.
If you still don't know who Priya Varrier is, you must be definitely living under a rock.

This young actress captured the imagination of pretty much everyone online, and became an overnight sensation unlike any other. She got 6 lakh Instagram followers in less than a day, has more online followers than Mark Zuckerberg. All thanks to one wink and a smile!

Youtube Screenshot

Varrier has become an Internet sensation, and a meme, too. In fact she's famous that her fame was the topic of a question at a recent exam conducted at IIT Bombay. Yes, this actually happened.

Students at IIT Bombay got a glimpse of Priya Varrier's fame when they had to tackle this question as part of a Machine Learning course mid term exam.

Question on Priya Varrier at IIT Bombay / Nextbigwhat.com

As reported by Nextbigwhat.com, this was a question in a recently conducted mid term exam of the Machine Learning course taught by Prof Amit Sethi of IIT Bombay.

The role of memes in education

We reached out to a couple of students at IIT Bombay to verify if this was true. Third year electrical engineering student at IIT Bombay, Devyani Verma confirmed that coming across Priya Varrier's name in the paper "wasn't a shocker" for students, as Prof Amit Sethi regularly references popular memes to make his course work and exams fun.

Hardik Patil, who's currently a third year civil engineering student at IIT Bombay, told us that mostly "professors use memes in lecture slides or put them on forums for a particular course to convey related information."

We need more such professors and teachers to make learning fun, don't you think?
France's Macron to talk to Biden amid crisis over submarines AP - Sun Sep 19, 12:51PM CDT PARIS (AP)  French President Emmanuel Macron will speak in the coming days with President Joe Biden in their first contact since a major diplomatic crisis erupted between France and the United States... $SPX : 4,432.99 (-0.91%) $DOWI : 34,584.88 (-0.48%) $IUXX : 15,333.47 (-1.18%)

Chart of the Day: Blackstone Has My Attention Barchart - Sat Sep 18, 2:16PM CDT The Barchart Chart of the Day belongs to the financial services company Blackstone (NYSE: BX ). I found the company by sorting Barchart's All Time High list first by the highest number of new highs... BX : 133.63 (-1.04%)

December 2021 Lean Hogs Chicago Quant Technologies - Sat Sep 18, 10:48AM CDT Is there more downside on the horizon? We think so.

Protect wheat prices once inputs purchased Sidwell Strategies - Fri Sep 17, 11:07PM CDT Manage fertility and protect prices

Cigna  The Textbook Definition of Average The Smart Investor - Fri Sep 17, 7:35PM CDT At this point, we usually recommend the company for its dividend, However, the companys dividend has been notoriously inconsistent. It has a mountain of debt (a net debt position of more than $20 billion)...
There are many issues in front of us at the moment but we havent lost sight of the importance of insurance to consumers, their communities and the wider economy, ODwyer said.

Calling the industry crucial to communities and the wider economy, ODwyer discussed a wide range of topics, from the current Royal Commission into the financial services sector to the Governments response to the Northern Australian Insurance Premiums taskforce.

ODwyer noted that the Royal Commission has brought to light concerns surrounding delays in claims handling within the industry.

Due to the overlap with the remit of the Royal Commission, the work being done by the Treasury to enhance ASICs oversight of insurance claims handling will now be considered pending the outcome of the Royal Commission, ODwyer told attendees.

ODwyer added that the Government will continue its plan to apply unfair contract term laws to insurance policies  a move many in the industry disagree with. Addressing event delegates, ODwyer said: I know that many of you here today have consistently advocated that there is no need to extend the unfair contract term provisions to insurance contracts, as you are of the view that there are already comprehensive consumer protections in place for insurance, such as the Duty of Utmost Good Faith provisions.

Yet, many outside the insurance industry disagree. For example, the Australian Consumer Law Review said extending protections to insurance contracts will address inconsistencies in the level of protection provided across all standard form contracts.

ODwyer also put the spotlight on add-on insurance, an area in which ASIC has handed down compensation of more than $120 million in recent months.

Thats why the Government is consulting on draft legislation to give ASIC product intervention powers and to put design and distribution obligations in place, ODwyer said.

It is critical that these reforms  that of course resulted from the landmark Financial System Inquiry enhance consumer protections and make sure that financial products are targeted and sold to consumers who might benefit from them.

ODwyer also said that the Government accepts the findings of the Northern Australia Premium Taskforce that stressed the need for increased mitigation spending and further detailed the ACCC inquiry into the supply of residential building, contents and strata insurance in northern Australia.

The advantage of having the ACCC conduct the inquiry is that they have compulsory information gathering powers to get information that other reviews have not been able to get, ODwyer said.

The inquiry is considering the competitiveness of markets, consumer access to information, regulatory issues and the key cost component for insurance pricing, especially catastrophe risk.

The ACCC inquiry will issue its final report in November 2020.
We know that as a profession weve got to do a better job of being inclusive, and in particular, weve got to do a better job of getting more women up into those senior positions, she said.

A new CII report has revealed that a combination of growing debt, lower earnings and a lack of confidence when it comes to dealing with financial matters is putting millennial women at greater risk of poverty in old age  and means their capacity to be financially independent is diminishing.

We know that not only is there a gender pay gap in our profession, theres a gender financial protection gap too for women in the UK, Beale, who is also the current president of the CII, said.

Alongside tackling the issues faced by women, the insurance industry is also battling a wider lack of trust among the public in media, government, and business.

The reputation of the insurance sector isnt great, I think we all know that. We also know theres a complete lack of trust. Society seems to be letting people down, Beale said.

However, at the heart of what the CII does is building public trust, she continued.

We want the public to trust that what were going to give them  whether its an insurance product, whether its financial planning advice  they can trust us, and that were going to be around when they need us most. This trust is something weve really got to work on as well.

Related stories:
We are honoured to again be recognized by NAFE as a top company for executive women. Zurich believes having a diverse workforce drives better outcomes, inspiring confidence in our employees and our customers to help them reach their full potential, said Zurich North America CEO Kathleen Savio.

Zurich has an employee resource group for women called the Womens Innovation Network (WIN). With over 1,800 members in North America, WIN provides women with a professional network for them to connect with other like-minded colleagues.

NAFE determines the companies that make the list by conducting employee surveys, which examine how many employees have access to programs, as well as policies that promote advancement of women and how many employees take advantage of them. The survey also examines how companies train managers to help women advance.

NAFE president Betty Spence explained that 2018 is the first year in the NAFEs Top Companies annual awards wherein five companies had boards with 50% or more women. She then pointed to a synergy between the greater presence of women on the board and an increase in the number of winning companies with women CEOs and with 50%-plus women in the C-suite (10 companies).

Related stories:
According to the US Attorneys Office, Company A recruited Frusci as a sales representatives and instructed him to target people with certain health plans that covered compounded medications. Frusci convinced multiple MTA employees to get medically unnecessary prescriptions by paying them monthly cash bribed between $100 and $1,500.

As part of his plea agreement, Frusci will forfeit $724,448 in proceeds he received from the scam. Hes also been ordered to pay restitution of at least $5 million. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

In an era when many Americans worry about securing health insurance for their families, weve seen far too many instances where both private and publicly funded insurance providers are being raided for millions in phony reimbursements on compounded medications, US Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Frusci admitted that he and others sought to defraud the MTA health plan and other insurers by recruiting the very people who enjoy that coverage, offering them cash bribes to get medications they didnt need.

Related stories:

NJ doctor indicted in $4.4 million insurance scam

Seven arrested for insurance scam in raid on South Florida clinics
The role that it plays is it does something called instant settlement, explained Corinne MacMillan, chief technology officer at Cambridge Global Payments. Most of the blockchain structures have an instant settlement between the parties, Party A and Party B. What that results in is the payment delivery is much more instant because there isnt a process outside of the rail that the payment is traveling down that deals separately with the settlement.

The software out of Cambridge Global Payments is now being used by insurers who want to expedite the claims payment process for their clients. The company has taken the route of so-called in-country clearing rails, rather than traditional international payment rails, so that funds come from Cambridge Global Payments liquidity bank in Mexico and go directly to a hospitals network in that country.

Besides the speed of the transaction, another benefit of using blockchain in these claims is the transparency in the transaction.

Both parties will be on this blockchain and be able to see each others instruction in detail on the whereabouts of the payment, said the CTO. There are also lower intermediary fees so the payment goes to the client or their provider at full value.

Though many are familiar with blockchain because of its close ties to digital currencies, MacMillan sees potential in the technology in a range of industries for the future, and not just health insurance claims.

In the payments industry alone, we see a very wide adoption, but I think were all at early stages, she explained. Were all trying to figure out what use cases make sense, how can we leverage the technology to better suit and add value for our customers.

Related stories:

IBM: Insurance companies should embrace insurtechs

How will technology change the standard of healthcare?


Milliman Inc., a global consulting and actuarial firm, has hired Samie Moore to its Health & Welfare group as an end-to-end life, absence and disability (LAD) consultant.

Moore, formerly of Mercer and Hewitt, is an expert in LAD with 14 years of industry experience and subject matter expertise in family medical leave (FML), vacation, paid time off (PTO), disability and parental leave. She will be based in Millimans Portland, Maine, office in her new role.

As a LAD consultant, Moore will partner with employers on financial analyses, program implementation, claim audits, design strategy and vendor management. Previously, she has supported companies in a variety of sectors, with experience in the areas of healthcare, retail, media, high tech and pharma. She has also supported manufacturing, petroleum, transportation, communications, utilities and financial services employers.

She joins Milliman at a time when the company is seeking to broaden the scope of its health and welfare services provided to employers, according to Dan Skwire, a principal and consulting actuary at Milliman, in a company press release.

Milliman has consulting practices in healthcare, property and casualty insurance, life insurance and financial services, and employee benefits. Founded in 1947, it is an independent firm with offices in major cities around the globe.

Source: Milliman Inc.

Topics Maine
The ride-hailing company Uber broke Pennsylvania law when it failed to notify potential victims, including thousands of drivers, for a year after it discovered hackers had stolen their personal information, said the state attorney general, who sued the company Monday.

The lawsuit, filed in Philadelphia, said hackers stole the names and drivers license numbers of at least 13,500 Pennsylvania Uber drivers. It accused Uber of violating a state law requiring it to notify victims of a data breach within a reasonable time frame.

Instead of notifying impacted consumers of the breach within a reasonable amount of time, Uber hid the incident for over a year  and actually paid the hackers to delete the data and stay quiet, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement. Thats just outrageous corporate misconduct, and Im suing to hold them accountable and recover for Pennsylvanians.

Shapiros office did not have details about riders who were affected, but asked Pennsylvanians who believe they may have been harmed by the Uber hack to file a complaint with the office.

Uber revealed in November that hackers in 2016 had stolen the names, email addresses and mobile phone numbers of 57 million riders around the world. The thieves also nabbed the drivers license numbers of 600,000 Uber drivers in the U.S. The breach did not include any credit card information or Social Security information, Uber said.

When it revealed the hack, Uber said there was no evidence the stolen data had been misused. It acknowledged paying the hackers $100,000 to destroy the stolen information.

Washington state and Chicago have sued Uber, and attorneys general in other states have said they were investigating Ubers data breach.

Uber said it is cooperating with Pennsylvania investigators.

Ive been up front about the fact that Uber expects to be held accountable; our only ask is that Uber be treated fairly and that any penalty reasonably fit the facts, Uber said in statement from its chief legal officer, Tony West.

The lawsuit seeks civil penalties into the millions of dollars, including $1,000 for each violation of consumer protection laws and $3,000 for each violation involving a victim who is 60 or older.

It is the first time Pennsylvania has sued under a 12-year-old state law that makes failing to notify potential victims of a breach of personal information punishable under consumer protection laws.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Cyber Fraud Pennsylvania Sharing Economy Ridesharing Uber
Romanian firm emerges as leader in automating business tasks

Romanian software firm UiPath has raised $153 million in new venture financing, marking both the companys rapid ascent as a leader in automating routine business tasks and the emergence of Central and Eastern Europe as a global entrepreneurial hub.

UiPath, which grew out of the regions decades-old low-cost software development scene, produces robotic software to carry out repetitive tasks such as canceling a lost credit card or insurance claims processing, customer order fulfillment and human resources set-up functions.

The company said on Tuesday the funding was led by prior investor Accel and joined by CapitalG, Googles venture capital arm, Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers and seed-stage investors, Earlybird, Credo Ventures and Seedcamp.

The $153 million (124 million euros) in new investment values UiPath at more than $1.1 billion, its investors said.

Its software led-approach competes with established firms including London AIM-listed Blue Prism and Silicon Valley-based Automation Anywhere, which mix software with services using low-cost labor in offshore centers.

Founded in 2012, UiPath first built a web browser plug-in aimed at consumers but killed it once it realized its underlying computer-vision document scanning technology could act as a robotic helper for many repetitive tasks, its co-founder said.

As a software engineer, it was a shock to realize so many of these basic business processes were not already automated, Daniel Dines, who is also the CEO, told Reuters in a phone interview. Dines said it eventually dawned on him that Wow, this is a huge market.

Regional Stand-Out

The regions start-up scene was stillborn until recently, failing to rank among Europes top dozen countries for investment or to rival decades-old tech hub Israel. (http://reut.rs/2D0p1T7)

The funding round represents nearly one-fifth of the 683 million euros in venture financing in Central and Eastern Europe during the whole of 2017, according to data from venture tracking research firm Dealroom.co.

Accel partner Lucian Lixandru said developers-turned-entrepreneurs over the last two years have begun building their own products instead of contracting out to other firms.

UiPath is definitely going to put the region on the map for investors, Lixandru, a native of Romania now based in London, told Reuters in a phone interview.

The latest investment will be used to integrate machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms into customers digital business operations. The funds will also help expand offices across Europe, the United States and Asia, UiPath said.

The company counts 120,000 developers who use its software to automate routine business tasks, often within widely used SAP or Oracle business systems. It is working with Google to develop its AI capabilities and CapitalGs investment reinforces those ties, Dines said.

Last year, the 590-employee company moved its headquarters to New York to be closer to its growing international corporate base, which rose to 700 customers from 100 in 2016. Its strongest markets are the United and Japan, Dines said.

Recurring annual revenue grew eight-fold last year and is now in the $50-$100 million range, he said.

(1 euro = $1.2381) ($1 = 0.8074 euros) (Reporting by Eric Auchard; editing by Adrian Croft)

Topics Claims InsurTech Europe Leadership
A classic mistake made by many small and medium sized enterprises is to assume that they are immune from cyber attacks because hackers and fraudsters have bigger fish to fry. As a result, SMEs can be under-prepared in the face of the growing risks from cyber criminals, who see them as potential soft targets for penetration and extortion due to underinvestment in cyber security.

And when things do go wrong, SMEs are less likely to have the connections to the expertise required to address a breach quickly and, just as likely, will not have the necessary funds set aside to hire such cyber specialist, IT and legal support.

SMEs need to be aware of worrying statistics. First, the World Economic Forums recent Global Risks Report clearly highlighted that cyber crime is now very much part of interconnected global risks, with attacks against all businesses almost doubling in the last five years.

Separate research has also suggested that hackers have breached over 14 million of the 28 million SMEs in the U.S. according to the 2016 State of SMB (small- to medium-sized businesses) Cybersecurity Report. Were not talking about tiny mom and pop organizations here  in the U.S. an SME can employ anything up to 500 people and include branches of larger corporations.

Comprehensive cyber insurance policies are now essential for all businesses, accompanied if possible by solid risk management tools and cyber security experts...

Most worrying of all, statistics show that between 60 percent and 70 percent of SMEs are unable to survive a breach and are out of business within six months  all because they have no supplemental support mechanism in place to help them rebuild the company and reinstate their operations.

This support, provided by standalone cyber insurance, is therefore now an increasingly important component of a comprehensive cyber risk management strategy.

Cyber Insurance Essential

Comprehensive cyber insurance policies are now essential for all businesses, accompanied if possible by solid risk management tools and cyber security experts, which can aid in recovery after a breach, with the best offering 24/7 breach alert services.

Another incentive for the purchase of cyber insurance is the fact that global regulators are also looking very closely at the issue of mandatory cyber risk management.

One prominent example of regulatory intervention was a regulation enacted in 2017 by the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS), which mandated that all financial services companies establish and maintain cyber security programs. The first hurdle for regulated companies was the Feb. 15, 2018 deadline to submit certifications of compliance with the regulation.

The scope of the DFS regulation, which includes foreign financial institutions operating in New York, expands in 2018 to include the requirement for an annual written cyber risk assessment, among other requisites.

Another example is the EUs General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which also highlights the need for greater cyber risk management in the context of protecting data from theft or loss. The GDPR, which becomes effective on May 25, 2018, will require mandatory notification of serious data breaches with massive fines possible for companies that fail to comply.

As well as having the correct firewalls, encryption and data protocols in place, developing a cyber incident response plan and increasing or restructuring cyber risk insurance will be key to managing data protection risks for many businesses.

Meaningful Focus on Cyber Risk Management

Clearly, a meaningful focus on cyber risk management is now necessary for all companies, not just for entities in financial services, or businesses storing personally identifying data. From data theft, to ransom attempts and distributed denial of service attacks, all companies  small, medium and large  are potential targets.

Some SMEs will look for cover only when they suspect they have a breach, if they see a peer suffer through a breach, read about a high-profile attack, or if they employ people who have experienced breaches in other firms.

In the past it has been a challenge for producing brokers to find effective cyber products that offer the cost-effective breadth and support that SME clients are seeking.

Nowadays, however, affordable cyber coverage is available to producers and their more proactive SME clients. For those SMEs that need a gentle push, producers would do well to present cyber terms to their prospects along with their other coverage needs. In that moment, an application may be completed and the buying process can begin, without delay.

Channel to London

The London market is increasingly viewed as a cyber insurance hub thanks to the experience of its underwriters in handling complex risks, and the ability to design wordings for specific market segments. For the cyber risks being faced by SMEs, this is crucial because there is no one size fits all approach to cyber insurance. SMEs have very different coverage needs compared to large, multinational corporates, for instance, which already may have sophisticated cyber risk response mechanisms in place.

As well as traditional providers of cyber insurance, London is also supporting international producing brokers by offering new white label, online cyber portals to allow them to service the local market with the right wordings, knowledge and support. In addition, innovative players in the London market are offering wider support services to SMEs to help them manage cyber risk with post-event insurance cover, and by helping them protect their networks against attack in the first place.

The demand for cyber coverage is on the cusp of exponential growth, which is a massive opportunity for Lloyds and the London company market. However, in order to cope with the volume of demand for specialist coverage solutions, brokers must add value by working harder to facilitate and speed up the placement of international business underwritten in the market. This means creating real momentum around the current modernization drive, with the aim of offering highly efficient electronic processing and placement across all risk classes.

Expertise and diligence is required, and the London market must rise to this challenge.

Related:

Topics Cyber Legislation London Risk Management
First he sent lewd texts. Then he got fired. Then he sued.

The case of an alleged sex pest at drug giant Sanofi is the latest example of how France is confronting age-old attitudes toward the kind of behavior that triggered the worldwide #MeToo campaign.

Jean-Marc Podvin, Sanofis then-director of press relations, was caught in 2013 sending texts to his assistant, saying she was sexy, and allegedly running Internet searches at work with keywords such as topless and adultery Paris, according to rulings from a French employment tribunal and an appeals court. A female press officer who worked for Podvin also alleged he exposed himself to her in his car.

Paris courts have already twice thrown out his unfair dismissal lawsuit requesting about 1.2 million euros ($1.5 million). While Podvin didnt respond to requests for comment, his lawyer said he is appealing the previously unreported Oct. 17 appellate ruling to Frances top court and disputes all the evidence presented against him apart from the text messages, whose interpretation he disagrees with.

The tone of the texts is a bit lewd but its hard to say it amounts to much more than flirting, said Podvins lawyer, Luc Migueres.

Hot, Sexting

In one text described in court rulings Podvin says: its hot, sexting. He tells his female assistant youre sexy, and remarks on her very pretty topand bottom. In another, he notes  in English  that she was wearing wonderful pants today before adding, magnifique.

Sanofi declined to comment directly on the court decisions yet said in a statement it has always taken all the necessary measures to prevent sexual harassment, to put an end to it and sanction it.

The #MeToo movement, which also uses the hashtag #BalanceTonPorc (Denounce Your Pig) in France, went viral in October after dozens of actresses came forward to accuse Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment, and in some cases, rape.

Seven years ago, France had already been shaken to its core after allegations of sexual assault upended the career of French presidential hopeful and then- International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Now, #MeToo is galvanizing women to speak up ever more. The French interior ministry said in January that the amount of complaints lodged for sexual assault  excluding rape  in the last quarter of 2017 shot up by 31.5 percent compared to a year earlier.

While sexual harassment at work is seen to be widespread  affecting as many as a third of French women according to a Feb. 28 Ifop poll  it has historically led to few criminal convictions in the country.

First enacted in 1992, Frances criminal legislation on sexual harassment went through an upheaval 20 years later. It was first declared unconstitutional  creating a legislative gap that allowed suspects to avoid convictions  before being modified to widen its scope.

Under the latest version of the law, such harassment is defined as repeatedly imposing upon someone words or behavior that have a sexual connotation in a way that either is degrading or hostile. Such conduct, if committed by a person in a position of authority, can be punished by three years in jail and a fine of as much as 45,000 euros.

The effects of this tougher law recently started kicking in, with 110 convictions in 2015 and 126 in 2016, up from around 60 per year previously, according to French Justice Ministry spokesman Youssef Badr.

Jamila El Berry, a lawyer who four years ago secured the first criminal conviction for sexual harassment after the change in French law, says it used to take years before people spoke up about behavior that was often well known within companies yet rarely condemned.

In the past, there would be a slap on the wrist and the person would carry on at the first opportunity on the next intern, El Berry said in an interview. Now, the social norm is changing.

The #MeToo movement also has its critics. French film legend Catherine Deneuve was one of a hundred women who signed a newspaper op-ed denouncing the campaign as a witch hunt. The publication created an outcry and the French actress subsequently apologized.

Ernestine Ronai, a member of the countrys high committee for equality between women and men, says such people keep at it so long as theyre not caught. Despite the rise in complaints, she warned that France is still suffering from an out-of-date mentality toward sexual harassment.

Often, its been the woman who suffers after reporting harassment, she said, pointing to a 2015 survey by a French ombudsman. In 40 percent of cases, companies resolved complaints to the detriment of the victim.

Humiliation

According to the judges in the Podvin employment case, the assistant, who was on a temporary contract, said the compliments made her uncomfortable but that she felt obliged to respond kindly given that Podvin had promised to get her a full-time position. She also complained that he regularly took photos of her and pestered her with requests to go on a date.

Podvin didnt just seek compensation after he was fired for gross misconduct in August 2013. He also asked Sanofi to unfreeze his stock-options plans. The two-decade veteran at Sanofi lost his major claims, but received 1,500 euros to make up for what the court called the humiliation of being escorted out by security officers in front of colleagues.

The French pharmaceutical company suspended Podvin two working days after its personnel department was warned by the assistant, according to the dismissal letter, cited in the ruling. About two weeks later he was fired. In the meantime, other accusers came forward.

He Laughed

Susan Flaherty, a Sanofi press officer at the time, said that Podvin gave her a ride back after a June 2011 Black Eyed Peas concert in Paris and he went on until about 500 meters from my apartment and put my hand on his penis, which was already outside his trousers.

Although Flaherty wanted him to stop, she tried to defuse the situation with humor because she felt threatened by the fact that hed stopped his car so far away from her flat, according to her statement to Sanofi, quoted in the 2015 employment tribunal ruling.

He laughed, put his penis back in his trousers and I reminded him that my boyfriend was waiting for me and was worrying about me. He dropped me off, she said in the statement.

Flaherty said she stood by her accusations and agreed to allow her name to be used for this article.

Migueres says Podvin considers the statement is her word against his and notes that it never led to a criminal complaint from either Sanofi or Flaherty. He said that while the incident wasnt detailed in the dismissal letter it was used against his client.

Migueres says his client is still unemployed because he not only lost his job but also his reputation.

Related:

Public Firms Now Face Question of When to Disclose Sexual Harassment Claims

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits France
Forecasters are warning of a high risk of wildfires after one blaze burned 10,000 hay bales in the southwest part of the state.

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer signed an emergency disaster declaration Sunday when the large bales burned a half mile north of the Stevens County town of Moscow amid wind gusts of up to 50 mph.

This years fire season follows two years of record setting wildfires. Kansas Division of Emergency Management spokeswoman Katie Horner says the lesson learned from previous years is to mobilize people quickly to prevent fires from getting out of control. Before the bale fire was contained, crews were on standby with planes equipped with large buckets capable of dumping water.

Extreme dry conditions are continuing. Another wildfire broke out in southwestern Kansas, burning 1,600 acres so far and forcing residents in the area to evacuate.

Clark County Emergency Manager Millie Fudge says firefighters stopped the fire Monday about three miles south of Ashland, but it has broken off toward the east and the fire was not yet contained as of late Monday..

Local, state and Oklahoma firefighters are responding to the blaze on the ground and with an air tanker.

Fudge says the blaze began when a truck caught fire on Kansas 160 outside Ashland, and quickly spread with the help of 20-30 mph winds. By early afternoon the fire was 3 miles long.

Fudge doesnt know if the fire destroyed any homes. She says the sparsely populated area outside of Ashland, which is most threatened, has been evacuated.

Fire officials have classified the grassland fire danger in central, south-central and southeast Kansas as extreme to catastrophic. The only areas where red flag fire warnings havent been issued are in northeast and far north-central.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Kansas
A womans fall at a holiday party has reached the Michigan Supreme Court, which could use the case to clarify the responsibilities of property owners when they welcome guests to their home.

The court heard arguments Tuesday in the case of Susan Blackwell, who missed an 8-inch step when she stepped into an unlit room at a co-workers home in 2013. Justices are exploring whether she should have been informed about any risks when she arrived at the party.

Its worth the time of this court, said Chief Justice Stephen Markman, noting the case resembles other injury lawsuits faced by judges in lower courts.

Blackwells lawsuit was dismissed by an Oakland County judge, but the state appeals court reversed that decision and said a jury should determine whether the danger was open and obvious. Its a key legal standard in Michigan, one that often means a personal injury lawsuit doesnt get very far.

Steven Couch, an attorney for Dean and Debra Franchi, said Blackwell should have assumed possible danger when she saw the unlit room. But Blackwells attorney, Kevin Oliver, said the step was dangerous  not the darkness.

Even with the light on, you dont see that a step is there, Oliver said.

The Michigan Manufacturers Association said a decision against the couple could force any property owner, not just homeowners, to explain every potential hazard to a visitor.

So deck the halls but beware the boughs of holly.  If something as ordinary as a step or a dark room is not an open and obvious hazard, then what is? the group said in a court filing by attorney Cliff Taylor, a former chief justice.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Michigan
The Indiana General Assembly has passed legislation that adopts a drug formulary for the states workers compensation system.

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) is urging Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb to sign the bill, SB 369.

Evidence-based pharmaceutical formularies such as included in SB 369 can help to ensure timely delivery of appropriate medical care to injured workers to achieve optimum health and return-to-work outcomes, Hilary Segura, counsel for PCI, said in the insurance trade groups announcement. In 2011, Texas was the first state to implement an evidence-based workers compensation pharmaceutical formulary and it has proven to be very effective in providing injured workers with access to the most appropriate medications, while protecting them from non-recommended medicine including high-dosage opioids and benzodiazepines. These drugs have driven the national opioid crisis.

Under SB 369, Indiana will prohibit workers compensation and occupational disease compensation reimbursement for drugs specified as not recommended (N) in the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) Workers Compensation Drug Formulary.

The bill states, however, that a prescribing physician may request to prescribe an N drug and if the employer approves the request, the N drug may be prescribed.

PCI members write $220 billion in annual premium, 37 percent of the nations property casualty insurance.

Topics Workers' Compensation Indiana Drugs
Not so long ago, Hartford, Conn., was widely known as the insurance capital of the world. Today, interest has shifted to technology-led insurance firms, or InsurTechs, raising the question: Where is the InsurTech capital of the world?

With insurance technology companies starting up in the U.S. from Silicon Valley to New York and globally in London, Shanghai and elsewhere, which city or cities can lay claim to the title InsurTech Capital of the World?

Carrier Management magazine, the Wells Media Group publication for property/casualty insurance executives, answers the question in its most recent issue, using an analysis provided exclusively to Carrier Management by Venture Scanner, an analyst and technology-powered research firm, in an article titled, Where Is the InsurTech Capital of the World?

London, New York and San Francisco rank highest by a simple count of the number of InsurTechs in each city.

Top 20 Cities for InsurTech Startups Ranked by Startup Count Startup Total Rank City Region Country Count Funding ($M) 1 London England GBR 64 $160.8 2 New York NY USA 61 $1,387.8 3 San Francisco CA USA 58 $2,312.7 4 Chicago IL USA 36 $306.9 5 Toronto Ontario CAN 18 $73.4 6 Paris Ile-de-France FRA 18 $67.3 7 Singapore Central Region SGP 17 $99.7 8 Boston MA USA 16 $186.2 9 Mumbai Maharashtra IND 16 $103.8 10 San Diego CA USA 16 $2.4 11 Austin TX USA 15 $205.0 12 Atlanta GA USA 15 $12.8 13 Madrid Madrid ESP 14 $0.7 14 Berlin Berlin DEU 13 $109.6 15 Los Angeles CA USA 12 $40.0 16 Seattle WA USA 11 $23.7 17 Gurgaon Haryana IND 10 $161.6 18 Philadelphia PA USA 10 $158.5 19 Denver CO USA 10 $54.1 20 Brooklyn NY USA 9 $55.3 Top 20 (by startup count) 439 $5,522.3 All Cities with Five or More InsurTechs 625 $10,849.1 Total 1,438 $19,000.0 Source: Venture Scanner

However, based on concentration of funding dollars, Palo Alto, Calif., edges out San Francisco for the top spoteach reports more than $2 billionwhile London sinks to 12th place.

As of January, Venture Scanner counted 1,438 InsurTechs with $19 billion of funding, with 625 of them located in cities that have five or more InsurTechs.

More than 800 others are scattered in cities with four InsurTechs or less, underscoring the fact that insurance technology startups are a worldwide phenomenon, said Susanne Sclafane, Carrier Managements executive editor and author of the report.

Carrier Managements report features several lists, including: Top 20 Cities for InsurTech Startups Ranked by Startup Count and Top 20 Cities for InsurTech Startups Ranked by Total Funding Dollars.

Top 20 Cities for InsurTech Startups Ranked by Total Funding Dollars ($M) Startup Total Rank City Region Country Count Funding ($M) 1 Palo Alto CA USA 7 $2,386.6 2 San Francisco CA USA 58 $2,312.7 3 New York NY USA 61 $1,387.8 4 Shanghai Shanghai CHN 6 $1,387.3 5 Hamilton Hamilton BMU 7 $526.7 6 Chicago IL USA 36 $306.9 7 Minneapolis MN USA 7 $298.7 8 San Mateo CA USA 7 $210.8 9 Austin TX USA 15 $205.0 10 Boston MA USA 16 $186.2 11 Gurgaon Haryana IND 10 $161.6 12 London England GBR 64 $160.8 13 Philadelphia PA USA 10 $158.5 14 Zurich Zurich CHE 6 $118.3 15 Berlin Berlin DEU 13 $109.6 16 Mumbai Maharashtra IND 16 $103.8 17 Mountain View CA USA 6 $100.2 18 Singapore Central Region SGP 17 $99.7 19 Toronto Ontario CAN 18 $73.4 20 Paris Ile-de-France FRA 18 $67.3 Top 20 (by funding) 398 $10,361.9 All Cities with Five or More InsurTechs 625 $10,849.1 Total 1,438 $19,000.0 Source: Venture Scanner

The Carrier Management report details the InsurTech boom, with a map of InsurTechs by U.S. state and counts for European and Asian cities. It also includes an analysis of the popularity of InsurTechs in Israel, Singapore, California and New York, and breaks down the distribution of property/casualty vs. life and benefits InsurTechs for the top cities.

The report uses Venture Scanner data from all publicly known funding events, including all sources (venture capital, corporates, private equity, etc.) and rounds (early stage, late stage, post-IPO equity, etc.). According to Nathan Pacer, Venture Scanners co-founder and chief research officer, the vast majority of those funding events (more than 95 percent) occur from 2011 onward.

Source: Where Is the InsurTech Capital of the World?

Topics InsurTech Tech New York London Startups
The top executives of gun maker American Outdoor Brands Corp. on Tuesday defended their safety efforts in a letter to asset manager BlackRock Inc. posted on the website of the maker of Smith & Wesson guns.

American Outdoor Brands and other gun makers have been under pressure from investors including BlackRock for a response after a high school massacre in Parkland, Florida, last month that killed 17 people.

In the letter, American Outdoor Brands chairman and chief executive officer said public safety priorities should be to enforce existing laws, improve background checks and address mental health challenges.

The solution is not to take a politically motivated action that has an adverse impact on our company, our employees, our industry, our shareholders, the economies we support and, significantly, the rights of our law abiding customers, but results in no increase in public safety, stated the letter. It is signed by company Chairman Barry Monheit and CEO James Debney.

BlackRock, the worlds largest asset manager, on Friday said it would press gun makers and weapons retailers in its portfolios to explain how they monitor firearms sales and use, and said it was studying the creation of new index-based portfolios of stocks that would exclude gun makers and retailers.

A BlackRock spokesman on Tuesday said in an e-mail that the firm will continue to engage with firearms makers to further understand their business policies and practices in order to protect our clients investments in them.

Other companies and financial firms have also been reviewing ties with the weapons industry and the National Rifle Association in the wake of the shooting, amid calls by some groups for investors to go further and divest the stocks altogether.

The letter from American Outdoor Brands, and an accompanying eight-page company memo, amount to one of the industrys first detailed defenses of its practices and may guide a debate over what specific changes investors might seek.

American Outdoor said its distributors face restrictions on who they may sell firearms to, and said it works closely with law enforcement agencies to trace guns used in crimes.

We believe it is important to tell you that we respect the national debate that is currently underway regarding firearms and safety, Monheit and Debney wrote.

The company said its investors understand the risks the stock poses. We believe that our stockholders are well aware of the products we manufacture and fully understand the risks associated with investing in a firearms manufacturer, the memo states.

American Outdoor Brands said it is not opposed to smart gun systems, but it opposes legislation that would require such technology, especially when it is not yet proven safe and reliable.

(Reporting by Ross Kerber Editing by Leslie Adler)
The impact of the new U.S. tax law is credit positive for U.S.-based insurance companies, which will boost profitability for many of these firms, particularly those that have been paying high effective tax rates.

The Trump tax reform will also make U.S. insurers more competitive with their global counterparts, Moodys Investors Service says. However, buyers should not expect big price cuts as a result.

We do not expect a material shift in the pricing of P&C products as a direct consequence of tax reform because risk-adjusted returns by product are based on multiple factors, including capital requirements, competition, loss cost trends, expenses, the cost of reinsurance, and taxes, says Siddhartha Ghosh, a Moodys vice president.

Moodys says that although the new tax law is credit positive for the U.S. property/casualty insurers and reinsurers, there are provisions that are not so favorable to non-U.S. companies.

Moodys says the base erosion and anti-abuse (BEAT) tax is credit negative for non-U.S. insurers and reinsurers whose U.S. subsidiaries transfer significant premiums to their non-U.S. affiliates. The report adds, however, that companies have some options to mitigate the impact of the BEAT tax such as retaining more business in the U.S., supported by higher U.S. capital levels or having an affiliated non-U.S. domiciled carrier elect to become a U.S. taxpayer. Nevertheless, non-U.S. (re)insurers are likely to incur U.S. corporate tax on a higher portion of their U.S. business, potentially reducing the profitability of Bermuda-based insurers and reinsurers, according to Moodys.

Moodys analysts said life insurers are expecting a decline in their company action level risk-based capital (RBC) ratios primarily driven by the write-off of net deferred tax assets, which most life insurance companies have. In addition, if the regulators were to incorporate the lower tax rates into the required capital calculation, RBC ratios would decline further. While the median RBC ratio has been robust in recent years at over 450 percent, Moodys estimates that the life industrys aggregate median RBC ratio could fall by a total of 70 to 100 percentage points in a worse-case scenario.

According to Moodys, how it will incorporate an RBC decline into its rating process will in part depend on how regulators implement the change. Should RBC ratios decline below a rating driver threshold, Moodys expects to provide a transition period for affected companies to rebuild and stabilize capital adequacy, or potentially to lower the threshold, although by a modest amount. Further, most insurers will enjoy the economic benefits of paying lower taxes through increased profitability and cash flows, which will help offset the decline in regulatory capital adequacy ratios over time.

Source: Moodys

Topics Carriers USA Reinsurance Property Casualty
Iron-Starr Excess Agency Ltd. (Iron-Starr), an excess specialty insurance lines managing general underwriting agency operated by Ironshore, has expanded its relationship with Oil Casualty Insurance Ltd. (OCIL) to underwrite property lines.

Iron-Starr has underwritten coverages on behalf of OCIL, a subscribing insurer for financial lines since 2016. The broadened relationship with OCIL will enable Iron-Starr to deliver an increase in syndicated capacity for commercial property risks, including natural catastrophe perils, within the Bermuda market.

Ian Smith, Ironshore senior vice president and head of Bermuda Property, said, the new agreement with OCIL strengthens its capabilities for delivering greater capacity for commercial property lines, where it has seen growing demand in the Bermuda marketplace.

OCILs expanded relationship with Iron-Starr will focus on further building its presence in the direct & facultative property insurance sector. Iron-Starr is authorized to underwrite D&F insurance with limits separate and distinct from coverage offered directly by OCILs property team, led by Rolf Fischer.

Iron-Starr Excess Agency Ltd is domiciled on Bermuda

Ironshore, a Liberty Mutual Company, provides broker-sourced specialty property and casualty insurance coverages for varying risks located throughout the world. Select specialty coverages are underwritten at Lloyds through Ironshores Pembroke Syndicate 4000. Pembroke Syndicate 4000 operates within Lloyds.

Oil Casualty Insurance, Ltd. is an insurance and reinsurance company incorporated under the laws of Bermuda in 1986.

Topics Trends Excess Surplus Property Bermuda
Illinois-based Alera Group, a national employee benefits, property/casualty, risk management and wealth management firm, has acquired IMG Benefits Group LLC in Houston, Texas.

Terms of the transactions were not announced.

IMG Benefits Group creates strategic employee benefit programs tailored to each clients needs. The firm has been built on five pillars: helping clients stay informed, providing client support, assisting in the implementation process, serving as an advocate and being a strategic benefits resource.

Alera Group also announced that it has acquired Benefit Planning Services (BPS), located in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Headquartered in Deerfield, Illiniois, Alera Group was founded in December 2016 and now has more than 900 employees.

Topics Mergers
What Is Cancellation of Debt (COD)?

Cancellation of debt (COD) occurs when a creditor relieves a debtor from a debt obligation. Debtors may be able to negotiate with a creditor directly for debt forgiveness. They can also receive debt cancellation through a debt relief program or by filing for bankruptcy. Debts forgiven by a creditor are taxable as income. Canceled debt will typically be recorded by the creditor and reported to a debtor as income on a 1099-C.

Key Takeaways Cancellation of debt (COD) is the forgiveness of debt obligations by a creditor.

Debt relief can be achieved through direct negotiations, debt relief programs, or bankruptcy.

Canceled debt must be reported as taxable income and filed through Form 1099-C.

If the canceled amount is $600 or more, then an individual is required to file with the IRS.

There are many exceptions and exclusions to the requirement of filing, defined by the IRS.

Understanding Cancellation of Debt

Distressed borrowers can work directly with a creditor to negotiate debt relief. Many distressed borrowers may choose to file for bankruptcy or work with a debt relief program which can lower a borrowers total debt.

The main impact of cancellation of debt is the legal requirement to pay taxes on the amount that has been forgiven, as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) counts this canceled amount as income. When obtaining debt relief borrowers should plan ahead for taxes on potential savings expected from the cancellation of debt.

Individuals will have to file Form 1099-C if the canceled debt amount is $600 or more. In 2018, the IRS received more than 3.9 million 1099-Cs, with expected amounts for 2019 to be 4.3 million and for 2020, 4.4 million.

The cancellation of debt can greatly help provide relief to a distressed borrower. In some cases, debt forgiveness may also be offered between countries for economic support.

Exceptions to Cancellation of Debt

There are quite a few exceptions when it comes to the cancellation of debt income. Defined by the IRS, the following are not considered cancellation of debt income:

Debts canceled as gifts or inheritance Some qualified student loans that meet specific criteria Other education loans or relief programs that help provide health services Canceled debt that would be deductible if an individual as a cash basis taxpayer, paid it A qualified purchase price reduction on a property provided by the seller Pay-For-Performance Success payments that reduce the principal balance of a mortgage under the Home Affordable Modification Program Amounts of student loans discharged upon the death or disability of the student  

The following exclusions are considered cancellation of debt income but the IRS excludes them from being reported as income.

Canceled debt from a Title 11 bankruptcy case Canceled debt to the extent insolvent Cancellation of qualified farm indebtedness Cancellation of qualified real property business indebtedness Cancellation of qualified principal residence indebtedness  

Methods of Cancelling Debt

Negotiating With Creditors

Negotiating the cancellation of debt with a creditor can be challenging. Most creditors are not willing to cancel individual debts as interest and fees on approved credit is the main source of income influencing their bottom line. However, some creditors do include provisions in their credit agreements for canceled debt. Many creditors also have credit relief services which can be obtained for a small additional fee and used in specific hardship situations such as a job loss or a medical occurrence. Reviewing the credit card terms of all creditors can help a borrower to identify on their own any creditors that they may easily qualify for debt cancellation from.

Certain loans issued under government programs may have a higher chance of debt forgiveness. These loans may include student loans or mortgage loans eligible for debt forgiveness under government-sponsored relief programs. For distressed borrowers, some lenders may also be willing to negotiate principal reductions on mortgage loans since it could save them some of the costs of a foreclosure.

Debt Relief Programs

Debt relief and settlement companies are available across the nation to help with debt forgiveness. Working with a credit counseling resource such as the National Foundation for Credit Counselors can help a borrower identify an appropriate program for their situation.

Debt settlement companies are for-profit entities that work on behalf of a borrower to negotiate a debt settlement with creditors. There are numerous caveats to working with these companies and the process for settlement can take years. However, debt settlement can be an option for borrowers who have been steadily delinquent in payments.

Debt settlement companies will assess a borrowers entire credit profile and contact creditors directly on a borrowers behalf for debt forgiveness. Debt relief programs will usually request that borrowers stop payments on their monthly credit bills in order to increase the likelihood that a creditor will settle. Generally, most companies will also require clients to make monthly escrow payments toward a lump sum settlement which would be paid at some time in the future.

Bankruptcy

In many situations, bankruptcy may be the best option for a distressed borrower. In bankruptcy, the borrower has the support of an attorney and the courts. Debt forgiveness is also not considered income in bankruptcy which can help save tax liabilities. Bankruptcy is a complicated process and the impacts can be long-standing. It's worth speaking to accountants and lawyers before heading down this path.
What Is a Hedge Fund?

Hedge funds are actively managed investment pools whose managers use a wide range of strategies, often including buying with borrowed money and trading esoteric assets, in an effort to beat average investment returns for their clients. They are considered risky alternative investment choices.

Hedge funds require a high minimum investment or net worth, excluding all but wealthy clients.

Key Takeaways Hedge funds are actively managed alternative investments that typically use non-traditional and risky investment strategies or asset classes.

Hedge funds charge much higher fees than conventional investment funds and require high minimum deposits.

The number of hedge funds has been growing by approximately 2.5% over the past five years but they remain controversial.

Hedge funds were celebrated for their market-beating performances in the 1990s and early 2000s, but many have underperformed since the financial crisis of 2007-2008, especially after fees and taxes are factored in.

1:51 Introduction To Hedge Funds

Understanding the Hedge Fund

The term "hedge fund" helps tell the story. The manager of any traditional investment fund may devote a portion of the available assets to a hedged bet. That's a bet in the opposite direction of the fund's focus, made in order to offset any losses in its core holdings.

For example, the manager of a fund that focuses on a cyclical sector that does well in a booming economy, such as travel, may devote a portion of the assets to stocks in a non-cyclical sector, like food or power companies. If the economy tanks, the returns of the non-cyclical stocks should offset the losses in cyclical stocks.

In modern times, hedge fund managers have taken that concept to an extreme. In fact, their funds have little to do with hedging, except for a few who stick to the original concept of the hedge fund, known as the classic long/short equities model.

Risky Business

Hedge funds are free to use riskier strategies in riskier ways. Notably, they frequently use leverage. That is, they use borrowed money to buy more of an asset in order to multiply their potential returns (or losses). They also invest in derivatives such as options and futures.

In short, they are free to choose esoteric investments that conservative investors won't touch.

Notably, hedge funds are not as strictly regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission as mutual funds are.

As might be expected, the appeal of many hedge funds lies in the reputation of their managers, many of whom are seen as stars in the closed world of hedge fund investing.

These money managers don't come cheap. Hedge funds generally charge a fee of 1%-2% of assets, plus a "performance fee" of about 20% of the profits.

How Hedge Funds Are Categorized

Each hedge fund is designed to take advantage of specific market opportunities. They can be categorized into a number of broad hedge fund strategies such as event-driven investing and fixed-income arbitrage. They are often classified according to the investment style of the fund's manager.

Legally, hedge funds are often set up as private investment limited partnerships that are open only to a limited number of accredited investors and require a large initial minimum investment.

Investments in hedge funds are illiquid as they often require investors to keep their money in the fund for at least one year, a time known as the lock-up period. Withdrawals may also only happen at certain intervals such as quarterly or bi-annually.

History of the Hedge Fund

Australian investor and financial writer Alfred Winslow Jones is credited with launching the first hedge fund in 1949 through his company, A.W. Jones & Co.

He raised $100,000 (including $40,000 out of his own pocket) and set up a fund that aimed to minimize the risk in long-term stock investing by short-selling other stocks. This innovation is now referred to as the classic long/short equities model. Jones also employed leverage to enhance the returns of his fund.

In 1952, Jones converted his fund from a general partnership to a limited partnership and added a 20% incentive fee as compensation for the managing partner.

As the first money manager to combine short selling, the use of leverage, and a compensation system based on performance, Jones earned his place in investing history as the father of the hedge fund.

The Boom (and Bust) Years

In the 1960s, hedge funds dramatically outperformed most mutual funds. They were relatively unknown to the general public until a 1966 article in Fortune highlighted an obscure fund that outperformed every mutual fund on the market by double-digit figures over the previous year and by high double-digits over the previous five years.

As hedge fund trends evolved, many funds turned away from Jones' strategy, which focused on stock picking coupled with hedging and engaged in riskier strategies based on long-term leverage. These tactics led to heavy losses in 1969-70, followed by a number of hedge fund closures during the bear market of 1973-74.

The industry pretty much dropped off the radar for more than two decades until a 1986 article in Institutional Investor touted the double-digit performance of Julian Robertson's Tiger Fund. With a high-flying hedge fund once again capturing the public's attention, well-heeled investors flocked to an industry that now offered thousands of funds and an ever-increasing array of exotic strategies, including currency trading and derivatives such as futures and options.

High-profile money managers deserted the traditional mutual fund industry in droves in the early 1990s, seeking fame and fortune as hedge fund managers.

Unfortunately, history repeated itself in the late 1990s and into the early 2000s as a number of high-profile hedge funds, including Robertson's, failed in spectacular fashion.

The Hedge Fund Industry Today

The hedge fund industry has made a comeback since then. Total assets under management grew from about $2.2 trillion in 2012 to about $3.6 trillion in 2019.

The number of operating hedge funds has grown as well, at least in some periods. There were fewer than 5,000 hedge funds in 2002. The number passed 10,000 by the end of 2015. However, losses and underperformance led to liquidations. By 2019, the number of funds worldwide had reached more than 16,000 according to Preqin.

Key Characteristics of Hedge Funds

How do you tell a hedge fund from a mutual fund? Here are a few big differences between the two.



Hedge Funds Exclude Small Investors

Hedge funds can accept money only from "qualified" investorsindividuals with an annual income that exceeds $200,000 for the past two years or a net worth exceeding $1 million, excluding their primary residence. Some set their minimums higher.

Those rules are imposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission because it otherwise does not strictly regulate hedge funds. It considers qualified investors to be suitable to handle the potential risks that hedge funds are permitted to take.

Hedge Fund Managers Have a Wide Latitude

A hedge fund's investment universe is limited only by its mandate. A hedge fund can basically invest in anythingland, real estate, stocks, derivatives, and currencies.

Mutual funds, by contrast, stick to stocks or bonds and invest for the long term.

Hedge Funds Often Use Leverage

Hedge funds often use borrowed money to amplify their returns and allow them to take aggressive short positions.

As was seen during the financial crisis of 2008, leverage can wipe out hedge funds, along with other big chunks of the economy.



Hedge Funds Have a "2 and 20" Fee Structure

Mutual funds fees have fallen substantially in the last few years, hitting an average of 0.50% in 2020.

Hedge funds, by contrast, use a fee structure that is called, in shorthand, "2-and 20." That's 2% of the assets under management plus a 20% cut of any profits generated.

Special Considerations on Hedge Funds

All hedge funds are considered risky investments, but some are riskier than others. Here are some steps you should take if you are thinking about putting money into a hedge fund.



First Step in Picking a Hedge Fund

When looking for a high-quality hedge fund, it is important for an investor to identify the metrics that are important to them and the results required for each.

These guidelines can be based on absolute values, such as returns that exceed 20% per year over the previous five years, or they can be relative, such as the largest hedge funds in terms of assets under management.

In any case, that's just the first step in your decision-making process.



Fund Absolute Performance Guidelines

Look at the annualized rate of return. Let's say that you want to find funds with a five-year annualized return that exceeds the return on the Citigroup World Government Bond Index (WGBI) by 1%. This filter would eliminate all funds that underperform the index over long time periods, and it could be adjusted based on the performance of the index over time.

This guideline will also reveal funds with much higher expected returns, such as global macro funds, long-biased long/short funds, and others.

But if these aren't the types of funds you are looking for, you must also establish a guideline for the standard deviation of the index over the previous five years. Let's assume we add 1% to this result, and establish that value as the guideline for standard deviation. Funds with a standard deviation greater than the guideline can be eliminated from further consideration.

Unfortunately, past returns do not necessarily help to identify an attractive fund for the future. A hedge fund may have employed a strategy last year that won't work well next year.

Comparing Returns

Once certain funds have been identified as high-return performers, it is important to identify the fund's strategy and compare its returns to other funds in the same category.

An investor can establish guidelines by first generating a peer analysis of similar funds. For example, one might establish the 50th percentile as the guideline for filtering funds.

Now the investor has two guidelines that all funds need to meet for further consideration.

Applying these two guidelines still leaves too many funds to evaluate in a reasonable amount of time. Additional guidelines need to be established, but the additional guidelines will not necessarily apply across the remaining universe of funds. For example, the guidelines for a merger arbitrage fund will differ from those for a long-short market-neutral fund.

Fund Relative Performance Guidelines

The next step is to establish a set of relative guidelines.

Relative performance metrics should always be based on specific categories or strategies. For example, it would not be reasonable to compare a leveraged global macro fund with a market-neutral, long/short equity fund.

To establish guidelines for a specific strategy, an investor can use an analytical software package such as Morningstar to identify a universe of funds using similar strategies. Then, a peer analysis will reveal many statistics, broken down into quartiles or deciles for that universe.

The threshold for each guideline may be the result for each metric that meets or exceeds the 50th percentile. An investor can loosen the guidelines by using the 60th percentile or tighten the guideline by using the 40th percentile.

Using the 50th percentile across all the metrics usually filters out all but a few hedge funds for additional consideration.

Establishing guidelines this way allows for flexibility to adjust the guidelines as the economic environment may impact the absolute returns for some strategies.

Factors to Consider

Factors used by some advocates of hedge funds include:

Five-year annualized returns

Standard deviation

Rolling standard deviation

Months to recovery/maximum drawdown

Downside deviation

These guidelines will help eliminate many of the funds in the universe and identify a workable number of funds for further analysis.

Other Fund Consideration Guidelines

An investor may also want to consider other guidelines that can either further reduce the number of funds to analyze or identify funds that meet additional criteria that may be relevant to the investor. Some examples:

Fund Size/Firm Size: This may be a minimum or maximum depending on the investor's preference. Institutional investors often invest such large amounts that a fund or firm must have a minimum size to accommodate a large investment. For other investors, a fund that is too big may face challenges matching past successes.

This may be a minimum or maximum depending on the investor's preference. Institutional investors often invest such large amounts that a fund or firm must have a minimum size to accommodate a large investment. For other investors, a fund that is too big may face challenges matching past successes. Track Record: If an investor wants a fund to have a minimum track record of 24 or 36 months, this guideline will eliminate new funds. However, sometimes a fund manager will leave to start a new fund, so the manager's performance can be tracked for a longer time period.

If an investor wants a fund to have a minimum track record of 24 or 36 months, this guideline will eliminate new funds. However, sometimes a fund manager will leave to start a new fund, so the manager's performance can be tracked for a longer time period. Minimum Investment: This is very important as many funds have minimums that can make it difficult for an individual investor to diversify properly. The fund's minimum investment can also give an indication of the types of investors in the fund. Larger minimums may indicate a higher proportion of institutional investors.

This is very important as many funds have minimums that can make it difficult for an individual investor to diversify properly. The fund's minimum investment can also give an indication of the types of investors in the fund. Larger minimums may indicate a higher proportion of institutional investors. Redemption Terms: These terms have implications for liquidity. Longer lock-up periods are difficult to incorporate into a portfolio, and redemption periods longer than a month can present some challenges.

Examples of Major Hedge Funds

Some of the largest hedge funds by total assets under management (AUM) as of 2018 included:

Paul Singer's Elliott Management Corporation held $48 billion in AUM as of June 2021. Founded in 1977, the fund is occasionally described as a vulture fund, as significant assets are focused on distressed securities, including the debt of bankrupt countries. Regardless, the strategy has proven successful for multiple decades.

Regardless, the strategy has proven successful for multiple decades. Founded in 2001 by David Siegel and John Overdeck, New York's Two Sigma Investments is near the top of the list of hedge funds by AUM, with more than $66 billion in managed assets as of March 2021. The firm was designed to not rely on a single investment strategy, allowing it to be flexible along with shifts in the market.

The firm was designed to not rely on a single investment strategy, allowing it to be flexible along with shifts in the market. One of the most popular hedge funds is James H. Simon's Renaissance Technologies. The fund, with $130.7 billion in AUM, was launched in 1982, but it has revolutionized its strategy along with changes in technology in recent years. Now, Renaissance is known for systematic trading based on computer models and quantitative algorithms. Thanks to these approaches, Renaissance has been able to provide investors with consistently strong returns, in spite of recent turbulence in the hedge fund space more broadly.

Now, Renaissance is known for systematic trading based on computer models and quantitative algorithms. Thanks to these approaches, Renaissance has been able to provide investors with consistently strong returns, in spite of recent turbulence in the hedge fund space more broadly. AQR Capital Investments oversees just under $164 billion in AUM as of August 2021. Based in Greenwich, Connecticut, it is known for using both traditional and alternative investment strategies.

Based in Greenwich, Connecticut, it is known for using both traditional and alternative investment strategies. Ray Dalio's Bridgewater Associates remains one of the largest hedge funds in the world, with $140 billion in AUM as of May 2020. The Connecticut-based fund employed about 1,500 people as of August 2021 and focuses on a global macro investing strategy. Bridgewater counts foundations, endowments, and even foreign governments and central banks among its clientele.

What Is a Hedge Fund? A hedge fund is an investment vehicle that caters to high-net-worth individuals, institutional investors, and other accredited investors. The term hedge is used because these funds historically focused on hedging risk by simultaneously buying and shorting assets in a long-short equity strategy.

Today's hedge funds offer a very wide range of strategies across practically all available asset classes, including real estate, derivatives, and non-traditional investments such as fine art and wine. Many use leverage strategies, meaning they borrow money in order to boost their potential returns.

Hedge funds are by definition lightly regulated and risky compared to mutual funds.

How Do Hedge Funds Compare to Other Investments? Hedge funds, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) all are pools of money contributed by many investors that aim to earn a profit for themselves and their clients.

Hedge funds, like some mutual funds but few ETFs, are actively managed by professional managers who buy and sell certain investments with the stated aim of exceeding the returns of the markets, or some sector or index of the markets.

Hedge funds aim for the greatest possible returns and take the greatest risks while trying to achieve them.

They are more loosely regulated than competing products, leaving them the flexibility to invest in just about every asset class available, including options and derivatives and esoteric investments that mutual funds can't touch.

Another difference is in costs. Hedge funds have much higher fees than other investment choices.

Why Are Hedge Funds Considered Risky? A conventional "hedge" in investing is a strategic move to cushion potential losses. This is done by betting a small amount of money on the opposite outcome from the one that the investor expects.

Today's hedge funds are searching for outsized returns. They may use any of a number of broad investment strategies for their funds but they are free to invest in any type of investment, including highly speculative instruments, in their search for returns.

Some of the unique risks of hedge funds: A concentrated investment strategy exposes hedge funds to potentially huge losses.

These funds typically require investors to lock up money for a period of years.

Use of leverage, or borrowed money, can turn a minor loss into a disastrous one.


What Is Skimming?

Skimming is a method used by identity thieves to capture payment and personal information from a credit card holder. Several approaches can be used by fraudsters to procure card information, with the most advanced approach involving a small device called a skimmer that reads the information stored in a card's magnetic strip or microchip.

Key Takeaways Skimming is an illegal practice used by identity thieves to capture credit card information from a cardholder surreptitiously.

Fraudsters often use a device called a skimmer that can be installed at gas pumps or ATM machines to collect card data.

Some machines act like point-of-sale technology. An acquired card is swiped, and a touchpad allows the user to enter a security code.

Card users are warned to keep their cards in their sight at all times and to cover the pin pad when inputting security codes at ATMs.

How Skimming Works

Skimming can occur anytime a cardholder uses an electronic payment card at a brick-and-mortar location. Fraudsters can obtain information in various ways, and the technology that they use is becoming more sophisticated and challenging to detect.

Skimming allows identity thieves to capture information from a cardholder that can be used to make fraudulent transactions. Some fraudsters may simply photocopy or take digital photos of information that can be used fraudulently. Other more advanced technologies also exist, such as skimming devices designed for use in many different situations.

At brick-and-mortar locations, a fraudster can use a small skimming device that allows them to swipe a card and obtain information from its magnetic strip. Some skimmers may also include a touchpad that allows the thief to enter a security code.

Skimming technology is becoming more sophisticated each year, and it is difficult for authorities to stay one step ahead. Some skimmers are as thin as a credit card and can be inserted into ATM machines and gas pumps.

Thieves can also build skimming devices that can be used at automated teller machines (ATMs) and other point-of-sale locations such as gas stations. Skimming devices can be installed on an ATM with cameras and overlay touchpads can be added to capture individual personal identification numbers. Gas stations are another target where skimming devices can be easily installed since card readers are often outside at the gas pump and separate from a checkout.

Mitigating Compromised Card Information

Cardholders should be cautious of any suspicious devices involved with an electronic payment. In some situations, skimmers can be easily detected if a thief uses more than one device to complete an electronic transaction.

To avoid having their card skimmed, cardholders should maintain possession of their card or keep it in sight at all times. Dining at restaurants with a collective checkout can also help to ensure a card is not compromised when taken from the cardholder.

In 2021, two men were sentenced to 75 months in federal prison for an ATM skimming fraud that resulted in $587,529.50 in losses to financial institutions located in Michigan, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Many businesses will integrate electronic fraud security systems into their payment process, which can protect them from all types of fraudulent approaches and cyber attacks. Payment card companies are also broadening their solutions for security and fraud prevention.

Cardholders can check with their individual issuers through customer representatives or online resources to gain greater insight into any services or solutions that may be available to increase card security and mitigate compromised card information.
Geoff Percival

Cairn Homes has said it expects to see a low single-digit percentage rise in the average price of a new home this year.

The Dublin-focused, publicly quoted housebuilder sold 418 new homes last year at an average price of 315,000. While Dublin house prices, including second-hand homes, increased by around 11% in 2017, estimated price growth for new builds is around 6%.

Cairn returned to profit last year, generating a pre-tax profit of 6m following a 2016 loss of 2.8m. Revenue jumped from 40.9m to 149.5m and operating profit rose from 3.6m to 15m.

The company is currently active on 11 of its 34 landbank sites, up from five at the end of 2016. Those 11 will deliver nearly 3,700 new homes. The company said it will commence work on three more sites this year, and expects to see continued significant growth in sales, profit, and cash generation over the next three years.

Cairns share price was up nearly 4.6% yesterday.

Chief executive Michael Stanley said Cairn is responsible for around 10% of the total number of new homes being built in the greater Dublin area.

He said Cairn should complete 800 homes this year, but was doubtful that would still make up 10% of the total by years end.

Cairn expects to be generating revenue of around 500m by 2020 and building between 1,300 and 1,400 houses per year, up from its initial target of 1,000 at the time of its 2015 London IPO.

Cairn last year agreed a deal to build 71 homes on Nama-owned land in north Dublin. Mr Stanley said it would be open to further joint-venture arrangements with Nama,

 the company last year agreed a deal to build 71 homes on Nama-owned land in north Dublin 

but was not necessarily acquisitive, regarding adding to its landbank in Dublin.

He said it is very unlikely the company would be returning to shareholders to raise more funds as it is starting to generate significant cash from its own activities. However, he said Cairn remains open to adding to its acreage outside of Dublin, where it already has land in Cork and Galway.

Cairn has also commenced the sale of its Hanover Quay apartment development in Dublins docklands and hopes to finalise the disposal early next year. It hasnt decided on further apartment sales, but said it has received institutional buyer interest.

Cairn is also keen on increasing its student accommodation provision. Mr Stanley said the area is appallingly under-supplied with 90% of Dublins student population either living at home or competing in the family housing market.
By Ann O'Loughlin

A man who claims he was a Garda informer is suing the State over its alleged failure to protect him after he was arrested in France for drug trafficking offences over 17 years ago.

The man is currently in custody in the UK pending the hearing of a request for his extradition from the French authorities.

His surrender is being sought so that he can serve a four year prison sentence he received in his absence for drug trafficking offences from a French court following his arrest in 2000.

In proceedings commenced in 2006 against the Garda Commissioner, Ireland and the Attorney General the man seeks damages for alleged negligence breach of duty, breach of contract and misrepresentations.

He also claims his constitutional rights and rights under the European Convention on Human Rights were breached by the State.

The man alleges that in the late 1990s he entered into an agreement with the Gardai to act as an informant on certain persons thought to be engaged in drug trafficking.

He claims that it was part of the alleged agreement that the Gardai would take all steps to safeguard his safety, keep his identity confidential and protect him from criminal prosecution in Ireland or abroad.

Arising out of his arrest and conviction in France he claims the Gardai failed to take steps that were agreed to protect his rights, including direct intervention with the French authorities.

The claims are denied.

As part of his claim, the man sought the discovery of documents from the Gardai which supports his claim.

The defendants claimed privilege over certain documents on grounds including that handing them over would cause a risk to life and would be an operational security risk.

In a 2016 ruling Ms Justice Marie Baker, who noted that the defendants had not denied the man had been paid money to provide information to the Gardai, said he was entitled to some of the documents he sought.

The case returned before Ms Justice Baker today when Hugh O'Keeffe SC for the man said his client was arrested in the UK earlier this year on foot of a European Arrest Warrant issued by the French authorities in respect of the prison sentence.

Counsel said the man intends to contest the extradition request on grounds including that he was acting as an informer at the time of his arrest in France.

Counsel said the case was "an unusual one" which had moved at "glacial" speed.

Counsel said the man's Irish lawyers are now seeking an order from the High Court allowing his 's UK lawyers to use the documents that were the subject of the 2016 discovery order.

Patrick McGrath SC for the State asked for an adjournment of a week in order to reply to the man's application in relation to the use of the documents outside of the jurisdiction.

The Judge acknowledging the urgency of the matter, as the man's liberty is in question, fixed the hearing for the application to allow the documents be used in the extradition proceedings to Friday of this week.
Sinn Fein TD Caoimhghin O Caolain will not stand in the next general election.

Mr O Caolain was first elected a TD for the party in 1997.

Addressing party councillors and activists from across Cavan and Monaghan in the Errigal Hotel in Cootehill tonight, the long serving TD and former Monaghan County Councillor, who is the partys longest serving elected representative, said he was anxious to facilitate a younger generation of republican voices step forward and take up frontline and leadership roles.

Sinn Feins sole TD from 1997 to 2002, Deputy O Caolain was appointed his partys Dail Leader in 2002, a position he held until 2011 when Gerry Adams, Sinn Feins then Party President, was elected for the neighbouring constituency of Louth.

A long time spokesperson on Health and Children issues, Deputy O Caolain has been his partys spokesperson on Disability Rights and Older People since the 2016 General Election.

In the current Dail he was appointed Chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality, a position he continues to hold.

A Monaghan town native, Caoimhghin O Caolain is married to Briege and they have five children.

The Cootehill meeting was also addressed by Sinn Feins newly elected Party President Mary Lou McDonald T.D. who paid warm tribute to her long serving Dail colleague and friend.

More to follow...
Historian Catherine Corless, whose work led to the discovery of a mass grave in Tuam, argues that the expertise exists to start DNA identification of the babies interred there

SATURDAY, March 3, will mark the first anniversary of the announcement by Minister Katherine Zappone that a substantial number of juvenile skeletal remains had been discovered in a disused sewage tank on the grounds of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home and that a forensic examination of the remains proved they were from the era of the former Tuam Home.

The minister expressed her personal horror and sorrow, along with that of all of her Government colleagues with the grim discovery.

The Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary spoke at the 10.30am Mass on March 5 in Tuam Cathedral of his shock and horror at the magnitude of this situation.

The media both nationally and internationally quickly took up the story, and for the month of March 2017, the Tuam shock discovery was the topic of conversation for television, radio and newspapers. Each and everyone asked how this could have happened in Holy Catholic Ireland, and all called for immediate action to rectify this horrific discovery.

One year has passed, but nothing much has happened. Despite the outpouring of public grief and anger, the significant number of babys remains, ranging in age from 35 foetal weeks to 3 years, still lie in a rat-infested sewage tank.

The Governments disdain and horror has somewhat dwindled and been replaced by concerns of costing and disruption to the site. Survivors pleas to have their siblings removed to consecrated ground have been filed away.

An attempt to appease this appalling situation was made by Katherine Zappone who did visit the Tuam burial site in April 2017 where she met with a group of Tuam Home Survivors. Afterwards she formed a team of experts in the field of forensic archaeology and mass graves to examine the possibilities of finding a solution to the Tuam burial problem.

But after several weeks of head scratching and scrutinizing to find a solution, the team declared that neither nationally or internationally had they ever come across a situation like Tuam where a mass grave in a septic tank held the remains of a significant number of babies and toddlers, and where the burials were centred in the middle of a housing estate.

Ms Zappone had also ordered that an archaeological survey be carried out on the remaining area of the Tuam Home site i.e. the playground and surrounding grassy verges. The results of that show that, indeed, there is another large, rectangular structure alongside the one already discovered with the remains, and also indicates that there are more burials in the playground area and on the surrounding grassy verges.

All of those details are in the specialist teams 200-page report which was issued last December for all to read, along with details on how the excavation and exhumation can be achieved.

The Governments response to all this? A naive person would feel that the shock and horror of March 2017 displayed by the Government would rekindle and persuade it into some immediate action.

But what our Government decided to do was to hand the problem back to Galway County Council who own the 7-acre site comprising of the housing estate, septic tank area, playground area and the grassy verges full of infant burials. The same Galway County Council which was responsible for the building of this housing estate in the 1970s, and whose forbearers would have been part and parcel of the running of the Mother and Baby Home.

There is a little reminiscence here on a Biblical theme where Herod did not want to be responsible for the fate of Jesus. So what does he do  he hands Jesus over to the gathering multitude to let them decide. While we are on a Biblical theme, I thought of the soldiers who cast lots for the cloak of Jesus after he was crucified, when I heard that Galway County Council are asking the public to cast votes as to what they should do with the Tuam Babies.

Yes, we have it in print and attachments to emails  a three-page document. The first page explains what to do. The second has the voting system - tick one of five boxes, numbered 1  5 on your preference from no. 1 whether to erect a statue over the septic tank where the babies lie therein, and disregard the other burials, right through to number 5 for a full-out forensic investigation re-interment and DNA.

We can if we wish decide to add our reason for voting thus. Then we are instructed to hand this back to Galway County Council which, in turn, hands it back to the Government for an inter-departmental group to finally decide the fate of the Tuam Babies. This decision will be made in April/May of this year.

I would like to add my own feeling of dismay at this outcome. I have given over three years of voluntary time, expense and effort to further the cause of the Tuam Babies and the Survivors of the Tuam Home. I have facilitated each and every journalist, news reporter, television and radio programme just to further the Tuam cause and to keep the story out in the public and to keep pressure on the Government to achieve justice and a proper burial place for the babies.

Nothing less, nothing more. I thank the multitude of decent people who have contacted me to wish me well and who appreciate what I am trying to achieve. I tried in vain to stop this callous and cold voting system to decide the outcome of the Tuam Home babies who lie in a sewage tank.

I have spoken to many experts in the field of DNA who can see no reason not to go ahead with DNA stating that, in this day and age, it is very possible and does not cost the earth as the Government is stating. I have spoken to retired forensic anthropologist and former Cork county archaeologist, Catryn Power from Cork , who is adamant that the team of archaeologists who discovered the remains of the babies in the sewage tank are an expert group quite capable of carrying out exhumations.

Last word, I would ask the Bon Secours Sisters, who were responsible for the running of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home to look to their conscience and make reparation by ordering and funding re-interment of the infants remains to the main Tuam graveyard, just a 100 metres across the road.

The Bon Secours Sisters have had a link to Tuam since 1925 when the Tuam Home opened and it was the Mother Superior there, namely Mother Hortense, who instigated and raised funds for the opening of the private Bon Secours Hospital (The Grove) in 1945.

This private hospital closed around 18 years ago, and the sisters sold the land and building to the HSE West for a substantial sum.

Catherine Corless is a local historian who uncovered details of a mass grave at the former Mother and Babies Home in Tuam
Poor people cannot make provision for old age when they barely have enough to live on throughout their lives, writes Dr Sean Healy

Every person has the right to sufficient income to live life with dignity in old age. Every older person has contributed in one way or another over the years. Many contributed through their jobs.

Others did so by caring for children, older people or people who were ill or disabled. Others still have made great contributions to their communities, to local organisations, to their families and friends. When people are older they should not be short of the essentials.

Yet an estimated 65,000 older people are at risk of poverty and 85,000 people aged 65 and over are experiencing deprivation. Fewer than one in five in the lowest income group have a pension from their job, while 94.2% of the highest earners have such a pension. The poor simply cannot make adequate provision for their old age when they barely have enough to live on throughout their lives.

Social Justice Ireland has proposed the introduction of a Universal State Pension. This would mean that a payment would be provided, as a right, to every person over the eligible age who meets the qualifying criteria, to replace all other Social Welfare pension payments to those people.

Social Justice Ireland proposes three key adjustments to the present system:

On equity: ensure every older person who has been resident in Ireland will receive a full pension payment (unlike the current system or the Governments proposed new system, both of which leave large numbers of older people with only partial or no pension.

On sustainability: make the system more sustainable by standard rating employee contributions to private pensions (unlike the current system which gives tax relief at the marginal rate which results in the major benefits going to the higher paid).

On bureaucracy: dramatically reduce the bureaucracy by having only one test for accessing the payment and eliminating the myriad of conditions that are part of the current or the Governments proposed systems.

With an ageing population and the number of people in defined benefit schemes falling, it is clear that the shortcomings in Irelands pension system need to be addressed urgently. The Irish Government published its Roadmap for Pensions Reform last week, proposing a restructuring of how workers social insurance contributions translate into their final state pension, and an automatic enrolment plan for private pensions.

How is this proposal different to the current old age pension?

It is fairer, more transparent and less costly than the current pension model.

It would be paid at the rate of the existing State (Contributory) Pension (currently 243.30), meaning those on the State (Non-Contributory) Pension would receive an increase of 11.30 per week.

Over time, it would gradually increase to reach 35% of average earnings by 2022.

It would be paid to individuals, so households currently in receipt of a social welfare pension for a head of household, and a qualifying adult payment for their spouse or partner would, instead, receive two pensions per adult of eligible age who meets the criteria.

What are the eligibility criteria in this new proposed system?

Must be aged 66 or over.

Must be resident in the State for at least 40 years between the ages of 16 and 66.

If resident for less than 40 years, a payment of 2.5% in respect of each year of residency between the ages of 16 and 66 will be made. Example: Mary is 66 and has been resident in Ireland for 30 years, she will receive 75% of the universal payment (182.48) per week as she has been resident for 75% of the qualifying period.

How would it be funded?

The universal pension would cost an additional 700 million approximately in 2019. This would come from a reform of the structure and tax relief for private pensions and through employer PRSI, which would raise an additional 948m, meaning the Social Justice Ireland proposal would be cost neutral or better at the initial stage.

The tax reforms proposed by Social Justice Ireland would:

Reduce the marginal rate of tax relief on private pension contributions, including the pension levy, to the standard rate of 20%. At present those with higher earnings benefit at 40% with the result that 80% of the benefit goes to the wealthiest 20% of earners.

Reduce the earnings contribution cap from 115,000 to 72,000.

Reduce the Standard Fund Threshold from 2 million to 500,000.

Increase the rate of Employer PRSI from 10.85% to 11.35%.

A universal pension would provide: income security for all into old age; gender equality by changing from the current qualified adult system, which disproportionately discriminates against women, to individual payments; certainty of income for retirement planning; social justice and solidarity as a societal contribution to older people; a step towards eliminating poverty in line with Irelands commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals ; administrative efficiency, as the universal payment would replace the range of existing social welfare payments to older people; predictability of cost into the future, encouraging fiscal responsibility and provisioning; sustainability.

Our pension system needs to be more effective at promoting equity and sustainability while reducing the bureaucracy at the core of the current system. We need to take this opportunity to create a fairer society.

As it stands, 70% of tax relief on pensions accrues to the 20% who are the highest earners, with more 50% of tax relief going to the top 10% of earners. Our proposals are about redistribution for the benefit of everyone.

We need to future-proof our society and economy from a macro perspective, but lets not forget that this is about each individuals financial security going forward.

Its a choice between laying the foundations for an Ireland where people can grow old secure from the risk of poverty or allowing the present pensions situation to spiral into a social crisis of very large proportions.

A Universal State Social Welfare Pension was published by Social Justice Ireland this week. The full report is available at www.socialjustice.ie

Dr Sean Healy is chief executive of Social Justice Ireland.
Mr Varadkar said that the Government will effectively lose 10 days in the referendum build-up unless it holds an emergency Dail debate this week.

As previously reported by the Irish Examiner, the Cabinet had intended to formally sign off on the repeal and enable legislation referendum question yesterday.

It was unable to do so because the Supreme Court has not yet ruled on a related case on the constitutional rights of the unborn in time for the Cabinet meeting.

The seven-judge court is due to make its judgment known at a sitting in Limerick today, paving the way for the Cabinet to hold a special meeting tomorrow at 10am at which it will either rubber-stamp its planned referendum wording or consider a revised wording from the attorney general.

While the short delay may appear insignificant, it poses a genuine problem for the Governments planned May 25 referendum.

Due to the fact the Dail and Seanad are not sitting next week because of the ministerial St Patricks Day foreign trips, if the referendum question and its related bill is not put before the Dail this week, the Government will be unable to act on it until the Oireachtas returns in a fortnights time.

If such a situation takes place, it would make it increasingly difficult to hold the referendum on May 25  a date pro-choice supporters believe is crucial to ensure young people and students are in the country to vote  with a June date more likely.

Asked by Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Brid Smith in the Dail yesterday what measures are in place to ensure the referendum still takes place in May, Mr Varadkar said he remains hopeful the date will be met.

However, in a clear warning about the schedule, he said: If we do not do that [hold a Friday Dail sitting], we will lose around 10 days and that does jeopardise our ambition to have a referendum before the end of May.

As a result of the tight scheduling, the Oireachtas business committee met for just under an hour yesterday to consider a potential Friday Dail sitting.

Several committee members have told the Irish Examiner that while the move is likely, the committee will meet again at 1pm tomorrow to formally decide as it cannot do so until it knows the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling.

The committee is examining three options, including the Dail sitting from 10.30am to 1.10pm on Friday or sitting for a full day on Friday.

It is also considering asking the Dail to return from the St Patricks Day break a day early  on Tuesday week  or to request late- night sittings that week in order to give TDs time to examine the implications of the supreme court ruling, the referendum question, and a related Department of Health policy paper on the planned post-referendum 12-week abortion access law.

While the majority of those who spoke in the Dail on the issue yesterday are in favour of debating the issue as soon as possible, pro-life Independent TD Mattie McGrath criticised the plan, saying that it is all rush, rush, rush and indecent haste as far as Im concerned.

Policy paper

Women seeking an abortion face a cooling-off period before being given access to abortion under planned post-referendum laws.

Health Minister Simon Harris will confirm the proposal in a health policy paper at a special Cabinet meeting at 10am tomorrow.

Government sources told the Irish Examiner this policy paper will be similar to the recommendations of the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment.

It is understood it will include:
Ronnie, a highly-trained human cadaver dog, was yesterday scouring Mitchels Wood in Castlemartyr, Co Cork, with his handler, Mick Swindells, of Search Dogs UK, on day two of the huge garda-led search of the woods for evidence relating to the disappearance of Ms Satchwell, 45, from her home in Youghal, Co Cork, almost a year ago.

Mr Swindells confirmed that he and Ronnie are assisting in the operation but he declined to comment any further.

Garda search teams yesterday continued their painstaking search of the 40-acre woodland with assistance from Defence Forces site clearance specialists.

The woodland has been divided into zones and the teams are working their way through each one, searching from around 8am to 6pm daily.

Garda search operation at Mitchels Wood, Castlemartyr, Co Cork. Picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

Equipment which can detect if ground has been disturbed, as well as mini-diggers, is on standby.

Cadaver detection dogs like Ronnie can be used to detect buried human remains as a result of crime or natural disasters, and to detect concealed human remains on the surface or submerged in water.

They can cover ground quickly and are viewed by gardai as a valuable tool in identifying specific areas of interest that may require further investigation.

Ronnie has been trained specifically to work as part of police operations and along with other search techniques such as ground penetrating radar.

If he picks up the specific scent of a recently deceased, putrefying or skeletonised human corpse, he will signal to his handler who will, in turn, identify the area of interest.

The public have been asked to keep back from the Tina Satchwell search operation. Picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

A former police officer, Mr Swindells is a pioneer in the use of search dogs for police operations.

In 1996, while still a serving police officer, he was awarded the Home Office Research Award for his study on how to use dogs to detect submerged bodies. It was the first time this specialised area had been studied in the UK.

Since then, he has been training specialist dogs in the UK for various police forces, as well as working for foreign government agencies around the world.

Search Dogs UK has been the sole provider of cadaver search dogs to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victim Remains established as part of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

He confirmed yesterday that he has been engaged by the Russian authorities and is actively involved with other specialist dogs in the search for the remains of Grand Duke Mikhail Romanov  the murdered younger brother of murdered Tsar Nicholas II of Russia  and the remains of his British secretary, Bran Johnson.

Both men were shot dead and believed buried in woodland in the Perm region of Russia in 1918. Their bodies have never been recovered.

Mr Swindells and his team of dogs have had successful outcomes in several cases but experts say such specialist dogs dont always get it right.

In 2000, Mr Swindells and a cadaver dog, Shep, were called in to search a field near Nottingham to help locate the suspected grave of a murder victim. Shep signalled in one spot and the area was excavated but nothing was found.

Police returned later with an informant who identified the site of the grave nearby and it emerged that Shep had been out by just a metre.

It transpired that as the murderer was digging the grave, he had cracked a drain with his spade, which allowed compounds from the decomposing corpse to enter the drain and flow about a metre downhill where they were stopped by a blockage.

However, on another occasion, during the search of a house in the UK, a signal from one of Mr Swindells dogs led to the discovery of bones beneath the floorboards which were later identified as pig.

Following dating of the bones, its believed they were buried there during the Second World War when pork was rationed.

Gardai have declined to comment on what led them to target the woods but it is understood they are acting on information from at least one credible source.

Supt Colm Noonan, of Midleton Garda Station, said the search is part of an open and ongoing investigation.

He has appealed for anyone who saw anything suspicious in the woodland area last March to come forward.

Anyone with information can contact gardai at Midleton on 021-4621550.
The historian, who found the names of the 796 children who died at the home, expressed her anger at the callous and cold voting system put in place by Galway County Council as part of an independent consultation process on the five options presented by the expert technical group advising the Government in how to manage the site. She has also written to Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone on the matter.

The options range from doing no further investigative work to a full forensic excavation and analysis of all human remains.

Ms Corless expressed her dismay that it has come to this but has called on people to show a preference for a full forensic excavation, exhumation, and DNA testing, stating that this will bring the long-awaited justice to the families of the babies buried in this tank.

She said she tried in vain to stop this callous and cold voting system to decide what is to be done at Tuam.

She hit out at the Government, saying it had become increasingly focused on cost rather than truth. She accused the Government of handing the problem back to the council rather than simply directing the site be fully and forensically excavated.

There was a public outcry this time last year from the Government of their shock and horror that the Tuam Home babies were buried thus, but their shock is somewhat dwindling at this stage, with the focus now on cost, she said.

The Tuam babies deserve a decent burial in consecrated ground alongside their relatives. Memorialising them with a statue planked on top of the septic tank is only a further slight adding to the way their little bodies were discarded in the first place.

Writing in this newspaper, she said she had spoken to many experts in the field of DNA who can see no reason not to go ahead with the fullest possible examination of the site, adding: It does not cost the earth as the Government are stating.

Speaking in the Dail last month, Ms Zappone acknowledged that a number of families and representative groups had expressed concern about the use of the approach and methodology used to gather information.

It appears that some have likened it to a simplistic popular voting process, said Ms Zappone. The process is far more comprehensive than that. I have raised these concerns with Galway County Council.

I would like to assure the House that there is no intention to trivialise the memories or feelings of those wishing to partake in this process by using such a document.The key part of this process is to offer those with an interest to express their opinion and collate this information.

On the forms issued by Galway County Council, interested parties are asked indicate their preferred option by placing an X in the appropriate box out of the following five options:

Memorialisation;

Exhumation of known human remains;

Forensic excavation and recovery of known human remains;

Forensic excavation and recovery of known human remains with further evaluation/excavation of other areas of interest;

Forensic excavation of the total available area.

Mr Corless concerns come after an Irish Examiner investigation revealed that children from the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home were buried in unmarked graves in a Cork city cemetery as late as 1990.

Meanwhile, the Justice For Magdalenes Research Group urged the Government to honour two of the key recommendations of the Magdalene redress scheme by helping bring survivors together for a special Dublin Honours Magdalenes event.

The two-day gathering on June 5 and 6 will see several hundred survivors of the Magdalene Laundries will be honoured and celebrated by the City of Dublin.
David Buckley, aged 32, of 4 Convent Rd, Doneraile, Co Cork, denied the sexual assaults which he carried out between December 2009 and March 2011 at his then partners home in another area in Co Cork.

A jury found him guilty in November. Judge Sean O Donnabhain remanded Buckley in custody for sentencing yesterday at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The jury delivered 11-1 majority verdicts on five sexual assault counts and a further 10-2 majority verdict on another.

They found him not guilty of a seventh sexual assault and not guilty of a sexual exploitation charge and a count attempting to engage in sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 15.

Imelda Kelly, prosecuting, said the victim had no difficulty with the accused being identified but she did not want to be named.

The victim said yesterday: When I was 12 he began to sexually assault me. It continued until I was 14. I felt alone. I was confused, depressed and suicidal. I have been battling depression since a young age. I have tried to take my life on two occasions because I felt my life was not worth living.

I took alcohol to escape the reality of what happened. It was very hard for me. I felt insecure, depressed, isolated. I felt my childhood and innocence were taken from me. All I wanted was a normal happy family.

I am proud of myself for having the courage to go through this.

Judge O Donnabhain sentenced Buckley to three years in jail.

The victim said during the trial that Buckley gave her vodka when she was 13 and that the sexual assaults started with him French kissing her and then touching her on the behind and on her breast.

Ms Kelly said that there was a pattern of behaviour where the alleged assaults increased in seriousness over time.

The accused man testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court: Nothing ever happened. I never kissed her. I never done nothing to that girl. That [what she alleged] is a load of lies.

The only time I was ever in the bedroom was when I was painting it, he said.

Ms Kelly suggested the dynamic of the relationship between the defendant and his partners daughter blurred and resulted in this sexual activity. He denied this.
The group, Bantry Bay Native Kelp Forest, will hold the protest in advance of a private members bill due to be brought by Donegal Independent TD Thomas Pringle and Galway West Independent TD Catherine Connolly at 2.45pm.

Last December, it emerged that final approval had been given for the start of the largest kelp harvesting operation in the country, with Tralee-based BioAtlantis saying it hoped to begin harvesting kelp in the area, following a lengthy application process.
The potential sale of 18,000 PTSB mortgages to vulture funds has been the subject of much controversy, with opposition parties calling for greater regulations of these funds.

PTSB intends to sell off 3.7bn in mortgages after being instructed by the ECB to bring down the level of distressed loans it has on its books.

Other banks are expected to follow suit in selling off loan portfolios.

However, Fianna Fail finance spokesman Michael McGrath has said he received correspondence from the ECB which states the bank has not expressed a preference for some non-performing loan [NPL] reduction tools rather than others.

Responding, Mr McGrath said: I think that dispels the myth that the ECB has instructed Permanent TSB or indeed any other bank in Ireland to sell loan portfolios, they have not issued such an instruction.

In fact if you read through the detailed guidance paper that was issued by the ECB in 2017, its clear that there are a range of solutions that the banks should be working through, including forbearance, including writing off loans that are not recoverable and, after all, they have been very well recapitalised by the Irish State to deal with their non-performing loans.

I think certainly the impression has been given that the banks have no choice but to sell on their non-performing loan portfolio. That is simply not the case.

A Fianna Fail bill to ensure so-called vulture funds come under Irish Central Bank regulations was debated in the Dail last night. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has indicated that Government will accept the bill, but will seek to make some amendments.

Mr Donohoe also instructed the Central Bank to review its code of conduct on mortgages that are in arrears.

Speaking ahead of the debate, Mr McGrath said: These vulture funds have been above the law for far too long, they have been untouchable, they have been beyond the reach of the central bank and, in many instances, they have been allowed to treat people disgracefully.

He said his party has been inundated by people with personal stories which has only reiterated the importance of getting current regulations expanded to cover vulture funds.

Mr McGrath said Fianna Fail has no difficulty in allowing amendments to their bill as long as changes to the regulation of vulture funds are immediately introduced.

We need this law to become law and become law quickly, said Mr McGrath.

However, he added that PTSB and other banks who sell off large numbers of mortgages are simply taking the easy option.

I certainly do not believe that the banks have exhausted all of those options so far, he said.

The banks are outsourcing their dirty work. Thats what they are seeking to do. They shouldnt be allowed to do it, its a cop out, its like the fire service outsourcing the work of putting out fires.

Banks should be working through their loan books on a case by case basis, making decisions and dealing with their customers and thats what we want to see happen.

In the letter to Mr McGrath, the ECB warned that high levels of NPLs pose a risk to the sound-ness of banks, with adverse implications for lending and hence also economic growth.
The 30 Lidl staff at the store in Tallaght, which was structurally damaged during the break-in, are to be redeployed to other stores in the area.

The supermarket at Fortunestown Lane was looted and bulldozed by people using a stolen digger to break through the roof, causing most of the building to collapse. The incident took place during a major snowstorm.

The raiders also removed a safe from the premises. It was later found partially open outside the supermarket.

In a statement, Lidl Ireland said staff are to be redeployed to other stores in the area.

It said 30 people work at the store on Fortunestown Lane, but none were present during the incident, as it was closed due to a Status Red weather alert.

We can confirm that it had been our intention to build a new larger store on Fortunestown Lane, said Lidl. Given the events of Friday last, that decision is now under review.

We currently have engineers and consultants on site assessing the significant damage caused to the building and we will await their recommendations before making a final decision regarding future plans.

Lidl Ireland senior PR manager Claire Moran said: We will take guidance from the engineers. It is a question of whether we will go ahead with our plans or whether the current store will be rebuilt.

Six men appeared in court charged in connection with the incident. They will appear in court again this month.

Lidl Ireland said staff have been blown away by the support they have received.
It should come as no surprise to Mr OLeary, however, as he was named as a billionaire as far back as 2016 on the Sunday Independent Rich List.

The richest newcomer on the Forbes list is Francoise Bettencourt Meyers with a fortune of $42.2bn.

She became the new LOreal heiress and the wealthiest woman in Europe after her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, died last September.

Meanwhile, Ryanair is threatening to ground its planes after the UK withdraws from the EU to persuade voters to rethink Brexit.

Mr OLeary said he wants to create an opportunity by making people realise they are no longer going to have cheap holidays.

He told an audience of airline leaders in Brussels: I think its in our interests  not for a long period of time  that the aircraft are grounded.

Its only when you get to that stage where youre going to persuade the average British voter that you were lied to in the entire Brexit debate.

You were promised you could leave the EU and everything would stay the same. The reality is you can leave the EU, yes thats your choice, but everything will fundamentally change.

Mr OLeary warned that there would be a real crisis as flights between the UK and the EU are disrupted after Brexit.

He said: When you begin to realise that youre no longer going to have cheap holidays in Portugal or Spain or Italy, youve got to drive to Scotland or get a ferry to Ireland as your only holiday options, maybe well begin to rethink the whole Brexit debate.

They were misled and I think we have to create an opportunity.

EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren, who was on stage alongside Mr OLeary, interrupted him to say: If you start grounding your planes, Im flying.

Carsten Spohr, the boss of German carrier Lufthansa, said: In theory, if we could use this industry to prove to the British how wrong the decision was, that might be a good thing.

The single market for aviation, created in the 1990s, means there are no commercial restrictions for airlines flying within the EU.

Mr OLeary has repeatedly warned that airlines will be forced to cancel post-Brexit services from March 2019 if no agreement is reached in the Brexit negotiations by September, because schedules are planned about six months in advance.

British transport secretary Chris Grayling said in January he is confident flights will not be grounded because its in the interests of everyone to maintain the open market for aviation.
Sources have said there was strong support for the much criticised unit to be retained, despite the Taoiseachs strong suggestion on Monday that it will be disbanded pending a review.

Several ministers, both Fine Gael and Independent, spoke of the need to avoid any further use of the unit for narrow party gain but that the move to modernise Government communications was too important to jettison.

Among those who spoke strongly in favour of retention were Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and super junior minister Finian McGrath, it is believed.

There was strong support for it to be kept, a source said. Most would have felt it would have gone the other way following what the Taoiseach said on Monday but no, a lot of people spoke in favour of it.

Fianna Fail are concerned that abolishing the unit may not stop spin, and have vowed to hold the Government to account.

The Taoiseach has commissioned a review of the SCU  which he set up  after a series of advertisements publishing the Governments Project Ireland 2040 plan were not clearly marked as advertorial when they appeared in regional and national newspapers. A number of these advertisements also featured Fine Gael candidates.

However, Fianna Fail public expenditure spokesmanDara Calleary agreed that even if the SCU is disbanded, the same staff will remain in place and the activities could continue.

That is a concern, absolutely, but I think now what is evident is that there is a level of awareness around the activities of Government communications, he said.

The Government will need to be aware going forward that we will be constantly monitoring communications and if they vere into what has become a partisan political project again we will be right down on top of them.

Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, and other members of the opposition have called for the abolishment of the SCU.

Members of Sinn Fein, led by Donegal TD Pearse Doherty, held a demonstration outside Leinster House yesterday and called on Mr Varadkar to bin the spin and disband the unit.

Mr Doherty also called on the secretary general of the Department of An Taoiseach, Martin Fraser, to appear before the Public Accounts Committee to answer questions on the unit.

Also calling for the unit to be axed, Mr Calleary dubbed it a vanity project to enhance the image of the Taoiseach and the Government.

All good news would now come from the Taoiseach or members of the Cabinet, bad news they would go missing for, but good news would be centralised through the Cabinet, he said. We are very clear in our wish that this unit be disbanded and the respect and the independence of government agencies who do their work on a daily basis be respected.

If it wants to use Government money to promote Fine Gael candidates then it is going to have to justify that.

Mr Calleary said Fianna Fail will consider Sinn Feins bill and would be willing to support it if it means change will be enacted.

We want this moved on quickly, this review should be moved on quickly it is clear that there is no confidence in Government communications as long as this issue is going on, to use the Taoiseachs own words its a distraction from far more important business that needs to be dealt with, said Mr Calleary.

What we are looking at here is an abuse of taxpayers money.
Ministers has agreed to proceed with a new bill  known as Debbies Law  that will target repeat sex offenders, by introducing minimum sentences for those who commit second and subsequent sexual offences.

The bill, which will broadly reflect proposals originally introduced by Independent Alliance minister of state Kevin Boxer Moran, who described it as a significant step towards the greater protection of women and children.

My motivation for introducing the bill is a result of meeting a constituent of mine, Debbie Cole, who has long campaigned for the victims of sex offenders, said Mr Moran. The law will now clearly set out societys abhorrence at the repeat offending by serial sex offenders.

Meanwhile the Government has shot down a motion to provide 3,000 rental homes at Cathal Brugha Barracks and Broadstone Garage in Dublin.

The Green Party motion has called on Government to use State lands to develop modern public housing to address housing crisis, citing 700 publicly-owned sites which are suitable for development.

Cabinet decided not to support the motion, which also sets out details on the provision of cost rental public housing, but will put forward their own countermotion.

A Department of Housing spokesman said the Government is already working to roll out cost rental and make it a significant sector in the Irish housing system.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy recently visited the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Luxembourg with a team from his department to discuss how the EIB could support a major cost rental project.

A number of innovative pilot projects advancing in Dun Laoghaire and Lusk.

However, the spokesman said it takes time to build up the stock of cost rental units and the next step will be a major cost rental project in Dublin, most likely on a local authority site.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said the cost rental model is used in countries such as Austria, the Netherlands, and Denmark to deliver large scale public housing development in a way that stays off the Governments balance sheet.
Farid Fawzi pleaded guilty to having cannabis for sale or supply atConeybeg, Rathpeacon, Co Cork, on September 15, 2016, when its street value exceeded 13,000. Fawzi, aged 32, also admitted having cocaine for sale or supply.

Det Sgt Lar OBrien described the kind of activity of text messages  exclusively related to drug deals, places to conceal drugs, places to collect them, and monies to be paid  on a mobile phone found at Fawzis house.
Tom OConnor, aged 32, of Clonfert, Newmarket, Co Cork, was jailed for 18 months for the crimes.

Detective Sergeant Hugh Twomey testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that, on September 9, 2017, gardai were approached in the early hours of the morning about the discharge of a firearm in a farmyard.

Denis McCarthy told gardai his dog had been shot dead and that shots were also discharged into his 4x4 and car, which were parked outside the house.

Mr McCarthy told gardai he came out and confronted the man, whom he recognised as his wifes nephew, Tom OConnor, who left the scene.

Armed gardai were dispatched to the area and a search was undertaken.

As well as the shooting in his farmyard, Mr McCarthy later found that one of his horses had been shot dead at the back of the house.

Early in the morning, Mr McCarthys son, Denis Gerard McCarthy, found six of his horses had been shot on his property.

There was a report of OConnor trying to drive his vehicle through the gates of a property. OConnor was eventually located at a house in Newmarket. His car was found crashed a short distance from the house.

The shotgun used for shooting the farm dog and the vehicles was located in OConnors own car.

When OConnor was arrested and questioned, he told gardai where he had discarded a rifle and where this firearm was located.

The main charges to which OConnor pleaded guilty were of discharging the weapons.

Alice Fawsitt said OConnor was diagnosed with a mental condition known as mixed affective disorder.

She said that he was found to have the capacity to instruct his legal representatives and was fit to plead to the offences.

She said: Nothing like this every happened in the past. A large number of his family members are here in court to support him. He was out of work at the time.

Judge Sean O Donnabhain said: This matter comes before me for carrying a firearm on September 9, 2017, in a reckless manner.

He used that firearm to kill a number of horses and a dog. He said he had some gripe or other.

Then he went along and shot the animals. To shoot six horses with a single-bore rifle is an act of unspeakable cruelty, not in any way explained by the real or imagined gripe he had against the person.

There is no explanation for what this man did on the night in question.

It was a deliberate act of destruction without mercy and without any justification whatsoever.

The judge said OConnor had been on a proper regime of medication under the direction of a competent doctor, but that he had decided to go online and top up his medication with other tablets sourced on the internet.

The judge imposed a total sentence of three years, with half of it suspended.
Burma KNU, Tatmadaw on Alert After Recent Clash

KNU soldiers. / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  The Karen National Union (KNU) has put its troops on alert after Karen militias clashed with Tatmadaw troops in areas controlled by KNU Brigade (5).

Home Guards, formed by local Karen ethnic villagers, clashed with Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) troops after the latter allegedly trespassed in Lu Thaw Township, Papun District, Karen State on Monday evening, said official Saw Eh Kalel of KNU Brigade (5).

It is not a [military] tension, but they (Tatmadaw) have apparently raised alert. So, we assume that we also need to make preparations, he told The Irrawaddy.

Tatmadaw troops allegedly deployed security patrols to rebuild an old road in Lel Mu Palaw village tract in Lu Thaw Township on March 5, which resulted in an exchange of fire with the local militia.

[Karen] villagers formed groups, on their own, which they call Home Guards, for the security of their villages. They have improvised firearms and maintain regular patrols around their villages. I think the Tatmadaw troops opened fire on them for their security, said Saw Eh Kalel, adding that the Tatmadaw entered the area with a large force.

The KNU objects to rebuilding the road, he said, expressing his suspicion that the Tatmadaws real intention is to control the area for military gain and not to repair the road.

Local villagers including Home Guard members fled after the clash, according to the KNU.

Karen State minister for security and border affairs Col Min Naung told The Irrawaddy that he was unclear about the clashes, the state of alert and the road construction.

Ive just asked the command about those cases. I dont know the situation exactly, he said.

The conflict between the KNU and Tatmadaw may worsen if the Tatmadaw continues deploying its troops into areas controlled by KNU Brigade (5), said one of its top officials.

Vice Chairman-1 of the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee and KNU top leader General Saw Isaac Po also said he did not know about the clash.

I am currently in Yangon. I dont know exactly what happened. If there was shooting, I will tell the [KNU] to halt, he told The Irrawaddy.

According to the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA), the Tatmadaw and NCA signatories need prior approval to go into each others territories.

While trust is still being built, one side must respect the regulations of the other side. Otherwise, bad things can happen, said Saw Eh Kalel.

After the KNU signed the NCA in 2015, there were at least three engagements with the Tatmadaw in the areas of KNU Brigade (5), and the KNU claimed that in all three cases, it only fired warning shots after Tatmadaw troops trespassed in its areas.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Burma Man Who Confessed to Girl's Rape, Murder Commits Suicide in Custody

Khin Maung Htay shows police where he said he raped and killed his victim. / Home Affairs Ministry
Burma Tatmadaw Slams EU Councils Call for Sanctions over Rohingya

Myanmar Army troops patrol in Maungdaw, northern Rakhine State, in October 2016. / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  The Myanmar Army, or Tatmadaw, on Tuesday slammed the European Union Foreign Affairs Councils recommendations announced late last month relating to the Rohingya issue, which included a call for sanctions.

In a statement released Tuesday, the council pushed Myanmar to allow a UN fact-finding mission and accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. It also recommended that the EUs high representative for foreign affairs draw up targeted sanctions against the countrys senior military officers for human rights violations without delay.

The recommendations followed the councils meeting with EU foreign affairs ministers on Feb. 26.

In a statement, the militarys information team claimed that the EU councils recommendations were made in response to a letter submitted by 102 British lawmakers, led by Rushanara Ali, to the countrys foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, late last month.

The letter demanded that more pressure be exerted on Tatmadaw leaders  especially military chief Snr-Gen. Min Aung Hlaing  for their security operations against the Rohingya. It said the operations had been described as ethnic cleansing and possibly genocide by the UN, and called on the EU Foreign Affairs Council to convene a meeting to discuss the issue.

The military statement slams the recommendations as reflecting the one-sided accusations of British MPs who turn a blind eye to the real situation that will badly impact the Tatmadaws implementation of rule of law process, state security and participation in the democracy transition in accord with the Rules of Engagement.

It adds: Those accusations may create misunderstanding among international and local organizations which have helped the countrys internal peace-building and peace-making process and general public.

The release came after the deputy military chief, Vice Snr-Gen. Soe Win, met with the EUs special representative for human rights, Stavros Limbrinidis, on Monday evening in Naypyitaw to discuss the Rakhine issue.

According to the UN, more than 688,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since the Tatmadaw began clearance operations in Rohingya-majority northern Rakhine State in August 2017. The operations were launched following attacks on government security forces by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army in the area.

Those who made it to camps on the Bangladeshi side reported being subject to arbitrary killings, rapes and torching of property by the Army. The UN labeled the actions as ethnic cleansing.

In December, the U.S. imposed sanctions against Major-General Maung Maung Soe for his alleged role in the Armys abuse of Rohingya. Maj-Gen. Maung Maung Soe was in charge of the Western Command, which oversees Rakhine State, at the time the operation was launched.
Burma Upper House Approves Controversial Amendments to Protest Law

Activists stage a protest against proposed amendments to the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law in Yangon on Monday. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  Myanmars Upper House of Parliament approved a set of controversial amendments to the countrys protest law on Wednesday despite strong opposition from activists and rights groups who claim the changes would further restrict the freedom of expression.

Thirteen lawmakers discussed the bill amending the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law on Monday and Wednesday, with all but one of them  including some from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD)  arguing against the changes.

We have vowed to get rid of authoritarian acts and suppression of the people in Myanmar. The provisions [in the bill] go against those objectives, NLD lawmaker U Htay Oo told reporters after Mondays session.

Yet the bill passed with 113 lawmakers voting in favor and 78 voting against.

The Upper House Bill Committee submitted the bill on Feb. 19.

The amendments are being viewed as the latest attempt by the NLD-dominated Parliament to deter those with hidden agendas from masterminding protests and to reduce the risk of racial and religious violence.

If the changes are fully approved, Article 4 (d) of the law will require would-be protesters planning peaceful assemblies and processions to inform police in advance of not only their agenda and estimated numbers, but also the estimated cost of the event and the identities of the people or organizations paying for it.

The most controversial part of the bill would stipulate jail terms for those convicted of provoking or exhorting others to organize or participate in demonstrations by bribing or paying them or doing anything else with the intention of harming the stability, rule of law, peace and tranquility of the community.

The provision was criticized as being too broadly written; activists warn it could be exploited to stifle political dissent.

The bill will return to the Lower House where, barring any objections, it will be sent to President U Htin Kyaw to be signed into law.
News Indonesia Says it Blocks Services on Blogging Site Tumblr over Pornography

Muslim women rally to support legislators in passing a highly controversial pornography bill, outside the parliament building in Jakarta, October 30, 2008. / Reuters

JAKARTA  Indonesia has blocked microblogging site Tumblr after complaints about pornographic content on hundreds of accounts, the communications ministry said on Tuesday.

The worlds most populous Muslim-majority country has stepped up efforts to police online content after a rise in hoax stories and hate speech, and because of anti-pornography laws pushed by Islamic parties.

The ministry sent an email to Tumblr on Feb. 28 asking it to clean its platform of pornographic content within two days, Noor Iza, a spokesman for the ministry, said in a text message.

It then blocked eight Tumblr domain names on Monday after he said it had not received a response.

Indonesia has tough anti-pornography laws and the ministry said it had received complaints about pornographic contents on more than 360 accounts.

Tumblr, which is part of Verizons Oath business, which also includes Yahoo and AOL, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

According to the sites community guidelines, any sexual or adult-oriented content should be flagged as Not Suitable for Work to warn users of the material.

Indonesia blocked more than 70,000 sites displaying negative content such as pornography or militant ideology in January with a system using 44 computer servers to help purge the internet of material deemed harmful, the communications minister said in an interview last month.

Authorities also threatened last year to block Facebook Incs WhatsApp Messenger, which is widely used in the country, unless graphics interchange format (GIF) images provided by third parties were removed.

Authorities had blocked access to some channels on encrypted messaging service Telegram last year, saying it had several forums that were full of radical and terrorist propaganda.
News Malaysia's Najib Pushes to Outlaw Fake News Before Election

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor / Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR  Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razaks scandal-haunted government pushed plans for legislation outlawing fake news on Monday as Parliament convened for the last time before an election due by August.

During the coming election campaign, Najibs foes are expected to fan suspicions of corruption over billions of dollars that have gone missing from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the state fund founded by the prime minister, and whose advisory board he had chaired until mid-2016.

Malaysias King, Sultan Muhammad V, told Parliament at the opening sitting on Monday that he greatly supported the governments efforts to introduce a law to deal with the spread of fake news and lies on social media.

Currently social media is very influential in forming the values and culture of a society, the King said in a traditional royal address at the opening of Parliament.

The final draft of the bill is expected to be presented for cabinet approval in a couple of weeks time before being tabled in Parliament, state run Bernama news agency quoted Azalina Othman Said, the minister in charge of law and parliament, as saying.

However, Azalina said cabinet will consider if there would be enough time to table the bill in the month-long parliamentary meeting, which would predominantly debate the Kings address.

First exposed in 2015 by foreign media and news blogs, the 1MDB scandal has refused to die down despite Najibs consistent denials of any wrongdoing and his governments firm grip on the mainstream media in the country.

At least six countries are investigating transactions related to 1MDB, including the United States, where the Department of Justice has mounted its biggest investigation under an anti-kleptocracy initiative, and has launched civil cases to recover assets linked to the fund.

But the government has cowed independent media inside the country. In the early stages of the 1MDB saga, the authorities suspended one newspaper, The Edge, and blocked other websites for publishing stories critical of Najibs role, including widely read local news website The Malaysian Insider, which was later closed due to lack of funds.

Governments elsewhere in Southeast Asia, including Singapore and the Philippines, have proposed laws aimed at clamping down on the spread of fake news, while media rights advocates have decried the trend in the region.

Opposition lawmakers questioned the need for such a law in Malaysia, arguing that the government already had broad powers.

There are many other laws that are already in existence which can deal with these issues, so the only reason for a new law to come in is to make the severity [of punishments] even higher, said Tony Pua, a lawmaker from the Democratic Action Party (DAP).

Abdul Rahman Dahlan, minister in charge of economic planning, said the bill could be broad enough to cover anything that could potentially damage the country.

Even spreading [bad] news about the economy is bad. [Fake news would be] anything that is not substantive, and dangerous to the economy and security of the nation, Abdul Rahman told Reuters outside Parliament.
News Myanmars Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya Continues, UN Rights Official Says

Myanmar military troops take part in a military exercise in the Irrawaddy Delta region on Feb. 3. / Reuters

YANGON  Myanmars ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims is continuing, a senior UN human rights official said on Tuesday, more than six months after insurgent attacks sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh.

Andrew Gilmour, the UN assistant secretary-general for human rights, made the comment after a four-day visit to the Coxs Bazar district in neighboring Bangladesh, where he met people who have fled from Myanmar recently.

I dont think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Coxs Bazar, Gilmour said in a statement.

After Rohingya insurgents attacked 30 police posts and an army base on Aug. 25, Myanmar soldiers and police swept through villages in what the government says was a legitimate operation to root out terrorists.

Rohingya who sought shelter in Bangladesh have reported rape, killings and arson by security forces. The United Nations and United States have concluded the campaign amounted to ethnic cleansing.

Gilmour spoke to refugees who recounted abductions by security forces and at least one apparent death of a Rohingya man in custody in February, the statement said.

It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists, Gilmour said.

The nature of the violence has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh.

Despite Myanmar saying it was ready to accept back refugees under a pact signed with Bangladesh in November, he added, Safe, dignified and sustainable returns are, of course, impossible under current conditions.

Myanmar government spokesman U Zaw Htay said he had not seen the UN statement published on Tuesday, but that Myanmar was not committing ethnic cleansing.

We dont drive out the refugees, he said.

Ordered to Vacate

Separately, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said it was concerned about people living just inside Myanmar at its border with Bangladesh.

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is monitoring developments after several thousand people living in a makeshift camp were reportedly ordered to vacate the area by the Myanmar authorities, the agency said.

Residents of what is called no-mans land, as it sits outside Myanmars border fence but on its side of a creek that separates the two countries, say Myanmar officials have warned them on loudspeakers that their presence on the border line is illegal.

UNHCR underscores that everyone has the right to seek asylum, just as they also have the right to return home when they deem the time and circumstances right, it said in a statement late on Monday.

People who have fled violence in their country must be granted safety and protection and any decision to return must be voluntary and based upon a free and informed choice.

Zaw Htay said Myanmar had the right to move people from its territory and part of an agreed buffer zone with Bangladesh. Authorities had received information that terrorists linked to the August attacks on Myanmars security posts were sheltering there, he added.

According to procedure, security forces have to clear the area for security reasons, he said.

Zaw Htay said he believed the people were staying on the border to trap Myanmar into conducting a clearance operation, which he said media and the United Nations would label as ethnic cleansing.

Bangladesh last week protested to Myanmars ambassador in Dhaka after Myanmar security personnel, estimated to number more than 200, gathered near the border.

Troop movements so close to them are making things even worse, said Major Iqbal Ahmed of Bangladeshs border guard. They are now even more reluctant to go back to their homeland.
News Top Taxpayers Honored for Contribution to Nation

KBZ Bank Chairman U Aung Ko Win and his daughter Daw Nang Lang Kham, managing director of Jing Hpaw Aung Jade & Jewellery Co., Ltd, pose with their awards after a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Naypyitaw. / Supplied

YANGON  Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw has honored the nations highest income and commercial taxpayers for 2016-17 in Naypyitaw, praising them for supporting and assisting the nation consciously and dutifully during the countrys transition period.

Ten businesspersons were invited to the Presidential Palace on Tuesday to receive the Presidents Honorary Award and certificates of honor for outstanding performance in tax payments. Among them were U Aung Ko Win, chairman of KBZ Bank, who paid 20 billion kyats in income tax in 2016-17, making him the highest income taxpayer for a sixth year in a row stretching back to 2011-2012.

The other highest taxpayers included Diamond Star Co., Myawaddy Bank, Shwe Taung Development Co., Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited, Myawaddy Trading Ltd., PT Power Trading Co., Thilawa Special Economic Zone Management Committee, Jing Hpaw Aung Jade & Jewellery Co., Ltd, and Myanmar Awba Group.

Paying tax is the duty of each citizen, especially business owners, who are in contact with foreign countries and are believed to be more aware of tax and paying tax. This habit and culture of paying tax is still weak in our country, and thus the taxpayers are being thanked, the president said during the award ceremony.

The highest commercial taxpayers for 2016-2017 included Dagon Beverages Co., Myawaddy Trading, Denko Trading Co., PT Power Trading, Shwe Byain Phyu Co., International Beverages Trading Co., Asia Energy Co., Royal Myawaddy Distillery Group, City Mart Holding Co. and Regency Material Trading Co.

U Aung Ko Win of KBZ was the recipient of the Legacy Award, conferred by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council-ABAC, in 2017.

The former schoolteacher also leads the Brighter Future Myanmar Foundation, one of Myanmars best-known philanthropic organizations, which has spent more than 138 billion kyats on regional development and disaster relief.

Highlights of his assistance efforts include a donation of more than 6 billion kyats to the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led Rakhine State rehabilitation program-UEHRD, as well as 300 million kyats for the countrys peace process.
News Wa Armed Group Halts Tatmadaw Road Project

UWSA soldiers on guard duty in southern Shan State in 2017. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  The United Wa State Army (UWSA), Myanmars largest ethnic armed group, says its fighters stopped a group of Myanmar army soldiers from continuing work on a new road through contested territory on Monday in southern Shan State.

The Myanmar army, or Tatmadaw, arrived with a bulldozer to clear a path for the road through the forest near Mong Toom village but were blocked by UWSA fighters, a spokesman for the armed group told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

Two battalions [one each from the UWSA and Tatmadaw] were close to each other. Our troops blocked their work as it approached our battalion, said Nyi Rang, a spokesman for the UWSA in Lashio, in northern Shan State.

He said tensions rose as the two sides faced off but added that the Tatmadaw soldiers eventually left without any fighting.

This was not the first time. They have done like this in the past, but we solved it, he said.

Nyi Rang said a 1989 ceasefire agreement between the Tatmadaw and UWSA stipulates that each side inform the other in advance of development projects in contested areas, though similar tensions have flared over roadwork in the past. The UWSA accuses the Tatmadaw of building the roads in preparation for future offensives.

In my opinion they should inform our troops well before they go to build a road. But they did not inform us. We have agreed to inform each other, the spokesman said.

Video of the standoff spread through social media on Tuesday.

You should say who is your senior officer who gave this order to stop us. You should not say all of your leaders block this road construction, a Tatmadaw officer tells a UWSA fighter.

I cant do anything. This was the order from the top officers, the UWSA fighter replies.

After a few more moments of conversation, a Tatmadaw soldier grabs a UWSA fighter standing in front of the bulldozer and pushes him aside. A Tatmadaw officer tells the UWSA fighters to leave the site, but they refuse, and the officer tells his soldiers to stop pushing the UWSA fighters away.

You cant act like this because it will destroy our relationship, the Tatmadaw officer then says. Both of us are organizations. You guys are rude.

The UWSA  the largest armed group in the country with some 40,000 fighters  chairs the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee, which is in off-and-on peace talks with the government and military. The committees seven members have yet to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.

Nyi Rang said the Tatmadaw was also continuing to block ethnic Wa civilians from traveling freely in northern Shan State since last month. A pair of Wa political parties has asked the government to have the travel restrictions lifted.

Spokesmen for the Tatmadaw could not be reached for comment.
Wednesday, March 7th, 2018 (8:27 am) - Score 968

The UK Government has today published a new policy paper that seeks to improve the security of internet connected devices in our homes (e.g. TVs, toys, smart speakers) by, among other things, calling for tough new security measures that last the lifetime of the product. Good luck with that.

The Secure by Design review estimates that every household in the United Kingdom owns at least 10 internet connected devices, which will usually be connected via your home broadband ISP via a wireless (WiFi) router, and this is expected to increase to 15 devices by 2020 (i.e. there may be more than 420 million in use across the country within three years).

However over the past few years many people have found out, often to their peril, that a lot of these devices tend to lack effective security safeguards. The result of such lax security can leave your home network exposed to abuse by hackers or the device may end up being hijacked for use in a malicious botnet (e.g. supporting DDoS attacks).

The threat has already been well illustrated on numerous occasions, such as in 2016 when a number of broadband ISPs (KCOM, Post Office, TalkTalk etc.) found that their routers had been hijacked by malicious software (here and here). The same Mirai worm also infected various other internet connected devices, such as IP cameras.

Margot James, UK Minister for Digital, said: We want everyone to benefit from the huge potential of internet-connected devices and it is important they are safe and have a positive impact on peoples lives. We have worked alongside industry to develop a tough new set of rules so strong security measures are built into everyday technology from the moment it is developed. This will help ensure that we have the right rules and frameworks in place to protect individuals and that the UK continues to be a world-leading, innovation-friendly digital economy.

Mark Hughes, CEO of BT Security, added: BT shares the Governments ambition to make the UK the safest place to work and do business online. We are proud to have played a key advisory role in the development of the draft Code of Practice, having shared our technical insight with the Government in our capacity as a global network operator, UK broadband provider and as a global provider of cyber security and IoT services. From the development of the worlds first Cleanfeed filter to block child abuse images, free parental controls for broadband products and devices, to warning or blocking our customers from known malware and phishing sites, BT has been at the forefront of keeping consumers and families safe online for many years. BT is actively involved in driving standards, interoperability and security across the IoT market and will continue to provide guidance to the Government and industry around best practice for securing internet connected devices.

Suffice to say that the Government wants to tackle the problem by encouraging a new industry Code of Conduct to improve the cyber security of consumer internet-connected devices and associated services, which is based around 13 requirements (listed in order of importance). The Government said the top three points should be addressed as a matter of priority.

13 Points in the Code of Practice 1) No default passwords

All IoT device passwords must be unique and not resettable to any universal factory default value. 2) Implement a vulnerability disclosure policy

All companies that provide internet-connected devices and services must provide a public point of contact as part of a vulnerability disclosure policy in order that security researchers and others are able to report issues. Disclosed vulnerabilities should be acted on in a timely manner. 3) Keep software updated

All software components in internet-connected devices should be securely updateable. Updates must be timely and not impact on the functioning of the device. An end-of-life policy must be published for end-point devices which explicitly states the minimum length of time for which a device will receive software updates and the reasons why. The need for each update should be made clear to consumers and an update should be easy to implement. For constrained devices that cannot physically be updated, the product should be isolatable and replaceable. 4) Securely store credentials and security-sensitive data

Any credentials must be stored securely within services and on devices. Hard-coded credentials in device software are not acceptable. 5) Communicate securely

Security-sensitive data, including any remote management and control, should be encrypted when transiting the internet, appropriate to the properties of the technology and usage. All keys should be managed securely. 6) Minimise exposed attack surfaces

All devices and services should operate on the principle of least privilege; unused ports must be closed, hardware should not unnecessarily expose access, services should not be available if they are not used and code should be minimised to the functionality necessary for the service to operate. Software should run with appropriate privileges, taking account of both security and functionality. 7) Ensure software integrity

Software on IoT devices must be verified using secure boot mechanisms. If an unauthorised change is detected, the device should alert the consumer/administrator to an issue and should not connect to wider networks than those necessary to perform the alerting function. 8) Ensure that personal data is protected

Where devices and/or services process personal data, they should do so in accordance with data protection law. Device manufacturers and IoT service providers must provide consumers with clear and transparent information about how their data is being used, by whom, and for what purposes, for each device and service. This also applies to any third parties that may be involved (including advertisers). Where personal data is processed on the basis of consumers consent, this must be validly and lawfully obtained, with those consumers being given the opportunity to withdraw it at any time. Consumers should also be provided with guidance on how to securely set up their device, as well as how they may eventually securely dispose of it. 9) Make systems resilient to outages

Resilience must be built in to IoT services where required by the usage or other relying systems, such that the IoT services remain operating and functional. 10) Monitor system telemetry data

If collected, all telemetry such as usage and measurement data from IoT devices and services should be monitored for security anomalies within it. 11) Make it easy for consumers to delete personal data

Devices and services should be configured such that personal data can easily be removed when there is a transfer of ownership, when the consumer wishes to delete it and/or when the consumer wishes to dispose of the device. Consumers should be given clear instructions on how to delete their personal data. 12) Make installation and maintenance of devices easy

Installation and maintenance of IoT devices should employ minimal steps and should follow security best practice on usability. 13) Validate input data

Data input via user interfaces and transferred via application programming interfaces (APIs) or between networks in services and devices must be validated.

Mercifully point no.3 is a lot more realistic than the opening spin of the governments press release, which called for security measures that last the lifetime of the product. The changing pace of technology, which has become increasingly consumable, means that many bits of tech made today wont last more than a few years and even if it does then the producer is unlikely to keep updating it until the device physically stops working.

Standards change so quickly in this market and software evolves, which means that the chipsets inside older hardware will almost inevitably hit a wall for future updates at some point. In that sense its good to see that the code itself is much more logical and grounded than the initial political expectations suggest.

Nevertheless we suspect that some manufacturers will simply set a short lifetime figure to avoid the problem of having to keep their kit updated for many years. Sadly many third-party router manufacturers have become notorious for only supporting their hardware for a year or two after release, which is a huge concern when you consider the importance of your router in the home network environment.

We strongly support these proposals and its also good to see the call for an end to devices that ship with a universal default password. We should point out that most broadband ISPs now ship routers with a dynamically generated password thats different for every device.

However there is a question mark over the effectiveness of a code like this, which appears to be more educational than enforceable in its structure. Perhaps what we need is a new testing regime to help certify that new internet connected devices are able to support such security standards before they hit the shops, although this may be difficult given the complex global trading environment.

The Government said they will be conducting more work in 2018 to further develop these recommendations. This will involve considering how following the Data Protection Bill, the Government can further embed guidelines in the Code of Practice within regulations.
Wednesday, March 7th, 2018 (12:01 am) - Score 626

Inverness-based UK ISP HighNet has announced that theyre deploying a new online security shield to help protect both their business and home broadband subscribers from cyber-attacks, specifically Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) assaults.

DDoS attacks work by overloading a target server or IP / user with masses of data requests from multiple internet connected devices (malware hijacked computers / botnets etc.), which can cause the intended target to crash and they may then be unable to recover until the bad traffic stops. Such attacks may also expose other weaknesses that hackers can exploit (or even blackmail), such as happened to TalkTalk in 2015 (here).

Internet Service Providers frequently find themselves having to deal with such assaults on their customers and so HighNet has decided to take action. The ISP, which manages over 20,000 business lines, claims to be adopting the same unspecified technology as used by some of the largest global enterprises as part of a 6.5m investment into its network. For security reasons the provider hasnt given too much detail.

The new system spots when an attack is starting and stops it from entering the network. After that it also sends an email alert to HighNets engineers so they can investigate further.

Duncan Kennedy, HighNets Network Architect, said: There are a number of attack strategies that are employed, but the most basic and common one is to swamp the target with traffic so that its too busy to deal with legitimate business requests. Its like having a shop in the High Street and thousands of people come and jam up the doorway, meaning your customers cant get in. But our ethos is to ensure security, peace of mind and plain sailing for our customers telecoms. Thats why we are using world-class, highly sophisticated anti-DDoS protection which stops an attack getting through. This acts like a security shield and stops the bad traffic coming in. Its a very important investment in our network infrastructure.

Apparently HighNets new system has blocked an attack every couple of days during the first two weeks in January 2018 and during that period they also stopped one of the biggest cyber-attacks so far on one of their customers in Aberdeen. By comparison conventional firewalls offer little or no defence against such DDoS attacks.

Duncan also used the opportunity to call on consumers to help in the fight by ensuring that they change the default passwords on any internet connected devices to something stronger; assuming the device or software actually allows you to set a strong password (sadly lots of online services still seem to impose a ridiculous 8-12 character limit on PWs).

Making sure you keep your software and broadband router up-to-date, while also using a good anti-virus or firewall, can similarly help to protect your network from unwanted malware (malicious software / viruses / trojans etc.).

Separately HighNet said theyd also been successful in tackling a number of voicemail fraud attempts on customers. Voicemail, or dial-through, fraud is a growing problem in the UK, costing businesses 953 million annually  making it bigger than credit card fraud. It can cost companies upwards of 1,000 per day and potentially thousands of pounds during a holiday period.

The fraud occurs when criminals target phone systems from the outside and use them to make a high volume of calls, typically to premium rate or overseas numbers. Hackers can then obtain access to a businesss call-forwarding system via its voicemail if security passwords have either not been set or are not strong enough. They can then call an extension which has call-forwarding enabled, directing the call to the premium-rate number, with the revenue for those calls being received by the fraudsters.

HighNet has revealed that in the past year its security systems have intercepted eight fraud cases  involving numbers from Morocco, Cuba, Liberia, Togo, Tunisia, Albania and Bosnia  potentially worth around 100,000 in total. Instead, the total cost was limited to 2,327, with some of the victims escaping without any financial loss due to the level of protection they have.
Wednesday, March 7th, 2018 (11:30 am) - Score 1,384

The incumbent telecoms operator for Hull (East Yorkshire), KCOM, has today unveiled the next set of rollout locations for their ultrafast Lightstream fibre optic broadband (FTTP/C) network, which is now entering its final deployment phase before completion next year.

The operator has already expanded their Lightstream broadband technology to cover 75% of their network in the East Riding and Hull area, which reflects about 150,000 premises (homes and businesses). Most of these have been catered for via their ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) lines, which can offer download speeds of up to 350Mbps to local homes.

The operator is now working to extend this to reach 100% of their network area by March 2019 (around 200,000+ premises), which is costing them around 85 million. On completion its estimated that 96% of their network coverage will be via FTTP full fibre and the remaining 4% should be catered for by slower 75Mbps capable FTTC (VDSL2).

The next deployment phase has today been confirmed, which will see around 2,000 premises in Sutton Park and HU7 properties gaining access. After that some 9,000 properties in Little Weighton, Walkington, Skidby, Hessle, Boulevard and Beverley Road (between March and July) should benefit, with 6,400 in Bransholme then being connected during the autumn.

Cathy Phillips, KCOMs Chief Marketing Officer, said: We are delighted to be able to bring the benefits of full fibre broadband to more properties in north Hull as part of our Lightstream roll out. Were well on the way to bringing our ultrafast service to every corner of our Hull and East Yorkshire network. In the coming months thousands more people and businesses will be able to enjoy the fastest and most reliable internet speeds in the country.

At the time of writing KCOM has yet to update their Lightstream Rollout page with their deployment plan for 2018 but in the meantime you can see the next batch of streets below.
Wednesday, March 7th, 2018 (12:02 am) - Score 1,304

Cable broadband and TV provider Virgin Media has this morning announced that they will become the first private company in the UK to launch a structured part-time apprenticeship scheme, which over the next two years will be supported by an investment of up to 4 million.

The operator has been running an apprenticeship programme for the past 10 years and over that period some 839 apprenticeships have been completed (196 are currently on the programme). As a result 464 of the total still work at Virgin Media and theyve also increased female apprentice enrolments by 66% since 2016 (note: the number of apprenticeship enrolments doubled from 2016 to 2017).

Catherine Lynch, VM Chief People Officer, said: On the job learning works for everyone. Our flexible and diverse apprenticeships are helping jump-start careers across Virgin Media from aspiring field-technicians right through to finance gurus. There has never been a better time to join our team.

Anne Milton MP, Minister for Apprenticeships & Skills, said: Its fantastic to see firms like Virgin Media investing in new high-quality apprenticeships. This new part-time apprenticeship will make it even easier for people training on the job and will help develop the digital skills our economy urgently needs.

Virgin Media hope that the new scheme will help to further address skills shortages, improve workplace diversity and attract a broad range of people into the telecommunications sector. They initially started out by offering a small range of field-based apprenticeships for field technicians, network planning and engineering based roles but have since expanded.

Existing or Planned Apprenticeship Levels/Roles  Field Technician

 Network and Business Engineering

 Network and Business Planning

 Data Services

 Law

 People

 Learning and Development

 Procurement

 Finance

 Analytics * A new part-time field technician apprenticeship is planned to start in May.

Further details about the new scheme can be found here and here.
Asian regional airline AirAsia has chosen global customer relationship management provider Salesforce its strategic technology partner as it revamps its customer care services for the digital era across eight countries including Australia and New Zealand.

The airline, which has renamed its customer care team to Customer Happiness, is set to deploy Salesforce Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud and Community Cloud as part of its strategy to create faster and more personalised service for its customers.

Under the partnership, AirAsia says its service agents now have a single view of all cases from all support channels  web, phone, email, live chat, airport communications  and their complete history, allowing them to provide higher levels of personalised service.

The Salesforce Community Cloud powers the AirAsia support community in eight different languages and empowers guests to self-serve with a knowledge database, which the airline says allows it to boost service standards and service agent capabilities.

AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said, This year, our focus is on making our guests happy by placing their needs at the centre of everything we do. Salesforce is the heart of this customer-obsessed approach as it gives us a complete view of our guests across all customer touch points, allowing us to deliver faster, more personalised service.

In todays competitive landscape, airlines need to be attuned to customers needs, sometimes before they know it. AirAsia is a shining example of a customer-centric company constantly pushing the envelopes of innovation, said Mark Innes, EVP and General Manager, Salesforce Asia Pacific.

Salesforce is uniquely positioned to help AirAsia on its journey to customer centricity and is proud to be its strategic technology partner.

AirAsia recently appointed a Customer Relations Manager based in Sydney, dedicated solely to the Australia and New Zealand markets.
2050 is only three upgrade cycles away, observed Cisco senior vice-president and general manager for applications Rowan Trollope in his keynote presentation at Cisco Live 2018 in Melbourne, so it's time to think about what's ahead.

Drawing on a range of sources, he suggested some possible highlights of the next three decades.

2020s

"For businesses, drones are a huge transformational opportunity," and the first driverless air taxis are tipped to arrive in Dubai in 2022.

Smartphones could disappear by the middle of the decade, supplanted by augmented reality technology being developed by Magic Leap. "It's a brand new science they've created" that can deliver a much better user interface than a piece of glass. "It's going to affect every single industry in profound ways,"and it is going to need "a completely new network" to support it.

And forget about keyboards and speech-to-text: "text by thinking" may arrive around 2028, based on technology that's already being developed for accessibility reasons.

2030s

Substantially new job titles are likely to be here by 2030. "Things are going to get a lot less familiar" with the arrival of jobs such as body part maker, waste data handler, and climate change repair specialist - so what new jobs are going to appear in your industry?

By 2034, 1Tbps connectivity to homes will be commonplace, and possibly even to individual people. That would provide a new wave of opportunities for businesses, including augmented reality at scale and perhaps even an equivalent of Star Trek's holodeck.

Thanks to technology currently being developed in Queensland involving ultrasonic stimulation of the brain, a cure for Alzheimer's disease may be found by 2036.

2040s

By 2040, the average home may have processing power equivalent to one billion brains on tap. "2040 is where things really take off," Trollope suggested. "It's hard to [imagine] what we might do with all that computing power."

2045 is when Google head futurist Ray Kurtzweil expects to see The Singularity, the point at which AIs become more intelligent than humans. That may or may not eventuate, but Trollope observed that "AI is going to be a transformative force in most industries for many years to come.

2050s

Elon Musk is aiming for a permanent base on Mars by 2050, and has already sent his car ahead so it will be waiting for him, joked Trollope.

Back on Earth, the population is expected to be 9.7 billion, or twice the current carrying capacity of the planet. That means we will need to use resources more efficiently and sustainably, and that will require technology that doesn't exist today.

So Cisco is thinking about the role it plays in the world. "[It's] a little scary, but a great opportunity," he said.
Data and analytics firm GlobalData has analysed the data on Huawei and ZTE's US troubles, and has some serious suggestions on how they might crack the US market.

GlobalData hasn't had to span the globe to come to the conclusion that the US market just got tougher for Chinese telecom companies Huawei and ZTE.

That's because the heads of six major US intelligence agencies, including the CIA, FBI and NSA, have recently warned consumers against buying phones from them for national security reasons, even scuttling Huawei's set-to-be triumphant deal to launch the Mate 10 Pro with AT&T at what was almost literally the last minute.

Against this backdrop, GlobalData has some advice for both brands, stating they "need to take substantive measures to succeed in the lucrative US smartphone market."

GlobaData reminds us that "Huawei is the third largest smartphone vendor in the world, but it has long wanted to expand into the US market, which is carrier-driven.

"However, telecom infrastructure sales from Huawei and ZTE have been effectively banned in the US on security grounds for years. Apple and Samsung dominate sales of premium phones in the US, but in China, Huawei holds its own against Apple and vastly outsells Samsung.

"In the US smartphone market, carriers are heavily regulated and reliant on government approval for mergers and acquisitions. In addition, vast majority of the US consumers buy phones at a carrier retail store, and phones must be customised to work on each carriers specific network technologies and frequencies."

In exchange, we're told "the carriers offer large marketing budgets and thousands of retail outlets across the country. ZTE has many carrier distribution deals with US carriers, but Huawei has failed to sell its phones directly to the US consumers online".

Avi Greengart, Technology Analyst at GlobalData, said: Both Huawei and ZTE need to create some separation between the infrastructure and consumer devices sides of the business. They must also commit to physically storing all cloud services data in the US rather than China, to offset the quite legitimate fears that regulations differ widely between Western and Chinese governments.

ZTE, a public company listed on Shenzhen and Hong Kong exchanges, should add a listing in New York or London and then run a marketing campaign highlighting the fact that its phones use US processors from Qualcomm, US software from Google, and routinely pass strict US carrier certification.

Huaweis ownership structure is more opaque. It should spin out a US devices subsidiary under the Honor brand, which has no negative associations and is easier for Americans to pronounce in any event.
Former Telstra chair and current deputy chairman of Vocus Bob Mansfied has taken the reins as a non-executive independent chairman of the board, replacing Vaughan Bowen who has announced his resignation from the board.

The appointment of Mansfield follows the announced resignation last month of Geoff Horth as CEO after a tumultuous couple of years.

Excerpts from the ASX announcement follow.

Vaughan Bowen proposed that the Boards key strategic priority of Board member renewal and the search for a new CEO would be best served by the appointment of an Independent, Non-Executive Chairman, at this point.

Mr Bowen also believes this to be the appropriate time for him to resign from the Board, to pave the way for further Board renewal, through the recruitment and appointment of new independent non-executive Directors.

Mr Craig Farrow, who had previously indicated an intention not to stand for re-election at the next Vocus Annual General Meeting, has also elected to resign at the same time.

Newly appointed Vocus Chairman, Bob Mansfield said of outgoing Chairman, Vaughan Bowen, His decision to stand down as Chairman at this time, in the interest of maximizing our opportunity to secure an outstanding new CEO, is testament to Vaughans commitment to putting the company first. Vaughan departs with the unqualified gratitude of the Board, for his outstanding contributions to Vocus.

Mansfield said of Mr Farrow, Craig too was central to the M2 success story, first as a founding director and then as long-serving Chairman. Until October last year, Craig served as Deputy Chairman of Vocus. Craig leaves with the sincere appreciation of the Board, for his committed service to Vocus during an extraordinarily challenging period.

Mansfield AO has been a member of the Vocus Board since 1 January 2017. He has had an extensive career in the Australian telecommunications industry, including serving as Telstras Chairman for 4 years and as the founding CEO of Optus.

Mansfields additional Board experience has been considerable and spans listed public companies, private companies, and various philanthropic organisations, as well as having served in a number of roles in Australias Federal Government.
Patching security vulnerabilities in industrial control systems (ICS) is useless in most cases and actively harmful in others, ICS security expert and former NSA analyst Robert M. Lee of Dragos told the US Senate in written testimony last Thursday. The "patch, patch, patch" mantra has become a blind tenet of faith in the IT security realm, but has little application to industrial control systems, where legacy equipment is often insecure by design.

The Senate committee hearing highlighted the gulf between information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) security, and how few of the lessons learned in the IT security space carry over to industrial security. "Operational technology" is a newish term that has emerged to distinguish industrial networks and systems from traditional business-focused information technology.

"There are two different trains of thought," Nick Santora, CEO at Curricula and a former critical infrastructure protection (CIP) cybersecurity specialist at NERC, the North American energy grid regulator, says. "In IT security, it's business critical stuff. On the OT side, you're dealing with mission critical stuff that can't go down. You can't take an outage on a whim, 'Oh, a server went down.'"

Our mission is different because it takes on a physical aspect, and therefore focusing on just malware prevention or patching doesn't actually address a human adversary  Robert M. Lee

Defending critical OT infrastructure, such as the energy grid, requires a different approach, Lee told the Senate. "Our mission is different because it takes on a physical aspect, and therefore focusing on just malware prevention or patching doesn't actually address a human adversary," Lee says. "Malware is not the threat. The human on the other side of the keyboard is the threat."

Everything you thought you knew is wrong

The hard-won lessons of IT security do not apply in the OT space, and trying to manage OT security the "enterprise IT way" is actively harmful, Lee's report shows. Sixty-four percent of all ICS-related patches issued in 2017 don't fully address the risk because the components were designed to be insecure, Dragos concluded in a report submitted to the Senate.

Worse, major vendors have bungled security patches in recent months, the Dragos report says, resulting in outages that have cost companies money. Patching an industrial control system that makes widgets or pumps water is more complicated than rebooting an office desktop PC, and OT networks are a lot less tolerant of downtime.

Nor is patching or basic cyberhygiene sufficient to defend against the nation-state adversaries who daily probe and own critical infrastructure in the US and around the world. Keeping an OT monitoring workstation that may well be running Windows 10 patched and up-to-date will defend against most opportunistic malware, but it is hardly sufficient to prevent intrusion by advanced persistent threats (APTs).

"The industrial threat landscape is largely unknown," Lee says. "The methods from private sector, as well as from government, to target and understand threats in core business networks don't translate into industry."

The methods from private sector, as well as from government, to target and understand threats in core business networks don't translate into industry  Robert M. Lee

That's not a recipe for despair, Lee emphasizes. Good cyberhygiene remains a minimum baseline to prevent opportunistic malware infections. "At a minimum, there are 6,000 unique infections in ICS every year," he says, "and each one of those infections can cause operational issues  and in rare cases, safety-related issues."

Securing your IT network and segmenting it from your OT network is a minimum best practice. But how do you secure an OT network that was designed to be insecure in the first place?

"Say you're running a fully patched Windows 10 HMI (human-machine interface  i.e., a control terminal). All ports are turned off. You've followed correct guidelines to ensure that the Windows application is secure. The problem," Thomas VanNorman, director of application engineering at Veracity Industrial Networks, says, "is that the protocols aren't. It's talking ModBus out to a PLC (programmable logic controller, an industrial actuator). I can go connect to that PLC with a rogue computer and modify those registers because it's an unauthenticated protocol. If an attacker has access to that level, it's game over anyway."

Securing industrial control systems

If most of the lessons of IT security don't carry over into the industrial space, how do we secure our critical infrastructure? The answer boils down to threat modeling. Attacking legacy ICS infrastructure is expensive and time-consuming, limiting threat actors to nation-states and organized crime. However, there is no clear path to profit from hacking industrial control systems. A Dr. Evil wannabe who tried to hold a city hostage for one beeeeellion dollars would probably find their hideout reduced to a smoking crater pretty quickly.

That leaves nation-states. In many cases, small private utilities are dealing with nation-state attackers who might even be running training exercises on the utility's networks. Many smaller industrial operators have so little visibility into their own networks that this is the reality we face today, Lee told the Senate.

"Our geopolitical rivals are definitely trying," Bryson Bort, founder and CEO of Scythe and chairman of Grimm, says. "These things take time, patient long-term campaigns to put in place levers or buttons so that when [nation-states] need to rattle the saber these things are in place to do that."

"The true threat," Bort adds, "is the more nuanced, complicated adversary and they're not going to do anything unless there's a nation-state need for them to do that."

In the face of human adversaries actively intruding into industrial control networks in pursuit of political leverage, the only solution, Lee says, is to use humans to hunt humans. No automated, reactive monitoring in the ICS space will ever replace active human defenders seeking out active human adversaries on their networks.

That process, he argues, begins with good threat intelligence: Who are the human adversaries actively breaching industrial control networks? What are their motivations? Who are their targets? What does their tradecraft look like?

Five main activity groups today are targeting ICS networks, including those responsible for the 2015 and 2016 attacks on Ukraine's energy grid, and Trisis, the first ICS malware targeted to take human life, according to Dragos's analysis, submitted to the Senate as part of Lee's written testimony.

One thing is clear: Attacks on industrial control systems are getting worse.

Worsening attacks on ICS

In the beginning, there was Stuxnet. The US-Israeli malware took out the targeted Iranian centrifuges, but collateral damage put the sabotage-ware front and center in the news as the world's first known nation-state attacks against industrial control systems. Other nations have since followed suit.

The 2015 attack on Ukraine's power grid was the first confirmed attack to degrade electricity distribution. It left more than 225,000 people without power. 2016 saw the same activity group launch an even more sophisticated attack on Ukraine's power grid, which the Dragos report called "the first ever malware framework designed and deployed to attack electricity grids." Dubbed Crash Override, this malware framework was only the second piece of malware, after Stuxnet, specifically "designed and deployed for disrupting physical industrial processes," the Dragos report concluded. The Crash Override framework could easily be tweaked to attack power grids in the US or Europe, the report notes.

Things got worse in 2017 with the discovery of Trisis. "The Trisis malware was specifically targeted to kill people," Lee tells CSO. "That is a level beyond anything we've seen before." The Trisis malware targets industrial safety systems, designed to protect human life in the event of an industrial accident.

2017 was a watershed moment for ICS security, and awareness of how vulnerable we are to such attacks is beginning to sink in. That said, Lee cautions against over-hyped movie plot threats. Things are bad, he says, but this is a solvable problem.

Poor media coverage is making things worse

A hacker in a hoodie sends a phishing email to a nuclear power plant. Cut to: nuclear meltdown!

Not gonna happen, experts say. It might make a fun Hollywood movie, though. "It's not doom and gloom," Lee emphasizes. "Our infrastructure is extremely resilient and defensible. We want to move it from defensible to defended."

Our infrastructure is extremely resilient and defensible. We want to move it from defensible to defended.  Robert M. Lee

Communicating the true nature of these threats to the public is important to have an even-keeled conversation about industrial vulnerabilities. Bort calls out coverage of the 2013 breach of the Bowman Avenue Dam north of New York City, which got screaming headlines like "Iranian hackers breached New York dam causing White House alarm."

Just one problem, Bort says: "That dam was an earthen barrier. It had no mechanical parts. Nobody except for the people in the know are aware of that part of the story. Everyone focused on the Hollywood threat."

The attackers managed to breach the Bowman Avenue Dam's monitoring system, but that was all, he says. "That distils the essence of this conversation for the last five years on this topic," Bort adds. "Let's all get very scared and oh, by the way, look at the axis of evil."

Nation-state adversaries do threaten critical infrastructure, both Lee and Bort emphasized, but let's keep things in perspective and do the work, instead of frightening ourselves to death for no good reason. Doing the work means knowing who your adversaries are and hunting them on your own networks.

Getting better threat intel

Private industry has better threat intel than the intelligence community, and pushing OT security teams to get security clearances to view classified threat intel is not super useful, Lee, a former NSA analyst who's worked both sides of the fence, told the Senate committee.

Lee's remarks were a rebuke to the other panelists, including Assistant Secretary of the DoE Bruce Walker, who told the committee to expedite security clearances for ICS workers. OT security teams who at long last get their security clearances are likely to be disappointed when they gain access to classified reports, Lee suggested.

"This focus on intrusion analysis has led the private sector to be able to produce intelligence reports that rival and, in many cases, far exceed similar reporting in classified government settings," Lee's written testimony says. "Simply stated, the best place to collect data relevant to cyber threats is in the networks of the targeted companies."

Lee told the committee that he has better threat intel now that he's in the private sector than he ever did when he was at the NSA working on the same problem. "At the NSA, we built the mission to look at nation-states breaking into industrial control systems," Lee tells CSO. "It became very obvious our own collection was extremely limited into that threat landscape."

Despite the government's desire to address the national security concerns posed by vulnerable critical infrastructure, technical experts, including Lee, say that more government intervention is likely to be counterproductive, including the growing drumbeat for stronger regulation.

Compliance considered harmful

Checking boxes to ensure compliance with minimum security baselines might prevent opportunistic malware infections, but it is completely useless against targeted nation-state attacks. Worse, too many compliance measures can be harmful as they create a false sense of security. As a result, Lee and other experts urged a delay in further regulation while industry develops its own best practices.

On the one hand, many ICS networks now fail to meet even minimum standards. "There are industrial sites including those in North America whose internal teams have never even investigated the networks," Lee's written testimony says. "I am aware of small electric co-ops, water utilities, gas pipeline facilities, oil refineries, wind farms, and manufacturing networks where not even the basics of security have been attempted although they are vital for modern civilization."

There are industrial sites including those in North America whose internal teams have never even investigated the networks  Robert M. Lee

On the other hand, OT systems face nation-state adversaries, and defending against that threat requires an aggressive monitoring and incident response program far in excess of what any compliance measure could demand. "I have seen first-hand a regulation, check-box, mentality develop at companies subject to strong regulations," Lee told the Senate in written testimony.

Developing a strong OT security program capable of hunting nation-state attackers on an ICS network requires trained cybersecurity professionals, with management support and budget to match. The vast and growing cybersecurity skills shortage, and a lack of understanding at OT management level, make this goal seem distant.

IT, meet OT

IT security continues to struggle to understand the unique challenges facing OT systems, but even more dramatic has been the response of traditional industrial operators to the idea that now, after 40 years of running their plant, magical hackers in hoodies on the other side of the planet could cause an outage.

Santora talks about his time as an auditor at NERC. "We flew around to different companies, and some would literally curse us out," he says, "saying, 'I don't believe in any of this security stuff, it's a waste of time, this stuff isn't real, it isn't going to happen to us.'"

Around 500 people in North America have both the ICS and cybersecurity skills  Robert M. Lee

The novel and unintuitive nature of cybersecurity alarms the older generation of industrial workers, he says. "It's an unknown risk people are scared to talk about sometimes."

Hiring cybersecurity experts to augment those decades of experience with a newer perspective would be the logical answer, if only security pros were available to hire. Some estimates put the global shortage of security professionals as high as two million by 2020. Top talent is unlikely to pursue a career in OT due to the much lower salaries that industrial concerns typically pay.

"There are not a lot of people with these skill sets," Lee tells CSO. "Around 500 people in North America have both the ICS and cybersecurity skills."

Solving that problem means scholarships or apprenticeships that put talented graduates in OT security positions in exchange for their schooling. Or maybe just pay them more? Whatever the solution, it seems unrealistic for the federal government to label small utilities a national security concern and then offer no financial support to defend those assets.

"If we're saying it's a national critical infrastructure issue," Bort says, "then you can't depend on some tiny little town to cough up the money to solve that." In the near term, recruiting from IT security may be the answer.

If we're saying it's a national critical infrastructure issue, then you can't depend on some tiny little town to cough up the money to solve that  Bryson Bort

It takes a village?

For the last several years, the ICS Village at Def Con and RSA has offered security folk the chance to get their hands dirty with real world ICS equipment. Debunking myths around OT security and helping IT pros better understand the challenges in OT is why they do it, VanNorman and Bort, the ICS Village organizers, tell CSO. "We allow someone to actually touch and hack the different platforms so they can begin that journey," Bort says.

Everyone has heard tales of nmap taking a gas pipeline offline, but, VanNorman says, OT systems are not as fragile as many think and are far less complex. "It's not going to break if you touch it," VanNorman says. "We show them the difference between what a Raspberry Pi does and a PLC. A Pi does a lot of things. Not a PLC."

The ICS Village works to bridge the gap between IT and OT security, and counts success one hacker at a time. "The most common reaction," Bort says, "is, 'Oh wow, I get it now.'"

Related video:
While the names are similar  Chrome and Chromium  the labels represent two different web browsers. But they are related.

One leads to the other. One is open-source, the other is not  not really. One dominates the world's browser landscape, like a single huskie dominates a team of Chihuahuas on the Iditarod. The other is used by less than 0.03 percent of all those who ran a browser last month.

Computerworld has put Chrome and Chromium  and Microsoft's new Edge, too  under the magnifying glass to better understand what Chromium does and how it figures into the development of its offspring. Here's what you need to know to better understand them both.

What is the Chromium browser?

Chromium is not only the name of a browser, but also of the open-source project that generates the source code used by Chrome, Edge and others. Google is the primary backer of Chromium  it kicked off the project when it launched Chrome in September 2008  but because the code is open-source, others, including people not employed by Google, contribute to the Chromium project. Microsoft, for example, started providing serious input into Chromium in 2019 and regularly boasts about how many "commits" its engineers have contributed to Chromium. In October 2020, the Redmond, Wash. company said its commits  changes made to the source code  had reached 3,700.

The browser compiled from the current Chromium source code is called, not surprisingly, Chromium. Chrome and Edge, on the other hand, begin with Chromium but do not end with it. Instead, Google and Microsoft add their own proprietary code to Chromium that build services like the browser's automated update mechanism and features such as its tab user experience (UX), to create the actual Chrome and Edge.

Think of Chromium as an ancestor of Chrome and Edge  and not necessarily a close one  that shares its DNA with the polished browsers.

How does Chromium differ from Chrome?

Chromium is a subset of Chrome and of Edge, since Google and Microsoft bolt on other components and features to the former to craft their wares. Everything in Chromium is in Chrome and in Edge, but not everything in Chrome or Edge is in Chromium.

The obvious differences lie in accompanying services that Google provides  like the automatic update mechanism  or built-in support for technologies such as digital rights management (DRM) components that let Chrome and Edge play copyrighted content.

But the biggest difference is not in the length of the two browsers' feature or support lists, but in their inherent stability (or instability). Chromium is rough, and not just around the edges. In practical terms, the latest version of the Chromium browser will be far buggier, much more prone to crashes, than even the rawest version of Chrome or Edge. Google says so, in fact. "It may be tremendously buggy," warns the Chromium download page.

Even the least polished of the four "builds" that Google maintains for Chrome and Microsoft for Edge  both label that "Canary"  is substantially more stable than Chromium.

A second difference, and one that many have relied on when they've chosen Chromium over Chrome or Edge, is that the former collects and transfers less information to Google than either of the latter.

Chrome and Edge can send crash reports and usage statistics to Google and Microsoft, while Chromium cannot. In Chrome, that collection and transmission is off by default. (They can be enabled from the browser's settings panel.) In Edge, such data harvesting may be on or off, depending on the operating system. Windows 10  by far the most-used platform for Edge  has its own settings that are also applied to Edge. Most instances of Windows 10 will have diagnostic data enabled, so Edge reports to Microsoft. On other OSes, such as macOS, collection is off by default, like Chrome, but can be turned on from the preferences pain. (See this explanation for more information.)

Chromium, on the other hand, lacks this data gathering-and-reporting feature entirely.

Where do I download Chromium?

The most convenient place to get a copy of Chromium is from this download page.

That page should automatically recognize which operating system you're running and offer the appropriate edition of Chromium. If it doesn't, select from the list at the bottom of the page: Windows x86, Windows x64, Mac, Linux x86, Linux x64 and Android.

Google Chromium project The Chromium browser can be downloaded like other browers. This version is for macOS.

The site also identifies the current build number, and its age, with the latter usually in minutes. That's how fast a version of Chromium turns over.

For more information about downloading Chromium, including how to find and get a specific version of the browser  to use for testing and debugging, for example  refer to this page on the project's website.

Can I run Chromium and Chrome (or Edge) on the same system?

In short, yes, Chromium can be run at the same time, and on the same system, as Chrome or Edge. There is no need to, say, uninstall Chrome to add Chromium to the machine.

This is identical to the way that the various "channels" of Chrome and Edge work on a single Windows PC. One can, for example, run the "Canary" build of Chrome for Windows alongside the "Stable" version of the browser. The same goes for Edge.

Do browsers besides Chrome rely on Chromium?

Not surprisingly, other browsers have hitched a ride on Chromium's coattails, using the open-source project's source code to bootstrap themselves into an application without all the messy work of building the foundational functionality.

Many are niche  let's be nice and call them boutique  while others have been important in years past but have since faded in popularity. They include:

Opera. The former Norwegian browser  now owned by a Chinese collective  dropped its proprietary Presto rendering engine in 2013 for Blink, the Chromium-created engine on which Chrome and Edge are based. According to analytics vendor Net Applications, Opera had a 0.70% share in October, just half what it controlled a year earlier. Download Opera here for Windows, macOS and Linux.

Blink, the Chromium-created engine on which Chrome and Edge are based. According to analytics vendor Net Applications, Opera had a 0.70% share in October, just half what it controlled a year earlier. Download Opera here for Windows, macOS and Linux. Vivaldi. Built by a team largely composed of former Opera engineers, Vivaldi debuted in 2016 and was billed by its CEO as a "throwback" to days when browsers didn't sport minimalistic user interfaces (UIs). In October, Vivaldi's share registered as zero, or too small for measurement. Download Vivaldi here for Windows, macOS and Linux.

Built by a team largely composed of former Opera engineers, Vivaldi debuted in 2016 and was billed by its CEO as a "throwback" to days when browsers didn't sport minimalistic user interfaces (UIs). In October, Vivaldi's share registered as zero, or too small for measurement. Download Vivaldi here for Windows, macOS and Linux. Brave. Founded by a former executive of Mozilla  the developer of Firefox  Brave is best known for stripping out all in-page advertisements and replacing them with its own. Brave claims that it splits revenue with users, who receive a form of crypto-backed currency. Those users may, if they feel like it, shunt all or some of their currency to one or more websites. Like Vivaldi, Brave did not register in Net Applications' share measuring. Download Brave here for Windows, macOS and Linux.

Other browsers that leverage Chromium include made-in-China options such as QQ and Qihoo 360 Secure Browser, as well as Epic and Comodo Dragon.

What does Chromium lack that Chrome has?

Among the familiar Chrome and/or Edge features and functionality missing from the Chromium browser are:

Chrome's and Edge's update service, the in-browser mechanism that automatically refreshes the application whenever a security update or feature upgrade is pushed to users. (Those updates, whether security- or feature-related, ultimately originate with Chromium, of course.) Chromium does not update automatically, so when, say, fixes are issued for flaws, the browser doesn't get them unless the user takes the time to download a newer version.

Support for the Widevine digital rights management (DRM) module. Chromium can thus not play Netflix content, as that service relies on Widevine to stymie content copying.

Are there security issues with Chromium?

Vulnerabilities found by Google's and Microsoft's own engineers, as well as those rooted out by independent security researchers, are regularly patched in Chromium, so it's just as secure (or depending on one's perspective, just as insecure) as Chrome or Edge.

On the micro level, it's unclear when during Chromium's ongoing, unfolding development engineers add security fixes. Chrome's Stable channel is refreshed with patches about every two or three weeks  Edge usually follows suit two days later  so the Chromium browser must be updated at least that frequently. But because bug fixes hit the more unstable channels of Chrome and Edge  like the flakiest build, "Canary"  before they do Stable, it follows that the source code maintained by the Chromium Project, and thus the Chromium browser, must be altered before being spun out into "Canary."

But because Chromium lacks an update mechanism, any security patches applied to the source code will not be reflected in a user's copy of Chromium unless that user manually downloads a later version. The omission of an update service is the single greatest security threat to Chromium.

More explicit, and the reason this question regularly comes up, is the fact that criminals have piggybacked malware onto Chromium or distributed modified versions of the browser to include attack code. (For more, see below.)

How do I get rid of Chromium?

If the browser is legitimate  the user or an IT administrator installed it (though it's doubtful the latter would do so)  Chromium can be removed the same way any application is dumped.

In Windows 10, for example, type uninstall into the desktop search field, then when "Add or remove programs" pops up in the results, select that. Click on the Chromium entry, click the Uninstall button, and in the ensuing dialog box, confirm the action by clicking the Uninstall button there.

On macOS, select the Applications folder in the Finder, locate and right-click Chromium, and choose "Move to Trash."

The chore becomes more involved if Chromium represents malware or a purposefully-infected browser. Criminals have hijacked the browser's name to disguise their attack code, and in some cases bundled the browser with other malicious software or used the source code to rig a browser so that it floods screens with pop-up ads and steals site credentials. (Bogus Chromiums are almost exclusively found on Windows.)

That final bunch is the most pernicious. They're often part of a larger freeware download, typically but not always found on sketchy websites, and like other unwanted software can be difficult to pry out of a system.

Because of the wide variety of malware that masquerades as Chromium, or accompanies a custom-built version of its source code, no single set of removal instructions will do. Computerworld's best advice: Take a tour through the Internet, searching for "how to remove XX" where XX is the name of the Chromium-based browser refusing to leave. Finally, sic a reputable security package to scan for, and identify the malware, then remove it in its entirety. If the security software doesn't delete the Chromium knock-off browser as part of its scrubbing, uninstall it manually using "Add or remove programs."

What are the alternatives to Chromium?

For those who want an early look at the results of the Chromium project, but don't care to live dangerously by running a possibly-unstable browser, the best alternative for Windows or macOS is the "Canary" channel.

Unlike Chromium, Canary is updated automatically and includes the full suite of Chrome or Edge features and ancillary services, such as device-to-device browser synchronization. Like Chromium, Canary is frequently refreshed  each workday  so it represents a look into the future of Chrome's or Edge's "Stable" channel, the one most users run.

Google Google's Canary browser is more stable alternative to Chromium, though can still be rough around the edges.

"Get on the bleeding edge of the web. Be warned: Canary can be unstable," Google states on its website. Canary builds of Chrome can be downloaded here.

Microsoft also wards off the cautious from trying Canary. "Want to see what we were working on yesterday? Canary will be released automatically almost every night to keep you up to date on our progress," the company says on its site. Canary builds of Edge can be downloaded here.

Neither Google nor Microsoft offer a Linux Canary. Instead, users can run the "Dev" channel build of Chrome or Edge.

Chromium rules the web waves

Although Chromium  specifically, in Chrome form  has been the world's most popular browser since at least April 2016, Microsoft's abandonment of its own technologies for Edge and the adoption of Google's as their replacement was a major tipping point. January 2020, when Edge returned in Chromium clothes, marked the month when, broadly speaking, only two different browser engines remained: Chromium's Blink and Firefox's Gecko. (Apple's Safari uses WebKit, a predecessor from which Blink was forked.)

There's a distinct possibility that Chromium will be the sole survivor; Firefox has struggled to retain its meager market share  around 7% in October  and its parent company, Mozilla, has been under serious financial stress. If Mozilla goes belly up and Firefox disappears, Chromium will be it on the desktop. (Apple's WebKit-powered Safari has a very small share on personal computers, but a more respectable 17% on mobile.)

Microsoft explained its decision to go Chromium in an announcement almost two years ago. "We're announcing that we intend to adopt the Chromium open-source project in the development of Microsoft Edge on the desktop to create better web compatibility for our customers and less fragmentation of the web for all web developers," said then-executive Joe Belfiore, in a Dec. 6, 2018, blog post.

In other words, Microsoft admitted that Chromium won the war and that it was defecting to the former enemy to be, if not exactly an ally, then a Vichy-esque collaborator.

At this moment, the power of Chromium knows no bounds.
Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 73F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 73F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Reddit Email 424 Shares

Ali R. Abootalebi | (Informed Comment) |  

The Sunni-Shia schism provides for different narrative and prescriptions for arriving at the utopian Islamic society and the incoming of the Messiah, al-Mahdi. The theological, doctrinal and jurisprudential differences between the two main branches of Islam has translated into two different visions on the role of the clerics, the Ulema, in religious and political arenas. Overall, the Shia Ulema are better positioned to act as the custodian of the (Islamic) state in the name of the people. The hierarchical Shia version of the Sharia bestows its highest ranking Ulema, the Ayatollahs, with religious (and political) authority in charge of the state. The Ayatollahs counterparts in the Sunni tradition, the Muftis, on the other hand, are limited in playing such a role. For example, The Sunni community in Iraq today does not follow a single Marja (source of authority and emulation) that funds religious leaders independently, like the Najaf-based Shiite authority. The historical Sunni political doctrine of the Islamic state necessitates the presence of a Caliphate (Emir or Sultan), the last of who was the last Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and whose House of the Caliphate was abolished in 1924.

It is puzzling as to why intelligent people in the media and those in charge of the US foreign policy persistently ignore the need to pay close attention to the underlying context in which events take place; to remain cognizant of socioeconomic, political, cultural, historical, and the international contexts in explaining human interactions and events in varying settings. This is something any of my undergraduates is expected to do.

Whatever the motivation behind such disregard and/or ignorance, there are important tailing consequences. The late Edward Said told of the Orientalism disease that poisoned the mind of both the intellectual and the common observers of Middle Eastern peoples and societies: Designated as the other, the Oriental people are marred with peculiar and traditional sociocultural values, setting them apart from the rational Occidental mind, and are resistant to modernity and political democracy. The cultural essentialists, thus, claimed that Islam, traditionalism, and tribalism are central variables in explaining the prevalence of what is indeed structural. As such, historical colonialism and imperialism and persistent external covert and overt interventions in the Middle East and Northern African region (MENA) were largely ignored, downplayed, or justified. Political authoritarianism and social stagnation must have been endemic to the Arab World, if less so in the westernizing Turkey and Iran.

The Sunni or the Shia understanding of the proper social, theological/jurisprudential, and political framework promoting Islamic governance differ, but such disagreements cannot be understood outside its broader and prevalent national and international contexts. The last wave of Islamic revivalism of the late 1800s, for example, occurred when both the Ottoman and the Safavids dynasties were at the mercy of their European colonial powers and the existing socioeconomic and political environment were marred with severe levels of underdevelopment and poor governance. The mushrooming Islamic question for revivalists and reformers like Jamal al-din al-Afghani or Muhammad Abdu or Muhammad Iqbal was, then, over the discovery of an Islamic path to recovery in light of humiliation in the hands of the Christian West and the corrupt, incompetent rulers within. The burgeoning inquiry was over the question of effective (Islamic) governance and not the Sunni-Shia divide per se. This wave of Islamic movement differed from, for example, the al-Khawarij movement in the early Islam that reflected the turbulent years of civil war in the Islamic community over the question of succession and the legitimacy to rule in the years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (632661AD). The political and social dissension and divide between the political elite in Damascus and the religious and spiritual leadership in Mecca and al-Najaf in Iraq had caused a political and religious gulf between a heretical vision the political and military leadership in Damascus and the opposition who demanded their share in the distribution of wealth and political power (later-known as the Shiite, or partisans of Alithose followers of the bloodline heirs to the prophet Muhammad, led by Ali ibn Abi Talib).

The ongoing propagated Sunni-Shia divide narrative proposes the sectarian divide as the cause of both national and inter-state problems in the region. The Sunni-Shia divide has been a dominant theme in explanation of events in the MENA region since the Iranian Revolution, including the root cause of the revolutionas a Shia-Islamic-revolutionto the Iraqi (Sunni-Arab dominated) invasion of a revolutionary (Shia) Iran, to the historical and modern sectarian divide causing conflict and war and underdevelopment in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, to the (Sunni) Saudi and (Shia) Iranian rivalry in the Persian Gulf region over a Sunni or a Shia alternative and vision for the future of Islam and Muslim societies. However, the root cause of the constructed Sunni-Shia conflict in Libya, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, and Bahrain and other members of the Arab League, rests with poor governance, including the presence of illegitimate, authoritarian states. Sectarian mobilization and counter-mobilization is only a manifestation of the larger contest over political power and socioeconomic resources; in other words, it is over the control of the state and matters of governance.

The State and Governance

It is only natural to think of national governments once the question of governance arises. After all, national governments are endowed with tremendous power, legitimate or not, and resources to govern over matters of significance to the population, including law and order, national security, social and economic development, and the preservation of cultural heritage and overall social harmony. State capacity has two broad components: protecting the safety and security of people, and its ability to implement public policies, collect revenue and deliver basic goods and services to enhance social welfare and economic growth. (p. 30) But, governance is about power and it is broader than just the ruling government; it is about who has the political authority to make decisions and influence policy, and how resources and wealth are allocated within society. Good governance signals the ability of governing institutions to deliver the key public goods needed to maintain order and stability. Furthermore, governance is good and also more likely to advance peace when it is inclusive, participatory and accountable; when it is characterized by fair procedures and performs well in delivering necessary public goods. (p. 47). Democracy is an essential element of good governance; its presence may not be a guarantee of peace, but its absence and attempts to suppress it are significant risk factors for war (p. 176).

Democracy is not about culture, religion, or religious sectarianism per se, but the management of political power and the competition over socioeconomic resources within agreed-upon normative principles and values and institutional arrangements, whereby individual citizens through elections and other forms of political participation determine their own choices through elected representatives. In other words, political democracy is (can be) an instrumental method in the resolution of identity conflicts over cultural and nationalistic issues by providing legal and institutional venues for resolution of differences and conflicts to groups in competition over socioeconomic resources and political power. The competition among cultural groups in a given society is not so much about the superiority or inferiority of certain value system or way of life per se; e.g., designation of ones identity as Sunni or Shia, but how the competition translates into control over local, regional and national resources while realizing the ambitions and aspirations of all cultural groups. This is especially true, where legal and institutional venues for dispute settlement and conflict resolution and power sharing among competing cultural groups are weak or are seriously lacking. In such cases, it becomes natural for a dominant culture try imposing its ethos and belief systems, through cooperation or coercion, on minority groups, monopolizing control over socioeconomic resources and political power.

The inadequacies of the state and its institutions and bureaucracy and the presence of weak and divided society have been a prominent problem in the Arab MENA region. The state authoritarian rule and traditional value systems and institutions still pose serious challenges before Arab societies striving for democratic rule and social justice. The opposition in Arab countries also has failed to mobilize the populace around a common ideology to challenge the state. Instead, the state has manipulated ethnoreligious divisions to further divide and paralyze the opposition. Civil society in the Arab World remains underdeveloped. As Gilbert Achcar argues, the deep roots of the Arab uprising, for example, are manifold: First, almost all Arab states take their place on a scale running from patrimonial to neopatrimonial regimes, further accentuated by their rentier economies (p.59), and the state is merely a cash cow (p 63). Second, sociopolitical instability and the absence of any real rule of law in virtually all Arab countries means the development of speculative or commercial capitalism with the specific variant of a capitalist mode of production being politically determined. So, the peculiar modality of the capitalist mode of productiona mix of Patrimonialism, nepotism, and crony capitalism, pillaging of public property, swollen bureaucracy, and generalized corruption, against a background of great sociopolitical instability and the impotence or even nonexistence of the role of lawis dominant in the Arab region (p. 74). The Arab region on the eve of 2011lacked organized political forces capable of moving popular protest and stood little chance of peacefully overturning Arab patrimonial regimes that were protected by a praetorian guard with tribal, sectarian, and regional loyalties. (p. 142).

Corruption is the antithesis of good governance; it undermines the conditions that favor peace: economic development, stable governing institutions, and social trust. (p. 130), and nothing does more to erode public trust and the legitimacy of government than public officials abusing their authority for illicit gain. Economic growth is dependent upon policies that protect and support free markets, but markets flourish best in governance systems that promote equality of access, provide social safety nets, enhance human capital, respond effectively to market failures and guard against exploitation and abuse (p. 193).On the other hand, As Marwan Bishara in  The Invisible Arab, observes, pillars of liberty and justice reconciled with religion and nationalism, form the bedrock that will allow stability and progress to flourish in the Arab world and beyond.

The state of The State in the Arab World is in turmoil. The rise of the so-called the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (al-Sham) or the ISILthe Daesh in Arabicwas (is) fundamentally the result of both the poverty of Arab Politics and the failure of the Islamic clerical leadership in formulating and institutionalizing the mechanics necessary for modern governance. This failure is more pronounced in the Sunni Arab countries. Arab politics experimentation with Baathism, Pan-Arabism, secular nationalism, and monarchism have all failed, paving the way for Islamic movements, mostly colored with radical solutions to empower society and to thwart foreign influence. Although some Arab states have done better than others in the promotion of socioeconomic change, they all have fallen short in the political arena. The failure of the Arab Spring movements since 2011 only testifies to the entrenched power of Arab political elites and their foreign supporters, who have thus far played the sectarian card and the war on terrorism mantra to secure regime survival and maintaining the status quo.

The Shia clerics takeover of the state in Iran since the 1979 revolution has allowed them the opportunity to formulate, institutionalize, and practice an Islamic Republicanism, with many successes and failures, but at least avoiding violent dissident religious movements. The simultaneous competition and cooperation between the religious and political establishment has resulted in tangible settlements or still evolving, of some seemingly intractable issues involving Islam and the operation of modern society, economy, and polity. As Bruce Rutherford elaborates on Islamic democracy, the interaction between liberal constitutionalism and Islamic constitutionalism is likely to produce a distinctive form of democracy that resembles western democracy in institutional terms but differs about the purpose of the state, the role of the individual in politics and society, and the character and function of law. That is, the place and duties of the Islamic State remains controversial since it is the state that must ensure the presence of Islam in society, sanctioning rules, and laws that can violate the individual rights of the citizen, e.g., hijab, minority rights, women rights, inheritance, family planning, testimonials, and role of judges, etc.)

The contemporary Sunni-Shia schism dates back to the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Irans foreign policy prior to, and since the revolution, has been driven, for the most part, by pragmatism; the sectarian card is played as a reaction to the rise of militant Sunni movements in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the greater Arab world, to protect the new revolutionary state and its ethos. Recall, that Iran before the revolution and unlike Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, or Pakistan lacked any serious religious movement or religious political parties challenging the state, and it resembled more like its neighboring Turkey in its secular political orientation. Yet, the first 20th Century Islamic revolution in the (Shia) Iran implied that Islam is indeed a potent sociopolitical contender in governance. The seizure of the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia in 1979 crystalized the threat of an Islamic challenge in the Arab world that diverted a great deal of wasted Saudi national treasure to thwart a Shia threat and promoting militant Salafism in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and beyond, whilst protecting the prevailing sociopolitical and economic status quo. Hitherto, the sectarian card became currency in the constructed debate over not so much the deficiencies of good governance but over the supposed threat of all Islamic movements as a terrorist menace to societies everywhere! Irans policy in support of national sovereignty and integrity of Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen falls in line with its support of empowering the historically suppressed Shia political and religious establishments in Iraq and Lebanon, whilst its support for Syrian government and the Houthis in Yemen, though a limited one, eyes countering the United States and its allies hostilities and their not-so-secret push for regime change in Tehran.

Marwan Bishara contends how Israel, oil, terrorism and radical Islam have affected the interior identity of the region as well as Western projections upon it. Protection of Israel, Western imperial ambition, a thirst for oil, and fear of radicalism have caused many Western regimes and media to characterize Arab countries and people as unreceptive to democracy or progress. The question then must be asked as to why the West can perpetually manipulate Arab political leaders since the end of first-world-war? How far have the Arab politics really traveled in the past one hundred years? Are the Arab states and peoples truly victims of an Iranian-conspired sectarianism in the region? Or, whether the Arab peoples are a victim of archaic and parochial politics and manipulative and dependent foreign relations, perpetuating the status quo? In the end, let the evidence speak for itself: what is portrayed as the hallmark of relations between the leading western countries and the modernizing Arab political allies has brought the Daesh, civil wars, death and destruction and humiliation, unprecedented to the region since the Mongol invasion or modern colonialism.

Ali R. Abootalebi is Professor of Middle Eastern and Global Politics in the Department of Political Science, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire (UWEC). He is the author of Islam and democracy: State-Society Relations in Developing Countries, 1980-1994 (Garland, 2000), and, coauthored with Stephen Hill, Introduction to World Politics: Prospects and Challenges for the United States, 2nd ed. (Kendall Hunt, 2018) and numerous articles on Iran, Arab Politics, Civil Society and Democracy and U.S. foreign policy.
Reddit Email 69 Shares

By Belle Chesler | ( Tomdispatch.com) |  

It was no surprise to anyone who knew him to hear that he was the shooter.

 Emma Gonzalez, Senior, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Over the past three weeks, the impassioned voices and steadfast demands of the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have resounded across social media and through the halls of the large suburban high school where I teach visual arts. A group of senior girls, spurred to action by the horrors of the Parkland massacre and emboldened by watching videos of its protesting students, organized a walkout of their own. Though it was an uncharacteristically cold, snowy day in our part of Oregon, hundreds of students marched out of school, engaging in what was certainly, for many of them, their first act of civil disobedience. I positioned myself near the back of the crowd, listening as they shouted their demands for safer schools and an end to fear in the classroom. Standing on that icy sidewalk, I was overcome by waves of conflicting emotions. Though deeply proud of them for raising their voices and insisting on being heard, I was also forced to confront a stark and brutal reality: neither my students nor I feel safe in our school.

I still remember the cold December morning in 2012 when I first heard about the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. A colleague walked up to my desk, tears streaming down her face. She then recounted the grisly details of those shootings: a classroom of first graders and their teachers murdered on what should have been just another routine school day.

At the time, my daughter was a preschooler. In those school pictures that began appearing in the media of gap-toothed Sandy Hook first graders I saw her face. I began to think about her future in such a world and it looked bleak. From that moment on, I couldnt bear reading the stories of what had transpired within those school walls and so found myself avoiding the impassioned, anguished speeches of the brave parents and teachers of those senselessly slaughtered children. It hit too close to home. It was horror on a level I had previously thought unimaginable and in a school not that different from mine. Naively, I assumed things would have to change, that nobody could look at those tiny little people and callously advocate for the status quo. How wrong I was. And as we all know, the shootings just kept happening.

So what was it about the Parkland killings that tipped the scale? Why hadnt this happened after Columbine or Newtown? These are among the questions we teachers have been asking one another at my school recently. Perhaps whats driving this moment is fear of the seeming inevitability, the not-if-but-when of it all. As teachers, we are forced to wonder: When will it be our turn? When will we bar the doors, fight, run, or hide? When will despair be given a physical form in the shape of a teenager with a gun and our school turned into a shooting gallery for the deranged?

At this point, weve been practicing lockdown drills for years. We lock and block the doors, then huddle on the floor in the darkest corners of our classroom, 36 teenagers and one adult trying to be as quiet as possible. No phones, no talking, no movement. We wait for the rattle of the door handle, at least one of us cries, and then its over. The all-clear.

We turn on the lights, stretch our cramped limbs, and return to our seats. I tell a joke, try to lighten the mood a bit, and resume class. One grim effect of these drills and procedures, though, is to normalize the threat of an act so heinous, so abnormal its hard to take in. Weve essentially desensitized our entire school community to the true horror of what were playing out  a fight for our lives. We expect the routines of the classroom to resume once the lights come back on, hoping that the students will have grasped the seriousness of the drill but wont have internalized the fear. That none of us will. When my students voice the fear that sits inside them in that darkened room, when they give the despair space to breathe in the light, were all forced to confront the twisted reality of what were doing.

At the beginning of the semester, I gave my new students a questionnaire about their lives. One of them answered the question What is one thing that really stresses you out? by writing: What really stresses me out is the fact that I might die in this building.

I had no idea how to respond because, honestly, I feel the same way. How do I convey what it feels like to walk into your workplace every morning wondering if today is the day youll die there? How do I explain the trepidation I feel when I have to confront that student  the one whos been making the disturbing art, doesnt smile or interact with his peers, and whose parents wont return my emails or calls  to tell him that he needs to tone down the violence in his work? How do I share my deepest fear that this is the kid who will come back for me later, armed and ready to exact his revenge?

How do I express the complexity of the emotions I feel when Im huddling in the dark with my students, thinking about what it would take for all of us to make it out of the building alive in a real version of the same situation? And how do I begin to think about the worst possible scenario, that the sixteen-year-old kid crouched next to me in the dark is the next school shooter? In the heightened paranoia of my classroom, my students are now suspects.

Teachers as Martyrs?

I imagine every new teacher arrives with some version of the story of the triumphant teacher who takes a ragtag group of students from disarray to academic excellence playing in the back of his or her mind. That cinematic dreamscape is often discarded as the years go by. If youre actually going to survive in the system, tough it out for the long haul, certain illusions must be shed. Almost a third of all new teachers jump ship by year three when the challenges of the profession  the long hours, the constant planning, the never-ending grading, and the worries about meeting the intellectual and emotional needs of our students  begin to seem unsustainable.

In my first years on the job, the enormity of the psychological task of caring for the wellbeing of my students and a creeping awareness that I would never be able to fully support and know all of them could reduce me to tears. My commute home in the afternoon often felt like a therapy session sans therapist. Id replay every missed opportunity, every interpersonal challenge, and then Id cry. I knew that, despite what Id been led to believe, the stark reality of the situation was that I couldnt support all of my students. Part of teaching would always be about failure: failure to connect, failure to notice, failure to address the nuanced and specific needs of every one of those students. It was a numbers game that I would always lose and that was a truth I had to embrace in order to become a more effective educator.

By Alfred W. McCoy, In the Shadows of the American Century

Nevertheless, the archetype of the teacher-martyr who toils late into the night, sacrificing her personal life in order to focus solely on her students, is one weve bought into as a culture. The story we tell is that teachers are superhuman, capable of reversing any tide, remedying any hurt, and counteracting the problems of our society by sheer focus, persistence, and care. If I just devote myself more, put in longer hours, and implement a better curriculum, Ill ultimately save them all. Being this martyr is a badge of honor in the school itself, a symbol of who is doing the best work. I cant help but wonder, though: Isnt martyring oneself by taking a bullet for our students the ultimate expression of this archetype? Isnt this what is, post-Parkland, now being demanded of us?

This uniquely American myth of the teacher who provides salvation for each student is the one weve now ascribed to the teachers at Parkland who threw their bodies in front of bullets to save their students lives. And while Im awed by their bravery, Im still willing to question the motivations behind those, including the president of the United States, holding them up as icons.

Perhaps valorizing teachers as heroes is simply another way of continually refusing to honor and respect the profession in the ways that actually matter. Heroes dont need smaller class sizes, benefits or adequate retirement accounts. The truth is, those teachers should never have had to put their lives on the line for their students. It wasnt their job. We are not warriors, we are teachers. We are not heroes, we are teachers.

When Dreams Fail

My last year of classroom teaching has been the most demanding. Not only because of the subjects I teach, my class sizes, or workload, but because of the mounting stress I feel from my students. Our children are the canaries in our American coal mine (an image that has new meaning in the Trump era). When I ask them about their mental health, Im always overwhelmed by how many of them admit to depression and anxiety. Theyre constantly exhausted and stressed out. So many of them express a simmering despair about their future. And how can I argue with that? When youre huddled in the corner of a dark classroom, practicing for your own death, its difficult to feel as if theres any hope for a decent future.

Im no longer naively dreaming of changing the lives of each of my students. My goals have narrowed: to get the kids to invest in learning, to be an advocate for them, to listen to them, to create a relevant curriculum, to turn the classroom into a vital and thriving place. In any given semester, I make it a priority to quickly learn the names of my more than two hundred students, to check in with them as frequently as I can and attempt to attend to each of their unique and complex individual needs.

I try to put whatever extra energy and attention I have into working with my more marginalized students, knowing that, as a white, middle-class woman, they likely will see me as an agent of a system that reinforces preexisting layers of alienation. However, I no longer feel as if I can save any of them. I dont even feel that thats my job. My job is to provide a space for inquiry and expression.

If I do that job well, Ill at least assist my students in finding their own voices. But believe me, its a Sisyphean task. Theyre teenagers after all. Their emotional landscapes change minute by minute, day by day. They walk into my classroom with 15 to 18 years of lived experience, products of their family dynamics and their community. The hours I spend with them, no matter how impactful, cannot out-compete those actualities. Some of them will feel seen and heard in my classroom, and some of them, no matter what I do, will feel invisible, unseen, and lost.

Pulling the Trigger

School is the place where adolescents experiment with the lofty promises of the American Dream. We teachers deliver the message that you can be anything, do anything. Study hard enough and youll make something of yourself in your life, no matter the challenges along the way. Make friends, get yourself a boyfriend or a girlfriend, and youll climb that social ladder. Find your path and your talent and the world will be yours for the taking.

As educators we know that theres no one more passionate and engaged than a teenager doing what she or he loves. Tap into that intensity and myopic focus and you have the potential for genuine pedagogical alchemy. But what if all the promises that we (and so many others) implicitly or explicitly make prove remarkably out of reach and those same students are increasingly aware of that? What if youre a student of color or an undocumented student and the American Dream was never promised to you in the first place? What if you dont make friends easily? What if the emotional stresses you carry with you are too heavy and all school represents is a relentless reminder of them? What if, like the society its part of, school becomes a place for failure, not possibility?

If teenagers excel at one thing, its sniffing out hypocrisy. Kids can see through the veneers of so many promises. And the kids any teacher now sees are likely to be wondering: Whats really there for them in this world weve built? What hurts have gone unnoticed, unattended?

Is it any wonder that the most disgruntled among them, those who feel most betrayed by the broken promise of that Dream, return to the place they feel failed them the most, the institution society promised would provide them with salvation and so obviously didnt? They bring with them their failed social and familial relationships, their realization that the Dream was never for them in the first place, and  in a rising number of cases  AR-15s or other deadly weaponry. They cash that voided check by pulling the trigger, decimating that illusion, and possibly ending the lives of students and teachers while theyre at it.

Shooting that gun is the last act of personal agency these boys  and so far they are boys  have to offer. That myopia and total focus, which leads to death in our schools, reflects the despair and nihilism seen in many of these shooters. Its something that, at least at a lesser level, should be familiar to any classroom teacher these days. Think of the nameless, faceless frustration and despair that drives a child to pick up weapons of war and wantonly kill as the failure of the American Dream played out in blood.

Dear America: Youve given me an impossible task and condemned me for my failure to perform it. Now, you  or at least the president, the NRA, and various politicians  assure me that I can redeem myself by holding a gun, firing back, and so blasting away the despair. No, thank you: I do not want to hold that gun and cannot be that shield. Neither figuratively nor physically can I save my students.

What we are asking of our children, our teachers, and our schools is unlike anything we ask of any individuals or any institution. We are martyring our children on the altar of societys failed promises and then we wonder why they keep coming back with guns in their hands.

Belle Chesler is a visual arts teacher in Beaverton, Oregon.

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, Alfred McCoys In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power, as well as John Dowers The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, John Feffers dystopian novel Splinterlands, Nick Turses Next Time Theyll Come to Count the Dead, and Tom Engelhardts Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World.

Copyright 2018 Belle Chesler

Via Tomdispatch.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Macarthur Minerals Limited (TSX-V:MMS) (the Company or Macarthur Minerals) is pleased to announce that it has identified several zones indicative of a lithium brine aquifer at its Reynolds Springs Lithium Brine Project in Railroad Valley, Nevada, USA.

Cameron McCall, President and Executive Chairman of Macarthur Minerals commented:

Macarthur Minerals believes this is the start of something very significant in the US lithium sector and is excited about the results of the down-hole logging study that shows several zones interpreted as potential brine aquifers at its Reynolds Springs Project in Nevada. These results reinforce the potential for the project to host lithium brines as suggested by a large geochemical shallow soils lithium anomaly in lake sediments that was previously reported by Macarthur Minerals. The Railroad Valley has geological attributes that closely match the Clayton Valley, which hosts North Americas only producing lithium mine, Albemarles Silver Peak Lithium Mine. Macarthur Minerals is moving forward to complete down-hole logging studies of additional nearby wells, with a view to re-entering one or more abandoned wells to sample the brine target zones.

Reynolds Springs Project  Geological Setting

The Reynolds Springs Project is located approximately 180 miles (300 km) North of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 330 miles (531 km) South East of Teslas new Gigafactory (Figure 2).

Railroad Valley is a large topographically closed playa (dry Salt Lake bed) basin located in East-Central Nevada. The basin is fault bounded with numerous active thermal springs (anomalous in lithium) emerging along the faults. The fault sets have strike lengths of 25  30 miles (42  50 km) and are parallel to each other, about 8-12 miles apart. The faults that bound the basin form an elongate rectangular shaped basin of about 300 square miles (830 square km) in size.

Numerous thermal springs emerge along the basin bounding fault systems which form the North-West and South-East flanks of the playa basin. Thermal waters which discharge from the springs carry moderately anomalous values of Lithium. Water samples collected from Reynolds Springs by Macarthur Minerals consulting geologists averaged 230 parts per billion (ppb) Li and 445 ppb boron. This is approximately twice the concentration for these elements detected from water samples collected at other springs that were sampled in the valley.

The mountains that abut the western boundary of the claims contain outcropping rhyolitic volcanic rock units which are anomalous in lithium. This study has shown that rhyolite flows and rhyolitic tuffs underlie the Reynolds Springs Project. This geology, closely matches the geologic criteria for the United States Geological Survey (USGS) deposit model for Clayton Valley type lithium brine deposits. Macarthur Minerals believes that the combination of anomalous lithium in soils (+250 ppm) and anomalous lithium in thermal spring waters (230 ppb Li) indicates that the Reynolds Springs Project area is prospective for further exploration.

Interpreted brine zones

The Railroad Valley has been explored for many years by several oil and gas companies. Multiple abandoned and operational oil wells exist across the playa including 17 on, or in close proximity to, Macarthur Minerals Reynolds Spring Project.

Historical logs of oil wells were obtained for eight holes spanning East-West across the claims. Down-hole logs comprised a combination of geological and geophysical data including lithologic logs and geophysical data from nuclear porosity and electrical resistivity logs. The dual laterologs contain resistivity and often conductivity records, both of which measure the change in the electrical properties of the rock. Where conductivity data was available (66% of the logs), conductive zones were easily identified. Resistivity data was converted mathematically to electrical conductivity (the reciprocal of resistivity), in the remainder of the geophysical logs. Liquids high in salt minerals freely allow the passage of an electrical current and therefore record high conductivity.

Multiple spikes in conductivity were observed in six of eight logs (Figure 1) and are interpreted to be zones that may contain brines. Conductive zones were typically 30 feet thick with a maximum thickness of 120 - 140 feet observed in wells 15 and 12 (Figure 1). Brine targets were observed from 860 feet to 2,685 feet below surface.

Conductive zones were contained mainly with the Tuff sequences which display high porosity. The Tuff sequences are rhyolitic in composition (anomalous in lithium). They also contain several ash fall units. Ash fall units are important brine aquifers in Clayton Valley.

Next Steps for the Reynolds Springs Project

The next steps for the Reynolds Springs Project will be to interpret the downhole geophysical logs for nine additional abandoned oil and gas wells that are found in the near vicinity of the project. Once the anomalous conductive zones are identified in these wells, they will then be correlated to the same zones in wells which are included in both Macarthur Minerals current study and the study of the neighbouring claim holder, 3PL. This will help to develop a basin wide geological model.

The Company will then pursue permits to either re-enter one or more of the old wells or to drill new test wells or both.

QUALIFIED PERSON

Mr Randy Henkle, a Registered Member of the Society of Mining and Exploration and a Professional Geologist licensed in British Columbia, Canada, is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101. Mr Henkle has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.

ABOUT MACARTHUR MINERALS LIMITED (TSX-V: MMS)

Macarthur Minerals Limited is an exploration company that is focused on identifying high grade gold and lithium. Macarthur Minerals has significant gold, lithium and iron ore exploration interests in Australia and Nevada. Macarthur Minerals has three iron ore projects in Western Australia; the Ularring hematite project, the Moonshine magnetite project and the Mt Manning iron ore project.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Certain of the statements made and information contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect the current expectations, assumptions or beliefs of the Company based upon information currently available to the Company. With respect to forward-looking statements contained in this press release, assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the timely receipt of required approvals, the reliability of information, including historical mineral resource or mineral reserve estimates, prepared and/or published by third parties that are referenced in this press release or was otherwise relied upon by the Company in preparing this press release. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct as actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include fluctuations in exchange rates and certain commodity prices, uncertainties related to mineral title in the project, unforeseen technology changes that results in a reduction in iron ore demand or substitution by other metals or materials, the discovery of new large low cost deposits of iron ore, uncertainty in successfully returning the project into full operation, and the general level of global economic activity. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty thereof. Such statements relate to future events and expectations and, as such, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and except as may otherwise be required pursuant to applicable laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Interpreted stratigraphy based on geological logging of oil wells across the Reynolds Springs Project

Regional location of Macarthur Minerals Reynolds Spring Project
TORONTO, March 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Montero Mining and Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V:MON) (Montero or the Corporation) has entered into a binding Heads of Agreement (HOA) with Namib Base Minerals CC (NBM) and Namibia Silica CC (NBS) (collectively the Owners) to acquire a 95% interest in the Uis Lithium-Tin Tailings Project (Project) in Namibia. The agreement provides Montero two months to complete legal and technical due diligence to its satisfaction and is also subject to regulatory approval.

Under the terms of the HOA, Montero would earn a 95% interest in the Project by committing to milestone payments totaling US$1.425 million to the Owners. A payment of US$10,000 has been paid on execution of the HOA and US$40,000 shall be paid on successful completion of due diligence, a further payment of US$275,000 shall be paid within 6 months and the remainder as staged milestone payments through to production. Montero will also issue C$125,000 of cash or shares in Montero to Lithium Africa 1 (LA1) for drilling and other data pertaining to the Project 4 months from successful completion of the due diligence. In 2016 LA1 completed 1,531m of aircore drilling in a 63-drill-hole program. The drill samples have been assayed for tin, lithium, tantalum and niobium and confirmed the continuous lithium and tin mineralization within parts of the Project.

Preliminary analysis of the 2016 drill hole assay data shows that the samples range in lithium content from 0.07 % to 0.73 % Li 2 O, the tin content from 12 ppm to 1,752 ppm SnO 2 , and tantalum content from 1.5 ppm to 114 ppm Ta 2 O 5 . The drill hole assay data shows average values of 0.42% lithium (Li 2 O), 523 ppm tin (SnO 2 ) and 55 ppm tantalum (Ta 2 O 5 ). The average, range and median values for the 1,531 drill sample assays obtained are provided in Table 1 below.

The Uis mine operated from 1924 to 1990 with confirmed ore tonnage production mined between 1966 and 1981 of 10,657,075 million tonnes (ISCOR 1982, US Bureau of Mines, 1992) and previous mining adding a total potential tonnage of tailings of up to 20 million tonnes derived from approximate surface measurements and density estimates from the 2016 drill program. A review of available surface and drill data is underway. Further work including tonnage and resource estimation, mineralogical investigations, and preliminary metallurgical testwork is planned and updates will be provided.

Table 1: Uis Tailings Project - Lithium (Li 2 O), tin (SnO 2 ) a tantalum (Ta 2 O 5 ) values in all aircore drilling sample assays

Component Average

Concentration Range of

Concentrations Median Values Lithium as Li 2 O 1. 0.42 % 0.07 % to 0.73 % 0.41 % Tin as SnO 2 2. 523 ppm 12 ppm to 1,752 ppm 469 ppm Tantalum as Ta 2 O 5 3. 55 ppm 1.5 ppm to 114 ppm 56 ppm

1. Li 2 O obtained by conversion factor of 2.153

2. SnO 2 obtained by conversion factor of 1.2696

3. Ta 2 O 5 obtained by conversion factor of 1.2211

Dr. Tony Harwood, President and Chief Executive Officer of Montero commented, Montero continues to secure the rights to tin assets with the potential to host significant tonnage for Lithium in Namibia. The Uis tin mine ceased operations in the 1980s and did not exploit lithium. Recent drilling of the tailings confirmed the presence of lithium and tin with average values of 0.42% lithium (Li 2 O) and 523 ppm tin (SnO 2 ) from the drill data. There is an estimated potential of up to 20 million tonnes of tailings. Renewed interest in lithium to meet future battery demand for the burgeoning electric car battery market has focused Montero to re-examine the potential of tin districts in LCT pegmatites to host significant tonnages of lithium to meet the expected demand.

The Uis Lithium Tin Tailings Project is located in central Namibia near the town of Uis 220 km north of Walvis Bay, Namibias largest commercial deep-water port and is connected by dirt and asphalt road to the port.

The Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum (LCT) pegmatite field that host the Uis Tin mine are hosted in metasedimentary units of the Damara Mobile Belt, the northeast-trending branch of the Neo-Proterozoic, Pan African Damara Orogen in the Erongo Region of Namibia. The unzoned albite rich pegmatites at the Uis Tin mine belong to a group of highly fractionated, cassiterite and lithium-rich rare metal pegmatites.

The Project comprise un-weathered surface mine tailings of coarse sand tailings and slimes derived from the Uis Tin mining operation between 1924 and 1990 (Diehl, 1992). The pegmatites at the Uis Tin mine were exclusively mined for tin by open cut and hauled to a process plant for crushing and milling for the extraction of cassiterite (tin concentrate). The mine historically produced 35,400 tonnes of cassiterite concentrate in the mine life which delivered an estimated 20 million tonnes of tailings material on surface (Diehl, 1992). The tailings are present in the form of coarse sand and the slimes as fine silt. The pegmatites mined at at Uis have not previously been processed or systematically sample assayed for lithium.

Qualified Person's Statement

This press release was reviewed and approved by Mr. Mike Evans, M.Sc. Pr.Sci.Nat., who is a qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101 and a Consulting Geologist to Montero. A review was also undertaken by Nico Scholtz, Pr.Sci.Nat., is a qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101 and is a Namibian based geologist with more than 10 years experience and has extensive experience in rare metal pegmatite exploration in Namibia having worked on many Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum (LCT) pegmatite intrusions.

About Montero

Montero is a mineral exploration and development company engaged in the identification, acquisition, evaluation and exploration of mineral properties in Africa. Currently these include phosphates in South Africa and rare earth elements (REE) in Tanzania. Montero is reviewing and evaluating other opportunities from its operating base in South Africa. Montero trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol MON.

For more information, contact:

Montero Mining and Exploration Ltd.

Dr. Tony Harwood, President and Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tel: +1 416 840 9197 | Fax: +1 866 688 4671

www.monteromining.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements, projections and estimates. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Such information is based on information currently available to Montero and Montero provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking information by its very nature involves inherent risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of Montero to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Actual results relating to, among other things, completion of the HOA, results of exploration, project development, reclamation and capital costs of Monteros mineral properties, and financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: an inability to complete the HOA on the terms as announced or at all; changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for minerals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and operational difficulties encountered in connection with Monteros activities; and other matters discussed in this news release and in filings made with securities regulators. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Monteros forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Montero does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Mining Gold Corp. (First Mining or the Company) (TSX:FF) (OTCQX:FFMGF) (Frankfurt:FMG) is pleased to announce that a Project Description for the Springpole Gold Project (Springpole or the Project) has been submitted to, and subsequently accepted by, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency). Acceptance of the Project Description by the Agency initiates the comment period for the screening process to determine whether a federal Environmental Assessment (EA) is required for Springpole.

Jeff Swinoga, Chief Executive Officer of First Mining, stated We believe our Springpole gold project has the potential to become one of Canadas largest new gold mines, and we are very pleased to have commenced the Environmental Assessment process, a step which marks the first major permitting milestone for Springpole. Our very experienced team, with our values-based culture, look forward to working diligently and respectfully with all stakeholders throughout the EA process.

Having accepted the Project Description, the Agency has posted a summary of the Project Description on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry Internet Site (CEARIS) at Click Here. It now has 45 calendar days, including a 20-day public comment period (the Review Period), to determine whether a Federal EA is required for Springpole. The Company expects an EA will be required due to the criteria set forth under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (the CEAA 2012) and associated Regulations. The Company intends to make all official EA-related documents available for viewing on its website at www.firstmininggold.com. These documents will also be available on CEARIS. Upon determination that an EA is required, the Agency will commence the comment period on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Guidelines (the Guidelines). The Agency relies upon the Project Description, consultation with Indigenous groups and public comments to develop the Guidelines which First Mining will then follow to prepare the EIS. The EIS Guidelines describe the nature, scope and extent of information for the EA, including the environmental effects that the EA must consider.

In summary, as per CEAA 2012, the Company expects to follow the steps listed below to complete the federal EA process for Springpole:

The Agency determines whether the Project Description is sufficient and accepts the Project Description to initiate the screening process (this first 10-day step has been completed).





The screening process commences when the accepted Project Description is posted on CEARIS and is available for review and comments from the public.





The Agency reviews the Project Description for 45 calendar days to determine whether an EA is required for Springpole  this includes a 20-day public comment period.





If the Agency determines that an EA is required for Springpole, it will prepare and issue draft EIS Guidelines for the Project, which will be available for public review and comments.





The Agency considers any public comments received on the draft EIS Guidelines, including comments from Indigenous groups and federal departments, then issues the final EIS Guidelines to the Company.





With input from all stakeholders, including Indigenous groups, the Company completes its environmental studies, prepares its EIS in accordance with the Guidelines and submits the completed EIS to the Agency for review and public comments.





After considering any public comments received on the EIS, the Agency drafts its EA Report (the Report) for the Project, solicits public comments on the draft Report, then finalizes the Report and submits it to the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change.





The federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change issues his or her EA decision statement, thus concluding the EA process.





If the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change determines that the Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, the Project can then enter the permitting phase in which all permits necessary to begin construction can proceed.





Indigenous and public consultation is integrated throughout the entire EA and permitting phase, with all stakeholders given four opportunities to provide comments at different stages of the federal EA process.

First Mining has already begun consultation efforts with local Indigenous communities within the Springpole area to support the EA process. These consultation efforts with Indigenous communities will be ongoing throughout the EA process, including consultation with local municipalities, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders.

In parallel with the federal EA process, First Mining has also commenced discussions with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) for the purposes of entering into a Voluntary Agreement with the MOECC for Springpole and thus initiating an individual provincial EA under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. A decision from MOECC on this is expected soon, after which Terms of Reference (ToR) for the provincial EA will be prepared and submitted to MOECC for review.

The ToR determines the scope of the provincial EA and what alternatives must be assessed as well as environmental aspects that could be impacted by the Project that the provincial EA must consider. These aspects are prepared by First Mining.

ABOUT FIRST MINING GOLD CORP.

First Mining Gold Corp. is an emerging development company with a diversified portfolio of gold projects in North America. Having assembled a large resource base of seven million ounces of gold in the Measured and Indicated categories and five million ounces of gold in the Inferred category in mining friendly jurisdictions of eastern Canada, First Mining is now focused on advancing its assets towards production. The Company currently holds a portfolio of 25 mineral assets in Canada, Mexico and the United States with a focus on gold.



For further information, please contact:



Derek Iwanaka

Vice President Investor Relations

Toll-Free: 1-844-306-8827

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.firstmininggold.com



ON BEHALF OF FIRST MINING GOLD CORP.



Keith Neumeyer

Keith Neumeyer

Chairman



Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain "forward-looking information and "forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects, "anticipates, "believes, plans, projects, "intends, "estimates, envisages, "potential, "possible, strategy, goals, objectives, or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the issuance by the Agency of the EIS Guidelines after the completion of the Review Period; (ii) the commencement of the federal EA process; (iii) the Springpole Project being posted on CEARIS and the availability of EA-related documents on such site; (iv) continued consultation efforts with Indigenous communities, and with local municipalities, government agencies and non-governmental organizations, and the outcome of such consultation efforts; and (v) the preparation of ToR for a provincial EA and their submission to MOECC. All forward-looking statements are based on First Mining's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. The most significant assumptions are set forth above, but generally these assumptions include: (i) the successful completion of the federal and provincial EA processes; (ii) the success of consultations with Indigenous communities, and with local municipalities, government agencies and non-governmental organizations; and (iii) no material issues being raised during the permitting phase of the Springpole Project. Although the Companys management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and estimates expressed above do not occur as forecast, but specifically include, without limitation: (i) risks relating to any material issues that may be identified during the federal or provincial EA process; (ii) risks relating to consultation efforts with various stakeholders; (iii) general risks related to permitting activities; (iv) developments in world metals markets; (v) risks relating to fluctuations in the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar; (vi) managements discretion to refocus the Companys exploration efforts and/or alter the Companys short and long term business plans; and (vii) the additional risks described in First Mining's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and in First Minings Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on EDGAR.

First Mining cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to First Mining, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. First Mining does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on our behalf, except as required by law.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors

This news release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101) and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum 2014 Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC), and mineral resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource does not equate to the term "reserves. Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources, "indicated mineral resources or "inferred mineral resources or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. U.S. investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by the Company in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves under SEC standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards.
MONTREAL, March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Auxico Resources Canada Inc. (CSE:AUAG) is pleased to announce that initial XRF spectrometer results have yielded up to 10.75 g/t of gold and 0.27% of cobalt in an exhalative shale unit. The analysis was derived from a float sample very close to the source upstream.

Auxico's QP and independent consulting geologist Joel Scodnick personally visited the Metaloro Property and selected all of the samples. An extensive fault zone of semi-massive sulphides to massive sulphides measuring at least 200 meters wide was identified on the property, from which the 10.75 g/t gold and 0.27% cobalt sample was taken. The 200 meters wide mineralized zone may extend over a strike length of 2 kilometers or more according to the topographical expression within the property boundaries. Several samples were brought into the SGS laboratory in Medellin and the results are expected shortly.

Auxico's Management is very excited about this new discovery given the fact that several of the samples selected carry significant amounts of sulphides, as well as massive sulphide lenses within the exhalative shale sequence.

An exploration campaign is being planned right now and will commence shortly.

Auxico acquired the property directly by claiming.

Qualified Person

This news release was reviewed and approved by Joel Scodnick, P.Geo., an independent consultant to Auxico, in his capacity as a Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 signed 

Mark Billings

President, Auxico Resources Canada Inc.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cell: +1 514 296 1641

About Auxico Resources Canada Inc.

Auxico Resources Canada Inc. (Auxico) in a Canadian company that was founded in 2014 and based in Montreal. Auxico is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in Mexico. The Company has a 100% interest in the Zamora Silver-Gold Property in Sinaloa, Mexico. Auxico will continue to identify and potentially acquire additional property interests and conduct exploration and evaluation of these properties to assess their potential.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release.
March 7, 2018 / TheNewswire / Vancouver, British Columbia; - LiCo Energy Metals Inc. ("the Company" or LiCo") TSX-V: LIC, OTCQB: WCTXF is pleased to report assay results for drill holes TE17-06 through to TE17-11 completed on the Teledyne Cobalt Property, located 6 km northeast of Cobalt, Ontario. The current drill program was designed to confirm and extend the existing known mineralization along strike and up and down dip.

"LiCo is pleased to report the final assay results for the Phase 1 diamond drill program completed at the Teledyne Cobalt Property. Drill hole TE17-08 intersected multiple zones of cobalt mineralization over a core interval of just over 19 m" says Tim Fernback, President & CEO of LiCo.

A summary of the most significant results of the recent drill core assays are:

TE17-07 0.50% Co over 2.10 m from 127.60 to 129.70 m, including 1.50% over 0.40 cm from 128.20 to 128.60 m.

TE17-08 0.77% Co over 3.40 m from 169.50 to 172.90 m, including 1.17% Co over 2.00 m from 169.50 to 171.50 m.

TE17-08 0.59% Co over 1.20 m from 174.00 to 175.20 m.

TE17-08 0.62% Co over 0.60 m from 178.60 to 179.20 m.

TE17-11 0.54% Co over 2.00 m from 130.00 to 132.00 m, including 1.07% Co over 0.50 m from 130.00 to 130.50 m.

On the Teledyne Cobalt Property, the Company completed a total of 11 diamond drill holes totaling 2,200 m in the fall of 2017.

The results and drill hole collar information for diamond drill holes TE17-06 to TE17-11 are summarized in Tables 1 & 2 below.

Table 1: Summary of Diamond Drill Results

DDH From (m) To(m) Core Length (m) Co(%) Ag (ppm) Cu (ppm) Zn (ppm) Pb (ppm) TE17-06 164.00 165.00 1.00 0.14 0.7 4 33 6 TE17-07 127.60 129.70 2.10 0.50 2.3 130 157 32 incl. 128.20 128.60 0.40 1.50 6.6 206 84 46 TE17-08 160.00 160.50 0.50 0.25 7.7 516 27 402 TE17-08 165.50 166.50 1.00 0.23 4.7 59 31 652 TE17-08 169.50 172.90 3.40 0.77 7.6 252 68 1370 incl. 169.50 171.50 2.00 1.17 8.3 62 41 1758 incl. 171.00 171.50 0.50 2.09 23.5 228 46 5400 TE17-08 174.00 175.20 1.20 0.59 21 338 43 2191 incl. 174.30 175.20 0.90 0.71 24.4 437 43 2548 TE17-08 178.60 179.20 0.60 0.62 20.8 101 72 991 TE17-09 145.50 147.50 2.00 0.09 0.4 13 16 5 incl. 146.40 146.65 0.25 0.20 0.4 5 15 2 TE17-10 124.55 128.00 3.45 0.11 0.5 10 24 4 incl. 124.55 125.50 0.95 0.19 0.7 9 25 5 TE17-11 130.00 132.00 2.00 0.54 1.1 13 36 8 incl. 130.00 130.50 0.50 1.07 0.7 14 29 3

Note: Intervals reported in Table 1 represent core lengths and not true widths.

Table 2: Drill hole Collar Information

DDH Azm Dip TE17-06 090 -45 TE17-07 090 -50 TE17-08 090 -49 TE17-09 090 -45 TE17-10 090 -45 TE17-11 090 -54

QA/QC Program

LiCo Energy Metals Inc. has implemented a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program for Teledyne Cobalt Property Phase 1 diamond drilling program.

Diamond drill core was logged, then sawed in half, with one half placed in a labelled bag, and the remaining half placed back into the core box and stored in a secured compound. Either a standard or a blank was inserted every 20th sample. All samples were shipped to Activation Laboratories in Ancaster, Ontario. Each sample is coarsely crushed and a 250 g aliquot is pulverized for analysis. A 0.25g sample is digested with a near total digestion (4 acids) and then analyzed using an ICP. QC for the digestion is 14% for each batch, 5 method reagent blanks, 10 in-house controls, 10 samples duplicates, and 8 certified reference materials. An additional 13% QC is performed as part of the instrumental analysis to ensure quality in the areas of instrumental drift. If over limits for Cu, Pb, Zn, and Co are encountered, a sodium peroxide fusion, acid dissolution followed by ICP-OES is completed. For Ag over limits, a four-acid digestion is completed followed by ICP-OES.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved Joerg Kleinboeck, P.Geo., an independent consulting geologist and a qualified person as defined in NI 43-101.





About LiCo Energy Metals: https://licoenergymetals.com/

LiCo Energy Metals Inc. is a Canadian based exploration company whose primary listing is on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's focus is directed towards exploration for high value metals integral to the manufacture of lithium ion batteries.

Glencore Bucke Cobalt Project (Cobalt, Ontario): The Company has purchased a 100% interest from Glencore Canada Corporation (subsidiary of Glencore plc) in the Glencore Bucke Property, situated in Bucke Township, 6 km east-northeast of Cobalt, Ontario, subject to a back-in provision, production royalty and off-take agreement. Strategically, the Glencore Bucke Property consists of 16.2 hectares and sits along the west boundary of LiCo's Teledyne Cobalt Project. The Property covers the southern extension of the #3 vein that was historically mined on the neighbouring Cobalt Contact Property located to the north of the Glencore Bucke Property. Diamond drilling in 1981 on the Glencore Bucke Property delineated two zones of mineralization measuring 150 m and 70 m in length.

Ontario Teledyne Cobalt Project (Cobalt, Ontario):

The Company has an option to earn 100% ownership, subject to a royalty, in the Teledyne Project located near Cobalt. Ontario. The Property adjoins the south and west boundaries of claims that hosted the Agaunico Mine. From 1905 through to 1961, the Agaunico Mine produced a total of 4,350,000 lbs. of cobalt and 980,000 oz. of silver. A significant portion of the cobalt that was produced at the Agaunico Mine located along structures that extended southward onto the Teledyne property. The Company completed a total of 11 diamond drill holes totaling 2,200 m in the fall of 2017. The drilling has confirmed cobalt mineralization present on the Property which is consistent with historical grades as reported historically by Cunningham-Dunlop (1979) and Bressee (1981), disclosed in earlier news releases. These reports are available in the public domain through MNDM's AFRI database.

NI 43-101 Reports for both the Teledyne and Glencore Bucke Properties, are publicly available on www.SEDAR.com as well as the Company's website. LiCo's recently completed diamond drilling program (September to December 2017) consisted of both twinning and infill drilling of the historical drill holes located on both the Teledyne Cobalt and Glencore Bucke Properties.

Purickuta Lithium Project (Chile):

The Purickuta Project is located within Salar de Atacama, a salt flat encompassing 3,000 km2, being about 100 km long, 80 km wide and home to approximately 37% of the worlds Lithium production and Chile itself holds 53% of the world's known lithium reserves (Source: Bloomberg Markets - June 23, 2017, "Lithium Squeeze Looms as Top Miner Front-Loads, Chile Says"). The property is 160 hectares large and is enveloped by a concession owned by Sociedad Quimica y Minera ("SQM") and lies within a few kilometers of a property owned by CORFO (the Chilean Economic Development Agency) where its leases land to both SQM and Albermarle's Rockwood Lithium Corp. ("Albermarle") for lithium extraction. Together these two companies, SQM and Albermarle, have a combined annual production of over 62,000 tonnes of LCE (Lithium Carbonate Equivalent) making up 100% of Chile's current lithium output. As reported in The Economist (June 15, 2017 - A battle for supremacy in the lithium triangle), the Salar de Atacama has the largest and highest quality proven reserves of lithium. The combination of the desert's hot sun, scarce rainfall, and the mineral-rich brines make Chile's production costs the world's lowest. This together with a favourable investment climate, low levels of corruption, and the quality of its bureaucracy and courts makes Chile a favourable place to conduct business.

Dixie Valley Lithium Project (Nevada, USA):

The Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest, subject to a 3% NSR, on a large lithium exploration project at the Humboldt Salt Marsh in Dixie Valley, Nevada. Some important geological similarities exist between various lithium brines, notably geothermal activity, a dry climate, a closed basin, an aquifer, and tectonically driven subsistence exist at Dixie Valley along with Clayton Valley and various lithium bearing salars in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia.

Black Rock Desert Lithium Project (Nevada, USA):

The Company has entered into an option agreement whereby the Company may earn an undivided 100% interest, subject to a 3% NSR, in the Black Rock Desert Lithium Project in southwest Black Rock Desert, Washoe County, Nevada.

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved Joerg Kleinboeck, P.Geo., an independent consulting geologist and a qualified person as defined in NI 43-101.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Tim Fernback, President & CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information:

This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements.
Assays are pending for 174 underground samples, recently taken from 66 locations at the Skroska Cobalt-Nickel Project following up on assay results from an initial 18 samples taken from 10 locations 2018 recap of drilling activity and drill assay results at the Rehova Copper Project including near... Read More
Pope Paul VI, who oversaw sweeping reforms of the Catholic Church in the 1960s, will be made a saint along with a Salvadoran archbishop who was shot dead while celebrating mass, the Vatican said on Wednesday.

Pope Francis signed decrees giving the go-ahead for the honours on the basis of miracles attributed to each candidate, the Holy See said in a statement.

The pope put Paul VI on the path to sainthood by beatifying him in October 2014, while Oscar Romero was likewise elevated to the status of blessed in May 2015.

Paul VI completed the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II, which revolutionised the relationship between Catholic believers and priests and opened the Church to dialogue with other religions.

Mass, historically celebrated in Latin, was translated into local languages and priests addressed their congregations face-on instead of facing the altar.

Paul VI is credited with being one of Pope Francis role models, a humble man to whom the Argentine pope frequently refers in his speeches. At the beatification mass, Francis had hailed him as a brave Christian.

Giovanni Battista Montini, a soft-spoken cardinal from northern Italy, was elected pope in 1963, adopting the name Paul VI. He was pope for 15 tumultuous years, which saw many believers and priests leave the Church as social rebellions swept across the West.

His papacy was marked by growing secularisation and social liberation, and while the polarised politics of the Cold War did little to ease his task he was also hampered by a reputation for being overly cautious.

He reaffirmed the Churchs ban on artificial contraception  despite the fact that his own birth control commission, set up to advise the Vatican, voted overwhelming to lift the prohibition.

The decision enraged many Catholics at a time when believers were embracing sexual freedom and women were demanding the right to use the birth control pill.

 A wise pastor 

Romero, murdered in 1980, was beatified in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador in Central America, in front of 200,000 worshippers.

Cardinal Angelo Amato read out a letter from the pope proclaiming to the frenzied crowd that Romero henceforth is called blessed.

Then US president Barack Obama welcomed the beatification, calling Romero a wise pastor and a courageous man who persevered in the face of opposition from extremes on both sides.

Romeros assassination occurred at the outset of El Salvadors civil war and propelled the country deeper into a brutal conflict that raged until 1992.

No one was ever convicted of Romeros killing, but a UN-sponsored truth commission later concluded it was carried out by a right-wing death squad under the orders of a former army officer who died the year the war ended.

The movement to make Romero a saint was long resisted by conservative Catholics and the Salvadoran right, who saw veiled Marxism in his sermons eulogising the poor and radio broadcasts condemning government repression.

The petition languished for years in the Vatican, finally moving forward in February 2015 when Pope Francis named Romero a martyr of the Church  less than a year after his own election to the papacy.
Britains Queen Elizabeth II welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday at the start of a controversial state visit where he faces questions over Riyadhs involvement in the Yemen war.

The crown prince lunched with the queen at Buckingham Palace ahead of talks with Prime Minister Theresa May, but his arrival drew protests on the streets of London over the brutal Yemen conflict.

May defended the invitation when she was grilled in parliament over why Prince Mohammed was being afforded the red carpet treatment during his three-day visit.

The link with Saudi Arabia we have is historic, it is an important one and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country due to anti-terrorism cooperation, she told MPs.

Their involvement in Yemen came at the request of the legitimate government of the Yemen, it is backed by the UN Security Council and as such we support it.

The three-year conflict, which began with the Saudi-led intervention to fight Iran-backed Huthi rebels, has left 22.2 million people dependent on food aid, according to UN figures.

The Save the Children charity protested the visit by installing a statue of a child near parliament to draw attention to the violence that is being fuelled, in part, by British-made bombs.

Around 200 demonstrators also lined up outside Downing Street, where the crown prince visited May.

Hes not welcome here and they shouldnt be rolling out the red carpet to people like him while people of Yemen suffer a brutal siege, said Mayer Wakefield, of the Stop the War Coalition which organised the protest.

 UK collusion in war crimes 

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused Mays government of colluding in war crimes by selling arms to Saudi Arabia, and even suggested that British military advisers were directing the war.

May responded that her relationship with Prince Mohammed had already helped alleviate the humanitarian crisis by convincing him to ease Saudi blockades of ports in Yemen during a meeting in December.

This vindicates the engagement that we have with Saudi Arabia, to be able to sit down with them, she said.

The pair met at Downing Street for talks on reforms in Saudi Arabia, trade and investment relations and defence and security cooperation.

The crown prince noted there were now huge opportunities to boost trade ties post-Brexit.

I have no doubt that its a very deep relationship, he added. And its different and its not only about politics, or military, or intelligence, but also socially and economically.

Following the talks, a Downing Street spokeswoman said May welcomed recent reforms in Saudi Arabia, including on women and had raised Britains deep concerns at the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

The prime minister and crown prince agreed on the importance of full and unfettered humanitarian and commercial access, including through the ports, and that a political solution was ultimately the only way to end the conflict and humanitarian suffering in Yemen.

The spokeswoman said the summit yielded a landmark ambition for around 65 billion (73 billion euros, $90 billion) of mutual trade and investment opportunities in coming years in areas ranging from education to defence.

She added this would include direct investment in Britain and new Saudi public procurement with UK companies.

 Courting investors 

Later Wednesday Prince Mohammed was due to be hosted for dinner by heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, with Prince William among the guests.

Earlier, junior foreign minister Alistair Burt responded to an emergency question in parliament about the visit by defending Britains arms deals with Saudi, saying the regulations were as strict as anywhere in the world.

He also praised the crown princes reform measures, saying: The engagement of women in business and government makes a real difference.

In a Saudi context, these changes have immense significance.

The crown princes trips to Egypt, Britain and later this month the United States are aimed partly at courting investors.

They follow a tumultuous period that saw a major military shake-up and a royal purge, part of a sweeping power play by the prince.
124 Shares Share

HIPAA (Health Information Portability Accountability Act of 1996) is the privacy care act involving electronic transfer of records so that the identity of a patient remains unknown. It includes any electronic, written or oral transfer of information. When I was a kid, there was no such thing. As a grown-up medical professional, you are surrounded constantly by HIPAA. Charts are placed on doors, so the names are hidden, instead of names initials are used when referring to patients in clinical conferences, doors are shut while rounding in the hallways when the attending begins his usual discussions with residents and medical students. It is an excellent way of protecting patient ID. It can impede or delay more fruitful activities. It can also be a bit murky so when in doubt sometimes it is better to remain mum. If the good intentions behind the act dont convince you perhaps the penalties will. Penalties are hefty and can be up to $25,000 for a violation, maximal at $50,000 or 1 year of imprisonment depending on the severity of the offense.

Sometimes when you are rounding, and there is only a curtain that serves as a partition between two patients how does one get around it? Does it violate HIPAA when discussing someones care when you are clearly within earshot of someone else? Technically speaking, yes it does. Do authorities turn a blind eye? Of course, they do. Unless a quarter of a million health care facilities remodel their patient rooms, you cant get around not speaking about someones case in earshot of other people. Most rounds occur in the morning outside of visiting hours. But sometimes you have to round in the afternoon, and by then you are greeted by a room filled with people. So, in this case, HIPAA seems more of a formality but something you try to do even when it is impossible in this set-up. At least, giving the illusion of protecting privacy by drawing the flimsy curtain even though everyone inside the room can hear you appear sufficient. HIPAA violation: technically yes, but authorities turn a blind eye because you have to do your job and theres no way around it so in reality no.

They say so long as patient identifiers are left out you act in accordance with HIPAA. One morning as a fresh brand new attending trying to get my job done and living the urban life I inadvertently had to get some information while riding on the bus. It was very noisy I tried my best not to mention names but couldnt hear clearly so asked my colleague to repeat some statements. As luck would have it, I was sitting across from someone who worked in a hospital. She corrected me that I was violating HIPAA. I wracked my brains trying to recall my conversation, did I mention any names? Although names are identifiers, if you are discussing information or even writing about a previous case in a novel, if someone is still identifiable that is a violation of HIPAA. I swore to myself never again will I allow myself to be put in that position again. HIPAA violation: yes, because someone might still be able to identify that person hearing the information.

Going down an elevator, physicians are always reminded not to discuss care even without patient identifiers. A few years after this incident above, a colleague started to ask questions about a common case we shared in the elevator. Alarm bells were ringing in my head recalling a past incident of HIPAA mainly my bus event. The hardest lessons sting so you never forget. So, I tried to courteously avert the discussion because of HIPAA. He countered that he did not mention any names none too pleased. But if the information is presented in such a way one can identify a patient, this is in violation of HIPAA. I wasnt about to go down that rabbit hole again. So, I acted in accordance with HIPAA and waited until we both got off. My colleague eventually got over it, and we were collegially nodding at each other in the hallways again after a few weeks. HIPAA violation: yes. Some say no but in reality, its yes because someone can still be identifiable through the information. Even if it means displeasing colleagues for a few days, protect your patients privacy and protect your unblemished name.

Many physicians write on the side as an outlet including novels and health blogs. Usually one draws on ones work life experience to describe characters in a book or relay an interesting tale. However, even without mentioning names one must keep in mind if a patient can identify themselves in what you write about this may be a violation of HIPAA. HIPAA violation: potentially yes if someone can identify it is them and prove it. So, technically yes but proving it would be difficult. Best bet is to change as many demographics as possible and even details, so the person is completely unrecognizable.

Most people working in the health care field are well-intentioned, but even if you are unknowing of all the nuances of HIPAA, it might be better to stay mum or ensure you keep discussions private in a room with a closed door.

Virginia Thornley is a neurologist who blogs at Neurology Buzz.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
The collision of Storm Emma and the Siberian Beast resulted in 178 calls to Kilkenny County Councils call centre and to the out-of-hours emergency number.

The Winter storm is expected to cost more than Hurricane Ophelia last October - which had a bill of 320,000.

Kilkenny experienced some of the worst snowfall in almost 40 years as Storm Emma covered the county in up to 30cm of snow in some parts along with deep snowdrifts.

The worst affected areas in the north were Castlewarren (pictured), Coon, Moneenroe , Johnswell and Muckalee.

The whole county was covered in snowfall but it was particularly bad in the south in places like Slieverue, Mooncoin, Mullinavat and Glenmore.

Director of Services at Kilkenny County Council, Tim Butler, paid tribute to the efforts of local authority staff and volunteers across the county.

On the cost of Storm Emma, he said: At this stage we do not have any idea of cost but would be of the opinion it will be higher than Storm Ophelia last October which cost 320k, we should know next week.

"Most roads on low ground are now clear of snow and although all roads are accessible; those on higher ground many of these only have single lanes with walls of snow either side.

"Care is advised on all roads. We would ask communities to check in with vulnerable neighbours to ensure they are ok and conserve water.

There were 178 calls received to March 4 in call centre and to out of hours emergency number.

He added: KCC would like to thank all Council staff, Defence Forces, Civil Defence, Fire Service, Gardai, HSE, voluntary sector IFA and all other members of the community who help out during this time.

A Status Yellow snow and ice warning for Leinster was scheduled to be in effect until Wednesday morning - one week after the initial snowfall landed.

Niall Dollard of www.kilkennyweather.com said the snow that hit the county between February 27 to March 3 was the deepest the county has seen in 36 years and in parts of the south of the county, the deepest since 1947.

The first snow showers arrived in from the Irish Sea on Tuesday afternoon. By 9am Wednesday there was 7cm lying snow in the City.

More snow showers piled in from the Irish Sea on Wednesday with the east of the county badly affected. By Thursday the wind picked up and the first reports of drifting snow blocking the roads, were coming in from the communities living on the Comer Plateau, he said.

On Thursday night Storm Emma was moving up towards the southwest of England and then anchored off the south coast of Ireland.

He added: The maximum level of snow recorded in Kilkenny Friday afternoon was 15cm, just short of the 16cm maximum recorded in 1982. Drifting was commonplace.

You only had to move a short distance out of the City to the more exposed Waterford Road to see big drifts over 1.5 metres stretching across the road.

"By this stage many parts of the south and east of the county had over 30cm level snow and drifts as high as 2 metres deep.

The fact that Kilkenny only had 66% the normal rainfall in February and the slow thaw, has helped ensure that there would be no repeat of a flooding incident like 1947.

Storm Emma also brought with it the coldest temperature of the year last Thursday when the mercury plummeted to a chilly -5.4 Degrees Celsius.
A Westmeath man, the outgoing parish priest from Dunboyne in the neighbouring county of Meath, is this week saying farewell to former parishioners and preparing for his new role as Bishop of one of Ireland's most ancient diocese - that of Ossory.

"I was genuinely surprised when Pope Francis asked me to take charge of a diocese. It's just that it's not something you look for, something you prepare for, but we as priests make a commitment, we sign up and we answer the call," said Monsignor Farrell, who at the start of January was present when the announcement was made in St Mary's - from Rome - that he was the new bishop.

Next Sunday he will be ordained Bishop of Ossory. He will be the 95th man to hold the post, but it has taken an unusual amount of time for the ordination to take place - since Bishop Seamus Freeman stepped down from the position in 2016. Vicar General Monsignor Michael Ryan has been the top member of the clergy in Ossory since then.

The announcement in January was greeted very positively in the diocese, and the entire Ossory community which covers most of Kilkenny, six parishes in Laois and the parish of Seir Kieran in Offaly will be represented next Sunday in St Mary's Cathedral to witness this historic event.

Monsignor Farrell is looking forward to coming to Kilkenny, and as a man who is very interested in heritage and history, he feels he will certainly fit in.

A native of Castetown/Georghan, a village in Westmeath where hurling is the number one sport, Monsignor Farrell recalls a previous parishioner who came to Kilkenny, a friar called Anthony McGeoghegan back in 1665 who met Bishop Rinuccini during the Confederation years in Kilkenny. Anthony was subsequently made the Bishop of Clonmacnoise in the diocese of Meath. So Dermot Farrell is now the second bishop, in four hundred years to come from the Westmeath village.

We can learn from history, not just about facts but how issues were dealt with, how we react in times of crisis.

As far as Monsignor Farrell is concerned, the biggest challenge to the church is dealing with the apathy out there. "That obviously affects everything in the church - attendance, faith, prayer and then on to vocations. We need to be more involved in a life of prayer, we need people living in faith.

We know there are no vocations, it's not a problem just confined to Ossory, or Ireland, but a European one in particular. Considering marriage among priests, that;s not going to solve the problem. It's about a renewal of commitment, and it is complex.

Bishop Farrell will be managing a diocese where the average age of priest is in the high 60s.

We need to make the situation as best we can, but there will be implications for parishes, and changes in the numbers of priests in areas. When I grew up in our parish there were three priests, now there's one.

And with that level of interest in his heritage, Monsignor Farrell is certainly impressed at the work done on St Mary 's Cathedral. I've always liked Kilkenny, it's a very historic county, and the people are proud of their area, and preserve it., Indeed it's a business for Kilkenny. And I'm extremely impressed with the work done on the Cathedral and the chapter rooms.

Monsignor Farrell has been parish priest of Dunboyne in Meath for over ten years. And he cites this as a strong advantage in taking up the Bishops role here in Ossory - I will have come from a pastoral role, a role I really enjoyed. Its a strength I'd have in that I enjoy meeting people, I love talking to people and gaining a greater understanding of their lives. Of course running a diocese requires you to have experience in administration, and I gained that during my time as President of St Patrick's College in Maynooth."It's obvious he wants to hit the ground running. Last weekend, a tour of the diocese taking in significant sites from Seir kieran to the Cathedral fell victim to Storm Emma, but the new bishop is eagerly awaiting starting his new role, attending confirmation throughout the diocese and meeting his new community.

The diary is filling up fast, and I'm looking forward to getting out and about, particularly over the Easter period.

Bishop-elect Farrell will be ordained next Sunday, March 11, 3pm at St Mary's Cathedral in Kilkenny.
A number of events will take place across the city on Thursday to mark International Womens Day.

Network Ireland Kilkenny is organising an evening at the Newpark Hotel featuring guest speakers Helen Carroll from RTEs Ear to the Ground, Michelle Long and Claire Cahill, the winners of 2017 Kilkenny People of the Year awards and founders of Scoliosis Advocacy Network and Julie Calder-Potts from High Bank Orchard.

A journalist with over 25 years experience, Helen Carroll is best known as a presenter on Ear To The Ground, RTE Televisions Farming and Food programme.

She has produced, presented, reported and researched on national radio and television for both RTE and TV3. Her work in the print media has seen her write news, features, reviews and a weekly column for both local and national publications.

Two mothers, Claire Cahill and Michelle Long, work tirelessly to raise awareness around a medical condition, Scoliosis, and who campaign for reduced waiting lists were announced as the overall winners of the Kilkenny People of the Year awards.

Julie Calder-Potts produces an award winning range of apple based products ranging from syrups and ciders, to vodka, gin and liqueurs. Julie was inspired and began experimenting with all the apples in her kitchen.

Network Ireland is a progressive, dynamic organisation supporting the professional and personal development of women. Tickets can be booked in advance online at www.eventbrite.ie

Meanwhile on Thursday morning at the Parade Tower there will be a special celebration with social innovator and visionary Sr Stanislaus Kennedy as the keynote speaker.

This will be followed by a panel of local speakers including Sergeant Laura Dragoi, Laura Gannon, Gillian Grattan, Claire Hughes and Orla Kelly and an open discussion from the floor.

There is a great line-up of events at MacDonagh Junction kicking off at noon.

At 1pm ,ocal theatre-maker Ita Morrissey is directing a 15-minute satirical sketch about all things lady bits....and bobs! Get informed alongside a panel of experts who know everything about nothing. Hosted by Aoibhin Murphy with invited guests Malcolm Noonan, Margaret Whitely and Monika Ova. This will be followed by another performace piece at 1.15pm and Tai Chi and Qi Gong with Yvonne Craddock at 1.30pm. A Hear Our Voices event will take place at 3.30pm in memory of the late Elinor Mountain.

As part of the International Womens Day celebrations, KATS Theatre Group will host a talk by Micheline Sheehy Skeffington in MacDonagh Junction on Saturday, March 10 at 3pm. Micheline is the grand daughter of Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, who was a prominent Irish Suffragette in the 20th Century. Hanna and her husband Francis played a huge role in the fight for Irish freedom, as well as fighting peacefully for womens right to vote.

Micheline has been fighting herself for gender equality in the workplace. She has a family history of trying to address injustice and the KATS theatre group are honoured that she has decided to take time out of her busy schedule to come to Kilkenny and tell the story of her famous grandparents and the struggles they endured. This is a free event and all are welcome.

An Inspirational Women Exhibition will take place at libraries across Kilkenny from March 5 to 10.
Story

Legislation seeking to prevent newborn abandonment has been approved by the Washington State Legislature. The measure passed concurrence by the State Senate yesterday afternoon by a vote of 48-1.

The legislation is inspired in part by a tragedy that occurred in February 2014 when an infant, who was named Baby Kimball after the bridge near where she was found, died wrapped in a blanket in the woods less than a half a mile from a hospital outside of North Bend. The passed legislation focuses on efforts to continue raising public awareness about Washingtons Safe Surrender laws and protections for newborn babies.

Sponsored by Senators Guy Palumbo, Joe Fain, and Sharon Nelson, the legislation now goes to the Governors desk to be signed into law. Once adopted the bill will require the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services to collect and compile information and publicly report it annually.

This life-saving act has been on the books for more than a decade, but we know relatively little about how many abandonment incidents happen and how many could have been prevented, said Sen. Guy Palumbo, D-Maltby. With reliable data, and better coordination between agencies, we can make caregivers more aware of our safe surrender option.

Newborn babies given up by their parents for any reason deserve to be kept safe and protected during this critically important period, said Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn. Better data and information about these situations will allow us to more effectively reach parents in crisis and ensure the right services are available and known to the public in this time of need.

Tragedies like what happened to Baby Kimball must never occur again, said King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn, an early advocate of the legislation. This bill will allow us to more effectively communicate existing protections to at-risk populations. Its good policy and its the right thing to do.

To help prevent future tragedies, especially the death of newborns, it is crucial to have current and accurate data to guide public outreach strategies, said County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, who was the prime sponsor of the original safe haven legislation in 2002 while a member of the state Legislature. When this legislation becomes law, we will be able to continue and enhance our efforts to educate struggling new parents on their options. One of the options will be for these new parents, who are usually in their teens and unable to care for a newborn, to be able to safely surrender their child without fear of prosecution or other legal repercussions.

Since Baby Kimballs death, the King County Council has been actively working to examine ways to prevent similar tragedies in the future. The King County Safety of Newborn Children Task Force was then created to address how Washington States Safety of Newborn Children Act could be better implemented across the county.

In Washington State, parents can leave newborns with qualified individuals at hospitals, fire stations, or federally designated rural health clinics. The Safety of Newborn Children Law allows parents to do this anonymously up to 72 hours after the birth of a child without fear of prosecution for abandonment.
A bit late covering this (toddlers and blogging do not always co-exist) but wanted to as it was such a great speech. The full speech is here.

Of course, where we come from is principally our families. My background, which I brought to politics, was rural and Catholic, and, in some respects, was an interesting mix that gave me as much familiarity with binder twine as with the beatitudes, and a love of shearing as well as a love of Latin. And then I married into the Scanlon family. Well, we had some things in commonfaith and familybut they have a completely different tradition of New Zealand. Migrants from Samoa and Italytheirs was a totally different world in which they lived, which we just called town, which was a generic word for anything bigger than Dipton. But theres not much that happened in these two families that didnt happen to every New Zealander, because Mervyn and Norah English, who have passed away, and George and Jean Scanlon, who are here today, between them raised 25 children. Can I say, I am pleased you did not all accept the invitation. My children have 66 cousins, so far. I remember the discussion with the officials when we were arranging the swearing-in when I became Prime Minister. They said, Well, you can have the large one with the officials and the important people, and well put out a whole lot of chairs and fill the room, or you can have the small family one. I said, Well, I think well have the large family one, thank you., and 80 of them showed up on the day.

There has never been any doubt the vast importance of family to Bill. Despite having the heaviest workload of any Minister, he never ate dinner at Parliament. He always made time to get home to have dinner with his family.

Ive been fortunate to have had some real friends whove come through with methat is, Nick Smith, Roger Sowry, and Tony Ryall. We all started together as part of an intake of 37a colourful bunch, I have to say. We were kind of the secondary school students, I suppose, or certainly regarded that way. The four of us have had opposing views on everything, from conscience issues to leadership coups. The real test, though, has been 27 years of family holidays together, where weve managed to create a tradition for ourselves and our families that keeps us bound, whatever our political views.

Rare to have such strong and enduring friendships in politics.

Hospitals were a big issuesmall, rural hospitals, which, in the early 1990s, still had surgeons in them. Some of you may remember the Hands Around Our Hospitals protests in Balcluthaa town of 5,000 to 7,000 people marched against the closure of the hospital. I recall being under a bit of pressure in a Grey Power meeting in Gore, and I lost my cool and said, We should bulldoze the bloody thing and build a new one., and, actually, thats what we did. Im proud to say that in the South, all of the small health services outside of Dunedin and Invercargill hospitals are in community ownership, and I have to say theyve never been better run, more stable, and more secure for their communities. The idea that Government has to run everything to make it work is simply wrong, and, in small communities, it is almost certainly not the answer to have third-level managers running your services for you. If I had one shortfall on that, its that I didnt manage to get the Queenstown hospital into that structure, because it would be a much better facility than it is today if it wasnt in public ownership.

Ownership is not the same as funding. You will often get better results with community ownership but public funding.

In fact, when you look at events around the world, Im increasingly of the view that New Zealands ability to deal with cultural difference is going to become a strategic advantage, not just to us but relative to the rest of the world. We see deep, sophisticated cultures such as Europe struggling with issues that we have grappled with intensively for 30 years. I want to acknowledge the work of Sir Doug Graham and Chris Finlayson and Jim Bolgerin particular, those threearound the settlements, and Chriss extraordinary effort in recent years.

We are indeed but better positioned that most of Europe.

You know, at the core of my beliefand it comes from Catholic theology and, to some extent, National Party principlesis the utter integrity of the individual person, their importance, and our obligation to them to ensure that they can realise their aspirations and their full humanity, and much of what Government does does not do that. Thats a shame, because Ive never met a person, in 27 years, who had no hopenever, not oneincluding the worst of our offenders, and Ive met them. Theres always some hope. In fact, often thats all they have.

Bills compassion is what defines him.

You know, thats telling, and if theres anything I want to leave as a lesson here, it is the dangerous complacency of good intentions. Theres too much of it in New Zealandthat, somehow, if you say you mean well, thats going to make a difference. Well, actually, it can cause damage, because youre not actually talking about what actually happened. The services we provide are not about us; theyre about those people. The only measure of it is whether it changes their liveswhether we reduce the miserybut we have a system still built too much on servicing that misery.

Virtue signalling is the easy part. Actually making change that works is far harder.

I want to just finish with a quote from James K. Baxter that Ive always liked. Its from his poem called New Zealand, where the first line is These unshaped islands, on the sawyers bench, Wait for the chisel of the mind, On March 13, when I officially resignit feels like you leave the building about six times when youre going; six last timesit will be 10,000 days since I was elected, and I want to acknowledge my brother Conor, who pointed that out to me. Ten thousand days since I was elected, and Im satisfied that, every day, I took my turn at the chisel.

Bill English leaves behind a huge legacy. He will be missed.

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

More

Reddit

Pinterest



Print

Tumblr




Asher Emanuel writes:

The government lobbyist who served for several months as chief of staff to the prime minister as the new government took office says he didnt do any work for the lobbying firm of which he is part-owner while working at the Beehive. Nor, he says, was he paid by the business. In response to questions on potential conflicts of interest, GJ Thompson, who advised the prime minister for five months ending last Friday, told The Spinoff he declared the potential conflict at the very outset and that it was for the Department of Internal Affairs to manage any conflict. Thompson did not directly respond, however, to questions put to him on why his name and personal telephone number remained on the front page of the lobbying firms website while he was in service at the apex of the new government, or what steps were taken to address any conflicts of interest. When Labours previous chief of staff, Neale Jones, left to become a lobbyist late last year, questions arose about conflicts of interest and the potential for disclosure of inside information. But concerns over Jones move are dwarfed by those surrounding his replacement, GJ Thompson. Last Friday, Thompson concluded a five-month stint as Labours chief of staff. Before taking on the leading Labour position he was a partner at Thompson Lewis, the lobbying firm he founded in 2016. Having left the role, he has returned to Auckland and his firm to continue as a lobbyist.

It is quite legitimate to ask questions about someone being an Acting Chief of Staff for five months, while still being part of a lobbying firm. It is fair to say that it isnt best practice as he will then be dealing with staff in the PMs Office and Ministerial offices that he himself hired.

But this overlooks why Thompson was appointed Acting Chief of Staff. The person appointed as Chief of Staff was not able to take up the role for several months as he was undergoing treatment for a life threatening illness.

Thompson I am sure did not want to do the job for five months. I suspect he was pleaded with to do it on the basis that they need an experienced hand for the initial few months. From his point of view, he was doing a favour to help out his own party.

It may have even harmed his firms lobbying ability. The greater scrutiny of any decisions that favour their clients make make it harder for them, not easier.

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

More

Reddit

Pinterest



Print

Tumblr




Wayne Mapp writes:

Simon has been cut out for leadership for decades. When he was in his early 20s, I used to joke with him about the Bridges administration, circa 2020. Even at that age it was obvious that Simon had the gift of leadership, a certain charisma and self-confidence. The fact that he did not come from the exclusive suburbs and schools only added to his potential. Most New Zealanders will quickly become comfortable with his very Kiwi accent. For most of us it is who we are. Arriving in parliament in 2008, Simon used his networking skills to great effect. He made sure that all the senior MPs got to know him. It was often as simple as taking the time in the evening to come forward in the debating chamber and sit with ministers. Making sure they understood him and his aspirations and philosophy. It seems simple in the telling, but it is surprising how few people have the confidence to actually do it. He was a natural for early ministerial promotion. Seeing him do battle with John Campbell on Campbell Live confirmed that he the toughness to hold his ground. Backing the oil and gas industry and its potential for New Zealand showed his mettle. A National Party leader is expected to promote business and not wilt at the first challenge. Beating a government in just one term is a tall order, but in this instance very possible. New Zealand First is quite likely to go under 5%. In that case it will be a drag race between National (and Act) and Labour and the Greens. Things dont have to go very wrong with the current government to make that a very competitive race. And should New Zealand First get back in  well, it is opposition for National in any event. New Zealand First will not go with National, at least not in 2020.

I agree that NZ First wont go with National in 2020. National are fools if they think there is any chance NZ First will go with them. Winston chose to put Labour and Greens into power in 2017 and cant in 2020 credibly claim he might do differently.

So the challenge for National is to knock NZ First out (actually NZ First will probably do that without assistance) and get more votes on the centre-right than Labour and the Greens.

The thing with Simon is that he backs himself in such a contest. If there were ever an image that showed he is up for it, it was his sheer confidence at the time of the selection of the Speaker when parliament resumed after the election. Simon had all the government MPs scurrying around him to cut a deal. They came to him, he did not go to them. Being up against Jacinda Ardern almost certainly helped Simon in the leadership contest. He could provide a contrast that Amy could not. And National MPs would have recalled how he and Jacinda had sparred with each other on breakfast TV in 2009 and 2010. A sharp contest but also one conducted with good grace and humour. So he is a safe bet in that regard. He is not going to do anything foolish that will embarrass him or the party.

The challenge is not to attack Jacinda, but to show up the performance doesnt meet the rhetoric.

All of this will not be enough to win; new policy will be needed. Recognition of the failures of the last National government will be required, especially in housing and the environment. Some of the new policy in these areas will have to really surprise people if National is to be looked at afresh.

Agreed. Fresh policy is needed.

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

More

Reddit

Pinterest



Print

Tumblr




Chinese President Xi Jinping. / Reuters



By Jung Min-ho



China is the only country that can stop North Korea from becoming a fully fledged nuclear power. But Beijing will not take that step, even if that means the U.S. could attack the North, experts say.



China's oil supply provides key support to the Kim Jong-un regime, which would collapse in no time without it. Yet China has chosen to provide resources Pyongyang badly needs and will likely continue to do so, says Boston College professor of political science Robert Ross.



"China opposes nuclear weapons in North Korea, but it has other more immediate priorities, including preventing regime collapse and loss of its control over nuclear weapons," he told The Korea Times.



"These objectives are more important than coercion to achieve immediate denuclearization. Thus China resists excessive sanctions that could lead to regime collapse."



In some ways, he notes, South Korea shares this Chinese perspective, as it also opposes excessive U.S. sanctions that could destabilize the regime and its control over nuclear weapons, which could lead to war.



Some reports suggest North Korea may be just a year or less away from developing a nuclear warhead small enough to fit on a missile that could hit the U.S. mainland.



With that prospect, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to use any means possible, including military action, to stop it.



Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions clearly also concern Beijing, which believes nuclear weapons actually tighten U.S. alliances and missile defenses in East Asia.



But unlike the U.S. and Japan, China does not see the weapons as an immediate threat, according to Leon Sigal, director of the Northeast Asia Cooperative Security Project in New York.



"But I suspect that top Chinese and North Korean officials think all the talk about preventive war is a bluff," he says.



Apparently, China does not rule out the possibility of another war in Korea.



There have been media reports that China is quietly building a network of refugee camps along its 1,416-kilometer border with North Korea as Beijing prepares for the human exodus that a conflict might unleash.



The China Mobile document, which started circulating on social media and overseas Chinese websites three months ago, says, "Due to cross-border tensions  the (Chinese Communist) party committee and government of Changbai County have proposed setting up five refugee camps in the county."



"A surprise U.S. attack on the regime  referred to in the media as a possible bloody nose' attack  could destabilize or defeat it," says Andreas Fulda, a professor Nottingham University School of Politics and International Relations.



"A flood of North Korean refugees to the northeastern part of China would almost certainly follow. This shows how concerned the Communist Party is about the regime collapsing."



The influx of North Korean refugees would create a major problem for the Chinese government. Would ordinary Chinese citizens help the refugees or see them as unwanted competitors for scarce resources?



"If Chinese people, especially in the economically deprived northeastern provinces, turn out to be hostile to the refugees, this will put the Communist Party in a very difficult position," Fulda says.



"On the one hand there would be considerable international pressure to provide shelter and support for the refugees. But domestically, such support by the Chinese government could erode the fragile public support for China's authoritarian political regime.



"A fractured and destabilized Korean Peninsula thus could also destabilize the authoritarian Chinese political system."

China's concern is all about the regime's stability, which could be seriously damaged by either excessive sanctions or war. Therefore, for China, one option is not any better than the other.



While both scenarios are detrimental to China, the Communist Party does not have sufficient leverage to prevent the Trump administration from attacking North Korea. "All China can do is to raise concerns about the dangers of such a military intervention," Fulda says.